Endless Whispers, Locale: The Haunted Palace

In the greenest of our valleys

By good angels tenanted,

Once a fair and stately palace...

-The Haunted Palace, by Edgar Allen Poe

This is the first in a series of locations for the players to explore in the Endless Whispers campaign.

Your warband comes upon a sprawling collection of massive, white stones choking the forest.  After a time, you discover that this is in fact a titanic palace - destroyed by some incredible force.  In the center you find a dry well, upon which a young woman sits.




Her name is Elise and she was at one time the youngest daughter of the entire kingdom.  Her palace, army, family and everything she knew was destroyed upon the arrival of the Wizard.

Given her lineage, she is the rightful heir to rule the Starlight Forest.  She is a queen - without a kingdom.  After hearing her sad tale, she asks for your aid.  Once she was promised to Prince Galen of the Eastern Quarter.  But, the Wizard's reign of terror has removed all her responsibilities to the old order and granted her a dreadful freedom.  Seizing upon it, she asks that you take her to the Village where she desires to wed her childhood sweetheart.

Just before you can provide an answer there is a rustling from the underbrush.  A man emerges; he is as well dressed as he is short.  Producing a finely-crafted pistol, he declares himself to be Prince Galen and, with a flourish, demands you turn Elise over to him to be his wife.  You recognize Galen from a series of posters hung throughout the forest and the Village; he is also featured in many local, bawdy songs.  He not popular, but some support his claim to be the "True King of the Starlight Forest" - as dubious as it may be.  He seeks now to wed Queen Elise to make it official.

THE NPCs

THE GAME

The player activating this card can select to aid either Galen or Elise.  Whomever you choose to aid will join your side for the battle.  Your opponent will be aided by the other NPC.  Roll a standard scenario.

VICTORY

The winning warband drives off the losing warband and gains control of both Prince Galen and Queen Elise.  It is up to the winner to decide how to resolve the conflict.

OPTION 1: SUPPORT PRINCE GALEN
You support Prince Galen and force Queen Elise to marry him.  This continues the old order.  Prince Galen rewards you with D6 Supplies and one Secret.  After locking Queen Elise up in a crumbling tower, he joins you as an NPC.

OPTION 2: SUPPORT QUEEN ELISE
You support Queen Elise and deny the marriage between her and Prince Galen.  Queen Elise instead marries her sweetheart from the village (Choose this individual at random.  The married Blacksmith and Serving Wench are ineligible, but anyone else is a valid choice to include females).  You must pay D3 supplies for the wedding.

Queen Elise is then added to the roster of villagers and may be hired by any player for a cost of 3 Supplies.  Because of the goodwill generated from the marriage, your Standing with the village improves by 1 level.

If Queen Elise or her spouse is killed, strike them both from the roster as the other perishes from heartbreak.

Prince Galen flees, swearing revenge.  He joins your opponent's warband.  If your opponent does not want him, then he joins the forces of the Wizard.

OPTION 3: SUPPORT YOURSELF
You deny the wedding.  Prince Galen flees, swearing revenge.  He joins your opponent's warband.  If your opponent does not want him, then he joins the forces of the Wizard.

You then force Queen Elise to wed one of your own warband members.  The member is chosen at random, but will not be your leader or a golem.  Anyone else, including NPCs and females is eligible (GM discretion applies).

Queen Elise then joins your warband as an NPC.  If her spouse perishes, she flees never to return.

OPTION 4: WICKED HEART
You promise the two a happy resolution, perhaps feeding different lies to each.  Then, during the night you dispatch certain members of your warband to stab them to death in their sleep.  Take an Initiative test.

If you pass, then your assassins succeed and both are slain.  You gain D6+1 supplies to represent the sale of their gear.  This counts as a sacrifice, gaining the relevant benefits - if applicable - to your warband.

If you fail, one or both (choose randomly) escape your assassins' knives to flee into the forest.  They each join random warbands, or the Wizard, as NPCs.  Rumors of your double cross spread like wildfire and your standing with the village decreases by 1 level.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES