RPGA Living Greyhawk - Snake In The Grass.pdf

19
THE ADVENTURE
“Kitten, I’m afraid that your lovely head will be bored to tears, but
I must attend to some important matters. Play us one of your
pretty little tunes while I talk business, my sweet.”
She assents with a giggle, and begins to play some quiet background
music on the harp.
Snerm the bodyguard drops the hat on a table as if it was a live
snake, and then takes up a protective position beside his master’s
chair. The only concern that enters his dim mind is to watch for
Malendril’s orders, and to protect him from any harm. He’s a bit
puzzled by all of the strange goings-on, but he’s been very well
trained to ignore his employer’s shenanigans and attend only to
potential dangers. Snerm’s tongue was long ago cut out to ensure
that he can never talk about what he hears in his master’s presence,
so he obviously must remain silent. If enraged, he’ll open
his mouth to waggle the stub of his tongue and emit a wordless
growl. He’s been brainwashed into fierce loyalty to Malendril and
will willingly die to defend him.
Pike the servant unobtrusively moves around to pour brandy
from the sideboard for Malendril and Elanetta, and then stations
himself quietly by the sideboard. He remains alert there, hoping
to be forgotten and to fade into the background, and watching
attentively for his employer’s signal to act. His rapier and
Elanetta’s are hidden in a secret compartment in the sideboard.
He can open the compartment and withdraw the weapons as a
standard action when the time comes, and can then slide
Elanetta’s rapier across the floor to her as a move-equivalent
action. He has three daggers hidden about his person as well. He
is intensely loyal to Malendril, mostly out of fear, and will die
rather than be seen failing to defend him.
Soon after Malendril draws the PCs’ attention away from her,
Elanetta begins to put her supernatural bardic abilities into her
music, as she inspires courage to aid Malendril’s side in case of trouble.
She next picks a single character to fascinate—preferably
someone who isn’t talking much and who looks like a fighter
because she knows that they succumb to her wiles more easily
(i.e. poor Will saves). If the fascinate succeeds, on tier 3 she then
prepares to make a suggestion to that character as soon as it
becomes apparent that a fight is going to break out (suggesting
prettily, “I have no quarrel with anyone here, please protect me
and don’t let anyone hurt me!”). The reasonableness of this suggestion
grants a -2 circumstance penalty to be applied to the target’s
saving throw (unless the PC has already somehow gotten
proof that Elanetta is a real opponent). She’s got three daggers
hidden under her voluminous skirts in case Pike isn’t able to slide
her the rapier when combat begins.
Malendril pretends to be pleased to see the adventurers,
although he’s really quite irate that Lirdan failed to dispatch
them. He hopes that they either haven’t listened to Relmar’s
whole story or that they haven’t decided to believe it. He tries to
convince the adventurers that Relmar is just a lying two-faced
traitor out to save his own skin by making wild accusations
against such a pillar of the community as Malendril. He asks for
A Snake in the Grass
a full report on how their mission went, as he is very concerned
with finding out how much they know. He makes sure to ask
whether they’ve gone anywhere else or talked to anyone before
coming here, so that he’ll know whether the damaging news may
have spread beyond the people in this room. His snake familiar is
hiding beneath his robes, and will poke its head out near his
shoulder as the meeting goes on. On Tier 1 the snake doesn’t take
part in combat, but on higher tiers it may be a threat.
Tactics: Malendril orders Snerm at first to interpose himself
between Malendril and the attackers so that he can cast some
spells (starting with shield). He later orders Snerm to flank opponents
to help him get flanking sneak attacks. Pike tries to take
advantage of his position at the back of the room to get flank
attacks. Elanetta casts her spells and then starts singing to renew
her inspire courage ability. Malendril, Snerm, and Pike will fight
to the death, but Elanetta bears no great loyalty to her lover and
will surrender if Malendril is killed or incapacitated or if she’s
severely wounded. Strike, Malendril’s familiar can join the battle
at the DM’s descretion–use its poison bite if you want a steeper
challenge for the PCs.
Tier 1 (EL 4)
Malendril, male human Rog1/Sor1: CR 2; Medium
Humanoid (5 ft. 10 in. tall); HD 1d6+1 + d4+1; hp 10; Init +8 (Dex,
Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (+4 Dex, +3 studded
leather) or 18 (with sword used defensively); Atks +3 melee
(1d6+4 [crit 18-20], rapier), +5 ranged (1-4 [crit 19-20], thrown
dagger); SQ sneak attack +1d6 damage; AL NE; SV Fort +1, Ref
+5, Will +2.
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16.
Skills: Bluff +9, Concentration +5, Gather Information +5,
Hide +8, Intimidate +7, Listen +4, Move Silently +8, Search +6,
Spot +4, Sense Motive +4; Feats: Improved Initiative, Combat
Casting.
Spells (5/3): 0 lvl—daze, flare, ray of frost, read magic; 1st lvl—
magic missile, shield;
Equipment: studded leather, sword of the rogue – +2 rapier,
defender, 2 daggers, spell component pouch, 12 gp
Familiar - Strike the Snake (viper): CR1; Tiny magical beast;
HD 1; hp 5; Init +3 (Dex); Spd 15 ft, swim 15 ft.; AC 18 (+2 size, +3
Dex, +2 natural, +1 familar armor bonus); Atks +5 melee (poison,
bite); Face/Reach 2 1/2, ft. by 2 1/2 ft./0 ft.; SA Poison; SQ Scent,
grant alertness, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link; AL
N; SV +2, Ref +4; Will +4; Str 6, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 2.
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +12, Hide +18, Listen +8, Spot +8;
Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite).
SA: Poison (Ex)--Initial and secondary damage: 1d6 temporary
consitiution (DC 11).
Snerm, male half-orc Ftr1: CR 1; Medium Humanoid (6 ft. 4 in.