Folks in the Yeomanry are quite often what they seem, honest and simple, but can the party trust a young bard when she becomes suddenly eager to join in their journeys?Author: chatdemon
Stories of the Sheldomar IIIby chatdemon
chatdemon@hotmail.com
Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.
"Odd Company"
An adventure seed for a party of 4-6 characters of levels 1-3
The Setup: After attending the yearly Needfest celebrations in Loftwick, the party is making preparations to leave the city when a young halfling lady approaches them. Her appearance and garb are somewhat gypsy-like and she speaks with a slightly husky, seductive voice. She offers the party 50 gold coins to let her accompany them on their journey, and doesn't seem to care where they are headed, saying simply that she will part ways with them when they come to the next city. If the party hesitates, she will up her offer to 75 gold, but claims that is all she can spare.
Lizeta Springfoot, halfling female, bard 2, chaotic nuetral, armed with dagger and sling, carries a halfling sized lute in her pack, she has Charm Person prepared in addition to whatever 0 level spells the DM wishes to give her access to.
The Possible Outcomes:
(In all outcomes, Lizeta will only engage in combat to save herself)
1> Lizeta is merely an eccentric bard who enjoys making new friends and learning new tales by tagging along with travellers. If the party interacts well with her during thier journey with her, the DM may opt to make her a full fledged NPC party member and have her stick around. If they part ways, chances are the party will later hear a rowdy tavern song being sung in their honor (by her or someone who learned it from her), the nature of which depends on how she was treated.
2> Lizeta has swindled a local shopkeep out of a couple hundred gold, and is therefore interested in leaving town quickly and with what she sees as heavily armed companions. After 1d4 days of travelling with the friendly but nervous halfling, the party is waylaid by a band of thugs hired to find her and return the shopkeep's money. At this point she feigns innocence and attempts to convince the party to help her fight off the ruffians, if they do, use the following statistics for the thugs:
Bander Osprim, human male, commoner 2, Lawful Evil, 9 HP, club and padded armor.
Thorgood 'Thor' Vashtner, human male, commoner 1, Nuetral, 4 HP, club.
Merimy Flunt, human female, commoner 1, Lawful Evil, 5 HP, quarterstaff.
Orfeld Durcanter, 1/2Orc male, commoner 1, Nuetral Evil, 6 HP, club and padded armor.
3> Lizeta is lying completely about her identity and situation, she is actually:
Giana Brightbuckle, halfling female, rogue 4, chaotic good, dagger and sling, lute (as part of her disguise), and a 'Amulet of Smiles - allows wearer to invoke the Charm Person spell once per day, with effects based on a 5th level wizard caster'.
Giana was hired by clergy of the Temple of the Ruby Scepter, a Jasidan sect in Cryllor, to infiltrate the Yeoman Dustdigger's College and retrieve an ancient book recovered from the ruined city of Zinbyle in the Sea of Dust. The book is written in ancient Suel and is simply a treatise on legal procederes of the time, but is considered extremely valuable by the church of Wee Jas. Giana will attempt to earn a spot in the party until they next travel to, or near, Cryllor, where she will disappear to deliver the book. If the party lets her travel with them, they will not only be accosted by random rogues from the Dustdigger College (1st to 4th level rogues, usually alone and lightly armed), but they will also be tracked and eventually harassed by low level functionaries of the Silent Order of Keoland, an arcane brotherhood dedicated to collecting and preserving the history and arcane secrets of the region. The Silent Ones want the book Giana has, and will stop at nothing to get it. The Silent Ones NPCs should be wizards or sorcerors, of 3rd to 5th level with access to whatever spells needed to sufficiently challenge the party.
If anything prevents Giana from completing her quest, the party will also eventually be hunted by the Jasidans, who believe the party now has their book. These will be wizards and clerics of 2nd to 4th level.
If Giana is successful in her quest, she will attempt to rejoin the party later in Cryllor and wants to sign on with them for good, assuming she has been treated well. At the DMs discretion, she may be added as a full fledged NPC to the party roster.
