## Overview [[Doctor Waldorf Perriweather]] is a representative of [[ttrpgs/The Slayers Five/The Myriad]], and he's been asked to parley with representatives of [[The Revelry]]-- the Slayers Five. He is tasked with confirming their identities, and he's decided to do so by running an errand for him. He wants them to steal a ring that was lawfully bequeathed to him by his former patient, [[Aethryth Touchard]], who died of old age in [[ttrpgs/The Slayers Five/Nicodranas]]. However, Aethryth is the grandmother of his rival, [[Brianne Touchard]]. Brianne, knowing Waldorf has been angling to get information from Aethryth, has refused to give Waldorf the ring. The ring is a [Ring of Water Elemental Command](https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/ring-of-water-elemental-command), which Waldorf intends to use to control the marid that [[ttrpgs/The Slayers Five/Port Damali]]'s electricity runs off of. The ring is hidden in [[Touchard Tower]]. To get to the ring, the party must prepare for several of its defenses, including a Forcecage that only the master thief known as the [[Black Viper]] has ever been able to get past. She will help them... but she will betray them at the last second. If the party make it out with the ring and give it to Waldorf, he will reward them with gold, speak to them candidly about The Myriad's wishes to establish an alliance with The Revelry, and consider them for potential jobs in the future. ## Introduction The quest begins with the party seeking out [[Doctor Waldorf Perriweather]] in his home in [[ttrpgs/The Slayers Five/Port Damali]]. > You are led down the winding path of [[The Crescents]], to a large manor positioned at the edge of the wall. On the other side of the wall, you can just make out the towering building of the [[Skyport]], with a carving of a ship on top of it. > The manor is large, but not overly extravagant. There are high iron gates that extend up past the wall of The Crescents, and on the lawn, through the bars, you can see a large, shiny, metallic sculpture of an eight-pointed star (symbol of Pelor). If the party gives their names or mentions [[The Revelry]] or [[Plank King|The Plank King]], the guards will look at each other and show them in. Otherwise, there are 24 [guards](https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/guard) and a [Blackguard](https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/blackguard) patrolling outside and inside the manor at all times, and the characters will have to get through them. When they get to Dr. Perriweather, he will recognize them: > "What is it that you want?... Why, I know you! You're the adventurers that saved me and my Apphida in that horrible vacation on [[Palma Flora]]. Well, I did say that you could call on me if you were ever in town. Come to take me up on my offer of a job, have you?" > "Consorting with the Plank King, well, I must say, I'd never have imagined it of you. Do you have anything to prove you, in fact, have his blessing to negotiate? ... I can't go around telling all to every adventuring group that comes along. Tell you what, I'll let you prove yourselves... " Perriweather tells them of a job he wants the party to do to prove that they are not with the Clovis Concord. > "I had a client in Nicodranas, an Aethryth Touchard. Despite my best efforts, she died recently from a combination of various ailments and old age. I tried my best, and the old lady must have understood that. She bequeathed unto me a ring that I admired once. She even signed paperwork to attest to the bequeathal. However, when she did die, and I inquired about the ring, her surviving daughter here in Port Damali refused to honour her last wishes. I want you to steal it for me. If you do, then I'll know where your allegiances are." ## The Heist ### Perriweather Perriweather will tell them the following information: - [[Brianne Touchard]] is hiding the ring, a [Ring of Water Elemental Command](https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/ring-of-water-elemental-command), in the Touchard Tower, a family vault of sorts. - Perriweather knows of at least one defense that makes it difficult to get into: a [Forcecage](https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/forcecage) enchantment that extends invisibly around the tower. To his knowledge, the only one who has gotten through this enchantment is someone called the Black Viper, a master thief who made it past this defense when he attempted to rob the place last year, but did not make it all the way in. - The Touchards plan to move the ring elsewhere in three days. ### The Black Viper The Black Viper is an elven woman. They can find her in a few ways: - If they spend a day asking around about her, she will come find them. - If they put a message in a newspaper, she will show up to a meeting. - A DC 14 Investigation/Persuasion check will reveal the areas of the city she has recently struck. - [[Arabian Flights]] - [[Exalted Collection Auction House]] - [[Skyport]] - DC 16 Insight check will reveal that she strikes two-storey buildings in the Gilded Esplanade with rooftop access. She patrols the rooftops, looking for unguarded windows. - A DC 16 Investigation check will reveal her fence, a man named [[Zigil]]. He is easily intimidated and can arrange a meeting between the party and the Viper. The Black Viper's professional pride will cause her to want to attempt the heist again, as she considers it her only failure. She will agree to help, but only if she gets an equal share. DC 10 Insight check will reveal she actually just cares about her reputation. She will say that the Force Cage has a weakness, and a dagger right on this spot will disable it for a few seconds-- long enough for them to pass through. The real way she got in: the Black Viper stole a familial coin from the tomb of a Touchard. She actually is just pressing the coin against the Forcecage. If given the chance, she will betray the characters and leave them on the wrong side of the Forecage. ### Tower Defenses #### Forcecage The Forecage enchantment is keyed to the soul of Thilde Lowe and to those of the Touchards. Only the Black Viper has been able to circumvent this. #### The Time Stop Trap Every day, a human woman named Thilde Lowe comes into the Tower at 6 pm. She brings in the day's profit from [[The Mirror Image]]. She needs to speak a passphrase: _Room Service_. #### The Alarm The Touchards have a golem of gnomish make that is said to reside within Touchard Tower. The golem is the last line of defense once an alarm has been breached, but it is not known what will trip the alarm. ## Inside the tower The tower is magically enchanted so that even though there are 6 levels, people can't go through them in order once the Alarm has been triggered. Roll every time they enter a room: `dice: 1d6-1` ### Basement (Level 0): Prisoners ![[touchard_tower_0.png]] - Crates containing residuum, suude, or gold. - Empty cages - Stairs going up - 3 different chambers, but the only become available once the alarm is deactivated from the runes in Level 3 - A: Tiefling child, Promise, is confined there in the dark. - B: Ring of Water Elemental Command - C: Body of a little tiefling girl. ### Ground floor (Level 1) ![[touchard_tower_1.png.png]] - Weapons, nonmagical - Stairs going up and down - 1 door - Box of turquoise animal figurines (250gp) #### Encounters - 1 [[Clockwork Weaving Spider]] (estimated CR 3) - 3 [[Clockwork Huntsman]] (total CR 12) ### Level 2: Maze ![[touchard_tower_2.png]] - 3 metal status of tieflings. One of each of their horns can be moved and twisted in any direction. Twisting all three in the direction of the center will grant access to the center through a secret door in the north (in front of the first tiefling) ### Level 3: ![[touchard_tower_3.png]] - Library with many, many books in different languages - There are 3 metal drawers coming out of the wall, opened and carrying some books. - When the three drawers are closed at the same time, the central runic circle is activated. This makes the rest of the tower easy to traverse, but it also sets off the alarm. #### Loot - Some +1 item ### Level 4: Antigravity ![[touchard_tower_4.png]] - Feet step onto thin air - disorienting for a second, until the rest of your body follows, and everyone is floating in an astral soup. #### Encounters - 1 [[Steam Golem]] (estimated CR 20) #### Loot - [Adamantine half plate](https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/adamantine-half-plate) from the carcass of the golem ### Level 5: ![[touchard_tower_5.png]] - Study and bedroom #### Loot - Book called _Lands Beyond_ about other continents than Wildemount. - [Robe of useful items](https://www.dndbeyond.com/magic-items/robe-of-useful-items) -