Go to Table of Contents

¹ Carries key for the safe in Area 2, Letter from Marcus Corellius, and Imperium from Archmage Ustallo.
² Carries dreadwood quiver and 10 dreadwood arrows. A small note inside one of them reads “courtesy of Bloodfury on Vanguard Street.” (See Part 10: Guild – Dreadwood Grove.)
³ See Part 16: Slave Trade – Warehouse and also Night of Dissolution, p. 37.

Curse Den – Oldtown
Yarrow Street – D9

AREA 1 – DRAGONSCALES TABLES

This main chamber appears to be an upscales dragonscales parlor. The bar serves a selection of fine wines (ranging in price from 10 gp per bottle to 500 gp per bottle).

DC 22 INTELLIGENCE (INVESTIGATION): The secret door to Area 2 is part of the finely polished wood paneling lining the room. It’s operated by a hidden switch under the bar.

DRAGONSCALES: Most games are Green or Blue Dragonscales, although occasional large matches of Red, Silver, or even Gold Dragonscales are not unknown.

DRAGONSCALE SETS: This room contains ten Gold Dragonscales sets. Each is worth 250 gp.

AREA 2 – SLAVE SNUFF

The mahogany table in the center of the room is equipped with large manacles, designed to bind someone firmly to the surface. A large, bulging aumbry is set against the far wall.

AUMBRY: Contains 20 doses of agony, 100 doses of abyss dust, and 12 curse jewels.

• DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation): The aumbry has a secret compartment which contains a curse globe.
• DC 24 Intelligence (Investigation): On the wall behind the aumbry, there is safe containing 8d10 x 10 pp in mostly gold and silver coins. (DC 35 Thieves’ Tools)

TABLE – DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation): The table has a hidden compartment where a slave manacled to its surface can be quickly dropped out of sight. (The compartment has a permanent silence spell cast on it.)

DM Background: Groups (or, more rarely, individuals) will use this room to use curse jewels on a single slave bound to the surface of the table. This often results in the death of the slave and the groups pay extra for their murderous highs. The “ritual” is often accompanied by doses of agony.

AREA 3 – DRUG STORAGE

This room contains:

• 10,000 doses of abyss dust
• 50 doses of agony
• 6,000 gp worth of fine wines

DC 18 INTELLIGENCE (INVESTIGATION): There’s a secret compartment under a number of barrels leading to a small basement containing 2d4 slaves. (There’s also a 50% chance that it contains an additional 1d2 corpses of slaves killed in Area 2 that have not yet been disposed of.)

Slaves here can described where they came from: Shipped in on the Eye of the East (see Part 9: Fleet of the Iron Sails) out of the slave pits of Amsyr. They were taken to the Slave Trade Warehouse (see Part 16: Slave Trade) before being shipped here.

AREA 4 – REAR COURTYARD

There are usually a few horses tied up to a fencing post.

• Note: Oddly the horses are left there even in inclement weather despite the stable doors.

DM Background: If the password “Wyvern” is given here, one is sold abyss dust by the “stablehands” and led through the door to Area 4.

AREA 5 – ABYSS DUST COTS

The old stables have been retrofitted with a number of cots designed for blitzed abyss dust users.

HANDOUTS

LETTER FROM MARCUS CORELLIUS

Galos,

I want a full accounting of Dilar’s debts sent to me at the den on Outer Ring Row as soon as possible, but leave him unmolested. At least for the moment. He still enjoys the protection of our mutual friends, after all.

Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.

Marcus Corellius

DM Note: The “den on Outer Ring Row” is the Rivergate curse den.

IMPERIUM FROM ARCHMAGE USTALLO

Brother Galos,

I have heard sterling reports of your performance from Marcus. You will have to regale me with the tale of petrifying the pickpocket. The Den Master was able to entertain me greatly with his telling of it, but I want to savor every delightful detail of what ensued.

When you do return to the guild house, also bring with you ten doses of abyss dust. I am sure it will enhance your tale. (Leaving him to rot in the stables! Superb!) What a wonderful message to send to Knapp and his lackeys.

Imperium of the Archmage Ustallo
Red Company of Magi

DM Note: “Marcus” is Den Master Marcus Corellius. “Knapp” refers to Haymann Knapp of the Longfingers Guild (Ptolus, p. 123). Archmage Ustallo and the guildhouse on End Street can be found in Part 13: Red Company of Magi.

Go to Part 8C: Curse Den – Rivergate

Go to Table of Contents

¹ Carries key for the safe in Area 5.
² One of these customers is an apprentice from Alchemical Lab 1: Bodyworks. Wears a Vladaam deot ring.

Curse Den – Guildsman District
Nethar Street – U7

AREA 1 – HALL OF THE CURSE GLOBE

Sweet-scented incense burners in the form of copper phoenixes with smoke pouring from their mouths flank the doors, filling this long, gloomy hall with a multi-colored haze.

Various divans and curved couches covered with rich, darkly-hued velvets have been pleasingly arranged in small groupings around the chamber.

In the center of the room, dominating the décor, four brass dragon claws curl up to support a large, crystalline sphere filled with murky, swirling shadows. The sphere is eerily lit from below by an arcane circle that glows with an effervescent blue light.

CUSTOMERS: Most of the users in this central chamber are snakeweed smokers, with a few shivvel smokers mixed in.

GLOBE: This is a curse globe. The “arcane circle” is entirely decorative.

AREA 2 – DRUG DENS

DOORS: The doors to these rooms seal tightly to prevent abyss dust from escaping.

INTERIOR: Some of these chambers have low couches, but others are basically “drug barracks” with two or three cots where drug users can simply collapse into their stupors.

AREA 2A: On the wall here, a drug user has scrawled a twisted, charcoal mosaic of dark, shadowy figures threatening a city represented by a warped (almost demonic) skyline.

AREA 3 – SLAVE CHAMBERS

DOORS: The doors to these rooms seal tightly.

SLAVES: Each chamber has a slave. Some are bound to the beds. Others are kept in drugged stupors. Some are chained to the walls or suspended from the ceiling. They are rented out so that people can use curse jewels on them, although additional forms of (non-lethal) torture can also be obtained if the appropriate price is paid.

The slaves are generally suffering from 2d6 Wisdom and 2d6 Intelligence damage (and are likely to have damage to other ability scores). Any slave with an effective score of 4 or less in either Wisdom or Intelligence is either too insane or too damaged to provide accurate testimony.

Other slaves can describe where they came from: Some were shipped in on the Pride of Morrain (see Part 9: Fleet of Iron Sails). Some where sold through the Ennin Slave Market (Ptolus, p. 399). Some were taken to the Vladaam’s Slave Trade Warehouse (see Part 16: Slave Trade) before being shipped here.

AREA 4 – BERTRANT GAME

A double bertrant table in the shape of an infinity symbol fills this room. Croupiers stand in the eyes of the infinity symbol and the table can support one large game or two smaller games.

AREA 5 – DRUG STORAGE

This area contains:

• 2,000 doses of abyss dust.
• 30 doses of agony.
• 5,000 doses of shivvel.
• 15,000 doses of snakeweed.
• 8 curse jewels.

SAFE: Hidden in the wall. DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) to find on a search. DC 30 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to open.

• Contains 5d10 x 10 pp in gold and silver coins.

Go to Part 8B: Curse Den – Oldtown

Go to Table of Contents

COMMON LABS – DAYTIME

COMMON LABS – NIGHT

^* Carries common vault key.
^** Carries master vault key.
^*** One of the apprentices sneaks away from work and goes to the curse den in the Guildsman District (see Part 8: Curse Dens). This same apprentice takes his fellow apprentices back to the curse den after work.

Alchemical Lab – Storefront/Common Labs
Guildsman District
Guilder Street – J9

AREA 1 – STOREFRONT

The pillars out front are each engraved with the Vladaam alchemy sigil.

STOREFRONT: Maintains a current supply of common alchemical items, plus 3d6 items costing less than 100 gp; 1d6-1 items costing more than 100 gp; and 1 slowfall cloak. (Most of this inventory is kept in Areas 4 & 5.)

IRON COFFER: 10% chance of being present.

• 500 gp
• 40,000 sp
• 50,000 cp
• Instructions to have the Ithildin Couriers ship it to the Red Company of Goldsmiths on Gold Street (see Part 12).

AREA 2 – ALARMS

This area has an alarm triggered by anyone not wearing a Vladaam deot ring (Detect DC 24). If triggered, it alerts Kaldri and the night captain of the watch station on Contable Way (Ptolus Map, K8).

AREA 3 – STORAGE

The claustrophobic shelves here contain 12,000 gp in alchemical supplies.

SAFE: DC 30 Thieves’ Tools to open. Can also be opened with the common vault key.

• Alchemical Lab 4 – Secret Lorebook
• potion of growth
• potion of gaseous form
• 605 gp

AREA 4 – DELIVERY ENTRANCE

This shipping dock contains items shipped from the other alchemy labs. Empty and partially full shipping crates contain addresses for Brewer’s Close, Blackstreet, and Wayfarer’s Street.

AREA 5 – ALCHEMY LAB

Several long worktables cross the width of this room.

ALCHEMY LAB: 3 sets of Alchemist’s Supplies.

• 2,000 gp of alchemical components
• 3d4+2 types of items currently being made (1d6 doses of each).

ITEMS CONSTRUCTED HERE:

• Abjurer’s Chalk
• Antitoxin
• Brittlemaker
• Caltrips
• Chameleon Fabric
• Desiccating Ash
• Essence of Acacia
• Essence of Wolfsbane
• Firesnuff
• Flashpot
• Glowchalk
• Homing Rods
• Houndscent
• Mindblinder Draught
• Naiad’s Tears
• Orc’s Drool
• Serenity Draught
• Silvervein
• Silvervein, Improved
• Slowfall Cloak
• Smokestick
• Snappowder
• Sunrod
• Stinkbomb
• Tanglefoot Bag
• Thaumaturgical Drops
• Thunderstone
• Tindertwig
• Weatherstone

Go to Part 8: Curse Dens

Go to Table of Contents

SHADOWWORKS – DAYTIME

SHADOWWORKS – NIGHT

Alchemical Lab – Shadowworks
Guildsman District
Wayfarer’s Street – K9

AREA 1 – SHOPFRONT

The lower level of the Shadowworks presents a respectable shop for alchemical weaponry.

A long, L-shaped display case blocks easy access to the wrought iron spiral staircase in the back corner. The surface of the table is inset with five Vladaam alchemy sigils.

INVENTORY:

• Acidpoint Arrows (x100)
• Acidpoint Bolts (x50)
• Firepoint Arrows (x100)
• Firepoint Bolts (x50)
• Frostpoint Arrow (x100)
• Frostpoint Bolts (x50)

CASHBOX: 200 gp in miscellaneous coin.

AREA 2 – BOWYER’S WORKSHOP

This workshop is used to

• Fletcher’s Tools
• Alchemist’s Supplies specialized for creating bolts and arrows
• 500 gp in fletching supplies

AREA 3 – ACID LABORATORY

At the center of the room is a large vat filled with acid, surrounded with equipment designed for injecting alchemist’s fire in order to create acidic fire.

• 1 full set of Alchemist’s Supplies

AREA 4 – ALCHEMICAL LABORATORY

A large, well-ventilated area with a skylight that’s kept propped open during the day.

ALCHEMY LAB: Two sets of alchemist’s supplies.

• acid (x10)
• acidic fire (x5)
• alchemist’s fire (x10)
• alchemist’s frost (x10)
• darklight candle (x4)
• magicbane (x4)
• Alchemy Lab 3 – Common Lorebook
• Inventory from the Shop on Guilder Street
• Order from the Commissar
• 8,000 gp of alchemical supplies

IRON COFFER: 10% chance of being present.

• 500 gp
• 40,000 sp
• 50,000 cp
• Instructions to have the Ithildin Couriers ship it to the Red Company of Goldsmiths on Gold Street (see Part 12).

DM Background: The “great need” referred to in the Commissar’s decree is the barbarian invasion described in the Night of Dissolution adventure.

INVENTORY FROM THE SHOP ON GUILDER STREET

The current inventory of the labs and shop on Guilder Street stand at:

13 acid flasks10 acidic fire
120 acidpoint arrows and bolts
10 alchemist’s fire
7 alchemist’s frost
80 firepoint arrows and bolts
9 frostpoint arrows and bolts
1 slowfall cloak

Please advise on when we can expect a resupply, particularly on our low stocks of alchemist’s frost. Master Grui had suggested that you might also an excess supply of acidbane salve, which we could use. I’ve sent along a supply of abjurer’s chalk as well, but you should let us know what else might be of use to you before we start our midweek brews.

ORDER FROM THE COMMISSAR

By Request of the Commissar of Ptolus—

That the Red Company of Alchemists should increase and prioritize its production of acidpoint, firepoint, and frostpoint alchemical bolts and arrows in anticipation of the great need of the City-State of Ptolus for its own defense.

In exchange for this consideration, the Commissar shall guarantee a payment of no less than 25,000 gp and the subsidization of any additional stock at a price of forty percent, that stock to remain with the Red Company of Alchemists for its own aggrandizement.

Igor Urnst

AREA 5 – LIQUID SHADOW LABORATORY

A smaller laboratory, notably more intimate than the almost industrial-scale operations of the other laboratories here. Black liquids burbling in glass tubes.

ALCHEMY LAB: A set of Alchemist’s Supplies.

• 2 pint of liquid shadow (Ptolus, p. 647)
• Alchemy Lab — Secret Lorebook
• Liquid Shadow Alchemical Recipes
• Shadow Detector Research Notes (DC 12 Intelligence (History) check to recognize the seal of House Sadar on these documents.)

DM Background: In addition to developing the shadow detector for House Sadar, the liquid shadow developed in this laboratory is sold directly to Sadar’s shadowmancers.

LIQUID SHADOW ALCHEMICAL RECIPES

These notes detail an alchemical recipe for synthesizing liquid shadow. The process requires 1,500 gp in supplies and a successful DC 30 Intelligence (Alchemist’s Supplies) check.

DM Background: The recipe is not particularly economical (costing more to create than the market value of liquid shadow), but it has the advantage of being producible on demand and in quanity.

SHADOW DETECTOR RESEARCH NOTES

These research notes constitute an effort to filter liquid shadow with silver nitrate in an effort to create a “shadow detector.”

The goal appears to be create a device which can be used to “sift the Shadow of Ptolus” as part of an effort to “locate Kadmiel, the Shadow Tower.” The notes for this are incomplete, apparently having been copied from a more complete source in order to provide the alchemists with sufficient detail for developing their device. These notes are marked with a seal:

Apparently the specific difficulty is that an appropriately modified shadow walk spell will allow one to enter the “Shadow of Ptolus.” (This equires a casting of the spell and a DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) check.) But there are actually many “Shadows of Ptolus” that overlap each other like shadowy mist. The Shadow Tower is only located within a specific Shadow of Ptolus and the effort of the shadow detector is to be able to quickly peer through these many layers of the Shadow and find the particular attunement on which Kadmiel exists.

DM Background: See Kadmiel Tower and Shadow of Ptolus in Ptolus, p. 303-4.

Go to Part 7D: Alchemy Lab 4 – Storefront & Common Labs

Go to Table of Contents

POISONER’S GUILD – DAYTIME

• Thornai^**
• 2 Journeymen^*
• 4 Apprentices
• 2 Vladaam Gladiators

POISONER’S GUILD – NIGHT

• 2 Advanced Vladaam Guards
• 50% chance: 1 Journeyman^*
• 50% chance: 1 Apprentice

^* Carries common vault key.
^** Carries master vault key.

Alchemical Lab – Poisoners’ Guild
Guildsman District
Brewer’s Close – I9

AREA 1 – LABORATORY

The large space is filled with a chaos of lab tables and work stations. A thick, acrid smell fills the green-hazed air.

ALCHEMIST’S LABS: 6 sets of alchemist’s supplies.

• DC 14 Intelligence (Alchemist’s Supplies): The labs here contain a predominant amount of equipment specialized for the handling and refining of poisons.

ALCHEMY SUPPLIES: 2,000 gp in alchemical supplies.

One crate of unopened supplies still has the Bill of Shipping Right issued by the Docks attached to it. It identifies the Prince’s Servant, commanded by Captain Therech and registered to the Fleet of Iron Sails, as the ship which carried the crate to Ptolus. The taxes were paid by the deot of House Vladaam.

ALCHEMY CONCOCTIONS: banecord (x6), benecord (x2), beastbane incense (x2), beastbane salve (x2), beastgrace perfume (x1), poisonbane unguent (x12), verminbane incense (x2), verminbane salve (x2)

DC 20 INTELLIGENCE (INVESTIGATION): A concealed trapdoor reveals a small compartment with an iron coffer (DC 24 Thieves’ Tools) containing augur’s draught (x3), cassandra’s tears (x6), and soul’s draught (x3).

SECRET DOOR: DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation), two DC 24 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) made simultaneously. Requires both the master vault key and one of the common vault keys to be turned simultaneously in twin locks.

AREA 2 – POISON VAULT

This vault contains:

• 3 vials of every poison in the DMG (p. 357) except for midnight tears, purple worm poison, and wyvern poison.
• Alchemy Lab 2 – Secret Lorebook (located on pedestal; see trap below)
• Unfulfilled Order for Shadow Essence Poison
• 5,000 gp in alchemical supplies

IRON COFFER: 10% chance of being present.

• 500 gp
• 40,000 sp
• 50,000 cp
• Instructions to have the Ithildin Couriers ship it to the Red Company of Goldsmiths on Gold Street (see Part 12).

TRAP: If the lorebook is removed from the pedestal without first pushing a trigger concealed on the back of the pedestal, six crossbow bolts tipped with purple worm poison fire into the room (determine targets randomly). Detect DC 20, ranged attack +10, 1d8 piecing damage + purple worm poison (12d6 poison damage, DC 19 Constitution saving throw for half damage).

UNFULFILLED ORDER FOR SHADOW ESSENCE POISON

Thornai—

I’m running low on shadow essence, and I’d dearly appreciate a fresh supply of thirty doses at your earliest convenience. Our guests can get dreadfully out of sorts without it.

I’ll take delivery at Marquette’s on Pitch Street.

Arquad

Go to Part 7C: Alchemy Lab 3 – Shadowworks