# Iron DM 2010: All Submissions and Judgments



## CleverNickName (Jun 1, 2010)

*IRON DM 2010*

*Round 1, Match 1
Wednesday, June 2, 12:00 p.m. EST*
MortalPlague vs. ender wiggin
Judge: Radiating Gnome
*Winner: ender wiggin

Round 1, Match 2
Friday, June 4, 9:00 p.m. EDT*
Iron Sky vs. Tremorsense
Judge: InVinoVeritas
*Winner: Iron Sky

Round 1, Match 3
Saturday, June 5, 9:19 a.m. CST*
Sanzuo vs. humble minion
Judge: Pbartender
*Winner: Sanzuo

Round 1, Match 4
Monday, June 7, 12:00 p.m. EST*
Pour vs. MatthewJHanson
Judge: Radiating Gnome
*Winner: MatthewJHanson

Round 1, Match 5
Wednesday, June 9, 9:00 p.m. EDT*
Wicht vs. Green Dice
Judge: InVinoVeritas
*Winner: Green Dice

Round 1, Match 6
Saturday, June 11, 9:00 a.m. CST*
Waylander the Slayer vs. Pro-Paladin
Judge: Pbartender
*Winner: Pro-Paladin

Round 1, Match 7
Sunday, June 13*
Allenchan vs. ajanders
Judge: InVinoVeritas
*Winner: ajanders

Round 1, Match 8
Tuesday, June 15*
Wik vs. howandwhy99
Judge: InVinoVeritas
*Winner: Wik*

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*Round 2, Match 1
Sunday, June 19, 8:00 a.m. EST*
ender wiggin vs. Iron Sky
Judge: Radiating Gnome
*Winner: Iron Sky

Round 2, Match 2
Monday, June 21, 6:30 a.m. CST*
Sanzuo vs. MatthewJHanson
Judge: PBartender
*Winner: Sanzuo

Round 2, Match 3
Wednesday, June 23, 7:00 a.m. PST*
Green Dice vs. Pro-Paladin
Judge: Radiating Gnome
*Winner: Pro-Paladin

Round 2, Match 4
Friday, June 25*
ajanders vs. Wik
Judge: Pbartender
*Winner: ajanders*

-----

*Round 3, Match 1
Tuesday, June 29, 9:00 a.m. EST*
Iron Sky vs. Sanzuo
Judges: Radiating Gnome, Pbartender, InVinoVeritas
*Winner: Iron Sky

Round 3, Match 2
Friday, July 2*
Pro-Paladin vs. ajanders
Judges: Radiating Gnome, Pbartender, InVinoVeritas
*Winner: ajanders*

-----

*Championship Round!
Saturday July 10, 12:00 p.m. PST*
Iron Sky vs. ajanders
Judges: Radiating Gnome, Pbartender, InVinoVeritas
*Winner: AJANDERS!*

*LEGEND*
Scheduled
Next Up
In progress
Awaiting Judgment
Finished

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Spoiler: FAQ



*What is an Iron DM?*
_"An Iron DM tournament is a contest in which writers show their ability to turn a collection of random ingredients into a cohesive adventure over a short period of time."_

*So how does this work, anyway?*
The Iron DM contest is a single-elimination writing contest, loosely based on the Japanese game show "Iron Chef."  Contestants are given a short list of ingredients, all of which must be used to create an original adventure, encounter, or side-trek.  Contestants have but 24 hours to create, write, and post their entries.  The DM with the best story wins, and proceeds on to the next round.

*What do I win?*
This year's prizes include:


The glowing admiration of your peers
Maybe some XP from your fans
The respect of at least one other DM in this forum
Street cred
A warm, fuzzy sense of accomplishment

...and many other things that money cannot buy.

*Who can enter?*
Anyone who is not a judge.  If you are reading this, you are invited to compete.

*Who are the judges?*
This event is organized by the Rat Bastard DMs Club, and judges are drawn from this membership.

*Can I edit my entry once it's posted?*
No.  Entries that have a "Last edited by..." tag at the bottom may be disqualified, depending on how strict your judge is.  If you spot an error in your entry, you should send a private message to the judge about it.

*What are the judges looking for?*
Each judge has his own way of choosing a winner...some are formulaic, others are abstract.  For the most part, entries will be judged on (a) ingredient use, (b) playability, (c) creativity, and (d) overall impression.

Ingredient Use: How well were all of the ingredients tied together in the story?  Was each ingredient a necessary, irreplacable part of the adventure, or was it merely a prop or McGuffin that could have been replaced with anything else?  Did some ingredients get over-used?

Playability: will other DMs find it interesting and useful?  Can it be easily dropped into an existing campaign, or will it require extensive work on the DM's part to adapt to his game world?

Creativity: did you use the ingredients in innovative, imaginative ways? or did you simply drop six ingredients into your favorite published adventure?  Are you using someone else's adventure?  Did you go "above and beyond," and include stuff like hand-drawn maps or original poetry?  Did you create new monsters, spells, magic items, or other "crunchy" items?

Overall impression: is the adventure cool?  Is it something that you would pay money for?  Does it tell an awesome story?  Can it hold the reader's interest?

Different judges will give each category different weight in choosing a winner.  It is recommended that all contestants read through the judgments of last year's contest to get a feel for what different judges will be looking for.

*Which edition of D&D are we supposed to use?*
This contest is edition-neutral; you may use any edition you want.  Most entries will probably be 3.x or 4E, but we have seen older editions before, as well as d20 Modern, Pathfinder, and even Star Wars (and I can't remember for sure, but I think there was a G.U.R.P.S. entry a while back.)  So go with your favorite.

Keep in mind that one of the things you will be judged on is "playability."  So if you write an adventure for a non-D&D system, consider adding some conversion notes.  This is not a requirement; merely a suggestion.





Spoiler: About the Ingredients



In each round, contestants will be given six ingredients.  The categories for these ingredients (and examples of each) are as follows.


Spoiler: A Person



absent-minded professor
pastry chef
Elvis impersonator
three beautiful widows
eladrin merchant
unemployed assassin
President Abraham Lincoln
12th level rogue
disfigured veteran





Spoiler: A Place



ice cave
pie factory
abandoned coal mine
burning building
medieval Europe
desert island
a collapsed bridge
The Black Temple of Azaroth
The Sears Tower





Spoiler: A Thing



magic potion
fresh pumpkin pie
the Hope Diamond
alabaster necklace
the letter "Q"
toenail shavings
three letters to the same princess
_wand of fireballs_
pool of acid
sonic boom





Spoiler: An Idea



unabated hunger
revolution
burning passion
eagerness to please
horror
urban renewal
embarrassing honesty
that sinking feeling you get when the waiter tells you that they have sold out of your favorite pie





Spoiler: A Monster



rabid blink dog
half-dragon scorpion
fiendish purple worm
Godzilla
a pet earthworm
an intelligent ooze
vampire bat
halfling pie-thrower
Pennywise the Clown
six-headed hydra





Spoiler: A Random Ingredient



This could be any of the above...a second monster, or a second location, or another idea.  It could also be a special writing requirement ("Include a poem at least four lines in length") or a "meta" ingredient ("create and show the stats for a pie golem") that must be included in your submission.


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## CleverNickName (Jun 1, 2010)

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the 2010 Iron DM Competition!

Round One, Match One...MortalPlague versus ender wiggin!  The ingredients will be posted as soon as these two contestants post a message saying they are ready.

Our judge for this match: Radiating Gnome.


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## MatthewJHanson (Jun 1, 2010)

Good luck everybody!


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## CleverNickName (Jun 1, 2010)

MatthewJHanson said:


> Good luck everybody!



Best wishes to all!

I don't want to squash any enthusiasm, but let's keep all of the non-competition posts over in the discussion thread.  That will go a long way to keeping things nice and tidy, and will help avoid influencing the judges and participants with our banter.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 2, 2010)

Round 1, Match 1
MortalPlague vs. ender wiggin
Judge: Radiating Gnome

*Ingredients:*
Weretiger
Aerial swamp
Human slaver
Universal suffrage
Broken chronometer
Songbow

Official start time is 3pm Eastern.  Entries need to be posted as replies in this thread at or before 3 pm Eastern  tomorrow.


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## MortalPlague (Jun 3, 2010)

*Where Cloud Giants Go To Die*
A D&D Adventure by MortalPlague

*Adventure Hook:*

In a pile of treasure in some dusty dungeon, the adventurers find Mjornheil, the huge greatbow once wielded by the cloud giant champion Grimvol the Magnanimous.  Etched with runes in the giant tongue, the massive bow is made of darkwood and is heavily enchanted.  The weapon is intelligent, though it does not speak; it makes its feelings known by vibrating its bowstring, giving off a musical note.  For contentment or approval, a pleasant note.  For mourning or sorrow, a minor key.  And for anger or disagreement, a discordant note.  The bow is clearly sized for a giant, and it refuses to change its size for a wielder.

The adventurers quickly discover (either through their own knowledge or by showing the bow around) that Lord Arthur Pennlynn of Ridgecrest Keep is an avid collector of cloud giant artifacts, particularly weapons.  More knowledgeable historians would know that Lord Pennlynn is focused on Grimvol and his equipment; in fact, he has collected everything except his legendary bow.  Alas, Ridgecrest Keep is high atop Mount Paranore, overlooking an inhospitable mountain pass; while most merchants would love to earn the money, the dangers and the rigors of the journey would cost them dearly.

The promise of great rewards for a mere journey up a mountain?  What adventurer could refuse?


*Arrival At Ridgecrest Keep*

It takes a week to reach the mountain pass, though the majesty of this place is apparent even days out.  Mount Paranore towers over every mountain in sight by a good thousand feet.  Its snowy spire reaches up to touch the clouds, which swirl in a never-ending gyre around its peak.  Great dark shapes can be seen in the clouds, and as the adventurers draw nearer to both mountain and keep, the nature of the storm becomes apparent.  In the mire of clouds, massive giants float lifelessly through the sky, in perpetual communion with their beloved heaven.  The magic that keeps them aloft must be powerful indeed, far beyond the scope of mortal capability!

Beneath this surreal spectacle is Ridgecrest Keep.  The fortress is thick-walled and businesslike, watching over the mountain pass.  The icy road up takes an hour to traverse, and the guards take the characters' names before they are admitted.  The interior of the keep is a sprawling courtyard, marked with a number of stone buildings.  Up this high, wood is too scarce to build houses.  A tall bonfire burns off the left, where about twenty soldiers and servants are warming themselves.

There are two buildings which command immediate attention.  The Lord's keep lies dead ahead, standing four storeys with battlements at the top, a pair of archers on watch over the mountain pass.  The second is a shorter building, a mere two storeys off to the right.  The structure is ringed with an iron fence, ten feet tall with spikes capping it.  Ten people with a distinctly feral edge to them are clustered around their own bonfire, behind the fence.

The second building belongs to a number of refugee lycanthropes.  Over the years, a number of admitted lycanthropes have flocked to the safety of Ridgecrest Keep.  Lord Pennlynn permits them to be within the walls.  At first, there were many strict conditions; constant watch by guards, and confinement to their barracks.  But as time went by, the fear lessened to mistrust, and Lord Pennlynn put them to work.  Most of the lycanthropes have excellent eyes, and make capable scouts and guards.  But lately, the lycanthropes have grown weary of the common mistreatment; despite their prowess, none of them are officially members of the guard.  And despite numbering a full quarter of the keep's population, they have no one representing them on the Lord's council.

The adventurers are quickly whisked into the keep proper, for once he's learned the nature of their visit, Lord Pennlynn is eager to see them.  They meet the lord in his gallery, where he has the other pieces of Grimvol's gear proudly displayed.

Arthur Pennlynn is in his mid fifties with graying hair and a quiet, dignified manner.  He is civil, preferring not to stand on pomp and ceremony, and he is happy to discuss his collection at length with anyone who inquires.  His history is not a happy one, however.  About ten years ago, his son, Gregory was lost while climbing the higher reaches of Mount Paranore.  Arthur was devastated; he suffered quietly, and in private, still capably fulfilling his duties as a lord.  But the only thing that brings him joy anymore is the thought of completing his collection.

Arthur's two closest advisors are also present.  First, Provalor the Proficient is the Court Wizard and Artificer.  The pompous halfling wears a great deal of thick, regal clothing, and he has a good number of little mechanical trinkets (most of them his own design).  One of his more practical devices is a beautiful, silver chronometer; an extremely delicate construction which keeps very precise time.

The other advisor, a more recent arrival is a man by the name of Zellenin.  His skin is a deep brown; he arrived a year ago from the south, bearing a Grimvol's bracers.  As it turned out, Zellenin was a scholar of great knowledge; he and Lord Pennlynn had many conversations, covering cloud giant lore and artifacts.  Impressed with the new arrival's keen intellect and knowledge, Arthur appointed him his chief advisor.  Unbeknownst to his liege, however, Zellenin is a weretiger.  He traveled to Ridgecrest Keep at the request of his lycanthrope bretheren.  In human form, he'd try to subtly nudge Lord Pennlynn towards greater recognition of their deeds.  In his weretiger form, he became Swiftclaw, a hunter who frequently comes and goes from the Keep, often spending many days abroad.  In Swiftclaw's guise, he became a vocal crusader for suffrage.

Lord Pennlynn agrees to pay a substantial reward for Mjornheil, and will house the adventurers in his keep for as long as they'd like to stay.  He also asks them to join him for dinner in the evening.


*The Night Raid*

While the adventurers dine with Lord Pennlynn, Zellenin shifts to his weretiger form and becomes Swiftclaw.  He joins his lycanthrope brothers, and shares the news that the lord's collection is now complete.  With Lord Pennlynn in better humor than he's been in the last year, he plans to speak to him directly in the morning.

Provalor the Proficient would like nothing better than to see the lycanthropes driven from the keep.  Seeing Swiftclaw appear, he moves quickly to put his plan into action; he uses magic to contact a band of slavers who operate from the storm at the top of the mountain, offering the bow, Mjornheil in payment.  Their part of the bargain?  Kidnap Swiftclaw.  Without their vocal crusader, the lycanthropes would have no champion for their cause.

For the adventurers, the dinner goes smoothly, and tired from their travels, they retire.

During the night, they awake to a terrible cacaphony; the sounds of battle fill the air.  The storm giants have attacked the fortress!  A good twenty storm giants have smashed the gate and entered the courtyard, tearing down the fence and taking Swiftclaw.  Their leader, a human with a deadly longsword which sings with each swing is a capable combatant, though by the time the characters arrive, he's already departed.

Three storm giants remain behind to keep any organized pursuit from happening, and they engage the adventurers ferociously.  If they're badly wounded, they will attempt to flee, though they will not surrender willingly.


*To The Lofty Tempest*

Following the raid, the adventurers are asked to rescue Swiftclaw by the lycanthropes.  Bernerac, a werewolf who came to Ridgecrest Keep two years ago acts as their leader, pleading with the characters to help them.  He explains the situation with regards to their social battle; without Swiftclaw, they have no hope.  He also tells the adventurers the secret; that Swiftclaw is also Zellenin.  Having an advisor with Lord Pennlynn's ear on the inside will greatly help their cause.  He doesn't have much, but he will offer the adventurers what little money he can manage.

If the characters investigate the lycanthrope's building, they'll find little.  An examination of the gatehouse, however, reveals something.  Though the gates were smashed, they were not closed tight when they were smashed.  Provalor unlocked them first, then pulled them ajar.  Nobody saw him do it, however; he was invisible at the time.

It's common knowledge around the keep that a band of storm giant slavers operate out of the Lofty Tempest, the swirling storm at the top of Mount Paranore.  With the direction clear, the adventurers will set out for the peak.

Scaling Mount Paranore is a challenge in and of itself.  It's up to the DM how much emphasis they want to put on the climb; this could easily become a tax on the adventurers.  The true test, however, lies ahead.

Drawing near to the top, the nature of the Lofty Tempest becomes clear.  This is where cloud giants come to die.  There are hundreds of dead cloud giants, floating limp amongst the clouds, their arms outstretched towards one another as they float in perpetual glory.  The clouds, perhaps pulled by their kindred giants swirl ever inwards, forming a gently turning mire of cloud and corpse.  A lone cloud giant arm descends from the tempest, its finger brushing the tip of Mount Paranore.

At the very top, the adventurers find a dying cloud giant.  He is unarmed, and seems extremely peaceful.  His name is Chogrin, and he explains that cloud giants of great age come to this spot to ascend to their final resting place.  If asked, he will explain how in the dawn of time, the cloud giants forged a pact with the elemental spirits of the sky and mountain to safeguard their dead.  And so, to this very day, cloud giants climb Mount Paranore in their twilight days, and ascend to the Lofty Tempest.

If asked about the storm giants, Chogrin becomes grim.  These giants are a blight on his ancestors' graves.  He did see them pass up into the Tempest as the dawn broke.  Chogrin also saw their leader, the young human with the singing blade.  Finally, he also noticed that one of the storm giants was carrying a huge, ornate bow.

The way up to the Lofty Tempest is along the cloud giant's arm, which is not a terribly difficult climb.  Taken slowly and carefully, the characters should be able to enter this aerial mire with relative ease.  The cloud giant bodies are packed close enough that navigation isn't a challenge.

Footing in combat, however, is another story.

The DM is encouraged to make use of more combat encounters than those listed here.  There are roughly twenty storm giants in the slaver group, but they could easily have allies; gryphons, rocs, or any aerial threat would be particularly appropriate.  Below is detailed the key encounter.


*Gregory Pennlynn, King of the Slavers*

The Slavers of the Lofty Tempest have made their base towards the western edge of the gyre, lashing together about twenty cloud giant corpses into a serviceable platform.  A large, sturdy pen holds about twenty creatures, mostly ogres and smaller giants.  The slavers deal in monstrous slaves (more readily available here, and they bring a much higher profit), but there are also a handful of humans here as well.  A special silver cage sits off to one side, containing Swiftclaw.  The bulk of the storm giants are here, as is Gregory Pennlynn.  As the adventurers approach, it becomes clear just who is leading the band; Gregory is a spitting image of his father, just thirty years younger.

The young lordling is a capable combatant; he's a very mobile fighter, swift and deadly.  His storm giant companions are equally deadly, though they are considerably less agile.  The adventurers may attempt diplomacy, trying to convince Gregory to take a peaceful solution.  He left home out of a restless boredom to seek a life of adventure, however, and he has no desire to return to that.  Furthermore, he has murdered people, and he doesn't think his father would forgive him for it.  It would be difficult, but not impossible to convince the young lordling to give up the scheme.

The fight should be an exciting encounter.  Consider the fantastic terrain; this battle takes place across the floating bodies of dead giants, miles above the mountain pass below!  The opportunities for memorable manoeuvres and daring deeds are all around.  The battlefield is riddled with small or large crevasses, where large or small creatures could fall (or be pushed) to their death.  And of course, if an adventurer should fall, there's always the chance to grab hold of a giant corpse floating just a little lower, to climb back up and into the fight.  The dead giants aren't easy to navigate, either; footing is precarious, which both parties can take advantage of.  The DM should make sure not to hinder their players overmuch, but also ensure that the terrain plays a role.

It should also be noted that one of the storm giants is wielding Mjornheil, the songbow.  This bow is a powerful magic item, and the giant wielding it should be hitting more often and a fair bit harder than his friends.  The players also have the option to free the weretiger; he is a capable combatant, even without weapons.  If an adventurer spends the time to get the cage open, he will eagerly get revenge on his kidnappers!

Once the slavers are defeated, Swiftclaw will thank the players for their aid.  He will show them the only item he managed to grab when he was kidnapped; a broken chronometer.  It is Provalor's chronometer; the artificer dropped it while aiding the storm giant raid.  This little piece of evidence should point very strongly in the halfling's direction.


*Justice Served Cold*

The adventurers return triumphant with the rescued Swiftclaw, the recovered songbow, and the broken timepiece.  Things move fairly quickly; they return to Ridgecrest Keep, and with Swiftclaw, are ushered in to see Lord Pennlynn.  There, they find Provalor the Proficient looking uneasy, which turns to panic when they reveal the broken chronometer.  There is no denying his role in events, however; Lord Pennlynn had his own suspicions that the storm giants had inside aid, and the evidence points the way pretty clearly.  Provalor is led away in chains, to be tried at a later date, and a major step towards lycanthrope suffrage is made.


*Contest Elements In Use*
*Weretiger* - The weretiger is, naturally, Zellenin / Swiftclaw
*Aerial swamp* - The aerial swamp is the Lofty Tempest.  A swamp is full of dead organic matter, so I figured that a sky swamp would be full of dead cloud giants.
*Human slaver* - The human slaver is Gregory Pennlynn.
*Universal suffrage* - The entire conflict is brought about through the lycanthrope's struggle for suffrage.
*Broken chronometer* - The broken timepiece is the damning evidence for Provalor.
*Songbow* - The songbow is Mjornheil, which changes hands several times during this adventure.


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## ender_wiggin (Jun 3, 2010)

*Greed in Greencloud*
An adventure for early paragon groups in 4th edition D&D

_Greedy for sun, the trees of Greencloud grow appendages full of gas, lifting them high into the air. There they flourish, in time blacking the sun out for all of their less ambitious brethren. Greedy for water and cut off from the nutrient rich ground, these gasbags grow appendages that hoard rain; catch it in hammocks and wide spongy reservoirs that save the precious fuel for a dryer season. Free from the earth, the flying bog floats with the clouds, climbing and falling with the pull of the tide.

Greedy for power, Vivian Rylock keeps a stranglehold over her harvester slaves. They navigate the dangerous swamp, pierce the unstable gasbags, and breathe in the noxious fumes. The gas, worth twice its weight in gold, is sold in bulk to researching wizards around the world. Many terrible men are made wealthy. Greedy for revenge, the rebel slave Weretiger betrays his promise of peace, pushing onward towards retribution or death. Will the players slay the monstrous Weretiger and quell his bloody rebellion, or will they see justice in his cause and bring an end to Rylock’s cruelty?_

*Background (DM Only)*
Throughout the world, arcane technology is developing. New, innovative spells and rituals are being invented at increasing frequencies, the education of wizards is becoming more accessible to the public, and fear of ancient magicks is giving way to the bravery and curiosity of a generation of adventurers. But mortal bodies are perhaps not built to withstand the constant bombardment of magical energy, and incidents of Mana Sickness are beginning to surface in large cities with high spellcasting density – a debilitating disease brought on by years of continuous exposure to aberrant magical energy, residue from permanent lights, force walls, construction automatons... The disease addles the mind, impairing cognitive processes while slowly transmutating the body into a disfigured hulk. Without a cure for this relatively new illness, cities resort to putting the monsters down before they can harm others.

Greencloud Imperial Harvesting, however, has a better solution. Rather than watch these mana stricken individuals be executed and disposed, they offer a cleaner alternative for these municipalities – lull the sick with promises of healing and comfort, magically dominate their weakened minds, and put them to work in the noxious gasbag swamps miles in the sky. The manager in charge of this slave labor force is Vivian Rylock, a meticulous and self-righteous wizard. Her most powerful tool is a piece of gnome illusory magic she calls the songbow, an enchanted instrument that spreads a subtle enchantment magic in a relatively wide radius. Using multiple songbow spells to blanket her domain, she is able to tame and control a large population of mana-stricken individuals.

But not all of the mana-stricken victims become mentally dull and exploitable. Mana Sickness can do inexplicable things to a mortal, and in the case of a latent sorcerer, can produce results far from typical. The Weretiger is one such example. He must have looked like any other stricken when Rylock threw him into the swamps, but somehow he slipped through her copious defenses. His mental status quite the opposite of his brethren, the Weretiger quickly discovered GIH’s scam, and with some deception and charisma was able to galvanize a small rebellion within the ranks of GIH’s slave force. Not wanting to risk the larger operation, Vivian offered a deal – she would grant him freedom and restitution fees for him and a number of his rebellion comrades. The Weretiger agreed, but reneged his part of the deal after Vivian had upheld hers, vowing to remain an outlaw champion within the Greencloud swamps until emancipation was complete.

*Tentative Adventure Outline*

The players are hired or otherwise tasked with investigating an ongoing problem with GIH’s gas yield.
The players happen upon the scene of a skirmish amongst the trees of Greencloud on their way in.
The players meet Vivian Rylock and are given her version of the story.
An investigation ensues, leading to a showdown with the Weretiger. The players, confronted with both versions of the story, must choose either to put down the rebel or to confront Rylock and end her cruelty.
They players either:
a.	Chase down the Weretiger and kill him or:
b.	With the Weretiger’s help, break down GIH’s defenses and destroy their control over their slaves.
Possible followup adventures include investigating higher level management involved in this slavery scam, finding a more humane solution to the growing epidemic of Mana Sickness, and, if the players chose to side against the Weretiger, quell new threats to the GIH infrastructure.

*Part 1: Hooks*

The player characters are either instructed by their employers or tasked by their superiors to help GIH investigate and deal with an ongoing rebellion amongst their harvesting camp. A variety of alternate hooks are available, but the initial hook should place them on the side of GIH and not the Weretiger. The act of defecting, should they take it, is a critical and poignant part of the story and should be motivated by the players themselves.

*Part 2: Arrival*

Travel within the Greencloud swamps is mediated in its most populated areas by magical cars that float up and down several hundred feet, carrying several individuals or up to a half ton of weight – colloquially termed _Vector’s Floating Discs_. However, entry into the Greencloud from outside must be accomplished via flying mount, teleportation, or some other external means. Once on the outskirts of the swamps, the bulk of the travel is done on foot and can take a grueling day or two. During this trek, the party happens upon a grisly scene. Read the following:

_You swat a coin-sized insect off of your sweaty cheek. It is quiet and dark. A sliver of light makes its way hundreds of feet from Greencloud’s roof, illuminating a small hammock ahead. Eager at the prospect of walking, you sludge through the spongy reservoir, water at your ankles. The telltale signs of a skirmish are everywhere around you – ripped leaves, charred bark, chipped pieces of chainmail that float in the shallow water. The bodies must have been removed, but the forest will remember the violence for years to come._

This is the site of the most recent skirmish between the Weretiger, a few of his loyal rebels, and Vivian’s soldiers. The Weretiger was able to escape, although his chronometer, a piece of gnome engineering, critical to safe navigation within the swamps, was damaged. The party finds pieces of this device scattered in small nooks around the combat scene and may be a vital clue to later identifying the Weretiger. A short investigative skill challenge yields the following information:

Failure: the group finds pieces of a broken device but cannot tell what it is. One of the pieces says Erudite Engineering.
Partial Success: In addition to the above, the group surmises that a number of evocation spells were cast here, in addition the broken arrowtips and chipped pieces of armor. Furthermore, they identify Erudite Engineering as a prominent gnomish arcane manufacturer.
Complete Success: In addition to the above, the group recognizes the broken pieces as vital parts of a functioning chronometer. They have at least a vague understanding of the importance of a chronometer in the swamp (see below).

*Part 3: Vivian*

Vivian Rylock and her core contingent of soldiers have agreed to meet with the PCs at Skylark Lodge, the swamp’s only service for visitors. When the group finds this meeting point, read the following:

_The Skylark tavern hangs there, in the darkness, hooked to a large gasbag above it by a score of sturdy ropes. A bit of smoke billows out of its sole chimney, and moss has invaded every inch of its wooden surface, not that you can tell. Vivian Rylock has clearly tightened the security of this establishment, as a retinue of at least a dozen guards patrol the area on discs, watching each of your squishy step. Even from outside, the sound of a plucked instrument can be heard from within, carrying out a calming melody that seems to percolate for miles.

The interior of the tavern could probably be mistaken as any watering hole of a large city, except that everyone’s feet are wet and the floor is a grimy mess. The music is loud but not overwhelming, plucked out by a young woman in a veil.

Your glance about the place finally finds Vivian, a thirty-something matriarchal figure who is probably capable of causing more damage with her wrinkled scowl than the heavy sword strapped to her belt. Standing up from the table of guards, she approaches you and offers a handshake. It is a vice grip._

Vivian Rylock openly shares with them the following:
The Weretiger is an abomination, a treacherous sorcerer, and a dangerous rebel. Using his netherworld abilities to enhance and shape the effects of Mana Sickness, the sorcerer hides as a seemingly normal human by day and terrorizes her pleasant mining program by night as a monster with claws, teeth, and inhuman speed. He has somehow controlled the physical aspect of his disease, but clearly the mental transmutation has escaped his ability to manage.

Of course, Vivian is hiding various aspects of the truth. If the players intuit that she is holding information back, she reluctantly explains that while most of her ‘employees’ find their work reasonable and their lives comfortable, there are a few that find their conditions unacceptable. Vivian, citing reasons dealing with harvesting efficiency, initially declined their requests for change. Without any other means of demanding their terms, this small fraction of her company violently rebelled. Being against violence of course, Vivian negotiated a number of terms with them, ultimately resulting in a large severance package for the entire disagreeing party. The Weretiger, however, refused to stop his crusade.

*Part 4: Weretiger*

Navigation through the middle half of the Greencloud swamp is, barring a climbing accident or hostile indigenous animals, relatively safe. At this point, the PCs shouldn’t be worried about those dangers. At the low and high ends, however, travel becomes tricky and very dependent on time. There are two slipstreams, almost silent, flanking the top and bottom of the swamp. Ironically, the largest gasbags (able to withstand the strong winds) containing the rarest and most expensive of gases are located at these ends, and it is imperative for GIH to gain access to them. Greencloud itself follows a tidal cycle, rising and falling a few thousand feet, and the company issues its human overseers chronometers to ensure that they can pinpoint their absolute elevation at all times, based on the time and their relative location within the swamp.

GIH’s infrastructure is composed the harvesting unit, an independently acting force of 20-50 slaves, a single songbow spell that is capable of delivering its enchantment effect for several hundred feet, and one or two overseers that crack the whip. If questioned about the ubiquity of the music, GIH management will explain it as a new therapeutic technique to calm the stormy minds of the bereaved. The slaves are all complacent, calm, and appear mentally subdued – however, their compromised mental status is explained away as a side effect of their terrible disease. 

The Weretiger poses as a harvesting overseer with a number of his rebel brethren, needing mobility within the swamp but badly outgunned on his own. His songbow, unlike that of the other units, is fake (a real person actually plucking a musical instrument); he tasked one of his more lightly afflicted freedmen to play the instrument, although a keen eye will spot the telltale symptoms of the Sickness. The Weretiger’s chronometer, in light of the recent events, is also broken, forcing him to rely on intuition, perception, and luck to keep his team alive.

The PCs can find the Weretiger easily if they have researched the clues they found at the scene of the skirmish and know what to look for. Otherwise, they have to rely on a more difficult skill challenge – eventually, the Weretiger will slip up in a casual interrogation. If the PCs arrive at this point in the adventure are clearly have not at all investigated the chronometer and display no intention of doing so, it is advised that the DM give them a push in the right direction: for example, Vivian may express a suspicion that the tiger is hiding amongst her own groups and offer a list of all of her harvesting overseers that the group can use to cross reference.

Once confronted by the party, the Weretiger will relate his side of the story:
He has worked in Greencloud for far longer than GIH suspects, as he was once an overseer himself. He subjugated the economically challenged, forced them to work in hazardous and unforgiving conditions for meager pay. Eventually, when major cities became democracies and universal suffrage became fashionable, cruel operations like GIH were forced to shut down, and he lost his job. Two years later, fate dealt him another stroke of bad luck, and he contracted Mana Sickness, a seemingly irreversible condition that destined him for a bloody death. He thought it fortune that GIH was offering a sanctuary for him, a place in relative seclusion where individuals like him could try and cope with the advance of his disease.

Arriving here, however, he realized that the situation was quite the opposite. He realized that GIH, devoid of labor after the changes in government regulations, turned to more nefarious routes to power their gas extraction. After being magically compelled for several months, suffering from not only the Sickness but grief and guilt as well, he accidently uncovered his own sorcerous nature when his own transmutation process began to oscillate between cogent human and violent killing machine. Interestingly, the former meant that he was no longer under the influence the songbow, and the Weretiger escaped from the clutches of his captors, vowing not to let his brethren wallow like he did in his old life. The Weretiger wreaked havoc for a month before Vivian reluctantly offered a deal – release the Weretiger’s old unit, the members with whom the Weretiger had grown attached to, in return for their exodus and silence. But this was just a ploy, for now he possessed a sizable force capable of threatening the entire GIH company.

The Weretiger urges the group to see the righteousness in his ways. When (if) it comes time for him to make his last imploring statement, read the following:

_“Do you know the legend of the Weretiger? Yes, a dangerous beast, he slew many innocent men, ripped their innards out left them to bleed out, but there was another side to him. Beneath the monster lived a man, every bit a victim as his body which had taken control of him. And these people, this bitch Vivian, her minions, they are no more than another disease, turning that man into the despicable tiger.

I exist because of the monsters. I hunt and I kill because of the monsters. I fight because of the man.”_

*Part 5a: Slaying the Monster*

If the group decides not to side with the Weretiger, a skirmish will erupt. The bog should provide for very interesting terrain and cinematic action, with the Weretiger being exceptionally mobile in his monstrous form. It should be noted that falling (failing Athletics checks, etc) should result in a level appropriate amount of damage, as the preponderance of hammocks that evolved to catch water should break their fall and allow them to get back into the melee at the expense of a round or two of movement.

*Part 5b: Emancipation*

Should the group decide to betray their own allegiances and agree with the Weretiger’s sense of morality, they are faced with a more complicated task. There are a number of avenues to approach – should they assault other harvesting units and gather an army? Should they find Vivian herself and plow through her guards? The approach is up to them, but Vivian’s security is strong and it may require several combat encounters to finish the deed. Dealing with the songbow makes for an interesting combat skill challenge, as disabling it uses up valuable time during the fight yet could wreak havoc amongst the guard if it is successfully disabled. When pushed on the defensive, Vivian will hole herself up at the Skylark and use a Sending for martial aid, which will come after several days. A political storm will likely ensue, generating apt hooks for future adventures.


*Other Considerations*

The script intentionally keeps the initial description of the songbow players light, such that the player’s attention is hopefully drawn more to Vivian than the tavern music. However, a thorough investigation of the songbow would certainly draw suspicion amongst the players and it’s not the DM’s job to stop this possible route. However, the songbow is certainly very powerful gnomish magic and the man or woman playing the instrument is even capable of producing limited speech while ‘playing’. The players are likely to know that something is wrong if they realize that the music never stops, the musicians never move, but Vivian will refuse to expound upon the enchantment process, and if she deems the group has learned of their techniques, is authorized by GIH to use force to make sure the trade secret stays that way. If the illusory effect is dispelled, either by an arcane skill challenge or other means, a complex machine is revealed with lots of moving parts, glowing sigils, and the name Erudite Engineering emblazoned on the side.

*Ingredient Use*
*Weretiger*: the mythical legend of the lycanthrope, and the man who took his name to fuel an idea.
*Aerial Swamp*: A marsh filled with gasbag plants that evolved to gain better sunlight exposure, and secondarily, water conservation.
*Human Slaver*: Vivian Rylock, the manager of GIH’s operation, who resorts to slavery in times of need, and all of her GIH underlings.
*Universal Suffrage*: Recently adopted by a number of influential organizations, galvanizing a mass exodus of the harvesting job. This is the cause of GIH’s labor crisis, which eventually led them to use even less ethical methods.
*Broken Chronometer*: a critical clue used to track down Weretiger.
*Songbow*: the name of a gnomish illusion spell utilized by Vivian in order to enslave her workers and deceive outsiders into finding them docile and content. The spell is seen by unafflicted human eyes as a young man or woman plucking a musical bow.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 3, 2010)

*Round 1 Judgement*

It is always a mixed blessing to have two entries that are credible responses to a set of ingredients. On the one hand, it means we have a lot of good stuff to read, but it also means judgement is going to be challenging.


Thanks for making my job hard. 

As a sort of best practice, I try to refer to the names of your entries rather than you directly -- an old habit from my writing workshop days.  I'm not evaluating you, just this product of your fevered brains.  I'll abbreviate to make my life easier, too.  


*So, we start with the review of the ingredients:*

*Weretiger* - the weretiger, in both cases, plays an important role in the story of the adventure. In "where cloud giants go to die" (WCG), the dual nature if the lycanthrope is used pretty well, but it did bother me a little that the players, as they work their way through the adventure, don't really get to have much of a relationship with both personalities before they find out that he has two identities. I felt like a scene where they meet swiftclaw early in the adventure would deliver that discovery.


In "Greed in Greencloud" (GG), the dual nature of the lycanthrope is also used to have an NPC with a dual identity, but while there is a bit of investigation to reveal the weretiger, it feels like the lycanthrope is just a means of disguise, and almost any sort of disguise, illusion, or shapeshifting would have served jus as well. Also, I'm scanning over the entry again, double checking, but did he get a name at any point? He ought to have a name.  It was pretty good, but in comparison I find I like WCG's weretiger better.


*Aerial Swamp* - GG's floating gas swamp is just a damn cool setting, and it is the sort of place I would love to send players. Bizarre, dangerous, and redolent with fart noises. It feels like a well imagined, very alien setting, something pretty remarkable.


The "swamp" in WCG is a stretch, and while I think the potential for some entertaining encounters exist in the raft of giant bodies, this aerial swamp pales in comparison to GG's.


*Human Slaver* - WCG has Storm Giant Slavers who only dabble in trafficking humans. So, they are only barely human slavers if "human" indicates the slaves they traffic in, and not the slavers themselves - and that feels strained, too.


GG has a patron/villain who is a human slave master. I actually had to look up slaver to make sure it could also mean someone who owns slaves, not just someone who sells them. It also occurs to me that it was possible to run with the other word spelled "slaver" - the saliva/drooling one. That would have been a fun way to turn the intended ingredient on it's head.


Anal retentiveness about definitions aside, the slaver in GG is a more integrated part of the story. In WCG, the storm giants need not have been slavers at all -- removing that detail doesn't hurt the story at all. So, another point to GG.


*Universal Suffrage* - This one was not nice. Democracy doesn't really fit naturally into the sort of feudal fantasy we are used to. And the historical examples of democracy that pre-date feudalism don't really approach one-person-one-vote.  That's a very modern idea.  So, this was a real curveball.  

In WCG, the lycanthropes in the small community have no representation in the local lord's council, and they're lobbying to win that concession.  In GG, however, the idea of suffrage has morphed in to emancipation, rather than suffrage.  WCG is stronger here, although I felt like the idea could be smoothed into the adventure a bit better than it is in the current presentation.  I think, to really make the suffrage an important part of the adventure, some sort of voting or election must be an important part of the action -- otherwise it's just background material that the players need never truly interact with.  WCG gets closer, so the point goes there. 


*Broken Chronometer* - In WCG, the broken chronometer belongs to an important NPC, the halfling Provalor.  He loses the trinket when he is helping the storm giants break into the keep and kidnap swiftclaw.  Swiftclaw ends up with it, and hands it to the players at the end of the adventure.  I'm not particularly happy with the use of this ingredient. For one thing, it could have been any trinket -- there's no reason why it had to be a chronometer, it could have been a riding crop, a beenie baby, or a shrunken head.  Also, the players don't get to make the discovery themselves -- Swiftclaw just hands it to them at the end.  The players should be the active parties in the adventure . . . they should be the ones picking up this item and making inferences from it's discovery. 


In GG, the chronometer is a much more important part of the story.  The chronometers are necessary because of the tidal flux of the swamp (I think that's pretty damn cool, by the way), and the slave masters need them to know their position within the swamp. The Weretiger's is broken, and that means he doesn't know where he's supposed to be -- an important clue in trying to figure out which of the slave drivers is the shapeshifter.  It couldn't be something else, like a beenie baby -- in this case the item has to be a chronometer, or at least it's woven into the fabric of the story in that way.  Point for GG. 


And lastly there's the *Songbow.*  In WCG, it's the adventure hook and also the bribe used to hire the storm giant slaver's compliance with Provalor's plan.  In GG, the songbow is the enchantment used to enslave the swamp gas mine workers.  Neither use was great, IMO.  In WCG, it's part of the regalia of a dead giant hero, but it could have been any item, again -- a big sword or the giants favorite bag of rocks.  The same story could be told with a different item in it's place.  But in GG, it's barely a songbow -- it's a layered enchantment that is pretty much just called a songbow, and if the players reveal it's true nature in the end they find out that it isn't a songbow at all, but a complicated bit of machinery.  It feels like a near thing to me -- like I said, I'm not pleased with either use, so no points on this ingredient. 


So, the score for ingredients is: 
WCG - 2 (Weretiger, Universal Suffrage) 
GG -3 (Aerial Swamp, Human Slaver, Broken Chronometer) 


*Playability*


In this area, we examine the playability of the adventure, and this gives me an opportunity to get onto one of my high horses about traps we can fall into as we develop these adventures.  


We all do it -- I've done it in my own entries over the years, but we risk some critical weaknesses in our entries when we write long backgrounds for adventures, and the players don't get to interact with the majority of the story that is included.  Writing those backgrounds and setups for adventures are easy -- we don't have to worry about the choices players might make, and we can shoehorn a lot of stuff into the adventure there that's hard to place anywhere else.  


To evaluate that in each adventure, I like to take a quick look at what the players will actually get to do and interact with over the course of their adventure. 


In WCG, the players have the songbow and deliver it to their buyer.  That night, the keep is attacked, and they get to fight some storm giants. Then they get asked to climb the mountain and fight their way into the slaver camp on the cloud giant corpse raft to free Swiftclaw.  At that point, Swiftclaw hands them the final clue that lets them know that the halfling Provalor was responsible.  


In GG, the characters are sent to investigate the problems in the swamp gas mines.  They meet Vivian, get his version of the scoop, investigate and find the nameless weretiger, and either fight him or join him and emancipate the slaves.  


Neither is too bad about the background thing, actually. Both adventures look like they've got some good playability, and have some interesting settings to run around and smack things in.  I do think that GG has a slight advantage here because the players have a fairly ambiguous choice to make in the adventure, and their choice will have a dramatic effect on the future of the swamp, the people, the area, and the company that hired the PCs. And either choice is playable.  Especially clever PCs might even try to find a way to help the Weretiger without completely sacrificing their relationship with the company -- a very interesting problem to put in front of the players.  


The final act of WCG, on the other hand, involves the players being handed the one clue the need to reveal Provalor's treachery, and Provalor apparently doesn't have the wherewithal to insist that the chronometer proves nothing, that it was stolen from him during the commotion of the Storm Giant attack -- probably to frame him, but he's sure no one will fall for that, blah blah blah.  Anyway, the players are just along for the ride, they don't get to make important choices that shape the story, which is a weakness when compared to GG. 


So, playability goes to GG.


*Creativity:*


Judging Iron DM is all subjective, but I think judging the creativity of an entry is the MOST subjective part of the whole process.  WCG gave us a sky filled with cloud giant corpses lashed together into rafts.  That's pretty good.  GG gave us the floating gas trees in the tidal aerial swamp, complete with rain-catching hammocks and floating transport cars . . . in the end, an incredibly vivid environment I'm dying to see and run players around in.  This setting captures my imagination and sends my head spinning off in all kinds of different directions.  

Which is not to say that WCG didn't have it's strong point, or that there are not weaknesses in GG (I'm still looking for the Weretiger's name). But I think GG edges out WCG for creativity, too.  


*Final Judgement. *


Writing these responses is always an act of discovery.  I think these are both good entries, and both have their strong points, but in the end I find that I prefer Greed in Greencloud, which has edged out Where Cloud Giants go to Die in enough of the key evaluation areas to make it my choice in this match. 

So, ender_wiggin advances.  

Mortal Plague, your entry was strong, but you drew a tough opponent.

-rg


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## InVinoVeritas (Jun 5, 2010)

Round 1, Match 2
Iron Sky vs. Tremorsense
Judge: InVinoVeritas

*Ingredients:*
Urban Sinkhole
Pulchritudinous Waif
Helicopter Seeds
Historical Doppleganger
Self-Destructive Spiral
Out-of-tune Cello

_Allez cuisine!_

Submissions are due at June 5, 9 PM EDT.


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## Pbartender (Jun 5, 2010)

Round 1, Match 3
Sanzuo vs. humble minion
Judge: Pbartender

*Ingredients:*
foppish dandy
collapsing bridge
Demon, Type V
apotheosis
hungover mountain range
plum dumplings

Submissions are due June 6th, 9:19 am CST.


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## Iron Sky (Jun 6, 2010)

<double post>


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## Iron Sky (Jun 6, 2010)

*The Tannhauser Effect*

The Tannhauser Effect is a modern adventure for D20 Modern, Scion, Shadowrun, or other modern or near-future systems that might feature groups of players caught up in the feuds of ancient, supernatural beings.  It assumes that the party are aware that the supernatural is real and laces the edges of what mortals call reality and that the group is capable of surviving and interested in such supernatural events.

*Background*

 The ancient beings that primitive cultures referred to as gods still walk the periphery of the Earth, still squabbling over ancient feuds alluded to myth and legend.  The feud involved in this adventure is  between the entities Venus, her father Zeus, and her husband Vulcan.

 Venus is a powerful seductress, so beautiful that she can capture the hearts and souls of mortal men with a glance.  Fearing that her growing power would disrupt his plans and machinations in the mortal world, Zeus, the so called “King of Gods” married her off to his son Vulcan, a hideous being of fire and steel, has since sought – unsuccessfully – to have Venus all to himself.  Venus has never forgiven her father and has fought Vulcan's attempts to control her for millennium.

 Though her husband and father are too powerful for Venus to confront directly, she uses agents that she has charmed or seduced, both mortal and supernatural, to disrupt the plans and playthings of Zeus and Vulcan.  One such agent is Tannhauser.

*Tannhauser*

 Somewhere near the date 1200 AD in Neumarkt, Germany, the being Tannhauser was “born” of Proteous, an ancient entity of chaos and change.  As the offspring of such a mutable being, Tannhauser was capable of assuming nearly any form he chose, though in his natural state appeared as a man of nearly supernatural physical beauty.  Proteous cared not for his offspring – perhaps never even noticed that they existed – and so Tannhauser was left alone in the world to find his own way.

 He discovered he had a love of poetry and music, and used his not-insignificant personal powers to become a Minnesanger, a German noble poet-entertainer similar to a troubadour.  While in the court of Leopold VI of Austria, he came to the attention of agents of Venus and Venus herself became infatuated with him, not only for his stunning physical beauty, but also for the potential she saw in him as a tool to use against her father and husband.

 Via her agents, Venus lured Tannhauser to her hidden home in the mountains and there ensnared him in a web of seduction, lust, and the subtle weavings of eldritch magics.  He remained there for years as her plaything, all-but broken to her will.  Vulcan eventually came looking for Venus and she was forced to leave Tannhauser behind as she placated her enraged husband.  While she was gone, Tannhauser managed to break free from the mountain and set out to find some way to purge himself of the chains of power she had bound to his soul.

 Hearing of the power of the mysterious being known as the Christian God – supposedly powerful beyond the ken of even mighty Zeus – Tannhauser joined one of the Crusades to the Holy Land, believing that the Pope's proclamation that any who slayed an 'Islamic infidel' would be granted 'remission of all their sins'.  He assumed that this must include the dispelling of the carnal sorceries of Venus.  It was not so.

 Venus found him again, now a Knight Templar, up to his waist in the blood of 'infidels', and in an instant he was ensnared again, enslaved to Venus' will.  It was decades before he escaped again.  This time he decided to go straight to the highest priest of the Christian God, known as Pope Urban IV.

*Tannhauser and the Pope*

 Tannhauser achieved an audience with the Pope, through the innate power and charisma of his bloodline and the truthful claims his deeds as a Templar; of all the wealth he had brought back to Rome from the Crusades, and the dozens of infidels he had dispatched.  There he told the Pope everything, from his birth, to his ensnarement by Venus, to his first escape and battles in the Crusades, to his present willingness to serve the Pope's God in exchange for protection from Venus.

 Pope Urban IV, perhaps fearing Tannhauser's power, jealous of his unnatural beauty, or for some other reason unknown, turned Tannhauser away, saying that only when the maple staff that Urban held bloomed again would the Christian God 'absolve Tannhauser's sins'.  Shocked, broken, and distraught, Tannhauser departed.  Not hours after he left, Urban's staff sprouted branch and stem, again abloom.  Urban IV immediately dispatched riders to all ends of Europe to find Tannhauser, but the changeling was gone, slaved again to Venus' will and secreted away from mortal perceptions.

 The Staff of Urban, too, was spirited away away, hidden the secret Helix Tomb of Urban II deep beneath the city of Rome, amidst the myriad plunder of the Crusades.  The Staff never stopped blooming.

*An Agent to Her Will*

 With Tannhauser back in her control, Venus used him as an assassin to murder the mortal favorites of Zeus or Vulcan or of other powerful beings with whom she bickered and feuded.  Though most of those Tannhauser killed simply faded into the pages of history, some notables – Elizabeth I of England and Abraham Lincoln to name two – were prominent.  But it was when Venus heard of the Norse 'god' Bragi's attempts to learn and use the powers bound to music that she found the her most terrible use for Tannhauser.

*Bragi's Cello*

 Bragi's gift was with words, his _kenning_ poems capable of swaying the minds of the most strong-minded mortal.  However, seeking more independence from his own father, Odin, Bragi sought the currents of power tied to music.  He first tried to build a harp that could capture them, but then heard of a new, superior mortal instrument developed in Italy, the cello.  Excited, he traveled to the remote village of Tune in southern Denmark.  There he carved a cello of maple, spruce, and steel, imbued with all the arcane potential he could bind into an instrument of the mortal realm.

  He discovered that his new cello did, in fact, have tremendous power.  When tuned and played correctly and its spike planted in the earth, its music created a powerful binding to the roots of the materials from which it was made – trees of maple and spruce, forged steel and raw ore.  Through them the Cello's energies radiated, bringing new life in things long dead, calling rain and storm with a chord and dispelling it as easily, and calling machinations and wonders of wood and metal into being from the rawest of materials.  Bragi, however, got little opportunity to utilize his new-made artifact.

 Venus, using all her faculty for glamor and charm, seduced Bragi, Tannhauser stealing the instrument away in the tumult as the furious Vulcan arrived on the scene to find Venus involved in yet-another illicit affair.

  While the capricious and vengeful Venus cared little for the Cello's creative capabilities, she quickly discovered that, when the cello was played out of tune, the energy that stirred in the branches of the trees and the heart of the rock brought destruction in place of creation; the rot of wood and the sundering of stone, wood splintering and rock breaking.  This suited Venus well and many were the cities, beloved of her father or husband, that she sent Tannhauser to destroy with a cacophonous tune.

  Over the centuries of Venus' dominion over him, Tannhauser has managed to escape from her again and again, but each time he finds himself lost, with no allies and no place to hide.  And each time she recaptures him, Venus forces him to commit some greater atrocity or act of destruction out of spite.   Once a strong, vital being, he is now a little more than a listless husk, drifting on the vicious tides of Venus' whim, lost and alone.

  And now Venus has her eyes set on Rome...

*Hooks*

1) The party are agents of, or hired by the Ordo Veneficus of Rome, the Order aware from vague and unpredictable auguries of the future that a threat to the Vatican looms but unaware of the source.  The party are ordered/hired to find the threat and somehow neutralize it.
  2) Zeus, Vulcan, or another powerful being at odds with Venus has caught wind that Venus is up to something and have dispatched the party – directly or indirectly – to stop it.
  3) Whatever organization the group are a part of has been hired or ordered to put a stop to Venus' rampant destruction after the destruction in Haiti is linked to her.

*Bullet Point Adventure Summary*

0) Hooks
  1) Tannhauser's Past
  2) The Staff of Urban
  3) Tracking Tannhauser
  4) The Maple Grove

*1. Tannhauser's Past*

Regardless of who sent them, the party will be told that Venus is behind the threat.  This first part of the adventure is open ended and may be several sessions in itself as the party investigates Venus' and her machinations.

A) First, they must figure out which of Venus' agents is likely to be able to take out a city (a small list).  This will involve being sent all over the country (or world) tracking down Venus' agents (to capture and interrogate them) or finding other people (or beings) that are 'in-the-know' to procure information.

  Examples:  
  * The group is sent to find a “pawn broker” in Peru that is a known information dealer.  The group must somehow get information about Venus from him; either by buying it, talking it out of him, trading for it, or doing something(s) else for him (torturing “pawn broker” might is always an option if its that type of group).
  * The group infiltrates a Venus-worshiping cult, working their way to the top to get at the high priests (which may or may not be human) and interrogate them.
  * The group tracks down leads one at a time that eventually lead them information – an Irish cobbler that knows this Egyptian art dealer in London who knows this antiquities dealer in Palestine that heard of a woman who... getting scraps and fragments at a time.

  These examples could also be mixed-and-matched and interspersed with attacks from mercenaries, secret Venus cult members, 'bewitched' bystanders, other powerful agents of Venus, and/or bribed, controlled, or influenced 'mundane' authorities such as police, banks, corporations, 3rd world governments, etc.

  Eventually, the group will end up with the name “Tannhauser” as the only agent of Venus capable of destroying a city.

  B) Once the party has Tannhauser's name, they can then research his past.  This can involve direct and/or indirect research and will slowly reveal most of the information give in the backstory(above) and other information given below – though in bits and fragments and not necessarily in any kind of order.   

  Some of the information might be gleaned from arcane libraries, databases, and contacts, some might need to be verified “on location” to find traces of Tannhauser's/the Bragi Cello's magic, or any combination of the examples given above.  They will also likely face opposition, harassment, and/or attack during this part of the investigation(such as catching an agent in the act of murdering the person they were just about to meet with, finding explosives rigged in their hotel room, finding the library burned down, etc...)

  Tannhauser's assassinations:
  * Queen Elizabeth I – Supposedly saw herself lying on her bed not long before she died of “sickness” in London, 1603.
  * Percy Bysshe Shelly(Poet) – Supposedly saw himself pointing out to sea.  A short while later “drowned” in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Italy, 1822.
 * Abraham Lincoln – Supposedly saw two versions of himself when he glanced in a mirror in 1860 and his “wife” predicted his death, was shot by “John Wilkes Booth” in 1865.
  * Vice-Admiral Georgy Tryon – Supposedly walked through a room in his house in London not long before his ship, the _HMS Victoria_, “accidentally” collided with the _HMS Camperdown_ and sank off the coast of Syria in 1893.

  Tannhauser's uses of Bragi's Cello, “earthquakes”:
  * Lisbon 1755: 60,000 dead
  * San Fransico 1906: 3,000 dead
  * Alaska 1964: 115 dead
  * China 1976: 655,000 dead
  * Japan 1995: 5,500 dead
  * Iran 2003: 30,000 dead
  * Haiti 2010: 255,000 dead

  The information also ties the assassinations and “earthquakes” to persons or cities favored at the time by Zeus, Vulcan, or other enemies of Venus(discarded lovers, jealous female 'gods', etc).

  At some point the group also learns the four most vital bits of information:
  * Zeus' current favored city is Rome.
  * The Staff of Urban is still said to exist somewhere in Rome and, if presented to Tannhauser, would free him from Venus' bondage.
  * Tannhauser is hundreds of years old, is the son of one 'god', has the patronage of second 'god' and an artifact of a third, and has assassinated Queens and Presidents.  It's unlikely that the group could take him on directly.
  * The Bragi Cello is most powerful if used near the element that most of it is composed of – maple wood.

*2) The Staff of Urban*

At this point the group will likely head to Rome (with external prompting if necessary).  They now face a difficult task:

A) Discover the existence and location of the secret Helix Tomb beneath Rome.  This is difficult not only because it is almost entirely unknown to any outside the top echelons of the Vatican, but because even mentioning its name in Italy brings the attention of the Swiss Guard.  As they learn more and more of the Tombs, the group will again be chasing rumors, “people who know people who know...”, avoiding Venusian interference and not-so-polite run-ins with Swiss Guard suggesting they stop asking questions and/or leave Rome.

  B) Find some way to access the Helix Tomb and, once there, find the Staff of Urban.  This could be through making a deal with the Vatican to let them use it (difficult even if they were sent by the Ordo Veneficus), breaking into the Tombs, infiltrating the Helix Guard that protect them to gain access, fighting their way in, or some combination of the above.

  While they are in the Tombs, they also discover that it is mostly original, unreinforced construction from nearly a thousand years ago, built at the start of the crusades and expanded until it spirals down under most of the city.  With a little deduction, the group can figure out that an even moderate earthquake epicentered on Rome would probably cause the Helix Tombs to collapse in on themselves and take most of the city with them.

*3) Tracking Tannhauser*

When the party has the Staff of Urban and has extricated themselves from the Helix Tombs beneath Rome, they then have to track down Tannhauser.

  They discover that he is in Rome through one or more of the following:
  * The supernatural senses or powers of one or more of the players detects Tannhauser's power or that of Bragi's Cello
  * The party 'hears' the faint 'sound' of a cello being tuned emanating from somewhere in the city
  * The branch growing from the Staff of Urban sways in an unseen wind, the leaves and seed on the limb waving in Tannhauser's direction.
  * As a last resort, a member of a friendly faction can tell them point blank that Tannhauser is somewhere in the city and give them rough directions.

They must then find him, via the above means, through contacts in the city, and/or investigating to find where in the city the most maple trees are located to predict where he's headed, all the while facing more interfering/hostile servants of Venus and possibly hostile Swiss/Helix Guard.

  When they do find Tannhauser, he is walking amidst the throngs on the streets of Rome.  They group finds themselves pursuing him as he changes from one individual to another at will, the only feature in-common the cello case the figure carries.  Tannhauser gets in and out of cabs, on and off buses, steals cars and motorcycles, goes in and out of buildings – with the occasional Red Herring (Tannhauser walking through a busy music shop or symphony hall, past an orchestra loading up onto buses or a street musician setting up to play, etc).

  All, of course, while harried by the usual hostiles plus maybe municipal police if the group starts breaking laws in pursuit of Tannhauser.  He always manages to stay far enough away that the group is always just catching a glimpse of him – his cello case at least.  Regardless, Tannhauser gets to a maple grove in Villa Ada, Rome's largest park, not long before they do.  If they lose sight of him entirely, they can follow the sound of his cello being tuned.

*4) The Maple Grove*

  When they find the park that Tannhauser is in, read the following:

_The most beautiful man you have ever seen sits on a park bench, the stately maple trees all around him swaying gently in the breeze that stirs the man's short black hair.  He glances up in your direction across the flowers and tall green grass of the park as he makes the final adjustments to the pegs of a cello that visibly resonates with power.  There is something terribly sad about the man's eyes – they are the eyes of one without hope or home, drifting at the whim of others, ever more enmeshed in a cycle of destruction that he knows not how to escape._

_He closes his eyes and smiles as he begins to play, a haunting, sorrowful tune that brings tears to the most jaded eye.  Then he pauses for a moment, the smile slowly fading.  When he plays again, he adjusts the pegs with one hand, the ancient melody rapidly dissolving into an echoing dissonance that pierces your ears, sends shivers up your back, and grates on your teeth.  The air seems to darken and the maple trees react to the sound immediately, first visibly leaning away with cracks and groans, then drawn in, pressing close around him._

_He begins to pluck the strings and, with each pluck, a single seed spirals down from the nearest maple tree.  When the seed strikes the ground, it flies apart and in an instant the earth shakes and the wind howls, the magnitude of both growing with each successive seed that meets earth._

  Depending on the group and the type of game, this final scene could be a battle through heavily armed/arcane Venusian agents and/or Swiss/Helix Guards to get to Tannhauser – all the while trying to catch falling maple seeds to prevent further destruction, i.e. the collapse of the Helix Tombs beneath the city.

  It could instead be a struggle to get to Tannhauser as the ground shakes and heaves, trees fall or explode apart, the wind blasts, and/or dangerous arcane currents swirl and bizarre storms rage through the park.

  It could be some combination of the above.

  Or the party could simply jump to the conclusion:

_When you reach Tannhauser, Urban's staff blooms anew.  Tannhauser's cacophony fades and he looks up, his eyes settling on the staff with recognition, then anguish, then surprise, then hope, shifting so quickly that you barely have time to process each emotion before it is replaced by the next.  He kneels before you as a single seed falls from the end of the staff, lazily spinning through the air until it lands in Tannhauser's cupped hands.  He remains there for several long seconds, huddled over the seed, head bowed as if praying.  Then the sky seems to lighten, the wind dies down, and the tremors fade._

_He stands, erect and proud, a beatific smile on his face.  His flawless features make the joy radiating from them even more intense.  Without a word, he bows to each of you in turn, turns, lifts Bragi's Cello almost reverently, holds it above his head for a moment as though making an offering to the sky, then hurls it to a nearby cobbled walk where it explodes into a thousand pieces._

_You avert your eyes to avoid the flying splinters and, when you look up, Tannhauser is gone.  A few words whisper on the wind in his wake._

 “_I am free... home... forever...”_


*Ingredients*

_Urban Sinkhole_ – The Helix Tombs, created by Pope Urban that will turn the city of Rome into an Urban Sinkhole when Tannhauser plays Bragi's Cello
_Pulchritudinous Waif_ – Tannhauser, his physical beauty having caught the attention of Venus, she has broken his will and he now roams lost and alone
_Helicopter Seeds_ – The seeds of the maple trees that fall when Tannhauser plays the Bragi's Cello, enough of them striking the ground potentially causing the city of Rome to collapse into the Helix Tombs.  Also the maple seed that falls from the Staff of Urban that breaks Venus' enslavement of Tannhauser
_Historical Doppleganger_ – Tannhauser, the centuries-old changeling reported throughout history as being seen before people die and causing many historical urban disasters
_Self-Destructive Spiral_ – The Helix Tombs, which will collapse in on themselves if Tannhauser plays Bragi's Cello.  Also Tannhauser's cycle of enslavement-destruction-escape-enslavement-etc.  Also the spiraling fall of the maple seeds during the final confrontation, when they explode and release the destructive energies of Bragi's Cello.
_Out-of-tune Cello_ – Bragi's Cello, which, when played by Tannhauser, could cause the Helix Tombs to collapse and take Rome with them.  It was also made in Tune, Denmark, and so is “out of Tune” - in the meanings of being no longer there and having been made there


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## Sanzuo (Jun 6, 2010)

*Jiao Xing Li Pu Yi*
(Hanging Plum Garden City)
​ 
 *SUMMARY*

Prince Hua of Plum Garden City has been offered a once in a mortal lifetime opportunity to join the ranks of the divine.  He must produce an earthly meal worthy of the gods.  Yet, forces conspire against the prince in the form of the marilith, Xi-no-mei who seeks to bring the prince down and take his prize for herself.  Both Hua and Xi-no-mei will stop at nothing to win, and they both seek the adventuring party's strength to aid them.  In order to come out of the conflict with their heads intact, the party must choose a side and aid them in their cause.

 Hanging Plum Garden City is a wuxia-style oriental fantasy adventure containing conspiracy, political intrigue, divine influence and - of course - action.


*HISTORY*

The Yin Jing mountain range is a series of high, round, spire-like peaks of earth that thrust out of the perpetually mist covered Valley of the Demons.  The tallest of these peaks lay just close enough to the heavens to nurture the elusive holy plum tree.  These trees produce plums so delicious, they are said to extend a person's life and make him or her vigorous and strong.  It didn't take long for mortals to discover these trees and desire them.

 The gods eventually agreed to allow mortals to harvest the plums.  It was, however, a crime against the heavens to move or destroy any of the holy plum trees.  Since the trees only grew on the tallest mountain peaks they were extremely difficult and costly to access, and so the plums became a very rare and expensive treat.

 Eventually, however, mortals discovered the trees in the Yin Jing Mountain Range that rose out of the Valley of the Demons.  A clever architect devised a way to construct a gigantic suspended bridge that traveled over the dangerous valley from the neighboring plateaus and reached the previously inaccessible holy plum trees.  Because of the vast distances involved, a small harvesting camp was set up on the mountain.  This small camp quickly grew into a large boomtown and eventually a teeming city fed by the profits of the the holy plum trees.  The city's exports were not only the plums themselves, but any manner of food products that could be made from them, the most popular of which was their plum wine.  This led to the city's nickname Can Liu Li Pu Yi “The Hungover Plum Garden City.”

 Because the holy trees completely covered the peaks of these mountains and it was a crime to cut them down, there was no room for people to live.  The same clever architect responsible for designing the bridge also found a way for people to live in buildings that hung over the sides of the peaks on the cliffs overlooking the valley thousands of feet below.  Initially, people were hesitant to inhabit these structures, but they were quite stable to the pride of the architect, and people became accustomed to them.  The result was a spectacular, vine-like, vertical hanging city that dangled off the edges of the tallest peaks.

 Meanwhile, the demons in the aptly-named valley grew jealous and spiteful of the mortal's success.  The demons desired the plums just as badly but had no clever way of reaching them like the mortals did.  So the demons could do nothing except watch in silent rage as the mortals grew wealthy right over the demon's heads.


*SET UP*

The current leader of Plum Garden City is provincial Prince Hua.  Unlike previous rulers who were concerned only with work and profit, the effeminate Prince Hua was already wealthy and spoiled when he took over leadership.  Because of his delicacy and decadence, the prince's primary concern was the beautification of the city.  He spent an untold fortune renovating the city, making the buildings pleasing to the eye and obstinately decorating every square inch with images of flowers and blossoms.  He built his own palace right on the massive bridge leading into the city so that travelers would have to pass through and look upon his estates as they entered.  The prince and his servants all wore the finest imported gowns and adornments and the prince made sure that his public appearances were frequent, especially to important visitors.  Every spring when the holy plum trees blossomed, the prince would hold a grand festival honoring the gods.  The people would drink the plum wine and watch the plum blossom pedals fall from the trees.

 This was the final straw for the demons below.  Among them the most powerful, beautiful and jealous was the marilith Xi-no-mei.  With her powerful serpent-like grace, she was able to ascend the peaks and secretly live within the city.  Because she was so beautiful she gained a strong, secret following amongst the mortals and quietly began plotting her usurpation of the throne.

 The gods looked upon Prince Hua's accomplishments with delight.  The prince had transformed this emerging mortal realm into truly one of the great wonders of the world.  As a reward for his hard work, the gods made the prince a grand offer.  In their decree they said;_Prince Hua has made this mortal city into a fantastic wonder worthy of the heavens.  Yet, he mustn't forget what made this city possible in the first place.  If the prince can produce a product from our divine plums that is worthy of the gods, then we shall accept him as one of our own and Prince Hua will become God Hua of the Plum Trees!_​When the prince heard the gods' decree he squealed with happiness.  He ordered a search for the finest food artisans in the world and offered vast rewards to those who would successfully create a food worthy of the gods.  After a considerable amount of time, Prince Hua learned of the Legendary Baker Azuma in the neighboring providence of Kin (See previous adventure; _Baker Azuma and the Golden Wheat Fields of Kin_).  The prince ordered Baker Azuma to be brought to the city at once so that his dream could be realized.

 It didn't take long for Xi-no-mei to hear the news regarding the prince.  The demoness decided that she needed to act quickly.  If the prince were allowed to become a god then the holy plum trees would forever be beyond the reach of her and the rest of her kind.  Xi-no-mei used her seductive charm and god-like beauty to attract even more followers while she plotted the prince's downfall.


*STORY HOOK
* 
The player characters at this point should already be familiar with Baker Azuma after lending him their assistance in the previous adventure.  If not, the party's reputation as strong warriors, priests or sorcerers should be enough to be approached by Azuma.  Azuma simply requires an escort to the legendary Plum Garden City after being informed he has been invited to prepare a meal for the prince.  (The true details of his mission are left vague at this point.)  Because of the importance of this mission, Prince Hua has offered a sizable reward not only for Azuma, but for anyone able to bring him to the city safely.


*Part I: Arrival*
 
 The adventure begins after Azuma and the rest of the party have made it most of the way to the city without incident and are currently traversing the enormous bridge to their final destination.  They are just within sight of Prince Hua's gaudy palace when a group of soldiers dressed as royal guards approach and sternly request to take over guarding Baker Azuma.  The party was asked to make sure that Azuma is delivered safely to the prince, so the guards' request should seem suspicious to even the densest party member.

 The 'guards' that the party sees before them are actually a large group of Xi-no-mei's minions sent to assassinate Baker Azuma.  This will become readily apparent when the guards suddenly attempt to overwhelm the party and attack!

 The assassins should be tough, but still no match for the surprising fighting prowess of the adventuring party.  The assassins will nevertheless fight to the death to avoid the wrath of their mistress.  This encounter serves to be an exciting introduction to the adventure and also add mystery to the situation.  The players should wonder why the palace guards are attacking them.  The encounter also sets up the party's local reputation as strong warriors which reach the ears of both Prince Hua and Xi-no-mei.

 After the battle, the real palace guards will show up in response to the fighting.  The actual guards are much more garish than the imposters and don't look nearly as imposing.  If the player characters are still confused and attack the real guards, the guards will panic and shirk from combat, desperately explaining that they just ran from the palace to investigate the commotion.  In any case the guards will recognize that the party just stopped an assassination attempt and offer to see the party safely to the palace.

 The party will then meet the prince at his palace.  The following description should be read or paraphrased upon meeting Prince Hua:_Before you in the brightly decorated palace is a sudden shower of pink flower pedals, falling like snow.  A figure emerges.  It is slender and graceful, dressed in thin, wispy silks decorated with floral patterns and glimmering tassels that hang so low they nearly brush the floor.  You realize the figure is a man, his hair is tied up and high in an elaborate style and also falling behind him and his face is powdered and painted, accentuating his perfect features. He greets you with a high, sing-song, twittering voice and hooting laugh as he lightly pats a tiny shivering dog sitting in the arms of a nearby servant-boy.  He then extends his arms to you in welcome and lightly pecks each of your cheeks and foreheads with his lips._​The prince will be eager to meet Baker Azuma as well as the player characters after hearing about the attack.  He will tell the group that they have arrived just in time for the harvest the next day and the prince will also order a feast that evening in the honor of the party's arrival.  Until then, he invites everyone to join him as he explains the offer of dietyhood that has been made to him and Baker Azuma's role to create the perfect dish.  It is at this point that the game master should describe in detail the views from the palace of the hanging city as well as the palace itself.  Everything including the palace guards and servants are brightly decorated with floral patterns and the game master should also emphasize and role play the prince as being obnoxiously foppish as possible.

 Meanwhile, before the feast that evening, Xi-no-mei hears about her minions' failure.  She becomes angry, but also intrigued at the player characters' strength.  She decides to see if the party would be willing to join her.

 At the feast, the player characters (and the players themselves) should be becoming so weary of the prince's behavior that even a scrupulous group of adventurers might be tempted to switch sides.  The party will be offered some of the city's famous plum wine, which is said to be as invigorating as it is intoxicating (while this is true, it has other side effects that become apparent the next day).  The marilith's offer will come in the form of a note slipped to a random player character at some point during the activity of the evening.  The messenger appears to be an unassuming servant and quickly disappears after delivering the note.  The note simply states that a mysterious benefactor would like to recruit the player characters with a substantial reward and lists a meeting place within the city and time after the feast.

 At this point the plot can split one of two major paths.  The party may be intrigued by the offer and even decide to join the demon (Xi-no-mei's offer easily matches the prince's monetary reward and may even throw in unholy power to boot).  The party may follow up the note with the intention of tracking down and dealing with whoever sent it or they may ignore the message completely and continue to party all night.  If the PCs go into the city, it is an opportunity to meet more of Xi-no-mei's minions, get into fights, and experience a great deal of the fantastic hanging city's environment.  Any of the party members that drink the plum wine will also feel invigorated and invincible - they will receive decent combat and social bonuses (the wine basically acts as a mild potion.)  It is important, however that the party NOT meet the marilith personally or learn too much about her identity at this point, that is for later.


*Part II: Harvest Day
* 
 The following day is the day of the harvest.  The workers climb up out of the city among the holy plum trees covering the peak of the mountains and begin collecting plums.  Of course the prince has made a special priority of picking the best and perfectly ripe plums for his food of the gods.  Xi-no-mei, meanwhile, has decided to disrupt the harvest to further delay the prince's apotheosis.  The party must fend off attacking waves of the marilith's minions amongst the plum trees and ensure that the workers can complete their task.

 If the player characters have decided to ally with Xi-no-mei then this event will still occur, but with the players on the attacking end.  In this scenario the players will face royal guards protecting the harvesters.  In an ironic twist, the decadent royal guards will falter and panic during battle while the standard laborers will actually put up a decent fight.  Either way there will be some fighting.

 Also, any party members who drank the plum wine the previous night will today find its effects reversed.  They will be nursing strong hangovers that will give them social and combat penalties equal to the bonuses of before.  These penalties may be _negated_ by drinking more wine, but then the negative effects will persist the next day and so on until the character can go a whole day without drinking the wine.

 That night, if the players succeeded in protecting the harvest, Baker Azuma gets to work on his magnum opus; Azuma's Holy Plum Dumplings!  These simple, yet divine treats worthy of the gods will be Prince Hua's ticket into heaven... so to speak.  If the party failed to protect the harvest (or succeeded in ruining it) then the prince's plans of godhood are spoiled for the time being.  Sub-standard plums will simply not do the job.  However, Xi-no-mei's plans are not yet finished (see below).

 After the harvest, the party may continue investigating the attacks (or trying to assassinate the prince if they went that route) and may learn more about the situation and even learn the identity of the one behind the conspiracy.  They may even discover clues as to the demon's master plan (see part III).


*Part III: The Ceremony*

 Assuming the harvest went well, a ceremony is planned the next day to present Azuma's perfected dumplings to the gods.  The player characters are assigned to security and encouraged to act independently of the ceremony.  At this point their investigations should lead them to the demon's plan.  Even if the harvest was ruined, Xi-no-mei's ultimate goal is still a concern.

 Xi-no-mei has concluded that the city's weakness is the massive suspended bridge that connects it with the rest of the land.  She plans to sever the bridge in such a way that one end drops into Demon Valley so that her brethren may ascend the broken bridge like a ladder and finally reach the plum trees they so desire.  The player character's investigations will eventually lead them to this final confrontation on the bridge.

 The players must first battle through the marilith's minions and prevent them from sapping key points on the bridge and causing it to collapse.  It is at this point that Xi-no-mei herself will appear to do battle with the party to ensure her plan goes off without a hitch.  Ideally, the player characters will get the city guard involved and an epic battle will ensue.  Only the player characters have the strength to face the demon head-on.


*CONCLUSION* 

The adventure can conclude a number of different ways depending on the decisions the player characters made and the outcomes of the encounters they had.

 If the player characters succeeded in uncovering Xi-no-mei's plot, protecting the plum harvest, and preventing the bridge from collapsing, they will be honored as heroes by the people of the city and by Prince Hua.  The ceremony will be a success and the Prince will ascent to godhood.  He bestows the full reward he promised plus gives the player characters his divine blessing.  Also, Baker Azuma will probably wrap up a few extra of his plum dumplings for the player characters to take with them on their next adventure.  Hooray!

 If the player characters did not succeed in saving the plum harvest but succeeded in preventing the bridge collapse, the short-sighted prince will become bitter that his chances at godhood were ruined.  He will give the party a partial reward and then send them on their way.

 If the player characters failed utterly or decided to join with the demon for some reason, the demons from the valley will clamber up the collapsed bridge into the hanging city, interrupting the ceremony, killing every mortal they see and devouring all the plums.  If the party sided with Xi-no-mei she will naturally betray them and allow her demonic brethren to overwhelm them and tear them limb from limb (because, what the hell were the players thinking?  She's a demon.)


*INGREDIENTS*
 


  Foppish Dandy - Prince Hua; his eye for beauty is what got the god's attention, much to his people's chagrin.
  Collapsing Bridge - Xi-no-mei's master plan is to collapse the great bridge that connects the hanging city with the rest of the world.
  Demon, Type V - According to the original D&D rules: a marilith, or THE Marilith depending on what you're reading.  Sort of the demonic version of a succubus.  Perfect for manipulating mortals.
  Apotheosis - The prince's ultimate goal, and the kicker for the adventure.
  Hungover mountain range - The most straightforward explanation is the city itself which _hangs over_ the side of the mountains.  To be safe I included as many other references I could, including the nickname for the city and trying to get the player characters drunk on wine.
  Plum Dumplings - A Hungarian delicacy I believe.  This was the prince's way into heaven.


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## InVinoVeritas (Jun 6, 2010)

*Judgment, Round 1: Iron Sky vs. Tremorsense*

Well, considering that *Tremorsense* decided not to post an entry, the decision is rather clear: *Iron Sky* wins this round. No surprise there. 

It’s important to remember, though, for all contestants, that even if you’re late, even if you’re incomplete, post what you have. I am particularly sensitive to this. Last competition, I posted an entry that was incomplete and late—I didn’t have the time. However, I still advanced. If I had just bowed out without submission, I wouldn’t have competed in the final round. 

Iron DM is a LOT of effort. The deadlines are tight, and the conditions are rough. You never know when your opponent may stumble, however, so it is vital to keep your spirit up, even in the face of insurmountable pressure. Believe in yourself, and even if you can’t, just get whatever bits of the job done you can. Don’t worry about pulling yourself out of the competition. The judges are there to take care of that for you. You never know.

We still have one entry, though: *The Tannhauser Effect*. Let’s take a look at how it did.

*The Ingredients:*

Urban Sinkhole—The collapse of the Helix Tombs as an effect of the earthquake. This is essentially a manmade sinkhole, which is more a threat than an actuality, depending on how the adventure goes. The earthquake, however, still appears more important than the sinkhole. 3/5, with the added bonus of making it Pope Urban II’s sinkhole.

Pulchritudinous Waif—Tannhäuser is the waif of the story. Most might think of a waif as just a skinny person, but the original meaning of the word is that of someone tossed from their home, an orphan, someone lost. This use is terrific. 5/5.

Helicopter Seeds—Used mainly as thematic. They act as a symbol of God’s forgiveness, or alternately as a symbol of the Self-Destructive Spiral through their causing of destruction. In addition, it’s an excellent connection to the Out-of-Tune Cello because, yes, cellos are typically made of maple wood, and maples make helicopter seeds. 5/5.

Historical Doppelgänger—My wife insists I spell it with the umlaut. This is the weakest part of the narrative. Yes, Tannhäuser exists as a historical figure, and is used as a doppelganger. His shapeshifting form is used to evade capture. However, the connection to assassinations of figures throughout history, although intriguing, adds little to the story. This is about Tannhäuser and Bragi’s Cello, not about the assassinations. 1/5. 

Self-Destructive Spiral—Good use all around. It’s Tannhäuser’s cycle of abuse by Venus, it’s the gods’ domestic disturbances. It’s why the adventure happens. Perhaps it might be a little clearly the result of self-sabotage of all parties, but it works well and fits with the other elements. 4/5.

Out-of-Tune Cello—Very well done. Not only is it established why it must be a cello, but why it must be out of tune. A cello is made out of maple. It has the spike to ground it to the earth. It must play discordant chords to cause discord. Yet it must be used to carry a tune. The out-of-tune cello fills all these requirements the best out of a lot of possible items or instruments, or whatever. 5/5.

All in all, an excellent use of the ingredients. I still feel that the background of assassinations interferes needlessly with the main narrative, though, so there might be some way to tighten that up.

*Background*

I just need to take a moment to say that this is an excellent synthesis of existing legends. The domestic problems with Venus, Vulcan, and Zeus are well known. Bragi had legends out of Denmark. The various famous people did meet doppelgangers before their deaths. And, most importantly, the legend of Tannhäuser, poet and knight, his worship of Venus, Pope Urban IV, and the blooming of his staff, is a real legend. This is an incredible way to string them together. I love this sort of thing. This is extremely well done, and that should be recognized.

*Playability*

Playability, however, is where this adventure lacks. The adventure is essentially pages of background, followed by an adventure where the PCs discover this background, somehow, not sure how, learn about the Helix Tomb somehow, not sure how, then hunt down Tannhäuser and stop him from playing. Why would the PCs suspect the earthquakes might be something other than natural in the first place? Why would the PCs potentially be hired by the Catholic Church, but then be prevented by the Catholic Church to investigate the Helix Tomb and the Staff of Urban, especially when Pope Urban IV asked for people to find Tannhäuser in the first place? I’d probably start them in Haiti as relief workers—it’s the site of a major earthquake and a Roman Catholic country—and build specific encounters assuming that the PCs are at one given place and go from there. The role of the Helix Tomb and the Roman Catholic Church needs to be firmed up, and a specific encounter to reach the Tomb needs to be created. Right now, there is far more a background and the possibility of adventure than an actual adventure here. 

*Closing Thoughts*

There’s an excellent gem of a great story here. It’s like the Da Vinci Code gets rewritten by Neil Gaiman. I’d recommend watching the movie _The Red Violin_ for the story of an instrument tossed around by history. However, some greater PC-specific scripting is needed before this is ready for action. But the background is all there, and it’s stellar work.

Tremorsense, you have my sympathy regarding your basement. I hope you still have the passion to try again next competition. And, importantly, don't fear posting an incomplete entry if that's all you've got; the winning is only part of what Iron DM is all about.


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## humble minion (Jun 6, 2010)

*The Terrible Last Day of Chih Xuan*

(I am now two for two with fruit-related ingredients in Iron DM competitions.  What’s up with that?)

  A mid-level D&D adventure, probably best used by a group that routinely refers to mariliths as ‘mariliths’ rather than ‘type V demons’.  Some Oriental Adventures-style material is used, though you can probably get away perfectly well with giving Chinese names to perfectly normal PHB characters.  I’ve used 3rd edition terminology and rules here and there because that's what I know, but it should be perfectly well adaptable to any edition.  In 3e/3.5e, this is an 8th level adventure (because PCs having Dispel Evil could use it in lieu of the final scene, and because transportation magic like Wind Walk removes the travel component too easily)

*Summary:*

  A venerable, renowned plum orchard in a high, secret niche in the mountains, equally legendary for both the quality of its fruit and its beauty, acts as a portal between a small medieval kingdom and a great Oriental empire due to the incredible artwork depicting it created by the ancient painter Chih Xuan.  When the produce of the orchard begins to be known as supernaturally high in quality, a the long-running plot of a supposedly vanquished demon approaches fruition.


*Background*

  Beauty and fame have power.  A place of particular beauty and fame has power.  And a place of power attracts - or to put it more precisely, generates – powerful spirits.

  The Orchard of Chih Xuan is one of these places.  Isolated far in the mountains on the outskirts of the one-town kingdom  of Moravsky, it is the home of painter Chih Xuan, and his main topic of artistic inspiration for 60 years.  Chih Xuan hailed originally from the far-off Empire of the Lotus, but spent much of his youth traveling the world.  On arriving at the then-unnamed Orchard, he said that he had finally found a place of perfect beauty, and need wander no more.  

  The Orchard is visually beautiful – a small, high-altitude valley ringed with picturesque mountains down which cascade crystal-clear waterfalls.  Lush and brilliant greenery carpets the ground, swallows flit by and pure white cranes stilt through limpid pools, while bright-eyed foxes twine through the reeds.  The Orchard is dominated by its plum trees, dozens of them, seemingly growing naturally wild all through the valley.  Chih Xuan dwells in a small, simple hut a small way up the mountain track (so as not to despoil the view with the trappings of humanity), and lives on plums, wild honey, ki and fresh air while spending all of this days painting.

  Chih Xuan is nearing the end of his days, and the Orchard senses it.  It has grown since Chih Xuan moved in – given shape by his serenity, and given power by the renown and admiration devoted to his paintings.  It already begins to reflect him.  His childhood memories of the plum orchards back home have generated a subtle and powerful linkage between the Orchard and those of the Chih estates back home.  Chih Xuan himself has not really noticed this, but visitors from either end have, at various times, discovered that wandering in one orchard for long enough means that you will find yourself in the other.  Travellers have passed both ways along the ‘Road of Blossoms’, ambassadors have been exchanged between Moravsky and the Lotus Empire, and while the road from Moravsky to the Orchard is too perilous to allow large-scale trade (and since the beauty of the Orchard is too revered in the Imperial Court for anyone to risk damaging it with high-volume traffic), ideas, knowledge, and culture is beginning to trickle across the gap in both directions.

  The other effect of the Orchard’s increasing supernatural aura is that its produce is becoming truly exceptional.  The Orchard’s plums, for instance, not only taste truly spectacular (+10 to all profession (cook) attempts), but can, when eaten fresh from the tree or prepared with sufficient skill, cure illnesses and remove other baleful influences.  A naturally fallen branch, with blossom still on it, placed on a mantle will stay fresh for a year and a day, and will promote health, harmony, and fertility in one’s home.  A young woman who wears a fresh blossom worn behind the ear will meet her true love that day.

  With his son’s marriage imminent, the King of Moravsky depatches the three most famous heroes of the kingdom, Czevak, Vadasz, and Varkuda, to personally retrieve a blossoming bough for the newlyweds’ mantel, and plums to make plum dumplings at the wedding feast, the national dish of Moravsky and one which must be served for the wedding to go ahead.  These three noble-born swashbucklers won glory two year ago when they stood alone against an orc horde on the Krumlov Bridge, holding off thousands long enough for the bridge to be demolished, marooning the orcs on the wrong side of the river and allowing the Royal Cavalry to be assembled.  The orcs were led by the demon Rukxillana, who Czevek slew in hand to hand combat just before the bridge fell.  Or so the story goes.  Mariliths are impeccable planners and strategists, and Rukxillana’s ‘defeat’ was entirely orchestrated by her.  She allowed her body to dissipate, possessed Czevak, and has been living in his body ever since, shielded from detection magic, waiting for this exact time.  


*Hook:*

  The PCs can be drawn into the adventure by the murder of the sage Trebova, who they may have wished to consult regarding some other matter.  

  Or they may be dispatched to Moravsky from their home realms, as the fame of the Orchard’s plums spreads far and wide, and nobles, royalty, and the very rich vie to serve them at weddings and other feasts, and are willing to pay well.  On arriving in Moravsky, they find the local plum produce quite tasty but hardly exceptional, and upon asking around will reveal that only Chih Xuan’s plums live up to the more extravagant rumours of excellence.  

  Or, for if a PC or allied NPC might seek to take advantage of the.magical powers of the Orchard’s produce.  The market square and back alleys of Moravsky are lined with shonky stalls selling plums and bits of plum tree as lucky charms and cure-alls for various ailments, 99% of which are perfectly mundane vegetation, so the PCs would be best advised to go to the source.

  Or the PCs (as PCs are wont to do) just may be miserably, joylessly paranoid and decide that when supernaturally excellent plums and plum blossoms show up in Moravsky, something bad must be happening and that they’d better sort it out before it gets worse…


*Blood on a Book*

  It is not easy to get to the Orchard.  The King of Moravsky is fully aware of the Orchard’s importance to his kingdom, and strongly discourages people from tromping up their willy-nilly.

  A limited number of writs of passage are available, assigned by the King’s chamberlain.  He takes a rather rustic attitude to his duties, and if the PCs can’t convince him through diplomatic means that they should be granted a writ, then he is amenable to bribery.  At this level, PCs should be able to manage that.  Once the PCs have a writ, he will refer them to Trebova, the nearest thing that Moravsky has to a sage, who dwells in a silent clocktower in town.  Trebova is, among other things, the court geographer, and is the only place that the PCs will be able to obtain an accurate map of the maze of mountain paths that lead to the Orchard.

  Trebova’s clocktower is dark and quiet, and nobody answers the door.  Nobody in the neighbourhood has seen Trebova for days.  The last ones to see him were Czevak, Vadasz, and Varkuda, and they headed up the mountain days ago.  Once the PCs force the issue (or get the watch to do so), they will find Trebova dead, face down in a book.  His lower jaw and tongue have been brutally ripped off and are nowhere to be found (Rukxillana, in Czevak’s body, ate them while he bled to death in front of her) so he cannot respond to Speak With Dead spells.  The books on his table, though largely destroyed by the blood, are mostly tales and histories of Czevak, Vadasz, Varkuda, and the Battle of the Bridge, although the very top volume is a very old black-bound volume on demonology.  Scrawled in blood on the unstained portion of the desk, is a large letter ‘V’, underlined with a long smear.  This is an attempt on Trebova’s part to warn of the sort of demon that still walks in Moravsky.  ‘Marilith’ is the more common term, but Trebova is not particularly an expert in demons (which is why it took him so long to become suspicious of Czevak after the Battle of the Bridge) and only had the terminology in his rather antiquated book to fall back on.  Anyone who reads the book will notice that it uses the archaic labeling system, and may make the connection.  Rather poignantly, Trebova actually got as far as writing ‘Czevak - Rukxi’ underneath his ‘V’ before he died, but Rukxillana smeared this into illegibility, leaving the ‘V’ intact because it amuses her to have suspicion fall on Czevak’s companions.  

  The PCs can find maps to the Orchard in Trebova’s study.  A ‘mending’ spell will strip enough blood off the open face of the book to reveal that Trebova was reading about possession when he died.  A very close examination of the book will find plum dumpling crumbs in the page detailing Type V demons - Trebova spent a lot of time pondering this page, and dropped some of his dinner in here.

*A Walk in the Wilderness*

  The Orchard is several days travel out of Moravsky proper, up a winding and at times treacherous mountain pass.  The mountains are known for their fey and nature spirits – oreads, elementals, sylphs, and stranger things.  It is customary to offer a libation of plum wine (poured on the ground) to the fey of the mountains each morning while making a journey to the Orchard.  If the PCs do not do this at the start of the path, the soldiers on duty at the last watchpost will warn them of the custom, then attempt to sell them very overpriced wine (500gp) while claiming it is the ‘best’ for the purpose.  Should they go ahead without making the offering, they will be the subject of increasingly nasty pranks until they do so, or turn back.  After the PCs make the offering, they should meet (around the next bend, stepping from behind a tree, etc) a small and relatively inoffensive fey creature, who toasts them with a stone cup and drinks deeply before disappearing.

  The PCs will catch up with Czevak and his party the day before arriving at the Orchard – Czevak’s group moves rather slowly, as it is burdened down with Kladno the royal chef (here to make sure only the best plums go to the wedding banquet), bearers to carry the plums and bough down the mountain, and the personal servants, effects, wardrobes, and valets of Vadasz and Varkuda.  The royal group (particularly Vadasz and Varkuda) will welcome company (particularly if it comes in the form of people who appear noble or civilized, or attractive females of any variety), will offer plum wine and fine food, and will invite the PCs to travel with them the rest of the way.  Kladno tries his best to be welcoming (particularly if the PCs show an interest in cooking), but he is quite overweight and is finding the journey very difficult, so retires early.  The servants pretty much do as they are told.  Czevak is quiet and focused, very much the disciplined organizer of the expedition.  He does not drink, and will generally only speak if spoken to – even then he will confine himself to direct answers to direct questions regarding the trip to the Orchard.  

  The PCs should see Vadasz and Varkuda good-naturedly teasing Czevak, encouraging him to loosen up and have a drink like the good old days.  He will refuse, not overly politely, and the other two will (in loud, joshing voices that he is intended to overhear) will tell the PCs how their old friend is so *serious* these days, how he has no time for fun any more, how he never joins them at the tavern like he used to, and how he is so lost to decent civilized behaviour that Varkuda actually has to accompany him to the tailor or suffer the humiliation of having his great friend walking around in last year’s styles.  Vadasz and Varkuda are dim, cheerful twits, who will endlessly gossip, brag, and flirt if given any encouragement whatsoever.  In particular they love to talk about the Battle of the Bridge, and how the demon ‘disappeared into nothing!’ when Czevak sunk his blade into her.  Should the PCs bring up the death of Trebova, they will be genuinely shocked and grieved for a few moments, and then return to their previous gaiety.  Not through callousness, just through an irrepressible urge for fun and laughter, and complete inability to take anything seriously.  If the ‘V’ is mentioned, they will speculate wildly as to what it might mean, never considering for a moment that they might be under suspicion.  

*The Artist’s Apotheosis*

  On the morning of the last day of the trip, Czevak makes the libation.  He says he has some wine made from the plums of the Orchard itself, and to give luck to the endeavor he will use only the best on the final day.  What he actually uses is regular plum wine spiked with the juice of noxious abyssal fruits – Rukxillana is aware of the fey of the mountains, and knows that it will be easier to usurp the Orchard if they are unable to oppose her.  When the PCs see the fey this morning, he takes a swig of his wine, then his eyes cross and he keels over backward.  He doesn’t disappear, he stays where he lies.  Vadasz and Varkuda will applaud the ‘strong stuff’ and badger Czevak for a taste, but he will unsmilingly tell them that there’s none left.  On the road to the Orchard, the party will encounter dozens of fey, all unconscious with stone goblets fallen from their hands, passed-out drunk on Abyssal wine.  Some should be of significant power – sidhe, fey mountain trolls, elder elementals etc.

  Once the group arrives at the Orchard, late that afternoon, they will find Chih Xuan to be very old and frail, almost translucent.  Camped a respectful distance from his hut are Jia Mei, an aged holy man of the Lotus Empire, and his husky young assistant Guo.  Chih Xuan is distant and uncommunicative, his eyes on the next world.  Jia Me will explain in a hushed, respectful whisper that the great Chih Xuan will soon pass on, and that he and his assistant are present to ensure the correct ceremonies take place, and to witness the ascension of a great man into the spirit world, as a part of the famed Orchard that he loved.  Jia Me can explain the principles behind the apotheosis that Chih Xuan will undergo, but knows nothing about Rukxillana.  Everyone should get the chance to eat a freshly picked plum, and receive whatever benefits the GM feel appropriate.  Kladno sets up a small portable stove and starts cooking up some practice plum dumplings, to decide which of the trees would provide the best fruit for the wedding meal.  Vadasz and Varkuda find blossoms, and offer them with extravagant grins to any attractive female PCs.  Czevak will feign eating, but discard the plum surreptitiously – Rukxillana knows that eating a plum would expel her from his body.  

  Rukxillana intends to make the Orchard a battleground, to possess Chih Xuan before his death, hijack his apotheosis, and with the power of a place spirit on top of her demonic abilities, turn the Orchard into a bloody battlefield between Moravsky and the Lotus Empire, destroying forever the growing bond between the two nations and watering the plum trees with blood.  Jia Me’s knowledge worries her, and the first chance she gets, she kills him and removes his lower jaw in the same way as she did to Trebova.

  Once the body is found, suspicions will obviously run high.  Rukxillana will work as hard as she can to throw suspicion onto Vadasz or Varkuda.  She intends to goad Guo into attacking one of them, in effect ‘sanctifying’ the Orchard for her purposes with blood from a battle between the Lotus Empire and Moravsky regardless of who wins.

  The PCs may by now have enough clues (behavior change after the Battle of the Bridge, not eating a plum, Trebova’s books) to suspect Czevak.  In particular, the dregs of his wineskin (if tasted) have a rank, foul aftertaste once the initial sweetness has passed, and radiate evil.  If they do Rukxillana will most likely know (her Listen check is +31, so if anyone’s talking about her, she’ll hear!), and attempt to hurry matters along.  She’ll take a quiet walk, ‘accidentally’ encountering Chih Xuan.  Then, in front of him, she will use Czevak’s own sword to hack off his own jaw, abandon Czevak’s body to bleed to death, and jump to Chih Xuan’s body, hoping that the shock of seeing the Orchard so desecrated will kill the old man and begin the apotheosis.

  The PCs will hear by Chih Xuan’s brief, shocked scream and the hideous noises that Czevak makes as he thrashes to a horrible death in the lush grass.  While Rukxillana is disappointed to find that Chih Xuan’s heart doesn’t give out, there is another method of death at hand – Chih Xuan picks up Czevak’s rapiers and attacks the PCs, hoping to kill as many as she can (because she enjoys it, and because the more blood that desecrates the Orchard, the more it comes under her power), and then let the last one kill her, triggering the apotheosis.

  The first thing she does, of course, is use Chih Xuan’s connection to the Orchard to make all the plums fall off the trees, since freshly picked plums could expel her from Chih Xuan’s body.  She fights using her own feats, BAB, base saves and special abilities (including spell resistance, but not natural armour), but using the physical stats of an unarmoured elderly painter.  She has full access to her spell-like abilities, though she will not use her summoning or blade barrier (she wishes to corrupt the Orchard, not overtly rule or destroy it), and she will not teleport out of the Orchard.  All the rest are fair game.

  If the PCs kill Chih Xuan while Rukxillana is in control, they lose.  Rukxillana gets exactly what she wants, undergoes apotheosis to a place spirit, Moravsky and the Lotus Empire will soon be at each other’s throats, and the Orchard will be a deceptively beautiful sink of betrayal, blood and misery permanently.  

  The best option the PCs have is to use Kladno’s dumplings.  Windfall plums have no special powers, but a well-cooked dish of fresh plums would.  They will have to defend the cook while he finishes his work, then pin Chih Xuan and force a dumpling down his throat.  This would expel Rukxillana from Chih Xuan, and force her to slowly (a couple of minutes) revert to her corporeal form.  This of course leaves them with the problem of an angry marilith.  Fleeing is an option (a foiled Rukxillana will spend her time utterly destroying the Orchard and torturing Chih Xuan rather than chasing PCs, in the short term at least), but probably the best choice is for them to take the remaining dumplings, and feed them to the biggest, nastiest unconscious fey creatures they can find.  With the consciousness of the mountain returned, and some powerful fey to confront on their home ground, Rukxillana will eventually give up and teleport away.

  Chih Xuan will die shortly afterwards, and become what he is destined to become.  Kladno will blanch at the prospect of returning to the king with no fresh plums, but as soon as he says the words, heavy and juicy fruit sprouts from the trees once more.
*Ingredients:*

Plum dumplings: The national dish of Moravsky, to be served at the Prince’s wedding.  Also, the dish that the PCs have to protect Kladno long enough to prepare, in order to exorcise Chih Xuan and awaken the fey.
Foppish dandy: Czevak, Vadasz, and Varkuda.  Czevak’s decreasing level of ‘foppish dandy-hood’ since the Battle of the Bridge is a clue to the fact he is no longer in control of his body.
Hungover mountain range: the spirits of the mountains, out flat on their backs after Czevak’s offering of tainted plum wine.
Type V demon: Rukxillana, the demon that seeks to pervert Chih Xuan’s apotheosis in order to create chaos and war.  The fact that Trebova the scholar uses the antiquated ‘type’ terminology in his dying note is intended as a red herring
Collapsing bridge: The battle at which Czevak defeated Rukxillana, became a great hero, and was possessed by her.  Also, more metaphorically, the bridge of communication between Moravsky and the Empire of the Lotus embodied by the Orchard of Chih Xuan, which will crumble into violence and war if Rukxillana’s plan succeeds.
Apotheosis: As death approaches for Chih Xuan, his connection to the Orchard means that he will undergo apotheosis into an eternal fey guardian of the place – unless Rukxillana hijacks the process.


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## Pbartender (Jun 6, 2010)

*Last Day of Chih Xuan*

*Foppish dandy:  **½*

In the Last Day of Chih Xuan (LDCX), the foppish dandy mainly takes form as the three brothers Czevak, Vadasz, and Varkuda.  V & V get a lot of exposition on this count during the journey to the orchard, but it has little bearing on adventure itself.  

Czevak's current foppishlessness, on the other hand, is the primary clue that he's possessed by a demon, though only through the heresay of his brothers…  Having the change in personality happen before the eyes of the PCs would have been a more compelling clue and hook into the adventure. 

*Collapsing bridge: **

The collapsing bridge never really makes an appearance in LDCX.  It's included as a bit of back story as to the location of the battle where the demon possesses Czevak, but isn't an integral location to the adventure itself.  Furthermore, the players only ever hear about the bridge second hand.

A metaphorical explanation for the collapsing is included at the end of the adventure, but it is in all honesty rather weak…  Especially since the orchard itself could have been considered a supernatural bridge, due to its mysterious ability to act as a transportation portal to the orchards of the distant Chih estates and back.

*Demon, Type V: **½*

LDCX uses the updated name of the Type V Demon, “marilith”.  She’s the antagonist of the adventure, plotting to defile the Orchard of Chih Xuan and usurp it’s power for herself, although it’s never really explained why she wants to do that.  She’s a fairly typical villain plotting evil for no other apparent reason other than to be evil and gain power.

Her actions are a little erratic, though.  Notably, she’s mercilessly kills and mutilates everyone who stands in her way, except when she’s faced with Chih Xuan himself.  She inexplicably resorts to trying to scare him to death, when she could simply wring his neck and be done with it.

The “type V” bit incidentally shows up in an old reference book about demons and as a vague clue about Czevak’s possession.

*Apotheosis: ****

The artist, Chih Xuan, has a supernaturally close connection with the extraordinary plum orchard, that will apparently allow him to ascend to some form of godhood when he dies.  Rukxillana, the demon, has a plan to kill him prematurely and possess him in order to gain power.

*Hungover mountain range: *****

The mountains where the plums grow are home to a host of fey creatures and spirits that represent the mountain range.  Rukxilanna slips them a collective mickey to keep them out of the way while she executes her plan.  Using the fey spirits as a proxy for intoxicating the mountain range was very clever, but a bit of exposition as to why the needed to be both appeased with an offering by the princes and drugged into a stupor by the demon would have been the icing on the cake.

*Plum dumplings: *½*

Plum dumplings make a handful of minor appearances in this adventure, none of them especially significant.  Mainly, they serve as an excuse for the PCs to travel to the orchard with the princes.  The adventure instead focuses on the plum orchard in place of the dumplings.

*Playability ***

The playability of this adventure suffers form one glaring problem…  That the players don’t seem to have a whole lot to do.  Most of the important and interesting developments happen before the adventure starts, off-stage or through NPCs.  The only time the players truly get to take control of the action is at the end, when they must fight Rukxillana.

Another weakness is the fact that the adventure really has three different plots – Trebova’s murder mystery, the journey to collect plums, and Rukxillana’s plot to destroy the orchard -- that are only loosely connected.  Instead of focusing on one of them, PCs have their hands held through two of them to get to the third.

This relates to Radiating Gnome’s previous observation concerning extensive adventure back stories that the players never get to interact with.  You risk having the majority of the story happen outside the adventure, and leaving the PCs with little do but watch things happen or hear about them having happened.

*Style **½*

Two things stand out, here…  The spirits of the mountain drugged through subterfuge, and the strange shortcut from Moravsky to the Chih estates through the Plum Orchard.  Both are fascinating ideas, and need only a bit of fleshing out to turn them into truly memorable points in the adventure.  The ascension of Chih Xuan is a third contender, however few details are provided as to the whats, hows and whys of the apotheosis.

The rest of the adventure seems a bit scattered.  Focusing in on those two or three solid points and cutting out much of the extraneous back story (or integrating it into the action of the adventure) would really tighten the adventure up.


*Hanging Plum Garden City*

*Foppish dandy: *****

Hanging Plum Garden City (HPGC) focuses on the dandiness of the princely ruler of the city.  A stereotypically beautiful spoiled rich kid, he extends his vainglory to the his palace and the city itself.  It is this ostentatious display that attracts both the appreciation of the gods and the jealousy of the demons in the valley. It gives purpose to the villain.

*Collapsing bridge: *****

In HPGC the collapsing bridge is not just the ultimate goal of the demoness' plot to claim the orchard, but also the site of the prince's palace.  It serves as motivation for the plot, and as a central, evocative location.

*Demon, Type V: **½*

Again, we have a fairly straight-forward demonic villain.  Xi-no-mei, the marilith, is equally as vain as the prince and terribly jealous of him, his city and his plums to boot.  She’s looking to foul up his chance at becoming a god and then destroy his bridge, his city and everything else he holds dear.

Now, while technically she is a marilith, I find it rather disappointing that HPGC doesn’t even do lip service to the fact that she’s a “Demon, Type V”, which is, after all, the ingredient and not “marilith”.  Be careful about how you try to pull that stunt in the future…  Some ingredients are better suited to it than others.

*Apotheosis: ****

The prince has to make something fantastic out of the celestial plums, and he gets to be a god.  Amongst other things, it gives Xi-no-mei an excuse to be jealous of him, and gives one more motivation for her to plot against him.

I find it odd, however, that the prince doesn’t make the product himself in order to fulfill the challenge.  Instead, he’s allowed to bring in a ringer – Baker Azuma – who does all the work, but gets practically nothing out of it.

*Hungover mountain range: *½*

HPGC dances all around this ingredient, but never quite gets to it.  There is a city hanging off the side of a mountain, there is a bridge and a palace hanging over a valley, there are the player-characters potentially hungover from drinking too much plum wine, the city’s nickname is “Hungover Plum Garden City”…  But nothing really hangs over the mountains, the mountains don’t really hang over anything, and nothing even remotely resembling a mountain range gets intoxicated.

*Plum dumplings: **½*

Plums dumplings are the prince’s way, through the talents of Azuma, of convincing the gods to make him the patron saint of plum trees.  The practical inclusion of them into the adventure is a bit incidental, and like LDCX the tendency is to focus on the plums and the orchard, rather than the dumplings.

*Playability: ****

At points, HPGC makes a few assumptions about what the player characters should be thinking or doing.  That’s a dangerous thing to do…  On one hand, the characters can easily derail the adventure by doing something unexpected.  On the other, it becomes tempting for the DM to force the PCs into those expectations and assumptions.

That aside, the adventure does provide a good, serviceable hook, a coherent (if slightly linear) plot line, and one notable decision point for the PCs.  While for most parties, the choice to join up with a demon is a non-decision, HPGC does present the option.

*Style: *****

The city, the bridge and the palace are fabulous.  The image of the buildings clinging to the cliff face, and the palace balancing precariously on the bridge like a tightrope walker is terribly engaging.  It’s a wonderful setting for an adventure.

The prince, as well, is portrayed to a stereotypical excess.  In this instance, the extreme stereotype plays well, as it can give the player characters a certain amount of sympathy toward the villain.

*Decision:*

LDCX had strong base ideas with the mountains spirits and Chih Xuan's magical plum orchard.  Unfortunately, those elements weren't utilized to their fullest and the rest of the adventure isn't strong enough to step up to the plate.  The plot elements are generally disjointed, and rely too heavily on history that the character will likely never learn.

HPGC begins with the foppish prince and the palace on the bridge, setting the stage with a beautiful location and a colorful NPC.  The remaining components of the adventure have a hard time following in those footsteps, but adequately fill out the remainder of the adventure.

On average, HPGC edges out LDCX in the use of ingredients, and also gets the lock on style.

In addition, LDCX was late...  While that may not seem a big deal, I like to imagine that the deadline represents the start of the gaming session.  In that way, a late submission is akin to having an incomplete and unprepared adventure outline at the gaming table.

In that light, I'm awarding this round to Sansuo.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 7, 2010)

Round 1, Match 4
Monday, June 7, 12:00 p.m. EST
Pour vs. MatthewJHanson
Judge: Radiating Gnome

Ingredients:
mercury dragon
crystal sepulcher
corrupt prophet
abstinence
loaded dice
ebon fly


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## Pour (Jun 8, 2010)

*The Last Vestige*
_A Dungeons & Dragons Adventure for Evil Epic Characters_

*Background:*
Decades ago, the archfiend Baalzebul tried to overthrow Asmodeus, God of Hell. He was discovered and mercilessly punished. Asmodeus transmogrified the once-imposing Lord of Flies into a putrid, pale and offal-trailing slug. He has wallowed ever since, lamenting his loss and the cruel japes of his rivals Mephistopheles and Dispater, searching for a way to regain Asmodeus' favor (and thusly his old persona). At long last, he's found a way. 

One last vestige of He Who Was, the god whose name has since been erased from history, under whom Asmodeus, Baalzebul and all the other fallen angels served before their ultimate betrayal, escaped destruction. The vestige dwells on the crystal isle of Gloryda, in a vessel known as the Crystal Sepulcher wherein he slowly gathers divine essence from across the Astral Sea in hopes of one day reconstituting himself and enacting revenge on his traitorous former servants. 

If Baalzebul can capture this last vestige for Asmodeus, or at the very least destroy him, he'll surely be granted his former glory. There are, of course, a few small snags. For one, the way to Gloryda is not an easy one, and the only portal Baalzebul knows of is tangled in the depths of the Demonweb Pits with Lolth's many other treasured doors. And once Gloryda is reached, one must contend with a dominion of angels and devas, chief among them the Virgin Bride, the vestige's prophet destined to one day bare He Who Is Reborn. 

*INTRODUCTION*

1. Barbatos, one of Baeelzebub's most trusted lieutenants, meets with the group in the form of an old, worm-ridden wretch with a white beard that drags six feet behind him (perhaps after a particularly impressive adventure). He uses no false names, nor attempts any trickery, quite direct with his proposition and quite clear it comes from Baalzebul himself. The PCs' reputations have traveled as far down as Maladomini, and the Lord of the Seventh is willing to offer them 'Get Out of Hell Free' cards for when their inevitable judgements come IF they accept a proposition to seduce a prophet and retrieve the essence inside a sacred crystal container.
    >> Alternatively, if there is a bard or a high Charisma character, Baalzebul might also find reason to hire them besides just the generic 'I need qualified, evil professionals'. Infernal warlocks and worshipers of Asmodeus are also quite handy. 

> The interested party need only say the word and they're transported onto the Road of Perdition, a vast marble highway lined with massive, grotesque statuary. A white fly annoys the heck out of the prettiest party member, then leads the party into Maladomini with all its miles-wide caverns and sprawling, polluted ruins. 

Unnerving enough, the fly eventually brings them to screechy fiddling, high laughter and even higher screams, and smells both perfumed and foul, marking an approach on The Carnival Macabre. History or Arcana checks reveal this is a dangerous baccanal where things illegal even in Hell are trafficked, and pleasure and pain are constantly redefined and taken to new extremes. 

*ACT I: The Carnival Macabre*

2. Barbatos explains a political entanglement the players would be perfect for, and which will advance them closer to their goals. Barbatos had been visiting the carnival often, gathering information on Gloryda from a former rider of the Astral Sea, an elder mercury dragon Silikoras. He'd been dragged to the carnival a prisoner against his will and now, many years later, remains a prisoner of his choosing. Drug, sex and greed-addled, he'd exhausted his hoard centuries ago, and got to selling information and performing odd jobs. Barbatos found the dragon easily plied for information, but was unable to secure the exact location of the Crystal Isles or the doorway in the Demonweb Pits before a corruption devil named Miminix aquired the mercury dragon as a slave. He bleeds the creature now, using its metallic blood to produce an insanity-inducing drug called Crazesilver. 

Miminix allows no one audience with the dragon, and Silikoras is much too weak to talk otherwise, truthfully on the verge of death (which Miminix wouldn't mind selling the hide and parts anyway). Given this corruption devil is a powerful member of the carnival and in favor with Asmodeus, Baalzelbul cannot outrightly move against him, nor does he want to spoil his chance at redemption by divulging to the Prince of Evil how important the dragon's information really is. 

However a party such as the players, coming into the carnival like many dark souls do, might find themselves pitted against Miminix, and find little choice but to slay him. If done secretly enough, or in self-defense, there's little chance Asmodeus would seek restitution. Alternatively, Miminix is a notorious gambler. He's not above betting anything, including dragons, if the stakes are sweet enough.

Either using his love of gambling as bait to lure him into a trap, or as a legitimate means to win back Silikoras's freedom, Barbatos offers them a gift. Loaded dice, to always roll a win, and an identical set of regular dice, left entirely to chance. If the party is slick enough, they can use the combination to seem convincing, but still win out in a pinch. Alternatively, they could get caught as face a slew of furious betters. This likely depends on a number of rolls involving Thievery, Perception, Stealth and Bluff, as part of a skill challenge in games leading up to and then including Miminix. 

Barbatos would have departed long before the games, unable to be within a league of the events or else draw suspicion. So the players are truly off the leash, more or less stuck in Hell, or obligated to remain there. Before he goes, he does offer one last set of gifts, an ebon fly for each party member, and a particularly intricate Lord of Ebon Flies, which, if summoned, is a fly the size of an elephant meant to drain the weakened sepulcher dry of the vestige.

When Silikoras is eventually freed, he'd offer specifics on the location of the portal in the Demonweb, and then the path to Gloryda. Were he not so weak or pathetically addicted to the depravity, he might have even offered to go with them.

*ACT II: The Demonweb Pits*

3. The players enter the Demonweb Pits, where they descend the seemingly endless, web-vexed fall of the 666th layer of the Abyss. The players either:
    a. Fight their way through several strands, a direct and difficult series of encounters.
    b. Sneak their way as far as they can, a difficult series of skill challenges pitting the party against some of their most difficult Stealth tests they've ever undertaken (walking the webs without disturbing them, avoiding eight times eight thousand spider's eyes, etc).

In either instance, using the ebon flies to bypass many of the webs is preferred, and, for a particularly crafty player, purposefully crashing one of the ebon flies against a portion of the web creates an irresistible vibration that draws all spider creatures, and with a little added commotion drow and demon guardians as well.

4. The final Demonweb encounter is with one of Lolth's lesser exarchs is decided through skill challenge and encounter. The Weaver of Ways, a trapdoor spider of cosmic proportions, draws strands from the various planes and threads them into doors, to spread the agenda and worship of her lady. If the party has any ebon flies left, they can use them to distract and daze the exarch, gain combat advantage, and other various advantages depending on player creativity. 

*ACT III: Gloryda*

5. In the Crystal Isles, various motes of lush, verdant wilderness with mountain-sized shards of vary-colored crystals drift in the Astral Sea. On the largest isle grows a city of crystal, amidst rainbow blooms and dew-kissed tropical flora, Gloryda. The last vestige, in its ages of reconstitution, incidentally drew all manner of beauty and power to it, among them various dragons, angels and devas. They've settled this edenic paradise, instinctively protective of the crystal sepulcher at its heart. One among them, the deva known only as the Virgin Bride, believing herself a reincarnation of one of his slain angels, began a faith around the vestige. This, too, serves to empower the former god, and offers a fair amount of protection.

The players have numerous options for infiltrating the city, more than likely dependent on some amount of Bluff or Stealth. A direct siege would be ill-advised, especially considering the task of appearing in some way friendly, and seducing the Virgin Bride. 

6. Once in the city, and keeping up their guises, they must meet with the Virgin Bride. Any number of excused could do, or a stealth infiltration of the Prismatic Temple, wherein the sepulcher rests. Attempts to draw the essence out of the sepulcher will prove impossible, and may draw guards. The floating coffin is glassy and transparent, with a mystical glow in the center. The Virgin Bride looks into it often, talks with it, draws strength and gives strength to it. The relationship it and the vestige have with the prophet and the following are revealed through Religion, Arcana or prolonged observation to be symbiotic. 

In order to weaken the sepulcher enough to draw the vestige out or destroy it, the party must corrupt the prophet and the faith. Thus begins another fun and largely free-form task, a collection of skill challenges to seduce the virgin or discredit the upstanding members of the faith, encounters to assassinate or kidnap key opponents or stumbling blocks. 

7. Eventually the prophet can be seduced, and she will betray her vows to the vestige to lay with one or more of the players. The faith will be rattled enough, but through further meddling may collapse entirely. It could grow as ugly as riots and the destruction of Gloryda, but what's certain is the Crystal Sepulcher will grow dark and dim, vulnerable, and the vestige withdrawn after being betrayed a second time. 

In a final encounter with the embittered He Who Could Have Been, the party overcomes the vestige in a combination encounter/skill challenge. Failure of the skill challenge equates to the inability to capture the vestige in the Lord of Ebon Flies, and there is no choice but to destroy him. Of course, failure of the encounter means the vestige now has the party prisoner, and may brainwash/reprogram them into servants, change their alignment to good, slay them outright, or make a counter offer to help him bring down Asmodeus.

*Expanding the Adventure:*
What if He Who Was, in his efforts to reconstitute himself via errant divinity of fallen gods scattered across the Astral Sea instead became a many-headed god, a deity of fractured and perhaps maddened personalities, seeking to now swallow the existing gods into his fold? Or what if he absorbed too much Primordial energy and grew into a new Primordial, enemy of the gods good and evil alike? 

Recipe:
Mercury Dragon: Silikoras, whose mercurial needs and appetites were all of them sated in the deep depravity of Hell's seventh ring. He was the one with the finer details on the portal and location of Gloryda.

Crystal Sepulcher: The vessel in which the last vestige dwelt, crystal clear and having spawned the entire Crystal Isles, and which drew errant divinity from across the plane to help him reconstitute. The prophet and her purity were intimately tied to it, and it granted her her power and eventual destiny as the mother of a god. Her betrayal darkened the crystal, as the faith wavered, and eventually led to a diminished and betrayed vestige.

Corrupt Prophet: In this sense, the major task of the party in Gloryda was to corrupt the Virgin Bride and in doing so weaken the sepulcher and the vestige to a point they could be dealt with.

Abstinence: The Virgin Bride's abstinence from sex is what kept her pure and worthy to eventually receive the vestige's essence. Abstinence is also what Silikoras lacked and which caused all his troubles to begin with. And when it comes to devils or demons, abstinence from their desires is largely impossible, from Asmodeus and Baalzelbul on down.

Loaded Dice: The trick dice Barbatos gives the group, along with an identical pair of real dice, in order to win their way through small-time games towards a match, or matches, with Miminix. They could help with back Silikoras, or at least gain them an audience with the corruption devil.

Ebon Fly: The group are given ebon flies as a final boon by Barbatos, one of the most potent symbols of Baazelbul. They can be used throughout the adventure, as distractions through the Demonweb, as well as mounts. The Lord of Ebon Flies is the magic container which is meant to house the last vestige.


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## MatthewJHanson (Jun 8, 2010)

Trapped in a Dead God’s Hand
A 4e D&D adventure for 20th level characters.

Background
Millennia ago, a man named Adahn served an ancient god of knowledge. At first he was a faithful servant and his god rewarded Adahn well, but as Adahn grew in power he craved more. Adahn sought true prophecy, to see the future clearly, not thought a haze of dreams and cryptic visions. In his arrogance Adahn stole the power of foresight from his god, and in so doing he was cursed. Adahn gained the vision to see the future, but not the ability to change it. He knows what is coming, but can do nothing about it. As one final insult, his god cursed Adahn with eternal life, so Adahn could not find a release from his punishment, even in death.

Throughout the ages Adahn tried to use his gift of prophecy many time to help others, but the others never listened. Now he uses his reputation as a prophet to help himself. Adahn has joined an astral ship called the Quicksilver Dragon. The vessel is as big as a small village. It is best known for its gambling hall, but offers a range of other amenities for wealthy pleasure seekers. The ship is silver colored and constantly travels though the astral sea high speeds. It never stops, even while resupplying or taking on passengers. Most think that the Quicksilver Dragon takes its name from the way it looks zooming across the Astral Sea, though the owner, Hermes Hyperion Glorioso Alexander d’Carceri von Dusseldwarf, knows otherwise. 

Adahn is something of a sideshow attraction on the Quicksilver Dragon, using his reputation as a prophet first to draw in wealthy gamblers who seek a glimpse of the future, and then to explain why he always wins.

A Promising Note
The player characters begin the adventure anywhere, though it is easier if they have access to planar travel. They wake up one morning to find that a note has mysteriously appeared with no indication of how it arrived. The note claims that one “Hermes Hyperion Glorioso Alexander d’Carceri von Dusseldwarf” needs their assistance and will pay the richly for their services. An astral diamond for each character is included with the note as a down payment. In case the characters need further convincing, the letter also promises the characters knowledge that they dearly seek. This knowledge should be tailored to your campaign. It should tie into the character’s long-term goals and personal back stories, and your plans for future adventures. Finally, the letter describes the Quicksilver Dragon, and how the PCs can find the astral vessel in the near future. 

If the characters ask around in an area where planer travel is common, the can easily hear stories of the Quicksilver Dragon, the astral pleasure ship that never stops. The character can also find somebody willing to shuttle them to the Quicksilver Dragon or find an astral skiff for sale at a reasonable price.

Arrival at the Quicksilver Dragon
Docking with the Quicksilver Dragon is no easy task. Hermes never stops his ship, not even to take on wealthy customers. As the Quicksilver Dragon darts through the Astral Sea at break neck speeds, the player characters must bring their own vessel along side and secure it long enough to disembark. This is a skill challenge, and failure reflects that the heroes smash their own ship to pieces and barely manage to cling on to the Quicksilver Dragon while the crew of the ship helps them aboard.

Once the heroes arrive on the ship, a man who appears to be an eladrin with silver eyes and hair greats the characters saying:

_Greetings and salutations. You have the esteemed honor of meeting Hermes Hyperion Glorioso Alexander d’Carceri von Dusseldwarf. Welcome to the Quicksilver Dragon, the finest ship in all the planes, and home to drink, debauchery, pleasure carnal and cerebral, a little gambling, and if you are lucky, a glimpse into your future. Who might you be?
_
Hermes expects the characters to be another group of wealthy patrons eager to spend their coin, and when they explain the mysterious messages they received, he is utterly perplexed. He has no need to hire adventurers such as the PCs, but since they took all that trouble to get here, Hermes offers them free drinks and lodging for the night, as well as some complimentary chips to spend at the Dragon’s casino. He is happy to answer any questions the PCs have about the Quicksilver Dragon. If they inquire about “a glimpse into your future,” Hermes says, “Why, I mean the Prophet of course,” and he explains the nature of Adahn and his wager.

Assuming the PCs take Hermes up on his offer to stay, they should have some time to explore the Quicksilver Dragon. They might meet some of the Dragon’s more colorful clientele, such as the inebriated drow named Tarzz who has not left the Dragon’s bar since its maiden voyage, or Lili, the dwarven academic who is writing a book on the Quicksilver Dragon, but does not participate in any of its activities for fear of “biasing her work.”

Most importantly the characters should have a chance to meet Adahn. The PCs likely hear about him from other residents aboard the Quicksilver Dragon, and when they enter the gambling hall, the see him sitting alone at a table in the far rear of the hall. He catches the eye of the heroes and smiles at them each in turn.

If they approach Adahn explains his wager. For ten thousand pieces of gold, they may have one chance at a dice game against him. If the PCs win, then he will answer a single question. If they lose, then they walk away empty handed. Either way Adahn keeps the coin.

If the character take Adahn up on his offer the can make a series of skill checks, but no matter what they cannot beat Adahn, the game is rigged. Instead they can try to realize how the game is rigged. Adahn is a prophet, but because of his curse his knowledge of the future cannot help him win. Instead Adahn uses a set of magical dice that always roll the value the Adahn want them to roll. If they figure this out Adahn admits the truth and asks, “What does this tell you about prophecy?” Regardless of how the PCs answers, Adahn responds by telling the characters a little something about them that he has no reason to know, and the adds, “And Hermes Hyperion Glorioso Alexander d’Carceri von Dusseldwarf seeks your employment.”

As soon as Adahn says this (or when the heroes give up trying to figure out his game) ask the PCs to make an Acrobatics check to avoid falling prone.

Flies Swarm the Dragon
_The Quicksilver Dragon lurches, knocking passengers from their feet. A hail of cards, coin, and dice flies through the air. Everything becomes quite except the hum of the Dragon’s drive system straining to move, and a low groan of something pressing against the hull. But despite the effort, a glance out the windows reveals that the Quicksilver Dragon, the ship that never stops, has stopped.

_As the passengers and crew of the Quicksilver Dragon struggle to come to grips with their predicament, heroes see something through the window a black cloud moves swiftly in their direction. As it draws near the heroes make out greater detail. The cloud is made of hundreds of flies, ranging from the size of your fist to that of a large horse. They are so black they look like a hole in space. These are astral flies, born of maggots that feast of the flesh of dead gods. The first of the flies thud harmlessly against the window, but then one of the largest smashes through and the PCs are the only one who can save the residents of the gambling hall from the tearing mandibles of hungry insects.

The casino is not the only breach. Should the heroes investigate cries from another part of the ship, the find more flies battling a shimmering, slender, agile, silver-colored dragon. The dragon is Hermes in his true form. While he finds it more customer friendly to look like an eladrin, he is actually a mercury dragon and when lives are at stake is not afraid of using tooth and claws.

After the battle everybody has time to take stock the situation. The Quicksilver Dragon, as it turns out, flew close to one of the many dead gods that litter the Astral Sea, just as it has done a hundred times before. But this time the god was not quite as dead as they thought dead. It somehow reached out its massive stony hand and clenched the Quicksilver Dragon in its fist. No matter how hard they try, the crew cannot dislodge the ship.

Hermes believes there is only one choice. Somebody must leave the Quicksilver Dragon and see if they can find a solution on god-island. Naturally the player characters are the only reasonable choice. 

The God Island
The god-island trapping the Quicksilver Dragon is teeming with life and unlife. Astral flies and other monsters inhabit the lower region of the god, but there heroes have no need to travel there. They are much more likely to encounter the Hungriest Ghouls and the third eye.

The Hungriest Ghouls
The most informative area on the dead god, and also the strangest, is the encampment of the Hungriest Ghouls, found on the chest of the dead god. The heroes may be quick to attack the ghouls, but the ghouls are hesitant. They fight back reluctantly and try only to subdue the heroes.

These ghouls all worship the dead god, who the reveal to be a god of knowledge. While they crave the flesh of the living, and in particular “the b-word,” they refuse to eat it because “the b-word,” houses more knowledge than can ever be written down, and once it is gone it is lost forever. Should any PC say the “brains” aloud, the ghoul fly into a fit of hunger and the character must make a quick Diplomacy or Intimidate check to keep the ghouls from gnawing on their skulls.

The ghouls also can give the characters some advice. That the dead god saw the truth through the third eye in the center of his forehead, so that eye too might hold the answers that the heroes seek.

The Third Eye
The dead god’s third eye is in the center of his forehead and is the size of a town square. Clues suggest the characters must see the eye, but when the heroes arrive it is closed. If they examine the head directly above the eye, they find an incitation saying “I open for seekers of knowledge.” The characters have two primaries ways to open the eye. First a character may perform any divination ritual while standing on the eye. Alternatively the party as a whole can recall sufficient knowledge by scoring at least one success each for Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, and Religion.

If the heroes manage either of these, the eyelid opens, but underneath there is only a black chasm. Any character standing on the eye falls, while those standing near it are pulled in by an irresistible force.

The Dream of a Dead God
The characters cannot tell how long they are falling, but instead of landing, a temple forms around them, its floor appearing beneath their feat. Before them is an alter made of crystal, and built into it, a open and empty sepulcher. The only inhabitant besides them is a faceless man whose form shifts and bends before the PCs. This is the last memory of the dead god. It does not have a true mind, but is more like an impression left upon the sand. It responds to the heroes questions with cryptic phrases.

Just as the heroes seem to tire of the vestige, Adahn appears in the temple, and in an instant the faceless man changes. Three circles of fire appear in its featureless faces, and it screams with rage. It remembers Adahn and hates that memory. It accuses the PCs of bringing him here and attacks.

The temple and the figure are both made of thoughts and can shift just a fluidly. The heroes find the terrain warping around them, but if they are of strong will they can also shape the terrain to their liking. The only thing that cannot change is the crystal altar. The faceless man strikes at their minds and creates minions out of thoughts to rip the characters apart.

As the heroes strike the final blow, the man and the temple dissolve, leaving only a bare stone room and the crystal altar in its center. Adahn explains his history as described in the adventure background. The corpse the heroes occupy is same god Adahn once worshipped, and the same one he stole the gift of prophecy from. He has come to return it.

_Adahn takes out a dagger and cuts a slit across his forehead. Instead of blood pouring from the wound, a misty silver liquid flows from the cut. As if the liquid had thoughts of its own, it winds its way through the air and pours into the crystal sepulcher. Just when it is full the flow stops. The lid to the case slams shut, and in the same instant the earth reverberates. Then another quake comes, and another, each more powerful. A large crack opens in the wall and dim light pours through.
_
The god-island is breaking apart. The heroes must rush out of the god’s head and back to the ship, while ghouls and monster panic around them. Adahn refuses to leave, saying he from the moment he stole the gift, he knew how this would end.

The heroes reach the Quicksilver Dragon just as it is the god’s arm crumbles beneath them and the entire god-island scatter into the Astral Sea.

Conclusion
Back aboard the Quicksilver Dragon Hermes grants the heroes a lavish reward and offers to take them anywhere in the planes they desire. They are likely to take him up on the offer too, because the characters realize that somehow either Adahn or the dead god touched their mind. It left them the answers they were promised in note that brought them to Quicksilver Dragon. And the answers to their questions are just the beginning of your next adventure.

Ingredients
Mercury dragon: Hermes is a verbose and extravagant dragon who has named his astral vessel for himself.

Crystal sepulcher: The crystal sepulcher housed the gift of prophecy before Adahn stole it, and again after he returned it.

Corrupt prophet: Adahn is a prophet twice corrupted. First when he stole the gift of true sight from his god, and then when he traded his reputation as a prophet for profit on the Quicksilver Dragon

Abstinence: Despite craving “the b-word” above all else, the Hungriest Ghouls refrain from eating flesh to protect knowledge. Also, the passenger Lili abstains from the joys of the Quicksilver Dragon.

Loaded dice: Because Adahn cannot use prophecy to win, he cheats by gambling with a set of loaded dice. It could also be a metaphor for how Adhan cannot change the future he sees. 

Ebon fly: Massive black flies that were nursed on the flesh of the dead god attack the party and their allies. Also, the passenger Tarzz is a drow barfly.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 9, 2010)

This is the report on The Last Vestige (LV), by Pour, and Trapped in a Dead God's Hand (DGH) by MatthewJHanson

I'm intrigued that the set of ingredients provided sent both contestants off to epic level -- I'm not sure which ingredient(s) made that the "natural" place to land for this match -- and maybe it's just a coincidence. It's another close match, so lets get down to brass tacks. 

*Ingredients.* 

*Mercury Dragon.* 

In LV, we have Silikoras, an information source the PCs need to consult to find the final location of their target.  I find that the presence of Silikoras is interesting -- the addiction-paupered dragon being bled for information and whose blood is used to create drugs for others.  

In DGH, the mercury dragon appears in a couple of different ways -- the non-stop pleasure ship, the actual captain of the ship.  The idea of a sort of astral cruise ship that never even slows down for the embarkation and debarkation of passengers -- a ship that rockets around at breakneck speeds, presumably faster than most other craft out there in the planes . . .  it feels to me very much like a Terry Pratchet idea -- amusing and fun on the surface, and hard to imagine really working out in practice.  There ought to be plenty of other ways to board a speeding ship (teleportation circle, perhaps), especially at this level, so that this bit of tomfoolery is just an exercise in the absurd.  And, there's nothing wrong with the absurd, or the comic absurd in an adventure, but once you've set that tone, it creates an expectation for the rest of the adventure to support that tone.  

I'm pretty much on the fence about which version of the dragon I like better . . . I think that the usage in DGH is riskier, but neither seems to be stronger than the other taken as an isolated element, so we'll call this one a draw. 

*Crystal Sepulcher*

In LV, the Crystal Sepulcher the CS holds the last vestige of a dead god who has been expunged from creation -- at least nearly so. The sepulcher is the final setting of the adventure, a sort of crystal island that has grown out of the vessel containing the shred of divinity. 

In DG, the sepulcher is the vessel which contained the gift of prophecy stolen by Adahn, and then returned at the end of the adventure.  In the actual play of the adventure, the PCs will really only encounter it at the very end, and don't directly interact with it -- they find themselves in the bare stone room with the CS, Adahn tells them the story, then releases the gift from his own forehead and it goes back into the CS.  So, the PCs get to see it, and that's about it.  I think the more extensive, involved use in LV wins this point. 

*Corrupt Prophet*

DGH gives us Adahn, the corrupt prophet the PCs discover on the Quicksilver Dragon.  He's an interesting NPC, but his role as "prophet" is a bit thin in the adventure.  In a more general sense he's making his living as a sort of side-show mentalist, but prophets see the future, and most of what Adahn does is read the past or present ("Hermes . . . . seeks your employment", etc.)

In LV, the "corrupt prophet" is more of a command than a person -- the PCs find it necessary to corrupt the virgin bride. The virgin bride, however, never seems to play a role as prophet -- she's a religious leader, but again, there's no vision of the future there for her.  It's an interesting challenge to make her the focus of two such nearly-polar ingredients (abstinence and corrupt prophet), but I feel like we fall short of seeing her as an actual prophet.  So, point for DGH.

*Abstinence. *

As I've already noted, the Virgin Bride is the embodiment of abstinence in LV.  I find her very confusing.  I mean, I totally get the role she plays in the adventure -- priestess of the dead god trying to revive it.  But I don't think the writeup of the adventure quite explains how her virginity serves the dead god.  I mean . . . reading it over, I think there are a few dots that were not connected.  Here's what we know about the virgin bride:
1. The vestige's prophet destined to one day bare He Who Is Reborn.
2. The deva known only as the Virgin Bride, believing herself a reincarnation of one of his slain angels, began a faith around the vestige. 
3. The Virgin Bride looks into [the vestige] often, talks with it, draws strength and gives strength to it.
4. The prophet can be seduced....The faith will be rattled enough, but through further meddling may collapse entirely.

I mean . . . if you replace the name of the NPC "Virgin Bride" with something else -- say "Pirate Cat", nothing changes.  While the recap declares that her virginity is important, I'm not seeing that written into the actual adventure -- I don't see where it becomes important for her role as vessel for the reborn god or anything like that.  The rest of the role of abstinence in the adventure, as detailed in the recap, is actually the absence of abstinence -- and I don't think you get credit on iron chef for using cinnamon by pointing out all of the dishes where you didn't use cinnamon.  

I might be dense, or missing something, but my guess is that this detail was either something that didn't get fleshed out, or it's something that I'm supposed to have inferred from the name "Virgin Bride" and the way it echoes Mary & the Virgin Birth, etc.  

In DGH, abstinence shows up in, according to the recap, two places -- the Ghouls, and Lili.  Lili plays no role in the adventure, she's just color, and that's about as thin as thin can get.  The Ghoul's abstinence isn't much better -- it's a fun detail, though, and what it does do is sustain the absurd, Terry Pratchett tone of the adventure -- I mean, come on, Ghouls that crave brains they mussn't eat, and that can't say the word lest they lose control?  In the overall plot of the adventure, it's not an important detail, but it certainly sustains the mood.  Point to DGH.  

*Loaded Dice*

In DGH, Adahn uses loaded dice to make sure he wins at his parlor game.  In LV, loaded dice are given to the party by the devil Barbatos to win an audience with Miminix.  I'm fascinated by this ingredient in these two entries, because if there were any ingredient that I would have expected to tie this adventure into a heroic tier, low-level setting, it would be something as mundane and pedestrian as loaded dice.  It's not surprising, then, that in these two epic level adventures the use is minimal, just a nod to get the ingredient into the adventure.  Of the two uses, I prefer the one in DGH, because the use of loaded dice to simulate the divine gift of prophecy, but it's a pretty thin margin.  Slight advantage to DGH on this one. 

*Ebon Fly. * 

I'm really drawn to the use of the Ebon flies in Last Vestige -- it's a relatively small detail, using the flies in the demoweb pits to create a distraction to draw the spiders and other web-tending creatures away . . . it's a cool idea, but I wonder about it in actual play.  I mean . . . . you would want the players to come up with this idea -- it would be far less satisfying to hand it to them. But if you take a magic item like the ebon fly -- even if it's not one of CNN's favorite magic items -- and give it to the PCs, I think it's pretty rare that they're going to come up with a plan that involves tossing it away as a decoy if they can avoid it.  

In DGH, the Ebon flies are feeding on the dead god, and they herald the arrival of the ship in the clutches of the dead god's hand.  They're an opponent the PCs face.  I found this application of the ingredient a bit flat -- yeah, it makes sense; but it's not all that inventive.  The "secondary" application of the ingredient, the drow barfly, isn't just thin, it's anorexic.  It's one advantage, if it has one, is that it also feeds the absurd tone of the adventure, but it's still pretty weak, and plays no real role.  Garnish.  

In the end, I'm going to give this ingredient to LV, but I think I'm already on the trail of some problems I'm going to have when I get to playability.  

*Playability. * 

In DGH, the players are invited to board the ship, go through the skill challenge to board, goof off on the ship for a while, then take on the "real" adventure when the ship is caught by the dead god and they need to help free it. I'm not totally excited that the final act -- releasing the stolen gift of prophecy -- is something the PCs just get to watch, they're not doing it, but otherwise it's a nice, fairly compact adventure in an epic setting.  

In LV, the scope of the adventure is much grander, involving extended travel through the planes of hell, etc.  The players need to visit the infernal carnival, travel the demonweb pits, and then finally infiltrate Gloryda, seduce the prophet, and overcome the vestige.  This is an interesting adventure, it seems, in that most of the truly important encounters in the adventure are skill challenges rather than combat encounters.  The PCs fight incidental battles on the way down into hell towards Gloryda, but this has the potential to be a very different sort of adventure.  The final act, for example has the PCs seduce the Virgin Bride, use that seduction to break down the faith that has grown up around the vestige, and then face the vestige itself in a final skill challenge.  The writeup says "encounter/skill challenge" -- did that mean combat encounter/skill challenge?"  If so, the writeup doesn't let us know what the vestige is in concrete terms -- as far as I can tell it's a fragment of divine energy -- is that something the party can fight?  In other areas, like the demonweb pits, we get some information about the foes (exarch of Lolth, etc), but in this case, the vestige isn't clear to me.  

I really like encounters that combine combat and skill challenges, and I'm a huge fan of skill challenges, so I feel like I *should* like LV's ideas better. But over and over again the adventure creates situations where the PCs need to come up with a solution to a problem that is fairly well scripted, but it pretends that it isn't.  Take, for example, the problem with the Virgin Bride.  The PCs need to seduce her -- but is that something they're going to come up with on their own?  And how many PCs are going to be involved in the effort to seduce the prophet?  Is that a skill challenge that 5 PCs are really going to be engaged with? How many parties are going to come up with that solution?  The adventure suggests other ideas, sure . . . but in the artifical environment of this contest the adventure NEEDS the PCs to seduce her so that she can be corrupted.  None of this makes the adventure unplayable, but it's . . . wobbly. 

Anyway, I find the more concise, straightforward DGH much more playable.  

*Creativity.*

I'll be honest, I'm not a huge Pratchett fan.  Douglas Adams is fun to a point, but he wears on me.  The sort of Absurd humor thing plays itself out pretty quickly if it doesn't walk a pretty thin line.  So, when I read things like "Hermes Hyperion...." I roll my eyes a little.  On the inside.  At the same time, I can respect the effort it takes to settle on that sort of tone in an adventure like this and try to carry it off all the way through.  And I think DGH *almost* gets there.  The biggest problem?  Adahn and the dead god.  They don't feel like they belong in the same universe as an elf named Dusseldwarf, a Drow Barfly, and Ghouls-That-May-Not-Say-Brains.  Sure, there's an element of the absurd to Adahn.  He is a prophet who tells the past, not the future . . . but those elements never really seem to play to the same audience that the other flavorful elements of the adventure play to.  

Meanwhile, there's Last Vestige.  I'm not seeing anything "wrong" here . . . the PCs get hired by a devil, visit the circus, travel through hell, go to the crystal island, seduce an angel and defeat a fragment of a god . . . . all good pieces. And while there's a sequence, the final package doesn't seem to have the same feeling of being a single unified package that DGH does.  So, even with it's flaws, I think I prefer DGH for creativity, too.  

*Final Verdict:*

When all is said and done, while I wasn't totally bullish on either entry -- and while both were totally credible offerings -- I think that it's clear that Trapped in a Dead God's Hand is the stronger of the two entries on all three counts -- a slight edge on ingredients, an advantage on playability, and another slight edge on creativity.  So, MatthewJHanson Advances.


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## InVinoVeritas (Jun 10, 2010)

The ingredients for Round 1, Match 5 are as follows:

Fertile Illithid
Dilapidated Stableyard
Kindly Fishmonger
A Thousand Lotus Blossoms
Interrogation Techniques
The Solitary Flame at the Center of It All

This match is now on.


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## Wicht (Jun 10, 2010)

*Intro...*
_Stumbling back, the alien eyes of the illithid blink in shock as his life blood drains away.  The stone petals, falling from his hand as his strength leaves him, strike the rotting floor of the old griffin stables and scatter in a dozen directions. "Now it comes...," he manages to whisper before falling to the ground. Almost at once, the strange skin of his face begins to smolder and smoke pours forth from his open mouth. The child of flame and darkness is being born._

*The Birth of Fire *​*Background*
Chuth Ruhli had little to distinguish him from other mind flayers until the day he ate the brains of a cultist, whom his servants had caught wandering in the deep places of the earth, calling for Yyng'sjg-Gothkni. Though the man, prior to his death, was in an obvious state of stark terror, Chuth thought nothing of it at first, for though he feared little himself, he assumed all those who dwelt above the earth feared to be lost beneath it. Alas for the Illithid, the man had been cursed in an arcane ritual, seeded with the offspring of his dread god.  By eating the brain, Chuth Ruhli took the curse upon himself. Now, growing within his very skull is a being of fire and darkness, an all consuming avatar of Yyng'sjg-Gothkni who, when born, will utterly destroy his host. 

Yyng'sjg-Gothkni, a god of fire and darkness, dwells in the heart of the world, imprisoned until the end when he shall consume creation. Called by his followers, “The Solitary Flame at the Center of It All,” he burns, biding his time. Nevertheless, many of his worshipers are not content to wait and upon occasion some take steps to hasten the end. The spell that fell, inadvertently, upon Chuth Ruhli, is an example of one such effort.

The mind-flayer did not realize what had happened at first, but soon the pain became intense and he could find no healing, magical or otherwise, for he was not diseased; rather a new life was growing within him and pregnancy is not something that can be cured with simple spells. Moreover, it was growing in his brain and that was not something easily removed. Chuth sought for other answers, and in his desperation, he alighted upon the story of the Thousand Lotus Blossoms. 

Pearl white petals of stone, the Thousand Lotus Blossoms was originally an incredibly long string of magical prayer beads. Stolen from the Temple of Everlasting Dreams more than two century earlier, the Blossoms had been broken apart as a collection and dispersed over time. Despite the dissolution of the original prayer string, the individual Blossoms still retain some of their magic and impart healing to those who pray over them. It is said that when the whole set was together, the man who prayed, utilizing each bead, would be healed of any ailment, regardless of the source or type. Chuth decided to collect these relics, hoping that they might, joined together, ease his pain and save him from a dark, fiery death.

His quest, though not close to done, brings him into conflict with the PCs, who are on a similar trail.

*Adventure Summary*
The PCs are sent to find a set of healing stones, believed to be part of the famous Thousand Lotus Blossoms. They are told to search along a stretch of coast, where local tales of "healing stones” abound. In a village they meet Jak Bron, a kindly fishmonger who is looking for his daughter.  As they travel with him, they discover that he possesses one of the Lotus Blossoms and though he uses it for his own health  and that of his daughter, he is willing to give it up in exchange for his daughter's life. Leaving Jak Bron, who returns home, the PCs follow the trail of the girl, Kilm Bron, to a cave where they witness Chuth Ruhli in the process of torturing the girl for information on the Lotus Blossom, using his tentacles to probe her mind. As the mind-flayer teleports away the PCs overhear him muttering insanely to himself about the Griffin Keeper and the Fish-seller. Unfortunately, the interrogation techniques of the mind-flayer have left the girl with a segment of Yyngsjg-Gothkni embedded in her brain and that night as the PCs tend to her, she dies, bursting into flame.  The fire elemental that erupts from her is dangerous and attacks the PCs. After defeating the elemental, the PCs, alerted by the Mind-flayer's words, race back to the village of Jak Bron, which they discover is under attack by a horde of morlock's, the servants of Chuth Ruhli. Driving away the horde, the PCs have opportunity to  learn of the location of two other Blossoms in the area. The first is kept by a tribe of Hobgoblins, who killed the village priest and stole it away. The second was owned by old Mallias, a  Griffin Keeper who passed away about five years earlier. No one knows what happened to his blossom, but it is suspected he hid it somewhere in his tower. Though the PCs might decide to approach the hobgoblins first, it is more likely they head straight for the tower of the Griffin Keeper. There they discover the minions of Chuth Ruhli tearing apart both tower and adjoining stables, looking for the lost blossom. The buildings are in a very unstable condition, and quite flammeable. The PCs confront the illithid in the stables after dispatching his minions in the tower. Ravaged by pain and unable to use his spells, the powerful mind-flayer is easily dispatched but unfortunately, his death means the premature birth of the Avatar of Yyng'sjg-Gothkni. Though not as powerful as it might have been, it is still a powerful force, surrounded by both heat and perpetual darkness. The PCs must find a way to defeat this avatar of destruction as the stables catch on fire around them and the wooden floor falls away, reveaing a hidden chamber beneath the stables. Only then can they claim the Blossoms Chuth Ruhli had already found as well as the Blossom hidden in the secret chamber. 

*Summary of Ingredients*
*Fertile Illithid* – Chuth Ruhli, impregnated with the seed of a dark god
*The Solitary Flame at the Center of It All* – Yyng'sjg-Gothkni, a god of fire and darkness, waiting to consume everything
*A Thousand Lotus Blossoms* – A magical string of prayer beads, shaped like flower petals, totaling a thousand in number, now spread across the world.
*Dilapidated Stableyard *– The abandoned stables of the deceased griffin keeper serve as the scene of the final confrontation with Chuth Ruhli and the stage for the birth of the Avatar of Yyng'sjg-Gothkni.
*Kindly Fishmonger* – Jak Bron, owner of one of the Thousand Lotus Blossoms, he found it in the belly of a fish he was cleaning. His daughter has been kidnapped by the mind-flayer who knows there are three Blossoms in the area.
*Interrogation Techniques* - What the mindflayer uses to get information from poor Kilm Bron.


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## Green Dice (Jun 11, 2010)

*Island of the Lotus Blossoms*
A DnD 4e adventure for the high heroic or low paragon tier

*Adventure background:*
The vile Illithid, Ba’shara is with child and has come to the surface to prepare to give birth. What does a baby Illithid need? Fresh, intelligent brains to devour. Ba’shara climbed from the Underdark to a small subterranean cave just under a small island. The island was teeming with water gardens full of Lotus blossoms. Here she made a deal with the local inhabitants: If they were to bring people to the island in order for her to turn into thralls (read: food for her child) she would leave them alone. Not wanting to be turned into Illithid food, the natives agreed. 

Since then, the island natives have been spreading the word that bathing in the water of a thousand lotus blossoms would bring untold happiness. This brought people far and wide to the island and right into the clutches of Ba’shara. Friends and family of those caught in this web think that they don’t come home because they are happy there, but the truth is they are nothing more than cattle for the slaughter. 

*ACT I: The Missing Girl*
The PCs start this adventure by coming into the town of Greenriver. This town can be anything the DM decides. It can be a new location for the PCs, it could be a place that they’ve been before and are familiar with or it could be a home town of theirs. DMs are encouraged to tie PC backgrounds to NPCs and locations in the adventure. 

The local tavern is a buzz with talk of the stable owner, Harold. He’s spent many a night (and coin) in the tavern for the past few weeks. His 20 year old daughter, Gloria, had left Greenriver with a man who was staying in town for a few days. The taverngoers don’t know much about the man but they know that he and Gloria had been spending quite a bit of time together. Normally, the Bartender wouldn’t mind that Harold was spending all his coin in his establishment, but he knows Harold is distraught with the disappearance of his daughter.

If the PCs ask about Harold:
- He’s the local stable master
- He and his daughter Gloria live alone. His wife died a while ago
- Gloria is the only family he has left
- Since Gloria’s disappearance, his stable has been neglected. Harold just doesn’t seem to care anymore. 

If the PCs ask about Gloria:
- Nice girl who helps her father at home and at the stables
- She’s been depressed recently, lacking her normal zeal and outgoing nature
- Since the new traveler came to town, she’s clung to him

If the PCs ask about the newcomer:
- He mostly kept to himself
- He said his name was Jimmel
- He’s a traveler and a purveyor of fine things
- He took a liking to Gloria and they spent many a night in the corner of the tavern, whispering to each other. She seemed happy around him. 
- The two of them left in the night a few weeks ago.

Should the PCs investigate (and I sure hope they do), they could either go to Harold’s house, his stable or wait for him in the tavern the next night. They can get the location of Harold’s house or his stable from the bartender. 

Next night at the tavern:
Harold is sitting in the same spot he is every night, nursing drinks. He has a scowl on his face and you can tell he doesn’t want to be disturbed. If approached, he doesn’t want to talk to the PCs (or anyone for that matter). If the PCs keep pressing him, he leaves the tavern. The PCs can follow him if they wish. He is heading to his stable. 

Harold’s Home: 
His house is a simple one and no one seems to be home. If the PCs break in, it seems as if no one has been in the house for a while. A fine film of dust covers everything and cobwebs stick to the walls. There is nothing to be found here.

The Stables: 
These stables are on the edge of town and have definitely seen better days. Harold stopped caring for this place right when Gloria left. Parts of the roof are coming down. Paint is chipped. The four horses tied up inside are in dire need of care. They look sick and are fly-ridden. Manure is piled up underneath the horses and the air is thick with both flies and stink.
A keen eye (perception check) will find that some of the hay on the floor has been recently disturbed. Further investigation will reveal a hidden trap door. The door leads to a passageway that leads down underneath the stables to a small lantern lit room. Inside, Harold, covered in blood, is torturing a man (Jimmel) tied to a chair. Blood is being soaked up by hay on the floor. As the PCs enter, Harold is whispering in Jimmels’s ear: “Where is she?”
Once discovered, Harold confesses to kidnapping Jimmel and torturing him to get information about where his daughter is. Harold saw Jimmel speaking with a fishmonger in Port Town a few miles to the east. Harold managed to get Jimmel back to Greenriver 2 days ago and has been grilling him about the whereabouts of his daughter. 
The PCs can either allow Harold to keep at it, or they can offer to try to get information out of Jimmel themselves. 

Questioning Jimmel: 
Jimmel is beaten up and severely cut. Harold has been doing some damage with the tools he had. He is securely tied to the chair and isn’t going anywhere.

This is a skill challenge for the PCs. They can reason with Jimmel or they can continue to torture him. 

Failing the Skill Challenge:
- Jimmel says that he saw that Gloria was depressed being in the small town of Greenriver and that she wanted to be happy.
- Gloria was happy hearing about all of Jimmel’s travels all over the world.
- Jimmel told Gloria of a place that could make her very happy: The Island of Lotus Blossoms
- There is a fishmonger named Grinn in Port Town that can take the PCs to the Island if they wish to go. They just need to ask about the “Thousand Lotus Blossoms”
- Jimmel is a native to the island who tries to get people to travel there. 

Succeeding in the Skill Challenge:
- The PCs get all the information above plus:
- A monster is controlling the minds of everyone who goes to the island. 
- They won’t be able to get Gloria, or any of the people who are trapped there without first killing the monster

*ACT II: Port Town and the Fish*
Port Town is a much bigger place than Greenriver. It’s a town with a strong maritime culture with ships and boats of all sizes docked at the pier. 
If they ask around, many people know about the Island of Lotus Blossoms. 
- Supposedly, anyone can find happiness there
- Everyone who has gone there, hasn’t returned since they love it there so much
- A few people have returned and convinced others to go there. 
At the pier, aside from ships and boats, there are also many people selling fish. The PCs have no trouble finding Grinn. 

Grinn the Fishmonger:
Grinn is a clean-cut (for a fish merchant), charismatic guy with a big smile and an even bigger personality. He flatters them with compliments and tries to sell the PCs all kinds of different kinds of fish and seafood – until they ask about the Island of Lotus Blossoms. 

He says that if they need a little happiness in their lives, that they’ve come to the right place. He asks the PCs to meet him at his ship, in a few hours so that they could ship off for the island. 

As the PCs walk away from Grinn, they are called over by another Fishmonger. This fishmonger lays down the same sales-pitch as every other merchant until he sees that Grinn isn’t watching the PCs anymore; the fishmonger then changes his tone. He says he saw them talking to Grinn and that that only means one thing – they are going to the Island of Lotus Blossoms. He says it’s a bad place and that the PCs look like they are the kind of people that can change that. Afterall, the other people who have gone over are the dim-witted or gullible types; not armed-to-the-teeth adventurers. 

The fishmonger then fills in the PCs on the truth of the island if they had not gotten that information from Jimmel. He then pulls out a large fish and slices it into chunks. He hands each of the PCs a chunk of slimy pink meat. The fishmonger tells the PCs that this fish will help them defend themselves from the monsters effects. He says the fish is on the house since he’s such a nice guy and all. 

*ACT III: Island of the Lotus Blossoms*
Grinn’s ship sails for the Island of Lotus Blossoms without interruption. With a perception check, the PCs can see a small settlement on the coast which Grinn is trying to steer away from. If asked about it, Grinn just says it’s a small settlement of natives and that its nothing to be concerned with. 
Grinn drops them off on the beach and tells them to head up the hill and towards the center of the island. There they will see the hundreds of others who have found their happiness. 

The PCs can either go to the middle of the island or find the settlement on the coast

Settlement: 
The natives will try to shoo the PCs away. They don't want the PCs near their village in fear of bringing the wrath of Ba'shara on them. Perceptive PCs may see many fish around town like the one the kindly fishmonger sold to them in Port Town. If the PCs have any questions about the monster or the island itself, they can find out information here.

The Middle of the Island:
Here in the middle of the island, there are huge water gardens coving much of the landscape. A thousand lotus blossoms fill these gardens. Tending to these lotuses are hundreds of people who seem to be in a trance. They are all wearing smiles on their faces and keep murmuring about how happy they are to be tending to the lotus gardens. Any PCs who have not eaten the fish that was given to them by the Fishmonger start to feel lightheaded. If this isn't a big enough hint to eat the fish, the PCs will have to start making Will saves against Ba'shara's magic. Any who fail, feel an uncontrollable urge to tend to the Lotus Blossoms and are genuinely happy. Those who do eat the fish, don't have any problems at all. 

The PCs have no trouble finding Gloria after looking for some time. She, of course, does not want to leave. If the PCs try to force her to go, the other people there will try to stop them. Unless the PCs want to slaughter hundreds of innocents, forcing Gloria to leave may not be a viable option.
Next to the water gardens is a small cave. Inside that cave are twisting and turning tunnels that leads to the lair of Ba'shara, the Illithid. Her lair is a large cavernous room, with a single flame hovering above a raised dais in the middle of the room. 

Ba'shara cackles as the PCs enter the room. The first thing the PC's notice is that she is pregnant. She explains to them that she has been tricking desperate people to her island in order to serve as food for her coming child. With the use of the magical flame at her disposal, she is able to keep everyone near the water gardens under her trance. She welcomes the PCs to be a main course for her child. 

Ba'shara is the lone adversary in the room, but every round, two people from the water gardens enter the chamber to attack the PCs. These people are minions, but they are also innocent victims being used by Ba'shara. The PCs can either focus all of their attacks on Ba'shara herself or, as a skill challenge, they can try to douse the magical flame on the dais using Arcana, Religion or any other skills the DM deems appropriate. If they put the flame out in the middle of the battle, the people stop coming down to harrass the PCs every round and those that are already in the room flee the battle. Any PCs who have eaten the fish from the Fishmonger have a +5 bonus against any of Ba'shara's mind attacks. 

After the PCs defeat Ba'shara, they can easily put the flame out and all the people in the water garden are free from her power. The PCs can return Gloria, and all the other prisoners back home. 

*Continuing the Adventure*
There are deeper caverns heading down into the Underdark from Ba'shara's liar. The PCs can come back to the island to explore these tunnels. Also, since Ba'shara was pregnant, the odds are that she had a mate are quite high. Discovering the death of Ba'shara, her mate could try to track down the PCs for revenge. 

Also, some people could be investigating the disappearance of Jimmal. Perhaps they find their way to Greenriver and start trouble with Harold and Gloria or the PCs themselves.

*Ingredients*

*Fertile Illithid:* Ba'shara, the pregnant Illithid, is the main antagonist of the adventure
*Dilapidated Stableyard:* Harold's stables are where the PCs find him interrogating Jimmel about the whereabouts of his daughter.
*Kindly Fishmonger:* Grinn the Fishmonger seems kindly enough, but it is the other Fishmonger, who tells the PCs about the true nature of the Island of the Lotus Blossoms and provide the PCs with the fish to help defend against Ba'shara's power
*A Thousand Lotus Blossoms:* The blossoms in the water gardens are the sham to trick the outside world into why people stay on the island. 
*Interrogation Techniques:* Harold (or the PCs) interrogate Jimmel for the location of Gloria
*A Solitary Flame at the Center of it All:* The magical flame in Ba'shara's lair that allow her to keep all her prisoners under her control.


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## InVinoVeritas (Jun 11, 2010)

*Judgment, Round 1, Match 5: Wicht vs. Green Dice*

There’s a bit of discussion about specific vs. wide-open ingredients. Although I try to thread the needle, I know that my ingredients have fallen on the “specific” side. Still, there was enough leeway that we got two different adventures. In an ironic twist, however, both adventures feature a father searching for a lost daughter—something that wasn’t in the ingredients at all.

On to the ingredients:
Wicht’s _The Birth of Fire_ vs. Green Dice’s _Island of the Lotus Blossoms_

*Fertile Illithid: *I was curious to see how this one turned out. The “fertile” was a twist because reproduction isn’t typically considered with mind flayers, but since there’s so little on how mind flayers raise their young, exactly how they are fertile is wide open. In both cases, the fertility of the illithid is the source of action for the adventure, so good for both adventures there. Green Dice gives us a pregnancy, with the illithid preparing a farm of thralls for the unborn child. Simple, straightforward. Wicht gives us an illithid that is bearing the gestating soul of a deity—fertile in a completely different way (This gets to be a theme with Wicht’s use of the ingredients). Advantage to Wicht for originality.

*Dilapidated Stableyard: *Green Dice’s stableyards are dilapidated because the father does not care anymore about them, looking for information about his daughter instead. Wicht’s stableyards have been abandoned, and are the site of a combat. Wicht’s are a rickety wooden tower where griffins were once raised, and Green Dice’s are ordinary stables. They are both scenes of action, but Wicht’s use makes the dilapidated nature a greater threat. Advantage to Wicht.

*Kindly Fishmonger:* Wicht presents the father as a kindly fishmonger, but… it really doesn’t matter. He doesn’t really need to be kindly or a fishmonger for it to work. Green Dice’s kindly fishmonger uses fish as a defense against his illithid, and has the residents of the island use the same fish as well. This use is stronger, so Green Dice has the better ingredient use here.

*A Thousand Lotus Blossoms:* Green Dice ties in the legend of the Island of the Lotus Eaters to the Thousand Lotus Blossoms, giving us a place of happiness that hides the terror. Wicht gives us an item that is merely called The Thousand Lotus Blossoms. They are a thousand in number… but they are petal-shaped, not blossom-shaped. Ultimately, Green Dice’s use is better.

*Interrogation Techniques:* When there’s an illithid involved, this can get interesting. In Wicht’s adventure, Chuth Ruhli interrogates the daughter Kilm via tentacle implantation. The PCs don’t really get involved in that, but they do get involved with the fire elemental leaping from Kilm’s brain. That’s a good scene. Green Dice, though, invites the PCs to interrogate Jimmel. The techniques are up to the PCs, and Harold did some to begin with as well that the PCs don’t affect. Even though the fire elemental is cool, Green Dice gets the advantage for involving the PCs.

*The Solitary Flame at the Center of it All:* I wanted something specific, but still nebulous, to see what directions people took with this. Green Dice gives us something physical, a magical flame at the center of the island that keeps everyone weak-willed. Wicht gives us something allegorical, a Lovecraftian being called the “Solitary Flame at the Center of it All.”  Yyng'sjg-Gothkni, by dwelling in the heart of the earth to be released later, makes for a very intriguing character, and a rather compelling way for the ingredient to be used. Wicht gets an edge here.

All in all, the ingredient use was very different between the two competitors. Green Dice took a direct route, using the ingredients as presented, and weaving them together into a single story. Wicht however, was very subversive in ingredient use. The illithid was giving birth to a god, the stableyard was a tower, etc. This can be very risky. A good use of the ingredient makes sure that it is still identifiable as the ingredient in some way. It worked sometimes, but not all the time. Certainly simply naming an object the ingredient name isn’t by itself enough. Yet some of the uses were very clever, as mentioned above.

*Originality:*
Tying the birth of the god to delving into people’s brains was a very different, unique, and well-managed portion of _The Birth of Fire_. Similarly, I liked how the _Island of the Lotus Blossoms_ took a well-known myth and turned it on its ear. I would ultimately say that _The Birth of Fire_ was the more intriguing, off-kilter of the two, with a clear Lovecraftian feel throughout. 

*Playability:*
In both, we get a good idea of what happens and why. However, I was very impressed at how Green Dice took the time to walk us through the adventure, giving us ideas on how the adventure progresses depending on PC action. Definitely, if I plan on running either adventure, it’s abundantly clear that _Island of the Lotus Blossoms_ makes the job much easier than _The Birth of Fire_, which seemed somewhat rushed (hey, yeah, Iron DM can do that, I know).

*All Together:*
The two adventures came off having very different feels. Wicht gives us a bare-bones idea of an adventure, plays with the ingredients in novel ways, and leaves us to fill in the blanks. I can see that the finding and rescuing of Kilm, followed by her fiery death, would be a tense and incredible scene… but that’s because I’m projecting additional thoughts into it. On the other hand, Green Dice’s adventure is more straightforward in its ingredient use. Many of the pieces have rather standard feelings to them. Yet it is also much clearer. The flow is established, the PCs are invited to play with the pieces, and, as a DM, I would feel much more comfortable running _Island of the Lotus Blossoms_. I like what’s being done in _The Birth of Fire_, but I find myself without much support as a DM. Combined with some rather severe twists in the meaning of some ingredients (the Thousand Lotus Blossoms in particular—although I like the quest for the prayer beads), I would say in the end, Green Dice gets the edge overall.

Green Dice advances.


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## Pbartender (Jun 12, 2010)

Round 1, Match 6
Waylander the Slayer vs. Pro-Paladin
Judge: Pbartender

*Ingredients:*
cheap trollop
jealousy
otyugh
elevator room
alembic
nonstop buckets

Submissions are due June 13th, 9:00 am CST.


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## Pro-Paladin (Jun 12, 2010)

*Good Clean Fun

*A modern adventure for one PC.
*

Summary*

The PC is hired to work a late-night janitorial shift at a rendering plant. Here he or she uncovers murder, mad science, black magic and an ancient evil hoping to make a modern comeback.

*
New Jobs Created*

The adventure begins with the PC receiving a job offer for a graveyard shift janitorial position at a Pleasant Valley Dog Food plant. The PC should have a background that insures acceptance. Some possibilities: a laid off machinist, a military veteran struggling to readjust to civilian life, a bright-eyed recent college graduate who is discovering the hard way that an English degree is not highly sought after or an ex-con (wrongly imprisoned?) recently released from prison. 

The PC is called with the offer by plant manager Warren Holdt. While discussing the job Holdt mentions in passing having difficulty keeping the position filled. The the past three hires all "left town" shortly after starting work. 

In reality, these past hires were sacrificed to a Dark God.

*
Nature's Goodness
*
The Pleasant Valley Dog Food plant is located on the outskirts of a Midwestern rust-belt town. At the plant animal tissues are rendered into something that resembles food, sort of, and this product is then canned and shipped. Animal blood, fur and hooves are also processed here. The GM should play up the foulness of this entire process as much as possible. The odors from the rendering process are evident over a mile away and up close are overwhelming. The PC should have to pass some CON rolls at appropriate points to keep from gagging or vomiting. More sensitive characters may also react to the sight of unidentifiable organic goo that ranges in color from bloody red to sickly green to brown and gray.

The good news is the character will get used to it. 
*

Grand Tour
*
The character will be shown the ropes by the senior janitor, a man named Glenn Starnes. Glenn is unfriendly, more so if the PC falls a CON check and throws up, is disrespectful, or flaunts his or her education. Starnes seems very distracted and impatient, as if he has better things to do. The character is shown the main floor, the cafeteria and bathrooms as well as an elevator room. "Don't worry about that." A little questioning will reveal that the elevator goes to a basement level where Starnes spends most of his time. After the brief tour, the character can begin the process of  scraping away at the seemingly endless sea of partially fluid animal remains that cling to the plant's machines and vats. The plant is poorly lit at night and the character will be left all alone.

During the night's shift weird things occur. The PC will hear chanting and moaning, maybe some rumbling from below followed by a sudden burst of blinding red light. This moment is accompanied by a fresh attack of physical sickness, but ends as abruptly as it starts. Exploring the plant floor uncovers nothing and the elevator down is locked. It's impossible to be sure if anything really happened. 

Bizarre events will continue to plague the character. These could range from vivid nightmares, to hallucinating for a moment that the rendered animal product is alive and breathing, to seeing his/her own face suddenly turn to melting organic paste in a mirror and so on. The PC should be constantly reminded of the unpleasant setting and the undercurrent of palatable spiritual evil. 


*What Do We Get For Ten Dollars?* 
When the character's shift ends at 8 am, another "shift" is beginning for Grace Hoobler, a woman who makes a living providing special services for plant employees. Grace will approach any Male characters ("You new here handsome?) and offer "the best [oral sex] you've ever had" for a small fee. While perhaps once attractive she is now in the late stages of meth addiction (any character with medical/street drug experience will recognize this) and has given up on basic hygiene as well. Matted, greasy hair covers wide, crazy eyes, while her half-smile reveals sores and missing teeth.

Grace has a lot to say, especially if the PC buys her services, is a male with high Cha or is a female (women employees are rare at the Pleasant Valley plant). In between banal talk about popular culture, she'll mention having "your new boss" Starnes as a regular customer, until a few months ago when he suddenly became cold and distant. "Something's wrong with him...he's got that look. I would know, since I see it on myself in the mirror all the time." She'll then repeat the offer to sell her "services," if she hasn't sold them already.
 
The encounter should ideally end with Grace sharing her concerns and raising the player's suspicions further.


*Glenn Starnes

*The following information should be slowly uncovered as the PC asks around and hears gossip. Grace and workers arriving or leaving are the best sources of information. Glenn may also spend a shift drunk, spilling information in the process. The Plant Manager is difficult to find and has better things to do, although he will express concern for his former friend if questioned. Glenn's deeper secrets will have to be  discovered by following him and/or exploring the basement.
The janitor is a deeply alienated man who keeps to himself. Recently he has taken to working 16 hours shifts, sometimes longer, disappearing in the basement of the plant. He is at best an unreliable worker and only keeps the job because of an old friendship with the Manager, Holdt. 

Glenn's promising football career and dream of escaping his dreary surroundings died with a knee injury and since then he fell into a pit of alcoholism and bitterness. He was once close friends with Holdt, but the two have grown apart. In truth, Glenn has grown to hate his old friend and humanity in general. He is especially bitter and jealous towards anyone who is happy or successful. His horrible job combined with isolation, meaningless encounters with prostitutes and endless hours in front of the television that acted as his sole source of guidance slowly took his humanity. 

This, combined with working knee-deep in filth both physical and spiritual created the perfect storm of events for a long-forgotten God to seize control. When Glenn murdered a prostitute and then dissolved her body in a rendering vat this served as the offering that awoke a forgotten evil.

Glenn is now partially possessed by an ancient God of decomposition and corruption. The Native Americans once worshiped this God as "The Devourer of Flesh" and made offerings to appease the monstrous deity's hunger for living tissue. When the offerings ceased and the tribes left the area, the Devourer lay dormant beneath the earth, but it has now found a willing slave.

The past janitors were taken as sacrifices and now the ritual is nearly complete to allow the Devourer to return and once again satiate himself on humanity.


*Another Problem*

To aid in the final rituals an Otyugh, a vile carrion-eating servant of the God of Corruption, has been summoned by Glenn. This creature must be present for the final ritual and has proven very useful in disposing of Glenn's sacrificial victims as well as gaining fresh victims. This horrible creature lives in the sewer beneath the plant and can reach the basement through a metal grating Starnes has loosened. 

The monster spends the majority of the time eating (between the bodies of sacrifice victims and rendered animal product stolen from the plant it is well fed). When active, it will emerge from the sewers at night to seek victims in the nearby town. So far it has only killed a few homeless men, deaths that were largely unnoticed. The PC would have to spend days in the transient community of the town to learn about the disappearances. 


*Better Living Through Alchemy

*The ritual to restore the God of Corruption requires an extraction from decomposing tissues that must be refined through a combination of science and magic ritual. PCs that trail and/or try to keep an eye on Glenn may spot him smuggling an alembic in or out of the plant in the middle of the night. He acquired this item in the back on an antique store, under direction from the God of Corruption. Characters with Occult or Chemistry skills will recognize it as an alchemical device. This encounter can be used to cast more suspicion on Glenn, or confirm the current suspicions if the character has been slow to investigate.

The device is used to boil select parts of humans and animals and then distill them into "essential fluids" required for the ceremonies. These fluids are then combined with dead tissues stored in old mop buckets, creating a half-alive abomination that adds its foul energy to the spells being cast.

When the character's explore the basement three such horrors are confined in the mop buckets which provide protection to these otherwise vulnerable sins against nature. These buckets slowly wheel back and forth across the splatter-covered concrete floor, pulling themselves along with sinewy tentacles, emitting soft groaning noises as they pulse and squirm and leaving slimy trails to mark their passage. The character will first hear the squeak of rusted wheels, then a horrible squishing, followed by the sight of buckets apparently moving by themselves in the darkness.

These horrors can not attack and killing them can halt the final ritual. 


*A Little Push

*If Grace has been talking about Glenn to the PC she will be murdered by the Otyugh shortly after. Word of the disappearance will reach the character through gossip and overheard conversations and of course by the fact that she simply isn't there the next day. 

If the PC waits too long he or she becomes the next target for the Otyugh.


*Elevator Action

*It should become clear to the PC that whatever Glenn is doing is taking place in the basement. To get there, the elevator must be activated. Glenn carries one key and an additional key is in the foreman's office. A little breaking and entering will be required to get it, but alone on the graveyard shift this is less of a problem than it might be otherwise.

Alternately, characters with electrical skill (perhaps a former electrician?) can hot-wire the elevator. The more rogue-ish might try to lift Glenn's key with a pickpocket attempt, or simply take it by force. If Glenn is physically dealt with before going to the basement the Otyugh will be waiting, however.

In any case, gaining access to the elevator should be a good opportunity for the character to show some ingenuity. 


*Stopping the Horror

*Once the basement is reached the PC can confront the bucket horrors. If the character keeps his/her sanity they can be dealt with fairly easily. A further search of the lower level uncovers Glenn's alchemy lab. Time for a little heroic vandalism! A diary/experimental record found here will fill the character in to the full scope of the danger. He may also have some occult/magic tomes that might prove useful now or in the future. The alchemy lab is also a good source of creepy encounters with "lively awfulness": cow eyes with human fingers growing from them, mashed organic paste with a dozen moaning maws, bones leaking marrow that congeals into other shapes, etc.

Starnes should confront the character at some point. Depending on how sneaky the PC was he/she might completely get the drop on Glenn or find him lying in wait or arriving after. This scene should be milked for all it's worth and a speech about hating humanity and "you'll all pay soon" would not be inappropriate. Alternately, he could simply jump out of the shadows and attack. In either case, the PC should win after a hard fight. 

Heading out of the dreadful basement to the world above, the final battle begins.

*Refined Otyugh

*As the dazed and drained character exits the elevator the Otyugh will burst through a particularly rotten portion of the floor and attempt to kill the character. The PC can win, but only with skill and/or luck. One solution is to lure the horror into the rendering vat and turn it into dog food. It's also possible to use some industrial cleaning chemicals (acids?) to burn the monster. Perhaps that fire ax on the wall will be useful? Maybe just set the old plant on fire and hope for best? Failing that, it's a fight to the finish, possibly even a running battle. Paranoid ex-military/criminal types might have brought the firepower to survive. Others are in deep trouble.

Destroying the basement lab and then killing Glenn and the Otyugh will probably delay the Devourer's return by years, until another suitable subject can be found. Actually destroying the plant is an even more permanent solution. Defeating this horror may earn the character the attention of a Delta Green type group of government sp00ks or simply get the character jailed or forced into hiding for the massive destruction caused. Either way, the life of survivor is going to get interesting.


*Other Options
*
If the GM wishes to include a red herring villain the role of Holdt and Pleasant Valley Dog Food itself as "evil capitalists" can be played up. In this case Holdt should be more condescending and less helpful and employees should openly grumble about safety issues, cost cutting, out-sourcing, management and how bad it is, etc. This sidetrack could lead to some interesting role-playing opportunities.

It's also possible to run this adventure for more than one character with minimal modification. Additional PCs could be day shift employees (overtime?), local law enforcement (investigating missing persons), government health inspectors, or even Grace and Holdt. In the case of multiple PCs a body count should be expected to keep the tension high.

It the character fails to stop the evil plan a new PC could take over (likely a police investigator or even another new hire). If the Devourer is actually released or the Otyugh escapes to run amok the player might take on the role of a National Guard member or ordinary citizen from the nearby town. 


*Ingredient Review

Cheap Trollop: *The character of Grace Hoobler offers inexpensive services as a prostitute as well as fitting the other definition with her battered and dirty appearance.

*Jealousy:* Glenn's jealousy towards humanity following the death of his own dreams and his descent into misery drives him into murder and then becoming the slave of an Evil God. 

*Otyugh: *This foul monster fits in perfectly with the rendering plant/sewer setting and theme of corruption. It is a servitor of the Devourer summoned to aid in gathering and disposing of organic tissue.

*Elevator room*: Couldn't be more literal. Gaining access to the plant's elevator will be one of the tasks the PC must complete to reach the basement and stop the horrors lurking below.

*Alembic: *This alchemical device is used by Glenn as part of the vile experiments and rituals, specifically to distill essential fluids from harvested tissue. It serves as a possible clue to put suspicion on Glenn. It also draws a nice parallel between the modern rendering techniques for the supposed good of humanity in the plant above and the medieval alchemy for humanity's detriment taking place beneath. 
*
Nonstop buckets*: The horrific occupants of the mop buckets in the basement keep them in constant, horrible motion. The buckets house and protect these abominations, which are needed for the final ritual and might otherwise be easily damaged.


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## Waylander the Slayer (Jun 13, 2010)

*The Loving Daughters of Khalid Shah *

The Loving Daughters of Khalid Shah is an adventure for 3.5/ Pathfinder or other similar systems for mid level (5th-7th) characters. The setting as written is Arabian Nights in flavor, but easily translatable as the main themes are universal.

*Background *
It is a problem older than time itself; one that has caused millions of sleepless nights and at the worst, lead to wars. What is a father to do if the apple of their eye, their little nightingale, is one of loose morals and questionable virtue? It is said that even the almighty has struggled with such a situation. So is the case of Khalid Shah, Grand Vizier of  Zakhara. 

Khalid Shah is the proud and loving father of two daughters; Leyla and Manar. It is often said that one loves ones children equally; but it is also known that such things are not possible (same as loving ones wives or husbands equally). Indeed, it is the eldest, Leyla, so much like her late mother- intelligent, responsible, and attractive that has always been the favorite of Khalid Shah and the one the Grand Vizier favors to inherit his wealth and status.  It was a sad day when Leyla confessed to her father that she had fallen in love with a commoner, one that he himself had introduced (albeit a good man but still a man of low status). What is a father to do? Luckily, as fate would have it, there was solution; one used discreetly by a few of his wealthy friends- the Ashram of the Pure Flame (arranged for when Leyla’s paramour is way).  A week at the Ashram had done wonders for some of the most miscreant daughters, who had come back as pure and chaste as first fallen snow.  Leyla was sent to the Ashram for a retreat, but the results were anything but typical. The daughter that came back was impulsive, emotional and often acted like a harlot, even disappearing from the house for days at a time.

*What’s going on here?*
The Ashram of the Pure Flame is not as it appears- a peaceful tranquil retreat near an oasis where one goes to pray and meditate. To satisfy the high paying clients, the Purest One, Zufir Ali (level 9 Alchemist or Sorceror), has devised a contraption that uses a specific alchemical formulae that he found to extract the sensual, impulsive, and more “troublesome” aspects of one’s personality (the Chapel of Solitude). The massive amebic extracts and creates a duplicate of the person placed within.

 In this instance, Zufir was approached by Manar, driven by jealousy towards her favored elder sister, to do the opposite, and was handsomely paid (both in money and otherwise), with future promises as well, to do the opposite. Hence the version of Leyla that returned is the more troublesome aspects of her. 

Zufir usually disposes of the “bad half” by feeding it to Ulthet-o-nor, a rather large Otyugh he has kept in the caverns below the Chapel of Solitude. In the case of Leyla, the “good half” was fed to the Otyugh. The PCs will need to get the remnants of the good half and distill it into the alchemical formulate used in the Chapel of Solitude while the “bad half” of Leyla is in the Chapel Chamber itself to restore her back to normal. 


*Plot hooks:*
The long hook- the PCs have worked for Khalid Shah before and one of the PCs is romantically involved with Leyla (the afore mentioned commoner). After coming back from an adventure, the PC finds Leyla to be a changed woman; extremely sexual, impulsive and temperamental.  Rumors have started to spread that the eldest daughter has been found in some dubious establishments cavorting with different men and acting like a cheap trollop (in fact it is recommended that the PC’s come across Leyla acting in such a manner or men bragging about shagging the Vizier’s daughter.).

Short Hook- PCs are hired by either the Vizier or the commoner who is Leyla’s beloved to investigate what has happened.

The remainder of the adventure, as written assumes that the long hook is  being used.

*Event One- Confronting Khalid Shah/Leyla*

Leyla, as she is, is a highly emotional woman who has no control over her impulses (unlike her usual well mannered personality). Confronting her will cause her to loose her temper, become very emotional and agitated, including accusations of being abandoned (whenever the PC goes adventuring), neglected, misunderstood, and of course, bucket loads of tears. The constant crying and emotional outbursts clearly indicate that her personality has drastically changed. Between the histrionics the following facts can be gleaned (the DM should reward good role playing along with the proper diplomacy checks whenever the PCs interact with Leyla):

- her father sent her to the Ashram of the Pure Flame- it was a wonderful retreat! 

- She was personally greeted and given an audience with the Purest One, Zufir, who was a kind old man and discussed and provided guidance to her. He told her to pray in the Chapel of Solitude on the 5th night she was there (fasting for the prior four with minimal subsistence)

-She even had a divine experience- while praying in the Chapel of Solitude ( a small devotional prayer room)she felt the ground tremble, and was covered with a cooling mist and as she continued to pray, she felt herself become free of her burdens as if a load had been lifted off her shoulders.

-She still loves her beloved but does not know if she believes in commitments

-She flirts and keeps eyeing some of the more attractive PCs 

Khalid Shah is distraught and ridden with guilt. He will readily confess to his actions and that he found the PC unsuitable for his eldest daughter if confronted. He personally has not met with Zufir, but has heard only good things about the man and about the Ashram.  
When asked, he was simply told that his daughter was beyond redemption and the almighty had rejected her. He is willing to fund the PC’s if they choose to investigate discreetly and might look upon favorably (including marriage) if the PCs solve the situation.

Depending on where these encounters occur, Manar will try to be present. She will  console her sister and get angry with both the PCs and her father, saying that they have done enough harm and should leave her sister alone.  A perception Check DC 15 will reveal that Manar is not being her usual self and her level of concern is rather high considering the sibling rivalry ( the PC who is the paramour will also know of the strained relations and jealousy on the part of Manar from Leyla).

*Event Two- Investigating the Ashram*
If the PCs decide to research the Ashram (before heading out to the Ashram if they choose to do so), they come upon the following information( appropriate knowledge or Gather information checks or alternatively through good role play and investigation):

DC 10: Zufir is a wise old man, the Ashram is a wonderful, beautiful place.

DC 15: The women who attend the retreat come back changed; very chaste and pure.

DC18: The women who attend the retreat come back changed; they have no real passion or sensuality and are very non sexual.

DC 20: Majid of the Magnificent Emporium supplies the Ashram with goods and supplies. The Emporium is also known to supply exotic ingredients.

If PCs talk to Majid he is reluctant to divulge much information other than the fact the he supplies goods and services. However, the proper intimidate or diplomacy checks along with a heavy dose of bribery (rumors abound that Majid is a Pesh (or any drug) addict, plus the Grand Vizier is a powerful man) will get Majid talking. He will reveal that he has been supplying exotic ingredients like Night Lotus extract and Ghoul Essence to the Ashram. 

*Event Three- A trip to Tranquility *
There are many ways that the PCs may approach the Ashram. One of them could  be “enrolled,” they might choose to go as part of Majid’s Supply Caravan, or they might simply decide to go and spy/infiltrate the Ashram. Sooner or later, the PC’s will have to take Leyla with them to reverse the transformation (as explained below). If and when Manar gets wind of the PCs plans, she will try to tag along with them, as well as send a message to Zufir Ali, warning him. 

 The Ashram itself is near an oasis, and beautifully gardened and manicured, giving the appearance of tranquility and peace. If warned, Zufir Ali, will take appropriate measures to prevent the PCs from getting to the oasis. These measures include:

-	Hiring mercenaries to waylay the PCs
-	Adding patrols and guards around the oasis, and especially around the Chapel of Solitude
-	Putting the denizens within the Chapel(described below) on high alert.



*Location- Chapel of Tranquility*

1.	Prayer Chamber (main entrance) :
	The prayer chamber appears to be a simple room with an ever flame in the middle 	and plain walls. It is in fact, an elevator room. When one presses the control lever 	in the Control Room, it slowly causes the whole chamber to descend, essentially 	making this the cucurbit.  The alchemical mixtures are added in the Admixture 	Chamber and heated at specific temperature, the resultant vapors flow into this 	chamber, infusing into the being and distilling out to the Toxin Chamber where 	the “bad half” is reformed. Once descended, it is hard to scale the walls (DC 20). 	However, one can climb through this chamber into either the Admixture Chamber 	or the Toxin Chamber

2.	Admixture Chamber
	The Admixture Chamber is where the alchemical compounds are poured into 	based on a specific formula, ratio, and timing. This is done through a bucket 	chain, each of which contains a specific admixture (supplied mostly by Majid). 	The PCs will have to place the remnants of the “good Leyla” here during the 	alchemical process. The PC will take heat damage and will have to navigate the 	bucket chain as timing is essential as to when the remnants are placed here.

3.	Control Chamber:
	Accessible through a secret entrance; the control chamber is where the belt chain 	starts and includes the mechanism to control the Chapel of Tranquility. It also 	has a book with Zufir’s detailed notes on the specifics of the use of the formulae, 	including the reversal methodology. He also has a listing of names and dates 	disposed of. This  chamber also includes 6 fires mephits and a Half Efreet Servitor 	that Zulfir uses to both guard the place and in assisting with the process.

4.	Toxin Chamber:
	The toxin chamber is essentially a large pit that drops straight down to the caverns 	below where Ulthet-o-nor the Otyugh resides. The PCs will have to go down here 	to retrieve the remnants of the “good Leyla.”

* Conclusion*
A lot depends on how and when the PCs approach the Ashram and the actions taken. It might very well be that they confront Zulfir elsewhere or that they go to the Chamber of Tranquility and find themselves trapped within (if someone activates the mechanism the exact nature of what happens to the PCs is left to the GM). Either way, they will have to use their wits in helping restore Leyla back to her normal self. Manar’s involvement might or might not come to the fore. It can be used as a long term plot point.


* Ingredients*

cheap trollop- The transformed Leyla whose troubling nature will have to be interacted with throughout.

jealousy- The motive that lead to Manar “transforming her sister. The PC involved with Leyla might also have to deal with bouts of jealously considering her promiscuous nature

otyugh- The disposal unit for the bad half’s distilled. The PCs will have to deal with the Otyugh to recover the remnants of the Good Leyla

elevator room- The praying room; the PCs will have to use it or might find themselves trapped within it.

alembic- The Chamber of Tranquility, also the process of extraction of impurities and transformation

nonstop buckets- The bucket chain the PCs have to navigate to place the remnants of “good Leyla” in the Admixture Chamber. Also the nonstop bucket of tears that the transformed Leyla is prone to.


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## Pbartender (Jun 13, 2010)

Don't mind me, if I change up my format a bit...

*GOOD CLEAN FUN*

First, Glenn’s jealousy of what others have accomplished that he hasn’t sets the stage for Ancient Evil to take hold.  It serves as his motivation for doing Evil.  As an ingredient for the adventure, it runs the risk of being overlooked as a background element.  The adventure outline touches on it a little bit, but the way it’s presented gives Glenn the feel of a stereotypical crotchety old janitor.  A little more specific guidance on portraying his jealousy of success would be helpful…  Example phrases and insults and the like.

Grace Hoobler is the cheap trollop.  She’s a potential source of information, and can throw suspicion on Glenn.  Her mysterious disappearance can also be a clue to Glenn’s diabolical activities.  It’d be nice to see her in a more central role, though…  Giving her a closer relationship to Glenn (even it was simply an unrequited crush) or a critical role in the ritual (she is, after all, a living embodiment of corruption) would make her a more integral ingredient to the adventure.

The alembic is used to distill “essential essences” that are used to create the horrors in the mop buckets.  If Glenn is spotted purchasing it, it could provide an additional clue and increasing suspicion toward something strange going on in the basement.  Consideration should be given to the fact that suitably paranoid players seeing Glenn with the alembic may be tempted to confront him then and there, and possibly smash the alembic, if the chance is given…  That could short-circuit the adventure, if some care isn’t taken.

The otyugh is the servant of the God of Corruption, and Glenn’s sidekick in evilness.  If played right, he makes a satisfying last-ditch surprise attack, shortly after the hero thinks everything’s wrapped up.  Given the otyugh’s propensity to lurk about back alleys looking for inebriated snacks, it would not have been inappropriate to have him trail the player character from the shadows…  Such a creature, vaguely seen in the shadows before vanishing, could really ratchet up the tension and suspense.

The elevator room is the singular way into the basement, where Glenn is performing his unspeakable ritual.  It acts as a primary obstacle, since Glenn is the only one who has a means of operating the elevator.  The adventure provides a several options for solutions, not to mention any cockamamie plans the player may come up with – like crawling through duct work, or cutting through the floor and climbing down the elevator cables.

The nonstop buckets are the unnatural creatures created through alchemy using mop buckets as a means of locomotion.  They are necessary to Glenn to amplify the power of his profane ritual.  I have to say, this is a terribly creative use of the ingredient.  For their importance to the ritual and the conclusion of the adventure, however, they seem like they should be just a little more troublesome to get rid of.  While they should probably stay physically unimposing, there’s no reason their mental and psychological danger couldn’t be played up.

The adventure scores reasonably well as far as playability is concerned.  There is a variety of encounters – social, investigative, puzzles, infiltration, combat – and each encounter has several possible solutions.  In addition, the success or failure of the player has immediate and wide ranging consequences (the God of Corruption is loose in the world!).  You might, however, consider re-organizing the later encounters so as to make disrupting the ritual just a little more challenging.

On style, Good Clean Fun scores big.  The atmosphere of the meat rendering plant and the descriptions of the mop bucket monsters are especially toothsome.  Applying these same sensibilities to the other locations and characters within the adventure would truly make it stand out.  I also like that options are given for red herrings, adding additional players and failure to stop the ritual.

Making it not only a non-D&D based adventure but also a solo adventure is a big risk, but one that pays off big here.  Something I would like to see, would be taking this idea a step or two farther.  There are several indy game systems that this sort of scenario would shine in.  Dread immediately comes to mind as a game that would be perfect should the adventure be expanded to accept multiple characters.


*THE LOVING DAUGHTERS OF KHALID SHAH*

The cheap trollop is Layla, the daughter of Khalid Shah, and especially so after her transformation at the hands of Zufir Ali.  I would have liked to see more of a focus on her trollopishness (and as I’ve said in previous judgments, first hand displays are far better than second hand stories), rather than her histrionics.  Also, considering that her father is the Grand Vizier, there’s nothing here to suggest that she’s cheap.  That aside, she is an important and integral part of the adventure, seeing as she’s the entire motivation for the PCs getting involved.

Manar’s jealousy of her sister and the attention her father lavishes on her sister is what has caused the whole problem in the first place.  Here again, a direct show of how Manar treats her sister before the change happens would give the change in both Manar and Layla more contrast and more importance in the eyes of player-characters.  As my high school composition teacher would say, “Don’t tell me.  Show me.”

The elevator room is the main prayer room of the chapel.  It lowers down into the rest of the alembic proper, where the subjects within are separated in Jekyll and Hyde fashion.  While clever in an evil-mastermind’s-diabolical-trap sort of way, the elevator action of the room is not particularly critical to the adventure.

The entire Chapel of Tranqility is a giant alembic, meant to distill alchemical vapors that make the whole Jekyll and Hyde split happen.  It’s a slick way to pull a switcheroo on the “item” ingredient and turn into a location.  This ingredient had a good start, but I get the feeling that here you were running out time and couldn’t give it as much detail as you might have liked.

The otyugh is normally Zufir Ali’s means of disposing of the “Hyde” bodies, after he completes a separation at the Chapel of Tranquility.  He is where the “Jekyll” half of Leyla ends up, and the PCs are supposedly meant to retrieve her remains, despite the fact that her remains are likely to be nothing more than a few teeth and splinter of bone mixed in with the otyugh droppings.  However, here too it feels like there should be much more to him, but you got rushed as the deadline neared.

The nonstop buckets are a literal chain of buckets that deliver alchemical ingredients from the control room to the admixture room.  Though details are thin, the buckets serve as some sort of obstacle as the characters do something with good Layla’s remains in the admixture room.

Playability is a little difficult to judge, here… The adventure starts out with an investigation into why the Chapel didn’t work on Layla.  All the pertinent information is gathered straight-away through the Shah or Layla, and it all points to the obvious suspect: Zufir Ali.  It’s not a terribly great mystery.  The Chapel has the seeds of a very nice mini-dungeon, but lacks substance as-is, with half-formed ideas and encounters and details that I know should be there, but aren’t yet.

As I said, the Chapel as a giant alembic, has a great deal of potential style.  What could have been the strongest part of the adventure suffered the most from what I suspect was a looming deadline.  The Arabian-style setting has itself a certain amount of innate style, but with nothing to back it up, the adventure could just as well be set in any of a number of other settings with no more changes than the names of the NPCs.


Overall, GOOD CLEAN FUN had solid ingredients and game play, though certainly with room for improvement, and embraced the style of the chosen genre.

THE LOVING DAUGHTERS OF KHALID SHAH, suffered on all fronts from a general feeling of rushed incompleteness.


This round goes to Pro-Paladin.


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## InVinoVeritas (Jun 14, 2010)

Round 1, Match 7: Allenchan vs. ajanders.

Your ingredients are:

Elf Ballerina
Underwater Path
Crowded Carriage
Shameless Promotion
Clever Bunny
The Dark God's Dirty Dishes

Best of luck to you.


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## Allenchan (Jun 15, 2010)

*A Gala For Geyron*​ _This is an adventure for low/mid-level characters (4th - 6th). It is set in the world of Golarion, but is easily adaptable to any setting. Simply select a location that is likely to possess a debauched nobility in a place that caters to the exotic and taboo, as well as an appropriately themed cult._


*Adventure Background*
 Almost all nobility within Cheliax worships Asmodeus, or at least pays lip service to the Lord of Hell. Though as a result, they are all under the thumb of House Thrune, current lords of Cheliax. Not all sit by idly, and a few brave souls seek out other diabolical pacts in hopes of gaining power, prestige, and freedom from the oppressive yolk of House Thrune.


 Lord Vincenzio M[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]acchiata[/FONT]  is one such person. A man well known for throwing lavish, night-long parties, he has hidden his occult affairs with Geyron – archdevil of snakes, lies, and deceit. His devotions continue while the nobility flocked to his estate in blind arrogance, and all their petty gossip fueled the lord of the estate's uncanny rise in prominence.


 Meanwhile, the prima ballerina of Egorian's infamous Opera-turned-burlesque show, “Le Lapin Malin” has gone missing, and the proprietor is offering a handsome reward for any leads to the young woman's location.


 Until, at last, he is willing to execute the first steps in his plan that will lead to his family's ascension.  He will throw a coming out party, literally. His guests will not only be the revelers and spectators, but the spectacle themselves. They will be a sacrifice for his infernal master. Their blood will coat the unearthly bride-to-be of the Archdevil. Her dance will seal a connection from his layer of hell to the estate's inner sanctum and provide him with countless osyluths to help establish his domain.


*I. Getting to the Party:*
_This flyer is made of a fine black paper, intriciately folded to resemble a rose. Unwrapping it reveals a glowing red text of arcane nature that seems to twist and slither as you stare at the elegant words, “Regent of Revelry, Prince of Parties, Our Lord Vincenzio of House Macchiata invites you to this, his finest gala yet! Celebrate Cheliax with an evening of festivities and admire his collection of acts from around the Inner Sea!”_


 There may be numerous reasons for the player characters to come to the party being hosted just outside the capitol city of Egorian in Cheliax. Most likely, they are investigating the disappearance of a young Elven woman named Le'lee Denara. She is the prima ballerina and lead for one of Egorian's most infamous musicals. Specific reasons why could be that she has crucial information they need, or that she is   of importance to their patron. Depending on the party's background, they might be established figures in high society and invited as honorary heroes. Otherwise they could be investigating mysterious rumors, be hired guards of a less-than-reputable noble, or might simply be casing the wealthy noble's joint.


*II. Fashionably Late:*
_A huge walled estate meets you at the end of this road. Nestled within the rich countryside overlooking the urban sprawl of Egorian, this manor appears ostentatious in its gothic style. Men-at-arms and servants in the lord's livery of black and red-violet greet guests as they arrive at the top of the circular cobblestone. Sweeping marble stairs lead inside, where swelling music and raucous conversation can be heard._


 Assuming the player characters have an invitation, or a suitably forgery, it should be fairly easy to get into the party. Of course, Chelish societal norms encourage guests to bring gifts to the party, as well as being properly attired. If the group does not wear finery but rather common adventuring cloths, or does not give a gift at the front doors, the guards are going to be skeptical and inquire about the player character's backgrounds, motives, etc. Once inside, the players will find a huge ballroom dominates the building.  


_Three stories high, this marble room is decorated lavishly. Ice sculptures of devillish vixens are on prominent display. A small band plays in the far corner next to a set of staircases. It is lit by red and purple dancing lights._


 At this point, the DM should have the players interact with various NPCs. All of which should build to the sense of what an honor and treat it is to be there. All of the guests in one way or another are invested in the current establishment and hierarchy of Egorian – just the people that should be killed off if Macchiata is going to have a successful coup. Asking about the missing ballerina is met with befuddlement and regret. No one suspects any connection between the host and the recent disappearing.


 Investigating beyond the main ballroom will lead the player characters into glimpses of the dark and decadent lifestyles the nobles partake. Details are left to individual DM's based on the atmosphere of their games and maturity of their players. Excessive drug use, orgies, sexual deviancy, etc are all likely to be discovered in the back rooms of Macchiata's manor.  


 At some point during the evening, the player characters should run into Annissa Ravenna. This socialite “party bunny” is a stunningly gorgeous red-headed woman. If the PCs are exploring back halls or recently asked about the missing Elf, she'd likely to be listening in and meets the PCs.


 Annissa (Enchantress 3) is a deceptively smart woman who uses her position and people's judgments with ruthless effectiveness. Something of an information broker, she uses her arcane know-how further her chosen profession. Currently, she is also investigating the disappeared Le'lee. In fact, Annissa is aware that the woman is within the manor. A charmed member of the kitchen staff told the lord's carriage brought in a hooded figure through the servant's entrance three nights beforehand. Furthermore, her wiles have gotten one of the guards to let slip that he helped his lord take an "elf wench" down into the basement.



*III. A Festivus for the Rest of Us*
_The current song fades to a close, and the guests grow quiet. Up above, a dark-haired man in a rich violet-red suit with gold brocade strides out from a set of double doors, and calls down to the gathered. He is followed by a retinue of men all carrying bows._


He soon begins telling everyone each other's dirty secrets. Airing their social laundry in the most humiliating of ways. Eventually, he grows bored and tells them all that they needn't keep their secrets any longer. In hell, they will have no need for them.



Macchiata will have his men-at-arms close and bar the exits to the ballroom while he summons a minor devil (appropriate to the players' CR) and promptly exists. The guards at the balcony will also harrass the PCs, but are indiscriminate in who they shoot at.



 It is recommended to start this once the player characters seem bored with interacting with various NPCs in the crowd.




 IV: Machinations of Macchiata
 Based on either Annissa's advice or the players' own skills, they should be able to follow after Macchiata after the battle in the ballroom. This will lead them down into the basement of the manor. Beyond the wine cellar lies a sunken crevice from which a stagnant pool of water lies.


 The PCs may notice wet footsteps still around the cobblestone flooring, and investigation reveals that the pool of water is actual quiet deep and goes beyond their sight. This is in fact a flooded, submerged path. Navigating the dark tunnel full of cold water should be challenging for the PCs, and it should be portrayed by the DM as harrowing, claustrophobic experience. Eventually the twisting underwater path rises, leaving the water only a few feet deep.


 As the players slog onwards they must maneurver past large pools of stagnant water. Residing in each of these are hunchbacked fiendish Skum and large aquatic snakes.


 The tunnel soon ends at the altar to Geyron, protected by a snake-themed sea hag. This ugly, foul creature has been scheme with Macchiata. Though now the altar lays bare. If she is not immediately slain, she confesses the lord of the estate took her through a secret door beyond the altar and has fled, fearing that soon House Thrune will be after him.



*V:  Cutting to the Chase*
_You burst free through the door and past the overgrowth to see you are in the rear gardens of the Macchiata manor. Even as you exit from the dank tunnel you spot a carriage descending the hill towards Egorian beyond the stonework wall. A woman's cries echo into the night and begin to fade._


 The stable is nearby the exit and the doors are left open from Vincenzio's hasty departure full of horses ready to be taken to the front of the building should the guests request to leave.


 The heavily laden carriage has a movement of 50ft, but also has a significant head start (1000 ft away). Exceptionally fast players (barbarians, monks, etc) may be able to catch up with the carriage on their own. Otherwise the players should use the available mounts that have been left in the stables by the party-goers. If a battle mat is to be used, it is recommended to use relative mapping with the carriage representing a fixed place on the map.


 This should be a cinema scene described by the GM in detail, as it represents the apex of the adventure. The carriage is guarded by three men, along with the driver. Two of the men possess crossbows and longswords. The third is a minor mageling with a wand of magic missile that he uses to dissuade people attempting to climb onto the wagon, or attacking the player's horses. Ensure you are well versed  in the rules for fighting at night and on horses, wagons, etc. before you begin.


 The carriage's windows are shuttered closed, but can be easily broken open (DC 15 strength). Furthermore, the door's locks are cheap and simple. Players may opt for other tactics such as taking out the wagon's wheels, or disabling the horses drawing it. These flavorful options should be encouraged.


 Ultimately, the wagon will be opened and the player characters will finally face off against Lord Macchiata (Fighter 4/Infernal Sorcerer 1).


*Ingredient Use*
 Elf Ballerina -  Le'lee Drenara, the kidnapped elven girl whom Macchiata intends on making perform for his dark god and fuse the two planes together, ultimately making her one of the archdevil's brides and sealing her subsequent death.
 Underwater Path – The “dungeon” of the adventure beneath the manor, this path leads to the inner sanctum; an underground altar to Geryon where his swampy layer of hell is already beginning to manifest.
 Crowded Carriage – This is is the swashbuckling highlight of the adventure where the player characters attempt to rescue Le'lee.
 Shameless Promotion – Macchiata's party for himself is mark of extreme hubris and confidence in his scheme.
 Clever Bunny – The play Le'lee is a part of, “Le Lapin Malin”, and Annissa Ravenna
 The Dark God's Dirty Dishes – This is a reoccurring ingredient in a few different ways. In all cases the dark god is Geyron, Lord of Forbidden Knowledge, Snakes, and Secrets. The dirty dishes can be the lacivious guests turned living sacrifices, the fetid pools of water throughout the underwater path, and fact that Macchiata  “dishes out” people's dirty little secrets.


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## ajanders (Jun 15, 2010)

Ingredients

Elf Ballerina
Underwater Path
Crowded Carriage
Shameless Promotion
Clever Bunny
The Dark God's Dirty Dishes

Submission

Game information

This adventure is written for modern games with elements of supernatural horror, such as Call of Cthulhu, d20 Modern Shadow Hunters, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
The adventure is heavily investigation oriented.
The mechanical conventions here are D20 Call of Cthulhu.


Prologue

Backstory
Qussuq is not a kindly god. He slumbers fitfully in a muddy slough of filth, corruption, and dissolution dreaming of his joys: the destruction of innocence and the degradation of beauty. While he slumbers his priests sustain him with sacrifices of beautiful art and of artists. 

Sacrifices to Qussuq may be slain in any manner, but must always be human and always be dirty: covered in dirt, dust, or ordure. Qussuq only accepts the sacrifice of artists: dancers, painters, writers, etc: the more skilled the better. He is especially pleased if the artists are beautiful themselves, as well as capable of creating beauty with their art.

Michael Corsi is one of Qussuq's most faithful followers. In his work as an event promoter, he meets many artistic performers. Some he sacrifices to Qussuq. Others he represents and finds bookings for, but manipulates the terms of the contract to cheat them. Many of these artists, unable to make a living creating art, take up other careers.

Michael Corsi is a skilled lawyer, accountant, and liar, otherwise average looks and fitness. He has a great deal of money and lives with shameless flashiness.
Michael Corsi is also blessed by Qussuq for his faithful service. He is supernaturally smooth-tongued. (magical +10 to Bluff, Innuendo, and Diplomacy checks) 
He is also "hidden by dirt". His face is always obscured on cameras by dust or dirt, his signature blots, his fingerprints smudge. He gains a +10 Hide against cameras, though not against people. Anyone trying to gather physical forensic evidence against him takes a penalty of -10 on whatever skill they're using.

Hooks
*The murder on Hoover Dam attracts the attention of the Nevada and Arizona state police, The Bureau of Reclamation Police, the FBI, and Homeland Security. Once Stephanie Marten is identified, the Las Vegas Metro Police department, Nevada Gaming Commission, Nevada Gaming Control Board, and private security at The Palms become interested, either officially or unofficially. Characters with connections to any of these organizations might be asked to investigate.

*Stephanie Marten was a friendly popular girl known among the high-rollers of Las Vegas. One or a syndicate of those people might hire characters with investigative skills to investigate.

*A confusing murder on Hoover Dam is meat and drink to reporters and conspiracy theorists, all of whom might want to come investigate.

*Characters on vacation who toured Hoover Dam the day Stephanie Marted died will be interviewed by federal law enforcement, and if they have difficulties with the law in their past, may need to investigate to clear their names.


Act 1: Murder in Hoover Dam

Michael Corsi, looking for new acts to sign, came to Las Vegas and stayed at the Palm Hotel. While there, he spent a good deal of time at the Playboy club and chatted up one of the Bunnies: Stephanie Marten. When he discovered she was a dancer, he decided to make her a sacrifice. He talked her into going on a date with him to play tourist and see Hoover Dam. While touring the Dam, Corsi and Marten slipped away from the group for some private time. Corsi strangled Marten, stole her purse and pocket contents, and rejoined the tour, confident in his magical powers to protect him.

Notes
*Marten's body is found in the depths of the dam, below the inspection galleries and below the waterline of the dam. Her face was smeared with a mixture of water condensing on the inside of the dam wall and concrete dust.
*Marten's pockets were emptied and her purse was taken. She was identified from her fingerprints. The fingerprint technician had a terrible time getting them, and will explain that to anyone who asks about it.
*The whole rest of the CSI team is tearing their hair out trying to get clean prints, fiber samples, or particles.
*The security cameras in the visitors center were dusty all morning: someone asked the janitor to clean them. He did, but badly, leaving big streaks on all the lenses in the afternoon. Marten can be identified by her clothing and hair and anyone watching the tape can tell someone male was with her, but they can't get a good read on the person's face.
*The mud on the face is a strong indicator of a sacrifice to Qussuq, especially when coupled with a physically attractive victim. This requires a DC 15 Knowledge: Occult check.

Investigation
*Characters can ask around the Playboy club to see if a man was paying attention to Stephanie. Since she was a Bunny, this generates a lot of leads to investigate, but her co-workers will say she'd found someone she was going on a date with. They don't remember the name, but they think he was at the hotel. A talk with the concierge provides the name of the one person at the hotel recently interested in Hoover Dam: Michael Corsi.

*Characters may also search Stephanie Marten's house (legally or not). She lives alone and has a very clever precaution to keep herself safe: she calls her answering machine before she leaves to say where she's going, who she's going with, and when she'll be back. Her message states she's going with Michael Corsi to see Hoover Dam, then back to his room at the Palms: 1512.

Characters arriving at room 1512 will find Corsi checked out and called a taxi for the airport. In his wastebasket is a set of printouts from the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto. A performance of the ballet "A Folk Tale" by August Bournonville is highlighted, as are the dancers portraying the character Birthe and Hilda. A smudge can be decoded to be the word Elf.
Talking to the taxi driver will get the airline he left on and the time of his departing flight. He's going to Toronto, Canada.


Act II: Toronto
Characters follow Corsi to Toronto, Canada, with some very limited means of dealing with him. If they are government agents, they have no standing to arrest Corsi themselves. If they don't have any official standing, physically stopping Corsi will be illegal. Harrassing Corsi will only get them reported to the police, who will be inclined to believe Corsi.

The best thing the characters can do is get to the Four Seasons Centre and find tickets for the ballet.
The ballet "A Folk Tale" is in three acts. In act one, Birthe is portrayed as a human noblewoman and Hilda is portrayed as an elf. Characters watching Corsi will see him get up and leave during the intermission between acts 2 and 3. They may decide to follow him, in an attempt to stop him from getting to the dancer playing Hilda.
Characters that stay through Act 3 will find that in the finale, Berthe is revealed to be a changeling: an elven replacement for a human child. Hilda is revealed to be the human childe Berthe switched with. At the end of the night, the dancer playing Hilda takes her bows and goes home. Corsi intercepts the dancer playing Berthe and talks her into going for a drink down in the Toronto Path Tunnels.
Characters may try to follow him, but Corsi will use his persuasive skills to divert them with police officers, claiming "those people have been following me all night". That will give him enough time to get onto the subway, lose the characters in the crowded carriages, and then get off at Union Subway Station.

Corsi will then lure the ballerina into a janitor's closet in one of the bars by Maple Leaf Square, strangle her, and smear her face with mud made from water in the sink and dirt from the janitor's trash can. He will then depart. It will be nearly impossible to stop him without physically confronting him....which will result in both sides being arrested. Corsi will get himself talked out first and depart.

Investigation:
*Michael Corsi got the ballet tickets in his name. Speaking with the ticket office will find Corsi asked for directions from a hotel. Going to that hotel will give them a chance to talk to the bell captain, who put him on a shuttle to the airport. Given the gate and time, there's only one place he can go: Newark International Airport.

If they also talk to the maids, they can search his room before they clean it. There's a print from a model's Blog talking about a photo shoot in the temporary WTC station. 

Act III: New York City
Thanks to the model's blog, the PC's know when and where Corsi is going to strike. And now they have the ability to do something about it. PC's with official standing can get extra police protection for the model at her shoot...but that won't catch Corsi. PC's with or without official standing can contact the investigation task force at Hoover Dam and pass the work that a person of interest to them is in the New York-New Jersey area. That can generate an APB in New York and New Jersey.
The only thing left to do is try and catch Corsi as he tries to enter the WTC station on his usual pattern: underground, near water. That means riding the PATH trains.
If the PC's do this long enough, they will see Corsi getting on the crowded PATH trains. They will have to fight their way from car to car, subduing the civilians Corsi will get to try and stop them.
Hopefully the PC's will get Corsi subdued before the train arrives at the WTC station.
If not, Corsi will stagger out of the train and beg for help from anyone listening. If the PC's got police protection for the shoot, the cops will come and arrest him. Otherwise, there's going to be a short and winnable fight with a few models and a photographer.




Ingredients
1. Shameless Promotion: Matthew Corsi is an event promoter who routinely lies, steals and murders. The model's blog is also full of information about her work and shoots, and is a piece of shameless promotion of her career.
2. Elf Ballerina: the character Berthe from the ballet "A Folk Tale".
3. A clever bunny: Stephanie Marten, the Playboy bunny with a good precaution to keep herself from disappearing.
4. Crowded Carriage: the subway cars Corsi uses to elude the PC's in Toronto. The subway car on the PATH train where the final showdown occurs with Corsi.
5. Underwater Path: the murder scenes: at Hoover Dam, the corridor in the dam and under the waterline, the Path tunnels in Toronto near Lake Ontario, and the PATH car under the Hudson river where the final showdown occurs.
6. Dark God's Dirty Dishes: the murder victims are attractive women ("dishes") smeared with mud (Dirtied) and sacrificed to a dark evil god.


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## InVinoVeritas (Jun 15, 2010)

*Judgment, Round 1, Match 7: Allenchan vs. ajanders*

First, a little truth: my non-gaming wife had a hand in choosing these ingredients. I took her suggestions and twisted them, slightly, but she wanted to see what happens when you throw a ballerina and a bunny into the mix. The judgment is still all mine, though.

*Allenchan’s A Gala for Geyron vs. ajanders’ adventure*

First, the ingredients:

*Elf Ballerina:* The use of _A Folk Tale_ here is well done. Given that Birthe is the changeling and Hilda is the human—but in a story that might not be known to the PCs to begin with—makes for a very clever use. Although, wouldn’t such details tend to be included in the synopsis in the program? (Heck, I’d just wait until I was in the middle of the adventure to ask that, and watch the GM squirm!) Allenchan uses, literally, an elf ballerina, who must be a dancer and happens to be an elf. Solidly done, but ajanders shows the better use by using an actual ballet. 

*Underwater Path:* The underwater path in _A Gala for Geyron_ is an obstacle to be overcome, that cold, slimy, submerged, claustrophobic tunnel. Once again, a very solid use. In ajanders’ adventure, the underwater path is a theme for the murders throughout the adventure, presenting us with three: under the water line at Hoover Dam, in the PATH tunnels under Toronto, and under the Hudson River on the PATH train to the WTC stop. Technically, Toronto’s PATH isn’t underwater, but the PATH under the Hudson definitely is. For making it a theme throughout the adventure, ajanders gets the advantage.

*Crowded Carriage:* The use of the subways for the crowded carriage is strong. In Toronto, the use is again weaker, but trying to catch Michael Corsi in the crowded PATH train under the Hudson makes for good drama. Similarly, Allenchan does a good job. I like the carriage full of combatants, and there’s never enough carriage chases in D&D anyway. In this case, Allenchan also describes the combatants in the carriage, some stats for the carriage, and describes the tempo of the climax. For these additional playability notes, Allenchan shows the better use.

*Shameless Promotion*: Both adventures have a villain who uses connections to society to create a trap for victims. However, Michael Corsi’s “hidden by dirt” ability, although quite useful throughout the adventure to keep the pacing, doesn’t show quite the charisma and magnetism of Vincenzio Macchiata. The model’s blog isn’t mentioned in enough detail this time to counter the whole Gala. Allenchan gets the advantage here.

*Clever Bunny:* My wife just wanted to say that she was disappointed by the utter lack of rabbits in the adventures (although she would have accepted a hare). However, I didn’t figure that would happen anyway. Stephanie Marten is the Clever Bunny in ajanders’ adventure. She’s a Playboy Bunny, but we meet her as a victim… not particularly clever. There’s the answering machine trick, but I’d hope for something more, you know? She’s still dead. Annissa Ravenna is a little bit less of a “bunny” (although still a socialite) but is more clever, and could be useful as an NPC follower for the PCs. I prefer Allenchan’s use here.

*The Dark God’s Dirty Dishes: *I wanted to see how this would be interpreted. I wondered if we’d just get the Kitchenware of Vecna, but thankfully, we got a bunch of different ideas. There’s Macchiata’s dishing out of secrets. There’s Geyron’s dish-puddles. There’s the debauchery at the gala. There’s Michael Corsi’s victims. All very strong. Allenchan’s multiple uses are very good. Ultimately, though, ajanders makes the ingredient a running theme throughout the adventure. I prefer this use, because it is tightly integrated.

Honestly, a generally well done and executed synthesis of the ingredients on both sides. As a note regarding what I like, integrating the ingredients with the adventure’s theme is very strong and quite welcome. Also, although having multiple instances of the same ingredient shows ingenuity, in truth only the most tightly interwoven ingredient will matter. The exception to this would be an ingredient that builds on the previous instance of the ingredient, tying the whole package together. 

*Playability:*

Allenchan does an excellent job establishing the action. It starts with the party, moves on to the basement, then out to the carriage. You get a good sense of how everything is supposed to move in the adventure. In ajanders’ adventure, there is also a good flow, with the action beginning at Hoover Dam, moving through Toronto and ending in New York. The difference, as I see it, between the two adventures, is that ajanders spends more time discussing what the PCs can learn when. This helps pull them along to the final climax. In _A Gala for Geyron_, the PCs don’t have much that they need to learn or do—just kind of be there at the party until the devil arrives. Allenchan is edged out by ajanders here. 

*Originality:*

Both adventures do decently here. We’ve seen decadent party murderers and serial-killing cultists before, so the new ground broken is little, but both adventures score very well on execution. Although I may be familiar with such elements, I felt comfortable with using them, in the particular ways they are used. I like them both.

*General Feel:*

They both had good, but different feels. _A Gala for Geyron_ is more action oriented. The other adventure (ajanders, giving a name, even a bad one, might help here) is more creepy horror story. In this case, it is mainly the writing that demonstrates the difference. Here are passages from both adventures:

From Allenchan:



> Almost all nobility within Cheliax worships Asmodeus, or at least pays lip service to the Lord of Hell. Though as a result, they are all under the thumb of House Thrune, current lords of Cheliax. Not all sit by idly, and a few brave souls seek out other diabolical pacts in hopes of gaining power, prestige, and freedom from the oppressive yolk of House Thrune.






> Lord Vincenzio Macchiata is one such person. A man well known for throwing lavish, night-long parties, he has hidden his occult affairs with Geyron – archdevil of snakes, lies, and deceit. His devotions continue while the nobility flocked to his estate in blind arrogance, and all their petty gossip fueled the lord of the estate's uncanny rise in prominence.
> 
> Meanwhile, the prima ballerina of Egorian's infamous Opera-turned-burlesque show, “Le Lapin Malin” has gone missing, and the proprietor is offering a handsome reward for any leads to the young woman's location.




The stage is clearly set. There is no question about what is going on. Yet the general worship of Asmodeus, Macchiata’s rise to power, and the missing ballerina are slightly decoupled. 

From ajanders:



> Qussuq is not a kindly god. He slumbers fitfully in a muddy slough of filth, corruption, and dissolution dreaming of his joys: the destruction of innocence and the degradation of beauty. While he slumbers his priests sustain him with sacrifices of beautiful art and of artists.






> Sacrifices to Qussuq may be slain in any manner, but must always be human and always be dirty: covered in dirt, dust, or ordure. Qussuq only accepts the sacrifice of artists: dancers, painters, writers, etc: the more skilled the better. He is especially pleased if the artists are beautiful themselves, as well as capable of creating beauty with their art.
> 
> Michael Corsi is one of Qussuq's most faithful followers. In his work as an event promoter, he meets many artistic performers. Some he sacrifices to Qussuq. Others he represents and finds bookings for, but manipulates the terms of the contract to cheat them. Many of these artists, unable to make a living creating art, take up other careers.




Here, we also understand what is happening. But we also have a flow of how and why. By learning about Qussuq, we learn about Corsi. We understand why he destroys art and artists before we learn that he does. 

In conclusion, this was a hard matchup. Both used the ingredients well, and I didn’t feel that either adventure had any obvious flaws. Well done for both. In the end, the match goes to ajanders for the added attention to the feel of the adventure and evocative prose. However, Allenchan did an excellent job, and was fierce andworthy competition. Congratulations to both contestants.

ajanders advances.


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## InVinoVeritas (Jun 16, 2010)

And, a very special matchup for Wik and howandwhy99.

The ingredients for Round 1, Match 8 are:

Honorable Man
Heavenly Station
Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune
Winter of our Discontent
Bugbear of Small Minds

and...


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B59QOvMNFo"]YouTube - Iron Chef Beer Challenge[/ame]​


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## Wik (Jun 16, 2010)

*"Let us call thee devil..."*

_“O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil.”_  - Shakespeare, "Othello"

The town of Yorik has fallen upon some hard times.  The crops barely grow, and fluctuations in the trade roads mean there are fewer buyers.  And after a particularly bad winter, displeasure with the current government runs high.  The lord mayor, a mule-headed and perpetually sour man, has decided to mount a campaign to win the hearts and minds of the populace – he’s going to throw a party. 

Unfortunately, he didn’t pay enough attention to his caterers, and now the party is getting a little out of hand...

*General*

_Let us call thee devil_ is a D&D encounter / mini-adventure for characters of any level.  It presumes the fourth edition rules, but can really be used for any edition.  Unless the characters choose to escalate things (not recommended) it is an entirely combat-less series of encounters.  Furthermore, it lacks a true “plot”, instead consisting of a series of interconnected encounters that the PCs can approach as they best see fit.  It is a very light-hearted adventure, and could make a very fun drinking game.  

Rules for turning this adventure into a drinking game are not provided, but it suggested everyone has to take a shot each time the GM blinks.  This will greatly improve the play experience.

*The Heavenly Station*

The town of Yorik was once little more than a simple riverside village.  It became noteworthy three hundred years ago as the birthplace of Saint Richard, a relatively minor entry in the expansive roll of Saints in a predominant Lawful Good religion.  Saint Richard was known for keeping his word in all things, his honesty, and his innately good soul – and the fact that he was born in a tavern.

And of course, that tavern still stands, three hundred years after Richard was born.  In fact, it has become the site of a local miracle of sorts – every year on the anniversary of Richard’s birth, the tavern is supposedly visited by angels.  These angels are seldom seen, but enthusiastic patrons always point towards flickering candles or frosted windowpanes as the work of unseen cherubs.  And there always seems to be a gentle mist collected in the rafters on these so-called angelic visitations. Numerous owners, in the hope of cashing in on its small claim to fame, have changed the name to “The Heavenly Station”.

The Heavenly Station has been owned by a very religious family known as the Harts.  This family is so devoted to Saint Richard that the eldest son of every generation bears the Saint’s name.  Some even say that the Saint is reborn in the form of the Hart’s current patriarch, Richard Hart (the third in his lineage to bear the name).  The Harts have run their tavern much as they imagine their beloved Saint would – honestly, and with a good deal of restraint.  

Such is their stern oversight that there has been a strict “no drunks” policy in the bar for years – which tends to be a poor rule for a tavern.

*Party at Yorik - and everyone's invited!*

Things have not been going well in Yorik as of late.  The current mayor, a man ironically referred to as “The Summer Son of Yorik” (ironically named because of his icy disposition, and his always sour frown) has become the focus of much of the town’s ire.  While the mayor is not to blame for the failing crops or the particular hard winter (that is now just coming to an end), they do blame him for the decline in trade to the town – possibly due to his wintry manners.

When faced with such pleasure, the lord mayor has decided to do what most politicians would do in a similar situation:  create a diversion.  And the upcoming celebration of the three hundredth anniversary of Saint Richard’s birth is the perfect opportunity for this.  The Lord Mayor has spread criers far and wide, announcing the particular celebrations Yorik has to offer.

Of course, Richard Hart was overjoyed to see more patrons honour the birth of Saint Richard (and, as a by-product, increase his dwindling patronage), and he gave his word that his tavern would be the site of the festivities – what better place, after all, than the birthplace of the saint in question?  But the Lord Mayor (hallowed be his name) knew of Richard Hart’s straight-laced ways, and so needed a new caterer – someone who could create a bit of a party and would stick out in the minds of the public.  The Lord Mayor searched high and low, mostly low, until he came across the perfect oddball – the brewer Feruzz.

*The Guzzling Gobbo*

Feruzz is a bugbear who runs a brewery.  Because, as everyone knows, bugbears love booze... almost as much as they love their eyebrows.  Feruzz is a brewer whose experimentations in distillery cost his tribe many bugbear lives, and even more bugbear eyebrows, when his poorly constructed stills exploded.    As such, he was exiled from his tribe, along with a contingent of particularly stupid goblins.

Feruzz made his way in the human world by selling his patented “brain shrinker brew” – a particularly strong form of beer that is known to cause episodes of blindness, alcohol-induced stupidity, grateful sobbing, and “spontaneous short-term religious conversion”.  Always the showman, Feruzz has styled himself as a “Civilized” bugbear wearing the height of fashion (he always wears a shiny blue shirt as well as a black suit).  He runs a brewery called “The Guzzling Gobbo” on the outskirts of town that is staffed by many small-minded goblins.  Feruzz refers to himself as “Feruzz the _Bugbeer_” – like most goblinoids (and tired adventure writers), he thinks puns are funny.

Feruzz was approached by The Lord Mayor (the Sainted Son of Yorik) to provide alcohol for this little shindig.  And Feruzz’s brain shrinker brew is destined to be a big success.  Feruzz hasn’t been getting much clientele lately (something to do with people not trusting a bugbear lacking eyebrows), so he’s decided – out of the kindness of his black goblin heart – to provide the beer as the “official” drink of the party.  And his goblin lackeys will be the official servers of this lovely concoction.

*The Twist*

Now, there’s a twist to all of this.  Every year on the anniversary of Saint Richard’s birth, angels _do_ visit the site.  But they don’t do it out of honour for this great human saint. 

Nope.  They come to play dodgeball. 

In fact, the beloved Saint was destined for sainthood only because he was hit in the head by a stray bolt from a Cherub’s bow.  Turns out the captain of the “Lucky Arrows” was aiming for a field goal and missed.  Turned out well for Saint Richard, though.

Those on the mortal realm are unable to witness the angelic frolics, only occasionally catching the barest hint of an angel’s presence as the winged rascals flit about on some angelic plane.  This angelic plane is usually beyond human perception – rational minds do not allow the existence of angels, and are immune to the angelic effects.  Irrational minds, however (such as, say, a newborn child... or a tavern patron wearing the medieval equivalent of a lampshade on his head) are fair game.

Most years, the stoic and devout Richard Hart limits the drinking at his establishment, which curtails angelic sightings (or at least keeps them to a minimum).  But this year, everyone will be drinking heavily – and are thus able to be hit by angelic slings and arrows...  to hilarious effect.

*The PCs in all of this*

So, what do the PCs do?  The answer is simple:  whatever the hell you want them to do.  

This encounter works well if the PCs are just hanging out, pursuing their own interests in the adventure.  They could be convinced one of the major characters are hiding something.  They could try to get into a fight with angels (probably not a good idea).  Or they could try to figure out the rules of the game, and maybe get involved (this could be difficult – the game’s rules seem to be a combination of cricket, rugby, and calvinball).  

If your group requires a bit more guidance, they could be trying to get information for another quest and simply have to endure the madness around them.  Or they could be hired as “security” for the event in question.  Or perhaps they’re entertainers.

In short, this is an open-ended encounter, designed as a base for “winging it” and having a little bit of random, good ol’ fashioned, nonsensical fun.  

*The Heavenly Station*

The Heavenly Station is a large tavern, built around an open hall with numerous tables.  It has many balconies overlooking the main hall, and the walls are lined with religious insignia.  It has also been dressed up with goblin-crafted decorations, though what these decorations are supposed to depict is hard to gather – the goblin craftsmen are not very good with scissors, and used far too much glitter and dried macaroni for good taste.

The drunker patrons get, the more “heavenly” this tavern becomes – stained glass windows begin to animate, the tables become clouds, and the sounds of puking tavern patrons is replaced with the sound of a harp.  Playing Mozart or something.

The Tavern is very busy, with more than a hundred townsfolk doing their best to forget the awful winter and usher in a new spring.  Goblin waiters, garishly costumed, rush around serving drinks and generally being a nuisance.  The Lord Mayor wanders around and does his best to ingratiate himself with his constituents, inevitably insulting people with backhand compliments.  Feruzz, meanwhile, does his best to speak of his great alcoholic concoctions, and bullies goblins around him into doing a better job serving (“the beatings will continue until morale improves!”). And Richard Hart, honour-bound by his original promise to host this party, wrings his hands and watches as immorality reigns.  

*The Angelic Host*

There are two teams of Angels.  The so-called “Lucky Arrows” have held the title for several millennia, and are confident they will win again this year.  This all cherub team comes equipped with little golden bows that shoot adorable little arrows.  If such arrows hit a human being who hasn’t been drinking much, nothing happens (as the person is unaware of the angel’s presence).  But if the angel’s arrow hits an irrational person, crazy things start happening with that person’s emotions - he falls instantly in love, he becomes overjoyed, or he bursts into laughter.

The opposing team aren’t nearly as well named as the Lucky Arrows.  The Springfield Slingers are also an all-cherub team, but equipped with slings instead of arrows.  When a sling stone hits a person, though, he isn’t overcome with a generally positive emotion... nope.  He just becomes very, very accident prone.  

The angels on both sides flit about the house, shooting at one another and trying to move an angelic “ball” from one end of the house to the other.  They are completely uncaring about the people around them, though are perfectly aware that there are people in the tavern.  They will, in fact, use particularly large individuals as cover from incoming arrows and stones.  

Neither arrows nor stones do any damage to a humanoid at all.  If a humanoid actually tries to attack an angel (which will be hard – one has to be completely soused to actually see an angel for more than a few seconds at a time), the angels will focus their attacks on that individual, using “angel powers” to stun that poor soul into submission before resuming play.  

A particularly drunk individual will be hit at least once during the party, if not more than once.  Whenever the action of the encounter is flagging, or you are short on ideas, just roll a die and roll with it:  

1.	 Patron is hit by an arrow, and breaks into bouts of laughter followed by “I love you, man” for several minutes.  
2.	Patron is hit by a stone, and falls in the most comedic manner possible – most likely taking a goblin or two down with him.
3.	Patron is hit by an arrow, and tries to dance with the nearest member of the opposite sex.  This person is, of course, in full view of the patron’s husband/wife.  And is also, most likely, more attractive than said husband/wife.  A very angry fight involving curse words and a rolling pin is 75% likely.   
4.	Patron is hit by a stone, and anything he touches breaks – flagons of beer, his belt, doors, and windows.  Any time something breaks, Richard Hart will shout out “Won’t somebody think of the children!?”
5.	Patron is hit by an arrow, and becomes jubilant.  He is able to see the angels, and starts to chase a particular angel around the room, trying to “grab that little bugger!”
6.	Patron is hit by a stone, and is surrounded by an aura of poor luck – anything bad (that is generally non harmful) that can happen, will happen.  

*Playing the Encounter Out*

The PCs will probably have a goal throughout this night-long party.  The goal of the GM is to make sure the party gets in the way of the PCs, while also allowing PCs to participate if they see fit.  Feel free to ad lib NPC conversations and events, while also incorporating long-standing NPCs as needed.  The GM should also focus on the three major NPCs, and their motivations.

Feruzz is at the party for one reason: advertising.  Along with his moronic goblins (who should, of course, be played for laughs), he is doing his best to drum up business for his company.  He will try to give PCs free “concoctions” for them to carry on their travels.  However, remember he is still a bugbear, and will engage in all manner of under-handed schemes to get ahead.  When people start seeing angels, Feruzz gets concerned – his kind naturally fear angels.  He is quick to point out that his beer is not what’s causing this effect, even though it quickly becomes obvious that it is.  

The Lord Mayor (the Hero of Yorik) is doing his best to sway public opinion back in his favour.  If the PCs seem to be appreciated by the crowds, he will attach himself to them.  If they are in poor standing, he will ridicule them.  He does his best to suggest the beer (which is much appreciated by the public) was his doing – without mentioning Feruzz, as the Mayor does not trust the Bugbear (he might even try to get the PCs to chase the brewmaster out of town).  He does his best to avoid Richard’s prattling on.  When people start sighting the angels, the Lord Mayor does his best to drum up publicity of the event, proclaiming that even the heavens approve of his party.

Richard Hart is disapproving of the excesses in the tavern, and does his best to keep his tavern standing.  He is honour bound to keep his end of the bargain, but is trying to find a way to chase out all of the drunker patrons.  He could even approach the PCs for this task.  He particularly distrusts “that goblin swine” and would prefer it if Feruzz would just disappear.  To achieve this end, Richard does his best to chase down the Mayor in the hopes of arranging a deal.When people start sighting angels, Richard’s attitude changes – and he just might be tempted to start drinking heavily so he can have a sight of them himself.  When he realizes that the angels are engaged in Tomfoolery worse than the drunkards around him, he just might suffer a spontaneous religious conversion.  Or an aneurysm.  

[sblock=ingredients list]
Beer:  Obviously, the Brain Shinking Brew.  Which is brewed by the Bugbear of Small Minds, opposes the Honourable Man, is served in the heavenly station (and coincidentally allows the sight of a different form of Heavenly Station), and opens participants up to The Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune.  It is also used as the "winter of our discontent".  

Bugbear of Small Minds:  First, he's a bug bear.  He's also a bugBEER.  he creates a particularly potent brew (which can lead to some small minded-ness, natch), and he has an army of particularly stupid and small-minded goblins.  

Winter of Our Discontent:  The party is essentially there to end built up discontent - ending the "winter of our discontent". Also, the Lord Mayor himself, with his perpetually grumpy manner, could be "winter of discontent" personified.  Finally, crazy angels are going to make things pretty happy, won't they?

Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune:  Our angels are armed with slings and arrows, and when they hit, crazy things happen.  This whole encounter is a mixture of crazy and random things.

Honourable Man:  Richard Hart is a very honourable man.  So is Saint Richard, who is at the cause of all this.  Of course, an honourable man has no place in a particulary frenzied party - and poor Richard is unravelling at the seams.

Heavenly Station:  Yeah, it's the name of the bar.  It's also the angels who come around and mess with the place ("Station" in this case being the fact that the angels come to the same place every year).  

Video Clues:  there are a few in this text.  I'll leave all of them for y'all to pick out.
[/sblock]


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## Sanzuo (Jun 16, 2010)

...


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## howandwhy99 (Jun 17, 2010)

*For Love Or Lust*
A D&D Adventure for a 4th-5th level party of adventurers.  _(Aspects include: a human village, seasons, humans, goblinoids, fey, and deities.)_

During a visit to the quaint hamlet of Devonshire, a well known lover's retreat, all within become playthings of Gods and Monsters as the machinations of Heaven and Hell grind out a new balance heedless of the discord upon mortals' little lives.  Time has frozen for Devonshire, but not for the people within.  Their lives are more fiery than ever as passions great and small seize townsfolk in a frenzy of action, but the unnatural winter snows grow deeper as food supplies are foolishly gorged upon.  Who will restore order to the hamlet and peace to the valley?  What of the rumors of goblinoids marching this way?  And what are the Gods intentions for causing such strife?

*Background*

Grack and Gargle have been two busy little imps.  A month ago during harvest time the town drunkard, Toby Horwendill, was run out of town by teetotalers and angry husbands. A lecher and a lush, his actions were used as a bugbear to scare children and youths against drink and unprincipled behavior.  Drunk, and guided unknowingly by the devils, he wandered out of the farming valley, into a nearby forest, and came upon a gathering of brew gnomes and their large supply of beer.  A drinking contest was held with Toby the loser.  For his comeuppance Toby was cursed by the gnomes to become his unwanted title, a bugbear, whenever he became intoxicated for the next year.

Looking to amuse themselves even further, Grack and Gargle charmed a real bugbear, Rograr, and stole him from his clan.  Taking this creature into the forest they found the brew gnomes again who were hosting a party for their hero, Rednose the Merrymaker, and his pixie companion Amora the Lovefinder.  These two guests were not just any guests, however.  Each held a heavenly position in service to the Gods. Rednose held his magic slings which unerringly hit any target causing them to find their true love in drink and merriment for ever.  Amora's pixie bow and arrows worked similarly, but her targets find their true love in another person.  

Through the devils' tricks the party goers mistook Rograr as Toby transformed into a bugbear.  Being good sports they took up another drinking contest with the promise to remove the curse if Toby won.  But this time the imps fooled them, the bugbear was immune to the effects of drink.  When the stations of the heroes were revealed, the devils let loose Rograr killing everyone, but one gnome who absconded with the pixie's bow and some arrows.  Taking up the slings, the brewpots, and the rest of the arrows the trio headed off to Devonshire to for more frivolity.  Unbeknown to the imps, however, Mother Nature and Father Time saw the fates of their two servants. Taking the guises of Queen Titania and King Oberon they descended to the fairy wood and convened a contest to see who could be granted worthy of assuming the two empty heavenly stations.  Time and nature were stopped. All within the forest and were caught up in a period outside of normal time.  Nature, also halted, turned to winter and snows have begun falling.  This would be but a odd occurrence, if not for a couple of problems. The God's desire an impartial judge to oversee the contest and the fairy have none among them.  And the contest's theme is a Chef Challenge!! with the main ingredient of beer.  With the brew gnomes dead and their supplies stolen winter may be endless.

*Hooks:*

The PCs are caught up in time while visiting or retreating within Devonshire.  They may be resting at the beerhall as the hamlet is a station on a well known shipping route.  They may be wintering here for Devonshire's peace and comfort.  Or they may be here on a lover's retreat when time stops and winter comes.  They could also potentially be called to the Contest of in the Fairy wood.

*Possible Challenges:*

*1.* The hamlet of Devonshire is in chaos. The beerhall is full of townsfolk cursed to drink and sing without rest.  The Temperance League is scavenging for lost members also accursed. Winter snows are causing others to hide and hoard in their homes.  Food and drink are diminishing quickly.  The Guard are having trouble mustering for a rumored attack.  

*1a.* In the hands of the imps and bugbear the weapons of the Gods are perverted.  The two imps have turned the bugbear invisible and the gnome's vials of beer he slings curse those hit with intemperance towards any object first encountered, normally the beer itself.  The devils are sticking people with arrows who are in married causing them to fall in love with the first person they see, someone not their spouse.

*1b.* Time begins to repeat itself as each person wakes in the place they arose the day before.  They remember the previous day, but the same day begins again.  As the snow piles up, actions take longer and the cold keeps the heated conflicts indoors.

*1c.* At dusk each day, unless stopped the bugbears burn the crops of the valley and attack the town seeking their lost clan member.  Potentially, a Bugbear-form Toby is given or found by them and taken away.  In this state he is safe until the booze wears off.  But then he will be interrogated and roughed up for information.  

*2.* The town Mayor and Magistrate Marcan Horwendill is confounded.  A pillar of the community, now he faces a wife who declares love for his ignoble brother, Toby Horwendill (the cursed drunkard).  She has been stuck with an arrow of lovefinding, but through a fortunate side effect knows where her true love lies. Marcan keeps her restrained the best he can, tormented by waking up each peculiar day next to the woman he loves, but who does not love him.  

*2a.* Toby is slung with a vial of the gnomes beer by the bugbear and if he has drink becomes one himself.  If found as a bugbear after the bugbear clan attacks, any potential Guard left hand him over out of fear.

*2b.* If Marcan can be consoled, he potentially can judge the contest in the woods over who shall become the next Merrymaker and Loverfinder of the Gods.  He is pure of heart, but demoralized by the loss of his love.

*2c.* The town calls on the Mayor to bring order to the town.  While he is preoccupied locking his wife in their home, those who are not cursed are panicked and will charge his it - the only stone building in Devonshire.  They seek their honorable leader and safety as well.

*3.* The fairies of the forest are looking for beer to hold the contest as well as a judge.  While it is not desired, they will send emissaries to the hamlet to purchase one and petition the other.  However, beer is in high demand as well as other forms of drink. And honorable behavior is nowhere to be found.  Food is also loath to be parted with given the demands of winter seemingly having come early.

*3a.* In the forest, all sorts of fairies are gathered and building cooking ovens and stockpiling chef supplies as they ignore the snow piling up around.  Once beer, any other cooking ingredients a contestant wishes to use, and a judge are gathered the contest begins.  The first position up to win is that of Merrymaker and the chef who creates the most savory, intoxicating meal with the inclusion of beer in the dish will win the station.  The position of Lovefinder is more difficult.  The meal must not only be intoxicating, but a dish made for two.  

*3b.* When both contests have been completed time and nature are restored as Oberon and Titania leave the forest hall. Retrieving the slings and arrows of their new stations becomes the next challenge however.  They newly appointed rank holders will know the location of their own tools, but not who uses them currently. 

*3c.* With the aid of these weapons in the right hands, order can be restored in Devonshire.  The clan of bugbears attacking can also potentially be dealt with in a similar manner by causing love and merriment to break their ranks.  

*Conclusions*

Depending on what course the PCs take a vast array of story lines are possible.  They could simply seek to leave the cursed area, they could be struck by arrows and beer vials themselves, or they could immerse themselves in each potential conflict.   Multiple events are likely to occur as covered under the challenges above.  Other decisions made and events created by the PCs are up to the discretion of individual DMs.  The restoration of Time and Nature are of primary importance.  Other potential goals include: the retrieval of the magical slings and arrows.  The attacking bugbears upon the down.  The charmed bugbear and the two imps who instigated this scene.  The reuniting of Marcan and his wife by removing her curse and possibly their reconciliation with Toby.  The restoration of Toby to human form, possibly even sobering him up for good.  And lastly, the drinking of beer and getting into fights in the beerhall.

*Ingredients:*

*1.)* Honorable Man: Marcan, the magistrate whose honor is true, but who is in crisis for fear of losing it and his wife.  He is also an Honor, or judge, for the town and the cooking contest.
*2.)* Heavenly Station: The positions of Merrymaker and Lovefinder can be won by PCs and used to restore order to the hamlet.  
*3.)* Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune: The Slings of Merrymaking unerringly cause targets to find their true love in drink and merriment.  The Arrows of Lovefinding unerringly cause targets to find True Love.  In the imps and bugbear's hands, they cause outrageous actions, while tentatively giving their targets what they desire. 
*4.)* Winter of Our Discontent: The winter caused by the stopping of time and nature, which grows worse until new a new Merrymaker and Loverfinder are found.  During the period everyone is discontented, the townsfolk, the mayor, his wife, her lover and his brother, the bugbear clan, the fairies, and the Gods themselves.  Except, of course, the devils.
*5.)* Bugbear of Small Minds: Rograr, charmed by the small-minded imps.  As well as Toby who is a bugbear both literally and figuratively to the small minds of the intemperate in Devonshire.
*6.)* Beer!!! or Iron Chef Beer Challenge?: Beer fills the ravenous appetites of those struck by the sling as well as what is in the vials slung.  Beer is also the desperately needed main ingredient of the cooking contest, which must be in each course of the meal contestants make.


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## InVinoVeritas (Jun 17, 2010)

Judgment, Round 1, Match 8: Wik vs. howandwhy99

Well, this one was a doozy. Two entries, heavy on the humor, worthy of The Bard (or, more likely, just A Bard). Wik went with the full-on comedy angle, while howandwhy99 could be played straight… but why bother? 

Wik’s _“Let us call thee devil…”_ vs. howandwhy99’s _For Love or Lust_

First, the ingredients:

Honorable Man: Wik gives us Richard Hart, proprietor, and the legend of St. Richard. Both quite honorable people, and victims of legend and the oddest game of dodgeball ever. From howandwhy99, we have the magistrate Marcan. Marcan’s position within the community and his wife’s affliction make him a very sympathetic character, while Richard Hart is put upon in a humorous way. Both are good uses, but Marcan garners more sympathy, so advantage to howandwhy99.

Heavenly Station: One of those phrases that can have multiple meanings, howandwhy99 turns it into exalted positions, and Wik makes it a place where angels meet. Both uses are quite appropriate, and integral to the action. I must say, though, that the sheer insanity of how Wik runs the affairs of angels is inspired—advantage to Wik.

Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune: In both cases, we have slings, we have arrows, and they cause outrageous actions. Lots of good and bad luck abound. The Merrymaker and Loverfinder’s tools are interesting, but I have to say that Wik’s use of angels that don’t really care about the people is more original, so this goes to Wik.

Winter of Our Discontent: It’s in the background for Wik, but it is in the foreground for howandwhy99. The discontent for Wik leads to the events of the piece, while the winter is near and the discontent far for howandwhy99. The advantage is for howandwhy99, mainly because more action is driven by it.

Bugbear of Small Minds: Ah, Feruzz vs. Toby vs. Rograr. I felt that Toby and Rograr were better uses of this ingredient, because the “small minds” aspect was clear in many ways: how they were controlled, how weakness in mental fortitude compounds the situation. Feruzz has his small-minded goblins and lots of beer, but he’s just a bit too clever.

BEEEEER!!!: I like the multiple ways that this ingredient got used. In Wik’s case, we have the Chairman make an appearance as Feruzz, the event requiring lots of beer, the wisps of steam. In howandwhy99’s case, we have a full Iron Chef challenge, requiring lots of beer. Excellent use by both contestants, and really, this is not what decides the round, so I’ll just say that both sides did a great job with a nonstandard ingredient.

Overall:

Playability, originality, and ingredient use all sort of blend on this one. 

In Wik’s case, we have a situation, not a standard plotted adventure. Anything or nothing may happen, yet it is through the sheer insane humor of the piece that it becomes playable. The PCs might not have anything in particular to do or accomplish, but as a piece for everyone to simply blow off some steam, this activity gives that chance.

In howandwhy99’s case, we have another situation that becomes a plotted adventure. The PCs would be trapped in a very surreal, difficult situation. A neverending winter, everyone becoming increasingly bound to their wants, while the way out is far from clear. Because of the plot and the need to exit the situation, we end up needing more direction for the story. With a scratch beneath the surface, the questions start piling up: if no brew gnomes mean no beer, then what are those cursed by the Merrymaker’s slings drinking? I find myself lost in the details—not enraptured as much as confused. It’s a pity, because Grack and Gargle are a particularly interesting, enthralling pair of characters. They just happen not to be ingredients. In a different story, Grack and Gargle would definitely shine, and they are an excellent driver of action.

A plotless adventure never seemed, to me, to be the better way to construct a situation that players would enjoy. However, Wik has managed to accomplish just that through clever writing, a freeform happenstance, and interesting details that can dovetail later into direction. I guess sometimes, we do not need direction. What a lesson to learn!

Wik wins this round.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 20, 2010)

Round 2, Match 1
Sunday, June 19, 8:00 a.m. EST
ender wiggin vs. Iron Sky
Judge: Radiating Gnome


Centaur Hunter
Ancestral Grotto
Secretive Matron
Torc of Fortune
Polygamy
Bone Needle


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## Iron Sky (Jun 21, 2010)

*Alpha Centauri*
Note: Designed with 4e in mind, replace skill challenge with its logical equivalent to port it to another fantasy system

*Brief Synopsis*
 The party helps the Chief Hunter of a centaur Herd to win a Challenge for the right to keep his Herd.

*Backstory*
 The Herds of the Eastern Wyld have roamed the forest for centuries, their nomadic society held together by the Circle of Matrons, a group of female elders that officiate disputes within and between the Herds.  While it keeps large-scale violence to a minimum, the judgments of the Circle can occasionally be exploited by particularly ambitious centaurs to increase their wealth and power at the expense of the others.

 The Chief Hunter of each herd is the “alpha male” of the herd, the Herd's tattoo of wedlock placed  upon his arm upon his ascension to Chief Hunter.  The Chief Hunters are responsible for leading every hunt and ensuring that every member of the Herd is fed and clothed.

 The Circle forbids the sons of the Chief Hunter to become Chief Hunter themselves, so new Chief Hunters are selected via the Trial of Challenge.  While this usually happens upon the sudden or impending death of a previous Chief Hunter, on occasion a particularly ambitious Chief will attempt to Challenge a rival in an attempt to take the other's Herd.

 Equus, Chief Hunter of the Herd of Briars faces one such challenge from the cunning, rapacious Eurytion, Chief Hunter of the Herds of Mournhill, Narrows, and Capwallow.

*Equus, Chief Hunter of the Herd of Briars*

 Equus is massive and strong, among the largest of Centaurs in all of the Eastern Wyld, but he is also gentle, just, and kind.  He has only been the Chief Hunter of his Herd for a year, but already the members herd love him despite his relative lack of skill at the hunt itself.  His hunts provide enough to keep everyone mostly fed and he eats no more or less than anyone else.

 The Herd of Briars is among the poorest of the Herds, their wealth much diminished since Equus 'grandfather' Chiron – a renowned warrior whose wealth and phenomenal good luck was legendary – took his fortune to the grave with him rather than let Equus 'father,' Pholus have it.  Pholus was a cowardly, vile-tongued centaur who secured his succession after Chiron via manipulation of the Circle of Matrons and the Herd suffered much under his reign.

 Their misfortune continues, for though Equus is everything that Pholus was not – strong, courageous, kind – there are no mares yet pregnant in all the Herd.  While no one speaks of it openly, rumors of his infertility are whispered throughout the Eastern Wyld.  Some rumors say it was a dying curse of the petty and vengeful Pholus, others say it is merely bad luck.  For Eurytion it was the spark of a plan.

*Eurytion, Chief Hunter of the Herds of Mournhill, Narrows, and Capwallow*

 Dark stories follow Eurytion throughout the Eastern Wyld.  They say his cunning is matched only by his cruelty.  His ambition needs no rumor, for any who see him can see his hunger for power in bearing, word, and action.  Not long after the Trial of Challenge made him Chief Hunter of the Mournhill Herd, he challenged also for the smaller Herd of Narrows after the previous Chief Hunter suddenly became gravely ill.

 Years later, he similarly swallowed up the small Herd of Capwallow.  Now his eyes are set on the Herd of Briars.  He has requested a Trial of Challenge from the Circle of Matrons, his strident claims of Equus infertility and the “poverty” of the Herd of Briars convincing the Circle to hold a Trial.

*The Circle of Matrons*
 When the Chief Hunter of a Herd is replaced, the Matriarch of the Herd is also replaced, the old Matriarch sent to the Circle of Matrons at the Barrow of Songs.  The Matrons there record the history of the Herds and inter the Chief Hunters, Matriarchs, and Champions of the Herds in the natural tunnels and carved Sepulchres beneath he Barrow.  The eldest five of the Matrons are responsible for adjudicating the Trials.

 While they are supposedly impartial – open support of one Herd or another by a Matron being punishable by death – the Matrons all were born and raised in one Herd or another before they came to the Barrow of Songs.  Old habits and preferences die hard.  Deianeira, Matron of Foals, was the Matriarch of the Herd of Briars in the time of Equus' 'grandfather' Chiron and has watched the decline of her herd since with much sorrow.  She sees only ill in the future of the Herd of Briars if Eurytion becomes Chief Hunter and is willing to risk her life to stop it.

*Hooks*
 1) The party is hunting in the woods and meets up with centaurs of  the Briar Herd, are invited to see the Trial, and are noticed by Deianeira.
 2) Deianeira has called up old favors from friends in the lands around the Eastern Wyld.  A trusted friend, employer, or the like requests, hires, or orders the party to head to the Barrow of Song.
 3) The party is traveling through the Eastern Wyld and is sent an anonymous summons (via animal messenger or similar means) to come to the Barrow of Song.

*Bullet Point Adventure Summary*
  0) Hooks
  1) The Barrow of Songs
  2) Into the Sepulchre of Chiron
  3) Hunting the Sacred Aurochs
  4) The Trial of Might

*1. The Barrow of Songs*
  The party arrives at the Barrow of Songs in the heart of the Eastern Wyld to find hundreds of centaurs encamped all around it.   

_Their tents are made of leather-tied animal furs painted with tribal designs and patterns.  The centaurs themselves have a wild, almost feral look to them, the males wearing strange silver necklaces and iron bracelets, their skin and fur painted with wild patterns.  The females wear fur tops that barely cover their more-humanoid features, their hair worn in long braids with flowering vines or silver or copper necklaces woven into them.  Each of the females has a distinctive tattoo on the upper arm.  Some a thorny vine, others a jagged black hill._

_They are clearly divided into two camps, the tension high as the males glare at each other and strut.  You can almost taste the tension._

  A young female centaur meets the party at the edge of camp.

 “_I was told to look for someone like you. Come quickly, we must talk in private._”

  She leads the party through deep, tangled woods to a sheltered grove, a small clearing in the midst of a close press of willow trees.

 “_Thank you for coming.  I apologize for the secrecy, but the one who summoned you here risks much just having me talk with you.  I am Hylonome of the Briar Herd and we need your help.  Our Chief Hunter Equus is undergoing a Trial of Challenge and the one for whom I speak is afraid that he will not survive the Challenge without your help.”_

  She promises them an appropriate amount of money, the friendship of the Briar Herd, and the blessings of her benefactor.  When the party agrees to help:

 “_Equus is a decent hunter and a good leader, but our Herd has had difficult times lately and another Chief Hunter named Eurytion is trying to take his place.  The Trial of Challenge requires a majority of the five Matrons to vote one way or the other and if Eurytion wins, Equus will be deposed.  The Trial of Wisdom is already complete and, though we don't know for sure whom the Matron of Wisdom will select, Eurytion has the tongue of a serpent and talked circles around Equus during the Trial._

 “_The Trial of Wedlock just finishing, this way.”_

  She leads them through the camp.   

“_Equus probably has this one; all the mares of the Herd love him and everyone's heard the rumors of Eurytion's depravities, even if he sounds like a saint when he talks.”_

  She leads them to a large mossy, tree-topped hill with a cave wide and deep enough that the hill almost seems to make a crescent.  The cave has dozens of stalactites and stalagmites, but by they are carved with jagged edges and etched with twisting patterns.

 “_This is the Barrow of Songs.  They say that since the First Circle, every newly-arriving matron has carved a single small piece from the back of the small cave that was once here.  Now see how deep it is and you see the depth history of our people.  Sometime less grave you should come so you can hear our history in song as well.”_

_In the cave are five ancient female centaurs, long braids of white hair reaching their backs and inter-woven with black flowers and strings of black pearls.  Robes of white cloth run from their shoulders and across their broad backs, ending in jagged pearl-tipped pinions that nearly reach the ground.  Dozens of charms, pendants, and amulets dangle from the robes by thin silver chains and vines with clustered blooms of tiny black flowers web between the chains._

  Hundreds of centaurs crowd around the Barrow, murmuring and occasionally shouting at whatever is being said in the cave.  A centaur, easily 8 feet tall, stands on one side with massive arms crossed, a massive bow on his back, a quiver of long gray-feathered arrows at his side, a troubled expression creases his brow and his long tail twitches against his brown flanks.  “_Equus_,” Hylonome says, nodding towards him.

  Another centaur, slight and black haired, paces the mouth of the cave, eyes and teeth gleaming, wearing fine silken clothing traced with strands of cloth-of-silver that was probably tailored for him at a human city.  “_Eurytion_,” Hylonome growls.  _“They say that those in his herds who cross him are exiled, then hunted down in the night after they depart.  There is nothing he won't do to get what he wants.”_

_Though you can't hear what's going on from here, several females come forward, presumably to testify for Eurytion.  You can see the fear in their eyes, the way they flinch when he moves towards them, the tremble in their legs and voices._

  Hylonome speaks as the Trial wraps up and a group younger female centaurs in robes like the matron's but far plainer trot out and begin singing the story of an ancient Hunt, a tale spanning hundreds of miles, dozens of years, of ferocious battles with mighty beasts and steel-eyed hunters running down prey and foe alike.

 “_Next is the Trial of the Hunt.  Equus tries, but with his size, the animals hear him coming from a hundred feet away.  Eurytion is a master hunter.  Let's hope Equus finds a bear – since he can kill them single-handed – otherwise, Eurytion will have this one.  There will be some discussion, then the two of them will set out to hunt.  Win or lose, the Hunt gives us some time.  Come, we will talk with the one who sent for you.”_

*2. Into the Sepulcher of Chiron*
 The party is led away from the site of the trial back to the sheltered grove.  A few minutes after they arrive, Hylonome motions towards the thick veil of willow branches that surrounds the glade.  There is movement beyond the branches, but aside from the rough shape of a centaur, few details can be made out about the figure on the other side.

 “_Good, you've come.  There isn't much time, so I'll tell you quickly why you are here.  The Brair Herd will suffer greatly under Eurytion and he won't stop at just the Briar herd.  More will fall into his grasp.  He needs to be stopped, or at least checked, here.  He has the Trial of Wisdom and most likely the Hunt.  Equus has Wedlock.  Two remain.  The Trial of Wealth and the Trial of Foals._

 “_Eurytion has the wealth of three herds and a hundred illicit dealings and he flaunts it.  Briar once had wealth; some fought for, some earned, most simply found through seemingly random luck by Chiron, Equus' 'grandfather.'  There are dozens of stories about Chiron's remarkable luck and the incredible treasures he found, but those are stories for another time, just know that Briar needs it for Equus to win the Trial of Wealth._

 “_Unfortunately, Chiron took the wealth to his tomb, as was his right.  His exact last words to his newly-selected and much-hated successor Pholus were “only he who wears this torc owns the wealth of Chiron and it cannot be removed while the wearer lives.  Come claim it from me in the afterlife if you dare.”  Pholus was a coward and never dared._

 “_There are no entrances to the Halls of the Ancestors that a centaur could enter except the main entrance at the back of the Cave of Trials.  There is, however, a smaller tunnel at the back of the Barrow of Songs.  It will be tight, but if you squeeze tight, you can use it to make your way inside.  Find the Sepulcher of Chiron and do whatever it takes to get Chiron's spirit to give you the torc.  If Equus arrives tomorrow at the Trial of Wealth, he will permanently and irrevocably hold claim to the wealth of Chiron, for the torc cannot be removed once placed._

 “_Once you have completed this, give the torc to Hylonome in secret, I will meet you again afterward.”_

  With that, the figure beyond the willow veil departs.  Hylonome leads the party to the back of the Barrow of Songs to a tiny hidden tunnel, barely big enough for someone to squeeze through on their belly.  She wishes them luck.

  Once through the tiny crawl-way, the party finds themselves in a catacomb of tunnels.   

_Like the cave, the tunnels are covered with hundreds of stalagmites and stalactites, carved into bizarre shapes and traced with the jagged lines of complex patterns._

  The party faces a skill challenge to find their way to Chiron's sepulcher without getting lost, rousing and angering the spirits of the dead centaurs buried there, or causing a collapse of the part-natural, part-carved, poorly made, and heavily decorated tunnels.  On a failure, they end up fighting hostile spirits, split up by a cave in, lost, or any combination of the three.  When they eventually succeed, they find the sepulcher.

_The sepulcher seems at first to be a small natural cave, a narrow stretch of rock reaching out into a pool of deep green water.  In the middle of the pool, the stretch of stone widens into an island, heaped with treasures of copper and silver and jade, gilded goblets and gilded strings of gems,exotic weapons and statues of polished bronze and marble.  In the center sit four pillars of ivory, a web of silver wire holding the skeleton of a centaur between them.  

Around the skeleton's neck is a band of pure gold that seems too small to have been taken off in life, as though it were forged around the wearer's neck.  As you approach, the pool ripples and an ephemeral green form swirls into existence around the bones._

  In the Sepulcher, they face the Spirit of Chiron.  The party then has another (very difficult) skill challenge to convince Chiron to give up the torc.  Not only is he suspicious of the fact that they aren't centaurs and are seeking his treasure, but as a spirit he is bound to the treasure and his vengeful dying oath has left a vengeful undying ghost.  On a success, he gives up the torc and his spirit is laid to rest.  On a failure, the party must defeat him to gain it, a task made more difficult by Chiron being able to use the torc's magical powers (mechanically to reroll a failed roll each round).

 When they leave the Halls of the Ancestors, Hylonome is there waiting for them.  “_Great, you have it!  That is welcome news.  The Trial of the Hunt is over and Eurytion brought back a giant elk.  Equus had only a small deer.  I'll let Matron D... I mean, head to the glade, you will be hear the rest there.”_

*3) Hunting the Sacred Aurochs*
  Deianeira appears behind the veil of willows as before.

 “_I could not have dreamed you would do so well so quickly.  We now have a chance, but there still is another issue, that of Equus... issue.  The gods seem to have cursed him with infertility and I can think of only one cure that might be potent enough to help us in the time we have._

 “_After the Trial of Wealth, there is the Trial of Foals.  This will require a ritual cast upon every mare of the Herd of Briars to determine if she is pregnant and who the sire is.  The ritual is lengthy and it will take almost a week to examine them all.  Hopefully that will be enough time._

 “_There is a creature considered sacred by the centaurs, the Golden Aurochs that live near the Heartmont a day's travel from here in the center of the Eastern Wyld.  To other centaurs this would be heresy, but I know that the Golden Aurochs were only made sacrosanct to prevent them from being hunted to extinction.  Even now, when it is death for a centaur to be found hunting them, some still dare.  Our laws do not persecute the ignorance of outsiders to the same degree, though if you were caught hunting one it would mean exile from the Eastern Wyld on pain of death._

 “_You must find one, kill it, and return with the baculum, the bone found inside the member of a Golden Bull.  Return quickly, for I can perform rituals with it – sewing sleeping blankets and re-inking the Wedlock-bonds of Equus and Briar Herd's mare's tattoos – to induce potent fertility.  With luck – and perhaps the torc will help with that as well, some say its magic is what allowed Chiron to accumulate much of his wealth – Equus can become a father before the rituals of examination are complete.  Go now and return quickly.  Meet with Hylonome again when you return.”_

  The party now faces a skill challenge to find and hunt a Golden Bull; first they must reach the rocky Heartmont, avoiding centaur hunters and Herds that would exile them for hunting sacred grounds, then track the Golden Aurochs and find a bull.  At some point they are also attacked by centaurs sent by Eurytion to hunt them down on just the suspicion that they were involved in procuring the torc.

_The Golden Bull dwarfs the cows around it, its fur gleaming like real gold as it stands atop the hill. It is obvious even from a distance that a normal man wouldn't even come up to the beast's shoulder.  Its long, bowed horns shine in the sunlight, ending in razor-sharp tips.  When the beast notices you, it instantly charges, the ground shaking beneath its hooves as it thunders towards you._

  They must then kill a mighty Golden Bull, successfully harvest what they need from it, and return to the Barrow of Song without getting caught.

  When they return, Hylonome meets them and takes the bone, telling them that now they have only to wait for the end of the Trial of Foals to determine the result of the Challenge.  Later that day, Equus, now wearing his torc(assuming the party suceeded in getting it) and having learned what they did for him via Hylonome, thanks them profusely and invites them to join him in their camp as his companions.  He treats them as members of the Herd and asks them accompany him on the daily hunts to procure food for the Herd.

_You join in the hunt, struggling to keep up with the fast-moving, remarkably quiet centaurs.  Painted with gray mud and paint, your adrenaline pounds with the rush of the hunt, the thrum of bow-strings, the thud of spears finding their mark, the centaurs moving through the darkening woods around like massive gray wolves..._

  He thanks them again the next evening, a new blanket under his arm, his tattoo freshly darkened as he heads off to “sleep” the next night.

*4) The Trial of Might*
  There are two possible outcomes at this point that will lead to the same final confrontation:

  Each of the Matrons stands, announces their name and position(Ex: _"I am Deianeira the Matron of Foals"_), and their verdict on who won the Trial they govern.  Equus wins the Trial of Herds.  Eurytion wins the Trials of Wisdom and Hunts.  Equus must win both trials the party is involved in to succeed.

 If the party did not succeed at getting either the torc or the Bull baculum, for whatever reason, then Equus loses the Challenge.

  If the party succeeded at both, then Equus succeeds, his wealth sufficient and the effect of the Golden Bull strong enough and the luck of the torc potent enough that in the last day of the Trial of Foals the rituals reveal several mares pregnant with his offspring.

  If Eurytion loses, he will demand a Trial of Might – a fight to the death to resolve a Challenge.  It is a risk he avoided initially due to Equus size and strength, but now has no choice if he wants to claim the Herd of Brairs, avoid humiliation, and get revenge on Equus for somehow foiling his plans.

  If Equus loses, he has no desire to fight as he has a gentle nature and a deep respect for the Matron's decisions.  Hylonome is sent by Deianeira to ask the party to convince Equus to demand a Trial of Might.  He will reluctantly do so with significant description of what life will be like for the Herd of Briars under Eurytion.

  The Trial of Might itself involves combat between two Hunts, each with the Chief Hunter and a group of Companions (the number of Companions being conveniently equal to the number of players in the party).  They face each other before the Barrow of Songs.

  Eurytion has Equus poisoned shorty before the Trial – and poisons the food of the party as well, though they may make appropriate checks to detect it.  Anyone poisoned is weakened during the fight, though for Equus this is partially offset by the magic of the torc of Fortune if he has it.  Eurytion and his companions fight dirty, using poisoned weapons, nets, magic, and anything else they can think of to defeat the party.

  If Equus is killed before Eurytion, the fight is over and Eurytion has won.  Hylonome will suggest that the party leave immediately or risk being hunted down by Eurytion.  That night Hylonome is exiled from the Herd.  If they flee, they find Hylonome's body riddled with poisoned arrows as they depart and are ambushed by Eurytion's centaurs repeatedly.  After that, Eurytion will likely become a recurring villain, seeking revenge from time to time, words of his expanding power in the Herds reaching the party's ears.

  If Eurytion is killed before Equus, Equus retains the Briar Herd and he and Deianeira the Matron will be a lifelong friends and allies of the party.  The Herds of Mournhill, Barrows, and Capwallow are then open for new Trials of Challenge, but that's for another adventure...

*Ingredients*:
_Centaur Hunter_ – Equus, the Chief Hunter of the Briar Herd.  Eurytion, the Chief Hunter of three Herds. Eurytion also hunts other centaurs – exiles from his Herds and, metaphorically, the Chief Hunters of other Herds to claim their Herds.
_Ancestral Grotto_ – The Barrow of Song, meeting place of the Circle of Matrons and buried ancestors
_Secretive Matron_ – The Matron of Foals, Deianeira, 'grandmother' of Equus, who brings the party in to help Equus.  She must remain secretive, for she could be killed if caught helping Equus via the party.
_Torc of Fortune_ – The torc of Chiron, Equu's ancestor, that allows Equus to claim Chiron's fortune.  Also, its magic is largely how Chiron gained his fortune and helps with Equus fertility.
_Polygamy_ – All members of each Herd are wed to the Chief Hunter, their wedding bond marked by tattoos.
_Bone Needle_ – A needle made from the baculum of the Golden Bull, used to sew fertility-enhancing blankets and to ink fertility-enhancing magics into Equus and the Herd mare's tattoos, thus to help them... uh... 'bone' more productively.


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## Pbartender (Jun 21, 2010)

Round 2, Match 2
Sanzuo vs. MatthewJHanson
Judge: Pbartender

*Ingredients:*
a girl with pigtails
the happiest place on earth
half-eaten lunch
snoop
a snake, a snake!
Matt the Insstigater

Submissions are due June 22nd, 6:20 am CST.


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## ender_wiggin (Jun 21, 2010)

*Storms Upon the Waste*

*Introduction*
_A swirl of sand kicks up at the boy. He tries to keep the two heavy buckets, brimming with precious water, balanced on his shoulders. The sand stings, forces him to turn his head, close his eyes, and threatens to topple him. A small bead of sweat hangs for an instant like a necklace jewel on his chin. The boy catches the drop in his right bucket; a victory.

To the north, the boy can see the city – Oasis – where the water is spun from a magnificent magical wheel. A relic, the monks say, from before the cataclysm. Times are growing better, with the Monastery’s hard work finally paying off, but five hundred gallons per day is still not enough – not nearly enough – to feed the thirsty bodies of everyone in the desert, and the bloody war for relics and resources grows more fierce each day.

With the setting sun, the faint spark of mana synapses are visible from far above. Random bursts of elemental energy – fire, ice, lightning – dot the evening sky. There will be a storm tonight, a reminder to all that the cataclysm was not just an explosive catastrophe brought on by their ancestors, but a tragedy that will haunt them for centuries to come. The boy hurries._

*Synopsis*
The Wasteland is a mess. Some 80 years ago, a promising golden age ended with a massive arcane cataclysm that ripped through the land, leveling cities and plunging all of civilization into a dark age. Now, intermittent mana storms rip through the area, arcane is sought after and hoarded, and ruthless violence invades every corner of the desert. A population of centaurs, possessing both cunning and mobility, rule the fringes of the Wasteland. Without stable resources, they raid and pillage from the humanoid settlements. Many stand against this horde and are defeated. Those rare warriors that achieve victory against the vicious marauders are heroes.

Driven by the most base of human motivations, the Wasteland is one large den of sin. In this lawless place, misogyny runs rampant. Women are bought and sold as commodities; men of power are wed to many wives. Fertility is a woman’s most powerful and oftentimes only asset. And yet there is hope. The Monastery, a detached but largely philanthropic organization, collects and studies pre-cataclysmic arcane in hopes of revitalizing the land. To keep their artifacts safe from the mana storms and from marauding hooves, the Monastery has holed up in a pre-cataclysmic bunker. Though socially aloof, the Monastery has already proven to be beneficial; one artifact is now being utilized as a massive clean water generator. Its presence gave rise to the first post-apocalyptic city – named Oasis.

But men travel to Oasis for more than water. The Sanctum, a combination brothel and woman-trafficking institution, is a popular destination. Though owned by a man, most of the Sanctum’s activities are overseen by the owner’s eldest and only surviving wife, the Matron Khalilah, an efficient and enigmatic manager. One of her most important tasks is the education of outgoing girls: how to act, how to speak, how to eat. Unbeknownst to all, however, she secretly teaches them to defend themselves in face of domestic violence, hoping to grant some empowerment to her beleaguered gender. The measure is usually successful.

In this adventure, the players are placed in the middle of a scandal: one of Khalilah’s girls has murdered a prominent centaur slayer. Are they willing forego all sense of justice or retribution in order to obtain what they desire?

*Tentative Adventure Outline*
0.	Hook
1.	Hazards of the Waste
2.	The Monastery
3.	Sanctuary
4.	Outcomes

*Hook*
The players need an artifact. It could be a variety of such; an extremely rare ingredient needed for a ritual, a weapon to help combat a demon, a key to unlock some greater agenda. Ideally, this item is highly desired yet not absolutely essential to the advancement of the greater campaign – thus, the players may later find the donation of the item a difficult but morally superior alternative. 

In any case, their search for this item brings them to Oasis; more specifically a place called the Vault, where monks collect and study artifacts with the hope of unlocking their power for the benefit of civilization. 

For the purposes of this adventure, the variable desired item is called the Hook.

Note: perhaps the Wasteland encompasses the entire setting or is only a part of it. If the latter, the players, though perhaps powerful, are not masters of the arcane enough to provide more than minor insights into the mysteries of the relics.

*Hazards of the Waste*
The first day or so in the Wasteland is a good opportunity to introduce the centaur threat by throwing the PCs into an ambush from these monstrous denizens.

Before they recover from the ambush, the players are beset by a powerful mana storm. Read the following:
_An immense bang snaps at the air less than ten feet above you. Your ears are deafened briefly, and when you look up, you see pinpricks of light flashing underneath the clouds. Perhaps struck by the beauty of this phenomenon, you stop and watch, until a second synapse engulfs your party in green flames.

The pain is fleeting; you’ve felt worse. But while batting at your sleeves, you see another fireball a hundred feet to the west, and then a small tornado of what looks like ice kick up sand to the north. A searing pain at your belt interrupts any communication. You look down to see a vial, glowing hot, the viscous liquid inside beginning to boil…
_
The storm wreaks havoc on the party’s magical items and equipment. They are shown the power of such a storm in a skill challenge. 

Complete Success: They are able to protect all of their consumable magic items. 
Complete Failure: They lose all of their consumables and some minor magical items. 
Partial Success: They lose some of their consumables and minor magic items. In any case, the storm eventually threatens to overwhelm the group. Luckily, they are rescued and introduced to Farad Hukem, a local patriarch with a deep understanding of the Wasteland.

Farad is kind and helpful, but also shows signs of mourning. If inquired, he will tell them of his older brother Zahid. Zahid was the eldest and favorite son of his illustrious father, and the bearer of the family heirloom: a golden torc that smelled of ancient magic. The torc, sometimes called the “Centaur Slayer,” was typically given to the most promising young warrior when he reached adulthood. For three generations, the Slayer had brought the Hukem family fame and fortune, for they had been instrumental in holding back the marauding centaur hordes. Farad, like many of his brothers, now makes a living off of protecting the relatively vulnerable Wasteland families from intermittent centaur raids. Tragically, however, Zahid was murdered less than two weeks ago. At this point, Farad grows quiet.

If the party convinces Farad to share with them the details via a brief diplomatic skill challenge or good roleplaying, he will reveal sadly: Zahid had recently purchased a ninth wife from Oasis. Zahid was found dead the morning after the wedding. His arm had been severed and there was a tiny needle mark in his neck. Perhaps more disconcertingly, the Centaur Slayer had been taken. The wife had disappeared. He offers a substantial monetary reward for the recovery of the Slayer and relates his own determination in bringing the killer to justice.

Note: mechanically, the Centaur Slayer occupies the arm slot and offers some offensive combat enhancements and also provides some bonuses to charisma-based skills (which probably helped the Hukem family attain their fortune).

Regardless of how much information the party got out of Farad, they are eventually pointed in the right direction: the Monastery in Oasis and the Vault it guards. Farad will accompany them to Oasis with a number of soldiers in search of the torc himself unless he tasked the PCs with recovering it.

If the party is restless or is amenable to martial encounters, feel free to throw another centaur encounter at them; only this time, they are witness to the ruthlessness and brutality with which the Hukem fights.

*Oasis*
Upon entry into Oasis, read the following:
_You pass a boy carefully hauling water away from the city to his home. A batch of dirty weeds grows at his feet, looking aberrant in the desert sand. Up ahead, a long line of women and children meander across city grounds. You turn a corner and find the head of the line at a ten foot wheel, made from some obsidian material, spinning in the air and ejecting clear water that materializes within its radius. Faint yellow sigils glow periodically on the side of the object. The wheel itself is held five feet in the air by a ramshackle system of wooden stilts. There are wheels at the contraption’s base, and several monks keep tabs on the crowd and on the sky, ready to move at the first sign of a storm._ 

The Monastery, which protects the vault, is situated on the side of a cliff face just on the outskirts of the city; the building is the only gate to a cavernous space within the cliff the monks call the Vault. The Vault is a pre-cataclysm structure somehow shielded from the mana storms that shred through other unprotected magicks; it is a safe hiding place for the Monastery’s relics and is the site of their research. Since the advent of their Water Wheel, the Monastery had received significant positive public attention. A number of the city’s denizens visit the Monastery each day to pray. They are given the antechamber of the building for this purpose, but are not allowed any further.

Mentioning the Hook grants the players a private audience with Brother Samir, one of the ranking monks. Samir is cold and calculated. He rejects the notion of just giving the PCs what they want; the people of the Wasteland depend on their diligent research and the distant objectives of this group of adventurers is surely not important enough to warrant relinquishing such an important item. However, he will offer the PCs a trade: the Monastery has sought the Hukem Family Torc for some time now, believing it to be a powerful pre-cataclysm artifact and an important piece of their continued education. Samir is unaware of the object’s recent theft, though he doesn’t seem turned away by less-than-honest methods of obtaining the relic if that subject is broached.

Note: though more bloodthirsty players might find it a good idea, a direct assault on the Monastery is very unlikely to be successful. Both the building and the Vault are magically protected and trapped. In addition, the monks here are trained martially, possess superior magical armaments, and are prepared to fight for every square inch of their turf. If the DM sees this ploy coming, he should try to hint to the players that this likely to be an unfruitful idea.

*Sanctuary*
A complex investigative urban skill challenge will reveal the following about the location of the Hukem Torc, in addition to what the PCs may already have learned from Farad. 

Complete Failure: Zahid Hukem was recently murdered; found death with his arm severed. The suspected killer is his newly purchased wife, though she is missing. The players gain a detailed physical description of the girl.
Partial Success: In addition to the above, the cause of death was suspected by poison delivered by a slim piece of bone. A slave girl named Mujita, recently wed to Zahid was seen in town again about a week ago. She returned to the Sanctum, where she had been purchased, and hasn’t been seen for about a week. Rumors say she’s carrying magic.
Complete Success: In addition to the above, Zahid Hukem, the owner of the artifact, was killed about two weeks ago. The cause of death was suspected to be a lethal poison delivered by a stiletto made from the tooth of a poisonous beast. The stiletto was seen used as a hairpin by Mujita.

Entrance to the Sanctum is limited by money. The players can front the cost themselves, though if they share the results of their investigation with Farad, he will fund their entry and accompany them. Either way, Farad has been conducting his own investigation and is not far behind him. If the players enter the Sanctum by themselves, Farad will enter soon after them.

An examination of the girls currently being offered by the Sanctum will reveal that Mujita is absent amongst them. If looking for a bony hairpin, about four of the girls are seen carrying the object. If the players pay for private time with any of the women, they have the option of instigating another skill challenge. 

Complete Failure: the girl reveals nothing, but instead runs from the room screaming of violence. 
Partial Success: the girl hints at Khalilah’s culpability in the matter, but grows silent out of loyalty. 
Complete Success: the girl explains that Khalilah is a motherly figure, and that she is only protecting her wards. She taught them self defense against the unruly men that paid for them, and gave them the means to do it, a subtle weapon locked in their hair. Mujita, she explains, is barren, as are many of the girls in the Sanctum. Possessing little or no value, these girls have no choice but to work in the Sanctum. The girl begs them to find mercy within their hearts.

If approached, the matron of the girls, Khalilah, will deny harboring the girl. Insightful players may suspect that she is lying, and perceptive ones will see her wispy gray hair held together by a bony hairpin. Khalilah has the welfare of Mujita at heart and will trade the Torc for a promise of silence. If the players do not mention the Torc, try to subdue or attack Khalilah, or otherwise provoke violence, Khalilah will attempt to render the nearest opponent unconscious with her hairpin needle and flee into the back rooms. She will collect Mujita and attempt to escape. If desperate and cornered, she will offer the artifact in exchange for their lives. Any peaceful outcome, however, is complicated by Farad’s involvement.

If Farad is with them, he will be outraged and embarrassed that his brother’s murderer was indeed a woman. He and his men will turn violent immediately and tear the place apart in search of revenge. This engagement will be a massacre of the Sanctum unless the PCs stop him.

If Farad is not with them but in the building, he will piece together the truth in short time. The PCs have a brief opportunity to avoid bloodshed by extremely clever play but again, the situation will otherwise turn violent. If Farad suspects the PCs have helped harbor Mujita or take the Torc for themselves, he will attack them.

If Farad has hired the PCs (and is thus not in town), this gives them a somewhat longer window to avoid bloodshed should they wish. Farad will still expect the Torc to be returned, however, and he will inquire the full extent of their journey when they return.

Should the PCs enter a combat with Farad, they can capitalize on their previously friendly interaction with him via a skill challenge. Each success should hold Farad at bay for a round, while each failure eats up their action economy during combat.

*Outcomes*
There are several ways in which the adventure can end.

If the PCs do not give Farad the Torc, he will eventually find the PCs and attack them. Future centaur threats become increasingly damaging and the Wasteland suffers from it.

If Farad does recover the Torc, the PCs have gained a powerful new ally. Farad will continue to seek revenge for his brother’s murder, and will eventually find Mujita unless the PCs have intervened to prevent that. The PCs must either forfeit their Hook or find another way to barter with the Monastery.

If Mujita is spared, Khalilah becomes a potential future ally.

If the Monastery acquires the Torc, they make headway in their research, and their community visibly benefits from it if the PCs ever return. Also, the Monastery becomes a potential ally, offering shelter within the Vault whenever a mana storm erupts in the area.

The PCs gain brief access to the Vault while delivering the Torc:
_You don’t notice the hum until you are almost at its door, but thinking back, you realize that it was faintly audible from even outside the monastery. The Vault’s walls are natural rock, and every inch of it is covered in unintelligible sigils. They say the sigils glow and flicker when a storm erupts outside, a myriad of whites and reds and yellows. When your eyes finally see past the cavern’s walls, you marvel at the sheer number of artifacts held in the room. Some sit on wooden tables, abandoned by the monks, while others are picked at by a half dozen. Some are enormous and stately, reaching almost the cavern's ceiling, while others are tiny and subtle, kept carefully in small jewelry boxes for fear that a breath would send them into a crevice. You can’t help but feel the monks here are nothing but apes prodding at something far beyond their comprehension, but perhaps even a monkey can occasionally learn how to work a doorknob or pour a drink. If they are lucky, they won’t kill themselves first._

*Other Considerations: Handling Female PCs*
(It is assumed that the serious themes and topics handled within this adventure are appropriate for the gaming group.) Female PCs have an especially interesting roleplaying potential within the setting. Though their entire gender is subjugated to extreme misogyny, foreign women that walk as equals amongst their companion males garner substantial respect in the presence of local men. They are symbols of rare power and are treated with a combination of suspicion, awe, and deference.

*Ingredient Use*
Centaur Hunter: Farad is a professional hunter of marauding centaurs and becomes (in the most probable case) the primary antagonist of the story. More imaginative interpretations include his brother, his profession at large, and the Torc itself in question.
Ancestral Grotto: The Vault, built by the land’s ancestors, is a cave protected by abjurative magic from the deleterious mana storms that destroy magic items.
Secretive Matron: Khalilah, the matron of the Sanctum, has a dangerous secret: she defies the dominance of man by training her servant girls to defend themselves. She, of course, keeps many other secrets as well.
Torc of Fortune: A pre-cataclysm artifact and family heirloom of the Hukem family, allowing its warriors to possess a combative edge against the marauding centaurs. It has brought fortune to its owner’s family for several generations.
Polygamy: in the ensuing chaos after the cataclysm, civilization returned to a more primitive time: both lacking and ruled by men (polygyny).
Bone Needle: Khalilah’s girls use a poison coated bone needle as a hairpin and as a weapon in times of desperation.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 21, 2010)

In this match, a relatively tame set of ingredients creates the potential for a cloase match as quarterfinalist DMs try to produce a winning entry. We've got Alpha Centauri (AC) by Iron Sky, and Storms Upon the Waste (SUW), by ender wiggins.

Lets take a look at those ingredients!

*Centaur Hunter*

In SUW, Farad is a professional hunter of centaurs, a credible use of the ingredient . . . but the implementation seems a little troubled to me.  Yes, he's a hunter of centaurs, but as far as the real story of the adventure is concerned, it could have been anything Farad hunts for a living -- Anhkegs or whatever.  I liked the idea of centaurs as the nomadic raiders in this world, and I thought that was very well placed, but still . . . those early encounters with centaurs don't really connect with the whole story very well, they feel like they're there to justify Farad being a centaur hunter, and not perfectly integrated.  It's good, just not great.  

In AC, the whole adventure revolves around centaurs who are hunters -- Equus and Eurytion are two hunters vying for control over Equus's herd.  Because the centaur-ness pervades the whole adventure, I find this use more complete and compelling.  So, advantage AC. 

*Ancestral Grotto*
AC presents the Barrow of Song, a pretty solid use of the ingredient.  SUW, on the other hand, gives us the Vault, which works just about as well.  No advantage here. 

*Secretive Matron*
Again, I really like the use of secretive matrons in both adventures.  No advantages here. 

*Torc of Fortune*
This, from a pure stickler's point of view, is a misstep for SUW.  It's a little one, but these competitors are pretty close, so small missteps may end up making big differences.  

In AC, the Torc is a neckpiece once worn by an ancestor centaur, one that has a dramnatically powerful power to ensure good fortune.  Pretty solid stuff.  

In SUW, though, the Torc somehow becomes a bracer or armband of some sort. It's also named Centaur Hunter (a fairly ineffective attempt to double-cover the other ingredient -- just because I name my dog Obama doesn't make him president). I think it would have been better, for the sake of including the ingredients, to not transform the torc into another type of item.  I suspect it seemed like a reasonable change to make, given that "torc" is an unusual word, but I don't think we would be satisfied with an entry that converted an ingredient that was "songbow" into "songsword" just because it makes more sense for the overall story for it to be a sword rather than a bow.  

Anyway, advantage AC here.    


*Polygamy*
I got confused, in a couple of places, with the way relationships, procration, and the basic herd polygamy works in AC.  I get the basics -- a herd has an alpha hunter.  He's the stallion, and by implication the other males that might travel with the herd don't mate with the females.  I didn't find this explicitly stated, but implied.  Also, the adventure states that the circle of matrons forbids the offspring of the chief hunter to replace him as chief . . . but if that's the case, why is it such a big concern that he may not be fertile?  I think the first detail, probably -- if that were the case, then no chief would come from within his own herd, but would always be an outsider -- right? That confuses me.  But, still, the polygamy is present, so it works. 

In SUW, Polygamy exists as a sort of background element, but that's as far as it seems to go.  Khalilah is the sanctum owner's "oldest and only surviving wife" -- so that polygamy is only a backdrop, and is not an important part of the story.  So, even with it's minor confusion, the polygamy is more important and significant in AC, so it gets another advantage here.  

*Bone Needle*
SUW uses the bone needle well, in an important way.  Totally credible.  But ... AC uses a bull's penis bone to make a needle that's used as a ritual focus for fertility rituals . . . and that's the one ingredient in the whole match that I've though was excellent and cool. So, one more advantage to AC. 

So . . . overall, the ingredients are leaning towards AC pretty significantly.  


*Playability*
I worry a bit about the playability of AC.  Early on in the adventure, as the PCs are guided through all of the stuff that is already decided -- three of the 5 trials, etc . . . it's feels like the PCs are being pushed through a lot of exposition there.  We finally get to the two tasks that they need to complete, but my sense is that the players need to have a way to connect to the other trials, or it's just more filler background that doesn't quite matter.  I think it could have been much stronger if the players were a part of the whole trial, especailly those events they have no chance of winning.

SUW has less problem there -- the adventure is simpler, a murder investigation of sorts.  The players get to play through most of the story, with the exception of the actual murder (which you have to have off screen for it to be a murder mystery . . .).  

Another area where SUW has an advantage here is in it's flexibility.  AC has one path for the PCs to follow -- they're going to go do their two things to help with the trials, and that's about it.  But in SUW, the players have to make ambiguous plot decisions, and there is no right answer.  Do they give the Torc to Farad, to restore his family's relic?  Do they trade it to the monastery?  Do they just keep it?  In the end, for the players, gaming is about decisions, and the more levels we can give them decisions to make, the more interesting the game is for them. The decisions the players get to make in SUW are much more interesting than the ones they get to make in AC. There's a strong edge here for SUW.

*Creativity*. 
One thing I didn't address much in the discussion of the ingredients is the way they all work together in the final creation.  And that, I think, is what sets AC apart in the creativity department.  

AC weaves the ingredients together well -- the bone needle is tied to the polygamy, for example, through the ritual used to promote fertility in Equus.  I didn't find the same level of integration in SUW -- there the ingredients seem to exist for their own sake, and without such strong connections to the other ingredients.  For example, there's the bone needle.  Both adventures use the bone needle well.  SUW even connects the bone needle to the secretive matron, but SUW threads the needle and the matron together, and then threads them into the polygamy by means of the ritual to promote fertility.  They're both doing this, to some extent, but AC is doing it better. 

I don't want to come down hard on either entry here -- there are things that I really liked about both entries -- I like the bedouin-centaur connection, something I wasn't expecting and it really made me sit up and notice.  I was not expecting the polygamy-centaur connection, although it's a natural fit. I like a lot of the small details in both entries. But I think AC edges out SUW in this area. 

*Conclusion*. 

I liked both adventures.  I'm one of the goobers who's pretty excited about the coming Dark Sun books, so I expected that SUW would have an advantage, at first glance, just based on that affinity.  And AC is not without flaws -- as I said above, there were details of succession and breeding among the centaurs that was confusing to me, and I thought the adventure would be stronger if the PC were engaged in all five of the trials, instead of pushed along to the last two.

SUW has superior playability, which makes this a close decision. In the end, I think the stronger use of ingredients and an edge in creativity, Alpha Centauri is this round's winner, so Iron Sky advances.  

-rg


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## MatthewJHanson (Jun 22, 2010)

The Happiest Place on Earth
“The Happiest Place on Earth” is Call of Chuthlu adventure where the players take on the rolls of children between the ages of six and eleven. It may serve as a one-shot or a prologue to a future campaign.

Background
Uncle Matt works at Disneyland, and every year he takes all his nieces and nephews there for a weekend of fun and magic. Uncle Matt leads a cult dedicated to Yig, the Father of Serpents, and is planning a mass sacrifice for that weekend.

Uncle Matt and his fellow cultists planed to use a concert featuring Snoopy, the beloved Peanut’s character, to lure children in for sacrifice, but somehow they booked rapper Snoop Dogg instead.

Chapter 1: Fun with Uncle Matt
The adventure begins when the player characters (who are all cousins) are dropped off at Disneyland to stay with their Uncle Matt for the weekend. Uncle Matt warmly greets each child and assures that that they are going to have a “Ssswell time!” 

Uncle Matt is an unobtrusive man in his late thirties. He wears glasses and has long hair that ties back in a pony tale. As a child he had a profound stutter, but now the only trace of it is that he elongated all of his “s” sounds. Uncle Matt has one daughter, Bianca, who is the apple of Matt’s eye. Matt and Bianca’s mother divorced when Bianca was young and every since Matt has spoiled her rotten.

Bianca, at twelve, is the oldest of the cousins and is big for her age. She has two sides different as night and day. When her father is around, Bianca is a sweet little girl. Though she is going through adolescents, she has retains many of the outward trappings of childhood, keeping her hair in pigtails, wearing pink dresses, and going on about ponies and princesses. When her father is not around, Bianca’s inner bully comes out. She uses threats, intermediation, psychological and physical violence to get her way.

Bianca’s bully side rears its head early in the adventure. Uncle Matt might buy ice-cream or candy for all of the kids, and Bianca might take candy from one of the youngest PCs and blame somebody else. Of course Uncle Matt knows that his “Sssweet little girl would never tell a fib.”

After spending the morning snacking on candy and going on rides, Uncle Matt brings the children to the Jungle Cruise. This Disney ride simulates a trip down jungle rivers of Africa, Asia, and South America, including animatronics animals. Nobody is surprised then, when a snake pops out of the water and sticks its head into the boat.

Until they realize that this is not another animatronics marvel. It is a real live python and its looking for lunch. Guests panic, the boat “driver” jumps overboard, and Bianca screams, “Daddy! Make it Stop!” 

The player characters might get a few bruises or even break a wrist, but they are in no real danger from the snake. Uncle Matt quickly subdues and traps the snake. However he is livid at the ride operators. As a Disneyland worker himself, Matt knows exactly who to talk to, and shouts, “A live ssnake got into your park! Thiss isss unaccsssssseptable!”

In an effort to make up for the debacle, the park staff lets each child pick item from the Adventureland Bazaar (Bianca somehow ends up with two), and gives the whole family a free lunch at the Bengal Barbecue.

Uncle Matt tries to regain his composure. “Letss sssit down to eat a nicssse lunch,” he says, and let the PCs order anything they want (even eating dessert first!) As they eat, Uncle Matt suggests they see the concert that night at the Tomorrowland Terrace. Looking at a brochure he sees, “Ssnoopy Dog” and remarks that he loves that beagle.

“Daddy,” Bianca interrupts, “that’s not Snoopy Dog. That’s Snoop Dogg. He’s, like, a rapper for old people.”

Uncle Matt is again horrified. How could a family friendly place like this end up hosting an “unsssavory rapper?” He whips out his antique cell phone. It is the size of a brick and has a sticker of Donald Duck and Daisy Duck, but Daisy’s head has been wrapped off. Matt has a very loud very animated conversation with somebody on the other end of the phone, blaming them for the horrible mix up.

Uncle Matt must not have gotten the response he wanted, because he slams his phone down on the table. “Wait here until I get back,” Matt says to the characters, then storms away from the table. He slips through one of the concealed doors that lead to the bowls of the theme park, leaving his vegetarian chilidog half eaten.

Chapter 2: The Mouse, the Snake, and the Dogg.
It might take a minute or two for what just happened to sink in. The adult in charge of the player characters has left them alone with no supervision. If they do not figure it out, Bianca soon does and declares with a wicked grin, “With Daddy gone, I’m in charge!” Some PCs might want to wait for Uncle Matt to come back, but no matter how long they wait, Uncle Matt isn’t coming.

At this point the adventure opens up and the PCs are free to explore the park. Below are a few of the people or areas the children might encounter. Most of these have the possibility of something horrible happening to one of the children. Bianca should be the first child to go, and only after she has left should bad things happen to the PCs

*More Rides*
Being children, the PCs might take the opportunity to go on more rides. Some of them might run smoothly, but at some point, another snake mysteriously finds its way onto one of the rides. This time a small viper bites one of the children. The poisoned child starts having seizures and can barely breathe. Disneyland Staff rush the child away, and try to buy the silence of the other children with more park goodies.

*Park Security*
Some PCs might want to take the sensible route and ask a member of the park staff for help. If they do so, they are led to a small and boring (but surprisingly insecure) room. After waiting here for half an hour a park security officer asks to speak to the oldest child alone. After a few minutes the remaining children hear distant screams. The child never returns, but half an hour later the same security guard comes back and wants to speak to the next oldest child. This process repeats until the children escape, probably into the bowls of the park.

*The Undercity*
The children might try to follow Uncle Matt to the hidden “backstage” of the park, or they might find themselves lost there accidently after escaping from park security. There are several areas of interest that the kids can find backstage.

*The Snake Pens*
There children find a pen housing dozens of dangerous snakes. Several cases look like the recently held snakes, but are now empty. One of the cases houses the same python that attacked the children earlier, and it’s still hungry. The python breaks free of, and unless the children are quick, it swallows one of the kids. As the other children flee, they can still hear cries of help coming from within the snake’s gut.

*Uncle Matt’s Cell Phone*
The children can also find Uncle Matt’s cell phone in one of the tunnels beneath the park. There is now a single bloody handprint on the phone. If they try to call their parents, none of them answer, but if the PCs try the last two numbers dialed somebody picks up. When the characters try the most recent number dialed, the young woman who answers immediately apologizes for the mix up, but insists that the ritual can still go on as planned, and everything is read below Tomorrowland Terrace. When she realizes that Uncle Matt is not on the other end she demands to know, “Who is this?”

If they characters try to call the number before that, whatever picks up the phone speaks in a harsh hissing language that the children cannot understand. Listening for to long will damage the character’s sanity.

*The Library of Yig*
Underneath a more traditional library, the PCs come upon a library of occult lore. In particular the library contains every book mentioning the elder god Yig, Father of Serpents. Yig is powerful and quick to anger. He may send snakes to kill those who have wronged him, or turn them into half snake monsters. Left open on the table is a book of great power that describes both how to summon and dismiss a terrible servant of Yig. Any PC who reads the book risks going insane, but also learns valuable information that might come in useful in the future. 

The characters can also use the books in the library to deduce that the ideal time to perform the ritual to summon the servant of Yig is tonight at eight o’clock, and the ideal place is the Tomorrowland Terrace.

*The Cult Meeting*
The children might be hiding in a closet of crawling through an air duct when they overhear a meeting spoken in hushed tones. The catch glimpses of people wearing robes that overshadow their faces. A man named Matthias seems to lead the meeting. He begins by praising Yig, who will lead them all to enlightenment and cleanse the world of their enemies. He then demands to know who accidently booked “Snoop Dogg” instead of “Snoopy the Dog.” He berates his underlings until finally one of them is forced to admit that Matthias himself made that mistake. At this point Matthias insists that they will have to make the best of the situation and that, “The ssscerimony will go on assss planned.”

*Tomorrowland Terrace*
If the children explore Tomorrowland Terrace before the concert that evening, they find two things of interest. First they find all of the supplies needed to complete the ritual of summoning described in the library of Yig (candles, incense, virgin blood, etc). Secondly they find a large supply of pyrotechnics that will be part of Snoop Dogg’s performance that night.

*Snoop*
Finally, the children might find their way into Snoop Dogg’s dressing room. Snoop’s bodyguard initially tries to shoo the children away, but Snoop insists on seeing them. Snoop tells the children how excited he is to be playing at Disneyland, and wonder’s if he’ll get a chance to meet Miley Cirrus. If the children try to tell Snoop about the cult of Yig or any other strange happenings, he tells them that is very creative and encourages them to write a song about it.

Chapter Three: "I’ve Made a Terrible Missstake"
At eight o’clock that night, Snoop Dogg begins his concert at the Tomorrowland Terrace, and just below the cult of Yig begins their ritual. The PCs might be there already, but if not, they should arrive just as the cultists are about to complete the ritual.

If any children (including Bianca) have been separated from the rest of the party, they return with the cultists. They are alive, but somehow changed. The light has gone out of their eyes. Their voices are muted, as they ask the PCs to “join usssss.”

The cult leader asks, “Did you think I would let anything bad happen to my favorite children?” He lowers his cowl and reveals himself to be Uncle Matt. He explains that they are just trying to help find a new “friend.”

The PCs can try to disrupt the summoning ritual, but doing so is difficult, as a few burly cultists can probably subdue them. More likely the cultists succeed in summoning a servant of Yig. This creature appears to be a massive snake that flies on bat-like wings. Naturally the first thing it does is consume Uncle Matt. Then it flies up through a trap door and emerges onto the stage where Snoop Dogg is performing.

The children have two main options at this point. They may attempt the ritual of unsummoning that they found in the library of Yig (though doing so will probably drive them insane.) Alternatively they might lure the spawn of Yig over to some of Snoop Dogg’s pyrotechnics, and then explode them all at once. The explosion will be enough to slay the monster, but also runs the risk of catching the PCs in the blast.

Should these options fail, the servant of Yig devours Snoop Dogg and dozens of concert goers before flying away into the night.

Conclusion
However the night ends, the next morning the remaining children (if any) awaken in a plush Disney Hotel, and their parents soon arrive. The Disney Corporation is reticent to acknowledge that the cult of an Elder God was active in one of its parks. Instead it blames any death on malfunction equipment that was part of Snoop Dogg’s stage show. The public at large is quick to believe these stories, and then quick to forget them. 

Only the heroes know the truth.

Ingredients
*A girl with pigtails:* Bianca, the spoiled daughter of Uncle Matt. She keeps her hair in pigtails to look cute and childlike for her father.

*The happiest place on earth:* Disneyland, whose motto is “The Happiest Place on Earth.” 

*Half-eaten lunch:* Uncle Matt’s vegetarian chili-dog. He is so upset by what he learns on the phone that he leaves in the middle of lunch, and never comes back for it.

*Snoop: *Mr. Dogg. His name is so similar to the popular Peanuts character that he gets invited to perform at Disneyland. His concert is the site of a dark ritual and mass sacrifice. (Also the children snoop around Disneyland). 

*A snake, a snake!:* There are many snakes in the adventure, but I think the first snake on the Jungle Cruise is the one that fits this best. Initially, people think it is a harmless piece of animatronics (“a snake”), but then they realize it is a live and hungry python (“a snake!”).

*Matt the Insstigater:* Uncle Matt. Not only does he lead the cult of Yig, and instigates the ritual, he also brought the children to park instigating their involvement. The extra “s” is accounted for because Matt’s lisp makes him elongate all of his “s” sounds, (which of course, makes him sound more snake-like).


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## Sanzuo (Jun 22, 2010)

*The Final Hunt*​ (Exalted Adventure for Dragon-Blooded Wyld Hunters who think they've seen it all.)​ 

Lexicon - For those unfamiliar with the terminology of the Age of Sorrows.


*Exalted *- A human who has been granted god-like power for reasons far too convoluted to be explained in a single sentence.
*Lunar Exalted* - Exalted who serve Luna (the moon)
*Dragon-Blooded* - Technically, the weakest type of Exalted but also the most numerous.  They serve and protect the Scarlet Empire.
*Anathema* - Non-humans and any Exalted who aren't Dragon-Blooded.
*Scarlet Empire* - Typical overbearing evil-empire type scenario.
*Creation* - The world
*Wyld *- Outside of Creation. Icky-bad.
*Wyld Hunt* - Kind of like the Gestapo for Anathema.
*Immaculate Order* - “Kung-Fu Nazi-Church”
*Behemoth* - A really big ancient monster.  Like, really, really, retardedly huge.
*Google *- use it for the rest
 

Premise
 A group is ordered to locate and destroy an Anathema hiding within the Wyld outside of Creation.  This is an epic adventure for a group of Dragon-Blooded player characters of the Wyld Hunt that will take the Circle across the vast reaches of Creation and beyond.


Introduction
 At this point the player characters are a proven group of mighty hunters and killers of foul Anathema to the Scarlet Empire.  They have sought and slain some of the worst enemies to the Empire including members of the mighty Solar Exalted.  Their accomplishments have garnered the attention of Creation's most influential individual, Chejop Kejak.  At long last, Kejak has found a dependable group of soldiers to carry on his will in the form of action.  He arranges a top-secret meeting with the player characters within the Immaculate Order's main temple on the Blessed Isle and explains their mission to them.


*When the Circle enters the chamber, read or paraphrase the following:*_Before you in this austere audience chamber located beneath the Immaculate Order's most holy temple is a simply-dressed elderly man.  Though the creases in his skin and the silvery, balding hair of his skull betray his age; his physical presence and fierce, piercing gaze of his speckled emerald-colored eyes fill your unconsciousness with awe.  In all of your considerable experience this is possibly the most powerful being you have ever met in person._​*Once the Circle settles themselves, Chejop Kejak will explain their mission:*_“You have proven yourselves to likely be the most capable members of the Wyld Hunt I've seen in my life.”_

(The Circle truly has no idea how much of a compliment this is.)
_“For you I have a task of which only you seem to be capable.  There is a foul Anathema of Luna that goes by the name of Matthias who must die.  I know you have faced Luna's offspring before, but believe me when I say that Matthias is among the most ancient and cunning of his kind.  He has evaded the Wyld Hunt since its foundation and caused no end of torment to the innocent citizens of the Empire and the rest of Creation._
_Unfortunately, this monster counts the dreaded creatures of the Wyld as his allies and lives amongst them, far outside the reach of most of the Immaculate Order's agents.  Most.  That's where you come in.  Now I must caution you that this creature that I am asking you to hunt is a master of deception and evasion.  He can assume nearly any form and has many agents working for him.  So before you go barreling off into the Wyld with your jade artifacts flashing in the light, allow me to offer some wisdom:  I advise you to use cunning and guile when seeking this mark.  For if you advertise yourselves too readily he will surely see you coming and be gone before you can even face him.  I have faith that you can accomplish this task, for only you have both the wisdom to find this Anathema, and the strength to slay it.”_​He gives the player characters a mission to hunt down and slay an ancient Lunar Exalted who has been a thorn in Kejak's side since the Usurpation.  The Lunar goes by the name of Matthias and has been responsible for the destruction of some of Kejak's best laid plans and is an enemy of all civilization.  Matthias is a master shape-shifter, assassin and saboteur.  He is also ancient and powerful enough to be considered a saint among his own kind.  He knows that Kejak is after him and so has gone into hiding within the Wyld itself outside of creation, beyond the gaze of Kejak, his Bronze Faction and the Loom of Fate itself.

*Before the Circle departs on their mission, Kejak has one last helpful piece of information:*_“We know that this particular Anathema spawned an entire clan of bestial Wyld barbarians deep in the forests beyond the Hundred Kingdoms in the east.  I recommend you start your search there.”_​Part One: The Hunt Begins
 At this point in the player character's careers they are influential enough and powerful enough that all of Creation is within their reach.  They are able to commandeer and utilize any resource the Scarlet Empire has to offer to reach their goal.  They are chasing a master of espionage, however, and their success relies a great deal on their ability to not attract a great deal of attention to themselves, particularly once they leave the borders of the Empire itself.


 The only clue they have been given is that sometime in Mattias' ancient past he fathered a litter of offspring who eventually grew into an entire clan of badger-men who live somewhere in the Wyld-tainted forests of the east.  This first part of the adventure is relatively open-ended as the players must formulate a way for their characters to make their way east and seek the beastmen of the badger-clan.  This is a good opportunity for a number of mini-adventures that stand in the way of the player characters and their goal.  Following enough rumors, leads and exploring the wilds will eventually lead them to the badger-clan living beneath the monstrous forests of the east.


*When the Circle first encounters members of the badger-clan, read or paraphrase the following:*_The Wyld barbarians before you are a hideous amalgamation of human and badger, further warped and twisted by the energies of the Wyld.  Some have far too many limbs, vestigial body parts, multiple eyes crammed into single sockets, and other stomach-churning features._​Chejop Kejak advised the player characters to use discretion and guile at least up to the point until they have Matthias cornered.  Ultimately, how they deal with the badger-clan when they meet them is up to the player characters.  They could simply slaughter the beastmen when they meet them, but they are unlikely to gain very much information with this method.  Integrating themselves with the clan and meeting civilly with the clan leader is the safest method to gaining information.


*When the Circle is brought (or fights their way) before the clan leader, describe him thusly:*_You see the largest of the badger-men standing before you well over your heads.  His muscles bulge beneath his fur-matted skin.  His proportions seem relatively normal except for a second, tiny head that seems to grow out of the side of his neck and echo's everything he says in a shrill mocking tone._​*He greets the Circle:*_Big Head: “Why have you come before badger-clan? Have you come to steal our mushrooms!?”_
_Little Head: “mushrooms, mushrooms!”_​*When asked about Matthias, the clan leader will respond:*_Big Head: “You speak of the All-Father!  The one who gave birth to all of badger-clan!”_
_Little Head: “badger, badger, badger, badger, badger-clan!”_
_Big Head: “He is our god, and we worship Him as such.  Yet it has been many generations since He left us, we know not where He lives.”_
_Little Head: “where He lives, where He lives!”_
_Big Head: “Yet there is one being who may yet know.  This being is another god, and also an enemy of all badger-kind!  It is a Behemoth! A great snake!”_
_Little Head: “a snake, a snake!”_​Optional Objective:
 The badger-clan regards the one the player characters know as Matthias as a deity; an all-father who created them.  As experienced Wyld Hunters, the player characters should already know or at least learn that the badger-clan's worship of Matthias as a deity would grant him real power.  If they wish to give themselves an edge when they eventually meet Matthias then they must stop the worship of Matthias.  This can be done by manipulating the badger-clan to no longer worship Matthias (a difficult and time-consuming proposition) or by simply wiping out the entire clan.  Whichever method the player characters choose, cutting off his worship by the badger-clan would possibly alert Matthias that the Wyld Hunt is on his trail.  Either way, this objective is optional.


Part Two: The Behemoth
*When the Circle encounters the Behemoth, describe him as such:*_Before you in a shadowy jungle valley lies what at first you thought was a small mountain.  Instead, you realize, is the slick coiled figure of a massive serpent.  One of you must have somehow given yourselves away, because abruptly a glowing amber eye the size of a house opens up on the peak of the mound like a horrible moon-rise.  As if moving in slow motion, yet at the same time moving at unfathomable velocity, the titanic serpent uncoils itself and slithers in your direction like a scaly avalanche._​After meeting the badger-clan the Circle must seek a mighty Behemoth who is at least as old as Matthias and is the only one who likely knows where he currently resides.  When the Circle meets the creature, who appears in the form of a titanic anaconda, they must first fight off its massive assault as it tries to devour them.  Only after they have endured the Behemoth's attack for a time will it withdraw and ask the player characters what they want.


*After the Circle has fended off the Behemoth's attack for a time, he will withdraw and surround the circle at a respectable distance and address them in a hissing, godlike tone:*_“Why have you dissturbed me, lowly creaturess?”_​*When asked about Matthias, the Behemoth will respond:*_“Ah, I know him.  He iss called Matt the Insstigater amongsst the Fair Folk.  I know not why they call him that.  Perhapsse it iss becausse he iss part inssect, part tiger and part alligater? No matter.  I hear that they ssay he pitss hiss enemiess againsst one another to further hiss ambitionss.  I csertainly fought many battless againsst him and hiss many beasstman clanss.  The worsst of which are the deliciouss boar-clan that livess in the rainforesstss to the ssouth of here.  How I would love to ssnack on thosse deliciouss morssalss oncsse again.  Alass, I am too large thesse dayss and they ssee me coming miless away.  Perhapsse if you brought me the boar-king'ss daughter we could reach an agreement?_
_The boar clan likess to hide, even amongsst one another.  All of the boar-children look alike, but I happen to know that the king'ss daughter iss a mutant with two tailss.”_​In order to get the Behemoth to cooperate, the group must first perform a service for it.  Long ago the Behemoth was simply an anaconda whose favorite food were the local boars.  The boars are long gone, but there exists another clan of beastmen who have long taken on the aspect of boars through Wyld energies and interspecies breeding.  The Behemoth specifically seeks the boar-king's daughter, for when she comes of age she will sow the rest of the royal lineage.  If the player characters agree to bring the boar-king's daughter to the Behemoth, then it will tell them all that it knows.  Like the badger-clan, the boar-clan are all twisted mutants and vary in appearance.  The Behemoth tells the Circle that the one he seeks is the girl/piglet that has two tails.


 Upon arriving at the territory of the boar-clan, the Circle should have little problem locating the beastmen, for the boar-clan  attack intruders on sight.  The player characters will have to fight many skirmishes with the boar-clan whilst seeking the piglet-girl with two tails.


*Read or paraphrase the following while the Circle searches for the boar-king's daughter:*_While the fearsome boar-clan adults stand twice as tall as the largest amongst you, the piglets are 'merely' the size of an adult man and don't go down without a fight.  Eventually you find a particularly homely piglet covered in warty nodules and with a pair of, twitching, curly tails on its rear._​When they return to the Behemoth with the boar-king's daughter the Behemoth will eagerly devour her in a single swallow.  Keeping in with his part of the agreement.  (He will be less agreeable if they bring her back already dead, but still grudgingly share his information.)  The Behemoth tells the Circle that, last he knew, Matthias was living in “the happiesst place on earth.”


Part Three: The Riddle
 The Behemoth's clue is a bit of a riddle.  If pressed, the Behemoth will only answer _“find the happiesst place on earth and you will find Matt the Insstigater.”_  The rest is up to the player characters to figure out.  This is a good time for the Circle to return to civilization and take a break from any fighting and roughing they may have done to consider the riddle.  They could potentially go on another epic journey, traveling all around Creation searching for this happiest place on earth.  Along the way, questioning local mortals, spirits and other creatures will gradually reveal certain hints to the solution of this riddle (see below).


The Solution:
 On the elemental pole of earth, back on the very center of the Blessed Isle and yet across the boundaries of Creation, there exists a domain belonging to a powerful Fair Folk Luminary who rules over a large group of the Mountain Folk.  Like all fey, this Luminary feeds on the souls and emotions of mortals.  Being a member of the Entertainer Caste, the Luminary feeds on joy and happiness.  It is therefore in his interest for the Luminary to make his realm a veritable paradise for his subjects, keeping them as happy as possible so that his crop of happiness never runs out.  His domain is quite literally the happiest place on earth.


 If the player characters spend too much time with distractions or otherwise make no progress to the solution for many months then Chejop Kejak will meet with them in secret (and in disguise, of course) and ask why they have been making no progress.  He will listen to what they've learned so far and offer his insights to the solution.  Kejak knows of the Fair Folk Luminary and his domain on the elemental pole of earth.  He will list this as a possible lead among others (which are simply red herrings).


*Chejop Kejak will seek the Circle and try to guide them on the right path:*_“I've heard rumors of a Fair Folk prince who resides atop the elemental pole of earth.  I believe he feeds off of the joy and happiness of his subjects, so you may want to snoop around there.”_​Part Four: The Luminary's Domain
 Hopefully the player characters eventually find their way to the domain of the Luminary.  After a brief jaunt across the untamed Wyld (which will doubtless require sorcery and resolve to endure) the player characters will find a subterranean region of semi-stability.  As soon as they enter, the Circle is met by the Luminary himself, who appears in all his splendor.  It will become quickly apparent that the fey ruler cannot be defeated or even seriously harmed while in his domain with an almost limitless supply of essence to feed him.


*When the Luminary appears, he greets the player characters:*_“Greetings, children! Ah, you seem to be lost.  No matter, you will find yourselves most welcome here... assuming you're willing to pay the price.  It is almost my lunchtime you see, and it has been ages since I've sampled the delectable joy of a Dragon-Blooded.”_​*When asked about Matthias:*_“Ah, Matt the Instigater!  I know him, of course, and despise him.  He did come this way, but I soon lost track of him.  You are most welcome to seek him and slay him if you wish, assuming you are still willing to enter...”_​ The Luminary might be willing to allow the player characters into his domain, but first they must be willing to pay a price.  The Luminary asks for half of their souls as the toll for entering his domain, no other bargain will do.  The fey lord assures the Circle that half their souls “will not be missed.”  If they agree, the player characters will see and feel the Luminary draw a bit of their happiness out of them and into his mouth.  They will find themselves feeling very melancholy (well, more melancholy than usual).  The Luminary will seem unsatisfied at the unexpectedly meager meal, desiring the other half of his lunch, but will allow the Circle to pass into his domain for the time being.


*When the player characters pass into the Luminary's domain, read or paraphrase the following:*_The vast, subterranean kingdom you now explore is a constantly changing prism of environments - all beautiful and breathtaking.  One chamber might be a flashing array of crystals and another might be a great, three-dimensional garden of delights.  When you are about to grow bored of one chamber, a portal or tunnel will open revealing another more wondrous than the last.  Various small fey creatures fly about at your beck and call, bringing you whatever you desire._
​The Circle will find the Luminary's domain to be a baffling labyrinth of temptation and pleasure, every possible want or desire of the player characters are offered and available to them.  The stocky mountain folk who reside in the cavern network's mutable areas seem to flitter about in a dreamy state of euphoria.  Yet, their bodies seem gaunt and malnourished, for to the Luminary, his subjects are literally cattle.  While in this place, the Circle will have to fight against their desires, for if they give into happiness along with the rest of the inhabitants the rest of their souls will become food for the cruel fey ruler.


Part Five and Conclusion:  Matthias
 If the Circle has been diligent and careful in their search for Matthias, they have a good chance of locating the shape-shifting snoop behind the Luminary's subjects and illusions.  When he is surprised to find the Wyld Hunt before him, Matthias will change into his fearsome beast-forms, thinking them to be easy prey like so many others.  Matthias will likely be the strongest opponent the player characters have ever faced and some of the Circle members may even die.  Chejop Kejak did, however, pick this group for a reason, knowing that they had a chance against the legendary Lunar.  If the Circle perseveres and uses all their resources and strategies then they may very well defeat him.

If the Circle screwed around most of the time and barely made any effort to be discreet in their search for the Lunar then they may very well find that Matthias has fled the Luminary's domain before their arrival.  He probably got wind of the Wyld Hunt's activities and went far deeper into hiding, making any further attempts to find him nigh impossible.  Kejak will be very disappointed in them assuming they can escape from the Luminary's domain; but that's a very minor obstacle compared to what they've been through in the past.


Ingredients


*a girl with pigtails* - the piglet-girl of the boar-clan, identifiable by her two tails.
*the happiest place on earth* - the domain of a powerful Fair Folk Luminary, who grants his subjects every desire in exchange for literally devouring their happiness.
*half-eaten lunch* - in order to enter the Luminary's domain, the Circle must offer half their souls to him.  This barely sates the fey.
*snoop* - the Circle themselves can be considered snoops for the investigative style this adventure takes.  Also, Matthias is a snoop for his modus operandi of meddling in the affairs of others.
*a snake, a snake!* - how the Behemoth is referred to by the badger-clan leader's smaller head.
*Matt the Insstigater* - Matthias, a Lunar Exalted referred to by this title by the Behemoth and the Fair Folk for his tendency to incite conflict amongst his enemies and turn attention away from himself.


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## Pbartender (Jun 22, 2010)

*THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH*

Bianca is the girl with pigtails.  She’s a stereotypical spoiled little brat.  Reading through the adventure, I kept envisioning her as an older version of "Darla" from the movie _Finding Nemo_.  She doesn’t seem to serve a great deal of purpose in the adventure, other than as a terribly annoying foil.

Disneyland, of course, is the “happiest place on earth”…  All of its advertising has said so for decades.  With all the secret behind-the-scenes stuff that goes on at the real Disneyland and Disney World to keep the places running, this has a surprising amount of potential as a setting for an adventure.

Uncle Matt’s departure from the food court serves as the half eaten lunch.  It marks the transition out of the introductory chapter of the adventure, but has little other meaning.

”Snoop” is first Snoopy, then Snoop Dogg, the infamous rapper.  As is, Snoop Dogg acts as a quick set piece encounter, and later as a possible high profile target for the evil Yiggish bat-snake.  On one hand, I hadn’t even considered using him for this ingredient…  Very clever, that.  On the other hand, I see this as a big missed opportunity.  Imagine if instead Snoop Dogg was secretly an old hand when it came to encounters with unspeakable horrors from beyond the realms of reality?  There’s potential there for an unusual and long-term patron for the heroes.

”A snake, a snake!” mainly refers to the snake attack during the Jungle Cruise ride.  The realization that it’s not an animatronic robot, but an actual snake is a great interpretation of the ingredient’s phraseology.  Also, the Yig ties into this ingredient as the Big Bad Evil Snakey Guy, and the as the whole purpose for Uncle Matt’s ritual of nastiness.

Matt the Insstigater is the lisping Uncle Matt, leader of the Cult of Yig, and head ritualist.  He bring everyone to the park, and then more or less vanishes from the adventure until the PCs stumble back upon him at the end.

The playability of this adventure is a concern of mine.  For much of it, the PCs don’t have anything to do, except sit and watch things happen.  In the few spots where they get to do something, it seems to make little difference to the outcome of the adventure one way or another.  Consider the first Chapter of the adventure: The PCs are introduced to Matt and Bianca, they get to watch Bianca be a twit, they get to watch Uncle Matt let her get away with it, and they get to watch Uncle Matt subdue a giant snake.

The style of the adventure has a good head start, beginning with it’s location (Disneyland), a major NPC (Snoop Dogg), and the chosen game system and genre (_Call of Cthulhu_).  Although it suffers, in my opinion, from an odd mixture of goofy humor and macabre horror.  Choosing one or the other – Scooby Doo or Lovecraft – and sticking to it might have made this a much stronger entry.


*THE FINAL HUNT*

Matt the Insstigater is the Lunar exalted that the PCs are sent to hunt down and kill.  While his real name is “Matthias”, his rivals call him “Matt the Insstigater” for his propensity to start trouble.  He’s the entire purpose for the adventure.  The explanation for the misspelling is amusing, but a little thin.

“A snake, a snake!” is how the badger-mutant refers to the behemoth to whom the PCs are directed for information.  While I know the temptation is difficult to resist with such an ingredient, the reference to the internet meme comes awfully close to crossing the line into silliness.  It’s take a thoroughly skillful DM, or thoroughly oblivious players to not have the game take a lengthy turn into digression at that point.

The girl with pigtails is literally has pig tails.  She’s a boar-mutant, daughter of the beastman chief, and bringing her to the behemoth to be eaten is the “rats in the basement” that net the PCs a riddle that should lead them to the next step toward Matthias.

The happiest place on earth is part of the riddle that leads the PCs to the Luminary.  It refers to the realm in which the luminary lives…  A veritable Utopia, such that he can feed off the sublime emotions of it inhabitants.  A very tasty usage of the ingredient.

The half-eaten lunch is the Luminary’s price for divulging the whereabouts of Matthias.  Specifically, one half of each PC’s soul.

The implementation of snoop in this adventure is the least satisfying of the ingredients, I think.  Either explanation is tenuous, and both feel like post script justifications of something that didn’t quite actually make it into the adventure.

The adventure, at its heart, is a standard “hunt the bad guy” sort of plot.  There’s nothing wrong with that at all. Everybody likes that sort of adventure now and again.  Just be careful for a few possible problems…  First, the adventure uses a fairly standard video game device to advance the plot.  One NPC directs the PCs to a person who might know the location of the Dingus, but first before he tells you, you must perform this task for him.  The next NPC doesn’t know where the Dingus is, but he can tell you if only you pretty please complete this little side quest. And so on and so on through a string of NPCs and side quests until you finally get to the Dingus.  In this shorter adventure, it really only happens two or three times, but it can make for a terribly linear plot line, if dragged out for too long.

Also, there two spots where there are possible choke points, depending on what the players decide to do...  The first is the riddle.  It's a rather obscure riddle, and the answer refers to an in-game location that players may or may not now about.  Unless they have intimate meta-knowledge of that specific part of the setting, the only way to get the answer is for the DM to hand it to them.  That's a very frustrating and unsatisfying sort of riddle.  The second is the Luminary's price for traveling through his realm.  What happens if one or more of the PCs refuses to let him nibble on their souls?  It's never considered in the adventure write up, there are no other options suggested, and it could stop the adventure cold, depending on how stubborn the DM and PCs decided to be.

The style of the adventure is nice, and has some good imagery: the two tribes of mutant monsters, the enormous snake behemoth, the Luminary's dangerously perfect domain, etc...  Watch the silliness with the boar chieftain, though, it would be easy to break the otherwise slightly more serious mood of an anathema hunt.  There's a lot of ways this base could be built and expanded upon, if you had more time.

This is a close decision for me...  

The use of ingredients are fairly even between the two.  I think THE FINAL HUNT has an advantage over the THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH for playability.  Even though the plot line is a bit linear and there's a couple of potential choke points, THE FINAL HUNT has the PCs driving most of the action, whereas for much of THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH it feels like the PCS are just along for the ride.  THE FINAL HUNT also gets a slight edge on style.  The NPCs and scenery are descriptively interesting, and have a lot of possibilities for interesting interactions.  THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH has a lot of potential here for surprising revelations about popular theme parks and rap stars, but seems to fall flat by giving us all the usual things we expect to not expect.  Furthermore, the adventure is confused about whether it should be goofy-horror or gruesome-horror, and the two don't mix well here.

Sansuo with THE FINAL HUNT wins by a nose.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 23, 2010)

Round 2 Match 3
Green Dice vs. Pro Paladin
Judge: Radiating Gnome


Ingredients:
Gelatinous Cube
Topiary Maze
Selfless Pretender
Entitlement
Ring of the Ram
Rope Ladder


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## Pro-Paladin (Jun 24, 2010)

*Winter's Grasp*

A fantasy adventure for 3-5 players.
_

When I look at a solitary oak 
I think: the patriarch of the woods. 
It will outlive my forgotten age 
As it outlived that of my grandfathers'.

-Pushkin


_*Summary*

A Druid serving the Old Gods is determined to protect nature by stopping humanity's progress toward civilization. The PCs are sent to stop him, but to do so they must face the full wrath of both nature and fallen mankind.


*Background*

This adventure is intended for a party of low level characters (level 3-5) who have few if any magical items. Having at least one character with wilderness survival skills will be helpful, but is not necessary. 


*Setting*

This adventure takes place in a land called Vanag. This area is noted for its bitterly cold winters, muddy spring and fall and mild summers. Massive forests, mighty rivers and towering mountain ranges isolate it from the rest of the world. Hundreds of years ago the land was united under a single powerful ruler. Civilization thrived and great cities sprung up along the many rivers. The old superstitions of worshiping the many Gods of nature were abandoned in favor of the Monotheistic and highly organized worship of Perkans, the Sun God. 

The golden age proved short-lived, however. In time the ruling bloodline grew complacent and greedy. Finally, the Kingdom fragmented into many tiny slivers, fighting for control...or survival.

Today in Vanag tyranny, starvation, enslavement, roaming monsters and senseless wars are common. Life is short and miserable and people are seen as little more than expendable resources by the warlords that rise to power. Ignorance and superstition are rife. Magic has all but disappeared and is only kept alive by the extreme, some would say mad, devotion of a few toward the Gods. 

In one small community, however, there is a ray of hope.


*Obren

*The city of Obren was little different from any of the other small settlements that dot the land, until recently. The current Prince (all rulers in Vanag claim to be descendants of the Old Kingdom), Boris IX, showed very little promise in the first days of his rule and it seemed likely he would fall to the usurpers seeking control of his very modest principality.

Then, he suddenly became the most capable ruler that Vanag has seen in literally centuries. The usurpers were defeated, outside enemies and monsters were driven back and Obren began to rapidly expand, taking larges bites out of the surrounding forests in the process as the lumber fueled the growth of the city's structures and the newly cleared areas were converted to farmland.

One key to the expansion was granting the right of property to the serfs, who are treated as little more than property themselves elsewhere. This encouraged the development of the settlement and has also attracted refugees who had been enslaved elsewhere. There has even been talk of eventually allowing the common person to elect representatives to act as advisers to the Prince. 

As the city grows to truly earn the name "city" nature has been beaten back and tamed to suit the needs of this new awakening. This has not gone unnoticed.  
 
Obren is currently in the grip of several weeks of extreme cold, despite it being late spring. When the city was hit with a blizzard on the day of the Summer Festival many began to suspect this strange weather pattern might not be completely natural. People are starting to worry.


*The Party

*Ideally the PCs should have been using Obren as a base of operations for at least a little while, allowing them to witness the changes in the community and build their own reputation here. Otherwise, "just passing through" will work, the PCs will need to seek shelter from the latest blizzard. The Party should be Good aligned. Their reputation as great heroes of amazing power (4th Level!) and goodness will lead to an invitation to meet with the Prince and discuss the current crisis. 

If desired, the Party has a little time to check out the rumors around town before the meeting. The following bits of information are available. If the party has been based in Obren this information should already be  known to them, otherwise a few rolls and more role-playing is in order.

- The winter weather at this time of year is extremely unusual.
- Obren has many enemies among the other settlements of Vanag.
- The forest is a dangerous place.
- The peasants are happy with the freedoms they have been granted.
- Most people approve of Prince Boris.
- The people here mostly serve Perkans, but some still worship the Old Gods.
- Followers of the Old Gods blame the "falling away" from their worship for the problems in Vanag.

When the party meets the Prince in the city's small and very modestly furnished castle they will be escorted into a back room. Here they will be told the secret of the community.


*Gleaning from the Cube*

Alone with just the Prince and his personal servant, it will be the servant that steps forward to address the heroes. "If I am to bargain with you in good faith, you must see me as I truly am." With that, the servant removes the illusion. The Party is standing in front of a Gelatinous Cube.

This Cube is the result of an appeal performed by a half-mad hermit. This hermit was deeply devoted to Perkans and hoped to awaken "the innate goodness" in all things. The Cube living in the cave where he performed his meditations proved to be the first test subject. The Sun God allowed this miracle to occur for his devoted servant and the monster became self-aware and Lawful Good. It was educated by its creator, but when the hermit was slain in a surprise attack by bandits the bizarre creature was forced to venture into the world.

The monster possesses psionic abilities and used them to disguise its appearance and gain influence within the court of Obren. When the usurpers threatened, it was the guidance and psychic abilities of the creature that prevented disaster. Since then it has encouraged the reform of Obren and the new rights of the peasantry. In some ways this monster has become an Avatar of the Sun God, although not nearly as powerful.

The Cube will speak telepathically to the PCs. It will introduce itself as "Zhela" and will explain its background if asked. If the characters attempt to become aggressive the Cube can use a calming aura to stop any violence. This ability only functions on characters who are Good-aligned and/or worshipers of Perkans. 

Zhela will then inform the characters about the current crisis. Word has reached the true ruler of Obren that a murderous Druid named Makar is behind the lingering winter weather. The Druid is determined to destroy Obren before it can threaten the natural balance and has been in contact with local warlords and bandit leaders. 

Zhela will explain that the PCs cannot hope to defeat the Druid with their present resources. "His skin is like the bark of an oak!" Instead they will need to use "the magic of the Old Ones against them!" He has received word that an evil Fighter and warlord named Vasily has such a magic item, a ring that packs the fury of charging mountain ram! 

Ideally the meeting should end with the PCs agreeing to battle the Druid and being directed to the small settlement ruled by Vasily to gain the power needed for that battle. 

If the party decides to go after the Druid directly, let them try and fail (or succeed, with a lot of skill and luck!). The survivors should want to regroup and go after Vasily's magic item. If they earn a victory against the odds allow the adventure to continue, but the final battle to save Obren might prove very hard to win.

If the PCs decline the mission the final attack on Obren mentioned later occurs, only this time it is led by the Druid Makar and further reinforced by summoned animals. "Don't get killed" would count as a victory in this case.


*The Cold*

Throughout the rest of the adventure the winter weather should serve as an additional adversary to the PCs, one they can endure but not defeat. Snow will fall and obscure vision, thick snow on the ground slows travel, patches of ice could lead to falls and exposed flesh will quickly suffer from exposure. Careful preparation and magic will certainly help but the bitter winter is relentless.  

In a few cases the cold should become a more serious problem. The characters might need to cross a frozen river, find shelter from an especially violent blizzard or help an ally whose warm coat was damaged in combat. Hope someone took "sewing" as a skill! Don't overuse these situations, but save them for when the party starts taking the setting for granted.


*Makar

*The Druid has faithfully served the Old Gods for most of his nearly seventy winters and has been granted powers to strangle civilization's revival while it's still in the crib. These largely forgotten Gods see mankind's current misery as an opportunity to reassert their authority and restore their rightful place in the Universe. If it leads to more human misery, so be it, as long as they are honored once again.

Makar lives in a magical hut four miles north of Obren. From here he plans to use his magic to destroy the community: casting "Control Weather" to prolong the winter, "Plant Growth" to rebuild the damage to the forest, "Animal Summoning" and "Call Lightning" to kill the peasants, etc. He also plans to use the local warlords for his purposes and has already brought Vasily to his side by offering magical aid to the villain.

Makar is True Neutral. To achieve his ends of protecting the natural world he will engage in activities many would say are evil, but to his beliefs this is merely the necessary equalizing of the world's extremes and the preservation of the natural order. When he kills it is with the dispassion of a predator taking the prey.  

The Old Gods have given Makar a great deal of power to achieve their goals. In addition to the usual Druid abilities he is protected by a powerful divinely-bestowed Barkskin that makes him immune to all non-magical weapons (he is old and somewhat frail and has few hit points otherwise). Reflecting his role as a servant of the Winter Spirits he is immune to cold and takes minimum possible damage from fire. Summoned animals and animals befriended with "Animal Friendship" will always accompany him.


*The Evil Fighter*

Vasily rules a small community about ten miles east of Obren. Of course the trip is half the fun and the danger of the bitter cold should be played up as much as possible. If the DM wishes to run a short encounter, an ambush or straight-up fight against some of Vasily's raiders would be ideal. It's still early in the adventure, though, so the fight should go the PCs' way after some initial difficulty (The brigands assumed the PCs were ordinary travelers and will retreat once the tide turns. No profit in dying!). 

Vasily has enslaved a small community. The peasants are forced to grow Sornak, a tough leafy plant that can survive the bitter winters of Vanag. It is then used to make rope, the main commodity the slave city produces. It is traded for weapons to arm the bandit-soldiers of the evil Fighter. The peasants are poorly fed and clothed and many are diseased. Death is common, but more slaves can always be acquired by force.

The best course of action is to infiltrate, use social skills to win over the suffering peasants and use the information gained (Vasily keeps the ring in a chest near his bed when he sleeps) to steal the ring. A direct attack on Vasily, hopefully when he's alone (maybe have the peasants create a diversion?), could also work. Perhaps the clothes of the bandits killed earlier could be used as a disguise? Careful players should be successful, reckless players are going to struggle here. 


*The Druid's Maze*

Armed with a weapon capable of dealing with the Druid (hopefully!) the party must now journey into the heart of the forest where Makar rules his savage subjects. The attacks will begin soon after the party leaves Obren and will become more deadly as they get closer. The first encounter might be with a murder of ravens trying to peck the characters, then a lone wolf, then a wolf pack, then a bear, etc. 

Each of these encounters should reward tactical play. For example, the wolf pack is best dealt with by going "back to the wall" with some natural barrier so that the wolves can not encircle, flank and attack from behind. 

Exposed flame will also be the party's friend, both for keeping aggressive animals at bay and for warmth against the bone-chilling cold that becomes more severe as the party gets closer to the Druid. From an overlooking hill the Characters can see the snow-covered hut of the Druid, but also a massive natural obstacle of bushes, evergreens, leaf-less oaks and many other plants held in the half-alive stasis of the unnatural winter.

The heroes eventually will reach a point where the forest is so overgrown that further advancement seems impossible. Careful investigation will reveal small passages that allow progress. The Characters must now navigate a confusing maze of frost-covered plant-life whose branches often blot out the weak sun in the overcast sky above. Treat this section as a dungeon, except in some cases the PCs can cut through the "walls" (hope someone brought an axe!). 

Several keyed encounters can be placed with killer wildlife, but more effort should be made to play up the claustrophobia of the maze. Animals will be heard moving about, rustling frozen limbs, but nothing can be seen. A mournful wolf howling breaks the tension of silence, while adding new tension on top of it. 

A few of the plants have been animated to attack and this should be a nasty and unexpected surprise when it happens. Characters will suddenly be enveloped by a cloud of snow spraying from the moving limbs that tear and crush!


*A Hut with Eagle Feet

*If the party survives the attacks in the maze they will reach the center grove where the home of the Druid shifts about on four giant, taloned legs. This bizarre structure will attempt to kill the PCs, by attacking with a single huge talon while the other legs balance. Within the doorless square hut on top of the giant avian legs Makar will bide his time, revealing himself only if necessary.

The Ring of the Ram will help immensely. Attacking the hut itself (a little knock on the "door") will quickly smash it to splinters, revealing Makar. PCs might also try to trip the hut by using the ring against the eagle legs. More conventional tripping attacks with rope or perhaps rolling logs (takes some time to set up that one!) might also be attempted. It's possible to hurt the legs by attacking them with weapons of spells, but they are resistant to damage. 

When forced from his hut Makar will begin summoning animals to slay the characters. While he chants prayers to the Old Gods the frozen limbs surrounding the characters will begin to shake violently as the summoned creatures rush through the maze to answer the call. Quick action will stop the Druid, but it will be tougher the longer the fight goes. Again, the best bet is to use the Ring of the Ram on the old man, as it bypasses all his defenses. Two or three full strength hits should finish him, maybe less if he can be knocked off the hut (a twenty foot fall). When Makar dies the legs of the hut will dissolve and the summoned animals will leave, so targeting the Druid while the other characters hold off his summoned reinforcements is the best course of action.  

The Druid is fanatically sure of his eventual victory and will fight to the death. As he dies the snowfall ceases and the sun peaks from behind a cloud.


*The Walls of Obren

*The PCs return home victorious and should have some time to recover from their harrowing experiences in Makar's forest. However, the danger has not passed. On the morning of the third or forth day, just as the snow is melting away to expose patches of grass beneath, the Evil Warlord Vasily sends his armies against the city. 

Vasily, or his equally ambitious successor if he was killed by the characters earlier, is here for revenge. Having his ring stolen has greatly weakened his authority over semi-loyal fellow bandits. To get that loyalty back he plans to lead them to victory against the city that has been hurting his efforts to enslave and dominate. In the case of the successor, he is chasing glory and power while ostensibly revenging his slain predecessor.

Behind the wooden walls of Obren morale is high ("come and do your worst!"), until the secret weapon of the raiders is revealed. Slowly advancing from the shadows of the forest is what appears to be a twenty foot tall man. As it comes closer, it's clear that this is no human.

Constructed of tightly pulled rope from the slave-grown Sornak plant this giant Golem resembles a man who has been flayed of his skin, revealing taught tendons. Huge hands open and close, as if anticipating the violence they will deal. As if that wasn't bad enough, the monster is covered with a layer of ice!

This Rope Golem, constructed of the only suitable raw material readily available in the slave encampment, was a final gift to Vasily from Makar and has enough intelligence to follow rather detailed instructions. This time, it's been ordered to lead the attack on Obren and act as a ladder. 


*Frozen Rope*

The golem will approach the walls with a slow, almost casual gait while javelins, arrows and even flaming arrows bounce harmlessly off its icy armor. When it reaches the wall the Golem drops to one knee as if praying, forming stairs with its hand, knee and bowed head. While special assault troops climb its body by sinking metal mountaineering hooks into its icy skin for balance it swats at defenders on the wall with its free hand. A hail of arrows supports this attack on the wall. As groans of despair rise from the city's defenders, the PCs are taken away from the walls by a royal guard who has urgent orders for them. 

The time has come for Zhela, the Gelatinous Cube, to appear in his true form for one last stand against the forces of evil and chaos. Zhela quickly communicates the plan telepathically as it is guided toward the gate of the city by soldiers (they have been told Zhela is a trained monster). The cube will create as much havoc as possible by attacking Vasily's raiders, while the PCs will take out the Golem.

Zhela will create at least a temporary panic in the attackers with his appearance, before being hacked apart. This is the PCs chance to hit the Rope Golem. While covered in frost the Golem can only be hurt by bludgeoning weapons (use that ring, again!) and it takes half damage from fire. After losing a third of its hit points to such damage the frost layer has been smashed or melted off and the Golem can now be damaged by slashing weapons (bludgeoning it does no further damage) and it takes double damage from fire. When the Golem is defeated the attackers panic and flee. 

As the battle turns in the defenders favor (hopefully!) allow the characters to order the defending army: "Shoot flaming arrows at it! Now!" or "Out the gates, smash them!" The defenders might still do these actions, but it's far more fulfilling if they do so under orders from the characters.

As the brigands flee, the scattered remains of the cube slowly melt into the earth, joining the snow and shed blood.


*Aftermath*

Assuming the battle is won, the characters become the heroes of Obren and will be taken into the full confidence of Prince Boris and can become the power behind his rule if they wish to do so. The Prince is not a strong ruler and it might be best if one of the characters eventually replaces him, perhaps when the party's Fighter or Paladin reaches "name level."

Alternately, the PCs can choose to simply leave, having "put things right." Obren's future is uncertain, but a major blow has been dealt to her enemies and for the time being there is reason for optimism. 

Besides, another adventure awaits, perhaps on the other side of that mountain range...


*Other Options*

It is possible that the Druid appeals to the PCs for their aid rather than immediately attacking. For now the threat to the natural world is minimal, but who knows what the future holds if the human settlements continue to grow? If the characters are won over they may find themselves leading the attack on Obren rather than defending it.

If the characters fail to defend Obren, but survive its fall the campaign should continue. Now the PCs will have to work from the shadows, freeing slaves, defeating bandits and trying to restore what was lost. It's likely that Vasily or his successor will not remain permanently loyal to the Druid, in which case this chaos might be used to defeat them both. 



*Ingredient Review

**Gelatinous Cube*: The Cube in this adventure has gained self-awareness and serves as a bizarre servant of the Sun God and true ruler of Obren. Like Obren itself, it is a symbol of Good showing up in an unlikely place, against all odds. At the same time, its abilities as a Ooze are fully deployed in the final battle.

*Topiary Maze*: The PCs must make their way through the maze of the Druid before confronting him. In this case the maze is trimmed and formed through magic and is designed to keep intruders from reaching the Druid's Grove.

*Selfless Pretender*: Zhela, the Gelatinous Cube, pretends to be an ordinary monster so he can sacrifice himself in the final battle. He also masquerades as a servant to the Prince. The Prince himself also fills this rule, pretending to rule while he selflessly allows Zhela, who is far more capable, to rule in his place. 

*Entitlement*: On one hand the granting of entitlements in the form of rights for the serfs has led to the growth and strength of Obren, which will fuel the conflict. On the other, the Old Gods feel entitled to humanity's worship and will win it back by force if necessary.

*Ring of the Ram*: This magic ring is the weapon the PCs need to defeat the Druid and later the Rope Golem. The power of the ring can "knock on the door" of the doorless hut of Makar and then it can bypass his numerous resistances. It is also ideal for turning the Frozen Rope Golem into an ordinary, easily set alight Rope monster. Finally, the theft/acquisition by violence of this item sets up the final conflict.
*
Rope Ladder*: The Rope Golem itself fills this roll in the final battle. Unlike ordinary ladders or siege engines its special magical construction makes it very hard to destroy...except for the resourceful PCs, of course.


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## Green Dice (Jun 24, 2010)

*Let Sleeping Cubes Lie*
A DnD 4e side quest for heroic tier characters

*Background:*
The grand city of Hollowset was built over a vast canal system of intertwining tunnels and corridors. These passages were thought to be from a long gone civilization. Although little was known about the labyrinth, the engineers building Hallowset felt they’d be useful as a complex sewer system for the city. The citizenry of Hallowset enjoyed the relative cleanliness provided by the sewers beneath the city and, as a result, people flocked to Hallowset. Time passed and the city grew into a metropolis. 

Hallowset was ruled by a benevolent magic user named Fribarrin. He surrounded himself with good advisors and councilors including a man by the name of Ragios, the Captain of the Guard and a man of noble blood. Fribarrin wanted to rule justly and fairly for the people of his city. However, the peace was shattered when the city was beset by a grotesque monster from the very sewers themselves – a large six sided, transparent monster! The gelatinous cube dissolved the city, buildings and people alike. Fribarrin ordered Ragios to gather his men to combat the monster while he took his council of mages to come up with an arcane solution to their plight. 

Although the Hallowset Guard fought well, many men died. Ragios managed to minimize damage to the city by luring the monster back down into the sewers. Although the immediate danger was gone, there was still the problem of having this creature lurking below the city and it’d only be a matter of time until it emerges again to wreak havoc.

Fribarrin, at work with his mages, found a way to defeat the gelatinous cube. Heading down to the sewers with Ragios and the Hallowset Guard, the combined efforts of the army and the mages managed to push the monster into the deep underground. Many men were lost during this offensive, but it was for the good of the city. Once at the heart of the sewer, Fribarrin unleashed his magic and sealed the monster within the walls of the labyrinth – however, he was trapped as well. 

Although it was Fribarrin that defeated the monster, the people saw Ragios emerge from the catacombs victorious. Dubbed the Hero of Hallowset, the people demanded that he be placed in command. Fribarrin’s son, who was being groomed to take over after his father, was too young to assume the position as ruler of Hallowset and Ragios was made ruler. Fribarrin’s family challenged that decision and they were banished for their efforts. 

Generations have passed and Ragios' descendants have held power this whole time. The city has become but a mere shadow of its former self. The sewers are as dangerous as ever – they are crawling with small gelatinous cubes. Sometimes, a small group of them make their way to the surface and plague the city.

*Placing the Grand City*
The DM can place the Grand City of Hallowset anywhere s/he desires. I see it as being in the middle of a wasteland. Not particularly a desert but more in a dust bowl of sorts. An area that was once fertile land but has become a dry and cracked wasteland

*Enter the Heroes*
After travelling for many days through the wasteland, any sign of civilization should be welcome. They can fill their water skins, grab a few nights rest in a real bed and perhaps get some food... with actual flavor! Of course, the DM can have the heroes going to Hallowset for any number of other reasons involving their campaign. Perhaps they need to seek an alliance with the city or maybe they are tracking down a specific person, a merchant or outlaw, who was last seen in Hallowset. 

*I. The Grand City of Hallowset*
Upon reaching Hallowset, the heroes see it is a great walled city that has seen better days. The crumbing towers and ramparts seem right at home against the background of a devastated landscape. If it wasn’t for the small groupings of houses outside the walls and the plumes of smoke rising up from inside the city, the place would seem deserted from a far. 

*Making a History Check:*
*15* - Hallowset is a major stopping point for travelers trekking across the wasteland. The city went through a prosperous time and it was known for having a complex sewer system and was an extremely clean city. But then the city hit hard times when the ruling family changed. 

*20* - The last ruling family was ousted when the city was attacked by a large Gelatinous Cube and since changed the direction of the city. The Ragios family took power when the last ruler was killed in the attack.

*25* -The city has been plagued by a continuous onslaught of small gelatinous cubes coming up from the sewer system. Hallowset was built on top of a complex system of tunnels and channels which make up its sewer system. These corridors were thought to be the remnants of an ancient civilization.

The gate guards are dressed in the tan and white uniforms of the Hallowset Guard. They allow the heroes in after some questioning. Hallowset is a traveler’s haven and the guard wouldn’t think of turning away a source of good coin from the city. Inside the city, it looks as if a thousand different cultures collided. Smells of exotic foods waft through the air and the sounds of a bustling city are commonplace. Many rows of taverns and inns line the streets in an attempt to lure travelers in for a nights rest. A great market place dominates the center of town. This would be a great opportunity for DMs to introduce any sorts of odd equipment or magical device for the heroes to purchase (or steal). It is pretty obvious that this city is on hard times. Many people look poor, filthy and destitute. Children without shoes run around begging for money and food. There is a heavy presence of guardsmen patrolling the city in groups of 2 to 4. 

At random intervals, there are giant grates coming up out of the ground. The air around these vents is foul. These are the entrances to the vast sewer system beneath Hallowset. Sometime during the heroes’ initial visit to the city, a group of small gelatinous cubes emerge from one of these grates and attack the citizens. Screams for help can be heard around the city and all the guards in the area run to protect the citizenry. If the heroes help defend the city (and they probably will), the guards and citizens alike are very grateful. Most travelers just don’t care enough to help the way the heroes do. If the heroes offer to descend into the sewers to end this problem for good, the guards and citizens tell them about the complex system of intertwining corridors and tunnels beneath the city. Many bands of adventurers have gone down there and didn’t even make a dent in the number of cubes that attack; if they come back at all. Living under the constant threat of attack by the small cubes has become a way of life in Hallowset. 

While exploring Hallowset, the heroes come across an old man screaming and hollering at anyone who will listen to him. This is Zaabarrin, the crazy old man who lives in a tower a few miles from town. He's a self proclaimed historian and will tell anyone who listens about the history of Hallowset, specifically about the city's most prosperous time under the rule of his Grandfather, Fribarrin. He'll tell the heroes about how his grandfather brought the city from a small trading outpost to a grand metropolis. He'll also talk about how he loves this city (mostly because of his familial ties to it) and wishes to be a part of it. If asked why he doesn't just move into Hallowset itself, Zaabarrin goes into the tale of the Gelatinous Cube that attacked the city from the sewers and how his Grandfather died protecting the city. With a sneer, he says his family was repaid for his Grandfather's heroism by removing them from power and installing the Ragios family as the rulers of the city. Calming himself, Zaabarrin says that there is nothing he can do about that now. All he can do is let people know what his family did for the city and try to make Hallowset a place his Grandfather would be proud of. Zaabarrin takes a liking to the heroes and offers them a place to stay for the night. He'd love to tell more tales about Hallowset and, in return, he'd like to hear more about the "outside" world. He doesn't get out of the wasteland much. Considering the exuberant prices of the local inns, this should seem like a great option for the heroes. Zaabarrin says he'll wait for the heroes to be done in the city and he'll escort them to his tower. 

If the heroes ask around town about Zaabarrin, they confirm his story. He is a loud old man who is related to the former ruler of the city. The guards don't like him and often give him a difficult time about being in the city. The current ruler does not like him in town and refuses him to live there. The guards have orders to chase him out of town if they see him. Many people are afraid of him. 

When the heroes are done with their shopping or any other business they may have in the city, they can find Zaabarrin in the same place they found him the first time. A small group of guards have surrounded the old man and are giving him a hard time. They are trying to get him to leave the city since he is not welcome. Once the heroes arrive and the guards leave, Zaabarrin pulls out a bag of holding from his robes. From the bag, he pulls out a tightly wound rope ladder. While he unravels the ladder, it looks rather ordinary. With a flick of the wrist, Zaabarrin throws the ladder up into the air where it hangs vertically up in the air. The uppermost part of the rope ladder fades away to nothing. He explains that this ladder will take them to his tower. Although he looks like a beggar, he now seems more like a wizard. He starts to climb up the ladder hanging in midair and beckons the heroes to follow him. He then fades to nothing as he reaches the top of the ladder. 

*II. Zaabarrin's Tower*
Climbing the ladder opens a portal into Zaabarrin's Tower, a few miles outside of Hallowset. The portal drops the heroes out in the middle of a ritual circle inscribed with numerous runes and arcane symbols. Looking around the large chamber, there are numerous bubbling bottles and liquids on tables. Dusty books and tomes line tall bookshelves and jars of different substances are strewn about. A particularly large jar holds a small squirming gelatinous cube, the same size as one of the cubes the heroes fought in the city. Next to the jar holding the cube is a large throne-like chair which Zaabarrin is climbing into. He waves his hand and chairs float in through an open door and he begs the heroes to take a seat. 

Zaabarrin begs the heroes to tell him about the outside world before allowing them to ask questions of him. Zaabarrin admits he is a bit offended that his family was ousted from power and that it is he that should be ruling Hollowset. But what is done is done and since he, in his advanced age, does not have long to live, all he wishes to accomplish is to make Hallowset a better place. If asked about the small Gelatinous Cube, Zaabarrin smiles and says that this little guy is the key to his grand plan. He feels it fitting that since it was his Grandfather who saved Hallowset from the large Gelatinous Cube back in the day and he wants his mark on the city to be halting the onslaught from the hordes of small cubes. 

Zaabarrin then admits that it is because of his grand plan that he invited the heroes back to his tower. He believes that he is able to ward off the little monsters using a ritual his Grandfather was researching. He has all the ingredients he needs but he needs the correct incantations to use. Fortunately, Zaabarrin knows where he can find the incantations he needs. Unfortunately, the information he needs is written in a tome that his Grandfather used to help defeat the original Gelatinous Cube and it is now sealed up within the labyrinth of sewers beneath the city. He asks the heroes to descend into the bowels of the city where the epic final battle with the Gelatinous Cube was fought and retrieve his Grandfathers spellbook. He explains that the fight took place in the center of the sewers and the chamber would be sealed behind walls with his grandfather's seal on it. Zaabarrin hobbles over to a cabinet and removes a jeweled box. From the box, he removes a large iron ring with the head of a ram on top. Zaabarrin explains that this ring has been in his family for generations and was worn by his Grandfather. It is the only way to break the seal protecting the chamber where his Grandfather lies. He emphasizes that the lower levels of the sewer is maze-like and no credible map exists. 

If your heroes need some monetary motivation for undertaking this quest, Zaabarrin can offer considerable sums of gold, mostly in the form of ritual components or maybe a magic item or two. 

As the heroes depart in the morning, Zaabarrin gives them one more gift: His magic rope ladder. He says that as soon as they find the book, they can use it to open a portal directly back to the tower. 

*III. Into the Sewer*
Back at Hallowset, the heroes have no problem finding a suitable entrance to the sewer system. As luck would have it, the heroes arrive just in time for another hostile wave of small gelatinous cubes.

Once in the sewers, they look like any other sewer system. But once they descend into the lower levels of the sewer, the tunnels, chambers and corridors become more complex. The heroes come across the dead bodies of adventurers who tried to navigate these tunnels before them. Eventually, the sewer becomes a veritable maze. The walls of the tunnels go from being lined with slime and sludge on the upper areas to being covered with moss, lichen and other types of plant life. During their search, the heroes come across swarms of small gelatinous cubes feeding on this plant life. This is how these little monsters survive down here in order to attack the city. 

"Into the Sewer" can be run as a skill challenge. Every success brings them closer to their goal and every failure causes them to stumble across a swarm of small gelatinous cubes. Failing the skill challenge still gets the heroes to their destination, but everyone loses a healing surge from being fatigued. 

When the heroes find the sealed room in the center of the sewer system, they find a large group of small gelatinous cubes who seem to be guarding the way into the chamber. After fighting off the cubes, they can use the power of the ring to break the seal on the wall and it comes tumbling down. The chamber beyond has not been disturbed since it was sealed and it seems like a tomb. Taking up much of the floor is a thin sticky layer of bluish green slime. Any hero that touches it takes 1 HP of acid damage. It is easily deduced that this is the remains of the old Gelatinous Cube. A skeleton in tattered robes is on the floor clutching a satchel. There are many other remains in the room but this is the only one that looks to be the remains of a magic user. The book inside the satchel seems to pulse with magic and rituals and spells are scribbled on its pages. 

After securing the book, the heroes can use the magic rope ladder to create a portal back to Zaabarrin's tower.

*IV. Zaabarrin's Tower - revisited*
Getting back to the tower, the heroes see Zaabarrin standing at the edge of the ritual circle pouring different chemicals into the jar containing the small gelatinous cube. As the liquids dissolve the small cube, he kicks the jar over and it smashes onto the floor. The glowing blue contents spread over the ritual circle. A stereotypical villainous laugh erupts from Zaabarrin as he thanks them for allowing him to finish his ritual. This may confuse some of the heroes since they haven't given the wizard the book yet. The book was never Zaabarrin's objective, knocking down the seal around the chamber was. With the seal removed, he was able to finish his ritual to reawaken the Gelatinous Cube.

Why? Because Zaabarrin's family should be the ones who are ruling Hallowset. Stripped of authority, his family was cast out and Ragios' heirs drove the city into the ground. As revenge, Zaabarrin is unleashing the terror from Hallowset's past back on the city. After all, it is what the city deserves after they way they ousted his family from power. 

Zaabarrin then attacks the heroes. He doesn't expect to win, but he merely wishes to slow them down so that the Gelatinous Cube can wreak havoc on Hallowset. If they stay and fight Zaabarrin, by the time they get back to Hallowset, the Gelatinous Cube will already be in the city destroying buildings and killing citizens. The Hallowset Guard, armed citizens and other adventurers will be attempting to stave off the monster but won't make any progress until the heroes arrive. If they leave immediately (they can even climb back down the rope ladder if they haven't dismissed the portal yet), they can catch the Gelatinous Cube in the sewers below the city. However, they would have made Zaabarrin into a recurring villain who now blames them for ruining his plans for revenge. 

After defeating the Gelatinous Cube, the heroes are celebrated and join the ranks of those with the title of "Hero of Hallowset". Whether or not Zaabarrin was killed, his tower is now deserted and the heroes can use this tower as a base of operations for future adventures. 

*Continuing the Adventure: *
Although this was meant to be a side quest, it can spawn new adventures all by itself. 

- The heroes may want to complete Zaabarrin's initial plan and rid the sewers of the small cubes and try to find their origin by exploring the complex tunnels under the city. 
- Zaabarrin's tower could be filled with wild experiments and artifacts that could lead the heroes onto numerous adventures.
- Zaabarrin's Grandfathers book could be studied by a magic user and become the catalyst for many adventures. 
- The current ruler of Hallowset would have definitely heard of the heroes' exploits by now and perhaps he wants to personally thank them for all they've done for the city; and then hire them for a quest of his own. 

*Ingredients:*
Gelatinous Cube: Not only is Hallowset under constant attack from small gelatinous cubes, but it was besieged by a large Gelatinous Cube once in the past and again when it was awakened by Zaabarrin.

Topiary Maze: The lower sewer system becomes a maze of tunnels that are lined with moss, lichen and other foliage that acts as food for the small gelatinous cubes.

Selfless Pretender: Zaabarrin, the main antagonist of the adventurer and the one who sends the heroes on down into the sewers. He pretends that he wants to do something good for the people of Hallowset as one of his last acts before he passes away. Instead he tricks the heroes into giving him the opportunity to unleash the terror of the Gelatinous Cube upon the city.

Entitlement: Zaabarrin, the grandson to the first ruler of Hallowset believes he should be the one to rule over the grand city. Since he cannot, he wishes it to be consumed by the Gelatinous Cube.

Ring of the Ram: A gift from Zaabarrin so that the heroes can open up the sealed chamber where the Gelatinous Cube lies so that his magic can revitalize the monster. 

Rope Ladder: The magical rope ladder that opens a portal into the main chamber of Zaabarrin's Tower.


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## Pbartender (Jun 25, 2010)

Round 2, Match 4
ajanders vs. Wik
Judge: Pbartender

*Ingredients:*
the man in the straw hat
tattooed hand
a fake pirate ship
an alien in a jar
foundations of electromagnetic theory
DANGER: Stand 3 feet distant

Submissions are due June 26th, 11:55 am CST.


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## ajanders (Jun 26, 2010)

*Submission for round 2*

Ingredients:
the man in the straw hat
tattooed hand
a fake pirate ship
an alien in a jar
foundations of electromagnetic theory
DANGER: Stand 3 feet distant

"In Space, No-one Can Hear You Solve V=IR"

Game Information
This adventure is written for a pulp-science fiction or space opera game. The mechanical conventions referenced here are from D20 Future.

Synopsis
When a pirate haven suddenly sends a distress signal, the PC's investigate. They must pretend to be pirates in order to approach the station safely. Once docked at the station, they meet with the last surviving member of the Yellow Hat pirates, who explains that a lightning monster is loose on the station, killing everyone. A moment later, he is killed by the lightning monster in a swift strike.
Rapid research by the PC's reveals the lightning monster to be a previously unknown energy-based life form: an intelligent electrical field. It's hiding in the power systems of the station and striking out at humans for unknown reasons. The PC's must figure out how to trap the thing. This can only be done by physically isolating it in a section of power conduit (cutting wires), then dropping it in a BIG capacitor. The PC's can use materials aboard the station to construct a Leyden Jar.
The PC's must locate the lightning monster's nucleus: a concentration of electrical energy...tracking the nucleus by deducing what the signs of its presence must be, then tracking them visually,trap the nucleus, then connect the conducter of the Leyden Jar to the nucleus of the lighting monster.
While doing this, the PC's must negotiate with a rival gang (The Bloody Red Hands of Death) for the use of materials and accesses to hunt the monster and dodge the monsters attacks. 


Prologue
Backstory
Blackside Station is the proverbial hive of scum and villainy. Far from the space lanes, this habitat is the secret and exclusive province of space pirates and black marketeers. It mounts no navigational beacons, has no outgoing communications broadcasts, and carefully conceals itself from law-abiding eyes. Even the most determined efforts of private citizens and the Star Patrol have failed to discover this blot upon the galaxy.
Suddenly, something claiming to be Blackside Station sent a Mayday request.

Hooks
1. Heroic characters of the Star Patrol would be ordered to proceed to the location of the request for help, render aid, and then arrest all the pirates in sight.
2. Every planetary government or corporation that had anything stolen by pirates ever is hiring mercenaries to proceed to the origin of the broadcast, recover the stolen goods, and then possibly render aid. Any character party with their own vessel has their pick of contracts. Any character party without their own vessel can negotiate the use of one for this mission.

Act I: Approach

As the PC's approach the location of the distress signal, they will see multiple ships travelling in opposite vectors. (That is, away from the beacon.) These ships are readily identifiable as pirate vessels. The pirates are more interested in running from something than fighting.

If the PC's try to engage the pirate vessels, the pirates will try to evade first, then fire back at the PC's chasing them while continuing to flee Blackside Station.

PC's attempting to pass themselves off as pirates may do so using a combination of Bluff, Intimidate and Knowledge: Streetwise. (PC's in Star Patrol ships face substantial penalties to their Bluff checks, but with a success may pass themselves off as pirates in a disguised vessel or Star Patrolmen on the take.) Success in this deception allows the PC's to gain the following information:
1. There's a lightning monster loose on the station! No way are we going back there!
2. The Bloody Red Hands of Death gang is stripping the station before they go. The heck with that -- can't spend it sucking vacuum!
3. The Straw Hats sold us out! They're the ones who broadcast the signal. Not that it's safe to go back to Blackside anyway...
Failure means the PC's are discovered: the pirates involved will signal their name and description to all and sundry, then try to evade the PC's.

As the PC's approach Blackside Station, they see it is a rotating wheel design with a docking core in the center and docking hubs on the "top" and "bottom" of the station. The bottom of the station has ships docked there identifiable as ships of the Bloody Red Hands of Death gang. The bottom of the station also has a set of laser cannons that open up with a slow and inaccurate, but steady fire.
PC's can attempt to pass themselves off as pirates again, while making Pilot skill checks to evade the lasers. Success in this deception gets a curt instruction to "Dock on the top and don't get in our way." The PC's may also get the name of some gang leaders. Failure means they get shot at until they give up and dock at the top. 

Act II: Enter the Station 
As the PC's dock, they are met by a panicked man with a Panama hat pulled down low over his eyes and the brim tied down over his ears. He doesn't really care if the PC's are pirates or not: he rapidly explains there's a "lightning monster" loose on the station, that it "jumps out of power conduits and zaps people", but he's safe because the "straw of my hat insulates my head and keeps it from zapping my brain". PC's with any electrical knowledge may be confused by the man's faith in the protective power of woven straw.
Their concerns will be well founded as suddenly a giant spark leaps six feet from a power conduit, obliterates the man in the straw hat, skips off a PC (doing moderate damage), and grounds itself back into the airlock. A few moments later another flash from the PC's ship indicates the party is now stuck: the lightning monsters passage has welded the docking clamps to the ships hull: getting loose will require cutting the clamps free of either the hull or the station -- not possible without a shipyard.
Attempts to get the ship loose will only attract the attention of the lightning monster, which will inquisitively skip out of power conduits, strike a PC (doing moderate damage), and ground back into a conduit...or jump into the ship and damage the electrical systems on board, then jump back out. It should be obvious quickly that the PC's are going to need to deal with the lightning monster before they do anything else.
Xenobiology checks reveal the following:
1. The monster is electrical in nature.
2. The monster is not deliberately hostile, just curious about changes in the magnetic field of the station (caused by people adding bits to it by docking a ship or taking bits away, say, by stripping the station.)
3. Like an amoeba, the monster has a nucleus and a peripheral field. The field regenerates in the presence of the nucleus, but will dissipate without it. The nucleus is the core of the monster.

Repair, Craft (Electronic) or Knowledge(Physical sciences, especially physics) reveal the following:
1. If the monster is electrical, the nucleus of the monster must be a mass of amps...electrical charge.
2. Those amps could be isolated by physically limiting the circuits they travel in...although the monster can arc through the air, it probably prefers to stay in power conduits.
3. Those amps can be trapped in a capacitor, thereby trapping the monster.
4. The nucleus can be located by finding a spot in the power conduits where electricity arcs farther than it should: the unnaturally high quantity of amps will override the resistance of the power conduit insulators.

Act III: Chase the Lightning
The PC's now have three tasks
1. Find and pin the nucleus of the lightning monster
2. Find or build a large capacitor.
3. Feed the nucleus of the lightning monster into the capacitor.

Task 1 is very simple. The power conduits in the station all have safety zones around them -- pirates are not known for workplace regulation, but they enjoy not being electrocuted as much as anyone else, so they practice some common-sense rules. The safety zones are marked with black and yellow hazard lines and signs reading DANGER: Stand 3 feet distant. All the PC's have to do is follow the power conduits and look for a spot where sparks are flying four or more feet from the conduit. Than indicates a surplus of amps and thus the nucleus location.
Once the party finds the nucleus, they will need to keep it in that specific section of power conduit. This requires physically cutting the conduit out of the station's power network and takes a simple repair or craft: Electric check.

Task 2 will require the party to build an old fashioned capacitor: a Leyden Jar. Designing this takes some materials and a simple craft electric or moderate knowledge physical sciences check.

The materials are: a giant glass tank, water, salt, foil tape, and a steel rod. The party will also need a long section of power conduit to lead the nucleus into the Leyden jar.
Unfortunately, the Bloody Red Hands of Death have stripped most of the materials the party needs from the station.
The party will need to beg, bribe, or intimidate the Bloody Red Hands into giving the things up.
This is a set of Diplomacy, Bluff, or Intimidate challenges with the following modifiers: if the party is passing as pirates, the checks are easier. If the party explains this will stop the lightning monster, the checks are easier. If the party was respectful to the gang members manning the defense batteries, the checks are easier. The Bloody red hands are also big tattoo aficionados: their signature is a bleeding wound tattoed onto the left hand. If the PC's lead negotiator is tattoed himself, they can swap ink stories, making the checks easier. Offering items in barter also makes the checks easier.

Task 3 is very simple, in theory. If the PC's have isolated the nucleus properly and built the Leyden jar properly, all they need to do is get the power conduit close enough to the nucleus to make the nucleus arc into the conduit and down into the Leyden jar. Depending on how clever the PC's were with finding and pinning the nucleus, however, this could involve dragging some heavy power conduit a long way through tight spaces. It also involves taking moderate to heavy damage from peripheral grounding as the nucleus jumps into the cable.

Once the lightning monster is trapped, the PC's are free to cut themselves loose from blackside station in peace, arrest the Bloody Red Hands of Death, or both. The Bloody Red hands of Death would prefer to finish stripping the station and get away with their loot instead of fighting, and will do this if the PC's permit it.

Ingredients:
1. the man in the straw hat: the initial person from the Yellow Hat gang who greets the PC's. He has an exaggerated faith in the power of his straw hat to protect him from lightning.

2. tattooed hand: the membership badge of the Bloody Red Hands of Death gang, and a useful clue about a way to negotiate with them.

3. a fake pirate ship: what the PC's can pretend to be to infiltrate the station (and it's very useful to them)

4. an alien in a jar: trapping the lightning monster in a Leyden Jar capacitor is the solution to the alien problem.

5. foundations of electromagnetic theory: are used to build the Leyden Jar, also to detect the nucleus of the lightning monster.

6. DANGER: Stand 3 feet distant: These warning signs are helpful clues for locating the nucleus of the lightning monster


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## Wik (Jun 26, 2010)

(I apologize for the last minute nature of the entry - I got called into work last night, and worked on this till 1 am, before finishing it up today... at work!  This 24 hour timeline is brutal!    )


*The Aether Pact*

_            The slime coiled and undulated upon itself, suspended in its viscous tonic.  A single eye formed out of a string of exposed muscles, a chaos of electrical impulses flickering to form an impromptu iris.  The creature stirred in its abode, the vibrations of the water echoing to form an inhuman voice.  “Anything... you... want.  And then... we go to... the gates of dawn...”

            A man’s hand touched the glass wall of the creature’s home, tapping thoughtfully. “Anything?”

            “...anything....”  The hollow voice repeated.

            “My son?”  

            “...no.  Not your son.  He is beyond me....”

            The hand curled into a fist.  “Then what use are you to me?”

            “Not your son... but I... can get you... those who hurt him.”

            A long pause.  “We have a deal.”_



The _Aether Pact_ is a fourth edition Dungeons and Dragons adventure set in the Astral Sea.  It is intended primarily for 12th level PCs, although it can easily be adapted for other character ranges.  The Adventure is set in the Astral Sea, primarily in the so-called “Deep Astral”.  It can easily be transplanted to the second edition Spelljammer campaign setting, and could almost as easily be moved into any nautical-themed setting with only minimal work.

*Background*

            Sehanine’s Tears has long been known as a safe point for Astral Travellers.  An archipelago of crystalline islands (“The tears of Sehanine”), the entire formation stretches for several hundred kilometres, and consists of hundreds of islands – the largest being a day’s ride in length, and the smallest no larger than a spelljammer vessel.  Many of the larger islands in the archipelago are home to merchant consortiums and townships, which trade with the hundreds of “junkers” – scavengers who prowl the island chain for relics from the Dawn War.

            Of course, where there is money to be made legitimately, there are those who would prefer to plunder it, and the Tears are prowled upon by numerous pirate groups.  In fact, until a few years ago, these spelljamming pirate fleets (many of them of Githyanki origin) threatened to destroy the townships of the Tears.  

            Until a single human, known only as “The Man in the Straw Hat” came along.  Many tales were told of this man, most of them probably false.  Hushed legends were told by the light of a dying sunrod as astral sailors recounted the deeds of the sworn enemy of pirates everywhere.  For it was well known that The Man In The Straw Hat hated pirates.  And the legend slowly spread.

            The townships, while unsure of this privateer’s motives or origins, were more than happy to allow The Man to his hunting.  However, six months ago, he began to target ships that had no pirate affiliations.  The pirate-hating Man in the Straw Hat had gone rogue, and was brutally destroying merchantmen, junkers, and naval ships.  Very little was left behind, except for mangled corpses and the skeletons of ships that had been torn apart from within.  

            Something had to be done.  A man once widely regarded as a hero had to be brought to justice.  Naturally, adventurers were contacted...

*Synopsis*

            The PCs are hired by one of the Townships of Sehanine’s Tears to capture or kill the Man in the Straw Hat, and discover why he has begun to prey indiscriminately.  They are given a Spelljammer to help them in this task.  The PCs spend time and money outfitting this ship, doing their best to make it appear as a pirate ship to better attract The Man in the Straw Hat (as he still prefers to target pirate craft).  

Before they leave, they are approached by an oracle, who presents a cryptic message to the party.

The party then prowls the astral sea, among the shimmering crystalline islands, trying to find The Man.  While following clues, they eventually come across his fabled hideout.  While exploring his hideaway and uncovering clues as to his nature and background, they encounter a strange arcane gate.  A mysterious being from another plane asks to possess one of the PCs, in the hopes of being able to destroy the force that is now driving the Man in the Straw Hat.  Provided a PC accepts this offer, the PCs are nearly magnetically pulled towards their quarry... but they have to magically contain the creature crawling beneath their comrade’s skin, and do so through arcane tattoos.  

            Eventually, the PCs are able to track down their quarry, and a battle ensues.  The PCs, outmatched against an enemy that has the power to explode spelljamming vessels with strange electric energy, have to sneak up on their foe by using the crystalline islands as cover, before launching an all or nothing raid upon The Man’s warship.

*Sehanine’s Tears*

 This adventure takes place in Sehanine’s Tears.  Each “Tear” is an island, ranging from tiny (no larger than a spelljamming vessel) to large (easily large enough to serve as a base for a city or town).  The islands are composed of thick rock laced with veins of multi-coloured crystal.  These crystalline veins sparkle and seem to have an inner light.  As these light sources refract off one another, the final result is a prismatic effect that seems to cloak the entire archipelago in an ever-changing rainbow.  

Many of the Tears house small villages consisting of “Junkers” – scavengers who search for relics from the Dawn War between the gods and primordials.   And there are quite a few islands that contain ancient ruins from that era.  In fact, it is whispered that the Tears were once one large planet that was abandoned by the gods to the horrors of the primordials in exchange for a tactical advantage in the larger war.  

Throughout the Tears, one can find strange creatures – gigantic whales sing songs as they fly through the astral islands,  “astral dolphins” that seem to be flying manta rays that frolic in the wake of a spelljammer’s path, and chromatically-plumed birds that circle flying craft.  

The Tears are one half of the setting of this adventure (the other being the PCs’ ship itself), and it is recommended that the GM go all out in describing their otherworldly nature. 

*Act I*

            The PCs are in one of the townships of the Tears of Sehanine when they are approached by the Lord Mayor with an employment opportunity.  He quietly (and secretively – for his plan to work, secrecy is needed) explains to them the legend of “The Man in the Straw Hat” (feel free to invent all sorts of pirate-hunting tales, many of which contradict each other).  He then informs the PCs that, within the last few months, the Man In The Straw Hat has been carving a swath through the tears, targeting pirate and non-pirate alike.  

            The Lord Mayor wants the PCs to capture (if possible) or kill The Man In The Straw Hat, and put an end to his attacks on merchants and junkers.  To assist them in this, he grants them a Spelljamming vessel, and suggests the PCs make it look like a Pirate Ship, to act as bait.  

            The PCs then have to outfit their ship, doing everything in their power to make it look like a pirate ship.  They could try to hire an appropriately pirate-themed crew, and will probably want to take time to refit their ship to make it appear more menacing than it really is.  Along the way, they hear many tales of their quarry... many people are dismayed that their former hero has “gone rogue”.  

            During this part of the adventure, the PCs will be hounded by a Githzerai monk who claims to know the secret of victory.  Should the PCs pay his asking price (whatever works in your campaign), he will go into a trance and speak the vital clue to the PCs’ success – “When the forces of energy meet, Danger is at three feet distance”.  Of course, the PCs have no idea what this means, and the Githzerai prophet is happy as a clam.  

Eventually, the PCs take to the astral sea in search of The Man in the Straw Hat, along with two other ships – the hope being that the fleet will be able to outnumber and capture their target.  

*The Clue*

            The Mystic’s clue, “When the forces of energy meet, Danger is at three feet distance”, suggests one thing, but means another.  The clue speaks of when the two alien entities (described below) are brought together, the only way to end the crisis is to close the gap to within three feet.  However, it is worded in such a way as to suggest that bringing the entities together would actually be the cause of the danger.  The key to the puzzle is the use of the word “distance” in relation to the word “Danger”.  Hopefully, PCs will figure this out.  If not, well... that's their problem.  

*Act II*

            The PCs sail the Astral Sea for a while, doing their best to pretend at being pirates.  They might intimidate Merchantmen ships sailing past, dock in harbour towns and play the part of marauding brigands, and so on and so forth.  The PCs might even have to try to curtail the activities of their companion ships, who are taking to the role of “pirates” a bit too readily.  

            During this time, they will come across the wrecks of The Man in the Straw Hat’s victims.  Some of these ships are pirate ships, but others are galleys and merchantmen.  Each ship seems pulled apart, with many magnetized balls of iron (consisting of the nails and other metal ship bits) found scattered throughout, floating in astral space like cannonballs amongst the rotting bodies of sailors.  

            Eventually, the PCs come across the ship of The Man of the Straw Hat.  As they approach (perhaps wondering about their oracle’s words), their enemy’s ship fires bolts of lightning at the PCs’ allies.  The PCs watch in horror as their companions’ ships are torn to pieces – when a ship is hit by lightning, it seems almost as every piece of metal in the craft becomes heavily magnetized... and is pulled towards every other metal piece in the ship.  The PCs watch as their companions’ ships are pulled apart, and listen in terror to the cries of mangled astral sailors.  

            The PCs should realize they are far too distant to their enemy to close, and hopefully are able to beat a hasty retreat.  If they decide to close with The Man’s ship anyway, he will fire a bolt at them – however, there is not enough energy left (it’s already been used on two ships) and the PCs’ ship merely shudders and suffers crippling damage... but enough to be repaired.  In either case, the PCs are abandoned by The Man, who seems to be heading in a certain direction.  

*Act III*

            The PCs either escape the Man’s ship and accidentally stumble upon his hideaway, or they need to hold up there for repairs.  In either case, they come across a typical “pirate’s cove” – a hollowed out hunk of space rock that has been excavated to accommodate a crew.  They explore this dungeon in a sort of extended skill challenge, learning many clues about The Man in the Straw Hat’s nature, as well as realizing that this hideaway contains ancient ruins that date back to The Dawn War.  

            While they explore, the PCs can uncover much about their quarry – such as the fact that he was once a very honourable warrior (a knight, in fact), or the fact that his family was murdered by pirates in front of his eyes.  The PCs also learn that the Straw Hat was worn by his eldest son, and that The Man wears it out of love.  They will also learn, from the few mutilated bodies found in an old barracks, that The Man has had a change of character in the last few months and has become very violent towards even his own crew.  

            How the PCs learn this information is up to the GM to determine, based upon the skills and abilities of the PCs.  Suggestions include information gained through magical rituals, family portraits depicting a happier time, or even the clichéd “journal log”.  

            The PCs will then uncover an ancient gate dating back to the Dawn War.  This gate will energize into life as the PCs approach.  Small metal objects will hurtle through the air and attach to the gate's frame, as a hollow voice will ring out.

            This voice reveals itself to be a life form from a distant plane (perhaps the Far Realm) who has lost its “Shadow”  This shadow, it says, has fled into the Astral plane and now lends its powers towards a misguided mortal soul.  The voice tells the PCs that the Shadow seeks to find a way to the Gates of Dawn, opening a rift that would cause both the Shadow’s home plane and the Astral plane to mix – which would destroy both planes.  

            The voice then explains that it needs to attach to its shadow once more, but that (much like it's shadow) the energy of the planes is hazardous, and to do so it must possess a mortal frame.  Naturally, PCs will be loathe to volunteer.

    The voice has absolutely no concern for human life, and is cold and compassionless.  It does not understand human ways of thinking, and does not see a need to preserve the body that it possesses - to do so is irrational (like trying to save a single rain drop in a downpour).  However, it will suggest that there is a way to prevent the death of the carrier - a special series of arcane tattoos that will contain this form's power.

   (Or, if you want to be a bit more of a rat bastard, this alien could posess the first character to touch the gate - taking residence in the PC's hand.  It would then inform the PC of the magical tattoo ritual).

*The Tattooed Hand*

This alien will take residence in the hand of the PC holding the entity.  The entity will use the PC's hand to "point" towards its shadow, and will occasionally seize control of the hand in the heat of a battle or confrontation.  PCs will have to contain this alien entity with arcane tattoos - and the longer the PC is "possessed", the more intricate these tattoos need to become, lest the alien parasite truly begins to take over and infect the PC (the host doesn't want this, either, as too much of a connection to this plane of existence will corrupt it, and make it unable to go back to it's dark matter realm).  

These tattoos COULD just be window dressing, but to make them more interesting, it is recommended that the GM create an ongoing skill challenge to tattoo the possessed PC.  Depending on which skills are used to make the tattoo, the character could inherit different pionic powers from the parasite creature.  All of these powers should be based around electricity and magnetism - the main powers of this creature (and the shadow).  

For example, a character using Arcana to make the tattoos could figure out a way to channel those magnetic powers to make a lightning bolt magic item daily the possessed PC could use;  use of dungeoneering could give magnetic powers (as the character uses complex mathematics in his tattoo formula); while thievery could prevent the possessed character from losing control of his hand in key scenes.  Failures in this skill challenge could have adverse effects - let your rat bastardtry run wild!

*What's Going On*

The Man in the Straw Hat had spent the last several years hunting pirates, murdering them in cold blood to avenge the death of his family.  During his years of revenge, he hardened and lost much of his humanity.  the good, noble astral knight he once was had died with his family - what was left was a focused killer.  However, he still retained his old morals - particularly "never hurt the innocent".

He would work on his hideaway from time to time, putting his crew to work excavating ancient rooms.  And in one such room, he found a gate.  And, foolishly, he activated the gate.

A creature appeared on the other side of the gate, a strange coil of muscle that could form appendages and organs at will.  This creature told the man that their planes were anathema to one another - were the man to enter the creature's plane, he would surely combust violently, and vice versa.  But the creature had a plan, and set the Man to work building a device to contain the creature.

This device was simply a large holding tank hooked up to an electrical generator, which the creature filled with a viscous, pinkish fluid from its home plane.  The creature entered this tank, and promised The Man great power.  

In the last few months, the Creature has been teaching The Man "The Fundamentals of Electromagnetic Theory", as the creature comes from a plane of energy.  Harnessing the creature's energy, The Man has found he has complete control over every last piece of metal within a kilometre of his ship - which he has been using to tear apart enemy ships.  However, this power (as well as his nocturnal conversations with an alien entity) have drive The Man at least a little insane.  He has come to believe that every ship is a danger, a potential breeding ground for pirates.  As such, they must all be eradicated.

*Final Confrontation*

The PCs must sneak up on the Man's ship, although if they are attacked by the Man's magnetic powers, they will find that the tattooed hand (at the whim of the controlling PC) can deflect these attacks - and even perform the same attack on The Man's ship (which will likewise be deflected).  

the two ships will hurtle towards one another, and a boarding battle will begin.  The PCs will probably remember their earlier warning, though it will seem cryptic.  As they battle crazed crew members, The Man will throw lightning bolts at the party. The PC with the tattooed hand will shed an aura that makes him (and any within the aura) immune to such attacks.  Meanwhile, the alien in the large jar will magnetize PCs' weapons and fire them as projectiles, all the while telepathically informing the PCs that they are being "illogical".  

For the PCs to succeed, they must get the tattooed hand within three feet of the jarred alien - doing so will cause a magnetic force to occur between them, pulling the tattooed alien out through the PCs skin (which leaves no mark - it is, after all, just energy) while the alien within the jar will be pulled out through the glass.  When the two forms meet, they explode in a burst of energy that deals just enough damage to be scary to anyone within around fifteen feet.  

How the PCs choose to deal with The Man is up to them


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 26, 2010)

Judgement: Round 2 Match 3
Green Dice vs. Pro Paladin
Judge: Radiating Gnome

*Let Sleeping Cubes Lie (LSC) vs. Winter's Grasp (WG)*

Every set of ingredients sets a tone, and this set is no different.  Reading these entries, though, I found I was frustrated by the elides of some of the more difficult ingredients.  It's interesting that certain ingredients, that look simple at first glance, are apparently so difficult to weave in to a final product. 

Here's what I'm talking about -- look at the Rope Ladder ingredient in both entries.  

In WG, we have a very interesting monster, the Rope Golem -- but in the description in the entry, the rope golem provides a rope stair, rather than a rope ladder -- right?  "When it reaches the wall the Golem drops to one knee as if praying, forming stairs with its hand, knee and bowed head." So, that's a cool visual, but it's still a stair, not a ladder.  It would have been easy to write this description differently and make it a ladder, perhaps a ladder up the legs, back, and eventually arms of the golem as it stretches and leans itself against the wall (which would make the wall taller and more intimidating -- after all, if the golem can stoop to make a staircase up the wall and still reach out and swat at defenders, it's not much of a wall; if the golem provides a ladder by stretching out straight, arms upraised, it can be a much taller wall, one the golem on it's own has very little hope of breaching). 

In LSC, the rope ladder is a dingus used to teleport back to the evil patron wizard's tower. It's described as a ladder, it looks like a ladder, but for all of that, it's purpose in the adventure is never actually to be a ladder -- it could have been a teacup or porch swing for all the difference the actual ladder-ness of the ingredient makes to the adventure.  

Admittedly, some of these ingredients are deceptively tough when presented together -- the gelatinous cube and the topiary maze are one example that could be especially challenging -- a creature that is designed to live in stone mazes, and a maze made of plants the creature could eat . . . finding a way to work that challenge out gracefully is what IRON DM is all about. 


So, anyway, the ingredients. 

*Gelatinous Cube* - 

In WG, the cube is Zhela, the awakened, psionic, polymorphed gelatinous cube that rules the city for incapable prince.  This guy is an interesting opponent, he never really behaves or acts in he advetnure like a gelatinous cube -- that part of his nature never really matters.  At the end, he is brought out to fight for the city and create a distraction, but he could just as easily have been a dragon.  Good use of the ingredient would have made it important that he was a gelatinous cube, not a coincidence.    

In LSC, the city in the adventure was once threatened by a "large" gelatinous cube, which was imprisoned under the city by the sacrifice of Fribarrin.  Now, as the PCs start to explore the city, "small" gelatinous cubes attack from time, making life in the city challenging. In this case, at least, the cube seems to be doing cube-like stuff.  In the background, it was responsible for the cleanliness of the city and throught that it's prosperity.  I wish I had a clearer idea of what "large" and "small" cubes look like -- are we talking the usual D&D size scale?  If so, the typical large creature is horse sized (hardly a threat to a city) and "small" would be kobold sizd -- kobold-sized cubes prowling the city streets trying to engulf the city's cat population sounds entertaining but not quite as dramatic as it was intended. Still, in this case, the cubes are being cubes, so advantage LSC.

*Topiary Maze* - 

In WG, the evil druid has a maze of plants the players must penetrate.  It's there, it works -- it's not connected well to other ingredients, but it's functional.  In LSC, however, the maze is not a topiary maze, it's the system of sewers and canals under the city, and they're lined with moss and lichen.  Not really a topiary maze at all.  Advantage WG. 

*Selfless Pretender* - 
Both adventures used "pretender" as someone who pretends, rather than as someone who makes a claim to a throne without the appropriate bone fides.  And that's cool, it works.  In WG, the pretender is the awakened, polymorphed, psionic gelatinous cube -- who pretends to be human, servant and friend to the prince, and who fights in his true form to save the city in the end.  In LSC, the pretender is Zaabarrin, grandson of Fribarrin, wizard, and evil wanker who uses the party to further his own evil designs on the city.  

The two uses are roughly equivalent, although the deceptive patron is such a cliche, I'm inclined to give a very slight advantage to WG, if we need a tie breaker.  

*Entitlement -* 
The concept ingredients are usually tricky, and this one is no exception. In both cases, LSC and WG, the ingredient is really part of the background, not the actual adventure the players move through, although it's a more immediate component of Zaabarrin's motivations than it is any of the primary forces in WG.  I don't find either use better than the other, both could have made much better use of this ingredient.   

*Ring of the Ram - *
WG makes better use of the Ring of the Ram, making it an important tool and item at several points in the adventure. The ring is used to reach the druid, to weaken the golem, etc. So, Advantage WG.

*Rope Ladder -* 
I already discussed this one in my intro.  Neither entry has an advantage.  


All in all, the ingredients are a pretty close match, but WG seems to be edging out LSC.  


*Creativity* 

There were things to like in both adventures.  I especially like the rope golem, and I like the imagry of it helping to breach the wall.  Neither adventure really sings to me, overall, though.  The awakened, psionic, benevolent gelatinous cube is, at the end of the day, a little silly -- and the adventure doesn't seem to make use of that silliness, which would have helped.  The trope of the NPC who asks the party to do something for him and who turns out to be the bad guy is a well-worn cliche. In the end, I think WG has an edge here -- there seems to be more there that I haven't seen before.  So, advantage WG. 

*Playability* -- 

Both entries use backstory a whole lot, and there's a whole lot of exposition that has to be delivered to the players, and that they don't get to play through.  I think, though, that there's actually more for the players to do in WG -- in LSC the players move from encounter to encounter without much of their own agency, but WG seems to leave open more space for the players to be creative and engaged, rather than passengers.    So, advantage WG here as well.  


*Conclusion*: 

Winter's Grasp has edged out Let Sleeping Cubes Lie, so Pro Paladin advances.


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## Pbartender (Jun 28, 2010)

*IN SPACE, NO-ONE CAN HEAR YOU SOLVE V=IR*

The ingredients for this adventure are split mainly into two groups.  First there is the pirate angle, with the fake pirate ship (the PCs use this as a disguise to approach the space station), the tattooed hand (the identifying mark of a pirate group that can be pumped for resources), and the man in the straw hat (the weakest ingredient of the six… he’s really just there to introduce the lightning monster with his death).  This group isn’t as integral to the adventure as it could be – they could feasibly be replaced in all sorts of different ways without significantly changing the plot, but more on that later – but the way they’re tied together into a cohesive group is great.

Second, there’s lightning monster alien, with the foundations of electromagnetic theory (which are the basis for the monster’s strange abilities, the clues for finding the solution to the monster, and the solution itself), the alien in a jar (the Leyden jar trap, once the alien monster is caught within it), and “DANGER: Stand 3 ft. distant” (warning signs that can subtly reveal the alien’s location).  Again, I love the way you’ve tied these ingredients together so thoroughly…  They’ve been blended to the point that it’s almost as if they’re a single ingredient.  Plus, they’re central and necessary to the plot of the adventure.

Alright.  Enough of that.  On to the fun stuff.

When I read this adventure, the first thing I though was: “This would be good for a Star Wars adventure…  But it would be perfect for Star Trek.”  With just a little variation, I could just envision a classic original series Star Trek episode along these lines: A starbase at the edge of Federation space…  Refugees fleeing in terror by starship…  The starbase abandoned, except for a handful of Ferengi desperately trying to haul away anything valuable that’s not bolted down (and a few things that are)…   A completely alien and misunderstood creature made out of electricity that accidentally kills innocent red shirts…  It’s all right out of the 1960’s Star Trek script writing playbook.  That’s not necessarily bad.  That sort of association can be great for helping both the players and the DM envision the NPCs, the scenery and the action.  Plus, it can really pump up the energy of an adventure and suck the players into a little bit more immersion, if they and the DM are at least passingly familiar with the genre you’re stereotyping.  Just be careful, though, if you decide to embrace that route…  For everyone who gets energized by that sort of niche stereotyping, there’s someone else who is completely turned off by it.  In this case, you got lucky.

That’s brings me to my next point…  Pseudoscience!  I happen to be a high-voltage electronics technician with a Physics degree who works at a particle accelerator laboratory.  “Oh no,” I hear you say, “I’m doomed!”  On the contrary, this adventure gets full credit for coming up with a Leyden jar, despite some of the other technical gaffes.  That in of itself, shows that the research was done, however hurried, in an attempt to get it right.  It just needs a little more time for research and expert consultation to get the details right.  At any rate, here’s the trick with science and pseudoscience in adventures and fiction:  You don’t actually need to know anything to be an expert…  You only need to sound convincing.  Get the basics down, and so long as the rest of the details technically sound right, you’re okay.  There’s just one caveat:  If you are introducing something real, like a Leyden jar, make sure you get that part right. (You do.)

Now the playability of the adventure is fine.  You provide one obvious solution for getting onto the station, and for investigating the answer to the mystery of the alien. But there’s one or two spot you need to keep an eye on… First, in a game, no one likes standing by and watching an NPC die out of hand. Instead, consider having the lightning creature in the process of attacking the man in the straw hat when the PCs arrive.  That gives them a chance to save his life, and gain his admittedly loopy cooperation as a reward should they succeed.  Also, the one spot you stayed fairly narrow was in the solution to taking care of the alien, with a clearly delineated list of steps that need to be taken.  Don’t forget to keep other options open…  Communicate with it using high frequency amplitude modulated electro-magnetic waves (AM radio!)?  Subdue it using EMPs generated from the station’s fusion generator and channeled through the primary sensor array?  Lead it to an escape pod with a trail of calculator battery bread crumbs, and then eject it out into space?  You get the idea.


*THE AETHER PACT*

Here, the man in the straw hat is again the weakest ingredient, the hat itself being a vague connection between the man and his dead son who he’s trying to avenge.    The remaining ingredients are fairly well used and linked together…  The PCs’ fake pirate ship is used to lure in the man in the straw hat.  The alien in a jar in the mean little beasty that’s allied itself with the Man in the Straw Hat.  The Fundamentals of Electromagnetic Theory are what the alien teaches the Man so that he can destroy ships by tearing out all their metal bits.  The tattooed hand contains a second alien creature that possesses a PC and helps to capture the jarred alien.  “Danger is at three feet distance” is a misleading clue to let the PCs know they must get very close to the jarred alien to be safe from its attacks.

Moving along…

First, let me day that Spelljammer + Cthulhu-ish Pseudo-aliens ==  Awesome.  (Unless you happen to be one of those foolish people who absolutely hates Spelljammer…  But those sorts of people hardly count anyway.) Second, the crystalline islands of Sehanine’s Tears are a fantastic setting.  Style-wise, there’s really not much else to say here.

For playability, there’s two big sticking points…  The first is the flat out fiat that leaves the PCs’ ship damaged instead of destroyed during their first encounter with the Man.  Given 4th Edition rules, there’s plenty of ways to make the magnetic attack devastating, while still giving the PCs a chance to escape before it destroys their ship.  Using something like the Medusa’s petrifying gaze attack would be a good start – first the ship is slowed, then immobilized, then destroyed each cumulative failed saving throw.  Or, the ship can first be grabbed with a magnetic attack and then dealt automatic damage every round until the grab is escaped.  The trouble will be if players decide to stick around and fight to the end.  If they are winning, the Man can always retreat early before there’s even a chance of him winning.  If they are losing, you have to be prepared for their ship being demolished – is reasonable for the Man to leave them for dead, but they’ve survived?

The second is the mechanism itself for destroying ships.  By giving a specific non-mechanics reason for the devastating attack, you leave yourself open to equally non-mechanical solutions.  For example, once the nature of the attack was revealed, the first thing I or my players would think was, “Let’s get a ship with no metal in it!  Or at least, no iron!  Hey, don’t elves build organic living ships?”  If the DM has the flexibility and poise to handle it, this sort of situation can lead to great plans and adventures, but it can also cause disaster, if the DM isn’t prepared for it and panics…  It’s something to keep an eye on.

So.

You guys give me a tough choice.  Overall, I think both entries are more or less equally good in their own way.  I’m going to award this round to IN SPACE, NO-ONE CAN HEAR YOU SOLVE V=IR, and here’s why:

The AETHER PACT altered the wording of two of the ingredients in ways that distinctly change the possible meanings of the ingredients.  “Foundations”, for example, has a wider variety of possible definitions than “Fundamentals” does.  While “Danger is at three feet distance” is a complete rephrasing of “DANGER: Stand three feet distant”. I’m all for creative and clever interpretations of ingredients, but the wholesale rewriting of ingredients isn’t kosher. I know it’s a technicality, but I feel the entries are both good enough that I need such a technicality to make my decision.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 29, 2010)

Third Round Match 1 
Iron Sky vs. Sanzuo

cyclops
celestial arena
reformed satyr
unwelcome advances
carpenter's mallet
Two djinn one bottle


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## Iron Sky (Jun 30, 2010)

*Eat It, Sanzuo*
*
Brief Synopsis*
 The party finds a djinn bottle and are taken to Celestia where they must win a series of staged arena battle-games to win the djinn's arena and freedom from an ex-djinn cyclops.

*Pan Neek*
 Pan Neek was a typical satyr, frolicking and dancing and seducing anything that walked through the forest.  However, one day a straight-laced priest of Erathus entered the forest to convert the heathens and changed Pan's life.  Missionary Sodom Grimsin preached of hellfire and damnation for the satyr's heathenish, carefree ways.  Most of the satyrs laughed, but Pan turned his back on the way of his peoples, swore off women, and traveled back to the nation of Puritania with Grimsin.

 There he saw the wonders of civilization; aqueducts, bakeries, sexual repression, crime, running water,  taxes, markets, arbitrary legislation, and especially the arena.  He spent his days immersed in the blood and sand of the arena, his nights dreaming of owning an arena full of sweaty, muscular gladiators of all races battling it out at his whim with creatures from all across creation cheering them on.  Against Grimsin's protests, he began to build his own arena.

 The Puritanians laughed as he began to build his own arena, but he wasn't deterred.  For decades he worked alone, building it up from scratch.  The arena was nearing completion when a burning figure fell screaming from the sky and thudded into an alley nearby.  Undetterred by the omen, he took the bottle that was clenched in the corpse's crispy hand and instantly, in a flash of smoke and light, there was a... cyclops?

*Eyevan the Djinnius*
 Eyevan the Djinnius was renowned amongst the cyclopes as being “the smartarest.”  While playing a drinking game, he won a magical lamp out of which a djinn appeared and offered a single wish.  Being the smartarest cyclops of all the cyclopes, Eyevan thought and thought and eventually, with a hideous grin, wished for “all da vishes in the voold” (DM note: Eyevan has an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent).

 The djinn grinned back and in a flash produced the Djinn Wish Ordinance Manual and flipped to Article 1: _Any customer that wishes for more wishes shall be made a wish-granting djinn, bound to a suitable container, for the propagation of the species._

  In an instant Eyevan was a djinn, trapped in his own beer bottle.  Many years and misadventures later that, while interesting and occasionally disturbing, aren't relevant to the current events, Eyevan's bottle was discovered by Pan Neek.

  “_What is it you wish, baby?”_ Eyevan said, upon appearing.

  Pan instantly realized he had an opportunity to make his yet-unfinished arena a reality.  _“I, like so wish that once I totally finish this arena and put these tools down for good that it will be, like, the best arena ever and that I'll, like, live forever and be, like, invulnerable”_ (DM note: Pan has an exaggerated California surfer accent, a faint lisp, and exaggerated feminine hand-gestures).

 Eyevan slipped back into his bottle quickly, skimmed through the Djinn Wish Ordinance Manual, and found the article he was looking for.  Article 4: _Any customer that wishes for immortality shall be made an immortal djinn, bound to a suitable container, for the propagation of the species._  He also referenced Article 7: _Always give the customer more than they ask for.  Customer satisfaction first!_  He frowned as he read Sub-article 12a: _Wishes are final but must include an associated escape clause with some marginal degree of plausibility._

 He then read the infamous Sub-article 15b-7: _Djinn are bound to their respective container for eternity, though some exceptions may apply_ and the revised amendment to Article 27: _Should a newly-bound djinn find a suitable replacement within one hundred(100) years of being bound and before one hundred(100) wishes are fulfilled, they shall be returned to their previous state.  The replacement djinn is subject to the same terms, though any number of years or wishes already served by said previous djinn will apply to the same term and wish limits. _ 

  Eyevan quickly figured out his plan to take the Arena for himself and get out of his bottle in the same swoop.

*Mt. Celestia Arena, sponsored by Kord – preferred God of Strength since Creation!*
  Pan's wish for _“like, the best arena ever”_ made Eyevan figure the best place for it would be the best, ”goodest” place in creation – Celstia.

  Eyevan transported the arena to Celestia, gained the sponsorship (and zoning-board assistance) of Celestia resident/God Kord – worshiped by cyclopse everywhere!  Pan worked hard and was just hammering in the last few nails to finish off the arena when Eyevan, using a fuzzy gray areas of several other amendments and sub-articles, granted Pan his invulnerability (by making him formless and unable to interact with normal matter) and immortal (by binding him to the bottle in Eyevan's stead) in advance of what was agreed upon.

  Eyevan told Pan: _“Hah, fooled you.You must now grab your tool and finish your arena or be doomed to take my place in the bottle for eternity.”_  Pan tried to pick up his hammer, but his hands passed right through it.  Eyevan scooped it up for himself and tucked it into his belt, then grabbed the bottle and hurled it off Mount Celestia, far out into the Astral Sea.

  Decades later...

*Adventure Synopsis*
  0) Hooks
  1) Blue Djinn Fridays
  2) We Will, We Will Rock You
  3) The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny
  4) Stop, Hammer Time!

*Hooks*
  1) The party, while searching for a tavern or inn comes across a small tavern with ducks all around it and a 12-inch tall man on the bar playing a tiny piano.  The bartender asks if they want to buy the special, cheap, and gives whichever PC buys it the djinn bottle containing Pan Neek.
  2) While in the ocean or along the shore, the party spots a bottle floating in the water.  When they scoop it up, Pan Neek pops out.
  3) When the party are buying supplies or magic items, the merchant sells them the djinn bottle, _“real cheap”_.

*1. Blue Djinn Fridays*
 When one of the party members touches the bottle, a plume of blue smoke billows out of it, forming a transparent, insubstantial satyr.  He's wearing a gaudy pink and yellow jacket, tight sky-blue pants, and a bright red headband with matching arm-warmers.

 “_You guys have, like totally summoned me.  I can grant you any wish, but if you are nice people at all, gosh, I could really use your help.”_

  Without giving them a chance to reply, Pan reveals his plight to the most attractive male character.

 “_So, handsome, here I was, minding my own business, making this totally spectacular arena, you know hammering and pounding – I love using my tools – when I found this darling bottle that summoned this brute that offered me a wish and then did just terrible things when I, like, asked for my arena to be the best one ever once I was done, and for immortality and stuff..  _ 

 “_Anyway, you would be such dears if one of you could just wish to go to the Mt. Celestia Arena, it would just mean the world to me and if you can help get me back to my normal self, I can reward you handsomely__.”_

  He says the last bit with a suggestive look at one of the male PCs.  If any of the PCs react to his flirtation, he says _“playing hard to get I see”_ and focuses his attention on them for the rest of the adventure.

  If the party doesn't agree right away, he says – as fast as he can:

 “_If-you-wish-to-go-to-the-arena-say-what.”_

  If that doesn't work, he starts begging.  If the party doesn't eventually give in, they're, like, totally heartless bastards and can go to hell.  Otherwise, Pan teleports them to the arena.

*2. We Will, We Will Rock You*
  With reference to Article 7, Pan takes the party straight to the action of the arena, right in the middle of a match in progress.  The current battle is between an old red dragon and its dragonborn followers and a mob of demons.  The party must escape the arena while avoiding the carnage, breath weapons, burning auras, and collapsing arena obstacles and pillars to get out of the middle of the fight.

Meanwhile the crowd of thousands cheers, throws debris, coins, food, weapons, and the like at the players and the combatants.  Loud music booms and the crowd stomps in time.  Throughout it all, a pair of unseen announcers voices booming out with a play-by-play:

 “_Ah, the classic pillar-to-the-face trick, we first saw that back in '75 Nightmares vs Ogres and its become a staple of most team's playbooks since then...” “That's right Ted...”_
 “_Oooh, that's gotta hurt!”_
 “_That Mezzodemon can't be happy about that one, his last offensive push barely put a dent in the tough Dragonkind defense.”_
 “_First down! Looks like the Vrock is outta there, let's see who gets the next kill!” “My gold would be on that Dragonborn Flanker, given his numbers from last season...”_
_Etc._

  In a floating crystal box high above the arena, a cyclopse on a blinged-out throne, a black-glass monocle, and a full set of golden teeth watches the action, occasionally talking with the cyclopse around him, sometimes talking into a Sending Stone (link), and once or twice getting in on the action by dropping a boulder into the arena.

  Once they have gotten out, Pan explains the predicament further, resting his insubstantial hand on a PCs as he talks.

 “_That horribly dressed cyclopse up there is Eyevan the Djinnius, the awful meanie that trapped me in this bottle.  Ugh, the bottle has this horrible smell of gross stinky giant that I just cannot get rid of.  Anyway, while you guys were fighting your way out of that mess, I found out that the Hammer Challenge is totally starting tonight – three rounds of hot and heavy man-on-man, team-on-team__, single-elimination__ action – and the winners get Eyevan's Hammer.”_

  He points to a massive hammer made of beaten gold and studded with gems that sits in a display case behind Eyevan's pimpin' throne.

 “_So the Djinn Wish Ordinance Manual Sub-article 12a totally says that anyone who is given a wish gets, like, a way out of it.  There's like 5 boards under the north bleacher that need to be hammered into place that Eyevan used as my loophole and then the arena is done and I can get out of this awful bottle.  Unfortunately, I can't do it_ – he passes his hand on one of the male PCs' chest for a second, then presses his hand through – _and to make matters worse, it has to be _my_ tools that finish the repairs!_ _The good news is that, through a loophole in the Hammer Challenge liability and disclosure agreements, you can ask for my hammer back instead of that hammer.  You can grab my tool and use it to pound our way through my loophole!_"

  If the PCs suggest that they just wish to have the arena repaired, he'll pause and say: _“If I fulfill 100 wishes then I'm so bound to this bottle it'll be forever.  I was actually afraid that getting you all here would be the 100__th__ – between all the ones that'd have been done between me and Eyevan – but we're so lucky it wasn't.  Everyone is like, so selfish, you are the first ones I finally got to come here *cough* and survive *cough* I'm desperate!  _He puts his hand on one of the male PC's shoulder when he says this.

  Presumably if the players have agreed to come this far, they'll enter the challenge to get Pan's hammer.

*3. The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny*
  Once the party enters the challenge, they will have a couple hours to prepare and explore the arena.   The arena is massive thanks to Pan's wish, almost a small city full of shops, inns built into the walls, docks for spelljammers, and more.  This exploration could be roleplayed, or could be a skill challenge to avoid getting in fights with unruly extraplanar creatures amped up from the games, to find the unrepaired section of the arena, and/or scout out the cyclopse and the others who have entered the Challenge.

  The Challenge itself is a single-elimination set of matches with each match having different rules and teams the players face.  Presumably, there are other teams out there, but the relevant ones that the players will face are:

_Match 1, vs Jason and the Arrrgonauts_
  In the first match, whichever side occupies the majority of the five marked “victory areas” at the end of a round wins the match.  The locations are at various interesting places around the arena: one atop a fifty-foot marble pillar, one at the bottom of a fifty-foot pit, one in the center of a bridge over a burning field, one in the debris right next to the arena wall(see below), and the last just sitting out in the open in the center of the arena with sweet grass and beautiful flowers around it.

  Jason is a huge human with a bronze shield adorned with skull-and-crossbones, a huge spear, a cutlass, a horse-hide crest helmet, an eye-patch, a billowing red cape, a bare rippling chest covered in tattoos of gods, maps, skull-and-crossbones, vases, and a sculpted beard dotted with beads.  His men are similar but don't get as much screen time.  They shout to each other dramatically as they fight in slow motion shouting things such as:
 “_Avast, hold the phalanx mateys!”_
 “_Arrrgonauts! Ready your grog and drink hearty... For tonight, we drink in hell!”_

_Match 2, vs Pun-pun's Punishers_
  In the second match, there are three banners along the middle of the arena and each side must take two banners back to an area near where they entered the arena.  At the end of a round where one side has two banners in their area, they win.

  Pun-pun is an ordinary looking kobold that happens to be a practically immortal epic solo through highly-optimized shenanigans.  Fortunately his incomparable power and the lack of any real threat makes him lazy.  He just walks casually towards one of the banners, ignoring the fight aside from repeating whatever attack players make against them with some extra damage tacked on to prove his superiority while his massive kobold swarms harry the players.

_Match 3, vs Dolly the Sheep_
  The final match a simple deathmatch, whichever side is standing at the end wins.

  Their enemy is Dolly.  Dolly is the offspring of an ancient primordial beast.  She looks like a normal sheep (with an extra nippy bite), but  every time she takes damage she splits into two clones (each with half the hit points of the original).  Each clone is also split after damage is dealt until the arena is swarming with sheep.

_The arena crowds_: the crowds are always excited and rowdy any square within a couple of squares of the arena wall is difficult terrain and they take attacks as random things are thrown into the arena.  Also, the crowd gets extra excited on critical hits and misses.  On a critical hit, the crowd throws some coins or gems that the party can collect after the fight and also throw things at any target that is critically hit.  They throw things at any creature that critically misses.

_The announcers_: The announcers give constant play by plays on whatever happens.  One way of handling it would be to describe the players and enemy's actions only via the announcers recaps of it with other random spice added on for humorous effect.
 Ex: _“Wow, Bill, that elf really winged that Arrrgonaut with his bow” “Yeah Ted, too bad Jason was shouting 'This is ARENA' and kicking the drow into the pit at the same time!”   “Dang, those sheep can bite, looks like these guys are taking a bleating!” “Sure are Bill, reminds me of the time that gibbering mouther escaped into the crowds last year, boy was that a riot.”_

*4. Stop, Hammer Time!*
 When the party succeeds, Eyevan lowers his crystal observation box and brings out his golden hammer, ready to give it to the party.  When the party asks for the other hammer, his expression falls and he glares at the party, but gives the hammer to keep the crowd from rioting.  He leaves before they do, saying only, _“I'll be back.”_

 As soon as the party leaves the public eye, Eyevan pursues the party through the under-bleachers, trying to catch the party before they can find the last boards and nail them up with Pan's hammer.  Pan lets them know that if they can get the last boards up before Eyevan catches them, the cyclops will be pulled back into the bottle and Pan will be free.

 The party may make skill checks to avoid the cyclopse as long as possible, the more successes they get determining how far they get before the cyclopse catch up.

 The party is probably worn out from the previous 3 fights and the cyclopse are powerful and Eyevan still has remnants of power from being a djinn years before.  When battle is joined, Eyevan always has something to say when he attacks with his hammer and flaming axe depending on what's happening: _“Time to get hammered,” “Get two a da' choppa',” “You're fired,” “You're getting boulder,” “Time to get paid; you're broke,” “Brace for the axe-plosion,” “Your sentence will end with an axe-clemation point,” etc._

 Pan is unable to assist, aside from warning them right after they get hit and cheering, hooting, and catcalling his favorite male PCs.

*Conclusion*
 When the party finishes the battle, Pan Neek regains his original satyr form.  After running around for several minutes saying "Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod", he takes over the arena and rewards the party handsomely for their help.  Any surviving cyclopse flee and Eyevan's bottle has mysteriously disappeared as well, but that's a story for another adventure.

_Cyclops_ – Eyevan the Djinnius, the djinn who used Djinn Wish Ordinance Manual loopholes to bind Pan to the bottle instead of him.
_Celestial Arena_ – The arena that Pan was originally building that was taken to Mt. Celestia, then run by Eyevan.  The party is attempting to get it back for Pan.
_Reformed Satyr_ – Pan, who gave up the wilds and sex for the arena and sexual repression(celibacy).  Also, he is trying to regain his original satyr form rather than djinn form.
_Unwelcome Advances_ – Eyevan giving Pan his immortality and invulnerability in advance of what Pan wished for, forcing him to replace Eyevan in the bottle.  Also, Pan's (likely) unwelcome advances on male PCs.
_Carpenter's Mallet_ –  The mallet Pan needs to finish his arena and get out of Eyevan's wish-trap and bottle._
Two Djinn One Bottle_ – Eyevan was bound to the bottle that Pan is now trapped in and will be returned to it again if the party can get Pan out.


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## Sanzuo (Jun 30, 2010)

*Iron Sky Sucks*​
This is a 4th edition D&D adventure for upper heroic-level to lower paragon-level PCs.

*Summary*
The player characters are slaves forced to do battle in a celestial arena.  Only by dealing with the monstrous characters sharing their fate can the party hope to escape.

*Set Up*
On the celestial plane of Chernoggar, Bane, the god of war and Gruumsh, the god of destruction wage a constant struggle.  Within this plane is the fortress-city of Clangor and within this city is the arena, known throughout the planes.  The arena is operated by the Hobgoblin exarch, Maglubiet, and his army of goblinoids.  Here they hold captured slaves from all over the planes to do battle in the arena for the goblinoids' own pleasure.

The player characters begin this adventure as slaves of the goblinoids.  How this has occured is left up to the DM.  They could have been captured while in the Astral Sea on a previous adventure, or maybe how they were captured is left ambiguous and the party's first meeting together is in the slave pens of the arena.  They are, of course, to fight as gladiators.  None of their captors or spectators expect them to live for very long, but the party's survival depends on their ability to whether the harsh life as a gladiator-slave.

The first match is set to go underway immediately.  The player characters are given no time to prepare or equip themselves and are thrown out onto the field completely bare.

*The First Battle*
The first battle is practically a free-for-all melee.  The party is dumped into the sand of the battlefield with dozens of other rabble.  This match serves as a precursor to the more refined battles later on.  It also serves to illuminate the more skillful competitors in the eyes of the arena masters.

The party is shoved out into the arena with no weapons or equipment.  There are, however, rusty weapons and shields littering the battlefield.  During the battle the player characters may search for a weapon of choice as a move action.  There will be several simple encounters followed by a difficult one with no short rest.

Once all the other opponents are defeated, the party will be announced the winners (or they will die) and they will be ushered into the dungeons below the arena.

*The Dungeon*
After the first battle the party is free to roam the gladiatorial prison beneath the arena.  This area for the slaves is a jumbled warren of dungeon cells and is highly disorganized and chaotic.  The bugbear guards serve merely to keep the prisoners within the dungeons proper, what happens within is not their concern.  Monstrous creatures roam freely in the darkness and fatalities amongst the prisoners are common. This is more-or-less a persistent dungeon which the party can explore between bouts.  They may even aquire better items and equipment for their curiosity.  They are even given a cell to rest in relative safety.  However, it should be noted that the party is limited in time, and taking an extended rest automatically moves the party to the following day where more matches await.

Whether they explore the dungeons or decide to simply rest, they will either come upon, or be visited by several key NPCs who hear of the player characters and their fortunate victory.

The first is the satyr.  The satyr is a former slave master who displeased the goblinoids and was cast down into the dungeon with the rest of the slaves.  He now wishes to bring down the arena, but requires the help of a capable group of adventurers.  He knows of a magical, but unassuming carpenter's hammer that is actually a powerful artifact.  It was used in the initial construction of the arena, but can also be used to destroy it.  He wishes the party to find the hammer so that he can realize his dream of destroying the arena.  There are two djinni that the satyr believes may know where the hammer lies.

The djinni are a pair of brothers who were forced as slaves to help with the construction of the arena.  They helped create the carpenter's hammer and know how to re-aquire it.  If the party wants their cooperation, however, they will have to help them.  Since their enslavement, the two djinni have been bound and forced to share a single bottle.  This bottle has come into the possession of a cyclops who uses it as a drinking flask.  This cyclops also happens to be the current arena champion.  With their bottle, the djinni could cast a ritual taking themselves and the party, if they wish, to the elemental chaos from whence the djinni hail.  If the party agrees, the djinni will provide them with a valuable clue to find the hammer.

Finally, there is the cyclops, who is the long-standing arena champion.  He loves menacing the other gladiators with promises of horrific death.  He offers to spare certain contenders if they perform “services” for him.  Neither of these fates are desirable.  The cyclops will taunt the party and make offers to them that if they become his personal slaves, he will spare them in the arena.

*The Plan*
The satyr and djinni suggest that the party use their spare time, either that day or the following, to acquire the carpenter's hammer, as it is unassuming and will probably not be well guarded.  The party can find the hammer on some minor laborer protected by guards working deep within the dungeon.  As for the djinni's bottle; the party must wait for a more opportune time before they have a chance to acquire it.

The hammer will eventually be found, but depending on the method the player characters choose to acquire it (through guile or force) the outcome of the mission will effect their ability to operate within the arena from that point forward.  If they are caught doing any shenanigans, they will be severely punished and kept on a much shorter leash.  Their captors will resist killing the player characters for their infractions.  After all, unruly slaves and escape attempts are to be expected.

*The Following Day*
The party taking an extended rest signals the transition to the next day.  The party is due to participate in a series of unimportant matches.  This will be handled via skill challenge.  A success resulting in the player characters retaining health, healing surges, and acquiring a number of useful items.  A failure will result in the loss of healing surges and no new equipment or items.

The satyr will take that point to tell the party about his plan for the cyclops.  The satyr is convinced at this point that the party are the only ones remotely capable of defeating the arena champion, but he also believes that the party will need help.  Through the satyr's natural talents and experience, he has become intimately familiar with the cyclops' “appetites.”  The night before the party is due to face the arena champion, the satyr is planning on holding a soiree in the cyclops' honor.  Using his skills, the satyr will make sure that the cyclops indulges, in excess, his every appetite.  This will hopefully give the party an edge in the upcoming match.

*The Cyclops*
How soon the party faces the cyclops is entirely up to their performance in the arena.  It should become quickly apparent that the party is able to deal with any minor threats without too much trouble.  This sets up their eventual match with the cyclops.

No one expects the player characters to succeed in this battle, however they did not count on the cyclops still recovering from his evening of revelry with the satyr the previous night.  This gives him substantial combat penalties and gives the party a fighting chance.  The player characters do not necessarily need to defeat the cyclops, they merely need to acquire the bottle he keeps on his person.  Though, defeating him is the surest way of doing this.

After acquiring the bottle, the djinni will appear and begin the ritual to open a portal to the elemental chaos.  At the same time the satyr will begin using the hammer to collapse the arena.  The party must fend of waves of goblinoid guards and defend the djinni so that they can complete the ritual.  Once the ritual is complete, the portal will open and cast the party into the elemental chaos and onto another adventure.

*Ingredients*
_cyclops _- The gladiatorial champion that the PCs must defeat
_celestial arena_ - Clangor Arena, located in the celestial domain of Chernoggar
_reformed satyr_ - A former slave master and engineer who wants to destroy the arena
_unwelcome advances_ - the ominous rumors of what await the PCs if they do not defeat the cyclops.
_carpenter's mallet_ - An unassuming mallet with the magical power to craft (or destroy) mighty structures
_Two djinn one bottle_ - two djinn forced to occupy the same living space and compete in a ridiculous contest.  They offer a possible escape route for the PCs, once they've defeated the cyclops


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## Radiating Gnome (Jun 30, 2010)

*Round 3 Match 1: Iron Sky vs. Sanzuo
The Roommate Special Edition*

*This is the first round that will have three judges rather than one.  Each judge will drop in his or her judgement for the round, with the third judge also writing a summary of all three and making the final declaration.  

I believe we've used a best practice in the past of putting our individual judgements in spoiler blocks to help make sure that our individual judgements are not influenced by what other judges may have already put online.  I'll continue that practice.  

[sblock]
Okay, the two entries are Eat it, Sanzuo (EIS) and Iron Sky Sucks (ISS).

I should say that I had considered an ingredient that was "your opponent's username" or something like that, so the idea that you guys chose to make your entry titles a jab at each other tickles me.  Well played, gentlemen.   

All right, with some trepidation due to the nature of the ingredients I posted in a moment of poor judgement, lets see what you guys have cooked up . . . .

*Ingredients:

cyclops*
In EIS, the cyclops is Eyevan, the Cyclops-turned-djinn who has tricked Pan into becoming a Djinn in order to take over the arena and free himself from wish-granting duties.  The name is cute, and I like the personality . . I have a few reservatiosn about how much of the story of Eyevan is just exposition for the adventure, and his nature as a cyclops never really becomes relevant (he could have been just about any type of being), but he's good fun.  

In ISS, the cyclops is the gladitorial champion that the players must earn their way up to face, and then defeat.  He works for the sake of inclusion, but lacks the color and texture of the cyclops in EIS, so EIS wins this ingredient. 

*celestial arena*
This ingredient was meant to be intentionally ironic and tricky -- an arena in a celestial (heavenly) setting.  In EIS the arena has been move to Mt. Celestia, which works, but the arena as described doesn't doi a great job of being the celestial version of an arena -- it just happens to be there.  Meanwhile, ISS has the arena set in Chernoggar, a plane of eternal war found in the astral sea -- and that's celestial in that it's in the heavens -- but if anything that usage is just about as thin as EIS -- it's an arena, it's someplace that is arguably celestial, but that's as far as it goes.  No advantage here. 

*reformed satyr*
At first blush, EIS appears to have a pretty strong advantage here.  Pan is developed, very much a satyr, and has a strong, connected role in the adventure.  

I did have a few misgivings about Pan -- given his unwelcome advnaces on the male members of the party, he seems to not be so much reformed as he is "playing for the other team." There's a real trick here -- once you include the next ingredient.  Pan is both reformed and the source of unwelcome advances?  Then, how is he reformed?  

In ISS, the unnamed satyr has a role to play, but he's not as well developed or integral to the story.  He's not really a reformed satyr either -- he's a reformed slavemaster who happens to be a satyr . . . 

In the end, I'm not super satisfied with either application of the reformed satyr.  No advantage to anyone. 

*unwelcome advances*
I'm amused by the application of this in EIS -- using "advnace" to mean the powerups that are such a huge part of making monsters in 3.5.  Making them unwelcome is pretty cool.  The addition of the flirtatious advances of Pan -- which undermine his "reformed" status, add another layer here.  

In ISS, the unwelcome advances are a vague threat made by the cyclops should they lose the battle.  Given that these are not likely to be something the party actually encounters, I don't think this works as well as the advances do in EIS.  So, Advnatage EIS. 

*carpenter's mallet*
Both entries use the mallet in a signifigant way.  The hammer is again a bit stronger in EIS thanks to some more development, so advantage EIS.

*Two djinn one bottle*
Hee hee hee.  I'm a dirty boy.  

Ahem.  Anyway, in EIS the two djinn are "converted" djinn, the former cyclops Eyevan and the former satyr Pan. They're both bound to a single bottle, but not concurrently -- if Pan can get the party to help him, he will be restored to normal satyrdom and Eyevan will become a djinn again.  To my eyes, this skirts the edges of the ingredient a little -- they're both not really djinn, they're never djinn at the same time, etc.  But its still pretty cool. 

In ISS, the djinn are actual djinn, and they're actually bound to the same bottle.  The ingredient is used in a letter-perfect way (they are djinn, they're both in the same bottle at the same time), but . . . there isn't anything in the adventure that builds on the situation they are in -- the pair of them could have been a single djinn in the possession of the cyclops, hoping for rescue and freedom at the hands of the party.  So, advnatage EIS. 

Overall, EIS has several ingredients that it's using better than ISS, so EIS is ahead on ingredients.  

*Creativity -*

The much more in-depth development of the EIS entry has really helped push that entry over ISS. Characters have names and personalities, etc.  Well come.  ISS is solid, but EIS is better. 

*Playability -*

I actually think that ISS may have an edge here.  EIS depends a whole lot on backstory, both to develop the ingredients and set up the adventure for the party. And once the party gets involved in the adventure, their role is prety straightforward and they aren't going to be doing much that really impacts the direction the story takes. 

ISS, on the other hand, gives the party a lot of room to explore the arena set on the plane of eternal heavy-metal warfare.  The major combats involve important ingredients (unlike the three battles the PCs face in EIS, which are funny but don't engage any of the ingredients). So, advantage to ISS here.  

*Conclusion -*

IN the end, while ISS has strong points, I think EIS really digs into the ingredients better and gets my vote for winning the match.  

So, one vote for *Iron Sky*. 


[/sblock]


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## InVinoVeritas (Jul 2, 2010)

I'll get my judgment up shortly. In the meantime, here are the ingredients for Round 3, Match 2:

Gaslamp
Gaslighting
Deserted Docks
Compromised Magnate
Encroaching Fungus

and...


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## InVinoVeritas (Jul 2, 2010)

Here's my judgment for Round 3, Match 1

[sblock]
I'll try to keep this somewhat shorter than my other judgments. Feel free to ask me more if you need it.

The big thing I see in this case is that in many ways, the adventures are similar. The PCs are fighting in a Celestial Arena, trying to find a Carpenter's Mallet, with the help of Djinn(i). Execution is what is going to win this round.

Both contestants give us a Celestial Arena, which requires finishing/destroying with a Carpenter's Mallet. Both use one version of the Unwelcome Advances (gotta be careful with stuff like that--I still remember my round with Unmentionable Services). However, I also like Iron Sky's advanced wish fulfillment--using the wish power of the djinn is a very strong use of the ingredient. Iron Sky combines the remaining ingredients more tightly: The two djinni in the one bottle are the Reformed Satyr and the Cyclops. Overall, Iron Sky comes out ahead in ingredient use.

As for playability, Iron Sky's ability to write (and write and write) helps out here. We are given more distinct characterizations of the NPCs, world elements through the announcers and the Djinni Wish Ordinance Manual, and a number of discrete encounters that spell out how the adventure flows. Seriously, I know I would never have enough time to write that much. 

Finally, for originality and general overall appeal, the campy style of Iron Sky's adventure is held through the entire adventure, but does little to subject the PCs to something they don't want to do.

My vote goes to Iron Sky. 
[/sblock]


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## Pbartender (Jul 2, 2010)

_"Wonder Twin Powers activate!  Form of...  Movie critic!"_

[sblock]*EAT IT, SANSUO*

*Pros:*
Quirky use of ingredients. The ingredients mix well with each other. Very detailed background. Consistant and well written silly campiness.

*Cons:*
Some ingredients are a bit weak.  Excessively detailed background that no-one playing the adventure will likely ever notice or care about.  Consistent and mind-numbing silly campiness.

*Overall:*
An excellent adventure for a one-shot, a gameday, or a convention.  I can't see it fitting very well into a regular campaign, unless you happen to be playing Toon.


*IRON SKY SUCKS*

*Pros:*
GLADIATORS!, Not Iron Sky.

*Cons:*
Uninspired use of ingredients.  Middling plot.

*Overall:*
A serviceable adventure for a mid-campaign diversion, but nothing to write home about.


*TEH WINNAR == Iron Sky*[/sblock]


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## Pro-Paladin (Jul 2, 2010)

*The Attack of the Commie Mushrooms

*A Cold War super hero adventure for 2-4 players.
*
Summary

*Soviet super villains are ready to unleash their latest biological weapon on American soil and it's up to the heroes to stop them!


*Background

*This adventure can take place in any suitably large American City on the east or west coast or Great Lakes. Any date in the 1950s is most appropriate, although an earlier or later date could be used with some modification. 
*
*The characters for this adventure are all members of a secret government task force called "The Midnight Riders." Each PC has a special super power that led to their selection. The team should have diverse abilities to do well in this adventure. Some suggested characters are included in the additional material below.

The purpose of the Midnight Riders is dealing with Communist plots that no one else is qualified to handle, especially those plots that involve Bolshevik super villains. The Riders work behind the scenes for the most part, keeping Good Old America safe from the invisible but always present Soviet menace.

The latest mission begins when Candy, the third wife of Industrialist and Import/Export Millionaire C. Thomas Haverton, is brought into the team's HQ and tells her sad story (complete with ample tears, running makeup and much leg shown) to the heroes. 

At first she suspected her powerful husband of run-of-the-mill adultery, but his increasingly bizarre and erratic behavior bears more than a passing resemblance to Soviet Mind Control! "I don't know where to turn!" 

Clearly, this is a job for the Midnight Riders.


*When Good Capitalists Go Bad

*Haverton has been seduced by an Evil Communist Seductress and is now acting as her puppet in a complicated scheme to attack America and advance the agenda of the Godless Reds. The PC investigation of Haverton will yield various pieces of information, depending on the success of role-playing, the plans the PC's come up with (put a tail on him, bug the phones, track down his business associates, get the word on the street, try to locate the Soviet Sleeper Cell in the city, etc). 

Easy Information that can be acquired with a minimum of effort (watch TV for an afternoon or two, look at some old newspapers, ask the average citizen.) is listed below.

- Haverton is one of the city's most wealthy businessman.
- He is a philanthropist who has done a lot to improve and beautify the city.
- He was a major contributor to the Mayor's reelection campaign.
- He has a weakness for the opposite sex that ruined past marriages.
- He is in the process of converting a decrepit portion of the city's docks into an upscale shopping promenade, complete with beautiful old-style gas lights.
- Many of his recent business decisions were unusual.  

Medium Information will require sources closer to Haverton or extended trailing and stake-outs. 

- Haverton's latest mistress has a strong hold over him.
- He has been importing unusual items, including foreign plant life.
- There are criminal types on his payroll, working the docks.

Difficult Information will be slow in coming and require extensive infiltration. It should come to light piece by piece as the big picture forms.

- Haverton's mistress is a Soviet super villain called "White Night" with powerful psionic abilities. 
- The unusual plant life are dangerous Commie Mushrooms capable of impossibly fast growth and driving decent people insane with their spores.
- The new shopping promenade will be used in the planned fungus attack.  
- Several other Red supers are present to assist in the evil attack.

Gradually the same old sordid story becomes clear: selling out Mom and Pa and Country over a Commie Dame. Haverton is completely under the domination of White Night and is using his considerable resources to accomplish her wicked scheme. He has used his import business to bring in the dangerous Commie Fungus and will use the new shopping promenade, complete with old style gas lamps, as an incubation chamber for this menace. Here hundreds of Americans can be exposed to the spores all at once.

Haverton might be captured and interrogated by aggressive PCs. In his present state of Soviet mind control slavery he is of little help. If the mind control he is under is broken, perhaps by hours of exposure to an endless loop of the American National Anthem combined with images of this Great Land, he will alert the characters to the full extent of the looming danger. 

White Night might also be caught when she meets with Haverton to keep her psionic control. She will try to flee rather than fight at this point and if captured will attempt suicide (the Soviet villain "The Possessed" can continue her scheme if she dies).


*The Bank Job*

At some point in the early investigation the heroes will be called upon to stop a bank robbery gone wrong. The robbery is unconnected to the other events of the adventure and acts as both a red (no pun!) herring and an opportunity to get some "clobbering time" in to break up the investigative portion. 

The American Super Villain "The Atom Smasher" has used his Super Strength to break into the vault of First Bank and is making off with the loot! The police are going to need a discrete assist from the Midnight Riders to defeat this criminal and his gang of bad elements, which may include another Super Villain or two. The heroes will have to win the fight, protect the innocent, and make sure the credit for stopping the robbery mainly goes to the city police. Achieving all three of these goals should be challenging but resourceful heroes should get the job done. 


*White Night*

The Soviet Seductress behind the planned attack should prove a difficult adversary. In 1943 the Red Army recaptured a village near Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War. To their horror, they discovered only one survivor, surrounded by the mutilated bodies of Nazi soldiers and peasants. This survivor was a fifteen year old girl, covered from head to toe in blood and staring vacantly with dead eyes. She was quickly recruited by the Soviets and molded into a spy and assassin.

In addition to physical charms, intelligence and a total lack of compassion for others, White Night has powerful psionic abilities, including the ability to mentally dominate as well as perform telekinesis. The latter power creates an aura of bright white light and causes small objects to circle around her before becoming dangerous projectiles. Her psionic domination powers allows her to control multiple weak-willed individuals, but to control a stronger willed target (that is, the heroes) she must concentrate her full energies and take no other actions. 

If she has a weakness, it's overconfidence. At first she'll simply send her lesser thralls against the PCs, feeling they are not a true threat. By the time she starts deploying her full powers against them, it might be too late.


*The Freak Out*

After the bank job and some more investigation another event occurs. Two All-American teens are discovered dead near the docks being converted into the shopping promenade. While camping on the beach they apparently suffered "fits of frenzy" and tore into each other to lethal effect. The cause is unknown, but some sort of Red Soviet Bolshevik Mental/Sexual Mind Control Ray, possibly fired from orbit, seems the most likely explanation, according to the newspaper, radio and TV reports. Teens are warned to avoid contact with the opposite sex until this new issue is resolved.

Using their secret government clearance, the PCs should investigate the site. They will find a camp site ruined, complete with a tent torn to pieces and a shattered gas lamp...

Closer investigation near the pier reveals mushrooms, including one that has grown to two feet tall! Before a sample can be obtained, Haverton Security (actually Red spies!) will suddenly appear and demand the characters leave. Disobedient heroes will have to fight these spies, backed up by White Night's mind-controlled slaves as described in the next section.


*Deserted Docks

*Following the death of the teens the dock area is closed off, both out of respect for the dead and to complete the final, secret touches on the shopping promenade before it is unveiled to the public. Of course, "Stay Out" signs aren't going to stop the Midnight Riders! Past the fence, there is no activity. The promenade looks complete, no workers are present. It seems the delay is mainly motivated by trying to distance the opening from the bizarre deaths.

If the PCs investigate they will get a good look at the new gas lights, the stores ready to open that contain nothing of interest to this case and the mushrooms growing beneath the newly built piers. Any character with knowledge of botany will be able to determine their growth here is highly abnormal. Taking and analyzing a sample will reveal the horrible truth.

When the characters try to leave they will be attacked by thralls of White Night, decent American workers under her mental control! They shuffle forward like zombies, clumsily wielding sledgehammers, chain saws, nail guns and other deadly items from the construction site. These slaves will try to destroy the mushroom sample and kill the characters. These poor individuals are not a serious threat, but killing them would be a major failure on the part of America's defenders. The best plan is to subdue and capture them and then defeat the mental domination, possibly back at the HQ. 

If the thralls are released from their mental bondage they will be very thankful and can share some interesting information too, at the GM's discretion. 


*Stalin's Flower Garden*

The PCs should eventually discover the truth behind the mushrooms. The Commie Fungus was harvested from the ruined tundra of the Tunguska "event" and is of alien origin. Normally they lie dormant in a state of stasis, awaiting the perfect conditions for their out-of-control growth. 

These perfect conditions of the mushroom's home planet can be replicated by the release of a certain sort of light and chemicals that can be produced by gas lighting. When exposed to such light the mushrooms will begin to grow at a rapid rate, as well as releasing spores that cause hallucinations, fits of frenzy, lack of proper respect for the American Flag, and murderous violence. 

The camping teens accidentally triggered one of the mushrooms. Fortunately, the light from their single gas lamp was relatively weak and the lamp was destroyed during the following Commie-induced Freak Out.

The plan of White Night is to trigger the mushrooms at the opening of the new shopping promenade. When the gaslights come on, they will bathe the mushrooms around the piers in their light, causing them to grow to giant size and emit spores. Hundreds are likely to die. The Reds will then offer the antidote to survivors, winning a massive political and public relations victory and putting a little more of a tip on the next domino...unless they can be stopped.


*Rush and Attack*

At some point, probably after the characters learn the full scope of the threat, White Night will deploy the Heroes of the Soviet Republic against the characters. The Super Villains "Proletarian," "The Red Shadow" and "The Possessed" (described below) will attack. This should be a difficult fight against strong opposition, raising tension as the climax approaches. Protecting good Americans, saving valuable property and beating the Reds is the goal.

Alternately, this attack could give underachieving PCs one last chance to capture and interrogate a no good pinko scum, filling them in on details they have missed and giving them a chance to complete the adventure.

If the characters have done an exceptionally good job of investigating, they might infiltrate the secret Commie headquarters (it's in a penthouse of a hotel owned by Haverton: those Red hypocrites seem to like our capitalist luxuries!) and be the ones to initiate this fight and in this case the adventure ends early. However, White Night and her remaining thralls (possibly even Haverton himself) will join in for a truly epic showdown. 


*Grand Opening*

The PCs will probably end up in a race against time to get to the Promenade opening, shut down the gas lights and stop this insane Bolshevik plot. When they arrive Haverton and the Mayor might be in the process of cutting the ribbon and giving a speech on the triumph of our great Democracy over the forces of fear and ignorance. If Haverton is out of the picture the opening will still occur. All the work was finished weeks ago, his presence is simply ceremonial. 

Hopefully crowd control ("Citizens! It isn't safe here!) combined with cutting the gas supply to the lights will bring the situation under control. However, White Night will launch a final desperate attack if it seems the PCs are going to be successful.

This attack will consist of her, some of her mind-controlled slaves, any remaining Soviet Super Menaces still on the loose, and ordinary Soviet spies caring gas lamps. These ordinary Reds will use their gas lamps on the mushrooms, quite possibly dying in the process (the more important Soviet supers have taken the antidote), to try to get them growing and releasing spores. Smart characters will realize this is the greater threat and put all their resources into stopping the lamp-carriers. 

If the Mushrooms get enough light to grow to giant size, release spores and multiply the heroes can still minimize the damage with fast action. Simply smashing the mushrooms is possible, but only Super Strength can harm the fungus once it reaches giant size. Fire and lots of it should be useful. The citizens can hopefully be evacuated from the contaminated area. When the spores are released, allow the characters a saving throw to prevent going insane. Ordinary people automatically fail this save.

Defeating and capturing the evil Soviets will give the United States a major victory in the endless secret war of ideologies. It could also open the way for the Midnight Riders to take the offensive, possibly aiding anti-communist factions in eastern bloc nations or even taking on a mission into Moscow itself (I hear it's a big Party Town). 

If White Night escapes, stopping her could drive the campaign, as she will continue to target influential but venal men for her nefarious purposes. 


*Character Profiles

The Midnight Riders (pre-gens)


*Brock "The Rock" Johnson

A former football player and U.S. Marine, Johnson came to the attention of the Midnight Riders when his transport plane crashed during the Korean War. Not only did Brock survive, he was completely unhurt! A believer in service, duty and the American Way, "The Rock" now serves as an immovable object for the Riders. He is also from a poor background and maintains contact with the street scene.

Super Powers: Invulnerability to most types of damage.


LB-1776

LB-1776, or "76" to his friends, is a sophisticated government android created for the fight against Communism. 76 is a repository of knowledge and is strong and resistant to damage. Attempts to make it "human" were slightly less successful, the robot tends to limit casual conversation to various patriotic slogans. 

Super Powers: Massive computer data bases, robot strengths and immunities.


Mary Evans "The Ghost of Liberty"

The daughter of a senator, Mary came to the attention of the Midnight Riders when she defeated an attempted Commie assassination with her special powers. Young and somewhat immature and mischievous she is nevertheless fully devoted to the Riders and will do the right thing...eventually at least! Her connection to her father will also be useful should the Riders need extra government resources. 

Super Powers: Invisibility.


Lazar Janovic "Fixer"

The son of Serbian immigrants fleeing Communism, Lazar may be the world's smartest man. At the age of thirty he holds numerous doctoral degrees, is a wealthy inventor and highly sought after by government think-tanks. The Midnight Riders struck him as the most worthy cause and he awaits the day when his native land is restored. Lazar is optimistic and resourceful and seems to always be tinkering with his latest gadget.

Super Powers: Super inventor, genius intelligence.


*Evil Villains, Foreign and Domestic


*The Atom Smasher

When this criminal helped the Soviets to steal nuclear material he was accidentally exposed to massive amounts of radiation. As you might expect, this gave him super powers. The Atom Smasher has recently escaped from a federal prison and is determined to use is powers to take what he wants, no matter who gets hurt! 

Super Powers: Super strength, resistant to damage.


Proletarian

While visiting Lenin's tomb, Ivan Petrovich was struck by a bolt lightning at the moment he set his hands on the dead dictator's case. When he recovered, he discovered he had the ability to control electricity! A devoted Communist, he eagerly agreed to use his powers to crush capitalism!

Super Powers: Control and direct lightning.


The Red Shadow

Petty thievery was the occupation of Anya Gradinov before she came to the attention of the Soviet government: stealing all the copper wire from a KGB office will do that! The influence of the White Night and a promise of Siberia should she step out of line keeps her nominally loyal to the Red cause. On the other hand, as long as she has a chance to use her talents and fill her pockets, she's happy.

Super Powers: Master thief, greatly heightened speed and agility.


The Possessed

Boris Maskimov was initially thought to be out of his mind, but when he escaped from the asylum, killing dozens in the process, his importance as a Soviet asset was suggested. Boris has the power to assume the personality and super powers of any deceased Soviet, while still keeping overall control with his own evil and manipulative personality. The limitation is he can only assume one persona at a time and it takes a minute or two to switch "identities." For the first battle with the PCs he will assume the powers/personality of "October Glory" a Soviet hero who could fly and fire blasts of pure energy. He may assume other identities, as needed. It's even possible if White Night is slain or takes her own life after being captured that The Possessed will take over for her!

Super Powers: Channel personality and super powers of fallen Soviets.


*Ingredient Review

**Gaslamp*: A gas lamp taken to the beach leads to the death of teens and alerts the heroes to the danger they are facing. In the final battle, Soviets use gas lamps as a last ditch effort to grow the mushrooms. The gaslights installed by the compromised magnate on the promenade also qualify. The Gaslamps are a key part of the evil Commie Plan for unleashing the spores of madness.

*Gaslighting*: The light from the gas lights contains the correct composition and release of chemicals to awaken the encroaching fungus. The gaslighting is installed by the compromised magnate under Soviet domination.

*Deserted Docks*: An economic downturn has created deserted docks that Haverton is converting to an upscale walk and shop. In preparation for the attack of the Red Mushrooms and to protect the horrible secret the docks are kept deserted before the grand opening when no one is allowed entry. Entering the deserted docks will be a task for the PCs, and it is the site of much of the action and investigation. The fact that it is a dock allows the partial concealment of the fungus beneath the converted piers.

*Compromised Magnate:* Haverton, a business magnate, is exposed to disrepute by the control of White Night. As her slave, he is behind the gaslight installation to awaken the Commie Fungus. His role as a powerful business man "revitalizing" the community is key to the plot.

*Encroaching Fungus*: Fueled by gaslight and gas lamps the Mushrooms threaten to grow out of control and encroach on the entire shopping promenade and beyond, bringing madness and death with them.

*The Image*: This is White Night, evil Soviet Seductress and master psionic who is behind the entire scheme to attack America with alien mushrooms. Her seduction and control of the Magnate sets the plan in motion.


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## ajanders (Jul 2, 2010)

InVinoVeritas said:


> I'll get my judgment up shortly. In the meantime, here are the ingredients for Round 3, Match 2:
> 
> Gaslamp
> Gaslighting
> ...




Prologue
System
This adventure is written for D&D 4th Edition. It could be adapted to any medieval, Renaissance, or even steampunk setting with rules for magic and amoral fey. PC's should be in the top half of the heroic tier.

Background
Golden Island is not named for its mineral wealth -- there are no mines on the island at all. The gold on Golden Island is the wheat that shines in the constant warm sunshine. All this is due to the master of Golden Island, Richard Greston. 

Greston is a wizard and sage: he has some combat powers, but most of his study has gone into rituals for agricultural purposes: improving the weather, repelling pests, boosting yields, and improving storage. His steady use of these rituals makes Golden Island a prosperous farm plantation where nature moves in serene, productive order and where everyone lives well. Greston has taken the money from his farming and invested it wisely in more rituals and more information about farming: his steady improvement of farming practices has made him an wheat magnate. The humans around Golden Island view it as a golden point of light and a valuable breadbasket; Richard Greston shares his rituals and techniques with anyone who will ask, and is a public benefactor.

The Fey disagree. To the Fey neat, orderly fencerows are chains and shackles constraining nature. Irrigation canals are vampire wounds, spilling the lifeblood of the earth. And Greston's carefully bred wheat is an aberrant monstrosity; sterile, deformed, retarded, aberrational. Richard Greston is a corrupt slavemaster, profiting from the cruel toil of the wheat he rules with an iron fist. And when he encourages others to follow his dark path, he is not to be borne.
Unfortunately for the fey, ancient edicts of the gods prevent them for manifesting an army from the Feywild and laying waste to Golden Island. The Fay may return wrongs done to them, but no more. Since Greston only harvests the wheat once it is dead, the punishments the Fay mete out cannot result in death. But they are allowed to cause Greston and the inhabitants of Golden Isle to waste their lives unproductively, to not have children, and to use any dead inhabitants of Golden Island as they see fit.
An eladrin named Xicene was chosen to recruit fay to administer this punishment.

Xicene began with myconids: she felt it was appropriate that since humans consume wheat to sustain themselves, it was appropriate to use the fay of fungus, which consumes animal tissue, to punish them. She recruited a myconid king named Ergot.
Ergot proposed a punishment that fit the crime precisely: his tribe of alchemists could create poisons that, when administered, weakened perceptions and wills. Xicene and her cohorts could then use illusions and charms to change the behavior of the islanders to something more appropriate without killing them. Xicene agreed to this plan.
Ergot, however, has been corrupted by the Shadowfell. Although he intends to keep to the letter of his agreement with Xicene, his spirit is perfectly comfortable with "accidentally" killing the population of the island. After all, a fungus has to eat somehow.

Ergot and his alchemists mixed up a potion that, when burned, emits a cloud of gas that weakens the will. Xicene recruited a few gnomes to help her add the potion to Greston's next shipment of lamp oil. That shipment was delivered a week ago, right before harvest. Xicene and Ergot have moved in to administer then punishment. Then the PC's arrived...

Dramatis Personae
Ergot, an advanced Myconid king...possibly with a class template. Certainly without ethics.
Ergot's tribe, advanced myconids
Xicene: eladrin warlock of vengeance
Xicene's cabal: eladrin/gnome/wilden warlocks and illusionist wizards.

Synopsis
The PC's come to the docks of Golden Isle, which are deserted and filled with traps. The PC's must navigate through the docks to Greston's wheat plantation, defended by Ergot and his tribe of plant-fey. Once Ergot and his fey are driven off, the party must enter the farmhouse, find Greston, free his mind, and placate or drive away Xicene and her cabal of enchanters. 


Hooks
1. Greston has standing offers for rituals related to farming and books about Nature and Dungeoneering (he uses the Dungeoneering to help him with engineering projects). PC's may regard him as a depository for otherwise unprofitable materials.
2. PC's may be asked to guard grain barges picking up the grain from Golden Isle.
3. Fay PC's or primal PC's may have gotten word of Xicene's mission. They may be attempting to forestall it -- or support it. But even fay PC's inclined to support Xicene will recognize Ergot has encroached on the ancient edicts and needs to be reined in.


Act 1: The Docks
As the PC's approach the docks, they see nobody about...including the harbor pilot. The harbor is oddly choked with floating logs and with no pilot, the PC's have a terrible time tying up.
Once the PC's get onto the docks, things only get stranger. There should be teamsters and haulers and riggers and all manner of people about: this is a good-sized shipping facility.
It's also a well-trapped shipping facility. Ergot isn't allowed to attack visitors, but he's not responsible if someone steps on a nail or has a pile of badly balanced boxes fall on their heads. Ergot has also made sure all the lamps are full of his doctored lamp oil and constantly lit. The PC's must make a skill challenge to pass through the trapped docks.
This challenge uses:

Thievery (to detect and disarm rough traps) Moderate
Perception (to detect a trap so it can be avoided) Moderate
Athletics (to catch falling crates and such) Moderate
Acrobatics (to leap over sudden hazards) Moderate

PC's may assist one another in these checks. Failure in the checks means the PC and all characters assisting them lose a healing surge. The PC's must succeed in five checks to get off the docks.

Every time a PC makes a check, all PC's in the party must make an Endurance check. Failure means they are affected by the fumes from the lamps and take a penalty of -2 to Perception and Insight checks, plus a -1 penalty to Will saves. These penalties persist until the party takes an extended rest.

If a PC rolls a hard perception check in the skill challenge, not only do they score a success, but they also realize something is wrong with the lamps. A moderate Heal check will reveal the lamps are producing some sort of intoxicating fumes. After that, a hard Arcana or Nature check will reveal this is an alchemical brew using fungus from the Feywild. An exceptional Healing, Arcana, or Nature check will reveal what the fumes do: otherwise, the PC's don't know how or if they've been affected.
Every time a PC makes a check, all PC's in the party must make an Endurance check. Failure means they are affected by the fumes from the lamps and take a penalty of -2 to Perception and Insight checks, plus a -1 penalty to Will saves. These penalties persist until the party takes an extended rest.

Act II: The plantation.

After getting off the docks, the party can move up the road towards the plantation. As they come up to the fields, they see everyone, from farmers to dockworkers to clerks, harvesting grain. The workers are dazed and non-responsive: they've been smelling Ergot's fumes for most of the week and are now stoned out of their minds: they'll believe anything anyone tells them with a DC 5 Bluff check.
After a few rounds of interaction, Ergot will appear. He is badly disguised in a hooded cloak: he'll get a +2 on his Bluff check to pass as human, but anyone with a substantial penalty to their Perception from his fumes may still fail to recognize him as anything else.
Ergot recognizes the PC's as a threat and whips up his work crew to deal with them, shouting loudly "Those newcomers are wheat! Walking, talking Wheat! Reap them!". The work crew will start off after the (bemused) PC's. Treat the drugged work crew as a zombie throng from page 198 of Open Grave, but without any immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities, a perception of 0, and no darkvision. And they're not undead, they're just alive and stoned out of their mind.
The PC's may fight the work crew using weapons, but a DC 10 Insight check suggests they're so suggestible they'll believe anything. PC's may use a standard action to make a Bluff check against the mob and subtract 10. The result is the number of hit points damage the work crew takes, but it isn't actually damage -- the mob just believes the PC's 
when they explain they aren't wheat, so they stop fighting.
The mob will be supported by Ergot and his tribe of myconids. These cannot be bluffed. They will attack the PC's until the PC's are bloodied, then withdraw and let the work crew finish them off.
Ergot will shift as much damage as he can to his guards and run for the house if he gets bloodied.
The guards will retreat to the house if they find they cannot attack the party. The work crew will fight to the death...or confusion.

If anyone in the party takes a moment to examine the grain, they will find it has been infected with a fungus. A difficult nature check reveals this fungus causes hallucinations if it's eaten.

Act III: the farmhouse

This is a large comfortable farmhouse with a magical library and workroom attached. Greston is here, almost as out of it as the work crew outside. Xicene and her cabal of helpers have throughly befuddled him with charms and illusions. He believes Xicene and her cabal are visiting scholars come to discuss and review his work in agricultural magic. 
As he shows them his work, Xicene is having her cabal make alterations to it, providing incorrect or dangerous information. She's also corrupting his ritual book: so that instead of containing rituals that enhance agriculture, his rituals will change the plants into plant monsters.

Graston is more in touch with reality than his work crew: he will talk to the PC's cheerfully, if vaguely.
He will be shocked about the condition of his docks, apologize, and send a work crew down to rectify the situation.
He will be even more shocked if he hears his work crew has attacked the PC's: if he confronts the crew and tells them to stop, they will do so immediately.

He will also notice if the PC's have blood on their weapons from his work crew -- and not be happy.
If the PC's show him myconid corpses he will be shocked.
If the PC's reveal Ergot to him in his true form (by ripping off his cloak) he will be shocked -- but Xycene and her cabal will try to Bluff him into believing that Ergot isn't a mushroom, he's just fat and pale and ugly and looks like a mushroom.
If the PC's attack Graston or his guests, he will defend himself and them. The cabal will use any charm or illusion powers they have to get the party to attack Graston. 
Fay will attack the party themselves until the party is bloody, then back off and let Graston finish them. The fey will flee if they are bloodied.

If the party can grant Graston a saving throw and he makes it, he will throw off the effects of the charms and change sides. At this point, all the fay will break off: their mission is compromised.

The myconids are angry and desperate now: they will not stop attacking the party if the party is bloodied. As soon as a myconid attacks another party member, however, Xicene and her cabal will be horrified and flee.

The party can also attempt to bring Graston to a realization of his situation.
This can be done using Diplomacy checks, Arcana checks to point out the alterations of his ritual book, Healing checks made to call Graston's attention to the lamps and the fumes they emit, Nature checks to help him identify the monsters in the room.
These checks are at a penalty if the PC's have hurt Graston's employees.
PC's making insight checks during this discussion can realize Xicene is very much alarmed at what Ergot has done. Successful Bluff checks might startle her into revealing damaging information about her plans, giving the PC's a bonus on these checks.
If the PC's succeed in their skill challenge, Grasston will admit he might be under a spell and allow the PC's to cast Dispel Magic, grant him a saving throw, or even go walk outside a little to get the fumes out of his lungs. Once he comes back to himself, Xycene will depart again: the jig is up.

Ingredients

Gaslamp: When fuelled with Ergot's special oil, the oil lamps on Golden Island emit mind-altering Gas.

Gaslighting: Gaslighting is a form of torture whereby the onlookers tell  their victims that real changes in their environment are, in fact, imaginary. Grasston will do this unconsciously to the PC's as they try to convince him his guests are hostile fay. PC's badly affected by the gas from the lamps may be Gaslighted by the fay.

Deserted Docks: the opening scene of the adventure

Compromised Magnate: Grasston the wheat magnate is compromised mentally by the fay. Ergot the myconid king is morally compromised by his desire to see people die. Xycene is compromised by Ergot's actions.

Encroaching Fungus: Ergot encroaches on the terms of the fay vengeance pack and also encroaches -- grows into -- Golden Isle

Picture of Zappy Chick: That's Xycene, teleporting away after the party thwarts her mission.


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## InVinoVeritas (Jul 3, 2010)

And, back to business.

[sblock]
We've got Pro-Paladin vs. ajanders this round. First, some discussion about the ingredients:

I threw in "Gaslamp" and "Gaslighting" to see how they got used; only ajanders got the second meaning of Gaslighting. I was hoping to see the insanity-causing second meaning by using Gaslighting, because... you can't really have a gaslamp without gaslighting anyway. So, on that basis, ajanders gets an advantage right out of the gate. Pro-Paladin came close with the use of Commie Mind Control on the Compromised Magnate, but I didn't get the sense that the real use was present.

The photo from Vogue Italia, 2006 (personal design secret: I raid fashion magazines for adventure ideas) was another important element. There were a lot of things that could be picked up on. Pro-Paladin gave us the White Night, describing her halo and whipping up of objects as manifestations of her ability. Xicene is ajanders' submission, an eladrin warlock of vengeance. We didn't get a description of her in the adventure, which is a weakness. She was in a library, though. That's two points for Pro-Paladin and one for ajanders.

Deserted Docks: Both used both parts of the ingredient and made it integral to the action, well done.

Compromised Magnate: Once again, good use in both cases. I like how ajanders combined the gaslighting and the magnate, and used Ergot as a second magnate. 

Encroaching Fungus: I very much enjoy both uses. The theme of ergot poisoning was well-executed by ajanders, and the commie mushrooms were beautifully campy and fun to use, too.

Based on ingredient use, ajanders has the advantage.

Originality: Here, Pro-Paladin's writing shines. Every step of the way, you get a sense of the Cold-War-fueled 50s, down to the importance of sexual repression. The prosaic descriptions in ajanders' adventure don't compete, unfortunately.

Playability: Pro-Paladin goes a step further to both spell out more characters and provide sample PCs, probably a good idea given that it's a particular time, place, and style. The generic 4e world of ajanders is easier to use, but lacking in these extra elements.

This round I found tough to judge. Although ajanders did the better job tying the ingredients together, Pro-Paladin went the extra step through breathing life into the scene and providing the DM with potential PCs. 

I'm going to cast my vote for Pro-Paladin. I do like research, and so ajanders use of ergot poisoning and the additional meanings of gaslighting are great. But I have to respect the research into geting the feel down for the 1950s as well. This is more of a go-with-the-gut decision. I thought both were good entries. That flair will be important in the final.

[/sblock]


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## Radiating Gnome (Jul 6, 2010)

Attack of the Commie Mushrooms (ACM) by Pro-Paladin vs. Unnamed Entry (UE) by Ajanders

Long weekends are great . . . sorry judgement has been slow coming. I'm still the first judge across the finish line, though.  

[sblock]
*Ingredients:*


*Gaslamp* - both entries use gaslamps pretty well.  No advantage. 

*Gaslighting *- ACM misses the real meaning of the term Gaslighting - which is trying to convince someone they're losing their minds by changing their environment and telling them that it's not changing.  UE seems to be a little off the mark, but is closer, so advantage UE.

*Deserted Docks* - Both entries use deserted docks, but in ACM, the docks are only docks because that's what they're called -- the docks are being converted into an open air shopping mall.  They're not really docks in much more than name. Advantage UE.  

*Compromised Magnate* - UE's recap claims three, but neither Ergot nor Xycene are really magnates of any kind, so it's a good thing that Gresston is.  ACM has Haverton, who works pretty well.  No Advantage.  

*Encroaching Fungus* - again, both entries use fungus as a major threat.  No advantage.  

*[Picture of Zappy Chick]* - in both cases, the picture is of the big bad -- well used. I find that Xycene doesn't succeed at capturing the personality of the picture as White Night does, so advantage ACM.

Overall, the ingredients favor UE.  

*Creativity - *

There's a lot to like about both of these entries, and I'm finding it hard to pick one I like better over the other.  The formatting and editing glitches (as well as the lack of a name) bother me about UE -- it's hard to read, and that gets frustrating quickly.  But the ideas in it are pretty good.  

Meanwhile, ACM has the advantage of completeness -- the inclusion of suggested PCs is an interesting touch, and is an example of the sort of polish that serves this adventure well.  But beneath the polish, is it as creative and interesting as UE? 

In the end, I don't quite think so.  I find the commie plot -- which fits perfectly into the genre -- doesn't really surprise me -- it relies a lot on cliche and well-worn tropes.  Femme Fatale, commies bent on destroying the US, etc.  Meanwhile, UE has shadow-inflused bloodthirsty myconids that are going beyond the agreed-upon bounds of their fey pack with the Eladrin planning to bring down Gresston's big wheat operation.  There are layers and things that I don't feel like I've seen quite so many times before. 

*Playability - *

I think ACM has a real advantage here.  One major blind spot in UE is the problem of conveying the tension between the Eladrin and the Myconids to the players -- that's one of the most interesting interactions in the adventure, but it will be almost completely invisible to the players.  It's also going to be hard to convey the importance of the way the Eladrin are subtly trying to control Gresston.  ACM is a nice, neat package and could probably be dropped on the table and played pretty much as written -- it even has an early encounter (the bank job) set up as filler (to complete the session) that is not really tied to the overall plot or an ingredient, but is there to give the session the right sort of shape.  

*Conclusion - *

This is a tough one.  I really expected to land on the side of ACM at first glance.  The polish and completeness of the entry made it feel like the obvious choice.  But a more in-depth look, peeling back the problems with UE's presentation brings me around to casting my own vote for *Unnamed Entry by Ajanders*, based on the creativity of the entry and stronger use of the ingredients.  

-rg

[/sblock]


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## Pbartender (Jul 8, 2010)

And lastly...

[sblock]*THE ATTACK OF THE COMMIE MUSHROOMS*

*Pros:*
Appropriately clichéd for the genre.  A good mix of action and investigation.   Nice formatting. Good info on encounters and NPCs.  Sample characters are a nice touch.

*Cons:*
"Gaslighting" is not, technically, "gas lighting"*. Needs a better twist to spice up the cliché.

*Overall:*
Good, but not great.  It’s a very complete adventure for a non-system-specific super hero adventure.  While the clichéd nature of the plot is appropriate for the genre, it’s all a bit predictable.


*THE ADVENTURE WITH NO NAME*

*Pros:*
Overall good use of ingredients. An interestingly layered plot.

*Cons:*
Mind-numbing format. "Oil lamps" are not, technically, "gas lamps"*. Shotgunning "compromised magnate". The plot's layers are almost too subtle.

*Overall:*
Badly needs copy editing, but within lies a wonderfully multi-layered plot.  

Ignoring the formatting, THE ADVENTURE WITH NO NAME has a plot that could be almost Machiavellian with a little work.  It it enough to overcome its relatively minor disadvantages, and tip the scales against the well-polished, but fairly pedestrian Cold War camp of THE ATTACK OF THE COMMIE MUSHROOMS.

I vote for ajanders.



*Though, on both counts, I appreciate the interpretive creativity.[/sblock]


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## CleverNickName (Jul 8, 2010)

Woops!  Wrong thread...


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## Radiating Gnome (Jul 11, 2010)

FINAL ROUND: 

Iron Sky vs. ajanders

Ingredients:

Exquisite Cadaver
Festooned Cabaret
The Girl with the Prefabricated Heart
Dreams that money can buy
Prestigious Urinal
Handkerchief of Clouds

And the bonus tiebreaker ingredient: Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear

Gentlemen, this was supposed to go up earlier, and I'm sorry that some confusion seems to have caused a delay.  You officially have 48 hours to complete this entry.  Since this is being posted without much warning, I'm going to go ahead and extend that just a little.  The deadline for this will be Midnight PST on Monday, so you have all day sunday and monday to complete your entries.  

I'm going to PM both of you now to make sure you get these as soon as possible.


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## Iron Sky (Jul 13, 2010)

*The Song of the Prophet*
 A Star Wars Saga adventure

*Glossary*
_al-Gawym_: “Clouds” in the ash-Shtat language.  The new home system of the ash-Shtat where the majority of the adventure takes place.
_Mrydah_: A dying one-year old ash-Shtat girl, daughter of al-Menfa
_al-Menfa_: The father of Mrydah, ex-Rijil ad-Dyn priest
_Shub Fy ash-Shtat_: The near-human race the adventure centers around.
_Rijil ad-Dyn_: The ruling ash-Shtat theocracy whose fundamentalist beliefs restrict technologies, clothing, and strictly govern the lives of the ash-Sthat people.
_Zindyq al-Qurash_: The splinter group of the ash-Shtat that favors technology and joining the Republic.
_Yam at-Thryr_: The holy ash-Shtat festival where the Song of the Prophet is told.
_an-Nby Kābāryh_: The building where the Song of the Prophet is told.

*A Father's Sin*
 The group finds themselves in a cantina on whatever world they are on.  The cantina is inhabited by full of tall, slender figures in colorful full-body robes.  Strange red-white flowers in long garlands string the room, filling it with a strange sweet smell.  The people are dancing to soft, exotic music that has a longing, sorrowful undertone while on a stage, a group of costumed dancers are performing a dance and singing in a soft, rhythmic language.  The number seems to be telling a story, something ancient, haunting, and tragic, though exactly what the story is about is aside from some arduous journey is beyond you without speaking the people's language.

 When the group enters, a near-human man with a small bundle on his back walks up to the group, pulling back the hood of his strange robe as he does so;

 “_I saw your ship land earlier and, the Prophet of al-Gawym guide me, I feel you are the ones I have been waiting for, the ones seen in my dreams.  Please, come and let me buy you a festival drink, though here they only have imitations of the sweet juice of the mist-pear that saved our peoples when the Prophet led us to al-Gawym, our home.  Come, come.”_

  When the group sits, light, fruity drinks are brought, the near-human sits to join them, removing the bundle from his back to reveal a young girl, only a couple years old.  He looks at her with an expression full of love and sadness as she sleeps and he rocks her gently as he speaks.






  “_I used the last of my faith and the last of the drug of the blossom that I owned to seek the Dreams of the Prophet.  He said you would come and lead me and Mrydah back to redemption... salvation.  _He looks up at the party, soft determination in his eye.  _I am al-Menfa and I would pay you all that I own if you would help me and my daughter return to my home system of al-Gawym.  It will not be easy and there are things we must do along the way, but my daughter is dying and only the will of  Prophet al-Gawym will save her where my hubris failed.  I will pay you ten thousand credits – in advance – if you will do this._

  If the group needs more information before they accept, they can glean the following information from asking al-Menfa or making appropriate knowledge checks:

_* The al-Gawym(“Clouds”) system is a forming planetary system around a young star.  The system still swirls with rock, dust, and dozens of rocky planetoids.  It is in the Outer Rim, at the very edge of Republic Space._

  * _The system is not part of the Republic, the majority of the Shub Fy ash-Shtat near-humans that live there having rejected membership on religious grounds._

_* The ash-Shtat live scattered on marginally-terraformed sections of the largest planetoids, scattered throughout the system._

_* A splinter group known as the Zindyq al-Qurash live on the outskirts of the system, running illicit trade and smuggling between the ash-Shtat and the Republic.  There has been much violence between the fundamental, conservative Rijil ad-Dyn and the pro-Republic, technologist al-Qurash.  Tension remains high between them._

_* The Rijil ad-Dyn don't appose all technology, but do appose any technologies not considered “sanctioned” by the Prophet.  Their arbitrations as to which technologies fall into these categories reject all technologies not in common use in the time of the Prophet, the Seedships, and the Great Journey hundreds of years ago, its history only held in the Song of the Prophet, a story preserved by the Rijil ad-Dyn and told once a year at the festival of the Yam at-Thryr._

_* Several less-than-scrupulous Republic corporations fund the al-Qurash, seeking to gain access to the rare trace minerals and gasses that are found in the al-Gawym system.  The Republic itself honors the ash-Shtat peoples' wish to remain isolated and it is technically illegal to travel to the system, though one the far fringes of the galaxy, it is little-enforced._

  Once they accept, al-Menfa continues, either there in the cantina or while on the way to the ship, preparing for launch, and/or while preparing to jump to al-Gawym(whose coordinates al-Menfa gives):

 “_I was once a member of the Rijil ad-Dyn ruling priest-caste that interprets the will of the Prophet, preserves the Song of the Prophet that is the history of our people, and governs the people.  When my wife died, I despaired, but believed it the will of Prophet al-Gawym, and focused on raising our daughter.  When her little heart began to falter, so again did my faith.  I stole a pouch of rare Mist-Pear blossoms and inhaled the smoke so to receive the Dreams of the Prophet, but even these were cloudy and uncertain._

 “_Lost and watching my little Mrydah dying before she had yet a chance to live, I searched everywhere for other options.  The prayers of even the holiest Rijil ad-Dyn seemed to have no effect, even an illicit visit to an al-Qurash doctor did nothing.  The al-Qurash said that only in the Repuplic did they have the forbidden technology to save her, but it would cost a great deal.  I began to see the Republic hospitals that the al-Qurash described to me in my dreams and I was almost feverish in my determination to somehow buy my daughter's life and health from these Republic doctors._

 “_I agonized for weeks and, in the end, I committed a grave sin.  In desperation, I stole two minor relics of the Prophet, most importantly the waste receptacle used by him on the Seedship he used on the Great Journey that led our people to al-Gawym from our dying system.  I sold it to the al-Qurash in exchange for passage to the Republic and enough credits to fund my daughter's operation several times over._

  “_The al-Qurash left me on a backwater system where I lost much money to charlatans and swindlers. I then moved from system to system, my credits dwindling with my hope, searching for one who could save me daughter.  When I finally found an actual surgeon, he removed my daughter's heart in three pieces_ – he taps a small case with a blinking light on his belt -_ and replaced it with what I learned later was an artificial heart designed for short-term emergency operations only.  My daughter even has a plasti-flesh door in her chest that allows easy removal!_

  “_I came to this world, hearing that there were some al-Qurash here that might help me, _he says, gesturing at the people around him.  _But unfortunately these ones still observe the holy month of Yam at-Thryr, with its prohibitions on travel.  I do not know if little Mrydah will survive a month!  I must return to al-Gawym.  I will face punishment, perhaps death, but if I return the relics to the Rijil ad-Dyn, perhaps they will yet intervene on Mrydah's behalf with the Prophet, even allow her to be placed as the Miracle Child in the Song of the Prophet – rumors say that some who play the part experience similar miracles...”_

*The Second Relic, Nothing to Sneeze At*
  Barring any hyperspace mishaps, the group arrives at al-Gawym and finds the system as predicted:






_A small yellow sun burns in the midst of a spinning disk of gas and dust.  Dozens of rocky planetoids tumble through the swirling clouds along with tens-of-thousands of asteroids and comets.  Beyond the edges of the system are massive nebula clouds, strange towering shapes that seem to shift and change as the ship travels through the system._

  Al-Menfa says prayers of thanksgiving for several minutes, then points out into the system.

 “_I hid the other relic, a bit of cloth used by the Prophet for hygiene purposes, in a stasis capsule somewhere in the outer system.  It transmits a short-range beacon that we can track, but we have to get near it first.  I was afraid that the Rijil ad-Dyn might be pursuing me, so had little time to determine precisely where I left it, but I do have a fixed landmark._

 “_They call the dust clouds you see out there around the ecliptic of the system the Wings of the Prophet.  They are relatively static and, without your sophisticated Republic navigation systems, many ash-Shtat used them as landmarks for navigation.  What we need to do is find the spot in the system where three of the clouds align in such a fashion that they make the shape of a Mist-Pear.  The resemblance was so uncanny when I notice it that I took it as a sign from the Prophet.  Once we have them aligned, we should be close enough that for your ship to detect the beacon._"

  Achieving this requires the standard array of starship travel skills to navigate the dust and rocks.  Added complications include energy storms in the gas, stray comets and asteroids, false navigational readings due to electrical disturbances in the debris of the tumultuous proto-system, and guess-work on trying to align the nebula.






When they eventually detect the beacon, they must then pinpoint it, discovering it deep in a gas cloud full of asteroids.  They must either have someone spacewalk between the asteroids to retrieve it or carefully navigate their ship into the murky dust and gas to retrieve it without colliding with anything.

  When they eventually retrieve it, al-Menfa secures it in his room.

 “_They say a drop of the Prophet's blood could heal a thousand diseases, let's hope his other fluids are as potent miracle workers in the hands of the hands of the Rijil ad-Dyn.  Now let us meet the al-Qurash.”_

*The First Relic, Waste Not...*
  Al-Menfa guides them to a hidden al-Qurash base amidst a jumble of asteroids at the outer edge of the system, saying:

 “_They have the Prophet's liquid waste receptacle here – assuming they haven't moved it elsewhere since I left – and I need it back somehow if I am to get Mrydah help from the Rijil ad-Dyn priests.  Let us not start hostilities unless there is no other recourse.”_

 Getting there is as difficult as finding the beacon, though heavier on asteroids and lighter on dust.  Eventually, they reach the al-Qurash asteroid-base where they are hailed by an al-Qurash corvette that streaks towards them from the tumbling rocks.






  If the group opens fire, they face a tough fight with a crude but effective warship, fire from platforms mounted on the al-Qurash base, and a wing of fighters launched from hidden platforms throughout the asteroids.

  Otherwise, assurances that they are simply Republic traders (along with easy Persuasion checks) will get them access to the base.






_The massive blast doors slide open and your ship enters, docking with a crude but functional airlock once inside.  The base is larger than it looks from the outside, ancient-looking trains running the length of the interior, running robed figures back and forth constantly.  Most of the robed figures wear flat black robes, but here and there one wears bright red or blue or orange and even a few wear flashy, relatively-revealing Republic styles that draw distasteful glances from the black robed figures.  “Not all al-Qurash want the same degree of immersion into the Republic.  In fact, if it weren't for their struggle against the Rijil ad-Dyn, they'd probably be fighting each other.”_

  Once inside, they must first track down whether the Prophet's receptacle is present(it is) and where it is (the base's laboratory).  This will likely involve Gather Information or Persuasion checks with the local al-Qurash.  Getting the unit is another matter.

  If the party wishes to negotiate, they must talk with Tajer Shab, the commander of the base.  She is dressed in flamboyant spacer garb and is eager to hear about anything the group is willing to tell her about the Republic.  On the matter of the receptacle, however, she is less open.  She refuses to give the party the receptacle for anything short of 50,000 credits, claiming their scientists are examining it for trace elements the Prophet may have left behind that will prove _“certain theories the al-Qurash have that will help us sway the common ash-Shtat against the Rijil ad-Dyn's brainwashing.”_

  Tajer Shab will make another deal however: they will trade it for the Prophet's stasis-locked corpse from the center of the Inner Sanctum, the Prophet's high temple in the heart of the temple-city of Prophet's Sepulcher, on the largest planetoid in the system.  Al-Menfa seems shocked at the suggestion, but with a glance at the steadily-weakening Mrydah in his arms, his resolve stiffens.  “_Prophet, let any sins fall upon me and spare her, I will take them gladly!”_

  If the party simply blasts their way into the base, they face poorly-equipped but determined resistance from the al-Qurash in the base and must fight the corvette and fighters in space outside once they escape from the base (assuming they haven't fought them already).

  They might instead sneak into the laboratory, which will involve sneaking in, avoiding security, wandering al-Qurash, and getting the bulky receptacle out undetected.  If they are detected and don't immediately blast their way out, they are taken to Tajer Shab, who will then make the corpse-napping offer to them.  Otherwise, they must fight their way back to their ship.

  If the party negotiated, Tajer Shab offers the group a crude ash-Shtat ship that they can use to travel freely in the inner system without drawing attention to their Republic-built starship.  If they didn't negotiate, al-Menfa will suggest they steal a small ash-Shtat ship as they flee or blast their way out.

*The Inner Sanctum, Prophet's Sepulcher*
  Navigating to the Prophet's Sepulcher is easier than the outer system approaches as the ash-Shtat have set up navigational beacons and antiquated space craft travel constantly between the inhabited planetoids of the inner system.

  Of course, the group can only use these lanes if they have an ash-Shtat ship, otherwise they will be swarmed by ancient-yet-numerous attack craft and fighters that they can only escape from by diving into the dangerous haze of the accretion disk.  If they don't have and/or don't use the ash-Shtat ship, they will have to fight their whole way to the Prophet's Sepulcher or face the daunting and dangerous navigational challenge of trying to fly the whole way there through the dust, gas, and debris.

  Regardless, al-Menfa leaves whatever relics he has in the party's ship when they head to the Sepulcher, which is most likely stashed away as far into the inner system as the party could get it.

  If they have the ash-Shtat ship, al-Menfa guides them through the space lanes to the Sepulcher.  If the party is not trying to get the Prophet's body (i.e. they blasted their way out or stole the Prophet's receptacle from the asteroid base), skip to the next section.

  Once there, al-Menfa uses an old but usable Rijil ad-Dyn security code to get them access to the Sepulcher itself.

  After landing the ship, al-Menfa produces black robes for everyone (creativity might be required for disguising abnormally large or small characters) and leads them into the heavily guarded and fortified Inner Sanctum of the Rijil ad-Dyn.






  There are several checkpoints, at each of which the short interrogations of al-Menfa in the ash-Shtat language that apparently mostly satisfy the guards, though a few seem hesitant and suspicious and argue with each other as the party passes.  _“Several of us disappeared at the same time, made to look like an accident with our ship – I thought I'd never be coming back here.  We probably don't have much time.”_

  Half-a-dozen temples form a circle in the Inner Sanctum, with a domed structure at the center.  Al-Menfa leads them to the central building.  _“They don't like letting the 'unclean' guards allowed beyond the outer wall, they would profane the place, according to the Rijil ad-Dyn.”_

  The central building does have a massive blast door with a security panel on the side.  Al-Menfa heads straight to the panel and presses his palm against it.  If there are any computer or security-proficient characters in the party, the panel doesn't recognize him, giving those party members a chance to shine and get them access.  Otherwise, the door accepts his hand-print and the massive blast doors open just enough for the party to file through single file.






  The room is massive and round, the lightning dim except for strategically placed lights that spotlight the body floating preserved in the middle of a stasis field.  Al-Menfa gestures at the robed figures, many of whom stare blankly, others rocking back and forth chanting, some lying sprawled out sleeping on the floor.  _“These are the lower priests of the Rijil ad-Dyn, come for their once-a-year imbibing of the sacred Mist-Pear blossom.  The Mist-Pears were found growing on a comet stuck in an elliptical orbit of the sun.  The Seedship nearly collided with it, its food processing systems failing, and the Pears provided enough food for the Prophet and the rest of my people to survive long enough to set up here.  It's so rare and expensive now that only the high-priests can afford it.  These ones around us are deep in the Dreams of the Prophet, I doubt we will encounter much resistance from them, though best keep your eyes open._"

  Presumably, the group sets out to steal the body – a task that could involve disabling ancient but many-layered security systems, hacking computers to lower the stasis field, taking the body in its ancient space suit, perhaps replacing it with one of the semi-comatose worshipers, and maybe chasing down and subduing the few Rijil ad-Dyn coherent enough to see what is going on.

  Once they have it, al-Menfa directs some of them to sneak it back to the ship – another challenge in the sanctum full of guards that will vary in difficulty depending on the preparation of the players (if they brought a cart full of food in advance or the like to hide the body amongst for example).  It's possible a firefight will break out if the party is caught (or if they don't have a plan when they try to get back through the checkpoints).

  The body itself is immaculately preserved, the ash-Shtat was a handsome man and still is despite his age. He retains a sense of elegance and power even in death.

*A Father's Demands*
  In orbit of the Prophet's Sepulcher, al-Menfa hails the Inner Sanctum.  Depending on how openly hostile the party ended up being with the Rijil ad-Dyn up to this point, the ash-Shtat in the Sepulcher can vary anywhere from blissfully unaware that the party is there to launching every fighter and ship they have, requiring evasive action on the party's part while al-Menfa (perhaps with assistance from socially-oriented party members) negotiates with the Rijil ad-Dyn high priests that answer his hail.

  The main negotiating terms are:
  * The party will be allowed to collect the relics unhindered by the ash-Shtat, including going back to the al-Qurash base.
  * The Rijil ad-Dyn will allow Mrydah to be the center point of the Song of the Prophet when it reaches the Prophet's miracle in the story.  Al-Menfa will be allowed to replace the prefabricated heart in Mrydah's chest with the three segments of her own heart, using a drop of blood from the cadaver, a drop of urine from the receptacle, and a drop of phlegm from the cloth to anoint them as per the ritual in the Song.
  * The party will be free to leave al-Gawym after the Song of the Prophet has ended, whether Mrydah's miracle transpires or not.
  * al-Menfa will return to the Inner Sanctum, there to await the judgment of the Rijil ad-Dyn.
  * Failure to agree to these terms will result in the destruction of the Prophet's relics, and even the body of the Prophet himself.

  The Rijil ad-Dyn don't like it, but they will accept, unwilling to lose the relics.  Al-Menfa will fly the party to their ship.  If they are working with the al-Qurash, al-Menfa will then fly back to the Inner Sanctum to await them.  _“Don't take too much time, Mrydah has too little left.  The Rijil ad-Dyn will keep their word.  They are many things, but oath-breakers are not among them.”_

  If they aren't working with the al-Qurash, they already have all the relics.  Jump to the final chapter.

When the group returns to the al-Qurash base with the Prophet's body, it is immediately taken to a lab.  An hour later, Tajer Shab returns with the body and the waste receptacle in their stasis pods.  She is jubilant and there is a festive air in the asteroid base.

 “_The Prophet had cybernetics installed, as I suspected; an augmented hip and an artificial lung!  This proof makes the Rijil ad-Dyn's interpretations of the Song of the Prophet suspect, we will spread this information and bring the theocracy to its knees.”_

  The party has other concerns however.

*The Song of the Prophet*
  When the party returns to the Inner Sanctum at the Prophet's Sepulcher, they are escorted brusquely, the relics taken from them even though they are going to the same place, the an-Nby Kābāryh temple where the Song of the Prophet is being recited to preserve the ash-Shtat's oral history.

  The temple itself is a large room with scattered tables for the Rijil ad-Dyn.  At the front is a stage where the Song of the Prophet is retold in song and dance, an ancient tale of hope, sorrow, loss, courage, and perseverance.  Garlands of Mist-Pear blossoms are hung from every pillar.  As the party watches, the black-robed figure of a Rijil ad-Dyn high priest picks one of the blossoms and sets it into a small brazier full of coals, leaning close and wafting the smoke into his nostrils.   

  “_The Dreams of the Prophet, each blossom would take a month's pay for the common people to purchase...”_ al-Menfa says as he notices them staring at the blossoms.

  The party is led to a seat with al-Menfa, the Rijil ad-Dyn obviously unhappy with the arrangement, but they endure it.  As the Song nears a climax, a figure in an exotic space suit that al-Menfa reverently names _“the Prophet al-Gawym”_ steps forward, hands outstretched.  Al-Menfa carries his daughter to the stage, collecting three small black vials from the Rijil ad-Dyn as he goes.  As the party watches, he sets down his daughter and takes the small stasis cube that holds her heart from his belt.

  The “Prophet” sings a song in the ash-Shtat language, with many gestures to the sky as the other figures on stage sing in chorus, then settle into a meditative hum.  The “Prophet” takes the three vials and places their contents into the stasis cube then gestures at Mrydah's chest.  Al-Menfa hesitates briefly, then unwraps his daughters blanket, opens the plasti-flesh door in her chest, quickly extracts the three pieces of his daughter's artificial heart, then replaces them with her old heart.  The “Prophet” makes a series of elaborate gestures over the girl and a short while later the Song of the Prophet ends.

  At this point, what happens is up to the GM, depending on personal preference:

  * _The Miraculous_ – Mrydah's heart beats again and the child lives.  The Rijil ad-Dyn break out into hallelujahs and al-Menfa weeps at the “Prophet's” feet.
  * _The Tragic_ – The “miracle” fails, Mrydah's little heart stops beating, and al-Menfa curses the Prophet, pulling his hair and tearing his clothing.
  * _The Unknown_ – The Rijil ad-Dyn evict the party immediately on the Song's end, escorting them straight back to their ship with no delays or hesitation.

  Either way, before the party leaves, a stone block is dragged into the room by dozens of armed guards.  It should be obvious to the party that fighting them would be a terrible idea.  If his daughter lives, al-Menfa gives her to the party, _“let her remember me,”_ then kneels before the block.  Before the headsman takes off his head with a giant scimitar, al-Menfa speaks in a whisper barely loud enough for the party to hear.

 “_When the doctor was going in to remove her little heart, I saw it.  He said it was malformed, but I saw in it the shape of a Mist-Pear.  A sign from the Prophet...”_

  The party is banished from al-Gawym regardless, at least while the Rijil ad-Dyn are in power.  If they fought the al-Qurash, they will be banished regardless of who wins the escalating conflict between the Rijil ad-Dyn and the al-Qurash.

*Ingredients*
 Exquisite Cadaver – The body of the Prophet, needed by the party to force the Rijil ad-Dyn to negotiate and also for his blood to augment the “miracle” in the Song of the Prophet.
Festooned Cabaret – The _an-Nby Kābāryh, _the building where the Song of the Prophet is sung, festooned with the Mist-Pear blossoms the bring the Dreams of the Prophet when their smoke is inhaled.  Also the initial cantina where the party meets al-Menfa.
The Girl with the Prefabricated Heart – Mrydah, the ash-Shtat girl around whom the adventure revolves
Dreams that money can buy – al-Menfa's dreams of saving his daughter buy buying her surgery in the Republic.  Also the dreams brought on by the extremely expensive Mist-Pear blossoms.
Prestigious Urinal – The waste receptacle of the Prophet, needed to force the Rijil ad-Dyn to negotiate and also for a trace of urine to augment the “miracle” in the Song of the Prophet
Handkerchief of Clouds – The Prophet's handkerchief, hidden in the dust clouds of al-Gawym.  Also, the Prophet is also known as al-Gawym (“Clouds” in the ash-Shtat tongue) and it's his handkerchief.  It's also needed for the Prophet's mucus to augment the “miracle” in the Song of the Prophet
Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear: The three pieces of Mrydah's heart.  The alignment of the nebula that reveals the location of the Handkerchief.


----------



## ajanders (Jul 13, 2010)

Have a Heart, Please?

*Game Notes*
This is a Fourth Edition Dungeons and Dragons adventure for characters of the low paragon tier (10th-12th level). Parties will find social and knowledge skills as important as combat power.
The adventure can be adapted to any fantasy system with amoral fae and supernatural evil, such as Pathfinder or D&D 3.0/3.5.
This adventure contains mature material.

*Synopsis*
A noble disappointed in love receives an invitation from a fae noble inviting him to purchase a clockwork heart, which is immune to the pangs of that emotion. The party discovers this clockwork heart contains an unpleasant surprise. The party must follow him through the strange environment of the Feywild, gathering advice and allies along the way, and convince him to give up his plan. The climax of the adventure includes a tense standoff with the fae noble and the provider of the heart, a devil with his own agenda. 

*Dramatis Personae*

Gaston Murand: A young nobleman disappointed in love.
Lorene: A young woman bringing an unusual offer to Gaston.
Voissand: Steward of Gaston. He hires the PC's.

Menard: Master of a curiously recurring Cabaret in the Faywild.

Cumulonimba Mammata: Enslaved female Djinn dancer and "Student of Love". If freed, she aids the party.
Reynard: A traveling performer and Cumulonimba's master. He must be convinced to release Cumulonimba.
Fey Guests at the Cabaret

Abelard: Undead artists who may fight or aid the party.
Bernard
Claude
Danton
Undead guests at the cabaret.

Legrand, Chevre Degoutant: Leader of a troop of lewd, raunchy satyr comedians corrupted by devils. 
Les Chevres Degoutantes (The Filthy Goats): The followers and assistants of Legrand. They will mock and harass the party.
Disguised Devilish Guests at the Cabaret

Abelard Faux: A devil with an agenda of his own for Gaston Murand.
Abelard Faux's retainers: Various demonic muscle, used to advance Faux's agenda when trickery and deception fail.

Le duc L'automne: A fay noble unwillingly enmeshed in a devilish plot. He may be convinced to aid the party.
Le duc L'automne's entourage: Fay creatures that may aid or attack the party, according to the orders of their master.


*Prologue*
It's not easy being a devil in charged with creating a kingdom of evil in the mortal realm. You have an artifact of evil that will change someone into a cambion and set them off to do evil...but someone would have to implant it in themselves willingly. How can you get someone to do that?
Here's a plan: the fay noble Le duc L'automne owes you a debt. The fay traffic with mortals all the time. Give him your heart of darkness, then let him sell the thing. Not too expensively: you want to make sure someone buys it and uses it. Who exactly? Well, that's the fay's problem.

It's not easy being a fay noble. When you aren't on the side of evil and aren't on the side of good and aren't on the side of the primal spirits, you wind up owing a lot of favors to everyone and having to step quickly to keep your webs of diplomacy straight. Here's a plan: Abelard Faux wants you to broker a device he's made: a clockwork heart in exchange for some gold. He's a devil, so there's probably a hook in their somewhere, but we'll sell it to a mortal. What kind of hook might it be? Well, that's the mortal's problem.

It's not easy being Gaston Murand. It's not easy to have your heart broken by Her, to know that you will never love again. To not wake up at night reaching for Her hair, smelling Her perfume. To know that women are untrustworthy; to know they will always have sweet words and tender caresses for you before they rip your heart out of your chest and dance the can-can on it in stiletto heels.... Better not to have a heart: better to think about your work and seriously study magic. Wait: here's a plan! A letter from 
someone offering a heart that will not break or suffer the pangs of love. All they want is some gold, and what is gold compared to a life free of distractions from the great art of magic? You'll need to get some extra gold from the safe: an advance on your allowance. If necessary, you can sell some scrolls when you return to replace the money. You'll only be gone for a week. Voissand shouldn't have any problems handling things for a week.

It's not easy being Voissand, personal steward of Gaston Murand. The family Murand has been worried about their son: he's been badly disappointed in love and a little wild looking. When the woman came to call for him in the closed carriage, you thought she was a wonderful thing for him: a one-night stand to ease the pains of his heart. But he's been gone for over twenty-four hours, and he seems to have cleaned the safe out when he left, so he has a lot of money with him. You'll need to hire some adventurers to rescue him from whatever mad folly he's gotten himself into. It may involve going into some disreputable cabaret somewhere, but that's the adventurer's problem.

It's not easy being a party of reputable, discreet adventurers. Gaston Murand's steward just sent over a message, begging you to come immediately "about a private, intimate matter". It would be nice if this could be someone else's problem...

*Hooks*
Gaston Murand is a noble wizard and man-about-town recovering from a bad breakup. When he disappears, people take notice.

1. Voissand, Gaston's steward, may hire the PC's to go looking for him. He doesn't have any cash on hand, but the Murand family will back his bills.
2. As a wizard and a member of the nobility, PC's in the low paragon tier may know Gaston and be friendly with him. After his bad breakup, they may be checking on him themselves.

*Act 1: Setting Off*
Whether Voissand hires the party to investigate Gaston's disappearance or the characters begin to do so on their own, they can make the following skill checks to find information.

Easy Streetwise check: Gaston just had a very bad breakup. He's not handling it well. He was spending most of his time in his study.
Moderate Streetwise check: a girl in a fancy carriage called at Gaston's house. She was veiled, but everyone thinks she was beautiful.
Hard Streetwise check: Gaston left with that girl late that night. They took the road down to the beach.

Characters may be led to investigate Gaston's study by the streetwise check or at Voissand's suggestion.. It's littered with bad emo poetry about despair. The fireplace is full of ashes -- a little study reveals they are love letters.
There is a letter box on the desk: opening it reveals a letter from a fay noble known as Le duc L'automne. The letter speaks flatteringly about Gaston, then sympathizes with him about his heartbroken state. It comments on the perfidy of women and the weakness of the human heart.
"How I know you dream of a perfected heart, free from the arrows of love." The letter then goes on to suggest this is not a vain dream, but one that can be secured with the proper quantity of coin. Le duc L'automne has a steel clockwort heart, proof against all love and allowing a man to look at all things rationally and intelligently. Le duc L'automne finds himself needing to pay a debt, and so will offer Gaston the heart for 15,000 gp.
Le duc L'automne recognizes this is a strange sounding transaction: he has sent this representative to bring him this letter and a drawing of the clockwork heart. If Gaston desires, the representative will be pleased to take Gaston and any gold he may wish to bring safely to the palace of Le duc L'automne and return him safely after they conclude their visit.

Close reading of this letter and some skill checks reveal the following information.

Moderate Streetwise Check: Fey gifts always come with tricks hidden inside.

Moderate Arcana Check: The fey don't value gold or coins. Why is Le duc L'automne offering magic for mere gold -- even if it is a lot of gold?
Hard Arcana Check: Upon examination of the drawing, the workmanship doesn't look fay at all. It looks devilish.

Moderate Religion Check: Placing a devilish relic in one's body would invite possession by evil forces -- the results, predictably, would be dire.

Difficult Perception check: There's tiny writing on the clockwork heart, if this picture is correct.
Easy Religion Check: The clockwork heart is covered with intricately     engraved blasphemies and prodies of good. Simply being near the subject of this drawing could turn someone to evil, much less sticking it in your chest.

Moderate Insight: Le duc L'automne is trying too hard in this letter: he really wants to sell this item. 

The Le duc L'automne's palace is in the Feywild. A Hard history or perception check or moderate Arcana or Nature check will reveal the location of a gate into the Feywild that opens at dawn and dusk: it's at the beach, and can be passed through by walking or riding with one wheel or foot on sand and one wheel or foot in the water. If the party found out where Gaston and the lady went (making the Hard Streetwise check above) they gain a +2 on either of these checks. 
Once the gate is located it's a simple matter to pass through it at dawn or dusk.


Act 2: The First Day
The party passes through the gate and arrives in a lush temperate Feywild forest. The trees are leafy and green, with thick underbrush. A road stretches out before them, rutted with carriage tracks.
The party can make skill checks to determine the following things about the Feywild.

Simple Nature Check: This place doesn't follow the normal laws of geography and direction. Nature checks can't be used to find directions here.

Moderate Insight Check: This place is pure Feywild.

Moderate Perception check: There are things in the woods by the path: it 
would be wise not to leave it.

The party can only follow the road one way.
If the party leaves the path, they quickly become lost and confused. They blunder through the woods, apparently for hours, before finally getting back to the path. Judging by the position of the sun, no time has passed, but they are exhausted anyway. Roll 1d4 and deduct that many healing surges from each character.

The Road Less Traveled
At one point along the road, the party can make a moderate Perception check. Success reveals a disused path splitting off from the main path. There are no ruts along this path. 

If the party elects to follow it, they will come to a giant pear tree in which roosts a Standard encounter's worth of harpies, which will attack. If the harpies are defeated, they will provide a standard treasure parcel and a single silver pear. A slice of this pear will restore all lost healing surges as though the party had taken an extended rest. The pear is large enough to provide every party member with a slice.

Characters climbing the pear tree will see a building ahead -- this is the Crossroads Cabaret. Characters looking for a coach up ahead will see that too, though upon thought, they will wonder how they saw that far.

The Crossroads Cabaret
This inn is festooned with blue and white bunting. The sign in the front reads : The Southwinds Cabaret -- Live entertainment!
If the party enters, Menard, the host of the cabaret, will offer them food and shelter for the night in exchange for a healing surge from each character. If the characters can't pay that night, they can pay two surges in the morning. There is also entertainment on the stage.

Characters who choose to sleep outside are attacked by enough Firbolg for a Hard encounter...this fight will prevent taking extended rests.

The entertainment at the Southwinds Cabaret consists of the illusionist Reynard, a red-clad gnome. The climax of his act is his "Hankerchief of Clouds Trick": he casts down a handkerchief, from which rises a pink cload that takes the form of a beautiful woman. Sweeping through the audience, she whispers in a party member's ear "Free me and I will help you."

The PC's must engage Reynard in a skill challenge to steal the handkerchief from him.
This is a complexity 1 skill challenge of Hard difficulties.
Primary skills are Bluff, Thievery, Intimidate. Secondary Skills (Gain +2 bonus on the primary skills) are Arcana, Diplomacy, Perception, and Insight.
Reynard will also trade the handkerchief for the silver pear.

If the PC's get the hankerchief, they find it has a female djinn bound into it: Cumulonimba Mammata is a "student of Love". Less salacious then it sounds, she is a personal stylist and relationship counselor. She will travel with the party and aid them. She has no combat skills, but once per encounter or skill challenge she will allow a character to reroll a failed Insight or Diplomacy check with an additional +3 bonus to the die roll.

*
Act 3: The Second Day*
The party leaves the cabaret and steps into a barren forest. The trees are black and bare, the ground hard.The road stretches out before them, rutted with carriage tracks in one direction, marked with the character's footprints and carriage tracks in the other.

The party can make skill checks to determine the following things about the Feywild.
Simple Nature Check: This place doesn't follow the normal laws of geography and direction. Nature checks can't be used to find directions here.
Moderate Insight Check: This place is corrupted Feywild: the party is closer to the Shadowfell here.
Moderate Perception check: There are nastier things in the woods by the path today: it would be much wiser not to leave it.


If the party leaves the path, they quickly become lost and confused, then become attacked. They blunder through the woods, apparently for hours, before finally getting back to the path. Judging by the position of the sun, no time has passed, but they are exhausted anyway. Roll 1d4 and deduct that many healing surges from each character. In addition, the party must fight an easy combat encounter against undead.

The Road Less Traveled
At one point along the road, the party can make a moderate Perception check. Success reveals a disused path splitting off from the main path. There are no ruts along this path. 

If the party elects to follow it, they will come to a giant pear tree in which roosts a Standard encounter's worth of advanced accipitridae (Page 184, Open graves). which will attack. If the monsters are defeated, they will provide a standard treasure parcel and a single blood-red pear. A slice of this pear will restore all lost healing surges as though the party had taken an extended rest. The pear is large enough to provide every party member with a slice.
Characters climbing the pear tree will see a building ahead -- this is the Crossroads Cabaret. Again. It looks different, but what the differences are can't be seen from this distance. Characters looking for a coach up ahead will see that too, though upon thought, they will wonder how they saw that far.

The Crossroads Cabaret
This Cabaret is festooned with black streamers. The sign in the front reads : The Final Rest Cabaret -- Live entertainment!
If the party enters, Menard, the host of the cabaret, will offer them food and shelter for the night in exchange for a healing surge from each character. If the characters can't pay that night, they can pay two surges in the morning. There is also entertainment on the stage.
Characters asking Menard if they were there the night before are regarded solemenly, then Menard allows he has a good deal of repeat business.

Characters who choose to sleep outside are attacked by enough ghouls for a Hard encounter...this fight will prevent taking extended rests.

The entertainment at the Final Rest Cabaret consists of the ABCD players. These blasphemes challenge the party to meet them in a game of Exquisite Corpse: each party member and blaspheme writing the line of a story, then reading it aloud.

This is another skill challenge, Difficulty 2. Primary skills are Bluff, Diplomacy, Arcana, Religion, Nature. Secondary skills are Insight and Perception. All primary checks are moderate, all secondary Hard. The successful use of a secondary skill allows the party member to realize the ABCD players will give the party clues about the Feywild and the Autumn Duke if they are given a good prompting sentence.
The ABCD players will reveal the following clues, one per success, once the secondary skill check is made.
1. The Feywild can be corrupted by the Shadowfell or by Hell.
2. The Autumn Duke owes a favor to a devil: he's working to pay it off.
3. The Autumn Duke doesn't like devils: he'd get out of his arrangement if he could.
4. There is a road less traveled: it leads to valuable treasure and dangerous risks.
5. The Autumn Duke is a fay of his word: if he gives a promise, he will keep it. Just watch the loopholes.
6. Beware filthy goats.

Failing this challenge or refusing this challenge causes the party to be attacked by the Blasphemes.
Offering the Blasphemes new wine gives the party a +2 bonus to all Bluff and Diplomacy checks.


Act 4: The Third Day
The party leaves the cabaret and steps into an autumn forest. The trees are covered with blood red leaves.The road stretches out before them, rutted with carriage tracks in one direction, marked with the character's footprints and carriage tracks in the other.
The party can make skill checks to determine the following things about the Feywild.
Simple Nature Check: This place doesn't follow the normal laws of geography and direction. Nature checks can't be used to find directions here.
Moderate Insight Check: This place is corrupted Feywild: the party is closer to Hell here.
Moderate Perception check: Devils lurk in the woods here: take a step and they will attack.

If the party leaves the path, they quickly become lost and confused, then become attacked. They blunder through the woods, apparently for hours, before finally getting back to the path. Judging by the position of the sun, no time has passed, but they are exhausted anyway. Roll 1d4 and deduct that many healing surges from each character. In addition, the party must fight an standard combat encounter against devils.

The Road Less Traveled
At one point along the road, the party can make a moderate Perception check. Success reveals a disused path splitting off from the main path. There are no ruts along this path. 

If the party elects to follow it, they will come to a giant pear tree in which roosts a Standard encounter's worth of erinyes. which will attack. If the monsters are defeated, 

they will provide a standard treasure parcel and black pear that smells of sulfur. A slice of this pear will restore all lost healing surges as though the party had taken an extended rest. The pear is large enough to provide every party member with a slice.
Characters climbing the pear tree will see a building ahead -- this is the Crossroads Cabaret. Again. It looks different, but what the differences are can't be seen from this distance. Characters looking for a coach up ahead will see that too, though upon thought, they will wonder how they saw that far.

The Crossroads Cabaret
This Cabaret is festooned with what looks like black and red coconuts. The sign in the front reads : The Lusty Goat Cabaret -- Live entertainment!
If the party enters, Menard, the host of the cabaret, will offer them food and shelter for the night in exchange for a healing surge from each character. If the characters can't pay that night, they can pay two surges in the morning. There is also entertainment on the stage.
Characters asking Menard if they were there the night before are regarded solemenly, then Menard allows he has a good deal of repeat business.


The entertainment at the Lusty Goat Cabaret consists of Les Chevres Degoutantes. These fiendish satyrs mix juggling, slapstick, and lewdness for a very rough comedy act. 
The climax of the act is the challenge of the Knight of the Golden Lance. Les Chevres Degoutantes bring out an elaborately worked golden chamber pot and invite the company to void their bladders into it at range.
Treat this (if any PC wants to play along) as a ranged basic attack: the PC rolling the highest attack value wins. 
Les Chevres Degoutantes will deliberately throw the contest to the party. Les Chevres Degoutantes will then surround the winning party member, singing their praises. They will then "crown" the winner by pouring the full chamberpot over their head. If no PC plays, they will pick a character with the divine power source to crown.

If the PC's start a fight with Les Chevres Degoutantes after this, Menard will have them all thrown out of the inn. Les Chevres Degoutantes will run off, laughing. Later they will return with enough devilish reinforcements to make a hard encounter for the PC's and attack them as they try to sleep.

Act 5: Stop the Sale!
The party leaves the cabaret and steps into an autumn forest. The trees are covered with blood red leaves.The road stretches out before them, rutted with carriage tracks in one direction, marked with the character's footprints and carriage tracks in the other.
The party can make skill checks to determine the following things about the Feywild.
Simple Nature Check: This place doesn't follow the normal laws of geography and direction. Nature checks can't be used to find directions here.
Moderate Insight Check: This place is corrupted Feywild: the party is closer to Hell here.
Moderate Perception check: Devils lurk in the woods here: take a step and they will attack.

If the party leaves the path, they quickly become lost and confused, then become attacked. They blunder through the woods, apparently for hours, before finally getting back to the path. Judging by the position of the sun, no time has passed, but they are exhausted anyway. Roll 1d4 and deduct that many healing surges from each character. In addition, the party must fight an standard combat encounter against devils.

After a few hours, the party comes to the castle of the Autumn Duke. If they state their business is to attend the sale of the clockwork heart, the guards will allow them in, escorting them to the Autumn Duke and Abelard Faux. The Autumn Duke has had a good discussion with Gaston and is about to close the sale of the clockwork heart. New customers are an interesting development, and he will let them speak.

The party has two objectives here, each of which is reached by a separate skill challenge. First, the party must convince Gaston not to purchase the heart. Second, the party must get the Autumn Duke to allow them to leave without a fight. Each of these challenges is Complexity 2.

Convincing Gaston not to purchase the heart has the primary skills Diplomacy and Insight initially, both at Hard DC's.
Showing Gaston either the blood-red pear or the black pear suggests to Gaston he's dealing with more than the fay here: characters gain a +2 bonus on a single diplomacy check for each pear they show Gaston.
Reminding Gaston the fey never take gold in a bargain also arouses his suspicions, giving a +2 bonus to a single Diplomacy check.
Showing Gaston the drawing and pointing out the lack of Fay craftmanship and the Hellish blasphemies written on in gets him to think about what the clockwork heart might be: it opens Arcana and Religion as primary skills.
Revealing Abelard as a Devil opens Religion as a primary skill and makes that skill check easy, not Hard.

Every time the PC's gain a success in this challenge, they should make a free perception check against Abelard's Bluff. If they succeed, they note Abelard is getting more ready to fight.

Convincing the Autumn Duke.to allow the party to leave peaceably is similarly a skill challenge of complexity 2.
The Primary skills are Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate: Diplomacy is an easy challenge, Bluff a moderate challenge, and Intimidate a hard challenge.
Secondary skills include Insight and Perception, with special effects detailed below.
A Successful moderate Insight challenge allows the PC's to realize the Autumn King is looking for an excuse to thwart Abelard: it allows the PC's to work out the hierarchy of interaction skills for this challenge.
If the party notices Abelard is readying his minions to attack, they can point this out to the Autumn Duke. This counts as an automatic success: the Duke does not like devils pulling weapons on him.
The Duke can also be bribed: giving him any one of the three pears gives an automatic success (one per pear). Offering him more money for the hearth than Abelard did will also provide an automatic success.

If the party fails to convince Gaston not to buy the heart, he holds the Autumn Duke to his word and buys the heart. He presses the clockwork into his flesh and is transformed into a cambion. Gaston will join Abelard Faux and they will all attack the party and the Autumn Duke.
If the party convinces Gaston not to buy the heart before they convince the Autumn Duke to let them go peaceably. Abelard Faux loses his temper and commands his entourage to attack the party and Duke.
If the party convinces the Duke to let them go in peace and Gaston not to buy the heart, the Duke will let them go and give them safe passage to the world of mortals.
If the party fails in both goals simultaneously, the Duke and Abelard will attack the party together.

The Duke has enough Fay bodyguards for a standard PC encounter.
Abelard has enough devils for a hard PC encounter.



Ingredients
Dreams that money can buy: what the Autumn King offers Gaston. A subtle clue that all is not as it seems.
The Girl with the Prefabricated Heart: the Autumn King;s messenger
Festooned Cabaret: the cabaret the party just keeps going back to night after night
Exquisite Cadaver: a game played with real cadavers where the PC's win clues about what's going on
Prestigious Urinal: a prop used by the Dirty goats to mock the PC's
Handkerchief of clouds: the home of a potential ally for the PC's.
Three pieces in the shape of a pear. The three pieces of fruit in the shape of a pear (since they are pears) useful for healing or bribery.


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## Radiating Gnome (Jul 19, 2010)

Iron Sky vs. Ajanders

The Dada Finals.  Judgement Straight from Doo-dah.  Lookout, here it comes =>

[sblock]
The Song of the Prophets (SoP) vs. Have a Heart, PLease? (HaHP)

So, like, this was intentionally one of the weirdest, most esoteric sets of ingredients, all taken from Dadaist art, if you hadn't spotted the theme yet.  Sounds like fun, right?  Lets see how the ingredients got used:

Exquisite Cadaver - Both used this one pretty well as a prop -- a dingus held ransom, a playing piece in a game.  No advantage.
Festooned Cabaret - Again, the cabaret is an important location in both entries.  I did like the fey feel of the cabaret that the PCs return to over and over again in HaHP, so I'm going to nod in that direction. Advantage HAHP.
The Girl with the Prefabricated Heart - SoP wins this one, with a much more significant, important application of the ingredient.
Dreams that money can buy - In SoP, the dreams are part of the setting -- and they're a cool element, but they're pretty much backstory only.  In HaHP, though, the idea of the dream is more of a desire, not an actual dream . . .and it just doesn't work as well.  Advantage SoP	
Prestigious Urinal - I have to give an advantage to HaHP on this one.  The Gaming Table is, in my experience, the natural habitat of all sorts of dick jokes and other profanities, and the idea of an actual pissing contest is great fun.  In SoP, the prophet's recepticle is okay, and works, but I prefer the application in HaHP.
Handkerchief of Clouds - In HaHP, the encounter with the handkerchief feels tacked on -- the adventure doesn't need it to be there, it's just a bit of fluff.  In SoP, the handkerchief is one of the items the PCs need to recover . . . it's a dingus, but it's an important one.  Advnatage SoP.

And the bonus tiebreaker ingredient: Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear - Actually I'm going to call this one a wash, too -- both used this one very well.  

So, for ingredients, I'm stuck with a slight advantage to SoP. 

Creativity

Is it just me, or did everyone readying SoP read "ash-shtat" as "asshat"?   

I really liked both of these entries -- this is the finals, and there's a reason these contestants got where they are.  

Song of the Prophets has a lot going for it -- it's an interesting story, and there's a whole culture behind the story.  Very cool stuff.  

Have a Heart, Please, blends together infernal and fey faustian bargains into a complex web that I find very interesting.  I especially like the way the adventure evokes the fey nature of the feywild.  The infernal-fey concept feels to me like a good, flavorful approach to the ingredients.  

It's a very new thing, but I like the flavors in HaHP better.  

Playability

Both adventures are very playable, no doubt about that.  There is a difference, though, and it goes back to the distinction I made in the creativity above.  The fey flavor of HaHP is something that the players will experience and play with in an important way while they play through the adventure.  They travel through woods and keep coming back to the same cabaret -- but while it's the same cabaret, it's different every time.  And so on.  It's not just background flavor -- it's played flavor.  

Not that SoP is without flavor, but a lot of that flavor is backstory.  The player experience is going to be pretty straightforward -- they get hired to do something to save a little girl, they travel from place to place and either bamboozle, plead, or fight to get the ingredient they need and move on to the next place.  It's pretty good, and very playable, but it's just not as strong as HaHP.  So, advantage HaHP. 

Dadaism 

I don't know if this should be considered or not -- certainly I don't think it's a requirement.  But all of the ingredients were taken from Dadaist art -- some are the names of art objects, and so on.  Dada, as a movement, was intended "to ridicule what its participants considered to be the meaninglessness of the modern world. In addition to being anti-war, dada was also anti-bourgeois and anarchistic in nature." (wikipedia) I am have been interested to see if either entry felt like it was using this philosophy as an influence on the entry.  SoP gets close -- at least it has a body of space-amish that eschew technology.  But that's not quite the same tone as the Dada stuff has.  I don't really think either entry got any sort of advnatage over the other for working with this tone and idea.  

Conclusion.  

This is a tough call -- I'm glad I'm not the only voice deciding this.  

In the end, I find that the fey flavors and textures of HaHP are strong enough to overcome a slight disadvantage in ingredients and put it over the top, but it's a very near thing.  So, my vote is cast for Have a Heart, Please. 

-rg

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## InVinoVeritas (Jul 21, 2010)

So, here it is, the final round. I'll try to keep this short, but I probably can't. First off, a huge congratulations to both contestants. Getting this far is tough, really tough. Hats off to you. Heck, hats off to everyone willing to give this a go—it’s not easy.

Iron Sky’s _Song of the Prophet_ vs. ajanders’ _Have a Heart, Please?_

Here is the judgment:
[sblock]
First, the ingredients. We had talked about having a theme with the ingredients, and we eventually chose Dada. It gives us a bunch of items that seem unimportant on the surface, but can be used in a myriad number of ways.

Exquisite Cadaver: Originally from the parlor game of the same name, from which one of the first sentences written was, “The exquisite cadaver shall drink the new wine.” We get the parlor game from ajanders. It’s a very clever way to introduce a number of details for the PCs. Iron Sky gives us a literal Exquisite Cadaver, the floating body of the prophet. The picture adds to the evocative nature. Both are quite lovely uses. I give the edge to ajanders because the “method of delivery” technique is stronger. 

Festooned Cabaret: A reference to the Cabaret Voltaire, a popular Dadaist hangout. The Festooned Cabaret is the opening cantina in _Song of the Prophet_. Unfortunately, I’m not seeing the festooning in the central prayer chamber as a cabaret. Singing and dancing, and a stage, but not with the cabaret vibe. The cabaret is the location that the PCs return again and again while traversing the Feywild. Through the entertainment acts, the plot is revealed. A far stronger use. The advantage goes to ajanders.

The Girl with the Prefabricated Heart: A story within the _Dreams That Money Can Buy _movie. The prefabricated heart became very important in both adventures—an object of desire in _Have a Heart, Please? _and an object of scorn in _Song of the Prophet_. I felt that the Clockwork Heart was a far superior use of the Prefabricated Heart than Mrydah’s failing transplant bridge in that there are a lot more details to it, but ajanders did very little with the girl. I would imagine that just making Abelard Faux or Le Duc D’Automne female would have gotten around this problem instantly with no loss to the flow of the adventure. Iron Sky gets the advantage here, but I have to give special mention to ajanders for the fully detailed Clockwork Heart.

Dreams That Money Can Buy: The movie mentioned above. In both cases, it involves people with hopes that coin ostensibly makes right. I don’t see a particular advantage here.

Prestigious Urinal: The sculpture “Fountain,” by Marcel Duchamp. I felt it clever that three bodily fluids were required in _Song of the Prophet. _That made for an interesting use for the urinal. The urinal was another prop used in the entertainment of the plot—and for a fun, disgusting moment. The chamberpot establishes the role of the devils, but it’s more of a chamberpot than a urinal. Advantage to Iron Sky.

Handkerchief of Clouds: A play written by Tristan Tzara. In _Have a Heart, Please?_ the handkerchief gives the PCs an ally for useful skill bonuses, but does not move the plot along. In _Song of the Prophet_ the handkerchief is one of the important bodily fluid vessels of the prophet—the stronger use in this case. Advantage to Iron Sky. 

Three Pieces in the Shape of a Pear: A musical symphony by Erik Satie. It also was ambiguous in meaning—were the three pieces individually pear-shaped, or were they pear-shaped in aggregate? In this case, we have the mist-pear shapes of clouds and Mrydah’s defective heart from Iron Sky, and the three pears received from the trees. The number three didn’t do much in Iron Sky’s adventure, but was key in the travels in ajanders’ submission. I felt that ajanders had the stronger use here, because of the use of the number three, and the more direct usage of the pieces as bribes or tools in the final scene.

Originality: Iron Sky’s adventure is beautiful, poignant. The tale of a man who is willing to give everything—including his faith—to save his daughter is a gorgeous tale that we don’t get to see enough of. Yet there is still something more about ajanders’ entry that interests me. Watching the party go through much the same action three times wouldn’t make a lot of sense, but it does in the Feywild. Sure, it’s on the surface easy with some cut and paste, but I’m less interested in the what and more in the how. Enough was varied each time to make the similarities as noticeable as the differences. 

Playability: Iron Sky leaves the conclusion of the adventure open for the DM to fill in with whatever he wants. It is useful, but clearly a player would prefer a definite resolution—not that we should cater to the player, necessarily. In addition, it comes with artwork throughout. It’s quite lovely and helps to establish the entire piece. That is well done. In ajanders’ entry, we are given background, how a number of skill checks should work, and the details of the ins and outs of the adventure—especially the listing of the various tasks that need to be accomplished in the final scene. We are given lots of details about characterization for Gaston, Le Duc D’Automne, and Abelard Faux, which is valuable in determining how to play them. These extra pieces make the adventure more useful. It does not match the beauty and grandeur of Iron Sky’s entry, but makes it up with playful practicality.

Conclusion: These are both very solid entries. They are quite worthy of the final round, and both contestants should be proud. In the end, I decided that the originality and playability is the strength of ajanders’ entry, making it more interesting overall. The ingredient use was rather well split between the two, so I am delivering my vote to ajanders.

Well done to both of you!
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## Pbartender (Jul 23, 2010)

You guys are going to hate me for this.

[sblock]Look. These are both excellent entries.  I've spent the better part of the last week on my son's netbook pirating unsecured wireless so I could pore over these entries again, and again, and again, trying to decide one way or the other.  

The way things have been going for me recently, I'm predicting that by now, RG and IVV have already both voted for the same entry, one way or other, so my vote won't really count and will only serve to make the decision unanimous or not.

So.

I'm voting for ajanders and _Have a Heart, Please?_.  Here's why:

Iron Sky added in those beautiful pictures that really added to the imagery of the adventure and captured the style perfectly, but were formatted to half again as wide as any resolution this poor little 10" laptop screen could handle, forcing me to scroll side-to-side for every single line of Iron Sky's exceptionally long entry.

For that annoyance alone, I vote for ajanders.[/sblock]


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