301 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION Disguised Decadence Demons • Each wears a different disguise and they appear as other guests. Effectively, this means Isidora appears to be alone, unless a supernatural sense is employed to detect the demons. Combat: Should the adventurers attack the Cult of Decadence, they will be facing a deadly fight with Isidora herself, and will glimpse the full horror of her reality altering power. As has been mentioned before, Isidora’s mastery of the arts have become so refined that they are now magical in nature, and after centuries of practice, she can now wield these magical abilities as naturally as she breathes. Hence why she wears a ballgown made of living paint, paint that can defy gravity and logic and form the structure of a ballgown, or disintegrate a person where they stand. In short, she’s meant to be an eldritch horror of paint and sculpture. The Church of the Morning Lord Long Term Goal: Rule Wreythau as a Theocracy Short Term Goal: Kill Isidora Father Lorreus is much more interested in the pursuit of power than he is in the concerns of the cloth, and so he’s quite at home at the Masquerade. He mingles frequently, wheeling and dealing with the city’s VIPs, courting favor, and making promises, etc. This is a valuable opportunity for him, so he’s not pleased if the adventurers decide to interrupt him. As far as he’s concerned, unless they agree to publicly convert to the Church of the Morning Lord right then and there, they’re little more than agents of chaos at best, and agents of evil at worst. He’ll engage them in more verbal sparring, trying to bait them into revealing all that they’ve done inside the city. If they slip up and reveal some of their actions, he’ll attempt to publicly condemn them in the eyes of the other factions. For instance, if the adventurers talk about the Cult’s blood sacrifice ritual, he’ll turn that into an attack upon the culture of the city. If they mention the Reinwalds’ true nature, he’ll turn that into a libellous attack on the nobility of the city. Etc. This will also become much worse if High Inquisitor Tarasov is still alive, as he would attend the Masquerade with Father Lorreus. If this is the case, and the adventurers approach them, then Tarasov will lay their crimes in Leshehoff bare, painting the adventurers as fanatical lunatics that destroyed the Abbey and killed helpless clergy, etc, and he’ll publicly request that the Guard arrest them. This would put a lot of attention upon the adventurers, and could potentially trigger Act II of the masquerade early, as the revolutionaries might use this distraction as an opportunity to strike (thereby saving the adventurers from the Guard, too). In short, there’s little to be gained from interacting with Lorreus, let alone Tarasov, though clever adventurers might be able to trick Lorreus into revealing more about his intentions and operations, such as his connection to Guard Captain Mullenbach. Characters and Costumes: Father Lorreus • Lorreus is dressed in an extravagant angel costume, with vestments made of clothof-gold, a mask and halo made of gold, and shimmering platinum wings. High Inquisitor Tarasov (if alive) • Tarasov is dressed in his armor and carries his weapons, a special dispensation arranged with Mullenbach, and wears a golden mask depicting an angel’s face twisted into an expression of wrath and hatred. Priests and Priestesses • Lorreus’ attendants are dressed in simple white robes with Seraphim masks. They carry small, enchanted candles.
302 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION 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. High Inquisitor Viktor Tarasov —Medium Human, Neutral Evil Armor Class 16 (breastplate) Hit Points 140 (15d8 + 75) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —12 (+1) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) Saves Con +6, Wis +6, Cha +6 Skills Insight +7, Perception +7, Persuasion +7, Religion +5, Stealth +7 Senses Passive Perception 16 Languages Common, Celestial, Infernal, Abyssal Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) Spellcasting. Trasov is a 10th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). All radiant damage is converted to fire damage that bypasses resistance. Tarasov has the following cleric spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): guidance, poison spray, resistance, spare the dying, thaumaturgy, sacred flame 1st level (4 slots): inflict wounds, guiding bolt, shield of faith, sanctuary 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spiritual weapon, zone of truth 3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, feign death, spirit guardians 4th level (3 slots): locate creature, guardian of faith, death ward 5th level (2 slots): flame strike, insect plague Attack. Actions —Tarasov makes one scourge attack. Scourge +1. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 17 (5d6) fire damage. Tarasov can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the Legendary Actions —options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Tarasov regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Move. Tarsov moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Attack. Tarasov makes one attack. Tactics: In combat, Tarasov is ruthless, but is also most interested in self preservation. If he believes that he is facing significant risk of death (such as being brought to half health) he will simply try to leave. Otherwise, he prefers to stand behind his minions and use spiritual weapon, flame strike, guiding bolt, or his scourge on his adversaries. His fallback is then Spirit Guardians, using his movement to bring new enemies into range of the guardians and their damage, and then follow it up with Inflict Wounds.
303 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION Combat: Should the adventurers attack the Church of the Morning Lord, the form the fight takes depends upon whether or not Tarasov is still alive. If he is, then the fight will consist of both Father Lorreus and High Inquisitor Tarasov. Reinwalds Long Term Goal: Control all of Wreythau Short Term Goal: Escape the Masquerade The Count and Countess are both in attendance, along with whichever of their daughters survived. So, if the adventurers helped Yasviga kill Ustinya and Karloff, then Yasviga attends the Masquerade with her parents. If the adventurers did not help Yasviga, or otherwise kill Ustinya and Karloff, then Yasviga will have been killed, and Ustinya and her husband will attend with the Count and Countess. This matters, because if the adventurers helped Yasviga, they now have a very valuable ally. She will feed the adventurers as much information as possible, as well as try to temper her parents’ decisions, not to mention the fact that she would inherit their titles and power should her parents die. In the future, she might even help the adventurers kill her parents, though not during the Masquerade. However, if Ustinya is the one who survived and is present, then the adventurers will now have another powerful enemy that they will have to fight in the future. All in all, a tremendous net loss. If the adventurers engage in conversation with the Reinwalds, they’ll express admiration and surprise for having done so well during the Hunt, but will show no hint of anger. In their eyes, strength is virtue, might makes right, and so even the death of a daughter can be excused if it happened because she was weak. Otherwise, they’ll steer the conversation towards the politics of the city, and the Reinwalds will try to get the adventurers to share their impressions of the other factions and their leaders. This is all intel gathering for them, as they prefer to take a more passive and subtle approach until the time is right to strike. Combat: Unlike all of the other combats that can take place at the Masquerade, the fight against the Reinwalds will function much differently because the Reinwalds’ primary goal is simply to survive and escape. They’ll take their revenge against the adventurers at another time, and all they have to do is make it to the western or eastern doors that lead off the map. However, should the adventurers attack the Reinwalds during the chaos, they will react by transforming into their massive direwolf forms and running for the exits, a shocking event that will force them to retreat from the city. As for how they would open the doors? One would shift back, meaning that the adventurers would only have 2 turns to attack the Reinwalds before they escaped. If you’re feeling incredibly generous, and the adventurers have sort of method to keep up, you could have them fight a lone Reinwald in the Raffenburg city streets, but honestly, I highly doubt they’d be able to keep up considering dash actions, legendary actions, legendary resistances, and a high move speed. Aftermath of the Masquerade As has been discussed above, what happens during the Masquerade will create the circumstances for the Revolution that will sweep over the city. Remember, even if the Revolution faction is killed, the actual Revolution, itself, cannot be stopped. After the Masquerade, the cold war that all of the factions were fighting will be engulfed in the inferno of open conflict, and the violence will not stop until one faction comes out on top. Either that, or the Blood Queen slaughters the majority of the city and leaves the survivors to pick up the pieces.
304 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION So, whichever faction the adventurers support, and whichever faction they directly attack will determine who is struggling for control of the city. Finally, the adventurers should level up, bringing them to level 7. The Crucible of Raffenburg Once the Solstice Masquerade has ended and the remaining factions retreat to fight another day, the adventurers are left with the question of who should rule the city. Certainly, more cowardly adventurers could flee and leave the fate of the city in the hands of its people, and there’s certainly logic to be found in that, to do so would be to risk the city falling into the clutches of its more malevolent factions. In order to end the Revolution and enable the people a chance to rebuild their city into something new, the adventurers will have to once again choose who to oppose and who to aid. Ultimately, this will boil down into an assault upon the enemy faction’s headquarters. Below, you will find all the information you need to wipe out a faction for good. The roleplaying and strategizing of how the adventurers work with their allies, or not, I shall leave to you. Yes, a full scale revolution might seem incredibly complicated, though for the purposes of this story, the city’s factions represent the divisions of power that must be contended with. Clever adventurers might choose to approach this conflict diplomatically and build alliances, which is absolutely possible. For instance, Florentine Schroder of the Consortium and Guard Captain Veronique Bruhl could be persuaded to join the Revolutionaries, though the other members of their faction could not. Likewise, the Reinwalds could be negotiated with, particularly if Yasviga lives, and they could become allies or simply persuaded to mind their own business. Father Lorreus could be cowed into submission and cooperation, though this would mean that the Church of the Morning Lord would survive, and likely inspire a crusade just to kill the adventurers themselves. The Cult of Decadence, however, would have to be wiped out. As for the Authority and the Consortium? They’re happy to use the adventurers as mercenaries, but have no interest in them as allies. Again, they are not a good choice, as they created the conditions for the revolution in the first place. Now, all that said, in addition to whatever negotiations the adventurers conduct, they will only have to eliminate one more faction in support of another to bring the Revolution to a close. This way, you don’t have to spend 4 sessions dungeon crawling through the various factions headquarters. Instead, by removing a faction during the Masquerade (hopefully), and removing a faction during the Revolution, they will have tipped the balance of power enough for their allied faction to begin to stabilize the city, and the adventurers will be able to move on to explore more of Wreythau. Below you will find city events that will take place during the revolution, as well as the write-ups and maps for each of the factions’ headquarters. City Revolution Events Livestock Escape As was discussed in R5 - The Menagerie Livestock Market (pg. 247), when the revolution begins, many of the dangerous creatures held at this livestock market will be released into the streets, causing panic and death to spread throughout the city. This was a deliberate act of revenge carried out by the workers of the Menagerie. Their dangerous working conditions and exploitative bosses pushed them over the edge, though their plan clearly wasn’t well thought out, for as soon as the most dangerous creatures were released they turned upon the workers before setting off to wreak havoc throughout the city. As such, this provides an excuse for you to sprinkle some of your very favorite monsters throughout the city (from this book, or any others). What’s more, you could use the excuse
305 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION of bloodshed luring these monsters towards any big fights that the adventurers get involved in. This could add an element of chaos, as well as help add a new sense of danger to any fights that are proving to be too easy. Alternatively, an enemy faction could also capture some of these monsters and deliberately add them to their ranks, giving a further excuse to add variety to their forces. However, if you prefer to sprinkle these encounters throughout the city as random encounters (not what is recommended), then you could easily do that as well. Or, you could take one of your favorite monsters and tweak them into a legendary version (if nothing else, it’s simple to add the Move and Attack legendary actions to any statblock), and turn the event into a monster hunt through the city. Give the monster unnatural intelligence and cunning, have it leave a trail of blood and destruction intended to lure the adventurers into a trap, have it run from fights to become a recurring threat, etc, and you could turn that simple monster hunt into a mini horror adventure all on its own. If you do choose to do this, though, take a look at the “A Reinwald in the Wild” encounter for inspiration, but only run one or the other, as they are too similar to both be used. A Reinwald in the Wild Assuming that the Reinwalds’ true natures haven’t been forcibly revealed during the Masquerade, forcing them to flee the city altogether, then the Reinwalds will use the chaos of the revolution, and the escaped monsters from the Menagerie, as an excuse to run wild and start hunting people all throughout the city. Not all of the Reinwalds are doing this, of course, so choose one to focus upon. If you want to use the simpler Loup Garou stat block, then have it be Reinwalds’ Head Chef, Bolearis Reinwald, going on a bloodthirsty rampage through the city. Or, if you’d rather give the adventurers a chance to kill the Count or Countess, feel free to use them for this event. If Ustinya is still alive, she could also be used, though Yasviga would explicitly not be involved. Now, once you’ve chosen which Reinwald to set loose upon the city, choose which district you want them to conduct their serial killer/ Predator style hunts in. Take a look at the following list, which provides a brief description of what the werewolf hunt would be like in that location. Note that the Cathedral District and Council Hill are not included, as those would be suicidal locations for the Reinwald to choose, and the whole point of a werewolf is that they have all the cunning and cruelty of humans combined with the bestial fury and power of a wild animal. Market District: If the Reinwald chooses to hunt in the Market District, they will be looking to indulge in a feast of innocent flesh, and will slaughter dozens of people every night. Entire blocks will become its killing ground, leading to the gangs of the Market District organizing informal quarantines as stories of the monstrous beast spreads. Hunters from the Hunters Guild will be dispatched and promptly killed, making the situation desperate enough for people to beg the Adventurers to look into what’s happening. In short, this event would be like an urban legend come to life, set to a backdrop of blood slicked streets, and desperate fights in maze-like tenements decorated with dismembered body parts. Sample Horror Progression: • Adventurers hear about something decimating entire tenement blocks in the Market District. (Unease) • Adventurers are begged to hunt whatever is responsible. (Unease) • Adventurers arrive and are stopped by gang enforced quarantine, told more all kinds of conflicting stories about what could be doing this. (Unease) • Adventurers move inside the quarantine zone and discover a dying Hunter mad with fright. (Dread) • Adventurers begin to track the monster. (Unease) • Adventurers find it’s lair, decorated with body parts. (Dread) • The Reinwald attacks. (Resolve)
306 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION University District: If the Reinwald chooses to hunt at the University, they will likely be settling old scores, as well as pitting their wits against the brightest minds the city has to offer. Instead of mass carnage, this will be about the thrill of the hunt, about terrorizing specific prey and testing their potential before finally eating them alive. Because of this, unlike the carnage that would take place in the Market District, only a handful of victims would be found on the University Campus by the time the adventurers hear about it. Then, the adventurers would have to do much more investigation in order to uncover the monster behind these attacks. They would have to interview witnesses, examine crime scenes, and identify who the Reinwald’s next victim will be, thus allowing them to ambush the killer. Sample Horror Progression • Yulia Mountainsblood, Ekaterina Tornheim the Younger, or the Head Dean of the University would contact the adventurers and ask them to find the killer stalking the campus. (Unease) • Adventurers would investigate crime scene of most recent murder. Prof. Quatholl, an elven arcanology professor, appears to have been eaten in his office. There are claw marks, other clues, ect. DC 16 Investigation reveals he was sponsored by the Reinwalds. (unease) • Adventurers speak to eye witnesses. One saw the murder silhouetted through a curtain, another saw a cloaked figure fleeing after leaving bloody footprints on the cobbles, etc. Should hint at which Reinwald it is. (unease) • Adventurers get a list of other professors funded by the Reinwalds. Decide who is the next target. • Adventurers lay ambush, but too late. (Dread) • Adventurers receive a note indicating that they are next. (Unease) • Fight to the Death. (Resolve) Art District: If the Reinwald chooses to hunt in the Art District, they will be hunting members of the Cult in an effort to destabilize them while also having a bunch of murderous fun. Primarily, this means that the Reinwald will be targeting the Grand Theatre, as this is the most obvious location tied to the Cult. For, even though the blood sacrifice already happened and R.K. Schreyer has fled, the cult still uses the theater as a place to organize its mind controlled recruits. Because of this, the Reinwald would be very careful, and become a “phantom of the theatre”, killing cultists out of sight and leaving their gruesome corpses to be discovered by their compatriots. And, if you really do want to channel the whole “phantom of the theatre” vibe, you could consider having the Reinwald fall in love with Stella, the breakout star and survivor of the Last Tsar. This would mean love letters would be found, along with small gifts, etc, in sickening imitation of how the Blood Queen courts the adventurers themselves. Sample Horror Progression • Word spreads through the city that ghastly murders are occurring at the Grand Theatre. This should grab the adventurers attention because the blood sacrifice was entirely covered up. So, if murder is being recognized there, it must be something profound. (unease) • The adventurers visit the Theatre and are soon directed to the murder which took place backstage. It’s as grisly as a werewolf murder can be. (unease) • Stella approaches the adventurers and tells them about her mysterious stalker and how she thinks they’re involved in the murders. (unease) • In order to catch the murderer, they’ll have to attend the next play. (dread) • The adventurers have to stand watch/stake out the play and will catch the Reinwald in the act. Battle ensues, etc. (Resolve)
307 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION Guild District: If the Reinwald is hunting in the Guild District, their goal will be two fold: first, enjoy the carnage of a rampage, and secondly, to disrupt guild operations and make the guilds more vulnerable to their influence. This event is very similar to the Market District event, except for the fact that it takes place within an industrial setting and would take place over a much longer period of time. The Reinwald would pick off workers here and there, cause horrific accidents, and generally lurk as a lupine specter of death. I recommend setting this event within the Blacksmith’s Guild, as that will allow for a desperate fight above giant vats of molten metal. Sample Horror Progression • The revolutionaries or the Blacksmith Guild leader begs the adventurers to help kill the monster stalking their forge. (unease) • The adventurers interview workers, who describe a massive, dark shape ripping people apart, throwing them into vats of molten metal, or sabotaging equipment. (unease) • The adventurers explore the factory and discover evidence of the werewolf (gnawed bones, claw marks, noble clothing carefully stashed in a hiding spot, etc). (Unease) • A worker is violently killed. (Dread) • The battle against the werewolf commences. (Resolve) Overall, this event is all about telling a fun werewolf horror story. Each location presents a different sort of slasher story, and though they are similar, each has its own themes and aspects of the city that you can emphasize. So, choose the one that sounds most fun to you, and enjoy watching your players take out another werewolf! A City Consuming Itself While the Revolution isn’t a constant swirl of madness and violence, there are moments of extreme fury that ignite in the streets, often when the followers of different factions meet en masse. This event is all about capturing those moments. As such, it can be used by itself, or it can be combined with other events, as these brutal clashes between enraged mobs could happen anywhere or at any time. Ideally, the adventurers won’t be trying to kill the mobs outright, but will instead be forced to defend themselves or battle their way through the mobs towards their true objectives. Each Faction features a mob with its own unique characteristics, so feel free to mix and match to create dynamic combats. Revolutionary Mob Huge swarm of medium humanoids, any alignment —Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 240 (60d8) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —20 (+5) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) Damage Vulnerabilities Area Attack Spells and Effects Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Swarm. The mob can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Small humanoid. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Actions —Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the mob’s space. Hit: 30 (10d4 + 5) slashing damage, or 17 (5d4 + 5) slashing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. Any creature hit by the Slash attack must make a DC 17 Strength Save or become restrained by the mob. Alchemist’s Fire Volley. The mob throws a volley of alchemist’s fire flasks with a range of 30 feet and that ignites in a 10 ft radius explosion. Any target within the 10 ft radius will take 25 (10d4) fire damage and be lit on fire, taking 2d4 fire damage at the start of their turn, or they will take half as much damage and avoid being lit on fire if they succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity Save. Creatures that were lit on fire can spend an action to put the flames out. Acid Flask Volley. The mob throws a volley of acid flasks with a range of 30 feet and that splash in a 10 ft radius explosion. Any target within the 10 ft radius will take 25 (10d4) acid damage, or half as much if they succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity Save. The mob will gain advantage on all attacks against creatures damaged by the acid, as the acid eats away at their defenses.
308 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION Cult Mob Huge swarm of medium humanoids, any evil alignment —Armor Class 10 (natural armor) Hit Points 240 (60d8) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —20 (+5) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) Damage Vulnerabilities Area Attack Spells and Effects Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Swarm. The mob can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Small humanoid. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Maddening Chanting. The mob chants horrible incantations. Each creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the mob and can hear the chanting must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn and rolls a d8 to determine what it does during its turn. On a 1 to 4, the creature does nothing. On a 5 or 6, the creature takes no action or bonus action and uses all its movement to move in a randomly determined direction. On a 7 or 8, the creature makes a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach or does nothing if it can’t make such an attack. Actions —Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the mob’s space. Hit: 30 (10d4 + 5) slashing damage, or 17 (5d4 + 5) slashing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. Any creature hit by the Slash attack must make a DC 17 Strength Save or become restrained by the mob. Demon Mob Huge swarm of medium fiends, any Evil alignment —Armor Class 10 (natural armor) Hit Points 240 (60d8) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —20 (+5) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) Damage Resistance nonmagical slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing damage. Damage Vulnerabilities Area Attack Spells and Effects Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Swarm. The mob can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Small humanoid. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Corrupted Madness. Any creature restrained by the Demon Mob must succeed a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by the mob for the duration. The charmed target must attack any target that the mob chooses. The target can make a Wisdom saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, the madness ends, and the target is immune for 24 hours. Actions —Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the mob’s space. Hit: 30 (10d4 + 5) slashing damage, or 17 (5d4 + 5) slashing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. Any creature hit by the Slash attack must make a DC 17 Strength Save or become restrained by the mob. Morning Lord Mob Huge swarm of medium humanoids, any alignment —Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 240 (60d8) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —20 (+5) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) Damage Vulnerabilities Area Attack Spells and Effects Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Swarm. The mob can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Small humanoid. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Blessed Healing. Clerics in the mob cast healing spells that help keep the righteous on their feet and fighting. The mob regenerates 10 hit points at the start of every turn as long as it has 1 hit point remaining. Actions —Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the mob’s space. Hit: 30 (10d4 + 5) slashing damage, or 17 (5d4 + 5) slashing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. Any creature hit by the Slash attack must make a DC 17 Strength Save or become restrained by the mob. City Guard Mob Huge swarm of medium humanoids, any alignment —Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 240 (60d8) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —20 (+5) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) Damage Vulnerabilities Area Attack Spells and Effects Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Swarm. The mob can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Small humanoid. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Actions —Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the mob’s space. Hit: 50 (10d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 25 (5d8 + 5) slashing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. Any creature hit by the Slash attack must make a DC 17 Strength Save or become restrained by the mob. Volley Fire. The City Guard launch a volley of crossbow bolts with a range of 60 feet and a radius of 10 ft. Any creature within the 10 ft radius will take 40 (10d8) piercing damage, or half as much on a successful DC 14 Dexterity Save.
309 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION Revolution Faction Headquarters Location: The House of the Drowning Sun (pg 236) If the adventurers decide to wipe out the Revolution Faction, they’ll have to launch an all out assault upon the House of the Drowning Sun, fight through the revolutionaries, and then wipe out the leadership. Suffice it to say, the adventurers will have their work cut out for them. Their best bet would be to infiltrate the House of the Drowning Sun, as this would allow them to bypass the Revolutionary Mobs (at least 2) waiting in the streets outside. However, the adventurers would then have to trick the Revolution’s security forces in order to smuggle arms and armor inside. Small items could be concealed with a DC 18 Sleight of Hand check, though larger items would require the use of magic in order to sneak them through. Or, should the adventurers decide to fight as soon as they step foot inside, they’ll have to contend with Shonette and her security force, represented by 2 Revolution Guerillas (pg 295). After defeating Shonette and the two Guerillas, the adventurers would then ascend to the Regency Suite and would have to fight or negotiate with Anca, Sorina, and Ileana (pg 295-296). The Gheata Sisters would agree to betray Cival if the adventurers could offer them a guarantee of control of the Outer Seas branch of the Consortium, though short of that they would be willing to risk supporting Cival and her cause. Finally, the adventurers would have to kill Cival (pg 294). With the Gheata sisters’ help, there would be no need for a fight, though without it, they would have to fight Cival herself. Should they survive, the Revolution Faction would thus be crushed, and whichever faction the adventurers supported would gain control of the city. Church of the Morning Lord Faction Location: Cathedral, Inner Sanctum In order to attack the Church of the Morning Lord and eradicate them from the city, the adventurers would have to lead an all out assault upon the Cathedral district. Likely, this would require them to coordinate with their allied faction, though even then they would have to fight through at least 2 Morning Lord Mobs to reach the Cathedral itself. Then, the adventurers would be able to breach the Cathedral and attack the Inner Sanctum that shelters Father Lorreus. Shonette —Medium human, neutral evil Armor Class 16 (leather armor) Hit Points 128 (14d8 + 60) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —14 (+2) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +5 Skills Athletics +8, Acrobatics +7, Deception +5, Perception +4, Stealth +10 Damage Resistances poison Senses passive Perception 14 Languages Thieves’ cant plus any two languages Challenge — 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Bloodthirsty. Shonette has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Cunning Action. On each of her turns, Shonette can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Tough as Nails. If an attack would reduce Shonette to zero hit points, she can make a Constitution Saving Throw equal to 5 + damage taken. If she succeeds, she is at 1 hp instead. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Shonette deals an extra 20 (6d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. Actions —Multiattack. Shonette makes two dagger attacks, or makes one dagger attack and one attack with Blood In Your Eyes. Dagger +1. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 + 6) 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. Blood In Your Eyes. One target within 5ft of Shonette must make a DC 16 Dexterity Save or become blinded for 1 minute.
310 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION The Inner Sanctum is technically a free standing chapel, though it does still lie within the grounds of the Cathedral itself. Inside the Inner Sanctum are two reliquaries (the silver angel statues in the twin towers of the chapel) holding the remains of Morning Lord Saints. 1650 gp worth of offerings have been left for the Saints, and 500gp worth of silver and copper fill the chapel’s coffers. However, inside the Chapel, 6 Inquisitorial Guard (pg 222) wait for the adventurers. They represent most of Father Lorreus’ personal guard, though 2 more Inquisitorial Guard wait with Father Lorreus himself (pg 302) in the garden behind the chapel. Or, if High Inquisitor Tarasov (pg 302) is still alive, he and the Father wait for the adventurers by themselves in the garden. Inside Father Lorreus’ rectory (clergy house), are 6,000 gp of assorted gems, including diamonds worth up to 500 gold, as well as 1,000 gp worth of clerical spell components. Cult of Decadence Faction Location: Galleria Infernalis The Galleria Infernalis is one of the most famous and divisive art galleries in Raffenburg, and has developed a reputation for featuring art that defies all concepts of propriety, morality, or normalcy. It has come to be regarded as one of the pillars of the Art District itself, which is fitting, for the gallery acts as the cover for the Cult of Decadence’s headquarters itself. However, once the revolution begins, there’s little need for the Cult to hide any longer, and so they begin to operate openly out of the Galleria Infernalis, thus revealing a target for the adventurers and their allies to hit. Entering the Galleria, the adventurers are faced with what appears to be a large art gallery, though after examining the massive room, a DC 16 Investigation Check will reveal a secret door hidden behind a painting at the far end of the hall. As it happens, the secret door is not looked, and opens out into GIA - The Hidden Gallery.
311 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION GIA - The Hidden Gallery Stepping through the secret door, you find yourself standing in a series of long corridors. The floors are tiled with purple marble, and the walls are all covered in the most horrendously beautiful murals that you’ve ever seen. The most vile, insane, and malevolent acts are depicted upon in stunning detail and gorgeous composition, so beautiful that you find it hard to look away. Anyone who enters into the Hidden Gallery must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma save or become restrained and take 2d10 Psychic Damage from the hideous beauty of the evil paintings. Characters must repeat this save every round until the malevolent artwork is out of sight. That means that the adventurers could blindfold themselves to avoid the psychic trap, but then something might sneak up on them. Something like the Decadence Demon hiding in GIB - Secret Summoning Room. The door to GIB is hidden behind the muraled wall that it shares with GIA. A DC 15 Investigation check will reveal this secret door. Lastly, this psychic trap does not affect Cultists or Demons. GIB - Secret Summoning Room The hidden door swings open to reveal a small chamber filled with noxious, violet fog. A stone summoning circle has been etched into the floor, and a massive stone serpent stretches its head out over the circle. This room is used by the cult to summon demons. When the adventurers open the door into GIA - The Hidden Gallery, the circle will activate and will summon a Decadence Demon (pg 231). The Demon will wait, invisible in the illusory
312 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION fog, for an opening to attack the adventurers. If the adventurers blindfold themselves to avoid the psychic trap, the Demon will exit the room while invisible (make an opposed stealth check for it) and attack the adventurers. However, if the adventurers simply rush through GIA, then it will wait to attack them from behind when they engage the other enemies in the hideout. GIC - Shattered Glass Hallway As you round the corner and come into this hallway you see that the walls are blessedly free from paint. Instead, shards of shattered, stained glass have been embedded into the floor. Typically, cultists will remove their shoes so that they can walk across the shattered glass and feel the exquisite pain of having their feet shredded, but just in case, the glass has been enchanted to be supernaturally durable and sharp, so sharp that it can cut through boot soles and armor alike. Creatures that move across the glass will take 1d4 piercing damage for each 5ft moved. Additionally, they must Succeed a DC 16 Dexterity Save or fall prone, taking an additional 2d4 piercing damage. The glass is also difficult terrain, meaning that movement speed is halved. In order to exit this hallway, the adventurers will have to pick the lock or break down the door that leads into GID - Cultists’ Quarters. The lock can be picked with a DC 16 Thieves Tools check, or by doing 30 damage to the door (assume attacks hit automatically). GID - Cultists’ Quarters The door opens into a long hall that appears to be living quarters, of a sort. Immediately before you is a large kitchen area, complete with pantries, preparation areas, and a massive fireplace to cook over. Past the kitchen, a stairway leads into another chamber, and past the stairs, bedrolls cover almost every square inch of the floor, surrounding a massive dining table and ending behind a seating area before another grandiose fireplace. Though not originally intended to house dozens of people, the cultists have made do, embracing the mild torment of sleeping on hard tile in cramped conditions. It’s all part of the road of suffering that will free them from the cage of the material world. More to the point, aside from kitchen and personal supplies, there are 4 Decadence Cultists (pg 231) mingling by the seating area in front of the fire. The Decadence Cultists, of course, will attack, providing an excellent opportunity for the Decadence Demon to attack the adventurers from behind (assuming it hasn’t attacked already). GIE - Sacred Gallery As you walk down the stairs that lead from the cultists’ living quarters, you enter a massive chamber filled with paintings. The paintings hang upon large wooden stands that have been set deep into the floor itself. Two doors lead out of the chamber, but more importantly, in the north eastern corner of the room stands an iron-bound cage filled with four hellhounds. The paintings and their stands count as wooden walls, and block line of sight and movement. When the adventurers go down the stairs, ask them to make a DC 20 Perception Check. If they succeed, they will notice that there is a pressure plate at the bottom of the stairs. If they fail, they will trigger the Achilles Blade Trap and open the door of the Hell Hounds’ cage (4 Hell Hounds).
313 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION Achilles Blade Trap When the pressure plate is depressed into the floor, a spinning blade emerges from an opening built into the bottom of the stairs. Every creature that is standing upon the pressure plate must succeed a DC 18 Dexterity save or be cut by the blade. Creatures cut by the blade have their speed halved, and take 18 (4d8) slashing damage. GIF - Sacred Ritual Room As you open the door into this room you find yourself staring at a fantastic sight. Huge blocks of solid gold, carved with arcane patterns and sigils, cover the floor. Each block is of a different height, ranging from two to five feet high, and sitting upon the tallest block are two skeletal sages wrapped in cloaks. The sages are not hostile, and if attacked, will die...only for time to rewind and for them to return to life moments later. Inside the Sacred Ritual Room, the flow of time has been altered. Any creature that enters the room will be temporarily locked in time. Whatever state of being they were in when they entered the room will become permanent - so long as they stay in the room. Most importantly, as the sages explain, this allows for the practice of very dangerous and very powerful rituals. If the adventurers wish, the sages will guide them through the Ritual of Enlightenment. The ritual is simple. The participant must sit or kneel upon one of the golden blocks. Then, they must ask a single question. Once the question is asked, the ritual begins. The participant must succeed 3 Constitution saving throws. The first is DC 12, the second is DC 15, and last is DC 18. If the participant succeeds on all three saving throws, they will remain conscious while their flesh is mystically flayed and salted, their bones broken, and their eyes pulled out. Then they will receive a 100% truthful answer to their question. Then, their body is returned to the exact condition it was when they entered the room. If the participant fails, they simply pass out during the torture and then return to the state they were in after entering the room (including being conscious) a moment later. The ritual can only be performed once per person. However, so long as the ritual is performed at least once, the sages will offer to grant the adventurers a blessing, and will alter the flow of time in the room, providing the effects of a Long Rest. GIG - Isidora’s Throne Room As you step into this room, you find yourself standing in a grand throne room. Great bushels of Gulthias flowers grow from flower pots set in the corners of the room, beneath exquisite statues of vipers. Along the far wall, suits of ornamental armor stand at attention, and in the center of the room stand six Hell Hound —Medium fiend, lawful evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14) Speed — 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —17 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) 13 (+1) 6 (-2) Skills Perception +5 Damage Immunities fire Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages understands Infernal but can’t speak it Challenge — 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Keen Hearing and Smell. The hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. Pack Tactics. The hound has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the hound’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. Actions —Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage. Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). The hound exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
314 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION golden statues flanking an exquisite velvet rug that leads to a great stone dias. And, lounging upon a throne set atop the dias, is Isidora herself. Isidora (pg 300)will be happy to engage the adventurers in conversation, should they wish. She would request they allow her safe passage from the city, though she would promise that, one day, she would get revenge for the destruction of her Cult. Should the adventurers attack, Isidora will respond in kind. The House of Reinwald Faction Location: The Reinwald Estate (pg 247) Should the adventurers seek to attack the Reinwalds, and the Reinwalds were not forced to flee the city, then the adventurers will have to kill the Count and Countess in their own home. Suffice it to say that this would be an incredibly dangerous task. If the adventurers helped Yasviga to kill her sister, however, they would have a powerful ally that would be able to help them in the final fight. Of course, should Cornelius or Ilse be severely injured, they would simply try to flee rather than stay and die. Should the Count and Countess die regardless of their survival instincts, however, then the adventurers will find their time significantly easier when the reach the Ruins of Nemeth towards the end of the campaign. The Authority Faction Location: Council Hill Guard Barracks
315 CHAPTER 6 - REVOLUTION If the adventurers wish to destroy the Authority faction, they must kill the Guard Commander, Hans Gault, and thus destabilize any chance of the City Guard remaining a unified force. Hans Gault lives in the Council Hill Barracks, and thus the adventurers will need to either join a full scale assault on Council Hill with another faction, or they will need to sneak into Council Hill itself. If they choose to sneak in, use R1 - The City Gates (pg 232) to model the gates of Council Hill, but assume that the City Guard are all hostile. Note that if the adventurers do join a full scale assault, treat the assault as a narrative encounter, or simply summarize it until the adventurers reach the Council Hill Barracks. From there, the adventurers are on their own, as their allied forces will be busy occupying the rest of the City Guard’s forces. Inside the Council Barracks, the adventurers will find Hans Gault (using the statistics for a Guard Captain, pg 245) along with 2 Guard Arcanists (pg 228) and 8 City Guard (pg 228). As for physical defenses, each door has a lock requiring a successful DC 14 Thieves Tools check. Windows havelocks requiring a DC 16 Thieves Tools check. For the arrangement of Gault’s forces, he won’t group all of his forces together at once. Instead, he would try to stage a multi-step defense that would burn resources and allow for tactical retreats. For instance, he might station 4 City Guard in the tower of the barracks, and then when it was clear the tower would fall, the surviving guards could retreat inside the barracks proper, joining up with 2 City Guard and 1 Guard Arcanist stationed inside the barracks main hallway. Then, should those guards begin to lose, the survivors could retreat and join up with Gault and his personal guard consisting of the final 2 City Guard and 1 Guard Arcanist. Once Gault is dead, the remaining guard would surrender and the Authority faction would be destroyed. Raffenburg Epilogue Once the adventurers have managed to bring about an end to the violent struggle of the Revolution, the Blood Queen would once more summon the adventurers to an audience with her, where she would pleasantly interrogate them about their actions. In order to do this, she will teleport them, while they are still sleeping, back into The Cairn once again (see Chapter 4 or Chapter 10). Questions the Blood Queen Would Ask • How did you manage to secure the city in my name? • Do you believe your actions benefited the people of Raffenburg? • How long will your influence last? • Will you rule the city, or let it rule itself? Why? • Are you content with your spoils or will you quest anew? • Will you pledge yourself to me? This last question, of course, is the most loaded, though it’s also the least important, because Czerina doesn’t actually expect the answer to be yes. She knows that manipulation takes time, so if the adventurers do answer “yes”, she will simply test that answer. She will demand that the adventurers go to the settlement of Inbarev and set it to right. She will explain that the Baron of Inbarev has become unpalatable, and so she will demand the adventurers go to Inbarev and kill the Baron for her. Once this is done, they will be able to appoint a new Baron or Baroness and, should they choose well, she will greatly reward them. If the adventurers say “no”, Czerina will merely laugh and say “We shall see…” before teleporting the adventurers in between the Silver Graves and Inbarev, thus increasing the odds of where they might travel next, but still allowing them the freedom of choice. The Adventurers will Level Up to Level 8.
316 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV Chapter 7 - Inbarev
317 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV Centuries ago, the settlement of Inbarev was an agricultural powerhouse, similar to Leshehoff. It was ruled by the honored Ysemgrin family, descendents of Czerina’s bravest Generals, and was once known as the most peaceful settlement in all of Wreythau. Yet, as the centuries passed, the Ysemgrin’s found their favor and their fortunes in decline. It began with the fall of Lady Oksana Jehanette Delora Ysemgrin, daughter of the Baron of Inbarev. Once Czerina had embraced the young Ysemgrin and cursed her with endless hunger and eternal life, the Blood Queen felt that she had bestowed upon the Ysemgrin’s a boon greater than any other, and so satisfied her obligations to them. No longer did she provide the aid or protection to Inbarev that she once had, and soon the settlement became plagued by beastfolk raids, wildlife incursions, and civil unrest. Inbarev was no longer a place of plenty. It was now a place of struggle, and the people began to revolt. The Ysemgrin’s called for aid, but their pleas went unanswered. Not even their prodigal daughter, now Grandmaster of the Order of Blood, would answer them, and so they began to despair, and rightly so, for when one of Czerina’s other allies offered to replace the Ysemgrins and rebuild Inbarev into a powerful and prosperous settlement, the Blood Queen agreed. This ally was none other than the Ravening Philosopher, the Immortal Engineer, the Mad Alchemist known as Moritz Hartrick. Hartrick had come to Wreythau long ago, seeking hidden knowledge, and hidden knowledge is exactly what Hartrick found. Through the study of the cursed ingredients that could be found in Wreythau, Hartrick was able to complete the Masterwork and crafted the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher’s Stone, granting himself eternal life and immense alchemical power. But Hartrick did not stop there, and instead turned to the study of anatomy, and of mechanics, and soon became possessed of a new dream: to craft life in whatever image he desired, and in doing so, become like a god. These insane ambitions grew until Hartrick had crafted a plan that would take him to the very doorstep of apotheosis itself, though it would take a tremendous amount of time, effort, and resources to achieve. So, he set his sights upon Inbarev, a vulnerable settlement that he could capture and shape as he wished, molding it into the engine of apotheosis that he desired. With his terrible knowledge and the elixir of Immortality flowing through his veins, Inbarev was all he needed to complete his plan, and with the Blood Queen’s blessing, he was able to wipe out the line of the Ysemgrin’s once and for all. Now Hartrick is the Baron of Inbarev, and though the taxes are always paid, Inbarev has become a nightmare brought to life. The entire town has been turned into one massive industrial plant, churning out great vats of alchemical substances and tank grown flesh, all of which is fed into Hartrick’s hidden laboratory where new monstrosities are brought into being. Some of these monstrosities can be found elsewhere in Wreythau, such as the flesh-crafted servants of The Cairn, or the Guardian of the Silver Graves, though most all reside within Inbarev, a new people crafted through alchemy, magic, and science, a new people all united beneath the iron fist of their creator. Hartrick rules Inbarev with the brutal ruthlessness of a tyrant, controlling as many aspects of his creations’ and his subjects’ lives as he possibly can. They’re nothing but resources to be used and tossed aside, then broken down and recycled into new creations, all to better serve their ultimate purpose: Hartrick’s eventual ascension. It didn’t begin this way, of course. Hartrick hid his intentions from the Blood Queen, as well as his new subjects. He poisoned the Ysemgrin’s and then set himself up as an enlightened despot, using his incredible knowledge and his supreme authority within the Barony to better the lives of all its citizens. For about a century it was this way, but that was nothing more than a grand manipulation used to secure his power within Inbarev and subtly prepare it for his true intentions. Then, decade over decade, the Mad Alchemist transformed Inbarev into his twisted vision of an industrial nightmare. Now, those of his subjects that were born into the world live in abject terror of the Baron and his crafted servants. Now, Inbarev is a barony torn in two, occupied by the Born and the Crafted, though even the Crafted
318 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV have begun to chafe beneath Hartrick’s merciless rule. They are ever grateful that they were given life, and many have come to exult in the inhuman power of their constructed bodies, though they long for a day when they are more than just Hartrick’s slaves. They wish to truly live, and that means that Hartrick must die. Thankfully for the Mad Alchemist, he’s managed to devise brutal techniques to control his creations, and so thorough is his work that only a small population of the Crafted have retained enough sense of identity to be able to even dream of resistance. They gather in secret, hopelessly planning the Immortal Engineer’s downfall, though without more support, their efforts are doomed to failure. The same is true for the Born, whose population has reduced so drastically over the centuries that they are now the minority in Inbarev. Where once humans, orcs, dwarves, halflings, and even the elf-blooded numbered in the tens of thousands, now the Born only number around five thousand in total, and the Crafted are about five times that number. Sadly, due to the fact that Hartrick uses the Crafted as the instruments of his will, the Born have come to see them as nothing more than horrible monsters that should be eradicated from the earth. This virulent hatred has formed a permanent wedge between the Born and the Crafted, making collaboration impossible. A sad state of affairs, as an alliance between those of the Crafted wishing to be free, and the Born themselves would likely be enough to rid Inbarev of the Mad Alchemist once and for all. This is the environment that the adventurers will find themselves walking into: an industrial hellscape full of flesh-crafted servitors and terrorized citizens, all struggling beneath the grip of an insane tyrant. If they are following the orders of the Blood Queen, they know they are expected to kill Hartrick and establish a new ruler to lead the Barony of Inbarev. But, even with Hartrick dead, how will the adventurers find peace between the Crafted and the Born, two populations that have been fighting and stewing in hatred for centuries. And, if the adventurers are not following the Blood Queen’s orders, they might see in Hartrick a chance to gain profound new knowledge, and perhaps even the gift of eternal life. Of course, even if they are seduced by the promise of Hartrick’s forbidden knowledge, the plight of Inbarev itself remains the same, and what’s more, Hartrick isn’t inclined to share. If they want his knowledge, they’ll have to find a way to take it. Approaching Inbarev There are two roads that lead to Inbarev, though for the adventurers, they will most likely be taking the highway that leads through the Cailleach Woods. Alternatively, they could also hire a boat to travel down the River Stanum, but they would have to disembark before reaching the Drowned Basin, as only the Bagnytsa Ferry is able to traverse the treacherous waters of the Basin. Regardless of how the adventurers approach Inbarev, however, they will encounter a very important character as soon as they reach the edge of Inbarev’s farmland.
319 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV Describe the following: In the distance, you see a dark figure approaching you. As it gets closer you see that it is a lone traveler, a woman clad in a widow’s mourning gown, complete with a dark veil. A large satchel is slung across her, ruining the lines of her dress, and she leans upon a large umbrella like a cane. She calls out to you, as she nears. This is Henrietta, the Baron’s former research assistant, and one of his first creations. As such, Henrietta has lived for a long time, and has seen all of the horrors that Hartrick is capable of. She is also one of the founding members of the Crafted Resistance, and is responsible for devising ways to free many of the Baron’s creations from the mental programming and physical limitations that Hartrick has used to enslave the majority of the Crafted. However, the more Crafted that Henrietta freed, the more suspicious Hartrick became, until Henrietta realized she had no choice but to flee, or else risk exposing the rest of the Resistance. When Henrietta meets the adventurers, she will keep her face veiled and wear long gloves to cover her arms. She assumes any of The Born (like the adventurers) will react with hatred and violence should they learn of her true nature. However, Henrietta’s curiosity will get the better of her, as anyone traveling without use of the Courier Service is an oddity, and she will try to get to know the adventurers and learn about them and their plans. She is friendly, and bright, though if asked what she is doing, travelling all alone, she will become evasive and offer, at best, “that it wasn’t safe to stay in Inbarev any longer.” However, if the adventurers do share information about themselves willingly, or discuss going to Inbarev, Henrietta will open up to them a bit more and will tell them the following: Henrietta —Medium construct, neutral good Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 143 (15d8 + 75) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —14 (+2) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Con +10, Wis +8, Int + 10 Skills Arcana +10, Medicine +10, Perception +8, Stealth +7 Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18 Languages All Challenge — 13 (10,000 XP) Prof Bonus +5 Perfected Elixir. Any creature that drinks Henrietta’s potions can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to every attack roll and saving throw they make for the next minute. The drinker also heals 2d4+2 hp and gains 1d6 + 5 temporary hp. This can be given to allies. Alchemical Savant. Henrietta adds a bonus to healing or damage rolls that deal acid, fire, necrotic, or poison damage, and the bonus equals her Intelligence modifier. Immutable Form. Henrietta is immune to any spell or effect that would alter her form. Lightning Absorption. Whenever Henrietta is subjected to lightning damage, she takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the lightning damage dealt. Magic Resistance. Henrietta has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Innate Spellcasting. Henrietta’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: Shocking Grasp 1/day: lightning bolt Spellcasting. Henrietta is a 15th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following artificer spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): Firebolt*, Guidance, Mage Hand, Mending, Poison Spray*, Prestidigitation 1st level (4 slots): Absorb Elements, Tasha’s Caustic Brew*, Alarm, Grease 2nd level (3 slots): Blur, Heat Metal*, Invisibility, See Invisibility, Melf’s Acid Arrow* 3rd level (3 slots): Haste, Counterspell, Dispel Magic 4th level (3 slots): Elemental Bane, Polymorph, Death Ward *Add +5 damage to spells marked with an asterisk. Actions —Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
320 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV • Inbarev is ruled by a mad tyrant known as Moritz Hartrick. He is immortal, and an alchemist who possesses secret and deadly knowledge. • Inbarev is dangerous, and largely populated by flesh-crafted beings that have been enslaved by Hartrick, their creator. They are known as the Crafted. • The Crafted shouldn’t be judged. They’re as much victims as everyone else. • There are about 5,000 regular people left in Inbarev, and they are known as the Born. Hartrick has plans to kill all of them off. If the adventurers treat Henrietta with kindness, or express pity for the plight of the Crafted, then she will probably reveal to the adventurers who she is, and ask if they are willing to become her allies. She wants to kill Hartrick and free the Crafted, and hopefully lead Inbarev into a new era of peace and prosperity. If the adventurers ask for more information, she can tell them: • All of the agriculture and manufacturing is done by the Crafted, and all of it serves Hartrick and his plans. • The Crafted also serve as Hartrick’s army, and he has horrible war machines and psychic homunculi patrolling the town and keeping it firmly within his iron grip. • Hartrick controls the Crafted through mental programming, physical discipline (like shock cages), and control of their sustenance. • The Born are only allowed to tend to themselves, and are given ever dwindling resources every month. This means the Born are beginning to starve, and are forced to wear ragged clothing that is decades old. • Much of the town has fallen into ruin, and most of the water has become toxic from pollution. • Hartrick dreams of becoming a God, though Henrietta doesn’t understand how that’s possible. If the adventurers have other plans, but will agree to return to help Henrietta later, she will wait for them by the dock for the Bagnytsa Ferry. Similarly, if the adventurers don’t agree to help her, she will inform them that she’ll be staying with the ferryman for the Bagnytsa Ferry. But, if the adventurers do agree to help her, and do agree to travel to Inbarev next, then she will accompany them into the town and help them kill the Mad Alchemist. Lastly, inside Henrietta’s satchel is a Homunculus (see page -- ) that she helped free from Hartrick’s control and befriend. It goes by Mr. Cuddles, and has a very innocent view of the world and positive demeanor. All of the telepathic messages it sends are filled with cute, almost cartoonish images that depict everyone as being friends. Which, ironically, can make people even more uncomfortable, as Homunculi are nightmarish creatures that look like two monstrous hands were surgically and magically melded together, the thumbs reformed into eyestalks, and then given an insect-like proboscis that hides inside an orifice. Suffice it to say, a creature like that could just as easily be looking to trick you into becoming an easy meal, never mind the fact that Mr. Cuddles is actually 100% genuine in its optimism, empathy, and affection for other beings. Except rats. It loves to eat rats. Also cats. Small dogs. Birds. Anything that’s smaller than it and not a person, basically. Inbarev at a Glance Inbarev is a large, walled town that has a series of winding canals running through it. Originally, the canals were part of Inbarev’s irrigation network, but have since been repurposed to provide water power for the four, massive factories that the Mad Alchemist has built. The canals also function as a second set of barriers that help keep the populace of Inbarev fragmented and thus easier to control and monitor. So, even though there are only about 5,000 of the Born left, they are spread out across the city in clumps of about 500. As for the Created, they have a strict division of labor that dictates where they are and what they’re doing. For most of the laborers (which have the stats of a Flesh Golem, MM pg 169), they live right next to the factories or out in the surrounding farm lands in cramped, purely functional quarters. The Overseers also live near their places of work, but have been given nice
321 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV housing and all the creature comforts they could desire as a form of positive reinforcement. Then there are the War Machines and the Homunculi, both of which live in large barracks and spend their time patrolling the streets, walls, and farmlands. All told, there are between 25,000 - 30,000 Crafted, though the Homunculi easily make up about half of those numbers. Life in Inbarev For the Crafted, life is filled with endless toil. They are treated like machines, only given as much attention as they need to be able to do their job, and should they be damaged too badly, there are burbling tanks filled with meat, all ready to be assembled into a new Crafted that will take the place of the old. Most of the crafted have also been implanted with psychic programming, and only the bare minimum of education needed to do their jobs. And, should this prove to be insufficient to control them, Baron Hartrick has a variety of physical punishments to dole out, such as shock cages bolted to their heads, or surgically implanted hobbles. The fact of the matter is, the Crafted are all sentient beings. Unfortunately, the Mad Alchemist doesn’t care. He is more than happy to dehumanize, traumatize, maim, and exploit the Crafted for his own ends. Many of the more intelligent Crafted overlook this, blinded by the comforts they are given, as well as their supposed superiority to the other Crafted. Others are simply too afraid to resist, knowing the horrendous lengths Hartrick is willing to go to in order to punish any hint of resistance, but it should be no surprise that this is exactly what is responsible for the Resistance in the first place. For the Born, life is slightly better, but only slightly. They are all kept confined to small communities spread out throughout the town, and are forbidden from doing all but a few activities. They are given small shipments of goods that are just barely able to sustain them, but in truth the shipments are nothing more than a drawn out genocide. So, the Born are left to try and scrape together an existence, though the large amounts of alcohol included in the shipments have numbed many of the Born into simply accepting their inevitable demise, just as Hartrick intends. However, not all are willing to allow themselves and their family to simply die off, and have formed a ramshackle resistance that is more likely to die in a blaze of glory than actually accomplish anything. Iv1 - City Gates The town of Inbarev is surrounded by stone walls, roughly 30 feet tall, with large iron grates that form a barrier across the many canals that flow through the town. Only one road leads into Inbarev, from the south, with one massive fortress gate guarding the way. In truth, this gate is the only way to cross into the city over land. The northern canals all flow beneath portcullises that allow for goods to
322 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV flow into the city from the outlying farmlands. Furthermore, the gates themselves are far from being complete barriers, as there’s at least a few feet of space between the bottom of the grates and the bottom of the canals, allowing illegal crossings and aquatic monsters to slip into Inbarev itself. When the adventurers are considering how to cross into the city, Henrietta (assuming they’ve enlisted her help as an ally) will inform them that the best path forwards would be to legally enter through the town’s gate. If they smuggled themselves inside beneath the grates they would become fugitives within the town, hunted by Baron Hartrick’s swarms of Homunculi and his War Machines. Better to try to enter through the gates, and to help them with that, Henrietta would provide each of the adventurers with a Mind Blank potion so the Homunculi at the gates can’t read their minds. As for herself, she would also take a potion, as well as make herself invisible so that she could sneak inside with them. Alternatively, the adventurers could just smuggle themselves beneath the canal grates, but they would find themselves in a desperate battle for their lives. For one, the canals are 15 to 20 ft wide, and about 20 ft deep. To get under the grate, the adventurers would have to swim down at least 15 ft, through a soup of opaque, polluted water. For every turn they spend in the water, they must make a DC 14 Constitution save or take 1d4 poison damage. And, were that not bad enough, there are 2 Wreythian River Monsters right beneath the grate (use stats for 2 Otyughs, Monster Manual, pg 248) that will try to eat the adventurers. The water is so polluted and murky that the River Monsters are completely obscured until the adventurers are within 5 ft of them, and then the adventurers would have to battle the monsters, while underwater, and with only 5 ft of visibility. This is also what the adventurers will encounter should they try to flee Inbarev beneath the grates. Assuming the adventurers agree to go through the gate, however, here is what they will encounter: As you approach the large, fortified gate, you see no one atop the walls. They appear entirely deserted until a lone figure pokes their head above the battlements, revealing a face that appears to have been made by stitching a human and elf together. This is the garrison commander, one of the intelligent and privileged Crafted that serve Hartrick. He will ask the adventurers to state their business, and if they did not arrive with the Courier Service, will ask why he should let criminals inside Inbarev. Unless the adventurers have a symbol of the Blood Queen’s authority, or a note from the Courier Service, the garrison commander will simply argue with the adventurers until a message arrives. It seems that the Mad Alchemist is aware of who the adventurers are and would like to invite them to stay as his guests in the fortified mansion at the center of town. The garrison commander will extend this invitation to the adventurers, but will only open the gates if they accept Baron Hartrick’s invitation. As the gates grind open, you see a horrible sight come trundling towards you. It is a massive flesh golem unlike anything you’ve seen before. It is massive, easily two or three times the size of a man, with a massive fanged maw attached to its chest, disgustingly muscular tentacles for arms, and four mutated arms serving as its legs. This is one of Hartrick’s War Machines. In total, two War Machines guard the gates and will trundle out to make sure the adventurers don’t try anything once the gates are open. Along with the twin War Machines is a Homunculus Swarm, which will examine the adventurers and their belongings. If the adventurers took Henrietta’s Mind Blank potions, they have nothing to fear. If they did not take the potions, they will have to contend with the swarm’s psychic probing (DC 15 Wisdom Saving Throw).
323 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV Should the adventurers pass inspection, two more Homunculus Swarms will arrive to escort them to the Baron’s mansion. Should any hostile intent be discovered, the adventurers would be attacked, but not chased more than 100 feet from the city gates. Warmachine (See above for description) Warmachines are Hartrick’s mass produced minions of slaughter and his main enforcers. He has hundreds of them, although they are mostly spread out over Inbarev, providing security for the factories and farms, as well as the walls and streets of Inbarev. They are all subjected to extensive psychic programming to ensure that they are the perfect killing machines, always following orders and completely devoid of empathy and the desire for anything but bloodshed. Thankfully, about a dozen War Machines have been successfully deprogrammed and allowed to grow and develop mentally and emotionally within the ranks of the Crafted Resistance, proving that it’s possible, but they are only a drop in the bucket compared to Hartrick’s forces. As for the War Machine’s combat abilities, they are decently tanky, and have an excellent range, allowing them to attack and grapple targets from 15 ft away. They also have a devastating breath weapon, which is excellent for killing troops in formation, and that same breath weapon can be used to a much lesser extent while the War Machine is grappling enemies, poisoning individual targets. War Machine Large construct, lawful neutral —Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 138 (12d10 + 72) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —14 (+2) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) Skills Perception +3 Damage Immunities poison, necrotic Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Common Challenge — 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Immutable Form. The War Machine is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Lightning Absorption. Whenever the War Machine is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the lightning damage dealt. Magic Resistance. The War Machine has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions —Multiattack. The War Machine makes three attacks: one with its bite, one with its tentacle arm, and one with its Toxic Embrace, OR two with its tentacle arms and one with its toxic embrace. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) piercing damage plus 16 (3d10) necrotic damage. Tentacle Arm. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16) if it is a Large or smaller creature. The War Machine has two tentacle arms and can grapple up to two creatures at once. Toxic Embrace. Each creature grappled by the War Machine must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 18 (4d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Breath Weapon (Recharge 5–6). The War Machine uses its breath weapon. Furthermore, after the War Machine has used its breath weapon, it cannot use Toxic Embrace until the Breath Weapon is recharged. Toxic Breath. The War Machine exhales a toxic cloud in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
324 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV Homunculus Swarm Hundreds of bony, articulated legs, like giant fingers, ripple in nauseating waves, driving this mass of flesh-crafted horrors forward, dozens upon dozens of eye stalks swiveling two and fro, gleaming with moisture and an unnatural inner light. By themselves, Homunculi are mostly harmless. They are telepathic, but can only communicate with creatures nearby, and are two weak to psychically harm another creature. Physically, they are dangerous enough to be able to kill a commoner with their proboscis, but even the weakest armed bandit could easily dispatch a lone Homunculus. Once they gather into a swarm, however, they become a deadly foe. Their psychic potential is greatly amplified, allowing them to read thoughts, control minds, or psychically attack targets. Likewise, their sheer numbers make the Homonculi’s proboscises deadly, killing foes with dozens upon dozens of bites. The Streets of Inbarev As you walk through the streets of Inbarev, your lungs are filled with the stench of the rot and sewage that coats the cobblestones in a noxious slurry. Most of the buildings are deserted and have fallen into severe disrepair. It’s clear that most of Inbarev has simply been left to rot and stew in its own filth. As you pass a marketplace, you see ragged, hollow eyed people bartering over scrap and junk, all beneath the watchful eyes of the Homunculi. There are no civil services in Inbarev. The sewers no longer function due to mass blockages, there is no garbage service, and were it not for the constant patrols of Homunculi and War Machines, the city would have been overrun by invasive Wreythian wildlife long ago. As for the people, they mimic the lives their ancestors lived, but are really doing nothing more than dying slowly inside of a cage. The Born live in the best repaired buildings, and some try to practice trades, like baking, spinning, and the like, but their basic needs are barely met, and their quality of life is even worse than those who live on the mean streets of Raffenburg’s Market District. Homunculus Swarm Large swarm of tiny constructs, lawful evil —Armor Class 12 Hit Points 52 (8d8+16) Speed — 30 ft. Climb Speed 30ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —9(-1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, poison Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, poisoned, restrained, stunned Skills: Perception +10 Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 20 Languages all; telepathy 30 ft. Challenge — 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Immutable Form. The swarm is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form. Lightning Absorption. Whenever the swarm is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the lightning damage dealt. Magic Resistance. The swarm has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Innate Spellcasting. The swarm’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). As long as it has more than half of its hit points, it can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components: At will: command, comprehend languages, detect thoughts 1/day each: confusion, phantasmal killer Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny animal, like a cat. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points. Telepathic Shroud. The swarm is immune to any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as to all divination spells. Actions —Proboscis Stab. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 24 (12d4) piercing damage, or 12 (6d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
325 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV Iv2 - The Baron’s Mansion The filth covered streets give way to clean cobblestone, and you find yourself guided into a large town square with a grandiose mansion sitting in its center. Great stone fortifications have been added onto the building, transforming it into something between a mansion and a castle. Once the ancestral home of the Ysemgrin family, Hartrick has converted the mansion into his lair. He added stone fortifications in order to protect him and his laboratory, which he built beneath the mansion over the course of several decades. Now, he never leaves. His crafted servants bring him everything he needs and effectively handle the task of ruling Inbarev in accordance to his vision, thus leaving him to obsessively work on towards his ultimate ambition: the ascension into true godhood. Interacting with the Crafted Servants Hartrick only allows the Crafted to be as intelligent and educated as is necessary for their position, and then adds a healthy dose of psychic programming on top of that (think Brave New World). So, this is something to emphasize when roleplaying the Crafted Servants. If the adventurers ask them to perform a service that matches their station (asking a butler to fetch food or drink, clean something, find a messenger, etc) they will do so with great efficiency. If asked how they’re feeling, or something else that is outside of their function, they will become greatly confused and distressed. This doesn’t mean they will lash out at the adventurers, specifically, but it does mean that they will act out. For instance, a maid might break something in distress, then realize there’s something to clean, and return to normal again. This should generate unease and help illustrate what a wretched waste Hartrick truly is.
326 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV However, once Hartrick hears that the Blood Queen’s new favorites have arrived in Inbarev, he will see within them an opportunity to rid himself of the troubling vermin polluting his town: the Born. In his twisted mind, he believes that if he can convince the Blood Queen’s minions to rid Inbarev of the Born, then she won’t be able to blame him, and that he will be able to convince her that the Crafted are much better subjects to rule, anyways. The largest flaw in this thinking being the lack of a suitable Blood Tithe, but Hartrick’s psyche has frayed over the centuries. In fact, it was immortality itself that so profoundly tortured him, as it forced him to watch everything else around him die. Life soon lost all meaning to him, as did the laws of nature and the multiverse at large, and so the Mad Alchemist and his quest for apotheosis were born. So, more to the point, Hartrick will invite the adventurers to become his guests and stay with him in his mansion. On the first evening of their arrival, he will dine with them, and over dinner will try to convince them to come up with a way to rid Inbarev of the Born once and for all. Event: Dinner with the Mad Alchemist Hartrick will inform his servants that they are to let the adventurers get settled into their rooms and then to guide them down beneath the mansion to the dining room he built to disguise the entrance to his hidden laboratory. Also, in addition to being a disguised entrance, this new dining room means Hartrick doesn’t have to bother walking up into the mansion itself in order to enjoy his meals, and he can instead remain close to his work. As the stilted servants guide you deeper into the mansion, you find yourself brought to a massive vault door that slowly rolls back to reveal a strange room built entirely from metal. In the center of the room is a large metal table with seating for eight guests, while a ninth chair sits, thronelike, at the head of the table. Metal serving stations are set against the south wall, already piled high with food and drink just waiting to
327 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV be brought to the table by the two waiting Crafted Servants. Lastly, a strange mosaic of churning gears decorates the north wall, and in each corner of the room stands a strange tower that continuously crackles with lighting. The mosaic of churning gears is actually the secret entrance to the Mad Alchemist’s secret laboratory. A DC 22 Investigation check will reveal this, along with how to open this secret entrance. It will take the adventurers one action to open the secret entrance. Hartrick, however, can open the entrance as a free action. The lightning towers in the corner of the room can also be studied, a DC 18 Arcana check revealing that they are arcana-tech constructs that can be activated with a command word to electrify the room. They are also enchanted to give off steady illumination instead of flickering light. They have an AC of 14 and 30 health each. When activated, every creature touching any surface in the room (as everything is metal) takes 18 (4d8) lightning damage and must make a DC 16 Constitution save to avoid being stunned for one round. The damage decreases by 1d8 for each tower destroyed, but the save remains the same until all four towers are destroyed. Were that not bad enough, a DC 16 Investigation Check will reveal that the 8 dining chairs on the north and south side of the table are trapped. When Hartrick gives a command word, neck, arm, and leg restraints will snap out of the chair. Any creature sitting in the chairs when this happens must succeed a DC 16 Dexterity Save or become Restrained. Finally, Hartrick will arrive once the adventurers are already present, along with a Homunculus Swarm in tow. The swarm will climb up onto the western wall, directly behind Hartrick’s throne. The Swarm is intended to detect hostile intent, but will not probe any deeper than that. Should they detect hostile intent, they would warn Hartrick, who would then activate his defenses. Also, one note about the food: it’s not poisoned, but it tastes odd, as most of the ingredients were tank grown. Once the Dinner has begun, Hartrick will ask the adventurers what they think of Inbarev. Regardless of their answer, he will then direct the conversation towards the Born. He will blame the Born for ruining the city, for refusing to work or contribute, and for demanding large amounts of alcohol or else they get violent. A DC 16 Insight check will reveal that these are all lies, but regardless, Hartrick will then ask the adventurers for help ridding Inbarev of the Born. Hartrick’s Request: • Remove the Born from the city without slaughtering them, OR slaughter the Born and then flee the city. Hartrick will explain that he would just slaughter the born, but that would mean that he had failed in his duties as Baron, as a Baron must protect their subjects, and he would thus be punished by the Blood Queen. Likewise, if the adventurers slaughter the Born, he will be forced to “try” and punish them, meaning they would have to flee the city. However, as long as the adventurers get the Born out of the Barony (that means the town and surrounding farmlands), then he will reward them with wealth (a payment of 500 platinum each) and a drink of the Elixir of Life itself, granting them immortality. This last offer is a lie. Hartrick would never share the Masterwork with anyone else, but he believes it will be an offer too tempting for anyone to pass up. The most obvious way to remove the Born, of course, is to simply offer them somewhere else to go. Raffenburg could be an option, though unless mass death occurred during the revolution, the city is likely still facing issues of overcrowding. Leshehoff would be a better choice, though the Tornheims would have to be convinced. Not a challenging task, but it would take time. Wolf Lake could also be an option, if the adventurers are allied with Yasviga, though it would mean some of the refugees from Inbarev
328 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV would be eaten by werewolves. And, regardless of which settlement the refugees would be moved to, the trip itself would be incredibly dangerous, for in addition to the Wreythian Wildlife, there are also the Followers of Agrona (see Ch 9, Ruins of Nemeth) to deal with. Should the Followers catch wind of a refugee caravan, they would absolutely attack it en masse. Suffice it to say, the problem posed to the adventurers is a conundrum, but that means that not even a genius like Hartrick expects them to solve it immediately. He will allow them one week to solve the problem. This gives the adventurers time to seek out Henrietta again and put together a plan to take out the Mad Alchemist himself. Otherwise, during the meal, have fun roleplaying Hartrick. You can make him as eccentric as you want. But, some talking points that might help you: • He views the gods as fools for having made such flawed creations. • He believes he’s worthy to become a god because he was able to overcome death itself, and because his vision for creation far surpasses that of the gods themselves. • He views the Born as inferior because they die. Anything that dies is worthless. They are also too petty and opinionated and simple to ever be able to accomplish anything truly grand and reality altering. • He believes the Blood Queen is lazy because she never does anything herself. • He believes Beleroth is a sentimental old man who is just waiting to die. • He believes R.K. Schreyer and Isidora are idiots who wasted their lives on frivolous endeavors. Once the adventurers’ curiosity and appetites have been sated, and they’ve “agreed” to help the Baron, conclude the dinner. Assuming they’ve “agreed”, they will be allowed to stay in the Mansion, being treated to an aristocratic lifestyle, and will be free to travel through Inbarev as they wish. Iv3 - Crafted Sewer Hideout
329 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV If the adventurers allied with Henrietta and helped smuggle her into the city, she would send Mr. Cuddles to inform the adventurers of where she and the other Crafted Resistance members are hiding out. Mr. Cuddles will provide a detailed mental map (as well as a mental music video of them all frolicking through the streets) that will guide the adventurers to a section of Inbarev’s defunct sewer system where the Resistance hides. This, of course, isn’t the Resistance’s only hideout, but it is the oldest, and is where Henrietta has stashed most of her alchemical equipment. Ordinarily, it would also be incredibly difficult to find, though with Mr. Cuddles’ mental map, the adventurers will have no trouble finding it. Inside there are three Homunculi, one War Machine, and 15 human sized Crafted, all of whom belong to the resistance. 6 of the humanoid Crafted are intelligent, and act as something like parents to the other 9, who were all laborers (Flesh Golems, MM pg 169) and thus poorly educated and psychically programmed. The War Machine is also fairly intelligent, as are the Homunculi, and all contribute towards the odd household this Resistance base has become. Of course, they also all plan operations to help free more of their kind, but with Henrietta’s return and the arrival of the adventurers, a true end might finally be in sight. Henrietta will outline the following plan: If the adventurers can enlist the help of the Born, then together with the Crafted Resistance they can carry out attacks on two of the Baron’s factories. This will draw all of Hartrick’s forces away from his mansions, thus allowing the adventurers to attack Hartrick at his most vulnerable. Additionally, Henrietta can tell the adventurers how to gain access to his laboratory (if they haven’t already learned how). Then, all they’ll have to deal with is whatever Hartrick himself, as well as whatever he’s stashed inside his lab. However, in order for this plan to work, the adventurers must convince the Born to help, which means enlisting their unofficial leader, Franz Zlattov, to their cause. This will take the adventurers to Iv4 - Zlattov House. Iv4 - Zlattov House The Zlattov house is by far the nicest home you’ve seen in Inbarev, the Baron’s Mansion aside, though it, too, shows the signs of decay. Light blazes out from its boarded up windows, and the smell of cooking wafts to you on the breeze. The Zlattov family were rivals to the Ysemgrins, and were once nearly as wealthy and powerful. Originally, the Zlattovs even allied with Hartrick in order to remove the Ysemgrins and seize power for themselves, but their ambitions were foiled and eventually their alliance was betrayed as they were cast down with all the rest of the Born. Yet the Zlattov’s thirst for power never died, and so they became the leaders of the Born resistance against Hartrick, seeking any authority that they could find. This has kept the Zlattovs as the most powerful family in Inbarev, though even as the most wealthy and powerful of the Born, there are still farmers elsewhere who could claim as much. Nevertheless, the point is that the Zlattovs can rally the Born, or all of them who are able, and help defeat the Baron. Or, alternatively, who could help relocate the Born on their way out of Inbarev. Currently, there are four “elite guards” patrolling the Zlattovs’ gardens. In reality, they’re just commoners with weapons, showing yet again how poorly the Born are fairing. Still, they will challenge the adventurers should they appear, or sound alarm should the adventurers do anything provocative. Assuming the guards are convinced to allow the adventurers to speak to Franz, they will be escorted inside where they will find a surprising amount of activity. In the house, there are 12 more armed commoners, mostly clustered around the dining table or crowding the hallway. It seems they’re trying to listen in on an “interrogation”. It seems that Franz’s people have caught one of “those monsters” (in reality one of the Crafted Resistance). Of course, Franz and his daughter (the interrogators) don’t care that this is one of the Resistance and a potential ally.
330 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV And it’s not even that they suspect he’s some sort of undercover agent for the Baron. No, instead, they just hate the Crafted. To some degree, it would be hard to blame them, as the Baron has been using his Crafted servants to harass the Born for a few centuries now, but that’s not the point. The point is, Franz and his followers have been warped by hatred. So, to summarize the situation, Franz and his daughter are shouting questions at one of the Crafted Resistance (we’ll call him Mulder) in a locked room, and there are 12 armed commoners trying to listen in. When Franz is notified that there are outsiders suddenly here to see him, he will leave his daughter to continue the interrogation and speak with them. At first, Franz will be amazed that they are there, as he’s never met strangers from another place. Not even members of the Consortium. The Born have been that captive and isolated for as long as he’s been alive, and that’s a good fifty four years. Then, Franz will connect the dots and realize the adventurers could be the Baron’s agents, and then he will become very suspicious and distrustful, especially if the adventurers appear to be friendly with the Crafted in any capacity. Ironically, he would be more trustful of them if they say they are working for the Baron, as that would make them envoys, which he can understand. But any reaction towards the Crafted that is not filled with hate and disgust, he won’t understand. He’ll start to think the adventurers must be Crafted, just with all their stitching hidden, and would then give the adventurers an ultimatum: kill
331 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV their Crafted prisoner (Mulder) or any chance of negotiation is off. How the adventurers respond to this ultimatum could vary in several ways. They could be clever, or duplicitous, or talk Franz out of his position, they could kill Mulder, or they could even intimidate or attack Franz. Quickly, seeing how totally outclassed he and all of his people are, he would cave and agree to cooperate with the adventurers’ plans. That might only be up until he sees a chance to betray them, as it all depends on how they convinced Franz to work with them, but he could be a liability, and his daughter wouldn’t be much better. Major Event: Killing the Mad Alchemist When the time finally comes for the adventurers to challenge the Mad Alchemist, they will have no choice but to venture into his lair and put an end to his reign of terror once and for all. If the adventurers are clever, they will first organize a large distraction, such as a coordinated assault between the Born and the Crafted Resistance upon the Alchemist’s factories, though stealthy adventurers could choose to infiltrate Hartrick’s mansion instead. This would allow the adventurers to only have to concern themselves with Hartrick and the contents of his lab, rather than the War Machines and Homunculus Swarms that ordinarily guard his mansion. Now, as the DM, if you’re feeling particularly cruel you could start the final confrontation in Hartrick’s trapped dining room. Perhaps Hartrick felt like having a nosh, and happened to be in the room when the adventurers arrive. In this case, give each of the two servants in the dining room the stats of a Flesh Golem (MM, pg 169), and continue the fight until Hartrick takes around 60 points of damage, at which point he would flee into his laboratory. The mosaic of churning gears opens up into a mechanical elevator that lowers down into the hidden laboratory level. The adventurers will enter the battlemap right in front of the southernmost vault door that leads into the laboratory itself. Now, at this point in the fight, you have options. If you don’t think the adventurers have had enough resources drained, then you could have the vault door to the laboratory sealed, taking 2 rounds to break open, and then you could fill the corridors with 4 Flesh Golems (or two Flesh Golems and 2 Homunculus Swarms). By the time that fight was over, the adventurers should be sufficiently prepared to face Hartrick in his lab. Inside the lab there are large glass vats containing various creations that Hartrick has crafted, all still gestating and forming, as well as 8 massive cauldrons filled with toxic alchemical solutions of various types. The cauldrons are 10 feet tall and about 25 feet wide. They are also set deep into the floor, making them 30 feet deep, but that likely won’t become an issue. To simplify things, simply have any creature thrown into a cauldron take 20 points of acid damage per round until they can safely get out again. Furthermore, there are two large metal catwalks suspended above the cauldrons, each suspended 40 feet above the ground (and 30 feet above the lip of the cauldrons). There are two chains that dangle from each catwalk, all the way to the ground. The adventurers must fight Hartrick here, along with one of his War Machines, a creation that was being built inside the lab. This represents the sum of the Mad Alchemist’s resources, and should the adventurers triumph here, then they will be able to take control of Inbarev and decide its fate in the days to come.
332 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV
333 CHAPTER 7 - INBAREV Inbarev Epilogue Once the adventurers have killed Hartrick and secured the city, they will have to choose who will rule Inbarev itself. The most logical choice would be Henrietta, as she knows how to help the Crafted and bears no ill will towards the Born. The Born, however, are still ruled by fear and hatred, making them a poor choice for leadership. Likely, the best solution would be to install Henrietta as the new Baroness, and then to relocate the Born. Then, Henrietta could attract migrants from across Wreythau, perhaps even including the Beastfolk. This would sidestep much of the centuries long bias that has built up, though it would take effort to achieve. Should the adventurers install the Zlattovs in power, however, they would soon find themselves betrayed. They would kill Henrietta, destroy the factories, starve the Crafted, and ultimately try to wipe them from existence, thus starting another civil war that would leave Inbarev a desolate ruin. Lastly, the adventurers could try to rule Inbarev themselves, though they would be much better off delegating the responsibility of rulership onto someone else, a point the Blood Queen would hint at emphatically. Ultimately, however, the choice is theirs. The Adventurers will Level Up to be Level 9. Moritz Hartrich —Medium Human, Neutral Evil Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 190 (20d8 + 100) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —11(+0) 15 (+2) 20 (+5) 22 (+6) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) Saving Throws Con +10, Wis +8, Int + 11 Skills Arcana +16, Medicine +16, Perception +8, Stealth +7 Damage Resistance: acid, poison, lightning Condition Immunities frightened, poisoned, charmed Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18 Languages All Challenge — 15 (13,000 XP) Prof Bonus +5 Perfected Elixir. Any creature that drinks one of Hartrick’s potions can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to every attack roll and saving throw they make for the next minute. The drinker also gains 2d6 + 6 temporary hp. This can be given to minions. Hartrick always has 2 health potions on his person. Alchemical Savant. Add a bonus to healing or damage rolls that deals acid, fire, necrotic, or poison damage, and the bonus equals Hartrick’s Intelligence modifier (+6). Magic Resistance. The Alchemist has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Innate Spellcasting. The Alchemist’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: 1/day: lesser restoration, greater restoration Spellcasting. The Alchemist is a 20th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following artificer spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): Firebolt*, Guidance, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Poison Spray*, Prestidigitation 1st level (4 slots): Absorb Elements, Tasha’s Caustic Brew*, Alarm, Grease 2nd level (3 slots): Misty Step, Heat Metal*, Invisibility, See Invisibility, Melf’s Acid Arrow* 3rd level (3 slots): Fly, Counterspell, Dispel Magic 4th level (3 slots): Elemental Bane, Blight*, Death Ward 5th level (2 slots): Cloudkill*, Raise Dead, Animate Objects *Add +6 damage to spells marked with an asterisk. Actions —Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Legendary Actions Hartrick 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. Hartrick regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Move. Hartrick moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Drink potion. Hartrick drinks a healing potion, healing 2d4+2 and activating Perfected Elixir. Cast Spell (Costs 2 Actions). Hartrick Casts one spell. .
334 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Three hundred years ago, almost to the day, the great Dwarven Kingdom of Barrukhirrim fell and became nothing more than a desolate tomb plagued by the restless dead. They had believed themselves to be free from the Blood Queen’s rule, and for this grievous sin, all who dwelt within Barrukhirrim’s stone walls were put to the sword. None were spared. Only the few hundred or so merchants, travelers, and hunters that had already ventured far from their home managed to survive. This was the sole act of clemency Czerina was willing to grant, though to ensure that none would ever return to the fallen kingdom, she and the Mad Alchemist built a terrible guardian that would keep the fallen kingdom and its secrets forever sealed. And, as the years passed, the Kingdom of Barrukhirrim was forgotten to all but a few, and the legend of the Silver Graves was born. For, though no one living still dwells within the Graves, a river of platinum, gold, and silver still flows out from inside. This paradox has drawn many fortune hunters and adventurers to try to explore its depths, though all foolish enough to venture down to the Guardian’s lair have never returned. So tales have spread, and the air of mystery has grown, yet one truth remains: to venture into the Silver Graves is to venture towards Death itself. A Brief History of Barrukhirrim Over a millenia ago, Czerina called upon a kingdom of dwarves, ancient allies of Nostrovishte, to aid her in her defense of her homeland. The dwarves knew that, even with their help, the chance of repelling the invasion of Nostrovishte was slim, and fearing that they could be next, they refused to send aid. But, in order to save face despite such a dishonorable betrayal, they made Czerina an oath. Should she be victorious, and should she survive, then she could call upon them in the future and they would be forced to answer, no matter the cost. A few years later, when the armies of the Ghul Sildreth landed upon the shores of Nostrovishte, Czerina called upon the dwarves to fulfill their oath. So it was that when she Chapter 8 TThe Siilver Graves
335 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES conquered Wreythau, she did so with a brawny army of dwarves at her back. She agreed to give them a portion of her kingdom, a mountain range that would be inhospitable to anyone else, though incredibly rich in gemstones and precious metals, in return for favorable trade. Years later, when Wreythau was torn free from the Material Plane and became one of the Domains of Dread, the dwarves formed a new kingdom and thought themselves independent and free. In Czerina’s mind, that was never true. She never forgave their refusal to aid Nostrovishte in its hour of need, she never forgave them for betting upon her death, and that of her people, and she never forgave them for demanding a piece of her new kingdom for themselves. She held this grudge close to her heart, right beside the grief and hatred she felt for her own family, and over the centuries, as the influence of Czernobog grew, the grudge against the dwarves only grew. Of course, the dwarves of Barrukhirrim realized this, too. Their Queen, Thaumgrit (Thom-greet) Steelspine, was a descendant of the king who had refused Czerina while she still drew breath, and Thaumgrit saw the rage burning in the Blood Queen’s scarlet gaze, though always out of the corner of her eye. She knew that Czerina could not be trusted, and so she called upon the greatest minds of Barrukhirrim to come together and construct a weapon that could defeat Czerina once and for all. Thaumgrit knew that Czerina would come for them sooner or later, and though she was entirely correct, her people’s efforts to find a way to kill the Blood Queen meant that she came for them even sooner than they anticipated. You see, in order to kill her, Czerina’s tie to the land itself would have to be severed, and as the dwarves of Barrukhirrim experimented and explored how to do this, Czerina became aware, and for the first time in millenia, she felt fear. In public, Czerina declared that Thaumgrit Steelspine had broken their treaties by refusing to honor their trade deals. The fact that those deals were predatory and exploitative in favor of Wreythau beside, it gave Czerina her excuse, and so she marched her armies to Barrukhirrim and slaughtered everyone inside. Then, she placed the Guardian and raised thousands upon thousands of the dead to continue to mine the resources from the mountains, as well as to protect the secret at the mountains’ heart: a forge capable of crafting weapons that could harm her.
336 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES The Entrance to the Silver Graves Your journey upwards from the base of the mountains has been perilous and cold, though eventually you ascend a ridge and find yourself staring at the grand entrance to the Silver Graves themselves. An entire kingdom has been carved into the very face of the mountains, the sheer scale and beauty breathtaking to behold. Yet, as you look upon it, a chill passes through you, for you know that it is now nothing but a home for the dead. The broad ridge leading up to the gates of the Silver Graves is scarred with the remnants of an ancient battle, with great craters blasted into the ground, ancient defenses lying broken and decaying, and countless pieces of arms and armor lying beneath the frost covered ground. Even for those who know nothing of warfare, it’s clear that thousands died here, upon this ground. Unsurprisingly, the dead do not rest here quietly. As the adventurers approach the gates, call for Perception checks. Whoever rolls the highest will hear nothing but the moaning of the wind as it sweeps across the empty kingdom, though whoever rolls the lowest will hear the distant cries of battle and the screams of dying soldiers. If the adventurers linger, ask them to make Charisma Saves. Whoever rolls the lowest will suddenly be struck by a psychic echo of the past, and will experience a fatal wound from the ancient battle. To be clear, this is a haunting, just an echo from the past, but it will look and feel entirely real. The affected character will become incapacitated, though they may still speak, or more likely, scream in horror as they experience every bit of this mortal wound. Likewise, their companions will see their companion suddenly struck down, out of nowhere, and will likely rush to their aid, performing Medicine checks or casting healing spells. In short, all of the characters should believe the wound to be entirely real. Only after they have expended resources (your choice whether or not the resources is actually spent), or after the players have spent a few minutes roleplaying this encounter out, will the echo fade away and the adventurer will be fine once more, just as they were before the haunting occurred. Suffice it to say, because of these hauntings, it is impossible to rest near the Silver Graves. Now, as for the haunting themselves, feel free to make up a mortal wound, or choose from the list below: Disemboweled The roar of battle crashes over you, and as you whirl about, you see a mass of thousands caught in the midst of a brutal melee. A moment later a warrior breaks free and charges towards you, red eyes gleaming, its fanged mouth stretched wide in insane delight as his blade cuts deep into your belly and your guts spill down to decorate your feet. Then the warrior, and the battle, disappear, leaving you and your companions to deal with the tangle of intestines falling out of you. Burned Alive The roar of battle crashes over you, and as you whirl about, you see a mass of thousands caught in the midst of a brutal melee. A moment later, a small ball of writhing fire explodes in the air above you, engulfing you in a hellish inferno that burns your skin into blackened and charred strips that barely cling to the glistening meat beneath. Then the battle fades away, leaving you still burnt and screaming in pain. Lost a Leg The roar of battle crashes over you, and as you whirl about, you see a mass of thousands caught in the midst of a brutal melee. Suddenly, an ungodly boom thunders across the battlefield and a tremendous shockwave tosses warriors on both sides into the air, their bodies tumbling like broken dolls, and thousands of pieces of jagged shrapnel blast
337 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES out. Half of a shield catches your leg, just above the knee, leaving you to collapse to the ground missing most of your leg. Rent strips of useless meat dangle as your blood soaks the dirt, though everything else fades away once more. If the adventurers venture inside the Graves, the battlefield hauntings will cease and they will be able to explore the Graves themselves. If they return to the gates and the battlefield, however, then the hauntings would of course return. Inside the Silver Graves As you pass through the broken gates and into the ruined halls of the Silver Graves, the sense of unease and dread only grows. This is no longer a place meant for the living. As the light of your lanterns and torches casts back the darkness, you see the remnants of dwarven shadows burnt into the walls and the floors themselves. In other places, the blood flowed so thick that it still stains the stone, and in others, the scars of battle are etched so deeply into the rock it’s hard to imagine the might behind those ancient blows. Yet, oddly, there are no bones. No scraps of armor. No rusting weapons. Unlike the battlefield outside, it is as if the halls of the Silver Graves were swept clean of all detritus. But why? Hauntings Inside the Silver Graves The dead of Barrukhirrim do not rest quietly within their tomb. The trauma and horror surrounding their deaths was so tremendously profound that the psychic residue sunk into the very stone itself. So, as the adventurers explore, they will be beset by macabre apparitions, strange phenomena, and perhaps even an assault by a deadly specter. As the adventurers are exploring, sprinkle in these hauntings to help capture the history of the Graves, as well as summon up more unease and dread. Temperature Drop As you walk through the empty stone hallways of the ruined dwarf kingdom, the sound of your footsteps echoing throughout the corridors, you suddenly hit a wall of cold air that freezes your breath into mist and that seeps past your furs and armor to sink deep into your bones. The temperature drop is often used to herald another phenomenon or apparition, so consider pairing it with another choice from the list. Additionally, you can add a little variety to the temperature drop by adjusting its duration. If the adventurers have only experienced brief temperature drops that fade quickly, suddenly finding themselves in a temperature drop that endures will likely ratchet the unease up to dread. Smell of Burnt Hair The air inside the Silver Graves is strangely stale despite all the clever ventilation you’ve seen built into the hallways and chambers of the kingdom. It’s as if even the wind itself no longer wishes to even venture here. As you continue on, you notice a new smell, however. Faint at first, but growing stronger. Acidic and sulfurous, you realize it’s the stench of burning hair, and it now fills the air all around you. Like temperature drops, the smell of burning hair works terrifically when paired with other phenomena and apparitions. Consider pairing it with the Ghost Child for tragic and terrifying results, or with Ghostly Messages to add an even more sinister atmosphere. Ghostly Sounds There are a few options for this phenomenon. Choose or invent whatever best fits the situation. Scream A faint scream echoes down the corridors, coming from deep within the Silver Graves. The sound is jagged and warped by pain and inhuman terror.
338 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Crying As you approach the door to the chamber, the sound of wretched sobbing drifts to your ears. Scraping Sound As you move forward, the sound of steel being scraped across stone sounds from right behind you, yet when you turn, nothing is there. When you walk forward again, the harsh, grating sound returns. Threat From just behind you, you hear a rough voice growl“Come and taste my axe. The blade will split the teeth from your skull.” But there is no one there. Ghost Child As you pause to examine a sign engraved upon the wall, you feel something cold thread its way between your fingers, and a child’s voice asks you, in Dwarven, “Are they going to get us Momma/Pappa?” There is no one there. Ghostly Messages There are several options that you can use, but also feel free to invent your own. As the light of your lanterns and torches sweep across the stone walls, they fall upon a message: • written in blood. • scratched into the rock. • formed by the mist of your breath. It is in Dwarvish, and reads: • Join us • It’s too late • More blood to fill the casks • It lurks in the deep Faces and Hands Warping Stone As your light sweeps across the room, you see something, something coming out of the stone, the rock stretching and straining like cloth as skeletal hands reach for you and a skull soundlessly screams until the stone pulls it back out of sight. Dripping Blood Something warm drips down upon your head, and then your hand. Something red. Something that smells of copper tinged with sweetness. Then more drops of blood began to fall, splashing down to stain and spatter all around you. Corpse Festival As you near the door to the chamber, you see that light is spilling out from beneath the doorway. When you open the door, you see that the chamber is filled with horribly maimed dwarves, except they are all going about their business as though nothing is wrong. A headless dwarf speaks to another, burbles of blood fountaining from its stumpy neck. Another dwarf missing half of its head is uncaring as its brain slowly leaks out. Another drags itself along on bony stumps where its limbs should be. They all ignore you, and should you interact with them, your hand simply passes through as though nothing is there. Deadly Specter This is the only ghostly combat encounter, and should only be used if the adventurers attempt to loot something, if the adventurers try to rest inside the upper levels of the Graves, or if you simply feel that the Silver Graves needs a little spice before they reach the Guardian.
339 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Exploring the Graves There are hundreds of miles of rooms and hallways that the adventurers could explore, hunting for any loot or relics from the past, though the true treasure, and danger, of the Graves lies beneath the mountains themselves. So, in order to simplify the experience of investigating the Graves, ask the adventurers to make an Investigation Check. The results will determine which areas of the Graves the adventurers explore as well as what they find. Investigation 12 - The Queen’s Great Hall You carefully step over the broken remains of two massive stone doors and several crushed barricades. The room itself is perhaps 300 feet long and 100 feet wide, and yet every inch of the ground is stained with old blood. Hundreds, if not thousands of deaths must have happened here. And, at the far end of the hall, is the shattered remains of a grand stone throne inlaid with platinum and gold. The dwarven rune for “Forge” is written in blood upon the base of the throne. The Great Hall is where the dwarves of Barrukhirrim made their last stand. The Hall was mostly filled with families and the elderly, all of whom were slain. The queen herself had already died in battle by the time the Great Hall was breached, though one of the Elders, who was aware of the project happening in the Heart of the Mountain, tried to leave one last message for any who might seek to avenge Barrukhirrim. He was trying to write “Forge of the Ancestors”, but only managed to write one rune before dying. Lastly, the gold and platinum in the throne can be looted, and is worth about 2000gp. Investigation 14 - The Guard Barracks You come upon what appears to be a fort carved out of the living stone of the mountain itself. Inside, you find more signs of furious battle: more shadows pressed into the rock, more great rents carved by sword and axe, claw and magic. Most importantly, in the center of the fort, you find a logbook. The logbook details Barrukhirrim’s defensive preparations and battleplans, though most importantly, it discusses the dwarves “salvation”, which can be found in the Forge of the Ancestors at the heart of the mountains. In other words, the adventurers must go down, down, down, into the mines that snake their way beneath the kingdom. Vengeful Dwarven Specter —Medium undead, chaotic evil Armor Class 14 Hit Points 126 (12d12 + 48) Speed — 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —6(-2) 20 (+5) 18 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) Saving Throws Dex +9, Int +5 Skills Perception +9, Stealth +13 Damage Vulnerabilities radiant Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing Damage Immunities necrotic, poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19 Languages Dwarvish, but can’t speak Challenge — 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Amorphous. The specter can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the specter can take the Hide action as a bonus action. Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the specter has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. Actions —Multiattack. The assassin makes two Shadow Blade attacks. Shadow Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. Unless the target is immune to necrotic damage, the target’s Strength score is reduced by 1d4 each time it is hit by this attack. The target dies if its Strength is reduced to 0. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest. If a non-evil humanoid dies from this attack, a shadow (see the Monster Manual) rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
340 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Investigation 16 - Anti-Gravity Lifts You come across what appears to be a major thoroughfare, though with great, floorless chambers carved into the walls. Pitchblack shafts drop out of sight beneath each of these chambers. Complex runes made of silver, platinum, and gold are inlaid by the entrance to each chamber. These mysterious chambers are basically elevators, or lifts, that will take the adventurers down into the heart of the mountains. Anyone who reads Dwarvish, or who passes a DC 18 Arcana check will be able to figure out how to operate the lifts. Furthermore, if they pass the Arcana checks, they will realize that the lifts have been enchanted with anti-gravity magic. These enchantments could be replicated, given enough time to study them, and enough resources to build them. Investigation 18 - Shrine of the Ancestors You enter another magnificent hall filled with majestic pillars and vaulted arches, though this hall is filled with beautiful riches. It was built using only the rarest of minerals and stones. There are great blocks of jet and gold flecked quartz, of emerald and painite, of sapphire and diamond, and complex patterns inlaid in precious metals cover it all. You’ve never seen such riches in one place before. There are fully grown dragons whose hoards would appear pitiful next to this incredible wealth. Any character that reads Dwarvish can attempt a DC 16 Religion check to identify this as a shrine dedicated to the ancestors of Barrukhirrim. Furthermore, they will be able to understand the layout of the shrine and locate a great obsidian chest containing holy texts. A DC 20 Investigation check could also locate these holy texts. Within the contents of these texts are descriptions of the Forge of the Ancestors, and explanations for how it works. Essentially, the Forge is able to channel the spirits of the land, much as Czerina is, and can create a sort of mystical feedback that will permanently harm her and prevent her from drawing upon the land to sustain herself. In other words, the Forge is able to endow weapons with the power to kill the Blood Queen. Investigation 20 - Vault of Riches You’ve passed this wall before, and at first you didn’t notice anything was wrong. But now you see it. The angle is off. That doesn’t make sense, the craftsmans of Barrukhirrim would never have let that stand. But then you realize, that’s because there is something wrong with the wall. It’s not really a wall, it’s a secret door concealing a massive vault. It will take a DC 20 Thieves Tools check to crack the vault. Inside, the adventurers will find 5 steel banded chests. The first contains 15,000 copper pieces. The second contains 15,000 silver pieces. The third contains 15,000 gold pieces. The fourth Contains 15,000 Platinum pieces. The fifth contains 15,000 gemstones, each worth about 25 gp each. Each chest weighs about 350lbs due to the weight of the contents and the chest itself. Additionally, they will find arcane treatises that describe many powerful enchantments that were used in the creation of Barrukhirrim, such as the cold generating artifact found in Skalek’s Icy Delights (pg 245), as well as the antigravity lifts, and enchantments for food preservation, plumbing, and mining. These treatises fill another chest, larger chest, that weighs 500lbs, and is worth far more than all of the other chests combined.
341 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Investigation 22 - Dead Adventurer’s Journal Tucked behind a pile of rubble, you find a skeleton, the only skeleton you’ve seen since setting foot inside the graves. The skeleton wears the remains of torn leather armor, and is clutching a journal to its chest. A DC 15 Medicine check will reveal that the skeleton is only about 80 years old, and belonged to a half-elven male, aged between 70 - 80 years old, that died from massive blood loss. The journal confirms this, and tells of the life of one of Skalek’s old adventuring companions named Fosseth. It seems that Fosseth refused to turn back with the rest of his group, and instead ventured down into the depths of the mines. There, he discovered something horrible, a monster that burrowed through the walls and attacked him with a massive drill that roared louder than a dragon. He barely managed to escape, and was able to write this account before dying (the hauntings kept him from being able to rest). The Guardian’s Lair You’ve descended thousands upon thousands of feet below the surface, miles of rock between you and your chance to ever see the sky once again. The darkness is total and complete, though as your lights shine out, they catch the brilliant brilliant glint of silver. As you continue on, you find yourselves stepping out of the mine tunnels and into a complex entirely plated in silver. The walls, the floor, the ceiling, all gleam and reflect your light a hundred fold. Yet, as you peer further ahead, you see that sections of the complex have been tunneled through, and that a slurry of rock, skulls, and bones have spilled down onto the floor.
342 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES In order to reach the Forge of the Ancestors, the adventurers must first pass through the Guardian’s Lair. The adventurers will enter this maze-like section of the Graves from the western side of the map, and will have to cross all the way to the eastern exit in order to escape the Guardian’s wrath. The Guardian doesn’t leave this area, which means that, if the adventurers flee, they will be safe from it. However, if they return, and the Guardian has not been slain, they will have to fight it all over again (and if they had a chance to heal, so will it). Running the Guardian The Guardian has bored many tunnels through the walls of its lair. These tunnels are wide but short, meaning that any creature that is Medium or larger would have to squeeze in order to fit inside. Except, of course, for the Guardian, whose terrible body was constructed by the Mad Alchemist, Moritz Hartrick, to allow it to fit through small openings with ease. Thus the Guardian is able to move freely through the tunnels, allowing it to engage the adventurers in a deadly series of hit and run ambushes. That’s how it prefers to fight and kill. It appears from one of its tunnels, seemingly from nowhere, and brutally attacks before retreating and repeating the process. What’s more, the Guardian’s extensive network of tunnels extend above and below the complex, allowing it to effectively move to whatever tunnel it wants, whenever it wants. In practical terms, that means the guardian can move to whichever tunnel opening it wants. In other words, don’t worry about measuring its movement after it disappears into a tunnel. It can reappear at any tunnel opening (marked by the rubble and gorey debris) it wants. This will allow you to play out a deadly chase with the adventurers and force them to improvise their tactics fighting this brutal monster that can come and go as it pleases. It can even drag a grappled adventurer into a tunnel and then deposit them elsewhere in the Lair, much like the Book Worm did in the Library maze. And, like the Book Worm, the Guardian won’t try to immediately kill the adventurers. Ultimately, it’s goal is to kill them, but it wants to make that process as sadistic as possible. Because of its programming, killing and tunneling are literally the only activities it can find pleasure in, and so it will try to drag the process out. A round of smacking people with it’s axes here, a round of dragging an adventurer elsewhere in the complex there, a round of downing an adventurer with its drill elsewhere, etc. It wants to terrify and harass the interlopers in its lair as much as possible. The only time it will make a stand and really fight it out with the adventurers is if they are about to exit the lair to the east. That is the direction that the Forge of the Ancestors lies, and it is meant to ensure that nothing can reach the Forge. So, if the adventurers were clever, or skilled, or just particularly tough, and it looks like they’re going to be able to escape to the Forge, then the Guardian will do anything to try to stop that from happening. Until then, however, enjoy playing a big scary monster that hits like a giant and is as easy to hit as smoke. Personally, I would let the adventurers do some damage to it every time it appears, but it should be able to slip away before they can really beat on it. Also, note that the Guardian should
343 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES never get a surprise round. Whenever it appears, initiative should be called for. It has an excellent initiative. It doesn’t need surprise rounds. It also won’t resort to curb stomping downed adventurers unless they are near the exit, or it is also close to death. The Guardian much prefers to leave a downed adventurer where their companions can find them, get them back on their feet so they can experience even more pain and terror. Otherwise, as said above, utilize hit and run tactics and make sure to include plenty of creepy descriptions of it looming up behind people, of it dropping down from the ceiling, of it slowly approaching while it revs its drill, etc. The encounter should be reminiscent of fighting a monster from a Slasher movie, though hopefully, there will be more than one final girl. Lastly, refer to Dealing with Death on page 82 if need be. The Forge of the Ancestors Leaving the twisted lair of the Guardian behind, you enter a winding, rough cut mining tunnel that leads even deeper down into the earth. After almost an hour of walking, you realize that the tunnel is growing warmer and warmer, until the air is absolutely sweltering with heat. Then, as you round a corner, you see it: a cavern opening up into a massive lake of bubbling lava with a magnificent structure built upon the expanse of molten rock itself. This must be the Forge of the Ancestors. The Forge of the Ancestors was built to be the pinnacle of dwarven technology, harnessing all of their knowledge to create a forge worthy of the Gods themselves, and though it was completed too late to be put to use, it was completed. The last dwarves left alive in the Kingdom of Barrukhirrim were the dwarven masters desperately working to finish the Forge, the heat drying their tears of sorrow and rage even as they fell. Now it sits, a glorious monument to a people long gone, waiting for those with the knowledge, and the courage, to find it. The Guardian Large Construct, Lawful Evil —AC 17 (natural armor) HP 230 (20d12 + 100) Speed —: 40ft, Climb Speed 40ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —22(+6) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) Saves: Dex +6, Con +10, Wis +7, Cha +5 Skills: Perception +7, Stealth +8 Tremorsense 120 ft, Passive Perception 17 Damage Immunities: poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine Condition Immunities: charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned, unconscious. Challenge — Rating: 16 (15,000) Proficiency Bonus: +5 Flexible Body: The Guardian can move through any space a Small creature could without squeezing. Ambusher. The Guardian adds it’s proficiency bonus to its dexterity when it rolls for initiative (total of +8), and it has advantage when rolling for initiative. The Guardian makes three attacks, two with its Axe and one Actions —with its Tail. Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage. Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) and the target is grappled (Escape DC 21). Drill (Recharge 5 or 6). The Guardian makes a drill attack against one target within 10ft. The target must make a DC 19 Constitution Save to take half damage, or it takes 56 (15d6) force damage. Legendary Actions. The Guardian 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 Guardian regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Move. The Guardian may move up to its speed without taking attacks of opportunity. This can allow the Guardian to move into one of its tunnels Attack. The Guardian may make one axe attack against a creature within range. Drill (cost 2). The Guardian automatically recharges its drill and makes a drill attack against one creature in range.
344 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES
345 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES SG1 - Rolling Sphere Trap The adventurers will notice a massive steel plate set into the floor. It’s so obvious they don’t even need to roll to notice it, and surprise, it is a trap. When enough weight is set upon it, say 200lbs, the pressure plate will trigger a mechanism that will release a rolling sphere that will come down the same tunnel that the pressure plate sits at the end of. However, out of respect, the trap will not function on any characters named O’Neill, Carter, Jackson, or Teal’c. Rolling Sphere Mechanical trap When 20 or more pounds of pressure are placed on this trap’s pressure plate, a hidden trapdoor in the ceiling opens, releasing a 10-footdiameter rolling Sphere of solid stone. With a successful DC 15 Perception check, a character can spot the trapdoor and pressure plate. A Search of the floor accompanied by a successful DC 15 Investigation check reveals variations in the mortar and stone that betray the pressure plate’s presence. The same check made while inspecting the ceiling notes variations in the stonework that reveal the trapdoor. Wedging an iron spike or other object under the pressure plate prevents the trap from activating. Activation of the Sphere requires all creatures present to roll Initiative. The Sphere rolls Initiative with a +8 bonus. On its turn, it moves 60 feet in a straight line. The Sphere can move through creatures’ spaces, and creatures can move through its space, treating it as Difficult Terrain. Whenever the Sphere enters a creature’s space or a creature enters its space while it’s rolling, that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The Sphere stops when it hits a wall or similar barrier. It can’t go around corners, but smart dungeon builders incorporate gentle, curving turns into nearby Passages that allow the Sphere to keep moving. As an action, a creature within 5 feet of the Sphere can attempt to slow it down with a DC 20 Strength check. On a successful check, the sphere’s speed is reduced by 15 feet. If the sphere’s speed drops to 0, it stops moving and is no longer a threat. If the adventurers can avoid the pressure plate, which is about 15-20 feet long depending on how they cross it, they will be able to avoid the Rolling Sphere...for now. SG2 - Warrior Statues You come across a second, massive steel plate set between two monolithic statues depicting proud dwarven warriors, except that their weapon arm has been replaced by a great steel gear. Connected to the gears are heavy steel chains that disappear down into some mechanism planted in the rock. Unlike the first pressure plate, this plate is not a trap. Instead, stepping upon this plate will activate the statues, which will pose a riddle to the adventurers. If the adventurers answer correctly, then the portcullis (across the bridge) sealing the Forge of the Ancestors will open and they will be able to just walk inside. The Riddle is thus: As you step upon the pressure plate, the eyes of the statue begin to glow with a warm orange light, and a deep, powerful voice says: Axes break Drills snap Dwarves die So what is used to tame a mountain?
346 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Each character stepping on the place can provide one answer. The correct answer is: willpower, or will. After all, will is stronger than flesh, and stronger than steel. However, if no one guesses the right answer, then the adventurers will have to be creative, or use their magic or brawn to enter the Forge. Notably, there are transparent windows, as well as large gaps between the bars of the portcullis, allowing casters to dimension door, misty step, or otherwise magic their way inside. Alternatively, the windows could simply be broken, and the adventurers could climb inside. SG3 - The Crane, might be of particular interest in this case. SG3 - The Crane Extending out over the sea of molten stone is a giant metal crane, with a large metal vat held suspended above the lava by a length of adamantine chain. The crane is stationed in a side cavern. An artificer, or a character that passes a DC 12 Intelligence check will be able to operate the crane. It can lower the metal vat to collect lava, the arm can be extended to hover over the bridge, and the crane can also swivel, opening up the possibility of using the crane to smash a window and allow access to the Forge. Theoretically, the crane could also be used to form a second bridge leading into the Forge, though this would leave the adventurers more vulnerable than anything else. Theoretically, an Unseen Servant could operate the crane remotely, but it would still be a risk, as you will soon see. SG4 - The Portcullis The portcullis is made of adamantine bars that are inches thick. It can only be opened by answering the Warrior Statues’ riddle, or by operating the gate lever inside the Forge itself. The lever requires a significant amount of force (around 100lbs) in order to be operated, making it difficult to affect remotely. As long as the Portcullis is down, it is safe to Rest inside the Forge. SG5 - Archive of the Ancestors In the northwestern corner of the Forge sits a ring of statues carved from a variety of different types of stone, each crafted so masterfully that you almost expect the statue’s hair to be stirred by the sweltering breeze that sweeps through the Forge. And, in the center of the circle of statues lies a great anvil upon which rests an adamantine smithing hammer that must require tremendous strength to use. This is the Archive of the Ancestors, and each statue depicts a great dwarven master of smithing, metallurgy, arcane magic, or divine magic. The souls of each master has been imbued into the statue, allowing a supplicant to the forge to learn directly from them. Furthermore, entire libraries of information have been imbued into the statues, giving the masters even more knowledge than they held in life and allowing their teaching to far surpass what they could have accomplished in life. In order to interact with the statues, all a supplicant must do is lay a hand upon the hammer. Then, to those watching, it will appear that the supplicant becomes motionless, staring off into the middle distance. In truth, the supplicant will find themselves standing before the seven dwarven masters (in their halls of stone) who appear just as they did in life. The masters will speak to the supplicant, and should the supplicant express a desire to learn how to use the forge, the masters will ask one question: Why? The answer can vary greatly, though in general they respect: the pursuit of knowledge, crafting, and defeating the Blood Queen. Should anything similar be expressed, the masters will
347 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES agree to teach the supplicant. The teaching will happen incredibly quickly, but will still take days to complete, such is the breadth of the master’s knowledge. This includes breaks, of course. Should the masters decline to teach one adventurer, another may try. Ultimately, it’s not meant to be a true barrier, but allow for good roleplaying opportunities, especially for artificers, smiths, or characters that love art. Characters that complete the training gain proficiency and expertise in: smith’s tools, tinkerer’s tools, jeweler’s tools, and calligrapher’s tools. Alternatively, the characters could gain expertise in Arcana or Religion, though the masters would not teach proficiency in those domains. SG6 - Storeroom Inside the storeroom the adventurers will find a wide variety of goods and materials, all kept suspended in the exact condition they were in when first deposited into storage. A DC 18 Arcana check will reveal that the walls are carved with magical runes that effectively freeze time inside the room. There are crates of metal ore of all types, crates of gems, crates of leather, crates of wood, barrels of glass sand, and every other sort of material that you might need to craft incredible items. Additionally, there are a variety of foodstuffs, casks of ale and spirits, and extra clothing and blankets (though dwarf sized). It’s clear that the Forge was intended to house its workers as well as be their place of work. SG7 - Sleeping Quarters Past two stone double doors is a chamber filled with the destroyed remains of dwarven furniture over a charred bearskin rug in one half and five stone beds in the other. With only five beds, it’s clear that either only 5 workers were expected to stay in the Forge, or that only 5 workers would be allowed to sleep at the same time. Considering there are seven skeletons to be found in the forge, the latter is most likely. There are some personal effects left in these rooms, such as personal hygiene items or personal holy symbols, though they are only worth a handful of gold to most people, and perhaps several hundred gold to the descendants of Barrukhirrim. SG8 - The Forge Dominating the center of the building is the forge itself. An enormous piece of enchanted, orange tourmaline is set before a massive heat vent that draws thermal energy directly from the earth itself. Gauges and valves no doubt allow the user to adjust the level of heat, as well as turn the vent on and off. Elsewhere in the room is an alchemical workbench, an anvil, and an incredibly advanced device that functions as an alarmed timer. Once a supplicant has been taught by the Forgemasters, they will be able to use the Forge to craft or imbue weapons with the power to harm the Blood Queen herself. It could also be used to craft other items of incredible power, but the adventurers simply don’t have the time. It takes days to craft even one weapon or item that is able to harm the Blood Queen, and though there are large stores of food and drink, it won’t last forever. SG9 - Control Room Stepping inside this room, you see more advanced gauges lining the walls, as well as more valves and tools. Most importantly, there is also a lift with a view down into the lake of lava itself. The lift can even be lowered down into the lava, a magical shield protecting anyone standing upon the lift. The shielding will allow certain tools to pass through it however, allowing for various measurements and samples to be taken.
348 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Though there are heat controls and gauges in the Forge itself, there is still a great deal of finesse needed to keep the Forge operating, physically and magically, and that all happens here in the control room. There are a dizzying amount of factors to monitor and controls to adjust throughout the entire forging process just to avoid blowing the Forge up, let alone not ruining what is being crafted. In short, while a skilled smith operates the forge, a character with a high Arcana score will need to be in the control room. SG10 - Forgemasters’ Hall Inside this chamber is a hall dominated by a massive table. Large gems are laid out across the table, and there is a sole skeleton laying upon the floor, though the room is otherwise empty. The large gemstones are enchanted components of the forge itself and must be reinserted into the proper machinery in order for the forge to function. They’re like spark plugs that have been removed so the Forge can’t start. A different sort of key, if you will. The skeleton is one of seven found throughout the Forge, though this was one of the Forge’s builders, rather than one of the Forgemasters. Originally, the Forgemasters’ Hall was originally a place for planning, and meetings, as well as meals and drinking. Now, it will serve whatever purpose the adventurers wish it to serve, though likely, it’ll be the same. The Hordes of Barrukhirrim As soon as the adventurers enter the forge, or at least when they start crafting their enchanted items, the following will occur: In the distance a faint sound begins to grow, first just at the edge of hearing, then rising and rising until it can be heard above even the Forge’s machinery or the ringing of hammer upon metal. It is the sound of inhuman screaming. The sound of thousands of undead voices all raised at once, and it doesn’t end, it just grows, echoing off of the stone tunnel walls. These are the undead hordes that the citizens of Barrukhirrim became. They were created for two purposes. The first was to continue to work the mines and extract everything of value, and the second was to ensure that, should the Forge ever become accessed, they are to ensure they never get out. So they will soon swarm in overwhelming numbers that no adventuring party could ever overcome. Or that is the intent, at least. In actuality, there are two ways for the adventurers to survive. The first is to try to leave immediately, which means that the adventurers will only encounter the zombies that were closest to them. An advance guard, if you will. This will allow the adventurers to fight their way out before the majority of the undead arrive. The second way for the adventurers to survive is to simply wait until the undead Horde’s numbers thin. When it becomes clear that the adventurers are able to safely seal themselves within the forge, the vast majority will return to working the mines. After about a week, the adventurers would be able to fight their way out past the remaining zombies, the rear guard, if you will. Regardless of when they choose to try to escape, they will be facing the following horde of zombies: 8 Exploding Spore Zombies, 2 Zombie Clots, and 1 Throng of Barrukhirrim. If you want to make the horde even more difficult, sprinkle in more Exploding Spore Zombies. The Zombie Horde will emerge (or have emerged) from the northeastern tunnel (with the skeleton bones decorating the floor). Position the Horde as you wish. The Adventurers must escape from the Forge and then run up the northwestern tunnel (with the steel pressure plate that triggers SG1). If the adventurers can get off the map by moving up the northwestern tunnel, then they will survive to fight another day.
349 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Zombie Clot A shambling giant made of rotting, dwarven corpses staggers towards you. Throngs of Barrukhirrim A legion of partially rotted corpses charges towards you, axes and spears scything through the air as they unleash an unearthly battlecry. Exploding Spore Zombie These zombies are different from the others, their flesh torn open from the thorned vines growing inside them. A cloud of scarlet spores surrounds them, and their lungs are visibly inflated with yet more. Zombie Clot Huge undead, Chaotic Evil —Armor Class 12 (natural armor) Hit Points 104 (11d12 + 33) Speed 40 ft. —. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —20(+5) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 8 (-1) 10 (+0) Saving Throws Con +6 Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 Languages dwarven, common, but can’t speak Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) —Proficiency Bonus +3 Deathly Stench. Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the zombie must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) poison damage and be poisoned until the start of the creature’s next turn. Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. Actions —Multiattack. The zombie makes two Slam attacks. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. Flesh Entomb (Recharge 5–6). The zombie flings a detached clump of corpses at a creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or take 16 (3d10) bludgeoning damage, and if the target is a Large or smaller creature, it becomes entombed in dead flesh. A creature entombed in the dead flesh is restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the dead flesh, and takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. The creature can be freed if the dead flesh is destroyed. The dead flesh is a Large object with AC 10, 25 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Source: VRGR, page 255 Throngs of Barrukhirrim Gargantuan throng of Medium undead, neutral evil —Armor Class 10 Hit Points 280 (35d8 + 140) Speed 20 ft. —STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —22(+6) 6 (-2) 18 (+4) 3 (-4) 6 (-2) 5 (-3) Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned Senses darkvision 60 ft.; passive Perception 8 Languages understands Dwarven and Common but can’t speak Undead Fortitude. Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 —If damage reduces the Throng to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the mob drops to 1 hit point instead. Engulf. At the start of its turn, the throng engulfs a Medium or smaller creature grappled by it. The engulfed target is blinded, restrained, and prone, and it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of the throng’s turns or take 24 (4d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the throng moves, the engulfed target moves with it. The throng can engulf a number of creatures equal to its hit points divided by 10. Actions —Multiattack. The Throng can make 2 Frenzied Assaults. Frenzied Assault. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw or also become Grappled (escape DC 18). Exploding Spore Zombie —Medium Undead, Chaotic Evil Armor Class 10 Hit Points 14 (2d8 + 6) Speed 30 ft. —STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —16(+3) 8 (-2) 16 (+3) 7 (-2) 8 (-1) 6 (-2) Skills: Athletics +6 Damage Immunities necrotic, poison Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages Dwarven, Common, but can’t speak Challenge — 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Death Burst. When the Exploding Spore Zombie dies, it explodes in a burst of necrotic spores. Each creature within 5 feet of it must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Note: death burst can destroy other exploding zombies, causing a chain reaction. Claws. Actions —Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 +3) slashing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. Grapple. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft, one creature. On a hit, the target is grappled (escape DC 14).
350 CHAPTER 8 - THE SILVER GRAVES Silver Graves Epilogue As the adventurers emerge, battered and bloody from the ruins of Barrukhirrim, they will find an unpleasant surprise waiting for them: The Blood Queen herself. This climactic meeting will be the moment when Czerina’s true face is revealed. The dynamic has now changed. No longer are they predator and prey, now the adventurers have something that can harm her. Now they are a potential threat, something Czerina hasn’t faced for over a thousand years, and so her monstrous nature will emerge. The encounter will start like this: As you step forth from the shattered gates of the Silver Grates, you see a lone figure standing upon that ancient battlefield, illuminated by flashes of lightning tearing across the storm swept sky. It is the Blood Queen herself, Czerina Gavranova, clad in royal hunting regalia, her fur lined cloak snapping in the wind, a wicked greatsword resting against her shoulder. Her scarlet eyes are narrowed, her fanged teeth bared in a grimace of barely restrained anger. “You seek the power of my enemies?” she bellows. “Do you? Answer me!” No matter if the adventurers have already allied themselves to her, or not, Czerina will see their knowledge and use of the forge as a betrayal and will seek to address that by ensuring that the adventurers can never betray her again. However, before she lays down her ultimatum, she will interrogate the adventurers over their actions and intentions. During the conversation, she will bring up all the ways she’s tried to manipulate them. She’ll reference past conversations, shared dreams from the Mirror, and the gifts and compliments that she’s given them. In the warped corners of her villainous mind (remember, her traumatic past, Czernobog’s influence, and the strain from her tie to such an evil land have long since taken their toll), Czerina views all of these manipulative machinations as a favor that she’s paid the adventurers, and any disagreement over that matter will only be seen as a further betrayal. Ultimately, she will demand that the adventurers perform two last acts: they are to hand over their weapons imbued by the Forge, and they are to drink deeply of her blood. This would allow her to charm the adventurers, and from there transform them into vampires forced to obey her commands and serve as her dark servants for all of eternity. Should the adventurers agree, the campaign ends, and no one wants that...unless you want to start a high level Evil campaign. Should the adventurers refuse, however, as any sane adventurer should, then call for initiative and combat will begin. This is not the final combat, of course. This is more like a preview, a chance for the adventurers to see Czerina’s tactics in action, as well as a chance for her to see what it’s like to fight them. And, once more, this is not a battle to the death, and Czerina won’t use all of her most powerful spells. Instead, she will fight until she’s taken around 100 damage, and at that point, would declare that the Order of Blood would be dispatched to hunt the adventurers to the ends of Wreythau, and then she would use an item to teleport back to the Cairn, thus ending the fight. Alternatively, if Czerina does manage to down most of the adventurers before taking 100 damage, she would simply sneer, declare them not worthy of her time, and then she would teleport back to the Cairn. In either event, the adventurers would become hunted by the Order of Blood, and the war against the Blood Queen will have begun. The adventurers will level up to Level 10.