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Tobias Blackburn

A Trip To The Bookstore: The Writings of Andre Bellamont

The Background

In the literary circles around the Core, there is a name on everyone's lips. To some, he is a true master, capable of pouring tales of the purest horror from his pen as one would pour water from a jug. To others, he is a hack who produces little more than sensational trash. Andre Bellamont cares little about what others say about him. What he does care about is the fact that he is the one being discussed.

Two years ago, Bellamont began to publish short stories and novels. Each was a tale of murder, written from the point of view of the victim. Filled with terror, gore, and vengeful ghosts from beyond the grave, Bellamont's works have been selling throughout the Core in record numbers. The fact that each chapter only costs two coppers helps the matter greatly. The materials used in printing might be shoddy, but none can gainsay the quality of the writing.

Few actually believe that the son of a poor clerk from Richemulot could possibly write such vivid tales, and Andre is often the first to agree. He claims that he does little more than records of his dreams and dark fancies. Andre explains that the realism comes from the inspiration of his muse, though he refuses to explain who, or what, that is. He has weathered several accusations of dark magic because of this, but there has never been any proof behind them.

Then, one month ago, the circus that surrounded Bellamont became even wilder. A particularly savage monster had been stalking peasants in a hamlet near Ste. Ronges. Many thought that there would be no stopping it, until a group of adventurers showed up carrying its head. Having recently slain the creature, they gave the credit for their success to a text of Bellamont's they had recently acquired. The victim in the story had fallen to the beast, and through careful study they had been able to discover the secret to the it's identity. Demand for Bellamont's latest "copper copies" has skyrocketed and several publishers are clamouring to get the rights to a collection of his works.

The Hooks

So why is Andre Bellamont such a popular author? For one thing, his tales do capture something primal, encapulsing the reader in the final moments of the narrator's life. In game terms, several of his tales require minor fear and horror checks (DC of no more than 5). A reader who succeeds in this check gets a +1 competence bonus to their next check (Fear if they succeeded in a Fear check, Horror for Horror) for the next week. Though few know it, he has begun work on his masterpiece, one that promises to be a heart stopper. Literally.

As a person, Andre is charming but shallow. He is quite egotistical and takes every chance he gets to turn the conversation towards how great he is. He would sell his mother for a silver and give back 99 coppers in change if he had the chance. In short, he is a blatant opportunist who seems to have a talent for writing what sells.

Andre Bellamont (male Human Exp3/Rog2)

The exact reasons behind Andre's success is left up to the DM. Here area few ideas:

• Andre is a ghostwriter. Really. After recovering from an almost fatal bout of pneumonia, Andre discovered that his perception of the world around him had changed and that he could now see and speak with the dead. Realizing and opportunity when he saw one, he began to travel a bit to areas which had suffered from recent murders. He would look to see if he could find the spirts of any victims and get them to tell him their stories. He has begun to lose his grip on his sanity because of these late night graveyard talks, but he is unwilling to stop. Added to the fact that a few of these restless spirits have begun to haunt him for abusing their trust, and Bellamont is becoming frantic for help.
• Andre is actually the puppet of something much worst. The real "artist" hides in the background, writing out its every macabre fantasy and act, trying to spread its visions to as many people as possible. As readers around the core begin to go mad, it will rise up to revel in the chaos it has caused.
• Andre is telling the truth. These dark visions are actually dreams that come to him in his sleep. He took to writing them out to save his sanity and discovered that he could make a quick buck from it. Whether he is dreaming through the eyes of those destined to die, or has become a toy for the Nightmare Court, has not been determined.

The Works of Andre Bellamont:

The Life and Death of Leon Valneur - This story in fifteen chapters describes the death of a noble from Ste. Ronges who found himself devoured alive by a horde of rats beneath the streets of Pont-a-Muse. It begins slowly, after he kills a rat that had gotten into his food stores. As more and more rats rise to torment him, he runs, only to end up trapped in a pit in the sewers. The narration sticks with him until the last of his bones has been picked clean. More than one critic has called it gratuitous and lacking any subtly. The description of Valneur's tongue being devoured from inside his mouth is a favourite among the rebellious Renier youth, who often evoke the scene as a subtle threat to those that annoy them.

This tale requires a Fear check (DC 5) and a Horror check (DC 4).

The Final Visitations of Natalia Eliade - At thirteen chapters in length, this story is about the wasting and death of a Barovian villager. As her body slowly fails her, her dreams are haunted by the sinful visitation of a beautiful man. It is only near the end that she realizes what fate awaits her and begins to struggle. By then it is far too late and it is only the brutal actions of her brother that prevents her from a fate worse than death.

This tale requires a Horror check (DC 3).

The Horrifying Tale of the Encounter in the Alley - Bellamont's latest work, sitting at twenty chapters, the narrator of this story enters into a darkened alley in a large city, having heard a young girl crying. The result is capture, torture, and an eventual slow death at the hands of a madman.

This tale requires three Horror checks as the descriptions get progressively worse (DC 3, DC 4, DC 5).

NykylaiHellray

Sweet shops, and evil candymen

Maybe in charge of an old sweet shop, and instead of the clothes said in the description. More a suit, with a ragged top hat on his brow.

Lol what about Uncle Crackerjack the self styled candy cane king.

Posted on WotC board by

RavenDrake

Candy Man- A bizarre urban-dwelling spirit creature (fey, I guess) Candy Men are corrupt fey creatures who delight in luring children away to become "ingredients" in their candies. Candy Men, resemble skinny, malnourished human men with wild eyes in strange unnatural colors, and mouths full of rotten teeth, they often dress in garish, colorful clothes. Candy Men wander around cities offering candy to children (which is laced with mind altering poisons making them more susceptible to their mind control powers) If cornered, candy men are tough opponents, possessing a charming gaze, a wide variety of spell like abilities (including dimension door or blink which they make liberal use of) and wielding knives coated on various poisons

Candyman

Come 'ere, little one, come 'ere.... do nae be afraid. I've gots me a goodie for ye in me pockets, I does... Tha's right, little 'un. Eat it... eat it and join all tha' others...

Candymen are unscrupulous unseelie fey who use lies, trickery and deception to spirit away children to make into evil magic candies they call "sweetmeats".

Candymen appear to be humanoid males, though painfully emaciated and gaunt. Thier skin is pale and waxy, pockmarked by horrible acne and sores. Their mouths are full of diseased, blackened teeth, though their breath(and indeed the air all around them) has a sweet, minty tang. When not disguised their ears, long and pointed with ragged slits along the underside, or their eyes, which are jewel bright colors of crimson, brilliant green, sapphire blue and swirled, can give them away, but otherwise they generally appear to be human. Most Candymen wear garish and bright outfits like those of jesters and harlequins, playing at being buffoons to ingratiate themselves into festivals and celebrations to find thier prey.

Candymen target young children(less than 10 years old), enticing them with candy. They'll use bluff and diplomacy checks to earn their trust. Those that prove difficult to tame, or who appear to be the "leader" of a group of children are fed special Unseelie Sweets(see below) then Charmed by their Enticeing Gaze so they they'll follow without question.

Combat

Candymen generally choose to avoid combat if they can. They'll use thier bluff or diplomacy in an attempt to diffuse the situation. If they feel threatened, they'll use their spell-like abilities to confuse their opponents and escape. If forced to fight, they usually try to charm as many opponents as they can. In melee they lash out with wicked flurries of dagger thrusts and throws

Dagger Mastery(Ex): Candymen fight with a dizzying myriad of daggers, the wicked blades almost like extensions of the Candyman himself. A Candyman can strike with a dagger in either hand in both melee or ranged combat with no penalty. Additionally, they suffer no penalty to damage when using a dagger in thier offhand. A candyman can draw daggers, even hidden daggers, as a free action. Most Candymen carry 10 or more masterwork blades on them at all times, hidden in recessed pockets in their garish outfits.

Poison(Su): A Candyman's waxy skin exudes a thin sheen of magic poison that they can modify at will. As a standard action(that provokes attacks of opportunity) they can change the poison's effect to be 1d6 Initial, 2d6 secondary Int, Wis, or Cha damage, 2d4 Initial and Secondary Str or Dex damage, Or Initial 1d6 Con, Secondary Sleep(4 hours). They can coat any weapon they have in hand with this poison as a free action. The save DC for all of these poisons is 21. This save is Cha based.

Enticeing Gaze(Su): A candyman's gaze can beguile if they want it too. As a standard action(that provokes attacks of opportunity) they can attempt to charm anyone that looks at them, save DC 21. Anyone who succeeds their save is immune to that Candyman's Enticing Gaze ability for 24 hours, those who fail remain under the Candyman's thrall for one day. This is otherwise identical to a regular gaze attack.

Spell-like Abilities: At will: Blink, Dimension Door, Mirror Image; 3/day: Deep Slumber, Hideous Laughter, Minor Image Caster level 16th.

Strange Candy: Candymen seek out children and entice them away to use them as the ingredient in their evil "sweetmeats", as they call them. These disgusting(to most humans) candies are potent magical items that the Candymen, and their unseelie allies, use to enhance themselves and create havoc among humanoids. Any candymand is likely to have at least 4 Unseelie Sweets, and 1d4+1 randomly selected other sweetmeats from the following list:

Unseelie Sweets: The most common of the Candymen's corrupt confections, Unseelie Sweets appear to be simple white and red taffies. When consumed, their magical essences disorient their victims. Anyone who eats an Unseelie Sweet suffers -1 to all saving throws(and -4 to saving throws against Mind Affecting Effects) and skill checks for one hour.

Sonambulant Drops: These yellow-green citris drops cause anyone who consumes them to sink into a strange state of sleep. The subject falls asleep for up to 8 hours, however they can be commanded to perform actions in a sort of sleepwalking haze. The first voice they hear while asleep becomes their master, and they will follow their master's orders as though each was a Suggestion. Their movements, however, are jerky and clumsy, suffering a -4 penalty to all attack and damage rolls, skill and ability checks, and saving throws. Additionally, they can take only partial actions.

Blood Taffy: These sickly red, sticky sweets smell faintly of old blood. When chewed and consumed they allow thier eater to spit a goody, blood-dripping mass of fibres as a standard action, duplicating a Web spell, with an additional effect. Anyone caught within the bloody strands must succeed an additional Willpower saving throw (DC 15) or become nauseated. This ability must be used within one hour, or it is lost.

Black Brittle: These thin candy sheets, looking like blackened peanut brittle, grant anyone who consumes them DR 3/Cold Iron for one hour.

Cinderous Jawbreaker: These hot ginger and cinnamon jawbreakers grant anyone who sucks on them the ability to spit a firey jet (a ranged touch attack dealing 1d8 points of fire damage) as a standard action. Its effects last for 1 hour or up to 10 bursts.

Gelid Mints: These cooling mint candies grant their consumer the ability to spit icy needles at their foes. These small darts deal 1d4 points of piercing damage and 1d4 points of cold damage as a ranged touch attack. Firing a dart is a standard action. This effect lasts for 1 hour or up to 10 darts.

Psychadelicacies: These brilliantly colored lollipops cause anyone who eats them to hallucinate vividly, suffering the effects of the Insanity spell for 1 hour.

Honeyed Spider: Appearing to be a jelly or caramel in the shape of a spider, these candies give their eater the power to vomit forth a swarm of spiders (see the Monster Manual for details) as a standard action. The candy does not, however, give its consumer any control over the spiders once they are summoned. The spiders will dry up into dust 1d6+4 rounds after they are summoned. Once consumed, the eater must summon the spiders within one hour the effect is lost.

Trouble Gum: Appearing to be a rubbery chewing gum, Trouble Gum allows it's consumer to blow forth bubbles of ropy, adhesive goo. As a standard action, they can blow a bubble and pop it against any foe within 5ft, entangling them and forcing them to make a DC 15 reflex save or be stuck fast to the floor. The goo is resilient and resists cutting and burning, though if it(or the creature it's entangling) takes 10 or more points of cold damage, the gooey bonds break free and fall off. A subject remains entangled for 2d4 rounds before the material looses its adhesive properties and falls off. Once a subject begins chewing Trouble Gum they can use this power up to 3 times, but lose any unused portion after one hour.

Because these are all created by the murder of children, they are inherently evil (they register as Strong Evil to a Detect Evil spell) and eating them by choice (once recognized) is always an inherently evil act. Consuming any of these items is standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

* Candymen have a +4 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks.

BigBadQDaddy adds:

Brandi adds:

Jester of the FoS:

WolfKook:

Jester of the FoS :

Is it raining? Is it snowing?
Is a hurricane a-blowing?
Not a speck of light is showing,
So the danger must be growing.
Are the fires of Hell a-glowing?
Is the grisly reaper mowing?
Yes, the danger must be growing,
For the rowers keep on rowing,
And they're certainly not showing,
Any signs that they are slowing!

Nathan of the FoS :

cure

I present the following as a beginning of a comprehensive list of tables for Monster Summons and Summon Nature's Ally. This is not a project that I am going to do all by myself so your assistance is solicited.

In particular there is a table for creatures with the Mists subtype that can be summoned anywhere, a table of creatures with the Dream subtype that can be summoned in dreamscapes, and a table for Falkovnia which also includes the creatures of the previous two subtypes.

I have followed the PHB tables where applicable, have followed the fauna table for Falkovnia from Gazetteer 2 where applicable, have substituted within the limits of atmosphere creatures from Denizen's of Dread and like sources, and have tried to avoid as much as possible using generic monsters from the d20 universe to fill in empty wholes. There are no undead. There are neither constructs nor oozes (at least for the Falkovnian table). Outsiders with reality wrinkles and hence capable of spiriting casters across closed borders are and are to be excluded. Monstrous humanoids and aberrations are mostly if not entirely excluded. Indeed most moderately to highly intelligent and individuated monsters are excluded. This last condition seems to summarize the spirit of the PHB tables, at least at low levels. Hence no kobolds, or humans, or shadow fey for example.

An asterisk indicates a Denizens of Dread monster.

A question mark before an entry indicates that I am a little uncertain of its appropriateness either at that particular spell level or in its entirety. For example, the paralyzing screech and the petrifying gaze of the Carrion Bat and the Basilisk perhaps make them inappropriate at any level?

There are other dream creatures that could be added to the dreamscape table but I am unsure of their appropriateness. But turning that around, I wonder if any creature at all of the PHB of which a caster has a reasonably good idea should not be summonable within a dreamscape.

SUMMONING TABLE OF MIST SUBTYPE CREATURE:*
*These creatures can be summoned in any domain, within the Mists themselves, or within a dreamscape so long as any particular conditions for conjuring the given creature are met.

Summon Monster III 
Elemental, small [NE, Mists] 
?Heath fiend* [CE, Mists, Fire] 
Shadow Asp* [Mists] 

Summon Monster V 
Corrupted Thoqqua [NE, Mists] 
Elemental, medium [NE, Mists] 

Summon Monster VI 
Elemental, large [NE, Mists] 

Summon Monster VII 
Elemental, huge [NE, Mists] 
Mist ferryman* [NE, Mists] 

Summon Monster VIII 
Elemental, greater [NE, Mists] 
?Grim Reaper* [Mists] 
Mist horror* [NE, Mists] 

Summon Monster IX 
Elemental, elder [NE, Mists] 

Summon Nature's Ally II 
Elemental, small [NE, Mists] 

Summon Nature's Ally IV 
Elemental, medium [NE, Mists] 

Summon Nature's Ally V 
Elemental, large [NE, Mists] 

Summon Nature's Ally VI 
Elemental, huge [NE, Mists] 

Summon Nature's Ally VII 
Elemental, greater [NE, Mists] 

Summon Nature's Ally IX 
Elemental, elder [NE, Mists] 

Summon Monster II 
Pale Morph [LE, Dream Elemental, only summonable with a dreamscape] 

Summon Monster IV 
Gray Morph* [LE, Dream Elemental, only summonable within a dreamscape] 

Summon Monster VII 
Shadow morph* [LE, Dream Elemental, only summonable within a dreamscape] 

Summon Monster VIII 
Ennui* [LE, Dream Elemental, only summonable within a dreamscape] 

 
Summon Monster I 
Badger 
Dire porcupine 
Dire rat 
Dog 
Hawk 
Lizard 
Owl 
Raven 
Viper, small 
Weasel 

Summon Monster II 
?Bat, carrion* 
Dire raven* 
Dog, riding 
Hound, mastiff* 
Eagle 
Germishka* 
Pale Morph [LE, Dream Elemental, only summonable with a dreamscape] 
Razorback* 
Wolf 
Viper, medium 

Summon Monster III 
Bear, black 
Boar 
Dire badger 
Dire bat 
Dire hawk 
Dire weasel 
Elemental, small [NE, Mists] 
?Head hunter* [NE] 
?Heath fiend* [CE, Mists, Fire] 
Hippogriff 
Lizard, giant 
Shadow Asp* [Mists] 
Viper, large 
Wolverine 
Worg [NE] 
Zweifalk [CN] 

Summon Monster IV 
?Broken one* [NE] 
Dire deer 
Drownling* [CE] 
Eagle, giant [NG] 
Owl, giant [NG] 
Gray Morph* [LE, Dream Elemental, only summonable within a dreamscape] 
Spite, Boabhan sith* [CE] 

Summon Monster V 
Bear, brown 
Corrupted Thoqqua [NE, Mists] 
Dire boar 
Griffon 
Elemental, medium [NE, Mists] 
Shadow Mastiff [NE] 

Summon Monster VI 
?Basilisk 
Dire moose 
Elemental, large [NE, Mists] 
Manticore [LE] 

Summon Monster VII 
Dire elk 
Elemental, huge [NE, Mists] 
Mist ferryman* [NE, Mists] 
Shadow morph* [LE, Dream Elemental, only summonable within a dreamscape] 

Summon Monster VIII 
Dire bear 
Dire elk 
Elemental, greater [NE, Mists] 
Ennui* [LE, Dream Elemental, only summonable within a dreamscape] 
?Grim Reaper* [Mists] 
Mist horror* [NE, Mists] 
Wyvern 

Summon Monster IX 
Elemental, elder [NE, Mists] 
Shadow Fiend* [CE, Outsider with neither pylactery nor reality wrinkle] 

Summon Nature's Ally I 
Badger 
Dire porcupine 
Dire rat 
Eagle 
Hawk 
Owl 
Raven 
Viper, small 
Weasel 
Wolf 

Summon Nature's Ally II 
Bear, black 
Dire badger 
Dire bat 
Dire hawk 
Dire raven* 
Elemental, small [NE, Mists] 
Hippogriff 
Lizard, giant 
Razorback* 
Viper, medium 
Wolverine 
Zweifalk* [CN] 

Summon Nature's Ally III 11 
Boar 
Dire Deer 
Dire weasel 
Eagle, giant [NG] 
Owl, giant [NG] 
Satyr [CN; not armed with pipes] 
Viper, large 
Worg [NE] 

Summon Nature's Ally IV 
Bear, brown 
Dire boar 
Elemental, medium [NE, Mists] 
Unicorn, dappled* [CG] 

Summon Nature's Ally V 
Dire moose 
Elemental, large [NE, Mists] 
Griffon 
Sprite, nixie 
Unicorn, shadowed* [CE] 

Summon Nature's Ally VI 
Dire bear 
Dire elk 
Elemental, huge [NE, Mists] 
Sprite, pixie [NG; not armed with special arrows] 

Summon Nature's Ally VII 
Elemental, greater [NE, Mists] 
Sprite, pixie [NG; armed with sleep arrows] 

Summon Nature's Ally VIII 
Warped Treant* [NE] 

Summon Nature's Ally IX 
Elemental, elder [NE, Mists] 
Sprite, pixie [NG; armed with sleep & memory loss arrows & capable of casting irresistible dance]

Cure

ASSASSINS IN THE MISTS

CANON:

• Doctor Van Ritchen asserts that "vampires hold positions as grandmasters of various thieves' and assassins' guilds throughout the lands of mist" (Van Richten's Guide to Vampires, p 91)
• the Ba'al Verzi in Barovia are said to number roughly a handful (Gazetteer I, p 35);
• Nicu Moldonesti (Ari1/Rog6/Asn6), a nosferatu vampire, assumed leadership of the Ba'al Verzi and turned many of its master assassins into nosferatu; with the power of domination of the nosferatu innocents are increasingly being used to safely deal death at a distance (Gazetteer I, p 35);
• Lady Kazandra, leader of the Martira Bay faction of the Kargat and official head of the Kargat is a vampire assassin (Rog5/Asn3) (Gazetteer II, p 147)
• Venrith Chole, leader of the Karg faction of the Kargat, is a ghost, werewolf assassin (Rog6/Asn6 LE) (Gazetteer II, p 36)
• “assassinations can be contracted at Boem camps” (RCS, p 207);
• “Many darklings become rogues or assassins.” (CoD, p. 116);
• The League of Nine in Borca is composed of apothecaries from the domain’s leading families and can be solicited to intervene to ‘right’ a ‘wrong’ (Gazetteer IV Web Extra, p 3-4);
• The Spider (Ancient Assassin) in Matira Bay is a vampire and had probably been hibernating for 200 years (Van Richten's Guide to Vampires, p 90-91);
• An assassin sent by the Gentleman Caller murders Arabela and, at the hands of Isolde, becomes the first of the Abominations (C pg. 40);
• Bane, an outlander mercenary and most likely an assassin, is sent by Strahd against Azalin (FoD, p 16);
• Voan Darl, an assassin, from Darkon is sent against Azalin’s forces by Strahd (I, Strahd, The War Against Azalin, p 261, p 268-289);
• Mordal, an assassin, worked for, betrayed, and was imprisoned by von Kharkov (Forbidden Lore: Oaths of Evil, p 30);
• The Church of the Spider Queen lost the last of its founders as part of a long string of assassinations in the Shadow Rift (Gazetteer 5, p 108);
• Clerics of the Church of the Spider Queen often multiclass into assassin (Gazetteer 5, p 111);
• Lustmorde.is a group of killers united and egged on in their savage passion for murder for murder’s sake by a tenebris known as the Second (or Deeper) Shadow of Death (Gazetteer 108, p 111);

DEMOGRAPHICS: Now according to the DMG villages (401-900) are only going to harbour, at most, 1 expert and 1 rogue of sufficient level to be assassins. And on average villages would harbour 1 expert of sufficient level to be an assassin.

Small towns (901-2000) are only going to harbour, at most, 1 bard, 3 experts and 1 rogue of sufficient level to be assassins. And on average small towns would harbour 1 expert of sufficient level to be an assassin.

Large towns (2,001-5,000) are only going to harbour, at most, 3 rogues, 3 experts, 1 bard and 1 ranger of sufficient level to be assassins. On average large towns would harbour 1 bard, 1 expert, 1 rogue and 1 ranger of sufficient level to be assassins.

Because of the skill requirements no other classes will have individuals of sufficient level in towns or smaller places.

In Barovia then, with two large towns, although not of Barovian origin, three small towns, and one village there would be, at most, an upper possible limit of 33 assassins consisting of 16 experts, 10 rogues, 5 bards and 2 rangers. And there will be, on average, an upper possible limit of 12 assassins consisting of 6 experts, 2 rogues, 2 bards and 2 rangers. Practically, 1d3 experts, 1d3 rogues, 1d2-1 bards and 1d3-2 rangers would be imaginable, for an average of 4.8 assassins. That squares well enough with a handful of Ba’al Verzi. But it makes for a tiny guild. And assumes, not unreasonably, that Strahd doesn’t keep any assassins on staff, having the Boem of the Vistani to turn to in case of need.

Small cities (5,001-12,000) could, at most, harbour 6 bards, 6 experts, 2 fighters, 2 rangers, 2 rogues and 2 warriors of sufficient level to be assassins. There would be an upper possible limit of 24 assassins. On average small cities would harbour 2 bards, 2 experts, 2 rangers and 2 rogues of sufficient level to be assassins. This would yield a upper limit of 12 possible assassins. Practically, 1d3-2 bards, 1d3-2 experts, 1d4-3 rangers, 1d2 rogues, 1d6-5 fighters and 1d6d-5 warriors would be imaginable, for an average of 2.75 assassins. That is probably below the critical density needed for a guild. Which is to say that most of the largest population centres in Ravenloft, save for places where assassins are over-represented, are too small to have guilds exclusive to themselves.

Large cities (12,001+) would harbor on average 2 adepts, 9 bards, 2 clerics, 9 experts, 3 fighters, 9 rangers, 9 rogues and 3 warriors of sufficient level to be assassins. At the maximum that would be 46 possible assassins. Practically, 1d6-5 adepts, 1d2 bards, 1d6-5 clerics, 1d2-1 experts, 1d4-3 fighters, 1d3-2 rangers, 1d3 rogues, and 1d4-3 warriors, for an average of 5.75 assassins, would be imaginable. That makes for tiny guilds in Lekar, Il-Aluk, Pont-au-Museau and Kantora.

SOME CONCLUSIONS:

• in light of the skill and dispositional requirements rogues form the backbone of the profession; experts (with class skills in knowledge and languages (diplomats, merchants), animal handling and riding (body guards, bandits, bounty hunters, merchants), survival (bandits, bounty hunters, merchants), concentration, healing, and/or spell craft) also have a not unimportant place, followed by bards, then rangers;
• adepts, clerics, fighters and warriors are, at best, infrequent members of the profession;
• aristocrats, barbarians, sorcerers and wizards of sufficient level, except in the case of multiclassing, are too rare to be found (save for exceptionally) in the profession;
• the deepest, most diversified and most exceptional assassin talent pool, that in the former Il-Aluk, died with, but was preserved in unlife by, the Requiem; if Death has anything going for it, it’s demographics;
• assassins’ guild numbers could be increased by 25% to 150% by stipulating that members include those in training who have not yet qualified for the class;
• a domain without at least two small cities is unlikely to have any guild proper to itself (historical reasons justify the Barovian exception);
• a domain with two or more small cities but no large city is likely to have one or more guilds that straddle all places in the domain; many cities and large distances between them favor two or more straddling guilds;
• a domain with a large city may have a guild proper to itself, but this guild is likely to straddle, or at least attempt to straddle, all places in the domain and in any immediately surrounding domains lacking a guild;
• no assassins’ guild is going to be sufficiently large and powerful to have an official existence unless it is integrated into some larger government sanctioned institution (chiefly the military, perhaps the intelligence services, and maybe the not so secret police);
• guilds probably lack the resources for anything so substantial as a guild house and most especially the means to properly defend it; boltholes and safe houses are far more probable;
• inter-guild warfare should be extremely rare as there are simply not the numbers to waste on it;
• attrition, the authorities, freelancers, and organizations murdering for non-lucrative ends should be the chief challenges facing most guilds;
-non-lucrative motives bringing individuals together to murderous ends - and possibly draining in the process the talent pool of potential and full-fledged assassins - include statecraft, politics, ideology, religion and race;
• guilds worthy of the name should be exceedingly cautious entities, obsessed with secrecy and security, outliving rival upstarts chiefly by a ruthless attention to detail;
• a guild member will ideally have contact only with his/her masked superior and his/her subordinates in his/her branch of the guild; he/she should know little or nothing of the existence of others of his/her own rank, their superiors, their subordinates and their branches in the guild; the knowledge locked away in the grandmaster’s head should alone be able to bring down in its entirety a properly organised guild.

• Ba’al Verzi, guild based in Barovia, members are ethnic Baloks and most are also nosferatu vampires, 5 full-fledged members at present, led by Nicu Moldonesti (nosferatu vampire Ari1/Rog6/Asn6 CE), historically the most infamous, feared and secretive assassins in the Land of the Mists, and this despite rarely striking outside of Barovia, Borca or Invidia, the contemporary reputation is owed in part to other guilds sometimes fabricating evidence against them to mislead investigators;
• Red Vardo Traders, organization based in Krezk and willing to operate (for a price) throughout the Land of the Mists, members tend to be ethnic Baloks, led by Jacqueline Montarri (Rog8 or varies with head NE), 1 assassin is on staff and Montarri keeps at least one assassin’s head that she can don, the organization will not turn away a customer ready to pay an exorbitant price for someone’s murder but will offer the victim the chance to meet that price;
• The Gundarakite rebels, resistance movement based in eastern Invidia and western Barovia, members are ethnic Gundarakites, they include 2 aged assassins from the old regime coaxed out of retirement to train a new generation, nominally commanded by Ardonk Szerieza (Com2/Ftr4/Rog4 N), secretive and cellular organization that is happy to contemplate the murder of any Barovian whose death would materially, strategically or symbolically advance their cause;
• Nachte Naakter, little known guild within the Land of the Mists, members are Vistani of the Corvana tribe, the number of full-fledged members is unknown, although anyone successfully seeking out the Corvana with assassination as the purpose will find a member to contract with, the guild is a loose fraternity with no leader and no purpose beyond keeping the art that it practices alive among the Corvana, among the knowing few it is said that no Corvana assassin, having escaped the scene of the crime, has ever been caught;
• Kargat, secret police and intelligence service of Darkon numbering 200 members, up to half of who may be stationed abroad, 20 mid- and high-level members, mostly lycanthropes and undead, are assassins, Martira Bay faction and overall organization led by Lady Kazandra (vampire Rog5/Asn3 LE), Karg faction led by Venrith Chole (ghost werewolf Rog6/Asn6 LE), and Corvia faction, which is gradually crumbling into disarray, led by the paranoid Beryl Silvertresss (vampire Ftr5/Ari5 NE), secretive and cellular organization that never engages in contracted assassinations in its own name but from time to time may create fronts that do, accepting only those contracts consistent with the will of one or more of its leaders and not inconsistent with the commands of Azalin Rex;
• The Ministry of Intelligence (Falkovnia), based in Lekar and operating in the nations immediately surrounding Falkovnia and also in Invidia too, members are ethnic Falkovnians, the number of trained assassins is 7 at present with at least one on loan to Invidia at any time, directed by the Minister of Intelligence Falkfuhrer Calons Weir (LE), anyone so foolish as to approach the ministry to contract an assassination ends up, at best, impaled upon a stake;
• Lustmorde, a highly secretive, loosely associated fraternity of sadistic murderers with Morfenzi lying at the centre of their Falkovnian wide activity, members are ethnic Falkovnians, 3 are trained assassins and 1 still holds his position as an assassin employed by the Ministry of Intelligence, initiation is by a tenebris identifying itself as the Second (or Deeper) Shadow of Death;
• The (Night) Talons, highly secretive guild based in Lekar, members are liberated calibans and demihumans, 6 full-fledged members at present, led by the anonymous No One (elf Rng2/Rog3/Asn5/Shd4 NE), members delight in taking Falkovnian coin to take Falkovnian lives, they can be counted on to not betray the efforts of others to liberate their kin but little more, they do not seek the assassination of the Kingfuhrer as they believe that his replacement would be no less bigoted and all the more dangerous to them;
• Le coeur empalé, secretive guild based in Pont-au-Museau and operating in Richemulot and Dementlieu members are human female entertainers inflicted with lycanthropy by Jacqueline Renier herself, 6 full-fledged members at present, led by Elena Lafontaine (Brd6/Asn5 NE), they will contract for the life of any male, or for twice the price female, but only with the permission of the lord of Richemulot when the individual is of consequence.
• Les frères de mort, highly secretive guild based in Richemulot, members are freelance assassins who met untimely ends, were reanimated as constructs by Azalin in “an act of kindness” with an eye to eventually using them to penetrate the Death Shroud, and were subtly pushed together in Pont-au-Meseau that they might be tested, they number 6 currently, guided and brought back from destruction as need be by Ladislas Sintesti (construct Nec12 CE), they are equally willing to kill man, beast and man-beast, but are very conscious, indeed paranoid, about unwittingly creating patterns that might establish their existence and lead to their permanent destruction.
• Vexjensi, gang often based in La maison des sages, although equally at home in the environs of Aerie or Sturben and sometimes sheltering at the La Sanctuaire de la Dame Oublié, it operates in Richemulot, southern Falkovnia, and north west and north central Borca, members are Richemuloise, Falkovnian or Borcan, 2 are assassins, led by the Black (darkling (Corvana tribe)Rog5/Rng4/Asn3 CE), will gladly accept to perform any crime whatsoever for a not unreasonable price, but woe to anyone who attempts, or is perceived to attempt, a doublecross.
• The League of Nine, elusive and mysterious guild based in Borca, members are in fact apothecaries from leading families, they are 9 in number, led by Lorzen Olszanik (Rog5/CPo3/Asn3 NE), the guild may be appealed to right wrongs, which it does according to the advancement of its own pretensions to importance and power and in return for which it issues a bill;
• The Gelders, well known guild based in Nova Vaasa but willing to strike into Hazlan and Tepest, members are ethnic Vaasi, the number of full-fledged members is 6, openly led by Marguerite Vistins (Ari1/Rng6/Asn6 LE), the guild is a self-appointed guardian of Nova Vaasan interests, believed to enjoy the favour of Prince Othmar Bolshnik, widely known for maiming before murdering those involved in exporting from Nova Vaasa ungelded horses or the training techniques necessary to develop their full potential, but will accept any contract not prejudicial to the economy, culture, religion and state of Nova Vaasa, Malken has a well placed spy within the organization and manipulates it as necessary;
• Afrbrand, secretive guild based in Toyalis, members are ethnic Mulans, 4 full-fledged members at present, led by Preben Valsisk (Mnk6/Asn3 LE), a guild born from the recent wreck of its predecessor and sworn to put the Rashemani back in their place and, in particular, to kill Eleni of Toyalis, it will enter into contracts on the lives of non-Mulan, most gladly those of Rashemani and of Mulans fraternizing with Rashemani, the Iron Inquisition maintains a tenuous and deniable influence upon it as a tool for shaping secular events;
• Garras, highly secretive guild within the Lands of the Mists, members are Paka, the number of full-fledged members is but a handful at most, the guild is a loose fraternity with no leader, it rarely engages in contracted assassinations, existing rather to keep the assassin’s art alive among the Paka as a powerful instrument of vengeance;
• Lee-due anvo, guild based in the Shadow Rift and an open secret there, members are 3 powries, 1 sith and 1 teg, led by the powrie leader Malinda (Asn 8 CE), all members command at least one changeling, the guild rarely engages in contracted assassinations, existing for the pleasure of its members, to enforce the will of the Unseelie Court, and to ensure the safety of the Arak generally.

• I could find no official answer anywhere to the percentage of qualified NPC's who are assassins (or any other prestige class or even prestige classes in general). My goal was to keep the percentage low but that is not easy given the small number of qualified people in Ravenloft. One in four for rogues is generous, one in six might be better, one in ten experts would be generous, one in twelve or even twenty might be better, one in eight bards and rangers generous, one in ten or twelve better. But Barovia makes a mockery of that. And really there are two variables: the number of qualified NPC's (which might be above average in Barovia) and the number of those individuals who are assassins (which probably is above average in Barovia).
• Other than Maloccio, I was happily surprised that the numbers basically fit. But I rather concluded that there are no such things as 'stables' with the exceptions of the Kargat and Falkovian military intelligence. If we give Strahd a stable of assassins, the numbers just don't fit, but I would say he turns to the Corvana of the Vistani when necessary. Actually a lot of the weaker darklords are probably petrified of assassins and would prefer that any that they can't absolutely control be eradicated. Jacqueline is able to personally infect assassins and thus keeps them under her thumb. Dominique and the Brain can cancel out each others control and thus neither are comfortable with assassins about. Borca is a problem however. But I concluded that it is mere fodder, not actually talented individuals that Ivana and Ivan send at each other. And most any Darklord can splurge on AN assassin if he/she wants, but having a guild is another matter.
• Well, outlanders could be seen to solve the problem in explaining where assassins get their training. But no, I see them as adventurers, the mercenaries/fodder that Darklords occasionally send at each other, and probably very often not long for the world. On the other hand, nothing excludes some of the guilds adopting them. In brief, I made no attempt to account for them in the math.
• I give the number of assassins fully trained in the class. I suggest that guilds could be swelled by an additional 25% to 150% with people training to become members of the class. There may also be support personnel or other non-assassins of importance. When in leadership positions I listed them.
• In sum, the demographics probably argue for extremely few assassins and unworkably small guilds, and I tried to stay close to the small numbers but with small workable guilds that fit with what we know of Ravenloft's past and present.

Rotipher of the FoS:

"Assassins' guilds" in Ravenloft are more likely to be fanatical death-cults or secret societies that kill to cover up their activities, IMO, not thugs-for-hire. (That's what those outlander adventurers are for! ) Instead of guessing at what regions could sustain a conventional fantasy-style assassin's guild, I'd look for organizations that could take advantage of the assassin class's abilities -- whether or not they actually call themselves "assassins" -- and let the NPC have worked for one of those.

Cure:

This is also why in some highly lawful places I suggested a very limited guild presence with money for murder being a secondary rather than primary motivation. In Nova Vaasa the Gelders are proud to enforce cruel justice on those scheming against the law and the state & in Hazlan Afrbrand does likewise in Ravenloft's version of the KKK.

Finally, this is why I tied up as many guilds as possible with at least secondary goals and preferably a primary goal other than money. Le coeur empalé are men-haters, Les frères de morts are an experiment by Azalin, the Ministry of Intelligence (Falkovnia) has wars to prepare and to help win, Lustmorde loves murder for its own sake, the (Night) Talons want vengeance on their former masters, Garras is about vengeance, Lee-due anvo is about pleasure, power and security, as is the Kargat and the League of Nine, the Gundarakite rebels want liberation, and the Ba'al Verzi are now as much or more about blood as money.

Purely for money guilds are limited to the Red Vardo Traders (as a side business), Nachte Naakter (but its members don't depend on assassinations to live) and Vexjensi (for whom assassination is but a crime among others that they commit).

Consequently some of the guilds are monstrous themselves, especially where need be. In Richemulot the Le coeur empalé are afflicted wererats and Les frères de la mort are constructs who are consequently immune to the dread disease. In Barovia the Ba'al Verzi is increasingly populated by vampires. Others are squarely aimed at human targets: the Gelders in Nova Vaasa, Afrbrand in Hazlan, the Paka generally. Of course surprises are always possible. But a gang led by the Darkling of Vexjensi or a Vistani asssassin from Nachte Naakter should be able to handle most surprises and certainly will have effective escape plans should flight prove necessary.

Thus for the vast majority of the organisations that I described murder for money is not the only goal and often is but a secondary goal. The organisations were intended to be of interest not because they were conventional fantasy-style guilds, but rather were to be of interest in and of themselves, hopefully fitting the style of Ravenloft, and were to be sufficiently committed to the asssasin's art, engaging at least two assassins of the class, that a would-be assassin could join them and learn the art himself/herself by making the rules and the professionalism that at least some of the members practice his/her own. I make no attempt to list everyone and/or every organisation who/that might have AN assassin on staff, rather only those where one might learn the art. Even among the demon crazed Falkovnians of Lustmonde there are some members who care about standards and take pride in doing the job right.

cpt_machine:

To get back to the original topic I feel there are enough targets for assassins as the humans outnumber the creepiness of RL easily.

Archedius:

HuManBing:

cure:

Archedius:

Joël of the FoS

The Happening

I just saw that movie last weekend, I found it had fun ideas for RL. Once you are afflicted by this “thing”, you 1) stop whatever you were doing, 2) act (or speak) confused and 3) suicide with whatever is at hand (slit your wrists with keys, jump from a building, push something sharp in your neck, run your car on a tree, etc.), the whole process taking less than a minute.

Forget the movie explanation as it wasn’t really Ravenlofty. And I suggest the “less than a minute” should perhaps be extended to let players time to react.

Now what in RL could cause this? A new RL virus? A new monster salient power?

Amicus : Something in the water, maybe? Tiny worms that lay their eggs in carrion, and so drive the victim to kill themselves to ensure an immediate supply. Fish throw themselves onto land; animals drown themselves or leap off cliffs.

Or maybe a post-hypnotic suggestion. Certain common words or situations send victims into a suicidal fugue. It turns out that the victims all watched a troupe of wandering actors not too long ago, who performed a tragedy in which the same words and situations preceded a suicide. The troupe has been secretly mesmerizing their audience through their performances for some nefarious purpose. Maybe their leader is some type of evil entity, or maybe they're associated with another group who sneaks into town afterward to capitalize on the rash of mysterious suicides.

I like this image, of fish jumping out of the water.

Could also be some kind of ritual, where the performers collect hairs found on the seat where the audience had their head. Those whose hairs are colllected are affected during the ritual. Could be fun to have a bald man say, "no can't be as what you say, since I was there and wasn't affected". But PCs can't interrogate as the performers also commited suicide in this ritual. Goal of the adventure is to limit damage through the audience and find what happened and to prevent it from happening again.

On the monster salient ability path, here's a try on this power:

End your days (Su): Living creatures touched by the creature using this power, whether by a hit or a simple touch, must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the creature’s HD + the creature’s charisma bonus) or be affected by an indomitable resolve to commit suicide, in whatever way is quicker to achieve that result (jump from a cliff or in a torrent, drink poisonous substance, or by self mutilation or hits, etc.). The onset timing is set by the creature, and should be anytime between now and 24 hours. Before onset time, the victim behaves normally. When the power is set to start, the victim will suddenly stop whatever he was doing, then act confused or say confusing things for 2-8 rounds, after which he commits suicide in the quickest and most effective way.

Rotipher of the FoS : Sea spawn minions eventually do something like that to their hosts already, IIRC, although they usually look for someone else to chuck into the water for Mommy to eat at first. Of course, by the point at which they'd sacrifice their hosts, the parasites have already eaten so much of the hosts' brains that the victims can just barely stagger out into the waves.

Sounds like a really over-the-top ability, IMO, especially considering how badly you have to blow a Madness check to get the same result. Getting a person to kill themselves isn't permitted at all, with conventional Enchantment spells, so a power of this type would probably have to be epic-level.

I know it's over the top! But I thought it would make a cool villain power for a unique foe. And a DM tool to provide a deadly atmosphere.

Gonzoron of the FoS : I was just reading EtCR and saw the Caller in Darkness, which has a similar ability, but the result is simply that you take a full attack against yourself, with automatic critical hits for 1 round. And that's a CR9 monster. Maybe not as dramatic, but perhaps more balanced.

But I'm not interested in creating a new monster, as it would be too unbalanced indeed, but just a fun "one shot" creature ability as a DM tool.

Gonzoron of the FoS : yeah, in that case, it hardly needs rules at all. Just have to walk the fine line of when to use it on PCs. If they are somehow immune, it loses a bit of its terror, but if they aren't, you can lose as bunch of PCs pretty quickly. The Caller's ability has the benefit that most PCs over level 2 or 3 can survive a round or two of their own full attack, even with criticals. (Note that the ability doesn't say to include sneak attack, or to use spells if it would be more suicidal.)

Archedius : First thing I though of was a ghost salient ability, especially if the person had committed suicide.

Vannax

PALTASH - a Ravenloft dart game

The origin of this formerly children dart game comes from inhabitants of Invidia. It is not know exactly how the name of the game was created, but for sure was neither from Balok nor Vistani jargon. Probably the name Paltash is a kind of garble; it may even be merged of two odd words.

Travelling of Vistani nation helped to spread the game through and through the Core and even in distant oversea domains.

Naturally, players may use ordinary self-made darts. Through the years, however, the ownership of excellent darts made by one of specialized craftsmen became a matter of prestige in some areas. Each keen and/or wealthy player now desires to possess his or her own, unique darts. Such a set of 3 unusual darts is then jealously guarded by the owner. Some obsessed player keep their dart sets with them permanently, ready for any immediate challenge. Recently the most famous and sought-after dartmaker has been Morten – an oddity among half-elves, may be he is one of the few half-elf who ever won a significant respect among people of lands of the mists.

Paltash is a game either for two players or for two teams. The rules are very simple: each of duelists prepares his „army“ – he draws three to five human figures of the same size (10 – 15 cm) on a sheet or some board. The duelist then stand against the opponent’s „army“ to the negotiated distance and a battle can start. The challenger has a first throw and consecutive throws switches between both teams one by one.

The shot to the head of a drawn „soldier“ means an immediate death and eliminates him from the battle. If a player hits only a body of „soldier“ then he needs three body-hits to eliminate him from the battle. (Again, doesn’t matter how much hits the soldier got to his body, the head-shot eliminates him from game immediately.) The player/team that lost all his soldiers looses the game. Normally the game continues with at least one revenge game, that starts the other player/team.

In the course of time this simple game developed to really long-running tournaments. The duelists prepare a map cut halves; each half again divided to the same number of „lands“. One land declares a war to the neighbouring land of the opponent and this way the game may go on through days, week and months.

When you play in a room, most probably there is not an opportunity to throw the darts. In order to ginger up the playing session with Paltash, the DM has two other variations to choose. The base of both indoor variations is the same: players has available numbers from 1 to 100 and have to pick several pentads of numbers (each number can be used just once). The first number of each pentad is encircled and represents the head of a soldier, four other numbers make his body. Both players/teams can use negotiated number from 3 to 5 soldiers, thus they use at least fifteen numbers and no more than 25 numbers of the hundred. The other numbers are not hits. Understandably both of players prepare his „army“ out of opponent’s sight!

The first variation simulates a dart game better; players roll the percentage dies. First player make a roll, announce the result and the rival tells the good hit, useless shot, possibly knocking out his soldier. Then both players change their roles and die roll is made by the other player. That continues till the end of the match.

For the second variation you need neither darts nor dies. However the game is very simplified. The players assign the numbers to their „soldiers“ as in first case (out of opponent’s sight) and instead of rolling the dies they guess the opponent’s numbers. The advantages are that players can note the used numbers and avoid a useless guess of the same number later on and secondly the game has a faster progress.

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