TEXT: EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
   The Fugitive
  Scholar
  A 5E compatible adventure for four to five characters of 5th to 6th level
   
  writing Mike Myler
   color art Ellis Goodson
   
  editing James J. Haeck
   
  mapping Ross McConnell
   
  layout Eric Life-Putnam
  M
  aster of evaluations Kanral 
  Bodache is on the run from his 
  arcane college in the city of 
  Rettikus. He has been framed for a royal 
  “murder” by one of the settlement’s head 
  merchants; the missing prince has been 
  kidnapped and hidden with abyssal power. 
  The race is on for the party to help the 
  beleaguered wizard before the abductors find 
  him or decipher a fabled map, something 
  Kanral evaluated during his task checking 
  salvaged goods for the city. To uncover what is 
  going on the PCs have to protect the fugitive 
  scholar and reveal his enemies, saving a prince 
  in the process and perhaps all of Rettikus.
  
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The City of Rettikus
  This walled city is framed on either side by two 
  mountains—one steep and precipitous, the other less 
  critical but far more imposing in size. Wooden houses 
  and stone buildings litter the settlement’s interior in a 
  haphazard pattern, but even from a distance it is clear 
  that it is a place bustling with activity. A line of carts, 
  steeds, and travelers wait at its gates, slowly filtering 
  inside after the guards rifle through their belongings.
  Rettikus sits at a geographical chokepoint 
  between two mountains—precipitous Peiksarv to 
  the south and the enormous ranges of Suursarv to 
  the north—and its critical location has long played 
  an essential role to the culture within. Long ago 
  the region’s merchants gathered here to fortify the 
  settlement and establish houses of trade which 
  still stand today, and their ancestors’ foresight has 
  paid off.
   The walled city is well-staffed with guards 
  and heavily patrolled, making it a tough place 
  for criminals to operate in. All vehicles and 
  packs entering the city are subject to search as 
  well as fierce taxes; staple foods, textiles, lumber, 
  antiquities, and all sorts of goods are checked 
  at the gates before anyone is granted entry to 
  Rettikus.
   The Vurstlik royal family has the final say in 
  the numerous disputes that arise from the city’s 
  strict importation laws, but most squabbles are 
  resolved by the many trading houses of Rettikus. 
  Merchants are a dime a dozen and found 
  everywhere throughout the settlement (constantly 
  backstabbing one another and skirting the law 
  with the help of traveling adventurers) but three 
  in particular play an important role in this story.
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  Synopsis
  Some time ago the leader of the Vastane Trading 
  House came upon dark knowledge in his pursuit 
  of success, thinking he had successfully bound 
  a potent demon named Vardjas. The fiend 
  has played the merchant for a fool however, 
  amplifying the feeble man’s powers so that it 
  might acquire a map leading to holy relics it can 
  defile. Patis Vastane has gone to great lengths 
  to acquire this map and—sensing that the items 
  found by a salvager named Sutu Korvalseis might 
  be what he seeks and seeing a weakness in the 
  powers that rule Rettikus—has made his move.
   Further empowering his evil ally and gathering 
  the map before it could be identified by Kanral 
  Bodache, in one wicked stroke Patis Vastane 
  has helped Vardjas possess and mask the body 
  of Prince Vurstlik, simultaneously framing the 
  Master of Evaluations (the person in the city with 
  the greatest chance of uncovering his treachery) 
  as a murderer of the royal scion. The other trading 
  houses have cast suspicion onto Kanral Bodache 
  and the Rettikus guard have their hands full 
  with the royal family gone from 
  the city, leaving the Master of 
  Evaluations without anyone to 
  rely upon to clear his name.
   When the party catches onto 
  the scent of Patis’ malfeasance 
  the diabolist sends a relic golem 
  (statistics included at the end of 
  this adventure) to kill them or 
  throw them off his trail (making 
  it seem that the Salamorvar 
  Trading House is responsible), 
  finally confronting the 
  adventurers alongside Vardjas in 
  the Vastane Trading House in a 
  bloody brawl.
  
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
   
  ▶ Ellujanu Saematerjal (a veteran known as 
  “Ellujanu the Blade”) is a loud, boisterous 
  master of the axe. A descendant of the first 
  lumberer to establish a trading house in 
  Rettikus, she is extremely proud of the city—
  an esteem seconded only by the satisfaction 
  she takes from her heritage. Though her 
  demeanor is brash and uncouth, she respects 
  truth and forthrightness. Unfortunately 
  she sees red when it seems like her kin or 
  those whom work for her are in harm’s way, 
  making her even more audacious and prone 
  to less than respectable behavior.
   
  ▶ Taprea Salamorvar (an assassin) is the 
  master of antiquities and salvage. Any 
  valuables that a person cannot properly 
  account for (usually lacking their seal or 
  worn markings that obviously match the 
  owner’s grip) are remanded to her assessors 
  for taxation. This usually amounts to 
  clockwork devices, jewelry, and personal 
  effects, but Taprea’s fingers are deep in 
  the intrigues of Rettikus and virtually any 
  “untyped” good generally falls under her 
  purvey. Few know it but she is also the 
  leader of the most prevalent thieves’ guild 
  in the city, making her the target of many a 
  social slight or political maneuver from the 
  heads of other trading houses.
   
  ▶ A talented spellcaster named Patis Vastane 
  (see the Index at the end of the adventure) 
  has a fleet of acolytes (cult fanatics) that are 
  always stationed at the gate, using detect 
  magic to scan folks coming into Rettikus for 
  any magical goods. These are meticulously 
  logged in books kept by the city guard, but 
  there have been increasing reports that a 
  few confiscated enchanted items have gone 
  missing—nothing has come of it however as 
  of all the merchant lords in the settlement, 
  Patis is one of the slipperiest.
   
  ▶ Captain Politsei Kell (use knight statistics) is 
  the head of the Rettikus’ guards. Normally 
  Prince Isand, Queen Emand, or King Kabe 
  would be in charge of wrangling the many 
  trading houses in the Mercantile Congress, 
  but with none of them available the task 
  falls to this old retired adventurer. He is a 
  patient man but he does not suffer fools and 
  tolerates no tomfoolery whatsoever.
   
  ▶ Meis Triki, head of the Rettikus Arcane 
  College, is performing in-depth research on 
  the planes and has been absent for weeks.
  The Vurstlik monarchs (Queen Emand and King 
  Kabe) are visiting other royalty in another region, 
  leaving Prince Isand in charge while they’re gone. 
  Since he is nowhere to be found by the time the 
  adventurers arrive in Rettikus, the authority of 
  the city falls entirely onto the merchant council 
  and city watch, both already strained by how 
  populated the settlement has become as of late. 
  To get inside the party had to fork over some a 
  few silver each in taxes (particularly if they have 
  magic items).
   For GMs that wish to include this sequence 
  rather than narratively gloss over it, a reasonable 
  amount of creativity and subtlety (using magic or 
  skill to get their goods over the wall, or having a 
  familiar carry things over, or any other number of 
  means at their disposal) can save the party from 
  spending their precious coin.
  
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  Introduction
  The adventure begins after the party has traveled 
  to Rettikus as they enter the most popular tavern 
  near the east or west entrance (whichever they 
  came through): the Hardened Path. 
  As you open the door to the tavern your nose is as-
  saulted by the acrid tang of spilt blood, a crimson 
  sheen of it soaking into the old wooden floor. Only 
  one man stands amid the wreckage of booze, uncon-
  scious patrons, and broken tables: a simple fellow 
  of middle age with an exasperated expression on his 
  well-groomed face. “Allow me to explain,” he says, “I 
  am a scholar.”
  Without anyone conscious and surrounded by 
  mayhem, Kanral Bodache (use mage statistics) 
  is quick to explain his current situation and 
  he doesn’t hold back when he sees that the 
  adventurers lack insignia from any of the trading 
  houses. He is wanted—unjustly—for the crime 
  of murder but completely unwilling to leave the 
  city, insisting that doing so would be seen as 
  an admission of guilt in the eyes of the Vurstlik 
  royal family (who are certain to be furious with 
  whomever is blamed for their son’s “death”) and 
  start him down an inevitable path to the noose.
   Kanral has been on the run from the authorities, 
  using his magic and contacts to stay out of reach 
  of the city guard, but his components have run 
  dry as the reward for his capture rose (now a total 
  of 1,000 gold). Desperate to restock his arcane 
  supplies, Kanral met with a friend here in the 
  Hardened Path looking for help but instead he 
  was betrayed and forced to subdue everyone 
  in the establishment. A DC 8 Wisdom (Insight) 
  check confirms that all of these claims are true. 
  Should the adventurers make an attack or cast an 
  offensive spell targeting Kanral, he swears once 
  more that he is innocent before casting dimension 
  door to escape.
   When the PCs lower their guard and make it 
  clear to Kanral that he’s no longer in danger, he 
  relaxes visibly, pours himself two flagons of ale, 
  and then takes a seat. 
  “It has been an extremely long two days and I have 
  built up a wicked thirst.” Raising one of his two flag-
  ons to his lips and draining it in a few considerable 
  gulps, the aged man slumps into a seat and continues. 
  “This all began not two days ago. I’m the Master of 
  Evaluations, you see; when something comes through 
  the gates that the Salamorvar assessors find curious, 
  it falls to me.” He peers at each of you in turn before 
  continuing. “A hunter named Sutu Korvalseis came 
  across a body on a cliff of the Peiksarv and among 
  the dead fellow’s goods she found a strange piece of 
  blank parchment that resisted ink of all kinds. It was 
  obviously magical but I had exhausted all my spells 
  for identification and the next morning when I arrived 
  to re-evaluate it, the scroll was gone; someone had 
  brazenly broken into my office and absconded with 
  all of Sutu’s salvage! Worse yet following the trail of 
  magic left behind by the strange page led me to the 
  royal chambers of Prince Isand: where I was the first 
  to discover his corpse.”
   
  He looks at you all dryly, gesturing around the 
  tavern. “You can imagine how the rest of my day went. 
  The city watch is already overburdened and I fear 
  they are not up to the task of investigating this, and 
  I am extremely wary of the rage that Rettikus’ ruler 
  are likely to harbor for the accused murderer of their 
  child. I need rest however—protect me while I sleep 
  and spare me some reagents, and I’ve 200 gold pieces 
  with your names on them.”
   There are several other taverns throughout the 
  city that the PCs can find a room in— Bogdal’s 
  Whistle, Hen’s Bounty, Morewell’s Delight, The 
  Scarred Climber, and Tenwar’s Barrel—but to 
  secure Kanral and find themselves a place to sleep 
  the PCs need to perform the three following tasks:
   
  ▶ Escape the scene of this crime with DC 10 
  Dexterity (Stealth) check (sneaking Kanral 
  inside) or Intelligence (Stealth) check 
  (exploiting the tavern staff’s timing and 
  patterns of behavior).
   
  ▶ Disguise Kanral with a DC 13 Intelligence 
  (disguise kit) check.
   
  ▶ Deceive the owner of the other tavern with a 
  DC 12 Charisma (Deception) check.
  
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  Investigation
  Depending on their abilities the party have 
  a variety of ways to find out more about the 
  mysterious parchment, “dead” Prince Isand, and 
  the rest of Kanral’s claims. Inevitably they’re sure 
  to head for Rettikus’ main hub of authority—
  which, because of the King and Queen absence, is 
  the Mercantile Congress—where they’ll meet the 
  traders most involved with the situation.
  Mercantile Congress
  Built when the city’s walls first went up and 
  frequently remodeled, the Mercantile Congress 
  is a juxtaposition of old and new architecture, 
  building materials, and functionaries. Read the 
  following:
  As you near the center of Rettikus, the wooden 
  houses common nearer the outskirts become far 
  rarer, replaced almost entirely by stone buildings that 
  grow more and more ostentatious until one structure 
  stands out like a sore thumb.
   
  The Mercantile Congress of Rettikus is a mishmash 
  of aged timber and patterned bricks in varying tex-
  tures, all of them covered with intricate carvings and 
  artful sculptures. Though you can’t quite make out 
  what’s being discussed, the shouts of a loud argument 
  can be heard from behind the heavy wooden doors in 
  the entryway.
  The PCs arrive as Ellujanu the Blade is finishing 
  an argument with Captain Kell, demanding 
  that more of Rettikus’ resources be spent on 
  tracking down the prime suspect of Prince Isand’s 
  “murder” and the current target of her temper: 
  the scholar Kanral Bodache. Her tirade against 
  him (which includes accusations of forgery, 
  smuggling, theft, and even tax evasion) reaches its 
  crescendo just before Ellujanu stomps out of the 
  Mercantile Congress. 
   Though clearly exhausted, Captain Kell is 
  willing to tell the adventurers what little he 
  knows about the situation and offers them the 
  mage’s confiscated journal—both of which match 
  up with Kanral’s explanation—and suggests that 
  The next morning Kanral summons a familiar that 
  returns with the party’s promised gold and he 
  thanks them profusely, promising more reward 
  when he’s no longer wanted by the law and that 
  the royal family will pay a king’s ransom to the 
  people that uncover the true murderer of their 
  treasured prince. After their business is concluded 
  he promises to meet the adventurers in another 
  two days’ time in the alleyway behind Tenwar’s 
  Barrel, then he casts a spell and disappears.
  Well, They Are Unconscious…
  Without anyone to stop them or catch them at it, 
  the PCs might want to loot the unconscious patrons 
  of the Hardened Path tavern. Each of the two dozen 
  dozing patrons has 1d10 sp on their persons and 
  there’s a 20% chance one has an uncommon magic 
  item (though if the party went through the gates 
  like normal travelers, they should be reminded that 
  enchanted goods are catalogued by the guard when 
  entering the city).
  
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  Royal Dreams
  Should the PCs’ investigations reach a dead end, 
  they begin to hear Prince Isand’s tortured screams 
  in their sleep and they only quiet when in the pres-
  ence of Patis Vastane’s bodyguard. If things are still 
  dragging along and the PCs are still unsure how to 
  proceed, other clues can be revealed to the party 
  in their dreams. These might include glimpses of 
  Taprea Salamorvar shadowing Patis Vastane, the 
  room the parchment is in (with Vastane symbols 
  inside), the relic golem being enchanted by a mage 
  the party recognize from the city gate as a Patis aco-
  lyte, or any other hints the GM deems appropriate.
  the party seek out the three trading houses most 
  involved with the belongings found on the dead 
  explorer discovered by Sutu Korvalseis (the Patis, 
  Saematerjal, and Salamorvar trading houses, as 
  well as the salvager Sutu Korvalseis herself). A 
  DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that though 
  he would probably prefer this to remain a matter 
  for the city guard, he definitely wants to get the 
  issue off his chest before the monarchs return 
  to the city and a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check convinces him to offer the PCs 300 gold for 
  resolving the case.
  Saematerjal Trading House
  The Saematerjal Trading House sits on the 
  majority of steep hills leading up to Suursarv 
  Mountain on the north side of Rettikus. The vast 
  mansion is made entirely from timber and with 
  supply roads leading out of the city (the only 
  paths aside from the eastern and western gates, 
  used almost exclusively by merchants that deal in 
  bulk), it is one of the most protected areas in the 
  settlement—staffed by a coterie of lumberjacks 
  that have had enough training to frequently 
  spotlight as city watch.
   Ellujanu the Blade has an axe to grind with 
  Kanral and has been extremely vocal about 
  pursuing, trying, and executing the fugitive 
  scholar. This has nothing at all to do with his 
  possible guilt but everything to do with personal 
  slights. As the head of a Rettikus Trading House, 
  Ellujanu is well-versed in the subtleties of 
  conversation and evades any questions regarding 
  anything but the murder, adroitly refusing to 
  reveal their personal history unless challenged as 
  a liar (possibly precipitating a duel) or pressed 
  on the matter by someone with leverage. A DC 
  12 Charisma (Investigation) check to gather 
  information around Rettikus discovers that the 
  real reason for her anger at Kardal is a simple 
  matter of business: twice now the mage has 
  arranged the rejection of timber cut by Ellujanu’s 
  associates because it was taken from woods the 
  locals believe to be haunted. Despite her lacking 
  knowledge of anything important in the case, she 
  thinks she knows people who know more, and she 
  tries to send the party toward Taprea Salamorvar 
  (whom she claims is involved with the Varastaja 
  Thieves’ Guild) and Patis Vastane (who has 
  become increasingly overbearing regarding 
  salvaged goods as of late) with the expectation 
  that they’ll end up finding Kanral.
   In truth Ellujanu doesn’t have any particularly 
  strong reason to suspect Kardal Bodache of 
  anything other than being opposed to her at times 
  because of his job. Should the PCs spend long 
  enough talking to her and getting to know her—a 
  DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check is enough to 
  convince her to join them for a night of drinking—
  she reveals that she doesn’t truly believe he is 
  capable of so heinous a crime as murdering Prince 
  Isand, and that mostly she wants to embarrass 
  him publicly (tarnishing his name with suspicion) 
  to weaken the strength of his word against hers 
  for future disputes.
  From Enemy to Ally
  Depending on how well they like the PCs, Ellujanu 
  and Taprea Salamorvar can be convinced to render 
  aid to the PCs and even join them in the final battle 
  in the Vastane Trading House. The GM is encouraged 
  to make additional Trading Houses that cater to the 
  group and further the needs of their campaign’s 
  larger narrative (with leaders that know of Taprea 
  Salamorvar’s alternate persona or other clues for 
  the adventure).
  
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  Salamorvar Trading House
  Officially, Taprea Salamorvar is Rettikus’s Master 
  of Antiquities and Salvage, but what most citizens 
  fail to realize is that she is also Hilma the Sneak, 
  de facto head of the Varastaja Thieves’ Guild—
  the most prevalent criminal organization in the 
  settlement. The sizable home of her family is 
  carved out of and built into the side of the steep 
  Peiksarv Mountains and holds one of the most 
  private and profitable merchant dynasties in the 
  city. The majority of the trading house leaders 
  know her secret but are careful not to let on as 
  much, fearful of what her reprisal might be. 
  Though certainly not a force to be reckoned with 
  lightly, the Varastaja are predominantly smugglers 
  that use a network of caves tied into secret 
  doorways in the Salamorvar Trading House to 
  move contraband into and out of Rettikus. 
   Should the party gather information in the city 
  about Prince Isand’s murder, the second most 
  likely suspect in the eye of the public is Taprea 
  Salamorvar. Though a scant few suspect she is 
  Hilma the Sneak, her public persona’s greed is 
  well known and has gotten her trading house 
  implicated in several previous crimes (though 
  none of the charges ever seem to stick). 
   Taprea isn’t candid about what she knows 
  however, especially when confronted directly 
  with evidence that Kanral might not be guilty—
  the real trouble is getting an audience with her. 
  Knowing that having the scholar tried for the 
  crime would be the most expedient and profitable 
  outcome for their trading house, her majordomo 
  Üldist Salamorvar (use spy statistics) made sure to 
  fill her schedule each day with private audiences 
  and other business appointments. Once the 
  adventurers have managed to circumvent Üldist, 
  Taprea will demand an introduction but warm to 
  the party when she realizes that they might be of 
  use to her greater aspirations in Rettikus.
   
  ▶ Taprea has an excellent alibi. She was seen 
  by many nobles in the King’s court that very 
  night, entertained by the jester Relik Mylem 
  (though she’s fooled the court in a similar 
  way before, Relik’s use of magic was without 
  doubt beyond her ken).
   
  ▶ Patis Vastane has been unusually active 
  lately, visiting with all of the trading houses 
  for one reason or another and speaking 
  at length with their leaders. Taprea found 
  most of the discussion annoying but 
  noticed the spellcaster lingered on in some 
  rooms, almost as if he had been looking for 
  something.
   
  ▶ She knows Patis Vastane is always checking 
  Kanral’s salvage records and has been 
  searching for something specific for months 
  now (exactly what, Taprea can’t fathom).
  Relic Golem Attack!
  After the PCs directly interact with Taprea Salamorvar, 
  one of Patis Vastane’s spies in the rival trading house 
  gets word to him and he sends the relic golem (see 
  the Index) to attack them! Read the following as they 
  travel through an alleyway in Rettikus: 
  There’s a strange noise from the rooftop above you, 
  like stones scraping on metal. No sooner than the 
  sound reaches your ears, a remarkable creature 
  vaults into sight—a golem made from metal and 
  stone with various enchanted items glowing from 
  its hands, chest, and forehead. It slams into the 
  street in front of you, cracking the paved bricks with 
  resounding force before bounding to attack!
  Though the adventurers are likely to draw their own 
  conclusions, two culprits might be responsible for 
  this. A successful DC 5 Wisdom (Insight) check about 
  their interactions with Taprea Salamorvar confirm 
  that she spoke the truth—constructing something 
  like this would be impossible for her—but comparing 
  the magic items that powered the creature to the logs 
  of the city watch match them with goods thought to 
  be mishandled by Salamorvar assessors. However, if 
  the party carefully observes the remains of the relic 
  golem with a detect magic spell and DC 12 Intelligence 
  (Arcana) check (or bring them to their meeting with 
  Kanral), they discover that the real force behind the 
  monster is demonic in nature.
  
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  Vastane Trading House
  The stronghold of the Vastane Trading House sits 
  toward the western gate of Rettikus, opposite 
  of Vurstlik Castle. This fortress-like abode is 
  staffed by acolytes all trained under the purvey 
  of Patis Vastane, using their knowledge to 
  make assessments on enchanted items, spell 
  components, spell books, arcane or divine focuses, 
  and anything else magical that comes through the 
  city gates. Unlike the Rettikus Arcane College, 
  an air of mysticism remains within the stone 
  hallways of the Vastane Trading House, creating a 
  sense of the occult that its merchants use to great 
  effect when negotiating with their peers. 
   Patis Vastane is just as enigmatic as his home 
  and the true culprit behind the “death” of Prince 
  Isand but faces any questions or interrogation 
  by the PCs head on, using the opportunity to 
  emphasize the need to catch and try Kanral as 
  soon as possible so that “whatever magic the 
  mage used to obscure the royal murder can be 
  undone.” When pressed on the matter he outright 
  accuses Taprea Salamorvar of being Hilma the 
  Sneak and head of the Varastaja Thieves’ Guild 
  (though he can’t prove it), and what more, that 
  they are in league with one another. Should the 
  adventurers continue to show uncertainty, a  DC 
  16 Wisdom (Insight) check tells them that Patis’ 
  most outrageous claim—that Taprea has supplied 
  Kanral with relics the scholar has used to prevent 
  magical attempts from contacting Prince Isand’s 
  soul—is a blatant lie. Insinuations that he is not 
  being truthful get Patis to reveal his biggest piece 
  of blackmailing information on Taprea (that she 
  is not just a thief, but an assassin as well), along 
  with an explanation that he only withheld the 
  information for fear of his life.
   The full truth of things is that Prince Isand 
  is far from the boyish persona most of Rettikus 
  attributes to him. Seeking a path to power 
  beyond his royal birthright, he has been 
  secretly apprenticed to Patis Vastane to learn 
  
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  the mystic arts. It didn’t take long for Isand to 
  learn everything Patis had to teach, spurring 
  the merchant to take dire measures lest he lose 
  influence over the powerful political tool under 
  his tutelage. Utilizing a scroll kept locked away 
  by his ancestors, the head of the Vastane Trading 
  House summoned a duplicitous demon named 
  “Vardjas” but misspoke the fiend’s name while 
  conjuring it. 
   Thinking it under his control for some 
  time, Patis allowed the creature to amplify his 
  spellcasting abilities for a while as he looked for 
  a means to secure himself from it should things 
  go awry, seeking out a map that leads to powerful 
  relics once wielded by holy warriors of the distant 
  past. As soon as the Vurstlik monarchs left the 
  city together, Vardjas compelled the merchant 
  to action and revealed the location of the map 
  that Patis has been seeking (the blank scroll), 
  promising to acquire it so long as a suitable host 
  could be possessed—Prince Isand being the only 
  one available. His mind corrupted by the demon, 
  Patis relented and since procuring the map 
  Vardjas has been hiding in plain sight using the 
  prince’s body, altering its features and remaining 
  near its “master” at all times. The body found by 
  the guards appears to all to be Prince Isand, but 
  in fact it was only a peasant grievously wounded 
  by the demonic bodyguard, warped into a strong 
  resemblance by fell magic.
   A DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check made when 
  asking Patis Vastane directly about the blank 
  scroll tells the party that he knows its location, 
  but otherwise after indemnifying Taprea and 
  Kanral, Vardjas interrupts the trader and the 
  two excuse themselves from the adventurers, 
  leaving the party to chase after red herrings. 
  While questioning Patis and again after leaving 
  the Vastane Trading House, the PCs receive a 
  DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check to realize there is 
  something off about his bodyguard. 
   If the PCs visit Patis Vastane’s trading house 
  after the relic golem attack, a DC 17 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check reveals some of Kanral’s 
  personal items are pushed into the shadows 
  on desks or hastily put behind other objects on 
  bookcases and the like. Any questions about them 
  are met with excuses about fidelity and security 
  until Patis can change the subject back to the 
  scholar’s obvious guilt.
  Rettikus Arcane College
  At some point the adventurers are likely to 
  investigate the school to which Kanral was a 
  member—the Rettikus Arcane College—a series 
  of stone towers on the eastern side of the city. 
  Somewhere between student and professor, 
  all of the various faculty on site (Professors 
  Esilemanamine, Jumalik, Mundama, and Võlur) 
  speak highly of Kanral but none are versed in the 
  nuances of divination, which was his specialty. 
  Should the party bring the remains of the relic 
  golem to them for analysis, the mages confirm 
  that it was certainly powered by evil magics but 
  little else.
  Kanral’s Quarters
  Searching Kanral’s room in the universalist 
  school’s tower yields little, save that the city 
  watch politely (and carefully, likely with a 
  magically talented assessor nearby) rifled through 
  his belongings in order to find the personal 
  journal given to the PCs by Captain Kell. 
   However, if the adventurers return to Kanral’s 
  chamber or do not visit it until after the relic 
  golem attack, they see a different scene. While 
  they fought the construct Patis Vastane sent 
  Spies Abound
  All of the trading houses in Rettikus employ spies 
  that share confidential information about their 
  rival’s doings. Throughout the party’s investigations 
  in the city, agents from the Salamorvar Trading 
  House keep a distant watch on their activities. 
  Should the adventurer’s struggle to connect the 
  dots, grant them Wisdom (Perception) and Wisdom 
  (Survival) checks to realize they are being shad-
  owed; if they pursue their pursuer, use spy statistics 
  (though the NPC makes every attempt to escape 
  and avoids combat at all costs).
  
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  lackeys here to search for scrolls, spare spellbooks, 
  or anything else that might work to reveal what 
  the blank parchment hides. A DC 10 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check reveals that a second wave 
  of very rough searching went on in the mage’s 
  room—possibly quite recently, depending on 
  how long it’s been since the relic golem attacked 
  the party. A Wisdom (Survival) check (DC 14 + 1 
  per day since the assault) is enough to track the 
  perpetrators back to the general area around the 
  Vastane Trading House. 
  Sutu the Salvager
  Sutu Korvalseis (use scout statistics) is a hunter 
  by trade and found the remains of an explorer up 
  on the craggy peaks of Peiksarv above the city. 
  While she could have avoided Rettikus entirely 
  and dragged the dead man’s pack to another 
  settlement, Sutu decided to take the easy way 
  home and deal with the taxes to make sure she 
  got her money’s worth (she knows nothing of 
  how to value antiquities and so on). She is frank 
  about what little she knows of the explorer (that 
  he was a male half-elf and his almost decomposed 
  body is about half mile up the mountainside), 
  what any of the greater situation portends, or 
  regarding her lack of any emotional investment in 
  the whole affair—Sutu just wants to be paid. She 
  accuses whomever she thinks will bring things 
  to a faster close, but is most suspicious of Kanral 
  and Taprea Salamorvar (though if asked about 
  Patis Vastane, Sutu reveals that the merchant 
  relentlessly questioned her and even got agitated 
  at her relative ignorance.)
  Mayhem at Vastane 
  Trading House
  After two days of investigation, the meeting 
  with Kanral Bodache in the alleyway behind 
  Tenwar’s Barrel approaches and the PCs should 
  have a new suspect (hopefully someone in the 
  Vastane Trading House). The fugitive scholar 
  is in much the same condition as they found 
  him last time—bloodied, weakened, and nearly 
  out of resources—but he’s done some snooping 
  himself in between bouts with the city guards. He 
  doesn’t know much however, only that some of 
  his personal belongings were taken from his room 
  in the Rettikus Arcane College to the Vastane 
  Trading House very recently (throwing additional 
  suspicion onto Patis Vastane. After exchanging 
  notes he promises to meet the adventurers behind 
  the Hen’s Bounty tavern in two days’ time, but 
  once out of sight he casts invisibility on himself 
  and follows the party, wanting to see things play 
  out with his own eyes.
   Whether led there by dreams, clues or 
  revelations from Kanral’s room, hints by Taprea 
  Salamorvar, or through the use of deduction or 
  magic, the adventurers once more find themselves 
  outside of the Vastane Trading House and the true 
  culprit of Prince Isand’s “murder”: Patis Vastane. 
  Inside they find the grounds to be eerily deserted, 
  but PCs that make a DC 8 Wisdom (Perception) 
  check hear chanting coming from the back of the 
  stronghold. 
  Palpable warmth emanates from the chamber beyond 
  this double door and peeking through you can make 
  out nearly a dozen robed individuals, many of them 
  openly wearing the symbols of the Vastane Trading 
  House. They are all chanting in a low dirge, encircling 
  a table where Patis Vastane and his bodyguard work 
  on something—what exactly is hard to tell. Though 
  it’s certainly in the shape of a man, it can’t be con-
  scious, because you watch it twitch only slightly as 
  the merchant carefully places a glowing pendant on 
  the prone form.
  Black Market, Anyone?
  As one would suspect, there is a thriving contra-
  band trade in Rettikus. This is ultimately under the 
  control of the Varastaja Thieves’ Guild and Hilma 
  the Sneak (also known as Taprea Salamorvar); any 
  attempts to track down Kanral or information about 
  the situation brings the party to her attentions, in 
  which case Hilma conveys most of the information 
  that Taprea would normally reveal.
  
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  Before fighting Patis Vastane and his bodyguard, 
  the PCs are assaulted by 4 cult fanatics and 4 cult 
  sorcerers who ostensibly fight to keep the party 
  from disrupting the ritual. A DC 10 Intelligence 
  (Arcana) check reveals that they are crafting a 
  new relic golem (confirming any suspicions of 
  Patis’ nefarious doings) though as long as the 
  adventurers don’t take a long rest before engaging 
  the pair of central antagonists, the monster 
  remains dormant. 
   The railing grants half cover to anyone behind it 
  and any of the tables can be flipped with a DC 12 
  Strength check to be used as cover (AC 7, 10 hp). 
  Leaping over the railing between the wooden and 
  stone floored rooms requires a DC 14 Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) check or DC 12 Strength (Athletics) 
  check. As combat breaks out, Kanral ends his 
  invisibility and casts spells to clean up targets 
  wounded by the party, picking off almost-dead 
  cultists with acid splash but otherwise avoiding 
  confrontation.
   When half the cultists have been defeated, 
  or if the PCs ignore the cultists and attack Patis 
  Vastane directly, his bodyguard, Possessed Prince 
  Isand (see the Index), intervenes. The possessed 
  prince uses its Unholy Conduit feature to absorb 
  damage dealt to Patis until the host body of Prince 
  Isand runs out of hit points and Vardjas is forced 
  to reveal its true demonic form.
   Once Patis Vastane takes damage he fights 
  back, abandoning the ritual and casting gust of 
  wind near the forge to create a 15-foot cone of wild 
  embers that deals 1d4 fire damage (no save) to 
  anyone traveling through a square it occupies and 
  2d4 fire damage to creatures that end their turn 
  in a square it occupies (a DC 14 Dexterity saving 
  throw halves this damage). He retreats toward his 
  bedroom, completely fleeing through one of the 
  windows when reduced to 10 hit points or less 
  (forgetting the map entirely). 
   After the battle is over the PCs can pick the 
  locks on the chests in Patis’ bedroom with a DC 15 
  Dexterity (thieves’ tools) check to find a plethora 
  of old scrolls and maps worth a total of 100 gold 
  and 10d4 gp.
  Conclusion
  If Patis Vastane is still alive, after fleeing from his 
  Trading House and being implicated with Prince 
  Isand’s murder-turned-abduction-by-a-demon 
  he leaves Rettikus (if not, the party acquires a 
  brooch of shielding, cloak of displacement, and eyes of 
  charming from his corpse, as well as two +1 hand 
  crossbows and a +1 flail). Prince Isand (roughed 
  up though he was by the adventurers) remains 
  intact, however, and he is effusively thankful for 
  their help. He absolves Kanral Bodache of all the 
  charges put against him and awards the prized 
  map to the PCs along with 800 gp for their efforts. 
  Should the party choose to stay in Rettikus, they 
  are guests of the highest caliber and treated as 
  if they were themselves royalty. When King and 
  Queen Vurstlik arrive a grand feast and parade 
  are held in the adventurers’ honor, and they’ll go 
  down in history as heroes of the city.
   Given proper time for study Kanral carefully 
  analyzes the blank parchment; with the use of 
  some obscure, ancient magics, he reveals it to 
  be a map leading to the tombs of several great 
  heroes that were champions against evil, each 
  buried with the powerful relics they wielded in 
  the fight for good. Of course the actual contents 
  of the parchment are at the GM’s discretion—it 
  could be a secret missive from another monarch, 
  a confidential message restricted to the highest 
  orders of a powerful church, or a lich’s shopping 
  list—but whatever is actually written on the 
  formerly blank scroll should include a hook to the 
  party’s next quest. E
  
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  Index
  NPC Statistics
  Name
  Stat Block
  Captain Politsei Kell
  Knight
  Ellujanu “The Blade” Saematerjal
  Veteran
  Kanral Bodache 
  Mage
  Patis Vastane
  see below
  Possessed Prince Isand
  see below
  Name
  Stat Block
  Relic Golem
  see below
  Sutu Korvalseis
  Scout
  Taprea Salamorvar/Hilma the Sneak
  Assassin
  Üldist Salamorvar 
  Spy
  Vastane Assessor
  Cult Fanatic or 
  Cult Sorcerer
  Patis Vastane
  Medium humanoid, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 17 (half plate, cloak of displacement)
  Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32)
  Speed 30 ft.
   STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  19 (+4) 
  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +5, Cha +6
  Skills Arcana +5, Deception +9, Insight +7, Perception 
  +7, Stealth +5
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
  Damage Resistances force, poison
  Damage Immunities psychic
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Infernal
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Brooch of Shielding. Patis Vastane has resistance to 
  force damage and is immune to damage from the 
  magic missile spell. 
  Cloak of Displacement. Patis Vastane projects an illu-
  sion that makes him appear to be standing in a place 
  near his actual location, causing all creatures to have 
  disadvantage on attack rolls against him. If he takes 
  damage, the property ceases to function until the 
  start of his next turn.
  Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Patis Vastane 
  can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, 
  or Hide action.
  Dark Devotee. Patis Vastane has advantage on saving 
  throws against being charmed or frightened and 
  gains darkvision to a range of 60 feet. Patis Vastane’s 
  weapon attacks deal an additional 2d8 necrotic 
  damage.
  Eyes of Charming. Patis Vastane can spend an action 
  to cast the charm person spell (save DC 13) on a 
  humanoid he can see within 30 feet. After using this 
  ability 3 times, he cannot use this ability again until 
  the next dawn.
  Spellcasting. Patis Vastane is a 7th-level spellcaster. 
  His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, 
  +7 to hit with spell attacks). Patis Vastane has the 
  following cleric and druid spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): produce flame, resistance, sacred 
  flame
  1st level (4 slots): bane, cure wounds, detect magic, 
  healing word
  2nd level (4 slots): blindness/deafness, gust of wind, 
  hold person, spiritual weapon
  3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, call lightning, spirit 
  guardians
  4th level (2 slots): confusion, death ward
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Patis Vastane may make two weapon 
  attacks or casts one cantrip and makes a weapon 
  attack.
  Magic Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) magical bludgeoning 
  damage and 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
  Magic Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to 
  hit, range 30/120). HIt: 6 (1d6 + 3) magical piercing 
  damage and 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
  
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  EN World EN5IDER | The Fugitive Scholar
  Possessed Prince Isand (Vardjas)
  Medium humanoid, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 133 (14d8 + 70)
  Speed 30 ft.
   STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  18 (+4) 
  20 (+5) 
  18 (+4) 
  18 (+4) 
  20 (+5)
  Skills Acrobatics +7, Athletics +7, Deception +8, Insight 
  +7, Perception +7
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
  Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, necrotic; 
  bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical 
  attacks
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Draconic
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its 
  damage when Possessed Prince Isand hits with it 
  (included in the attack).
  Possessed. When reduced to 0 hp, Possessed Prince 
  Isand’s body goes limp and a hezrou demon forms 
  nearby at full hit points. While in Possessed Prince 
  Isand’s body, the demon does not count as a fiend 
  (a paladin PC who uses his or her detect ability does 
  notice that something is awry and that Possessed 
  Prince Isand is evil).
  Unholy Conduit. Possessed Prince Isand can spend a 
  bonus action to accept any amount of damage dealt 
  to Patis Vastane until the start of its next turn. Each 
  time Patis Vastane takes damage while this ability is 
  active, Possessed Prince Isand chooses how much of 
  the damage to take.
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Each turn, Possessed Prince Isand makes 
  two maul attacks or one thrown object attack.
  Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
  Throw Object. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 
  (20/40), one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) damage. The 
  damage type depends on the object (bludgeoning, 
  piercing, or slashing) and at 100 pounds and every 
  100 pounds thereafter, the damage increases by 1d8, 
  up to 31 (6d8 + 4) at 500 pounds.
  
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  The Fugitive Scholar | EN World EN5IDER
  Relic Golem
  Large construct, neutral evil
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 114 (12d10 + 48)
  Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.
   STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   22 (+6) 
  14 (+2) 
  19 (+4) 
  3 (–4) 
  14 (+2) 
  9 (–1)
  Saving Throws Int –1, Cha +2
  Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +5 (gains advantage 
  on sight-based checks)
  Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive 
  Perception 15 (cannot be surprised)
  Damage Resistances acid, force, necrotic, poison, 
  psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 
  nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, fright-
  ened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
  Languages understands Abyssal and Common but 
  can’t speak
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Force Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to 
  force damage, it takes no damage and instead regains 
  a number of hit points equal to the force damage 
  dealt.
  Berserk. Whenever the golem starts its turn with 40 
  hit points or fewer, roll a d6. On a 6, the golem goes 
  berserk. On each of its turns while berserk, the golem 
  attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature 
  is near enough to move to and attack, the golem 
  attacks an object, with preference for an object 
  smaller than itself. Once the golem goes berserk, it 
  continues to do so until it is destroyed or regains all 
  its hit points.
  Embedded Magic Items. The golem is powered by 
  five magic items: a periapt of health, two rings of 
  protection, an ioun stone of awareness, and eyes of the 
  eagle. Each of these magic items has an AC equal to 
  the golem’s AC and 20 hp; attacks against embedded 
  magic items are at disadvantage if the golem is not in-
  capacitated or restrained. These magic items can be 
  pried loose if the golem has the incapacitated or re-
  strained condition by making a DC 15 Strength check 
  or DC 15 Dexterity check, but there is a 50% chance 
  that a magic item is destroyed during removal.
  Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or 
  effect that would alter its form.
  Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are 
  magical.
  Regeneration. The golem regains 3 hp at the start of 
  its turn for every magic item embedded in its form. 
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. The golem makes two slam attacks or one 
  thrown object attack.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the 
  target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Con-
  stitution saving throw or have its hit point maximum 
  reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. 
  The target dies if this attack reduces its hit point 
  maximum to 0. The reduction lasts until removed by 
  the greater restoration spell or other magic.
  Thrown Object. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 
  (20/40), one target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) damage. The 
  damage type depends on the object (bludgeoning, 
  piercing, or slashing) and at 100 pounds and every 
  100 pounds thereafter, the damage increases by 1d8, 
  up to 33 (6d8 + 6) at 500 pounds.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/EN World EN5ider/EN5ider 082 - Fugitive Scholar.pdf