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Roguish Roles
"We can't just stay here skulking in
the alley," Palin whispered.... "We should
leave now, while it's quiet, before
the knights come back."
Usha was silent long moments, then said,
"There's another way, a safer
way, but you won't like it."
"Why?" Palin asked, chilled.
"What is it?"
Usha tossed her silver hair.
"The Thieves' Way, it's called..."
From the docks of Sanction to the sewers beneath Palanthas, Ansalon is criss-crossed with signs of defiance. This chapter describes how to introduce these elements into FIFTH AGE games and takes a look at the underground activity raging throughout the land. The unique nature of adventures that center around intrigue calls for a word of advice to both Narrators and players. Selecting the Villain In choosing a villain for a game of intrigue, a Narrator must think about more than just whether to use a master, a minion, or a few of each (as described in Chapter Two of the Book of the Fifth Age). The villain's background and personality should reflect the game's desired tone. Should a Narrator choose a dangerous schemer over a seductive vixen or an honorable powermonger? All of the above would make excellent master villains but they would produce campaigns very different in mood. In any case, the chosen villain should have complex motivations. Pure greed isn't very interesting, but the twisted ravings of a madman can be too hard for the heroes to relate to. The rational villain is often the most interesting. Next the Narrator must ask, what does a villain with these motivations really want? What's his goal? As deception is key to intrigue, the villain often conceals his identity, motivation, and nature. He may purposely adopt an inoffensive appearance and benign personality just to throw the heroes off guard. He may even set up one of his own minions to look like the real mastermind. In any case, the heroes must wade through many layers of duplicity to learn who their foe really is. Structuring the Intrigue Once the Narrator has selected the villain, he needs to decide, based on the character's goal, what does he do? Of course, he won't go about achieving his goal in a straightforward manner. What tricks does he use to cover up his activities? How does he direct attention away from himself? How do the heroes stumble onto his scheme? What is his backup plan if they foil Plan A? The answers to these questions come together to form the adventure's main plot. Subplots can derive from the villain's misdirections. For instance, a dupe the villain uses as a cover for some of his activities might find his fate in some way linked to that of one of the heroes. And no plan is perfect, either - a minion in charge of creating a diversion might make a crucial mistake and provide the heroes with a clue, as they peel away layer after layer of the mystery. The consequences of the foe's actions also can inspire interesting subplots. Plus, bringing the heroes face to face with the effects of the Evil scheme can make them feel personally involved in fighting the villain - what better motivation do they need than the abuse of innocents or the death of a beloved character? Narrating the Intrigue A Narrator must set a mood of mystery appropriate to an intrigue - and that means doing more than just dimming the lights and playing spooky music. One technique is to make the heroes unsure of whom they can trust. Is the innkeep really what he seems? Why did that knight give them a funny look? When everyone they meet seems to have a motive to oppose them, the heroes get paranoid, and tension mounts. However, limiting betrayals and secret agendas to characters quickly leads the players to distrust only them. The Narrator should also encourage heroes to conspire among themselves. While players shouldn't seek to undermine each other's heroes, a few hidden agendas or false demeanors (as described in the next chapter) can create that "trust no one" atmosphere to great effect. Pacing is another important point to consider. After all, players will get frustrated if their heroes keep running into dead ends or face a lack of action. On the other hand. Narrators should not rely too heavily on combat in this kind of adventure. They instead should force the heroes - and players - to think. A major discovery at the right time makes them feel as though they have outsmarted the villain and will spur them on like no battle ever could. Staging Cons Roguish heroes, who frequently have to survive on their wits alone, more often than not choose to trick their way past characters rather than take them on in a toe-to-toe fight. Con games and other deceptions are part-and-parcel of game sessions revolving around rogues and other disreputable types. At the heart of any con lies the ability to convince someone that a hero can make good on something that seems too good to be true. When heroes attempt to use trickery, the Narrator should keep one thing in mind: He is not matching wits with the players, the characters are. The heroes' con - such as tricking a merchant in league with the Dark Knights to give them evidence of his nefarious entanglements - might temporarily derail the Narrator's plans for a portion of the game. Nonetheless, if the heroes act cleverly and the merchant has no reason to doubt them, the con might succeed. As the Narrator is not playing to win or lose, it's okay for the heroes to pull the wool over a character's eyes - as long as their story could reasonably convince that character. A Narrator should use card play only to augment the drama of a con. For instance, he could let the aura of a randomly drawn card determine whether a character catches on, but it would be better to just let the con succeed if the role-playing seems convincing. Having the heroes attempt Presence actions opposed by a character's Reason (or Intellect) can speed up the pace. Below are some ideas for con games heroes might pull on their adversaries or just to make a quick steel piece or two.
- Conning the Conner: Con artists can
be easy marks, as they're always
looking to make some quick coin
and, as crooks themselves, they can't
exactly run to the law after getting
taken. The best way for heroes to
con a con artist is to turn his own
scam against him, such as convincing a phony seer that he has incurred
the wrath of spirits for his trickery.
This section takes a look at major centers of resistance in Fifth Age Ansalon. While not a complete tally of potential underground groups, the survey provides a sampling to inspire Narrators. Each entry identifies the leaders of the groups at a particular location (locales in italics are referenced on the map on page 33) and details their objectives. The Dragon Realms Life in some draconic realms remains nearly unchanged from past ages - many peasants in Skie's realm feel they have merely traded one lord for another. Elsewhere, such as in Malys's realm, life has become unbearable. Yet each land harbors those who chafe at the yoke of oppression and work to throw it off. Beryllinthranox the Green
To the casual observer, Speaker Gilthas
and his mother Laurana seem staunch
supporters of the Green Dragon who
occupies Qualinesti and the Dark
Knights that serve her. In truth, the two
secretly lead the elven resistance. Many
nights find Laurana (Qualinesti adult
female, inspiring demeanor, Legend, 2
Gilthas (Qualinesti young male, serious demeanor, Hero, 2
This latest move has spurred rebels
loyal to the dark elf Porthios (Qua-
linesti adult male, distant demeanor,
Hero, 6
Khellendros the Blue
The adventure The Storm Over Krynn
introduces Shen Korras (half-elf adult
male, shrewd demeanor, Hero), a merchant and sorcerer headquartered in
the town of Relgoth. In addition to his
covert activities there, Korras has long
supported the Citadel of Light. His
agents in all major towns of the Blue's
realm offer safe havens to Citadel mystics who have run afoul of the dragon's
minions. Rumor says Korras even has
Dark Knight spies, as he often knows a
mystic has been marked for capture
before the mystic himself does.
The Dark Knights' iron-fisted rule
during the Summer of Chaos mobilized the cutthroats, murderers, and
extortionists of the Palanthas Thieves
Guild into action. They were aided by
Daavyd Nelgard (human adult male,
motivated demeanor, Champion), an
Ergothian master thief dispatched from
Gwynned to help the Palanthian resistance after Lord Ariakan executed local
guild leader Lynched Geoffrey.
The coming of Skie made Nelgard's
job both harder and easier. The Blue
rescinded the Dark Knights' mandatory
death sentence for all crimes, but also
took other steps to restore the city to
normalcy - a move that led some thieves
to desert the guild. Legionnaire scout
Rindia Rolanta (human adult female,
cynical demeanor, Adventurer) suggested
a plan to once again galvanize the city's
underworld: assassinating Knight-
Officer Elstone Kinsaid (human adult
male, decisive demeanor, Adventurer),
commander of the local garrison. The
ensuing brutal crackdown will undoubtedly restore the guild's motivation.
As discussed in Chapter One, many
Vingaard river pirates provide ready aid
to rebels traveling by boat.
Malystryx the Red
The city of Flotsam became a true
hodgepodge of races and cultures after
the War of the Lance. Humans, kender,
gnolls, and hobgoblins all lived
together in harmony under the leadership of Toede (hobgoblin elder male,
inspiring demeanor, Legend, 8
While bards across eastern Ansalon
sing light-hearted songs of the exploits
of the motley Flotsam crew, there's
nothing funny about the struggles of a
local enclave of afflicted kender trying
to regain their former homeland. The
attacks of Kronn Thistleknot (kender
adult male, motivated demeanor, Master)
on the Great Red's draconian minions
and his efforts to map the Desolation
(and identify dragon lairs) give hope to
all in the realm. Heroes can often contact Kronn's band in Port Balifor.
Onysablet the Black
Legion of Steel members working near
the City of Morning Dew on the border
with Iyesta's realm frequently intercept
the raiding parties that capture victims
for her experiments. The Citadel of Light
dispatches healers and animists to reverse
the unnatural transformations the Black
heaps upon the land and her victims.
The Free Realms
Most planning for rebel activity takes
place in free lands. In fact, some former
backwaters have emerged as centers for
the struggle against the dragons.
Abanasinia
At the Academy of Sorcery near Solace,
efforts are underway to unlock the
secrets of the dragon overlords' ability to
shape the land. Palin Majere (human
adult male, impulsive demeanor, Legend,
1
In Solace as well as in Haven, the
Legion of Steel works in an uneasy
truce with Solamnic Knights to see
Qualinesti refugees safely relocated.
Neraka
Under Nels Dargand (human adult
male, observant demeanor, Adventurer),
the Legion of Steel has placed a cell in
the town of Neraka. Nels also has
befriended one of the top aides to
Governor-General Mirielle Abrena
(human middle-aged female, commanding demeanor, Master, 6
Sanction
Despite the firm grip Lord Governor
Hogan Bight (human adult male,
indomitable demeanor, Master) has on
Sanction, both the Legion and the
Solamnics have managed to infiltrate
the city. Neither group sees how Bight
can fend off the Great Dragons and
Dark Knights without help. He must be
a minion of the dragons, they surmise;
work to expose him proceeds.
Their biggest hindrance, however, is
each other. Whenever the clandestine
Solamnic Knights think they've uncovered spies of the Lord Governor, they
invariably find themselves on the trail of
the covert Legionnaires, and vice-versa.
The leaders of each group - Xavier
Kross of the Legion (human adult male,
fierce demeanor, Champion) and Karine
Thasally of the Solamnics (half-elf
young adult female, confident demeanor,
Champion) - try to inform each other
of their plans, but they still manage to
trip over each other. Often they use
Rose Knight Linsha Majere (human
young adult female, confident demeanor,
Adventurer, 3
Teyr
The citizens of Teyr, Ansalon's only
draconian realm, hate both their loss of
freedom to Neraka and their forced
participation in its coming invasion of
the Estwilde and Nordmaar. Not long
ago. Lord Kang (Bozak, practical
demeanor, Champion) dispatched
emissaries to the Solamnic Knights at
North Keep in Nordmaar, seeking aid
against the Dark Knights. Certain the
request would fail, Kang set his second-in-command, Slith (Sivak, resourceful
demeanor, Adventurer), to work
covertly sabotaging Dark Knight
equipment to slow down war efforts.
While the Solamnics' response was
negative. Sir Reynol uth Sabar (human
young adult male, impulsive demeanor,
Adventurer) took pity upon the draconians. Resigning his place among North
Keep's Sword Knights, Reynol took his
retainers to Teyr. There, posing as an
arms merchant, he secretly plans a massive strike with Kang and some human
barbarians who prefer draconians to
Dark Knights. Reynol hopes that once
the Solamnics at North Keep see that
Teyr genuinely opposes Neraka, they
will support him. Anything else means
death for Reynol and those with him.
Throt
Goblin freedom fighters originally from
Sikk'et Hul in Northern Ergoth (see
Chapter Four) have hooked up with
members of the Legion of Steel in Haligoth. The Legionnaires would like to see
a more stable buffer state between Neraka and Solamnia - one not predisposed to doing the Dark Knights'
bidding. This combined group hopes to
assassinate King Uhkrin of Throt (hobgoblin adult male, uncaring demeanor,
Champion) and take control of the
realm. Each night they free a few more
goblins from the hobgoblins' slave pens
and steal a few more weapons for their
fighting force.
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