Deus Ex Machina

"Deus Ex Machina" is a D&D 3.0 adventure that appeared in three installments, as "Focus on Freeport" #11, 13, and 14.

General notes

Special thanks to Kalendraf and author Jeff Quick for posting questions and errata for this adventure long before I could. Your work has greatly simplified my own! (Many of those comments are included here.)

Freeport: City of Adventure (F:CoA) has no information on the Gods of Trickery (all three parts), Magic, the Sun, Dwarves, or Smiths (Part Three). For each god except Trickery, the DM has three options: 1) the god has a minor temple in the Temple District (or elsewhere in the city), 2) no public shrine exists, but one or more clerics reside in town, or 3) Freeport has no temple or cleric for that god. The identity of each god will need to be determined by the DM as appropriate to the campaign, as with all other gods mentioned in this series.

The Trickster God and clerics: There are some problems here with the clerics' alignments and domains. The god cannot have Neutral clerics (Claret, Part One) unless he is Neutral as well--but then he could not grant the Chaos domain (Chemb, Part One). If the god is Neutral, give Chemb Luck instead of Chaos. However, Chaotic Neutral seems more appropriate for the God of Trickery, with domains of Chaos, Luck and Trickery; this requires changing Claret to CN and Khorbon to CE. The god's favored weapon is unclear (the clerics use a variety of weapons), so the DM can choose whatever he feels is appropriate.

Focus on Freeport #11: Deus Ex Machina, Part One: Nothing Is Sacred

p. 1, Encounter 1: The Heist:

1) How does Claret cast Sanctuary on Harcourt if she is a block away (60'). According to the PHB, sanctuary has a range of touch. [Kalendraf, 5/6/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

This would be the product of dumbass writer error.

One mildly clever way to salvage that would be to swap out her Brew Potion feat for the Reach Spell metamagic feat (found in the Defenders of the Faith guidebook from WotC). It makes any touch spell a ray with a range of 30 feet, and the spell is prepared at two levels higher. Have her drop bestow curse for the metamagicked sanctuary. Then place her 30 feet away instead of 60 feet.

Less complicated options include having her cast it on him ahead of time and give him, say, 5 rounds remaining by the time he makes the grab, or just skip that step since it get logistically dodgy. [Jeff Quick (author), 5/7/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

Another possible solution might be giving Harcourt a potion of sanctuary, brewed by Claret. However, drinking a potion requires a standard action, and speed is of the essence here.

p. 2, Building 1; Building 2:

3) According to the map, the distance between building 1 and 2 is 15'. However, in the key for Building 1, it lists this as 10'. Which is correct? [Kalendraf, 5/6/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

See answer to question 1 re: dumbassness. I meant it to be 10 feet, not 15. [Jeff Quick (author), 5/7/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

p. 2, Building 2: The map on p. 3 does not show the weak areas. Distribute several "danger squares" on the map as you see fit.

p. 2, Building 2; Building 3:

4) If Harcourt is being pursued, I would expect him to untie/cut the tightrope connecting buildings 2 and 3 similar to how he impedes followers by kicking away the plank between building 1 and 2. Why doesn't he do this? [Kalendraf, 5/6/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

There are a couple of things going on here.

The first, as other posters surmised, is the time issue. I decided kicking a board could be done as a free action, but stopping to cut a rope is definitely a standard action.

I suppose you could say that Harcourt tied some tricky knot, but without any Use Rope ranks, I don't think he has the mad skillz for it.

The meta-game aspect of it was that I wanted this portion of the adventure to test skills, so I wanted there to be a Jump check and a Balance check.

Which are all completely negated by someone with a fly spell. But still.

Also, for those of you playing at home, remember that using spider climb means you move at half speed. That will occasionally be a factor for Harcourt, so he uses the slippers when it's faster than just running. [Jeff Quick (author), 5/7/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

p. 2, Building 5:

2) The building 5 description indicates that followers may fall into the courtyard, but I'm not clear as to why. The shortest path should take Harcourt and any pursuers along the southern part of the building which is away from the courtyard. Does Harcourt take some kind of strange path here to try to trick his pursuers? [Kalendraf, 5/6/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

The idea is that Harcourt knows that there's an abrupt dropoff, but pursuers do not, therefore he does a quick fake to try to get followers to ditch into the courtyard. Probably not explained as well as I'd have liked in the text. [Jeff Quick (author), 5/7/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

p. 2, Building 6; Through the Wall: According to F:CoA, there is no wall between Drac's End and the Temple District. The Old City's walls are too tall and well-guarded to be appropriate. Either 1) add a wall in the appropriate location, or 2) assume the "wall" is a heavily-built-up part of The Cluster (F:CoA, Location 13, p. 51). Note that the new Temple of Retribution is located across town in Scurvytown (F:CoA, Location 45, p. 90). See also Kalendraf's notes for Part Two, below.

p. 4, Chemb: AC 13 (+3 +1 leather), touch 10, flat-footed 13.

p. 4, Claret: Diplomacy doesn't include the synergy bonus from Bluff; raise it to +11, or move 2 ranks to another skill (such as Alchemy, for +4).

p. 4, Harcourt: He is 6th level, so should have a third feat. Run would an obvious choice! Move Silently does not include +10 from silent moves armor. Add "dagger" to Possessions.

p. 4, Resseka: She should have 50 skill points (20 cleric + 30 rogue), but only has 44; 6 cleric skill points remain unspent.

Focus on Freeport #13: Deus Ex Machina, Part Two: Forsaken Places

p. 1, Encounter 2: The Abandoned Temple:

I recently obtained a copy of Freeport: City of Adventure, and was hoping that it would have a bit more info regarding the old and new churches of the God of Retribution. Instead, it contains merely a rather small entry about how the church is now barely scraping by in Scurvytown. This seemed to fly directly in the face of the information presented at the beginning of Part 2 of Deus Ex Machina.

After some debate, I came up with the following solution and rough order of events which seems to handle this:

1. As mentioned in Deus Ex Machina, Part 2, the Church of Retribution gets a large donation and decides to rebuild a new temple.

2. It procures a large section in the area of town known as Scur[v]ytown. Perhaps it was less of a bad section at that time, or perhaps the priests figured they could help renovate the area. Construction of the new building is begun in the location noted on the map as indicated in Freeport: City of Adventure.

3. At various points in its construction, various items from the previous temple are brought to the new temple to assist in consecration ceremonies and then put into storage until the final dedication is ready.

4. The events listed in Deus Ex Machina, Part 2, regarding the Trickster god clerics occurs. The old temple is con[s]idered cursed and/or haunted and declared off-limits. With so much effort now being spent on the construction of the new temple, such events are not investigated thoroughly by the Retribution priests.

5. The events listed in Freeport: City of Adventure regarding the demise of many of the Retribution priests occurs (lost at sea or something similar). [See Hell in Freeport, p. 6, about the crusade, and the subsequent decline of the Church. --TE] The temple is left desperately short-handed, and postpones further work on the new temple. Instead, they attempt to make do with what they have completed.

6. After years of neglect, the new temple of Retribution has decayed to a point of now fully blending in with the rest of Scurvytown.

I wound up using this last night. Seemed strange to have a temple way over in [S]curvytown. The party found and rescued Brother Knoxton, and then accompanied him clear across town at his urging to help verify his and their story. Had the new temple been located in the temple district, it wouldn't have been that far of a detour, but going clear across town took some serious convincing. [Kalendraf, 5/15/2002, "Deus Ex Machina - any tips"]

The glyphs of warding on the second-floor windows are not detailed; see PHB, pp. 209-210, for details of that spell. Of the clerics appearing in this adventure, only Claret (Part One) is high enough level to cast this spell so use her caster level (5th). If the DM wants to use the spell option rather than the blast option, possibilities include: 1st--cause fear; 2nd--hold person; 3rd--bestow curse, blindness/deafness, contagion, inflict serious wounds, searing light, summon monster III.

p. 1, What if They Decide It's Not Worth It?: The Godshop (F:CoA, Location 49, p. 95) would be ideally suited to this sidetrack.

p. 3, Collapsible Room: See Part Three, Room 24, about the space into which victims will fall.

p. 3, Girallon Room: The girallon would have required hold monster to "hold," but that spell is a Law 6 spell and doubly unavailable to the Trickster clerics! (And Korzaks Tarm, in Part Three, has no hold spells.) Assume they found some other means to trap the creature in this room, such as simply luring it inside and locking the door.

p. 4, Meeting Room: This room lacks a creature entry: "Temmel: male halfling Rog3/Clr1; hp 21; see stats below."

p. 4, Temmel: He should have 57 skill points (54 rogue + 3 cleric), but only has 54; 3 rogue skill points remain unspent.

Focus on Freeport #14: Deus Ex Machina, Part Three: The Face of the Trickster

p. 1, Room Behind the Stairs: The Gnome Illusion Caster can be treated as a CR 1/2 magical trap for XP purposes, if the DM wishes.

pp. 1-2, Planning Room: Note that dispelling illusory script also makes the secret message disappear.

p. 2, The Pantries [sidebar]: Familiars do not have a CR; they are considered a class feature of their master (DMG, p. 166). Fix Clunk's stats: CR --; magical beast; AC 17 (add +3 natural armor), flat-footed 15; bite +6 melee; SQ darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Int 8.

p. 2, Kitchen: Create food and water is Clr3, so only Claret (Part One) can cast it. Heat metal is Clr2, so a few of the other clerics can also cast it. However, all of the Trickster clerics have better uses for their higher-level spell slots than to create and cook their food.

pp. 2-3, Pantries: Penalties for Clunk's death depend on Whillispur's current XP and his saving throw (see PHB, p. 50). He will only lose a level if his XP is below 10,500 (saved) or 11,000 (failed). If he loses a level, change his stat block (p. 5) as follows: Ill4; HD 4d4+12; hp 16; Fort +2; drop Alchemy, both Knowledge, Concentrate and Spellcraft skills by 1 each; delete one feat [Spell Mastery?]; loses all 3rd-level spells. His familiar (and related benefits) were part of his original CR, so the party should get full CR 5 experience for him.

p. 3, Worship Chamber: In the first paragraph, it is unclear what kind of "activities" were condemned. The map (p. 2) shows no exterior door; this is probably in the middle of the south exterior wall, below Room 23.

p. 3, Dressing Rooms: The map (p. 2) is missing the door to the western room's chamber pot room.

p. 4, Korzaks' Quarters: See the second floor map (Part Two) for the floor plan of this area; however, only the door at the top of the stairs is marked, and no others.

p. 4, Maze: Note that this room is larger than the second-floor room above it (Part Two, Room 3). Orpen and Druf are beneath Room 3, but far enough away from the doors of that room to avoid the spaces the PCs are likely to collapse first. Regel and the stairs down are below solid ceiling; this means that if the golem (Room 26) is finished and breaks free of the temple, the shortest route to the outside of the temple avoids the cave-in trap. The secret door between the pit and Room 25 (see pp. 5-6) is not mentioned here. Orpen, Regel and Druf should still have complete stat blocks even though they try to avoid close combat. I have worked out the following based on their listed stats:

Orpen and Regel: male and female human Clr3: CR 3; medium-sized humanoid; HD 3d8+6; hp 23, 23; Init -1 (Dex); Spd 20'; AC 14 (-1 Dex, +5 chainmail) (touch 9, flat-footed 14); Atk +4 (1d8+1, masterwork morningstar) or +1 ranged (1d8, light crossbow, 80'); SA turn undead; AL CN; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +5; Str 12, Dex 8, Con 14, Int [?], Wis 14, Cha [?].

Skills and Feats: [18 skill points, plus 6x Int modifier; 3 feats, probably including Scribe Scroll and Brew Potion].

Spells Prepared (4/4/3; base DC = 12 + spell level): [choose spells, or use Khorbon's list (p. 5)].

Possessions: masterwork morningstar, light crossbow, 10 bolts, chainmail, wooden holy symbol, 3 Cure Light Wounds scrolls, Blur potion, Levitate potion; (for Orpen, also add bag of marbles).

Druf: male human Rog3: CR 3; medium-sized humanoid; HD 3d6+3; hp 16; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30'; AC 16 (+2 Dex, +4 chain shirt) (touch 12, flat-footed 14); Atk* +3 melee (1d6, masterwork rapier) or +5 ranged (1d6, masterwork composite shortbow, 70'); SA sneak attack +2d6; SQ evasion, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC); AL [N or CN]; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 10*, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha [?].

(* Melee Atk is +2 base, +1 masterwork weapon; if Str 12-13, add +1 to both Atk and Dmg. Ranged Atk is +2 base, +2 Dex, +1 masterwork weapon. Point Blank Shot adds +1 attack and damage.)

Skills and Feats: Disable Device +10, Hide +6*, Listen +6, Move Silently +6*, Search +8, Spot +8 [plus 18 skill points in other skills (these six are at maximum ranks); * Includes -2 armor check penalty]; Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Skill Focus (Disable Device).

Possessions: masterwork rapier, masterwork composite short bow, 20 arrows, chain shirt, 4 Cure Light Wounds potions, Darkvision potion, Neutralize Poison potion.

pp. 5-6, Training Room: Add Khorbon and Whillispur to the Creature entry: "Khorbon: Male human Cleric 3; hp 24; see page 5." and "Whillispur: Male gnome Illusionist 5; hp 19; see page 5."

p. 5, Khorbon: See "General Notes" above about his alignment. He is a 3rd level human, so should have another feat [probably Combat Casting?]. Bluff is a class skill (Trickery domain), so raise to +6 (6 ranks). This gives a synergy bonus to Diplomacy (for +8). Add "club" to Possessions (delete "light" in melee Atk).

p. 5, Whillispur: His "Description" entry breaks off mid-sentence. He should have 40 skill points. If Bluff and Escape Artist (both cross-class) are deleted, his skill points tally. Spot +2 includes his familiar; he also has Listen +4 with his familiar. The 3 spells known with Spell Mastery are not indicated. His wand's charges are not given, so must be the full 50 (?). [His prohibited schools must be Divination and Necromancy; he has at least one of every other school prepared.]

p. 5, Korzaks Tarm: Craft (sculpting) does not include Skill Focus (+3 per GR's suggested house rule, F:CoA, p. 123). His wand's charges are not given, so must be the full 50 (?).

p. 6, Casting Room; Wrap Up: See "General Notes" above about the gods mentioned here. Add creature entry: "Korzaks Tarm: Male human Sorcerer 16; hp 50; see page 5." and "Faith golem (1): hp 55; see page 7."

p. 7, New Monster: Faith Golem: Face is 10 ft. by 10 ft.