Introduction Art and Cartography Credits Sometimes the idea for an adventure can start with a Cover: Minotaur outline, “Mythological Creature Graphics,” picture. by freevector.com. In this case, it’s an illustraton by Eva Widermann that she Green hand-painted background Designed by Layerace - did for the January 2006 issue of Dungeon magazine to Freepik.com accompany the Age of Worms adventure, The Spire of Long The base map of Smugglers’ Grotto is the Patreon- Shadows. suppored, commercially available map “Carmine Archives of the I wish I could reproduce it for you. The best I can do is Granite Marsh” available from the library of Dyson Logos, describe it and provide you with this link: https://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/maps/commercial- http://paizo.com/dungeonissues/130/ maps/ DA130_Supplement_L.pdf The map of Baldur’s Gate was a hand-drawn facsimile by Like many of the illustrations Widermann did for Age of the author based on cartography found in various products by Worms, it was evocative of the style and storytelling Paizo TSR and Wizards of the Coast. Publishing was doing at that time. Not to be missed is the pencil NPC illustrations from Elmore Character Clip Art and Color rough of the same picture, which appears with the issue’s table Customizing Studio, c. 2002 Elmore Productions, Inc. The of contents on Page 7. Credit must go to art director Sean Elmore signature is a trademark of Elmore Productions, Inc., Glenn, managing editor James Jacob and editor in chief Erik Leitchfeild, Ky., all rights reserved. Art and text from the Mona. And Widermann, of course. material was designated as Open Gaming Content. The illustration was a full body length depiction of the Mace of Kyuss hand drawn by the author, inspired by an mortal Kyuss. He is in profle, holding a wriggling green worm in illustration of Kyuss by Eva Widermann, Dungeon magazine, his left hand. He is darkly armored, a skull motif prominent. Issue 130, January 2006 The thing that has stayed with me this past decade was the Navigational map illustraton with cherubs using wicked-looking mace that Kyuss is holding. Even in an era when navigational instruments by Johannes Hevelius, Selenographie, the representation of oversized weapons was commonplace, this Gedani, Autoris sumtibus, typis Hunefeldianis, circa 1647, mace was massive. The great bashing spiked head was Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, accompanied by a guard blade attached to the haft. Oh, and Washington, D.C. there was a spike on the other side of the guard blade; should bludgeoning and slashing your enemy be insufcient. Kyuss could come back with a piercing wound, too. Other Sources Someone needed to tell a story about that mace, I thought, Information about Baldur’s Gate and the Forgotten Realms then. for this adventure comes primarily from these Dungeons and We are ten years and a couple of editions of Dungeons and Dragons products: Dragons later. Now I’m creating a series of adventures with the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, by Ed Greenwood, worm god as a central theme for the DM’s Guild. I’m reviewing Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams and Rob Heinsoo, c. 2001 everything I can on Kyuss, including the issue already Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, by Bruce R. Cordell, Ed mentioned. As I turned to page 68, there was the picture. The Greenwood and Chris Sims, c. 2008 moment I saw that illustration, all the memories came fooding Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster’s Forgotten Realms by Ed back. And I remembered my original thought. Greenwood, c. 2012 I guess, seeing that no one has done so in the interim. that Murder in Baldur’s Gate, by Ed Greenwood and Matt someone should be me. Sernett and others, c. 2013 So I decided I was going to tell a story about the mace. Hoard of the Dragon Queen, by Wolfgang Baur and Steve Maybe it’s not THE story about the mace. But, it’s a story, and Winter, c. 2014 for a roleplaying scenario, I think it’s a pretty good one. It’s a Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, by Steve Kenson and mystery set in the river town of Baldur’s Gate. The cult is others, c. 2015 stirring up trouble, and those player characters are the only Volo’s Guide to Monsters, by Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford ones who seem capable of doing anything about it. and others, c. 2016 I hope you enjoy running Well Dressed Minotaur. Table of Contents Editorial Credits Structure of the Adventure .....................................4 Adventure Design Meeting with Miristum ............................................5 Troy E. Taylor How to Conduct the Investigation ............................6 Editing Picking the Crucial NPCs ........................................7 Carolyn P. Taylor Getting to know “The Nine” .....................................8 Options for Mature Gamers .....................................13 Smugglers’ Grotto ...................................................14 SampleMap of Smugglers’ Grotto ........................................ file15 Handout: Krawlity’s Associates ................................22 Investigation Scorecard ...........................................23 WELL DRESSED MINOTAUR PAGE 3 Well Dressed Minotaur ady’s Hall, the temple of Tymora in Baldur’s Gate, has obtained a list of known associates of occultist Ransom Krawlity, who L disappeared about ten years earlier. The group disbanded, in part, because of Krawlity’s immersion into the cult of Kyuss and an obsession for collecting relics related to The Worm That Walks. In particular, Krawlity was near to obtaining what Kyuss’ followers called the Bannishen Mortalite. Commonly known as the Mace of Kyuss, it was reputed to be a weapon that Kyuss possessed before his apotheosis into godhood. Having gained the cooperation of the player characters in the previous adventure, “Krawlity House,” the priestess Miristum Holdsfast again enlists their aid. Would they investigate the names on the list and see if any are still in contact with or in league with Krawlity? The temple of Tymora hopes to learn Krawlity’s whereabouts, and if so, take action against a burgeoning cult of Kyuss. Structure of the adventure This adventure is in two parts. The frst part is the investigation into the names on the list. In a process that will be explained, the DM will randomly determine which persons are still involved in the cult and which are trying to build new lives. One NPC is still much Other factions involved with the cult but will deny being so, and in in Baldur’s Gate fact, will ofer a Red Herring to derail the investigation. In the second part, the PCs should, in the course of Dungeon Masters: Using a their investigation, be directed to explore either a trap patron other than the Temple of door that is in the back room of a dress shop or a Tymora works, too. shoreline entrance to a smugglers’ hideaway. Both Another faction — such as the passages lead to an underground grotto in the Harpers, Emerald Enclave, Order of Brampton district of the city. While exploring this grotto, once used by smugglers the Gauntlet, Lord’s Alliance, devoted to Umberlee, the PCs will encounter a group of Zhentarim, the Watch, Flaming Fist Kyuss worshippers. One cultist from the list of or the Guild — could gain a copy of Krawlity’s associates will be among them as one of their that list. leading fgures. Leading the worship is an enigmatic Similarly concerned, they fgure known as the Mistress of Despair. would initiate a quiet investigation, Krawlity will not be among them. However, there relying on the player characters to should be clues within the chambers that can point the PCs towardSample the next part of the adventure. do the footwork.file The PCs will be rewarded for breaking up this cell of Kyuss worshippers. WELL DRESSED MINOTAUR PAGE 4 PART ONE THE INVESTIGATION Meeting With Miristum In the previous adventure, the PCs were given the option of occupying the top two foors of the tower of the Krawlity House while the Temple of Tymora continued renovations of the place. However, it is also possible the PCs would return to a favorite haunt: the rowdy home of adventurers and seafarers in the Heapside district, the Blushing Mermaid tavern. Regardless of location, Miristum Holdsfast tracks down the characters with the intent of asking them to undertake another mission. The fortunate (priestess) of Tymora appears as she did previously. She is a dark- haired Tethyrian of median age with bright eyes and is often seen sporting a wide smile. She is wearing a belted tunic, breeches, a pair of throwing stars tucked into her belt and a small cloak clasped by an ornament fashioned from a large gold piece stamped with a women’s profle within a circlet of shamrocks. She says: “The discoveries in Krawlity House of so many things associated with the worm god Kyuss was very disturbing. miristum holdsfast The statue of Kyuss holding that wicked-looking mace was alarming on its own, but the other documents indicating that Ransom Krawlity was introducing Kyuss worship to his circle of acquaintances could prove more other names on the list? Do they know if the cult of problematic. Kyuss is active in Baldur’s Gate? If so, what are the “My superiors at Lady’s Hall would like you to make cult’s ambitions?” additional inquiries. Based on some initial research, As always, Miristum pledges Lady Hall’s support, we’ve put together this list of people we believed were such as providing healing services and a monetary associates of Krawlity’s at about the time the statue was reward after the investigation has concluded. Before commissioned. picking up their bar tab, she produces a handwritten list “We know these people shared his interest in the of names. (This is a handout in the appendix, but it is occult, whether they were enticed into Kyuss worship, is also reproduced here.) another matter.