Intro
- Initial situation :
Metaplot : An alchemist found "the book" This book explain how to summon demons and gain riches beyond imagination. It also explains where to find the other artifacts. "the book" gave the artifacts to lots fo people, including a noble to whom he gave "the sword" All artifacts bearers should make ritual deathsand ship them to Marseille. The point being to make the tower of Bones and summon the black plague. They succeed in 1347 The rest of the campaign is to try to kill "the book" and end the plague.
Theplot happens just before the black plague 1347 in Marseille brough by "marin genois"
Two artifacts : The Sword and the Book (scholar) the mask ??? The Chastellain is a cousin of a noble in Marseille. That's why he makes a shipment of corpses. He is paid hansomely for it.
"the Book" is an alchemist. He has a book made whose cover is made of bones He manipulates "the sword" and promise him reaches beyond imagination if he accomplishes a ritual. This ritual requires lots of sacrifices and teh construction of a chapel. The aim is to summon the black plague. -Masquerade -Missing ofrans (gilles de rai style) -Altar of madness -Burning of the Chateau Babon and one block, tower of bones inside. Players trapped. (Chateau Babon is the name of a castle that disappeared in Marseille !)
They will organise a Masquerade (Bal Masqué)
Bal des Ardents : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bal_des_ardents tragic even where a charivari ended in a fire
The point of this masquerade is to gather all the representatives of the different objects. And have them inscribe on the golden Guestbook (live d'or) the position of the corpses they got. In exchange of which, they get their payment. (each gests leave with some gifts, some of which are full or gold or made of gold) The pages are torn as soon as they are inscribed (so it doesn't incriminate the chastelain directly)
The chastelain will hold a second marriage between whom ?
First part, a theater part, where the "monster" is introduced. Four people chained together and covered in burning materials
Second part. there is a charivari, with people dressed as beasts. They will burn and die. (part of mask's ritual to take deaths? Killed by their imagination ?)
XXXX
Previously, the players have found an invitation for a Masquerade (Bal Masqué).
There was a date, but no address on it.
On the invitation, there is a drawing of the Saint Victor Abbaye in the background. https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbaye_Saint-Victor_de_Marseille
This is a hint that the ball will happen in Marseille.
And indeed, a ball is organised there, near the docks.
- Explanations :
- Unsolved mysteries :
Why triggering the Black Plague ? Who organises and controls all of this ? ("book" ? someone else ?)
- Historical themes :
Part 1 Danse Macabre
- Normal : XXX
The goal is to uncover how this masquerade is connected to the death.
The players attend the Masquerade at the Chateau Borbon and understand what is happening. During the Masquerade, lots of artifact bearers are present. They come to pay their respects and receive their reward. Everyone receives presents, some of which are full of gold or made of gold. The inquisitors are allowed in, because they saw the invitation. They go to a fake masquera de at first, then find the actual masquerade and join it. Someone in the masqeurade have the master artifact (is it "book" ? "Emperor crown" ? or "pope key" ? unsure) anyhow he can control artifact bearers and hence influence the players.
Ambiance track
Fake Masquerade
- 0min
- 10min
- 30min Players with artifacts react crazy
- 45min
Insane Masquerade
- 0min
- 10min
- 30min Players with artifacts react crazy
- 45min
- 60min Players with artifacts react crazy
- 75min
- 100min Players with artifacts react crazy
Scenario Track
The players attend the Masquerade. The lord greets them then wears a mask. Something is off. Everyone have similar masks. They stink and they don't speak like nobles. They eat very little and dance like puppets. They are actors.
If they talk to the lord, his voice is a bit off.
Action : If they tear the fake lord's mask, they see it's not the same person.
He then confess that the lord went to another tower.
They go there and discover a very corrupted masquerade. (raw meat, sex, bath of alcohol, absynthe) In the crowd, they see some artifacts and they clearly feel them. The lords shows to all of his guests taht those are inquisitors. People are defensive.
People go see the lord one by one. Also, a weird valet dressed like the gream reaper comes to every guests one by one.
Action : They should dress like one of the guests. Then the Grim reaper eventually come to them and ask for their letters.
They have half an hour to come to him.
Action : Either they steal the reaper's bag discretely or they should give him a stolen letter from someone drunk.
The letter is a vague allusion to them havign killed X people in Y way. But it's too vague to be a proff
The reaper then gives them a card with a name ??and a date?? on it. If they search, they understand that it's the name of a dead person burried in marseille.
Action : They should unearth the grave of this person.
They unearth a reward as well as some text making it more obvious what actualy happenned. But it's still too little to be a proof, sword is far too careful.
Part 2 Missing orphans
Too many Orphans are missing, their goal is to prove that "sword" is responsible. That way they can take him down.
Scenario Track
They see an orphan running away. He is wounded and dies in their arms.
Part 3 Altar of madness
- Normal :
Oldaric will trigger a dancing mania in the city : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dancing_mania Your goal is to find Oldaric
- The First dancer : Prince of Darkness - Fire Emblem
The players discover the altar where "the sword" made his sacrifices. They found the plan of the tower, it requires a lot of corpses. Now they have to escape.
Ambience Track
- 15min
- 30min
- 45min
- 60min
- 75min
- 100min Music :
Scenario Track
Part 4 The tower of bones
They find the tower of bones. Then a fire starts. At the end, a dark ship lands with the black plague onboard Italian sailors. (genois) And they manage to kill "sword"
Ambiance Track
Scenario Track
Epilogue
Epilogue musics :
- Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3
- Epique entre-scenart gagant 12-Pista de audio 12.mp3 (put it twice)
- Fin epique glorieuse 06-Final
- Then loop this Playlist Normal-Prima
Next scenario : Black Plague in marseille, and killing "doctor" ?