Identity Crisis

v. 1.1

Introduction: In the city of Calimport, nothing is ever as it seems. A Mad Wizard's Convention
returns as is yearly tradition. Coinciding with the Mad Wizard's Convention are elections for the 16
wards of Calimport. An up-and-coming politician gives his rival a bauble acquired from the Mad
Wizard's Convention. Will it pave his way to newfound political power? Or will it cause an Identity
Crisis?

A 2-4 hour adventure for 5th-10th level characters

by KALEA WOLFF

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IDENTITY CRISIS

Background
All discomfort comes from suppressing your true identity.
Bryan McGill, Voice of Reason
Mehmen Khalid a highly charismatic and beloved leader
of the Grand Ward is a curious businessman and collector
of magical oddities. He commissioned renowned WizardSantoryn Graybuck to Dispel Magic on a curious gem given
to him by his current political competition for the upcoming ward leadership elections, Mular Manaad (Noble). The
gem contained a Death Slaad that, once freed, quick-cast
Cloudkill engulfing Mehmen Khalid and Santoryn Graybuck killing them instantly.
The next night, after assuming Mehmen Khalid's identity,
the Death Slaad goes to the Khanduq ward where Khalid's
warehouse resides. Because it's been so long since this
Death Slaad has been able to kill, he kills the first people
he sees. The victims are four of Khalid's warehouse
workers (Commoner). Upon seeing the evil glint in his eye,
they turn to flee. As they're running, he again casts
Cloudkill enveloping them in the poisonous gas killing
them instantly.
Mular Manaad had every intention of using this imprisoned Death Slaad to take out his competition, but he didn't
intend on there being collateral damage. Manaad realized
that without some form of intervention there was no way
he'd win the upcoming election against Khalid.

Adventure Hooks
Tourists: The mad wizard convention is a highly anticipated,
yearly convention that happens in the Wizard's Ward of
Calimport for a full ten-day. The convention offers workshops from expert Wizards and Sorcerers in various schools
of magic. Higher level parties can also acquire various magical items to augment their inventories. These range from
trinkets to enchanted weapons and armor.
Missing Person: While the party is checking out the Mad
Wizard's Convention, they are approached by the staff of the
convention. Santoryn Graybuck failed to show up for his
panel, Dispelling: The Myth, the Magic, the Mystery.
Crime Scene: While walking through Calimport on the way
to the convention, the party could come across the crime
scene. If the party asks about what happened, the City Guard
will mention that these murders happened last night, but so
far they don't have any solid leads.
Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.

Part 1: The Plot Thickens

The area surrounding the Mad Wizard's convention is
abuzz with activity. While Calimport is always busy, it
seems it's even more busy now. Constant streams of people
flow into and out of the large sandstone building.

Mad Wizard's Convention

It is early in the morning when the adventurer's arrive in
the Wizard's ward.

General Features
The general features of the streets of Calimport at this time are
as follows:
Light: The light cast over the city is dim to start, casting
heavy shadows over this portion of the city. As with any
sunrise, the light will eventually bathe the city in brightness.
Sounds: Calimport is a bustling city. Merchants hawk their
wares nearby. The sounds of horses pulling carts and
general foot traffic fill the busy streets. Camels also
break the silence with their hideous sounds. Music from
nearby street performers hangs in the air.
Smells: The smells of incense and other magical components hang heavy in the air.
The Mad Wizard's Convention is held in the Wizard's Ward
of Calimport. The Wizard's Ward is located near the
harbor of Calimport. It is a major center of commerce and
government for the arcane users of the city. Once the
players arrive at the Convention House, read the following
aloud:
Entering the Wizard's Ward of Calimport, signs
direct the party to a large sandstone building
in the center of the ward. Colorful banners
hang from the roof of the building. They read
Mad Wizard's Convention. Wizards, sorcerers,
nobles and commoners alike shuffle in and out
of the convention house.

Upon entering the convention house, vending

areas are laid out to the left where table upon
table is filled with magical baubles and
trinkets as well as magically enchanted weapons
and armor. To the right signs on easels declare
the schedule of the various classes currently
in session, as well as classes yet to come.

IDENTITY CRISIS

Characters with a passive Perception of 10 or higher notice a

large red strip of paint covering one of the classes listed on
the easel. It reads Dispelling: The Myth, the Magic, the
Mystery Santoryn Graybuck Canceled. If the characters
ask any of the staff working the convention about this
canceled class they are told the following:

Santoryn Graybuck didn't show up for his panel this

morning.

He was last seen yesterday evening at his

merchandise booth with Mehmen Khalid.

Both men left together shortly after concluding a

business deal and Graybuck didn't return.

Crime Scene
If the party enters Calimport from the Northwest, it is possible for them to arrive at the crime scene before the Mad
Wizard's Convention. Once the players arrive at the crime
scene read the following aloud:

The streets of the Khanduq ward, the commerce

center of Calimport, bustle but traffic seems
to flow awkwardly. In the distance, streams of
people seem to flow around an obstruction of
the right hand side. Approaching closer, you
see than an entire street is cordoned off by
the city guard. Several Guards are inspecting
four freshly dead bodies on the ground near a
warehouse toward the end of the street. A sign
on the building identifies it as Khalid's
Holdings.

The crime scene is being handled by Captain Dwyer (Veteran) and 3 Guards. The party can get the following information from Captain Dwyer with a DC 15 Persuasion (Charisma) check.

The mass murder happened last night.

The victims are workers of Mehmen Khalid.

Khalid is a highly charismatic, well-known, and
respected businessman and politician of the area.

The investigation is happening outside Khalid's

warehouse. It stores general goods.

The bodies were discovered by the other workers

as they were leaving to go home this morning.
Regardless of the party's success or failure of the Charisma
check, Captain Dwyer offers:

The City Guard admits they've run into a dead end

and would welcome any help the party would be
willing to provide.
Captain Dwyer offers to pay the party 500 gold for their
help in this matter. The fee is non-negotiable and is the
city's standard going rate for hiring mercenaries to help
with city affairs.
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Investigating the Crime Scene

After the party agrees to help Captain Dwyer, they are allowed inside the cordoned area to begin their investigations.
Any party member casting Detect Magic can see a 20 foot
radius of Conjuration magic that seems to radiate from the
center of the dead bodies. If the party doesn't have Detect
Magic they can make a DC 15 Arcana (Intelligence) check.
Detect Magic does not let the party know this, but it is detecting
the 20 foot radius of Cloudkill the Death Slaad impersonating
Mehmen Khalid used to kill the workers.

A DC 20 Investigation (Intelligence) check will find 3 small

intricately carved gems red, blue, and green in color lying
on the ground. It will also turn up some wilted desert plant
life between the wall of the warehouse and the ground
where Cloudkill rolled along the ground as it spread out
and eventually dispersed.
The party can also find two witnesses in the houses near
the warehouse. Khasif Sayiid, a human-male in his midthirties, heard screams around the morning at one bell.
When he looked out his closed window, he saw a fog of
greenish-yellow. He didn't see the killer however.
The other witness, Ranka Milkan, a strikingly beautiful
Moon Elf with long white hair offers that she heard
screams, followed by silence. She then reports seeing an
eerie fog and Mular Manaad walking away from the fog
toward the opposite end of the street.

Part 2: Hot on the Trail

Provided the party has been to both the Mad Wizard's
Convention and the crime scene they should now have enough
clues to get started on further investigations.

Mehmen Khalid's Estate

Khalid's estate is on the edge of the Grand Ward between the
Khanduq and Quill wards. Because of the time that's been
spent so far tracking down clues, it is early afternoon by the
time the party arrives.
If they take the direct route and knock on the door, they are
met with an elderly human dressed in fine servant's garb. He
greets the party with a very business-like demeanor,
especially if they ask after Mehmen Khalid. The party can
learn the following from him with a DC 15 Persuasion
(Charisma) check:
IDENTITY CRISIS

Khalid arrived home late yesterday afternoon with

an associate the butler had never seen before.

Khalid gave explicit instructions after dinner that he

was not to be disturbed for the remainder of the
evening.

Khalid hasn't been seen since last night.

The butler has tried to knock on Khalid's door, but

hasn't received an answer.

A DC 25 Persuasion (Charisma) check will allow the

party up into Khalid's room to investigate.
On the east side of the house, a second story window is open.
A pair of dead birds lie outside the estate below the window.
A DC 15 Survival (Wisdom) check will reveal that they've
been poisoned. Players can attempt to climb into the window
with a DC 20 Athletics (Strength) check. This open window
leads directly to Mehmen Khalid's room. Players entering
are immediately met with the sight of a dead body, lying face
down at the right foot of the bed. A DC 15 Perception
(Wisdom) or DC 15 Insight (Wisdom) check will reveal that
it's Santoryn Graybuck. Graybuck's staff is beside him, still
clutched in his hand.
To the right of the players is a closet filled with similar robes.
Each robe is white in color with gold and silver embroidered
decorations. Each hem is encrusted with alternating red,
green and blue gems.
Detect Magic or a DC 15 Arcana (Intelligence) check reveals
the strong presence of Conjuration and Abjuration magic
covering the entire room. A dull gray gem the size of an
average human thumb is highlighted by the Abjuration magic.
Players can also find the gem lying at the foot of Khalid's bed
with a DC 15 Investigation (Intelligence) check.

Finding Mular Manaad

Mular Manaad is actively campaigning in the Grand Ward to
try and win support for the upcoming election. While he is
not evil, his ambition to win has driven him past the typical
morally-acceptable line. He purchased a gem from the Mad
Wizard's Convention that contained an imprisoned Death
Slaad. The merchant at the booth he purchased it from
wasn't sure what kind of creature it was, only that it was
dangerous. Manaad knew that Khalid's curiousity would
get the better of him however and that he'd have the magic
dispelled.
Manaad wears robes similar to the ones that they discovered
in Khalid's mansion. These robes are a distinguishing
feature of Calishite noble office. Should they search for it, the
party will find that Manaad's robe is missing only a green
gem on the bottom hem of the garment. However, the gems
perfectly match the gems found at the crime scene. This
requires a DC 20 Investigation or Perception (Wisdom) check

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The party can find Mular Manaad in the Grand Ward with a
DC 10 Survival (Wisdom) check as he is making no moves to
cover his tracks.
The party can interrogate Manaad using DC 20 Persuasion
(Charisma) or Intimidation (Charisma) checks. He will give
the party the following information:

He felt that he needed an edge to beat Khalid in

the elections since Khalid has won by a landslide
for the last 10 years.

He bought the gem that had the creature inside.

The merchant warned him that there was a
dangerous beast inside the gem, but he didn't
know what kind.

He intended the gem to kill Khalid, but not other

innocent bystanders.

Part 3: The Final Showdown

Hopefully by now the party has figured out that something is
amiss with Mehmen Khalid. While they may not know what
creature was trapped in the gem, they should at least
recognize that Mehmen Khalid is no longer alive and that
his form has been assumed by the Death Slaad.

Showdown in the Market

When the party finally find Mehmen Khalid he is in the
markets of the Grand Ward. He is wandering around, looking
for easy prey. If the party confronts him directly, he will react
violently and initiate combat. He'll try to catch as many
people in the Cloudkill radius as possible.
Once Khalid has been reduced to 25% of his total health
(roughly 50 HP) he will revert back to his true form and
show himself to be a Death Slaad. If he gets extremely low
on health, he will try to use Plane Shift to go back to the
Plane of Limbo to return at a later time with more Slaadi. The
Death Slaad's ultimate plan had he not been confronted by
the party was to infiltrate the various seats of power in each
of the 16 wards by using other Slaadi to impersonate their
current leaders. However, if the party needs a morale boost,
feel free to let him be destroyed.
Adjusting the Encounter:
If your party is significantly weaker or more powerful than the
suggested challenge rating, you may modify the Death Slaad as
follows:
Party Significantly Weaker than CR: Reduce hitpoints by 60. Cast
Cloudkill as a warning to the party, killing only civilians. This
warning cast should not deal damage to the party.
Party Significantly Stronger than CR: Increase hitpoints by 60. Add
an additional cast of Fear and Fireball. Set Regeneration to 20.

IDENTITY CRISIS

Treasure
Upon killing the Death Slaad and returning to the City
Guard, the party is given the reward of 500 gold (total) as
promised. They are given an extra 300 gold (total) if they
are able to turn in Mular Manaad.

Santoryn Graybuck's staff is a staff of Spell Storing. It

is an intricately carved staff with the head of an eagle
at the top. Below the eagle, the wood looks braided
for several twists before blending smoothly into the
remainder of the handle. The staff is capable of
storing 45 levels of spells. When found, the staff
contains:

Cantrips: 5 Abjuration Cantrips (chosen by the DM)

Level 1:

Level 2: Arcane Lock

Level 3: Dispel Magic

Level 4: Banishment

Level 5: Planar Binding

Level 6: Guards and Wards

Level 7: Symbol

Level 8: Antimagic Field

Level 9: Prismatic Wall

The level of the spell determines the amount of space it takes

up within the staff. The staff weighs 4 pounds.

XP
The party earns 5900 XP (divided among all members) for
defeating the Death Slaad. They also gain 300 XP for
capturing Mular Manaad and turning him in to the city
guard.

STR
13 (+1)

DEX
12 (+1)

CON
12 (+1)

INT
10 (+0)

WIS
11 (+0)

CHA
10 (+0)

Skills: Perception +2
Senses: passive Perception 12
Languages: any one language (usually Common)
Challenge: 1/8 (25 XP)

Actions
Spear: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.
or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage

Guard
Medium Humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class: 16 (chain shirt, shield)

Hit points: 11(2d8 + 2 )
Speed 30 feet

STR
13 (+1)

DEX
12 (+1)

CON
12 (+1)

INT
10 (+0)

WIS
11 (+0)

CHA
10 (+0)

Skills: Perception +2
Senses: passive Perception 12
Languages: any one language (usually Common)
Challenge: 1/8 (25 XP)

Actions

APPENDIX A: Monster/NPC
Statistics

Spear: Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.

or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.

Commoner

Death Slaad

Medium Humanoid (any race), any alignment

Death Slaad are not a part of OGL content. Please see the Monster Manual p. 278 for stat block.

Armor Class: 16 (chain shirt, shield)

Hit points: 11(2d8 + 2 )
Speed 30 feet

Noble
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class: 15 (breastplate)

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IDENTITY CRISIS

Hit Points: 9 (2d8)

Speed: 30 ft.

STR
11 (+0)

DEX
12 (+1)

Actions

CON
11 (+0)

INT
12 (+1)

WIS
14 (+2)

CHA
16 (+3)

Skills: Deception +5, Insight +4, Persuasion +5

Senses: passive Perception 12
Languages: any two languages
Challenge: 1/8 (25 XP)

Multiattack:. The veteran makes two longsword attacks. If

it has a shortsword drawn, it can also make a shortsword
attack.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3)
slashing damage if used with two hands.

Appendix B: NPC Summary

This section is provided to the DM to help keep track of the
various NPCs present in the adventure.

Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.

Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage.

Captain Dwyer Head of the City Guard's investigation

team, responsible for helping to solve the murder of Khalid's
warehouse employees. He stands 6 feet tall and wears the
city guard's uniform. Handsome and pleasant to deal with as
long as he's not crossed.

Reactions: Parry. The noble adds 2 to its AC against one

melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the noble must
see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.

Khasif Sayiid A mid-thirties human male who lives near

Khalid's Warehouse in the Khanduq ward. He was a witness
to the murders of the warehouse employees. He lives across
the street to the Northwest of Khalid's warehouse.

Actions

Nobles wield great authority and influence as

members of the upper class, possessing wealth and
connections that can make them as powerful as
monarchs and generals. A noble often travels in
the company of guards, as well as servants who
are commoners. The nobles statistics can also be
used to represent courtiers who arent of noble
birth.

Veteran

Armor Class: 17 (splint)

Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.

DEX
13 (+1)

CON
14 (+2)

INT
10 (+0)

WIS
11 (+0)

Mular Manaad A High Elf political rival of Mehmen Khalid.

Seeing that his campaign efforts were proving to be fruitless,
he took matters into his own hands and plotted an
assassination for Khalid by way of a gem of imprisonment.
Ranka Milkan A venerable and strikingly beautiful Moon
Elf (High Elf) with long flowing white hair and pale blue eyes.
She was witness to the murders of the warehouse employees.
She lives to the east of Khalid's warehouse on the opposite
side of the street.
Santoryn Graybuck A renowned Wizard in the school of
Abjuration, he was commissioned by Mehmen Khalid to
dispel the magic on the gem of imprisonment. He was killed
by the Death Slaad contained within after being surprised by
its Cloudkill.

Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

STR
16 (+3)

Mehmen Khalid A charismatic and well-respected political

leader and businessman and of the Grand Ward in Calimport.
He was recently killed and replaced by a Death Slaad.

CHA
10 (+0)

Skills: Athletics +5, Perception +2

Senses: passive Perception 12
Languages: any one language (usually Common)
Challenge: 3 (700 XP)

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IDENTITY CRISIS