51 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU become accused of being evil in disguise and “righteous vengeance” would quickly follow. Tieflings: Like their more angelic cousins, Tieflings do not have an easy time in Wreythau. Seen as literal demons and devils, violent mobs will often chase tieflings from their towns, and few business owners or other public figures will have anything to do with them out in the open. In private, other accomodations could be made, particularly if they think the Tiefling has something to offer. There are exceptions, of course. The Consortium, in particular, will openly do business with anyone and anything, though an association with this brutal organization won’t win any more friends. As for the Church, well, nothing quite inspires the faithful like a public execution, and so there is virtually no hope of peace should they discover there is a tiefling among the adventurers. Fey/Feytouched: Those touched by the Fey have a much more interesting, if no less difficult time in Wreythau. Many of the townsfolk will fear and revile them, while others will be enchanted with them and see them as magical, wish granting creatures that can be bargained with. This leads to many awkward and strange encounters when interacting with commoners, although most NPCs are simply careful not to strike any but the most carefully worded bargains with Fey characters. Warforged: For those characters created rather than born, the Wreythians will regard them as little better than animate tools or mechanical pets at worst. That doesn’t mean they won’t marvel at the amazing engineering and artistry that went into the creation of the character, but it does mean that they will assume that there must be someone in charge of the Warforged, or in other words, someone responsible for the Warforged’s actions and that the Warforged has no more agency than a well trained animal, for instance. Essentially, this means the Warforged is considered property, dangerous to some, and very valuable to others. The Merchant Consortium, in particular, would be keen in acquiring the Warforged as one of their own servants, and for cunning adventurers this could present quite the opportunity, though not without its risks. Any creature with animal characteristics: Despite the hardship that the creatures above will face, no adventurer will have a more harrowing journey than the Tabaxi, Aarakocra, Tortles, or any other creature with dominant animal characteristics. In the settlements they will be treated as Beastfolk and immediately regarded as hostile and evil, no matter what they do. Among the Beastfolk, however, they will be revered as something beyond kin, as the ideal manifestation of what they should become, which presents its own hardships. In some ways, they’re like the Aasimar of Beastfolk, seen as semi-divine and looked up to, though even the Beastfolk aren’t a monolithic culture. Some might resent the adventurer for being so free of disability, and the Followers of Agrona might even become hostile, viewing them as living challenge to their belief that strength and enlightenment come from suffering and imperfection. As always, this is up to DM discretion, though these prejudices could lead to fascinating and powerful roleplay moments. Make sure that players understand and agree to having this in the game, however, as few things are more stressful than dealing with traumatic echoes while you’re trying to relax and have a good time.
52 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Most Common Wreythian Superstitions Roll 1d20 Or Choose From The Table Below: 1. Mirrors must always be covered when not in use. To leave a mirror uncovered is to invite evil spirits into your life. 2. Bathe with saltwater after touching anything dead, whether a corpse or a cut of meat, lest you attract evil spirits. 3. Never whistle or sing indoors without the sound of a drum to scare away evil spirits. 4. Never sleep facing the Cairn, or else you invite nightmares and other evil spirits into your dreams. 5. Never put your shoes on the table or you’re inviting an early death. 6. Crafting something outside will invite a curse upon the object. 7. Always offer thanks to your shadow after returning home lest it feel unappreciated and stop watching your back. 8. Only people possessed by evil spirits walk backwards. 9. Never go outside during a full moon or else you’ll be marked for the hunt. 10. Always enter and leave a room with your right foot. Only servants of evil enter with their left foot. 11. Never harm or insult a raven or you’ll attract the attention of evil spirits. 12. Don’t knock on wood lest you anger the wood spirits. 13. Never give payment, gifts, or goods in groups of 13 or else you’ll invite bad luck. 14. Never give away your last copper or you’ll invite bad luck. 15. Always cross your fingers to seal a deal or a pact or else you wish the other person ill. 16. Anything that comes in groups of nines will bring good luck. 17. Protective amulets and charms must be set above the doors, windows, and mantle places of a home or evil spirits will get inside. 18 Blood must always be washed away with saltwater or else it will attract monsters. 19. A new round of drinks must always be accompanied by a toast or else it will invite bad luck. 20. If you see someone you met in a dream you must throw salt on them. Of course, being a land beset by many shades of evil, steeped in curses and thousands of years of history, several powerful groups have arisen among the populace, spanning the entire island and vying against one another for power. Much of this is due to Czerina’s design, the Vampire Queen having intentionally created a landscape torn by constant strife so that the strength or weakness of her dominion might become known. In other words, it’s all a crucible meant to produce the strongest servants and most durable and efficient subjects for her rule. Traces of her involvement can be found as the adventurers pursue quests or experience the autobiographical dreams from the Mirror of Czerina (see Volume 2). Below, you’ll find an overview of each organization or group, along with a summary of their outlook and how they operate, as well as their internal factions, and lastly information on important NPCs, their stat blocks, and the stat blocks for the average creatures found within each organization. Lastly, any named NPCs without stat blocks will be encountered in Volume 2, though a description has been provided to help explain their place in the campaign. The Beastfolk Almost a thousand years ago a terrible curse struck the people of Wreythau, transforming vast swaths of the population into warped mockeries of sentient beings and beasts. On the surface, at least. Beneath their twisted flesh lurks the same mind and soul as is to be found in anyone else, and yet how often do the common folk truly try to look beyond what their eyes can see? As newborn after newborn came
53 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU into the world with their features blended and fused with those of beasts and insects of every variety, a terrible panic swept the land. Neighbor turned upon neighbor, lords were cast down, and mobs howling for blood rampaged through the streets. The blades of axes were wetted red, houses burned, and many were chased from their homes, their helpless infants clasped desperately in their arms. They fled to the woods in ragged numbers, taking refuge far from the safety offered by milled timber or cut stone. The bloodthirsty mobs would not pursue them there, though with good reason, for it was in the depths of the wilderness that countless foul things waited, drool spilling from eager jaws, vines and roots creeping and restless in anticipation of this new feast that had come into their midst. Countless refugees died, their bodies disappearing into the hungry wilderness, though not all became victims to that hostile land, for there were others amongst their number who had also been cast out. The followers of the Old Faith were among the first to be blamed for the Curse when it struck, and many of their number had been driven out along with the Cursed, forced to flee back into the depths of the woods. Their knowledge and magic was weakened by the foul influence of Czernobog, but not without its uses, and soon small enclaves were built beneath the shadow of the trees, encampments and holds that allowed the Cursed and the Old Faith to flourish and grow once more. As the ages passed, more came to join them, desperate mothers and fathers with their afflicted children in tow, and as the children grew into adults, they too had children of their own, and so their numbers grew. A new society came into being, there in the depths of that most brutal wilderness. Those who still dwelt in the settled parts of Wreythau also multiplied and their villages grew, and as they grew, so too did their needs. More mouths meant more forest needed to be raised for new farmland and cattle pastures, more prey needed to be killed to provide meat, more fish taken from the rivers and streams. Soon contact between the ‘civilized lands’ and those they had killed and driven out led to rising conflict, and stories began to spread of bestial monsters lurking in the woods, eager to rend and eat their flesh. Hunting parties and militias began to venture forth with nothing but death in their minds, and so was sparked between the citizens of Wreythau and those cursed peoples they had come to call the Beastfolk. The priests and priestesses of the Old Faith were painted as servants of demons and devils, vile worshippers of darkness that conducted foul sacrificial rites and wrought horrible curses against their foes. Any sickness or turn of bad luck was blamed upon them, and hatred for those that lived in the woods grew and grew. More and more men and women took up the sword and spear, venturing into the wilderness to exterminate the evil vermin that they imagined plagued them, and more blood came to soak the roots of the forest. Soon, the Beastfolk came to know their own hatred as they watched encampment after encampment wiped out and heard of peaceful hunters and foragers that were captured and dragged off to horrible deaths. Their own axes and spears were forged, and war was brewed. Raiding parties set out to massacre and burn farmsteads, and peace was no more.
54 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Outlook and Life Among the Beastfolk In the thousand years since they first came into being, the Beastfolk have come to comprise almost the entirety of the Old Faith in Wreythau, and have flourished in their own ways. They group themselves into a confederacy of tribes, with their own holy sites and centers of trade scattered throughout the woods, though their lives are hard and filled with peril. The curse that affects the Beastfolk leaves many with painful disabilities that make life even more difficult for a group of persecuted people forced to live in an incredibly hostile wilderness. Nevertheless, in order to survive they’ve actually become an incredibly compassionate and creative peoples, organizing their society around accommodating those troubled by their animal features and the other hardships of life. For instance, harnesses and pulleys were created for those with hollow bones like that of birds, lines of rope stretching across every settlement to help facilitate their ease of movement. They’ve also created special tools for those with hooves or claws instead of fingers, and have even developed a special variation of Sylvan to accommodate those with teeth and fangs that snarl their lips. This means that adventurers who speak Sylvan can communicate with the Beastfolk, though not perfectly, as sign language, whistles, and other glottal noises have come to replace common words and thus bridge the language gap that comes with such a diverse array of anatomy and physiology. On the whole, the Beastfolk are a people interested in living well and harmoniously with one another and with nature, devoting themselves to helping one another cope with their cursed forms and banding together to survive in the harsh landscape they’re forced to call home. As such, they have a very communal mindset, and have many ways to resolve conflicts between themselves. They celebrate art and music, as well as the spiritual journey that each must undertake. There are many druids among the Beastfolk, as well as skilled hunters, gatherers, and crafters. Their study of nature is also without peer, their knowledge of how Czernobog has twisted the cycles of the wild is profound, and as the remaining bastion of the Old Faith, they alone know of one of the only things that can actually threaten Czerina (see Volume 2). Unfortunately, however, even the Beastfolk are not immune to the insidious influence of Czernobog, and over the past few centuries, a tribe of Beastfolk has begun to break off from the rest, preaching a distorted philosophy that threatens to undermine the rest of Beastfolk society in many important ways. Internal Factions The Tribes of Caletos: The Tribes of Caletos comprise the tribal confederacy of the Beastfolk and thus the dominant society that most live under. They believe in compassion and harmony, though out of necessity have become very wary of outsiders and do not shy away from violence if it means protecting their own. The Tribes follow communal leaders, as well as spiritual leaders from among the Old Faith, and focus upon improving their communities and acting as shepherds of nature, as well as they can. A central council gathers every year before the summer solstice, resolving issues and making plans for how to improve encampments and trading
55 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU outposts. They prefer to focus upon building up their own communities and managing the wilderness around them than making war. The Followers of Agrona Unlike the Tribes of Caletos, the Followers of Agrona are those Beastfolk ruled by their rage and their contempt for outsiders. They believe that raids and battle help their people more than hiding in the forest, and that the land will one day be theirs once those who persecute them have been driven out. Their leaders have fallen under the influence of Czernobog itself, their philosophies having been perverted into a worship of pain and struggle, believing that it is through suffering that they are able to grow, and so embrace cruelty, though it is cruelty with a purpose. Many of their Druids favor the Circle of Wildfire or Spores, and they value warriors over crafters or artists. Though few in number compared to the Tribes of Caletos, the Followers of Agrona are the most well known to the rest of Wreythau as they are the ones conducting raids upon settlements, burning farmsteads and pillaging what they may. And for every victory they gain new followers, even as they attract more and more hostility towards the Tribes. As a result, the Tribes have grown to despise the Followers of Agrona, though the thought of making war against their own people is so foreign to them that they feel powerless to do anything about it. So, as the years have turned, more and more of the young have defected to join with the Followers. As their numbers swell, the Followers have grown bolder, and ultimately drawing more attention, and more danger, to all of Beastfolk. Dramatis Personae Below, you’ll find a listing of important NPCs as well as the creature stat blocks that belong to the Beastfolk. Mata Yezinka Long ago, when Czerina still drew breath, she befriended a young acolyte of the Old Faith, a woman about the same age who was known as Moshka. Their friendship ran fast, and they were even lovers for a time, though it was clear that their paths were not to stay the same. Moshka’s eyes were fixed upon the canopies of the trees and the flowing rivers, the lives of the animals, and the mysteries of the stars, while Czerina’s were fixed upon the throne. Nonetheless, when Czerina called upon the Old Faith to join her against Gulthias, Moshka came to stand by her side once again. For decades they were reunited, though when Alexandros and his army came to invade the land and Czerina turned to bargain with the Fey, Moshka begged her not to. Moshka told her that all things have their time and all things come to an end. Even if Wreythau had only lived for a while, it had still lived, and Moshka pleaded with Czerina to accept this. The cost of the Fey’s bargain was simply too great, far greater than either of them could ever hope to imagine. But Czerina was not to be persuaded and so Moshka fled to the woods, watching with horror at everything that transpired thereafter. Over a thousand years later, Moshka still lives, a powerful Archdruidess respected and feared by all who know of her. Those among
56 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU the Tribes of Caletos view her as their most holy spiritual leader, and call her Mata Yezinka, or Mother of the Wilds, and heed her words as gospel. That said, they also know that she can be dangerous. Thou wilt receive what thou has wrought has become her philosophy. Often, this means lending healing and aid to those who need it, but it also means lending death to those who cause more suffering than they ease. This has turned her into a protector as well as a guide, so she’s taken to visiting the Tribes every year during the Summer Solstice before returning to roam the woods from thereafter, teaching, counseling, and aiding any that she comes across. The Followers of Agrona hate her in particular, for she is not like them, though even they respect and fear the power and knowledge she wields. Even her mount, a gigantic rooster known as Autumnos, is a fearsome combatant that knows the heart of all who approach it, and many intrepid Followers have had their intestines spilled by is talons and their heads torn free by its beak, a far cry from the lovable bundle of fluff that Beastfolk children crowd around during the Solstice. Ambigatus and Louhi The Followers of Agrona have changed leaders as the trees change leaves, though through the centuries of conflict and infighting, a true champion of bloodshed has risen with a deadly Druidess as his advisor. Ambigatus (he who fights on all sides) and Louhi (the sickness) form a deadly pair, and have turned the Followers into a formidable army that can challenge even the walls of Raffenburg should they wish it. Thankfully, they are more interested in building their strength at the moment, gathering deadly allies Beastfolk Warrior —Medium Humanoid, Alignment varies Armor Class 13 (hide armor) Hit Points 15 (2d8 + 6) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —16 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) Saves Wis +2, Con + 5 Skills Perception +2, Stealth +3 Senses Darkvision 60 ft. Languages Sylvan Challenge — 1/2 (100 XP) Actions Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage. Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. Beastfolk Scout —Medium Humanoid, Alignment varies Armor Class 13 (hide armor) Hit Points 15 (3d8 + 3) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —11 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) Saves Wis +3, Dex + 5 Skills Nature +4, Perception +5, Stealth +6, Survival +5 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 15 Languages Sylvan Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Keen Hearing and Sight. The scout has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight. Actions —Multiattack. The scout makes two melee attacks or two ranged attacks. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, ranged 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
57 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Mata Yezinka —Medium Human, Neutral Good Armor Class 16 (hide armor, shield) Hit Points 180 (24d8 + 74) Speed — 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —12 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) Saves Int +6, Wis +9 Skills Arcana + 8, Medicine +11, Nature +8, Perception +11 Senses Darkvision 60ft Languages Common, Sylvan, Druidic, Elemental, Draconic Challenge — 13 (10,000 XP) Spellcasting. The archdruid is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following druid spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, mending, poison spray, produce flame 1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, entangle, faerie fire, speak with animals 2nd level (3 slots): animal messenger, beast sense, heat metal, pass without trace 3rd level (3 slots): conjure animals, call lightning, plant growth 4th level (3 slots): dominate beast, locate creature, giant insect, wall of fire 5th level (3 slots): commune with nature, insect plague, tree stride 6th level (1 slot): heal, heroes’ feast, sunbeam 7th level (1 slot): fire storm 8th level (1 slot): tsunami 9th level (1 slot): foresight Actions Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. Change Shape (2/Day). The archdruid magically polymorphs into a beast or elemental with a challenge rating of 6 or less, and can remain in this form for up to 9 hours. The archdruid can choose whether its equipment falls to the ground, melds with its new form, or is worn by the new form. . When the archdruid reverts to their normal form, they return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if they revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to their normal form. The archdruid can revert to its true form using a bonus action on its turn. While in a new form, the archdruid retains its game statistics and ability to speak, but its AC, movement modes, Strength, and Dexterity are replaced by those of the new form, and it gains any special senses, proficiencies, traits, actions, and reactions (except class features, legendary actions, and lair actions) that the new form has but that it lacks. It can cast its spells with verbal or somatic components in its new form. The new form’s attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunity to nonmagical attacks. Tactics: Mata Yezinka, while a formidable opponent on her own, is truly fearsome with the aid of Autumnos. By casting foresight on Autumnos, and allowing him to act as a frontline combatant, she can wreak havoc with her powerful spellcasting. However, if cornered, she would use her shapechanging to either fly away, or become a dangerous beast to fend off attackers or help Autumnos. Autumnos Large Fey Spirit, Neutral Good —Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 178 (17d10 + 85) Speed — 40 ft., climb 40 ft STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —23 (+6) 10 (+0) 21 (+5) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 19 (+4) Saves Dex +4, Con +9, Wis +4, Cha +8 Skills Perception +8, Stealth +4 Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18 Languages Druidic, Sylvan Challenge — 10 (5,900 XP) Actions Multiattack. Autumnos makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) lightning damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage. Lightning Breath (Recharge 5–6). Autumnos exhales fire in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one Tactics: When provoked, Autumnos is as fierce as any dragon, and will use it’s lightning breath to devestating effect before diving in to claw and bite its enemies to death.
58 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU from among the Corrupted Sidhe to stage their coming campaign of pillage and slaughter. The Inquisition of the Morning Lord The Morning Lord is known as a symbol of kindness, love, fertility, and healing for most across the Planes, but not so in Wreythau. In Wreythau, the Morning Lord is synonymous with mourning, with fire and terror, pain and oppression. The Inquisition is focused upon stamping out all that it perceives as evil, ruled by hate and fear as much as by the dogma spouted by their religious leader, the mysterious Abbot, who is really the insane angel Temelloth in disguise. They preach and proselytize, true, and attempt to spread their faith, but it is the destruction of all who oppose them that truly guides their actions. Anyone who speaks out against them risks having their door kicked down in the middle of the night and being dragged screaming through the streets to a waiting pyre or a secluded torture chamber with the Inquisitions finest waiting inside. The Inquisition has spread from the Abbey in Leshehoff to ther grand Cathedral in Raffenburg and a formidable Shrine in Inbarev. From all three locations the Inquisition sends crusades and patrols throughout the kingdom. They fervently battle the Beastfolk, the Order of Blood, and the servants of Czerina wherever they Beastfolk Juggernaut Large Humanoid, Alignment varies —Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 76 (9d10 + 27) Speed 40 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) Saves Wis +5, Con + 5 Skills Perception +7 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 17 Languages Sylvan Challenge 3 (700 XP) Charge. If the juggernaut moves at least 10 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone. Reckless. At the start of its turn, the juggernaut can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of —its next turn. Actions Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) slashing damage. Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. BEASTFOLK WITCH —Medium Humanoid, Alignment varies Armor Class 13 (studded leather armor) Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) Saves Wis +5, Con + 5 Skills Arcana +5 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive perception 14 Languages Sylvan Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Herd Arcana. When the witch casts a spell that causes damage or that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, it can choose itself and any number of allies to be immune to the damage caused by the spell and to succeed on the required saving throw. Spellcasting. The beastfolk witch is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following druid spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): Shillelagh, Create Bonfire, Druidcraft, Infestation 1st level (4 slots): Cure wounds, Entangle, Faerie Fire, Goodberry 2nd level (3 slots): Barkskin, Heat Metal, Spike Growth, Moon Beam 3rd level (3 slots): Conjure Animals, Call Lightning, Erupting Earth 4th level (1 slot): Ice Storm Actions Quarterstaff (Shillelagh). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
59 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU are found, though have been locked in perpetual stalemate against their foes for centuries. This is something the people of Wreythau are very thankful for, for most of those wary of the faith recognize that if there were no enemies without the Inquisition would gleefully turn upon ‘enemies’ within. Signs of Corruption As the holy warriors of the Morning Lord, the Inquisition is always on the lookout for the subtle signs of corruption that might lurk beneath the surface. Ever vigilant, ever zealous, none are safe from the scrutiny of their gaze, or the depth of their inquiries. Nonetheless, there are 7 common signs of corruption that Inquisitors will check for first, signs that a canny adventurer could use to manipulate the Inquisition, or plunge the adventurers further into peril. 1. The Mark of Corruption: Inquisitors will examine all those they come across for physical manifestations of evil. Most notably this would be signs of the Curse that created the Beastfolk, but this also applies to Tieflings, Aasimar, or characters with remarkable physical features like birthmarks, milky eyes, uncommon numbers of fingers, or even oddly colored hair. Should the mark be obvious, such as a Tieflings horns or tail, then the shackles will come out. Should the mark be more celestial in nature, the inquisition will interrogate the adventurer to learn if they are truly an agent of the divine or if they are some demon in disguise. 2. Foul Speech: Anyone who does not offer praise to the Morning Lord is suspect. Anyone who outright refuses to praise the Morning Lord, even when pressed, will be assumed to be incapable of pronouncing that which is sacred, and must therefore be corrupt. 3. Fear of Fire: To the servants of the Morning Lord, fire is the most sacred element, righteous and purifying, and anyone afraid of flame will be considered suspect. 4. Fear of Holy Water: It is not uncommon for an Inquisitor to give impromptu blessings with holy water, sprinkling water from an aspergillum or flicking it from their fingers. Anyone who recoils is considered suspect. (A DC 10 Concentration check might be reasonable for a character not to react when suddenly having water splashed in their face). 5. The Color of Blood: A common tool among the inquisition is a spiked ring that can prick the flesh of the unsuspecting and draw their blood. Any blood that flows a different color than red would be considered a mark of corruption. As such, the Inquisition is not fond of anyone wearing gloves, and will ask adventurers to remove them. As the mark of corruption is also common upon the hands, this serves two purposes. 6. The Reflection of Evil: Almost all Inquisitors carry hand mirrors with them, believing that evil will appear distorted, or even not at all in their reflections. Of course...not all mirrors are created equal, and some of the more psychotic inquisitors (like Vellekov) carry flawed mirrors 7. Holy Deception: It is not evil to trick the agents of evil into revealing their true natures. Should an inquisitor suspect, but otherwise have no other proof of corruption, they will lie and attempt to trick a confession from their chosen target. Perhaps they will claim to detest the Church, or that they themselves are an agent of evil to see the kind of response this prompts. Internal Factions The faith of the Morning Lord has two main branches:
60 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU The Church Headed by Father Lorreus, the Church of the Morning Lord is composed entirely of clergy, men and women of the cloth dedicated to scripture, theological debate and artistry, and charitable work. Notably, however, only the faithful are able to receive charity, a form of extortion that has forced many of the desperate into the ranks of their congregations. The Inquisition: Headed by High Inquisitor Viktor Tarasov, the Inquisition is the militant branch of the church, leading crusades and sending witch hunters to sniff out blasphemy throughout the kingdom. Tarasov is a cunning zealot, a man obsessed with power and his own importance, and yet his insane belief in the glory of the Morning Lord cannot be denied. Together with his right hand man, The Blade of the Sun, Anatole Vellekov, Tarasov has brought death and suffering to every corner of the land. Any evil they actually killed was mostly just coincidence. Dramatis Personae The Abbot (Temelloth): Released from his torment a broken wreck of the divine being it had once been, Temelloth rampaged through the land, smiting the innocent and raising great swaths of the land. When it calmed and saw the terror it had wrought, a poisonous idea, one that had been planted long ago in Czerina’s dungeons bore fruit, and the angel assumed the form of a man, climbing inside a body to wear like a skinsuit, and then went out among the people preaching of the Morning Lord’s light. Their wickedness had brought down this holy wrath upon them, and only his teachings could save them. Only the light of the Morning Lord could banish the darkness and provide safety and hope in their pitiful lives. So it was that Temelloth gained his following, and over the centuries shaped it into the abomination that the Inquisition has become. Now, Temelloth spends decades sequestered beneath the Abbey in Leshehoff, torturing the unfaithful and musing upon the state of the universe in the way that inhuman, eldritch beings do. It is not a mortal and does not perceive things upon the same scale. What compassion it once had has been erased, and though Temelloth could theoretically become an ally, it has become more like a demon, twisted by a hatred so profound it is incomprehensible. Temelloth is not something to be saved, it is something to be struck down and freed from the torment its existence has become. The Dark Power of Fire and Death has claimed it, and it is now a creature of evil as much as it had ever been one of good. See L9M in Chapter 3, Leshehoff, for Temelloth’s stats. High Inquisitor Viktor Tarasov Tarasov wasn’t always a cruel, predatory man, though he was raised as an orphan by the Church, and that meant from a young age he was fed a steady diet of uncompromising scripture and brutal punishment, and this has forged him into the vile, manipulative, zealot that he has become. Above all, however, Tarasov is cunning. His faith consumes his mind and blinds him to certain truths, true, but he is also a brilliant schemer and a survivalist, recognizing that discretion is the better part of valour...at least where he, himself, is concerned. As the head of the Inquisition, he has dozens upon dozens of
61 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU pawns to play, and even more of the faithful that would come running at his call. Nevertheless, Tarasov’s highest priorities are the preservation and prosperity of the Inquisition and the destruction of evil, and he does his best never to let one priority endanger the other. This makes him a foe that can be bargained with, though only with a great deal of leverage. Even then, he just might very well find a way to weasel out of it, as he only considers oaths made to the Abbot and the Morning Lord to be sacred, and all else is but shadows and false promises. What’s more, Tarasov’s ego places him as only second to the Abbot, and as such views the preservation of his own life as the preservation of the Church itself, and will only fight to the death if it is apparent he cannot escape. Of course, should he live, 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.
62 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU righteous vengeance would follow as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Blade of the Sun, Anatole Vellekov The Blade of the Sun, Tarasov’s right hand, is a brute of a man. Cruel and bloodthirsty, Vellekov cares only for the destruction of evil, which is everything that is not part of the Church and the Inquisition. That does not mean Vellekov is stupid, however. He is clever in his own way, an able tactician, and will not waste an advantage or throw his life away needlessly. Otherwise, he is as monstrous as any creature the adventurers would encounter. Perhaps this is because he is Anatole Vellekov —Medium humanoid (half orc), Chaotic Evil Armor Class 15 (Half Plate) Hit Points 100 (12d8 + 46) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) Saves Wis +4, Cha +7 Skills Arcana +4, Deception +7, Medicine +4, Persuasion +7, Religion +4 Damage Resistances slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons Senses darkvision 60 ft. (pierces magical darkness), passive Perception 11 Languages Common, Celestial, Infernal, Abyssal Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Blessed of the Morning Lord (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When Anatole makes an ability check or saving throw, he can add a d10 to the roll. He can do this after the roll is made but before any of the roll’s effects occur. Spellcasting. Anatole is a 17th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). He regains expended spell slots when he finishes a short or long rest. He knows the following warlock spells: Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, friends, prestidigitation, shocking grasp 1st-5th level (4 5th-level slots): hellish rebuke, wall of fire, armor of agathys (fire instead of ice), dream, vampiric touch Actions —Multiattack. Anatole Vellekov can make two attacks. Longsword +1. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage Inquisition Acolyte —Medium Humanoid, Neutral Evil Armor Class Armor Class 12 (leather armor Hit Points 9 (2d8) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —11 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) Skills Deception +2, Religion +2 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Dark Devotion. The acolyte has advantage on saving throws —against being charmed or frightened. Actions Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage. Sacred Fire Flask. Ranged Weapon Attack: range of 15ft. All creatures within 5 feet of the impact site must succeed a DC 13 Dexterity save or take 1d4 fire damage and be lit on fire. Any creature lit on fire takes 1d4 fire damage per round until they, or another creature, spend an action to extinguish the flames. INQUISITOR —Medium Humanoid, Neutral Evil Armor Class Armor Class 16 (Breastplate) Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —14 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) Skills Deception +4, Perception +3, Persuasion +4, Religion +2 Senses passive Perception 11 Languages Common Challenge 2 (450 XP) Dark Devotion. The acolyte has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Spellcasting. The inquisitor is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11, +3 to hit with spell attacks). The Inquisitor has the following cleric spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy 1st level (4 slots): command, inflict wounds, shield of faith —2nd level (3 slots): silence, spiritual weapon Actions Multiattack. The fanatic makes two melee attacks. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage
63 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU simply a body without a soul, a puppet of the Dark Power controlling the Inquisition. Or, perhaps he is simply an extremely chaotic evil man. Only the DM can decide. The Order of Blood Centuries ago, when the holy paladin Frey built his crusade upon the very cursed soil of Wreythau itself, he failed to account for the centuries of bloodshed and struggle that already weighed upon the people of the land. Just to venture out beyond your front door might lead to a horrible death, as the very ground beneath your feet, ground you had tread countless times before, one day decided to swallow you in a grasping pit of drowning mud. And for those that instead chose to embrace the wisdom of hiding behind their very firmly locked front doors, well, they might meet a similar fate, devoured by carnivorous swarms of rats that had been hiding in the walls. Such a deadly land breeds desperation and fear, and with desperation and fear comes a thirst for power, for with power comes safety for themselves and their families. So it was that Oksanna Jehanette Delora Ysemgrin, daughter of the Baron Ysemgrin, rode out from the village of Inbarev in search of the strength necessary to defend her people. Frey welcomed Oksanna, as he welcomed all those who came to his banner, but as she was one of the first to heed his call she earned a special place by his side. In time, however, it became clear that she and Frey had a very different understanding of the land. Oksanna had grown up listening to her father lamenting over the safety of their village, agonizing over each and every death that filled their modest graveyard to overflowing, year after year. She did her best to learn and understand the lessons that Frey taught, though he had come from a much softer world, a world where spring and summer brought bounty and hope to the people, a world where brave heroes like himself were almost thought of as common, and his esoteric teachings on the glory of Lathander and the strength of light and joy felt foreign to her, like a language she just couldn’t quite understand. Czerina, ever watchful, recognized the spark of doubt in Oksanna’s eyes, and with predatory mirth descended to entice her away from the would-be messiah of Lathander. Czerina came to Oksanna in many guises and showed her dark miracles of terror and wonder, and planted the seeds of doubt. She tutored and mentored Oksanna when Frey’s attention was turned towards his other disciples, and so she shaped Oksanna into a knight that Wreythau would be proud of. A knight that prized suffering as the path to strength and glory, a knight that knew the call of bloodlust, a knight entranced by the mystical properties of death. So it was that Oksanna’s sword pierced Frey’s back when his crusade needed him most, and in the wake of his death, it was Lady Oksanna Jehanette Delora Ysemgrin that arose as Grandmaster of a new INQUISITORIAL OFFICER —Medium Humanoid, Neutral Evil Armor Class Armor Class 16 (Breastplate) Hit Points 63 (6d8 + 30) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) Skills Deception +4, Perception +3, Persuasion +4, Religion +2 Senses passive Perception 11 Languages Common Challenge 3 (700 XP) Dark Devotion. The acolyte has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Spellcasting. The inquisitor is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11, +3 to hit with spell attacks). The Inquisitor has the following cleric spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy 1st level (4 slots): command, inflict wounds, shield of faith —2nd level (3 slots): silence, spiritual weapon Actions Multiattack. The fanatic makes two melee attacks. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.
64 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Order, one dedicated to the dark goddess Czerina and all that she had taught. In the centuries since the Order of Blood was founded, Grandmaster Ysemgrin has joined Czerina’s court as one of her brides, and has worked with Beleroth Haar An Thell to forge a standing army their mistress might be proud of. Countless undead horrors dwell in the halls of the fortress that has come to be known as Frey’s Rest, though it is the knights of the Order themselves that are known and feared throughout the land. Tenets of the Order of Blood The vampiric knights of the order hold to a strict code and devote themselves to a monastic pursuit of martial prowess and eldritch knowledge, making them powerful foes that should not be faced lightly. A strict and complex code of conduct is enforced on all who join the order, though there are 4 major tenets which guide all others: 1. Honour the Blood Queen: Blessed is she, the Endless Hunger, the voice of the storm, the mother of suffering! May you honour her in all things, for it is only by her example can you become more than what you are. Her word is law, her works your inspiration, her will that of the universe. To dishonour the Vampire Queen is to lose your soul, for only in her embrace can your true potential be found. 2. Embrace Suffering: Pain and torment are your greatest teachers, torture is your love, perfection is your goal. Only through the embrace of suffering can you shed the bondage of what you once were. Do not shy from suffering, for only through the challenge will you gain strength, only through anguish will you gain wisdom. To embrace comfort is to embrace your cage, to shackle your soul to weakness and oblivion. 3. Seek Knowledge in Blood: Blood is life, yet it is also the herald of death. Within the crimson sea is enlightenment, but only for those who savor it. To feast is to become its slave, to waste it upon the soil is to embrace oblivion. Spill blood with purpose, drink it with reverence. Meditate upon the crimson tides and unlock the secrets hidden within. 4. Destroy All Who Challenge You: Whoever approaches you with steel in hand must be broken. To challenge you is to challenge the Queen herself, and to forgive is to bring dishonour to her. Let their blood stain your lips, let their bones be ground beneath your boots, yet do not mistake weakness for challenge. To destroy the weak is to revel in the comfort of your own power. Only through challenge will you find suffering, only through suffering will you find honour. In short, the Order of Blood is fanatically devoted to Czerina and the pursuit of martial prowess and mystical wisdom. They attract many who seek power, yet not all are worthy of their teachings, and dissension has begun to split their ranks. Internal Factions The Traditionalists Led by the Grandmaster herself, the traditionalists seek to preserve the ritual, philosophy, and practices of the Order. They embrace the suffering brought by their monastic way of life and seek to master themselves so that they might reach the pinnacle of what they can be. Their unlives are filled with complicated rituals, intensive training, and in-depth meditation, though they do not sit idly in their Commandery. Quests are frequently issued to the worthy, long journeys that send the Knights out throughout the land to uncover knowledge, recover powerful relics, or defeat worthy foes. Others are dispatched to perform military duties for their Queen, including acting as guards for
65 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU her other servants, as well as defending her palace, The Cairn. Even within the Traditionalist faction, however, there is a great deal of infighting. Grandmaster Ysemgrin leads the Order as a whole, true, though the Master of Beasts and the Master Arcanist constantly maneuver against her, and each other, as they attempt to steal her position. The Master of Beasts oversees the care and training of all the Order’s beasts of war, while the Master Arcanist serves as the ultimate authority on magic in the Order. Each sees their particular specialty as the true path the Order should take, though this internal strife has been playing out for centuries without having budged a single inch. The arrival of the adventurers could change that, but not until the Renegades are dealt with. The Renegades Unfortunately, the Order of Blood has long attracted those enthralled with the offer of power, yet not the will or the integrity to live up to the standards of the Order. Many are killed for failing in their duties, though some have managed to escape. Led by the firebrand warrior, Braclav Hajek, the Renegades have fled from the Commandery of Frey’s Rest and headed to Leshehoff, intent upon winning glory on the field of battle and growing their strength through furious bloodshed. They view restraint as a hindrance and believe that reveling in their power in slaughter will allow them to truly embrace their potential. Several have taken to setting upon travelers upon the road, in imitation of Czerina’s mythical nights spent as the Black Rider, dueling any and all with the bravery and steel to challenge them. Most, however, have gathered near Leshehoff, intent upon destroying the Beastfolk and the Inquisition that dwell there and taking the settlement for themselves. The Traditionalists, in turn, have not sat back idly, but have instead dispatched Questing knights to destroy these upstarts. Dramatis Personae Grandmaster Ysemgrin Everyone she has ever known and loved has long since died, her family having even faded from the annals of their Barony in Inbarev. But it doesn’t matter. Ysemgrin’s quest is still the same. She seeks might and magic, enough strength and knowledge to defeat the evils of the land. What does it matter if she also walks a path stained by shadow and blood? Power is power, and what others call “good” matters not at all. She saw for herself, when Frey died at her hands, that righteousness cannot overcome strength, and thus morality is simply a discussion for fools. She leads the Order of Blood through a strict code of obedience and the threat of the sword that forever hangs at her side. Many have tried to claim her position for themselves, and yet none have succeeded. She fears nothing but the displeasure of the Vampire Queen, though she is not ruled by fear. Should the adventurers have something to offer that she doesn’t have herself, like possession of the Relics of Legend, she might be persuaded to ally with them, even if indirectly. She’s not as old as many other creatures in Wreythau, but she is incredibly knowledgeable and can offer great insight into The Ruins of Nemeth, The Silver Graves, the Reinwalds, or even Temelloth itself. Renegade, Sir Braclav Hajek Once upon a time, Braclav was a guardsman in Leshehoff, a family man with a wife and children he loved more than anything else upon the earth. He served under the present Baroness of Leshehoff’s father, and was a capable fighter and loyal man until the walls of the town were breached by a horde of enraged Beastfolk. He did his duty, refusing to abandon his post even as terror for his family tore at his heart, and yet when the smoke cleared and the bodies were counted, he found that everything he held dear in this life had been torn from him. His house had burned with his family inside. If only he had been stronger. If only he hadn’t pledged himself to those who were unworthy! Mad with grief and rage, he fled the village, determined to join the Order of Blood
66 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU and win the strength needed to enact the revenge he so desperately craved. His skill at arms and fearless nature made him an excellent candidate and he was soon inducted, and made a knight after decades of service, one of the fastest in the Order’s history. Nevertheless, he chafed at being unable to pursue his vengeance, chafed at the self-absorbed nature of the Order, and eventually broke free, taking like-minded men and women in his act of rebellion. Now, he leads the Renegades, having returned to Leshehoff to take it for his own. He bargains and deals with the Baroness and her husband, but in truth he blames her family for the death of his own and will betray her in time. Sir Rurik Constantin Sir Constantin is an ancient member of the Order, an introspective and spiritual man. Despite his adherence to the code of the Order, his interpretation is far more liberal than most others. This manifests in what is almost akin to pacifism, as he restrains his vampiric nature and recognizes that, as he is quite powerful, almost no one can actually challenge him. Because of this, he can be an ally of the adventurers, and introduces them to the quest “Relics of Legend”, telling them stories about items of power that can be found across the land. For stats, use the Vampire Warrior, found on page 298 of the Monster Manual. The Wreythian Merchant Consortium Within the borders of Wreythau, the Merchant Consortium operates slightly differently than it does in the outside world. Their monopoly on trade is already securely in place, and as such they don’t spend nearly as much energy securing their influence and power. In many ways they’ve become complacent, like a wolf that has glutted and gorged itself so completely it decides to take a nap right beside its kill. Of course, being in the seat of Czerina’s power, they really don’t have anything to fear until the adventuring party arrives. Business Practices in Wreythau In addition to managing trade, as well as guild licenses and memberships across Wreythau, the Merchant Consortium also offers the following services: Courier Services and Travel: the roads of Wreythau are far from safe, but as the only entity responsible for the upkeep of the highways and other paths, the Consortium has seen fit to monopolize the postal service, along with being the sole providers of carriages and wagons that will accept passengers between settlements (anyone discovered offering passage to others faces harsh taxation and the threat of violence). Sir Braclav Hajek —Medium undead (vampire), neutral evill Armor Class Armor Class 18 (plate armor) Hit Points 200 (30d8 + 65) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —19 (+4) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) Saves Wis + 5, Con + 7 Damage Resistances necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Skills Deception +4, Perception +3, Persuasion +4, Religion +2 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan, Infernal Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) Action Surge (once, recharges on a short or long rest). On his turn, Sir Hajek can take an extra action.— Actions Multiattack. Sir Hajek makes two attacks: one with his blood whip and one with his bite, or two attacks with his sword. Hajek can only bite once per turn. Blood Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 16), dragged to an open square adjacent to Hajek, and is restrained until the grapple ends. While grappling a creature, Hajek can’t attack with his Blood Whip again. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature that is grappled by Hajek, incapacitated, or restrained.. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) necrotic damage. Longsword +1. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage plus 8 (2d8 necrotic damage)
67 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Security: The Consortium has a rather robust stable of bravos and toughs that it employs as muscle, large enough that they don’t mind loaning them out for hire. Many farms, fisherman, hunters, and herbalists enlist extra protection from the Consortium as they go about their duties, and the town of Leshehoff, in particular, has hired extra muscle to help insulate them from the Inquisition. Their services don’t come cheap, of course, but the bravos of the Consortium are no cowards and will offer quite a few pounds of flesh in return for gold. Information: Even in Wreythau, there are those who can greatly profit by having access to the right information at the right time, particularly if that information is enclosed in a letter that’s been entrusted to the courier service. Not that the Consortium would ever admit to spying on the contents of the parcels and letters in their care, but for those with enough coin, privacy depends upon who offers the highest fee. Internal Factions The Consortium is more unified than most other organizations throughout Wreythau. Instead of having constant infighting among hostile factions they have branches that specialize in different aspects of the Consortium’s business. Mostly, these branches are grouped by geography, with a separate branch residing in each of the settlements (Leshehoff, Raffenberg, and Inbarev). A separate branch handles the maintenance of the highways, along with shipping and transports, and a final branch handles the affairs of the Consortium outside of Wreythau. This branch, known as the Outer Seas, is the most numerous and powerful, though their attention is solely focused abroad. Members of the Outer Seas usually prefer to stay away, for obvious reasons, though no member of the Outer Seas may stay away for more than 30 years, and any member that marries abroad must bring their spouse back to Wreythau in time to deliver their firstborn on Wreythian soil. Dramatis Personae Most of the notable NPCs of the Wreythian Merchant Consortium are location specific, though there are a few that bear notable discussion: Raum Raum (pronounced Rom) is a skilled assassin that has returned from service in the Outer Seas. As an elf, he is a somewhat strange member of the Consortium, but has been a part of it for a few centuries. His people were originally herbalists, and thus very knowledgeable when it came to poisons, something Raum found an affinity for. Despite being a cold blooded killer that takes great pride in his work, Raum is incredibly polite and interested in other people. Fascinated by them, really. This often comes off as an inquisitive and charming, though more private characters might find it intrusive. The adventurers will first encounter Raum aboard The Pelican, and later see him captured by the Inquisition. Considering that Raum keeps his true profession secret, and pretends to be nothing more than an expert in dyes and cloth, as well as the latest fashions, the adventurers might be willing to help rescue him. If they do rescue him, Raum will consider them to be very valuable assets, something that will likely come off as loyalty. Which, in some ways, it might be, as Raum would be eager to help the adventurers, and thus create a sense of debt between them, though he is not an adventurer himself. Most likely his help will come through advice on dealing with the Consortium, as well as the other groups in Wreythau. Cival Cival is a rare member of the Consortium. She still officially belongs (only death ends membership in the Consortium), but has ‘retired’ to run the tavern in Leshehoff. All of which is just a cover for her true activities, however, which are to destroy the Consortium’s hold over the people of Raffenburg. As a member of the Consortium, and once a high ranking member of the Outer Seas, she knows that Raffenberg and Raffen’s Bay are the keys to the
68 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Consortium’s grip over the land. Should they lose the city, their power would be greatly weakened, and from there a less predatory relationship could be developed. As Leshehoff is the closest settlement to Raffenburg, yet mostly outside of the Raffenburg branch’s notice, this makes it an ideal staging ground for the revolution she has planned. Using trusted contacts within the courier system she coordinates the movements of the resistance. The “need” for frequent supply trips also allows her to enter and exit Raffenburg as often as once a month, giving her the access she needs while still maintaining her cover as a washed out trader looking for a quiet life. Intelligent and patient, Cival is a powerful ally for the adventurers, and will recognize that they might be important pawns for her gambit. She’ll try to befriend and aid them, though is careful not to reveal her true motives. And, should the adventurer’s turn on her for some reason or another, she becomes a deadly enemy. The Gheata Sisters: Anca, Sorina, Ileana In Raffenberg there sits a house, the House of the Drowning Sun, a hotel, brothel, gambling parlour, and so much more. The sisters who manage it have carved out a little nest of neutrality in the volatile city, friends to all, enemies to none, and they welcome all through their doors. Gold and wine flow freely inside, though it is really the flow of information that keeps the Drowning Sun running. In truth, the sisters are Consortium operatives that have carved out this little kingdom of their own, eager to enjoy their profits and interested in little else. In fact, it is this disregard for loyalty that has saved Cival’s life, as the sisters are quite aware of her plans for the city, but in return for their silence, they are guaranteed that nothing much will change for them. And, should Cival fail, well, she’ll likely have still done enough damage to open the door for a change in management with the Sisters as the strongest contenders for that title. Consortium Bravo —Medium Humanoid, Usually Evil Armor Class 14 (hide armor) Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —15 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10(+0) Skills Stealth +6, Survival +2 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge 1 (200 XP) Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the bravo hits with it (included in the attack). Surprise Attack. If the bravo surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes —an extra 7 (2d6) damage from the attack Actions Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage. Handaxe. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., piercing damage in melee or 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage at range
69 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Consortium Hitter —Medium Humanoid, Usually Evil Armor Class 16 (studded leather armor) Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —11 (+0) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +5 Senses passive Perception 15 Languages Common Challenge 3 (700 XP) Killer’s Eye (3/Day). As a bonus action, the Hitter can add 1d10 —to its next attack or damage roll with a longbow or shortbow. Actions Multiattack. The Hitter makes two attacks with its bow or shortsword Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. Consortium Armored Tiger Large Beast, Unalignedl —Armor Class 17 (half plate armor) Hit Points 84 (7d10 + 14) Speed 40 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 13 (+1) 8 (-1) Skills Perception +3, Stealth +6 Senses passive Perception 13 Languages Challenge 3 (700 XP) Keen Smell. The tiger has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Pounce. If the tiger moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the tiger can make one bite —attack against it as a bonus action. Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Consortium Lieutenant Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage. —Medium Humanoid, Usually Evil Armor Class 16 (studded leather armor) Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —11 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +4 Skills Acrobatics +7, Deception +3, Perception +3, Stealth +10 Senses passive Perception 13 Damage Resistances: poison Languages Common, Infernal, Thieve’s Cant Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Assassinate. During its first turn, the Lieutenant has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the assassin scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The Lieutenant deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack. Evasion. If the Lieutenant is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the assassin instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. Cunning Action: On its turn, the Lieutenant can use a bonus —action to dash or disengage. Actions Multiattack. The Lieutenant makes two shortsword attacks. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) 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. Consortium Mage —Medium Humanoid, Usually Evil Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) Hit Points 60 (9d8) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —9 (-1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +4 Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Senses passive Perception 11 Languages Common, Infernal, Draconic, Abyssal Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation 1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield, Disguise Self 2nd level (3 slots): misty step, Melf’s Acid Arrow , Detect Thoughts 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, Sending 4th level (3 slots): Faithful Hound, ice storm 5th level (1 slot): —cone of cold Actions Athame (dagger). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
70 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU as the Order of Blood or the Mad Alchemist carved out pieces of the kingdom for their own. The Reinwalds knew that if they bided their time and focused upon the strength of their pack, eventually their time would come. Their bloodline was ancient, their connection to the land second only to the Queen of Blood herself. So they gather their strength and wait, playing at being dilettantes and debaucherers. They throw wild parties and go on extravagant hunts. They go abroad and gather new meat for their pack. Sometimes, the influence of Czernobog seeps in, twisting the blessing into the common curse of Lycanthropy, but the Reinwald’s care not. They know that, in time, Wreythau will once more be theirs. They are the Children of Vargr, and they will one day welcome back their true master. The Court of The Blood Queen Almost all of the creatures and beings within Wreythau serve the Vampire Queen in one way or another, even if they don’t realize it. However, Czerina’s most trusted servants are those that comprise her royal court, and all are powerful, dangerous individuals that the adventurers must face. Many manage their own organizations, whereas others participate in implementing Czerina’s will directly. Beleroth Haar An Thell: Even older than the Vampire Queen herself, there is perhaps no mortal being as ancient as the dread warrior known as Beleroth Haar An Thell. Centuries before he joined the Ghul Sildreth, Beleroth served as one of the elite guards of the Elven monarchy. In truth, he had been ordered to join the followers of Gulthias as a spy within their ranks. Tragically, due to the lack of contact he had with his superiors, Beleroth carried out this duty long past the survival of his own kingdom. When Gulthias gathered his army and sailed forth, Beleroth took his place amongst the vanguard, eager to warn his people before disaster fell upon them. To his horror, he discovered that all he pledged his fealty too The House of Reinwald Long before even the Ghul Sildreth landed upon the island, tribes of humans, orcs, and other creatures had settled there and became part of the land. They warred, and hunted, and built communities, and as they did all this they attracted the attention of the Fey. One tribe in particular rose to prominence, famed for their ruthless hunts, and in appreciation for their bloody works they received a blessing from a Fey known as Vargr. From then on, they became known as the Children of Vargr and grew to dominate as a pack of ferocious werewolves. When the Ghul Sildreth arrived, they quickly subdued the Children of Vargr, but saw no need to exterminate them. If anything, the Children of Vargr emulated the beliefs of Gulthias better than many of his followers, and so they became a part of that dark kingdom. Centuries later, when Czerina’s armies conquered the land, many of the Children of Vargr were slain, but there was one pack that instead chose to bend the knee and pledged to help unify the land under their new Queen’s rule. So it was that the House of Reinwald arose, given the rule of a County in thanks for their efforts to crush the remaining strength of the Ghul Sildreth. There were those that voiced concern over the thought of werewolves being allowed to rule, though the Followers of the Old Faith stepped up in support of the Reinwalds. After all, the blessing of Vargr was not like other forms of Lycanthropy. Theirs was a deeper connection to the joys and desires of the primal beast, rather than a cursed and insatiable bloodlust. They were not mindless, nor were they filled with a craving for human flesh. They simply were filled with the need to hunt and to live close to the land After the fall of Wreythau, however, when the influence of Czernobog grew once again, the Reinwalds found themselves wishing to return to the ancient ways where all that ran through the forest, whether on four legs or two, would become their prey. They grew in strength over the centuries, solidifying their hold over their county, even as newcomers such
71 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU sword fingers itch, and he is often looking for an excuse, despite his calm, affable demeanor. It’s all a mask, of course. He serves as the regent for his wife and Queen, a duty which demands that he remain dignified and well comported. That doesn’t mean, however, that the mask never slips, particularly if he is given cause. In fact, the adventurers are most likely to give Beleroth an excuse to let the mask slip, though he also recognizes their worth to Czerina. He is the reason they came to Wreythau in the first place, and he knows that they represent the best hope for freeing his love. Thus, unless the adventurers convince him that they will never help Czerina, he will never kill them. Should conflict arise he might leave them battered and bloody, but he would still leave them alive. had already crumbled into dust, his ancient kingdom having dispersed and disintegrated long ago. Nevertheless, even through his grief, he pledged to uphold his vows and find a way to bring ruin to the Ghul Sildreth, and that ruin he found within the promise of the human heroine, Czerina Gavranova. Fighting side by side with Czerina, offering advice as part of her war council, and seeing how she led her people, Beleroth came to admire the human woman, seeing in her a vestige of all that he had lost. They began to court, and by the time the Ghul Sildreth were crushed, Gulthias was slain, and the kingdom of Wreythau was formed, they married and Beleroth became her royal consort. For decades they were happy together, though when the army of Alexandros arrived, things changed. Beleroth saw the years of pain and torment Czerina’s family had caused her rising once again, drowning what he so loved as defeat neared. Rage filled him, the millennia of his own torment as part of the Ghul Sildreth rising to the fore, and he fled from Czerina’s side, falling upon Alexandros’ forces like a monster from legend. And, when that fateful pact with Czernobog was forged, he wept, for he realized that he had once more lost all that he loved. Alas, his devotion was complete, and he stayed by Czerina’s side, helping to manage her domain in the centuries that she slept and advising her when she awoke. Over the millenia, he still saw parts of his love shining through, and has become determined to help her break the curse of Czernobog. In the meantime, violence has become one of Beleroth’s great pleasures. He personally hunted down and killed the vast remains of Alexandros’ army, and then gathered their skulls to pave the road to Czerina’s castle, and developed something of a taste for all the bloodletting. In the centuries since, he has become a little unhinged, his bloodlust straining against his otherwise excellent composure. His
72 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU become known as The Cairn due to the hundreds of corpses sealed into its walls. All of the artists, builders, and architects were sacrificed in the construction of that terrible edifice. All, that is, except for Isidora. Her genius shined so brightly that Czerina could not help but invite her to live as a member of her court permanently, joining her and Beleroth in matrimony and accepting the curse of immortality so that she can live on with them through the ages. A thousand years is a long, long time, however, and due to this Isidora has begun to look beyond the physical manifestation of art, peering instead into the mystical aspects inherent in such powerful works of creation. Now, her work has become so refined and transcendent that it has taken on supernatural power of its own, and Isidora has used it to build a cult following around herself. She has taken on the pseudonym of Glasya, in mockery of Asmodeus’ daughter, and has moved to Raffenberg so that Lady Oksanna Jehanette Delora Ysemgrin Though she is already detailed above, it is important to remember that Grandmaster Ysemgrin is part of Czerina’s court as one of her brides, and the Order is merely the military arm of Czerina’s rule. The Renegades, of course, flout this, but the Traditionalists are the backbone of her martial forces, and as their commander, Ysemgrin is Czerina’s left hand. Isidora Isidora was once a brilliant painter and sculptor. Her artistic genius revolutionized the practice of art in the city of Waterdeep before she accepted the offer to sail to Wreythau. Word had been sent that the greatest artists were needed to help decorate the Grand Palace of a Queen, and so she traveled to Wreythau. Unbeknownst to her, however, that Grand Palace would later Beleroth Haar an Thell —Medium humanoid (elf), lawful evil Armor Class 16/21 (natural/bladesong) Hit Points 200 (20d10 + 91) Speed — 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA —14 (+2) 22 (+6) 18 (+4) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) Saving Throws Dex +12, Con +9, Wis +6, Cha +8 Skills Arcana +11, Deception +10, Persuasion + 9, Perception +8, Stealth +10 Senses darksight 60 ft., passive Perception 18 Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan, Elemental, Infernal, Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic Challenge — 12 (8,400 XP) Hellish Weapons. Beleroth’s weapon attacks are magical and deal an extra 13 (3d8) poison damage on a hit (included in the attacks). Bladesong. Beleroth can spend a bonus action to add his intelligence modifier to his AC, raising it from 16 to 21. Weapon Bond. Beleroth can summon his weapons as a free action. Legendary Resistance (3): When Beleroth fails a save, he can instead spend one Legendary Resistance and choose to succeed. Spellcasting. Beleroth is a 10th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 19, +11 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): firebolt, message, prestidigitation, mold earth, infestation 1st level (4 slots): shield, magic missile, sleep, tasha’s caustic brew 2nd level (3 slots): blur, invisibility, misty step, spider climb 3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, sending, thunderstep 4th level (2 slots): dimension door, wall of fire 5th level (1 slot): steel wind strike. Actions Multiattack. Beleroth makes three attacks. Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) slashing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage. Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: + 12 to hit, range 20/40 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 + 6) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage. Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. The poison lasts until it is removed by the lesser restoration spell or similar magic. Legendary Actions Beleroth 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. Beleroth regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Move. Beleroth moves up to his speed and does not take attacks of opportunity. Attack. Beleroth makes one weapon attack. Cast (cost 2). Beleroth casts one spell that takes no more than an action
73 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU her cult might grow and thrive. When she hears that Czerina has awoken once again she will briefly rejoin her court before being dispatched to Raffenburg to carry out Czerina’s will once again. R. K. Schryer: The ostentatious and extravagant dramaturge and poet R. K. Schryer is a much more recent addition to Czerina’s court, having come to Wreythau only 400 years before. His plays became the talk of the land immediately, and when he promised to pen the story of the Queen of the land, Czerina invited him to her palace. There he joined her and the rest of her court in marriage, and has since become a staple of Wreythau’s art community. He owns a theater company that travels with the Merchant Consortium throughout Wreythau and with the Outer Seas, though his contact with the wider world has forced him to reinvent himself many times over the centuries. R. K. Shryer is merely his most recent pseudonym, though even under this new guise he has already gained renown for the truly disturbing, yet insightful content that he produces, in addition to the more typical crowd pleasing fare. No doubt when the adventurer’s arrive, he’ll wish to create a play especially for them. Encounters in Wreythau There are many types of encounters that adventures can run into in Wreythau, though they can be grouped into 4 major categories: Environmental encounters, wildlife encounters, supernatural encounters, and encounters with Czerina herself. That fourth category is discussed elsewhere, but the others are detailed below. Primarily, environmental encounters are best used when combined with other encounters or story events. Wildlife encounters can be used wherever you wish to add a spice of danger, and are also perfect for introducing the adventurers to the truly monstrous state of nature in Wreythau. Supernatural encounters, on the other hand, are best used to emphasize elements of the setting and the story. That said, all good encounters emphasize aspects of the setting and the story, though some are able to do so better than others. Environmental and Wildlife encounters largely involve combat, whereas the supernatural encounters take on a broader variety of appearances. Environmental Encounters Environmental encounters involve all of the nonliving aspects of Wreythau, such as earth, rain, wind, rivers, and storms. Remember, the land itself has been corrupted and turned into a predatory perversion of itself, so when coming up with new encounters of your own, simply ask yourself: how could this be made dangerous or horrifying? There are two sample encounters below: Blood Rain and Cursed Earth. Blood Rain As the billowing storm clouds gather above you, the scent of blood begins to fill the air. The clouds seem to hang lower and lower in the sky, until at last the rain begins to fall. Heavy drops of liquid the color of blood cascades down upon you in pounding sheets, transforming the world into a vision of gore. Blood Rain is an environmental hazard that is best used when combined with a combat or other tense moment. Blood Rain isn’t actually blood, but is a poisonous substance that can easily kill any creature exposed to it for too long. Blood Rain does 1d4 Poison Damage every round to creatures exposed to it without adequate cover or proper rain protection. Blood Rain only does damage if a character is fully exposed. So, for instance, a character sheltering beneath a tree or canvas tent would not take damage, but a character standing beneath the rain in only regular clothing and armor would take the damage. This means that players can get creative, using spells, skills, and items to create cover if there is none to find, or it means that a battle becomes even more tactical as the players and
74 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU their enemies move from cover to cover, or try to buy time as they try to create their own. A DC 13 Survival Check would allow you to give players suggestions, such as: using oil, tallow, or wax to waterproof a cloak. 1 flask of oil could waterproof one cloak, whereas 4-5 candles could provide tallow or wax to waterproof one cloak, though it would likely take a few minutes to perform. Tent canvas should already be waterproofed, perhaps providing temporary cloaks if cut up. Essentially, any other item or spell that helps keep water off of the skin would allow players to avoid taking the damage every round. Cursed Earth At times, the earth of Wreythau itself will try to kill you. One common phenomenon related to this is the spontaneous generation of spiked pit traps. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal the following: The earth gently trembles beneath your feet before lying still once more. A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal that the earth over the pit trap has been disturbed. Perhaps it’s turned to mud, or perhaps it simply looks discolored. Applying at least 10 pounds of pressure on this area will cause the earth to fall away, thus revealing a deep pit with jagged spires of stone lining the bottom of the trap. A creature Falling into the pit takes 11 (2d10) piercing damage from the spikes, in addition to any Falling damage (usually 2d6 falling damage from a 20ft. drop). Even nastier versions have poison smeared on the spikes. In that case, anyone taking piercing damage from the spikes must also make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking an 22 (4d10) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Consider having the pit trap appear just before a fight to present an added danger for the coming combat. Cursed Wildlife The wildlife of Wreythau has also been cursed, the plants and animals of the land having been turned into monstrous and deadly versions of their mundane selves. Below are a few common examples. These are best introduced in combination with environmental hazards, or while the adventurers are traveling from one place to another. While they might seem like common encounters on the face of it, the nature of these creatures should help introduce more dread as the adventurers realize just how alien and hostile the landscape truly is. Feel free to raid the Monster Manual or other bestiaries for more ideas of terrible monsters to throw at your players, but use them with a purpose: i.e. to introduce more tension, to reveal something about a region, or to make another fight even more challenging. Assassin Vines Almost any plant in Wreythau can grow to resemble an Assassin Vine, from trees, to large ferns, to giant fronds of grass. However, because these carnivorous plants strangle and crush large prey, too many of them competing in close proximity to one another can lead to an ecosystem crash. As such, they tend to be solitary. That is, they tend to be surrounded by other, nonthreatening plants that feed on much smaller prey. Consider adding an assassin vine to any other woodland encounter. Swarm of Carnivorous Rats The rats in Wreythau are much like the rats found on the material plane, except for the fact that they have become much more aggressive pack hunters. If gathered in large enough numbers, Wreythian rats can even take down large prey. As such, pest control has become a top priority for Wreythians, as people are regularly eaten by large swarms of rats that have been allowed to gather in attics, sewers, midden heaps, or other environments where rats tend to live.
75 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Lamprey Rabbits Even the rabbits of Wreythau are bloodthirsty killers. They are pack hunters that roam the land in large groups of 10 to 30 rabbits, swarming their prey and dragging them to the ground. From a distance they resemble regular rabbits of an unusual size, though as soon as they open their mouths their true nature is revealed. The rabbits hunt by selecting a single target and swarming it at once. As each rabbit clamps its jaws onto its prey, the added weight of the rabbit eventually Assassin Vine Large plant, unaligned —Armor Class 13 (natural armor) Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30) Speed 5 ft., climb 5 ft. STR DEX —CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) Damage Resistances cold, fire Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion, prone Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages -- Challenge 3 (700 XP) False Appearance. While the assassin vine remains motionless, —it is indistinguishable from a normal plant. Actions Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: The target takes 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and it is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and it takes 21 (6d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The vine can constrict only one target at a time. Entangling Vines. The assassin vine can animate normal vines and roots on the ground in a 15-foot square within 30 feet of it. These plants turn the ground in that area into difficult terrain. A creature in that area when the effect begins must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be restrained by entangling vines and roots. A creature restrained by the plants can use its action to make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check, freeing itself on a successful check. The effect ends after 1 minute or when the assassin vine dies or uses Entangling Vines again. Swarm of Carnivorous Rats Large swarm of tiny beasts, chaotic evil —Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 52 (8d10 + 8) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON — INT WIS CHA —9 (-1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned Senses darkvision 20 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages -- Challenge 3 (700 XP) Blood Frenzy. The swarm has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. Seething. Once it enters combat, the swarm deals 10 slashing damage to itself at the end of its turn if it did not make an attack on that turn. This damage ignores resistance, and it cannot reduce the swarm to 0 hit points. Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and it can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain —temporary hit points.. Actions Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm’s space. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing damage, or 7 (2d6) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer..
76 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU drags the target down until it dies from blood loss and exhaustion. Lamprey rabbits are opportunistic, and will happily attempt to steal a kill from another predator, or even attack the other predator as well. Carnivorous Horse Unlike their mundane counterparts, carnivorous horses are lone predators, though they sometimes hunt in mating pairs. Carnivorous horses have been domesticated, but they are temperamental and dangerous animals, meaning that only the wealthy tend to be able to afford their care. In the wild they are brash and violent animals and ruthless hunters that don’t fear death. Supernatural Encounters Supernatural encounters are brushes with the otherworldly and unnatural, emphasizing the occult realm through which the adventurers tread. They also help you to emphasize aspects of the campaign that you want to bring to the fore, or at the very least make present. The following encounters are examples of this, though you are encouraged to come up with more encounters on your own. Lamprey Rabbits Small beast, unaligned —Armor Class 12 Hit Points 7 (2d6) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —9 (-1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages -- Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Keen Smell. The lamprey rabbit has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Pack Tactics. The lamprey rabbit has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the rat’s allies is within 5 feet —of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. Creatures that have been bitten by a lamprey rabbit are automatically Clamped. Clamped. When a lamprey rabbit bites its prey, it’s lamprey maw clamps onto the creature. The creature’s speed is reduced by 5ft for each lamprey rabbit clamped onto it, to a minimum of 0ft. A clamped rabbit does 4 (1d4 +2) piercing damage to its target every round. A DC 15 Athletics check is needed to rip the rabbit free, dealing another 1d4 piercing damage as its jaws are pulled free.
77 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Ultimately, these supernatural encounters tend to be roleplaying encounters, rather than combat encounters, providing a chance for the characters to interact with the horror of the setting itself. Feast of Plenty The Feast of Plenty is an encounter that emphasizes the Fey. The encounter can appear anywhere the players are traveling, so long as it’s outside of civilization. When you wish to trigger this encounter, read the following: As you travel, you come upon a clearing filled with the remnants of a small fete. A table that looks like it was grown from the union of two trees, rather than built, sits in the center of the clearing, covered with plates of food, cups, and pitchers of wine. To the left of the table sits several instruments, carefully leaning against one another so as not to fall into the grass. A DC 14 Investigation Check will reveal that while there are signs of recent activity in the clearing, such as footprints left from dancing, signs of spilled wine puddled on the ground, and a small pile of cleaned chicken bones beneath the table, it looks as if everyone just suddenly disappeared. No tracks lead away from the clearing. If one of the adventurers approaches the instruments, they will hear the faint sound of music, almost like a memory, but won’t be able to tell where it might be coming from. If they pick up any of the instruments and play them, then everyone must make a DC 14 Charisma save or be compelled to continue playing the instrument or be compelled to dance. The characters can repeat the check every hour. For every hour they dance in excess of their constitution bonus, they take one level of exhaustion (a character with a constitution of 14 would need to dance for 3 hours to take a level of exhaustion). If any of the adventurers try the food or wine, they must make a DC 14 Charisma save or be compelled to eat and drink as much as they can. Characters drinking the wine must make constitution saving throw not to get drunk. If they fail more saves than their constitution bonus, they pass out (a character with a constitution of 14 would need to fail 3 saves to pass out). The constitution save DC starts at 12 and increases by 3 for each drink. The character can repeat the DC 14 Charisma save after each drink. When it comes to the food, the character must succeed a DC 15 Constitution Save not to become so full they’re immobilized. The DC of this save increases by 3 for each hour that they eat. The character can repeat the DC 14 Charisma save each hour. Any character that is unaffected can try to snap the other characters out of it, granting Advantage on the DC 14 Charisma save, but only for one other character. They must focus their efforts to break the enchantment affecting the character. Once the characters have all succeeded, they will suddenly find that the clearing is filled with Fey. Pixies, sprites, dryads, elves with Carnivorous Horse Large beast, unaligned —Armor Class 11 Hit Points 42 (5d10 + 15) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11 Languages -- Challenge 2 (450 XP) Trampling Charge. If the horse moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a hooves attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the horse can —make another attack with its hooves against it as a bonus action. Actions Multiattack. The carnivorous horse can make one bite and one hooves attack per turn. Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
78 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU exaggerated features, and all manner of strange nature spirits surround them. They all boo and groan, lamenting that the characters passed their tests. They present the characters with 1d6 Healing Potions or a common magic item each before disappearing. What’s more, the characters will realize that the wonderful feast was actually not wonderful at all. The wine was blood, the food was made of humanoid corpses, and the instruments were all wounded animals. If the characters all fail, or partially fail, then the Fey will appear, laughing and prancing, only to be chased off by Mata Yezinka and Autumnos. Mata Yezinka would cure any affecting characters and this would give them a chance to interact with her. She’ll lead them to Caeltos Village if they haven’t been there already. If they have, she’ll simply remind them of their task ahead, or otherwise answer their questions, etc. Schryer’s Undead Troupe of Players This encounter is meant to emphasize Wreythau’s connection to undeath, as well as connect to Czerina’s Court. This encounter can happen anytime the characters are on the road. As you travel down the dirt highway, you see that there is a small caravan up ahead, composed of colorful covered wagons with several figures swarming around them. As you get closer, you realize the largest cart has lost a wheel and the figures are trying to repair it. Painted across the side of the wagon is a sign that reads “Schryer’s Famous Players”, perhaps explaining the colorfully painted wagons and the dress of the people working on the wagon. As you near, one of the figures approaches you, raising a skeletal hand in greeting before shouting ‘What ho, chaps! Care to lend a hand? Schryer’s Famous Players was an acting troupe once composed of living actors and actresses but they have since been granted the immortality of undeath. They were simply too skilled to go to waste, and now they exist solely for the pleasure of the stage. They all wear painted masks to hide their grinning death’s heads, and most wear gloves, though bits of skeletal still show through. There are 15 players in all, and each is as undead and skeletal as the last. Despite this, they are entirely harmless. Most are relentlessly cheerful, and would be happy to give the adventurers a free show in exchange for their help in repairing the wagon. They will also offer to accompany the characters until their paths must part ways and make good conversationalists, asking the characters questions about themselves or discussing their unlives as actors in the employ of the master dramatist R.K. Schryer. Alas, they haven’t been summoned to perform for the Queen in over a century, which has been a rather harsh ignominy to bear, but they are hopeful their upcoming show in Inbarev will draw the Queen’s favor once again. If attacked, the players are entirely defenseless, and will simply beg for their unlives, even as they are crushed to dust. This would also spawn an Unholy Jester for later in the campaign, though thankfully they won’t need to worry about that for now. Scaling Relics of Legend In this campaign, each character should receive one powerful, scaling magic item known as a Relic of Legend. Each Relic is steeped in ancient history, long forgotten, and possesses tremendous power for those with the will to unlock it. Each adventurer can only attune to one Relic of Legend at a time, and must perform certain acts in order to unlock its next level of power. The Relics each possess a resting state, followed by three progressive levels of power, each level adding new bonuses and features. Note: features that have the same effect are not cumulative, but instead replace the previous, lesser version. The requirements to unlock
79 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU each level of power are listed in the relic descriptions below. If an adventurer chooses not to continue to unlock the Relic due to the disturbing nature of the acts, then the Relic will disappear, choosing a new champion (aka an enemy) that the adventurer will soon face. This makes the relics almost as dangerous as they are helpful, and will force the adventurers to grapple with the question of what they are willing to do in the name of power. If the adventurers seek to re-bind the relics and send them back to rest, they must perform the Ritual of the Underworld (see Ch 3. Leshehoff) while holding the weapon. This would change the ritual to reflect the relic’s past, and should the adventurers’ succeed, then the relic would be put back to “sleep”. Staff of the Old Faith This gnarled length of petrified wood is studded with cloudy gemstones and is surprisingly light, as though it was still made of wood instead of stone. When used as a magical focus, the gemstones flare with light, reflecting the nature of the spell or the will of the caster. Resting State: In its resting state the Staff of the Old Faith is an unbreakable magical focus as well as a quarterstaff. In order to unlock its first level of power, the wielder must attune to the staff and be able to cast spells. Once attuned, the staff can be summoned by spending one action. +1: At this level of power, the Staff acts as a +1 quarterstaff, as well as a +1 spellcasting focus, adding +1 to spell attack and damage rolls. Furthermore, you learn one druid spell of a level that you can cast. This spell counts as a spell known and you can cast it as normal. You can replace this spell with a new Druid spell each time the staff levels up. In order to unlock the next level, you must be level 6, and you must kill a helpless enemy by casting a spell with the staff that does elemental damage. +2: At this level, the Staff counts as a +2 quarterstaff, in addition to being a +2 Spellcasting focus, adding +2 to spell attacks and damage. Furthermore, your spellcasting ability raises by 2, to a maximum of 22. In order to unlock the next level, you must be level 9 and you must sacrifice a soul to the staff by crushing the victim’s head with the staff. +3: At this level, the Staff counts as a +3 quarterstaff and a +3 Spellcasting focus, adding +3 to spell attacks and damage. Your spell casting modifier increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. Furthermore, you gain an extra spell slot of the highest level that you can cast. You must perform nine unwilling sacrifices a year in order to maintain the Staff at this level. Sword of Slaughter The center of the sword’s crossguard has been worked into the shape of a human heart, with arteries forming the ricasso and melding into the blade. When this sword has drawn blood, the heart begins to beat. Resting State: Note: the sword can be transformed into any melee weapon of your choice. In its resting state, the Sword of Slaughter is an unbreakable melee weapon, though one of superb craftsmanship. In order to unlock the first level of the sword, one must attune to it and be proficient in its use. Once attuned, the sword can be summoned by spending one action. +1: At this level, the sword acts as a +1 weapon (adding +1 to attacks and damage rolls).
80 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Additionally, the sword does 1d6 extra damage of the same damage type. In order to unlock the next level of the sword, you must be level 6 and you must kill a helpless enemy by dismemberment. +2: At this level, the sword acts as a +2 weapon. Additionally, your strength or dexterity score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22. Lastly, every time you kill an enemy you heal for 2d6 hp. In order to unlock the next level, you must be level 9 and you must eat the flesh of a sentient creature that you’ve killed with the sword. +3: At this level, the sword acts as a +3 weapon. The sword now does 2d6 (total) extra damage of the same type. Lastly, your strength or dexterity increases by 2 to a maximum of 24. You must dismember 9 helpless victims a year in order to maintain the sword at this level. Shield of the Dead The surface of the shield has been worked into a masterful relief sculpture depicting an angel of death. When attuned to the shield, the angel of death takes on your appearance. Resting State: In its resting state, the relic is an unbreakable shield, adding +2 to your AC. In order to unlock the next level, you must attune to the shield and be proficient in its use. Once attuned, the shield can be summoned by spending one action. +1: At this level, the relic is a +1 shield. Your constitution score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22. As a reaction you choose to take the damage that would be dealt to another character that you can see. In order to unlock the next level of the shield you must be level 6 and have saved the life of one other creature. +2: At this level, the relic is a +2 shield. Your constitution score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. As an action, you can cast Life Transference without expending a spell slot. Roll 1d6. On a 5 or 6 you can cast Life Transference again without expending a spell slot. On a result of 1-4, you cannot cast it again until you take a long rest. In order to unlock the next level of the shield, you must be level 9 and you must have fallen unconscious as a result of using the abilities of the shield. +3 At this level, the relic is a +3 shield and you raise your constitution score by 2 to a maximum of 26. Additionally, if you are killed, the shield instantly casts True Resurrection upon you. This ability is only refreshed when a sentient creature is sacrificed to the shield. You must sacrifice 9 sentient creatures a year to maintain the shield at this level. Dagger of Murder The blade of this ornate dagger is etched with images of screaming skulls while the handle of the blade has been fashioned in the shape of a skeleton. A vial of poison can be stored in the pommel, which is fashioned as the skeleton’s skull. Resting State: In its resting state the relic is an unbreakable dagger. In order to unlock the next level of the dagger you must attune to it and be able to perform Sneak Attacks. +1: At this level, the relic is a +1 dagger (adding +1 to attack and damage rolls). Additionally, you do 1d6 more sneak attack damage.
81 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU In order to unlock the next level of the dagger you must murder someone who does not even know you are there. +2: At this level, the relic is a +2 dagger. Your dexterity score is raised by 2, to a maximum of 22. You can spend a bonus action to turn invisible and immediately make a stealth check. This ability refreshes every time you kill another creature. In order to unlock the next level of this relic you must be level 9 and you must kill a victim in front of witnesses without revealing your presence. +3: At this level, the relic is a +3 dagger. Your dexterity score is raised by 2 to a maximum of 24. You now do an additional 2d6 (total) sneak attack damage. You can spend a bonus action to teleport up to 60ft after turning invisible. This ability refreshes every time you kill another creature. You must murder 9 victims every year to maintain the dagger at this level. Book of Vile Darkness This ancient tome is bound in the skin of demons and devils and smells of dust and old blood. As you flip through it you realize that the book has had many authors, their additions stitched into the book or penned in the margins, each section detailing the darkest magics to ever exist. Resting State: Reading the Book of Vile Darkness grants proficiency in Taxidermy Tools. The book can also be used as a spell casting focus. In order to unlock the first level, you must attune to the book and be able to cast arcane spells. Once attuned, you can summon the book as an action. +1: At this level the book acts as a +1 spell casting focus, adding +1 to spell attacks, damage, and your Spell Save DC. Additionally, you learn one spell of a level that you can cast from the warlock, sorcerer, or wizard spell lists. In order to unlock the next level of this relic you must be level 6 and you sacrifice one sentient creature’s soul to the book. +2: At this level the book acts as a +2 spell casting focus, adding +2 to spell attacks, damage, and your Spell Save DC. Additionally, your spell casting modifier increases by 2, to a maximum of 22. In order to unlock the next level of this relic, you must be level 9 and have driven one sentient creature insane. +3: At this level the book acts as a +3 spell casting focus, adding +3 to spell attacks and damage. Your spell casting modifier increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. Additionally, you learn one spell of a level you can cast from the warlock, sorcerer, or wizard spell lists and you gain one more spell slot of the highest level you can cast. You must sacrifice the souls of 9 sentient creatures to the book every year. Bow of Whispers This ancient bow looks as though it was grown, rather than made, with several pieces of beautiful wood twining and bending together to form an incredibly accurate and powerful bow. Resting State: In its resting state, this relic is an unbreakable longbow or shortbow. In order to unlock the next level you must attune to the bow and be proficient in its use. Once attuned, you can summon the bow as
82 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU an action, or change it from a longbow to a shortbow as an action. +1: At this level, the relic is a +1 bow. You never run out of arrows. The bow now does an additional 1d6 piercing damage. In order to unlock the next level of the bow you must be level 6 and must kill one sentient creature with a single arrow. +2: At this level, the relic is now a +2 bow. Your dexterity score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22. While holding the bow readied in your hands, you gain the benefits of Pass Without Trace. In order to unlock the next level of the bow you must be level 9 and must kill one sentient creature from your maximum bow range. +3: At this level the relic is a +3 bow. The bow now does an additional 2d6 (total) piercing damage. Additionally, your dexterity increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. You must sacrifice a total of 9 sentient victims a year to maintain the bow at this level. Dealing With Death Your players’ time in Wreythau will likely be a deadly one. For some players, this presents the exciting opportunity to make a new character. For others, it means losing someone they’ve invested lots of time and effort into. It can be devastating for the party, and for you, as the DM. Introducing a fresh character can be a pain, at times, but thankfully for you, Ravenica is also a place where the dead do not always stay that way. Below are three possible ways to bring a dead character back to life. Feel free to invent other ways, though these three are the most obvious in the setting: Resurrected or Reincarnated by Mata Yezinka Mata Yezinka is an incredibly powerful archdruid, and what’s more, she’s one of the adventurers’ most likely allies. She remembers when Czerina was still alive and she remembers a time before the land was claimed by Czernobog. She knows that the adventurers are perhaps her last chance to help set things right before the darkness comes to claim her, as well. As such, even if the adventurers have been slaughtering Beastfolk, she’ll be inclined to help them, though she might attach strings to it. Her support isn’t endless, nor is it always guaranteed. That said, if the adventurers have proven to be staunch allies of the Beastfolk, as well as good people in general, Mata Yezinka will be a powerful ally for them. Regardless, Mata Yezinka is inclined to help the adventurers, and what’s more, she’s a wanderer who could reasonably show up almost anywhere. Thus, when a character dies (or even the entire party) then she could arrive and offer to resurrect or reincarnate whoever has died. Whether this is done as a gift, or with the demand of a favor attached is up to you. Progressive Vampirism If the adventurers have already awoken Czerina, she would also offer to raise one of the characters from the dead. This offer wouldn’t be without its cost, however, as the character would be cursed with an ever progressing strain of living vampirism. At first, this curse would manifest as an obsessive thirst for the blood of the living. They must drink as least one pint of humanoid blood a week in order to stave off the cravings. Eventually, the character would begin to grow fangs, and the hunger would increase to several pints a week. What’s more, if the character ever died for a second time, they would rise as a true Vampire and the character would be lost. If the character tries to resist their cravings, have them roll progressively harder Wisdom Saving throws, with a failure resulting
83 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU in them committing an act of bloodsoaked murder as they desperately try to sate the hunger. Certainly a less attractive option than the former, though it could provide some interesting roleplaying opportunities. Re-animation The third option presented for you is having a character Re-animated by the Mad Alchemist of Inbarev. This option is perhaps less attractive than the others as it wouldn’t be immediate, but if the adventurers can spare about a week of downtime then the dead character(s) could be brought back to life as franken-people! Insert maniacal cackling here. Even though the Mad Alchemist rarely leaves Inbarev, there are times when he has to go and gather special ingredients that not even his most reliable servants could be trusted to gather. During one of those trips, he might come upon the adventurers, or here of their loss, and decide to provide his services. He wouldn’t ask, mind you, he would just do it. Through advanced surgery and the application of innovative alchemical processes, the character would be brought back to life. How completely this is depends upon what the player is comfortable with. They might be scarred, yet fully alive, or they might be a soul piloting a fleshy construct. It’s up to the player to decide.
84 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU
85 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD T he Drowned Dead is an adventure that will take your players from levels 1 to 3, introducing them to the supernatural horrors of Wreythau and giving them a glimpse of the history of the Vampire Queen herself. This adventure also highlights the interplay of the Three Elements of Fear (Unease, Dread, and Release) that will help you establish a chilling atmosphere that heightens the thrill of your game. Savvy DMs will use this adventure as an example of how to incorporate and manage these three elements throughout the rest of the campaign. Remember, the more frequently you use them the more you’ll learn what works best for your group and soon they’ll become second nature as you use them for maximum effect. Furthermore, because of the way the adventure explores the Elements of Fear, The Drowned Dead is an adventure that could also be run as a self-contained, horror themed ‘one-shot’, or even used as the introductory adventure to another horror campaign. In that case, the Vampire Queen could simply be a figure of legend, though for those wishing to delve into the horrors of the Vampire Queen’s domain they will find that these glimpses into her history provide significant plot hooks for the rest of the Campaign. Adventure Overview This adventure is broken into five parts, or acts, to help the DM highlight important pieces of the narrative and navigate the players through the story. Each act flows into the next, building upon one another and introducing players to the ominous mysteries that await them in the land of the Vampire Queen. Act One: The Flowers of Evil, is the suggested introduction to the campaign designed for level 1 characters. The act opens with the adventurers having journeyed to the town of Port Haven (which can be substituted for any port town in your favorite campaign setting). It is suggested that the adventurers have come to Port Haven in pursuit of their individual story hooks (see Player’s Guide to Wreythau for suggested hooks), all of which have led them in search of the fabled and cursed island of Wreythau. They’ve heard that the Wreythian Merchant Consortium has sailed into Port Haven a week past, and so they are hot on the trail. Yet, terror strikes while they eat in the tavern, the adventurers bearing witness to the horrible transformation of a man into an undead monstrosity. To their horror, the adventurer’s will realize that what they have witnessed is just the beginning of an undead plague. Battling just to survive the night, the adventurers will form a bond, and will later be hired by the Magistrate of the kingdom to follow the source of the plague back to Wreythau to uncover what evil has unleashed such suffering into the world. In Act Two: The Voyage, the adventurers will have reached level 2. Having found employment from the Magistrate or otherwise picked up the trail connected to their individual story hooks, they will board a merchant ship bound for Wreythau. In truth, the ship is part of the Wreythian Merchant Consortium’s fleet, though the captain operates under the guise of an independent trader. The adventurers will be able to interact with the sailors and other passengers on board, many of whom are also members of the Consortium. The adventurers will learn more about the cursed land they sail towards and have a moment to breathe. In Act Three: The Storm, the uneasy voyage aboard The Pelican is cut short as the ship is rocked by an eldritch storm. Desperate to save the ship, the players will battle against the storm, all while the ominous whispers of the Vampire Queen seep into their ears beneath the roar of the wind. The power of the tempest soon becomes too great, unnatural strikes of lightning and the furious tides driving the ship into jagged rocks where it is broken apart. The adventurers are forced to swim for their lives. Chapter 2 The Drowned Dead
86 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD This brings the adventure into Act Four: The Wrecks, wherein the adventurers and a few survivors from the crew must brave the hazardous and haunted remains of a shipwreck graveyard. They will uncover of the ancient past, finding evidence of Tsar Alexandros’ invasion of Wreythau and learning the horrible rumors and propaganda Alexandros spread about his sister. They will also encounter the ghosts and remains of other victims throughout the centuries that have been driven onto the rocks and learn more about the history of the land and the members of the Vampire Queen’s court. Eventually, however, the drowned dead that dwell beneath the wrecks and the other malevolent creatures that haunt the wrecks will descend upon the adventurers, forcing them towards the shore. Finally, in Act Five: The Shore, the adventuring party will have reached safety and will level to 3. From there they will have a chance to regroup and plan before braving the hostile wilderness of Wreythau, most likely making their way towards the only signs of civilization they see in the distance: the town of Leshehoff. Act One: The Flowers Of Evil Act Overview Word has spread that the mysterious fleet known as the Wreythian Merchant Consortium has docked in the town of Port Haven not but a week past. Following this trail, beckoned by the stirrings of their own past, the adventurers have just arrived in Port Haven to search for more clues. Unfortunately, due to a murder that took place just that afternoon, the adventurers are forced to wait at the gates for hours and hours and are only let inside as the sun is beginning to set. The market is still open, giving the adventurers time to shop or investigate before night falls. As twilight reigns, the market closes and the adventurers are ushered towards the only tavern that still has room for travelers to bed down for the night. Once inside, however, they witness the horrible transformation of another traveler into an undead horror. Except, the horror is not alone. As the adventurers battle the monster inside the tavern, a horrible plague spreads through the district as more and more fall victim to the vile curse and become undead abominations. Thankfully, the walls of the district allow the guard to quarantine the infection before it can spread further, though that means the adventurers must survive the night barricaded in the tavern while hordes of the undead try to get in. By the time the sun rises, a militia has formed and manages to crush the undead threat, though the cause of this catastrophe is unknown. A powerful magistrate summons the adventurers before him, tasking them with finding the source of this terrible undead plague, an investigation which will once more point them towards the Wreythian Merchant Consortium and the one captain that’s willing to sail after them. The Plague Warning: Body Horror ahead. In truth, it’s not actually disease that is spreading the curse of undeath among the populace of Port Haven. Rather, the curse is spreading as a result of the inhalation and consumption of the spores and pollen of the dreaded Gulthias Flower, an abomination created with foul and warped magics by a corrupted Archdruid bearing the same name. These flowers are but one of his horrid creations, though they are the most famous as they have the potential to be the most deadly. They are recognized by their shockingly red petals and the pitch black color of their stems and roots. Ironically, for most of their lifespans, they’re completely harmless. However, once they’ve been bathed in the light of a blood moon that all changes as they begin to blossom and release both pollen and spores. This allows them to not only spread their taint to other plants but also to warm blooded creatures, too. This gives them the potential to corrupt entire ecosystems, from the trees of the forest to the deer that run beneath their boughs. Thankfully, however, it takes time for their cursed pollen to spread and inflict its taint upon other plants. For
87 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD warm blooded creatures, however, the effect of the Gulthias flowers work much, much faster. The spores of the Gulthias Flower float through the air in faintly crimson clouds and can even survive in water, floating as a red stain upon the surface, just waiting to be drunk. And, once the spores have entered their way inside the lungs or stomach of their unfortunate victims, they begin to release foul poisons and chemicals which liquefy their internal organs and provide the spores with lots of yummy, yummy nutrients. Over the course of hours the victim begins to feel slightly ill, first coughing and sneezing and then being taken with a sudden hunger. All the while the spores continue to dissolve their bodies and use the nutrients they’ve gained to spread a tangled network of fungus threads (hyphae) throughout the victim’s body. Soon, this horrible network spreads to the spinal column and brain of the victim and at this point the victim is already dead. They just haven’t realized it yet. This is because, once the network has reached the brain, that is when the fungus begins to sprout and transform into the Gulthias Flowers inside their bodies. Roots spread through their veins and petals blossom beneath their skin, wicked thorns sprouting from the gums in a mockery of fangs. Usually, at this point, the victim has fallen to the ground, convulsing and spasming until they rise once again, though this time as an undead abomination. For others, however, the transformation happens almost unseen, the victim shuddering with a distant look in their eyes before they lurch forward, eager to consume flesh to fertilize and feed the malevolent garden inside them. What’s worse, this infection can spread. The thorns that have grown inside their mouths carry more spores inside them, spores that are already well fed and ready to spread through any recently dead, or nearly dead, body that they can find. For packed cities or pockets of dense wildlife, this can prove to be apocalyptic, though the flowers do have one natural weakness: fire. The spores are incredibly flammable and an open flame will burn them out of the air, as well as scorch the spores inside the infected so that they cannot spread. Of course, the Flowers are not natural manifestations of evil, but rather magical constructs, and as such it is magic that breaks curses and other magical afflictions can be used to great effect. Dispel magic, remove curse, greater restoration, or consecration can all be used to destroy the tainted enchantments that are necessary for these horrible plants to exist, though as most don’t have access to these powerful spells, fire is usually the best option. The Adventure Begins: PORT HAVEN After addressing the reasons why the adventurers have come to Port Haven (this is a perfect thing to discuss during Session 0 or with players individually before Session 1), establish that the adventurers have just arrived outside the gates where a long line of other travelers have gathered. Read the following: The sun is high in the sky by the time you reach the massive wooden gates of the city. Twin guard towers rise as stone monoliths above you, 40 foot high stone walls topped with battlements stretching out of sight to your BuT why would the Consortium do this? In short: because Beleroth told them to. He seeks to awaken his love from her deep slumber, and because the flowers are a part of Czerina’s realm, all the death that follows in their wake will helps sustain and grow Czerina’s power. Perhaps, if there is enough death, it might even be enough to help rouse Czerina from her sleep.. And, even if the flowers are not enough, they will certainly attract attention, and with attention comes all sorts of fresh, eager blood sailing out in search of this new threat. In other words, it’s basically an advertisement. .
88 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD left and right. Unfortunately, it’s clear you’re not the first to arrive. A line of about 15 other travelers wait outside the gates, many sitting on their packs or resting against their wagon wheels as the sun beats down upon them. Clearly, they’ve been waiting for some time, yet the gates remain closed. If characters ask the other travelers, or the guards themselves, what’s with the hold up, they’ll learn that a bloody fight broke out in the marketplace just through the gate and the city watch is still restoring order (unease). Looks like the characters will have to wait, which is a perfect chance for character descriptions and introductions. If your group is a bit shy and hesitant to interact together, don’t worry. As more travelers filter in behind them and everyone settles in to bide their time, the adventurers get corralled near one another and a friendly, traveling minstrel strikes up a conversation with them. Mirabel Madrigal, Traveling Minstrel Mirabel is a half elven woman that stands at about five and a half feet tall, dressed in extravagant and brightly colored clothing. She’s quite beautiful, with large, sparkling emerald eyes and shining amber colored hair. Her most notable feature, however, is the brilliant smile she flashes at everyone she meets, a smile that’s as bright and warm as a sunrise after a vicious storm. She has a donkey that carries her instruments and other equipment, a sweet-tempered animal that she affectionately calls Chonk. Mirabel is a gregarious, friendly traveler that’s eager to hear news from other lands and learn about other people. She’s persistent, almost to the point of being rude, though she’s a good judge of character. If an adventurer truly wishes to be left alone, she won’t continue to bother them, though will instead try to pose more group questions, glancing at reluctant characters to see if they wish to contribute. Questions Mirable might ask: • From what lands do you hail? • Why have you traveled all this way? • What dangers did you encounter on your travels? • What wonders did you see on your travels? • What are you most looking forward to once those blasted gates open? (unease) • Are you worried about this talk of bloodshed inside the city walls? (unease) Information Mirabel can share: • I heard one of the fishing boats spotted something strange not long ago, a massive island floating where there should just be open waters. They say it came up out of the fog, and then faded with the sound of distant thunder and the flash of lightning. Have you ever heard of such a thing? (unease) • I saw a cart going the other way bedecked with the most beautiful flowers. All shades of red and violet and blue. I wonder where they’ve come from? • Oh, I just came from the hills to the east. The highways aren’t safe up there, and there have been lots of bodies found just miles from the nearest village. One night, just as I was bedding down, Chonk must have smelled something on the wind and kept pulling at his harness. We traveled through the night, though I couldn’t help but feel as though something was stalking us the whole while. (unease) • In the village nearby I heard the local healer boasting about their new stock of herbs and the like. I guess the traders that just passed through have alchemical supplies you’ll find nowhere else. Once the characters have all had a chance to describe and introduce themselves as they wish, the gates will finally open just as the sun is beginning to set. On the next page you will find a battlemap for Port Haven, as well as descriptions for the labeled sections of the map. Each section has important events, NPCs, and other things for the players to
89 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD interact with. Other versions (gridless, etc) of the map can be found in the back of the book. Inside the Gates A: (Unease) As the gates finally open and you shuffle inside you see the wonders of the market open up around you. Merchants stand behind colorful stalls, hocking their wares and beseeching the crowd to come and feast their eyes upon what they have to offer. Of course, most of the crowd seems to have been drawn in muttering clumps towards one stall in particular, though you don’t understand why until you get closer. The stall itself is a crude affair, with rough hewn poles holding up a patched and weather-worn strip of canvas above broken crates of pulped fruit and crushed vegetables. Mounds of sawdust have been spilled onto the cobblestones beneath and around the stall, though dark crimson puddles of what can only be blood have already begun to soak up and show through the dust. This stall is the site of the violent bloodshed that took place before the characters arrived. Surprise, the stall owner was the first victim to the Flowers of Gulthias, having been How to Read Labeled Maps The battlemaps in this book are labeled with letters, as well as numbers. Find the section of text after the map with a title matching the label on the map to learn more about that area.
90 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD breathing in the spores all day, though no one has figured this out, yet, and certainly none of the public. Wild rumors flow around the stall, with people speculating everything from a thieves guild hit to an easily offended dragon that was in disguise. No one in the crowd really knows anything of substance, but inquisitive characters can learn the following: DC 13 Medicine Check: This amount of blood didn’t come from just one person. At least three people must have lost their lives. DC 15 Perception Check: There are clumps of red dust covering some of the smashed fruits and vegetables and pieces of broken wood. It’s not blood, though the color is very, very close. Once this is pointed out, characters can then make a DC 12 Nature Check to reveal that this strange red dust is actually flower pollen. B: In the middle of the market is a square, stone fountain, bubbling away with fresh, cool water. A desperate young lad rents out drinking spoons for 1 copper apiece, and several market goers stop by the fountain to take a cool drink. DC 15 Perception Check: Strange, red stains float sporadically atop the otherwise clear and cool water of the fountain. If characters previously passed the perception check at stall A, they recognize that this is more of the red dust floating atop the water. If they passed the nature check at stall A they realize this is yet more pollen. If not, they can now make a DC 12 Nature Check to identify the red stains as strange, red plant pollen floating in the fountain. C: (Dread) A fortune teller has set up a triangular stall near the tavern, lavish blue cushions sitting upon a frayed, though once magnificent rug. The smell of fragrant tea drifts gently from the stall. The fortune teller beckons you closer, laughing eyes shining over a veil. They are swathed in thick robes embroidered with the constellations and bundled closed with multiple sashes. Golden bangles and silver necklaces shine faintly beneath the light filtering through the covered stall. As you approach you realize that the fortune teller is an elf, and as they speak, an almost impossibly deep, smooth voice rolls out from beneath the veil. The fortune teller is an oracle of small talent, though the talent is there. They were absent during the assault earlier in the day. If the adventurers introduce themselves, the fortune teller will simply refer to themselves as The Seer (prefer not to give their name, or their gender). The Seer will offer to tell their fortunes for the cost of a gold apiece. Should the characters agree, they are offered a cup of tea and the seer produces Unease and Dread As you’ve probably noticed, unease is sprinkled liberally through the beginning of the adventure. I like to think of it like a spice I’m adding to the atmosphere. It doesn’t mean you can’t have lighter moments, or inject a bit of comedy every now and then, but then unease should be added at some point to help ground the atmosphere as you want it. Unease is about tension and signalling threat. Not immediate threat, more of a vague suggestion of a threat, and this creates a low simmering stress. Dread is the next escalation of that stress, which can then fade back into unease. Variety is good, as is repetition, so add in sprinkles where you think appropriate just as has been done so far. Side note: remember, some players handle unease by making jokes themselves, which is perfectly fine. Usually, I just ask that players do so in character, or if it’s over a virtual table, then over text channels. This way, the game isn’t interrupted by out of character references and such, but every group’s preferences are different. .
91 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD a crystal ball from the voluminous sleeves of their robe. The Seer holds the ball aloft balanced upon their palm, staring intently into its depths. Perhaps it’s simply your imagination, or some trick of the light, but you think you see a reflection of the night sky pass across the surface of their eyes and then The Seer snaps their eyes closed as if suddenly in pain. Their brow furrows and their body shivers, the crystal ball falling from their palm to land heavily upon a cushion. Opening their eyes once again, The Seer stares at the character in horror and then begins to immediately pack up their belongings. “Do not open the doors. Watch the windows,” The Seer warns. “Keep them shut, keep them all shut, the doors and the windows.” That’s all they say as they begin to frantically pack. Characters can make a DC 10 insight check to reveal that, yes, The Seer is genuinely terrified of something and vehemently believes the character should follow their advice. They must have seen something truly shocking, though they refuse to give the characters their money back. They will call over the guards if detained or threatened. D: Beneath the cover of this stall is an elderly man in a black robe stinking of mold. His head is mostly bald, though patchy strips of wispy hair hang sporadically from his scalp. He smiles, his lips parting over yellowed teeth, and waves you closer with a long, scraggly nail. Unlike his own appearance, the wares on display are exceptionally well cared for. Polished animal skulls gleam like alabaster atop their shelves, bottles of liquids, powders, roots, and other materials are meticulously labeled and alphabetically arranged, and a shelf of scrolls and tomes stands behind him. ‘I am Mithredath the Great! Practitioner of secret and lost arts, master of the unknown, priest to forgotten gods! Come, come, see my treasures, and should you be worthy, perhaps some of these may become yours!’ he crows, his eyes alight with something approaching madness. Mithredath is, in fact, a wizard, though not a powerful one. Hence his turn towards the mercantile, though he does happen to know much, much more than he perhaps should. Whether he reveals anything of use, however, is up to the DM. Mithredath can be comical or used to generate more Unease depending on the DMs preference. Either way, he chooses to describe everything in the most morbid terms possible. As for his actual wares, Mithredath sells spell components of every variety, along with alchemical supplies, spell scrolls, spell books, and ink, paper, and books of every variety. Books of Note: • The Lost Tsar and the Fallen Empire of Nostrovishte. This old, worn book explores the history of a human empire that disappeared over 1000 years ago, going into great detail on the archeological evidence discovered, written accounts from elven and dwarven records, and the theories surrounding much of the last fifty years before the empire’s fall. (This book will grant advantage on history checks made in Wreythau). • The Cannibals Cookbook: 101 recipes and advice on how to consume your foes. This book is bound in a strange, pale leather, and was written by infamous halfling bandit Bandobras Taterwise, and goes into disturbingly accurate details on how to butcher and cook almost every sentient creature. • Wreythian Herbology: The Rarest of Reagents: the cover of this book appears to be some kind of bark, though it is as soft and supple as leather. The pages are of an
92 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD incredibly fine paper, and features writings and drawings in a variety of colored inks. This book grants advantage on nature checks in Wreythau. • Necromancy Saves Lives: A treatise on the vilification of knowledge. This black leather tome argues the importance of studying necromancy, citing the benefits that come with cheating death and learning about the past. The central argument revolves around necromantic healing spells, such as False Life, Life Transference, Raise Dead and Revivify. Gentle Repose, even, is quite useful for the safe storage of food, making it an incredibly beneficial school of study. Furthermore, the author(s) argue that the danger present by the vilification of knowledge is far more dangerous than any lich or necromancer, and lists many examples of why. • Celebrated Works: An Anthology of R.K. Schreyer: This finely bound tome is engraved with actual gold and features dozens of plays and poems written by a mad genius. The prose are superb, though the subject matter is filled with dark humor at best and disturbing meditations at worst. E: (Unease) This bright yellow stall features finely crafted weapons and armor of every variety, many of which are decorated with intricate engravings and embellishments. In short, each weapon is a work of art. The proprietor of the stall is a human woman with her hair shaved short. Her eyes are a grey so pale they’re almost silver, and her gaze is unblinking. She doesn’t beckon to you or say anything, simply stares as you approach. The vendor goes by Ankala, and is almost uncommunicative. She simply stares, and answers any question with the fewest words possible. This even applies to the assault that occured in the square earlier that day. This borderline uncommunicative demeanor is broken only when someone compliments one of the weapons for sale, at which point a yearning expression will cross Ankala’s face as she describes just what that weapon could do to the adventurer in graphic and precise detail. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but after such a conversation, any character that handles one of the weapons will feel as though there’s a greasy residue coating their hands. Ankala has every weapon and type of armor in the Player’s Handbook, and she charges the same prices, though the workmanship is easily worth double, if not triple. That greasy feeling, however, never goes away so long as a character keeps whatever weapon they purchased from her. F: The colorful, green stall before you features vegetables and poultry from a local farm. It’s all of good quality, though the most notable thing about the stall is how close it was to the bloodshed from earlier that day. The merchant, a brawny human woman named Marla, goes pale and shifts uncomfortably if asked about what happened. Marla both saw too much. She saw the merchant, another farmer like herself, get into an argument with a rude customer, heard their voices escalating, and the next she knew, the vendor was tackling the customer to the ground. There was screaming and the sounds of wood breaking, and then two other men from the crowd jumped in to break it up. One was cut across the throat, and the other was impaled upon a broken crate, and by the time the guard arrived, the four men were pounding each other bloody, clawing, and biting, in such a frenzy that they turned upon the guard and were all put down. That’s how Marla describes it: put down, like that one time a badger bit her sheepdog and the poor mutt went mad. G: The bright orange stall is doing a surprisingly brisk business despite the
93 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD proximity to the murder scene not far away. All manner of fish and other sea creatures are being peddled by a pair of exuberant halfling twins handling the sales and a surly dwarf expertly packaging the seafood. The halflings are like something out of a circus if you overlook their simple clothing, doing cartwheels and flips, spinning around the support poles, and juggling fish and mollusks between them. The dwarf, meanwhile, provides the perfect comedic foil, scowling and heaving the heaviest of sighs at just the right moments. The fish stall is run by Danrir (the dwarf), a retired fishing captain that found he didn’t make the best demeanor when it came to interacting with the public so he hired the exuberant twins, Sade and Hamlin, to help liven things up. They’ve been in business for years now, and are something of a found family with Danrir acting as the exasperated father figure to the two former street urchins. (Un)fortunately, the three had closed the stall to have an early lunch during all of the commotion and only saw the guards carrying the bodies away “all covered in bloody vegetables; talk about ordering it rare!” Sigh inducing indeed. Though, that really is all that the vendors know. They’re not the kind to clam up when it comes to gossip. DC 12 Insight Check: It’s clear that Danrir’s apparent grumpiness is really just an act. He’s become something of a performer himself over the years, and is as much a part of the act as the twins. H: This large, blue stall sits right next to the fountain in the market square, and is absolutely bursting with flowers and plants of all varieties. From small berry bushes to ornamental shrubbery and beautiful flower pots, the vendor seems to have quite the green thumb. Smiling broadly, the handsome, human vendor introduces himself as Irwin, and proffers bouquets of picked flowers with a wink and an offer of a discount. Sitting behind him, however, are several pots with the most shockingly red flowers you’ve ever seen, their leaves and stems black as night, practically making them blend with the shadows so the petals appear to float in the air all on their own. Irwin is something of a flirt, though is otherwise harmless and views it as just a bit of fun. He’s a native of Port Haven, and after apprenticing under the Magistrate’s master gardener he decided that he’d rather try his hand at running a nursery instead. This flower stand is merely an extension of the nursery, though Irwin loves to run it almost as much as he enjoys raising plants. He also just got a shipment of exotic flowers from some far away land, all of which he has on display. If the characters press him, Irwin will recall that he bought the flowers from a fleet of merchants that came to the port about a week ago. This is the Wreythian Merchant Consortium, though he doesn’t recall the name. A bouquet of flowers costs 2 silver. Individual flowers, 2-5 copper. Pots of flowers and other plants are sold for 5 silver all the way up to 10 gold. The Crimson Flowers (Gulthias Flowers) go for 10 gold a pot. Irwin has 7 pots. DC 12 Perception Check: A faint, crimson cloud hangs around the stand, slowly dispersing in the wind and spreading around the market. If the characters have already noticed the red dust around A or B, they recognize this as the source. If characters have already passed their nature checks, they recognize the strange crimson flowers as the source of the pollen. DC 12 Nature Check: the strange crimson flowers are certainly the source of the pollen. Whatever species they are, they certainly aren’t from this part of the world, and are producing far more pollen far more quickly than most any plant that you’ve ever heard of. DC 15 Nature Check: these crimson flowers aren’t quite natural. They must be the result of magical creation, or at the least, the effects of magical pollution, though what the implications of that might be are hard to say.
94 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD DC 20 History Check: you’ve heard of something similar, written about in an ancient elven scroll. These flowers bear a striking resemblance to the fabled “Flowers of Gulthias”, a corrupted archdruid from long ago. He created the flowers as a manifestation of all of his malice and hate, all of his unquenchable thirst for domination and power, and a terrible plague spreads from these flowers. Detect Magic: the flowers do not read as magical. They’re like owlbears. Though they were created by magic, they are an entirely unique creation that manifests supernatural abilities that are not spells, and are thus not seen by detect magic, nor are they from another plane, and are thus not seen by ‘Detect Good and Evil’. I: This simple stall sells cheese, baked goods, and crabs. Why crabs? Because the vendor likes crabs. He regularly buys them from Danrir and his fishing boat and makes the best crabcakes this side of the world. Or, so he says. The vendor is a weathered old human wearing threadbare clothing that fell out of fashion several decades ago, though it’s clear he knows his trade. The cheese, bread, and other pastries are excellent, and the little grill he has set up for the crab cakes smells absolutely delicious. Tarver Ovenwright is 87 years old and still going strong. He buys the cheese and crab from others, but all the baked goods he carts from his bakery every morning. He has assistants that do most of the baking now, leaving Tarver to man the stall. He likes swapping stories, but doesn’t see so well anymore and only heard the commotion. “Sounded like animals was fightin’ somethin’ fierce, but the watch musta got em. Now how many cakes you want?” The crab cakes sell for a silver apiece, as do most of the pastries, and bread sells for 5 copper. Tarver also sells rations for the same price as listed in The Player’s Handbook. J: The Wandering Dragon Tavern is filled with laughter and the aroma of roasted meat, with blazing hearths and colorful, if worn, rugs stretching out across the floor. Apparently, this is the only Tavern in the city with rooms still available, and as luck would have it, there’s an empty, circular table by the door. The other tables and the two couches in the southwestern corner are all filled with locals and travelers of all stripes, and a troupe of bards performs rowdy, upbeat songs next to the unused harp in the southeast corner. Thankfully, their acoustic instruments and unmodified voices are just quiet enough to allow for conversation at the lone, unoccupied table. The Wandering Dragon Tavern is owned by an orc family that’s lived in Port Haven for generations. Braga, a friendly orc woman runs the bar, whereas Rothgar, her husband, runs the lodgings. Rooms are a gold apiece, though can have up to three beds in each. The lodgings are actually part of a separate building that sits directly east of the tavern portion, though all business is conducted inside the tavern. They have an impressive array of food and alcohol available, along with milk and fountain water for sober characters. And, as the only tavern and lodging not filled to capacity, the Wandering Dragon is really the adventurer’s only choice for a strong drink, a hot meal, and a roof over their heads. Likely, the characters will have done some bonding outside the gates and as they explored the markets, but if not, this might be the perfect moment as they’re all crowded together at the same table. This will also give them a chance to swap information and theorize before terror strikes. Unease: As the players are talking, take a moment to mention the following: Cutting over the din of the music and the roar of conversation is the sound of a wretched, hacking cough. It’s wet, and full of phlegm, though after a few moments it cuts out.
95 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD Looking west across the tavern you spot a large, human man, a stevedore by the look of him, having drinks with his mates. A burly woman slaps him on the back, raising a faint cloud of red dust, and mercifully the coughing stops. The man takes a long draught of ale to clear his throat, and all returns to normal. Then, a few moments later, or when the conversation lulls: A sudden eruption of spittle choked hacking cuts through the room and the twang of a broken string sounds from the troupe of bards. The song resumes, lopsided without the backing of a lute as the bard hurriedly fixes the string, and the stevedore manages to wheeze up whatever was in his lungs into his drink. His companions quickly get him another mug. If any of the characters has the medicine skill, they can attempt to examine him, though he refuses treatment, and his mates back him up. It was just a lungful of dust, they say, leave the man alone! If characters attempt to persuade them, they are quickly pelted with bits of bread and boiled vegetables. The dock crew are quite drunk and not in the mood to have their good time interrupted. DC 15 Medicine Check, at disadvantage (due to being forced to indirectly observe): It’s not simple lung irritation. The man has a severe infection in his lungs and needs medical treatment and rest. Eventually, however, the flowers do their work. The man dies before he even realizes it. This could happen during a confrontation with the dock crew, or in the background while the players converse. Read aloud the following: Dread The stevedore starts coughing once again, stumbling to his feet as his chest heaves and tremors wrack his body. Clutching his throat as a flood of crimson froth pours from his lips, he collapses to the ground, spasming as he chokes and gargles until he finally lies still. Silence descends upon the tavern, people crowding around the corpse lying on the floor. DC 14 Perception Check: Something is wrong. The man is dead, and yet something is happening to his skin. Small, dark tendrils creep beneath the surface of his skin as mottled red patches begin to show through the now-pale flesh. Beneath the spill of crimson stained froth, his jaw moves, the bone creaking and stretching… Release Slowly, noise returns to the tavern, and soon nearly everyone is chattering about what just happened, a few jokes about the man not being able to hold his liquor mixed in with the general gossip, and so it takes a moment for people to realize that something is happening. The corpse begins to rise, bones creaking as it levers itself upon onto its elbow, it’s spine bent almost in half until it suddenly lurches upright. Skin tears and dark tendrils begin to wriggle through, and with a rasping roar it throws itself upon the nearest person, dark, thorn-like fangs sinking deep into the flesh in a spray of blood. Running the Fight The fight begins with one Gulthias Zombie and one Bitten Spore Zombie, which will rise in 1 round. The tavern is filled with about 35-40 people, not counting the adventurers or the Gulthias Zombie. The Gulthias Zombie’s primary motivation is to spread more of its spores, and so it prioritizes biting NPCs. If attacked, however, it will respond aggressively and violently. Only a panicked NPC or another player nearby might draw its attention away. So, just to repeat, it focuses on NPCs until attacked. Essentially, this means that the Gulthias Zombie’s motivation is not to kill the adventurers, it is to spread the evil spore infection and to protect itself. The Infectious Bite is used to ensure the Gulthias Zombie doesn’t TPK the party, though with each NPC it bites it creates another zombie. This makes the combat a race against time, as well as a combat where the quick thinking of the players can really pay off.
96 CH 2 THE DROWNED DEAD For instance, we know that the Gulthias Spores are harmed by fire. The Gulthias Zombie will likely stay away from the two hearths and the stove, all of which are alight and blazing. This doesn’t mean the Gulthias Zombie has a fear of fire, or a weakness to it, it doesn’t, but it does mean that it knows not to put itself at risk unnecessarily. So it will stay away from those areas, and a savvy PC (player character) might recognize this, or a kind DM might allow players an Insight Check with a suitably high DC (maybe 15) to notice this. If they succeed, then the adventurers could direct people towards the hearths to reduce the number of targets, or maybe even try to force the zombie into a hearth itself. Either way, the Gulthias Zombie isn’t a monster that wants to kill the PCs, so when a player character is at low health, consider having the Gulthias Zombie respond with an Infectious Bite. In other words, it gives you an option to better control the amount of threat and danger the adventurers face. For instance, if there is a druid, bard, or cleric with healing magic, a downed PC might be a great move, as it can up the stakes of the fight without spelling certain death. Speaking of which, all zombies will ignore downed party members and will not attack them, so no need to worry about instantly failed death saves. As for the Bitten Spore Zombies, well, their role in the fight is to harass the player characters and buy time for the Gulthias Zombie to spread its Infectious Bite. They should rush towards casters or other backline characters, or attempt to grapple frontline characters focusing on the Gulthias Zombie. This transforms the fight from just ‘whittle down a lone big boss’ into a race to manage the spreading infection and, hopefully, motivate the adventurers to save as many NPCs as they can. Gulthias Zombie —Medium Undead, unaligned Armor Class 12 (natural armor) Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24) Speed 30 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —18 (+4) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 3 (-4) 8 (-1) 8 (-1) Saving Throws Wis +0 Damage Resistance slashing, piercing, bludgeoning from all nonmagic sources. Damage Immunity: poison, necrotic. Condition Immunities: charmed, sleep, frightened, paralyzed, poison. Senses darkvision 60 ft, blindsense 10ft., passive Perception 10 Languages --understands all languages it spoke in life but can’t speak Challenge — 3 (700 XP) Actions Multiattack. The Gulthias Zombie makes two claw attacks or performs one Infectious Bite. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage. Infectious Bite. The Gulthias Zombie bites a creature within 5ft. If the creature is an NPC it dies and becomes infected with spores. It rises as a Bitten Spore Zombie in 1d3 turns. If the infected body is burned, it will not rise. Secondly, if the Gulthias Zombie bites a player character, the character must make a DC 13 Constitution Save or become Poisoned. A character that fails remains poisoned until they receive healing magic or apply fire to the wound and must take at least 1 point of fire damage (medicine, nature, or arcana to reveal). Bitten Spore Zombie —Medium Undead, unaligned Armor Class 10 (natural armor) Hit Points 6 (1d6 +3) Speed 20 ft. STR —DEX CON INT WIS CHA —14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 8 (-1) 5 (-3) Saving Throws Wis +0 Skills: Athletics +3 Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 Languages understands all languages it spoke in life but can’t speak Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 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. Actions On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead —Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage. Grapple. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit. Reach 5ft., one target. On a hit, the target is grappled.
97 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU Lastly, should the PCs try to run away, congratulations, there are multiple Gulthias Zombies rampaging through the marketplace. All those wonderful vendors they just met? Gulthias Zombies, who are now, all rampaging through the market. Furthermore, the city watch has barred all the gates, meaning there’s no way out of the district without scaling a 40 ft. wall and fighting past the city watch up top. If the PCs decide to do this, don’t worry about making it a proper encounter. At this point they should probably make new characters with motivations that will better fit the campaign (see Player’s Guide to Wreythau for suggestions). Overall, this should hopefully convince the PCs to tackle the lone Gulthias Zombie inside the tavern instead of the horde outside of it. After the Fight: Surviving The Night Once the adventurers have managed to down the Gulthias Zombie and any remaining Bitten Spore Zombies, give them a few moments to react, as well as tend to their wounds as best as they can. Then, read this: The smell of blood lingers in the air, the panicked sobs and paranoid muttering from the survivors filling the room. The undead monstrosities have been destroyed, but corpses are still littered around the room. There is a moment where it seems that the nightmare is over, but then glass shatters and bloodied, grasping hands burst through the windows, wriggling black tendrils sprouting from their skin. The door began to shake in its frame as it is battered from the outside. You are surrounded. Your only hope of survival lies in keeping the undead out and surviving the night. From this point on, the characters must make skill checks to keep the undead out. Several checks will be suggested, but you’re encouraged to let your players be creative with skills and spells (such as mending to grant advantage to sealing doors and windows) to keep the undead out. Essentially, you’ll be calling for checks as needed to keep the threat alive, but not enough to overwhelm your players or bog down the narrative. It is recommended that you keep this to around 4-5 checks, or no more than 2 successful checks per character. If a check is failed, let 3-5 Bitten Spore Zombies inside to make the next check more difficult and up the tension. If the characters kill the Zombies, that will buy them more time and they’ll have advantage on their next checks. Or, if they have absolutely terrible luck, lower the number of checks needed. Lastly, don’t forget to remind players that they can help one another to grant advantage to important checks. There are three sides of the tavern vulnerable to being breached by the zombie horde: the west, south, and east walls. Characters should make checks to seal each side of the tavern (likely 2 successful checks). Opposed Athletics Check (Zombies roll with advantage, + 3, or DC 15): You are able to hold the door shut in the face of the zombie horde, or able to force an object over the windows while others hack grasping limbs free and let them drop to the floor. Once this check is passed, another character can initiate a tool use check (see below). DC 15 Tool Use Check: You are able to successfully nail, tie, or otherwise seal your barricade in place, keeping the undead from getting in on this side of the Tavern. DC 15 Acrobatics, Intimidation, or Performance Check: You are able to distract the horde with your gymnastic moves, frantic dancing, loud bellowing or noisey playing. This will draw the horde away from one side of the tavern, though will give disadvantage to keeping them out of whichever side they’ve been drawn to (unless that side is already sealed). Once the adventurers have succeeded, they are able to have a long rest and level up to Level 2.
98 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU With the Coming Dawn… Once the PCs have survived the night, read the following: After a restless night of frantic pounding upon the barricades, followed by an even more dreadful silence, the morning finally comes. Slowly, rays of golden light begin to pierce the gaps of the barricaded windows and doors, and with the sun comes sounds of battle. You hear disciplined voices calling orders and the roar of determined men and women sounding in answer. The wails of the undead are soon silenced by axe and spell, and the stench of burning flesh fills the air. Your salvation has come. The city watch has finally mobilized and has successfully cleansed the district of the undead taint. Mages and clerics march with the watch, directing soldiers and using their magic to burn out all traces of that foul pollen from the air. Thankfully, Port Haven was able to survive this undead plague. The first victims of the plague (the unfortunate market vendor and patrons from location A) had been brought before the Magistrate to be examined, and a response was mobilized even before the district fell to the undead plague. However, having saved (hopefully) dozens of people inside the Tavern, the city watch will celebrate the adventurers as heroes. Compliments will flow all around, but then the city watch will inform the adventuring party that they will need to speak to the Magistrate himself. The guards will detain the PCs if they try to leave, though only as a last resort. The mention of a reward should motivate them to follow along. The Magistrate The Magistrate of Port Haven is a representative of the King (or whatever ruling body oversees your Port Haven substitute), in charge of maintaining the function of the city and upholding the laws as an official of the Court. The Magistrate is a very powerful individual, and as it happens, this particular Magistrate is also a powerful wizard (use Archmage stats if they’re needed) known as Orlineth Ethereth. Orlineth is an elf, wise and well studied, and he suspected he recognized the signs of the Gulthias Flowers as soon as the bodies were brought before him. However, in order to gather more information and confirm his suspicions he needs to interview survivors, and what better examples than the saviors of the Wandering Dragon Tavern? Once the PCs are brought before him, describe the following: The City Guard brings you to the central keep and leads you up winding staircases to an elaborate office at the top of a stout tower. Inside, the office is lavishly appointed, with luxurious carpets, crystal chandeliers, rich wood furniture, and massive bookcases that dominate every wall. Standing behind a massive desk is a stately elf dressed in dark red silk embroidered with silver thread and embellished with gemstones artistically arranged throughout the design. Jewelry is woven and braided through his hair, and from the firm set of his jaw and his piercing gaze, it’s clear that he is an elf of high station and possessing a keen intellect. He gestures for the city watch to leave and beckons you all closer. Orlineth (the magistrate)’s goal is to establish what the PCs know about the plague and hear things from their perspective. He wants to hear their account in their own words. Once they’ve done so, he will nod sagely, and explain that there is a legend from thousands of years ago about flowers like these, flowers created by an ancient evil long thought to be dead. He will praise the adventuring party for saving the inhabitants of the Tavern and will gift them 100 gold, each, as a reward. Afterwards, he will declare that this shipment of flowers was clearly premeditated, given their magical nature, and that the source of this evil must be investigated. He says he knows of a ship captain that claims he can sail to the home port of the fleet that delivered the flowers, and so the Magistrate would like to hire the
99 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU adventurers to travel there and find the source behind this threat. He will pay them 50 platinum to board the ship and offer them a second payment of 1000 platinum (total) and one gift of their choosing (each) should they return with definitive proof of what, or who, was behind this attack and information on how to stop them. Act Two: The Voyage Act Overview: After the brutal fight from act one, not to mention all of the tension built through unease, Act Two is a chance for the players to relax, at least a little bit. They are stuck on a long voyage aboard a small ship and won’t have much to do except interact with each other and the colorful cast of NPCs aboard the ship. Through their interactions with the NPCs the adventurers will learn more about Wreythau and the Vampire Queen, information which will help build Unease once again. The Act opens with the player characters meeting the Captain. He will welcome them aboard and inform them of their assigned quarters, meaning they will have to meet the NPCs they’ll be rooming with. A few evenings later, the Captain will invite the characters to his cabin for dinner, a conversation that will help shed much light and sprinkle in much unease. Smaller events will follow, helping to build more unease, until finally a surprise storm brings the players into Act Three. Boarding The Pelican Orlineth Ethereth, the Magistrate, has told the adventurers that the only captain willing to sail after the Wreythian Merchant Consortium is a human man named Borril Saltwind, a rather unsavory character but an able sea captain by all accounts. His ship, The Pelican, is an aging carrack that has sailed far and wide and seen its fair share of dangers, though it’s become a bit worse for wear. In short, Saltwind and The Pelican aren’t their best choice, but he is their only choice. And, fortunately, Orlineth has already booked passage for them. All they have to do is board the ship. Boril Saltwind The captain of The Pelican and his crew were once hardy and ruthless pirates, members of the Outer Seas that won their wealth by spilling blood into the Great Salt. Now that Boril is getting up there in years, however, he’s decided to take a much safer path to complete his final years of service. Posing as an independent trader, he trails behind the main fleet, gathering information, cleaning up whatever messes he can, and pouncing on any opportunities that the main fleet might have missed. In this case, that means ferrying the PCs to Wreythau. Boril has spent the last several years indulging in all of the earthly pleasures that gold can buy, and aside from the wealth he’s sent home to prepare for his ‘retirement’, he’s essentially bankrupted himself, hence the poor condition of his ship. He’s not concerned about The Pelican failing, however. He’s an old salt, and a bit of a fatalist, and is more than comfortable placing his life at the mercy of the seas. What will be, will be, but may the Endless Hunger damn anyone who says he won’t enjoy life right up until it ends. So, when it comes to interacting with the adventurers, Captain Saltwind adopts the mask of a boisterous fellow that’s eager to swap stories about all the wonders and horrors he’s encountered on his travels. He, of course, only presents himself as an old merchant, though like any old sailor, he loves to embellish his stories. Everything is taller than a mountain, brighter than the sun at morn, colder than the frost at the heart of winter, etc. Hyperbole and metaphor are his favorite descriptive tools. Also, being something of a fatalist, he doesn’t particularly watch what he says. He tries to be cagey, but clever PCs can definitely trip him up. If he ever does reveal more than he intends to, he’ll simply brush it off, and likely swallow down his regret with a quick hit of grog. Now, for this first encounter, Captain Saltwind is most interested in getting a quick measure of the characters before they get
100 CH 1 WELCOME TO WREYTHAU underway. Later on he’ll invite the characters to dine with him so he can get a full read on them, but for now he’s just interested in exchanging pleasantries, answering brief questions, and then showing them to their quarters. When the characters go down to the docks, read the following: The smell of salt water is upon the air as you descend to the docks of Port Haven, the creak of timbers, the gentle lapping of the waves, and the voices of sailors and stevedores filling your ears. Sitting in the seventh dock is The Pelican, a weathered cargo ship with square sails and ancient paint peeling from its hull. Barnacles and other sea life have begun to creep up from the waterline, and the signs of old repairs are still visible. “Ah, me last passengers! Welcome aboard!” a bellowing voice shouts as you near, and you see a human man descending the gangplank to greet you. He’s a bear of a man, tall and rippling with bulk, a great big bushy beard trailing down his chest. He wears threadbare finery, what was once a brilliant red coat with golden buttons has now faded towards pink, with splotches of still vibrant dye standing out like patches of fabric soaked with blood. Old, blue tattoos creep up his neck out of his collar and down his forearms and across his hands. He grins at you as he nears, gold shining amidst stained and yellowed teeth. “I’m Cap’n Saltwind, and this beauty behind me be the Pelican! Now who be joining us for this voyage?” Information Saltwind will share: As mentioned above, Saltwind isn’t keen on having long conversations, but he’ll answer a few questions and will be happy to share the following: • “The land ye be traveling to is a dread place, full of wonders and terrors, alike. They call it Ravenica, they do, those that call it home.” • “Aye, I’ve sailed there many a time. Ye be in good hands. Now, no more lollygaggin, let’s get ye aboard!” • “I’m a merchant by trade. What do I sell? Why, whatever will fetch a hefty sum of gold, same as any other!” • “The voyage’ll take more’n a week, but less’n a fortnight. If we be lucky, the leviathans won’t be plying the deeps as we cross. Nasty beasts. Be glad ye don’t know of ‘em.” Once Saltwind has managed to answer the adventurer’s questions and get them on board, he’ll take them down to the passenger cabins. Unfortunately for the PCs, since they’re such late additions there are no empty passenger cabins left, so they’ll have to bunk with someone else. Currently, all the cabins are occupied with one passenger, so that means either bunking with a stranger or convincing the strangers to swap cabins so the PCs can bunk together. For some, convincing them to move will be quite easy. For others...not so much. The other passengers are: Raum: Raum (pronounced Rom) is a male elf with a grey complexion and a shock of pale, white hair. A tall, elegant fellow, he dresses in the latest of noble fashions and always wears a beautifully sculpted silver face mask. Always. Aside from that one eccentricity he is a very charming and affable fellow. He always speaks formally and with excessive politeness, no matter how others treat him. And, should he be accused of being Drow, he’ll simply laugh and inform his accuser that he is merely Ghul Sildreth, though offers no explanation of what that means. Beyond that, he introduces himself as a simple tailor and an expert in dyes and the production of cloth. He’s heard Wreythau has quite the market for such things and is on the way there to see what opportunities might await him.