Historia: Adventures Book

1 Libro delle Avventure Adventures Book

2 HISTORIA is a dark fantasy Renaissance-inspired setting for the 5th edition of the World’s most famous roleplaying game. The world of Historia was created by Mirko Failoni A Matter of Honor by Matt Forbeck 6 Tant Que Vivray by Alex Melluso 20 Unseen Enemy by Klara Herbol and Laura Guglielmo 30 Skeletons in the Closet by Andrea Lucca 46 Of Pyres, Claws, and Fangs by Mirko Failoni and Michele Paroli 66 Captain Stench by Riccardo Sirignano and Simone Formicola 80 The Piligrimage of Ctesia by Marco B. Bucci 98 The Secret of Altabreccia by Andrea Felicioni 122 The Battle of the Scarlet Bight by Davide Milano 150 Editorial Supervisor: Ariel Vittori Game Design: Davide Milano Proofreading: Enrico Emiliani Graphic Design: Michele Paroli, Silvia De Stefanis Art Direction: Mirko Failoni Cover Illustration: Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme Illustrations: Mauro Alocci, Federica Costantini, Dario Marzadori, Alessandro Paviolo, Daniele Solimene, Piero Vianello Maps: Fabio Porfidia Translation: XXX Editing: XXX Printed in Lithuania ISBN: 979-12-80109-09-5 Historia is © Mana Project Studio & Mirko Failoni 2021 Reproduction of any material from this work without permission is prohibited. Historia is a fictional product, any references to people, places and events similar to reality are purely coincidental. Historia - Adventure Book

3 SPECIAL RULES These adventures follow the variant rules from Historia corebook. Here’s a short summary. OPPONENTS Non-primary characters do not have hit points: • when attacked and hit, they will gain a level of exhaustion • with one level of exhaustion they will suffer disadvantage on every roll • with two levels of exhaustion they will die Note: when hurt and facing an imminent death, many characters will probably surrender - play their behaviour. Raise the challenge. If you require bigger threats because of a a skilled or crowded party, you can increase to three the levels of exhaustion required to kill an opponent: the first will have no effect, the second will impose disadvantage, the third one will cause death. Primary characters have hit points and they will lose them when successfully attacked, gaining levels of exhaustion as the previous characters when they reach zero hit points. SEQUENCES Sequences are a tool focused to match the resource consumption assumed by the greatest roleplaying game and the will to reduce the number of combat encounters in a single day. During a sequence your characters take actions to tell the story of how they will reach their goal or how they will fail trying. Every sequence has: • a duration, the number of successful ability checks required by the party to reach their goal. With a standard duration the party needs a number of successful checks equal to the number of characters in the party, half the party members in successes for a short duration, one and a half for a long duration. • a starting DC for the checks • an HP per action cost, representing the amount of HP lost by the character because of the tension • a Success result, obtained if the party gets the number of successful checks • a Failure result, obtained if one of the characters reaches 0 HPs • a list of suggested complications for the GM to get things spicy In whichever order GM and players agree upon, each player: • pays the HP cost • tells if the character wants to follow the goal, lower the DC, or reduce the HP cost • describes the action, suggesting the ability/skill used - the GM has the final word on this • rolls the check - with a failure nothing happens, with a success – if the character wants to follow the goal a success is marked and the goal gets closer – if the character wants to lower the DC, the DC for subsequent checks is reduced by 1 for each tier of character (by 1 for level 1-4 characters, by 2 for 5-10 level characters, etc) – if the character wants to reduce the HP cost, the HP cost for subsequent checks is reduced by 1 for each tier of character (by 1 for level 1-4 characters, by 2 for 5-10 level characters, etc) • with a natural 20 the character gets a second effect When each player has taken an action the GM can spice the things up introducing a complication, which will increase DC or the HP cost by the tier of the opponents (usually, the tier of the party). Then the round starts over and each player gets a new turn. The GM can add a complication also whenever the players fail two checks in a row. Remember: things should be complicated and scary for the characters but interesting, engaging, and not frustrating for the players.

A Matter of Honor Matt Forbeck

6 An adventure for Historia for four to six characters of Tier 1. Written by Matt Forbeck INTRODUCTION This adventure introduces a rivalry between two ferocious and passionate young figures in Nova Marino: Boccaccio and Michelina. Boccaccio — a distant cousin of Torquato, and the leader of a small mercenary company — is a young badger who has yet to earn the respect due to his famous relative, and he feels the pain from being ignored keenly. Because of this, he has become surly, aching to prove himself in a battle. He struts around Nova Marino like he owns the place, drinking, womanizing, and picking fights.  Michelina is a gorgeous young wolverine with a flair for poetry and an intolerance for bullies. She hopes to make a name for herself in Nova Marino as well, and she has no time for romance. Especially when couched in clumsy efforts by obnoxious oafs. The two of them inevitably clash. When this happens, the heroes are swept up in the conflict and must choose sides. STYLE AND GUIDELINES This adventure is meant to embroil the heroes in another aspect of life in Nova Marino and to provide them with a number of contemporaries with whom they might have further adventures — or at least be able to call upon when in need. They get to decide who they wish to ally themselves with. By the end of the adventure, they should have an assortment of new friends and enemies. As you play through the adventure, give the heroes free rein to do as they wish. If they hesitate to get drawn into a conflict in which they don’t feel a personal stake — yet — the events can play out around them, with them only bearing witness to the drama rather than taking part in it. Despite that, there are plenty of reasons for them to leap into the fray at any point, and they likely won’t manage to hold out too long. ADVENTURE SUMMARY It’s a hot summer night in Nova Marino, and the heroes decide to escape the sweltering heat in a cool tavern called the Skinned Cat. Boccaccio and his compatriots from his mercenary company are among the other occupants of the place, and as they fall further into their cups, they call out insults at the poet performing at the front of the room: Michelina. Incensed by the interruptions, Michelina throws a blade at Boccaccio, leaving a painful wound to remind him of the encounter. Furious, he demands satisfaction. Before his friends haul him away for stitches, Boccaccio challenges Michelina to a duel, and she accepts. When they are gone, Michelina wails at herself for allowing the badger to draw her into such an obvious trap. Michelina’s friends implore the heroes to lend Michelina a hand. All she wants is a fair fight, but Boccaccio’s compatriots are sure to try to put a stop to that by ambushing her before she can reach the spot appointed for their duel. For his part, Boccaccio sends one of his friends back to ask the heroes to help him take out Michelina before the wolverine guts the all-too-proud badger. For their assistance, he is willing to pay them handsomely. The heroes must decide who they wish to help. If they side with Michelina, they must safely escort her to the location of the duel. If they side with Boccaccio, they must lay in the ambush for the wolverine and stop her before she can destroy their client. A Matter of Honor Matt Forbeck

7 A Matter of Honor - ACT 1 - THE SKINNED CAT The Skinned Cat is named after a particularly heinous execution committed in the public square outside of the sprawling tavern, which occupies fully one half of a city block. A male Felide named Fawkes had been convicted of plotting a coup against the town government fifty years ago, and in a moment of horrific inspiration, he was sentenced to be skinned alive. Unfortunately — both for Fawkes and the people forced to listen to his excruciating howls of anguish — he did not perish instantly and caterwauled all through the night until expiring at the crack of the next day’s dawn. In a dark-humored response, the owners of the tavern decorated the place with stocks like the one that Fawkes hung from that night, fashioning them into tables. The centerpiece of the entire place, though, is a working guillotine that was reportedly used to remove the heads of the last three people who tried to become the city’s first monarch. In a pinch, the people of Nova Marino would be all too happy to put it to use again. The tavern stands three stories tall. A large great room occupies most of the first floor, and the ceiling above it stands open to the building’s rafters, which support a number of skylights, and several chandeliers that provide light throughout the night. Private rooms line the second and third floors, and a wide balcony runs along each of these, lined with tables at which people can sit and watch the hubbub below. A low wooden stage sits at the far end of the tavern, and every night entertainers of one sort or another trip across its well-trodden boards. This includes performances by bards, bands, poets, and troupes of actors. Some cover well-played favorites guaranteed to spread smiles or tears, while others experiment with new works created recently or even improvised on the spot. Tonight the place is packed with people eager for drink and entertainment, and the crowd is rowdy. A few of the performers have vacated the stage splattered with rotten fruit tossed at them from the floor. Only someone truly talented or brave (or both!) would dare to step into the limelight now.

8 SO MUCH FOR CRITICS Boccaccio howls as if he’s been mortally stabbed, and blood seeps from between his fingers as he attempts to staunch the wound. Michelina scowls at him like he’s a spoiled infant, and his dismay quickly turns into rage. He leaps to his feet and begins shouting at the poet, ordering her to step forward so he can kill her on the spot. The rest of Boccaccio’s compatriots rally to his side, their hands already on the pommels of their rapiers. They look ready to storm the stage, right up until the bouncer steps between them and their quarry. Misha looms over the mercenaries, who finally notice that he is not alone. If they move against him, they can expect to be overwhelmed by other patrons in the place in seconds. Boccaccio screams at Michelina, demanding satisfaction. She scoffs at him. Outraged, he formally challenges her to a duel on a place called Mercy Island at midnight. Michelina doesn’t seem inclined to accept, but she relents and does just that, “if only to shut him up.” The moment she does, Boccaccio turns on his heel and leads his compatriots out of the tavern. As he goes, he warns Michelina that she must apologize to him for this affront if she wishes to survive the night. She tells him he’d better get much better at ducking if he’d like to do the same. The crowd’s laughter sets him steaming even hotter as he exits. Michelina looks at her poem and opens her mouth to attempt to finish her reading of it. Instead, she glowers at it as she realizes the moment she was trying to achieve has been utterly ruined. She crumples up the poem and hurls it into the limelight, where it instantly bursts into flames. She storms off the stage without another glance. One of the cat waitresses dashes forward and pours a drink onto the blaze to extinguish it. ENTER THE HEROES The heroes gather in the tavern for whatever reason they or you can concoct. Perhaps they’re planning their next adventure. Maybe they need a well-deserved night off after their last one. As long as they’re not hoping someone in a hooded cloak will approach them and offer to sell them a map. The heroes can sit anywhere in the hall that they like, but if you want them close to the upcoming action, point out that the place is fairly well packed. As they approach the building, the tavern’s bouncer — a large black bear by the name of Misha — is busy throwing out a pack of rats. “And stay out!” he bellows after them as he tosses them bodily into the middle of the square. When the heroes enter the tavern, they see a pair of cat waiters gathering up the mess left by the rats and righting their tipped-over table. No one else is eager to sit there at the moment, so if the heroes want it, they’re all set. SUCH POETRY Shortly after the heroes get settled, the rambunctious crowd settles down just a little as a wolverine in blue and gold clothing sweeps onto the stage. She bears a scroll in her hands that she unrolls with a snap of her wrists, and whether out of respect, courtesy, or fear, the people in the place all fall silent. With a flourish, Michelina begins to read. She doesn’t get far before a badger in the middle of the room, sitting at a table toward the front with a pack of his kind, begins to cackle at her efforts, making off-color remarks. If the heroes wish, they can say something at this point, either to Michelina or to Boccaccio. In any case, the insult burns Michelina, and she draws a stiletto from a sheath at her waist. As she continues to read from her scroll, she flips the knife in her hand, catching it by its handle each time. Boccaccio is determined to show that he’s not cowed by Michelina’s implied threat. As she reaches a turning point in her poem, she pauses for effect, and he shouts something foul at her. Michelina does not hesitate. She immediately hurls her knife at Boccaccio. He yelps and tries to duck behind the table. The knife skitters off it and slices right through his ear.

9 A Matter of Honor ENTER ALVAREZ As soon as the heroes find themselves alone — preferably outside of the tavern, but not necessarily — an older badger by the name of Alvarez approaches them and demands a moment of their time. He saw their reaction when the wolverine overreacted at Boccaccio’s jests, and he hopes he can help them put an end to all this foolishness. This has to be done discreetly, of course. If Boccaccio suspected that Alvarez or anyone else meant to interfere with the upcoming duel, he would have a fit, and they would soon have another duel on their hands. Alvarez requests that the heroes do what they can to ensure that Michelina never makes it to Mercy Island. If they balk at the idea of killing or even harming her, he demurs and insists that it was never his intention to insinuate that they do her injury. He just wants them to delay her long enough for Boccaccio to declare victory on the basis that she failed to show up for their duel. Of course, if the heroes show no compunction about hurting Michelina, Alvarez doesn’t go out of his way to suggest that they could accomplish what needs doing without employing such tactics. He is content either way. Alvarez would be happy to direct the ambush himself, but he can’t be seen with the heroes if they’re going to accost Michelina. She would immediately pin the attack on Boccaccio and raise a stink about such treachery. He can, however, tell the heroes of the most likely route Michelina will take to reach Mercy Island. In exchange for the heroes’ help, Alvarez promises to pay them what he can — which isn’t much, considering he can’t risk Boccaccio finding out. However, if they succeed, he assures them that Boccaccio is an up and coming leader, and he will be sure to encourage the badger to befriend them and treat them well. - ACT 2 - CHOOSING SIDES At this point, members of the two sides involved in the brouhaha have noticed the heroes and decided that they might be able to play a role in the conflict tonight. It’s up to the heroes, however, which side to choose or even whether they should get involved at all. HELLO ARDUINO If the heroes remain at their table, an older wolverine sidles up to them, slides into an empty chair, and introduces himself as Arduino, an uncle of Michelina. He explains that his friend is far too proud to ask for help. She will do as she vowed and go to meet Boccaccio at the arranged time and place tonight. Arduino will act as her second. Given Michelina’s ferocity and skill, Arduino expects she will gut the badger in no time. However, he suspects Boccaccio also knows this and will attempt to keep Michelina from making the meeting. To that end, he believes the other mercenaries will attempt to ambush them on the way to the dueling grounds. Boccaccio and his second won’t be a part of that, if only to ensure they keep their paws clean. The heroes might wonder why someone as tough as Michelina would need any help at all. To that Arduino points out that enough mercenaries could overwhelm anyone, even Michelina. On top of that, the ambushers don’t need to kill Michelina. They just need to delay her long enough for Boccaccio to declare that she failed to show up for the duel out of fear for her life, and he will then be sure to claim victory. Arduino pleads with the heroes to help save Michelina and her reputation. In exchange, he cannot promise much. Michelina is a poet and therefore far from wealthy. She lives by the goodwill of her patrons — who will surely abandon her if she is perceived to have abandoned a duel out of cowardice. However, Arduino assures the heroes that there is no friend more loyal and passionate than Michelina. If they come to her aid, she might even compose a poem in their honor. If they wish to aid Michelina, though, they must do so with the utmost discretion. If the wolverine spots them, she is sure to send them away. Her pride won’t allow her to accept help from strangers, no matter how kind and worthy they might eventually turn out to be.

10 As the heroes battle the ambushers, their first priority should be to keep Michelina safe. As before, if she is seriously injured (reduced to less than half her hit points), she will not continue on to the duel. Otherwise, she will press on as quickly as she can, hoping to reach Mercy Island before Boccaccio declares himself the winner of their duel by default. If any of Alvarez’s ambushers are killed, he has taken pains to ensure no one can trace the ambush back to him by any physical evidence. However, if the heroes manage to take any of them alive, they can be intimidated into confessing their part in Alvarez’s plot. Michelina will use their testimony as a means of shaming Boccaccio for being too cowardly to meet her in a fair and open duel. BETRAYAL The heroes, of course, don’t have to do what they agree to do. They could agree to help Boccaccio or Michelina — or even both — and then turn on them at some point. This will certainly damage their reputation with the people they agreed to help, but the side that such tactics eventually benefit (if any) will surely be willing to forgive such transgressions. After all, the results are what really matter. This could wind up with the heroes playing a daring doublecross in which they pretend to take the job from Alvarez and instead of ambushing Michelina they expose the older badger’s plot to her. In this way, she could proceed to the duel unimpeded and in a righteous rage at Boccaccio’s attempted treachery. On the other hand, the heroes could agree to try to protect Michelina and then turn on her the moment the ambush begins. If they do this, that would put her at a massive disadvantage and probably cost her the duel if not her life. Once Alvarez learns of this, he would be absolutely delighted and would be certain to take the heroes under his wing to reward their ingenuity and their loyalty to Boccaccio’s cause. THE AMBUSH No matter which side the heroes decide to take in this conflict, they likely are going to find themselves haunting the paths between the Skinned Cat and Mercy Island. If the heroes decide to aid Boccaccio, they need to find Michelina and keep her from reaching the island. They discover that she is traveling with a small group of supporters, including Arduino, and she is moving fast. If they want to stop her, they’re going to have to take decisive action. There should be one opponent for each of the heroes, plus Michelina herself. So, for instance, if there are four players, the heroes would face Michelina, Arduino, and three others. If the heroes manage to seriously wound Michelina (by reducing her to less than half of her hit points), she will abandon her journey to the duel — once the fight is over and decided. She is stubborn enough to want to take her fury out on her attackers if they allow it. If the heroes give up on the attack without leaving Michelina seriously wounded, she continues on to the duel. If they don’t somehow manage to delay her by at least five minutes — which a short fight won’t do — she still makes it to the duel on time. If the heroes opt to aid Michelina, they must help her deal with an ambush laid down by a group of toughs that Alvarez recruited for the job. In such a case, there are two toughs for each of the heroes. So, if there are four heroes, there will be eight toughs facing off against them. However, the heroes have Michelina and Arduino on their side to help even the odds. The heroes should not allow Michelina to see them before the ambush begins. If they do, she objects to their presence in the most strenuous terms. If they insist on accompanying her anyhow, she loses at least a full minute arguing with them before Arduino convinces her to give in.

11 A Matter of Honor

12 This enrages Boccaccio, who demands an apology from Michelina once again. She scoffs at him and tells him the only thing he should be asking from her will be mercy. From her point of view, he’s free to leave anytime. She demands nothing from him. Only honor keeps her here. Seeing that there’s no way to resolve the argument, Alvarez suggests that the two duelists fight with rapiers —  and rapiers alone — and that they fight only till first blood. Boccaccio does not want to agree to this, but Alvarez presses him into reluctantly going along with it. Michelina agrees to the conditions with a silent, firm nod. THE DUEL The two duelists face off ten paces from each other, each with their rapier in hand. Their seconds stand behind them, ready to offer encouragement or — if necessary — first aid. Play the fight out with the standard rules. If you like, to keep the players engaged, you can have them control the duelist for the duration of the duel. Despite Alvarez’s fears, the two combatants are well matched. There’s no telling who will triumph. First blood happens when one of the combatants is reduced to less than half their hit points. At that point, the duel officially ends. If Boccaccio loses the duel, he snarls in frustration at Michelina. She lances him with a cool glance and turns her back on him as if he is not worth her attention any longer — or maybe never was. Enraged, he attacks her again, and the duel is back on, this time to the death. Similarly, if Michelina loses the duel, she grudgingly admits defeat. However, when Boccaccio demands his apology from her, he insists that she also apologize for inflicting her rancid poetry on so many others in the city. At this, she draws her stiletto from her belt and flings it at him again. The fight now continues to the death. “Death” in this case, need not be fatal. Once a combatant is reduced to zero hit points, their foe backs off, satisfied at their victory. The loser’s second comes forth to bind their wounds and keep them from actually expiring. It would be possible for someone to administer healing magic to the loser, but their second waves off any such attempt. The day has already gone badly enough, and they don’t need their charge to spring back into a losing proposition that might wind up with them dead by dawn. - ACT 3 - THE DUEL Mercy Island is a small hump of land that barely manages to rise from the waters’ depths. At high tide, there’s not much to it at all. Many have thought it more of a sandbar than an island, but it has still hosted many a duel over the years. The waters around the place are littered with the bones of the losers of such arguments — at least of the ones who had no friends to carry their remains away. The island stands far enough away from other islands — or any other point of interest — to ensure that accidental interruptions are rare. No one goes out to Mercy Island without due intent, especially in the middle of the night. Of those who come ready for a duel, a staggering percentage of them finish their lives there. Even many of those duels fought to first blood often wind up fatal. The island was named so for the way that many of those who visit it wind up - on their knees begging for mercy, either from their foes or from God. If it ever had a proper name given to it by the city’s early settlers, it’s been long forgotten, perhaps only noted on some moldering map. If Michelina makes it to Mercy Island in time — which is entirely possible, no matter which side the heroes decide to help in the previous act — she discovers Boccaccio waiting for her, along with an extremely agitated Alvarez. The older badger is certain that, while his young friend has many wonderful qualities, Michelina will humiliate him quickly. If he has the chance to express this sentiment, Boccaccio turns on Alvarez and sends him packing. THE RULES Even if Boccaccio rages at him, Alvarez doesn’t go far. He takes his duties at the badger’s second seriously, and he approaches Arduino to hammer out the details of the duel. First, he asks if Michelina is willing to apologize for her assault on Boccaccio at the Skinned Cat. After all, she likely didn’t mean to draw blood when she threw the knife at the badger. Arduino admits that Michelina had been trying to simply make an impression on the mercenaries heckling her. She wished only to embed her stiletto in the top of the table at which they sat. Michelina adds that she hadn’t guessed that Boccaccio would upset the table by trying to duck under it like the coward he clearly must be.

13 A Matter of Honor

14 THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL The heroes could, of course, drop all pretense and simply attack the other side. This is the sort of thing not done in Nova Marino society, but heroes often make and obey only their own rules. If they commit such a heinous breach of civility, both sides cry foul and turn against them. In such a case, the heroes manage to unite Boccaccio and Michelina, but in the most dangerous way. The duelists and their seconds fight the heroes to the death, neither asking nor giving quarter. They consider the heroes to be brigands who must be dealt with in only the harshest terms. If the heroes defeat the duelists but leave them alive — or if the duelists win the battle and the heroes somehow survive — word of their treachery gets out. They are disgraced throughout Nova Marino. It’s up to them how much that means to them personally, but people of good standing throughout the society refuse to have anything to do with them from that point on — at least officially. Either way, the heroes have affected the relationship between Boccaccio and Michelina. Their alliance against the heroes transforms into grudging respect, and the two may actually find ways to work with each other on purpose in the future. EPILOGUE If the heroes back one side or the other in the duel, they make friends with that side and enemies with the other. They have earned the trust of their new friends and can look forward to new adventures with them in the future. They can also call on them whenever they have the need and expect their friends to come to their aid. Conversely, they have earned the outright enmity of their friends’ rivals. When they are in Nova Marino, they can expect to be harrassed by such people at every opportunity. From time to time, this harassment may boil over into outright battle. How long this anger lasts and how vicious it becomes is very much up to the heroes and their actions. Here are the profiles for each of the most prominent figures in this adventure. INTERFERING The heroes might wish to interfere with the duel at many points and have a distinct effect upon its outcome. They could try to get either of the duelists to apologize to the other. Better yet, they could try to get them both to do so. If they manage that incredible feat, they save both Boccaccio and Michelina the trouble of risking their lives while also helping to satisfy their honor. Their anger with each other might boil over again at some other point, but at least they will both survive the night. They could pick a side in the fight and then try to cheat for that side. Neither of the combatants nor their seconds will endorse this, not even Alvarez. It was one thing to try to keep the duel from happening, but once it starts, it’s a matter of honor, something most people in their society respect. If the cheating is subtle, though, the heroes might get away with swaying the outcome of the duel. The moment they get caught, though, the side they’re trying to help denounces them loudly and publicly. The side they’re working against declares them the lowest of worms and calls into question their lineage. They also accuse the other side of being in cahoots with the cheaters. They proclaim themselves winners of the duel by virtue of not cheating and state that they will let everyone in Nova Marino know what kinds of dishonorable beasts the others are.

15 A Matter of Honor MICHELINA Like most wolverines, Michelina is a creature of high passions. She cares not about status — for herself or about that of others — and this often gets her into trouble for not being respectful enough. She cares only about things like truth, art, and beauty, and she endeavors to embody these ideals as best she can, particularly in her poetry. She is not easily offended, but when her ire is roused, she is quick to act upon it. Her impulsiveness has angered far more people than simply Boccaccio, and more than a few people would greet news of her defeat in a duel with a cheer. Despite that, she has not lost any such contest yet. MICHELINA Mustacea badger STR 16 (+3) DEX 14 (+2) CON 14 (+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 11 (+0) Armor Class 14 (gambeson) Hit points 32 (5d8 + 10) Speed 30ft. Skills Intimidate +3 Senses Passive perception 15, Darkvision 60ft. Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) ACTIONS Multiattack. Michelina makes two melee attacks. Sabre. Melee weapon attack: +6 to hit, one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. Throwing knife. Ranged weapon attack: +5 to hit, short range, one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) piercing damage. REACTIONS Tenacity. (1/day) Whenever Michelina gains one or more levels of exhaustion from an attack she doesn’t gain any and her next attack deals 1d6 extra damage. PROMINENT FIGURES BOCCACCIO This badger feels wounded that his renowned cousin Torquato continues to ignore him. He basks in that reflected glory, but he aches for the chance to gain some of that renown for himself. Because of this, his ego is easily bruised. Despite that, Boccaccio is a natural and charismatic leader. Alvarez sees great potential in him and has taken him under his tutelage. Several younger mercenaries have flocked to him in the hopes that he can someday lead them all to greater glory. BOCCACCIO Mustacea badger STR 16 (+3) DEX 11 (+0) CON 14 (+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 11 (+0) Armor Class 16 (padded jack, shield) Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10) Speed 30ft. Skills Athletics +6, Intimidate +3 Senses Passive perception 15, Darkvision 30ft. Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Resolve. (1/day) If Boccaccio fails a saving throw he can roll again. ACTIONS Multiattack. Boccaccio makes two melee attacks. Mace. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Heavy crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +2 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. REACTIONS Furious rampage. (1/day) Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage. This attack ignores disadvantage and is rolled with advantage. Triggered whenever Boccaccio gains a level of exhaustion.

16 ARDUINO The older wolverine sees a lot of himself in Michelina, and that’s what worries him most. In his youth, he made quite a name for himself in Nova Marino and beyond. He returned home to Nova Marino to retire, but he discovered that he was too restless. When he met Michelina, he saw someone he could mold into an even better person than he had been himself. All he had to do was show her the kinds of mistakes that he had made and help her avoid them. He just hadn’t counted on her capacity of finding all sorts of new mistakes to make on her own. ARDUINO Mustacea wolverine STR 16 (+3) DEX 11 (+0) CON 14 (+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 11 (+0) Armor Class 11 (gambeson) Speed 30ft. Skills Intimidate +2, Investigation +2 Senses Passive perception 17, Darkvision 60ft. Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) ACTIONS Side sword. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage. Heavy crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +2 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. REACTIONS Tenacity. (1/day) Whenever Arduino gains one or more levels of exhaustion from an attack he doesn’t gain any and his next attack deals 1d6 extra damage. ALVAREZ As the oldest member of Boccaccio’s entourage, Alvarez is seen as a father figure by many in that group. Despite that, he knows that his own days of glory are in the past, as his reflexes are not what they once were. Instead, he can only hope to guide younger, stronger, and bolder people to achieve the kind of greatness to which he once aspired himself. ALVAREZ Mustacea badger STR 11 (+0) DEX 16 (+3) CON 14 (+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 11 (+0) Armor Class 14 (gambeson) Speed 30ft. Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +5 Senses Passive perception 15, Darkvision 60ft. Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Resolve. (1/day) If Alvarez fails a saving throw he can roll again. ACTIONS Side sword. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage. Crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +5 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage. REACTIONS Ferocious bite. Melee weapon attack: +2 to hit, one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) slashing damage. Triggered whenever Alvarez is hit by an attack.

17 A Matter of Honor BEAVER MUSCLE Rodenta beaver STR 18 (+4) DEX 12 (+1) CON 15 (+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 14 (+2) Armor Class 11 (gambeson) Speed 30ft. Skills Intimidate +2, Investigation +2 Senses Passive perception 10, darkvision 60ft. Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Pack Tactics. The beaver muscle has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of his allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. ACTIONS Mace. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Heavy crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +2 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. MUSCLE If you need assorted muscle in any of the encounters — particularly in the Skinned Cat or on the way to Mercy Island — use the following profiles. They can be employed as Boccaccio’s mercenaries or as the random cutthroats Alverez hires to delay Michelina (assuming he doesn’t hire the heroes). WILDCAT MUSCLE Felide puma STR 18 (+4) DEX 12 (+1) CON 15 (+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 14 (+2) Armor Class 14 (gambeson) Speed 30ft. Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +5 Senses Passive perception 15, darkvision 120ft. Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) ACTIONS Short sword. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. Crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +5 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage. REACTIONS Ferocious claw. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit:5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage. Triggered whenever Wildcat Muscle is hit by an attack.

Tant Que Vivray Alex Melluso

2020 Tant Que Vivray An adventure for Historia for four to six characters of Tier 1. Written by Alex Melluso Tant que vivray en âge florissant Je serviray d’amour le dieu puissant En faictz, et dictz, en chansons, et accords Par plusieurs fois m’a tenu languissant Mais après dueil m’a faict réjouyssant Car j’ay l’amour de la belle au gent corps Son alliance, c’est ma fiance Son cœur est mien, le mien est sien Fi de tristesse, vive lyesse! Puis qu’en amour a tant de bien Tant que vivray (Claudine de Sermisy, 1527) BACKGROUND Ruggero is a merchant well known in Nochenburg for his ambition and greed, which are only matched by his stubbornness and obtuse behavior. A year ago, he undertook a risky trade with a large order of spices that never reached its destination. Sure of his good luck, Ruggero never insured the contents or put aside a back-up order, and when the entire shipment disappeared, he felt his strength fail him. He sought out a simple and easy solution, motivated by a handful of creditors knocking at his door, and found a way out of his predicament in the form of young heiresses. His victims were plentiful, but one became his favored prey: Rebecca, youngest daughter of Ridigulph. She struck him with her quick mind and biting tongue, both qualities which would become useful once married, but which appeared disagreeable to her father. The latter saw his daughter as a threat to their house, and he was heard more than once wanting her married to a lord capable of keeping up with her. It took several months for Ridigulph to convince himself that Ruggero would be his daughter’s best match, and after his blessing, the suitor began his courtship of Rebecca. The young woman was not particularly pleased and, despite obeying her father’s decision, her behavior started to spiral, often seeing her escape in secret and creating a nuisance of herself, hoping to sully her reputation. It is during one of these secret outings that our young fox meets five picaros, and this is where our story begins… INTRODUCTION Picaros represent an archetype of a sly and unscrupulous character who rely on their wits and ingenuity to survive. They might be beggars, servants, squires, soldiers, thieves, or main characters of a picaresque novel, but they will always be seeking a patron for protection, or even better, to fund their thousands of ventures they’d like to start up but which they have never been able to materialize due to an incomprehensible lack of money (not considering, of course, the coin spent on good wine). They have traveled far with an insatiable hunger and desire for compensation that comes second only to their love for adventure. They are ready to do anything for a piece of bread, as long as the hand offering it to them does not require labor in exchange. - SCENE 1 – DUSKY START The GM should read or paraphrase the following to the players: The memories of the picaros (our story’s protagonists) are fuzzy. They come from afar in search of a man of noble birth who might be so kind and courteous enough as to become their patron. In exchange, they are willing to let him partake in every aspect of the adventurous life that only a picaro is capable of recounting. The picaros arrival in Nochenburg is the only clear detail in their memories of the previous night. The streets, the houses, and eventually the tavern go hand in hand with traveler’s fatigue and the desire to celebrate so common with those who live one day at a time. Tant Que Vivray Alex Melluso

21 Tant Que Vivray 21 Tant Que Vivray The GM will then choose their favorite scene, noting down which character it involves, and in doing so will appoint the Captain: the picaro with whom Rebecca has fallen in love! The GM will then swiftly proceed to the following morning, starting the scene in which we will see how the story’s weaving will unravel before everyone’s eyes. The characters awake from a rowdy night. They have been celebrating after their travels to his place, so they are both tired from merriment and their previous experiences. Remind them of this as you begin the scene. The GM should read or paraphrase the following to the players: “With no insignificant effort, you slowly open your eyes and the light painfully pouring through reveals last night’s mattress: for some of you it’s a stool or a bench, and some of you are holding the table. You weren’t able to return to your rooms, so you are still on the tavern floor. You find your way to your feet and seek each other out as if trying to piece back together what happened…” They recall that the tavern was filled with the smell of spices, good spices, the ones used to preserve wine and give flavor to roast meat. There was music, dancing, voices and wine; a lot of wine, and much desire to drink of it. One of the picaros had spotted a young fox arguing passionately and followed her in her reasoning. Another remembers her in a drinking contest. A third remembers seeing her dance before them. A fourth is certain to have eaten strawberries with her, aside from the others. Another still is sure of having spent most of the night drinking in her company. There is only one shared memory among the picaros: the young fox kissing each and telling each she loved them. After that, only the hard, wooden embrace of the tables and benches upon which they have slept. After this brief introduction, the GM will ask the players to narrate the scene they prefer from the setting, which will also serve as an introduction of each character to the rest of the group. Each player may borrow from the description or create their own scene entirely, as long as each tale ends with the kiss.

22 It is important for the GM to leave this moment to the PC’s so that they best understand the situation and the ramifications of their actions, and the trouble they might be finding themselves in now. When the realisation comes to them, a handful of armed characters will enter the tavern with the look of someone who would happily see someone else be trampled under a passing cart. The newcomers will surround the picaros and once in place, one of them will start barking for answers, demanding to hear who the PCs are, what they want, and why they so gravely insulted their boss, Ruggero. They will have very little knowledge about what happened to their boss, as their task is simply to come and retrieve the picaros from the tavern. After an unbalanced encounter, there being twice as many guards as PCs, they will take the characters to Ruggero. - SCENE 2 - RUGGERO’S PLACE This scene is required to make the PCs face the story’s main dilemma: on one hand, there is a wedding which must not go on, on the other is their love for young Rebecca. Unfortunately, as is often the case in these situations, events will quickly degenerate and the situation will become progressively more difficult. The setting for this part of the adventure is the enormous hall of Ruggero’s abode, furnished in true villain style: luxurious drapes on the walls, fine suits of armor, crossed blades, and Ruggero sitting on a tall chair while sipping wine, surrounded by his loyal servants. The PCs will meet a Ruggero entirely uninterested in the ethics of the situation. His sole objective is to recover the money he’s lost, be it thanks to a hidden treasure chest from Rebecca’s house, containing Ridigulph’s wealth, or through marriage to the young fox, ensuring a legal flux of funds. As such, he cannot be budged from his set ideas. As soon as the PCs enter the room, the GM should read or paraphrase the following: “A proud-looking Dobermann is leaning against a small table, from which he just poured himself some wine. He is showing you his back, but you can easily tell that he’s a piece of work. As soon as he turns to face you, your suspicions are confirmed: there is no emotion in his eyes, no feelings for The GM should leave some time for the players to describe their picaro and some of the moments introduced during the setting. Once the discussions reach a conclusion and the dynamics between the characters are established, Ridigulph will step into the tavern, followed by some of his guards. The GM should read or paraphrase the following to the players: “An old Alsatian vigorously walks into the tavern, scouring the room with rage. His legs no longer support him as they used to and his footsteps are a little uncertain. As his gaze meets the picaros, he yells: ‘Which one? Which one of you is my daughter’s lover? Which one of you asked her hand in marriage? I demand a name, now!’” There will be no real answers to any question the players may ask of Ridigulph during this scene, but the following information can be gathered: • the Alsatian is an old widower and a father • his name is Ridigulph • he has been a powerful merchant in the past, but he retired some time ago • he loves his daughter more than anything in the world • his daughter’s name is Rebecca • he will not let this insult go unpunished • he is willing to pay a lot of coin to send away the delinquent who has fed his daughters’ delusions. As Ridigulph and the PCs are discussing what happened to his daughter, some servants wearing the same livery as Ridigulph will rush into the tavern, loudly announcing that Rebecca has fled, or worse, been kidnapped! Ridigulph will then turn to the picaros, his voice hoarse. In a mix of rage and despair he will insult and threaten them and eventually leave with his entourage, but not before speaking the following sentence: “This is not the end of this, you have not seen the last of me!” Any attempt to follow him will lead to nothing: Ridigulph knows the city well and will already be well on his way home, without any further distractions.

23 Tant Que Vivray

24 LET’S FIND THAT CHEST… If the PCs choose to adhere to Ruggero’s request and also avoid having to face Rebecca, they will inevitably need to find a way to access the chest in Ridigulph’s home. The building can be found in a well-to-do neighbourhood, not too far from the mansion they have just left. The impressive three-storey building is surrounded by a large garden filled with trees and flowerbeds, encircled by a solid wall a couple of metres high. The first floor houses the living areas, including a study for Ridigulph to sign papers and make deals, plus a kitchen and a dining room. The second floor houses the evening areas, including a large salon for parties and receptions. The third floor is taken up by the family’s private chambers. Everything in the location will reflect the old work that has allowed Ridigulph to become as wealthy as he is today: the walls are lavishly decorated, the furniture is finely carved and the hundreds of trinkets found across the entire house seem to have been sourced from all over Vesteria. The chest is on the top floor, in Ridigulph’s private chambers. The locks are nothing special, but there are two of them, and they are sturdy. Ridigulph has the keys, one on his person and one under his late wife’s pillow in the double bed. No one knows about the two keys, though the one on Ridigulph’s person can easily be found among his belongings. Anyone from the mansion knows of the existence of the chest and that it can be found on the third floor, but only Gustav, the butler, and some loyal friends (Count Battista and young Duchess Carolina) know about its contents: gold, accumulated in a lifetime and placed there as dowry for Rebecca’s marriage. During this section of the adventure, Ridigulph will never be available to speak to the picaros: he is worried sick about his daughter and has locked himself at home. Rebecca. With the look of a predator sniffing out his prey, he addresses you, his voice deep and sharp: ‘So which of you is the genius that meddled with my affairs?’ He looks over each of you, waiting for an answer. Then, remembering he is still nobility, he offers you his recently filled cup and adds: ‘Maybe you’ll feel more at ease with some drink in you?’. He is clearly referring to last night’s events.’ As already mentioned, Ruggero’s sole objective is to gain access to Ridigulph’s wealth. The discussion will be heated, though the Dobermann has no intention to insult or offend the picaros without reason, as their base desires may very well prove useful in times to come. He informs the PCs that his name is Ruggero, and should they refuse to help him with Rebecca, he will tell them that the fox is currently on the run. After clearing up the events that saw involved the PCs and the young lady, he will make an offer which ‘they cannot refuse’ lest they incur in both his wrath and that of the city guard: they can either retrieve a chest from Ridigulph’s home or find young Rebecca and convince her to reconsider the marriage. Before the picaros can choose their answer, Ruggero will leave the room. The GM should nudge the players in either direction. For example, the GM might point out how working for a lord ready to employ them in his services could be an excellent opportunity, but also how their infatuation for young Rebecca has left a significant mark behind in their hearts. OPTIONS The scenes following the encounter with Ruggero in his hall will allow the picaros to decide how to continue. We have endeavored to give some further information below to manage the various choices, but the GM should be free to improvise however they see fit, keeping each of the endings in mind. The group is now faced with coming up with a strategy that will lead them in a number of different directions, three of which we discuss here: two are the possibilities offered by Ruggero, and a third is a compromise between the Dobermann’s solutions.

25 Tant Que Vivray - SCENE 3 - AS LONG AS YOU’LL LIVE This is the final part of the adventure, during which the picaros will have to choose whether to betray Rebecca and take the chest, or head out of the city to go talk to her into changing her mind. THE CHEST The GM should read or paraphrase the following: “You open the door to Ridigulph’s bedroom and you see him over his writing desk by the window. His head is leaning against his arm, under which you can see several hastily written papers. There is a key dangling from a chain attached to his vest, and a toppled empty bottle by his face. Ridigulph’s breathing is deep and irregular, meaning he is sleeping like a rock. You remove the key from its chain and, searching around the room, you find the second key under the pillow that used to be his wife’s. You head for the chest and slot both keys in. You easily open the locks with a clack. You lift the lid of the chest, and you are met with… nothing at all. You hear a light, trembling voice behind you: ‘I would never have expected this from you…’ It’s Rebecca, talking to [the PC selected in the first scene].” The GM must now play out the lover’s spat between Rebecca and the picaro, keeping in mind that the other characters will also feel betrayed. You should let them solve the issues for a bit and then bring in Ridigulph’s guards to attempt to bring in the PCs. The players will have to choose whether to compromise and save their lives or try escaping with Rebecca, losing face and any chance of a quiet life in the name of love. THE YOUNG FOX The GM should read or paraphrase the following: “Rebecca sits before you. She watches you, now that you have tried convincing her to change her mind. Her gaze pauses on [the PC selected during the first scene] and her broken voice spills from her lips, a mix of disappointment and resentment: ‘But I… I love you… how can you ask me such a thing?!’ As the words leave her lips, you notice in the door frame the shape of Ruggero, observing the scene with fury in his eyes. His hand is quick to his weapon and he charges you, along with his retinue.” The GM needs to play out the combat encounter, reminding everyone that Rebecca had only chosen one of them and that friendships have been broken for much less. The players will have to choose whether to compromise and save SHOULD WE TRY TALKING TO HER..? In order to find Rebecca, the PCs will have to start a continuous search punctuated by corruption and the greasing of palms to loosen tongues. The young fox has a big heart, though wild, and has been able to build herself a loyal network of friends and contacts who will not make the search for her an easy task. There are three leads available to the picaros: 1. Gustav, her father’s personal butler, has handed Rebecca the keys of the country estate; 2. Francesco the greengrocer has sold strawberries to Mirandolina, Rebecca’s young maid, this very day and they have been sent to the family country estate; 3. Marco, the store hand and son of the greengrocer, is the only one who knows the whereabouts of the country estate (as he is the one who must deliver the order) and he is willing to reveal its location in exchange for some gold. I’VE HAD AN IDEA This is an opportunity for the GM to consider the possibility of the players not choosing either option, but rather try taking on both or worse, getting some third party involved. There are numerous paths and opportunities if the adventure takes this direction, and it’s impossible to explore all of them in full. The examples offered below are to be used for context, and to at least shape the narrative framework for this choice. The PCs may decide to attempt all the actions listed above, but each time they fail one of them, the GM must take note, as the group is now drawing attention to themselves. If they are to involve another NPC in the story (captain of the guard, another member of the nobility, etc), the GM must make a note of each new character or added scene, while still keeping in mind that Ridigulph is not willing to speak to the PCs. After three notes, the GM will make Ruggero intervene to bring the PCs before the captain of the guard to have them arrested for ‘disturbing the peace of the city and his patience’. As soon as this happens, the GM must read the ‘I TOLD YOU SO!’ section below. If this does not happen, however, the GM will have to determine at what point the characters have arrived at dusk and lay out the ending that most suits how the story has developed up to that point.

26 their lives or try escaping with Rebecca, losing face and any chance of a quiet life in the name of love. THE THINGS WE DO FOR A TRUE KISS! The GM should read or paraphrase the following: “Nochenburg is a long way behind you by now. You have been running for hours in fear,certain that those following you are closing in on you. You collapse onto the grassy ground, near an apple tree from which Rebecca now looks at you all, beaming. ‘Thank you! You saved me!’ she tells you all. ‘I suppose I must thank you somehow.’ She pulls out a small pouch and opens it, pouring out its contents into her hand: diamonds. She hands them to you all, but noticing that no one takes them, she places them back in the pouch and says: ‘I guess I’ll keep them. I mean, I’ve been doing so since I was very young.’ She then turns to look at her beloved, and whispers: ‘Come here and kiss me, you idiot!’” I TOLD YOU SO! The GM should read or paraphrase the following: “Your swollen eyes open in the darkness, and the ceiling of a cell – yet another cell, you might say, if your voice didn’t die in your throat as you go to speak – is right above you. You are chained to the wall. You hear footsteps move closer, maybe one of the guards, maybe some gruel or water. The figure in the small window at the door, however, is that of Ruggero. ‘You’re mine now, and I’m sure you’ll turn out to be useful somehow. I have risked losing everything because of you, but it looks like things turned out to be fine after all. As soon as you’re let out of here, I’ll be sending you… far away from here. Well paid, of course, but nowhere near my city.’” RUGGERO Canid primoi STR 16 (+3) DEX 12 (+1) CON 12 (+1) INT 10 (+0) WIS 8 (-1) CHA 12 (+1) Armor Class 16 (chainmail, shield) Hit Points 27 (5d8) Speed 30ft Skills Intimidation +2, Investigation +2, Survival +1 Senses Passive Perception 15, Darkvision 30ft Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Aggressive Arrogance. If insulted, Ruggerto will attack a target who has insulted him and will have advantage on all attack rolls until the start of his next turn. All characters who have not been targeted by Ruggero have advantage on attack rolls against Ruggero until the start of his next turn. ACTIONS Multiattack. Ruggero makes two melée attacks. Club. Melée weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Heavy crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +2 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. REACTIONS Bite. Melée weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. Ruggero can use this when he enters combat. Warning Growl. Ruggero glowers with a hint of feral instinct whenever he is attacked. The attacker must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 11) or become afraid of Ruggero until the end of their next turn. GUARD Canid dogo STR 16 (+3) DEX 11 (+0) CON 14 (+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 11 (+0) Armor Class 12 (brigandine) Hit Points special (see below) Speed 30ft Skills Athletics +5, Intimidation +2, Investigation +2 Senses Passive Perception 15, Darkvision 30ft Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Brave. The guard has advantage on saving throws against effects that cause fear. Plot-related Health. The guard does not have a set amount of hit points; instead, they will be defeated after being hit twice, regardless of the damage dealt. ACTIONS Multiattack. The guard makes two melée attacks. Club. Melée weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Bite. Melée weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. Heavy crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +2 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage.

27 Tant Que Vivray

Unseen Enemy Klara Herbol and Laura Guglielmo

30 Adventure for Historia for up to five 1st or 2nd level characters Written by Klara Herbol and Laura Guglielmo INTRODUCTION This adventure takes place in the bustling city of San Mastino, where the adventurers experience both the halls of power and the poorest neighborhoods the city has to offer. The adventure challenges the characters to decide whether a new disease spreading amongst the citizens is the result of simple ill-fortune or has a more sinister origin. Staying true to the zeitgeist of the Renaissance, they meet strongly opinionated individuals who challenge even the adventurers’ own beliefs. More importantly, they have to find out where this disease is coming from and if it indeed is a disease before it is too late and a great many innocent lives are lost. The characters will also encounter the many levels of society and see with their own eyes how a debilitating disease affects those who already have nothing – will they save everyone or be forced to leave some behind? STYLE AND GUIDELINES Unseen Enemy relies heavily on ethical dilemmas and character development. Are the characters heavily religious but due to the events in the adventure suddenly start doubting their god? Or do they live and breathe for science but due to what they’ve seen suddenly become more open to the idea of something holier? The adventure in itself does not have to cause any major changes to the characters’ way of thinking, but it may widen their horizons to believe in other ways than their own. Therefore, give the adventurers space to discuss their own beliefs during the story, perhaps helping them along by asking questions about how their character feels during particularly difficult situations. Unseen Enemy is meant to advertise neither religion nor science – but simply to allow an opportunity for character development. ADVENTURE SUMMARY A strange disease is spreading in San Mastino. The few Hospitals, run by the Bone Church and concentrated near the holy sites of the city, are full to bursting and the poorest neighborhoods (where the epidemic began) near the docks are left to their own devices. The infirmaries are coordinated by Victor Meisel, a kind-hearted, middle-aged bulldog. He is a Tarsus of the Bone Church, very pious and very loyal to Femore III: he is in urgent need of help and calls upon the player characters. While they may not be affiliated with the Church (or even believe at all), they all have some type of connection to it or to Victor himself, and they answer the summons either because of these ties or because the Church is immensely powerful and is known to pay well. Victor gives a brief overview of the current situation (the illness, the symptoms, the speed of contagion, the dire circumstances of the Hospitals) and tells the characters about Gertrude, a young armadillo herbalist whose miracle remedies have been in the highest demand since she’s moved to the outskirts of the city a few months prior. He’s been trying to get in contact with her since the outbreak of the disease to collaborate, but she’s been impossible to reach. Victor also comments, with a certain distaste, on the recent actions of the local Occipital, Nicholaus Wegener: he’s been making a show of himself setting up an infirmary near the docks and running it himself and free of charge, and at the same time he’s been spreading rumors about the disease being unnatural, its propagation aided by the godless Gertrude herself. Victor asks the characters to visit Gertrude to get to the bottom of the affair and ask for her cooperation to find a cure as swiftly as possible. When the characters go to Gertrude she is in the middle of handling a dying individual who has already caught the disease. She is visibly keeping him alive to conduct tests on him, and she claims it’s for the greater good. Gertrude refuses to be blamed for the disease and shows the characters several notebooks about the research she is going through to stop the disease and help the city. She tells the characters she is almost at the breakthrough of a cure, and will just need a bit more time to conduct tests before she has it. Gertrude also informs the characters she agrees with Nicholaus Wegener that the disease is indeed not just a matter of coincidence, but furiously refutes the concept she may be its originator. She believes the culprit could be someone tied to the Church, maybe even Meisel himself (after all, admission to the Church Unseen Enemy Klara Herbol and Laura Guglielmo

31 Unseen Enemy Hospitals is never free, and they must be making a tidy profit out of this tragedy). She presses the characters to investigate her suspicions: if they find the root of the disease they may find something to hasten her research for the cure. Gertrude cannot be persuaded to cooperate with the Church and with Victor Meisel. The player characters may decide to report back to Meisel immediately or to investigate further before returning to him. When visiting the poorest parts of the city the characters face three different individuals who all give them clues as to where the disease is coming from and who is behind its spreading. One of the NPCs is a goat known to be highly eccentric and unpredictable, who claims to see visions of the future and the past and is highly respected amongst the lower class as a messenger of the gods. He tells the characters he has seen cloaked men breaking into people’s homes and dripping poison on their pillows making them sick. Another individual is a snowy owl child who found a scrap of silk while playing near the house of the first citizens to show symptoms; the fabric is from the fine clothing of the Occipital’s men. The last NPC is the hen innkeeper of one of the lower-class inns. For coin, she informs the characters that she housed a group of men who hid their faces with hooded cloaks and almost did not utter a word a couple of DISEASE Since the characters will be exposed to the risk of disease throughout the story, they each need to roll a d100 (or 5d20) for every act they complete. If they roll 80 or above they will become sick. How quickly the disease manifests and gives them symptoms is up to the GM, but to give the game a sense of urgency, introducing symptoms like tremors or foggy sight might motivate the characters to find the cure quicker. Give the afflicted adventurer penalties to their rolls depending on their symptoms.

32 If the players are hostile to Nicholaus and wish to stop him, Joris will react violently and attack the characters. After defeating him they find the key to a safe in his satchel, and reading through the papers from the safe they learn the truth: the plague is indeed artificial, and is not even a real disease. The symptoms that affect the sick are due to poisoning from an alchemical compound developed by de Witt on Wegener’s orders. The disease would have (and indeed has) underlined the inadequacies and iniquities of Femore III’s Church, unable to truly help the part of the population that can’t pay alms to be admitted in the hospitals. The Occipital already has a cure ready and will deploy it as soon as the situation reaches the breaking point. Using this as political leverage, Nicholaus aims to undermine Femore’s authority and work towards replacing him. If on the contrary, the characters wish to either oppose Femore III and the status quo of the Church or want to support Nicholaus, Joris will be skeptical at first but can be persuaded to share the information mentioned above and welcome the players to the Occipital’s side without a fight. Of course, the characters can also lie to Joris, pretend to support his master, and obtain the formula for the cure. Once the players have the formula they can decide to: • give the formula to Gertrude. The cure will be free for all, but since its ingredients are exceptionally expensive and hard to come by it will take the herbalist a long time to concoct and distribute it, and many lives will be lost in the meantime. • give the formula to Victor Meisel. The cure will be readily available in a very short time due to the immense resources of the Church, but will not be free. • let Nicholaus go on with his plan and use the cure himself to further his goals weeks ago, just before the disease showed its face. She also tells them they ought to be careful since they looked heavily armed. When the characters leave the dockside area, they are attacked by said hooded individuals. With this information, the characters return to Victor Meisel. They confirm that Gertrude is not the cause of the disease and the implication of a much more dangerous player in the field. When the Occipital’s name is mentioned, it doesn’t take much persuasion for Victor to believe the characters, and he tells them the Church will pay them handsomely and that the Keeper of Bones himself will invoke the blessing of the Ancestors upon them for their help if they manage to expose Nicholaus Wegener’s foul play. He also offers the help of someone close to the upper echelons of the Bone Church and more than happy to offer resources and information to use against Wegener: Venceslao da Mira is the Inquisitor sent by Femore III to keep an eye on his strongest political opponent, a black swan with an iron will and a blind devotion to the Keeper of Bones. He explains that while he cannot personally intervene as long as Nicholaus Wegener’s guilt is fully proven (he is, after all, both a nobleman and the highest-ranking religious figure of the region), he can provide a safe route of access to the Occipital’s palace before he leaves for his daily display of piety in the dockside infirmary. He also mentions Nicholaus’ personal assistant, an ibis alchemist from the Confederation, Joris de Witt, as he may have private papers of importance. The characters have an easy time getting to their objective, but when they get to the Occipital’s chambers he’s nowhere to be found: he must have been somehow forewarned. They do however intercept Joris de Witt and are free to confront him the way they prefer. Whatever they decide to do, Joris is very loyal to his master and shares his political ideas, so he cannot be swayed into betraying Nicholaus.

33 Unseen Enemy each other a bit as they await Victor. Although not aware they are all there for the same reason, they know they’ve been summoned at the same time. The GM should let the characters chat for a bit, and if the characters do not know each other beforehand, let them get acquainted with each other before continuing the next scene. THE TEMPLE HOSPITAL Before long, one of Victor Meisel’s attendants, a young sparrow wearing a brown cloak and a simple cross of bones around its neck, beckons them to a small side door of the church, happily chirping that Meisel is awaiting them inside. They enter a part of the Temple Hospital none of them has been to before, more reminiscent of a small home than a place where the sick receive treatment. The home consists of two small rooms (one clearly serving as living quarters and the other as a mixture of study and shrine, full of books, scrolls and sacred imagery) and has an unadorned, utilitarian feel. Victor Meisel, a middle-aged bulldog, is waiting for them in the doorway: he’s dressed according to his religious rank of Tarsus but is also sporting an apron showing signs of countless scrubs and washes which somehow makes him look more like a working man than a holy one. His manner is brisk, but not lacking a certain warmth: “Very well Florian, thank you, thank you for bringing them in, now you can go back to the West Ward. You know how much they need you around dinnertime, hurry up my boy, shoo.” Florian nods and skitters away through the echoing stone corridor. Meisel’s little home feels like another world. The characters step inside. If Victor knows any of them personally he greets them pleasantly, and introduces himself to the ones he hasn’t met as the Overseer of the Church Hospitals of San Mastino, chosen by His Holiness the Keeper of Bones himself to put an end to the epidemic that has hit the city in the last month. If the characters are from San Mastino and have been in the city for a while, they know well what he’s talking about: “...Dreadful, absolutely dreadful. I’m thankful I haven’t caught the cursed plague yet, bless the Ancestor. I hope none of your families have been hit, because, let me tell you, it’s a gruesome way to go. Heavens, I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy, even though… no, not even on Wegener, it’s too much.” He promptly apologises for his tendency to go on a tangent very easily, and begs the characters for a little patience, because the reason for his summons needs a little context first. - ACT 1 - IN THE NAME OF THE CHURCH For centuries, creatures across the world fought to protect their land, families, names, and themselves against that which wishes them harm, that which lay entire cities barren, that which kills the innocent. Through wars and battles, through bloodshed and sacrifice, peace can be obtained. But, what if the enemy cannot be defeated by sword and spear? What if armor and helmet cannot protect that which you hold dear? What if it is invisible and at first glance invincible whether by the wrath of the gods or the cruelty of nature? An enemy, which does not see the difference between king and thrall, man or child, or holy and scorn is an enemy man has yet to understand and stands against defencelessly. The question beckons: if the enemy was sent by God, is it then truly an enemy? - Desmond, Paladin of the Bone Church A CALLING FROM ABOVE The bustling city of San Mastino is the pearl of the north. Its wealth is only rivaled by the capital Nochemburg, but at sundown, even gold can cast long shadows. The tall buildings and narrow pathways make it difficult for more than one person, let alone sunlight, to pass through its stony facades. A place of great cultural significance, San Mastino is a force to be reckoned with within the political and religious environment of Vesteria. The sun is slowly casting an orange light over the tallest of rooftops before signalling its disappearance beyond the hills, as the following act plays out. No matter what the characters are doing and where they are situated within the city, they all receive a short note by the Church’s messengers, stating: “In the name of his Holiness Femore III and the blessed Ancestors, you are beckoned by the Church of Bones to make your presence known within the Temple Hospital before next sundown. This is a matter of great urgency. - Victor Meisel, humble servant of the Church, Tarsus and Overseer of the Holy Hospitals” The characters have little time to do much else than make their way to the church before the sun sets completely, and have to make their way through a bustling city which is slowly replacing its daytime clientele of travelling merchants and noisy vendors to young drunkards and tavern staff. The characters arrive at the churchyard at approximately the same time, giving them an opportunity to get to know

34 Wait, what ? Mentioning Nicholaus Wegener is the only thing that makes Meisel flair up, and his round, patient eyes turn to slits. “Nicholaus Wegener, the Occipital of this fair city. A cold-hearted scoundrel, if you ask me. He doesn’t give a fig about his citizens... and yes, I say HIS citizens, and not his brother’s, the Duke. We all know how it works. He doesn’t like me, I don’t like him, and I don’t care. I answer to His Holiness, and to him alone. He sent me here to do good work, not to be under the heel of that...that... ugh, don’t make me say it. Anyway, that absolute reprobate has been spreading rumors: he says the disease is unnatural, and the so-called miracle worker of the swamp, out little Gertrude, has been working some witchcraft to spread it. Nonsense, I say, no disease is unnatural. Unfair, yes, but not unnatural. And he has something in mind, I’m sure of it. Wegener has been criticising the way we run the hospitals and has opened an infirmary of his own, free of charge, down by the docks...playing the charitable saint, no doubt, to garner the sympathies of the smallfolk. Don’t ask me why, I’m no politician.” How can we protect ourselves from the disease? This question makes Maisel look lost. “I...As much as it pains me to be honest, I don’t know. I can’t understand how this cursed disease spreads. What I can give you is my blessing, and pray for you to the Father for fortitude, to the Mother for health, and to the Son for clarity of purpose. That’s all I can do.” The characters may accept or refuse the blessing. Victor will throw a displeased look to those who refuse but will say nothing more. How much time do we have? “Not much. I have called upon you because I know you all to be efficient and reliable, some by fame, some by personal experience. If you’ll manage to convince Gertrude to come here, the Church treasury will reward you handsomely. If not...well, come back swiftly anyway. We’ll need to discuss our next move, if there’s anything to be done.” If they ask him for directions, Meisel will give them a map of the city, and roughly explain the location of the house. The characters are now free to go and organise the trip to Gertrude’s house however they prefer. “As I expect you may already know, the city is weathering a terrible epidemic. I’ve been running hospitals for thirty years, dealt with a dozen plagues and caught half of them myself, but I’ve never seen something like this: at first you feel fine, just a little dizzy, like when you get up from a low chair too quickly. Then the tremors set in, coupled with the sensation of a thousand cockroaches crawling on your insides, your ears, your throat, your mouth. Fever overtakes you followed by excessive vomiting of black bile, rendering you unable to ingest. People waste away in a matter of days. But the most telling sign of all, and the one that’s been scaring the gullible and confusing the medical men is the eyes... the sclera goes from white, to light grey, to leaden. When they go completely black, there’s nothing more to be done other than bless the poor soul and pray to the Ancestors for a quick death.” Meisel shudders: he’s clearly seen his fair share of dying creatures, like anyone else in the medical field, but this time he seems particularly shaken. ‘“As much as I believe prayer is a strong medicine and that the helping hand of the Ancestors is, unseen and gentle, always with us, I’d be happy to find a medicine that works, actually works, as soon as possible. Half of the people infected die, the other half recovers almost on their own. All we can do is give them something for the fever, force them to drink constantly, just honey and water you see, as they cannot eat anything after a while. We need a cure. I have people working on it, brilliant minds, but we’re still miles away. We don’t even understand how the disease spreads. That’s why I need you to convince Gertrude to come and work for me.” The players will probably have questions. Here are some examples which can be used either as is or as inspiration for the GM. Who is Gertrude? Why do you need her, and what do you know about her? Victor Meisel sighs, pensive, and explains: “Gertrude is a bright young thing. A tad...unusual, you know, but very bright. Some say she used to study under a great master Alchemist from all the way across the continent, all the rest just say that she can cure diseases like no-one else can. She has her own way of making medicine, she’s godless, and by all accounts probably a mad loner, but we want the same thing. I want it because it is my holy duty to care for all the children of the Ancestors. She just wants to help people. I can respect that. And I need her now, to work with us on a cure. Before some lunatic, fueled by that blasted Wegener and his foul rumors, decides to grab a torch and pitchfork and pay her a visit.”

35 Unseen Enemy

36 It’s a very, very large pangolin. His natural armor is enhanced by a more traditional one, and the result is striking: he looks like he could shrug off with no consequences the blows of a bear, and respond in kind with the heavy mace he’s casually holding like an ordinary walking stick. “My mistress is not expecting any visitors, and she doesn’t like to be interrupted when she’s working. Go away. If it’s urgent, go to someone else: there’s no shortage of healers and wise women in the city.” he states with a flat voice. The characters will need to work hard to convince him they don’t mean Gertrude any harm. To persuade him to let them pass and talk to his mistress, they’ll need to roll a successful DC 20 Persuasion check. If they mention the Bone Church in any way, the pangolin will become more hostile and wary, raising the DC to 22, and the same will happen if the group is approaching the place wearing very visible weaponry. If they, on the other hand, mention the disease and their will to help the common people of the city, the guardian will be more open to dialogue, and the DC will go down to 17. Trying to Intimidate him not only will not sway him, but will result in an immediate fight. The pangolin will also attack if the Persuasion roll fails. If a fight occurs, the GM should take care not to make it potentially fatal for any of the parties involved: the guardian’s goal is to scare intruders enough to make them turn tail, not kill them. On the other hand, if the players kill the pangolin, Gertrude will refuse to even look at them, let alone talk. After a few blows have been exchanged, Gertrude hears the racket outside of her house and demands to know what’s happening in a squeaky voice. At her question, the pangolin immediately stops and drops to one knee, explaining his reasons in a respectful manner. Gertrude asks the characters for further explanations: she can be convinced to have a conversation with a successful DC14 Persuasion roll. If the interactions so far have been tense, the conversation will take place outside the house, not allowing the characters to see the extent of Gertrude’s research. If on the contrary, they have managed to keep things peaceful, Gertrude will invite them inside, apologising for her protector’s behavior, but asking them to leave weapons outside. - ACT 2 - FACT OR FICTION ? “The world needs to take its blinkers off and open its eyes to what it is truly facing. Superstition not only is getting us nowhere, but it is also costing lives. Trust in what is tangible and factual, trust in what is truly important – not in make-believe and falsehood.” - Gertrude the Herbalist GERTRUDE’S COTTAGE As described by Victor Meisel, Gertrude’s house is placed awkwardly in the outskirts of San Mastino, though still within its borders. Describing the house as a small wooden cottage in dire need of renovation would be a compliment it doesn’t deserve: it’s a shack. The wooden walls are either cracked, rotting away, or infested with termites; a window is missing entirely and has been reduced to a mere hole in the wall, the chimney looks like it could fall off the rooftop at any second. The pathway leading up to the house has nearly been eaten up by the wild overgrowth. If it wasn’t for the smoke coming up from the chimney and the vague glow of a candle one would think the house was still empty. As soon as the group nears the house, they are met by an explosion of fragrances from the different herbs growing around the house, and the characters realise it’s not just noxious weeds left to take over the place, it’s an actual herb garden, albeit a very untidy one. Every now and again a wooden stick with a name engraved on it marks a particular patch, identifying the plant growing there. Most herbs are in full bloom: breathing in the clean, refreshing scent of the garden feels good after the less than agreeable smells of a Hospital at the height of summer. Judging from the look of the place and from Meisel’s description, the characters have no trouble figuring out that Gertrude is indeed a very peculiar person, one that probably doesn’t like unannounced guests. What they could not have foreseen is the presence of a hulking figure, crouching motionless near the building. If the characters are approaching the house after sundown, they’ll need to roll a successful DC 15 Perception check to notice that the imposing silhouette is actually a creature, looking at them with small, beady, hostile eyes. It’s now quite evident that Gertrude doesn’t like (and probably even fears) unsolicited visits: as soon as they get close enough, the figure gets up with the sound of clattering iron and blocks their path.

37 Unseen Enemy GERTRUDE Gertrude is a young armadillo. Her peculiar nature is evident even after exchanging just a few words: she’s polite and softly spoken but has an intense, unyielding gaze that she keeps fixed on the eyes of the person she’s talking to. She fidgets subtly and constantly, and is easily startled, but when she approaches her workstation her mannerism changes completely, becoming expertly confident. The house is a complete mess: stacks of books, scrolls and papers everywhere, pots of seedlings, stumps of burned down candles and discarded potions covering every flat surface. The air inside the house is thick with pungent vapors and the smell of dried herbs, burning resin, wet fur, urine, sweat, a tinge of copper that may suggest blood, strong alcohol and soup. The amount of objects kept in such a small building is overwhelming, but at second glance the characters realise it’s not really a mess, just a type of order none of them can understand. The only exception is her working counter, which is kept clear, tidy and clean, with a shelf of neatly labelled bottles and vials, empty glassware and a small burner. Gertrude leads them to a very cluttered dining table, clears a few stools and chairs from the pots and books, and invites them to sit. Let the characters play out the next section with Gertrude following the principles of a free sequence, where the flow of the scene is largely determined by the players. The characters can take different approaches in their communication with Gertrude and they might even choose to resort to force before any conversation occurs. As a GM, be open to whatever the characters choose. Following are a few examples of the direction the game can take, feel free to use the examples as inspiration for the scene or make your own. The main goal for the characters in this section is to retrieve information about the disease and possible leads to its origin, since convincing her to work with the Church is impossible. CONVERSATION Gertrude is difficult to get information out of, mostly due to her eccentric demeanor and her lack of focus when speaking. She paces around the room, picks up objects to fidget with, loses track of her sentences, is distracted by the smallest occurrence, and will sometimes just flat out refuse to continue discussing a subject matter. In general, Gertrude has no trouble defending herself against accusations from the Church and is happy to talk about what the true source of the disease might be. Did you spread the disease? “They’re saying that, uh? No...no no no...why would I ever want that? I want people to be healthy, and happy, and quiet. They’re easier to deal with when they are. I don’t like all the dying and wheezing and retching and moaning, it’s distracting and unpleasant. And sometimes, it’s also sad.” Why does Nicholaus Wegener believe you are behind it all? “Why?! Because I’m easy to blame! Look at me, look at my house, I know I’m not what the Church sees as a healer! But I’ve never done harm to anybody! I’ve been giving people my remedies for a few months, and they’ve been bringing me cheese, brown bread, figs and walnuts. I like this arrangement, I keep them healthy and they keep me fed, so I can continue to study my plants in peace.” Is there a cure? “I think I’m close, very close. Come, let me show you!” Gertrude is happy to show the characters her countless notebooks. Her research is the only topic of conversation where she speaks confidently, remains focused and shows genuine enthusiasm. Victor Meisel needs you to share your research with him! He’s looking for a cure as well, you two may help each other out! At the mention of Meisel’s name and the Church Hospitals, Gertrude’s demeanor becomes guarded and hostile: she clearly likes neither the Church nor the way Meisel works. “No, I don’t want anything to do with the Bone Church. I’ve seen how they work, and how they treat those who can’t pay for their care. The way they do things creates tension, injustice, I wouldn’t want to be part of that. I just need a little bit more time to work on my own cure, and I’m sure I will be able to fix this situation my way. Now that I think about it, if there’s someone who could profit from a plague like this, it is the Church, maybe even Meisel himself...I’m told the Hospitals have never been so full. He must be filling his pockets like never before. Maybe the Occipital is right, and the plague is indeed artificial...I don’t trust anyone too close to Femore III. He’s a bad man. You should investigate this possibility, not come to me asking to help those leeches.” If pressed upon the subject of her distrust of the Bone Church or Femore III himself, she will refuse to elaborate, but she explains that some of her patients have told her that the disease started in the poor neighborhoods around the docks, and it may be a good place to start looking around.

38 The group will meet three different individuals while investigating the area. Each of them has a piece of information for the group about the cause of the disease and can help them to identify its true origin. In what succession they meet the individuals is up to the GM. The encounters and how they play out should be a shared narrative between the GM and the players. It is also up to the GM how easy it is for the players to gain information from the individuals they meet, or if rolls are required for them to succeed (in which case a low DC is recommended since the encounters are not particularly challenging). THE CHLD A young snowy owl whose feathers bear more resemblance to those of its darker cousins because of the mud and dirt shyly walks up to the group after being coerced by his mother, who has overheard the characters asking around about the disease. He is obviously sick, and his former golden eyes are already turning a slight grey. He holds out a scrap of burgundy silk with narrow cerulean stripes and tells the group he found this while playing in the mud near the first house affected by the disease. The fabric is too fine for this part of town, and a DC 16 Intelligence check reveals that it can be bought only in the weaver’s district beside the Occipital’s palace. The mother lets the group keep the fabric if they promise to bring the cure to her son as soon as they have it. If the characters decide to investigate further in the weaver’s district, they’ll find that this fabric is a favorite of Wegener’s right-hand man, an ibis alchemist named Joris de Witt. THE SEER The seer is a scraggly goat holding himself up with a makeshift walking stick in order not to slip and fall in the muddy surroundings. He approaches the group pointing a hoof towards them, mumbling nonsense about the wrath of the Ancestors and telling them to begone from the area. He speaks in constant enigmas when the characters converse with him, some of them making no sense at all. His clue is about a group of cloaked men, jumping through open windows and sneaking through unlocked doors at night, pouring drops of poison on pillows and in beds. He warns the group to be careful when they leave the docks, as he believes the cloaked figures are still hiding in the shadows of the city. At some point the GM should invite the characters to make a Perception roll: on a successful DC 13 roll, they notice the sound of labored breathing coming from the other room. Gertrude is unfazed: “It’s my patient, Céline. She’s going to die soon, and before she does that I need to test something. Don’t worry, she’s sleeping now, she won’t disturb us.” Gertrude won’t allow anyone to see the patient unless a character passes a DC 20 Charisma check. In this case, they will find an old mouse laying on a table, clearly on the brink of death. Around her are the clear signs of experimental procedures, some more sinister than others. The characters can decide whether they want to help the creature or not. If they do interact, they all have to make a disease check (explained in “Introduction”) after coming in contact with her. PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION If the group decides on a physical confrontation, Gertrude will do what she can to explain that she has no fault in the matter and prove her innocence by telling the group she is on the brink of finding a cure. She will also insist on the Church being way more suspicious than herself. Gertrude won’t put up much of a fight and will mostly try to use her words to convince the group they shouldn’t attack her. Whatever the nature of the group’s interaction with Gertrude, after dealing with her they will be free to report back to Meisel, or to go to the docks and investigate Gertrude’s suspicions. THE DOCKS There’s no city in the world where the docks are the cleanest, wealthiest and most respectable part of town. San Mastino is no exception: the area is poor, rife with crime, and now stricken hard by the violent outbreak of the mysterious illness. The streets are barely visible under the mud, waste, and whatever is dropped on the street by their uncouth inhabitants. One can recognise the locals at a glance by the rolled-up trousers and pinned up hems: unprepared outsiders are seen trudging around ankle-deep in filth. The separation of rich and poor is less stark than in other cities of the country, especially Nochemburg, but the epidemic has left a heavier mark in this neighborhood: whereas the effects of the disease were barely visible around the church, here they are jarringly obvious. What would usually be the busiest part of the city is now reduced to a ghost town. Only corpse carts pulled by tired men with hollow eyes, the occasional priest and beggars too ill to move can be seen in the deserted alleyways. It’s a terrible sight.

39 Unseen Enemy THE INNKEEPER The Innkeeper, a large hen with her chick on her arm joins in on the conversation with either the child or the seer. She says that she housed a couple of strange cloaked individuals who paid her extra to keep their presence a secret, but now no amount of coin can keep the fear they might have had something to do with the outbreak from her mind. She warns the group the strangers looked heavily armed and tells them to be careful if they see the cloaked individuals as they seemed more than capable of carrying out a fight. She also hands the group an empty vial with a few drops left of a greyish liquid she found underneath one of their beds after they left. These are the last drops of the poison which is spreading like a disease in the city. However, she will only give the characters the vial and information for coin. WEGENER’S INFIRMARY If the players wish to pay a visit to the Occipital’s new infirmary they can do so. The structure is very similar to a military field hospital, with large white canvas tents and rows of camp beds. Nicholaus Wegener is not present at the moment, but the characters can overhear quite clearly how the men and women running the place are in the middle of a fully-fledged smear campaign against Meisel and by extension against Femore III’s loyalists, who are failing to help the poor, keeping themselves to the Hospitals in the city centre, well away from the worst of the epidemic. - ACT 3 - THE SOURCE At this point, the adventurers are ready to return to Meisel with a wealth of new information. As the characters are making their way out of the docks area and back into the city, they are ambushed by five cloaked figures, clearly of the same ilk of the mysterious poisoners. They have awaited the characters on top of roofs and inside alleys for an ambush. The ambush takes place in a remote part of the city, giving the characters more space to move around, but the mud and the treacherous terrain makes staying on their feet difficult; this counts as difficult terrain. The houses here are old and have many loose tiles and bricks; it is difficult to climb them and requires a successful DC 18 Athletics (Strength) check. A character suffers 1d4 bludgeoning damage if they fail. MORE THAN SUSPICIONS After the confrontation, the group manages to return to Victor Meisel. If any of the characters have sustained serious injuries, Meisel will tend to them himself. As they relay the information they’ve gathered Victor goes from bitter disappointment (Gertrude’s refusal to have anything to do with the Church) to righteous fury at the news of Wegener’s involvement. He now believes with absolute certainty that Wegener and his men are culpable of the creation of the disease. “Ancestors have mercy if they have truly done something like this... they have the blood of the city on their hands. But we may be more fortunate than we expected...wait, I’ll see if he’s already left.” Meisel trots out of the room to return a few minutes later in the company of a tall black swan. He doesn’t need much introduction, as he’s quite possibly as well known as the city’s Occipital himself: he’s Venceslao da Mira, Chief Inquisitor of San Mastino, fiercely loyal to Femore III and vehemently opposed to everything Wegener stands for. “I’ve been told by my good friend Victor that you have valuable information about a deed most foul carried out upon the orders of a man whom I know to be fouler still. I wouldbe...ecstatic to lend my help if and where I can.” Venceslao explains that until Nicholaus’ guilt is not proven beyond any reasonable doubt he cannot intervene personally: after all Wegener is not only the highest-ranking religious figure of the Duchy of San Mastino, but he’s also a

40 Nicholaus Wegener’s study is a beautiful room, panelled in dark walnut and furnished with taste. The thick carpet on the floor makes every step as silent as a cat’s, and the smell of sealing wax and parchment permeates the air. But the study is empty. Venceslao must have made a mistake, or Wegener has somehow been forewarned. The characters will notice soft noises coming from behind a panel, where a small private library is tucked away. In the tiny room, an ibis is focused on the documents he’s reading: if the characters succeed in a DC 15 dexterity (stealth) group check the ibis is surprised. Joris de Witt startles violently when he realises he’s not alone anymore, and he’s very suspicious and obviously quite scared of the newcomers. The players may confront him however they prefer, through conversation or violence, by being truthful or by lying shamelessly. JORIS DE WITT Joris de Witt, Wegener’s personal assistant and renowned alchemist, is an ibis with a bald black head, contrasting starkly with his white plumage. He’s dressed in very, very expensive clothing, but isn’t wearing any jewelry. His only accessory is a pair of small spectacles perched on his beak. The cut of his doublet is modern and fashionable, but cleverly tailored to his figure: he’s a man who enjoys the facade of power but will not compromise on his own comfort. Embroidered on his chest is Wegener’s crest, rendered in loving detail. Everything about his person tells the story of an intellectual who’s grown to love the advantages of a position of power and is deeply loyal to the one responsible for his fortune. “Who are you people? How dare you come in here unannounced? Begone at once or...or I’ll call the guards!” nobleman, elder brother to the city’s Duke, and one of the richest (and unfortunately most cunning) men in the land. To incriminate, depose him and make him pay, hard proof is sorely needed, in writing if possible. This type of proof can only be hidden somewhere in his residence, Venceslao speculates. He proceeds to provide detailed information on a safe infiltration route to the Occipital’s palace, a layout of the house and a timetable of his appointments and social calls for the following day: if they need to confront him, the best moment is right before he leaves for his daily display of phony piety at the dockside infirmary. Venceslao also mentions Wegener’s personal assistant, an ibis alchemist from the Confederation, Joris de Witt. If there’s poison involved in the matter, de Witt most certainly had a hand in it. The Inquisitor gives assurance that the treasury of the Church will no doubt be very generous with whoever manages to bring the villainous Occipital to justice and that Femore III may even allow them a boon of their own choosing. THE BELLY OF THE BEAST The Inquisitor, unsurprisingly enough, had done his homework very thoroughly, and the infiltration route to the heart of Wegener’s palace is as safe and empty as he had anticipated. The GM can design their own path through the building, always starting from a window facing a secluded courtyard that requires a successful DC14 Athletics (Strength) check to climb through. The GM may also decide to make their infiltration a bit more dangerous by adding some guards or servants on the way to the Occipital’s study: the priority, in this case, is to resolve the encounters as quickly and as silently as possible. While the palace is enormous, the racket of a battle may be heard by several people, and things would get ugly very quickly. When the group finally goes from the servants’ quarters to the master’s side of the house the difference is stark and astonishing. Wegener lives in luxury and has an unmistakable fascination for the styles and general aesthetic of the Confederation. The marble of the staircases is as white as a dove’s wing, the paintings on the walls are reminiscent of the masters of Città dei Venti, the lines of the architecture feel like they don’t belong in San Mastino, a city of limestone, pointed arches and cross vaults.

41 Unseen Enemy CONVERSATION It’s not easy to converse with de Witt, as he is very tense and is expecting hostility. The GM should treat this section as a free sequence, keeping in mind the following: • De Witt will not, under any circumstance, willingly betray his master. He cannot be blackmailed, bribed or coerced. The only way to obtain the information he would not give to an enemy is to lie very, very expertly. The player in question must roll successfully a DC24 Persuasion check. • If the characters are opposed to Femore III and the current status quo of the Bone Church, Joris will relax and, while still skeptical, will be more open in conversation. He will mention that the times are changing, that Femore III’s policies, especially regarding the Ossarium and relationships with the Confederation, will surely drag the whole continent into war. Nicholaus Wegener and himself are doing something radical to garner the support of San Mastino, undermine Femore and start gathering allies. He doesn’t explicitly speak of a coup against the Keeper of Bones, but it’s hard not to read the situation this way. • He will also not explicitly admit to being the author of the disease, but he will casually call it “the poisoning”. He’ll talk about the way Nicholaus will use the antidote they already have at the ready as soon as the situation reaches breaking point, to underline once and for all the total failure of Femore’s faction and presenting the Occipital as the only viable alternative. “Of course it’s quite sad that some people had to pay the ultimate price, but we’re talking about deposing a tyrant, don’t you see? Femore will see us all mired in a war we don’t need. San Mastino must be the instrument of this change. It’s for the greater good. Master Nicholaus is a better guide for the Church and all the faithful, and I’m glad you are on our side in this.” • Unless they are very creative (and the GM will be the judge of that), players following this line of dialogue cannot obtain the formula for the cure. The antidote will remain in the hands of Joris and Nicholaus, and they will use it as soon as they see fit to further their political goals. PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION It doesn’t take much to convince Joris that the group is not here to talk, that they are dangerous enemies of the Occipital, and that they are dangerously close to discovering the truth behind the disease. He will attack first, hoping for the element of surprise, as soon as they show to oppose Wegener in any way. He’s an expert alchemist, so he’s a quite powerful foe. If the fight lasts for more than 2 rounds, an additional 2 guards will join the fray, and the players will be forced to investigate the study, gather proof and leave as quickly as possible after they finish the fight, otherwise, after 3 more rounds, more guards will arrive and attack them - too many guards to handle. COLD, HARD EVIDENCE After defeating de Witt, the characters will find a small brass key in his satchel. The key opens a small concealed safe full of very, very interesting papers. Some are written in code and are impossible to decipher quickly, but most of them are private correspondence and notes. They tell a chilling story: the disease is indeed artificial, manufactured by de Witt himself on Wegener’s orders. They meant (and in many ways succeeded) to use it as a means of underlining the inadequacies and iniquities of Femore III’s Church, unable to truly help the part of the population that can’t pay alms to be admitted in the Hospitals. They’ve had the antidote ready from the start, and are waiting for the right moment to use it as a killing blow for their opponent. Curing the mysterious illness starting from the derelict dockside slums will paint them as heroes and paragons of piety in the eyes not only of San Mastino but of the common people of the whole country. In one of the leatherbound notebooks is the detailed formula to obtain the cure: the characters can understand what it is at a glance, but to know what it truly entails the GM may ask for a DC 20 Intelligence check. In case of success, the characters laboriously decipher the formula and see it’s a very complicated procedure, involving ingredients that are both quite rare and exceptionally expensive.

42 - THE CURE - The characters have plenty of proof to hand into Venceslao da Mira. The most precious thing of all is the formula for the cure: now they need to decide to whom they wish to deliver it. IN THE HANDS OF VICTOR MEISEL If the characters decide to give it to Victor Meisel, the cure will be ready in a relatively short time. He will use all his influence to put the immense resources of the Bone Church to good use, but the cure will not be free. The Church will control both production and distribution, and while the price of admission to the Church Hospitals is neither exorbitant nor inherently unfair, some people simply won’t be able to afford it. IN THE HANDS OF GERTRUDE If the characters decide to give it to Gertrude, the cure will be available for free: Gertrude will, as always, only ask for a little food in return for her services. However, she doesn’t have the resources the Church has: the antidote will take a long time to produce, and many will die in the meantime. SOLDIER Canide dogo STR 16 (+3) DEX 11 (+0) CON 14 (+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 11 (+0) Armor Class 11 (brigandine) Speed 30ft. Skills Athletics +5, Investigation +2, Intimidate +2 Senses Passive perception 15, Darkvision 30ft. Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Brave. The soldier rolls any saving throw against effect causing the frightening condition with advantage. ACTIONS Multiattack. The soldier makes two melée attacks. Mace. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Bite. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. Heavy crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +2 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. GERTRUDE’S GUARDIAN Eulipa pangolino STR 16 (+3) DEX 11 (+0) CON 14 (+2) INT 8 (-1) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 14 (+2) Armor Class 17 Speed 30ft. Skills Athletics +5, Investigation +2, Intimidate +4, Perception +2 Senses Passive perception 14, Darkvision 60ft. Challenge 1 (100 XP) Tiny giant. Gertrude’s Guardian has medium size. ACTIONS Zweinhander. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage. Claw. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. Heavy crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +2 to hit, long range, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. BONUS ACTIONS Roll-up. While rolled up, Gertrude’s Guardian rolls Constitution saving throws with advantage, attacks rolls against him suffer disadvantage, his speed is 0 and can’t use reactions. As an action he can stand up back, and this is the only action he can make while rolled-up. JORIS DE WITT Grarcone Ibis STR 7 (-2) DEX 16 (+3) CON 14 (+2) INT 16 (+3) WIS 8 (-1) CHA 12 (+1) Armor class 16 (calcinatio) Hit Points 39 (6d8+12) Speed 25ft., flying 30ft. Skills Arcane +5, Investigation +5, Medicine +5, Perception +1 Senses Passive perception 16, darkvision 30ft. Challenge 2 (450 XP) Alchemical practices. Joris can perform two nigredo alchemical practices every short or long rest. The saving throw DC is 13. Vicious disease. When Joris performs any alchemical practice on a diseased target, his attack rolls hit whenever he doesn’t roll a 1 on the attack roll and any saving throw to resist is automatically failed. ACTIONS Tiny pecker. Melee weapon attack: +5 to hit, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Calcinatio. a target within 30ft. increases is AC by 3 (already active on Joris). Putrefatio. Ranged spell attack: +5 to hit, short range, one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) poison damage. Distillatio. One target within 5ft. can expend 1 HD to recover 9 (2d8) hit points. Sublimatio. A 10ft. radius cloud of darkness appears from a point within 30ft. OPPONENTS

43 Unseen Enemy

Skeletons in the Closet Andrea Lucca

46 An adventure for Historia for four to six characters of Tier 1. Written by Andrea Lucca PREFACE In this adventure, a band of mercenaries will be employed by a rich Marshall of the Morderana to watch over him during a party in one of his properties: an opulent villa located on a large island in the middle of Lake Stilla, in the southern area of the Confederation. The owner of the villa, a powerful Pig, is aware that his enemies will be taking advantage of the event to kill him and has decided to pre-empt them: he invited them all to the party, in order to eliminate them in one fell swoop. This adventure is inspired by the great crime classics, but also attempts to subvert the investigation cliché of a perfect crime during a party in an isolated villa: all the invitees will be trying to eliminate their opponent unless the PCs prevent them from doing so, or they become the ones to carry out the murder themselves. FEATURES Unlike other adventures, SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET does not follow a traditional structure of preset scenes that the PCs will have to experience in order; instead, it starts with an opening scene and leaves the players to their own devices and exploration of the events in the story, which will radically change depending on their actions and choices, and which ends with an epilogue tailored to the events which took place during the game. For this reason, we have included descriptions of the main factions and their objectives, the locations where scenes might take place, and the events leading up to the crucial moment. Everything else will be down to the players, who will have free rein during the party. To help the GM, however, we have included a number of examples and suggestions in the final section of the adventure, but we want to clarify that these are only guidelines to be adapted and tailored to the game actually being played at the table; they do not preclude any alternative suggestions or narrative choices coming from the party, who may very well ‘invent’ a new activity or event to take place in the villa. Nevertheless, the GM should make an effort to include the NPCs that can best take advantage of the new developments. In case a group of players prefers the more linear, traditional structure of adventure modules, this adventure can still be set up in advance, laying out how the events will take place, when and which NPCs and factions will act and during which scenes, in order for the story to follow a linear development. ADVENTURE BACKGROUND Giam Pietro Gritti is an enormous Pig and landowner of the Confederation, who has never set any limits to his life, which he has devoted entirely to obtaining as much power as possible within the complex networks of Confederation economy. In particular, his activities in wood production in recent years have earned him the important title of Marshall of the Morderana, which has opened roads to even more political possibilities. This social climb, of course, did not come without a body count; Gritti has made use of any and every possible dirty trick to remove his opponents and anyone getting in his way, while also avoiding missing any opportunity to savor his several questionable interests in spite of others. Now approaching middle age, Gritti has collected both achievements and a long list of enemies, and is starting to worry that, as he ages, those who hate him will take advantage of his slower reflexes to take him out. The Pig, then, has decided to set a trap for all of his main enemies, inviting them to the big celebration for his fiftieth birthday, planned to last six days. These enemies will be planning to seize the right moment to eliminate him, but Gritti will also have already employed a band of famous bravi to protect him and uncover all plots against him, in one way or another. Skeltons in the Closet Andrea Lucca

47 Skeltons in the Closet NPCS This section introduces the most notable NPCs that will appear during the adventure. We are including a description, stat blocks, and in-game objectives for each of the major players. As always, the GM is free to add or modify the details we suggest, or even include further NPCs or factions to the ones presented below, especially if the adventure is part of a longer campaign. Each NPC will try enacting their revenge, and according to the situation, they might even reveal their motives to the PCs, trying to bring them on their side. None of them, however, will be able to pay quite as much as Gritti; additionally, participating in the murder of a Marshall of the Morderana would plunge the PCs into very troubled waters. Note: except for the guards and PCs, none of the NPCs will actually possess any of the weapons listed in their stat blocks; they will, however, be able to obtain such equipment during the game itself. GIAM PIETRO GRITTI An enormous, fat Pig who has achieved everything he ever wanted in life. Opulent and excessive in every aspect, he is willing to do anything to increase his power and his wealth. OBJECTIVES Giam Pietro wants to eliminate all of his main enemies and is intending to do so in one fell swoop. The PCs are his means of doing so, and once they have fulfilled their task he will take care of them too, closing this chapter for good. ROLEPLAYING GIAM PIETRO GRITTI Giam Pietro knows his power and is not afraid of using it. He can be charming and sweet towards those who enable and serve him in the ways he deems fit, or immediately shift to angry yelling and violence at any minor perceived slight. This duplicity of his, coupled with his business savviness and ruthless ways, is what has made him the powerful individual he is in the Confederation.

48 MASTER GUGLIELMO Master Guglielmo is a noble and elegant-looking Barn Owl, afflicted with visible signs of sadness and melancholy. He is incredibly cultured and ingenious, and has served for many years under Gritti as book-keeper. Unfortunately, before Gritti assumed the title of Marshall, some tax payments were intentionally redirected and Master Guglielmo was designated as sacrificial victim by the Confederation judges, clearly all in Gritti’s pocket; the Pig, once again, got away with it scot-free. The poor Barn Owl was sentenced to hard labor, and his family fell into disgrace: his children died of starvation and his beloved wife eventually killed herself. After ten years of imprisonment, Guglielmo is now free and seeking vengeance on Gritti. OBJECTIVES The Barn Owl will use his Avian skills and his dark vision to take care of Gritti. He will act in the late hours, when the Pig is sleeping or if he finds himself alone and in a position which allows for a fly-by. The Barn Owl does not intend to be discovered and will make discretion his main tool. ROLEPLAYING MASTER GUGLIELMO The Barn Owl is a well mannered, read, and educated Avian. Despite his constant melancholy, he will always be affable with the PCs, and even in the case of a direct encounter, he will prefer diplomacy to fighting. He is also, however, one of Gritti’s slyest adversaries, and will easily lie and deflect any suspicions about him, showing the threats inherent to other NPCs and fashioning himself into an potentially unreliable advisor for the PCs, whom he will try to contact as soon as possible. THE FOSCHI GANG This group of side-eyeing Badgers (their number is equal to that of the PCs) is made up of the worst type of cutthroats and bravi. Skilled with weapons, the Foschi are a serious threat to anyone getting in their way. The Foschi had thought they had found a good employer in Giam Pietro, but when they finished their ‘forceful reclaiming’ of some river woodworks belonging to Gritti’s rivals, they noticed that no more jobs were coming in, and no one seemed to be asking for their services. They are not particularly intelligent or insightful, but they were still able to figure out who might be behind the attack they were subjected to the previous night; the group who carried it out knew exactly where to find them, and they barely made it out alive. OBJECTIVES The Foschi want to kill the Pig and have no real issue against doing so in public, so they will seek out the perfect moment to get close to him to do so. The only condition is that each of the gang members has to get one blow in, so they must strike in a wide space, where their attack can be sudden and all of them be able to surround the Pig. ROLEPLAYING THE FOSCHI GANG The Foschi are the perfect embodiment of the stereotypical gang of bravi, arrogant and crass, who see violence as the only way to reach their objectives. They will stand out very jarringly at the party, and some may even question their presence at such a fancy event. The Foschi never use their real names, and refer to themselves with more or less vulgar nicknames. Some examples are: Slap, Burp, Mud, Filth, Rip, Spit, Belch.

49 Skeltons in the Closet

50 ROLEPLAYING MIRABELLA Mirabella is a Doe who has had to leave behind the joys of youth because of the new neighbor who made life in the village so much harder. Her simplicity and beauty can hardly go unnoticed, and despite her humble origins, Mirabella can easily pass as aristocracy. Her sweet and well-mannered behavior, however, hides a harsh coldness and the firm conviction of acting alone now that her only goal is revenge. MONTOYA Not much is known about this bizarre Cat, renowned mostly for his rapier skills, his passion for good wine, and his innate ability to get himself into trouble. The rumors around him are that his father was a great smith who was murdered by an unhappy customer; since then, Montoya has been seeking vengeance against the assassin, and no one will be overly surprised when the identity of the killer is revealed: a Pig with a white mark on his left year… curiously similar to Gritti’s. OBJECTVES Montoya wants to kill Gritti in an honest manner, challenging him to a duel in front of everyone, first taking care of any henchmen or champions, and finally skewering the Pig with his rapier. ROLEPLAYING MONTOYA Montoya is a peculiar cat with an unusual honor code which often leads him into strange ramblings, especially when he’s drunk – which is most of the time. Nevertheless, Montoya should not be underestimated: his swordsmanship is truly one of a kind and he is a dangerous opponent, especially if sober. MIRABELLA When Gritti acquired the historic lake villa and started renovating it, everyone in Mirabella’s village was excited at the prospect of a wealthy landowner moving into the place and the opportunities he would create. Things did not go as expected, however. Gritti revealed himself to be a much more difficult neighbor than imagined; he not only exploited the village’s resources, but also regularly abused the population in a number of ways. When the time came for Miranda, Mirabella’s best friend, to start working for him as a maid, the young Doe tried to stop her in any way possible, but the money was just too good. Mirabella, then, decided to accompany her in the hopes that, if they could always work side by side, they would at least be able to support each other. Both were hired, with accompanying leers from their new employer (one a pretty and eager Otter, the other a beautiful, dignified Doe), and were able to do some honest work without any hurdles for some time, until Miranda’s incorrigible curiosity led her to ruin: as she was tidying the Pig’s rooms, she dared to look into his open wardrobe, discovering the manuscript of his own autobiography, with all the details of every tryst, plot, blackmail, murder, and other crude and treacherous acts. Gritti found her red handed and strangled her on the spot in anger. Certain of having eliminated the sole witness, the Pig got rid of the body without realizing he had done so while being watched by a horrified Mirabella, who had been hidden by the grate of the enormous fireplace she had been cleaning. The following day, when Miranda was found dead in the lake with strange markings all over her body, everyone turned to look at the villa with loathing – but only for an instant, and there were no consequences. The official explanation was that the young Otter had eloped with her lover, who had turned out to be a violent drunk; an explanation that tarnished her memory too. Mirabella, since then, has only been able to think of revenge. OBJECTIVES Mirabella wants to kill the Pig in the most violent way possible. Her main plan is to lead him, possibly drunk, to the same bedroom where the murder took place and strangle him, just as he did with Miranda. If other possibilities to enact her violent revenge are available, she will not let them go to waste, but unlike other NPCs, she would rather do so without being seen.