Eberron: Dog Tags (Completed)

ADVENTURE: Dog Tags

===MISSION BRIEF===

You are investigating the case of some missing members from the Adventurer's Guild. They were last seen in the town of New Cyre and never returned since then. After days of travel you now find yourselves in Sterngate, preparing yourself for the adventure ahead. You are tasked to find Silth Withers in the town and find out more about the adventurers' disappearance and report back to Clifftop Adventurer's Guild for the reward.

REWARDS: 100 GP (to share) for accepting the quest and 100 GP (to share) upon completion.

===OVERVIEW===

The party first meet in the fortress of Sterngate in one of the many Adventurer's Guild branches in the country. Here they can introduce themselves to each other, form a story of how they met or just take up a pre-determined story and proceed with the rest of the adventure. Here, they will also learn more about the quest that is assigned to them, provided in the MISSION BRIEF section above.

 

They reach the town of New Cyre by nightfall through the roads and find Silth Withers, a retired Adventurer's Guild member and fighter. They learn that the missing members went to Vathirond, a torn down city East of New Cyre to assist the military and fight off the monsters of the Mournlands. 

Once they reach Vathirond, they find that the town is no longer a town but a warzone. Here, they'll learn more about where to find the missing members.

===HOOKS===

1. FRIEND. One of the missing members, Cinders Teine (Female Fire Genasi) is a childhood friend of yours. Her family is worried about her sudden silence and wants to learn about what happened or at the very least receive some closure. Finding Cinders will grant you inspiration.

2. JOBS. Jobs are hard to come by in Breland. That's why as soon as you saw that the Adventurer's Guild had an assignment you volunteered yourself as fast as you could. Completing this quest will grant you inspiration.

3. FOLLOWER. You look up to and follow the footsteps of the legendary hunter adventurer Lord Boroman ir'Dayne. You are quick and eager to prove yourself to the world of adventurers in Eberron and took this assignment to add to your growing resume of adventures you've been involved in. Completing this quest grants you inspiration.

4. MOURNLAND HORRORS. You've heard stories about the horrors of the Mournlands but never had the opportunity to see them for yourself. As soon as you heard of an assignment that required you to make a trip to the town of New Cyre (a site that is geographically close to the Mournlands) you saw a chance to potentially satisfy your curiosity. You receive inspiration once you have uncovered the mystery known as the 'Mournland horrors'. 

BEFORE BEGINNING: Gentle reminder please refrain from playing with the brush tool and the tokens. Use them for gameplay purposes. I have prepared a story for today's session so it will do you a lot of good if you listen to it and play along. Please cooperate.

When you listen, focus on what you think your character would do in the given situation. This will help you roleplay and enjoy the game a lot better!

===STERNGATE===

"You find yourselves in a small Adventurer's Guild branch in the Brelish fortress called Sterngate. The branch is tiny, cramped and packed with multiple adventurers & employees pacing to and fro across the wooden floors, tending to their businesses. You see some new faces as well as some old ones in the waiting room as you wait for the receptionist to bring you your coin and documentations.

Prior to this moment, you have already agreed to and accepted the assignment to find Silth Withers in New Cyre. Turns out, these new faces before you have also accepted the same assignment. While waiting, you see this as a chance to introduce yourself to new faces. What do you do?"

 

Give the players some time to roleplay their characters. Once they are done:

 

"A petite human lady primly dressed in the guild's uniform brings your pouch of 100 gp and sets of instructions that ought to lead you to Silth's house in New Cyre. You are now ready to proceed. Are you ready to go?"

===ROAD TO NEW CYRE===

This is also good chance for the players role play their characters a bit more. Once they are done or wish to arrive at New Cyre sooner, proceed to the next section.

===NEW CYRE===

"After some time travelling, your eyes finally see shapes that resemble a town ahead. As you march even closer, however, you can't help but notice that this town could use some repairs and renovations. New Cyre looks more like a giant slum than a town if you were being truthful. 

Life here looks tough. The citizens of New Cyre have stress written all over their faces as they go on about their business. You can't quite figure out why, but you feel that these people have a fire within that drives them to push on. 

You followed the directions provided to you and sure enough, you've found yourself at the gates of Silth's house. What do you do?"

Crossing a Drow: Conclusion

Once all of the targets are taken care of, the party's names shall be cleared.

If the characters signed on with the Cloaks and complete the Cloak's Tasks laid out in the adventure, their ranks are considered for promotion and will receive renown among the faction.

Characters that intend to head to Astrid Saj's festival can do so without any interference from the cults and bounty hunters. 

And that's about it for the adventure. Put on your fanciest clothes cause it's time for a celebration in the City of Danger!

===SPECIAL SENTENCING TABLE===

The following contains a sentencing table that PCs can use against NPC criminals

>4	Due to a technicality or missing witness, the Magistrate does not find the accused guilty.
4-6	All belongings are seized and the accused is teleported to a random location in Faerun, away from Mulmaster.
7-9	The accused is whipped in public before being teleported to a random location in Faerun, away from Mulmaster.
10-12	The accused tongue is chopped off before being teleported to a random location in Faerun, away from Mulmaster.
13-15	The accused fingers are cut off and cauterized with a brand before being teleported to a random location in Faerun, away from Mulmaster.
16-18	The accused is publicly executed by hanging.
19	The accused is publicly executed by being drawn and quartered.
20	The accused is publicly burned alive with its remains scattered in the Moonsea.

Crossing a Drow: Break it Down Broko

===BROKO SHOVS===

Born as a lower class citizen of Mulmaster, Broko is no stranger to the tough and unfair life a huge percentage of the population have to face. He also had to suppress his innate magical nature due to the state of the city. Word got around that the ghettos he was from were praying to a new deity who supposedly answered their prayers. It granted all wishes from financial help to exacting revenge on anyone who've done them wrong. Broko investigated these claims and found the cultists from the Black Earth who are actively going around to answer poor people's prayers. The cult actively encouraged his use of magic and soon Broko found himself using his gifts to serve the cult. Broko was assigned to retrieve the codex in light of the Black Earth's failure to secure the book.

Broko is also an avid tattoo artist and has imbued everyone who follows him the Eldritch Claw Tattoo on their right arm (including himself)

===CLOAK'S TASK===

Broko is an unsanctioned magic user who has caused harm to the citizens of Mulmaster using his magic. He was involved in an attack in the past against the Earthspur Miners. He must be brought in and arrested to face punishment for his crimes.

 

This tattoo depicts clawlike forms and other jagged shapes. While the tattoo is on your skin, your unarmed strikes are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming immunity and resistance to nonmagical attacks, and you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with unarmed strikes.

Eldritch Maul. As a bonus action, you can empower the tattoo for 1 minute. For the duration, each of your melee weapon attacks can reach a target up to 30 feet away from you, as tendrils of ink launch from your weapon or unarmed strike toward the target. In addition, your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 1d6 force damage on a hit. Once used, this bonus action can’t be used again until the next dawn.

Tattoo Attunement. To attune to this item, you hold the needle to your skin where you want the tattoo to appear, pressing the needle there throughout the attunement process. When the attunement is complete, the needle turns into the ink that becomes the tattoo, which appears on the skin. If you have multiple magic tattoos, they count as a single magic item with regard to the number of magic items you can attune to. If your attunement to the tattoo ends, the tattoo vanishes, and the needle reappears in the closest unoccupied space to you. Source

AREA: A large stone altar made of natural broken rocks sitting in a large open grassy field. Large rocks and trees are strewn about the area which can provide half-cover. Smells of burning incense and broken rocks coming from the cultist's activities from the altar.

SOUNDS: Singing birds and whistling wind can be heard in the distance if it's daytime. Crickets singing in the night if it's dark.

2 Sacred Stone Monks, 1 Gargoyle and Broko Shovs (Black Earth Priest) are present in this area.
NOTE: ALL monsters present have the Eldritch Claw Tattoo and receives buffs accordingly (Refer to above)

 

Important Spells: Acid Splash, Earth Tremor, Shatter, Slow
Seeing that he is a 5th level Sorceror, you can also consider giving him the quickening ability to combo his casted spells with his multiattacks. (2/long rest)

 
DON'T FORGET!!! The monks' unarmed strike have the added benefit of reach 30 feet, +5 to hit and 1d6 + 3 bludgeoning + 1d6 force damage with the tattoo.

 

===TREASURE===

A sculpture of Ogremoch made of jade and precious gems worth 200 gold pieces
A map that leads North of the Moonsea titled 'Mark of the Eldritch Claw' (Incomplete. Only half of the map)
5 potion of Healing
1 potion of Greater Healing (20HP)

In case the fight gets too grim, Poten and Jacquenette happened to be on the way to the Earthspur Mines and can assist if needed.
Additional Characters:
Poten
Jacquenette Covenreave

Crossing a Drow: Confronting the Mhursvayas

===PATH OF FAILURE===

Failing the ambush at the alleyway, the party is bounded, stripped of their gear and prepared for questioning in a dark shack in the middle of seemingly nowhere.

AREA: Dark shack. Low visibility but the shack is well-lived in. The shack smells of freshly cut wood and pine.

SOUNDS: Sounds of an animal racing across the wooden floor can be heard from time to time and the whistling winds from outside.

Mhursvayas the drow has no time for games.

• He aggressively questions the party for the codex. 
• He asks why they chose to betray him
• He takes a jab at their naivity as if thinking that crossing him would bear no repercussions

He whips his victims if they do not cooperate, which is an automatic hit dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage.

Once Mhursvayas has what he wants to know, he leaves the shack for his carriage, leaving the characters for spider food. 2 Giant Spiders and 4 Giant Wolf Spiders appear out of the woodworks to devour them. After one round of spider attacks, Cha'ab (Scout) makes his way through the door with a gang of 3 Zhent commoners with the intent to rescue them from their restraints.

Each player controls one of the commoner except for Uro who controls Cha'ab by default. It takes one action to release the restraints. The extra NPCs do not roll initiatives and take their turns after their respective player.

  

Cha'ab kept a close eye on Uro knowing the dangers of the city. Once word got out that the Uro and his party was captured, he set up a rescue operation immediately.

Going through this path means that the party has no chance to catch up to Mhursvayas but their names are cleared regardless as the drow assumes them dead after the confrontation.

Path of Failure CONCLUSION: Cha'ab later informs the party that there are 2 other persons looking for them and have intructed their cult to look for them in the city. He reveals the names Pristee Chyden and Broko Shovs from the water and earth cults respectively. Hearing the names also remind Cloak members that the Cloaks are after them for crimes of unsanctioned illegal magic. Taking care of these leaders will help cause disarray in the cult and clear their names for the time being. 

===PATH OF SUCCESS===

Following the instructions given prior, the adventurers stumble upon the shack in the middle of the woods. 

AREA: A small well-maintained shack sitting in the middle of an open grassy field somwhere in the woods.

SOUNDS: Rustling of leaves and whistling winds can be heard.

Mhursvayas waits anxiously in the shack, irritated by the lateness of the hired bounty hunters. Little did he know that they failed and it is he who is hunted instead.

===KNOWING THAT MHURSVAYAS IS A MAGIC USER===

Upon seeing the drow cast his first spell for harmful means and bearing no medallion to the Cloaks, the drow can be arrested and brought to the Cloaks for punishment as an unsanctioned magic user. He must be taken down non-lethally and brought in alive.

 

Giant Spider

Giant Wolf Spider

===TREASURE===

Searching Mhursvayas grants a key to the locked chest in the shack

Searching the shack, the party finds a locked chest of DC20 Strength & Dex check.

• 600 gold pieces
• 2 Potions of Poisons

Crossing a Drow: Headhuntress Pristee Chyden

===HEADHUNTRESS PRISTEE CHYDEN===

Pristee Chyden is a Water Genasi refugee from Phlan. She lived a normal life before the catastrophic events known as the Tyranny of Dragons and since then, she sees dragons and fire as a means of evil. She looks at the element, water, for sense of comfort and guidance but sought for justice for the wrong that has been done to her. Mulmaster's mistreatment of refugees didn't exactly make matters any better. When she stumbled upon the Cult of the Crushing Wave and learnt of their philosophy, she joined without hesitation.

After hearing of the Crushing Wave's failure to secure the codex, Pristee took charge of the operation and focused all her efforts into finding capturing the persons responsible.

===CLOAK's TASK===

Capture & arrest Pristee Chyden. Pristee has intentionally evaded the Cloaks to use her magic for nefarious means. She must face punishment for her crimes.

===RUINS BY THE RIVER LIS===

This particular ruin lies west of the River Lis. Formerly held by Lizardfolk, it is currently taken over by the Cultists of Crushing Wave. This ruin resembles a huge stone basin that is filled with water.

AREA: Floors and walls made of broken, aged stone. Years of neglect have taken a toll on this place with several structures lying around, fallen apart. Runes in Lizardfolk language riddle the pillars and walls. Trees and thick vegetation cover a huge chunk of the ruin. The environment feels wet, moist and humid.

RUNES: The Runes speak of the wives' prayers for the husbands' protection to the Lizardfolk forest Gods. Deciphering the rune with a spell or a successful DC 15 Intelligence check enables the reader and the companions he/she chooses to share this knowledge to have a buff equivalent to having Shield of Faith, which lasts for 1 minute without the need for concentration unless the rune is completely destroyed (AC11;HP15), casted on them. This, however, does not count as a spell text and cannot be copied into a spellbook.

The large basin of water lie 5 feet below the half-submerged platforms at the South & East. However, the platform at the North stands 10 feet above the water. The waterfall north-east is 15 feet tall from the submerged platform. The surrounding forest smells pleasant. Smells like damp moss, rain, wet tree trunks, flowers, and needle-covered path.

SOUNDS: Wildlife can be heard all around, from birds calling to monkeys howling as well as the loud rushing waterfall.

Residing this place is Pristee Chyden, (Crushing Wave Caller), 1 Dark Tide Knight using a Giant Aquatic Scorpion (has a swimming speed of 40 ft.) as his mount & 3 Reavers.

    

===TREASURE===

Carving of an Octopus made of Ivory worth 100 gold pieces

Journal containing several pieces of information:

• Reading this journal allows the players to access Pristee Chyden's infobar if they're interested to learn more about her.
• The journal also details the elemental node as well as how the codex was supposed to help the cult find the elemental node of water which in turn would allow the cultists to access the water elemental plane with ease.
  
• The journal also mentions the devastation orb of water but no details are expended on this item

4 x Potion of Watchful Rest (Common)

When you drink this potion, you gain the following benefits for the next 8 hours: magic can't put you to sleep, and you can remain awake during a long rest and still gain its benefits. This sweet, amber-colored brew has no effect on creatures that don't require sleep, such as elves.

===Interrogating Pristee Chyden===
Interrogating the Water Genasi reveals the following information:

• We are pragmatic and oppotunistic. Like a flood that seeks the weak point in a levee and then bursts through with ever-growing strength, we are quick to sense an opening and then act to exploit it. (Philosophy)
• We seek riches and use it to develop our schemes.
• Somewhere in the Lis Ruins contains our prize, the water elemental node. But we need the codex for that.
• I was formerly assigned under Therus, the cult's priest to seek out the devastation orb of water hidden somewhere in or around Mulmaster. After hearing about the failure of the codex retrieval, the plan changed and I was assigned elsewhere.
• I know nothing more about the devastation orb or the water elemental node.

BONUS

• All Crushing Wave members share a common enemy, the Eternal Flame. I hate them with every fiber of my being. 
• We believe that Umberlee is the false Goddess of the sea. Olhydra is the true Goddess of all things water. Other than our main goals, we also seek to eradicate all items that pertain to her worship as well as her worshippers.
• The main leaders of the Crushing Wave are secretive and only authorized members can access that knowledge. The only other leaders I know other than me is Therus, a priest.
• There is another I do not know the name of, but he rides a Giant Aquatic Scorpion. I last saw him at the edge of the Lis Ruins before we parted ways.
• I do not know the current locations of the names I have mentioned. 

===Sentencing Pristee Chyden===

The following contains a sentencing table that PCs can use against NPC criminals

>4	Due to a technicality or missing witness, the Magistrate does not find the accused guilty.
4-6	All belongings are seized and the accused is teleported to a random location in Faerun, away from Mulmaster.
7-9	The accused is whipped in public before being teleported to a random location in Faerun, away from Mulmaster.
10-12	The accused tongue is chopped off before being teleported to a random location in Faerun, away from Mulmaster.
13-15	The accused fingers are cut off and cauterized with a brand before being teleported to a random location in Faerun, away from Mulmaster.
16-18	The accused is publicly executed by hanging.
19	The accused is publicly executed by being drawn and quartered.
20	The accused is publicly burned alive with its remains scattered in the Moonsea.

Crossing a Drow: Intro

===BACKGROUND===

Somehow, Mhursvayas (MV) knew about the treasure that laid in the earth cyst. Furgis was very interested in the treasure. He did not want to live his life as a blackmailer anymore, always having to look at his back or be subjected to all manners of violence.

Getting his hands on the treasure can set Furgis up for life and then some. All he had to do was to hand MV the Elemental Codex. Things went wrong when they got another party involved that didn't make good on their word.

First, they handed Furgis over to the Hammers of Moradin. Furgis blackmailed the chief to get his hands on the book. He then sailed to the City of Danger to find MV and hired some bodyguards but these guards betrayed him when the Hammers offered more money.

To make matter worse, 2 other cults are looking for the book too. The Black Earth cult managed to get their hands on the book. They used the rituals in the book to create a devastation orb but the guards managed to nab the book before that could happen. MV helped the adventurers open the Earthen Cyst with the promise of having some time with the book to collect some rituals. The survivors of the encounter unfortunately had different intentions and left without fulfilling his part of the bargain.

MV created a story about saving his people from demons when in fact, he wanted to use the book to raise an army and create a brand new devastation orb, an orb of darkness! The orb will allow MV to banish areas in a 1 mile radius to a plane of darkness and wreak havoc when he so chooses.

So he was pissed when adventurers he teamed up with up and ran with the book. MV visited the area to find dead adventurers and several corpses. After some time, he placed bounties on the survivors Bel and Uro. He wants them alive so that he can question them about the whereabouts of the book.

===OVERVIEW===

Part 1, the adventurers are lured into an alley to be attacked by bounty hunters. If the bounty hunters are successful, the adventurers will be brought to an unknown location to face Mhursvayas for questioning. Mhursvayas is also interested in questioning Uro and Bel's recent contacts to find out about the book.

After Mhursvayas hears what he wants he commands his spider minions to dispose of the adventurers. If the adventurers break out of their bonds early, Mhursvayas will make a run for the carriage outside to escape unless they catch up to him on time.

If the bounty hunters are not successful, either the survivors will inform the adventurers about Mhursvayas secret location or Cha'ab will inform Uro about Mhursvayas's bounty placed on Uro and Bel. Over there, they will face Mhursvayas who will try to escape before he even comes close to them.

Part 2 will have the adventurers going around to clear their names. Uro and gang will have to find Mhursvayas and force him or end his life to stop the bounty. However, the Crushing Wave and Black Earth wants to find Uro and Bel and get their hands on the book once more.

Either Cha'ab or the survivors will inform the adventurers about the heads of these cults who passed down the command to cult members about hunting them. Taking care of these heads will cause internal conflicts within the cult, staving off the heat from the adventurers.

===PART 1===

SITUATION: The bounty hunters track and follow their target [Stealth DC 20]. Uro knows of a shortcut to their next destination through the alleyway. The bounty hunters seize their chance and attack them while they are there.

Uro and gang will will either be heading back to rest from the Tower of Arcane Might or heading to their next job. Uro's background allows him to know about shortcuts and alleyways to get around the city quicker. Unbeknownst to him, bounty hunters hired by Mhursvayas are tracking his every move and are waiting for the right chance to strike.

Let the players settle into the session by explaining what their characters are up to. Once they decide on where they want to move next [it's possible at this point that they would want to head to Astrid's party]:

"You know of a shortcut to your next destination through a series of alleyways. The alleys of the city aren't pretty and has a peculiar smell, but it's nothing you can't handle.

Some time later, you've made it through half of your journey. This part of the alley is lifeless and quiet. However, your senses tell you that you are not alone.

Sure enough, a few figures step out from hiding and turn to face your direction. 'You shouldn't have crossed the dark elf Mhursvayas!' One of the figures screams as he charges towards you with his blade!"

The bounty hunters (spies) aim to knock the players unconscious with their poisons and bring them to a secret location outside of the city. 

 3 Spies and 2 Guards attack the adventurers in the alley.

 

FAILURE:

• The party is bounded up and brought to an undisclosed location for questioning, torture and eventually be eaten by wolf and giant spiders
• However, they have a chance to escape from their restraints later and fight their way out OR end the bounty by taking care of Mhursvayas

SUCCESS:

• By some miracle, the bounty hunters are defeated. Jandar Skullik [human-hobgoblin], one of the bounty hunters, can be questioned. Alternatively, if everyone is killed, Cha'ab arrives after the fight to explain everything.
• DC 15 Persuasion or Intimidation check convinces Jandar to spill the beans. Cha'ab requires no checks.
• Mhursvayas placed a bounty for Bel and Uro. 250 gold pieces if alive, 100 gold pieces if dead per bounty. Word got out about Daisho's and Gus's relation with the bounties who both have 50 gold pieces bounties placed on them, dead or alive. 
• Mhursvayas is the drow who helped cast a ritual to open the Earth Cyst back in the Boltsmelter's Book adventure in exchange for a few hours with the codex. He is pissed that the survivors did not fulfill their part of the deal.
• Jandar or Cha'ab reveals where Mhursvayas is hiding. An abandoned shack on the outskirts of the city where they are supposed to be bounded up and brought in for questioning, torture and eventually be eaten by wolf and giant spiders
• Other bounty hunters are after the same bounty. They'll do themselves a huge favour if they end the bounty by taking care of the employer Mhursvayas.
• BONUS: Cults from the Crushing Wave and the Black Earth have orders from above to capture Uro and Bel to find out about the codex. They roam around the city to look for their targets.
• ADDITIONAL TARGETS: Pristee Chyden [Crushing Wave] & Broko Shoves [Black Earth] are the current heads in charge of taking in the party. Taking care of these target will cause disarray within the cult, staving off some of the heat from the party. Their locations are unknown.

CLOAK'S TASK: Upon hearing the names of Pristee Chyden & Broko Shoves, any character signed on with the Cloaks knows that they are the 2 of the Cloak's most illustruous targets. They are guilty of mastering the craft of magic as a means to harm Mulmaster. Their locations are currently unknown but the cultists from the 2 cults will more than likely know about their whereabouts.

If the party chooses to hunt Mhursvayas first, they first have to head to Southroad Keep and go through the remains of Elmwood before arriving at Mhursvayas' hideout.

Succeeding the encounter causes some unwelcomed complications...

===PART 1.5===

Prowling the streets of Mulmaster are cultists from the Crushing Wave and the Black Earth. Before the party reaches the area of Southroad Keep:

"You see several men dressed in familiar blue robes accompanied by shoddily armored members from the City Watch. They scan every civilian that cross the streets of Mulmaster, keeping a lookout for their targets. A number of posters hang on the walls adjacent to these men containing sketches of a scarred man, a brutish-looking half-orc, a silver-haired lady and a gaunt dragonborn."

A few of the cultists engage in conversation with each other that mention the name Pristee Chyden. They should know where she is. Each enemy of this encounter has Insight and Perception of DC15 

 

 This group contains 2 Crushing Wave Reavers, 2 Cultists and 2 City Watch Guards. Several civilians walk by the streets and disperse when they spot any sign of trouble. 

  

SPILLING THE BEANS: Capturing a cultist reveals the location of Pristee Chyden. She is currently hiding in the Lis ruins which is a long way from their current location.

===BLACK EARTH===

Some time after crossing the Southroad Keep, cultists dressed in black robes roam the area to sniff the party out.

"A few men dressed in dark robes lean on the walls nearby. However, they're keeping their eyes and ears peeled for anyone who even resemble their targets."

1 Black Earth Guard and 3 cultists are present for this stake out.

 

SPILLING THE BEANS: There is a hideout in between the gates of Mulmaster and the Earthspur Mines. Broko Shoves currently resides in there.

Conclusion:

The party will find out that there are 3 groups that are hunting them down. At this point they should also have three names to hunt down to clear their names. If they don't do so, future employment in the city can prove really difficult.