Red Dresses in the Shadows

Summary

Adventure Red Dresses in the Shadows
GM Jono
Season Autumn 822 WK
Night Starting Monday the 14th of March 2022 in Gleneden (Jono's place) at 6:30pm.
Area Alusia
Level High
Info Information from players for Jono
House Rules House rules
Playtest

Party

Character name	College / Skills	Player
Cher	Binder	Sean
Roderigo	E&E	Michael
Tegan	Earth/beast mage	Kelsie
Anooke	Ice mage	Surfboard
Mario PL	Mind mage	Dean
Thaeuss elf (m) MilSci Scribe	Binder, Mechanician, Discreet	Stephen

Employer

Syrene The Keeper of the Great Heart, requires the assistance of six guild members who are not warriors.

First and foremost, you will need to think with a clear mind.
She is instead interested in those skilled in stealth, subterfuge, and quiet murder in the shadows, and the wisdom to know if it is required.
She is interested in those experienced in resisting or dealing with Adepts of the Mind.
She is not interested in employing evil mindless killers or those who do not know when to use discretion.

Mission

The party with the assistance of Syrene, will represent her in dealing with the Red Crowns.
Convince or strike a deal with an agent in the Red Crowns, to provide information about the location of some rebels.
Contain the "rebels" quietly, leading to the recovery of some items.

Payment

Syrene will provide payment as follows -

Coin to the value of 25,000 sp per person for success, or on failure, 1,000 sp and up to three resurrections per person.
Additionally - Spell training for Earth, Mind, or E&E adepts to a value of 15,000 sp each member.
Additionally - Professional skill training for those aiming at mastery.

Syrene will provide a bonus in special training (at her discretion) if the party does well.

Scribe Notes

Note to scribe - Please include the calendar day & month as the adventure moves forward. --Jono (talk) 02:45, 11 March 2022 (UTC)

Meeting & Briefing

1st Fruit 822 WK

Guild meeting.

Syrene has many student mages in her camp.

Red Crowns - fanatical auditors of an armoury, mind mages, quasi-religious, lost their way, strayed, corrupted. Being driven mad by the nature of their longevity, trade life force for life extension. Wear golden crowns which allow pooling WP & MA (within a few miles of each other).

RCs stole the items from a friend's house (in mountains north of Brandenburg) some time ago.

RC schism, main RCs claim not to have the items and would probably have traded them by now if they did, splinter group probably has them.

Splinter group has disappeared from astrology. They were last seen about a week ago to the east, north Tycho city.

Missing Items:

Set of stones from the time tunnels. Relating to a specific date. Stolen some time in the last 4 years.

Potentially to be stolen next year:

Belt
Purple hand jewellery

Presumed that they will be stolen by the splinter crowns. Ideally this theft shouldn't happen.

Leader: Incarla Gray - Human shapeshifter wolf
Olga
Yasmin
Psaki
Turner

We disguise ourselves and head to Seagate to meet with Syrene over dinner at Turf's. 6 Superstition Mt Dwarves also there. Mario sells 30 barrels of Wine.

Matt Tumbledown appears, some discussions, Matt warns us there are Lunar Inquisitors at the camp who may take askance to those with extra souls.

Matt takes us to Syrene's camp which is in a north facing bay in a tropical climate (somewhere south of the Five Sisters). Cher is given 3 amulets. Syrene's enchanter studies us for locate. This evening's password for the guards is Nightingale. Dancers, performers, and entertainers from many different cultures - it is the second of a two-night seasonal festival. Cup rituals to indicate interest in dalliance for the evening. Dancing went on till dawn.

2nd Fruit 822 WK

Breakfast with Inquisitors, they tell us they were tracking the RCs north of Tycho.

The RCs went into Khatovar about a week ago, they have been here since.
Three Senators of Decay may have dealings/allies in Khatovar.
Mining troubles, mines outside city having issues with Minotaurs.
Castle on the Island in the Inland Sea is active - unknown to what end.
Inquisitors have contacts and a safe-house in Khatovar to help with exit if we need it (address & codes given).
They offer us introduction to colleagues in the Allied Traders (name & codes given).
Inquisitors are based at Cognitum, they're happy to help with any issues with extra-planar entities.
If we need to get their attention, there is a chest in an old windmill, 3 miles south of Khatovar, under 3rd floorboard.

Syrene's Mind Mage:

Shares what the five RCs look like.
A crown that they are believed to have - locatable.
Shows us similar time stones, look like river stones, unlocatable.
Blood mage on an island who can make an amulet to hide their Mind College. Matt can take us there.
Some Janx may have returned about 18 months ago.
Khatovar does not allow battlefield weapons or armour. Leather is ok for mercenaries.
Illusions are not detected but being found to have been under an illusion is generally bad.

A few hours of rituals.

Syrene

Doesn't recommend using the Blood Mage amulet. Juan discreetly suggests talking to Matt about it.
The S. Dwarves have a neighbour who might be able to help with Tegan's soul problems.

Matt takes Mario to the rocky island, square tower, walled garden, graveyard, the blood mage makes the amulet (6 hours), it will drain his mind over time. He has a sister (hair weaver) in Tycho who can find him if Matt is not available.

At around 4pm Matt takes Tegan and I to the Superstition Mt Dwarves, from there I fly us to Camdindel tower.

Crown Investigation

Tegan is taken to the lab and has some spirits extracted to potions.

Matt collects us from the far side of the lake and takes us back to Syrene's camp about 2am local time.

Mario arrived back from seeing the blood mage a few hours ago.

3rd Fruit 822 WK

Over breakfast, Syrene gives us 3 Bottles:

3 x drops of Liquid Air: WP Pulses of Air, inspire joy for 1/2 WP days.
3 x drops of Liquid Air: WP Pulses of Air, inspire joy for 1/2 WP days, +20% for Air Mages.
3 x drops of Liquid Air: WP Pulses of Air, inspire joy for 1/2 WP days, +20% for Air Mages, -2 on Dice Rolls for Air Aspected

Syrene would like us to arrange a truce with the main Red Crowns. She wants them to stop attacking. She wants to know why they attacked, what's going on. She wants her prisoners returned.

The Red Crowns have a negotiator, Lady Vost who works out of an Inn (The Ravishing Philosopher) in Wasyrat (Arabie). She has a support staff: Hornhoof the Unicorn, Fae Mind Mage Sylph, 2 human Mind Whisperers, her own Red Crowns (the Crownless, 23, dressed in black).

Syrene and Matt take us to a plateau where she has about 50 Red Crowns held captive (two groups) that have attacked her in the past two & half weeks (since she decided to engage a guild party).

The Captives are less powerful than they were when they attacked.
The Red Crowns have male members, but they don't leave home.
They may have a few hundred members in total.
They have probably 3 others of similar importance to Lady Vost.
800 years, guards & auditors of an (or maybe THE) ancient Elven Armoury. Last news of them that the High Guard have was 30 years ago.
Later review of translation could instead mean the original 5 came from The Armoury 800 years ago.
Known to have 5 leaders - The Five Ladies (descended from the Fates - according to some)
A senator, Voross (since discredited, embezzled grain guild, exiled) sought information about them about 5 years ago. He still has 3 of their tablets that had information on the Red Crowns.
They gives us a High Guild travel token each, Roderigo scams a couple extras in return for a promise to deal with a troublesome in-law.

How do we find out information about the politics of the Red Crowns and where is the best place to look for it: The High Guard guild in Lunar City

We ask Matt to ask the High Guild for the information they have on the Red Crowns, he takes us (Roderigo & me) there and they give us the information.

We return to see Syrene after lunch, she and Matt take us to her friend's tunnels, there he takes us back a few decades and we spend just over a week in a painting room (artist's studio) creating linked portraits and R&S Golems.

Mis-communication results in Tegan and Mario being left in Seagate and the rest of us back to Syrene's camp. They drop off Tegan's box of potions and pick up her monkey then Dream Walk back to Syrene's camp.

Syrene has a box for us with 5 x Mind Cloak Potions.

Around sunset, Matt drops us off where the prisoners are. After midnight we head up to the sleeping prisoners and start divining and psychometry.

History of their attack: Several Rune Portals, Buffs, Walked, Levitated, captured.

History of one: 80 years as a potter, fungal forest, rejuvenation & became a mind mage.
History of a couple: Slaves, maybe in Arabie, fungal forest...
History of others: varies, full lives, maybe around shores of Inland Sea, leading to a late life visit to Fungal Forest...
Most seem to be highish WP & MA (> 15)
Nearly always on: Mind Speech, Mind Shield
1-week periods when they were significantly enhanced. Imbibed something and gained telepathic link to another entity that grants access to the pool. Mind College.
The Infusion of fungal energies to rejuvenate them was on Alusia. These prisoners originally got fungalled between 10 and 200 years ago.

4th Fruit 822 WK

Senator Voross was buried at his family plot in Vlifas (southern Lunar Empire). Matt has bought us his coffin. Curse & trap removals. Extract the 3 tablets that are concealed within his funeral wrappings. Close up again without taking anything else and ask Matt to return the coffin.

Tegan reads the tablets.

About 400 years old. Much of it written in triplets.
An account of an encounter with bad senators who employed Crowns. Crowns = The Red Crowns, something from demonic realms or Elven dish of red crowned funghi.
Led by 5 women, who rule over 5 realms at North, South, East, West and Central. They meet in the middle for council.
3 days of night and terror travel time to the entrance of the Elven Armoury
Half of them were slain in battle
The 5 stole magic from the fates and stitched them into their line.
Factions have colours, Red is ascendant (was 400 years ago, current status unconfirmed). Black, Gold, White, & ?.
Collective mind doesn't work in Lunar Empire due to Glow Lines.
The unknown colour (?) faction are associated with the Maelstrom in the Inland Sea, they were there and targets of Lunar Titans wrath which created the maelstrom.

Night 3

5th Fruit 822 WK

Buffs & Mil Sci

Long Term (assumed always on)

Magic (caster)	Rk	Effects	Duration/Enh	Ch	Ma	Ro	Te	Th
Mage Armour/Shield (Th)	19	+24% def, +5 physical damage reduction, 1 S.G.	20 hrs
Alligator Skin (Te)	12	+13% def, +4 natural armour	6.5/12.5hrs
Resist Cold (An)	12	4 Gauges, -4 Cold Dmg.	13 hrs
Magic Cow Milk (Te)		costs 3 Ft, +3PS, +3EN	until dawn
Firearmour (Te)	12	costs 3 Ft, 52 ablative prot	13/25hrs
Cat Vision (Te)	6	110ft vision in low light	7/13hrs
Ice Cubes (An)	20	Heal 1/2 dmg up to 40	Weeks
Modify Aura (Th)	6	+/- 3 Levels	7 hrs
Linking Lifeforce Sketch (Th)	20	Reflect health within 2,100 miles. 20 dmg. 1 day each to make.	Perm
Linked R&S Golems (Th)	15	May hold your spirit on death	Season
Greater Enchantment (Ro)	20	+21%	Season	-				-
Self Only
Ice Armour (An)	16	24% 4 AP, SG, Fire Armour	8.5 hrs
Force Shield (Ma)	?	?% Def	? hrs
Herbal Lore (rk)		+10+2/rk% to Find Herbs	1+rk hrs					6
Mind Shield (rk)		+10+2/rk% vs M.Att.	1+2/rk hrs		8		**	10
Senses
Sense Danger (%)		Mind Talent (or equivalent)			75%		79%	48%*
Detect Ambush (%)		Ranger (-5/rank of opposition)					151/161%	124
Sixth Sense		Thief/Assassin ability			111%		106%	127%
See Invis Ranks		Effective rank for seeing invisible		20	7	20	any***	11

Enhance Enchantment (Ro) rank 12: 70 seconds

* Thaeuss' Danger Sense from Ladybird brooch, 7 hr downtime and re-cast to recharge after use.
** animal mind
*** Tegan can see all invisible, out of phase, ethereal etc, recognise illusions. In fairy gown can also target same with magic and see through illusions

Short Term

Magic (caster)	Rk	Effects	Dur/Enh	An	Ch	Ma	Ro	Te	Th
Heroic Aura (Ma)	17	Mario: +18 SC, +3 Dmg, +18 vs Fear; Allies: +5 SC, +1 Dmg, +9 vs Fear; Both: +5 Def, +1 DR	9 hrs
Trollskin (An)	12		90 sec					N
Fireproofing (Te)	6	costs 3 Ft	7/13hrs					AO
Mind Speech (Ma)	8	Range 240ft	80 mins
Weapon of Flames (Ma)	11	+12 SC%, +5 Dam	16 min
Weapon of Ice (An)	18	+19 SC%, +7 Dam	23 min
Enchant Weapon (Ro)	20	+21 SC%, +7 Dam	25 min
Invisibility (Ro)	20	Std or Invis to Undead	105 mins
Ice Traversal (Ch)	20	Travel over ice and/or snow without slipping or sinking in. (+7 TMR on flat ice)	7 hrs
Instil Flight (Th/Ch)	10/20	40/60 mph, 650/1,000 lbs limit	5½/10 hrs	-	Y	-	-	-	Y

Misc

Herbalist Lunch/Broth: Thaeuss rk 6, Meal 4 FT or Broth 4 FT
In arctic, jungle, waste or woods Tegan gives: +7 def and +7 IV vs melee or missile attacks

Cher's Snail Shells: Crush it to roll back a pulse (1 each)

Dance (Cher): Reroll 1 failed MR or ignore 1 stun

Sausages (Roderigo): Bonuses for Thieves

Watch Order

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Thaeuss		Cher				Mario				Thaeuss
Tegan				Roderigo				Anooke

Marching Order

Skirmish Formations (Front)
Default Anooke Roderigo Mario Cher Tegan Thaeuss	Double File Anooke Roderigo Mario Cher Tegan Thaeuss	Single File Anooke Roderigo Mario Cher Tegan Thaeuss

Calendar

Autumn 822 WK: Fruit (4)
	Moonday		Duesday		W'ansday	Th'rsday		Frysday	Reapsday	Sunday
	Lugnasad		1	Guild Meeting	2	3		4	5	6
	7		8		9	10		11	12	13
	14		15		16	17		18	19	20
	21		22		23	24		25	26	27
	28		29		30	1		2	3	4
Autumn 822 WK: Harvest (5)
	5		6		7	8		9	10	11
	12		13		14	15	Equinox	16	17	18
	19	Harvest Moon ..	20		21	22		23	24	25
	26		27		28	29		30	1	2
Autumn 822 WK: Vintage (6)
	3		4		5	6		7	8	9
	10		11		12	13		14	15	16
	17	Blood Moon	18		19	20		21	22	23
	24		25		26	27		28	29	30	Beerfest