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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Vaxalon" data-source="post: 222662" data-attributes="member: 789">Ingredients used:Angry Mob, "Costume Jewelry", Alchemist's Fire, Silver Dragon, Foppish Vampire Bard, Apparatus of KwalishOptional ingredients:"Lobsters", "Sharks", "Ostriches", "Elephant", CourierThe following is an adventure outline that is adaptable to a variety of different backgrounds and settings.  By adjusting the power of the antagonists, it can be scaled for anywhere between level 5 and 15.  Beyond level 15, many of the challenges become trivial.A liveried courier delivers invitations to a fancy-dress party in the most exlusive district in the city to the PC's.  The host is a mysterious figure known as Borthax, a powerful wizard.  The invitations each include a silver broach.  This piece of jewelry places an 'alter self' spell over the wearer, to create a costume.  All of the costumes are animalistic forms.  The guests are warned that anyone who removes the broach before the appointed time will be ejected from the party.The site of the party is a fortified manor house dating back to the founding of the city, a sprawling edifice with numerous rooms for secret liaisons.  Shortly after their arrival, a person dressed as a lobster invites one of the PC's aside.  He warns the PC's that he knows for a fact that Borthax is imprisoned as a result of a botched mission on another plane; that the Borthax that invited the PC's is an imposter.  He knows who the PC's are because he can identify them by smell, but he doesn't know who the false Borthax is; indeed, he doesn't even know which costume the falst Borthax is wearing.  He is the silver dragon Kuradion, who has been keeping track of adventurers in this city for centuries.  He warns the PC's that this party was called for some other reason besides entertainment, and to keep their eyes open.PC's who fail to go to the party may discover that agents scattered through the seedier parts of the city are inciting the rabble, and several nasty-looking mobs are forming.  They are well-organized, and it is clear that this has been planned.  Shortly after dark, the mobs start moving towards the wealthy districts.  Due to its suddenness, the constabulary is caught off guard and are unable to stop them.  The PC's may be able to stop one or more of the mobs, but at least one should make it to the manor house.Later on, the lobster is not to be found; he is called away by a member of the constabulary (using a Recall spell) to help deal with the mobs.If the partygoer PC's poke their noses in back rooms and side closets of the manor house, they may very well discover a room guarded by a couple of men costumed as a shark and an elephant.  They can be tricked, as they are not terribly bright, or dealt with quietly in order to get past them.  The room they are guarding contains an Apparatus of Kwalish, and a wide passage down to the city sewers.Poking around in the house is not easy, and if it is not done carefully it may raise the suspicions of the guests or staff.  Any suspicious activity may very well get the PC's expelled.In an attic, the PC's may find numerous wine barrels which are actually full of alchemist's fire.  A hidden water-clock mechanism is timed to release flaming death upon everyone in the house about an hour after sundown.  Disarming the trap will not be easy, as interfering with it could set the trap off early.If the PC's make any kind of ruckus, they will be asked to leave the party.  If they mention the alchemist's fire in the attic, the majordomo will act very confused, and demand to be brought to see for himself.  He is actually a vampire bard, disguised as the majordomo, and when he gets the PC's alone in the attic he will attempt to defeat them quickly and quietly.About a half hour after sundown, the bard, costumed as an ostrich, begins to play.  He weaves a heightened "enthrall" spell into his song, which most of the partygoers are unable to resist.  In the middle of his performance, the mob attacks.  Shortly thereafter, the alchemist's fire is released, whereupon the bard attempts to make his escape to the Apparatus, and down into the sewers.  His destination is a secret evil shrine under the manor house, accessible only by going underwater.  By sacrificing the lives of the noblemen and commoners alike that he has arranged to roast alive in the manor above, the vampire plans to boost his power sufficiently that he can take over the city in the aftermath.If the Apparatus has been sabotaged, destroyed, or stolen, or if confronted by opposition he cannot quickly vanquish, the vampire will flee in bat form to escape the conflagration.edit: Ingredients used</blockquote>

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