Bad Tidings
Scene One: Hail the Heroes
This scene is a segue connecting the
events of the adventure Storm Over
Krynn to the current action.
Overview
The adventure begins when the heroes
arrive at the Academy of Sorcery near
Solace. With them are Gilthanas, a
long-lost Hero of the Lance, and
Raalumar Sageth, a scholar they rescued from one of Khellendros's slave
camps. The heroes have the following
information for Palin Majere:
- The Great Dragons are creating
"spawn," a new type of draconian-human hybrid, by implanting draconian spirits in mortal bodies,
pushing the mortal spirits out into a
torturous limbo.
- Khellendros, the Blue Dragon, has
his agents scouring Ansalon for powerful artifacts and magical items
for use in a spell that will threaten
all of Ansalon. One of them is the
famed dragonlance of Huma,
located in Southern Ergoth.
Getting Started
The Narrator should have Palin's character card ready. It might also be fun to
create several Academy characters to
represent other sorcerers who might
chat with the heroes in this scene.
If Ulin is present as a hero, the Narrator may need to adjust this first scene
slightly.
First Impressions
The heroes are making their way to the
Tower of the World, the central building
of the Academy, to meet Palin Majere.
It is late afternoon of a beautiful early
autumn day in Solace. The Academy of Sorcery is located on a plateau a few
miles outside the town itself, but smoke
from the homefires can be seen rising
from the vallenwood trees, whose
leaves are showing the barest hints of
gold and orange. The breeze carries on
it the scent of delicious dishes simmering in pots as dinner approaches.
The Story Begins
The heroes, who have come to share
information they have gotten regarding
the dragon overlords, are led into a private dining room where a sumptuous
feast awaits. After a few minutes, the
founder of the Academy, Palin Majere,
enters with his wife, Usha, and his son,
Ulin, who is also a member of the Academy. About a half-dozen other sorcerers
enter behind them, and the meal begins.
Palin, the other Academy sorcerers,
and the heroes discuss over dinner the
results of the heroes' last quest. Palin
listens, asking for clarification from
time to time. He, and the other sorcerers, will want to know details of the
heroes' encounters with Khellendros
and his minions, the Dark Knights, and
the spirits whose bodies have been
turned into spawn. The Narrator can
have Palin or one of the other sorcerers
give the heroes any news of important
events that occurred while they were
out on their latest adventure.
When the topic turns to Khellendros and his plans, Raalumar Sageth
the scholar allows the heroes to tell as
much of the tale as possible, even
though he was the one who told them
much of what they know. The old man
supports the heroes' tales, chiming in
with additional details and clarifications when they are called for. If asked
how he came by this information,
Raalumar explains as follows:
"Bad luck, that's my story. I was a
scholar at the Great Library in Palanthas, worked with Astinus until he disappeared during the Chaos War. We'll never see his like again. Worst of all, the
contents of the Library vanished as well.
With things settling back to normal, a
few of us remained to try to rebuild the
Library, but then Khellendros and the
Dark Knights came. They were putting
men of learning to the sword - their
kind always does - so I fled the city like
so many others. I didn't really have a
choice if I wanted to keep my head.
"Still, I decided to follow in the
footsteps of Astinus. I was going to
travel the world, record the history of
Krynn firsthand. Unfortunately, the last
town I stopped at was raided by Dark
Knights and we were all taken captive.
Unlike the villagers, I kept my wits
about me and paid attention to what
the Knights were saying. They complained about getting the detail of
gathering 'raw material' for the spawning process. Other Knights, it seemed,
were off collecting artifacts and magical
items which Khellendros planned to
use in some apocalyptic spell.
"I despaired that nothing could be
done about this until these brave heroes
rescued me. I urge you, sirs, do not let
this plan come to fruition. Gather all
the old magic you can, lest Skie claim
it - and with it, all of Krynn!"
After dinner, Palin thanks the heroes
for bringing this news to his attention.
He offers them rooms in at the Academy for the night. If they decline, the
heroes can easily find rooms in Solace.
Either way, he asks to see them again
the next morning.
Atmosphere
This scene has the qualities of a small
informal gathering. While many functions at the Academy are run in a formal manner, Palin himself does not
prefer these. He would rather meet
others with as little ceremony as necessary. As such, he will keep the meeting
relatively light and informal.
Actions
Dinner should be a fairly sedate affair.
The question-and-answer session can
refresh the players' memories of what is
happening in the world at the time.
Most actions in this scene will be likely
based on Presence and Reason.
Characters
Raalumar Sageth is actually working
for a huldrefolk ally of Khellendros
named Fissure. The huldre has some
sort of charm over him, but Raalumar
was not exactly unwilling to help in the
first place. Raalumar feeds the heroes
information for his huldrefolk master,
who is disguised as a clay tablet the
scholar keeps with him constantly.
Raalumar Sageth: Human elder male,
eccentric demeanor, Unknown. Co 4,
Ph 4, In 8, Es 7, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male,
capable demeanor, Legend, 4
. Ag 8C,
Dx 6A, En 7C, St 6B, Re 7A (49), Pe 8B, Sp
7D, Pr 6B, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -3
(chain mail), also missile weapons (long
bow/+6), acute eyesight, sorcery (divination, enchantment, aeromancy), Amulet
of Healing Hands.
Usha Majere: Human adult female, optimistic demeanor, Hero, 2
. Co 6, Ph 5,
In 7, Es 8, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Outcome
If the heroes accept Palin's hospitality
or if they get rooms in Solace and
return to meet with the sorcerer in the
morning, the story continues at the
beginning of Scene Two. If, however,
the heroes leave the Academy and do
not return in the morning, the Narrator
should have them run into Gilthanas,
either on his way to Solace or there
during his trip into town and pick up
the action part way through Scene Two.
Scene Two: Abduction!
Plans to meet with Palin fall apart, and
the heroes get the chance to explore the
town of Solace.
Overview
The heroes have the opportunity to look
around the Academy of Sorcery. Alternatively, they may join Gilthanas, who
heads into Solace to visit his comrades,
Caramon and Tika Majere, at the Inn of
the Last Home. That evening, a group
of Dark Knights sneaks into Raalumar
Sageth's room and takes him captive.
Getting Started
The Narrator should have Caramon
and Tika Majere's character cards
ready. He might also wish to review the
section on Abanasinia in Dusk or Dawn
from the FIFTH AGE boxed set and refer
to the maps of Solace's Market Square
in Act One of Heroes of a New Age (the
adventure in the boxed set).
First Impressions
The morning feels more like late summer than autumn. The sun glints off
Crystalmir Lake, and the smell of
freshly baked bread hangs in the air.
Unfortunately, Palin has left word with
one of his assistants that he cannot
meet the heroes as planned.
"An experiment in the Hall of
Transmutation has gone awry," the
young sorcerer says, "and Palin will be
unavoidably detained most of the day.
He begs your forgiveness. He will be
happy to entertain you as dinner
guests again tonight, if it is convenient. Otherwise, he will try to locate
you tomorrow. You are, of course,
welcome to stay at the Academy for
as long as you like."
The Story Continues
The heroes are left without a plan. Just
as they are considering what to do,
Gilthanas happens by and mentions
that he is heading into Solace for the
day to visit some old friends at the
famous Inn of the Last Home. He
invites the heroes to join him. (If they
refuse, the Narrator should go to the
"Outcome" section directly.) Whatever
the heroes do, however, Raalumar
decides to go with Gilthanas.
The proprietors, Caramon and Tika
Majere, are Heroes of the Lance, and
the legends do not do them justice.
Now in their golden years, they still
manage to run the Inn of the Last
Home with the help of their daughters,
Laura and Dezra. Entering the Inn, the
heroes see Tika greeting and seating
guests. She shrieks with joy when she
recognizes Gilthanas, ushers him to a
large table in the center of the room,
and calls for Caramon to join them.
Any heroes with Gilthanas or joining
him later are treated like members of
the Majere family and offered rooms
for the night.
The mid-day meal is warm and
delicious, the ale is cool and frothy,
every bit the equal of any the heroes
have ever had. Caramon and Tika spend hours catching up Gilthanas on
the situation in Qualinesti and reminiscing about their days together during the War of the Lance. Raalumar
Sageth listens intently, trying to
remember every word for his historical
writings. Eventually, though, he begins
to nod off and goes upstairs for a nap.
About ten minutes later a messenger
comes in looking for the heroes with a
message informing them that Palin is
available to meet with them at their convenience. Suddenly, there is a commotion in the kitchen, and a man dressed as
a beggar bursts out into the main room
with a loaf of bread under one arm and
a whole roast chicken under the other.
He runs pell-mell about the room,
knocking over tables, and generally
making a nuisance of himself.
There are any number of ways for
the heroes and characters to stop the
beggar, but simply grabbing him and
holding him down is particularly difficult. Once subdued, the beggar will tell
anyone who asks that "Three knights in
black armor paid me five iron pieces to
cause a ruckus."
Just as the dust settles, a guest
comes running down the stairs screaming that she saw Dark Knights climbing
a rope outside her room. Heroes who
go outside to look indeed see a rope
hanging from one of the upper windows and three men in black armor
riding away on horses. Bound and
gagged on the back of one horse is the
old scholar, Raalumar Sageth.
Atmosphere
The town of Solace is a friendly place.
Heroes interested in replenishing their
supplies can find stores or vendors selling all types of goods and equipment
for reasonable prices.
The atmosphere in the Inn of the
Last Home is welcoming. The main
room bustles with activity all day and
most of the evening. People are constantly talking about the history of the place, and the owners seem always
happy to chat about their past.
Actions
The bulk of the day should be improvised to suit the heroes. They can have
as eventful or mundane a day as the
Narrator sees fit.
In the pandemonium of the Inn,
grabbing the beggar is a challenging
Agility (Agility) action; he has had so
many years of experience dodging the
grasping hands of other itinerants and
town watchmen that he has become
very nimble.
It is slightly possible that the heroes
might hear the Dark Knights climbing
the side of the Inn during the confusion. This requires success at a daunting Perception (Agility) action.
Identifying Raalumar bound to the
back of the Dark Knights' horse is an
average Perception action.
Characters
Beggar: Human adult male, scheming
demeanor, Rabble. Co 8, Ph 5, In 6, Es 5,
Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Raalumar Sageth: Human elder male,
eccentric demeanor, Unknown. Co 4, Ph 4, In 8, Es 7, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male,
capable demeanor, Legend, 4
. Ag 8C,
Dx 6A, En 7C, St 6B, Re 7A (49), Pe 8B, Sp
7D, Pr 6B, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -3
(chain mail), also missile weapons (long
bow/+6), acute eyesight, sorcery (divination, enchantment, aeromancy), Amulet
of Healing Hands.
Outcome
Raalumar Sageth is gone, apparently
abducted by three Knights of Takhisis.
- Should the heroes go after him, the
adventure continues with Scene Three.
- If they instead choose to go to see
Palin, it moves directly to Scene Four.
- Heroes who turned down Gilthanas's
offer in the first place and decided to
stay at the Academy go to Scene Four.
Scene Three: Do Not Forsake Me
The Narrator should play out this
scene if the heroes went after Raalumar
Sageth to effect a rescue.
Overview
Malys suspects that Khellendros the
Blue is up to something, but she does
not yet know what. However, she knows
Raalumar Sageth works for him, so she
sent the Dark Knights to find out what
his plans. This scene covers an investigation and chase as the heroes try to find
where the Knights have taken Raalumar.
Getting Started
The Narrator might wish to take a look
at Act One, Scene Four of The Rising
Storm in the Heroes of Steel supplement
for descriptive information about the
wilderness that extends around Solace.
First Impressions
An elf or half-elf hero (or Gilthanas)
can see the trail clearly enough to lead
the heroes from the Inn and into the
woods beyond.
The light of the crescent moon that
shone on the raised platforms of Solace
is completely swallowed by the vallenwood trees. The darkness envelops you,
and leaves and branches brush your
faces without you even seeing them.
The Story Continues
To rescue Raalumar, the heroes have to
follow immediately. If they wait until
morning, the Knights will be long gone
and the trail becomes too difficult to
follow about ten miles outside Solace.
If the heroes try to rescue the
scholar, they can follow the trail along
the shoreline of Crystalmir Lake to the
Dark Knights' camp in the woods outside Solace. The camp is in a grove near
the lake shore. The heroes can get no
closer than far missile range before
risking discovery. From this range, they
can see a few Knights, still in their
armor, and several tents. They can hear
the whicker of horses. It is up to the
heroes to decide whether to fight the
Knights openly or try to sneak the old
man out from under their noses.
Sneaking closer allows them to see
two small tents, a fire large enough to
cook over but too small to be visible
from any great distance, and a group of
horses tethered to a tree near the water.
At least two Knights stand guard near
the fire, and other voices can be heard
in one tent, interrogating the old man.
If they watch long enough, the heroes
see that their party and the Knights are
of equal number. However, three other
Knights are on patrol away from camp;
they will not return until after dawn.
The Battle
Unless the heroes scouted the camp,
they will not know exactly how many
Knights they face nor where they all are.
Because of the Knights' code of honor,
they all fight in the open; they won't
attack the heroes from hiding. Even if
the heroes catch them off guard, the
Knights are armed and armored and
can defend themselves adequately. The
Knights fight until killed or knocked
unconscious. They have no qualms
about killing their opponents but will
spare the life of anyone who surrenders,
taking him prisoner instead.
Atmosphere
The woods are eerily dark and quiet.
The crescent moon reflects on the lake,
but does nothing to alleviate the
heroes' feeling that they are being
watched. If they confront the Knights
directly, the scene takes on the wild,
chaotic feeling of pitched battle. The
heroes should never be sure exactly
how many Knights are in the camp. If
they proceed stealthily, the scene feels
suspenseful, as they try to get in and
out without being detected.
Actions
At several junctures the heroes must
decide which fork in the path the Dark
Knights have taken. Listening for galloping horses makes that an average Perception action. Otherwise, the group's scout
can make a challenging Perception
action to keep from losing the trail.
Sneaking near to the camp requires
challenging Agility (Perception) actions,
for the Knights expect an attack. After
an hour or so, the Knights retire, taking
turns standing guard for two-hour
shifts. Getting past the guard is another
challenging Agility (Perception) action.
Raalumar is kept tied up in one of the
tents with at least two sleeping Knights.
Should a Knight see Dhamon, he has
to make an average Presence (Perception)
action or be recognized as a deserter.
Characters
The group faces one Dark Knight for
each hero and character. Their breastplates bear a red flame insignia, representing fealty to Malys. One is a Thorn
Knight with 36 sorcery points and skill in
divination, pyromancy, and geomancy.
Dark Knights: Human adult males of
various demeanors, Adventurers. Co 8A,
Ph 9A, In 6C, Es 6C, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -5 (plate mail).
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male,
capable demeanor, Legend, 4
. Ag 8C,
Dx 6A, En 7C, St 6B, Re 7A (49), Pe 8B, Sp
7D, Pr 6B, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -3
(chain mail), also missile weapons (long
bow/+6), acute eyesight, sorcery (divination, enchantment, aeromancy), Amulet
of Healing Hands.
Outcome
If the heroes beat the Knights, they can
either leave them or take them to the
constable in Solace. If they sneak Raalumar out, they may return to Solace and
report the location of the camp, but the
Knights will be gone before a group
can return to arrest them. Should the
Knights defeat them, the heroes wake
up in the morning to find the camp
broken. The Knights have taken Raalumar and left no trail. In either case,
the Narrator turns to Scene Four.
Scene Four: Enemy Movement
The heroes arrive at this scene if they
stayed at the Academy, upon returning
from Solace, or after their rescue attempt.
Overview
In this scene, the heroes meet again
with Palin, informing him of the
results of the attempted rescue of
Raalumar, if necessary. They also meet
a Solamnic Knight named Lady Arlena
Plata, who has traveled from Castle
Eastwatch in Southern Ergoth to discuss plans with Palin and the heroes.
Getting Started
The Narrator should have Palin's character card available. For heroes who have
spent the day at the Academy, the Narrator should either plan one or two simple
encounters. The information in Chapter Three of One Moon, Not Three will
help determine what the heroes might
encounter as they wander the campus.
First Impressions
If the heroes are returning from an
attempt to rescue Raalumar from the
Knights of Takhisis, Palin meets them
when they return (either at the Academy or the Inn). If anyone has been
injured, he sends for one of the two
Academy students skilled in the mystic
sphere of healing. He wants to meet
with the group as soon as possible to
determine what happened.
If, instead, the heroes are as yet
unaware of Sageth's kidnapping, the
Narrator should remind the players, as
evening approaches, that the heroes
have a dinner appointment with Palin.
The rest of this scene takes place in
Palin's and Usha's lodgings in the
Tower of the World.
The Majeres' quarters take up the
entire top floor of the grand Tower. They are tastefully decorated with comfortable furniture and Usha's own
paintings. The many cushions scattered
about the thickly carpeted floor give
you the impression that Palin often
invites large groups of students here for
informal lessons. A fine banquet table
is set for dinner.
The Story Continues
Gathered in the Majeres' apartment are
Palin, Usha, Ulin, the heroes, and Lady
Arlena Plata - a Solamnic Knight of
the Crown whom the heroes have never
met. She is very beautiful, but aloof and
distant in a way that is familiar to anyone who has spent much time among
high-ranking Solamnics. If this scene
takes place after Raalumar's rescue, he
and Gilthanas are also present.
Palin speaks very candidly with the
heroes and expects the same from
them. He will answer any questions the
heroes have about him, the Academy,
his past adventures, or anything else
they would likely know. Usha remains
quiet throughout most of the meal,
smiling and making polite conversation, but trying to get a feel for the
heroes. She has an uncanny ability to
understand a person's true nature, and
Palin often consults her when deciding
how far to trust new acquaintances.
Usha reacts to the heroes as they
deserve, but she does not like or trust
Raalumar.
Both Usha and Palin, gracious
hosts, keep the conversation relatively
light. Ulin (if not played as a hero) is
very interested to hear tales of the
heroes' exploits and frequently
bemoans the fact that he hasn't participated in any significant quests lately.
After the main course, Lady Plata
abruptly launches into a report, unceremoniously changing the mood:
"The news you have brought regarding
Khellendros has been very helpful. I've
also been looking into his activities and
found out that he has recently charged a
group of Dark Knights with going to
Huma's Tomb in Southern Ergoth to
retrieve the blessed dragonlance once
wielded by Huma himself. I understand
that Gilthanas already plans to travel to
the Tomb for personal reasons, and Ulin
has pledged to accompany and aid him.
"While they surely could find and
track the Knights' movement, I am not
certain that a mere two people can prevent the Dark Knights from desecrating
that honored site and stealing its most
priceless artifact. Unfortunately, most
of our complement at Castle Eastwatch
is devoted currently to a mission in
conjunction with the circles at Qualimori and Silvamori. Will you accompany Gilthanas and Ulin? Your help
might make possible the defense of the
Tomb. The forces of Evil must be prevented from gaining anything to let
them extend their claws over any more
of the free realms."
If the heroes ask, Lady Plata tells them
that Castle Eastwatch lies in Southern
Ergoth not far from Foghaven Vale, site
of the Tomb. While she can travel with
them as far as the castle, her duties do
not allow her to travel on with them.
Although Lady Plata's words are
courteous, one gets the feeling that she
does not want Gilthanas to go on this
journey alone, and that Ulin is not an
experienced enough companion to ease
her mind. She denies any such suggestions, however.
Assuming the heroes agree to help,
Lady Plata tells them that they can
charter a fishing boat in the town of
Ankatavaka. Gilthanas, Ulin, and she
plan to leave for the coast in the morning. The Academy will outfit the heroes
with any supplies they might need for
the trip, including horses and heavy
clothing. Any special items can be
picked up in Solace or Ankatavaka.
If Raalumar is with the party at this
point, he will tell them that he has no
intention of going back into a Dragon
Realm. In fact, he says he has business
to take care of elsewhere in Abanasinia.
He thanks the heroes for all they have
done for him, but they will have to finish this quest without him. If they try
to force him to accompany them, he
will disappear in the dead of night, or
some other time the heroes are not
looking. He will not be seen again (he
and Fissure will report back to Khellendros and await further orders).
Atmosphere
This informal dinner party should feel
relaxed and friendly, for Palin wants to
make the heroes comfortable at the
Academy. He is trying to gather as
broad a network of acquaintances as
possible so he can keep abreast of events
across Ansalon. When Lady Arlena
changes the topic to Khellendros's plan,
the tone becomes much more serious.
Elf Prince and Lady Knight
The interplay between Lady Plata and
Gilthanas in this scene is important.
The elf prince is returning to Huma's
Tomb to find his lost love, Silvara. The
two parted on less than amicable terms
after Gilthanas found out the elf
maiden he loved was actually a silver
dragon, D'Argent, in disguise. This
made no difference to Silvara, who
loved Gilthanas with all her heart, but
the elf could not bear the truth.
Gilthanas left to wander Krynn until the
turmoil in his heart subsided. His
odyssey lasted over seventy years, ending when the heroes freed him from
captivity during the adventure Storm
Over Krynn. He has realized his love for
Silvara is all that truly matters to him
and wants to find her to beg forgiveness.
A dream has told him he would find
her at Foghaven Vale - the site of one
of their greatest triumphs during the
War of the Lance - and so it is there he
must go. He is too proud simply to tell
the heroes this tale, which he sees as a
personal flaw. However, if asked
directly, he reluctantly tells his story.
Lady Plata is, in fact, Silvara in disguise. She has waited for Gilthanas for
all these years, roaming the world from
time to time, but always returning to
Southern Ergoth. She knew in her
heart that her love would return and,
through the connection they share,
knew he would meet her at Foghaven
Vale. Now that he is here, though, she
feels the need to test him, to be sure he
will accept her for who she truly is.
Actions
Most actions in this scene may rely
upon Presence and Reason. Any hero
trained in sensitivity who manages to
cast a spell to examine Lady Ariena will
see a strange aura: vaguely dragonlike
features. It suggests nothing but the
purest motives, however. Casting such
a spell openly at dinner may have negative social consequences, however -
Lady Ariena will be offended, as will
Palin and Usha.
Characters
Lady Arlena's scores and codes below
reflect her identity as the silver dragon
D'Argent. However, in her guise as a
Knight of Solamnia, she does not enjoy
most of a dragon's special abilities.
Ariena Plata: Human adult female, purposeful demeanor, Legend. Co 11B, Ph 48A,
In 13B (139), Es 13A (169), Dmg +7
(long sword), Def-5 (plate mail), also
mysticism (alteration, healing, spiritualism), sorcery (cryomancy).
Raalumar Sageth: Human elder male,
eccentric demeanor, Unknown. Co 4,
Ph 4, In 8, Es 7, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male,
capable demeanor, Legend, 4
. Ag 8C,
Dx 6A, En 7C, St 6B, Re 7A (49), Pe 8B, Sp
7D, Pr 6B, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -3
(chain mail), also missile weapons (long
bow/+6), acute eyesight, sorcery (divination, enchantment, aeromancy), Amulet
of Healing Hands.
Usha Majere: Human adult female, optimistic demeanor, Hero, 2
. Co 6, Ph 5,
In 7, Es 8, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Outcome
If the heroes were not already aware of
Raalumar's kidnapping, a messenger
arrives from Solace some time after
dinner with the news. Palin waits to see
the heroes' reactions.
- If they choose to try to rescue him,
Palin offers to send an experienced
sorcerer with them, and the adventure
continues with Scene Three. If they
seem unconcerned, Palin does not
interfere, for Usha has already told
him the scholar is not to be trusted.
- Should the heroes agree to go to
Southern Ergoth (assuming they
have already made their rescue
attempt or chosen not to), they will
leave for Ankatavaka the next morning. Play proceeds with Scene Five.
- If they refuse, they have broken the
scenario. The Narrator should not
force the heroes to undertake the
journey, but the rest of the adventure requires that they do.
Scene Five: Ankatavaka
The journey from Solace to Ankatavaka
takes about five days by horse, or nearly
a fortnight on foot. The Narrator may
simply bypass this journey and have
the heroes begin the scene by arriving
in Ankatavaka. Alternatively, the Narrator may role-play the trip and, because
whatever trail they follow most likely
takes the group along the northern
edge of the Qualinesti Forest, throw in
an encounter with members of the
Qualinesti resistence - particularly
Porthios, Gilthanas's older brother.
Overview
In Ankatavaka, Lady Plata arranges
passage to Castle Eastwatch. As the
heroes kill time in town, they find that
they are being shadowed by the Dark
Knights who abducted Raalumar
Sageth from the Inn.
Getting Started
If the Narrator chooses to have the
heroes encounter Porthios, he should
have his character card available.
First Impressions
Ankatavaka is a small fishing town just
north of the border to Beryl's realm. At
one time, its people were quite content; the sea provided ample food, the Qua-
linesti elves traded with them regularly,
and their port was visited by almost
every ship sailing the southern trade
routes or returning from Thunder Bay.
However, when Gellidus turned the
island of Southern Ergoth into a glacier, creating the Gale and disrupting sea
traffic, the town and her people almost
perished. They now eke out a living
fishing the treacherous local waters,
rarely taking their oceanworthy vessels
out of sight of land. It is a sad story, but
one that has become too common since
the coming of the dragon overlords.
The Story Continues
The heroes arrive in Ankatavaka at midday. Most of the activity in town is
understandably near the harbor.
Finding someone willing to risk his
ship on the open seas under the lashings of the Gale in the Straits of Algoni
ordinarily would be difficult, but Lady
Plata leads the heroes directly to one
captain, Max Lindak, who periodically
sails to Castle Eastwatch to bring supplies to the Solamnic Knights there.
His ship, the Ehoss, is not due to go
back for a month yet, but a sufficiently
enticing payment convinces Captain
Lindak to move up his schedule and
leave on the next morning's tide.
While she settles matters with Captain Lindak, Lady Plata suggests the
heroes get one or two rooms at the
town's only inn, the Black Lion. At the
inn, the heroes see a group of Dark
Knights - the same ones who kidnapped
Raalumar. If the heroes failed to rescue
him earlier, the scholar is still with them.
The total number of Knights in this
scene ranges from three (if the heroes
captured or killed everyone in Scene
Three) to three Knights more than the
number in the party (if they failed to
capture or kill anyone in Scene Three).
These Knights are not the ones the
heroes are racing to the Tomb. They bear
a red flame insignia on their breastplates
to denote that they work for Malystryx.
They have been charged with finding
out exactly what the Blue Dragon is up
to. They know Raalumar works with
Khellendros through an intermediary,
but they have not determined that person's identity (nor that he is a huldre).
Since the heroes are on friendly terms
with the scholar, the Knights assume
that they, too, are agents of the Blue.
Although the heroes may attack them
on sight, the Dark Knights are willing to
sit down and simply talk with them.
They are very formal and directly ask
about Khellendros's plan. If the heroes
claim not to know, or deny being associated with the dragon, the Knights will
call them liars. The insults could escalate into a fight. If the heroes convince the
Knights they are unaware of the Blue's
plans (see "Actions"), the Knights leave
the party in peace, although they will
give the bit of "friendly" advice that the
Blue is not to be trusted and tell the
heroes to get away from his influence as
soon as possible if they value their honor.
The Battle
If the heroes end up winning a fight
with the Knights, the Narrator can add
a disturbing twist to the story. The
Dark Knight leader has one of Malys's
scales embedded in his chest. Because
of this connection, the Red Dragon can
see through the Knight's eyes and even
speak to him telepathically.
If this Knight is mortally wounded in
melee or personal combat, his final act
will be to rip the scale from his chest
and try to implant it on one of the
heroes, as described under "Actions."
Removing the scale will kill the Knight.
Lady Plata does not arrive at the
Black Lion until after the confrontation has concluded. This may cause the heroes to suspect that she set them up,
but she will not even address such
accusations. She will, however, turn the
situation around to chastise the heroes
(particularly Gilthanas) for not staying
out of trouble.
Atmosphere
The town of Ankatavaka should seem
peaceful, if rather depressing. These
hardy people cling to life by the merest
thread. Even one bad storm that damages
the fishing fleet would force them to leave
their homes or starve during the winter.
Throughout this scene, Lady Ariena
questions Gilthanas constantly to test
his character and resolve.
Actions
Combat actions should be handled as
described in Chapter Four of the Book
of the Fifth Age. However, the Narrator
should allow for the possibility that the
heroes find a more diplomatic solution.
If the heroes speak with the Knights
and try to convince them that they do not work for Skie, they must succeed at
an average Presence (Reason) action.
Success indicates that the Knights
accept their story, but not without the
previously mentioned warning. And,
should Dhamon allow the Knights to
see his face, he must again make an
average Presence (Perception) action to
remain unrecognized.
If a hero mortally wounds the Dark
Knight commander, who has the scale
of Malys embedded in his skin, the
Knight tears the scale off and slaps it
onto the exposed skin of any hero
within reach. The scale, if laid on bare
flesh, causes a horrible burning sensation and grafts itself to a mortal host
almost immediately. The hero must
make a successful desperate Endurance
action to pull it off before it can attach
itself; the immobile scale, like a tick or
other parasite, seeks to attach itself to a
victim whenever placed on bare skin.
Once Malys's scale has been embedded in a hero's body it cannot be
removed by any means without killing
the hero. However, as far as anyone can
tell, the scale causes no ill effects and is
merely a cosmetic nuisance. The power
of the scale creates a permanent connection between the host and Malys.
When the Great Dragon wishes to, she
can see what the host sees, hear what he
hears, and get a general idea of his
thoughts. When she does this, the host
should attempt a daunting Perception
action. If he succeeds, he will get the
eerie feeling that he is being watched.
Should the hero generate an action
score of 24 or higher, he not only
notices the prying but also recognizes
exactly who it is "in his head."
Should Malys wish to risk exposing
her connection, she can try to influence
the thoughts and actions of the host.
Each time she attempts this, the host
makes a daunting Presence action. If he
fails, the Narrator should pass him a
note telling him in what manner Malys
is influencing him; he must follow one
simple order, but may make additional
Presence actions to resist subsequent
suggestions. However, attempting to so
overtly influence the host makes it
much easier for him to notice the
dragon's interference; all future Perception actions to detect Malys's prying
drop to challenging difficulty.
Characters
Among the Dark Knights is the Thorn
Knight from Scene Three. If Raalumar
is rescued here rather than in Scene
Three, he thanks the heroes, then takes
his leave of them, citing pressing business elsewhere in Abanasinia.
Dark Knights: Human adult males of
various demeanors, Adventurers. Co 8A,
Ph 9A, In 6C, Es 6C, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -5 (plate mail).
Gilthanas: Qualinesti adult male,
capable demeanor, Legend, 4
. Ag 8C,
Dx 6A, En 7C, St 6B, Re 7A (49), Pe 8B, Sp
7D, Pr 6B, Dmg +7 (long sword), Def -3
(chain mail), also missile weapons (long
bow/+6), acute eyesight, sorcery (divination, enchantment, aeromancy), Amulet
of Healing Hands.
Ariena Plata: Human adult female, purposeful demeanor, Legend. Co 11B, Ph 48A,
In 13B (139), Es 13A (169), Dmg +7
(long sword), Def-5 (plate mail), also
mysticism (alteration, healing, spiritualism), sorcery (cryomancy).
Raalumar Sageth: Human elder male,
eccentric demeanor, Unknown. Co 4,
Ph 4, In 8, Es 7, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Captain Max Lindak: Human adult
male, rash demeanor, Adventurer. Co 5,
Ph 7, In 5, Es 4, Dmg 0 (unarmed), Def 0 (common clothing).
Outcome
Unless the heroes are killed by the
Knights of Takhisis, they end the scene
by getting on the Ehoss in the morning
and setting sail for Southern Ergoth.
The journey is not an easy one; the trip
takes about a week, with rough seas and
fierce, frigid winds the entire time. This
voyage may be used simply as a bridging
sequence between Acts One and Two
and need not be role-played. Narrators
may opt to adapt Act Two, Scene Five
from The Rising Storm, however, to give
the heroes a healthy respect for the Gale.