DMDM's Way of the Wicked, Part II: The Dark Tower

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Baron Arkov Vandermir holds in one hand a lorgnette -- a pair of spectacles with a handle.

Poof. There went our Illusions.

"Who typically joins the Order? And what sort of pilgrimage would bring someone here to them?"

"Well, women, of course. They're sworn to poverty, chastity and service, so they collect all sorts... young, old, poor, what have you. Even women from good families sometimes lose their heads and sign up.

"They don't seem terribly dangerous, but you want to tread carefully, especially around the Convent House. Sister Temperance, their leader, is a powerful spellcaster. I happen to know," the Baron gives a small self-satisfied smirk, "that she's able to call the recent dead back to life. That's not something the Order wants well known around town, of course -- once the common people hear of such a thing, they're constantly whining for the temple to bring back their dead husband or baby or some such. But she makes it known to the garrison, so of course it's known to me...

"Anyway, the other thing about the Order is that they started as devil-fighters and devil-hunters. They were supporters of the Victor from the beginning, when he was just an upstart rebel, and they backed his grandson's purges of the Dark Lord's followers to the hilt." The Baron scowls, remembering.

"Also, every sister receives some basic military training and they maintain an armory. Hm, now that the garrison is gone the sisters of Saint Cynthia-Celeste are probably the largest fighting force in Farholde."

"Additionally, Baron, using your illustrious connections would it be possible to secure a pair of potential merchants and their young scribe a place of appropriate lodging in the city?"

? Not sure what you're after here?

Douglas Muir 406 wrote:

Baron Arkov Vandermir holds in one hand a lorgnette -- a pair of spectacles with a handle.

Poof. There went our Illusions.

Yep, late to the party bu I called it. Trying to catch up.

Okay, here she is. The staff could create more powerful and intelligent undead, but that thing is a PITA to recharge, so you're getting something simple, basically for lulz. She's bound to the staff, but Raisa has ordered her to obey Zimu's instructions, so she'll do that. She's a zombie with no Int score, so simple instructions only, and she only obeys Zimu. Note that she is obviously dead, so you can't walk around town with her. I'll assume that you kept her down in the bilges on the barge, then stashed her in a shallow grave while you went into town.

Thank you.

I was thinking more along the lines of a lesser juju zombie with maybe 1/2 the hit dice/CR of the original (4D12?) who would try to mimic what it did when it was alive but fail miserably short of its attempts. This is fun too.

On board the ship Cуровую would have fought her urges to use Minor Image and the hat of Disguise to turn the Pain in the Monk into a twisted caricature of Elise, but for now suppress those urges.

Time enough for that later, when no one is watching.

just like arrogant not kobolds! Always ignore Ulp. ulp thinks as he scowls

Presumably the 9th is going to have to get lodging in Farnholde somewhere. As before, it makes sense for them to split up to cover several roles. Judge (or Dren), Ulp and Jax can go one way while Cimu, Edmin and Dren (or Judge) stay at another.

Turning to his companions, Jax speaks his mind.\

"I propose we investigate each location as a group, in a way. Splitting up will save us time, but we are not on as tight a clock anymore. We should investigate where the Seventh stayed first. While the Cathedral makes more sense, and is where I'd love to start off, it would be wise to learn what story the 7th was using while in the city."

"The Judge and I, possibly the kobold as well, can pose as merchant travelers. I can draw up the proper papers. Perhaps..hm..Alexander Hope for the Judge, Warren Worthington for myself and well..something for our scribe." Jax looks pointedly at the gnome.

"We'll pretend to be here just to make some mercantile connections, and not be very good at it. Our real goal will be to feel out who the Seventh came here as and what story they used. Then Cymu, Dren and Edmin can come in with Cimy posing as a member of the Order. Edmin can be her bodyguard on the road and Dren can be..well..whatever he feels like as he's much better at playing a role than many of us. We don't know what the 7th was using to explain their investigation into the Victor's expeditions, but whatever they used..it seemed to work, at least to a degree. We can use a similar ploy once we know what it is."

More Sense Motive rolls

just like arrogant not kobolds! Always ignore Ulp. ulp thinks as he scowls

Why does Ulp look sad?

Actually a few days ago I asked why your kobold looked sad.

I responded to that zimu, but that was an ooc question so ulp didn't reply

This is so like those who rule this land. White, pristine, and capable of leaving their mark. The Judge pauses and draws a line on his hand with the chalk.

I like the show and tell and coerce approach!

Edit DM rolled a Nat 20 for Perception under spoiler.

Also with Knowledge Nobility 21, Cуровую would have remembered Sir Dale, a Barca, Cousin twice removed to the last Barcan king, son of the second most noble house in the kingdom, died in an expedition with Sir Nonus. Maybe not the best time to tell Edmin this though.

Yes, Sir Dale would have been something like the Baron's second cousin twice removed.

Ulp claims a bottle or two of wine. For the next couple of days he will work on distilling it I to a super powerful wine sludge

Make wine candy...delicious

Edmin thinks for a moment then looks at Jax. "Good idea. You lead the town team and gather what Intel you can. Take Cimu with you, I am afraid the judge's new odor may bring to much undesired attention. Track down where the missing knot went and what they did in town. Judge and Dren will assist me by going over maps and any Intel the Baron may be able to provide on the dark tower's location. I want daily briefings about what we find. "

"I propose we investigate each location as a group, in a way. Splitting up will save us time, but we are not on as tight a clock anymore. We should investigate where the Seventh stayed first. While the Cathedral makes more sense, and is where I'd love to start off, it would be wise to learn what story the 7th was using while in the city."

Well, if you want to start with the Friar (the inn where they stayed), who's taking the lead? (Who has the best face skills right now?)

Edit -- okay, so it looks like Jax and Zimu to the inn while the rest of you stay at the Baron's and do what research you can there. (Note that wandering around town and/or visiting places in the Gazetteer is also an option.)

This is, BTW, Day Two in Farholde. If you're getting magic items crafted, like the Judge's new handbag, we can say that started on Day One.

Edmin thinks for a moment then looks at Jax. "Good idea. You lead the town team and gather what Intel you can. Take Cimu with you, I am afraid the judge's new odor may bring to much undesired attention. Track down where the missing knot went and what they did in town. Judge and Dren will assist me by going over maps and any Intel the Baron may be able to provide on the dark tower's location. I want daily briefings about what we find. "

What you want Ulp do? ulp...

The Wandering Friar is on the great square on top of the town's highest hill. The front faces across the square to the Cathedral; from the upper story, you can overlook most of the town. It looks like a nice place, well built, sunny and clean, with great views. Well, there are Mitran icons everywhere... it's probably serving the pilgrim trade, people coming from out of town to the Cathedral.

A young woman is sweeping up the common room as you enter. She nods and smiles at you. Okay, who's taking point and what are you asking?

What you want Ulp do? ulp...

The Baron has a respectable library; you could spend a day or two searching in there. That would be an Int check, which would seem right up Ulp's alley.

Ulp sets up his Cauldron and sets about distilling his wine to make his bizarre creation...perhaps it will catch on and become a hit in the new evil kingdom...take 10 alchemy for a 33 if he uses the cauldron

Once that is set to simmer, Ulp makes his way to the library and attempts to see if he can find anything useful about the order, then the tower, then the town in that order

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 The Order
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 The Tower
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Town

All the while he mutters to himself

apparently Ulp is a little grumpy

The Order: The Order of St. Cynthia-Celeste doesn't give out a lot of information freely. Apparently they are pretty hierarchical -- lawful good, you know -- and it can take years to rise through the ranks. By the time you're in the inner circle where people know important stuff, you're (1) completely dedicated to the Order, and (2) probably powerful enough that nobody's going to get anything out of you easily (i.e. by low-level magic or a good Bluff).

There is one mildly interesting bit. Ulp finds an old, near-contemporary account of Saint Cynthia-Celeste's original encounter with the ice devil. Apparently the Saint's first expedition was a failure, and she ended up spending several months in hiding among a group of sea-faring nomads of the northern ice called the Eutack. These Eutack were barbaric but kindly; they nursed the warrior cleric to recovery and, while they would not help her directly against the devil and its followers, advised her to seek the assistance of a creature called the "Silver Beast".

(It also mentions that the chieftain of the Eutack proposed marriage to Saint Cynthia-Celeste, offering to make her co-chieftain of the tribe "for although she was from the South, and very ignorant, knowing nothing of Life on the Ice, her Heart was strong, and the Eutack value Strength of Heart above all things". The Saint declined, "for she was sworn to Service, though not without Regret, for the Chieftain was Very Handsome.")

The narrative then skips ahead several months (it reads like a chapter is missing), but the subsequent manuscript mentions several times that the Saint was assisted by a mysterious figure called "the Silver Lady". After the devil was defeated, it says that St. Cynthia-Celeste offered the monster's hoard to the Silver Lady, but the Lady gave half of it back and told her to use it to "build bastions against evil". This eventually became the seed money for creating the Order.

What makes this mildly interesting is that in all subsequent accounts, the Eutack are barely mentioned, and the Silver Beast and/or the Silver Lady are not mentioned at all. The fact that the Order was founded with treasure redeemed from the clutches of evil is often mentioned, but not that the treasure was offered or divided first.

The Town: Since it's death to be associating with you Asmodeans anyway, the Baron allows you access to his private records. It turns out Farholde has a modest but lively criminal underworld, with many of the local thieves and thugs being graduates of the Baron's own orphanage. Baron Vandermir is not a crimelord himself, but is a silent partner in some of the more profitable enterprises and uses his contacts to collect information.

The Tower: You got nothin'.

Since the Baron had the 7th followed, at dinner or after, Can you provide the Aliases that our compatriots were using in town?
We would like to re-trace their steps and find out everything they did.

To Edmin and the group as we discuss plans, Perhaps we could also disguise ourselves as scholars of some type. Then looking into ancients buildings as well as creatures of the area would not be out of the norm. Perhaps there is some type of order or learned group we can pretend to be part of to try and gain access to the Cathedral.

The Judge looks to the rest of the group:
I have many skills. But, as has been discussed, I am currently suffering from some drawbacks. You might have noticed that when I call Morsum, he come from within me as I no longer have a shadow. Also, I operate far better at night that during the day.

My choice would be to operate much as I did in Balentyne. Take on the appearance of an older merchant. We have all seen elderly gentlemen who do not do the best at bathing. I could partially conceal my current fragrance with perfume of some type. Which would simply provide additional help with a disguise as an eccentric merchant.

The Judge pauses and covers his eyes as the sun suddenly flashes in through the window when it breaks through a cloud.

I am here as I have recently read about Saint Cynthia-Celeste who founded the order and am very interested in learning more of her beginnings. How did one of the greatest warriors this city has ever known gain her power? Did she have any companions? Where did she come from?

Perhaps with some well placed questions, I might be allowed to visit other libraries to learn more about her, and should I accidentally learn about the tower in the process . . .ah, what a shame.

Since the Baron had the 7th followed, at dinner or after, Can you provide the Aliases that our compatriots were using in town?

We would like to re-trace their steps and find out everything they did.

"Sister Angelina seemed to be the leader -- an older woman with a kindly demeanor. She went first to the Convent, and then to the Cathedral. A man named Adani was working Drownington, asking questions of hunters and trappers -- there are very few of these, and they don't generally go deep into the Bryr."

Ulp shares all he learns with the party, in a scattered report, in which he looks down at the notes he made the entire time. You probably need a Wisdom roll DC 10 to figure out what they heck he is saying. He uses many large words that might be made up by him...

then after Dren talks about disguises

ulp... Ulp can spend an hour as tall human or elf if you want? Ulp can mix up both an alter self and disguise person for himself

Edmin listens intently when not seeming confused. "Very good ...Ulp. I am impressed."

The Champion of the Dark Prince has changed since the breaking of the wall. His anger is still there but seems to be held in check more often than before. He has not fallen into dark depression since the fall of the keep and his mind seems more focused. Strange as it seems, Edmin almost appears...happy.

Edmin thinks for a moment and takes a drink of wine. "Jax, I need you to contact the Eighth. We need to find out where they are and what they are up to, and you seem to get along the best with them. Ask them to do something, anything I do not care, but something we already have information about. I would see the support they can offer."

"Judge, I have thought about it and you have a good point. Your mind is to great of a thing to waste here in a library, even if your body is wasting away in front of us. Excursions from base would be acceptable, take ...Ulp with you as your guard or whatever. We need to divide up the town and attempt to locate the tower first and foremost. Other intel is good to have but with out a location we may as well not know anything."

The knight looks at Dren for a moment before speaking. "Can I trust you not to go bat s%&+ crazy in town? I may have a task for you if you give your word of honor not to get carried away. We need to work on getting leverage on the Eighth. Jax and Cimu will draw their attention, with their charm and all, while you prepare ..a thorn...in their side. They spoke of murdering people, we need to have evidence that they would be the culprits to hand to the authorities if needed. I figured that that would be right up your alley. I can assist you if needed, or you can join with the Judge, murder most vile seems to be his hobby of late."

The Dark Lord keep you and protect you, as long as you are strong enough to deserve it."

leader. You want Ulp to make you potion? Be strong?

Ulp asks Edmin bull strength?

Can also make barks kin pots

"Please, that would help alot."

Ulp tells Edmin what he needs to do it

fur of bull, blood of bull thrice distillers through a charcoal filter, shavings of gold and juice of the pelflower, roots of the prickly thorn bush... he goes on but eventually he catalogues the cost for the materials and that Edmin understands

what cl do you want? The bill do the math and tell you the cost. Ulp has no more money spent his last on the noble outfit

Edmin should get a sipping jacket

The knight looks at Dren for a moment before speaking. "Can I trust you not to go bat s~&+ crazy in town? I may have a task for you if you give your word of honor not to get carried away. We need to work on getting leverage on the Eighth. Jax and Cimu will draw their attention, with their charm and all, while you prepare ..a thorn...in their side. They spoke of murdering people, we need to have evidence that they would be the culprits to hand to the authorities if needed. I figured that that would be right up your alley. I can assist you if needed, or you can join with the Judge, murder most vile seems to be his hobby of late."

Dren gives Edmin a fake look of being hurt, Me, go crazy???

Then a serious and deadly look comes across his face, Have I ever given you reason to doubt my ability or intent?
Have I ever not been loyal to yours or the judges requests when each of you were considered the leader? I think not.
I agree at times I have killed or sacrificed others for reasons that may not seem to make sense to you but it is not insanity that drives me.
You can trust me to assist in this matter. If there is a way to tie the murders to them without them knowing...I will do so. I have never endangered our mission and will continue to do so.

Edmin sits his glass down and returns the oracle's look of seriousness. "Dren. You have always followed direction and and I have never doubted your dedication to the mission. That being said, you have to understand that you and that knife are down right spooky. You sacrifice people to...whatever it is you sacrifice them to, and sometimes talk to it. Not that talking to your weapon is crazy, but sometimes I think you hear yours talk back."

"Judge, I have thought about it and you have a good point. Your mind is to great of a thing to waste here in a library, even if your body is wasting away in front of us. Excursions from base would be acceptable, take ...Ulp with you as your guard or whatever. We need to divide up the town and attempt to locate the tower first and foremost. Other intel is good to have but with out a location we may as well not know anything."

The Judge nods:

The Judge looks over at Cy: Perhaps you could find a noble or two in your book or one of the books in the library of some noble family with ties to the sister Saint or someone else famous tied to the order.

I can assist you if needed, or you can join with the Judge, murder most vile seems to be his hobby of late."[/b]

At this the Judge comments: Semantics. I call it meal preparation. It is no more murder than killing a lamb or calf for your dinner.

Edmin shrugs "It really dozen' t matter to me what you call it. Do as you will."

So it shall be. As I did in Balentyne, there are many eccentric nobles in the south who are interested in relics of Mitra's heroic past. - he has a look of distaste as he says this - So, items relating to the great Saint Cynthia-Celeste are of interest.

The Judge looks over at Cy: Perhaps you could find a noble or two in your book or one of the books in the library of some noble family with ties to the sister Saint or someone else famous tied to the order.

If only there were some sort of Knowledge skill about famous people and, I don't know, nobility or some such...

On the Eighth: note that they haven't actually murdered anyone yet (though they're certainly going to at some point).

More generally: while there's lots to see and do in Farholde, don't lose sight of your main objective here. That is to get the location of the Dark Tower. A secondary goal might be to gather information (if there is any... there might not be) about the Tower: defenses, likely encounters, what the Victor found there, what have you. But as Edmin points out, without a location you're stuck.

Judge Tohram Quasangi wrote:

So it shall be. As I did in Balentyne, there are many eccentric nobles in the south who are interested in relics of Mitra's heroic past. - he has a look of distaste as he says this - So, items relating to the great Saint Cynthia-Celeste are of interest.

The Judge looks over at Cy: Perhaps you could find a noble or two in your book or one of the books in the library of some noble family with ties to the sister Saint or someone else famous tied to the order.

If only there were some sort of Knowledge skill about famous people and, I don't know, nobility or some such...

Figured that Cy would have a much higher know(nobility), but here is my roll.

Knowledge(nobility): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
--> Probably just an assist for Cy.

Being assigned to work with Judge Ulp sets up his cauldrons and the like and approaches the judge.

You want potion, maybe potion to make you tough? Tough skin? Tough man?

Currently I do not have eagles splendor or owls wisdom or...whatever the intelligence one is called, but I can learn them

Knowledge Nobility: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Figured that Cy would have a much higher know(nobility), but here is my roll.
Knowledge(nobility): 1d20+6
--> Probably just an assist for Cy.

As a general rule, if you want to make an Assist Other roll, you have to say it's an Assist Other roll. Otherwise, everyone would just declare every failed roll with a result of 10 or better to be a successful Assist.

1) So Zimu (also Jax? Dren?) is going to the inn, then?

2) Jax going to schmooze with the Eighth a little -- that's easy enough; Trik will be happy to have a glass of wine with you.

3) Ulp to continue research? Note that the Baron's library is not infinitely large -- there's only so much to be found there. On the other hand, Ulp's probably not the best choice for anything involving Cha checks.

Correct, Ulp will continue to research, whatever someone tells him to research. And he will make any potions and alchemical items...but no one has told me what they want, other than Edmin, who will get a potion of Bull Strength CL 6 for 200 GP, Edmin make sure you mark off your gold

If no one tells him to research anything he will see if he can find some information about poison, perhaps a local herb that he can gather to make something fun.

1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24 alchemy
1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28 nature
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 int

1) So Zimu (also Jax? Dren?) is going to the inn, then?

2) Jax going to schmooze with the Eighth a little -- that's easy enough; Trik will be happy to have a glass of wine with you.

I am not fully caught up on the gameplay reading and I am traveling for work this weekend I thought I posted on ooc.

That being said

1. I would assume the Baron is overly cautious, fearful, deeply mistrustful and paranoid. Which here works to our advantage. He may have some protection from Divination and scrying in his home.

Elise has something of Cуровую's (she may even have something that was part of Cуровую's), she may have a means of looking in on me. So I think it best Cуровую limit her activities outside for a little. She will go on all these points of interest with you and may have some personal side missions as well but I think home base should be at the Baron's.

2. Jax, Trik is charming enough, heck he sure is cute enough, but he is a cleric of the god of DECEIT, and his name is TRIK, so proceed with caution. In fact bring the Judge at least he has a decent Sense Motive and some previous history with Trik.

"Before I do something like that, Edmin, let's gather a bit of information. Then I can ask them if they could find out what cover story the 7th used when they came here."

"Dren, can I borrow your hat?" Jax will wear the hat to appear as a young, dark-haired human with tanned skin dressed in simple traveler's wear and head to the Inn.

"Oh, of course I remember them. Were they friends of yours? They left suddenly." 1d20 ⇒ 16 The girl smiles at Jax. "Well, they've been gone almost a month? So we're just about to clean out their room and throw away their stuff. You could claim it, but you'd have to pay their back rent -- twenty five gold." She's pretty obviously thinking, who's going to pay twenty five crowns for some dirty laundry?

Never a miser but neither a dupe, Cуровую puts herself between Jax and the little enterprising cleaning girl.

'Jax offer her 10 crowns for her troubles, and a double kiss on her cheeks, but that's all. You know how auntie Irin wants us to be frugal.'

Diplomacy 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

How about an assist? I can Charm Person her as well.

"Do..do you recall if there was a woman with them? She left home so abruptly and we came looking for her, she's a close friend to the family and suddenly disappearing without contact...well it had us worried so we came to look for her."
Suure assist, 1d20 ⇒ 13

Conflicting signals bzzt. 1d2 ⇒ 1 "Yes, there was an older woman who was an aspirant of the Order. I thought the others were her family, come to see her installed at the Convent?" She looks prettily confused.

Also, she's friendly, but you're not getting into that room for less than 25 gp.

"What ever you think is best. You are in charge of the mission, all I care about is that it is completed.

[

1. I would assume the Baron is overly cautious, fearful, deeply mistrustful and paranoid. Which here works to our advantage. He may have some protection from Divination and scrying in his home.

He may indeed! Of course, because he's overly cautious, deeply mistrustful and paranoid, he's not going to tell you if he does.

2. Jax, Trik is charming enough, heck he sure is cute enough, but he is a cleric of the god of DECEIT, and his name is TRIK, so proceed with caution. In fact bring the Judge at least he has a decent Sense Motive and some previous history with Trik.

Zimu also has previous history with Trik, am I right? Foot massages and wine, and such. Alas, 'twas not to be.

Okay, going to speed things along a little here. Jax pays the 25 gp in back rent and the pretty maid gives him the key to the room. Will she allow him and Zimu to go in and toss the place unsupervised? Diplomacy 1d20 ⇒ 17 Yes she will -- those people were deadbeats, there's nothing in there but some dirty laundry, and she has tables to clean.

That gives you time for a leisurely search of the room: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Well. Several things.

One, there is indeed some dirty laundry. It appears that the Seventh had every intention of coming back.

Two, there are some papers. They were hidden against casual search, but you found them easily enough. Poring over these, it appears that the Seventh's cover story was a bit deeper than at first glance. Three of them were pretending to be wandering adventurers, escorting "Sister Angelina" on a pilgrimage to the Convent. They would thus have an excuse for their interest in the Caer Bryr. Two of them had already made a short expedition into the forest, based on her findings.

The result is... a map! With the presumed location of the Horn of Abaddon marked right on it!

Unfortunately, it's a draft map... the Seventh used this and the notes to make a much nicer version, which they took with them. Still, the map alone should be enough to get you to the Dark Tower, or very close. Apparently it's in a field of similar huge stone spires, about a day's ride to the west and south. (Or two days, if on foot.) Quite suddenly, your way lies open.