The Shapechangers

The Shapechangers, also known as the Polymorph Squad, are a group of associated evil characters who specialize in a unique form of crime, but who have other interests also. Full details are given below for the three core members of this group, with notes on their individual interests outside the group, and the main activities of this evil grouping.

How the Shapechangers Work

There are several steps in a typical operation by the Shapechangers. The first one, usually, is identifying the prey. For their work, the Shapechangers could easily select drunken sailors and wretches from the Slum Quarter, but they prefer adventurers and rich people for two reasons: First, adventurers (and particularly fighters, with their typically high Constitution scores) are more likely to survive the sbock of being polymorphed. Second, adventurers and rich people are likely to possess magical items or other objects of value, which the criminals can sell to raise even more money.

1f a quarry is being tracked, Harral will often discreetly check the potential victim(s) with a covertly cast detect magic to see how magic-rich the target is. (Members of the upper class are also useful because they can be held for ransom instead of being polymorphed, a second-string operation that the Shape changers are just beginning to get involved in.)

Harral covers the New City, Imogen the Old. Imogen also has paid informers in the River Quarter who alert her to any adventurer types newly arrived in town; they believe this information is for her use in picking their pockets. When a target is selected, attempts are made to get the victim into some darkened area of the city late at night. Many ways of doing this exist-comely Imogen can lavish her attentions on a male, promising fun after the bar closes; she may have a friend pose as a drunken male pest and plead with a male PC to help protect her. Harral can keep people in learned conversation until late and invite them home for a nightcap; a paid doxy in a bar can beg for help pursuing a thief who has stolen from her and enlist the help of some gallant who is lured into an ambush; and so on. The DM is encouraged lo think up devious ways of maneuvering PCs into this situation, using contacts of this group if necessary.

An attempt will be made, then, to get others to help. Usually Clannair will travel to the vicinity of the Green Dragon Inn just before closing time, under cover of invisibility, to see if Imogen has gotten lucky, but Imogen and Harral both have street-urchin contacts and can get messages to the other quickly; then the uninvolved party can fetch the dark elf in any case. If they have a possible group of victims on their hands, they may send out for the help of Tamek McGloogan (see below) for any rough stuff.

The Shapechangers are heavily rehearsed, and Clannair and Harral are very smart. They will spring an ambush on the victim in some dark alleyway or street. Both will be invisible, and Harral will have precast defensive spells such as protection from good and, above all, shield (this lasts 45 minutes, and will be precast well before the action). Minor globe of invulnerability will only be used if there is reason to believe that the victim(s) may be able to use spells. Fly will be precast by both NPCs, if possible.

If Harral is accompanying the PC victim, then all efforts will be made to have Tamek intercept the group. Tamek will appear to be drunk, staggering along, barge into the PC and knock him down. This gives Harral time at least to cast his shield and fly spells. which he deems essential. Then the trap will be sprung.

Both spellcasters will use spells that in capacitate the victim; hold person, slow , stinking cloud, web from the drow. while Harral will pull out his wand of paralyzation after using the hold monster spell. Harral uses dispel magic to destroy any effect such as a hold spell from a PC affecting a friend of his, and keeps lightning bolt for emergencies (such as a powerful, plate-armored fighter flying at him). The aim of the game is always to overcome the victim, and as well as spells the poisoned weapons of drow and the thief are important in this respect.

The polymorph spells and wand are used when the victim has been overcome-paralyzed, made unconscious, etc. The polymorph other spell is used to turn the victim(s) into a creature or monster whose body parts can be used in the manufacture of magical inks, potions, and the like. Elves are a favorite target, since their blood and bone marrow is used for the much-in-demand potion of longevity, but a victim may be polymorphed into almost anything.

Sometimes, not all of the creature is needed and indeed could not be used; the hearts and sinews of giants are used in potions of giant strength, but a whole giant could hardly be delivered to the Guild of Wizardry, so usually in such a case the Shapechangers take the victim off to Clannair's subterranean gloom, then polymorph him, and do any home butchery necessary, Harral casting a dispel magic finally to return the corpse to its natural form so that it can be disposed of (usually by dumping it in the river with stones to weight it down) the next night. The polymorphed creature (or part thereof is shipped in a box or crate to Kondradis Bubka (see Chapter 3) at the Guild of Wizards, marked for the attention of Heironymous Tigana. This ship ment is made up by Tarnek McGloogan at McGloogan's Warehouse in the River Quarter (location R6). Monies payable are collected by Harral, and shared between all involved.

One final note: Clannair sometimes operates solo, using his hold person, web, and stinking cloud spells to disable his victim, then his crossbow bolts if necessary, and then gets down to his ghoulish work.

Adventures With the Shapechangers

This group is strong and dangerous, so the DM must think carefully about how to bring them into an adventure. Turning them loose on one or two PCs guarantees that the Polymorph Squad will win if they have their ambush tactics set up right. Instead, PCs should be involved not by being set up as targets, but indirectly. They may be hired to help find a missing person (a victim a worker at McGloogan's might break down in an inn the PCs are in and mutter that he saw the arm of an elf being stuffed inside a crate; and so on. The DM must also realize that if fully uncovered, the plots of the Shapechangers will lead to a senior mage and alchemist within the Guild of Wizardry, which could be a paliticarly explosive issue if handled wrongly by them.