Callearn: The Jewel of the Crossed Waters
A magical port city where Venice meets Amsterdam meets Constantinople
Callearn sits at the confluence of three great rivers, its maze of canals, bridges, and floating markets serving as the crossroads of magical trade. Ancient Byzantine-style palaces rise from canal-side foundations, their domes and minarets reflecting in waters that glow with enchanted lights. Dutch-inspired gabled houses line the main thoroughfares, while Venetian gondolas drift through narrow waterways carrying everything from spice merchants to smuggled arcane components.
The city pulses with mercantile energy - floating bazaars drift between districts, magical locks regulate water traffic, and the famous Merchant's Guildhall towers over the Grand Canal like a maritime cathedral. But beneath Callearn's prosperous surface lurk darker currents: spy networks, cult cells, and the ancient Merrow who claim the deepest channels as their hunting grounds.
d20 Random Encounters in Callearn
| d20 | Encounter |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Charming Merchant: A well-dressed trader approaches with an offer too good to refuse. This Enchanter Mage Adept (CR 4) uses Sweet Promises and Charming Attacks to manipulate customers into unfavorable magical contracts. Their shop is actually a Greater Mimic (CR 4) in disguise. |
| 2 | Canal Ambush: While crossing a bridge at night, Merrow (CR 2) burst from the dark waters below, hurling sharktooth harpoons and attempting to drag victims into the depths for ritual sacrifice. The storm drains echo with abyssal chanting. |
| 3 | The False Prisoner: A shackled figure pleads for help from a canal-side statue. The "prisoner" is real, but the statue is a Mimic (CR 2) using them as bait. Its Comforting Familiarity makes it appear as a beloved civic monument. |
| 4 | Guild War Spillover: Thugs (CR 1/2) and a Thug Boss (CR 2) from rival merchant guilds clash in the Spice Quarter. Characters can try to mediate, take sides, or protect innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. |
| 5 | The Watchtower Spy: A seemingly helpful Guard (CR 1/8) offers directions to newcomers. In reality, they're an Elite Spy (CR 4) cataloging foreign visitors for a mysterious organization called the Obsidian Ledger. |
| 6 | Cult Recruitment Drive: A charismatic Cultist Fanatic (CR 2) wearing fine jewelry approaches the party at a tavern, speaking of an "imminent new age" and inviting them to a meeting. Several Cultists (CR 1/8) mingle in the crowd, using Grovel and Beg to appear harmless. |
| 7 | The Floating Market Heist: Bandits (CR 1/8) led by a Bandit Captain (CR 2) assault a floating spice barge. The captain demands tribute from all vessels, claiming "tax collection" authority from a forged document. |
| 8 | The Negotiation: Representatives from two trading houses meet to discuss a merger, but one delegation includes Contract Killers (CR 4) disguised as scribes. They plan to eliminate their rivals mid-negotiation using poisoned ink. |
| 9 | Temple Politics: An Acolyte (CR 1/4) seeks help exposing corruption in their temple, where a Priest (CR 2) has been selling false blessings and pocketing donations meant for the poor. |
| 10 | The Drowning Cellar: Strange scratching sounds come from beneath a tavern's wine cellar. Investigation reveals Merrow (CR 2) have tunneled up from the canal system, using Anemone Poison to slowly corrupt the building's water supply. |
| 11 | Aristocratic Duel: A young Knight (CR 3) challenges anyone who questions their family's honor. The duel attracts a crowd, but the knight's "second" is actually an Assassin (CR 8) hired by rivals to ensure the knight doesn't survive. |
| 12 | The Merchant's Confession: A desperate trader reveals their warehouses are infested with Mimics (CR 2) posing as valuable trade goods. They're bankrupting him by consuming real merchandise and terrorizing workers with their Adhesive attacks. |
| 13 | Canal Bridge Toll: A Veteran Thug (CR 2) and several Thugs (CR 1/2) have claimed a major bridge, demanding "passage fees." They're actually extorting money to pay debts to a Thug Overboss (CR 4). |
| 14 | The Whispering Warehouse: Aberrant Cultists (CR 8) have taken over an abandoned spice warehouse. Their alien songs drift across the water at night, and they're preparing to sacrifice a captured Spy (CR 1) to their eldritch patron. |
| 15 | Diplomatic Immunity: Foreign dignitaries visiting the city include a Spy Master (CR 10) using diplomatic cover to establish a spy network. They host lavish parties while their agents gather intelligence on magical trade routes. |
| 16 | The Sunken Treasury: Rumors spread of a collapsed bank vault beneath the Financial District. The truth: a Vault Mimic (CR 8) has taken over the entire chamber, using real treasure as bait while slowly consuming anyone who ventures inside. |
| 17 | Death Cult Funeral: A somber funeral procession moves through the Nobles' Quarter, but the mourners are Death Cultists (CR 8) led by a Death Cultist Grand Master (CR 14) who has stolen the corpse to perform dark rituals. |
| 18 | The Poisoned Well: The city's newest public fountain runs with tainted water. A Toximancer (CR 6) has been secretly dosing it with alchemical compounds, either for a mass poisoning or to test new toxins on the population. |
| 19 | Merrow Lord's Ultimatum: A Merrow Storm-Blessed (CR 8) surfaces in the Grand Canal during a thunderstorm, demanding the city sacrifice one citizen each month or face their wrath. Lightning crackles around their coral crown as they await an answer. |
| 20 | The Grand Heist: A Bandit Crime Lord (CR 11) has orchestrated the theft of an entire magical goods warehouse using a network of Elite Spies (CR 4), Contract Killers (CR 4), and corrupted Guards. The crime threatens to destabilize the entire magical economy. |
Using These Encounters
Each encounter can be scaled up or down by adjusting the number of creatures or their Challenge Ratings. Social encounters work best when players have opportunities to negotiate, investigate, or choose sides. Combat encounters can be enhanced by using Callearn's unique environment - canal waters, narrow bridges, floating platforms, and magical lighting all provide tactical opportunities.
Many encounters connect to larger storylines: the Obsidian Ledger spy network, the rising Merrow threat from the deep canals, and the various cult cells infiltrating the city's religious and merchant communities.
MCP Server Experience Notes
What Went Well:
- Comprehensive monster catalog: The
mcp_foe-foundry-s_get_monster_catalogtool provided an excellent overview of all available creatures, making it easy to identify appropriate monsters for different encounter types. - Detailed monster information:
mcp_foe-foundry-s_get_monster_detailsreturned rich, well-structured information including lore, encounter ideas, and related monsters. - Good search functionality: The
mcp_foe-foundry-s_searchtool found relevant monsters when using broader thematic terms. - Power search worked well:
mcp_foe-foundry-s_search_powerseffectively found abilities that could enhance encounters.
Issues and Unexpected Results:
- Parameter confusion: Initially tried
mcp_foe-foundry-s_search_monster(which doesn't exist) instead ofmcp_foe-foundry-s_search_monsters. The error message wasn't entirely clear about which tool names were valid. - Limited aquatic creatures: Despite searching for water/sea/harbor/port terms, only found Merrow as a major aquatic threat. Would have expected more sea-based creatures for a port city setting.
- Search term sensitivity: Some searches returned very few results even with relevant keywords. The search seems to work better with broader, more general terms rather than specific thematic keywords.
- Tool name inconsistency: There's
mcp_foe-foundry-s_search_monstersvsmcp_foe-foundry-s_search_powers- the plural/singular naming wasn't consistent, leading to initial confusion.
Suggestions:
- Better error messages: When tool names are incorrect, provide a list of available MCP tools.
- Expanded creature types: More aquatic, urban, and merchant-themed creatures would be valuable for port city encounters.
- Search improvements: Allow for broader keyword matching or suggest related terms when searches return few results.
- Consistent naming: Standardize tool names (all plural or all singular) for better user experience.
Overall, the MCP server provided excellent content for creating this encounter table, with detailed lore and mechanics that made it easy to craft engaging scenarios for the magical port city setting.