Portraits of a Villain: The Desire

Written by Michael Brewer
Illustrated by James Keegan

Concept/Archetype: Predator of Noble Men
Keywords: Fantasy, Succubus
Race: Human
Profession: Madam Harlot

Do you know what rules this kingdom?  It is not the people, the aristocracy, nor even the king who pretends to dote upon that self-righteous bitch of a queen.  No!  I’ll tell you what rules this kingdom.  Lust!  Men and women breathe heavy with desire for that which they cannot have.  It occupies their every thought and controls their actions.  And, no one but I can provide relief for their burning hearts!!

Background

Known by the social elite simply as The Desire, this woman is a stunning beauty to behold. The Desire’s beauty is easily matched by her cunning, but exceeded only by her ruthlessness.  Her influence is legendary, and recognized throughout the entire kingdom as no tavern, inn, merchant house or brothel survives long without paying tribute to her.

The Desire was born Desirae Turpis. She was raised a peasant girl among the families bonded to serfdom on the King’s personal estate. It was a difficult life, but one not without love – now just a fading memory. Shortly after her fourteenth birthday, after turning down multiple advances by a noble’s son, Desirae was accused of stealing wheat from the King’s grain-holds.  Her family was banished from the farms, and she was thrown into the stockade without term. Therein, she endured months of humiliation, assault, and worse.  Many a night she would be taken and placed into a deep cell, where her accuser and several guards would have their way with her. Imagine the worst.

Then one night she had a vision. The ghostly apparition offered to help her find a way out of her imprisonment. In exchange for her freedom, Diserae opened her heart to the apparition and promised to take it with her into the world. With the oath made, the apparition vanished and Diserae’s heart felt suddenly full and satisfied. She also found that her thoughts were consumed with seeking revenge on all those who had harmed her in the past.

Soon after the vision, she became pregnant and this discovery prompted her jailers to quickly cast her out into the freedom of the streets. Having no place to go, and no family to turn to, the filthy urban streets became her home. To survive,  she resorted to begging, thievery, prostitution, and smuggling. Soon the child within her was ready for birth and she sought aid at a local church. The infant died during childbirth and the presiding priest reprimanded her fiercely for having a child out of wedlock, declaring her lust the cause for the child’s death.  Having nowhere else to go, Desirae returned to the streets, and a life of selling her body to survive. Now, her heart truly burned with an icy hatred and revenge, and it is said that this was the day her skin turned to the color of chalk.

With her renewed determination, she quickly grew wise to the ways of the streets and know that first she must wrest control of them. Her handler was her first victim, but many others followed suite. She drew power from her inner demon, and in time took the name The Desire to rid herself of all the trappings of her past. Once remade, The Desire continued on her path to conquering the underbelly of society. Her harem grew, as did her reputation. Eventually, through murder, trade, trickery, and deal brokering, The Desire controlled the most extensive network of flesh of any kingdom.

Motivations & Goals

Being abused at the hands of a noble is obviously The Desire’s primary motivation for all her endeavors.  While she has obtained a life of extravagance peddling to the fleshly needs of both the aristocracy and common men, luxuries are not important to The Desire.

She uses the riches of gold and flesh as a means to destroy and control men of power.  Once The Desire has finished extorting someone, she usually enjoys making a public mockery of them while watching their power, rank, and privilege stripped from their name.

She exists only to inflict pain and humiliation upon the rich and powerful.  Indeed, many men under her thumb have willingly submitted themselves to cruel and violent tortures overseen by The Desire.  These tortures are usually some form of ritual performed for the goddess of lust and wrath.

The current target of The Desire is the king himself.  After failing several times to seduce the king with her courtesans during popular masquerade balls, The Desire has decided she needs to take a more active approach with inducing the king’s fall into temptation.

Organization

The Desire’s organization consists of practically every prostitute and brothel in the kingdom.  The women and men in her service are very well taken care of and protected from harm.  They are perhaps the one group of people The Desire shows compassion for, though she does not tolerate open defiance. She employs a number of mercenary bodyguards that serve as protectors for members in the organization as well as muscle to deal with clients that owe money or favors.  The Desire also has several arrangements with the various assassin and thieves guilds, ensuring members of her organization do not become targets while furnishing opportunities for members of the guilds to ply their trade. While residing in a well protected chateau located on the bluffs outside the city walls, The Desire enjoys a commanding view of the city. And, despite her fearsome reputation, she hosts one the many masquerade balls that are the current rage among the social elite.

Adventure Hooks

• A young street girl asks for aid escaping the city and the clutches of an angered Desire.
• The PCs are invited to a masquerade ball and are mistakenly handed documents containing highly sensitive information on a local lord.
• A PC finds himself framed for the murder of a working girl, earning the attention of law enforcement as well as The Desire.

Combat Tactics

The Desire avoids direct confrontation at all costs, preferring her hired mercenaries to dispose of dangerous aggressors.  However, if cornered, The Desire relies on her innate charms to compel men to be more understanding.  If that fails, she resorts to sorcery to confuse and delay opponents until help arrives or so she can escape.  It is well known by those close to her that The Desire is an accomplished enchantress.

Distributed Workshops: Nevermet Press does not work out the system specific stats for any of our online content. However, in the spirit of crowd sourcing, we do encourage the online community to do so via their own personal gaming blogs, online forums, or other venues. If you are interested in creating stats for any of our content using your favorite game system, please do! If you link to us, we’ll return the favor as well!

The independently developed statblocks and other mechanics for The Desire are available from these other sites:

1. The Spirits of Eden (4E D&D)

The Desire by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Encounter: Le Danse Périlleux

Written by Michael Brewer
Illustrated by Matthew Lichtenwalner

Difficulty: Medium
Magic: Medium
Keywords: ball, disguised, hostages, masquerade
Terrain: Interior – Ballroom
Treasure: Minor

A grand ballroom packed with revelers dressed to the nines stretches out below the balcony. Two sweeping sets of stairs extend from the sides of the balcony to the floor of a ballroom large enough to dock a small ship. The marble arches supporting ceiling of this massive hall reach skyward another story above the balcony

Exquisite tapestries that depict debauch revelries line the interiors of several alcoves along the length of the walls leading to the magnificent view at the end of the ballroom. Five huge chandeliers of polished bronze hang suspended above the ballroom by chains anchored along the western wall between the alcoves. Four tables laden with refreshments and hors d’oeuvres have been set near the foot of the stairs.

The far end of the ballroom terminates in a half circle enclosed in a wall of glass; dozens of large windows honeycomb the exterior wall at the end of the hall giving guests a magnificent view of the city below from the room’s precarious perch upon the cliff.

Background

The ballroom is 60 feet wide and 100 feet in length and is part of a larger estate built by the prostitution and brothel madam known as The Desire from decades worth of extortion and exploitation. Desirae Turpis is the madam’s birth name and most people believe her to just be a wealthy heiress. The ballroom extends out from the chateau proper along a narrow cliff that juts perilously away from the bluff the chateau is built upon.

This masquerade is being held in celebration of some minor stellar event and is hosted by The Desire. These balls are the current rage among the aristocracy and the majority of them have turned out for the occasion. No doubt many discrete (and indiscreet) trysts will be taking place either by direction of The Desire or just out of naturally occurring lust.

The Desire has ulterior motives for holding the ball. One objective is to grow the network of aristocrats that have fallen victim to her schemes, but an even more sinister object is at hand: assassination. The Desire brokered a deal between a local lord and the assassin guild to have a rival nobleman eliminated. Since this rival nobleman has also interfered with her prostitution operations, it serves The Desire’s interests as well.

The PCs have been tipped off that there will be an assassination attempt, but do not know who the target is or who the assassins are (or how many there may be).  Even if they did, the costumes would hinder their ability to identify either party involved.

Objective

The PCs must prevent the assassination and capture at least one of the assailants for questioning.

Adversaries & Tactics

Assassins
Number: 4-8
Equipment: Light Crossbows, Short Swords, & Poisoned Daggers
Attributes: Stealthy, Dexterous, Quick

• There are four to eight (depending on how difficult the Game Master wishes to make this encounter) assassins disguised as revelers at the ball.  They are spread throughout the ballroom, but there is only one tasked with the duty to murder the nobleman.  The remaining assassins are for support.
• Once the PCs engage the first assassin, three more close and flank.  If the Game Master has chosen to insert additional assassins, they are on the balcony and begin peppering the PCs with light crossbow bolts.  Once combat has begun, the guests begin to panic, scream, run and general chaos ensues.  The assassins will attempt to use guests as cover and may take one or two hostage using them as human shields.
• If a PC is injured with a poisoned dagger and fails to defend against the poison, he is immediately weakened and will die within 24 hours if the antidote is not administered. Retrieving the antidote should provide the PCs with another short quest.  Once half of the assassins are neutralized, the remaining antagonists escape by pretending to be terrified guests and fleeing with the other revelers towards the city.

Environmental Effects

1. Chandeliers: There are five chandeliers hanging above the ballroom.  Creative PCs may be able to maneuver their enemies below the chandeliers and have one of the characters release the anchors sending one crashing down upon the assassins.  If the assassins fail to react quickly, the chandelier knocks them unconscious and pins them to the floor.  A chandelier is large enough to pin four assassins standing in tight formation. An extremely agile and creative PC may be able to use the chain anchoring the chandelier closest to the balcony to swing up to the balcony by releasing the locking mechanism.  It may provide the quickest route to engage any assassins there.
2. Guests: Fleeing and cowering guests will hinder movement, reducing a PC’s movement by half.  Guests may also hinder a PC from being able to adequately engage an assassin by providing cover and concealment.  An assassin who is still disguised as a guest will gain a surprise attack on unsuspecting PCs.
3. Refreshment Tables: The refreshment tables are very sturdy and may be used for cover from the assassins with crossbows upon the balcony.  However, a combatant standing upon a table and is in melee with an enemy who is on the floor gains combat advantages for being on higher ground.
4. Stairs: A combatant standing on the stairs and is in melee with an enemy who is at a lower position on the stairs or is on the floor gains combat advantages for being on higher ground.
5. Windows: A combatant may rush an enemy and push them through a window.  If the attack is successful and the target fails to react quickly, he is thrown from the window and falls down the cliff face to his death.

Development

The encounter begins when a guest screams as the assassin brandishes his dagger and attempts to stab the nobleman (who may or may not avoid the attack).  Once the guest screams the PCs are able to close with the initial assassin within seconds and combat begins.  The guests begin to panic and flee or cower as the ballroom erupts into chaos.

Awards, Findings, & Treasure

If the PCs are able to kill or capture the assassins they may recover their equipment.  Whether or not these are magical or otherwise worth more than ordinary versions is left to the Game Master.  If the PCs manage to capture an assassin alive, then they may be able to discover who hired them and why.

The nobleman awards the PCs with monetary rewards as well as free room and board at a tavern he owns in the city.

Join the forum discussion on this series

Le Danse Perilleux by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Encounter: The Damsel In Distress

 

Written by Tony Hoffart
Illustrated by Danny Rupp

Level: Any
Magic: Medium to High
Keywords: Demon, Disguise, Deception, Seduction, Dungeon
Terrain: Tavern, Town, Dungeon, Remote Estate
Treasure: Moderate

Unsurprisingly the tavern is packed early, for it’s a rough’n tumble place where the gambling tables aren’t discriminating and the regulars don’t look too closely beyond sizing up one’s purse.  It’s also the perfect place for an adventurer to wind down and hear a bit of gossip from the locals around the bar.  The wenches are friendly, the drinks topped up, and even the most gruff warrior will make room at the table for another gambler with coins to spend; so the drinks flow, the bones roll, a bit of money changes hands, and before long one of you finds a lovely woman on your arm.

Her name, she tells you, is Desirae Turpis and she’s dressed in a threadbare gown that speaks of former wealth. She wears her neckline low, displaying her ‘intentions’ as obviously as the sign outside the tavern. She isn’t looking to share her life story, and is instead more interested in hanging among the most dashing men at the gambling tables. Tonight, it seems to be you and she delights in helping pull in the coins, and fetch drinks so that you don’t miss another big win.

And win you do! Into the small hours of the morning the money flows from the hands of other gamblers into your pocket. And as your winnings proceed, she becomes more and more excited; planting kisses, praising and buying drinks until you finally retire…

Special Note

The above narrative could also be played out as a role playing scenario around a simple gambling game. A simple game of dice would suffice, where the GM rolls secretly to determine the number the players must beat for each roll of the dice. The “fix” is simply that the GM would give the players an appropriate bonus to their rolls, without telling them, to greatly improve, but not guarantee, their winnings.

Background

Desirae Turpis, also known as The Desire, is a succubus – a seductive “demon” or shape-changer. Her agenda is to lure the PC’s away from town to a particular location where she can trap them. Once the players awake in the morning, Desirae is still there – only it seems the other “gamblers” at the table the previous night have decided to make off with the PCs winnings.  Interrogation of the innkeeper reveals a description of the thieves and the general direction they headed: an abandoned farmstead a few miles outside town. Desirae says she knows the place and can take the PCs there. It is, of course, a trap: what she really needs is their blood for a horrible ritual she is plans perform in the near future.

Tactics

The Desire’s methods include seduction, deception, and manipulation.  She will use force of personality as long as possible to convince the PCs to follow her to the farmstead, her charms focused on the most influential member of the party: who (once charmed) will do everything in their power to also convince the rest of the party that she can be trusted. If these subtle attempts at coercion fail, she will then up the ante and reveal herself a “victim” of the thieving gamblers and that they put her up to scheming to rob the PCs of all their wealth. If, in turn, this also fails then she will attempt to flee – and help her minions lay a trap at the farmstead as the party travels there.

By hook or by crook The Desire will lure the PC’s to the farmstead and the small dungeon beneath it. By this point, the PC’s may or may not have suspected her ruse but nonetheless, once they arrive at the farmstead The Desire will turn on the PCs as her minions appear springing the trap.  Meanwhile, she will flee into the dungeon while her minions engage the party on the surface. The precise nature of these minions should depend on the experience level of the PCs:

• The Desire should have at least one brutish bodyguard that never leaves her side as the battle proceeds. This could be a doppelganger, a possessed thug, or a fanatical demon cultist. This guardian will protect her with their own life.
• Several lesser minions (the gamblers) will also engage the party and be composed of agile, close range melee opponents that rely on quick blades over flashy magic.

Development

After the battle, the part will have to descend into a small, yet well defended dungeon that includes a shrine The Desire uses for her dark ritual. She needs the PCs blood (“the blood of a pure heart” perhaps) to release the apparition from The Desire’s heart and bring it fully into the material world. She believes that by doing so, she will have power over this daemon which will enable her plans to dominate the local populace. In any case, The Desire is an intelligent opponent that uses tricks and enchantments as the driving force behind her agenda. If at any time during the subsequent battles she feels like the end is near, she will attempt to flee. If successful, she will vacate the region entirely only to settle in another place where the locales don’t know the danger she brings.

Awards Findings And Treasure

If the players are successful at reclaiming their stolen property, they should be fairly well set up. There is also likely some additional valuable goods within the dungeon, and the GM should dress the dungeon accordingly. Finally, depending on how the PC’s “play their cards,” now that the farmstead is vacant, there could be a new land grant issued to the PCs from the local lords as a reward for driving her out of the region.

Join the forum discussion on this series

The Damsel in Distress by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Encounter: Warehouse Confrontation

Warehouse Confrontation, by Rob Torno

by Kirk Duplessis

Level: Medium Hard

Magic: Medium

Keywords: Dark, Multi-Level

Terrain: Indoors, Standard, Difficult

Treasure: Moderate

Background

The Desire has designed a new tactic for taking down her entrenched, aristocratic enemies: using an investigator and a black market banker, she tracks down and purchases the target’s debts and cashes them in all at once, resulting not only in the financial destruction of her enemy, but also humiliating them amongst their peers.

Her newest target, Chancellor Marquis, is smarter than usual and has noticed that his debts are being systematically bought from the original lenders.  He has hired the party to find out who is behind it and determine their intentions.

The players have traced the hostile activities back to The Desire; they have also determined the time (tonight) and place (a giant warehouse near the docks) of her final meeting with the banker where she will be finalizing her purchase of the target’s debt.  The players have passed this information along to Marquis and intend to intercept The Desire and partners at the warehouse.

To make matters worse, Chancellor Marquis has become paranoid and doesn’t trust the players; he has dispatched a crew of assassins to follow the players to the rendezvous and kill everyone involved.

Getting into the Warehouse

There are three ways into the warehouse, any of which could be used as a skill-based obstacle for the players to overcome.

1. Getting in through the doors: The most obvious entry points are the large doors at each end of the structure.  During the day, both sets of doors are wide open, and a player might try to sneak or bluff their way in. If the party is trying to break in after sundown, these doors are chained, locked and barred.
2. Walking in through the secret door: Careful examination reveals a secret door in the south wall of the warehouse; this door is unknown to everyone except the banker and his bodyguards, and is locked from the inside.
3. Sneaking in through the sewer: There is a large sewage outlet on the dock side of the warehouse, which runs directly under the paved section of the warehouse floor.  The 5-foot diameter pipe is well maintained; any party members taking this route will be very stinky,  providing a target for any creatures with a sharpened sense of smell.

Once the characters have gained access to the warehouse, read the following:

This building is absolutely cavernous. A wide, stone-paved thoroughfare runs the 200 foot length of the warehouse. The dim lighting obscures many features, but you can sense the large stacks of materials around you, rising as high as 15 feet.  A catwalk overhangs the scene, suspended 20 ft up, whilst a huge crane, supported by enormous crossbeams, hulks silently in the darkness.

Environmental Effects

The internal lighting is dim; characters with normal vision can see clearly for 10 feet. Characters with the ability to see in the dark take no penalties.

There are many opportunities to affect the terrain of the combat.  Hidden among the crates are a number of useful items that can be used by PCs or NPCs, including things such as crates of glue, boxes of nails, barrels of oil, etc.  The location of these items is noted on the map (see below); people must pass within 20 feet of the item to notice them – it then takes a moment to open the crate.

An example of the types of items available to the players include a crate of glue, small barrel of oil, rope, a toolbox, or possibly even a random box of potions or elixirs.

Tactics

As the encounter begins The Desire is meeting with her banker in his office in the northwest corner of the building.  Both have brought guards to the meeting, more as a matter of course than need, but both are very cautious people.  They have been working together for some time, and have established a reasonable level of trust between themselves, enough so that their guards are comfortable playing a game of cards outside the office on a number of crates.

All six guards (4 for The Desire, 2 for the banker) are seasoned veterans; their employers both pay top dollar for security.  Though relaxed, they are alert, and as soon as they become aware of a problem, they will raise the alarm by shouting loudly, which will be easily heard in the roofless office space. The guards they should comfortably survive the 2 rounds of combat necessary for The Desire to arrive and assess the situation.

After a few rounds, once the two groups are heavily engaged, is when the assassins arrive.  Ideally, two harass the party from behind, drawing them to the center of the building, while another takes potshots at The Desire or the banker’s group from the catwalk; the fourth man is sitting in the crane on the third floor.

Once people are in range (see dashed circle, Map 3), he will start dropping random things on them 1/round; each type of crate does a certain amount of damage and causes a secondary effect.  See table below:

% Roll	Contents	Damage	Effect
01-50	Palette of stones	High	Creates 2×2 difficult terrain
51-60	Nails	Medium	Like caltrops, causes slowing injury
61-70	Lantern oil	Low	Creates 2×2 that requires save or fall prone
71-84	Confetti	None	Creates 4×4 reduced visibility
85-94	Pig iron	Very High	None
95-00	Enraged Velociraptor	Medium, crate is 2×2	Roar! (attacks immediately)

Remember to keep the encounter goals in mind:

• The PCs want to capture someone in the know, whether it is the banker or The Desire.
• The assassins wants to capture someone in the know, and kill everyone else
• The banker wants to get away
• The Desire wants to leave, but not without ensuring the security of her position, i.e. the security of the banker. If the combat is going poorly, she will turn on him.

The expectation is that the banker and his guards will eventually make a break for the secret door in the south wall, kicking off a chase through the twisted channels of the warehouse.

Join the forum discussion on this series

DOWNLOAD
THE WAREHOUSE CONFRONTATION ENCOUNTER MAP
by Paul King

Warehouse Confrontation by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Short Fiction: The Ceremony

The Ceremony, Grizzled Lions by Hugo Solis

Written by Jason Cristofaro
Illustrated by Hugo Solis

Ardo sat on the precipice of the Grizzled Lions roof, gazing down at the proceedings below.

“So what do you think of our new Mayor Yorrick?”

The dwarf next to him shifted uncomfortably. Not a fan of heights, he was perched farther up, his hands white-knuckled as he grabbed at the shingles.

“He’s an admirable fighter and an honorable man; I served with him in the 75th battalion over twenty years ago. I give him four months.”

Ardo cocked an eyebrow and grunted. “He’s already eying a promotion?”

Yorrick released his grip on roof and carefully studied his fingernails. After a moment, he looked toward the city center and mused, “No Ardo, in four months he will be a dead.”

“I think you’ve been drinking too much ale old man. Caragen is head of the Order of the White Rose; he has a phalanx of Paladin guards around him at all times. For heaven’s sake look that entourage!”

Ardo gestured to the hundreds of fighting men gathered in military uniform and organized in rigid phalanxes in front of the ceremony. The spectacle stretched out to fill the entire courtyard and extended as far as the marketplace. Closer in, a large group of Paladins in glittering plate mail bearing shields emblazoned with a white rose formed a semicircle in the front of the ceremony.

“He could have ten thousand soldiers under his command Ardo and it wouldn’t matter.” Yorrick looked down and softly whispered, “He has already earned the displeasure of the true lord of this city. I have heard rumblings from some of my contacts that a price has been put on his head. Caragen is a good man, but his enemy is cunning.”

“And who holds such power that a legion of the king’s finest troops is no obstacle?” Ardo mocked.

Yorrick glanced about him for some moments, making certain they were not being observed. He cautiously scrambled down the roof, looking around on more time he drew close to Ardo. He released one hand from its hold cupped it over his mouth, whispering into Ardo’s ear, “Look at the fourth woman to Caragen’s right.”

Ardo peered across the crowd; he muttered a few words of power to enhance his sense of sight and his gaze finally came to rest on a red-haired woman wearing a deep green velvet dress. She was slight in build and appearance, dwarfed by the other dignitaries on the coronation stage.

“I know that woman, that’s the widow Desirae von Edenhaller. What are you talking about you old fool? The lady von Edenhaller has been working tirelessly since the death of her husband for the poor of this city. She personally has funded a number of orphanages and shelters for the poor!” Ardo explained.

“Shut your mouth, fool! Who knows who could be listening!” Yorrick hissed. He gazed down at the stage, looking for a reaction from the widow, but her gaze remained transfixed upon the proceedings.

“Listen to me Ardo and mark my words well. She controls every brothel in this city, every penny of illicit money and every stolen good passes through her or her underlings. Have you not heard the rumors of the children who ‘go missing’ from her orphanages? Many of them are sold into to slavery, or worse. Do not think to cross her. I made that mistake once and Ruttanian paid for it with her life.”

Ardo furrowed his brow, “How do you know all this old dwarf? I thought Ruttanian was killed in a accident, her horse buckled and she was thrown! There were witnesses.”

Yorrick sighed, “Ruttanian confided in may several days before her death that she had been scrying to discover the location of several missing children. After months of tireless work, she eventually was able to discover that the disappearances were related to slavers. Slavers she eventually discovered were hired by the widow herself, but that’s not the whole of it. Ruttanian snuck into the widow’s estate and found evidence that the she was not just involved in slaving, but theft, bribery, prostitution and smuggling as well. Upon discovering this she confided in me and then left to inform the Order of the White Rose. That was the last time I saw her.”

After a moment of silence, Yorrick continued, “Since then I have discretely done my own inquiries, but everything I have learned supports Ruttanian’s allegations.”

“Caragen is a good man, but his war against vice and his recent shuttering of gambling dens and whorehouses has cut into the widow’s business. She is not pleased. Gossip among Caragen’s gnomish servants is that over the course of the past few months several comely young maiden’s have joined and left Caragen’s employ. They told me that the dismissals occurred after these servants acted in ways inappropriate for ladies of high virtue. Apparently Caragen is the rare man for whom such temptations are ineffective.”

“It’s a pity really,” Yorrick continued, “He would probably have been far happier and lived much longer had he been a weaker man…”

Ardo gazed at his friend for a few moments, looking down as the dwarf clung tightly to is seat. He seemed sincere, but Ardo had realized long ago that fanciful tales always sound sincere. Ardo chuckled, “Paranoia and suspicion don’t suit you old man. I suspect you have been led on a goose chase and have spent too much of your time listening to idle gossip and scullery maids for your own good. I didn’t realize the romantic lives of nobles were of such interest to grey-haired old soldiers.”

Yorrick shook his head sadly, “I wish that were true Ardo, I wish I wasn’t right, but mark my words and speak of this to no one.”

They sat silently for a few moments. The ceremony below had reached its nadir and the high priest was about to place the ceremonial coronet on the new mayors head.

As he placed the coronet on Caragen’s head, the priest’s voice boomed, “In the light of the all holy God, I pronounce thee Lord-Mayor of this fair city! Serve thy God and serve thy king!”

Caragen turned to face the crowd as a loud cheer erupted from his men. As he walked to the podium a noticeable amount of sweat beaded on the new Mayor’s brow, suddenly Caragen doubled over and began screaming, “Get it off! Get it off!”

Several of Caragen’s guards moved forward as blood began to trickle from his forehead. A second later, the mayor collapsed. As he fell forward and slammed against the ground his body shattered as if made of glass. Fragments of his person scattering all over the stage. Screams of horror began to swell in the crowd and confusion set in. The guard’s seized the high priest whose countenance belied shock and horror.

Ardo turned to Yorrick who simply shook his head and looked back at the crowd on the stage. It was then he noticed Desirae von Edenhaller. A chill ran down his spine. As he watched the face of the widow, no one else paid notice, but Ardo could clearly see the outlines of a faint smile. It was easy to discern as her eyes were not fixed on the scene unfolding before her. Her gaze turned upward, toward a dwarf and an elf sitting on the roof of a tavern…

Join the forum discussion on this series

The Ceremony by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Sisters of Sanctity

Written by Paul King
Illustrated by Matt Lichtenwalner

“It was through the indulgence of physical urges – though not our own – that we were left broken and abused.  It is by the mastery and control of those same urges that we shall reclaim this land, and free ourselves from the shackles of depravity that have been placed upon every man, woman and child – though not all can recognize the danger.  And, where restraint and self-control cannot overcome, we shall take up the enemy’s sword and show her that it can cut both ways.” – Katherine Buckner, Sister Superior

Background

It is said the temptress known as ‘The Desire‘ exists to inflict pain and humiliation upon men of power.  But there is another group of victims rarely considered when yet another desiring admirer is brought to ruin: the victim’s wives and daughters.  These innocents not only find themselves humiliated and disgraced by association, but separated from the men they once loved. Without warning, they found themselves without any means to support themselves and, far too often, without a roof over their heads.  They suffered for the sins of another.

In their shame and destitution, a group of women, all separated from noblemen whose shameful indiscretions had been made public, came to realize that their only hope of survival, and perhaps healing, lay in banding together to support one another.  In the early days, they struggled to make ends meet and saved what little money they could. In time, they eventually purchased a small house and from there began to draw in individuals who had experienced, or were currently in, similar situations.

In sharing their stories, these women came to recognize a common thread: the source of all their shame and suffering appeared to fall at the feet of one particular, pale-skinned noble woman – Lady Desirae Turpis.  It was soon concluded that, as their bonds of poverty and pain strengthened, so too would their resolve to bring about the downfall of this vile woman who continued to ruin so many lives.

Motivations & Goals

The Sisterhood sees The Desire as the source of all the carnal vices that have become so commonplace and prevalent in their city.  It is their belief that, should she leave – through exile or worse – then the city might be restored to its former glory and once again be looked upon again as a example of virtue and decency in the world.  While the Sisters realize that restoring the public’s sense of decency and personal responsibility will not take away the scars of the past, they rejoice at every marriage that is saved and every family that survives the depredations of The Desire and her ‘agents of lust and depravity.’

There is another, deeper motivation that drives those of the Sisterhood whose husbands and lovers were stripped from them, along with their self-esteem and security. These Sisters would be loathe to admit it, but they too have within them a burning desire that yearns to be satisfied: Revenge.

Organization

While not a religious organization, the Sisters do feel that they are set apart from society by their commitment to a highly disciplined lifestyle.  They operate on the level of a guild or a well-organized civic group.  Their size and influence have grown to the point that they are able to lobby for reform within the local aristocracy and royal court with varying levels of success.  Of course, The Desire and her agents also work to gain the ear of any and all in power, and the two diverse interests are frequently clashing.

The group is comprised primarily of women from two backgrounds: the aforementioned victims of infidelity and broken families; and a younger generation of girls raised in the Sisterhood who have not been personally hurt by broken relationships, but have been given a deep and abiding animosity towards The Desire (and society women in general) as well as an inadvertent distrust of men – though curiosity remains.

There are two branches to the Sisters of Sanctity: First is the ‘official’ branch of the Sisterhood, which engages in outreach programs and stages protests and gatherings in and around the community.  The majority of Sisters is active in this branch and easily recognized by their modest dress and behaviors.  They strive to show kindness and generosity to all – especially disenfranchised women and children, but have a very low tolerance for those who work in or patronize houses of ill-repute.

It is the goal of these women to turn public opinion against those businesses and individuals who profit from feeding the vices of men. For every program or event the Sisters participate in, a committee is formed to see it through.  Each committee has a manager, and each manager reports to the head of the Sisters, who, in turn, must report to the Senior Council, chaired by the Sister Superior.  Every position in the organization is democratically elected from a pool of qualified nominees.

A second, lesser known, branch of the Sisters of Sanctity is comprised of undercover agents who infiltrate the brothels, gambling parlors and drug dens, collecting information and looking for evidence that will tie The Desire to the criminal activity in the kingdom.  These women, often left bitter and jaded by a previous failed relationship, take a solemn vow to protect the secrecy of the Sisterhood in these endeavors at all cost.  They are under no illusions that about what this role may require of them, and have committed themselves to the ruination of The Desire by any means necessary.  These agents each have two contacts, a primary and a back-up (should the former be compromised), with whom they meet and pass along information.  These contacts then report back to the head of this branch who, as in the public branch, reports to the Senior Council and the Sister Superior.  The majority of the Sisterhood knows little or nothing about this side of their organization.

Hooks

A terrified prostitute approaches the PC’s.  She has overheard from the mercenaries that frequent her brothel of a plan on the king’s life, and The Desire is involved.  Her contact has missed their scheduled meet-up and she fears the worst.  If her identity has been compromised, she will most likely be killed.  Should she fail to deliver her information, the king may very well be assassinated.  If she succeeds, the Sisterhood will gain standing with the king and a powerful blow will be dealt to The Desire and her schemes.

The PC’s arrive in town and happen upon a band of heavily armed mercenaries bearing down on a group of unarmed women staging a protest.  They have been working to shut down the brothel/gambling hall/drug den and the owner has had enough of their interference.

The PC’s reputation precedes them as champions of justice – they are contacted by a member of the Senior Council.  She fears that an agent of The Desire has infiltrated the Sisterhood and is feeding them information on all their operations.  This could potentially lead to the death of every undercover operative and undo years of careful espionage.  The mole must be discovered and (preferably) apprehended – but the PC’s must be absolutely certain of any accusations made.

Combat Tactics

The Sisterhood does not engage in violence.  They prefer to pass information along to the proper authorities and allow those charged with upholding the law to do their job.  However, if a specific or persistent threat against the Sisterhood is identified, hiring a security force might be considered.  Caution must be taken, however, as most of the sell-swords in the area are under The Desire’s influence and cannot be trusted.

Join the forum discussion on this series

Sisters of Sanctity by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Objects of Desire

Written by John Payne
Illustrated by James Keegan

Aegis of Prudence

The aegis of prudence usually appears as an amulet in one of two different forms. In its primary form, it appears as a triangular-shaped pendant with a large bloodstone set in the center. Inscribed around the bloodstone are the names of three angels. In this form, it is primarily used by men to protect against succubi and/or seduction by women. The other form is a circular pendant inscribed with the names of three angels around a single moonstone. This form is primarily used by women to protect themselves against the advances of an incubus, humans or otherwise. Both versions of the amulet protect the wearer from demon possession, regardless of the gender of the wearer or the demon.

At least one aegis has been found in the form of an earring studded with moonstones set in silver.

Demontrapper

A demontrapper is a type of sasumata, a seven to ten foot pole with a half-moon or ‘U’ shaped head. Small spikes form along the end of the pole and inside the head. It can be used against targets up to 10 feet away. The pole itself is usually an ordinary hardwood pole. Although quite ordinary looking, the head is mystical/magical in nature.

When employed by a person trained in its use, the demontrapper prevents a creature from teleporting, becoming ethereal, or traveling to another plane of existence.

Disorienting Dulband

This turban is found as a length of ornate grayish-blue unstitched cloth with a small blue gem for a clip. When properly folded and tied on a person’s head, it grants to wearer the ability to appear about a foot away from their true location. Viewers beyond twenty feet of the wearer do not notice this effect.

Within twenty feet, the turban prevents anyone from directly gazing into the eyes of the wearer. This protects the wearer for any kind of magical or mental attack requiring the attacker to focus on its target. It can provide a small bonus to dodge melee attacks.

Masks of Truth

This set of masks appear like any one of a variety of masks a man would wear to a masquerade ball or carnival of the social elite. These masks were created by a wizard suffering from ever increasing dementia. A lover of parties, he began to suspect that some of the women he danced with were actually demons. As the first masks revealed no demons, he was convinced that demons were actually present, but that his magic was somehow ineffective in revealing their true identities. He assumed that the demons were employing stronger countermagick to negate the effects of his masks. As a result, he made each one more powerful than the last.

Finally, a succubus was revealed to him by one of his masks at a party. He saw her in her true form while others saw only her human form. Encouraged by this success, he continued to make them more and more powerful.

In the end, the last masks not only revealed a creature’s true form (regardless of gender), but a creature’s true motives as well. The wizard’s paranoia grew worse as he discovered more and more his friends and acquaintances true motives. He believed he could read their thoughts. He was eventually driven completely mad by discovering too much truth. His current whereabouts are unknown.

The first three masks cover the eyes, sitting on the bridge of the nose. The wearer must use the attached baton to place the mask over his or her eyes. The first mask has a diamond pattern that alternates bright read and grin with gold trim. The second mask is roughly provides the appearance of an eagle’s head. The third mask is layered with gold leaf with raised vine patterns weaved throughout. The power of these first three masks allows the wearer to see the true form of any demon that has taken human form by their own innate ability. It does not, however, allow the wearer to see the true form of a demon that someone else changed into human form.

The next two masks are crafted to cover only the eyes and nose of the wearer. The colors and patterns on the mask change over time. The changes are almost imperceptible over time, yet the design can appear completely different every two hours. These two masks allows the wearer to see a demon’s true form and the true form of any creature that has been magically transformed.

The penultimate mask covers the eyes, nose and cheeks of the wearer. It is kept on the face by a cord that is tied in the back. It is black with jarring red and blue shapes trimmed in silver leaf. It is quite distinctive in appearance, though only its creator and those that have worn it know its true nature. In addition to seeing the true form of any demon or magically altered creature, it can also protect the wearer from mind reading.

The final mask, a bauta, is white and covers the entire face. The mask has a square jaw line pointed upwards to allow for talking, eating and drinking without having to take off the mask. It shares the powers of the black mask, but also allows the wearer to peer into the thoughts of others. To use this ability, the wearer must look directly at his intended target and focus for a few seconds.

Another mask exists of unknown origin. It is a black oval mask that covers everything but the outer edge of the face. It has large eye holes and sharp angles on the cheekbones and no opening for the mouth. It is held on the face by biting a small bit behind the mask. Unlike all the other masks, this one appears quite feminine. This mask incapacitates the wearer. The victim is still alive and breathing, but he or she is unable to speak. The victim is able to walk around slowly and is highly susceptible to the wishes of other.

Join the forum discussion on this series

Objects of Desire by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Highcourt, City on the Edge

Written by Jonathan Jacobs
Illustrated by Danny Rupp

Introduction

Over two decades ago, a powerful earthquake drained Mokosh Lake, a vast body of water that was a lifeline for Highcourt and its surrounding provinces. The lake once provided fresh water for farms, trade for traveling merchant marines, and a seemingly endless supply of fish and crabs to its people. Now, where its docks were once chockablock with fishermen, merchants, and travelers, Highcourt’s docks are nothing more than teetering planks of drift wood hanging over a sunken, black swamp below. The city as a whole has become a festering sore, slowly sliding off its rocky perch into the vast Mokosh Swamp to its West. To no one’s surprise, the fishermen and farmers have long since fled and large sections of the city lie completely abandoned or worse. The only regular visitors to Highcourt these days are the passing merchants who stop for salacious relaxation and a few days of gambling. It is also not uncommon for some of the kingdom’s most respected nobles to frequent the city as a “holiday in the country.” For all these sordid things, Highcourt has them in spades and that is exactly how The Desire wants to keep things.

Background

Highcourt is an old city that grew up from a small fishing village. Its growth was largely the result of a deep water lake harbor and a broad floodplain to its east that was an ideal pastureland. The combination of agricultural exports coupled with the ability to accommodate large galleys made Highcourt a central trading hub for the region. As the city grew, so did its importance as a center of prosperity, culture, and government. At the peak of Highcourt’s prominence, it featured two scholarly colleges and more than a dozen trade guilds. The city eventually had seven wards, each separated by high walls and gate houses; beyond the outer most walls lay an urban sprawl that spilled into the countryside for miles.

Then, some twenty-three years ago, the rise of Highcourt was brought abruptly to an end. An earthquake destroyed a large portion of the city, but no building was left untouched by the quake’s wrath. As the people of the city rallied together to rebuild, the worst effects of the tragedy came slowly. In the months that followed, Mokosh Lake slowly drained away and left behind a black and fetid swampland. The rivers feeding the lake had been diverted by the earthquake to other destinations. Ships stopped coming to Highcourt altogether, and those that were in port at the time of the quake were left to be grounded in the swampland below the city. What was once a deep harbor became sunken marshland.

Along with the departing of the water, so too did the people of Highcourt leave to find more prosperous lands. Many of the farmers in the surrounding country remained, but they no longer had large bustling markets or ship captains looking to fill their cargoes with grain. Within two years, the city’s governing council collapsed and the rule of law was placed into the hands of Mayor Saibo Blackhunter – a thug and criminal by many accounts.

Now, after decades of decline, Highcourt is a lawless refuge for the kingdoms worst offenders. Entire wards of the city have been abandoned and a few have even been sealed up over fears of what lays within. The Market Ward, which sits directly along the major trade road through the region, remains the only section of the city that is even marginally safe.

The Market Ward

Mayor Saibo Blackhunter uses force and intimidation to maintain the appearance of law and order within the walls of The Market Ward. Buildings have a fresh look and the streets are regularly cleaned of trash and debris. New visitors to Highcourt coming to this ward often think the city is on the mend, but these first impressions are usually quickly forgotten once they have a chance to stay a while.

The real goal of Saibo and Desirae Turpin (see below) is to provide services and products to Highcourt’s visitors that are not easily obtained elsewhere in the kingdom. They understand that appearances are everything, and they have gone to great lengths to rebuild the Ward to make it as appealing as possible, especially to those who are used to more comfortable settings. Under a thinly veiled pretense of personal entertainment and pleasure; drunken debauchery, gambling, prostitution, blood sports, and even slave trading are all regular fare for Highcourt these days. As a result, its reputation has reached every corner of the kingdom. “We celebrated like we were in Highcourt!” has even become a common expression from people who have indulged too much, but thoroughly enjoyed it.

Anyone who stays in The Market Ward for more than a few days is likely to realize that Mayor Saibo is not really the one calling the shots; it’s Desirae Turpin; also known simply as The Desire. She surrounds herself with an aura of authority and soul-aching want, as well as an entourage of well armed consorts. The source of her unnatural power remains a mystery, and it is said that no man can turn down one of her requests. Saibo Blackhunter is no exception to that rule either. Rumors have it that she orchestrated the dissolution of the town’s governing council and Saibo’s appointment nearly twenty years ago. Rumor or not, once he was handed the title of Mayor of Highcourt, The Desire stepped out from behind her curtain of secrecy as his lover and partner. In the years since, she has successfully reigned in control of some of town’s worst factions and set up The Market Ward as her seat of authority. The average visitor has nothing to fear from her though, unless of course, they have something she wants.

The Other Wards

The rest of the city is a mishmash of wards and neighborhoods with varying degrees of occupation. Each ward has its own unique character, but the one thing they all have in common is a total absence of law & order.

Colleges of Science & Witchcraft: The waterfront ward surrounding the ruins of the two colleges in Highcourt was once an upscale residential neighborhood that featured two markets and Shops Lane: a half-mile long stretch of specialty shops catering to the super elite. But that was two decades ago. Now, the majority of the row houses are boarded up and empty, and those that are occupied provide residence to the town’s recluses. The old colleges also look abandoned. Many of the buildings on each of the campuses collapsed after the earthquake and were never rebuilt. Recently, rumors have spread through The Market Ward that some scholars looking to reclaim something have holed up in the basement of the College of Witchcraft.

The Docks: The many docks that once lined the harbor of Highcourt now stand high above the marshlands that have claimed the lake bottom below. It’s a dismal place with scores of run down shacks and empty market squares that barely lend any clues to its former status. The main residents of this ward include a group of thieves and thugs who have converted a collection of warehouses into a walled compound.

Duke’s Palace: Sitting high on the central hill in the center of the town lays the Duke Genbdenhal’s palace. The Duke and his entire family were killed during the earthquake when his residence collapsed. The town council, before it handed authority over to Mayor Saibo Blackhunter, sealed this palace after there were reports of some unnatural beasts roaming the grounds within. The Desire would like nothing more than to have the palace cleared out and to make it her own residence and brothel, but she has yet to find anyone willing to break the seal and venture inside.

Northport: This section of the city was once a small village north of Highcourt that eventually became part of its larger neighbor as both communities grew into one. It lacks any walls, and lies several miles up the same road that The Market Ward sits on. It is the only area in Highcourt where “honest” people reside. Northport includes several small taverns and two inns that do not offer anything beyond drink, food, and a bed to sleep in. Parties interested in more nefarious activities are directed to The Market Ward to the south. While there’s no port anymore, the small community has maintained one of the only farmers markets in the region. With the help of the priests and congregation from a local holy temple, they have also managed to resist the infiltration by agents representing The Desire and her organization.

Temple Quarter: This hard to reach area of Highcourt is situated at the end of a peninsula that juts out into what was once the lake. Now, it looks more like a finger of rock sticking out into the marshlands and topped with no less than a dozen ruined brick and marble temples. Seemingly devoid of life, something unsavory moves about in the night in the Temple Quarter. Observers will note that no vegetation grows among the ruins there, despite the sweltering subtropical heat.

Westend: On the southern end of the city lies Westend, a waterfront district that once was the home to lower and middle class citizens of Highcourt. This ward was expanded three times over the years, so a series of gatehouses and walls partition the ward into several smaller districts. These days, life in Westend is fairly bleak as there are no functioning markets and not a single merchant shop from which to purchase any goods or services. Nonetheless, people looking to hide from preying eyes or for a place to start over remain here or have come and taken up residence in the homes that remained. The only notable group within Westend is The Marshlanders, a group of hunters who are the only trackers and guides who are able to navigate the quick-sinking mud lands of Mokosh Swamp.

Using Highcourt

Highcourt can be easily dropped into any RPG campaign setting with little to no changes in its description. The city works well either as a frontier destination that is beyond the usual authorities at the heart of civilization, or possibly as a city set more centrally in a dystopic civilization in the midst of its fall.

Highcourt is well suited for gritty adventure and seedy dealings with the underbelly of adventure. Also, since much of the city is ruined and uninhabitable, there are many possibilities for more traditional adventures take place among the ruins. The city sewers, temple ruins, or the lower levels of the Colleges provide excellent opportunities for classical dungeon adventures. In addition, the nearby marshlands and prairielands give ample locations for above ground adventure and exploration as well.

Some possible adventure hooks set in Highcourt could include:

1. The PCs answer a summons by a high ranking noble that takes them to Highcourt in search of a slave who is really the son or daughter of the noble.
2. The PCs are framed in a crime they did not commit. To avoid the numerous Wanted posters throughout the countryside, they seek refuge in Highcourt only to discover that The Desire had framed them in the first place. She then blackmails the PCs into breaking the seal at the Palace and exploring the ruins within.
3. A small enclave of arcane scholars has gone missing in the ruins of the College of Witchcraft. The PCs accept a commission by The Desire to find her “friends”, only to discover that what she really wants the artifact the scholars were searching for in the first place: an ancient horn that could be used to return Mokosh Swamp back into a lake.
4. The royal court has issued a bounty for the arrest and capture of The Desire and the Mayor of Highcourt. The PCs travel to Highcourt in the hopes of defeating her only to find that she has fled into the ruins. Through careful exploration and diplomacy, the PCs must find The Desire and bring her before the royal court for trial.

Join the forum discussion on this series

Highcourt, City on the Edge by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Order of Artemis

Written by John Payne
Illustrated by Rob Torno

Editing by Ian Toltz and Paul King

O Cheir tes Poines (The Hand of Vengeance)

Background

The origins of the order begin with Taelyn, the former wife of a respected councilman. Through the efforts of an unknown woman or demon, Taelyn’s husband was disgraced and branded as a traitor for embezzlement of city funds. She discovered her husband’s body–dead by his own hand–lying next to his temptress. Taelyn watched as this woman strolled out the door, powerless to stop her. The demon’s parting words still reverberate in her ears:

Power is my master. I have worked too hard at his conquest to allow anyone to take him away from me.

The Order of Artemis is an organization comprised of women dedicated to banishing demons and administering justice. There are two requirements to become a member: losing your love to an evil woman and gaining the trust of a current member. After a time of testing, those that pass are granted membership. New members immediately begin training in a combat skill or magic. The specific skill or magic is determined by the leader of the local leader of the Order. Upon joining, a member is bound to other members by a solemn oath; breaking this oath results in a death sentence.

It is also believed that members of the group are branded with a secret tattoo. This is unverified information. Such markings are never obvious as the order is currently illegal. If it exists, it would seem to serve as a secret way for one member to identify another.

In a recent covert operation, members posed as hirelings working for an organized crime syndicate. Leaders within the Order of Artemis believed that one or more demons were directing the syndicate’s actions. When the purported leader was captured, it was discovered that he was a friend of the king. To prevent the order from being discovered, he was exiled to the underworld.

The king considers the order an outlaw vigilante group and actively pursues the capture of its members. However, many of the poor and homeless actively protect the order from the King. In many slums, they are considered heroes, especially in places where agents of The Desire have been eliminated.

Mission

The organization exists to seek vengeance against anyone that has harmed members of the group. A secondary goal is to protect other women from suffering caused by others, regardless of the source. This has brought the order into conflict with the King, certain demonic princes of the underworld, and most specifically of The Desire herself.

Structure

The Order of Artemis is highly-disciplined and rigidly organized. Taelyn is the leader of the entire order. Her select group of advisers and retainers comprise the First Cohort. The First Cohort is responsible for making decisions that affect the entire order as it operates throughout the world. Under the First Cohort are local cohorts responsible protecting various cities or areas within the kingdom. Each local cohort reports to the First Cohort, but is given great leeway to make decisions locally.

Within each cohort, members are organized into individual teams of four specialists. One specialist uses magic. Another uses a unique weapon called a demontrapper, a type of sasumata that prevents a creature captured by it from enacting a magical escape. The third member of a team is an expert in the crossbow while the last is lethal with bladed weapons. Occasionally, the local cohort leader will accompany a team.

Members of the Order avoid lethal combat whenever possible. Magic is used to immobilize targets, banish demons, or aid individuals of the order. If no other options exist, a team will use lethal force with calculated efficiency.

Benefits/Drawbacks

• The greatest benefit of membership within the order is the physical protection provided by the local cohort. In a few cases, more than one cohort, led by Taelyn herself, will stand together to protect a member.
• Members are provided with a strong purpose after suffering the devastating loss of a loved one.
• A side benefit, depending on perspective, is training in a combat skill or magic.
• The greatest drawback in being a member is a vow to remain faithful to a deceased spouse. A member can never fall in love again. The cost of breaking this vow is exile.

Adventure Hooks

• The party encounters a woman being attacked by what appears to be four assailants. The woman calls out for help when pinned to a wall by one of her attackers.
• A female member of the party is being followed by an Artemis member. In a case of mistaken identity, the local cohort believes that the female party member is a demon. When efforts to isolate the female member of the party prove unsuccessful, the cohort tries to take her while the party is sleeping.
• At the behest of a councilman, the party is hired to investigate reports of vigilantes that have begun terrorizing the town recently. It seems that this band of thugs target women as their victims.

Join the forum discussion on this series

Order of Artemis by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Brotherhood of Infinite Nights

Written by Matt Cicci
Illustrated by Rob Torno

To us, forever. – A common toast performed by members of the Brotherhood of Infinite Nights

Background

Many races have accused elves and their kin of a certain haughtiness, a certain inborn racial arrogance. However, there is another trait that the races often attribute to the elves, albeit begrudgingly – goodness. Elves are renowned for their wisdom and their efforts to do right by the world at large. They practice peace and present a harmonious face to the world. But in every garden, a few weeds inevitably arise, and therefore must be removed.

It is these cast-out scoundrels, con men, and rogues that form The Brotherhood of Infinite Nights. Exiled from the elven lands, they have found a home in the cities of the kingdom. These outcasts took to joining guilds and running petty cons; other found money through assassination and thievery. However, it took the insight, charisma, and voice of an exiled noble, Caius Formyth, to gather this widespread collection of fey criminals together, and set them on a path towards criminal dominance.

The Brotherhood of Infinite Nights thrives under Caius’s leadership. Practicing every crime from assassinations to slave-trading, nothing is beneath them for the right coin. They grow stronger with every member and every crime, and their solidarity makes them nearly impossible to weaken or infiltrate.

Mission

The Brotherhood’s mission is two-fold. Short term, they strive to maintain and acquire wealth through myriad criminal ventures across the kingdom. They are always on the lookout for new opportunities, be they businessmen to extort or ports where they can ship out kidnapped slaves.

The second aspect of their mission is more insidious. Caius believes in elven superiority; elves are the longest-lived race, and he believes the most intelligent and wise. His empire is more than a criminal one; it is the seed from which a stronger, more decisive elven nation will grow. For Caius, each member is a future citizen and a future soldier.

Caius is intelligent; he realizes that many obstacles and many scores of years must be conquered before his dream even comes close to fruition. But, the Brotherhood is elven, they can afford patience.

Structure

Only exiled male elves may join the Brotherhood. Caius measure’s each elf’s aptitude and assigns them to a sect. While all members belong to the Brotherhood, each sect is highly independent.

For example, the sect in Port Yeoman deals extensively with fencing black market goods in and out of the kingdom. This is their singular concern; as long as they remain profitable, they may run the operation as they see fit. This independence allows for fluidity and security as individual sects have little knowledge regarding others.

Each sect has a leader, and these leaders meet monthly at Caius’s estate to discuss Brotherhood affairs; these meetings are often as much revel as they are business. Caius himself is a handsome elf born of noble birth. He was considered too unruly for the Elven Court after he was found fomenting a collection of elves to raid a nearby logging community.

Hooks

Elves have always possessed an indomitable will and a resistance to charms. These traits make The Brotherhood of Infinite Nights a threat that The Desire cannot easily infiltrate or subvert. Though both Caius and The Desire are far from good, their struggle should prove furtive ground for PC adventures.

The Best Little Brothel in Cliffside Vale

The Desire’s ire was raised when she discovered this Brotherhood brothel in the mining town of Cliffside Vale. Knowing her usual tricks won’t work, The Desire sets the PCs to the task of ‘freeing those poor, frightened women from the Brotherhood’s tyranny.’ The Desire will tell the PCs whatever it takes to see that brothel burn.

Desire’s Little Black Book

Caius knows all too well he cannot infiltrate The Desire’s social circle with his elves; he needs an outside party. Caius will offer a hefty sum to the PCs if they can get their hands on her little black book … and the names of all the nobles, regents, and politicos within in it.

Fighting for a Pawn

In a battle of wits and resources as dangerous as the one Caius and The Desire play, every piece has importance. Elamaro is a flashy elven bard; he is also one of the Brotherhood’s best con men. Of late Caius has heard reports that he has been seen about the capitol with The Desire’s courtesans. Fearing the loss of one of his top men, Caius wants him returned . . . dead or alive.

Join the forum discussion on this series

Brotherhood of Infinite Nights by Nevermet Press is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.nevermetpress.com/contact.

Next Page »