Acquisitions Incorporated

that the algae can be mixed with other reagents costing BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
150 gp to make a potion ofwater breathing. Such a po-
tion might fetch up to 500 gp in a city such as Waterdeep The "Free-Market lizardfolk" encounter is just one of the
or Neverwinter. many business opportunities that mark a long-running
Acquisitions Incorporated campaign. Forward-thinking
T H E WRONGN ESS adventurers can make a deal with Thetsis and her tribe
After turning east from the High Road onto the Triboar that might help them corner the market on potions ofwater
Trail. the characters· travel slows a bit The High Road breathing. The terms ofthe deal are up to you, but it's best
is frequently traveled by caravans, and so is better kept to start small. Once per month, the lizardfolk can meet
and easier to traverse. Triboar Trai l, on the other hand, the adventurers or their agents to sell them algae. As the
sees less frequent traffic and is less well maintained. characters start to hire franch ise staff at the end of this
episode, this is a perfect opportunity to set up how staff
After a few hours· travel east, the adventurers come members can conduct franchise business with no direct
upon the following scene. involvement from the characters-at least not to start.

Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the road is an These kinds ofside ventures can easily expand to be-
odd-looking figure wearing not a stitch of clothing. In come adventures of their own. For example, one of the
one hand, he fiddles with a copper medallion etched with franchise NPCs handling the algae trade might fail to
the image of a thin, tangled pair of antlers. He might be a return from the Mere of Dead Men one day. The charac-
beardless dwarf, or a short and pale half-ore, or a human ters need to find out what happened if they want to keep
with a gland condition. Either way, he doesn't look up employee morale from tanking-and to keep the business
as he speaks in a voice that sounds like a goat choking relationship with the lizardfolk intact. Choices must be
made and consequences faced, which are the hallmarks of
on sawdust. a great campaign.
"Fortune has strange and wonderful and terrible things
The "Franchise Tasks and Downtime" section in chapter
in store for you. So I am here as fortune 's lackey. Fair or 2 has more information about working ongoing business
foul? Weal or woe? Chant or howl? Friend or foe?" activities into the franchise's campaign story.

This unfortunate wanderer is named Carkuss (N male 1. with this beaming, attract and repel.
human priest). A character who has an appropriate Ignore me. and you are lost. one way or another.
background or who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence
( Religion) check recognizes the copper medallion as a What am/?
holy symbol of Beshaba. Known as the Lady of Misfor-
tune, Beshaba is Tymora's twin sister and archenemy. The answer is a lighthouse-a foreshadowing on be-
This character knows that Beshaba sends her favored half of fate of where the characters will go in episode 3.
souls out into the world as a focus for bad luck and ca-
lamity, and that dealing with a favored soul of the Lady Curse ofBeshaba. Beshaba inflicts her cu rse upon
of Misfortune is a risky situation. Interacting with such
agents in any way can draw Beshaba's ire, with poten- any cleric character who doesn't worship her, or the
character who has the most interaction with Carkuss.
tially catastrophic consequences. She might target more than one character, especially
anyone who worships Tymora. While under the curse. a
The Hands ofFate. Now that Carkuss has crossed character has disadvantage on saving throws. The sub-
ject knows the curse can be ended with remove curse or
paths with the adventurers. they are stuck in the strands similar magic, or it can be passed to another person.
of his web of misfortune. To avoid the curse of Beshaba
(see below), the characters must not harm Carkuss, To pass the curse. the victim can choose a living hu-
they must not be overly kind co him, and they must manoid within 5 feet of it once per day, making a Cha-
correctly answer a riddle he asks. If successful on all risma check contested by the target's Charisma check.
three counts, each character earns a dlO. Once before lf the cursed victim wins, the curse transfers to the new
the character's next long rest, they can roll the die and target. If unsuccessful in transferring the curse. the
add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll. victim takes 5 (ldlO) psychic damage. A target who re-
or savi ng throw. In addition, by earning Carkuss's favor, sists the transfer is immune to the curse of Beshaba for
the characters might see him when they need good for- one year. Passing the curse on to an innocent person is

tune later. if you so decide. an evil act.
If the characters fail at any of these three tasks, one An NPC victim of the curse has a chance to die of a

or more of them (at your determination) earns the curse. terminal case of bad luck. For each day that passes, roll
If the characters attack Carkuss, he doesn't defend him- a d20andad12. If both dice show a 1, the NPC dies in
self, hoping that they slay his miserable form so his soul a freak accident. The curse is gone, but if word of the
death reaches the character who transferred the curse.
can be free. the consequences might live on.

The Riddle. After initial interactions with the charac- A H ORSE Is A CORPSE, OF COU RSE

ters, Carkuss asks the following riddle: When the characters move off the Triboar Trail and onto
the even-less-used track to Phandalin, they stumble
I stand aloof. alone as a savior. into what looks like a by-the-numbers goblin ambush
I shine my oily smile across the rippling vastness. that turns into something much more bizarre. After
an hour's travel, the characters come upon the fol-

lowing scene.

CHAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY tH THE \\ANDE RER

100

Ahead on the rough road, a pair of dead horses and an the image of a draconic skull with a sword driven up
through it from the bottom. A character who succeeds
overturned cart block your way. Sacks and barrels spilled on a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes the
sigil as part of a unique necromantic ritual that can turn
from the cart litter the ground. Trees grow close to the any creature into an undead creature when it dies. (The
characters will see this rune and this magic again later.
road here, and the thick undergrowth obscures the See the sidebar "The Magic of Convenience" on the next
page for more information.)
view beyond.
Treas ure. Most of the crates, sacks. and barrels that
As the characters approach within 50 feet, any character
who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check litter the road and the wagon have already been emptied
notices that several goblins stand motionless in the un- of valuables. One cask of Lusk an Ice Mead remains
der brush, while several more perch in the trees. A char- intact among the looted goods, worth 50 gp in Phand·
acter who succeeds on the check by 5 or more also no- alin. Alternatively, the characters can get 200 gp for it in
tices that these goblins are dead. as does any character Waterdeep. where patrons won't realize that ice mead is
who attacks or attempts to interact with them. A closer just normal mead in Luskan.
investigation then reveals that they have been propped
up and tied into their positions. ARRIVAL IN PHANDALIN

Creatures. The two dead horses are warhorse skel- After a harrowing and potentially lucrative journey, the
characters arrive in Phandalin. Map 2. 1 shows the lay·
etons whose remaining flesh sloughs off as they fight. out of the small town. with key locations described in
When any character comes within 20 feet of the fallen the sections below.
horses, these undead lurch to their feet and attack.
When this happens, each character must succeed on a Read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:

DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check or be surprised. This modest-sized town is comprised of some fifty build-
Tactics. The gnome archmage Hoobur Gran'Shoop ings, most of which show signs of regular upkeep. Farms
an d an apple orchard mark the outer edge of town, with
animated these dead horses in the aftermath of the at·
tack on Tresendar Manor. commanding them to lie still houses and shops closer in. Townsfolk are milling about
and attack any humanoid creatures that approach them. in the central square and on the adjacent green. Two peo-
ple stand on a stage on the green, addressing the crowd,
Hoobur's Mark. If the characters poke around the but the distance to them-along with a steady chorus of
cheers, boos, and shouts-obscures what's being said.
rotting flesh that fell of the horses during the battle. they
see that each horse bore scars on its sides that form Ris ing from a small hi ll overlooking the town is an o ld

manor house-or at least it was an old manor house.
Most of its walls have collapsed in what appears to be
a recent disaster, with traces of smoke still rising from
piles of tumbled stone.

When the characters approach the stage or try to slip
away, continue:

A portly, well-dressed male human on the stage points
unexpectedly at your group and shouts. "You see? This is
exactly what I mean! Just when things start to calm down
in Phanda lin, more mu rderous vagrants show up. They
probably have something to do with what's happened to
Tresendar Manor, and with the livestock that have started
going missing! And it's only a matter of time before this
all ends in misery and bloodshed, I promise you!"

Politics in Phandalin. Phanda lin was long run by IOI

an elected town master, until trouble with bandits some
years ago saw the townmaster replaced by a council
of three prominent citizens. elected every two years.
However. the recent abdication of one councilor and the
town's growing size have prompted the townsfolk to de-
cide that it's time to expand the council to five persons,

C ll,\PTER 4 I THE ORRl::RY OF T il l'. WANDERER

and to incorporate a mayorship to handle increasingly TH E M AGIC OF C O NV ENIENCE
important decisions about Phandalin's future.
The work of the gnome archmage Hoobur Gran'Shoop is
Two people, both current councilors, are running for a constant presence in episodes 2 and 3 of the adventure,
mayor. One is Harbin Wester, a male human with the in- even before his actual appearance toward the end ofepi·
tegrity and unctuous personality of ... well, a career pol- sode 3. Savvy players might note that the undead minions
itician. Wester is a former townmaster. and is running Hoobur creates to harry the party don't follow the standard
against Sildar Hallwinter, a male human, member of the rules by which a spellcaster character might create undead.
Lords' Alliance, and former adventurer. Hallwinter is a Likewise, some of the creatures working for Hoobur do so
circumspect sort who opposes Wester mostly because in ways that aren't covered by dominate monster.
of the latter's corruption. For more information on both.
If the characters develop a strong interest 1n creating
see the "People of Phandalin" section. undead horses or summoning will-o'-wisps to their ser-
Wester is the town's banker and a major landowner, vice, you can decide to reveal the "unique rituals" Hoobur
knows, which can show up as treasure in the adventure
so some consider his wealth and power to be ample jus- or be something that the characters can learn through
tification for his greedy. conniving nature. More impor- research. Otherwise, just assume that like many classic vil-
tantly, a number of monstrous and magical incidents in lains, Hoobur Gran'Shoop has access to whatever magic is
the area over many years have left Phandalin's citizens necessary to advance the plot in the most interesting way.
anxious for strong-sounding leadership. Even though ad-
venturers solved many of the town's problems in the past. But after a few days passed and no one from the manor
Wester has gained much popularity by convincing people came into town, Sildar Hallwinter braved the walk up
that the town's troubles would have never surfaced if
those well-armed wandering busybodies hadn't gotten in- the hill to investigate.
volved in the first place. The banker has even gone so far Where the manor once stood. he found only rubble,
as to suggest that adventurers might have orchestrated
some of Phandalin's past woes for their own gain. scorch marks, ru ined construction, and bloodstains. He
failed t0 discover the single franchisee left alive in the
Sildar Hallwinter isn't a great orator. He spends most manor, who was unconscious at the time. The townsfolk
of his time refuting Wester's "unsubstantiated claims." have given the ruin s a wide berth since then, not want-
The retired warrior also points out that Phandalin ing to risk awakening whatever mad magic delivered the
needs a leader who knows the dangers of the wilder- adventur ers of the Golden Mongoose to their final fate.
ness, even as its people need a mayor unburdened by
PLOTS OF THE Srx
scandal and potential con flicts of interest.
The characters can become involved in the mayoral Just over a year ago, operatives of the Six came across
one of the components of the Orrery ofthe Wanderer-
debate if the players wish. lf they don't. wrap it up and the far gear. Quickly realizing the potential power in the
let the characters interact with the townsfolk as they see component and the orrery it was a part of, they began
fit. Talking to any townsfolk yields up the information to scour the Sword Coast for information regarding
detailed in the "Recent Events in Phandalin" and "Peo- the artifact. A month ago. their intelligence-gathering
resources turned up word that two Acquisitions In-
ple of Phandalin" sections, below. corporated franchises including the newly minted
Phandalin franchise had been scrutineering for lore
RECENT EVENTS IN PHANDALIN about mysterious magic clockwork devices. Wanting to
determine what Acquisitions Incorporated might know
The Fellowship of the Golden Mongoose was the Acqui- about the orrery. the leaders of the Six put a plan into
sitions Incorporated franchise previously established motion. (The second franchise was based on the Sword
in Phandalin. When that group arrived in town a few Coast between Neverwinter and Luskan. Its fate will be
months ago, they spoke with Harbin Wester about ac-
quiring the ruined Tresendar Manor. since the banker discovered by the characters in episode 3.)
held the property's title. Wester worked out terms with The Six set up an agent in Phandalin- Ditch Fundi,
Head Office and the deal was signed. The members of
the franchise soon got to work on restoring the manor, who first raised and now runs Phandalin's new Temple
frequently corning to town for supplies. When not slip- of the Coin Maiden. Using Ditch's intelligence on the ac-
ping off to adventure for a few days here and there, most tivities of the Company of the Golden Mongoose, the Six
confirmed that the franchise held an orrery component
of their time was spent at the manor. called the timepiece oftravel- and that Acq Inc head
A number of days ago (the same day the franchise's office was so far in the dark about their discovery. So
the Six hired a number of agents- including archmage
payment was due co Head Office), the townsfolk heard Hoobur Gran'Shoop- to attack both franchises.
explosions from the manor, with a few people reporting
seeing gouts of flame and hearing the commotion of a Hoobur's forces snuck into Phandalin and razed
battle. No one was really keen to investigate. wanting to Tresendar Manor to the ground. However, the Six oper-
avoid any trouble that the Fellowship of the Golden Mon- atives were unable to find the timepiece oftravel. Know-
goose had brought on themselves. (Adventurers, right?) ing that one of the franchisees had teleponcd away from
the fight, the agents assumed that the orrery component
When scouting a base of operations, consider how was gone. Unknown to them, the timepiece stayed be-
many of the local area could be hind, and remains in the possession of the survivor still
busine~s~s in your
buried alive in the rubbl e.
strong-armed into subm1ss1on. or how many .of the

politicians could be replac~d by a member of your

own implausibly large family. .

- Rosie Beestinger

MM• 2 1· THE TowN OF' P><hN Ol\ LI N

Only two of the townsfolk have any information re- of Tresendar Manor still the talk of the town. the char-
garding the attack on Tresendar Manor. Ditch Fundi, a acters have no problem finding people with opinions
charlatan pr iest ofWaukeen and agent of the Six, was on the fate of the previous Acquisitions Incorporated
installed in Phandalin a month ago to watch the fran- franch ise.
chise's activities and set up the attack. At the same time,
Sister Garaele ofTymora works for Dran Enterprises, The information presented in the "Recent Events in
and has previously fed much information on the Fellow- Phandalin·· section can guide the NPCs' responses to
ship of the Golden Mongoose to her bosses. She knows the characters· questions. But beyond being sources
no details of the attack, assuming that the Golden Mon- of information, many of the NPCs in this episode have
goose adventurers either blew themselves up or sum- the potential to interact with the characters as allies,
moned a monster they couldn't control. But she knows foes, or potential employees when their fra nchise comes
that Dran Enterprises is sending a team to clean up the together at the end of the episode. You should feel free
mess and claim the manor. For more on these two, see to add your own NPCs as well, or change the ones
the "People of Phandalin" section. provided to better fit the story you want to create with
your players.

PEOPLE OF PHANDALIN BRAWN M cGABLE

After the characters arrive in town and get involved in Brawn (N male human bandit} is a middle-aged former
the mayoral debate (or don't). they can take the opportu- member of the Redbrand Ruffians, a bandit gang that
nity to interact with the townsfolk. With the destruction did their best to set up a reign of terror in Phandalin
some years ago. Brawn came very late to the Redbrands'
H AVE WE B EEN HERE BEFORE? operation, and thus did only a little intimidation work
with the locals before adventurers defeated the bandits
The town of Phandalin will be recognizable to any play· and cleared their hideout in the dungeon ofTresendar
ers familiar with the Lost Mine ofPhandelver adventure. Manor. He served a sentence on a work gang for his
This version of Phandalin is set five years or so after that involvement with the bandits, but his affable personality
adventure, making use of many ofthe original Phandalin won over many in town by the time of his release. He
locations and NPCs even as it adds new places and new thus stayed on in Phandali n, where he works doi ng odd
characters to the mix. If you have you r own version of jobs and keeping a close eye on local goings-on.
Phandalin in your campaign, make any adjustments neces-
sary to this episode for continuity. Development. Brawn knows a great deal about
Tresendar Manor. including the location and layout of its
dungeon. Characters who talk to him about his past can

CHAPTER·~ I THE ORRERY OF THE \\ANDERF.R 103

learn a few details of the entrance to the dungeons (see P~andalin ... Phandalin. Yeah, 1 know it. Temperate
"Tresendar Manor'' below). Ir effective roleplaying or climate. Average rainfall eighteen inches per
ability checks get the characters on Brawn's good side,
he can be convinced to provide further details of the lay- annum. Take that. Mrs. Brinbury! Give me a C+ in
out of dungeon areas 1 through 8. However. he knows geography. I la.
nothing about what the Golden Mongoose adventurers
(and the agents of the S ix) might have done to alter the What? Oh, yeah, yeah. Phandalin. Quaint place.
features of the dungeon as he remembers it. Full of rustic charm. Primary industries include ...
gods, I don't know. Rocks and sheep? Oh, and a
Over and above his general utility in a fight. Brawn couple of very private fosthalls. I can't tell you the
has a way with people, a winning smile, and a sharp number of times ...
tongue. If the characters look at him as a potential
employee. he makes a good retainer for the franchise. Wait, why are you writing this down? Did Oran
picking up or dropping off goods. making deals. or en- send you? Well ... I'm on my lunch break! Yes, I
tertaining potential partners. If he joins the franchise know what time it is! It's gin o'clock!
and the characters encourage him, you might eventually
upgrade him to use the stat block of a s py. -Yiari

DITCH FUND! characters for as long as possible. However, if she ever
maneuvers them into a position where she can easily
A gnome named Ditch Fundi (LE female gnome assas· destroy them, she does so.
sin) runs the Temple of the Coin Maiden with the help of
two female human acolytes, Hestenjenz and Mischka The acolytes know nothing of Ditch's treachery, as-
Solmen. The two acolytes hold regular services, preach suming that her allowing them to take responsibility for
the gospel ofWaukeen, and have gained the trust and temple services is a sign of her trust and their own abil-
favor of most of the townsfolk in the month the temple ity. They defend her unless they learn the truth.
has been open. Ditch stays removed from public inter-
actions. instead looking after the financial welfare of HARBIN WESTER
the temple.
Harbin Wester (N male human noble) knows only
Development. Ditch is an operative of the Six, planted greed, power, and treachery. He is the wealthiest citizen
in Phandalin a month ago to watch the Company of the in Phandalin, owning much of the land, many of the
Golden Mongoose- then to destroy the franchise when businesses, and a good portion of the wealth in the local
the time was right. She knows just enough about the area. He was the last townmaster before that position
teachings of Waukeen to talk a good game. The gnome was dissolved in favor of a three-person town council.
does nothing to tip her hand, acting friendly toward the and has been a member of that council from its incep-
tion to the present day.
BRAWN Mc.G 11BL£
Wester is fri endly until it suits him to be otherwise. so
most locals don't think ill of him. However. he is more
than capable of stabbing people in the back while keep-
ing a fake grin on his face. He is cunning in the ways of
business, knowing exactly who to bribe or threaten to
get what he wants, but he's careful to keep most deal-
ings aboveboard and "legal" so that no one can claim to
have been treated unfairly.

Development. Even after pointing the characters out
as "murderous vagrants" during the debate, Wester tries
to be the first person to talk to them in private. Laugh-
ing off his claims as kpolitical rhetoric," he offers to buy
drinks and asks to hear the group's stories.

Harbin Wester is intended to be a political adversary.
He invites the characters to explore the manor if they
desire. reminding them that he still owns the place.
He also tries to get the best of the characters. offering
money, land, goods, or services to place them in his
debt. Once this is done, he calls in those debts whenever
it's convenient- and is not above asking the group to un-
dertake morally questionable tasks as payment.

Wester never puts himself in a position where his
foes can kill him without severe consequences. Several
bodyguards (use the thug stat block) always watch over
him. He also has extensive contacts and investments in
Waterdeep and Neverwinter. With a message to either
city, he can call in a large force of skilled mercenaries
(veterans) to his aid.

C H APTER 4 I T li f ORRER) OF rHt: \\~'.'JDERER

name for herself. settling down only when she's ready.
She works at the coster reluctantly, and tells anyone
who'll listen how she wants to get away and do some·
thing different with her li fe.

Development. Minghee is quite outgoing, and she
engages the characters excitedly the first time they visit
the Lionshield Coster (or she seeks them out elsewhere
if they don't). If the characters set up a franchise in
Phandalin, she offers to be their roving representa-
tive. procuring goods and services from wherever the
characters want to send her. Minghee has a great mind
for numbers and a strong head for business. but if the
characters take her into their franchise, she becomes
restless if denied a regular chance to travel. In the long
term. Minghee has the drive and instinct to pick up
spellcasting (and use a new stat block of your choice) if
any spellcasting character takes the time to mentor her.

If the cha racters take Minghee into their employ,
Linene is heartbroken at first. but she soon sees the
value in having her daughter working for an up-and-
coming franchise. Opportunities might arise for the
franchise to enter into an ongoing business arrangement
with the Lionshield Coster-which might in turn raise
the ire of Sharna Quirstiron at the Miner's Exchange
(sec below) if the coster 's success threatens Sharna's
own plans for economic domination.

SHARNA QUIRSTIRON

Sharna Quirstiron is the feisty dwarf overseer of the
Phandalin Miner's Exchange. She took over that posi-
tion after the former overseer (and third member of the

MACKLIN TALCTUFT

Macklin (N dwarf bandit) is a young wanderer who
came to Phandalin expecting to secure a job mining
in the nearby hills. Once they arrived, the dwarf found
no mining work to be had, and the jobs they've taken to
make ends meet were terribly boring. Macklin has thus
been draining their savings looking for any employment
that inspires them. So far. nothing has fit the bill. Mack·
Jin wears their hair and beard in a mohawk style that
underlines their general disinterest in tradition.

Development. Macklin had been preparing to seek
employment with the Fellowship of the Golden Mon-
goose before the disaster that leveled Tresendar Manor.
Jf the characters take possession of the place, the young
dwarf marches up to them and offers to oversee the re·
construction. Macklin is reliable and creative once their
mind is engaged in a project. However, as an overseer,
they are difficult to please. and other franchise employ-
ees or casual workers might come to resent their drive
for perfection.

If Macklin joins the franchise and has the opportunity
to do field work or adventuring, you might consider up·
grading them tO use the stat block of a berserker.

MINGHEE GRAYWIND

Li nene Graywind is the owner and operator of the Lion·
shield Coster (see the "Locations in Phandalin" section).
Her daughter Minghee (NG female human commoner)
knows that her mother expects her to take over the busi-
ness in a few years-and she wants nothing to do with
it. Minghee wants to travel, see the world, and make a

CHAP'TER I I 1 HE ORRER'f or THE WANDF.RfR

town council) Halia Thornton left Phandalin "to seek POLITICS AND ADVENTURING
other opportunities." All the locals know that continual
problems at nearby mines made Ha lia'sjob difficu lt, An Acquisitions Incorporated campaign works best when
with little to no wealth coming into the exchange for it's runn ing on many levels at once. One of those levels is
months at a time. Unfortunately for Halia, the downturn the business aspects ofthe characters' lives, with satire
in the mining industry was the least of her worries. The another obvious side ofthe campaign. But politics can be
Manshoon sect of the Zhentarim saw an opportunity another driving force in an Acq Inc story, as can the satiri-
in Phandalin and had Halia killed. Sharna (LE female cal treatment of people in power.
dwarf bandit captain) is the sect's agent. She aims to
revive mining in the area. with the goal of mak ing Phan- The political maneuverings taking place in Phandalin
dalin a haven for the rogue faction of the Zhentarim. will inevitably have an impact on the characters and their
franchise. Still, if the players aren't interested in the po-
Development. Sharna is thoroughly evil, but she's litical aspect ofthe campaign story, don't worry about it.
Wester is elected mayor, the players can play nice with him
a fine actor. She has the economic interests of Phan- to get what they wa nt, and the story moves forwa rd. But if
dalin at heart, but only because she hopes to have a the characters care about who becomes mayor, they have
prosperous town at her mercy when the needs of the plenty ofopportunity to influence the outcome.
Zhentarim become her focus. She ingratiates hersel f to
the characters, hiring them to clear out monsters in the Sildar Hall winter cares about the good ofthe town but
local area that threaten mining interests. She offers to is wishy-washy. His lack of charisma hurts his chances for
partner up on business deals, sharing the profits of the election. But a clever group ofadventurers working behind
mines if the characters invest their time or money in the scenes might be just what Hallwinter needs to ener-
such operations. If the characters end up on the wrong gize his campaign. On the other hand, Harbin Wester con-
side of Harbi n Wester, she sides with them against the trols much ofthe wealth in Phandalin, including Tresendar
banker, concealing her goal of usurping his wealth and Manor. As such, helping Wester get elected-or at least
power. She encourages the characters to actively oppose not being too obvious about opposing him-can put the
Wester or even to kill him if she thinks they might be characters on his good side. Even ifWester loses the elec-
tion, his power and wealth mean that the characters will be
amenable to the idea. interacting with him-and dealing with his ability to make
Sharna is a formidable combatant compared to most their lives easier or harder-whether they wan t to or not.

folk i n Phandalin. She also keeps four bodyguards Another possibility is that one of the characters could
(thugs) on hand to guard the exchange, travel to the run for office as a last-minute wild-card candidate. A
mines, rough up "uncooperative" people, or do the dark stranger wa ndering into Phandalin is unlikely to gain the
trust of enough citizens to win the race, and the need to
deeds she needs done to meet her objectives. stick around town and run things will eventually get in the
way ofthe characters venturing all over the North being
S I LDAR HALLW l NTER heroic. But don't discount the na rrative possibilities in-
volved in the characters embracing the political side of the
Sildar (NG male human knight) is a retired adventurer story even more wholeheartedly than you expect them to.
and Griffon Rider ofWaterdeep. Some years ago, he
worked in the employ of the Rockseeker fami ly, who SISTER GARAELE
had hoped to reopen mines in the hills and mountains Sister Garaele (CG female elf priest) was a zealous
surrounding Phandalin. After nearly bei ng killed in a and enthusiastic servant in Phandalin's Shrine of Luck
goblin ambush while traveling to Phandalin for the first before Ditch Fundi. "the competition." arrived in town a
time, Sildar·s faith in himself was shaken. The Rock- month ago. Now, she is downright frenetic. She prose-
lytizes for Tymora in the streets, in taverns, and i n peo-
seeker family moved on after their troubled deal ings in ple's homes. Garaele is well known for haranguing the
folk of Phandalin, claiming that the misfortune of previ-
the town, but Sildar stuck around. ous years has been due lo a lack of devotion to Tymora.
Despite this. most locals like the priest. and are likely to
Although he is getting on in years. Sildar still trains
with his weapons and keeps himself in shape. He was help her if she's in trouble.
one of the town's three councilors prior to (as he puts it),
"Halia Thornton leaving without even saying goodbye." Development. Garaele was once an agent of the Harp-
By running for mayor against Harbin Wester, Sildar
hopes to help Phandalin increase its prosperity-and ers. though she has recently broken ties with that group
to put that prosperity into everyone's pockets, not just of agents opposing the abuse of power. Since then, she
Wester's. What he lacks in charisma, he makes up for in has taken significant donations from Dran Enterprises,
whose agents asked her lo keep an eye on the members
sincer ity. of the Fellowship of the Golden Mongoose and any other
Acquisitions Incorporated operatives in Phandalin. Gar-
Development. Sildar is a member of the Lords' Alli- aele is happy to pass this i nformation along in exchange
for Dran Enterprises' payments to the temple, and she
ance, a group of allied leaders concerned with the secu- asks no questions about that organization's long-term
rity and prosperity of the North. As such, his goals are goals for the town. She is a good person, however, so
to bring stability and wealth to the region. He is brave she won't knowingly allow harm to befall others. She is
and honest, but nearly losing his life years before caused helpful to anyone willing to offer wealth, goods, or ser-
him to doubt not only his martial skills but also his deci-
sion making. He could prove to be a valuable ally to the vices to her shrine.
characters, especially if he's elected mayor. However,
he might also frustrate them with his passivity and in-
decisiveness-or allow them to take advantage of those
same qualities to wield great influence over him.

CHAPTER I I THE ORRERY Of THEW \'IOERER

STUUZANT fruit is strong around the orchard year round, with the
apples grown and picked here processed throughout the
Though not exactly people and no longer in Phandalin. winter intojuice. cider. and other products.
a neutral ogr e named Stuuzant is another potential
source of information for the characters. She was one of Daran Edermath (NG male elf scout) established the
the operatives used by the Six in the attack on Tresen- orchard many years before. A former adventurer and
dar Manor, smashing her way through the site's walls. one of the oldest people in Phandalin, he remains aloof
When the attack was over, the ogre wandered away. from town politics and focuses his interest on the travel-
However, she decided to stick around the area to enjoy ing merchants and food-related businesses in Phandal in
her proximity to lots of tasty Iivcstock. even as she keeps that buy his wares. Daran employs down-and-out miners
her distance from anyone who might pester her. to do odd jobs and help during harvest, so he's popular
among the town's working folk.
In the days since the destruction of the manor, farm-
ers and herders on the outskirts of Phandalin have re- Development. Daran's half-elf daughter Bertice went
ported seeing giant-sized footprints, both humanoid and
canine, as well as missing animals. No one has spotted missing the day before the destruction at Tresendar
Stuuzant. as the ogre has good instincts for avoiding Manor. and he is beginning to fear for her. Most folk in
trouble. She keeps moving, hiding until the time is right town know that Bertice recently took up with a human
to strike. When she attacks livestock. she does so when miner named Grovet. who is also missing. If the char-
no one can see her. and she takes only what she needs acters met the couple on the road (see the "Random
to survive. Encounters'' table earlier in this episode), they can allay
at least some of Daran's fears for his daughter's safety.
Development. Characters might be asked to look into
Earning Daran's full trust is a long-term proposition,
the missing livestock, or they can do so on their own to and the characters must prove themselves beyond re-
get on the good side of the locals. Investigating the dis- proach in any dealings with the orchardist. If they do,
appearances might be used to angle for something the however. the elf proves a valuable ally. He has more
characters want or need, such as supplies, a lower price resources and power in town than his humble orchard
on Tresendar Manor, citizens favoring one mayoral can- might suggest. And as a member of the Order of the
didate over another. or whatever else you can think of. Gauntlet-an association of vigilant adventurers that
seeks to overthrow evil Edcrmath has the ear of pow-
Tracking down and defeating Stuuzant is no easy erful people up and down the Sword Coast.
task, however. She is friends with a pair of dire wolves,
and is mostly successful at covering her tracks after LIONSHIELD COSTER
her raids. The ogre also has yet to establish a den in The Lionshield Coster is a trading post and competitor
the area, so she rarely stays in one place for more to the Phandalin Miners' Exchange. A weathered sign
than a day. hanging above the front door depicts a blue lion painted
on a wooden shield. Linene Graywind (NG female hu-
If the characters locate her, Stuuzant speaks Com- man commoner) manages the store. which is one of a
mon quite well, uses smarter tactics than a typical ogre, chain of mercantile outposts spread up and down the
and tries to bargain with the characters if it looks like Sword Coast. Mother to Minghee (see "People of Phan-
they might defeat her. If questioned. she tells the story dalin" above), Linene works tirelessly to keep the coster
of being hired to attack the manor. A goblin in hooded operational through good times and bad.
robes paid her to help break into the estate and smash
everything in sight. Stuuzant never saw the goblin's Most of the goods in the Player's Handbook can be
face. and knows nothing about the Six (which was never purchased here. Linene can special order items for
mentioned to her or any of the other hirelings). delivery in a few days (with a deposit, of course). How-
ever. she doesn't buy, procure, or sell morally question-
Savvy characters might convince Stuuzant to take a able goods.
position in their franchise, with the ogre making a great
sentry or bodyguard. However. the townspeople might PHANDALIN MINERS' EXCHANGE
need assurances to accept such a creature living so
close to their town. This trading post once acted as the central hub for
mining activity in the area, as well as the authority for
Treasure. Stuuzant carries the SO gp she was paid to maintaining public records. A two-story building, the
exchange bears a newly painted sign depicting two
help attack the manor. crossed pickaxes above a lump of gold. The first story
is where business is conducted, while the second story
L OCATIONS IN PHANDALIN contains living quarters.

As they explore Phandalin and eventually set up their As with the Lionshield Coster, most of the goods
franchise in the rown - the characters can engage with available in the Player's Handbook can be purchased
many of the town's businesses, whether as patrons or here. Mining gear is also easily had- as are illicit goods.
potential partners. The most prominent of the town's with Sharna Quirstiron's dispensation (see "People of
locations (as well as a few additional NPCs) are detailed Phandalin").
in this section. You can come up with details for addi-
tional locations and NPCs based on the needs and de- SHRINE OF LUCK
sires of your players. Until a month ago, this temple to Tymora was the only
shrine in town. With the Temple of the Coinmaiden
EDERMATH O RCHARD (see below) newly established, Sister Garaele, the local

The apple trees of Edermath Orchard surround a small
group of buildi ngs on the edge of town. The smell of

CHAPTER ~ I rH ~ O RRERY O F THE W'\ N D ERER IOi

priestess, works harder each day to keep the attention of PROPERTY AND LAW
the faithful of Phandalin. See ,;People of Phandalin~ for
more information on Sister Garaele. Many fantasy campaigns either ignore questions of law or
utilize benevolent authoritarian figures to oversee social
SLEEPI NG GIANT and economic justice-the wise monarch, the enlight-
This single-story tavern's better days have seen better ened town council, the Masked Lords, and so forth. This
days. Its weathered sign probably depicts a prone giant, method means that the law is stable. Higher authorities
but whatever paint or carvings once adorned the sign can be consulted on matters requiring arbitration, with
have been all but worn away. Inside, the place shows concrete edicts handed down to ma ke the line between
the same lack of care. It's dirty, ill kept, and in need of a right and wrong- in a civil sense, at least- crystal clear.
thorough cleaning. Or burning.
In Phandalin (as with many of the other locations in this
The place is normally occupied by dwarf and human adventure), the situation is not that simple. No king or
miners, either back from a stretch in the mines or wait- council owns the lands of or around the town. Eminent
ing for a mine to reopen. They are not overtly hostile domain is neither implied nor accepted. In most of the
unless provoked, but it doesn't take much to provoke smaller settlements along the Sword Coast, the person
this unhappy lot. The owner and barkeep is Crista K et- with power is the individual who takes and holds that
tlecopp (N female dwarf commoner). Surly to the point power. Locales still have authorities and laws, but the
of rudeness, she tries to run her business her own way person who can kill everyone else--<>r pay someone to do
and stay out of the political and personal affairs of other so-is the one who truly rules.

townsfolk. In Phandalin, Harbin Wester is that person. Even ifhe
loses the mayoral election, his monetary resources far
Development. The miners that frequent the Sleeping outstrip those of anyone else in the town, leaving him in
a position ofstrong economic control. However, part of
Giant are a rough lot, and could become a competent Wester's power derives from subtlety. He is wary enough
and formidable force if stirred up and pointed at a to watch out for anyone with the ability to effectively op-
target. Currently. S harna at the Miner's Exchange has pose him, and savvy enough to make sure that such peo·
their trust (sec " People of Phandalin"), mostly for her pie never have any reason to oppose him. As such, when
assurances that the mines will soon be more prosper- the characters dean out Tresendar Manor and attempt to
ous than ever. If Sharna discovers that the characters use it as the base for their new franchise, a potential for
are interfering with her and the Zhentarim's plans, she social and economic conflict arises.
need only tell the miners that the characters are stand-
ing in the way of their gainful employment to inspire Wester holds the mortgage on the manor. The legal
them to use their pickaxes for something other than entity that was the Fellowship of the Golden Mongoose
mining. On the other hand. characters who earn the was the signatory to that mortgage, and unfortunately
miners' good will can end up with numerous allies in for Acquisitions Incorporated, the mortgage is now in
arrears. The characters can work a deal to take over those
Phandali n. payments, but the terms are steep. Fortunately, after the
manor is cleared, Head Office is willing to negotiate for
S MITHY the manor's deed. (See the "Conclusion" section of this
This building contains an open area with a forge and episode for more information.) This leaves Harbin Wester
several anvils, but the rest of the structure is closed off. bitter, as he recognizes that having the favor ofAcq Inc
Maza Fieldsalder (N female human commoner) took backing them up gives the characters more potential
over the smithy a year ago, after the death of her mas- power in Phandalin than he likes.
ter. Alger Frakk. As the master smith's apprentice, the
powerfully built young woman earned her new position As the rest of the campaign plays out, keep track of how
through hard work and talent, and she is well liked Wester might try to take advantage of the characters and
among the other townsfolk. their deal. What ifoperatives of Oran Enterprises or repre-
sentatives of the Six come to him? More importantly, ifthe
Development. Among the few people in town who characters directly oppose Wester and bring him low, what
happens ifa worse power steps in to take his place? The
are wary of Maza are those who question the nature of options are limitless. Do what challenges and entertains
Alger's death- including a few malcontents who whisper
that perhaps the young smith had a compelling reason your players most!
to kill her master. Whether these rumors hold truth or
are just the ramblings of a would-be ironworker who and operate their business, they owe a small amount
wants Maza's job is up to you. of money to H arbin Wester. The banker wants to take

STONEHILL I NN their business, and he keeps an eye out for any oppor-
The Stonehill [nn is one of the largest buildings in town. tunity to gain the necessary leverage. He might use
The business is run by Trilena and Toblen Stonehill, as- the characters to lean on the Stonehills if they end
sisted by their twelve-year-old son, Pip. (All are human up owing him favo rs. Alternatively, if the characters
commoner s.) The Stonehills have comfortably weath- befriend the Stonehills, they might become staunch al-
ered the changeable times in Phandalin since building
the inn more than five years ago. The six-bedroom lies in the family's attempts to keep Wcster's hands off
complex is tidy and clean, the table fare is good. and the
their business.
company is pleasant.
TEMPLE OF T H E C OINM A TDEN
Development. The Stonehills are unwitting soldiers
Half a year past. another general store i n Phandalin
in the war for power in Phandalin. Although they own called Barthen's Provisions w ent out of business. The
building was purchased a month ago for the church of
Waukeen by an unknown benefactor, and quickly r eno-

10R C H APTER 4 ( nu ORRERY OF T H E WANDFRER

vated with all the fineries necessary to draw the atten- Many ofthe crumbled walls of the manor show signs of
tion of the goddess of wealth. The gnome Ditch Fundi having been recently rebuilt, but even that newer stone·
oversaw the temple's construction and dedication, and work has been toppled and smashed, coating everything
she now runs it in Waukeen's name. (In truth, the be ne- in the area with a thick layer of dust. Temporary struc·
facto r who bui lt the temple is the Six, and Ditch Fundi is tures seemingly set up to aid the reconstruction have
their agent. See her entry in "People of Phandalin" for been badly damaged by force and fire, though a couple of
more information.) wooden buildings still stand amid the destruction.

TOWN COUNCIL HALL As the characters draw closer, a successfu l DC 15 In-
telligence (Arcana or Investigation) check reveals that
This one-story hall is the closest thing the people of the fire damage isn't natural, and that magic was likely
Phandalin have to a government building. Long used as involved. The same successful check allows a character
the town council's meeting room and the town master's to intuit that the stonework was not smashed by weap-
hall before that, it is set to be expanded to include the ons or tools. suggesting that a creature of great size and
new mayor's office after the election. As the two remain- strength took part in the destruction.
ing members of the town council, Sildar Hallwinter and
Harbin Wester currently share office space here. Any character who s ucceeds on a DC 10 Wisdom
(Perception) check can hear the jackals in the central
TRESENDAR MANOR courtyard of the manor before the group approaches
that area.
After the characters have met some of the locals and
heard what's known about the events at Tresendar JACKAL AN D HIDE
Manor and the disappearance of the Fellowship of the As the characters enter the ruined courtyard ofTresen-
Golden Mongoose, they can investigate the fallen manor dar Manor, they find they are not alone.
and the dungeons beneath it. Once a small but elegant
estate, the ruined building sits upon a hill overlooking Numerous brown-and-gray jackals prowl the ruins. Some
Phandalin. Years of neglect had already done consid- gnaw on bones, while others sniff and dig at a pile of
erable damage lo the structure, only some of which the
Golden Mongoose adventurers had restored. But the stones at the center of the manor courtyard. In response
recent attacks undid all that work, pulling most of the to your approach, the nearest jackals turn toward you
above-ground structure down. and snarl.

THE RUINS Creatures. Aj ack alwere called Hamebi leads a pack
of ten j ackals searching the ruins for survivors and trea-
When the characters reach the top of the hill and get a sure. Any character who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom
closer look at the ruins of Tresendar Manor, read the (Perception) check after the fight starts notices that one
following: of the jackals (Hamebi in animal form) wears a satchel
slung across its back.
LEVEL I NAPPRO PRIATE
Tactics . Hamebi s tays in jackal form, using her S leep
"The Orrery ofthe Wanderer" makes use ofan adventure Gaze on the toughest-looking adventurer. If that target
trope as old as D&D itself-working up a totally high-pow· falls unconscious. three jackals quickly swarm the char-
ered artifact, then dropping it into the hands of low-level acter. Hamebi flees if it looks like the characters might
characters just to see what happens. The orrery and its six defeat her. She orders her jackals to cover her retreat,
components are presented in appendix D, and the powers but they follow her lead the next round. She surrenders
ofthese relics are significant. But the fact that the orrery if she faces death with no way to escape.
is an artifact in a some-assembly-required state gives
you a lot of latitude in determining how you dole those Developmen t. Hamebi works for the Six, although
powers out. she doesn't know it. If captured, she can relate that a
short, cloaked humanoid came to her in Neverwinter
The orrery's components are set up so that their magic Wood two days ago, hiring her to bring her pack ofjack-
gets weird while the orrery is in pieces. At your determina· als to Phandalin and search the ruins for bodies. This
tion, that magic might act in unpredictable ways, not re· was Splugoth, unconvinced by Hoobur Gran'Shoop that
charge as often as normal, or add random effects to keep the orrery component known to be held by the Golden
the characters on their toes. One aspect of this unpredict- Mongoose company is gone from the area; see the note
ability comes into play in the adventure when the tiefling in area 12 of the Tresendar Manor dungeons. Splugoth
Talanatha uses the timepiece oftravel to escape from the wanted creatures with keen scent to make another at-
attack on Tresendar Manor, only to have the timepiece stay tempt at locating any franchise dead.
behind (see later on in this episode for details).
Treasure. Hamcbi's satchel holds 50 gp and a potion
By making sure the characters understand the unpre· ofclimbing.
dictable nature ofthe components' magic, you give them
good incentive to be cautious about using them. And if
the power of the components threatens to derail parts of
the adventure (for example, ifthe characters plan on using
the timepiece oftravel to teleport everywhere and find every
secret location in the scenario), feel free to have the power
of individual components mysteriously fail until they are all
installed in the orrery housing once more.

C:llAPTFR + I THE ORRHRY OF THE WANDERER tog

SEARCHING THE GRO UNDS G LOl<I\ Ou><N
With the jackalwere and her pack defeated or driven off,
she saw one of her group escape by teleporting away,
the character s can search the grounds. If they search in she isn't sure what happened to the others. Falling
the area wher e the jackals were digging, see "Survivor'' rubble knocked her down, then buried her. Surviving
below. If they explore the remains of the buildings on on nothing but rninwater and her half-ore endur ance,
the grounds, a successful DC lO Intelligence ( Investiga- Gild ha has been in and out of consciousness since
tion) check reveals the following:
the attack.
Newly built wooden structures were struck by fire.
Two of those still stand, but most have been burned or THE TIMEPIECE OF TRAVEL
When the characters examine the somewhat sodden
smashed to the ground. device that was in Gildha's mouth, they can see that its
The older masonry of the manor walls had been crum- design and etched glyphs clearly mark it as part of the
bling for some time. New stonework was replacing the
old, but every thing has been smashed to pieces. Orrery ofthe Wanderer.
Older humanoid remains were the source of the jack- Gildha knows a little about the device. which she calls
als' meal. However, no intact corpses can be found
the timepiece oftravel. The Fellowship of the Golden
among the rubbl e. Mongoose found the relic six months ago in the posses-
sion of an evil adventurin g band, who claimed to have
Additionally, the walls of the still-stand ing stru ctures taken it not long before from a tomb haunted by undead.
bear a mark in chalk-a double-"D" insignia. Th is is After careful scrutineering and research. the Golden
the sigil of Oran Enterprises. As adventurers familiar Mongoose adventurers learned that the timepiece had
with the operations of Acquisitions Incorporated, all the magical powers dedicated to navigation and teleporta-
characters recognize the mark of Acq Inc's greatest rival lion, and speculated that it was just one piece of a larger
organization. (The marks have been scribed by the arch- and more potent magic device.
mage Hoobur Gran'Shoop. who is charged by the Six
with ensuring that Oran Enterprises takes the blame for During the attack, Gildha saw one of the Golden Mon-
the attack on the Acq Inc franchise at Phandalin. More goose adventurer s- a fema le tiefling paladin occultant
on H oobur will be revealed in episode 3.) named Talanatha Three-Coins-activate the timepiece
oftravel and teleport away. For reasons unknown, the
Treasure. The two intact wooden buildings hold timepiece stayed behind (see the "Level Inappropriate"
seven tendays' worth of rations, two explorer's packs, sidebar). Gildha grabbed the relic, but has no idea where
and a dungeonecr's pack, along with other adventuring
equipment that has been smashed, burned, or melted. Talanatha went.
Gildha also tells the characters that she saw some of
SURVIVOR
the attackers heading into a small cellar beneath the
As the characters search the area where the jackals
were digging, a low, pained moaning rises from beneath
the rubble. Carefully pulling away the rocks reveals a
half-ore buried under smashed and still-smolderin g ma-
sonry. This is Gildha Duhn, majordomo of the Company
of the Golden Mongoose franchise. She is starving, de-
hydrated, and addled. Gildha uses the acolyte stat block

with these racial traits:

• When reduced to 0 hit points, she drops to 1 hit point
instead (but can't do this again until she finishes a

long rest).
• She has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.

• She speaks Common and Ore.

Gildha repeatedly mutters something in a low voice,
but she has something in her mouth that makes it im-
possible to understand her. Oddly. that something is a
complex clockwork device, which Gild ha stuck in her
mouth to keep out of enemy hands during the attack. ff
the device is removed, the characters hear her repeatedly
say, "They came for it ... they came for the timepiece ..."

I f given magical healing or allow ed to sleep for an
hour after being given food and water. Gildha regains
her senses. She tells the characters that she worked for
the Acqui sitions Incorporated franchise in Phandalin,
and that while working on their ongoing renovation
ofTresendar Manor, the franchisees were attacked at
night by unknown assailants. Gildha knows few details
of the attack and heard little of the aftermath. Though

lC H AP1ER 1- THF. ORR£RY OF' THE \\o'\~DERl'.R

110

manor. consisting of srorage areas and a spring-fed cis- cessful save. the victim shakes off the disease. Failure
tern. She knows that the manor features subterran ean deals the character another 5 (2d4) necrotic damage.
areas more extensive than the cellar, but the Fellowship
of the Golden Mongoose had yet to do a thorough search A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (M ed-
of those areas. (As a result, Gild ha doesn't know about icine) check can also remove the disease from another
the secret door that leads to the dungeon.) creature. Doing so requires the character making the
check to care for the sick individual during a long rest.
TRESENDAR MANOR Du NGEON The caregiver gains no benefit from that rest.

Although the Fellowship of the Golden Mongoose didn't Secret Door. A secret door leading to area 8 is hidden
find the secret door leading into the hidden basement
beneath the manor, the agents of the S ix did. They then in the wall in the southwest corner of the room. Agents
made extensive use of the dungeon before departing. of the Six have used this door recently. A character who
Map 2.2 shows the layout of the dungeons beneath succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence ( Investigation) or Wis-
the manor. dom (Survival or Perception) check can spot the door or
note scuff marks and tracks leading through it.
GENERAL FEATURES
Except where otherwise noted. all areas of the dungeon Walled Door. The door that leads to area 3 was
have the following features.
walled over when the Redbrand Ruffians were ousted
Ceilings. The ceilings are 10 feet high. from the dungeons. The masonry over the doorway is
Light. The dungeon is dark. Old but still functional obviously newer than the existing stonework, and is
poorly mortared. A character who succeeds on a DC 10
torches and lanterns are affixed to the walls of some Intelligence (Investigation) check confirms that some-
rooms at your determination. but they need to be lit to thing is behind the new wall. l t takes 5 minutes to re-
be useful. move this masonry, or 1 minute if a heavy bludgeoning
tool or weapon is used.
Doors. Most doors in the dungeon are wooden. and
2. STORACE
are closed and unlocked. If a door is locked, it takes a
successful DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves' tools to IStacks of crates and casks line the walls of this I
open it. A locked door can also be smashed open with a storeroom.
successfu I DC 15 Strength check.
Trap. Agents of the Six braced three flasks of alche-
A character looking for a secret door finds one with a
successful DC 15 Wisdom ( Perception) check. mist's fire loosely behind the crates. Any character who
searches the cra tes must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom
I. CELLAR (Perception) check to spot the ri gged flasks before mov-
ing the crates or otherwise disturbing them. If a char ac-
The stairway leading down into the cellar shows signs ter moves any crates before spotting the trap, the three
of recent foot traffic. Characters ca n find these tracks flasks tumble in different directions, exploding in a way
easily. When the characters open the door at the bottom that covers the enti re room. Each creature in the room
of the stairs. read: takes 2 (ld4) fire damage at the start of each of its turns.
A creature can end this damage by using its action to
The door at the bottom of the stairs opens atop a set of make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the Hames.
double stairs that descend, north and south, about ten
feet into a cellar. At the west end ofthat room, a cistern Treasure. If the characters spot the trap, any char-
full ofclear water bubbles lazily. Adoor on the cellar's
west wall is ajar. acter who succeeds on a DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of
H and) check can safely retrieve the three alchemist's
Cistern. Operatives of the Six tainted the cistern here. fi re flasks. disarming the trap. The crates and casks con-
tain building supplies (nails, mortar. glue, and so forth)
The water might appear pure, but it's teeming with a worth a total of 100 gp.
magical disease called ghoul gut. No antacid in this
world or any other can beat it. 3. HALL WITH PIT

Ghoul Gut. Water polluted with ghoul parts carries Defaced murals and metal etchings, probably once quite
beautiful, adorn this hallway. An open pit divides the pas-
ghoul gut. A creature drinking this tainted water must sage's eastern and western ends. Hanging from nooses
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or con- above the pit are two humanoid figures, each clothed in
tract the disease. Symptoms strike when a victim starts white with a purple hood pulled over its head.
a long rest or next becomes excited, as during combat.
A victim suffers severe cramps, and their bowels make Creatures. The creatures hanging here are
sounds like two ghouls fighting. When the symptoms
first strike. the victim takes 5 (2d4) necrotic damage. two scarecrows created by the archmage Hoobur
In addition, a diseased victim regains no hit points or Gran'Shoop. The constructs remain motionless until
Hit Dice from nonmagical sources, including resting or
spending Hit Dice. A victim who finishes a long rest can the adventurers move close or attack. These scarecrows
attempt a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a sue- can cut the rope holding them with their claws, but they

C ~I APTER 4 I T ii t: ORRf.R\' Of' T H E WANOE Rl:: R 111

prefer to remain hanging from their ropes while they Creature. Courtesy of the magic of Hoobur
swing to pull foes into the pit, using the following attack:
Gran'Shoop, the rotting dragonborn reanimates as a
SwinPng Grab. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, ghast moments after anyone opens the north cell. A
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: The scarecrow pulls the tar- character who quickly examines the corpse and suc-
ceeds on a DC 15 Wisdom ( Perception) check notices
get 10 feet. tremors coursing through the body that warn of its
If a creature is pulled into the area of the pit, it must imminent rise. Even before it animates, the corpse reg-
isters as undead to spells and other abilities that detect
make a D C 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the
target falls into the pit. On a success. the target lands such creatures.
prone at the pit's edge.
Prisoners. The two prisoner s in the south cell are
Pit. The pit is 20 feet deep. Operatives of the Six
the sisters Ebella and Ocheri Splintfig ( N female half-elf
spread shards of broken glass over the bottom of the pit, commoners). When the characters enter, the Splintfigs
so that a creature fa lling in takes 2 (ld4) slashing dam- are too weak to move. but they beg for help. Both must
age in addition to 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage from the be given food and water before they can freely speak. If
fall. Climbing the rou gh walls requires a successful DC either sister takes any damage, she dies. Moreover, if the
10 Strength (Athletics) check. characters fail to give the sisters food and water within
10 m i nutes. one of them dies. The surviving sibling then
De velopment. If the character s defeat the scarecrows makes it her life's mission to seek revenge on everyone
involved, including the adventurers who failed to act
and search the constructs. large stones can be found
in each one's stuffing. H oobur Gran'Shoop's sigil- the quickly enough to save her sister.
dragon skull pierced by a sword from the bottom up- is The Splintfi g sisters sell rar e herbs and spell com-
carved into these stones.
ponents, and were visiting the manor to see if the fran-
4. C RYPT chisees wanted any of their wares. T heir choice to stay
the night turned out to be a textbook case of being in
Three smashed human-sized coffins and one intact the wrong place at the wrong time when the Six's oper-
smaller coffin lie on the floor here. The larger coffins are atives attacked. T he Splintfi gs hid during the assault,
carved of fine mahogany and lined with rotting silk. Hu· but Drahkso Blaakberz, a dragonborn mercenary and
manoid bones are scattered across the floor. par t of the assault force, found them. Drahkso took pity
on the sisters and r efused to kill them , so his comrades
Creature . The smaller coffin is a mimic left to guard
locked him up with them.
this area by agents of the Six. In its current form, this T he sisters talked l o Drahkso a bit, and learned he
monster is indistinguishable from an object, so it sur-
prises any group that has no means to detect it before was a mercenary hired to attack the manor. He men-
it attacks. tioned that his employer was a short, hooded person
who sounded like a goblin. Eventually. some thugs came
Bones. When the mimic attacks, the bones spread and took Drahkso aw ay. They then retu rned with his

across the floor begin to rattle and move, as if attempt- corpse and tossed it back in the cell.
ing to form into undead skeletons. A character who suc-
ceeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check sees that Treasure. Four rare platinum coins (w orth 15 gp
fine wire ties the bones to the m imic. so that when the
mimic moves, the bones move too. each) covered in dirt and grime can be found in the
nor th cell, as can three glass vials h idden by Drahkso-
Treasure. One of the larger coffins has a pouch sewn
two potions ofhealing and one potion ofanimal friend-
into the lining under an embroidered star, which a char- ship. A successfu l DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check
acter can fi nd with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Per -
ception) check. The pouch detaches from the lining wi th finds the treasure.
If the characters rescue both Splint fi g sisters, the
any sharp tug. Inside is a potion ofgaseous form and a
potion of frost giant strength, kept as a means of escape grateful half-elves return to Phandalin at a later date to

for someone accidentally entombed alive. give the party rare herbs worth 100 gp.

5. C ELLS Fra nchise Opportunity. If rescued and treated well,

The door to this area is locked. 1f the characters listen at the Splintfig sisters m ight become franchise business
it, they can hear ragged breathing. When they open the partners. As procurers of rare spell components. Ebella
door, read: and Ocheri can expand their operation with suitable
capital and assistance in locating and har ves ting mon-
This room reeks of filth and death. The corpse of a
dragonborn rots in a rusty cell of iron bars to the north. ster parts and other rare materials.
To the south, a similar cell holds two living prisoners.
6. EM PTY R OOM I
The cell doors are both locked.
IThis small room is breathtakingly empty.

Sometimes, rooms are empty. L et the players' paranoia
play out, though, as the characters search and ponder

and fret.

C HAPT E R 4- ) THE O RR fRY OF 1111- WAN D E RE R

7. FAlLED RITUAL Secret Doors . Both the secret doori-. in this room

A dozen desiccated and skeletal humanoid corpses litter swivel open lik<' the door in the cellar.
the floo r of this small chamber. The stone of the north
8. CHA RN EL CHASM
wall has been etched with intricate runes, but the pattern
The smell of death is s trong in what was probably once a
ends abruptly. large and ornate hall, long since fallen into ruin. Not only
are the walls and supports crumbling. but a ten-foot-
Bodies and Runes. A closer examination of the deep rift has opened up in the floor. Two wooden bridges
span the rift, whose floor is littered with skeletal corpses.
sti ll-intact bodies reveals that each bears tattoos match-
ing the runes carved on the walls. The corpses wear Th<' rift Aoor is difficu lt l<'rrain because of the bodie~.
a wide range of clothing and armor, but have been /\ny character who approaches the edge of the rift
stripped of all valuables and gear. Some are the fa llen and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check
m<•rnbers and staff of the Fellowship of the Golden Mon- can hear a faint crunching sound emanating from
goose. Others are innocent bystanders the operatives of the bodies.
th<' Six cam<' across as they moved toward the manor
from the north. Still others arc Six agents who died Creatures. The crunching i5 a clue that the rift con-
during the attack.
tains two swar ms ofinseets feasting on lhe dead bod-
A character who has proficiency in Arcana can ies. When any character mo,Ts near the rift or a bridge.
att<'mpt a DC 10 lntelligmce (Arcana) check when the swarms emerge to auack.
examining the rnrpses and sigils. With a success. the
ch<'lracter discerns that the runes are connected to a Development. The bodies here wear a wide rnnge of
ritual that cou ld open a rift to the Far Realm. The dead
humanoids were likely victims sacrificed to power th<' dothing and armor. and arc of the samt' origin as 1he
ritual. Something went wrong. though. and the victims bodies in area 7. All were dumped here after being sac-
wer<' consumed before the ritual could be completed. rificed to fuel the ri1ual in art'a 10.

A ~ uccess with this check . or 5 minutes spent studying Tunnel. A 1unnel leads out of the rift to the sou1h. The

the runes and the bodies. gives charnclcr~ advantage on operatives working for the Six collapsed i1 intentionally.
as can be determined with a successful DC 15 Intelli-
their checks lO work again~t the active rift in area 10. gence (1 ature) or Wisdom (Survival) check. A character

1 II .\I' I I k I I It I <> k REIO r l I I IH I\ \ ~ 1lf k lo. R

who has an engineering or mining background has hired the attackers. I loping to learn some magic. Patsky
advantage on this check. With three day<; of digging and stuck close to th<' spellcaster. whose name he knows as
careful rei nforcement. the tunnel can be cleared again. Hoobur Gran"Shoop.

Where it runs 100 feet to the south. the tunnel opens up Treasure. In gratitude for his rescue. Patsky offers up

to a small cave hidden in t he forest outside Phandalin. his only valuables a gold neckl ace worth 25 gp. a p o-

9. B ETWEEN A R OCK AND A COCKATRICE tion of resisu111ce (acid). and the k<'y to th is room .

'vVhen the characters attempt to open the door into this Patsky's Fu ture. Patsky is another wild-card NPC

area. they find it locked from the inside. If they pick or I that you can use in your campaign as desired. lf the
C'haractcrs take a liking to him. they might hire him to
smash the lock and then try to open the door. read : work for their franchise. I f not. as~urning anyone in t he
group w as kin d to h im, Patsky might ::-.how up to help
IThe door strikes a large piece of stone on the fl oor, mak- the characters w ith useful infor mation al a later dale. Jg.
ing it difficult to push open. nored or abused, t hen left to his own devices. the kobold

joins up with some other evi l gang lt>cl by a spellcaster.

Opening the Door. The stone blocking the door is 10. fAR REALM RIFT

a small statue- a kobold petrified by a pair of undead \.\'hen the chara<'ters enter this an·a. read:
cockatrices that dwell here. The door can be forced
open w ith a success ful DC 10 Strength check. However, A five-foot-diameter circle of dark energy crackles in
i f the check succeeds by 5 or mor e, t he door breaks. the northwest corner o f this room. The walls are etched
causing the character attempti ng the check to spill into with complex runes. as well as drawings in charcoal and
the r oom and fall prone. some reddish substance. These runes pulse with the
same dark energy of the portal, surging and ebbing in a
When the characters enter. continue with the steady rhythm.
following:

Apart from a fa llen kobold statue that blocked the door, The por tal crackl i ng in the corner is a growing gate 10
the Far Realm. activated by opercitives of the S ix before
this room conta ins only four beds. Each is covered in they \·acatcd thi<; area. Cha racters <'ntrring the room
prm·ide the spark of energy the portal needs to bring
torn sheets, its straw mattress crawling with bugs. across its first creature.

Creatures. Two un<lead cockatrice~ lurk beneath the Creature. After the fi r st charact('r rntrrs the room.

south beds. Each uses the cockatrice stnt block with roll init iat ive,;. A gibbering mout her wriggles through
these chang<··s: the por ta l o n its init iati ve count, but can take no other
actions on its fi rst turn. Thereafter. the aberration tears
The creature i~ undt'ad. into any other creatures in the room. An) character
It has immunity to the poisoned condition and to poi- fighting in close notices the gibbering mouther's eyes
son damage. blinking in rhythm with the runes and the ponal.

After the fight. a thorough examination of the undcad R unes. The runes covering the walls keep the portal
cockatrices reveals a tiny sigil etch<'d into each of their
bea ks-the dracon ic skull with an upt hrust sword t hat is active. Dur ing combat. the characters notice these sigils
the symbol of Hoohur Gran'Shoop. continuing to pulse i n sync with the portal and the gib·
bering mouthcr's bl inking.
Development. A ny character who succeeds on a DC
As an action. a charac ter can attempt a DC 15 I ntel-
11 I ntelligence (Arcana or Natu re) c-hC'ck knows tha1 any
creature petrified by the cockatrices. including the ko- ligence (Arcana) check to deactivate the runes or a DC
bold. should return to normal in 24 hours. Sure enough. 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) cheek to sabotage them.
half a day later. tlH' kobold - named Patsky- revi\·es. ,\ny number of characters can allempt these checks.
Patsky is hungry. th irsty. scared. and used to being which can be made each round . All <'haracters have
bullied. No mauer how the characters trea t hi m. he advantage on t hcsc checks if someone succeeded on th<'
tells them that he wns a servant to the attackers who as- check i n area 7 or the characters ex<1m incd t he fa iled
saulted the manor. Those attackers brought the living (M ritual there.
the t ime) cockatrices with them. but chose to leave them
behind when tlwy mO\Td on. A spellcastcr put a mark on In each round that one or mort> characters succeed
them (the dragon-<;kull symbol). then ordered Patsky to on the check. th<> gibbering mouther and the portal
lork the creatures in this room. They pecked him before weaken. as follows:
he could escape. nncl have been repeating the process
every ti me the kol>olcl recovers. Al some poinc. the First Success: The gibberi ng mouther deals hal f as
cockatr ices died and reanimated, but t he kobold doesn·1 much damage w ith its attacks.
know how. Second Success: The gibbering 111outhcr loses its
Gibbering feature.
Patsky can also tell the characters the general story
of the attack. H<' didn't fight much. since most of the T hird Success: The portal clos<'s and the gibbering
other attackers were stronger. nor docs he know who mouther dies.

< ti \ t' Tl- k I t JI I· "k tH R \ <> f I 11 l \\ \ :\ ll I I< t k

Development. If the portal isn't dosed after I minute. S-

a SC'Cond gibbering mouther comes through. It suffers We have completed our work here. Omin's moppets
any cons<'quences al ready in place fo r alterat ions to have been defeated, although the halfore and the tie.fling
the runes. escaped. We believe the former ran for the woods. which
means she will be ours soon enough. The latter, we cannot
)I. WORKSHOP locate. We could not find the timepiece either, and it 1s pos-

A long table has been pushed into the northwest corner sible the tie.fling took it with her. However, if its magicfunc-
ofth is room, with three corpses of male huMans piled
beneath it. Each corpse is naked to the wais t and wear· tions as erratically as does that ofthe far gear, there may be
ing colorful tights. Visible on the chest of one corpse more searching to be done.
is a sigil of a draco nic skull pierced from the bottom
Everything goes according to plan, and the manor should
by a sword. be free to claim. Loose ends are being tied up as I write this.

Creatures. Hoobur Gran"Shoop's necromantic rituals I am. always. your obliging servant.

h;\\C caused the humanoids slain here to come back as Hoobur
three shadows. All were professional grapplers hired
by the operatives of the Six for the attack on Trescndar 13eneath th<:> si~n:nu re is the symbol of a draconic skull
M anor. and were C1'ecutf'd when the atlack was done to pi('rcecl by a sword from the bottom up.
provide permanent undead sentries. The shadows cur-
C LEAN - UP CREW
rently linger in area 12. but they move under the door
Dran Enterpris<'s keeps n close watch on J\. cqu isit ions
into this area to attack if the characters make any noise ln<'orporated operations. \\'henevcr an Acq Inc fran-
or bring any light into t ll<' room. If the shadows nttack. chist": fails. Oran Enterprises swoops in to make a
tllC'y surprise any character who does not notice their hostile takeovt'r of the as!-.ets and expand its own opera-
approach with a successful OC 14 \Visdom ( Percep- tions. The Phandalin franchise is no exception. As soon
tion) check. as Sister Ga rae lc saw thr lroubl<· at Tresendar Manor.
the priest of Tymora let Oran Entnpriscs know. Oran
Tactics. The shadows remember being professional Ent<:>rprises then dispatdwd a Cf('\\ ' of hobgoblins to
eva luate the area. clean 11p. and LHkt· control ofTresen-
grapplers. and they put on a show as they attack. tossing dar l\lanor as quickly <is possible. \\'hen the adventur-
each other toward th<'ir enemies. "jumping" off the tablr ers leave th(' dungeon for the final time. they s<:><' that
or each otht>r onto foes. and so forth. They flex and pos cl<·a nup crew in any arr:'I close lo the entrance.
ture. pose <'Ind prnnc<:> in a way that is very unbecoming
ofa typical undead. If they need a brea k from the battle. As you step through the door, two hobgoblins pa use.
staring at you with a mix of anger and confusion. One
they retreat under the locked door into area 12. wears an oversized tank on her back with a ha nd-held
Development. If the cha racters have P;1tsky or tlw hose and nozzle emerging from it. A clear, viscous liq-
uid drips from the nozzle, sizzling and smoking when
Splintfig sisters to ilsk. they can report that the bodies it hits the ground. The second hobgob lin brandishes a
under the table were grapplt·rs who helped attack the lethal-looking sword. Both wear leather armor branded
manor. T he last time any of the others saw the three. with the insignia of Oran Ente rprises.
they were aJi,·c and among the victors.
Creatures. These two hobgoblins- Gru nka and
12. OFFI C E
Fraht- lead the Oran Enterprise!> ad\'ancc crew. They
T he door bet ween areas 11 and 12 is locked. When the arrived clandestinely just after th<' characters entered
ch:.ira<'ters enter <irea 12. read: th<' clung<'on . and aren't expecti11g any resistance
gi\'en the low-key nature oft heir cleaning assignment.
A bed and a desk are the only furn ishings in this sur· Grunka wears an acid sprny gun. an invcmion of Oran
prisingly clean roo m. The bed is made with linen sheets Enterprises R&D. Add the' following attnrk action lo her
and a fluffy pillow. Atop the desk are an ink pot and a stat block:

quill pen. Acid Spray Gun (Recharge 5 - 6). Tht' hobgohlin

Hoobur Gran'Shoop cle;ined <ind set up this ar ea as a sprays a<'id in a 10 foot con<:>. Each creature in till' area
command h('adquartcrs for the few days his forces re- must make a DC I 0 Dexterity Sa\ ing throw. taking 7
ma ined in tlw dungeon. (2d6) acid damage on a fail<~d save. or half as much dam-
agc> on a successful one.
S ecret Messages. Crumpled up under the desk is
The spray gun has a tank that C'an be filled with ten
a piece of paper co,·ered with ink blots-residue from standard via ls of arid mixed with water. allowing it to be
when the paper was placed under another piece of paper used fin· times.
th at was writlen upon. Any character who succeeds on
a DC 10 lnt<'lligencc (I m·<·stigation) check discerns the ( Ii \l'l l RI 1 •n <>lrnl HY <J I 1IH \\ \~ IJ ~R I R
impression!> on the pap<:>r. which can be read by rubbin g
charcoal aernss the p;1ge or with r<1reful study.

During the third round. two more hobgoblins r ush to Franchisees must pay any hireling..., <'mployed beyond
join the attack from a nearby room. One of those hob- this number.
goblins carries and will use two spC'// scrolls (see ··T rca- The franchise is licensed to operate· in Phanda lin and
su re·· below). within 5 m iles of the town. and is protected aga inst
interfere11ce in that area from other franchises.
A ll t he hobgoblins MC pragmatic professionals. If it Acquisitions Incorporated will deal with acquiring the
looks like the light is going against them. or if two hob· rights LO Trescndar Manor from Harbin \\'ester. a!>
goblins quickly fall. the survi\'ors ask for quarter. they did for the Fellowship of tlw Golden ;\longoose.

Treasure. Each hobgoblin has 25 gp and a potion of ··franchise /\clvancement" in chapter 2 has detailed
healing. Additionally. one carries a potion ofresistance explanations of <il l these benefi ts and more.
(necrotic) and the other carries a spell scroll of cause
fear and a spe-11 scroll of blindness. deafness (if t hose One of t ht· franch ise's fi rst hi res 111i14ht be right i n front
weren't used i n th~ fight). of them aln·ady. Gilda Duhn. former majordomo for the
Company of the Golden Mongoose. i..., grieving her lost
The charact('rs can also tak(' the acid spray gun . employers and anxious to put her lik back together.
and they find a s:ick holding ten vi;1I<; of acid near the With previous experience running a franchise (and no
hobgoblins. fault i n that fri!nchisc's dest ructio11). !>h<• makes an ex-
cellent choice for majordomo. and sug!'.(csts that ro le for
Development. Any i\ PCs the characters rescued from hersel f i f the characters don't ask her. T he rcmCl ining
the dungeon or ldt in the ruins hide during the comba1. episodes in this adventure assumt' tlwt the characters
Those characters <•merge from hiding only when the sit· selected Gildha Duhn as their franchise\ majordomo.
uation is safe. If they chose another;\! PC to fill that role, simply adjust
the text throughout the adventure an·ordingly.
If questioned . 11ny survivi ng hobgoblins proudly ad-
mit that they work for Dran Enterprises. and that they With the contract signed. the ruins of Trcsendar
were hired to dean up the manor site and prepare it for Manor become the franchise's slart<:>r IH·adquar tcrs!
annexation. The hobgoblins claim (truthfully) to know One of the be11cfi ts of H ead Office negot iat ing wi t h H ar-
nothing about what happened to reduce the manor to bin Wester for tlw lease to the manor is that the com-
ruins. or the fate of the missing tiening from the Fellow- pany can drive a much ha rder bargain than the charac-
ship of the Goldl'n Mongoose. Tlwy have no connecti on ters would ever be able to strike. This berwficial deal
to th e Oran Enterprises insign ia scribed Clmong th e mi~ht ha,·e hidden downsides. though, as thl' thin profit
manor ruins. They can't say for certain thm Oran Enter- mar~ins oft he lease become a point of ongoing conflict
prises didn't have some involvement with the incident. between the characters and the corrupt banker.
but if so. it had nothing to do with tlwm.

CONCLUS ION

With their adventures in Phandalin complete, the char-
acters att ain 3rd level! More importantly. after clea rin g
th e r uins and dungeon of Tresendar Manor, they arc
able to officially launch their own Acquisitions Incorpo-
rated franchise! The charac1crs need to send a message
10 Om in Oran to report 1heir findings. 'ot long aft<'r.
Omin contacts them using magic. congratulating them
on their success. tel ling them to rcst up. and i nfor ming
t hem that a representative of Acquisi tions I ncorporated
wi ll arrive soon l(! del iver paperwork and any other in-
fo r mation a new franchise needs.

Sure enough. well-known Acquisitions Incorporated
operative \'iari (sec appendix A) arrives the next day
to deliver the documents and supplic!>, and to officially
christen the 1ww Acquisitions Incorporated franchise.
He has each of the character s sign a contract crammed
full of legalese and double-tal k. Any C'haractcr who reads

th e document and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (In·

ves tigation) check can decipher the jargon to learn the
following. or \'iari can explain the highlights:

• Franchisees pa) a monthly fee to Acquisitions Incor-
porated to maintain their franchise.
As pa r t of that fee. Acquisitions l ncorporated handles
parts of t he franchise's operations. includ ing location
procurem ent. i;taff rnanagcmcnl. and other benefi ts.
Th<' monthly fee paid to Acquisition<> l ncorporatcd
by a starter franchise co\-crs the sal<lfies of a major-
domo. a skilled hireling. and two un1rai1wd hirelings.

I II \ 1• I ~ I{ I I 111 () IU< t ]{) '>I l 111 \' I \ I• rJH I{

COMPANY Pos1r10Ns Shady busirwS!> practices might be an even bigger
At chc signing of the franchise agreement. each char- part of the characters· plans fo r their franchise. Any
ac ter picks one o f the positions d et:tiiC'cl in "Company number of dodgy N PCs in town might be interested in
partnering wi1h characters who want lo skirt the law.
Positions" in chnp ter 2. When they do so. Viari hands Smuggli ng ore without paying taxes. 'ikimming from the
coffers of either temple. running illc14al ga mbling at the
out any special position gear and instructs the charac- Sleeping Giant any of these activities could net a nice
ters in how best to fulfill their roles. Chapin 2 has more profit \\·ith relati\·cly limited risk.
details on these positions. the benefits they confer. and
what they mean 10 the franchise. H opefully. the players STAY I.'.\: C ON T11 £ Gooo S1 DI:.

have already ronsidercd wh at positions <1re the best lie If the charac1crs have nobler aspirations for their fran
d1ise- or if thcy"rc savvy enough to want to hide their
for their charnrte rs and for the franchise as a whole. but franch ise's ignoble aspirations from th e get-go- a phi l-
if not. give tlH'm time. Make su re it"s clear what each po-
an thropic cnwrprise can go a long w<1y toward shoring
sition entail s a11d what franchise duties a character w ith
a given posit ion is expected to perform. up the party's rt'putation. A franchi<.,c could work to sup-
port the existing cha rity efforts of either of the local tem-
In addition to the characters' positions. the franchise ples. or the drnracters could create tht>ir own fund for
majordomo ean also select a company position if de- out-of-work miners. Doing so makes acquiring ongoing
sired. This b especially useful if there\ a key position concessions or information from towm;folk much eas-
that none of tlH' players wants to take. or if the party ier, but put s thr clrnraclers in th<' bncl graces of Sharna
size is small. Quirstiron at the Miner's Exchange.

FRANCH ISE DOWNTI ME LEADS TO n1 F LtGHTHOuS E
E,·en as the diaractcrs are setting up their new fran -
The process of rebuilding Tresendar Manor will take ch ise. you"ll want to work in hooks to lead them to the
some time. and as proud franchise owners. the charac- next stagc in th C' adventure. Based on what they"ve
ters need to lw around tO pitch in nncl make su re nothing lea rn ed during this episode. the characters are aware
goes awry. At the same time. their newly awarded terri- that the on ly oth er survivor of the attack on the Fellow-
tory is ripe for explorat ion and internetion with potential ship of the Golden rv1ongoosc was the ti efling paladin oc
customers and business partn ers. /\ s th e characters cuham Talnnatha Three -Coins. Clearly the best source
take stock of th eir situation. they c:in engage in down- of in forma1ion regarding the a11ack on the manor. Tala-
time activities and undertake some of the franchise nat ha u sed the timepiece of1ra1-c/ to tt'leport away, but
ta::.ks that operate alongside the downtime rules. no one know s where she w en t.

All the activities nwntioned in thb section are in- Many of the local!'i had interac ti ons with Tal<inatha
troduced or talked about in the ··Franchise Tasks and in the three m onths that the Fellowsh ip of the Golden
Downtime·· sec tion in chapter 2. Th~\l section notes Mongoose wn c; around Phandalin. and characters can
which books existing activities can be found in. use the schmooLing or carousing downtime activities to
learn more about the tiefling. In particular. a number of
Ni::w Bus1N~: ss the regulars at the Sleeping Giant remember drinking
with Talanathn. S he o ften grumbl<·d about whether th e
As the chnractcrs spend time cstablbhing their new Company of the Golden MongooM' was th e bes t Iii for
commercial home turf. the explore territory downtime her. and tal ked about a good friend 11<1m ed W izzy who
activity can yield up all kinds of new opportunities worked fo r <1nothrr Acquisition s Ineorporated franchise.
and connec ti on-,. ln1crcsting NPCs might be revealed The details on Wi zzy"s franchise an· vague. but Talana-
on a walkabout in the woods around Phanda lin, or tha spok e of her friend having ··an awesome headquar-
the charac ters might locate sta nds of prime timber
or abandoned min<'s s till holding va lu able ore. Such ters up the coast:·
resources can become part of the franchisc·s ongoing Characters can also spend downtime invcs1igating the

revenue st ream. Orrery oftlw Waridt-rer and the timepiece oftra11e!, us-
Commercial connenions forged with 'PCs could also
ing either the scrutineering or r<' s(':i rch activities. In ad-
be formalized and n:fined. The lizardfolk of the Mere dition to reve aling more details of the orrcry as you sec
of Dead M en and th<' Splincfig sisters arc just two of fit (sc<· appendix D). such inves ti gation could reveal that
the potential business partnerships from th is episode. the last place the timepiece tcleporwd someone to wa!>
whether the characters engage those NPCs them- a location on the Sea of Swords. north of Neverwintcr
sel\·cs or allocate 1Tw111bers of th eir brand-new staff for but south of Luskan. Scrutinecring or inquiries through
H ead Office turns up information on an Acquisitions
those task s. Incorporated franchise based in th at area - the Order
of th e Stout I l alf Pint. which has its headquarters in an
THl!'\K J:-:G LOC ALLY old lighthouse iilong a stret ch of coast known locally as
In Phandalin. the characters might U'>t' the markc-
teering ac1ivi1y 10 set up a partnership with Lincnc Silent Sound.
Graywind at tht' Lionshicld Coster. or with Sharna \Vhntever clues the characters obtain regarding Ta-
Quirstiron of th e Phandal in Mine r"~ Exchange-whether
they know Sharna·s true allegiances or 1101. Depending lanatha's likely clt>stination, ha,·e thos<' hints play out
on how well th<' characters are getting along with H ar- over the full length of the downtime rather than ru shing
bin v\"ester. the -.,hady business practice activity might
let them get mon' din on the banker. or gain his fa,·or b) I I L \ I' I I ll I Tl!' "1rn I I:\ c >I I 11J~ \\ \ ' I)r I< I R
going after some of his rivals.

to advance to the next episode. The players should get up through the different ltvels of the lighthouse tower.
used 10 how big a part downtime and franchise activities the franchisee~ fi nd more and more t>vidence that the
play in an Acqui sitions Incorporated campaign. same spellcas tcr whose creations they\<• prt'viously
faced has wrou ght havoc th ere. That spellcas tcr. Hoobur
CONTINUING THE ADVENTURE Gran'Shoop. is found working inn i:i;risly laboratory be-
neath the tower. to which the adventurers gain entrance
Before th e next phase of the adventure. make sure the th rough the lighthouse's magic lcn~. That laboratory is
characters have their franchise and business affairs in only part of the lighthouse's secret ba::.cment. though.
order. They should knmv who their franchise employees and the characters engage in somt• dangerous and lucra-
are, giving those staff members detailed instructions tive dungeoneering after dealing with or doing a d<·al
about what IU do while the characters are away. This with- Hoobur.
sort of planning is a common theme in any Acquisi-
tions Incorporated campaign. so establ ish this prece- With the threllts in the lighthous<· dispensed with . the
dent early. characters lt'arn that its fran chist' ill<'mbers had also
recently collt>Cl<'d one of the clockwork components of
Specu lating that Talanatha Three-Coins might have the OrrerJ' oftlw I ~mdcrer. Th ey also have evidence in
fl ed 10 the Silent Sound lighthouse headquarters of hand pointing to the involvement of Oran Enterprises
another Acquisitions Incorporated franchise. the charac· in the attack on thc lighthouse. building on the sight-
ters might attempt to make contact with that franchise. ing of Oran Entt>rpri scs operatives in Phanda lin. But
either on th eir own or through Head Office. However. what does Oran Ent!'rpriscs want w ith the orrery? And
any such attempts yield no response. At some point, which band of plucky franchisees will be rnskcd with
Om in Oran contacts the characters if th ey don't contact finding ou(2
him first. He's worri ed about what th e lack of contact
with the Order of the Stout H alf-Pint might mea n. and To T H E LI GHTHOUSE
he wants the characters to investigate.
With the franchise headquarters in Phandalin secured
The presence of Oran Enterprises oper atives in and the r ebuilding ofTresendar :Vlanor underway. the
Phandalin is troubling for Omin especial ly if the Oran adventurers have a clear path alwad of them to the Si-
Enterprises hobgoblins were killed without the cha rat· lent Sound lighthouse. However, you g<'t io decide how
ters questioning them, leading to th e assumption that complica ted the journey turns out tc> be.
the organization was behind the initial attack. If the
characters aren't suitably intrigued by the orrery and its One big question is whether the drnractcrs should
newly discovered component. that can be another thing travel overland up the Sword Coast. or whether you
that Omin charges them with investigating. Armed with wam to let them 1cleport directly lo Silent Sound using
a solid guess that Talanatha Aed to the lighthouse. the the timepiece oftravel. Either option i-, fine. With an At·
characters prepare to head north! quisitions Incorporated campaign often involving access
to crazy magic. don't be afraid to lt' t th <' characters make
EPISODE 3: DARKNESS AT use of it. But there arc option s for holding back on the
magic of tlw orrcry and its component..., if you want to
THE LIGHTHOUSE (see the "Levd Inappropriate" sid<"bar in episode 2). and
an overland journey has its own r<'wards. in the form of
In thi s episode. the characters (newly en franchised and additional encounters and side treks thnt can help build
now 3rd level) travel to the Silent Sound lighthouse to a fun story.
search for Talanatha. the tiefling paladin occultant of
the Fellowship of the Colden Mongoose. On the way. This episode provides one side trek that secs the
Om in Oran contacts them with a requ est. I le wants characters stop in Ncvcrwinter on th eir way IO th e
them to stop in Neverwirner to check on a cache of lighthouse. which can be made use of no matter what
Acquisitions Incorporated treasure being stored th ere. the party's method of travel. Additionally. if the charac-
H owever. the doppclganger who hid the cache has been ters are traveling O\'erland. you ran introduce random
arrested and is about to be executed. Even if the char· encoumers along the road using tlw same method and
acters save her. retrieving the treasure where it's been
hidden in th e House of Knowl edgc- Oghma's temple i n table from episode 2. lfyou roll a re~uh that makes no
Never winter will take more time and effort than Om in
predicted. sense, roll aga in or create an encou nter of your own.

Leaving Neverwintcr. the charac te r~ head norch in A DETOUR TO NEVERWlNTE R
the direction of Silent Sound. But even as the light-
house comes into view. they spot a small boat under Before the characters leave for the lighthouse. or while
attack by creatures from the deep. If they rescue the they are on the High Road tra\'eling toward Neverwin·
crew, the characters might find a busi ness opportunity ter. Omin Oran makes contact with a ...,mall fa,·or.''
that involves partnking in a little mutiny aga inst a ruth- Ncverwinter is !orated on the High Road on the way lo
less captain. t he Silent Sound lighthouse. so is an rasy stop for th e
party to make.
At the lighthouse. the characters confirm that the
Acquisitions Incorporared franchise h<'adquartered Head Office ai-:signments of this sort can become
there-the Order of the S1ou1 Half-Pint was attacked. common in an Atquisitions Incorporated ca mpaign. es-
and that most of its members have been kill ed. Moving pecially as the characters' reputation as troubleshooters
grows. You tan usc such side treks as useful support
for a franchise"~ main mission. or a an inconvenient
interruption.

I ~. C II.'\ PT!- R .J. 11 I I <l IHH R \ O ~ I HI \\ \ ' ll 1 IU R

A Si M PLE REQUEST

Om in Oran contacts th<' characters via the franchise

documancer's documancy satchel or some other form

of magic. When he does. r<:"ad the following to detai l
his rcqu<:"sl:

"Yeah, so I'm going to need you to do a little extra work
fo r me. It shouldn't be too taxing. I have a contact in
Neverwinter who's secured a cache of treasure. Her
name is Oppal DeScart, and you can usually find her in
a tavern in the Blacklake District known as the Stable
Quiver. She's a shapeshifter, so I can't say for sure what
she'll look like when you locate her. You can suss her out
with the passphrase "That's a big hen house," and she
should reply with "Only to a small fox ." When you locate
her, tell her that it's safe to "Move the cargo along the
Platinum Roa d." And that's it. She' ll give you the treas ure
to get out of Neverwinter safely. The whole affair should
take a few hours, and then you can be on your way. You
can get the goods to me when you return."

Omin's prim ary concern is to have OppaJ's t reasure
sccur<'cl and removed from the city without drawing the
attention of Nc,·en\ inter's tax collectors. I le tclb tht'
characters that the treasure is small but its container is
warded, and that they !>hould be prcpa rt>d to store and
carry it without lookin g in it. Om in isn'L keen to get into
additiona l details, though. suggesting that the less the
characters know. the better. (This is another potentially
entenaining hallmark of m;signment!'> handed down
from I lead Office, and plausible deniability is one of the
core competencies of nny successful 1\ ('qu isitions I ncor-
poratcd franchise.)

THE BACKSTORY
Either on their way to i\evcrwinter or while in the city.
the characters might want to dig around <1 bit to find oul
more about what exactly they're getting into. They might
also assign a fran chise lask to their !:.l<lff back i n Phan
dalin. gt'lting them 10 use scrulineering or research to
find out more.

If you want to make Ncvcrw inter a bigg<'r part of your
cam paign . more information about the city can be found

in l h<' Sword Coasc Advl·nwrers Guide . Bu t the fol low-

ing informalion covers lhc basics the characters can
learn regarding thi s !>idc trek:

fa·crything that goes on in t\e\'erwintcr is inexorably
tied to Lord Dagult Nevcrcmber. After being ousted
from his position as Open Lord of Watrrdeep, Ncv-
crcmber took up the mantle of Lord Protector of
\1c\'<'rwinter.
The citizens of '.\'e,erwint er accepted the rule of an
autoC"rnl who brought peace and stability to a franious
ci ty. With the foundation of his rule solidly cstnb -
lishccl. Lord Nev<'rc mbcr cracked down on th e nobility
and the gu ilds. whom the lower cl as~Ps were more
than happy to blame for any problems in the city.

l II \I' I I I·' I 111 l • > I '~ I l<' n I I II [ \\ \ !\ ll I IH K

Ncvercmber has levied heavy taxes against wealthy "Afraid Oppal got herself nicked. Funny bit was, wi th al l
merchants and the ari stocracy. Acquisit ions Incor-
poratcd maintains signifintnt financia l holdings in the laws she's broke. she gets picked up for somethin'

<'Verwinter. Given the current political climate in lhC' she didn't do. Murder no less! But I' ll tell you true. Oppal
city. those holdings arr going to be overtaxed if they
arc d iscovered. ain't the murderin' type.

On Omin's ord<'rs. Oppal D<'Srart. a doppel ganger "See, Oppal was pretending to be a local ore thug, get-
in the employ of 1\C'quisition'> Incorporated. has been
working lo move Acq Inc treasure out of l\everwinter. tin' some information for a client. But in the meantime,
By consolidating c<lches of treasure and using them to
purchase rare diamonds. she's been able to conver t a that ore kills somebody on that very same night Oppal's
great deal of wealth into portable form. ready for secure
retrieval. Unfortunately for her and unknown to Omin pretendin' to be him. The guards know the ore, then they
Oran Oppal was recently arn·sted for murder in a case'
of mistaken idcntily. She's curren tly being held in the find Op pal lookin' like him. arrest he r. and throw her in
dungl'ons bt'tieath the ruins of Castle Never. awaiting
execution. the holes under Castle Never. Even though they know

T111:. STABLE QUIVER she's a changer, they still blame her. Easier work for

When the chararters arrive i11 Nevcrwintcr, they find them. That 's the lot of a usual suspect in Neverwinter."
thcmsPlvcs in a city divickd quite literally. Part of th<'
m<'tropolis is magnificent. with breathtaking arrhitec If the character'> ran·t convince Squid to talk to them.
turc. marvelous spi res. and opulent decorations. And th<'y ran chat with others in the tavern. With the right
am id th at beauty is a terrihl<' scar caused by the er up- motivation. ancJlhcr N PC can point the group in the
tion of Vloum I lotenow yt·ars before. Citizens are still right direction.
rebuilding from that disaster. largely thank'> to the extra
taxes Lord Nevercmber levies against the wealthy. The Interested Bys tander. One of the patrons at the Sta
cit y'..., poorer residents benefit from the rebu ild ing work .
and live i n hope that the artisans and bui lders in the bk Qui\'er when the characters arrive to inquire about
City of Skilled I lands can turn thC'ir home into thejew<'I Oppal is Moguh l Vloot. This petite humHn wears a
of th<' 'orth once again. nicely tailored su it and has slicked-back gray hair, even
though she appears no older than thirty. Being a were-
The Stable Quiver is a nonckscript. well -built cavern rat kt'cps one looking young.
in th e Blackl akc District. an area th at covers the north·
west part of the city. The tavern boasts <i mixed cl ientdt• :\1oguhl works for a local thieVt's· guild and keeps
of le<>ser nobles. artisans. micldle-dass m<'rchants. and tabs on ill icit goods going into and out of the city. Her
skilled laborers. It's a perfect meeting place' for citizen..., gui ld has brokered some of the treasun· Oppal has been
engaged in activit ies they wish to keeµ out of the publ ic st'lling. and l\loguhl's bosse!> want to find out where
eye. The low-lift· element norma lly eschews the place. tlw doppclgangcr has been hiding the· rash she's been
except in cases where they meet with th<' tmTrn·s regu- stockpil ing. Wi th Oppal set for execution. they know
lar patrons- who arc no less criminal in many cases. they ncc·d to work fast. but arc sti l l weighing whether
trying to get to her in the dungeons of (';1...,tlc \!ever is
locating Oppal. When the charac ters <'nt<·r the tav- worth the risk.

er n. all the tables an· occupied. but sewra l empty stools i\foguhl noticcs the characters asking about Oppal.
stand ac the bar. The barkc<'p is Squid (N male half-elf She t ries to hide her interest. but any character who
commoner). so-eallt'd by the locals because of a squid-
shaped birthmark on his face. succ<'eds on a DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) chf'ck notes her

If the characters ask Squ id :ibout Oppal by name. "urrcptitiously remaining close and listt•ning in when
or about any shapechangcrs working in the· area. the the group acquires the information they need. \loguhl
half-elf initially denies knowing anything about such a leave~ the t:ivcrn before the cha racters can confronl her.
per!>on. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom
(Insight) check notices that the barkeep i8 clearly con - She slips clown an al ley and turns imo a ~iant rat i f any-
cea li11g something. Ir t h<~ dwraclcrs push t he issue. a
succc:;,sful DC 10 Charisma (Deception or Persu;1sion) one attempts to follow her.
chc<'k causes Squid to dish up information. Any Cha- i\loguhl quickly gathers five bandits to assist her in
risma (Intimidation) check inspires him to first direct
the characters toward some random cha meter wh o he "qut·stion ing" the characters about their knowledge of
sw<·nrs is Oppal. just to light<'n the mood. I le also spi lls or clC'a li ngs w iLh Oppal. A short while after the charac -
if the characters offer him a bribe of 5 gp or more. ter~ leave tht' tavern. this gang cha lleng<•s them. setting
l\loguhl up to ask who Oppal is working for and where
JsI\rgas~\ni'IsonTg.rI.1\1e' tdmoIolodcerruaeodmp11·aO1i<.n:lc,'fc·.1cc"crrTey. 'hts\h\imi"-•na' giIis•sn-su'·a1it,nt.·cad.isss.dkasotot.yr.ilot'oom.unI,dr()Oo1o)wmf1n.~\i.;'n:il.ip.\1·.ies.1non.t:"e=Ir'w).: e(,.~i-hce she hid her treasure.
g _Rosie Bet:st 1nger
Naturally, t he character s arc unable to answer Mo-
guh l's second question. But unless the characters also
d<'n) knowing the doppelgangcr's employer and arc
particularly convincing about their ignorance. Moguhl
and her bandits attack in hopes that a good beating can
convince them to tell w hat they know.

Moguhl uses the wererat 81Ht block and wields a +J

shortsll'ord she calls Piercer. which grants her a +I bo-

nu::. to her attack and damage rolls.
Moguhl flees before the adventurers can kill or eap-

tur(' her. using her Shapec-hangcr trait to escape or LO
slip her bonds if subdued and tied up.

Development. If the characters question the defeated guards and three veterans stand watch at the en-
bandits, the criminals admit to working for Moguhl from trance. Seven more guards and three vet erans do the
time co time, but they can provide no other actionable same within the holes.
information. If Moguhl is captured and convinced to On the day before an execution, friends and fam ily of
tal k, she can provide intelligence on the prison beneath a prisoner are allowed into the holes to bring the con-
Castle Never, which she has been gathering in case she demned a last meal.
needs to break in to talk to Oppal. • A secret passage is said to access the holes from a
cave on the shore of Blacklake, from which the Black-
Characters who contract lycanthropy from Moguhl lake District gets its name. No one the characters can
might have the opportunity to get the curse removed at talk to has seen or used this passage, which remains
the Hall of Knowledge later in this episode at a reduced only a rumor.
cost, assuming they can help the head priest there with
his troubles. See the "Hall of Knowl edge" section below. RESCUING 0PPAL
The first step to rescuing Oppal is to communicate with
Treasure. Moguhl and her bandits carry a total of 23 her in some way. However. if a plan is hatched that al-
gp. The wererat also has a spell scroll of distort value (a lows the characters to message her indirectly through a
new spell from chapter 3). third party (a bribed guard or worker, for instance), Op-
pal's response makes it clear that she is willing to pass
Moguhl's weapon Piercer is a rare magic item that along "the information·· only if she is liberated . She un-
derstands that the characters' timely appearance is the
requires attunement. The sword is a +l shortsword, and on ly thing that stands between her and certain death.
a character attuned to the sword rega ins the maximum
How the characters navigate thi s tricky dilemma is
possible number of hit points from expended Hit Dice. entirely up to you. Let the players' resourcefulness and
However, the attuned character must eat twice as much your imagination combine to create a memorable story
food each day (a minimum of 2 pounds) to avoid exhaus- of legendary triumph or narrow failure. followed by even
narrower escapes. Ideas and plans for getting to and
tion (see "The Environment" in chapter 8 of the Player's rescuing Oppal can cover any of the following options:

Handbook.) A corrupt member of the Neverwinter city guard might
help get the characters into the holes for a price. But
THE HOLES that guard might also charge a higher and previously
unmentioned price to get them out again.
If the characters don't get initial information from Mo- • The secret entrance offers lots of possibilities, but the
guhl about the prison beneath Castle Never, they can characters first need to find it. Then they need to deal
use whatever means they choose to gather information. with whatever suitable monster is currently lairing in
This might include employing appropriate backgrounds, that cave. Moreover, any number of traps. hazards,
digging into rumors spread by the criminal class, and monsters might be guarding the passage leading
talking to city guards. and so forth. from the cavern to the holes.
The characters might also try to keep things entirely
The characters can learn the following details about legal by tracking down the ore who committed the
the castle and the prison beneath it with appropriate murder Oppal is accused of. Bringing that villain in
roleplaying or ability checks. Easy-to-acquire informa- might easily clear Oppal's name- and bring the char-
tion comes earli er in the list, whil e the details that are acters a certain amount of notoriety in the city. But
harder to acquire are provided later. Dispense the fol- where is that ore now? And who else might the charac-
lowing points as you see fit: ters need to contend with to capture him?
Pretending to be Oppal's friends or family gives the
Castle Never was the historical seat of the rulers of characters easy access to the doppelganger as they
Neverwinter. The eruption of Mount Hotenow and bring in a last meal. Then once they're in the holes,
various attacks in the years since have reduced the it's up to you to decide how they might pull off a daring
escape- including search ing for the rumored tunnel
structure to rubble. from the inside.
Lord Neverember has made rebuilding the castle his
top priority. Much of the city's steep tax income goes 0PPAL'S INFO
to the rebuilding efforts. If the characters rescue Oppal from the holes. she grate·
• Neverwinter's worst offenders murderers, traitors. fully provides information on the whereabouts of Omin
and tax cheats are imprisoned beneath the ruins of Oran's treasure cache, which consists of rare black
Castle Never. Locals call this prison "the holes." Try- diamonds mined from the rim of Mount Hotenow. The
ing to free someone from the holes is a good way to diamonds are held in a silk bag that's been placed in a

end up in them. false tome titled A Laypersons Book ofCommon Knowl-
• Anyone in the holes has already been found guilty by edge. Oppal hid the book in a vault beneath the Hall of

Lord Nevercmber of high crim es, the punishment for Knowledge- the local temple to Oghma. god of knowl-
which is death. Executions take place once each ten- edge. invention, and inspiration.
day. at noon. The next execution occurs two days from
when the characters discover this fact. CllAl'HR t I TH E OR Rf.RY OJ• T HI:: WA ND E R E R
During executions, guards are numerous, and power-
ful people show up to see justice dispensed. Rescuing
one of the condemned from the gallows would be a
nearly impossible feat.
Only one known entrance leads into the holes from
the main level of Castle Never. That level is being
rebuilt, so bricklayers, stonemasons, and untrained
hirelings are common throughout. A minimum of four

Like much of the city ofNeverwinter, the Hall of first floor also contains books and scrolls of common
Knowledge is currently under repair. Although some of value, as well as public documents moved here from
the temple was damaged by the volcano, portions were Castle Never. The second floor holds sleeping quarters
spared the destruction of the lava flow, including an and private work areas for staff and clergy, while the
underground chamber called the Vault of Tomes. That basement includes storage rooms, private s hrines for
undercroft contains some of the most rare and valuable generous donors, and the Vault of Tomes.
books in FaerGn outside Candlekeep, and is one of the
most secure locations in the city as a result. By disguis- Two veterans in the employ of the Neverwinter city
ing herself as an acolyte, Oppal was able to place the guard bar passage to the other floors at all times. The
false tome in the vau lt. guards deny access to anyone attempting to enter the
basement who is not an acolyte, known to be approved
On Omin's instructions. Oppal hired a wizard to place for entry, or escorted by a high-ranking priest or Grand
a glyph of warding (explosive runes) on the false book Scribe Liethennson.
to keep it from being opened. Also on Omin's order,
she doesn't know how to bypass the glyph. The dop- Labor Problems. The characters enter the Hall
pelganger knows that Omin expected he wou ld be able of Knowledge at an opportune time. Grand Scribe
to access the diamonds once the fa lse tome was in his Liethennson, unhappy with the quality and the pace
possession. of the work being done, has recently taken to task the
builder overseeing the renovations. Dwarf artisan Kol-
Oppal knows that the vault door has a very good lock, lette Kwarter (NG female dwarf commoner) has finally
but the door is left open whenever acolytes are moving grown tired of the elf's constant griping and badgering.
tomes in and out of the vault (as it was when she hid the
book). She also knows that the head priest (known as At any opportune moment as the characters are
the grand scribe) at the Hall of Knowledge is a frai l and within or approaching the temple, they see Kwarter
unpleasant elf named Spivey Liethennson (LN male elf drop her tools at Liethennson's feet, make a rude ges-
noble). Grand Scribe Liethennson is a strict taskmaster ture in his direction, and call on her workers to leave.
and does not suffer fools gladly. She knows that she and her team can find easier work
for more money elsewhere in the city. Quick-thinking
Once freed, Oppa l is unwilling to assist in any further characters can seize this opportunity to pretend to be
capers, wanting only to get out ofNeverwinter alive. masons, carpenters, or other craftspeople to gain access
No amount of threatening or cajoling can inspire her to the basement level. This doesn't grant characters ac-
to assist the characters. She suggests that they acquire cess to the Vault of Tomes, but it gets them close.
the book, seal it inside something else so as to avoid
accidentally triggering the glyph, and leave the city as ALTERNATIVE ENTRY
quickly as possible. They can deliver the goods to Om in
at their leisure after that. Characters wanting access to the basement might
attempt Charisma (Deception) or Dexterity (Stealth)
THE HALL OF KNOWLEDGE checks to connive or sneak their way into the area. By
pretending to be wealthy donors to the temple, they
The Hall of Knowledge is a major temple in Neverwin- could also reach the basement with a donation of 20 gp
ter, acting as a place of learning, a center of social iza- for the party. Give any plan that makes sense a chance
tion, and a repository of government documentation to succeed.
while Castle Never is being rebuilt. Damage to the com-
plex's outer walls and floors has already been restored. Trouble in the Basement. If the players prefer ac-
while workers now focus on interior walls and decor. tion. an emergency in the temple could assist them in
their quest. An eldritch tome stored in the vault has its
Grand Scribe Spivey Liethennson oversees the tem- dweomer suddenly fail, unleashing a burst of arcane
ple, ruling his limited domain with all the fervor his frag- energy that animates two statues in the vault. As the
ile body can muster. Acolytes and workers freeze in ter- characters case the temple, screams and shouts are
ror when his labored breathing warns of his approach, heard as the statues run amok. The two veterans on
because he rarely has a kind word to say. Liethennson guard step up, on ly to quickly fall victim to the animated
longs to leave the city and join his fellow Oghma wor- statues. The characters can use the distraction to slip
shipers in the serenity of Candlekeep. In the meantime. into the vault while scribes and acolytes flee, or they can
he hopes to impress church elders by running the Hall deal with the threat to earn the favor of Grand Scribe
of Knowledge with an iron hand. Liethennson.

Curing Lycanthropy. If any characters have lycan- Each of the animated statues uses the gargoyle
thropy from their run-in with Moguhl Vloot, Grand stat block.
Scribe Liethennson can cast remove curse for a do-
nation of 50 gp. If he feels indebted to the characters ENTERING THE VAULT OF TOMES
(see "Alternative Entry" below), he might cast the
spell for free. Even after the characters have accessed the basement,
entering the Vault of Tomes while it's locked down is
ENTERING THE TEMPLE a challenge. The door to the vault employs a complex
three-stage lock, requiring three successful DC 20 Dex-
Anyone can enter the temple to worship Oghma at a terity checks using thieves' tools to open. Tf the charac-
shrine on the first floor. Acolytes and lesser clerics are ters take too long to open the lock, staff or clergy might
available to perform rituals for a suitable donation. The notice them, alerting any veterans on watch.

CHAPTER 4 I THE OR RE RY OF THE WANDERER

lf the characters defeated the statues, they have the Silent Sound lighthouse finally comes into view, rising
thanks of Grand Scribe Liethennson. He is reluctant to
allow anyone other than worshipers of Oghma into the atop a rough and dangerous-looking promontory of rock
Vault of Tomes. but characters with his favor have an
easy time convincing him of their need to do obscure that thrusts up from the beach behind it and juts into the
research or similar claims.
Sea of Swords. If the lighthouse is supposed to act as a
Books within the vault are indexed and arranged al-
phabetically by title. Characters can find A Layperson's beacon, though, something is seriously wrong. Its top is
Guide 10 Common Knowledge with a successful DC 10
Intelligence (Investigation) check. hazy and indistinct, as if a fog was obscuring the lantern

LEAVING N EV ERWINTER room. Also, for a place that's an occupied headquarters,

With the diamonds secured, the characters can leave there's a lot of scaffolding along the tower's base, and
the city with little problem. Provided they don't wave
the diamonds under the noses of the guards while three large tents are pitched on the slope of the beach
departing, they aren't bothered or taxed. Ifthey report
back to Omin with magic. he instructs the franchise's behind the lighthouse promontory.
hoardsperson or another suitable character to keep the
diamonds safe until delivery. Wind and the crashing of waves against the cliffs is

If the characters dispel or otherwise deal with the loud, but even over that, panicked shouts can be heard.
glyph ofwarding and open the book, it contains a silk
bag with twelve black diamonds inside. A successfu l Along the shore next to the beach, tentacles rising from
DC 15 lntelligence (Investigation or Nature) check
from any character with a merchant. jeweler, or mining the sea thrash out against a longboat. Three people
background can assess the value of the gems. A char-
acter with experience as a jeweler has advantage on in the boat are fighting off the tentacles, and are far-
this check.
ing poo rly.
A successful check determines that while four of the
gems are real diamonds (5.000 gp each), eight are actu- Creatures. Three giant octopuses are attacking a
ally finely cut smoky quartz (10 gp each). Omin knows longboat and its crew- Belle Mare, Menard Chatte,
that Oppal mixed the fakes with the real diamonds to and Chalkie Sharke (all CG human bandits). Adjust
throw off would-be thieves. allowing her to offer them the fight to the length of time it'll take the characters
the quartz while she used legerdemain to retain the to reach the scene, depending on how they're traveling.
valuable ones. Characters who don't know this might But if they tarry for no particular reason, Menard is
sweat a bit as they try to figure out how to explain the dragged into the water, never to surface again. A simi-
situation to Omin. lar period later. a tentacle pulls Chalkie into the drink.
Belle then perishes if the characters ignore the fight
THE TORTUR ED TO RTLE M U TINY com pletely.

The Silent Sound lighthouse sits atop a cliff three days' Shore Fight. The crew is aboard a 15-foot longboat
travel north of Neverwinter. and acts as a navigation with a sail. The fight takes place 15 feet off shore, where
beacon to ships traveling up and down the Sword Coast. the water is 10 feet deep. The first 10 feet of the shore-
The shorel ine of this often-foggy area gives way to un- line is difficult terrain because of the waves.
derwater rocks, posing a dire threat to ships. More in-
formation on the lighthouse and the fate of its franchise If the characters intercede. the sailors fight alongside
can be found as the characters explore in the "Silent them until the octopuses are driven away, or the charac-
Sound Lighthouse" section below. But before the char- ters convince the sailors to Ace to safety.
acters have a chance to explore, they find themselves
distracted by disaster on the approach to the lighthouse. De velopment. The three sailors are from a caravel
called the Tortured Tortle, presently anchored a mile off
SAILORS IN N EED s hore. Belle is the first male, and voices her appreciation
for the characters' rescue. ff they seem like honorable
Whether they're traveling by land, arriving by boat, or sorts, Belle takes a risk and further asks them for assis-
teleporting in, the characters witness a disturbing scene tance. She admits that she and her crew are smugglers
as they first catch sight of the lighthouse. coming ashore to take possession of goods in a nearby
sea cave (see the "'Treasure" section). But she and the
LwbthYii.klelhei.manavgollr.rnleloigvcalihbanawagos•tte1a.hcbit.tniosdgneiseln.fsg~wrcfoorruamcrnomfc.irnh.iat.'inslPccI1lhcca·si-mysse.tlKoon'pyetheocrdunis.rmstssoetDsrb,eernwoghwt''hIe'sb others are at their wits' end in terms of how to deal with
the Tortured Tort/e's captain, a hard old salt named Ath-
gar Friedson.

TROUBLE AT SEA

Friedson is a North lander who has pushed his crew
to more and more dangerous and despicable deeds
in recent months. He has even talked about taking up
full-on piracy and slave trading to earn extra coin, and
the (mostly) good souls aboard the Tortured Tortle are
looking for a new way to make a living. However, Cap-
tain Athgar and his new associate, a cleric of Umberlee
called Sister Foam. have threatened to kill any crew
members ~not brave enough" to take on these new and
terrible pursuits.

CHAPTER 4 I fill-. O RRFRY OF THE WANDERER

If the characters care to help, they can challenge Cap- A lot of people think of piracy as a dead-end j?b or
tain Athgar. The (mostly) good members of the crew can
handle the bad apples backing Athgar. Certainly, with a last-resort career. This is remarkably ~horts!ghted,
such aid, the adventurers can handle the captain and his
priest! Belle promises that if the characters help, they as the gig has a startling number of upsides. For
can have a stake in the Tortured Tortle, with her as the
new captain. She expresses her willingness to work out example, it's a job that allows you to we~r a lot
any business arrangements for the future.
of' scarves and sashes. That's rare. Whats more,
Regardless of the characters' decision, Belle also re-
veals that she knows something is wrong at the Silent you're never more than two steps from some sort
Sound lighthouse. For at least two tendays. the normally
reliable light has been dark. She fears that some sort of convenient rope that you can cut and use to
of magic is in play, because it isn't just the case that
the light is out. Rather, it appears to radiate some kind dramatically swing into danger.
of dark energy. Moreover, she's heard that sightings
of spectral figures and will-o'-wisps in the area are What's more, people don't realize that profit-
on the rise.
sharing arrangements ar~ ~urpri~ingly common..~nd
In the end, the sai lors must return to their ship or risk
the captain's wrath against their friends. The characters there are great opportumt1es for internal promotion
are left to explore the lighthouse on their own.
of the dead-sailor's-boots variety. Also? There are a
Treasure. The smugglers came ashore to retrieve sev-
eral bolts of rare Calimshan silk to take to an interested lot of dead sailor's boots, and the resale on those can
buyer in the Moonshae Isles. The five bolts are worth
100 gp each. The characters might find this loot in a be very high. Good boots are scarce.
nearby sea cave, along with lots of mundane supplies, if
all the smugglers perish. Otherwise, Belle recovers the -Viari
silk before going back to the Tortured Tortle. but offers
the characters 30 gp from her own purse in thanks for priest. By the start of the second round, Belle convinces
their help. other sailors to take up arms against those loyal to Ath·
gar. None of the sailors attack the characters thereafter.
MUTINEERS
As the battle continues. you can decide how the rest
If the characters agree to help Belle oust Captain Ath· of the combat goes with regards to additional help. If the
gar, she suggests that they accompany her back to the characters are winning handily, a few loyalists might es-
Tortured Tortle. She plans to tell the captain she picked cape the general melee and fight beside Captain Athgar.
up new crew members and to invite the characters on If the characters fare poorly, Belle or other mutineers
board, at which point they can attack the captain and the could intervene to relieve some of the pressure.
priest. As planned. Belle will lead the rest of the crew
against those who side with the captain. It should all be Treasure. If the characters assist Belle Mare in car-
over quickly. rying out a successful mutiny, she rewards them with
a red pearl worth 200 gp, as well as a yellow diamond
The trip back to the Tortured Tortle is smooth, and the elemental gem. Both belonged to the captain. She then
longboat sails into position to be hoisted aboard. Belle asks the crew to transport the characters back to shore
yells to the watch that she has new crew to bring aboard, so they can continue their mission.
and the watch acknowledges the request. This exchange
brings the captain- a tall and muscular Northlander- S ILENT SOUND LIGHTHOUSE
onto the deck. Standing at his side is a short, stocky
human female wearing a holy symbol of Umberlee Silent Sound lighthouse is a seventy-foot-tall cylindrical
around her neck. tower of mortared stone, with a square base carved
into the rock it stands on. The lantern room is enclosed
Creatures. Captain Athgar (NE male human veteran) within glass walls and features an open-air catwalk.
is as mean as the ocean is deep. The devotee ofUmber- Map 3.1 shows the layout of the lighthouse tower, which
lee is called Sister Foam (NE female human priest), is reached by way of a twisting but safe path leading up
and she's a good match for the captain in demeanor and from the beach behind it.
ferocity. The captain berates Belle for bringing back
useless chum such as the characters, and demands FREE SAILING SHIP! OR IS IT ... ?
that they leave his ship immediately- without the use
of the boat. If the characters try to reason with him, the If the characters make a deal with Belle Mare and succeed
captain quickly proves how unreasonable he can be by in taking the Tortured Tortle, how they benefit is up to you.
ordering the crew to kill the characters and dump their Before you decide to al low the Tortured Tortle and its crew
corpses overboard. to work for the franchise, think through the potential ram-
ifications, and how you could use them later in your cam-
Chaos ofBattle. As soon as the characters attack, paign. Like other deals, this one has potential benefits and
Athgar and Sister Foam order the crew to defend the possible drawbacks. Even if the crew of the Tortured Tortle
ship. In the first round of combat. two sailors (N human pledges loyalty to the characters and swears off (most) of
bandits) attack the characters alongside the captain and their illegal activities, much could go wrong.

Perhaps the ship is in sad shape after years of neglect.
Can the characters spare 1,000 gp (a tenth of the sailing
ship's worth) for repairs? And what happens if the ship
gets into trouble and the characters are constantly called
upon to rescue the crew and protect their investment?

Authorities across the Sword Coast m igh t also want to
arrest the crew for Captain Athgar's misdeeds. If any crew
members are caught, the authorities might learn about the
ship's business relationship with the franchise, creating
potential trouble for the characters.

CHAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY OF THE WANDERER

Lighthouse

G round 4th Floor
Floor
" Spiral
Bed Staircase

=Wardrobe Terrarium
o f Glass
=Chest 3rd Floor

0

"Rune-

Trapped
Hellhounds

1 square = 5 feet

MM> 3.1: SILENT SOUND Ll<;HTHOUSE

The Order of the Stout Half-Pint had been using the the Order of the Stout Half-Pint and their staff were
lighthouse as its headquarters for two years before that living here while preparing the lighthouse for a new
franchise suffered a fate similar to the Fellowship of round of franchise renovations. Evidence of a fight from
the Golden Mongoose. It was six months ago that the many days ago is spread across the grounds. including
order came into possession of a piece of the Orrery of slashed canvas and broken weapons. Mundane furni-
the Wanderer called the rotorofreturn. and just over a ture and gear fills the tents, along with kegs of ale, casks
month ago that their search for lore on the rotor came of fresh water, boxes of rations. and bundles of arrows.
to the attention of the Six. The Six's attack on the All the tents feature the Oran Enterprises logo scrawled
lighthouse actually preceded the attack on Phandalin onto them in chalk.
by a few days, and was similarly headed by archmage
Hoobur Gran'Shoop. (As a successful fran chise, the Treasure. In one tent, a locked chest hidden within a
Order of the Stout Half-Pint has some slack with Head
Office, so that their last missed franchise payment didn't provision crate holds some of the treasure of the Order
draw the same immediate attention as the missed pay- of the Stout Half-Pint. Hoobur Gran'Shoop had his un-
ment from the Phandalin franchise.) dead servants search the tents, but they weren't savvy
enough to spot the chest. which requires a successful
As with the timepiece ofrravel, Hoobur has so far DC 12 I ntelligence (fnvest igation) check to find. A suc-
failed to find the rotor ofreturn, but he doesn't mind. He cessful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves· tools opens
has claimed the lighthouse since returning here from the chest. Smashing the chest open requires a success-
Phandalin, finding the basement laboratory to be a per- ful DC 10 Strength check, but doing so breaks ld4 of
fect place for his experiments. Even as he works for the the potions within. The chest contains 500 sp, gems
S ix, Hoobur continues to make it look as if he works for worth 250 gp, three potions ofhealing, and a potion
Oran Enterprises. The leadership of the Six expects that ofheroism.
attacks on two Acquisitions Incorporated franchises will
attract the attention of Acq Inc Head Office, and Splu- GENERAL FEATURES
goth the Returned wants that attention directed else- The lighthouse is old, and the Order of the Stout Half-
where while his plan to claim the orrery comes together. Pint has been undertaking recurring renovations since
they moved in two years ago. Except where otherwise
8EACHSIDE TENTS noted. all areas of the lighthouse have the follow-
On the beach behind the lighthouse, three large tents
are set up as temporary lodgings. The members of ing features.

Ceilings. Ceilings are 15 feet high and flat.

CHAPTFR 4 I Tllf ORRFRY OF THE WANOERF.R l:t l

Light. The lighthouse is mostly dark. Two lanterns full area, attacking as soon as any character steps into the 0
of oil hang within each level on the east and west walls. room or 1 round after the door is opened.
Window slits stand 3 feet above the floor on each level,
at the center of the north and south walls. These slits Development. The ghost and the corpse are all that
are 3 feet high but only a few inches wide, so they're too remain of a deceased member of the Order of the Stout
small to allow passage or let much more than a little Half-Pint, Patsy McRoyne. An examination of the body
dim light in. reveals no weapon wounds, but a successful DC 10 In-
telligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Medicine) check finds
Resting at the Lighthouse. [f the characters attempt evidence of necrotic damage. A familiar sigil has been
a long rest anywhere inside or within sight of the carved into the corpse's chest- a draconic skull pierced
lighthouse, an undead patrol of two ghouls and four by a sword thrust upward th rough it.
zombies interrupts them. A new patrol passes every
6 hours, making finishing a long rest impossible un- The maps and parchments tacked up along the walls
less the characters leave the area. include the following:

FRONT DOOR A number of maps show trade routes in the area
The door leading into the ground floor at the base around the lighthouse, running all the way to Luskan
of the lighthouse is both locked and trapped. to the north. Among the handwritten marginalia on
one map are the words "Dran Ent. secret HQ in Lus-
Fusillade Trap. A successful DC 15 Wisdom kan? Threat?" with a circle around that city.
(Perception) check notices that the lock of the • One parchment is the franchise contract between
stone door is connected to wires that run into the Acquisitions Incorporated and the Order of the Stout
tower's stone walls. This custom-built franchise Half-Pint. The franchise was established two years
defense system is rigged to release a rain of ago, and has been doing well by all accounts.
arrows from turrets up higher on the lighthouse. A wall calendar with the name "Wizzy" on it records
The trap can be bypassed by pressing a hidden adventures the order has undertaken. lt also notes
button on the door, requiring a successful DC 15 intended headquarters renovations that are con-
Intelligence (Investigation) check to find. Or it can
be disarmed with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check
using thieves' tools. If the check to disarm fails by 5 or
more, the trap is triggered.

If the trap is activated, each creature within 10 feet of
the door must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw,
taking 21 (6d6) piercing damage from the rain of ar-
rows on a failed save, or half as much damage on a suc-
cessful one. The trap does not reset itself automatically,
but it will be restocked with arrows and reset manually
by Hoobur Gran'Shoop's undead minions if the char-
acters are away from the lighthouse for more than a
rew hours.

Once the trap is disabled or triggered, the lock on
the door can be picked with a successful DC 10 Dex-
terity check using thieves' tools. The sturdy stone door
can also be smashed open with a successful DC 20
Strength check, or it can be battered down (AC 13. 50
hit points. immunity to poison and psychic damage).

GROUND FLOOR
When the characters gain access to the ground floor,
they can see what's inside.

In the center of this square room carved into the base
of the promontory, a circular staircase spirals upward.
The area has been emptied of furniture, but a number

of parchments and maps are tacked onto the walls. The
corpse ofa halAing is sprawled beneath one of those
maps. It isn't moving. However, the spectral halAing
hanging motionless in the air above it is very much in

motion as it drifts toward you, moaning.

Creature. The ghost of one of the members of the
Order of the Stout Half-Pint (see below) now guards this

CHAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY OF THE WANDERER

stantly behind schedule, given how much time the holding the hell hounds in place. The stair runes can
franchise members spend away from the lighthouse be noted with a detect magic spell or similar effect, or a
adventuring. One of those adventures was a raid on successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom
an old tomb six months ago, where they cleared out (Perception) check.
numerous monsters and found something noted as a
"magic clock." A character who is aware of the runes and succeeds
on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check discerns that
SECOND FLOOR anyone who steps on the trapped stairs releases the hell
hounds from the warded areas. Unless the hell hounds
The next floor is circula r, as the square base cut into the are fi rst destroyed, the only way to safely climb the
promontory gives way to the upper levels of the tower. stairs is to disarm the runes with a successful DC 15 In-
The stairway continues its upward spiral from this floor telligence (Arcana) check. Failure by 5 or more triggers
to another. Building implements, tools, and boards line the runes, releasing the hell hounds. Dispel magic can
the walls. Three tall wardrobes and four large chests remove the runes from one stair.
stand among these materials.
It takes a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check
Creatures. Hiding in the wardrobes and chests are to climb the stairwell walls and avoid the stairs. jump-
fou r ghouls made from gnome and halfling corpses of ing over all the warded stairs in the curved stairwell
members of the Order of the Stout Half-Pint. The dimin- requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dex-
utive undead burst out to attack when any creature en- terity (Acrobatics) check. Failure on any of these checks
ters this area, surprising anyone who does not succeed sets off the runes. If one or more stairs are deactivated
on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. If any ghoul with dispel magic first, a character climbing or jumping
attacks an elf and notes its immunity to ghoul paralysis, up has advantage on the check.
all the ghouls avoid that target thereafter.
Treasure. Each hell hound wears an ornate platinum
Treasure . Tn one of the chests that a ghoul emerged collar, one etched with the name "Wilbur" and the other
from, the characters find eleven pieces of black jasper with "Wilhelmina." Each collar is worth 50 gp.
worth 10 gp each. Tn the pockets of a cloak hanging in
one of the wardrobes are a potion offrost giant strength FOURTH FLOOR
and ten +2 sling bullets.
The circular staircase ends on this floor in a room that
THIRD FLOOR
contains vibrant decor despite its sparse furnishings-a
As you step from the stairs into the single room of this
floor, a snarling and growling greets you. On opposite bed, a dresser, a desk, and a glass tank. Bright paint in a
sides of this room stand two vicious-looking hounds
with black fur. The creatures smell of sulfur and rot, and rainbow of colors is splashed on the walls in something
both wear ornate collars of silvery meta l. Each stands
with in a square scribed onto the floor, ten feet on a side that might be a pattern. Garish rugs and tapestries cover
and edged with runes. The rune-marked boundaries
appear to push the creatures back as they try in vain to the floor and wal ls. Costume gemstones adorn almost
cross through.
every surface that can contain them.
Creatures. Two hell hounds are presently held within
magical wards in this area. Hoobur summoned these A set of rungs on the south wall gives access to a hatch
fiends but has yet to assign them a task, so he keeps
them "crated" here. The hell hounds can't leave the in the high ceiling. The hatch presumably provides access
rune-bounded areas unless the runes are disturbed
(including by a character who enters the warded area), to the top of the lighthouse and the lantern room.
or if the characters activate the runes on the stairs (see
"Trapped Stairs" below). The hell hounds can, however, Resting in the glass tank among wilting plants and
breathe fire on anyone who gets close enough to them. countless dead insects is a multicolored spider called
Rainbow. Rainbow is the familiar of Wizzy Fotz, the
Wards. A character who succeeds on a DC 10 Intelli- gnome wizard who led the Order of the Stout Half-Pint.
gence (Arcana) check made to investigate the wards un- Rainbow is a dour and dark creature, despite (or be-
derstands the purpose of the runes, as well as the ways cause of) its former master having magically painted the
in which the wards can fail (see below). spider in rainbow hues.

Trapped Stairs. Runes scribed onto the six bottom If the characters find a way to communicate with
stairs leading up to the next level are linked to the runes Rainbow, it speaks in a droll and erudite accent, laced
with casual profanity and dripping with sarcasm. If it
can't speak with the characters, Rainbow can spin a
web to create words, but these are equally derogatory,
bitter, and profanity laced. In either case, the spider can
pass along the following information:

• Rainbow has been Wizzy's familiar for as long as it
can remember. That excruciating and annoying ex-
istence could be matched only by a stint in the Nine
Hells according to the spider (which claims to have
been there once).

• The Order of the Stout Half-Pint was a successful
adventuring franchise made up only of gnomes and

CHAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY OF THE WAND£RER

halffjngs. Its members had gained enough prestige door), knowing the characters can't enter without some
and capital to acquire the lighthouse, which under- effort (see "Glass Door" below).
goes an endless spate of renovations.
• A weird gnome named Hoobur approached the group Catwalk. A 10-foot-wide stone catwalk set with a low
a month ago, asking to join them. When the members railing encircles the lantern chamber housing the necro-
oftbe order let their guard down, the new gnome mantic lens. A character who falls from the catwalk can
called forth a horde of undead creatures that s laugh- grab onto the railing with a successful DC 13 Dexterity
tered everyone. saving throw.
• Since then, Rainbow has remained in this area. The
spider can feel that its master is not dead, but is also Glass Door. The glass door that provides access to
not truly alive. Rainbow believes Wizzy persists the lantern room is magically locked, and all the glass
in some sort of half-life at the hands of the gnome making up the door and wall is magically reinforced.
archmage. The lock can be opened with a successful DC 15 Intelli-
• A tiefling unexpectedly teleported into the lighthouse gence (Arcana) check or Dexterity check using thieves'
a few days after the order had been wiped out. She tools. A character can also shatter a panel or the door
was spotted by Hoobur's undead minions and cap- with a successful DC 20 Strength check, or can bash
tured. Rainbow doesn't know what happened to her through it. The door and each glass panel has AC 18, 30
after that. hit points, and is immune to cold, necrotic, poison, psy-
chic, and radiant damage.
Development. Rainbow knows that the lantern room
at the top of the lighthouse allows people to teleport Necromantic Lens. Hoobur Gran'Shoop has scribed
to the secret basement beneath the tower. However, it the magic lens atop the lighthouse with faint runes
shares that information on ly with characters who agree that cause it to radiate necromantic energy. In addition
to search for and save Wizzy. Or put the mage out of his to filling the area with shadow, the lens grants any
half-dead misery. (The spider isn't choosy; it just wants undead creature at the top of the lighthouse the follow-
some closure.) Rainbow does not know the current ing benefits:
passphrase to activate the teleporting power of the light-
house lens. It has advantage on saving throws.
• It has resistance to radiant damage.
Treasure. Rainbow's glass terrarium is full of dirt,
plants, insects, and webs. It also contains the rotor of The undead regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn
return, buried beneath the dirt in the tank. Rainbow if it has at least 1 hit point.
knows the rotor is there but reveals its presence only
ifWizzy is dead and the characters haven't found the Light 'Em Up. Any character who witnesses the ef-
object on their own. A character who searches the tank fects the lens's shadow has on the undead can attempt a
and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana or Religion) check to assess
Wisdom (Perception) check finds the rotor. If it is taken the lens's magic. With a success, the character under-
before Wizzy is confirmed dead, Rainbow is sullen but stands the properties of the shadow and intuits that a
makes no argument. powerful necromantic ritual has transformed the lens.

LIGHTHOUSE TOP Once the lens's power has been determined, any char-
acter can reverse part of the corrupting ritual with any
The hatch in the ceiling of the fourth floor provides ac- of the following actions:
cess to the top of the lighthouse. Magical shadow causes
this area to be lightly obscured. When the characters A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Reli-
arrive. read: gion) check disrupts the flow of necromantic energy
within the lens.
This area is gloomy and dancing with shadows. Aten- A successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check
foot-wide catwalk encircles the fifteen-foot-high lantern subtly sabotages the runes scribed into the lens.
room housing the lighthouse's crystal lens. The lens • A character can expend one use of Channel Divinity to
rotates lazily, but rather than shedding light, it emanates force divine power into the lens.

an aura of cold shadow. The walls of the lantern room are For each successful action undertaken to disrupt the
five-foot-wide panels of glass set with a single glass door. lens, its power falters as follows:

Creatures. Hoobur has entrusted the protection of the • The area around the top of the lighthouse is no longer
necromantic lens to a will-o'-wisp and three shadows. lightly obscured.
The shadows resemble halflings and gnomes, former The lens no longer grants benefits to undead.
members of the Order of the Stout Half-Pint. These The energy of the lens is reversed for 1 minute, shin-
undead remain hidden until the second character gains ing out as bright light that fills all exterior areas of
access to the balcony, at which point they attack. The the lighthouse within 20 feet. While the energy is
creatures retreat into the lantern room if necessary reversed, each undead creature that starts its turn in
(with the shadows slipping through a gap beneath the this area takes 11 (2d10) radiant damage. Each crea-
ture that isn't a construct or undead regains 11 (2d10)
CHAPTER 4 J THE ORRERY OF THE WANDERER hit points at the start of its turn. A creature that could
regain hit points but has died within the last minute
returns to life with 1 hit point. (This includes any crea-
tures that have fallen from the lighthouse.)

Arms and Armaments. The arrows that fuel the
fusillade trap seen at the entrance to the lighthouse

are restocked in magazines set under the outside edge cessful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check. (The pass-
of the catwalk. This will likely only be important if phrase is automatically learned if the lens was initially
the characters decide to take over the lighthouse (see assessed with identify. Undead creatures can activate
"Franchise Downtime" at the end of this episode). But the teleportation power of the lens simply by stepping
if the trap wasn't triggered, you might also decide that into it.) A character who speaks the command phrase
a character who slips from the catwalk and manages "Hoobur Osto Draco" and steps toward the lens is tele-
to hang on to the ra iling can redirect one of the mag- ported into the secret base ment beneath the lighthouse.
azines toward any threats. Each creature in a 15-foot In that basement. Hoobur Gran'Shoop conducts his
cone directly in front of the magazine must make a DC dark experiments.
15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 11 (3d6) piercing
damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a (Jf the characters came up unlucky in gaining infor-
mation from Rainbow and have no inclination to further
successful one. investigate the lens, have an undead patrol of four zom-
bies step suddenly out of the lens after the fight but be-
Development. If the cha racters learned about the fore the characters leave this area. Anyone who sees the
lantern's teleporting qualities from Rainbow on the zombies appear recognizes that the magic lens is the
fourth Boor, it's a s imple matter to figure out how the teleportation portal that brought them fort h.)
lens works. If they didn't learn that information, they
can note that the lens continues to pulse with magic SECRET BASEMENT
even after its necromantic corruption is expunged. An
identify s pell, or a few minutes of study by a character The original builder of the lighthouse was a kindly old
with proficiency in Arcana or who uses detect magic, wizard who enjoyed the romantic idea of living rustic by
reveals not only evocation magic within the tens (used to the sea in his final years. He wanted a laboratory inac-
produce the magical light), but conjuration magic tied to cessible to the prying eyes and wandering feet of normal
folk. He therefore created the magic lens that allowed
teleportation. him to teleport directly from the top of the lighthouse to
his underground workshop.
Speaking a command phrase and stepping into the
lens teleports a creature to a fixed destination some- When the Order of the Stout Half-Pint took over the
where nearby. The comma nd phrase can be ascertained abandoned lighthouse two years ago, Wizzy quickly
from the runes newly carved into the lens with a sue- discovered the teleporting power of the lens. However,
renovating the disused basement laboratory had long
remained just another item on the franchise's to-do
list, and no one ever discovered the super-secret base-

ment beyond.
After Hoobur Gran'Shoop led his undead minions

in the attack on the lighthouse. the gnome archmage
used the celeporting lens to inspect the secret base-
ment laboratory, and soon discovered the super-se-
cret baseme nt beyond. Though he didn't explore the
super-secret basement, he was delighted to find that
most of the equipment he needed to do his work (minus
the victims) was already set up for him in the Jab. The
place was even dark and dreary, just the way he liked it.
Not wanting to pass up a n incredible opportunity, the
a rchmage decided to make the Silent Sound lighthouse
his new home.

During his attack on the lighthouse, Hoobur made
sure that his troops captured rather than killed Wizzy
Fotz, the gnome leader of the Order of the Stout Half-
Pint. When the tiefting Talanatha appeared out of
nowhere in her flight from the attack on Tresendar
Ma nor, Hoobur's minions took her alive as well. He
later brought these two prisoners to his lab and has
been performing magical rites on them, d raining their
vitality and will to keep them in a stace between life

and death.
Map 3.2 shows the layout of the lighthouse secret

basement and the super-secret basement beyond.

ARRIVAL

When the characters teleport into Hoobur's lab, read or
paraphrase the following:

CHAPTER 4 I THE: ORRERY OF THE WANDERER

A blinding flash leaves an indelible mark in your brain as HOOBUR AS A RECURRING NPC
you step into the lens. When your vision clears, you find
Hoobur Gran'Shoop, gnome archmage, is thorough ly evil,
yourselves in the corner of a stone chamber filled with and most likely a few phalanges short of a hand. But just
laboratory and arcane equipment. Tall bookcases filled because a gnome is a tiny bit on the dark side doesn' t
with tomes line two walls, while the other walls feature mean he can't be a useful ally! Make note of the terms
long tables covered with alembics, flasks, cauldrons, bea· on wh ich the characters part ways with Hoobur, whether
kers, and containers holding weird reagents and compo· they leave him in control of the lighthouse or throw down
against him. The archmage could turn up later in the cam-
nents. An iron cage is set against one wall, its door open. paign with an interesting business proposition, or might
Two more tables surrounded by chairs stand in the work with the characters in an "enemy of my enemy is my
friend" scenario. Alternatively, if Hoobur was forced to flee,
center of the room. The first contains a variety of human- he m ight decide that the franchisees are a threat to his
oid body parts, all on the small side. The second table livelihood and reputation that need to be eliminated.

holds a tiefling restrained with leather straps. She strug· Manor. His instructions were to make it look like Dran
gles against the bonds with a wild look on her face. Enterprises was respons ible. Other than that, he has no
dog in this fight.
Standing near the t iefling's table is an odd-looking con-
struct with an even more oddly placed spigot at the base Hoobur attempts to establish a s incere diaJogue with
of its barrel-shaped body. A gnome dressed in garishly the cha racters, chatting about the serenity of the area
colorful clothes sits on a stool nearby, his eyes blank. surrounding the lighthouse, the importance of good
friends, the relaxing qua lities of a good cup of tea , or any
Another gnome sits next to the first, but this one is most other topic that catches his fancy. During the convers a-
lively and chipper. He wears dark robes and a red fez tion, he drops as many references to Dran Enterprises
bearing the Oran Enterprises logo-apparently scrawled as possible, implying that the organization is the charac-
in white chalk. ters' true enemy. He reinforces a ny rumors the charac-
ters have heard about Oran Enterprises. or spins those
"See Wizzy?" the chipper gnome says to the other. rumors if they haven't. This includes the speculation
"I told you we would have visitors. I felt their presence seen on the map on the lighthouse first floor that Dran
Enterprises has a secret headquar ters- a nd thus a s inis-
in the lantern room." He sips from a cup of tea as he ter presence-in Luskan.
beckons to you. "Would you like to have a seat? And
can I get you some chamomile tea? My name is Hoobur HooeuR GRAN'SMooP
Gran'Shoop, by the way. Pleased to meet you."

Creatures. Hoobur Gran'Shoop (LE gnome arch-
mage) depends on a keg robot (see appendix B) to de-
fend him. (The construct was originally a servant of the
lighthouse franchise.) Wizzy (NG male gnome mage) is
also under Hoobur's power, and acts as the archmage's
unwitting ally. In his cu rrent state, Wizzy can cast only
cantrips, 1st-level speJls, and 2nd-level spells.

The tieflin g-Tala natha Three-Coins from Phand-
alin- is alive for now. But if the characters fai l to act
quickly, she transforms into a vampire spawn also un-
der Hoobur's control (see below).

To FIGHT OR NOT TO FIGHT?
Hoobur Gran'Shoop is a far more powerful foe than the
characters can handle at their curre nt level. Fortunately,
he doesn't wa nt to kiH them. In fact, the archmage is a
big fan of the plucky, can-do attitude that's brought them
this far. He was hired- and given a great deal of magic
and money- by the Six to wipe out a couple of Acquis i-
tions Incorporated franchises, here and at Tresendar

dNiseccUrsosm1.oanri~Iy as. a b· en

Us i ness
about Ii .' tli1n/c \VJ ode/ need
J av1ng al I >o liasn 't I .d s lFlalore
Us t me? Ok Undead e I >a that
ay. m p oyees7. No? ntasy

130

When the talk becomes serious, Hoobur tells the T11Lll N llTMll TMREE·CooNs
characters he's willing to let them walk away right now.
taking Wizzy and Talanatha with them, if they leave him ment in the lab amounts to alchemist's supplies, car-
to his work here. The laboratory is such a great space, penter's tools, a herbalism kit, a poisoner's kit, thieves'
and the archmage is making incredible strides in under- tools, and tinker's tools. Hanging on a hook in the cor-
standing the thin veil between the worlds of the living ner is a cloak ofthe manta ray. Hoobur also has two po-
and the dead. tions ofgreater healing, a potion ofresistance (necrotic),
a potion ofwater breathing, and a spell scroll of teleport
If the characters are quick to accept Hoobur's offer on his person. (If Hoobur does a deal to have the char-
(even just to avoid a fight they know they can't yet win), acters clear out the super-secret dungeon, he offers the
you get to decide how the freed Wizzy and Talanatha cloak and two potions of their choice as payment.)
feel about that. You can also decide how to handle the
super-secret basement. If you have a sense that the Tel eportation Panel. Where the characters appeared
characters will return to the lighthouse at some point to in the empty corner of the room, the wall contains a
take on Hoobur, you can leave the areas beyond this one glowing tele portation panel keyed to the lighthouse lens.
to be explored at a later date. Alternatively, if the players Any creature touching the panel is teleported through
and characters seem keen on making Hoobur a lifetime the lens to the lantern room.
ally, you can have the archmage offer them a first job
for friendship's sake- exploring the super-secret base- Developments. If Wizzy is knocked unconscious
ment and clearing out any threats there. See "Secret instead of being killed, the gnome mage regains his
Door" below. senses when he awakens. He can reme mber little about
1he attack on the lighthouse or the time spent with
OKAY, TO FIGHT Hoobur. He does remember hiding the rotor ofreturn,
which he reveals to the characters at the adventure's
If the characters are itching for combat, Hoobur casts conclusion if they haven't found it already.
wall offorce or globe ofinvulnerability to show off his
spellcasting prowess. If the characters don't back off, Secret Door. If Hoobur Gran'Shoop offers the char-
he sighs as he uses lightning bolt or cone ofcold to get acters the job of clearing out the super-secret basement,
down to business. (At your discretion, give Hoobur a he shows them the secret door behind the bookcase. If
spell save DC of I5 and +7 to hit with spell attacks be- not. any character who searches the room and succeeds
cause he's a little out of it. Maybe there's more in that tea on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Per-
than just tea. right?) ception) check notes scuff marks on the floor near the
bookcase or spots the hinges on it. The bookcase swiv-
Hoobur is not much into combat, however, and the els open to reveal a passage beyond. Talanatha is also
first time he takes any damage, he snarls at the charac- aware of the doorway, having seen Hoobur open it to
ters and casts time stop. With his extra actions. he pulls toss garbage into the hallway beyond.
and uses a spell scroll of releportation to Ree somewhere
safe, leaving the characters to fight his minions. C HAPTER 4 I TH E. O RRE RY O F THE WA NDERER

The keg robot attacks at the first sign of trouble involv-
ing Hoobur. Unless you want the characters to claim the
construct, it fights until destroyed. Wizzy also joins the
fray, but he moves in a stilted and exaggerated manner
that s hows he's not acting of his own free will.

Talanatha's End? As soon as Hoobur escapes, a
glowing draconic skull with a s word piercing it appears
on Talanatha's forehead as s he struggles against her
bonds . A character who s ucceeds on a DC 15 Intelli-
gence (Arcana or Religion) check can tell s he's turning
into an undead creature. If the check succeeds by 5 or
more, the character knows the group has 2 rounds to
stop the transformation. A character within 5 feet of the
table must s ucceed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or
Religion) check to remove the draconic sigil and stop
the transformation. If 1he characters kill Talanatha
in the hope of s topping the ritual, the change occurs
immediately.

If Talanatha turns into a vampire spawn, she's still
restrained on the table and needs to succeed on a DC
15 Strength check to break her bonds. Once she's free,
she attacks the cha racters with abandon. If the vampire
spawn threatens to overwhelm the party, you can say
that the manner in which s he was suddenly transformed
keeps her Regeneration trait from functioning.

Treasure. If the characters force Hoobur to Ree. the
gnome leaves a number of valuables behind. The equip-

SUPER- SECRET BASEMENT Ml\P 3.Z. L•G>HHOUSE BASEMENT

The kindly old wizard who built the lighthouse and its 1. OUT OF S ERV ICE
underground laboratory went by many names over his Opening the secret door reveals a hallway leading to
long life. By the point at which he decided it was time to this area.
slow down a bit, he was simply called Screve. However,
he had more than a few other names throughout his ca- The dust in the hallway is th ick, disturbed only by tiny
reer as a slinger of magic, including Brutar the Bloody, vermin that have settled into a pile of trash just beyond
Murst the Merciless, and That Wizard Who Fried All the secret door. At the end of the hall, a chamber opens
Those People in Suzail. Screve was an edgy sort, in up, within which leather tarps cover twelve spherical
other words. objects placed along the walls. In the center of the room,
another tarp covers a larger cylindrical object. Dusty
Most of Screve's "normal" wizarding work was under- webs cover everything. A metal door stands closed in the
taken in the laboratory that Hoobur found and utilized. center of the adjacent wall.
But he also had a secret series of chambers off the main
basement where he did some more ... esoteric arcane Creatures . The "spherical objects'" covered with
experimentation. tarps are Screve's attempts to create monodrones to
serve him. These twelve replica modrons look exactly
GENERAL FEATU RES like their true modron counterparts and use the mono-
drone stat block, with the changes noted in "Replica
No one has fully explored this area in more than a de- Modrons" above.
cade, since Screve left his mechanical creations to sit
dormant. The hallways and rooms are dusty, showing If the characters disturb any tarp covering a mono-
few signs of life or movement. Except where otherwise drone, the constructs all spring to life, whirring and
noted, all areas of the super-secret basement have the clanking. Issuing a metallic cry of "Intruders!", the
following features. replica monodrones attack until destroyed.

Light. The basement is dark. Torch sconces and Buzz Saw ofDoom. The cylindrical object in the
hooks for lanterns can be found in each room, but no room's center looks like two barrels placed atop one an-
lanterns or torches are present. other, with sharp, circular blades jutting out in various
directions. When the monodrones activate, so does the
Ceiling. The ceilings in areas 1 through 3 are 10 feet buzz saw of doom.
high and flat, while the arched ceiling in area 4 is 20
feet high to accommodate the mechachimera there.

Walls and Floors. The basement is all worked stone,
but the walls and fl oors have begun to crumble in spots.
Cracks and crevices are common. but are too small to
admit anything but insects and other tiny vermin.

Automatic Doors. A number of doors in the su-
per-secret basement are activated by placing magically
charged disks into special slots. Those doors open auto-
matically, remaining open until the disks are removed.
The doors cannot be opened by any other means.

REPLICA MODRONS

A number of "modrons" found in this area are rep·
licas crafted by Screve. Each uses the stat block of
one type of modron from the Monster Manual with
these changes:

The creature is unaligned.
• It lacks truesight and instead has darkvision out to a

range of 60 feet.
• It can understand Common but speaks only prepro-

grammed responses.
If the modron has a flying speed, the replica has wings
but can't fly.
• The modron's Disintegration trait results in the
replica falling into a pile of parts-gears, plates,
screws, and wires-rather than turning to dust.

Each collapsed modron also spits out a six-inch-diam-
eter magically charged disk that powers the creature,
as well as a platinum rod. The disks are of use to the
characters as they explore the super-secret basement,
and the rods can be claimed as treasure, as noted in the
areas where they appear.

CHAPTER 4 I THE ORR£RY Or THE WANDERER

On initiative count 0, the buzz saw moves up to 20 Tactics. A character must succeed on a DC 17 Wis-
feet in a random direction on rollers. then makes a dom (Perception) check to notice the swarms hiding
melee attack against a random creature within 5 feet of in the webs. One swarm drops on the first character to
it: +3 to hit; 3 {ld4 + 1) slashing damage. and the target come into the room. gaining surprise if the character is
must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be unaware of it. The other swarm lurks on the other side
knocked prone. The buzz saw makes no distinction of the room, and attacks in the second round of combat.
between the monodrones a nd the characters when
it attacks . Unless they are attacked first, the duodrones ignore
the characters to start. But if combat with the swarms
The buzz saw of doom has AC 17, 50 hit points, immu- goes to three rounds, the duodrones assume they are
nity to poison and psychic damage, and resistance to all under attack and enter the fi ght. They target the char-
other damage. It can also be deactivated as follows: acters as intruders but ignore the swarms. Or if the
swarms are doing a good enough job against the charac-
The device has an easily spotted 6-inch-wide slot on ters, the duodrones could provide comic relief by trying
its back, with the edge of a round disk protruding from futilely to sweep the spiders away while getting in the
it. A character within 5 feet of the buzz saw who suc- way of the characters' attacks.
ceeds on a DC 10 Dexterity {Sleight of Hand) check
can pull out a charged disk from the slot, causing the Treasure. Each destroyed duodrone reveals its
buzz saw to power down. This charged disk is identi- magically charged disk and platinum rod. Each rod is
cal to the disks that power the replica modrons . worth 20 gp.
A character can topple the buzz saw over with a suc-
cessfu l DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. If tipped Door. The steel door between areas 2 and 3 has no
over, the buzz saw can still attack, but it can't move. features. However, the characters easily spot four slots
on the wall next to the door, into which charged disks
Treasure. Each destroyed monodrone reveals a mag- can be inserted. Wires run between these slots, this
ically charged disk and a small platinum rod as part of door, and the door to area l , but the wires on the crum-
its components. Each rod is worth 20 gp. bling walls show several gaps. Spare wires are easily
had by digging through duodrone wreckage or pulling
Door. The door exiting this area is made of steel, and them from other areas of the wall, allowing the circuit
is closed and locked. Its only features are three 6-inch- to be completed. If the characters need assistance in fig-
wide s lots set in a row at its center. The characters uring this out, a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana
can easily note that the charged disks from any fallen or Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check to study
modrons fit perfectly into the slots . If a charged disk is the walls and assess the duodrones' activities can fill in
placed in each slot, it completes a circu it that automati- the details.
cally opens the door inward into area 1. It also activates
the creatures in area 2. When the characters complete the circuit and insert
charged disks into the four slots, the door automatically
2. IN COMPLETE CI RCU ITS opens into this area, revealing area 3 and activating the
mechanical creatures in that area.
As the door opens toward you, a buzzing sound rises
3. REC HARGING STATION
from beyond a dusty corridor ahead. At the end of the
A buzzing sound and a deep hum rises suddenly as the
corridor, a room covered in dust and webs opens up.
door opens, and a blast of musty, dust-choked air spills
Six mechanical cubes with arms and legs scurry about,
out from the room beyond. That dusty chambe r ho lds
disturbing the dust fo r what appears to be the first time
three creatures that look like inverted pyramids with me-
in years. Each carries pieces of wire, which it attempts to
chanical arms and legs, and another creature resembling
place into gaps between other wires set into the crum-
a cube with wings. All of them work to place parts into
bling walls. Another metal door stands along the wall
two fifteen-foot-wide, Aoor-to-ceiling, metallic walls at
across from the end of the corridor.
the room's center. Those walls are the source of the hum,
Creatures. Four replica duodrones. activated by the
door opening, a re tasked with maintaining circuits in and each glows with a faint light. As one of the creatures
this room, which have become badly corroded over time.
Their second task is to remove intruders who attack shuffles through the ten-foot-wide gap between the two
them or attempt to open the door into area 3. These
replica modrons look exactly like their true modron walls, it begins to glow as the walls do.
counterparts and use the duodrooe stat block, with the
changes noted in "Replica Modrons" above. Creatures. The opening of the door has activated
three replica tridrones and one replica quadrone, whose
In addition, hidden in the webs on the ceiling are rwo task is to bring a modron charging station-the two me-
swarms ofinsects (spiders), which have come to domi- tallic walls-back online. These replica modrons look
nate the vermin food chain in this area. exactly like their true modron counterparts and use
tridrooe a nd quadrone stat blocks. with the changes
noted in "Replica Modrons" above.

CHAPTER 4 I THE ORRFRY OF THE WANDERF.R

It takes the replica modrons 5 rounds to reassemble Thin wires set into the walls ofthe room beyond the
the station. As they make progress, the hum from the
s tation intensifies, as does its glow. After completing secret door buzz with magic, bathing the room in a blue
that task. the modrons assemble the five charged disks
they need for the secret door in the far wall, which takes glow. This chamber is filled with disparate gears, pistons,
another 5 rounds. They then open the secret door to
check on the mechachimera in area 4. sprockets, screws, bolts, and countless other mechanical

The tridrones a nd quadrone attack if they a re at- bits-all of which twitch and slide across the floor as if
tacked, if the characters interfere with their tasks, or
if any character moves between the recharging sta- drawn togethe r by some unseen force. The pieces con-
tion's walls.
nect and entwine to take the shape of a winged mechani-
R echarging Station. The recharging station functions
by pulsing power into any creature or object that moves cal beast with the heads of a dragon, a lion, and a goat.
into the area betwee n the two rectangular walls. In the
5 rounds during which the modrons repair it, the station A voice calls out from a dark corner of the room. "We
hums and glows but does nothing more. If the station is
repaired, it has the following effects : have been here for a long time. Please help us go home."

• A replica modron that starts its turn within the Wrapped in padlocked chains in that corner is a creature
charging station regains 5 hit points if it has at least 1
hit point. consisting of five mechanical arms, like those of a star-

• A replica modron standing within 5 feet of either fish, and which stands on five spindly mechanical legs.
of the charging station's wa lls has advantage on at·
tack rolls . Creatur e. The mechachime ra moves to place itself
between the characters and the prisoner. It uses the stat
• Any other creature that enters the area between the block of a ch im era with these changes:
rectangular walls must succeed on a DC 10 Constitu-
tion saving throw or be stunned for l minute. A crea- It is a construct.
ture can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of • It has immunity to poison and psychic damage.
its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
In addition to defeating the construct in combat,
The characters can sabotage the recharging station, characters can pull out its charged disks to hinder its
either before or after it is repaired. As an action, a char- attacks. With a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Percep-
acter within 5 feet of either station wall can attempt a tion) check, any character fighting the mechachimera
DC l 5 Strength (Ath letics), Dexterity (Sleight of Hand), notes that each of its heads features a slot from which
or Intelligence (Arcana) check to disable that wall. On a cha rged disk protrudes s lightly. A character within 5
a failed check, the character ta kes 5 (ldlO) lightning feet of the construct who succeeds on a DC 10 Dexter-
damage. Both walls must be deactivated to render the ity (Sleight of Hand) check can remove a disk, causing
recharging station inert. If one wa ll is deactivated, any one head to power down and preventing it from making
of the replica modrons within 5 fee t of the wall can use attacks. If the dragon head is disabled, the creature
an action to counteract the sabotage. It takes three such loses its Fire Breath. If the goat head is disabled. it loses
actions to reactivate the wall. its horns attack. If the lion head is disabled, it loses its
bite attack.
Treasure. Any of the destroyed modrons reveal their
magically charged disks and platinum rods. Each of Prisoner. Screve held a p entadrone from Mecha-
these rods is larger than those previously seen, and is nus as his prisoner in this area, using the modron as
worth SO gp. a model for the constructs he was creating. The pen-
tadrone, known as 57EV1E (or "Stevie" to its friends),
Secret Door. A 15-foot-wide secret door is hidden in has been disconnected from the axiomatic mind of
the wall farthest from the entrance, and contains five Primus, making it a rogue modron. (See the "Varia nt:
concealed slots for charged disks. If the modrons finish Rogue Modrons" sidebar in the modron section of the
repa iring the recharging station, or if the characters Monster Manual.) It wants to go back to Mechanus and
sabotage the station, a shower of sparks erupts from reestablish its link with the rest of its kind.
the edges of the secret door and its slots , revealing the
door. Otherwise, a character who searches the area and Stevie is willing and able to help the characters. but it
succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wis- must be freed from the padlocked chains that restrain
dom (Perception) check notes the door or the gaps in the it. One locked chain secures each of the modron's five
mortar where the slots are hidden. arms. A s uccessful DC 13 Dexterity check using thieves'
tools opens one lock and removes the attached chain.
If the characters insert charged disks into each of the The chains can also be severed (AC 10, 15 hit points,
door's five slots, the door automatically opens into this immune to poison and psychic damage) or broken with a
area a nd activates the creatu res in the next room. successfu l DC 20 Strength check. The manner in which
Stevie is tightly bound prevents the modron from attack-
4. MECHACHIMERA ing or trying to break the chains.

This chamber holds a construct chimera, Screve's Treasure. The mechachimera falls apart when de-
crowning achievement before he gave up his pursuits in stroyed, revealing five large platinum rods worth 100 gp
this area. each, as well as its three charged disks. In addition, char-
acters poking through the construct's remains can spot
two magic items that were part of its components- a
sentinel shield and a Quaal's feather token (anchor).

CHAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY OF Tll E WANDERER

l'H

Development. If the characters release Stevie. the make a side trek to Waterdeep for delivery. or if Omin
modron is grateful for the rescue and happy to share its sends a courier to retrieve the stones. If the charac-
story. The construct relates the story of how it had been ters lost the jewels, the consequences could be finan-
sent to the Material Plane to recover a rogue modron cially dire.
that was spreading chaos, but was captured by Screvc.
The wizard held the pentadrone prisoner and used it as THE 0RR ERY
a model to create replica modrons. (If none of the char-
acters speaks Modron or has some alternative means With the rotor ofreturn in their possession, the charac-
of communication with the construct. Stevie picked up ters can undertake additional research into that com-
enough Common from Screve during its years of impris- ponent and the Orrery ofthe Wanderer as a whole. See
onment to get by.) appendix D for information on the rotor, which can be
revealed as you determine.
Stevie isn't s ure how long it has been separated from
the mind of Primus, but it wants desperately to return FRANCHISE DOWNTIME
to Mechanus. You can decide whether the characters
can help Stevie with this plight as a side trek or a down- The most important piece of information the characters
time activity. Alternatively. the modron might have been take away from this episode is the "evidence" that Oran
disconnected from Primus for too long, keeping it a Enterprises was involved with the attacks on both Ac-
rogue modron that might become a recurring villain or quisitions Incorporated franchises. back in Phandalin
allied NPC. and at the lighthouse. The rumor that Oran Enterprises
has a secret headquarters in Luskan can be repeated
CONCLUSION by both Wizzy and Talanatha, setting the stage for the
next episode. If the characters need further prodding to
After dealing with the threats at Silent Sound light- think about heading for Luskan, you could also have the
house, the characters attain 4th level! They can take orrery housing provide a mental hint that at least one
stock of whatever treasure they salvaged from the light- more of its components has recently been sensed north
house and what information they learned within, then of the lighthouse. and relatively close.
figure out their next move.
All the activities mentioned in this section are in-
If the characters didn't find the rotor ofreturn when troduced or talked about in the "Franchise Tasks and
exploring the lighthouse, Wizzy can reveal where the Downtime" section in chapter 2.
relic is hidden if he survived. He is happy to give it to the
characters as thanks for their rescue. Alternatively, if THE LUSKAN CONNECTION
Talanatha survived, she knows that Hoobur Gran'Shoop
spoke of not finding the rotor. and can join the charac- Making use of scrutineering. research, carousing, or
ters in another search of the lighthouse. schmoozing during downtime can all yield up hints con-
firm ing that Oran Enterprises has a secret headquarters
TALANATHA THREE-COINS in the city of Luskan- and adding rumors suggesting
that the organization has recently been engaging in
Assuming that the tiefling Talanatha is rescued, she conduct even more secretive than usual. Such activities
is both grateful and beholden to the characters. She can also preview some of the information on Luskan
can fill in any information regarding what happened in presented in episode 4.
Phandalin if the characters have overlooked something,
as she can with what the Company of the Golden Mon- MODRON IN NEED
goose had learned about the orrery.
The pentadrone Stevie wants to travel back to Mecha-
Talanatha would be keen to work with a franchise nus, and the characters could assist by using downtime
whose members are clearly as cool and capable as the or franchise tasks to make that happen. Research or
characters. However. she's an adventurer, not a follower. schmoozing might gain information from knowledge-
As such, she's not suitable as franchise staff but would able sages regarding existing portals to Mechanus. or
make an excellent allied NPC or hired troubleshooter unique rituals that can open a temporary portal.
(perhaps after joining another franchise). To use Tala-
natha as an NPC, you can give her the stat block of a If the characters are successful in helping Stevie get
berserker or priest (depending on what use you wish home, the pentadrone thanks them by removing compo-
to make of her). Talanatha has these racial traits: She nents from itself that reassemble to function as an axi-
knows the thaumaturgy cantrip. and Charisma is her omatic weapon. a rare magic item that requires attune-
spellcasting ability for this spell. She has resistance to ment. When an attuned wielder hits a chaotic-aligned
fire damage. She has darkvision out to a range of 60 creature with this weapon, the target takes Id6 extra
feet. She speaks Common and Infernal. damage of the weapon's type.

As a paladin and an iconic occultant franchisee (see OuRVERY OwN MECHACHIMERA
"Company Positions" in chapter 2), Talanatha would
also make an excellent replacement character if a fight A character trained in Arcana can study the mechachi-
against Hoobur Gran'Shoop went badly for the party. mera's design if its components a rc laboriously collected
and taken from the basement. Over time, a similar
RETURNING THE DIAMONDS construct could be used as an offensive upgrade to the
franchise's headquarters, either as part of future fran-
If the characters recovered Omin's diamonds, they need chise advancement or with the headquarters modifica-
to return the goods. It's up to you whether they have to tion franchise task.

C H APTE R 4 I T H F. ORRE!RY OF THE WANDE RER

BUSINESS ls EXPANDING infiltrate the operation, learning as much as they can
about the plans of Acquisitions Incorporated's biggest
Having a small castle estate in Phandalin is cool. But business rival!
having a lighthouse on the Sword Coast might be even
cooler. If it seems like the thing to do, the characters EPISODE 4: DRAN
could use the franchise restructuring or headquarters
modification activities to officially ask permission to ENT ERPRISES
relocate their franchise to the Silent Sound lighthouse.
(This assumes that Hoobur Gran'Shoop was driven The attacks on Acquisitions Incorporated franchises
from the basement, and that the characters are prepared have left signs indicating that Dran Enterprises is in-
to deal with the possibility of him coming back.) volved. The characters (now 4th level) head to Luskan,
seeking to find that organization's secret headquarters,
Even if the characters don't want to officially change infiltrate it, and determine what Dran Enterprises is
territories, nothing prevents them from quietly checking up to- and what plans they have for the Orreryofthe
out the commercial landscape in the area. Characters Wanderer.
searching the sea caves along the cliffs near the light-
house might find that a variety of ne'er-do-wells use The search for the headquarters takes the characters
them as places to hide from naval pursuers, stow contra- first to the rough-and-tumble Fishbone Tavern, then
band, secure prisoners held for ransom, and engage in to Arla Razortongue, a disgruntled Dran Enterprises
other nefarious activities.joining in on (or getting a per- ex-employee running a well-known peg and hook shop.
centage of) such activities could be set up with the shady After dealing with thugs sent to quiet Arla, the charac-
business practice activity- possibly connecting to any ters learn the location of Dran Enterprises' secret head-
deal the characters have recently struck with the newly quarters, and can plan their infiltration.
installed captain of a fast ship.
That headquarters is a seemingly small and unim-
LIVING THE Gooo LIFE portant ship at the Luskan docks. But Dran Enterprises'
Characters not wanting to flout the law (or at least not to magic has filled the ship with portals leading to some of
do so outside their own territory) could instead clear out the faction's many franchises, ships, and business loca-
smugglers and other riffraff along the coast. Doing so tions. When the characters visit, those portals lead to:
as part of a philanthropic enterprise could get them in
good with the authorities in Neverwinter or Luskan. A dead ship being consumed by the power of the Far
Realm- which quickly threatens to consume the char-
Taking over the lighthouse also provides the opportu- acters as well.
nity for a philanthropic enterprise. The light is a warn- A faction warehouse whose overworked attendant will
ing beacon for ships traveling the coast between Nev- help them only if they help her.
erwinter and Luskan, but it needs someone to keep it • A Dran Enterprises cargo ship caught in a raging
running. Before the Order of the Stout Half-Pint moved storm, and which will founder on rocks unless the
in, the authorities in Luskan and Neverwinter struggled characters lend the crew a hand.
to entice anyone to live at the remote lighthouse, given Another cargo ship whose well-armed crew will finish
the amount of dangerous bandit and pirate activity in the characters off in short order unless they make
the area. If the characters take over the lighthouse or their way through the rigging unseen.
arrange for it to be staffed, they'll earn the favor of Nev- A Dran Enterprises pirate crew under attack by un-
erwinter, Luskan, and possibly even the Lords' Alliance dead at a remote dock.
for their generosity. An array of merchant barges that must be crossed
while moving along a busy river.
C ONTINUING THE ADVENTURE
Only by traveling through a sufficient number of these
While the characters are engaged in downtime and portals can the characters key themselves to activating
franchise activities, Ornin Dran makes contact. He em- the portal to Dran Enterprises' true headquarters- a
braces the characters' reports from Phandalin and the palatial ship named The Maverick. There, they are met
Silent Sound lighthouse as proof that Dran Enterprises by a Dran Enterprises operative who is aware of their
is involved in the attacks against Acq Inc franchises, quest, and who informs them that Dran Enterprises in
and that its agents are willing to kill to claim the com- fact has nothing to do with the attacks against the two
ponents of the Orrery ofthe Wanderer. However, some- Acquisitions Incorporated franchises. Moreover, Oran
thing about that approach feels inconsistent with Dran Enterprises is also aware of the dark power of the Or-
Enterprises' normal approach to acquisition. A ruthless rery ofthe Wanderer- and its operatives have collected
attitude and wanting Acquisitions Incorporated taken two of the orrery's components, hoping to keep that
apart and absorbed into its own corporate space is one power in check. But the characters are not alone as they
thing, but doing it one franchise at a time seems odd. As seek this information. Operatives of the Six are already
such, Omin wants more information before committing within the portal network, and are racing to claim the
to reprisals or confrontation. orrery components collected by Oran Enterprises before
the characters do.
The characters are directed to go to Luskan to con-
firm that Dran Enterprises has a secret headquarters in
that lawless city. If they do, they then need to find and

CHAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY OF THE WANDERER
136

TRAVELING TO LUSKAN 137

The City of Sails is located far to the north of the Sword
Coast, and the journey there can be as eventful as you
desire. If the players are hankering for random encoun-
ters, the wild lands of the North can certainly oblige
them. Or you might wish to have the journey pass in rel-
ative peace while the players coordinate franchise tasks
left over from the previous episode.

Luskan rests upon stone escarpments on either side
of the icy River Mirar. Three bridges, named Upstream
Span, Dalath's Span, and Long Span, cross forty feet
above the river to connect the two sides of the city. The
Open Shore docks sit on the northernmost edge of the
river, while Dragon Beach holds docks to the south. As
they seek out Oran Enterpr ises' secret headquarters,
the characters start in the south and work their w ay to
the Open Shore docks.

A key aspect of Luskan li fe is its rule by gr oups known
as Ships. Five High Captai ns each rule a Ship made up
of pirates and other Northlanders. Ship Kurth, under
High Captain Beniago Kurth, is the First Ship, which
controls the city's docks and trade. Ship Baram is the
Second Ship, operating the fishing industry. Third Ship
Suljack leads piracy and raiding, handing down less-de-
sirable opportunities to Fourth Ship Taerl. Fifth Ship
Rethnor acts as the city·s guard- an unprofitable enough
duty that many of its members look for other ways to
earn coin.

The order of mages known as the Arcane Brother-
hood is the other major power group in Luskan. Though
its members include ambitious arcanists of any and all
genders, the newly restored order maintains its original
name as a reflection of its past power- and as a sign that
it seeks to restore that power once again.

Ifyou want to make Luskan a bigger part of your cam-
paign, more information about the city can be found i n
the Sword Coast Adventurers Guide.

SEARCHI NG FOR DRAN ENTERPRISES

The characters' main goal in this episode is to fi nd Oran
Enterprises' secret headquarters. However, owing to
that organization's habit of breaking the legs of anyone
who talks about company business. this information is
hard to come by. Thankfully, the characters are able to
learn that Oran Enterprises employees often frequent a
specific tavern in Luskan, giving them a starting point
for seeking the information they need.

The characters can learn the name and location of
the Fishbone tavern in any number of ways, including
talking to other tavern owners, seeking out merchants
and mercenaries who've done business with Oran En-
terprises. and the like. Two example encounters are
provided to help the characters find the tavern. You can
add similar encounters to increase the complexity of the
search as desired.

TROUBLE AT THE SOUTH GATE
The characters are assumed to enter Luskan from
the south. Modify the text below as needed to fit
their arrival.

C H APTE R 4 I T H E ORRERY O F T H E WANDERER

A sharp, icy wind whistles through South Gate as you A LWAYS B E B RAND I N G
enter Luskan. The shops and taverns lining the main
As long as they're in luskan, the characters might take the
thoroughfare of the City of Sails are as battered and opportunity to try to extend their franchise's reach into
weathered as the grim customers entering them. At first the city. A formal presence in this far-flung territory is far
glance, the city's reputation as a den for pirates and raid· beyond the scope of their charter ofoperations, naturally.
ers appears well earned. And savvy fra nchisees might have heard rumors that Head
Office is working to open a franchise in the City of Sails.
Just ahead of you, a wagon has broken down in front However, clever players could work to increase their own
of a tavern. The elderly human driver calls out for help, franch ise's notoriety and add a few more customers with·
out unduly violating the terms oftheir contract. You might
but passersby ignore her. As she calls out once more, tie such attempts to future franch ise tasks or downtime
the tavern door behind her opens and two guards toss a incorporating the shady business practice activity, as the
young male human in bright clothing out into the street. characters try to keep an official distance from any luskan
He tumbles into the old woman, sending both of them opportunities.

sprawling to the ground. The door closes, then opens Driver in Need. Dabahl (NG female human com-
once more as a mandolin comes flying out ofthe tavern.
m oner) works as a wagon driver out of Neverwinter, and
If the characters want to lend a hand, they have ample her hired help all fled after a failed bandit attack during
opportunity to step up. Catching the mandolin requires her most recent run north. She made it safely to L uskan
a successful DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, and if alone, but her w agon wheel has just given out.
no party member tries to do so, it crashes to the ground
at the characters' feet. Repairing Dabahl's wagon takes at least 1 hour and
requires a successful DC 18 Strength (Athletics) or Wis-
The tavern is called the Last Dregs, and the owners dom (Survival) check. The DC drops to 10 if the charac·
don't care for strangers. Allow the characters a quick ters spend 20 gp on replacement parts, if any character
look in if they like, but there are no leads to Oran Enter·
prises to be found here. knows the mending cantrip, or if any character is profi-

Failed Minstrel. The minstrel Noriel (NG male hu· cient with land vehicles.
Dabahl cannot afford the repairs or offer to pay the
man commoner) has spent a rough month in L uskan.
He bel ieves that his father was once a pir ate work ing character s for their service, but in her gratitude, she can
for one of the Ships, but he's had no luck so far tracking share that Oran Enterprises has a nefarious reputation.
him down. Noriel's poor sense of fash ion, nervousness, The location of their headquarters is a closely guar ded
and lack of musical skill have not helped his efforts. An secr et, but the organization's employees are said to favo r
impressionable (and starving) teenager. he faithfully a tavern frequented by fishers. Dabahl sells her goods to
serves anyone who takes him under their wing, and can Ship Kurth and could also introduce the characters to
provide comic relief as desired. its merchants, though she does not have any influence
with them.
Having been thrown out of countless taverns, Noriel
kn ows the general rumors talking of how Oran En- THE BROKER
terprises has a secret headquarters somewhere in
Luskan. He also knows the even more widespread With a couple of initial clues at hand, the characters can
rumors of how Oran Enterprises punishes anyone start the search in earnest for the tavern frequented by
who talks about the organization's business. However. Oran Enterprises employees. Unfortunately, most folk
he has heard and shares that many Oran Enterprises in Luskan are smart enough to not talk about Dran En-
employees wander the northern part of the city in their terprises too openly, and the characters are rebuffed or
off hours. ignored during their initial inquiries. Eventually, though,
the party is referred to Eriss (N female gnome com-
W HERE IS THE 0RRERY? moner), said to broker deals between guilds and other
organ izations.
At some point before the party arrives in luskan, ask the
players whether their characters are bringing the orrery Eriss works with Ship Taerl. and can be found in a
housing and any components with them, and if so, who small but well-maintained curio shop on a busy street
carries the relics. Ifthey plan instead to secure them else· just north of the city's central bridge, Dalath's Span.
where, ask about that location and their securi ty measures. An enormous half-ore thug named One-Tusk stands
For the purpose of the adventure, it's best if the characters guard outside the shop. Eriss is inside, polishing bottles
keep the orrery components with them, rather than leaving containing miniature ships. She claims that these were
them at headquarters. (Certainly, reminding the characters once real ships, forced into the bottles through power-
ofwhat happened to the last two franchise headquarters ful magic. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check
that held orrery components should be enough to inspire suggests that this story isn't worth a ship-in-a-bottle's
them to hold onto the components themselves.) 100 gp sale price. However, Eriss answers the party's
questions only if they buy one of the models or another
You don't need this information now, but it becomes equally expensive curio from her shop.
relevant in episode 5. Asking now gives the players time to
forget you asked! What Eriss Knows- Speaking with Eriss is not with·

C H APTER 4 I THE ORR ERY OF T ll E WANDE RER out risk. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (l nsight) check
confirms that the gnome is a broker for criminal orga-
nizations, trading information and helping stolen goods

EXTENDING THE LUSKAN EXPERIENCE

NPC scenes can encourage cooperative roleplaying, so
give the players lots ofspace to discuss how to help
characters like Noriel and Dabahl-and then run with the
players' ideas. A desire to help Noriel could lead to helping
the bard land a paying gig at a tavern, or seeking out one
of the Ships or the loremasters ofthe Arcane Brotherhood
to learn of his father. Helping Dabahl could lead to an
encounter with a guild of teamsters or a disgruntled repair
shop employee. Such efforts could lead to additional role.
playing scenarios, to which you can add abi lity checks and

combat encounters as desired.
Ofcourse, some players will simply ignore Dabahl and

Noriel. That's okay. Let the characters' reactions take
things in a different direction, and have a different NPC
provide the same information. However, always feel free to
have Dabahl or Noriel make another appearance. Maybe
the two team up, with Noriel helping improvise the repairs
(soon to fail at any time), while Dabahl teaches Noriel a
song or two. Their story can move forward, intersecting
with the party's story at a later opportune moment.

find their ways to buyers. A result of 15 or higher on this Fishbone Tavern is located a few blocks from Luskan 's
check also imparts that like most fixers, Eriss is hesitant
to engage with the enemies of any company she wants to Open Shore docks, close enough that you can smell

stay on good terms with. the sea air and hear the cries ofgulls swooping over the
When the characters inquire about Oran Enterprises.
fishing ships. A few lazy snowflakes fall from a cloudy sky
the gnome asks why they seek the organization. If she
gets any hint that the characters are opposed to Oran as you approach the tavern's front entrance-and a sign
Enterprises, she sends a message warning operatives of
the organization as soon as the party leaves her shop. If decorated with an actual rotting fish nailed to a board
the characters suspect this. they might need to attempt
DC 15 Charisma checks (using Deception, Intimida- bearing the tavern's name. Standing before the door is
tion, or Persuas ion, depending on the situation) to talk
an immense figure who beams a smile missing most of
Eriss down.
If the characters stay on her good side, Eriss confides its teeth. He squints his eyes as if trying to make sense of

that she doesn't know where Dran Enterprises has its you. "What ... uh ... what's your business here?"
headquarters. However, she can share that the employ-
ees of the organization sometimes gather at a watering The dimwitted bounce r is Zurb (CG male human
hole known as Fishbone Tavern. They keep a low pro- thug). Zurb's job is to keep a ny potential troublemakers
file, but the tavern's bartender, Fryer. might be able to out of the raucous tavern. including enemies of Oran
identify a member of Oran Enterprises or help the char- Enterprises. Fortunately for the party. he can be fooled
very easily with some s killful roleplaying or appropriate
acters further. ability checks.

FISHBONE TAVERN Zurb knows (and absolutely shouldn't share but does)
that employees of Oran Enterprises drink at the Fish-
Any fisher or laborer in the north of the city can pro- bone frequently, though he hasn't seen any of them in
vide directions to Fishbone Tavern. None of the NPCs a few days. He ponders a while on how that's rather
currently at the tavern know the location of Oran Enter- unusual. Zurb can suggest the characters talk to Fryer
prises headquarters, but they can provide pointers to the bartender to figure out why. (She earned that name
someone who does. when she hit a would-be-thief with a searing-hot frying
pan.) Zurb can also describe any of the tavern's regu-
la rs, including warning the characters that Rakeem
can't be trusted.

When the characters decide to enter, Zurb opens the
door for them. If the characters have befriended him,
Zurb announces them as "really nice people that talked
a lot." This causes Fryer to shake her head in weary
disbel ief.

C ll APTER 4 I T H E ORRERY Of'TH .E WAN D ERER

The interior of the Fishbone Tavern is cramped and employment on the better fishing boats owned by Ship
Baram. Even inebriated, they know enough to be wary
shadowy. Only two of the eight tables are occupied, one at the idea of talking about Dran Enterprises to strang-
ers. They do offer up, though, that they haven't seen any
by two fishers and another by a lone figure in a dark, Dran Enterprises employees in going on a tenday now.
It's an easy guess that there's a big operation in prog-
leather-patched cloak. One wall holds a small, smoky ress, but neither fisher knows what that might be.

fireplace, while a long bar of dark-stained wood stands The lone figure sitting at a corner table is Velos (N
male human bandit), nurs ing a glass of rum and rub-
along the opposite wall. Standing behind the bar under bing his hand. A pirate by trade, Vclos tries to conceal
that his hand is turning black with infection after an
oval plaques set with yellowing fish skeletons is a heavy· injury during a recent raid. Without treatment such as
a lesser restoration spell. he will lose the hand, and he
set human bartender. She pours ale for a half-elf seated can't afford treatment. Velos knows Arla and her story,
and knows that he and his hand will be bound for the
at the bar, quietly engaging him in conversation. Peg and Hook shop before long.

FRIENDS OF ORAN ENTERPRISES If the characters help Velos and mention their in-
terest in Oran Enterprises, he shares that he recently
Fryer (N female human commoner) is the owner of the overheard a melancholy employee talking about how a
Fishbone Tavern. Any character with a passive Wisdom friend "got invited to headquarters but accidentally took a
(Perception) score of 12 or higher might hear her refer wrong door. They managed to scoop up what was left of
to the half-elf as Rakeem as s he talks to him. She is in him ." His gratitude also makes him a solid potential hire,
the service of Dran Enterprises, receiving payment for especially if the franchise has future business in Luskan.
keeping an eye on the organization's employees and re-
porting any lack of loyalty to their management. MOVING THINGS ALONG

Although Fryer is tight with Dran Enterprises. she If the characters need help connecting the dots, Rakeem
carries a certain amount of guilt over an incident from a could make an obvious mistake such as tipping his stool
few months ago. She reported a former friend and Dran over from trying to strain to hear the party. Or Velos
Enterprises operative named Arla Razortongue to her could fall unconscious from his wound, allowing the
bosses for speaking out about the organization·s uneth- characters to see his predicament and win Fryer over to
ical practices. (See "The Peg and Hook"' below for more the ir cause with some beneficial healing. Alternatively,
on Arla.) Recent word on the street is that Arla contin- an NPC the characters have previously confided in
ues to be a thorn in Oran Enterprises' s ide-and that might appear (perhaps Noriel or Oabahl), asking loudly
she's been marked for exile or elimination. A character whether the characters have found Oran Enterprises
might sense Fryer's remorse over havi ng sold Arla out yet, and provoking a noticeable reaction from Fryer
with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check, and and Rakeem.
could encourage her to share what took place and where
to find Arla with appropriate role playing. Once the characters have learned about Arla from any
of the possible sources at the Fishbone, they can travel
Rakeem (N male half-elf spy) is a regular drinker to her s hop.
at the Fishbone, a friend to Fryer, and a professional
snitch. Though not in the employ of Dran Enterprises. THE P EG AND H O OK
Rakeem tries to sell any information he overhears re-
garding the organization. If the characters talk openly Arla Razortongue (CG female human spy with iconic
about Oran Enterprises while Rakeem is anywhere in Oran Enterprises employee features; see "Iconic Faction
the tavern, he overhears them and alerts company oper- Features" in appendix B) had a good thing going as an
atives as to the characters' intentions. employee of Dran Enterprises. So when s he was fired
from that organization. the need to start over again in
A character notices Rakeem spying on the group with the cutthroat environs of Luska n inspired her to think
a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight or Perception) outside the box. Way, way outside. Given the number of
check. Rakeem is not eager to fight. though, and once seedy sailors that call the City of Sails their home port,
confronted, he can be persuaded or intimidated into she knew that a shop helping pirates with limb replace-
keeping anything he heard to himself- at least until ments would always make money. However, she felt that
the party leaves town. He might also be convinced to a hook was more useful as a replacement for a leg (in-
share what he knows with appropriate bribes or well· s tead of the traditional peg leg), and that a peg was more
worded threats. useful to replace a lost hand.

Word on the street is that Dran Enterprises has "tur- Oran Enterprises ignored Arla at firs t, convinced that
tled up," retreating into wherever they hide due to some she would be a failure. Surprisingly, though, the plucky
trouble known to the company's highe r-ups. Rakeem entrepreneur managed to convince enough pirates to
doesn't know what that trouble is, but one person who try out her unconventional system that her business
keeps her ear to the ground about Oran Enterprises is thrived. She has since developed a number of unique
Arla at the Peg and Hook (see below). He can share Ar- attachments {hook shoes, peg arm accessories) that pro-
ia's story and provide directions to her shop. vide surprising functionality and even replaced one of
her own hands and a leg to prove her point.
WORKING-CLASS RUMORS

The two fishers drinking at a central table are Milo and
Tortuk (both N male human common ers). Both are
deep into their cups, lamenting their inability to find

r.io CllAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY O~ TllE WANDERER

TALK FIRST, FIGHT LATER? of magic portals leading to various Oran Enterprises
warehouses. ships, marketplaces- and lo The Maverick
When the characters approach the Peg and Hook, first itself. Each of Dangerous Business's magic portals is set
decide whether their previous investigation has alerted with and activated by a differently shaped and colored
Oran Enter prises. If they allowed Rakeem to eavesdrop stone. Employees memorize where each stone leads, but
and report their conversations, alerted Eriss the bro- the configuration changes on a regular schedule. More-
ker of their antagonistic intentions, or asked too many over, employees are subject to enchantment magic that
strangers how to find the organization. a strike team is prevents them from sharing the information. Arla does
already inside the shop and attacking Arla. Go straight not know the current portal configuration.
to "Oran Strike Team" below and roll for initiative.
ORAN STRIKE TEAM
If the characters were discreet in their inquiries, Arla
is alone in her shop and can be approached in any way A Oran Enterprises strike team has been sent to deal
they want. Then run the "Oran Strike Team" encounter with either the characters or Arla. depending on how the
as the characters prepare to leave the shop. characters got here. The team is led by a fixer named
Hoffman (LN female human veteran with iconic Oran
TALKING TO ARLA Enterprises employee features; see "Iconic Faction
Features" in appendix B). ff Oran Enterprises has been
Arla initially assumes the characters are customers, alerted to the characters' investigations, the strike
and points out various arm peg accessories, hook foot team is already inside the shop when the party arrives,
options, and other products she has developed. She then preparing to take Arla out. Ocherwise, the strike team
whips out a bone saw and asks which of the characters has been sent coincidentally to shake down Arla, as
she can help first. some of the higher-ups at Dran Enterprises aren't happy
with their disgraced employee's success. In that case,
When she realizes the characters aren't customers, the strike team enters the shop just as the characters
Arla is disappointed, but she's open to their questions.
She despises Oran Enterprises, and is willing to help start to leave.
anyone who opposes that organization. Conveniently The team's primary objective is to convince Arla to
(for her), she's also looking for investors to help her
expand her burgeoning business. She initially asks for abandon her business and leave town. If she won't,
1,000 gp for her information, or half as much if the char- they have orders to kill her. Hoffman focuses on at-
acters bring her a paying customer. She can be talked tacking Arla, castigating her verbally and physically
down to 500 gp, or 250 gp with one customer.

Velos the pirate (from the Fishbone tavern) is a po-
tential customer for Arla, but many others can be found
around the city. Talking a stranger into getting a hook
for a leg or a peg for an arm is best left to humorous
roleplaying, but could also be accomplished with a suc-
cessful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Getting a
limb replaced costs 25 gp, and Arla offers no-interest
payment plans.

THE HIDDEN HEADQUARTERS

Arla shares that Oran Enterprises· true headquarters
is an expensive and well-appointed flagship called The
Maverick. The ship sails constantly, rarely putting into
port for security reasons. But the organization has a
much more subtle and just as secret alternative head-
quarters that hides in plain sight at the heart of Luskan.

A tiny and unassuming ship named Dangerous
Business is always moored at the Open Shore docks.
and is more than it appears. The ship houses a series

BEING NOTICED

As the characters rise in level and franchise rank, NPCs
will begin to take notice of them, and not just vice versa.
Rather than the adventurers constantly thinking about
which NPCs might make solid prospective business
partners, those NPCs might start showing up later in the
adventure to pitch the franchise on commercial deals.
Keep note of which NPCs the players have the most fun
interacting with, and keep those NPCs in mind for future
engagement. Conversely, the NPCs the players most ac-
tively dislike could become foes, joining Oran Enterprises
or the Six, then appearing later in the campaign to pay the
characters back for some real or imagined slight.

C JIAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY OF THE WANDERER l!·l

"--'

for being a traitor to Dran Enterprises. fn combat, MA P 4.1: T~E DOC.K~
Aria's shortsword attacks take the form of either her
sharpened leg hook or a retractable blade attached to at no more advantage than the characters are in their
her arm peg. search for the headquarters . but the characters' actions
might tip that balance one way or the other.
Hoffman is backed up by three operatives named Pi-
eter, Marks, and Molley (each a N male ha Ifling), each During this part of the episode, you'll track a one-off
using the spy stat block. The three spies use the mobil- mecha nic called '"failure points," which are used to
ity afforded by their Cunning Action to change targets, represenc the race against the S ix and determine which
and can be easily goaded into focusing on the characters side finds the headquarters first. T he resolution of that
and ignoring Arla. sea rch is described in the ··on Board The Maverick"'
section. but the characters will have opportunities be-
TREASURE fore that to realize they are competing against the Six.
When that becomes clear, you can underscore any situ-
The strike team members are dressed in fur cloaks and ation in which the party earns a failure point, letting the
leathers, and their weapons and armor are well main- players know that accumulating too many points means
tained. They have the equivalent of a priest's pack and that the Six will pass through the fin al portal and arrive
an explorer's pack between them, plus a total of 180 gp. at The Maverick first.

Hoffman wears a round metal pin bearing the symbol In addition to you tracking the number of failure
of Oran Enterprises, and which radiates abjuration to a points. each time the party earns a failure point. you
detect magic spell or similar e ffect. The pin allows pas- gain a pool of two guar ds. You can add one or more
sage through the portal doors on the Oran Enterprises guards from your pool to any scene within the "Portal
s hip (see the next section). Nexus" section of this episode. Whenever these guards
appear, they enter the scene aware that Acquisitions
I NFI LTRATING D RAN ENTERPRISES Incorporated and the Six have infiltrated the ir territory,
and are actively looking for intruders .
Dangerous Business is a s mall sailboat with a single
cabin rising from the center of its deck. It is docked DANGEROUS BUSINESS
alongside two larger sailing ships (named The Ghost
and The Rogue). All three ships are owned by Dran This humorously small ship is watched over by four
Enterprises, with the two larger ships housing fishers, gua rds that stand a silent vigil around the cabin. The
pirates, and others in the company's employ. ship can be reached from the main dock or the smaller
jetty leading out between Dangerous Business and The
Map 4.1 shows the layout of the docks where the char- Rogue. A single door opens up into the cabin.
acters make their initial approach to Oran Enterprises
he a d q u a r te rs. The area of the docks around the three ships is pa-
trolled by two groups of Dran Ente rprises operatives,
RACING AGAINST THE SIX

As the characters seek an approach to Dangerous Busi-
ness and the portals within, they are unaware that they
are competing against the Six, who have already infil-
trated the ship and are seeking Dran Enterprise's main
headquarters aboard The Maverick. The Six are initially

THE OTHER KIND OF WINNI NC

As always in an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign, keep
an open mind to alternative ways to advance the story, and
don't worry ifthe characters happen to lose an important
fight. The face-off against the Oran Enterprises strike team
is a tough encounter, and might not go the way the charac·
ters expect.

If the entire party is defeated or surrenders, Hoffman
can order the characters to be kept alive and loaded onto
a cart to be taken to Oran Enterprises for questioning.
This won't see the characters taken directly to the compa·
ny's main headquarters, but could provide an alternative
means of reaching Dangerous Business. Once on that
ship, one of the spies might mistakenly open the portal
door leading to the Far Realm horror, with the strike team
members alone dragged into that deadly trap to allow the
characters to gain their freedom. See "Infiltrating Oran En·
terprises" for more information.

C H A PTER 4 I TH E ORRERY Of' T H I:. WAN D ERER

each consisting of four guards and four mastiffs. Crates "Portal 4" and later for more information). The condition
and equipment piled along the docks can provide cover, of the guard's head makes it impossible to talk to him
potentially allowing the characters to make a stealthy with speak with dead.
approach. Various booms and scaffolding can also grant
access to the larger ships, from which the characters Aside from his grievous head wound, the guard's body
can work their way to Dangerous Business. The players is untouched except where his shirt is torn over his
might also devise any number of ways to talk their way chest. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation)
on board. Oran Enterprises is often hiring. so the char- check confirms that a brooch or pin was ripped from
acters could pose as expert sailors or specialized con- that location. If a character thinks to check, the size of
sultants. Give the players and characters the freedom to the round metal pin claimed from Hoffman after the
develop a plan, gather information, and fail or succeed fight with the Oran Enterprises strike team matches
spectacularly! the size of the torn hole. (If the characters didn't claim
the pin from the strike team and you haven't already
If any of the guards see the characters as a threat, they arranged for a replacement to be found, this guard has a
shout out, raising the alarm and imposing one failure second pin in his pocket.)
point. The alarm alerts all other guards on the docks,
and can draw an endless supply of reinforcements from PORTAL DOORS
other ships over time. As such, the characters should re-
alize quickly that a stand-up fight will involve more foes Each portal door is made of reinforced iron. A success-
than they can handle. ful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the
doors are mundane, but that each is magically trapped.
The party can retreat and come back when the heat A detect magic spell or similar effect reveals an aura of
dies down, but this delay imposes another failure point. evocation on a door's latch. If a latch is opened by any-
Or they can push past any threats lo get to Dangerous one not wearing the round metal pin bearing the symbol
Business and the portals within. of Dran Enterprises, the trap goes off. Each creature
within the room must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
PORTAL NEXUS throw, taking 16 (3dl0) cold damage on a failed save or
half as much damage on a successful one. Each trap can
When the characters step through into the cabin on be disarmed with a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Ar-
Dangerous Business, read: cana) check or a Dexterity check using thieves' tools.

The small square cabin's interior is far larger than its Each of the seven doors has a glowing semiprecious
stone above it, carved into a different shape: a green
exterior, opening up as an oval room th irty feet long and turquoise square. a red feldspar triangle, a white pearl
circle, a purple amethyst oval. a blue aquamarine
fifteen feet wide. Crumpled on the floor before an iron rectangle, a black hematite pentagon, and an orange ti-
ger-eye hexagon. A detect magic spell reveals an aura of
door on the far side of the room, the body of a guard lies conjuration on the space beyond each door and on each
of the stones.
in a pool of blood. Standing closed between you and the
The stones are coded markers indicating which
body, six other oval·shaped iron doors are the only fea- doors lead to specific portals. That coding is changed
regularly, with the portals reassigned to different loca-
tures in the room. Each door has a heavy latch that bears tions and the stones swapped around to help keep their
destinations a secret. As such, a portal still functions if
the insignia of Oran Enterprises, but no lock is visible. its stone is removed, and a stone can be reattached to
a door with a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana)
Above each of the iron doors, a differently shaped and check. Placing a stone over a different door makes
it harder for the operatives of the Six to know which
colored glowing stone is set. doors they've already gone through as they make use of
the portal network. Swapping one or more stones thus
The characters can examine the dead guard or investi- removes one of the party's failure points. If the players
gate the doors and stones. However, the amount of time don't work out that the stones can be moved. a character
they have to do so depends on whether they had other infers this with a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Ar-
guards in pursuit. lf the characters were pursued, give
them a round or two to investigate the portal nexus, cana) check.
then have an increasing number of guards burst into the Treasure. If the stones are removed. they lose their
area each round, forcing the characters to enter a portal.
magical properties but are worth 25 gp each.
If the characters infiltrated the ship without raising
the alarm, they have five minutes before they hear PORTAL ENCOUNTERS
a guard patrol approaching. If they leave this area
to go back onto the deck of Dangerous Business for Each portal door leads to a different encounter. Opening
any reason, they immediately attract the attention of any door transports all characters in the portal nexus
nearby guards. into the area beyond. with the entrance portal disap-
pearing behind them. The characters must navigate the
DEAD GUARD scene that takes place in the new location. then find an
exit portal (another iron door identical to the doors in
The dead guard is a male half-ore. Lying on his chest is the nexus) to return to the portal nexus. (Portal 1 is an
a black business card bearing unintelligible symbols.
More notable is that the unfortunate guard's brain has C llA PTER 4 I TH E O RRFRY OFTH.E WANDER.ER
been removed from his shattered skull. The guard was
killed by the mind flayer leading the Six operatives (see

14-3

exception, bringing the characters back automatically.) for Dran Enterprises employees. If a character opens
Eventually, the characters find the portal leading to this door, read:
Oran Enterprises' headquarters in this way.
As the portal opens, a pulse of magic draws you forward.
As an advanced security measure, the magic of the The door vanishes and you stand within an impossible
portal network prevents a creature from gaining access scene. The deck ofa ship opens up around you, but
to the headquarters on board The Maverick without a the shifting sea to all sides is the color of bruised flesh ,
certain amount of experience traversing the network. roiling beneath a clear sky filled with unfamiliar constel-
As such, the first three portals the characters access lations. Suddenly the door to the ship's main cabin ex-
will never lead to the headquarters. plodes out in a pulse of sickly ethereal light. With a hor·
rid slurping sound, writhing tentacles spill forth through
The current destinations of the portals are noted on the open doorway and lash toward you.
the Portals table. You can choose encounters you favor,
or roll on the table to see where the characters end This self-contained dimension is fueled by the power of
up, rerolling any locations already visited. For the first the Far Realm. Planar instability prevents characters
three destinations, roll a d6 to prevent the characters from moving beyond the immediate area of the deck (in-
from reaching The Maverick. For subsequent destina- cluding jumping off the ship or fleeing belowdecks).
tions, roll a d8. Alternatively, you can allow the charac-
ters to reach the headquarters ship (see "On Board The Creature. The mass of writhing tentacles is a Far
Maverick" below) any time after they've returned from Realm horror known as a chaos quadrapod (see ap-
three other destinations. pendix B). It uses its Chaos Cloud at the start of combat,
then surges forward to lay into stunned characters. Each
With the exception of the Far Realm horror, the round, it focuses its grappling ability on whichever char-
specific locations of portal encounters are not detailed acters dealt it the most damage in the previous round.
here. If the characters ask about where they are in any
given encounter, or if they're inclined to venture outside lf any part of the chaos quadrapod is pushed back
the encounter area, the choice of location is up to you. through the door, it can be forced to return to its void
of origin if the door is closed with a successful DC 15
PORTALS Strength (Athletics) check. If this happens, any crea-
tures it has grappled are automatically released.
d6 or d8 Portal

1 Far Realm horror
2 Guarded warehouse
3 Raging storm
4 Amid the rigging
5 Pirates versus zombies
6 River barge crossing
7-8 The Maverick

JUST CUT TO THE END

If the players are particularly clever, they might come up
with novel ways to shortcut the search for the headquar-
ters portal. Perhaps they use detect thoughts on a Dran
Enterprises operative who knows which stone currently
marks the headquarters portal. Maybe exceptional role-
playing allows them to talk an operative into using that
portal while the characters watch. If this happens, the
first time the characters try to use the headquarters por-
tal, they are shunted back into the portal nexus.

Any Intelligence (Arcana) check made to read the por-
tal's magic reveals that the way forward is blocked ex-
cept to those with experience using the portal network.
The characters must pass through three other portals
first, but you can say that their attempts to access the
headquarters portal have locked it down temporarily,
preventing the Six from accessing it. Remove one failure
point from the party's total.

PORTAL l: FAR REALM HORROR
A month ago, an encounter with operatives of the Six led
Dran Enterprises to try to fight that group using its own
dark magic. Sadly, that attempt failed, and this portal
now remains tied to a pocket dimension channeling the
power of the Far Realm. Danger lurks on the other side
of the door, whose stone has been marked as off limits

CHAPTER 4- I THE ORRERY Of" THE WANDERER

As soon as the chaos quadrapod is killed or sent back checks, all at DC 12. When an order comes in, it ap-
through the door. the unstable magic of this portal pears magicaJly on Dagdra's ledger, three items at a
draws the characters back to the portal nexus. giving time (see the Dagdra's List table below). The dwarf calls
them no time to explore the ship. However, a successful
DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check identifies the strange out the three items, and a character must make an abil-
surroundings and the chaos quadrapod as products of ity check using one of the skills noted for an item to lo-
the nightmaris h Far Realm. cate that item in the warehouse. Each check represents
the act of eit her physically searching for the item o r
PORTAL 2: GUARDED WAREHOUSE understanding the cha racteristics of the ite m. The nar-
row space between piles of crates means t hat o nly o ne
As the portal opens, you feel a lurch as its magic wraps character can search for each item.
around you. The door is gone suddenly, and you are
standing in a hot and humid warehouse filled with crates Once three items are located with three checks, any
character must then make a Strength (Athletics) or
stacked to the ceiling. Windows high up on the walls let Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to place the three items in
in light and reveal what look like tropical trees outside. Dagdra's cart as the dwarf races around the warehouse.
The crates are organized in mazelike rows, making it hard
to see how far the warehouse spreads. From somewhere The items are found and collected regardless of the
to your right, you hea r humming, run ning footste ps, and success or failure of the checks. But if the characters fail
three or more of the four checks necessa ry to collect a
the squeak of a wheeled cart drawing closer. group of items, their lackluster performance causes a
bearded de vil productivity specialist to appea r and at-
Warehouse Work er. The guardian of this warehouse tack the pa rty (including Dagdra) for 1 ro und. T he devil
is Dagdra Deepforge ( G female dwarf). a long-time then van ishes, a nd the party gains a failure point.
employee of Oran Enterprises. She has the iconic
documancer feature (see "Iconic Faction Features" DACDRA'S LIST
in appendix B) and uses the pr iest stat block with
these changes: Item Ability Check

• S he wears half plate (AC 15). Chultan bold-tan body lotion Intelligence (Investigation)
• She has these racial traits: Her speed is 25 feet. She
or Wisdom (Survival)
has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. She has
advantage on saving throws against poison and resis- Feathered "dino fury" handaxe Strength (Athletics) or
tance against poison damage. She speaks Common
and Dwarvish. Intelligence (History)

Dagdra wears a tabard that is so worn that the bottom Voodoo doll ofOmin Oran Intelligence (Arcana or
half of the image it bears is missing. A successful DC
12 Intelligence (Religion) or Wisdom (Perception) check Religion)
determines that the holy symbol of Moradin was once
on the tabard, but only a bit of the Aa me remains. She Lil' explorers first medicine Wisdom (Medicine or
pushes a cart loaded with Chul tan-themed tourist keep-
sakes and collectibles. All bear t he logo of Acquisitions kit (any item in the kit inflicts Survival)
Incorporated, but these are actually knock-offs created
as part of Dran Enterprise's ongoing efforts to undercut the poisoned condition if
Acquisitions Incorporated's reputation and success.
swallowed)
Dagdra has made a lot of bad choices in her life, from
leaving her church co joining Oran Enterprises and get- Guidebook to famous Chultan Intelligence (History) or
ting stuck with warehouse duty. Her job mostly involves
running from one row of crates to another, filling orders day spas (none ofwhich exist) Charisma (Deception)
for customers and grouping them for retrieval by other
Oran Enterprises employees. She receives her instruc- Jim Darkmagic's feral beast Wisdom (Animal Handling)
tions th rough her documancy satchel.
pacifying spray (incites rage in or Charisma (Persuasion)
lf Dagdra notices intruders, she is startled a nd begins
to call for help. The characters must either silence her, any beast exposed to the spray)
overcome her quickly, or convince her to hear their
story. Fortunately, Dagdra is open to reconsidering her Triceratops action figure (has Intelligence (Nature) or
life choices and allegiances- and is having a really bad
day. If the characters agree to help her complete her four or more horns) Wisdom (Perception)
tasks. she reveals the location of the exit portal.
Genuine Batiri goblin pottery Intelligence (History) or
Lending a Hand. Helping Dagdra complete her tasks
involves a specific process and a number of ability set (not at all genuine) Wisdom (Perception)

MOrgaen never-miss arrow set Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)

(always misses) or Wisdom (Survival)

Acquisitions Incorporated Dexterity (Acrobatics) or

t-shirt and underwear gift set Charisma (Performance)

Donaar Blit'zen Chultan fibers Intelligence (Nature) or

floss kit Charisma (Persuasion)

Viari "swinging chandelier" Dexterity (Acrobatics) or

diorama Charisma (Persuasion)

Once all twelve items have been found, Dagdra leads
the characters to a stack of crates that conceals the exit
portal. Due to the standard Dran Enterprises enchant-
ments placed upon her, she can't share any information
about how to reach The Maverick. She stays behind to
slack off for the rest of her shift, but might show up at
some later point if you wish. Having decided to make a

C HAPTER 4 I T H E O RRE RY O F THE WANDERER 1.15

DllGO Rll 0E£ P FO RGE to be done on their own, or the captain or first mate ::;
twins Travis and Benham (both NG male half-elf com-
new life for herself, Dagdra makes an excellent potential moners) can suggest usefu l actions. z
employee for the franchise.
Each of the tasks below involves one or more charac-
If the characters did not befriend Dagdra, they must ters attempting specific ability checks to aid the ship's
search the endless maze of crates for the exit portal. crew during the storm. All six checks must be attempted
This search can reveal the various products noted above by the characters. The players can decide which charac-
(which the characters are free to steal and later resell ters make which checks, but a character cannot make
using the shady business practice activity). Either way,
unauthorized movement in the warehouse causes a a second check until all the characters have made one
bearded devil to appear and fight the characters until check. A character with the sailor background has
destroyed. Only then can the exit portal be found. The advantage on these checks. If the charac-
party gains one failure point as a result of the time they ters fail three or more checks. the party
spent in the maze. gains one failure point.
Lower Main Sails. The storm's
P ORTAL 3: R AGING STORM winds will shatter the mast if the sail
can't be brought down, but its lines are
The moment you open the door, magic wraps around tangled. A successful DC 13 Dexterity
you, drawing you through the portal and into a raging (Acrobatics) check is needed to reach the tangled
storm. You stand on the deck ofa ship that heaves from lines, followed by a successful DC 12 Dexterity
one side to the other as waves crash over the rails. Crew (Sleight of Hand) check to untangle them. A crew
members pull lines and tie down cargo, as a heavyset, member named Streams (CG female halfting com-
bearded captain calls out orders. Looking across the moner) provides advice to any character attempt-
bow, you see tall spires of rock emerging through the ing this task. A character who fai ls is tangled up
storm- and the ship is headed straight toward them! and takes 3 (ld6) slashing damage.
Secure the Rum. Casks of rum are rolling around
Captain Nuxoll (NG male human veteran) and the crew
of the Dran Enterprises cargo vessel Liar's Luck are the decks, creating a short-term danger to the crew-
overwhelmed by the storm. Though they recognize at and a longer-term danger to the crew's morale if too
once that the characters are not in Dran Enterprises much of the rum goes overboard. A successful DC 13
livery, they are in no mood for a fight and need any help Strength (Athletics) check helps first mates Travis and
they can get. The characters can determine what needs Benham secure the casks. If a character fails, they are
slammed by an errant cask and take 3 (ld6) bludgeon-
CHAPTER 4 I THE ORRERY OF THE WANDERER ing damage.

Wave Lookout. The captain needs a sharp eye to call
out when waves are about to strike the ship. An intern
named Heian (LN female half-elf commoner wearing
a shirt emblazoned with "Aeofel Lives") is currently on
this duty, but she needs help. A successful DC 13 Wis-
dom (Perception) check provides timely warning for the
next set of waves. If the character's check fails, the next
check made by any character to aid the ship is made
with disadvantage.

Calm the Beast. A tiger being transported on the
main deck in a large metal cage is frightened by the
storm and trying to escape. Its keeper Bendari (N male
elf druid) needs help. A successful DC 14 Wisdom (An-
imal Handling) check calms the tiger. Failure results
in the tiger making one attack against the cha racter
through the bars of its cage.

Lift the Curse. A crew member named lncindorita
(CN tiefiing acolyte) claims that the ship has been
cursed. They insist that one of the newcomers to the
ship must offer up a prayer to calm the storm. There is
no curse, but a character who succeeds on a DC 11 In-
telligence (Arcana or Religion) check can go through the
motions to calm Incindorita and inspire the crew.

Spot the Rocks. Captain Nuxoll needs someone to
mark the distance and direction to the spires of rock
along the shore, allowing the ship to pilot around them
and to a calmer bay beyond. A successful DC 14 Wisdom
(Perception) check allows the ship to make a safe pas-
sage, or a character who succeeds on a DC 13 Charisma
(Persuasion) check can give the captain the confidence

to navigate the treacherous waters. If the check fails, the Big Daddy Donaar's Yum Yum Hut began as a
ship shudders as it grinds against rocks. and each crea- braggadocious endeavor masterminded by one
ture on board takes 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage. Donaar Blit'zen, when taking over the operations
of the Dran & Courtier and attempting to rebrand
Calmer Waters. After all six checks have been at- for the night. Though the endeavor was an overall
tempted, the ship passes through the storm. The crew disaster, the brand remains unnervingly strong.
hails the characters as heroes (or, if they failed, at least Folks travel far and wide to sample Yum Yum Hut
appreciates their attempt to help). Captain Nuxoll for- wares and merchandise. I yearn to know why.
gives the characters for infiltrating the Dran Enterprises
portal network, and agrees to pretend that the crew -Omin Dran
never saw the party. He allows the characters access to
the exit portal, which is located in his chamber. motion from drawing the attention of those below. If at
least half the characters succeed, the party reaches the
While passing through the captain's chamber. the crow's nest unseen. If the check is a failure, crew mem-
characters can clearly see a logbook filled with records bers on the deck spot the characters.
ofDran Enterprises trade transactions, which is worth
250 gp to Acq Inc Head Office. A character can steal the Crow's Nest. As the characters reach the crow's nest,
logbook with a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of have the two lead characters attempt DC 14 Wisdom
Hand) check. On a failed check, the captain and crew (Perception) checks to spot Bardok the ship's cook (N
members spot and prevent the theft, and each character male human commoner) currently lounging there. He
takes 3 (ld6) bludgeoning damage from the beating they wears an apron that reads "Big Daddy Donaar's Yum
endure as they escape through the portal. Yum Hut," which is the first thing visible if he is spotted.
Bardok is too mellow to care about intruders, so that
PORTAL 4: AMID THE RIGGING if the characters approach him carefully, they discover
he's a big fan of Acquisitions Incorporated and is willing
The moment you open the iron door, a tug of magic to help them out. The characters could instead handle
Bardok in other ways, but if the initial Wisdom (Percep-
leaves you clinging shakily to a triangular foretop plat- tion) checks are failed or Bardok is attacked, the startled
cook cries out and alerts the crew.
form, high above the deck of a gently swaying cargo ship.
Trade Route Maps. When the characters reach the
From your vantage point forty feet above the deck, you crow's nest, even if they raised the alarm, they have time
to look around. On the main deck below the crow's nest,
can see dozens of crew members below. All wear the a female elf dressed in green leather armor has been
studying a map of the Sword Coast marked with trade
livery of Oran Enterprises, and most carry swords and routes. A number of other maps are stuffed into a back-
pack at the foot of the mast.
crossbows. Rigging and rope ladders connect your plat·
The characters can attempt to steal the backpack and
form to the crow's nest in the middle ofthe ship. Similar the valuable trade route maps within. Doing so requires
a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to
rigging connects the crow's nest to a platform at the aft reach a favorable position in the rigging, followed by a
successful DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to
of the ship. On that far platform, you see an iron door- use some kind of rope-and-hook setup to hoist up the
backpack. A mage hand cantrip can also be used to
the exit portal. retrieve the pack, and the players might come up with
other suitable ideas.
Out of sight of the ship's crew, the characters face no im-
mediate threats but are nonetheless in a difficult predic- If the backpack is claimed, it holds maps worth 500 gp
ament. The most obvious resolution is to try to cross the to Head Office. If only one of the checks succeeds, the
rigging in stages-first reaching the crow's nest, then characters still gain the maps but a crew member spots
continuing on to the aft platform and the exit portal. them if they are not already spotted. If neither check
succeeds, the crew is alerted to the characters' presence
At different points during the crossing of the rigging, if not already alerted, and each character comes under
the characters might attract the attention of crew mem- attack by two crew members firing crossbows (use the
bers on the deck. The first time the characters are spot- bandit stat block).
ted, the party gains one failure point, and each character
comes under attack by two crew members firing cross- Aft Platform. Traversing the rigging and the rope
bows (use the bandit stat block). lf the characters are ladders from the crow's nest to the aft platform requires
spotted during the first stage of the trek across the rig- another DC 13 group check using Strength (Athletics) or
ging, the attacks repeat during the second stage, though Dexterity (Acrobatics). Once the characters reach the aft
no additional failure points are gained. platform, they face one final barrage of attacks if they've
been previously spotted. They can then step through
Reaching the Crow's Nest. Crossing the rigging re- the portal.
quires a successful DC 13 group check using Strength
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics). If at least half the As the characters step through the portal, read the
characters succeed on the check, all the characters following, making adjustments as necessary if they have
make it across unseen, with characters who fai led already seen the Six operatives:
checks being grabbed and aided by the other characters.
CHAPTER 4 I THE ORR.ERV OF THE WANDERER
If more than half the characters fail the check, each
character who failed slips from the rigging but manages
to hang on. The characters must then succeed on a DC
12 group Dexterity (Stealth) check to prevent the com-

Even as your group reaches the aft portal, you see an-
other group ap pear through the fo redeck portal. Five
humans surround a tall, purple-skinned creature in black
and purple robes- and which has four tentacles where
its mouth should be. Oddly, those tentacles are tied to·
gether into a stylish handlebar mustache. The creature's
companions fire arrows and swing down the rigging to
do battle below. As your portal begins to close, the tenta·
cled creature looks up to coldly watch you.

Choose one of the cha racters to receive a telepathic
message from the mind fl ayer: ·· 1will consume you and
your companions. Your end comes soon." More informa-
tion on this Six agent can be found in "On Board The
Maverick" below.

PORTAL 5: Pl RATES V ERSUS ZOMBIES

Opening this door brings the characte rs into the middle
of a battle with undead. Map 4.2 s hows the setup of the
docks ide pirate fight.

As you open the iron door, the magic ofthe portal wraps M11P 4 2 PtRllTE FtG...T
around you, pulling you onto the stern of a large galleon.
The door behind you vanishes as the noise of a raging Creatures. The characters have an immediate prob-
battle rises. A horde ofzombies surrounds a doze n Oran lem with the group of six zombies that initially engage
Enterprises pirates, who are fighting for their lives. The them in battle. Once those are defeated, other options
ship is moored at an old and decaying dock, with a single present themselves.
building visible against a forest of thick trees. In the trees
beyond the building, you can see a freestanding iron Quell the Curse. Any character caught up in the zom-
door with the oval shape of a portal entrance. bie attack who s ucceeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Ar·
cana or Religion) check sees that the undead are drawn
No zombies are present on the land, though they to the dark glow of the captain's magic hammer. If
swarm every part of the ship. One gro up of undead Torwyn throws the hammer overboard into the sea, half
turns in unison in your direction as they s pot you. Then the zombies fo llow it, reducing the forces the characters
a strong voice calls o ut as the ship's captai n, wearing a must face and ens uring the pirates gain the upper hand.
Aamboyant feathered hat and wielding a ham mer dec- However, convincing the captain requires a compelling
orated wi th seaweed, shouts to be heard. "Rally to me argument and a successful DC 14 Charisma (Persua-
side, me crew! We fight still! Fight for our lives! No curse sion) check.
shall bring us down!"
Keep a Low Profile. The characters can ignore the
The captain smashes a zombie with her hammer, the n plight of the crew a nd work their way toward the docks
pulls a scroll from a satchel and reads words of power. and to the porta l. This requires moving past three zom-
Athunderous boom shatters the zombies around her, bies a nd one ogre zombie, which a re facing off against
though more quickly press in. Several pirates call out: a lone pirate named Davena ( female human bandit
"Rally to Captain Torwyn!" captain with 12 hit points rema ining). The characters
can help Davena or they can s neak past and leave her
The ship's hard-fi ghting captain is Aela Torwyn (LN to her doom with a s uccessful DC 10 group Dexterity
female dwarf priest with no remaining s pell slots and (Stealth) check. If the cha racters haven't made the con-
the iconic documancer feature: see "Iconic Faction nection between the hammer a nd the zombie attack,
Features" in appendix B). S he brought a curse down Davena can be overheard muttering about the curse.
on her ship. the Kraken's lament, whe n she found the and how she's s ure it's caused by the hammer Torwyn
hammer she wields . (That hammer uses the statistics recove red from an old shipwreck.
for the priest's mace attack.) Dedicated to a dark god,
the weapon causes those it slays to eventually rise as un- join Jn. The characters can ra lly to the captain while
dead that seek their killer. Torwyn does not realize this, helping the crew. Pirates Fall inoor, Goldie. Whiskey.
merely believing that some dark curse affects the ship. and Wemp (all human ber serkers with 8 hit points re-

C H A PTE R 4 I T H I' ORRERY OF'TH.E WAN D E RE R

maining) are trying to reach the captain but face twelve the portal network. Map 4.3 shows the initial setup of
zombies in their way (or half that number if the hammer the river barge crossing.
was abandoned). Defeating the zombies helps to unite
the pirates, the characters, and the captain, so they can Read the following, making adjustments as necessary
work more effectively against the horde. if the characters have aJready seen the Six operatives:

Once they rally. the pirates and the captain working When you pull open the iron door, the view beyond
together destroy one zombie per round. The characters
have advantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and shows another place-and you are suddenly there, the
the zombies have disadvantage on saving throws.
door disappearing behind you. A grassy slope leads
Aftermath. If the characters fought more than two
groups of zombies but did not help the crew achieve down to the banks of a slow-moving river. A number of
victory, the party gains a failure point. If they stayed
and helped the crew. Captain Torwyn thanks them effu- barges decorated in bright colors move up and down the
sively, and tells them that if they ever need a ship near
Luskan, they can call on the Kraken's Lament. Once off river, bearing merchants crying out to attract customers.
the ship, the characters can easily reach the portal, then
return to the portal nexus. If the cha racters ignored the Those customers move from the river bank to the nearest
pirates to head straight for the portal, remove one fail-
ure point from the party's total and have the characters barge, then carefully hop from barge to barge until they
think about their life choices.
reach the merchant they want. On the opposite bank, you
Treasure. In thanks, Torwyn and her crew offer the
party a wand ofmagic missiles, a +I vicious rapier, and can see a small outhouse set with an oval iron door.
a rope ofentanglement. The rope is seemingly made
of seaweed. A flash of light draws your attention to the right, where

P ORTAL 6: RI VER BARGE CROSSI NG some fifty feet away from you, another group exits a por-

This encounter brings the characters into direct contact tal that vanishes behind them. The group consists of five
with the operatives of the Six who a re a lso traversing
humans and a tall, purple-skinned creature. That crea-

ture's face has tentacles where its mouth should be-

with those tentacles oddly tied into a stylish handlebar

mustache. The creature wordlessly looks at two archers

accompanying it, who draw their bows. Its three other

companions break into a run toward the riverbank as the

creature vanishes with a popping sound.

Roll initiative. Having seen the characters (or having
seen them again), the mind nayer has used its plane
shift ability to get back to the portal nexus. There, it
prepares for the assault on the Oran Enterprises head-
quarters. leaving its lackeys to try to get to the outhouse
portal before the characters. Of the fou r human scouts
among the Six operatives, two stay behind a nd fire
arrows at the party, while the other two scouts and a hu-
man cult fanatic race toward the barges.

The intention of the Six operatives is to cross the
river barges as quickly as possible and reach the portal
before the characters. The running scouts focus on
crossing, though they use their shortswords against any
character who jumps into the same or an adjacent barge.
The cult fanatic races across the barges as well, but
casts spiritual weapon as soon as possible. He then uses
spells s uch as command or hold person on any charac-
ter who gets a commanding lead.

The river is 85 feet wide and filled with 10-foot-wide
barges. At the start of each round, a barge moves either
left or right ld4 x 5 feet, either drifting with the current
or being poled agains t it. The movement of the barges
adds an unpredictable element to the characters' at-
tempts to get across the river.

Each barge holds a merchant and ld4 - 1 customers,
and all its area counts as difficult terrain. Characters
in one barge can jump to a barge within 5 feet without
an ability check. However, each barge is filled with
different wares, so that some of the barges require
checks by both the characters and the Six operatives to

CHAPTER 4 I Tll f. ORRERY OF THE WANDERER