Stones of Discord: An Urban Unease

Uncover the plot in a Stone Age city beneath an elf's shadow.

In the bustling stone-paved city of Myra, an unexpected political machinery turns the balance of power. Humans and Elves live in an intricate web of alliances under the shadow of ancestral enmity. When strange hieroglyphs appear overnight, inciting unrest among the citizens, players must unravel the insidious political design orchestrated by an elusive villain seeking to reforge ancient hostilities. With alliances fraying, the party races against a tight 24-hour timeline, navigating city alleys and council chambers to prevent a political uprising that could topple the city's fragile balance.

The World

Context

Myra, a rare urban settlement amidst the Stone Age, thrives on an array of ingenious stone technologies. Humans and Elves communicate across racial divides via carved stones and natural symbolism, fostering an uneasy peace. Amidst this, a secretive faction employs advanced stone constructions, sowing seeds of discord using inscribed tablets to manipulate public opinion.

Concept

Intricate stone tablets carry messages and manipulate society in Stone Age Myra.

Impact

Elves manipulate these tablets to sway human society, igniting mistrust and tension between races.

The Plot

Summary

In Myra, a stone city where humans and elves coexist tenuously, stone tablets have emerged bearing cryptic symbols, presumed to be a decree from the 'Wind Keeper,' a mysterious elf elder whose influence demands attention. Players must first gain entrance to the human-hewn Executive Chamber to find evidence revealing that these tablets are forgeries meant to rouse racial tension. As they delve deeper, they recognize the cunning hand of the elusive villain orchestrating the conflict to seize power. The tablets intended to unsettle public sentiment are instead guiding societal unrest, pushing Myra to the brink of chaos. Players have 24 hours to unveil the villain's identity, deescalate tensions, and restore peace before riots engulf the city, potentially leading to an era of strife.

Complication

A prominent human council member is revealed as a puppet of the villain.

Hook

Mysterious stone tablets found bearing inflammatory messages.

World stakes

Riots could ignite a war between humans and elves.

Personal stakes

Players risk being captured as conspirators.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

Players find themselves in Myra's bustling marketplace when startling news spreads—strange tablets with unfamiliar markings have appeared. Arguments and skirmishes erupt over their meaning, threatening a fragile peace. The party must investigate and determine the source before tensions peak. Guidance from a local stone-reader reveals discrepancies that first cast doubt on their legitimacy.

Location:

Myra's sprawling marketplace, bustling with stone artisans.

Challenge:

Amidst the market chaos, find a stone-reader to interpret tablets.

Objective:

Decipher the origin of mysterious stone tablets.

Set Back:

A tablet-reading contested by factions delays conclusions.

Revelation:

Tablet symbols have inconsistencies indicating forgery.

GM's Guide:

Encourage players to interact with merchants and townsfolk to gather intel on who benefits from unrest. Anticipate varying leads that offer incomplete, competing perspectives. Balance encounters by focusing on the urgency of deciphering the messages before violence escalates.

GM's Move:

Skirmishes break out as factions form around tablet interpretations.

Act 2

Summary:

With newfound information on the inconsistencies in the tablet engravings, players seek entry into the human Executive Chamber, where political leaders deliberate. Amid heightened security, studying the chamber's collection of genuine tablets is key to proving the forgeries. Astute deduction or dexterous action leads the party to connect the clues back to a hired hand—an intermediary who knows the villain's plans.

Location:

The heavily-guarded Executive Chamber, adorned in noble stone carvings.

Challenge:

Gain trusted access within the Executive Chamber's hierarchy.

Objective:

Prove forgery by accessing the Executive Chamber’s records.

Set Back:

Key records go missing, requiring charm or stealth.

Revelation:

A council member is compromised, forwarding falsified decrees.

GM's Guide:

Increase tension by focusing on the players' need to access secured areas discreetly. Utilize guards and bureaucratic obstacles creatively to build suspense during their infiltration or negotiation.

GM's Move:

Internal guards become more suspicious and obstructive.

Act 3

Summary:

In the final act, the compromised council member's actions reveal a deeper conspiracy involving puppet manipulation by the villain in alliance with elven extremists. Players must unmask this hidden mastermind, who aims to ignite age-old enmity. Racing against time to detonate planned chaos, the players must navigate a crumbling city, balance racial tensions, and strategically unveil truth to both Elven elders and human leaders to de-escalate the host climbing tensions.

Location:

Myra's Grand Assembly, with epic stone murals overhead.

Challenge:

Present undeniable proof of the villain's manipulations.

Objective:

Unmask and stop the villain plotting racial conflict.

Set Back:

Failed negotiations risk violence, pressing players to act.

Revelation:

Villain allied secretively with radicalized elves.

GM's Guide:

Keep the pace urgent, emphasizing the ticking clock. Balance tension with opportunities for strategic intrigue and alliances to sway key NPCs from both human and elven factions.

GM's Move:

Faction leaders refuse to parley, demanding hard evidence.

Climax:

Expose the villain’s ploy, reaffirming peace through truthful diplomacy.