Ulrich flaunts his power by traveling through the city without escort, generated using OpenAI DALL-E.

 Count Ulrich von Schattenbrand is the chief mage of the coup and leader of the Royal Mage Corp. Of all the commanders, he is the most dedicated to the coup and Murtagh’s right to take power from Fredrick. This wholehearted devotion earned him the coveted spot as Murtagh’s right hand.

Despite his nature as a war mage, he considers himself a man of culture and breeding. He dresses in fine suits with a high-collared red cape that accentuates his angular, almost sinister-looking face. He lives in an elven-style spire at the center of an immaculate estate. Furthermore, he collects art and antiquities and is said to have an impressive library. He moves gracefully through the upper crust of Sliberberg’s society, which serves him well in his role in the regime.

He also oversees Murtagh’s efforts to keep the peerage cowed. Through promises, blackmail, schmoozing, and the occasional threat, he has pacified the nobility, those not already arrested at any rate. His army of mages, artificers, and warlocks in the city spend tireless hours using their magic to spy on the city’s elite. He has also taken control of Slibermond and is using the neighborhood to source volunteers, willing or otherwise, for the Royal Mage Corps.

Ulrichs Schedule

Ulrich does not have a predictable schedule like the other commanders. Instead, Sliberberg’s social calendar, the needs of the Royal Mage Corp, and the evidence he has collected on the peerage dictate how he spends his time. Starting from his palace in Kronenhöhend, he spends his day traveling to and from appointments all over the city. In the evening, he will either attend whatever ball or banquet is happening in Kronenhöhend or retire to his spire to spend the evening in his gallery or library.

Mage corp patrol, generated using Google Imagen3.

 Upon Ulrichs death

Upon Ulrich’s death, there was just enough chaos in the Royal Mage Corp for the Coláiste Draoidheil and the Silver Moon Coven to start an open revolt against the Royal Mage Corps, fortifying the campus and the Silver Moon Cafe to serve as strongholds to strike back against the usurper. Any time the players encounter a mage corp personnel in Slibermond, a force of wizards, bards, and witches will come to their aid.

Also, with the architect of the Murtagh blackmailing operation dead, the city’s nobles will start to open up about their support for the resistance. Resistance missions in the upper town will be done with advantage.

Ulrichs treasure

Upon defeating Ulrich, the players find the following in his person:

• A coin purse with 400gp in platinum and gold coins
• An ornate signet ring worth 50gp
• Fine Silk Handkerchiefs (3) worth 50gp each
• A potion of Greater healing
• Ulrich’s cloak of the war mage

The Royal Mage Corps

The Royal Mage Corp, under the leadership of Ulrich, is a significant threat in the city. At the force’s core is a group of 100 veteran war mages and wizards loyal to Ulrich. The rest of the force consists of alchemists, artificers, warlocks, and wizards recruited from or drafted from the population of Sliberberg and the various other towns in the kingdom.

The mage corp has become a source of dread in both Slibermond and Kronenhöhen. Wherever the brooding hooded war mages and their cowed hedge wizard underlings go misfortune follow. The peerage of the realm are under constant surveillance by various magical means and the mage corp’s  glowing eye shaped scrying wards have become a common feature hovering above the broad avenues and gardens of the ward. The constant observation has put an end to much of the scheming and dalliances that once characterized the ward and the nobility now hold joyless parties and ball largely out of obligation to Ulrich. The mages and wizards of Slibermond live in constant fear of harassment, being forcibly drafted into the mage corp or having the contents of their shops and workshops seized. With so many mages drafted many of the magical street lamps and various other magical devices malfunctioning or failing outright.

Mage Corp Operations

Awareness

Awareness	Dc	Countermeasure
0	10	none
1-3	12	Ulrich’s mage corp wizards deploy hidden scrying spells at various locations through Kronenhöhend and slibermond. These work like CCTV cameras with video recorders. Players must make a DC 17 perception check to spot and avoid them, or Ulrich’s awareness increases by +1
4-6	14	Several magic wards are placed on major streets throughout the neighborhood. The wards cast detect magic, detect thought, and relay the findings to a group of nearby mages. The Players must make a DC 17 perception check to spot and avoid them, or else a group of 1d8 hedge wizards intercept them
7-10	16	Ulrich orders his mages to start canvasing the entirety of the neighborhood for the players and collaborators. The mages use spells like Zone of Truth, detect traps, and detect thoughts sus out resistance members. Checks for safehouses to stay hidden are made with a disadvantage
10-12	18	Ulrich deploys Arcane Sentinels throughout the neighborhood. These constructs  replace the scrying spells, and when combat occurs in the neighborhood, one arrives in 1d4 rounds
13-15	20	Ulrich deploys mages armed with brooms of flying and spyglasses to the neighborhood. Combat within the neighborhood automatically summons one of these mages in 1d4 rounds, and checks made to escape from combat are made with a disadvantage

Modifying encounters with the Mage Corp

If your players are tearing through the encounters in this chapter, feel free to modify them. The Mage Corp has a massive stockpile of magic items that they have either confiscated from the people of Slibermond or forced artisans in the city to craft. It would not be unsurpising for a group of Mage Corp hedge wizards to have one item from the Common or Uncommon Arcana table from the Dungeon Masters Guide.

 Mage Corp Encounter Table

D20	patrol
1	No encounter
2	Oddity
3	Alarm ward
4	Siren trap
5	Local victims
6	Runaway clockwork
7	Dispute
8	Observation team
9	Students Hiding out
10	Mage corp Personal
11	Service Crew
12	madman
13	witches
14	Runaway familiar
15	Magic item transport
16	Escape Beast
17	Lord Varun Brauer and his clockwork minions
18	Jaren Wraithfire and his fiendish bodyguards
19	Ulrich
20	Roll twice and use both results

Alarm ward

The players encounter an alarm ward with an attached scrying ward setup by the mage corp. If triggered, the ward will sound an alarm and take a video of the players. The players can disable the ward using dispel magic or a DC 16 arcana check.

Siren trap

The players encounter a melody on the breeze with hypnotic power. The players must make a DC 15 saving throw or be drawn to the source of the music. Waiting there, they find a mage corp either a mage or 1d8 hedge wizards with a clipboards recording who fell for the trap. Once he realizes he has captured the rebels Murtagh is looking for, he will discretely try to leave to summon reinforcements. The mages will only fight if attacked, and only until it is clear that they are outmatched will they retreat to raise the alarm.

Local victims

The players encounter 1d10 nobles, mages, apprentice witches, or student wizards,trying to look nonplussed by recent events. If engaged in roleplay, they will talk about recent abuses of power or blackmail attempts by Mage Corp.

Runaway clockwork

A Clockwork Golem is rampaging through the neighborhood, attacking everything it sees at random. If the players fight and defeat the stone defender, they can make a DC 15 investigation check to examine the mechanisms inside and discover clear signs of sabotage. It is unclear who did the sabotage or why, but the players may choose to follow up on the sabotage to find the saboteur.

Dispute

The players stumble across a mage corp mage (either a war mage and his 1d8 apprentices arguing with a mage or noble and 1d4 knights over some action of the mage corp. The argument is heated and only moments away from turning into a fight. The players can choose to intervene on either side of the dispute. If they side with the mage corp for the next two days, mage corp members will ignore the players in random encounters. If they help the noble or mage, the players get one favor from the victim.

Observation team

The players encounter one of the mage corp’s spy wards set up alongside a street. If the players make a DC 15 arcana check or cast detect magic, they can detect a thin line of magic leading off into the distance. Following the line leads the players to a group of 1d4 hedge wizard with 1d4 student wizards. If the players decide to fight the mages, the mages fight until it is clear that they are outmatched and then retreat to raise the alarm. The mages leave behind notebooks with blackmailable material on 1d4 people.

Magic item seizure

The players encounter a group of 1d4 hedge wizards with a Clockwork Golem raiding a noble estate or the residence or shop of a mage looking to seize magic items for the war effort. If the players choose to intervene and fight the mages, the mages fight until it is clear that they are outmatched and use the stone defender to cover their retreat while they raise the alarm. The owner of the residence rewards the players for their actions by giving them either 20gp or a common magic item.

Students Hiding Out

The players encounter 1d4 student wizards from the  Coláiste Draoidheil hiding in some part of Slibermond or Kronenhöhen. The students were about to be drafted by the corp but managed to slip away from corp mages at the last minute. The students would be grateful if the players could get them to safety and might join the resistance if the players offer.

Mage Corp Personal

The players encounter a group of mage corp mages. Roll 6d6 on the following table to determine the groups composition and what they are doing.

d6	student wizard	Hedge Wizard	Animated armors	Junior War Mags	Mages or war mage	doing
1	0	0	0	0	none	Off-duty
2	2	1	1	1	none	On Patrol
3	4	2	2	1	1	Guarding something
4	6	3	3	1	1	Spying on someone
5	8	4	4	2	2	Transporting loot or equipment
6	10	5	5	2	2	Travelingsomewhere

The players can spot the mages with a DC 12 passive or active perception check. If the players spot the patrol, they have one chance to avoid being spotted. Have the players describe what means they use to avoid being spotted and make them perform appropriate checks. If they fail on the checks, the mage corp mages will spot them. If the players are spotted, roll on the following reaction table to determine the group’s response

2d6	reaction
2	Unless they are clearly outmatched by the players the group attacks on sight, otherwise they let the players past and seek additional Mage corp members to attack them in the next 1d4 hours
3-5	Very suspicious of the player’s actions
6-8	Suspicious
9-11	In a hurry or otherwise not willing to take too much time with the players
12	Ignore the players

Service Crew

The players encounter 1d6 mage corp artificers either setting up or doing maintenance on one of the mage corp devices (animated armor, arcane sentinel, wards, clockworks, etc…). The players can choose to attack the artificers. The artificers fight only if attacked and will only fight until it is clear that they are outmatched and then retreat to raise an alarm. There is a 1 in 4 chance that whatever they were servicing will reactivate during the battle and join the fight or raise the alarm.

Madman

One of the noblemen has snapped because of the stress of being blackmailed by Ulrich and his men. He is wandering the streets, ranting at passersby, and doing one of the following crazy things.

d6	action
1	Throwing handfuls of coins at people and shouting about their worthlessness
2	Howling a wolf and walking on all fours like a beast
3	Running widdershins in the middle of the street, believing it will turn back time
4	Acting as though he is King Fredrick
5	Biting people
6	Hitting himself with a fish

If the players capture the madman and bring him to the Sanctuary of the Resplendent Hand, the man’s family will give the players 40 gp as a reward.

Witches 

The players encounter 1d10 witches from the Silver Moon Coven doing charity work, tending some street gardens, or selling their wares. The coven sisters will engage the players in friendly chitchat and tell them about some Mage corp mages who have been harassing them. If the players agree to deal with the Mages Corp mages, roll an encounter on the table provided in the  Mages Corp personal encounter. If the players deal with the Mages Corp mages, the coven opinion of the players increases by 1 and the sisters will provide the players with a minor magical consumable baked good as a reward.

Runaway Familiar

The players encounter a familar hiding in some corner of the street. It had recently run away from its Mage Corp war mage owner and seeking a new master. It begs the players to be its new master; however, if the players agree, the war mage comes a calling 1d4 days later to retrieve his familiar

Magic item transport

The players encounter a large wagon escorted by 1d10 hedge wizards and 1d6 Junior War Mages. If the players defeat the escort and search the wagon, they find it full of magic items. Roll 1d8 times on  any of the uncommon or common magic item tablesin the Dungeon Masters Guide

Escape beast

The players encounter a CR3 or lower beast wandering the city. The beast has escaped from a menagerie and is confused and agitated. The players can choose to fight it; however, if they kill the creature instead of capturing it, they will make an enemy of the noble or mage the beast belonged to, and said enemy will try to harass the players to the best of their ability.

Lord Varun Brauer and his construct minions

The top artificer in the mage corp, Lord Varun Brauer is often seen stomping around Slibermond in his custom arcane armor along with the escort of a Clockwork Golem.

Impact on the mage corp if defeated: Varun is the man behind the clockwork creatures Ulrich has patrolling the streets. If the players beat the quality of all clockwork enemies drops significantly. All clockworks have half-points

Jaren Wraithfire and his fiendish bodyguards

A sign of the wide net cast by the mage corp in it recruiting Jaren a warlock with a pact with prince of hell. He is in charge of the corp’s blackmailing operation. He is often seen at parties in Kronenhöhend and is usually surrounded by young noblewomen or traveling about town with his two summoned  Bearded Devils disguised as orc bodyguards

Impact on the mage corp if defeated: He is one of the primary collectors of blackmail for the corp and has several dossiers filled with blackmail on him at all times. Defeating him allows the players to claim said blackmail for themselves to either use against the noblility or trade for a large  lump sum of gold.

Ulrich

The players encounter Ulrich as he travels about in his animated armor carried sedan chair.

Assassination opportunities

Street Ambush

Ulrich travels about the city in an animated armor-carried sedan chair. He is supremely confident in his magical abilities and the coverage of the patrols in the city. Thus, he chooses to travel without an escort. This makes him an easy target. If the players can figure out his route to his next destination and gather enough resistance fighters, it would be trivial to assassinate him.

Coláiste Draoidheil Assassination

The mage corps maintains several laboratories on the campus of the Coláiste Draoidheil. Ulrich has been known to visit these laboratories and workshops occasionally. If the players are on good terms with the Coláiste Draoidheil, they can assassinate him on campus. However, it is not as easy as simply stabbing him in the back; the campus is teeming with loyal corp mages who could easily overwhelm the players if they try to attack Ulrich in the open. However, there are four isolated research laboratories on the campus that the Mage Corp is using to conduct research. If the players attack him in one of these labs, they might have a chance

Students. A handful of apprentice wizard students are forced to work on these projects in these four encounters. Usually, these students would not join in battle, having not had the training for such intense combat. However,  the players can make a DC 14 Charisma check to convince the students to join the fight.

The advanced artifice labs

In this lab filled with tools and machinery, 8 student wizards are being forced to build magical contraptions for the magic corps under the instruction of 3 artificers. Currently, the students are working on a nearly complete Clockwork Golem, which Ulrich inspects.  There is a 1 in 12 chance that Lord Varun Brauer is also in the room.

Clockwork Golem. The clockwork golem is nearly complete but completely inert. A player can make a DC 10 arcana check or a check with the Tinkers tool to complete it. Once complete, the Clockwork Golem comes alive and fights beside the players.

Machinery. The various power tools and machinery are pretty dangerous. Any character forced into the square with a piece of machinery takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage when they enter the square and when they leave it.

Treasure. There are 200gp worth of rare materials used in the construction of constructs in various bins and boxes throughout the lab

The advanced Artifice Lab, generated using Google Imagen3
 

High-energy Alchemy labs

This lab is filled with bubbling vats of red liquid, tables filled with beakers and test tubes, and shelves of rare material. Four alchemists oversee eight students (commoners) as they mix something in the cauldrons. If Ulrich is in the room, he watches the students work from a safe distance.

Vats. The vats contain experimental explosives that are quite volatile. Any vat lit on fire or hit with a basic attack explodes in a 15-foot-radius fireball and deals 2d6 fire damage.

Tables. The tables are filled with various chemicals in flasks and beakers. A character can grab and throw one of the flasks as an action. On impact, the chemicals cause 1d4 acid damage every round.

Treasure. The players can find 6 bottles of alchemist fire, acid, and healing potions.

Intensive Enchantment Lab.

This lab is studying enchantment magic for use in Ulrich’s blackmail schemes and potentially brainwashing. It consists of three areas with four lounge chairs each, each located under a bright light that shines in a classic hypnotic spiral. Three student wizards monitor the experiment using smoked goggles, and an Junior War Mage is serveing as an instructor. If Ulrich is in the room, he is leaning over one of the test subjects while wearing smoked goggles.

Hypnotizers. The devices over the lounge chairs create a 15-radius space of hypnotic influence. If a character without smoked goggles enters the area, they must make a DC 16 Wisdom check or fall under the device’s effect. Characters under the device’s effect become unresponsive and stare slack-jawed at the light. Players can repeat the check every round to free themselves from the light.

Treasure. The lab contains research into the human psyche and enchantment magic that would be worth 250gp to the right buyer.

Dragonology labs

This lab looks like a veterinary hospital. There are multiple examination tables, small kennels, and medical equipment. Half the room is taken up by a massive terrarium where various baby dragons play happily. A set of incubators, each with a different type of large egg inside, are positioned along one wall. A druid and seven student wizards are caring for the dragons. If Ulrich is in the room, he is watching the dragons.

Dragon wyrmlings. The wyrmlings are all less than 2 months old and have been conditioned to be friendly to people and safe to handle. There are 7 wyrmlings in all, two silver dragon wyrmlings, a bronze dragon wyrmling, a copper dragon wyrmling, a blue dragon wyrmling, a gold dragon wyrmling, a Faerie dragon wyrmling, and a black dragon wyrmling. A player can make an animal handling check DC 15 to befriend one of the wyrmling. Befriended wyrmlings will follow the players around like a puppy, treat them like their parents, and fight with them in battle.

Kennels. In the kennel is a female Feydrake named Ilyssia. She was captured and is being used as a test subject to study dragon reproduction. If the players release her from the cage, she will help them.

Wyrmling  playing in the dragonology labs, created with Google Imagen3
 

Incubators. Seven incubators line the wall, each holding a different type of dragon egg. Five of the seven incubators are in use, each containing an egg on the brink of hatching: a red dragon egg, three silver dragon eggs, and a green dragon egg.
 Development. The silver dragon eggs are the children of Kaida von Silberflügel, who is in the city seeking the safe return of the eggs.

Treasure. The equipment can be used to make a single healer kit, the players can find rare herbs used in potion making worth 100gp, and they find an experimental Collar of Connection just the right size for one of the wyrmlings.

Assassination at a high society event

Ulrich makes a point of attending every high society ball, dinner party, or gala in the city to better intimidate the nobility into submission. Due to his extensive blackmailing and mightier-than-thou attitude, he ruins every party he goes to. He is not well-liked by his peers, but they invite him anyway because they are afraid of what he might do if they don’t invite him. However, this creates a perfect opportunity to assassinate him.

To assassinate him, the players will have to gain access to the grounds of one of the palaces in the upper city on the day or night of such an event. The means to infiltrate one of the palaces include but are not limited to.

• Disguising oneself as a nobleman
• Sneaking onto the palace grounds
• Being invited as a plus one
• disguising oneself as the palace staff
• being hired as a member of a noble house staff
• Leveraging contacts or resistance members who are members of the peerage and gentry

Once on the grounds of the event venue, it is easy to spot Ulrich as he is the center of attention and at the center of a void in the revelry. The players must determine how to assassinate Ulrich. While the local nobility hates Ulrich, they are too afraid of the repercussions if something were to happen to him at one of their parties and will likely try to stop the players from attacking him in the middle of a ballroom or dining room. If the players try to assassinate him publicly, 1d8 nobles and 1d12 guards rush to stop the players. The players must resort to poisoning, attacking Ulrich when he is isolated, creating a distraction to successfully assassinate him, or any other means of indirectly killing him. Let the players try any plan they think has a good chance of success.

1 Greentree Avenue

Recommended Level 4

Ulrich’s city mansion is a towering high elf-style spire that looms like a smug fat cat in a gilded bird cage. It sits on Greentree Avenue, surrounded by the darkened homes of arrested peers of the realm, the failing magics that kept gardens in bloom regardless of season and weather, and streets lined with faltering magical street lamps. Ulrich has spared no expense to turn his home into a gleaming symbol of his power and position as if to rub his ascension into the faces of his former equals. His estate has no living servants and instead has an army of unseen servants and various constructs. Every room has some magical gimmick that Ulrich would show off at parties.

His home is also filled with traps, specifically ones made by Branagor Security Solutions (BSS). BSS designs all its traps to incorporate a puzzle element to disarm or avoid, and Ulrich gets a kick out of watching thieves try to navigate his home.

 Wheres Ulrich?

If Ulrich is home, roll a d6 to determine where he is in the complex

D6	Room	And doing
1	Art Gallery	Admiring his art collection
2	Library	Reading
3	Study	Continuing his research into fey contracts
4	Training room	Training on the dummies
5	Dining room	Eating a meal
6	Master bedroom	Watching the players on the golden mirror

Ulrich’s Spire: general features

The following features are found throughout the mansion.

Ceilings. Unless noted otherwise, the ceilings are 15 feet high

Doors. The doors, unless the text specifies overwise, are unlocked. The doors are made from oak. It takes a strength check of DC 15 to break one down.

Illumination. Unless otherwise specified, magical crystal lights brightly illuminate the rooms in the mansion.

Windows. All the windows in the spire are made of magically reinforced glass. While their enchantment is active, they are indestructible. To break the windows, the players must cast, dispel magic, or use any other magic or ability that can disrupt magic.

Scrying eyes. Throughout the complex, there are scrying wards shaped like floating glowing eyes. The wards are configured to send what they see to the golden mirror in Ulrich’s suite. A character can make a dc 15 stealth check to avoid the sight of one of these wards

1. The garden

The garden seems to radiate peace and tranquility. A babbling brook travels through the garden from a small waterfall to a small pond. Flowers are artfully arranged around a small obelisk. Giant topiaries of wolves surround the garden.

The 9  giant wolves’ topiaries are constructs meant to guard the garden. When the players enter the garden, they will animate and attack the players. The constructs use the stat blocks of worgs.

Obelisk. The obelisk is covered in arcane script. A DC 15 arcana check will reveal that the obelisk controls the garden’s weather.

 

 

2. The Rainbow Terrace

Marble steps tinted with veins of green lead up from the garden to a patio terrace surrounding a fountain shaped like a rainbow with water that cycles through various colors. Surrounding the fountain are large bowers and arbors that shade pleasant arrangements of cafe-style patio furniture. Four topiaries shaped like wizards hold different-colored staffs; one staff is red, one is yellow, one is green, and one is blue. Each rises from a flowerbed of corresponding color.

The door from the terrace to the entrance hall is locked. The lock can be opened with a DC 17 check using thieves’ tools. Failing the check activates the terrace trap.

The four wizards trap. When lockpicking the door to the entrance hall fails or the wrong key is used, the 4 topiaries come to life and start casting cantrips at the players. Have the topiaries and the players roll for

initiative. On their turns, the topiaries use the following spells.

• Red Wizard Topiary (Fire): Every turn it casts shoots a Firebolt (ranged attack, +6 to hit, 1d10 fire damage) at a random player within its line of sight. It can target any player in its 30 ft. range.
• Blue Wizard Topiary (Cold): Every turn casts Ray of Frost (ranged attack, +6 to hit, 1d8 cold damage, and reduces speed by 10 ft.) on a player within its line of sight.
• Green Wizard Topiary (Poison): Every turn, it emits a 10 ft. radius poisonous cloud (Constitution Save DC 14, or take 1d6 poison damage) around itself.
• Yellow Wizard Topiary (Lightning): Every other turn, it shoots a lightningbolt (Dexterity Save DC 16, 2d6 lightning damage to up to two players along a 30-foot line).

The topiaries must be destroyed in the following order: red, yellow, green, and blue. Each topiary has an ac of 15 (Natural Armor) and 20hp

Rainbow fountain. The fountain is enchanted so that the water changes color in preprogrammed sequences to entertain guests at Ulrich’s parties. When the players arrive, they cycle through the colors of the rainbow in order.

Guests. If Ulrich is hosting a ball or dinner and the weather permits, 2d20 unarmed nobles, both men and women, will be around the fountain, sitting on the furniture, engaging in small talk.

 3. Entrance hall

The room arches above you in a white and green stone dome with a marble floor. Doors lead outward in multiple directions, and a bell on a plinth is in the center of the room.

Bell. The bell operates the magic elevator that connects the various floors. The bell summons an elevator made from a floating disk of force about  12 feet in diameter that rises or falls automatically. Each of the rooms above the hall has the same bell and the same general layout.

4. The ballroom

Soft music fills the air as you enter this large, ornate ballroom. A shimmering orchestra plays on the far side of the room—they seem unreal. A black diamond-shaped crystal floats in the center of the room and seems to pulse with energy. A nondescript door is also located on the far side of the room.

Band. The band is an illusion created by a powerful spell placed on the room; likewise, the music is produced using magic.

Ballroom Trap. The black crystal is part of an elaborate trap covering the entire ballroom. The crystal will zap anyone trying to cross from one side to the other with an eldrich blast unless they are dancing. To cross the floor safely, the players must dance to music using a DC15 performance check, use the “Blue Danube” trigger phrase to disable the trap, or smash the crystal with a DC15 strength check. The trap is disabled when Ulrich has guests over.

Door. The door is a portal leading to area 8, the kitchen.

Guests. If Ulrich is hosting a ball or dinner, 2d20 unarmed nobles, both men and women, will be in the room dancing and engaging in small talk. 2d8 guards are standing around the edge of the room, looking rather bored. Trays of drinks and Hors d’Oeuvres will be floating around the edges of the room .

5 The Parlor

This large posh parlor is overflowing, with overstuffed furniture surrounding a large rug. Two suits of armor flank the entrance. A collection of clocks hangs from the walls, all moving at different speeds. Between the clocks are a multitude of paintings

The rug is a rug of smothering that has been programmed to activate only once an intruder has gotten halfway across the floor. When the rug starts its attack the suits of armor animate and become animated armors When Ulrich has guests over, the rug is disabled.

Temporal magic. The clocks are all made by Master Thistledown. They project bubbles that alter the speed of time. There are three bubbles in total, one that halves the speed of time, one that doubles it, and one that quadruples the effect of time. The bubbles that speed up time allow any creature in the bubble to take two or 4 additional actions and two move actions per turn. The slow time bubble forces the player to take either a movement or action per turn.

Guests. If Ulrich is hosting a ball or dinner, there will be 1d8 guests in the parlor playing with the time-altering effects of the clocks.

Treasure. The paintings are worth 600gp to the right buyer.

6 Summoning Room

A large crystal enclosure in the middle of the room has a magic circle surrounding it.

Ulrich uses this room to show off his magical abilities and knowledge during parties by summoning various planer creatures via the portal. The magic circle functions like the gate spell and will summon any creature Ulrich says to the crystal enclosure.

Crystal Enclosure. The crystal enclosure is a magicallyreinforced wall of glass designed to keep the occupants inside at all costs. The players can shatter the enclosure by attacking it. The enclosure has an AC of 19 and 60 hitpoints.

Trap. The magic circle is designed to summon 5 a Barbed Devil loyal to Ulrich if the circle is tampred with

 7. The Dining Hall

The dining room is impressive. A massive, well-made table sits in the middle, with enough chairs to seat 12. Plates, glasses, and silverware hang above the table in neat rows. On the far wall, a window opens out into a country vista.

Tableware. The tableware is enchanted to hang above the table while not in use. When there is a need to set the table, the unseen servants grab sets of items off the unseen racks. The levitation enchantment is disabled if food and drink are placed on the dishes. There is 100gp worth of tableware in the room.

Vista. The vista is a complex illusion being projected onto the window.

Ulrich. If Ulrich is in the room, he is currently eating a fine dinner of pheasant with all the fixings.

Guests. If Ulrich is hosting a ball or dinner, there will be 1d12 nobles eating in the room. Unseen servants serve the guests at the table.

8. The kitchen

The kitchen is immaculately clean. In the center of the kitchen hangs an octopus-like construct with dozens of arms that blur around the kitchen at lightning speed, chopping, mixing, and sauteeing ingredients.

The kitchen construct cannot sense the players and moves at lightning speeds. To reach the door to the pantry or the ballroom, the players must either dodge the whirling arms with a DC 15 dexterity check or destroy the construct.

8 Undercroft

The undercroft is cool and pitch black. It is so dark that you cannot see your hand in front of your face.

The darkness in the undercroft is magical and meant to deter thieves from the vault, armory, wine cellar, and training rooms. Ulrich has also  covered the floor with rakes and hoes with hammers attached to the handles in a rather childish move. Stepping on one of these improvised booby traps deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage. To dispel the darkness, the players will need a magical light source.

 9 training room

When you entered this large room, bright white lights flooded your vision. When the glare clears, you realize you are standing in what appears to be some sort of shooting range, complete with a table filled with wands, crossbows, and other weapons in the middle of the room.

The training room is magical and designed to test the trainee’s abilities and give them a score. The moment players step up to the table and take one of the weapons, the magic activates, and illusions of scarecrow-like dummies appear in various forms of armor and wielding multiple weapons. The dummies have the same attacks as bandits but with only one hit point, and their attacks only deal 1 point of damage. The room will continue to spawn dummies for 90 seconds before giving the players a score of how many dummies they defeated minus how many times they got hit.

Ulrich. Ulrich is halfway through the training program if he is in the room.

Treasure. The device is programmed to offer the trainees the following challenge: Get a score of 30, and the machine will give them a prize. The prize is a wand of secrets. Furthermore, the weapons on the table consist of a wand of magic missiles, a light crossbow, a heavy crossbow, throwing axes, throwing knives, darts, and a mace.

10 Armory

The armory is dark and gloomy, filled with armor and racks of weapons. You could swear that you see something moving in the dark despite being alone in the room.

Among the 12 suits of armor and countless swords, there is a 7 animated armor and 4 dancing swords.

Treasure. In the back of the armory, there is a box containing a single wand of the war mage +1

 11 The vault

In the center of this room is a large vault door. The door has five keyholes in the shape of a pentagon. The lock at the top of the pentagon is embedded in a plate shaped like a star. A message engraved on the door says, “A gold star to whoever solves this puzzle.” The rest of the room is decorated with silver stars painted on the wall.

Trap. The vault is a Branagor security solutions Star Vault. To open the vault door, the players need to unlock each lock in an order that traces out the shape of a star, starting from the top and following the sequence in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Unlocking the locks in any other order or failing a check will cause the vault to unleash an electric shock in a 10-foot cone. The shock deals 1d4 damage, half that if the players succeed on a DC 12 dex check.  Each lock requires a DC 10 check with thieves’ tools to unlock it. If the players have Brangor as a contact or accept his quest, he provides them with the spare key to the vault and instructions on how to open the vault.

Treasure. The vault contains several dossiers on all the residents of Kronenhöhend, a folder with Branagor’s name on it, 780 GP, and the deed to the spire.

12 Wine Cellar

The crisp air nips at your body as you enter this large room. Racks of bottles line the walls. On one of the racks, there is a sign that says to drink and be merry.

A Brangor security trap is disguised in the rack with the rarest vintages. If a player takes one of the rare wine bottles out of the rack without disarming the trap, a spray of darts shoots out of the wall and deals 2d4 damage plus 1d4 poison damage in a 10-

foot cone. A DC 13 saving throw is required to dodge the darts. To safely remove the bottles from the rack, the players do as the sign above the rack says: They must drink some of the wine.

Guests. If Ulrich is hosting a ball or dinner, unseen servants constantly take bottles from the cellar.

Treasure. The wine collection in the cellar is worth 1200gp. It includes 12 bottles of especially rare vintages, each worth 30gp. To find the bottles, a DC 10 investigation check is required.

12 The art gallery

You step into a well-kept art gallery. Along the wall are paintings and display cases filled with various historical relics including a bust of a elven king’s head. The center of the room is taken up by statues cycling through various heroic poses. There is even a statue of Ulrich holding a sword aloft while standing on a rock.

The statue of Ulrich is actually a construct meant to capture would-be thieves. When the players try to remove any item from the walls or cases, the statue animates and attacks them. The statue has the stats of a knight but does not have a crossbow. When the knight activates 2 animated armors arrive to block of f the door

Bust. The bust depicts Faolan the Mad, the Feyrealm’s first and last high King. The bust is Ulrich’s most prized possession and the most valuable item in the gallery. The bust is protected by an alarm ward that requires a DC 18 check to disable; stealing the bust without disabling the alarm results in a loud bell-like sound ringing through the palace and all of the defensive constructs in the mansion converging on the art gallery. The bust is worth 150gp on the open market or 240 gp to Lady Aisling Bellefontaine (see the Romance Writers Revenge sidequest)

Statues. The non-animated statues are actually illusions of statues at Ulrich’s country estate.

Display cases. The display cases are locked. A DC 12 dex check with the thieves’ tool or a DC 10 strength check opens them.

Treasure. The various artifacts, art objects, and relics are worth 100gp together. Among the items was a single ornate silver raven.

 

13 The Study

You enter a luxurious study. Bookshelves line the walls, and a massive book and paper-covered desk occupies the center of the room. A portrait of Ulrich glares down at you.

Desk. The various documents and books all reference fey contracts. Most of the loose pieces of paper are handwritten notes. The notes are about fey contracts and breaking them without consequences. The wish spell and divine intervention are both mentioned as possible solutions. There is also the following letter on the blotter.

My liege,

I trust this letter finds you in good health and spirits, though I must admit that my mind is far from tranquil. Matters of grave concern weigh heavily upon my heart, and I feel compelled to bring them to your attention without delay.

It pertains to the contract that you so eagerly entered into with your liege. While I understand the allure of such an arrangement and the potential benefits it may afford our cause, I cannot help but harbor reservations about the true nature of our arrangement with her.

As you know, your mistress has proven herself a formidable ally, holding up her end of the bargain with admirably. Yet, despite her outward displays of amenity, I cannot shake the feeling that she has some grander scheme in play, one in which we are but unwitting pawns.

We have seen the subtle machinations of the fey firsthand, Murtagh, and I fear that our association with your liege may have placed us in a perilous position. Her motives remain mysterious, and I worry that our continued allegiance to her may ultimately lead to our downfall.

I implore you to heed my words, my king, and to tread cautiously in your dealings with the Lady of the Loch Slanach. Though the rewards she offers may be great, the price of our loyalty may still be far more significant.

Your faithful servant,

Ulrich

Bookshelf. The bookshelf contains treatises on magic, all written by Ulrich, various journals, and a few ledgers. One of the ledgers stands out for having a bright green cover with red lettering. It is dated May 12th, 1324.

Painting. The painting covers a Branagor Security Solutions safe. The safe has three dials that go from zero to 35. Above the dials is a plaque with the following engraved upon it, “The code was chosen on a red-letter day.” To open the safe, the players must enter the date of the green ledger with red lettering, 5-12-24, into the dials.

Treasure. The safe contains 10 25gp gemstones, various schematics of the city’s security devices, and a set of ledgers for Ulrich’s fief dated over the last few months.

14 The Library

You enter a musty library. The room is filled with a soft glow and towering bookshelves. A crackling grand fireplace with a well-worn armchair sits by the far wall.

The library has an enchantment that automatically delivers the book whoever is in the library wants. The moment the players think about a specific subject or title, the book floats down to the point where the players can take it. However, the detect thoughts part of the spell does not work correctly, and while in the room, the players can hear each other’s surface-level thoughts.

15 Magical workshop

The air crackles with arcane energy as you step inside. The air smells of ozone, and the room is filled with a workbench covered with arcane and alchemical research equipment. A suit of armor sits in the room’s far corner, and shelves of magical components line the walls.

The suit of armor is a Clockwork Golem  tasked with guarding the room. It will wait until the players touch the shelves or the workbenches before attacking.

Workbench. Ulrich was experimenting with some potent chemicals. If the workbench is in the area of effect of a spell or effect that deals fire or lightning damage, the workbench explodes in a 10-diameter fireball that deals 4d4 fire damage, half on a DC 15 saving throw.

Treasure. The drawers in the workbench have spell scrolls for mage armor, fireball, and dispell magic. On one of the shelves is an experimental Mouse Friend Mask. The shelves around the room hold spell and alchemical components. The players can find 200gp worth of alchemical components. Furthermore, the material components for the following 1st-3rd level spells are present.

• Detect Magic
• Identify
• Invisibility
• Misty Step
• Counterspell
• Fly

There are enough components to cast each spell 5 times.

16 Guest rooms

You enter an opulent guest room dominated by a four-poster bed that emanates restfulness. A wardrobe, a vanity, and a chest line the walls.

There are 6 such rooms on the guest level, all unoccupied.

Bed. The bed is enchanted to enhance sleep. Sleeping on the bed grants inspiration to whoever sleeps on it.

Treasure. If the players search all the guest rooms, they find 50gp in forgotten valuables

 

17 Bathroom

As you enter this luxurious bathroom, your nose is filled with rose and lavender. There is a massive stone tub behind a gauze curtain, a silver toilet and washbasin with taps, and a cabinet filled with expensive soaps and towels.

The smell in the air is produced by an enchantment that constantly freshens the air.

Tub. The tub is filled with water that has been enchanted to be always clean and always at the perfect temperature for bathing.

Treasure. The soaps are worth 25 gp.

 18 Master Bedroom

As you enter this luxurious bedroom, your eyes are assaulted by golden reflections off everything. The canopy bed is gold-plated and seems to radiate; the wardrobe is covered in gold leaf, and a massive shining gold mirror is opposite the bed.

Bed. The bed is enchanted to provide the ultimate sleeping experience. While sleeping in this bed, one cannot experience nightmares or be wakened prematurely; they wake with 1d8 additional hit points. Also, the bed is the perfect temperature for sleeping year-round.

Golden Mirror. The mirror functions like a crystal ball. Using certain command words can show the view from several dozen prepositioned scrying spells throughout the spire and the city.

Treasure. The wardrobe contains 10 sets of fine clothing. A spare Cloak of Protection hangs on a hook inside the door, and a bag of holding contains  6 25gp gemstones is in the bottom of the wardrobe.

Ulrich and Mage Corp Rumor table

d100 Roll	Rumor
1	Ulrich is an art collector, and he is awaiting a new piece to come via Kraggath smugglers.
2	Ulrich lives in a spire in Kronenhöhend.
3	Ulrich’s mansion is full of traps.
4	Ulrich’s schedule is unpredictable.
5	Ulrich likes to host parties at his mansion.
6	Ulrich makes a point of attending every event in Kronenhöhend.
7	Ulrich’s men are engaged in some form of blackmailing operation.
8	Most of the Royal Mage Corps mages are pressed-ganged citizens of Slibermond.
9	The core of the Mage Corps is 100 veteran war mages.
10	Every room of Ulrich’s mansion has some form of magical trick or gimmick.
11	Ulrich has been researching magical contracts recently.
12	The Coláiste Draoidheil has been researching mind control for the Mage Corps.
13	Lord Artificer Varun Brauer and Jaren Wraithfire are Ulrich’s top officers.
14	Lord Artificer Varun Brauer is responsible for manufacturing constructs for the Mage Corps.
15	Lord Artificer Varun Brauer’s power armor seems to have some sort of problem regarding lightning damage.
16	Jaren Wraithfire is the Mage Corps chief blackmailer. He is always seen with young noblewomen on his arm.
17	Jaren Wraithfire pays top dollar for a safety deposit box at Goldspire Bank.
18	The Coláiste Draoidheil has been researching dragon raising for the Mage Corps.
19	Ulrich has a super valuable bust of some Fey king in his art gallery.
20	There is a Brangor Security vault in Ulrich’s basement.
21	Ulrich likes to summon demons as a party trick.
22	The traps in Ulrich’s palace are all designed by Bangor Security Solutions.
23	Ulrich cannot actually use the sword he wields on his belt. (false rumor)
24	Ulrich has an open-door policy, and anyone can walk up to his mansion to talk with him. (false rumor)
25	Ulrich has a weekly meeting at the Golden Sequoia.
26	Ulrich is courting a wealthy elf spinster.
27	Ulrich will drop everything if there is an emergency at the Coláiste Draoidheil.
29	Ulrich and Murtagh are not seeing eye to eye at the moment. (false rumor)
29	Something is living in the garden. (half true)
30	There is a hidden laboratory beneath Coláiste Draoidheil.  (false rumor)
31	Ulrich made a pact with a powerful demon to gain his magical prowess. (false rumor)
32	Ulrich can manipulate time itself. (false rumor)
33	Ulrich is an exiled member of an archfey’s court. (false rumor)
34	Ulrich’s clothes are enchanted to make him appear more regal and charismatic than he truly is. (false rumor)
35	Ulrich supposedly has plans to overthrow the current regime. (false rumor)
36	Ulrich isn’t actually the powerful mage he seems to be but is using powerful artifacts to amplify his abilities. (false rumor)
37	Ulrich’s family is cursed. (false rumor)
38	Ulrich’s mansion contains hidden treasures and artifacts from ancient civilizations.
39	Ulrich manipulates nobles through enchanted puppetry. (false rumor)
40	Ulrich is actually a warlock. (false rumor)
41	Ulrich stole much of his art collection from a museum. (false rumor)
42	The Royal Mage Corps is funding secret experiments to find a way to extend their lifespan indefinitely. (false rumor)
43	The Mage Corps kidnaps citizens to use in experiments. (false rumor)
44	Ulrich’s personal library contains many banned tomes and magical texts. (false rumor)
45	The Royal Mage Corps has been using enchanted mirrors to spy on the private lives of city residents. (false rumor)
46	Ulrich secretly uses a powerful artifact to maintain his youthful appearance. (false rumor)
47	Ulrich’s magical experiments have caused unexplained phenomena around his mansion. (false rumor)
48	Ulrich has been seen conducting dark rituals in secret chambers of his mansion. (false rumor)
49	The Royal Mage Corps is involved in illegal trade of magical artifacts with foreign powers. (false rumor)
50	Ulrich is rumored to have a magical device that allows him to communicate with other planes. (false rumor)