Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gradine" data-source="post: 7305396" data-attributes="member: 57112">The Death of OberonA mystery-fantasy adventureWithered HuskImprovised SolutionInternal StrifeClandestine PlotAssassinationFey MoodDramatis Personae - The Rude MechanicalsQuince - Director, looking to go out with a bang and cash out bigGash Derier - Star actor, playing OberonHelena - Playing Titania. Gash's lover, cheating on him with GuilternGuiltern - Playing Puck. Wants Gash out of the picture. Very controlling of HelenaRosantz - Gash's understudy. Helena & Guiltern's fall guyThorin Snout - Propmaster, tinker, and apothecary. Recently fascinated by poisonsAct ITitania & Oberon has played to sold out crowds for months, and is nearing the end of its run. Quince, the director, has hired a local group of mercenaries, ostensibly as members of the chorus, to investigate the sudden illness of its lead actor, Gash Derier. Though he's hidden it well, Gash has been coughing up blood. Quince has noticed a palpable tension within the troupe, and believes foul play is afoot. Gash and his lover, Helena, both dismiss such claims, but also appear to be hiding something.Act IIThe investigators must infiltrate the theatre troupe, joining performances in the chorus and gaining the confidence of its players and crew. Investigators who succeed in gaining the confidence of cast or crew will learn one or more of the following rumors:*Rosantz, Gash's understudy, is jealous of Gash and wants the chance to play Oberon*Helena has been cheating on Gash with Guiltern, the actor playing Puck, and everyone knows but Gash*Quince has been looking to sell his shares in the troupe*Thorin Snout, the troupe's propmaster, has been locking himself in his workshop lately, demanding crew find him increasingly rare ingredientsAct IIIInvestigators who earn Gash's trust find that he does believe he's being poisoned, but trusts no one. He suspects Rosantz of poisoning the glass he drinks from in the play's climax. Rosantz helps with the props backstage. In truth, Rosantz looks up to Gash, and rumors of his discontent have been spread by Helena and Guiltern.Snout, a dwarven tinker and apothecary, has been experimenting with poisons and antidotes. Helena and Guiltern have conspired to poison Gash to death, and have hired Snout to supply the poison. Unbeknownst to them, Snout has also been supplying the antidote to Dash, playing off both to fund his research. Gash's condition is worsening because Snout has run out of a key ingredient: the cocoon of a faerie dragon. Snout has instead been dissolving the husks of mundane insects in his solutions, attempting to make similar adjustments to his poison to keep Gash safe. He does not suspect this to be a problem and will grow defensive if accused. Investigators must grill him hard or search his workshop to uncover the truth. Without the true antidote, the poison will slowly kill Gash.Act IVThe investigators must research the location of nearby nests of faerie dragons. Research or consultation with a sage will reveal that a larval faerie dragon has made its nest in the dangerous Parnitha Woods. A safer path around the woods allows the investigators to reach their goal in six days; a direct path through the woods would take only four. Depending on how long the investigation has taken, closing night could be fast approaching.The investigators find the newly matured faerie dragon in the woods. It acts flighty and aloof, but is hoping to be entertained. It will part with its empty cocoon willingly if they answer three convoluted riddles, or, failing that, bring it three difficult to find ingredients within the woods.Act VThe poison has not acted fast enough, and Helena and Guiltern hatch a new scheme. In the week approaching closing night, Helena convinces Rosantz to run a surprise change to the play's plot by Quince: in the play’s climax, a suddenly deranged Titania stabs Oberon, killing him. Quince will be hailed as a genius for this shocking turn in the otherwise familiar play. Quince, blinded by greed and prestige, agrees, keeping the change a secret from Gash so his reaction will be "authentic". In truth, Helena plans to stab and kill him with a real knife, and blame Rosantz for switching out the prop knife. Helena is having second thoughts the night of, however, and might be convinced to spoil the plot. If that happens, an enraged Guiltern will decide to take matters into his own hands. The investigators must stop this assassination attempt and provide Gash the appropriate antidote in order to save him.</blockquote>

Verification