Chapter 3: The Underbridge Cult: Difference between revisions

Whether they came from [[the Bridgemoor Mines]], the [[Nalatheshi Merchants|Nalatheshi Caravan]], or the [[Kendarian Diplomats]] prologue, all of the heroes should now be in Bridgemoor and should be level 2.

Bridgemoor has several temples to different deities and religious orders. The Order of the Darkscourge, the Fixers, and Vigil each have facilities in the city.

'''''Read Aloud:''''' ''The City-State of Bridgemoor holds a vital geographical and diplomatic position. As the whole city-state is an enormous bridge that straddles the Great Chasm, Bridgemoor serves as an easy trade route between the nations east and west of the Chasm, most immediately between Kendaria and Nalathesh. Bridgemoor’s trade economy has a mighty reputation. As it takes a full day of travel to cross the bridge, journeymen and merchants will often give business to at least a couple inns when passing through town, and many will spend their coin in the markets and bazaars for which Bridgemoor is famous. Its university also draws established scholars and prospective academics alike.''

After the first battle with the cultists, the heroes will probably interrogate the cultists to learn more. Regardless of whether they procure more information through interrogation or through asking around the city, they learn that the cultists have a lair in the Underbirdge, the network of sewers and massive storage cellars beneath Bridgemoor’s city streets. Accessing their lair requires a magical key that only cultists of high enough status possess, but one such cult leader is planning an attack on the Temple of Vigil.

Inside the vast dungeon that is the Underbridge, the heroes must deal with typical sewage denizens such as rats and swarming bugs. When they finally reach the cultists’ main lair, they find that the cultists have just completed a dastardly ritual to summon a fiend from Melaneth, one of the regions of Inferno. They briefly witness Aradin the Witchblade, the leader of the Underbridge Cult. Aradin takes his leave, leaving the heroes to square off against the cultists and their summoned fiend.

During the coming investigation, the heroes might take it upon themselves to pose as cultists and infiltrate the Underbridge Cult. Doing so is both difficult and dangerous. If the adventurers speak with Magellus Black or Lauby, either NPC will advise them against this course of action, or at minimum will impart upon the heroes just how dangerous this could be.

|Learn one additional fact about the cultists (rolling twice on the table and rerolling duplicate results).

|The cultists do not fight exclusively with small blades, but they do coat their small blades in numbing poison that render their enemies ineffective.

Each prologue adventure to this campaign includes a chance (albeit a small one) for heroes to stumble into possession of a strange medallion. Each of these medallions are described as being made of gold, with a skull and scythe on one side and an indecipherable glyph on the other.

If a hero possesses a cult medallion and shows it to someone who is not in the cult, there could be trouble. Rumor that the cult uses medallions has circulated throughout the city. Showing the medallion to an innocent merchant, pawnbroker, bartender, or the like will result in the NPC turning fearful and ending the conversation with the hero as quickly as possible. The NPC will then call for the Bridge Knights when they feel they can do so without being threatened by the adventurer in question.

Showing the medallion to Magellus Black without first warning him or explaining how they found it will result in Magellus treating the hero with suspicion. Similarly, showing the medallion to Lauby without prepping them will cause them to panic and flee.

Begin as you would with the Individual Lives option. As players narrate their heroes’ lives, interject with two to three NPCs that the hero interacts with. Make note of the one that your player seems to respond to most enthusiastically.

Magellus likes to keep a low profile despite being in multiple high positions of power. Heroes that live in Bridgemoor might have heard of him, and might know a little about him if they can succeed a DC 17 INT/Politics of Bridgemoor or a CHA/Gossipping check. If a hero succeeds on this roll, they have heard of Magellus in one of the two following capacities.

* University AcademicsEach of these factions, along with persons of interest related to these factions, are detailed below. While CHA checks are the primary attribute checks listed in the social encounters below, feel free to creatively implement other attribute checks if a player can justify how it might come in handy.

In addition to the above information, the barkeep explains that their friend, a merchant named Lauby, was targeted directly by the cultists. Their friend is a member of the Temple of Vigil, which is how they know that the cultists have had clashes there. One of the most influential people at the Temple of Vigil is Ser Kellion Blacksky, Commander of the Bridge Knights.

These are all '''Bridge Knights''' (TCL p. ##).

Potions take 1 AP to drink and 2 AP to feed to a willing creature within 5ft of you.

If one of the heroes is a member of the Order of the Darkscourge, then the Order will give the party an additional healing potion (even if they rolled lower than an 18) because the hero is from their order. One of the Legends of MythCraft, Chauncey, is from this order.

If the heroes do not get Brent to willingly divulge his affiliation, they can try to physically beat the information out of him. Brent has the stats of a '''STAT''' in XXX p. ##. His buddies, if they are still around, have the stats of '''Thugs''' in CC p. ##. If he is nonlethally subdued, the heroes may each make a CHA check (or a STR/Menacing check) vs Brent’s WILL. If at least ½ of the party succeeds on this roll, then Brent informs them of the cult’s next target. Otherwise, he spits out a wad of blood and tells them to go to hell.

Stats for '''Underbridge Cultists''' and '''Underbridge Initiates''' can be found in TCL p. ##. Stats for '''Thugs''' are in CC p. 235. Regardless of a cultist’s stats, all of these cultists wear dark, hooded clothing in addition to any armor they might have. They all have a medallion on their person that has a skull and scythe on one side and an indecipherable glyph on the other.

Two of the cultists each have 1 flask of Alchemist’s Fire, which they use their DEX to attack with vs a creature’s REF. On a hit, a creature gains Burning 1d6. The cultists intend to use the fire on Lauby’s home. The fire spreads 5ft in a random direction once every 20 seconds. Putting out a 5ft area of fire requires dirt or a soaked cloth and takes 3 AP.

Stats for '''Underbridge Cultists''' and '''Underbridge Initiates''' can be found in TCL p. ##. Stats for '''Thugs''' are in CC p. 235. Regardless of a cultist’s stats, all of these cultists wear dark, hooded clothing in addition to any armor they might have. They all have a medallion on their person that has a skull and scythe on one side and an indecipherable glyph on the other.

The Underbridge Cultists and Underbridge Initiates each have 3 flasks of Alchemist’s Fire, which they use their DEX to attack with vs a creature’s REF. On a hit, a creature gains Burning 1d6. The cultists intend the fire to be used on the building, but will throw one or two vials at the adventurers if they feel it will help scare them off. If they throw the fire onto the ground, it spreads 5ft in a random direction every 20 seconds if there is flammable fuel (such as wood or cloth). It takes 3 AP to snuff out a 5ft area of fire, and efforts to put out the fire with water fail; a hero must use dirt or a soaked cloth to smother the flames.

Based on your party’s size, the Underbridge Cult shows up in the following numbers. Stats for '''Underbridge Cultists''' and '''Underbridge Initiates''' can be found in TCL p. ##. Stats for '''Knights''' are in CC p. 277, and stats for '''Thugs''' are in CC p. 235.

'''''Read Aloud:''''' ''The first thing that hits you is the stench. Rotting crap is not a pleasant odor even in isolation, and when overlaid with rancid urine, molding meat, and rotten eggs, the foul smell is something you almost feel on your skin. Breathing through your nose is enough to make your eyes water, and breathing through your mouth conjures up images of the plague.''

'''''Read Aloud:''''' ''Skittering noises are ubiquitous in the sewers, but they still make you jump and flinch when you hear them. It’s hard to identify what is a new noise and what is an echo, and determining where the noises come from is a difficult task.''

'''''Read Aloud:''''' ''The fiendblood smiles down on the carnage. “Know that you were slain by disciples of Aradin the Witchblade!” he bellows. Then, almost nonchalantly, he turns and strides through a shadowed hallway at the back of the podium.''

Stats for '''Underbridge Cultists''' and '''Underbridge Initiates''' are in TCL p. ##. Stats for the '''Bonewraith''' are in CC p. ##. Stats for '''Thugs''' are in CC p. ##. Stats for '''Skeletons''' are in CC p. ##. Stats for '''Zombies''' are in CC p. ##.

If the heroes fled, consider challenging them with a second showdown two nights later. This showdown should take place at some location that is noteworthy to the heroes, like Lauby’s house or the Temple of Vigil. This confrontation pits Druvesk the '''Bonewraith''' (CC p. ##), several '''Skeletons''' (CC p. ##), and 2 '''Thugs''' (TCL p. ##) against the heroes. The number of skeletons should be 2 fewer than the number of heroes.

Lastly, if the heroes manipulate the iron torch and sconce, they can find that it is actually a lever. If they pull on it, a small panel opens in the floor directly below the desk’s chair. Inside the panel, there is a smaller treasure chest. Unlocking it takes a DC 18 INT check. Once unlocked, the heroes find an Amulet of Thirst (MCG p. ##) and Crane Paper (MCG p. ##).

'''''Read Aloud:''''' ''You climb over the podium and follow the tunnel, which remains flat for a time before becoming a steep, downward-spiraling staircase. It descends for a considerable time before simply opening up into empty air. Far below, you can see the faint, diffuse glint of the Chasm River. In the warm night, a thin mist blankets the river, twinkling in the light of the stars and the five moons. You are literally under the bridge. It seems that the cult leader - who you recall had wings - simply dropped out of this bolt hole and flew away.''

|If the heroes did not already confront the cultist in Dustdale, Elarion sends a contingent of mercenaries (or the heroes themselves, preior to Elarion’s death in Part Two) to find and arrest or kill the cultist.

Having completed the Underbridge Cult adventure, proceed to Part Two of the campaign. Your heroes should all be level 4 and have connections with at least a couple influential people who are currently Bridgemoor, regardless of whether they are from another nation (like the Luxxors or Lord Elarion).