The Missing Freddorium

The city of Faynewood is known for its unusual metal, Freddorium, all across the Khad-Brye empire. As such, the people of the city take pride and joy using it in their lives, from the mines to the forges to the tools and weapons used all over the city. But supplies of the metal have been going missing, vanishing without a trace during the night. The city is riddled with rumours of who or what could be behind such acts. The situation has gotten so bad, Mayor Mella Borne himself has requested a meeting with the council to discuss how to handle the situation. The meeting takes place in 3 days.
Our heroes have entered the city in search of the missing metal, each with a personal reason. They find themselves drinking at a local tavern planning on how to go about finding more information. But it doesn’t take them long to hear more from a rather loud and angry blacksmith voicing his opinions.

Plot points/Scenes

Act 1: Hot Hopper Tavern

Usually, a quiet tavern located in the centre of the business district. Just down the road from the Council meeting hall and opposite a small metalwork shop selling all sorts of Freddorium items. Inside the tavern is a number of NPCs for the party to interact with.
Aim of Hot Hopper Tavern:
The aim of this location is to give the party information on the missing Freddorium and direct them to get into the Council Halls. This could be achieved by walking through the front doors, sneaking in via the P.I entrance or by going through the sewers. However the party decide, the blacksmith insists on joining the party.
Encounters:
Angry Blacksmith: Preaching loudly about the recent loss of his Freddorium supplies and blaming the council for not taking any action. They are trying to raise a rebellion to march into the council hall and demand action takes place.
Barman/Barwoman: Working behind the bar letting the angry blacksmith do their thing. This NPC has heard whispers that the Khad-Brye empire is almost on the verge of war with the neighbouring empire Nestalay.
Underpipe Engineer: Wanting a quiet drink after a long, hard day of dealing with an infestation in the sewers. If talked to, will offer to give the party a ap of the sewers but at a price.
Ex Council Member: Trying to keep a low profile with the recent hatred towards the council. Drowning their sorrows in alcohol after being fired by the Mayor just for entering the Council Hall basement.
Private Investigator: Going over their notes on a current investigation. If talked to, explains they were hired to follow a council member who has been acting suspicious. But has not been seen in the past few days.

Act 2: The Underpipe Sewers

Running all under the city of Faynewood lies a network of old catacombs now converted into a sewer system. Filled with narrow pathways, slimy cobbled archways and gunky green sewer water. If they party chose to come down the sewers, they enter on the city streets through a man hole just behind the tavern. Down a long and slippy ladder made of old rusted Freddorium and iron. Once standing in the sewers, they start in Room 1.
Before the party continues, the blacksmith is killed either by drinking a poisoned ale he aquired from the tavern or by falling into the water and being taken by a swarm of Slaad tadpoles.
Before the party continues, the blacksmith is killed either by drinking a poisoned ale he aquired from the tavern or by falling into the water and being taken by a swarm of Slaad tadpoles.
Aim of the Sewers:
Aim of this location is to direct the party into the Council Halls without being detected, there is chance to learn information about the plot via the NPC and access to treasure if the Slaad lair is found.

Rooms:
R1. Starting point of the sewers, a large square room with an island surrounded by sewer water. Light from the manhole above illuminates the room enough for the party to see 4 different exits. The room acts like a roundabout for the sewer water.
R2. A large rectangular room with only 1 tunnel connecting it to the rest of the sewers. The wall opposite the tunnel archway is slimy and only has a small platform to stand on. Inside the room is an NPC who is surrounded by tadpoles and screaming for help.
R3. A small square room with nothing of value inside, looks like a dead end for the sewer, only 1 tunnel entrance.
R4. A small square room with 2 tunnel entrances, looks like a turning point for the sewer water. The walls have broken rusted pipes sticking out with sharp edges like it burst at some point. Could hold some small trinket lost down a drain.
R5. A large rectangular room with a rushing waterfall of sewer water splashing into a pool of water that gets directed in 2 different directions. One tunnel is collapsed so can’t access it. the water is deeper in this room.
R6. A large square room with 4 tunnels leading off in different directions. A larger and deeper pool of water seems to be flowing into another waterfall that runs deeper into the sewer system. Has 2 platforms opposite the waterfall to walk on.
R7. A large octagonal room with an island in the centre of the room, light drips down from a dirty man hole above and a ladder to high up to reach. Acts as a roundabout for the water and has 4 tunnels sprouting in different directions.
R8. A medium sized rectangular room, with a narrow flow of water that trickles through. The room is mostly slimy and slippery path. Home to a Red Slaad who has a pile of treasure it has been hoarding.
R9. A small rectangular room on the upper level of the sewer. There is no water running through and resemble a makeshift office, piled with crates and barrels surrounding a small wooden desk. The door into this room is wooden and locked.
R10. A small octagonal room on the upper level of the sewers. The room is sealed with a heavy metal door. Inside the room is a number of levers, buttons and wheels making clanking noises, which seem to control the flow of water.
Encounters:
Slaad Tadpoles: CR 1/8. Resting in Room 6 and Room 8. With a swarm holding an NPC hostage in Room 2.
Red Slaad: CR 5. Has lair in Room 8 but usually wanders the sewers and can be treated as a random encounter.
NPC, Mayor’s Assistant: Was on a secret mission to organize another Freddorium robbery but got lost inside the sewers and is now trapped. If the NPC is saved then they will 1 piece of information for free. Information the assistant can give is the direction of the Council Hall trapdoor, revealing they are the Mayor’s assistant or revealing they were sent to steal Freddorium.

Act 3: The Council Meeting Hall

The purpose of this building is to be the gathering location of council members to discuss laws and matter concerning Faynewood. The main hall resides in the tower structure of the building, standing tall around the other buildings in the business district. The front of the building is an extension that was built to serve as a reception or waiting room before gatherings as well as offices for hire upstairs. The reception is guarded by 2 tamed Ochre Jelly dressed in armour (named by the public as Caramel knights). These gooey guards watch over the reception and patrol the room during the night.
There is 3 ways to enter the Council Halls. The first is by walking through the front doors which are locked on a night where the adventure takes place. The 2nd is via a secret entrance on the East side of the building. This leads to the ground floor staircases, out of view of the main reception. If this entrance is used, the entry way seems to close behind the party and trap them inside. The 3rd way is via the trapdoor in the basement. This can be accessed by the sewers running underneath the building.
Once the party start exploring the building, if the blacksmith is still alive then they are killed in one of the following ways. They are poisoned by alcohol bought at the tavern, caught in the mechanism of the secret closing entrance or is caught by the Caramel knights and tossed to the side.
Aim of Council Hall:
Aim of this location is for the party to confront the Mayor and expose him as the Freddorium thief. Once the battle with the battle with the Mayor is complete, the adventure comes to an end and the Epilogue takes place. There is an option to find and rescue the council member, finding the location of the Freddorium as well as find the secret plans of the Mayor linking him to the Nestalay empire.

Rooms:
B1. Basement, large rectangular room with rows of dusty bookshelves, stacked up crates and tipped over barrels with cobwebs building up inside them. Behind a stack of crates is the trapdoor leading to the sewers. On the north wall is a bookshelf with a muffled sound of running water behind it. If the party find the secret lever, they get access to TB1. On the West wall is a staircase that leads to the GF and reception of the building.
GF. Reception, large rectangular room with multiple doors. 2 heavy iron doors leading to the streets of Faynewood. 1 heavy wooden door that leads into the main meeting hall (TGF) with 2 semi circle desks on either side. And 2 smaller wooden doors on either side of the room, one enters a corridor leading down into the basement. The other is another corridor with 2 staircases leading upstairs to the offices for hire. Next to the pair of stairs is a secret entrance which is a one-way entrance. In the centre of the room is a podium where 2 Caramel knights stand during the day, watching all that happens.
F1.1. A small office that is cluttered and scattered with various stacks of paper and leather bound books fallen off a wooden desk.
F1.2. A small office that looks almost brand new. A wooden desk in the centre is nothing on the top and a couple of unlit candles on a bookshelf.
F1.3. A small office which belongs to the Mayor. The large desk fills most of the room with a few exotic plants in the corner and a bookshelf next to the door. The door in is locked and protected with a defensive warding. Under the desk is a secret vault which can be opened. If opened, reveals paperwork to transfer money to the Nestalay empire and fund an army.
F1.4. A small office full of multicoloured bottles, some broken and some half empty. Looks like the aftermath of a party of celebration. In the corner is a puddle of either goo or wine, you are not quite sure.
F1.5. A small office with the door blocked with the desk and bookshelf. Inside the room is an NPC tied to a chair. This NPC is a council member who grew suspicious of the Mayor and was taken hostage.
F1.6. A small office with smoke coming from the bottom of the doorway. If entered the party will find a group of Bullywug smoking, relaxed and playing some sort of card game around the desk. In the corner of the room is a rack of bows and arrows, presumably belonging to the Bullywug. If these are killed before entering the Main Hall, no new Bullywug enter the final fight.
TB1. A large circular room with an island in the middle surrounded by flowing sewer water. In the centre is a pile of stolen Freddorium. This room is also home to a baby Froghemoth guarding the metal and rather likes the taste of it. This can only be accessed by the secret door in B1.
TGF. The main meeting hall. A tall circular room with 5 pillars for council members to stand on and speak. Each pillar faces to the centre of the room. With a smaller podium in the centre of the room facing the other pillars. Behind the middle podium is stands for spectators such as public or other council members to view meetings. These can be accessed on F1. Inside this room is where you find the Mayor bossing 2 Bullywug to prepare for the next shipment of Freddorium to arrive.
Encounters:
Caramel Knights (Ochre Jelly): CR 2. Located on GF acting as security
Bullywug: CR ¼. Personal guards for the Mayor, waiting around the Council Halls and called upon in the fight against the Mayor in the final battle.
Baby Froghemoth CR 5: *Use Froghemoth stat block but half scores. Located in a secret location guarding the pile of Freddorium.
NPC Council member: Locked inside an office and tied up. Got suspicious of the Mayor and hired a P.I to investigate him. The Mayor’s guards trapped him in the office.
Mayor Mella Borne (Bullywug): CR 3. Can be found in the main hall bossing 2 Bullywug about preparing for more Freddorium. Once found initiates a fight with the party.

Plot type

One Shot