The Tiger’s Song
need to be familiar with the overall storyline so
Overview
Far to the east, in the Feathered City, a night hag
has made enemies with a mysterious demon. The
fiends’ struggle for dominance over the souls of
the city has spilled over into the alleys and royal
courts of the city. The hag enlists the help of the
city’s princess, but realizes heroes will be needed
to actually find and destroy the fiend. The hag
finds the party and steals one of their souls to use
a bartering chip and to send the characters on a
quest to find and destroy her enemy.
This is an adventure quickly becomes a cat and
mouse game, where the characters are scrambling
to stay one step ahead of powerful enemies. The
adventure is filled with sparse, but deadly,
combat. Player deaths are very possible, and the
difficulty can seem unfair at times.
Note: There are strong horror elements to this
story as well, and some graphic scenes may not
be appropriate for all players.
Using This Adventure
This adventure is designed to be used with the
fifth edition of the world’s most popular role-
playing game - the one we can’t name due to
trademark laws. To avoid being sued into the
lowest depths of hell, we’ve taken great care to
avoid using that game’s intellectual property.
Monster names appear in bold, and you’ll have to
use the monster codex, or bestiary for the core
system for their stats. Custom monsters are
marked with an asterisk* and their stats appear in
the appendices of this adventure.
Non-Linear Storytelling
This is a non-linear story. The characters will be
able to move freely through the city, investigate
and follow up on various leads, and be mislead by
red herrings. There are several main story points
that must happen, generally in order, to keep the
story moving along. As the game master, you will
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you can keep it moving, we break this down for
you in the following sections.
Keep in mind this is a horror-mystery adventure,
build tension and drama: if they are paranoid that
death lurks in every shadow and that anyone
could be the demon, they you’re doing a great
job!
Encounter Difficulty
This adventure is designed for 5 level 7 (APL of
7) characters. This adventure shouldn’t be
attempted by characters lower than level 5. Use
the following guidelines to determine your
party’s strength:
• 3 characters, or APL 5-6: Very Weak
• 3-4 characters, or APL 5-6: Weak
• 5 characters, APL 7: Use as designed, this is the
intended level
• 6-7 characters, or APL 8: Strong
• 6-7 characters, or APL 9: Very Strong
Adventure Hook
The characters are stalked by the Night Mother, a
night hag who targets the character with the
lowest Charisma score. Each night, the victim is
subjected to terrible nightmares with recurring
images of faceless children, streets filled with
blood, and the burning presence of a foul,
terrifying evil. Nothing seems to help cure these
nightmares, and on the third night, read the
following:
You wake with a gasp and see the hideous, withered face
of a crone hunched over your bed. Curved black horns
sprout from her head and in clawed hands she holds a
blackened skull, eye sockets glowing with a pale light.
She pounces on your chest. You struggle, but are far
weaker than the hag. She leans forward and plants
cracked and ragged lips on your mouth! Leaping from
you, she says:
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The Tiger’s Song
“Your soul burns brightly, hero. I saw it like a beacon
across the ethereal plane. I loathe having to return it,
but I shall, if you drive my enemy from the Feathered
City. A powerful demon rules that place now, from a
throne of shadows. He’s woven such a net of lies around
him that even I, the Night Mother, cannot know who he
truly is. Take this, and crush it under the light of the
moon when you are ready to face the demon with no
name.”
She drops the skull on your bed, and fades into
shadowstuff, vanishing into the world between worlds.
The night hag has stolen the character’s soul,
preventing them from being raised from the dead
unless the hag agrees, but otherwise offering no
penalties. If the party completes her quest, she
will return it as promised. There’s more details
about the Night Mother in Appendix A.
Learning More
The characters may want to investigate the Night
Mother or the Feathered City before moving on.
The Night Mother. The creature was a night hag,
and any character at this level with training in
religion or arcana will easily identify her as such.
Characters versed in history will know of tales of
the Night Mother, a hag that has haunted the
Feathered City for ages. She’s known to offer
healing in return for a hefty price, often the soul
of an innocent person.
The Blackened Skull. An identify spell or
Intelligence (Arcana) DC 14 check reveals the
skull to be a gate to the ethereal plane. When
used as the hag prescribes, it transports the
characters to the ethereal plane and summons the
hag and her ghostly minions to the characters.
The Feathered City. A prominent city in the far
east (or other exotic local), the Feathered City is
a hub for aerial transport. Characters trained in
history, geography, or have special knowledge
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about trade routes or caravans, can easily relay
tales of the mountain city, including information
on the brotherhood of monks that dwell on the
mountains protecting the city.
Feel free to give your player’s a few hints about
the royal family, political factions, or the
merchants that call the city home.
When they decide to finally use the skull, read
the following:
The skull crumbles and a gray mist rises up around you.
The hag waits for you in the swirling fog of the ether.
Six ghostly warriors, clad in scaled armor of eastern
make, flank her. She points to you and growls, “We hold
no love for each other, heroes, but a common enemy binds
us. I will uphold my word and return your soul, if you do
not fail me. Beyond these mists waits the Feathered City.
Seek the Princess Sutora at the shrine of the Silent
Goddess, she aids me and knows much of the demon that
haunts us.”
She opens a portal in the ether that leads to the
Feathered City. She will not converse here, and
forces the characters onward.
Mystery Overview
Once they step through the portal, the characters
are part of the mystery that has embroiled the
Feathered City. Use this quick guide to get a
sense of what has happened and what will
happen. Read through the appendices as well and
know the NPCs and their factions. The characters
should feel free to explore leads and make
assumptions on their own, that means you have
to be comfortable winging it.
The Missing Children. All of this trouble began
with a rash of missing children. The Night
Mother knows the children are being stolen from
their homes by a demon, but she doesn’t know
who or what is encroaching on her territory.
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Though the Night Mother is far from good, she
considers this place her’s and she is unwilling to
allow another fiend spread their own form of
corruption and malice. In her hunt for the culprit,
the hag discovered an unlikely ally in the city’s
royal daughter, Princess Sutora.
The Princess. The princess has been investigating
the children herself, and has evidence that they
may have been taken to a brothel. The princess’s
handmaiden, and bodyguard, Vandi was wounded
during one such investigation, a wound that
became a terrible, rotting affliction. Desperate for
help, but afraid to seek it openly, the princess
called upon the Night Mother. When the hag’s
healing failed to cure the affliction, the Night
Mother sought the character’s ‘help.’ Soon after
the characters arrive, the princess is found
murdered in the streets and they are suspects.
The Investigation. Drawn into this mystery
against their will, the characters will struggle to
find clues, gather allies, and simply survive.
There are several factions they can meet along the
way, some offer aid, others will be enemies. Use
the adventure and appendices to add characters,
scenes, and interest.
What’s Really Happening. The Night Mother is
only partially correct - there isn’t just one fiend
threatening the Feathered City, but three. A
rakshasa, disguised as the halfling merchant,
Berrim; the commander of the city watch, Ireki;
and the leader of the thieves’ guild, Xevos are
working together to abduct children, whom they
devour.
The rakshasa’s ultimate plan? He has been
abducting children to feed his grotesque
appetites, but also to create a climate of fear.
Using his status as a merchant, the rakshasa has
been sending adventuring parties and other do-
gooders to their death while spreading rumors of
demons and fiends loose in the city. He wants to
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lay the blame for all of his sins at the feet of the
monks. He seeks a coutal egg, the unborn son of
his ancient enemy, a winged serpent once
worshiped by the monks.
His plans are at risk because the princess has
located his lair in the bottom of a brothel and can
ruin his disguise as Berrim. The princess was
murdered at his command, and his ally Ireki,
pinning the attack on her new allies -the
characters - ensures the demon gets away with
his plan.
The Feathered City
Nine hundred years ago, only a monastery stood
over the mountain valleys of this lush, jungled
vale. The Brothers of Rain and Sun, they were
monks dedicated to the perfection of martial arts
and the study of mediation, peace, and harmony.
Lead by a coutal, they sent holy men, warriors,
and clerics across the eastern world to spread
their messages of peace.
In time, others found the vale and the Feathered
City slowly emerged on terraced fields cut from
the mountain. The jungle provided food,
minerals, and protection but was also home to
griffons and other flying beasts that could be
tamed. In time the city became known as a place
to buy such exotic beasts, and soon became
important to aerial travel.
Today, the monks have all but vanished, the
coutal that lead them perished four hundred
years ago in battle. Only a handful of half-orcs
remain dedicated to the old teachings, bound
together by their leader, Sarin. Below their
ancient temple, a city of winding streets and dark
alleys is ruled by cutthroat gangs and sinister
demons.
Factions of the Feathered City. The characters will
encounter three distinct factions while solving
this mystery. The monks offer aid and respite,
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The Tiger’s Song
but have no interaction with other factions. They
are a great source of lore related to the city. The
Whispering Blades are the ruthless thieves’
guild that rules the shadows. They will be the
characters’ major adversaries during this
adventure. The city watch are a mixed lot of
noble, good-hearted soldiers and seedy
mercenaries that work for the highest bidder.
Depending on how the characters react, they
could be either an ally or an enemy.
The City Gates. The characters step through the
portal and appear not far from the grand gates of
the Feathered City.
You step through the shifting mists and find yourself in
the shade of a wide tree. A jungle! Beyond is the
Feathered City ringed by mountains. The city gate looms
before you, made from totems of exotic wood, brightly
painted and inlaid with jade. Beyond is a beautiful city
carved into rising terraces along the face of a lush
mountain. Rocs, griffons, and airships lumber through
the air above the metropolis - forming aerial caravans.
The city is always lit by dim light at night and
bright light at day. Patrols of city watchmen are
common in the nicer parts of town.
If you need some flavor text to further detail the
city, you can use this:
It is a hot and humid, but the city is full of life. Porters,
servants, and merchants hurry through narrow streets
unsuited for pack animals.
Traversing the City
It takes about two hours to walk from one
location to another. Mounts aren’t suitable for
travel through the city due to narrow, crowded
streets. Characters trying to ride a mount will be
fined 1 GP and told to stable the animal outside
the city gates for 20 GP.
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For details on different locations the characters
can visit, see Appendix B.
Moving around is dangerous, rather than a
random encounter table, choose one of the
scenarios in Appendix C to challenge the party.
Adventure Milestones
These scenarios provide the main backbone of the
story, and happen more or less in order.
Shrine of the Silent Goddess
The Silent Goddess is the god of both lies and
truth and the shrine is a known meeting place for
the Whispering Blades. If the party asks locals to
point them to the shrine, they tell the characters
that it is in the bad part of town.
While the characters make their way to the
shrine, they see some major features of the city.
• The red towers of the city castle can be seen
from the gates. It seems to be a small but well
defended keep.
• Narrow streets and switchback alleys make this
place a rogue’s delight.
• The dominant race is human, but there are a
number of half-orc monks in dark green
vestments begging for alms.
• Town criers bark the news, saying the merchant
Berrim is offering a reward to find missing
children. If asked, the criers explain that
children have been vanishing from every part of
the city and the merchant is looking to find the
culprit.
• There are plenty of shady characters that will
trade information for gold. A mere 10 GP will
tip the characters off about the Whispering
Blades.
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The Shrine. The characters find the shrine easily
enough, in a one story shack of plank wood and
tar. If they decide to check around the area first,
they find nothing of real interest, otherwise read
the following when they enter:
You see the shrine in the back, a wall painted with black
and white faces, decorated with a hundred flickering
candles. A few men in mail and a human woman, her
face hidden under a hood, wait there now. They do not
motion, or even look at you.
The seated group isn’t the princess, but a
whispering blades assassin* and the mailed
men are 2 veterans. A mage waits nearby,
pretending to worship to the gods. These are
members of the Whispering Blades, told to
expect ‘outlanders’ to enter the shrine today.
They have orders to make sure there are no
survivors.
Characters that are overly cautious may sense the
ambush. A Wisdom (Insight) DC 17 check is
needed to sense the attack, on a success that
character isn’t surprised. Otherwise, the
Whispering Blades may hint at their mission if
they are observed for 10 minutes or more.
Tactics. As soon as the characters are in the
shrine, the enemies attack, gaining surprise if
possible. The thugs will attempt to bar the door
leading out. The barred door simply requires an
action to open. The enemies will hit downed
players, assuring they actually die. If things go
poorly, the veterans try to rally a mob. See below
for details.
Strong or weak parties. If the party is is strong or
very strong, add one assassin. If they are weak or
very weak, remove one veteran.
Mob of Commoners. If a veteran uses an action to
call the mob, commoners rush to help the Blades.
They are not evil, and in fact see the Blades as
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freedom fighters against the king, and shout as
much.The commoners move into the spaces
between the characters, filling all available area.
The commoners use their action to aid the Blades
agents by granting the characters disadvantage on
their attack rolls. The mob counts as difficult
terrain.
The mob doesn’t climb walls, or enter other
difficult terrain. They will not chase the
characters if they flee. The mob will disperse if
10 or more commoners are reduced to 0 hit
points. To speed things up, assume a single attack
action by a character of level 7 will kill or knock
out 1 commoner without rolling.
If half the party is successful with a Charisma
(Persuasion) or (Intimidation) check, DC 14 will
also make the mob disperse.
If the mob disperses, the remaining veterans and
assassins escape as well, using the mob for cover,
granting advantage on their checks to slip away.
The assassin and thugs try to go back to the
Gilded Griffon, a safe house for the Whispering
Blades, while the veterans go to the Windrider
Inn, where mercenaries mingle with other men at
arms.
Developments
The characters hear the name of the group that
ambushed them: the Whispering Blades. Even if
there are no survivors among the ambushers,
word gets back to the Whispering Blades that the
characters survived and the thieves’ guild’s next
attempt will be even more ruthless.
While heading to the next location, bells from the
monastery ring out - it becomes obvious that
someone important has died.
No Rest for the Wicked
If the characters survive they will likely be banged
up and need a place to recoup. They may go to
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either the Gilded Griffon or the Windrider Inn.
The characters will be approached by several
NPCs, depending on where they end up.
Further notes on these characters are in
Appendix A.
Monk. A half-orc monk, dressed in beggar’s rags,
shows up at either tavern; he’s been following the
characters since their run-in with the Blades at
the shrine. When you’re ready, read the
following:
The tavern is warm and welcoming with comfortable
chairs and clean tables. The place is full of both locals
and outlanders. As you enter, a half-orc monk, face
hidden under a hood, approaches and whispers. “Our
bells toll for her, and the city will soon know: the
princess is dead.” He presses a brass pendant into your
hand and holds your eye, judging you. “I know why
you’re here - do not trust the Night Mother. She is only
lies and darkness, friend. Take this pendant to gain entry
to our monastery, where we will aid you.” He slips away
before you can say another word.
Corgrim the Bartender. Corgrim is the bartender
at the Gilded Griffon, so he only shows up there.
He hails the characters to his bar and gives them
free drinks because he “likes the look of their
ugly faces.” He doesn’t charge them and keeps
the drinks coming. Corgrim’s reactions to the
characters change depends on what the
characters have recently done.
Feril Tam. The captain of the city guard is looking
for brave warriors to help uncover the missing
children and won’t pass the characters by. If they
mention the Blades and the assassination attempt
he spits and scowls. He’s got no love for those
rogues and promises to look into it. He seems
sincere. He will show up at either tavern, but if
he’s at the Windrider Inn, he can point out other
important NPCs there.
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Rajim the Crooked-Footed. This information
broker is likely to be found in the Gilded Griffon.
This feathered creature is a tengu, a bird-like
humanoid. Rajim won’t approach the characters,
but anyone with a background with criminals or
that can speak thieves’ cant will understand that
he offers information for a price.
Ireki. At this point, Ireki won’t know who the
characters are, but this is their chance to rub
elbows with one of the major villains in this
story. Gruff, easily offended, and violent, Ireki
doesn’t want anything to do with the characters.
He’s at the Windrider Inn.
Other Clues. The characters may want to
investigate on their own at this point, and this
scene is a great place to drop clues and have them
meet other NPCs. Use the Appendixes to answer
questions about characters, locations, and
triggering events or scenarios. If the characters
want to visit a location not listed here, keep these
points in mind:
• There are posters everywhere for missing
children. This should be a strong secondary
plot hook.
• Anyone can point them to the half-orc temple,
high on the mountainside, where bells of
mourning now ring for the princess.
• All city guards, watchmen, and upstanding
mercenaries are on good terms with the city
watch.
• Thieves, thugs, and unethical mercenaries work
for the Whispering Blades and report the
characters movements back to the guild. This
also tips off Rajim the Crooked-Footed, the
undisputed information broker in the Feathered
City, who serves only himself.
• The princess’s corpse is at the monastery, but
the monks cannot return her to life. By dawn,
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The Tiger’s Song
the entire city will know what has happened to
their princess.
• The rakshasa will learn about the characters in
the city after they take a long rest, or 24 hours
after they are attacked at the shrine of the
Silent Goddess. Once he knows, he moves to
destroy the characters as quickly as possible by
sending his allies after the characters.
Developments
After this scene, the characters will be introduced
to the major NPCs in this adventure. Depending
on who they talk to, the Whispering Blades may
be notified and move into action (see Appendix C
for ideas). The characters must be aware of the
princess’s death by this point, or at least suspect
it has happened. Now’s a good time to ask them
what they think is happening and gauge the pace
of the story.
Investigating The Monastery
The characters are likely to make their way to the
monastery next. When they arrive at the temple
Sarin greets them. Now that they are in a safe
place, he confides all of his secrets about the
princess. If they have his pendant, he will gladly
take the characters to her body and even allow
them to cast spells on her, but not animate her
corpse. Without the pendant, he may think they
are imposters.
Use Appendix A for details about Sarin and the
Princess. Use Appendix B for details about the
monastery.
Developments
The characters can get a lot of information from
the princess’s corpse, if they have the means to
commune with it or investigate her wounds.
Otherwise, they can receive healing services here
as detailed in the appendices. Most importantly,
they learn that the Night Mother has stolen the
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princess’s soul as well, preventing the monks
from restoring her to life.
Arrested!
Once the characters have earned a few clues they
will be arrested as suspects in the princess’s
death. This should happen after a long rest, or
after they’ve spent several hours traversing the
city. This works best if the characters are caught
in the Gilded Griffon or Windrider Inn.
Feril Tam leads the arrest against the characters,
and is heartbroken if he’s already interacted with
them. He doesn’t want to hurt them and
promises he will get them an audience with the
King to discuss their case. He’d rather not even
draw his sword. The characters may decide to
fight and flee. If that is the case, make the fight
seem morally difficult - these guards aren’t bad
men and Feril even suspects the characters are
innocent.
The watchmen making the arrest have no
evidence, rather they are carrying out orders by
their high commander, Ireki.
Captain Tam is a knight, and is joined by 4
veterans, and 1 mage.
Strong or weak parties. Add a veteran if the party
is strong, and add a veteran and another mage if
the party is very strong.
If the characters turn to fight the guards during
their arrest, they are met with constant pleas
from Feril Tam to surrender. If they kill him, and
break free, the Wanted scenario goes into effect.
The characters will have to flee into the streets
and figure out how to survive with both the city
watch and the Whispering Blades closing in on
them.
If the characters kill any of the city watch during
this encounter, they will become criminals and
everyone assumes they murdered the princess.
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Developments
Arrested: Council With the King. Arrested, the
characters are hauled in a wagon to Castle
Surtova.
If they went peacefully, they are brought before
the King to plead their case. If Feril is on good
terms with them, he vouches for the characters
and raises doubt in the King’s mind. This gives
the characters advantage on any checks made to
persuade the King.
Ireki, however, eventually arrives and gives his
side. He claims his spies saw these outlanders kill
the princess. He even has proof, he claims, that
he’ll provide during a proper trial. Ireki demands
the characters be taken to the dungeons.
Use Appendix A to help play Feril, Ireki, and the
King during this exchange. Regardless of how
this ends, the King will command the characters
be locked in the dungeons for the evening while
he decides what to do.
If the characters resisted arrest, Tam tosses them
into the dungeons and denies them access to the
king or any other member of the royal court.
Arrested: Battle in the Dungeons. If they don’t
escape Tam’s arrest, the characters end up in the
dungeon sooner or later. When they do, the
jailers may take the characters’ weapons, bind
and gag spellcasters, and lock the characters in
separate cells. It’s possible the king demands the
character are given better treatment, especially if
he doubts their involvement in his daughter’s
death. In this case, the characters only have their
equipment stripped.
If the players were on good terms with Feril, he
will slip one of the characters a lock pick. The
locks can be picked with such tools with a DC 10
check.
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A few hours after being sent to the dungeons,
read the following:
Several heavily armed warriors storm in from the castle.
They quickly overpower and kill the few jailers here and
start looking for keys to your cell. Ireki, the Master of
Arms, follows them. His form shifts and changes, not a
man, but a hulking monster with deep blue skin, white
hair, ghoulish eyes and long, wicked fangs. He growls to
his warriors, “first these interlopers then I will finish the
princesses’ handmaiden.”
Ireki* is joined by 2 veterans and 1 howling
devil. Ireki plans to kill the characters here. If the
veterans or devil are killed, Ireki uses his mist
form ability to escape.
Strong or weak parties. If the party is very strong
add an additional devil. Remove a veteran if the
are weak or very weak.
Princess Sutora’s Chambers
All signs eventually point to the Princess’s
chambers. Her handmaiden, Vandi, was wounded
by the rakshasa and the Princess prayed to the
gods for help. The Night Mother overheard and
came to her ‘aid.’ Offering to cure Vandi’s
wounds with her magic. When the disease halted,
but did not heal, the Night Mother understood
she was dealing with a powerful foe. The princess
agreed to help the hag defeat the fiend; whoever
or whatever it was, it was a shared enemy.
Getting to the Chambers. The chambers are in a
drum tower. Getting to the chambers will involve
entering the castle grounds and sneaking in,
climbing the tower, or some other means. See
Appendix B for details on these locations.
Chasing Ireki. It is possible the characters take
chase after their fight with Ireki in the dungeons.
The oni is difficult to track, however, using his
mist form ability to escape. It is possible that
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The Tiger’s Song
Feril Tam or the Night Mother may arrive to aid
the characters at this point.
Battle in the Chambers. No matter how they get
into the chambers, the characters arrive at a
dramatic moment as Ireki comes to finish off the
last loose end: Vandi, the princess’s handmaiden.
Ireki* is joined by 2 veterans and 2 shadow
demons in the princess’s chambers. If the
characters are chasing him from the dungeons,
replace the shadow demons with 1 whispering
blade assassin.
The oni’s target is Vandi, but none of the ladies
in waiting offer any resistance against the
monster or his allies. Ireki will not fight to the
death, but his allies will. If things go poorly, he
flees, using his mist form ability if possible.
The Princess’s Clues. Details on Vandi can be
found in Appendix A. She will point the
characters to the Princess’s final letter, written in
a cypher in the event of her death. The letter is
hidden in a secret compartment in a jade statue.
An Intelligence (Investigation) DC 14 check is
needed to solve the cypher. A comprehend languages
spell will also work.
Along with the letter are pouches of powdered
iron, burnt bones, crushed jade, and ground
rubies. These are used in powerful summoning
spells, possibly to call forth demons or devils.
The note was written the night the Princess died,
and says:
Here is what I know of the devils in the Feathered City: I
sent my faithful maiden, Vandi to investigate the
missing children. She tracked a suspect, a hooded man
with silvery hair, to a brothel, but was injured. A
terrible sickness overtook her, and she would have died if
the Night Mother had not answer my pleas. As payment
I gladly helped the Night Mother find who did this to
Vandi. In the days since, I have used my father’s network
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of spies and scouts to scour the dark belly of the city. The
spies returned evidence of dark magics being practiced by
the Whispering Blades. I am afraid to approach my
father or the court wizards with this knowledge, I know
not who is friend or foe! But I think the hooded man is
working for Berrim, the merchant. Tonight I will go out
in disguise and follow him. - Princess Sutora
Developments
By now the characters should have pieced
together who killed the princess and the
revelations in her letter reveal a link to Berrim.
The players should have plenty of leads to follow.
If Ireki survives he will attempt to warn Berrim
and Xevos of what has happened, and they will
prepare appropriate countermeasures.
Battle with the Rakshasa
It is possible the characters are unprepared for
this battle, as the rakshasa has taken great pains
to hide his plans. The night following the battle
in the princess’s chambers, the rakshasa moves to
destroy the temple. He’d rather have been more
subtle, but the heroes have pushed his hand.
Soon the frantic chime of bells tolls from the
monastery - a warning sign that the monks are in
trouble. People are scrambling to see what is
happening, but the city guard is actually forcing
citizens back, away from the monastery. The
characters will need to race to the temple, and
avoid the city guard as they go. Dexterity
(Stealth) DC 14 is needed to sneak past the
various watchmen. If they engage the characters,
the characters have to get past 1 knight, 6
guards.
Devastation at the Monastery
By the time the characters reach the monastery, it
is in ruin. The rakshasa and his devils have slain
most of the monks. Sarin and a few survivors
have retreated to the crypts and the rakshasa is
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The Tiger’s Song
regrouping when the players arrive. The fiend
will never to the death. He will retreat using his
magic, but will mark the characters as sworn
enemies. Now you’ve got one of the most
ruthless and devious monsters in gaming history
breathing down your players’ necks!
The rakshasa will be joined by Ireki and Xevos if
they have not been defeated. Otherwise, the
characters face a rakshasa, 2 bladed devils*, 2
howling devils*, 1 flame devil*, 1 whispering
blades assassin*.
Tactics. The rakshasa will flee as quickly as
possible, but may still prove a formidable foe for
a round or two. His strength doesn’t configure
into the design for this encounter, use caution if
you actually allow the rakshasa to stay in fight.
His devils, however, relish the chance for violence
and will press their attack unless they think they
can convince the characters to do something
terrible - like kill Sarin and his monks.
You return to the monastery and see its tranquil gardens
are in ruin. The bodies of half-orc monks lay eviscerated
by what remains of a diabolic force. A tiger-demon, a
rakshasa, leads this squad of devils and masked
assassins. His amber eyes turn to you, he snarls, baring
bloody teeth. “They’ve come to save Sarin, destroy
them!” His minions spring to action!
Ending the Adventure
When the rakshasa is driven away, Vandi’s
wounds heal and the night hag keeps her promise
to free the souls she stole, allowing the princess
to be raised from the dead.
The rakshasa’s mansion can be searched safely -
his magical wards and golems fail when he
escapes. His wealth includes jade and ivory
sculptures, ancient illuminated texts, and silken
tapestries. The fiend’s hoard is confiscated by the
king and handed over to the royal court. But the
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king gladly pays the characters for their services,
however, and lets them keep the rakshasa’s
magical treasures.
All together, the characters earn 2300 GP in
payment and art objects. Among the art objects,
the characters find a spellbook made of fine paper
and inscribed with magical runes of divination.
This is a Tome of Clarity. In addition to its
normal powers, this particular book whispers
warnings to its user, granting them a +2 bonus to
initiative.
Hung above the great hearth in the mansion is a
shield of muted iron. This is a Shield of
Counterspells. When attuned to the shield, the
user feels courageous and bold. The shield also
allows the user to project their voice, booming
commands across the battlefield, they can use
their action to shout commands clearly up to 300
feet.
Tome of Clarity
Rare, magical tome
This tome is infused with potent magics, allowing a
character that uses a spellbook to prepare an additional
3 spells whenever they prepare their spells for the day.
It contains 1,000 pages but only weighs 5 pounds.
Shield of Counterspells
Rare, large shield
The shield grants a +1 bonus to AC and allows you to
use your reaction to counter spells cast at or near you.
Any spell that targets you, or that affects an area that
would include you, is countered if it is level 4 or lower.
If the spell is level 5 or higher, the spellcaster must use
their spellcasting ability to make an ability check, DC
14 or the spell is still countered. Spells that are level 7
or higher can’t be countered by this shield.
Feel free to add an additional rare magical item to
these rewards.
These are the specifics on characters and clues.
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Appendix A: Characters
Corgrim
A dwarf greets you at the bar. His smile is warm and his
hands fast as he pours you a flagon of fine spirits. His
mannerisms, accent, and dress suggest he is not from
here.
Corgrim is the owner of the Gilded Griffon tavern
and a spy for the Whispering Blades. If needed,
use a Bandit Chieftain for his stats. If the
characters meet him after they have an encounter
with the Whispering Blades, then he knows the
characters were to meet with the princess in
secret near the city gate. In this case, he’s tasked
with getting them drunk and keeping them that
way until the Blades figure out what to do with
the characters.
At night Corgrim meets with the leader of the
Whispering Blades, Xevos, in a hidden room
behind the bar. A false panel behind the beer
casks leads to this back room. A DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) test will spot the door. Xevos leaves
the inn to the brothel where he tends to the
kidnapped children. Corgrim has been charmed
by Xevos and is devoted to the demon.
Corgrim is not evil, and if he can be convinced
that his masters are fiends he may actually help
the players, he is in the employ of bad people,
however and may be asked to activate the
poisoned wine scenario (see Appendix C).
Princess Sutora
The princess’s body lays before you, throat
ripped, torso bloodied by countless stab wounds.
Whoever killed her, did so brutally and without a
drop of mercy. Despite the violence of her death,
the monks have managed to give her remains a
quiet peace.
Princess Sutora has evidence that Berrim, the
halfling merchant, may be a suspect. If a spell is
used to divine what her corpse knows, the corpse
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reveals she was
murdered by assassins from the Whispering
Blades. She describes an oni (ogre mage) in
detail, including a deep scar on his face. This ogre
mage was the assassins’ leader.
Without the use of magic, an Intelligence
(Investigation) check DC 14 reveals that she was
murdered by a single, very strong, attacker -
someone with a strength score of 18 or higher.
Furthermore the attacker seems to have been
larger than a human, maybe nine to ten feet in
height. Her death wounds may have been caused
by an axe or polearm.
A Wisdom (Medicine) DC 11 check reveals she
was not poisoned when she died and an
Intelligence (Arcana) DC 13 check shows no
signs of magic having been worked over.
Her spirit cannot return to her body, it has been
stolen by the Night Mother as leverage against
the characters. Her corpse’s animating spirit,
however, can respond to a speak with dead or
similar spell. The following assumes such a spell
is being used:
• The Princess first began to investigate the
strange happenings several days ago, when her
handmaiden Vandi was wounded. The festering
wound hasn’t healed yet, the Princess thought
it may be the work of her father’s enemies. The
Night Mother came to her with offers of help
that did not work.
• The Night Mother has been leading the
Princess from clue to clue, and her findings are
recorded in letters and journals hidden in the
statue in the royal chambers.
• She cannot recall what she wrote in her letters -
this is an animating spirit of the dead not her
actual soul.
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Sarin
An aging half-orc greets you. He is old for his kind, you
guess fifty or even older. Despite his age, he moves
quickly and his eyes are sharp. A sense of calm spreads
before him.
Leader of the half-orc monks, devoted to the old
coutal gods, Sarin is a strong ally to the
characters. He is clearly good from the outset and
offers the characters his aid unless they are
openly hostile to him or his monks.
He’s saddened by the princess’s death and deeply
concerned about the missing children throughout
the city. He is, however, clueless about the
betrayals and intrigues among the other factions;
he and his monks are removed from secular life.
He can provide cleric spells up to level 5, for
healing purposes. The characters must pay for
any material components.
He is a source of lore about the city and can
relate details about its long history, including the
tale about the coutal and the rakshasa:
• The two fought hundreds of years ago in a
dramatic battle in the valleys below the
mountain. The coutal was slain, but the
rakshasa was driven back to the countless hells.
The coutal left an egg, which the monks have
tended ever since, praying it may one day hatch.
King Sutora
His graying beard is thick and well kept, his dress
befitting a man of his station but not arrogant or overly
wrought. Worry knits King Sutora’s brow, a deep
sadness over his murdered daughter. When he speaks,
however, his voice rolls out like thunder and the rage
inside him threatens to burst free.
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The characters will be brought before the king if
they are arrested and are on good terms with
Feril Tam. They may also arrange a meeting with
the king when they are investigating, assuming
one of the characters has special privilege to
speak with a noble, otherwise it is unlikely they
encounter the king. Use the noble stats for the
King, and he is always guarded by 6 veterans,
one knight, and one mage. If, for some reason,
the characters attack him, his allies do all they
can to protect him.
The king is a true believer of the caste system
which was once enforced in the Feathered City.
He speaks, thinks, and reacts to a person’s caste
or station above all else. He can accurately guess
a character’s background unless they’ve taken
measures to deceive him.
• He wants peace in his city and to find who is
stealing the children. He will gladly hang the
characters to improve public relations.
• A perceptive man, it is difficult to fool the king
with a lie, deception, or con; he has advantage
on saving throws or ability checks to see
through such charades.
• The king thinks Berrim is an upstanding citizen
and grows angry at accusations of the contrary.
• He knows about Vandi’s terrible wound, but
thinks it is a sickness contracted because she’s
of a lower birthright.
• He can start, or end, the Wanted scenario.
Likewise, he is the king and can grant the
players access to any part of his castle, city, and
provide supplies, including the magical services
of his court mages. The king is, however,
unlikely to provide much help.
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Vandi, Handmaiden
Vandi is thin, skin pale, hair unkempt. A hideous,
festering wound mars her arm. It looks like the claw
marks of an animal.
The princess’s ‘handmaiden’, Vandi is actually a
trained warrior tasked by the king with protecting
the princess. Commanded by her princess to
investigate the missing children, she got too close
to the enemies in the brothel and was attacked by
the rakshasa, which left the festering wound.
Vandi is unable to sleep, exhausted and delirious,
making conversation all but impossible. Vandi
mutters about a pool of blood, the faces of
children, and a tiger with green eyes. The
princess feared Vandi may lead enemies back to
the castle, so she has kept the handmaiden
hidden in her chambers, to be cared for by her
other maidens.
Vandi is currently unaware of the princess’ death,
and too delirious to understand. Once she
realizes the princess has died, however, she vows
to help the characters, if her ailments can be
cured. She is currently affected by a rakshasa’s
strike, but otherwise treat her as an veteran.
A Wisdom (herbalism kit) DC 14 check will treat
her long enough to give her clarity to talk, but the
treatment takes at least two hours to take effect.
Spells of level 6 or lower have no effect on her
wounds.
Once treated, Vandi tells the characters she
tracked the mysterious hooded man - who meets
with Irekei - from the Gilded Griffon to the
basement of a brothel where she found an iron
tub filled with the remains of children.
Vandi says she saw a second creature, a demon,
bathing in the bloody tub, eating the severed
body parts of the children. It had a man’s body
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but the head of a tiger! The demon struck her but
she managed to escape.
Vandi knows the ‘hooded man’ (Xevos) is
connected to both the Whispering Blades and
Ireki, and can give the characters directions to the
brothel if they want to check it out on their own.
She can show the characters where the princess’s
letters and evidence is hidden in the royal
chambers, these are explained in detail in the
adventure.
Rajim the Crooked-Footed
A crow-faced creature greets you at the door of a dingy,
crumbling shack. A single thick candle flickers on the
table behind it, highlighting several crossbows that lay
in various states of repair . Rajim the Crooked-Footed,
named for his knobby, clubbed right foot, is a tengu - a
bird-like humanoid infamous for their talent with
illusion. He makes the perfect clink, clink, clink of coins,
extending a feathered hand.
Rajim is a member of the Whispering Blades but
will share information for a price. He has to feel
comfortable doing so, however. The characters
have to find him first - by asking around with
street rats or other nefarious characters.
Even after finding Rajim, the characters need to
beat a Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) DC
15 check to convince him they aren’t working for
any of the factions in the city. If they fail this roll,
he won’t let on (you should make the roll in
secret) but he will warn the Whispering Blades
and he will lie to the characters.
If the characters try to intimidate or threaten
Rajim, he tells them only lies (see below) and
turns them in to both the Whispering Blades and
the city guard. He can activate the Wanted and
Knives in the Dark scenarios.
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The Tiger’s Song
Rajim is cagey, duplicitous, and selfish but he is
afraid of the demons and is willing to help so
long as the characters make him feel safe.
Lies
• The princess was working as a spy for her
father’s enemies and she was killed by assassins
posing as members of the Whispering Blades.
• The leader of the Whispering Blades, Xevos, is
actually a sorcerer and often slips away into the
mountains to commune with the spirits.
• There is indeed a demon in the city - the leader
of the monks, Sarin, would know - he is an
infernalist!
Truths
• The princess was killed by the captain of the
guard, Ireki. He stabbed her to death with a
glaive, nearly ripping her apart.
• The captain of the guard, Ireki, is a known
shape-shifter and works closely with the
Whispering Blades. His true form is a giant
creature with curved horns but he is known to
take the form of a living cloud. Normal
weapons will hardly harm him.
• None of the adventurers that have gone looking
for the missing children have returned, some
say the halfling Berrim is killing them off, one
by one, and eating the bodies. Halflings are
known cannibals.
• The leader of the Whispering Blades is rarely
seen in public, but some say he’s known to
frequent the brothel.
Berrim the Halfling
A wealthy and well-heeled halfling greets you. Golden
necklaces and bracelets grace his neck and wrists, his
bald head is covered in intricate tattoos, and his silk
robes are sewn by master tailors. This is Berrim, the
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merchant-lord of the city. He steps away from your
advance, and points to a wicked, black scar on his arm.
“A demon’s mark,” he says, “I’ve been afflicted with a
terrible curse, to touch me is invite a similar fate.
Hopefully you’ve come to help rid the Feathered City of
this scourge.”
Berrim is the rakshasa, but he has lived so long in
the guise of a halfling that he plays the part
flawlessly. The magics that disguise him will not
hold up to physical scrutiny, however, hence, the
lie that he’s been cursed. If the curse doesn’t
dissuade the players from trying to touch him, Sir
Reginald and Sir Moraband should. A pair of steel
guardians, they attend Berrin and act as a butlers
in addition to a defenders. Two invisible stalkers
follow the halfling as well, ready to pounce on
attackers.
Berrim will come to the players’ attention once
they start asking about the missing children or
rumors of demons in the city. Berrim has
publically announced a handsome reward to
anyone that can find the children.
Play Berrim as a good, kind, and generous
merchant. Wealthy and cutthroat in business, but
with a deep love of the city and its children.
Though Berrim is immune to many spells, he is
not immune to a paladin’s divine sense and
deeply fears a paladin will root him out. If the
players have a paladin in their party, and it
becomes known to Berrim, he will send Ireki or
Xevos after them, hoping they deflect attention
from the rakshasa.
He may offer the characters a rest in his mansion,
but he watches them closely and warns them
away from snooping around. There is nothing
incriminating in his mansion but enterprising
characters may trail him to the brothels where he
goes every night to feast. When traveling to and
from the brothel, he changes his disguise and
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The Tiger’s Song
leaves his shield guardians at the mansion, but
the invisible stalkers always follow.
He can provide the characters an audience with
the king, and may even interact on their behalf if
arrested, easily getting them out of jail. His
ultimate plan is to destroy the monks, enacting
his final revenge against his ancient enemy, the
coutal.
Xevos
Xevos rises from the shadows that seem to cling around
him and under the darkness of his cowl, a glint of marble
white teeth. His skin is pale as ice. The shape of his body
hides under his cloaks, as fluid and weightless as
shadow.
The son of Berrim, Xevos is a cambion, a demon
born of infernal and human copulation. His true
form is that of a red skinned, horned man with
flowing blonde hair and leathery bat wings. He is
reluctant to take that form, however, and only
Ireki and Berrim know his true nature.
Devoted to his father, Xevos wants to earn favor
from his sire. He currently works hard to make
Berrim happy and uses Ireki—whom he sees as a
dullard—to do the dirty work. Xevos is arrogant,
cruel, and vain.
Flattery will make Xevos pause, and appeals to
his vanity will work to earn his favor, for that that
is worth.
He can activate the Knives in the Dark,
Poisoned Wine, and Bump in the Night
scenarios
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Ireki
A thick man, corded with muscle, face cut deeply with a
puckered scar, Ireki wears the colors of the royal family
with pride. He is the Commander of Arms, and happy to
remind you that his word is the law. He carries a glaive
decorated with dozens of colorful silks. Gruff and direct,
he demands attention and gets it.
Ireki is an oni—sometimes called an ogre magi.
His true form is terrifying, standing nearly ten
feet tall with cobalt blue skin and long, wicked
horns that curl around a savage face. The scar on
his cheek is a brand left by a demon hunter, and
follows the demon no matter what form he takes.
The oni serves Berrim loyally and knows all of
the rakshasa's secrets. He has been promised
control of the city when the rakshasa finds the
egg he seeks, and Ireki grows restless to lord over
his new home. He will be easy for the characters
to find, and they may encounter Ireki in several
settings including the castle, the Windrider Inn,
streets and alleys in the city, and even their own
bedroom if he sneaks in to kill them.
Ireki is the crux of many plot lines in this story:
he convinces the king to toss the characters into
the dungeons if they are arrested, he is
kidnapping children; he murders the princesses,
and is dispatched to kill the characters.
He enjoys killing and particularly likes doing it
savagely, but he is no fool. Ireki will try to
separate the characters and pick them off one by
one. Desperation may drive him to attack them as
a group but it is unlikely.
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The Tiger’s Song By Rob Walz & John Prichard, Cover Art by Jody Steel

The Night Mother Feril Tam

A ghostly shape of a woman appears in the dark, the
cloudy form of her flesh solidifies into a warty, purple
hide. Her withered face splits into a smile that shows
rows of jagged fangs, her eyes are motes of sickly yellow
light and ram horns curl around her face.
Feril Tam stands out among his peers, an albino human,
he wears no armor but only a loose, flowing tunic
emblazoned with the king’s crests. His pink eyes are
confident and quick, his body coiled to pounce. He seems
forthright and honest.

The Night Mother has been tormenting the This knight encounters the characters when they
people of the Feathered City for generations. first arrive in the city, and implores them to help
Hushed whispers speak of her healing powers, him find the missing children. Once he learns of
but everyone knows she demands a high price for the princess’s murder, he is forced to arrest the
her magics. characters but wants to go easy on them. He
doesn’t know much, but can be a useful ally. He
The first NPC the characters encounter, the Night may speak on behalf of the characters during
Mother keeps one of the characters’ soul in her their audience with the king, help them out of
pouch. The soul takes the form of glowing crystal jail, and can start or end the Wanted scenario.
shard. If the Night Mother dies, these crystals
shatter, and the souls are destroyed, forever lost.
So long as she holds a soul, the Night Mother
controls if a character can be raised from the
dead. She will always agree to do so, for purposes
of this adventure, even if attacked by the
characters.

She doesn’t expect to be on the characters’ side,

and isn’t surprised if they attack her. This won’t
change their arrangement, and if attacked she
makes it clear what happens to the souls if she
dies.

When the Princess dies, the Night Mother steals

her soul as well, using it as further leverage.

Protected by several ghosts, the haunted remains

of her past victims, the Night Mother is never far
away, lurking in the ethereal plane. She may
appear from time to time to assist the characters,
giving them a valuable clue or helping them
through a pinch.

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Appendix B: Locations
Alley of Knives
Dark stains drip along the walls marking the places
where the Whispering Blades kill their enemies. You find
the place where the princess died, or at least where you
think she died - a lot of people have met their fate here.
There are marks in the walls indicating the
princess was killed brutally. The areas around the
alley are crawling with lowlifes and criminals, for
a fee they could point the characters to the Rajim
(they usually want 50 gold for that kind of
information).
Windrider Inn
This tavern is built in the shell of an ancient
watchtower, the thick, crude stone weather-worn and
faded green with rain. Inside, catwalks and wooden
platforms hang from chains, swaying as dozens of
mercenaries drink and sing.
This inn is always full of city guards, and they can
be bribed or persuaded to talk about their work.
Many of them are greedy, evil men that joke
about how they bully and steal from the citizens.
Others are upstanding warriors who may offer
their sword for coin. A veteran can be hired for
300 GP.
The city watch drink here as well, and they are
proud to serve Ireki, who they see as a real
warrior. If the Wanted scenario is in effect, the
characters may be identified within moments of
entering the tavern.
The inn is cheaply priced, with strong drinks and
hearty food. Women work the floor, leading
guards into the private rooms to provide their
‘services’. These women have heard rumors
about a brothel where children are said to be sold
to the highest bidder. This is the same brothel
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where the fiends take
the stolen children.
Sutora Castle
Castle Sutora is carved from the sides of the
mountain, a row of squat towers and steep walls
guard a lushly gardened inner ward. The keeps
and towers inside the walls are ancient, sides
once painted with vibrant murals depicting the
histories of the Sutora family. Guards patrol the
walls and grounds.
The castle is not a very big complex, as far as
castles go, but it’s small size makes it easily
defensible. Of interest to the characters are the
royal houses. These chambers are all contained
within a single, massive drum tower with hidden
tunnels leading to the mountain itself. This tower
is where the characters will meet the king and
where they may find Vandi in the princess’s
chambers.
Outside of the royal quarters, the only building of
interest is the prisoners’ tower, housing the
dungeons under its pale, gray stone. If the
characters watch the guard patrols for an hour or
more, they hear enough conversation to locate
the dungeon, royal chambers, and other points of
interest.
Outer Castle
Lavish courtyards filled with jungle plants, exotic
flowers, and brightly colored birds dot the outer wards
of the castle. You see the drum tower marking the royal
chambers and the pale tower marking the dungeons.
There are other buildings as well, all carved into the
sides of the mountain: a stable for flying mounts,
barracks, and a temple.
The area between the main gate and the royal
chambers, these gardens and courtyards are
patrolled by squads of 3 veterans and 5 guards.
Whenever the characters go from location to
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The Tiger’s Song
location within the castle, roll 1d12, on a roll of
1-3 they encounter a squad 60 feet away. On the
roll of a 12, they may be spotted by servants who
report their presence to nearby guards.
Characters that make a Dexterity (Stealth) DC 14
check are able to remain hidden and aren’t
noticed by the NPCs.
Doors are usually locked, DC 15 to pick the lock,
or Strength check DC 20 to break the lock but
using brute force alerts a guard patrol.
Castle Dungeon
A staircase winds down from the entry level to a long
hall peppered with cells. Keys hang on pegs at the entry
to the hall and oil lamps cast the area in dim lighting.
The castle dungeons are simple, merely a long
hall with dozens of cells branching off on either
side. At any time there are 5 guards in here, a
collection of chains and manacles, and 9
commoners (prisoners). The characters likely
will only see the dungeons if they are taken here
after being arrested.
Monastery
Sweeping stone arches rise from the mountain. White
steps lead up to a flat brow of stone where half-orc
monks sit in peaceful meditation. A statue garden
depicting various martial arts poses dominates the
peaceful temple grounds. Rising above them all,
however, is a massive statue of a winged serpent.
Ancient and beautiful, the serpent seems to look upon
the monks with a sense of peace.
These grounds are the training grounds for
Sarin’s devoted. At any given moment there are
10 veterans in this area, warrior-priests
practicing swordplay and other martial arts.
Steep cliffs fall away from the north, east, and
south sides of the temple grounds. It is possible,
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during combat, that a character could fall from
the temple grounds, if that happens they fall 70
feet before hitting the side of the mountain and
suffer 7d6 bludgeoning damage.
Sarin and his monks know of a hidden door in
the serpent statue, a Wisdom (Perception) DC 15
check is needed to spot it. The door leads to a
narrow, winding passage that goes into the
mountain. This leads to the monks’ crypts, lit by
oil lamps. The princess’s body will be here once
she is killed.
The only other structure of interest is a dojo of
ancient, tumbled stone and simple thatched roof.
The monks sleep, eat, and socialize in this open
floor building. They have no concept of personal
space or property and share everything.
Brothel
You duck under the doorway into a dark, cramped
pleasure house filled with flickering red lamps and
threadbare pillows. The heavy scent of incense fills the
chambers but there’s the hint of blood under the
perfume.
This brothel is where the rakshasa is taking
stolen children and butchering them. Their
bodies are hacked apart and put in an iron tub
hidden in the basement of the brothel. At night,
the fiend is joined by Xevos and Ireki to devour
the children's flesh and discuss their wicked
plans.
The secret door leading to the basement is
hidden behind a mirror in the back room. The
hinges of the door can be spotted on an Wisdom
(Perception) DC 13 test, but an Intelligence
(Investigation) DC 15 check is needed to open
the push-button combination lock - it can’t be
picked. A Strength check DC 25 will break open,
but makes lots of noise.
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The Tiger’s Song By Rob Walz & John Prichard, Cover Art by Jody Steel

Berrim and Xevos can both be tracked here.

There is always at least one flame devil* keeping

watch over the brothel. The devil will attempt to
keep a low profile if possible, using it’s spells to
take the guise of a human.

Berrim’s Mansion
A manor house waits atop a beautifully landscaped
terrace. Pillars of silver and gold, fountains decorated
with flawless crystal, a menagerie of songbirds, and a
garden canopied in grapes adorn this opulent home. The
mansion belongs to Berrim, the m. Everything is sized
for a small creature, doors require tall folk to stoop and
bend, while stairs and windows seem to be carved in
miniature.

Berrim will gladly welcome the characters to his

home, greeting them in his garden or his den. If
asked, he offers them a single night of restful
sleep in his guest rooms. If the characters venture
beyond the guest rooms, kitchens, or common
areas, his magical guardians may spring into
action.

If anyone breaks into the home or leaves

designated areas, a magical alarm telepathically
warns the rakshasa. He may, if he desires,
activate the four stone golems that guard the
house. They wait in plain sight, jade and diamond
statues of eastern gods. The golems will not
pursue characters fleeing the mansion grounds.

Within the mansion, spells of level 6 or lower

only work if the rakshasa wants them to.

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The Tiger’s Song By Rob Walz & John Prichard, Cover Art by Jody Steel

Appendix C: Scenarios
As the characters proceed through the
investigation, things begin to heat up. They will
soon find themselves the targets of attacks, lies,
and demons as they close in on the truth.
Depending on who they befriend, they may have
to deal with the city guard trying to arrest them
as well.
Wanted
The characters are wanted by the city guards. All
city guards have advantage on checks to identify
the characters for who they are, such as seeing
through non-magical disguises and deceptions.
Furthermore, whenever the characters travel
between locations, roll 1d12. On the roll of a 1,
they are accosted by 2 veterans, 1 mage, and 1
priest that recognize and attempt to arrest them.
Poisoned Wine
The next time the characters are in a tavern
where they eat or drink, the are each poisoned via
food or wine. On a failed Constitution save DC
15 the character takes 60 (10d10) poison damage
and is poisoned until they take a long rest. On a
successful save they take half damage.
Xevos will join in
the next Knives in the Dark scenario. He will be
joined by two assassins and one bladed devil*.
Xevos will flee if it starts going poorly, retreating
back to the brothel.
If the characters defeat both attempts, then you
may run this scenario a third time. This time,
Xevos is joined by three howling devils and one
bladed devil. If the characters defeat all three
instances of this scenario, the Whispering Blades
decide they are too tough for a frontal assault and
think of other ways to hinder the characters.
Bump in the Night
If the characters start to figure out what Ireki
really is, survive the fight with Ireki in the
dungeons, or ask too many questions of
commoners, Ireki and three shadow demons
attack the characters while they are sleeping.
Ireki will not fight to the death, but the demons
will.

Knives in the Dark

The Whispering Blades move to take the
characters out once and for all.

The next time the characters move to a new

location, they are attacked by three whispering
blade assassins* that are disguised as citizens. A
Wisdom (Insight) DC 17 check spots the
assassins before they strike, ruining their chance
for surprise. These enemies continue to attack
fallen characters, ensuring they kill, rather than
disable, the characters.

This scenario may play out more than once. If the

characters survive the first such attempt, then

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The Tiger’s Song
Appendix D: Custom Monsters
Whispering Blade Assassin
medium, lawful evil humanoid CR 8 (3,900 XP)
HP: 80 (12d8+24) AC: 16 (leather) SP: 30’
Senses: Perception 12 Languages: Common
Str +1 Dex +4 Con +2 Int +2 Wis +2 Cha +1
Saves: Dex +7, Int+5
Skills: Deception +7, Stealth +7, Acrobatics +7
Defenses: evasion, if success on a Dexterity
saving throw would let the assassin take half
damage, it takes no damage instead
Attacks: Makes two attacks with any
combination of:
• dagger, one target within 5’ or range 20/60,
+7, 1d4+4 piercing damage, target hit by the
dagger must make a Constitution saving
throw DC 15 or take 6d6 poison damage, or
half that on successful save
• short bow, one target within 60’, +7, 1d6+4
piercing damage, target hit by the short bow
must make a Constitution saving throw DC
15 or take 6d6 poison damage, or half that on
successful save
Special: assassination, any melee or ranged
attack that hits a creature that hasn’t acted yet in
this combat encounter, is a critical hit; sneak
attack (1/turn), if target is able to be sneak
attacked, then a melee or ranged attack deals an
extra 4d6 damage (using the rules for sneak
attack in your game system); disguise self (1/day),
can cast the disguise self spell as a bonus action
without using verbal, somatic, or material
components
Equipment: silver mask, the assassins wear a
silver mask in the design of a snarling demon.
The mask allows them to cast disguise self once
per day (reflected in above stats), but turns to
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ash if the assassin is killed or if it is stolen from
the assassin.
Sarin
medium, lawful good humanoid CR 6 (2,300 XP)
HP: 52 (9d8+12) AC: 18 (unarmored) SP: 40’
Senses: Perception 12 Languages: Common
Str +2 Dex +4 Con +3 Int +2 Wis +2 Cha +2
Saves: Dex +7, Wis+5
Skills: Acrobatics +7, Insight +5
Defenses: evasion, if success on a Dexterity
saving throw would let the assassin take half
damage, it takes no damage instead; riposte, as a
reaction Sarin can make a single melee attack
against any enemy within 5’ that missed him
with an attack
Attacks: Makes four attacks with any
combination of:
• punch, one target within 5’, +7, 1d8+4
bludgeoning damage, an enemy struck must
make a Constitution save DC 15 or be
knocked prone
• shortsword, one target within 5’, +7, 1d6+4
piercing damage
• throwing star, one target, range 20/60, +7,
1d4+4 piercing damage
Special: tough as nails (1/day), when Sarin
would be reduced to 0 hit points, he is reduced to
1 hit point instead; fluid movement, Sarin cannot
be the target of opportunity attacks
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The Tiger’s Song
Xevos
medium, neutral evil fiend CR 6 (2,300 XP)
HP: 65 (10d8+20) AC: 18 (chain) SP: 30’ fly 60’
Senses: Perception 12, darkvision 60’
Languages: Common, Infernal
Str +2 Dex +3 Con +3 Int +2 Wis +2 Cha +3
Skills: Persuasion +8, Deception +8
Defenses: damage resistance, half damage from
lightning, acid, cold, poison and bludgeoning,
piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical
weapons; damage immunity, no damage from fire;
condition immunity, cannot be charmed
Attacks: Makes two attacks with any
combination of:
• longsword, one target within 5’, +5, 1d8+2
slashing damage, and 2d6 fire damage
• ray of fire, one target within 90’, +6, 3d8 fire
damage
Special: charm, as a bonus action, Xevos can
charm a creature he can see, a Wisdom saving
throw DC 14 negates the effect, the charm lasts
until the next sunset; command, as an action,
Xevos can give a creature he’s charmed a
command that must be obeyed as if by a
suggestion spell; innate spells, Xevos can cast the
following spells as will, all spells are cast at their
lowest level, he has +6 to hit with spells, and a
save DC of 14: detect magic, alter self, minor illusion
Ireki
large, neutral evil fiend CR 7 (2,900 XP)
HP: 121 (13d10+50) AC: 17 (scale mail)
SP: 30’ fly 20’ (mist form)
Senses: Perception 12, darkvision 60’
Languages: Common, Infernal, Giant
Str +5 Dex +1 Con +4 Int +1 Wis +2 Cha +0
Skills: Intimidation +8, Insight +5
Defenses: damage resistance, half damage from
lightning, cold, poison and from bludgeoning,
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piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical
weapons; regeneration, at the beginning of each of
his turns, Ireki heals 10 HPs unless he is at 0 HP
Attacks: Makes two attacks with any
combination of:
• glaive, one target within 10’,+8, 1d10+5
slashing damage
• slam, one target within 5’, +8, 1d8+5
bludgeoning damage
Special: change appearance, as a bonus action,
Ireki can take the form of a human, his stats are
the same except he becomes a medium sized
creature; mist form, as an action, Ireki can
become a cloud of mist, granting him a flying
speed and making him immune to damage from
nonmagical weapons, and resistance to damage
from magical weapons, in this form he can fit
through a space less than 1 inch wide without
squeezing, in this form he cannot be grappled,
knocked prone, pushed, shoved, or dragged, but
he can be blown around by strong winds
Night Mother
medium, lawful evil fiend CR 6 (2,300 XP)
HP: 80 (12d8+20) AC: 15 (natural) SP: 30’
Senses: Perception 16, darkvision 60’
Languages: Common, Infernal
Str +3 Dex +1 Con +4 Int +3 Wis +3 Cha +2
Skills: Nature +6, Perception +6, Stealth +4
Defenses: condition immunity, cannot be
charmed or frightened
Attacks: Makes two attacks with any
combination of:
• claws, one target within 5’, +6, 2d8+3
slashing damage
Special: planar shift, as an action the Night
Mother can enter another plane of existence,
appearing in a specific area of her choice;
etherealness, as a bonus action the Night Mother
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The Tiger’s Song
can enter or exit the ethereal plane; nightmares,
the Night Mother can afflict a sleeping creature
she can touch with nightmares, if she touches the
sleeping creature for at least a minute the
creature is wracked with terrible dreams. If they
fail a Charisma saving throw DC 14, they do not
gain the benefits of a long rest and gain a level of
exhaustion instead. A creature the dies of
exhaustion in this way has their soul stolen by
the Night Mother; steal soul, the Night Mother
can use her action to automatically kill a dying
creature she can see that is within 60’, if the
creature fails a Constitution saving throw DC 14
it dies and she adds its soul to her soul pouch;
innate spells, the Night Mother can cast the
following spells as will, all spells are cast at their
lowest level, she has +6 to hit with spells and a
save DC of 14: detect magic, alter self (form of an
old human woman only), dispel magic, charm
person, sleep, lesser restoration
Bladed Devil
medium, lawful evil fiend CR 6 (2,300 XP)
HP: 115 (10d12+25) AC: 14 (natural armor)
SP: 30’, climb 30’
Senses: Perception 12, darkvision 120’
Languages: Common, Infernal
Str +3 Dex +2 Con +3 Int +2 Wis +2 Cha +2
Skills: Athletics +6, Intimidation +5
Defenses: magical resistance, has advantage on
saving throws against spells; damage resistance,
half damage from acid, lightning, and
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from
non-magical weapons; damage immunity, no
damage from fire
Attacks: Makes two attacks with any
combination of:
• claw, one target within 5’, +6, 2d6+4
slashing damage
• tail, one target within 5’, +6, 2d8+3 slashing
damage; a creature hit by this attack makes a
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Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check, DC 14, or becomes grappled
Special: animate blades (1/day), up to five
nonmagical bladed weapons, such as knives,
daggers, and swords, become animated objects,
they are not under the devil’s control but
consider the devil an ally, the effect lasts for 1
minute or until the devil is slain or incapacitated.
Creatures that are holding animated blades make
a Strength saving throw, DC 15, or the blades
pull from from their hands; devil’s vision, the
devil is not affected by natural or magical
darkness of any kind
Flame Devil
large, lawful evil fiend CR 8 (3,900 XP)
HP: 150 (15d12+45) AC: 18 (natural armor)
SP: 30’, fly 60’
Senses: Perception 12, darkvision 120’
Languages: Common, Infernal
Str +5 Dex +4 Con +3 Int +2 Wis +2 Cha +3
Skills: Athletics +10, Arcane +7, Persuasion +8
Defenses: magical resistance, advantage on
saving throws against spells; damage resistance,
half damage from acid, lightning, and from
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from
non-magical weapons; damage immunity, no
damage from fire
Attacks: Makes two attacks with any
combination of:
• spear, one target within 10’, +8, 1d0+5
piercing damage plus 3d6 fire damage
• bite, one target within 5’, +8, 2d8+5 piercing
damage plus 3d6 fire damage
Special: burning blood, anyone within 5’ of the
devil when it takes 5 or more points of slashing
or piercing damage takes 1d10 fire damage;
devil’s vision, the devil is not affected by natural
or magical darkness of any kind; innate spells(5/
day), the devil can cast the following spells at the
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The Tiger’s Song By Rob Walz & John Prichard, Cover Art by Jody Steel

spell’s lowest level, it has +5 to hit with spells
and a save DC of 15, each casting counts as 1 use
of this ability: burning hands, fireball, wall of fire, see
invisible, alter self
Howling Devil
medium, lawful evil fiend CR 6 (2,300 XP)
HP: 80 (10d8+35) AC: 14 (natural) SP: 30’
Senses: Perception 12, darkvision 120’
Languages: Common, Infernal
Str +3 Dex +2 Con +3 Int +2 Wis +2 Cha +3
Skills: Athletics +6, Intimidation +6
Defenses: magical resistance, advantage on
saving throws against spells; damage resistance,
half damage from acid, lightning, and
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from
nonmagical weapons; damage immunity, no
damage from fire
Attacks: Makes two attacks with any
combination of:
• claw, one target within 5’, +6, 2d6+4
slashing damage
• bite, one target within 5’, +6, 2d8+4 piercing
damage and damaged creature makes a
Constitution saving throw DC 14 or takes
4d6 poison damage
Rajim the Crooked-Footed
medium, neutral humanoid CR 4 (1,100 XP)
HP: 40 (6d8+10) AC: 15 (studded)
SP: 20’, fly 30’
Senses: Perception 16 Languages: Common
Str +0 Dex +3 Con +2 Int +3 Wis +3 Cha +2
Skills: Deception +5, Insight +9, Perception +6
Defenses: fluid movement, Rajim can’t be
targeted by attacks of opportunity
Attacks: Makes two attacks with any
combination of:
• shortsword, one target within 5’, +6, 1d6+3
piercing damage and 4d8 poison damage
Special: illusion, Rajim can use his action to
create an illusion with perfect visual, auditory,
thermal, and olfactory properties. If a character
interacts with the illusion in a meaningful way, a
Wisdom saving throw DC 16 reveals the illusion
for what it is. Rajim can control, change, or move
the illusion as a bonus action. The illusion can
move no more than 60’ from him. impersonate,
Rajim can perfectly imitate any sound he has
heard

Special: howl of fear, as an action, the devil

howls, chilling the very soul of its enemies. All
creatures that can hear the devil and are hostile
to it must make a Wisdom saving throw DC 14 or
be frightened of the devil, this effect ends when
they can no longer see or hear the devil; devil’s
vision, the devil is not affected by natural or
magical darkness of any kind

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The Tiger’s Song By Rob Walz & John Prichard, Cover Art by Jody Steel

Steel Guardian
medium, unaligned construct CR 9 (5,000 XP)
HP: 150 (8d10+55) AC: 21 (plate) SP: 30’
Senses: Perception 11, blindsense 60’
Languages: Common (can’t speak)

Str +5 Dex +2 Con +5 Int +0 Wis +1 Cha +0

Defenses: magical resistance, advantage on

saving throws against spells; damage resistance,
half damage from bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing damage from non-magical weapons;
damage immunity, no damage from fire, cold,
electricity, poison, necrotic, radiant, and psychic
damage; condition immunity, cannot be charmed,
frightened, blinded, deafened, or put to sleep;
spell immunity any spell of level 3 or lower fails to
effect the guardian in any way

Attacks: Makes two attacks with any

combination of:
• slam, one target within 5’, +8, 1d6+5
bludgeoning damage
• longsword, one target within 5’, +8, 1d8+5
slashing damage

Special: spell deflection, if the guardian is within

10’ of its master, then any spell that targets the
guardian’s master targets the guardian instead,
area of effect spells cannot be affected in this
way; bend fate, while within 10’ of the guardian,
the guardian’s master gains advantage on all
saving throws; protection, as a reaction, the
guardian can move up to 15’ toward its master
and make itself the new target of a melee or
ranged attack; control stone, the guardian has a
specific control stone, a magical gem worth at
least 500 GP, that is used to control the guardian.
A creature attuned to this stone is the guardian’s
master, if no creature is attuned to the stone the
guardian seeks out a creature that shared its
previous master’s alignment and offers its
services. The guardian always thinks of its master
as an ally. If the stone is destroyed, the guardian
is incapacitated until a new stone can be made.

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