Chapter 5 A Hired Hand

5.1 Overview

Mencius has taken an interest in the PCS. In his arrogance, he wants to take revenge on them meddling in his affairs by duping htem into furthering his plans. He sends one of his agents, Akris, a Doppelganger, to hire the PCs to steal two shards from the Silversword family. The family’s ancestors were involved in confronting Andromalion during their last emergence. They helped save the city from destruction and captured the Sun-Harp. They broke it into five pieces. Three glass shards were hidden all over, two remained in the possession of the Silversword family. The current generation of Silverswords, mainly the elderly brother Gregor and Benjamin, have no real knowledge of their family’s involvement with the threat of Andromalion 227 years ago.

Benjamin Silversword, who estranged from his brother Gregor Silversword, is in the possession of the two glass shards. He considers them interesting family heirlooms (among the few family items in his possession). he knows they have magical properties, but has never been able to fully determine their use. He currently lives in the Southern city Mersenne under the assumed name of Benoit La Tour d’Auvergné. He lived as an adventurer for many years, but settled in Mersenne twenty years ago for its warm climate, good wine, and more libertine culture compared to Helsundburg. He has become quite wealthy and is a respected member of the upper crust, having made a name for himself as a skilled Illusionist and organizer of lavish parties that are at the center of Mersenne’s social calendar.

Akris’ mission is to acquire the glass shards from Benoit, using cutouts. He will assume the appearance and identity of Livius, a traveling bard, and member of the Lightbringers–a secret society rumored to work against the machinations of tyrants and evil wielders of magic. The Lightbringers are a secret organization, but residents of the Kingdom of Helsundburg will have heard of them.

Akris will hire the PCs to steal the shards from Benoit, intimating that Benoit is planning the use the shards for an evil purpose or possibly being Mencius himself. The PCs are sent to Mersenne and make contact with Tiv Telemer, a local crime syndicate head, to help them organize the heist.

The PCs will implement their heist plans and then meet with Tiv, whos has been ordered to kill the PCs and take the shards. Surviving the ambush, the PCs can extract information from Tiv to confront his employer at an abandonded farm house. There, the PCs will uncover Akris’ duplicity and learn more about the Church of Andromalion. After the confrontation with Akris, Benoit tracks down the PCs and may offer an alliance.

5.2 The Setup

5.2.1 Relevant NPCs

• Akris– A Doppelganger (MM) and trusted agent of Mencius’. Currently travels under the assumed identity of Livius, a bard and member of the Lightbringers.

• Benoit La Tour d’Auvergné a.k.a. Benjamin Silversword. In his late 50s. Master Illusionist, lives in Mersenne. Makes his living as an illusionist for the upper crust of Mersenne. Socialite and collector. Currently in a relationship with Raphael Ortalam, a former dancer. Use stats of an Illusionist.

• Tiv Telemer. Human in his 40s. Head of local crime syndicate, runs a transportation business as a front. Use statistics of a Scoundrel. He employs a pair of bodyguards. Yellow is a Half-Orc Enforcer. Purple is a gnome assassin.

5.2.2 The Offer

The PCs receive a message from a courier: Dear esteemed heroes of Bracken, the story of your deeds has traveled far and reached our ears. It seems that, by lucky coincidence, your past troubles intersect with our own concerns. The mysterious glass shards you have encountered are part of a dark plot we must foil by all means. We hope to convince you of the sincerity of our intentions and purity of our cause in person. Please accept our invitation and meet us in Ridwall on the 1st of September at the Northwall House. Ask for my name. Signed, Livius, Symbol: The Flame of the Lightbringers.

• The PC should organize travel to Ridwall.

• On the way to Ridwall, 2 days of travel from the Wayward Inn, the PCs find the scene of a battle. Three wagons, partially burned and destroyed, the corpses of 12 guards, 8 merchants.

• Nature DC-13 reveals: goblin arrows, bugbear footprints. Nature DC-15 or History DC-14 reveals how organized and disciplined the attack was, two teams of archers and a bugbear strike team. Highly unusual.

• PCs may also meet a group of 35 Dragonborn mercenaries on their way to Rumnahold (for a possible social encounter). They were contracted to provide security for a merchant concern due to increased goblin attacks.

• When the PCs arrive at the Northwall House and ask for Livius, they are pointed towards the Burnt Rose Tavern. He is entertaining the guests there. Dingy tavern, but in the corner, a handsome bard is playing some songs. The PCs will have to wait a bit and let him finish his set. If they introduce themselves, he asks them to go for a walk outside, away from prying eyes and eavesdroppers.

• He thanks them for saving the poor people of the Wayward Inn and helping the Bracken community. He surmises they found evidence of a secret agent operating in Bracken that was scheming to acquire the shards. He asks what evidence they found.

• He is willing to reveal that the Lightbringers have been tracking a secret cult that has shown interest in such glass shards. They have heard more whispers than concrete evidence. This is all a conconcted story to convince the PCs of Akris’ intentions.

We don’t know how many there are and what exact purpose they have, only that some powerful dark magic is involved. This cult has been unscrupulous it seems. We think we have identified one of its leaders. He already has two shards in his possession. In public, he poses as a Master Illusionist in Mersenne. His name is Benoit La Tour d’Auvergne. He lives in a fancy mansion in the city. We want you to break in and steal the two shards, without causing too much of a stir. We can offer 1,000 GP as a reward and an expense budget of 150 GP plus any information we can acquire in the meantime on the shards and the cult. We have arranged for a local contact that can assist you (within reason). His name is Tiv Telemer, a local fixer with connections to the criminal world. You can meet him at his place of business: Telemer Carriage Company. He can supply you with some basic information, contacts, and a base of operations. If you accept this task, we will be in touch with you through Tiv.

5.3 The Heist

5.3.1 Mersenne

• A trade hub on the Southern coast.

• More than 8,000 inhabitants.

• Ruled by a governing council of nobles and merchants.

• Powerful factions: guilds, nobles, merchants, adventurers.

5.3.2 Arrival of the PCs

• Play up the bustling urban atmosphere after the rural beginnings of the adventure. Make sure to describe the variety of smells, ranging from refuse to exotic spices and perfumes.

• Possible encounters (taken from Waterdeep City Encounters):

  • Angry Mob: 3 Thugs lead a mob of 11 commoners from the Guild of Butchers, dragging a halfling piemaker through the streets. He sold unlicensed scotch eggs, they have dipped him in butter and rolled him in mince and bread crumbs. The Halflings name is Theodore Tillweasel.

  • Chamber Pot: A homeowner empties a chamber pot of night soil from a second story window. Each character must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or be spattered by the sloppy contents. Who emptied the pot? A maid in the service of a wealthy lawyer. Her master is abusive, and bombing pedestrians is one of her few little pleasures.

  • A tinkling bell announces a man pushing a cart of grilled fish kebabs which he claims were caught this morning. Gerdon, the vendor, hears and sees a lot as he wanders the streets and can share a wealth of stories so long as the characters purchase a kebab from him for 2 cp. If you have a specific rumor to plant, Gerdon is a perfect source.

  • Challenge to a game of Dragonchess, contest of INT checks.

  • The PCs observe a Drow trade delegation from an Underdark city.

  • Two competing companies of kobolds and goblins fight over trash and refuse collection. At night, PCs encounter 2 cornered goblins and 10 kobolds that are about to kill them.

5.3.3 Meeting Tiv

• The Telemer Carriage Company is located at the Southeastern edge of the Dock Ward, close to the water.

• The PCs arrive at the busy compound of the Telemer Carriage Company. Bustling carriages are going in and out. They can ask a guard for Tiv. He points them to the office building.

• Tiv is sitting at his desk, working on paper, shouting at staff. He is a human male in his 40s. He is wearing high-quality but functional leather clothing, a rapier dangles at his side. Sly smile. Welcomes the players. Takes them to a side room, offers a drink.

• He shares that he sometimes does favors for the Lightbringers, Livius has been his contact.

• Help he can offer:

  • Safehouse in the Dock district.

  • Fake papers for a cover story: they have been hired by an out-of-town merchant to find his runaway son.

  • His bodyguards, Yellow and Purple, can assist them with acquiring more specific information or get access to certain goods and services. They will be the go-between and will check in on the party. Both enter and introduce themselves.

  • Tiv knows that Benoit has left for a summer festival in the countryside surrounding the city. He will be gone for approximately one month. This may be a good opportunity.

  • He instructs them to to bring the shards immediately to Tiv, who will handle the hand-off to the Lightbringers.

5.3.4 Preparing for the Heist

The PCs may want to investigate Benoit further. See below clues that can be gathered:

• PCs can start asking questions in fancy bars, likely to be frequented by Benoit.

  • Persuasion skill check:

  • 13–15: He is a bonvivant, likes expensive things (drinks, food, art, artifacts). Has a good reputation among the upper crust.

  • 16–17: He is a constant guest and the major Mersenne events and private parties. Has become very wealthy. Has allowed him to purchase a city mansion in the Sea Ward. He lives there with his partner Raphael and a small staff.

  • 18+: With some digging, there are some darker rumors about him, how he acquired his initial wealth and then became so quickly a successful Master Illusionist (e.g., he made a pact with a devil, he is the agent of a notorious wizard cabal, he betrayed his former adventuring group). Also some dark rumors about select private parties he participates in–the kind of events for the most wealthy, were all kinds of things happen and are hushed up. Important: nobody really knows where he is from (Sidenote: some of these rumors have been created by Mencius). In truth, Benoit is a kind individual with a good heart. He cares for his friends and staff. He does like to party but has settled a bit since he has been dating Raphael. Someone mentions an old acquaintance of Benoit–Gustav Mirebrook.

• With some effort, they hear about a former adventurer that knows Benoit well: Gustav Mirebrook. A human fighter of some renown, now drinks too much. Hangs out at the Red Gauntlet Tavern in the South Ward. Dislikes Benoit for having abandoned him. Can be convinced to tell the PCs about his past. He asks them to do a fetch quest for him. He was hired to retrieve a divine relic of the Goddess of Trade, a silver plate. He found it after some digging but was waylaid by a band of Orcs. He barely got away. Since then, he has been drinking and hoaring away the big advance in Mersenne. He can give them the location of the Orc hide-out. The location is in Hex 1310 to the West (travel by boat to Hex 1212 dramatically reduced travel time).

  • Orc Hide-out:

    • Survival DC-14 \(+\) check to find the right spot in Hex 1310. Travel and searching in the mountains may trigger random wilderness encounters.

    • At the bottom of the path, 3 Orcs (MM) stand watch.

    • In the compound: 6 Orcs (MM) + Orog (MM), 1 Ogre Chain Brute (MM) chained up and held as a slave.

    • In the cave: 1 Orc Eye of Gruumsh, 4 Orcs, 1 Direwolf (loyal pet of the leader). Loot: the relic, 96 GP.

Figure 5.1: Orc Hide-out. Source: Homemade

• On their return, Gustav can tell them:

  • Benoit has been living in Waterdeep for over twenty years.

  • He is originally from Helsundburg, comes from some important family, but apparently had a falling out. His real name is Benjamin Benny Silversword. Can you believe it?!

  • He lived as an adventurer after leaving Helsundburg, acquired some riches, worked with Gustav for quite a while, settled in Mersenne and became a very successful Master Illusionist. Now, he is a fancy twat and doesn’t remember his friends anymore!!

  Don’t know anything about dark magic. He was a skilled wizard as an adventurer. Pretty good summoner as well

Information that can be gathered about Benoit’s mansion:

• Blue prints: Tiv can put the PCs in touch with a local contact that might be able to access blueprints. Female Gnome bookseller (Nyxadora Fapplestamp) and seven Kenku assistants are the contact to acquire illegal copies of documents. When the PCs arrive, the Kenku are currently making copies of novel 7 is the Dusklight saga, a series of romance novels that includes vampires, weretigers, etc. Mini-quest: collect payment of 200 GP from a former customer in exchange for the blueprints. Former customer is a dwarven butcher, Ogman Ogmandur. He needed some forged documents to retain assets in an acrimonious divorce. PCs can confront him in his butcher shop. He is a tough guy (Berserker) and has 4 apprentices/thugs with him. Alternatively, PCs can rat him out to his ex-wife, Helja Fireforge (Barbarian), who will go ape-shit on his ass. Afterwards, Nyxadora tells them that the blueprints have been destroyed, which is very unusual. He suggest they find someone that has been to one of the parties—there is bard (Florio Featherquill) that is part of that scene they can find.

• Florio Featherquill (Halfling violinist) is a teacher at the Mersenne College of Bards. Can tell them

  • Some rough description of the inside

  • Some description of the staff

  • Several cats roam the mansion

  • Has heard some rumors about magical traps and that some of the statues in the mansion can move.

  • Library at the third floor, not sure how to get to the fourth. Raphael mentioned some kind of secret passage.

The PCs may also want to inquire about the staff of the mansion:

• Dietrich, the dwarven butler, has worked for Benoit for 20 years. Lives in the mansion. Takes one 1-hour walk around town, eating nuts he buys from a street vendor, admiring the architecture. Once a week he goes to the market, buys a bottle of wine and grapes, a poetry book. Goes to a local park and waits on a bench. Meets a female dwarf, Ulga Underway, house manager of another wealthy household. He reads poetry to her. He has master keys to the house.

• Oglenna Whim, head chef and housekeeper. Works with a staff of 2 (her daughter and another young woman) to cook and clean. They arrive early in the morning at 5am and leave at 4 pm. She has a key to lower level of the house.

• Morfin Rotulund, Halfling gardener, comes once a week. Has a key to the garden gate.

• Daily deliveries from the market via a service. Drops off deliveries at 6am.

5.4 The Mansion

Figure 5.2: Mansion Level 1. Source: Homemade

Figure 5.3: Mansion Level 2. Source: Homemade

Figure 5.4: Mansion Level 3. Source: Homemade

Figure 5.5: Mansion Level 4. Source: Homemade

• There are cats all over the mansion. They have the uncanny ability to see invisible creatures.

• The mansion is secured by a mix of spells and magical traps. Spells can be detected with Detect Magic and dispelled with Dispel Magic. Magical Traps can be disarmed with an Arcana Check.

• Garden: Glyph of Warding (Stinking Cloud) on the stones and 1 Animated Armor that activates when plates are stepped on. Trap can be disabled with an Arcana DC-16 check.

• Ground floor: The foyer, kitchen, staff quarters, and a dining room. The doors have normal locks (DC-16), 4 Animated Armors, 2 Flying Swords that activate when a pressure plate in the diing room is stepped on. The trap can be disabled with an Arcana DC-16 check.

• Second floor: Benoit’s master bedroom and guest rooms. The doors on this floor are trapped with a magical trap that triggers the Sleep spell (Level 3, 9d8 HP) and releases 1 Air Elemental. A disarmament check below DC-22 avoids sleep but triggers the Air elemental.

• Third floor: Benoit’s library. A Glyph of Warding (Crown of Madness) is triggered if anything on the main writing desk is touched. The stairs to the fourth floor have been hidden via permanent a Major Image and an altered aura. To reveral the secret passage, the PCs need to solve a puzzle. If PCs are searching the area, reveal the following:

  • Four statues: one with a sword, one with a shield, one with a helmet, one with a breastplate.

  • Four marble floor plates that are of a different color.

  • On the North wall hangs a big painting, titled The Colors of Magic. It depicts a man on on a white horse, casting a spell with his wand, through a prism, causing swirling colors. Under it is a small empty bookshelf.

  • Arcana DC-19: The wizard is the famousillusionist Yondril Filvianus. Yondril wrote the famous series of books, the Colors of Magic, an Illusionists Guide. Six books total. Known as the Yellow Book, The Violet Book, The Red Book, The Green Book, the Blue Book, the Orange Book.

  • Books have to be arranged in ROYGBV order on the bookshelf.

• Fourth floor: All valuable items are warded by Symbol (Discord/Sleep/Insanity) and 1 Stone Golem. The golem stands in the center of the magic circle and is activated if any of the wards a triggered.

  • Magic traps can be identified with Perception DC-15 and disabled with Arcana DC-15.

  • Valuable items:

    • Rare painting (2000 GP) (warded with Insanity)

    • 100 GP and Gems worth 500 GP in a small display (warded with Discord)

  • Prominently displayed items in a large display case (warded with Fear): Boots of False Tracks, Cloak of Billowing, Cloak of Many Fashions, Hat of Wizardry, Instrument of Illusions, Perfume of Bewitching, Staff of Flowers, Wand of Pyrotechnics

  • Unwarded, old adventuring items: 2 Spell scrolls 2nd level, 1 potion of frost giant strength, Heward’s Handy Haversack

  • The two glass shards are in an unassuming bookshelf, unwarded.

5.5 Back to Base

If the PCs retrieve the shards and return, as instructed to Tiv’s compound, an ambush is waiting for them.

• Yellow (Veteran), Purple (Spy, with a light crossbow 1d8+3, hidden and assassinate/sneak attack), 5 Bandits, and 4 Thugs are positioned in the compund. At least for the the Bandits have taken position in rooftops with light crossbows. The others are hiding inside the buildings.

• Tiv (Bard) is hiding in his office.

• If captured, Tiv can tell the PCs that he was hired to kill them, send a message, and bring the shards to an abandoned farm house day later at midnight. The same information can be found in Tiv’s safe (he wears the key around is neck), which also contains 230 gp.

Figure 5.6: Tiv’s Compound. Source: Homemade

5.6 The Meet

• Tiv was meant to meet Livius outside of Mersenne at an abandoned farm house.

• The PCs can set up their own ambush. Note that Akris has already positioned 1 Gibbering Mouther in the pond close to the farm house before the PCs arrival.

• Main group of antagonists: Akris (Doppelganger), 1 Cult Fanatic, 2 Cultists.

• Additional backup (approaches from the forest to the North): 1 Cult Fanatic and 3 Cultists.

• When fighting breaks out, the Gibbering Mouther crawls out of the pond and attacks the PCs.

• The cultists are weirdly malformed with fungal growths and some have special powers:

  • Spore Kissed (poison damage in 10ft radius upon death equal to its hit dice, 2d8, immune to frightened and charmed), some can cast Ray of Sickness and Plant growth.

  • Cultists can also re-enter battle as animated fungal Zombies, if need be.

Figure 5.7: The Abandoned Farmhouse. Source: Homemade

5.7 The Reckoning

• The PCs may return the shards to Benoit directly. If they hold on to the shards, Benoit will catch up with them (accompanied by a large group of bodyguards) to confront them about the shards.

• If the PCs explain their situation, Benoit forgives the players, wants them to help him figure out what is going on. The shards are related to his family and he will consult some of his family’s old documents. They can keep some magic items from his vault (time to offer some useful magic items that fit the group)

• Benoit finds some old journal notes, from 230 years ago. His family was involved in some kind of plot to protect the city. The family’s journal reveals that one ancestor came into possession of five glass shards and hid three of them outside of Helsundburg. One was left with a trusted dwarf–Torrga Wyrmstalker–in Rumnahold. The location of the other two is unclear. The family kept the two remaining shards in the family vault for safe keeping.

5.8 Next Steps

• From here, the PCs have several choices:

  • Investigate the Helsundburg Merchant Bank in the city of Helsundburg (see Coin and Dagger.

  • Pursue the fungal shipment to Flowerdale Flower Fields.

  • Investigate a possible shard in Rumnahold Mountains of Madness.

• Mencius will start harassing the PCs on their journey. If the go on a river journey to safe time, use the suggested encounter below for an assassination attempt. You can easily adapt this to overland travel.

• If they go on a river journey, PCs can hire Murin Myrtlebeard and his riverboat. At some point, the boat will dock at a small river village called Eren Hill that is celebrating a town festival that day. The riverboat docks here, PCs are spending the night and can engage in some activities.

  • Shopping

  • Skill challenges: Shooting a bow. Dex/Acrobatics challenge. Running or jumping against locals.

  • Beggar on the street that acosts a PC, suddenly shows the face of Mencius: Do you have some coin—give me the shard—I SAID GIVE ME THE SHARD, EVERYONE YOU LOVE WILL DIEEEE.

  • PCs start seeing Mencius everywhere, all commoners stop and look at them with Mencius face, which twists into a manic grin.

  • Mencius will appear in their dreams that night. Don’t you want to be happy? Take the shards from Benoit…all your worries will go away

  • Mencius will Geas the riverboat captain’s cook (Murin Myrtlebeard’s wife Martha) to poison the players while she is shopping in town.

  • 2 days later, Murin will host a great dinner for the PCs. Food and drink are poisoned (as was the breakfast and food for the last 2 days).

  • The attack happens at night. PCs hear the alarm bells of the ship. Run out to see several fires.

  • Mercenary Hobgoblin attack: 10 Hobgoblins, 1 Hobgoblin Captain, 1 Hobgoblin Devastator.

  • Poison effects: DC-16 CON saving throw, on failure Poisoned condition, 1d6 poison damage every turn for 4 turns and every 8 hours a level of exhaustion. On success: 1d6 poison damage.

  • The Hobgoblins arrive via smaller boats and set the riverboat on fire.

  • Make sure to use the fire on the boat as a spatial obstacle and timer for the combat.

Figure 5.8: Eren Hill. Source: 2-Minute Tabletop

Figure 5.9: Riverboat Below Deck. Source: 2-Minute Tabletop

Figure 5.10: Riverboat. Source: 2-Minute Tabletop