The Pallid Mask (A Night at the Opera)

From The Shipping News:

Freeport Opera House Prepares for Delayed Anniversary Celebration

The new opera season will showcase the life's work of Fiarella Donadrien, the famous elven composer who was commissioned by Sea Lord Marquetta to write the Opera House's debut production. As local lovers of the fine arts will recall, Donadrien died soon after the first performance just over a century ago. Ever since then, all productions of her crowning achievement have been marred by deaths attributed to her ghost, so that "The Pallid Mask" has not been produced in over fifty years. Director Gorsky Glitterlights arranged to have Donadrien's ghost laid to rest so that her masterpiece could be performed on the Opera House's 100th anniversary. Soon after the exorcism, though, Glitterlights was killed during the Succession Riots, and the anniversary passed while the Opera House remained closed for months. It was finally reopened under a new director, the celebrated actor Rikard Burbage. Patrons of the Opera House have finally persuaded the reluctant Burbage to follow through with his predecessor's plans for the delayed anniversary celebration.

The anniversary production of "The Pallid Mask" will be proceeded by the best of her other works, including the historical epics "Aregund Ascendant" and "The Werewolf King," the comedies "The Goblin Bard" and "Cannibal of Clovis," and the surreal (and controversial) tragedy "Rajko the Ghul."

See the Session Notes for A Night at the Opera for a capsule summary of the opera "The Pallid Mask" and how events unfolded during the adventure. (The opera is based on The King in Yellow, from the stories of Robert Chambers, as embellished by various Call of Cthulhu RPG sources.)

Stat blocks for characters appearing in the adventure are presented here. These stat blocks follow the v.3.5 rules, which "Winds of Freeport" used at that time.

Yahasha

See the Character Manager for Yahasha's stats.

Randal Coiner (Randalarian)

Notes: Randal was designed to be a potential cohort for Harissa when she takes Leadership at 6th level. [They parted ways before that became relevant.]

Randal owns an antique platinum coin with a square hole in the center, on which continual flame has been cast. He wears this around his neck on a silk cord, usually under his shirt or armor so that the light can't be seen. When he needs just a little light, he places the coin in his open mouth to improvise a small, dim bullseye lantern.

Age 136; 5' 1"; 94 lbs.; very fair skin, emerald green eyes, very long chestnut hair (partially braided).

Randal Coiner (Randalarian)

CR 4

Male high elf rogue 4

CN Medium humanoid (elf)

Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Listen +9, Spot +9

Languages Common, Elven, Gnome

AC 18, touch 14, flatfooted 18; uncanny dodge (+4 Dex, +4 armor)

hp 16 (4 HD)

Immune sleep

Resist evasion, trap sense +1

Fort +1, Ref +8, Will +3 (+5 vs. enchantment)

Spd 30 ft. (6 squares)

Melee mwk rapier +8 (1d6/18-20) or

Melee dagger +7 (1d4/19-20) or

Melee sap +7 (1d4 nonlethal)

Ranged mwk composite longbow +8 (1d8/x3)

Base Atk +3; Grp +3

Atk Options sneak attack +2d6

Combat Gear potion of cat's grace, potion of cure light wounds, potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of protection from arrows 10/magic, acid (2), antitoxin (2), caltrops (2)

Str 10, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10

SQ trapfinding

Feats Nimble Fingers, Weapon Finesse

Skills Appraise +5, Balance +8, Disable Device +12, Hide +11, Listen +9, Move Silently +11, Open Lock +15, Profession (sailor) +6, Search +9, Spot +9, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks), Swim +4

Possessions combat gear plus +1 studded leather, mwk rapier, dagger (2), sap, mwk composite longbow and 20 arrows, backpack, belt pouch, crowbar, flint and steel, mwk thieves' tools, signal whistle, silk rope (50 ft.), whetstone, wooden holy symbol (2: Sminth, god of thieves, and Tyche, goddess of luck), traveler's outfit, 1 pp with continual flame, 59 gp, 3 sp, 8 cp

Rickard Burbage

See the 3rd Era Freeport Companion, page 95.

Nathan Grymes

See the 3rd Era Freeport Companion, page 101.

The Stranger

L'skol, AKA Jonny Quillan, as The Stranger

CR 7

Male serpent person cleric 6

CE Medium monstrous humanoid (reptilian, shapechanger)

Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +2, Spot +2

Languages Abyssal, Common, Valossan

AC 18, touch 11, flatfooted 17 (+1 Dex, +5 armor, +2 natural); 21/14/20 with shield of faith (+3 deflection)

hp 34 (6 HD)

Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +7

Spd 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.

Melee mwk kukri +4 (1d4-1/18-20)

Ranged dagger +5 (1d4-1/19-20)

Base Atk +4; Grp +3

Atk Options rebuke undead 5/day (+4, 3d6+8, 6th), smite 1/day (+4 attack, +6 damage)

Special Actions moment of clarity 1/day (add Insanity Score to Wis for one check)

Combat Gear divine scroll of summon monster VI (CL 9th) [fiendish ochre jelly or pseudonatural* spider eater only], feather token (fog)** (x2)

* Manual of the Planes; ** 3rd Era Freeport Companion

Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 6th):

3rd--bestow curse (DC 17), contagion (DC 17), rage[D]

2nd--cure moderate wounds, death knell (DC 16), enthrall (DC 17), shatter (DC 16), touch of madness*[D]

1st--bane (DC 16), entropic shield, lesser confusion (DC 16), shield of faith [+3]

0--detect magic, guidance (x3), read magic

D: Domain spell; Deity: Unspeakable One; Domains: Destruction, Madness*.

*Shadows in Freeport

Str 8, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14/18 (16)*, Cha 14

*Insanity Score 2, Wis 18 for spellcasting, 14 for all other uses.

SQ change shape (any Small or Medium humanoid)

Feats Combat Casting, Improved Initiative[B], Martial Weapon Proficiency (kukri), Spell Focus (enchantment)

Skills Concentration +7 (+11 casting defensively), Disguise +2 (+12 with change shape), Escape Artist +4, Hide +4, Knowledge (religion) +7, Knowledge (the planes) +7, Listen +2, Perform (acting) +5, Spot +2, Survival +2 (+4 other planes), Swim +5

Possessions combat gear plus +1 chain shirt, mwk kukri, dagger (x2), amulet of natural armor +1, gold unholy symbol (Yellow Sign; 100 gp), Pallid Mask costume (white mask, gold robe and cloak)

Fiarella Donadrien

Fiarella Donadrien was one of the most famous singers and composers of her time. She dies under mysterious circumstances during the first performance of her magnus opus, The Pallid Mask, based upon an obscure tragedy about a royal family's decline. Her opera is actually an adaptation of a sacred text dedicated to the Unspeakable One, and causes madness in all who read, perform, or watch it. However, because the clerics of Freeport's God of Knowledge take vows of poverty, and thus have limited knowledge of opera, none have yet guessed that this famous play has any connection to the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign. Donadrien was once as good as most elves are, but her contact with forbidden texts has resulted in a madness that delights in death.

Age 167, 5'5", 104 lb., very long silver hair, very pale green eyes, white skin. Donadrien's entire body has a ghostly silver-white sheen. Her famous beauty becomes most apparent when she is listening to her own work; at those times, she appears to be alive, even benevolent. When angered (especially by talentless hacks), her hair begins to move as if agitated by wind, and her eyes enlarge and begin to flash.

Fiarella Donadrien

CR 10

Female elf ghost expert 6

CE Medium undead (augmented humanoid, incorporeal)

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect secret doors, low-light vision; Listen +17, Spot +8

Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan, Elven

AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+1 Dex, +6 deflection) [AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 vs. ethereal]

hp 39 (6 HD)

Immune undead traits

Resist incorporeal traits, turn resistance +4

Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +7

Spd fly 30 ft. (perfect) (6 squares)

Melee telekinesis +18 (varies)

Ranged telekinesis +18 (varies)

Base Atk +4; Grp -- [+2 vs. ethereal only]

Atk Options corrupting gaze (DC 19), frightful moan (DC 19), manifestation, telekinesis (CL 12th, DC 19)

Str 7, Dex 12, Con --, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 23

SQ rejuvenation

Feats Iron Will, Persuasive, Skill Focus (Perform: sing)

Skills Bluff +17, Disguise +15 (+17 acting), Gather Information +8, Hide +9, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +17, Perform (acting) +15, Perform (sing) +18, Search +10, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +8

Possessions none

Monkey Demons

These small monkey-like fiends appear in Jade Dragons and Hungry Ghosts (Green Ronin Publishing), and have been updated to v.3.5 by Tim Emrick.

MONKEY DEMON

CR 1/2

Always CE Small outsider (chaotic, evil)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3

Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic

AC 17, touch 15, flatfooted 13; Dodge (+1 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural)

hp 5 (1 HD)

Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1

Spd 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 40 ft.

Melee bite +2 (1d4 plus monkey madness)

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Base Atk +1; Grp -3

Atk Options monkey madness

Str 11, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 7, Wis 9, Cha 10

Feats Dodge

Skills Hide +12, Listen +3, Move Silently +8, Sleight of Hand +16, Spot +3, Survival +3

Monkey Madness (Su) Anyone touched by a monkey demon must make a Will saving throw (DC 11) or suffer monkey madness for 1d3 rounds. Oni of all kinds are immune to monkey madness. Those who make a successful saving throw are never again affected by monkey madness. Monkey madness makes a victim sit still, dropping all items and rocking to and fro. Victims report that the monkey's touch instills horrible visions of death, hopelessness, and suicide.

Skills Monkey demons gain a +8 racial modifier to all Sleight of Hand checks.

Climate/Terrain: Any forest

Organization: Pair or troupe (3-6)

Treasure: None

Advancement: 2-3 HD (Small)

Level Adjustment: --