Lost

“The Misplaced Village” is a classic Brelish folktale that has retained its appeal for hundreds of years. The story opens in a town plagued by bandits and war. Into this troubled place wanders a sympathetic traveler, who offers to hide the community from its enemies. Beleaguered and desperate to survive, the villagers embrace his offer.

As the stranger weaves a mighty spell, one of the farmers remembers an ancient proverb: “Beware the gifts of the Traveler.” He tries to stop the ritual, but he is too late. The Traveler is as good as his word: From that day to this, no enemy has found the village—nor has anyone else.

The name of the village is lost to time, and most people refer to it simply as “Lost.” According to the story, every misplaced thing is drawn to this mysterious destination; hence, when a child’s toy goes missing, a Brelish mother might say, “At least it’s bringing joy to Lost.”

“The Misplaced Village” is a widely known tale in Breland, but only during the last decade has the truth behind the legend come to light.

The first time the Daughters of Sora Kell summoned their warlords to the Great Crag, the eyes of the East were upon them. The Shadow Houses of Thuranni and Phiarlan, the Dark Lanterns of Breland, the Royal Eyes of Aundair, and the Trust of Zilargo all wished to know what forces were scheming in the kingdom of monsters. These groups’ spies watched as the giant Gorodan Ashlord took a knee before the Daughters. They took note as the medusa queen swore her oaths. Gargoyles, werewolves, minotaurs, and more came forward—frightening forces, yet all well-known to the Citadel. And then the final warlord approached the triple throne. For a moment he was a tiefling, then a hobgoblin, then an elf. Finally he stood revealed as a pale doppelganger, and he pledged the loyalty of Lost.

Many of the monsters of Droaam, such as harpies and ogres, cannot operate well in the Five Nations due to their monstrous appearances. The same is untrue for a force of doppelgangers. The powers of the East were eager to know what sort of threat Lost posed, so they dispatched spies into the wilds of the west. Neither Shadow nor Lantern could find the city, however, and scrying and divination revealed nothing. Trackers lost their prey or disappeared entirely.

And so it remains. Few people outside of Breland have heard of Lost. A successful DC 20 History check means that a character recalls that Breland has a tale of a lost or disappearing village, possibly involving a mysterious figure. Anyone born in Breland knows the tale of the misplaced village and its counterpart in Droaam; beyond that, there is only a decade’s worth of speculation. Some say that the people of Lost are master thieves responsible for unsolved crimes throughout history. Others believe that agents of Lost are hiding among the changelings of the Five Nations and spying for Droaam.

Changelings are intrigued by the thought of a village of their own kind. They know that there is no reason to expect to be welcomed by a community of doppelgangers, who aren’t bound by any sort of racial unity; nevertheless, some set out each year in search of the hidden sanctuary.

The priests of Lost say that their ancestors came to Khorvaire from across the sea, fleeing slavery in Ohr Kaluun and the Sundering of Sarlona. During this time of upheaval, the Traveler visited them in the form of one of their own. With a word, he turned the trees into houses; with a gesture, he hid the village from prying eyes. He taught his people to speak in silence, to hear the thoughts of others, and to master their shapeshifting gifts in ways they’d never imagined. In exchange, the people of Lost swore to bring confusion to his enemies and change to the world.

Whereas the Cabinet of Faces specializes in intrigue, the doppelgangers of Lost are exceptional thieves, and many fine things now reside in Lost’s vaults of holding. In keeping with the doctrine of the Traveler, the doppelgangers often share their ill-gotten gains with others. They have revealed the secrets of dragonmarked houses to rivals in other houses; stolen royal treasures and placed them in the hands of would-be usurpers; freed prisoners and exposed fugitives. On one hand, their actions have brought about chaos and death; on the other, they have also inspired positive change and innovation.

Culturally, the doppelgangers of Lost are different from their kin in the East. For a child of Lost, face and name are a form of artistic expression. They find joy in change, both within the individual and the ripples they create in the lives of others. Although each doppelganger has a unique thought-symbol that serves as a true name, the people of Lost are ambivalent regarding permanent identity in a way that that outsiders find disconcerting.

The inhabitants of Lost function under a loose social hierarchy centered around the priests of the Traveler. Although they are allied with Droaam and serve the Daughters of Sora Kell as spies and inquisitors, it is as a form of tribute ensuring that the Daughters leave them alone. Their first loyalty is to the Traveler, and they continue their work in his name.

The gifts of the doppelgangers help them hide in plain sight; the village of Lost is equally blessed, for its “buildings” are alive. Within moments, Lost can become a gnoll camp, a Vadalis magebreeding outpost, a grove of greatpines, or any number of other forms.

The creatures that form Lost are called facades. A facade can transform its exterior appearance to resemble any sort of stationary object, from a stone outcropping or massive tree to a small house. It takes 1d4 + 3 rounds to complete such a transformation. Facades are simple creatures and need to be given telepathic direction to assume complex forms.

Facades subsist through photosynthesis and by laying down roots through which they draw nutrients from the soil. If attacked, a facade will shift its skin to the texture of stone. The creatures can’t fight enemies, but they are very durable and can shrug off most wounds. A facade has resist 10 to all damage and regenerates 5 hit points per round as long as it is conscious. A typical facade has 400 hit points.

While rooted, a facade is incapable of movement. It takes 4 rounds for it to pull up its roots, after which it moves slowly by sliding along the ground like a slug. When the people of Lost wish to move long distances, they telepathically guide the facades to take the forms of wagons so that they can travel more swiftly.

Facades are naturally immune to any form of scrying, and this protection extends to any creature or object within the creature. If a wizard standing next to a facade scries on his current location, he will see nothing of interest.

Lost is a legend. What might bring adventurers there? What makes it a compelling part of an adventure?

For Breland: Commander Vron of the Dark Lanterns wishes to make contact with the leaders of Lost to determine if he can forge an alliance between the Citadel and the doppelgangers. Can the adventurers succeed where the Citadel Elite have failed?

Cold Case: An overlord is stirring in Thrane, and the adventurers need the Tears of Tira—a relic of the Silver Flame—to lay it to rest. There’s just one problem: The relic was stolen in the wake of the Silver Crusade. Stories say shifter raiders destroyed the shrine and stole it. Can the party discover the truth and track the relic to the vaults of Lost?

Chance Encounter: While traveling across Droaam, the adventurers encounter a marvelous carnival that is actually Lost in disguise. Adventurers who choose to play the potentially lethal games can earn real treasures, but the prizes sometimes pack unexpected consequences. When they acquire the scepter of the last Dhakaani emperor, the party becomes the target of a dozen goblin clans. How will they resolve the situation?

Aureon’s Justice: The actions of the Traveler aren’t always evil, but they are a source of chaos. Now that Lost is actively tied to Droaam, the Traveler’s servants have caught the eye of the Sovereign Host. Divine characters aligned with the Host might be charged to find Lost and give its leaders a chance to atone for their actions. If Lost’s leaders refuse, the adventurers must find a way to bring down the priests of the Traveler.

Lords of Dust: A Lord of Dust and his lesser rakshasa servants infiltrate Lost and replace the council of priests; the doppelgangers become unwitting tools of this new master. Adventurers might search for Lost to destroy the Lord of Dust and the doppelgangers alike, or they might aid a fugitive doppelganger who asks them to help drive the evil from the hidden village.

Changeling Destiny: A changeling character is approached by a doppelganger and told that his destiny lies in Lost. If he can find the hidden village, he will receive divine boons or grandmaster training and be set on the path that leads to his epic destiny. But one should always beware the gifts of the Traveler. . . .

Profit: The adventurers hear tales of the impressive and numerous treasures stolen by the doppelgangers. Although the shapeshifters have redistributed many of these items over the years, Lost remains a trove worthy of plunder—if the party can find it and claim the stolen goods.

Finding Lost is a difficult task. Divination is no help and, thanks to the facades, an adventurer could walk right through the village and never know it. The settlement is frequently on the move, so even traveling doppelgangers don’t know the precise way back; they wander in the general region until scouts in the forms of birds or telepathic observers notice them and send directions. How do the adventurers succeed where the King’s Citadel has failed?

• Strike a bargain with an inhabitant of Lost. As long as the doppelganger brings them willingly, the village might reveal itself; if he is clearly a hostage, it will stay hidden.
• Adventurers are remarkable people. An artificer could develop a tracking ritual that bypasses the wards of Lost. A Tharashk heir and Cannith heir working together might find a way to amplify the Mark of Finding. A changeling rogue could impersonate an inhabitant of Lost, deceiving the master tricksters.
• If the adventurers are searching for an artifact hidden in Lost, perhaps the artifact’s power is such that it cannot be concealed even by the facades. The characters cannot track the village, but they can use divination to find the relic.