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.