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Summary:
The party is hired to guard a Morakki noble's daughter from assassins. However, it turns out that one of her most relentless pursuer wishes not to kill her, but to wed her.
Assumptions:
The party is in the service of House Riverine. If the party is not in the service of the House, then the DM can simply assume they are hired directly by the agents of the Pashek to guard his daughter. In this case, the DM should arrange for a suitable fee to be given (possibly half now and half on completion).
Location:
The Far Coast near the border with Thaneer.
Historical Date:
21 N.S. (5535 A.D.), Early Winter
GM's Introduction:
The Gerilongi have long been a superstitious people, given to taking omens and prophecies with earnest and sometimes deadly seriousness. So when a mystical crone reputed to have prophetic powers stated the following to Pashek Davalapong, he took notice:
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I, Corunathon, am touched in the tongue by the gods and by the Tul. I see the future, and this is what appears before my eyes. To the Pashek Davalapong shall be born a daughter, though her birth will bleed the innards from her mother, who shall never know her child. And the child will grow to be as infused with beauty as her mother is infused with pain and agony during her birth. And the fates, they fly around this child as a moth around a flame. For she is a reminder that both beauty and pain accompany the choices and conduct of our masters. And as long as Pashek Davalapong is a goodly man and favoured by the gods, then shall his daughter live and grow into her beauty. But should the Pashek ever fall from the path of truth and enlightenment, then shall his daughter surely perish, and the light of her beauty shall be snuffed as quickly as the goodness of the Pashek's soul. This the gods have decreed. You shall see the truth of my words in time! |
Indeed, many of the things the crone said would come to pass did. The Pashek's wife did indeed die in horrible agony during childbirth, bleeding out and expiring after the difficult labour. And, too, the child born was a daughter and, as she grew up into adolescence and then young womanhood, she indeed displayed a remarkable beauty and grace about her that was, at time, called divine.
The crone was never seen again after her pronouncement. The Pashek himself is a fairly worldly man (for a Gerilongi) and he only half believed the prophecy. However, his people have taken the pronouncement very seriously, especially after the first elements of it came to pass, and so the Pashek must take it seriously as well.
Every day the daughter was presented to the people from her balcony high in the round pagoda of the Pashek in order to show the people that, as his daughter lived and prospered, so the Pashek's own worthiness was proved. At all other times his daughter was protected in luxurious isolation, for if harm came to his daughter, then his own legitimacy to rule would be in question.
Despite the fact that outsiders could only catch a daily glimpse of the daughter, the son of a neighbouring Pashek, who had come visiting Davalapong's palace several times, had fallen in love with the daughter and had requested her hand in marriage. Davalapong refused the suitor, whose name is Similak, for he worried that were his daughter to leave his protective embrace, some harm might befall her, especially if she became pregnant and, like her mother, died in childbirth.
In some ways, however, the Pashek's knowledge of the prophecy may make its doom become self-fulfilling. Armed with the knowledge that as long as his daughter lives and prospers, he can take any actions he desires and claim he has the blessings of the gods, Pashek Davalapong has ruled with a very heavy hand, especially over the noble families of his domain. Normally, a Pashek who wished to remain in power would have to kowtow to at least some of these noble houses in order to retain support among the gentry and to fend off challenges by other houses. Armed with the prophecy and the broad support of the people, Davalapong has chosen to forego noble support and instead throw his weight around, confounding the landed families of his domain and invoking their ire.
It wasn't too long before these noble families realized that the solution to their problem was to slay the daughter, thereby using the very prophecy that had allowed the Pashek to defy them and turning it against him. For if the daughter were to die, according to the prophecy, then it would be a sign that the Pashek had angered the gods and been corrupted. The Pashek would then lose his popular support and the nobles could make their move on him.
And so an alliance of several powerful families was formed. But the Pashek learned of the plot to have his daughter killed and placed her under lock and key in his palace, foregoing even his daily display of her. However, when an assassin breached his defenses and almost slew her in her very bedchamber, Davalapong realized the seriousness and capabilities of the forces that had arrayed against him.
Davalapong decided that it was too dangerous for his daughter to remain. He was about to move against the noble families opposing him, and it was likely that this move would prompt them to take final, desperate action against his daughter.
So, Davalapong determined to send his daughter into hiding for a short while, until the noble houses could be put down. To that end, he hired House Riverine to, under cover of a trading mission, take the daughter and hide her for a period of up to four months. She has just been transported across the Oto Sea and has now arrived, in secret, to the Riverine House in Dwillingir.
What none of the parties knows is that the original prophecy was a false one, engineered by a hengeyokai who had an old grudge against the Pashek's grandfather. The hengeyokai could not get close enough to the Pashek's grandfather or his father to exact her revenge, and even the Pashek himself proved untouchable. So she devised a plan that would allow her to establish the very means by which the Pashek would be deposed and his line sundered.
The hengeyokai posed as the crone and sounded the prophecy and then engineered the initial events, including the death of the Pashek's wife. The Pashek's daughter is actually a tiefling who was substituted at birth in place of the Pashek's real unborn daughter, who was killed during birth by the hengeyokai, posing as the midwife.
The hengeyokai knew the tiefling child, with the blood of a succubus in her veins, would grow up to be ravishingly beautiful, and she also knew that the prophecy would allow her to engineer the Pashek's downfall by providing a means to strike at the Pashek by way of his "daughter" and the doom pronounced in the prophecy. The noble uprising was certainly helped along by the machinations of this hengeyokai, who stoked the flames of discontent.
Further, the hengeyokai has made contact with the nobles and offered her services to them as a mystic. She has agreed to team with their assassins to slay the Pashek's daughter. The nobles do not know that they have been manipulated by the hengeyokai in a grand act of revenge. Nor do they know that she is a hengeyokai or that she was the originator of the prophecy. To them, she is a wicked, greedy mercenary doing this for profit and, perhaps, mayhem.
When the daughter is killed, the people will turn against the Pashek and he will be deposed and likely tortured and killed…much to the hengeyokai's delight.
Part One - The Lady:
The party will be called into the Riverine audience chamber by Barnabus. He will be there with Abrinda, Veribor, a cloaked female figure, and several cloaked male figures.
Barnabus will call the party to attention and then speak.
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I have called you together for a special assignment. One that requires discretion and wisdom, but which also involves an immediate profit for the House and a potential trade benefit in the future. Before you is Marinto Davalapong [he gestures to the cloaked female]. She is the only daughter of Pashek Davalapong of Gerilong. These four men [gesturing to the cloaked males] are her bodyguards. They are here at the request of the Pashek. It seems that there is some political strife in Gerilong and the Pashek is worried that his enemies might try to strike at him through his daughter. Thus, he has had her spirited away here under arrangement of secrecy. She was taken aboard one of our trade ships and now she is here. But I do not feel it is safe here. Nor does Veribor. Too many eyes and ears are about, and too many rivals sniffing around as a matter of course. Nor, indeed, do I wish for the enemies of the Pashek to learn of our involvement in this affair, should they prevail. After all, we will then wish to trade with the new Pashek. So, I want you to escort her and her bodyguards in secret to a remote location that I hope will be safe. It is perhaps a dozen days to the southwest of here, in a small tower and keep that the House owns. Our contract is to keep her for four months. After that, the Pashek assures me, his political matters will come to a head. I assume that means either he will be victorious, or he will be deposed. Either way, our contract will have been fulfilled. You are to take Lady Marinto to the safe location and guard her there with your lives. You will present sealed and signed orders from me to the guards there ordering them to report back to Dwillingir, so that the keep will be entirely yours. Are there any questions? |
The safe location is a keep about 20 miles east of Churl's Rest, at the western verge of the North Coast Highlands. The party will be expected to leave that night, in about 4-6 hours. Barnabus will inform the party that no communication received by them will be authentically from him or Veribor unless it bears the password "Cholent". The party is to assume that any supposed communications from House Riverine that do not bear the password are ruses by the enemy.
Passage out of Dwillingir will be made under cover of a small caravan. This will include 2 large wagons drawn by 4 oxen each. Within the wagons are food and provisions for the party, Marinto, her bodyguards, and the oxen for 4 months, plus Marinto and the bodyguards, who will be placed in secret compartments lined with lead for transport until the caravan is away from Dwillingir, and thereafter they will be expected to remain in the tarp covered wagons until arrival at the keep.
The journey can be as eventful or uneventful as the party wishes. The wagons travel across the well-paved Imperial roads at 16 miles per day. The party can elect to cut across the land straight southwest from Dwillingir, but although the distance is shorter in miles, the rutted tracks are harder, especially in winter, on the wagons and so it will still take 12 days to arrive there.
Being winter, the DM should make sure that snowfall and some climate obstacles are presented if the party leaves the roadways.
In any case, during the journey, the party will have a chance to possibly interact with Lady Marinto and her four bodyguards. None of them speaks Imperial Common. All speak only Morakki. The bodyguards are dour and grim-faced and always seem alert and poised on a knife's edge. If spoken to, they will be curt with their answers.
They are Faigon (Devoted Defenders) in training who are sworn from birth to protect their charge. They will give their lives for their lady.
Marinto, who will be demur and shy around gaijin, will at some point reveal herself by tossing back her hood. She is stunningly beautiful, her every movement steeped in grace and a natural beauty.
Marinto is unaware of her own heritage and believes she is indeed the daughter of the Pashek. She also believes she is completely human and will not know she possesses the ability to cast Darkness (though as a plot device this could manifest at a critical moment, such as during the battle with the assassins). She believes her darkvision is the result of a blessing from her dead mother and has kept it a secret. She has never had a chance to utilize her resistances due to her previously sheltered life.
She knows of and is in love with her suitor, Similak, and is somewhat saddened by her father's insistence that she remain close by his side and unwed. She knows of the crone's prophecy, though it is unlikely to come up until the party fights with her suitor.
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* Marinto Davalapong: Female tiefling Aristocrat 4; CR 4;
Medium outsider; HD 4D8; hp 27; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 12 (touch
12, flat-footed 10); Atk +6 melee (1D6-1, war fan) or +5 ranged
(1D4-1, chakram); SQ darkness, darkvision 60 ft, resistance to
cold 5, electricity 5, and fire 5; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +3,
Will +4; Str 8, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 20. Height
5 ft 4 in. Special Qualities: 1/day may cast darkness as if a 4th level sorcerer. Possessions: masterwork war fan, chakram (6), cloak, noble's outfit, belt pouch, 100 gp, 50 pp. |
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* Marinto's Bodyguards (4): Male human Monk 1/Fighter 1/Ranger 1; CR 3; Medium humanoid (human); HD 1D8+2 plus 1D10+2 plus 1D8+2; hp 24, 25, 30, 24; Init +8; Spd 30 ft; AC 16 (touch 16, flat-footed 12); Atk +5 melee (1D8+3, masterwork lajatang) or +3 melee (1D8+2, masterwork lajatang) and +3 melee (1D8+1, masterwork lajatang) or +6 ranged (1D8, composite longbow); SA stunning attack, flurry of blows, favoured enemy (fey, +2), unarmed strike; SQ wisdom bonus to AC, evasion, wild empathy, AL LN; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 15, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 9. Height 5 ft 8 in. Skills and Feats: Balance +8, Climb +6, Jump +9, Listen +7, Sense Motive +5, Spot +7, Survival +7, Tumble +10; Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Track, Two-Weapon Fighting. Possessions: masterwork lajatang, composite long bow, quiver of arrows (24), cloak, traveler's outfit, belt pouch, 30 sp, 15 gp. |
Part Two - The Keep:
Note: This keep is fashioned after the Stone Tower dungeon tiles presented in Dragon Magazine #295. DMs with access to those tiles can use them here.
After the twelve-day journey, the party will arrive at the keep. The guards there, a dozen men (Ftr 1) under a sergeant (Ftr 2), will accept Barnabus' documents as genuine. The sergeant will indicate that the documents order him to show the party the entirety of the keep, including its secret rooms. He will do so, then the men will pack up and depart for Dwillingir, handing the lead party member a ring of keys.
Refer to the House Riverine Safe Keep Map for details.
Unless stated otherwise, the keep is of dressed stone for its exteriors, floors, ceilings, and inner partitions. All rooms and hallways are 10 feet tall unless otherwise stated, and all rooms and passages have sconces indicated by an orange oval on the map. These have torches stuck in them.
All doors are strong wooden doors unless stated otherwise. All locks are DC 25 and are opened by way of the various keys that the sergeant gave to the party.
All arrow slits are as indicated, 1.5 feet wide and 3.5 feet tall at the terminus end, slightly wider on the inside. Exterior windows are uniformly 3 feet wide and 4 feet tall and all are barred with iron bars 1 inch in diameter and set 6 inches apart. These bars are forged with crosspieces at top and bottom set into deep grooves in the stone and mortared shut. As such, it is not possible to simply pry the bars out with a dagger.
Secret doors are all stone doors and require a Search check (DC 30) to find both the door and the hidden switch. All such doors are secret from both sides and each side has a hidden switch.
The keep sits astride a slight ridge outthrust from the highlands. It is in good shape, with a dry moat, a curtain wall with a gatehouse, and an inner bailey composed of a rectangular building from which a tower thrusts up some 50 feet.
All walls and building/tower tops are battlemented, with 2.5 foot wide merlons spaced 2.5 feet apart.
The Moat (not shown on the map):
The moat is dry. It is basically a large muddy ditch some 25 feet deep and 20 feet wide that surrounds the curtain wall of the keep. The bottom contains brush, plant matter, and one section is clearly a middens. The moat is full of insects and rats and other scavengers, and the DM can certainly assume some tiny or small sized monstrous vermin and rats are present within. There is a 5-7.5 foot ledge between the curtain walls and the moat.
The Wall (not shown on the map):
The curtain wall is 8 feet thick and 20 feet tall and contains steps that lead up to allow the wall to be walked upon. These steps are spaced every 30 feet or so. The wall is circular, and is 120 feet in diameter. At the northwest, southwest, northeast, and southeast cardinal points are stone bastions. At the south end is the gatehouse.
The Gatehouse (not shown on the map):
The gatehouse is a two story structure. It sits at the south end of the curtain wall and is itself 25 feet tall with a battlemented roof. The structure measures 30 feet wide by 15 feet deep and is comprised of two stories.
The ground level consists of a 10 foot wide passageway that runs north through the gatehouse. At each end of this is an iron portcullis and at the south end is also a thick wooden drawbridge. Murder holes look down on this passageway from the second storey, and arrow slits line the walls of the passageway, one every 5 feet.
This passageway is flanked by two chambers, each 10 feet wide and 15 feet deep. The western chamber contains a mechanism to raise and lower the drawbridge and the north portcullis. The eastern chamber contains a mechanism to raise and lower the south portcullis. Each chamber has a stone staircase spiraling up to the second storey. Each also has a door in the north wall leading to the inner bailey. The chambers are furnished with rough furnishings, a table, some chairs, etc.
The second story consists of a single room, and there are arrow slits on the second storey placed every 5 feet. The room contains several iron cauldrons mounted on wooden frames with handles that can be used to dump them over. These frames rest on four small iron wheels so that they can be moved to specific murder holes. These cauldrons can be filled with burning oil or acid and dumped onto intruders in the gated passageway below.
An iron ladder leads to a trap door (barrable from the underside) to the roof.
The Bailey (not shown on the map):
The inner bailey is the area surrounded by the curtain wall. Other than the stone tower itself, there is nothing of note here, the ground being muddy in some places and grassy in others.
The Stone Tower:
Ground Floor:
Access to the ground floor is from the north, forcing visitors and intruders to travel around the stone tower within the inner bailey before reaching the entryway.
The entry is comprised of several stone steps leading up to a portcullis.
Guard Posts - These are areas flanking the entryway that allow the guards to observe and fire upon anyone in the entry hallway. The western guardroom contains a small bench and, along the west wall, a weapon rack.
The eastern guard post contains a small bench and a mechanism for raising and lowering the portcullis entry to the stone tower.
To the west of the western guardroom is a small privy.
Common Area - This large area contains a large hearth to the west, which vents through a chimney built into the thick exterior stone walls and vents through a slit just before reaching the roof.
A large oak trestle table dominates the room, with a velvet cloth and two brass candelabras set upon it. Six plain chairs flan the table, while a larger master's seat is set at the western head.
Cords of firewood are stacked to the south of the hearth.
Kitchen - A standard well-stocked kitchen, consisting of an iron oven in the southwest corner which vents through a flue in the wall and joins with the chimney for the hearth in the Common Area. There is also a stack of firewood, a wooden cabinet holding dishes and place settings, seve3ral tables for chopping, and a couple of stools.
To the south are five barrels and a stack of crates. The barrels hold water and the crates are empty.
A small grate in the floor of the south part of the room drains to a small hole in the exterior wall of the tower.
First Floor:
Barracks - This is a single room that holds half a dozen feather beds. At the foot of each bed is an empty chest with the key stuck in the lock. Along the west wall is a weapon rack.
Servants' Quarters - Each of these is a plain room containing two stuffed pallets set on wooden platforms and a single dresser with two drawers. All of the dressers are empty.
Second Floor:
Master Bedroom - The door to this room can be locked. This large room's floor is done in polished marble. A large fancy bed with silk sheets sits against the western wall, with a small nightstand and washbasin set nearby. In the northwest corner is a large wardrobe with several drawers built into it. Along the east wall is a large mirror in a wooden frame and a set of shelves.
Bedrooms - The doors to these rooms can be locked. Within are a plush feather bed, a nightstand and washbasin, a small wardrobe, and an empty chest which key is sticking out from the lock.
Third Floor:
Library - The doors to this room can be locked. Within is a large hearth along the west wall, sharing the chimney with the hearth in the Common Area. Two large plush red comfort chairs are set before the hearth, each with its own ottoman and a small table with two goblets set between them.
Flanking the hearth are two large urns that are stained from old wine.
The walls of the room are covered in book shelves and within is a well-stocked library dealing with histories, myths and legends, fanciful tales, accounts of battles, etc.
To the south is a large mirror framed in wood, and to the west is an empty curio cabinet.
Study/Office - The doors to this room can be locked. Within a large blue and red rug dominates the floor, leading to a large teak desk and chair. A mug sits on the otherwise clean desk. Behind the desk is a shelving unit that is mostly empty, but holds a few books detailing flora and fauna of the area and a few charts and maps of the surrounding area and of this keep, including some that are obviously plans for expansion of the structure.
Along the south wall is a mirror in a wooden frame.
Fourth Floor:
Guard Posts - The southwest guard post contains a weapon rack and an empty cabinet. To the north, a wooden ladder leads to a trap door to the Roof. This door can be barred by a stout metal bar from this side.
The northeast guard post contains a bench, a stack of sacks filled with feed, three barrels of water, and a large cabinet that looks like it might be designed to hold saddles and tack and harness. It is currently empty.
Stables - Each stable consists of a good wooden door that can be latched from the outside. Each door has a small window set in it that can be opened to view the stable within. Each stable is divided from the other by a set of iron bars 1 inch in diameter and 6 inches apart that runs from floor to ceiling. A grate set into the floor of each stable drains to a hole in the exterior wall of the tower.
The middle stall of the western row of stables contains six bales of hay and a barrel full of water.
Ramp - This stone ramp leads up to a large trap door set into the roof. It is barrable from this side by two thick metal rods.
Interestingly, the stables of this tower are locate don the top floor and lead to the roof. While horses and other beasts could, in theory, be lead down the spiral staircase and out of the tower through the ground level, this is anything but practical. It should be clear that this tower was designed for flying mounts of pegasus or hippogriff size.
Roof:
There are two strong wooden trapdoors set into the floor of the Roof. The larger one is actually a double door and leads to the Ramp below. The smaller one leads to a wooden ladder in a Guard Post.
Along with the trapdoors, the roof holds a pile of weathered crates containing mundane supplies, such as 300 feet of rope, hammers, nails, iron spikes, etc. Three crates are full of arrows (400), crossbow bolts (400), and javelins (50). Two barrels nearby contain oil.
A large trunk, almost 4 feet high, holds a block and tackle set up that looks like it can be used to hoist heavy objects up the stone tower from the ground. It appears even horses could be hoisted. It requires a Knowledge (engineering) check (DC 20) to set up the mechanism or a straight Intelligence check can be made. Failure by 5 or more indicates a mishap during a hoist. Failure by less than 5 indicates the mechanism simply doesn't operate or that it is apparent the mechanism is not set up properly. It takes 10 minutes for each attempt to set up the mechanism.
Dungeon Level One:
Storage Room - This room contains three large casks filled with ale, wine, and beer respectively. Also here are a pile of crates holding non-perishable foodstuffs. A pile of sacks holds grain and legumes, and three barrels hold oil. Several shelves are stocked full of mundane supplies such as mugs, ewers, jugs, mirrors, sacks, etc.
Combat Training Area - This room is set up to allow various sorts of martial exercise. A wooden attack dummy stands in the room, while along the wall is a weapon rack holding wooden swords and practice axes and blunt spears. A set of barbells is on the floor, and set into the west wall are two bulls-eye targets. Along the north wall are hung three large steel shields. In the southwest corner is an empty cabinet.
Gymnasium - This room consists of various metal bars and ladders at varying heights all about the room, with a plush pad on the floor under one bar.
Dungeon Level Two:
Alchemy Lab - This is a small alchemical laboratory, consisting of two worktables holding various empty vessels and flasks, a stool, a shelf unit, a liquid bath, and a large trunk.
A candelabrum rests on one of the tables, along with an open book that seems to be a very basic primer on alchemy (the stuff you learn with your first rank or two of Alchemy skill).
The shelf unit holds more basic treatises on alchemy, nothing of value beyond stocking a generic alchemical library.
The liquid bath is empty but contains a silvery metal interior lining its wooden frame. Beneath the silver lining is a lead lining.
The trunk has a key sticking out of it and inside are racks for holding vials. There are a dozen empty vials inside and nothing else.
Magic Lab - The southern portion of this chamber is given over to a permanent inlaid calling circle set with silvery runes. Nearby is a reading table and stool. Upon the table is an open book containing spell formulae for the cantrips in the Player's Handbook. It appears to be an apprentice's primer. Near to that stands a tall candelabrum holding three thick black candles.
Two wooden cabinets contain racks atop their drawers for holding vials and wands. These cabinets are empty.
Torture Chamber - Dried bloodstains still dot the floor of this chamber. A stone chair sits to the west, with wrist restraints built into the arms. Next to that is a cabinet holding manacles, gags, and small torture implements such as gouges, scalpels, needles, thumb screws, clamps, and vices. Along the south wall is a rack, and to the north is a bin filled with hot coals. A candelabrum stands nearby.
Prison - Each of these 10 foot by 5 foot cells is warded by an iron door set with a key lock and an iron bar on the outside.
Life in the Keep:
The party has a four month stay ahead of them, so the DM should let them settle into the place, take what precautions they like, organize watches, and what have you. Marinto will go where ordered as far as living arrangement are concerned, though her bodyguards will try to arrange for her to get the Master Bedroom and they the other bedrooms on that floor. Marinto will not remain cooped up inside her room for four months, and at the very least will want to roam the stone tower. She will try to gain permission to occasionally get a breath of fresh air and exercise by wandering the bailey or the roof of the tower.
The bodyguards will certainly utilize the Combat Training Area and Gymnasium.
The DM is encouraged to add some minor plot devices and encounters during the interludes between the two attacks (see below). This will serve to somewhat divert the players' focus entirely away from guard duty and will provide a sense of time to the guard duty. A useful device the DM can use is to introduce an encounter or two that, at first, might seem to be the assassins attacking but turns out to be little more than a random encounter (e.g. a fight between two animals near the tower or even on the roof that makes a racket).
Part Three - The First Attack:
The first attack will come some month or so into the stay at the stone tower. Similak will have arrived and he believes that the party has kidnapped Marinto and he seeks to rescue her.
Similak is being manipulated by the hengeyokai into helping her find Marinto. Similak and Marinto truly and deeply love each other, even though they have only met a few brief times in the Pashek's castle, and this has formed a mystical bond that the hengeyokai hopes to use. When Marinto was first spirited away from Gerilong, the hengeyokai was frustrated, for she could not locate the lady and could not direct the assassins to her location. But, when Similak arrived at her lair seeking the "old crone" of the prophecy whom he believed could use her prescience to find his beloved, the hengeyokai was elated. She used a lock of hair given to Similak as a keepsake by Marinto to forge an amulet that would use the strength of the love-bond between Similak and Marinto to locate her. The hengeyokai stoked Similak's fervor by pretending to divine that Marinto had been kidnapped and that she faced all sorts of dire consequences if not rescued immediately, including rape, torture, sacrifice, and death. She then handed the amulet to Similak and urged him to rescue his fair maiden with all due haste.
Unbeknownst to Similak, the hengeyokai then crafted an amulet of her own that would key to the first amulet, so that she and the assassins could follow Similak and slay Marinto.
If everything worked according to plan, Similak would slay or weaken whoever was guarding Marinto, and then the assassins could clean up whoever prevailed.
Similak is not an evil person. In fact, he is quite righteous and honourable. He simply is somewhat love struck and gullible and also is subject to the traditional Morakki view that all gaijin are horrible savages and barbarians. Thus, when he learns his beloved Marinto is being held prisoner in a keep in the lands of the gaijin, his mind will run wild with images of hairy pale gaijin raping his beloved and this will cause him to attack first and ask questions later.
Similak was given, by the Crone, two potions and a talisman that he intends to use to rescue his beloved. The three are certainly good enough to get him into the tower. He will likely try to go through an upper window at night in gaseous form and then save his other potions to rescue Marinto and make good their escape.
Similak will be fairly aggressive at first, though he is no killer and will not finish off those whom he has defeated (at least not as long as his beloved is alive and unharmed). However, eventually he will run into Marinto and she will express surprise at his presence and then calm him down, though this may take a while as Similak may believe she is charmed or somehow enchanted.
By the same token, Marinto will attempt to get the party to calm down and not slay Similak, even going so far as to interpose her body between the party and the samurai.
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* Similak: Male human Samurai 4; CR 4; Medium humanoid (human); HD 4D10+8; hp 37; Init +6; Spd 20 ft; AC 18 (touch 13; flat-footed 15); Atk +8 melee (1D10+4, +1 katana) or +6 melee (1D10+3, +1 katana) and +5 melee (1D6+2, wakizashi); AL LN; SV Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 12. Height 5 ft 9 in. Skills and Feats: Climb +9, Iaijutsu Focus +6, Intimidate +3, Jump +7, Ride +5, Spot +2, Swim +4, Tumble +8; Dodge, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (katana), Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (katana). Possessions: +1 katana (daisho), lamellar armour, longbow (dai-kyu), arrows (20), wakizashi, belt pouch, backpack, traveler's outfit, grapple-firing crossbow, grapple, silk rope (100 feet), potion of Spider Climb at 3rd level, bone key talisman (Knock spell at 3rd level), potion of Gaseous Form at 5th level. |
Once things are calmed down, Marinto and Similak will converse in Morakki, explaining their own situations to each other and then, eventually, to the party.
Similak will explain that he was told by a prophetic crone that his beloved had been kidnapped by gaijin and that horrid fates would befall her. So he came here to rescue his beloved. Marinto will ask if his crone is the crone of the prophecy, and Similak will affirm that she was.
By this time, the party should be curious about the crone and the prophecy. If they ask Marinto, she will tell them of the crone's prophecies, how the first ones came true, and that the remaining oracles that hang heavily upon the head of her father.
Similak, if still alive, will demand he be allowed to stay in the tower and guard Marinto with the party. It might be clear to perceptive observers that Similak probably still doesn't trust his beloved in the hands of gaijin. However, he will also wish to stay because he believes she is in danger from the rebellious noble families and because he feels shamed at having misunderstood the party's intent and so he wishes to try to make amends and reclaim his honour.
Similak observes the proprieties of Morakki society and he and Marinto will not lie together. However, he will, despite attempts by Marinto's bodyguards, try to spend time with her talking to her and even attempting to hold hands and have some private moments together. It is up to the PCs whether they allow this and, if so, how they overcome the objections of Marinto's bodyguards (who are loyal to her father over her). If allowed, it will be clear that what was an intense infatuation has blossomed into a deep and true love. The DM is encouraged to play this up, with Similak bringing Marinto flowers and reading her poetry, etc.
Part Four - The Final Attack:
Several weeks after Similak's attack, the hengeyokai and her assassins will arrive. She will scout out the place as a sparrow, which should be virtually impossible for the party to divine, as sparrows are quite common in the area during the daylight hours.
The exact plan of the assassins is up to the DM. Likely, the hengeyokai will fly into some window as a sparrow, attempt to make her way to the roof through a trap door, and then lower a rope to allow the assassins in. If a better plan presents itself after observing the routine of the party, then she will alter her plans in compensation.
The assassins only want to slay Marinto (and bring her head back to prove the deed to the nobles). That is their primary goal and, except for the hengeyokai, they are professionals. The hengeyokai is primarily interested in helping the assassins slay Marinto. However, she will also wish to dispose of Similak, to cover her tracks and to eliminate a potential future enemy. She is thoroughly evil, however, and would enjoy causing the PCs pain and suffering and death as well if it doesn't hinder her primary goal(s).
The hengeyokai has three forms and so is presented with 3 blocks of statistics.
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* The "Crone" in Human Form: Female hengeyokai Rogue 2/Wu Jen 4; CR 7; Medium magical beast (shapechanger); HD 2D6+4 plus 4D4+8; hp 34; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 12 (touch 12, flat-footed 10); Atk +3 melee (1D6, +2 defending quarterstaff) or +6 ranged (1 and poison, blowgun); SA sneak attack +1D6; SQ trapfinding, evasion, alternate forms (hybrid, animal [see below] 7/day), sudden action, spell secret, taboos, fire elemental mastery (+2 bonus on saves against fire spells); AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 9, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 13. Height 5 ft 2 in. Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Climb +4, Concentration +11, Hide +7, Intimidate +6, Jump +5, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +7, Search +5, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +9, Spot +5, Swim +4, Tumble +7; Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Extend Spell, Poison Immunity (black adder venom). Special Qualities: Spell Secret: Scales of the snake is always under the effect of an Extend Spell metamagic feat. Taboos: Cannot eat meat, cannot drink alcohol. Possessions: +2 defending quarterstaff, masterwork blowgun, blowgun darts (12), bone key talisman (Knock spell at 3rd level), dust of immobility (2 doses), potion of Cure Moderate Wounds at 3rd level, scholar's outfit, black adder venom [DC 11, 1D6 Con] (6), spell component pouch, belt pouch. Spells Prepared (4/4/3): 0 - dancing lights, flare, ghost sound, resistance; 1 - elemental burst, magic missile, scales of the lizard, shield; 2 - fire shuriken, protection from arrows, summon monster II. Base DC = 13 + spell level (15 + spell level for fire element spells). Spellbook (16/12/7): 0 - arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance; 1 - charm person, elemental burst, endure elements, fiery eyes, hold portal, magic missile, melt, protection from good, scales of the lizard, shield, sleep, smoke ladder; 2 - blur, cat's grace, fire shuriken, protection from arrows, pyrotechnics, rain of needles, summon monster II. |
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* The "Crone" in Sparrow Form: Female hengeyokai Rogue 2/Wu Jen 4; CR 7; Fine magical beast (shapechanger); HD 2D6 plus 4D4; hp 22; Init +6; Spd 1 ft, fly 50 ft (good); AC 24 (touch 24, flat-footed 18); Atk -1 melee (nil); SQ alternate forms (hybrid, animal [see below] 7/day), fire elemental mastery (+2 bonus on saves against fire spells), low-light vision, speak with sparrows; AL CE; SV Fort +1, Ref +11, Will +4; Str 1, Dex 23, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 13. Length 4 in. Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Climb +0, Concentration +9, Hide +27, Intimidate +6, Jump +1, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +11, Search +5, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +9, Spot +5, Swim +0, Tumble +11; Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Extend Spell, Poison Immunity (black adder venom). Special Qualities: Taboos: Cannot eat meat, cannot drink alcohol. Possessions: none |
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* The "Crone" in Hybrid Form: Female hengeyokai Rogue 2/Wu Jen 4; CR 7; Medium magical beast (shapechanger); HD 2D6+4 plus 4D4+8; hp 34; Init +3; Spd 20 ft, fly 20 ft (average); AC 12 (touch 12, flat-footed 10); Atk +3 melee (1D6, +2 defending quarterstaff) or +7 ranged (1 and poison, blowgun); SA sneak attack +1D6; SQ trapfinding, evasion, alternate forms (hybrid, animal [see below] 7/day), sudden action, spell secret, taboos, fire elemental mastery (+2 bonus on saves against fire spells); AL CE; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 9, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 13. Height 5 ft 2 in. Skills and Feats: Bluff +6, Climb +4, Concentration +11, Hide +8, Intimidate +6, Jump +5, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Search +5, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +9, Spot +5, Swim +4, Tumble +8; Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Extend Spell, Poison Immunity (black adder venom). Special Qualities: Spell Secret: Scales of the snake is always under the effect of an Extend Spell metamagic feat. Taboos: Cannot eat meat, cannot drink alcohol. Possessions: +2 defending quarterstaff, masterwork blowgun, blowgun darts (12), bone key talisman (Knock spell at 3rd level), dust of immobility (2 doses), potion of Cure Moderate Wounds at 3rd level, scholar's outfit, black adder venom [DC 11, 1D6 Con] (6), spell component pouch, belt pouch. Spells Prepared (4/4/3): 0 - dancing lights, flare, ghost sound, resistance; 1 - elemental burst, magic missile, scales of the lizard, shield; 2 - fire shuriken, protection from arrows, summon monster II. Base DC = 13 + spell level (15 + spell level for fire element spells). Spellbook (16/12/7): 0 - arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance; 1 - charm person, elemental burst, endure elements, fiery eyes, hold portal, magic missile, melt, protection from good, scales of the lizard, shield, sleep, smoke ladder; 2 - blur, cat's grace, fire shuriken, protection from arrows, pyrotechnics, rain of needles, summon monster II. |
The assassins do not particularly care to slay anyone other than Marinto. They will use lethal force to get to her, but will not administer coups de grace to fallen foes or chase them unless, in their judgment, those foes are likely to return to hinder them.
Virimishu is a deadly sohei, enforcer of a large and powerful monastery in Gerilong that trains monk assassins. She is very exacting in her demands of obedience and adherence to plans and is the leader of these assassins. She dislikes the Crone's uncouth manner and messy habits, but she has been commanded to work with her on this job and so will obey the Crone unfailingly.
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* Virimishu: Female human Sohei 5; CR 5; Medium humanoid (human); HD 5D10+10; hp 43; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; 17 (touch 11, flat-footed 16); Atk +8 melee (2D4+3, masterwork nagamaki) or +6 ranged (1D6+1, composite shortbow (+1 Str bonus); SA ki frenzy; SQ strength of mind; AL LE; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +6; Str 15, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 16. Height 5 ft 3 in. Skills and Feats: Climb +5, Concentration +6, Heal +5, Iaijutsu Focus +7, Knowledge (religion) +3, Spot +4; Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Mobility, Remain Conscious, Weapon Focus (nagamaki). Special Attacks: Ki Frenzy: 2/day the sohei may enter a frenzy, gaining +2 to Strength and Dexterity, +10 to speed, and can make a flurry of blows with a full attack action in melee gaining 1 extra attack per round but suffering a -2 penalty on every attack. While in a ki frenzy the sohei cannot use skills or abilities requiring patience of concentration or certain feats. The frenzy lasts for 5 rounds, after which the sohei is -2 to Strength and Dexterity and cannot charge or run for the rest of the encounter. Special Qualities: Strength of Mind: The sohei is immune to stunning and Sleep spells and effects. Possessions: masterwork nagamaki, chain shirt, chahar-aina, dastana, composite shortbow (+1 Str bonus), arrows (20), silver arrows (10), monk's outfit, hawk's feather talisman (Levitate at 3rd level), belt pouch. Spells Prepared (2): 1 - doom, shield of faith. Base DC = 12 + spell level. |
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* Hondurito: Male human Rogue 4; CR 4; Medium humanoid (human); 4D6+4; hp 22; Init +8; Spd 30 ft; Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 16 (touch 14, flat-footed 12); Atk +8 melee (1D6+1, kusari-gama) or +6 melee (1D6+1, kusari-gama) and +6 melee (1D4, kusari-gama) or +7 ranged (1D4+1, dart); SA sneak attack +2D6; SQ trapfinding, evasion, trapsense +1, uncanny dodge; AL NE; SV Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +3; Str 12, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 11. Height 5 ft 6 in. Skills and Feats: Balance +11, Bluff +5, Climb +8 (+10 when using a rope), Diplomacy +4, Disable Device +4, Escape Artist +11 (+13 when escaping from rope bonds), Hide +6, Intimidate +2, Jump +3, Listen +9, Move Silently +6, Open Locks +4, Sense Motive +7, Search +9, Sleight of Hand +6, Spot +9, Tumble +11, Use Magic Item +9, Use Rope +11 (+13 when binding someone); Exotic Weapon (kusari-gama); Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse. Possessions: wand of Cure Light Wounds at 1st level with 23 charges, kusari-gama, chain shirt, darts (8), dagger, traveller's outfit, flash pellets [Reflex save at DC 20 to avert eyes, otherwise Fortitude save at DC 15 or be dazed for 1 round, range increment 10 ft] (4), silk rope (100 ft), grapple, climbing kit (+2 bonus to Climb checks), belt pouch. |
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* Trained Assassins (6): Male human Monk 2/Rogue 1; CR 3; Medium humanoid (human); HD 2D8+4 plus 1D6+2; hp 23; Init +3; Spd 30 ft; Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; AC 16 (touch 16, flat-footed 13); Atk +5 melee (1D6+1, unarmed attack) or +4 ranged (1D4, sling); SA flurry of blows, sneak attack +1D6; SQ wisdom bonus to AC, evasion, trapfinding; AL LE; SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 12. Height 5 ft 8 in. Skills and Feats: Balance +10, Bluff +7, Climb +6, Diplomacy +3, Escape Artist +5, Hide +6, Intimidate +3, Jump +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +6, Sleight of Hand +5, Spot +5, Tumble +11; Deflect Arrows, Eagle Claw Attack, Fists of Iron (6/day), Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Stunning Fist. Special Attacks: Flurry of Blows (+3/+3). Possessions: monk's outfit, sling, bullets (12), silk rope (75 ft), grapple. |
Part Five - Aftermath (and the test of love):
The assassins and the hengeyokai will not rest until they have completed their mission. Failure for the assassins means ritual suicide if they cannot continue to make attempts. That said, there is nothing to stop the assassins from pulling back out of a bad encounter with the party and, instead, perhaps seeking to ambush the PCs and Marinto on the road back to Dwillingir. It could happen that as the assassins pull back and keep a watch on the tower, that the party learns of this and launches an attack of their own against the assassin's camp!
There are several outcomes to this scenario, and these are dealt with below:
The party will receive a courier at the end of four months who bears a sealed note which requests the party return Marinto to Dwillingir for reclamation by her father. The note is signed "Cholent".
Assuming Marinto is alive, the party will have succeeded in their mission, and will have improved House Riverine's fortunes and its relations with Gerilong, giving them preferred status in Pashek Davalapong's markets.
If Similak is alive, Marinto and his time spent together in the tower have fully cemented their love, and Marinto will not wish to be returned to her father. She will instead wish to leave with Similak and be trothed to him and live with his family. Perhaps a week or two before the end of the four month period, Marinto will request (in private, away from her bodyguards if possible) that the party allow her and Similak to leave on their own after the four months are over. She will offer the party her carried wealth (100 gp and 50 pp) if she thinks that will help convince them and will plead her case for true love persuasively (note her Diplomacy skill of +18...her arguments should be very compelling, tugging on the emotions of the PCs). Obviously, her bodyguards will not allow this, and will have to be dealt with. If they catch wind of what is happening, they will even use force against the party and Similak to return Marinto to her father. If Marinto and Similak turn up missing, they will leave to hunt them down. The party could, in this case, try to imprison the bodyguards long enough for Marinto and Similak to get a good headstart. Or, more brutally, they can kill the bodyguards.
Of course, if the party does let Marinto leave, then they have some tough explaining to do back in Dwillingir when Barnabus finds out they lost him his contractual payment and the furious Pashek Davalapong will cut all trade ties between himself and Riverine.
If the party refuses to let Marinto leave, Similak and Marinto will probably try to escape on their own. Similak will try his best not to hurt any party members in this case, but if he has to he will. The bodyguards will, of course, help the party in restraining the two lovers and/or tracking them down should they manage to escape.
If Similak is dead, Marinto will be distraught, but will return willingly to her father.
If Marinto is slain, the party will have failed. House Riverine will lose its contract payment from the Pashek. In addition, they will lose all trade rights to Davalapong's trade enclaves. Similak, if he still lives, will likely kill himself out of grief...perhaps falling on his sword or perhaps jumping from the top of the tower.
Experience:
In addition to normal experience (which in Therra is half of that recommended in the DMG), each party member should be rewarded as follows:
· The party keeps Marinto
alive: +100 XP.
· The party does not slay Similak: +50 XP.
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