The Book of Collected Rumors [PDF]

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the book of collected rumors

The Book of Collected Rumors © 2019, 2020, 2021 Philip Reed, all rights reserved. This is a systemless work that does not rely on any one game system or use any game licenses that may exist. All of the work within this book was written by Philip Reed. Kickstarter backers served as the proofreading team, and it is thanks to their efforts that so very few typos (if any, but I am sure there are a few, because that always happens) slipped through to the finished work. All of the artwork used in this book is stock art that was purchased from a number of different sites/sources. Special thank you to all of the artists who created the art that was an important part of even attempting this book. Different artists have different credit/copyright notice requirements. I have done my best to honor their individual requests in the below listing. If I have made an error, please notify me – @philipjreed on Twitter or you may reach me through Kickstarter – and I will correct my error in the project’s PDF as well as any print-on-demand files that are offered for sale. Front cover artwork copyright © Martin Sobr, used under license. Back cover artwork copyright © kovah’s Games, used under license. Some art by Alexander Malenkov, Bidaj doo , camilkuo, Dark Geometry, DomCritelli, Gennady0101, Kozlik, Liu zishan , Warm Tail, and Yo hoys, used under license from Shutterstock.com. Some artwork copyright Daniel Comerci, used under license. danielcomerci.com Some artwork © Grim Press, used with permission. All rights reserved. Some artwork copyright PiotrTekien’s Games, used under license. Some artwork copyright Basilisk Art, used under license. Some artwork copyright © kuteynikov’s Games, used under license. Some artwork copyright © Infinity PBR, used under license. Some artwork © 2019, 2020 Quico Vicens-Picatto, used with permission. All rights reserved. Some artwork copyright Henrik Karppinen, used under license. Some artwork copyright Dean Spencer, used under license. Some art © Dungeon Secrets, used under license. Some artwork by Felipe Gaona and Joyce Maureira; Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art © Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games, used under license.

the book of collected rumors

written by philip reed special thanks to the many kickstarter supporters who made this work possible

introduction After many long months of work, it is complete. What started as a small project – a collection of pre-existing rumors that had only been released in digital form – grew dramatically as the Kickstarter campaign brought on backer after backer. Ultimately, over 3,000 gamers – players and gamemasters alike – joined in the project, leading to the creation of 96 new rumors that almost doubled the size of this collection. Originally released as a series of PDFs, the 204 rumors – each filling a page – were written with the GM in mind. As you will see, these are encounter concepts, background noise, and world-building opportunities all presented in as direct and easy a way as possible. Every rumor was written with a single goal: to inspire the GM. If I have done my job well, then you may flip to any page in this book and walk away with an idea or two that you can apply right now to your campaign. Although you may not use all (or any, for that matter) of the rumors within this book exactly as written, each one should carry enough flavor that they serve as springboards to adventures of your own design.

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The Book of Collected Rumors is a systemless work, meaning that it is written for gamemasters of any RPG and was not designed for any one system. Any “rules” mentioned on these pages are intended as a rough suggestion to get the GM’s imagination running. This extends to all mentions of specific monsters and the values of various items (as well as the number of gold coins stated as a reward or expense). Especially in regards to the monetary values listed within these pages, those numbers are merely a starting point and are not carved in stone. If 25 gold is a lot to the PCs in your campaign, revise the amount to better suit the expectations and demands of your game world. On the flip side, if 100 gold is far too little to attract your PCs’ attention, revise the amounts upward to a number more suited to your game. About the Author Philip Reed has been writing roleplaying game supplements for over twenty years. This collection is only a small part of his creative output over the years. For even more of his works, please visit DrivethruRPG.

anatomy of a rumor

1. A title, to help set the mood.

2. Flavor text appears in italics. You may use this text as read aloud text, or you may prefer to use it as inspiration and reword the flavor text in your own language.

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3. Each rumor includes an overview of the general idea to get your creative muscles humming. Adapt as you see fit! 4. There are true and false options for each of the rumors, providing you with some ideas on how the rumors might play out. Whether or not a rumor is true or false is your call.

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5. Each rumor includes an illustration to help spark your imagination as you think through how to best use the rumor in your campaign.

using the rumors

The rumors detailed on the following pages are first and foremost meant to get your imagination running. As the gamemaster, you’re constantly under pressure to devise scenes and stories and to keep the action flowing, always entertaining the players and as much a playwright as you are a movie director.

Atmosphere. The rumor isn’t intended to do anything more than add some depth to the campaign setting. You never intend for the players to act on the rumor; it is merely being used to make the campaign feel like there’s more going on outside of the player characters’ sphere of influence. Breadcrumbs. Perhaps you’re building to something, an encounter against a rival or a larger in-world event

that will shake the player characters and the NPCs. When used in this way, the rumors are leading to an adventure of your own design that, in some way or other, incorporates the rumors in such a way that the players get the feeling you’ve mapped things out in advance. Adventure Seed. If you’re feeling especially inspired and creative, you can select any rumor and expand it out into a full adventure. In the sample rumor, above, the party is promised an epic battle if they set out to engage the ogres, trolls, and orcs that are approaching the city. Expanding this rumor into an adventure will require you to map the surrounding area, provide statistics for the monsters, and perhaps toss in a few allies – other adventurers, city guards, thrill-seekers – who join the party in seeking out and attacking the army.

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the witch and the tree “She is so horrible that even the people of Woodfall were unwilling to have her. Skrags says that she were cast out of the village less than a week after she arrived and before she had done much more than made her intentions to open a shop of magic known to the people of the village. Any witch so terrible as to be turned away from a village of witches is one to avoid.” Most likely overheard in a tavern or at the intersection of some major roads in the city, the story of the witch who was too evil for Woodfall* captures the attention of the adventurers. They’ve heard whispers of the village before – known as a home for criminals, witches, and the unwanted – but this is the first time that they’ve heard of someone being banished from the village.

If asked, the commoners chatting about Moonfall offer to sell the adventurers directions to the woman’s forest home. The more gold that they offer the one who is most talkative, the more detailed his directions become. True. Moonfall was banished from Woodfall, but not because of her plans to open a shop of magic. The witch was forced out because she broke one of the few laws that the village enforces: no stealing from others who also live in the village. Moonfall was caught stealing twice in a single day and was evicted instantly. She is selling magic items from her tree home, but her selection is limited to 2d4+2 magic potions, 1d6 magic scrolls, and a handful of other minor items as selected by the gamemaster.

“It was her plans to undercut the others that did it.” As they eavesdrop, the party learns that the witch in question – Philomene Moonfall – has set up her shop of magic in the forest a few days from the city. The chatter suggests that the woman is living inside one of the larger, hollowed out trees, and that she welcomes all who bring enough gold to buy her wares. “Sure, I’ll tell you where she lives.”

False. Moonfall was never a citizen of the village of Woodfall, but she was tossed out by the people of the village. The witch was trying to sell charm and love potions when she was traveling through the village; the people of Woodfall do not put up with such evil forms of magic that would twist a person’s will until they commit unthinkable and undesirable acts. She had no plans to live in the village, but was only visiting while searching for new potion recipes.

* To learn more about the village of Woodfall, please see the “Dark Fantasy Mini Setting” described in the Woodfall sourcebook by Lazy Litch.

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a haunted place “It is no surprise at all to me and thee that the graves be haunted by the spirits of the wicked. As I hear tell, it is only on those nights when the moon is in the sky that the creatures wake from their slumber and rise up, seeking the flesh of the living. On the moonless nights, they tell me, the dead remain in their graves. That means it is tonight, boys, that we will claim those treasures.”

If the adventurers confront the group and ask to join in, the men look the party over and claim that there has been a mistake. “No plans of robbin’ graves have we,” they proclaim. If pressed, the men excuse themselves from the tavern and set off for their homes. If secretly followed, the group leads the party right to the cemetery where they claim there are treasures waiting to be recovered from the graves.

The common folk of The Twisted Soul, one of the town’s taverns where the player characters just happen to be, like to tell tales that many would predict are simply ghost stories meant to entertain drinking companions. This night, as the party discusses their next day, the group overhears five men speaking of plans to – it would seem – rob graves this very night.

True. There are treasures in 1d4+1 of the graves, but there’s only a 10% chance that any exhumed coffin will be one of the few that include riches. Unfortunately, there is a 15% chance that digging a grave up will awaken the occupant; some of the corpses are undead ghouls who wish to eat the flesh of the living.

“I know that when they dropped Claas Wolfgrove into the ground last week, they buried the man with more jewels than any so terrible as he should seek to hold onto in the afterlife. We’ll start with his grave and then, if there be time, hit a few of his kin who they say also took far too many riches with them to the grave.”

False. There are no undead, luckily for everyone, but there are also no treasures to be found. Worse yet, the rumors of jewels, gems, and coins buried in the graves were spread by the town watch. The guards, it seems, are seeking treasure of their own and aren’t above killing and stealing from would-be grave robbers.

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the murderess and the blade “There’s no telling how many she has killed over the years. The sword’s called Soulslicer, they say, and she has wielded the blade these last seven years. If what they say is true, she is somewhere in the city right now . . . and it is best if we all avoid her temper and the edge of the sword.”

Overheard at the local adventurers’ guild or tavern, a small group of two women and three men are trading gossip as they wait for a friend. The five of them chatter back and forth, saying little of import, but one of them keeps coming back to stories of Soulslicer and the powerful woman claimed to possess the sword. “Genie Rhohur they say she is, mistress of death and warrioress for hire. Word is, they say, that she found the sword when her and a company of mercs infilitrated and seized Skeleton’s Tower. Ever since then, she’s not been without the sword.” If the party asks, the talkative one who seems to know all about Rhohur tells them he only has rumors of her being in the city and he can only suggest that they check the taverns and perhaps ask the thieves’ guild if they know of the woman. If they ask around, many know of her, but none know for certain whether or not she is in the city. Everyone who claims to have knowledge doesn’t have first-hand info, and every description of the woman the PCs hear varies in some way. True. Genie Rhohur was a warrioress who owned the magical sword Soulslicer . . . years ago. The woman died three years ago and now a band of assassins use her name as a cover whenever they enter a city. Regardless of their gender, each of the assassins adopts her name to throw off others. When necessary, they disguise themselves as Rhohur, though the fact that the woman doesn’t exist explains why none of the descriptions of her match. Why the assassins are in the city is unknown, though it cannot be for honorable or good reasons, right? False. Rhohur doesn’t exist and never existed. Her tale is a fairy tale that merchants, bards, old women, thieves, and others spin and share to entertain. Stories of Rhohur have spread so far that some now believe that she – and the sword – are real. They are not.

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in service of the goddess “She paid as promised and I will certainly take her coin for so long as she keeps dispensing it for such simple tasks. We never once drew our blades and in less than an hour we were in and out, the book safely secured and ready to deliver as she demanded. Easily the easiest gold I’ve ever made, though I can’t understand why she hired us and didn’t simply collect the tome herself.”

Overheard on the street or perhaps in one of the city’s many shops, two women are talking about how one of them was paid for what she is describing as a “simple task.” If the party approaches the women and asks for more information, the one doing most of the talking – Nathalee Surgorsk – resists as first. Threats against her don’t work – she yells for help at the first sign of danger – though gold can persuade her to open up. Even as little as two gold coins gets her talking. “Goddess, that’s what she insists that we call her. She’s not old, but she’s no child. Each time I have met her has been at the Temple of Stars where she has a private room. She told me to come back tomorrow for another assignment and I mean to be there.” Surgorsk offers to take the adventurers to meet Goddess if they pay her a few more coins. True. A vile woman has entrenched herself in the temple, slowly turning followers to her cause. She is setting up false tasks for the people and using gold to buy their trust and loyalty. The woman plans to, within a few months, twist the followers she collects into thieves, manipulating them to worship her and meet her every wish. False. Surgorsk is lying about where she got the gold and is terrified when the adventurers overhear and approach her. She’s spinning the tale faster than she can contain the lies, and she is now hoping that if she tells enough lies that the party will leave her alone. If pressed, there’s a chance that Surgorsk will break and confess to her lies . . . which will no doubt leave her friend upset at the lies and likely drive a wedge between that particular friendship.

the book of collected rumors • 9

murderous archers One night in the city, the party learns that a war is brewing in the shadows as two forces – the local guild of thieves and a mercenary company that has a training hall in the city – have come to disagree on a matter of payment. The mercs, so the rumors go, were paid to guard the thieves’ caravan of goods and when raiders slaughtered many of the mercs and stole the wealth, the thieves decided that it was an inside job; the thieves claim that the mercs pulled off the theft and killed their own. The thieves, it is said by others, have hired a team of shadowy archers who are taking their time and killing members of the mercenary company . . . one by one, and taking as many days as necessary to kill every last merc unfortunate enough to be in the city. True. The thieves did hire assassins, but the mercs didn’t steal the goods. In fact, it was a cabal of thieves within the guild who made off with the treasures after killing the caravan guards. Those same thieves are very much behind this effort to wipe out the mercs; dead mercs mean that it is impossible for the other thieves to learn that they were attacked by members of their own guild.

“Hired assassins, here to kill our best defenders and weaken us before invasion they are. The wickedest of killers you can imagine they are, every one of them demonspawn monsters who have sworn allegiance to the darkest of masters. Whatever you do, don’t come between one of these monsters and their prey.” “Their magical garb shields their thoughts and feelings from even the most powerful of scrying spells and objects, keeping their true mission safely hidden away. I know wizards who are afraid to cross their path, instead choosing to step aside if they learn that even one of these beasts gets involved in a conflict.”

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False. There are no secret archers operating in the city, though there’s a chance that the story of the thieves and mercs at war may be true. If there are no assassins, who has been spotted at night stalking the city and attacking members of the mercenary company? No one. The thieves are spreading tales of assassins in the city to keep as many citizens in their homes at night as possible. The tales have the city watch operating increased nightly patrols, but the thieves can bribe them easily enough. Fewer people on the streets means fewer chances of being caught moving stolen goods at night.

the snake charmer “I didn’t see her, but Gerrar says he was there when it happened and described her as a beautiful, terrifying woman surrounded by snakes. Dozens of them he said, describing it as if she were summoning the snakes from the empty air around her. Slithering, striking, lashing, Gerrar says the snakes were an extension of her body, with each moving as if it were a weapon under her control.” The party is seated with Kaley Flowcreck, a talented scribe known to keep strict, detailed records of actions within the city. For six years, Flowcreck has been the unofficial chronicler of the mayor, recording the important events so that future generations will have a detailed history of the city. Through friends of a friend, the adventurers have been asked by Flowcreck to meet with her to discuss a strange event. “It is rare for a snakecaster to be anywhere near the city, and after I detailed the event I knew I needed to find someone to investigate and determine whether or not the woman is really what Gerrar says she is. If a snakecaster is really this close to the city, we must notify the watch immediately.” Snakecasters are a rare and evil type of arcane spellcaster, rarely encountered so far from the jungles of the south. All of their spells involve summoning magical constructs in the shape of snakes from the air and earth around them; the snakes are not real, though they look very real. Snakecasters worship the demonic snakes of old and one this close to the city can only mean that the snakefolk must be planning to extend their reach into new territory. True. The female snakecaster was within a few days of the city, probing for defenses and acting as a scout for a larger force. If the PCs investigate, they find evidence of the woman’s movements, though they do not encounter her. Will the snakefolk attempt to send spies into the heart of the city? False. Not a snakecaster, but an illusionist with knowledge of the ancient and evil arcane art was the source of the tale. The woman is trying to use the fear of the snakecasters’ power to make her appear more dangerous than she truly is.

the book of collected rumors • 11

the starblind assassin “At night and only if the stars are shining, that’s when he strikes. The guard have offered 1,000 gold for his capture – I hear they’ll pay even more if he is delivered dead – and so far not a one of the bounty hunters in the city have been able to secure the reward.” None know his name, but many in the city are talking about the posted bounty for one known as “Starblind.” Throughout the city, regardless of where they go, the party keeps hearing rumors of this killer who goes out only at night and only when the stars can be seen in the sky overhead. Some say he has killed a dozen men, other say that he has killed scores of men; none of the rumors align perfectly and everyone who speaks of the assassin seems to have a different tale to tell. “A member of a cult is what he is.” Some who speak of the man tell the PCs that he is a member of Stardeath, a cult that is said to worship only the most ancient and foul of gods. If they investigate the cult, every person with info on secretive groups operating in the city say that the Stardeath cult vanished a decade ago and is thought to be long disbanded and no longer in operation. True. The assassin is the last surviving member of the cult and was recently awakened from a magical slumber. When he came to, he found that the world had changed and that his group was forever gone. Armed with his weapons, his ability to absorb arcane power from starlight, and a small journal listing enemies of the cult, the assassin has been putting his time to use by settling old scores. He is a skilled murderer who, when illuminated by the stars, also possesses the spellcasting ability of a low-level mage or wizard. When in sunlight or complete darkness, he loses his spellcasting abilities. False. There is an angry thief in the city who is taking revenge on those who he feels wronged him over the years. The thief is cursed, poisoned by a magical elixer that is eating away at his soul and leaving him with only days to live. To throw others off, he has been spreading the rumors of a “Starblind Assassin” and is down to only three more people on his list of those to kill before he dies. Perhaps a friend of one of the adventurers is on the man’s list? Maybe their friend knows exactly what is happening and asks the party to protect him from the dying thief.

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the hired killers “I counted three of them I did. Each as grim as a dragon with eyes as cold as a lich. I was close to the watch officer when they passed through the south gate, and I overheard the fighter say his name be Iven Pagudro. I made note of the name, that I did, for I knew that someone would pay for that particular detail. After all, what man who trades in death and adventure wouldn’t want to know the name of a killer who is here for no good?” Standing outside the main entrance to the adventurers’ guild, the chattering old man is telling his group of friends why he asked them to join him in a visit to the guildhall. His hope, the PCs can quickly determine, is that the information of the fighter’s name will be worth a gold or two to someone. If the player characters choose to take the bait and ask the old man for the dirt, he introduces himself as Hobb the Baker and tells them he will only share what he knows for five gold coins. If they barter, the man goes as low as a single gold figuring he can always sell the name to someone else.

“I didn’t catch the names o’ the others, but that man Iven Pagudro is sure to be some murderer here for no good, and his friends looked just as mean and dangerous as he.” True. Yes, Iven Pagudro and two others entered the city through the south gate earlier today, and all three are experienced and battle-hardened adventurers. They’re not hired killers, though, but are simply dungeoneers who are on their way to raid one of the dungeons that sits not a day from the city. If the PCs track down Pagudro and his friends, they soon learn the truth and get an opportunity to trade info about possible treasures, adventuring sites, and other bits of import that all explorers and adventurers may find valuable. False. His name is Iven Pagudro and he is in the city, along with two friends, but he didn’t come through the south gate. Hobb the Baker was paid by Pagudro to spread lies and, hopefully, throw the assassins who are chasing Pagudro and his friends off the scent. If pressed, Hobb eventually cracks and tells the PCs the truth, including the last known location of Pagudro.

the book of collected rumors • 13

gold for memories “Twenty gold he paid me!” The young man at the next table, little more than a child, raises a jingling sack as he boasts to his friends about his wealth. The group lean in, one reaching for the sack, but the youth slaps at the grasping hand and quickly returns the sack to a pocket in his worn, ill-fitting jacket. “Hands off, Scalby. If you can keep your seat and close your mouth, I’ll let you in on the secret and maybe you’ll earn your own gold.” If the PCs watch the group of six youngsters, they see that everyone is paying very close attention as the boy looks around – no doubt checking to see whether or not they are being watched – and then proceeds to tell everyone his tale. Either by eavesdropping or offering to pay one of the youth for the information, the party soon learns that a well-dressed and well-equipped man of forty years is paying gold to all who will allow him to take possession of their memories. If they listen closely (or interrogate one of the youth later), the party learns that this man, named Izon Muvka, is using magic to separate memories from their owners. It is said that the memories are a thick liquid that the man extracts with a magic wand and that he then stores the memories in small bottles. True. The man is paying for memories, but is it not memories that he is siphoning from those who take his gold. The magic wand that the man owns translates a person’s life essence into pure mana, stealing years from the victim’s lifespan and depositing that lifeforce into the bottles that the man then sells to evil sorcerers and spellcasters who know how to use the life essence to enhance the power of their brewed potions, crafted magic items and, in some instances, extend their own life. False. The man is paying those who visit him, but he is casting hallucinogenic spells that convince his victims that he is taking their memories. What the man is actually doing is injecting each with a small bit of magical energy that he can later harvest from the unknowing carriers. Whenever this man Muvka is near one of his victims, he may boost the strength and duration of his cast spells by 1d4-1%. If there are multiple victims near him – within a few miles – each contributes to the strength of his spells. Why is Muvka seeding the city with these mana batteries?

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“The ghost stood taller than any man, eight feet at the least says I . . . and I dare any of ye fools to argue that point. I was there, not you, and it was to me that he pointed and I’d be dead if I’d stood there another moment.” Raff Smartkeeper, one of many who work as a moneylender in the city, is not one to overly drink and certainly not a man to tell tall tales, so when he stumbles into the nearest tavern telling of an encounter late at night there are few who would doubt the man’s tale. “Faceless, he was, maybe even headless, though I stared not long enough to know for sure. That armor is what I most remember, shining as bright as polished silver under the noonday sun, and I’d have thought more about what the suit must be worth if not for the flashing of light on the pointed sword.” Smartkeeper refuses to step foot outside that night, begging the tavern’s owner to allow him to sleep there in the glow of the fireplace. Even if offered 100 gold coins, Smartkeeper wants nothing to do with stepping out of doors until the sun has climbed high into the sky. Within an hour of the man’s entrance and of telling everyone his tale – one that is as disjointed as any ghost sighting may be – a few of those who drank a little much start to discuss the idea of setting out to find the ghost. Smartkeeper urges them to stay inside where it is safe, but he will do nothing to stop any who set off in search of the spirit. True. Smartkeeper saw a ghost and one that is intent on murder. The apparition was once a human warrior, but death on the battlefield brought an end to his service in the king’s army and soon led to the spirit searching for a way from this plane of existence to its final resting place. The armor and sword are inhabited by the spirit and move as animated objects. If someone can destroy the ghost and send it to the afterlife, they’ll find only the sword and armor remain behind.

the armored ghost False. Smartkeeper is telling the truth when he says he saw an armored man in the street, but it wasn’t a ghost that he encountered. The “ghost” is Welsh Marwood, an adventurer who was ensorcelled by an evil wizard and is being forced to stalk the streets in search of citizens to kill. The sorcery binding Marwood’s actions and thoughts to the wizard is powerful and will be tough to break, but an experienced practitioner of magic who makes a successful Knowledge Arcana check when seeing the “ghost” may recognize him for a man possessed. It is the walk and limp, puppet-like movements of Marwood that tell an experienced wizard that this armored spirit is under the influence of evil magic. Can the PCs free the man . . . and can they find who is pulling his strings?

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the memorable ruins “Like the gears of some clockwork contraption they were, though I’ve never seen gears the size of a shanty before. It may have been a tower of sorts, before it collapsed, but whatever it was, it’s no longer a functioning machine and is now little more than wreckage that is being consumed by the drifting, blowing sands of the wasteland. At this rate, it will be swallowed by the desert before the year has come to a close.” A traveling merchant, on his way to the next city to sell a wagon of rugs to a dealer friend, stops in for a drink at the inn on the road and is soon telling everyone of a strange wreck he saw several days earlier. If the party isn’t near a desert, perhaps the wreckage is being buried in drifting snow, or maybe the crashing waves of the ocean threaten to drag it to sea, but regardless of location, something will soon remove this wreck from existence and prevent them from recovering whatever items of value may be resting amongst the ruins. The merchant has no time to take the party back to where he saw the wreckage, but he is willing to draw them a map if they’ll buy him a few drinks. If asked to describe what he saw, he can only say that it was clearly once a complete object – a tower is his guess – and something tore it apart and scattered the bits of metal and wood across the landscape.

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True. The merchant did spot the remains of something and his map is true, guiding the adventurers to the spot where he promised it would be. Scattered in the wreckage of the tower the PCs find clothing, some personal belongings, and assorted trash that shows the building was clearly inhabited by men. The tower was once a planar conveyance, a machine that could travel between planes of existence by the spinning of the gears and under the control of a wizard. The tower crashed here months ago and the occupants were all killed in the accident. It is possible that a scholar or mage in one of the larger cities in the realm would pay for whatever info can be collected from the wreck. False. The merchant spotted a bit of wreckage, but nothing more than a wagon that had broken down and been abandoned. He was bored when he met the PCs at the inn and decided to have a little fun, spinning a yarn that caught the attention of the adventurers a little more than he was expecting. Rather than admit to the lie, the man decided to get a few free drinks and keep the story going. And since that night, he has continued to tell the tale, directing more and more adventurers and treasure seekers to the “wreck” where he insists they will find valuables.

selling access to a trap “I was there. For seven hours, we did all that we could to get deeper into the complex and seek out the treasures that we were told were scattered across the dungeon’s winding and twisting rooms. Our efforts were hindered by a handful of traps, a lone goblin with an axe, and the very scoundrels who told us of the dungeon. It turns out the dirty backstabbers had made a business out of selling maps and information to those adventurers such as we . . . and then following the unsuspecting dungeoneers into the complex and murdering them.” Brandon Jimmum and his friend, Kerek the Brave, are the survivors of an encounter with a group of murderous thieves who have found an odd racket: selling access to a dungeon and then killing the mark within that very same dungeon. “Skulls, so many skulls. Mounds of them. It is impossible that all of the skulls are from those who ventured in before us, but I know not where one could have collected so many skulls as we saw in the dungeon.” Jimmum describes mounds of human, elven, dwarven, and half-orcish skulls in the dungeon, reporting that many of the piles were knocked over and made the floor difficult to traverse. If asked, Jimmum gives the adventurers the name of the one who sold his friends and him the map. “All I ask,” he says as he names the man, “is that you see he and his companions pay for the deaths they have caused over the years.” True. Jimmum and his friends were not the first to fall victim to this twisted scheme. The man, a half-orc named Kirag, has been running this operation for a year now and so far has killed a few dozen adventurers who fell into the trap. Will the party confront Kirag in one of the city’s taverns and fight him there, or will they buy the info and then set their own trap in the dungeon for the half-orc and his accomplices? False. Jimmum is a liar. He is the one selling the dungeon map and he’s found a new way to spin the operation in the hopes of luring more prey into the dungeon. Jimmum and Kerek are only two of the group behind the scam; there are four others waiting to join the pair if the party falls for the story. There is no half-orc; instead, when the party gets to the tavern where the half-orc is reportedly waiting, Jimmum’s friends are waiting to attack.

the book of collected rumors • 17

the wraith of five bells “Every morning at five bells, when the dock warehouse clangs those cursed bells that start my day, they say the monster strikes somewhere within hearing of the clangs. I’ve not seen it myself, but I’ve heard stories that would make the hair of your arms stand as straight as a steeple. The inhuman beast is a ghost, I’d bet my life on it!” When buying gear, the adventurers overhear the shopkeep telling another customer of the spirit that kills every morning just before the sun rises. The shopkeep, if asked about the ghost, has more to say. “It’s made of shadows and bats, so I am told, and can kill with a single touch. The killings all happen within a mile of the docks and most of the bodies are never found. How is it we know there are killings if there are no bodies? It just stands to reason that the spirit kills every day, right?” The shopkeep has no solid details, only scraps of gossip and words that he hears each night when he joins his friends at their favorite tavern, The Twisted Soul. If they don’t believe him, the shopkeep says, they’re welcome to join him that night after dusk to hear the stories from the patrons of the tavern. They’ll soon learn, the shopkeep promises, to trust the words of an honorable man such as he. True. The Twisted Soul is definitely a place where the tales flow as free and easy as the mead. The shopkeep beckons the party to join him and his friends, five other merchants who are in the middle of their drinks and night of gossip and stories. As the night progresses, so long as the party keeps buying drinks, the men keep talking. While none of the men know it, there is a murderer operating in the city who prefers to kill in the hour before the dawn. The man, Quix Wheachapel, kills for the pleasure and wears a heavy cloak and dark clothes to mask his movement in the shadows. False. Within a half hour of joining the shopkeep at the tavern, the party soon learns that the man – and all of his friends – are nothing more than a group of liars who spin yarns in an attempt to tell a better tale than the last. There may be a ghost somewhere within the city, but these men have no concrete knowledge and their tales of the “five bells spirit” sound like the ill-conceived stories of one who knows that ghosts exist . . . but knows nothing else.

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gold and silver eyes “It was late at night, just after an evening much like this one, when I first saw it in the alley not two streets from here. You know that alley that runs behind the Gilded Heart, the one where old lady Macarie was killed last year? It was in that very alley six months ago that I first saw it. As dark as the midnight soul it was, with the only light cast from the dozen eyes of its head, each sparkling like polished gold and silver sitting beneath the brightest light of the strongest magician.” Henry Cliffscribe spends a few nights each week at his favorite tavern, Ebenezer’s Common Room, where he likes to drink strong wine and chat with the other locals. Cliffscribe would happily be here every night if he could afford it, so he is not one who will turn down the party’s offer to buy another round if he will share his tale.

Cliffscribe fully admits that he doesn’t know what he saw, but he swears that not only has he encountered this unknown beast, but also that he has met it five other times within the last six months. Every meeting, the man says as he nurses the free drink, has been at night, and always a frightening experience that he will remember until his death. “It stood taller than most, at least seven feet, and it said not a word, only looked me up and down with those sparkling eyes. Every time I have met it I thought I was a goner for sure, but every time that monster has eventually turned and walked off. Not in a rush, mind, but as if it decided I was no threat and wanted merely to go about more important business.” True. A wizard’s creation is being tested in the city. A cloaked flesh golem, wearing a helm of many eyes, is sent out night after night to grow more comfortable in the world of men. The wizard, Penton Glowfall, hopes to train the golem as a guardian to protect his personal library. The magic helmet, one the wizard found years ago during his days as a dungeoncrawler, has been placed on the golem’s head to give it arcane vision that allows the golem to see in the dark and spot any magic items that may be nearby. If attacked, the golem runs back to the wizard’s library. False. Not surprisingly, the stories of a drunk’s walk home after a night of drinking are nothing more than an active imagination sparked by alcohol. The party can spend weeks exploring the alleys for any sign of the creature, but they won’t because it does not exist. If they offer to walk Cliffscribe home, the man leads them through every alley where he says that he has met the beast. There is no monster.

the book of collected rumors • 19

a rogue goes rogue and kills “So much for the guild’s rule against killing within the city. I still cannot believe that Ctalik Ghix would go against the guild’s wishes . . . and so blatantly without any attempt to cover her tracks! You can be certain that guild mistress Caele isn’t going to let this go unnoticed and unpunished. I suspect we’ll see the bounty on Ghix before tomorrow’s sun rises in the east, or my name isn’t Dran Lightfingers.” His true name isn’t Lightfingers, that is for sure, but the mature half-elf otherwise looks the part of a man who could very well belong to the local guild of thieves and rogues. He calls the server over for another round of ale for himself and his three companions – each clearly a cutpurse or pickpocket or other manner of criminal – and continues his tirade. “It was her temper that did it. Ctalik never could contain her thirst for revenge, and there was no way that the captain of the watch wasn’t going to suffer after he held her down in public and sliced her cheek. I just thought she would try to hide her act. Murdering the man at noon in the moneylenders’ tent was a stupid, thoughtless action.” True. Earlier today, Ctalik Ghix grabbed a captain of the city watch and gutted him, stabbing her short sword deep into the man’s gut in plain sight of everyone in the moneylenders’ guild tent. Everything is as Lightfingers has described it, and the guild mistress does issue a bounty within a few hours. 250 gold to anyone who brings her the head of Ctalik Ghix. 500 coins if delivered before the sun rises. False. Ghix murdered the captain, that is true, but her reasons – and the expectation of a bounty – are very wrong. Ghix killed the captain of the watch at the order of the guild mistress and Ghix is now being carried by wagon to a nearby safehouse in the forest. Caele ordered the murder after the captain turned on the guild, leading a raid that severely damaged the guild’s ability to fence goods when a warehouse was seized and the occupants jailed. Why Caele and the captain turned on each other is unknown, but now Ghix is on the run and it is only a matter of time before the magistrate issues a bounty for her capture alive.

20 • the book of collected rumors

“Gold for every wizard’s book, no matter the condition, I swears it! The old man gave me fifty coins just yesterday for a book I took off of a dead mage who I just happened to run across in the sewers.”

spells and books “He told me that if I could find a locked wizard’s book he would pay extra, just so long as I don’t try to force the lock. Word is, some of them mages trap the locks and he said I could die if I try to force one of the locks.” In a crowded tavern late one night, the party listens in as a pair of teens – barely more than children and definitely not old enough to be drinking as much grog as they’ve had so far – talk in whispers about a strange man who has been buying up spellbooks and other magic items. The two spot the PCs eavesdropping and run for the door, trying to escape before whosoever knows what terrible fate they feel they’re destined to suffer. If the party acts fast, they can capture the two teens before the kids escape with whatever knowledge they may have.

If threatened or bribed, the eldest teen agrees to take the party to meet the man, Mar Caskjumper, who they say is buying up spellbooks. True. Caskjumper is an older mage who is seeking spells for his collection and is willing to pay a hefty price for spellbooks, regardless of condition. They find Caskjumper staying in a fine inn – The Golden Plate – where he has rented one of their best rooms and has spent the last seven weeks accumulating spellbooks. There are 3d6+2 spellbooks in the room, and Caskjumper offers to buy any the party may possess. He runs if attacked. False. The eldest kid was lying to impress his friend and is now trapped. He carries out the bluff as long as he can manage – leading the party across the city, always keeping an eye open for a chance to escape – but he has no buyer for spellbooks. It was all a lie.

the book of collected rumors • 21

torchlight murders “That makes seven this month, each found savaged and cut near-beyond recognition. The watch says they have no leads or suspects, but my friend Thorny Ebkaza says that’s a lie and the constable knows exactly who has been out at nights murdering. Here, lean in closer and I’ll let you in on the secret.” The party overhears two filthy commoners talking about the gruesome murders that have the city in a panic, the pair as thick as thieves as they gossip at the local inn. “So long as the killings happen at night, I’m not one to put my nose into the business. I’ll stick to my own troubles and leave this matter to the watch.” The two could be thieves, or it is possible that they are little more than dock workers in for the evening. Regardless, their tale catches the attention of the player characters and deserves attention. Later in the evening, the one who claims to know the details excuses himself to the alley; the perfect time for the party to step in and ask questions. Slipping out quietly to follow the blabbermouth, the PCs soon find their quarry relieving himself in the alley’s darkest corner. How they go about getting information is, of course, up to the PCs. Will they beat it out of the man? Pay him for his secrets? Invite him in for drinks and pry it from him? Our commoner friend, Suva Diden, only knows that two noblemen are possible suspects. Faurvid and Bahmim Blazewood are twins who have often been out late at night, near the grisly murders, and are now wanted for questioning by the town’s guard.

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True. The Blazewood brothers are killing late at night because they can. There are no dark rituals or evil motives, beyond the fact that the two are crazed and draw a sense of power and strength from killing others. False. There have been no killings. The brothers Blazewood are practicing illusionists who are perfecting their corpse form spell. The two are troublesome, but they are not murderers.

secrets of a weaponsmith “They’re paying me 300 gold if I bring them the book. How will I ever get that book out of the workshop, though, without him knowing that it were me? If I do this, I can never return to the shop and I best leave the city. How far can 300 coins take a man on the run?” Two men, both around thirty years of age, are drinking heavily at the local tavern when the party overhears word of a planned theft. One of the men – Racton, they soon learn is his name as they listen to the two – works for the master weaponsmith, Deadrock Raumeur, and has been approached by a cabal of men who are willing to pay for Raumeur’s journal. “He has everything in that book. I can read a little, you know, and every now and then I get a peek of the book when we are working. Every secret of weaponry he has ever learned or devised from his own mind is in those pages. Losing it would ruin him. How can I turn on Deadrock after he has treated me so kindly all these years? That is a lot of gold, though.” If the PCs try to ask Racton about the conversation, he excuses himself and rushes home. Their act has convinced him that he cannot betray his master and he will now live in fear for ages that they will tell Raumeur of the overheard conversation. True. Racton has been approached by three men, competitors of Raumeur, who wish to buy the secret journal of ideas and instructions. If the PCs offer to help Racton and Raumeur find out who these men are, Raumeur promises them a reward if the party brings him solid info on the three men. False. Racton is lying to his friend. Racton is thinking of stealing the journal, yes, but not because someone has offered coin for the book. Racton has gotten the idea that maybe stealing the book and running away will allow him to set himself up as a weaponsmith somewhere else in the lands.

the book of collected rumors • 23

subterranean treasure

“The mage said that he and his companions were forced to run before they could grab the gold and gems. A group of hobgoblins drove them from the caverns before they could claim all of the treasures. I asked him about the hoard, and after buying several rounds the mage handed me this priceless map to the riches.” The player characters overhear the discussion and, if they are quick enough, get a glimpse of the supposed treasure map. The speaker is a human rogue, likely a thief, roughly thirty winters of age and dressed in leathers. He is talking with three others, two half-elven women and a dwarf, and the group appears to be in the middle of bargaining for either the map or, more likely, a share of the rewards if they join the thief in his quest to claim the promised loot. Possible ways in which the party may involve themselves in this hunt for treasure include: • Wait until the thief is alone and attack him, trying to take the map by force. Of course, this all hinges on the thief not selling the map to the others. If they buy the shredded paper, the player characters will have to attack three other adventurers to claim the map. That could be a tough fight.

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• Try to slip into the conversation – “We couldn’t help but overhear . . . ” – and insert themselves into whatever plans may be made to go after the treasure. Strength in numbers and all that, right? • Offer to buy the map, which could set off a bidding war between the PCs and the unknown adventurers. Buying a map of unknown value is never an easy decision to make. What if the entire thing has been arranged to trick the PCs into buying worthless paper? True. The map is real and leads to a small, abandoned cavern complex where hobgoblins have made their home. The “treasure” is only what the creatures have managed to take in their repeated attacks on merchants, farmers, and others who travel too close to the caves. There are gold coins and gemstones, yes, but the entire hoard is only worth a few hundred gold pieces. False. It’s a setup! The thief, the dwarf, and the two halfelves are con artists who are looking to make some easy coin. They travel from city to city running the same basic scam, trying to sell worthless “treasure maps” to adventurers . . . and then run to the next city before their lies are uncovered. If the PCs fall for the trick, you can be sure they’ll set off in search of this group of liars.

the sack of gold coins “It was the size of your head, I tells ya, or maybe even bigger! Though you do have a big head, Jorge, did anyone ever tell yas that before? Your head is massive, like a melon. And I swear to ya that the sack was as big as your head. Or bigger!” Walking through the market at day, the party overhears two shopkeeps in adjacent stalls talking about the size of the moneybag that a fellow merchant was seen carrying yesterday. If they stop to ask for more information, the two men suddenly go quiet. A gold or two loosens their tongues, and they slowly tell of how Zen Caidan, owner of the rope stall, left with more money than either had seen him with before. The two cannot say why Caidan suddenly had so much wealth, but another coin soon reveals that the party are not the only ones to ask about the sack of gold. A hawkish, ugly brute of a man with grizzled looks paid just an hour ago for similar information, including the address of the flea-infested room that Caidan rents over the stables of an elderly couple who live on the edge of the city. True. The two men have not lied. Caidan has the money because a customer, the same brute mentioned, accidentally left behind a backpack that was loaded down with silver and gold coins. Caidan sold the backpack to a different customer and claimed the coins for himself. The man didn’t think the situation through at all and now he has an angry warrior looking for him and the sack of gold. False. There was no gold. There was no brute. Caidan carried home a sack of filthy laundry that he is going to wash to earn some extra coin. The rope business has been bad these last few weeks, and the merchant has to find odd jobs to earn some cash before he is evicted from the loft he is renting. There is no gold.

the book of collected rumors • 25

a threatening wyrm

“Ten days’ ride is what he said. Deep within the Sorcerer’s Rest, that crumbling old wizard’s tower on the road to Torkortown, lies a hollow beneath the earth where the ancient wyrm makes his home. The dragon comes and goes through the gaping hole in the remains of the tower; the entry is so constrained that the beast has to crawl in and out of its lair like it were no better than an earthworm.”

If the party agrees to join him in the adventure, Locus asks that they meet back at this very tavern in the morning. He has some matters to attend to before he is ready to journey. He also asks if the others he is speaking to – 1d4+2 random, inexperienced adventurers – will join the growing party in their mission to claim treasures from the dragon’s hidden lair.

If the man notices the party eavesdropping, he introduces himself as Locus the Trusted, and asks that they join him. He can see, he tells them, that they are experienced adventurers with a taste for gold and arcane power, and maybe they would accompany him to the dragon’s lair and assist in stealing a bit of the treasure.

True. There is a dragon, yes, but it is no ancient beast. A wyrmling has made its home in the rotting cellar of a destroyed tower. The “treasures” are a few hundred coins of various denominations as well as an assortment of mundane gear. No great treasure here.

Locus is a tall human male, some thirty winters of age, battle scarred, and carries an aura of strength that even the least observant cannot help but notice. Wearing studded leather armor, armed with sword and daggers, a bow and quiver of arrows near at hand along with his pack, he may very well be a ranger. If asked, Locus nods yes and assures the group that he is a noble, friendly woodsman who seeks the assistance of like-minded warriors who will help him capture some coin . . . and mayhaps slaughter the dragon. “It will be good for the city, this deed, for it can only be a matter of time before the beast hungers for more riches and turns its attention to these fine people.”

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False. A more likely outcome. This is an elaborate ruse designed to separate the gullible from their possessions. Locus the Trusted is not to be trusted; he is a thief and not a ranger, and he makes his living by conning others and stealing their belongings. If necessary, he kills those from whom he steals; it is always better to kill than to be killed. Locus waits no more than a few hours ride from the city before unleashing his trap. He has hired 2d6 ruffians – little more than city youths armed with clubs – who are waiting on the road and ambush the group. Locus instantly turns on the adventurers, attacking in hopes of quickly subduing the party. If the fight goes poorly, he and the ruffians attempt to escape into the forest.

the knight and an unwanted battle “Help me. I’ve put it off as long as I could, the gods know all I’ve done to avoid this, but there’s no escaping it. Once the sun’s light illuminates us once again, I’ve no choice other than to go through with the terrible meeting.” A noble, strong man seated at a nearby table is speaking in whispers with another and the party cannot help but overhear when the man’s voice suddenly rises in volume. His companion, an elderly gentleman wearing the robes of a wizard – or maybe just the rags of an insane man – tries to calm the troubled nobleman. If they attempt to insert themselves into the conversation, the noble and his friend look offended and would clearly prefer to be left alone. They are both polite men, and will not bluntly ask to be left alone. A few more drinks loosens their tongues and attitudes, though, which is all it takes for the party to learn that the man, Berengar Ballynn, is a knighted soldier of the king’s guard who has been roped into an unwanted duel with a less experienced warrior. Ballynn is distraught because he is sure to kill this weaker opponent, and there is no honor in ruthlessly slaughtering one weaker than yourself. What makes it worse yet; the man, Josef Eldove, is the brother of a woman that Ballynn wishes to court. The knight is unsure of what to do. He does not wish to murder Eldove, but he also doesn’t want to lose face. Do they have any advice that may prove useful here? True. Every word of Ballynn’s tale is true and he is a man who is about to commit murder. The city watch and the authorities won’t see it as murder, though, because Ballynn is merely exercising his knightly and noble purpose. Eldove called for this challenge, and it would be cowardly for Ballynn to refuse yet again. Eldove has called for this duel because he believes that the knight has wronged his sister. In truth, the knight and the woman have never spent time alone and have met only once before. False. Again, the knight is telling the truth, but Eldove is not who he seems to be. He is not the woman’s brother. No, Eldove is an assassin who was hired by another noble; Eldove is playing the part of a nobleman and will be paid once Ballynn is dead.

the book of collected rumors • 27

the growing threat of ogres, trolls, and orcs “An army, so I’ve heard, moving ever closer to us and certain to slaughter any who haven’t the brains to flee. I’m gettin’ out in the morning with the dawn. You’ll not catch me anywheres near this place once those monsters are at the gates and smashing their way through the town’s best watchmen and guards.” The alleys, taverns, and inns of the city buzz with rumors that an army of ogres, trolls, and orcs are intent on invading and capturing the city. Wherever they may go, the adventurers overhear whispers of an imminent invasion. Many in the city are packing their belongings and fleeing the city, even though the city council swears that the rumors are false and there is no threat to the city and her people. “I heard that the trolls were promised first choice of who they can eat. Unless you want to be a troll’s breakfast, I suggest that you get out of here before the army reaches the city gates.” During the height of the panic, an elven ranger, Wyn Kelrieth, enters the city with the head of an orc, his proof that the army is closing in on the city and that there is no time to waste. If the party asks Kelrieth for details on the enemy forces, he tells them that there are 2d20 orcs, 2d6+2 ogres, and 1d4+3 trolls. “It’s true! Rutger, ya remembers him, saw them with his own eyes and barely escaped with his life. He swears to me that the ogres and orcs have joined with trolls and are coming to take over the city.”

28 • the book of collected rumors

True. There is an army moving quickly toward the city gates. At their current speed, the evil forces will reach the city within 1d4+1 days . . . unless someone does something to stop them! The city council offers a reward to any brave enough to ride out to engage the evil forces as far from the city as possible. If the army is defeated, Wyn Kelrieth is rewarded and thanked by the citizens for bringing the proof that inspired the people to react fast enough to stop the invaders. False. There is no army, and Wyn Kelrieth is no ranger. This scoundrel is working with a mercenary band and a group of illusionists who are trying to scare the people into fleeing. If the party uncovers the secret, Kelrieth and his companions attempt to escape before the citizens can react (most likely by capturing the mercs and sentencing them to death). Kelrieth is slippery, though, and manages to escape.

cavernous fears

“I’ve not seen it meself, ‘tis true, but the woman swore on the life of her children that the mushrooms of the cavern were a valuable tool to wizards and witches. She says the wizards will pay a handsome price for as little as a handful of the stuff, and she even gave me the name of a few wizards here in the city who are seeking the mushroom.” The boy, maybe a dozen winters of age, is relentless in asking the party to help him grab a few baskets of mushrooms from nearby caves. He approaches them when they are at rest in the city, in an inn or tavern, and promises that he will share with them any gold that they can earn by selling the mushrooms to the wizards named on the scrap of parchment that he clutches tight to his chest.

The doomshroom, any arcane spellcasters in the party can tell you, is a powerful ingredient used in the creation of fear potions and is sometimes used as a spell component for wicked spells. Anyone seeking the magical mushroom is not looking to do good. True. The wizards want the mushrooms that grow in the nearby caves. The caves are the home of various hazards, vermin, and beasts, which means that the party will face obstacles in their quest to collect the mushrooms. Adjust the exact number and strength of the inhabitants of the caverns to make the trek a challenge for the group, but don’t make it such a dangerous outing that one of them may die. This is more of a chance for the party to do a good deed and help the boy than it is a terrifying adventure.

If they ask to see the names, the boy hesitates. “How do I know ye won’t rob me?” The party could simply take the paper of names, but they are heroes and we can hope that they’ll instead work with the child to convince him that it is best to ask around about the value of the mushrooms before setting off on an adventure. He soon sees the wisdom in such action and agrees to take them to every name listed on the paper. In total, there are 1d4+2 wizards named on the parchment and yes, if asked, each is willing to buy the doomshroom.

False. In the event that there are no doomshrooms in the caverns, it turns out that the boy is a puppet of a vile witch who has her eyes on the party. The boy has no idea that the woman who gave him the info was a liar; she tricked him into doing her evil work. The witch and a small group of goblins she has paid are waiting in the caverns when the party arrives. She is after one random, mundane item carried by one of the adventurers. The player character doesn’t know it, but the item in question is more valuable than it appears and was once in the ownership of a friend of the witch.

the book of collected rumors • 29

the troll under the inn “The beast has lived there for as long as I can remember, that’s why you will never catch me spending a night at that cursed place.” Far from the largest towns and cities of the lands, at a small inn at the intersection of two major roads, the party is settling into the inn’s common room for the evening when they overhear two merchants exchanging news of the closest towns. One, a dwarven gentleman dressed in fine silks, is telling his dining companion tales of Cratchet’s Rest, an inn between the party’s current location and their destination. “I’ve no clue why Cratchet doesn’t have that monster tracked down and slain. It’s not safe to stay at Cratchet’s Rest!” True. A troll does live beneath Cratchet’s Rest. The inn’s owner, Zachary Cratchet, made a deal with the troll decades ago when the inn was first being built. Cratchet bought the land from the kingdom, only to find out that he had been tricked and the troll lived in caverns beneath the newly-purchased land. In exchange for meals and a promise to be left alone, the troll agreed to leave Cratchet and his guests alone. The troll is rarely anywhere near the inn, preferring to use a cave exit a mile away when setting out to the surface world in search of food. The truce has held without issue. It would be a shame if meddling adventurers interferred and disrupted the agreement. False. There is no troll beneath Cratchet’s Rest. Several years ago, a crazed troll was found in the caves a few miles from the inn and the beast was stopped before it could inflict too much damage on the area. Over time, the story twisted and warped until it led to the current rumors of a troll beneath the inn.

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promises of riches

“The chamber was nothing but treasures, gems and jewels and gold in chests and bags and crates. Alongside one wall of the room were stacked cases and cases of who knows what, though I predict that each was enough treasure to keep one man happy for the rest of his life.” Rolim Miadan, elvish warrior, is a name that the party has heard of before. Miadan is the defender of Huntshearth, where he stood against a score of orcs and protected the villagers from the evil assault of the thugs. And now, by chance, the defender of Huntshearth is in the same tavern as the adventurers . . . and Miadan has quite the story to tell. “It was seven years ago, shortly after my victory at Huntshearth, when I discovered the treasure chamber deep in the lowest level of Cragstongue. That dungeon has murdered many over the years, as you well know, and the day that I ventured into its shadowy halls was one that the dungeon claimed another four brave souls. My companions were each killed that day, and I barely escaped with my life.” Miadan tells the party that he has been keeping an eye open for possible partners to join him in a return to Cragstongue and, he tells them, they seem to be noble and experienced adventurers who could assist him in looting the dungeon. He is certain that the treasure remains, and he is willing to divide the riches evenly in exchange for their help. Cragstongue, he says, is at least a week away on horseback and he wishes to set out tomorrow. If the party chooses to join Rolim Miadan in his quest to collect all of the treasures that the elf says await them in the dungeon, then he cheers in celebration and buys the group another round of drinks. Miadan has waited years to find the right partners for this journey, and he is anxious to begin the adventure.

Each day as they make their way to the dungeon, Miadan continues to tell the group more and more of his previous visit to Cragstongue. The evil skeletons that confronted him and his compaions. The oozes and slimes that surprised them. The giant bugfolk who control the lowest chambers and nearly took his life. Miadan tells them everything that he can remember. True. Miadan is telling the truth, though there’s a chance that someone else has already captured the treasures. If the treasure is still in the dungeon, the elf is true to his word and not once does he attempt to betray the party. False. Miadan is a scoundrel, seeking to enlist the others in helping him to capture treasure from a small dungeon. The rewards he promised are not there, and the party may soon notice that Miadan is always behind them, letting them take the force of most battles.

the book of collected rumors • 31

the bounty on the ruffian “Ever since Ctalik Ghix went rogue and got herself wanted, her man has been doing all he can to avenge her. I’ve no idea if the rumors of her death are true or not, but regardless of what happened to Ghix, Savage Drake has been out killing any who he feels have – or have ever – harmed her.” A mature half-elf – known as Lightfingers to his friends – is as open with his tale as the adventurers are open with their purse and a steady supply of free drinks. He tells the adventurers of Ghix’s murder of a captain of the watch (see p. 20 for more information) and how Savage Drake is now terrorizing many of the thieves and rogues of the city. “Guild mistress Caele is offering 500 gold to any who can bring Drake to her alive, though she said she’ll pay extra if the man is missing his one good eye when he is presented to her. I’m not fool enough to go up against the ruffian, but you lot look sterner and far more capable of stopping the man than I’ll ever be.” If the party asks for more information, Lightfoot directs them to the local thieves’ guild where they will be told how Caele expects the man to be delivered to her and her people. The guild also confirms the value of the reward. True. The guild mistress, Caele, is desperate to stop Savage Drake before the man assaults her at the guild. She thinks her people could prevent Drake from gaining access to her chambers deep in the guild, but she’s learned enough about the assassin’s skills over the years not to allow her safety to depend solely on chance. By placing a reward on Drake’s head, she hopes to stop him quickly so that she can focus on the guild and stop worrying over a jealous lover who feels he must make up for the wrongs that were inflicted on Ctalik Ghix. False. Caele did not place a reward for Savage Drake . . . but her guild did. After the terrible incident with Ghix killing a captain of the watch, a splinter faction within the guild has decided that it is time to murder Caele and take control of the guild’s operations and fate. They reason that leaking word that Caele has placed a bounty on Drake will lead the mercenary assassin to kill the guild mistress. Which would be a good thing for the conspirators.

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corruption consumes the flesh of the mage “The guards chased him into the sewers, but they were too cowardly to pursue the fiend and he escaped. They say that the accident changed him completely, transmorphing his form so that he is no longer a true man. Instead, I heard them whisper, he is an agent of vile corruption, twisted so that his flesh has become a sickly green as his limbs shift from those of a human to the terrifying tentacles of a demonic beast.” Late at night, as the party enjoys drinks at an inn or tavern, they overhear some of the locals speaking of a chase.

“My boy has a friend in the watch, and he says If the party ofthat the sorcerer were dealing with wickedness fers to buy the that was beyond his control. It was one of Zen men a round of Caidan’s kids who identified the evil sorcerer drinks, they’re they say. The kid had seen the man trying to soon a part of hide one of his arms within the folds of the chatter and his cloak, and that Caidan kid stole listen in as everya glance and saw only evil there.” one talks about how a wizard – Aras, Son of Mizeth – was identified on the street earlier that day as an agent of chaos. When the guards confronted the man and tore the cloak from his shoulders, they encountered an evil that has not been seen in the city for decades. Aras was still a man in some ways, but parts of his body were changed; he looked like a halfman, half-monster and the guards knew he had to be stopped. Aras drew a sword and attacked, killing one of the watch and then turning to run from the crime. The guard chased him to the entrance of the sewers, but none of them were willing to follow Aras into the darkness. True. The story that the men tell is true and Aras was chased into the sewers earlier this day. The next day, the town watch issue a 500 gold reward to any who bring Aras in alive. False. The man the guards chased into the sewers was a wizard, yes, but reports of his inhuman form are not true. The watch issues a reward for his capture.

the book of collected rumors • 33

the shattered bone “I broke it when that cursed elemental chased me down the stairs of the cathedral. I’ve never seen such a terror in all my life, and nothing – not even a shattered arm – was going to keep me from getting as far away from that monster as I could.” The speaker is a man of such high rank and privilege that the party immediately recognizes him: Kel Snowaxe, nobleman and merchant and well known for his thirst for adventure . . . so long as it is someone else living the adventure and telling the tale. “The priests of the cathedral tell me I was seeing things, they implied that it was one too many evenings at this fine establishment that impaired my judgment, but I know what I saw that night. It was a flaming elemental!” If the party asks Snowaxe for more information, he tells them that he was in the cathedral a few weeks ago late at night when the monster assaulted him. He describes it as a flying pillar of flame, with a wicked mouth and long, sword-like arms. He is not interested in taking them to the cathedral, but he will draw them a map of where he encountered the beast . . . if they buy him another drink. True. The clerics of the cathedral were fighting off an invasion the night that Snowaxe was hurt. A cult of unbelievers had inflitrated the cathedral, entering from the catacombs beneath the building and unleashing a fire elemental that caused significant damage to the building’s most private, secret chambers. The clerics are seeking adventurers to explore and clear the catacombs; the clerics suspect that some of the invaders are still hiding beneath the cathedral. They’ll pay extra if the party leads workers into the catacombs to find – and seal off – any passages that connect the tunnels to the outside world. False. Snowaxe is lying and broke his arm in a drunken staggering fall late one night. His love of a good story led him to fabricate the event. He will not admit to his lie, though, no matter what evidence is brought before him.

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ghosts and endless dreams of death “It stood there, staring at me, that foul gaze seeing right through me. I knew that if I were to confront the spirit that it would engage me in conversation, though ask me not how I knew such to be true. We stood, eyes locked, for what seemed an eternity but could have been no more than a moment. It were the chiming of the bells that broke our stare, and when I turned back the spirit was gone.

“Nothing will erase that memory, and ever since I’ve had naught but sleepless nights for fear of the dreams. Over and over I try to sleep without dreaming, and yet every time I fall into a slumber the spirit’s gaze haunts me.” Sitting in the great room of The Twisted Tavern, one of the town’s more popular drinking joints, the party can’t help but overhear a group of fellow adventurers speaking with one of the locals. The man, a butcher by trade if his bloody clothes are any indication, is telling the others of his encounter with a ghost some two weeks back.

as The Guardian. For decades, this ghost has watched over the city, sometimes acting to save the innocent from criminals and thugs.

False. The other adventurers and the butcher are local rogues running a scam. The plan is to convince someone to investigate the butcher’s tale, and then ambush and steal ever ything from the poor victim.

“I’d give my last copper if one were to erase this vision from my mind. Each time I close my eyes, the dreams strike again. I’ve not been rested since I met that ghost at the crossroads of Timber Trace and King’s Way.” If the competing adventurers catch the party listening in, they encourage the man to join them at a more distant table. If the player characters grow aggressive in their eavesdropping, the other party asks that they kindly stay out of the matter. Experts were on the case and would resolve the man’s difficulty. After some time, the adventurers grow tired of the man’s tale and leave. They must have found some reason to abandon the story . . . but what could have led them to dismiss the chance at adventure? True. If the party asks the man – who is indeed a butcher – for more information, he tells them of how he met a ghost late one night in the city. He did meet a spirit, yes, but not a violent one or one who wished him harm. If the adventurers dig deep into the matter, they soon find that the butcher met a common enough local spirit known

the book of collected rumors • 35

a discount on magic potions

“Going out of business, is what they say it is. If you ask me, I always knew that there weren’t enough demand for magic in this town. Too expensive and not worth it, I always said. When my lady asked why I wouldn’t buy a trinket or two from old Imorn’s shop. Well, looks like I wasn’t the only one who knew it best to keep money than to give it to that old wizard.” The word around town is that Imorn Lantir is selling everything in his shop of magic for way, way below the usual asking price. If the party asks around, they hear the same thing from everyone: Lantir is struggling and has been forced to dump his wares at low prices before creditors murder him. “Everything is for sale is what I heard, but Imorn’s potions are the best buy if you’re one to drink foul concoctions. Personally, I think they’re a bunch of rubbish and a way for that crazy wizard to steal coin from those too stupid to resist his lies.” If they ask, the party is given directions to Lantir’s shop and told that he is open from sunup to sundown every day of the week. “If you insist on wasting your coin and buying that wizard’s useless junk, I suggest you buy something small and test it out before you give him too much of your gold.” True. Imorn Lantir is the owner of a local magic shop and is offering his potions, scrolls, and a handful of magic items at a discount. He doesn’t include everything in the sale. If asked why he is discounting his merchandise, Lantir tells the party that he is looking to finance an expedition to a dungeon complex he has learned of that is a week away. Lantir asks the adventurers if they will join him; he could use some muscle and support to safely explore the dungeon. He will give them 100 gold worth of his merchandise now in exchange for their promise to accompany him to the dungeon next week. He also promises them all non-magical treasures they may discover, as well as another 100 gold worth of his merchandise after they return from the adventure. Lantir is being honest with the party and does know the location of a dungeon complex that may be a source of treasure and adventure. False. Lantir’s not running a sale of any sort. He sometimes sells one or two small, ineffective trinkets for a very small amount in order to drive rumors and get the townsfolk talking of his shop. It’s his way of making sure that the people are speaking about him and his business in the hopes of driving traveling adventurers to his shop.

an apprentice or a lie “She will kill you, Aramas! You should have never signed on with her, because now you’ve angered her and you just know she will use her magic to completely destroy you and your family.” If the adventurers turn to investigate, they see seven young men – each between 14 and 18 winters of age – sharing a table that is loaded with drink and bowls of nuts. The children are engaged in a heated, serious discussion and are unlikely to notice that they are being watched. “It weren’t my fault! I never meant to drop the jar, but it was so slick and it escaped me. The look on her face when the jar crashed terrified me so greatly that I had no thought other than to flee. Do you think she seeks me still?” If the party involves itself, they learn that the kids work for Cai Shez, a sorceress who hires locals to serve as labor in her tower. She also watches her hires closely in hopes of finding a suitable apprentice. She has yet to find one worth teaching. True. If the party involves itself in the event, they may visit Shez and ask about the described scene. She remembers, yes, but it wasn’t the breaking of the jar that upset her. She was more annoyed that yet another potential apprentice turned out to be unworthy of her time. She tells the party that she is seeking an apprentice and is willing to pay them 500 gold if they find one who she deems worthy of training. The offer is open forever, she states, since she is not opposed to training multiple students at once. False. There is no sorceress. The kids are running a scam, hoping to lure people into alleys with promises of “the lady has treasure, heaps of it” and then rough them up and steal their belongings.

the book of collected rumors • 37

dragon on the road

“It was only yesterday that Deadrock Raumeur – you know that weaponsmith, right? – was forced to turn back and return to town rather than journey to Covestar to sell his wares to the king’s armory. Despite the weapons he and his men were transporting, and the dozen capable soldiers guarding the caravan, Raumeur had no choice but to run for home once that dragon thundered out of the woods and threatened to kill the group.”

True. The story is true, Raumeur tells them, and he and his men were forced to return to the town after they were rushed by a dragon.

If the party takes time to ask the man with the tale, a local merchant who specializes in satchels and bags, he gleefully tells them all about how he heard direct from one of the soldiers that the dragon made it impossible for the weaponsmith to continue on his journey.

The dragon, if the party investigates, is a giant lizard that is protecting a clutch of eggs. The lizard’s mate was murdered weeks ago, and now the father is doing all that it can to give its offspring a chance at survival. If the party includes a druid or has the ability to speak to beasts, it may be able to convince the lizard that the townspeople mean the eggs no harm.

Even more, the dragon has been befouling travel between the town and Covestar for weeks now. No one knows where the dragon came from, but it is as large and powerful as any the town has ever seen. The man tells the adventurers, regardless of anything they may have seen in their travels, that this dragon is the largest and most terrifying beast to ever live. If the party chooses, they could seek out the weaponsmith and ask for his word on what prevented him from traveling to Covestar.

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“It were like no dragon I’ve seen before, more lizard than wyrm, with no wings. And not once did it threaten us with its evil breath, though it was large and managed to kill one of my men and a horse before we escaped.”

False. Raumeur knows not of what the men could have been speaking of. He isn’t scheduled to visit Covestar for another month, and he and his workers were in the shop yesterday doing all that they could to complete their latest order of weapons. Perhaps the man with the tale of dragons at the crossroads is hiding something? What criminal acts could be taking place to justify such a bold lie?

blackmarket magic items

“Don’t share this with anyone.”

While drinking at one of their favorite taverns in the city, the party notices a few men at a nearby table leaning in close, speaking to each other in hushed whispers. Every few moments, one of the men glances around, looking to see if anyone is trying to overhear their private conversation. “If the watch were to catch wind of this, we would be arrested and likely thrown into prison with no chance of justice. We must keep the secrets, friends, or risk forever losing our freedom.” The men are exchanging scraps of parchment, small bags of gold, and they continue to look up at the others in the tavern every few moments. If the adventurers approach the table, the group of men deny that they’re discussing anything of importance. If pressed, the men excuse themselves and attempt to flee, not running, but not walking with any confidence. Each separates, heading in a different direction, and all of them do what they can to distance themselves from any followers. If the party gets one of the men alone and applies threats of violence, or possibly a bribe, they soon learn that the man and his friends are running a black market operation. They deal in rare, secretive magical treasures and are very, very careful as to who they sell to. If the party can convince the man of their desire for magic – and that they possess a lot of wealth and can afford the black market prices – he offers to take them to a warehouse so that the adventurers may buy a magic item or two. True. The group is dealing in black market magic, buying and selling items that the local guilds and town watch have identified as illegal. The black marketeers have bodyguards – both fighters and wizards – and the group takes very few risks. If the party shows any sign of being trouble, the black marketeers prefer to kill first and sort out everything later. Trying to steal from the black market would be a very bad idea. False. There’s an underground market for questionable magic items, but the operation is being run by a guild of mages and not a criminal outfit. The guild buys and sells illegal magic treasures – both items banned by the town watch and items of questionable morality – and they are careful as to who they allow to learn of their operations.

the book of collected rumors • 39

a dragon approaches

“Annesinore is behind this, she has to be! Only her horrible magicks and thirst for power could have summoned such a foul beast and drawn it to our city.” Four members of the town watch are overhead chatting amongst themselves as the party walks down one of the city streets. The watchmen are engaged in discussion of clearly urgent, serious matters and the men are failing to pay close notice to the action around them. “If that woman gets her way, the beast will devastate our defenses and she’ll be free to steal anything without fear of capture or defeat. I say we imprison her now, and then deal with her dragon.” The word dragon very likely catches the ear of the party. If they ask the watchmen for more information on the matter, the more vocal of the four begins to tell the adventurers all about the sorceress Annesinore.

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“This isn’t the first time that Annesinore has been involved with dragons. I can think of two other times I’ve heard of her conversing with the wicked wyrms, but I know of no other time that she has invited such a beast to our city.” True. The sorceress Annesinore didn’t so much invite a dragon as she accidentally summoned one. In her hunger for power, the sorceress was reading from an ancient tome when she unwittingly unleashed a summoning spell that is right now drawing a dragon closer to the city. The party may choose to help the guards in capturing the sorceress, or they may set out to engage the dragon far from the city walls. False. Annesinore didn’t summon a dragon and there is no dragon on its way to destroy the town’s walls and buildings. The watchman heard a rumor and now shares it with his companions, despite instructions from his commander to lay off his desire for gossip.

a wizard’s only regret “I failed them all. My friends. I failed them. I couldn’t save them, no matter what I tried; they were lost once that gate collapsed. Everything I had within me was too little to hold the gate, and now they’re forever trapped in that accursed demiplane. By now, I hope, they’ve all died and been released from that infernal prison.” The elven wizard seated at the nearby table in the tavern has clearly had one too many drinks, and he’s now rambling on and on about his failure to any willing to listen. And if none of the other guests of the tavern pull up a chair to hear the wizard’s tale, he takes the story to others, moving from table to table throughout the night until he encounters a sympathetic ear at which point his story continues. “We were seeking the Stone of Truth, a powerful artifact that was rumored to be on Blackheart, a distant demiplane filled with shadow beasts and evil, wretched, half-goblin monsters. Our leader, the paladin Gaulter of Mount Tower, had secured a key that would allow us acess to Blackheart. If I had known then what I know now, I would have stolen that key and destroyed it.” The wizard introduces himself as Elphar Oloris and tells of how he was tasked with guarding the gate as his companions explored the demiplane in search of the artifact. He was attacked by the creatures of the plane and was unable to stop them from collapsing the gate. Oloris says that he was close to death when he awoke, back in this world, with his friends trapped on the other side. True. Oloris is telling the truth . . . as he sees it. He and his friends did invade the demiplane of Blackheart, though his friends were not trapped offworld when the gate collapsed. Gaulter had a second key to activate the gateway, and the party returned to the world without the artifact that they hunted. They are now looking for Oloris and it is possible that a week or so after the party meets the elven wizard, they meet the human paladin and the wizard’s other friends. False. Oloris tells a partial truth. His companions were lost in the demiplane, but only because the wizard thought he had found the Stone of Truth and fled, hoping to keep the item. It turned out he didn’t have the artifact, though, and now he lives with a terrible secret.

the book of collected rumors • 41

foreboding feathers

“It were the size of a giant, wings easily stretching twenty feet and as black as night. The creature rode on the winds, a trail of blue fire following its every move. Me and the others watched it for several minutes before losing sight as it flew behind the towers of the watch hall.” Louise Fromm is known and respected throughout the city, her role as lead clerk of the town watch is one that gives her access to a lot of information. Fromm has never been one to tell tales, so when she started speaking of a giant bird overflying the city, those who knew her looked to the sky and completely trusted her. Fromm’s story is one that is told and retold throughout the city, and the PCs eventually overhear several people arguing over what the creature could have been while the party is buying supplies at the town market. Surprisingly, the story has remained almost exactly as Fromm told it with little embellishment. People so trust the woman that they try very hard to repeat her story exactly as she shared it.

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If they ask around, the PCs are soon directed to the watch office and Louise Fromm. The woman tells the same story as the group has already heard, refusing to change her tale one bit. She knows not what the thing was or where it could have gone to. True. A wizard’s familiar was struck by a spell and the creature is now giant, angry, and empowered with the ability to cast low-level spells. If the PCs start looking around, they soon hear of Mark Littauer, a wizard who is looking for a giant and unusual bird. False. Fromm saw something, but it wasn’t a monster. A tinkerer constructed a large kite and the winds caught it, carrying it away. The kite is crashed outside of the city.

fear of the frost giant “With winter coming, it be time we gather any limbs and downed trees that we can before the guards barricade the west gate. No reason to risk the long way around the city later this winter, when the snows fall and the winds threaten to rip the flesh from a man’s face, just because we failed to remember that the guards always seal off that gate these days.” The adventurers are walking the streets of the city when they see an elderly man surrounded by several children, all between the ages of seven and eleven or so. Each listens as the man speaks and, once he finishes talking, all of the children head in the direction of the west gate. If they stop any of the

children and ask what is happening, the kids tell the heroes that they’re going to collect what wood they can manage and bring it back. The man, they identify him as Hugo, pays them copper for the wood that they deliver. Talking to the elderly man, Hugo Bischoff, the PCs learn that he is paying the children to bring as much wood as they can before the guards close the west gate for the winter. If pressed for details on why the gate is closed tight at winter, Bischoff tells them that it is to keep the frost giant from getting into the city during the cold months. True. Asking around the city, the PCs learn that the guards do close the west gate during the winter. Several years ago, a frost giant entered the city through the gate and inflicted a lot of damage on some of the buildings within several blocks of the gate, and it managed to escape before it could be stopped. Ever since then, the guards choose to seal the gate rather than risk the giant again attacking the people of the city. False. The story of a frost giant assaulting the city is one that has grown with the telling, and what was once a rumor is now seen as a fact. There are no giants nearby, but the gate is closed and guards posted at it throughout the winter; they refuse to allow anyone to enter or exit the city through the sealed gate. If the PCs can prove to the people that there are no giants to fear, and convince them to open the gate, they will be treated as heroes.

the book of collected rumors • 43

the beast in the water

“I’ve been on that ship a decade if it has been a day, and I’ve never seen anything like that which attacked us last week. It were the size of the great tower you see out that window, and it thrashed in the water with those giant tentacles so much that I was sure we would be splintered and drowned. We only managed to escape when something below the waters caught the beast’s attention; it must have been a meal far meatier and tastier than we could provide something so incredibly massive.” Standing in line for bread and cheese in the town market, you and your companions join Zianon Kipel in casual conversation that soon turns interesting. The man, once a sailor, has a story to tell about why he retired from the sea and now spends his days working as a guard for some of the merchants operating stalls in the market. “I wouldn’t go out again, not after what I saw,” Kipel says after describing the terror of the sea monster. “The only thing you will find if you set off to search for that beast is a one-way ticket to Wreck Haven. I’ve certainly no interest in finding myself lost in that town of castaways.” If the PCs are unfamiliar with Wreck Haven*, Kipel describes it as a small village on an island somewhere beyond the sea. The village has only a few hundred inhabitants, every single one was once lost at sea and eventually found themselves on a beach. The town is built from what wreckage finds its way to the island, and those who have heard of the place say that it is far too dangerous to willingly visit. True. Kipel was once a sailor and did retire from the life when the ship he was on was smashed to pieces by an unknown monster. He refuses to go on another ship, no matter what money is offered, though he will direct the PCs to a trustworthy captain who will take the adventurers out in his ship (for a price, of course). If the PCs can find the monster and slay it, those who harvest the blubber of whales will pay handsomely for the carcass of this beast that is as valuable a source of blubber as any whale. False. Kipel was definitely on a ship that was destroyed at sea, but it wasn’t a sea monster. The ship smashed itself on rocks during a storm, and the captain and crew told a story so that the owner of the ship could collect the insurance money. The insurance company will pay a reward if someone brings proof of what really happened to the ship. * To learn more about the village of Wreck Haven, please see the Delve Second Edition roleplaying game by FGFantasy, available at www.drivethrurpg.com.

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a demonic threat “I were there, I say! We were six days’ ride from the city when we found the ruins of the keep. It were late in the day when we reached the once-great fortress, and we decided that making camp in the courtyard of the keep were preferred to sleeping out in the greater unknown. Things were quiet and uneventful for most of the night, until it stepped from whatever cosmic portal connects the keep to that outer hell where it came from. I thought we would be forced to defend ouselves from the devil, but it only spoke and not once moved to attack. I’m still having troubles sleeping at nights since hearing that thing’s horrible voice.”

True. The elf did encounter a demon, and true to his word he leads the PCs to the keep. Once there, he suggests that they make camp and wait overnight. Of course, he refuses to stay the night and wants nothing to do with whatever demon may appear. The PCs will have to force the elf if they expect him to stay overnight. False. Lyari Elbanise is a thief looking to lead others out of the city where he and his friends can rob them.

The elf reaches out his hand in greeting when he notices you paying close attention to his tale. “Lyari Elbanise,” he says as he shakes your hand. “I couldn’t help but notice you listening in, and I’d be happy to answer any questions that you may have.” Elbanise is an elven mage, a veteran of many adventures and not afraid to confront any who call him a liar. The elf tells of how the demon stared at his party for hours and then turned and vanished through the portal. Elbanise holds up a small ruby, finely cut and polished, and shows it to the group. “This was resting on the ground near the portal once the monster left us. If you wish to see the site, I charge 20 gold per day and its only three days to the ruins of the keep. Allow me to grab my gear and I can be ready to go in the morning.”

the book of collected rumors • 45

a stranger brings doom

“Seven murdered on the road to Hightown last night, is what my friends in the watch are saying. It were the work of a necromancer and the foul caster is still out there somewhere, no doubt intent on slaughtering every one of us so that he can turn us into his undead servants. Take care when you go into the alley to relieve yourself; the necromancer may be waiting in the dark.” Jozelin Benoist, trapper and furrier, opens his mouth to speak but quickly closes it as the door behind you opens. He wipes his greasy hands on his tunic after setting down the turkey leg. Looking across the table at you, he smiles and laughs nervously. “I’m kidding you lot, though, and there’s nothing to fear out there in the dark. Everything is as safe as safe can be in these parts.” Another man sits beside you and holds out his hand to shake. “I’m Lom Barayev, constable. Good to meet you fine souls. What is your business here?” Barayev presses you until he is satisfied with your answers. “May be best if you continue on in the morning, folks. We know you have treasures to seek out and monsters to slay.” He then chats to a few others before setting out into the night. Benoist checks over his shoulder and motions you closer. He whispers: “I hear the constable is a partner of the necromancer. Be careful.” True. The necromancer and constable aren’t partners; the constable is the necromancer! If he suspects that the adventurers are on to him, he will ambush them once they are a few miles outside of the city. He fights to the death and won’t surrender.

False. There is no necromancer and the constable is only doing his job, keeping adventurers forever moving onward and not allowing them to spend too long in town. Benoist is a thief and a murderer, and he has been using the necromancer story as a way to conceal why some have been recently murdered.

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a manticore’s den “You know that crumbling tower near Platinum Lake? I was out fishing at the lake last month, hauling in trout to sell in the town market when I saw a beast land on the tower and enter through the roof. I wasn’t brave enough to investigate, but I recognized it for what is was: a manticore. I know not how long it has lived in the ruins of the tower, but I’m betting some adventurer or other would pay a few gold for directions to the beast’s lair.” All his life, Todor Pesic has lived in a shack on the outskirts of the city. It was his mother’s home during his youth, and the shack was left to him when she died several years ago. Pesic has no family and no job, and he is often found in and around the city working what jobs he can find and struggling to earn enough for some gruel and a round or two of beer at the local tavern. The man doesn’t save, rarely thinks ahead, and is always desperate. If the adventurers ask for info, he’s happy to share it . . . for a price.

The man is willing to take as little as a single gold for directions to the lake and the tower, but he refuses to act as a guide for any less than three gold. Wise dungeoneers will hold off on paying Pesic until they are standing at the base of the tower. True. A manticore has turned the top few floors of the abandoned tower into its den, where it has lived for several months. The creature has collected random treasures, mostly cast off and broken gear, though it does have a small chest of gold that it found several weeks ago, and it is protective of its home and likely to fight to the death against any intruders. False. It isn’t that Pesic is lying, but that he was mistaken in what he saw enter the tower. A young dragon has taken up residence in the tower, and it is far more dangerous than any manticore.

the book of collected rumors • 47

the goblin’s potions “Poison is more like it, I hear. That little squeegthon of a goblin is out there right now, trying to sell those so-called potions to the fools who dare to trust such a one as a goblinoid. The watch says the creature hasn’t committed an offense and is free to move about the city, but I says the watchmen are weak cowards who are no doubt paid gold by that squeegthon; why else would watchmen allow such a monster as a goblin to sell such dangerous concoctions to any one of us?” Over the chatter of the tavern, you can hear someone at one of the tables in the back slamming his fist on the table and ranting about a goblin potionseller who seems to have truly frustrated this man. Overhearing his friends at the table trying to calm him, you soon make out that his name is Romund Wictred and that he has something of a deep and excessive hatred for all goblins. “Maybe it is time we find that little squeegthon and take care of it before the thing forces too many more of its wares on the people of the city.” Wictred rises to his feet and then stumbles, slumping back down in his seat. The man has clearly had too many drinks and is in no condition to do anything about goblins whether they are crooked and evil or not. True. Asking around, you soon learn that the goblin’s name is Clorx Pluikks and that he has been selling all sorts of potions to those with enough coins to satisfy the goblin’s greed. Many of the potions are as the goblin describes them – mostly healing and low-level strength potions that he stole from a wizard – but there are also some poisons mixed into the supply. The goblin isn’t aware that any of the potions he is selling are poisons, though, and is only looking to make as much as he can off of the stolen goods before the wizard that he victimized chases him down and inflicts some permanent justice on the thief. False. It isn’t false that there’s a goblin selling potions – Clorx Pluikks is definitely selling every potion he has managed to steal – but it is false that they are in any way poisonous or dangerous. Still, the goblin is being chased by the wizard who he has wronged so Pluikks wants to sell everything and vanish as fast as he can. Perhaps the wizard hires the PCs to help him in capturing the goblin thief?

48 • the book of collected rumors

the silent hunter “Word from the people of Hightown is that he rides a frosnoc and is forever clothed by the frozen winds and ice of the plane of snows. The warrior is said to never speak and only communicates by gesturing with his long, frost-encrusted sword. I’ve not heard tale of him murdering, but there’s no chance that something so strange and powerful isn’t here for anything less than evil.” As the adventurers are shopping for gear in the town bazaar, they strike up a conversation with Wimbeck Tagber, a gnomish bookmaker who is taking bets on the gladitorial events that are scheduled for tomorrow. The gnome is friendly and open, ready to talk for so long as the PCs remain at his booth. He tells the party of a strange, silent warrior who others report has been seen outside of town every day for the last few weeks. The gnome has no details beyond what he has already shared, though he does think that it is an evil entity and one that is best avoided. Later that day, while still in the bazaar, screams and shouts from the crowd rise and soon the buzzing word that “the hunter has killed” reaches the party. The people are talking only of the rumor of murder now, and the town watch has reportedly set out to find the hunter and kill him. True. There is an odd hunter from another world stalking the forests near the town, and the creature is doing all that it can to murder any evil that it encounters. The Silent Hunter never speaks, because it is a magical force of nature and not a living being, and it will only defend itself if attacked by those of a good or neutral alignment. If it encounters evil, the thing attacks with no mercy and will do all it can to kill the evil character or creature. The Silent Hunter was summoned by a sorceress, the elf Aila Aebella, and she rushes to tell the watch and the people of the town if they move to attack the strange being. Aebella brought the thing here to help her defeat a force of goblins that are hiding in the forest; the goblins killed her brother and she now seeks revenge. False. There is no creature in the forest. The rumor started when a child saw a dark figure on horseback late one night, and it has now grown out of control. The people screaming that the thing has killed are confused; a citizen was killed by a bear and their wild imagination has taken it from there.

the book of collected rumors • 49

a pirate king’s gold “What I heard is that there’s a chest of gold somewhere on that island, buried decades ago by Kevin Rodin before he were captured and put to death. The Pirate King never did tell where he buried the riches, but those who knew him were said to have known the spot and to have hinted that it were on the eastern side of the island. No one has yet been able to find the chest or claim the gold.” When visiting Ebenezer’s Common Room, one of the many taverns in the city, the party overhears a man named Henry Cliffscribe telling tales with to his friends in exchange for drinks. Cliffscribe is a bit of a drunk (see p. 19), and he can often be found in this very tavern spending what little coin he has managed to collect. The adventurers, always in search of any leads that may direct them to riches, are certainly interested when they hear Cliffscribe’s story of buried treasure, and it is only a matter of time before the drunk is doing his best to convince the party to buy him another drink. Cliffscribe says that he heard of the treasure years ago, when his father told him the tale of Rodin and the island, and he soon starts spinning lies in an attempt to keep the drinks flowing. There’s a very good chance that the PCs recognize the lies and soon ignore the man, so he reveals one last bit of information if he feels that he is losing them. “I know where the map to the treasure is,” Cliffscribe tells them if they start to rise. True. The man really does know where the map is, but he won’t share the info until he gets another drink in him. Once satisfied, Cliffscribe tells the adventurers that they can find the map in the Dungeon of Owls, an ancient tomb on one of the many islands that are off the coast of the city. Getting the map from the tomb may be a challenge as great as finding the buried treasure. False. Cliffscribe has no knowledge of the map, but he is desperate for drink and so far gone that he will say anything to keep the party paying for his ale. They’re sure to be angry when they find out that he is lying.

50 • the book of collected rumors

do not cross the angry sea

“All dead! The ship was lost and there were no survivors. If it weren’t for the crew of the Ocean’s Depth, we would never know what had happened to the missing vessel. Just last week I met sailors from the Depth, and they told how they watched the beast come up from the waters and smash the ship to kindling. You wouldn’t catch me out on that sea these days.”

“I know not what the beast was, and I didn’t see it with my own eyes, but this isn’t the first time that I have heard of a sea monster out there in the waters.”

The man is roughly thirty winters of age and has captured quite the audience as he tells tale after tale, sharing news of the outside world for so long as the drinks keep flowing. Skeptical PCs will no doubt question every tale, but the locals are enraptured with the storyteller and ask question after question.

True. There is something out there in the water, yes, and the sailors who travel the sea report that something large has been spotted several times over the last few weeks. The sea monster is a demon from the elemental plane of waters, and it was brought to this world by the acts of a mad wizard.

If the PCs stop the man and chat with him, they soon learn that his name is Umed Bahar and he is happy to sit and talk; he immediately asks them to buy him a drink.

False. There are monsters in the sea, as there have always been, but there’s nothing unusual or remarkable out there in the water.

If the PCs press for more information, Bahar suggests that they visit the docks where they’ll find sailors who are certain to know more.

the book of collected rumors • 51

a promise of riches to those who will help “He said he will be back later tonight, and any who wish to join him are certain to close out the week with more gold in their pocket than they’ve ever held before. He wouldn’t say what the job was, only that it were for the bravest of men and those who were willing to get wet and were strong of body and mind. I’m just waiting now for him to get here so I can learn more; you better believe that I’m not afraid of some work if it means a fortune in gold.” Late one night at the tavern, the adventurers get into a deep conversation with an aged halfling who tells them that he is there waiting for a job. The promise of gold is all it takes to get the halfling’s attention, and he encourages the PCs to wait around a little longer for the elf with the plan who is expected soon. “So you wish to join our group,” the elf asks of you after he arrives. Tanyth Cramaris is an elven fighter who has spent decades exploring the dungeons and tombs of the world. He arrives shortly after the PCs speak with the halfling, and he immediately hears of their interest in his offer of work. “We’re raiding the Black Tower of Bal-Curz,” the elf says. “The town is only a few days’ ride, and I’ve learned that the sorcerers in the tower are sitting on magical treasures that are ours if we are brave enough to take them.” The elf has made arrangements with a caravan of merchants for he and his party to serve as bodyguards to the caravan, so there’s a promise of certain pay to any who join the adventure. If the PCs choose to join Cramaris, it soon turns out that they are the only members of the party. Everyone else is too scared of the journey and tower to join in. True. Tanyth Cramaris does know of the Black Tower of Bal-Curz, but he has no special insight or information beyond the rumors that many speak of the tower. The caravan pays guards one gold per day of the ride to Bal-Curz (which is as far away as the GM says it is), but once the party reaches the town, they soon learn that Cramaris is hoping for the best and making it up as he goes along. If the adventurers wish to try and infilitrate the Black Tower – a dark and oddly outof-place structure that rises high above the mercant district of Bal-Curz – they’ll pretty much have to take control of the adventure since the elf has no plan. False. The elf has only heard rumors of the Black Tower and there is no caravan. He feigns surprise when the merchants fail to show in the morning and suggests that they proceed to Bal-Curz without the caravan. * To learn more about the town of Bal-Curz and the mysterious Black Tower, please see the Tower of the Black Sorcerers adventure by Dungeoneers Guild Games, available at www.dungeoneersguildgames.com.

52 • the book of collected rumors

the demon bride “Leonid Skudra’s daughter is missing. Jogita was last seen leaving her work at the laundry two weeks ago and vanished before she made it home. Yesterday, Skudra was in here talking about how his daughter was to be wed to a demon and he insisted that only brave adventurers could save the girl before she was taken to the deepest of hells to live eternal life as the demon’s wife. The man left, scared and crying, when he could find no heroes to rescue his daughter.”

False. It is not a demon that Jogita Skudra is to marry, but only Vilars Blaus who has kidnapped her and drugged her with a love potion. Leonid Skudra has been caught by thugs in the service of Blaus, and the man is bound and captive in the cellar. Can the PCs see through the love potion that has ensnared Jogita, or will they think this is a wedding of love and allow it to happen?

After asking the tavern keeper for any interesting or unusual news, the PCs are regaled with a tale of a local and the daughter who is to wed a demon. The tavern keeper, Rodrigo Egolf, doesn’t know where the wedding is to happen, but he can direct them to Skudra’s home and says that they should find the man there. If the adventurers choose to visit Skudra at his home, they are told that the master of the house is unavailable; Skudra has set out to rescue his daughter. Either by tracking Skudra or asking those who may have seen him, the PCs eventually find themselves at an older, large home deep within the city’s oldest neighborhood. A home that, if the locals are to be believed, is haunted. True. Jogita Skudra has been taken by a demon and is being forced to marry the creature. The home is that of the demon’s human servant, Vilars Blaus, a wealthy merchant who owes his fortune to the deals his demon master has arranged for him. The PCs reach the home just as the wedding is about to start. Will they save the girl and her father?

the book of collected rumors • 53

skeleton screams

“The screams were unbearable. Piercing. Nightmarish. I thought that they would never end and no amount of cotton stuffed in the ears deadened the sounds. It was almost as if the screams were a magical assault on my senses and I was powerless to avoid the noise.” Denis Railean – a common chandler specializing in candles, soap, and other household items – is telling his friends at the Roasted Turnip inn about one night last week when something prevented his rest. The PCs, always in search of adventure, can’t help but overhear the man’s tale and ask to hear more. Railean, for a price so low as a mug of ale, is open with his story and tells the adventurers of how a group of skeletons kept him from sleeping late one night. Railean lives on the outskirts of the city, on the wrong side of the wall, and this wasn’t the first time that skeletons have disrupted his sleep. “I’ll show you the place, yes,” Railean says if the PCs ask to see his home and the sight of the incident. The man lives in a single-story cottage with his cat; no one else lives there. Looking closely at the ground near the home, the PCs find evidence of several booted men trampling the weeds and grass as recently as a week ago. The trail leads off to the road where it is quickly lost in the tracks of hundreds of travelers. True. Railean recently took a small ring as payment for some goods. Unfortunately for the man, the ring once belonged to a nobleman who – ever since his death – has followed the aura of the ring. The nobleman has been dead for decades and, over the years, has collected a following. In total there are 2d4 skeletons seeking the ring. The item is not magical, but it is important to the deceased nobleman. The creature won’t stop searching until it reclaims the ring. False. Railean’s sleep was disrupted by neighborhood children. If caught, the kids admit that they were only trying to scare the man.

54 • the book of collected rumors

song of the harpy “Fear the song of the harpy, folks, because if you hear the harpy sing, it will be the last thing you hear before your death. I’ve not tangled with these wretched beasts, but I’ve met many an adventurer who tells of narrowly escaping death at the claws and teeth of these beautiful – yet grotesque – monsters.” A traveling storyteller is seated at the tavern’s bar, talking loudly enough that everyone in the place turns to see what this stranger has to say. The bard, an elf, is dressed in gold and purple clothes, a chain shirt visible beneath the fabric of his tunic. The man asks the tavern keeper for another drink and then turns around, casually making sure that everyone in the place has their attention on him.

“The harpy isn’t to be trusted,” he says now that he is certain that most in the tavern are paying attention. “These creatures will sometimes wrap themselves in cloaks and robes, seeking to pass themselves off as beautiful human females so that they can lure men to their doom.” “What is worse than the fact that the harpy exists, though, has to be that one of these beasts has moved into this very city and may be waiting to strike.” He looks across the room, takes a drink, and then states calmly: “any man here could fall to the monster’s touch this very night. Unless you have protection from the song of the harpy.” The man goes on to tell the room that he possesses a potion that, if swallowed, will provide permanent protection against a harpy’s song. For only a handful of gold, he will sell the potion so that you may be safe from the monster that even now may be listening. He says he has enough for all; no pushing. True. The man, Braern Daeris, is a bard and it is true that he has learned of a harpy in the city. What is not true is that a potion of protection against the harpy’s song exists . . . or that he has it. What the man has is a bitter drink that he is passing off as a magical potion. His goal is to sell what he can and escape the city tonight, before any find out his potion is useless. False. The man is lying about everything. There is no harpy in the city and his potion does not work.

the book of collected rumors • 55

the enchanted sword and the bargain “She said her name is Jaimini Gogoi and that she is in search of jewels to feed her sword. I’d never heard of such insane nonsense, so I told her to get lost or I would call the guards.” While shopping for supplies in the city market, the PCs overhear a merchant telling a friend about a strange woman who was in the shop earlier that day. “I never saw the sword, but she said it was a flaming weapon capable of inflicting great punishment on evil. All I wanted was for her to leave; I was close to yelling for the guards when she bowed, thanked me for her time, and set off to the north.” The shopkeep, if asked by the adventurers, describes the woman as tall, sand-skinned, and wearing red and brown robes over a flame-colored dress. He knows nothing except that she went to the north. “I assume,” he says, “that she is hitting up other dealers since she said she needed jewels.” If they set off after the woman, the PCs find that in shop after appropriate shop, the merchants tell the same tale: a strange woman talking of a magic sword was in search of jewels. Every one of them turned her away. True. Jaimini Gogoi owns a magical sword that can only be recharged by grinding up jewels and gems and sprinkling the dust over the blade. She is running low on fuel for the weapon and is looking to buy the necessary jewels and gems. She is a good and honest person and will not resort to stealing what she needs. False. The woman was there, certainly, but she is insane and there is no magic sword. Jaimini has fooled herself into believing the story and now she will not stop until she finds a gemstone.

56 • the book of collected rumors

the wizard visitor “His name is Meik Scheuermann and he will be staying here for three weeks. I was talking with his servant earlier and the man told me that Scheuermann, a wizard, is in the city to visit the Library of Arvendon. All his servant knew was that his master is busy researching some magical secret or other, and that the Library of Arvendon is said to have books valuable to the man’s research.” While staying in a tavern, the PCs hear that one of the tavern’s other guests is a powerful wizard who is visiting the city and will be here for a few more weeks. The man arrived a few days ago, and every day from dawn to dusk he is inside the Library of Arvendon – a building that only arcane spellcasters may enter – where it is said he is spending his time researching a secret subject. If the PCs pry into the wizard’s business, they will soon learn that Scheuermann is not a man to disturb. The wizard is instantly aware of their efforts (he uses spells to watch over his belongings when he is away, and he is careful to keep an eye on any who try to follow him). At first, the man warns them off with a simple “leave me be” and a nod. If the PCs persist, the wizard will not hesitate to use his magic to cause them pain. “He’s looking for a mystic gate that connects the Library to a dungeon beneath the king’s castle, or so I’ve heard.” The tavern staff are nothing but a source of rumors and they’re more than happy to share every little scrap of info that they have collected to any who share with them a handful of coins. True. The man is a wizard who has journeyed to the city to research ancient spells. He does know of a gateway between the library and the castle dungeon, but that isn’t what he is looking for. He only wishes to be left alone and becomes more and more frustrated as strangers interfere in his daily trips to the library. False. The man is a wizard, but he isn’t going to the library for research. A cabal of wizards meet at the library every day to trade spells, secrets, and share in strong drink.

the book of collected rumors • 57

more thieves in the city “I tells ye it has been getting worse! Night after night, when I set out on my rounds, I swear the soft sound of footpads and roofmen follow me down every street and alley of the city. I sometimes catch a glimpse of an odd shadow or two, often on a low roof, but I’ve not yet managed to spot one or to catch one of them in the act.”

The adventurers are seated at a nearby table and overhear the conversation, soon asking the watchman to join them for a drink. The man tells the PCs of his belief that there are more thieves in the city. If they ask, he agrees to allow them to follow him that night.

Mathijn Dragonjer is a member of the city watch and has the unfortunate luck of being a night watchman. Tasked with patrolling the city between midnight and dawn, Dragonjer is alone save for his sword and torch when on his rounds, and he is certain that there are more thieves operating in the city these days.

True. A band of thieves moved into the city three weeks ago and they’re doing all they can to identify the most valuable objects in the city. Their plan is to pinpoint the top twelve items of value and then, all in one night, steal the twelve and then flee the city. Luckily for the adventurers, tonight is the night that they will finally take action and steal what they’ve discovered.

The man is eating hard bread (and even harder cheese) in the tavern and telling the owner about his nightly encounters with shadows and sounds.

False. It is not thieves that Dragonjer is hearing, but goblins. The little beasts have been stealing trinkets for weeks now and it is about time that they be caught.

58 • the book of collected rumors

the royal secret “Margaret Smitherman, Duchess of Haerford, is an imposter. Or so they say. The woman is a mystic construct, created from the flesh of the dead Duchess and empowered by the wizard the true Duchess mistakenly trusted before her death. They say that the wizard is planning to use the false Duchess to try and assassinate the king.” Weland Leofgeat is well known in the city as a dissenter and rebel, and he may have taken his rebellious acts too far with his tale of a false Duchess intent on murdering the king. Leofgeat believes he is speaking low enough that the din of the market will mask his words, but he never counted on the dungeoneers being so close that they could make out his words through the many overlapping words of the merchants and shoppers who are out this day. “Ceolweald of Nortoft, the wizard, is said to have murdered the Duchess months ago and has spent the time since training the copy so that she won’t raise questions when she meets the king next week.” If the PCs approach Leofgeat and confront him, the man’s face turns white when he realizes that he has been overheard. Unless they act quickly, Leofgeat’s confederate, a tall elf in blue robes and carrying a staff, escapes. If they manage to corner both Leofgeat and the elf, they soon learn that they have caught Kailu Liayra, an elven murderer wanted by the town watch. Leofgeat is a coward and surrenders at the first sign of violence, but Liayra is a skilled swordsman and not one to back down from a fight. He also has no desire to be captured by the watch, so he will fight to defend himself as he tries to escape. True. The two men are speaking the truth and the wizard truly did kill the Duchess and replace her with an arcane simulacrum. If the adventurers do not take action, the magical creature will make an attempt on the king’s life. How the PCs react once they learn of the plot, including how they deal with Leofgeat, will directly impact the upcoming assassination attempt. False. There is no plot against the king. Leofgeat is trying to trick Liayra into paying for details that don’t exist. The entire tale was fabricated by the man in an attempt to make money and he breaks down and admits to his lies if questioned. The elf, if he hears the confession, will try to kill the liar at the first opportunity.

the book of collected rumors • 59

a dragon in the forest

“I’d seen a dragon once, when I was younger. Me pap took me to a traveling carnival where they were showing off a captured blue dragon. I best remember the size of the thing; it were bigger than a house! I hoped at that time that I would never meet a dragon that weren’t chained and enslaved. That hope was crushed yesterday when I stumbled across a great green dragon in the woods. I didn’t think I would escape, and I likely wouldn’t have if the creature hadn’t stopped to eat my poor horse. I ran and didn’t look back.” Several others in the tavern laugh at the man, his friends and strangers alike calling him a liar and suggesting that he slow down on his drinking. Dejected and frustrated, the man snatches up his heavy coat and sets out into the night air. If the PCs follow him, the man at first thinks they are thieves and draws his dagger. If they are able to convince him that they only wish to talk, he introduces himself as Nino Richert and agrees to a chat so long as the adventurers are buying. “Not back in there,” he says. “Too many in there will ask questions.” He soon leads the PCs to a nearby tavern where he orders a drink and tells his tale. True. Richert met a green dragon in the forest, just as he says, and he offers to draw a map if the adventurers will pay him a gold (and if they have the necessary tools). The green dragon is long gone, though they do find tracks and the remains of Richert’s unfortunate horse. There’s no telling where the dragon could have gone. False. The man was frightened off by an ogre, and it was only the dim lighting beneath the treetops and an overactive imagination that made Richert imagine he encountered a dragon. If the PCs investigate the area, they soon find a worn and ill-repaired hut where an ogre has made his home. The creature, Glukurg, isn’t looking for a fight though he will defend himself if attacked. If the PCs approach Glukurg cautiously and suggest that they only wish to talk, the ogre allows them in and serves them a strong tea. He remembers the man last week, yes, and the ogre even has the man’s horse in the fenced garden behind the cottage and gives the horse over to the PCs if they ask for it.

60 • the book of collected rumors

a ranger on the hunt “She told me that she was hunting for evil and that I need not fear her but, to be honest, it wasn’t her that had me shaking. The woman’s pet was the biggest, strangest beast I’ve ever seen accompany a hunter. It were a wolf or a dog, perhaps, but something about the thing had the hairs on the back of my neck standing as if I’d seen a ghost.” Jake Gallagher has been a woodcutter since his earliest days, spending almost every day of his life in the forests near the city. The man lives in a cabin in the woods with his wife and three children, and once each week he makes the trek to the city to sit in the tavern and share a few drinks with others. Many know him, and those who do say that he is honest and can be trusted. Gallagher is telling the others in the tavern of his encounter with a ranger and her animal companion. He said she may have been an elf, but her skin was odd and her ears far longer than any elf that he had met before. If asked, Gallagher says that the woman didn’t give her name and only said that she was in search of the man who stole her coin purse. Gallagher thought it strange that she would be seeking a thief in the forest, especially with such a large beast at her side, but he only wanted to get away from the woman and her creature so he wished her luck and moved on. True. A nymph ranger is in the forest, though it is not a man that she is seeking. The ranger is in pursuit of a devil that escaped from an extraplanar prison and it is her duty to capture the beast and return it. Would the devil be foolish enough to try to disguise itself as a man and hide in the city? False. Gallagher isn’t lying, but he is exaggerating just a touch. He met an elven ranger in the forest and her wolf companion. The ranger was hunting for deer to feed herself and her friends, and she was annoyed at Gallagher’s noisy approach since he scared off her prey. The ranger may still be somewhere near the city.

the book of collected rumors • 61

a dragon blocks the mountain pass “Those who have come in recently have been saying that they cannot take the mountain pass. Many travelers have reported that they had to take the long way, adding days to their journey, because a dragon at the mountain pass is slaughtering all who are unwise and dare to invade what the beast has claimed as its property.”

The rumors of a dragon atop the mountain grow stronger each day, until the town offers a reward for its death.

How the rumor of the dragon was started is unknown, but the PCs quickly hear many people in the city talking about the promise of 500 gold to any who can slay the dragon and bring proof of its death to the city watch. 500 gold isn’t much of a bounty for a dragon, especially one as large and powerful as the rumors claim this one is, but perhaps if there is a dragon, there is also a dragon’s hoard of treasure waiting to be claimed. Asking around, the adventurers don’t hear from anyone who has actually tried to take the mountain pass, but they meet many travelers who took the long way around the mountain so that they could avoid the threat of the rumored dragon. True. An ancient dragon has moved into caves near the mountain pass and is now defending its new territory from those it considers to be intruders. The dragon is still in the process of transporting its treasure from a previous lair to the newly-claimed caverns; if the PCs find the lair, it only has about 25% of the dragon’s treasure. False. There is no dragon. A band of ruffians have set up camp atop the mountain, and to reduce the risk of being caught they’ve been spreading stories of a dragon at the mountain pass.

“Of all the monsters in the world, dragons are the most feared.” – Monster Manual (4th Edition), Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt 62 • the book of collected rumors

the kenku’s threat “You all heard that beast threaten me!” On the busy city streets, as the sun begins to set on the horizon, a man is shouting and drawing a crowd as a kenku pushes his way through the crowd. The people part, granting the angry kenku a clear path and doing their best to avoid making eye contact with the creature. The PCs are too far away from the scene to intervene, but they do witness the following commotion as the man yells again and again, “someone stop that birdfolk and call the watch.” Unfortunately for the man, none dare stop the kenku and the town watch arrive just as the PCs get close enough to overhear. “That thing pushed me down and threatened to kill me if it ever saw me again. Imagine, the nerve of such a monster to threaten a good, honest citizen such as myself. What is this city coming to when you allow things like that to walk free?” If asked, the man says that he is Arnosst Adamec and that he works on the docks where he loads and unloads cargo. The kenku, who he names as Apholixus, is a regular to the docks. The birdman works on a merchant ship, Pride of the Stars, and Adamec and the kenku have argued before. “That thing’s a killer, and I know that he’s wanted on the Isle of Netherward. Whosoever captures the beast and delivers him there will no doubt be rewarded.” True. The kenku, Apholixus, is wanted for the murder of three men on the Isle of Netherward. He hasn’t been to the island in years, but the people there remember him.

False. There is no bounty on the kenku. Adamec and the birdman have a history – they were once partners in crime and robbed homes in a distant town – but it was Adamec who was caught. The kenku escaped and Adamec has never forgiven him.

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a cosmic horror in the sewers “They’ve pulled four bodies from the sewer this week alone, each one sucked dry of all blood and parts of the arms and legs eaten off by some horrible beast. I was there when they pulled out the most recent body, a dwarf who was missing one arm and half a leg, and in all my years working the sewers, I’ve never seen anything this gruesome and wicked.” Kalyan Bade, rat catcher and sewer sweeper, is eating his noonday meal near the city gate, sitting with a few guards and a traveler outside in the sun. The group of men have been telling stories while the PCs have been answering the guards’ questions – every stranger is grilled when they pass through the gates – and the adventurers are no doubt anxious to get past the guards and approach the man to ask for more information about the bodies that were found in the city sewers. “The bodies were blocking the flow, clogging up the pipes, and we had no choice but to yank them out. If it were up to me, we wouldn’t set foot in those sewers again. I’ve run into some nasty stuff down there over the years – giant spiders, ratfolk, even a thief from time to time – but I’ve never heard of anything so large that it could inflict that much damage.” For a few gold, Bade promises to leave one of the outof-the-way grates to the sewers open later that day. Of course the PCs want to enter the sewers and search for a terrible monster to kill. True. Select one of the strangest planar creatures that you can from your most obscure game supplement and drop it into the city sewers. An evil mage summoned the beast and set it loose in the sewers as a way to get back at the city for turning him away several weeks ago. False. There is something in the sewers, but it isn’t an otherworldly beast. A troll is loose in the sewers and has been living off of whatever it can find, mostly the flesh of those foolish enough to explore the tunnels.

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the barbarian and the magic warhammer “The shopkeeps were talking about nothing else this afternoon. A barbarian from the northern mountains, as tall as a troll and as strong as an ogre, went from market stall to market stall in search of food and supplies. A few of the merchants managed to engage the man in chatter, but none of them could learn more than that he was a stranger in need of supplies for his journey.”

“What do we care of a barbarian?” The man turns to his noisy friend and answered, “because the shopkeeps say that barbarian was carrying one of the largest and most powerful magic hammers known. Word is, according to those who saw the man, he carries the warhammer known as Blightstrike and if true, that item is worth more than such as you will ever see in your lifetime.” The man, Stanley Chad, suggests to some of his friends over drinks that they should go after this barbarian and take the hammer to sell. None of them look keen on the idea, though, and after an hour or so of drinking and chatting, Chad leaves. If the PCs engage the man in conversation, either before he leaves or outside of the tavern, Stanley Chad swears that it was the magic hammer and that the merchants last heard the barbarian was going to camp outside of the city gates. Chad is all talk, though, and his boasts and cries of “let’s take that hammer!” fade away quickly if the PCs suggest that he join them in tracking down the barbarian and the weapon. True. The barbarian, his name is Jarle Torkelson, does own Blightstrike and has had the weapon in his possession for several months. If the PCs find him and ask about the weapon, Torkelson tells them he took it from a dragon’s hoard that he raided in the northern mountains. The dragon was away at the time, he tells them, and he has heard rumors that the dragon is now searching for him and the weapon. False. The barbarian’s warhammer is not at all magical; the merchants were hoping that it was Blightstrike because they all wish to one day see the fabled weapon.

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“I tell you, that man isn’t from anywhere that you or I would have ever heard of. There’s something about him that’s strange and simply wrong. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s the little things – like the way that he speaks – that tells that he is from somewhere far away.” Ask anyone who knows him, and they will tell you that Jeremias Herz has always been a bit of a prejudiced bore who has always looked down on strangers and outsiders. To hear the man complaining about a newcomer isn’t exactly surprising, but this time around, Herz is being even more bothersome and persistent than usual in his insistence that “something’s odd about that fellow.”

man from a distant world

If the PCs sit near Herz as the man continues his diatribe, there’s a chance that he will turn to them (so long as they are not clearly strangers to the city) and ask what they think. “You’ve not seen him about? How could you even miss him?!?! I swear, his eyes are unnatural and there’s no way that he isn’t from elsewhere, maybe even from a completely different world.” If pressured, Herz explains that he is talking about Alan Bazaev, a spellcaster who arrived in the city two days ago and is staying at an inn very close to the tavern. “I caught him just this morning nosing around at different shops and inns, no doubt up to no good. When I asked him why he were going to so many places and not buying anything, he looked me up and down and then walked off without saying a word.” True. Herz is more accurate than he realizes when he says that Bazaev isn’t from these parts. The spellcaster is a planar traveler who is on the hunt for the Sphere of Secrets, an intelligent object that communicates with the planes of the undead. Bazaev has reason to believe that the magic item is in a dungeon on this world, and he thinks he has narrowed the location down to this city. If approached by the PCs, he’ll explain just enough of his mission before asking if they would like to hire on as his bodyguards and local guides.

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False: Herz is simply imagining things and is distrustful of everyone he doesn’t know. Alan Bazaev is new to the city, yes, but he’s nothing more than another adventurer in search of riches and fame. If the PCs engage the man in conversation, they soon learn that he is from the nearby town of Thrushcallow and has spent the last couple of years working as a mercenary. He was paid off by the mercenary company a week ago and is now looking for a new employer in the hopes of lining up his next job before he spends a few days in the home town.

she who cannot be trusted “Gods I hate her! Isha Kotadia is nothing more than a murdering, stealing, and treacherous monster of a woman and she’s not to be trusted!”

The man’s outburst is loud enough that the player characters can hear him, despite all of the noise of the street they’re traversing when they overhear his first unkind words about a woman they’ve never heard of before. Several feet away, across the street and in front of a handsome chocolatier’s shop, the party sees a younger man – maybe twenty winters of age – shaking and waving his hands, the man’s next few sentences lost in the din of a passing wagon and the six horses that are pulling it. “She’ll pay for her evil!” The man turns to storm off, leaving behind the two older gentlemen he was speaking with. If the PCs choose to talk with the two men, they’ll explain that the lad – Adolf Builis – was recently swindled by a witch and seer who has a shop only a few doors down from where they are now standing. Isha Kotadia, the men explain, is known to trick the unsuspecting from time to time, and the lad is angry that she took several gold from him in exchange for a chance to “speak” with his dead father. They tell the PCs that Kotadia’s shop is always open, and suggest that the PCs ask her if they’re curious about the situation. If the group chases down the young man, they soon catch up with him in front of the seer’s shop. Adolf Builis insists that he is going to kill the woman for her crime. If the party asks why he is angry, he explains that she stole 25 gold from him and failed to deliver on her promise to communicate with his dead father. Only his father, he explains, knew where a particular promissory note worth 500 gold was hidden in the city and Builis would very much like to get his hands on that note and exchange it for the promised coins.

True. It is true that Kotadia took the man’s money and if she is confronted, she looks about nervously as if trying to find a quick way out of trouble. The woman is neither a witch nor a seer and her entire business is a ruse, a front for a fencing operation that she runs with her aged grandmother. The two aren’t above paying out a bribe – or, at the very least, returning Builis’ coins – if it will help them to protect their business from being uncovered as a false front for criminal activity. False. Builis is lying and has never been to the shop before. He was hoping to convince others of the truth of his words so that he could get into the shop and rob the place blind. There is no promissory note, no father, and Kotadia is a true witch and seer. The first she hears of the incident is when she overhears the PCs speaking with Builis on the street in front of her shop.

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a killer in town “Seven, maybe eight bodies stacked in that alley, packed as tight as cordwood, and the city watch standing around jawing it up while they awaited their captain. I tried to get a closer look at the dead, but the bulls pushed me back with their claims of ‘watch business’ and I had to choose between leaving or being arrested. As you lot can see, I selected the former course of action.” Neven Stefanovic is a regular at the Second Drink (see Fantasy City Sites and Scenes II, pp. 8-9), a large inn that sits several miles from the main gates of the city. The man works in the city as a farrier in a small stable, and almost every evening he rides one of the horses out to the inn for drinks and to trade gossip with the locals and those travelers staying in the inn that night. “While I couldn’t get a look at the bodies, I did overhear the watchmen saying this was the third incident of the month and that they think a killer is working the streets. I’m used to deaths in the city, but usually just one or two bodies and late at night. Whosoever committed this heinous deed did the killing right there in the alley under the glare of the afternoon sun. That’s a murderer who knows no fear. But is the lack of fear caused by stupidity . . . or are they just so powerful a fighter that they worry not about being caught in the act?” If the PCs ask Stefanovic to tell them more, he can only say that the alley runs along the backside of a warehouse in the merchant’s district. He can provide them with directions to where he saw the scene, but he knows nothing more about the situation. True. Stefanovic isn’t lying about what he saw; there were nine bodies stacked atop each other in an alley in the city earlier today. The watch was called in to investigate and clean things up, and the area has been cleared by the time that the PCs even hear of the murders. Burguk Yolmar, an orcish gladiator from Mightmeadow, a small city several weeks’ ride away, arrived in the city earlier this month without a copper to his name. The man tried to land a job,

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but after several days of being turned away (because of his heritage), the man grew angry and eventually snapped out at a stranger. Before he knew it, Yolmar had killed the man and dumped the body in an alley. The several silver coins he took from the dead man showed him the best way to survive in the city. Yolmar has now killed almost 30 different people, and he’s finding it easier and easier to kill the more he does it. If the PCs do nothing, the orc keeps killing every week until he is corned by the watch and slaughtered. False. Stefanovic has been frustrated as of late that he has had no enticing stories to tell at the inn, so he dreamed up quite the yarn while riding to the inn. If pressed for details, the man stammers a bit at which point some PCs who are particularly skilled at fast-talking and deceit may recognize that the man’s tale is something far less than true. How will they deal with the man’s lies?

“If I had the coin, I’d be out there right now with a group digging it out of the ground and hauling it back into town. A man could get rich selling bits from a starfall as large as this. I made sure to cover it with leaves and grass so that it would stay hidden, but I’m unlikely to ever have the means to move it all at once.”

a discovery

Talek Pearce tells the same story night after night, talking incessantly every evening about how he will one day be rich . . . just as soon as he finds the best way to claim his discovery. Pearce has let on that he has found a meteorite somewhere outside of the city, and he wishes only to earn enough gold to afford a crew of workers who will help him dig out the cosmic rock so that he can bring it into the city. If the PCs suggest that they could help the man to move the meteorite, Pearce will question their true motives. The man is worried that someone will try to steal his discovery, but maybe the adventurers look trustworthy enough that he’ll cut them in on his find? True. If the PCs agree to his terms – he gets half of the sale of the meteorite, and they have to finance the recovery effort – then the man leads them almost two days’ out from the city to an area of the forest where the trees have been smashed by something from above. As he described it, the party finds a meteorite that is half-buried in the earth. The damage to the forest looks a few years old, so it has been some time since the meteorite fell from the stars. If they can get this discovery back to the city, there is certain to be money to be made in selling off the meteorite a piece at a time. While not all of the object is valuable, it is made up of materials that craftsmen, mages, and collectors prize and will pay to own. False. Pearce leads the group to a rock in the ground that is simply a rock. Those knowledgeable of starfalls are not impressed if shown the object. It’s an ordinary rock and not in any way special or valuable.

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scavengers on the city streets

“This makes seven nights in a row that I’ve seen them out there, digging through the rubbish and collecting what odds and ends that they can find. I’ve counted at least nine of them now, and I swear each is filthier and smells worse than the last. Maybe their kind is allowed to pollute other cities with their behavior, but I think we’re better than this and that the watch should put an end to their actions.” His mouth ringed with grease and his fingers slick from holding a cooling, over-cooked chicken wing for too long, Parthin Samkriti continues his complaints about the recent junkmen who are searching the city for any discarded goods that they may find valuable. “Disgusting is what I calls it, and any man or woman here who disagrees with me is as dirty and savage as those accursed junkmen.” Samkriti tears flesh from the chicken wing in his hand and grimaces at the cold, tasteless meat. “Why don’t you hire a real cook,” he yells at the barkeep who only raises an eyebrow in response. “And it’s not just scraps these souls are seeking. I’ve not seen it myself, but I’ve now heard from two others that the scavengers are truly thieves who are scouting out the city and will return before long with a guild of scoundrels who will rob many of us blind. How the watchmen allow these criminals to stay on the streets night after night is a mystery.” The man pauses to eat another bite. “Maybe they’ve paid off the watch.” If the PCs ask Samkriti to tell them more about these supposed thieves, the man explains that they’re a band of junkmen – scrappers and scavengers who dig through the city’s waste in search of goods that can be sold to others – who might be thieves. The PCs have seen his kind before: ready to talk, but unlikely to take action if backed into a corner. If pressed, Samkriti dials back his anger and behavior a bit. “Now I’m not saying I am certain they are thieves. I’m only telling you what I’ve heard from others. Whatever. Lock your valuables, if you don’t want to lose them.”

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True. Though Samkriti doesn’t know it, the rumors are true and the scavengers are actually members of a guild of thieves who have been sent to loot the city. They’re operating on their own – there’s little chance of others joining them – and the thieves have been posing as scavengers to disguise their true purpose in the city. Perhaps the heroes take an interest in the scavengers after hearing Samkriti’s rant at the tavern, turning their attention to the men who sift through the wreckage and ruins of the alleys. If the party does catch the thieves in the act of burglary or a mugging, will the group deal with the thieves on their own, or will they seek out the watch in hopes of collecting a bounty on the criminals? After all, the city pays 2 gold for each confirmed capture of a thief that is directly attributed to information supplied by a citizen. False. Samkriti is wrong, which is fairly common for the man if you ask those who know him. The scavengers truly are junkmen, and they plan to leave the city soon.

“Yeva Rodionovna sells the best quiche in the city. She spends most of the morning in the merchant’s district, pushing her warming cart around the streets and selling her delectable baked tarts to the many people in that district of the city. Word is, Yeva has more than just baked treats for sale.” When in the merchant’s district, while chatting with one of the local shopkeeps, the party learns of Yeva Rodionovna, an elderly woman best known for her daily sale of quiche, but it is not the tarts that earn her enough money to survive. “The woman scrounges all of the ingredients for her baked tarts, even going so far as to steal eggs from the birds of the forest. She has no home of her own, so she bakes her tarts at whichever bakery will have her that day, splitting her take with the bakery of the day. She bakes more than she can sell in a day, so that she always has cold tarts to sell. Do not buy a cold tart. I made that mistake once and the thing was so over-aged that it had me on my back for days.” The shopkeep mentions that if the PCs are in need of knowledge, they should track down Rodionovna since she often knows secrets that many would prefer be left unsaid. True. Using the cart and quiches to mask her movements through the city, Rodionovna is a rumormonger with connections. The woman doesn’t know everything, but what she doesn’t know she can either learn or – for the right price – make introductions. The PCs may find that she is a reliable source of information and a person that they will want to make a regular contact for those times that they visit the city. She only trades her knowledge for coins . . . or for equally-valuable information and plausible rumors.

find her and you find secrets

False. The woman is nothing more than a vagabond with a talent for baking. The cart that she pushes is her only possession of note, and even that has seen better days. If the PCs approach her and try to buy knowledge, Rodionovna takes the coin and plays along, saying whatever she can think of so long as it keeps the party handing over coins and maintains their interest. How long can she talk before they question her “information?”

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there’s a secret war in the city “It’s not loud or obvious, but it’s definitely a war, and as deadly a conflict as any you see conducted by armies of the cities and kingdoms. They’re just quieter and keep their fight in the shadows.”

Wearing the dark cloak and padded armor often favored by thieves, Jasmijn Mellema has asked the party to meet her at a local tavern. The woman claims to have information that the heroes need to hear.

“It’s the local guild of thieves, of which I belong, that’s fighting. Two factions within the guild – one led by the mighty Calros Bran and t’other directed by that coward Martas Letukas – have declared war and unless someone intervenes and puts a stop to the hostility, the guild will be ripped apart when the city watch uncover the conflict.” Jasmijn has asked the PCs to meet with her because she wants them to aid Bran in defeating the other half of the guild’s members. She has been authorized by Bran to offer the party 1,000 gold coins if they will join in the fight against Letukas and the traitors to the guild. “What say you? Will you help us and put an end to Letukas and his men before the guard kills us all?” True. Jasmijn is telling the truth and there is an internal conflict in the local guild of thieves that is only now starting to spill onto the streets. It will be only 1d4+2 days before the guard takes action against the guild, giving the party very little time to step in and put a halt to the conflict. If the PCs side with Bran, the man thanks them for their aid and asks that they infilitrate the guildhall – “that thug and his men chased us from our own home!” – and assassinate Letukas. If the PCs agree to Bran’s request, he tells them that he can send five of his strongest men to aid them in the battle. The men are there to help, yes, but they are also there to turn on and murder the PCs if the party succeeds in killing Letukas. No need to leave witnesses, yes? False. There is a fight within the guild, but Jasmijn and Bran are the aggressors in this conflict. They’re attempting to stage a coup and kill Letukas so that Bran may take control of the guild. Regardless of how the PCs decide to interact with this rumor, it appears that the local guild of thieves is going to have a very rough time once the city guard gets involved. How do the PCs take advantage of the situation if the guards break the guild and leave a criminal power vacuum in the city?

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nightly screams

“You cannot hear them in the early evening or before the midnight hour, but very late at night – after the taverns have thrown out the last drunks and the watch have started to beat those still on the streets – the screams begin. Distant, quiet, faint at first, but growing in volume and intensity as the very early morning hours proclaim the dawn of the new day. I’ve only heard the screams a handful of times myself, but many who rise before the sun are said to have heard the screams. I know I’m not crazy, but I know not what is causing the screams.” The tavern master, Dakis Alekou, tells the PCs of the screams that many have heard in the city late at night for almost a month now. “I’d not dare guess what could be making the sound,” Alekou says if asked, “but I can assure you that it’s one of the scariest sounds I’ve heard in all my life. Sometimes, it sounds like a handful of people are being slaughtered and begging for help,” Alekou leans in closer, “and other times, I swear I am telling the truth, it is as if the entire city has taken to screaming in terror at some unseen monster.” “You don’t believe me? Just go out after midnight and listen. Do that, my friends, and you will believe me before the dawn.” True. If the PCs do go out after midnight, they can hear the screams just as Alekou said they would. Walking the city streets is a risk – the party may encounters thieves and thugs, or they may run into the watch who will demand to know what their business is at this time of night – but maybe it is one the PCs will take? If they do try and follow the source of the screams, they are soon standing in front of a tower that sits several feet from the western wall of the city.

False. The “screams” that Alekou and others claim to hear are simply the (very loud, granted) mumbling rants of a crazed man who lives in a small tower near the city walls. The mage, Benon Leontiou, was driven insane when attempting to summon a creature and has been locked in his tower for a month. The man is running low on supplies – though he is over-supplied with madness – and will soon die if someone doesn’t find and help him.

The tower – five stories in height and locked tight – is the property of Benon Leontiou, a wizard who has been experimenting with evils that he does not understand. The man recently came into posession of a tome of arcane secrets and is studying it late at night. For so long as the book is opened, the spirits of hundreds of dead mages yell at Leontiou, the opened book serving as a conduit between the realms of the dead and the land of the PCs. If disturbed, Leontiou grows angry and he will attack the PCs if they threaten to interfere in his studies.

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the cursed spellcaster “She’ll need someone’s help if she is to survive the night.” Though the PCs are between adventures, and choosing an evening of rest in the tavern over preparing to explore another castle ruin or distant dungeon, they cannot help but overhear the conversation at the next table. “I checked on her just an hour ago, and the fires were as brilliant and destructive as ever. I’m not sure how long the walls of that church can withstand the fury of the cursed flames. At this point, it’s only a matter of hours before the curse destroys the building and it collapses on her.” If the PCs ask, the two men – Emin Kadyrov and Mannie Ahern – at first pretend that they don’t know what the party is talking about. They soon relent, though, and tell the PCs that a friend of theirs has been cursed. “Elvira Read has been with us for near a decade, as talented a mage as you’ll ever meet. Things were as well as can be after our last journey where she found the ring, but it was only after we made it back here to the city that she tried on the ring. Within seconds, her body was covered in flames that she could not control. Emin and I,” the man nods to his friend, “got her pushed into the church outside of the city walls, but we don’t know what to do next.” True. If the PCs act willing to help with the matter, the two men thank them and lead the PCs outside of the city walls to a church that is illuminated by fires that rage within its four walls. Inside, Elvira has been completely consumed by the ring’s curse, the woman bathed in arcane flames that seem to radiate from her core. If the PCs have the power to remove curses, they can stop the destruction and remove the ring from her fingers. If the party is unable to stop the curse, they arrive in time to witness the transformation of the woman into a flame elemental. The ring connects the wearer’s soul with a monster from the plane of fire, slowly changing the victim into an elemental. Only a wish can undo the damage, and the PCs will soon find themselves fighting a fire elemental in a burning church if they are not careful.

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If they defeat the monster, Elvira is slain in the fight and all that remains is the cursed ring. The woman’s two companions are distraught at the loss of their friend and want nothing to do with the ring. False. The two tricksters made up the story about a “friend” in hopes of convincing some to join them for a journey outside of the city walls. The two men are part of a guild of thieves, and their fellows are waiting at the pre-determined location to help the men to ambush and murder any who may be foolish enough to fall for such a tall tale. If the PCs do go with the men, they’ll have to fight off a group of thugs shortly after they pass through the city gate. The thieves are unwilling to die, though, and run if any one of their number is killed.

spiders in the city sewers

“Shertur says that they were brought here by those merchants stopped here after they had spent some time in Harper’s Gate* last month. He says that the Dragon Ivory they had loaded in their wagon were infested with spider eggs. According to Shertur, the merchants discovered their unwanted cargo while shifting their load around the wagon and dumped the eggs into the sewer. I’d not put it past filthy dwarves to do such a thing.” Latuni Tarquin, miscreant and thug who spends most of his days as an enforcer for the local guild of thieves, has a lot to say this evening . . . even if most of his knowledge seems to come from someone named Shertur. The man is enjoying free drinks in the tavern – he used his connections with the guild to threaten the tavern keeper – and treating the place as if it was his private home. “Regardless of whether or not they came from Harper’s Gate, I’ve heard the spiders scuttling in the sewers.” The man sets his drink down and grabs a meat pie from the table in front of him and bites at it, chewing for a few minutes. Then, with his mouth dribbling juices and full of the tavern’s poor-tasting pie, the man continues: “By the sound of them, they must be monstrous large.” Tarquin feigns annoyance if the PCs ask him about the spiders in the sewers, even though the man is secretly happy that strangers are listening to his tale. “What do I care if you want to check it out for yerselves? Feel free to go into them sewers if you wish, but don’t blame me if whatever is down there turns out to be more than any of you can handle.” True. While the rumor that a load of spider eggs from Harper’s Gate were dumped in the sewers isn’t true, there are giant spiders living below the city streets. If the PCs choose to investigate, they’re sure to run into the webs long before they meet any of the spiders.

Within a few days of hearing Tarquin’s tale even if they don’t act on his story, the city council issues a bounty on giant spiders and warns the citizens of the city to stay out of the sewers. Are the PCs desperate enough for coin that they’ll explore the sewers and, if they do, what horrible things beside the spiders are living in the muck? False. Tarquin is repeating what he heard from Shertur, only he doesn’t realize that his friend is a liar. Shertur has set up a sanctuary in the sewers, blocking off a small section of the tunnels where he has started collecting his ill-gotten goods. The man is spreading rumors of giant spiders in hopes of scaring others from entering the sewers. When the city issues the bounty on spiders, Shertur realizes that his tale may have been too believable and he’s now trying to get his stuff out of the sewers.

* To learn more about the mining town of Harper’s Gate, please see the Harper’s Gate sourcebook by Richard Iorio and jim pinto, published by Rogue Games. www.rogue-games.net

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the forest defender “She introduced herself as Marta Orestivna Cheban and insisted that we leave immediately before it would be too late to escape. The woman was armed with a sword and nearby as we talked, her mount growled menacingly at whatever threat eyed us from the dark depths of the forest. The woman looked not afraid and wished us well, telling us not to look back and to keep running until we reached the safety of the road.” Alec Declerck raises his glass and directs the PCs’ attention to the others seated in the tavern. “They were with me, in the forest, and can tell you that what I say is true.” The others nod in agreement, nursing drinks and looking shocked from whatever they may have experienced earlier in the day. “She’s somewhere in that forest,” Declerck says as he motions toward the distant forest that stands beyond the city wall, “and she is certain to need help. Please,” the man begs, “please go and help her before the monster in the forest gets the better of her and kills her.” Declerck and his companions are too afraid to return to the forest, but the man offers the PCs 10 gold to divide between them as they wish if they will only go help the woman right now. “I only hope it is not too late,” he says as he drops the coins on the table and asks once again that they help. True. Declerck is telling the truth. Only a few hours ago, he and his friends were traveling through the forest when something big started chasing them. They were afraid and took what they thought was a shortcut, only to soon become lost. Marta Cheban, a ranger who lives in the forest, happened along at exactly the right time and directed Declerck and the others to the safety of the main road. If the PCs return to the forest, they’re too late to save the woman. They find Cheban and her trusted mount both dead, savaged by the claws of some great beast. Perhaps the monster is still close by, just waiting for its next victims.

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Use this as an opportunity to throw something large and unexpected at the heroes, forcing them into a brutal battle that they may very well lose. They’d best fight hard – or run fast – if they do not wish to wind up dead like Cheban and her animal companion. False. The story is a ruse. Declerck and his fellows are looking to rob the tavern, and they wish to get the PCs out of the building. If the party ventures into the forest, they find no sign of the rumored woman or whatever beast Declerck claims attacked he and his friends.

a god walks among us

“He was ten-feet tall and armored from head to toe, wearing a gleaming suit that radiated a holy light from somewhere within. At first, I thought it to be a paladin in service of some mighty god or other, but when he spoke I was as sure of one thing as I am of my own name: this were no paladin, but a divine being in his own right. I immediately dropped to my knees and begged forgiveness for daring to look directly at him.” Justen Veldjen has long been one to believe in the gods, so it comes as no surprise to his friends when the man claims to have met a mighty god when he was fetching wood from the forest. “He told me not his true name, but only nodded in agreement when I asked if he were a deity. I wish I knew who he were, because I would swear an oath of loyalty to his name right now and wish that he would strike me dead if I am lying.” Veldjen continues on, telling all who will listen to him about the god that he met in the forest near the city. The man has no proof to support his story, but he insists it is true and begs everyone to believe him. True. Veldjen met a demigod in the forest, not a true deity, and was blessed by the encounter. The man won’t stop talking about the god, describing the armor and how the enclosed helmet seemed to leak brilliant light, and others in the tavern soon grow tired of his story.

False. Veldjen met a warrior – over six-feet tall and armored, yes – but not a god. The man so wishes to serve a powerful deity that his mind is playing tricks on him, helping him to see exactly what he most wants to meet. If the PCs visit the area where he claims to have met the god, they find nothing but grass, trees, and dirt.

If the PCs don’t interfere, it’s only a matter of time until some of the tavern’s other guests grab the man and throw him into the street. “Where’s your god now?” They yell at him, taunting and laughing when the crying man picks himself up and flees into the night. The man will show anyone who asks where he spotted the god. Investigating the area reveals giant-sized footprints in the sand.

the book of collected rumors • 77

the lost familiar “It flew in twice today, and five times yesterday. I’ve seen many a bird in my years, but never one that looked at me with the sense of purpose and wisdom that this bird possessed. I have no clue why it keeps coming in here, but if I see it in here again, I’m going to try and talk to it. I swear to you, that bird isn’t normal!”

Maagan asks the PCs if they have ever heard of such a thing as a bird visiting the same inn so many times in so few days? If they ask her what she thinks it all means, she shakes her head and says: “I’ve no idea, but my husband – when I told him last night – says it sounds like the work of a wizard’s familiar.”

Elisar Maagan has worked as a server at the inn for a few years now, and those who know her will tell you that she’s not one to succumb to whimsy and flights of fancy. For as long as she has worked here, the regulars will say if asked, the woman has been straight and true, always honest and direct.

True. Maagan’s husband was right. The bird is the familiar of Saba Kazbegi, a mage who was murdered two nights ago. If the heroes wait, the bird will return, this time carrying a single gold coin. Try as they might – even if they use magic – they cannot speak with the bird. If they try and follow it, the bird will lead them a few blocks into an alley where they find the corpse of Kazbegi. Once the bird knows that its master will be properly buried and remembered, it flies off to never be seen again.

“The bird was almost beckoning with its head, as if it wanted me to follow it . . . though the Gods only know where! One of the times that it stopped in yesterday it was carrying something in its beak, but I wasn’t close enough to it to see more than a gleam of metal. What do you suppose it could be looking for?”

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False. There’s a bird, but there is nothing special about the creature. It is simply curious and, having not been attacked the first time it visited the inn, is checking in rather infrequently to see if there’s any food or shiny objects that it may snatch.

a spectral terror “Its head nothing more than a floating skull aflamed, jaw clacking constantly, I was sure that I would not live to see the new day’s sun. I couldn’t tell you which was louder, the click-clack-click of those jagged teeth against each other or the clang-clank-clang of its armor as it walked, but both sounds overwhelmed me and I must admit that, if only for a moment or two, I was too afraid to do anything but stare in terror at the creature.” Almost every week, someone in the city has a story of a strange apparition or other. So many such tales filter through the streets, alleys, taverns, and gambling dens of the city that many ignore the promise of spirits altogether and instead focus on the tangible things of the city that they can see. “I wish I could say that it was nothing but my eyes playing tricks on me, that it was an illusion projected by a scoundrel who thought he would fool me, but the sense of terror that I felt when it walked past me was all too real to ignore.” Vladimir Cocis is one of those people who used to say that ghost stories were untrue, lies told to scare children, but he witnessed a thing last night that made the promise of spectral creatures all too real. True. Talking with Cocis, the PCs hear of how the man was too afraid to follow the spirit – which he saw a few blocks away, near the ruins of a bakery that burned down last month – and that he is certain that he saw a ghost. If they investigate, the party will learn that the baker’s son was last seen leaving the city as a warrior in service to a small mercenary outfit. The man died just last week, and the spirit of the son now wishes to say goodbye to his father before he ascends to the heavens. Can the PCs reunite the spirit and the elderly baker? False. As with many of the “ghost” stories told in the city, Cocis was drinking a little too much and imagined the scene. He insists it was real, but there’s nothing to the tale except maybe a few too many ales.

the book of collected rumors • 79

“I weren’t there meself, but Jack were and he described it so clean and pretty like it was if I were right aside him when he were overtaken by the spirit on the road. Jack – he isn’t here tonight, cause he’s likely off in an alley someawheres puking his gut out after all he drank earlier today – Jack says it moved as natural and normal as if it were a man in armor and not a hollow suit mobilized by the afterlife.”

an empty suit of armor Jumu Kama has something of a reputation as a talker with those who have met him a time or two, and here in the tavern he is known mostly for his many stories that wander aimlessly . . . and almost always turn out to have been a fabrication. Kama is at it again this evening, downing mugs of the cheapest swill that the tavern has, and his story grows more outlandish with every drink.

drunk – Jack. It takes an hour or two, but they eventually find Jack in a pile of garbage. Either through time, coffee, or magic, the party awakens the man enough that he corroborates Kama’s story.

“It didn’t attack, says Jack, but it were a being of rage and hatred that would have surely split Jack in two if he had been foolish enough to trouble the creature.”

Jack offers to lead the party to where he met the ghost, but only if they will pay him 20 gold. If the PCs follow, he takes them to a site where they soon meet a warrior in plate armor, with a full helmet and the visor closed tight. The man’s walk is unnatural and strange, so much that at a distance, it does appear that he could be a spirit.

Kama’s eyes grow almost as wide as his smile if the PCs take notice in his story. “You lot look prosperous enough to buy me something better than this trash. I’ll tell you what, folks. You buy me a glass of that fine wine they keep for the rich guests and I’ll introduce you to Jack meself and you can ask him all about the ghost in the armor.”

Once the man is close enough that they can hear his footsteps, the PCs know it isn’t a ghost. Jack was drinking long before he told Kama the story. The warrior introduces himself as Luis Preisner and explains that he comes this way every day; he’s a guard for a merchant in the city and this is his path to and from the shop and his home.

A glass of the fine wine – an elven bottle roughly a century old that was infused with arcane talent that keeps it pure and wonderful – costs 5 gold coins, which is a lot for a single drink. The party may wish to indulge the man, though, if only to learn more about this mystery.

False. If the party buys Kama the wine, he will hurriedly gulp it and then set off to find Jack. At the first chance he gets, Kama will slip off into the night. Every word he has said this evening was a lie, and he is hoping that the PCs won’t chase him if he runs away. The man has nothing of value to offer if he is caught, and he’ll beg for their forgiveness. If forced, he will offer to serve as a torchbearer for a week or so to pay for the wine.

True. Kama guides the PCs through a tour of several alleys and dark streets, searching for the elusive – and very

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lurking in the shadows “I cannot decide if the mask made the thing less or more terrifying. The face mask was the color of bleached bone, with deep sockets and cracks that revealed pinpricks of eerie light shining from behind the faceless mask. The alley was dark, as it were midnight when I saw it, and all I could see clearly besides that bizarre mask was that whatever it was had long, thin limbs and it crouched so low that I almost missed seeing it in the dark.”

The party is seated around one of the tavern’s few large tables, enjoying an evening of rest and engaged in conversation with Roman Usenko – the tavern’s owner – when the man’s casual chatter turns strangely somber. “It was in the alley behind this very tavern that I saw the creature.” Usenko lowers his voice, realizing that his tale could have a negative effect on his business if word of the monster were to get out. “I know we’ve just met each other, but you look like the sort who wouldn’t be opposed to making a little extra coin by handling a monster.” Roman Usenko says that he did not get a clear look at the figure, but he sketches out the shape as best he can with an emphasis on the mask. Though the man is no artist, his charcoal sketch on a sheet of parchment that he gives the heroes makes it clear that whatever the thing was, it was not something they recognize. Usenko offers each player character 10 gold if they’ll spend the next few nights watching the alley and dealing with the creature. He has one room for rent that overlooks the alley, and the group may stay there at no charge for three nights if they swear to capture or kill the unusual monster. True. A ghoul-like monster has entered the city, arriving only a few days ago and immediately drawn to the alleys and sewers. The monster is seeking the flesh of the living, and spends its nights searching for prey that it can snatch and devour without being discovered. It has limited intelligence, yes, but it does possess enough of an awareness of its situation that it knows to be cautious. The heroes will find that the monster is a challenge, but not so powerful that they cannot defeat it. Usenko thanks them when they deliver the body, and pays each an extra 5 gold coins. False. Usenko isn’t lying, but his eyes were playing tricks on him. Regardless of how hard the PCs may try, the nights they spend watching the alley are incredibly dull. Even if they manage to convince Usenko to put them up for more nights, there is no monster. After a week, Usenko declares that the beast must have fled and thanks the PCs for chasing off the terrifying monster.

the book of collected rumors • 81

a price on her head

“I served under her once, I did. Have I mentioned that before? Maybe not, but I served with Kapurti Turla and she were a woman not to be crossed or disobeyed. If she gave you an order, you damned well carried out her command as expected or you paid the price. I knew at least three different men in our company who failed to follow her instructions, and each carries scars to remind them of her for the rest of their lives.” Slavisa Borisov spends his days as a guard in the moneylenders’ tower and, each evening, leaves behind a good percentage of his daily pay at Helkar’s Trusted Drink, a tavern that the man visits each and every day so that he can drink and enjoy conversation with the tavern’s other regulars. Borisov has been working at the moneylenders’ tower for the last four years, and before that he was a mercenary employed by the Arrow’s Point, a company known for their brutality. “Turla left the company about a year before I did – run out, some claim – and set off on her own as a warrioress-for-hire and something of a dungeoneer. I never did encounter the woman after we had both left the mercs, but it doesn’t surprise me at all to hear that she’s still as cold, cruel, and bloodthirsty as ever. I was shocked to see her at the moneylenders’ today, and I’m just glad she didn’t recognize me. I’d hate to think what that woman would do if she realized that I could finger her to the watch. After all, there is that reward on her head . . . ” True. Not only did Borisov spot the woman earlier today, she really is wanted by the authorities. If the PCs question him, the man is reluctant to give them any information or to guess as to where the woman may have gone after she left the moneylenders’ tower. Coins will loosen his tongue, though, and as little as 5 gold will have him talking. Borisov describes the woman as always fully armored, with close-cropped brown hair, a scar below her left eye, and skilled in battle. If they investigate, the PCs discover that she is wanted for murdering a tax collector. Will they try to find the woman and claim the bounty?

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False: While Borisov did spot the woman, there’s no bounty on her head. The man pulls a parchment from his bag and slaps it down on the table. “See here? This shows that the city guard will pay 50 gold for her corpse. If you cut me in on the bounty, I’ll help you to find her.” The parchment is a fake. Borisov wants Turla dead because many years ago, when they were both with the Arrow’s Point, he stole a moneybag from her. She eventually learned that he was the one responsible for the theft, and she has since looked forward to the day when she can murder the man for his crime. She didn’t recognize him today, but Borisov figures he cannot take a chance and tries to trick the PCs into killing her for him.

ghosts own the streets at night “Stay off the streets if you want to live this night, lads!”

Ruslan Kozak stomps his boots and shakes the water from his cloak as he slams the door of the tavern behind him, the rains clearly as heavy as they were when the PCs first sought shelter in The Captain’s Crown an hour ago. No doubt, the newcomer’s spoken warning catches the PCs’ attention.

“It’s a Twelve Spirit Storm if I’ve ever seen one,” Kozak says if asked about his warning. If none of the player characters makes a successful Knowledge check, the man explains. “You lot haven’t heard of a Twelve Spirit Storm? Ye must be new here. Several decades ago, the pirate Birillee Dawwi and her crew found a heavy and battered chest on one of the islands several days out to sea. They couldn’t open the chest, so they brought it back here to the city where they paid a wizard to pop the lid open . . . which he did right quick with his magic.” Kozak looks at the group and shakes his head sadly. “Unfortunately for us, that chest weren’t filled with diamonds and rubies and pearls. No, that chest were filled with nothing but trouble. You see, twelve evil spirits had been locked inside the chest, and that wizard cracking open the lid let the dozen ghosts loose and they now terrorize us during the worst of storms.” Others within the tavern are nodding their heads in agreement with Kozak as the man tells the story, many grumbling “that’s how it were,” “he speaks the truth,” and “they must be strangers” if the PCs question the veracity of the story. True. Kozak’s story of the Twelve Spirit Storm is accurate. A dozen ghosts do haunt the city during terrible thunderstorms, and the twelve spirits are out this very night. Unlike many ghosts, these spirits want nothing other than to frighten and, if possible, murder; there’s no deed the PCs may fulfill for the ghosts to put them at rest. Unless the party wishes to face a dozen bloodthirsty ghosts, they’re better off keeping in-of-doors on this rainy night. False. Kozak – as well as the others in the tavern – are trying to frighten the PCs with the story. If the PCs appear to be accepting the story, the tavern’s guests play along, each trying to one-up the other as the tale grows bigger and bigger. Certainly, there will come a point in the evening when the PCs recognize the story as a lie, yes?

the book of collected rumors • 83

a diminutive monster causes big trouble “That thing has been in the cellar all week, and nothing I’ve tried thus far has chased it away. If it’s not out of the house soon, I’ll go mad from the scritch-scritch-scratching it makes throughout the night as we try to sleep.” Albwin Koehne, owner of a small messenger service and regular at Ichabod’s Parched Lips, the out-of-theway tavern that the PCs are currently using as a drinking hole and place to figure out their next moves. Ichabod’s is known most for the number of questionable patrons who drink at the tavern each night, some of whom have been known to offer jobs on occasion. There are much better places for honest adventurers to find work, sure, but for those who don’t mind taking on an illicit task or two, there’s little better than Ichabod’s. “It found its way into the cellar last week when we carried an old trunk down and dropped it off. I’d bought the item in old lady Buchtel’s estate sale – never have you seen so much trash and assorted junk – because my wife thought it looked like the perfect thing to turn into an end table or some such. Of course, once we got it home, she decided that it wasn’t perfect so there me and the boys were, forced to carry that thing into the cellar and prop it up against the wardrobe she bought six years ago and then rejected. I swear, our cellar must look like the hoard of a trash dragon at this point.” Koehne clears his throat with a swallow of beer. “And now, as I was saying, whatever was in that trunk is loose in the cellar and up to no good whatsoever. Mayhaps one of you gentlemen,” Koehne says as he looks to the PCs, “know where one could find a monster slayer or an exterminator?” True. The trunk that Koehne left in the cellar of his home was locked up tight when he bought it. For many years, the trunk was the prison of an evil critter. At least, it was before Koehne’s wife bought it.

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The monster managed to break free – finally! – and is now trapped in the cellar; the door is barred and there are no windows. Koehne will happily pay someone 10 gold – and they can have the trunk! – if they’ll be so kind as to go into the cellar and deal with the beast. False. There’s something loose in the cellar, but it’s only a large lizard that had been napping in the trunk and went unnoticed because it was hidden by several shawls.

necromantic whispers “She’s new in town, isn’t she?”

Vasyl Stasyuk and his wife, Alla, only manage to get out for a meal at a local establishment once every month or so. The rest of the time, the two eat their meals in their home, a hovel in one of the worst parts of the city. The pair save for weeks at a time to afford this luxury and they’re not ones to be shy about their conversation regardless of who may overhear them. Alla is telling Vasyl of a neighbor, Monique Shamoun, who does happen to be new to the city. The woman is renting a room in a small boarding house that sits across from the couple’s crumbling hovel, and Alla has been particularly curious about Shamoun’s activities ever since the strange woman was seen leaving her home one night after midnight. “I’ve not seen it meself,” Alla says to her husband at a volume that everyone else in the tavern can hear her, “but they says she’s a necromancer, she is. An agent of evil and no doubt responsible for those odd knocking sounds we’ve been hearing every night for the last week.” If asked about the necromancer, Alla and Vasyl apologize and say that they’re not looking for trouble. The two rarely remember that others can hear them when they’re out in public, and the last thing they want is for their neighbor to learn that they’re the ones who may have outed her as a practitioner of necromancy. The couple will eventually say where their home is, and where Shamoun lives, though it may take a few gold coins to shake their tongue loose. “Please just don’t let on that it was us that gave away her secret,” the couple begs of the PCs as they pocket the coins.

True. Shamoun has set up residence in the city because she has traced a tome to the city. She knows not exactly where the Book of Skulls & Shadows is, but her research suggests that it may be buried with one of the deceased wizards in the city cemetery. She will not appreciate being disturbed and may grow violent if the PCs bother her. False. Shamoun isn’t a necromancer, but she is an adventuring mage and grows annoyed if the PCs disturb her. The woman is between adventures and only wishes to rest and study her spellbooks.

the book of collected rumors • 85

“He was fully kitted for battle when he stormed into the offices of the tax collector, helmet secure and waving a trident at any who failed to immediately answer his questions. I sent for the watch, but by the time that they arrived the man was long gone. I know not how I’ll meet his demand. I need protection from the lunatic.” Tilman Niemeyer is an accountant in the city tax office, a clerk tasked with balancing the books and tracking the incoming payments of the people of the city. He heard that the PCs were trusted heroes and that they were staying at this inn, so he tracked them down and is now asking for their help. “I’ve very little coin, but I can pay you lot 10 gold coins if you will visit Draha Peev and convince him that I can no more change his debt to the city than I could turn a fish into a flower. The taxes are what they are, and it would be wrong of me to lie in the official record.” True. Tilman was visited earlier in the day by Draha Peev, a warrior working the local arena. Peev was recently approached by a tax collector who said that the man owes the city 47 gold coins, and that Peev had best pay this week or the watch would be along shortly to arrest the man. For reasons that Tilman doesn’t understand, Peev has decided that the accountant is the one responsible for the debt. Peev will not back down and demands that Tilman erase the debt . . . or the gladiator will murder the man tomorrow.

the gladiator’s angry demand False: Tilman is telling the truth about Draha Peev visiting the tax office, but the accountant has left out an important detail: Peev doesn’t truly owe the city anything in taxes, having paid Tilman direcly just last month. The two men happened to be at the same tavern one night, chatting, when Peev mention to Tilman that he owed the city 47 gold. Tilman saw an opportunity, and explained to Peev that he – as an official city accountant – could collect the payment right there and save the gladiator a visit to the tax office. Peev fell for the lie, and Tilman walked home with heavy pockets that night. The gladiator refuses to pay the city again since he already paid the accountant.

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intruders spotted in the city harbor “Armed with tridents, nets, swords, and daggers, the things were crawling over the docks and the ships moored near shore. There had to have been dozens of them, each focused solely on whatever evil assignment they had been given by their king.” Seated in a tavern along the waterfront, the PCs are enjoying their drinks as they listen to one of the tavern’s many regulars, a fisherman named Salam Korgay. The man has worked the harbor and nearby sea for decades and those who know him say that he isn’t one to tell yarns. “I watched them for a good twenty minutes, staying low behind several crates on the pier as the monsters went about their business. They seemed to be planting something on some of the ships – maybe eggs or laying traps? – and I kept as quiet as possible so that they would not spot me.”

“Just as soon as the last ‘o them slipped back into the water, I grabbed me gear and ran here as fast as I could. Those things are still out there, just below the surface of the water, and they’re planning something wicked.” Korgay refuses to set foot outside of the tavern until someone convinces him that the monsters he saw in the water are gone. Or, after he has a few drinks in him, someone tells him that he imagined the entire event. True. A school of waterfolk have entered the harbor and are exploring the many vessels moored along the waterfront. Korgay thought he saw them planting things, but it was actually the monsters stealing whatever they could find that was loose and looked valuable. If the PCs go out to investigate, there’s a good chance that they’ll find themselves in a fight with a handful of the creatures. False. Korgay started drinking long, long before he made his way to the tavern. Between the day of drink and the blazing sun, the man is a little out-of-sorts and not fully aware of his surroundings. There are no monsters outside.

the book of collected rumors • 87

the unknown terror “At first, I thought it were a goblin, but that notion vanished soon enough when the light of me torch fully illuminated the thing. It hovered inches above the floor, its skirt as black and deep as the shadows of evil that no doubt propelled it through the dungeon’s passages. It wore a strange armor, including gauntlets that seemed to spark each time the thing touched the stone walls, and its eyes glowed as bright as twin lanterns in the dark.” Piltz Hans Binger has long wished to be an explorer and adventurer, but the young man – only eighteen winters of age as of this last week – seems to have rejected those long-held dreams after his first excursion into the dungeons beneath the city’s sole castle. Though the gates to the castle have been chained and locked for many years, those who truly wish to explore the abandoned fortress do so almost weekly, choosing to scale the wall and sneak about despite the threat of the city watch arresting any who trespass in the forbidden castle. “I am not at all sure what it were, but it were a terrible evil I pray I will never face again. I could have handled a goblin or two,” the man draws his sword and holds it up for all to see, “but not something as truly horrible as whatever that thing may be. I’m done setting foot in those places where I’m not wanted. I’ll be a farmer, like me father, and be grateful for it.” True. Binger encountered an extraplanar sorcerer, Arzin Rizvi, from another world who has forged a gateway between his world and one of the small rooms in the dungeon beneath the castle. Rizvi’s world is one where magic is dying, being erased by the cosmos, and the alien spellcaster is using the gateway to try to move his belongings and a dozen followers to the PCs’ world. The sorcerer and his people – warriors, rogues, and fellow casters – have worked at clearing some of the dungeon beneath the castle and started setting the dungeon up as their new home. They are certain to be unhappy if the PCs disturb them. False. Binger’s imagination got the better of him, and the man ran from nothing more than a goblin caster. A small group of six goblins have camped out in the dungeon and are using it as a hiding place.

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the escaped fugitive

“Have ye heard, lads? That murderess Erika Ladefoged has escaped from the city watch and she’s out there somewheres, just looking to kill any who dare to cross her. I know not which jailor were responsible for her escape, but you can rest safe knowing that he’s as likely to be hanged as she is . . . if they find her.” Last month, when she was cornered and captured by the city watch, the news that Erika Ladefoged was imprisoned was almost all that anyone talked about for a week straight. The murderess – responsible for the death of six different citizens in as many days – had been wanted for weeks before her capture, and once she was imprisoned many rushed to the jail to demand that she be hanged. The watch insisted on justice, though, so Ladefoged was thrown into a cell where she would sit until the king’s magistrate would be able to see her and pass judgment over the woman. “It were just noticed early this afternoon that she were missing from her cell. None know how she did it – or if she had help – but the watch have decided that to hell with the magistrate and justice; they’ve offered a reward of 100 gold to any who bring them the woman’s head!”

False: Ladefoged has been in jail for a month, and she has escaped, but the woman did not kill those six people as the watch has claimed. The woman made the mistake of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, witnessing the murder of two men by a watch sergeant by the name of Artem Nazar who has been corrupt for many years. Nazar spotted the woman and arrested her, telling everyone that she killed the two men. Now, Ladefoged only wants to get free of the city and find a small town to hide in for the rest of her life. She has no faith that she will be treated fairly if she is caught, so she’s stolen weapons and armor and refuses to be captured alive. If the PCs join the hunt to find the woman – and collect the reward – will they believe her story if she is caught and, if they do, will they help her to clear her name?

True. After almost a month in her cell, the murderess Ladefoged has indeed escaped. She killed those six people, yes, but it was revenge for their actions against her and her family many years ago. When Ladefoged was a girl of twelve, the six now-very-dead men were bandits who accosted her and her family on the roadway. By the time the encounter was at an end, her family were dead and Ladefoged was left to die. The woman spent almost a decade surviving as a fighter and then, last month, heard the killers were in the city. She handled them as soon as she could, and now her only goal is to escape the city with her life.

the book of collected rumors • 89

the roadway incident “It were Adara Lerida, I am certain of it! I may have been hiding when she killed them, but I’d recognize that woman’s cruel face and jagged sword anywhere.” The man glances around the room and then turns back to his two companions. “Please,” he pleads, “please don’t tell anyone I know who it was who killed those merchants. If she learns it is me that told, she’ll have my head in a box and leave my body to rot in the sewer.” If the party lets on that they’ve overheard, the man motions for the heroes to join him and his friends at their table. “I’m Anssi Kokko,” he says to them. “Let me buy you a few drinks, and how’s about you forget all of what you happened to hear. We can be chums and enjoy a drink or two and forget that nastiness, yes?” Kokko is quite talkative once he decides that the PCs mean him no harm and will keep quiet about what they have heard. The man goes on to describe how he was collecting firewood in the forest near the city when he spotted a wagon of merchants overtaken by Lerida on one of the back roads. “The woman slaughtered them, ransacked the wagon, and then rushed off with a satchel. I was too scared to stick around, so I dropped my firewood and got out of there as fast as I could manage.” If the party asks around, they learn that Adara Lerida is a bit of an unknown in the city. She hires herself at times as muscle, but most of her time is spent exploring the ruins, sewers, and dungeons of the region. True. Kokko is telling the truth and did see Lerida waylay two merchants on the road outside of the city and kill them both. The men had recently purchased stolen goods from a thief who just so happened to have lifted Lerida’s ring of fireballs when she wasn’t looking. After chasing down the thief and beating the information out of him, she handled the merchants who the thief had said had hired him to steal her ring. False. While the man did see an attack on the road, it wasn’t Lerida. If the party confronts her about the reported attack, she curses under her breath and then explains how her doppleganger – a magical clone – has been a bother for several years.

the ooze that talks “It’s in my room!” The screams from the second floor of the inn are clearly audible over the clinking of glasses, general buzz of the patrons in several different conversations at once, and even the street sounds of the city. Above the common room of the inn where the PCs are dining, someone is having a very bad day. “Help! It’s in my room!” If the party doesn’t race from their table to investigate the yell, a woman comes down the stairs a few moments later. Shoeless and in finely-embroidered robes that suggest that she is a lady of means, she doesn’t even look back as tries to escape whatever has clearly spooked her. When she meets the adventurers, whether because they ran to the second floor or she sees them as she comes down the stairs, the woman says in a hushed, nervous voice: “It’s in my room. I have no idea what it is, but it looks like a wiggling slimeball and,” she hesistates as if she is unsure of how much she should say, “and it talked. I swear it asked me about the weather.”

Answering the creature with information about the current weather will cause it to look around the room and then glance from the window to the adventurers. “Thank you,” the thing says once it learns the weather, “I must be going.” The slime moves toward the door, intent on leaving the room. If the party allows it to leave, they can hear screams coming from the people in the common room of the inn. The beast moves quickly down the stairs and then into the streets, where it vanishes before anyone can react. If the party attacks the slime instead of answering its questions about the weather, it screams in pain and dies at the first successful strike. The creature instantly melts into a pile of thick, greenish goo when hit by a weapon. False. There is nothing in Tanzer’s room. She’s a skilled thief looking to snatch whatever isn’t nailed down. The woman’s screams, state of dress, and actions are all meant to distract everyone so that she can slip away and rob from the rooms of the inn’s many guests.

“Please kill it,” she says to the heroes. True. The woman, Lisa Tanzer, asks the party to deal with the creature that has invaded her room. She’s not quite dressed for the public, and is a little nervous and shy, though the fear of whatever has disturbed her is greater than her modesty at the moment. Inside her room, the PCs encounter a strange, slime-like creature . . . that talks. “Is it snowing?,” the thing asks the heroes, its one eye looking up at them. “Is it raining? How is the weather today?” The blob of slime doesn’t move, but simply sits still and keeps looking up at the group.

the book of collected rumors • 91

that thing crawling from the grave “I’ve seen many things over my years in the cemetery – from graverobbers to old enemies looking to defile the grave of a departed opponent – but this is the first time that one of the dead have been so unkind as to crawl from the grave.”

Christian Schurmann has spent the last several years digging graves at the city cemetery, a job passed down to him from his father. Even at a very young age, Schurmann spent his time in the cemetery and he knows the place as well as the back of his well-worn and heavily-callused hand. Schurmann spends many evenings at the tavern, where he washes away the dust and sweat of the day with more ales than is good for his health.

“It was only this morning that it happened, and my hairs still haven’t dropped back into place after being scared so that I quit on the spot. I know that was a job I should have had until I joined the bodies in the cemetery, but I guess now I’ll have to find myself new work. You wouldn’t catch me back in that place after what I saw.” Schurmann sets his drink down and stares into the distance, lost in thought. The man has clearly had an unnatural encounter of some sort, and nothing outside of a threat of violence – or the promise of an excessive amount of gold – will convince him to return. If the heroes can persuade the man to show them the place in the cemetery where he saw the thing, he’ll grumble every step of the way – even if being paid – and won’t stick around long once he points out the spot. True. The identified grave is wide open, earth and small stones scattered aside and clawmarks covering the area. The stone coffin in the grave is also covered in clawmarks, as if something inside was scratching to escape. If the party explores the cemetery, they find a mummified man trying to scale one of the walls. The thing is weak, though it will try to attack them if the PCs attempt to block it from leaving the cemetery. False. There’s an abandoned, vacant grave, but no sign of a monster of any sort. Schurmann saw something, but it was only some of the kids from the neighborhood looking to play a trick on the gravedigger. If the PCs hunt long enough, they spot child-sized footprints in the clay. If they bother to try and follow the prints, there’s a slim chance they will ever find the young tricksters.

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stephan hagelstein’s strange trunk “He paid me an extra gold to move the trunk, saying ‘Be careful with that one, lad, for it is as valuable as the king’s crown,’ he said to me he did. It were yay big” – the boy holds his hands out about two-feet apart – “and it was as heavy as anything I’ve lifted before. If it weren’t for that extra gold, I’d have left it and ignored the man’s request.”

If asked, Vasquez tells the PCs that Stephan Hagelstein is in room 7 at The Broken Promise, one of the smaller inns in the city and no more than a few streets away.

Twelve winters of age, Roi Vasquez is too young to be in the tavern this late at night, but the staff ignore the time so long as the boy keeps spending his coin. They’re serving him a watered-down mead, though the boy is too young and inexperienced to know he is being taken.

True. The lad is telling the truth; he really did carry a heavy trunk for a Mister Stephan Hagelstein earlier this day. The man is a scholar specializing in zoology and has managed to get his hands on a mimic. Hagelstein is studying the creature and has an appointment in a few days with the wizard Heinse Visser who is going to buy the monster from him . . . though Hagelstein knows not why the wizard wants the beast.

“I drug it up the stairs and if I didn’t know it were impossible, I’d say that the thing groaned at one point when I let it knock into a step a little too hard. I have never felt such a wood like it, and Hagelstein said all rich hardwoods feel such as it did.”

False. Vasquez did carry a heavy chest, but it was nothing more than a common trunk loaded with Hagelstein’s clothing and several books. If confronted, the scholar is confused by the tale and, if pressed, eventually shows them that the chest is nothing special.

the book of collected rumors • 93

the undead caster

“If not for the robes that disguised its true form, I’d have known immediately that the thing were a monster. It wisely kept its head low and hands pulled into the cloth, though, and the shadows were its friend in concealment as it slowly moved toward us. Jorge called out a greeting – if only to try and ascertain what the stranger’s intentions may have been – and when it raised that skeletal, clawed hand in return I thought all of us were going to faint.” Rik Schans, an experienced dungeneer who is passing through the city, has selected the same inn as the PCs this evening and is entertaining the locals with stories of his many adventures. The player characters sit down in the common room just as Schans is talking, and the man raises his mug in greeting. “We saw right out that not only were it undead, but that it were a wizard and a serious threat to our lives. Jorge drew his sword and me my crossbow, though how both of us expected to deal with this skeletal terror without blunt weapons is a question I’ll never be able to answer. I guess we were both so taken by surprise – who would have thought that such a monster would be in this very city – that we weren’t thinking clearly.” Schans sets his mug down and looks at the listeners. “I escaped,” the man says, “but I cannot say the same for Jorge. That beast tore him apart with magic, and even now his body is likely out on the streets just waiting to be discovered by the watch.” True. If the PCs ask, Schans tells them that this happened only a few hours ago, shortly after sunset, and only a few blocks away. The man declines if they ask him to show them where he encountered the undead wizard, preferring the safety of the inn to facing whatever may have killed his companion. There is a skeletal wizard on the city streets this night, and it is seeking blood. The caster has a secret laboratory in the cellar of an abandoned home and is on the streets this night to kill people and drain them of their blood. What the monster plans to use the blood for is unknown, but it cannot be good. False. Schan is a cheat and swindler and is hoping that someone will ask him to show him where Jorge’s body was left behind. He hesitates, acting worried, but will eventually agree to set out so long as he is paid 5 gold coins. Once on the streets, he claims that the thing must have taken the body.

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a walking plant beast “It walked like a beast, I tells you! Uprooted and scurrying across the cobblestones as fast as a cat, and bigger than most any dog you see in the alleys and streets every day of the week. But it weren’t a cat nor a dog; that thing were a plant and it were walking!” Based on her slurred words, heavy eyes, and the way she slumps on the stool and leans on the bar, it’s possible that Iva Dworkin may be stretching a bit of a yarn as she speaks of a walking plant that she reportedly saw in the park district several hours ago. The woman has clearly had too much to drink, so that makes it a little difficult for anyone to accept her story. Even if the PCs take an interest in her tale, others seated near her at the bar laugh and call her a liar. Despite the verbal abuse, Dworkin sticks to her words.

as a makeshift base of operations in the city. The wizard opened a portal to a distant demiplane and is bringing the elementals into the city, directing their actions with a Ring of Plant Control. Can the PCs slaughter the wizard, defeat the plant monsters, and close the portal before their city is overrun by extraplanar monsters? False. Dworkin is drunk and lying. As a child, the woman was always fascinated by the stories of plant elementals and her imagination has blended with the drink a little too well. If the PCs ask questions, the woman keeps building on her story until even she believes it. There are no monsters, and the groundskeeper looks annoyed if he is woken late at night and has to hear fairy tales about “weird plant monsters.”

“I tell ya, it were a plant and a monster all rolled together into a terrible creature than none ‘o you would have the stomach to face. I saw it snatch a squirrel with those arm-like vines, ripped the thing right out of a tree . . . and then ate it! I’ve not before seen a plant eat anything, and it’s a sight I’ll never forget.” If the PCs ask Dworkin to show them the grounds in the park district where she saw the monster, the woman begs off. “I’m far too gone for a walk in the night, but if you want to find that beast, check around the groundskeeper’s shed near that south wall of the district. That’s where I saw it hustling and scurrying about.” True. Iva Dworkin saw a plant elemental in the city, an extraplanar monster that certainly does not belong in a populated city. If the PCs explore the park district, they find the groundskeeper’s shed is inhabited this night; the wizard Gunther Wachtel has killed the groundskeeper and is using the shed

the book of collected rumors • 95

a terrible evil from another realm “We had cleared most of the first level of the dungeon and were about to snap the lock on a door when that very same door crashed open, splinters and slivers of wood flying at us as fists of something big and brutal flung the door from its hinges as if it were nothing. Jacob was the first to react, firing three arrows – one, two, three, just as fast as I can say it – at the monster. All three struck true, embedding in the monster’s chest, though it shrugged off the attack as if it were nothing.” Aziz Haydarov is telling those around him in the tavern of his recent encounter with a demon, a monster that he claims to have encountered when he and his companions were exploring the dungeons beneath a destroyed farm house that sits several miles outside of the city’s walls. According to Aziz, all of the other members of his adventuring company were killed by the demon. “It swept out, knocking my shield from my arm and shattering my wrist,” Aziz holds up his bandaged arm in emphasis. “Before I could slice at it with my sword, Jacob sunk two more arrows into the monster’s shoulder . . . and it shrugged those off as easily as it did the first volley.” True. There is a demon in the nearby dungeons, and it is far, far more powerful than Aziz and his party were capable of fighting. Five men and women were killed by the demon in the battle, Aziz only surviving because he ran shortly after his wrist was broken by the monster. Will the party ignore the man’s warnings and instead visit the dungeons that rest beneath the abandoned farm house? False. Aziz broke his wrist when visiting the nearby dungeons, but it wasn’t because of an encounter with a demon. The man stumbled on the stairs to the dungeon’s first level and fell, landing on his wrist and breaking it. After setting his wrist and giving him one of their healing potions, the party voted to continue on into the dungeon. The last Aziz saw of them was when he looked back over his shoulder; already harmed in the dungeon, he decided to return to the city without the others.

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servant of anubis “Though it were jackal-headed, the thing otherwise looked much like a strong, tall man. It was so strange in appearance that I was far from the only one staring at it as it walked into the moneylenders’ tower, staff held as high as the thing held its head. While I weren’t in the tower, and I didn’t wait to see the thing leave, I were surprised when cries of terror didn’t come pouring out of the place after the beast stepped within that large door.” As Lowie Wallenburg talks, describing the creature that he saw a few hours ago, those PCs experienced in the desert cultures and history recognize the description as matching that of a servant of Anubis, an intelligent society that lives within a city that is deep in the distant desert. “It had only the staff, though the carriage it was riding in did stay parked near the tower for as long as I watched. I suppose that it could have been carrying something of value there, but why would it leave anything of value unguarded when it went into the tower?” If asked if he knows anything else about the creature, Lowie shakes his head no and turns back to his drink. “While I’ll admit I am curious, there was no way I was going to confront a beast such as that one.” True. The visitor, Nuru Hajjar, comes from Nilecross, a city populated by those who follow the ancient god Anubis and – it is said – were fashioned in his image. Hajjar was at the moneylenders’ tower to exchange valuables for local currency, and the man enters the tavern shortly after Lowie admits that he doesn’t know what the creature could have wanted. The tavern master is visibly disturbed at the sight of Hajjar, and several guests make excuses and flee soon after the man takes a seat and asks for a bowl of stew and a drink. If the PCs choose to speak to the visitor, Hajjar invites them to join him. He explains that he is on assignment and has been charged with finding warriors to aid his city in dealing with an infestation of the undead that were recently awakened in the dungeons beneath his city. “I can pay well,” Hajjar tells the party. False. What Lowie saw entering the moneylenders’ tower was not an unusual creature, but instead a man in a bizarre helmet. Perhaps the PCs encounter the man in the city at a later time, learning that he is Samir Totah, a desert holy warrior who serves the god Anubis and wears the helmet as a sign of his faith. Totah says he has heard of such creatures that possess the features of Anubis, but he has never met one of their kind.

the book of collected rumors • 97

dare not to cross nahid abroth “They should hang her!”

Haris Fazlic slams his fist on the table, breaking a plate and drawing the attention of everyone in the inn’s common room. The innkeeper rushes to the table, yelling at the man and demanding that he pay for the broken plate. Moments later, coins in his pocket, the innkeeper retreats to a corner of the room . . . and Fazlic wastes no time in returning to his complaints. “She cost me an entire week with her nonsense,” Fazlic says a little less loudly than before, “and how will I ever replace the seven chickens that were lost when she assaulted me and my men?” A local farmer, Fazlic is seated at a table with three other locals, all four of them complaining about someone named Nahid Abroth who – if the five men are to be believed – is solely responsible for every financial setback and loss that the men have endured over the last few months. If the PCs ask, they’re told of Nahid Abroth, a self-proclaimed “friend of the people” who has been causing mischief and destruction for a few months now. Abroth has made it her mission to attack any who she feels is a profiteer and taking advantage of the citizens of the city, exercising her belief in fairness by robbing from those she feels are taking more than they give. Abroth has become something of a local legend among the poorer folk of the city, mostly because of when she steals things – such as chickens – she gives them to the poor. Fazlic’s missing chickens were likely laying eggs for another family that very day, and he’s not the first wealthy man to find himself on the losing end of the woman’s attacks. True. Abroth is truly a nuisance and fast becoming a threat to those in and near the city who are well-to-do. Her actions have caught the attention of the city watch, and even now there are murmurings that the city will take action against the woman and try to stop her. She has a lot of fans amongst the poor, though, and any attack on Abroth is sure to bring retailiation from some of those who she has sworn to help. False. Abroth is no “hero of the people,” but she is willing to make it appear as if she is. The woman – an accomplished thief who moved into the city only recently – commits her “acts to aid the people” in daylight and makes sure that she is seen so that the poor will accept her as their champion. And then, in the dark of night, she goes about her true purpose in the city: stealing valuables that she can sell and then pocket the coins for herself.

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lightning blasts of the eye terror “I had heard of such creatures before, of course, but never in my many years of exploring have I encountered such a terrible, horrific beast such as the eye terror that attacked us last week when we were far below the ruins of the old barracks.” A hardened, experienced warrior with almost a decade of experience as a delver under his belt, Justus Leiner has seen a lot of strange creatures in the dungeons over the

years. For the man to even mention the monster – especially a week after the incident – must mean that it truly caught him by surprise and at a deep, subconscious level. “As described in the stories of the bards, the eye terror moved through the air without touching the ground, a man-sized eyeball draped in more tentacles than I bothered to count. Though it moved slowly, hovering a few feet above the surface, the fear that froze me made it as if the beast were as swift as the fastest creature of the forest. So afraid was I – were all of us! – that I moved far too slowly.” Leinar tells of how the monster attacked he and his companions with magical blasts, bursts of yellow and white lightning that burned their flesh and ripped their shields to splinters. “I’m not proud of it,” the man says, “but I must admit that we ran. All of us, myself and the others, ran like young pups who met their first goblin. I know it is shameful, but we were truly afraid.” The man refuses to return to that particular dungeon, but he is willing to share directions to the nearby ruins.

True. The man and his fellow adventurers encountered a floating eye terror a few levels below ground and ran when the monster started to attack. Leinar does not know if the thing was alone or if there are more of them in the dungeon, and the most he is willing to do is – for a handful of gold – march the PCs to the ruins and show them the entrance to the first level of the dungeon. If the player characters choose to search for the monster, Leinar wishes them luck and says that he hopes that they are not so unlucky as to actually encounter the eye terror. “It’s more dangerous than you think,” he says as they leave. False. Leinar and his friends found more treasures in the dungeon than they could carry out, so they are spreading the story of an eye terror in the hopes of frightening others so much that they stay out of the dungeon.

the book of collected rumors • 99

under the shadow of the giant, magical mushroom “There’s just the one so far as I know, and it’s impossible to miss; it’s as tall as a wizard’s tower, it is! I tried to keep it a secret for as long as I could, but something of that size – and so near the city as it is – was certain to be spotted sooner rather than later.” Perhaps best known for his many, many schemes – such as the time he tried to sell water from the sea as a healing potion – Balazs Gergely is no stranger to the regulars in the tavern, and many of them ignore the man’s words as he goes from table to table. Gergely is telling anyone who will listen all about a magical mushroom that he found in the forest, and he only wants some to help him chop the mushroom down and harvest it’s fleshy bits before others beat him to it. “It’s a powerful healing magic, the flesh of the mushroom is, and think of how much wealth is just waiting to be claimed? What about you? Will you help me to harvest the mushroom before others get in before us and steal that treasure that should be ours?” True. This time, Gergely truly has found something of value. The giant mushroom stands in the forest, towering over many trees and visible from a distance. The mushroom wasn’t there a few days ago, and it is unknown how – or why – the gigantic fungus sprouted up in this place. Any who cast detect magic on the mushroom confirm that it is magical in nature, but Gergely’s as unsure as to the exact effect of the mushroom’s magic as any others who may take a guess. Those who make a successful Knowledge (Arcane or Nature) check recognize the mushroom as a terrible threat. The magic of the mushroom is in fact a curse; any who stand in the shadow of the mushroom under the noon sun are cursed to be unlucky for the next week and suffer a -2 penalty on all die rolls. Chopping down the mushroom kills it; the meaty bits of the mushroom have no magical powers and no value. False. Gergely’s “mushroom” is a web-covered tree in the forest. Beware the spider that is so large as to make a web of this size.

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the lad who wishes to be a warrior “Beybin’s boy he is, all of eighteen winters old now and wishes nothing more than to be a mighty warrior. Arun Beybin has been spending too much time with the ruffians ‘o the city, if you ask me, and it’s just a matter of time before that boy gets hisself into a trouble that he’ll never escape. Talmai Simon has known Arun Beybin’s father since the boy was only a few years old, and the man now worries that his friend’s son will cause nothing but heartache for the elder Beybin. Simon, a farmer who visits the city once each week for a night at the taverns, is telling the others in his group of Arun’s behavior and is hoping that someone knows of a way to turn the lad from this dark path before it is too late. “If I thought it would help,” Simon says, “I’d pay a few of you to find the boy this night and teach him a lesson of the alleys that he won’t forget. Nothing permanant or too painful, mind you, but enough to scare him straight and send him back to his father’s farm.” None of the others in the tavern respond to the man’s bizarre musings, though some seem to glance in the direction of the PCs. “Yes,” Simon says again as he drops his coin purse on the table, “maybe paying out a few silvers tonight could have the lad handled before the sun rises in the morn.” If the PCs take the bait, Simon acts surprised that anyone would listen to him so intently. He pretends to be unsure as to whether to follow through on his casual offer of violence, but soon says he will pay each member of the party 5 gold if they will find Beybin and beat him. True. Simon only wants what is best for his friend and hopes that this event will frighten the boy enough that he drops this dream of setting off into the wider world. False. Simon is no friend of Beybin and is looking to cause the man grief by sending his son home bloodied and bruised. He is afraid of being caught seeking to harm his competitor – both men grow corn, and both sell to the same market – and perhaps cause enough of a distraction that the elder Beybin cannot pay quite so much attention to his business this year. The younger Beybin does run with a tough crew, though, so the PCs may not have as easy a time attacking the boy as they may think.

the book of collected rumors • 101

treasures left on the battlefield “It has been something like five or six months since I last visited the site, but when I was there last, the grounds were still littered with the bodies of the dead . . . as well as a great number of discarded and forgotten weapons, armors, and the devils only know what other gear. Me and the others sifted through things as best we could, but we had to get out of there when the raiders’ horns sounded in the distance.”

Imdi-Ilum is well known by many in the city. The man – recognized as one of the best scavengers around – often knows where to find discarded gear, so anyone hearing him speak of the distant battlefield will pay close attention in hopes that he is now drunk enough to share the exact location of this potential treasure trove of weapons and armor that are just waiting to be taken. If the adventurers offer to buy the man a drink or two, he thanks them for their kindness and downs the drinks almost as fast as the server can keep them coming. It takes roughly five gold in cheap ale to loosen the man’s tongue to a point that he starts to share details of the rumored battlefield. “I don’t know when the fighting happened, but it had to have been more ‘en a few years back. Some of those bodies are rotted something fierce, and each time I visit the site I am surprised at just how little

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the corpses have been touched by others. I’d sweep everything up all at once, if it weren’t for those damned raiders that patrol the grounds. What I’ve been told, though I don’t know how much I believe it, is that the raiders are friends of the dead and that they only keep a watch on the battlefield to protect the dead from those such as we.” True. There is a battlefield where some treasures can be found, and it will take some serious persuasion (of the booze and gold variety) to convince Imdi-Ilum to guide the PCs to the site. If they do find it, they’ll see that it is exactly as the man described: littered with the dead, many of which are laying alongside their no-longer-needed gear. Much of the equipment is common, mundane items that have no serious value, but careful searching may reveal a magic item or two. The raiders who patrol the place are orcs who live in nearby caves. They’ve picked the area clear of most valuables; anything the PCs find of value will be things the orcs missed. False. Imdi-Ilum is a liar and a cheat. He doesn’t know the site of a battlefield, but he does try and trick unsuspecting others into joining him for a wild chase that often ends in their death. If the PCs aren’t careful, they may be his next victims.

warrior monks of the tower of storms

“Tower of Storms is what it was called in the scrolls. An unnatural, magical place of secrets and guarded by warrior monks from another world . . . if the scrolls are to be believed. I’ve not personally seen it, but I’ve read enough about the place to say that it is what Afrin Heval and his people found out on those plains last week.” Glancing over toward the table in the corner, the PCs spot a finely-dressed gentleman wearing a suit almost as dark as his swarthy complexion. The man sits tall and proud, looking to be someone well-mannered and experienced in the the ways of the most noble of traditions. “The Tower of Storms, if what the scrolls say is true, is constantly in motion, leaping from world to world by way of interdimensional storms that constantly batter the place.” The man notices the PCs listening and invites them to join him and his friends. “I am Sisag Danielian, merchant and scholar, and I was just telling my friends here about a possible place of power that may have appeared recently near this city. Won’t you join us?” Sisag returns to his tale once the heroes are seated. “According to the scrolls – I do wish they were here and not

in my study so many days away – the Tower houses many great treasures, both mundane as well as magical, and when one may spot a powerful thunderstorm, there is a chance that the tower will be at the center of it, causing the disturbance. While some have tried to infiltrate the place and steal its riches, they are always stopped by the monks who allow none who enter the place uninvited to depart with their lives.” True. The Tower of Storms has existed for thousands of years, and the monks who guard it are time-slowed beings that age only one year for every century that passes. If the PCs can find the Tower and enter it, they may find a dungeon that has been untouched for ages. Of course, escaping with their lives may be harder than they realize. False. The Tower is a fabrication, a lie that Sisag tells in an attempt to convince others to go into the dangers of a storm so that he may kill them and drain their life force. Sisag is a necromancer hundreds of years old, who keeps his clean, perfect appearance by living off of the souls of those foolish enough to fall for his story. If given the chance, he will offer to lead the PCs to a spot where they may find the tower. He attacks them during the journey.

the book of collected rumors • 103

a snailfolk caravan “I’d not seen their kind before, and I never thought they would be so brave as to visit us. Those things were disgusting, with bodies that glistened and each leaving behind a trail of slime. They were chattering away, each talking over the other, and it made it tough to understand them at first.” Basten Gassbeek is a member of the city watch who was recently assigned night patrols outside of the city proper. He and his squad spend five nights every week walking the lands near the city, keeping an eye open for trouble so that they may deal with any situation before it becomes a problem for the city’s people. Gassbeek is enjoying a night off and drinking a little too much wine when the PCs hear the man’s tale of a recent encounter with the little-seen snailfolk. “I’d not met them before, and they were foul creatures that chilled me to my bones. My captain asked their business with the city, and the leader explained how they were merchants looking to sell their goods at market. After some time, including a check with the merchants’ guild, we allowed them to camp outside of the city, but there was no way that we could let such a nasty swarm of strange beasts befoul our city streets with that never-ending trail of viscous slime.”

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If the PCs ask for details, Gassbeek tells the party that the snailfolk encampment is a few miles out of the city – “a mile or so before you reach the crossroads” – and that as far as he knows, the snailfolk merchants have been selling and buying goods for the last few days. “People are free to go deal with those things if they wish, though I’d not advise it . . . no matter what is said of the quality of their weapons.” True. A caravan of slimefolk merchants is selling the weapons and armors that they craft in their homeland as well as buying objects (jewels are a favorite with the creatures) that they will either take home or sell at their next stop. A successful Knowledge check (exact subtype as decided by the GM) is required to know that the weapons and armor created by these creatures are all of masterwork quality. The artistry of the snailfolk is such that the gear offers a +1 or +2 quality bonus. Their gear is prized by spellcasters who enchant the weapons and armor to make them even more desirable to buyers. False. There is a snailfolk encampment, but it isn’t weapons and armor that the creatures are selling. This group of snailfolk farmers is selling bugs, fungus, and other delicacies from their subterranean homeland.

the threat of the ranger

“Are we going to stand for this? Barna Attila threatens us and all we do is bow our heads and look away? When are we going to put an end to these attacks on our people?”

that the ranger has forbidden them to kill the animals of the forest or to chop down any trees; they may only collect the fallen branches to use for firewood.

The party has settled in for the evening at a small inn in an even smaller town, a place far from the main roads and rarely visited by any other than those seeking their fortune in the nearby ruins. The townsfolk are used to strangers – those ruins are said to hold many riches, so there’s a new group of dungeoneers exploring the site almost every week – though they tend to keep their business private and don’t broadcast their problems the way that Lilia Yakhin is this evening.

The town’s most valued possession is a ruby worth 100 gold, which Lilia swears will be given to the party if they either kill or chase off the ranger.

“Strangers,” she turns to the heroes when her fellow people do not move to answer her. “Would you rid us of this plague on our town?” She glances at the others and smiles before looking back to the PCs. “We have little to spare, but I swear” – she looks again at the other citizens in the inn – “we all swear that we will give you our most valued possession if you will eliminate Barna Attila.” If the PCs ask for more information, Lilia explains that Attila is a ranger who settled in the area a few years ago and now terrorizes the people of the town. Lilia tells the PCs

True. Barna Attila has instructed the town to leave the animals alone and to not cut down trees, but the townspeople are mistaken; the man is not a ranger. He is a cruel, angry warrior who made his proclamations not out of some love of the forest, but for the joy it brings him to make others suffer. Attila lives in a cottage several miles from the town, deep in the forest, and would rather die than abandon his chosen home. False. Attila has ordered the people as Lilia has described, but not because he is trying to punish or threaten the town. The ranger has identified that the animals and trees of the forest near the town are tainted by evil. The ranger is searching for a cursed well in the forest that is the cause of the danger. Will the PCs help him find this evil well and fill it in, thus putting an end to the evil?

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“We were several miles out when the sky changed suddenly. That clear, bright day went as dark as night within moments, and we hauled in the nets and made ready to race to port when the lightning flashed and blinded many of us for several seconds. I could hear the creaking and cracking of the ship as the waves crashed against us; whatever caused that storm, it were far from natural.”

the sea princess

Maj Goriean is seated at the bar with a few other fishermen, telling the others of the unexpected and unusual storm that struck earlier in the day. Though the skies had been clear and sunny all day, Goriean insists that for he and the crew of the Wave Runner, a terrible storm nearly drowned them all. “By the time my sight was returned, our hull had been pierced – by what we never did learn – and we were taking on water. As fast as we bailed, it were a losing fight against the sea and we looked to grab the rowboat and escape when she appeared.” Goriean describes a beautiful mermaid and a school of seahorses, telling of how the magical creature and her companions repelled the storm as two mermen went to work repairing the ship. He cannot say why they were saved, but he will fight anyone who calls him a liar. True. Gorien and the crew of the Wave Runner were saved by Alexandra Strajnar, a mermaid princess who lives in an underwater city that sits several miles off the coast. The mermen and women of the city prefer to keep to themselves, though they will sometimes take action if the people on the surface are threatened. The woman is a skilled caster who used her magic to stop a planar storm from sinking the ship and, more importantly, from striking the city where it would have surely caused serious damage to many buildings.

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False: Goriean is a drinker and is often drunk when he works. An overhead cloud blocked the sun temporarily when he was at sea earlier this day, and the man’s imagination constructed an elaborate event that has no basis in reality. If the party tracks down the other crewmen of the Wave Runner, they learn of Goriean’s drinking problem and the men say that the tale is a lie.

night of spirits “They must be trying to chase off the spirits tonight.” The heavyset man glances up at the ceiling of the inn as the fireworks explode outside, flashes of light outside the window turning the people within the inn’s common room shades of red, blue, and green every moment or two. While many are at the windows – or standing at the open door of the inn – the man keeps to his mug and drains it before he says another word. “Sure the city says it is all in celebration of the defeat of those monsters,” he raises a fresh mug to the PCs, “I thank you for saving we of the city from certain death,” and then he looks back down to the table. “They says it’s a celebration, but any who know secrets know that the city only sets off the fireworks when they’re looking to chase the ghosts out of the city.” After an adventure, as the party is recovering at an inn within the city, the elders launch dozens of fireworks as a celebration of the PCs’ victory over evil. Their efforts do not go unnoticed, though now the party is a little surprised to hear that the fireworks may be for a darker, more sinister purpose.

If asked to explain himself, Ruslan Pardayev apologizes to the adventurers and tells them he didn’t mean to insult them or their work. When pressed, the man explains that the city has a ghost problem, and he overheard that the guard was planning this fireworks display to try and scare the ghosts away. When the PCs returned telling tales of their encounters with evil, the guard decided to use their stories as an excuse to justify the fireworks. True. The city does have a problem with ghosts, and the fireworks do nothing to solve that problem. The next day, members of the city guard ask the PCs to a private meeting where the party is told the truth of the situation. “We’ll pay you 10 gold for every spirit you destroy or banish from the city. Will you accept the assignment?” False. Ruslan Pardayev was once a dungeoneer, many years ago, though he wasn’t a very good one. The arrival of the player characters and their stories of success against monsters has made the man bitter and angry, and he makes up the story of ghosts to try and undermine the confidence of the party and to make them feel insignificant. He has nothing to back up his claims, since his story is a fabrication with no basis in fact.

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tree of the mage “It thundered and smashed through the woods, knocking down trees and battering a path through the forest as if it were a tornado. I never got a good look at it, but the glimpse that I did get of the monster tells me it could have been an undead treant or, just maybe, a wood golem on some nefarious duty or other for a doubtless evil sorcerer. While I may not know for certain what it was, I swear to you that it was a destructive, violent force and not the sort of thing we want in the woods so near the city walls.” Kamil Dohnal, an experienced and licensed hunter who is permitted to hunt for game near the city, is spending a little more of the day’s pay than usual as he slams down mead after mead. The man is tall, thick, and skilled with sword as well as bow, and he doesn’t strike the party as someone who would be frightened by something unless it were truly unusual. “You can see the path for yerself, if you don’t believe me, because it’s going to take decades for the woods to heal and grow in the path that was made by that lumbering brute of a monster. I know I’ll be far more cautious than usual when I set back into the woods tomorrow morning.” True. Dohnal did see a wood golem crashing through the forest near the city, and the PCs quickly find the path of devastation if they take time to check on the man’s story. The path – a jagged line that cuts through the woods and connects a cottage with an open glade, is roughly ten-feet wide and impossible to miss. If the PCs search the glade, they find the prints of the golem as well

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as human-sized prints made by a child or young woman. If they decide to knock on the door of the cottage, they are greated by Fadejs Krievs, a mage who acknowledges that he does own a wood golem. “A servant who aids me around the cottage,” the man says. If they press the issue – or if they spy on the wizard – the party soon learns that the wizard has two golems. The 12-foot monstrosity that made the path, and a three-foot child-like creation that Krievs only recently brought to life as the son that he never had. False. While Dohnal did see a woodland beast in the forest – and there is a trail – it was a treant passing through the area. The path extends all of the way through the woods and doesn’t terminate anywhere except where the forest opens into the adjacent grasslands.

the extraplanar valley of alien life

“I read of it in a book when I was a child, and I spent the last six years of my life searching for the valley that lies between worlds. I swear I came close on more than one occasion, but I never did discover the valley. It’s out there, I just know it is, and I must find it!” Albek Sheripov, gentleman explorer of means, has taken a seat at a table in the inn’s common room after bathing; the man smells of flowers and is as crisp, clean, and proper as any lord of the land. Albek has been sinking most of his fortune – his parents left him with an inheritance – searching for a rumored valley that many claim is nothing more than a fairy tale. Albek, though, is convinced that it exists and determined to find the valley. Even if it bankrupts him. “What about you fine heroes,” Albek asks after looking about the inn, “would you lot be willing to sign on for an adventure?” He pulls a platinum coin from his pouch and tosses it to one of the PCs. “I can pay, and I can pay well.” If the PCs ask what the man is proposing, Albek says that his research suggests that the valley is a week’s ride away to the north and that he will pay the group 20 gold each

if they will accompany him as guards on the journey. He elevates the promised pay to 40 gold if they hesitate. Should the PCs choose to accept the man’s offer, he tells the group that they will set off in search of the valley at dawn. If the PCs ask, Albek will delay their start until noon and take the group to shops in the city so that they may buy equipment for the trek. He’s willing to spend at least 10 gold on each PC for supplies and will advance them up to 10 gold/each of the promised pay. True. Albek is telling the truth about the valley . . . and the group finds it! The valley is a portal between this world and another, and it is populated by strange animals and monsters that cross over from the distant land to graze in the valley between worlds. Will the PCs follow Albek into the new world, or will they say their farewells and watch as the man sets off on a new adventure? False. While the man truly does believe in the existence of the valley, it is nothing more than a fairy tale. The trip may be exciting and packed with adventure, but there’s no magical valley awaiting at the end of the week. Albek thanks them for their assistance and moves on.

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an approaching doom “The warlord is coming! Guards from the crossroads tower were killed only hours ago by the warlord and his forces, and it is only a number of hours before the man is certain to attack the city walls. Drink up, gang, as we may not live to see the new day!” The speaker, Rogier Lucas, downs a large mug of ale and slams it on the table, demanding a second. He then yells out to the room, “everyone drink, your next is on me!” He then tosses a small moneybag to the server and snatches the next mug of ale from the tray that the young man is carrying. If asked to explain his claims, Lucas only repeats his warning that “the warlord is coming.” The man downs drink after drink, his eyes red and his words blurring into an incoherent mumble as he drowns whatever is scaring him with far too many drinks. True. An orc warrior – no warlord – is even now on the way to the city gates. The orc didn’t kill anyone at the crossroads tower, though, but only asked the guards for directions and information. Lucas overheard others

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mentioning the orc an hour or so ago and as he continued to drink, his mind created the story that he now insists is true. Garzonk Yerug is an agent of the orcish king Rugorim. The orc warrior has been sent to the city to hire a ship and her crew; the king wishes to visit the distant island of Staerdale and Yerug’s duty is to find a ship that is willing to make the journey. If the PCs rush to the city gate to stop the invading warlord, they reach the gate in time to meet Yerug who asks them for directions to the docks. False. Lucas’ tale isn’t even based on anything that could be considered reality. The man spent too much time last night listening to the bard Dugald Brakefield, and now his imagination has convinced his mind that the story he heard of an invading warlord was not only true, but that it is happening right now to the city. The PCs are better off ignoring the drunken ramblings of this sad, lonely man.

a dragon loose in the wood “We’ve not been threatened by a dragon in so many years that I thought – I hoped – that maybe their kind had moved out of the region. Not so, now that one of their number has been spotted several times in the forest. I’ve not personally seen it yet, but those I have talked with who encountered the monster describe what can only be a young green dragon. Someone needs to find its lair and kill it now, before it grows older and more aggressive and decides to explore the city.” A member of the city council, Patrick Nailer runs a small winery that sits near the main crossroads just outside of the city. The man travels to and from the city almost daily and knows many who live in the area, so his words of a dragon are taken seriously by those in the tavern who are intently listening to all he has to say about the rumored monster. “Personally, I plan to bring this up at the next city meeting. The watch – preferably the guard – must take action before the dragon grows too powerful and becomes a true threat to us all.” If the PCs ask what the city pays for the head of a dragon or proof of the destruction of such a creature, Nailer turns to them and takes notice. “You’re dragonslayers then? In search of a reward are you?” A few others in the tavern laugh before Nailer waves them to silence. “I’ll tell you what, dragonslayers. You bring me the head of the dragon” – he writes directions to his winery on a scrap of parchment and hands it to the PCs – “and I’ll pay each of you 50 gold for your troubles.” If the party hesitates, Nailer increases his offer slowly, eventually stopping at a promised reward of 75 gold per member of the party. “I know not where the beast lairs or how often it is about in the forest, but I am sure that accomplished dragonslayers such as yourselves know what to do.”

True. A young green dragon has moved into the forest, living in a depression in the ground that opens into a shallow, small cave. The dragon is of the wingless variety – rare in this part of the world – and has very little in the way of collected treasures. If the PCs do manage to kill the dragon and deliver the head to Nailer’s winery, he admits that he thought they were little more than inexperienced fools who would have died if they faced the dragon. He pays each of them 5 more gold than he had promised, and invites them to stay for a rich, filling dinner and sweet deserts. False. Nailer makes the offer because the man knows there is no dragon. He’s trying to frighten the people in the tavern with his story because he is a cruel, sick man.

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the flying machine “ . . . and then he took us to the western desert where we saw the nomads hunting giant serpents that were bigger than your dad’s barn!” As the PCs are walking through the city, they overhear a child telling his companions about an adventure that he was on only hours ago. The group of kids range in age from eight to twelve, and one of the smallest of the group is doing his best to convince the others that he truly did go on a flying machine. “We went higher and higher, and everything was as small as ants. I swear it’s true! Stop laughing at me!!!” Try as hard as he can, the child – his name is Oskar Boch – cannot convince the others that his story of a flying machine is based in reality. If the PCs stop to ask questions, many of the children scatter, unsure of who the heroes are and unwilling to be caught by armed strangers. Oskar is slower than the others, though, and easy to grab if the PCs decide to

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force the child to talk to them. Otherwise, they may be able to bribe him with a few copper coins. It doesn’t take much to get Oskar to open up about his experiences on the flying machine. True. The child is not (totally) lying and really was on an unusual flying machine earlier this day. He’s even willing to take the PCs to the place where he last saw the device, which is along the docks where the party sees a strange vessel moored alongside the pier. The machine belongs to Albuin Voigt, an inventor who specializes in arcane contraptions. He was testing the ship – which he only completed this week – this morning and was unaware that he had a stowaway. The machine flew for six minutes, and Voigt plans to set out again this evening on a longer test. The PCs are welcome to join him, so long as they agree to sit still and not interrupt the man when he is piloting the craft. False. As with most small children, Oskar fabricated his tale and was only trying to get the others to like him.

the wolf with two swords “According to the guardsmen, the wolf has haunted the alley ever since the night that Sylvester Walsh – you remember him, yes? – were killed. They always said that Walsh were a wolf-beast, and maybe the words were true and he truly was a werewolf.” The baker is gossiping with Doris Kirk, a known rumormonger who many in the city consider to be no more than a liar – her rumors are rarely worth repeating, so often are they untrue – and the woman is going on about a werewolf while preventing the baker’s other customers from making their purchases. As the PCs await their chance to buy hardtack for the road, they’re forced to listen as the woman keeps prattling on and on about the slain “werewolf.” Once she does leave, many of the baker’s customers are relieved, but what happens if the PCs decide to chase the woman and question her about the supposedly haunted alley? “You wish to know more of Walsh and the night he were killed?” Doris motions for the PCs to follow her. “Well come along, then, and we’ll enjoy a tea and biscuit and I’ll tell you as much as you can afford to hear.” True. Doris Kirk explains how the guards had been in search of a werewolf in the city when, one night after another wealthy woman was found dead in an alley, the guardsmen decided that enough was enough and acted on the rumors that a bookbinder – Sylvester Walsh – was a werewolf and responsible for the murders that had been plaguing the city for weeks. Killing the man wasn’t enough, though, because Walsh had made a deal with devils and was prepared to strike out from the afterlife. Now forever trapped in his wolf form, the spirit of Walsh haunts the alley where he died. Once each month, under the full moon, the dead werewolf is granted corporeal form and has from midnight

until the first rays of the morning sun to stalk the city streets and slaughter those he meets. Walsh sticks to the alleys and rooftops during this one night of the month, cautious for fear that he will be discovered and killed. If the werewolf is killed on this one night of the month, he is forever destroyed and his soul will be instantly claimed by the devils who granted him this cursed existence. The other nights of the month, the werewolf is a ghost and has no way to interact with the physical world. Even then, though, Walsh appears every few nights to try and frighten those who may be so unlucky as to encounter the ghost late at night. False. As usual, Doris is telling a rumor that has little basis in fact. Sylvester Walsh – the dead bookbinder – was killed by the guards, but only because he had been bitten by a werewolf and the guards saw the man transforming into one of those wicked beasts.

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a destructive agent from elsewhere “In the flickering light of our torches, hundreds of feet below the surface, the hovering thing was almost impossible to make out. The robes of the thing were as dark as the shadows. I swear it kept phasing in and out of existence.”

The tavern is often the place where adventurers of all ages gather to tell tales of their recent – or most impressive – exploits, so it is no surprise when the greatly-aged elf shares his most terrifying experience with all who will listen to him speak. “It lunged at us, its sword as dark as the very shadows that leaked from its cruel, twisted soul. No matter how much light we directed at the creature, it remain cloaked in the shadows, as if it were capable of absorbing the brightest of lights we could conjure in our attempts to reveal its true form.” Arbane Herceran shifts in his seat, clearly uncomfortable, and points to the tavern’s windows and the moonless night. “I’ve not mentioned the thing in the shadows for many years, but I’ve no choice but to warn all of you that it is back. I saw it, out there in the city, and it is as terrifying as it was when I was younger.” “If it acts as it did when we first met it those many years ago, the thing is right now inflicting chaos and destruction on the city. It exists only to cause pain and suffering, and I swear that it is right now wounding anyone it meets, leaving them at death’s door with just enough breath in their lungs to tell any they meet that a wicked shadowman stalks the city this night.” True. A cosmic power, a sorcerer from another plane of existence, is visiting the city in search of new spells. The creature is hunting wizards and arcane spellcasters so that it may kill them and steal their spellbooks. Its power is greater than that of the PCs combined. False. While Herceran and his companions may have met an extraplanar terror in that dungeon many years ago, there is no such monster in the city tonight. The elf’s declining mental state and overactive imagination confused a dark-clad figure on the street with the incident in his memory and he let his imagination capture him.

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a killer lives here “You know that house in the woods that belonged to Szuts Zalan and was given to his daughter when he died? Well, I hear she sold the home to another, a stranger who paid with gold and platinum coins without even trying to talk the price down. I’ve not met him, but Louis told me that he thinks the stranger who bought the house matches the description of a killer wanted in Hightown.” “Louis says there’s a reward on the killer’s head and that we should grab the man and pocket that 100 gold reward for ourselves. Louis claims that it has to be the killer.” Patrick Gustave and his friend, Louis Metayer, have been plotting for weeks to break into the old Zalan house in the woods and kidnap the new owner. Louis, a traveling cheese merchant, is currently on the road, and Patrick is starting to think that it is best to grab the killer now and not wait for Louis to return. “I can share the reward with him when he gets back,” Patrick mumbles to himself as he tries to justify his intended actions.

The man is looking to hire muscle to help him in the effort and approaches the PCs, offering them each 5 gold coins if they will aid him in breaking into the home and putting the man in question in manacles. He’ll go as high as 10 gold per hero if pressured, but no more than 50 gold coins in total. True. Wanted for the murder of almost twenty people in Hightown, Kilian Redler decided the safest retirement was to buy an isolated home and spend his last days in relative quiet and the safety of anonymity. Redler would have gotten away with it, if not for Louis noticing him and remembering the description of the Hightown killer. Redler is an experienced warrior and not likely to go without putting up a fight. False. Of course the owner of the house isn’t a killer. He looks similar to Redler, but Mats Seyler is simply an older gentleman in search of a quiet retirement.

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the hunt for ebenezer baltasarsson “You saw the notices for Baltasarsson? 500 gold coins the city is promising for the delivery of the man’s head. That’s a lot of wealth, so much that any one of us here could retire comfortably and live out our days enjoying an easy life. So, which one of you will join me in tracking down the murderous scum?”

“Is there not a man here brave enough to help me track down and slaughter Baltasarsson? I have a lead – and it cost me enough that I know it is reliable – and I would feel better if there were more swords than my own directed toward the beast, but I’ll chase him down on my own if none of you will join me.”

Remi Lokken looks about the tavern, waiting for a response.

Lokken shakes his head in disgust as no one rises. He sets his mug on the table and walks to the tavern door. If the PCs stop the man, he’ll look them over and then suggest that they take the corner table and discuss the arrangement in private. “Away from these dogs,” Lokken says as he nods at the others in the tavern. “At least some here are brave enough and smart enough to sieze this opportunity.” The man is unwilling to share the specifics, especially not the lead he has managed to acquire, but he promises an even split of the reward money if the PCs will assist him in capturing the killer. If pressed for details, Lokken will refuse to share more than he already has. True. Not only is the promised reward real, but Lokken has secured information that will lead them to the wanted man. Baltasarsson was last seen on the road north of the city, and Lokken has a crude map that shows the abandoned cottage where the killer is hiding. Unfortunately for the PCs, the reason that Lokken knows the location of Baltasarsson is that the two are working together. One of the PCs looks enough like the wanted man that the two plan to murder the group and the deliver the head of the lookalike to the city. False. There is a reward, and Lokken believes in the information that he has collected, but the cottage is empty when the group reaches it. A careful study of the place suggests that someone had been staying in the cottage recently, but they left over a week ago.

the inn of terrible screams “I stayed at that tavern once before, but never will I again set foot in The Dead Goblin. The location is fabulous for those looking to get an early start when traveling to the east, but saving a few hours of travel on the first day of a long journey isn’t enough of a benefit to make sleeping in that pit of death a worthy trade.” As Kristin Abetz settles in for an evening of drink and conversation, she is all too willing to dismiss the recommendation that she stay at The Dead Goblin – a small inn and tavern that is a few hours outside of the city – because of her previous experience with the place. It is true that the savings of a few hours of travel toward the east is a great benefit to travelers because that makes it possible on the first day to reach the village of Hawkshead not long after sundown. Otherwise, travelers must either choose to camp between the city and Hawkshead or press on late into the night, hopefully reaching the village before midnight. A spoonful of the thick stew does little to slow Abetz or her mouth as she continues. “The one time I stayed at The Dead Goblin, it was after a recommendation such as your own. We reached the inn shortly before sunset and enjoyed a tasty meal and the joyous songs of a bard who happened to be staying as well. All was going without a hitch and I was happy as I bedded down for the night.” “It wasn’t long after my eyes closed before the screams startled me from sleep. Terrible, almost inhuman cries of pain and terror loud enough to rattle the pictures on the walls tore through the inn, causing all of us to race to the common room to seek out the disturbance. There, the staff assured us that there was nothing to fear and that we should all return to our rooms. They apologized repeatedly, but none of them could tell us where the cries originated or how long they would last.”

“We tried to sleep, but a few hours of the constant, terrifying screams were more than we could handle so my companions and I set off well before dawn, only stopping to sleep as best we could once we were well away from the accursed inn. Despite what others may say, I suggest staying far away from that haunted place.” True. Abetz speaks the truth, as is clear to any who look into her eyes as she speaks of the inn. The Dead Goblin is so named because of a terrible evil that was perpetrated in the inn’s cellar many years ago. A former owner, now long dead, kidnapped a family of goblins and tortured them in the cellar, exacting his evil wickedness on the helpless goblins until each was dead. One of them, a spellcaster, cursed the inn with his dying breath, plaguing the place with their dying screams until the inn is consumed by fire. Few stay at the place more than once. False. Too many drinks cause Abetz to imagine strange scenarios, and that is exactly what happened to the woman when she stayed at the inn. There are no screams.

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a terrible tool of evil “The serpent were a wizard, far more powerful than the charlatans we see every few weeks.” The man gestures toward you and your companions, not-so-subtly implying that there’s not a true wizard amongst you.

“What say you,” the man stands and walks toward your table, sloshing his drink. “Are any of you,” he looks each of you over, soon settling on the character who looks most like a wizard, “true wizards?” His companions rush to your table and shake their heads, apologizing repeatedly. “Christof means nothing by it, good folk, please pay him no mind.” The man shrugs off his friends’ hands and turns back. “If one of you truly were a wizard, you would track down that monster and destroy the source of its power.” If asked, Christof’s friends explain that the man had an encounter with something in the sewers yesterday, and he hasn’t stopped drinking . . . or speaking of the snakeman who he claims is in possession of a magic item that boosts the snakeman’s wizardly powers. “It’s likely nothing more than the drink and his terribly over-active imagination,” they say. “Please, just ignore him. We are very sorry that he has bothered you.” True. Though Christof may be drunk and obnoxious, it doesn’t change the fact that the man truly did encounter a snakeman in the sewers yesterday. For three weeks now, the wizard Groaxxuji has been living in the city sewers, devoting all of his time to studying the Chamber of Qrik, a magical vessel that holds the collected wisdom and arcane secrets of a long-dead tribe of snakemen. Groaxxuji is using the Chamber of Qrik to rapidly improve his meager spellcasting powers, tapping into the object and transcribing spell after spell into his book. If the PCs enter the sewers, they will find the wizard is, perhaps, too powerful for them to defeat. In battle, Groaxxuji will cast spells directly from the object, though doing so depletes its power quickly. If the battle goes more than ten rounds, the item explodes in a burst of arcane power and is forever destroyed. The snakeman attempts to flee in the chaos and blinding light of the explosion. False. Christof is very drunk. Regardless of how much time the PCs may explore the sewers, they do not find a snakeman wizard because there isn’t one.

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an orc on the road “I’ve not seen an orc so old as that one we met on the south road yesterday morning. That beast were one-hundred years of age if he were fifty, says I, though he moved with the sure skill and speed of an orc warrior at the top of his game. The monster’s toll would have been laughable and earned him a swift death at my sword, if his age hadn’t been so advanced that we could only feel pity for the creature.”

Edgar Eichmann serves as the lead bodyguard for a merchant caravan that entered the city at mid-day. Dozens of men and women – merchant lords and ladies, their guards, and the servants who handle the physical labor – have now taken rooms in various inns and boarding houses across the city, the caravan split up as each merchant goes about their business and the guards are given some downtime before the next journey. “In most times, when we come across some scoundrel or other operating an illegal toll, we make it a habit of killing all involved in the operation so that we might make an example of them. This time, though, my heart couldn’t stomach the thought of killing such an aged wretch. Though some members of the caravan disagreed with me, all of them accepted my judgment and we allowed the orc to live. I only hope that others also see that paying the creature a few silver coins to pass means much more to that orc than it does to us. He’s so old, anyway, that he’s sure to die before the year comes to a close.”

True. The orc warrior Sarfu Farod, so old and weak that he barely has the strength to even man his makeshift toll booth on the south road, has been running the operation for only a few days; Eichmann and the caravan were the aged orc’s first “customers.” Word spreads quickly of the elderly orc and his illegal toll booth, with many travelers deciding that Eichmann was right; “Let the orc earn his coins and live out his last days in peace,” they say. False. Eichmann is playing at a dangerous game, and has enlisted the talents of an illusionist and several ruffians to make his scheme succeed. The encounter with the elderly orc went down as he described, but it was in truth an illusionist and not an orc who he and the merchants paid to use the south road. The bodyguard captain’s plan is to convince others that the “orc’s toll” is harmless and not worth resisting. Then, when another caravan or small group of travelers meet the “orc,” Eichmann hopes that their guard will be down, giving the hired ruffians a few moments of surprise. If all goes according to plan, Eichmann’s ruffians will have an easy time robbing the unsuspecting caravans that follow.

the book of collected rumors • 119

the demon’s servant “He called out, lifting his staff high as he shouted my name across the busy thoroughfare. Though it was dim, as the setting sun was low but the torchlights of the city were not yet lit, I could not make out his features. Even in the bright light of day, the hood would have likely obscured his face.”

The tavern master’s wife, Arda Ohanyan, is telling her husband of an incident that happened only moments ago, her voice just loud enough that the PCs can overhear the conversation from their table. “He was one of the Cursed Souls, I’d recognize their crimson robes no matter the lighting. How did he know my name? What did he want of me?” As the tavern master tries to calm his wife, the woman’s crying sobs grow as she glances to the window, trying to see if the stranger is still close by. The tavern master, spotting the heroes, calls out to them: “Do ye wish to earn gold right now?” If the PCs agree, then the man – Alexak Ohanyan – offers them ten gold if they will snatch the red robed man from the street and see to it that he never disturbs another person again. True. The Cursed Souls are a cult of demon worshipers who were hired by Ohanyan’s rival to scare the man into selling his tavern. The cultist on the street is only one of a handful of them who are lurking nearby, hoping to frighten the tavern master’s wife, children, and patrons so badly that the man gives in and sells to Moti Hundee, the rival behind the terrible acts. If the PCs chase the red robed man, they are attacked by his fellows. The cultists are little more than thieves and thugs, although some of them possess magic weapons that will aid them in their fight. If captured, they reveal that Moti Hundee hired them to inflict as much mischief on the tavern as possible. They turn on Hundee quickly and will even share his location if pressured. False. The tavern master’s wife is scared of everything and exaggerates. The red robed fellow is a traveling wizard who is confused when confronted by the PCs.

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the serpent beast in the city sewers “The city officials report three claimed by the beast this week, though those of us who look beyond the fabrications and lies of the city guards know that the death toll is much, much higher. A good score of men, women, and children were eaten by the serpent this week alone, and perhaps as many as one hundred have been eaten by the monster in the six weeks since it first made its presence known.”

False. It is not a giant serpent that has been killing the people who enter – or get too close to – the sewers, but a band of goblins who have moved into the sewers. The monsters are unlikely to leave unless they are forced out.

Mariet Gillissen has called a handful of the city’s mothers to a secretive meeting in the tavern this night in hopes of raising enough gold to hire adventurers to deal with the serpent that has made its home in the sewers. So far, the official report on deaths at the jaws of the beast are low; the report includes only those wealthier citizens who have been killed. According to Gillissen, the poor have been hit hard, especially since some of them work as rat catchers and scavengers who are forced to search the sewers for anything to sell to earn enough copper coin for their next meal. Fortunately, Gillissen has selected the very tavern where the PCs have decided to sup and perform the ritualistic act of “listening to rumors in hopes of finding their next adventure.” If they approach the woman and ask about the situation, she tells them that she has collected 15 gold coins, a few dozen silver coins, dozens of copper coins, and a silver necklace that is theirs if they seek out and murder the serpent beast. True. A limbless and wingless dragon, an oddity from a distant realm, entered the city sewers last month when it found a break in the iron grates that were designed to keep larger creatures from entering by way of the sea. The monster made its home in the sewers almost immediately, killing most of the natural vermin that called the place home before turning to its primary task of snatching and eating the city’s people. The monster hasn’t much of a hoard to speak of, but it is intent on claiming as many loose riches as it can find. It is comfortable in the sewers and does not plan to leave any time soon.

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a dwarf’s request “I am Noralgril Anvilforge, son of Brurduk Anvilforge, and I am here to ask for the aid of heroes who are not afraid of the dangers that live beneath even the deepest caverns of our world. I am Noralgril Anvilforge, and my queen, Hilda Dragonbraid, has tasked me with finding heroes to save us.”

The dwarf’s proclamation to those seated in the tavern goes mostly unnoticed, his voice loud, but not loud enough to overcome the many discussions, clinking of glasses, and associated noises that fill the busy tavern. The Dramatic Flame is one of the largest taverns in the city, and many who come here do so because the noise is often loud enough to mask most hushed, secretive conversations. The dwarf chose this establishment because he reasoned that its large size would mean a greater chance at finding heroes . . . it is a good thing that the PCs were seated close enough to him to hear his speech. If the PCs do not approach him, then Anvilforge walks up to their table and asks if they are for hire. The dwarf tells them that he has 500 mithril coins, ancient elven coinage that his people has kept safe in their vaults for hundreds of years. He will pay them the mithril if they will murder the demon that threatens his people’s subterranean city of Stonehold, kingdom of Hilda Dragonbraid and almost 100 dwarves. Stonehold is a dying community, with many of the younger dwarves leaving the city as they come of age so that they may seek their fortune in the larger world above. True. Anvilforge shows the party a handful of mithril coins, artifacts from a long-dead age when the elves and dwarves were plentiful and before the men and orcs multiplied and forever disrupted the balance of nature. He agrees to guide them to Stonehold and will, if asked, join them in their descent below the dwarven city. Using whichever dungeon maps you prefer, send the PCs into one of the deepest lairs they will ever explore and stock the place with demons and devils of all levels of power. The invading monsters have torn a hole in the fabric of reality that separates their planar hell from this world, and now the demons and devils are flooding through the tear as fast as possible. Can the PCs fight their way through evil and seal the tear before it is too late? False. The handful of mithril coins that Anvilforge shows them are all that he has. The dwarf is a thief and hopes to pick the pockets of the PCs as he “leads them to his city” and then slip away late one night before they are scheduled to reach the dwarf’s homeland.

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a goblin alone “The way the thing was stalking us, I would have sworn it was part of a larger force. For almost three hours, we could feel the goblin’s gaze on us as we marched the south road, though every time we tried to get a look at our pursuer, it managed to slip into the shadows of the trees and evade our notice.” Clad in leather armor that is too small and tight across his ample belly, the scoundrel Kapriel Mardikian is telling the tavern server – an elderly woman too weak to carry more than a single mug at a time – of an encounter he and his friends claim to have had with a solitary goblin earlier this day. Mardikian, thinking that the woman cares about his story, continues talking, though any who glance at the woman’s face can tell that she is only listening in hopes of securing a few extra copper from the man. “Finally, just a few miles from the city gate, we spotted the thing and let our arrows fly. Though I cannot be certain, I think I nailed it; fresh blood splattered on the trees had to have come from something, and it could have only been the goblin. We would have chased it and finished it off, but the bounty on goblin ears being only five silver these days makes the hunt less profitable than it once was.” True. If the PCs ask Mardikian for details on where he wounded the goblin, the man grins and agrees to sketch out a crude map. “Who am I to say what reward is beneath the likes of one such as you? You lot must be desperate if you’re willing to set off into those dark woods in search of one wounded goblin.” False. It wasn’t a goblin that was struck by an arrow, but a deer that was in the wrong place. If the PCs scour the forest near the area that Mardikian describes, they eventually find the dead deer that has been mauled by other animals. There is no goblin.

“If you encounter a goblin on its own, it’s more than likely the dim creature has wandered from its squadron and become lost.” – Nina Hess, A Practical Guide to Monsters the book of collected rumors • 123

danger in the forest

“The forests have always been a terrible and dangerous place, and now things are only worse after that blasted dragon claimed the Emerald Caverns as its home. I told the city years ago that we should seal the cave mouth with stones, but they laughed off my recommendation and suggested that I was delusional in worrying over anything attacking us by way of the cave. Now that a dragon calls the cave home, how many of them see the wisdom in my suggestion?” While none have sworn to have they themselves seen the dragon, many a person in the city “knows a friend who saw the dragon in the forest.” Norbert Rozenkwit has decided that maybe his prior suggestion – that the city take action to seal the cave entrance with stones – is still worth attempting, and he has convinced enough people in the city to donate to the cause that he now has thirty gold coins to spend to ensure that the task is done. “Who here will help me seal that cave with stones? I’ll buy the rock and all I need are the hands, wagons, and horses to transport the stones and then invest the energy in stacking them tightly to block off the cave forever. There’s a silver for each of you who help, plus free drinks here after the work is complete. Who will join me?” Few in the tavern call out agreement to help, far fewer than Rozenkwit was hoping would heed the call. The man turns to the party and their table and asks: “Will you lot join in the efforts to protect us from the dragon?” True. A dragon has taken residence in the cave known to the people as the Emerald Caverns, the monster already starting to take action to claim the mile or so near its new home as its private domain. It has been killing animals and any who wander too close to the cave for weeks now.

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Rozenkwit tells the volunteers they will collect supplies and set out for the cave in the morning. If the PCs join in, they are welcomed and thanked for their willingness to act where the city would not. Even before the group leaves the city gates, many of them are treating the event as more of a picnic than the dangerous task that it is. As they pass drinks and pipes, the crowd grows larger, more and more onlookers joining in the dawn festivities. At the cave entrance, there is certain to be a disaster if the dragon wakes and notices a crowd of men and women stacking stones in an attempt to seal the cave. Can the PCs save the townsfolk when the dragon attacks? False. There is no dragon, but Rozenkwit follows through on his plan. The crowd successfully seals the cave with stones before sunset, and then they go to the tavern for too many drinks.

the alien intruder

“I’d not seen such as it before, tall and like a man in many ways, but with a gray flesh unlike anything of this world, and its face a mass of writhing, wild tentacles. And those eyes, those alien, unnatural eyes were like pits of the darkest shadows that captured all light and reflected nothing. Voloshin readied his sword and I my axe, but the thing simply shrugged and seemed to sigh before raising its hand and unleashing a stream of blue bolts that tore deep into Voloshin’s chest. His death cry rattles in my skull to this day, but how could I have done anything but flee when confronted with power such as that?”

It has been six nights since Kuzma Yakovych stumbled into The Gold Falcon telling the story of a confrontation with an alien monster. The tavern’s owner and staff would have tossed the man out days ago, if it wasn’t for the fact that his coin purse had yet to run dry. During that time, Yakovych has tried to erase the scene from his mind by applying too much ale, mead, and wine, but he claims the incident is forever burned into his memory and that he will never forget the screams of his dying friend. “It was a spellcaster, of that I am sure, because a levitating book followed the alien as it moved. And what else could have killed Voloshin but the magic bolts of a sorcerous evil? I know I should have stood my ground and avenged Voloshin’s death, but the thing’s immense power stunned me so deeply that I fled without even understanding my actions.” Yakovych admits that he does not possess the courage to return to the scene, but he will share the details of the location where he last saw the creature if anyone asks for information. “It was in the uppermost chamber of the second of Kostenko’s Towers. I know that the city elders have forbade us from trespassing within the nine towers, but Voloshin and I were drunk and the rumors of riches within the towers was too great to resist.” True. The man and his friend were breaking the city law when they snapped the lock and entered the tower, but the rumors are true and the towers – once the homes of nine different wizards – do have some small riches left to be claimed. Treat each as a three to five story dungeon, though only the second of the nine towers is guarded by the cosmic being from beyond the stars. The thing is a powerful wizard and is trying to open a gateway to its home so that it can bring more of its kind to the city and assume control of the region. False. While the men did enter the tower, all they found was a strange statue that was trapped in ways that they did not expect.

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“Centuries ago, the Knight Olehivna Yatsenko entered the Caverns of Cosmic Fears . . . the woman never returned. The loss of a knight is always a blow to the people of the city, but this particular failing of Yatsenko was more painful than usual for one reason: she took with her the Sword of Seven Knights, a magical artifact that had been in the hands of the city’s most powerful champion for decades.” “When Yatsenko was lost, the city sent rescuer after rescuer into the caverns in search of, they claimed, the knight. In truth, the city wanted their sword. Even today, adventurers search the caverns in hopes of discovering the sword, though none have succeeded.” Valentijn Graner tells this story every few weeks, boring the regulars of the tavern while capturing the imaginations of those new to town. While the man has never visited the Caverns of Cosmic Fears, he has kept the story alive ever since he first heard the tale when he was very young. It takes a few drinks to loosen his tongue and get him going, but he doesn’t stop talking once he starts. “I know the sword,” a stranger at the bar speaks after Graner tells his tale. “I almost had it in me hands yesterday.”

Copyright © Dean Spencer

the sword of seven knights

Graner leaps to his feet, excited, and begs the stranger to tell all that he knows of the Sword of Seven Knights. “Please sir,” Graner says, “allow us to buy you a drink and tell us all you know of the sword.” He gestures to the party when suggesting that “us” will buy the man a drink. David Rodenberg introduces himself as a dungeoneer and sellsword and, once he has his free drink, is eager to tell of the sword. “As I said, it were only yesterday that the sword were in me hands. I was three levels deep, exploring the ancient cells that were once used by the wizards to hold their captives, when I came across the weapon. I knew it instantly, for it matched perfectly the description I’d heard of so many times.” Rodenberg asks for another drink and, if he gets it, continues. “I know not what those cells once held, but now they hold only murder and death. I had no choice but to drop the weapon when a trio of skeletons attacked and overwhelmed me; it was flee or die. I’ll go back to seek the sword tomorrow, but only if brave souls will accompany me in the adventure and share the reward.” True. Rodenberg found a sword, but whether or not it is the Sword of Seven Knights – which is actually nothing more than a simple +2 two-handed sword – is for the GM to decide. The man knows the way to the cell in question and can guide the party there, but there are sure to be more than just three skeletons waiting in the dungeon. False. Graner and Rodenberg are running a con and are long-time friends. If one of the PCs makes a successful Perception check, they notice that some of the regulars stifle a smile as the story is told. If the party agrees to follow Rodenberg to the caverns, they soon find themselves attacked by the warrior, Graner, and 2d3 thugs.

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ghanka’s magic shields “From what I hear, Wendelin Ghanka died last week, and it is about time that death finally claimed that wicked wizard. For far too many years, Ghanka’s threat was a shadow over us all, and now that he is gone maybe we can know peace and happiness once again.” Seda Kuriyeva spits on the floor and reaches for her drink, the elderly woman clearly happy to tell others that the wizard Ghanka is reportedly dead. “I just know that when he died, the wizard left behind something of value. I’ve heard stories over the years of his many spellbooks, golden treasures, and magic trinkets, but what I am certain will be most of interest to explorers will be the man’s many shields. Ghanka was obsessed with shields, and there must be dozens of them in his abandoned lair. Who will be brave enough to face whatever traps the wizard left behind?” If asked for details, Seda admits that she has no concrete information and knows only what she has heard from the wizard’s hirelings. She does know the name of one of the

men who worked for Ghanka for a few years, and Seda is quite willing to share her knowledge with the party . . . if they would be so kind as to buy her a drink. Seda directs the heroes to Marcel Slany, a young man not quite twenty winters of age. Slany admits that yes, he did work for Ghanka a few years ago and that he knows his way around the wizard’s caves. He refuses to return to those caves for less than 20 gold. Paid in advance. True. Seda and Slany are telling the truth, and if hired, Slany does his best to guide the PCs through the wizard’s dungeon. The place is guarded by conjured and summoned beasts of all types (as chosen by the GM and appropriate to the power level of the party). Select any dungeon map of your choice to serve as the dungeon. The man both bought and crafted magic shields, and there are 2d4+4 different shields in the dungeon. This is a lot of loot to hand to the PCs, so be sure to complicate their lives considerably if they successfully recover the shields. False. Seda and Slany are lying and, in fact, working with the wizard. Ghanka takes pleasure in watching heroes die and pays the pair to send unwitting adventurers to the dungeon to face impossible odds.

Copyright © Dean Spencer

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the secret treasures of the immortal mage “You’ll not hear it spoken often, but there are some who say that Dusan Kostra possesses treasures far greater in number than he admits when the tax collector visits his laboratory in the mountains. Rather than pay the required tax on his valuables, they say that Kostra has hidden many of his riches in the deepest caverns of the laboratory. I do know the city tax collector is looking for brave adventurers willing to investigate the mage’s rumored tax avoidance.” Lothar Thoma is a clerk in the city hall of records and, if pressed, will admit that he knows nothing of the details behind the rumored treasures of the mage. He tells the PCs that he can, though, introduce the party to Ralf Kersting, his boss and the city tax collector. “Just come by the office tomorrow at mid-day and Mister Kersting will be there and you lot may be exactly the sort he needs to aid him in checking out the rumors surrounding the mage.” If the PCs show up the next day, Thoma at first doesn’t recognize them. As soon as the party explains their purpose, the man goes white and whispers, begging them to flee immediately and not speak of what he shared with them. “I drank too much again,” he says. “I should not have told you of Kostra or Kersting’s suspicions of the man.”

thugs he hired in the city – as well as Kostra the mage himself. This is a straight-forward dungeon crawl against an arcane spellcaster and his hired goons . . . with one slight bonus. If the party takes proof to Kersting that the mage was hiding treasures, the tax collector pays them each a 25 gold reward. And then taxes them for any treasures they may have taken from the dungeon. False. Thoma is Kostra’s failed apprentice and wishes the man harm. He only tells the PCs of secret treasures in the hopes that the party will cause the wizard trouble.

True. The mage is hiding treasures in concealed sections of his labyrinth-like laboratory. Using any tunnel map, the GM may send the party into a small dungeon where they will encounter the mage’s hirelings – bandits and

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Copyright © Dean Spencer

Kersting is away on business, and to get the PCs out of the office faster, Thoma gives them directions to Kostra’s mountain retreat.

treasures of the forbidden mausoleum “So you saw that mausoleum standing several hundred yards from the crossroads? Entombed within the mausoleum is Alaattin Kemal, a merchant-priest who died several decades ago. Kemal was as nervous as he was wealthy, and the man was afraid that if he were buried in the city cemetery that the spirits of the commoners would prevent his soul from reaching the afterlife. Kemal used his vast fortune to have that mausoleum constructed far from the city, certain that his spirit would be far enough from the city that it would be safe from those who may wish him harm.”

Add 2d4 traps to the selected map, at the various doors as well as the floor around the treasures. Nicolakis has a 50% chance of perfectly remembering a trap; if the man does not remember the trap, the PCs will be unprepared for it when they enter the mausoleum. The chamber is guarded by the skeletal remains of Kemal and 2d3 followers; the man’s soul never did reach the afterlife and has been trapped in this chamber for decades. He and his followers will attack intruders and attempt to escape so that they can terrorize the town.

The speaker, Loukas Nicolakis, identifies himself as one of the workers who helped to seal the mausoleum after Kemal’s death. “As the stones were set and the mortar hardened, all I could think of was what a waste it was for so many fine valuables to be forever encased in that death chamber. Gems, jewels, sacks of gold and silver, and even arcane weapons and armors were left behind with the man’s corpse, though I must admit that me and some of the others plunged our hands into those bags of coins and squirreled away what we could safely carry away before the mortar set.”

False. Nicolakis is lying and only after free drinks. The mausoleum was emptied of riches many years ago.

Nicolakis says that he cannot remember exactly what items he saw during the burial of Kemal, “What I remember most are the traps. So very many traps were set that I’ll never forget the dangers that await anyone foolish enough to raid that particular tomb. Do I remember the exact placement of the traps? Not at all, lads, because it has been over fifty years since the man’s death and I am an old, old man. I may be able to recall a few of the more dangerous traps, if ye would be kind enough to buy an old man a drink while he tries to remember the past.” True. Nicolakis is telling the truth and was there the day that the merchant-priest Kemal was sealed in the mausoleum. Choosing a small dungeon map – preferably nothing with more than two or three chambers – is the first step to using this rumor in a session.

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treasures behind the dungeon door “You’ve no doubt seen the building time and again, I am certain of it. Between the Temple of Flaming Swords and that place that sells the chicken stew that smells like skunk – I can’t remember the name, but you know what I mean – there’s a single-story building that looks as old as the city itself. You surely know the one.” Stanislav Havlik is growing more and more impatient with his companions, spilling his drink as he slams it down on the table. Despite his insistence, the group of men seated around him shake their heads and claim not to know of the place in question. “Damn you lot!” He looks about the room. “Does anyone here know the name of that damnable shack that sells the chicken stew that smells like skunk?” Although his outburst draws laughs and shouts, not a single person in the tavern can help with the name. Havlik grumbles. “To hell with the name. I’m swearing to you that those locked doors to that building – I do wish I

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knew what it was – guards a secret treasure trove the likes of which you would not believe. It has been sealed for decades, and even now those riches are collecting dust . . . and I say we take them!” If the PCs approach Havlik, he smiles and nods. “Finally, some heroes who know the truth when they hear it.” True. The sealed building was the shop of Antonin Kolb. On his death, the curse he paid for kicked in and the building is now sealed tight. If anyone could get inside, they would find everything the man had for sale – the shop sold magic wares and adventuring gear – just waiting to be claimed. Of course, breaking the curse may be a challenge since it requires finding the wizard who Kolb paid to cast the spell. False. The sealed building was once a workshop and was abandoned long ago. Its owner died, and now his heirs continue to fight with the city over ownership of the building. There is nothing inside but scrap and filth.

the dragontooth dagger of yinsalka

“When the dragon Jairgo the Blood was defeated at the Battle of Six Spells, they say that the warrioress Alica Bessas carved out the monster’s teeth and took them to the wizard Yinsalka with a single instruction. The warrioress wanted the wizard to make for her a weapon from the dragon’s teeth. Unfortunately, as the story goes, the wizard destroyed most of the teeth in the many attempts, eventually succeeding only once: the Dagger of Yinsalka.” Viktor Bracun is known by many in the city as a learned man, a wise follower of the world who knows – and shares! – a great many truths. This evening, Bracun is telling the tavern’s patrons of a magical dagger that, if the tale is to be believed, was last seen in the hands of a warrioress who died in a nearby dungeon.

Copyright © Dean Spencer

“Bessas surely had the dagger with her when she entered the dungeon two weeks ago, and now I fear that it – and her corpse – is somewhere in that evil place.”

If asked to hear more of the dagger and the warrioress, Brucan nods toward the server. “For a few drinks and a taste of that lady’s meat pie, lads, I’ll tell ye all I know.” “Bessas herself was a terror. As tall as an orc, she was a warrioress not to be crossed. If she did die in the dungeon – and I think she did, otherwise we would have seen her by now – there must be something truly wicked down there. As for the dagger, it was a magical weapon, of course, and despite not being the sword Bessas had wished for, I heard her say time and again that it were as deadly as any sword she had ever wielded. I would send you to Yinsalka to learn more, but the wizard is dead.” True. Using any dungeon map of your choice, the PCs may search for the body of the warrioress and her magic dagger. The dagger is a +3 magic weapon, but its true power comes from its once-a-day ability to unleash a flaming breath attack much like that of a red dragon. False. Bessas didn’t die in the dungeon, but left town. She owes a merchant a tremendous amount of gold and has fled so that she won’t have to pay the man.

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Copyright © Dean Spencer

the sorcerer’s enchanted staff of fangs

“I saw the staff once, wielded by the serpent sorcerer Sziza Chiaqriq. It was in the Dungeon of Skulls, several years ago, when I was far younger . . . and before I lost my arm. Sziza was everything you have imagined, hurling spells this way and that, channeling his rage through the wicked staff. I swear the staff was a living creature. The way it moved – almost on its own at times – was unnatural and not like any staff I’ve seen before or since.”

Mayra Kadiev hoists his mug with his remaining arm, downing a swallow of the dark swill that passes for refreshment in this filthy tavern before raising his eyes to meet those of the party members. His gaze lingers on each, as if measuring their worth, before he takes another drink and drops the empty mug to the dirt floor of the out-of-the-way tavern. “The ‘Staff of Fangs’ is what them who have never suffered the misfortune of seeing it in action call it. I suppose the name is fitting enough, seeing that the staff’s head is that of a snapping and hissing serpent, but the arcane artifact is much more than a snake-headed staff. I watched as Sziza threw it at one of my companions, the staff as rigid as a spear and then instantly turning into an eight-foot long serpent when it impaled its target.” Kadiev signals the waitress for another drink, kicking his empty mug toward her. “I was so fascinated by the staff – and the sorcerer – that I would inquire from time to time, keeping track of both. As of last week, it would seem that Sziza is now dead and his magic staff buried with him in a sarcophagus in that very dungeon where I first spotted him and the weapon.” Kadiev raises the stump of his missing arm. “I’ve not the will within me to chase down the staff meself, but I’ll pay you lot 500 gold if you seek out and claim the staff and deliver it to me before next week.” True. Mayra Kadiev tells the truth and is in possession of a map leading to the nearby Dungeon of Skulls. The staff is a real item, a bizarre wood golem infused with the power to transform into a snake. The object is intelligent, angry at being trapped in the sarcophagus, and will lash out and attempt to murder anyone who comes near it. In addition to its ability to act as a monster (independent of outside

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control), the staff augments the spellcasting powers of its wielder; the effective caster level of one who controls the staff is increased by three. Of course, control is the challenge. A successful Willpower test vs the staff is required to take complete control of the serpent-infused staff. False. It isn’t that Kadiev is lying so much as he has been living with a misunderstanding of the item all these years. What he saw was an illusion; the staff is magical, but it cannot change into a snake.

lost loot of the kobolds ‘They stole it from us! I tells ya, it were theft and a sin against me and me kin. The riches were rightfully ours – after all, we stole it first! – and those thugs had no right invading our home and taking our loot. We may not be strong enough to make them pay, but we have the coins to pay you to make them suffer. What say ye?” Although the tavern doesn’t usually tolerate kobolds, the owner knows Xed Rainsnarl and gives the creature permission to visit the tavern on occasion . . . so long as he promises to keep his claws to himself and not try to walk off with anything that doesn’t belong to him. Today, Rainsnarl is on a mission. The kobold is angry and looking for adventurers who will help him and his tribe right a terrible, terrible wrong. A band of dungeoneers recently raided the kobolds’ home – a shallow cave in the forest a few miles from the city – and now Rainsnarl and his people wish to see the “thieving dungeoneers” pay for their assault on the kobold cave. The kobolds also wish to reclaim their loot, but that’s a secondary desire.

“We can pay you in coins – silver and gold – and with this,” Rainsnarl holds up a dagger that sparkles and twinkles with mystic power. “All we ask is that you capture them and drag the thieves to our cave. We’ll take care of the rest.” Rainsnarl agrees to let the PCs see the dagger, though he refuses to give them the dagger – or coins! – until they find the other party and deliver them to the cave. Casting detect magic on the dagger verifies that it is enchanted. True. A small band of adventurers attacked the kobolds in their home, killing several of them and getting away with gems, a sack of coins, and a few scrolls. Use any group of NPC stats you wish to assemble the opposing party; this is a great opportunity to pit the PCs against a group of comparable strength and size. Of course, there’s always the chance that the PCs will use the knowledge of the nearby cave as an excuse to raid the kobolds’ home and finish the job the other party started. If the PCs follow through and deliver the other party to the kobolds, there’s a 50% chance that Rainsnarl turns on the PCs and attacks them, especially if the heroes are already weakened from their encounter with the NPCs. False. Rainsnarl is lying. The other adventurers he points the PCs at haven’t attacked him or his people. The kobolds see this as an easy way to weaken two groups of adventurers who might be a threat.

Copyright © Dean Spencer

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a magic quiver left behind

“Thank ye for yer time,” the half-orc says as he glances over his shoulder, pulling the hood tighter in the hopes of concealing his face. “I hear you lot are trustworthy and honorable, so I assume you will understand when I say that this conversation must be shared with none, especially them in that corner over there.” He motions to a group of five half-orcs, burly humans, and orcs, who all appear to have seen more than their share of abuse over the years. “Me and me mates,” he gestures toward the group in the corner, “are explorers much like yerselves. We pride ourselves on raiding labyrinths and ruins and claiming whatever riches we can find. We’ve been at this fer years, so it pains me to admit that I left me quiver in the dungeon we raided only yesterday. I’d let it go, but it is a magical quiver and one I desperately need back . . . without them knowing that I lost it.” Narod Kodagog asks that the PCs keep his tale quiet. He is embarrassed by the situation and hopes to recover the

quiver before his companions find out that he dropped it in the dungeon. Kodagog says that he can pay for their help; he has a sack of silver coins and two small emerald rings (each worth 50 gold) that he will give the party if they return his quiver. He holds up four vials and says: “I’ll throw in these healing potions if you can get the quiver to me before dawn.” He knows where he left the quiver – on a book-filled case in the first room to the right of the dungeon’s entrance – and can provide a map that leads straight there. The dungeon is a few miles from the city – it is a natural cavern beneath a ruined farmhouse – and Kodagog tells the PCs to ask for him at the bar if they find the quiver. True. The half-orc speaks the truth. The quiver grants any arrow pulled from it a +1d3 bonus to damage. Kodagog is true to his word, even tossing in a random scroll if the PCs deliver the quiver without his companions noticing.

Copyright © Dean Spencer

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False. The half-orc is telling the truth about the quiver, but he is lying about payment. He and his companions (who are in on it) will follow the PCs and ambush them once they have the quiver and are on their way to town.

“It was Jon Abildgaard who first reported the cave and the many chests within it. A few weeks ago, after whichever god were angered enough to quake the earth, Abildgaard came rushing in late in the afternoon swearing that the quake had revealed a deep cave where one had not been before. Me and the others laughed at first – you see, Abildgaard has something of a reputation as an embellisher of truths – but we soon grew to believe him after he dropped the unusual wooden chest on the table.”

Copyright © Dean Spencer

a cave of many chests The man motions to a corner of the tavern where lay the remains of what was once a wooden chest. “See for yourself, because anything I say will only seem to be a lie until you’ve given that item a close inspection.”

Once the party has carefully studied the hacked apart corpse of the mimic, the man steps closer and asks if they would share a drink with him. If they agree, he introduces himself as Kuma Jiraanne and continues his tale.

The bits of timber, hinges, and smashed metal lock all seem to be simple enough, but it is the fleshy bits that adhere to the remains of the chest that give the PCs pause. If they are familiar with mimics, they may recognize this as the remains of such a creature.

“Abildgaard spoke of a winding cave that was filled with dozens of wooden and metal chests of all different sizes. He was certain that each held riches, but he was too afraid to do more than snatch the one he brought back to prove his find. Unfortunately, the lad was the first to fall to the monster when it attacked. Others here,” he gestures to some of the men at other tables, “moved it and slaughtered the beast, but we were too late to save Abildgaard.” Jiraanne admits that none of the villagers have investigated the cave, but he is happy to provide what directions he can if the PCs choose to check out the situation and explore the cave of chests. True. When the recent earthquake tore a gash in a stone cliff near town, it revealed an ancient cave that had been sealed by powerful magic several centuries ago. The work of a band of wizards, the arcane wards that concealed the cave from discovery also placed the many mimics within into a state of deep sleep. Now, with the cave once again open to the world, the creatures are active and hungry. They’ve not yet moved out of the cave to explore the area, but they’re sure to move on if prey doesn’t appear in great numbers very soon. False. The creature in the corner is all that remains of a mimic, but there is no cave of mimics to explore. The nearby cave is filled with spiders, rats, bugs, and other small creatures . . . but no riches.

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“If it weren’t for the giant rats, I’d go into the tunnels myself and gather what riches have been abandoned over the years. Ask Alex Gerin – that’s him in the red tunic eating the apple pie – about what is hiding below us if you want to feel your lust for treasures exceed what little common sense you may possess.” The speaker, Altinay Kilic, is an middle-aged man with graying hair and a long, thick beard who has staked a seat at the bar where he has had – if the number of empty glasses stacked in front of him is any indication – far too many drinks to be trusted. Still, it’s an easy enough matter for the PCs to ask the man in the red tunic about the ramblings of the drunk, right? If asked, Gerin sets down his fork, looks up at the party, and invites them to join him at the table. “Kilic has been talking again,” he says as he glares at the other fellow. “I’ll deal with him later. What he says is true, maybe, depending on exactly what he has told you about the tunnels.”

Copyright © Dean Spencer

under the watchful eyes of the giant rats

“Below this very tavern are tunnels that were part of a network that was once used by thieves to move goods – as well as people – in and out of the city. Shortly after I bought the tavern, I took a few men with me to check out the tunnels. What we found was one of the crudest, most dangerous series of tunnels I’ve seen in all my years. There’s very little in the way of supports, and there are a few places where the tunnels have collapsed.” Gerin says he will grant the PCs access to the tunnels, but he expects 25% of anything they find of value. If they agree to his terms, he leads them to a locked trapdoor that, once opened, drops straight into the tunnels. True. The tunnels truly were crafted and used by thieves, though it has been several decades since the gang who created the subterranean passageways has been active. The place is now home to dozens – maybe hundreds – of giant rats who have eaten everything within the tunnels and now visit the city each night in search of food. Throughout the tunnels are the remains of criminals, lost souls, and long-dead adventurers who thought they could get rich in the tunnels. Some of the bodies may still have items of value on them, but the most valuable item on any one of them is likely to be no better than a ring or necklace. False. Kilic and Gerin use the story of the tunnels to trick unsuspecting adventurers and slaughter them in the underground passages. There are giant rats everywhere, but the greater threat when exploring the tunnels are the thugs Gerin hires to follow the PCs and attack them. If captured, the thugs will reveal the truth and we can be sure the PCs will want to make the two men pay.

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“There have been many heroes such as yourselves over the years who have been here in search of the sword of Gnurl Ghorbash, so please forgive me for assuming that you were after that very same item.” The dwarf tugs gently at his beard, lost in thought, and then looks back up at the party. “If you would be interested in earning some coins before you leave town, maybe we can work together to find that very sword. I am sure we can succeed where so many others have failed.” Noggun Beastbow doesn’t fancy himself a hero, preferring a life of working his small shop over the promise of adventure and great wealth. He did once consider life on the road, even going so far as to train as a warrior for a few years, but the death of his mother and inheriting her shop in the city changed his course of action. Now, as he drinks in the tavern and chats with the PCs, Beastbow is starting to think that he may have a second chance at experiencing the excitement of adventure. The dwarf has heard rumors of a magic sword and thinks that he has collected enough information to know where the item

Copyright © Dean Spencer

the misplaced sword of the orc warrior

is resting, waiting to be claimed by those brave enough to take it. Perhaps he, with these strangers, can finally locate the sword of the orc Ghorbash. “It is the woods to the east of the city, only three days distant, where the sword was lost. I wasn’t here the day that Ghorbash visited the tavern and drank far too much, wallowing in despair at the loss of the weapon, but I’ve heard the tale often enough that I am sure I know where we should look to find the item. Will you join me? If we find the sword, I know of a wizard who will pay us for the magic weapon.” True. Beastbow will only tell the PCs more about the weapon if they agree to take him with them to hunt for the sword. The dwarf needs a few hours to prepare – he must find a friend or two to mind his shop – but agrees to meet them at the city’s east gates at dawn. He arrives as promised, overburdened with enough gear for a dozen days. If the PCs cannot convince the dwarf to leave behind most of the equipment he has slung over two donkeys, they’ll move at one-half their normal rate. Once they reach the woods, Beastbow takes them deep into the forest where he says they are looking for a cave. Within the cave are goblins, who call the place home and just happen to have found the +2 magic sword. False. Beastbow thought he knew what he was doing, and was certain he knew where to hunt for the sword, but the dwarf was fooling himself. After a few days, it becomes clear that the dwarf has no idea where to hunt for the sword. He refuses to admit that he is wrong, though, and will stubbornly stay behind if the PCs return to the city. What happens to the dwarf, only the GM can say.

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the ring of terrors “If that tale of that orc we met in Hightown is true, we’ve got to be close to uncovering the ring. It just has to be here!” As they walk the city streets, the PCs overhear two fellow dungeoneers speaking in front of one of the city’s many shops. If they choose to hang back and eavesdrop, the party learns that the pair – Oliver and Jonathan – are treasure hunters who have been on the trail of a magic ring and believe that it is nearby. The PCs may continue to eavesdrop or they may wish to approach the two men and take the direct route. Oliver and Jonathan – both fighters – have no interest in partners and do not appreciate the PCs interrupting their discussion. They’ll do all they can to put distance between themselves and the PCs, and will resort to violence if the heroes don’t take the hint and continue to follow the pair. If the PCs instead choose to continue eavesdropping, they soon learn that the ring is reportedly in the possession of the wizard Hilar Skaryna who lives in the city.

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True. The information that Oliver and Jonathan learned in Hightown is true and Skaryna is in possession of a magic item known as the Ring of Terrors. This ring grants the wearer the power to summon evil spirits from the realms of the undead, spirits that will obey the ring’s wearer and commit any action they are capable of for up to twelve hours, after which point the spirits must return to their home realm and the ring cannot be used again for 2d4 days. Oliver and Jonathan plan to take the ring by force, so the PCs may find themselves in a bit of a bind if they also proceed to the wizard’s home to try and steal the ring. Skaryna should be plenty capable of fighting off two separate groups of attackers, especially with the assistance of the spirits. False. The orc fed Oliver and Jonathan a lie and the two are about to cause some serious trouble. If the PCs involve themselves in the situation, perhaps they reach the wizard’s home just in time to witness the battle between Skaryna and the two fighters. The wizard makes short work of them; smart PCs will flee, right?

“This isn’t just any storm.” Standing at the tavern’s entrance, holding the door open as he watches the clouds above the tavern keeper, Emil Vlach, speaks softly, mumbling to himself. “It has to be the work of that foul sorcerer, Ladislav Zeman,” Vlach says to himself seconds before lightning flashes across the heavens. The sound of the closing door is drowned out by the reverberating thunder, the storm growing in intensity with every moment.

a storm most strange

If the PCs ask Vlach about his accusation, his naming Ladislav Zeman as the one responsible for the storm, the tavern keeper nods to one of his employees and motions for drinks. “Buy this round,” he tells the PCs as he pulls up a chair, “and I’ll tell ye of the sorcerer Zeman.” “Cloaked in evil, Zeman should have been executed last year after he assaulted the holy men of the temple.” Vlach waves his hands, “yes, yes,” he says, “I know that there were no proof that the illness that took so many men of the temple was Zeman’s doings, but it only stands to reason that it were his sorcery that led to their deaths.” “It were only yesterday that Zeman was last here. I would rather the sorcerer stay away, but I’m not brave enough – foolish enough! – to tell him that his custom is unwelcome in my establishment. Instead, whenever he visits all of us,” he waves to his workers, “do what we can to hurry him along. I fear that I may have offended the man and caused this very storm.” Vlach explains that he accidentally looked at the sorcerer over his left shoulder, a sure sign of disrespect and bad luck that has surely caused the spellcaster to unleash this storm on the city. “Someone must confront and stop the sorcerer before this storm gets any worse.” True. If the PCs offer to put an end to Zeman’s evil, Vlach thanks them and provides directions to the caster’s

home a few blocks away. The powerful sorcerer is in fact responsible for the weather, engaged in a vile ritual on the roof of his single-story home when the PCs arrive. Can they defeat Zeman and put an end to his evil ways before the storm grows so violent that it causes permanent damage to the city? False. Not surprisingly, Vlach is wrong. The superstitious man is convinced that Zeman is an agent of evil, but in truth the sorcerer is a retired adventurer who only wishes to be left alone to live out the last days of his life in peace.

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skeletons unlike any encountered before “I’ve fought skeletons before, but never ones such as these. Rather than the dull, faded white of bones, these vile skeletons were encased in a green aura that glowed from somewhere deep within their rotting forms. Worse yet, these creatures still possessed human faces, the flesh clinging to their illuminated bones. If they’d been clad in armor or robes I’d have thought we encountered wizards, but their unclothed torsos showed everything. Though I almost wish it hadn’t.” Nikola Grodovi, rattled from his encounter with evil, is in the tavern and telling everyone of the skeletons he met in the city sewers. His story of a force of skeletons

is odd and many who overhear the adventurer shrug off his report as the ramblings of a drunkard. Grodovi insists that he’s telling the truth and begs the PCs to accompany him. “I’ll show you where they are,” he says. “Though the second we see them, I swear I’m running back to the surface for I’ve no wish to face them again.” True. If they follow Grodovi into the city sewers, they eventually reach the skeletons. The “flesh” that covers their bones is actually an illusion, powered by the green crystals mounted in their chests. Treat them as more powerful skeletons with a bonus to hit and damage. False. There are no skeletons in the sewer, especially none that posses a magical glow from within. Grodovi has fallen under the spell of a necromancer who is using the man to lure others to his subterranean workshop. The necromancer, Liliana Heim, possesses a Ring of Necromantic Lies that allows her to disguise her true form behind a powerful illusion. Those who fail to disbelieve the illusion see her as Grodovi has described: a partial-skeleton with the face of a human male. In addition to the illusory appearance, the ring also grants Heim the ability to fire necromantic bolts of energy that deal 3d6 damage and strike their target without fail. She may fire such bolts no more than four times each day, so she uses them on the most powerful of any who Grodovi leads to her workshop. Any killed by the necromantic bolts are transformed into zombies that are loyal to the ring’s wearer. Heim tries to turn one or more of the PCs into zombies and, once she has fired all four bolts, uses whatever other spells you, the GM, wish to use against the party. Grodovi turns on the PCs immediately, the magic Heim using to control him unbreakable by anything less than a wish.

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the skull’s curse “No! You lie! It cannot be true!” The generally unruly noise of the tavern is shattered by a cry of terror as one of the younger men seated at a nearby table suddenly leaps to his feet. He grabs a dagger from his belt. “You lie,” the young man screams, louder this time, threatening the elderly man at the table with the dagger. “Tell me you lie and I’ll forget this insult.” Atay Umit is terrified with good reason. His dining companion, a friend of his father, has told him that the very dungeon where Umit had spent his last few days inflicts a secret curse on all who dare enter the subterranean labyrinth. Avi Donauri has known the younger man for many years and tries to calm Umit, asking him to sheathe his dagger and return to the table. If he spots the PCs eavesdropping, Donauri tells them this is none of their business. Umit, visibly shaking, sits, head in hands, and mutters loudly enough for the PCs to hear. “What will I do?” True. Donauri speaks the truth. The dungeon – perhaps one the PCs themselves have visited recently – is guarded by a great evil that marks all who enter the place. 2d4 days after leaving the dungeon, a powerful undead agent crawls out of the dungeon and starts tracking down those who explored the ancient tomb. This skeleton is far more powerful than the usual sort of undead and can track its prey without fail. Umit is in trouble, as the skeleton is even now closing in for the kill.

If the PCs force themselves into the discussion, Donauri eventually shares the secret of the dungeon’s curse with them. And even if he doesn’t, the party will have to deal with this monster if they’ve stepped foot in the cursed place. False. Donauri is merely trying to scare Umit into abandoning life as a dungeoneer and has made up the story of the curse. The reason he doesn’t want the PCs to interfere is he knows his tale won’t hold up to the suspicions of experienced adventurers. What happens, though, if the PCs get Umit alone and ask him to explain what terrified him so much that he yelled out in the tavern?

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temple of the dead “I discovered it when searching for information on the Court of Fools. According to my readings, the reported ‘Temple of the Dead’ is below Hightown, hidden by centuries of lost history and the collapse of the Odilon Castle many years ago. From what I could determine, the forgotten temple should be intact. At least, that’s what the tomes claim.” The scholar Jurren Vosjan spots the PCs in the tavern and invites himself to join them, launching into the story of a forgotten temple almost immediately. If the PCs reject his desire for company, he moves to the next group that looks as if they may be up for a challenge. Otherwise, Vosjan continues his story at the slightest sign that the PCs are listening. “According to the texts, the temple is still accessible if you descend far enough in the dungeons beneath Odilon Castle. The entrance is locked, but any who utter the command word – “Agony” – instantly trigger the magic doorway that leads directly into the awesomely large temple. And within that temple rest the riches of the place’s former masters.”

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If the PCs ask Vosjan for more, he suggests that they work together. “I’ll lead you to Hightown and Odilon Castle, and in exchange you share the treasures with me once you return from exploring the Temple of the Dead.” True. Vosjan is true to his word and guides them to the ruins of the castle, a crumbling mass of broken stones and overgrown vegetation that few have explored in recent years. Use any dungeon map you wish to represent the site below the castle’s remains, and then add a large chamber below the map: this is the Temple of the Dead. Inside, there are not the promised treasures, but there are unholy warriors and a force of zombies. The PCs have stumbled across a terrible cult. Can they stop this evil threat before it reaches the city above? False. Vosjan leads them in the direction of Hightown, but the PCs are soon distracted when the scholar guides them not to riches but to an ambush. Vosjan is working with bandits and is paid a percentage of whatever the bandits claim from anyone he leads to their forest trap.

an unexpected pile of skulls in the alley “Of course I’ve seen skulls before! My father was a gravedigger and I spent a good many years on the roads, so I’ve run across a skull or two in my time. But never so many at once, and never stacked in such a deliberate way. Who could have done such a thing . . . and how did they do it without getting caught by the city watch?”

Although she may be close to sixty winters of age, Mariya Arabidze still has plenty of life to live and often ventures into the darker alleys that are best avoided. “Saves ten minutes,” she argues when someone suggests that she stick to the well-lighted streets and avoid the alleys. Arabidze is seated at one of the tavern’s many tables, enjoying a game of dice and telling her companions about an unexpectedly and overly large pile of skulls she saw in an alleyway only hours earlier. “As high as my waist and blocking so much of the path that I had no choice but to walk on some of the skulls to get by,” she says. The others at the table are having a tough time believing her story, but as the evening wears on, she doesn’t waver. No matter how much the others laugh and accuse her of lying, Arabidze stands by her tale. “Mayhaps one or more of you would be willing to go with me so I can show you the skulls? Are there any brave souls here this night?”

True. If the PCs rise to Arabidze’s challenge to prove their bravery, she leads them – as well as 1d4 other tavern guests – through a winding maze of alleys and side streets until they are standing near a large mound of skulls. Roughly 3’ high, and spreading outward to fill the width of the alley, there must be hundreds of skulls. But why are they here? The PCs have stumbled across a skull golem in the making, a necromantic beast that is brought to unlife by the machinations of evil magic. The necromancer who was constructing this creature was recently killed, before he could complete his task, and now the skulls are an obstacle that must be cleared. The next day, the city offers twenty gold coins to anyone who will handle the grim responsibility of collecting the skulls and burying them in a mass grave in the city’s nearby cemetery. False. If anyone accepts Arabidze’s challenge to join her in visiting the skulls, she changes her mind quickly and says it’s not worth the trouble. “Why should I waste my time to deal with unbelievers?” She is lying and has made up the story. If forced, she admits the lie and adds: “But I heard it happened in Hightown.”

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the silent mansion “As one approaches the mansion, the first thing they notice is that the air is strangely still. With every step you take as you walk toward the majestic home, you’ll soon realize that the air has stopped. Then, almost immediately, you will also notice that the sounds have also died. Even the noise of your own footsteps vanish; where once your boots crunched on the rocks you now hear nothing, no matter how hard you step down on the trail.”

“I saw the master of the mansion, Zachary Lippert, committing terrible acts in that attic. Dagger in hand, he was ripping the guts from a dwarf when I stepped in the room. Before I was noticed, I realized that the dwarf was screaming . . . though no sound escaped its anguished face. I bumped into something then, knocking a book to the floor, but again there was no sound. Through it all, only the dwarf saw me. That pleading look in his eyes will forever haunt me.”

Denise Gruber tells of how she once worked at what many now call “The Silent Mansion.” She was employed by the Lippert family, the owners of the home for generations and she claims to have abandoned her employment only recently when she realized the reason for the mansion’s unnatural stillness and the strange silence that encompasses the place.

True. Gruber refuses to return to the mansion, instead seeking escape from the city and hoping to get as far away from the horror she encountered as she can. If the PCs ask her for details, she only tells them that she fled right away and has no idea if her intrusion on the vile ceremony was discovered.

“It was when cleaning the uppermost floor, the attic that sees little use, that I stumbled across the secret of the family and why the place is so deathly still. It was a room I’d rarely visited before – the elderly ladies of the staff usually handled that room – there I witnessed the evils that make the Lipperts wealthy and envelops the mansion in vile silence.” Gruber is in a tavern when the PCs meet her, where one too many drinks have loosened her previously silent tongue.

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Visiting the mansion, they find that the Lippert family practices wicked sorcery. Each member of the family knows magic and they are not happy when unwanted visitors knock at the door. False. Though an air of mystery does hang over the mansion and its family, the stories of still air and silence are fairy tales the parents use to scare children. Gruber stole from the home and is telling the lie in hopes of causing the Lipperts trouble before they realize that a sizable amount of gold is missing.

“The city is typically relatively safe, a quiet place where the worst threat is a rowdy gang of drunks brawling late at night. Recently, there’s been something else out there at night, something far more threatening and terrifying than the usual night disturbances. Something evil.” Regardless of his naivety surrounding the city and its many dangers, the words of Vilem Richter cut through the chatter of the tavern and attract the attention of the PCs. Though they are not sure of what Richter may have actually spotted, the terror in his voice is sincere enough to warrant investigation. “It was hooded and shimmering, as if it were a ghostly thing from somewhere no doubt vile and unholy. Strangely enough, its thin limbs were of a gray color, like dead flesh, and did not glow the same bluish tinge of the rest of its body.” Richter claims that he saw the thing only the night before, brandishing a weapon and moving about the nearby merchant district just after midnight. A few others who overhear the man’s tale claim to have seen the same creature, and soon almost a dozen men and women in the tavern are sharing similar – though different – stories of their encounters with a hooded ghost. True. The sorcerer Pridon Toreli found the Sword of Souls, a cursed magical weapon that transforms its wielder into a spectral being. The curse completely consumes Toreli, forcing him to haunt the city late at night and commit acts of murder on those weak and defenseless. Even if the PCs don’t go out in search of the supposed ghost, it is possible they will have an encounter with the cursed sorcerer when leaving the tavern that night. The only thing that can free Toreli from the curse is death. And let’s hope one of the PCs doesn’t pick up the sword.

a hooded danger in the city

False. Richter is lying in hopes of extracting coins from someone in the tavern. The others joining in and claiming his story is real wasn’t planned, but the man isn’t going to let the opportunity escape. As soon as he notices the PCs, he walks toward them and asks if they need a guide in the city. Richter makes any promise necessary to secure a few coins from the adventurers, even going so far as stating he knows where the monster sleeps during the day. If he can get some coins, he’ll try to slip away at the first chance he gets.

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raising an army “He always was a cruel sort of fellow, but not once did I think that Pascal Katzen would befoul our city with such vile and unspeakable acts as raising the dead.” By day, Karina Geller works as a seamstress, earning her keep and enough extra coin to satisfy her unhealthy desire for more and more ale. Though none would say it to her face, all who know her consider Geller to be a drunkard who is not to be left with a bottle. “I’ve been stitching and mending the man’s robes and unmentionables for these last seven years, so we’ve developed a trusting relationship and he now grants me leave to come and go from his home as I wish. I usually pick up and drop off items once every few months, when he sends me word by way of one of the scoundrels who run the streets causing nothing but mischief and harm.” Geller takes a second swallow before she continues. “Earlier this day, when I was picking up a few robes that require repair – blackened and burned, they are – I happened to notice an open book. I’m not completely without education, so I glanced at the revealed pages and what I found is cause for great alarm. Katzen is seeking to raise an army of the dead! I swear it! Though I didn’t understand most of the text, the wizardly tome is certainly one that provides instruction in animating the dead and transforming them into vile, undead warriors.”

If the PCs approach the man’s home, they arrive at the exact moment that Katzen successfully completes a spell of animation; 3d4 skeletal warriors rise up in the man’s home and are immediately ordered to deal with the unwanted adventurers.

True. Though she may drink and sometimes spin unreliable yarns, Geller has stumbled across Katzen’s latest work. The wizard is studying necromancy and mistakenly left one of his many tomes of knowledge open near his damaged clothing.

False. Geller didn’t completely understand the tome she spotted in the wizard’s home. Katzen has been investigating rumors of a nearby dungeon, and those efforts include reading a number of ancient texts. Would the PCs wish to accompany him in exploring the discovered tomb?

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the lantern of the wizard’s helper “You’ve likely spotted Yakiv a time or two if you’ve been in the city for long. The goblinoid – none are truly certain of his tribe – is employed by the wizard Behrouz Bina who lives below the ruins of a tower in the city slums. What destroyed the tower a decade ago is unknown, but Bina moved right in within weeks of the destruction and I’ve not heard of anyone visiting his subterranean home.” The tavern master, Rostom Nanava, is talkative and asks the PCs if they mind if he joins them for a drink. “My treat,” the man says as he grabs a bottle of cheap wine and pulls a chair close to their table.

“Anyway,” he says as he pours the wine, “about Yakiv. The little creature is always scurrying about and doing the bidding of his master, carrying this and that here and there at all times of the day . . . and night.” Nanava’s eyes blink and he coughs gently. “Night, which is what I’d like to chat about if you don’t mind. At night,” he says, “Yakiv carries a lantern that I’ve recently learned is magical in nature. It’s valuable, and I’d very much like to possess it. Would you be interested in making a deal?” Nanava promises 100 gold to the PCs if they will snatch the lantern from the goblinoid and deliver it to the tavern. “In secret,” he stresses. “I’ve no wish to tangle with a wizard.” True. The lantern is a magical item and valuable, and Yakiv carries it with him everywhere he goes at night. Unfortunately for the adventurers, the lantern grants the goblin a +2 bonus to defense and enshrouds him in an anti-magic field that has a 20% chance of negating all spells targeted at the goblinoid. If the PCs manage to snatch the lantern from the goblin, Bina’s response will depend on the state of his helper when the encounter is at an end. If Yakiv is murdered, the wizard will hire warriors to track down and punish – by death! – those responsible for the murder of his helper. If Yakiv is wounded but living, the wizard’s retribution will be less deadly; he’ll instruct the warriors to merely maim those responsible. False. The lantern has no magical powers and Yakiv insists as such if confronted and asked about the item’s enchantments. He is weak and unable to defend himself against the PCs, so in any confrontation he will do all he can to escape the situation. Smart PCs will cast detect magic before making their move.

the book of collected rumors • 147

one foot already in the realm of the undead “I know it doesn’t appear to be, but he is already well on his way to joining the ranks of the damned. Zarnaah Naaa is not to be trusted, no matter how smooth and charming he may appear.”

For decades, the wizard Zarnaah Naaa has been a citizen of the city, a kindly fellow who went out of his way to help his neighbors at every opportunity. Now, in the tavern as the PCs enjoy a drink, they encounter Oli Bergler who has less than kind things to say about the aging wizard. “Ye can see it in his right hand,” Bergler says. “Ask any who saw the man last week when he was at this very tavern and they’ll confirm it. A skeletal hand it was, bony and terrifying and a sign of his fall into the hellish clutches of the necromancers.” True. Naaa has succumbed to the darkness of necromancy, experimenting one too many times with an evil staff that is even now transforming him into a lich. When the PCs visit the man’s home, they find that roughly half of his body has turned to bones, the warm flesh scattered about the floor of the man’s home where it fell from his changing body. Naaa has lost all touch with reality and now wishes only to complete the transformation to a lich. If defeated, the PCs will need to be wary of the magic staff. False. Naaa’s hand was skeletal, but it were merely an illusion the wizard was trying out. If the PCs confront him, he explains the situation and invites them in for tea.

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the skeletal thing on the forest road “Tall it was, taller than any man and easily rivaling the height of the tallest of the tall trolls. The thing was wrapped in a burial shroud, the stench of death and filth permeating the air surrounding it. How do I know this? I was no more distant from the thing than you and I are at this very moment, and it were far more terrifying than the likes of you.”

When shopping for supplies in the city, the PCs encounter a particularly talkative merchant – Gutthikas Baza – who decides to share an experience from his life with the party. Baza regales the adventurers with an unlikely story of a thin, giant skeleton he claims to have met on the forest road only yesterday. Baza explains that it was when returning from a visit to a friend’s cottage that he came across the dreadful creature. “The head shrouded in cloth and shadows prevented me from seeing its face, but I could hear the clatter of its gruesome teeth and the guttural groans and growls were enough to turn any man’s blood to ice; yes, even those who have seen the things you’ve no doubt seen.” Baza refuses to return to the road, insisting that the next time his friend wishes for a visit, “he can damn well travel the half-day and meet me here at the shop.” If asked for directions and more information, Baza sees an opportunity and tells the PCs he’ll sketch a map if they pay him two gold. “For the supplies and my time,” he says if they question his motives. True. Baza came across an undead giant, an animated monster that was part of a larger force of skeletons and is now lost. The thing’s “companions” are long gone, and now the monster is searching for a purpose. Its evil instincts drive it to murder when possible, but its curiosity gives any it meets a moment or two to make their escape before it acts. False. What Baza encountered was nothing more than a dead tree cloaked in the tattered remains of a tent. If the PCs set off along the forest road to search for the monster, ask the group to make Perception checks when they are near the tree. All who fail believe they have spotted the oversized skeleton. Any who pass the check can easily see how someone would be fooled by the branches and tent, but they’re sure to laugh at those who are so tricked.

the book of collected rumors • 149

alien towers “We could see them long before we reached them, each one reaching for the sky like the outstretched claws of some titanic monstrosity. It wasn’t until we were walking in their shadows that we truly understood how far the strange spires reached into the sky. The smallest were a few stories in height, and the tallest would dwarf this city’s towers.”

“I’m not scheduled to head back that way for several months, but I’ll provide you with directions if you wish to investigate the towers. Hell, I’ll even pay you 50 gold if you uncover the origin of the spires and leave word for me here at the tavern. I’ll leave the gold with the tavern keep today . . . let’s go talk to him right now!”

Vilho Johansson and his guards arrived in the city earlier today, and the man immediately started telling everyone who would listen to him of the bizarre towers they had spotted in the wastelands several weeks ago.

True. Johansson and his crew were telling the truth. If the PCs take the four weeks it requires to go to the place where the towers are rumored to stand, they find the odd structures just as the merchant said they would.

“We had not the time or willpower to examine the towers, and it took all of our bravery to walk beneath the structures. If I’d had the time, I would have led the caravan well around the towers, but we were transporting fresh fish and the spells that would keep the load cool were already starting to wear off when we were close enough to the towers to truly comprehend their size.”

These are extraplanar towers, the remains of a oncegreat city that was magically transported to this part of the desert by a wicked wizard. Most of the spires are unoccupied, filled with nothing but assorted junk and the corpses of alien creatures, but one of them is the home of the wizard Lari Rantanen who is guarded by several of the extraplanar beings who first built these many towers. The wizard brought the towers here so that he could study them; he does not appreciate being disturbed.

Johansson claims that he had passed through that section of the wasteland many times before, but this was the first time he encountered the buildings. If the PCs ask members of his caravan who are also in the inn, each one of them corroborates the man’s story and says that they have no clue what could have built the strange towers.

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False. Johansson and his guards have a bet going. The merchant claims he can sucker some fools into setting off into the wasteland in search of the imaginary towers. His guards will try to warn the PCs that the man is lying.

the faceless killer “She moved with an unnatural swiftness more like a predator than a person. Although it were dark, the moonlight was enough to illuminate her every move as she raced down the narrow alley, leaping without hesitation and slaughtering Felix before he could raise his shield. A gurgling scream barely escaped his lips as her claws shredded his face, leaving Felix dead before any of us could react. We did our best to stop her, but we failed.” Poul Hartmann has been a member of the city watch for almost a decade now, and this is the first time he has felt the need to over-drink after a night of patrol. The guard, still in his uniform, is talkative, the many drinks loosening a tongue that wishes only to explain what happened. “I would have thought she were an elf, maybe a drow, but her head and face were masked so I cannot tell for sure. She was a violent one, though, and I was lucky to escape with my life.” Hartmann is unwilling to go back out into the alley – he would much rather drink himself to death at this point – but his constant chattering offers enough information that anyone who wants to investigate will have no troubles finding the alley in question. If they visit the place, the PCs find city guards cleaning up; there are four bodies still lying in the gutters waiting to be moved to the morgue. True. The attacker was a drow, Kaylessa Trisjor, but the attack was not her doing. Trisjor is under the command of a magical artifact – the Mask of Souls – and she is being ordered about by a foul necromancer who is using the elf to steal spells, scrolls, and other magic items from the homes and shops of the city. The mask amplifies the woman’s strength, speed, and savage nature, making her a dangerous opponent. If the PCs encounter her and manage to strip the mask from her face, she cannot remember anything except a single name: Jochen Lingenfelter. False. Hartmann was in a fight, of that there is no doubt, but the guards did not tussle with a faceless killer. A shadow creature, summoned by the necromancer Jochen Lingenfelter, is attacking homes and shops in a search for magic items to deliver to the evil spellcaster. Can the PCs stop the necromancer?

the book of collected rumors • 151

guardians of clouds

“She wears the armor of the Guardians of Clouds.” Garine Khorozian barely looks up from her drink as she interjects, speaking only after growing sick of hearing a few sitting at a nearby table who wouldn’t stop speculating about a warrioress they spotted on the street earlier that day. “What do you know of it?” Garine turns in her seat to eye the two people: an elderly woman in the finery of a merchant’s wife and a far younger man who is either the woman’s adult son or . . . no, we dare not raise such scandalous thoughts. “What I know of it is that I was one.” Garine raises her left arm and pulls back the sleeve, revealing a tattoo of a blue cloud. “They may be a secretive order, but that doesn’t give you permission to speak your lies or to question their motives for visiting our city.” If the PCs get involved, the elderly woman and the man excuse themselves and leave immediately. Otherwise, the two attempt to intimidate Garine who turns violent and soundly defeats them both, tossing them from the tavern. The staff merely shrug; they know Garine and like her better than they do many of the regulars. True. Garine was once a member of the mercenary company and doesn’t wish to talk about her days as a guardian. If the PCs ask around, they learn that the mercs are in the city right now, employed by the merchant Kevork Azarian who has hired the band of a dozen women to guard his warehouse. There have been threats against his life and his business, so the man thought it best to bring in experienced muscle. The PCs may see the women around town, but none of the mercs are all that talkative and do their best to avoid others. After a week or so, when nothing happens, Azarian ends the contract and the mercs leave the city. False. Garine wasn’t one of their number, but she has heard of them and has decided that others may respect her if they think she was once a mercenary.

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the red stranger “He is right now – even as we lounge about and enjoy drink after drink – sitting in that tower no doubt plotting some foul act that will destroy us all. I know not who Max Skulj truly is, but I know that only one with evil in his heart would radiate such a cruel and wicked aura that it changes the color of his very skin to the crimson shade of devils.” Although visitors to the city are common, few raise as many unusual and terrifying rumors as those surrounding Max Skulj, a man of mystery who is targeted by many in the city for one reason: the red of his skin. “It’s unnatural,” another in the tavern says to the room. “We’ve seen men and women of all sorts come through the city year after year, but I ask you this,” the man takes a drink and then stands on his chair, “have you ever seen one with red skin before?” “A devil for sure!” The crowd grows louder, the voices crashing into one another as many call out that it is time someone visited Max Skulj and forced the man to explain his reasons for visiting the city and to convince everyone that he is not a devil in a poor disguise.

Soon, a dozen men and women – all grabbing weapons – exit the tavern and make their way to Ekatan Tower, the residence of the sorcerer Ekatan who is allowing Skulj to stay in his home while the stranger is in the city. Will the PCs follow the crowd, or will they remain at the tavern and enjoy a now much quieter establishment? True. It is true that Skulj is visiting Ekatan, but the man is no devil. An arcane accident changed the color of his skin and he is paying the sorcerer for help in reversing the unusual effect of an experiment gone wrong. If the PCs do follow the crowd to the tower, will they side with the mob in demanding to see – and possibly murder – Ekatan’s guest, or will the heroes help the sorcerer to protect Skulj from the accusations and risk of harm? False. What the people saw was an artificial man, an elaborate flesh golem that Ekatan constructed and is now training. If the PCs join the crowd, they are there as Ekatan demands that everyone leave after explaining the truth behind the golem. The Skulj name was invented by one of the mob and it stuck. The golem has no name.

the book of collected rumors • 153

a demon below the city “You’ve heard of the missing people? Well, I know where they are.” Known as a low-level thief and swindler, Lydia Bahdanovic isn’t usually one to step out of the shadows, so many in the tavern raise a concerned eyebrow when they see her approach the PCs in the tavern. If the PCs have spent any time in the city before, an easy local Knowledge test is all that is needed to know the woman by her reputation. If the PCs are new to the city, they may be unaware of her history. Either way, the heroes can tell she’s not one to trust lightly at any time. Lydia, if not turned away, speaks quickly. It is obvious by the way she keeps glancing around the room that she is uncomfortable. “Those missing people were kidnapped by some truly nasty souls. There’s a demon, I don’t know his name, offering gold to any who can deliver still-living people. The fiend is using the captives to fuel some evil magic and it can’t be much longer before his vile machinations lead to something terrible.”

Fortunately for the PCs, this is a lesser demon. Select a demon that is an even match for the party. The monster needs to murder 2d3 more people after which point the gate is opened. Of course, the PCs reach the chamber just as a few scoundrels are selling exactly the number of victims the demon needs to complete the ritual.

If asked how she knows all of this, Lydia admits to capturing and turning two people over to the demon the day before. She’s afraid that the monster will succeed in his plan and now Lydia only wants to see the demon stopped before it is too late.

Can the PCs stop the monster before it slaughters the people or will they be unable to stop the demon from opening the gateway to a hellish landscape that is sure to unleash terrible monsters on the city?

True. While she refuses to go with them, Lydia gives the PCs a crude map that leads them through the city sewers to a long-forgotten chamber. The demon is killing people and using their souls to power a ritual that is meant to open a gateway between the chamber and a distant hell.

False. Lydia is lying, but she does know something about the missing people. There’s no demon. What there is, though, is a group of slavers who are capturing citizens and planning to take them to a distant continent. Can the heroes stop the slavers and free the kidnapped people?

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the night terror “The hood it wore were so thick and heavy that there was no way it could see us, what with the way the hood were pulled down to completely conceal its face. I would have thought it a man, if not for the wicked claws of its hands and the way it moved. How did it move? A stilted, unnatural lumber, more like one of those mechanical toys they sell in the city and less like the natural walk of any man.”

Pascal Sommerfeld is busy telling the others in the tavern of his encounter with a “monster” and doesn’t care who in the establishment hears his tale. In fact, Sommerfeld is eager to tell anyone; he’s never had as much attention from the men and ladies of the tavern as he has since he and his friends were chased by an unknown figure two nights ago. “I wish the others were here, so they could tell in their own words how we escaped the thing. We were only a few streets over from here, walking outside Mr. Harrebold’s textile shop, when that beast appeared. It said not a word, but the way it zeroed in on us was all we needed to get out of there as quick as we could.” Sommerfeld will admit that he never did get a clear look at the creature and, if pressed, will agree that it very well could have been a man. “As tall as an elf and as broad as an orc,” he will say if asked if it were possibly a hooded man. True. Sommerfeld and his companions did run into something a few nights ago, and it most certainly was not human. A golem, created by the wizard Niclas Oppert, is roaming the city streets every night, following Oppert’s orders. The wizard has only been in the city a week and he’s using the golem to rob buildings that are vacant at night. Slowly, over the next few days, the victims start to post notices offering a reward for information on the crimes. Will the PCs choose to investigate the matter?

False. Sommerfeld and his friends got their hands on hallucinogenic drugs and were causing trouble on the streets when a city guard spotted them and demanded they halt. The youths were so overcome by the effects of the drugs that each one of them saw something different, but soon all agreed to Sommerfeld’s description of “the creature” since he was the one most sure of himself. If the PCs investigate, they will find no evidence of a monster wandering the city. If they pressure Sommerfeld and threaten violence, he will crack and admit that he isn’t certain, but that he may have been seeing things. There was no creature.

the book of collected rumors • 155

a river of lava “They’ve had the alley blocked for almost a day now, all because some fool meddled with a magic wand that was far, far too dangerous for their hands. Although the guards stationed at the mouth of the alley will deny it, I’ve heard that there’s a river of lava flowing below that alley and the city officials are afraid it is going to cause irreparable damage to much of the surrounding streets and buildings.” If the PCs ask around, they soon learn that Alan Gribble is telling the truth. There is an alley in the city, in one of the poorer districts, that has been under the watch of the city guards for the last day. Gribble is the first to claim he knows why the alley is closed and, if pressed, he tells the heroes that he knows this because he works as a clerk in one of the city offices where he overheard officials speaking of the danger. “As I heard it, a wand opened a portal into a hellish world and now lava is rushing through the open portal and filling the sewers. The city is looking for a powerful wizard to seal the opening, but so far none have stepped forward to help.”

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True. There is a planar gateway opened in the sewers and a river of lava is forming below the city. Fortunately, the lava’s viscosity is keeping it from flooding the sewers too fast; the city officials think they have another day before the lava fills enough of the sewers to become a serious problem. Even now, though, the air near entrances to the sewers is hotter than it was before. Anyone descending below the city to explore the sewers will come across the slowly moving river of lava. Can the PCs help the city close the gate? Even if they don’t have the tools or powers necessary, maybe they can locate a wizard who can save the city from doom? False. Despite Gribble’s assurances that he speaks the truth, the man is mistaken. The alley is blocked because a group of adventurers trapped a minor devil in the sewer below that particular alley. The guards are now waiting for someone to deal with the monster before it escapes.

a hero calls “We must act tonight, friends, or there may not be a dawn!” Though it is frowned upon, Adrien Streiff has drawn his weapon in the tavern and waves it about as if he were a warrior in the thick of some terrible battle. Those near the man drop to their knees, seeking shelter from the madman. “Hear me, all, for it is our last chance to save ourselves from the approaching doom. Even now, as I see you cower, the forces of evil are advancing and are certain to enslave those of us who are not slaughtered in the invasion.” Streiff tries to convince those in the tavern that they must grab their weapons and follow him right now. The young warrior insists that there are few moments remaining to act before the oncoming evil reaches the city gates and overwhelms the guards. Many in the tavern scatter, choosing to go home early rather than be anywhere near Streiff when the city watch smashes the man in the skull and drags him to jail. “What of you lot?” He points at the PCs. “Surely, a hardy group such as yourselves are not afraid of meeting the onrush of evil and saving the city before it is too late, yes?” True. If the PCs choose to join Streiff he applauds their courage and, realizing that no others will accompany him, leads the party to the city gates. There, he warns the guards of the doom that approaches, though the guards simply laugh and wish him and the PCs luck as they leave the city in search of danger. A force of goblins and hobgoblins – outnumbering the heroes three-to-one – is indeed approaching the city. Streiff is a skilled warrior, every bit as capable as the PCs, and he is not one to back down from danger. Can the man lead the PCs to victory against the invading force, or will they fail and allow the goblins and hobgoblins to meet the city guard at the gate? False. Although he means well, Streiff is mistaken. There is no danger to the city. If the PCs follow him, he keeps assuring them that “the danger is close,” but by sunrise even he begins to question the stories that convinced him of the threat.

the book of collected rumors • 157

the arcane stone of rasmus truewatcher “She shattered the menhirs, destroying several of them with her magic in an attempt to harness the infinite powers of the ancient standing stones. We moved fast to stop her, but we were too late to save nine of the stones. Rasmus fought us off, her conjured forces and loyal golems protecting her from our assault as she collected what shards she could before fleeing. Now, because of our failure, the Stones of Yesteryear are only three in number.”

For centuries, dating back to before the city’s earliest days, the Stones of Yesteryear – twelve in total – overlooked the ocean, each rising high on the cliffs above the sea. Although none know for certain who created the stones or what their original purpose was, all who live in the city have heard the stories of the Stones of Yesteryear shielding the city from unnatural storms. It has only been three decades since the stones last projected a magic shield over the city to fight back the worst effects of an epic hurricane. Harald Sulzer and his companions, all members of the city watch, were tasked with protecting the stones when rumors surfaced that the evil wizard Rasmus Truewatcher was planning to attack the stones. Though none in the city can explain how or why the stones act as they do, all within the watch admitted that the mysteries of the stones were documented well enough to believe the stories. Their failure in defending the stones from Rasmus now eats away at them, many of the participants in the battle drowning in drink as they struggle to face the truth: the stones are mostly gone. True. All but three of the stones are gone, nothing but broken and scattered rocks in their place. The city posted guards to protect the three remaining stones – in case Rasmuss attempts to finish her task – and now the city has offered a 1,000 gold reward for any who bring in the wizard so that she may face justice for her actions.

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If the heroes set off in search of Rasmus, they may hear rumors that the woman is hiding in a cottage deep in the forest. She is protected by two flesh golems and has been trying to unlock the secrets of the stone shards that she captured in the attack. Can the heroes defeat the woman and claim the reward? False. The stones are not a lie, but the incident surrounding their destruction is clouded in mistruths and deception. Rasmus was hired by the watch to attack and destroy the stones. The city will now use the incident to justify expanding the size of the watch and taking more in taxes from all who live in – and visit – the city.

haunting sounds fill the air

“We were less than a few days out when we first heard the sounds. For hours, the sound – much like a choir of angels – was faint, so difficult to hear that we at first thought we were imagining the experience. As we continued along the road, though, the sounds grew louder and louder until, as we neared the crossroads, it was impossible to deny that the air was filled with a haunting chorus of voices unlike any we had heard before.” Marius Gianniou works as a courier, transporting all manner of items between Hightown and the surrounding villages and towns, and today he is sharing his latest unusual encounter on the road leading from the city to the main merchants’ trails. Gianniou claims that only a few days ago, when he was returning to the city with a few other couriers, they stumbled across singing. If asked for details, Gianniou says that he didn’t recognize the language, but insists that it sounded ancient as well as beautiful. Hauntingly beautiful.

Gianniou offers to draw a rough map if the PCs decide to investigate the source of the strange sounds. He warns them to watch for bandits on the road. “We were fortunate enough, but word is that the bandits have escalated their actions on the road and they’re out for blood.” True. There were sounds, but nothing more than the haunting song created by the spell of a wizard the bandits hired to aid them in their pursuit of loot. The bandits and wizard try the same trick on the PCs, attempting to lure them off the road and into an ambush set in the woods. The strange singing is disrupted if the wizard is forced to move from his vantage point in a tree overlooking the road. A successful Perception check may be required to spot the wizard in the tree. False. Gianniou and the other couriers happened across an strange phenomena. At certain times of the day, the wind in the leaves can almost sound like singing. The man let his imagination get the best of him.

the book of collected rumors • 159

the hellscape below “It was after days of travel and the loss of two of our companions that we entered a vast, unnatural cavern that looked more like another world than it did any subterranean lair I had witnessed before. Our descent was far from over, though, and it was only after another three days that we reached the floor of the subterranean valley. High overhead, an unnatural “sun” burned bright, illuminating the hellish pit in which we found ourselves.” It has been a single day since Moritz Panzinger entered the city, the man declaring himself the sole survivor of an “expedition to the center of the world.” Since his arrival, word has spread of the man’s story and now many are preparing to follow Panzinger to what he claims is the only entrance to a subterranean world of adventure, danger, and unlimited treasure. “I know many of you wish to explore the new world I have discovered,” Panzinger says to those who have gathered around him on the street, “but I advise you to send only your strongest, bravest warriors.” He draws his sword and holds it high for the crowd to see. “This weapon was all that saved me from certain death, and only those of you skilled in battle should even consider following me.”

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Despite his speech, Panzinger is willing to take anyone with him on the journey, provided that they pay him 10 gold coins to accompany his still-growing force. If asked about the charge, he says it is for the supplies that will be necessary to survive the journey. “But be sure to bring along plenty of provisions for yourself, because you can never tell what threats we will encounter.” True. Panzinger discovered an entrance to a deep, dangerous cavern and has no wish to return to that terrible place. He will, though, collect as much gold as he can and lead as many who will follow him to the distant castle where he found the steep, treacherous trail that leads directly to an underground world. Once they reach the castle, Panzinger tells his followers that they should proceed on without him. He plans to return to the city to collect a second wave of explorers, explaining that there are riches enough for everyone. False. He’s lying. There is no world below the surface and Panzinger will try to slip into the night at the first chance. He’s a conman and nothing more. The question is, will the PCs see through his lies, or will they fall for them?

fiery gate

“It stood taller than any tower of the city, a construct that could have only been fashioned by the gods themselves. As we advanced on the ziggurat, we were shocked when the building rumbled and shifted, swinging wide to reveal a fiery core that looked like the deepest of the Hells. Readying our weapons, we tried to push on, to investigate the strange scene, but the intense heat of the blaze kept us from getting any closer.” Lorenz Kober loves little more than telling of his earlier days, sometimes – okay, often – embellishing the stories of his adventuring days to make them sound a little more exciting than they truly are. The man is at the top of his game today, his tale attracting quite a crowd in the tavern (and with it, a steady stream of free drinks). “We stood there for close to an hour, watching as the fires swirled within the towering ziggurat. At times, we caught glimpses of creatures within the tower, many of them flying through the flames. I know not what fueled the inferno, but I am certain that any who can find a way to survive the hellish interior of the building will find riches beyond imagination.” If the PCs are particularly generous with the drinks and ask Kober for details on the location of the tower of his story, the man sketches a crude map that directs them to a lake some 3d6+6 days from the city. He tells them that he knows no more and wishes them luck on their journey. True. Close to where Kober said it would be, the adventurers spot a tower that stretches far into the sky. When they get within a few hundred feet of the building, they witness the same rumbling and transformation that Kober described; the tower is a giant planar gate that connects this world to a hellish landscape far away. The connected demiplane is small, but it is deadly to the heroes unless they have the means to survive an oven-like world that is forever on fire.

False. If the heroes follow Kober’s map, they eventually find the promised lake and a tower . . . though it is only 2d3 stories tall and nowhere near as ominous or as impressive as was described in the story. If the PCs choose to enter and search the tower, use whatever small dungeon you wish. There is no flaming portal. Not surprisingly, Kober was lying.

If the PCs walk away from the tower, the gate closes after 1d4+1 minutes. If the gate is open for more than 2d3 hours, some of the creatures on the distant world will decide to investigate the situation; how many fearsome monsters will escape into the PCs’ world?

the book of collected rumors • 161

a touch of blackmail “Frel Kird is not one to cross!” The exclamation, delivered with such force and volume that it penetrates the many conversations of the tavern, instantly silences all talk. Seated at one of the tables, facing a half-orc dressed more for battle than drinking, the lady – Kai Beckmann – blushes. Though they’ve not met the woman, the PCs are familiar with the wife of one of the city’s more powerful merchants. Putting her head in her hands, Beckmann sits motionless and embarrassed, waiting for everyone to turn away. “Do not underestimate Frel Kird,” she says in a more muted tone once she believes her outburst has gone unnoticed. Of course, the PCs are a curious sort and keep an ear open so that they can learn more about this odd meeting between a wealthy woman and a half-orc warrior. “I desperately need to hire one such as yourself to serve as a gobetween, an agent representing my interests. I cannot be seen with that vile wizard. It is bad enough that I am seated with the likes of you in,” she looks about, “this foul place.” The two speak in hushed tones for a few more moments until the half-orc shakes his head and leaves. If the PCs follow him, he explains that Beckmann offered him 20 gold if he would visit the goblin wizard and deliver a package. He has no interest in such a job.

False. Beckmann truly does need to deliver a package to the wizard, but the interaction is something far worse than trying to bribe the goblin to keep silent. If the PCs make successful detect lie or social interaction tests when speaking with the merchant’s wife, they can tell she is lying. Beckmann breaks down and confesses immediately if pressed by the PCs. The goblin wizard knows of her past life as an escort and she is trying desperately to keep the secret from her husband. It was a few decades back and happened long before she met her husband. Will the PCs deal with the wizard for her?

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Or, they may introduce themselves to Beckmann once the half-orc leaves. Either way, the PCs soon find themselves with the same offer: 20 gold to deliver a small package – no larger than a hefty tome of magic – to the wizard. True. Beckmann tells the PCs that they can meet the wizard at a nearby inn. If they open the package, they find a necklace that is worth roughly 200 gold. Kird has knowledge of Beckmann’s involvement with a man – not her husband – and the necklace buys the wizard’s silence for a time. Kird isn’t likely to tell the PCs what is happening, but he will thank them if they deliver the package unopened. If he can tell it was opened, Kird will accuse them of theft regardless of what is in the package.

the wizard’s request “Excuse me, may I have a moment of your time?” The wizard Ignac Martinek stands at the PCs’ table, hands outstretched in a show of peace and awaiting their response. If the PCs acknowledge the man and ask him to sit, he introduces himself and thanks them for their time.

False. There is no enemy spellcaster. Martinek is the owner of the cottage and wishes to test his defenses: six skeletons and several magical traps have been placed about the lands surrounding the cottage. If the PCs reach the interior of the cottage, they find an angry Martinek.

“I’ve been waiting quite some time for ones such as yourselves and I need your assistance. I’m prepared to pay for your time, if you would be so kind as to accept my offer of employment and complete a minor task.” If the PCs encourage the man to continue, Martinek explains that he has heard rumors of a wicked, evil wizard who has taken up residence in a forest cottage and it is Martinek’s hope that the PCs will agree to visit the home of the wizard and steal the man’s spellbook. Martinek says that he is too old and weak to undertake the trip himself – the cottage is over a day’s ride away – but he has 200 gold coins he will gladly pay if the party steals the book and delivers it to him. True. There is an evil wizard in the forest, and Martinek truly does want the opposing spellcaster’s book of spells. If the PCs think to ask for more information before setting out on the assignment, they learn that the enemy wizard’s name is Henk Asman and that the man specializes in the necromanctic arts. Asman’s cottage is protected by a half-dozen animated skeletons, warriors the necromancer relies on to keep his possessions safe and to warn him of intruders. The necromancer is a powerful foe and it is possible that one or more of the PCs may die at the caster’s hands before they manage to defeat him and steal the book. Once delivered to Martinek, the wizard pays and thanks the survivors. He asks if they killed the necromancer while they were there. If they answer in the affirmative, whether or not they killed Asman, Martinek pays them another 100 gold coins. Of course, failing to kill the necromancer could lead to problems in the future. Asman is unlikely to easily forgive and forget this assault on his home.

the book of collected rumors • 163

“You know him as Nizar Telolahy, the mage of the castle and defender of the crown, but those of us in the real world – those of us who are forced to live outside of the protective ring of guards who surround the castle’s people – know him best as a scourge, an instrument of evil that takes pleasure in killing the weak and powerless. Trust me, Nizar is no hero.”

an arrogant spellcaster

Even those new to the city have heard of the mage Nizar Telolahy. He has the ears of the city’s Lords and Ladies, those who rule the area and keep their hold on the city thanks to the strength of the military. Nizar is, officially, a champion of the city, and almost daily there are new stories of his heroics and good deeds performed to save the city from evil. All of this makes the man at the tavern’s words so unusual and surprising. According to the man, who goes only by Manoel, Nizar is in truth an agent of evil who has been capturing the innocent and forcing them to work in the mines deep below the castle. Manoel claims that he has seen the mage and city guards kidnapping people from city streets and absconding with them to serve unjust sentences for false crimes.. “Truth,” Manoel says if questioned. “Follow me and I’ll show you the very place where Nizar and the corrupt guards are imprisoning the innocent.” Before the PCs can question Manoel, a group of city guards enter the tavern. Pointing to Manoel, the guards quickly seize and drag him from the tavern, taken to an unknown fate. True. Manoel speaks the truth, but what can the PCs do against a corrupt city and its spellcasting protector? If the heroes do take action against Nizar and the city, they may soon find that the mage has charmed the city leaders, enslaving their minds and forcing the city leaders to act improperly. Can the PCs defeat the mage and free the enslaved city officials?

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False. Although the PCs have watched as Manoel was grabbed by the guards, the reasons are not as the man would imply. Manoel is a thief who broke into Nizar’s tower and escaped with a few items of value. The guards have tracked the man down and arrested him.

a monster unleashed “They told me the well had been covered for a reason so many years ago, but my curiosity couldn’t leave well enough alone and I just had to get a look for myself. It took some work, but I managed to pry the boards loose and, as Domonkos kept watch, slowly broke enough of the covering away to slip into the well. Torch in hand and rope securely fastened, I started my descent into what would soon reveal itself as a mistake.”

Dunn Brjansson is explaining to his friends at the table what happened to Domonkos, their missing drinking companion, and he’s having a rough time of it. The man is visibly shaken, drinking a bit too hurriedly and speaking with an unmistakable quiver in his voice. “The plan was that I would call up to Domonkos and he would follow once I reached the base of the well, but things went all wrong when something big ascended and slammed into me, shoving me from the well and onto the ground.” “I lost consciousness for the briefest of moments, the wind knocked from me by both whatever hit me and the force with which I landed on the ground near the uncovered well. Rising to my feet, I saw the thing – a giant worm of some sort, with a jagged beak and armored hide – and I saw it as it snapped Domonkos’ head from his body and swiftly devoured him.” Brjansson asks for another drink, swallowing the entire tankard in a single gulp. “I don’t know where it went after that, and all that remains of Domonkos is this,” the man says as he drops a tattered cloak on the table. True. Though many find the tale hard to swallow, Brjansson is telling the truth and there is now a giant worm loose somewhere in the city. The city guards secured the creature several years ago and all would have remained peaceful had Brjansson and Domonkos not breached the well’s covering and freed the monster. Soon, reports of attacks and murders flood the city, the monstrous worm using the sewers to get about and stay hidden from the surface. The city offers a reward of 50 gold to anyone who can defeat the giant worm. False. They did investigate the well, but they found nothing. Brjansson was so frustrated by the waste of effort that he started drinking, a little too heavily, and then he grew angry when Domonkos tried to take the bottle and stop Brjansson from drinking himself to death. The two tussled and fought over the bottle, with Brjansson winning the fight when he accidentally pushed his friend too hard. Domonkos’ body is at the bottom of the well.

the book of collected rumors • 165

the orc wizard

“He killed the crops last year, and now he has caused a drought that is certain to lead to another poor harvest. This has gone on for far too long; it is time someone deals with Karlan Davi!” A chorus of agreeable voices joins in, demanding that someone murder Karlan Davi before he inflicts any more harm on the nearby farms. The speaker, a dairy farmer by the name of Patrik Weisser, tries to silence the crowd of people who have gathered to hear him speak on the city street. The large group of loud, angry people has attracted the attention of the PCs. “Are there any here brave enough to face the wizard and put an end to his mischief? I’ve ten gold to put toward a reward on the wizard’s head; who else will commit gold and silver to pay to stop this fiend?” Coins are collected as the PCs watch, the crowd soon assembling a healthy reward of 147 gold coins that they promise to anyone who will bring them the head of Karlan Davi, the orc wizard that the people claim is responsible for their troubles. True. Davi is a wizard and is angry at the citizens of the city. He lives in a cave that has been cleaned up, decorated, and is far more impressive than you may first think when you hear the word “cave.” Davi is using a staff of weather control to harm the farmers’ crops, doing whatever he can each year to befoul their harvest. If confronted, Davi is a threat to the heroes and more than a match for their strength. He may have orc guards – if the GM feels they are necessary – and the fight against him should be far more challenging than the PCs first expect. 147 gold isn’t a lot of money to face a wizard of this power level. Of course, the wizard’s staff and whatever other items he owns may make it all worthwhile.

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False. It isn’t that Davi is taking action to harm the crops, only that the farmers are dealing with a few bad years. In fact, if the PCs question the orc, he insists that he is using his staff of weather control to lessen the damage of the bad weather. Though it is unlikely that any of the farmers would believe the orc wizard, no matter how strongly he insists that he is not the cause of their problems. Will the PCs redirect their energy to patching the bad blood between the farmers and the wizard, or will they simply move on to another town? We know what real heroes would do in this situation, right?

a mercenary deserter “They were back again yesterday, the bounty hunters, I mean. Three of them, as fierce as you would expect with the look of death in their eyes. That marks four times in the last week that the hunters were in the city asking about the orc. If that deserter is somewhere in the city, I pray that the hunters find him before he grows so afraid of capture that he inflicts harm on an innocent bystander.”

“Although we haven’t seen the orc, the fact that the hunters have been through so many times this week must mean that he is close. I certainly hope no one is hiding him, it’s sure to go sideways if the hunters find the deserter is being given refuge. They mentioned the reward is now up to 100 gold for the orc’s capture – alive – so we’re going to see more hunters before this is over.”

As a member of the city watch, Ivari Ruutli has access to information that most can only imagine. This makes him something of a popular fellow at The Enchanted Lute, his preferred tavern. Ruutli likes the Lute because it is mostly just locals, meaning that he knows pretty much everyone there. When he enters, the PCs are in an out-of-theway spot in the tavern and he misses spotting them. If the watchman had known adventurers were at hand, he would have been more careful about his words.

True. If the PCs confront Ruutli and ask for more info, he admits that he has no specifics but that they can check with the city jail. “Notices are often posted there.” The reward on the orc is indeed 100 gold and the deserter, Arob Surgha, has claimed an abandoned shack in the forest as his home. Surgha will fight to the death rather than be captured and returned to the mercs. If the PCs find him, can Surgha convince them that he only wishes to live a peaceful life in his new-found home, or will they only see the gold offered for the orc’s capture and return?

“The hunters claim the orc was a part of that force of mercenaries that passed through here last month. It sounds as if the orc saw something he liked about our city and has decided to call the place home. The mercs claim he was already paid for the year, so they demand the orc finish out his commitment to them before he settles down.”

False. There is a reward on Arob Surgha, but not because the orc deserted his company. Surgha is carrying a magical sword that does not belong to him and the owners, one of the bounty hunters, very much wants it back. What happens when the PCs get in the middle?

the book of collected rumors • 167

the enchanted weapon “I’ve been tracking the object for close to a decade now, following rumor after rumor that has carried me from one end of this nation to the other. I’ve explored dozens of abandoned castles, dilapidated fortresses, and ancient tombs, and all without success. I am now here because the latest discovery – made only last week after I discovered a dusty journal in the collapsed tower of a wizard – suggests that the weapon is somewhere within the tower.” The PCs meet Rotger Martel, an experienced wizard who has been seeking the Blade of Dumont and believes that he is close to finally claiming the weapon. Martel is grabbing dinner at the tavern and preparing to enter the dungeon below Craggscell in the morning. He is alone and in search of others to aid him in the hunt when he spots the PCs and invites them to join him for dinner. “Though I cannot pay, I will grant almost all that we find in Craggscell to you so long as the Blade of Dumont is mine and mine alone. I’ve spent too many years on this hunt to lose the weapon and only if you agree to my terms will I allow you to accompany me in the morn.” If the PCs agree, Martel asks them to meet him at the door of this very tavern at sunrise at which time he will lead them to Craggscell, one of the taller towers in the city. The tower is a private residence of a handful of wealthy people, but Martel has made arrangements with the guards so that the group can enter without question. True. There is a dungeon below the tower and Martel’s information is correct, the weapon is here. The spear, made entirely of enchanted silver, is a powerful artifact that enhances the spellcasting capabilities of any who carry the item into battle. Martel is true to his word and asks for no reward or treasure beyond the weapon.

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False. There is no weapon and Martel’s tale of tracking the item for years is all a lie. He was hired by a merchant who spotted the PCs recently and has his eye on one of the magic items owned by one of the heroes. Martel’s job is to lead the PCs into a dangerous situation and then turn on them, stealing the object in question and taking it to the merchant. Will he succeed?

“According to Gleb, the city watch killed seven orcs last night at the main gate. The city is keeping the event a secret, but Gleb works for the captain of the watch and overheard the man telling his family of the incident over breakfast. What is worse is that these weren’t the only orcs in the area. Gleb says that the watchmen have been sending out patrols every night for a week now, seeking orc warriors who are suspected of spying on our city and preparing for an invasion.” Those who know Alexander Petric ignore him as he talks, knowing that he speaks as much to hear the sound of his own voice as to attract attention. The old, lonely man has only a single friend – Gleb the Elder – and those who know him will immediately say that anything coming out of Petric’s mouth is a lie until proven otherwise. True. Although he is a known liar, this time Petric is telling the truth. The city watch have kept the situation a secret as best they can, choosing to deal with the encampments of orcs in the nearby forests quietly in hopes of avoiding a panic. If the PCs stick their noses into the situation, they may just make things worse. Regardless of their exact actions, the city watch will not be happy to find out that the heroes are interfering and may very well try to arrest and imprison the PCs to keep them out of trouble.

orc warriors spotted in the forests

False. As usual, Petric is lying and there are no orcs in the area. The threat is imagined, although it may prove dangerous if the PCs listen too closely to the man and try to act on his insistence that orcs are going to attack the city at any moment. Things get even more dangerous if a second group of adventurers overhears Petric and sets out to clear the forest of the orc warriors. What happens when two groups of well-meaning heroes encounter each other in the darkness, with each side fully expecting to come across a band of orc warriors?

the book of collected rumors • 169

someone to fear

“I didn’t stand around to see what would happen. The second I saw her raise her hands, green flames swirling about her, I turned and ran. I know it was cowardly of me, but it was pure instinct which drove my legs to flee. I didn’t turn back and I have no idea what happened to the others.” Only a few days ago, Uus Sapari and his companions were in this very tavern, laughing and enjoying life. Sapari and his friends had no way of knowing that the next day they would encounter a power unlike any they had faced before. “I failed them, I know, and I’m ashamed of myself. But you didn’t see her. I can’t describe it, but something about her sent a chill through my spine. I don’t know if the others are dead or alive, but I do know that I’m too afraid to investigate their fate. Maybe there are heroes braver than me willing to return to the scene of my failure and learn what happened to the others.” True. Sapari may be cowardly, but the guilt that he feels regarding his friends is so great that he offers 100 gold to any who will visit the site. He offers a map to the place – three hours into the northern forest – and shares all he can remember of the woman. He thought she might have been an elf, but the gray skin was more like dead flesh than that of a subset of the elven people. The woman is Jacinta Mariou, an alien sorceress from another world who is visiting this place in search of power. She wishes to capture spellbooks, scrolls, potions, and other magic items and return them to her homeworld for study. Mariou is on this world for another few days, after which point the magic that transported her here will whisk her back to her home. If the PCs explore the area where Sapari last saw his friends, they find only stripped corpses. PCs with tracking abilities may be able to follow the woman’s trail. Wherever she is, you can be sure she has killed any opposition and claimed whatever magic items she may have found.

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Mariou is traveling with three servants, mindless zombies tasked with carrying her prizes, and she possesses spellcasting powers far greater than the PCs can dream of wielding in battle. If killed, Mariou’s body instantly vanishes, teleported back to her homeworld where her servants will do their best to revive her. If reborn, she is certain to seek vengeance on those who killed her and ruined her exploration of a different world. False. Sapari has made up the story in an attempt to obscure the truth. He sold his companions to goblin slavers and now regrets his actions. If the PCs return to the spot in the forest that Sapari describes, they might find the tracks of the goblin slavers. Will they find and free the man’s enslaved companions?

a goblin caster “I knew Kliabs Wruigz when he was nothing, a simple goblin seeking a few copper here and there and a chunk of bread to get him through the day. We used to abuse Kliabs something awful, forcing the goblin to commit all manner of vile acts for a slice of beef or a glass of weak mead. If I had known he had potential, I’d have treated him far kinder.” Rudolf Bronson, a fisherman enjoying a few drinks in the tavern after a day under the brutal sun, is telling those at his table that he had another encounter with Kliabs Wruigz, a goblin spellcaster who – as the party overhears – was once far less of a threat than he is now. “Kliabs told me to have the coins by morning or he would turn me into a toad. Where in the hell will I find 100 gold coins? Even if I sold me home, boat, and everything I could scrape together, there’s no way I would have that much coin. I’m a dead man.” True. Kliabs Wruigz found a magical staff that turned the goblin’s life around. It granted him the power to cast powerful spells, turning him effectively into a sorcerer with access to magic he could have only dreamed of before. If the PCs interfere – perhaps Bronson asks them for their protection – they find the goblin to be more of a threat than they may have first expected. If there is a fight, Kliabs has 3d4 goblin guards with him when he approaches Bronson the next morning. False. Although Bronson believes that the goblin is now a mighty caster, it is all an illusion. Kliabs found a Ring of Lies, a simple magic item that grants him the power to project believable illusions. Any skilled adventurer who encounters the goblin is sure to see through the illusions.

the book of collected rumors • 171

the determined dwarf “When I last saw him, Yuboid Drakebraid was in search of the entrance to Straxmount, an ancient dwarven fortress that he claimed was untouched and overflowing with treasures. Drakebraid was a determined soul, so certain that he knew Straxmount was a hoard waiting to be claimed that he sacrificed everything – his family, his friends, his home – to search for the legendary fortress. We parted ways months ago, when Drakebraid’s obsession directed him to the western mountains, much farther from civilization than I was willing to travel.” Alre Venberos, elven warrior and former adventuring companion of Drakebraid, is more talkative than usual

on the night that the PCs just so happen to be in the tavern where the elf has been working as an enforcer. The place, Reggalhan’s Retreat, has a reputation for rough nights, as city watchmen drink too much and get into friendly brawls with the criminals who also frequent the tavern. The Retreat is neutral ground for the two parties, and it will remain that way so long as hired muscle, like Venberos, are around. It’s a quieter than usual night at the Retreat, so Venberos is talking about his past life as a dungeoneer. When his story turns to Drakebraid and the dwarf’s hunt for Straxmount, the whispers of untouched treasure cut through the noise and attract the attention of the PCs. Venberos admits that he isn’t certain where Drakebraid may be today – or if the dwarf is even alive – but he happily points the PCs in the dwarf’s last known direction if they ask to hear more about Straxmount. “All I know is that Drakebraid claimed the place was an ancient fortress filled with gems, precious metals, and dwarven treasures that would be worth a fortune to whomever can retrieve them and deliver them to almost any dwarven city.” True. Venberos is telling the truth and, if asked, sketches a rough map pointing toward Hallsfell, the last place he saw the dwarf. If the PCs try and seek out Drakebraid, they learn that he died in Hallsfell when he got into an argument with a half-orc. Whatever knowledge the dwarf possessed of Straxmount died with him. If the PCs return and tell Venberos of his friend’s demise, he thanks them for the information and then says a silent prayer for the dead dwarf. False. Venberos has been hired by a rival party of adventurers and instructed to steer the PCs from their current plans and away from the city. He keeps on talking, sharing more and more stories of a dwarf who never existed and making claims about an imaginary fortress. If the PCs don’t take the bait, he hires thugs to attack that party later that night as they leave the tavern.

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win free drinks

“Down the street a ways, at the Shackled Lion, they’re giving free ale to any who can beat the current champion. Magnus Bussler is a hell of a brute and one I’d not tangle with, but you look burly enough to take him on and maybe even take him down. If you’re looking for a new job, I suggest taking a look at the Shackled Lion.” On the street, the biggest member of the party is approached by Bettina Tauber. The young woman, roughly twenty winters of age, is a comely enough lass, but there’s something about her behavior that may make some in the party suspicious. Each of the player characters should make a Perception check. Any who succeed can tell the woman is lying, but they cannot know her reasons. If the PCs question Bettina about the tavern, they may choose to intimidate, charm, or otherwise interrogate her as they wish. She breaks easily and soon sobs, “It’s a lie, yes. Bussler is a cruel, monstrous man and he only seeks others to pummel in front of his friends in the tavern. There are no free drinks to be had at the Shackled Lion, only pain.” Bettina begs the party to avoid the tavern. She is worried that if they enter the place, they may tip Bussler off that she told his terrible secret. “There are numerous other fine establishments in the city. You have no need to visit the Shackled Lion, it could spell my doom if Bussler learns I shared his secret.” True. Bettina is telling the truth. Magnus Bussler, a towering warrior who was hardened in the gladiatorial arenas of the western lands, has leaked the rumor of free drinks because he enjoys humiliating others in front of the Lion’s regulars. If the PCs visit the tavern and challenge the man, they’re in for quite a fight. Bussler should be slightly stronger and more experienced than the party’s best fighter and the risk to the PC must be real. If Bussler is defeated, those he called his friends laugh at the man who becomes angry and grows more violent. He will not forget this.

Hopefully, the PCs don’t let on that Bettina told them of Bussler’s scam. If they do, he vows to take his revenge on the woman and threatens to kill her that very night. How will the PCs deal with this violent bully who takes joy in inflicting pain on others? If Bussler wins the fight, he laughs at the defeated character and offers to fight any other member of the party. He carries healing potions for this very reason. False. Bettina is running a strange scam and has made up the story of Bussler. There is a tavern, but anyone asked about the chance for free drinks won’t know what the PCs are talking about. Bettina is a pick-pocket and uses the interaction to distract the party. What valuable does she snatch and how long does it take the party to recover the item?

the book of collected rumors • 173

an elevated elven city

“It stretched miles into the canopy overhead, a city of the trees unlike anything in existence on our world. The lights of a thousand-thousand people – signs of activity far above – twinkled like the stars themselves, leaving us questioning what we had uncovered.” As he waves at the server in hopes of securing another drink, Nurbek Karimov pauses and listens to the chatter at the nearby tables. Karimov is telling those who will listen of his glimpse of Erlanrealm, a legendary elvish demiplane that is described as a never-ending forest city. Most assume the stories of Erlanrealm are fairy tales, bedtime stores made to entertain children, so encountering an experienced traveler who claims to have seen the city is an event that the tavern’s patrons won’t soon forget. “It must have been a planar anomaly, an accidental melding of our world and the elvish planar city, to have even granted us this look into the other land. I had been convinced my entire life that the stories were far from the truth, and yet here it was, rising as far as we could see into the forest above us.”

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Karimov admits that he and his companions never made physical contact with the city, only that they could see it, and he is unsure of whether or not it is still out there in the distant forest. “For as little as twenty golden coins,” the man says, “I’ll give any one of you a map to where we saw Erlanrealm. Maybe you’ll have better luck than we in gaining entrance to that city of elvish treasures.” True. The map, if the PCs pay the man, directs them to a point in the forest a week’s ride away and instructs them to leave the well-traveled road. If they follow the map’s instructions, and stand in the marked spot at midnight under a full moon, the PCs can also see the demiplane of Erlanrealm. Just as Karimov and his companions, though, they cannot enter the city. Perhaps, though, they can communicate with the city’s people by calling out? False. It is 100% a scam as Karimov tries to trick someone into paying for the worthless map. The PCs are too smart to fall for the conman’s story, yes?

the evil throne of souls

“I’ve not seen it, but I’ve read of the throne many times. It is mentioned in numerous works, by dozens of sages and explorers over the last few centuries, which can only mean that the throne does exist and is waiting to be claimed by those brave enough to seek it out.” Gerel Uchikin has always been something of a bookworm, investing the majority of his coin into gaining access to books ever since he learned to read. Uchikin has no experience actually traveling to the places he has read of, but his mind is packed with the knowledge he has accumulated over three decades of reading everything he could get his hands on. “The throne is said to sit in the deepest level of Fortress Skincrawl, an ancient drow castle I’ve managed to pinpoint as resting several miles below nearby Hightown. The stories tell that whoever sits in the throne is granted the ability to speak with the souls of the dead, and that they will answer any three questions truthfully and without hesitation. That could be valuable knowledge for those seeking treasures, yes?” True. Uchikin has read of the throne in many books, and he has deciphered the many clues by piecing together information from multiple books: the throne is far below the city of Hightown. Of course, knowing of the location of an object within an ancient dungeon and actually gaining access to that object are two completely different things. Using any dungeon map of your choosing, Fortress Skincrawl is as deep and dangerous as you choose. And whether or not the souls of the dead are actually truthful is a question that can only be answered by finding and sitting on the throne. False. Uchikin thinks he knows the location of the throne, but his guess is all wrong. There is no ancient dungeon under Hightown, though the PCs may find some small caves and/or tunnels if they search the city and poke about in enough places.

the book of collected rumors • 175

the abandoned temple “It was on a side trail as we traveled over the Violentcurse Mountains where we found the temple ruins. From our study of the place, it looked as if the temple once spanned the pass itself, the building constructed as a canopy over the trail. The boulders and shattered stone suggest that an avalanche crushed the temple, destroying the roof and exposing the place to the harsh cold and brutal winds of that high pass. We could find no mention of the place on our maps and our learned men had no memory of such a temple. To this day, we cannot explain the abandoned and ruined temple.” Sixty winters of age, the adventuress Margot Naude tells her listeners in the tavern that it has been twenty years since she saw the ruined temple. “I always wanted to get back there and explore the temple,” she says, “but distraction after distraction stood between me and the place, almost as if the fates themselves were striving to keep me from ever again seeing the ruins with my own eyes.” Naude says that it felt unnatural, as if the temple didn’t belong, and she cannot explain why it doesn’t appear on any maps and there are no mentions in the volumes her companions tracked down and studied. “If I had not seen it, I wouldn’t believe that such a place exists.” “I’m not too old for travel,” Naude eventually states, “but I need a group willing to join me on a trek to the temple.

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Would any here possess the courage necessary to join me in revisiting and exploring that destroyed temple?” True. Naude remembers everything about the temple ruins, leading the PCs in the right direction . . . but things don’t go as planned. She is cursed, as is anyone who sees the temple, and she will never get there. The curse throws up obstacles: storms, monsters, enticing rumors of easy-to-snatch treasures, and whatever else the GM can imagine. Only once Naude leaves the group can they possibly find the ruined temple. The ruins exist on another realm; the land immediately surrounding the temple is a permanent portal that connects the two worlds. If the PCs explore the ruins, they find an entrance to a dungeon. Use any map you wish. To inflict more danger, make the dungeon a one-way passage to the other world. Finding the path back to their home is an adventure all its own. False. Naude, if the PCs accept her request, feigns weakness before the group is scheduled to leave. She sends a friend the next day to tell the PCs that she died in her sleep. In truth, Naude never expected anyone to accept her invitation. There is no temple. It is a story she tells to attract attention and a few free drinks. If the PCs choose to search for the temple on their own, they will not find it.

the dying castle “Whatever curse was unleashed on Castle Hellberg and her people has proven far more effective than I would have guessed. With over half of her citizens dead – and those who survive unlikely to live another month – it is only a matter of time until the castle is abandoned. Who will claim the place as their own once the people are nothing more than corpses befouling the halls and chambers of the once-great structure?”

If they ask around, the PCs will hear a few others speak of the cursed castle, but all rumors they track down lead back to Krisztian as the messenger. Krisztian says that he has no intention of visiting the castle, but he suggests that for a small price, he could draw a map showing a safe pathway from the city to the castle. If the PCs pay the man, he asks that they return the next day to claim the promised map.

Fodor Krisztian, a messenger who has recently returned from one of the outlying towns, is sharing the news of Castle Hellberg, a small kingdom to the south of the city that – if Krisztian – is to be believed, will soon be nothing more than an empty complex inhabited only by the dead. He doesn’t claim to have visited the castle or witnessed the disaster with his own eyes, but he insists that the story of the castle becomes better known the closer one gets to the cursed kingdom.

True. He hands the map over, Krisztian keeping his word. If the PCs choose to follow the map, they will hear of the castle at each of the towns they stop in, with every single one telling the same story: all of the people in the castle are dying.

“I visited Hellberg once, many years ago, and it were a fine enough kingdom and castle, but remarkably small. Hellberg may be the only land where the king could see all of his domain from the roof of his castle.”

Once the PCs reach the castle, use any small dungeon map you may have handy (as always, I suggest checking those maps offered by Dyson Logos) to serve as the castle and the dungeons beneath it. Everyone is dead, but there are some monsters now active in the castle. False. When they return the next day, Krisztian is not to be found. He has stolen their money and run.

the book of collected rumors • 177

a haunted forest

“In the darkness as black as night, the trees themselves felt alive as their branches twisted in the wind, seemingly reaching for us with long and spiky talons. The rustle and crunch of the leaves beneath our feet caused shivers in our souls with every step, and it was only our determination that kept us moving ever forward through the spooky forest.”

“Within the forest, we encountered only shadows and scares; no creatures stirred in the hours we spent traversing the place. At one point on our march through the darkened woods, we thought we saw a young girl carrying a lantern, but the vision faded as quickly as it appeared, as if the darkness itself consumed her.”

Wiping sweat from his brow, as if the simple act of sharing the story was renewing whatever frights overtook him long ago, Jeroen Heuker asks the server for water. A swallow of the tepid water and he steeled himself to continue the remembrance.

“Why would anyone enter the forest? We were on the search for gold, of course. We never did find it, but rumor stands to this day that an abandoned cottage in those darkened woods hides the entrance to a subterranean lair, a lost dungeon that has yet to be plundered.”

“We, despite being men and women of great experience, were unable to explain it. Although we entered the forest in the morn, it is as if night itself swallowed the landscape within seconds of crossing the ramshackle bridge that connects the main road to the forest trail. We didn’t test our theory, but we all were convinced that if we were to cross back to the other side of the water, the sun would be as bright as it were only moments earlier. Something about this forest blots out the very sun in the sky above.”

True. Heuker remembers the forest well and, if properly bribed, will sketch out a rough map showing both how to get to the place and which parts of the forest he and his companions explored many years ago. The PCs should be allowed to find the cottage, as well as the entrance to the dungeon, but it is their problem when they encounter the ghostly and undead inhabitants of the forest.

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False. Heuker has an over-active imagination and suffers from dementia. His story is a fairy tale he was told as a child and not a memory from his life.

the blinding light “The rough and jagged peaks of the Violentcurse Mountains are unbelievable and difficult to describe. Scholars and wizards suggest that the unnatural landscape of the mountain range was formed millennia ago when a cosmic giant was murdered and flung to our world, the thing’s miles-tall body striking the surface with such force that the dust cloud blocked out the sun for months. Though none have proven the story, you can squint just so at some of the mountain tops and almost believe that you’re eyeballing the corpse of some ancient titan.” The Violentcurse Mountains, a rugged obstacle many days ride north of the city, is well known by many, as is the story of the cosmic giant’s fall thousands of years ago. The young bard, Jacob Burghehyll, has more to tell than just repeating well-known folktales. Burghehyll leans forward and looks about the room. “As fascinating as the story of the giant may be, it is the ancient monster’s soul that deserves our attention. Many are unaware that the giant’s soul lives to this day, trapped high in the mountains. If you stray from the mountain pass, you will soon find a spire of stone that glows with a brilliance more powerful than the sun. Looking directly at the spire will blind you, so most look to one side or other of the formation when they spot it.”

“This light is the giant’s soul, blazing like a beacon unmatched, what little consciousness remains trying its best to summon help from somewhere in the heavens. As I’ve heard it, there will come a day when the giant’s people notice the light and assault our world, seeking to save their friend’s soul and punish our world for the time the monster has been entombed here.” “Before that day comes, we must extinguish the blazing light. One day soon, if we are lucky, heroes will journey to the spire and destroy it, using magic to bury the shining light beneath tons of rock and stone, blocking the light from reaching the heavens.” True. Burghehyll has studied the spire for many years, uncovering the secrets of the strange light. His information is accurate, though it is likely to be several thousands of years before the slain giant’s people come in search of their dead friend’s soul. False. The story of the giant and the light are told throughout the land, but neither is true. The blinding light atop the spire is the side-effect of a magical accident: a wizard was murdered in a duel and his carried staff exploded and was caught in a stasis spell, the weapon forever in a state of destruction atop the spire.

the book of collected rumors • 179

“I swear I’ve seen it! Rising high over the Sunset Mountains, looking more like spires of obsidian than the jagged tops of mountains, I swear to you the stories of the Spine are true.”

the jagged spine “You may have heard of the place, a demiplane that enters our world only during the sunset hours, and thought it little more than a story. But I can tell you it is all true. I’ve been there, and I can get you there . . . for a price.” Bastien Dufresne, one of the oldest men in town, holds up a platinum ring that is engraved with crude, ancient symbols. “This is the key,” he says, “and them who wear this ring – as well as any touching the wearer when the sun is half covered by the mountains – are transported to the Jagged Spine where they are trapped until dawn.” “I’m far too old to make the journey these days, but I can remember the many paths through the Spine and I will never forget the unguarded mound of treasures I almost raided when I was there. I almost went back for the treasures a few times, but I never could find ones I could trust enough with the secret. Now, in my late years, the best I can hope for is to sell this ring – and this map of the Spine – to ones such as yourselves. Adventurers who are not afraid of an opportunity as big as I share with you today.””

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Dufresne says that he will sell the ring and map for 1,000 gold or, if the heroes wish, sell the items for only 100 gold plus half of everything they carry back to the tavern. True. The man has been to the Spine, and the ring will transport its wearer to the demiplane. To activate the ring’s power, it must be worn outside within sight of the distant mountains as the sun is setting. The wearer is magically teleported to the rocky, strange landscape filled with dragons, and there is a 50% chance that anyone holding the wearer’s hands is also taken to the other world. Those carried to the Spine are trapped there until dawn. It is night in the Spine, and the dragons do not appreciate intruders. Whether or not they have the ring or are touching the ring’s wearer, they are instantly returned to the starting point at dawn. False. Dufresne has been telling this lie for years, though he has yet to trick anyone into buying the ring. If he ever does manage to sell the ring, you can be sure he will flee town immediately.

a lizardfolk village “What I need most are reliable hirelings who can reach the village and collect my belongings, then deliver the goods to me here in the city.” The merchant looks about the tavern, hoping to find someone who looks worthy of the task. “Surely there are a few trustworthy souls who wish to earn 20 gold for undertaking a simple assignment.” Introducing himself as Gordan Hrgovic, the merchant approaches each table in the establishment and asks whether or not those seated have a week to spare and wish to earn an easy 20 gold coins. Hrgovic even promises to pay for rations and a one gold a day bonus for signing on this very night. If none take his offer, he raises the promised payment to 30 gold; 10 paid right now and the rest when the task is complete. If the PCs ask the man for more information, he offers to buy a round of drinks and joins them. “I’ve made a deal with the lizards and have purchased a minor trinket from their warleader. It’s a staff, nothing too elaborate or outrageous, but it has significant historical value since it was once the staff of Olga Vujic, The Emerald Witch who stopped the lizard invasion of Hell’s Heart two centuries ago. As soon as I learned they had the staff, I just had to buy it.”

“The lizards are not exactly to be trusted,” he says to the PCs if they agree to accept the assignment, “so watch yerselves in their village. If it looks like they plan to double-cross us,” his language turns inclusive the instant the party accepts the job, “make a grab for the staff and run.” He hands the party spellcaster a scroll of fireballs. “Use this only in an emergency. I expect it back if you don’t need to use the scroll.” True. The village and lizardfolk are as described, and the staff is paid for and ready for transport. The staff is in a locked chest, long and narrow, that the lizardfolk hand to the PCs after inviting them to a meal and drinks. They explain that there is no key; the chest has no locks. Hrgovic pays as promised if the chest is delivered. If the PCs study the staff, it is a magic item. The specifics are left to the needs of the gamemaster. False. There is a staff and chest, yes, but the two are not what they appear. The lizardfolk used evil magicks to transform two young elves into the two items. Hrgovic is buying the elves to enslave and force to work as accountants. Will the PCs uncover the truth and free the elves?

the book of collected rumors • 181

the city of wizardfall “Wizards, sorcerers, and other practitioners of the arcane arts may not enter the city of Wizardfall. Many say the city was constructed over a naturally occurring anti-magic field that saps the strength of any arcane spellcasters who try to enter the city, but I know not how true that story may be.”

Utsiyeva suggests that anyone looking to escape the grasp of a wizard should travel to Wizardfall. The city is almost a month’s ride into the southern deserts, but it is worth the trip for all who oppose arcane spellcasters.

Laura Utsiyeva, experienced traveler and merchant, tells those in the tavern of her time visiting the city of Wizardfall, speaking of a large fortress that is ringed by many tents, hovels, and makeshift homes that often collapse when blasted by the desert winds. The fortress, Utsiyeva claims, is hundreds of years old and none know who originally built the stone compound.

True. The Stone of Varayeva, a meteorite that crashed on this world thousands of years ago, is embedded at the center of the fortress. Although none have been able to determine why, the meteorite projects an anti-magic field that encompasses the fortress; not only do all arcane spellcasters collapse when they pass beyond the walls of the fortress, but any arcane magic items fail to work within what is a 100% zone of dead magic.

“When any wizard attempts to enter the city proper – the area within the ancient fortresses stone walls – the powerful anti-magic field weakens them so greatly that they must turn back . . . or fall unconscious. I’ve not seen it with my own eyes, but the people I spoke to in the city told me that they have seen wizards die after laying only a few steps inside the walled city for more than a handful of moments.”

False. Utsiyeva fell for a lie that the people of Wizardfall have guarded for centuries. Long ago, a sickly sorcerer died at the gates to the city. Soon, word spread that it was impossible for wizards to enter. Seeing value in others believing the city to be a site of dead magic, the powers that be embraced the tale and do all they can to keep the lie alive.

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an inn in the trees “Setting off for the west are ye? If you find yerself in the Misenchanted Wood, be sure to stick to the trail. There are dangers aplenty in that forest and unless ye’ve a death wish, ye best avoid straying far from the path. It is possible to make the journey at night, but I recommend taking a room at The Charmed Scoundrel on the eastern edge of the forest and trying to cross the Wood with a fresh start after a solid night of rest. Tell Tanita that Edmond Lesjak sent ye and she’s certain to give ye a good price on lodging and the best beef stew to be found in the world.” Edmond is an elderly half-elf ranger. He once spent his days hunting the evils of the Misenchanted Wood and is familiar with Tanita Modic’s impressive tavern, as well as the forest around it. He describes the tavern as a work of art itself, an ancient elvish outpost of homes constructed several dozen feet above the ground, each permanently affixed to the taller and thicker trees near the trail. The inn has four private cottages for rent as well as seven small rooms in the main building. Tanita and her staff of four are friendly and kind, but they’re also accomplished spellcasters who deal with rowdy guests with force when necessary. Edmond’s word does secure a discount.

“If ye do stop at the Scoundrel, would the lot of ye do me a favor and deliver something of import to Tanita? It’s a small object and I can pay a few gold now with the promise that Tanita will reduce the room price even more if she is given this.” Edmund holds up an envelope sealed with wax and bearing the mark of a bat. If the PCs accept the envelope, Edmund pays them 3d3 gold coins and gives them a crude map to the inn. He tells them that the document is simply a letter to his friend and contains nothing of interest to others. True. If the PCs accept the assignment and break the envelope’s seal, they find a kind letter to a friend and nothing more. If Tanita notices that the seal is broken, the discount offered will be far less than if the envelope were delivered to the woman still sealed. False. If they open the envelope, the PCs find a letter detailing Edmund’s plans to rob a merchant in the city. He is asking his friend to send healing potions and a Cloak of Shadows to him so that he is better prepared for the task. He promises to deliver 200 gold to her in exchange for the requested items.

the book of collected rumors • 183

the cave of fire “I read late into the night, the scrawled and rough pages of the journal the work of many hands. From time to time, the writing became unclear, almost indecipherable, which made following the journey described within the work a challenge to say the least. Although promises of several distant lands and their possible treasures caught my imagination, I must admit that it was the burning cave that I would most like to see before I die.” He may be a mere thirty winters of age, but those who glance at Iztok Skof and know not his history would guess that he was decades older. Skof, once a dungeoneer and adventurer, was subjected to the brutal aging powers of a lich and now experiences every year as if it were seven. At the current rate of aging, which appears to be accelerating, Skof is likely to die within the next few months. He still drags himself to the tavern every evening to hear the latest news and enjoy the company of others, but as late he has been more talkative than in months past. “I’ve had the journal in my home for close to two years now, but it is only within the last few weeks that I took time to look through the work. It is an incredible tale.”

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In his last adventure before the withering spell sapped his youth, Skof came into possession of a thick, handbound journal that passed through the hands of many members of an adventuring party. Someone with the journal and the resources to investigate the stories within could find themselves traveling to all manner of places, the strangest of which is the Cave of Fire. “As best I can determine,” Skof says if asked to elaborate on the cave, “is that it is one-hundred miles to our north, beneath the ruins of a long-dead village. What most fascinates me about the cave is the suggestion that it isn’t a part of our world, but in truth a small piece of a hellish demiplane that is now forever embedded on our world.” True. Skof’s journal elaborates at times, but the cave is real. While he is too weak to travel, he will make a deal with the PCs: he gives them the journal if they promise to return and tell him what they find beneath the ruins. False. As above, but the PCs will never find such a cave. They do find a lava-rich subterranean complex, but not part of another plane of existence.

the ruins of tower xig “Far to the north, beyond the mountains and even past the sea of ice, stands what remains of the warlord Xig’s mighty tower. In ages past, long before your birth,” the man gestures to everyone in the tavern, his eyes lingering on one of the PCs before he continues, “Xig and his forces terrorized the people of the northern lands, sometimes sending scouts as far as this very city to rob from us what they could.”

“I have here,” De Roos pats his satchel, “the map to the tower as well as what scarce notes exist detailing the traps and threats within the tower. As we draw close to the anniversary of the death of Xig – 100 years ago next month! – is there one of you who will travel to the tower and find the Sword of Smoke, the weapon our city’s elders entrusted to one of the slayers of Xig? It would be a fitting celebration if the sword could be here on the anniversary of Xig’s death.”

Garrelt De Roos has told this tale many times before, knowing well that it is a popular one that often brings in coins. The man rises to his feet, lifting his mug, and taking a deep drink. “I drink,” he says, “to the memory of those who one day stood against the warlord Xig. People from this very city,” he points to a younger fellow at a table. “Your very ancestors, assembled here in this tavern and then traveled for thirteen days and nights until they reached the warlord’s tower and attacked.”

True. The story is true, and De Roos has been entrusted by the council to find heroes willing to return the Sword of Smoke in time for the celebration of the death of Xig. The city hopes that brave heroes will make the journey and deliver the sword for no charge, but De Roos has been authorized to offer up to 100 gold coins if a payment is required. If the heroes choose to accept the mission, use any tower map you may have to represent the location.

De Roos sits back down. “They attacked, and although they died, their journey was successful as they slew Xig and took him with them to the afterlife. Ever since that day, the warlord’s tower has crumbled bit by bit, slowly dying.”

False. De Roos is a liar and a thief who wants only one thing: to sucker someone into buying a worthless map. If the PCs show interest in the tale, the man offers to sell them the map for 3d6 gold coins.

the book of collected rumors • 185

a frost giant obstacle “As if the last month of heavy snowfall wasn’t bad enough, now the northernmost trail through the mountains is under assault by a frost giant? This is insufferable!” All eyes in the tavern are drawn to Lord Hristov Ivanov as his outburst is loud enough to punch through the clatter and chatter of the establishment. Ivanov, a merchant who specializes in separating most of the people in the city from their coins, is a known loudmouth, but this display is exceptional even considering his record. Realizing that everyone is staring at him, Ivanov lowers his voice and continues speaking with his subordinate, Emmy Qvist, a young woman no more than twenty winters who is as red as a cherry. She seems embarrassed by the Lord’s incredulous and overly loud denial of her news. If the PCs move close enough to eavesdrop, they hear the woman explain in some detail that a frost giant is indeed blocking the northern mountain pass. She claims to have seen the giant with her own eyes.

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Ivanov instructs her to return to the warehouse and adds that he will be along shortly. If the PCs try to speak with the woman, they must make a successful Persuasion check to convince her to delay her return to the warehouse. Once she starts talking, she doesn’t stop. Whatever she saw yesterday, when attempting to take the northernmost trail, affected her deeply. True. Emmy Qvist is telling the truth. She was part of a small caravan of traders on horseback who were on their way to Quickswaddle to sell some of Ivanov’s goods at a gathering of merchants. The caravan was forced to return to the city when their way was blocked by the giant. False. Although she sounds convincing, in truth the woman is a natural liar and thief and she – along with a scroll of illusion she had with her on the road – staged the scene. A rival of Ivanov has promised Emmy immense riches if she prevents the man from delivering his goods to Quickswaddle in time to participate in the gathering.

fear the reach of mister zee

“They say that Mister Zee is pulling the strings and in complete control of the operation. If this is true, he is far more powerful than we first realized. The ability to directly manipulate agents from a distant city suggests a level of arcane skill we may not be prepared to face.” For almost a month, the city watch spent night after night reacting to the actions of a villainous evil that they thought was located somewhere within the city. Named “Mister Zee,” this criminal spearheaded murders, breakins, and direct attacks on city patrols. The incidents so frequent and well-executed that the city was certain the mastermind was close by. Now, if guardswoman Shirvani Godina is to be believed, it appears that Zee’s actions were executed across a great distance. “It was the capture of two of Zee’s agents last night that revealed the man’s true location,” Godina says, clearly speaking of secret matters that should not be revealed in a common tavern. “Even now, the watch captain is trying to decide whether to send riders out to Zee’s location or to simply place a bounty on his head and let the hunters do the work. The captives gave a strong enough description that we know his appearance.” If asked about the possibility of a bounty, Godina begs the PCs to keep quiet and not reveal what she has said. “I’m sure to be punished if my superiors find out I was even hinting of new information regarding Zee.” False. Godina is telling what she has heard, but the information is a lie. There is no “Mister Zee.” The name and description of the mastermind were created by the leaders of the local thieves’ guild in an attempt to steer the city watch in the wrong direction. If the PCs join in the hunt for Zee, give them plenty of opportunities to notice that the tales surrounding the man feel wrong. Particularly clever PCs may make successful Intelligence or Wisdom tests to slowly come to the realization that the myth of Zee is only that, a lie given truth by the actions of others.

True. Sure enough, the city posts a bounty the next day: 1,000 gold coins for the delivery of Mister Zee. The wanted poster spreads fast, bringing many hunters in from neighboring cities who hunt for Zee’s agents. It is their hope that capturing one or two of the man’s operatives in the city will better guide them to where Mister Zee may be hiding. While it is unlikely that the PCs will locate Zee, they may meet hunters or some of Zee’s criminal agents in the city. Even turning over an agent could lead to a small reward.

the book of collected rumors • 187

the lady of the moon “I worked for her once, a few years ago, back before she was completely lost to whatever dark arts fell in her path. She wasn’t the kindest person then, but I never would have imagined that she would become a living terror, an agent of evil focused solely on murder.” Many in the taverns of the world have secrets and pasts they would prefer remain hidden, so it is surprising when Alice Barantyn mentions a prior relationship with the socalled “Lady of the Moon” when the evil woman’s name is mentioned. Barantyn takes a large drink, sets her glass on the bar, and seems lost in thought for a moment. “Ales Covert is no longer the woman I worked for,” Barantyn says. “Covert was insensitive, sometimes cruel, but I’d not go so far as to say she was evil when I worked for her. That may no longer be the case today, if the rumors coming out of her home are to be believed.” Barantyn – and other locals in the tavern – described Covert as a sadistic and heartless monster, a woman responsible for the disappearance of many people of all ages. If the PCs ask Barantyn or the others for more information about Covert, they are given directions to the woman’s house and a warning: “Interfere not with Covert,” Barantyn says, “unless ye wish to join the missing.” True. The locals call her “Lady of the Moon” because the majority of the disappearances linked to Covert happen on the nights of a full moon. The woman is an agent of evil, possessed by a ghostly form that is sending captured citizens of the city to the spirit’s home, a distant demiplane connected to this place by a silver goblet. Any who drink from the goblet are transported to the demi-

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plane where the ghost’s people – evil spirits – subject the prisoners to torture and a slow death. If the PCs confront the woman, they’re in for a fight. She is a force of evil, granted the life-draining touch of a ghost and empowered by evil magic that allows her to cast spells as a high-level wizard. If she fears she is losing a battle, Covert will try to drink from the goblet herself so that she may escape to the demiplane. False. Covert isn’t evil, but she is mean and prefers to keep to herself. She has no idea what may have happened to those missing people and is offended that any would accuse her of being involved in any acts of evil.

the head of a thief “An easy 100 gold to him that brings me the still-warm head of Delawar Behrooz, the thief that robbed my home last night. He’ll no doubt deny it with his last breath, but that scoundrel has been near my home one too many times this last week for it to have been a coincidence. I now know that he was scouting out the place, preparing to make his move . . . a move that led to the loss of my prized original painting by the long-dead Laurenz Weinwurm.”

False. There is no painting. Rosenqvist lied about the situation and only wants Behrooz’s head because the thief – yes, he is a thief – bested Rosenqvist at dice a few nights ago. A sore loser, Rosenqvist has been fuming ever since and has decided that his grief will subside once Behrooz’s head is in his collection of skulls.

If a citizen of the city were asked to name the five wealthiest men in the area, it is with undeniable certainty the name Noah Rosenqvist would be amongst them. A thick and aged gentleman with a taste for the richer drinks, foods, and distractions best left unsaid, Rosenqvist isn’t usually one to frequent a tavern such as this, the very place the PCs find themselves in this evening. Accompanied by three bodyguards, Rosenqvist has no fear of reprisal and is loud and mean, demanding that all in the tavern listen to his offer. “That’s 100 gold, you fools!” the man almost shouts. “All for the head of a common criminal. Will one of you stand and accept this challenge, or are you all weak and prefer poverty over riches?” If the PCs do not rise to the occasion, an NPC soon steps forward and joins Rosenqvist. A few moments later, they leave together (along with his bodyguards). Noah Rosenqvist is sincere and hands over 50 gold immediately if the PCs accept his offer. “Have me that head by dawn,” he says, “or my men will track you down and take that gold from you . . . plus interest that can only be paid through your suffering.” True. Asking around, the PCs soon find that Delawar Behrooz is a stranger to the city, having arrived only two weeks earlier. He is indeed a thief and stole the missing painting; it is worth 500 gold to the right collector and Behrooz has the necessary contacts to find that collector. Unfortunately for the PCs, Behrooz is not an easy mark. Not only is he a skilled swordsman, but he has fallen in with the local guild of thieves and has earned their protection. Can the PCs both defeat the man and find the stolen painting before the morning comes?

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a fighter demands justice “He has been going about the city all week, leaving nothing but fear and pain behind him as he demands justice.” Robi Janes, the owner of a small bookshop located near the city’s center, has entered the tavern in search of anyone who will help him deal with a troublesome foe. Janes has come into possession of a private journal that Erwin Blaustein – a warrior and defender of the distant throne of King Thorn – says is his rightful property. Blaustein claims the journal belonged to his father . . . a statement that Janes does not dispute. “It is only a matter of time before he finds out that I have the journal,” Janes explains to the PCs if they choose to listen to the bookseller’s tale. “I purchased the journal as part of an estate sale and while I don’t have any particular use for it, I’m not one to hand out my belonging without getting something in return.” Janes is looking for someone to find Blaustein and arrange an exchange between the two men. Janes is willing to sell the journal for at least 50 gold, a number the PCs will know is high for a simple journal. (Knowledgeable characters recognize that Janes is taking advantage of the situation and is very likely charging too much for the work). “I’ll cut you in for 10% of the sale.”

he feels is rightfully his. He wants his father’s private journal for one reason – there are maps and details regarding a half-dozen different dungeons and the information may prove valuable – though he will do his best not to reveal his reasons for needing the book. Will the PCs successfully arrange a sale? Blaustein will go as high as 100 gold if pressed, but there’s also a chance he’ll grow so angry during the meeting with the PCs that he will attack them. And what will the PCs do if they find out that the book contains what may prove to be very useful information on the location of treasures?

True. If the PCs accept Janes’ offer, it shouldn’t be too difficult to locate the angry warrior and arrange a meeting. Janes would rather remain nameless and out of the scene, perhaps offering to bump the pay to 20% if the PCs promise that they will not share his name.

False. Janes isn’t exactly being truthful with the PCs. The bookseller does not have the journal that Blaustein wishes to recover, but he thinks there’s a chance to make some gold from the warrior’s clouded judgment and anger. If the PCs arrange the sale, Janes gives them a false journal, one that Blaustein will recognize as a fake.

When given a number – any number! – Blaustein is furious that anyone would try and extract payment for what

How do the PCs react when they find out that Janes lied to them and put them in this terrible situation?

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murderer in the forest

“You’ve heard of Lukas Andreasen, right? The killer who escaped justice last week? Well, I’ve got news that will stun you: the man never fled! Even now, days later and when he should be as far away as possible, Andreasen is close. As I hear it, he’s hiding in the forest and waiting for his chance to take revenge on them that turned him in to the city watch.” The first thing many notice when they meet Maria Prodromou are her hands. Thick, rough, filthy, these are the hands of one who is not afraid to work . . . even if she may be a little scared of soap. When stabling their mounts, the PCs meet Prodromou as she helps show the PCs around the stables. The woman is a talkative one, eager to make friends with the rich and powerful. Regardless of their current circumstances, adventurers are always rich and powerful in Prodromou’s eyes. “I’ve not the steel or skill to apprehend the man,” Prodromou says, “but you certainly do. I can lead you to him,” she tells the PCs, “for a cut of the reward on his head.” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a wanted poster that promises 75 gold for the delivery of Lukas Andreasen to the city jail. False. She believes that she saw Andreasen in the forest, but Prodromou actually ran into Lizer Cabra, a retired warrior who is scouting out the land he purchased a few days ago. Cabra is planning to build a cottage on his new property and is seeking out the best spot to build. Camped on his newly-purchased land, Cabra is upset when assaulted by the PCs. Can the man persuade them of his true identity, or will he be forced to defend himself against a party of adventurers who are blinded by their thirst for gold? Of course, Prodromou is no help as she is noisy and demands that the PCs murder the man immediately. She only wants her share of the reward and is angry if the PCs believe Cabra when he tells them his story.

True. The bounty on Andreasen’s head is real. When she saw the poster yesterday, Prodromou snatched it when no one was looking for one reason: she had spotted the man in the forest earlier that day. If the PCs accept Prodromou’s offer, she suggests that they meet at the stables at midnight. “I’ll slip out and join you then, and we can grab the man right quick in his sleep and be back by dawn.” Capturing Andreasen is as easy or challenging as the GM wishes, all depending on how much the GM wants this to turn into a detailed encounter or a simple distraction from the main story. To make things challenging, the man is camped with a dozen thugs.

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the desert fortress “Far to the south, beyond the forest and past the rivers of blood and bone, there is only desert. Few have visited the place, but those who have describe it as an infinite sea of swirling sand and dunes, an endless wasteland that stretches to the edge of eternity. Weeks of travel across this desert will not take you to the other side – if there really is an other side – but keep to the western road through the desert and you will soon find the canyons . . . and the fortress.” His flesh rough and leathery from too many years under the sun, Nawdar Sahi’s description of a distant fortress captures the imagination of the many listeners he has attracted at the city crossroads. The man, dressed as a merchant of the sands, is promising unimaginable riches to any who dare risk the journey across the desert and are brave enough to keep at it until they find the fortress. “As you can see, friends,” Sahi says as he gestures to himself, “I am now too old and feeble to make the journey, but you,” he points at one of the onlookers standing near the PCs, “are youthful and strong. You,” he says with a sudden determination, “will make this journey and claim your rightful fortune.”

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Sahi holds up two parchment scrolls and waves them above his head. “These are the last two maps I have illustrated, each leading to the desert fortress by different paths. I have personally taken both trails, when I was younger, and I swear that both will lead you to the fortress. One guides you safely through the sinking sands and the other marks the safe path around the desert dragons. Buy my map,” Sahi cries out, “and become wealthy beyond imagination!” If pressed as to why he is not a wealthy man himself, Sahi sighs and explains that he squandered his fortune on pleasures. “You would not do such a thing, am I right?” True. Sahi accepts bids, running an impromptu auction. If the PCs win the auction – make them pay! – use the setup to lead into a planned or published desert adventure. False. Not surprisingly, the maps are fakes and there is no fortress. Sahi doesn’t know this, though, since he was brainwashed by a sorcerer who is using the old man to guide potential victims to their death. The sorcerer needs the bones of people to construct a necromantic cage, an unusual magic device that can hold powerful undead. Will the PCs survive, or will they become part of this cell?

necromancer’s island “I’ve not seen it meself, but I’ve heard many a sailor tell of the terror they felt when the island’s skull penetrated the mists of the sea. Most have described it as a giant’s skull, and more than a few have suggested that the island itself is the shoulders and head of a titanic skeleton that died millenia ago. I’m not sure how much I believe the tales, but I’m sure I’d die happy if I never saw the island with me own eyes.” Downing drink after drink, Gregor Pfeifer runs his mouth nearly as fast as he runs up his tab at The Mermaid’s Wake, one of the many taverns within sight of the city’s docks. Pfeifer is one of many sailors in the tavern and the first one the PCs meet, if only because the man is so talkative. The man sits by the PCs and immediately launches into stories of “Necromancer’s Island,” a place of “unimaginable riches and evil threats unlike any you have seen before.” He speaks of undead horrors and gems worth fortunes.

If asked how they may find Necromancer’s Island, Pfeifer offers to take them to his ship so that they may meet her captain. “The Lucky Sails is close by,” he tells the PCs. True. If they follow the man, Pfeifer leads them to a vessel where they meet Captain Taimi Vaino, an attractive woman of thirty winters. Despite her young age, Vaino is an experienced captain and willing to take the PCs to the island for 50 gold coins. “It isn’t far,” she says, “only a few hours out to sea. It’ll be another 50 gold if ye wish me to wait and return ye to the city.” The island is a dungeon, as loaded with treasures and terrors as the GM wishes. Use any appropriate map at hand. False. He isn’t quite as drunk as he appears. Pfeifer is putting on an act and leads the PCs to his ship where Vaino and her crew try to enslave the party. Evil slavers here???

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the undead lady of the house

“Catarina Streicher is not of this world, of that I am certain.” It is an otherwise quiet night in the tavern when one of the servers, Jacqueline Geno, overhears some of the locals speaking of the Lady Streicher and the woman’s beauty. Geno cannot stop herself and instantly interrupts the conversation at a nearby table, suddenly turning from the PCs – she was taking their order – and focusing on the group of men speaking of Streicher. “Think about it,” Geno says, “and answer me this: when did you last see the woman out-of-doors during the day? How often is she out on anything but the darkest and foulest of nights? I’m telling you, something about that woman isn’t right and she cannot be from around here.” Geno apologizes to the party as she returns her attention to them, asking for their order. If the PCs ask to hear more about Streicher, Geno hesitates and then speaks. “Though it is impossible to prove, I truly believe she is from elsewhere, far beyond our own home. It is either that, or she is one of the undead.”

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Geno provides directions to Streicher’s home, a mansion near the city’s parks district, and begs the party to forget her name if they poke at the Streicher home. “I’ve no wish to suffer the wrath of that foul woman and her wealth.” True. If the PCs poke into things, they soon find that Streicher – living in the large mansion alone – is an undead creature, a vampire. Streicher is unlike many of her kind and consumes the blood of the dying, preying solely on those who are going to die anyway and resisting the urge to attack other citizens of the city. If confronted, Streicher first tries bribery but soon resorts to force to protect her secret from the world. She will attack the PCs if she feels it is her only choice. False. Geno is wrong. Streicher isn’t an alien or undead, but is simply a wealthy woman who is eccentric and slightly agoraphobic. If the PCs confront her, Streicher is excited by the interaction with the heroes and plays the part of a vampire in hopes of keeping the game going a little longer.

the young justicar “You know how he gained the title and station, yes? Vukota is the son of the magistrate Vlado Kostic. It is unlikely that young Vikato has any experience or intelligence and is merely using the family name to improve his life. If you ask me, the young Justicar Vukato will fail miserably.” The city has been visited by a new Justicar, an administrator of justice tasked with inspecting the jails of the city and all towns within several days ride. Vukato Kostic, they say, is very young, perhaps too young, and the tavern is abuzz with gossip as the criminals and those who exist on the edge of the law try to decide what to do about the newcomer. “We need do nothing,” a young cutpurse says as he leans back in a chair. Usually, when the PCs enter a business, the conversations turn to whispers, but tonight the discussion is so heated that the tavern goers care not who hears them.

True. The thieves’ guild has placed a reward on Kostic’s head. If the PCs move against the Justicar in the hopes of claiming the gold, they find that Vukota – only twenty winters of age – may pretend, but in fact has no combat skills, experience, or even the strength necessary to command city guards and fulfill the demands of his title. The only real danger in murdering the young man is the risk that his father will hunt down his son’s killers. False. Vukota is visiting and telling many that he is now a Justicar, but the truth is that the weak-willed son is hoping to use his father’s name to acquire some easy gold. Vukota makes demands and threats, but he has no true power and his father will be angry when he hears of his son’s many lies.

“Kostic won’t survive the week,” an elderly pickpocket speaks up, “as he is sure to run afoul of one of us in the wrong alley.” The man touches the dagger at his side. “And every one of us knows what to do if you happen across this Justicar when there are no witnesses.” “Still,” another says, “I doubt it will take more than a day or two before the pup is slaughtered. Even now there’s a reward to anyone who kills him. The thieves’ guild offered up 25 gold coins. I heard it earlier this evening.” If the PCs ask why there is so much hatred for the new official, many in the tavern spit and shout, demanding that the party leave immediately. If the PCs refuse to leave, the tavern’s many guests turn violent, but not before the PCs are told that Vlado Kostic, the man’s father, is a cruel and miserable wretch who is guarded well and outside of their reach. If they cannot kill the father, the criminals reason, they can at least put an end to the life of the son. There may be money in the situation.

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a library beneath the water “Candle magic isn’t as common as most forms of wizardy and sorcery, but ask those who have encountered the arcane power of candles and they will certainly assert that magic candles are far more powerful than many realize.” As the party makes its way down one of the busier streets of the city, they overhear a woman at one of the market stalls making a sales pitch of sorts to a fellow adventurer. The woman, no more than forty winters of age with hair as white as snow, is gesturing toward the many candles spread out on her table. Soon, the customer shakes his head and wanders off. If the PCs linger, it is only a matter of time until Urqu Quelka, the candle seller, notices them and invites them to browse her wares. “You look as if you could use the power of the candles.” She is persistent, but polite, pointing to candle after candle and describing how this one is a curing magic, that one offers a protection against evil, and another one can grant all who are within the candle’s reach a good night’s rest. “If only I could get my hands on the Book of Candles,” she mutters as she continues to point out candle after candle to the heroes. If they ask her about the book, Quelka says she should not have said its name aloud and begs the PCs to ignore her. If pressed, she soon admits that it is a real object of power. “The book contains the secrets of creating several dozen candles of power that I’d love to offer. It is unfortunate, though, that the book is somewhere in the sunken library of Palters, far from this place and inaccessible to one such as myself. You might just have what it takes to infiltrate the library and retrieve the book.” Quelka proposes a trade. She will provide the PCs with all she knows about the location of the library and in exchange, they deliver the book to her. “Anything else you may find is yours,” she says.

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True. The information that Quelka provides is accurate and leads the party to the Palters library. Once an island off the coast, all that shows above the waves now are the highest towers of the destroyed library. Fortunately, the magic that once protected the place has kept most of the library dry and accessible to air-breathers who take the great risk of exploring the chambers below the water. Use any appropriate dungeon map of your choice. The library is mostly devoid of treasures – others have looted the place – the GM, may of course stock the place with whatever riches and obstacles they wish. Quelka is quite appreciative if the book is delivered to her at her shop in the city. False. There is no such book. Quelka uses the promise of the book to sell a few candles. “And you’ll want this one. When lit, it creates a sphere of air that will allow you to survive in the flooded library. Oh, and this candle is a must since it glows a bright yellow when near magical tomes. I’ll sell them to you at a discount, since you lot are doing me a favor in seeking out the book.” There may or may not be a library, as the GM wishes.

the ferryman “Where the river is widest, roughly seven days’ ride south of here, the bridge was destroyed in the floods about a year back. Despite promises by the city council, the bridge remains a wrecked mass of battered and broken timber and any efforts to rebuild the bridge have died out. Instead, ever since that accident, we’ve had no choice but to pay the ferryman, Nicolas Rahner, to transport us across the river on his flat-bottomed barge. This wouldn’t be so bad, except that Rahner is cruel, greedy, and possesses just enough knowledge of magic to curse all who refuse his pay and instead search for another way across the river.”

One of many merchants who are forced to pay the ferryman, Ben Fellerer is in a foul mood this night and voicing his frustration with the situation louder than is likely wise. Although none have known Rahner to spend time in the city, few risk upsetting the ferryman. “He has eyes everywhere,” many say if they are asked about the secretive fellow who appeared with his barge within days of the destruction of the bridge. “It wouldn’t surprise me at all if that damned ferryman felled the bridge himself,” Fellerer says once he has had a few too many drinks. “Though I’ve no proof, I’ve heard enough rumors of how Rahner is an agent of evil, touched by the devils themselves. What we ought to do is kill the man and hire someone trustworthy to operate the ferry.” True. If the PCs ask Fellerer about his claim, the man describes how he keeps hearing whispers – both in this town and those south of the collapsed bridge – that it was Rahner’s magic that destroyed the bridge. Confronting the ferryman may not be a good idea; he is an evil mage and yes, he did use his magic to destroy the bridge. Although it may seem like there is little reason for Rahner to devote his time to serving as a ferryman – making only a handful of silver each day – the mage is gaining something far more sinister from the act. Each time he transports someone across the river, he steals a small piece of their soul. Not enough to cause lasting damage, but enough to satisfy the devils who grant Rahner unnatural powers. If confronted, the ferryman first claims to be nothing more than a simple man. If attacked or pressed, he shows his true self and defends his operation and place, fleeing only if reduced to one-quarter his normal hit points. False. The ferryman isn’t a mage or at all responsible for the destruction of the bridge, but is simply an opportunist who hired help to construct a barge as fast as possible when the bridge collapsed. In fact, parts of the barge were built using timber from the destroyed bridge. What destroyed the bridge? A combination of shoddy workmanship, bad luck, and a terrible storm.

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the flying unknown “You should have seen the thing! It were thick and thin, winged and spiked, and moved about without once touching the dungeon floor. Worse still, it was wrapped in some sort of spell that made its every move as soundless as a perfectly vacant chamber. Though we saw its wings beat and its jaws open and close, no sound escaped the thing.” Tavern guests have been known to embellish a tale or two in their time, but there’s something about Gabriel Kotka’s story of a bizarre beast that captures the imagination of the man’s drinking companions and they urge

him to continue the tale. Happy for the attention, Kotka obliges their demands to learn more of this unknown beast that the man claims to have met in the dungeons. “How big were it?” Kotka stretches out his hands as far as possible and then shakes his head. “Bigger ‘en I can reach, that’s for sure. But it weren’t the size that unnerved us, but that noiseless aura that seemed to follow the thing.” Kotka pulls a dagger from his pouch and slams it into the table – without making a sound. “This is the very dagger I used to stab at the thing, and ever since the weapon has been as voiceless as the monster.” He pulls the dagger from the table and hands it to a friend. “Go ahead. You try.” No matter who handles the weapon or how hard they stab it into the table or throw it at a wall, the weapon’s impact makes no sound. “All of us who were there that day now carry with us some small portion of the monster’s soundless magic. We escaped with our lives, but that were more about luck than skill. I’d not wish to face the thing again.” True. Kotka is telling the truth. He and his companions met an extraplanar creature in the dungeons beneath an abandoned monastery several miles from the city and the thing is still there. If the PCs choose to investigate the situation, use the stats for any large monster that is at least equal to the task of facing off against the party. The monster can fly and is encased in an anti-sound field that eliminates all noises within a few inches of the thing. Objects and items that come into contact with the beast have a 25% chance of contracting what is in fact a magical curse. Fortunately, items – or characters, since anyone touching the thing may also be affected – so cursed cannot spread the soundless curse. False. Kotka owns a magical dagger of soundless fury and has devised a lie to explain the weapon’s magical property. The monster is a fabrication and searching the dungeon reveals no such beast. If confronted, Kotka refuses to admit his lie and swears the beast exists.

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a ghostly stranger in the city jail “It were man-like, though gaunt and unnatural in appearance, its wiry body topped by a phantasm of a face that swirled and whirled as the gaseous form was battered by the winds. Atop its ghostly head I could make out a crown, as real as you or I, though how it remained perched above that phantasmal head of spirits is a mystery I am certain will never be adequately explained.” A regular at the Twisted Tavern, the elderly man – one Leopold Oberhauser – now works as a custodian at the city jail where he is responsible for cleaning the cells, feeding the imprisoned, and running errands for the guards. Oberhauser is overly excited this evening, telling his friends at the table of his encounter with a ghost earlier that day. Although Oberhauser doesn’t have a history of lying or drinking on the job, his story is simply unbelievable and his friends soon tire of the man’s rattling on about a ghost. If the PCs ask Oberhauser to tell them of what he witnessed, he is eager to share the tale. “I were one level down, below the city streets, in the older part of the jail that is rarely used when I met the thing. It were regal, dressed in a fine coat and its stance suggested that it were used to being in command of any situation. At first, I assumed it were a guardsman or one of their bosses inspecting my work, but then its head of shadows and smoke caught my eye and I waited not to learn more. I rushed back upstairs and told the guards, who told me that I had seen nothing and to forget the thing. I cannot.” True. If the PCs visit the city jail, the guards insist that there are no spirits other than the drinks they enjoy when the watch captain isn’t looking. The guards are under strict orders to allow no one to examine the lower level of the jail, and they will fight to block access to the

area where Oberhauser claims to have seen a ghost. If the PCs do force the issue and engage with the guards, one of them slips out to summon reinforcement. If instead of fighting the guards the party infiltrates the jail by other – more stealthy – means, they will soon encounter the ghost of Benjamin Riederer who is not of this world, but was drawn here by the actions of one of the prisoners in a cell above. Old Anatolij, a necromancer, has summoned the ghost to free him. Unfortunately for Anatolij, the ghost is trapped on the lower level and cannot escape. It is a violent spirit and the city guards are waiting for hired adventurers to defeat the ghost. If the PCs manage to destroy the ghost and talk their way out of the situation, the city will pay 100 gold for their destroying the unwanted spirit. False. Oberhauser encountered nothing more than his imagination and indigestion.

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the arcane cat of stone “For close to three decades I worked for that cruel woman, constantly promised that once I had proven myself worthy of her knowledge, she would instruct me in her wizardly ways. Finally, after she was cruel one too many times and insulting my intelligence, I snapped and beat her with the broom. Though Nikoline Haugaard may have been a powerful wizardess, she was no match for my anger and the heft of that broom’s wooden shaft. Afraid, I fled with the only thing I could think to snatch as I escaped the dying woman’s home. This statuette may not look like much, but Haugaard valued it, which makes me value it and, if I am correct, makes it worth something to you. Gerdin Zorab, former apprentice to the wizardly woman Nikoline Haugaard, has an object he wishes to sell and was directed to the PCs. As wealthy adventurers, there is no doubt in Zorab’s mind that the heroes will wish to possess the stone cat statuette that he has stolen from the now-dead wizardess. Zorab has the statue on him – it is roughly a foot tall and carved of dark stone. Etched deep into the body and head of the cat statuette are unrecognizable runes and arcane symbols. Zorab asks 500 gold for the statuette, claiming that it is the avatar of an elemental beast that will aid its owner in battle. Zorab is unsure of exactly how the object works, but he reasons that heroic and skilled adventurers such as the PCs will have no troubles understanding the operation of the magical statuette. He will take as little as 20 gold for the item if the PCs refuse his initial price, bargaining as best he can. (Which isn’t very well at all.) If they cast detect magic on the statuette, it glows brightly.

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Zorab refuses to return to Haugaard’s home, but he may be persuaded to sell directions to the small cottage of the now-dead wizardess. He tells the PCs that the woman had many books, potions, and material goods she used in her spellcrafting, and he considers the knowledge of the cottage’s location to be worth at least 100 gold. True. Zorab did grow angry at the wizardess, but he did not kill her. The blow stunned her, and by the time she awoke the man was gone with the statuette. If the PCs buy the object, it is indeed a magical item and any who own the item and speak the command word “Guardian” when holding the statue acquires a magical cat companion who will do all it can to protect them. The cat possesses the cunning, speed, and strength of a panther and will fight to the death to guard its controller. The cat can only remain on this world for 15 minutes and then must return to its own for a full day of rest. If the statue is broken, the cat is slain and will never return. Haugaard is very much alive and will pay for information on the location of her former apprentice. False. The man’s story is a lie. He never worked for the wizard, but he did break in and steal the statuette.

belhazan’s elixirs “We paid and, as promised, Belhazan delivered that very night. You can be sure I’ll never again waste my coin shopping for potions at the usual haunts. If the halfling can consistently deliver at these prices, he’s got my business.” Arte Shali is a fellow adventurer, a warrior who has devoted most of his life to exploring the dusty tombs and ancient dungeons of the surrounding lands. As a dungeoneer, Shali is constantly in need of healing potions – he and his companions have yet to befriend a cleric – so the man is a little loud in his praise of the halfling merchant Belhazan who specializes in providing supplies to others . . . even though he has no dedicated shop. If the PCs ask Shali about his new potions supplier, the warrior suggests that he can introduce them to Belhazan. “Just give me a few hours,” he tells the heroes, “and I’ll meet you at The Rotting Core.” He lowers his voice, “I know it’s not a respected tavern, but it is safer than this miserable place.”

True. Arte Shali is speaking the truth and, as promised, he and Belhazan meets the PCs at the Core just a few hours later. The halfling’s prices are slightly lower than those of the various magic shops in the city. If asked about his supplier, Belhazan starts to leave, muttering that he cannot do business with those unable to keep their nose to their own affairs. If the PCs work with the halfling, they soon learn that he can provide almost anything for a little less than the other shops. It’s just best if they don’t ask about his sources. False. Although Shali is making promises of introducing the heroes to Belhazan, the truth is that the halfling doesn’t exist. Shali is a thief who uses his thick size and fearsome appearance to pose as a fighter. He is trying to lure the PCs to the Core where he and his friends – regulars at the shady tavern – can beat the player characters and steal whatever valuables they may be carrying.

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we met in the woods “We rarely encounter drow in this region, so you can understand how it were a bit of a shock to come across one of their kind off the forest road. She were a warrioress for certain, her sword and shield carried with an aura of strength and determination like I’ve seen before only in those such as you who make you way by force in this world. She was kind, which surprised me for I thought drow were killers, and asked whether or not she would be safe in the city.” As they are shopping for supplies, the PCs encounter Rajab el-Dallal, a shopkeep who specializes in general goods and is a reliable source of rope, candles, rations, and similar gear. Rajab has been waiting for the right person to tell of his meeting the day before with the drow, and he trusts that adventurers such as the PCs are the perfect sort to take action to help the woman. “She said she is in need of healing, that her companion – a brother, she said – is wounded and would she be safe bringing him to the city. I told her no, but that I would send someone to aid them. Would you lot be willing to assist the woman and her brother? She says that she can pay.” True. If they accept Rajab’s story and visit the place he describes in the forest, the party meets Pauline and Sebastiaan Wills, two half-drow who are guarded and worried of being captured and killed by surface dwellers who do not know that the pair are simple adventurers seeking an honest living. If the party aids her brother, Pauline pays them whatever is appropriate for the type of assistance granted. (The GM will determine the value of healing potions, spells, or other acts.) She and her brother thank them for the help and then move on, perhaps not before sharing another rumor? False. Rajab and the drow Pauline are seeking easy riches. The two lovers have formed a plan to trick unsuspecting adventurers, with Rajab sending the heroes to the forest where Pauline springs the trap. The warrioress is quite skilled and aided by skeletons controlled by a ring of undead control. If she is reduced to near-death, she begs mercy and will give up Rajab’s role in the scheme if she thinks accusing him will save her life.

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the skull in the helm “I would have brought the helmet back and sold it, if it weren’t for that blasted skull that wouldn’t stop talking. I tried, I really did, but I soon abandoned the helm so that I could get away from the skull’s constant chattering and insane droning.” The young adventuress Surany Greta has returned from her first exploration of a dungeon and she is feeling quite despondent by the entire experience. Visions of riches and unimagined wealth were shattered when the one item Greta found – a magic helmet, as she tells it – turned out to be a cursed item. Now, with nothing to show but wounds for her troubles, Greta is questioning her desire to explore the world and make her living as an adventuress. “It should have been an easy enough task. We defeated the bugbear guards, locked the gelatinous ooze in an inescapable room, and located the rumored treasure hoard of the werewolf king. All were going well and I, as the newest member of the party, was given the helmet as my reward. For the first few minutes, all was as I expected. I had my treasure! Then, the skull stuck fast inside the helmet talked. The others told me to ignore it, that the skull could do me no harm, but I grew so unnerved by its speech that I tossed it when the others weren’t looking. They were angry at me when we made camp that night, and I’ve since been on my own. I’m not strong enough to return, but I’ll give you directions to where I dropped the helmet if you’ll pay me 12 gold.” True. Greta really did possess a magic helmet for close to an hour before she threw it away, leaving it behind in a nearby dungeon. If the PCs fork over the gold, the wouldbe adventuress describes the route to the dungeon as best she can and gives them a rough map of the complex with a mark identifying where she dropped the helmet. Use any available dungeon you wish to represent the place, reducing whatever foes may be within to a level you feel is appropriate. Don’t forget, Greta and her former companions recently explored this dungeon, so

there will be fewer opponents than usual and very little in the way of missed rewards. The locked room with the gelatinous ooze is still there; maybe Greta and her party overlooked a few valuable treasures in their haste to escape the sliming hazardous beast. The helmet is a simple +2 helmet of protection, but it is a cursed item as the skull within is stuck tight. Removing the skull may be an adventure all its own, but those who take time to listen to the talking skull may hear other rumors as the thing shares its secrets. False. Greta is running a scam and her companions – the party that supposedly left her – is waiting along the route she provides to the PCs. The opposing party of adventurers is a band of criminals intent on murdering the PCs and stealing their stuff. Greta follows the PCs and attacks from behind when her friends make their move.

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the cauldron of ghosts “Ye see that cauldron simmering behind the bar? Yeah, the big ‘un that the cook is using to create this slop by the gallons and then force it on us as if it were an acceptable stew of some sort. What is this? Chicken, venison, or wolf? Take a bite,” Delara offers the party a taste of her unappetizing bowl of stew as she talks, as if to add emphasis to her insistence that the flavor is as poor as she claims. “Now don’t look too long at the cauldron, friends, or the cook will notice ye and then all of us will be out on the streets. Just glance and keep yer eye on the steam over the boiling mass of vegetables and questionable meats. See? Did ye see? Right there! There’s another one!” Delara Khandan, thirty winters of age and skilled as a thief, has been visiting this tavern for almost a decade and has been fascinated by the cauldron ever since the first night that she saw ghosts swirling about in the steam clouds that hang over whatever is being cooked that night. If the PCs keep a close eye on the cauldron, they soon spot what look to be ghostly forms flying above the boiling pot. If they make a scene, the cook and tavern’s staff demand that the PCs leave immediately. Guests, as well as summoned city guards, will do what is necessary to eject the noisy PCs. If the party remain quiet as they watch, Delara tells them that she has yet to identify where the ghosts come from or what they want, only that she has been watching the same dozen or so spirits hover over the cauldron for several years now. “I think the truth is hiding somewhere in the cook’s private room, upstairs, but I’m too afraid to break into the room and search for answers. Maybe you lot are braver and will try it?” True. The spirits are nothing special, simply ghostly forms that are forever bound to the magic cauldron. The metal pot doesn’t require fire to bring the contents to a boil, the spirits tied to the object empowering it with a magical heat that can be switched off and on at will by the cook who is the cauldron’s rightful owner.

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If the PCs simply ask the cook about the spirits, without causing a scene, she explains the situation and says that the cauldron was passed down to her by her mother. PCs who take the unnecessary step of investigating the cook’s room find nothing of value and risk being caught and branded as thieves. Is it really worth all that? False. Delara is an illusionist and playing a prank on the party. PCs who successfully disbelieve the illusion – this should be challenging, to keep things fun – see right through the woman’s prank. Secretly slip all who disbelieve a note explaining the situation and suggesting to the players in on the secret that they play along and help the woman mislead those PCs who failed to disbelieve the simple illusion.

beast in the desert

“The sands were brutal that afternoon, the swirling grains riding the eastern winds as fierce and dangerous as the winter wolves of Harlakhan. Despite the intensity of the desert storm, we pressed on, eager to reach the sanctuary of the trading post of Helxtown before the sun set. Our eagerness turned to desperation when the thing appeared before us, materializing suddenly, as if from the very sand itself.” As she leans back in her chair, her feet resting comfortably on the table, the wizardess Lowena Bligh surveys the tavern and smiles slightly as she notices that her story has captured the attention of almost everyone. “The jackal-headed thing was a giant, easily the height of three warriors and thrice as muscled. It growled as it looked down on us, clearly angry though we knew not why. I readied my staff, the sparkling energy of the magic trapped within its shaft,” Bligh glances to the staff at her side, “anxious to follow my instructions and lash out at this threat.” “Without warning, the jackal swung its giant fists at our mightiest warrior, the dwarf Putrael, connecting with a blow so powerful that it tore the poor soul’s head from his shoulders. Strangely enough, the thing’s fist turned to a whisper of sands as Putrael’s head landed near my feet.” Bligh shakes her head with a sadness reserved only for those who have encountered truly bizarre, horrific scenes. “I unleashed the powers of my staff, the arcane en-

ergy dissipating without effect as the thing reverted to its sand form. Time and again, we tried to wound the beast, but it continued slaughtering our party as we proved incapable of harming it.” Resting her chair back on the tavern floor, Bligh sighs. “We – I – tried, but the beast kept besting our efforts until Kenan, our bard, and I were the last ones standing. I’m not sure which of us made the first move, but wordlessly the two of us chose flight over facing off against the thing that had – by then – killed all of our friends. The last I remember hearing of Kenan was his cries for help as whatever that thing was grabbed him. I escaped, and I’ve no desire to return to the desert road until I hear that whatever is out there has been murdered.” True. A wind elemental has claimed a section of the desert road as its domain and is killing any who dare intrude on its lands. The elemental is a native of the plane of air and has adapted to the place it now calls home, using the sands to forge a corporeal form that looks much like one of the jackal-headed gods of the sands. False. Bligh and her friends didn’t encounter a monster, but her dead comrades certainly met a beast. Angry at the way her party had meted out the riches after an earlier confrontation, the woman surprised her companions on the road and murdered them all. A PC who makes a successful skill check may detect that the woman is lying.

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a worm-like ooze “Mirza!” The elderly man in the far corner of the tavern yells out, gesturing at another even older man at the bar. “Mirza, where was it we ran into that weird worm beast when we were working alongside Karel Valek? I can’t remember where we saw that thing. Can you?” With no regard for the others in the tavern, the man at the bar – scooping up three mugs in his two large hands – yells back at his friend. “Jonas, do you mean the flower-headed worm, or are you talking about the shadow worm?” The two continue in this way for a few more moments, making so much noise that other conversations grind to a halt. Only once seated together do the two old men quiet down slightly. Their drinking companion, a towering half-orc in battered chain armor, looks disgusted at the behavior of the two men and that they attracted attention to their table. Soon, the half-orc rises and leaves the tavern, but only after dropping a scattering of silver and gold coins on the table. If the PCs are watching, one of the two men – Mirza, the larger of the pair – glances over. “I suppose you would also like to know where it was that we last saw the worm-like ooze and learn of what riches it guarded.” If the PCs agree, the two elderly men are only too happy to share their knowledge. For a price. True. As soon as the heroes agree to pay for the information, the two men launch into their tale, going into detail of the time that they met a 20’ worm that was as much an ooze as it was a creature. “I still say it were more fungus than ooze,” Jonas – the smaller of the two men – says, “but I lost that fight long ago.” The two share directions to the dungeon where they last saw the monster; twenty years ago and close to fifty miles to the north. According to their

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story, the monster guards a small chamber deep within a cave-like dungeon, the chamber filled with poisonous mushrooms, other oozes and puddings, as well as valuable art objects, sacks of gold, and possibly other riches. “We were no match for the worm, or – and trust me when I say this – or there would be nothing of value there today.” If the PCs explore the dungeon, grab whichever map you wish and throw a giant worm at them. To make it fun, give the worm both its usual abilities as well as the powers of whichever foul ooze you wish. The half-orc may be a bit of a problem to overcome. False. Mirza and Jonas are con men, moving from city to city and spreading whatever lies they can imagine.

an unusual monster stalks the alleys “As near as I could tell, the thing was faceless, a pale mass of smooth flesh and muscle with no eyes, mouth, or nose. The hood it wore, as well as the shadows, may have obscured some features, but I saw nothing that even hinted at a face. As scary as that may be, it was the dagger-like claws that soon had my attention when the thing spotted me and turned its gazeless attention solely on my being.”

He can direct the PCs to the proper alley, but whether or not they also meet the golem is the GM’s call. The flesh golem is an accident, a failure of sorts, and is now a masterless monster roaming the alleys at night and sleeping in the sewers during the day. It has no face, no voice, and uses magical sight to maneuver about the city. It only wishes to cause pain and suffering.

Seated at the table playing some dice game or other with his friends, Sadek Jaro tells the tale with little excitement or interest, almost as if he is tired of speaking of an event he claims happened only the night before. Others who ran afoul of a faceless creature in the alley would be far less nonchalant about the situation, which automatically makes some hearing the story suspect that Jaro is in the middle of telling a half-hearted lie.

False. Jaro fell when working, his arm catching on the blades of the plow. The cheap drugs he was given for the pain are messing with his mind in strange ways.

“It slashed out at me with those claws and hit me,” Jaro says, raising his left arm to show bandages on the forearm. “I’d thought I were lost for sure, but it were then that the watch – no doubt overhearing my screams – rushed into the alley and startled whatever the thing was.” Turning back to the game, Jaro appears disinterested in talking more about the attack. If the PCs offer gold, the man agrees to sit out the next round of the game and join them for a drink and to tell them more of the encounter. True. Jaro met a flesh golem. His apparent calm isn’t that he isn’t in pain or scared by what he experienced, but that he is under the influence of a potion that one of the guards used to heal and calm the man. The potion was far more powerful than Jaro was used to, and his mind is now numb and it is slowing him down a bit. When it wears off, he will certainly be more excited by the event.

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gatorman sightings “It was only last week that I saw the creature in the woods near the city, a troll-like monster with a head much like a gator. I’d heard fairy tales speak of gatormen, but I’d always treated those as tales to scare children with no basis in truth. The thing moved fast on its hind legs, running with a swiftness I’d have guessed impossible for something so tall. I cowered, I’m not proud to say, hiding just off the road as it approached. It must have caught my scent, because it stopped and looked about, almost staring directly at me. It was then that the nightly patrol’s lantern light came into view which sent the beast into the forest.” “I told the patrol of what I had witnessed, but they did not believe me and suggested I return to my home or they would arrest me for public drunkenness.

This isn’t the first time that someone has claimed to have spotted a gatorman near the city. Rumors have been circulating for a few weeks now, suggesting that something – maybe a gatorman, maybe something else – is operating in the forest at night. Karox Bawer insists that it looked almost exactly like the gatorman described in stories, and he grows so angry at others not believing him that he decides to put out a reward: 20 gold coins to the first one to deliver a gatorman – living or dead! – to him at the tavern. True. An offshoot of the lizardmen, gatormen are less intelligent and more animalistic than their distant cousins. Rarely seen this far from the jungles to the south, this particular gatorman was being transported to a wizard’s tower for study when it escaped. Now, the wizard, Iakob Jeladze, has sent agents to the city to find the missing creature. If the PCs set off in search of the gatorman and Bawer’s 20 gold reward, what happens if they come across the beast and the wizard’s agents? Will there be a fight, or will the PCs turn the meeting into an opportunity to earn even more gold? After all, Bawer cannot have more gold than a wizard, right? False. There is no gatorman, but there is an undead lizardman roaming the forest. The zombified monster was part of a larger force of lizardmen that were traveling through the area a few weeks ago when they accidentally opened a hidden tomb and released a number of zombies into the forest. Rather than face the undead threat, the lizardmen fled, but not before one of their number was bit. Now, there are zombies loose in the forest. If the PCs head out in search of the gatorman in an attempt to claim Bawer’s reward, all they find are undead monsters that must be handled before the creatures find their way into the city and inflict harm on the ill-prepared citizens. How many zombies? As many as you, the GM, want to throw at the adventurers.

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a visit to a strange place “The stones were unnatural in appearance, more like the outstretched claws of some titanic beast than the rocky outcroppings we typically see. There were eight total in number, as if some multi-armed god of old were sealed beneath our feet, its last act of reaching for the sky forever enshrined by some unknown force.” When Margriet Holtink and her two friends sat down for a drink, they didn’t expect to spend their time speaking of a strange place they had recently visited. It was an offhand comment made by another one of the tavern’s patrons that triggered Holtink, leading her to share the tale of eight stony formations that the group saw when they were crossing the vast plains south of the city. The woman explains that they explored the stones, even going so far as climbing one of them to see if there were any markings or possibly an opening that would allow them to get inside the rocking structures. “Ultimately, we decided that there was nothing to them and continued on our way. I would like to know, though, whether they are natural or crafted and, either way, how long they have stood there. I’ve not seen them on any maps or heard their mention before we saw them.” True. The eight rocks are evidence of an arcane disaster that befell an adventuring party several weeks ago. The group of dungeoneers encountered stone elementals who were settling in and planning to live in caverns. During a fight, the elementals attempted to summon a colossal monster of stone to aid their cause, but things went wrong and the monster was trapped between worlds, killed instantly when the gate collapsed. If the PCs investigate, they find the caverns below the odd stones and discover the dead giant monster with eight limbs.

False. It isn’t that Margriet Holtink and her friends found something strange on this world, but only that they stumbled through an interdimensional gate that took them to a parallel world with slight deviations from the PCs’ home. If the player characters try to find the stone formations, they see no signs of such things. Maybe, though, one of them finds the stone circle that is the unmarked passage between this world and the near-identical parallel land.

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