This adventure continues on from Voyage up the River, which first introduced the characters to the Barony of Alua, Basilica and The Crypt of Darkness. The characters are once again hired by the Baron of Alua to complete a task for him, but this time the task is two-fold. He sent one of his ambassadors to the nearby Barony of Illian, to strike up a treaty to trade agricultural products for metals and precious stones. The first ambassador that was sent ,was murdered under suspicious circumstances, and so the characters are sent to the Barony of Illian with another ambassador. The characters must protect the current ambassador and investigate the murder of the first.
Illian is a barony famous for its food products, and due to its rich soil and abundant grassland, has a prospering agricultural industry. Their prosperity has indeed provided them with excess food, but unfortunately they have very few metals (and other precious gems) to produce harvesting implements and other pieces of equipment essential for the industry and the population's general standard of living.
Alua, on the other hand, because of its hilly terrain and small mountain ranges, has an abundance of metals and other precious gems. Unfortunately for this very same reason, there is little good land for harvesting, and the people must look to other markets for their food.
Illian and Alua have both traded with Kelmanion to supplement their weaker industries, and so both baronies have prospered. But recently the Baron of Kelmanion has cut off all trade with other baronies, forcing Alua and Illian to look for their needs elsewhere.
The Baron calls the characters into his study one night to ask for their assistance. Though he is only requesting their help, refusing his offer would be seen as bad form.
The Baron sent an ambassador to the Barony of Illian to form a treaty so that the Baron could trade his precious gems and metals for the agricultural products produced in Illian. The treaty would be mutually beneficial for both baronies, and their leaders wonder why they never set up the treaty before.
Unfortunately the treaty has meet with one slight hiccup. The ambassador of Alua has been murdered, and so the talks cannot continue. Although most believe the talks are just a formality, they must be observed under the law.
This is where the characters come into the picture. The Baron wishes for the talks to succeed, and is willing to send another ambassador. Although the Baron of Illian has promised to guard him carefully, both believe it would be wise for the ambassador to have some personal bodyguards. The Baron wishes for the characters to travel to Illian with the ambassador and protect him. He has found their skills to be very useful in the past, and their good mix of professions will give them the edge they need to accomplish their task.
Almost as an after thought, the Baron will also asks the characters to investigate the murder of the first ambassador, but only if it doesn't interfere with their fist duty. The Baron will stress that no matter what, the success of the talks is of paramount importance.
The journey from the Baron's castle in Alua, to the capital of Illian, Illander, will take approximately six days on foot, or three days on horseback. The Barony of Illian borders Alua to the south, and therefore the journey doesn't take very long. Baronies in Albion tend to be very small.
The journey should be fairly free of encounters but one (if on horseback) or two (if on foot) should be included to keep the characters on their toes.
When the characters arrive at the capital, the ambassador will announce his arrival to the guards at the gate. The guards will then rouse a twenty-man escort force, to lead the ambassador and characters to the main castle.
The ambassador and the characters are taken directly to the Baron's study, who appears to be very happy to receive Alua's latest party. He immediately instructs the servants to take the characters to their quarters, and invites everyone to tea.
The characters are each assigned to a small room attached to the ambassadors quarters, and there are two guards posted at the ambassadors door at all times, with another four hidden in small alcoves along the corridor. If the characters disagree with this arrangement, the Baron is quite happy to modify the plan within reason.
There are always two guards in the guard house, guarding the only entrance into the castle, and a dozen more guards are either patrolling the courtyard or guarding the main entrance into the keep.
This is a large and rectangular room, with four exits: the main entrance of the keep to the west, a door to the south and north, and a set of double doors to the east. The foyer is only used as an entrance hall into the keep.
The room is decorated with an assortment of tapestries and paintings, which are too large for the characters to steal.
This a large and square room, with doors to the east, and the south. The room is decorated with banners, tapestries and paintings, and filled with numerous lounges and chairs, scattered tastefully throughout the room. This room is where the guests must wait before being received by the Baroness or Baron. If the characters stay anywhere to relax, this room would be a good place.
This is a large, rectangular room, dominated by a huge table situated in the centre of the room. Along the walls are decorative shields, colourful banners and other such decorations. There is a beautiful crystal chandelier handing over the table.
This is the where all the main meals are eaten and the talks held. The characters are discouraged to stay here long, unless they are guarding the ambassador, as the servants like to keep the room as clean as possible. They can't remove the chandelier from the ceiling without shattering it and making it worthless, and discourage them from removing the decorations, as they are almost worthless (only having a sentimental value).
This is a medium size and rectangular room. The only exits are doors to the west and south. The northern wall is dominated by a cheery fireplace, which basks the room in a ruddy glow. The room has a few divans scattered throughout the room, and is tastefully decorated with paintings and other fine decorations.
This area is the formal room for relaxing and would be an even better place for the characters to relax, during their spare time.
The only feature of the room is a staircase that leads up. There are two doors to the north,. The room is bare.
This room seems small and cramped, but is very homely. The cheery fire from the ovens situated on the eastern wall cast a ruddy glow over the room. The room is packed with tables, work benches and other apparatus for preparing great feasts. Servants bustle all over the room, and the only exits are a door to the north and one to the south.
At all times there will be six servants here preparing food or cleaning. They will move freely between the kitchen, store room and dining hall. They will clean the dining hall, prepare meals or snacks in the kitchen or in the storage room: sorting, stacking and taking items to the kitchen. The servants will ignore the characters, and will not attack.
The only way out of this fair sized room, is a door north. This is a storage room of some sort, which is packed full of food. All the food in the castle is stored in this one room.
This is where all the miscellaneous items are kept in the castle. The characters will have greatest chance finding something here.
The corridor runs north to south. There is a staircase leading down at the south end, and a staircase leading up at the north end. There are two doors to the west, three to the east, and one at the end of the corridor.
This is an entry hall which leads to the guest rooms, and library. Four sentry guards will constantly patrol the entry hall, with two more at the ambassador's room, unless the arrangement was changed.
The room is totally open, with a bath, bed, lounge and the rest of the area forming one open room. There are all sorts of furniture scattered throughout the room, some of which you can't describe. There is an exit to the west (an ornate door) and four small doors, two north and two south.
This is where the ambassador will stay. The four small doors lead to the character's rooms. They can't be locked, but they swing easily into the main bedroom.
The rooms are smallish, but well furnished, containing a small bath, a large bed, cabinets and a desk. The rooms are all decorated in blue.
These rooms normally house guards of the main guest of the keep, and are where the characters will stay during their sojourn in Illander.
The guest rooms are luxuriously furnished, containing a bath, a huge bed, cabinets and a desk. The rooms are all decorated in blue and have a window looking out into the courtyard below. These rooms normally house guests.
This room is a library with only one door south. The room is dominated by shelves upon shelves of books. There are four columns supporting the roof, all ornately carved.
The books in the room are very valuable, as they are histories, instruction manuals, but have no value to the players. The sentry guards will hear any pilfering and immediately put a stop to any such thoughts.
The corridor runs north to south, with an alcove to the west, and a staircase leading down. The corridor is bare except for three doors to the west and three to the east.
This corridor leads to the servant's quarters. There will always be two sentry guards which will stop the characters try to go any further, and ask their business.
The room is bare except for a bed in one corner of the room, a desk and a small chest. The room is where the Baron's Ward lives, and is normally fairly messy.
The rooms are bare except for a couple of pallets for sleeping and a desk. The room is very clean, and there are a few possessions neatly stacked away.
The room has a bath, bed and lounge, and there are all sorts of furniture scattered in the room and there are only two exits, an ornate door west and an archway leading to the study to the north.
This is the Baron's bedroom. If the player's search the room, they will find a cabinet full of treasure. The cabinet is locked, so the characters can open it by picking the lock (but it is poisoned).
The room is large but has only two features, a desk in the centre of the room and shelves upon shelves of books. This is the Baron's study, and is where he will discuss matters to the characters if they ask to see him in private, or he wishes to meet with them.
This room is bare except for a ladder leading up, and four sentry guards and a lieutenant guarding the tower entrance.
This circular room is bare except for a ladder leading up and down.
As "Level 2"
The top of the tower looks out onto the surrounding countryside. A trap door leads to a ladder leading down. There are four archers here.
The day after the characters arrive, a meeting is set up between the ambassador and the Baron, which is held in his quarters. The characters are allowed to attend, although the only topic for discussion is the Baron's and the ambassador's strategy for the next few weeks. Eventually it is decided that one week will be sufficient to get all the rough edges smoothed out of the treaty, and the last day of the seven days will be devoted to the signing of the treaty and a huge festival to celebrate the new peace.
The plan for each day for the next six days is as follows: after nine, the two parties meet in the man hall and discuss the treaty till noon. The two hour lunch break is followed by four more hours of talk. The next three hours are free, to be followed by a formal tea in the evening, with most of the nobility and the characters.
The first two days pass without incident. What the characters do in these first two days is up to them, but they will have to remember that the ambassador's health is of prime importance.
On the third day the ambassador has mysteriously disappeared and the Baron is found dead, a Aluan dagger in his back. The characters eventually found out that the Baron had breakfast with the ambassador, alone and without telling the characters. When the Baron's ward came at eight to tell them of the morning's schedule, he found the Baron dead, and no sign of the ambassador.
The nobility are understandably furious (an act) and so are the local populace. The ambassador is immediately accused of the murder, and war is very possible (bad relations is the best they can work out at the moment). The dead Baron's Ward, a cool headed man, immediately takes command and gets the characters into his private chambers to discuss the situation. He believes the whole affair is a plot to bring war between the two baronies. He immediately decides to continue the talks, starting tomorrow, with one of the characters. The other players are charged with finding out what really happened.
The characters only clue to what happened is a small scrap of fabric. If the character identify the fabric, they find it is a napkin used in one of the more prestigious inns in the city, either The Singing Bard or The King's Castle. Also, a number of Baron's would benefit from the rift between Illian and Alua. Each of the following baronies could supply the much needed metals: Kelmanion, Varras or Scardic.
The King's Castle is a typical inn in design, but is very luxurious. The innkeeper is very disturbed by events, and believes the treaty should continue. He will be very helpful, and though all doubt can't be swept out of the character's mind, make sure they believe that the arms smugglers don't have any direct connection to this inn.
If the characters visit The Singing Bard, they will find the innkeeper a bit tense He will be quite adamant that the napkin is not his, but he believes that the treaty dissolving is a good thing. Once the characters leave the inn, they are set upon by a group of four thugs. This should arouse their suspicions. If the characters wish to investigate the inn, they should do so at night (any accusations they have at this stage are very flimsy) with the chance that they can be caught (but a lot less likely than if they tried during the day. See Illander: The City for more ideas on leading the characters on the right path.
The talks will go smoothly, except for the fact that tensions are running high. Most of the framework for the treaty has already been agreed upon (by the first, ill-fated ambassador), except a few details need to be solidified (mainly transportation). The character taking the ambassador's role should be able to smooth out any small details, but the signing is continually postponed by the nobility (until the other members of the group succeed) as they are very suspicious.
After both the 'ambassador' has completed the treaty and the conspiracy has been uncovered, the treaty is signed, though the celebrations are very subdued. See Silent Winds for details on extending the adventure.
The characters are allowed almost free run of both the castle, and the city itself, with a few exceptions (common sense prevailing).
If the characters have no idea on how to find the arms runners, or become stuck, then the NPC Merek Thar can be used. He is a new member of the arms runners and is very cocky. The characters can easily find him preaching in the main square of the city. He continually insults Aluans, and keeps screaming for their blood. He seems very pro-war, and if the characters follow him, he will lead them to The Singing Bard.
If the characters are investigating the murder, they will easily find that the body was discovered at about midnight in the main square of the city. He went on a late night shopping excursion, and wasn't heard of since. At about nine, the Baron was worried and sent out a search party. The body wasn't found until midnight, horribly burnt.
The Singing Bard is a large inn, owned by Cerric Kislem. He is the leader of the arms runners, and personally killed both the first ambassador and the Baron, and also kidnapped the second ambassador. The arms smugglers are being sponsored by the Baron of Kelmanion, a personal friend of Cerric.
There are a number of tables scattered throughout the common room, surrounded by chairs. There is a set of stairs leading up to the next level, but all the rooms upstairs are locked so the characters will have difficulty trying to pick them.
These rooms are where the innkeeper and his wife sleep (4) as well as one of the barmaids (3) who is the innkeeper's mistress. There is a large bed, a desk with a chair, a cabinet, a wardrobe and other objects in each room, giving them a homely look. There is also a chest in each room.
The room is lower than the rest of the tavern and slightly cooler. There are a number of caskets and barrels containing food and alcohol respectively. The staircase is actually hidden behind a number of crates, which form a curved 'wall' to block it off from direct view.
You stand before a long, oaken bar, which looks ancient and well worn. Behind the bar there is a set of shelves, with all kinds of bottles on the shelves. A lean, oily looking man is running the bar.
The room is a small cubicle, and the walls, floor and ceiling are all bare. The only furniture in the room is a desk and four chairs.
These rooms of varying size are all bedrooms. Room #3 is for a single person, #4 is for two people as are both #7 and #8. Room #5 and #6 only have one bed each, but are hired to two people who don't mind 'sharing' quarters.
This a large corridor, with stairs leading down to the ground floor.
This is where the arms smugglers are hiding out, to see if their plan worked, and try again if necessary. See Confrontation for more details.
Once the characters have discovered that the arms smugglers are staying in The Singing Bard inn, then they can find and capture them. At all times there will be four thugs in the basement, and four patrolling the streets (which could be captured if the characters have already talked to the innkeeper). Merek Thar returns to the basement after about six to have his meal, but will most probably be in the common room until about nine in the evening. There is only a 10% chance that Cerric Kislem will be in the basement, as he will most probably sleep in his own room.
This adventure can be run separately, but nicely leads on to Silent Winds, which details some of the repercussions of events in Dark Echoes.
