Chapter 7: Excelsior
·
Before starting this adventure, make sure you
have each character’s Intelligence (Investigation), Wisdom (Perception) and
Wisdom (Insight) scores.
·
Notes about Excelsior
o
Keeps float around the city on clouds. Some well-known
owners of the keeps:
§
Nimbron, overseen by Thotasis, a stiff necked
paladin of Tyr who wants Excelsior governed by a firmer hand.
§
Thunder’s Reach, storm kind fortress ruled by
Tygrant, an empyrean banished from Mount Celestia.
§
Zephyr Stables, Cassandra Caeneus’ floating
Pegasus ranch.
o
Forum: Town square for debate.
o
Heart’s Faith: This is confusing, but I think
Heart’s Faith existed on the plane of Mount Celestia, but got pulled into the Outlands
over time, and the citadels float above it.
o
The Order of the Iron Lantern is a watchdog
group, always on the lookout for evil and overzealously accusing citizens of misdeeds.
o
There’s also chant of a thieves’ guild in Hearth’s
Faith known as the Holy Shadow. The group’s relatively minor misdeeds may be
the thing keeping Heart’s Faith from being pulled into Mount Celestia…or is it
the Iron Lantern zealotry?
·
Exploring Excelsior
o
Read box text. Lantern archon shows up to guide
them around.
o
Characters can go to the gate at the Godstrand.
Mile of stairs to climb. Evil characters must make checks.
o
Warden archons question the characters but allow
them to approach the gates if they are reasonable.
o
Varrel, Hound Archon member of city watch, asks
characters to help him with a problem. Read the associated box text.
o
Basically, he suspects a tiefling named
Sincerity is responsible for missing people but has no proof and is hampered by
the rules. He wants the characters to investigate for him.
o
Varrel offers characters 2,500 gp and a brooch
of shielding if they can get to the bottom of the missing people.
o
He can lead characters to the Excelsior guards’
headquarters or Sincerity’s home.
·
The Missing
o
An Intelligence (Arcana) DC 16 is enough for
each character to realize all the missing folk are not from the Outer Planes.
It probably won’t be immediately obvious why that matters (iron flasks only
work on primes). What follows are some backgrounds for each missing person.
o
Adorae, a dedicated warrior and a former member
of the Order of the Gauntlet, had recently returned from a mission in the
Beastlands. She was last seen in her home, meticulously documenting her latest
encounters with wildlife and jotting down tactical insights for her fellow
paladins. Adorae was known for her bravery and strategic mind.
o
Changle, a curious and inventive gnome from
Krynn, was known for her fascination with the intricate magical artifacts found
throughout Excelsior. She often wandered the alleys near the Godstrand,
scavenging for interesting items and parts. Her last known location was an
alley where she was seen examining a peculiar glowing shard she had discovered.
o
Irruwabi, a human cleric devoted to the deity
Pelor of Greyhawk, spent his days offering guidance and healing to the citizens
of Excelsior. He was known for his serene demeanor and deep wisdom. He was last
seen performing a late-night ritual at the Shrine of the Amaunator, seeking
divine intervention for a troubling vision he had experienced involving his own
death. His absence has left the Shrine’s followers in a state of unrest.
o
Wobeke, a retired adventurer and scholar on
sabbatical from Candlekeep, was working on a comprehensive history of Excelsior
and its surrounding realms. He was last seen at home, surrounded by ancient
tomes and scrolls, deeply engrossed in his research on the Modron March and its
impact on the town. His unexplained disappearance has alarmed his neighbors and
fellow historians.
o
Yoi, a charismatic tiefling bard and orator who
learned from the best at Morgrave University in Sharn, frequently held court at
the Forum, where he entertained and enlightened the citizens with stories and
debates. His latest series of discussions on the philosophical implications of
the Modron March had drawn considerable attention. He was last seen at the
Forum, engaging in a heated debate on the nature of free will versus
predestination. His sudden disappearance has left his regular audience and
peers in a state of confusion and worry.
·
Just the Facts
o
What’s really happening: Sincerity is trapping folks
who aren’t from the Outer Planes in an iron flask that gets
delivered by her sunflies to the night hag Uncle Longteeth. She has a
supernatural glibness ability that has let her evade detection and
spells that detect untruths. Uncle Longteeth is turning the victims into
larvae.
o
The characters can question Sincerity, but
because of glibness, it’s going to be hard to catch her in a lie. I would roll
the character’s Wisdom (Insight) checks behind a screen, or skip rolling them
altogether. This lets Sincerity even avoid the effects of zone of truth.
o
The investigator in the room with them is named
Rolm.
o
The bullet point questions in the adventure
summarize how the conversation with Sincerity will go. Probably the characters
will learn little from her.
·
Sincerity’s Home
o
Varrel takes characters to her apartment but
gets called off on guard business so characters can search on their own.
o
The front door is locked, DC 14 Dexterity check
with thieves’ tools to open. Varrel wouldn’t approve of the characters breaking
in, but what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.
o
Not much of note in Sincerity’s home except 5 gp
and a cage holding 8 sunflies on her terrace.
o
If the sunflies’ cage is opened, one will offer
to carry a tiny item – the characters can follow and be led to Uncle
Longteeth’s wagon. The sunflies are the most likely way the characters will
crack the case.
·
Questioning Locals
o
Sincerity is nice but keeps to herself.
o
Different locals saw Sincerity near the scene of
disappearances.
o
Sincerity has unusual pets – sunflies.
o
DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check or
asking about colorful lights leads a local to mention they saw some near one of
the disappearances.
·
Night Hag’s Wagon
o
Read box text.
o
Uncle Longteeth is recalcitrant and attacks if
implicated in the crimes. He flees via plane shift if reduced to
30 hp or fewer.
o
I actually had Uncle Longteeth flee via
etherealness as soon as it was clear the characters were on to him – there
isn’t a lot of reason for the hag to stick around and fight once his
culpability is proven.
o
In the wagon is a chest that can be unlocked
with DC 16 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Inside are ten iron flasks that
only work in the Outlands.
o
The five individuals detailed earlier can be
freed from their flasks.
·
Resolution
o
Sincerity comes clean if:
§
Captives are released and confront her;
§
Uncle Longteeth is brought before her;
§
Characters build a compelling case and succeed
on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check.
o
Varrel will let the characters have one iron
flask.
o Rolm seeks the characters out before they leave town and gives them a lantern of revealing.
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