DM Notes 1.06 (Blackmoor Supplement)

Princess Everine

The Elven court has so many princesses that they struggle to find them postings that can gainfully employ them and keep them apart from each other. Consequently the embassy at Blackmoor has always got one or two installed and they are generally bored and unpleasant. Ambassador Cholquin has grown extremely adept at managing his charges and keeping their attentions directed into harmless activities. Unfortunately, Princess Evirine has managed to take on a project of her own - bringing into line a stray elven maid that seems to have fallen amongst the wrong sort - Clarys has other ideas.

Having had her project in custody and lost her she has been working hard to track her down and find some kind of leverage. This is difficult because threatening or harming another high elf is taboo - killing another carries a penalty worse than death - The guilty party is named Drow and from that point forwards will be cast out from Elven society and might be hunted relentlessly by their kin.

Evirine has no regard for mortals however and feels that she can act with impunity towards them - so she has found out that Clarys’s close friend is a monk and she has slain them. The head is delivered with a message - she may be safe from harm but her mortal pets are not. Come to her or they will all know their mortality.Evirine misses her mark - she has slain Dusty not Tinian and she has kicked a hornet’s nest.

The Elven princess has been assigned a ranger guard whilst in the city - hers is named Kenton and is extremely capable and never without backup.

Kenton: AC: 15, HP: 65, Scimitar: +5 (1d6+3), Dagger: +5 (1d4+3), Multiattack: Makes two scimitar and one dagger attacks. Reaction: can parry any melee attack to add 2 to AC. (Bandit Captain p344)

Backup: AC: 12, HP: 11, Scimitar: +3 (1d6+1), Light Crossbow: +3 (1d8+1)

The princess herself is a dilettante arcane archer, though she will not do anything to harm Clarys she has no compunction about other mortals.

{{5e Monster Summary|Everine|15|85|Longbow: +6 (1d8+4); Multishot: Everine can take three shots with her longbow; Lighting shot: +6 (4d6 + 4); Webshot: +6 (Target restrained DC 12 Strength); Flaming: +6 (1d8 + 6 Target on fire for 1d6 per round or until put out as an action); Misty Step: can teleport a short distance.

If a battle commences, Everine will retreat to safety as quickly as possible, Kenton will delay only long enough to ensure her escape.

Tvaris of the Seven Stars

The magician would like to get better access to the contents of the great Wunderland library known as Liberty, he knows that the Ice Queen has control of the building and wonders if there might be other entrances. He is looking for someone to volunteer to explore the ruins. One possibility is that he might be able to create a Threshold Potion.

The Threshold Potion takes effect when half of it is drunk making the drinker partially immune to death - it has a temporary effect much the same as a Ferryman’s Shilling - it will stop the failure of a final death save, however rather than recovering the drinker is held in a state indistinguishable from life until the second half of the potion is administered.

Maybe the death of Clarys could be put at the feet of the overzealous princess? Of course in order to craft the potion, Tvaris would ask for a boon in return - the exploration of the Toadstool Glade, a series of caves that run to the side of Liberty and might just afford access to the ancient library. The Toadstool Glade

A great crack in the ground to one side of the Liberty expands and grows into a great abyss, at the foot of which an underground river thunders down a series of steep falls. The waterfalls fill the abyss with a fine mist and in the damp a valley of giant fungi have grown. The abyss seems to almost undermine the building above and masonry spills down the sides of the valley. Many of the fungi emit a pale yellow light giving the whole scene a surreal glow.

There are many creatures in the valley but the Myconid Sovereign rules that place and her servants patrol the valley. They will not be aggressive initially though their use of dead animated servants might provoke early aggression. They are ultimately animated fungi however and do not pose too much of a threat - they can be intimidated and they can be bribed.

{{5e Monster Summary|Myconid Adult|12|22|Fist: +2 (2d4 + 2d4 poison); Pacifying spores: Save (DC11 Con) or stunned.

Myconid Sprout: AC: 10, HP: 7, Fist: +1 (1d4-1 + 1d4 poison).

Quaggoth Spore Servant: AC: 13, HP: 45, Claw: +5 (1d6+3 within 5’); Multiattack: Two claw attacks.

Dueregar Spore Servant: AC: 13, HP: 14, Fist: +2 (1d6).

In a glade where a smaller spring emerges from the valley walls the party spot a Duegar named Ravin who has tied himself into the libs of a huge fungus so that he can sleep and recover from wounds. As they approach, they disturb what had him hiding there, a group of violet fungus.

Violet Fungus: AC: 5, HP: 18, Rotting Touch: +2 (1d4 necrotic within 10’), Multiattack: makes 1d4 rotting touch attacks

Battling the violet fungi wakes the Duergar and he cautiously drops to the ground. In the fungal light, Ravin looks like any other dwarf - aged but not notably evil. He explains that he and his brother were exploring the valley and were jumped by a Quaggoth, his brother was slain covering his escape - this was some days ago and he has returned to recover the body so that it can be interred with his ancestors. Unfortunately he was ambushed and has been hiding from the violet fungi for a hours.

The noise will have attracted a Myconid Sprout and his recently animated Duergar spore servant. On seeing his animated brother complete with fungal growths, Ravin attacks the Myconid and is in turned attacked by the spore servant. The Myconid distress spores bring a rapid response and the Duergar cuts the rings of his brothers hands and flees the scene. If the party stop him then they might discover that he has taken a ring of protection from the body and he also carries with him a potion of healing.

When the other myconids show up there will be a tense moment as they see their fallen sprout. If the party choose to fight then there will be a battle with an Adult and two sprouts initially - they will be joined by two more adults and the Quaggoth Spore Servant and finally by three more adults, three spouts and the regent. When the regent shows up her first reaction will be to attempt parlay and stop the fighting.

If defeated the Myconids have little treasure as they do not value it however an alchemy dc12 roll will tell the party which parts of the myconids to recover for a good return if sold to an alchemist.

On the muddy banks of the river, the party might be surprised by a small clan of mud mephits, they come out of the banks attempting to trip the party and send them sprawling into the river below hoping to hold them under the water until they drown. There are six of them and they are motivated by capriciousness alone, there is no treasure.

Mud Mephit: AC: 11, HP: 27, Fists: +3 (1d6+1), Mud breath (r6): Save (dc11 Dex) or restrained.

At the very end of the valley the brickwork of Liberty has been exposed by the river and through a partly submerged passageway the party can access the flooded lower levels of the bookstacks. Here a Chuul has made its lair and guards a collection of gems, gold and miscellaneous junk that it has decided is valuable, along with a bag of holding and a +1 fiendish unbreakable stiletto dagger. The Chuul also prevents any further access to Liberty but if defeated the way is open to explore the murky lower depths.

Chuul: AC: 16, HP: 93, Pincer: +6 (2d6+4 10’ range and grappled DC14), Tentacles: Grappled creature saves (DC 14 Con) or is paralysed, Multiattack: Two pincer attacks and tentacles.

The Threshold Draught

Having delivered knowledge of the entrance to the bookstacks of Liberty, Tvaris is extremely excited and immediately offers the draught - he also suggest that investigating Lord Buttercroft might bear fruit. Buttercroft is a half-elven courtier, a member of the equivalent of the foreign office, he has some diplomatic responsibilities towards the elves. As a youth Lord Buttercroft had a high elven step sister who was captured by Orcish slavers and never heard from again. She was very close to him and he still carries a great sadness with him to this day.

Buttercroft

Buttercroft is an alcoholic which coupled with injuries sustained serving in the military (he is missing an eye and a foot) he is somewhat pitiable and consequently his diplomatic roles tend not to be forward facing. His step sister was named Sirene and she would have been a very similar age to Clarys, a fact which might be useful to someone of sufficiently dark intent. All invites to the prestigious Embassy Ball go through him and so he is an excellent person to know if you want to get one.

Buttercroft is a spy, and an excellent one at that however there is nothing he would like more than to get Everine out of town and he has no qualms about how it is done. He is however wise enough to ensure that this is all at arms length and will not come back to him. Prince Ferris, another elven resident of the city has asked unofficially for an extra ticket for his mistress - this is not uncommon however it is not spoken about - If the package of tickets was intercepted, the three official tickets would be annulled but the extra one would not. Knowledge of when that delivery was being sent might permit an enterprising group to acquire a ticket.

Pretending to be Buttercroft’s step sister is a hugely risky play, he will dispatch agents to check the details and if they discover the deception, which they are likely to do, then his response will be bloody and swift. However leaving the issue open and unresolved is likely to bring sympathy to the cause. Stealing the Invite The invite will be carried by a courier royal, these are generally considered untouchable by the Right Folk. They carry a baton which activated sends a deafening screech which all city guard know means a significant reward if they are at the scene defending the courier. They are fast and extremely canny when it comes to pickpockets and thievery.

Courier Royal: AC: 15, HP: 40, Dagger +6 (1d4+3) on a hit DC 14 Con save or slowed to 10’; Fast: Move at 40’

There are effectively any number of the city guard that will arrive each round in response to the couriers alarm.

City Guard: AC: 12, HP: 16, Mace +4 (1d6+2)

Getting Ready for the Ball

A ticket is sufficient to get into the ball however it does not grant any further immunity - in order to move freely Clarys plus one will have to be dressed appropriately and behave in accordance with the complex rules of decorum. This will extremely hard for them without some kind of coaching.

Buttercroft will explain that if Clarys insists on going ahead without some training then she will continually make small errors which will accumulate until she is laughed out of court - if this happens she will be escorted from the party and it can happen very suddenly and for completely obscure reasons. He recommends some tuition by one of the embassy experts - Madame Godfrey.

Mdme Godfrey is a half elf that has worked for the embassy for many years. Having been a servant of the elves in court she has a deep understanding of the complex rules that govern their society and has trained many diplomats in avoiding the pitfalls. She is of course, also a spy and spends a lot of her time observing court and trying to decipher the subtle movements of power. She has a particular dislike of Princess Everine, though she is far too diplomatic to reveal that.

Lessons will be an opportunity to acquire élan before entering court.

Élan Mechanism

Whilst acting in court players may gain or lose élan, if it goes above their Charisma then they are promoted to the next highest level and if it drops below their negative charisma then they are demoted. High elves only circulate amongst those of equal rank so keeping élan is critical. However, élan is a zero sum game - it can only be gained at the expense of others and so a continuous hidden game is being played. Witticisms, snide implications and lies tend to be the principal levers though occasionally, courtesy and condescension might be used to give élan to the enemies of your enemies.

There are three ranks: debutante, courtier and noble, the players enter as debutante with no élan - through Mdme Godfrey might be able to give them a small boost to start with. Contests to win élan might be charisma, intelligence or wisdom - they will always be contested with the winner collecting a point from the loser (or 1d3 points if the win is by over ten points).

Scenes

Tinian’s Ambush

Tinian returning home from his Dojo, having been promised any help that they can offer is ambushed by Everine in the company of Kenton - the ambush is disturbed by other members of the dojo. The scene’s purpose is to stoke up the hatred and reveal what she can do and how dangerous she is.

Caspians Assassination

Caspian has brought Clarys to the bedsit home of one of her attackers - they wait in the darkness for his return. He enters in the company of a prostitute. This scene allows Clarys to pursue her bloodthirsty revenge and gives her witnesses to deal with.

Mason Saboteur: AC: 14, HP: 17, Club: +3 (1d6), Backstab: +1d6 damage against a target engaged by another Mason.

Kenton’s Assassination

Assassinating Kenton, is a proactive strike against Everine it will infuriate her as she relies on him heavily - Ambassador Cholquin has been trying to push another shield guardian onto her who is more under his sway but she has resisted. The consequence will be a retreat from the streets for her part though this is because the Ambassador will have offer to apply pressure through The Squires instead. This is a big set piece scene, Kenton has decent apartments in the Castleford District near though not adjacent to the elven enclave. The apartments have secret passageways with traps that he will try to retreat through.

Blade Trap: Blades spring through the floor for 4d6 damage, save DC 13 Dex for half.

Poison Door Handle: A secret door has a false door handle that delivers 2d6 poison damage save DC 13 Con for half and leaves the victim hallucinating (advantage on attacks against) until Con save DC 13.

Caltrops: Thrown for 1d6 damage DC 16 Dex to avoid and half movement if hurt DC 13 Con to recover

Investigating Buttercroft

Molly can find out the surface details on Buttercroft which is enough rope to hang themselves - if they take it at face value and make a play for pretending that Clarys is the lost daughter, he is likely to play along in order to see what they want. He will however have a significant grudge if they continue to play him for a fool. If they can reveal some significant competence then the relationship will change to him hoping to use them (in a disposable way). If they can switch things around to a positive relationship then he is a potential longer term patron and will be much more honest with them.

The Dancing Flame

The fighting schools of Blackmoor, much like the Right Folk, often take on a secondary more commercial role, sometimes to raise income and sometimes to bring them closer to clients. The Dancing Flame dojo specialises in the training and protection of courtesans, sometimes in the arts of assassination but most often in dance and courtly grace. As a consequence this school stands apart from others in the city who regard it not in the fighting tradition. In his youth, Tinian had few friends in his dojo and as a sleight was exchanged with a student at the Dancing Flame for twelve months of study under a very different tradition. His stay was cut short after an assassination attempt at The Maiden’s Delight, a tea house in the heart of Castleford. The target was in the room that Tinian was meant to be protecting - a young high elf named “Chubby” (later Ambassador Cholquin).

Cholquin needs to escape of course and that will lead him into tunnels beneath The Maiden's Delight tea house. The tea house was once a bathhouse and in chambers beneath there are rooms with large pools of murky water - now disused and a furnace room that still generates heat (and lots of steam) for the rooms above. This is the principal setting for the opening battle.

Assassin: AC: 13, HP: 17, Shortsword: +3 (1d6+2), Shuriken: +3 (1d4+2), Assassinate: First attack at advantage if opponent has not attacked, hit is an automatic critical, Sneak attack: +1d6 damage with advantage or against engaged opponent.

Oronin: AC: 15, HP: 48, Shortsword: +6 (1d6+3 Con 15 for half of 3d6 poison), Assassinate: First attack at advantage if opponent has not attacked, hit is an automatic critical, Sneak attack: +2d6 damage with advantage or against engaged opponent, Evasion.

Oronin is a drow - that is an outcast high elf and during the battle Chubby will call out to Oronin baiting him: “I knew that you were hiding behind mother’s skirts - she should have given you up but I suppose the traitorous drow sent you. I know that you are beyond shame but now you bring it on her - this will not stand - your mother will be drow before the day is ended.” Oronin is unphased however: “Only one of us will walk away from this place, there are only mortals for witness and I don’t imagine they will talk much with their throats slit.”

If the battle goes badly Cholquin will escape through a secret door that he has been falling back to, a door that leads beneath the walls of the adjacent Enclave. The players will be dispatched but through some misfortune the assassins will fail to finish Tinian. If the battle goes well then Cholquin will gift the survivors with rings that he wears before slipping out through the secret door again. Tinian will still have that ring in the current day.

Twelve years later, the party will emerge from The Belfry having sought passage into Castleford, through a grille and into the abandoned bathhouse beneath The Maiden’s Delight. The secret door is still there, leading into the heart of The Enclave.

Investigations later on might reveal that Oronin is (or was) brother to Everine - if he still lives and Tinian reveals that he knows this then she will want him dead and silenced. If on the other hand he died by Tinian’s hand then she will fly into an uncontrollable and deadly rage.

The mother of the these two charming siblings is Queen Melindra, she retired from court just before the assassination event - Buttercroft does not know why but it was of course Cholquin who caused that to happen.

Coming Out

Two weeks before the Solstice Ball is a somewhat lower key event, The Coming Out allows young debutantes to be presented in court before the ball and is a good opportunity for Clarys to make a first appearance and gain a little élan. She will be the thirteenth and final deb to be presented in what is a effectively an afternoon tea party - tradition dictates that the youngest goes first and Clarys is probably twice as old as the closest of her peers. Traditionally debutantes are accompanied by their brothers or uncles as a dance partner however there is nothing to stop them taking any guest that they choose. There would also normally be a chaperone as well however it would not be unusual for someone of Clarys’ age to be without one. Contests here will be with spoiled elven children, well accustomed to bickering and petty contests but extremely callow.

Clarys will be the only one not accompanied by an elven dance partner and early jibes may be about his mortality. If she elevates herself above the general bickering however (accumulating more élan than her charisma) then she will be recognised as a noble and immediately be the target of the incensed chaperones which elevates the difficulty significantly. At this point Buttercroft will seek to get her out quickly before she attracts too much attention. Leaving the Enclave, they will be followed by a competent group of runners - if they spot and evade them then by the morning they will have a significant bounty on their heads. If they are not avoided then they will be targeted by Everine’s own assassins though she will not be present nor will she have anything to link her to an unfortunate death. The assassins are led by a doppelganger that will try and gain their confidence by appearing at the door as a very badly injured Molly.

Doppelganger: AC: 14, HP: 52, Slam +6 (1d6+4), Multiattack: Two attacks, Ambusher: advantage on surprise attacks, Surprise Attack: First attack +3d6, Read thoughts

Assassin: AC: 13, HP: 17, Shortsword: +3 (1d6+2), Shuriken: +3 (1d4+2), Assassinate: First attack at advantage if opponent has not attacked, hit is an automatic critical, Sneak attack: +1d6 damage with advantage or against engaged opponent.

This scene can be avoided if they convince Buttercroft to let them stay in the Enclave as Everdine would not dare act against them with so many High Elven witnesses. After this event Buttercroft will extend the offer himself. If the tail was avoided and there is a bounty instead then Molly will come to them with the news and move them to a Tybalt safe house. Unfortunately she was followed by a single bountyhunter by the name on Mismatch. Mismatch will follow them to the Tybalt safehouse and attempt to kill them by locking them in and setting fire to it then killing them individually as they are smoked out.

Mismatch: AC: 12, HP: 66, Bite: +5 (1d4+2) DC11 Con or cursed with lycanthropy, Shortsword: 1d6+2, Multiattack: Makes one bite and one sword attack

Mismatch is accompanied by a swarm of rats that will do his bidding.

Rat Swarm: AC: 13, HP: 11, Bite: +4 (1), Swarm: takes no more than 1hp damage from each attack, Multi-attack: makes two bite attacks whilst on greater than 1hp.

The Ambassador’s Ball

When it comes to the ball itself the goal will be to provoke Everdine to a rash attack that will apparently slay Clarys though she will be saved from death by the Threshold Draught. This is not an easy thing to do as she is an experienced courtier however by this time the players should have been able to prepare a few surprises. If things go badly for Everdine she will flee the court and the city to go back to her family seat. However unless Clarys can hide the fact that she is recovered then her Drow status will be either revoked or never instated.

Principals

Ambassador Cholquin: Most senior elf in the city, host of the ball and (deniably) confidant of Tvaris of the Seven Stars. Cholquin knows that there is a plot afoot - he does not know what it is, nor does he wish to but he is an expert in knowing without knowing and so has taken a few actions to help this plan along (such as turning a blind eye to the stolen invite, and providing inviting Buttercroft wth an invitation to the Coming out.

Buttercroft: Civil servant and spy, this half elf has been acting on behalf of Cholquin in ensuring that Clarys can attend the ball in the same circles as Princess Everine. He will be present and the ball in his role as a state delegate.

Princess Everine: Eldest daughter of the Dawnstar clan and since her mother Hester retired from public service, the most senior political representative. The Dawnstar clan was shamed by their eldest son Oronin who was declared Drow over a hundred years ago - he was extremely close to his sister however there are rumours that he died twelve years ago though no proof of this.

Doctor Sestus: A human doctor and alchemist who has been a friend to court in Blackmoor for many years, his ministrations tend towards crafting cosmetics, though he has a fair skill in alchemy and herbalism. Though Buttercroft does not know why, he has been instructed to persuade the doctor to offer his services to Clarys. In fact Tvaris wants someone who can reliably confirm that Clarys is dead close to hand at the event.

Simony Martingale: The finest tailor in the city, Buttercroft knows that she will be responsible for creating Everine’s costume and proposes that if they are able to secure a copy of the design then creating an identical outfit would be a coup. Martingale’s is a well defended property and will be challenging to break into however - securing a locksmith would help.

Outcome

A successful outcome will see Clarys apparently slain be Everine, and a loss will see Tinian slain. An alternative winning outcome will see Everine slain by Tinian’s hand though that is unlikely as the elves will enjoy her defeat but not permit her death. �

Everine

Armour Class 15 (none) Hit Points 78 (12d8+24) Speed 30 ft.

STR: 10 (+0) DEX: 18 (+4) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 12 (+1) WIS: 8 (-1) CHA: 14 (+2)

Saving Throws Dex +8, Cha +6 Skills Acrobatics +8, Deception +6, Arcana +5, History +5 Senses passive Perception 13 Languages Elven, Common Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Actions

Multiattack. Everine makes three longbow attacks.

Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage. Lighting arrow. Using her longbow, Everine sends a small lightning bolt (4d6) lightning damage Dex save (DC 14) to avoid damage

Flaming arrow. A magical flaming arrow that does 1d8+4 fire damage and an ongoing 1d6 at the start of the target’s round until a move action is spent to extinguish or a 1 is rolled. Save Dex (DC 14) to avoid all damage.

Sonic arrow. An arrow hits the target with a loud boom, knocking them prone and leaving them stunned unless a Con save is made (DC 14).

Webshot. Using her longbow, Everine sends a web spell restraining targets that fail a Dex save (DC 14). Breaking out requires a Str save (DC 14)

Misty Step. Everine can teleport a short distance within sight.

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