Task of the Red Death
Written by Ramon Delgado
A Two-round RPGA Adventure Module
1995
The PCs are a group of mercenaries known as Red Death, sent from Waterdeep to rescue a group of missing scouts. The scouts were brought from the mountains known as Ilisian's Ladder, near Spathica, to Ravenloft by the mists. The PCs follow and rescue them via a portal in a magic pool, but are unable to return to Faerun with them. Meanwhile, Darkling Estovan, son of Madam Anestonia, has a plan to capture a Crimson Death in an iron flask, have the creature drain the blood of a vistana, and then and drink the mist from the flask to regain his mist-travelling powers. In round one, he manipulates the PCs to help him, then dies and becomes a mad wraith.[1].
In round two, Madam Anestonia sends a vistana named Gondalo to perform a ritual at the site of Estovan's death, and directs the PCs to find the flask, find the command word at Estovan's hideout, capture a Crimson Death in the village of Nightside, then release the creature in the magic pool, and quickly jump into it to bring them home. Once there, they witness the execution of nosferatu mage Andres DeMone, who rises as the required Crimson Death. Along the way, they rescue a vistana woman named Chantea.[2]
One of the PCs is named Angar the Axeman, a town guardsman from the Sumnarian city of Taluthres. His father Ugmarr had been falsely imprisoned and died. After getting revenge on those responsible, he fled with his friend Ganlec and met a mage's daughter named Sythia,
possibly two other PCs.
[3]
Note that the name of this module appears to refer to the name of the mercenary group, and the Crimson Deaths involved, and the tasks put to Estovan and the PCs. Despite the naming similarity, it does not seem to involve Masque of the Red Death at all, and takes place in Ravenloft proper.
