Mystery on Baron’s Rock (AC970)
by Sean MeaneyDM BACKGROUND: The rock juts from the sea about a mile from the coast. It is home to a fisherman known as The Baron. About once a year he comes in to the coast by rowboat to trade gold that he separates from sea water. He was expected a few months back but didn’t show. He was chased over a cliff by an invisible predator that is currently lairing on the island.
A JOB IN SULESCU
The local Lord of Sulescu requests that you take a rowboat out to Baron’s Rock just off the coast and check up on ‘The Baron’. You will be paid 20 gold pieces each on your return. He loans you the Rowboat and expects it back.
BARON’S ROCK
You circle the Rock. It is a sheer face pretty much all the way around, except for a low area or rock that can be used as a landing. Piloting (small boats) check or the rowboat will be wrecked between two rocks. They will need to wait until the next high tide before they can leave.
- THE LANDING: On a high tide, a rowboat can be landed here. It is a narrow wedge of land 10 feet x 15 feet with a steep grassy rise that can be climbed without ropes to the top of the rock.
- THE SHED: This shed is made from rocks and has a roof covered with mud from which grass grows. There are fishing tools and an assortment of old items the ‘Baron’ was using to separate gold from seawater and press the grains into small ingots. Beneath a Rock in the floor is a leather-wrapped Tiara (1000gp) in a brass box. A Knowledge (Traladaran Nobility) or Knowledge ( Traladaran History) check will identify the Tiara as one presented by a Lord of Marilenev as a gift at his daughter’s wedding to an unknown noble titled Baron Rokarn. Who this Rokarn was has never been determined.
- THE RESIDENCE: is made from heavy timbers that have obviously been shipped in from the mainland. This is the Residence of the last heir to the Barony of Rokarn (the Fisherman known as the Baron). It is an old timber house of considerable yet weathered quality. There are old clothes, and an assortment of nicknacks and artefacts that seem to have washed up from the Sea. There is a wooden chest with a silk cloth sack wrapped around a collection of crude ingots pressed from Gold grains (30gp).
- ROCK SHELTER: An invisible creature makes its lair during the day here and will attack if the PCs during the night. The Baron’s Signet Ring (100gp) is amongst some well chewed bones that have been reduced to hardened Guano.
A NIGHT ATTACK
The creature attacks during the night attempting to kill all the PCs. It remains invisible while attacking making it near impossible to hit. When it is reduced to 10% of its hit points, it will retreat to its rock shelter until healed. The PCs will be able to follow the blood trail to the Rock Shelter. The DM should select an appropriate Predator from the Monster Manual. The Creature is invisible because it escaped from some wizard’s experiment.
REWARDS
The Tiara and Signet ring are sufficient to Identify the dead Fisherman known as the Baron as the Baron of Rokarn. Possession of the Signet ring confers the Title of Baron of Rokarn to the wearer and pretty much every Traladaran noble will recognize the title including the Marilenev though the new Duke and the other Thyatian Nobles will not (The Barony of Rokarn is just the Barons Rock that sits a mile off the coast – besides you just stole the ring). The Marilenev will if shown the Ring and the Tiara grant the hand of Melanie Marilenev in Marriage (the wedding to take place sometime in AC971). This is an age old agreement recognizing the Barony of Rokarn by surrendering one of the Princesses of the Marilenev line to Marriage.