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Flowing Tears of Chotrakam - This large blue opal-like stone was given as a gift to Lady Bahameen, who carried it with her on several adventures, and had it mounted on her helmet. Lady Bahameen was from a small town on the Long Sea Coast, where her descendants still rule. The helmet and her sword were enshrined in the small palace and temple of her family grounds, but they have been used a few times since her passing, so locals are familiar with the helmet. Local sages know the story of how she came to have it. Alone, the gem gives "Resistance" to elemental attack; Cast "Conjure Elemental" at 8th Lvl 1/day; Cast "Water Breathing", "Water Walk" and "Control Water" at 8th Lvl, 1/day
The PC's will start their journey in Ecmen, where they will be able to get official visitor status from the Durham Embassy. As Durham is a trading partner of the Empire, any heroes of Durham will be welcomed, and travel passes will be easily obtained. While in Ecmen waiting for the emissary from the party's wealthy patron, the PC's will have ample opportunities to get into trouble. Ecmen is the northern gateway city for the Pershamon Empire, handling trade with the entire northern half of the Keller Lands. It is on a small hill surrounded by several small rivers, and is surrounded by a quite formidable wall. Outside of the city lies several miles of slave-run grain farms and peasant villages. Beyond that lies a thousand miles of steppe to the west, mountains to the other directions. The city population is dominated by an imperial garrison and a huge number of traders, but the remaining 40% of the population are conventional commoners and slaves. Horses are a huge part of trade hereso there are extensive stables on the outer parts of the city. The interior of the city is divided into wards and districts, many separated by small walls and gates... typical for a Pershamon city. The major quarters include:
The Garrison Quarter, which includes the castle, housing, barracks, and military industries.
The Estate District - home to House Verkhabaz, holders of the office of Siridar of Ecmen.
The Foreign Quarter in the eastern part of town, home to the Keller traders and the businesses that cater to them.
The Merchant's Quarter in the western part of town, extensive warehouses, horse and slave stockyards, and living space for the many laborers and slaves employed there.
The Temple District, home to Ecmen's local library and the estates of some minor nobility
Common Districts, dozens of small neighborhoods home to crafters, artisans, and various local industries.
The PC's are staying in an inn located in the foreign quarter, the "Ape and Bull", because the proprietor is a D'Kunderak veteran - Fimbul One Eye. He has two eyes. The inn is unexceptional, with a serviceable tavern on the first floor.
The primary danger is that Guildmaster Cindcryon of Durham has put a bounty on the PC's. They will have to deal with a variety of hitters while in town. It is known that they are dangerous, and foreigners in Ecmen must tread lightly... so they are really only in danger while in the Foreign Quarter. Outside of that, a single assassin will trail them, but only attack them when they are alone. Guards with spears are common, as the city is always at risk of slave uprisings. Any serious violence outside of the Foreign Quarter will be met by a squad of well armored guards led by a knight, all armed with longswords and longbows, with more squads arriving quickly until it is quelled. Foreigners are not permitted to travel within the city armed and armored, unless they are issued a permit by the local authorities. Knives and simple weapons rarely attract attention from guards unless used in front of guards.
If the PC's need some fun, there is an Abominable Yeti loose in the city. Captured by a band of adventurers far to the north, it is being transported here for sale to the Pershamon ruler of the city. It was captured by a very lucky mage (named Abelurd the Amazing) using Hold Monster that stunned the creature long enough for 'Iron Bands" to be used, then reduced it to a small enough size to smuggle into the city. Thanks to an accident involving "Dispel Magic", it got out and ate the mage. It is now rampaging around the foreign quarter. Wooden buildings and strict laws mean that fire spells are forbidden here, and the law is inflexible and swift.
A casting of "Legend Lore" will be instrumental here. It reveals the following information. The PC's know that they will need to travel near Kalmah and then locate the shrine to Lady Bahameen in order to obtain the stone. It is about 1500 miles from the gateway city of Ecmen to the Pershamon capital city of Kalmah, then an additional 500 miles down the coast. The journey will take about a week, assuming normal breaks for rest and replenishment. The entire trip is over civilized land, so other than encounters with wary villagers and the occasional overzealous guards, there should be little trouble. They will have to travel around Kalmah itself, as it is forbidden to fly over the Imperial City. they will see it in the distance, a vast and shimmering sea of lights and reflected sunlight.
The destination is the coastal village of Beshar, a large but poor village of fisherman. The village is located on a barrier island along the coast, between the sea and the tidal wetlands behind it. It has a stout wooden palisade, surrounded by marshy wilderness. Once known as a wealthy farming area with large estates maintained by slaves, the area has subsided and the rivers changed course, turning the region into swamps that are poor for farming and flood prone. As a result, most of the great estates are long crumbled to ruins. Those peasants who remained in the area settled on the high ground and rebuilt Beshar, where they now live on what the sea provides. The governor is a knight named Haruma ban Beshar, a 4th level fighter. She is the descendant of the Besharazand nobles that once ruled, and is quite haughty despite her diminished stature. .
Haruma ban Beshar, a 4th level fighter
Ability scores: STR: 15 (+2) DEX: 16 (+3) CON: 16 (+3) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 12 (+1) CHA: 13 (+1)
Saving throws: STR: +4 DEX: +3 CON: +5 INT: +2 WIS: +1 CHA: +1
Initiative: +3 Speed: 30 Passive perception: 11 Size: Medium Proficiency bonus: +2 Gender: Female
Melee weapons:
Longsword (+4 to hit) 1d8(1d10)+2 slashing damage
Ranged weapons:
Long bow (+5 to hit) 1d8+3 piercing damage Range: 150/600 20 arrows
Hit points: 40 Hit dice: 4d10
Armor: Scale mail and Shield
AC: 19
Proficient skills: Athletics +4, History +4, Intimidation +3, Persuasion +3
Non-proficient skills: Acrobatics +3, Animal Handling +1, Arcana +2, Deception +1, Insight +1, Investigation +2, Medicine +1, Nature +2, Perception +1, Perform +1, Religion +2, Sleight of Hand +3, Stealth +3, Survival +1
Languages: Common, Pershamon Other proficiencies: Leatherworker's tools, Three-Dragon Ante
Abilities: Fighting Style (Defense), Second Wind, Action Surge, Martial Archetype (Battle Master), 4 Superiority Dice (d8), 3 Maneuvers (Goading Attack, Lunging Attack, Riposte), Ability Score Improvement (4th level +1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution)
Equipment: Fine clothes, Signet ring, Scroll of pedigree, Dungeoneer's pack, Flask of Holy Water Wealth: 54 gp, 49 pp, Gem worth 250 gold
Lady Bahameen's family fell out of favor generations ago, and her family lands were lost to the sea. She is still a beloved figure in local folklore, but the grounds of the shrine are dimly remembered and avoided by locals - angry spirits it is said. Additionally, the land around it has subsided, and the sea has made the area a marshy waste. It is difficult to reach, and currently a haven to bandits, escaped slaves, and so forth. The PC's will need to hire a local guide to find the place, or spend days in the air searching fruitlessly. For many years, the villagers simply avoided the ruins and had no trouble, but they have suffered intermittent raids and predation by a band of lizardmen... they say that the lizardmen have been there for as long as the marsh has been there, but something has stirred them up of late.
Eventually, the PC's will reach the crumbling ruins of House Besharazand's estates. Unfortunately, the estates are claimed by a young adult Black Dragon named "Erfolg" - as Young, but more HP and Frightful Presence (60ft) and no Legendary actions. The aboveground area is a maze of stone arches, walls, and pillars surrounded by water at high tide, and impassable mudflats at low tide. The Dragon lairs within the hollow shell of the main manor house, and keeps its treasure hoard: a chest of 1800gp, 300gp in misc. gems, and a variety of badly abused magical weapons and armor... obviously formerly valuable, but too damaged to do more than pry some gems off... 1300gp worth.
The family mausoleum is an above ground structure that has partially subsided into mud and water at high tide. The crypts are partially flooded, and dangerous to enter without timing it carefully. The building is a vine-covered square with a solid stone wall on the outside, with stairs to reach the roof and enter from the center garden... which is flooded. large stone doors bar the entrance on four sides of a central courtyard, which has a statue of the god Rusham Deyamadra. Piled in one corner is a pair of dormant Shambling Mounds, which are tolerated by the Black Dragon as useful guards. They will attack once the PC's have started fooling with a door. There are spiked pits beyond each door - treat as hidden thanks to the mud, and each crypt has a ceiling blade trap - DC-15 to detect and disarm, +8 attack 2d10 slashing to anyone in front of the door. Bones can be found scattered here and there in the water, but there are no undead here. Inside, virtually all of the remains have been disintegrated by sea water and time, leaving only the stone sarcophagi. Here and there, crypts have been opened and emptied out. When they finally reach Lady Bahameen's sarcophagus, they will find it still sealed. Her body within has remained largely uncorrupted, a middle aged woman in patina'd scale armor, with a helmet and a sabre.
If the stone is removed in a reverent and respectful way, it might be possible to avoid retribution. If if the body is disturbed too much, two minor Koor Dashtana will manifest in the antechamber (stats as Deva), with dual fiery scimitars, hawk wings and heads of flame. They will attempt to destroy the tomb defilers, starting with "Abjure Enemy" (PHB88).
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