DM Notes

Prologue

While researching the Betrayal, Simmah discovered a journal written by an elven lorekeeper in the archives of the Temple of the Protector of All on the Golden Isle of the Ithquenti. After discovering Ketham's Journal, he had a vision of the library's warehouse and the crates containing the statues. Simmah believes the statues to be part of the key to restoring the divinity of the Ithquenti. Emmeline, the Yoweth Svitrani of Kacorothi has agreed to perform the Remove Affliction ritual on the petrified adventurers.

Scene 1 - Ketham Lorekeeper Library Storage (The Wharf)

Odanus, Shae, Néshira and Rowlfwicke are petrified statues in crates. Emmeline is performing the Remove Affliction ritual on the statues. The Yoweth Svitrani's honor guard have the crates surrounded. Simmah is patiently awaiting the completion of the ritual. Also present are Ralune Celebar, a female Eladrin, the museum's curator and Orrick Beardfist, a male dwarf, the museum's head of acquisitions.

An almost inaudible alto voice floats into your ears. As your senses and momentum return the room is filled with shouting. This certainly isn't where you remember being.

Odanus: Your blade seems lighter as your downward swing continues. Your blade clangs with another and is parried to the side.

Rowlfwicke: A loud snap fills your ears as your right hand pulls back farther than you expect. A sharp pain erupts in your left triceps.

Néshira and Shae: Crouched on all fours, your muscles release the stored energy as you pounce on to Shae.

Emmeline is quickly surrounded by her honor guard while the captain of the guard parries Odanus' blow and assumes a defensive posture. As soon as the situation is defused, Emmeline and her honor guard will exit the premises and leave Ralune, Orrick and the party to discuss their next step.

Scene 2 - Exploring the Old Market

The party will need to replace some of their equipment and purchase supplies. In addition, they will need to find information about the Stalking Dawn clan. Eventually, they will be directed to Luna's Luxuries. A small store of expensive baubles and gems. Luna, female catfolk of the walking disaster clan, will politely answer a few questions about her wares but will attempt to escape the shop if they ask about the catfolk.

The Chase Skill Challenge - 500 xp
Setup: Luna will sprint out of her shop and into the crowds.
Complexity: 2 (requires 6 successes before 3 failures).
Primary Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Streetwise
Acrobatics (DC 10): You dodge past an obstacle, vault over a crowd, or cross a narrow passage to close the distance between you and your opponent. A failed check indicates that you take a spill and lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a failure for the challenge.
Athletics (DC 10): You run fast, scale a wall, leap a fence, or swim across a canal to gain an advantage in the chase. A failed check indicates that you get banged up and lose one healing surge, in addition to counting as a failure for the challenge.
Streetwise (DC 15): You know enough about the layout of urban settlements to use the environment to your best advantage during a chase.

Secondary Skills: Perception
Perception (DC 5): You spot a shortcut, notice a hiding space, or otherwise aid your cause. Using this skill doesn't count as a success or failure for the challenge, but instead provides a +2 bonus or a -2 penalty to the next character's skill check.

Success: The PCs catch up to Luna as she enters the Grey Pause Tavern.

Scene 3 - Meeting Pounce

As you enter the Grey Pause, you immediately notice the lack of patrons and bartender. Luna is sitting at one of the tables next to a hooded figure. She motions for the party to join them at the table.

Pounce, male catfolk of the stalking dawn clan, will speak once the party is all inside.

Asking for information about the catfolk clans is incredibly dangerous. Especially when an outcast is doing the asking. He stares at Néshira as he lowers his hood. What business do you have with my clan?

Before we discuss payment for the information requested, a game of skill. Luna pulls out a deck of cards and begins shuffling.

Playing the Game Skill Challenge - 500xp
Setup: Pounce requests a card game with the characters.
Complexity: 3 (requires 8 successes before 4 failures).
Primary Skills: Bluff, Insight, Perception, Streetwise, Thievery
Bluff (DC 15): You manage to force Pounce to surrender the round.
Streetwise (DC 10): You outmaneuver Pounce in the game and win the round.
Thievery (DC 15): You cheat to win the round.
Secondary SKills: Insight, Perception
Insight (DC 10): You notice a small tell in Luna's expression and gain a temporary advantage. Using this skill doesn't count as a success or failure for the challenge, but instead provides a +2 bonus to the next character's skill check.
Perception (DC 15): You notice Luna playing with the deck while she's dealing the cards out.

Success: The PCs will gain an extra small favor during the upcoming negotiations.

Pounce smirks as he sends Luna away with the deck of cards. A good game. Now down to the real part of the business. I am willing to arrange a meeting with one of the clan's scouts. But information and meetings are expensive. I will give you three favors in exchange for four/three favors from you.

Let the party discuss agreeing. If they failed to win the previous skill challenge, they may use a diplomacy check to make it a 3 for 3 trade.

It will take some time to get the meeting set up. I'm sure you all would prefer not to wait idly. So, let's get you started on your payment. I have received information that a competing guild has a base of operations in a warehouse down by the Wharf. Retrieve all of the written communications between the guild representative and his guildmaster and one of the favors you owe will be repaid.

Pounce will give the location of the warehouse.

One last thing, when you get back, order an ale, turn the mug over on top of your table and place a gold coin atop the overturned mug. The barmaid will clean up the mess and signal me to meet with you again.

Scene 4 - Asp Hideout

Pounce's directions were spot on and finding the warehouse wasn't very difficult. Unfortunately, there's a set of guards patrolling the perimeter.

Encounter 1 - Mooks and More

5x Level1 Human Rabble - MM162
3x Level2 Human Bandit - MM162

Two of the bandits are patrolling the outside of the warehouse. The rabble and one of the bandits stand in front of the door. The door into the warehouse is locked (DC 20). One of the bandit's has the key.

The warehouse is dimly lit making it difficult to read the labels on the crates but from the smells it seems like they're packed with fruits and vegetables. Rows of shelves fill the facility. The back side of the warehouse seems particularly well lit.

There's a trapdoor in the floor.

Encounter 2 - Elite Spear Gauntlet Trap
Hidden spears thrust upward from the floor in response to pressure. The individual trigger plates and spear-thrusting devices are connected to a key-operated control panel on the wall nearby.
Trap: Ten squares in the room contain hidden spears that thrust up to attack when triggered.
Perception
DC 22: The character notices the trigger plates.
DC 27: The character notices the hidden control panel.
Trigger
The trap, ten squares placed randomly in the room, attacks when a creature enters one of the trigger squares or starts its turn on a trigger square. When the trap is triggered, all five spears thrust up at the same time, attacking anyone standing on a trigger square.
Attack
Opportunity Action - Melee
Target: All creatures on trigger squares when the trap activates
Attack: +7 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage
Countermeasures
A character who makes a successful Athletics check (DC 6 or DC 11 without a running start) can jump over a single pressure plate square.
An adjacent character can disable a trigger plate with a DC 27 Thievery check.
A creature adjacent to the control panel can disable the entire trap with a DC 22 Thievery check.
A DC 20 Dungeoneering check grants the party a +2 bonus to Thievery checks to delay or disable the the trap.
A character can ready an action to attack the spears (AC 13, other defenses 10; hp 10). When the spears in one square are destroyed, that trigger plate becomes useless.
A character can attack a trigger plate or the control panel (AC 12, other defenses 10; hp 30; resist 5 all). Destroying a trigger plate renders it useless and destroying the control panel disables the entire trap.

Encounter 3 - Killing the Messenger

Scene 5 - Favors Paid

A few hours pass as you drink and relax at the Grey Pause Tavern and Inn. The barmaid comes to your table and leans over, "You will be seen now." She beckons you to follow and she leads you to the basement. After climbing down the stairs, she leads you through a false wall. Pounce is standing next to three chess boards at various stages in the game. He glances up from the boards, "You have the messages?"

Pounce skims through the encrypted letters and then sets them down on his desk.

"Very good. A favor paid. And now to your request. For the first favor, the Stalking Dawn clan is currently roaming the Golden Plains."

"As for the second favor, I have registered each of you with the local chapter of the Adventurers' Guild and arranged for you to be eligible for diplomatic missions. This will allow you to travel freely among the human cities assuming you are actually on a diplomatic mission. And for the third and favor, I have requested a meeting to be setup in Fairport with one of the Stalking Dawn scouts. I will inform you once I received word that they have agreed to a meeting."

"Now that payment has been settled, is there anything else?"

Encounter XP Table

Scene 2 - The Chase Skill Challenge (500 xp)
Scene 3 - Playing the Game Skill Challenge (500 xp)
Scene 4 - Spear Gauntlet Trap (250 xp)
Scene 4 - Mooks and More (530 xp)
Scene 4 - Killing the Messenger Encounter (850 xp)
Scene 5 - Favors Paid (500 xp)

Total - 3130 xp
Per PC - 626 xp

Level + 0 530xp (Battle) Warehouse Battle 1
5x Level1 Human Rabble - MM162 - (31 xp) = 155 xp
3x Level2 Human Bandit - MM162 - (125 xp) = 375 xp
Level + 3 850xp (Battle) Asp Commander
1x Level4 Human Mage - MM163 - (175 xp) = 175 xp
2x Level3 Human Soldier - MM162 - (150 xp) = 300 xp
3x Level2 Human Bandits - MM162 - (125 xp) 375 xp