Go to Part 1

AREA 10 – LOWER ANTECHAMBER

A chamber of white, blue-veined marble. The walls, floor, and ceiling are lightly rimed with frost.

There are 6 wights (MM, p. 300), 2 ghasts (MM, p.), and 2 frostbanes.

DOOR TRAP: Any living creature touching the door leading to the hallway triggers a cloudkill that fills the room for 10 minutes.

• Magical trap
• DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) to detect.
• DC 16 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to disable.

AREA 11 – GORGON GUARDS

The walls and ceiling of this chamber are painted sky blue with blood-red clouds.

Standing guard upon a pair of double doors crafted from glistening ebony are 2 gorgons (MM, p. 171).

AREA 12 – THE IRON THRONE

A long red carpet leads up to a small dais on which sits a throne of stone and iron.

THRONE: The throne is designed to teleport its user to Area 16 (in Aggah-Shan’s Sanctum). To operate the throne, the user must strap themselves into it. During the teleport, carefully positioned spikes sprout from the chair, inflicting 20d6 points of damage (no save). (The spikes pass harmlessly through a skeletal figure.)

• Mechanical trap
• DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) to identify the trap.
• DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) identifies the teleport properties of the throne.
• DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to disable the spikes (but this also disables the teleport effect).

TELEPORT TRACE: Aggah-Shan has blocked divinations leading to his sanctuary, but if he has recently used the chair (25% chance) a teleport trace or similar effect will reveal the chair’s destination.

AREA 13 – ADAMANTINE SKELETONS

The vault (Area 14) is guarded by 4 adamantine ettin skeletons.

VAULT DOOR (10-in. iron): AC 19, 300 hp, DC 24 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools)

ADAMANTINE ETTIN SKELETON

Large undead, lawful evil

---

Armor Class 14 (natural)

Hit Points 85 (10d10+30)

Speed 40 ft.

---

STR 21 (+5), DEX 10 (+0), CON 17 (+3), INT 2 (-4), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 4 (-3)

---

Skills Perception +4

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine; critical hits become normal hits

Condition Immunities poisoned, exhaustion; can’t be poisoned

Languages Giant, Orc (can’t speak, but can understand)

Challenge 5 (1,100 XP)

Proficiency Bonus: +2

---

Two Heads. The ettin skeleton has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The ettin skeleton makes two adamantine claw attacks.

Adamantine Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) slashing damage. This counts as an attack with an adamantine weapon, automatically dealing a critical hit to objects.

AREA 14 – FALSE VAULT

This outer vault contains:

• 3,113 gp
• amber gold earring (525 gp)
• ceremonial electrum dagger with star ruby pommel (930 gp)
• death mask of beaten gold (85 gp)
• gold medallion with black opal gemstone (1,500 gp)
• golden sphere (75 gp)
• heavy wrought gold bracelet (650 gp)
• beaded headdress (100 gp)
• ornamental silver skullcap, inclaid with runes and a moonstone set above the brow (315 gp)
• small gold statuette of a maiden on a unicorn (175 gp)
• potion of restoration
• heavy crossbow +2
• dagger +1

Playtest Tip: There are two reasons for the specificity in Aggah-Shan’s vaults. First, it makes looting the place cooler than just “you find 4,355 gp in jewelry.” Second, because Aggah-Shan isn’t on site, the likely outcome of any heist here is that he — and his organization — will be looking for the PCs. Each item can be targeted by divinations. Each item the PCs fence can be traced. Each item gives a vector for continuing the scenario by other means.

SECRET DOOR: DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation). Panel slides away to reveal a second vault door. Moving the panel without applying pressure to the correct sections triggers a trap. A gemstone inset on the vault door shoots out 1d4+1 beams of purple-black energy, targeting any characters in line of sight (starting with those closest).

• Magical trap
• Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, one creature. Hit: Life drain, dealing 10d10 necrotic damage. The target must succed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

VAULT DOOR (10-in. iron): AC 19, 300 hp, DC 24 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools).

AREA 15 – TRUE VAULT

The inner vault contains:

• 1,000 pp, 4,300 gp, 8,765 sp
• Gems: violet apatite (50 gp), graveyard plume agate with white flames (60 gp), block of green jade (125 gp), rusteen (210 gp), 25 peach sunstones (10 gp each), 25 red sunstones (10 gp each)
• Potions: giant strength, healing, endure elements (x2), enlarge, magic weapon, spider climb
• Scrolls: alter self, levitate, blur, jump, mage armor, minor illusion, shield, mirror image, charm person, conjure animals, summon fey
• horn of goodness/evil (wrought from a bicorn’s fluted horn of white and black)
• horn of Valhalla (this specific horn is tied to the ancestors of the Grey Mountain barbarians who are marching on Ptolus, see Night of Dissolution, p. 5)
• horn of silence (advantage on saving throws against sonic effects when held; 1/day create silence spell that can be dismissed with a second blow; 1/day create the effect of a shatter spell)
• (75% chance) adamantine arrow keyed to the ley-laced marble statue in Area 18. (If it’s not here, then Aggah-Shan has it.)
• Book of Lesser Chaos and Book of Greater Chaos

HORN OF GOODNESS/EVIL

This trumpet adapts itself to its owner, so it produces either a good or an evil effect depending on its owner’s alignment. If the owner is neither good nor evil, the horn has no power whatsoever. When the horn is blown, it produces the effects of a magic circle spell. If the owner is good, they can choose for the circle to be effective against fiends or the undead. If the owner is evil, they can choose for the circle to be effective against celestials. The horn can be blown once per day.

Go to Part 2D: Aggah-Shan’s Sanctum

Go to Part 1

AREA 1 – ILLUSORY WALL

The stairs from the White House bottom out into a small room with an iron chest.

ILLUSORY WALL: The wall immediately to the north of the stairs is illusory, created with a major image spell (cast using a 6^th level spell slot to make it permanent). A DC 21 Intelligence (Investigation) is required to discern the illusion for what it is.

WIGHTS (12): There are 12 wights (MM, p. 300) behind the illusory wall. They attack when the trap on the iron chest is activated (they can see through the wall without any problems) or if anyone passes through the wall.

IRON CHEST: Empty. It is locked (DC 13) and trapped. (DC 18 to detect). Anyone touching the chest must succeed at a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed. In addition, they exude a carrion stench for 2d6+2 rounds that causes all creatures within a 10-foot-radius to become poisoned for 1d6 rounds unless they succeed at a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. (Characters must repeat the saving throw for each round that they remain within 10 feet of the stench-exuding victim.)

AREA 2 – THE DOOR CHOICE TRAP

The north door in this room is gilded with silver. The south door is gilded with gold. Each door has a magic mouth.

ENTRANCE SCRIPT: Entering the room from Area 1 triggers the following script from the magic mouth. Leaving the room and re-entering will trigger the script again.

• Both Doors: Each of us will ask a riddle. To pass us you must answer true.
• Door of Gold: One shall always tell the truth.
• Door of Silver: One shall tell a lie.
• Both Doors: One question you may ask; then answer must be given.

FALSE SOLUTION: It’s a trick. If asked, “Will the other door tell me yours is the right path?” (or some similar circumlocution), then the Door of Silver will say “Yes” and the Door of Gold will say “No” (logically indicating that Silver is the correct door). But opening either door will trigger a fireball trap (14d6 fire, DC 20 Dexterity saving throw for half damage; Detect DC 14).

TRUE SOLUTION: Ask a door, “What is your riddle?” Then answer the riddle accurately and the door will open safely.

GOLD’S TRUE RIDDLE:

Do not begrudge this,
For it is the fate of every man.
Yet it is feared,
And shunned in many lands.
Causes problems, and sometimes gaps,
Can hobble the strongest, and make memory lapse.
What is this danger we all face?
For being part — of the human race.

ANSWER: Old age.

SILVER’S TRUE RIDDLE:

With this you can do wondrous things.
Look at things close or far away.
You can see things big,
Or you can see things small.
Or maybe you don’t see them at all.
I come in many colors and hues,
Sometimes green and sometimes blue.
And when I’m read — it’s not from shame.
But from something with a different name.

ANSWER: Eyes.

AREA 3 – WIGHTS, GHASTS, AND A FALSE DOOR

There are 6 wights (MM, p. 300) and 6 ghasts (MM, p. 148) in this room.

FALSE DOOR: Fashioned of copper. Touching the door triggers a chain lightning trap (10d8 damage, DC 20 Dexterity saving throw for half damage, leaps to 6 additional targets; Detect DC 16).

AREA 4 – ANTECHAMBER

A cream-colored carpet runs across a beautiful floor of crimson-patterned tile. A picture of a young man hangs on the north wall; a picture of a ghastly, skeletal figure hangs on the south wall.

NORTH PICTURE: Depicting a youth with chocolate brown hair, darkly tanned features, and dressed in robes of blue silk. Purple lightning dances between the fingers of an out-stretched hand. (This depicts Aggah-Shan as he was in life.)

SOUTH PICTURE: Desiccated features, but wearing the same robes of blue silk. The figure is wreathed in flame, with the sun limned in eclipse behind him. (This depicts Aggah-Shan as a lich.)

AREA 5 – BLADE BARRIER TRAP

TRAP: Any living creature entering the 10’ x 10’ area between Area 4 and Area 6 triggers a blade barrier which blocks all four directions out of the 10’ x 10’ area. This simultaneously triggers the trap in Area 6.

• Magical trap
• 6d10 slashing damage (DC 20 Dexterity saving throw for half)
• DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check to detect the trap.
• DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) to identify the nature of the trap.
• A dispel magic spell permanently disables the trap.

AREA 6 – ULULATING FOUNTAIN

A statue of a wraith-like maiden with her mouth gaped wide serves as a fountain, pouring a black-tinted water into the stone pool below.

UNHOLY WATER: The water in the pool is unholy water (30 vials worth).

TRAP: Any living creature touching the water or the statue triggers a trap.

• Magical trap
• DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) to detect the trap.
• DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) to identify that the trap will transform the water; DC 18 check reveals the full properties of the trap.

Poison Cloud: The water emerging from the siren’s mouth is converted into a poison cloud. (DC 16 Constitution saving throw or suffer 4d6 poison damage and become poisoned; the saving throw must be repeated each round.) The cloud expands 10 feet per round to a maximum radius of 60 feet (filling this entire level out to Area 2).

Siren’s Song: The statue begins ululating a siren’s song. Living creatures within hearing must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw each round or become captivated, moving towards the fountain and then drowning themselves in it. (Those moving through danger — such as the blade barrier in Area 5 or the poison cloud — have advantage on the saving throw.)

Alerting the Complex: The siren’s song will bring any wights and ghasts from Area 3 or Area 10 that are still alive. Everyone else in the complex will maintain guard positions, but will be alerted.

AREA 7 – VASES OF LITHUIN

A collection of nineteen vases placed on pedestals around the room Some are fluted ceramics, while others are more finely crafted and crystalline in nature.

INTELLIGENCE (HISTORY):

• DC 18: These are Lithuin vases. Incredibly rare. Individual vases are worth 1,000 gp each.
• DC 26: This collection specifically demonstrates the evolution of Lithuin vase-craft. It’s unusually complete, and its collected value would be doubled (to 38,000 gp).

INTELLIGENCE (HISTORY) or (INVESTIGATION) – DC 20: The vases are covered in Lithuin runes (now undecipherable), but two of the vases also have a different symbol carved on their bottom:

DM Background: The symbol is that of the Shuul (Ptolus, p. 126). These vases were purchased from the Shuul (who make regular archaeological expeditions to Lithuin).

LITHUIN

Lithuin is a semi-legendary city that was inhabited by Titan Spawn who “sailed from beyond the sea.” They were specialists in the arts of kaostech. The location of the city was long-lost and many scholars believed it never actually existed. Various chaos cultists, however, have recently rediscovered it, and the Shuul have also come into possession of its secret location.

AREA 8 – COPPER FOUNTAINS

Several shallow copper basins are on the floor of this area. Other basins are suspended from the ceiling or built out from the walls. Copper tubing runs in tangled mazes throughout the chamber, gushing forth with multi-hued liquids here and there, creating kaleidoscopic pools of effervescent hues.

SECRET DOOR (Detect DC 15): Twisting one of the spigots causes a large basin to drain and then spin out of the way, revealing the passageway to Area 9 behind it.

Playtest Tip: Although this may initially appear to be the only route to the lower levels of Aggah-Shan’s Catacombs — in which case having a mandatory skill check to get down there would be a questionable choice — in practice these catacombs can also be approached from the OTHER direction (exploring up out of the Mrathrach Machine). In addition, triggering an alarm will cause the wights and ghasts in Area 10 come up; they will leave the secret door open, revealing its location.

AREA 9 – WHIRLING POISON BLADES

The stairway is filled with poisoned blades that come whirling out of razor-thin slits in the walls. Putting any weight on five of the stair treads will trigger the trap (which remains in motion for 5 minutes).

• Mechanical trap
• DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice the razor-thin slits in the wall.
• DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) to identify the trap; DC 16 identifies 1d4+1 trigger treads; DC 18 identifies all five trigger treads.
• DC 16 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to disable.
• +8 attack bonus, 3d10 slashing damage, DC 14 Constitution saving throw or 2d6 poisoned damage. Targets all characters on the stairs when triggered.

Go to Part 2C: The Lower Catacombs

Go to Part 1

Beneath the White House are Aggah-Shan’s catacombs. This ancient lair actually predates the construction of the gambling house above by at least several decades, possibly more. It can also be reached from the Mrathrach Machine below.

(Download: Large – Battlemap)

(Download: Large – Battlemap)

Design Note: There is a map of the Lower Level of the White House on p. 311 of the Ptolus sourcebook. The maps here are designed to supersede that map.

Go to Part 2B: The Upper Catacombs

TM and © 2022 Monte Cook Games, LLC

SPOILERS FOR PTOLUS: NIGHT OF DISSOLUTION

In the Night of Dissolution, a campaign for 4^th to 9^th level characters by Monte Cook set in the city of Ptolus, the investigations of the PCs bring them to the Mrathrach Machine, a huge structure of chaositech which has been assembled in a cavern beneath the White House, a gambling establishment owned by the lich Aggah-Shan in the Oldtown district.

In the original adventure, the PCs are led to the Mrathrach Machine via an underground tunnel. But whether they come at the complex from above or below, they may nevertheless find themselves exploring the White House or the catacombs of Aggah-Shan.

The White House and Aggah-Shan’s Catacombs are briefly described in Ptolus, p. 310-312. The Mrathrach Machine is described in Night of Dissolution. The material here is designed to enhance this material for your campaign.

These notes were developed for use in my Ptolus: In the Shadow of the Spire campaign. They’ve been adapted to 5E for use with the newly adapted release of the Ptolus sourcebook and campaigns.

Part 1: The White House
Part 2: Aggah-Shan’s Catacombs
Part 3: Mrathrach Machine
Part 4: The Balacazar Job
Part 5: Mrathrach Table Raids

THE WHITE HOUSE

Note: This map is based on the map found on p. 311 of Ptolus, but has been modified to include additional details.

LOCATION OF THE WHITE HOUSE

The White House is located on Fetch Street in Oldtown.

ADVERSARY ROSTER

The adversary roster only lists the armed force the PCs are likely to meet if they cause trouble. The White House is filled with patrons, dealers, table managers, moneychangers, etc. Of particular note is Thurman Rees (steward, Ptolus, p. 613), the day-to-day manager who can usually be found in his office (Area 16). (Note that Aggah-Shan is currently out of town.)

The White House is open 24-hours per day. The guards rotate, but the general staffing doesn’t shift between day and night.

GUARDS: Veteran (MM, p. 350)

ADVANCED GUARDS: Knight (MM, p. 347)

GUARD CAPTAIN: Master Thief (Ptolus, p. 612)

BARRAS NOVEN: Barras Noven is Thurman Rees’ brother. He normally hangs out at the Onyx Spider (Ptolus, p.203). Rees hires him if the White House is experiencing any trouble (e.g., if the PCs or other adventurers raid the place or the Balacazars perform a heist). Once hired, Barras stays in Area 16 unless trouble arises. Barras doesn’t want trouble with the city watch, however, and if the authorities are involved he’ll try to slip out the secret back door (Area 19).

EXTERIOR

• White marble façade. Entrance flanked with massive columns.
• There are a half dozen messengers hanging around outside, waiting to service the late-night crowd.

AREA 1 – ENTRANCE

The White House is fashioned to emphasize a youthful, exuberant luxury. (Some might describe it as “gaudy.”) It lavishes its patrons with pleasures.

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS: Large, stained glass windows flank the chamber, depicting the patron saints of Luck and Grace.

CLOAKROOM DOOR: A man at the door of the cloakroom (Area 3) will check bags and weapons for 1 sp per item. All weapons must be checked.

COMPANIONS: “Companions” are available for rent in the corner of the room.

AREA 2 – PUBLIC GAMBLING HALL

A dozen or so tables, sporting the highest stakes. Games include:

• Green Dragonscales
• Wheels
• Poker
• Orcsnout

MRATHRACH WHEEL (A): The White House’s Mrathrach installation. A large crowd surrounds it.

MONEY CAGE (B): For the purchasing and exchange of chips. Contains 1,500 gp in various coins.

MIRRORS: Large, floor-to-ceiling mirrors line the walls, making the room feel much larger than it is. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check identifies them as one-way mirrors (looking out from Area 4).

AREA 3 – CLOAK ROOM

• Contains a variety of common weapons, cloaks, etc.
• Contains 1d6-3 magic weapons.

AREA 4 – FLOOR GUARDS

The White House doesn’t want a bunch of armed guards harshing the vibe on the gambling room floor, but they wait here where they can respond quickly through the secret door.

• One-way mirrors look out onto the public gambling hall (Area 2).
• There are comfortable chairs for the guards to sit in while others walk up and down the length of the wall looking through the windows into gambling halls (Area 2 and Area 5).

SECRET DOORS: DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to pick the lock.

AREA 5 – PRIVATE GAMBLING HALL

A private gambling room for VIPS, who are brought in through the secret doors in Area 4.

MONEY CAGE (A): Contains 9,000 gp in various coinage.

AREA 6 – PRIVATE LOUNGE

“Companions” or a concierge will bring high-rollers back here. There are a dozen or so prostitutes/exotic dancers lounging or performing here.

AREA 7 – EMPLOYEE-ONLY DOOR

There’s always a guard standing on duty here. Only employees are allowed into the rear of the building.

AREA 8 – GUARD’S LOUNGE

A few chairs and a cot.

Most of the guards are NOT aware of the secret door leading to Aggah-Shan’s office (Area 9); only the Guard Captain and Advanced Guards.

SECRET DOORS: DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to pick the lock.

AREA 9 – AGGAH-SHAN’S OFFICE

A huge, lavish office.

• An imposing, dark-stained oak desk.
• A plush rug that your feet sink luxuriously into.
• A series of weapons hanging on the paneled walls.

RUG TRAP: Anyone approaching within 5 feet of the desk who doesn’t say the current verbal passphrase must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained by the rug, which becomes sticky and also starts drawing trapped characters down into it. (You’re literally sinking into the rug!) Restrained characters have 1d4 rounds to succeed at a DC 16 Strength saving throw to free themselves. If they don’t, they vanish completely into the rug and begin to suffocate. In addition, they suffer 1d6 points of damage per round from constriction. Once fully “submerged,” they can still escape with a DC 20 Strength saving throw.

• Magical trap
• DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check or DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check to note the subtle prehensile movement of the rug (in an activated area).
• DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) to identify the nature of the trap.
• A dispel magic spell will suppress the trap for 2d6 rounds (also freeing anyone trapped inside the rug).

Aggah-Shan and the Guard Captain also know a set of command words which can activate the trap in any section of the rug, or the entire floor. (Or, alternatively, end the effect.)

DESK: The desk is surprisingly sparse, containing no written matter at all. It does have a secret drawer (DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find) which contains a stolen Balacazar ledger and a key to the lockbox in Area 20.

Balacazar Ledger: Details payments, transactions, shipments, and other information that implicates the Balacazar crime bosses in Midtown, South Market, and North Market.

WEAPONS: Inspecting the weapons hanging on the walls notes that each one has dried blood on its blade.

SECRET DOORS: DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to pick the lock.

AREA 10 – TO AGGAH-SHAN’S LAIR

These stairs lead down to Area 1 of Aggah-Shan’s Catacombs.

AREA 11 – VAULT GUARD ROOM

This is the antechamber to the White House’s vault.

HALL DOOR (Steel-Cored): AC 19, 40 hp, DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools)

VAULT DOOR (10-in. iron): AC 19, 300 hp, DC 24 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools)

AREA 12 – VAULT

The vault itself is teleport-indicted. (You cannot teleport in or out.)

COIN: Coffers of copper, silver, and gold collected from the gambling floors.

• 19,400 cp
• 25,800 sp
• 6,000 gp

JEWELS: 24,000 gp. 14,000 spread across 65 incredibly rare jewels; the rest in small diamonds, rubies, and pearls.

ART: 50,000 gp in rare art.

Design Note: The expectation here is that if the PCs liberally loot the vault, Aggah-Shan will track them down and make them pay for it for the rest of their (likely very short lives). He’s also, at least for the moment, a legal business owner — so he’ll simultaneously send the City Watch after them. Removing the bulky wealth, particularly the art, should also be non-trivial (and fencing it even moreso).

AREA 13 – MRATHRACH CONSTRUCTION AREA

Several long workbenches run down the length of this room, each covered in bizarre equipment of a vaguely biological nature.

Half-completed Mrathrach tables lean up against the far wall.

WORKBENCHES: The workbenches have several chaositech modules under construction, as well as a variety of papers including the Modified Mrathrach Tower Plans and Chaositech Module Shipping Manifest.

• DM Note: The “warehouse off Flamemoth Way” belongs to the Surgeon in the Shadows (see Night of Dissolution, p. 39). The Modified Mrathrach Tower Plans reveal that Aggah-Shan is planning to betray his cultist allies and seize control of the Mrathrach Machine.

CHAOSITECH MODULE SHIPPING MANIFEST

This final delivery completely our supply of 25 bones of steel in paired, syncrotic modules customized to your requested specifications.

Deliver the payment of 5,000 platinum coins to the warehouse off Flamemoth Way.

MODIFIED MRATHRACH TOWER PLANS

Aggah-Shan–

I have enclosed the plans necessary for modifying the Mrathrach receptor modules within the Tower. The partial overlaying of your cerebral patterns onto the final matrix should reward you with the control you desire.

I am destroying my copies of these records, so that any potential leaks down here won’t get back to the Tolling Bell.

Caldor

AREA 14 – TAINT VICTIM

A victim of chaositech taint is strapped to the bed. Flesh of the nose has rotted away. There’s bleeding from the eyes and fingernails. A greasy, yellow sweat. The victim is incoherent and semi-conscious (moaning softly).

• DM Note: This room is normally use das a prostitution suite (see Area 15).

WHITE HOUSE HEALER’S REPORT: Located on the bedside table.

• DM Note: Mala Cathord can be tracked down with a DC 12 Charisma (Investigation) check asking around Ptolus. She’s working on the case quietly because her brother owes a great deal of money to Aggah-Shan.

WHITE HOUSE HEALER’S REPORT

Notes taken by Mala Cathord, Healer of the Sacred Heat.

Patient’s Name: Haffe Brin

Patient collapsed while serving as an operator at the White House.

Symptoms are resisting treatment.

There is a fundamental corruption of the flesh; none of my efforts are having any effect. The corruption seems to be feeding upon itself.

Fingernails are chalky and weak. Sweat is beginning to manifest the inner corruption.

AREA 15 – PROSTITUTION SUITE

A private room for use by the White House “companions.” They take their johns back here (through or from Area 6).

The larger chamber keyed as Area 15 is a lavish suite. The others are fairly basic affairs with a simple bed.

50% chance that any given room is currently occupied.

AREA 16 – THURMAN REES’ OFFICE

Thurman Rees is the day-to-day manager of the White House. He has keys to all doors in the White House, as well as the lockbox in Area 20.

AREA 17 – PRIVY

Pretty much what you’d expect.

AREA 18 – FAKE OFFICE

This appears to be an office, but it’s actually maintained as a fake front to disguise the presence of the emergency bolt hole (Area 19).

A DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check notices an unusual coating of dust and other signs that the office isn’t actually used.

SECRET DOOR: DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find, DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to unlock.

AREA 19 – EMERGENCY EXIT

A short hallway, mostly undecorated.

The secret doors are obvious from inside this hall.

BOLT DOORS: DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find, DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) to unlock.

AREA 20 – GAMBLING RECORDS

A relatively bare office. There’s a large, double-locked box sitting on a table.

BOX: DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools), contains the Gambling Records. (It takes some time to piece out the details revealed by these records.)

• GM Note: Lomwell’s refers to Lomwell’s Office (Ptolus, p. 209). The other locations are detailed in the Mrathrach Table Raids.

GAMBLING RECORDS

These records detail massive payments to Aggah-Shan from various gambling establishments around town, including:

• Cock Pit (in South Market)
• Urdoch’s “Mrathrach Holes” in the Warrens (some sort of collective operation)
• Temple of the One-Eyed God
• Broken Spine (in the Docks)
• Hell’s Door (in Midtown)
• Lomwell’s (in Midtown)

Business is brisk and healthy, with one exception: Most or all of Aggah-Shan’s establishments are accepting large losses on Mrathrach games.

There’s also a complaint from a local boss about his dealers falling ill and the difficulty of finding replacements. “Figure this out. We’re sick of it down here.”

Go to Part 2: Aggah-Shan’s Catacombs