Of Bondage and Betrayal

A ONE-SHOT ADVENTURE FOR LEVELS 1--3 

This is module 1 of the 4 module “Epic of Vidarion” adventure set.  All four modules are designed to be played either together as a continuous adventure, or as separate modules independently.  You should read through the entire module before attempting to run it so you know what to expect and can best prepare for your specific gaming group. 

Adventure Synopsis

Adventure awaits beyond the shifting sands of the desert wastes! The respected merchant Amon is transporting priceless goods, and he needs all the protection he can get as he treks across the wilderness. All manner of danger lurks in the realms beyond civilization; not only wanton criminals and wild beasts, but Amon’s own unscrupulous rival is hot on his heels, and you never know if a stranger on the desert path will prove to be friend or foe.   

The adventure begins in the humble town of Seruvale, where the characters are hired for a simple mission to escort Amon’s caravan to Thinis, the metropolitan jewel of the region.  There are enough reasons to hire good protection on the open road, but Amon has greater reason for worry: his rival, Tentamun, is desperate for better sales, and is not above literally cutthroat business practices.  Currently, Tentamun is plotting to murder Amon before he can reach Thinis by intercepting him in the outpost of Skitla.  Amon has moved up the timetable of his journey as a counter-measure, but he is prepared to invest in good bodyguards as an additional precaution.  After all, it is especially challenging to transport this kind of merchandise: slaves. 

Amon’s plan will buy his caravan some time, as they encounter Tentamun in Skitla just early enough for his plot to be foiled.  But Tentamun does not give up so easily, and he will conjure a few more tricks before the journey is done. 

  There are strong Mediterranean themes woven throughout this adventure.  In the Forgotten Realms, the main setting of fifth edition D&D, this adventure fits nicely in the region of Mulhorand, which is heavily inspired by ancient Egypt.  The town of Seruvale and Skitla could be small towns in the Great Vale region, and Thinis could easily be another name for Skuld, the prosperous Mulhorand capital.  Similarly, this narrative could be adapted to any setting where you want to add a dash of Middle Eastern flavor. 

Remarks on role-playing encounters: 

There are many ways to track a role-playing encounter, and every DM has their own preferences.  Some methods are structured and track NPC attitude on a defined scale based on the players’ social ability checks.  Some are free-form and resemble something akin to a theatrical improv exercise.  The nuances of verbal dialogue are extremely challenging to capture within the limits of a dice-rolling game. 

  The adventure text in this module will describe the goals and temperaments of major NPCs to help shape the encounters, but it is up to you to decide how such encounters work and what benchmarks will define whether the party succeeds or fails. 

Words in bold refer to stat block in the 5th edition Monster Manual. 

This adventure uses Average Party Level (APL) to adjust the difficulty of its encounters.  To calculate the APL, take the average of the levels of all player characters in the party.  Round the result up to the next whole number.  This is the APL of the group.  If there are 6 or more player characters in the party, increase the APL by 1.  If the APL exceeds 3, then use the 3rd level encounters combined with elements from the 1st level encounters at your discretion. 

 

Setting the Stage

 

 

The Merchant Amon

A local merchant named Amon is preparing to travel across the wilderness to the city of Thinis, and he needs a group of reliable fellows to fill out his caravan and provide some extra safety.  The current offer is (APL*10+15) gp per party member, and the journey typically takes 4 days.  Regardless of how the party learns of this opportunity- gossip from a barkeep, a “help wanted” poster, a tip from a friend, or perhaps being approached by Amon himself- they will need to apply in person at Amon’s personal dwelling; a spacious, but simple house toward the outer edge of town.  When they arrive, there is no one to greet them, but the front door is unlocked and voices chatter inside.  

Read aloud or paraphrase once the characters let themselves in: 

 

Amon (LG male human) has lively dark eyes, weathered and tanned skin, and a slightly wizened face.  He has a warm and friendly personality as befits one who negotiates trades for a living.  He is missing his right hand from a battle in his past, but this is not immediately obvious due to the velvet-gloved prosthetic he wears in its place.  The false hand can be removed to reveal a dagger blade affixed to Amon’s wrist.  He is proficient with this weapon and cannot be forced to drop it.  He also possesses a magic amulet that functions as a ring of protection (+1 to AC and saving throws). Amon’s uses different statistics depend on the APL: 

APL 1: spy (MM pg. 349) 

APL 2: bandit captain (MM pg. 344) 

APL 3: veteran (MM pg. 350) 

Amon has a pet chinchilla (giant rat, MM pg. 327) named Gonzo that hides in his robes and peeks out occasionally while Amon is engaged in conversation.   

Amon's Business

Amon will inevitably reveal to the party that he is operating as a slave trader.  This may illicit a wide range of reactions, but Amon will justify himself promptly.  Gesturing around the room, he explains that each of the families in the dining area are facing desperate times and have no recourse but to sell one of their members as slaves so the rest of them can survive.  Amon knows the slave trade can be a cruel and risky business, so he entered the trade himself just to find and protect vulnerable folks like these from being exploited by less compassionate slavers.  He uses his skills and resources as a merchant to make sure that the families receive as much money as possible for such a sacrifice, keeping just enough for himself to break even on travel expenses.  The rest goes back to the families. 

Amon also takes it upon himself to look after the slaves’ interests also-after all, he reveals, he was once a slave himself.  Thanks to his years of experience in the markets of Thinis, he knows how to find generous and upstanding buyers who will treat them well while they are in their charge. On top of that, Amon negotiates a termination clause for every slave’s service; every seven years the buyers must allow the slaves the option to go free.  Many clients agree to this since a slave with a scheduled escape usually won’t attempt to escape earlier. While his charity doesn’t earn him anything directly, his reputation as a kind and honest merchant attracts a plethora of steady clients in other markets. 

Amon is forthcoming about the details of the trip.  The road they are taking is well-known but lightly travelled. There are wide stretches of wilderness between settlements, and there’s no telling what dangers are prowling around the area. The players can negotiate with Amon on their price (though he cannot afford more than (APL*40+120) gp in total), but he is adamant that they will be paid after all the slaves are settled in Thinis, and he will only pay them proportionally according to how many of the slaves survive.  Amon will cover the cost of lodging, but the party is expected to provide their own food unless they can convince him otherwise. 

Once Amon and the party come to an agreement, Amon gives them a loose yet strangely solid handshake and invites them to partake of the feast and mingle with the families of their fellow travelers.  They are welcome to sleep in his courtyard at the end of the day if they wish. 

Since the caravan is set to leave the next morning, the party is encouraged to visit the local shops before the end of the day for supplies they might need for the job.  Seruvale is home to enough farmers and craftsmen to provide most ordinary animals, equipment, tools, and foodstuffs within reason. 

The Slaves

There are seven creatures going with Amon to Thinis as slaves, and they each have intriguing backstories should the characters get to know any of them during their trip:  

Carrin

A youthful human of no more than 15, and his younger sister are the only survivors of a wraith attack that killed their family.  They have been living with their grandmother for the last several years, but her health has been in decline.  She needs better medical care than they can currently afford.  Carrin, his sister Kara, and their grandmother are sharing one final meal before Carrin sells himself for the money they need to live securely.   

Tersha

A very young dwarf who has hardly come into his first muttonchops, learned masonry and stonecutting from his father in Thinis before he mysteriously disappeared.  Tersha has the natural stone working skill inherent to his kind but, having grown up a pitiable orphan, lacks the connections to find a suitable patron.  However, he has heard the merchant known as Amon has such connections in spades.  He is sharing a table with Carrin’s family. 

Darrov 

A gangly young man dining with his mother brother and sister.  His father is busy looking for work to help the family scrape by after they lost all their livestock in a surprise stampede.  Darrov was supposed to be watching the herd when it happened, but he was passing the time wandering in the forest instead.  He returned to find the animals dashed against the rocks at the base of a cliff by the pasture.  Pressured by guilt, he wants to offset the financial burden he has put on his family. 

Cole

The eldest son in a family of six; father, mother, and siblings occupying a whole table of their own.  They have been through a lot in the last couple of years.  The family once lived a quaint life on a spacious acreage in the nearby region of Madaasca.  That all came to an end when the amir tried to buy the land for a new “civil project.” The family refused to move, and soon found themselves subjected to a slew of harassment, disease and invasive pests.  They ultimately had to flee for their own well-being, with nothing to show for the home they lost.  Cole is hoping his sacrifice will help his maimed and weary family make a new start. 

Shorm

This stoic half-orc is currently wanted in his homeland for a murder he did not commit.  Normally a half-orc would be accustomed to dealing with such prejudices, except that the person he is accused of killing was his own mother.  Shorm can’t bear the scorn of his own family, so he is preparing to send them the proceeds of his sale as an act of penance to regain their respect.  He sits at a quiet table with Julet and Steve. 

Julet

A wistful halfling with thick black locks, was expecting twins with his wife, Roma, before the twins were delivered stillborn.  Both of them were grief stricken, but Roma descended into such despair that she became unresponsive and sickly.  Desperate to pull his wife out of her madness, Julet made a deal with a hag who offered to bring his twins back to life.  But if they ever met their father, the hag bargained, they would fall over dead again forever.  Julet is eating with his father-in-law, Jethro, before he leaves his family in the most supportive way he can. 

Steve

A human man of average build and plain features who looks particularly unnoticeable next to the stunningly beautiful woman sitting next to him named Sarah.  The two claim to be siblings, and eagerly reject any notion that they are lying and are in fact married.  They especially mock the suggestion that they are trying to move to Thinis, and this is all a convoluted ploy to support themselves while hiding their marriage in order to protect Steve from the ire of the jealous men around every corner. 

(Each of these backstories has the potential to be their own adventure hook, but it is not necessary to explore any or all of them in the context of this adventure) 

Heading Out