Quests: Port Durami

A collection of tasks and side quests that can be found within Port Durami.

Plot points/Scenes

1 - Lost at Sea - A family of fishers were reported to be out at sea during the ant invasion of port Durami and never came back... 2 - A Sailor's Revenge - A local dispute between shipwrights has escalated due to the tension within town and people are getting hurt... 3 - Smoke for Muravey - The local alchemist and Zemo have been preparing items to counteract another ant invasion but need live specimen... 4 - What goes Bump in the Night - Odd sightings have been reported to the guards at night and with many missing or wounded they can't investigate it, unless... 5 - Pale Expedition-057 - A minor Pale leak has been identified by the mages of wraentis on a small island within the dawn sea...

Themes

Rebuilding

Structure

Exposition

1 - One of the sailors down at the harbor reported one ship still yet to return to port, the Aarstad family. He insists they were far enough out to avoid the invasion and is willing to offer anyone investigating their disappearance his fishing boat. The PCs may then set out into the waters to investigate...
2 - Two shipwrights, Richard and Borre, are found in serious argument within the Sea Breeze Inn over who stole the other's equipment. Further discussion reveals that both of them have, on multiple occasions, woken up to missing gear. Their rivalry between one another the only evidence of the other's theft. Talking with other ship-wrights (All of which are Unfriendly to outsiders usually) reveals that over a dozen of them have had similar incidents. Each reports finding small amounts of (Monster Material) in their homes and storage rooms.
3 - Arcanist Zemo approaches Elel at night with an inquiry. Him and the local alchemist have been running experiments on some of the ant corpses left around town in order to prepare against another invasion. And now they have some experimental items they'd like to try on living ones to see the effects. The Party is tasked with either testing them and recording their results or bringing back 1 Soldier Ant & 1 Drone Ant ALIVE. The Items have the effects as followed:

• Rage (An ant goes mad attacking all creatures around them) Red Brew
• Calming (They lose all hostile intent) Blue Brew
• Suppression (They become paralyzed.) Yellow Brew
• Confusion (They act wildly and unpredictably as though confused.) Purple Brew
• Mimic (When used on a creature that creature is viewed as a fellow Ant.). Grey Brew

4 - Should any players stay awake late into the night with a successful perception roll they may spot random people slinking through the streets it odd robes and masks. Following them or even interrogation would reveal that under the pier near the harbor is a secret entrance into an unknown location (The Catacombs) only visible and easily accessible during low tide (Or when Erastil's Trident is used.). From there they may either investigate during one of the cult's meetings or at another time.
5 - South of port durami within the dawn sea is a small unnamed island. On it, a small pale leak has recently been identified. Since then creatures from beyond the material plane have begun to exit out of it. While the mage guild has promised to contain it soon, they're offering rewards for any adventures able to analyse it or even defeat some of the creatures coming from it. This quest may be completed at any time. (HIGHLY DANGEROUS QUEST: WARN PLAYERS.)

Rising Action

1 - Upon going out into the water to investigate, the players will find a number of clues to lead them to the family's mostly destroyed ship and current whereabouts. The Clues Include:

• Broken pieces of Wood scattered throughout the water
• Two Dead Ant Carcasses (A Heal Check Reveals One killed with weapons and another with large bites.)
• A large silhouette within the water passing by occasionally (Perception Check DC:21)
• Blood in the Water (Human Blood)

Upon recognizing and using these clues the party will learn of a Fanged Sea Serpent's Presence and with good enough tracking/perception. A small cave barely above water, sure to go under with the high-tide. In it remains the family and around it, the stalking Sea Serpent... Should the players find them on day 1 all can be saved, by day 2 the father has died and by day 4 all but one of the little girls remains. By day 5 no one is left alive, their remains near unrecognizable as the serpent had chewed through them.
2 - Investigation of the creature involves identifying multiple clues to determine it's nature, habits and lair. The Clues Include:

• Albino fur being found in the workers' various storage houses and locations.
• Questioning those who claimed to have seen or heard the creature.
• Figuring out what it stole. (Hammers, nails, wooden boards, metal-scraps, glue.)
• Etc.

After identifying the creature, an Albino Ratfolk, the players may then begin tracking the creature, setting traps or stakeouts in an attempt to catch, defeat or follow it. Upon finding it, they'll also find a crudely made wooden shack located along the cliff side of Lord Solem's home, nearly completely hidden from sight. Inside is the ratfolk known as Scrap, who seems hard at work building his home and genuinely excited to present it to them. Inside are picture books and damaged blueprints alongside the stolen goods. Talking to him reveals his greatest desire, to be human.
3 - The players will begin looking for ant's to test the alchemical brews on. The effects will all work although the players will have no idea which does but can choose the color they wish to try.
4 - Using the hidden path under the pier during low-tide will lead the players to a large stone door with a rather ambiguous face. Further inspection will reveal no lock, handle or keyhole but instead a small aqua colored sphere for one of the stone face's eyes. Touching it will awaken the guardian, the stone suddenly animating to ask any who wish to enter it the following riddle, all further questions ignored until it's completion:
"Always old, sometimes new. Never sad, sometimes blue. Never empty, sometimes full. Never pushes, always pulls."
The answer is "The Moon". Should the players fail three times consecutively, the water will rise within the path threatening to drone them should they not escape in time. After heading inside the players will find themselves within "The Catacombs." And may begin exploring the restricted area at their leisure.
5 - To head to the island the players must first find a ship willing to make the two day trip to it, a challenge in itself. Then they must breach the pale's misty barrier to enter and begin their exploration of the small island. Island Details can be found within another article. Their goal is to either analyse the effects, intensity and area in which the rift is affecting, or kill one of the major creatures spawned from it and collect proof of demise.

Resolution

1 - Successfully saving the family results in multiple endings depending on the amount saved.

• Saving all four nets the party an individual 100 Gp each and immense respect in the town (All attitudes within town improve by two steps. Friendly banter, discounts & special offers.) And makes the port just a bit better within the coming days. (Describe the mood change.)
• Saving the wife and two daughters nets each individual in the party 75 gp and respect within the town. (All attitudes within the town improve by one step, they're decently respected more.) And makes the port just a bit better. (Describe the mood change.)
• Saving the daughters/daughter nets the party 50 Gp each and no change to town morale.
• Bringing back the remains nets the party 50 Gp... the town now mourns the death of children...

2 - Figuring out the true thief and confronting Scrap results in a multitude of endings.

• Siding with scrap in a major way nets the party a bundle of goodies he'd stolen and his help whenever they want. They're his friends now too.
• Going against Scrap in a major way results in his exile/death and the favor of Madame Butterfly. (They have access to a major info network now. And a way to communicate with her when they need too.)

3 - Successful completion of this task will grant the party access to special brews for the Hive Raid as well as about 300 Gp total in payment.
4 - Within the catacombs, many secrets lie still with far more loot to reveal. (See "The Catacombs" Article)
5 - Successfully completing the expedition results in loot of whatever the creature's type (Typically loot from another plane) and an instantaneous level up should the players be level 4 or below.

Plot type

Quests