Count Cathán mac Uathach

Count Cathán mac Uathach and his men ride through the ward, generated using OpenAI DALL-E.

Cold, calculating, and fiercely loyal to Murtagh, Count Cathán serves as his master’s iron fist. Once, he was merely one of many counts who owed their allegiance to Murtagh, albeit one with a stunning record of military victories. When Duke Murtagh launched his coup, Cathán’s knights and levies stormed the Carrey Batteries, a battle that ended with his forces taking no casualties. As a reward for this stunning victory, he was elevated to the high marshal of the kingdom and given control of the Carrey Batteries to serve as his command post. From his new base of operations, he imposes his will on the Schwarzrauchgasse, turning it into a massive weapons production facility for his army.

Count Cathan is an intimidating figure; he is tall for a hobgoblin at 6 feet 3 inches tall with fiery red hair. His face is well-scarred from many military victories. As high marshall, he usually dresses in full plate armor with a red cape and a unique wolf head-shaped helmet. His personality is as brutal and unrelenting as his appearance. He is a cold man who ruled his county with an iron fist before ascending to the rank of high marshall. There have also been rumors that he is an abusive husband and father to his 3 children. Despite his cold nature, he is also obsessed with honor. He considers most other noblemen beneath him and takes offense easily, especially if the subject is his military record. He has fought in numerous duels to the death over the last few months and usually.

Count Cathán Schedule

Count Cathán’s day starts at the crack of dawn at his luxurious personal quarters in the Carrey Batteries. He dedicates the early morning hours to reviewing yesterday’s reports and issuing orders to his forces in Sliberberg and farther afield. He then goes out to inspect the work on shaping the Schwarzrauchgasse to his will; he then travels out of the city via the river bastions to inspect several construction sites outside the city. He returns to the battery mid-afternoon to engage in light training before dinner with his officers and eventually retires early.

On Count Cathán death

Count Cathán’s death is a significant blow to the army’s morale. His reputation for strategic brilliance and prowess with a sword is well-known throughout the kingdom. All morale checks for Royal Army Soldiers are made with disadvantage. With no clear replacement for the Count among his general in the field and his officers in the city, there is a prolonged power vacuum in the garrison command structure, with a handful of squabbling officers trying and failing to run the garrison in the Count’s place. After the Count’s death, there is a 50/50 chance that the players will not need to roll a stealth check to avoid a random encounter when moving through a neighborhood.

Count Cathán’s treasure

Upon defeating Count Cathán, the players find the following in his person:

200 gold pieces
Count Cathán’s Signet Ring worth 60gp
Count Cathán’s Plate Armor of the wolf
A masterwork longsword

The Sliberberg Garrison

Well organized, well drilled, and well armed—that sums up the Royal Army’s Sliberberg Garrison.Comprising 1,000 men, this mixed force of heavy infantry halberdiers, mounted and dismounted men-at-arms, skirmishers, archers, and light cavalry historically served to defend the city walls, man the sea batteries at Carrey Point, and quell riots when the city watch faltered. However, under Count Cathán, the force has taken up the duty of policing the Schwarzrauchgasse and overseeing the expansion of weapons manufacturing in Tannery Row.

For the impoverished residents of Schwarzrauchgasse, the Sliberberg Garrison has transformed into a relentless engine of fear and tyranny. Under the strict rule of Count Cathán, the garrison operates with chilling precision. With sledgehammers and battering rams, they ruthlessly demolish the homes and meager comforts of the slums to erect more and more hulking, smoke-belching weapon manufactories. They force the homeless to toil in bleak, joyless workhouses from dawn to dusk. Wherever the soldiers march, the citizens flee, leaving still and lifeless streets in their wake.

Awareness Table

Awarness	Dc	Countermeasure
0	10	None
1-3	12	Checkpoints are established at the bridges over the Silverflow river. Crossing the river via the bridges requires a mandatory encounter with 1d8 infantrymen
4-6	14	The army establishes temporary watchtowers in the neighborhood. All stealth checks in the neighborhood are made with disadvantage
7-10	16	The patrols are issued flares, horns, and other signal equipment; as an action, a soldier can use his signaling gear to raise an alarm and summon reinforcements to his location. Start a timer 1d4/2: when the timer reaches zero the reinforcements arrive
10-12	18	Checkpoints are reinforced with an additional 1d6 infantrymen and a knight.
13-15	20	Several rapid response units of cavalry are deployed to the neighborhood. Reinforcement to a fight comprises 4 centaur cavalrymen or 3 knights mounted on riding horses.

Random Encounters

D20	Patrol
1	No encounter
2	oddity
3	Demolition in progress
4	Construction site
5	Demolition site
6	paupers
7	Drolls and Squares
8	beggers
9	Paid informant
10	Soldiers
11	Harrased Priest
12	Brigands
13	Chain gang
14	Industrial accident
15	Deserter
16	Strike
17	Baron Angus McDowell and his escort
18	Sir Guy Redhand and his command platoon
19	Count Cathán and his escort
20	Roll twice and use both results

Demolition in progress

The players come across a block that is barricaded off. The players can see a group of 1d20 commoners confronting 1d12 infantrymen with a battering ram. The players can hear the crowd of commoners begging the soldiers not to demolish their homes. If they choose to intervene on the commoner’s behalf, the soldiers fight until it is clear they are outmatched, after which they will retreat and seek to gather reinforcements. If the players drive off the soldiers, the residents thank the players. Whenever the players get into a fight with the Royal Army a group of 1d12+2 commoners join the fight with improvised weapons

Construction site

The players encounter a factory under construction. The players can see 2d20 laborers under the abusive supervision of 1d10 soldiers (you choose the soldier types). If the players decide to help the workers, the soldiers fight until it is clear they are outmatched, after which they will retreat and seek to gather reinforcements and then track down the players. The workers thanked the players and promised to pay them back somehow. How exactly they pay the players back is up to you.

Demolition Site

The players see a recently demolished tenement. A group of 1d4 families are sitting around with their meager belongings, and some are crying. They tell the players that men from the Royal Army threw them out of their homes and then proceeded to tear down the building. They have no other place to go and ask if the players know of any place they can seek shelter. If the players offer the displaced families space in one of their safehouses, the families will endeavor to pay the players back somehow. How they pay the players back is up to you.

Paupers

The players encounter 1d8 paupers trying not to draw the ire of the Royal Army. If the players are nice to the paupers, they will share 1d4 rumors with the players. If the players are not nice, the paupers scatter to whatever hiding holes they can find.

Drolls and Squares

The players encounter 1d6 soldiers (your choice) locked in a confrontation with 1d8 members of the Drolls. The Drolls are mocking the soldiers and throwing unidentifiable objects at them. The players can choose to intervene on the side of either the Drolls or the soldiers. If the players side with the Drolls, the droll’s opinion of the resistance increases by one, and they will pay the players back for their help with a donation of 15gp worth of random junk. If the players side with the soldiers, the droll’s opinion of the resistance decreases by one, and the Royal Army soldiers will ignore the players for the rest of the day.

Beggers

The players encounter a beggar leaning against a building. If the players give him at least 1 gp he will tell them one rumor.

Paid informant

A shady-looking character beckons the players over; he will give the players a rumor if they can pay him 1d6 gold pieces.

Soldiers

The players encounter a group of soldiers. Roll 6d6 on the following table to determine the group’s composition and what they are doing.

d6	skirmisher	infantrymen	scouts	centaur cavalrymen	Officers (knights or veterans	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	2	1	Overseeing construction
5	8	4	4	2	2	Transporting loot or equipment
6	10	5	5	3	2	Travelingsomewhere

The players can spot the soldiers with a DC 15 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 navy personnel 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 obviously outmatched by the players, the group attacks on sight; otherwise, they will gather more soldiers and ambush the players 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

Harassed Priest

The players encounter a brother of the Sanctuary of the Resplendent Hand being harassed by 1d12 scouts and infantrymen. If the players choose to intervene on the priest’s behalf, the soldiers fight until it is clear they are outmatched, after which they will retreat and seek to gather reinforcements. The brother thanked the players for helping him, revealing that the soldiers had been harassing other brothers of the order. He promises that the players will be rewarded if they go to the sanctuary. The sanctuary’s opinion of the resistance increases by one, and the players find 1d4 potions of healing waiting for them the next time they visit the sanctuary.

Brigands

The players encounter a group of 1d8 thugs lead by a bandit cheif. The thugs order the players to hand over their valuables, or the thugs will kill them and not to get any funny ideas about calling for help; the soldiers around her do not care about stopping criminals like them.

Chain gang

The players encounter a group of 1d20 prisoners, both political and otherwise, being forced to work by a group of 1d12 soldiers. If the players choose to intervene on the prisoners’ behalf, the soldiers fight until it is clear they are outmatched, after which they will retreat and seek to gather reinforcements. The prisoners will thank the players for their efforts and promise to tell everyone about their deeds. The opinion of all the factions increases by one, and the players may receive other small rewards at your digression.

Industrial accident

An accident, such as an overturned wagon, collapsed building, or cargo spill, blocks the players’ path. They must find another way to their destination and make an additional stealth check.

Deserter

The players encounter a soldier trying to desert the army. They sneak from alley to alley, trying to stay out of sight. If the players talk to them, they explain that they are drafted militiamen and tell them they cannot stomach what the officers are forcing them to do. If the players help him, he might join the resistance as a soldier with no recruitment cost.

Strike

The players encounter a weapon manufactory where a strike is occurring. A group of 2d20+5 commoners are picketing in front of the factory, demanding reasonable hours, safer working conditions, and better pay. A group of 1d8 infantrymen and 1d6 scouts are approaching to break up the strike. If the players choose to intervene on the striker’s behalf, the soldiers fight until it is clear they are outmatched, after which they will retreat and seek to gather reinforcements. If the players successfully drive off the soldiers, the striking workers thank them and allow them to raid the factory stores for supplies. The players can claim 3d20 gp worth of material from the manufactory stores.

Baron Angus McDowell

Count Cathán’s XO is in charge of overseeing patrols in the Schwarzrauchgasse. Baron Angus McDowell is a ruddy hobgoblin knight with a bulging belly and puffy mustache. He is often seen traveling around the ward on a riding horse and with three centaur cavalrymen as an escort.

Impact on the Royal Army garrison if defeated: Without his XO to run things on the street, Count Cathán has to step in and run things himself, spreading himself thinner. The patrols are less organized, and stealth checks to avoid encounters are made with an advantage.

Sir Guy Redhand

Sir Guy Redhand, a human of wiry build and surprising strength, leads the cavalry assigned to the City Garrison. His competence and stern discipline prevent the knights and light cavalry from indulging in endless revelry they are naturally inclined to. He is usually accompanied by his three sergeant knights from his company, and the group usually travels about on riding horses.

Impact on the Royal Army garrison if defeated: Without him to keep the men in line, the centaur cavalrymen, knights, and mounted skirmishers spend every night drinking and every day hung over. The members knights and centuars have disadvantage on attack rolls and damage rolls.

Count Cathan

Count Cathán generally travels mounted on a war horse or Calidor the unicorn. He is usually accompanied by 6 knights mounted on 6 riding horses

Assassinating Count Cathán

Assassinating Count Cathán is a tricky endeavor. Being the Royal Army’s high marshall, he surrounds himself with soldiers and military officers. He also spends large portions of his day at the Carrey Batteries, a formidable fortress carved into the stone of Carrey Point. However, where there is a will, there is a way, and players could get to the high marshal in several ways.

Method 1: Recurit Insiders in the army

Unlike the watch, the Royal Army has not been subjected to purges. In fact, it is a combination of feudal levies, conscripted freemen, and a few draftees. As such, not all the army members are entirely on board with Count Cathán’s brutally autocratic ways and the cold, calculating cruelty he has been forcing upon the people of the Schwarzrauchgasse. The players can exploit this by using the recruit insiders resistance mission to recruit the disillusioned knights forced to serve under Count Cathán by order of the king and the conscripted peasantry forced to do evil to their fellow man. These turncoats in the army can help assassinate Count Cathán, such as leaking info on the Count’s movements, helping them infiltrate the battteries, or even joining the players in an ambush on the Count. It is up to the players to determine how to use these insiders.

Method 2: Street ambush

Count Cathán’s daily inspection tours allow well-armed resistance to take him out. However, it is a challenging prospect. The Count travels with a retinue of 6 mounted knights and often a squad of infantry. The players will either have to bring a large and well-armed force of resistance fighters to the fight or find some way to isolate the Count from his escort, potentially through spells like a Wall of Stone, traps or diversions. If the players choose this assassination method, you should be willing to (entirely at your own digression) start a timer that will count down to reinforcements arriving.

Method 3 stage an accident

With half-built structures, cranes, and explosives readily available in the Schwarzrauchgasse, the players can orchestrate a trap that can incapacitate or immobilize Cathán and his men, leaving them vulnerable to attack. It is up to the players to determine a plan to stage an accident, whether they plan to sabatoge cranes and scaffolding, topple a structure, or set off an explosion. You should let the players try any plan with a reasonable chance of success. When the players spring their trap, all creatures on the path of the accident must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC of 25. Those who fail to take 4d20 bludgeoning damage are stunned for three rounds. While this may not immediately kill Count Cathán, it leaves him defenseless and incapacitated, providing the players an opportunity to strike. However, accidents are noisy things by nature. When the players spring their trap, a timer d4 starts. When the timer reaches zero, a random patrol arrives on the scene.

Method 4: Arrange a duel

Cathán is a prideful man obsessed with honor, and his preferred means of settling questions of honor are duels to death. The players can, via disguising themselves as a noble or via a noble in the resistance, slander the Count’s military record or character. Upon hearing the insult to his honor, Cathán immediately returns to the city to confront the slanderer in a duel. The players must select a champion to represent them in combat against Count Cathán. While none of the players or resistance fighters individually may stand a chance against him in single combat, the duel provides an opportunity to isolate Count Cathán and potentially incapacitate or distract him long enough for the players to execute their plan.

Method 5: Lure him back to The Carrey Batteries

During the day, the Carrey Batteries operate with a minimal number of soldiers, as the majority are deployed for various tasks throughout the neighborhoods of Schwarzrauchgasse and Steinhaffer. If the players were to infiltrate the fort, they could make their way to the signaling gear mounted in the lighthouse on the point to send him an urgent message to return to the battery.

Method 6: Exploit the Weaknesses of his XO

One of the perks of Count Cathán’s high station is that he has several underlings under his command to delegate tasks, too. The foremost among them is Baron Angus McDowell Cathán’s executive officer. However, unlike Count Cathán’s cold, ruthless, and hyper-fixated nature, Angus is known for lacking professionalism and a tendency to indulge in various vices. He often frequents establishments in the city where he can partake in drinking, gambling, and the company of pretty young women. Additionally, Angus is not particularly intelligent, making him susceptible to manipulation and coercion, especially by young ladies.

Players can capitalize on Angus’s behavior by tracking him down during one of his outings. Since he typically forgoes any bodyguards while engaging in his vices, he becomes an easy target for capture or intimidation. Once apprehended, players can leverage their control over Angus to assist in their assassination plan against Count Cathán.

The Carrey Batteries

The Carrey Batteries are a massive set of fortifications built into the bones of the Carry Headlands. Eight blocky ballista and catapult batteries built of dull grey stone ring the seaward and harborward edge of the headlands, connected by tunnels carved into the living rock. Beyond batteries is an imposing fortress, carved into the living rock of the headlands with enough barracks space to house 350 men in modest comfort for 4 months. It is from this massive fortress that Count Cathán commands his army and the Sliberberg Garrison.

Infiltrating the Batteries

Being a fortress dug into the rock of a massive headland makes it tricky for the players to infiltrate the batteries; however, the players can exploit several vulnerabilities to penetrate the fort.

The Lighthouse

The fortified lighthouse on the top of the Carrey Headlands connects directly to the fort below. Although fortified, it is mainly used as a lookout for the harbor and a signal platform; only 1d6 soldiers are deployed to the lighthouse at any time. However, getting to the lighthouse is tricky; the Carrey Headlands are massive rock formations with steep sides. The players must succeed on DC 15 athletics or acrobatics checks to climb the cliff faces lining the headlands.

The Batteries

Unless there is an active threat to the city coming via sea, the batteries lining the base of the Carrey Headlands are manned only by a handful of soldiers on cleaning duty. Each one is a potential entrance to the fort. However, getting to the batteries is the tricky bit. Each of the 12 batteries is located in a shear cliff face of the headlands with no trails or beachfront leading around the headland. Worse, the surf around the rock shore of the headlands is incredibly rough. The players will have to acquire a boat and then stealthfully row out into the harbor towards the dangerous bite of the clifts of the Carrey Headlands. The players must succeed on DC 10 athletics or acrobatics checks to climb the cliff faces to the batteries.

The gate

The main gate of the Carrey Batteries is a solid mass of wood and iron set in a well-fortified stone gatehouse. The fort’s entrance is guarded by a squad of infantry, skirmishers, and scouts at all times. While it is unlikely the players would be able to force their way inside, they could use more underhanded methods to gain access. They could hide in one of the dozens of wagons coming and going daily, disguise themselves as recruits to gain entry, or use insiders in the fort to let them in through the gate, to name a few possibilities.

Carrey Batteries: general features

The following features are found throughout the fort.

Ceilings. Unless noted otherwise, the ceilings are 20 feet high

Illumination. Unless otherwise specified, torches mounted in wall sconces dimly illuminated the rooms.

Doors. The doors, unless the text specifies overwise, are unlocked. The doors are made from sturdy wood. It takes a strength check of DC 18 to break one down.

Patrols.

When the players move from room to room, have them roll a stealth check dc 17, on failure they encounter either a veteran and 5 infantrymen, 5 infantrymen and 5 scouts or a knight and two centaur cavalrymen patrolling the halls.

Patrol, Generated with Google Imagen3

Gatehouse and outer defenses

The gate looms above you. A mass of iron-faced wood 12 feet tall mounted in a gatehouse carved from the rock of the headlands. The gatehouse is located in a v-shaped inlet in the rock face. The walls of the V have been carved out to create a pair of ramparts with dozens of arrow slits on two levels.

The gate consists of an outer wood and iron door and two portcullises. The iron-faced doors are always closed, and the portcullises are only closed when danger is near. The doors can be broken down with a group DC25 strength check and a battering ram, and the portcullis can be lifted using a DC17 strength check.

The guards. The gate is constantly manned by a squad consisting of 2 knight sergeants and 6 scouts spread throughout the gatehouse structure. The guards inspect every wagon and person seeking to enter the fort who is not wearing an army uniform.

Alarm bell. If the players attack the gates, the soldiers inside will ring an alarm bell just above the entrance. When the bell rings, start a timer d4. When the timer reaches zero, a force of 25 scouts and skirmishers will arrive to pelt the attackers with arrows. Until the players breach the walls, these archers act on the same initiative using mob rules.

Gauntlet

This long cool tunnel has multiple arrow slits in the walls and several trapdoors in the ceiling. There is a faint smell of lantern oil in the tunnel.

The tunnel is 50 feet long and lined with 5 arrow slits on each side. The room has a line of three murder holes every 10 feet. If the players try to breach the fort via the gate in an assault, the players will be subject to attack from arrow slits and murder holes. On the first round of the encounter and every subsequence round afterward, a volley of arrows is shot into the tunnel via the closest sets of arrow slits (minimum 2 shots per volley). Each archer has +3 to hit and deals 1d8+1 piercing damage per hit. When the players cross under one of the murder holes, they trigger a reaction attack where boiling oil is dumped down upon them. Players in a 5-foot radius must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 fire damage and catch fire.

Bailey

This massive open-air chamber smells of mud and stagnant water. Three wagons and carts are parked around the bailey. On the far side of the yard, a couple of soldiers are unloading a wagon.

The soldiers consist of a veteran serving as a sergeant and a squad of 4 infantrymen and 4 scouts.

Wagons. The wagon the soldiers are unloading contains sacks of potatoes and barrels of flour. The one next to it is empty, and the third is filled with medical supplies stolen from he Sanctuary of the Resplendent Hand( see stolen Succor sidequest)

Treasure. The solddiers have 70 gp in loose change

Stables

The smell of used hay and horses fills this large room. Dozens of stalls hold every type of horse imaginable.

13 commoners muck out the stalls.

Calidor’s Stall. Calidor’s stall is located at the far right corner of the stables.

Warehouse

You stand in a dimly lit cavernous room. The room is filled with a multitude of different smells. Crates, barrels, and sacks are piled in great stacks. You just barely make out movement in the dim gloom.

The warehouse currently has 24 people working in its massive maze of crates, divided into 3 groups.

A veteran and 10 infantrymen are near the entrance
6 skirmishers and 2 knights are in the middle of the room
A veteran and 5 infantrymen are at the far side of the room by the quartermaster’s office

Currently, only group A is close enough to notice the players. If the players start a fight in the warehouses, start a timer d4. When the timer reaches zero, the nearest group arrives to reinforce their fellows.

Stacks of supplies. The crates, barrels, and sacks pilled throughout the warehouse are filled with the basic consumables needed to run an army, including boot laces, candles, spear shafts, bow strings, flour, and dried beans. The total worth of the material in the warehouse is 6,000,000 gp.

Stacks of crates. The stacks are 8 to 10 feet tall and unstable. If a character makes a DC 15 strength check, they topple over a stack, dealing 1d8 bludgeoning

damage in a 10-foot cone, forcing any character caught in the collapse prone and trapping them under the rubble.

Arsenal

This cavernous oil lamp-lit chamber has eight long rows of racks for weapons and armor. At the far end of the room are stacks of crates. A small army of armorers and weaponsmiths works in the center of the room while a group of soldiers waits for their weapons and armor to be repaired. The clamor of hammers and grindstone wheels is deafening.

2 knight, 2 centaur cavalrymen, and 5 infantrymen are waiting for the 14 commoners to complete repairs on various bits of personal arms and armor. The soldiers will only notice the players if the players make a significant amount of noise or attack any of the room’s occupants. If combat does break out, the commoners will try to escape the room. Start a timer d6 if one escapes. A random patrol will arrive in the room when the timer reaches zero.

Treasure. The armory contains 500 halberds,250 longbows, 300 longswords, 150 shortswords and 400 suits of armor. The workstations of the armorsmith contain a feysilver great sword, a plus one longbow, 5 +1 arrows, and a +1 shield. The soldiers have 120gp in coins and small valuables on their person

Messhall

This dim, cavernous room is noisy and smells of freshly baked bread and stew. Dozens of soldiers sit at long tables while cooks serve a line of waiting men.

There are 23 unarmed soldiers in the room, eating, chatting, and joking. The room is so noisy that the players have an advantage on stealth checks to move through the room silently.

Officers Quarters

The officers and knights reside in this small complex of well-furnished rooms.

1 Entry Hall

The hall is short, with several doors leading to other rooms. The floor is covered with a delicate carpet, and a chandelier with candles hangs from the ceiling.

2 Officers mess

This large dining room is well-lit with simple iron chandeliers. A sizeable ornate dining table with luxurious chairs surrounds the center. Four men in armor are eating at the table.

There are 4 knights in the room eating.

Treasure. The officers eat off of fine china and silverware worth 100gp to the right buyer.

3 Officers kitchen

The air in this medium-sized kitchen is filled with the smell of steak and bread baking. A handful of cooks are busy.

There are 3 noncombatant cooks in the room, busy making food.

Treasure. Between the kitchen and the pantry, there is enough food to feed 60 people for a week.

5 Common room

The room is filled with ornate furniture surrounding a roaring fireplace. The walls are paneled in fine wood. A bookcase is along one wall, and a card table is in the opposite corner. Six men are playing cards at the table.

The men are 3 unarmed knights (use the noble stat block) and 3 knights.

Book case. The bookcase is filled with trashy adventure and romance novels. One of the books, however, is a rare illuminated volume of heroic myths from the Feyrealm worth 30gp to the right buyer.

6 War room

A massive table covered in maps occupies the center of the room. Massive armchairs surround the table.

Maps and documents. The maps have complete information on the Royal Army’s deployments throughout the kingdom and the city. Any player who spends 2 hours studying the documents and makes a DC 15 intelligence check will determine how to use the info for the resistance’s advantage. For the next week, the players can reroll one random encounter on the Royal Army encounter table per day and choose the results

7 Officers’ and knights’ rooms

The room is simple but luxurious. It has a fireplace with a few armchairs, a writing desk, a well-made bed, a wardrobe, and a chest. Tapisteries and family crests line the walls.

There is a 1 in 4 chance that a knight is in the room.

Treasure. The chest contains 4d20 gp worth of valuables. The wardrobe includes 1d8 fine sets of clothes. In one of the rooms the players can find a suit of Elven Armor.

8 Count Cathán Suite

The chamber is large and in divided into a bedroom, offices, and a den with wooden screens. Each third of the room is sparsely decorated with heavy furniture. The den has a single armchair by the darkened fireplace and a large oak bookcase. The study has a single massive desk with an equally enormous chair. The bedroom has 4 poster beds of dark maple with black sheets, an armor stand, a weapon rack, and a wardrobe. The furniture has a distinct wolf motif in the carving. The walls are bare except for a single tapestry depicting hunting wolves.

Bookcase. The bookcase contains various books on strategy, tactics, and military history. To the right buyer, the collection would be worth 200gp.

Desk. The desk is covered in letters and orders to various commanders in the field. Any character who takes 5 minutes to shift through the mail finds several interesting documents

The first is a report addressed to Murtagh on the performance of allied soldiers from Loch Slanach. The report contains scathing criticism of the soldiers, describing them as dandies and glory hounds. Count Cathan requests that these allies be better utilized away from the front line regardless of his leige’s desires.
The second is a report from an army officer on the search for Caitríona Mac Uathach. The officer reports that he suspects Cassidy Rose is an alias being used by Caitríona. He suggests contacting Zareena to retrieve Cassidy and confirm that she is the count’s wayward daughter. If presented to Cassidy Rose, she will pay the players 200gp for the information and promptly disappear from the city.
The final document of interest is a list of knights and army officers whose commitment to Murtagh is waning. This document will give the resistance advantage in the recruit insiders’ resistance mission

Treasure. If the Count is in the fort, his masterwork longsword and Plate Armor of the Wolf are in the room. The wardrobe contains 4 fine sets of clothes. The chest contains a variety of trophies claimed from past victories worth 300gp to the right buyer.

Lighthouse

There is a single spiraling ramp up this high tower. You can smell the sea air coming from the top. At the top is a broad platform with a giant lit braiser surrounded by mirrors. A small group of soldiers is standing at the platform’s railing, staring out into the void with flags, lanterns, and flares.

A veteran and 4 centaur cavalrymen are manning the lighthouse.

Braiser. The men stationed at the top of the lighthouse keep the braiser constantly lit and fed with wood. A character that starts its turn in the braiser takes 1d6 fire damage.

Signal gear. The signal gear comes with a manual explaining how to use it. The players can make a DC 15 intelligence check to figure out how to send any message they wish.

Barracks A

This barracks is almost devoid of life. Just rows of bunk beds and foot lockers in the gloom of a few oil lamps.

Treasure. There is a total of 150gp in loose change and small valuables spread among the footlockers.

Barracks B

The cavernous barracks are filled with the swish of mops on the floors and the sweet smell of soap. A small group of soldiers are scrubbing the floors under the supervision of a sergeant who takes every chance to berate the infantrymen.

10 infantrymen and 6 scouts with mops and buckets scrub floors while a veteran taunts them. The barracks are so large that the enemy soldiers will only notice the players enter the room if they make a significant amount of noise.

Soapy floors. The soapy floors are slippery. Any character who tries to cross an area of soapy floors must make a DC 15 acrobatics check or else fall prone. As an action, a character can dump one of the buckets of soapy water to create a 10-diameter area of soapy floors.

Treasure. There is a total of 100gp spread among the footlockers.

Barracks C

The room is pitch black inside.. You can hear the sounds of dozens of people snoring inside.

Barracks C has (depending on the time of infiltration) the fort’s morning or night watch. Currently, 2d20 infantrymen, 2d20 skirmishers, and 1d20 scouts are sleeping inside. Players can creep through the barracks by making a DC 18 stealth check.

Treasure. Each set of bunks has a pair of foot lockers, with a total of 60gp spread among the footlockers. However, opening the footlockers is risky because there is a 1 in 4 chance of waking one of the sleeping soldiers.

Batteries

This spartan chamber has a pair of balistas and several chests against the opposite wall. A pair of massive hatches in one of the walls let in the harbor smell. A ladder leads up through the ceiling.

Roll of the following table for the battery crew

D6	crew
1	8 infantrymen
2	8 scouts
3	4 infantrymen and 4 scouts
4	1 archer and 4 infantrymen
5	1 veteran and 4 scouts
6	nobody

Hatch. The hatches are big enough to climb through. The hatches can opened using a crank located between the two balistas

Ladder. The ladder leads to a small rampart above the battery. On batteries B, C,D and G this rampart contains a magonel. The other batteries have a trio of springolds and rocks for dropping on the enemy.

Treasure. The crates contain ammo for the baristas. Most are solid shots, but 1d8 alchemist fire shots are among the crates.

The Silverflow River Bastions

The Schwarzrauchgasse’s other major army strong point is the Silverflow River Bastions. Consisting of two large and heavily fortified gatehouses on opposite sides of the river where the city walls terminate, these fortifications aim to control access through the city along the Silver flow River. The gatehouses are connected by a suspension bridge strung between the ramparts on top of the building, and the tower on the western bank has a small rampart on the second floor where a barista is mounted. Since the coup, the Royal Army has used twin fortifications as a checkpoint to inspect barges coming down the Silverflow and traffic on the tow roads on either side of the river.

River Bastions: general features

The following features are found throughout the bastions.

Ceilings. Unless noted otherwise, the ceilings are 10 feet high

Doors. The doors, unless the text specifies overwise, are unlocked. The doors are made from sturdy wood. It takes a strength check of DC 18 to break one down.

Illumination. Unless otherwise specified, oil lamps and torches mounted in wall sconces dimly illuminated the rooms.

Locations

1 West gate

The massive vault of the gate towers 15 feet above your head. You can just make out arrow slits on either side of the gate. A solidly built door is to your left. A pair of infantrymen and a hobgoblin officer block your way through the gatehouse.

A hobgoblin sergeant, (use army captain stat block), three infantrymen and six scouts man the gatehouse. The hobgoblin sergeant and the two infantrymen watch the gate, 4 of the scouts wait behind arrow slits in the corridor to their left and two more are in the room above the gate, ready to use the murder holes to attack. The sergeant will stop travelers for inspection. Treat the encounter as any other guard encounter, rerolling rolls of 2 or 12.

Aunty Foul target. The hobgoblin captain is named Grut the Glutton, and one of the soldiers Aunty Foul wants cursed

Door. The door is a solid mass of oak reinforced with iron bands. It is locked. It can be unlocked with a DC15 sleight of hand check with thieves’ tools or broken down with a DC 18 strength check.

2 East gate

The massive vault of the gate towers 15 feet above your head. You can just make out arrow slits on either side of the gate. A solidly built door is to your left. A sergeanto blocks your way through the gatehouse.

A veteran and 7 scouts man the gatehouse. Four of the scouts wait behind arrow slits in the corridor to their left and two more are in the room above the gate, ready to use the murder holes to attack. The veteran will stop travelers for inspection. Treat the encounter as any other guard encounter, rerolling rolls of 2 or 12.

3 Inspection Docks

A pair set of thin, hastily constructed boardwalks line the river on both sides. On these boardwalks are archers and infantrymen, seemingly waiting for the next boat.

The inspection docks are manned by 8 infantrymen and 8 scouts. The enemies are split between both sides of the river, with 3 scouts and 3 infantrymen on each side.

4 Bunkrooms

Bunk beds line the walls of this room. A pair of foot lockers sits at the foot of each bunk bed.

There is a 1 in 8 chance that a soldier enters the bunk room while the players are rummaging through the lockers. If one stumbles across the players looting the bunkroom, start a timer 1d4. When the timer reaches zero, the guards at the docks, the rampart, or the gate arrive to attack the players.

Footlockers. The lockers can be opened with a DC15 sleight-of-hand check with thieves’ tools. Each contains 1d20gp worth of belongings.

5 Common room

Despite the grim surroundings of the fort, the room is almost cozy. There is a large fireplace, a few tables and chairs, and a few cabinets against the far wall.

This room is almost always empty during the day. A veteran and 8 infantrymen or scouts can be found eating and drinking here at night.

Cabinet. The cabinet contains cooking utensils, tin silverware, mugs, and plates.

6 Commanders post

A small office is located beyond the door. It is a cluttered mess of documents and ledgers. There is a small safe in the wall.

Documents and ledgers. The documents detail the coming and going of barges and road traffic, the inventory of the store room, and a list of seized contraband.

Safe. The safe is unlocked and contains various contraband seized at the checkpoint. There are several packets of unidentified powders,a feysilver shortsword, a potion of hill giant strength, and a scroll of acid arrow.

7 chain room

This damp room is dominated by a massive chain wrapped around a gigantic winch drum. A complex arrangement of gears and a wheel with an enormous crank is attached to the winch.

The chain can be raised to block the Silver Flow River and lowered to permit access. As an action, the players can make a DC 15 Strength check to operate the crank to raise or lower the chain.

8 Store rooms

Crates and barrels fill the room from floor to ceiling

The room contains various foodstuffs, spare equipment, and parts for the chain-raising machinery and the gates.

Treasure. the room, which contains 400 gp worth of supplies.

9 Suspension bridge

Suspended from cables high above the river is a bridge made from ropes and planks

The garrison uses the rope bridge to travel between the two forts.

Cutting the bridge. The two massive cables that hold up the planking of the suspension bridge have an Ac 18 and an HP 40. They have immunity to all damage types except slashing and fire

10 Balista platform

You step through the door and into a small bastion that juts out from the northern face of the gatehouse. A massive ballista takes up the center of the town. A trio of men look out at the countryside beyond the wall in boredom.

The men are 2 veterans and a 3 guards tasked with operating the ballista.

River bellow. It is a 15 drop over the platform’s edge to the river below. As an action, a player can make a DC15 strength check to grapple a character and heave them over the side of the bastion. Players heaved over the edge are out of the fight and stunned for 1 round. However, throwing something over the edge alerts the men at the docks that something is wrong. Start a timer 4d; when the timer reaches zero, 1d6 infantrymen join the fight.

11 Ramparts

You step out to a fighting platform atop the gatehouse. There is a marvelous view of the surrounding countryside from this lofty perch. A group of soldiers are watching the river. Here is a bronze bell within easy reach of the soldiers.

Two veterans and 6 scouts, one veteran and three scouts on each side of the river, are watching the river and looking for approaching traffic.

Bell. There is a bell in the center of each rampart. As an action, one of the scouts can ring the bell to raise the alarm. Start a timer d4: when the timer reaches zero, the closest group of soldiers in the two bastions will join the fight.

12 dungeon

These dark and dank cells reek of human sewage and mold. You can make out a figure in one of the cells.

The cells are used to hold people at the checkpoint arrested trying to smuggle through the checkpoint or people fleeing the city until the watch comes to take them to HQ. The current occupant of the cell is Maccus Lee, who was caught trying to smuggle magic items into the city.

Cell door. The door is a solid mass of oak reinforced with iron bands. It is locked. It can be unlocked with a DC10 sleight of hand check with thieves’ tools or broken down with a DC 14 strength check.

Count Cathán and Royal Army Rumor table

d50	Rumor
1	Count Cathán is the High Marshal for the Royal Army.
2	Count Cathán’s current residence in the city is the officer’s quarters in the Carrey Battery.
3	Count Cathán is incredibly prideful and takes extreme offense at disrespect, often with lethal consequences.
4	Count Cathán marches his men along the same route every day.
5	Count Cathán has been turning the Schwarzrauchgasse into a production center for weapons and army supplies.
6	The people of the slums surrounding Tannery Row hate Count Cathán and the Royal Army for tearing down houses to make room for workshops.
7	The bulk of Count Cathán’s men are quartered at the Carrey Batteries.
8	Count Cathán has fought at least 20 duels since his elevation to High Marshal.
9	Count Cathán abuses his wife and children, including his eldest daughter, Caitríona.
10	Count Cathán makes regular inspection visits to construction projects throughout Schwarzrauchgasse.
11	Count Cathán is paranoid and travels with at least six knights as bodyguards.
12	Count Cathán’s XO, Lieutenant Baron Angus McDowell, oversees the Schwarzrauchgasse patrols.
13	Lieutenant Angus is known to abuse his authority to leave the Carrey Batteries and party in the city.
14	Lieutenant Angus has a weakness for young ladies with a pretty faces.
15	Sir Guy Redhand commands the cavalry detachment assigned to the city guard.
16	The cavalry detachment assigned to the city guard is prone to drinking and revelry.
17	The Royal Army consists mainly of feudal levies, knights, and mercenaries.
18	Some of the knights are unhappy with the prospect of endless war.
19	Most of the drafted militia in the army are absolutely miserable.
20	Most of the Royal Army garrison, about 350 men, is based at the Carrey Batteries.
21	There is a ramp leading from the Carrey Batteries up to the lighthouse on Carrey Point.
22	There’s a deadly gauntlet of traps behind the gates of the Carrey Batteries.
23	The Carrey Batteries consist of tunnels connecting underground barracks, warehouses, and 12 large batteries.
24	The 12 batteries at Carrey are carved into the cliffs with portholes for ballistas and mangonels.
25	The Royal Army has been confiscating critical supplies from other organizations and storing them in the Carrey Batteries.
26	The warehouse in the Carrey Batteries can store enough supplies to keep the garrison running for a year.
27	A company of men is posted at the river bastions that guard the river entrance to the city.
28	There is a chain under the Silverflow that can be raised between the bastions to stop river traffic.
29	A ballista is mounted on one of the river bastions.
30	The soldiers at the checkpoint have been forcing all travelers to stop for inspections.
31	Soldiers are quartered in the Carrey Batteries and at the old castle and training camps in the hills.
32	Count Cathán has a short fuse and angers easily. (false rumor)
33	There is a store of blasting powder in the Carrey Batteries. (false rumor)
34	Count Cathán is an expert at engineering. (false rumor)
35	There is a secret tunnel into the Carrey Batteries. (false rumor)
36	There’s a secret stash of confiscated goods hidden in the Carrey Batteries. (false rumor)
37	Count Cathán is planning to betray Murtagh. (false rumor)
38	Unknown Rumor: Cathán personally executed the previous commander of the Carrey Batteries. (false rumor)
39	Cathán’s eldest daughter, Caitríona, is being held hostage by Murtagh to ensure his loyalty. (false rumor)
40	Count Cathán’s quarters in the Carrey Batteries are filled with stolen treasures from the coup. (false rumor)
41	The soldiers manning the river checkpoint have been accepting bribes to let smugglers pass. (false rumor)
42	The army is recruiting mercenaries, including orcs and ogres, to bolster their numbers. (false rumor)
43	Count Cathán has a secret lover hidden in the city. (false rumor)
44	Blatant Lie: Cathán is afflicted by a curse that makes him lose control of his mind under the full moon. (false rumor)
45	The entire army is completely loyal to Count Cathán. (false rumor)
46	Cathán personally commands every military operation and uses teleportation magic to move around the city. (false rumor)
47	Misleading: The Schwarzrauchgasse is the most heavily fortified area of the city. (false rumor)
48	Cathán struck a deal with a dark fey to maintain his power. (false rumor)
49	Cathán’s daughter Caitríona is secretly his personal assassin. (false rumor)
50	There is a secret vault containing the army’s pay hidden in the Carrey Batteries. (false rumor)

The Batteries at Carrey Head, generated with Google Imagen3