(Escape Plan Games) Tavern Tales Vol. 1

50 Chapter 1 | The Tavern Top of the World Circus This gets a happy and obligatory groan from the audience, which he takes in stride. “So sorry to deceive you with that-there-visual-trickery-backthen. I hope we haven’t got off on the wrong foot”. He points at his sandled foot, does a large double-take, and it changes to a matching black boot, for which he looks relieved. “There we are then. I am your ringmaster for the evening, Captain Antipholus Pratt, and from now on, everything you see will be real, I guarantee- you came here for magic, not ILLUSION!” Amid the laugh that follows, a blonde gnome (Trip) in brightly colored pantaloons emerges from the back flap of the tent, juggling flaming knives on the back of a snarling young copper dragon, riding clockwise around the ring. Captain Pratt looks suitably irritated: “Here, I said everything would be real-“ He points the riding crop at the creature, there is the flash of a dispel magic spell, and the gnome is now sat astride a small fat pony, juggling apples. As this happens, a second gnome (Pippi) comes out of the back flap, anti-clockwise, juggling apples on the back of a unicorn. Captain Pratt looks comically furious: “You wretched gnomes! I promised these good people reality-” There is a second flash of dispel magic, and now the gnome is actually juggling flaming swords on the shoulders of a slavering werewolf. The two beasts and their riders pass by each other and, as they do, the sword juggler stabs each apple out of the air, and both ride out again to raucous applause. Captain Pratt feigns alarm: “Blimey, where did that ‘orrible beast come from? Am I paying to feed that thing? Oh no- all of you are- splendid then!” He whips his hat off and drinks in the laughter: “Folks we’ve got a fine show for you this evening; the finest you’ll ever see in this tent, that’s a promise! Enjoy yourselves, help yourselves to refreshments outside the tent, but please don’t feed the gnomes, you’ll only encourage them. WELCOME! TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD CIRCUS!” After that, the acts come thick and fast- whirling, spinning, gasp-inducing acts of daredevilry and skill. There is the strongman (Delton) who lifts an increasingly tall pyramid of cannonballs, before getting bored, climbing into the audience, and lifting benches of squealing circus-goers. There is the tattooed elf girl (Liara) with golden-green eyes, who performs a beautiful aerial silks routine, while her ‘Antipholus Pratt’s Top of the World Circus Presents…’ GM’s note: The tone of the circus is cheery family entertainment, and the ringmaster’s tone and banter are lovingly hacky. This is an example of a typical big top performance at the Top of the World Circus. The circus tent is 100 feet in diameter and 80 feet high. The central ring is 42 feet in diameter. It has capacity for 400 audience in seating on three sides; the fourth is taken up by two food stands either side of a tent flap to backstage. The show itself takes place an hour after sunset each night. The audience is invited inside with the booming of a gong, arranging themselves shoulder-to-shoulder on long wooden benches around a central ring. Suddenly, the lights in the tent go out, and a hushed, excited silence falls. In the middle of the ring, two small figures, their faces hooded, bring forward a brazier, andwithout ceremony- light a small fire. They exit, leaving the crackling flames the only sight and sound in the ring. There is a slow tapping sound, and a shrunken old man in a shabby robe shuffles forward, a wobbling cane clicking on the ground as he walks. He stands in front of the brazier, his dull grey beard and eyebrows underlit by the wafting firelight. He coughs, and begins to speak in a reedy voice: “Ahem. Ladies and and and gentlemen...” A voice rings out from backstage: “Speak up!” The old man pauses, coughs harder, and starts again: “Ahem, ahem...ladies and gentle-“ “Ye gods man, speak up!” The old man girds himself in the tiny glow of the fire, and tries one more time: “Ahem...a-HEM...AHEEEE-LLLLLLOOOOO LAYDEEZ N’ GENTLEMEN!” The man flings his arms wide, as firebrands explode into light all around the tent! The old man vanishes, and in his place is a portly, red-faced, red-coated figure in a polished black top hat (Captain Pratt). One foot is an open-toed sandal, which doesn’t match the other polished black boot. The cane has become a red-and-white striped riding crop, and he beams as he spins to take in the now-cheering crowd. “Wunnnnnnnnderful to see you, less so to smell you! We look forward to this show all year- we always love coming to [he makes a show of reading something off of his white glove] A Trip Away Inn! Bloomin’ right it’s a Trip Away: it took us a year to get back!” The Big Top Show

Chapter 1 | The Tavern Top of the World Circus 51 shadow performs an eerie dance all of its own. There is the team of equestrians, who gallop at incredible speeds around the ring, performing trick mounts and dismounts. There is the tiefling girl (Flora) who contorts herself, unscathed, through a labyrinth of burning wires, before being loaded into a large slingshot and fired by the strongman through increasingly small hoops, held by gnomes up among the roof supports of the tent. A highlight for everyone is the owlbear tamer (Milik). In the full make-up of a clown, she performs a skit where she goes about menial tasks- sweeping the ring, repainting the tent poles, chatting with audience members- all while apparently oblivious to a roaring, murderous owlbear behind her. The beast throws bites and swipes that would remove a head, only for the clown to duck to tie her shoelace at the right moment. The whole act is a terrifyingly choreographed dance, that the 1200lb creature sells just as well as its tamer. As a finale, the tamer turns to face the tent flap, seemingly completely helpless at last. The owlbear raises itself to its full height behind her, as she lets out a jaunty whistle towards backstage. At the signal, four furry figures, balance-walking on oversized colorful balls, emerge from the flap. Two of them are owlbear cubs, while the other two are clearly gnomes in comically bad owlbear cub costumes. All four begin to circle the ring, as the adult owlbear does a very good impression of confusion, before leaving the ring in a huff, to the delight of the audience. At last, Captain Pratt announces the final act of the night. A rectangular canister is fitted at an angle over the central brazier in the ring. Captain Pratt pulls a small white stone from his pocket and, with a flourish, drops it in. With a hiss, a bright beam of pale green light illuminates the roof of the big top, as the other lights are extinguished. A small figure (Pippi) slowly descends on a thin streamer from a hole in the very point of the tent. She rotates gently, as a drumbeat builds, then- without warning- she drops like a stone towards the ground. There is barely enough time for the audience to scream when, mere feet from the floor of the tent, she is snatched out of the air by a second gnome on a trapeze (Bixi). However, mere moments after that life-saving catch, the trapeze snaps, and both gnomes arc towards a portion of the audience, who scrabble to get out of the way, before both gnomes are again caught by two more on two other trapezes (Bink and Trip). So continues an act that only ever seems seconds away from disaster, as tiny tumblers rebalance, catch themselves and others, before experiencing a mishap and falling back to certain injury or death, only to be swept up again. To finish, each gnome finds themselves on a highwire above the crowd. One by one, they hop onto shoulders, until there is a swaying gnome totem pole hovering above the audience. The thick-set gnome at the bottom puts two fingers to his mouth and whistles. The strongman, down below, loads something into the slingshot, and fires it up towards the tower. With pinpoint accuracy, the payload flops onto the topmost shoulders, revealing itself to be a dummy gnome- a scarecrow with straw-blonde hair, big button eyes, and a goofy grin a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check suggests this is meant to be Flip]. The show’s gong booms again, and the gnomes all pose for rapturous applause, before dismounting. Captain Pratt once again assumes the center of the ring: “Laydeez n’ gentleman. What an evening we’ve had! You’re the greatest crowd I’ve ever seen, and I promise you I say that every night. If you’ve enjoyed the show, tell your friends; if you haven’t, keep it to yourself. My name once again is Captain Antipholus Pratt: from the bottom of my heart, and the Top of the World, THANK YOU!” He pulls out another small object and slams it into the brazier. At once, the whole tent is filled with a thick cloud of red and white, caramel-flavored smoke, which- as it slowly clears- reveals an empty ring.

Merchants & Player Stalls Chapter 2

Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls 53 Random Merchant D12 Merchant 1 Phileas Lackett (musical instruments) pg. 53 2 Englebert Proudfoot (general goods/fence) pg. 54 3 Gnull (animal merchant) pg. 55 4 Loveck Haverstock (potions) pg. 56 5 Hasha Issi (armor and shields) pg. 57 6 Kitaela Kragblade (weapons) pg. 58 7 Hasha Atkar (ammunition) pg. 59 8 Ma Motwicke (magical clothing & jewelry) pg. 60 9 Brother Beleric (blessings) pg. 61 10 Willor (scrolls/forgeries) pg. 61 11 The Broker (magical weapons) pg. 62 12 Amara Balfil (magical items) pg. 63 Merchant Stalls Item Stock Price Flute 1d6 2 gp Drum 1d4 6 gp Horn 1d4 6 gp Bagpipes 1d4 8 gp Dulcimer 1d8 25 gp Lyre 1d4 25 gp Lute 1d4 30 gp Viol 1d6 30 gp Pipes of Haunting 1 1,000 gp Pipes of the Sewers 1 1,000 gp Chime of Opening 1 3,000 gp Horn of Blasting 1 8,000 gp Hypnotic Viol 1 5,000 gp Lute of the Trickster 1 6,000 gp Conch of Poseidon 1 1,000 pp Musical Instruments Phileas Lackett (He/Him) • Gnome Phileas is a romantic and a craftsman. Flappable and prone to weeping, the young gnome can hardly bear to part with his creations, all of which he has named. He is a terrible salesman, and will increasingly raise the price on any stringed instrument the characters are interested in, in the hope that they will lose interest. He occasionally stocks brass or percussion instruments- against his better taste and judgmentand will let them go very easily, not even bothering to haggle. Once or twice, to no one’s greater surprise than his own, he has created a magical instrument, although he has absolutely no idea how, and no conceivable way of replicating it. Discount If a character can convince Phileas to let them test a stringed instrument, and succeeds on a DC 18 Charisma (Performance) check, a joyfully sobbing Phileas will gift them the instrument for a single coin of their choosing. Merchants A Trip Away Inn's Merchants A Trip Away Inn is a temporary home to many traveling merchants. There are four tent stalls that Flip keeps reserved to rent to these travelers. They can be vendors of your creation or any of the following merchants, designed to come and go as you please. The inventories provided are just a suggestion, as well as the quantities of items the merchants are carrying. Feel free to adjust the prices and quantities of available goods, as well as adding or removing items from the shop inventories. If you use the dice rolls to determine shop inventory, any negative numbers are considered out of stock. All stock inventories are meant to refresh each time a merchant returns to A Trip Away Inn.

54 Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls Englebert is a part of your local or regional thieves guild and can have frequent contact with the guild members. If any of the characters is a member of the guild, Engelbert can easily pass on jobs or communications from the guild to the characters. Item Stock Price Torch 1d10 1 cp Piton 1d12 + 3 1 cp Signal Whistle 1d4 5 cp Flask of Oil 1d10 + 1 1 sp Ball bearings (bag of 1,000) 1d12 1 gp Bag of 20 Caltrops 1d6 1 gp 50' of Hemp Rope 1d8 1 gp Grappling hook 1d4 2 gp Hooded lantern 1d10 5gp Hunting trap 1d12 5 gp 50' of Silk Rope 1d4 10 gp Potion of healing 1d6 50 gp Flask of Alchemist’s Fire 1d6 50 gp Vial of Antitoxin 1d8 50 gp *Bag of Holding 1 500 gp *Boots of Elvenkind 1 650 gp *Immovable rod 1 700 gp Spyglass 1d8 1,000 gp *Bag of Beans 1 6,000 gp *Elven Chain 1 6,000 gp *Exclusive Item (Englebert only makes these items known to fellow thieves) General Goods/Fence Englebert Proudfoot (He/Him) • Halfling Englebert poses his business as a sort of general store, but it’s quickly apparent to any characters that can read the subtly placed thieves' cant around his shop that he’s willing to deal with goods that may have been stolen from their owners. Englebert looks much younger than his ninety years. For a time he lived a life of adventure, ransacking tombs and time-forgotten structures. His aversion to danger eventually led him down his current mercantile path. However, his sticky fingered tendencies have led to a business that’s not entirely on the up and up. Englebert is eager to deal with any sort of adventuring type, longing for stories that remind him of his youth and the adrenaline rush of the unknown. Discount Any character that can subtly signal to Englebert that they are a fellow thief will receive a 10% discount on any goods in his store. In addition, Englebert will be willing to buy obviously stolen items with no questions asked, and will also sell any of his exclusive items. Tapestry Option

Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls 55 Animal Stock Price Bat (common) 1d4 4 cp Cat 1d4 3 sp Dog 1d4 3 sp Badger 1d4 - 2 8 sp Weasel 1d4 - 2 8 sp Goat 1d4 4 gp Vulture 1d4 - 3 5 gp Flying Snake 1d4 - 2 10 gp Raven 1d4 - 3 12 gp Eagle 1d4 - 2 23 gp Owl 1d4 - 2 25 gp Boar 1d4 - 2 30 gp Baboon 1d4 - 3 40 gp Panther 1d4 - 2 100 gp Bear (Black) 1d4 - 3 150 gp Giant Spider 1d4 - 3 200 gp *Owlbear Cub 1d4 - 1 200 gp Tiger 1d4 - 4 250 gp Lion 1d4 - 3 300 gp Bear (Brown) 1d4 - 3 325 gp Dire Wolf 1d4 - 3 500 gp *Gnull will only part with an owlbear cub if the recipient is suitably capable of training it, as they can be extremely dangerous to someone who isn't proficient in this particular sort of animal handling. Animal Merchant Gnull (They/Them) • Half-Orc Gnull is intimidating at first glance. His hulking, muted green muscles ripple out of a leather jerkin that struggles to stay clasped. His well-kept hair is tied back into a raven-black topknot. The intimidating first impression falls away quickly, however, with casual observation. Gnull handles each of the animals that have found their way into his care with the gentlest loving touch. He sees himself more as a caretaker and matchmaker than a merchant, taking the placement of every creature in his care as seriously as if he were finding a home for his own child. As such, he can be particular about who he’s willing to sell one of his little beasties to. Most of the animals in Gnull’s care find themselves there due to some unfortunate circumstance that left them injured or abandoned. He carefully rehabilitates the creatures and finds them suitable caretakers. In doing so, Gnull also teaches the creatures in his care basic commands in Common, to help ease the transition to their new caretaker. Discount Any characters with a natural affinity for nature will have an easier time dealing with Gnull. If he detects a mutual respect for the natural world, he is likely to offer up to a 25% discount on any of his stock.

56 Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls Minor Effect d6 Effect (all effects last 1 hour) 1 You gain the overwhelming stench of onion. 2 Two inches of fluffy, white and black fur sprouts out across your whole body, making you resemble a panda. 3 You gain the ability to float 1 foot above the ground, and have a floating speed of 30 feet. 4 Your eyes turn a deep purple, and you gain the ability to see in non-magical darkness for 40 feet as though it were dim light. 5 Your hair turns white, and anything you touch is covered in a thin layer of frost. Your skin becomes extremely cold to the touch. 6 Anytime you try to talk, others hear nothing but gibberish, but as far as you can tell you are speaking clearly, Major Effect d6 Effect (all effects last 1 hour) 1 You lose 1d6 Strength, and your body withers and thins. 2 You grow a set of antennae at the top of your head and can take one additional reaction per round. 3 You can use your reaction to absorb any 3rd-level spell or below that targets only you. On your next turn you cast that spell as an action. 4 You gain the ability to see through any obstacle 20 feet thick or less. You can see through multiple walls until the combined thickness equals more than 20 feet. 5 Your hair begins to flow as if a gust of wind is constantly blowing, and you can use your reaction to cast the gust of wind spell. 6 You attract a swarm of ravens that are under your command as soon as you step outside. They are drawn to you and use the swarm of ravens stat block. If the swarm is reduced to 0 hp they are killed. Item Stock Price *Mystery Potion 1d4 50 gp Potion of Healing 2d6 50 gp Potion of Climbing 1d8 75 gp Potion of Greater Healing 1d10 + 3 275 gp Potion of Water Breathing 2d4 300 gp Potion of Animal Friendship 1d4 400 gp Potion of Fire Resistance 2d4 1,500 gp Potion of Cold Resistance 2d4 1,500 gp Potion of Gaseous Form 1d4 2,300 gp Potion of Giant Strength 1d4 2,500 gp Potion of Heroism 1d6 2,500 gp Potion of Superior Healing 1d4 + 3 2,700 gp Potion of Clairvoyance 1d4 3,000 gp Potion of Growth 1d4 3,000 gp Potion of Diminution 1d4 3,000 gp Potion of Mind Reading 1d4 3,000 gp Potion of Flying 1d4 5,000 gp Potion of Speed 1d4 - 1 5,000 gp Potion of Supreme Healing 1d4 2,000 pp Potion of Invisibility 1d4 2,000 pp Potions Loveck Haverstock (He/Him) • Gnome Mystery Potion Effects Loveck Haverstock is a gnome adept at brewing all manner of potions. He travels near and far, collecting ingredients to brew anything from simple healing potions to potions capable of allowing you to breathe underwater. His wanderlust keeps him from setting up shop in any location for too long, and he will often move on from a place after only a day or two. He is erratic and scatterbrained, often jumping from one point of conversation to the next, rapidly, and expecting you to keep up. He loves to hear suggestions of places to travel next, especially if there are new or rare ingredients for him to try in his potions. If he happens to be at the tavern when the circus is there, he’ll often stay and follow them as they leave, insisting that traveling with them for a time is always quite profitable. He also has a small pseudodragon pet, named Aeris, that constantly flitters from his shoulder to different perches around his merchant tent. He and Strychnine do not get along, and he will often move along quickly if she’s currently visiting the tavern. Discount If a character can appeal to Loveck’s wanderlust, and show that they too are travelers and love life on the road, he will offer a 10% discount on the prices of all potions. *The mystery potion is Loveck’s daily experimental brew. He is willing to sell it at cost, as long as you promise to report any effects that you experience from imbibing the potion. Each potion has one minor and one major effect.

Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls 57 Armor and Shields Hasha Issi (She/Her) • Dragonborn Hasha is a silver dragonborn with an affinity for metal. She is proud but not boastful, and her armor reflects that. There is a beauty to her work that shows how she imparts her full attention to each piece. Most of her plate and shields have simple yet beautiful patterned linework, and some pieces even employ a Damascus steel patterning: a swirling almost hypnotic, amalgamation of metals. She is direct and to the point when dealing with customers, offering her wares at the proposed price and mostly unwilling to bargain. Any items purchased will be prepared for the recipient with a mirrorlike shine before being handed over. The key to her heart, however, is to request a commission. Hasha can offer any of her offered armors at a master-crafted level. Discount Hasha will offer a discount of 10% on any item if a character can convince her that they have a true appreciation for the craft of smithing. Master-Crafted Armor A master-crafted item is non-magical but is considered a +1 version of itself. Master-crafted items each take 3 days to make. Item Stock Price (Master Crafted Price) Padded 1d4 5 gp Leather 1d4 10 gp Hide 1d4 10 gp Shield 1d4 10 gp (500 gp) Studded Leather 1d4 45 gp (4,000 gp) Ring Mail 1d4 30 gp (4,100 gp) Chain Shirt 1d4 50 gp (4,100 gp) Scale Mail 1d4 50 gp (4,100 gp) Chain Mail 1d4 75 gp (4,100 gp) Splint Mail 1d4 200 gp (4,300 gp) Breastplate 1d4 400 gp (4,500 gp) Half Plate 1d4 750 gp (5,000 gp) Plate 1d4 1,500 gp (6,500 gp)

58 Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls Weapons Kitaela Kragblade (She/Her) • Dwarf Kitaela is a jovial, personable character. Her long red braids flail wildly as she works the forge. She is pale by dwarven standards, which makes her red hair even more fiery. Her mother was a smith, and her mother’s mother was a smith, so she inevitably fell into the family business. She spent several years working for a far away empress as the empire's chief bladesmith, but the pageantry she was expected to keep up as a part of that job was more than she could bear. Since then it’s been a life on the road, seeing new places and people, and making friends everywhere she goes. She is happy to spend her evenings drinking in the tavern, listening to Sirni’s tall tales, or challenging the TwoTiming Twins to a knife-throwing contest. Kitaela will take commission work, offering master-crafted versions of any weapon she has on sale. Item Stock Price (Master Crafted Price) Sling Bullets (Bag of 20) 1d10 + 2 4 cp Sling 1d4 1 sp (1 gp) Greatclub 1d4 2 sp (2 gp) Javelin 1d4 5 sp (1 gp) Arrow (quiver of 20) 1d10 + 10 1 gp Crossbow Bolt (quiver of 20) 1d10 + 10 1 gp Spear 1d4 1 gp (5 gp) Dagger 1d4 2 gp (4 gp) Whip 1d4 2 gp (10 gp) Handaxe 1d4 5 gp (15 gp) Mace 1d4 5 gp (10 gp) War Pick 1d4 5 gp (20 gp) Battleaxe 1d4 10 gp (30 gp) Maul 1d4 10 gp (30 gp) Shortsword 1d4 10 gp (25 gp) Longsword 1d4 15 gp (80 gp) Warhammer 1d4 15 gp (45 gp) Halberd 1d4 20 gp (55 gp) Light Crossbow 1d4 25 gp (60 gp) Shortbow 1d4 25 gp (60 gp) Rapier 1d4 25 gp (60 gp) Scimitar 1d4 25 gp (60 gp) Greataxe 1d4 30 gp (70 gp) Heavy Crossbow 1d4 50 gp (110 gp) Longbow 1d4 50 gp (110 gp) Greatsword 1d4 50 gp (110 gp) Hand Crossbow 1d4 75 gp (310 gp)

Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls 59 Item Stock Price Sling Bullet (Bag of 20) 1d10 + 10 4 cp Arrow (Quiver of 20) 1d10 + 10 1 gp Bolt (Quiver of 20) 1d10 + 10 1 gp Flame Sling Bullet (5) 1d6 + 2 20 gp Flame Arrow (5) 1d6 + 2 25 gp Flame Bolt (5) 1d6 + 2 25 gp Cold Sling Bullet (5) 1d6 + 2 20 gp Cold Arrow (5) 1d6 + 2 25 gp Cold Bolt (5) 1d6 + 2 25 gp Acid Sling Bullet (5) 1d6 + 2 20 gp Acid Arrow (5) 1d6 + 2 25 gp Acid Bolt (5) 1d6 + 2 25 gp Slow Sling Bullet (5) 1d6 + 2 70 gp Slow Arrow (5) 1d6 + 2 75 gp Slow Bolt (5) 1d6 + 1 75 gp Grease Sling Bullet (5) 1d4 + 1 125 gp Grease Arrow (5) 1d4 + 1 150 gp Grease Bolt (5) 1d4 + 1 150 gp Efficient Quiver 1d4 3,000 gp *Arrow of Slaying (Commissioned) 4,000 pp *Bolt of Slaying (Commissioned) 4,000 pp *Any commissioned bolt or arrow of slaying takes 5 days to complete. Flame Arrow/Bolt/Bullet: On a successful hit add 1d4 fire damage. Cold Arrow/Bolt/Bullet: On a successful hit add 1d4 cold damage. Acid Arrow/Bolt/Bullet: On a successful hit add 1d4 acid damage. Grease Arrow/Bolt/Bullet: When this arrow impacts a surface, slick grease covers the ground in a 10-foot square, centered on the impact, and turns it into difficult terrain for the duration. When the grease appears, each creature standing in the radius must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. A creature that enters the area or ends its turn there must also succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. This grease is flammable. Slow Arrow/Bolt: Any creature hit with this arrow/bolt has their movement reduced by half until the end of their next turn. Ammunition Hasha Atkar (She/Her) • Dragonborn Hasha Atkar is the younger, hot-blooded sister of Hasha Issi, the armorer. Her silver skin is slightly lighter than her sister’s, and Issi has a whole head on her in height. After a childhood and adolescence in her sister’s shadow, Atkar has made it her mission to outsmart her sister, and now devises stronger and more devious ammunition, specifically intended to outwit her sister’s designs. She cannot bear to be in the same marketplace as Issi, and the sisters will never have a stall set up at the same time. The competition is entirely one sided, and Issi accepts it with a patience that Atkar finds utterly infuriating. Atkar can also be commissioned to construct arrows or bolts of slaying, though this process will take time. Discount If a character is visibly wearing an item crafted by Hasha Issi, Hasha Atkar will offer them a 25% discount if she can hold and study the item, looking for weak points to exploit.

60 Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls Magical Clothing & Jewelry Ma Motwicke (She/Her) • Halfling With a face that is more smile lines than features, and so tiny that she is often mistaken for a gnome, Maggy ‘Ma’ Motwicke is a local legend. An unrivaled seamstress, Ma Motwicke has provided suits, gowns, coats and cloaks for half the local nobility over the past century, but also has a soft spot for those in need. Many is the pauper’s wedding where a bride or groom, stepping out for the first time, has amazed onlookers with a magnificent ensemble- fitted to perfection- that mysteriously appeared on their doorstep overnight. Rather uncannily, Ma always delivers what people need, rather than what they want. She has the somewhat maddening habit of entirely ignoring any design requests, no matter how much they were agreed upon to begin with. The item she produces will unerringly be more remarkable and flattering than the one proposed, and no one ever leaves unhappy, even if they feel like they want to. Discount Ma Motwicke sees something in people that even they don’t, and will tailor her offerings accordingly. If a character asks for a specific piece, she will kindly respond that it’s not what they really need, and instead offer them a 20% discount on a different, specific item. Item Stock Price Ring of Warmth 1 500 gp Ring of Telekinesis 1 1,000 pp Cloak of Protection 2 1,000 gp Boots of Striding and Springing 1 1,200 gp Cloak of Elvenkind 2 1,200 gp Robe of Useful Items 1 1,200 gp Boots of Speed 1 1,400 gp Brooch of Shielding 1 1,500 gp Slippers of Spider Climbing 2 1,500 gp Boots of Levitation 1 2,000 gp Ring of Evasion 1 2,000 gp Cloak of Displacement 1 4,000 gp Ring of Spell Storing 1 5,000 gp Necklace of Adaptation 1 5,000 gp Amulet of Health 1 6,000 gp Ring of Protection 1 8,000 gp Robe of Eyes 1 1,000 pp Robe of Stars 1 3,000 pp

Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls 61 Scrolls/Forgeries Blessings/Enchantments Willor (She/Her) • Human Willor is a bookworm, with a love of the written word. She has full alopecia and wears thick round glasses that she doesn’t need, in order to appear more bookish and harmless to customers. Outwardly, she is an eclectic and eccentric seller of books and magical scrolls, and waxes lyrical on random trivia. She is, in fact, an incredibly accomplished forger, and makes most of her money from fake spell scrolls. If a detect magic spell is used in her presence to ascertain that a scroll is non-magical, she will confidently explain that the scroll doesn’t become magical until the spell is spoken, requiring a DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check to be discovered. All of her books, however, are genuine; she would never sink to falsifying such beautiful objects. Imitation Scrolls Willor forges many of her scrolls to cut down on her costs. Any scroll purchased at her stall has a 75% chance of being a forgery, in which case it has no magical effect upon use. Discount If at any point Willor is caught out, she will offer a 25% discount on the original scroll that she copied, in order to keep the characters from blowing her secret, and will make sure to only sell legitimate scrolls to the party from then on. After this point, she will also offer her services as a master forger. Tapestry Option Willor can easily sell any magical or lore books pertaining to your campaign setting, as she is extremely well traveled. *Willor will only offer forgery services if her forged scrolls are revealed. Item Stock Price Scroll Case 3d10 1 gp Blank Spellbook 1d10 50 gp 1st-level spell scroll 1d8 + 3 125 gp 2nd-level spell scroll 1d8 + 1 300 gp 3rd-level spell scroll 1d6 + 1 600 gp 4th-level spell scroll 1d4 + 1 2,000 gp 5th-level spell scroll 1d4 2,600 gp 6th-level spell scroll 1d4 - 1 2,000 pp 7th-level spell scroll 1d4 - 2 2,500 pp 8th-level spell scroll 1d4 - 2 3,000 pp 9th-level spell scroll 1d4 - 2 4,000 pp *Forged Document Unlimited 1,500 gp Brother Beleric (He/Him) • Human Brother Beleric is the beardy and unkempt priest of a local temple, and appears to be perennially hungover. His drinking, profanity, and general lack of any kind of reverence might well be the reason why he has been posted to A Trip Awayfar outside any major conurbation and unable to do any damage- doling out minor blessings in return for donations. His faith is rock solid, however, and he would argue that it is politics he has no time for, not piety. Being stationed outside A Trip Away has its perks, and he has a respect bordering on veneration for Nix’s abilities behind the bar. Discount Brother Beleric is extremely canny, and able to spot swindlers a mile off. If the characters speak to him honestly and upstandingly, or there is a truly religious member of the party, he will offer a 10% discount. Conversely, if anyone tries to flatter or swindle him, his prices double. Simple Blessing A simple blessing gives a character inspiration. A creature may only have one simple blessing at a time. Tapestry Option Brother Beleric is a member of your local religious sect. He has great respect for the head of the organization, but considers everyone else involved a bunch of fools. He will happily tell the characters anything they want to know, as long as it doesn’t endanger the sect. *Characters can hire Brother Beleric to travel to a location to cast this spell. Item Stock Price Holy Water (flask) 2d10 + 5 25 gp Simple Blessing Unlimited 30 gp Enhance Ability 2/day 500 gp Daylight 3/day 1,000 gp *Hallow 1/day 3,000 gp *Guards and Wards 2/day 4,000 gp Protection from Energy 2/day 4,000 gp Protection from Evil 2/day 4,000 gp Heroes’ Feast 1/day 5,000 gp Reincarnate 1/day 7,000 gp Necklace of Prayer Beads 2 8,000 gp Raise Dead 1/day 8,000 gp Resurrection 1/day 1,000 pp

62 Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls Magical Weapons The Broker (Various) Each time the stall is visited, the merchant will be a different individual, of any race or gender. Each time, the figure wears nondescript yet neat and well-made gray clothing, and- if asked- will only identify themselves as the Broker. They are polite but frugal in their conversation, and any obvious prying or hostility may well result in being ushered away by the pair of hobgoblin guards who are a constant feature of the stall. If anyone in A Trip Away is asked about them, they have no further knowledge about the Broker(s), other than that they pay well and behave themselves. They always set up the stall before dawn, and only leave once night falls. Flip is aware that a cart drops them off and picks them up, but has no interest in following them or causing trouble. Discount If the characters have brought renown upon themselves within 50 miles of A Trip Away, the Broker will know them by name. They make a one-time-only offer of a 30% discount, saying that it is a gift from someone who recognizes strength when they see it. Tapestry Option The Broker is a title assumed by the agents of a local underworld figure, who could be the head of any criminal faction in your world. Item Stock Price Identify a magical weapon (Acts as the identify spell but they can only identify weapons.) Unlimited 50 gp Javelin of Lightning 1d4 1,000 gp +1 Weapon (any) 1d4 - 1 1,000 gp + price of the weapon +2 Weapon (any) 1d4 - 1 6,000 gp + price of the weapon Dagger of Venom 1 6,000 gp Berserker Axe 1 1,500 pp Dragon Slayer Longsword 1 2,000 pp Frost Brand Shortsword 1 5,000 pp Scimitar of Sharpness 1 5,000 pp Oathbow 1 5,000 pp Dancing Sword, Scimitar 1 5,000 pp Flame Tongue Spear 1 6,500 gp Mace of Disruption 1 9,000 gp *Any of the +1,+2, or +3 items can be replaced with any weapons of your choice.

Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls 63 Item Stock Price (Master Crafted Price) Cast identify spell on an item. 3/day 60 gp Dust of Sneezing and Choking 1d4 250 gp Dust of Dryness 1d4 325 gp Gem of Brightness 2 500 gp Deck of Illusions 2 800 gp Bead of Force (single bead) 1d6 1,500 gp Feather Token (Anchor) 1 2,000 gp Feather Token (Bird) 1 2,000 gp Feather Token (Fan) 1 2,000 gp Feather Token (Swan Boat) 1 2,000 gp Feather Token (Tree) 1 2,000 gp Feather Token (Whip) 1 2,000 gp Dimensional Shackles 1d4 2,500 gp Chime of Opening 1d4 - 2 3,000 gp Handy Haversack 1 3,000 gp Folding Boat 1 6,000 gp Gem of Seeing 1 8,000 gp Rope of Entanglement 1 1,000 pp Crystal Ball 1 5,000 pp Amara Balfil (She/Her) • High Elf Amara is high-born and she lets you know it. She is immediately suspicious of any character shabbily dressed, as she is paranoid about thieves. She tries to keep her eye on everything, regardless of the fact that Tia and Mia themselves keep a keener eye on all the merchant tents. She loves collecting magical items from a number of vendors in the different cities she frequents. She suffers the occasional trip to A Trip Away Inn, finding that the tavern can provide customers with the coin necessary to deal with her. She is lavishly clothed in a brightly colored dress, and wears gemmed rings and a gaudy necklace she is also very protective of. All her jewelry appear to be quite expensive. Discount Amara will offer a meager 5% discount to any character that can prove to her that they are also high-born. Magical Items

64 Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls Item Quantity Price/Dose Assassin’s blood 1d6 150 gp Truth Serum 1d6 150 gp Crawler Mucus 1d4 + 2 200 gp Drow Poison 1d4 + 2 200 gp Serpent Venom 1d4 + 2 200 gp Malice 1d4 250 gp Pale Tincture 1d4 250 gp Corpse Eater 1d4 250 gp Essence of Ether 1d4 300 gp Oil of Taggit 1d4 400 gp Burnt othur fumes 1d4 500 gp Living Death 1d4 600 gp Torpor 1d4 600 gp Calming Cantor 1d4 800 gp Wyvern Poison 1d4 1,200 gp Midnight Tears 1d4 1,500 gp Mark of the Arbiter 1d4 - 1 1,500 gp Purple Worm Poison 1d4 - 1 2,000 gp Poison Dealer Strychnine (She/Her) • Tiefling After the adventurers have helped Strychnine, she will open her shop to them. Anytime she is visiting the tavern she will have potions available for sale, based on the chart below. Strychnine can also be negotiated with and commissioned to create potions for the party, based on the GM’s preference. We suggest any extremely rare potions sell for at least 15,000gp. Item Stock Price Scroll Case 1d10 + 3 1 gp Blank Spellbook 1d10 + 4 50 gp Scroll of Animate Dead 1d4 125 gp Scroll of False Life 1d4 125 gp Scroll of Blindness/Deafness 1d4 + 1 300 gp Scroll of Gentle Repose 1d4 300 gp Scroll of Revivify 1d4 - 1 600 gp Scroll of Speak with Dead 1d4 + 1 600 gp Scroll of Contagion 1d4 2,600 gp Scroll of Raise Dead 1d4 - 1 2,600 gp Scroll of Circle of Death 1d4 - 1 2,000 pp Scroll of Create Undead 1d4 - 1 2,000 pp Scroll of Eyebite 1d4 - 2 2,000 pp Scroll of Finger of Death 1d4 - 2 2,500 pp Scroll of Clone 1d4 - 3 3,000 pp Necromancer Aeverys (They/Them) • Half-Elf If the players are able to gain Aevery’s trust, they are willing to open their library and necromantic knowledge to the party.

Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls 65 So You Want to Start a Business One of the opportunities offered to players at A Trip Away Inn is the chance to open their own business. Flip is willing to rent a tent to the party, as long as they make good on the rent payments in a timely manner. They’ll also provide a vendor, intended to allow them to fill out the stock of their shop, but as the GM it will be your responsibility to help the players fill the shop, with other items from throughout your game world. Ultimately, the maximum price the players can reasonably expect to receive from an item is up to the GM. In addition, this shop offers plenty of opportunities for role play. Feel free to use this location as a jumping off point for dramatic events or adventure prompts. You could have your villain burn the stall to the ground and make an example of your shopkeeper, or maybe your shopkeeper runs off with all of the player’s gold to pay the ransom for a kidnapped spouse or child. How it works To run a shop at A Trip Away Inn you will need a few things to get started: a place to sell your goods; items to sell; and someone to sell them. Rental Fee Flip will rent a single stall to the party based on their level. Flip collects this payment on the first day of the week. Renting a stall also grants you access to Flip’s secret meeting room, offering you a place for negotiations or any bargaining that may need to be done. If at any point you cannot pay for your stall, you can keep your items but must find a place to store them. The tents, of course, are for paying vendors only. Flip can collect your rental fee from your shopkeeper using your profits, or you can choose to leave the shopkeeper enough money to pay the upkeep. Flip’s Distributor* Item Cost (Discount Cost) Abacus 3 gp (1 gp) Chain (10 ft.) 8 gp (2 gp) Amulet 10 gp (3gp) Rod (Arcane Focus) 15 gp (8 gp) Crystal (Arcane Focus) 20 gp (5 gp) Fine Clothes 25 gp (7gp) Orb (Arcane Focus) 30 gp (40 gp) Component Pouch 35 gp (12 gp) Ring Mail 40 gp (15 gp) Blank Spellbook 50 gp (18 gp) Studded Leather Armor 55 gp (23 gp) Antitoxin 60 gp (25 gp) 1.5 lbs of gold 75 gp (35 gp) Chain Mail 85 gp (38 gp) Magnifying Glass 110 gp (50 gp) Splint Mail 210 gp (100gp) 1 lb of Platinum 600 gp (225 gp) Sextant 700 gp (300 gp) Spyglass 1,200 gp (500 gp) Maximum Magic Item Prices Rarity Maximum Price Common 250 gp Uncommon 500 gp Rare 5,000 gp Very Rare 5,000 gp Legendary 50,000 gp *These items are a suggestion, and the GM can add or remove items on offer through Flip’s vendor at any time. Party Level Stall Rental Price / Week 1-4 250 gp 5-10 500 gp 11-16 750 gp 17-20 1000 gp Flip will allow you access to their distributor once a week to fill out your shop inventory. However if they discover that you are taking any of the items for yourself at cost, they will no longer offer this service. You can order any items from the chart below at the discounted cost, and set a price for these items no higher than 100% of their listed cost. You must list items in your shop inventory in ascending order based on price. If the party is selling items they’ve found, the GM will determine a maximum price for the item to be sold. Magic items’ maximum price is determined by their rarity. Shop Stock Player-run stalls are made up of a stock of items you either buy, acquire, or craft. Fill your shop with 20 different items of your choice, which creates a table to roll on whenever you make a sale. You must offer 20 different items at the beginning of each week, but each item can have a quantity of up to 5. Your shopkeeper can order new items in your absence to keep the shop running, using either your profits or money you’ve left for them to continue re-stocking. This allows you to choose items to restock your shop if you haven’t returned to A Trip Away Inn. Flip's Distributor/Magic Item Prices Player-run Stalls

66 Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls npc shopkeepers Shopkeeper Boon Bane Customer Die Mishap Die The Charismatic Keeper You may choose to re-roll up to 3 dice that do not result in either a sale or a mishap. Add 1 to the result of your first 2 rolls on the mishap table. D12 D12 The Watcher Your sales are successful on a result of 4, 5, or 6. You must re-roll 1 of your successful sales. It remains successful only on a result of 5 or 6. D8 D8 The Good Heart Your shopkeeper’s kind nature allows them to head off most problems before they happen. You can re-roll up to 2 results of 1 in your dice pool. The first full-priced sale you make is always made at half your listed price. D10 D12 The Fast Talker Multiply your weekly customers by 5 instead of 4. Your shopkeeper’s tendency to continue rambling to try to force a sale can become off-putting. You only make a sale on a result of 6 in your dice pool. D10 D10 The Upseller If an item is out of stock, you instead sell the next most expensive item rather than the cheaper item. 2 results of 5 on your sales dice are discarded. D10 D12 You will need to hire someone to run the shop while you are off adventuring. Different shopkeepers offer different bonuses to potential profits and losses. The chart below offers a number of different archetypes to choose from. The players may change their shopkeeper at the start of each week, but that will require an awkward talk with the shopkeeper you’re firing. All shopkeepers must be paid at the beginning of each week, or they will refuse to continue working in your shop. Each shopkeeper costs 30 gp a week, and offers a boon and a bane. NPC Shopkeepers

Chapter 2 | Merchants & Player Stalls 67 Weekly Profit Once a week you will determine how successful your shop has been. At the end of each week in which your shop is open, you will assemble a dice pool representing your customers for the week, determine how many sales you’ve made, and wether there were any mishaps along the way. The party must return to the shop to pick up their profits. The shopkeeper will keep the money until you return. Determining successful sales To determine how many sales you make in a week, you must assemble a dice pool of d6s. The number of dice you roll is determined by rolling your shopkeeper’s customer die and multiplying the result by 4. Once you have assembled your dice pool, roll your d6s. A result of 5 or 6 counts as a sale. Each result of 1 requires you to roll once on the mishap table. You must roll all of your mishaps before rolling for sales. Making a Sale A result of 5 or 6 in your dice pool counts as a successful sale. For every successful sale, roll once with a d20 on your shop inventory, gaining an amount of gold equal to the price you set. You then subtract 1 from the quantity of that item. If there are no more of that item left, you move down the shop inventory towards the cheapest item, until you reach the next item that is still in stock. If there are no items below, then move up to the next item in your stock list, headed towards the most expensive. Mishaps A result of 1 on any of the dice in your dice pool requires you to make a roll on the mishap table. Which die you roll when rolling on this table is determined by the shopkeeper you have employed in your shop that week. The result of each mishap is determined by the table below. Special Events During a week in which the Circus Gambit is being run your shop starts the week with 5 successful sales. In a week in which the circus has come to town, your shop starts with 10 successful sales. A GM can choose to add successful sales during events of their own creation. Die Roll Mishap 1 - 2 Roll one of your successful sales, but instead of a d20 roll a d12. 3 - 4 Roll one of your successful sales, but instead of a d20 roll a d10. 5 Roll one of your successful sales, but instead of a d20 roll a d8. 6 Roll one of your successful sales, but instead of a d20 roll a d6. 7 Roll one of your successful sales, but instead of a d20 roll a d4. 8 Damaged item. Roll one of your successful sale dice and sell the item for 25% of the requested price. 9 Swindled by a customer. Roll one of your successful sale dice. Your shopkeeper sells the item for 50% of the requested price. 10 On second thought. Reroll one of your successful sales, only making the sale on a result of 6. 11 A random item is stolen. Roll a d20 and follow the rules for a sale, but do not gain any gold and remove one from the quantity of that item. 12 Your most expensive item left in stock is stolen. Remove 1 from the quantity of the most expensive item remaining.

The Tales Chapter 3

Chapter 3 | The Tales 69 Dreet Undercobble | Level 1-2 d4 Rumors 1 The kobold band that plays at A Trip Away Inn is from a clan that lives in the sewers of one of the surrounding towns. 2 Dreet has a plan to open some sort of tavern, run by her Undercobble clan. 3 The kobolds have been overheard talking about "guts" on occasion, which causes some patrons to eye them warily. 4 The kobolds are not to be trusted; if they keep hanging around like this they must be plotting something. Sirni the Chattersome Battleaxe | Level 2-3 d4 Rumors 1 Sirni was put in Flip’s charge at the wish of a dying elf. 2 Sirni has been lost in thought recently, and much less chattersome than they normally are. 3 A red dragonborn was spotted not too far from the tavern, wielding a spear made from a similar material to Sirni. 4 Nix won Sirni in a game of cards from a dwarf enchanter. Florence Neverbee | Level 3-4 d4 Rumors 1 A fisherman saw Florence conversing closely with someone by the edge of the river, but Florence and the mystery person skittered off before the fisherman could see who it was. 2 Florence’s tutor was complaining in town that Florence has been distracted during her lessons, and has even snuck out of a few of them. 3 A villager saw Florence slinking out of the jewelers with a small jewelry box that she quickly shoved into her bag. 4 At the Scaldris home, one of the footmen told the scullery maid, who told the milkman, that Rian and her parents got into a huge row. They couldn’t manage to hear what it was about before the butler shooed them away. Sinessio Bravo | Level 5 d4 Rumors 1 There is an overgrown tower, of fine dwarvish make, hidden in the woods just outside of town. Folks say the tower once belonged to a powerful mage who mysteriously vanished. 2 Sinessio once infiltrated a baron’s armory, stole his armor, had it altered, and re-sold it to him for twice what he paid for it to begin with. 3 He was able to move two-thirds of a red dragon’s hoard out from underneath her without waking her up, leaving an IOU written on a piece of parchment for the dragon to find when she awoke. 4 He sold a forged contract for his soul to a devil who, upon signing, forfeited all of his properties and assets to one Sinessio Bravo, and was contracted for one free resurrection, per year, henceforth in perpetuity, until the devil is smote or ceases to exist on any plane of existence. Salora Yunderbo | Level 5 d4 Rumors 1 Runt's a magician with a blade, and supposedly killed her own father because he was going to sell her to some mining operation. 2 The Arbiters are what you make of them. You can make them out to be heroes, or just paid killers. 3 "There's an invisible hatch into the river; my friend said they tripped over it the other day." 4 A strange new forked contraption has been seen on the river barges, skimming the waters surface. It appears to be designed to fish out small packages tied to bobbers. Tavern Rumors

70 Chapter 3 | The Tales Luciana Witherwood | Level 5-6 d4 Rumors 1 People have been going missing in the woods, then stumbling out hours later looking as though they’ve been there for days. 2 "Have you seen Wendy? She’s been glowing bright blue after eating some berries she found somewhere around town." 3 "This tankard bought from the Witherwoods has strange properties... they might be doctoring their wares somehow." 4 "The merchants that came through town were selling some suspicious looking items... pretty sure the Witherwoods bought something." Arvad Quillforge | Level 5-6 d4 Rumors 1 Someone has been peddling a cure for bad luck that does not work, but instead turns people into frogs. (Note: this is in relation to the third item in the travel incidents table in the section “A Walk in the Woods.”). 2 Lord Cornelius McGregor in Astera has a tattoo of himself on his butt. 3 A thief has stolen all of the underwear off someone’s clothesline. (Note: the thief in question was Leta Silverfoot. She was hired by someone to retrieve a pair of cursed underwear. Things got complicated.) 4 There is a living member of the Scholars of the Awakened Mind, who has secretly been trying to indoctrinate the town’s children (this cult is first mentioned in Old Ghosts). Kyra Truemoon | Level 6-7 d4 Rumors 1 The forest surrounding Ardelean Castle is home to a dangerous hag (not currently true; many, many years ago, the first Lord Ardelean gained his reputation- and a boon for himself and his worthy descendants- by defeating a hag and coming to the aid of the clan of sprites who lived there. However, the haunting presence of the late Dowager Amara Ardelean seems to have revived the rumors of a hag). 2 Kyra Truemoon is descended from a long line of people gifted with a talent for divination. 3 Kyra is really a hag in disguise. She spends her time in the tavern looking for foolish adventurers to lure to her castle so she can steal their souls. 4 Kyra is the court diviner for a local lord and lady. She doesn’t often come into the tavern but she seems harmless enough. Sir Daywin Dontas | Level 6-7 d4 Rumors 1 The Spears are actually high-end fences for anything you can imagine. No one gets into the hold easily, but those who have says it’s full of rare wines, artwork, gems, and gold enough to take over a kingdom. 2 Sir Daywin actually wears his eyepatch over his good eye. He says it’s the best way he can offer a fair fight. 3 The Spears heard that there was a shapeshifter hiding out in a village several hours from A Trip Away, preying on women and children. The villagers didn’t know which house it was staying in, so the Spears razed the entire village to the ground. (If asked about this rumor, Sir Daywin would say the idea was a waste of good building-work. Now burning all the people…) 4 Someone heard of a Spear that broke an ankle while out on a mission in a dangerous forest. Not wanting to lose time, her fellow Spears left her where she fell. Three weeks later they returned the same way, and found her where they’d left her, surrounded by the half-eaten-carcasses of eight giant bears.

Chapter 3 | The Tales 71 Ogrel Grimhowl | Level 7 d4 Rumors 1 Someone new has been helping out Estabôn with cleaning up the kitchen and watching over the bathhouse. The figure is tall, smells like a wet dog, and wears a heavy cloak. 2 A vicious band of gnolls have been seen around the area, raiding farms and attacking travelers. They sneak around under the cover of night, and strike hard and fast before retreating. They’re cruel bandits! 3 A mighty warrior was captured by a warlock and placed under a terrible curse. The curse transforms the warrior into a baby rabbit whenever he picks up a sword. The warrior now wanders the land, trying to find a cure. 4 Anyone finding a tattered patch showing a wolf howling at a black moon is cursed, and the next time they draw a weapon, their hand is going to wither and fall off. The patches have been found around the area recently, but no one knows where they are coming from. Muninn / Vincent Rews | Level 7-8 d4 Rumors 1 The monthly supply caravan has not arrived from King’s Hold. They were expected two weeks ago but it never arrived, though delays from them are common due to their remoteness. 2 The locals who live far outside of town have reported hearing more wolves in the King’s Wood as of late. 3 The cleanliness of a Trip Away Inn must be slipping, because patrons recall seeing birds flying around in the rafters! 4 A local dwarf was recently removed from the inn, as he went ballistic on the staff after finding a feather in his ale. Izak Lot | Level 9-10 d4 Rumors 1 There is an old gold mine nearby. The gates to the lower levels are known to be locked and the top floor has been looted. 2 "Be wary of a magician who peddles gold trinkets in the woods near the old gold mine." 3 The shady goblin in the corner, mumbling to a rusty crystal ball, has a job for anyone willing. 4 The old gold mine is said to have been reputable in its day, but now is dormant and supposedly haunted. Strychnine | Level 10-11 d4 Rumors 1 If you need a potent poison, look for the tiefling that takes over the outhouse on occasion, but she won't sell to just anyone. 2 There are the remains of an arcane laboratory in the northwest mountain ranges. 3 Strychnine has sent several groups of adventurers into the mountain ranges to the northwest, but none of them have ever returned. 4 Strychnine never stays at the tavern long, but always returns. Maybe she's hiding something. Mist | Level 12-13 d4 Rumors 1 Lord Leanin has a fantastic second home high up in the snowy mountains. Strangely, no one has seen him ski. 2 "Lord Leanin’s home is entirely staffed by kobolds!" 3 A powerful noble is coming to town. Word is, she’s hunting someone. 4 "I saw Lord Leanin sneeze the other day and his face changed! Just for a second, it was gray as ash! It was the strangest thing! He looked at me like I was making up stories when I brought it up, though."

72 Chapter 3 | The Tales NPC Quick Reference Table Names Appearance Occupation Race Personality Points Level Dreet Undercobble (She/Her) A skinny kobold with dull reddishblack skin. She wears scraps of leather armour and fur, has a necklace of feathers, and wears a battered metal pot as a helmet from which a pair of wooden ‘antlers’ sprout. Honorary Dwarf Bard, Third Glorious Lamplighter for the Undercobble Clan Kobold Enthusiastic, naïve, and loyal. 1-2 Sirni (They/Them) A battleaxe made from a single piece of unknown red metal alloy. Storyteller Construct Excitable, but prone to deep melancholy. A show-off and braggart. 2-3 Florence Neverbee (She/Her) Curly brown hair, dark brown skin, broad nose. Heiress to the Neverbee Honey Company Halfling Calm, collected, and genial. 3-4 Sinessio Bravo (He/Him) Sinessio has straw-like grey hair spilling over his shoulders and a tight Van Dyke beard groomed excellently against his wrinkled face. Thief Human Cocksure, scheming, and prideful. 5 Salora Yunderbo (She/Her) Tidy but with a look of adventure about her, Salora has long black dreadlocked hair with plenty of jewelry and a fierce disposition. Ex-member of the Arbiter's Guild Gnome Slightly charming and fiercely independent. 5 Luciana Witherwood (She/Her) Seven years old, with curly brown hair and hazel eyes. Child Human Precocious, mischievous, and adventurous. Deeply resentful and suspicious of anyone who would put a stop to her woodland wanderings and send her to school. 5-6 Arvad Quillforge (He/Him) He is wearing fine silks, has a long, braided beard, and a feathered cap. Poet Dwarf Dramatic and seemingly egotistical, though easily flustered. Hides his insecurities behind swagger and bravado. 5-6 Kyra Truemoon (She/Her) An attractive woman in her late 20s. Long black hair and gray eyes. Of a soft, moderate build, standing a little over five and a half feet tall. Diviner in service to House Ardelean Human Kind and generous, always ready to help others in need. Radiates a quiet self-confidence. Adept at keeping secrets. 6-7 Sir Daywin Dontas (He/Him) An ageing warrior at 65 years old. Daywin is thick set, has grey hair, a beard, only one eye, and stands about 6 feet tall. Spear of Yult, Aboleth Devotee Human Gruff, unforgiving, and cunning. A predator who feels betrayed. 6-7 Adventure Quick Reference

Chapter 3 | The Tales 73 NPC Quick Reference Table Names Appearance Occupation Race Personality Points Level Ogrel Grimhowl (He/Him) Ogrel has gray-green fur, long limbs, a savage countenance, keeps three grisly “war trophies” on his belt, and carries no weapon. Former Raider Gnoll Proud, nervous, anxious, pitiful, and prone to anger. 7 Muninn/ Vincent Rews (He/Him) Large Black Crow. Thin, Tall, Brown Hair, Large Beard Bird / Baker Bird / Human Friendly and inquisitive. / Cowardly, yet determined. 7-8 Izak Lot (He/Him) He has dark green skin and large eyes: one red and one covered in cataracts. Piercing-covered ears stick out from beneath an enormous hat. Izak wears threadbare travelling clothes and a broken pair of goggles around his neck. Warlock, Scam Artist, Smuggler Goblin Tends to ramble in a raspy voice. If confused, will consult his crystal doorknob for answers, posing as a seer. Often unintentionally rude. 9-10 Strychnine (She/Her) Middle-aged, with splotchy green skin and horns like a musk ox. Wears simple robes laden with colorful alchemical reagents. Potion and Poison Maker Tiefling Cold and calculated, with a shrewd eye for business. Doesn’t trust easily. 11-12 Mist (They/Them) As a doppelganger, Mist is rarely seen in their own form but can take the form of anyone. Mist first appears in the guise of Lord Léanin Eiriander, the male high elf form of a local silver dragon. Gambler Doppelganger Assumes the personality of whomever they impersonate. Confident, generous, and gregarious as Lord Léanin Eiriander. Otherwise anxious, insecure, and quick to make a poor bargain. 12-13

74 Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble

Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble 75 Kobold • Honorary Dwarf Bard • Third Glorious Lamplighter for the Undercobble Clan Enthusiastic, naïve, and loyal. A skinny kobold with dull reddish-black skin. She wears scraps of leather armour and fur, has a necklace of feathers, and wears a battered metal pot as a helmet from which a pair of wooden ‘antlers’ sprout. surface world. Thus, the title of Glorious Lamplighter was born. The first Glorious Lamplighter was Nettle, a kobold who found the world above so enchanting that she joined a group of adventurers and was last seen happily leaving Astera with them on a wagon. The second kobold to be elevated was Snitt, though his increasingly dour demeanor saw him stripped of the title. The Third, and most recent, kobold to hold the title of Glorious Lamplighter is Dreet. Tavern Behavior A small group of kobolds is a strange sight in A Trip Away Inn, but a double-take will confirm it. They have an underfed look about them, and are dressed in ragged bits of leather and scraps of chainmail, that hang off them like leaves on a weeping willow. The unlikely band (for that is what their battered instruments mark them as) are in good spirits, chittering and chirping near-ceaselessly to one another in Draconic. From time to time, a dreadfully out of tune chord will sound, heralding the beginning of a song. Immediately, patrons across the inn hurry out of their seats and drop copper pieces in a little can, set out in front of the kobolds. When the clatter of coins hitting the tin has died away, so too has the music, if such a word can be used to describe what the kobolds are doing to those instruments, and the kobolds happily tuck away their spoils. It becomes quickly apparent that they are being paid not to play. Any Dragonborn adventurers should expect to leave any semblance of peace at the door, as the kobolds clamour to ‘help’ them in any and all ways possible within the tavern. Hook Dreet Undercobble, a representative of the Undercobble clan native to the sewers and underways of Astera, has gathered a band of kobolds and travelled to A Trip Away Inn, to find a hearty band of adventurers to solve an injustice done to her clan. Clan Undercobble has aspirations to own a business (a drinking house named puB), but their purchase of brewing equipment has gone awry. A dwarf by the name of Banor, swindled the clan out of their equipment, by promising them the goods and then reneging on their deal. The dwarf took their money and purchased the equipment for them at a discount but then never turned it over, hoping to sell it to someone else at a profit. Dreet UnderCobble (She/Her) Written by: Jen Hazelwood Adventure Level: 1-2 | Players: 3-5 Content Warnings: Racism, Discrimination, Double-crossing Clan Undercobble resides beneath the small city of Astera, helping the denizens living above dig tunnels for their sewers and perform other distasteful jobs. Of late, Clan Undercobble harbours aspirations to move into a surface level building of their own, which they plan to turn into a kobold tavern they plan to call ‘puB’. To this end, they have sent Dreet out to A Trip Away Inn in the hopes of finding willing adventurers to help secure the location. Background The Undercobble Clan are a small tribe of kobolds, who were discovered living in the sewers beneath Astera some years ago. Initially mistrusted, they worked to better their relations with the townsfolk (to varying degrees of success) by tackling the dirty work others shied away from. They have become the unofficial ‘janitors’ of Astera—keepers of the sewers, sweepers of roads and chimneys, and removers of rubbish. They complete their tasks cheerfully enough, happy to cement their foothold on the world above. Clan Undercobble is ruled by three elder kobolds, venerated for their wisdom and cunning. A year after the clan’s sanitation efforts won them some regard in Astera, the elders finalized the Glorius Undercobble Tribe Scheme (or G.U.T.S). The goal was simple: continue to make themselves invaluable to the town, ingratiate themselves with the people of Astera, and secure property above ground, thus beginning their true integration into the surface world. The elders believe that life is better above ground, and that, as Overcobbles, they will have opportunities to further kobold advancement that Undercobbles could not have. One kobold was appointed by the elders of the clan as their diplomatic outreach, charged with being the face of the Undercobbles, their chief liaison with the town above. Their job was to spread the word of the kobolds’ intentions, essentially to light the way for other kobolds to reach the

76 Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble Part 1: Of Under and Over Cobbles GM’s note: This Adventure is split into two parts. Part 1: Of Under and Over Cobbles is intended for adventurers levels 1-2. Part 2: No G.U.T.S, No Glory is intended for adventurers level 3-4. When in the tavern, Dreet and her group of kobolds are generally in good spirits, but from time to time slip into a malaise. They wail about being double-crossed and taken advantage of, wringing their hands and speaking mournfully about their stolen futures, and how they will never become ‘Overcobbles’. The donations of the tavern’s patrons stop most of the kobolds’ songs. However, the one song the patrons are not able to stop with coin is the ‘Lament of Cobbles’, a dreadful dirge sung by Dreet, while her fellows accompany her on their dented and tarnished instruments. It cannot be stressed enough how terrible the song is, from conception to execution: “A terrible day happened only last week So terrible that Dreet hardly can speak, We gave all our money so we could be free, But they stole it away and laughed “Ha ha” at me. We needed a wagon piled so high with stuff So, we can make beer but, my friends, this is rough It never arrived and when Dreet went to see They said “Go away” and they threw things at me.” Once the song ends, the patrons sigh in thanks, while the kobolds fall over each other in a heap, sobbing in a pitiful display. It is a sorry sight, but they recover quickly. This all changes when the kobolds notice the adventurers, especially if they’re travelling with any dragonborn in the party. Rather than sobbing, the kobolds become excitable and enthusiastic. Dreet initiates a huddle with her fellows, whispering rapidly in draconic while sending what she thinks are surreptitious glances over in the adventurers’ direction. Any adventurers who speak Draconic may be able to overhear snippets of conversation, consisting of, “-looks very good, very strong-” , “-ask them, ask them-” and “-nobody else can do it-”. If the adventurers do not approach the kobolds on their own, Dreet will sidle over, adjusting the overlarge, metal pot helmet on her head, from which a pair of branches styled as horns sprout, and tug one of their sleeves. When one of the adventurers acknowledges Dreet, she implores them: “Excuse me! Excuse me, great adventurers! I am Dreet, of Clan Undercobble, Third and Best Glorious Lamplighter, Honorary Dwarf and exceptional bard. Undercobble clan needs your help! We can pay. Money. Or rabbits. You like?” Dreet will flash a little pouch of shining silver and gold, before snatching it back and tucking it away. “Clan Undercobble wants to become Clan Overcobble, see? See? We have a plan, a great plan, we thought about it for seventeen weeks. We did market research. That is when we go into the market and shout ideas and whichever idea gets the least things thrown at us, we do that one.” An adventurer who makes a successful DC 10 Intelligence (History) check will know that Clan Undercobble is tolerated locally because of their helpfulness, digging out sewer tunnels and controlling the rat population. They are remarkably benevolent for kobolds and, while the elders stay beneath, they send their younglings to the surface to try and integrate with the locals. Most people endure their presence but it has been a bumpy introduction, and many townsfolk keep a stock of turned vegetables to throw at them when they become too irritating. Dreet Continues: “The plan is p- u – capital B, puB! Good plan, yes? Kobold puB. Everybody likes beer, so we will make the best beer and everyone will come. That was plan, but plan is broken now. Oh, it was terrible, terrible! We paid a dwarf to bring us a wagon of things to make beer with and he took our money but the wagon never came! When Dreet went to say, ‘hey, where is wagon?’ he yelled very loud and threw an old turnip and said to never come back or he would drop Dreet in the river!” Dreet wrings her hands and looks wretched. Flip, the barkeep, sends amused looks in the adventurers’ direction, and if any of the adventurers ask what they think of the kobold puB, they laugh and reply that they aren’t worried about losing business, but wish the kobold's success in their venture.

Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble 77 Whether the adventurers inquire about the details of Dreet’s plight or not, she continues: “The dwarf is called Banor, he is, um... what is word? Not with other people. Unaffiliated, yes. Just people, no guild or clan trouble, okay? No trouble for adventurers. Please ask for Dreet’s wagon. We will write many songs about you.” Dreet offers the adventurers 200gp and directs them towards a house in a rundown area near the edge of Astera, where the dwarf and his associates stay. With the offer made, Dreet squints at the party, stroking her scaly chin. “First we must check, though. Dreet did not check the dwarf and the dwarf was bad. Come, come here to my friends. Play something, yes? Play song. Pick instrument.” Dreet turns big eyes up at the party and waves them toward her kobold band, urging them to take up the instruments for themselves. There is a choice of a lute, a set of panpipes or a flute, all in various states of disrepair, though the adventurers may use their own instruments if they have them. One or more adventurers must make a DC 12 Charisma (Performance) check to decide Dreet’s reaction towards the party. If more than one adventurer takes up the challenge, add the results of their rolls together. Failure: On a failure, given the kobolds clearly have very little knowledge about what makes for good music in the traditional sense, Dreet will simply nod sagely and pat the player on their hand. “You are very good, very good. Almost as good as kobolds. But not quite, so Dreet will come with you. If big adventurers are going, it will be okay. Stay behind, be very good, very useful, yes? Music soothes bad dog, is that right? But also stops arterial bleeding sometimes. Dreet can heal very nice, very good. Okay, I come. Not to talk to Banor though, he will drop Dreet in the river. Too scared of him, okay?” Success: On a success, Dreet’s eyes grow as wide as dinner plates and she gasps at the performer, the picture of utter and immediate hero-worship. “How did you do this thing? I cannot believe it, oh my goodness, you are the best bard I have ever heard, you are the master bard. Dreet will come with you, yes, yes. If master bard is going, it will be okay. Stay behind, be very good, very useful. You teach Dreet and I come along. Not to talk to Banor though, he will drop Dreet in the river. Too scared of him, okay? And Dreet can heal very nice, very good! Helpful!” Regardless of the outcome, Dreet slings her lute over her shoulder on a frayed leather strap, and accompanies the adventurers. She acts as a healer, but will not fight for reasons she deems personal, and suggests that, if the kobolds possessed one or two proficient fighters, they would have been able to deal with Banor themselves. Any adventurer of medium or large size is in danger of having her climb up on them, to cling onto their backs like a satchel. Wagon Wheels Keep on Turning With Dreet in tow, chattering endlessly, the adventurers set out from A Trip Away on a 4 day journey to Astera. Once the adventurers are admitted into Astera, the little kobold is welcomed surprisingly warmly by the guards at the gate, who ask after the wagon and show unfeigned sympathy for Dreet’s plight. It seems that, despite the behaviour of some individuals in Astera, most of the city are appreciative of the Undercobble kobolds and the work they do. Dreet directs the adventurers to an area of shabby, rundown buildings on the outskirts of the city. A table, scattered with empty beer bottles and old cigar stubs, is set up outside one of the buildings with an open door. The closer the adventurers get to the house, the more agitated Dreet becomes, trying her best to hide behind the party’s legs, or crawl up on someone’s back. A human male of middle age, with a salt and pepper beard and a permanent scowl, thumps out of the house and sits at the table. The man looks suspiciously at the adventurers, inquiring what they want. If the adventurers immediately ask for Banor, the man insists nobody by that name is present, but a successful DC 12 Insight (Wisdom) check will determine this to be a lie. If pressed, the man shrugs and cantankerously asks what the party plans to do about it.

78 Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble “Maybe he’s here, maybe he ain’t. What’s it to you, eh? Don’t think I can’t see that snivellin’ little runt back there, neither. What’s she told you? Can’t trust a kobold, everyone knows that.” A successful DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check encourages the man to go and get Banor from the house. On a failure, he feigns ignorance on the matter (much to Dreet’s fury) and insists the kobold must be thinking of someone else. He only ‘regains’ his memory when bribed with at least 10gp, and will fetch Banor. If the adventurers are unwilling to pay the bribe, they can sneak around the back of the house with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check. A successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check while at the back of the house reveals the following: • Banor can be seen through a window, counting profit predictions in a shabby dining room. • The wagon of brewing supplies promised to Dreet is tucked out of sight amongst a copse of thick, high bushes behind the building, covered only by thick cloth. The adventurers can pull the wagon away from the building, without anyone noticing, if they succeed on an additional DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check. On a failure, or if the adventurers engage in combat with the guard at the front of the house, they draw the attention of Banor, who emerges bellowing about the racket and triggering a fight. Leave it to the Law? Dreet’s arrival is surprisingly pleasant, despite the circumstances she has found herself in. The adventurers may notice that both the guards and the majority of the townsfolk are sympathetic to the kobold’s plight, and so the adventurers may simply wish to report the location of the wagon to the guards, and have them deal with it. If they do so, the guards are quick to react; Banor is taken to the stocks in the town, and the kobold receives the goods owed to her, complete with a little pony. Fortunately, this won’t change Dreet’s admiration of the adventurers much. Banor (He/Him) is bristling with irritation and looks as though he has seen better days. He wears a tarnished breastplate and forest-green leathers, has beady black eyes and an impressive beard, flecked with remnants of his last meal. He is not happy to see the adventurers, and less happy still to be looking at Dreet again, something he complains about loudly. “WHAT? What is it now? Lies and slander, I tell you. Don’t know what this is about, but I know it’s definitely lies and slander. I don’t have a problem with you lot, you look a good sort, but mind the company you keep though.” For her part, Dreet goes completely silent and does her best to bury her way into someone’s pack, shivering with fear. The dwarf admits to taking the kobold’s money and keeping the wagon for himself. He is nonchalant about it, claiming that no one wants kobolds on the surface, and certainly not in a tavern, where ‘polite society’ might have to see them. Hearing this, Dreet turns mournful, trilling sorrowfully from her hiding place. “Fine, you know what? I’ll admit it, we only did what anyone else would do. Have they told you what they’re planning? A kobold tavern! They’re bad enough scrabbling around under the city like rats, let alone up top and parading where anyone can see ‘em. Yeah, we took the money and we kept the wagon, it was the least we could do to protect the integrity of this fine place. It’s tough for everyone right now.” “Listen, we’re going to sell the wagon and the stuff in it. This isn’t worth your time, but I can make it profitable for you to walk away. Leave this be, and we’ll give you half of what we make from the sale. Can’t say fairer than that, eh?” If the party agrees to Banor’s deal, they will receive 150gp, and Dreet will gather her kobold brethren and return to her clan. While the patrons of A Trip Away Inn will be grateful for the absence of their abysmal music, they will comment often about missing the rambunctious energy of the little creatures. This will end the adventure. If the adventurers refuse Banor’s deal, he calls out to his two human co-conspirators, and demands the party leave the area at once, threatening violence. A DC 14 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check can convince Banor to back down, otherwise the adventurers will be forced to fight Banor (bandit captain) and his 2 thugs.

Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble 79 On a successful Intimidation or Persuasion check: “Ye gods, this is more trouble than it’s worth. Fine, take the damn thing, just take it and go! You’ll only have yourselves to blame if we’re up to our eyeballs in kobold dung by next month.” If the party engages in combat, 3 town guards jog up just as the fight ends. Dreet throws herself to the ground in an impressive display of grovelling, imploring the guards for mercy. They seem vaguely bemused by her display, gently set her back on her feet, explain they were aware of the issue between Banor and the kobolds, and were actively on the lookout for the wagon. Should the adventurers point out that the wagon is behind the house, the guards turn red-faced and admit they didn’t think even Banor would be brazen enough to keep it at his home. The guards drag the unconscious (or dead) men away. If the adventurers search Banor’s house, a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check uncovers the following: • Six bottles of sour wine • 51gp • 67sp • 15cp • A lucky dusty rabbit’s foot (Appendix B) • A broken dog collar • A silver ring worth 15gp Dreet is overjoyed at the return of the wagon, and celebrates with a suitably terrible song that, while tuneless, certainly paints the party in a heroic light. She continues praising them all the way back to A Trip Away, where, upon hearing of their success, the kobolds take up the song until enough coin clatters into their tin to shut them up. “Dreet knew it! Dreet knew you were the best of adventurers, there is greatness swimming all around you like fishes. We will write songs of your fishy heroism and everyone will know. Thank you, thank you!” Dreet hands over the bag of money she displayed before, consisting of 100 gp, names the adventurers heroes of the Undercobble Clan, and inquires if the adventurers are interested in assisting further with the creation of puB. She promises to let the adventurers know in a few days, and the party can either assist other patrons of A Trip Away Inn, or pass the three days Dreet needs to gather up the materials for her next task. After Dreet contacts the adventurers, asking them to meet her at A Trip Away, the adventurers stumble upon Dreet improvising a song about them, with the accompaniment of her fellows. Their racket can be heard throughout the inn, and at least fifty feet beyond its walls. The kobolds are so enthusiastic in their hero-worship that their silence cannot be bought during the song, causing minor grumbles from the rest of the patrons of A Trip Away. At the conclusion of the dreadful musical number, Dreet gathers up several rolls of raggedy parchment in her skinny arms and clatters over to the adventurers. She scatters the parchment across the table, rolling out a few scrolls, using tankards to anchor the corners. She gestures at the drawings scrawled upon parchment as though they were great works of art. The drawings comprise of: • A building with a swinging sign outside that reads “puB,” • A bar-top complete with flagons. • A suspiciously familiar looking kobold band (one wearing a helmet adorned with sticks). • Twenty chickens of varying sizes. Gesturing wildly towards her illustrations, Dreet conveys the following information to the adventurers: • The Kobolds purchased a building in town, sight unseen. • They plan to turn the building they purchased into puB. • This is all part of their tribe’s plan, G.U.T.S. (Glorius Undercobble Tribe Scheme), a scheme to better integrate kobolds into surface society. • They’ve scrimped and saved and sold things dear to the tribe, in order to make the lofty investment. • When they visited the location, after money had changed hands, they discovered the basement is infested with rats. • They are willing to pay the adventurers to take care of their rat problem. If the party acquiesces to Dreet’s request she will happily follow them out of A Trip Away and direct them back to Astera. When they’ve arrived, Dreet leads them to a shabby, abandoned building the kobolds hope will one day become their tavern. It is a squat structure, sitting just off the thoroughfare, a little way from the market. It seems as though it was once an inn, but has fallen into disrepair. Old flower boxes have grown thick with weeds, the shutters on the windows have warped so that they no longer close, while others hang from their hinges. A fat ginger cat sits on a grime-covered window sill, squinting suspiciously at the adventurers and flicking its tail. Part 2: No G.U.T.S, No Glory!

80 Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble The Landing 1 Dreet is overjoyed to see puB again, clasping her hands together and looking at it as though it were a palace. “Here, see! Here is puB, beautiful puB. Maybe cat has eaten all the rats, yes? We go in, brave adventurers check.” The inside of puB is in no better condition than the outside. It appears as though a cursory attempt at cleaning has been made. Several crates have been piled in one corner, and water has been spilled across the floor with overturned mop buckets. Bolts of fabric lean up near several of the windows, along with boxes stacked to make a makeshift stair system to reach the windows. Ribbons of clean floor swirl through the dust, ending at a fallen broom that seems to have been dropped in haste. Dreet makes it clear that she will stay above, in the tavern’s tap room, and will not, under any circumstances, be delving further below or fighting. “Maybe if heroes get hurt, they can run back up the stairs and Dreet can help with very nice and very helpful healing songs. But not go down, nope, never go down, not until rats are gone.” Dreet points across to where a bench has been pushed in front of a door, behind the dusty bar. One of the kobolds has written something in chalk on the wood: “DON’T RATS OPEN INSIDE” Dreet scratches her head. “‘Don’t rats open inside?’ Silly kobolds. Okay, please be to make sure all the basement has no more rats in it. If you find anything down there you can keep, but these boxes upstairs are Undercobble Clan things, okay? If you find chickens down there, maybe we can keep? You take the rest.” Clearing away the bench and pushing open the basement door leads the adventurers to a dusty set of stairs, leading down. There are scratch marks on the walls and covering the back of the door. The stairway opens up to a room in disarray. Wooden crates are scattered about the room, their lids pried open. One crate has been tipped on its side, spilling broken wine bottles across the floor. The kobolds made it into this room before being disturbed by the rats and fleeing. An investigation of the boxes (no check required) uncovers the following: • A pile of dirty rags (15 cp) • A cloth doll (9 sp) • A broken potion bottle (no value) • A topaz necklace (10 gp) • Jars of stale cooking spices (18 cp) • A copper necklace (14 sp) There isn’t anything else of note in the first room, save for another door, slightly ajar, leading further into the basement. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check at the door reveals the sound of squeaking and scrabbling inside the next room. A successful DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check will allow the adventurers to open the door silently and surprise the rats in the next room. Rat Nest Like the previous room, the room beyond is grimy, disused and filled with degraded crates. The smell of wet fur is heavy in the air, bringing with it the heat of animals in an enclosed space. Inside is a swarm of hungry rats and a creature the size of a wolf, a grotesque Rat King, thick segmented tails fused together into one giant mass, as bodies squabble and fight over bones that have already been picked clean. Mounds of smaller, dead rats are piled in the corners, some bearing strange, yellow-white pustules on their backs. Any adventurer who can communicate with the rats may learn that they are ravenously hungry, and are ready to attack anything, including the adventurers, for food. These crates are empty: any food that might once have been within has been consumed by the rats long ago. 2

Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble 81

82 Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble Dry Goods Storage Room Any player who wishes to examine the rat corpses piled in the corners of the room can make a DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check. On a success, they determine that the yellow-white pustules on their backs are large spider eggs. A roll of 14 or higher will provide the additional information that these eggs are freshly laid, fragile, and easy to destroy. A successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the body of an unfortunate adventurer, covered in webs and old, broken spider eggs, who suffered the same fate as many of the rats. Searching the body yields 4 potions of healing and one salvageable torch. Spider Nest This room is larger than the two which came before, with a doorway beyond it that appears to be partially ajar. The high ceilings disappear into shadow above, and portions of both the floor and walls are covered with sticky grey spiderwebs. There are clumps and clusters of spider eggs in this room, hanging in slick sacs and growing on rat corpses, giant and small alike. Alerted by the commotion of the adventurers encounter with the rats, the 2 giant spiders in the next room crawl to the ceiling to lay an ambush for the adventurers. A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check at the door alerts the adventurers to the presence of the spiders. If the adventurers enter the room unnoticed, they can attempt to navigate through the room without alerting the spiders with a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid the webbing, which counts as difficult terrain. On a failure, they become tangled in the webbing and alert the spiders. If the adventurers trigger the spiders’ web sense, they can attempt to quickly cross through the webbing, and make it to the next room to avoid combat. To escape the room, each adventurer must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check, adding the results of each roll together. The total must be greater than 18 for a success. The next room is surprisingly dry, well-kept and spacious. While it is bare of furniture, it appears to be full of neatly stacked crates in the far corners. Hiding in one of the crates in the left corner is Snitt, a kobold, who has been cowering to avoid the fighting beyond his doorway. Snitt (he/him) is larger than the average kobold, but not by much. He has a skittish, sly demeanor and eyes that dart and shift around the room as he speaks, as if always looking for a way out. He’s wearing tattered clothes that were once fine, with a gold chain holding an oddly shaped onyx charm around his partially revealed chest. Like the rats and the bodies the players might have discovered before, Snitt appears to be infected with spider eggs. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception or Insight) check reveals that Snitt is actually wearing the eggs. A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check or DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that Snitt’s necklace is actually what keeps the spiders docile to him. If an adventurer steals the necklace from Snitt, it is revealed to be a string of spider eggs without any magical qualities. A combination of wearing the eggs and stringing them around his neck has fooled them into thinking he is a very ugly, malformed spider. An adventurer who holds the necklace is considered friendly by the spiders (unless they are attacked). Deprived of his necklace, Snitt immediately surrenders, begging for his life. “Where did you come from? I have been hiding here for two days, snuck past the spiders but they sniffed me out when I went past and I had to stay in here. Who sent you?” At any mention of Dreet, Snitt becomes grouchy and stamps his feet. “HAH! That little thief! I was Glorious Lamplighter first, me! Silly Dreet and her silly ideas, turning the elders against me, stealing my position! I came here to find a way to deal with the infestation but now you have stolen that from me, too! Unless- -Unless you tell clan elders that Snitt did this? Yes, you tell elders Snitt saved puB, and Snitt will be Glorious Lamplighter again. Do this.” 3 4

Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble 83 If the adventurers are opposed to his demands, Snitt attempts to wheedle and bribe them to see things his way. A successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that Snitt has no intentions of making good on his promises, and intends to abandon the adventurers once they help him restore his position. “What did she give you? Chickens? Money? Snitt has money too. Snitt will pay you as much as Dreet offered if you tell her the building is overrun. You could not do the job, there will be no saving puB for Dreet, no. Or, tell her you fixed it, tell her to come here alone to inspect. I will wait for her here, take back job, tell elders the spiders caught silly Dreet. You choose. You do this.” If the adventurers refuse to help Snitt regain his position, he attacks, commanding 2 giant spiders, who have waited in hiding in a nest of webs on the right side of the room. Snitt is a coward, who would much rather his pets do the dirty work in combat for him, but he is not afraid of attacking any adventurers he thinks are weak or close to death. If the adventurers defeat Snitt in combat and grant him the mercy he grovels for, they can escort him to the ground level to face Dreet, where she commands him to report to the Undercobble elders for judgement, or flee the town and never return. Snitt will leave without divulging his intentions, but Dreet assures the party that he will likely present himself for chastisement. “Do not worry, brave adventurers. It will turn out okay. Look at what happened today, yes? This morning, Undercobble had no puB. Now, thanks to you, we will be Overcobbles! We go back to A Trip Away, tell other kobolds. Best of news. Best of heroes.” At Dreet’s return, and the news of puB’s cleansing of rats and spiders, the kobolds are beside themselves with joy, dancing, shouting and jumping on tables. Some patrons shoo them away, while others humour them, knowing that with their own tavern ready to move into, the kobolds will likely abandon this one and- crucially- take their instruments with them. Dreet invites the party to come to puB’s grand opening and hands over their reward: a pouch containing 203 gp, 4sp, 19cp and a handful of bottle caps that have clearly been thrown into the kobold’s offering tin at some point, under the correct presumption that anything that made the requisite clatter sound would shut them up. Once it has been restored enough to warrant an opening, PuB opens for business, with lovingly repaired windowpanes and polished cobbles. It draws a steady stream of tourists, who stop by to sample the spiced kobold ale and their ‘artistic’ (they mean ‘artisanal’) roast chicken sandwiches. Given its modest success, puB is far more likely to be tolerated than shunned, and any party venturing into Astera, upon asking for tavern recommendations, will find puB a novel addition to any discerning townsperson’s list of endorsements. The fat ginger cat remains a staple of the establishment, eventually being named ‘PleB’ by Dreet. If the adventurers have been kind to Dreet, when they meet her at puB, she presents them with a little tarnished coin that always lands on tails. Dreet is convinced that means the coin is highly magical, though it is obviously merely weighted. Additionally, if the adventurers have befriended her, she gives each of them a chicken, cooked to perfection, the highest of kobold honours. If, at any point during or following the adventure, the party has picked up on the kobold’s love of chickens enough to feel moved to buy them some chickens as a gift, cooked or otherwise, Dreet will throw up her arms in praise and thank them profusely. “My friends! My brave, kind, strong friends! Oh, thank you, you are truly magnanimous and a friend to all kobolds. As Glorious Lamplighter, it is within my power to bestow on all of you, the very good and important title of ‘Almost-Cobble!’ You will always be welcome among my people, and oh, you should tell other kobolds you meet, maybe, then they will like you too!” Conclusion Lucky Dusty Rabbit’s Foot Wonderous item, uncommon This worn rabbit’s foot is fluffy with several decade’s worth of rock dust. The foot has two charges and regains all expended charges at dawn. While holding this item, you can use an action to expend one of its charges to cast the jump spell. Appendix A: Magic Items

84 Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble Dreet UnderCobble Small Humanoid (Kobold), chaotic good Challenge: 1 (200xp) | Initiative: +2 | Prof. Bonus: +2 armor class hit points speed 14 (studded leather) 18 (4d6 + 4) 30 ft. str dex con int wis cha 11 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3 Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +3, Performance +4 Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Common, Draconic Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Dreet has disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Spellcasting | Save DC: 12 | Attack Bonus: +4 Dreet is a 4th-level Charisma based spellcaster. Action Spells Cantrips (at will): mage hand, minor illusion, vicious mockery 1st level (1/day each): cure wounds, faerie fire, hideous laughter, sleep 2nd level (1/day each): lesser restoration, enhance ability Bonus Action Spells 1st level 1/day: healing word Actions Song of Rest. Dreet can perform a song while taking a short rest. Any ally who hears this song regains an extra 1d6 hit points if it spends any Hit Dice to regain hit points at the end of that rest. Dreet can confer this benefit on herself as well. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage. Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 +2) piercing damage. Snitt Small Humanoid (Kobold), neutral evil Challenge: 1 (200xp) | Initiative: +2 | Prof. Bonus: +2 armor class hit points speed 14 (rags and shield) 27 (4d6 + 12) 30 ft. str dex con int wis cha 9 (-1) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (0) 8 (-1) 8 (-1) Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 9 Languages Common, Draconic Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Snitt has disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Pack Tactics. Snitt has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of Snitt’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. Actions Multiattack. Snitt makes two melee attacks. Short Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage. Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) bludgeoning damage Low Blow (Recharge 5-6). Snitt makes a cheap shot against a creature he can see within 5 feet of him. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become incapacitated until the end of Snitt’s next turn. Appendix B: Stat Blocks Author’s Notes/Acknowledgments Of Under and Over Cobbles is designed to be an interesting, comedic introduction to the world. Jen would like to thank Deekin Scalesinger for being the original kobold bard. She would also like to tip her hat to Sam, without whom the Undercobbles would never have had their chance to become Overs. Author Bio Jen spends most of her time in a single room staring at a screen, trying to trick worlds out of her head. If not there, she can be found playing Dungeons & Dragons or shouting on Twitter under the handle @moxieswagger 84

Chapter 3 | The Tales Dreet Undercobble 85 Rat King Medium Monstrosity, chaotic neutral Challenge 5 (1,800xp) | Initiative: +3 | Prof. Bonus: +2 armor class hit points speed 14 (natural) 59 (6d10 + 24) 25 ft. str dex con int wis cha 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 10 (0) 15 (+2) 10 (0) Saving Throws Con +7 Damage Vulnerabilities fire, acid Senses darkvision 60ft. passive Perception 12 Proficiency Bonus +3 Putrid Cloud. The Rat King is surrounded by a 10 ft. radius of nauseating gas. Each creature that is completely within the cloud at the start of their turn must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature spends its turn retching and reeling and gains the incapacitated condition. The incapacitated creature can make the save again at the start of their next turn. Creatures that don’t need to breathe or are immune to poison automatically succeed on this saving throw. Any creature that has passed the saving throw is immune to its effects for 24 hours. Watcher in the Dark. The Rat King has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight and smell. From Whence You Came. If the Rat King is reduced to 20 hit points it splits into 2 Swarm of Hungry Rats and becomes frightened of all enemies, gaining the frightened condition. They will spend their turn trying to flee but will fight if there is no escape. Actions Multiattack. The Rat King makes three bite attacks. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (3d4 + 2) piercing damage. Lair Actions On initiative count 12 (losing initiative ties), the Rat King takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the Rat King can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: Summon Swarm (Recharge 6). The Rat King summons two Swarms of Hungry Rats. The swarms will all appear next round, at initiative count 15 (losing initiative ties). Assimilate Swarm. Any swarm within 5 ft. of The Rat King is consumed, with the Rat King regaining hit points equal to the hit points of the consumed swarm. Frenzy. Rat King gains advantage on its next attack roll. A Rat King is a horrendous monstrosity, that comes into existence when hundreds of rats are living on top of one another. Sometimes, a stray bit of residual magic can lead to the rat’s tails fusing together. Once this process has begun, the creature continues to absorb more of its kind, becoming ever more horrendous. Swarm of Hungry Rats Large swarm of Tiny Beasts, unaligned Challenge 3 (700xp) | Initiative: +4 | Prof. Bonus: +2 armor class hit points speed 14 natural 26 (4d10 + 4) 40 ft. str dex con int wis cha 9 (-1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 3 (-4) 10 (0) 3 (-4) Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10 Blood Frenzy. The swarm has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny rat. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Keen Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Actions Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm’s space. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage, or 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

86 Chapter 3 | The Tales Sirni The Chattersome Battleaxe

Chapter 3 | The Tales Sirni The Chattersome Battleaxe 87 Made newly aware of their former master’s presence in the area, Sirni has been lost in thought, and stricken silent with anxiety. When the characters ask after the battleaxe’s silence, they inform them that a few passersby mentioned an old red dragonborn, matching the description of Sirni’s former master, was seen in the town of Lakehead, wielding a magic spear made from a single piece of red metal. Sirni wants answers regarding their abandonment and to know more about this new magic weapon. They request that the characters take them to meet this red dragonborn immediately. Tavern Behavior Sirni is a bright red battleaxe, crafted from a single piece of unknown metal, who has been at the tavern for decades now. They are displayed over the hearth where they share their many stories with anyone who will listen. Every story features Sirni in some way, be it as the protagonist, the magic battleaxe in distress, or the magic weapon that grants the hero the means to defeat the villain. All of these stories are exaggerations of Sirni’s actual adventures with their former master. Hook While speaking with Flip, the proprietor draws the characters’ attention to the taproom. Sirni is oddly quiet. In fact, Flip points out, the usually verbose battleaxe has hardly said a word over the past couple of days. Ever since a pair of travelers blew through from the south, Sirni hasn’t shared a single story. If the characters can cheer up the battleaxe, Flip says, there’s a free round of drinks in it for them. Sirni the Chattersome Battleaxe (They/Them) Everyone at the tavern knows a different story about how the sentient battleaxe over the hearth arrived at A Trip Away, and who it was that brought them here. However, the party is about to learn the truth behind Sirni’s arrival at the tavern and the creator who abandoned them. The party will travel with Sirni through the southern grasslands to the town of Lakehead, where Sirni hopes to finally hear the other side of a story that has secretly haunted them for years now. Characters will confront Sirni’s selfish and cruel creator, but not until after they’ve run off the young black dragon wyrmling who has trapped the adventurer in its lair. Background Some say a dying elf placed the all-red battleaxe at Flip’s feet and begged them to shelter the construct. Others swear that Nix won the battleaxe from a traveling dwarf enchanter in a game of cards. A scant few regulars whisper of a night in autumn when the Two-Timing Twins dug up an ancient battleaxe, made from a single piece of metal, from behind the inn. These are, of course, all tall tales that Sirni (seer-NEE) the Chattersome Battleaxe has spread about their own origins. In truth, Sirni is a picky, quarrelsome chatterbox, whose creator and former master left them with Flip years ago. No one hears the same story twice from Sirni, whether it’s about their fabled history or the previous day’s weather; they love to talk. It is on a busy night at A Trip Away that Flip calls Sirni’s sudden silence to the party’s attention. The battleaxe has barely said so much as a word for the past two days and Flip is worried. Written by: Jeff Ellis Adventure Level: 2-3 | Players: 3-4 Content Warnings: Emotional Abuse, Alcoholism, Gambling Construct • Storyteller Excitable, but prone to deep melancholy. A show-off and braggart. A battleaxe made from a single piece of unknown red metal.

88 Chapter 3 | The Tales Sirni The Chattersome Battleaxe Master and Creator Arriving at A Trip Away on a busy night, the characters are met with the sounds of patrons talking amongst themselves, Lord Huxley Tango is juggling some bottles of wine while tapping out a rhythm on an odd looking castanet, and the dull roar of a fire on the hearth. Notable to any tavern regulars is the absence of one shrill, high-pitched voice; Sirni, the magic battleaxe displayed above the hearth, isn’t sharing any of their usual stories. A bright red battleaxe made from one single piece of unknown metal, Sirni spends every night at A Trip Away regaling anyone who listens with bombastic exaggerations of their misspent youth. Tonight, however, the battleaxe is silent. Characters who have met Sirni previously may speak with them, but they must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check to get the battleaxe to respond. Characters who share a thrilling story of heroics convince Sirni to share whats bothering them. Speaking with Flip about the battleaxe’s worrisome silence reduces the DC of Charisma (Persuasion) check to 9. If the party shares a story and still fails their check, Sirni takes pity on them and shares their story anyway, but the party’s future Charisma (Persuasion and Intimidation) checks to interact with Sirni are made with disadvantage. If they have not met with Sirni before, or if they fail their skill check, Flip calls them over to the bar. Flip is concerned about Sirni’s health (if a battleaxe can be healthy) and offers the party a free round of drinks if they can get the magic weapon to open up about what’s bothering them. To help loosen the battleaxe’s metaphorical tongue, Flip mentions that Sirni can’t resist a good story, and will likely open up if the characters share a tale from their adventures with the construct. GM’s note: This adventure has a narrative-heavy ending between two NPCs that might be a bit awkward to play out by yourself, if you don’t have a headstrong group who like to insert their characters into everyone’s business. If that is the case, consider offering the role(s) of Rolinar or Sirni to your players and playing it out with them. They can learn everything they need to know for their part from the appropriate sidebar content, detailing the two NPC’s stories. Sirni shares the story of their most recent woes in much the same way that a massive, stove-in barrel shares wine. When the battleaxe finally relents to the party’s persuasions: There is no change in the bright red battleaxe’s physicality, but a sharp voice fills the tavern. Heads turn to regard the magic weapon with surprise. Those in the know gather around the fire. “Oh, if you really must know, I suppose I would be cruel not to relent! In fact, let everyone know my misery and woe. Share my displeasure with the criminal Rolinar the Sanguine far and wide! “What displeasure, you ask? What displeasure?! “Sit now, and listen. This is a tale truer than true. This is the real story of how I came to be so prominently displayed above this fine hearth. This is the story of how Sirni Sharpwit entered this taproom, a trip away from victory, and was abandoned! “This is the story of how Sirni the True Friend became Sirni the Discarded.” Having gathered most of the patrons to listen to their tale, Sirni begins to recount their tale: Nearly three decades ago, Rolinar the Sanguine came to A Trip Away in a dire mood. He picked fights with everyone and was nearly thrown out several times, but for the placating of his sole companion, a sentient battleaxe named Sirni. The construct loved Rolinar like a father and was used to covering for his poor attitude. So, when Rolinar bet Sirni on a game of cards that night, the battleaxe was heartbroken. Deep in a game and deep in his cups, Rolinar was dazzled by the riches on the table and bet what wasn’t his to wager: the life of his longtime companion and creation, Sirni. Flip wouldn’t have it and told Rolinar that, once the construct was given life, they were no longer an object to be wagered. Rolinar roared and bellowed that Sirni was his to do with as he pleased. The game was ended then and there and Rolinar was wrestled back to his room to sleep it off. Before opening the taproom the next morning, Flip found Sirni embedded in the bar top and Rolinar nowhere to be found. From what Sirni remembers of the night, the dragonborn didn’t say a word. He simply gathered his effects late in the night, as though they were skipping town, only to stick Sirni in the bar top and tell the battleaxe not to look for him. The dragonborn didn’t look back. Sirni’s Silence

Chapter 3 | The Tales Sirni The Chattersome Battleaxe 89 Putting the Battle in Battleaxe At the end of their monologue, Sirni requests the party take them south to the town of Lakehead, where Rolinar the Sanguine was last seen. If they agree, the battleaxe gives them 50 pp of the savings it has accrued working as an entertainer at A Trip Away. Sirni adds they can take whatever they like from Rolinar, but he must be left alive. Traveling To Lakehead The town of Lakehead is roughly four days south of A Trip Away, traveling on foot at a normal pace. Between the tavern and the town are several miles of open hilly plains, until they come to the shore of Falcam Lake. The main highway through these plains is poorly kept, but well-traveled by people in both directions. Though there is little-to-no official protection along this road, travelers are known to band together against brigands and monsters alike. Before leaving the tavern, Flip provisions the party with five days worth of rations and fills their waterskins. They offer the characters their promised round of drinks, but says that it’ll be waiting for them if they’d prefer to hold off until their quest is complete. Sirni picks the character with the most martial prowess and demands to travel with them, saying that they are bound to have a lot of fun together (See Sirni the Chattersome Battleaxe in “Appendix A: Magic Items” for more information.) It is up to you to determine which of the characters Sirni considers the most effective axe-wielder. This could be based on their Strength score, their character class, or their background. South of A Trip Away, the road opens up onto a plain that sprawls for miles down to the forested periphery of falcam Lake. The height and unchanging amber of the grass bely the depths and peaks of the rolling hills. You can chart every breeze’s trajectory by the way it presses through the grass, and the effect is nearly hypnotic. If you could find a moment away from Sirni’s many anecdotes, you might even think of this place as peaceful. Maybe it’s a good thing, then, that Sirni is so boisterous. While on their way to Lakehead, the party must do everything in their power to keep Sirni from broadcasting the characters’ location with their loud proclamations. Every question or statement warrants a verbose recounting of a time that Sirni was in a similar situation, and how they had to use their clever wit and sharp blade to resolve it. When Sirni recounts a tale during travel, the inciting character must succeed on a DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check to silence the battleaxe. Each time that a character fails to silence Sirni, add one goblin to the following encounter, up to a maximum of three additional goblins. During one such boisterous retelling of an adventure, Sirni draws the attention of a goblin scouting party. Two goblins riding worgs crest the nearest hilltop, hollering and gnashing their teeth. It is immediately clear that they are not interested in negotiating. Throughout the ensuing fight, Sirni shouts various challenges and quips at the goblins. They laugh a hearty laugh with each successful attack their wielder makes with them. The goblins know nothing about Rolinar, but a successful DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check convinces any captured goblins to describe the black dragon their clan chased into the Lakehead territory not too long ago. They vastly exaggerate the dragon’s size and ferocity.

90 Chapter 3 | The Tales Sirni The Chattersome Battleaxe Arriving in Lakehead, the characters find that the town is somber, and very few people walk the streets. All of the town’s fishing boats are docked, and the surface of the lake remains still and quiet. The boats and some of the fishers are scarred with acid burns. Townsfolk direct anyone who asks about the lack of activity or the acid burns to Dockmaster Odelia Linn (oh-DEE-lee-UH lin), who can be found at her office on the docks. Aside from the dockmaster’s office, Lakehead also has a tavern, a general store, and a blacksmith. Prices are high, with the docks shut down and everyone in town concerned for their future. A Town in Hiding In a small building at the southern edge of the docks, the party meets with Dockmaster Odelia Linn (she/her). Odelia is a stern and brusque female halfling with a short crop of red hair, and whose skin is burnt and cracked from years spent out in the sun. She doesn’t share the same superstitious paranoia as the rest of the townsfolk, and is only interested in speaking with the party if they can help her resolve her current situation. For nearly a month, people have reported sightings of a black dragon roaming the area. Scouts tracked the creature to a southern ruin along the shore of the lake. Based on the supposed size of the dragon, Odelia suspects it is a wyrmling, but she has gathered a bounty and offers it to anyone willing to brave the danger. A red dragonborn by the name of Rolinar the Sanguine took the job five days ago and hasn’t been seen since. Odelia acknowledges that he could have fled with the forward payment but, shortly after Rolinar set out from Lakehead, the black dragon wyrmling took flight over Falcam Lake, raining acid down on all of the town’s fishing boats in a fit of rage. She is certain that the adventurer did nothing but enrage the creature before he was killed. Now the town’s fishers refuse to go out onto the lake until the wyrmling is dealt with, but Odelia’s purse strings are tight, with Rolinar having already been paid half of the bounty and no fish coming into the market. If the characters agree to assault the black dragon wyrmling’s lair in the elf ruins at Old Clifftop, the dockmaster can pay them 75 gp each. Odelia mentions that the 150 gp she paid Rolinar is likely on his corpse. Sirni is not satisfied with a secondhand account of their creator’s demise. They insist that the party seeks out the dragon’s lair and confirms Rolinar’s fate. Watched Waters Down In the Dragon’s Depths The tunnel inside the mausoleum is only wide enough for one medium-sized creature to pass through at a time, or two small-sized creatures side-by-side. It is clear that this tunnel was dug by large claws and powerful muscles. As the party ventures deeper into the earth, the smell of decay gets thicker and more pungent. After 150 feet, the tunnel connects to a natural cavern that slopes down into a large shallow pool of fetid water. Phosphorescent mushrooms shed dim light out to a radius of 30 feet, and creatures slinking around the darker patches gain advantage on Stealth checks. The ruins at Old Clifftop are a few miles southeast, along the shore and up the hill. The vegetation around the ruin is thick and twisted, making for difficult terrain, and a thick fog of foul air rolls down the hill away from the ruin, filling the party’s mouths with the vile tang of decay. Characters who make a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check recognize that the corruption of the environment is due to the dragon’s unnatural presence, and it will only get stronger and spread wider as the monster ages. The crumbling stone pillars and small collapsed stone buildings are the remnants of a long gone society of elves who watched over the lake. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (History or Investigation) check reveals that the buildings were originally built, in part with some natural magic that weaved roots and vines into the structures. Despite having stood the test of time, the plants that were so pivotal to their foundations have begun to rot and die in the dragon’s presence, and the ruins are crumbling. The party’s arrival at the ruins goes unnoticed. Nothing skitters, no dust stirs. Except for the stench, the morose mood of the ruins feels eerily similar to that of Lakehead. An hour’s search of the place’s many stone structures reveals a large tunnel, leading down into the earth through the floor of what must have been a mausoleum. Old Clifftop

Chapter 3 | The Tales Sirni The Chattersome Battleaxe 91

92 Chapter 3 | The Tales Sirni The Chattersome Battleaxe Immediately upon entering the cavern, the party is made aware that this must be the wyrmling’s lair by the many rotting bodies littering the floor, ranging from large beasts to the occasional humanoid, all of which appear to be melted by acid. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the number of bodies increases as the characters get closer to the pool. Characters who succeed on the check by 5 or more can hear sloshing in the water as if something is moving around in the shallow water. The Dragon and the Dragonborn As the party approaches the lip of the pool: Across the shimmer of the water’s dimly lit surface you spy it—a night-black wyrmling pacing the length of the opposite end of the pool, its attention on something tucked inside of a crevice in the wall. As you watch, the monster rears up on its hind legs and spreads its wings wide, blocking your view as it belches a deluge of bright green acid into the crevice. When it lowers its wings, the stone beyond hisses as the acid burns away at it. With its back turned and its attention captured, the party must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check to cross the pool without drawing the dragon’s attention. Moving through the shallow water counts as difficult terrain and Dexterity (Stealth) checks to sneak through the pool are made with disadvantage. Having just used its Acid Breath action on its hidden quarry, the black dragon wyrmling needs to recharge before it can use that feature again. If alerted, the wyrmling attacks. It is cruel by nature and targets the character with the fewest hit points, even going so far as to stand over unconscious characters to prevent their allies from getting to them. If the wyrmling is reduced to fewer than 17 hit points it flees the cavern, but the ceilings are too low, and the tunnel is too small, for it to fly until it reaches the surface. Without proof of the wyrmling’s death, the party will have a hard time proving their success to Dockmaster Odelia and earning their reward. Rolinar the Nearly Dead After the black dragon wyrmling dies or escapes, Rolinar the Sanguine (he/him) crawls from the acid-splashed crevice in the cavern’s back wall. He is a bulky red dragonborn, armored in heavy leather and burned all over by acid. It is clear by the paler red of his scales and the weariness of his tendrils that he is a very old dragonborn. Leaning on it like a walking staff, Rolinar carries with him a magic spear called Atreya the Silent Point (uh-TRAY-uh), crafted from a single piece of the same red metal that Sirni is made of. The dragonborn doesn’t seem in the mood to talk after his harrowing experience, but the sight of Sirni shocks him, and the battleaxe has plenty to say to their creator and former master. Characters who ask after Rolinar’s health are interrupted by an angry Sirni who demands that they leave the dragonborn to suffer until he answers their questions. Whether they heal him or not, Rolinar asks that they at least exit this foul place if they want to hear his story. Characters must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check to convince Rolinar to tell his tale immediately, or else he limps away up the tunnel to Old Clifftop, where the characters can find him resting on a broken stone pillar and looking out across Falcam Lake. Rolinar’s Story Rolinar shares his story without grandeur, in the cold, blunt tones of a cruel old soul who is very nearly dead. He grows angrier the more he speaks of Sirni and that night at the tavern. His disdain for the construct has only grown stronger during their years apart. After leaving A Trip Away, Rolinar was furious with the battleaxe. He considered Sirni a failed creation and a shoddy investment. He set out from the tavern to the faraway lands of his home, where he went to work on a new creation—a quieter creation. In the confines of an ancient forge, Rolinar toiled for weeks on crafting a spear as sharp and powerful as Sirni, but this time blessedly quiet. Sentience, Rolinar realized, was a mistake. What good was a weapon that disagreed with him at every turn? What point was there in a companion who couldn’t drink with him and who only ever complained? And so, from the same red metal from which he crafted Sirni, and with the same magical sharpness, he made Atreya the Silent Point. Since then, he has been adventuring as usual and drinking his fill without any nuisance badgering him about when “enough is enough.” He’d always hated Sirni and his only regret about abandoning the battleaxe was that he didn’t do it sooner. Development Sirni won’t agree to pay the characters their 50 pp without getting all of Rolinar’s story.

Furious over Rolinar’s cruelty and appalled at the mockery of Atreya’s creation, Sirni tells the characters they are ready to leave. It is unlikely that the dragonborn will make it back to Lakehead on his own, after days of surviving off of cave mold and quaffing health potions while trapped inside of a crevasse. If the characters haven’t healed him already, Rolinar offers them the 150 gp that Odelia paid him up front for a potion of healing. If the gold isn’t enough, he offers them the ring of acid resistance that saved his life. He would sooner take his chances limping back to town than give up his only weapon, which serves to rankle Sirni even more. Should the characters attempt or threaten to kill Rolinar, he puts up a fight,. If the party refused to heal him, he has only 2 hit points. Rolinar uses the Berserker stat block and is attuned to Atreya the Silent Point (see “Appendix: Magic Items”). Sirni is eager to get home to A Trip Away but, as soon as the party is back on the road, the battleaxe sinks into a somber silence. Arriving at the tavern, Sirni says just enough to secure the party’s reward before returning to their thoughts, displayed above the hearth once more. A few days after the party’s return, Sirni is back to their usual self, and telling exaggerated stories of their adventures in Lakehead and their great battle against the vile black dragon of Falcam Lake. Sirni is friendly enough to the characters, but if they agreed not to heal Rolinar or they killed him, Sirni cherishes their friendship and agrees to travel with them, if invited. Rewards However they deal with Rolinar, the characters can return to Dockmaster Odelia Linn in Lakehead. If they have any proof that the black dragon wyrmling is dead she gives them the 75 gp each that she agreed upon. Characters who make a successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check to haggle for more money can get 150 gp each, but the expense will leave Lakehead destitute. With no proof of the wyrmling’s death, Odelia refuses to pay them anything until they can prove the monster is dead. Upon returning to A Trip Away, Flip pays the party their 50 pp from Sirni’s account, as agreed upon. If they haven’t yet taken Flip up on their offer of a free round of drinks, it still stands, and the gnome is dying to know what really happened at Lakehead. Conclusion Atreya the Silent Point Weapon (spear), rare (requires attunement) This spear was crafted from a single piece of unknown red metal by the adventurer Rolinar the Sanguine as a replacement for his previous weapon, the sentient magic battleaxe, Sirni the Chattersome Battleaxe. You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic spear, and a +1 bonus to AC while wielding it. Sirni "The Chattersome Battleaxe" Weapon (battleaxe), very rare (requires attunement) Forged from a single piece of an unknown red metal by an adventurer named Rolinar the Sanguine, Sirni the Chattersome Battleaxe was the dragonborn’s only companion for decades, before they were unceremoniously abandoned at the tavern, A Trip Away. You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic battleaxe, and a +1 bonus to AC while wielding it. Personality Upon meeting the battleaxe, most people suspect that Sirni was created with only one volume: loud. While this isn’t true, the sentient weapon is certainly boisterous and difficult to silence. The battleaxe loves to exaggerate the many adventures that they have been on, turning every molehill into a mountain and every lizard into a heroically thwarted dragon. In fact, the only tale they seem reluctant to share is the true story of their creation, choosing instead to fabricate a new origin story whenever someone asks about their past. Appendix A: Magic Items Authors Bio Jeff Ellis (He/Him) is a writer, editor, and designer of tabletop roleplaying games living in Seattle, Washington. He thinks that the real sentient magic battleaxes are the friends that we make along the way and he hopes you’re drinking enough water. 93

94 Chapter 3 | The Tales Florence Neverbee

Chapter 3 | The Tales Florence Neverbee 95 Two women, hindered by the rift between their families but bolstered by their love for one another, decide to elope. Meant to meet at the local Inn, one doesn’t show, leaving the other to think their plan has been discovered. She beseeches the party to discover what happened to her love, and they are sent on an adventure of breaking-and-entering, navigating a hedge maze, and a race to save true love. Background Two years prior, Florence sneaked out of her economics tutoring session at the Neverbee estate to clear her head. The stress of life was blinding her as she walked along the riverbank; she tripped and toppled into the water. Floundering and spitting out water, howling laughter greeted her,, as a helping hand appeared. Rian (Ree-Ann) Scaldris, the heir to the Scaldris Mining Company and someone she had only ever seen at a distance, reached out to her. That day at the river, where both were trying to process their futures, intertwined them forever. Ever since then, Florence and Rian passed secret letters via their personal attendants. Realizing they weren’t so different in feeling the stress of being the heir to family businesses, a friendship took root. Over the next two years, through sharing each other’s joys, fears, tears and laughter, those feelings of friendship blossomed into romantic ones. The saying “opposites attract” manifested in this couple; while Florence was calm and cheerful, Rian was boisterous and quick to action. Agreeing to a clandestine meeting by the river, each intended to share their newfound feelings. At the river, Florence was once again stumbling, but this time over her words. With Florence’s heart beating like a hummingbird’s wings, Rian stated her own love for Florence. Their joy was quickly clouded as they knew what they faced; their families’ long-standing feud. Florence Neverbee (She/Her) Halfling • Heiress to the Neverbee Honey Company Calm, collected, and genial. Florence has curly brown hair, dark brown skin, and a broad nose. No one knows what started the rift between the Neverbee and Scaldris families. There are various rumors about how the rift between the families started, two examples being: • Florence thought it was because, during the time of her great-great-grandfather, Ash Neverbee, the noise from an explosion related to the Scaldris' mining scared off the bees for a whole month. • Rian was told one of her great-grandmothers was at a garden party and swatted a bee, thinking it was a fly. Petunia Neverbee, Florence’s great-grandmother, fainted at the sight. Florence’s family, the Neverbees, have a history of druidic talents. Working together with the bees, the Neverbee Honey Company harvests various types of high-quality honey, which they sell raw or make into mead. The Neverbees believe life should flow like honey; slow and steady. Easily upset when balance is disturbed and preferring life au naturel, the Neverbees tend to turn their noses up at those leading a less organic life. Their home speaks little of their fortune, made of living roots and surrounded by wildflowers, uninhibited trees, and a babbling brook. Near opposites to the Neverbees, the Scaldrises have an eye for ore. Explosive force is needed to extract the precious minerals from the earth, and the Scaldris family treats life the same way. Boisterous, they live life large and have little care for anyone else’s opinions. A prosperous business, the Scaldris Mining Company employs many, and is generous with their bonuses. “What good is money if you don’t spend it?” is a common phrase within the Scaldris household, showcased by their opulent home. Encased within a mortared stone wall is a well-kept rose garden, hedge maze and sandstone manor. Knowing their families would fight the match, Florence and Rian decided to expedite the process by running away together. Their families might be stubborn, but they loved their daughters. Rian and Florence didn't know how long it would take for their families to get over their marriage, but they were confident their parent’s love for them would outweigh their petty grievances with each other. Written by: Paige Ford Adventure Level: 3-4 | Players: 4-5 Content Warnings: Abduction

96 Chapter 3 | The Tales Florence Neverbee Florence is found sitting on a barstool with built-in, collapsible steps for those of her stature. Swirling her mead, she frequently looks back at the door, as though she’s waiting for someone. Not a customer of A Trip Away Inn, her appearance isn’t familiar to the regulars, but her name is known by the locals, as she is the heiress of the Neverbee Honey Company. Hook A character with a Passive Perception of 12 notices a painfully anxious halfling, craning their neck to look at the door. If actively taking in the current clientele of A Trip Away Inn, a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check or DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check notices the anxious halfing. Florence Neverbee Upon entering A Trip Away Inn, dark brown curls bounce as a head whips around. Not who they were expecting, shoulders slump as the head, belonging to a Halfling, turns back and releases a sigh. Resting their head on one of their hands, the halfling swirls their drink in front of them, their foot bouncing off the chair leg of their bar stool. If approached, Florence startles and turns. Flustered by the strangers, she stumbles over her words trying to introduce herself under a fake name, Torrance Eversneeze. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check recognizes the lie and Florence’s distress. A successful DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check and gentle confirmations crack Florence’s tenuous facade, or a successful DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check causes Florence to burst into tears. Either way, the truth spills from Florence and she tells the party: • Her real name, Florence Neverbee. • She was here to meet with Rian Scaldris, the love of her life. • Rian (She/Her) is heiress to the Scaldris Mining Company. • The Neverbee and Scaldris families have been feuding for as long as the clandestine couple have been alive. Refer to the adventure Background for the different reasons Florence & Rian believe the feud started. • Rian and Florence were planning on running away together. • If asked, Florence tells the story of how Rian and she met. Refer to the adventure Background for the story. Florence is worried that the Scaldris family found out about their plan to run away together, and have done something to stop Rian from meeting Florence at A Trip Away Inn. If it’s suggested Rian changed her mind, Florence vehemently shakes her head and knows Rian wouldn’t do that to her. Knowing the Scaldris family and staff would recognize her, Florence beseeches the party to sneak in and find out what happened. Florence brought the essentials, motioning to her bag, but she could give them some of the gold she saved up for Rian and herself. Florence has brought a total of 1,000 gp but if pressed for more, she’s brought a gold ring with a large fire opal (worth 1,000 gp). Florence intended for the ring to be Rian’s wedding ring, but parts with it if she must. If the party agrees to help Florence, she’ll instruct them in sneaking into the Scaldris estate the way she remembers her personal attendant describing: Three-quarters clockwise from the gate there is a pitchblack stone in the mortared stone wall. Climb over at that point and the party will find themselves in the gardens. Pass through a hedge maze and there will be a balcony one floor up, with a trellis of ivy below it. This is the balcony of Rian’s quarters. The party must climb up and talk to Rian or Maritza Vapos, Rian’s personal attendant. Development After accepting the mission, the party must go to the Scaldris estate to figure out what kept Rian from going to A Trip Away Inn. Tavern Behavior

97

98 Chapter 3 | The Tales Florence Neverbee Following Florence’s directions to the Scaldris estate and the recalled method to sneak in, the party spots the pitch-black stone within the masonry of the outer wall. Climbing the ten foot tall wall reveals an opulent sight to behold. A light-gray sandstone manor, topped with patterned iron parapets, stands before them. Little is seen beyond its stained-glass windows with scenes of satyrs, dryads, and pixies depicted upon them. A lush rose garden filled with pink, red and orange blooms forms a sunset during the day, and a hedge maze, tall enough for a Dragonborn to get lost within, lies between them and a balcony seen in the distance. A successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check notices slight movement from the Scaldris Estate Gardener (see appendix A: Stat Blocks), bent low behind one of the larger rose bushes. If the party fails the Wisdom (Perception) check to notice the gardener, they must make a conscious effort to be quiet and succeed on a DC 16 Group Dexterity (Stealth) check to sneak to the hedge maze. If the party succeeded on the check to notice the gardener, then a DC 13 Group Dexterity (Stealth) check is needed to sneak to the hedge maze. If the gardener notices the party, they may try to deceive the gardener by telling him they are here on business and must succeed on a DC 14 Group Charisma (Deception) check to convince them. If the Group Charisma (Deception) check is failed, or another method is attempted and failed, the gardener calls for help. The call for help alerts the two Scaldris Estate Guards (see appendix A: Stat Blocks) listed within the ‘Hedge Maze (5)’ section. If the party succeeds in not alerting the gardener, or if they deceive or incapacitate the gardener, they enter the hedge maze. The Hedge Maze The hedge maze has an entrance from the rose garden and another on the opposite side. There are six features and areas of effect. Area of Effect While passing this point a cheery voice is heard, which is one of the ravens from the ravens’ cage mimicking someone sending them off. Ravens: “Off you go! Thank you! Fly safe! Fly safe!” The Scaldris Estate A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check recognizes it’s something imitating a humanoid. Pinpointing the voice’s origin requires a successful DC 10 passive Wisdom (Perception) check or to walk around the appropriate corner and spot the raven’s cage (2). The Ravens Cage Turning around the corner reveals a cage with three ravens. Sitting in the shaded part of the cage, the ravens hop forward and start excitedly chattering louder upon seeing anyone. Ravens: “Off you go! Thank you! Fly safe! Fly safe!” Below the cage is a lidded box labeled “Outgoing” with a sealed scroll inside. If unrolled, it reads: Rusteus, Thank you again for agreeing on such short notice. When the dust has settled, I’ll send further gold for her allowance. Your loving sister, Sienna These are the Scaldris’s messenger ravens and the letter from Rian’s mother to her brother, who agreed to let Rian stay with him for the foreseeable future. If retrieving a raven from the cage, a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check keeps the raven from screeching. Otherwise, the raven’s loud screech alerts the guards (5) that there is someone within the hedge maze who might catch them slacking off. The Reflection Pool A shallow rectangular pool lined with black pebbles; the mirror image of the party is reflected on its surface. Towards one end of the pool is a bench with a book and empty winemarked goblet on it. Further inspection reveals it’s: • The Feast of the Wendigo by Arvad Quillforge, if this module is run before the Arvad Quillforge module. • Sword’s Edge: Lesser Known Histories, Mysteries, and Witcheries of Melterra by Eddawyn Therafyl, if this module is run after the Arvad Quillforge module. 1 2 3

Chapter 3 | The Tales Florence Neverbee 99 While passing this point (4), a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the muffled sound of sloshing liquid and mumbling. This is the guards (5), who have snuck away from duty for a quick nip of whiskey. The guards are attempting to be stealthy themselves and are on the lookout for anyone who could catch them; the GM should have the party roll individual Dexterity (Stealth) checks versus the Scaldris Estate Guard’s Wisdom (Perception) checks. These two Scaldris Estate Guards are slacking on the job. Unless alerted to the adventurers by any of the previously described means, they’ll leave in 10 minutes and go back to patrolling the grounds. If they enter combat: Scaldris Estate Guards’ Combat Motive: The guard’s behaviors are determined by whether they have been alerted to the party’s presence. If alerted at any point, they’ll investigate the noises they hear. If engaged in combat, the Scaldris Estate Guards call for backup on their turn during the second round. During the fourth round or 2 minutes after combat has ended, whichever comes first, two more guards show up. The Statues An arrangement of statues depicting active miners stands in an alcove. The five statues are made of white marble with grey veins, and are of various heights, due to the races depicted. From east to west, there are: a dragonborn, a gnome, a human, an elf, and a dwarf. The dwarf is the sole statue not actively mining, standing proudly with a pickaxe over their shoulder and a large ruby (5000 gp) in their hand. The rocks they are “mining” are made of black marble with white veins, and have tiny emeralds, sapphires, and opals embedded into them (worth 1,000 gp total). All of the gems are removable with a successful DC 16 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, and a tool to pry them out, and a DC 16 Dexterity (Stealth) check to not alert the Scaldris Estate Guards (D2). If proficient with and using the Jeweler’s Tools, add the adventurer’s proficiency bonus to the Sleight of Hand check. Past the hedge maze, the balcony juts from the manor 10 feet away, with the balcony’s railing 16 feet above a trellis of ivy that leads up to the balcony. Curtains block the party’s view of the room, but sniffling is heard from behind them. Maritza Vapos (she/her), a female dwarf and Rian’s personal attendant, wipes tears from her eyes. She sits on the fourposter rosewood bed under a gauzy red canopy, feet resting on the chest at the bed’s end. A mahogany roll-top desk sits, top down, opposite the balcony. By the door to the room, a small rosewood vanity stands, its edges encrusted in gold leaf. Using her handkerchief, Maritza daintily blots at the fallen tears in her braided, strawberry blond beard, before blowing her nose with a loud honk, akin to an elephant’s trumpet. The room around her is decorated with dark wood furniture and bold red and orange fabrics. If approached from the balcony, she squeaks in fright and jumps to her feet. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check calms Maritza enough that she’ll ask who the party are. When she knows Florence has sent them, Maritza pauses for a moment before bursting into tears again. Through the tears, Maritza sputters out that Rian has been sent away. After calming Maritza down via gentle words or tough love, she’ll relay what happened to Rian: • Rian’s mother, Sienna Scaldris (she/her), found Florence’s letters. • Sienna and Rian’s father, Ferram Scaldris (he/him), confronted Rian. • Rian told them the truth and about the plan to run away. • Sienna and Ferram forced Rian to travel to her uncle Rusty’s (he/him) estate far away, hoping the distance would clear her head of such a foul match. Maritza has an idea of where Rian’s uncle’s estate is. Having left that morning, the retinue would be unreachable via the road, but Maritza informs the party of a shortcut through the woods near one of the Scaldris mines. They might be able to catch up to the party, or even cut them off, but the area the shortcut is in is known for dangerous conditions and creatures. The party must decide if they are going to relay the info to Florence or head straight after Rian. Development With the new information, the party must race after the retinue keeping Rian captive. 4 & 5 6 The Scaldris Estate Guards Rian’s Chambers