# **Sins of the Mask: A D&D Masquerade Heist ## **2. Mansion Maps** **A. Ground Floor (Player Map)** - Grand Foyer (main entrance) - Ballroom (main gathering) - Gallery Hall (Mask display) - Drawing Room (whispered plots) - Dining Hall (feasts, gossip) - Library (secret passage to basement) - Kitchen & Servant Corridors - Barracks (guards) - Gardens/Hedge Maze **B. Second Floor** - VIP Lounges, Private Study (key/ledger), Balconies, Locked Bedrooms **C. Basement** - Vault (combo lock, magical/physical) - Wine Cellar (servant tunnels) - Guard post, hound kennel, hidden prisoner cell, secret tunnel to hedge maze --- ## **3. Boxed Text & Scene Intros** **Arrival** > "The carriage rattles to a halt in front of Vanthelion Hall. Candlelight gleams on the white stone steps and masked guests alight in a swirl of colour and laughter. Two stoic guards in silver-trimmed livery check invitations at the broad mahogany doors. Beyond, the glow of crystal chandeliers spills into the night, mingling with music, promise, and secrets. As you approach, the air tingles with anticipation—and the unspoken understanding that, here, everyone is hiding something." **Foyer & Checking In** > "The foyer is awash with golden light. Marble floors echo with footsteps and the rustle of fine fabrics. A steward in a birdlike mask greets you with a polite nod, collecting invitations and discreetly scanning your attire for hidden blades. Other guests gather, their faces obscured behind feathers, jewels, or painted porcelain. To your left, a grand staircase sweeps up to a shadowed balcony. To the right, laughter and music beckon from the ballroom." **Ballroom** > "Mirrored walls amplify the glitter of a thousand candles. The music of a live orchestra swells as masked dancers wheel and twirl beneath floating chandeliers. The air is heavy with perfume, excitement, and whispers—each masked guest a mystery. Servants in dark attire glide across the floor, balancing trays of rare wines and delicacies. The sense of possibility is palpable, the stakes somehow higher than any game of cards or courtly intrigue." **Gallery Hall (Mask Reveal)** > "A hush descends as guests cluster beneath a vast, domed ceiling painted with constellations. At the centre of the gallery, on a plinth draped in velvet, rests the Mask of Shadows. Its dark, expressionless visage seems almost to move in the flickering candlelight. Crystal cases display other treasures, but all eyes are on the Mask. Lady Ravelle, radiant in her phoenix mask, stands nearby with a poised smile, flanked by two unsmiling guards." **Library** > "The library’s high shelves are lined with ancient tomes and gilt-framed portraits. A faint smell of old paper and polished wood fills the air. Flickering firelight dances on a mahogany desk, and from behind a heavy curtain, you sense a draft—as though the room itself is hiding a secret. In the far corner, a guest in an elaborate mask leafs through a forbidden volume, eyes flicking toward you." **VIP Lounge** > "The velvet-draped lounge is lit by soft lamplight and heavy with the scent of pipe smoke and spiced wine. Plush chairs gather in a conspiratorial circle; the chatter here is quieter, but every word is barbed. Nobles recline, watching each other as much as the doors. A sideboard holds locked decanters and a deck of ornate cards. Here, secrets are currency and every conversation is a wager." **Kitchen & Servant Corridors** > "The warmth and chaos of the kitchens stand in sharp contrast to the rest of the mansion. Cooks and servants bustle between copper pots and trays of delicacies. The aroma of roasting meat mingles with the sharp scent of wine. At the far end, a heavy door leads to the servant corridors—a maze of narrow halls, hidden from polite company and ripe for stealth." **Gardens (Hedge Maze & Escape)** > "Moonlight spills across manicured hedges and marble statues. The air is cool, touched with the scent of roses and damp earth. Paths twist into shadowy mazes; somewhere, a fountain burbles softly. Occasional laughter and hurried footsteps hint at secret trysts—or desperate escape. The distant howl of a hound breaks the calm, followed by the crunch of gravel as a guard’s lantern sweeps across the paths." **Basement & Vault** > "Stone stairs descend into cool, dry air. The echo of your footsteps is swallowed by thick shadows. The wine cellar is lined with barrels and dusty bottles, but at its far edge, a heavy door gleams with fresh steel. Two elite guards stand watch, their eyes tracking every movement. The faint hum of magic prickles your skin. A nearby inscription reads: > 'To guard the Mask, the turnings are fine—count not just the numbers, but the spaces between...'" **Cracking the Vault** > "As you kneel before the imposing vault door, the world narrows to the delicate work of tumblers and glyphs. The air is tense; every second feels like an hour. Your hands move swiftly, recalling clues: the trio and two shades more, the pair and a single whisper, the last feast with company and some for the road… Each click is a victory, each slip a threat. Behind you, the low murmur of guards—or the distant sound of pursuit—reminds you that failure here means capture… or worse." **Escape** > "The distant roar of fireworks covers the sound of your flight. Whether racing through moonlit gardens or clambering across slippery rooftops, you can feel the chase behind you—guards shouts, a hound’s furious howl, the thunder of boots. Ahead, a secret gate or hidden hatch beckons. With every step, the hope of freedom—and victory—draws closer." --- ## **4. NPC Table: 30 Masks & Agendas** | Name | Mask/Costume | Public Role | Secret Goal/Agenda | Interactions/Hook | | -------------------- | -------------------------- | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | Lady Ravelle | Phoenix, flame | Host | Root out rivals; protect Mask | Tests party's cover, offers subtle clues | | Lord Grell | Gold lion | Rival noble | Disgrace Ravelle; will pay for sabotage | Approaches party with a 'job' | | Inspector Virel | Hawk | Security chief | Unmask infiltrators | Interrogates suspicious PCs | | Captain Henric | Iron wolf | Vault warden | Loyal to Ravelle | Can't be bribed, hard to fool | | The Whisperer | Blank porcelain | Info broker | Sell secrets, gain Mask | Tries to make secret deals | | Jaxel the Jester | Harlequin | Entertainer/thief | Steal Mask, outdo rivals | Offers help or betrayal | | Madam Selyne | Spider silk | Spy mistress | Acquire Mask for foreign power | Offers secretive alliances | | Ambassador Nyx | Spined, infernal | Diplomat | Sows chaos, get leverage | Offers dangerous deals, tempts party | | Olly of the Kitchens | Mouse, halfling | Chef | Keep peace, avoid scandal | Bribable, knows secret passages | | Lady Corrine | Rosebud | Merchant’s wife | Blackmail her own husband | Needs party to pass a note | | Master Dolivar | Raven mask | Art dealer | Smuggle artefact from gallery | Offers trade for party’s help | | Dame Giselda | Porcelain doll | Famous socialite | Hide illicit affair | Eavesdrop reveals scandal | | Squire Bell | Ram horns | Young noble | Impress the powerful | Fawns over PCs, will follow | | Sister Yvaine | Silver moth | Nun | Expose corruption among guests | Will bless PCs, or denounce them | | Sir Petros | Boar | Military officer | Steal Ravelle’s war plans | Needs distraction for a theft | | Elin of Sable | Fox tail | Fortune-teller | Steal nobles’ secrets | Trades info for info | | Tava Loamfoot | Mushroom cap | Druid, guest gardener | Protect estate from fiends/fey | Warns party of magical dangers | | Perin Blackhand | Clockwork owl | Tinkerer | Sabotage estate defences | Offers tools or gadgets | | Father Rehn | Marble mask | Priest | Quietly supports resistance movement | Will hide a PC for a price | | Valya & Eryk | Peacock, Stag | Star-crossed lovers | Flee estate, need cover | Ask for party’s help escaping | | Baroness Vilda | Emerald beetle | Landed gentry | Poison a rival guest | Tries to draw PCs into plot | | Mirel & Selba | Goat & Bat | Twins, pranksters | Pull off the best prank | Cause a distraction, or blow a cover | | Lady Venla | Crimson butterfly | Secret necromancer | Reclaim forbidden book from library | May hire PCs to steal for her | | Lord Bors | Tiger | Merchant prince | Outbid others for Mask | Offers coin or threats | | Vex & Thallan | Sparrow, Crow | City Watch off duty | Monitor rival thieves, report back | Might be turned as inside men | | Millicent Brand | Seahorse | Scribe/historian | Record scandal, write best-seller | Will shadow the party for a story | | The Vexing Vagrants | Fox, Dove, Bull, Cat, Crow | Rival crew | Steal Mask, outdo PCs, frame or recruit them | See rival crew stat blocks | | Guest 29 | White viper | Unassuming scribe | Actually an assassin, target is at ball | Intervenes if PCs cross their mission | | Guest 30 | Opal deer | Mystery | Actually a fey prince, bored with mortals | Grants a boon or a curse | --- ## **5. Key NPC & Rival Crew Stat Blocks** **Lady Ravelle Vanthelion (Archmage Host)** - AC 16 (Mage Armour), HP 99 (18d8+18) - Legendary Resistance (2/day), Mask of the Phoenix (adv. saves vs. enchantment, Fire Shield 1/day) - Counterspell/Dispel Magic (3/day each), Legendary Action: Magical Dazzle (blind), Command Minion (guard/servant acts) - 9th-level spells, mostly control and illusion **Inspector Virel (Head of Security)** - AC 18 (half plate, Arcane Monocle), HP 68 - Arcane Monocle (adv. Insight/Investigation/Perception, See Invisibility 1 min/3 day) - Unmask (area effect to dispel illusions), Tactical Commander (grant adv.) - Multiattack (sabre/crossbow), Restrain (grapple) **Jaxel the Jester (Rival Thief, Arcane Trickster)** - AC 17, HP 60, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Cunning Action, Expertise - Misdirect (redirect attacks), Mirror Image (2/day), Smoke Bombs (obscure/hide) - Sneak Attack +4d6, can cast Invisibility/Suggestion **The Vexing Vagrants:** - **Reynard (Fox):** Bard 8/Rogue 3, AC 15, HP 44, Deception/Persuasion +8, Charm Person 2/day - **Mina (Dove):** Monk 6/Rogue 5, AC 16, HP 38, Acrobatics/Stealth +8, Feather Step (ignore terrain) - **Brack (Bull):** Barbarian 7, AC 15, HP 52, Rage, Bull Rush (shove) - **Sable (Cat):** Rogue 9, AC 15, HP 36, Sleight/Stealth +9, Shadow Swipe (steal/plant as bonus) - **Karric (Crow):** Wizard 7, AC 14, HP 34, Dispel/Knock/Misty Step, Crow’s Escape (vanish on 0 HP) **Elite Vault Wardens** - AC 17, HP 58, Multiattack halberd, Hold the Line (+2 AC to allies) **Dire Magic Hound** - AC 14, HP 45, Magic Scent (detects disguises), Howl (frighten) **Olly of the Kitchens (Halfling Spy)** - AC 12, HP 18, Disguise Self at will, Sticky Fingers (adv. to smuggle/hide objects) --- ## **6. Handouts, Clues & Printable Player Aids** **Event Timeline:** |Time|Event| |---|---| |19:00|Doors open, guests arrive| |20:00|Performances, dinner| |21:30|First mask inspection (random guests)| |23:00|Fireworks (security distracted)| |00:00|Mask of Shadows unveiled in Gallery Hall| |00:15|Mask escorted to vault| |01:00|Ball ends, doors close, security doubles| **Clue & Rumour Cards:** - “A certain chef can be bribed for access to the kitchen.” - “Someone in a fox mask has been poking about near the library.” - “The vault’s lock was changed after last year’s ‘incident’.” - “One of the hounds can smell magic from two rooms away.” - “A masked peacock is looking to run away with their lover.” - “The gallery’s alarms reset at midnight.” - “A guest claims there’s a tunnel out from the wine cellar.” - “The Mask is a fake; the real one is in the study upstairs.” - “The head guard never leaves the vault for more than 5 minutes.” - “Gallery glass can be bypassed by pressing a hidden catch under the plinth.” **Vault Inscription Handout: (Answer: R 3.2, L 2.1, R 7.2) --- ## **7. Social Challenges & Skill Scenes** - **Blending In:** Deception/Performance DC 15, Persuasion DC 14, Sleight DC 14 (pickpocket/swap), Insight DC 13 (spot watchers) - **Rumour-Gathering:** Stealth DC 13/Perception DC 14 (listen); Persuasion/Deception DC 15 (chat) - **Social Duel:** Persuasion/Intimidation DC 15, Acrobatics/Performance DC 14, Insight DC 15 (anticipate) - **Bribing Staff:** Persuasion DC 13, Deception DC 14, Bribe 5–10 gp - **Masked Dance:** Performance DC 14, Deception DC 15, Sleight DC 13 - **Gaining Trust:** Persuasion/Deception DC 16, Sleight/Stealth DC 14–16 (plant/steal) - **Rival Crew Negotiation:** Persuasion/Intimidation DC 16, Insight DC 15, Deception DC 17 - **Framing/Distraction:** Sleight DC 15, Deception/Performance DC 15, Stealth DC 13 - **Solving Riddle:** Intelligence/Arcana/History DC 14–16 --- ## **8. Encounter & Event Tables** ### **A. Social Encounters (d12 – Expanded)** 1. **Mistaken Identity** A noble mistakes a PC for an old flame, dead relative, or sworn enemy. - _Roleplay Hook:_ “Darien, is that you? I thought you died in the Feywild skirmishes!” - _Options:_ Deceive (DC 14) to play along, Persuade (DC 13) to redirect, or Insight (DC 12) to figure out what they know. 2. **Lord Grell’s Scandal** The loud-mouthed Lord Grell drunkenly boasts of his own affair, incriminating others. - _Opportunity:_ DC 14 Insight to catch implications; DC 15 Performance/Deception to bait him into revealing more. - _Reward:_ Gain a blackmail detail or favour. 3. **Poison Plot** Baroness Vilda discreetly asks the party to deliver a spiked drink to a rival. - _Choice:_ Deliver it, sabotage it, warn the target, or drink it yourself (Con Save DC 14). - _Impact:_ May earn her favour—or wrath. 4. **Lovers’ Plea** Valya and Eryk (Peacock & Stag) beg for help escaping together before dawn. - _Aid:_ Stealth/Deception DC 13, or slight-of-hand a key. - _Reward:_ Their gratitude, a distraction, or future contact. 5. **Whisperer’s Deal** The masked info broker offers a useful clue—at a cost. - _Clue:_ A safe combo hint, guard rotation, or traitor’s name. - _Cost:_ A secret, a favour owed, or a truth about your past. 6. **Inspector’s Grilling** Inspector Virel confronts a PC with subtle questions and scrutiny. - _Challenge:_ Insight vs. Deception contest; failure means increased suspicion. - _Consequence:_ Gain 1 Suspicion Point or get shadowed by a guard. 7. **Drunken Rumour** A noble loudly recounts a rumour about the Mask or a hidden room. - _Roll:_ DC 12 Insight to tell if it’s true; DC 13 Investigation later to confirm. - _Twist:_ Could be a red herring or clue to the Hollow Archive. 8. **Twins’ Prank** The prankster twins set up a magical trap—a confetti pie, illusory puddle, or noisy music box. - _Reaction:_ Dex Save DC 12 to avoid; playing along earns favour with nobles. - _Effect:_ Distraction grants advantage on next Deception check. 9. **Secret Tryst** A masked guest slips a PC a key or note, assuming them to be a lover or contact. - _Discovery:_ The note contains a password or safe location. - _Conflict:_ The real recipient may appear. 10. **Riddle Contest** Lady Ravelle or an official invites PCs to join a wordplay or riddle duel. - _Rolls:_ Intelligence or Performance DC 14 to succeed. - _Reward:_ A vault clue, noble favour, or rare wine. 11. **Painting Mishap** A servant stumbles, damaging a magical portrait. - _Consequence:_ The painting screams or triggers a minor illusion trap (Wis Save DC 13). - _Bonus:_ Inside the frame is a hidden note, torn map, or name. 12. **Musical Mayhem** A misfiring enchantment causes the orchestra to play out of control. - _Chaos:_ Social checks gain advantage for 1 round. - _Optional:_ DC 15 Arcana to fix it for praise, or Stealth DC 14 to act unnoticed during the distraction. ### **B. Heist Complications (d10 – Expanded)** 1. **Jammed Lock** The party encounters a lock that resists tools—whether due to rust, enchantment, or a hidden mechanism. - _Checks:_ Thieves' Tools DC 18 or Arcana DC 16 to detect a magical seal. - _Consequence:_ Picking takes 2 extra rounds and makes noise (Stealth DC 14 to avoid alert). 2. **Unexpected Servant** A maid or butler enters at the worst possible moment. - _Options:_ Hide (Stealth DC 13), Bluff (Deception DC 15), or silence them magically. - _Twist:_ The servant might be bribable… or secretly spying for the host. 3. **Guard Rotation** The schedule was wrong—new guards arrive early. - _Effect:_ PCs must choose to retreat, distract, or engage. - _Tactical Detail:_ Guards split to patrol two wings—giving opportunity, but danger. 4. **Hound Sniffs** A noble’s magically bred hound picks up a strange scent. - _Challenge:_ Animal Handling DC 14 to calm it, or use a scent-masking item/spell. - _Consequence:_ Barking draws attention from guards in 2 rounds unless resolved. 5. **Rival Crew Clash** Another infiltrating group—either hired or independent—crosses paths with the party. - _Options:_ Collaborate, compete, or fight. - _NPCs:_ The Scarlet Veil, a three-person stealth crew with goals that may conflict or align with the party’s. 6. **Alarm Triggers** A glyph silently activates—no sound, but red sigils appear briefly. - _Insight DC 13_ or _Arcana DC 15_ to recognise the threat. - _Consequences:_ Guard alert increases one tier; certain rooms become restricted. 7. **Harmless Illusion** An illusory wall, guest, or object confuses the party. - _Effect:_ Costs time or misleads (e.g., a false vault door or fake noble giving orders). - _Arcana DC 12_ to identify the illusion; _Insight DC 14_ to realise something’s off. 8. **Bribery Opportunity** A servant subtly signals they’re open to a deal. - _Request:_ Gold, favours, or information. - _Benefit:_ Gain a key, map, or safe passage through a guarded door. 9. **Staff Gambling** A few kitchen or cloakroom staff are distracted playing dice or cards in a side room. - _Options:_ Join the game (Charisma check), rig the outcome (Sleight of Hand), or eavesdrop on their loose lips. - _Secrets:_ They may have overheard noble gossip or a guard rotation. 10. **Chandelier Sparks** Arcane lights above begin sparking wildly—perhaps due to damage or a magical overload. - _Dex Save DC 13_ or Acrobatics DC 12 to avoid falling glass. - _Effect:_ Area briefly illuminated with dancing light—sabotage attempts here are at disadvantage for 1 minute. ### **C. Rival Crew Moves (d8 – Expanded)** _The Velvet Claw operate in shadows parallel to the party. Their goals may overlap, clash, or twist midway._ 1. **Offer Alliance (Fox’s Gambit)** The crew's leader, **The Fox**, proposes a temporary truce. - _Insight DC 14:_ Reveal veiled manipulation. - _Persuasion or Insight DC 15:_ Define favourable terms or spot a double-cross. - _Twist:_ They might use the party as a distraction while claiming another prize. 2. **Frame Party (Crow’s Setup)** The crew plants forged evidence or magical bait implicating the party in sabotage or murder. - _Investigation DC 16:_ Uncover planted clues. - _Dispel Magic or Deception contest:_ Remove magical markings or redirect blame. - _Complication:_ Host declares a lockdown, increasing guard presence. 3. **Secret Escape Route (Cat’s Path)** The crew uses a hidden tunnel or magical shortcut to evade danger—or flee with the prize.\n\n- _Perception DC 15:_ Spot signs of passage. - _Tracking or Insight DC 13:_ Predict where they’ll surface. - _Optional:_ Follow, intercept, or exploit the route for your own use. 4. **Drop Clue (Crow’s Feather)** One rival (intentionally or not) drops a document, sigil, or item related to the Hollow Flame or the vault.\n\n- _Investigation DC 13:_ Determine its origin. - _Arcana or History DC 15:_ Learn its meaning. - _Opportunity:_ Use it to blackmail or predict the crew’s next target. 5. **Bull’s Brawl (Distraction)** The brute enforcer, **The Bull**, starts a fight to create chaos.\n\n- _Athletics or Acrobatics DC 14:_ Avoid being knocked into tables/guests. - _Insight DC 12:_ Realise it’s a diversion for a theft or escape. - _Reward:_ Seizing the moment allows sleight of hand or sabotage elsewhere. 6. **Cat Pickpockets** The nimble **Cat** targets a party member to steal an item, key, or map. - _Passive Perception vs Sleight of Hand +7 (or roll contest)._\n\n- _Success:_ You spot her and may confront or follow. - _Failure:_ A vital item is missing until recovered or replaced. 7. **Crow’s Illusion** **The Crow**, their illusionist, casts a dazzling misdirection—a noble transformed, a door vanishing, or a mimic made from light. - _Arcana DC 14:_ Recognise it’s fake. - _Investigation DC 16:_ Spot the caster. - _Benefit:_ If exploited, the illusion can aid your own deception. 8. **Fox Seduction** The charismatic **Fox** entangles a party member (or NPC) in flirtation or charm. - _Insight DC 13:_ Sense false intent. - _Charisma Save DC 14:_ Resist influence. - _Outcome:_ May reveal secrets, mislead the party, or spark inter-character tension. ### **D. Escalation/Chaos (d8 – Expanded)** _The night spirals. The masks crack. The manor begins to burn._ 1. **Magical Blackout** Wards fail. Light spells flicker out. Illusions collapse. - _Effect:_ Darkness spreads across 1d4 rooms. Arcane glyphs glow erratically. - _Arcana DC 14:_ Restore power locally. - _Stealth checks gain advantage,_ but magical detection spells fail temporarily. 2. **Hound Loose** The estate’s arcane hound (or construct) breaks its leash. - _Challenge:_ DC 15 Animal Handling or Arcana to contain it. - _Complication:_ It has the scent of a PC or rival, and won’t stop until subdued. - _Optional:_ The hound carries a vault key or vital clue. 3. **Fireworks / Fire** A pyrotechnic display is sabotaged—or a real fire breaks out. _Effect:_ Guests panic. Guards scatter. Smoke fills multiple rooms. _Dex Save DC 13:_ Avoid falling chandeliers or embers. _Opportunity:_ Chaos allows unguarded movement—but raises suspicion if caught. 4. **Guest Collapse** A noble collapses mid-dance—poison, curse, or exhaustion? - _Medicine DC 14:_ Stabilise. - _Insight DC 13:_ Detect if it was an attack. - _Guards suspect the nearest guest—possibly a PC._ 5. **Mask Reveal Demand** A powerful figure (e.g., the Host or Hollow Flame) demands all guests unmask to prove their identities. - _Options:_ Refuse (raise suspicion), comply (reveal identity), or cause a diversion. - _Deception DC 15:_ Bluff a false identity. - _Consequence:_ Guard attention doubles for known party members. 6. **Mask Missing Early** The ceremonial mask meant for the Vault puzzle has been stolen or misplaced.\n\n- _Investigation DC 16:_ Track its last known location. - _Rival crew involvement possible._ - _Optional:_ Must improvise or find another solution to the puzzle. 7. **Assassin Strikes** A disguised assassin moves to kill a target—possibly the same one the PCs were meant to protect (or kill). - _Initiative triggers combat amid the crowd._ - _Stealth DC 15 or Insight DC 14:_ Spot them before they act. - _Slaying the assassin gains acclaim—or notoriety._ 8. **City Watch Arrives** Word reaches the city guard. A dozen officers arrive at the gates. - _Insight DC 12:_ Someone tipped them off—was it the rival crew? - _Persuasion or Deception DC 17:_ Delay their entry. - _If they breach the doors, the heist becomes a timed escape sequence._ ### **E. Rewards / Clues (d8 – Expanded)** _Each reward pushes the players deeper into the manor’s secrets or grants leverage over their rivals._ 1. **Staff Key** A small brass key engraved with the estate crest. Opens service corridors, wine cellars, or staff-only doors. - _Use:_ Bypasses one locked door without a check. - _Optional Hook:_ The key is numbered—suggesting multiple others exist. 2. **Vault Code Note** A torn corner of parchment hidden in a book, coat, or under a mask. - _Content:_ “Begin at three and two-fifths…” or “...stretching to seven and two-fifths before the strike.” - _Arcana or Investigation DC 14:_ Confirms link to Vault of Masks puzzle. 3. **Secret Passage** Knowledge (or a map) of a hidden hallway used by servants or smugglers. - _Benefit:_ Allows party to bypass two rooms or guards entirely. - _Optional:_ Passage may contain its own dangers (collapsed wall, surveillance glyphs). 4. **Magic Token** A small obsidian coin with a sigil of the Hollow Flame. - _Effect:_ When shown to the right NPC, it grants temporary trust or access. - _Detectable by:_ Detect Magic (glows faintly with illusion or enchantment). 5. **Guard Map** A scribbled rotation schedule or full floor map with security zones marked. - _Use:_ Grants advantage on Stealth or Planning checks for 1 hour. - _Twist:_ One patrol is missing from the schedule—why? 6. **Noble Favour** A sealed card or brooch offered by a noble the party has impressed. - _Benefit:_ Redeemable for influence later, or to dismiss guards temporarily. - _Optional:_ That noble is later found murdered or accused—making the favour suspicious. 7. **Vault Password** A whispered phrase—“Visus Tenebris”—used as part of the Vault of Masks mechanism or mask selection puzzle. - _Arcana or Insight DC 14:_ Reveals it’s part of a magical vocal sequence. - _Optional:_ Saying it too early activates a ward. 8. **Private Audience** An invitation to speak privately with the Host or another key figure. - _Reward:_ Access to high-level lore, confession of crimes, or a direct deal. - _Danger:_ May lead to betrayal, interrogation, or temptation to switch sides. --- ## **9. Riddles & Puzzles (with Decimals)** **Vault Puzzle:** - "I have a heart that never beats..." (Deck of cards) - Bookshelf: “Place me between envy and passion. I am the calm between storms.” (Blue between green/red) - Gallery: “Five stones stand, but only three must fall...” (Only step on even-numbered plates) - Twins: “Two in a corner, 1 in a room, 0 in a house, but 1 in a shelter. What am I?” (Letter R) - Wine Cellar: “I am always hungry, I must always be fed, the finger I touch will soon turn red.” (Fire) - Duel: “The more you take, the more you leave behind.” (Footsteps) ## **10. Escape Routes & Safe Combo Info** - **Entry/Exit Options:** Main door (Deception/Persuasion DC 15–16), service/garden door (Stealth DC 14–16), library secret passage (Investigation DC 16), rooftop/balcony (Acrobatics/Athletics DC 15–16), basement secret tunnel (Investigation DC 16, clue in wine cellar). - **Vault/Safe:** Physical lock (Thieves’ Tools DC 22), Magical ward (Arcana DC 20), Combo lock (correct decimal combo required, see clues above). - **Failures:** Alarms, guard pursuit, rival crew intervention. ### 🕯️ **Mask of Shadows** _Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)_ **Appearance:** A sleek, featureless black mask made of smoky obsidian. When worn, it shimmers faintly at the edges and seems to absorb light. --- **While wearing this mask:** - **Veil of Darkness (1/short rest):** As a bonus action, you can cast _Invisibility_ on yourself. This version ends if you attack or cast a spell. - **Shadowstep:** While in dim light or darkness, you gain advantage on Stealth checks. - **Whispers of the Forgotten:** While attuned, you hear faint whispers. Once per long rest, you can ask the mask a single yes-or-no question. The mask answers truthfully… but cryptically. - **Social Intrigue:** You gain advantage on Deception checks made while wearing the mask and your identity is hidden. --- **Curse (optional):** If you'd like it to carry danger: > _Attuning to the Mask of Shadows links you to the Hollow Flame. You leave behind a shadow trace—a magical marker—which allows Hollow Flame agents to track you (Arcana DC 18 to detect)._ freyalise caelthas clockwork beholder Qwimby Marble Butler YingYang XP & Breff Racoon /Tanuki Kyo Cat shaped eyemask Feather