Deadly Nightshade
A d20 adventure in an urban fantasy setting for five to seven characters for a total of 42 levels.
Adventure Setting
The adventure is set in the City of Rastgoth, in the Realms of Adventure campaign setting. The adventure can be reset in any large city with a well developed sewer system where unlawful activities are at least tolerated. In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, for instance, the City of Westgate is a good choice.
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Adventure Background
Lora Nightshade is a beautiful woman who began life as an orphan on the streets of Rastgoth. A talented but some what lazy rogue, she was caught stealing from a powerful crime lord and given a choice. She became a courtesan to the powerful crime lord, who eventually tired of her and sold her to Hester Neruk, the infamous money lender and crime boss. With Neruk she lead a life of ease, until the birth recently of her daughter. Now she wants away from Neruk, and is willing to do anything to make it happen.
Hester Neruk is a power money lender with a reputation for particularly ruthless collection tactics. His is physically imposing, a tall man with an enormous barrel chest and large girth about the waist. To his face, his associates call him beefy or stout. Behind his back he is referred to as fat, but not loudly enough to be heard. His mean streak is as large as his waistline.
Neruk does not practice business fairly. His information gathering network is top-notch, and he always has the edge in business negotiations. Worse, when he thinks that he can get away with it, Neruk will engage in some of the dirtiest practices imaginable. His worst tactic is to finance a business venture, and then use the information that he has gained to hire some one to do sabotage. Most recently he has been financing shipping ventures and the sabotage has taken the form of piracy.
Jarred Narret is a successful merchant who has power and influence in the Merchants Council of Rastgoth. Due to a series on indiscretions and mistakes, the Narret family business has fallen on hard times, and Jarred was forced to borrow money to finance a shipment of wine from the baronies, a shipment that mysteriously disappeared before it arrived in Rastgoth. Now Jarred owes Neruk a large sum of money, and the money lender has made vicious threats on the Narret family.
Nicholas Narret is the second son of Jarred. A twenty-two year old with tremendous potential, but a poor work ethic. To help pay his father’s debts, Nicholas has agree to fight as a gladiator in the illegal arena run by the money lender Neruk. For one year, he will fight battles against wild animals and minor monsters. For every battle won, a fifth of his father’s debt is reduced. Because of the influence that the Narret family possess, and because he still wants to collect the money he is owed, Neruk knows better than to give the young Narret more than he can handle. So far the young noble has survived three matches.
When she is bored with the inattentive Neruk—which is often—Lora often visits the gladiator quarters of the arena. She has met Nicholas and decided that he is the best chance that she has to escape her life. Using her considerable charms, she has tricked Nicholas into falling in love with her. The feelings are one-sided—Lora does not love Nicholas—but she has lead him to believe that they have a future together. Nicholas’ father would never approve of the union, so he has done everything that he can to conceal his plans.
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Adventure Synopsis
Lora’s plan is complex. First, she convinces Nicholas to agree to fight an opponent more powerful than any other. In exchange, Hester will forgive the rest of his debt—if he survives. To forgive that much of his father’s debt, Hester has insisted that Nicholas agree to fight to the death. A death match is enough of an attraction that he is willing to deal with the fallout from the Narret family.
Knowing that Nicholas has little chance to survive, Lora plans to recruit a more powerful fighter to take Nicholas’ place. She has a powerful magic item, a hat of disguise , to accomplish the deception, and she has a crew of thieves who know the city sewers hired to help make the switch. While the imposter fights in Nicholas’ place, she and Nicholas will grab her child and escape.
Getting out of the city without Hester’s spies and hired thugs finding out will be tricky, so she will need some protection as well. Hester has some powerful hirelings and henchmen. Lora is hoping to find a group of adventurers who aren’t afraid of—or are unaware of—Neruk’s thugs to break into the arena, replace Nicholas and escort the two out of the city. If she can teach Neruk a lesson in the process, so much the better.
And finally, Lora will need money to live on. So she has come up with several creative financing methods.
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Adventure Hooks
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Chapter 1 — The Arena (EL 7)
Hester Neruk runs an illegal fighting pit in the heart of the rough-and-tumble South Dock district in Rastgoth. It is popular with the upper-crust of Rastgoth society, and Neruk pays the town watch well, so his activities are tolerated, but only as long as he does not attract too much attention. Death matches are rare, because they attract the wrong kind of attention, but they are profitable.
Nicholas Narret is desperate to extricate his father from his financial troubles.
Encounter Setting
On Market Street in Rastgoth’s notorious South Dock District there is a rug merchant. It is a modest store front, with an ample show floor crammed with average looking woven rugs. The jovial owner acts every bit the merchant, but his prices are outrageous.
Next door , a caravan supply shop does a brisk business most days. In the alley behind, a reputable black smith does decent work, if you don’t mind that he can’t get to most things right away.
Behind these three buildings is a large, un-remarkable warehouse. Strangely enough, a close examination of this warehouse would reveal that there doesn’t seem to be a way into this warehouse. But, the building is so mundane, who would take the time to give it an examination.
In this warehouse some of the wealthiest people in Rastgoth gather once a week, after Market Day, to watch gladiatorial combat, and wager on the outcome.
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