201 CH 4 THE BLOOD QUEEN AWAKENS • “What has a head and a tail, but no body?” Answer: a coin. • “What portal can transport you to any realm you desire, and all without the use of magic?” Answer: a book. • “More precious than gold, I’m destroyed as soon as I’m shared.” Answer: a secret. • The riddles hint at some of what they will find within the castle (the hidden treasury, Czerina’s memoirs, the statues inside). TCB - The Main Hall Past the threshold of the demon’s mouth lies a grand hallway, a brilliant red rug embroidered with gold running across polished marble flagstones. Two gilded statues sit immediately beside the entryway, carved in the appearance of robed wizards, their hands forming the components for a spell. Four elaborate stone doorways sit to either side of the hallway, more gilded statues lying between them. The hallway continues on, curving to the right around the foundation of a tower. A fifth door leads into the tower, while a sixth door leads out of this wing of the castle. The robed wizard statues are, in fact, magical traps that are currently deactivated. Detect Magic will reveal strong evocation auras around both, as well the magical triggers hidden beneath the rug. The other five statues in the hallway are also enchanted, powerful necromancy hanging over them. If the adventurers interact with the statues, they will soon discover that they are haunted, each statue harboring the echoes of a spirit long since departed. The statues aren’t entirely sentient and are more like imprints of a psyche than an actual being. Because of this, the statues are mostly frustrating to interact with. They are each different, though which statue is which doesn’t matter. The most important thing is just to have fun with them. For ease of use, the different statues will be listed in clockwise order. The Macabre Jester The soul inhabiting this statue has forgotten his own name, though has retained his dark and wicked sense of humor. He will respond to any question with the most disturbing joke he can think of. For instance, if asked how to get out of here, he will reply “Why, with a quick drop and a short stop! The battlements are just over there!” Or, if asked about the Blood Queen, he would reply “She’s the kind of woman you’d as soon die for once looking at her! I know, since that’s what I did!” The Melancholy Warrior The soul inhabiting this statue was once a great warrior named Cedric the Bear, but now Cedric’s spirit languishes in its prison of stone and he replies to every question with the most nihilistic answer possible. For instance, if asked about Beleroth or another character, he will reply, “What does it matter? They’ll be dead soon, anyways.” Or if asked about the castle, he will reply, “One tomb is as good as another. You might as well lie down and get on with it.” The Dwarf Queen The founder of Barrukhirrim, the dwarf queen was once named Thaumgrit (thom - greet) Steelspine. The daughter of the dwarf king once allied with Nostrovishte, Thaumgrit knows much, though she’s not the most reliable of narrators, and will go on long rants. For instance, if asked about Czerina she’ll reply: “I’ve heard it said that dwarves always hold grudges, but we’ve got nothing on that goddamn vampire! Just because she was denied aid once before, now that gives her the right to claim vengeance? So what if her friends died in the war? They weren’t any kin of ours, why should we care? She’s the one who broke the bargain by turning on us, and she did so centuries later! Learn to forgive and forget, but nooooo, what bloodsucking leech would want to do that?”
202 CH 4 THE BLOOD QUEEN AWAKENS If asked about the Silver Graves, she’ll get lost telling long rambling tales about how marvelous it was, and seems to be purposely avoiding the topic of what happened to it without snapping back into a rant about Czerina. The Sexist Knight Sir Dragoslav Benedesc was the first person that Czerina killed (although he doesn’t know that). Dragoslav is a sexist pig, and also firmly believes in the absolute worst gossip about Czerina. He will rant on about how horrible she is, how she murdered her friends as a child, how she consorted with demons, blah blah blah. He will also tell the adventurers about his own death, describing how he was beset upon the road by a rider all in black, and how cowardly Czerina was hiding her face as she fought him. She didn’t even let him pick up his sword again after he’d dropped it! What a mockery of chivalry! The Third Person Narrator Rozalia was once a bard, and her ghostly echo now speaks entirely in the third person. For instance: “Rozalia saw the adventurer approach and wondered to herself when they would meet their inevitably grisly fate. Before she could ponder it further, the adventurer asked a question to which Rozalia replied…” etc. Rozalia is actually the most useful of the statues precisely because of her tendency to recite all of her observations. She can reveal that there is a secret in the dining room and that whenever she hears a specific song played in descending fifths, something heavy slides out of the way. She can hum the song to the characters. She also knows that Czerina once took a book to the library and left it there. She’s never carried a book to or from the library before or since. Otherwise, the hallway occasionally has servants in it. The servants appear to be men and women stitched together from the parts of various people, and all of them have their mouths stitched closed. Their eyes are blank and lifeless, though they can perfectly execute orders and requests. That is, all but for one: they are unable to leave this part of the castle. There are four servants, two men and two women, all of them re-animated creations from the corpses of others. Lastly, there are magical dumbwaiters in the dining room that transports everything the servants need to and fro. Cleaning supplies, food, garments, all are transported through the dumbwaiters. By the same token, trash is also disposed of through the same method. Essentially, they’re small transportation platforms, but they are pre-programmed and will only affect objects. They will not affect sentient creatures. Lastly, the sixth and final door to the south is magically sealed and is impossible to open. TCC - Bedrooms The door opens into a windowless bedchamber with lavish appointments. A hearth blazes merrily, the firelight glinting off of the cloth of gold worked into the bedspread and reflecting off of the polished wood of the grand wardrobe. A magical lantern can be activated for more illumination, and a single door leads into a bathroom. A huge copper tub dominates the bathing chamber, magical spouts providing hot and cold water, while a smaller copper pot serves as a toilet with magical plumbing. The bedrooms are empty aside from the furnishings. They are both haunted, however. If a character begins to draw a bath, describe the following: Just as the bath becomes full, a sudden rush of steam issues from the faucet, temporarily blinding you. As you wave it away, you find yourself staring at the form of someone in the bath. It’s a young man with flowing amber locks, his features more perfect than any you’ve seen before, except for the deathly pallor of his flesh. His eyes are half lidded and cloudy, his arms perched on the rim of the tub, leaking rivers of blood into the water below. The corpse seems to be entirely real until the character turns away, and then it is
203 CH 4 THE BLOOD QUEEN AWAKENS suddenly gone, a nice bath waiting for whoever wishes to use it. Furthermore, if the adventurers sleep inside the bedrooms have them roll for perception. The lowest roll will receive the following: You’re awoken from slumber by the feel of your blankets shifting as something begins to slide beneath the covers. You feel a freezing, wet hand upon your skin, but as you jerk away from the touch the covers fall flat once again. TCD - The Library The door opens into a lavish library, the walls lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves. Fine couches and chairs sit bathed in the warmth of blazing hearth, and a large desk sits ready to hold tomes, parchment, and ink. Hanging above the hearth is an ancient painting of a royal couple. The man is a massive, bearlike specimen with a cruel look lurking in his eyes, while the woman is a vision of feminine beauty with raven black hair. Both wear elaborate royal costumes and crowns. A carving upon the frame of the painting declares them Gavran and Evengja of Nostrovishte. A single book bound in black leather rests upon the mantleplace beneath the painting. The library is filled with books on almost every subject in Common, Elvish, Dwarvish, Orcish, Sylvan, and Draconic, as well as a few poetry books written in Goblin. The most important book in the library, however, is the one sitting on the mantelpiece: The Mirror of Czerina Gavranova. The Mirror is Czerina’s autobiography, written in her own blood and enchanted with her own memories. By reading the book, the adventurers are able to enter her memories while they dream and interact with the various scenes that play out before them. This allows them to play detective, as well as get a front row seat to formative moments in her life. Of course, whether or not these memories have been altered can only be answered by you, the Dungeon Master. See App. 1 for more information. TCE - The Dining Room The door opens into a luxuriant dining room with a grand banquet table dominating the room. Two magical dumbwaiters and serving stations sit beside a roaring hearth along the western wall while an imposing pipe organ reigns along the eastern wall. Three paintings hang upon the north and south walls, their enchanted tableaus depicting your own exploits in living swirls of color. The dumbwaiters, as mentioned before, only transports objects and will not transport sentient creatures. The stitched together servants are able to operate them wordlessly, producing vast feasts, expensive garments, or simple cleaning supplies upon command. Should the adventurers choose to dine in the dining room (such as having dinner with Beleroth, for instance), the servants will expertly serve a 6 course feast. The pipe organ is a massive beast made of wood and brass, and is fully functional. It’s song is deafening in the confined space of the dining room, suggesting it might have been moved there from another room at some point. What’s more, it also functions as a secret door. If the adventurers have talked to the Rozalia The Third Person Narrating Statue (and one of them is skilled in Performance) then they can open the secret door to TCF - The Secret Treasury. If the adventurers agree to have dinner with Beleroth, he will tell them that they are to have an audience with the Queen of Blood, and that a small sacrifice is required: a few pints of blood. He will ask the adventurers to each contribute to this sacrifice, and he will attempt to negotiate by assuring them of the Queen’s gratitude, but he will not force the issue. TCF - Secret Treasury Gold and jewels glitter in the light, almost blinding in their brilliance. Six chests sit
204 CH 4 THE BLOOD QUEEN AWAKENS against the walls, their lids open and their contents practically spilling upon the ground. A seventh pile of treasure rests in the middle of the floor, simply too large to be contained by any of the other chests. There are 10,000 copper pieces, 10,000 silver pieces, and 10,000 gold pieces, along with 20,000 gold worth of jewels. The rest is a swarm of mimics. A mimic swarm. Not a swarm of mimic larvae, a swarm of mimics. Once the treasure has been disturbed they swarm forward in a semi-transparent tide of flesh and seething organs encrusted in gold and jewels. TCG - Tower Entrance The stone door leading into the tower is carved in the image of a woman being dragged down into the earth by thorned and grasping vines. As the door swings open it reveals an ornate tower that has been overtaken by a pulsating organic growth. Clinging to the walls of the tower are what appear to be a mass of immense veins, many as thick as the trunks of trees, and they lead in a palpitating mass up into the tower. A stone staircase rises upwards, the shadows of the tower themselves beckoning you onward. Upon closer inspection, a DC 14 Medicine or Nature check will reveal that the enormous veins appear to be part plant, but not entirely. It is some horrible combination of flesh and pulp, blood and sap. They’ve clearly grown down from whatever is at the top of the tower. TCH - The Tower Climbing to the summit of the tower, hundreds of feet above the roof of the castle itself, you enter a circular chamber exposed to the sky. The floor is covered in a thick layer of dirt, and the gigantic veins cling to the walls of the chamber. Thorned vines sprout from the skulls embedded in the growth around the tower, the crimson petals of the Gulthias Flowers blooming from the vines. All of this leads back to a gargantuan growth that throbs like a heart, and sprouting from this mass is a stone funerary slab encrusted in shining, blood red gems. Upon the slab is the woman you’ve come to recognize as the Blood Queen herself, her eyes closed, her body still. Beleroth will be waiting for the adventurers at the top of the tower with a dagger in one hand and a chalice in the other. If they Swarm of Mimics Large monstrosity swarm (shapechanger), neutral —Armor Class 12 (natural armor) Hit Points 160 (21d8 + 76) Speed — 15 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 5 (-3) 13 (+1) 8 (-1) Skills Stealth +5 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing Damage Immunities acid Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages — Challenge — 8 (3,900 XP) Shapechanger. The mimic can use its action to polymorph into an object or back into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Grappler. The mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it. Adhesive (Object Form Only). The mimic adheres to anything that touches it. A Huge or smaller creature adhered to the mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 13). Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage. False Appearance (Object Form Only). While the mimic remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary object. Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and it can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points Actions Multiattack. The Swarm of mimics can use one bite attack and one constrict attack per turn. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 8 (2d8 acid damage). Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained. The swarm of mimics can constrict up to 4 creatures.
205 CH 4 THE BLOOD QUEEN AWAKENS agree to sacrifice blood, he will pass the knife and the chalice over to them. If not, then he will speak a command word and the thorny vines will lash out at the adventurers, requiring a DC 18 Strength Save to break free. The vines do 1d6 piercing damage each round they hold on, and will let go after 2 rounds. However, even if all of the adventurers break free, it will be enough. Czerina will awaken. Read the following: The enormous, vascular growth begins to beat like a great heart as the vines absorb your blood, and as you watch a small lake of blood flows out over the stone slab before absorbing into Blood Queen’s body. The wind howls and lighting cracks above, the gale rising until a whirlwind raises the Blood Queen to her feet. Her eyes open, and she smiles, fangs glinting in the glow of the crystals. She has awoken. Czerina will thank the adventurers for having awoken her once again and will reference the times that they have met (the sea, the mirror, the statue, etc). She will congratulate them for their accomplishments and will offer them each one boon of their choosing in thanks for what they have accomplished for her kingdom. Much like Robin Williams, she won’t raise anyone from the dead or grant true love, but she has no reservations about killing people, and will do her best to fulfill whatever request they have of her. If they ask for magic items, she’ll indicate the relics of legend are more powerful than what she could grant, but would offer other magic items. As the DM, you will know your party best and can
206 CH 4 THE BLOOD QUEEN AWAKENS choose items that you think would complement your characters well. If they ask for other things, don’t be afraid to be creative. Finally, Czerina will announce that she has a task for the adventurers. She senses that blood will soon drench the streets of Raffenburg and asks the adventurers to secure the city in her name. If they succeed, she will grant the city to them and allow them to rule it as they see fit. If they decline, she will brush it off and imply that her efforts to retake the city would be far less subtle. Now, if the adventurers are hostile to Czerina, simply remember that nothing they can do will harm her. That is, their attacks and spells temporarily harm her. She would simply regenerate whatever damage they do and laugh all the while. By the time they tire themselves out she would attempt to speak with them again. Once the characters have requested their boon and agreed (or not) to take the city for her, Czerina will teleport the characters out of the Cairn and that would conclude Part 1 of the module.
207 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG W hen the adventurers have finished their first formal audience after having awoken the Blood Queen, they are teleported out of The Cairn and deposited near the city of Raffenburg. This happens regardless of whether the adventurers agree to take the city in her name, though the prophecy of coming bloodshed and turmoil should prompt the adventurers to investigate what’s happening in the city, even if they have no intention of working for the Blood Queen. Otherwise, the draw of a large metropolis and all the comforts and resources it offers should help entice the adventurers to explore the city regardless. Their other options are likely less appealing. Lastly, please note that if the adventurers did agree to work for the Blood Queen, and at least one adventurer asked for a symbol of authority to prove their allegiance (this would cost the adventurer the Blood Queen’s offered boon), that will impact how the people of Raffenburg react to their presence. Generally, those in positions of authority would react with difference and fear, and word would quickly spread through the city that the agents of the Tax Collector had come early. This would lead to increased unrest in the city, as well as distrust from the Revolutionary faction, and could very well make their time in Raffenburg much more difficult overall. This isn’t a punishment, but simply how the setting would react to the appearance of an alliance with the Blood Queen, true or not. Encounters with the Awoken Blood Queen Now that Czerina has risen from her slumber, she will delight in the opportunity to observe and interact with those who offer her hope of one day escaping her dark fate. This means that in addition to the encounters that happened while she was still slumbering, the adventurers will be treated to new encounters, as well. Of course, when the slumbering encounters Chapter 5 Raffenburg
208 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG first happened, they were driven by Czerina’s subconscious and were thus much less intentional than these encounters will be now that she’s awoken. For instance, the Dream Visitations will become much more manipulative and subtle. In many instances, the adventurers might not even realize that Czerina is now present in their dreams, as she would disguise her influence by mimicking echoes of the adventurers’ histories and desires without actually appearing during the dream. Likewise, the Murder Presents will become much more specific and targeted. These presents might include bloody jewelry torn from an aggravating noble’s body, or the decapitated head of some bravo that offered the adventurers insult. There would be no note or explanation left, of course, just these dreadful presents left at their bedside or upon their breakfast table. However, in addition to those encounters, here are two more: Stalked by the Blood Queen This encounter is one of my favorites because of how often it can be used. This encounter can happen anywhere, at any time, and the more often it happens, the less intrusive it will become. That doesn’t mean it will lessen the sense of paranoia, however. You see, now that Czerina has awoken, she is not content to only observe the adventurers from afar, and so she will stalk them in person. However, she will use powerful illusion magic to disguise her presence, as well as just mess with the adventurers in general. For instance, while the adventurers are shopping in the Markets, Czerina would allow one of the adventurers to catch a glimpse of her. She might smile and wave, or smirk, or perhaps even laugh at their reaction before disappearing again (invisibility, polymorph, dimension door, etc). Or, perhaps while the adventurers are eating at the Drowning Sun or Skalek’s Icy Delights, Czerina might use illusion magic to make an NPC appear to be her. So, suddenly, they catch the Blood Queen dining nearby and seemingly paying them no attention, only for the illusion to fade as soon as they approach. In other words, anyone near the adventurers could be the Blood Queen. Anyone. And the more often she briefly appears, the more apparent it will become that she’s always present, always watching, and always just out of their grasp. This should increase tension and paranoia, though the adventurers will become used to it in time, so if you ever get the suspicion that it’s been used too much, you can simply stop using this type of encounter for a few sessions before introducing it again. Be creative, and have fun! Visited by the Blood Queen All of the previous encounters, while excellent at establishing the Blood Queen’s presence and contributing to the horror of the game, are also not the most interactive. Dream Visitations can be the exception, though when combined with the dream encounters from the Mirror of Czerina (the interactive diary), they’ll likely become less common. So, the goal of this encounter is to provide the adventurers a chance to interact with Czerina herself. This can be done one on one, or as a group, whatever is most fitting. These encounters can also be prompted by the adventurers themselves, as Czerina would agree to meet with them if they expressed the desire. And, considering the fact that she’s spying on them, it wouldn’t be hard for them to get her attention. Likewise, should Czerina see an opening to manipulate an adventurer, she would take it. So, while this encounter could happen in many different ways, here are a few suggested styles of encounters to help illustrate how they might go, but don’t feel constrained: Style 1: Tete-a-tete with the Blood Queen This style of encounter is a 1 on 1 interaction between Czerina and an adventurer. This happens in person, in the real world, though it will happen in private. Just the two of them. Often this style of encounter will trigger after an adventurer has had some sort of breakdown or breakthrough. So, for instance, if an adventurer reacts to the horror of what they’ve witnessed in Raffenburg, or if they’ve begun to react more
209 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG or less violently than before, Czerina would take notice. Perhaps a better way to explain it would be to say that, should an adventurer’s behavior or mindset change, Czerina would take notice and try to talk about it with them. In other words, she would see this as an opening and attempt to manipulate them into becoming more like her, or at the very least, manipulate them into seeing an alliance with her as being in their best interests. She could do this by praising heroic actions and expressing a desire to re-learn from their example, by praising more evil actions for their brilliance and decisiveness, or by challenging an adventurer’s hypocrisy. It’s very dependent upon the situation in question, but have faith in your own insight and instincts. Also, remember, your goal as DM isn’t to actually convince the adventurer/player in question to listen to Czerina. Your goal is to simply provide them with an intellectual and social challenge. So, if the adventurer/player sees through the Blood Queen’s manipulations, or otherwise rejects them, that doesn’t mean you did a bad job. What that means is that your villain provided another excellent challenge for your player and that was a challenge they were able to overcome. At the end of the day, that’s really what the game is all about, so great work! Style 2: A Conference with the Blood Queen This style of a visit with the Blood Queen is usually triggered by the adventurers requesting a meeting with her, though it could happen on Czerina’s (your) own initiative. This conference happens between Czerina and all of the adventurers together as a group. This is a chance for Czerina to answer the adventurers questions, as well as offer them more praise for their actions. Be sure to mention the adventurer’s recent exploits, and don’t be afraid to have Czerina ask the adventurers for their opinions about what they’ve encountered and done. For instance, what are their opinions on the factions in Raffenburg, or what are their opinions on the city itself. Remember, if the adventurers blame Czerina for the horrible state of things they will be correct, though Czerina will deflect by claiming that it was the result of her long slumber, and that she needs the adventurers help in order to set things right again. As for the questions that the adventurers might ask, Czerina will happily lie or deflect, though she might simply give them the truth, too. For instance, if asked about the Reinwalds, she might just share the information that the Reinwalds are tied to the Fey and that they’ve lived in Wreythau longer than any other group, though she wouldn’t share their weaknesses, for example. As frustrating as it might be, all I can say is to use your best judgement. At the end of the night, Czerina is an antagonist, and so won’t give the adventurers that much help. The City of Raffenburg Perched atop the massive hill that stands guard above Raffen’s Bay is the largest metropolis in all of Wreythau: the city of Raffenburg. The summit of that mountainous hill once held a small stronghold known as Castle Raffen, and it was because of the valiant defense of the soldiers stationed there that Alexandros I and his invasion fleet were forced to sail down the coast and seek harbor among the dangerous, rocky shores of southern Wreythau. This delayed the invasion long enough for Czerina to marshall her forces and mount a defence, even if it ultimately proved futile against such a massive invasion. Alexandros’ army was eventually able to push inland and Castle Raffen was raised to the ground, and with it, the last true hope of resistance. Thus Czerina began the fateful ritual that would seal the fate of every poor soul upon the island, including her own. Almost a millenia later and a malignant city has grown atop the bones of the old castle, spreading over the hill like a virulent fungus, its tendrils forming tangled networks of cobbled streets and looming stone buildings, all clustered behind massive walls. The city has grown so large that it now dominates the landscape, the thousands upon thousands of lights shining out from the windows of the city like the echo of dying stars.
210 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG The city has grown so congested and overfull that it must expand, but it can no longer do so without spilling out into the surrounding farmland and wildlands necessary to support the hungry masses teeming inside. What was once a bastion of safety and civilization in a hostile land has now become a brutal hellscape of urban suffering and exploitation. All of the marvels that the city has to offer, all of its splendor and culture, from the beautiful gothic architecture, to the debauched revels of its people, to the indulgent luxuries sold within its stores, all of it is born from misery and harvested from broken corpses. The rulers of the Nine Hells themselves could not have done better, even if they were to try. This is the cityscape that the adventurers will be walking into. This is no safe haven. This is no refuge from the horrors of Wreythau. In many ways, Raffenburg is worse, for all of this needless pain and suffering is wrought by human hearts and human minds (as well as those of dwarves, and halflings, and such). Raffenburg is a place of great cruelty, and yet it is not the work of some mad sadist, such as might be found in Inbarev. Rather, Raffenburg is the work of the uncaring, the unthinking, the uncompromising, and all of the cruelty that that creates. It is this cruelty which will birth a violent uprising the likes of which Wreythau has never seen. Rising tensions will mount and soon the rage of revolutionary fervor will grip the streets. If the adventurers are wise and brave, they might help guide the people towards a better future. Should they be as callous and negligent as all those parasites ruling the city, however, they might find themselves consumed
211 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG along with all the rest as revolution gives way to terror and bloodshed. Raffenburg at a Glance Raffenburg has grown to entirely cover the hill it was built atop. A vast moat has been dug around the base of the hill, an outer curtain wall of wooden palisades has been built above the moat, and a killing field lies in between the wooden, outer curtain wall and the towering stone battlements that serves as inner curtain wall and the boundary of the city itself. Trapped within these walls lie hundreds of thousands of humans, dwarves, orks, half elves, halflings, gnomes, and other humanoid creatures. No census has ever been properly conducted, the only estimates on population having come from the ruthless tax enforcement of the city, which suggest around 400,000 souls live within the city, though the true population could be much higher, perhaps rising towards even 600,000 souls. The majority of the populace lives crowded within the slums that have grown inside Market District, though the Guild District, which houses its massive labor force as well as its sprawling industry, is certainly a close second. The City Guard is notoriously ruthless in these parts of the city, maintaining order largely through brutality rather than any true sense of law and order. Notions of justice truly only apply to those who can afford barristers, not to mention their own private guard forces (licensed through the Consortium’s Mercenary Guild). The Blue Blood District is the least densely populated area of the city, not counting the lavish territory of Council Hill, and is home to all of the land owners within the city. The Count and Countess of the House of Reinwald own about 60% of the city, whereas various houses of minor nobility own the rest. Due to the strict laws of the Blood Queen, only nobility are allowed to own land and extract rent, making the residents of the Blue Blood District the second most hated in all of the city, though their private guard forces keep them well insulated. The most hated residents of Raffenburg are those that live in the District of Council Hill. Council Hill is built atop the summit of the hill and is surrounded by a large curtain wall with five gates, each leading to one of the other districts in the city, though the gates often remain closed, isolating Council Hill from the suffering of those in the other districts. To make matters worse, this is where the members of the City Council live, along with their households, as well as the commanders of the city guard, along with their staff and garrisons, ensuring that the most powerful people in the city live a life of palatial luxury separated from their fellow citizens. What’s more, only the members of the guard who have distinguished records of service are allowed to join the Guard Commanders’ garrisons in Council Hill, encouraging the members of the Guard to view the rest of the populace as all that stands between them and a life of luxury. Lastly, the headquarters of the Wreythian Merchant Consortium can also be found here, though the Consortium has many, many holdings scattered throughout the other districts, managing their interests and maintaining their stranglehold on the flow of goods and services within Raffenburg. Next is the University District, a diverse area of the city that is made up of students, faculty, graduates, and the services that support them. This is where all of the professions of advanced learning can be found, from barristers, to architects, to alchemists and engineers. Even the less fortunate tend to respect those who live in the University District for they provide services that no one else can, from incredible prosthetics for those maimed by harsh life in the city, to alchemical treatments, to magical goods and services. In fact, only members of the University are allowed to practice the magical arts within Raffenburg, making the University district absolutely steeped in magic and wonder for most of the population. As for the Art District, this is where the well-to-do citizens of Raffenberg gather for entertainment and culture. From the grand parks to the museums, galleries, and theaters, the Art District is an area of refinement and class. Only the finest artists, performers, and entertainers can be found within the Art District, and promising talent is often plucked from the other districts to live a pampered life within its bounds. That
212 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG is, at least, compared to the Market or Guild districts, which have their own entertainments, though there is little joy to be found there. At least in the Art District the threat of violence and starvation is nothing but a distant memory, and the surroundings are as beautiful as they are hygienic, a far cry from the filth strewn streets of the poorer districts. Finally, there is the Cathedral District, the only area of Raffenburg under the control of the Church of the Morning Lord and its inquisitors. That’s not to say that the Church doesn’t struggle to grasp hold of more power, or that its Inquisitors don’t hunt for prominent heretics to disappear, but it is only within the Cathedral District that their word is law. Even the City Guard give this district a wide berth, provided they haven’t been provoked in some fashion. As such, the Cathedral District is a little theocracy, having attracted the most fervent of the faithful, as well as the most desperate. The Church offers many charitable services to the less fortunate, though only if they are willing to convert and live their lives following the strict and uncompromising teachings of the Morning Lord. Living in the City Life in Raffenburg, for many, is one of crushing poverty and desperate violence. For centuries the Market District has been a crowded and sprawling slum ruthlessly policed by predatory City Guard. However, because of incredibly outdated laws, the majority of goods can only be purchased within the Market District, making it the busiest district, as well as the most crowded. Small time gangs thrive, though the Guard are always ready and waiting to pounce should any get too brazen. Moreover, most of the residents of the Market District are so desperate for any chance to improve their lives that violence, theft, scams, and coercion are simply facts of life. Morality matters little when you’re starving, after all. For those in the Guild District, life is marginally better, though is filled with endless toil in dangerous conditions. Were it not for the Market District serving as a constant reminder of where they could be without the benefit of guild employment, a rebellion would probably have sparked long ago. This is where all of the food processing, manufacturing, and guild services are performed, transforming the district into a complex hive of workers that ensure that the city continues to function, and as the sun only shines in Wreythau one day each year, the work never stops. Day shift is replaced by night shift, the foundries perpetually lit, the courier offices always staffed, the textile plants constantly churning out new garments and dyes, etc. In their time off, the workers frequently flood the cheap ale houses, brothels, or theaters that straddle the Guild District and the Market district, though some fortunate few head to the Art District to indulge in a lifestyle that is only temporarily their own. Traveling into the University District, a visitor will find themselves immersed in a world of magic and engineering, with many, many alehouses acting as public forums for students, faculty, and professionals. Life is filled with study, debate, and imbibing, with occasional trips to the Art District to provide some creative stimulation. For those lucky enough to live in the District, life is about as fulfilling as it can be in Raffenburg, though it’s not without its perils. Politics in the University is particularly cutthroat and often ends in murder or sabotage. Beyond that, they still have to live in Raffenburg, which means surviving trips to the Market, surviving brushes with the Guard, and surviving all of the monstrous flora and fauna that’s adapted to exist within the city. The Art District is similar, though the lives of the residents is more closely tied to the services that they provide, whether it be an experience at the theater and the cultivation of their adoring public, to creating exacting commissions for demanding clients, to ensuring their guests’ visit to the District remain one of beauty and ease. Nonetheless, it certainly beats living in the Guild or Market district, though violence and crime aren’t unheard of, they’re simply much better disguised. Many nobles vent their violent delights in the Art District, and the more successful gangs have established scams and rackets that they’ll kill to protect. Add in the intrigue that follows visitors from other districts and most would be surprised
213 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG to learn just how much horror this beautiful district truly hides. Continuing on into the Cathedral District will summon memories of Leshehoff and its Abbey, as almost every street corner is decorated with devotional statues, the walls are painted or carved with religious iconography, and members of the Church can be seen everywhere. Public flagellation and punishment is a common sight, though just as common are examples of charity. Whether this takes the form of charity hospitals for those that can’t pay to access the University’s hospital, food lines, or the tent cities the church has set up to help the destitute, the Cathedral District seems to be the only area of the city that has any sense of compassion for others’ suffering. This is entirely an illusion, as this help comes with profound strings attached, though for those in need, the Church of the Morning Lord is the closest thing to a savior that they might find. Raffenburg Rumors • If you need to find a bed, or just somewhere to forget your woes, there’s no place like the House of the Drowning Sun. • If you’re seeking to prove your mettle, go test it at the Menagerie. If you’re lucky, you might just survive, and if you survive long enough the Reinwalds might hire you. They must pay well, too, since none of the fighters they’ve hired have ever come back to fight in the pit. • People have been going missing in the Art District. All sorts of people, not just the ones no one usually cares about. If you happen to go there, keep your wits about you. • If a Guard talks to you, best do what they say. There haven’t been prisons in Raffenburg in centuries. • The library at the University of Raffenburg is said to be the best library in the world, and anyone who walks in can browse through the knowledge collected there. Not everyone walks back out, though. • Rats gnawed an arm off? Had maggots infest your eyes? The University’s Prosthetics Department can set you right. The Tax Man Cometh While there are a thousand and one factors that have contributed to the rising tensions in the city, the most profound factor is the way in which the City Council handles the collection of the Blood Queen’s taxes. Influenced by the nobility, the Consortium, and the other wealthy citizens, the Council has shifted the vast majority of the tax burden onto the common people through raised rents, fines and fees, local tithes, and blatant property confiscation. The City Guard, their numbers bolstered by hired muscle from the Mercenary Guild, violently enforces the collection of taxes and, on top of that, frequently steals more than is actually owed. What’s worse is that anyone brave enough to speak out against this blatant corruption is quickly imprisoned and sent to be part of the Blood Tithe. In fact, the Blood Tithe is used as an excuse to get rid of anyone the people in power dislike, no matter how petty the reason. Spilling wine on the wrong noble could easily get a servant and their entire family shipped off as part of the Blood Tithe. And though many people do survive serving as part of the tithe, they are rarely ever granted admittance back into Raffenburg, transforming what is meant to be a year of mandatory service into a writ of exile. Understandably, these practices have inspired deep seated rage and hatred that festers as tax season rolls around every year, though this year things have grown exponentially worse. Word has spread that the Queen’s dreaded Tax Collector will be coming to collect much earlier than usual. In fact, he’ll arrive just in time for the Winter Solstice, the most important celebration of the year, transforming what would normally be a time of festive joy into a waking nightmare of stress and anguish for most of the population. This will cause tensions to boil over, plunging the city into turmoil upon the night of Solstice. Considering the fact that the Blood Queen specifically asked the adventurers to travel to Raffenburg to quell the unrest in the city, Beleroth’s timing will likely be seen as suspect. And, in truth, it is. Though he would never have
214 CH 4 THE BLOOD QUEEN AWAKENS been able to predict how bad things would get, he certainly intends to cause as much trouble as he can, even if only indirectly. He doesn’t trust that the adventurers have his Czerina’s best interests at heart, and thus wishes to test them to see where their intentions truly lie. If he sees them act in a manner that fits Czerina’s request to secure the city in her name, he will re-evaluate his opinion of them. However, if he sees them plot and scheme in a way that resists Czerina’s rule, he will begin to lay plans to kill the adventurers in the future. He must do this carefully, for he knows killing the adventurers outright would only anger and hurt the love of his life, something he desperately wishes to avoid, even if he does not trust her judgement of the adventurers in the first place. Should they be slain sometime in the future, however, due to circumstances that he arranged, well, that would merely prove that his suspicions were correct and that they were never worthy in the first place. It’s a delicate tightrope of mental gymnastics, though after millenia of torment, Beleroth is no longer the most logical of beings. The Winter Solstice As you’ve surely noticed by now, Wreythau is a land perpetually locked beneath the shadow of roiling storm clouds. Occasionally, at night, the moon and stars will shine through, but the sun itself is only ever seen one day each year, and that is the morning after the Winter Solstice. For that one day, the sun shines, and the oppressive storm clouds give way to a startlingly blue sky. Because of this, the People of Wrethau view the Winter Solstice as the last day of the year, and count the next morning as the rebirth of the sun and the beginning of the new year. This is the greatest holiday in the Church of the Morninglord, though it was celebrated long before Temelloth (the Abbot) came to Wreythau and is considered the most important celebration by even the non-religious. Festivities vary across the settlements in Wreythau, though in Raffenburg, the Winter Solstice is also known as the Festival of Lights, and colorful lanterns of paper and glass are hung everywhere and tended so that they can burn long into the darkest night of the year. It is also a time of great indulgence, as the rebirth of the sun is thought to wash all traces of evil away, and so the people party wildly all through the night and then rest beneath the warm rays of the sun. The entire city effectively shuts down for that night and day. Only the most well paid guards and servants attend to their duties, meaning that for most of the city public order effectively ceases to exist, particularly in the Market District, though most everyone is too busy partying to attempt serious crime. Signs of Tension As the adventurers explore the city and begin to discover the conflict brewing amongst the people, sprinkle in the following signs of tension to help illustrate the unrest in the city. “By order of the Council…” Nailed to almost every sign post and doorway are flyers declaring that all taxes, tithes, fines, and fees are to be paid before the Solstice. Dates are given for when the Guard will come to collect from residents of the street in question. Penalties for refusing to pay include: total confiscation of property, involuntary servitude, or being chosen for the Blood Tithe. “Throw off your shackles…” Plastered across alley walls or fluttering past in the breeze are other flyers declaring that the time has come to rise up against the Council. Most of these flyers consist of lists of grievances, while other, out of date, flyers detail where rallies will be held. Common slogans include: “We are the City”, “Make the Council Bow”, “Guarding who? Not you!”, and “Revolution Now!” A DC 14 History Check will uncover that a secret Revolutionary meeting will be held in a few night’s time near the Menagerie Livestock Market.
215 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG “5 silver per participant, 5 gold in case of death…” Large crowds are seen clustering around public notice boards, discussing the pros and cons of volunteering for human experimentation trials at the University. No one can seem to agree on whether the coin is worth the risk, though a desperate few either snatch the flyer and run or beg the others to explain to them where to go to enroll in the experiments. Experiments range from testing potions to undergoing invasive medical procedures. A DC 14 Arcana Check will reveal that most of the experiments are likely to maim, but not kill, and there is no payment for harm incurred. Changing Prices The price of everything has gone up. At market stalls, old prices are crossed out. At inns and other establishments, new fees are listed. Even asking for directions will result in upturned palms being offered before anything else. Harsh Curfews In the Market and Guild Districts, new curfews have been levied. Anyone not found indoors by the time night falls will be subject to immediate arrest and all property will be summarily confiscated. Talking to any citizens will reveal that the curfews are a result of previous clashes in the streets between citizens and the Guard. Stepping Over Bodies In the Market and Guild Districts, there are bodies being left to rot in the gutter. Anyone traveling more than several blocks will pass dozens of bodies. A DC 12 Medicine Check will reveal that they were killed with blunt weapons, longswords, crossbows, or elemental magic. Time of death varies between days and weeks. Coincidentally, the Guard all carry longswords, shields, and crossbows. City Factions As a city torn by conflict, Raffenburg has begun to fragment. While most of the population simply feels trapped in the middle, groups have begun to splinter away, forming powerful factions that now struggle for control of the city itself. Each faction is unique, with its own goals and cast of characters, all of which the adventurers will discover as they interact with the city. The Authority Arguably the most powerful faction in Raffenburg is The Authority, the men and women who already hold the majority of political power. Primarily, The Authority is composed of the City Council, as well as the City Guard. The Council, of course, decides all matters of local policy, while the Guard enforces them. In essence, this gives the Guard a tremendous amount of power and they are loath to part with it, no matter what that means for the rest of the citizenry. As for the Council itself, it is made up of nine members. Each member has inherited their position much in the same way that a noble would inherit lands. This is the way it’s been done for centuries, although records do exist that at one point in time, every member of the Council was elected to represent one of the city’s districts, with three members selected from the nobility to round things out. Over time that changed, as elections were held less and less, and eventually they stopped happening altogether. Now the City Councilors are nobility in everything but name. The members of the council include: Ivan Bauer, Ionel Arcos, Murielle Platz, Magda Vulcanescu, Axel Haring, Olivia Petran, Klaus Kant, Anja Kessel, and Elsa Drache. Each is as out of touch and as privileged as the last. Politicking is seen more as a game
216 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG than anything else, and none are willing to abdicate power. The City Guard, however, is different. Each district has its own Guard Captain and garrison, though all serve beneath the Guard Commander who also oversees the 7th, unofficial district: that of Council Hill. The Guard Commander has total authority, second only to the City Council, though the current Guard Commander, Hans Gault, prefers a hands off approach. He’s living well in Council Hill and cares little for managing anything else. He leaves almost all decisions up to the respective Guard Captain, allowing them to rule over their district as if it were their own personal fiefdom. This is supported by the fact that there is no judicial system in Raffenburg. As the Queen, it was Czerina’s responsibility to appoint Judges that would represent the Crown, but as she’s been slumbering for a few centuries, no new Justices have been appointed, and none of her court have seen fit to correct this problem. The gold and blood have kept flowing, so there was no reason to complicate things. Or, at least that’s how the other royals interpreted the situation, contributing to the massive corruption within the ranks of the Guard. Now, there is no due process, there is no trial, there is nothing but the punishment, and that sort of power always corrupts. Below is a list of the current Guard Captains for each district, as well as their general outlook when it comes to the city: Velkan Kirsch is the Captain of the Market District. He’s a bitter human man in his 60th year. He hates his duty to oversee the overcrowded slums of the Market District and all the trouble that it brings, and he gives the Guards beneath him as much leash as they wish. Body count doesn’t matter. Only gold and some semblance of order. Astrid Oathstone is the Captain of the Guild District. She is a dwarven woman in her 200th year. Astrid knows that order relies upon predictability, and so the Guard serving under her are given strict procedures to follow. Her force would be the most well respected in the city were it not for the corruption in the ranks. As long as it only affects the workers, and not those in power in the guilds, Captain Oathstone is satisfied. Sebastien Tarsch commands the garrison of the Blueblood District. A dashing human fellow in his 30s, Sebastien actually has the smallest guard force of any Captain due to the fact that the nobility prefers to command their own security forces rather than leave it up to someone else. Nonetheless, his guards are some of the most rabid and brutal in the city. If you’re not wearing livery, you don’t have some sort of written document, and if you’re not carrying a large parcel, then you’re just as likely to be beaten and imprisoned by Tarsch’s guard as you are anything else. Veronique Bruhl commands the University District. A halfling in her 30s, Captain Bruhl is the most forward thinking of the Guard. She recognizes that there is a need for evidence, and trials, and that morals and ethics are just as important as law and order. Unfortunately, she only has one district to command, and she’s not well regarded by her peers. Torben Erhlinger is Captain of the Art District. A human man in his 50s, Erhlinger is a huge fan of the theater and attends nearly every night. His guard force is lax, though as a “patron of the arts”, he cracks down on corruption more than any other Captain (besides Bruhl), as he knows it will harm his beloved district. Lastly, Esther Mullenbach commands the guard of the Cathedral District, such as they are. In truth, almost every ‘guard’ in the Cathedral District is a member of the Inquisition, just as Esther is. They’re far more interested in infiltrating the other Districts and growing their ranks than they are anything else. Bruhl and Erhlinger suspect this, but Tarsch, Oathstone, and Kirsch couldn’t care less so long as the perception of order is maintained. Each Captain dictates how their garrison is run, though the standard organization is the following: guards form squadrons of 10 guards,
217 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG and each squadron is then split into 5 pairs. A sergeant oversees 4 squadrons (40 guard). Finally, each sergeant reports to their Captain. Each district has hundreds, if not a few thousand guards. The Consortium Ah, the Wreythian Merchant Consortium. By this point you probably know them well. Economic domination at any cost. The thing is, they’ve basically achieved that goal, and have grown complacent in the meantime. It’s not so much arrogance that’s blinding them, but rather the fact that, because they’ve been dominant for so long, there is simply no historical precedent that even hints that their world will change. Only the members of the Outer Seas have any concept of what could happen, or how they might need to adapt, though once they return home they are quickly encouraged to fall in line and accept how things are in Wreythau. It certainly helps that, by and large, things are very comfortable once they do finally agree to settle down. Except, all of that is going to change. In addition to Cival, the leader of the Revolution (see below), there are three other former members of the Outer Seas that have been bold enough to reject the status quo. They are the three half-elven Gheata sisters (pronounced: Gyata): Anca, Sorina, and Ileana. The owners of the Drowning Sun, the most notorious hotel, brothel, gambling parlor, etc, in Raffenburg, the Gheata sisters are intelligence traders and ambitious profiteers that are not content to accept their lot in the Consortium. They were arguably the best operatives the Outer Seas had ever had, though once their tour of service was up and they were forced to return home, they found that there was little waiting for them back in the land of their birth. There was no need for their skills in Wreythau. There was no challenge. Nothing but the promise of a boring life as three minor functionaries, no matter all the astounding acts of espionage they’d carried out back on the material plane. Increasingly bitter, the Gheata sisters began to plot a coup within the ranks of the Raffenburg Regional Operation. They built the House of the Drowning Sun and began to gather intelligence from all across the city, as well as the rest of the land, and began to put a plan in place. That is, until they discovered Cival and her revolutionary plot. Rather than turn her in for little to no reward, the Gheata sisters became her conspirators, helping hide evidence of the revolution and funneling Cival information that she could use to further her cause. The way they see it, if Cival succeeds, they’re guaranteed to take over the Outer Seas, which has always been their primary goal. However, even if Cival fails, she’ll have created enough chaos to allow them to carry out the coup they’d originally planned and achieve the same result. A win win, the perfect scenario for the Gheatas, or so they think. Regardless, the true ruler of the Consortium in Raffenburg is Valya Fyodorovna, a vampire that’s reigned over the Consortium’s Raffenburg region for over 400 years. At one time in her existence, Valya was just as ambitious as the Gheata sisters, and rose through the Consortium’s ranks with cunning and single minded determination. After having finally climbed to the height of her aspirations, however, Valya changed. For the first hundred years, Valya devoted her energy toward solidifying her position as the head of the Raffenburg region, and the most influential member of the Consortium, though heading into her second century of rule, things changed. Her worldview became trapped in amber, as did much of her experience. Now, centuries of night have passed, almost all of which have been entirely the same, and Valya very much wishes to keep it that way. More of her existence has been spent in this position of power than without it, and so she has not just come to expect it, but to believe that this is the way things should be. Directly beneath Valya are her two lieutenants, Florentine Schroder and Rhakin Bauer. Rhakin Bauer is very much content with how things are, comfortable with his lot in life and the privileges that his position grants him. Florentine Schroder, however, has tried to change the way in which the Consortium operates, at least as far as she is able. She sees the way that
218 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG Raffenburg is suffering, she sees that it has reached its breaking point, and has tried to avert it. The only reason why she hasn’t joined the Revolution is because she assumes that it will not succeed, and even if it did, they’re likely just as power hungry as the Consortium is, and all their talk is little more than propaganda designed to sway the common folk. Nonetheless, she could become a valuable ally, especially for the adventurers. Otherwise, the Consortium operates much as it does elsewhere in Wreythau. It oversees licensing, guild rights, and distribution of goods. However, the Consortium also collaborates with the City Council and the Guard when it comes to the collection of the city’s taxes. They offer a significant amount of hired muscle at significantly reduced rates to help enforce the collection of taxes and ensure that those in power in the city stay in power. Things are working very well for the Consortium in Raffenburg, and they don’t want that to change. Therefore, they are staunch allies of the Authority faction and will work with them to maintain the balance of power within the city. The Revolution Led by the former Outer Seas operative Cival, the Revolutionary faction of Raffenburg is surprisingly diverse. It’s not just exploited workers and the huddled masses of the impoverished, it is also filled with university students and skilled trades-people, as well as barristers, artists, and all those who can imagine a better way of life than what has been offered to them. Nonetheless, that is going to change. Once the revolution ignites, rage will rule and the leaders of the Revolution will struggle to steer true to their course, just like a ship tossed about on a storm-wracked sea. Until that time, however, the following members of the revolutionary faction hold the most sway: Cival: the leader of the faction, and the owner of the Copper Crown Inn in Leshehoff, Cival is the revolution’s first architect and benefactor. Her knowledge of the Consortium’s practices, all the favors and allies she’d gathered over her time amongst their ranks, and her considerable wealth paved the way for a revolutionary faction in the first place. Using the Copper Crown as a front to hide her activities, Cival has helped organize the Revolution from afar, as well as hide those of their members hunted by the powers that be. However, by the time the adventurers reach Raffenburg, Cival will have also moved her operation fully into the city. She’ll be hiding in the Market District, working with her allies to begin the revolution in full. All that said, Cival is not actually working with the revolution’s best interests in mind. For her, the revolution is simply the stepping stone that she needs to destabilize the Consortium’s power and begin to forcibly rebuild the Consortium into what it was always meant to be: an organization to benefit the people. Some of the other revolutionaries are aware that this is her true goal, and that Raffenburg is merely the key to achieving it, though not all are aware of this. In truth, many would be angered if her true goal was revealed, so angry they would name her a traitor to the cause and a power struggle would erupt. Roland Thiel: a half-elven firebrand from the University District, Thiel is a philosopher and master of rhetoric. He is responsible for the vast majority of the revolution’s propaganda. He creates the flyers, writes impassioned speeches, and helps orchestrate the revolution’s recruitment efforts. Technically, he is also a wanted man, though with Cival’s help he was able to disappear and create a new identity that allowed him to return to Raffenburg and hide among the revolution’s allies. Notably, he can be found in the bar at the House of the Drowning Sun, meeting and carousing with other revolutionary agents. He is a true believer of the cause and wishes to return control of Raffenburg to its people so that they can create a society that works for everyone. Were he to learn of Cival’s true purposes, he might become a dangerous enemy for her, and would likely try to replace her as the leader of the movement itself. Shonette: a petty criminal and leader of a modest gang in the Market District, Shonette has become the revolution’s unofficial enforcer. She doesn’t really believe in the cause, per se. Certainly not like Thiel. Instead, she’s motivated largely
219 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG by hatred of the Guards and all the rich nobles, guildies, councilors, and Consortium agents that they protect. The future doesn’t really matter. All that matters is that, finally, they all pay for the harm and suffering that they’ve caused. Shonette won’t be satisfied until the blood of her enemies runs in rivers through the streets. More importantly, Shonette has been the key to building the Revolution’s armed forces. Her knowledge of fighting against the Guard, as well as other criminals, have allowed the Revolution to not only survive, but to also strike back at their enemies. In addition to the gangers under her command she’s also trained most of the revolution’s soldiers and has led them through countless skirmishes and criminal operations over the years. The loyalty this has inspired is practically legendary, making Shonette key to controlling the revolution itself. In the event that Thiel learns of Cival’s true intentions, he would need Shonette’s support in order to take over the Revolution, though whoever Shonette would side with largely depends upon how many heads they were willing to offer up. Considering that Cival wants the Consortium functional, this suggests Shonette would likely side with Thiel, though only time will tell. Max Turnau: is a middle aged orc and a high ranking member of the Mason’s Guild. Nonetheless, it is because of his high position that he is such an ardent supporter of the revolution as he’s seen the corruption of the Council and the Consortium in nauseating detail time and time again. He hates the way the workers of the city suffer and has vowed to tear the system down, brick by brick, and build something better in its place. Turnau is responsible for recruiting almost half of the Mason’s Guild, as well as hundreds of workers from other guilds, and has also helped secure safe houses throughout much of the city. More importantly, he also knows that true success for the revolution is only possible if the Consortium itself can be forced to reform, along with the Guard and the Council, and has become one of Cival’s closest allies. Nonetheless, he wouldn’t die to support her cause, as he believes that supporting the revolution as a whole is their only chance at success. Yulia Mountainsblood: the last leader of the revolution is a famous dwarven alchemist and brewer, though she is not a leader in the Alchemist’s Guild. Instead, she is considered a member of the Guild, if only grudgingly, and is currently working as a Professor at the University. She detests the Consortium more than anything and, under her cover at the University, she’s supplied the revolution with barrels and barrels of healing potions, acids, alchemist’s fire, and other compounds in an effort to support their cause. She was recruited by Cival specifically because of her well known enmity for the Consortium, and Yulia would kill, or die, to support Cival’s cause. Unfortunately, Yulia hasn’t garnered much loyalty from the average members of the revolution, meaning her support is worth less than most of the other leaders, though she is brilliant, and brilliance is never to be underestimated. As illustrated above, the revolutionary faction is somewhat fractured, and because it is much less formal than most other factions, that means that there is much less cohesion when it comes to standard practices. Nonetheless, there are common tactics that the Revolution has adopted. When it comes to recruitment, they typically use two methods: the first is very public, plastering up flyers and performing rousing rallies on the streets. The other is the one on one recruitment that happens in taverns and worksites, slums and alleyways. Through these tactics the revolution has garnered significant support over the years and boasts tens of thousands of members, though most are merely sympathetic rather than active participants for the moment. As far as the active participants are concerned, they are largely made up of Shonette’s criminals and soldiers, as well as Cival’s network of spies, and Turnau’s logistics agents (safehouses, supply caches, etc). The spies work to gain leverage on Guard, Council, and Consortium bureaucrats, servants, and minor functionaries with bribes, blackmail, or other emotional leverage. The soldiers frequently skirmish with the Guard, flouting their control of the streets, while
220 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG the criminals conduct robbery and sabotage to support their other operations as well as show the weakness of the powers that be. As for the logistics agents, they help hide revolutionary members and give them places to operate, but most importantly they also prepare for the mass uprising. There are stockpiles of weapons and supplies hidden all throughout the city, just waiting to outfit a frenzied mob at a moment’s notice. These are the true lifeblood of the revolution and without them, the Authority faction has a chance to crush any hope of resistance for centuries to come. The Cult of Decadence Hidden within the depths of the Art District is a profound evil that has festered for nearly a century, its vile roots having sunk deep into the heart of the district itself. Now the two are almost one and the same. To destroy the evil there would be to destroy the Art District itself, though perhaps it is not truly the Art District any longer. Perhaps it is now simply where the Cult of Decadence hides. Now, there are members of the Cult everywhere. Every gallery, workshop, theatre, hotel, brothel, all have been infiltrated by the Cult. Even if the owners of these establishments are not also members themselves, many of their employees will be. And, now that the Cult has grown so large, and now that the city is wracked with convulsions of rebellion, the Cult looks to expand. But what is the Cult of Decadence? It began, all those years ago, with the showing of a single painting, a masterwork the likes of which the citizens of Raffenburg had never seen before. It was beyond breathtaking, every stroke of the brush laid down with such indelible artistry that the painting seemed to be a living thing, moving before the audience’s eyes. All who beheld it were enraptured even as they were horrified by what they saw, for as sublime as the composition was, as vibrant and nuanced as the color and shading might be, the subject matter was beyond monstrous. The painting depicted the most vile acts imaginable, the most profane examples of gleeful cruelty that could scarcely be comprehended, and yet it was, somehow, so incredibly beautiful that none could look away. Such was the painter’s skill. As the legend has it, all who witnessed that painting were soon driven mad. For some, the madness began that night, attacking and murdering strangers in the streets. For others, the madness took time to metastasize, growing from one night of fevered nightmares to the next, until, finally, they were compelled to share their nightmares with everyone around them. None of the painting’s audience were spared, nobility and peasant alike succumbing to its wicked influence. Word of the painting and the madness it caused spread throughout the city, and soon a desperate hunt began for the painting itself, though no trace of it was ever found again. At least, not as far as the public was concerned. It is said, by some, that this apocryphal painting has been shown again, that it has found new audiences, and worse, that it has been joined by many more malevolent, madness inducing works. So the Cult of Decadence has grown. The mastermind behind the cult, and the creator of those cursed works of art, is none other than one of the Blood Queen’s brides, Isidora. A prodigy in life, Isidora’s artistic brilliance became something foul over centuries of Czerina’s influence. Now, Isidora seeks something beyond art, beyond flesh, beyond sanity, and has built the Cult of Decadence to aid her in her endless search for meaning and power. Now, Isidora’s art has transcended beyond the mere trappings of the physical world. Now, her work is magical in nature, and has practically gained a sentience of its own. What Isidora creates is no mere illusion. It is something far, far more horrifying: a manifestation of the imagination itself, and Isidora’s imagination has grown beyond dark. What’s more, Isidora has also enlisted the help of R.K. Schreyer, another of Czerina’s spouses, and a master dramatist and writer besides. Together they’ve overseen the Cult and helped it to flourish until it is the monstrosity that it is in the present day. The members of the Cult of Decadence are not merely those driven insane by the supernatural evil of Isidora’s artwork, however. They are also adherents to an arcane and complicated philosophy that revolves around the idea that all beauty,
221 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG wisdom, transformation, and growth is the result of suffering, an ideology perfect for the hellish metropolis of Raffenburg. Every garment, every meal, everything is the product of someone’s suffering, and this is something that the Cult not only delights in, but that they see as necessary. The horrible state of the city is something they not only wish to preserve, but something they wish to amplify, believing that it will help elevate everyone in the city into a higher state of being. It is an insane belief, but that is the point of the Cult of Decadence. They are not interested in ethics or logic, they are only interested in their own growth through suffering, both for themselves and others. The living, beating heart of the Cult is hidden in a temple built beneath the Galleria Infernalis, an infamous art gallery found within the Art District. It is from there that the highest ranking members of the Cult plot their moves and conduct their most profane rituals. Only by destroying the temple is it possible to destroy the Cult, as well as find the truth of those behind the Cult itself. In order to uncover this before the revolution begins and the cult begins to operate in the open, however, the adventurers will have to investigate two events that signal the Cult’s activities: the “Cult Murder” event and the “A Night at the Theatre” event. Otherwise, the Cult will simply make its presence known once they begin to operate in the open, vying for control of the city itself (see the next chapter: Revolution of Raffenburg). The Church of the Morning Lord As if one legion of psychopathic fanatics wasn’t enough, Raffenburg must also contend with the Church of the Morning Lord itself. As has been discussed previously, the Church has turned the Cathedral District into its own stronghold, and from there it attempts to wrestle control of the rest of the city. For the most part, the Church of the Morning Lord does this covertly, relying upon two avenues of influence: gathering followers through charitable works, and gathering agents among the Guard force. The first avenue of influence is overseen by Father Lorreus, the highest ranking priest and spiritual guide of the entire church. Based out of the mighty Raffenburg Cathedral, Lorreus conducts many missions of faith, which are charitable works designed to help provide for the most impoverished families in the city. The catch, however, is that only the faithful are able to partake in the Church’s charity, and so it is that thousands have been converted to the faith. Entire tent cities have grown up in the Cathedral district to help house and care for these new converts, though this also means that there are thousands more living under the control of the Church. Father Lorreus helps to disguise this less than palatable fact, as well as disguise the Church’s true mission (theocratic rule), through his masterful use of rhetoric and public display. He’s trained hundreds of preachers who take to the streets, professing love and kindness for all who embrace the Light of the Morning Lord, and who offer aid to those in need. All of which creates a heavy smokescreen that helps to obscure the less savory elements of how the Church operates, such as the brutal enforcement of their dogma on both the faithful and the unfaithful alike. This leads us to the second avenue of influence: infiltrating the ranks of the City Guard with Inquisitorial agents. As has been discussed in the description of the City Guard, Esther Mullenbach, the captain of the guard in the Cathedral District, is really an Inquisitor of the Morning Lord, as are all of the guards below her. What’s more, as Esther transfers her guards to other districts and tries to influence recruitment by the other Captains, she helps place inquisitors all throughout the city. This means that the Inquisition not only has eyes and ears all throughout the city, they also have agents in place to strike out at their enemies. Outspoken opponents of the Church are often disappeared, as are purveyors of all that which is labeled unholy. Should High Inquisitor Tarasov, or other members of the Inquisition to have escaped from Leshehoff, this could paint a large target upon the adventurers backs, and they will very likely find themselves targeted by Guards led by Inquisitors
222 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG themselves. Otherwise, the adventurers will see evidence of the Church and its activities through the Benevolence event (see below). The Reinwalds The last faction of power within Raffenburg is the venerable House of Reinwald, the most influential nobles outside of Czerina’s court itself. They not only own the County which Raffenburg sits inside, they also hold all the rights and privileges that come with it. This makes them the single most powerful noble family in Wreythau, which is perhaps fitting, as they are without a doubt the oldest, pre-dating even Czerina’s reign by millenia. Were they an ordinary family they certainly would have faded and disappeared from memory long ago, though they are no ordinary family. They struck bargains with the Fey known as Vargr, and became something more than human. They became Werewolves, though not as most would understand them. Father Lorreus —Medium human, Lawful Evil Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 20 (+5) Saving Throws Con +6, Wis +8 Skills Performance +13, Persuasion +13, Intimidation +5, Religion +4 Senses passive Perception 13 Languages any two languages Challenge — 10 (5,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Blessed of the Morning Lord: Lorreus has been anointed with magical protections that give him natural armor. Spellcasting. Lorreus is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following cleric spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): thaumaturgy, mending, sacred flame, spare the dying 1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, guiding bolt, healing word, shield of faith 2nd level (3 slots): lesser restoration, blindness/deafness, inflict wounds, spiritual weapon 3rd level (3 slots): beacon of hope, bestow curse, dispel magic, revivify, spirit guardians 4th level (3 slots): divination, freedom of movement, guardian of faith, locate creature 5th level (2 slot): contagion, flame strike, insect plague, mass cure wounds 6th level (1 slot): harm, heal 7th level (1 slot): resurrection Actions Actions Staff of Office. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage Legendary Actions Lorreus can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Lorreus regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Move (1 action). Lorreus moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Cast a Spell (2 actions). Lorreus casts one spell. (Un)Holy Rebuke (1 action). Lorreus can cast Hellish Rebuke at 3rd Level. Inquisitorial Guard —Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil Armor Class 16 (chainmail) Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —16 (+3) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) Skills Deception +5, Intimidation +5, Religion +2 Damage Resistances fire Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge — 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Spellcasting. The inquisitorial guard is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It knows the following spells: Cantrips (at will): control flames, create bonfire, fire bolt, minor illusion 1st level (4 slots): burning hands, expeditious retreat, hellish rebuke 2nd level (3 slots): blur, heat metal 3rd level (2 slots): fireball Actions Multiattack. The Inquisitorial Guard makes 2 longsword attacks. Longsword. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) + 3 (1d6) fire damage. Note: These are inquisition agents that have infiltrated the city guard.
223 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG They are tied to the land, and to the hunt, and the magic of the Feywilds flows through their blood. It is this which has allowed them to weather the tempestuous history of the island and to retain power throughout, no matter who else might reign, for it is truly Vargr to whom they owe their allegiance. Until such a time as they can claim the land for Vargr itself, they simply play at being loyal to whoever wears Wreythau’s crown. In the meantime, the Reinwalds gather their strength, and surprisingly, they do so by playing at being hedonists. They throw incredible parties, travel frequently, and indulge in all the pleasures that can be found. This not only allows them to satiate their more primal natures, it also helps disguise the fact they are gathering allies for when the time comes to claim Wreythau for their true master and for themselves. How they do this varies, of course. For some, they tempt them into compromising positions and blackmail them. For others, they use the gift of their blessing (or curse, as most would see it), and for the rest they simply play politics. Whatever is most prudent. Because of these tactics, the Reinwald clan has grown very large, indeed, though there is a reigning family that holds all the power. That particular honor belongs to Count Cornelius Reinwald, Countess Ilse Reinwald, and their daughters: Yasviga Reinwald and Ustinya Reinwald. Yasviga is the youngest of the family and is frequently seen as the foolish pup, being barely thirty years old. In contrast, Ustinya is over 168 years old, and she’s had several children with her husband, Karloff, who are all quite a bit older than Yasviga. Nonetheless, as Daughter of the Count and Countess, Yasviga holds a position that is far elevated above her (much older) nieces and nephews, a fact that enrages both Ustinya and Karloff and has lead them to try and assassinate Yasviga on more than one occasion. Perhaps understandably, Yasviga decided she would rather travel abroad than deal with her overbearing and homicidal family, though now that she’s returned, she has little choice. What makes matters worse is that Ustinya and Karloff have successfully killed off the other siblings through the years, meaning that Yasviga is the last one standing in their way, and after her, the Count and Countess themselves. As for Cornelius and Ilse, who are the current patriarch and matriarch, they see nothing wrong with this situation. They believe that only the strongest are fit to rule, and though they were saddened by the loss of their other children, they accept it as readily as they accept that their prey must die so that they can feast. It is all part of nature, at least as they understand it, and they welcome the day one of their offspring will be strong enough to send them to dwell with Vargr. In the meantime, they focus upon ruling the House of Reinwald and playing their millenia old game of gathering power and waiting for the chance to claim the land for their own. That means, while they dwell in Raffenburg, hosting more parties and more hunts. The parties themselves are classic hedonistic affairs, full of indulgence of all varieties. The purpose of the parties is to help them gain and maintain allies, as discussed above, though it is also to help them pick out new prey for their hunts. That’s right, the Reinwalds’ hunt the most dangerous game, and they do so within the grounds of their estate in Raffenburg. As you might have noticed from the map, the Reinwalds’ estate includes vast tracts of forest that are walled off from the rest of the city, and it is within this land that they conduct their hunts. Occasionally, humanoid screams can be heard echoing out from behind those walls, though most hunts end well before their prey realize that there is no escape from the grounds of the estate. If the adventurers helped Yasviga escape from the Catacombs in Leshehoff, and if they have not tried to kill her, then she will attempt to enlist their help to combat her murderous sister, and potentially even her parents. She has a surprising amount of humanity for a werewolf raised in such a predatory environment. Regardless, if the above conditions are met, she’ll invite the adventurers to one of the parties and plot with them to try and turn the next hunt into a trap for Ustinya and Karloff. If the above conditions are not met, then the adventurers will receive an invitation from the Count and Countess themselves.
224 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG Count Cornelius Reinwald —Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 200 (20d8 + 110) Speed — 30 ft. (40 ft. in hybrid form, 50 ft. in dire wolf form). STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —20 (+5) 18(+4) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +9, Cha +8 Skills Perception +13, Stealth +9 Condition Immunities charmed, frightened Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 23 Languages Common, Sylvan Challenge — 14 (11,500 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Blood Frenzy. Count Reinwald has advantage on attack rolls against a creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Legendary Resistance (2/Day). When Count Reinwald fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Regeneration. Count Reinwald regains 10 hit points at the start of each of his turns. If Count Reinwald takes damage from a silver weapon, this trait doesn’t function at the start of Count Reinwald’s next turn. Count Reinwald dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Actions Multiattack. Count Reinwald makes two attacks: two with its Longsword (humanoid form) or one with its Bite and one with its Claws (dire wolf or hybrid form). Bite (Dire Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with loup garou lycanthropy. Claws (Dire Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Longsword +2 (Humanoid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) slashing damage, or 18 (2d10 + 7) slashing damage if used with two hands. Change Shape. As a bonus action, Count Reinwald polymorphs into a Large wolf-humanoid hybrid or into a Large dire wolf, or back into its true form, which appears humanoid. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Legendary Actions Count Reinwald can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Count Reinwald regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Swipe. Count Reinwald makes one Claws attack (dire wolf or hybrid form only) or one Longsword attack (humanoid form only). Mauling Pounce (Costs 2 Actions). Count Reinwald moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks, and he can make one Claws attack (dire wolf or hybrid form only) or one Longsword attack (humanoid form only) against each creature he moves past. Bite (Costs 3 Actions). Count Reinwald changes into hybrid or dire wolf form and then makes one Bite attack. Countess Ilse Reinwald —Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 200 (20d8 + 110) Speed — 30 ft. (40 ft. in hybrid form, 50 ft. in dire wolf form). STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 18(+4) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +9, Wis +10, Cha +8 Skills Perception +15, Stealth +9, Religion + 7, History +7 Condition Immunities charmed, frightened Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 25 Languages Common, Sylvan \ —Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Blood Frenzy. Ilse has advantage on attack rolls against a creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Legendary Resistance (2/Day). When Ilse fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead. Regeneration. Ilse regains 10 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If Ilse takes damage from a silver weapon, this trait doesn’t function at the start of Ilse’s next turn. Ilse only dies if she starts her turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Spellcasting. Ilse is a 12th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following druid spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): Poison Spray, Thorn Whip, Druidcraft, Guidance 1st level (4 slots): Absorb Elements, Entangle, Faerie Fire, Fog Cloud 2nd level (3 slots): Heat Metal, Spike Growth, Pass Without Trace 3rd level (3 slots): Call Lightning, Counterspell, Dispel Magic 4th level (3 slots): Blight, Guardian of Nature, Wall of Fire 5th level (2 slots): Greater Restoration, Insect Plague, Scrying 6th level (1 slot): Conjure Fey, Wall of Thorns Actions Multiattack. Ilse makes two attacks: one with its Bite and one with its Claws (dire wolf or hybrid form). Bite (Dire Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with loup garou lycanthropy. Claws (Dire Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Change Shape. As a bonus action, Ilse polymorphs into a Large wolfhumanoid hybrid or into a Large dire wolf, or back into its true form, which appears humanoid. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. She reverts to her true form if it dies. Legendary Actions Ilse can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Ilse regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Swipe. Ilse makes one Claws attack (dire wolf or hybrid form only). Mauling Pounce (Costs 2 Actions). Ilse moves up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks, and she can make one Claws attack (dire wolf or hybrid form only) against each creature she moves past. Rapid Cast (Costs 2 Actions). Ilse can move up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks and casts one spell (in human form only).
225 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG Yasviga - Karloff - Loup Garou —Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 170 (20d8 + 80) Speed — 30 ft. (40 ft. in hybrid form, 50 ft. in dire wolf form) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 18(+4) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +9, Cha +8 Skills Perception +13, Stealth +9 Condition Immunities charmed, frightened Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 23 Languages Common, Sylvan Challenge — 13 (10,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Blood Frenzy. The loup garou has advantage on attack rolls against a creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Legendary Resistance (2/Day). When the loup garou fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Regeneration. The loup garou regains 10 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the loup garou takes damage from a silver weapon, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the loup garou’s next turn. The loup garou dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Actions Multiattack. The loup garou makes two attacks: two with its Longsword (humanoid form) or one with its Bite and one with its Claws (dire wolf or hybrid form). Bite (Dire Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with loup garou lycanthropy. Claws (Dire Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Longsword (Humanoid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 15 (2d10 + 4) slashing damage if used with two hands. Change Shape. As a Bonus action, the loup garou polymorphs into a Large wolf-humanoid hybrid or into a Large dire wolf, or back into its true form, which appears humanoid. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Legendary Actions The loup garou can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The loup garou regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Swipe. The loup garou makes one Claws attack (dire wolf or hybrid form only) or one Longsword attack (humanoid form only). Mauling Pounce (Costs 2 Actions). The loup garou moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks, and it can make one Claws attack (dire wolf or hybrid form only) or one Longsword attack (humanoid form only) against each creature it moves past. Bite (Costs 3 Actions). The loup garou changes into hybrid or dire wolf form and then makes one Bite attack. Ustinya —Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral evil Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 170 (20d8 + 80) Speed — 30 ft. (40 ft. in hybrid form, 50 ft. in dire wolf form) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 18(+4) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +9, Con +9, Cha +8 Skills Perception +13, Stealth +9 Condition Immunities charmed, frightened Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 23 Languages Common, Sylvan Challenge — 13 (10,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Blood Frenzy. Ustinya has advantage on attack rolls against a creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Legendary Resistance (2/Day). When Ustinya fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Regeneration. Ustinya regains 10 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the loup garou takes damage from a silver weapon, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the loup garou’s next turn. The loup garou dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Actions Multiattack. Ustinya makes two attacks: two with its Longsword (humanoid form), two with its Longbow (humanoid form), or one with its Bite and one with its Claws (dire wolf or hybrid form). Bite (Dire Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a Humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with loup garou lycanthropy. Claws (Dire Wolf or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Longbow (Humanoid Form Only). Ranged Weapon Attack: + 9 to hit, 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 13 piercing damage (2d8 + 4). Longsword (Humanoid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 15 (2d10 + 4) slashing damage if used with two hands. Change Shape. As a bonus action, Ustinya polymorphs into a Large wolf-humanoid hybrid or into a Large dire wolf, or back into its true form, which appears humanoid. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Legendary Actions The loup garou can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The loup garou regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Swipe. The loup garou makes one Claws attack (dire wolf or hybrid form only) or one Longsword attack (humanoid form only). Mauling Pounce (Costs 2 Actions). The loup garou moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks, and it can make one Claws attack (dire wolf or hybrid form only) or one Longsword attack (humanoid form only) against each creature it moves past. Consummate Hunter (Costs 3 Actions). Ustinya moves up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks, and she can make one longbow attack against each target within range.
226 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG City Events I Am The Law Location: Market District Recommended Level: 5 Summary: The adventurers come across a group of the City Guard confiscating the property of everyone living within one of the many slums in the Market District. The people plead and beg with the guard to leave them something, but their pleas are soon met with violence and murder. Regardless of whether the adventurers intervene, the Guard soon come under attack from a group of Revolutionaries whose goal is to hijack the tax shipment. If the adventurers do help the Revolutionaries, or the Guards, they will be given invitations that, when followed up on, will help the adventurers learn more about each faction and how they operate. This event is incredibly important because it helps show the adventurers why there is so much conflict happening within the city. Furthermore, it helps introduce both the Authority and the Revolution factions and illustrates the bloody conflict brewing between them. Because of this, I would suggest running this event shortly after the adventurers enter the city and the Market District itself.
227 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG The Market District opens up all around you, a seemingly endless sprawl of cramped, decaying buildings and winding, filth strewn streets. The people you pass by wear worn, stained clothing, their hollow eyes lingering upon your wealth and upon your weapons. None trouble you, though you can feel them watching you, dozens upon dozens of eyes following your every move. Then, you hear it, off in the distance: trouble. As you get closer, the sounds resolve themselves into voices barking orders, the wretched sobs of terrified people, and the splintering crunch of breaking wood. As you come in sight of the disturbance, you see what appears to be a building being ransacked. The people are crowded together across the road as men and women in Guard uniforms drag their belongings out onto the street or throw them from the windows. Furniture, food, tools, anything of value is taken and added to carts already piled high with valuables from other households. Feel free to summarize or describe as much as you’d like. The people will plead and beg the guard to leave them something, anything, and will get more and more desperate until, eventually, the Guard escalate and kill a few of the most vocal, declaring that they are criminals and enemies of the Council. If the adventurers step in and demand to know what’s going on, the Guard will explain that everyone in the building is a criminal that hasn’t paid their taxes and so all of their property is being confiscated. The adventurers will be warned not to interfere. There are 4 City Guard and 1 Guard Arcanist present. The Guard cannot be reasoned with, or intimidated, and the Guard Arcanist in their ranks will counterspell any hostile magic directed at the Guards. What’s more, if the adventurers continue to press or otherwise annoy the Guard, then the Guard won’t hesitate to try and punish the adventurers, demanding payment under the guise of taxes, and if the adventurers do not comply, then the Guard will attack. However, in the event of combat, OR the adventurers just moving on, then the tax shipment ambush will occur. For, while all this was going on, 4-6 Revolution Guerillas have been lurking nearby and waiting for their chance to steal the tax shipment. They will use the adventurers as a distraction, if possible, but will proceed with their ambush regardless of whether or not the adventurers interact with the Guard. The Guerillas’ goal is to steal both of the wagons holding the confiscated wealth and get away. This means killing the Guard Arcanist first, then securing the carts, and then driving away. The Guard Arcanist can summon reinforcements, making them a critical target. For new DMs, note: do not actually play out the two groups fighting. Instead, decide what you think would happen first, and then adjust based off of the player’s actions. For example, I would say that the Guerillas would succeed, as they can move faster than the guard and their goal is to steal the carts and escape. The players could help by distracting the guard, or could end up getting in the way. Either way, what’s important are the actions of the players themselves, so only play out what they affect/what affects them. If the adventurers help kill the guard, or otherwise help the Guerilla’s steal the shipment, then they will be told to find Roland Thiel at the House of the Drowning Sun and that he can tell them more. If the adventurers help kill the Guerillas or otherwise help the Guard, they will be given 10 gold and told to find the Mercenary Guild in the Guild District if they want more work.
228 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG Benevolence Location: Market District Recommended Level: 5 Summary: The adventurers come across one of the Church’s many charity programs. Priests distribute food and clothing to all who convert, all while a pair of Inquisitors watch on. This event is crucial for introducing the less militaristic side of the Church of the Morning Lord, as well as introduce Father Lorreus, the public leader of the Church and the head of the Raffenburg faction. Unlike Tarasov or the Abbot, Lorreus is a master manipulator and relies as much upon public support and perception as he does upon the righteous might of the Inquisition. City Guard —Medium humanoid (any), any alignment Armor Class 17 (Half plate + Shield) Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —16 (+3) 11(+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) Saving Throws Con +4, Wis +2 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge — 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Actions Multiattack. The Guard makes two melee attacks. Lightning Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) lightning damage. Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. Reactions Parry. The Guard adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the Guard must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon. Guard Arcanist —Medium humanoid (any), any alignment Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) Hit Points 40 (9d8) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —10 (+3) 14(+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Senses passive Perception 11 Languages any four languages Challenge — 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield 2nd level (3 slots): misty step, suggestion 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly 4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, ice storm 5th level (1 slot): cone of cold Actions Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Reinforcement Flare. As an action, a Guard Arcanist can fire a magical flare into the sky. This flare will attract more Guards in 1 minute (10 rounds). The Flare can be counterspelled. Revolution Guerilla —Medium humanoid (any), any alignment Armor Class 15 (studded leather armor) Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —11 (+0) 16(+3) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) Skills Intimidation +1, Perception +2, Stealth +5 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Common Challenge — 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the Guerilla can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Dirty Fighting. The Guerilla deals 2 extra dice of damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack (included in its attacks). Killer. In the first round of a combat, the Guerilla has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn yet. If the Guerilla hits a creature that round who was surprised, the hit is automatically a critical hit. Actions Multiattack. The Guerilla makes two shortsword or dart attacks, or one Acid Grenade attack. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 3) piercing damage. Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d4 + 3) piercing damage. Acid Grenade (2 Charges). The guerilla throws a flask of weaponized acid at a target. The target must succeed a DC 14 Dexterity save or take 10 (4d4) acid damage immediately, and 5 (2d4) acid damage at the start of their turn until the acid is removed. The target, or an ally, can take an action to scrape or wash the acid off.
229 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG This event can happen at any time, though it is recommended that you introduce it early on. Perhaps when the adventurers approach the House of the Drowning Sun or when they leave it after their first night. As you walk down the filth strewn streets of the Market District you come upon a startling sight. A tent of pristine white canvas and golden embroidery has been set up beside a public fountain and about a dozen men and women in pristine clerical vestments bustle about, tending to sicknesses, distributing clothing and goods, or serving soup and bread to a large crowd of the desperate and the destitute. In the center of it all stands a tall, elven man wearing beautiful ceremonial robes. His head is shaved, and his features are so chiseled and perfect that he almost appears to be not of this earth. In one hand he holds an opulent container of oil, and the other rests upon the head of a woman kneeling before him. “Step forth, all who would embrace the Light of the Morning Lord,” he intones as he finishes his blessing. “Let the Light fill your spirit and you will find all your troubles eased.” A DC 10 Religion check will confirm that he is not only a high ranking member of the church but that he is performing a blessing to accept new converts into the Church of the Morning Lord. Based on the line of people still waiting to be converted and hungrily eyeing the bread and soup, it’s clear that only the faithful are given the charity. This is Father Lorreus, charismatically growing the ranks of the faithful and spreading Morning Lord propaganda. The charity is simply an enticement, though the truth is, it is the difference between life and death for thousands within Raffenburg, such is the dire state of the city. If the adventurers try to leave instead of investigating the event, Father Lorreus will call out to them. He’s heard of whatever happened in Leshehoff and wishes to address those who helped or (most likely) hurt the Church. His goal is to begin to sway public opinion against the party. He will do this by using their own words against them. In other words, he will ask them questions! Questions like: • Who did they leave Leshehoff with? • Who owns their allegiance? • How many will starve in Leshehoff because of the adventurers’ actions? • How many of your enemies were spared? How many were killed? • What are your plans for this city? • If you wish to help the people, why not donate your wealth to the cause of feeding and clothing them? These are just examples, feel free to come up with other questions and don’t be afraid to mix up Father Lorreus’ tactics. In essence, he wishes to shame the party and make them appear to be greedy psychopaths that cannot be trusted. Also, note that this is intended to be a roleplaying encounter and not a skill challenge. Have Lorreus call on multiple members of the party to answer his questions, not just the most charismatic, and describe the crowd’s reaction to their words. If they make good points, have the crowd acknowledge it. If not, then have Lorreus play it up. He espouses that the Morning Lord is all about truth and light, nurturing and protection from evil, and considering that the adventurers likely did do a lot of killing in Leshehoff, this buys him a lot of moral high ground, particularly since he is literally giving charity as they speak. And, should anyone attempt to throw dice to persuade the crowd against Lorreus, they will be at Disadvantage and at best will only be able to plant seeds of doubt. No single roll will override his years of public facing charity. Ultimately, however, this event will end whenever the party decides to leave. They won’t be stopped or pursued, and though it will affect
230 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG some of the adventurers’ reputation, it’s nothing significant. The only caveat to that being if the adventurers start combat for some reason. In that case, the crowd would turn into a mob and buy time for both Lorreus to get away and for the Guard to show up. This would be a very, very bad idea. Cult Murder Location: Any (suggested, Grand Market or Campus Green) Recommended Level: 5 Summary: Members of the Cult of Decadence perform a ritual murder in a public location. Their murder victim is then possessed by a Demon and rises as an ally of the Cult and a recurring antagonist of the adventurers themselves. This event can happen at any time, and in any location that you wish, though it is recommended that you wait to introduce it until the adventurers have had a few days to explore Raffenberg. The Cult isn’t the biggest problem in the city, particularly not at this point in time, though they are growing bolder and this act of ritual murder is one of their first acts of public violence. In some ways, it’s the first announcement of the Cult’s presence and how dangerous they really are. Where you decide to set this encounter will affect some of the details, though overall, due to the simplicity of the encounter, not much will change. The adventurers will stumble upon the murder just as it is being performed and the Demon will be summoned regardless. As you continue on, you realize that something is off. The streets are quiet, far too quiet for a city this size, no matter the time of day or night. But then, you hear it, off in the distance. There are voices, chanting in unison, the words sibilant and indistinct. Following the sound of the chant, you come across the scene of something terrible. Five figures clad in black robes stand in a rough circle around a man who has been bound and gagged, with a sixth robed figure standing above him. Blood stains the victim’s clothing, though he is still struggling, his eyes pleading as the robed figure above him raises a wicked knife high. “Vashireth, enter your vessel,” the black robed ritualists chant, just as the knife plunges down.] If the adventurers hide and watch, then they will witness the slain victim “return” to life a few moments later. The corpse will stretch horribly, it’s bones breaking, its muscle tearing as it grows into a large, androgenous creature with terrible, shifting runes carved across every inch of its flesh. This is a Decadence Demon, a shapeshifter and a very deadly ally of the Cult. If the adventurers still continue to hide and observe, the Cultists and their new ally will leave and head for the Grand Theatre. However, if the adventurers attack the cultists, then a fight will ensue, the cultists using lots of Hold Person and Inflict Wounds. On the second round of combat, ask for a DC 14 Perception check. Anyone who succeeds will notice that the victim’s corpse is twitching. On the third round of combat, the Demon fully enters its vessel and joins the combat, likely beginning by disappearing with Invisibility and attacking vulnerable party members when possible. That said, if the Demon sustains 30 damage, it will flee, and any surviving cultists will flee with it. If followed, the cultists will die to allow the Demon to escape and cover its tracks as it heads to the Grand Theatre. The goal isn’t to kill the adventurers (although this could be an incredibly deadly encounter), but to secure an alliance with the Demon, and the Demon knows that patience and timing are just as important as naked bloodthirst. Because of this, the Demon, with its Shapeshifting and Invisibility, will stalk the adventuring party throughout the city. It can appear in any location or event from here on
231 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG after, posing as NPCs or simply lurking in the background as it chooses the perfect time to strike. Encounter: 6 Decadence Cultists, 1 Decadence Demon. Plot Hook In addition to the recurring antagonist, an important clue can be found one the cultists: tickets to the upcoming play held at the Grand Theatre (the same play the adventurers will later be invited to). Major City Events The following events mark the most important developments in the city leading up to the Revolution. Each event is crucial for one or more of the various factions in the city, and the Adventurer’s effect upon these events will determine much of the factions’ standing when the revolution truly begins. What’s more, the adventurers will receive invitations to each event, though there are other plot hooks scattered throughout Raffenburg to help highlight each event in addition to the invitations themselves. You will find a summary of each event below. The full details of each event will be found in the relevant location for each event. Decadence Cultist —Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment Armor Class 13 (leather armor) Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —11 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) Skills Deception +4, Persuasion +4, Religion +2 Senses passive Perception 11 Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge — 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2. Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Spellcasting. The cultist is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The cultist has the following cleric spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): light, firebolt, thaumaturgy 1st level (4 slots): command, inflict wounds, shield of faith 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spiritual weapon Actions Multiattack. The fanatic makes two melee attacks. Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Decadence Demon Large Fiend, Chaotic Evil —Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 110 (13d10 + 39) Speed — 30 ft., fly 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —11 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) Saving Throws Dex +3, Con +6, Wis +4, Cha +5 Skills Arcana +5, Deception +8, Perception +4 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 Languages Any Challenge — 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Vulnerability to the Sublime: When the Decadence Demon is in the presence of the sublime, beauty that defies all description, its very being is harmed and it becomes vulnerable to all sources of damage. Iphigenia’s songs (see Leshehoff, L2Q) are sublime. Innate Spellcasting. The Demon’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). The Demon can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: darkness, invisibility 1/day each: charm person, cone of cold, gaseous form, sleep Magic Weapons. The Demon’s weapon attacks are magical. Regeneration. The Demon regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. Actions Multiattack. The Demon makes two attacks, either with its claws or its glaive. Claw (Demon Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage. Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) slashing damage. Change Shape. The Demon magically polymorphs into a Small or Medium humanoid, into a Large creature, or back into its true form. Other than its size, its statistics are the same in each form. The only equipment that is transformed is its glaive, which magically adapts to match its new form..
232 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG The Play’s The Thing Location: The Grand Theatre Level: 5-6 The Cult of Decadence has prepared a truly monstrous dramatic work, one designed to gather blood sacrifices, and the adventurers will be the stars of the show! Moreover, R.K. Schreyer and Isidora have set up the play specifically to test those responsible for re-awakening the Blood Queen and earning her regard. Unlike their wife and Queen, they have no desire to work with the adventurers. They are nothing more than curiosities at best and enemies at worst. So, they’ve designed a powerful ritual to not only gain more power but to see just how capable the adventurers truly are. By using powerful enchantment magic they will influence the audience and the cast to involve the adventurers in a most deadly performance. If the adventurers are brave and clever they will be able to avert a massacre. If not, then the Cult will gain even more mystical power, using all the deaths caused by the play to summon more fiends to bolster their ranks. The Reinwalds’ Revel Location: Reinwald Estate Level: 6 This event is the first opportunity that the adventurers have to truly interact with the House of Reinwald. This will allow them to not only discover their lycanthropic condition, but also to discover their connection to the Fey and possibly even their true ambition to rule all of Wreythau itself. Most importantly, this event will also determine whether the Reinwalds become the adventurers’ enemies, or whether they could become allies in the future. The event will trigger after the Adventurers have spent enough time in the city in order to Level to 6. Most likely, that means completing the previous event. Regardless, once the event triggers, it can happen in one of two ways. If Yasviga is still alive (as she should be), she will personally invite the adventurers to attend her family’s latest party and will arrange a meeting with them beforehand to discuss her true purpose: assassinating her sister and brother-in-law. If Yasviga is not alive, then the invitation will come from the Count and Countess and the adventurers will have to go in blind should they choose to attend. The party, or Revel, as they like to call it, is really an elaborate trap. With Yasviga’s help, that trap can be turned back upon its owners. Without it, the adventurers will have to be clever or else they might find themselves the targets of the Reinwalds’ next hunt. In short, a wild party full of poisoned wine and werewolves. What’s not to love? Welcome To Raffenburg! The Market District R1 - City Gates A great moat stands between you and the great city of Raffenburg, a lone bridge offering passage to the city gates. The bridge is a massive thing, made of stone and timber, almost fifty feet wide and hundreds of feet long. As you cross the bridge and near the wooden palisades and the great stone wall that guards the city, you realise they are much, much larger than they first appeared from across the moat. The palisade rises almost 40 feet high, and the stone battlements must be at least 60 feet high and 30 feet thick. The gates themselves are equally massive, though they do not open as you approach. Instead, a gruff voice calls out to you from atop the wall, demanding that you state your business.
233 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG There are 10 City Guards that are posted atop the wall, and another 9 City Guard and 1 Guard Arcanist that are in charge of operating the gates and processing everyone that passes through them. Much like the gates of Leshehoff, the gates of Raffenburg are meant to impress upon the adventurers just how well defended the city is. However, unlike Leshehoff, the City Guard of Raffenburg are not driven by a sense of duty. Instead they are driven by a desire for power and wealth. Or, at least, that is what drives many of the Guard. Furthermore, this corrupt behavior will further emphasize the main conflict brewing within the city. So, as your players interact with the Guards at the gate, make sure to play up their greed and abuse of power as this will enhance the story. Now, no matter what the adventurers say in response to the Guard’s challenge, the gates will be opened and the adventurers will be allowed to enter the small killing ground inside the gates. Spiked stone walls, five feet high, extend to either side, and a pair of reinforced carts act as a mobile barricade that blocks off the exit of the killing field. 3 City Guard patrol each spiked wall (for 6 total) and 3 City Guard and 1 Guard Arcanist occupy the mobile barricade. The Guard Arcanist will be the one in charge of interacting with the adventurers. As discussed previously, the Guard Arcanist will invent new taxes, fines, and fees the longer the conversation goes on. An example conversation might go like this: Ask the adventurers their names, where they are from, and their occupations. • Charge a foreigners tax of 5 gold each. • Charge a travelers tax of 5 gold each. • Charge martial characters a weapon tax of 5 gold per weapon. • Charge master characters a 50 gold fee for a temporary arcane license (remember, only students and graduates from the University are allowed to practice magic). • Charge clerics a 50 gold fee for a temporary religious license (only the Church of the Morning Lord is legal and the council must approve all new religions).
234 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG Each time the adventurers protest or attempt to negotiate new taxes and fines are added, costing between 1 - 5 gold. This could be an unlicensed barrister’s fine (for arguing), an ignorance processing fee, or a fine for wasting the Guard’s time. If any character makes an even vaguely threatening move or action, the Guard demands a 50 gold fine for threatening a Guard. If the characters cannot pay, the Guard will instead offer to accept some of their belongings in exchange for necessary licenses and entrance into the city. The Guard, of course, demand to be able to choose what belongings to confiscate. Make it painful, but not excessively so (i.e. no confiscating spell books, holy symbols, or legendary magic items). Finally, this can be bypassed if one of the characters asked the Blood Queen for a symbol of her authority as their boon. In that event, the Guard would not charge any taxes, fines, or fees, and would instead treat the adventurers with deference, though word would spread that the Tax Collector’s agents had already arrived, which would lead to more panic in the city. Alternatively, if the adventurers do attack the guard, or otherwise refuse to comply, then combat would begin. However, because the Guard are stationed at the gate, they would not be able to pursue the characters into the city. Instead, the Arcanist would summon reinforcements and a manhunt would begin. Considering the city’s huge size the adventurers could easily evade the manhunt, though they would have to put some effort into disguising themselves or otherwise try to clear their names (the Reinwalds’ could help with this) in the future to avoid being labeled as wanted criminals and hunted by Bounty Hunters from the Mercenary Guild. City Guard —Medium humanoid (any), any alignment Armor Class 17 (Half plate + Shield) Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —16 (+3) 11(+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) Saving Throws Con +4, Wis +2 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge — 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Actions Multiattack. The Guard makes two melee attacks. Lightning Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) lightning damage. Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. Reactions Parry. The Guard adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the Guard must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon. Guard Arcanist —Medium humanoid (any), any alignment Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) Hit Points 40 (9d8) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —10 (+0) 14(+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Senses passive Perception 11 Languages any four languages Challenge — 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield 2nd level (3 slots): misty step, suggestion 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly 4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, ice storm 5th level (1 slot): cone of cold Actions Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Reinforcement Flare. As an action, a Guard Arcanist can fire a magical flare into the sky. This flare will attract more Guards in 1 minute (10 rounds). The Flare can be counterspelled.
235 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG R2 - Grand Marketplace The filth strewn streets give way to a large market square whose cobbles have been swept clean. Colorful banners hang from the roofs and lanterns blaze merrily atop tall posts, providing excellent light for those browsing the vibrant market stalls. In the center of the square sits a massive statue of the Blood Queen herself, and twin fountains provide water for all who visit the market. You see servants and artisans, soot-covered workers and even a noble or two accompanied by sellswords, all beneath the watchful gaze of the Guard who constantly patrol at the edges of the crowd. Vendors hawk wares of every sort and street performers ply their trade, gold, copper, and silver changing hands as often as one draws breath. The Grand Marketplace is actually one of many that dots the Market District, their existence preserved only by the draconian laws of the city. As the population of Raffenburg has grown and more and more of the city have fallen into poverty they’ve all been crowded into the Market District, though local ordinance mandates that many types of trade can only be conducted in that District, and so the markets endure because of necessity, although the ruthless violence of the Guard certainly helps. More specialized markets can also be found, such as the dangerous and bloody Livestock Market, though almost all wares can be found in the Grand Marketplace, from potions to metalwork, food or clothing, or whatever else one might need to buy. Guilds have sponsored stalls, as do most artisans, though there are a number of merchants that make their living by selling the goods of others, all of which is overseen by the Consortium. Anyone who tries to avoid buying the necessary licenses or paying their monthly dues will soon find their stall occupied by someone who has. As for crime, it is very prevalent in the Market District, though the large numbers of Guard that patrol the markets discourages all but the most skilled or the most desperate. Because
236 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG of this, most crime has devolved into brutal muggings, leading to many mercenaries setting up shop and offering protection into and out of the district itself. Lastly, remember that the prices in Raffenburg have all been inflated because of the predatory taxes, fines, and fees of the city. For some items, charge double. For others, charge triple, but make it clear that these are recent price increases, whether that’s due to repainted signs or the sellers own confession. R3 - House of the Drowning Sun
237 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG The House of the Drowning Sun is one of the most famous establishments in Raffenburg for precisely two reasons: the establishment’s quality, and the complete neutrality that its owners have negotiated with every faction in the city. One might not think the second to be very valuable, but having a guaranteed place of safety allows for politicking and the exchange of information, which even the Cult prioritizes. After all, knowledge of your enemies is the most valuable thing you can have in a war, secret or not. Nonetheless, this unofficial neutral ground is maintained by more than just its mutual interest. Instead the very existence of this unofficial neutral ground is only possible because of the Drowning Sun’s owners: the three half-elven sisters known as Anca, Sorina, and Ileana. The amount of influence trading needed to establish this unofficial neutrality cannot be overstated, though it is considered to have been far more than worth it for the three Gheata sisters. Now they are able to influence every faction in one way or another, and most importantly, now they gather more information than anyone else. They are the consummate spy masters and information brokers for the entire city. This means that the Gheata sisters are some of the most powerful people in the city, which makes them very valuable allies to have. Moreover, this makes the House of the Drowning Sun a place that the adventurers should absolutely visit, or more specifically, this is where the adventurers should stay while in Raffenburg. It is considered the best hotel in the city, after all. Not that there’s much competition, as hotels aren’t in high demand in Wreythau, but the Drowning Sun offers the best food, the best drink, the best entertainment, the best lodgings, and the best protection. No other establishment even comes close. Only the stingiest adventurers would pass up the opportunity to stay there, and only until the next street brawl between the guards and the revolutionaries shattered their windows. Then the House of the Drowning Sun would look a far sight better. And, as mentioned above, it’s also one of the most important locations in the city, so staying there will allow the adventurers to interact with it more than they would otherwise. So, anytime the adventurers ask about inns, taverns, or lodgings, mention the House of the Drowning Sun. When approaching the House of the Drowning Sun: Occupying the center of its own Market Square sits the palatial House of the Drowning Sun. It stands five stories tall, with an attic, and over 145 feet wide, it is a truly massive building when compared to the rest of the Market District. With beautiful half timber architecture, and painted a deep mauve, the Drowning Sun truly is the jewel of the Market District, its windows blazing with light, and the sounds of laughter and music drifting out from inside. R3A - Entrance Hall Stepping through the door of the Drowning Sun you enter a hall lined with incredible relief statues made of marble and gold while a rich hardwood floor stretches out beneath you. Past the statues lie the doorways and stairs that will take you into the rest of the establishment, but directly ahead of you lies a massive counter, behind which sits three half elven women. The first is the shortest and most lithe, with her dark hair cut short. The second is the most curvaceous, and wears her hair dyed a bright blue. The third is the tallest and wears her hair dyed a pale lavender. The closest to you, the first, greets you with a smile and beckons you over. Anca is seated first at the counter and beckons the adventurers over. She’s built like a gymnast, keeps her hair short, and wears dark gowns with long sleeves. She is the youngest of the three, being only 57 years old. During her time in the Outer Seas, Anca was the most skilled infiltrator and assassin of the three and now handles much of their security, everything short of the magical. In public she likes to play up a sense of youthful exuberance, but in reality it’s entirely a mask and beneath it Anca is deadly serious. A DC
238 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG 20 Insight check will reveal that her demeanor is just an act. Sorina is seated second at the counter and is often considered the most beautiful of the three due to her figure and the dazzling gowns, hair color, and jewelry that she wears. Nonetheless, it’s her cunning and her intuition that have helped her to become the master of intrigue, politics, and diplomacy that she is. As the eldest of the three, at 67, Sorina has tremendous experience in navigating social battlefields and she oversees much of the information gathering that the sisters do, having trained the staff, as well as other agents personally. She comes across as charming, or even flirtatious if you want, though she is always calm and composed. A DC 25 Insight check is needed to get a good read on what she’s thinking. Ileana is seated third, and is the tallest of the three. Unlike her sisters, Ileana was trained in the arcane arts and is responsible for all of their magical needs, as well as for helping Sorina strategize. Together they are a formidable pair, and with Anca’s fierce support, there is little the three can’t accomplish. That said, she is the easiest to read of the three, and is the least manipulative, though she could still give most courtiers a run for their money. A DC 18 Insight check is needed to read what she’s thinking. The three sisters have heard of the adventurers already, due to their excellent information network, and they will be eager to have the adventurers stay with them. That way, it will be much easier to influence the adventurers, as well as spy upon them. The adventurers are valuable pawns, and so they want to be aware of who is using them and for what purpose. Remember, they essentially do want Cival’s gambit with the Revolution to succeed, so they will also offer hints and advice to the adventurers that will help further that goal, though they want to do so as subtly as possible. So, in order to convince the adventurers to stay in their hotel, they will offer to rent the adventurers the Regency Suite for 10 gold a month. The Regency Suite occupies the entire fifth floor of the hotel, and also includes complimentary room service. Not a cheap offer, but certainly an amazing deal. If asked why they would offer such an incredible price, Sorina will try to convince the adventurers that she and her sisters are just so thrilled at the prospect of having visitors from other lands staying with them. Anca - Assassin —Medium Half Elf, Neutral Evil Armor Class 16 (leather armor) Hit Points 102 (12d8 + 48) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —10 (+0) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +9, Int +6 Skills Acrobatics +12, Deception +10, Perception +4, Stealth +12 Damage Resistances poison Senses Darkvision 60ft. Passive Perception 13 Languages Thieves’ Cant, Common, Elven Challenge — 10 (5,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Assassinate. During her first turn, Anca has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit she scores against a creature that hasn’t acted is a critical hit. Evasion. If Anca is subjected to an effect that allows her to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, she instead takes no damage if she succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Anca deals an extra 20 (6d6) damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack. Actions Multiattack. Anca makes two dagger attacks. Dagger +2. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d6 + 7) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Light Crossbow, +2. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8 + 7) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
239 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG R3B - Tavern The door opens into a modest tavern crowded with people. The smell of delicious food fills the air, along with the sound of conversation and tankards rising and falling. Strong spirits, wine, cider, ale, and beer are all on offer. The tavern is the Revolutionaries favorite place to gather, and might as well be Roland Thiel’s home. Thiel has a room in the hotel where he sleeps and writes, though he spends most of his time drinking, plotting, and carousing with other Revolutionaries. Thiel is a handsome half-elven man with long, dark hair and an intense, glacial blue gaze. He presides over his friends and agents like a king despite his talk of equality and community. Nevertheless, his crowd seems most loyal, and it is because of them that Thiel stays well informed. If the adventurers have helped any revolutionaries Sorina - College of Spies —Medium Half Elf, Neutral Evil Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 127 (17d8 + 51) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —14 (+2) 16(+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) Skills Deception + 13, Persuasion +13, Insight + 13 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages Common, Elvish, Infernal Challenge — 10 (5,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Innate Spellcasting. Sorina’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: Charm person, Tasha’s hideous laughter 3/day each: confusion, enthrall, suggestion 1/day each: hallucinatory terrain, Otto’s irresistible dance Magic Resistance. Sorina has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Multiattack. Sorina makes two weapon attacks. Sorina can cast one spell in place of one of these attacks. Rapier +2. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage plus 16 (4d8) psychic damage. Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 20/60ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage plus 16 (4d8) psychic damage. Reactions Can’t Touch This (Recharge 4–6). When hit with an attack Sorina can immediately teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space she can see. Ileana - Archmage —Medium half-elf, Neutral Evil Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) Hit Points 99 (18d8 + 18) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +6 Skills Arcana +13, History +13 Damage Resistances: damage from spells; nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing (from stoneskin) Senses passive Perception 12 Languages — Common, Elven, Draconic, Dwarven, Halfling, Infernal Magic Resistance. Ileana has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Spellcasting. Ileana is an 18th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). Ileana can cast disguise self and invisibility at will and has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, shocking grasp 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, identify, mage armor*, magic missile 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, misty step 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, lightning bolt 4th level (3 slots): banishment, polymorph, stoneskin* 5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, scrying, wall of force 6th level (1 slot): globe of invulnerability 7th level (1 slot): Plane Shift 8th level (1 slot): mind blank* 9th level (1 slot): Psychic Scream *Ileana casts these spells on itself before combat. Actions Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
240 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG then Thiel would have heard about it and would approach the adventurers, assuming he was not approached first. He is eager to recruit more capable people into the revolution and will do his best to convince the adventurers to work with him. He tends to argue the following points: • The council hasn’t held elections in years even though they are supposed to. • There are no judges and no trials at all, yet the Guards regularly maim, confiscate, and kill. • The tax burden should be shared. • The revolution only follows the will of the people. • The revolution seeks to establish a new council elected by the people. Now, whether or not these talking points are true is up to you, though Thiel will do his best to argue them and make others believe. Thiel certainly believes that they are true. If the adventurers do agree to help him, Thiel will ask them to investigate the following things: • Why have revolutionaries been disappearing in the Art District? (This is a great hook for the Cult Murder event and the invitation to the Grand Theatre) • Professor Yulia Mountainblood needs help with something at the University. • Screams have been heard coming from the Reinwald Estate for years now. The screams aren’t common, only a few times a year, but they’ve been happening for so long that something must be going on. (This is a decent hook for the Reinwalds’ Revel). R3C - Tavern Theater Stepping into this room you see that you’ve entered another tavern, though this tavern has a large stage that dominates the far wall. Performers entertain the patrons with a variety of acts, all while rich food and drink are served. The Tavern Theater is frequented by many, though notably this is where some of the City Guard and their allies among the Consortium Mercenaries like to gather here when off duty. Notably, the Revolutionaries and the off duty Guard have been encouraged not to spend much time together, and so each group tends to congregate in separate taverns. Additionally, the taverns’ kitchen sits off of the main room, meaning that service is just that much better on this side of the Drowning Sun, although a dose of magic helps keep the kitchen running as quickly as it needs in order to serve both taverns. R3D - Fine Dining Room The smell of perfectly cooked meat, rich spices, and roasted vegetables fills the air of this elegant dining room. Patrons dine upon tables covered in linens fit for nobility, and well trained staff provide seemingly effortless service, seeing to their patrons needs almost before they realize their glass is empty, or that their place is ready to be cleared. The Fine Dining Room attracts many of the more powerful people in the city, including Guard Captains, leaders amongst the Cult, high ranking Inquisitors, and occasionally even a Reinwald or two. The food truly is that good, and the staff is better trained than many servants in noble houses. Anca, Sorina, and Ileana also trained their staff to be excellent spies, too, meaning that every conversation held in the dining room is being listened to by several different sets of ears and all of it is later recorded with as much fidelity as possible. Food from the Fine Dining Room can also be requested as Room Service, meaning that some clandestine dinners are held in the rooms of the Hotel itself.
241 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG R3E - Fine Dining Kitchen The delicious smells coming from this kitchen are only surpassed by the taste of the food that comes out of it, though the heat is a close second. The ovens and stovetops blaze with enchanted fire, and many of the pots, pans, and cooking utensils are etched in arcane runes, no doubt enchanted with chronomancy and other magic to make cooking as easy and precise as possible. Some of them even move on their own, although there are at least four different chefs diligently working at any given time. A DC 16 Arcana Check will confirm that all of the enchantments were not only done by the same person, but by someone with an archmage’s level of skill. Additionally, any attempts to poison any food or drink in the kitchen will be automatically detected by the enchantments laid onto every pot and pan. R3F - Gambling Hall The Gambling Hall of the Drowning Sun is filled with the cheers of the victorious and the hollow, disbelieving stares of those seeing their coin disappear into the House’s coffers. Games of every variety are played, from cards, to dice, to strange machines ran by cranking levers. Much like the gambling hall at the Copper Crown in Leshehoff, the gambling hall offers a variety of ways to lose money. And, sometimes, win money, but the majority walk away with empty pockets and a mind filled with addicting fantasies of victory. Primarily, the services the gambling hall offers are split into two groups: games of chance, and bets with the bookie. Feel free to invent new games of chance, though the following rules are presented for dice, three dragon ante/poker, and roulette. Dice: Characters may make an Intelligence Check to determine the best odds. This will determine the difficulty they need to beat in order to win money. Characters can bet up to 50 gold, with a win resulting in a payout of 2 to 1. So, if a character bets 2 gold and wins, they walk away with 4 gold total (double the original bet). Intelligence Check Roll Needed (2d6) Less than 10 10-12 12 9-12 14 8-12 16 7-12 18 5-12 20 3-12 Cards: Characters playing Three Dragon Ante or Poker use the following rules. There are at least 3 opponents. First, players place bets, then make Intelligence checks. A DC 14 Intelligence Check will help a character determine the odds and will roll with advantage. Secondly, players may fold or increase bets and make either an insight check or a deception check. An DC 16 Insight Check will give the adventurer advantage on their roll. A DC 16 Deception Check will give opponents disadvantage on their roll. Finally, the players each roll 1d20 (plus advantage or disadvantage), the highest roll winning the collective pot. Roulette: Players will roll a d20. They can bet on evens or odds with a payout of 2 to 1. So, betting 2 gold on Odds, and winning, would result in the character walking away with 4 gold (double the original bet). Or, the character could bet on a specific number, with a payout of 10 to 1, so betting 2 gold on rolling a 13, and winning, would result in a win of 20 gold (ten times the bet).
242 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG Crank Machines: Players insert coins into the machine and crank a lever. The lever activates gears that spin several symbols, and if the symbols all match, the player wins a large pot of coin. There are many machines that accept copper, a few that accept silver, and one that accepts gold. It costs 1 coin per pull of the crank, and will pay out 100 coins if the player wins. For most players, roll a simple d20. A result of 20 will win the pot of 100 coins. A DC 18 Intelligence check and several hours studying the machines will reveal the pattern built into them, and will allow the player to know when a machine is ready to give a win and when it isn’t. In that case, provided the player has enough time, they can win 100 coins of their choice. However, if the player repeats this act, the Sisters might have a conversation with them. The Bookie: The Adventurers could also arrange contests of skill and then place bets accordingly. Suggested contests: Drinking Games (constitution saves, DCs increasing by 3 each drink), Boxing/ Unarmed Fighting (to knockout or surrender), Dueling (to first blood or half health), Dragonchess (opposed Intelligence rolls), or Archery/Knife Throwing (highest attack roll wins). Adventurers could also use Persuasion Checks to shift odds one way or another (from 2 to 1 all the way to 10 to 1, at the DMs discretion). R3G - Dressing Room This room is filled with vanities, racks of clothing, and all the various accoutrement needed to prepare for a performance. Based on the clothing racks, the room is used by both men and women, and for performances that range for the innocent to the risque. The dressing room is shared by the performers for the Tavern Theatre (R3C) and for the Brothel (R3J). It is often packed full of people, all getting ready as quickly and efficiently as possible, and is often empty otherwise. Occasionally, should a performer become ill or injured, they’ll be brought to the changing room until a Doctor can be found. R3H - Storage Room The door opens into a room filled with crates, barrels, and sacks of supplies. Primarily, the room seems to hold supplies for the taverns and kitchens, though there are a few crates that contain stage supplies, as well as materials for quick repairs. The door is magically trapped with an alarm. A DC 15 Thieves Tools check is needed to unlock the door. Much of what is in this room isn’t worth the effort it would take to steal it, though for particularly devious adventurers, they might find other opportunities to benefit themselves. R3I - Bouncer’s Lounge Inside this modest room, a half dozen armed men and women lounge about on the couches or lean against the walls, though their conversation breaks off as you enter, their eyes following your every move. They seem to be primarily armed with cudgels and shortswords, though a few have more exotic looking weapons, all of which look to have seen use. The House of the Drowning Sun employs about 20 armed guards, all of which answer to Anca. About 5 of the 20 are also Anca’s agents, performing clandestine acts when necessary. On any given day, however, there are only about 10 armed guards on duty. Typically, 4-5 will patrol the public areas of the Drowning Sun, and the others rest in this lounge.
243 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG Use Consortium Bravos and Consortium Hitters (pg 68-69) to represent the armed guards employed at the Drowning Sun. R3J - Brothel Passing through the Bouncer’s Lounge you enter an opulent room with lush carpet, expensive furniture, and people in various states of undress. Patrons lounge on chaises and overstuffed chairs while entertainers dance and perform. Other servers ferry food and drink to the patrons, as well as arrange other liaisons, all beneath the watchful eyes of the equally well armed bouncers. The Brothel is one of the biggest sources of information for the Drowning Sun, and all of the staff are trained spies. They have clients belonging to every faction, often including those in the highest positions of power. However, the Cult of Decadence will use the Decadence Demon to not only stalk the adventurers, but also to infiltrate the Brothel and carry out assassinations on some of the most prestigious clients, such as Guard Captains or Inquisitors, all of which could be disastrous for the three Gheata sisters and their plans. So, a powerful plothook leading back to the Decadence Demon and the Cult would be to have the Demon assassinate someone from another faction, and when the blame is levied at Anca, Sorina, and Ileana, they turn to the adventurers and ask for their help in killing the Demon or investigating who it answers to. Specifically, this would indicate the Galleria Infernalis in the Art District. R3K - The Regency Suite Climbing to the top floor of the hotel you step into accommodations fit for a queen. Everything in the suite, from the carpets to the furniture, are works of art in their own right, and all have been chosen for how they harmoniously compliment one another. Somehow, you’ve found your way into the lap of luxury. The Regency Suite contains five bedrooms, a dining room, a parlor, a library, an extravagant dressing room, and a bathroom with magical plumbing. There are paintings and statues in every room, and everything is of the utmost quality. Additionally, a bell by the stairs will summon a servant to take care of any of the guests’ needs. However, there is also a secret contained within the Regency Suite. There are hidden corridors that run along the outside wall of the entire suite, and a secret door, hidden behind a bookshelf in the library, creates a passageway between the suite and the hidden corridors themselves. A DC 18 Investigation Check will reveal the secret door in the library. The secret door is magically sealed, requiring the use of the spell Knock in order to be opened. Use of the Detect Magic spell will NOT reveal anything, however, due to the powerful nondetection magic Ileana has laid down. R3L - Spy Corridors Behind the secret door lies a hallway. To your left, a set of stairs leads down below, and before you, set against the far wall, are a pair of tables holding several journals, potions, and various thieves’ tools. To your right, the hallway opens up to either side, leading to a series of corridors that ring the entire suite. Dozens of spyholes have been carefully hidden with artifice and magic along the walls, giving any would-be spy a clear view into everything that is being said and done. The hidden corridors are used to spy upon anyone in the Regency Suite. The journals contain detailed records of conversations and timetables of all of the adventurers’ habits and movements. It’s clear that they’ve been spied upon from the very moment they stepped into the suite.
244 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG As for the potions upon the table, there are 2 vials of Torpor and 2 Truth Serums. There is also a complete set of thieves’ tools. If the adventurers confront Anca, Sorina, and Ileana with the existence of the spy corridor, the Gheata sisters will gamble and offer to come clean so long as the adventurers agree to listen. If the adventurers agree, the Gheata sisters will admit to spying upon them and will explain that they did so because they’re worried about the possibility of the adventurers being the servants of dangerous people, such as the Cult, the Inquisition, or even the Consortium. They will explain their history, and most importantly, they’ll explain their partnership with Cival and their goals for the city. Notably, Cival taking control of the city, and by extent the Consortium itself, and in return the Sisters gain control of the Outer Seas. The sisters will argue that this is in everyone’s best interest, and will offer to be allies with the adventurers just as they are with Cival. If the adventurers agree to become their allies, they sisters will act in good faith. However, if the adventurers disagree, or otherwise act in a way that hurts the sisters’ plans, then they will try to kill the adventurers. They will do so with poison and ambush, rather than attacking them head on. Just to restate, the sisters support any action that Helps Hurts The Revolution The Cult Cival The Authority faction, especially the Consortium Provide Information The Church of the Morning Lord Also, remember that most of the revolution doesn’t know what Cival’s true plans are, making all that Anca, Sorina, and Ileana shared with them incredibly valuable information, as revealing it could very well lead to violence within the Revolution faction itself. Additional Events The Price of Freedom Location: Raffenburg Streets (see I Am The Law) Suggested Level: 6 This event is normally triggered by talking to Shonette at the Menagerie, though Roland Thiel could also arrange the meeting between Shonette and the adventurers if they’ve impressed him. In short, Shonette will ask the adventurers to help assassinate Velkan Kirsch, the Guard Captain of the Market District. This would be dangerous, and could potentially turn the adventurers into criminals hunted by the Mercenary Guild’s Bounty Hunters, though the offer of payment would also include a pre-programmed ring of disguise and an alias for each adventurer to help them hide afterwards. Have fun making up the disguises and aliases, and don’t be afraid to ask the players to help you brainstorm, or even to create their own. The setup is this: Thiel will lure Kirsch to the Drowning Sun, and after negotiations fall Truth Serum 11 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. Adventuring gear, poison (ingested) 150 gp The poisoned creature can’t knowingly speak a lie, as if A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC —under the effect of a zone of truth spell. Source: DMG p258 Torpor 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 4d6 Adventuring gear, poison (ingested) 600 gp A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC —hours. The poisoned creature is incapacitated. Source: DMG p258
245 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG through, the adventurers and the revolutionaries would be able to ambush Kirsch on his way back to Council Hill through the Market District. The revolutionaries would tie up Kirsch’s escort and allow the adventurers to attack Kirsch and his personal guard. Should the adventurers agree, Shonette would offer them a payment of...membership into the Revolution, as well as the disguises and aliases discussed above. This might not sound like much, but it would earn the adventurers powerful allies and essentially invite them into the inner circle of the Revolutionary Faction, something that would be invaluable once the revolution starts. The encounter: Cpt. Kirsch, 1 Guard Arcanist, and 4 City Guards. The revolutionaries will distract the other guards so that this is all the adventurers have to deal with. If successful in their assassination attempt, the Guard would retaliate by placing a harsh curfew on the Market District and the Guard presence in the District would be increased, leading to more violence, but simultaneously allowing the Revolutionaries (and the other factions) to operate more freely in other districts. A bit of cruel arithmetic, but a calculated one. R4 - Skalek’s Icy Delights This building seems to be surrounded by perpetual winter, with snow drifts piled up against the outer walls and a dusting of snow clinging to the shingles. The front door is guarded by twin ice statues, each over eight feet tall and each remaining solidly frozen. Inside, the entire building is encased in a deep chill, though there are stacks of blankets by the doors for any afraid of catching cold. Five tables and several stools sit between the entrance and a long counter covered in a thick sheet of ice. A jolly looking dwarf stands behind the counter, tending to a strange furnace that appears to contain a raging blizzard instead of an inferno. Looking up from his work the dwarf calls out to you and waves you closer. Skalek’s Icy Delights is a magical little store that sells all kinds of chilly desserts. Ice cream, gelato, slushies, malts, and everything else that is both sweet and cold. As for Skalek, he is the jolly, red haired dwarf that runs the shop. He works with a few dwarven assistants as well as several ensorcelled spirits of ice and snow, though the spirits are kept contained to the back of the shop. Guard Captain Velkan Kirsch —Medium human, lawful evil Armor Class 20 (plate armor, shield) Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +3, Cha +5 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common, Dwarven Challenge — 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Martial Advantage. Once per turn, Cpt. Kirsch can deal an extra 14 (4d6) damage to a creature he hits with a weapon attack if that creature is within 5 feet of an ally of Cpt. Kirsch that isn’t incapacitated.. Actions Multiattack. Cpt. Kirsch makes three melee attacks. Alternatively, he can make two ranged attacks with his Firearm. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands. Shield Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Firearm. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 60/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) fire damage. Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute, Cpt. Kirsch can utter a special command or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that he can see within 30 feet of it makes an attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it can hear and understand Cpt. Kirsch. A creature can benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. This effect ends if Cpt. Kirsch is incapacitated. Reactions Parry. Cpt. Kirsch adds 3 to his AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the Cpt. Kirsch must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
246 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG Skalek is an old adventurer, a warrior who wielded a terrible axe and who pledged to restore the lost dwarven kingdom of Barrukhirrim (the Silver Graves) to its former glory. However, after years of braving the horrors of Wreythau, Skalek managed to enter the Silver Graves themselves. He doesn’t like to speak of what happened next, though he and his surviving companions did manage to retrieve a single artifact from the lost dwarven kingdom: a device that can create perpetual cold. He brought it back to Raffenburg, hoping the University could help him unlock its potential, though after a humorous research accident, all that Skalek discovered was how to make delicious, frozen desserts. Now, Skalek’s life is devoted to spreading joy and believes that, as long as he uses his discovery from Barrukhirrim to do it, he’s still fulfilling his oath of returning the lost kingdom to glory, even if only in a small way. Were you to ask any of Skalek’s customers, they would heartily agree, as Skalek’s Icy Delights stands as a small glimmer of joy and hope in a city about to go mad. A DC 20 Arcana Check will reveal that the artifact is actually much more powerful than Skalek was led to believe. At its full capacity, it could plunge the entirety of Raffenburg into an arctic blizzard of epic proportions and hundreds of thousands would die as a result. At a more moderate level, the artifact could be used to transform several warehouses into cold boxes, thus allowing for even more efficient food storage for the entire city. The only downside is that the artifact requires power. As it is now, operating at minimal
247 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG power, it could last for millenia. To increase its effects, however, would require much more power. Blood sacrifice would be the easiest way to get that power, though a circle of highly skilled mages could also provide it, assuming they could be persuaded to do so. R5 - The Menagerie Livestock Market The stench of blood, urine, and bile soaked shit drift from the Livestock Market, the nauseating miasma only slightly less pleasant than the unearthly cacophony of yowls, screeches, and growls from the caged animals. The market square itself is filled with a thick bed of straw and ringed by a massive wooden palisade whose tips have been sharpened into deadly spears of wood, ready to impale anything that might try to escape. And, inside the palisade, sits a blood soaked auction ring and dozens upon dozens of metal cages holding all manner of Wreythian wildlife. The Menagerie Livestock Market is actually one of several in the city, though it is not only the oldest market, it also features the most exotic animals and monsters. Most other markets specialize in common livestock, such as cattle or horses, though The Mangerie pays only for the rarest and most dangerous creatures. Some of those creatures are valuable in their own right, providing potent alchemical ingredients or spell components, though others are only valuable because of the spectacle they provide. In fact, when the sun sets, The Menagerie stops the auction of animals and instead transforms the inner ring into a gladiatorial fighting pit. Here, the desperate and the bloodthirsty are able to challenge the horrors of the Wreythian wilderness for a chance at gold and glory. The fights themselves pay very little, though fortunes are won and lost through the bookies every night, and so most of the gladiators work directly for the bookies themselves. Additionally, Shonette, the leader of the Revolutions guerilla forces, can often be found here betting on the gladiator fights. She does this to scope out potential recruits, as well as to relax and indulge in a little cathartic bloodlust.
248 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG If the adventurers fight in the pits, Shonette might very well approach them, particularly if they’ve already made themselves friendly with the Revolutionary faction. First, she’ll try to get their attention using Thieves Cant. If that doesn’t work, she’ll approach them outright offering them work. If they’ve already contacted Thiel, Shonette will mention they share a mutual friend at the Drowning Sun and will offer to meet them there to discuss an offer of work. She won’t discuss any details in public. See the event: The Price of Freedom As a DM, feel free to bust out your favorite monsters and offer them as possible gladiatorial opponents. Even if you don’t think the adventurers would be willing to step into the ring, any creature that you’ve shown off in The Menagerie can escape into the city when the Revolution truly begins. Just think of all the terrible chaos you could sow with this! However, in addition to your favorite monsters, allow me to suggest a few native to Wreythau itself: Wreythian Bear Standing over 10 feet tall while still on all fours, its grotesque musculature bulging against the patchwork of fur and knotted scar tissue that makes up its skin. It’s huge claws are still covered in old, coagulated gore, and its massive head almost appears as though it’s withered down to the bone, it’s naked maw filled with a nest of terrible fangs and its deep set eyes peering out from the hollowed sockets of its own skull. Twisted by the influence of Czernobog, the bears of the Wreythian Wilderness are living engines of death and destruction, frenzied monsters that will kill and eat anything and everything within reach. Driven by an insatiable hunger, these primal juggernauts will go on a month long rampage, glutting themselves as much as possible before falling into a deep hibernation for three to four months. Were it not for these frequent periods of hibernation, the bears of Wreythau would have destroyed the ecosystem of the island and starved themselves to death long ago. Wreythian Dire Wolf This oversized wolf is practically the size of a horse, covered in dark fur, with blazing red eyes and far too many teeth crammed into its mouth. It doesn’t stand as a normal wolf might, however. Rather, it crouches down, its powerfully muscled limbs splayed wider than normal, as if to give it greater balance as it skitters up the nearest tree or wall There aren’t actually any regular wolves in Wreythau, only Dire Wolves, though even they are twisted far beyond what could be considered natural. Perhaps it was meant as an affront to the Reinwalds, or perhaps it was simply one of Wreythian Bear Huge monstrosity, chaotic evil —Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 209 (20d10 + 100) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —20 (+5) 13 (+1) 20 (+5) 3 (-4) 6 (-2) 8 (-1) Saving Throws Str +8, Con +9 Condition Immunities frightened Skills Perception +2 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages — Challenge — 12 (8,400 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Actions Actions Multiattack. The bear makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d12 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage. If the target is prone an additional 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage is dealt to the target. Reactions Bloody Rampage. When the bear takes damage, it makes one attack with its claws against a random creature within its reach.
249 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG the Blood Queen’s cruel whims, but the wolves of Wreythau share some of her vampiric nature. They feast upon blood, can heal their wounds when they drink it, and can also climb supernaturally well. Because of this, wolves are some of the most terrifying threats for the settlements in Wreythau, as they can skuttle over even the tallest walls and go find some poor peasants home to make their den in as they begin to prey on the local neighborhood. And, because Wreythian wolves are never alone, always hunting in pairs or packs of up to 10 wolves, they can be incredibly dangerous to exterminate once they’ve found their way into a village, town, or city. Thankfully for Raffenburg, the Hunter’s Guild has many experts when it comes to dealing with wolves. Blueblood District R6 - The Reinwald Estate The Reinwald Estate is a huge expanse of land that sits in the center of the Blueblood District. It occupies hundreds of acres of forest, all contained within a giant stone curtain wall, and in the center of the forest sits Castle Reinwald, a surprisingly modest building considering the incredibly ostentatious size of the estate itself. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the Reinwalds own more than one estate, and travel between them quite frequently. That is what many speculate, at least, though if they knew the truth, they’d realize that the truth is simply that the Reinwalds prize the forest far above the castle. Major Event: The Reinwalds’ Revel If there’s one thing the Reinwalds are famous for in Raffenburg, it’s the incredible parties that they throw, night long revels of incredible indulgence and debauchery, or so the tales go. The fact that many of the people invited to those parties are never seen again, is hardly mentioned, however, at least not by the Raffenburg Elite. They are just honored to have been invited, not to mention the fact that none of them ever go missing. No, it’s always the common folk that are invited who often disappear. Not all of them, but most. Why is that? Well, because the Reinwalds’ hunt the most dangerous game. They hunt people, and they do it often. The parties, or Revels, as the Reinwalds call them, are simply another good way to replenish their supply of game, and in celebration of this, a hunt is always held the morning afterwards. Other hunts are held, as well, though they are often for much more specific circumstances, such as the elimination of a rival, or the celebration of an event. The hunts held the morning after a party are much larger affairs, however. The entire family participates in the hunt, chasing down prey all over the vast acreage of their forest estate. Spread out as they inevitably will be, that makes these hunts brief windows of vulnerability, moments when the hunters might be Wreythian Dire Wolf Large Monstrosity, chaotic evil —Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 68 (8d8 + 32) Speed — 50 ft., climb speed 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 4 (-3) 12 (+1) 8 (-1) Saving Throws Str +6, Con +7 Condition Immunities frightened Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages - Challenge — 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Reckless. At the start of its turn, the wolf can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn. Spider Climb. The wolf can move its full speed over any surface, including up a wall or across a ceiling. Vampiric. Every time the wolf damages a creature with its bite it regains 2d6 hit points. Actions Actions Multiattack. The wolf makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claw. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage, plus 6 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target must succeed a DC 15 Strength Saving throw or be knocked prone. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage, plus 6 (2d6) necrotic damage. Reactions Vicious Reprisal. In response to taking damage, the wolf makes a bite attack against a random creature within 5 feet of it. It will not attack other wolves. If no creature is within reach, the wolf moves up to half its speed toward an enemy it can see, without provoking opportunity attacks.
250 CHAPTER 5 . RAFFENBURG able to become the hunted. Skilled warriors, if put in the right position, could catch a Reinwald alone, kill them and escape before the rest of the pack even realized it. That, in essence, is Yasviga’s plan. She knows that her eldest sister, Ustinya, plans to kill her just as she killed all of their other siblings, and so in a desperate attempt to avoid her fate, Yasviga will appeal to the adventurers to help her. First, Yasviga will send a messenger with a written, formal request to have dinner with them at the House of the Drowning Sun. If they inform the messenger that they agree, then she will rent out the entirety of the Fine Dining Room and will inform them of her plan there, taking care not to speak in front of the servers. Alternatively, if they invite her into the Regency Suite, she would accept that, and would be able to speak more freely. However, if the adventurers decline, then Yasviga will show up in person and will beg the adventurers to speak with her, offering them land or coin as payment. Ultimately, if they still turn her down (for whatever reason), then proceed with the Count and Countess sending invitations to their Revel, independent of Yasviga. If they agree to speak with her, as they should, then proceed with the meeting described below: Yasviga will explain her situation: her eldest sister, Ustinya will soon try to kill her, just as she’s killed all their other siblings, and so Yasviga needs their help to kill her sister first. A DC 12 Insight check will reveal that she is telling the truth and is genuinely terrified. Then, Yasviga will explain that the best way to do this is to ambush her during the upcoming hunt, but that means that the adventurers will need to attend the Revel and pose as the bait. If Ustinya thinks that Yasviga will be hunting the adventurers, then she will follow them on the day of the hunt, looking to ambush her sister. However, with Yasviga’s help, they would be able to set up an ambush of their own and fight her alone. By this point, the adventurers will probably have lots of questions about why they’re being hunted in the first place (assuming they haven’t already figured it out), at which time Yasviga would reveal her true nature. She would tell them that her whole family have been blessed by the Fey, that they’re Children of Vargr, and are commonly mistaken for werewolves. Hence why her family live so long and why Ustinya is so NOBLES VS CONSORTIUM While the Consortium might control the economy of Wreythau, they don’t control the land. That is, only nobles are allowed to own land. Everyone else is a tenant and must pay rents. What’s more, every member of the Consortium is forbidden from being nobility, and any noble that joined the Consortium would automatically lose all lands and titles, forfeiting them back to the Blood Queen. Because of this, the nobility of Wreythau, and of Raffenburg in particular, are still able to retain much of their power and standing. Furthermore, because the Consortium is supposed to serve the Crown, and every noble is technically a member of the Queen’s Court, every noble is able to make requests of the Consortium and the Consortium has certain obligations to follow those requests. A great deal of politicking is usually involved in navigating those obligations, though the most powerful nobles, such as Baronesses or Counts, are usually always granted a certain number of requests before the Consortium would consider declining. They do have grounds to refuse requests, though ultimately, the noble in question could petition the Blood Queen herself should they feel slighted. Should the Blood Queen agree, the noble would have their request granted. Should she disagree, the noble would be killed and all of their lands and holdings would be redistributed to another member of the Court.