This Web Enhancement provides you with a number of extra NPCs, an additional Player Handout, a new trap, the statistics of the monsters from D&D Monster Manual II that appear in “Life’s Bazaar” Part 1 of The Shackled City Adventure Pat, and some extra campaign tidbits to use when running “Life’s Bazaar” from Dungeon Magazine Issue #97.

Web Enhancement for Life’s Bazaar

Before you read this, you should read the entire module: Life’s Bazaar, Part 1 of the Shackled City Adventure Path.

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CAULDRON NPCs

Meerthan Eliothlorn, Male Half-elf Wiz12: CR 12; Medium-size Humanoid (half-elf ); HD 12d4–12; hp 24; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10; BAB +6/+1; Grap +6; Atk +7/+2 melee (1d4/19–20, masterwork dagger) or +8/+3 ranged (effect varies, ranged touch); SA spells; SQ half-elf traits, permanent Rary ’s telepathic bond (with various henchmen), familiar; AL NG; SV Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +9; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 8, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 13.

Skills: Concentration +14, Decipher Script +15, Diplomacy +6, Gather Information +3, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (history) +12, Listen +4, Profession (merchant) +5, Search +7, Spellcraft +20, Spot +4. Feats: Alertness (granted by familiar), Brew Potion, Craft Wand, Empower Spell, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Spell Penetration.

Spells Prepared (4/6/5/5/4/4/2; base save DC = 15 + spell level):

0—detect magic, mage hand, message, read magic; 1st-—expeditious retreat, feather fall, mage armor, magic missile ×2, shield; 2nd—cat’s grace, invisibility, Melf ’s acid arrow, mirror image, see invisibility; 3rd—displacement, fireball, haste, lightning bolt, slow; 4th—dimension door, empowered summon monster II, stoneskin, summon monster IV; 5th—dominate person, summon monster V, teleport; 6th—empowered enervation, true seeing.

Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven.

Possessions: +2 headband of intellect, +1 cloak of resistance, brooch of shielding (absorbs 80 points of magic missile damage), amulet of proof against detection and location, bracelet of friends (attuned to Fario Ellegoth, Fellian Shard, and five others), wand of confusion (15 charges), wand of haste (4 charges), potion of cure serious wounds, scroll of dimensional anchor, scroll of empowered fireball, masterwork dagger, spellbook (contents determined by DM), diamond dust for stoneskin (1,000 gp worth), ointment for true seeing (750 gp worth), pouch containing 32 pp and 110 gp.

Razzik, Weasel Familiar: CR –; Tiny Magical Beast; HD Special; hp 12; Init +2; Spd 20 ft., climb 20 ft.; AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 18; BAB +6/+1; Grap –6; Atk +8/+3 melee (1d3–4, bite); Face/Reach 2 1/2 ft. across/0 ft.; SA attach, touch; SQ scent, improved evasion, share spells, empathic link, speak with master, speak with animals of the same type, SR 17; AL NG; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +9; Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 5.

Skills: Balance +10, Climb +11, Concentration +15, Decipher Script +15, Hide +13, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (history) +9, Move Silently +9, Spellcraft +15, Spot +4. Feats: Weapon Finesse (bite).

CAMPAIGN SEED: THE LAST LAUGH

Cauldron has more than one small guild of thieves, but perhaps the most influential guild is called The Last Laugh. The guild’s symbol is the silhouette of a laughing jester, shown in profile. The guild oversees various rackets and specializes in security, blackmail, extortion, and assassination.

The guild’s leaders, called Jesters, form an inner circle that oversees all guild activities. Speculation abounds that at least one of the guild’s Jesters is a high-ranking town official or noble.

Three months ago, the inner circle learned of the arrival of an evil society called the Cagewrights. Rather than oppose the Cagewrights, the Jesters formed a pact with them. The Last Laugh provides security, masks the Cagewrights’ activities, diverts the attention of the local authorities and rival guilds, and eliminates meddlesome spies and adventurers who threaten to derail the Cagewrights’ plans for Cauldron. In exchange, the Cagewrights have promised the Last Laugh control of the town’s “underworld” once it has been transformed into a Carcerian gate-town

The Jesters, few in number, rely on an intricate network of spies, agents, and informants. Their immediate subordinates are called harlequins—skilled rogues and assassins who paint their faces and handle much of the guild’s “dirty work.” The guild also uses spies—called mimes—to infiltrate rival organizations, verify rumors, and gather information on troublesome bands of adventurers.

The Last Laugh mints its own currency by melting down sovereign coins and recasting them with the guild’s jester insignia. The coins have infiltrated the local economy, and most people consider them no worse than the sovereign’s gold or silver. Some see the “jester coins” as a joke, while others view them as a threat to the economic stability of the town. Although the Lord Mayor has vowed to catch the criminals responsible, the local authorities have had no success tracking down the source of the coins, leading some to suspect corruption in the local militia or the Lord Mayor’s office.

PLAYER HANDOUT: KIDNAP VICTIMS

1. Tiervan Wispwort(male gnome, age 91) A local alchemist, Tiervan lived with two cats and ran marginally successful business. He disappeared 88 nights ago.
2. Jorl Seerkin (male gnome, age 72) A law clerk who worked for a local gnome barrister named Aeryk Gylbar, he disappeared from his home 83 nights ago.
3. Azmi Dresker (female human, age 19) She worked at a local brothel and disappeared from her residence 81 nights ago. She and a coworker, Shellen Rycah, rented the house from an old woman named Martira Hathaway, who was asleep in the house that night and didn’t
   hear or see anything.
4. Shellen Rycah (female human, age 20) She worked at a local brothel and shared a house with coworker Azmi Dresker and their landlord. Shellen vanished 81 nights ago.
5. Krylscar Endercott (male human, age 24) Kicked out of the local militia for drunk and disorderly conduct, Krylscar vanished from his parents’ home 74 nights ago. Neither parent heard or saw anything suspicious, but they believe Krylscar may have robbed them and fled town in disgrace.
6. Callum Sunnyrush (male halfling, age 37) He groomed horses and ponies for the Thantari noble family. He vanished from his room at a cozy local inn 69 nights ago.
7. Gryffon Malek (male human, age 33) He worked as a barkeep at The Tipped Tankard tavern. He disappeared 66 days ago, three days before his planned wedding to a tavern barmaid.
8. Szordra Callagher (female human, age 35) A self-proclaimed sage, she ran her own small bookstore. She was last seen 60 nights ago by her 18-year-old son Leagan, a mason’s apprentice.
9. Tembor Kalavan (male human, age 25) A local minstrel of some repute, he vanished 52 nights ago from his room in The Laughing Horse Inn.
10. Irruth Mercadi (female human, age 36) A local chandler who disappeared from the apartment above her shop 47 nights ago.
11. Deven Myrzal (male human, age 18) A lamplighter who vanished 45 nights ago. Guards found the pole Deven used to unhook hanging lanterns in the street a few blocks from his home (which was not robbed).
12. Jeneer Everdawn (female halfling, age 42) A jeweler’s apprentice who did volunteer work at local schools, she disappeared 40 nights ago.
13. Lorthan Ironfold (male dwarf, age 125) A skilled cartwright. He and his wife, Sondor, vanished from their home 35 nights ago.
14. Sondor Ironfold (female dwarf, age 127) Wife of Lorthan Ironfold, she and her husband disappeared 35 nights ago.
15. Rikaldo Veskar (male human, age 34) His ransacked home contained blood droplets and bloodencrusted knives – not surprising, since Rikaldo worked as a skinner. He disappeared 31 nights ago.
16. Lestor Coldwater (male human, age 22) A trained scribe and struggling poet. He and his girlfriend, Jelluth, vanished from her home 26 nights ago.
17. Jelluth Sirlana (female half-elf, age 33) A struggling shoemaker who inherited her father’s failing business, she vanished (along with her boyfriend, Lestor) 26 nights ago.
18. Elethor Ashstaff (male half-elf, age 58) A wizard and trickster who occasionally performed minor feats of prestidigitation at birthday parties for upper-class children. A dead rat—possibly Elethor’s familiar—was found in his home. He vanished 22 nights ago.
19. Maple (female halfling, age 32) Last name unknown, Maple was rumored to be associated with one or more of the local thieves’ guilds. She disappeared 18 nights ago.
20. Corystan Pike (female human, age 35) A retired adventurer who was living on stolen loot, she walked with a cane. She disappeared from her modest abode 16 days ago.
21. Jasper Drundlesput (male gnome, age 74) A reclusive and eccentric mathematician, he is believed to have vanished nine days ago. Pieces of parchment covered with numbers and symbols littered the floor of his ransacked house.
22. Deakon Stormshield (male dwarf, age 12) A bright dwarf, Deakon was taken from the Lantern Street Orphanage three nights ago. The orphanage took him in when he was six years old, after his parents failed to return from an adventure.
23. Evelyn Radavec (female human, age 9) A quiet, sullen girl, she was taken from the Lantern Street Orphanage three nights ago. Her father and mother succumbed to filth fever, which spread through Cauldron seven years ago.
24. Lucinda Aldreen (female human, age 8) A gregarious but superstitious child given to the Lantern Street Orphanage at age four by her poverty-stricken mother, Lucinda was abducted from the orphanage three nights ago.
25. Terrem Kharatys (male human, age 9) This orphan, taken from the Lantern Street Orphanage three nights ago, is a dour and temperamental lad. His parents died shortly after his birth (circumstances unknown).

TILT-A-PIT TRAP

Substitute this wicked trap for any or all of the three pit traps in areas J6, J12, or J14. Swap the text below (this text was written for area J6 specifically, but it also applies to the other two areas) for the Trap text provided in these areas. See below for information on deactivating the traps.

Trap: The 10-foot-square section of floor conceals a 20- foot-deep pit (Search check, DC 17, to detect). The pit’s hinged lid opens when at least 150 pounds of weight is applied, although a successful Disable Device check (DC 17) jams the lid shut. Pulling down the lever in area J34 locks the lid and deactivates the trap.

Anyone standing on the lid when it opens must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 15) or fall into the pit, taking 2d6 points of damage and landing prone. Once the trap has sprung, have the characters roll initiative. The pit has Dexterity 15 for purposes of determining its initiative.

The bottom half of the pit is made of wood with rows of wooden spikes embedded in two opposite-facing walls. On the first round, the lid of the pit springs shut, and the bottom half of the pit tilts 90 degrees to the south, throwing anyone within onto 1d4 wall spikes (each dealing 1d4 points of piercing damage with a successful hit).

On the second round, the pit tilts back to its original upright position. Anyone in the tilting half of the pit drops to the wooden floor of the pit and is knocked prone, but suffers no damage.

On the third round, the pit tilts 90 degrees to the north, throwing anyone within onto the other wall of spikes.

On the fourth round, the pit tilts back to its original upright position. Anyone trapped inside the tilting half falls to the bare wooden floor and is knocked prone, but suffers no damage. The pit stops tilting at this point until the trap is sprung again. If the pit’s lid is held or wedged closed, the tilting continues. The lid can be pushed open with a successful Strength check (DC 10) and wedged open with a successful Disable Device or Intelligence check (DC 17).

The gear mechanisms that cause the wooden half of the pit to tilt back and forth lie 30 feet below the lip of the pit. When the pit is tilted to the north or south, these gears are clearly visible from the top of the pit. Dropping a dagger, rope, rock, or similar item into the gears requires a successful ranged attack (against AC 15) and has a 20% chance of jamming the tilting mechanisms. Conversely, a rogue lowered down to the gear mechanisms can jam them with a successful Disable Device check (DC 17). Once the gears are jammed, the pit stops tilting.

Trapped characters can smash through the wooden walls or floor of the pit to escape. They can also attempt to clamber out of the tilt-a-pit while it is upright. Getting out of the tilting half of the pit requires a Climb check (DC 10 if one uses a rope or the wooden spikes as handholds and footholds). If a knotted rope is used, the DC drops to 5.

Climbing the stone walls in the top half of the pit requires a harder Climb check (DC 20). Conversely, a character outside the pit can ready an action to reach down and pull another character out of the top half of the pit with a successful Strength check (DC 5, +1 per 20 pounds of weight).

Anyone in the unlikely position of being crushed by the tilt-a-pit takes 4d6 points of damage, or half damage if a Reflex save (DC 15) succeeds.

Tilt-a-Pit (20 feet deep): CR 3; 2d6 points of damage (fall) plus +3 melee (1d4 points of piercing damage, 1d4 spikes per wall); Reflex save (DC 15) prevents fall; Search (DC 17); Disable Device (DC 17).

Tilt-a-Pit Walls and Floor (sturdy wood): 3 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 45 per 5-foot-by-5-foot section; Break DC 21.

Tilt-a-Pit Gearworks (sturdy wood): 2 in. thick; Hardness 5; hp 30; Break DC 21; Disable Device (DC 17).

Area J11: Pulling down on the lever deactivates the trap in area J12.

Area J12: This trap is identical to the one in area J6, except the pit tilts to the east and west (instead of north and south).

Area J13: Pulling down on the lever deactivates the trap in area J14.

Area J14: The trap is identical to the one in area J6, except the pit tilts to the east and west (instead of north and south).

Area J34: Pulling down on the lever deactivates the trap in area J6.

CAMPAIGN SEED: MEERTHAN ELIOTHLORN AND THE STRIDERS OF FHARLANGHN

With the help of Lord Vhalantru, the Cagewrights’ dark agenda has gone unnoticed by most of the townsfolk. However, their appearance in Cauldron has caught the eye of the Striders of Fharlanghn—a loosely run organization of adventurers who watch the horizons for signs of great evil and strive to preserve the balance of power in the realm. The Striders have tracked several Cagewrights to Cauldron and seek to uncover their plans.

hip powerful extraplanar fiends living in Carceri. Years ago, with the help of some good-aligned adventurers, the Striders attacked a cabal of Cagewrights in the realm’s capital city, but not before the Cagewrights called forth one of their vile masters from the prison plane. Several Striders perished in the battle, but the fiend was eventually banished back to Carceri, and the surviving Cagewrights were routed.

The Striders of Fharlanghn have sent one of their own, a neutral good half-elf named Meerthan Eliothlorn (Wiz12), to undercover the Cagewrights’ machinations in Cauldron. Meerthan, posing as a dwarven merchant named Tyro Amberhelm, has a room at The Drowning Morkoth Inn. He suspects that the Cagewrights are behind the recent string of kidnappings. When the Church of St. Cuthbert hires the heroes to investigate the matter, Meerthan takes interest in their activities and sends invisible agents to follow them as they make their way underground. If the heroes get in a bind, these agents might come to their rescue at some opportune moment.

CAMPAIGN SEED: ZENITH SPLINTERSHIELD

A dwarven defender named Zenith Splintershield once commanded the Malachite Fortress’s dwarven garrison. Ten years ago, this paragon among dwarvenkind left the fortress to wage war against the monsters of the Underdark and never returned. Although his campaign undoubtedly failed, he may still dwell in some deep dungeon, a half-crazed zealot bent on purging evil from the subterranean realm or an imprisoned foe of the mind flayers, derro, or another Underdark menace.

MONSTER MANUAL II CREATURES

“Life’s Bazaar” uses several monsters from Monster Manual II. To conserve space, their complete statistics were omitted from the adventure text, but that information has been provided as a service here to accommodate our readers who do not own Monster Manual II. We highly encourage those readers who have not yet picked up a copy of this supplement to do so, as the information provided here is skeletal, at best—intended only to provide you with the minimal information necessary to run the adventure.

Pulverizer Automaton: CR 3; Medium-size Construct; HD 3d10; hp 28; Init +0; Spd 40 ft., burrow 5 ft.; AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 21; BAB +2; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee (1d6+5, slam); SA sonic shriek; SQ blindsight 40 ft., construct traits, unreliable; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 21, Dex 11, Con —, Int —, Wis 9, Cha 4.

Sonic Shriek (Ex): Once per round as a standard action, a pulverizer can loose a cone of sonic energy 30 feet long. Everything within the cone takes 1d8 points of sonic damage. In addition, every creature within the cone that fails a Fortitude save (DC 13) is stunned for 1 round. (This value incorporates a +5 racial bonus to the save DC.)

Unreliable (Ex): At the beginning of each round in which the automaton attempts to act, roll 1d20. On a result of 11 or better, the pulverizer acts normally; otherwise, it takes no action.

Hammerer Automatons (2): CR 3; Medium-size Construct; HD 5d10; hp 25, 22; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 21; BAB +3; Grap +10; Atk +10 melee (2d8+10, slam) or +10 melee (special, pincer); SQ construct traits, unreliable; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 25, Dex 11, Con —, Int —, Wis 9, Cha 4.

Unreliable (Ex): At the beginning of each round in which the automaton attempts to act, roll 1d20. On a result of 11 or better, the hammerer acts normally; otherwise, it takes no action (although its pincer can maintain its hold on grappled prey).

Common Raggamoffyn: CR 3; Medium-size Construct; HD 3d10; hp 16; Init +2; Spd 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (clumsy); AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15; BAB +2; Grap +4; Atk +4 melee (1d6+3, slam); SA improved grab, wrap, control host, suffocate; SQ darkvision 60 ft., construct traits; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +3; Str 14, Dex 15, Con —, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 17.

Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 17. Improved Grab (Ex): If a raggamoffyn hits a Small or Medium-size opponent with its slam attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets a hold, it can attempt to wrap (see below) in the next round. Alternatively, it has the option to conduct the grapple normally, dealing slam damage with each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds.

Wrap (Ex): With a successful grapple check, the raggamoffyn can wrap itself around a foe it has already grappled successfully. It forms a skintight layer around the wrapped creature, leaving just enough space for the creature to breathe through its nose and mouth. Attacks on such a target deal half their damage to the raggamoffyn and half to the wrapped creature. A wrapped creature can extract itself with a successful grapple check. Once it has wrapped a creature, the raggamoffyn attempts to control it on its next action.

Control Host (Su): A raggamoffyn can attempt to take control of a creature it has wrapped (as the dominate monster spell). Resisting the raggamoffyn’s control requires a successful Will save (DC 14). The monster can relinquish its control over the host by physically and mentally disengaging itself from the latter’s body.

Suffocate (Ex): The raggamoffyn can asphyxiate a wrapped creature by drawing air from its lungs. This attack automatically deals 1d4 points of damage per round.

Grell: CR 3; Medium-size Aberration; HD 5d8+10; hp 32; Init +2; Spd 5 ft., fly 30 ft. (perfect); AC 16, touch 12, flatfooted 14; BAB +3; Grap +20; Atk +4 melee (1d4+1, 10 tentacles), –1 melee (2d4, bite); Face/Reach 5 ft. across/5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacles); SA improved grab, paralysis; SQ blindsight 60 ft., immune to electricity and paralysis, tentacle regeneration; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 12, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 9.

Skills: Hide +12, Listen +4, Move Silently +12, Spot +8. Feats: Flyby Attack.

Improved Grab (Ex): If the grell hits a Medium-size or smaller opponent with a tentacle attack, it deals normal tentacle damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Each successful grapple check during successive rounds automatically deals tentacle damage

Paralysis (Ex): Any creature hit by a grell’s tentacle must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 14) or be paralyzed for 4 rounds.

Tentacle Regeneration (Ex): Foes can attack the grell’s tentacles, but only when those appendages are actually holding an opponent. A tentacle has AC 19 (touch 12) and 10 hit points. A lost tentacle grows back in 1 day

Dread Guard: CR 2; Small Construct; HD 4d10+5; hp 27; Init +0; Spd 20 ft. (can’t run); AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18; BAB +3; Grap +2; Atk +4 melee (1d4+3/×4, masterwork hook), +0 melee (1d6+1/×3, masterwork hammer); SQ cold and fire resistance 10, construct traits; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 17, Dex 11, Con —, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 2.

Possessions: Masterwork gnome hooked hammer

Pyllrak Shyraat, Male Durzagon: CR 4; Mediumsize Outsider (evil, lawful); HD 5d8+10; hp 32; Init +6; Spd 30 ft.; AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11; BAB +5; Grap +7; Atk +7 melee (1d6+2, 2 claws), +2 melee (1d6+1, bite), +2 melee (1d3+1 plus poison, beard); SA beard, poison, spell-like abilities; SQ acid, cold, electricity, and fire resistance 20; immune to paralysis, phantasms, and poison; darkvision 120 ft.; DR 10/+1; duergar traits; light sensitivity; SR 15; AL LE; SV Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 8.

Skills: Appraise +10, Diplomacy +3, Listen +11, Move Silently +14, Search +10, Sense Motive +8, Spot +11. Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Power Attack.

Languages: Common, Dwarven, Infernal, Undercommon.

Possessions: Small bone box containing 180 gp, bag of holding (Type 1) containing 4 torches, 4 tindertwigs, a 50-foot length of hemp rope, a potion of cure moderate wounds, and a potion of alter self.

Beard (Ex):If Pyllrak hits a single opponent with both claw attacks, he automatically hits with his beard attack as well.

Poison (Ex): A successful beard attack injects the victim with a sulfuric poison (Fortitude save DC 14; initial 1d4 Str damage; secondary 1d2 Str drain).

Spell-like Abilities: 3/day—darkness; 1/day—desecrate, enlarge (self only), invisibility, unholy blight. Caster level 10th; save DC 9 + spell level.

Duergar Traits: Pyllrak gains a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against goblinoids and orcs, a +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities, and a +4 dodge bonus to AC against giants.

CAMPAIGN SEED: CORYSTON PIKE

Coryston Pike’s adventuring career may have been cut short, but if she survives her experience in the Malachite Fortress, the PCs will have gained a useful ally. Her father, Dovin Pike, leads a powerful merchant cartel in the realm’s capital city, and she has access to contacts and resources not usually available to a character of her level. Her father has little respect for adventurers in general, but Coryston knows many ways to creep into his heart. She also enjoys manipulating her father’s sycophantic underlings to secure expensive items (including single-use or charged magic items) at a reduced price. Provided the heroes don’t need an item immediately, she can get it for them in 1d4+3 days at a discount (25% for potions and scrolls, 10% for everything else).

When she is not locked away in some subterranean prison, Coryston keeps abreast of events around her. PCs can tap her knowledge of local rumors, as well as her knowledge of people and places in Cauldron

CAULDRON NAME GENERATOR

If the characters explore Cauldron, you might need to generate names for innkeepers, town guards, nobles, and other NPCs. The following tables provide first and last names for Cauldronites of each of the Player’s Handbook races.

https://paizo.com/dungeonissues/97/97WebEnhancement.pdf