Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
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Zoria, you spend some time in the inn, getting to know the regulars, and after a while they invite you to join a game of cards. It's very low stakes - these are poor people in a small town - but if you wish to gamble mostly for fun, you can. The total stake over the course of a single evening is probably not more than one gold piece, and that's pretty high for these guys. Do you want to join?
Zoria trots over to the table. "Chump change, I see. However, I have nothing better to do and I do love a good card game." She neighs. "Let's do this!"
Published Subclasses
Dekhan, Sildar continues to chat with you for a while, and makes it clear that you are welcome to return over the next few days.
The following day, you are with Sister Garaele in the shrine. (Sorry, the narratives getting a bit timey-wimey but it's downtime, so nothing is particularly time sensitive).
Most of the world is continuing on its merry way, as usual. Lords are idiots, people are getting screwed, criminals run free. Except here. She smiles. I'm so glad you came. I know that it was no Harper job that brought you to save us, but rest assured, I will let our friends know of the great service you have performed. And so, I have a request for you. I told your friends of a task that I have been asked to perform, one that I have failed miserably at. What I didn't tell them was who I was performing it for. We are looking for a spellbook, one that contains a powerful spell that was lost, and we hope to recover. The banshee Agatha once possessed it, so we need to ask her what happened to it. Or rather, you need to, if you are willing. I'm fairly sure that I should never attempt to meet her again. Or rather, for the first time, since she wouldn't even speak to me.
As with any task, there's no obligation upon you, but I would take it as a great favour. And of course, offer appropriate payment. It's not really urgent, but perhaps after you and your friends have rested? She looks at you hopefully.
Zoria, you spend three evenings in a row gambling. Over the course of the time, you might win or lose a certain amount, according to your skill.
Make three checks; an Insight check, a Deception check and an Intimidation check. As you are proficient with cards, you can use your proficiency bonus of +2 instead of your Wisdom or Charisma modifers in these checks, which would help you for the two Charisma-based checks, I think.
It would be tricky to use Guidance for any of the checks, given that you're sitting at the table and it has a verbal component. If you want to try, make a Sleight of Hand check, but it will be very difficult and there will be consequences if you fail by a wide margin.
The townspeople spend the morning of the fourth day preparing for the celebration. The gallows is gone, and the town green is increasingly covered with tables and chairs, and some areas set aside for dancing. People are ferrying food and drink out, and everything is due to kick off at noon with a ceremony in your honour.
Soodi is standing in the middle of the green, munching some grass, and resolutely not moving. The townsfolk, having made some unsuccessful attempt to move her, have decided to turn her into a feature. The rows of tables curve around the space she is occupying, and she is decorated with some early spring flowers and ribbons. She doesn't seem displeased.
A few of the villagers set up an area to the side and bring instruments. After some heated discussion of the programme, they eventually agree and start to play:
Performance: 11 It's not too bad, probably better than you'd expect in such a small town. Everyone is in a good mood, or determined to pretend to be, to put the Redbrands, both their crimes and their deaths, firmly in the past.
Thanks! Yeah, I like the fact that he's not really comfortable with all of this but it gives him some interesting new twists. It's the "ye best be believin' in nightmares...yer in one!" Kind o' pirate. 😁
"Incantis, the children are interested in talking to you, but mostly they just see you as an fascinating foreign spectacle. There is one little halfling girl who hangs around at the back, not really saying much. She just seems to look at you curiously, as if she's trying to work something out. Even when the others have left you alone and you are focusing on your performance, you sometimes catch her peeking out from behind a bush. She's maybe fourteen years old. Later on in the day, she comes and stands near you, and says Hello. She seems a little bolder, now that the other children have gone. You look like you're concentrating. What are you thinking about?"
Incantis came out to the woods to get some privacy, but he has a soft spot for kids. He's happy to indulge the children's curiosity, perhaps even going as far as to do a few tricks with minor illusion. He contents to letting them run around in excitement as he turns his true focus back inward, getting as much out of his practice as he can while the throng plays around him. Incantis knows it's only a matter of time before even this new elven oddity loses the kids' interest, but all the same it's a bit longer than he would have liked before he gets more peace and quiet. He doesn't really mind though, again he has a soft spot for youngsters.
A little while after the kids leave, Incantis is practicing in quiet, trying to mimic one of his elder's techniques for self-harmony. His brow furrows, and a third voice enters his mind, then a fourth, each tapping into a new harmonic overtone of his mental song. Yes...That's it...A fifth voice, this one reverberating with almost painfully high pitched resonant frequencies. A grin spreads unbidden across Incantis' face, euphorically immersed in his music, when - "Hello. You look like you're concentrating. What are you thinking about?"
Incantis' purple eyes snap open immediately, more out of surprise than anything else, the threads of the music he was finally truly beginning to recreate spinning away into the nameless void. His gaze is met with empty air at first until he gathers the wherewithal to look down, and his frustration is quenched immediately, along with most but not all of his dismay, when he sees the curious young halfling girl. Recognizing the girl as one of his 'audience' - so to speak - from earlier, he smiles as warmly as he can, the corners of his mouth tugging against the stiffness of his typical lack of expression. "Concentrating, that I am," Incantis croaks, "but I'm more practicing than thinking." His smile grows warmer. "What are you called, little one?"
Incantis, half-elf warlock (great old one) 4/bard 1 ● Thorok Earthhand, hill dwarf mountain druid 6/grave cleric 2
Cragmyre Ironseed, earth genasi ancestral barbarian 3 ● Cyrus Natriallae, aquatic half-elf warlock of the deep 3
Incantis, the children enjoy playing with your illusions, and have lots of requests. This seems a familiar game to them; you guess that there must be someone else in the town who has this ability but rarely indulges them, as they are not alarmed by the magic and seem to have some very specific requests.
When it's just you and the young halfling girl, you see her staring at you. In response to your question, she says. Nena. What are you called? And what are you practising? And how are you practising when you're just sitting there staring? Her tone isn't hostile or aggressive, she just seems very inquisitive and not really caring what anyone thinks about that.
Praying to Gods has no place in a game of chance! It's an insult to the sport to cheat!!!!
Insight: 4
Deception: 18
Intimidation: 3
Published Subclasses
The DC for each check is, in order:
11
18
14
That's a total of two successes, which means that of your original stake of one gold piece, you recover the stake, and win an additional 1 gold and 5 silver pieces.
The card players are genuinely impressed by your skill, and you have a good time in their company. However, you've definitely cleaned them out; it will be a few weeks before they have any gambling money. You do learn, however, that some of the local business owners, including Tolben the Innkeeper, sometimes gather for a higher stakes game.
Scupper gathers with the group one night at the Inn. He appears a bit uncomfortable in his own skin but asks to sit with everyone and talk. He shakes hands all around and it's immediately clear that he is cold to the touch...though he seems not to notice.
Lads...I know I been away...sometin’ pulled me to that blasted crevasse. Sometin’ dark...and terrible...though not evil per say. Seems to have changed me somewhat...givin’ me sometin’...mayhaps taken sometin’ away…
Frost forms on the mug as his ale freezes and then the candle flame at the table flickers and goes out. Seems it's a bit dodgy and I'm learning what I can do apparently, but it's jest magic, right?...nothing fer me or any o’ you to worry about, leastwise?
...but I'm still me...and neither you lot, nor the town need fear me nor treat me any different...which fer the townsfolk means treating me as suspiciously as always hehe.
I'm ready fer whatever we got next and hopefully them Rockseekers show up and we can help find Gundren...job unfinished and what not.
I should add that Blinkie has been there...in the crevasse, whisperin’ in me feckin’ mind...but he means me no harm at this point and I've made it clear who he'll answer to if townsfolk is harmed. That said, he's still an abomination and not to be trusted so much. There's more intelligence there than he lets on I ‘tink. He's been cleanin’ up...eating the dead. If the people here keep him fed (goat or whatever meat is handy), he may be o’ some use to 'em...so long as they never get to comfy round him. Otherwise you lot go ahead and cut him down... he's no friend, jest not troublin’ me. Like makin a pet out 'o some owlbear...time will tell.
His ale seems to go liquid again as he relaxes a bit...looking about the group for reactions...some ice still floating in the mug and he takes a deep pull of the cold brew...
So there it is lads... what's next?
Varinth will spend execution day trying to find an end to his thirst. Before this week he had not killed anything. Now he was responsible for the killing of bugbears and a goblin and in a way, those men. Not evil men. Not like a lich of legend or a beast from The Nine Hells. Just men. Dumb, stupid petty ****ed up men. Is this the life he envisioned? He just took on this job for some booze money. He has more than enough now to last him for months. Should he leave? Apart from wearing an ass groove into as bar stool, Varinth occasionally hangs out with Strix (Scupper seems preoccupied) and watch him train and carve. He especially likes the carving. Growing up on a tannery Vaz has no compunctions about the gristle we leave behind and finds it somehow comforting when our left overs are put to good use.
mAke mE INto a sTafF? he asks Strix one day. Slow to realise he said it out loud, he quickly follows with wHen I'm dEad
As Supper makes his admision, Vaz is close to passing out. At first you think he may not have heard or perhaps not understood. Then, to no one in particular he states
FiRe n' iShe! ProTecTors of tHe pEople!!
He mumbles a bit more about a dynamic duo and then his head slowly drifts to the table. Shorty after, snoring emanates.
With Sildar: Dekhan takes his leave, thanking Sildar again and saying he will call on him again in the coming days hoping the two of them can have a few pints together.
With Garaele: Dekhan assures the sister that he will speak to his friends and see who will accompany him to recover the tome.
Before the celebration Dek will continue with Nars’ training.
At the celebration Dekhan sings and dances with any lively young ladies who fall for his charms. He plays with the children and generally celebrates the towns newfound lease on life.
With Scup and the rest: If you say you’re alright, then I trust you, Scup. Just know that if you ever need a sounding board, I’m here.
Also, Sister Garaele has asked that we recover a spellbook this banshee knows about. Are any of you interested in accompanying me to recover it?
Without lifting his head, Varinth seemingly responds bOok rEsCuE! but it's not entirely clear if he is saying yes.
The celebration begins with the ceremony, which is short and sweet. Some of the children of the village come and place necklaces of flowers around your necks; Hester Groff gives a thankfully short speech; everyone claps enthusiastically at the end because of how short it is. The music strikes up again, and many townsfolk begin to dance, as others gather in groups at tables, drinking, eating and talking. All of you are invited to dance, some more than once.
Towards the middle of the afternoon, some of you notice three strangers standing at the side of the village green; two humans and a half-elf, all male, wearing leather armour and carrying shortswords and shortbows. They are speaking quietly to some of the townsfolk and looking on the celebration with interest.
On celebration day Vaz will try is hand at some fireworks with the kids and try to keep the drinking in check. He will also ask around the townsfolk to see who is the best seamstress about. Vaz thinks it time he invest in a top. Perhaps one with embroidered flames to match his pants.
Vaz will introduce himself to the strangers if they get close or he happens to be nearby.
Varinth, the kids are delighted by the fireworks; the parents less so, but they're not going to say anything on a day like this. One boy gets a bit too close and almost catches fire, but that only makes him and the others even more enthusiastic. People mention that Freda, a weaver who lives in town, is also a particularly good seamstress. You vaguely recall that she was speaking with Dekhan the night you arrived in town; you see her across the other side of the green, dancing merrily with a rather elderly man who might be her grandfather.
As you approach the three strangers, they are speaking to one of Elmer Barthen's helpers, Thistle. One of them, you suspect their leader, notices as you approach and grins. Master Tannerman, is it not? Varinth Tannerman?
"Only if you've heard good things sir" he smiles and shakes hands and offers drinks. He may be a fully fledged adventurer now but he still feels like a kid.
Excellent things, sir, all excellent things. Your good mother described you very accurately. He reaches into a pocket in his armour and pulls out a letter which he hands to you. We're here on her business, to deliver this to you.