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Aggah-Shan has been building Mrathrach tables and distributing them to gambling establishments throughout Ptolus. The Mrathrach Machine operates by harvesting small amounts of chaos from nodules placed within these Mrathrach tables. As a result, the Mrathrach game (Ptolus, p. 331) becomes less random than it should be, generally rewarding higher payouts (which, conveniently, makes the game more popular, resulting in more plays, and more chaos being harvested). On the other end of the interaction, the Mrathrach Machine gathers that chaotic potential, using it to forge a connection to the Pit of Mrathrach (Ptolus, p. 78).

In my Ptolus campaign, I fleshed out the clues for this revelation of the true purpose of Mrathrach. My goal was to give the PCs a better understanding of what was happening with the Mrathrach Machine.

Unexpectedly, however, my players decided to attack the problem from both ends: Not only would they assault the Mrathrach Tower; first they would target and destroy all of the Mrathrach tables.

They had been working with the Commissar’s Men at this point. Once they had gathered enough evidence of what Aggah-Shan was doing, they were able to flex those muscles and assemble an official task force. If your players end up going after the Mrathrach tables in the same way, I’ve included information on the task force below.

The other thing you’ll find here is a Report on the Mrathrach Tables of Ptolus. My players engaged in an extended task to gather this information, and I gave them the Report as a handout. They were able to use the Report to plan their raids, and I was able to use it as the basis for running the raids.

As I’ve described, this scenario was very much an idiosyncratic response to a goal formulated more or less entirely by the players. If you want to increase the odds of being able to use it in your own games, you may want to add additional clues pointing the PCs more clearly in the direction of the Mrathrach tables. (For example, perhaps a list of locations the tables have been shipped to could be added to the workshop in the White House.)

Even if your campaign never ends up including the Mrathrach table raids, however, you may still find this a useful reference guide for gambling establishments in Ptolus.

THE TASK FORCE

WHITE HOUSE INFORMATION: The City Watch’s can be checked regarding Aggah-Shan and the White House.

Thirty years ago, an informant told the City Watch that Aggah-Shan had extensive catacombs beneath the White House. The informant disappeared and the case went with her. Aggah-Shan has kept his nose clean (publicly any way) since then, but it’s likely those catacombs have only been expanded.

CAPTAIN SARTH: The task force is led by Captain Sarth of the Commissar’s Men (Ptolus, p. 141).

COMMISSAR’S MEN: 75 commissar’s man (Ptolus, p. 141).

GOLDSHIELDS: 3 goldshields (Ptolus, p. 144), using arcanist stat blocks (Ptolus, p. 605).

RAIDING THE CATACOMBS: The Commissar’s Men and the City Watch both hate delving into the dungeons beneath the city. Their standard operating procedure is to seal and burn the entrance. Their strong preference will be to leave exploring the catacombs to the PCs.

Playtest Tip: If at all possible, give these resources to the players and let them work with Captain Sarth (and any other contacts they might have) to create a plan. That might be simultaneous raids on all of the Mrathrach table sites (with the Commissar’s Men splitting up to hit them simultaneously) while the PCs head into the catacombs. Or it might be the PCs assisting the Commissar’s Men sequentially hit the raid locations. Or maybe the PCs split up, with each PC accompanying one of the raid squads. Or any number of other possibilities.

My players ended up using teleportation and a potion of giant’s strength, to enable one of the PCs to teleport into a location after the Commissar’s Men secured it, lift the Mrathrach table, and then teleport it to a secure location for destruction.

REPORT ON THE MRATHRACH TABLES OF PTOLUS

AGGAH-SHAN’S ESTABLISHMENTS

Mrathrach tables are being operated at essentially all of Aggah-Shan’s gambling establishments (both legal and illegal) around the city.

WHITE HOUSE (Oldtown): The White House has recently expanded to house three Mrathrach wheels, which are increasingly popular due to their lucrative pay-outs.

• The White House has also been hiring an unusually large number of new operators and dealers over the past two weeks.

COCK PIT (South Market): Started as an underground cock-fighting arena in the South Market, the Cock Pit has grown into one of the largest illegal gambling dens in Ptolus. (The arena has also been expanded to include gladiator duels.)

• It’s operated by a half-orc named Naosh.
• There’s an expansive basement which services the arena and its gladiators.
• There are two Mrathrach tables: One on the sunken portion of the main floor and another in an exclusive gambling room.

Cock Pit (H8)

YELLOW PIGEON (Guildsman District): In an alley running between Carriage Row and Gem Street in the Guildsman District there’s a set of sunken stairs leading down to an iron door. Above the door is the faded painting of a yellow pigeon. The door leads to stairs that lead to a section of Ghul’s Labyrinth that’s been converted into an illegal gambling den serving mostly guild workers.

• There are guards on the door and in the gambling den below.
• The Watch has tried to raid the place a couple of times, but there are multiple bolt-holes leading through the labyrinths into the sewers.
• There is one Mrathrach table.

Yellow Pigeon (H8)

TEMPLE OF THE ONE-EYED GOD (Temple District): A temple based around the veneration / idolization of a mummified beholder’s corpse. While it may have once been a legitimate house of worship, its primary purpose now is to provide a semi-legitimate gambling establishment for Aggah-Shan. (They pay their taxes, but at a substantially reduced rate because the gambling is officially part of their religious beliefs.)

• The western wing of the temple has been converted into a gambling hall, including a Mrathrach table that was installed two days ago.
• The eastern wing houses the “priesthood”.
• The central dome still holds the “One-Eyed God”.

Temple of the One-Eyed God (G4)

BROKEN SPINE (Docks): The Broken Spine is a squalid tavern that ran an illegal gambling operation out of a secret basement for a number of years. It somehow got a reputation for being a place that young heirs of Merchant Houses would slum in. Fifteen years ago, Aggah-Shan muscled his way into the establishment. Ten years ago, he created a separate “basement” catering specifically to the “slumming” merchant princes: This basement is actually a lavishly decorated “bubble” that looks out into the waters of the Docks. Four years ago the place was raided and Aggah-Shan publicly “took it over” and started paying taxes on it, making the place legitimate in the eyes of the law.

• There are two Mrathrach tables here. One in the original sub-basement that still caters to sailors and other dock-crawlers; the other in the bubble.
• Three days ago there was a minor ruckus at the Broken Spine when Caraniss Erthuo, a daughter of a secondary line of the Erthuo Merchant House, fell ill in the Broken Spine and collapsed. She was taken to the Daykeeper’s Chapel in Midtown, but her condition has not improved. Her symptoms include a general fever, telepathic confirmation of nightmares, and fingernails which have turned chalky and weak.

Broken Spine (M6)

HELL’S DOOR (Midtown): In Pipe Row Court, there is a door painted crimson with garish red flames. Nicknamed “Hell’s Door”, it leads to a long corridor containing multiple private rooms. The décor is red velvet and the general pastime are illegal card games.

• One of the private rooms has recently been converted to hold a Mrathrach table.
• A dreamspeaker named Godam Martinelli, who lives a couple blocks away on Farther Street, has been loudly protesting Hell’s Door, claiming that something catastrophic is going to happen there.

Hell’s Door (F7)

URDOCH’S MRATHRACH HOLES (Warrens): Three Mrathrach tables are being run by an agent of Aggah-Shan named Urdoch in the Warrens. They’re set up in various abandoned buildings and occasionally moved around as necessary.

OTHER GAMBLING HOUSES

Mrathrach tables have also been sold or leased to gambling establishments around Ptolus which are not directly owned by Aggah-Shan.

AJACK’S TENT: Located in Tent City (located outside Market Gate), a litorian named Ajack operates a semi-legal gambling operation out of a large tent. (Technically he’s outside the city limits, so he doesn’t owe gambling taxes.)

When Mrathrach was introduced, Ajack was reportedly very excited about how popular it was and leased a table. Unfortunately, he’s been losing considerable amounts of money. He’s borrowed a large amount of money from either the Balacazars or the Killravens and now he’s having difficulty paying it back.

And now it sounds like the stress of it has caused him to fall ill.

Tent City (E9)

BAZAAR OF 1,000 SINS (South Market): One of several large markets scattered around the South Market district, the Bazaar of 1,000 Sins has earned a reputation as being the place to go for illegal, illicit, or simply questionable goods. Drugs, diabolic items, and the like are common.

• A Mrathrach wheel has been installed in one of the elaborate, silk-shrouded gambling tents of the bazaar.

Bazaar of 1,000 Sins (E7)

SILVER WHEEL (Rivergate): Perched at the top of the Great Ramp leading into Rivergate, the Silver Wheel is a legal gambling house catering to the expensive tastes of both Rivergate residents and the merchants passing through the North Gate. It finished construction just six months ago.

• A Mrathrach wheel was installed here three weeks ago. It was decommissioned a week ago, apparently due to the heavy losses it was sustaining.
• During its construction, the Silver Wheel was targeted by a firebomb. Rumor on the street is that the Vladaams were angry about the Wheel interfering with the custom at their Curse Den in Rivergate. It’s believed that the owners of the Silver Wheel agreed to ban Skullrattle and offer a cut of the Wheel’s proceeds from Dragonscales in order to settle the dispute without further bloodshed.
• Recently, however, there are reports that the Killravens are trying to apply pressure.

Silver Wheel (F3)

GILDED PHOENIX (North Market): Located along Argent Street, the Gilded Phoenix is operated by the Killravens. Notable for the nine “Phoenix Wheels”, the establishment recently added a Mrathrach wheel rebranded as a Phoenix Wheel two weeks ago.

• The arrival of the “Tenth Wheel!” was celebrated with a major social event as the latest “rebirth of the phoenix”.
• Reports are that the Killravens are less than happy with the performance of the Tenth Wheel, but since the losses are subsidized across the other wheels in the Phoenix Cycle they’re riding it out for now.

Gilded Phoenix (J3)

THE ARENA (Oldtown): The Ptolus Arena is more than 600 years old. It was built during the 2^nd century as part of the wave of free arenas which became popular throughout the Five Empires.

In addition to gladiatorial combat, a large number of other entertainments and events have been established at the Arena. A legal Mrathrach table was recently installed in one of the entertainment suites circling the concourse.

Arena (D6)

VLADAAM REJECTION

Aggah-Shan’s agents made a concerted effort to get the Vladaams interested in the Mrathrach wheels, possibly for installation in the Vladaam curse dens. The Vladaams, however, rejected Aggah-Shan’s proposals out of hand. The word “sacrilege” was apparently used.

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