Round One - Sixth (and Final) Match-Up:
"Now and" Zenld vs. "The Ever-Impronouncible" Tleilaxu
Ingredients
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Conspiracy of Dopplegangers
Mass Suggestion
Otherworldly Dogs
Panic
Suspicious Lizardfolk
False Reward
Who Are We Fooling?
A small adventure for a merry band of 3rd – 5th level adventurers.
*This adventure is unusual in that it entails no combat. There may be some, but none is necessary to get to the end. DMs are advised to offer experience on that basis.*
Fairvale
A small town in a natural bowl shaped valley. The entrances to the vale are to the west and the north-east. A small river also enter through the north-east cut and flows down the eastern side of the valley before feeding a swamp that fills the south end of the bowl. As the swamp doesn’t grow much, and there is no visible off run, it is assumed that the outlet is underground.
The town itself features a dozen or so homes on the inside of cultivated lands and then a market square, with blacksmith, a trader and a small inn, the Jolly Potboy.
The swamp is a mysterious growth of swamp trees and small islets throughout. The home of the Nichtma tribe of lizardfolk, it is fairly well settled. Even some trade has grown between the town and tribe.
However of late, there has been some tension. Feelings of hostility, once long buried, are growing once more. While there are still members of the tribe in town, their welcome is growing thinner by the day.
The PCs should be passing through the valley, preferably shortly before nightfall, such as they might consider spending the night at the Jolly Potboy.
The Jolly Potboy
A comfortable country inn, it has rooms for 10 or twenty if people double up, as well as another twenty can bunk in the common room. As this is a farming community, most of the locals don’t remain long after dark, instead seeking their beds for an early morning.
The Potboy is rarely full, except during the harvest time when other local towns send caravans to partake of the vale’s bountiful harvests. Those caravans don’t come empty though, for they contain the vital elements Fairvale counts on for its survival, metals for the smith, fine cloths and other items not readily available or manufacturable in the vale.
At this time of year, there are few travelers and little news to be heard around the taproom. The few locals here after dark keep to themselves and have few words for strangers.
The owner of the Potboy is Johannes Phillip, and upon meeting him, it becomes instantly obvious how the inn got its name. A large man with a ready smile and a good table, he is well liked even by those who don’t get along so well with others. His good humor and not inconsiderable girth have ended many a brawl before it had a chance to get going.
(male human exp2)
The Smithy
Blackbeard Hammerblow is the town’s blacksmith. A stout dwarf of heavy build, his beard so full of soot it has become black. He has been known as Blackbeard for so long, even he will tell you he can’t remember his real name.
Hammerblow also functions as the town’s constable; few are those who want to argue with him, and fewer those who have won said argument. There is a small stable between the smithy and the inn. Guests may stable their animals there for a small fee. It should also be noted that Hammerblow does not take well to mistreatment of animals. Should he find an animal in dire straits, the owner may find himself with an issue with an attitude.
(male dwarf exp5)
Trader Joe
A Halfling of much insight, Trader Joe has just recently moved to Fairvale. He believes that with its abundance of food production and the shelter of its valley, it has the potential to become a haven for travelers and merchants. The townsfolk just smile and nod when he says so, but he takes it all in stride. And to his credit, much of the trade with the tribe as well as the surrounding towns has grown though his guidance.
(male Halfling exp4rog2)
Ly’chta
Chief of the Nichtma tribe, he is a large imposing specimen, topping 7 ½ feet and breaking the scales at over 300 lbs. he typically has a greataxe slung over his shoulder, and a set of knifes in bandoliers.
(male lizardfolk brb5)
Sli’ctma
A slight female lizardfolk, she is always wearing a fancy headdress and carrying a feather and fur entwined staff. She is the tribal shaman of the Nichtma tribe. She has been the person responsible for working out the trade agreements with Trader Joe. However, members of her tribe have become unhappy with the arrangements. Another factor in the locals suspicion of the tribe is that recently Sli’ctma has been seen in the company of a large ghostly mastiff, one that she has been talking with and it has been talking back. The beast is the exact image of one of the farmer’s dog who headed into the swamp one day, and never returned. No one knows what purpose it has talking with the tribal shaman, or how it came to be speaking, but it has made people very nervous. (The tribes previous head shaman, who recently passed away, was a druid who awakened the dog after she found it lost in the swamp and nearly dead. Once awakened, he told her he had no desire to return to a mean and cruel master, so she took him in, of sorts. Following her death, he drowned himself in the swamp. No one knows why his ghost has returned, but he has been of help to the new shaman on several occasions.)
(female lizardfolk adpt4)(ghost awakened mastiff)
Lysandra
Johannes Phillip’s daughter, she is quite the wild one. She has always wanted to know what is out there. Questioning the travelers and caravan masters and dreaming of faraway places. Since she is now of age, Johannes is finding it harder and harder to keep her at his side. He is afraid she has been sneaking around, prying into matters that aren’t her business and is afraid she will either find herself in trouble with the law, or will run away and he will never see her again. For her part, she feels her father is too conservative and paranoid. And what he doesn’t know is she has been training with Trader Joe in some of the finer points of sneaking around. In fact he has used her services to see what else certain caravan masters may have been carting. So far, she has not been caught.
(female human rog1)
The Enemy
The Patrinus Sodality is a small group of doppelgangers who are seeking an artifact of great power, one that many do not believe exists. They are ridiculed and persecuted by other doppelgangers to the point that they went into hiding. They would love to prove themselves vindicated. They believe a clue to its whereabouts is contained within the shrine of the lizardfolk. The sodality has already lost two members in this pursuit and are loathe to lose more. It seems the shaman has within her possession something that allows her to see through the disguises and shape-changes of the doppelgangers. (It is a ring of true-seeing.)
While they try to figure out a plan, they have begun fomenting trouble between the town and the tribe. Their hope is that if they can keep the shaman out of the cave, they may get in and recover the iten before she returns. So far, this has not worked, but they are patient and willing to ride it out.
Primary factors of the group are as follows.
Patrinus (Rog5Sor3), the leader of the society that bears his name, he is a cunning individual who desperately wants to retrieve the artifact, the Star of Emulus. He is currently disguised as an old man who is traveling home. He claims to have gotten sick and is staying at the Potboy until he can figure out how to infiltrate the tribal shrine. He also has recognized the talents and yearnings in Lysandra and is furthering her ambitions by continuing her training.
Reginus (Ftr4Rog3), Patrinus’ right hand man, he is responsible for the security of the group. He feels the failure most in the loss of their two brethren. However, he believes in their objective and that the sacrifice, while dear, was necessary.
There are 6 others left in the Sodality. They are a mix of low level rogues and low level fighters.
The Encounters
There may or may not be violence between the tribe and the townsfolk. If there is, please encourage the PCs to interfene, preferably before anyone dies.
First
During dinner that night, they can see an old man reading a scroll off to one side. (This is Patrinus. He is using a scroll of mass suggestion on the party. Make his comments reflect whether or not they saved.)
At some point in the evening, Patrinus should make himself known to the party. He was the old man they noticed earlier. He will tell them his cover story and then add that while he has been here he has also tried to trade with the Nichtma. They have a religious icon that he believes will help him to heal, so that he may be on his way. However, the Shaman has refused to even speak with him. He would like the party to bargain with her for him, asking that they be allowed to bring the icon to him, so that he may be healed. They will then return it. He says he will pay the tribe quite well for this service. Also, he offers the PCs a handsome reward if they can somehow make this happen.
If the party attempts any sense motives, etc, remember Patrinus is a doppelganger who is using his detect thoughts to help him allay suspicions, as well as his formidable skills.
Second
The party can arrange to meet with Sli’ctma at the inn. She is in town and will meet them after her business is concluded. She is less than trustful of the party and her suspicions are quite obvious.
She will listen to the party’s story and whatever arrangements they have made ahead of time but ultimately will still refuse to deal with them. No holy item may be removed from the shrine and no outsider is to be allowed inside the shrine. However, she will finally agree to see the old man and perhaps attempt to heal him herself.
The party may of course attempt to steal the icon for themselves, and get there reward from Patrinus. If so, skip to third-B and go from there.
Third-A
The party cannot locate Patrinus that day/evening. Finally, long after the Nichtma adept has returned home, they will see him in the taproom. He will be very pleased with their results and promises to meet them in the morning to see the shaman. He will also have the PCs reward at that time. With that, he goes to his room.
Third-B
If the party attempts to steal the icon for themselves, remember it is in a underwater air filled cave somewhere in the depths of the swamp. If they manage to find it, if they can get in, if they can get out, and if they can survive the guards and wandering patrols in the swamps, and in the halls of the underwater complex the tribe calls home and where the shrine is, feel free to let them. Then skip to and modify encounter four as necessary.
Fourth
The next morning the inn is awoken by the pounding of mighty fists upon the door. The door is opened to panic in the streets. The townsfolk are running mad, most still in their nightclothes. There is a large force of Nichtma warriors, headed by the chief and shaman. At her side is a large, almost transparent, mastiff. The ghostly figure stares at the party with a deep intelligence. They demand to see the party. They claim their icon has been stolen and since these are the only people to have inquired about it, they must have taken it.
When the party explains about the old man, his room is checked but it is empty. He cannot be found anywhere. Neither can several others who had been in town of late. The only sign of his presence is a single scroll case sitting on the center of the bed, labeled to the PCs. Any character with spellcraft can attempt to identify the markings on the case. (DC20, scroll of mass suggestion.)
What will happen now?
• The party is apprehended by the blacksmith and sent to jail for theft of the item, although their accomplice got away.
• The party is allowed to leave and told never to come back again. Meanwhile the tribe prepares for a hunt to capture the thief.
• The tribe does not believe the party’s story and decides to attack the town.
• The tribe decides that the only way for the party to redeem themselves in this situation is to track down the old man and return him to justice and the icon to the tribe.
• Any other options you feel will fit your campaign.
Inventory
Conspiracy of doppelgangers: the Patrinus Sodality.
Mass suggestion: used on the party by Patrinus.
Otherworldly dog: the tribal shaman's companion.
Panic: in the streets when the tribal army shows up.
Suspicious lizardmen: both are suspicious and others suspect them.
False reward: promised rewards vanish in the night with their beefactor.
