--- # 🍃 **Kyo’s Investigation into the Moss Vale Assassins** **Background:** After the assassination of the beloved druid **Eladra Sylora ("The Moss Veil")**, mysterious figures known as the **Moss Vale Assassins** have emerged. They leave symbolic moss coverings over their victims' eyes, each murder echoing grief and corrupted druidic symbolism. Kyo, Eladra’s awakened familiar, is determined to uncover who they are, why they're doing this, and who commands them. --- ## 🎲 **Investigation Skill Check Results** Whenever Kyo rolls an **Investigation** check, use this structured guide to decide what information to share based on their roll: |**Investigation DC**|**Information Gained**| |---|---| |**5–9**|Basic Rumours & Surface Clues| |**10–14**|Clear Clues & Specific Scene Details| |**15–19**|In-Depth Insights & Hidden Connections| |**20–24**|Deep Lore, Motivations, & Significant Revelations| |**25+**|Cryptic, Mysterious, & Secretive Truths| --- ## 🗝️ **Detailed Investigation Discoveries** ### 🟢 **DC 5–9: Basic Rumours & Surface Clues** - Townsfolk fear the assassins, claiming they appear from shadows and vanish into forests. - Victims are usually influential individuals connected to magical rituals or political intrigue. - Simple rumour: "_The Moss Vale Assassins mourn someone lost; revenge drives them._" --- ### 🔵 **DC 10–14: Clear Clues & Specific Scene Details** - **Lord Vaelen’s Murder Scene:** - Body calmly seated, moss-covered eyes, no struggle, parchment note: > _"I hear whispers now—justice wears a veil of moss."_ - Dusting of strange spores suggesting druidic magic entry. - **Witness (Servant Emery)** describes figures cloaked in moss, murmuring apologies to the "_Moss Veil_". - Strange tavern patrons leave wooden coins engraved with druidic runes referencing justice and grief. --- ### 🟣 **DC 15–19: In-Depth Insights & Hidden Connections** - Assassins specifically target wizards and nobles linked to rituals protecting druidic groves. - Professor Caelan’s notes suggest the assassins formed from grieving disciples of Eladra, driven mad by manipulated prophecies and grief: > "_When the Veil falls, moss and shadow rise. Truth corrupted, grief weaponised._" - Local druids mention a corrupted grove within the **Emerald Tangle** named **"Eladra’s Rest"**, uncharted and dangerous. --- ### 🟠 **DC 20–24: Deep Lore, Motivations, & Significant Revelations** - **"Verdant Whisper"** is identified as their leader, a former apprentice of Eladra turned grief-fuelled zealot. - Assassins' blades emit whispers in druidic: > "_Betrayal cannot be cleansed. The Moss Veil sees from beyond death. Our sins mark our blades._" - Captured assassin confesses confusion, suggesting they believe Eladra guides them, yet feeling another darker force behind her image. - Detailed eyewitness descriptions mention assassins leaving corrupted, dying vegetation in their wake, hinting towards unnatural corruption rather than pure druidic magic. --- ### 🔴 **DC 25+: Cryptic, Mysterious, & Secretive Truths** - Professor Caelan’s hidden journal explicitly implicates another entity manipulating the assassins: > "_They believe they follow her (Eladra), but another whispers from darkness. The lich’s shadows are here. Grief blinds their eyes, truth dies with every blade._" - Kyo (or an ally) experiences vivid dreams where moss-veiled figures gather around Eladra’s broken staff, whispering cryptically: > "_Our justice bears thorns, but our hearts bleed green. Who do we serve, Moss Veil? Whose voice speaks through us?_" - **The Hollow Grove** discovery: A sacred druid tree hollowed out and corrupted, suggesting something important was forcibly removed—perhaps a crucial artefact or heartwood key to magical protections. - Environmental whispers at night cryptically warn: > "_We are betrayed… moss hides his mark… shadows deceive even us…_" --- ## 🗺️ **Key Locations & Hooks:** - **Emerald Tangle:** Dangerous, mysterious forest region housing assassins’ base, specifically "**Eladra’s Rest**." - **The Hollow Grove:** Site of dark rituals and origin of corrupted druidic magic. - **Professor Caelan’s Journal:** Vital lore hinting at manipulation by the greater evil (Zargathax). --- ## 🕵️‍♂️ **Ultimate Truth (For DM Knowledge):** - The Moss Vale Assassins are former disciples of Eladra, corrupted and manipulated by the lich **Zargathax** to dismantle druidic wards protecting powerful ley lines essential to his path toward godhood. - They believe their actions avenge Eladra, unaware they are serving Zargathax’s darker purpose. --- ## ⚔️ **Role-playing Opportunities & Emotional Connections:** - Assassins' remorseful whispers suggest internal conflict—potential for redemption arcs. - The leader, "**Verdant Whisper**," is someone deeply known or connected to Kyo, heightening emotional stakes. --- ## ✨ **Narrative Structure & Clue Delivery:** Use incremental reveals tied to Kyo’s investigation rolls, delivering layers of mystery while maintaining player agency. Each investigation check unlocks another puzzle piece, steadily clarifying the tragic complexity behind the assassins’ actions and the sinister force pulling their strings. **Player rolls Investigation:** - **Low rolls:** Provide intriguing but incomplete clues to spark curiosity. - **Moderate rolls:** Deliver clearer, actionable information to reward effort. - **High rolls:** Offer deep insights, powerful revelations, and emotionally impactful discoveries. --- ## 📜 **DM Quick Reference Table** |DC|Clue Type|Examples| |---|---|---| |5–9|Rumours & Gossip|Vague whispers about assassins' motives.| |10–14|Crime Scenes & Eyewitnesses|Specific murder scene details, eyewitness testimony.| |15–19|Connections & Lore|Assassins’ links to Eladra, druidic corruption hints.| |20–24|Motivations & Leaders|Identity of the "Verdant Whisper," corrupted magic evidence.| |25+|Hidden Truths|Manipulation by Zargathax, internal assassin conflicts, cryptic dreams and clues.| --- --- # 🌲 **In-Depth Investigation Guide: The Moss Vale Assassins** ## 🔍 **Tier 1: Basic Investigation (DC 5–9)** > **Rumours, Gossip, and Surface Observations** **Role-play Approach:** - Gather information casually at taverns, marketplaces, or general social areas. - Simple perceptions from basic questioning or observing the public mood. **Information Discovered:** - **Fear and Rumour:** Locals express fear about a recent string of assassinations, claiming shadowy figures appear at night, leaving moss-covered eyes on victims. - **Public Opinion:** Some townsfolk see the assassins as brutal murderers, while others secretly whisper approval, suggesting victims deserved their fate. - **Common Knowledge:** Victims are typically political figures, wizards, nobles—individuals involved in arcane or druidic rituals. **Sample Dialogue:** > “They call ’em Moss Vale Assassins. Seen nothin’, heard plenty. Rumour has it they lost someone dear—now they're out for revenge or justice. Who knows the truth?” --- ## 🗃️ **Tier 2: Intermediate Investigation (DC 10–14)** > **Crime Scene Details & Witness Testimonies** **Role-play Approach:** - Inspect crime scenes carefully, talk directly to witnesses or local guards. **Information Discovered:** ### 📌 **Lord Vaelen’s Murder Scene** - **Victim Detail:** Body seated comfortably, no signs of struggle; eyes closed, gently covered with soft, living moss. - **Clues:** A cryptic note written by Vaelen himself: > "_I hear whispers now—justice wears a veil of moss._" - **Environmental Clue:** Traces of unusual spores and leaf fragments suggesting magical or druidic entry. ### 📌 **Witness Testimony (Servant Emery)** - Saw cloaked figures blending into trees and shadows, murmuring softly to plants. - Heard an assassin whisper remorsefully: > "_Forgive us, Moss Veil._" ### 📌 **Tavern Gossip (Wisp and Willow Tavern)** - Strangers recently paid with strange wooden coins bearing druidic runes of grief, justice, and vengeance. - Assassins mentioned a hidden grove called "_Eladra’s Rest_" within the Emerald Tangle. --- ## 📜 **Tier 3: Advanced Investigation (DC 15–19)** > **Deeper Connections & Hidden Lore** **Role-play Approach:** - Research through historical records, expert informants, detailed questioning, and tracking. **Information Discovered:** ### 📌 **Professor Caelan’s Notes (Local Scholar)** - Caelan's research suggests assassins were once loyal druids or apprentices of Eladra Sylora herself, driven by grief. - Uncovered a dark prophecy fragment related to Eladra’s death: > "_When the Veil falls, moss and shadow rise. Truth corrupted, grief weaponised._" - Professor Caelan vanished shortly after discovering these clues. ### 📌 **Corrupted Druidic Shrine** - A previously sacred shrine now corrupted with unnatural moss and dead vegetation. - Carved runes glowing faintly beneath moss: > "_In grief, justice. In vengeance, peace. For you, Moss Veil, we abandon restraint._" - Found near the shrine is a fragment of Eladra’s broken staff. ### 📌 **Assassin Blade Found (Whispering Blade)** - Obsidian-like dagger enchanted with corrupted druidic magic, softly whispers endlessly: > "_Betrayal cannot be cleansed. The Moss Veil sees from beyond death. Our sins mark our blades._" --- ## 🕯️ **Tier 4: Masterful Investigation (DC 20–24)** > **Deep Motivations, Inner Circle Information** **Role-play Approach:** - High-stakes interrogations, infiltration, detailed magical investigation, or divination spells. **Information Discovered:** ### 📌 **Verdant Whisper’s Identity** - Confirmed to be Eladra’s former apprentice—deeply affected by grief and vengeance, now radicalised. - Witnessed using druidic rituals twisted by dark, corrupted magic. ### 📌 **Captured Assassin's Confession** - Reveals assassins believe they still serve Eladra’s memory but sense confusion: > "_She speaks to us still—the Moss Veil—but her voice is twisted, darkened by shadow._" - Suspect manipulation by another, darker force that distorts Eladra’s teachings. ### 📌 **Corrupted Grove ("The Hollow Grove")** - Found within the Emerald Tangle; trees hollowed out, moss growing unnaturally dark, and dense. - At the centre is a sacred tree, hollowed and corrupted—something significant extracted or desecrated, leaving the grove magically vulnerable. --- ## 🌌 **Tier 5: Legendary Investigation (DC 25+)** > **Secret Truths & Cryptic Revelations** **Role-play Approach:** - Highly detailed magical divination, contact with spirits, uncovering secret journals, dreams or visions, direct interactions with supernatural clues. **Information Discovered:** ### 📌 **Professor Caelan’s Hidden Journal** - Explicitly reveals manipulation by **Zargathax**, the lich aspiring to godhood: > "_They believe they follow Eladra, but another whispers from darkness—the lich’s shadows. Grief blinds them, truth dies with every blade._" ### 📌 **Cryptic Dreams & Visions** - Kyo experiences haunting dreams, seeing assassins gathered around Eladra’s broken staff atop an altar: > "_Our justice bears thorns, but our hearts bleed green. Whose voice speaks through us?_" - Upon awakening, Kyo finds moss temporarily staining their fingertips. ### 📌 **Environmental Whispers & Cryptic Clues** - At night near corrupted groves or assassination sites, wind carries chilling whispers: > "_We are betrayed… moss hides his mark… shadows deceive even us…_" - Suggest internal conflict and growing doubt within the assassins, hinting at Zargathax’s manipulation. --- ## 📖 **Ultimate Hidden Truth (DM Only):** - **Zargathax** secretly orchestrated Eladra’s assassination and manipulates the Moss Vale Assassins to systematically weaken magical barriers created by druidic groves, necessary for his ascension to divine power. --- ## 🎭 **Role-playing and Emotional Stakes** - Kyo uncovers increasingly personal stakes, realising that the assassins are former allies manipulated into betraying Eladra’s true teachings. - Final confrontation with the "**Verdant Whisper**" offers powerful emotional resolutions: redemption, vengeance, or tragic sacrifice. --- ## 🎯 **Narrative Progression & Player Agency** - Allow incremental discovery based on Kyo’s investigation checks. - Reward thoughtful play and role-playing, guiding your player naturally deeper into the mystery. --- ## 🧩 **Quick Reference Summary** |DC|Clue Type|Example| |---|---|---| |5–9|Rumours, Gossip|"Assassins seek revenge; victims deserve fate."| |10–14|Scene details, Witnesses|"Forgive us, Moss Veil" whispered at scene.| |15–19|Connections, Lore|Professor Caelan’s prophecy, corrupted shrine.| |20–24|Motivations, Inner Circle|Identity of Verdant Whisper, assassin doubts.| |25+|Hidden Truths|Zargathax's manipulation, cryptic dreams.| --- **Use this detailed guide to dynamically reward your player's investigative efforts, enriching your game with layers of intrigue, emotional depth, and meaningful discoveries.**