Demonomicon of Iggwilv

Shemeshka
the Marauder
By Brian R. James and Todd Stewart
Illustration by Tony Foti

Shemeshka the Marauder is as much a fixture of the Sigil, known to planar explorers as the Cage or the
extraplanar metropolis of Sigil as its portals, smog, City of Doors, is a mind-bending, fantastic place—a
and razorvine. The “King of the Cross-Trade” is some- bustling and cosmopolitan planar city built on the
thing of a paragon of her kind, and she is curiously inner rim of a giant torus. A neutral meeting ground
unique. She combines a raavasta’s moral depravity of otherwise fractious powers, philosophies, and
with the golden veneer of a pampered and cultured religions, Sigil paradoxically claims to be the center
noble—and she possesses all the arrogant pretension of the cosmos yet exists in no truly defined place. Its
of both. Yet, a noble is unlikely to slay a peasant with innumerable portals lead to all corners of the mul-
a whisper and a twitch of her fingers, or to send the tiverse, yet gods and other equally powerful entities
peasant’s severed head home in a box with a bill for are barred from Sigil by the city’s enigmatic ruler, the
the cleaning of her bloodstained dress. Lady of Pain. She keeps the peace and banishes trou-
blemakers to perish in extradimensional mazes.
T he Cage Shemeshka the Marauder is a fixture in the Cage.
Buying and selling secrets and souls, she has a hand
Everything is a game to Shemeshka. She has been in the in virtually everything that happens in Sigil through
Cage longer than almost any other entity still alive there, her network of spies and informers. The Marauder
and her position is secure enough that only the Lady of surrounds herself with the trappings of wealth and
Pain could topple her easily. Perhaps excepting A’kin the luxury, but such pleasures mean little compared to
Friendly Fiend—an enigma in his own right—she has no her lust for secrets and her ability to use those secrets
rivals but for the ones she creates, or those she allows to to control and manipulate those around her.
rise and fall again in cycles that might be centuries long. It Shemeshka is utterly amoral, and she is a liar
amuses her. But if it’s all just a grand game, what real and above all else. She views other creatures as her play-
tangible goal has Shemeshka set her mind set upon? And is things. The reward for dealing with Shemeshka can
it in Sigil or not? be tremendous, but her bargains always come at
—The Demonomicon of Iggwilv great cost. In the end, the Marauder neither seeks
control for its own sake, nor covets the destruction

TM & © 2012 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rights reserved. A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
1
 Shemeshka the Marauder

in Sigil besides the Lady of Pain. The reach of her

painted claws extends far beyond the Cage, and
Explore The City Shemeshka controls plots in her home in the Abyss’s Shemeshka in Combat
of Doors Blood Rift and across the planes. If provoked into combat, Shemeshka prefers to attack
Sigil first appeared in the AD&D 2nd Edition Pla-
® As is true of all raavastas, Shemeshka’s true form from afar, employing a variety of charm and psychic
nescape® Campaign Setting as the iconic center of
is that of a jackal- or fox-headed humanoid. Unlike attacks while her fiendish groom guardians swarm in
the cosmology of the Dungeons & Dragons® game. many of her kin, however, the Marauder flaunts her for the kill. When advantageous, Shemeshka changes
Updated for both 3rd Edition and 4th Edition Dun- natural form. No savage beast reeking of brimstone forms to employ her alternate powers and abilities.
geons & Dragons, the City of Doors has been most and blood, Shemeshka prides herself on her appear- The Marauder takes particular delight in masquerad-
recently explored in Dungeon Master’s Guide® 2, which ance. She coifs her hair in the latest fashion and ing as her rival, A’kin the Friendly Fiend.
offers a dossier on the bustling planar metropolis and lightly scents her furred flesh with perfume. She also Shemeshka’s full statistics are in Demonomicon,
its enigmatic ruler, the Lady of Pain. wears a king’s ransom in jewels about her neck, ears, page 92.
and fingers. Contrasting her resplendent selection of
gowns is a tangled circlet of living razorvine perched
atop her head. Some say the circlet subtly mocks
and carnage worshiped by other demons. Shemeshka the Lady of Pain’s bladed mane, even as this wicked
crown reminds others of the Marauder’s status as
A Lost Past
wants a perfect world—one in which everyone and With the aid of secret operatives, powerful wishes,
everything suffers. King of the Cross-Trade.
and other reality-altering magic, Shemeshka has
A gaggle of sycophants usually surrounds Shem-
erased all knowledge of her past prior to her first
A Fiendish H eritage eshka, and individuals within the group help clear
her path, fill her goblet, keep away unwanted peti-
appearance in the Cage. Even the fanatically detail-
obsessed scribes within the Tower of the Raavastas
Shemeshka’s public appearance is a duality of grace and tioners, brush her fur, and hold aloft the mirrors in
are at a loss to explain how the records of Shemesh-
mercurial sadism. Many no doubt believe that she hides the which she constantly admires herself. Though they
ka’s past mysteriously vanished from their vaults—a
snarling fiend under a mask of social gentility, but that is might appear to be simple toadies, Shemeshka’s trim
fact they won’t readily admit.
far too obvious and simple for her. As such, I wonder if both and well-dressed guards are all thieves, spies, and
Shemeshka foments speculation regarding her
countenances are equally false and undertaken for the sake assassins of the highest training.
past to add to her mystique. Some say that she origi-
of appearance, each timed for the best effect like a grand When Shemeshka appears in public, she looks and
nally was sent to Sigil as a handpicked representative
stage persona. What lurks behind both the regal elegance acts the perfect ideal of a noble of the highest caliber:
of Phraxas, the ruler of the Blood Rift. When she was
and the spoiled, bloodthirsty madness is something much refined, majestic, and regal. Those granted an audience
inside and isolated from her master and the politics of
colder, much more malicious, and far more calculating find her interested in what they have to say, and most
the Abyss, Shemeshka betrayed him, selling her ser-
than Shemeshka and her already devious kind are nor- barely recognize her as a soulless fiend. Even so, Shem-
vices to the highest bidder and carving out power of
mally given credit for. eshka is known for sudden fits, snarling rages, and
her own.
—The Demonomicon of Iggwilv sadistic piques that end in bloodshed. After her anger
Shemeshka is also rumored to be the unwanted
abates, attendants drag the offending presence away,
and abandoned child of Larsdana Ap Neut, an
The shapechanging raavastas are cerebral and amoral and before long she is back to sipping wine or gazing
ancient, ferociously powerful, and long-vanished
manipulators. Shemeshka the Marauder is little dif- into a mirror as she paints her lips, utterly uncaring of
raavasta sorcerer who designed and constructed the
ferent, although to compare her to other raavastas the blood she has spilled. Those that truly displease her
Tower of the Raavastas. Still other rumors paint an
would be like comparing a bonfire to a candle. Far end up vanishing, their private lives and public repu-
altogether prosaic picture of the fiend as nothing out
removed from her kin, Shemeshka the Marauder is tations destroyed, or their soulless corpses left out as
of the ordinary for her kind, with little to differenti-
arguably the most powerful and influential figure warnings to others who would cross the Marauder.
ate her from legions of raavasta scribes, sorcerers,

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
2
 Shemeshka the Marauder

and contract-binders. Rather than hiding some pro- skilled—or the brave and ignorant—to work for her). hands of cards, games of dice, and a spin at the gam-
found secret or crime, Shemeshka might have buried The Council of Innkeepers, the Arcane Brotherhood, bling house’s namesake wheel.
her past simply to soothe an ego that couldn’t accept the Builder’s Fellowship, the Mortuary Guild, and Crafted from the iron rim of an enormous wheel
having once been less than she is now. others are more divided in their loyalties. pulled from a marut war machine, the Fortune’s
Wheel is gilded and adorned with ivory nails carved
King of the Cross-Trade The Fortune’s Wheel of baphitaur horns. The wheel is mounted vertically
and spun until a clicking strip of boiled leather brings
Shemeshka directly oversees or indirectly influences One of Shemeshka’s landmark businesses and favor- it to a stop, indicating a square between two of the
hundreds of business ventures (most of them unlaw- ite haunts is the Fortune’s Wheel, a well-known nails. Bets are placed and paid off on a wooden table
ful), operates scores of illegal markets throughout the Sigil tavern, inn, and gambling house. Located in set before the wheel. The odds are terrible, but some
Cage, and uses her various proxies to influence every the heart of the Lady’s Ward, Fortune’s Wheel is the bubber (the down-and-out of the City of Doors) will
major guild and political body in Sigil. city’s premier social hot spot. The house is run by an always be desperate to try for the golden square and
The Mutual Trade Association represents many of underworld organization known as the Knights of the its 1,000-to-1 payout. Alternatively, some patrons
Sigil’s businesses, and it was formed by Shemeshka, Cross-Trade, with Shemeshka ensconced as its leader. place the minimum 10 gp bet for a try at the Mage’s
the reclusive storm giant entrepreneur Zadara, and Prize—a random relic imbued with arcane power.
a powerful oni mage known as Estavan. Since its Common Room The Mage’s Prize is changed out every ten days.
formation, Shemeshka has become the organiza- Every inch as opulent as a king’s audience chamber,
tion’s de facto leader. The Marauder also commands the Wheel’s tavern common room is plush and spa- Fortune’s wheel
major influence within the Order of Master Clerks cious. Brisk yet attentive servers flit between finely d100 Color Payout
and Scribes (but faces competition from Jeremo the crafted tables and chairs. A great vaulted ceiling 1–79 Black None
Natterer), the Runner and Escort Guild (run by Kylie looms overhead, adorned with colorful murals depict- 80–89 Red 1 to 1
the Tout), the Entertainer’s Guild (run by a renegade ing storied events from Sigil’s history. 90–96 Green 3 to 1
succubus formerly of the Society of Sensation), and The common room’s signature feature is the enor- 97–99 Silver Mage’s Prize
the nascent Adventurer’s Guild (used to recruit the mous dragon’s head that arches over the bar. Though 00 Roll a d10:
it appears to be a carving at first glance, the dragon 1–9 Green 3 to 1
head turns to address newcomers in the Draconic 10 Gold 1,000 to 1
tongue. Those familiar with the physiology of dragon-
Kylie the Tout kind recognize this creature as a shadow dragon. Shemeshka’s Court
Patrons who become overly boisterous are kindly Shemeshka can observe the action around the For-
This red-haired, charismatic young tiefling heads
asked to leave and never return. If that request goes tune’s Wheel from the balcony of her public chamber
up the Runner’s and Escort’s Guild. Shemeshka
unheeded, the perpetrator is shackled before the on the gambling house’s second floor. Here, the King
protected her for decades from the previous guild-
dragon’s maw and either devoured by the dragon or of the Cross-Trade takes audience with those canny
master, Autochon, who owed the Marauder his life by
enveloped by the wyrm’s caustic breath attack. Such or naive enough to attract her attention. Shemeshka
way of circumstances she originally arranged. Upon
unpleasantness is thankfully rare, however, with the doesn’t require sleep, and her illicit business dealings
Autochon’s death, Shemeshka turned the guild over
dragon preferring to regale patrons at the bar with begin in the evening and carry on well into the early
to Kylie. Many wonder why Shemeshka continually
tales of its adventures. hours of the following day.
favors the mercurial tiefling rather than discarding
her as she does every other pawn, to which some When Shemeshka desires solitude, she retires
Games of Chance to her private chambers within the Azure Iris, the
whisper that Kylie is nothing less than the raavasta’s
own daughter. The Wheel has several public chambers dedicated small inn nestled atop the Fortune’s Wheel. The inn’s
to games of chance. Here, the bloods (Sigil’s profes- rooms are magically warded, and the privacy and
sionals and experts) come to mingle with the elite for

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
3
 Shemeshka the Marauder

security of its clientele are guaranteed. A tall standing

mirror in Shemeshka’s room speaks to the raavasta’s
A’kin the Friendly Fiend know about—everyone in Sigil, and he can put people
dangerously at ease despite the soft scent of brim-
Perpetually smiling, courteous, and pleasant to be
great vanity, but it also serves as a portal to a private stone and ash that lingers around him.
around, the raavasta proprietor of the eponymous
demiplane containing a small tower overlooking a
Lower Ward magic shop the Friendly Fiend stands in
perpetually smoldering, flame-ravaged forest. (This
planar refuge is said to be one of the Lady of Pain’s
stark contrast to Shemeshka. Chatty and possessing Archdegog Kaugothirn
an eclectic and rare selection of objects for sale— Long before first setting up shop in Sigil, Shemeshka
abandoned mazes, altered and mapped through cen-
including portal keys, magic items, and expensive helped aid the rebellion that saw Phraxas deposed
turies of complex rituals.)
bric-a-brac—A’kin takes pride in obtaining and selling as Master of Khin-Oin, the great tower marking the
Shemeshka also maintains portals leading to other
a visitor’s heart’s desire at a fair price. Most such visi- entrance to the Abyss’s Blood Rift. Now that the Lord
private locations in Sigil and the Blood Rift. The
tors can’t shake the feeling that the raavasta merchant of Misery and Despair has reclaimed his throne,
former include an abandoned mansion within the
seems just a little too friendly—and too deft at pull- Shemeshka is particularly keen to avoid attracting his
Lady’s Ward, a torture chamber buried in the Slags
ing information from them. Rumors spin the notion attention (despite having had a role in returning him
district of the Hive Ward, and the ruined demonic
that A’kin is in bed with Shemeshka—metaphorically to power). Even as she does, though, she maintains an
Temple of Darkness deep within Undersigil. The
and literally—but saying so publicly is liable to cause informant within Phraxas’s own inner circle.
dream-reading artifact known as the Nightmare
Shemeshka to take terrible revenge. The Marauder’s primary contact in Khin-Oin is
Shaft that once occupied the temple’s halls likely now
Much like Shemeshka, A’kin has been in Sigil as the ultrodemon Kaugothirn, Archdegog of the Priory
resides in another of Shemeshka’s demesnes.
long as anyone can remember. To this day, none know of Rot. Kaugothirn is bound to Shemeshka’s service
if the two raavastas cooperate in some loose fashion
Power Brokers or virulently hate each other. A’kin declines to speak
through a powerful geas of which the archdegog is
wholly unaware. Shemeshka uses her influence over
Shemeshka’s would-be rivals don’t stay rivals for long. They ill of Shemeshka, though it is widely assumed that the ultrodemon sparingly so as to not arouse undue
dance to her choreographed designs to either become tools, she was responsible for burning his shop down three suspicion.
allies of convenience, exiles from Sigil, or names in the dead times in the past century. Additionally, Shemeshka Shemeshka has designs to personally infiltrate
book. Of course, nothing is ever traced back to her hand and has attacked and even murdered creatures for simply a second sacred and impenetrable stronghold—the
its painted, poisoned claws. The Marauder acts through mentioning A’kin’s name in her presence. Tower of the Raavastas on the Plain of a Thousand
layers of proxies that rarely realize they follow her orders. Many believe that both raavastas are engaged in Portals. To gain entry, she first needs to reacquire a
That isn’t to say that Shemeshka doesn’t have enemies, but an elaborate act, since their business connects so talisman she stole from one of her underworld rivals—
those who fall into that category typically rage at her from often below the surface of a dozen otherwise dispa- the Torc of Bin A’kin. More information on Shemeshka
outside Sigil or are kept as close to her as possible. rate plots. A’kin certainly doesn’t act evil, nor does and her dealings with Archdegog Kaugothirn is in
—The Demonomicon of Iggwilv he register as evil to magical detection (though all Demonomicon, page 88, which features a short delve
raavastas are said to be able to hide their true natures for 20th-level adventurers.
Shemeshka’s allies are often her greatest rivals, that way). Yet looking deeper, one can see that the Appearance: Like many ultrodemons,
and she treats them like a skilled gambler treats merchant is hiding something. If anyone understands Kaugothirn is tall and emaciated, with a large coni-
her cards—always held close and carefully hidden. Shemeshka, it’s the enigmatic and ever-smiling A’kin, cal skull and wisps of chartreuse vapor emanating
Some of her servants despise her even as they follow whatever their relationship might be. from his vacant eye sockets. Beneath tattered and
her lead, dancing toward destruction of their own Appearance: A’kin might be any other sandy- worm-eaten robes, his skin is brittle and sickly with
making. Some are allies of convenience, while others brown raavasta, dressed in robes of speckled teal, jaundice. As with all the archdegogs of the Priory of
follow their own enlightened self-interest. All know gold, and black—except that he seems almost unnatu- Rot, Kaugothirn’s skull is adorned with long curved
full well that the Marauder will eventually attempt to rally happy. He always smiles, his golden eyes bright horns resembling those of a ram.
lay them low. as he eagerly makes small talk while tending to his
customers’ concerns. A’kin appears to know—and

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
4
 Shemeshka the Marauder

Estavan the Merchant Lord designs of unfathomable significance, and the ornate
walking stick he carries is actually a magic polearm
of silver, and a perpetual scowl marks his features.
His piercing blue eyes betray a still-fierce intellect
As the most prominent representative of the Planar
known as a naginata. and a keen desire to one day exact his revenge on
Trade Consortium in Sigil, Estavan takes an interest
Shemeshka.
in the city’s largest commercial transactions. After
arranging for the disappearance of Estavan’s prede- Ramander the Wise
cessor, Shemeshka secured the allegiance of the oni A powerful human wizard and self-styled “Master of Satugla the Grand Assessor
mage merchant lord, though he is no mere puppet. Portals,” Ramander once located many choice por- With the Blood War between devils and demons in a
Estavan keeps an office in the Clerk’s Ward, tals in Sigil. After purchasing the land they stood on, state of uneasy truce, Shemeshka’s raavasta kin have
though, from the outside, it doesn’t appear to be a he charged a nominal fee for the use of he portals—a transformed the Blood Rift. That vast canyon cutting
place where an oni mage could work comfortably. thing forbidden by the Lady of Pain. Often seen as through the infinite layers of the Abyss has become
The stairs up to the second-floor office are narrow, Shemeshka’s apprentice, Ramander long enjoyed the a vital artery of demonic commerce. Carved into the
and the door at the top of the stairs was designed for Marauder’s protection as the two engaged in a decade- walls of the Blood Rift at the base of Khin-Oin is the
human-sized creatures. Inside the well-appointed long partnership, with Shemeshka providing advice beating heart of abyssal trade—a boomtown of avarice
office, however, the lavish furnishings are crafted and goading him closer to incurring the Lady’s wrath. and debauchery known as Morglon-Daar.
to match the oni’s large frame. The merchant lord is Ramander vanished into thin air one night along Shemeshka has made inroads with several of the
rarely seen outside his office, and he is never spotted with his manor in the Lady’s Ward. His mazing came lords that govern this abyssal cesspool, but she prefers
on the streets of Sigil. Most suspect that a bronze door after hosting Shemeshka for the evening, at which to entreat with the Grand Assessor whenever possi-
in his office serves as a portal to remote destinations time he expected an expansion of their business and ble. As Blightlord of the Spray (one of Morglon-Daar’s
throughout the cosmos. personal relationship. With convenient prescience, five regions), Satugla is aware of nearly every crea-
Estavan can be ostentatious, manipulative, and the fiend left before the Lady of Pain consigned ture and vessel that passes in and out of the city. His
merciless if it suits him, but he can also be a power- Ramander to his fate—and she had Ramander’s log- extensive network of spies and informants makes the
ful friend and ally for characters who stay on his good book of portal locations and keys in hand. The deeds Grand Assessor a valuable asset for Shemeshka and
side. He is meticulous and uncaring in his business to his holdings were transferred to Shemeshka’s name her schemes.
dealings, snapping up or shuttering rival businesses upon his presumed death. At the Marauder’s behest, Satugla’s agents have
by the dozen. Ramander still lives, however, trapped in his begun smuggling lesser yugoloths out of Morglon-
Through Estavan, Shemeshka hopes to one day personal maze, powerless and cognizant of the Daar to a remote corner of the Blood Rift. There, the
bend the Planar Trade Consortium to her will. Marauder’s betrayal. Having discovered a portal into demons are conscripted into the service of Bavamach,
Unknown even to the Marauder, Estavan is secretly his prison, Shemeshka occasionally sends mock- Archgeneral of the Blood Rift. A legendary com-
aligned with the Fraternity of Order—an organization ing love letters to torment him further. For his part, mander grown frustrated by the peace of the Blood
of high-minded lawmakers who seek to extinguish Ramander perpetually seeks the exit, and he has War, Bavamach is said to have designs on an assault
chaos from the universe. As Shemeshka manipulates recently discovered a way to send messages out— on Khin-Oin meant to depose Phraxas.
Estavan to further her own schemes, Estavan works either seeking to arrange his revenge or asking for Appearance: Shemeshka rarely lacks for physical
subtly to steer the Marauder according to his own help to make his escape. companionship, but she finds Satugla’s rakish charm
agenda. It remains to be seen whose machinations Appearance: A human of average height and and striking comeliness particularly irresistible. Like
will win out in the end. build, Ramander stands out only by virtue of the Shemeshka, Satugla is a well-groomed, jackal-headed
Appearance: Estavan, an eleven-foot-tall oni, is ostentatious number of magic rings, amulets, and raavasta with short, nearly pitch-black fur. His eyes
rarely seen by those who have no business with him. Ioun stones on his person, and by the bejeweled magic are amber orbs, bright and without pupils. Scars
Those who do know him recognize the merchant lord staff he carries. Age and imprisonment have taken crisscross his bare, muscular chest; the Grand Asses-
by his red silk kimono and flashy gold necklace. His their toll on his once-handsome appearance. His long sor covers his lower extremities with a sarong crafted
polished horns and ornate ivory tusks are carved with black hair and close-cropped beard show streaks of the finest silk.

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
5
 Shemeshka the Marauder

Shylara the Manged to hide the constant smell of fresh blood that hangs
about her like an acrid, cloying perfume.
Shemeshka’s history of apprentices, close business
Shylara’s erratic, gilded madness dances in her
partners, and consorts reads like a dead book appen-
luminous emerald eyes. She hates the Marauder even
dix of the especially powerful and naive. A fellow
as she desires her, desperate to change her fate as
raavasta from the Blood Rift, Shylara served as both
Shemeshka’s miserable, discarded creation.
the Marauder’s apprentice and public consort sev-
eral centuries ago. As pompously vain as Shemeshka,
About the Authors
Shylara was dismissed and cursed by the Marauder’s Brian R. James lives in the Seattle area with his wife, four
sadistic jealousy awhile ago. Shylara’s cursed flesh children, and house full of geek paraphernalia. His game
incessantly itches with a supernatural mange, thus design credits include The Grand History of the Realms™,
granting Shemeshka’s former paramour her title and Open Grave: Secrets of the Undead™, Demonomicon™, Monster
nickname. Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale ™, and Menzoberranzan: City of
Since parting ways and losing her status as a Intrigue ™. Follow Brian online at twitter.com/brianrjames.
favored student and consort, Shylara obsesses over
Todd Stewart is a scientist during the day and author by
the Marauder. Still infatuated with her former mis- night, lairing in Raleigh, NC, with two cats and his equally-if-
tress, she doesn’t so much seek revenge as a chance to not-more-nerdy better half. His game design credits include
prove herself worthy. The Great Beyond: A Guide to the Multiverse, Undead Revisited,
Shylara primarily dwells in the Tower of Incarnate and Book of the Damned III: Horsemen of the Apocalypse, as well
Pain, on the boundary between the Blood Rift and as multiple articles for Dragon and Dungeon magazines.
the abyssal realm of Pazunia. She moves between
Developer Producers
there and other realms in the Abyss as her business
Matt Sernett Greg Bilsland, Stan!
compels her, but Sigil remains the overwhelming
focus of her attention. Spurned, jealous, and unques- Editor Senior Creative Director
tionably insane, Shylara sends agents into the City Scott Fitzgerald Gray Jon Schindehette
of Doors to push and probe at Shemeshka’s plots.
Managing Editors Art Director
Shylara pays for rumors, desperate as she is to follow Kim Mohan, Miranda Kate Irwin
her former mentor’s every move. She has a standing Horner
offer for the Marauder’s head, to which Shemeshka Illustrator
retaliated with a similar offer for her former protege’s. Development and Editing Tony Foti
Shemeshka offered only half the bounty, a point not Lead
Jeremy Crawford Digital Studio Consultant
lost on the infuriated Shylara. Daniel Helmick
Appearance: Unlike the perfectly groomed and Senior Producer
shining appearance of Shemeshka’s coppery fur, Christopher Perkins Publishing Production
Shylara’s pelt is a bloody, mangy mess of weeping Manager
Angie Lokotz
sores, bare patches, and self-inflicted wounds from
her incessant scratching. Illusions largely hide her
condition, and she dresses in exotic finery like her
mentor as she overcompensates for her true appear-
ance. Shylara’s look often borders on the scandalously
revealing. Her profound and delusional vanity fails

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
6
Court of Stars:
The Trinket Lord
By Karl Resch
Illustration by Tony Foti

Where do lost things go? “What would you lose,” he asked, “in order that
Some say that such items vanish to a special what is lost become found?”
place reserved for misplaced objects. Others insist
that nothing is ever lost, only stolen. And still others
believe they know exactly where lost things go, for
From Slave
they were once lost themselves. to K nave
The stories told by the formerly lost are as varied
as the people themselves. Perhaps one explorer was The lore that surrounds the Trinket Lord is fragmen-
trapped in the icy mountains, snow pelting her face tary, but one can assemble the pieces into a larger
with every step and blocking out the sun. Maybe a narrative that approximates the life history of this
second trekked through an empty desert, endlessly paradoxical archfey.
charting a course to nowhere across a sand sea. A According to some tales, the gnome Tuxil was born
third might have wandered aimlessly through a dark into slavery in the fomorian kingdoms. Because the
forest. Wherever these lost individuals were, one gnome didn’t truly belong to the dark realm, he was
thing was clear: They had no direction and no hope. always a misfit. Other stories say that Tuxil spent his
Although the tales of the lost unfold differently, youth with the creatures of the forest, rather than
all of them end the same way. At some point, a small with his fellow gnomes, and that one day he was cap-
brown fox appeared in the path of the wanderer. Each tured in the woods and sold into slavery. Regardless
person chose to follow the fox as it bounded away out of which version is accepted, both make one point
of the mountains, toward a small oasis, or to a place clearly: Tuxil’s early years were unpleasant; he never
where the trees weren’t so thick. Eventually, the trav- knew where he was supposed to go or who he was
eler stood before a small ring of trees, and the fox supposed to be.
leaped through the branches ahead. Pushing through Many gnomes believe that the Trinket Lord was
the foliage, each wanderer encountered the same enslaved in the fomorian kingdom called Inbharann,
thing: a great heap of possessions—weapons, armor, the wealthiest of that race’s subterranean realms.
statues, paintings, wagons, baubles, and much more. Every day of his captivity, Tuxil saw the river of cool,
Atop the heap sat a gnome with reddish hair, examin- molten gold that ran through the kingdom, and he
ing a plaything he had plucked from the pile. He sat saw how the gold was used to purchase many great
for a moment before smiling broadly and acknowl- treasures for the fomorian overlord. Even though
edging the new arrival. he lived among fantastic splendor, the gnome was
allowed to own nothing but the hovel he inhabited.

TM & © 2012 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rights reserved. A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
1
 The Trinket Lord

Lost, then Found Quest for Treasure Thieves and treasure hunters with fey origins pay
tribute to the Trinket Lord, hoping that he will favor
Eventually, Tuxil escaped with the other gnomes of As time went on, Tuxil realized that other things of
them as they plunder ancient tombs and lost hordes.
Inbharann. The group made for the surface, and the value were waiting to be collected. The world held
Skalds compose epic ballads of his generosity, and
newly freed gnomes settled in places of their choos- great secrets and treasures that were locked away, not
illusionists speak of his skill at trickery and mis-
ing. But Tuxil had no place to call his own. He had possessed by anyone. His new home provided him
chief. “Going to meet the Trinket Lord” is a common
known little but the cruelty of Inbharann, and life with weapons and armor that amplified his magic,
expression indicating that the speaker plans to
on the surface was strange for him. He became a giving him the skills he needed to search for anything
become wealthy.
wanderer, not knowing what he sought but hoping to he desired.
Tuxil revels in all such tributes, and chooses indi-
find it. There were many places to dwell within the At first, the gnome kept his endeavors small. He
viduals who demonstrate great potential to become his
Feywild, but none seemed fitting to him. The eladrin traded in the Murkroot and sought items that could
servants. To some people, he is merely a patron, one
cities were too regal for his tastes, the Murkendraw be found in eladrin cities, adding them to his pile. Yet
who rewards success and punishes failure. To others,
Swamp too dangerous. these mundane possessions were not enough. Tuxil
he is a teacher, passing down parts of his arcane
Eventually, Tuxil wandered to a place where the wanted relics of legend—objects that had been lost for
knowledge and item lore. To a lucky few, he is both.
trees grew thick and the paths were uncharted. Every ages and that no others living today possessed.
Tuxil’s mastery of his home is astounding. The
turn he took seemed to bring him back to where He journeyed to the fallen city of Cendriane,
gnome knows every item that makes up the hovel, its
he started. Panicked and confused, he ran, wind- where he visited ancient libraries to research the
properties, and its precise location. It takes him only a
ing through the trees and shrubs until he came to a locations of forgotten fey treasures. He spoke with
moment to procure a requested item, and the Trinket
clearing. The gnome stopped to catch his breath for a eladrin nobles about the other planes of existence
Lord is quick to offer many enticing treasures when
moment and was awestruck by what he saw. and the treasures to be found in those realms. And he
proposing a trade.
In the center of the glade was a pile of treasures chased after them all.
To visitors, the hovel is a mess. Statues, fabric,
both mundane and magical. As Tuxil walked closer to Tuxil’s cache grew ever larger, and he documented
weapons, chamber pots, wagons, pottery, armor,
investigate, he heard a clatter as more items appeared everything he owned and stored it in its proper place.
cooking gear, alchemical items, books, artwork,
atop the pile, causing some of the objects to roll down His prowess in matters of thievery and magic far sur-
rations, and other objects are everywhere, piled atop
to his feet. The gnome didn’t know what he had passed that of the rest of his race. Tuxil was no longer
one another, reaching to the ceiling. Some have con-
found, but he didn’t care. At that moment, he real- an escaped gnome slave, but a master of treasures.
jectured that lich phylacteries and forgotten rituals lie
ized that he enjoyed being lost—just as lost as was the The Trinket Lord was born.
hidden among the heaps. Most items in the hovel are
small mountain of treasures before him. Those items
objects that have been separated from their owners—
belonged to the person who discovered them, and
that person was Tuxil. Finders keepers, indeed.
T he Hovel some of them misplaced, and others cast away on
As the gnome searched through the pile, he found of H ansels purpose. New ones appear every day.
Though parts of the hovel cave in and slide as the
items that he had never dreamed existed. His knowl-
Many adventurers refer to the Trinket Lord’s dwelling gnome searches for trinkets, the entire structure has
edge of magic grew as he studied the trinkets. Each
as the Hovel of Hansels because discovering the loca- never collapsed. The movement of some objects always
day he spent in the glade, more and more objects
tion is considered a sign of good fortune. Tuxil refers to reveals new items that had been buried. Despite the
appeared atop the hill of possessions. Tuxil began to
it simply as his home. The gnome often disguises him- delicate appearance of some of the trinkets, none of
move the items around, forming a hollowed-out struc-
self as a fox to guide those who are lost to his demesne. them is ever broken or damaged by the minor land-
ture. His old hovel in Inbharann had been small and
He offers them a place to rest and, most important, the slides that occur. Visitors to the hovel are not as lucky
dirty, fit only for a slave, but now he created a grand
chance to trade with him. The prospect of acquiring and must take care not to be injured when parts of
home of his own.
new objects brings out his generous nature. the structure shift and slide. When the Trinket Lord
grants permission for a guest to search for an item, he

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
2
 The Trinket Lord

does so with a mischievous glint in his eye. He alone adventurers to another plane to retrieve an item that Potion of Feyspeak Level 3 Common
can run nimbly atop the piles, never faltering or fall- he cannot claim himself. The adventurers must nego- This golden liquid looks like honey, but the gift it gives is far
ing, while others struggle to make their way. tiate their reward before they leave the hovel, because sweeter.
Many archfey know the location of the hovel and once the group departs, Tuxil considers the deal to be Consumable: Potion 30 gp
visit it regularly, seeking items from the Trinket Lord final (such are the ways of the fey). Utility Power ✦ Consumable (Minor Action)
and trading knowledge and rumors of other trea- Alternatively, the Trinket Lord will trade items for Effect: You drink the potion. For the next 5 minutes, you
sures. Tuxil is always cordial and polite, respecting information. Various treasure hunters have sought can speak with and be understood by any fey beast.
his visitors’ status while they respect his. However, him out to learn rumors about the last known loca-
some archfey scheme to steal certain trinkets, send- tions of certain valuables. Just because Tuxil does not Amulet of Truth
ing minions and lackeys (and sometimes adventurers) possess an item does not mean that he has no knowl- In the Feywild, nothing is ever entirely as it seems.
to infiltrate the hovel. Most of these attempts fail; the edge of it. The Trinket Lord crafted these amulets after infiltra-
place is such a clattering, confusing mess that would- The gnome is known to be unhappy with some of tors began visiting his hovel to steal items for their
be thieves have a hard time finding anything or the trades he has made in the past, and sometimes he patrons. Fey thieves favor the amulets, which allow
masking their presence from Tuxil. hires a group to steal an item back from its current their wearers to sense the presence of creatures and
Those who successfully steal from the hovel learn owner. When they return it to the hovel, Tuxil might hidden areas.
that its contents are protected by the Trinket Lord’s offer to trade it to them—hoping to strike a better bar-
curse. One by one, all the thief ’s other magical pos- gain this time. Amulet of Truth Level 12+ Uncommon
sessions lose their powers. Some denizens of the
Used in the Feywild to discover spies, the amulet reveals that
Feywild—including certain powerful hags—can break
this curse, but always for a price. The simplest way to
T rinkets of all is not as it appears.

the Hovel
Lvl 12 +3 13,000 gp Lvl 22 +5 325,000 gp
end the curse is to return the stolen item to the hovel. Lvl 17 +4 65,000 gp Lvl 27 +6 1,625,000 gp
Neck Slot
Tuxil’s home is a vast repository of wondrous objects
Trading with (which means it can contain any sort of treasure you
Enhancement Bonus: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will
Property
the Trinket Lord see fit). Two special items that the Trinket Lord cre-
ated for his own purposes are described below.
You gain an item bonus to Insight checks equal to the
amulet’s enhancement bonus.
Tuxil is always after new items and eagerly trades C Utility Power ✦ Daily (Minor Action)
with adventurers, but he is no fool. He becomes Effect: Close burst 10. You know the location of one secret
aggravated with those who make bad offers or seem Potion of Feyspeak door or trapdoor in the burst, and you gain an item bonus
to insult his knowledge of valuables. As a rule, the In his fox form, the Trinket Lord learns many secrets to Thievery checks equal to the amulet’s enhancement
gnome will trade for items of equal or greater rarity. from the beasts of the Feywild. Applying his own bonus until the end of the encounter.
Although he has no problem trading an uncommon C Utility Power ✦ Daily (Minor Action)
knowledge of magic, he brews potions to allow others
Effect: Close burst 5. Until the end of your next turn, you
item for a visitor’s rare item, he will never trade an to speak with these creatures as well. can sense the presence of creatures in the burst that are
uncommon item for a common one. subject to an illusion effect or a polymorph effect.
The most likely way for adventurers to meet the
Trinket Lord is as a patron. Over the years, Tuxil has
granted portions of his power to numerous fey pact Other Treasures
warlocks in the hope that they will bring him new The Trinket Lord’s hovel contains many seemingly
treasures from across the planes. mundane items. The following table presents some
The Trinket Lord is not above other forms of unusual nonmagical items he might offer to adventur-
bartering. For example, he might send a group of ers. Each item has a 1 in 5 chance of instead being the

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
3
 The Trinket Lord

magic item presented to its right. You can describe The Trinket Lord Level 22 Elite Lurker C Sunder Relic (varies) ✦ Recharge 5 6
the items however you wish, embellishing their Small fey humanoid, gnome XP 8,300 Attack: Close blast 5 (enemies in the blast); +25 vs. Reflex
descriptions to make the items seem more marvelous HP 312; Bloodied 156 Initiative +19 Hit: 3d10 + 9 damage, and ongoing 15 damage (save ends).
or downplaying them to make them seem ordinary. AC 36, Fortitude 32, Reflex 35, Will 34 Perception +20 Miss: Half damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
Speed 7 Low-light vision Minor Actions
From the Hovel’s Hoard Saving Throws +2 (+5 against charm effects); Action Points 1 Elusive Invisibility (illusion) ✦ At-Will (1/round)
d20 Treasure Magic Item Traits Effect: The Trinket Lord becomes invisible until the end of
O Nullifying Aura ✦ Aura 5 his current turn or until he hits or misses with an attack.
1 Chair with minotaur-horn headrest Throne
Enemies in the aura cannot use magic item powers, other Change Shape (polymorph) ✦ At-Will (1/round)
of dominion
than powers of consumable items. Effect: The Trinket Lord alters his physical form to appear
2 Shadar-kai tattoo kit Tattoo of vengeance Indomitable Spirit as a Tiny fox until he uses change shape again or until he
3 Dragonchess set The immortal game Any dominating or stunning effect on the Trinket Lord ends drops to 0 hit points. While in this form, he takes no pen-
4 Necklace of dragon teeth Pale tooth at the start of his turn. alty to Stealth checks for moving up to his speed, and he
5 Spinning wheel Floating shield Magic Item Mastery gains a +10 power bonus to Stealth checks. He can make
6 Inkwell with hippogriff quill Spymaster’s quill Whenever the Trinket Lord attacks, choose two of the no attacks in this form.
following damage types: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, Triggered Actions
7 Crystal prism Ioun stone of perfect language
necrotic, psychic, thunder, or radiant. The damage dealt by C Fey Resolve ✦ Encounter
8 Sundial from the City of Brass Cinder of Gazra
the attack changes to the chosen types. Trigger: The Trinket Lord is first bloodied.
9 Chunk of meteorite Orb of enduring magic Standard Actions Attack (Free Action): Sunder relic recharges, and the Trinket
10 Wooden ocarina Tuathan road whistle m/r Activate Magic Item (varies) ✦ At-Will Lord uses it. He then becomes invisible until the end of his
11 Bar of magnetic ore Rod of smiting Attack: Melee 1 or Ranged 10 (one creature); +25 vs. Will next turn or until he hits or misses with an attack.
12 Sharkskin flippers Boots of swimming Hit: 6d6 + 9 damage. Skills Arcana +24, Stealth +20, Thievery +20
13 Lightning rod Daern’s instant fortress M/R Gnomish Tactics ✦ At-Will Str 16 (+14) Dex 19 (+15) Wis 18 (+15)
Requirement: The Trinket Lord must be invisible. Con 18 (+15) Int 27 (+19) Cha 24 (+18)
14 Ivory music box Pixie music box
Effect: The Trinket Lord uses activate magic item twice. Alignment unaligned Languages Common, Elven
15 Hang glider Greater flying carpet
Equipment bracers, helm, 5 wands, 2 rings
16 Telescope Lens of discernment
17 Rowboat with oars Feather boat He or she can barter with the Trinket Lord or accept When the Trinket Lord enters combat, the DM’s
18 Gardener’s tools Hill tamer crook a quest to gain the desired object. Alternatively, as creativity gets a chance to shine. Tuxil’s powers
19 Vanity mirror Spying mirror (one of a pair) mentioned above, Tuxil seeks many treasures that are revolve around the magic items he has available, and
20 Hourglass Sands of restored opportunity scattered across the planes, and he might hire adven- there is practically no limit to what might be found in
turers to collect some of them for him. DMs can use the hovel. Perhaps the gnome begins a fight by wield-
Using the T rinket the Trinket Lord to advance their plots in this way. ing a fiery sword, switches to a gauntlet that ripples
For example, if you want your adventure to lead to a with lightning, and later picks up a wand that fills his
L ord dragon’s lair, Tuxil might recruit the player characters foes with fear.
to obtain an item from the monster’s hoard. As an alternative reward, Tuxil might give the fey
Being unaligned, Tuxil makes for interesting fey
The adventurers can also be hired to guard an gift scent of gold to those who please him, especially
interactions in campaigns. His bartering nature gives
item that is being sent to the hovel as part of a trade. If the fey warlocks he instructs to find various treasures.
DMs a way to weave adventures and rewards into any
the characters deliver the prize, they gain favor with
Feywild campaign, and he can introduce the player
the Trinket Lord, who will remember their service.
characters to a new world of powerful allies and
Perhaps later the gnome will provide information
enemies.
they seek or introduce them to another prominent
Of course, the Hovel of Hansels is a good location
member of the Court of Stars.
to use if a character is searching for a certain item.

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
4
 The Trinket Lord

E nemies, A llies, and The most common allies of the Trinket Lord are
the wandering animals of the Feywild. In his fox
rituals. It has passed among the gnarled hands of per-
secuted witches and hag covens. The Witch of Fates
M inions form, Tuxil can communicate with these creatures has promised the gnome many exotic items in trade
freely, and he has persuaded many beasts to remain for the cauldron, and he cannot resist her offer.
The Trinket Lord is a loner, preferring to stay in his close to his hovel in case he needs them to repel Tuxil believes the large, iron-red cauldron to be in
hovel with his treasures. However, he is not without intruders. The largest and most dangerous of these the possession of the Misteye Coven, a group of hags
servants and allies, and he has made his share of ene- creatures include displacer beasts and owlbears. that dwells deep within the Oblivion Bog, located in
mies throughout the years. In addition, various horrors from the Feywild lurk the Shadowfell. He has sent the call out to his war-
nearby in hopes of snatching easy prey. locks to retrieve it for him. In addition, the Witch of
Feygrove chokers also attempt to dwell around the Fates has offered to provide the services of a band of
demesne, but the Trinket Lord keeps them away so adventurers who might be able to retrieve the caul-
that would-be traders don’t fear for their lives. Every dron with Tuxil’s guidance.
Tuxil’s Constructs now and then, Tuxil hires adventurers to eliminate

The Trinket Lord’s collection of golems ranges from

the choker threats by finding their nests and destroy-
ing the monstrosities.
The Gnome Council
constructs made of mundane materials (such as stone For many years, the Gnome Council has petitioned to
and iron) to those made of rarer materials (such as the Trinket Lord, offering him a seat, and each time
obsidian), but you can refine the descriptions of the Golems he has turned it down. He would rather dwell among
bodies. Perhaps the stone golem (from Monster Vault) Within the hovel, it is not uncommon to see golems his treasures in silence than sit and listen to the end-
is made of pieces from several statues, and the iron of various kinds wandering among the items or help- less jabbering of his kin. Despite his feelings about
golem (from the Dark Sun Creature Catalog) is built of ing Tuxil sort his possessions. Many of these golems the council, Tuxil remains extremely friendly with
broken weapons that have been fused together. Think are made of broken items that end up in the hovel the Gnome Warrens, trading lore and knickknacks
about how Tuxil would turn the hovel’s trash into but have no real value. The constructs offer the Trin- frequently. When he is not at home or visiting the
something useful. For example, a street golem could ket Lord additional protection and are the first to Court of Stars, he is often found as an honored guest
be reimagined as a construct of junk and trinkets, respond if their master comes under attack. When in the warrens.
rising up amid the clutter. guests arrive in search of a particular item, one of the Karl Stoneshine, the head of the Gnome Coun-
Some guests of the Hovel of Hansels have seen golems might help them find the object they seek. cil, believes that the addition of the Trinket Lord to
golems made of torn scrolls and broken wands and the council would bring safety and security to the
vials. These constructs are scroll mummies (see Mon-
ster Vault™: Threats of the Nentir Vale™). Scholars know
Gloaming Fey warrens. Karl also thinks that the eladrin rulers
would show more respect to the council if Tuxil were
that the construction of a scroll mummy requires the Among the fey of dreams, mysteries, and wonder, the a member, because the eladrin hold him in high
essence of a lich. Did the Trinket Lord destroy one whimsical Trinket Lord has found favor. Members of regard.
or more liches while retrieving their treasures and the Gloaming Fey frequently seek him out for advice Not all members of the Gnome Council see the
secrets? Only Tuxil knows for sure. on the workings of certain magical creations and Trinket Lord as an ally. Some believe him to be a
There is a limit to the kinds of golems found in the baubles. Even when these fey choose not to trade, they threat because he deals too often with creatures
hovel. The Trinket Lord never uses flesh golems or any often visit the Hovel of Hansels to discuss the nature they consider to be the enemies of all gnomes. Lord
constructs made from body parts or dead creatures. of the arcane mysteries of the world. Stoneshine has been unable to heal the rift on this
His golems are created entirely from the objects and Recently, the Witch of Fates, a dark oracle of des- issue within the council. Recently, he has become
materials around him. tiny, requested a treasure that Tuxil does not possess: worried that an Unseelie threat might be influenc-
the bloodbond cauldron. This cooking pot has been ing some of the gnomes on the council, trying to sour
used for ages as an aid in weaving curses and casting relations with the Trinket Lord permanently.

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
5
 The Trinket Lord

The Sea Lords psychological scars. He will, however, aid warriors

and adventurers who want to strike blows against the
About the Author
Karl Resch has been writing and creating characters his
The treasures that lie at the bottoms of the great entire life. He is excited to have his first work published in
tyrants and to free the slaves that still dwell under-
ocean chasms cannot be counted. Many of these Dungeon. When not writing for Wizards of the Coast, he
ground. Those who ask Tuxil for help against the
items would never be seen again except for the enjoys updating his blog, Artificer’s Intuition. He also enjoys
fomorians are allowed to choose certain items from
efforts of the aquatic fey and merfolk treasure hunt- running and playing Frisbee.
the hovel to take with them into the depths. The
ers. They search forgotten grottoes and dangerous
Trinket Lord requires nothing in trade, but the adven- Developer
depths, bringing ancient, mysterious artifacts to the
turers must bring him proof of their success against Tanis O’Connor
Sea Lords in the Court of Coral. The aquatic fey send
the fomorians, or they will suffer his curse. Before the
items they do not need to the Trinket Lord, hoping to Editor
heroes leave the hovel, they must agree to a pact that
trade for other relics they seek. Ray Vallese
details how much time they have to complete their
Currently, the archfey twins Elias and Siobhan are
mission before the curse takes effect. Managing Editor
looking for the three remaining pieces of the Levia-
Fomorian spies have told their corrupt rulers Kim Mohan
than’s Maw. That is the name given to a set of thirty
about the tales of fantastic treasures hoarded by the
scrimshawed teeth from a great beast of the depths. Development and Editing Lead
Trinket Lord. In their jealousy and lust for material
Carved on the teeth are the histories of the Sea Lords Jeremy Crawford
possessions, these lords have hired drow raiders to
and lost rituals of oceans and rivers. Legends say
find the Hovel of Hansels, slay the gnome, and bring Senior Producer
that the Leviathan’s Maw also has directions to a lost
back as much wealth as possible. The fomorian rulers Christopher Perkins
city that sunk beneath the waves long ago. One must
have also sent cyclops warriors and quickling assas-
possess all the pieces of the Maw to study the clues Producers
sins to end Tuxil’s life. So far, he has been able to Greg Bilsland, Stan!
leading to the sunken city.
thwart these threats, but they have begun to increase
The Trinket Lord knows the whereabouts of the
in number and strength. Tuxil is looking for a way to Senior Creative Director
last three teeth and desperately wants to gather them Jon Schindehette
stop the raids and send a message to the fomorians
and trade them to the twins. One is in the hands of a
that he is not to be trifled with. As always, though, he
pirate lord in the Elemental Chaos, the second is part Art Director
will not journey below ground, so he seeks a group Kate Irwin
of a black dragon’s hoard, and the last is being used
that is willing to help him.
as a holy symbol by a group of Far Realm cultists that Illustrator
worship a kraken. Tuxil is on the lookout for adven- Tony Foti
turers who are already dealing with these threats,
hoping they will trade the scrimshawed treasures Digital Studio Consultant
with him. Daniel Helmick

Publishing Production Manager

The Fomorian Kingdoms Angie Lokotz

Although the Trinket Lord remains neutral regarding

many of the schemes concocted by the Court of Stars,
he is one of the first to lend support against the threat
of the fomorian rulers in their subterranean realms.
Tuxil will not return to the Feydark under any
circumstances. The horrors he experienced in
Inbharann were too great, and he bears many

A u g u s t 2 012 | D U N G E O N 2 0 5
6