Ortho: 101 Orthorian Adventures

Edit: 02/03/08 - new intro (some of which is lifted from comments by Charles and Duckluck)

Okay, s/ there's aren't exactly 101 [i]quite yet... but I have managed about twenty so far and I'll keep working. All of them are fairly well developped seeds - more than quick hooks and enough to get an inspiration-free DM started. Some of the info below mentions other aspects of the project I'm currently working on and so might end up changed or added to depending on how things go. I'll edit as I go.[/i]

Formatting's a bit all over the place too...

‘Points of Darkness’
Adventuring on Ortho

To the lamentation of many an adventurous thrill-seeker, the world of Ortho is a sadly staid and stable place to live. Mighty metropolises host millions behind secure walls, while farmers plough and reap in safety thanks to Hardhead patrols and thoroughly-tamed ‘wilds’ that harbour nothing more than endless crop-fields and workhouses. Most people have never even heard of the kind of trouble adventurers usually deal with, let alone experienced it for themselves.

Of course this is not true everywhere: Life is very different in idealised Harmony’s Glory to the devil, mind flayer, and hobgoblin-infested horror that is Thaera. For the most part however, life is secure even if it’s not pleasant. Monsters don’t roam the wilderness, mad wizards don’t lurk in every tower, and if orcs kick your door down in the middle of the night the chances are they have a search warrant. Ortho (and her more domesticated colonies) are about as far away from the standard ‘points of light’ setting for D&D as its possible to get. In fact, the populace generally shakes its head sadly when it hears of such places, pities them, and encourages the Harmonium to move in and pacify it. For the average (well behaved) citizen life is uniform. Life is safe. Life is boring.

All this would make for a terrible average game of Dungeons and Dragons – but fortunately Ortho has adventure opportunities aplenty, even if many of them are rather different from the dragon-slaying and goblin-chasing of most campaigns.

First and foremost, Ortho is a setting shaped by its unique politics: The law here is literally an extension of the driving philosophy of the Harmonium and tightly bound to their determination for order, unity, and peace; many adventures will feature additional ‘flavour’ (sometimes small, sometimes large) as a result of this. For groups playing Harmonium members this means that the traditional ‘dark cloaked stranger in a tavern’ start to an adventure will be replaced by a formal briefing from an official in the chain of command. Alternatively if your player characters are steadfast rebels and opponents, then the ‘evil empire’ has stormtroopers aplenty to chase them around with, and who can also wax lyrical about what’s so the good about their system and so bad about the rebels’ beliefs.

PCs will also have to contend with ‘the long arm of the law’ throughout their careers. Let’s face it; typical adventurers fall into one of three categories: mercenary, thief, or vigilante. Ortho has time for none of these ne’er-do-wells. Standard adventuring groups are going to have to keep a low profile or be actively in-bed with the authorities or the underworld in order to survive. One way or another, the Pax Harmonium will impinge on their daily lives, from weapon permits and peacebonds to Beholder tyrannies to devil-ridden corruption.

It’s certainly not impossible to adventure in the standard mould however. Ortho is a whole world and the Harmonium can’t be everywhere at once – and sometimes you’d rather the local variation on Harmony wasn’t ready to step in.

There are a few wild lands remaining in inaccessible corners of Ortho and the notably less secure worlds of the Eight Jewels of Harmony and Outside Territories for adventurers to roam through. Dangers also lurk in the heart of civilisation as well: corrupt officials, underground cults, lurking mind flayers, demons, and shapeshifters, and even the occasional marauding humanoid have their talons into Ortho – they just have to do under the watchful eye of the Harmonium. This usually means secretly.

Below are several archetypical adventuring plots and their most obvious local counterpart on Ortho:

Dark Cult: As well as the obvious target of Alzrius and worshippers of the Lords of Chaos, Ortho has secretive devotees to both the Lords of the Nine and the Hebdomad (the seven archangels of Mount Celestia), as well as mind flayers, the Forbidden Goddess, and extreme versions of Didairdin’s faith such as the hobgoblin cult of Hextor. Followers of the Hebdomad in particular make excellent enemies for a Good-aligned Harmonium group, since they’ll have so much morality in common. Ortho also has its fair share of secular cults, from the Spawn of Ruay and the Cult of Empty Heaven to unscrupulous citizens who hide perverted lusts behind seemingly respectable fronts. Ortho’s insistence on visible conformity means that a lot of unsavoury things are hidden just below the surface.

Corrupt Official: Ambition and greed are as present on Ortho as they are on other worlds, and can often hide behind the respectable façade of OCA or Harmonium membership, using innocent henchmen who think they’re obeying a legitimate authority. Some of these villains are politically motivated (like the Shoryko Historical Society), others might simply look at ‘harmony’ in a less benevolent way than the PCs – Beholders, Devils, Hobgoblins, and Orcs are all prime candidates for this and they’re not even necessarily evil in the classic sense. Loyal Harmonium characters can fight fanatics and hardliners, Juhlienists or federalists, ensuring that the right kind of Harmony is the one being forced onto the world. Whether you are working for or fighting against them, the Harmonium make a perfect catalyst for conflict. Virtually every party will fight for or against the Harmonium at some point. Most will do both.

Exploration: Even on a world as peaceful as Ortho there are still plenty of hidden or sequestered wilderness areas: The steaming jungles of Hazhkan or the frozen wastes of Gelidahl, where no Hardhead has yet explored; the lonely expanses of Karazam and Bafatai; lawless Thaeran isles, and unexplored Hekan caverns… These all provide perfect opportunities for the PCs to kill monsters without worrying about getting sued by bereaved relatives. Just remember that the OCA has eyes everywhere and no one can hide from the Harmonium forever – although many think try.

Machiavellian Machination: Nobles still scheme, viziers still plot, and corrupt officials still embezzle from the people. The Hierarchs of Motmurk constantly push for greater power, the rulers of Meter want more independence and respect than a mere ‘colony’ can have, and the devils of South Thaera are in almost open war amongst themselves. Voll’s nobility has plenty of secrets, Xaric and Osmopondia have competing city-states, Eallia has political as well as military revolt, Han has its rival merchant houses and their ‘Quiet War’, and Keln has beholders. It’s easy to run a whole campaign on Ortho based around political intrigue… Perhaps a roving diplomat and his staff? Even seemingly mundane problems like high tax on coconuts or a land use disputes in a river valley can be the impetus for espionage blackmail, or even assassination. You don't have to overdo it, but the PCs should run into enough corrupt land owners, amoral politicians, and over-zealous revolutionaries to keep things interesting.

Rebellion: Ortho has a number of elusive enemies, many of whom have backing from extraplanar powers. The Lords of Chaos are obviously public enemy number one (see Forbidden Cults above), but there are also the Burrowdogs, the Mhaol, the Cult of Empty Heaven, and planar Factions to be countered. Colonies and Outside Territories might also be site of unrest, just waiting for PCs to inspire or suppress them: Meter’s political unrest could potentially turn nasty, and Eallia is officially in revolt already, for example. Terrorists and revolutionaries even have a Lord of Chaos (Chal, Lord of Ruin) as a patron!

Invasion: Ortho is an empire spanning worlds – and planes - with millions of men at its disposal. It’s not invincible however, and it’s not alone in being a ‘superpower’ of the material plane. The other powers of wildspace and the Planes are a constant threat to the expansion of universal peace, and many aren’t prepared to wait until its ‘their turn’ to be subsumed or destroyed. The great Elven Armada certainly doesn’t harbour any warm feelings for the OCA, and neither to the Illithid or Neogi (both major spelljamming races). Planar Factions like the Anarchists, Athar, Xaosetics, or even Indeps might set their sights on Ortho with an eye to doing enough damage to make the Harmonium fault its march of conquest. And beyond even these threats there are elder evils and epic monsters like the Draeden to defend against. Wars may be a thing of the past internally, but there’s always the chance that someone will come along from outside and start one.

101 Orthorian Adventures!

By way of example and inspiration, what follows is a list of adventure seeds for Orthorian campaigns, complete with complications, sub-plots, and starting ideas for different kinds of character.

“A Friend in Need…”
Location: Any
Suitability: Harmonium would be particularly suitable

One of the PCs becomes friends with a middle-aged scholar of the School of Ethics called Anjus Scaif. In his youth Anjus was very briefly involved with the Cult of Empty Heaven, something that’s still recorded in his Sealed Notes. After a stern warning from the Harmonium, Anjus put aside such rebellious thoughts and has had a productive and law-abiding career. Sufficiently upstanding in fact, that he’s now running for public office. He’s made no secret of his past or that it was a mistake, but it’s still made his campaign an uphill struggle.

By some unhappy accident the PC discovers a cache of forbidden books in Anjus’ house (hidden in the attic, behind a loose brick in the cellar, etc). Clearly they’ve not been used in some time… but they’re still forbidden materials - especially in the hands of someone with a record of prior involvement with the Cult. Given Anjus’ history reporting this find will certainly result in a lengthy investigation and his exclusion from the political race – his reputation would be ruined.

The PC has several options:

Inform the authorities – in which case the investigation is handed to exactly the sort of inquisitorial fanatic that will make certain Anjus is found guilty (such as Zinzr’Gor, the beholder cleric of Saeduenical from ‘Wanted Wands’ below).

Re-hide the books – becoming an accomplice in the eyes of the law. This is a particularly sinful act for lawful characters.

Take the books – unless the PC has a failsafe way to transport them across the city, he will have to nervously carry an armload of dusty forbidden texts through the streets without attracting notice or appearing suspicious (be sure to make any Bluff rolls for the character “behind the screen” so he’s not sure how convincing he’s actually been…)

Once the character gets the books to a safe place, he or she has several options:

Keep the books for study – this has its own problems. Let’s hope the PC lives alone, for example.

Destroy them – Not difficult providing the PC can do it privately (remember that fires private are restricted in most allots, and great plumes of white paper-smoke might also attract attention if the DM is feeling cruel). If observed, the PC might well open themselves to investigation.

Sell them – To the right buyer, such books are worth a pretty penny. Finding one however, might be an adventure in itself! Even if successful, the character might soon regret making contact with the underworld…

If approached by the PC, Anjus denies any connection to the tomes, claiming that they must have been stashed there by one of the villa’s previous owners (it’s a rented manse, and Anjus has only been in residence for a few years). The truth of the matter and where it might lead is up to the DM to decide; what’s most important here is the moral decision that the PC makes – and making them feel really nervous if they choose a deceitful option.

Options & Complications

The books have been planted at Anjus’ house by an unscrupulous political rival – he plans to have Anjus Scaif removed from the race under falsified charges.

The books have been planted, but by agents of the church of Saeduenical; they were designed to be found and the ‘accident’ of their discovery was anything but. They were put there specifically to test Anjus’ loyalty – but the PC has accidentally discovered them before Anjus has had a chance to.

As above – but they were actually put there to test the PC’s loyalty.

“A Sudden Change of Policy”
Location: A major city with a strongly Lawful Good government
Suitability: Harmonium will have a distinct advantage

Something is afoot in a major city. The local Harmonium has begun a severe crackdown on the underworld, the free folk, the Licensed Quarters - in fact on anybody who steps out of line. Previously tolerant officers have become merciless enforcers of the law with no quarter asked or given and no room for compromise, no excuses, and no time for mitigating circumstances. Everything is being done strictly according to the law and crime is down… but there are mutterings among the persecuted that the general truce between law and lawless to keep things civil has almost reached breaking point. The newly elected chief of civil patrol Malik Sheyr is proud of his accomplishments however, saying that for too long the officers under his command have been lax, lazy, and compromising. “This is the new way of things,” he says. “If the lawless don’t like it, all they have to do is stay lawful.”

Getting the PCs involved

1. Exigency PCs are dispatched undercover to the area - either assigned to the civil patrol or as normal citizens - to discover what’s exactly going on. Their Liaison is concerned that there’s more to this new crackdown than meets the eye; Sheyr used to be an Exigency Liaison himself and was notorious for ruthless and underhand tactics, justified as “for the good of the Pax Harmonium.”

2. PCs with Freefolk or underworld connections are hired to get some dirt on Captain Sheyr, so he can be ‘persuaded’ to ease off on his crusade. Their connections make it abundantly clear that they are NOT to just kill him or instigate something that will simply make matters worse.

What’s Going On?

Although he appears human, Malik Sheyr is actually a Rakshasa. He’s also a committed member of the Harmonium – in fact, a former Crisis Team agent and Exigency Liaison. As part of this secret role, Malik is allowed to conceal his true nature, although it’s still recorded in his Private Notes if the PCs can somehow get access to them (unlikely since he’s higher ranked than them and they don’t have evidence to warrant a requisition order).

Malik’s ‘crackdown’ is motivated by a genuine desire to eradicate the enemies of the Harmonium and ensure a peaceful and law-abiding society… it’s just being done with the aid of forbidden magic. Malik has carefully selected his ‘victims’ (after examining their records), and one by one exposed the best Lawful Good civil patrol officers in the city to a device called the Mirror of Baleful Simulacra. The mirror captures the image of those looking into it, which can be summoned forth by the mirror’s owner – creating a simulacrum with identical memories and a similar personality, but a reversal of the viewer’s moral (good/evil) alignment. In each case Malik (who has no desire to harm lawful Harmonium officers) has dispatched each good-aligned officer for ‘special training’ outside the city, while their evil duplicate takes up their old life. Once the underworld and free folk have learned their place Malik will dismiss the duplicates (possibly by sending them on a suicide mission “for the good of the Pax Harmonium”), magically alter the memories of the originals as they return, and enjoy the benefits of a more lawful and peaceful city with a well-cowed populace. He then plans to move on to another city, and then another, until all of Ortho has been cleansed of its chaotic elements.

Options & Complications

The local Exigency Liaison (not the one who sends in the PCs) was formerly Malik’s aide. He’s part of the conspiracy and thoroughly on the Rakshasa’s side (although he doesn’t know about the magic mirror). If the Rakshasa suspects he’s being investigated, he will have a Crisis Team activated to spy on, sabotage, and (only if absolutely necessary) eliminate the PCs. Harmonium parties might well find themselves opposed by enemies equally as dedicated and well-trained as themselves.

“Checkpoint”
Location: Any (especially Iironda)
Suitability: Characters with low Will saves will have a particularly ‘interesting’ time…

A trio of Snake Dancers have hit upon a new and amusing scam: Using a mix of Charm, Suggestion, illusions, and physical props they set up a fake Harmonium checkpoint on a stretch of secluded road, and charge a toll from anyone who passes. Travellers who complain are informed that the new tax is a temporary addition - usually they claim that it’s to finance some new structure or initiative that the traveller looks like they’d appreciate, but occasionally a Dancer’s sense of humour gets the better of them and they make up something silly instead (‘on behalf of orphaned beholders’ or similar).

The Snake Dancers set up on a given road for a few days, but dismantle and disappear before anyone gets too suspicious or real troops show up.

Getting the PCs involved

1. The Harmonium has heard about the scam, but wants to keep the matter very quiet for fear of inspiring imitators. Rather than sending out legions to search for the fake checkpoint, they send in an Exigency Squad (the PCs) into the area undercover as traders to deal with it discretely.

2. A Venture Company (perhaps the PCs’ own?) has been made victim of the Dancers, but have now figured out that its a scam and hire the PCs to get even with the thieves without alerting the authorities (they also don’t want to share the Dancers’ ill-gotten gains with the Hardheads).

3. The party might be victims of the scam and decide to take matters into their own hands. Few things in this world are more vengeful than PCs who think they’ve been had!

4. One of the Snake Dancers hires the PCs, disguised as one of the options above. He wants rid of his partners and will assist the PCs as long as he can keep them under control.

It’s possible that one or more real Harmonium officers are also involved in the con, motivated by corruption or judicious use of Charm Person. This will of course make the PCs’ task much more difficult – characters with a low Will save and flexible morals might even find themselves becoming part of the conspiracy!

"Clerical Error"
Location: Any
Suitability: Any

The PCs are approached by a terrified-looking cleric of the order of Iathiphos, who begs them to grant him a private audience. He has terrible information to impart: “Information vital to the integrity of the Pax Harmonium and the safety of thousands of its citizens!”

This troubled young half-orc is Nevrikos of the Bluefang, an acolyte of the Lord of Bookkeepers. Originally of northern Xaric, Nevrikos has recently earned a transfer to a prestigious archive (near wherever the PCs happen to be). While studying there however, he made a terrible discovery when working on an ancient document.

The document is question is none other than the original treaty between Motmurk and ‘The Alliance of Harmony’ (Voll and newly-freed Iathra). Nevrikos claims that the treaty was mistranslated centuries ago, and that the initial famous alliance between the Knights of Harmony and the Hierarchs of Motmurk (as masterminded by King Romhel and Varzak of the Crushing Fist), upon which all future treatise and alliances are based, doesn’t say what everyone thinks it says, and is not in fact a pledge to the philosophy of the Knights of Harmony at all.

The crux of this argument is that a specific orcish word, Ukbur (“forever” – as in “we will follow the code of the Knights of Harmony forever to rid the world of its enemies”) was mistranslated by the scribes who took down Varzak’s agreement with Romhel. Nevrikos has seen the original document and claims that the term actually used was urkubr, which means “as long as is necessary”). The truth (Nevrikos earnestly claims) is that Varzak’s pledge of allegiance to the Knights of Harmony was not meant to last forever – just until their enemies (Thaera and Ortho’s other chaotic forces) were defeated. All the treatises which followed were based upon that one agreement by the Great Hierarch, and if it’s wrong then all the agreements that followed are null and void – Motmurk isn’t technically part of the empire at all!

PCs might well laugh at the young cleric for his panic - after all, Motmurk has been a loyal member of the Pax Harmonium for five hundred years and Varzak was one of the founders of the Octave. Expressing any such doubts will leave Nevrikos outraged and on the verge of nervous collapse; the church of Iathiphos prides itself on accurate record keeping and the discovery that one of its members mistranslated a vital text for of all people King Romhel himself would be a major blow to both the church’s reputation and the sanctity of its holy doctrine – especially since the scribe in question (Patriarch Malagant of Voll) is a revered saint of the faith.

Politically canny PCs will also realise how the situation could be exploited by Motmurk’s enemies (and troublemakers within orcish lands) and by various rebel groups. The situation isn’t quite so funny as it first appears…

Options & Complications

• One of the Player Characters is descended from Patriarch Malagant and the honour of his entire lineage is now at stake.

• A Harmonium officer hires the PCs to break into the archive and subtly alter the original document to its perceived meaning.

• The PCs are charged with silencing Nevrikos… permanently.

• Nevrikos and the PCs are swiftly dispatched to Motmurk to get a new (secret) treaty signed by Rokmorn the Bloodletter.

• The PCs are stalked by murderous clerics of Iathiphos determined to preserve the church’s reputation. They aren’t skilled combatants but have a large number of magical scrolls and other paper-based magic.

• Clerics of Ina oppose the PCs – either trying to preserve the secret or to reveal it. Perhaps different clerics with opposing agendas involve themselves in the party’s quest?

• Knowingly or not, Nevrikos is part of a plan to discredit the church of Iathiphos, designed by cunning infiltrators from the Cult of Empty Heaven (perhaps worshippers of the Nine) or an Anarchist cell. Members of the conspiracy are already shadowing Nevrikos and the PCs, to either thwart or assist them as circumstances demand.

“Dead Ringer”
Location: Any
Suitability: Any

The characters are enjoying some ‘down time’ between adventures when one by one they are approached by a sombre-looking Harmonium officer from the Civil Patrol. One of their number has apparently been found dead.

The officer (Notary Haukswight) will question the characters about their deceased companion. Depending on the PCs’ reputation and criminal record, this could be anything from a quick word to a formal interview under threat of prison. Assuming there are no complications and everyone’s story checks out however, they won’t be in any further trouble.

Given the travelling nature of most PCs, the party will probably be the nearest ‘next of kin’ and will be called to identify the body and take it from the local morgue. Examination of the corpse will confirm in every way that it is the deceased PC (except perhaps for a couple of minor details, see below) but shortly after this the party will see the supposedly dead PC walk back into his lodgings with no idea what’s going on.

The ‘deceased’ is perfectly hale and hearty with no idea as to what the commotion is about! As far as he or she is concerned, nothing untoward has happened to them recently.

What going on?

• The deceased is an entirely coincidental non-magical double of the PC. It’s simply a matter of mistaken identity. The PC in question might have an uncomfortable time looking at his ‘twin’ but is otherwise uninvolved. Investigating their double’s life might reveal that they are somehow distantly related… or the cause of their physical similarity might remain a complete mystery.

• As above, but the double was murdered by one of the PC’s enemies, who mistook the double for the real thing. This might be the first clue that their enemy has returned.

• As option one, but if they investigate the double, they learn that the deceased actually had a far better life than the PC did. If the character dares to try and impersonate their double, they can benefit considerably (financially, socially, access to something they’ve always wanted etc). The double’s life might bring complications of its own however, from gambling debts to political enemies to membership of an illegal group or cult.

• The ‘living’ character is actually a Simulacrum created by a disreputable freefolk wizard named Persios Dax. Persios was accidentally responsible for the PC’s death, having embroiled them (willingly) in some nefarious scheme. He created the simulacrum to replace the dead PC until he could find a way to have the real character raised somehow. Unfortunately the Civil Patrol found the body first. The simulacrum has been ordered to pretend to be the real character at all times, but also to be truthful and obedient to Persios and the original if they somehow should meet it. If the real PC is returned to life and the construct survives, the simulacrum might become a very unusual cohort for the character.

• The living character is a doppelganger, and has been for some time. Once trouble erupts however, he or she flees. The original was being held captive by the doppelganger in its lair. It managed to escape but in doing so was struck by the doppelganger’s poisonous guardian beast, succumbing to its venom shortly after her escape. If the deceased is questioned via a Speak with Dead spell, it confirms the truth and can guide its comrades to the monster’s lair.

• The living character is a Clone, and the corpse is the original body. Unknown to the rest of the group, the original was on a secret mission for the Harmonium, and perished in the line of duty. The previously Cloned body was immediately entered by the PC’s sprit (see the spell description), but additional magic stripped the character of their recent memories. If the PCs investigate the death of their ‘double’ they will eventually stumble upon the threat that killed him. They will have a powerful ally however, in the form of the Harmonium wizard who originally sent the PC on the ‘suicide mission.’

DMing Notes

Some of these adventure options force pretty arbitrary events on the unlucky PC, and not all players will be comfortable with this. If this is an issue for your group then the Dungeon Master should make clear the ‘unusual’ nature of the adventure to the appropriate Player and ensure that their character does not suffer unduly in being Raised or Resurrected (perhaps ignoring the XP or CON loss, or providing them with some other compensation). Alternatively, this can be a good scenario to run if one player can’t make a session or two.

“Dive! Dive! Dive!”
Location: Off the coast of Pan Thaera
Suitability: Free Folk would be particularly appropriate

An unusually large number of seariever attacks have been plaguing the Isles of Thaera. Several ships have been attacked, leaving no survivors. Divinations have revealed only that all is not what it seems.

The truth is that it’s not searievers at all who are responsible. It’s actually a band of mer pirates lead by an unscrupulous druid. They are actually riding a Dragon Turtle, which they use to make their attacks look like the work of a monster. In fact they swarm aboard after the dragon turtle’s initial attack and raid the ship, using shark-toothed clubs and serrated scimitars to avoid the tell-tale presence of weapon marks on the bodies. After stealing a portion of the cargo and strapping it to their steed’s shell, they have the creature destroy the ship and feed on the sailors (sometimes alive).

Getting the PCs Involved

1. Harmonium PCs are assigned to an Exigency Squad and ordered to investigate and resolve the situation.

2. A Venture Company party might be travelling the area and rather nervous about their chances of being attacked. Many ships would welcome passengers who are handy in a fight, and offer the group cheap rates for their journey.

3. Parties consisting of criminals or general Free Folk could be hired by the Seven Turtles Cartel or the Rosesail Freedom Venture Company to find the cause of the attacks.

4. If she discovers what’s going on, Sin Laah of Seven Turtle Bay will be worried that the pirates’ modus operandi will draw attention to her own peoples’ nefarious deals. She wants the pirates stopped but would really like their trained dragon turtle if the party can somehow capture it.

The PCs might travel the area several times before being attacked, a good chance to get acquainted with nautical life. If they manage to drive off the pirates, the mer will flee by retreating to the dragon turtle and having it dive underwater and swim off. They will then secretly follow the PC’s ship and try to sink it if they can.

The PCs will need specialist magic to chase pirates beneath the sea… If the group have completed “Mercy of the Deep” then perhaps they could call on their friend Essil and the Siren’s Kiss, or maybe they could borrow the mechanical dragon turtle that’s “almost finished” being constructed in Seven Turtle Bay?

“Doppelgangsters”
Location: Any (the lavish palaces of Han would be a particularly good setting)
Suitability: Bards, rogues, and high-CHS characters are particularly appropriate

The PCs are equipped with magic to assist them in infiltrating a meeting of criminal gangs from across the continent. Non-Harmonium PCs might be hired by the Cartels to spy on the meeting, while Hardheads could be sent in to gather information and intelligence. One very special thing makes this case different from others and necessitates the use of an Exigency Team/band of skilled freeblades: The criminals in question are all doppelgangers.

Their patron/commanding officer does have some information on the event, from a similar meeting that took place about thirty years ago. These meetings (which apparently take place every decade) allow the doppelganger clans to keep in touch, assess potential threats and opportunities, and to assign status, prestige, and scorn amongst themselves. The current conclave is taking place at a prestigious ballroom, including a full banquet and formal dance. All the clans will be expected to maintain a low profile and behave themselves, although every conclave is notorious for trickery and pranks.

If armed with appropriate magical defences, this might actually work in the PC’s favour. Everyone will be in disguise and pretending to be someone else (another doppelganger tradition) and most of the creatures will not have seen each other for quite a while. With glibness and some appropriate magic the PCs should be able to pass for one of the crafty monsters…

Training the PCs

The PCs receive a crash course in bluff, doppelganger lore, dancing, etiquette, and whatever other skills their employer perceives them as needing for a formal ball. Exactly what magical aid is provided is up to the DM, but Potions of Detect Thoughts and some means of altering their appearance (Alter Self, Disguise Self, Polymorph, Hats of Disguise, etc) are essential. Appropriate stat-boosting spells or potions (Cat’s Grace, Eagle’s Splendour, Owl’s Wisdom) might also be useful, as would be the means to disguise their own minds (like Mind Blank or Protection from Spells). If the PCs are hired by a private individual then their patron will be particularly keen to get their money’s worth from all this investment!

So why are the doppelgangers getting together?

• Family Reunion - several clans of doppelgangers are meeting for their regular conclave. There’s no particular conspiracy (other than them being criminal monsters) but the doppelgangers will be drinking, feasting, bragging, and gossiping. The PCs can learn of many scams and secrets at the meeting and can make arrangements to lure several clans into traps later on.

• The Great Debate - the clans are gathering for a major debate: A small alliance of clan masters has proposed that the doppelgangers swear allegiance to the Harmonium, pledging their loyalty and services in exchange for amnesty.

• Exodus – the doppelganger clans are meeting for their regular conclave, but a major debate is going to spring up: One of the clan masters has found a secret route off of Ortho, for all doppelgangers who desire it. The clans are debating whether or nor to abandon the world en masse. While this might sound like a good thing, whatever method they’re planning on using is clearly a major breach of security.

Further Developments & Complications

1. The doppelgangers keep changing their disguises! The face they spoke to five minutes ago might now belong be a completely different creature.

2. Anyone seen to do or say something particularly clever is immediately imitated by several doppelgangers.

3. A number of doppelgangers come to the party in the form of very famous and high-ranked individuals (Composers, Senior Patriarchs, etc). Just imitators, or are those people really doppelgangers?

4. A rival group of adventurers (free folk or Harmonium, whatever the opposite of the PCs is) have also infiltrated the meeting with the same aim as the Player Characters.

5. The food is absolutely disgusting, enough to make the strongest stomach gag – like raw, continually shifting, mimic. The doppelgangers of course, are fine with it.

6. One of the Doppelgangers becomes romantically attracted to a charismatic PC

“Fire in the Belly”
Location: Any Mountains
Suitability: Harmonium

Centipede is a small dwarven enclave built into the side of Mount Rumblebelly, a supposedly long-extinct volcano. Recently however, the earth has begun to quiver and lava has bubbled up. Like all ancient dwarf communities, Centipede has flow-channels built specifically for channelling magma away from the hive, but these have been little used; the volcano hasn’t been active for five hundred years.

Magma is seeping steadily up through the lowest corridors and caverns of Centipede, bypassing the old defences by bad luck or design (the dwarfs aren’t sure). The inhabitants have managed to avoid disaster so far, but if things go on it’s just a matter of time until major destruction or loss of life occurs. The dwarfs have tried to solve the problem themselves, but have run into trouble – the spirits of dwarven ancestors have appeared in the tunnels, silent but clearly condemning of the workers. The local Exigency Liaison believes that outsiders (especially non-dwarfs) need to approach the problem before things get even worse.

The History of Rumblebelly

Back before the Knights of Harmony, Mount Rumblebelly was known as Tahukabajash - ‘Hungry Belly of the Fire God’ (Kabajij in fact) in an old local dialect. Its modern name was put in place after the Knights of Harmony cleared the area of its volcano-cult, which practised human sacrifice and powerful destructive fire magic all too similar to those wielded by servants of Demon-lord Alzrius. A few paranoid dwarven families remember this and believe that Kabajij has returned to punish the dwarves for their faithlessness.

What’s going on?

1. Hordes of the dwarfhold’s namesakes (giant poisonous centipedes) come crawling up from the depths looking for shelter.

2. The ghosts of dwarven ancestors really are rising up – neglected by the cult of ancestors because of their savage and chaotic ways, these apparitions (all worshippers of Kabajij) are directing the lava. Treat these fiery dwarven ancestors as Azer with the Ghost template. They may also have some exemplar support from Kabajij’s realm.

3. The elemental vortex has reopened in the heart of the extinct volcano, sending fiery elemental matter gushing out. Several elemental creatures have been drawn through the breach or come through exploring, but they mean no particular harm – and some may only be concerned about getting back. Azer, Efreeti, Elementals, Fire Ganasi, etc are all possible visitors. This might be a natural occurrence or one triggered (possibly accidentally) by an ancient artefact of the volcano cult.

4. As above, but this is a concerted attack designed to flood the dwarfhold and raid its mines for loot. The culprits are mercenaries drawn from the elemental Planes of Earth and Fire. Skilled PCs might be able to disrupt this tenuous alliance of planar thieves.

5. The trouble is being caused by a band of native thieves, who plan to loot the treasuries of the hold under cover of the “natural disaster” – a powerful Black Alchemist is summoning and directing the lava… and he’s no longer be under the gang’s full control.

Options and Complications

1. Rumours of ‘the Curse of Kabajij’ have surfaced (possibly deliberately spread) and people are clamouring to get out of the city – they want to abandon Centipede entirely until the matter is resolved, but the local Harmonium see this as an unacceptable surrender to chaos and panic.

2. The tunnels below Centipede are being used by smugglers and the black market. Many of them have been sealed off or altered over the years, and this is making the defenders’ job harder, although it’s not the cause of the trouble. Smugglers are desperately trying to shift their wares before it is found or destroyed, and will try and kill the party if they’re discovered.

3. The Exigency Liaison (or another official from Centipede) is deliberately sending the PCs into a trap, to be sacrificed by the cult of Kabajij. He or she has been contacted by the cult, who are demanding powerful and wealthy sacrifices otherwise they will destroy the hold.

4. A planar breach (see the Planar Handbook) is responsible for the lava, and shows no signs of dissipating naturally. The PCs are charged with transporting a Portalbuster into the depths of the dwarven hold, using it to permanently seal the breach.

“Game of Death”
Location: Thaera
Suitability: Any

The PCs are kidnapped by a deranged wizard and imprisoned in pieces on a magical game board, which resembles a deranged and chaotic version of chess.

The PCs (and many other monsters) are trapped within extra-dimensional spaces housed within the belly of each playing piece. A tiny barred window is the only access to the real world, but within the extra-dimensional space there is enough room for even colossal monsters. One set of pieces seems to be made of Abyssal bloodsteel; the other is made of adamantium. Even a single piece seems to be worth a King’s ransom… but alas the pieces turn into normal size game pieces if the magic is broken or they are removed from the board.

Their captor is deranged Thaeran wizard Manas Piraka, whose theatrical appearance and cackling mannerisms come right out of some cheap melodrama. His threats are real enough however: As each piece tries to ‘take’ another on the board, its inhabitants are forced to battle to the death.

The game begins with the mobile pieces stalking across the board in confusing patterns – sometimes they walk, at other times they seem simply to teleport randomly about. What little can be discerned of the rules from Manas’ mutterings seem utterly baffling and deliberately ridiculous. Manas also rants and raves at an unseen (possibly imaginary) opponent, claiming that they are cheating.

The PCs witness several gruesome gladiatorial spectacles. As time passes and more and more pieces are removed, the Player Characters will be forced to battle again and again; sometimes their opponent is far weaker, sometimes evenly matched… but it is clear that sooner of later, they will be matched against something that will kill them.

Fortunately Manas Piraka calls a recess before the characters are slaughtered. The PCs must find some way to escape before he returns or they will have to fight to the finish… and possibly again, as Manas makes no claim that he will let them go afterwards.

Options & Complications

• The PCs are trapped within pieces on different sides. The longer they remain prisoners of the Gamemaster, the higher chance that they will be pitted against each other.

• The game board was once the plaything of the Emperors of Thaera – a cruel and extravagant entertainment for the ruler and his court. It was created by demons, and curses all who own it with madness. Manas Piraka was a harmless scholar of old Thaeran artefacts before finding the game, he is cursed and as much a prisoner of it as the PCs.

• The PCs must forge an alliance with several powerful monsters that are normally firm enemies of the Harmonium. Some may even have been prisoners since before the Thaeran Empire fell.

• The PCs receive help from an unexpected source: Rua – Manas Piraka’s wise and ancient raven familiar, which is clinging to sanity even though its master is not. Rua agrees to help the PCs, but only if they swear not to kill Manas.

• The game board warps space within it to allow for battle to take place in numerous terrains, each representing one of the outer or inner planes.

• The board seems to be located within an overgrown coliseum in the jungle, but if the PCs manage to escape both the board and the stadium they discover that the game is actually taking place on a floating island high above the sea.

“Green Thumb”
Location: Anywhere lush and verdant
Suitability: Characters with Knowledge (Nature) will have a distinct advantage… but where’s the fun in that?

Greenthumb is an elderly ogre gardener who tends a lush walled compound of rare plants. The garden is not open to the public and is in fact some distance away from any habitation. This is because several of the plants are potentially dangerous and in fact come under the Proscribed Materials Act of the OCA (they’re Class C/D items). Botanists and other scholars occasionally visit the garden for various reasons, but often defer to Greenthumb’s expertise despite his supposedly menial position.

Getting the PCs involved

Greenthumb’s prestige has spread to the local college, and he has been called there to give a seminar on his skills and receive an honourary award from the faculty for his services to botany. He needs someone to take over his duties temporarily, but has repeatedly found all applicants to be unsatisfactory. In desperation the College has turned to alternative sources of expertise… the PCs.

Harmonium PCs can be assigned by their superior (regular or exigency liaison), while freefolk might answer the general call for specialists unafraid of a little hard work and “mild peril.” Greenthumb will be away from the garden for at least four days, but shouldn’t be absent for more than a week.

The job sounds suspiciously simple: Guard the compound from intruders, feed and water the plants, and take care of any other problems that might crop up. The job is potentially dangerous due to the carnivorous - and mobile - nature of some of the plants, “but it’s nothing that will trouble people of your calibre” their contact insists. Greenthumb also makes it clear that any unlicensed gardening or harvesting will incur his wrath.

Plants and plant-like monsters in the garden might include Assassin Vines, Phantom Fungi, Shambling Mounds, Shriekers, a Tendriculos, etc. There are also various creatures with the ‘Wood Creature’ template from Manual of the Planes and as many other bizarre floral monsters and dangerous plants as the DM can find or improvise.

Options & Complications

• Characters are expected to feed the carnivorous plants with tiny slivers of alchemically-treated meat held in a pair of tongs. The monsters have learned to tolerate Greenthumb, but won’t recognise the PCs as anything but food.

• One of the exhibits is a myconid or other intelligent plant creature, who begs to be released.

• Shriekers keep going off at all hours of the day and night, leaving the PCs tired and irritable.

• The shambling mound gets struck by lightning and swells in size, bursting from its pen.

• A local rogue slyly approaches the party and offers them a bribe to allow him access to the garden’s exotic plants. He wants to harvest a few valuable flowers, nectars, herbs, and take some cuttings. If the PCs agree to this then Greenthumb will almost certainly notice the tampering when he returns.

• A plant-based magical Thaeran guardian beast (use the stats for the Wood Leopard from Manual of the Planes) escapes from its cage and prowls the garden looking for victims and a way out.

• One of the trees is in fact a treant that’s been hiding in the garden for years. One night it wakes up and goes wondering.

• One of the plants is a strange crossbreed between an Assassin vine and a willow tree – use the stats for a treant with the vampire spawn template (it withers if exposed to direct sunlight).

• A band of drunken young nobles from the Spawn of Ruay raid the garden, looking for narcotic herbs.

• A burglar sneaks into the garden; his target is a green house full of rare tiger orchids from Hazhkan.

• A rare ‘blood jasmine’ flowers one night – attracting a flock of stirges.

• The garden is assaulted by a tenacious and uncannily clever colony of red ants.

• As evening descends a foaming madman bursts into the garden, desperately looking for belladonna (wolfsbane). He’s just been infected with lycanthropy and is desperate to find a cure. If treated too roughly he undergoes his first transformation and attacks the PCs.

“House of Cards”
Location: Any with the Spawn of Ruay
Suitability: Freefolk or noble characters would be particularly appropriate.

PCs are hired to find the cause of some mysterious ill-fortune, which seems to be striking the Spawn of Ruay of late. In the last year and a half no less than five chapters of the organisation have been destroyed by odds mishaps:

• One entire group was killed by a random lightning strike while frolicking in a public fountain.

• One senior reveller accidentally offended the Beholder ambassador of Keln so badly that his whole group had to be arrested and removed from the Province for their own safety.

• One group accidentally opened a portal to the Abyss (the key was a drunken noble wearing a green sash and an admiral’s hat, swearing blasphemously at sundown on a holy day, with a monkey tittering on their left shoulder).

• Young Sebastion Pikarus - a notorious reveller – recently caught religion and joined a particularly harsh sect of Didairdin that preaches flagellism and stringent self denial. He’s abandoned his wealth and family, confessed his sins and the names of his fellow conspirators, and signed up on the next boat to Gelidahl.

• The carefree young daughter of a Cartel Baron was rendered penniless in a series of avalanching catastrophic turns of fate that began when she bought a pie from an unlicensed vendor at a public event: She carelessly discarded the greasy wrapper under the feet of a cleric of Saeduenical, who fell, which set off a number of Contingent spells, which caused a stampede, for which the young woman was eventually found liable. At the time she was heard to remark an oath to Olinem in shock at the commotion, which also lead to further investigations and the eventual downfall of all her group.

If they can put up with the rampant snobbery, arrogance, and drunken shenanigans of the Spawn of Ruay, investigations will eventually reveal that each chapter received a visit from a wandering nobleman a few weeks before disaster struck. The exact name, history, and description vary but high stakes card games seem to be at the heart of the matter.

The culprit is in fact a Rakshasa (possibly even Malik Sheyr from ‘A Sudden Change in Policy’). The Rakshasa is a member of the Harmonium, although not currently on active service. He has decided to eliminate one of the OCA’s enemies, in this case the Spawn of Ruay. To this end he has disguised himself as a travelling member of the group, a lover of high-stakes card games. In each case he ingratiates himself with some flamboyant ‘performances’ and displays of wit, but his real aim is to play cards with the senior members. Using his powers it is a relatively simple matter to amass many victories, but then he suddenly and deliberately lose to his opponents and when the stakes far exceed his supposed wealth he ‘reluctantly’ divulges his gaming secret – he owns a magical deck of cards that grant him wealth and power… These are in fact a Deck of Many Things that he tricks his fellow players into using. Unfortunately (for the Rakshasa’s victims), almost all of the beneficial cards are gone from the deck and have been replaced by non-magical forgeries.

Added Complications

• The Rakshasa appeals to the PCs’ loyalty to the Harmonium, and claims that he’s ridding the world of a threat to Ortho’s peace and security.

• To increase the challenge even further, grant the villain access to several of the beneficial effects from the Deck of Many Things.

“Journey to the Centre of the Earth”
Location: Keln
Suitability: Crisis Team

The party are summoned to an abandoned diamond mine in Keln. A venerable but particularly erratic and paranoid Beholder called Veln’veerju has apparently gone missing. Veln’veerju was a geologist, an expert in caves and caverns who preferred to be left entirely alone save for a few Grell servants. Some mishap has befallen him on an expedition deep beneath the mountains of Keln.

Veln’veerju disappeared some time ago although this wasn’t confirmed until much more recently: Being xenophobic and paranoid, first one beholder then another went off alone looking for Veln’veerju. None of them returned either and the Harmonium of Keln has finally decided to call in outside help.

Examining the beholder’s (extensive) records reveals what seems to be a creeping senility. Some years ago, Veln’veerju began investigating the possibility of harnessing Ortho’s internal ‘life force’ for the good of the Harmonium, utilising the powers beneath the surface that cause earthquakes and tidal waves. More recently however, the beholder began to believe that Ortho was somehow hollow and populated by elves, demons, and chaotic monsters that cause volcanic eruptions and earthquakes in order to destroy the Pax Harmonium. At a date shortly before his disappearance, the beholder’s scholarly hypothesis has descended into deranged and venomous ranting.

The PCs will be making a trip beneath the earth to rescue him and the three other beholders who went looking for him.

Potential Perils and Pitfalls

As well as spelunking through various caverns, the PCs will have to contend with vast vertical drops created by Veln’veerju’s Disintegrate powers. The beholder’s tunnels go down for miles, so the PCs will need a significant store of equipment, and possibly food and water (this is the sort of adventure where the DM should keep track of exactly how many oil flasks, arrows, coils of rope, etc the party take with them).

Aside from physical dangers of the environment (freezing waterfalls, mould-covered walls, jumps, climbing, smooth-sided mile-deep shafts, and the like), other potential hazards include:

• Veins of a magical Stone similar to that found in the underdark of Faerun, which blocks or warps teleportation magic.

• A chamber filled with combustible gas

• Strange acoustic phenomena that carries sound for miles and amplifies the smallest noise to cause sonic damage

• Fungal spores that cause hallucinations

• Undead grell (or beholders), but what mysterious force has animated them?

• Potential encounters with Aboleth, ankegs, chokers, cloakers, oozes, purple worms, ropers, troglodytes, xorn, and many other creatures…

Eventually the party emerges into a vast underground cavern, lit by a cloud of electrically charged gas that hovers near the ceiling (which might empower lightning-based spells). Within the cave is a forest of ancient petrified trees, an icy lake formed from underground rivers, and a jungle of giant mushrooms. Here the PCs can finally determine the fate of Veln’veerju and the other beholders:

Options & Complications

• There really is a secret kingdom of elves, gnomes, fey, and chaotic monsters beneath the earth plotting Ortho’s destruction. They’ve captured Veln’veerju and the other beholders and are torturing them for information.

• The cave is home to elves who have degenerated into savage Grimlock-like creatures and no longer pose a threat to Ortho. Their once beautiful underground city is only a ruin now.

• The beholders were devoured by Saknussem, an ancient and terrible dragon (black dragons, deep dragons, or dracoliches work best) which has retreated far below the surface of Ortho to escape the Harmonium.

• All four beholders have staked a claim on the cavern and are defending it from each other in a paranoid frenzy caused by eating creatures infected by hallucinogenic fungi.

• The beholders (some dead, some captive) have fallen into the hands of a band of Dao and their elemental allies, who are secretly mining the area.

• Within the cave is a kingdom of dire ants and other monstrous insects, who rule over an enslaved population of humanoids with cruel and alien intelligence, enforcing their dominion via psionic powers.

• Any (or perhaps all) of the above, but it’s a hallucination caused by fungal spores. Both PCs and the beholders are affected.

“Fever Dreams?”
Location: Thaera
Suitability: Any

The PCs are travelling along an isolated Knights’ Road, which cuts a solitary route through the Thaeran rainforest. It’s not a busy thoroughfare, and the PCs have spent the majority of their journey alone save for brightly-coloured birds and the occasional hoarse cry of a jungle cat.

Midway between checkpoints (at the most remote point of their journey so far) the party spies a ragged-clothed body at the side of the road, circled by hungry vultures. Responsible characters should investigate based just on that, but if they need further encouragement they may spot (DC 10) the body twitch as a vulture perches briefly on it. The unfortunate is still alive… but only barely. If rescued the figure is revealed as a dwarf female, who manages to thank them briefly and profusely before falling into an exhausted sleep.

An examination reveals her to be suffering from heat exhaustion, starvation, dehydration, and other signs of living rough. Infected cuts, blisters, and sores cover her face, hands, and bare feet. She also shows several signs of being delirious: fever, abnormally wide pupils, and foam around her mouth. Faint purple stains mark her cracked dry lips.

The dwarf’s clothes are damp, ragged, and torn, and have cut into her flesh where they’ve rubbed constantly against it. Her only equipment is a sack crudely made from a cloak. Within this are a few piles of damp purple moss, which has stained the inside of the sack. An appropriate skill roll reveals this as ‘Spirit Moss’, which was used by Thaeran shamans to induce visions. She seems to have been sucking it for moisture, and it’s quite probably responsible for her delirium. She’s in an extreme physical condition (zero hp) and shouldn’t really be moved until recovered.

When she regains consciousness the dwarf will be weak, delirious, and frankly a little deranged. She stumbles over her words, contradicts herself, and generally seems unsure of her surroundings and state of mind. She claims to be Faxona Dace, an entomologist. She was hired by a small Venture Company to join an expedition investigating Thaeran ruins in the jungle, but they ran afoul of “a monstrous demon” at the site. Her description of the creature are petty incoherent, and the PCs should ideally be left wondering exactly how much of her story is drug-induced. If they suggest taking her to civilisation, Faxona begs them not to delay in rescuing her companions; she claims that the demon is sacrificing her friends and performing all manner of blasphemous deeds, and will be gone by the time they return. She seems utterly convinced of this but then again it might all have been a hallucination… After days surviving only on Spirit Moss, Faxona is barely able to discern reality from nightmare.

Options & Complications

1. Faxona is the victim of a group of bandits, who are playing on local Thaeran legends and pretending to be ‘demons’ in order to disguise their activities. They have murdered and looted the expedition, but force-fed Faxona the Spirit Moss in order to divert attention from themselves.

2. As above, but Faxona is actually luring them into an ambush, ready for a band of assassins hired by the PCs’ enemies. She’s spent days living rough in the forest to help authenticate her lies, and has taken far less Spirit Moss than it appears.

3. The Demon is real – either an actual demon, or a half-fiend or tiefling masquerading as one.

4. The “demon” is a Beholder, Rakshasa, or other sinister monster - but also a member of the Harmonium. If confronted by the PCs, it claims to have ‘requisitioned’ the expedition for services vital to the safety of the empire. It has the expedition members Charmed or Dominated into obeying its orders, which involve looting an ancient ruin of some powerful (and dangerously chaotic) magical crystals. The monster offers to release the expedition members if the heroes take their place (there’s no sacrificing going on, that much was fear and hallucination).

“Last Stand of the Trolls”
Location: The Isles of Thaera
Suitability: Crisis Team

The party is dispatched by magic or airship to the depths of the Thaeran ocean. Their destination is a crusade-class ironclad called The Knight Triumphant. The mighty warship is currently holding on sea-anchor outside a tremendous storm that almost completely obscures the small tropical island at its centre. Wind and lightning constantly lashes the island, never stopping throughout the briefing (and the mission afterwards).

At the centre of the storm is the Isle of Haru, ancestral home of the troll race – at least according to the fleet commander who requested their presence. According to legend, in ancient times the troll race was awarded a beautiful and bountiful island home by Emperor Akamai II in exchange for service against the demon hordes of Iathra. Trolls were also at the forefront in Thaera’s war against the Knights of Harmony, causing terrible losses during the pacification. Thankfully the troll race was almost wiped out in the war; only a handful survive in the far wilderness of the world – or at least that’s what the characters have always believed.

In truth more than a handful of trolls survived, penned on the Isle of Haru by magic and a Harmonium fleet. Jhary himself is said to have invoked the lightning storm that keeps the trolls on the island – it strikes anyone trying to travel the storm without a protective talisman. Until now the Harmonium has maintained the prison but attempts at escape have increased of late; in response the prevailing political will has finally changed and the Harmonium has decided to deal with the ‘troll kingdom’ once and for all.

The characters will be transporting a magical device into the heart of Haru’s central volcano, where it will cause the mountain to erupt, destroying the island in a fiery conflagration from which nothing can escape. Even if a handful of trolls somehow manage to make it out of the lightning storm that surrounds the island, the Knight Triumphant and its fleet should be able to deal with them. End of the troll problem.

Along with amulets that grant immunity to lightning, the PCs are equipped with a one-of-a-kind magical device codenamed Trollslayer. It’s a large metal barrel etched with runes, around which are attached many folding protrusions that can be used to secure it in place (including canisters of Sovereign Glue). This device must be secured to the base of the volcano near an active magma flow, which should be all too easy to find once the PCs get in there. Unfortunately, Jhary’s magical storm also prevents magical delivery or any chance of an aerial assault simply ‘bombing’ the volcano from safely above, so the PCs will have to physically plant the device before making best speed back to the fleet however they can. The device takes an hour to activate fully and won’t instantaneously destroy the whole island, so they should have “plenty of time” to get clear.

Moral Troubles?

Good aligned PCs might well have some moral reservations about this job. Destroying Haru isn’t quite genocide (a few trolls are known to still lurk in other inaccessible wild places), but it’s disturbingly close. Others might have a problem with going against a plan set up by the very Knights of Harmony themselves. The commander will assure them of the utter savagery and fanatical resolve of the trolls. They have repeatedly proved themselves to be an unremitting threat to the people of the Pax Harmonium and incapable of civilisation or conversion.

Options & Complications

• Jhary’s magic is failing for unknown reasons (perhaps simply time). The PCs have a limited amount of time to complete their quest before the storm dissipates and the trolls attempt a mass escape from Haru.

• As they explore the island, it becomes clear that once upon a time the trolls did have a civilisation of some kind. They created idols, made cave paintings, and even worshipped primitive versions of the Lords of Order and Chaos. Perhaps they could be converted after all… although of course not if the PCs wipe them out.

• The PCs somehow learn (while on the island) that the trolls have a portal that opens to different locations across the world. Normally only ‘a chosen few’ are sent through the portal, which is used by the troll king to banish his enemies – but they might use to escape the island en masse unless the PCs destroy it as well.

• The PCs discover that a powerful demon of old Thaera is leading the trolls, brutally subjugating them by means of its own half-fiend/half troll offspring. It is the demon which keeps urging the trolls to escape and wreak havoc in the wider world. Without its influence, perhaps they could be redeemed?

• The volcano is home to Blord the Weeper, a good-hearted troll who lives in seclusion from his more violent kind. Although a druid, he performs primitive rituals to Alae, taught to him by his father and his father’s father, who was taught by a shipwrecked priestess of that faith long ago. If the PCs try to unleash the volcano, they are opposed by Blord’s magic and the restless spirit of the ancient priestess, both trying to save their (unappreciative) kin.