Zadamyl Adventure 1: The Dandy Highwayman

This story of Caverns & Taverns introduces the central character, the Elf Swashbuckler Zadamyl. Her adventures of simply targeting carriages of wealthy idiots comes to a dramatic change, when the cargo being taken turns out to have a face, a pulse, a soul, and a home to get back to.

Themes

A central theme of the story will be that of ownership and consequences. Zadamyl's actions so far, while altruistic and helpful to the community, have kept her far removed from it. Granting coin and provisions to those in need and letting them handle things from there keeps her socially and emotionally detached, which is very much her preference. Once she finds a slave being smuggled, she immediately understands that she can't simply put the Betrayed back on her feet and the city and wish her the best of luck. Zadamyl is responsible for this other person now, in a way that she's never been before, and that is admittedly scary. Not only does it mean that this person is dependant on her now, but it puts all of Zadamyl's risky and life-threatening adventures in a different context. She can't keep doing that when there's someone expecting her to be home.

Structure

Exposition

The story will begin with introduction of the capital city of Boxbury and it's residents, for better and worse. This will help show the wealth inequality of the city and larger Empire, and Zadamyl's motivation.

Conflict

Having shown her normal behavior as a thief and a hero, the conflict arises to when she comes to a particularly enticing prize on the road, based on a tip received in town. She discovers that it's in fact carrying a prisoner; a Tiefling slave, who by her pale white appearance, would be one of The Betrayed.

Zadamyl is left with a choice, that will lead to two very different plot branches for the player. Does Zadamyl betray her moral code and Kill the noble slaver to help ease escape, or merely incapacitate him.

Rising Action

If the reader chooses to Kill the captors to free the captive, the plot escalates higher as a manhunt begins for her. Zadamyl is by no means unheard of, and her use of a gun as the fatal weapon would reduce the amount of possible assailants by dramatic numbers. The search for the freed slave is almost nonexistent, which allows her to work towards finding a way to safely get her out of Boxbury and to a life of freedom, hopefully back towards her home.

If she chooses to merely incapacitate, the search is more personal but less severe. The Noble captor knows who Zadamyl is and that she has his slave. Since the nobleman can't turn to the authorities and report his illegal slave was taken, he illicits "other" help to try and track both down. She than has to figure out how to either leave Boxbury with the slave together without being noticed or caught, or how to entrap the nobleman in a crime of his own so that the search for her ends for good.

Chapter Titles (working):
Introduction
Stand and Deliver
Go the spoil
A wonderful prize
Option 1: Kill the Noble
Back into Boxbury
The pressure comes down
A favor from friends in low places
Option 2: Fleet of Foot
Doesn't know when to quit

Related Characters

• Zadamyl Zanthi

Related Organizations

• Purshand Empire
• The Pathfinder Society

Related Locations

• Boxbury