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THE ZOMBIE ORB An Adventure for First Level Characters

Part of the Five Whispers Campaign

By Jeff Causey 1

Table of Contents ADVENTURE INFORMATION ....................................................3

THE SHRINE TO OGHMA .....................................................10

Synopsis .................................................................................3

The Zombie Orb ..............................................................10

Adventure Overview .....................................................3

The Shrine..........................................................................10

Adventure Hooks .............................................................3

Zombies!...............................................................................10

Adventure Background ................................................3

CONCLUSION .........................................................................11

CAN YOU HELP?....................................................................4

Finding the Zombie Orb ..............................................11

Meeting Rulf Morningfall ...........................................4

A Missing Zombie Orb ..................................................11

Guarding The Shrine......................................................5

HANDOUTS ...........................................................................12

UNDERMANNED ......................................................................5

Handout 1 - Letter from Lady Lysteria.................12

Meeting Drada Greenhall.............................................5

Handout 2 - Map of Loudwater................................13

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER .......................................................6

Handout 3 - Map of The Devil’s Den......................14

Meeting Fendrel Chaucer.............................................6 Dinner Interrupted .........................................................7

INSIDE THE DEVIL’S DEN .....................................................7 Infiltration...........................................................................7 Melinda!.................................................................................8 Rescue.....................................................................................9

This adventure written as part of the RPG Writer Workshop

Credits: Cover Image: Glass Art by Eli Mazet, photo from www.VortexGlassworks.com Document template: Nathanaël Roux, http://www.barkalotdesigns.com Paper background image: Patrick E. Pullen Map of Loudwater: C.J. Ebert DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other original material in this work is copyright 2019 by Jeffrey G. Causey and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

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ADVENTURE INFORMATION SYNOPSIS In the small town of Loudwater far from the large, bustling cities like Waterdeep, people try to lead quiet lives caring for friends, family and community. At the Shrine to Oghma, the priests of the Order of Endless Life do this by researching ways to extend lifespans on Faerûn. Recently their chief priest returned from a journey to The High Moor with an artifact in hand. Trying to unlock the item’s power, the priests have unleashed something dark and sinister. The party will be recruited to help find two missing priests from the Shrine to Oghma. This may occur one of three ways, but all of them will point the party to try to find someone named Melinda at a place called The Devil’s Den, a particularly seedy tavern located outside the town of Loudwater. At The Devil’s Den, the party will be confronted with a series of challenges starting with just how to get in to the place. Once in they will have to identify Melinda and befriend her without raising the attention of the owner. The party will learn the group of mercenaries they have already run into are known as the Silent Specters and they are holding a necromancer - one of the missing priests - in The Devil’s Den. The party will need to rescue the priest and get out. The priest will reveal to the party the artifact is the Zombie Orb. The party will proceed to the Shrine to Oghma to try to stop its theft. Arriving too late, they will have to deal with zombies.

ADVENTURE OVERVIEW The Zombie Orb is the opening adventure for the Five Whispers campaign. A secret group known as the Silent Specters are trying to steal an artifact known as the Zombie Orb. Once obtained, they will return it to Neverwinter for delivery to Allure’Zan, a demilich who is one of the Five Whispers. This adventure is organized into three acts: Can You Help? This act provides three different adventure hooks that the DM can use to start the adventure. The party may be hired as guards by a mercenary company, they may be recruited by the local sheriff (known as a Gauntlet in Loudwater), or their help may be sought out by a priest from the local Shrine to Oghma. In the latter two cases, the party is recruited to help find missing priests. Inside The Devil’s Den The action in Act 2 moves outside the town of Loudwater to a place called The Devil’s Den. A seedy tavern, the party will will have to figure out how to get into the private club. Once inside, they will need to find someone named Melinda and befriend her without raising the suspicions of the club’s owner. Melinda will be able to provide the party with information about the Silent Specters and a prisoner being kept in The Devil’s Den. Mounting a rescue mission, the party will need to locate the prisoner, free them, and then

escape from The Devil’s Den. The Shrine To Oghma For the final act, the party will return to Loudwater and proceed to the Shrine to Oghma. Once inside, they will discover the Silent Specters have already paid a visit killing all those present. The party will have to deal with the fallout from that in the form of zombies. Finally, the party will need to figure out how to get into the chief priest’s private vault to retrieve the Zombie Orb.

ADVENTURE HOOKS In Act 1 of The Zombie Orb, the DM is provided with three different hooks to get the characters involved in the adventure. Guards Wanted. A local mercenary company has posted a help wanted sign the party runs across. The Shiverguard Company seeks individuals to keep an eye on the Shrine to Oghma. The priests there have been having trouble with looters coming around and recently the attacks escalated to kidnapping with two priests now missing. The characters are to watch overnight for any signs of trouble, but they must not disturb those inside the Shrine. The party will be paid 250 gp if they can keep the property safe. Undermanned. Spotted walking through town, the local Gauntlet (aka sheriff) approaches the party asking if they can help with a matter. If they agree, she meets them at The Dead Dogfish where she explains two priests from the Shrine to Oghma recently went missing and are believed to have been kidnapped. This is a most unusual crime for normally peaceful Loudwater and she is overwhelmed with how to investigate the disappearance while performing all of her other duties. If the party can help her find the missing priests, she will pay them 250 gp. My Brother’s Keeper. While sitting in a tavern - The Dead Dogfish - the party is approached by a brown-robed figure. Having spotted their adventuring garb and unusual appearance, he has surmised they are fighters and adventurers. Introducing himself as a priest from the Shrine to Oghma, he explains to them the trouble they have had recently with looters. Now it has escalated to kidnapping as it appears two priests have gone missing. He seeks help in finding them before a terrible fate falls upon them.

ADVENTURE BACKGROUND The Zombie Orb is the opening adventure for a larger campaign called The Five Whispers. The Five Whispers refers to a group of five demiliches who have joined forces. Over the course of the campaign the party will discover the existence of this group and their plan to transform Faerûn into a place not only ruled by the dead and undead alike, but where the dead can exist as easily as on other planes. To do this the Five Whispers are gathering artifacts to build an army of undead ready for the opening of an ancient portal between the planes. The party will also learn of a way to permanently seal the portal. This adventure takes place in Loudwater, just north of The High Moor on the The Delimbiyr River. If this adventure is going to be used as part of the campaign, this location should not be changed as the general area represents one of the

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intersections of an ancient pentagram that overlays Faerûn and points the way to where the ancient portal is located.

water flowing over these rocks is clearly the source of the name of the town - Loudwater.

If the adventure is used as a standalone adventure or in a setting other than the Forgotten Realms, any urban location should serve as a suitable environment. A smaller village or town is preferable to better fit the adventure hooks provided and a river should be present for one of the specific locations used.

The two halves of the town - north and south - can be accessed by a stone bridge that arches over the Dilimbiyr River. The sides of the bridge have finely cra�ed turtle dragons carved into it. The town is surrounded by a stone wall with entrances leading out on both the north and south sides.

At the conclusion of the adventure, the DM may decide whether or not the party retrieves the Zombie Orb. If used within the Five Whispers campaign, the party should not find the artifact - instead they will find a letter with a clue pointing them to Woodhill for the next adventure. For this particular adventure, the main antagonists for the party will be a variety of mercenaries known as the Silent Specters. This is a highly secretive group working for the Five Whispers. They have been tasked with stealing the Zombie Orb and returning it to Neverwinter. The group has been trying to breach - unsuccessfully - the defenses of the Shrine to Oghma. Failing that, they have now kidnapped two priests to try to use them as leverage or a source of information on how to get into the Shrine and find the orb. If the party manages to capture any of the members of the Silent Specters, they will find these individuals are unwilling to cooperate. Even if the party does manage to obtain compliance, the Silent Specters are very compartmentalized and only know things like what their task is, who their contact is, and where they are supposed to meet. In addition to the Silent Specters, the party will also have to deal with security at The Devil’s Den. These are worthy fighters capable of holding their own. Embedded within The Devil’s Den are factions of the Silent Specters. The owner, Solange, is a Silent Specter and uses The Devil’s Den as a front, although not everyone who works there belongs to the Silent Specters. As the opening act unfolds, the party may also determine that at least one member of the Shrine to Oghma was turned into an ally of the Silent Specters.

CAN YOU HELP? MEETING RULF MORNINGFALL As the adventure opens, one potential adventure hook is to have the party hired by a local mercenary company to guard the local Shrine to Oghma. This scene can be used as the characters are walking down the street and they notice some “Help Wanted” flyers, while perusing a job board, or even when entering an establishment. If you need to be more proactive in guiding the party, you could have someone approach the players handing out flyers. As you walk down the streets of Loudwater, you enjoy what appears to be a pleasant town. The townspeople are going about their business, moving in and out of shops lining the streets. Occasionally a small group of children race by intent on some game that has caught their imagina�on. You have learned that Loudwater has a river running roughly through the middle of town, flowing from east to west. Near the middle of town there are several rocks ju�ng up in one area crea�ng rapids. The noise from the

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You do no�ce some flyers have been tacked up here and there. Approaching, you see that it is a help wanted poster. The Shiverguard Company is seeking individuals to serve as overnight guards for a local establishment. More details are available. Excellent pay offered. For more informa�on, see Rulf Morningfall at the Shiverguard Company.

If the party members ask around, they will have no problem getting directions to The Shiverguard Company. Approaching the building, they may note that it is a non-descript establishment. Entering, they find a large half-orc with short cropped white hair. He wears a purple shirt with a black vest that serves to highlight his muscular build. A former member of a military unit, Rulf Morningfall is a keen judge of others and quick to assess their worth in battle. He also brings that military background to his mannerisms and speech, which tends to be on the abrupt and direct side. A half-orc sits at a desk with a couple chairs set before it. The half-orc has short-cropped white hair, wears a purple shirt and black vest, and even seated you can tell he is quite muscular. On the desk before him are a variety of open books and he appears to be engaged in some record-keeping work. The walls are decorated with several weapons. “What can I do for you?” he asks without ge�ng up.

Assuming the party inquires about the help wanted poster, Rulf will introduce himself and then explain that he is in need of individuals willing to serve as guards during overnight hours. If the party is interested, he needs to know more about what kind of experience or skills they think may be pertinent. Note: This is an excellent opportunity for the players to engage in some roleplay on how to introduce their characters and explain what they do or know in a context similar to a job interview. If this is the party’s first session, you may even want to just jump right in to this scene and start with them all si�ng in chairs before Rulf’s desk. He can explain to them that his recruiters felt they were right for the job, but now he needs to hear it for himself. This way the characters can introduce themselves without having to think up a way to do that on the fly.

At the conclusion of this, Rulf will explain the job is to guard the Shrine to Oghma. His normal crews are all out on existing jobs which is why he seeks new “employees”. If asked, he knows that they have been having some trouble with people trying to break in and recently two priests went missing. The members of the Shrine reached out to the Shiverguard Company for help. The party is to set up and keep watch over the Shrine from sunset to sunrise. If anything suspicious is seen, they should merely note it unless it seems an attempt on the Shrine is imminent. Also, under no circumstances should any members of the party attempt to contact the priests inside the Shrine or enter the Shrine. Rulf is willing to pay the party 50 gp per night for up to one week. If the party can uncover an actual threat or find out

anything about who is behind the attacks, an additional reward of 200 gp will be paid.

GUARDING THE SHRINE The Shrine to Oghma is located in a very quiet section of Loudwater near the western wall north of the river. Before you stands the Shrine to Oghma, a house of worship for the local followers of the god of knowledge. The main building itself is two stories in height. The front of the building has a covered entrance, but no windows. A stone walkway crosses the courtyard from the street to the front of the building. The courtyard is covered in neatly manicured grass. You can tell there are two buildings behind the main Shrine structure. Both of those buildings have windows and you can see lights glowing within. The en�re compound is surrounded by a stone wall approximately four feet high. At the main street entrance two poles hold lit lanterns to light the way. The street in front of the Shrine to Oghma is approximately forty feet wide. To both sides of the Shrine as well as across the Shrine sit a variety of houses - clearly a residen�al area. There are alleys in between the houses that can be used as hiding places if desired.

the light.

If the party opted not to approach Korbel, Ge�ng to the front opening in the wall to the Shrine compound, the figure slumps to his knees. You hear him cry out, “Melinda! Melinda!” You then see three more figures coming run up the road brandishing swords. They rush up to the man on his knees and stab him through. You see his lifeless body fall over to the ground.

The figures include two Silent Specters (use Bandits, Monster Manual (MM) pg. 343) and one priest (use Cultist, MM pg. 345). They will attempt to kill anyone they have seen Korbel come in contact with, including the party. If the party manages to take any prisoners, they will find them unwilling to reveal any information. They will merely taunt the party and demand to be turned over to the authorities. If searched, they do not have anything of value other than their weapons. However, the party will notice that all three of them have similar tattoos - the shape of a ghost on the outside of their left forearms.

Let the party decide how they want to set up their guard assignment. They may want to focus on the front entrance or spread around the entire compound. They will also have to decide whether they want to setup in the entrance as guards ready to challenge any who approach or hide themselves nearby and operate more like a stakeout. If the party decides to arrive before sunset to try to get the “lay of the land” you may note for them that two individuals, presumably priests, come out near sunset to light the lanterns and then return. They are dressed in simple brown robes. They may also notice priests moving from the Shrine to the rear buildings at the end of the day. One of the buildings is the barracks where the priests sleep. The other is a kitchen/gathering building for the priests. After 1d4+1 hours of guarding, a figure approaches. As you watch, you note the street is a quiet one. A few figures have passed by. Most seem to be heading away from the ac�ve business area in the center of town presumably heading home for the evening. A figure draws your a�en�on as he appears to be having some trouble. He stumbles about a bit and is quite unsteady on his feet as if drunk.

The individual stumbling up the street is Korbel Stonefall. He is one of the two missing priests. He had been kidnapped by the Silent Specters. They have been trying to torture him to reveal the location of and access to the Zombie Orb. He managed to escape and is trying to make his way back to the Shrine to warn his fellow priests. If the party approaches him, he will sink down to his knees, whisper loudly “Melinda! She knows!” and proceed to fall over dead. If the party tries to heal him, they will find their efforts unsuccessful - even magical healing will not revive Korbel. If the party proceeds to search his body, unless they specify they are keeping an eye out for anyone else, have the party members perform a DC 13 WISDOM (Perception) check to avoid being surprised by the approaching Silent Specters. A voice is heard coming up the street - “No survivors!” and you hear the sound of footsteps. Three figures approach on the run, the glint of drawn swords catching

As the party recovers or if they resume their search of Korbel’s body, they will find a small piece of parchment. Hastily scrawled on it they find the words “The Devil’s Den” in Common. Note: The name Melinda and the note with The Devil’s Den are clues for the party to proceed to The Devil’s Den to find someone named Melinda. See Infiltra�on.

UNDERMANNED MEETING DRADA GREENHALL As the adventure opens, one potential adventure hook is to have the party hired by the equivalent of the local sheriff. In Loudwater, the peacekeepers are known as the Gauntlets. There are two gautlets for Loudwater, one for the east portion of the town and one for the west portion of the town. The one for the east portion is Gauntlet Drada Greenhall. She will approach the party as they are walking down the street or any other activity you may have the party doing during the day. As you walk down the streets of Loudwater, you enjoy what appears to be a pleasant town. The townspeople are going about their business, moving in and out of shops lining the streets. Occasionally a small group of children race by intent on some game that has caught their imagina�on. You have learned that Loudwater has a river running

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roughly through the middle of town, flowing from east to west. Near the middle of town there are several rocks ju�ng up in one area crea�ng rapids. The noise from the water flowing over these rocks is clearly the source of the name of the town - Loudwater. The two halves of the town - north and south - can be accessed by a stone bridge that arches over the Dilimbiyr River. The sides of the bridge have finely cra�ed turtle dragons carved into it. The town is surrounded by a stone wall with entrances leading out on both the north and south sides. You no�ce an older female with dark hair moving toward you. Two things stand out about her. First, she has a no�ceable scar on her le� cheek. Second, she has a sizable broach affixed to her cloak in the shape of a shield. “Hail travelers! Might I have a word with you?” she asks as she gets close.

Gauntlet Drada Greenhall will proceed to introduce herself. She is very friendly and will try her best to put the party at ease. She will explain that she couldn’t help but notice them and suspects they are capable adventurers. If so, she has a proposal she would like to discuss with them. If they accept, she will ask them to meet her in the evening about 7 pm at The Dead Dogfish for dinner. If pressed to discuss the matter now, she will explain that she has other matters to attend to (true) and she must be going. The Dead Dogfish is tavern located on the riverfront. The establishment is somewhat notable for being built half on the firm ground of the town and half of it jutting out over the Delimbiyr River, support by many pilings rising up out of the flowing water. Entering The Dead Dogfish, you find yourselves in a low key tavern. The mood is quiet and the establishment is obviously popular as there are around twenty people si�ng in groups at different tables enjoying dinner. Another half dozen or so are at the bar enjoying drinks and conversa�on. The barkeep is a female dwarf. Scanning the room you spot Guantlet Greenhall si�ng at a table toward a back corner of the establishment. The table is dominated by an ornate candle holder with a large white candle burning on it. Greenhall nods at you indica�ng you should join her.

Gauntlet Greenhall will welcome the party and express her appreciation for their consideration. She will invite them to order meals and recommends any of the fresh fish caught from the river. After enjoying the meal, Greenhall will tell the party she has enjoyed great success in her career in assessing the skills of those she works with and, more importantly, those she is investigating. Nevertheless, to confirm her judgment she invites the party to introduce themselves and tell a little more about what they can do. Note: This is an excellent opportunity for the players to engage in some roleplay on how to introduce their characters and explain what they do or know in a context similar to a job interview.

At the conclusion of this, Greenhall will explain her proposal. Recently two priests from the local Shrine to Oghma went missing. This is the culmination of increasing harassment the Shrine is experiencing and she believes whoever is behind the recent break-in attempts is also responsible for the missing priests. As one of the Gauntlets, it is her duty to try to figure out what has happened to them. She has two problems in the matter. First, Loudwater is typically a quiet, peaceful community so her resources are quite limited. The individuals under her command are

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currently out on patrol in the surrounding countryside. Trying to conduct an operation like this is beyond what she can do all by herself. Second, she has her suspicions that the answer lies at a place called The Devil’s Den, a notoriously seedy bar located outside town. There is no way the owners will let her enter and she has no time to wait for her troops to return if she though she wanted to attempt a raid. Greenhall would like to hire the party to investigate the missing priests and perhaps even return them to safety. If they can bring the priests back she will pay 400 gp. If they don’t find the priests, but can bring her solid intel she will pay 200 gp. If the party agrees, Greenhall will provide them with directions to her office so they can find her when they complete their task. Now, she must attend to other matters and must excuse herself. She tells the party they are welcome to continue to enjoy drinks while they plan their next actions. She will also recommend staying here at The Dead Dogfish if they need rooms for the night. After Greenhall leaves, skip to Dinner Interrupted.

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER MEETING FENDREL CHAUCER As the adventure opens, the DM may decide to start the party in a tavern. The Dead Dogfish is located on the riverfront in Loudwater. The establishment is somewhat notable for being built half on the firm ground of the town and half of it jutting out over the Delimbiyr River, supported by many pilings rising up out of the flowing water. The barkeep and owner is Glinda, a stout dwarf female. You start this adventure in the town of Loudwater. While in town you have learned that Loudwater has a river running roughly through the middle of town, flowing from east to west. Near the middle of town there are several rocks ju�ng up in one area crea�ng rapids. The noise from the water flowing over these rocks is clearly the source of the name of the town - Loudwater. The two halves of the town - north and south - can be accessed by a stone bridge that arches over the Dilimbiyr River. The sides of the bridge have finely cra�ed turtle dragons carved into it. The town is surrounded by a stone wall with entrances leading out on both the north and south sides. You find yourselves in a quiet tavern enjoying some good food. The Dead Dogfish appears to be popular as there is a good crowd of fellow diners present partaking of the evening meal. A half dozen more people are si�ng at the bar drinking and making small talk. In the middle of the conversa�on, you are approached by a human male dressed in brown robes. He appears nervous and you no�ce him glancing around fur�vely. “Excuse me, might you have a few moments to entertain a proposal?” he asks.

The man who approached the party is Fendrel Chaucer. He is a priest with the Shrine to Oghma. The Shrine to Oghma has been the subject of recent attempts by people trying to break in and a couple days ago two of their priests failed to return for the evening meal. They have been missing since then. The Shrine’s priests have reported this to the local authorities - the Gauntlets - but they are stretched thin and

the priests are hoping to find some more help with the search. The man sits down at your table. He introduces himself as Fendrel Chaucer, a priest with the Shrine to Oghma. He proceeds to explain to the group some background regarding harassment the Shrine has been subjected to culmina�ng in two priests going missing.

If asked, Fendrel will telll the party he identified them earlier in the day as they were going through town and based on their appearance has surmised they are great adventurers. He has been watching them while they ate dinner and waited for them to finish their meal. At this point he will ask them whether he is right in his presumption - can they introduce themselves and tell him a little bit more about what they can do. Note: This is an excellent opportunity for the players to engage in some roleplay on how to introduce their characters and explain what they do or know in a context similar to a job interview.

Once satisfied with their introductions, Fendrel will tell the party he would like their help in finding the two missing priests and uncovering who is behind all of these attacks. Although he is not in a position to actually hire them, he knows the other priests at the Shrine have taken up a collection of 300 gp to serve as a reward for anyone who can assist them. If the party agrees, Fendrel will thank them profusely. He will give them directions to the Shrine to Oghma and to the Gauntlet’s office in case they find either priest or some solid information. Fendrel will then excuse himself, explaining he must get back to the Shrine before it gets too late. After Fendrel leaves, skip to Dinner Interrupted.

DINNER INTERRUPTED While the party is still at the table discussing their next move (or definitely before they depart), the following occurs: The front door to the tavern suddenly bursts open. A man in brown robes comes stumbling in. As you watch, he makes his way through the dining room knocking into chairs and tables and the occasional diner. Needless to say, everyone ea�ng has frozen and is watching this strange scene. As the man moves closer to your table you no�ce that he is quite bloody and appears to have been worked over extensively. Just before ge�ng to your table he sinks to his knees. The man says rather loudly, “Melinda! Melinda knows! Help her!” With that, he falls to the floor, dead.

The individual who just came stumbling up to the table is Korbel Stonefall. He is one of the two missing priests. The Silent Specters have been trying to torture him to reveal the location of and access to the Zombie Orb. He managed to escape and was trying to make his way back to the Shrine to warn his fellow priests. However, in his disorientation he stumbled into The Dead Dogfish. If the party tries to heal him, they will find their efforts unsuccessful - even magical healing will not revive Korbel. Before the party has time to do anything, more action ensues. Before you can even get up to check the body of the man who appears to have just died before you, the door to the tavern bursts open once again. In strides a man in

brown robes joined by two other individuals wearing leather armor. Your ins�nct tells you these are some of type of mercenaries. All of the group are brandishing swords. The three of them move into the dining area and quickly spot the dead body lying on the floor. Eying the body and then the party, they quickly move to engage you. You hear the man dressed in brown robes order the other two - “No survivors!”

The attackers include two Silent Specters (use Bandits, MM pg 343) and one priest (use Cultist, MM pg 345). They presume the party was known to Korbel based on his position relative to them and their orders are to ensure no one survives who could reveal their plans - that means killing anyone Korbel has contact with. If the party manages to take any prisoners, they will find them unwilling to reveal any information. They will merely taunt the party and demand to be turned over to the authorities. If searched, they do not have anything of value outside of their weapons. However, the party will notice that all three of them have similar tattoos - the shape of a ghost on the outside of their left forearms. As the party recovers or if they search Korbel’s body, they will find a small piece of parchment. Hastily scrawled on it they find the words “The Devil’s Den” in Common. Note: The name Melinda and the note with The Devil’s Den are clues for the party to proceed to The Devil’s Den to find someone named Melinda. See Infiltra�on.

INSIDE THE DEVIL’S DEN INFILTRATION Front or Back Having secured a couple clues, the party should seek to get into The Devil’s Den. This is a seedy tavern located outside the walls of Loudwater. There are two ways the party can approach this task. They can try to gain entrance through the main, front entrance or they can try to sneak into the club through the back entrance. Walking on the road heading out of Loudwater, you are able to easily find The Devil’s Den. The tavern appears as a boisterous loca�on set back about 80 feet from the side of the road with a large open area in front of it. Even from the road, the sounds of music and a lively crowd float out from the club whenever the door occasionally opens to let someone enter or leave. Hanging out in front of the club you see several small knots of people. Guarding the entrance are two large individuals checking everyone a�emp�ng to enter.

The guards at the door are bouncers (use Thug, MM pg. 350). If the party approaches, they will inform the group that The Devil’s Den is a private, membership-only club. Who vouches for them? The players may use several different tactics to try to get into the club through the front door. However, Intimidation cannot be used. These bouncers know the importance of their job and they know that help is available just beyond the door. However, the party could try to deceive the guards or persuade them that they should be allowed entry. Given that these bouncers have heard almost every line in the book from people trying to get in, this will prove difficult 7

requiring a DC 19 CHARISMA (Persuasion or Deception) check. The party may also decide to approach some of the people hanging out in front of the club or who arrive after them. If they can locate a group of people with a member (roll 10 or higher on a d12) they will have to persuade them to let them join in entering on a DC 14 CHARISMA (Persuasion) roll. If the party fails on these attempts to gain entry to the club, as DM you may allow them to repeat their attempts using a different spokesperson once every two hours or once an hour if they leave the area immediately in front of the club. The DM may also suggest to the group that someone may want to check the rear of the club for another entrance if the party seems to be stuck. The back of the club does indeed have an entrance. This door leads directly into the kitchen area. Normally the door remains locked, even during business hours. The lock can be picked using DC 12 THIEVES’ TOOLS (Dexterity). If the party does not have a Rogue character or you do not wish to add this challenge, the door may be found unlocked. Looking in the back door, you see what is obviously the kitchen area for the establishment. The center is dominated by a large table where orders are being put together on trays. Every now and then a server will retrieve a full tray to carry out through a pair of doors on the wall opposite you into the main club area. Around the walls are several tables and counters where cooks are working on preparing dishes.

The cooks in this room are actually capable fighters (three Bandits, MM pg. 343 and two Thugs, MM pg. 345). If the party tries to sneak past the cooks, have each party member perform a DC 12 DEXTERITY (Stealth) check. If spotted, the cooks will just try to chase them off, although they will fight if the players take arms.

MELINDA! Talk Fast or Not At All If the party tries to approach Melinda, they will first have to get past the patrons surrounding her table, enjoying her dancing. Looking over in the direc�on of the dancer, you see a raven haired woman. She is clearly a good dancer and more importantly, she seems to know how to work the crowd. Surrounding her table are several patrons. Every now and then you spot one of them tossing a coin on to the table.

If the party can get someone close enough to Melinda to speak to her, she will be quite friendly assuming she can entice them to tip her for her dancing. If the party tells her they want to talk with her without being specific about the subject, she will tell them that she only dances and is not interested in any other activities. If the party mentions the Silent Specters, brown-robed priests, or the Shrine to Oghma, they will notice that her countenance immediately seems to change and she starts glancing around. At first she will claim she is not sure what they are talking about. If the party can establish that they are potential friends, she will inform them she can talk if they can secure a table. Si�ng down at the table, Melinda quickly informs the group that they will have to periodically put some coin on the table for her. She will give a quick nod in the direc�on of the office - “they are always watching to make sure we are always working”.

Dance Floor

A Little Bit of Knowledge

Whether they make it in via the front entrance or through the kitchen, they will find a loud and boisterous club inside.

With introductions out of the way, Melinda will inquire what the party is interested in talking about.

Ge�ng into the main part of the tavern, you see that it is more like a barn on the inside with the ceiling two stories high. Along one wall is a long bar behind which three barkeeps are busy preparing drinks. There are several tables throughout the tavern. Three of them are essen�ally rooted in place thanks to poles that extend to the ceiling. On those three tables you can see a dancer performing for patrons. Several of the tables have large crowds standing around them, some two or three deep. Every now and then a roar goes up. Clearly these are gambling tables of some sort. The rest of the tables are occupied, the bar is lined with patrons, and several people are standing along the walls. In one corner there is stage and a band is playing loud music. In front of the stage is an open area where several people are dancing. Just to the side of front entrance you see a staircase that goes up along the side of the wall to a landing in the corner, turns, and then goes up a few more feet before ending at a pla�orm. The pla�orm is mostly enclosed, though there are a couple windows allowing anyone inside to look down onto the club’s main floor. Standing in front of the door to this area is a pair of mean looking individuals.

The guards at the top of the stairs are Thugs who are bodyguards for Solange, the owner of The Devil’s Den. Solange himself is inside the office area keeping an eye on things.

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The fastest way to find Melinda inside this place is to ask any of the employees. They will point her out as one of the dancers

Melinda herself knows quite a bit as she has been digging around. Information that she can share with the group includes the following: Korbel Stonefall. Melinda was close friends with Korbel Stonefall (the now dead priest, a fact that she is not currently aware of). He was very kind to her - she thinks he was hoping to get her out of working at The Devil’s Den. The Silent Specters. Melinda knows that there is a group of shady individuals known as the Silent Specters operating in and around the Loudwater area. She does not know what they are up to, but she has figured out they all have the same tattoo of a ghost on their forearms. She has spotted several of them working here in the club. The Shrine to Oghma. Melinda knows the Silent Specters are interested in the Shrine to Oghma, but not why. She has overheard a couple snippets of conversation regarding the Shrine. Kidnappings. Melinda knows the Silent Specters have kidnapped some people recently. She is not sure who they are or what the purpose was. The Necromancer. Melinda knows that one prisoner is being kept in one of the storage rooms in the back of the club. She has heard the Silent Specters refer to him as “the

Necromancer” on a few occasions. If the party does not seem to be interested in pursuing rescuing the individual held captive in the back of the club, Melinda will come out and ask for the party’s assistance. If she has to resort to convincing the party to help, she will offer to pay 50 gp. Regardless of whether she has to solicit their help or the party voluntarily decides to rescue the individual, Melinda will offer to help the party get into the back of the club. However, she cannot leave the dance floor itself. If the party proceeds to rescue the priest, Melinda will inform them to slowly and nonchalantly work their way across the dance floor to position themselves near the door to the kitchen area. After a few minutes, she will come over and give them access to the kitchen. There is a guard (use Thug) at the kitchen door who blocks access to anyone other than staff. If the party watches long enough they will notice that periodically non-staff are admitted entrance followed shortly thereafter by a staff member. These individuals are actually going to one of two rooms in the back area used for more intimate encounters.

RESCUE What’s Behind This Door? Trying to get back into the kitchen area, the party will position themselves near the door as instructed by Melinda. After a few minutes, Melinda will come over, nod to the guard, and then hold the door open. She will give a small motion with her hand directing the party to proceed through the door. If the party originally got into The Devil’s Den via the rear entrance, then there is no need describe the kitchen once again with the exception that there is no clearly a small hallway leading off from the kitchen area. Entering the kitchen you are immediately greeted with the smells of cooking food and the sounds of meat sizzling and knives cu�ng a variety of foods. The center is dominated by a large table where orders are being put together on trays. Around the walls are several stones and counters where cooks are working on preparing dishes. To your right, about halfway along the wall you can see a hallway leading out of the area. There is also a single door in the wall directly across from you.

Going down the hallway, the party can see doors on either side about halfway down the hallway. At the end of the hallway, there is an intersection with halls leading to both the right and the left. Directly across is yet another doorway. If the party goes to the end of the hallway, to the right the hallway leads to a dead end with two doors on the left hand wall just before the end of the hallway. To the left, there is a doorway at the end of the hall. Sitting in front of this door on a stool is a large individual. If the party was trying to move stealthily, perform a contested check for the lead characters Dexterity (Stealth) versus the guard’s (use Thug) Wisdom (Perception) for the guard to notice them when they come around the corner. Coming around the corner of the intersec�on, you look to your le� and see a large human si�ng on a stool. On seeing you, he immediately stands up and brings his longsword up to a ready posi�on.

Note that the party does not have to attack the guard as he

will not initiate a contact with them. If they approach, he will merely inform the party that no one is allowed to enter the room on orders from Solange. No amount of persuasion or intimidation will cause the guard to abandon his post or allow entry. If the party decides to investigate any of the rooms, they will find the following: Room K2 - Keg Room. This room is full of barrels of ale. The drink is brought in here and stored until needed out at the bar. Room K3 - Dry Goods. This room is full of shelving holding a variety of dry goods used for cooking in the kitchen. There are a few barrels in here as well full of ingredients like flour. Room K4 - Storage Room. This room contains a small cot, a chair and a small table. On the table sits a softly glowing candle. This is one of the rooms used by patrons for some private time. Room K5 - Storage Room. This room contains a small cot, a chair and a small table. On the table sits a softly glowing candle. This is one of the rooms used by patrons for some private time. Room K6 - Cold Storage. This room is essentially a walk-in type freezer for meat. There is a large variety of meats hanging from hooks throughout the room along with a few shelving units. Along the far wall you can see three bins full of ice blocks. Room K7 - Storage Room. This is a miscellaneous storage room. There are shelves lining the walls with a variety of materials like mugs, plates, napkins, towels, candles, lanterns and other items. In one corner there are several chairs stacked up and in another there are several tables. Entering this room you see walls lined with shelves full of supplies and items used in The Devil’s Den. Some of the items include towels, napkins, cutlery, plates, mugs, and spare furniture pieces staked in the corners. Si�ng in the middle of the room you see a man �ed to a chair. He has a gag �ed around his mouth. He is wearing brown robes. He has several cuts on his face and a black eye along with dried blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. His le� hand is wrapped in a blood-soaked towel.

The Prisoner The man in the middle of the room is Jasper, one of the missing priests from the Shrine to Oghma. Once freed, he will beg the party to get him out. The party will need to figure out how to get Jasper out of the club without being detected. If the party decides to try to go out through the front of the club, they will need to put something on Jasper to at least cover his face and head. Even if they do change him out of his brown robes, they may still risk detection. Moving through the kitchen toward the club will not cause any problems if Jasper is somehow disguised or concealed. Once out in the club, if Jasper has different clothes on and his head is covered, have one member of the party roll a d20. On a result of 1 or 2, they will be spotted by Solange who will direct his guards to intercept the group. If Jasper has his head covered but still has his robes on, the party will be spotted on a roll of 8 or less. If the party made no attempt to conceal Jasper’s identity, they will be spotted on a roll of 16 or less. Note that inside the club there are a total of 8 bouncers (use four Bandits and four Thugs) that will respond to this 9

direction. None of the patrons will offer aid to the group, but they also will not aid the bouncers. The bouncers will initially try to grapple and restrain the party, but if deadly force is used against them, they will respond with the same. If the party decides to go out through the back of the club, they may still want to put something on Jasper to conceal his identity. Again, have the party roll a d20. Because the cooks are not necessarily paying attention, the group will only be detected on a roll of 1. If Jasper still has his robes on, detection will occur on a roll of 6 or less. If no attempt to conceal his identity is made, detection will occur on a roll of 12 or less. If the party describes any other actions to try to exit undetected, they may be given advantage on this roll. If the party is detected, the cooks will immediately move to intercept. There are five cooks total (three Bandits and two Thugs). If the party makes it out the back door, the cooks will pursue them. In this case you should use Chase rules (refer to pages 252 - 255 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, use the WILDERNESS CHASE COMPLICATIONS table). Normally the party should try to escape from The Devil’s Den before attempting to question Jasper. If they refuse to listen to his pleadings to get out right away and instead question him, refer to the next section for the knowledge he has about what is going on and why he was kidnapped.

THE SHRINE TO OGHMA THE ZOMBIE ORB Once free of The Devil’s Den, Jasper will thank the party members profusely for rescuing him. He will inform them that he needs to get back to the Shrine to Oghma as soon as possible - his fellow priests are in great danger. Jasper will freely share the following information with the party: Kidnapped. He and Korbel Stonefall were out on Shrine business a couple days ago when several individuals took them prisoner. He was with Korbel for a short while before the two of them were separated. Since that time, his captors have been torturing him in an attempt to get possession of an artifact known as the Zombie Orb. Silent Specters. Jasper knows the group that kidnapped him call themselves the Silent Specters. They all have ghost tattoos of the same design on their forearms. He does not know who they are working for. The Zombie Orb. Jasper knows about the Zombie Orb. He knows that Chief Priest Zhanzil recently returned from a trip to the High Moor. He went there searching for artifacts related to research the Order of Endless Life is conducting at the Shrine to Oghma. The Order’s members are trying to find ways to extend mortal life. When Zhanzil returned with this artifact, they could tell that it had some sort of life restoring or life maintaining energy. Alas, their experiments and attempts to unlock the secret of the orb merely resulted in catastrophe. Rather than extending life, the orb just turned people into zombies. Rather than being an answer to their prayers, the orb had become a curse that they needed to get rid of. Shortly after this revelation, the Shrine seemed to come under attack. This went on a for a few nights before he was kidnapped. Jasper will urge the party to take him to the Shrine to 10

Oghma right away to warn his fellow priests and to ensure the Zombie Orb is still safe.

THE SHRINE Arriving at the Shrine to Oghma in Loudwater, the party and Jasper will find the entire place dark and quiet. Jasper will point out that it is unusual for the gate lanterns to be extinguished. There are only two entrances to the Shrine the main front door and a rear door. Both enter into the main sanctuary of the Shrine. The backdoor has no knob on the outside, so Jasper will recommend using the front entrance. Approaching the door, he will knock on it and say quietly, “Heart and home.” The door is magically locked and that is the secret phrase. Entering the sanctuary, you see it is unlit inside. Once light is available, you see several rows of seats spanning the width of the single room. At the far end from you is a raised dais. Hanging on the wall behind it is a giant scroll - the paper is probably ten feet wide and from top to bo�om the scroll is about twenty feet tall. To the right hand side of the santuary you see two doors. There is a single door to the le� close to you at the back of the sanctuary. Lying on the ground before you are several bodies. These are dead bodies of the priests of the Order of Endless Life. Their wounds are easily recognizable as being from weapons. As you take in this sight, you also start to realize that some of the benches have been toppled over and different items like candle stands have been knocked over as well.

A group of Silent Specters have already paid a visit to the Shrine to Oghma. Taking no prisoners, they gathered up the priests and slaughtered them in the sanctuary before proceeding to ransack the place.

ZOMBIES! On seeing his fellow priests, Jasper will become inconsolable falling to his knees and weeping loudly. If the party searches the bodies, they will find nothing of note. The doors to the right each lead to small meeting rooms with a few chairs and a table in them. The door to the left leads to a library. Looking into this room, it appears to be a library. However, all of the books now lie sca�ered about on the floor. At the far end of the room you see a body lying on the ground. It is another dead priest. On the wall of the bookshelf behind the body you see three gems reflec�ng the light of your torches/lanterns.

If the party asks Jasper about this body, he will identify it as Chief Priest Zhanzil. He will also tell the party it seems Zhanzil was trying to stop whoever did this from getting into the private library. The library is accessed through a secret door behind the bookcase that Zhanzil lies before. If the party searches Zhanzil’s body, they will find a letter from someone named Lady Lysteria. See the player handout item for the contents of the letter. As the party searches the library, several of the dead priests in the sanctuary will come back to life as Zombies, MM pg. 316. They will proceed to attack the party. Each character should perform a contested check of WISDOM(Perception) versus DEXTERITY(Stealth) of the Zombies to determine

if they are surprised for the first round.

upon.

Once the Zombies are dealt with the party may resume their search of the secret door and what lies beyond. Jasper has never been beyond the secret door and does not know what it conceals.

If the party agreed to help Fendrel - who is now deceased they will have no recourse for payment. However, in thanks, Jasper will offer the group 500 gp. He will also offer each member of the group a small flask full of red liquid that seems to pulse. Jasper will tell them it will help restore their health (potion of healing, DMG pg. 187).

Pushing the bookshelf in, you see a small landing with stairs leading down. Heading into the depths beneath the Shrine you go down about fi�een feet and enter into a small room with stone walls. There are more bookcases in here. Once again, all of the books have been pulled off and are strewn across the floor. There are also two large, heavy tables. Both are covered with flasks, vials, and a variety of lab equipment. Across from you is a pedastal. Si�ng on it is what appears to be some sort of lockbox.

The state of the lockbox - open or closed - is left up to the DM. It is recommended that the box is open and empty - the Zombie Orb is missing. However, if this adventure is being used as a standalone adventure the DM may want to reward the party with securing the Zombie Orb.

CONCLUSION Once the party has searched the Shrine to Oghma and either found The Zombie Orb or discovered it missing, the adventure is concluded.

FINDING THE ZOMBIE ORB If the Zombie Orb was found, the DM can decide what capabilities it possesses. If the party offers it to Jasper, he will agree to take possession of it in hopes of keeping it from falling into the wrong hands. Once he buries his fellow priests, he plans to carry The Zombie Orb to Waterdeep to the temple to Oghma located there.

A MISSING ZOMBIE ORB If the Zombie Orb was missing, the party may decide to try to figure out their next move. For purposes of the larger Five Whispers campaign, the party should head to Woodhill - the location referenced in the letter found on Zhanzil’s body. The party may decide to return to The Devil’s Den to try to confront Solange or maybe some of the Silent Specters. This is discouraged - The Devil’s Den is locked up tight (though there are two Thug guards inside) during the daytime hours and is quite busy every night. If they do manage to capture a Silent Specter, all they will know is that they were to retrieve the Zombie Orb and then hold it until instructed otherwise. If they manage to confront Solange, he knows that another group of Silent Specters came into town a couple days ago. Unhappy with the kidnapping of the priests, this group informed him they would take care of the matter. That is all he knows. However, impressed with their work in freeing Jasper, he will try to recruit them into the Silent Specters. If the group tries to find Melinda, they will find she has disappeared. After it was discovered the prisoner was missing from The Devil’s Den, Melinda decided it was time for her to get out of town. She has set off for Waterdeep. Perhaps she will cross paths with the party again? Assuming the party found Jasper - to go along with the now deceased Korbel - both the Shiverguard Company and Gauntlet Greenhall will pay their respective amounts agreed

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HANDOUTS HANDOUT 1 - LETTER FROM LADY LYSTERIA

Greetings High Priest Zhanzil, I trust all is going well for you and your priests at the Shrine to Oghma? I truly enjoyed your visit with us while you were conducting your research in the area. The item you found was most peculiar. I eagerly await word on whether it is the answer to your inquiries. Since your departure, I must confess there seems to be a bit of consternation amongst the people of the village of Woodhill. It seems there was a sharp uptick in disturbances of an…how do I put this…otherworldly nature. It seems the poltergeist that haunts Bramwich Keep has taken to wailing throughout the night, disturbing any within hearing distance including animals. Of course, it is not unusual for that particular haunt to be stirred up periodically. More disturbing is the activity at the ancient burial grounds on the High Moor. Odd lights at night have been spotted in the area. Recently a pair of men returned with a tale of walking corpses in the area. As I know your order has a particular interest in the living and the deceased, this seems to be something that might be of interest. Do you think the item you found may have triggered this by being removed from its resting place? I realize this is a considerable favor to ask, but would it be much trouble for you to return with the item that we might determine if it is connected in any way? Yours in deepest gratitude, Lady Lysteria

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HANDOUT 2 - MAP OF LOUDWATER

Map Key: A - Shrine to Oghma B - The Dead Dogfish

C - Guantlet Office D - The Shiverguard Company

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HANDOUT 3 - MAP OF THE DEVIL’S DEN

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