Finding Key

Abor et Aun

Vallen Raughdon, a slighen in the Beourjen Army, has procurred the players rooms in the Red Dawn's district of Armistace, where he had arranged to meet with the Rusalken Lieutenant Key Dawston the night before. The plan was to meet Dawston at the tavern and take the eastern Blood Route back to the confederacy to begin their company's patrol, however Key never showed. Vallen recieved word from Key three days ago that he'd arrived at Armistace, so it's assumed that he's still in the city, but he never checked into the tavern.

While the adventurers have never met Key, through Vallen they know that Key has been a scout for the Rusalken for almost a decade. He's a falconer, a lord of a lower noble house, and is married to the Dreamweaver. He has a young daughter and is currently living at Avill Glen.

The adventurers begin the one-shot sitting around a table with Vallen in the main hall of the tavern. Abor et Aun is a standard cozy, adventurers' tavern, and is fairly empty this early in the day. The lunch being served today is trout, potatoes, and bread, and Vallen has ordered a pitcher of Duxt mead to drink.

Vallen's Stats

Armor Class: 15 (light armor)

Hit Points: 50

Speed: 40 feet

STR: 14 DEX: 16 CON: 14 INT: 12 WIS: 15 CHA: 10
Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +3, Arcana +5
Languages: Common, Aveaan
Darkvision 60 feet

Monastic Training
Advantage on attack rolls against spellcasters, advantage on con saves.

Slighen
Vulnerability to poison and acid damage. Can Detect Magic.

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Actions
Multiattack: Vallen makes two melee attacks.
Saber: 1d20+5 reach 5 ft, one target, 1d8+3 slashing damage.
Claw: 1d20+6 reach 5 ft, one target, 2d6+2 slashing damage.

Abor et Aun is not so lively this morning as it was when you arrived last night. Rain putters against narrow, stain-glass windows along the front of the establishment, and a serving girl is just finishing sweeping up debris from the previous night. The line of tables against the wall is empty except for the corner booth you're currently seated at. One other group is sitting at the other end of the hall: two common men and a half-orc woman in black leathers, small red writing on the sleeves of their jackets, who look like they've only recently awoken. A young woman attends the bar, mostly just curling her hair around her finger and leaning jadedly against the counter, inadvertantly showing off cleavage.

Vallen doesn't immediately say anything to the players as he's busy eating, but a perception check reveals that he's fairly concerned about Key's failure to show. If he finishes eating and the players haven't engaged him in conversation, he'll suggest that they ask Varza—the bartender—if he's come through, or they can ask the district guards for any record of Key's comings-and-goings. If the players continue to press for information on Key, Vallen may reveal that Key chews farrican leaves and smokes opium somewhat regularly, and although he's lessened his habits significantly since his daughter was born, he may have gone to get high while waiting for Vallen to arrive.

The Other Patrons

Red Dawn Mercenaries

If the party members have ever lived in Armistace, have a military or stealth background, or roll a investigation/history check (or literally ask anyone in the tavern) they find out that the trio in the dining hall are members of Red Dawn—a mercenary company based out of Armistace. The mercenaries are a bit grumpy if approached, and they haven't seen anyone by Key's description but they may suggest checking in with their gate watchers since the base is just down the street.

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At this point, the players can go any number of places within the city, however Vallen stands by his suggestion of asking the district guards for any records of Keys' coming or leaving. He also mentions he'd like to stop by the pharmacy on the way to the Red Dawn base, if they're heading that way.

Intro

This one-shot is designed for four players, levels 3-4, using 5e. You have been hired as a bodyguard of Vallen Raughdon while in Armistace to help find Key Dawston.

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A Few Notes:

Content Warnings: profanity, drugs

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When creating characters, there are certain factors you may want to keep in mind if aiming to be true to this world's populations and cultures:

Race

The world is predominantly populated by humans, half-elves, and half-orcs. Half-orc women are also probably not going to be adventuring, as they're on the verge of extinction, and half-orcs (all genders) can't be spellcasters.

Spellcasting

While the one-shot takes place in a location where spellcasters are legal, it is illegal in other nations and so NPCs may be prejudiced/hostile depending on spellcasting class.

Paladins

Oaths can only be made with the minor gods, because the three major gods are considered 'dead gods.' The minor gods are all gods in the Pantheon that aren't Casper, Axen, and Beatrix.

Varza

Varza gives off a flirty persona to any players that look like they might be wealthy, as well as to those who are half-elves. If asked about Key, she says that, just like she already told Vallen, he never showed but that if they find him they should tell him to come take care of the bill for his stay last month. She then mutters about how she knows he has the money to pay, and he won't be allowed back if he's going to keep running off without taking care of his tabs.

If persuaded, Varza may tell the players to check the Gullet, however she then becomes apprehensive about telling them what the Gullet actually is.

Red Dawn District

Red Dawn Base

Turning off the main road brings you to a wide, domed tunnel entrance, hollow and dank and dripping with moss. Worn red stripes of paint allign the walls on either side, leading down into darkness, and just where the tunnel begins to fall completely out of the sunlight, another light emanates from the end. A vault-like door looms as tall as the tunnel itself, oil lamps lit in small crevices in the walls. And there's a window in the door, a small, wiry sort of man perched on the other side of it.

The man at the window, Otto, immediately asks for identification upon approach, and asks the players to state their business. If asked for the records, he tells them that the records can only be accessed by those on company business or with authorization from a member. The players may use deception here or they might've obtained written authorization earlier from the mercenaries at the tavern. The man may also be bribed with at least 40 gold.

The records indicate that Key was spotted in a seedier part of the district called Glutton's Alley. Otto warns the players to be careful if they're heading that way—the alley is more-or-less lawless as it's where the mercenaries and foreign adventurers sate their vices, and the dens and brothels pay a generous fee to keep the Armistace guards out of their hair.

Pharmacy

The pharmacy is a small shop nestled between a cobbler's and barbershop, and the shopkeeper—a lithe, half-elven man in druidic robes—grins at Vallen upon the party's entry. He asks if Vallen's here for his usual, to which Vallen grumbles that he is, and the shopkeeper rummages through a cabinet for two small glass bottles and a needle and syringe. The bottles are labeled 'tincture of varalys,' and players may roll a medicine or arcana check to find out that varalys is commonly used as a sedative on slighen.

The pharmacist will ask Vallen how Julen is, to which Vallen will mumble that she's doing well, and the players can buy a healing potion, as well as laudanum, cough syrup, or a tincture of varalys or farrican.

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If the players haven't figured out where to go next at this point, Vallen can give them hints. The players should eventually make their way to Glutton's Alley.

Glutton's Alley

Vallen has an idea, generally, of where Glutton's Alley is located and is able to lead the party into the neighborhood.

As you head down toward where Vallen believes Glutton's Alley to be, the street gets narrower, the smell of smoke and piss begins to permeate the air, and someone howls behind you.

"No dogs allowed here," a man's voice bellows out. You see several others step out of the shadows, and Vallen swears under his breath in annoyance. You count four men, all swinging their maces by their sides, yipping mockingly at Vallen.

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Sleazy Mercenary Stats

Armor Class: 12 (light armor)

Hit Points: 32

Speed: 30 feet

STR: 15 DEX: 11 CON: 14 INT: 10 WIS: 10 CHA: 11
Skills: Intimidation +2 Languages: Common

Group Outing
Advantage on all attack rolls if ally is in melee within 5 feet

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Actions
Muliattack: mercenaries make two melee attacks.
Mace: 1d20+4 reach 5 feet, one target, 1d6+2 bludgeoning damage.

The players fight four sleazy mercenaries, all of whom appear to be Red Dawn veterans. Among the four, 20 silver and 3 gold can be looted, as well as a flask containing ale. An investigation check or an applicable character background reveals it to be a House Val'Eax brew, which Vallen expresses distaste at.

After the fight, the players continue along the road until they're approached by a gaunt, shaking man. He wears tattered clothes and there are only a few fine wisps of hair swept across his head. He's clearly delirious and claims to be in immense pain, begging you for any elixirs you might have to help dull it. The players may give him one of their potions, which will result in a blessing from Beatrix.

The players may also convince Vallen to give the man one of his potions with a persuasion check. Vallen will grumble that he paid good money for the varalys and it's not like he shits gold, but will hand over one of his tinctures. The man will fight back, albeit futilely, if the player's choose to attack him. If killed, the players can loot 2 coppers, a varnished wedding ring, and a folded napkin on which an address and 'Rosie' are written. The address will lead the players to Glutton's Alley. If the man is not killed, and recieves a potion of any sort, he is willing to lead the party to the Gullet.

Addict Stats

Armor Class: 11

Hit Points: 28

Speed: 30 feet

STR: 14 DEX: 13 CON: 14 INT: 12 WIS: 10 CHA: 14
Languages: Common

Widthdrawal
Disadvantage on all attacks and on con saves.

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Actions
Fists: 1d20+2 reach 5 feet, one target, 1d8+3 bludgeoning damage.
Bite: 1d20+4 reach 5 feet, one target, 2d6+2 piercing damage. Player must make a con save. If failed, player will contract acid plague at the end of one-shot.

You're led down an even narrower alley that ends in a tall brick wall. The stone tenements shadow either side, lamplight sputtering overhead, the rain slowed to a hazy mist. There are two doors, both equally unassuming. The left bears a pastel drawing of a pair of bow-shaped lips, dripping with what appears to be grease. The right is decorated with paint in a crude drawing of a woman's backside, skirt lifted up to display her bare buttocks.

The right door is locked, however the left door opens easily and leads down into the Gullet, an opium den.

The Gullet

What was once a prison is now a low-ceilinged den, a brick interior overlayed with tapestry. Worn velvet couches, burnished tea sets, and deerskin throws decorate an otherwise filthy establishment, its denizens equally dissarayed and in various degrees of consciousness. Vallen leads you to the back, past cells filled will smoke and bedrolls, until you spot him: a pale, blond soldier wearing a jacket matching Vallen's, curled asleep in a cell corner with his pipe still in hand. Six giant rats skitter around the cell, slurping up spilled tea, their eyes a luminescent green.

The rats attack upon the players' approach, and must be killed in order to reach Key.

Once the rats are killed, Vallen will carry Key out of the den and suggest they go back to Abor et Aun for a meal and rest before preparing to head for the Confederacy. He'll give the players 70 gold each for the job thus far and, depending on the players' class and background, may ask if they'd be interested in joining the Rusalken. If they are, he says he can put in a good word to Astervitch when they get back to the capital.

Mutant Rat Stats

Armor Class: 12

Hit Points: 26

Speed: 30 feet

STR: 13 DEX: 16 CON: 14 INT: 8 WIS: 6 CHA: 8

Mutation
+2 con and dex saves.

Poppy Tea
As a bonus action, rats can pee on target for 1d4 acid damage.

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Actions
Bite: 1d20+4 reach 5 feet, one target, 2d8+4 piercing damage. Player must make a con save. If failed, player will contract acid plague at the end of one-shot.