Some weeks after SPI HQ burns to the ground, and all field agents have gone missing, four new recruits apply to join the SPI on the same day.
- Calumnystra (Callie) Rockwell, a well-off gnome who is “not the muscle,” specializes in ancient and mystical objects, and is “sometimes clairvoyant.”
- Tibalt Nightbreeze, a one-eyed half-elf with a demonstrated magical knack.
- Callisto, a stout halfling outlander with “nowhere else to go” who seems uncomfortable in the city.
- Sima Cordelia, a dwarven ranger with an affinity for animals, who “is the muscle” and believes her gifts should be shared with the world.
The head of the SPI, Mallory (dwarf, male), seems to accept them with hardly an interview, and assigns them to a case straight away, urging them to learn to work together as a team.
A human woman named Cassandra, who seems to be Mallory’s administrative assistant, gives each recruit a sparse initiation packet, as well as a briefing on the first case. Included in the packets is the sigil sequence to the mysterious new (and windowless) SPI HQ.
Victim
Sartan Winterfrost (half-elf, male)
- Found petrified, with pieces raggedly broken off and missing (eaten??)
- Trusted accountant of Dominic Tremere
Crime scene
- Very small apartment on the poor side of town; missing basic amenities
- Ledger of expenses and income from the Tremere household
- Lists recent sales of antiquities; one to Gavin Pepperpotts, Callie’s executive
- Two pages (from 3 and 8 weeks ago) torn out
- Upon close examination, the numbers don’t add up—Sartan was skimming
- Locked chest containing IOUs and losing gambling tickets from the Beastly Colosseum
- Sartan was obviously petrified, but how?
- Cockatrice has a petrifying bite, but it wears off after 24 hours.
- A cockatrice is not strong enough to destroy one of its stone victims. It usually just flees afterwards.
- Gorgon has petrifying breath, which is permanent.
- But Sartan’s death is not consistent with a Gorgon’s M.O.: single opponent, and he wasn’t gored first, nor ground into powder afterward.
- Basilisk has a petrifying gaze, which is permanent.
- Damage is consistent with a Basilisk’s M.O.: breaking apart and eating the stone piece by piece.
- Medusa has a petrifying gaze, which is permanent.
- They don’t typically destroy the statues they create.
- They are much rarer than the other monsters.
- The powerful flesh to stone spell can petrify a victim.
- But damage to the apartment is consistent with a monster attack.
- Cockatrice has a petrifying bite, but it wears off after 24 hours.
Persons of interest
Donovan Morvain (red half-dragon? dragonborn, male)
- Local law enforcement, an officer of the Luminous Defenders—but maybe not a paladin?
- Condescending and unhelpful
Morvain’s unknown partner (human, male)
- Another officer of the L.D., bearing a symbol—a heart impaled on a dagger—for an apparently less common paladin order
- Described as friendlier than Morvain—but less friendly than the ubiquitous paladins of the Devotion order
Dominic Tremere (human, male)
- Rich old man, and employer of the victim; he is the one who called in the SPI
- Runs an aggressive business selling antiquities
- Lives in an ostentatious manor in a rich, hilly part of town
- Paranoid that someone wants him dead—gives the SPI his list of prime suspects
- Lady Eden the Dispassionate
- Lord René Wendel – a nobleman with a penchant for buying art
- Lord Galen Ahmed
- Mihael Carpus the Senior
- Pulchritudinous Euryale – a noblewoman art dealer
- Susilo Albin
- Walter Vahid
- Has fired several prior accountants, but was pleased with Sartan; apparently unaware that Sartan was cooking the books
R. Martine Andrews (robot?, “female”)
- Butler of Dominic Tremere
- Appears sentient, but without emotion
Rowena Darkshield (dwarf, female)
- Arenamaster of the Beastly Colosseum
- Had motive: Sartan owed her money
- Claims she has “other ways” to deal with problems, and ensure people pay debts: the Colosseum has a business arrangement with Xaryu’s Perfect Order (see below)
Argus Saravor (green dragonborn, male) and Panoptes, his basilisk
- Driven basilisk trainer who still lives with his mother
- According to Bellamy Crue, has a thing for Rowena Darkshield
- No alibi: took Panoptes for a walk outside the Colosseum three nights ago
Bellamy Crue (human, female) and Brutalis, her gorgon
- Inquisitive and observant gorgon trainer with a tough attitude
- Alibi: She was at a party three nights ago, and Brutalis was in his pen during the fights
Xaryu of the Perfect Order (beholder)
- Domineering and xenophobic head of the Xaryu Syndicate—or “Perfect Order” as they call themselves
- Authorities believe its lair to be somewhere beneath city streets—but have not pinpointed which city, since the Syndicate has a presence within several of them