6. Finding the Saboteur - Hommlet

In the village of Hommlet, strange events are unfolding at the Doomwatch Keep construction site. Lord Burne has discovered that the blueprints for the keep were tampered with and suspects a saboteur among the workers. The PCs are tasked with uncovering the spy and bringing them to justice before they can cause further damage.

Quest Details

After establishing a good rapport with Lord Rufus and Lord Burne of Doomwatch Keep, the PCs are approached by Burne at the 7. The Inn of the Welcome Wench. Burne expresses his concerns about recent suspicious activity involving the keep's blueprints. Although they were returned, traces of charcoal dust indicate that someone may have copied them. Burne fears that a saboteur is among the workers and requests the PCs' help in identifying and apprehending the culprit.

Objectives

• Investigate the Doomwatch Keep construction site.
• Identify and capture the saboteur.
• Bring the saboteur to Burne for questioning.

Investigation Options

• Spying on the Work Camp: The PCs can observe the work camp (32. Tent Town) from a distance, looking for any suspicious behavior among the laborers. They might notice someone sneaking around at night or acting nervously during the day.
• Using Detection Spells: Spells such as Detect Thoughts or Detect Evil and Good can be used to sense the presence of the saboteur. The PCs can move through the camp, subtly casting these spells to scan the workers.
• Interviewing Workers: The PCs can take a more direct approach, questioning the workers about any unusual activity. This might require some persuasion or intimidation, depending on the workers' loyalty and fear of the saboteur.
• Watching the Trading Post: The saboteur might be working with Rannos Davl and Gremag Gozlin, the shady traders in town. The PCs can stake out the trading post, looking for any clandestine meetings or exchanges of information.

Suspicious Character

Joseph is indeed a suspicious character. In the context of the Village of Hommlet, he is depicted as a secret agent of the Temple of Elemental Evil. His role is to spy on the construction of Doomwatch Keep, and he is suspected of sabotaging the blueprints for the keep's construction. Joseph's demeanor, his involvement in the building of the castle wall, and his secret meetings with cultists make him a figure of suspicion. His sinister appearance, including a pointed cropped beard and slick hair, further adds to his untrustworthy nature. Players who investigate him are likely to uncover his duplicitous role in the village.

Steps in the Investigation

for Joseph in the campaign could involve a few possible directions, depending on how the players interact with him and the overall flow of the adventure. Here are some suggestions:

1. Discovery and Confrontation

• Suspicious Behavior: If the players are keeping an eye on Joseph, they might notice more suspicious behavior, such as secretive meetings with unknown individuals late at night, or him sneaking around the construction site.
• Confrontation: The players could decide to confront Joseph directly. Depending on their approach, this could lead to a fight, with Joseph trying to escape or cover his tracks. He might even have a hidden escape plan or a signal to call for backup from fellow cultists.

2. Interrogation and Confession

• Capture: If the players manage to capture Joseph, they can interrogate him to learn more about the Temple of Elemental Evil's plans. Joseph might confess under pressure, revealing valuable information about the cult’s operations in Hommlet and the surrounding area.
• False Information: Alternatively, Joseph might try to mislead the players with false information, setting them up for an ambush or leading them away from more critical operations.

3. Escape and Report

• Escape Attempt: If Joseph feels cornered, he may attempt to flee the village. This could trigger a chase sequence, with the players needing to track him down before he escapes to report back to his superiors.
• Message Delivery: If he successfully escapes, Joseph might deliver a report to the higher-ranking members of the cult, leading to increased cultist activity and further threats to the village.

4. Unveiling a Bigger Plot

• Cultist Network: By investigating Joseph's contacts and movements, the players might uncover a broader network of cultists operating within or around Hommlet. This could lead to a larger quest where the players must dismantle this network and protect the village.
• Sabotage Expanded: Joseph’s sabotage might not be limited to the blueprints. The players could discover additional sabotage attempts, such as weakening the foundation of the keep, poisoning supplies, or inciting discontent among the laborers.

5. Rannos and Gremag Involvement

• Connection to Traders: The players might uncover a link between Joseph and the unscrupulous traders, Rannos and Gremag, leading to a broader investigation into the traders' involvement with the cult. This could eventually result in a significant encounter where the players must run Rannos and Gremag out of town or bring them to justice.
• After the the contruction is completed: Post-keep construction, Joseph is slated to assume a security role for Rannos Davl, maintaining his undercover status while continuing his espionage activities.

Outcome

If the PCs successfully capture Joseph, Burne will be impressed with their abilities and reward them handsomely. This success could lead to further quests, such as "Running Rannos and Gremag out of Town," where the PCs work to dismantle the cult's influence in Hommlet.

Reward

• 100 XP for identifying Joseph as the saboteur.
• 150 XP for capturing Joseph alive and bringing him to Burne.
• A Potion of Invisibility from Burne as a token of appreciation.
• 50 gp from Burne for their efforts.

Follow-Up Quest

Running Rannos and Gremag out of Town
If Joseph is captured and questioned, he will reveal his connections to the traders Rannos and Gremag, who are also secretly agents of the Temple of Elemental Evil. The PCs can take on the task of driving these traitors out of Hommlet, further weakening the Temple’s hold on the region.
Objective

• Confront Rannos and Gremag, expose their treachery, and force them to leave Hommlet.

Rewards

• 300 XP for successfully driving Rannos and Gremag out of town.
• 200 gp worth of goods and a +1 weapon found in their shop.

Joseph Millar's Recruitment and Clandestine Operations

Recruitment by High Priest Romag Joseph Millar was specifically recruited by High Priest Romag, a prominent figure within the Earth faction of the Temple of Elemental Evil. Romag's strategy to infiltrate and destabilize the region of Verbobonc led him to select Joseph for his adeptness at espionage and subterfuge. The high priest saw potential in Joseph's desperate circumstances in Dyvers and offered him a role that not only promised sustenance and security but also leveraged his skills for greater, albeit darker, purposes.

Assignment to Hommlet

Upon recruitment, Joseph was dispatched to Hommlet with the primary objective of monitoring and sabotaging the construction of Doomwatch Keep. He was instructed to integrate into the local workforce as a simple laborer, which would provide him ample cover to observe and interfere without drawing suspicion.

Collaboration with Local Operatives

Joseph's operations in Hommlet are supported by Rannos Davl and Gremag Gozlin, who run the D&G Dry Goods & General Mercantile. These two are deeply involved in the cult's activities and serve as Joseph's direct contacts within the town. Their store acts as a façade for the movement of goods and information pertinent to the cult's interests, including smuggling and communication with other cult cells.

Connection with The Hangmen

Further strengthening the cult's grip in the area, Joseph indirectly coordinates with The Hangmen, a notorious bandit group led by Naelin. This group frequently interacts with Rannos and Gremag, engaging in trade that often includes slaves and stolen goods, which are funneled back to the Temple or used to fund their operations. Naelin's ties with High Priest Romag facilitate a flow of resources and information that is crucial for the Temple's regional strategies.

Joseph by 3orcs

The Saboteur

The saboteur is Joseph Millar, a laborer at the work camp who is secretly an agent of the Temple of Elemental Evil. He was placed at the construction site to spy on the activities of Burne and Rufus, reporting back to the cultists on the progress of the keep.

Joseph, Secret Temple Agent

• AC: 10
• Level: 2 Fighter
• HP: 14
• Attack: Dagger +1 (3-6 damage) or Club (1-6 damage)
• XP: 48
• Abilities: S 17, I 12, W 7, D 12, Co 16, Ch 11

Joseph is skilled in subterfuge and will attempt to flee if discovered. If the PCs manage to capture him, they can bring him to Burne for interrogation.

Parent Plot

Hommlet - Local Side Quests

Related Characters

• Gremag Gozlin
• Joseph Millar
• Lord Burne
• Lord Rufus
• Rannos Davl

Related Locations

• 13. D&G Dry Goods & General Mercantile
• 30. Doomwatch Keep Construction Site
• 32. Tent Town
• Village of Hommlet

Capture

1. Captured and Interrogated

• Confession: If the players manage to capture Joseph and successfully interrogate him, he might confess to his role as a saboteur and reveal information about the Temple of Elemental Evil’s plans. He could then be turned over to Lord Burne and Lord Rufus for further questioning or punishment.
• Execution: Given the severity of his betrayal, particularly in a time of potential war and treachery, Joseph might be executed by Rufus and Burne orders for the Badgers Captain. Or by order of the Elder Kenter Sr. to have the Militia Captain Fletcher to hang him, serving as a warning to any other potential traitors within Hommlet.

2. Escape

• Successful Escape: If Joseph realizes he has been discovered, he might attempt to flee the village before the players or authorities can catch him. If he succeeds, he could regroup with other cultists and continue his sabotage efforts elsewhere. His escape might lead to a chase or a future encounter where the players must confront him again, possibly at a more critical juncture in the campaign.
• Failing to Escape: If Joseph attempts to flee but is caught by the players, he might try to fight his way out. If defeated, he could be captured and interrogated, or he might die in the attempt, taking any secrets he holds to the grave.

3. Betrayal and Redemption

• Double Agent: In a twist, Joseph could be convinced by the players or authorities to act as a double agent. Pretending to still work for the cult, he could feed false information to the cultists while secretly aiding the players. This redemption arc could be a way for Joseph to atone for his actions, but it also puts him in great danger if the cultists discover his duplicity.
• Sacrifice: If Joseph feels cornered or is coerced by the players, he might offer himself up as a sacrifice, either in battle or by willingly going to his death to protect his loved ones or to atone for his actions. This could add a tragic element to his character’s arc.

4. Death in Battle

• Fighting to the End: If the players confront Joseph in combat, he might fight to the death, either out of loyalty to the cult or because he believes there’s no other way out. His death could reveal clues about the cult’s plans, either through documents found on his body or through his last words.
• Cultist Retribution: If Joseph tries to flee or if the cultists believe he’s been compromised, they might turn on him, sending assassins to eliminate him before he can betray them. This could lead to a dramatic scene where the players find Joseph wounded or dying, giving them a final chance to learn what he knows.

5. Forgiveness and Exile

• Spared by the Players: If the players capture Joseph but decide to spare his life, he could be exiled from Hommlet with a warning never to return. His fate would then be uncertain, leaving the possibility open for a future encounter where he either seeks revenge or tries to make amends.
• Forced to Flee: Even if the players don’t directly cause his death or capture, Joseph might decide that Hommlet is no longer safe for him. He could disappear into the night, leaving behind clues or signs of his departure. His fate would be left unresolved, creating an ongoing mystery in the campaign.