"It is the brain, the little gray cells on which one
must rely.
One must seek the truth within – not without." ~ Poirot
―
 |
| The Assassin's Knot |
Len Lakofka’s second installment of his Lendore Isles
series is a bit of a departure from his first, but less so than you might
imagine. Where L1 The Secret of Bone Hill is a sandbox in miniature,
this submission is more of a mystery, a Who-done-it investigation, if you will.
This is not to say that Bone Hill doesn’t share aspects of one as well,
because it does: It’s a conundrum with a number of curious threads to unravel, should
you discover them; I’d go as far to say that it’s a Gordian Knot. I direct you
to my earlier review, and to The Restenford Project for details why.
The Assassin’s Knot is far more straightforward
than Bone Hill, if as complex; but complexity is what we expect of Len,
isn’t it. He was a stickler for detail, after all, leaving nary a stone to be
unturned.
L2 begins where L1 left off, in Restenford, although one
need not have played the first to appreciate the second. If you had—played L1,
that is—this adventure will be all the richer. You’ll know and be invested in
Pelltar, in Baron Grellus and in his family.
 |
| Restenford and Garrotton |
You see why, now, don’t you? The Baron’s murder means
something now and is not some dry text block to be endured before the action
begins. Having played L1 lends continuity to the narrative. And having done so
explains why Pelltar has approached you, and not Gelpas, Restenford’s Captain
of the Guard, to look into this murder most foul.
Actually, the question need be asked, does Gelpas even
have jurisdiction in Garrotten? Probably not.
Might Baroness Fairwind, Grellus’ widow? Surely she
should; shouldn’t she? Grellus did, it would seem. [See L1 – 23, mentioned
below.] But Fairwind is incapacitated, at present.
Restenford castle has been sealed to outsiders until
the Baron’s wife and daughter recover from the shock. [L2 – 2]
Thus, Pelltar has approached the heroes of Bone Hill
to do what he and the authorities cannot.
The evidence is as follows:
 |
| Pelltar |
An old man with long white hair, wearing a blue robe
with the symbol of three barracuda on it, ate at the Restenford inn. This
symbol is known to represent one of the major sea deities worshipped on Lendore
Isle: Osprem, Goddess of the Seas and Water Travel. A temple to this deity is
located in Garrotten. The old man displayed a beautiful golden holy symbol, a
small whale. The eyes of the whale were red rubies.
A man in traveling clothes appeared at a local tavern
where he had a few drinks and played the lute for the people in the tavern. He
stayed a few hours and then left. The lute had unusual golden strings.
A man came into town to buy a few barrels of beer and
have them shipped to his inn in Garrotten. He wore a distinctive red vest with
ornate red buttons. When shown the button found in the Baron’s room, the wine
merchant identified it as resembling the ones on the innkeeper’s vest. [L2
– 2]
When younger, we likely all sat round listening to our
tireless DM drone the above text block, verbatim, followed yet again by this:
 |
| Balmorrow |
I would suggest that those who had were deprived of a
great role-playing opportunity. Players ought to discover all the above through
play, IMHO. And in doing so the conspiracy will be revealed to them one clue at
a time.
All clues lead to Garrotton, it would seem. And it would
seem that Garrotton is not without a bit of a reputation:
Dark rumors suggest that Garrotten is the headquarters
for assassins who operate right under the nose of the town’s mayor. There is no
proof that such a guild exists, but a common phrase in much of this area is,
“If you want someone killed, go to Garrotten.” [L2 – 2]
One wonders how these dark rumours came to be common, or
even uncommon, knowledge and why these assassins weren’t put to rights earlier
by Pelltar or some other worthy, if they were true.
Rumours aside, things are not as they seem. They never
are, nor should they be, should this be a mystery worth pursuing. Or any
adventure, for that matter.
Should I mention that there will be spoilers?
It should come as no surprise that:
 |
| Tellish |
Why, one wonders, was Baron Grellus assassinated?
In his megalomaniac state [Qualton, the abbot of
Phaulkon] desires to gain the throne by marrying Andrella (though she knows
nothing of his plan or desires). [L1 – 23]
The assassin was hired by Qualton, the canon of the
Church of Phaulkon in Restenford. Qualton suffers from a form of schizophrenia
that produces occasional fits of megalomania. It is his goal to become Baron of
Restenford himself, but to do so he must murder the current Baron and Baroness,
then marry the Baron’s daughter. In his twisted mind this all seems quite
logical and possible. [L2 – 3]
Qualton, for all his schizophrenic scheming, is nothing
but a pawn in a greater game.
Qualton’s desire to kill the Baron and Baroness fits
right into the plans of Arrness, the mayor of Garrotten. She would like to see the
Baron’s entire line die out (including the daughter, Andrella). Arrness, as the
strongest surviving political leader in this part of Lendore Isle, could then
claim the town of Restenford in addition to her town of Garrotten. The Duke of
Kroten is too busy with non-human raids on his borders to intervene— and would
probably support a strong local ruler anyway... Thus, Qualton paying Tellish to
kill the Baron has played right into Arrness’ hands! [L2 – 3]
Arrness: M6 female magic-user; Castle;
Mayor [L2 – 3]
 |
| Zahrdahl, the Trickster |
Zahrdahl [the Trickster, AL NE] poses as a bait
dealer, poor and dirty, but is really an illusionist spy for the Duke of Kroten
to the northwest. [L1 – 25]
The Duke does not play a part in this adventure. Nor
should he. The Duke’s dark doings are beyond the pay grade of our heroes, currently.
For more on Nebubenub, the Duke of Kroton, I invite you to download Len Lekofka’s
further adventures in the Lendore Isles, found on the Dragonsfoot website.
Yeah, if you are a little put off by the Duke’s name, I don’t blame you. I
wasn’t terribly fold of Balooshi the Djinni, in L1, either; but such was Len’s
sense of humour, I suppose.
The Duke’s machinations aside, we know that Tellish
killed the Duke and that the Abbot of Phaulkon set him on his task; but more
importantly, we know that Grellor’s death is integral to Arrness’ power play. We
also know that there is an assassin’s guild in Garrotton.
This may come as some sort of surprise, but Arrness is a
member of the guild.
Arrness: M6 female magic-user; Castle;
Mayor [L2 – 3]
And so is Tellish.
Tellish: C5/A6, male dual-class
cleric/assassin; Castle; cover: C3
Tellish poses as an advisor priest (3rd level). His is
actually the head of the Assassins’ Guild and co-equal with Arrness. [L2 –
20]
Tellish poses as a clerical advisor to Arrness. He is
a cleric who became an assassin, and now enjoys the benefits of both professions
as a dual-classed character. His guild has two other members in the castle
garrison, three at the inn, and one posing as a caretaker at the church.
Associate members of the guild are the mayor of the town herself (Arrness, a
6th level magic-user) and brigands from the nearby woods. who occasionally
provide “muscle” for the Guild. The Assassins’ Guild is well concealed in the
town, and only Tellish knows everyone else. [L2 – 3]
Other members are:
Lothar: A5, male assassin; Temple;
cover: groundskeeper
Knows Tellish is the head of the guild. [L2 –
2,10]
Only Arrness and Tellish know that Lothar is in the
Guild. [L2 – 16]
Lothar poses as a fighter who has been maimed in the
wars and seeks now only a more quiet life. As such he has hired on at the church
some 15 months ago as a handy man and grounds keeper. [L2 – 16]
Lothar is the Assassin Guild spy [at the Church of
Osprem], posing as the crippled groundskeeper. He prefers to stay out of the
public eye, since his wounds caused the loss of his left ear, his left eye, and
left him a horrid scar where the left side of his face was mangled by a flail.
He is high in the Guild hierarchy, and a dangerous adversary. He stole the high
priest’s holy symbol for Tellish, and may engineer additional problems for the
party. No one knows his real purpose, and he will not risk suspicion unless the
situation is critical. [L2 – 15]
Lothar has secret spy holes into Harper’s office and
the main sanctuary. He will always try to get an ear or eye full and report
interesting information to the guild. If present, he will quietly go to his
room soon after a stranger meets the high priest. He will wait for a period of
at least an hour before going to the castle. He will never go the castle during
daylight hours. He always asks for Tellish when he goes to report. [L2 –
16]
Sangster: A4, male assassin [spy];
Castle/Town patrol; cover: F2
Knows Tellish is the head of the guild. [L2 – 2]
Sangster poses as a fighter in town. He knows who
Tellish is.
Assassin Students—teacher, Sangster [L2 – 2,21]
 |
| Basmar |
Knows Tellish is the head of the guild. [L2 –
2,10]
Basmar’s only contact at the castle is Sangster.
Basmar does not know the boss nor does he know the mayor is connected with the
guild. He does not even know that Glami is the major’s spy in the inn. If the
party begins to ask too many questions. Basmar may arrange for one of them (or
a contact) to be assassinated. [L2- 12]
Gellius: A3, male assassin; Castle/Town;
cover: F2
Gellius poses as a fighter in town. [L2 – 2,21]
Philmar: A3, male assassin; Inn; cover:
hunter
His cover profession is a hunter and dog trainer,
though he will refuse offers of employment. [L2 – 2,10]
Oscar: A3, male midget assassin; Inn;
cover: local
His cover profession is smuggling goods on the lake
and river. [L2 – 2,10]
Philmar and Oscar share room 6. They drink sparingly
and are willing to talk with virtually anyone about anything (except the
guild!). They do not know who heads the guild, nor do they know that the mayor
is associated with it. […]
Basmar is their guild contact, though they do not
openly associate with him. When Basmar wants to see them, he ties a bandana to
their doorknob. He will meet them just outside town at the bridge that crosses
the river near area D. When Oscar and Philmar want to contact him, they
slip a copper piece under his door. [L2 – 11]
Gilmi: F5 weaponsmith, dwarf (spy);
Smithy; cover: smith [L2 – 2,8]
Gilmi is an active spy for the Assassins’ Guild. The
midget assassin Oscar at the inn is his contact; he does not know anyone else.
He will report interesting strangers to Oscar when he has a chance to do so. He
will greet any dwarf or gnome he meets and act as friendly as possible without
revealing his true alignment. [L2 – 8]
Rogan: A1 male assassin, gnome;
Castle/Town; cover: clean-up boy
With his hair dyed and shorn, he can pass as a grubby
human boy of about 10 years or so at a distance of 20’ or more. He tricked
Falpir into getting a button from Abraham. [L2 – 2,21]
Thomas: A1 male assassin [L2 – 3]
That’s quite a motley crew.
There are others in town who, while not exactly members,
aid and abet the guild, even if they don’t know they are:
Holga: M1 female magic-user (spy);
Castle; student
Magic-user Student—teacher, Arrness [L2 – 2,19,21]
She goes into town. unescorted, as a spy for the
mayor. She reports all new characters to Arrness directly, who might reward her
with an extra gold piece or two for excellent information. [L2 – 21]
Once she realizes that the lute string was used in an
assassination, she must decide whether to abandon Wilbur or try to convince him
to flee Garrotten with her (she really likes him!). If the latter, he will have
to decide whether his fear of assassination and love for her is stronger than
his loyalty to Balmorrow. [L2 – 19]
Glami: M3 male magic-user (spy); Inn;
barkeep
His right arm is partially paralyzed and he has a long
ugly scar on the inside of his forearm. [L2 – 2,10]
Glami is no longer an adventurer due to partial
paralysis in his arm. He still dabbles in the art and his teacher is the mayor herself.
His book was lost in the adventure that maimed him, thus he is dependent upon
her for spells. She does not charge him anything for reading her book as long
as he keeps her informed about new people in town. He is clever and will try to
trick a party into telling him their business without revealing that he is
really a spy for the mayor. He does not know the mayor is part of the guild nor
that three assassins stay in the inn. If the inn is attacked or if the
innkeeper enters melee, Glami will support the innkeeper. He does not know of
Abraham’s psionic powers nor that Philmar, Oscar, and Basmar are assassins.
[L2 – 11]
It’s the players’ task to suss these villains out and put
an end to their dastardly deeds. A difficult task, I warrant, considering the Dramatis
Personae to consider, some suspects, some red herrings, some innocent
bystanders. One expects as much from Len, citing his propensity to stating
every NPC in his towns (note that each and every Castle Guard is detailed on
page 21), to say nothing of their relationships, their motivations, their wants
and desires.
The suspects are as follows:
 |
| Harper |
Harper is old and senile (which is one reason the
Guild doesn’t regard him as a threat). He is essentially harmless and highly
eccentric. Harper will cast a spell at the drop of a hat, though he will never
actually harm anyone. [L2 – 15]
There is the innkeeper, Abraham d’Farmin.
And Balmorrow, the owner of The Theatre of the
Mystic.
Balmorrow is very popular with the people of the town.
He provides, with the inn, one of the few entertainments in the small village.
For this reason, coupled with Balmorrow’s considerable ability to defend
himself, the Assassins’ Guild has made few direct moves to oust him. However,
Tellish, the chief assassin, is trying to discredit Balmorrow by making it
appear that he might be an assassin—hoping that some avenging character will
eliminate him without getting the guild involved. [L2 – 18]
These NPCs are integral to the investigation:
Falpir
Falpir was duped by the gnome Rogan (see the Castle)
into stealing one of the buttons from Abraham’s vest. The button was left at
the murder scene to implicate the innkeeper. [L2 – 11]
Wilbur
Unknown to Balmorrow, Wilbur has fallen in love with
Holga, the mayor’s apprentice and spy (see Castle Residents). She convinced him
to get one of Balmorrow’s golden lute strings, which the mayor passed on to
Tellish for the assassination. Holga doesn’t know this, nor does she know about
the mayor’s association with the guild. Wilbur is a complete (if not too
bright) innocent. He thinks Holga still has this token of his affection and
considers himself fiercely loyal to Balmorrow. [L2 – 18]
 |
| Krak |
Krak, a half-orc armorer with an intelligent
sword: longsword +2, damage +6 vs. lawful good (I 15, E 19, NE; slay lawful
good characters; detects lawful good, sloping passages, and elevator rooms;
levitation; speaks common)
The blade has a mind of its own, and is 25% likely to
scan for lawful good characters within 10 feet if it is not performing some
other function. If it detects any, it will takeover Krak, who does not have the
intelligence, charisma, and level to oppose it. [L2 – 6]
Krak is not part of the assassin’s guild, though most
old-school players will automatically assume he is.
If Len was lacking in any aspect of design, it was in
naming NPCs. Intermixed with Gelmarks and Kraks, are Martins and Ollies and
Lydias. I suppose there no rules against using English names, but they somehow
seem a little out of place amid the Quenexes and Basmars. My real issue is that
there are too many characters with similarly phonetic names in this module. There
is Beshkar and Basmar, Balmar and Balmorrow, Glami and Gilmi, Wilbur and
Willis, Arrness and Armax, and Falpir, Philmar and Falbore and Phillis. One must
need take notes to just keep them straight, especially as Arrness and Armax are
both female magic users.
I will refrain from commenting further on Nebubenub and
Balooshi, as neither name is included within this adventure.
 |
| Abraham at the bar; Philmar, Basmar, Oscar, and Grellius at table; Glami behind the bar |
As noted earlier, this is a complex web of misdirection,
and one should read this adventure carefully to understand what has happened,
what is happening, and what will happen.
The general plotline follows this schedule: [L2 –
3]
Prior:
Basmar, Philmar, and Oscar take rooms at Abraham’s Inn.
Three of the inn’s permanent residents belong to the
Assassins’ Guild (Oscar, Philmar, and Basmar). [L2 – 11]
The assassin was hired by Qualton, the canon of the
Church of Phaulkon in Restenford. [L2 – 3]
Falpir was duped by the gnome Rogan (see the Castle)
into stealing one of the buttons from Abraham’s vest. [L2 – 11]
[Holga] convinced [Wilbur] to get one of Balmorrow’s
golden lute strings, which the mayor passed on to Tellish for the
assassination. [L2 – 18]
SUNDAY: Tellish murders Baron Grellus
and plants his false clues. [L2 – 3]
MONDAY: The Baron was found strangled at
8 AM Monday morning. [L2 – 3]
The player characters are assembled in Restenford by
the wizard Peltar. Investigations point to Garrotten. [L2 – 3]
TUESDAY: The characters travel to
Garrotten [,] arriving about 8 PM. They will probably stay at the House of
Abraham, the only inn in town. They will be very tired after their trip. [L2
– 3]
In the course of the adventure, some events can happen at
any time:
Special Note. It is possible to make
reports and get advice from Pelltar, but it takes a day for a message to be
delivered and a day to get a reply. [L2 – 4]
The Visit. While the party members are
out, their rooms at the inn are ransacked by assassins. This event is most
likely after the party has drawn attention to itself. An alternative is to have
Wilfong, a common thief, caught (or nearly caught) in the act of robbery. [L2
– 4]
The Octopus. Basmar at the inn spins a
tale of a monstrous devilfish that attacks boats going upriver at the north end
of the lake. His purpose is to distract the party from the investigation. Even
if no one is killed, the hunt will take a full day. [L2 – 4]
The Contact. The DM introduces a special
NPC who supposedly has vital information. The main purpose of this encounter is
to kill the NPC to demonstrate to the players how dangerous the investigation
is. The exact details are up to the DM-the effect on the players is the most
important result. [L2 – 4]
If that doesn’t light a fire under the PCs this will:
The Arrest of Abraham. If the party goes
to Arrness (or she hears of their investigation) she will hold an audience that
will delay the party investigation half a day. Arrness will forbid the
characters to continue, saying that she can keep order in her own town. The
next day, Abraham will be arrested and convicted; the trial will cost the
characters half a day if they go. Abraham will be executed morning of the
second day following, unless rescued. [L2 – 4]
There are other side encounters presented, but as they
are plot and not time sensitive, I will not I won’t mention them here.
Events will heat up if the players haven’t solved the
mystery in a week of trying.
 |
| Andrella |
MONDAY: Word of the assassination
reaches Garrotten. [L2 – 3]
SATURDAY: Events of this week depend on
player actions. Probably the mystery will be solved and the characters will
raid the mayor’s castle. If the DM wants a confrontation with Qualton (using
L1), the characters will hear a rumor that Qualton has proposed to Andrella.
SUNDAY: On the following Sunday Tellish
will again travel to Restenford. He will assume no guises this time, however.
He will just sneak into the castle and murder the Baroness. If nothing stops
him, one week later he will kill Andrella and Qualton as well! The death of the
Baroness should be a strong hint to the party that they are under time
pressure, if they have not yet guessed. [L2 – 3] If Tellish isn’t
stopped, he will assassinate both Andrella and Qualton. [L2 – 3]
MONDAY: Word reaches Garrotten. Within a
few days, Arrness and Tellish begin their political takeover. Pelltar retires
from the scene. The characters must adapt to the new order or flee. [L2 –
3]
All in all, the plot is simple. Most mysteries are when
you strip them down to their bare facts. It’s the fog of ignorance and
misdirection that makes them difficult.
I’m not suggesting that this will be easy, because it won’t be: There is a ton of misdirection. There are trap doors secreted under carpets and beds in Abraham’s guest rooms leading to a secret crawl-way beneath the inn. The assassins know about it, and make use of it, but they did not excavate it; so why did Abraham? To spy on his guests? Or did some past innkeeper with less noble aims excavate them?
The assassins have locked their trapdoors from their
side so that the doors can no longer be opened. Wilfong has moved his bed so
that a leg of it is squarely on top of the trapdoor, but has not locked it.
[L2 – 14]
What will they think about Harper, the High Priest of
Osprem?
Harper is a bit senile and eccentric. He has become
very forgetful and somewhat impetuous in his daily actions. [L2 – 17]
He is essentially harmless […]. Harper will cast a
spell at the drop of a hat, though he will never actually harm anyone. [L2
– 13]
Might the players think his senility an act? Or might
they think he has become dangerously unstable?
And what will they make of Balmorrow’s evasive answers
when questioned?
Balmorrow the owner [of the Theater of the Mystic Celebration,]
a bard, has been trying to uncover the guild. Balmorrow does not want Garrotten
to retain its reputation as a village of assassins, but he has not be able to
break the hierarchy of the Guild and determine who is leader is. He has made
little progress, and does not realize he has attracted the guild’s attention.
[L2 – 18]
As long as Balmorrow thinks the guild might leave him
alone, he will refuse to be directly involved. He will not risk the lives of
his friends or his theater and home if he can avoid it. If he does take an
active part, he will stay behind the scenes as much as possible [.] [L2 –
19]
I draw your attention to Basmar’s fishing trip, to
Wilbur’s love for Holga, and Holga’s spying for the mayor: She reports all
new characters to Arrness directly, who might reward her with an extra gold
piece or two for excellent information. [L2 – 21]
Or Glami’s: He is clever and will try to trick a party
into telling him their business without revealing that he is really a spy for
the mayor. [L2 – 11]
Wilfong is a gambler on the take: He is not an
assassin but he suspects [Basmar, Oscar, and Philmar] may be. He might sell his
suspicions for 25 gp or more [.] He has observed that “Captain” Basmar doesn’t
own a boat. [L2 – 11]
Harmon is more altruistic. The temple curate, will
never admit anyone to see the high priest, but will say Harper is “too busy,”
“in prayer,” “performing a ceremony,” “resting,” etc. [L2 – 17]
Others are more altruistic: Basil, the curate, takes
care of the actual administration of the church grounds. He also spends much of
his time looking out for Harper and apologizing for Harmin’s brusque manner. [L2
– 15]
Once the players gather in the clues and solve the
mystery, the endgame is a simple assault on Arrness’ castle. I suggest stealth
is the better approach, but to each his own.
The town and regional maps are serviceable, if not as
detailed as was Restenford. I wish the larger area map showed more of the coast
and actually pinpointed Restenford’s position on it in relation to Garrotton. And
I find the town layout a little perplexing. Those detailing “The House of
Abraham,” and “Garrotton Castle” are better, but since that’s where most of the
“action” will be, it stands to reason these would be highlighted. Those for
“The Theater of the Mystic Celebration,” and “The Church of Osprem” are
rudimentary, at best.
As to the adventure itself, I think it works better as a
continuance of L1 than as itself alone; but it’s still a solid module.
I have to say that hack and slash players are not going
to enjoy this adventure. Combat is sparse. And what early combat there is will
likely be their end. This adventure is very much a challenge, and any party
that expects to muscle its way through it will probably fail, rounded up by the
guard, or laid low by the guild, itself, depending on their level.
That said, it is what I expected: a classic Len Lakofka
module. Maybe that’s why I like it. I prefer skulking about and figuring stuff
out. My campaigns were always urban affairs, where dungeon delving was a rare
event, so this one is right up my alley.
Have I done justice to it here? Maybe. Probably not.
There’s more to it than mentioned, obviously. I’ve passed over important
encounters, made no mention of other important NPCs. So, if you want to learn
more about this Gordian Knot, you’ll have to lay hands on it and read it.
And if I should be so bold to suggest:
“Don't judge a book by its cover”
― The Mill on the
Floss, 1860
One must always give
credit where credit is due. This post is made possible primarily by the
Imaginings of Gary Gygax and his Old Guard, Lenard Lakofka among them, and the
new old guards, Carl Sargant, James Ward, Roger E. Moore. And Erik Mona, Gary
Holian, Sean Reynolds, Frederick Weining. The list is interminable.
Very
special thanks to Lenard Lakofka, without whose imagination, this adventure,
and this review, could not have been possible, to say nothing of The Restenford
Project.
The Art:
L2 The Assassin's Knot cover, artist undisclosed (MD. Lak?), 1983
Restenford and Garrotton regional map, by "Reader Ethan," found on The Restenford Project
Balmorrow, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
Tellish at Restenford Castle, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
Basmar, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
Harper, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
Krak, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
The House of Abraham, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
House of Abraham map, by Stephen D. Sullivan, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
Garrotton area map, by Stephen D. Sullivan, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
Garrotton town map, by Stephen D. Sullivan, from L2 The Assassin's Knot, 1983
Sources:
9025 World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
1015 World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
2011A Dungeon Masters Guide, 1st Ed., 1979
9045 L1 The Secret of Bone Hill, 1981
9057 L2 The Assassin’s Knot, 1983
L4C The Lendore Isle Companion
L5A The Kroton Campaign Guide
L5C The Kroton Campaign Companion
The Restenford Project
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