Date: 20th of Gathaksis 1349 (5)
The Oratorio
As the summer solstice approaches, just a week away, the evenings are getting longer and warmer and the Corenthalians are finding more and more things to do at night. Tonight, the cathedral is performing an oratorio at the amphitheatre. Rylan will be singing in the chorus. The play is about an ancient elven prince named Onoe who ran away from home as a child, but survived in the wild protected by the hand of Eo who sent goodly animals to look after him. Upon adulthood, he returned to depose his tyrant brother.
The play runs several hours
In the closing scene of the play, in the final confrontation between Onoe and his brother, a plume of glowing smoke can be seen in the fading twilight rising behind the buildings behind the stage of the amphitheatre. "Fire!" someone screams.
The Fire
A couple blocks towards the harbour from the amphitheatre, a large warehouse is completely involved in flames. A large anxious crowd has already gathered to watch the flames destroy the building, many in states of undress, having apparently been roused from slumber.
Soon, the building next door catches fire. Almost immediately, its remaining residents flee, however, a figure in distress appears in a window on the second floor, 20 feet up from the street level. She is a middle-aged woman, apparently the mother of three of the children who have jsut escaped the building
Rescuing the distressed individual may involve entering the burning building, in which the following two traps are in effect.
| Burning Building Falling Ceiling Trap | CR 4 | 1200 xp | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | mechanical | Perception | DC 15 | Disable Device | DC 29 |
| Effects | |||||
| Trigger | proximity | Reset | automatic | ||
| Effect | Atk +0 ranged (1d6 + 1d6 fire) | multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft. square) | |||
| Burning Building Broken Floor Pit Trap | CR 2 | 600 xp | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | mechanical | Perception | DC 15 | Disable Device | DC 29 |
| Effects | |||||
| Trigger | location | Reset | repair | ||
| Effect | 10-ft-deep pit (1d6 falling damage) | DC 20 Reflex avoids | multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft. square) | ||
If rescuing the victim is accomplished without entering the building, regardless, the two traps have been successfully avoided, and XP is earned for both.
Sir Dolme's Warehouse
The warehouse that has burnt down belongs to Sir Dolme, a local noble. Shiela will find out soon that her employers Pijyr and Saby have lost 2000 G worth in lumber.
Soon after the disaster, Sir Dolme invites Shiela, Danilor, and Rylan to his home. He has heard how they are the people who solved the murder of the monk at the grange, and would like to hire the party to find out who has burnt down his warehouse. Over 130 thousand gilders worth of goods have been destroyed.
Among the goods stored at the warehouse:
- Wool belonging to Soryn 120 tons, 48 000 G
- Tapestries belonging to Rendol Nyrel 144 pcs 28 800 G — Sir Dolme will not reveal this information at first, as Rendol has paid Dolme to keep these goods in secret.
- Spices belinging to Geros Coby 1 ton, 44 000 G
- Lumber belonging to Pijyr and Saby 2000 G
Dolme has no idea who might be interested in destroying him. He is a friendly, hospitable man, and has never had significant problems with his tenants. He is able to provide the party with a schematic of the building, including where some of the goods were being stored.
The Scene of the crime
Evidence is sparse at the scene of the fire, as most of the building is utterly destroyed. With some careful inspection, it becomes evident that the rear of the building is more affected than the front (Perception DC 10), particularly the southeast corner (Perception DC 20).
On the second day after the fire, when the scene has become safe enough to enter with care, a man can be seen searching through the remains of the building (perception DC 15), but he disappears before anyone can get close through the difficult terrain. (Auditory Perception DC 15) To hear the sound of the drain being moved.
Inspection of the area in the basement of the burnt out building (perception DC 15, if the basement is specifically searched in this area, DC 25 otherwise) reveals a rusted metal floor drain in the southeast corner of the building, near where the mysterious figure disappeared.
Underneath, access can be gained to a portion of the city's sewers.
The sewers / catacombs
It is possible to find (perception DC 18) a silver ring in the sewer, not far from the drain in the warehouse basement.
Encounters
- 5 dire rats. 675 xp —-Danilor is infected with dire rat disease.
- an allip, a shadowy whispy ghost. 800 xp —Rylan has taken wisdom damage in the attack.
- 6 zombie human commoners
- 1 ghouls
- 1 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ghoul.htm ghast]
| Human Commoner Zombie | |
|---|---|
| Size/Type: | Medium Undead |
| Hit Dice: | 2d12+5 (24 hp) |
| Initiative: | -1 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares; can’t run) |
| Armor Class: | 11 (-1 Dex, +2 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 11 |
| DR: | 5/S, 1/— |
| Base Attack: | +1 |
| Attack: | Slam +1 melee (1d6+1) or club +1 melee (1d6+1) |
| Full Attack: | Slam +1 melee, (1d6+1) or club +1 melee (1d6+1) |
| OCM/DCM: | +2/+0 |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft |
| Special Attacks: | — |
| Special Qualities: | Single actions only, darkvision 60 ft., undead traits |
| Saves: | Fort +0, Ref -1, Will -4 |
| Abilities: | Str 12, Dex 8, Con Ø, Int Ø, Wis 10, Cha 1 |
| Skills: | — |
| Feats: | Toughness |
| Environment: | Any |
| Organization: | Any |
| Challenge Rating: | ½ |
| Treasure: | None |
| Alignment: | Always neutral evil |
| Advancement: | None |
| Level Adjustment: | — |
| Ghoul | Ghast | ||
| Size/Type: | Medium Undead | Medium Undead | |
| Hit Dice: | 2d12 (13 hp) | 4d12+3 (29 hp) | |
| Initiative: | +4 | +5 | |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares) | 30 ft. (6 squares) | |
| Armor Class: | 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12 | 17 (+3 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14 | |
| DR: | 1/ | 2/ | |
| Base Attack: | +1 | +2 | |
| Attack: | Bite +5 melee (1d6+1 plus paralysis) | Bite +9 melee (1d8+3 plus paralysis) | |
| Full Attack: | Bite +5 melee (1d6+1 plus paralysis) and 2 claws +0 melee (1d3 plus paralysis) |
Bite +9 melee (1d8+3 plus paralysis) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d4+1 plus paralysis) |
|
| OCM/DCM: | +2/+3 | +5/+5 | |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. | 5 ft./5 ft. | |
| Special Attacks: | Ghoul fever, paralysis | Ghoul fever, paralyis, stench | |
| Special Qualities: | Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, +2 turn resistance | Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, +2 turn resistance | |
| Saves: | Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4 | Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +7 | |
| Abilities: | Str 13, Dex 15, Con Ø, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 12 | Str 17, Dex 17, Con Ø, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16 | |
| Skills: | Balance +6, Climb +5, Hide +6, Jump +5, Move Silently +6, Spot +7 | Balance +7, Climb +9, Hide +8, Jump +9, Move Silently +8, Spot +8 | |
| Feats: | Multiattack | Multiattack, Toughness | |
| Environment: | Any (Lacedon: Any aquatic) | Any | |
| Organization: | Solitary, gang (2-4), or pack (7-12) | Solitary, gang (2-4), or pack (2-4 plus 7-12 ghouls) | |
| Challenge Rating: | 1 | 3 | |
| Treasure: | None | Standard | |
| Alignment: | Always chaotic evil | Always chaotic evil | |
| Advancement: | 3 HD (Medium) | 5-8 HD (Medium) | |
| Level Adjustment: | — | — | |
The track leads down a tunnel that becomes drier than the rest of the sewer tunnels, in fact the floor flattens out and the stonework becomes more regular. (Perception ceck DC 18) the party comes across a stone carved in Old Umorit:
KESOLLI PRED EGISKELLI NIDA DECADI
Beware lest ye disturb the sleep of the dead
Eventually, the search for the mysterious person goes dry.
Lord Neldeon
Possible motive:
Claims he wouldn't start the fire in the warehouse because his nephew, Rendol was storing expensive tapestries there, which have now all been ruined. His nephew has lost 28 800 G. Also, Dolme is a friend of the Baron, with whom he is also on good terms. Rendol has had difficulty with one of his friends of late. Perhaps he may know more.
Sir Rendol Nyrel
Claims he knows who set the fire. Rojan, who was one of his friends, set the fire to destroy his tapestries. Rendol claims he has gone quite mad. He disgraced his family by impregnating Talseo, and blames Rendol, who has taken the girl in. Also, Rojan, of late has been increasingly lawless. Rendol claims he is one of the bandits, robbing caravans on the way to Mejyn.
The road to Mejyn
Encounter with the bandits
- Bandits and Rojan
| Human Bandits (rogue) | |
|---|---|
| Size/Type: | Medium Humanoid |
| Hit Dice: | 3d8+6 (24 hp) |
| Initiative: | +4 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 18 (+3.5 dex +5 brigadine), touch 13, flat-footed 15 |
| DR: | 2/— |
| Base Attack: | +2.25 |
| Attack: | +7 melee shortsword (1d6+2), or +4 ranged crossbow (1d8-1) |
| Full Attack: | +7 melee shortsword (1d6+2), or +4 ranged crossbow (1d8-1) |
| OCM/DCM: | +4/+5 |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft |
| Special Attacks: | Sneak attack +2d6 |
| Special Qualities: | Evasion, trap sense +1 |
| Saves: | Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1 |
| Abilities: | Str 14, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 13 |
| Skills: | — |
| Feats: | Toughness |
| Challenge Rating: | 3 |
| Treasure: | None |
| Alignment: | Any neutral or evil |
Rojan
Rojan says he had nothing to do with the fire. He claims Rendol had an affair with Talseo; Rendol is the one who impregnated her, not him. He has been hired by a burgess in town who has been running his competition out of business by hiring men to rob his competition's goods.
Soryn
Soryn has been running a crime ring in addition to trading wool. He suspects Geros Coby has learned of his racket and set the fire to ruin him. He has sent an assassin to kill Geros Coby.
Geros Coby
One night when the party is in town, a scuffle is heard down a street. An assassin is struggling with Geros Coby. The assassin if caught and not killed does not know the name of the man who has hired him. He was hired in a back room of the Adderhead inn, where meetings for criminal conspiracy are set up discretely dealing through slits in the wall for anonymity.
Geros suspects that Semyl, his business rival (also deals in spices), is up to the nefarious deeds.
The Assassin (level 3 800 XP)
Semyl
Semyl denies any involvement in the assassination attempt or the fire. He suspects mayor Olki is involved. According to Semyl, Dolme is financing Baron Gorjum's ventures in [[[Khotham]], a small port town just down the coast. If khotham becomes a viable alternate port for people looking to import goods to Mejyn, then business in Corenthal will suffer. Not only is the scheme bleeding potential business south to Khotham, but it's using Corenthal's money to do so.
Mayor Olki
Olki denies having anything to do with the fire. Why would he destroy the goods of some of the city's best importers and nobles? That would be disastrous for him. Olki suspects Phorthyn. Phorthyn is a good man, but a little overzealous. Olki claims that Phorthyn approached him just weeks ago about a scheme to take down Lord Neldeon. Phorthyn is upset that Lord Neldeon refuses to grant him right of storage on the grain he imports.
Phorthyn
Phorthyn is recogniseable (perception DC 15) as the man who was at the scene of the crime. At first he denies any involvement, but may admit to trying to frame Lord Neldeon by planting his ring at the scene.
NPCs
Sir Dolme
Soryn
Geros Coby
Lord Neldeon
Semyl
Phorthyn
Rendol Nyrel
Pijyr
Saby
Mayor Olki
Rojan
Talseo
Categories: Storyline, Adventures
