Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar #13: Treachery in the Beggar City is a scenario for Third Level Player Characters and is both an archetypal scenario for use with the Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar Boxed Set, and like Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar #8: The Land of the Eight Cities before it, also a setting supplement that expands the world of Newhon beyond the walls of Lankhmar. This is the Beggar City of Tovilyis, a once mercantile rival located to the south of Lankhmar that had the temerity to attempt an invasion of the City of the Black Toga. That was a century ago and ever since, Tovilyis has been a vassal state of Lankhmar, forced to purchase half its grain from the merchants of its occupiers and its surviving noble families to pay a ‘tax’ to the occupiers to be allowed to survive and feud between themselves for the right to become relatively recently restored Doge of the city. Given that that the ruler of the city is called the Doge, it no surprise that Tovilyis is based on the city of Venice. The city is cut through by canals, its buildings—many of which are sinking into the marshlands upon which the city is built—and alleys connected by bridges, constructed of either stone or rickety wood. Much like Lankhmar, Tovilyis has a thieves’ guild, but it is not as powerful as the one in Lankhmar, and thus thieves from both Tovilyis and Lankhmar can operate in the city without the thieves’ guild getting involved. Even so, Tovilyis is seen as a place of exile and not just by thieves from Lankhmar, but also nobles from Lankhmar.
Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar #13: Treachery in the Beggar City begins en media res, with the Player Characters already in Tovilyis. Rumours have reached the city of Lankhmar that the scholar Fremma Inkfingers has discovered a map purported to show the location of the treasure vault where the last Dog, the one who launched the failed invasion of Lankhmar, hid his wealth. It is said that a set of scrolls, known as the Scrolls of Night, on which the Doge recorded all of the dark secrets of Tovilyis’ noble families, is also be found amongst this hoard of treasure. Why exactly the Player Characters are in Tovilyis is left up to the players and the Judge to decide. They may have been hired to find the Scrolls of Night or another object from the hoard, to make sure that Lankhmar’s thieves’ guild gets its cut from the retrieval of the treasures, or even Fremma Inkfingers could have hired them.
The scenario opens with the Player Characters going to meet Fremma Inkfingers to purchase her map from her. In almost film noir fashion, she is struck down by assassins, her map is stolen, and a chase ensues! Chases are a feature of Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar, most typically taking place across the rooftops of the city, but in Tovilyis there are canals and boats and crumbling buildings to contend with, so the chase feels excitingly different, almost as if it were out of a James Bond film! (In fact, it feels not too dissimilar to the end chase scene in Casino Royale.) Ideally, the chase will end with the Player Characters getting hold of Fremma Inkfingers’ map, but if not, the scenario provides other means for them to do so. In fact, it is probably better that the Player Characters obtain the map by other means rather than by chasing down the assassins because it makes the second half of the scenario that make more interesting.
Of course, there is another party interested in getting hold of the Scrolls of Night, which is why they had Fremma Inkfingers killed and stole her map. The second half of the scenario details the vault in which it is hidden, but not only describes it twice. First, as if the Player Characters get to the vault first and second, if the rival party gets to the vault first. If the latter occurs, some of the traps on the way to the vault will already been triggered and others avoided, and this combined with the confrontation with the rival gives the scenario a shot of dynamism and an interesting NPC for the Judge to portray and the Player Characters to interact with. This is Settilina, the captain of the guards for one of the city’s noble families. Neither the building hiding the vault or the vault itself are large, but they are detailed and they full of traps and little details that will perplex the players and their characters, and definitely challenge any Thief in the gang. The vault’s construction also used a lot of magic, so the scenario will also test any Wizard in the gang as well.
The scenario does not simply end with the Player Characters looting the vault. The interesting Settilina may still be about and is as ready to negotiate with the Player Characters as she is to kill them and there is also the matter of what to do with the wealth they find in the vault. The final interaction here with the Settilina is nicely handled, whilst the options for what the Player Characters do with their newfound wealth will require some development upon the part of the Judge as they slightly outside the scope of the scenario.
Just under half of Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar #13: Treachery in the Beggar City is devoted to describing the city of Tovilyis. This starts with its history, but accompanied by a good map of the city, also describes its districts and landmarks. These though, are really the highlights of the city, which leaves plenty of room for the Judge to add her own content and so enable the Player Characters to revisit a city that is possibly even more corrupt than Lankhmar, but with a very different feel and atmosphere. Rounding out the module is a section on rules for using Tovilyis in play. This includes new Benisons and Dooms for Player Characters who come from Tovilyis, rumours about Tovilyis—not just general rumours, but ones for Thieves, Warriors, and Wizards too, and a table of events should the Player Characters go carousing in Tovilyis! This is a possibility if the Player Characters make off with the loot in the module’s scenario.
Physically, Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar #13: Treachery in the Beggar City is well presented. The artwork and cartography are both good, but it would have been nice if the scenario had included a copy of the map that drives the first part of the scenario to give as a handout to the players.
Physically, Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar #13: Treachery in the Beggar City opens up a whole new city to the Player Characters in which to scheme, scam, and steal, one that is rougher and rottener than Lankhmar. It combines solid background to the city with a fast-paced, entertaining vault-breaking scenario that drops the Player Characters into the action and shouts go. Tovilyis is worth revisiting and is just different enough to making playing there an interesting change of tone and style, but familiar enough that their skills are not out of place.
Physically, Dungeon Crawl Classics Lankhmar #13: Treachery in the Beggar City opens up a whole new city to the Player Characters in which to scheme, scam, and steal, one that is rougher and rottener than Lankhmar. It combines solid background to the city with a fast-paced, entertaining vault-breaking scenario that drops the Player Characters into the action and shouts go. Tovilyis is worth revisiting and is just different enough to making playing there an interesting change of tone and style, but familiar enough that their skills are not out of place.
No comments:
Post a Comment