The Pentapolis is a group of five large cities that, while not an official league or political unit, are usually considered as a group because of their shared language, culture, location, and political status. It was to one of these cities that a certain bard came. Haggard, road weary and with a haunted gleam in his eye, the bard offered to entertain the patrons at one of the tavern-inns for an evening in return for supper and a soft bed.
As it happened, the bard found himself before a packed house that evening when he decided to tell them the story of a quiet, forgotten place full of amazing contraptions, lost to history – a place called Hidden Vale. The bard was found the next morning, murdered in his sleep. Over the next few days, as people discussed who would do such a thing, and why, another body was discovered. A week later, two more. Eventually, a connection was made: all of the victims were at the tavern when the bard told his story. It was then that The Curse was born – a story which, once heard, meant certain death.
I. Harridan’s Irregulars
“This ‘Curse Killer’ has terrified and victimized the good people of the Pentapolis. We, in turn, shall become the killer’s curse!”
Background
Josef Harridan was a distinguished officer of the peace, born and raised among the Pentapolis. He served with diligence and determination in the defense of the Pentapolis during the attempted invasion by King Raithan of the northern kingdom nearly a decade earlier. As the body count began to grow and terror gripped the Pentapolis in the wake of the Curse, it was he the leaders of the cities turned to – empowering him to form a task force to put a stop to the deaths. He gathered the best watchmen from each of the cities in the Pentapolis and set about uncovering the motives and tracking down the group or individual responsible for the killings.
Mission
Harridan’s Irregulars exist for a single purpose – protecting the public and putting an end to the ‘Curse killings’ by apprehending and bringing to justice the ‘Curse Killer’ (who is, in fact, Sentinel 5) by any means necessary.
Structure
The Irregulars have been granted a significant amount of autonomy within the Pentapolis. They retain an officer-structure similar to that of the city watches from which they were drawn and with which the still collaborate at times, but they report to the Irregular lieutenants who, in turn, report directly to Harridan himself. Harridan, in turn, reports to the Inter-city council of the Pentapolis which sanctioned the creation of the Irregulars in the first place. In Harridan’s mind, however, his ultimate duty is to the innocent, law-abiding citizens of the Pentapolis, whatever the cost.
Benefits/Drawbacks
The Irregulars are free to apprehend and detain any suspicious groups or individuals within the jurisdiction of the Pentapolis. They are also empowered to conduct searches and seizures, provided it can be shown to be related to the Curse killings – otherwise, all individuals and evidence are turned over to the local authorities.
Adventure Hooks
- The PC’s have just discovered a body when the Irregulars find them. Being outsiders, they immediately come under suspicion of murder related to the Curse killings.
- The Irregulars have been playing cat-and-mouse with the Curse Killer (Sentinel 5) for a while now. Perhaps the PC’s – outsiders not recognized as being allied with the Irregulars – might be used as bait to draw the killer out.
- Harridan has approached the PC’s and asked if they might infiltrate the Cursed to see if they have any information or leads on the Killer’s identity that the Irregulars do not.
II. The Cursed
“He has shown us that anything is possible! There is no barrier that cannot be passed, no trap that cannot be escaped . . . no life that cannot be taken!”
Background
The Curse Killer has captured the imaginations of those who interests run not to the good of any individual or community, but to their own purses. A loose confederation of thieves and assassins who operate in and around the Pentapolis look up to the Curse Killer as an icon or a hero of sorts – this individual consistently manages to avoid capture and always (as far as they know) succeeds in getting his target. They gather in secret and discuss the identity of the killer and his motives, analyzing and deconstructing the kills and means getting to what often appear to be impossible targets, much as the Irregulars might. The Cursed, however, look to emulate their hero’s ability to perform and get away with seemingly impossible crimes.
Mission
The Cursed are essentially a fan club, albeit a potentially lethal one, for the Curse Killer. They go about their own machinations, but should they ever be in a position to assist the Curse Killer in escaping capture, they stand ready – longing for a chance to meet, and perhaps even work alongside, their hero.
Structure
The Cursed are not organized, nor do they have an established structure beyond a healthy respect for any individual with greater skills or propensity for violence than another. The group is more social in nature than anything else.
Benefits/Drawbacks
The ability to network and find lucrative opportunities and paying jobs has proven valuable to more than a few participants.
Adventure Hooks
- Members of the Cursed have discovered that the PC’s are aiding the Irregulars in trying to capture the Curse Killer and intend to interfere.
- The PC’s have corned the Curse Killer (Sentinel 5) when a group of the Cursed suddenly intervene, intending to help the killer escape.
- The Cursed, looking to wipe out the Irregulars, attempt to recruit the PC’s to their cause – casting the Irregulars as an overpowered, corrupt, militant force and themselves as downtrodden freedom fighters.
III. Sons of the Forge
“You may purchase the result of this miraculous creation – for a price, but the secret of its construction remains with us.”
Background
When Rendersson Forgegrinder fled to Hidden Vale, the Warsmith deprived King Raithan his formidable ability to create arcanely-driven weapons of destruction. Furious, the King ordered Forgegrinder’s apprentices and blacksmiths to continue his work – reverse engineering everything Forgegrinder had ever created and building upon it further. His greatest creation, the Sentinels, remained beyond their ability to emulate. When the king was assassinated by Sentinel 5 and his imperial aspirations extinguished, the group of metalworkers and arcanists were disbanded by Raithan’s successor. Rather than giving up, however, the group went into hiding and continued to study and develop weapons based on Forgegrinder’s work. If Raithan’s successor would not fund their research, plenty of other aspiring powers would be happy to pay for their creations.
The one thing that continued to elude them, however, was a working prototype of the nigh-indestructible warrior Forgegrinder was working on when he left. The incomplete scraps and journal entries gave them an idea of how they worked, but left out several crucial details. Then rumors came from the Pentapolis and the group knew at once that the key to unlocking Forgegrinder’s legacy was in the form of a metal man who stalked the night.
Mission
The Sons of the Forge seek to capture and reverse engineer Sentinel 5.
Structure
The Sons usually operate in teams of four: A master arcanist and a master blacksmith with one apprentice each. These teams are often armed or accompanied by arcane and/or clockwork contraptions that aid them in searching for and capturing Sentinel 5 – or preventing others from doing the same. None of the tools they use approach the autonomy or sophistication of the Sentinels, however.
Benefits/Drawbacks
The Sons of the Forge have developed and retain access to an armory that is unique to the surrounding kingdoms. All their technology is available – for a price, but rarely seen outside all but the largest of conglomerates for harvesting raw materials or full-scale invasion forces.
Adventure Hooks
- The Sons hire the PC’s to disrupt the Irregular’s attempts to capture the sentinel and/or prevent the Cursed from doing the same to them.
- The Sons of the Forge have successfully captured the sentinel, now it is up to the PC’s to stop them from unlocking its secrets and selling an unstoppable army to the highest bidder.
- The PC’s ascertain that the Sons of the Forge may have the means to destroy the sentinels; The Sons, however, refuse to sell it, not wanting Forgegrinder’s technology to be lost to them.
