What Rough Beast was the sixth adventure released for the Cabal of Shadows Faction Adventure to be run as part of the Xen'drik Expeditions campaign.
Synopsis[]
Adventure Start: The PCs are brought together in the Hand of Stalwart Reverie and given mission details for two objectives. They are to liberate Looish the Soft from the Iron Watch guard station and if he does indeed know the location of a powerful relic, as the Cabal spies have suggested, the party is to recover it. If he does not, they should return Looish to the Hand for interrogation.
Part One: The PCs move to infiltrate or attack the Iron Watch guard station and rescue Looish. Unfortunately they are not the only faction interested. Members of the Crimson Codex's Serpents have already arrived on-scene with false credentials and are interrogating Looish when the PCs arrive. If they party is to acquire Looish, they will need to deal not only with a building full of armed warforged, but also the Crimson Codex's operatives.
Part Two: Looish the Soft does indeed know a useful secret. His body bares a magical tattoo that he acquired from an odd creaure in the Teeth. It is a map to an ancient relic that may be able to control the weather. It is supposedly housed in the area of Xen'drik near Dar Qat. In order to follow the map, the PCs can enlist Looish, his tiny dog Sparkles, and the small sloop Looish was living on after being expelled from his pirate crew.
Part Three: When sailing along the coast of Xen'drik, the party encounters a group of Sarlonan Privateers, plying the waters near Dar Qat. Sensing Looish's minor psionic abilities, they demand the party hands him over. A fight likely ensues.
Part Four: Following the growing map that adds further detail on Looish's skin as they approach, the party finds their way to a seaside ruin of ancient evil and fight their way through cunning monsters and diabolical traps to locate an orb of storms.
Ending the Adventure: The party sails back to Stormreach and return Looish, his dog, and the orb to the Council of the Obscured.