Heading Out
On the Road
By morning, all of Amon’s guests have left except for the slaves (guards, MM pg. 347, with no weapons or armor) who are traveling with him. Amon has a sturdy 6 ft x 8 ft cart for the men to ride in. The cart is pulled by (2) draft horses (MM pg. 321), with Amon leading them on foot. The horses can pull the wagon at their full movement speed, but it exhausts them, so Amon will drive them at a relaxed 30 ft speed over the course of the trip. If the players have bought horses, they will not help reduce the overall travel time. The trip takes 4 days notwithstanding any delays.
The party will have to earn their keep during the journey. Use the random encounter table below to decide what encounters the party faces. You can use your judgement to decide how often to roll on the table or determine when the party has an encounter randomly. It is recommended to roll about three times over the course of the trip, but you can roll more or less frequently depending on your pacing needs. The combat encounters on the table are of varying difficulty, so the party may handle more than one per day if you wish. If combat breaks out on the road, Amon will stay next to the cart to protect the young men riding inside, resorting to violence only if he or the men are directly attacked. Gonzo is always safe in Amon’s robes.
Roll 1D12 + 1D8
| 2-4 | Roll 1d20. On an even result Amon’s wagon breaks down, and the party must pass your choice of ability checks or lose a day of travel repairing the wagon. On an odd result one of the horses stumbles and suffers an injury, cutting their travel pace in half for the rest of the journey unless the party has access to magical healing. This encounter only happens once, reroll if it results again. | 12 | A jovial merchant (veteran, MM pg. 350) passes by, prepared to buy or sell most simple weapons, light armor, and a variety of small mundane pieces of equipment. There is a 50% chance the merchant also has 1d4 basic healing potion + 1d4 other uncommon potions or spell scrolls for sale. The inventory and prices can vary widely. The merchant keeps a potion of invisibility on hand for his own safety. |
| 5-7 | 2d4+2 bandits (MM pg. 343) and (APL-1) thugs (MM pg. 350) ambush the party from behind some rocks by the road. They make a Dexterity (Stealth) check against the party’s highest passive perception score. On a success they catch the party by surprise. | 13 | 2d4 cultists (MM pg. 345) with (APL-1) death dogs (MM pg. 321). They are unfriendly but not immediately hostile. They rudely ask several personal and prying questions, but they will eventually move on without attacking unless the players choose to escalate. |
| 8 | A beehive near the road is dripping heavily with glittering, golden honey. It is quite tantalizing, even though the hive is built in the ribcage of a rotting lion carcass. A creature that eats any honey must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a success the creature gains advantage on saves against poison for 1 minute. On a failure the creature becomes poisoned for an hour. The honey can be collected for later use with the appropriate supplies, but being greedy might provoke the (APL) swarm of flying insects (MM pg. 338)… | 14 | A mighty sandstorm blows across the party’s path. The party navigator must pass a DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check, or the party will lose a day of travel wandering in the dust. Regardless of the check result, the party finds a curiosity (random trinket) in the road after the storm clears. |
| 9 | 2d4 poison snakes (MM pg. 334), controlled by (APL-1) yuan-ti purebloods (MM pg. 310) | 15-17 | (APL+1) Hungry crocodiles (MM pg. 320) basking by the road |
| 10 | (APL+1) Dust Mephits (MM pg. 215) appear and harass the party | 18 | There is a pile of stones (ebenezer) near the road. Each character gains a point of inspiration (this benefit happens only once for each time this encounter is rolled). |
| 11 | A jackalwere (MM pg. 193) (jackal form only)+(APL)d4 jackals (MM pg. 331) | 19-20 | A deva (MM pg. 16) disguised as a haggard commoner (MM pg. 345) hails the party and offers helpful advice or a warning that will foreshadow some challenge later in the adventure. |
Skitla
After 2 days of travel, the caravan arrives at the border town of Skitla. Read or paraphrase aloud:
Upon arriving in town, Amon guides the group to the inn and reserves 6-7 modest rooms for him, the party, and the slaves to share (presumably 2 to a room. Amon will share a room with one of the slaves). He and the slaves will then retire to the inn’s foyer to eat and socialize. The characters are free to explore and engage with the local shops and sites in town before they join them.
There are not many goods to be found in Skitla. It is mainly a stop for travelers to replenish their food and water, and sleep in greater comfort than a simple bedroll can provide before continuing their journey. But what the outpost lacks in accommodations, it makes up for in networking. Skitla is not under direct control of any nearby governments, but rather is independently operated by a family of gnomes known as the Gosenjis. The Gosenji family and their eponymous mercenary company (15 thugs MM pg. 350, half-orcs) keep a close eye on the comings and goings at the outpost, making sure all transactions are honest and all scuffles are settled outside the fence. As long as everyone plays nice, they are welcome to take refuge and spend coin at the oasis. Vagrants, sell-swords, and convicts alike come to Skitla for prospects and protection. There is ample opportunity to share rumors, swap secrets, buy and sell services, or just engage in simple wagers of skill or chance with the other visitors (See map appendix).
Amon's Story
By the time the players are ready to rest the slaves have all retired to their rooms for the night, leaving Amon drinking by himself at a table in the foyer. As the players return from their business in town, Amon calls them over to join him before going up to their rooms.
Amon buys everyone a drink and begins the conversation by focusing on the characters. He praises them for their clever and brave deeds on the journey so far, and gently questions them about less commendable acts they may have committed. If nothing else, he will comment on what he can glean from their appearances and ask a little about their lives and backgrounds. After the characters talk about themselves for a bit, Amon expresses his thankfulness that he was able to find such a group to escort his caravan to Thinis. He explains that it is hard to find decent people to help with these missions, since most fall into one of two categories: self-righteous folk who want nothing to do with the slave market, or unscrupulous thugs with little regard for others.
At this point Amon begins to share about his own past. He reminisces about the one who taught him about compassion, kindness and selflessness- his former mistress. She was an elven archmage named Patra.
It was she that first had the tradition of offering her slaves the choice of freedom after seven years of service, for she held a very altruistic perspective of the world. “As diverse as they are, the peoples of the world aren’t so different,” she would say, “Many renowned heroes have come from the humblest of beginnings, and even the most fearsome tyrants are destined for the same oblivion as their subjects. Master or slave, there is no favoritism on the final scales of judgement.” This was the reason she gave every slave the rightful opportunity to claim their freedom. At the time Amon couldn’t imagine why anyone would choose to be a slave. Surely there was some enchantment at play here. He acknowledged Patra’s tradition with a smile, but stayed on his guard against any subtle charm she might employ.
The working conditions were quite agreeable; Patra made sure work was divided fairly among her servants and kept them in comfortable living quarters to preserve their strength and morale. Amon counted himself lucky to have such an accommodating mistress. As time carried on, Patra grew to favor him and took time to teach him about a wide range of topics. As the years went by, Amon became as educated as any member of high society, mastering multiple languages, arts, and business skills that proved enduringly valuable (though he never had any sort of proclivity for magic). But the most fundamental thing Patra taught him was the value of each and every living soul.
And then the day finally came, and Amon excitedly answered Patra’s summons on the morning after his seventh year was up. It had flown by like a silk sash in the breeze. But as he hurried to Patra’s chamber he was overcome with a sudden ambivalence. He realized he would miss this place, his friends in the city, and the now familiar walls of the estate, and especially Patra. He didn’t want to venture far after he claimed his freedom. But why venture anywhere at all? What was out there that he wanted so much? What did he leave his old home and family to search for? Wealth? Glory? The last seven years had been filled with peace and satisfaction that he could never have afforded on his own. His time in this place had provided him with all the challenge and growth he never realized he needed. Amon took a deep breath as he considered Patra’s kindness and care towards him, and he realized why she made him serve for so long before giving him the chance to go free.
As an adventurer, he thought he was his own master. But in truth, he was controlled by many influences; promises of wealth, the opinions of his comrades, and of course those who could oppress him simply with sheer might or superior intellect. “But no one can serve more than one master” he realized. Patra was a better mistress to him than anyone else, including himself, so that morning he swore himself to Patra’s service for the rest of his life.
Although Amon was Patra’s slave for many more years after that, he never considered it a position of lowliness or disgrace. He cherished his time learning from her and helping in her endeavors. They even exchanged gifts as a sign of their devotion. Amon still wears a necklace from her as a reminder of their trust.
. . . . .
Amon draws the necklace out of his tunic, and stares at it somberly for a while as he concludes his tale. Then he finishes his drink, wishes the players a good night, and leaves the table. If any character asks about Patra‘s current whereabouts, Amon just regards the question in silence while his gaze drifts dejectedly into the distance. He only says one more thing after he gets up:
“Patra gave me many reasons to live in her house. But regardless of everything she imparted to me, I could never have left her anyway. I loved her.”
After Amon disappears into his room the players may discuss what they’ve just heard or make plans for the next day before starting their own rest.