Finding the Doctor

Introduction

The Librarian has learned the true nature of their friend the Fey Doctor and have posted it to their Facebook page. Since then their friend has gone missing and they’re being followed by The Shadow Investigation Unit who will disappear them unless the PCs help them.

Note

This is a large and long adventure filled with puzzles that are notorious for being unpredictable in how long a group of players will spend on each event. Additionally, the route they choose through the Fey Palace will also be a major factor in time. That all being said, plan on this taking either one long session or several short sessions. The play experience will be better if the party is allowed to spend their time with the puzzles. Many of these puzzles are set up to complete the event after a failed attempt. This is to help keep the events from dragging on and it is to prevent the puzzles from becoming impassable barriers. However, if your party appears to be having a good time trying to solve a particular puzzle, there is no reason that you can't let them have another try. Simply have the puzzle do nothing or reset itself rather then conclude the event.

Rewards

There are many magical items available as rewards in this adventure. Most of them are common items that will not have a major impact on combat but will have potential to impact role playing. However, if the rewards seem too generous then simply reduce what is available or use money instead of a magic item. I recommend that you review the rewards ahead of time as this adventure is set up for a high magic campaign.

Level

This adventure is designed for the Ultra Modern 5 system with the Urban Arcana setting from Modern D20 in mind. The challenges are scaled for a party at level 10.

Background

Team 8 has become a rogue team of agents that is being hunted by Draco Industries. However, their reputation within the circles of the Shadow Kind has been increasing as they have proven that they are true allies. Many Shadow Kind are now willing to trust Team 8 with their problems and even their lives, believing that the team will do what they can to protect the Shadow Kind. All that Team 8 requires is that the Shadow Kind being helped are willing to behave in a reasonable manner. This means no killing Mundanes and trying to stay beneath Department 7's radar.

Synopsis

The Librarian is seeking assistance in finding the Fey Doctor. She acknowledges that she has made a mistake that has led to her friend being endangered. Now, she is looking to make things right by ensuring that her friend is protected. Margaret contacts Milford Donald Boothman and requests that he assists her, calling upon the favor that he owes her. Milford contacts Deld and makes arrangements for someone to meet with Margaret to see if they can help her find Dr. Dean.

Hook

Deld Toothbreaker calls one of the party members during the afternoon of Sunday 10/30/2146.

Hey, sounds like I might have some work for you. There is a Mundane that believes that her friend is a Shadow Kind and he is missing. She is looking for someone to help her find him. I've made arrangements for you to meet with her tonight at the Seattle Public Library, the Central branch at 7pm.

If the party requests more information, Deld knows Margaret Dabney's name and that she works as a librarian at that library. He doesn't know anything else about her and he knows nothing about the person that is missing. However, there is plenty of time for the party to engage in research or to call upon allies to research for them if they would like to gather more information on Margaret before they attend the meeting with her.

Conclusion

This can conclude in many ways. If the party discovers that the Fey Doctor has gone into the Fey Palace and they return to the Librarian with this information, she will ask if they are certain that is where he is. She will also ask if they are certain that he is safe. This conclusion will not leave her feeling very satisfied and they will not get the best possible reward. She will pay them for their time and nothing more. They will receive $1000 for the job. If the party has gone into the Fey Palace and were able to rescue the Fey Doctor, their rewards will be better. Once the Librarian is reunited with the Fey Doctor she will pay the party the $1000, but they will also earn 1d4+2 loyalty with the librarian. This will allow them to call upon her in the future as an ally. She is a strong skill based character that can offer the players great advantages if they earn her loyalty. If the party has dealt with Team 2 in some fashion that ensures that they will no longer hunt the Fey Doctor then they will also gain a reward from him. He will pay them with a Luckstone and they will gain 1d4+2 loyalty with him.

Relations

Allies

Deld Toothbreaker

Character | Oct 28, 2023

Deld provides Team 8 with the job. He will accompany them for the task if they need additional support to meet the challenge rating.

Kimberly Scott

Character | Sep 2, 2023

Kimberly can be called upon to perform research on either Margaret or Dr. Dean. She has an investigation +11. Have a player role for her check if she is completing any research for them. She can learn anything regarding Margaret's history without needing to role for it. However, Dr. Dean presents more of a challenge for her.

DC15 she can learn that he is using a fake identity, but she is not able to determine who he really is. This leads her to suspect that he is a Shadow Kind.
DC25 She can learn that it was Qhall that provided him with the fake identity.

Qhall

Character | Jun 25, 2023

If the party goes to Qhall for information, he will do his best to help them. Afterall, he is hoping that they will decide to come work for him so he wants to stay on their good side. He will confirm that he helped Dr. Dean build a fake identity in order to survive as a Mundane. He will reveal that the doctor is a fey and that his real name is Mitah Bettercliff. He will also reveal to them that their is a place that other Fey gather that Mitah is aware of. It is called the Fey Palace and is in the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. It is likely that he has gone there if he has been threatened. He will also tell them that those that go to this place don't return from it. He doesn't know what happens to people inside this place, just that the people going in don't often come out again if they are not fey. He indicates that this is fairly common Fey behavior. He recommends that they find a fey to consult with if they are going to venture inside this place.

Phesea

Character | Sep 2, 2023

She will provide them with the information that they need in order to get into the Fey Palace. She will explain to them that they need to look for a mushroom ring near the small building that marks where the Nike Missile Base used to be. They need to bring items to give the fey as offerings which they need to place into the mushroom ring. Then they wait. If their offering is accepted, the Fey will either reveal themselves or a door to the Fey Palace.

Suggested Offerings

FOOD AND DRINK

Alcohol is usually good - the sweeter the better, usually, though they also seem to like all kinds of beer.
Juice is also good, especially if it’s something a bit exotic.
Clean, cool water is good in a pinch, especially if it’s from a well, or filtered - they don’t like water with too much fluoride or chlorine in it, which rules out tap water in a lot of areas.
Any kind of cake or pastry is good. Also bread. Really just baked goods in general. And sweeter is usually better here, too.
Meat. Yes, some fey like meat. Particularly the Wild Hunt types. Figures, right?
Fresh fruit. Pretty much anything is good, so long as it’s not too bruised/shriveled, etc.
Honey. Any kind of honey is good, by itself or drizzled on a baked good, like a piece of bread with butter.
Dairy products. They love milk, cream, buttermilk, buttered bread, you name it.

TRINKETS

Old jewelry. Have an earring missing it’s pair? Excellent gift for the fey. Jewelry you used to love but don’t wear anymore? A broken silver chain? All good. And here most people will tell you it’s only okay if it’s silver or gold. And I’m here to tell you that most fey don’t seem to mind a little stainless steel, and nickel and copper were never a problem. The problem is cold black iron, like the stuff they make railings out of.
Beads. Plastic, glass, resin - really anything goes. Strung or single, they seem to love beads.
Bits of broken glass or pottery. Especially if it’s colored and you put it in a jar. Pretty and interesting and they love it.
Bits of string. Especially ribbon, and especially brightly colored, but twine is also acceptable, as is embroidery floss, or even hair ties.
Sequins and confetti. These are also really quite wonderful when collected in a jar. Fun shiny things are pretty excellent fey offerings.
Origami or other papercrafts. It might just be the brightly colored and floral papers, but I find that fey like 3D papercrafts. Just be careful - these cannot be left outside in the weather.
Hanging decorations. I have a mini-mobile with a central prism that casts rainbows that they seem to like. Things like that, especially with prisms, can be good offerings to the fey.

NATURAL ITEMS

Pretty stones. Polished or not, just make sure that you didn’t actually take these from the fey in the first place - if you collected it out of a stream or forest, did you leave an offering in return? Anything you bought is probably fine.
Flowers and leaves. I like to give bits of plants that I’ve grown and tended, because otherwise you usually get into that “did you leave something in return when you collected it?” problem. Plants you grow you are constantly giving offerings to: care, weeding, watering, etc. Sometimes I make patterns with leaves and seeds and flowers, similar to a mandala.
Bones. Most fey like bones, whether they are bones from your dinner, or bones you bought, or bones you found - though again, if you find something, give an offering in return.

HOMES

Mini decorative birdhouses. If you want fey (especially smaller fey like brownies and garden sprites) to move in nearby, try offering them a decorated mini birdhouse. Just be sure the birds know it’s not for them!
Doors. A lot of people sell little decorated fairy doors - these can be good, too, as long as you keep your Neighbors happy so that they watch the door for you. It’s likely to become a portal to the fey realms, and not everything on the other side is friendly!
Windchimes. Not exactly a home per se, but a wind chime can function as a sort of little outdoor altar to the fey. Find one with a pleasing noise. And again, they don’t seem to mind a little stainless steel, but make sure it isn’t made of cold black iron!

Neutrals/Bystanders

The Librarian

Margaret Chrystal Dabney

Character | Sep 2, 2023

The Fey Doctor

Donald Fulton Dean

Character | Sep 2, 2023

Competitors

Team 2

Organization | Apr 23, 2022

This team has been assigned to find the Fey Doctor. He has been practicing medicine without a license as well as using a false identity. Now he has gone on the run. So, he is a wanted criminal that is also a Shadow Kind. The team has been given instructions to investigate to determine if he really is Shadow Kind and to ensure that his illegal behaviors cease. They are authorized to use lethal force if they deem it necessary. This team isn't really invested in being the ones to do the job. They are just looking for the right results and ensuring that they get a pay check for the least amount of work. If Team 8 agrees to find and correct the doctor's behavior for them, they will agree to allow them to do so as long as Team 8 agrees to provide Team 2 with the information that they need to complete their reports for the Shadow Investigation Unit. If Team 8 chooses to be aggressive or chooses to with hold information from Team 2, they will do what they need to in order to ensure that their objectives are met.

Inside the Fey Palace

Team 2 will enter the Fey palace at the lower level in room 14. Have them start a turn after the party does. Then have them advance through the rooms at the same rate as the party. If there is a choice in routes choose randomly. The idea is to have them working their way through the palace at the same time as the party to become a random encounter along the way. The rooms reset themselves so it doesn't matter if a group gets there before the other group or not. The only way that these two groups can collide is if the party is able to move into the same room as Team 2. If they are in rooms ahead of the party, consider leaving behind evidence that team 2 was there so that the party can feel the pressure of their presence.

Adversaries

Backdrops

Locations

Seattle Public Library-Central Library

Building / Landmark | May 4, 2022

About 6 minutes from Onureth Taoul which is beneath First Hill.
About 13 minutes from Harborview Medical Center.
Team 8 will readily know that this library is directly across the street from the Department 7 Headquarters building.

This structure of metal and glass stands with sharp angles amongst the classic architecture. There is no missing this building as you come up upon it. The evening's lights are on, giving the entire building a geometric glow.

If the players ask for Margaret Chrystal Dabney, a staff person will call her on the phone and she will come get them. She will direct them to a small study room where there is plenty of room for everyone to sit.

Thank you for coming. My understanding is that you are individuals who have experience investigating things that are of an unusual nature.

She will encourage them to introduce themselves and will look at any credentials that are offered by the group, but she will not request to see any. Once the party has given her a sense that they are in fact qualified for the task, she will go on to explain the problem.

"My friend, Doctor Donald Fulton Dean, is missing. As best as I can tell, he was last seen at work on the day shift on Wednesday. I am afraid that I am to blame for his disappearance and I am worried that something bad has happened to him. While it is not unlike him to fall out of touch for a day or two, he has never remained out of contact for this long." She sighs and rubs her eyes. It is obvious that she is reluctant to talk, but she continues. "He and I have been close friends for several years now and we have keys to each other's apartments, but we still generally will tell each other when we are coming to visit. Tuesday evening, I decided to surprise him with dinner. I let myself in and well, he didn't realize that I was there. He was in his living room and he was different." She pauses again and then takes out her phone. She silently scrolls through her phone for a moment before turning it to show you a photo.

She shares the picture below with the party

He was beautiful. I wasn't thinking. I didn't know that it would hurt anything. I just wanted to share how amazing he looked in that moment. I didn't think that anyone would believe it was a real picture. So, I didn't think it would matter if I shared it. But then, the next day he was gone and I haven't heard from him since. Do you think that someone could be after him?

Margaret will do her best to answer their questions, but she knows nothing about where he might be or why he has gone missing. She isn't even sure that it is connected to her having shared the photo on facebook. She can provide them with his apartment address and will give them the key to get into the apartment if they ask for it.

The Doctor's Apartment

There isn't anything here for the party to find. The apartment is one that comes furnished and there is an odd lack of personal items here. It looks more like a temporary residence than a home that someone has been living in for years.

Harborview Medical Center

Building / Landmark | May 4, 2022

About 7 minutes from Onureth Taoul which is beneath First Hill. About 13 minutes from Seattle Public Library - Central Library Branch If the players go to Dr. Dean's place of employment, they will find plenty of people who are willing to testify to his character. Everyone will report that he is an amazing doctor but that he is also flighty and unpredictable. He is frequently forgetting things that is every day information and is often late to work. There are also several people that report that he is an unusual man in that he often doesn't know cultural references or local establishments even though he has lived in the city his entire life.

The Fey Palace

Plot | Aug 7, 2022

The Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park has a parking area that the Nike Horse Trail connects to. This is the most logical place for the party to enter the area. It is about a 24 minute drive from Onureth Taoul to this parking area in the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park.

Once the party has parked their car(s) in this parking lot, they can pick up the Nike Horse Trail and travel south until they reach the Former Nike Missile Base. When they reach that location, start them off at point 1.

Plot type

Adventure

Subplots