TEXT: 1
  
  2
  Credits
  Design: Matthew Whitby
  Editor: Justice Arman
  Layout Design: Anne Gregersen
  Interior Illustrators: Pat Maxton (@Doodle_Bags) and 
  Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art © Rick Hershey 
  / Fat Goblin Games
  Additional Art: Additional art found within has been 
  gathered from royalty free commercial images or 
  created solely for the purpose of this document. 
  On the Cover: A depiction of Waterdeep’s Crest 
  featuring a hand reaching out for help beside 
  Volo’s iconic sinking hat. Very much inspired 
  by the fantastic work of Hyrdo74, created by 
  Matthew Whitby.
  Foreword
  It had to happen eventually, Volo’s years 
  of being a prolific scholar and middling 
  wizard have caught up with him. Volo’s 
  Guide to Getting Murdered is a one-shot 
  with replayability in the style of Waterdeep: 
  Dragon Heist, with four unique villains to be 
  at the heart of this adventure.
  I’d like to thank the many collaborators 
  on this project that started as a throwaway 
  remark on a podcast. Justice has guided me 
  through this product, been eternally patient, 
  and above all else a joy to work with. Also 
  Anne, who was kind enough to answer my 
  many layout questions and the chance to see 
  her uncanny work ethic first hand! 
  My last thanks is to you; in picking up this 
  product, you've helped add value to the hours 
  we've spent lovingly putting this all together. 
  Hopefully there is enough of a mystery to 
  unravel, one that yourself, and your party 
  will enjoy.
  Contents
  Adventure Overview 
  4
  Adventure Background 
  4
  Running the Adventure 
  4
  Adventure Hooks 
  7
  Volothamp Geddarm 
  7
  Sparaunt Tower - Hawk Man 
  8
  Culprits 
  16
  Overview of Culprits 
  16
  Soluun Xibrindas 
  17
  Pirene, the Half-Nymph 
  22
  Davil Starsong 
  27
  Hailee Dunn 
  31
  Encounter Chains 
  36
  Core Encounters 
  37
  Optional Encounters  
  38
  On Volo’s Death 
  39
  Aftermath 
  40
  Resurrecting Volo 
  40
  Resolving the Adventure Hooks 
  40
  Further Adventures 
  41
  Appendix A: Magical Items 
  42
  Appendix B: Creatures & NPCs 
  43
  Davil Starsong 
  43
  Hailee Dunn 
  43
  Pirene, the Half-Nymph 
  44
  Soluun Xibrindas 
  44
  Legal: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, 
  Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast 
  in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. 
  Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other 
  original material in this work is copyright 2020 by Matthew Whitby, Justice Arman, Anne Gregersen and published under the 
  Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
  
  3
  Well met!
  And who am I, you ask?
  Volothamp Geddarm at your service, proud 
  author, adept wizard,1 and something of 
  a realm-spanning celebrity. I’ve explored 
  the far corners of long-forgotten maps,2 
  uncovering truths lost to the wind. 
  We live in dangerous times.3 I have no 
  doubt you’ve heard the rumours of curses, 
  draconic invasions, competing factions, or 
  assaults from the Nine Hells themselves.4 
  As such, it has never been a better time 
  to have associates, allies, and, dare I say 
  it, friends.5
  The process of making friends is narry 
  an easy one, and for those struggling I 
  shall shout across every rooftop the clear 
  necessity this tome of essential knowledge.6 
  It is as detailed as it is comprehensive, 
  from meeting people along the roads, 
  within markets, or the many vast cities, 
  there is assistance for every occasion!7
  If this tome garners you fame, fortune, 
  and friends, I humbly request that you 
  tell your newly acquainted friends or 
  business partners about this book.8 It is 
  only through your continued patronage 
  that I have the chance to pen such 
  useful guides. As always, I remain your 
  humble scribe and obedient servant, and 
  am now (and blessed by the gods for a 
  continually being),
  Volothamp Geddarm9
  Notes from Elminster Aumar, Archmage 
  of Shadowdale, Senior Advisor to the open Lord 
  of Waterdeep
  1. Adept? I shall believe it when I see it.
  2. I recall with some clarity handing Volo a 
  multitude of maps I very much remembered.
  3. Dangerous for boisterous scholars perhaps.
  4. Less of an assault, more of a city wide 
  kidnapping. Further citations required.
  5. Despite my jabs, this lad has proved to be 
  amicable throughout our strictly professional 
  encounters.
  6. “Essential”  is Volo’s classic misconstruing of 
  words once more. His “studies” into nymphs 
  was also said to be essential. 
  7. In the infinite realm of possibilities, 
  outcomes, and situations, I find this claim 
  doubtful at best.
  8. Ah yes, let me tell my newly acquainted friend 
  of the book I used to subtly trick them into 
  being my friend.
  9. Volo, for all his flaws (of which I stopped 
  documenting due to lack of ink), has proven 
  himself constantly to be a scholar of value. 
  Trustworthy, too.  
  
  4
  V
  olo’s Guide to Getting Murdered 
  is your classic murder mystery 
  adventure, complete with some 
  political intrigue. Characters meet Volo and 
  schmooze with some unsavoury company. 
  Suddenly the famous author is murdered, 
  and the real investigation begins!
  There is also the opportunity to run this 
  adventure multiple times, with Volo murdered 
  by someone different each time, promising a 
  slightly unique experience! The adventure is 
  intended for parties of 4th or 5th level. It is 
  broken into three core parts:
  1. A Party to Die For. Waterdeep is rife 
  with rumours and gossip surrounding 
  Volo’s upcoming release party, and the 
  adventurers just so happen to have 
  highly coveted invitations.
  2. Volo’s End. The party begins well-
  intended, but a few individuals seem 
  to be up to something. Volo disappears 
  from the party, only to be found a little 
  while later - dead!
  3. To Catch a Killer. By some strange 
  happenstance, the celebrations are 
  teleported to the Ethereal Plane. This 
  keeps the adventuring party and all the 
  culprits trapped until Volo’s murder 
  can be solved. 
  Adventure Background
  Prior to the events of this adventure, Volo 
  has certainly been a busy man. There are two 
  core events that have contributed to the four 
  culprits wishing Volo’s untimely demise. 
  Volo’s Latest Book
  The entire party is to celebrate Volo’s latest 
  book, aptly titled Volo’s Enchiridion to Making 
  Friends. The book documents ways to make 
  travelling across the world a safer place, by 
  making friends and allies in the most unlikely 
  of ways. It features its fair share of half-truths, 
  such as techniques to instantly convince 
  wildlife such as owlbears to be docile without 
  the use of magic.
  The Friends (and Enemies) 
  We Make   
  Volo’s latest book had him trying his hardest 
  to rekindle old friendships or make allies in 
  the most unexpected places. Unfortunately 
  for Volo, the process of making certain 
  friends makes just as many enemies 
  elsewhere. Unbeknownst to the scholar, angry 
  individuals cannot see a better opportunity 
  to take their revenge than at Volo’s next book 
  release party.  
  Running the Adventure
  As always, to run this adventure it is 
  recommended to have the D&D fifth edition 
  core rule books: Player’s Handbook, Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual. Any 
  mention of a creature with its name in bold is 
  recommended to look up the corresponding 
  creature’s stat block either in the Monster 
  Manual or appendix B. The same is true for 
  any magical items, which can be found within 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide unless specified 
  otherwise such as in appendix A.
  Text that appears within a box, like this, is 
  intended to be read aloud or paraphrased for 
  the players when their characters first arrive 
  at a location. It describes the contents of a 
  room or an event.
  One recommendation is to read through the 
  adventure and familiarise yourself with the 
  timeline and maps before playing, making 
  notes of key information or summarising 
  events. The adventure has been laid out 
  for ease of use, so prepare for your session 
  however you see fit!
  Anyone Could’ve Done It!
  Volo, in his quest to document and outline all 
  the ways to make friends, has unfortunately 
  made his fair share of enemies. This means 
  that just about anyone invited to the party 
  could have unknown desires to harm the 
  legendary scholar. 
  Adventure Overview
  
  5
  The adventure has been designed with 
  this in mind, allowing for any of the potential 
  culprits to have killed Volo. Each one has a 
  motive, the ideal opportunity to strike, and 
  countless other people to point fingers at. 
  As the characters experience the party, 
  there are arguments and suspicious sightings 
  before the eventual discovery of Volo’s 
  demise. Everyone finds themselves trapped 
  within the Hawk Man statue as it teleports 
  back into the Ethereal Plane, somehow 
  mysteriously linked to Volo’s sudden death.
  Choose Your Villain
  Volo’s Guide to Getting Murdered offers 
  four villians who could’ve perpertrated 
  Volo’s murder. 
  • 
  Soluun Xibrindas. One of Jarlaxle’s 
  lieutenants, wishing to defend his 
  leader’s honour and end Volo’s 
  gossiping about Jarlaxle’s (or his 
  aliases’) activites. 
  • 
  Pirene the Half-nymph. During 
  Volo’s study of nymphs, a horrible 
  misunderstanding led to a child being 
  raised without their father. Pirene is 
  Volo’s daughter and wishes vengeance 
  for what she believes Volo did to 
  her mother. 
  • 
  Davil Starsong. The leader of 
  the Doom Raiders and Master of 
  Negotiations within the Zhentarim. 
  Davil wishes Volo dead for his 
  involvement in Renaer Neverember’s 
  rescue, which resulted in Davil being 
  briefly arrested. 
  • 
  Hailee Dunn. A northern woman 
  whose town was impacted by Volo’s 
  negative review. Hailee wants that 
  rectified, however she can.
  For more details on each of the potential 
  culprits, or their account of events if 
  interrogated, read the Culprits section found 
  further within this book.
  Seasons
  This adventure unfolds differently depending 
  on the villian chosen for this one-shot, or 
  as part of the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist 
  campaign. However, because every potential 
  villain may be attending the party, you are free 
  to switch them at any point. 
  Spring
  The typically colourful and warming Spring 
  hides the sinister figure that is Soluun 
  Xibrindas, one of Jarlaxle Baenre’s three 
  lieutenants within the Bregan D’aerthe 
  faction. A cruel and sadistic individual, 
  
  6
  Soluun heard word that Volo had spoken 
  poorly of Jarlaxle -an offence that Soluun 
  believes should be punished. This 
  season uses subtlety, misdirection, and a 
  repulsive villain. 
  Summer
  The warm days and calm nights that summer 
  brings also introduces Pirene the half-
  nymph. Pirene is none other than Volo’s 
  secret child, here to garner all the attention 
  and ultimately avenge the slight against her 
  mother. This season promises a tragedy 
  of misunderstanding, and just a touch of 
  patricide. 
  Autumn
  The autumn season brings Davil Starsong, 
  a Zhentarim agent who organised 
  the abduction of Renaer Neverwinter. 
  Unfortunately, a series of mistakes led to 
  Ranaer getting away and that only damaged 
  Davil’s reputation with the Black Network. 
  Since it was Volo who instigated the Watch 
  and adventurers to search for Renaer, Davil 
  has set out to ensure that Volo doesn’t 
  meddle with Zhentarim matters ever again. 
  This season brings a carefully calculated 
  assassination, with multiple players to 
  add intrigue.
  Winter
  Ice and snow lay claim to Waterdeep, as 
  howling winds usher in Hailee Dunn from 
  Lonelywood of the Ten Towns. She’s seen her 
  town begin to dwindle, as Volo’s Guide to the 
  North left a multitude of unfavourable reviews 
  - reviews that were written based on Hailee’s 
  childish lies when she first met Volo. Now, 
  she blames everything on that one pomposs 
  scholar, who needs to set things straight, or 
  else. Selecting this season brings a harsh 
  and aggressive killer, someone who is led to 
  extremes by their own actions years ago. 
  Dressed for the Occasion
  While each season brings a unique villain 
  to the party, it also has some minor 
  changes to the clothing of the guests, 
  and decorations. Because at the end of 
  the day, no one will be able to live down 
  attending a winter ball in a summer suit. 
  Just think what the nobles would say!
  The following details can be noted 
  depending on the season:
  • 
  Spring. Flowers aplenty, with sofer 
  yellows, reds, and greens galore. The 
  winter cloaks have been thrown off, 
  as now more fashionable apparel 
  can be worn. 
  • 
  Summer. Clothes to balance the 
  summer heat, flowy dresses and 
  ruffled shorts. Cooled drinks are 
  made readily available, as being 
  inside a statue can get rather heated.
  • 
  Autumn. Colours to match the 
  autumnal hues: oranges, browns, 
  and yellows scatter the party. There 
  is a mixture of summer, spring, and 
  winter clothes, mostly as guests use 
  this as a last chance to wear their 
  favourite clothes. 
  • 
  Winter. Whites and cold blues fill 
  the ballroom, with the occasional 
  splash of colour from those 
  desperate to stand out. Thick fur 
  cloaks, gloves, and jackets are 
  abundant, while those without 
  huddle close to the roaring 
  fireplaces. 
  
  7
  Adventure Hooks
  The entire adventure centres around the 
  release party located in Sparuant Tower, and 
  there are a few ways to get the characters into 
  the most exclusive party of the year. Below 
  are just three suggestions:
  A Secret Invitation
  The adventurers are located by a courier who 
  delivers an unmarked but sealed envelope. 
  Inside are invitations for everyone to Volo’s 
  extravagant book release party, along with a 
  handwritten note that simply reads “Attend 
  with utmost vigilance.” It doesn’t appear as 
  if it was from Volo despite it being his party, 
  but discovering who sent the secret invitation 
  only adds to the mystery of it all.
  Faerûn’s Up-and-
  Coming Heroes
  Volo is one to maintain an appearance 
  in social circles, if not to brag about his 
  countless expeditions, than to keep up to date 
  with the trends of a city. He may have heard 
  of the characters’ antics in Waterdeep and 
  couldn’t think of a better group to join in the 
  celebration of his next greatest book release.
  Volo’s “Best” Friends
  If following or during the events of 
  Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, the party may have 
  already encountered and assisted Volo. In 
  which case, they will either get a personal 
  visit from the man himself or a warmly 
  worded letter inviting them to the Hawk Man 
  walking statue of Waterdeep for his newest 
  book release.
  Volothamp Geddarm
  The infamous world traveller, what can be 
  said about Volothamp Geddarm that he hasn’t 
  already told anyone he’s ever met? Despite 
  his boisterous renown, Volo is a soft-hearted 
  fellow who truly cares for his friends. His 
  body of work from Volo’s Guide to the Sword 
  Coast to Volo’s Guide to Monsters speaks for 
  itself, providing information about the cities 
  of Faerun or the creatures who inhabit it.
  He’s a middling wizard, whose iconic 
  appearance is a floppy azure hat and 
  extended white scarf. Being quite the 
  socialite, Volo has a charming disposition, 
  and he makes no attempt to hide how well 
  travelled he is or the powerful friends he 
  has made. Volo’s thirst for knowledge, or at 
  least being known to know, is what drives his 
  insatiable curiosity. A curiosity that his dear 
  friend Elminster says will be the death of him.
  Personality Trait: Braggart. I have 
  the wildest of tales to tell, each one 
  entirely  true!
  Ideal: Friendship. The bonds of friendship 
  we make, and the books I’ve written, will 
  last forever.
  Bond: Friends. There’s nothing I won’t do for 
  a friend in need.
  Flaw: Inflated Ego. My work is instrumental 
  in making the world a better place!
  Volothamp Geddarm
  
  8
  T
  here are few locations within 
  Waterdeep more exotic or exciting 
  as the now-dormant Walking 
  Statues. Believed to be the creation 
  of Ahgharion, the founder of Waterdeep, the 
  Walking Statues were summoned in defence 
  of the great city. For the longest time, seven of 
  the eight Walking Statues were hidden within 
  the Ethereal Plane and only the Spellplague 
  of 1385 forced six of them to appear. 
  Unexpectedly, the colossus sized statues 
  proceeded to demolish large chunks of the 
  city, and it was only after the Swordmaiden, 
  the Hawk Man, and the God Catcher were 
  stopped by Khelben, the Blackstaff at that 
  time, that the unexplained rampage ended.
  They are considered to be Watderdeep’s 
  last line of defence and under the control 
  of the Blackstaff, the title of the Archmage 
  of Waterdeep. Currently that title is held by 
  Vajra Safahr, only she can animate the statues 
  to obey her commands. However, all the 
  statues have been dormant for over a century, 
  and Vajra is confident that Waterdeep can 
  defend itself without resorting to animating a 
  Walking Statue. 
  As a result of the inactivity, some residents 
  have begun to take liberties such as building 
  atop, or even so far as hollowing out to build 
  inside one of the statues. However, none have 
  been such an outward sign of wealth and 
  power than Lady Sparaunt’s renovations of 
  the Hawk Man. Six lavish apartments were 
  carved from inside the Hawk Man statue, and 
  the structure was renamed Sparaunt Tower.
  Location History
  Sparaunt Tower is located inside the 
  hollowed-out Hawk Man colossus statue, 
  from the pelvis up to the top of the hawk’s 
  head. The main entrance to the tower is 
  embedded into the statue’s left hand palm, 
  and the only means of accessing the tower 
  is via a rope ladder, wooden platform, or 
  lifted chairs.
  It’s now home to many wealthy residents 
  of Waterdeep’s Castle Ward. The tower 
  gained its name from Lady Sparaunt, who 
  supervised the renovations personally. 
  Friends of Lady Sparaunt - or patrons with 
  enough funds - rent the tower for balls, 
  festivities, or a prolific author’s newest 
  release party. 
  It bears the resemblance of an aarakocra, 
  with wings tucked tightly behind its back, 
  and its left arm outstretched as if to motion 
  “stop.” However both its right foot and right 
  arm have been destroyed, causing the entire 
  tower to tilt towards the north-east. Despite 
  the statue’s outwardly tilt, each floor inside 
  the tower is perfectly level.
  Sparaunt Tower Features
  The following general features apply to 
  Sparaunt Tower:
  Structure. Sparaunt Tower has six stories.
  Ceilings. Its rooms have 12-foot-high 
  ceilings and 7-foot-high doorways. 
  Lighting. Unless otherwise noted, all areas 
  are brightly lit by wall sconces.
  Climbing. Any attempt to climb the outside 
  of the Hawk Man statue without equipment 
  requires a successful DC 15 Strength 
  (Athletics) check.
  Entrance. The main entrance to the tower 
  is a doorway carved into the statue’s palm. In 
  the courtyard below, ringing a small copper 
  bell notifies a guard who then lowers a 
  platform to raise visitors up to the entrance.
  Doors. Each of the doors in the tower is 
  made of iron-bound oak and has AC 16, 27 hit 
  points, and immunity to poison and psychic 
  damage. If a door is locked, it can be picked 
  by a character who makes a successful DC 
  15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools, or it 
  Sparaunt Tower - Hawk Man
  
  9
  can be forced open with a successful DC 20 
  Strength (Athletics) check. Lady Sparaunt 
  and her two co-chief house servants hold keys 
  to every room in the building.
  Windows. The entire tower is devoid 
  of windows, except for at the head of the 
  statue where it is possible to stare out of the 
  three-foot wide windows set into either eye. 
  There are multiple latches on the windows. 
  A successful DC 16 Dexterity check using 
  thieves’ tools opens one of the windows from 
  the outside. 
  Pillars. Each room has a number of 5-foot-
  wide, square stone support beams connected 
  to arches for structural support to the statue.
  Occupants of 
  Sparaunt Tower
  Sparaunt Tower is home to some of the 
  richest people of Waterdeep, as to be 
  expected from housing found within one 
  of the wondrous Walking Statues. As such, 
  there is a cavalcade of staff ready and willing 
  to tend to every need of those within the 
  tower. Everyone is ordered to be on their best 
  behavior for Volo’s party, as many influential 
  people have been invited to come celebrate, 
  and a good impression only serves to improve 
  Lady Sparaunt’s renown. 
  Lady Sparaunt
  The owner of Sparaunt Tower is something 
  of an enigma. Lady Sparaunt is rarely seen 
  in public, and very little is known about her. 
  Even her first name is a mystery to the public. 
  Rumours say that she has been in Waterdeep 
  for a dozen years, others suggest she simply 
  turned up to begin building in the Hawk Man. 
  The truth is unknown. 
  Appearance-wise, Lady Sparaunt is 
  incredibly unassuming by design. Lady 
  Sparaunt is of indiscriminate age, but it 
  would be fair to assume her life has been 
  extended via magical means. She doesn’t 
  wear clothes to signify herself as nobility or 
  rich; as a result, only her staff can identify her. 
  During the party, Lady Sparaunt idly 
  patrols the rooms, making chit chat when she 
  sees fit. Those who converse with her may 
  notice the slight white glaze of her eyes due to 
  her habitual blank stares. 
  Lady Sparaunt is a neutral human female 
  diviner (VGtM p213). 
  Personality Trait: Secretive. Most people 
  know very little about me. I intend to keep 
  it that way.
  Ideal: Control. Do you know birds always 
  know the wind in which they fly? I 
  foresee the wind.
  Bond: Remnis. My studies led me to Remnis, 
  I work in his name. 
  Flaw: Blank Stare. Forgive me, I did not 
  mean to appear as if I was staring through 
  you. My mind was elsewhere.
  
  10
  
  11
  Head Servants
  There are four head servant roles within 
  Sparaunt Tower, all of which respond 
  directly to Lady Sparaunt. All staff such as 
  servants and guards live outside of the tower, 
  commuting early in the morning or late at 
  night depending on their shift. They are noted 
  as follows:
  • 
  Tylfine & Aralkin Summerlin. A pair of 
  identical twin neutral good female half-
  elf spies. Tylfine and Aralkin are Lady 
  Sparaunt’s co-chief house servants. 
  They tend to and oversee everything 
  within the tower, including directing 
  all housekeeping services, gathering 
  residents’ desired meals, and planning 
  a wide array of evening entertainment. 
  They often switch roles, much to 
  the confusion of the remaining staff. 
  Despite being identical, the pair can 
  be differentiated by the colour accents 
  of their uniform; Tylfine’s is red, while 
  Aralkin’s is yellow. 
  • 
  Frug Knuckespring. A lawful good 
  male halfling bandit captain. Frug, the 
  entrance guard, stands on the platform 
  extending from the statue’s palm, 
  raising and lowering residents to the 
  tower, overseeing all who can enter the 
  tower. He uses his incredible strength 
  to follow Lady Sparaunt’s instructions 
  to the letter.
  • 
  Wehltrin Do’ervs. A chaotic neutral 
  non-binary drow berserker. As the 
  Head Chef of Sparaunt Tower, Wehltrin 
  is incredibly serious about their role. 
  They are a perfectionist and quick to 
  anger towards anything that would 
  impede their perfection. 
  Other staff include seventeen guards, six 
  chefs (commoners), and twenty servants 
  (commoners) of differing roles. Wishing to 
  make a good impression Lady Sparaunt has 
  all members of staff working for the duration 
  of the party. 
  Invited Guests & Denizens
  Volo has invited more than fifty privileged 
  guests, people of all sorts of backgrounds 
  and occupations, to attend his book release 
  party. In addition, there are eleven residents 
  of Sparaunt Tower in attendance, including 
  Lady Sparaunt. Some of the denizens have 
  joined in the celebration - who doesn’t love 
  a free party? - whereas others opted to stay 
  within the safe confines of their apartments.
  Sparaunt Tower Locations
  The following locations are keyed to map 1.1 
  on page 10.
  S1. Hawk’s Hand Entrance
  Approaching any of the Walking Statues of 
  Waterdeep is always a case for wonderment, 
  and today is no exception. Before you is the 
  tilted colossus known as the Hawk Man, its 
  left hand outstretched as if commanding you 
  to stop. The festivities have clearly begun, 
  as an orderly queue lies ahead. Bundles of 
  people step into a wooden platform which 
  is cautiously lifted towards the entrance 
  embedded into the statue’s palm.
  Within the Castle Ward, at the base of 
  Sparaunt Tower is a small courtyard with 
  four L-shaped flower beds outlining the 
  space. Because of the Hawk Man’s perceived 
  perilous leaning, the centre of the courtyard is 
  directly under the statue’s outstretched palm. 
  Party Guests. A dozen guests have formed 
  an orderly queue waiting for the lift to 
  descend and carry them up into Sparaunt 
  Tower. In front of them is a Sparaunt guard, 
  who inspects everyone’s invitation before 
  letting them board the cart. If the characters 
  do not have their invitations, only a successful 
  DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check or a 5 
  gp per person bribe allows them passage. Any 
  attempts to threaten the guard are met with 
  calls for the City Watch.
  Wooden Cart Lift. A 10-foot by 10-
  foot wooden cart is held up by a series of 
  chains. It can hold up to five medium-sized 
  
  12
  passengers per voyage. Each journey takes 
  roughly ten minutes to lift up and lower the 
  lift. There are runes at the bottom of the cart 
  that can be identified with a successful DC 
  15 Intelligence (Arcana) check as reactive 
  runes that cast feather fall on every passenger 
  should the cart ever fall.
  Frug Knucklespring. The halfling entrance 
  guard manually heaves up each cart, wearing 
  thick cog-covered metal gloves. He is assisted 
  by two other Sparaunt guards. Despite being 
  rather sweaty, Frug still bows patiently to 
  each guest and welcomes them to Sparaunt 
  Tower. Frug asks all guests to relinquish 
  any visible weaponry, which is locked and 
  stored within a create in the entry hall (area 
  S2). However, given the number of guests, 
  Frug can be convinced to let the adventurers 
  keep their weapons after a successful DC 15 
  Charisma (Persuasion) check. 
  S2. Entry Hall
  The narrow hall has the following features:
  • 
  An azure rug runs the length of the 
  statue’s arm towards a closed door at 
  the far end.
  • 
  Halfway down the hall, a pair of 
  miniature renditions of the undamaged 
  Hawk Man Walking Statues point 
  towards the entrance. They are 
  mirrored on each side of the hallway, 
  with one holding its left arm up, while 
  the other holds its right up.
  • 
  Two Sparaunt guards flank the far 
  door, dressed in fine orange regalia with 
  every piece of metal showing polished 
  to near perfection.
  • 
  A locked crate rests in the corner of 
  the room. It is filled with assorted fine 
  ornamental sabers and functional 
  daggers. The lock can be picked by 
  a character who makes a successful 
  DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ 
  tools, or it can be forced open 
  with a successful DC 20 Strength 
  (Athletics) check.
  S3. Foyer
  The centre of the foyer is dominated by a 
  15-foot-wide spiral staircase. The back of the 
  room is dominated by a functioning fountain 
  depicting the Hawk Man, that reaches from 
  the ground to a foot below the ceiling. Four 
  Sparaunt guards stand within the room, two 
  flanking the grand marble staircase, while 
  the other pair guards the entrance into the 
  ballroom. There are four exits to this room:
  • 
  A wooden door leads back into the 
  Entry Hall (area S2).
  • 
  A golden filigree set of open 
  double doors yield for the spacious 
  ballroom (area S4).
  • 
  The spiral staircase leads upstairs 
  to the 3rd floor (area S7 & S8) 
  or downstairs into the banquet 
  hall (area S5).
  S4. Ballroom 
  The expansive ballroom contains the 
  following noteworthy features:
  • 
  Four servants stand with trays by the 
  entrance, half of which contain flutes of 
  wine or champagne, while the other half 
  hosts a collection of smaller entrees. 
  • 
  The polished wooden flooring is painted 
  with an image of the Hawk Man statue 
  across the centre, with crests bearing 
  images of the remaining Walking 
  Statues of Waterdeep circling it. 
  • 
  Regal azure curtains line the curved 
  walls of the room like pillars, with fabric 
  arches that reveal the gilded mirrors 
  that fill the otherwise blank wall spaces. 
  The mirrors give the illusion that the 
  room is far larger than reality. 
  • 
  It is filled with three dozen guests. A 
  fine assortment of characters, given 
  Volo’s nact for making friends. The 
  guests could be found standing in small 
  circles mingling, or engaging in dancing 
  as and when the music peaks. 
  
  13
  Volo’s Book Signing. On the far side of 
  the room, a chair and table has been placed. 
  Atop the table are four stacks of Volo’s newest 
  book, along with a quill and ink for Volo to 
  begin signing. A lone guard stands by them, 
  but makes no effort to stop guests from 
  taking a book.
  Musical Stage. To the right of the book 
  signing is a collapsible wooden stage akin 
  to those an entertaining troupe would use. 
  Throughout the night, three different kinds of 
  music are played:
  • 
  A young male dwarf with an orchestral 
  voice sings beautifully as he plays on a 
  grand pedal harp.
  • 
  A lively female human dances around 
  the stage barefoot with a fiddle, enticing 
  everyone to join in a jig of sorts. Her 
  name is Nursi Goldsteel. She is secretly 
  a Zhentarim spy. 
  • 
  A pair of flute-playing male elves 
  harmonise perfectly in what is a display 
  of musical fencing as they try to out play 
  one another.
  Dancing Constructs. Four well-dressed 
  magical constructs stand to serve as dance 
  partners, they have the functionality to alter 
  their clothing to fit the dance, and desires of 
  their dancing partner. The constructs have an 
  AC of 18, 10 hit points, and are idle when not 
  engaged in dancing.
  S5. Banquet Hall
  The room has the following features:
  • 
  Two Sparaunt guards stand by the 
  spiral staircase, while ten servers 
  (commoners) tend to the needs of the 
  guests as well as ferrying food or dirty 
  plates to and from the kitchen. 
  • 
  Five circular tables fill the room, each 
  sitting ten people, covered in the finest 
  collection of silverware. 
  • 
  The room is a hive of conversation. Two 
  dozen guests made their way here for 
  the assortment of free food.
  • 
  A grand piano is tucked into one 
  corner, where a finely dressed female 
  dwarf (spy) plays soft music to 
  accompany eating. 
  S6. Kitchen
  The banquet kitchen is a flurry of action, 
  smells, and sounds as all the chefs attempt 
  to cater for the many guests. There are two 
  entrances to this room from the Banquet Hall 
  (area S5), however for staff the right door is 
  treated as an entrance, while the left is the 
  exit. The following are noteworthy features 
  of the room:
  • 
  Any character who enters the kitchen 
  must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving 
  throw or grow peckish from the smell of 
  the delicious cooking.
  • 
  The room has a centre island of wooden 
  worktops and an occasional lit stove. 
  Six chefs (commoners) cook a wide 
  array of appetisers, meals, and deserts. 
  • 
  Every few minutes a server from the 
  hall enters the kitchen with trays full of 
  dirty dishes, which are then replaced 
  with food and taken out into the 
  banquet hall. 
  • 
  Wehltrin Do’ervs (see “Head Servants”) 
  oversees everything, and there is rarely 
  a moment where they aren’t shouting 
  orders at the many chefs or servers. 
  Any intrusion into their kitchen is met 
  with a flurry of insults, before they start 
  throwing pots and pans. 
  S7. Smoking Room
  This room contains the following features:
  • 
  A twenty-foot long bar counter that is 
  tucked into one corner of the room. 
  A lone servant (commoner) fetches 
  drinks, pipes, and assorted smokeweed 
  from the cabinet behind the bar. Five 
  bar stools stand opposite the bar. 
  • 
  Cushioned blue armchairs are paired 
  throughout the room, some by the wall 
  while others occupy the centre of the 
  room. Walking through the smoking 
  room requires some weaving between 
  the chairs. 
  • 
  On the coffee tables between each 
  chair are glass ashtrays, and lit incense 
  burners to keep a refreshing scent of 
  petals in the air. Despite this, the room 
  
  14
  still smells heavily of smoke. They 
  also include a number of small marble 
  statuettes of the many Walking Statues 
  of Waterdeep. 
  Drinks & Pipes Cabinet. Behind the bar 
  under lock and key, are a collection of fifteen 
  different expensive drinks (ports, whiskeys, 
  wines), ten wooden guest pipes, and three 
  assortments of smokeweed. Unknown to 
  the bartender, one of the bottles labelled 
  "Elven Wit" was poisoned months prior. 
  Any creature drinking it must succeed a DC 
  13 Constitution saving throw or become 
  poisoned. One type of smokeweed provided 
  is labelled "Sleepy-Weed" which if smoked 
  causes the creature to have disadvantage 
  against any effect that tries to put them to 
  sleep until they finish a long rest. 
  Map of Waterdeep. On the northern wall 
  hangs a canvas map of Waterdeep that covers 
  the majority of the wall space. The map 
  itself has no locations labelled. On closer 
  inspection, a successful DC 16 Intelligence 
  (Arcana) check reveals that the map is 
  magical, enchanted with divination magic. 
  Only Lady Sparaunt knows the command 
  word, which if spoken will reveal the 
  location of a creature that she knows, usable 
  once per day. 
  S8. Library
  The room contains the following features:
  • 
  Every available wallspace has been 
  covered in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, 
  with only the highest of shelves not 
  flush with books. As such, a faint musty 
  smell of aging parchment fills the air. 
  • 
  A brass pole encirlcles the room, 
  from which two wheeled ladders can 
  be slid around the room to reach the 
  higher shelves.
  • 
  Much like in the ballroom, a table has 
  been provided for Volo to display his 
  newest book and for potential signings. 
  Books. None of the books are magical, or 
  really hold any value about 5 sp. However, a 
  few may stand out to the adventurers:
  • 
  Volo’s Guide to Monsters - The book 
  appears in poor condition, with multiple 
  pages torn out, water damage, and 
  crude phrases about Volo’s character 
  written in the margins. 
  • 
  The Truth of Matters - An expose 
  written by an unknown author, the 
  book writes about fabricated scandals 
  of multiple well-known figures who’ve 
  visited Waterdeep, including Volo, 
  Dagult Neverember, Mirt, and Laeral 
  Silverhand. 
  • 
  The Rise of the Cassalanters - A recent 
  book that details the somewhat sudden 
  success of the Cassalanter family. The 
  author only speaks appraisingly of the 
  family and in the smallest of footnotes 
  mentions how the publication of the 
  book was funded by the Cassalanters. 
  Secret Door. The secret door to Sparaunt’s 
  Aviary (area S9) can be detected by a 
  character who makes a successful DC 19 
  Wisdom (Perception) check. The character 
  discovers one of the bookshelves can be lifted 
  to reveal a hidden room behind. 
  
  15
  S9. Sparaunt’s Aviary
  From the secret entrance in the library (area 
  S8) exists Lady’s Sparaunt’s private aviary. 
  An assortment of hawks, pigeons, and crows 
  sit on perches scattered across the room. 
  There are three steel cages, but all the doors 
  have been removed. Tucked to one side of the 
  room is a cot, complete with plump pillows 
  and a thick blanket. 
  Hole in the Wall. Roughly seven-feet up the 
  eastern wall is a two-foot-wide hole, that birds 
  use to freely come and go from the room. A 
  successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check deduces that the damage was most 
  likely caused by objects catapulted via 
  magical means.
  Crill the Aarakocra. Crill (lawful good 
  male aarakocra priest) lives within this room, 
  under the protection of Lady Sparaunt. He is 
  a devout follower of Remnis, God of Sky and 
  Service. He in turn cares for all the birds in 
  the aviary, training them to be messengers, 
  and spies where possible. Crill responds to 
  any intruder by remaining perfectly silent, 
  watching intently, and defending himself as 
  necessary. 
  S10. Private Apartments A-E
  The 4th and 5th floors of Sparaunt Tower 
  are dedicated to private apartments for the 
  denizens, one of which being Lady Sparaunt 
  herself. The entrance to the apartments are 
  off limits to guests, and there are two guards 
  on both floors to ensure only residents 
  have access. 
  Each apartment has a near identical 
  layout and can be broken down into the 
  following rooms:
  • 
  P1. Dining Room. Also functioning 
  as a foyer, the dining room provides 
  space for four individuals to sit around 
  a square table. Meals are provided 
  by the servants of Sparaunt Tower, 
  and delivered to each apartment as 
  desired. A magical bell is by the door, 
  which alerts the servants that they 
  are required. 
  • 
  P2. Parlor. A collection of comfortable 
  leather chairs, a fireplace that magicly 
  emits zero smoke, and optional drinks 
  cabinets, book shelves, and card table. 
  This is the room of complete leisure. 
  • 
  P3. Bathroom. Above a circular 
  wooden tub, a magically enchanted 
  faucet can create/destroy water to both 
  fill, and empty the bathtub.
  • 
  P4. Bedroom/Office. The second 
  room may function differently for each 
  apartment, for some it is the guest room 
  with two singles or a double bed. In 
  others it is a functional office, with desk 
  space and shelving.
  • 
  P5. Master Bedroom. Despite the 
  smaller conditions, the master bedroom 
  fits a four poster bed, abundant warm 
  rugs scattering the floor, space for a 
  wardrobe, and small vanity corner. 
  • 
  P6. Secret Chamber. Each master 
  bedroom contains a secret chamber, 
  where the resident may keep things safe 
  or out of sight. Discovering the movable 
  panel, requires a successful DC 18 
  Wisdom (Perception) check.
  S11. Hawk’s Eye Balcony
  If the characters are still within the material 
  plane read the following:
  Ascending the spiral stairs leads into a quaint 
  circular room. On one side, there are two 
  port windows that overlook Waterdeep, from 
  the Castle Ward and beyond. Griffon calvary 
  riders can be spotted in the distance, but for 
  a mere moment everything seems tranquil. A 
  city at peace.
  At the top of the spiral stairs are two simple 
  wooden stools. The room is otherwise empty. 
  
  16
  T
  he lights are on, the stage is set, and 
  we have our leading man. The only 
  thing left to do is to meet the villains. 
  As with any good murder mystery, 
  this adventure offers real plausable causes 
  so that anyone could have killed Volo. This 
  section outlines the four culprits: who they 
  are, how they killed Volo (if they did), and the 
  encounter chain that hopefully leads to their 
  apprehension.
  Overview of Culprits
  The adventure within this book offers four 
  unique villains who each have their own 
  justification for murdering Volo. No matter 
  who you choose, the other culprits are in the 
  background as potential red herrings, or to 
  be unlikely allies to aid the characters in their 
  investigation. 
  Soluun Xibrindas
  Soluun Xibrindas is a drow gunslinger and 
  lieutenant of Jarlaxle’s Bregan D’aerthe. 
  There is no doubt that Soluun is an evil and 
  sadistic individual. He is fiercely loyal to 
  Jarlaxle to the extent that when rumours of 
  Volo speaking poorly of his leader began to 
  spread, Soluun felt compelled to act. 
  Why Choose Soluun? 
  Soluun is a despicable character. Even if he 
  had a hand in the death of Volo, choosing 
  Soluun as the culprit allows for a clear-cut, 
  good-versus-evil experience. In addition, for 
  Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaigns with 
  Jarlaxle as the villian, this is another way to 
  disrupt his schemes through the removal of 
  one of his lieutenants. 
  Pirene, the Half-Nymph
  Half human, half nymph. Pirene is the result 
  of Volo’s escapades during his research into 
  nymphs. Her mother connected deeply with 
  Volo, and she believed he slipped off into 
  the night to never be seen again. She held 
  a fraction of that anger across the many 
  years that she raised Pirene. Returning to 
  civilisation, Pirene wishes for one thing, 
  closure through words or if it comes to 
  it, blood. 
  Why Choose Pirene? 
  Choosing Pirene offers a tragic story, one of 
  countless misunderstandings and the reveal 
  of Volo’s unknown daughter. There is also a 
  chance for reconciliation or redemption, for 
  Pirene to be given the closure she deserves.
  Davil Starsong
  Once an adventurer in the Doom Raiders, 
  Davil has now settled into the role of Master 
  of Opportunities and Negotiations for the 
  Zhentarim. Volo inadvertently or otherwise 
  has put kinks in some of Davil’s plans, and if 
  Davil wishes to maintain his high favor within 
  the Zhentarim, something needs to be done 
  about that troublesome scholar. 
  Why Choose Davil? 
  If the players have sided with Renaer and 
  aren’t currently working for the Zhentarim 
  faction, Davil would be a perfect choice. 
  Feeling slighted that he was nearly arrested 
  and with the Doom Raiders supporting him, 
  the following events can shape Zhentarims 
  presence within Waterdeep for good. 
  Hailee Dunn
  Hailee Dunn is from Lonelywood, a northern 
  settlement of Ten Towns in Icewind Dale. She 
  was a mere child when Volo visited, and for 
  a few gold pieces she told him countless lies 
  about her town. When Volo published Volo’s 
  Guide to the North, Hailee could only watch 
  as her town’s reputation began to dwindle, 
  and the commerce slowly slipped away. She’s 
  come south to force Volo to take back his 
  words, one way or another. 
  Why Choose Hailee? 
  Hailee’s arc offers a situation to paint Volo 
  as a potential villain, as her hometown has 
  suffered from one of Volo’s publications. 
  However, there is clear turmoil as deep down 
  Hailee believes she is the one to blame and is 
  only trying to right those wrongs. 
  Culprits
  
  17
  Soluun Xibrindas
  Soluun Xibrindas
  Soluun is one of Jarlaxle Baenre’s three 
  lieutenants within the Bregan D’aerthe 
  faction. By far he is the most fanatical and 
  chaotic follower; however, that never impeded 
  him from following Jarlaxle’s commands to 
  the letter by any means necessary. Soluun has 
  proven himself to go above and beyond again 
  and again; when told to eliminate enemies of 
  Bregan D’aerthe, he not only did it swiftly but 
  ensured that they suffered. 
  He joined Bregan D’aerthe with his brother, 
  Nar’l, after their entire house was wiped out. 
  Both brothers have proven themselves to 
  Jarlaxle, Nar’l by infiltrating the Xanathar’s 
  guild and Soluun with his unwavering 
  loyalty. However, Soluun looks down upon 
  his brother’s study of magic, considering 
  it a weakness that he would never debase 
  himself to. 
  Being raised in a drow house within the 
  Underdark forced certain teachings upon 
  Soluun, one being a burning hatred for 
  all surface elves. He takes any available 
  opportunity to kill them, but never out in the 
  open. Soluun is sadistic enough to enjoy a 
  slow hunt, truly a despicable character with 
  few redeeming qualities. He wears fine silk 
  clothes often in dark greys or deep blues, 
  occasionally with his scimitar and dagger in 
  prominent display. 
  Personality Trait: Bully. The world is a 
  hierarchy, those above us stomp down, we 
  may as well find enjoyment in stepping on 
  those below us. 
  Ideal: Power. One day, I’ll be able to freely 
  take all that I desire, all that I deserve. 
  Bond: Bregan D’aerthe. I am fiercely loyal to 
  Jarlaxle, our unquestionable leader. 
  Flaw: Surface Elf-Hatred. They think they’re 
  better than us drow, I’ll prove them wrong. 
  Relationship to Volo
  Soluun had a passing awareness of Volo, 
  but never had an active interest in any of his 
  work. However, Soluun became obsessed 
  with Volo when rumours began to speculate 
  that the author had made a passing comment 
  about Jarlaxle. The comment in question was 
  far from complimentary. 
  
  18
  Soluun's Location
  d100
  Soluun’s Location
  01-60
  The library (area S8) idly flicking 
  through Volo’s most recent book, 
  scoffing occasionally.
  61-90
  The ballroom (area S5), where he’ll be 
  intently watching a lone half-elf. His 
  face is the embodiment of hatred.
  91-00
  The banquet hall (area S6) sat at a 
  table by himself, eating contently while 
  sending compliments to the chef.
  After Volo’s Death
  Upon discovering that everyone is stranded 
  within the Ethereal Plane, Soluun is 
  understandably upset. He had matters of the 
  Bregan D’aerthe to tend to, and being trapped 
  in another plane of existence somewhat 
  hinders that. He refuses to be questioned by 
  the adventurers, saying how it is none of their 
  business. However, if Soluun is not the killer, 
  he makes his enjoyment of Volo’s death clear. 
  His Account of Events
  Soluun’s description of events is blunt. He 
  says he did not see Volo get murdered, but 
  wishes he had. Instead, he was spending 
  his time keeping out of the light, as drow 
  are known to do. However, if pushed for an 
  answer, Soluun does everything to hint that 
  a surface elf - such as Davil Starsong, within 
  the adventurers or, at the party - has snuck 
  behind everyone’s backs to kill Volo, scowling 
  all the while he speaks.  
  Soluun’s Encounters
  A fiercely loyal bully, Soluun attends the 
  party in order to defend the honor of his 
  boss, Jarlaxle. He’s a skulking and calculating 
  individual, but his devotion to his leader 
  may inadvertently bring about his eventual 
  incarceration. The encounter marked with a 
  * indicates this is the encounter where Volo 
  is killed, whereas the one marked with ** is 
  when Soluun is finally confronted. In order 
  to maintain the mystery, it is recommended 
  that the encounter with a * happens out of the 
  character’s sight.
  If He Killed Volo
  When: During the Behind My 
  Back encounter.
  How: Grabbing Volo and cutting out his 
  tongue, slashing him with a scimitar, and 
  shooting him with a poisonous pistol. 
  Why: Soluun heard that Volo made 
  a passing but insulting comment about 
  his leader, Jarlaxle. Soluun believes that 
  cannot go unpunished. 
  Fake Alibi: While conducting the 
  murder, Soluun disguised himself 
  as Jarlaxle, wishing to give him the 
  credit for killing Volo but inadvertently 
  incriminating him. 
  Knowing Jarlaxle as well as he does, 
  Soluun would just as quickly kill someone 
  in public for an insult rather than stand idle. 
  So, being the fanatic follower that Soluun is, 
  he’s made the choice to watch Volo closely 
  and, should the opportunity present itself, kill 
  Volo. He has yet to tell Jarlaxle, who actually 
  disapproves of killing Volo but admires the 
  effort nonetheless.
  
  19
  S1. Security Concerns 
  Location: Entry Hall (area S2)
  Shortly after the characters arrive at the 
  party, there is a commotion behind them. 
  Frug Knucklespring is arguing with Soluun 
  over confiscating the scimitar he proudly 
  has on display. Any character attempting to 
  overhear the dispute requires a successful 
  DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check, overhears 
  Soluun attempting most forms of persuasion, 
  bribery and a veiled threat to no avail. When 
  threatened to be removed from the party, 
  Soluun hands over his scimitar before 
  storming past. 
  A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) 
  check reveals that Soluun is suppressing 
  his rage, eyes set straight ahead with fury in 
  his walk. Soluun later returns to steal back 
  his scimitar, as witnessed by Davil Starsong 
  within the optional “Stealing What’s Mine” 
  encounter. 
  S2. Behind My Back*
  Location: Hawk’s Eye Balcony (area S11)
  Soluun subtly skulked Volo throughout the 
  party. When he saw Volo move off alone, 
  Soluun was close behind. He did not waste 
  any time, stepping right up and shooting 
  Volo in the gut, before proceeding to slash 
  him repeatedly with his scimitar. Soluun had 
  donned the hat of disguise, pretending to 
  appear as Jarlaxle to continually reprimand 
  Volo for ever insulting them.
  Before Volo died, Soluun cut out Volo’s 
  tongue as evidence of his handiwork. 
  Removing his hat and stuffing it full of 
  smokepowder as a boobytrap, Soluun snuck 
  away from the balcony to place the hat into 
  the kitchen (area S6). From start to finish, 
  Soluun worked within a minute, doing 
  everything to maximise Volo’s suffering in 
  that short period. 
  
  20
  Soluun's Murder Clues
  Murder Clue
  Description
  Encounter & 
  Location
  Volo’s Body
  Volo’s body lays within the centre of the room with blackened veins. 
  There are multiple slashes across his body, in combination with a single 
  gut-shot wound and a severed tongue. A successful DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) deduces that the slashes came from a curved blade of 
  sorts, and the gunshot wound was dealt at point-blank range. 
  Inspecting the blackened veins, a successful DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Medicine) check reveals that Volo was poisoned, just before he died.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Speak with 
  Dead
  If asked, Volo believes he identified his murderer as Jarlaxle. However, 
  before he was killed Volo managed to see that it was some form of 
  magical disguise but not who was behind it. To Volo’s knowledge he’s 
  never said anything particularly negative about Jarlaxle. His death was 
  far from pleasant; his killer tried their best to torment him.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Wall Marks
  The walls around the room have specks of blood scattered across 
  them. Upon closer inspection, like a successful DC 14 Wisdom 
  (Perception) discovers the remains of a bullet embedded within 
  the wall. 
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Smokepowder 
  Residue
  Within the room, any character who attempts to smell the air discovers, 
  on a successful DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check the distinct scent 
  of smokepowder. Any characters that have used a pistol before have 
  advantage on the check.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Faint Bang 
  Heard
  At the time of Volo’s death, those within the foyer or spiral staircase 
  with a passive (Wisdom) Perception of 20 or higher hear bang from 
  the very top of the statue. A few patrons confirm that they, too, heard 
  a bang from upstairs, before everything was shifted into the Ethereal 
  Plane.
  Foyer (area S3)
  Imitation 
  Jarlaxle Hat
  Snuck into the kitchen by Soluun, to be placed atop the apron rack 
  that hangs on the wall. Only Wehltrin, the head chef, identifies it as not 
  belonging within their kitchen. However, they also know it bears some 
  resemblance to a hat worn by an infamous Waterdhavian drow. In 
  truth, the hat is a hat of disguise allowing its wearer to briefly appear as 
  someone else. 
  If the hat is lifted, it lights a fuse which ignites the smokepowder. 
  Each creature within 20 feet must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving 
  throw or suffer 3d6 fire damage, or half as much on a success.
  An Explosive 
  Distraction 
  Kitchen (area S6)
  Frug 
  Knucklespring
  At the start of the evening Frug stopped Soluun from entering, despite 
  his invitation, because he openly possessed a blade. Annoyed, Soluun 
  eventually relinquished possession of his scimitar, which he later stole 
  back, as witnessed by Davil.
  Security Concerns 
  Foyer (area S3)
  Missing 
  Scimitar
  Within the entry hall is a locked crate for confiscated weapons. Soluun’s 
  scimitar was placed in there by Frug but is now missing. Soluun 
  currently has it concealed within a compartment of his studded leather 
  tunic. A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals 
  that it could have been the murder weapon, but the blade is clean of 
  all blood.
  Stealing Whats Mine 
  Entry Hall (area S2)
  Volo’s Tongue
  Wishing to present Jarlaxle with evidence of his work, along with 
  the sentiment that those who speak poorly of the Bregan D’aerthe 
  shouldn’t speak at all, he’s kept it securely within a tightly-sealed thick 
  leather pouch.
  In Soluun’s 
  possession
  
  21
  S3. An Explosive Distraction
  Location: Kitchen (area S6)
  As a precaution, Soluun stashed his hat 
  of disguise within the kitchen stuffed with 
  smokepowder. If the hat is disturbed, or 
  Soluun speaks a command word it ignites the 
  fuse causing an explosive distraction. This is 
  something Soluun will use if he believes he 
  is being followed, or if the heroes begin to 
  interrogate him. In response, he’ll break line 
  of sight to speak the command word to cause 
  havoc on the lower floors. 
  The explosion causes significant damage 
  to the kitchen, killing many of the servants 
  or chefs involved. A successful DC 15 
  Intelligence (Investigation) determines the 
  explosion originated from the coat rack. Frug 
  Knucklespring is quick to arrive at the scene, 
  who shares what information he knows with 
  the party;
  • 
  Frug informs the party of his encounter 
  with Soluun about confiscating his 
  scimitar, and when Frug recently went 
  to check, the scimitar was missing.
  • 
  One or two guests report spotting a 
  drow walk in and out of the kitchen, 
  this could’ve been Soluun or Wehltrin 
  Do’ervs, who works as head-chef.
  • 
  The hat of disguise was damaged in the 
  explosion, but survived enough to still 
  bear the resemblance to Jarlaxle’s hat. 
  S4. Gunsmoke & Mirrors**
  Location: Wherever Soluun is located. 
  Soluun remains resistant to any interrogation 
  or line of questioning, but he is always aware 
  when tones begin to become accusations. He 
  makes sure to inform the party that he has 
  connections to individuals they should not 
  wish to cross. But ultimately, Soluun would 
  not let the party make the first move, if he had 
  been found out, Soluun would begin to hunt 
  the characters instead. 
  Tactics. Soluun cannot help but prey on 
  the weakest, using darkness to initiate the 
  fight and his boots of elvenkind to move 
  entirely undetected. He is very likely to be 
  outnumbered, so at any given opportunity he 
  breaks line of sight, firing his poison pistol to 
  harm attackers. As the situation turns dire, 
  Soluun may resort to throwing ignited bags 
  of smokepowder. However the fight goes, 
  Soluun does not relent nor does he surrender. 
  He would sooner die than let himself be 
  captured and disgrace Jarlaxle.
  
  22
  Pirene, the Half-Nymph
  Pirene is a warm candle on a winter’s 
  evening, a crackling bonfire on a summer’s 
  midnight. From the outside she may 
  seem like a half-elf, but her soft voice and 
  enticing eyes hint at her fey heritage. To 
  say that Pirene is beautiful would be an 
  understatement, but it is her gaze, rather than 
  her appearance, that draws one’s attention. 
  A knowing behind the eyes, and yet there is a 
  deep burning within them that when viewed 
  in one light can be an unyielding passion, and 
  another an unquenchable anger.
  The origin of Pirene is an unfortunate 
  tale of countless misunderstandings. Her 
  reclusive mother, Felerua, a true nymph, 
  lived deep within an ancient forest beside a 
  tranquil pond. Volo, during his brief escapade 
  in writing the Complete Guide to the 
  Behavior of Nymphs, accidently stumbled into 
  Felerua’s domain. 
  Felerua was initially enraged by Volo, 
  tempted to use her charm to drive him 
  insane and leave him for dead. But when 
  the two spoke, Felerua was disarmed by her 
  curiosity due to a shared interest of truth 
  and discovery. Moment by moment tensions 
  lowered. Minutes turned to hours, and they 
  spoke and laughed from dusk till dawn. The 
  two quickly grew intimate and fell asleep 
  in each other’s arms. Volo was the first to 
  awake, victim to his body’s call for nature. He 
  carefully stepped out into the forest, trying 
  to find a suitable location. Unfortunately 
  for Volo, his paths crossed with a lone but 
  extremely territorial owlbear; one thump 
  later, he was left unconscious.
  When Volo awoke, bleary eyed, he believed 
  all the events of the night before to be the 
  effects of a nymph’s allure. Considering 
  himself incredibly fortunate to still be alive, 
  Volo hastily returned to civilisation. He 
  went on to proudly boast how he survived 
  an encounter with a nymph. Felerua, 
  however, waited a single day and night for 
  Volo’s return. When Volo never returned, 
  she found herself briefly brokenhearted but 
  discovered an invigorated resolve. She had 
  fooled herself, and while reminders of Volo’s 
  perceived trickery still ached, Felerua had a 
  more urgent matter to tend to - the child she 
  was bearing. 
  Felerua did her best to raise Pirene, 
  frequently instilling the lesson of never 
  trusting a sweet-talking human. Over time, 
  Pirene could see the pain this “Volo” had 
  caused her mother. Pirene made a simple 
  vow: since Volo broke her mother’s heart, she 
  would rip his out by force.
  Personality Trait: Center of Attention. 
  Moonlight does not glimmer for the flora or 
  fauna, it simply does, much like me.
  Ideal: Love. Mother spoke like leaves 
  on water, but she loved as deep as an 
  ocean stone.
  Bond: Family. We may forge friendships and 
  make enemies, but the blood in my veins is 
  always that of my kin.
  Flaw: Fae-Temper. The fiercest of storms 
  often gives no warnings.
  Pirene, the Half-Nymph
  
  23
  Relationship to Volo
  Pirene’s relationship to Volo is an 
  understandably complicated one, given that 
  she is his estranged daughter. Prior to the 
  release party, Pirene had never met nor 
  spoke to Volo. She knew of him as a result of 
  years of tracking him, reading his books, and 
  speaking to anyone who had met him. Her 
  quest has been one fueled by rage and spite, 
  to discover everything about the man who 
  broke her mother’s heart. 
  Pirene's Location
  d100
  Pirene’s Location
  01-60
  The ballroom (area S5), dancing away 
  wildly or waiting impatiently for the 
  music to begin.
  61-90
  The library (area S8), angrily flipping 
  through Volo’s latest book.
  91-00
  The smoking room (area S7), flirting 
  openly with a finely dressed female 
  tiefling.
  After Volo’s Death
  Following the Return to the Ethereal Plane 
  event. Pirene does little to hide her pleasure 
  at discovering Volo’s death. She vows she 
  didn’t kill him, but she wishes she had. 
  Pirene’s location can be determined using 
  the corresponding location table. She doesn’t 
  mind speaking with the characters, but would 
  prefer the music continue so that they all 
  may dance.
  Her Account of Events
  Pirene arrived at the party early, hoping to 
  speak with Volo before everything started. 
  After being unable to find him, she went into 
  the ballroom to chat idly with the musicians. 
  Once the party started and Volo made his 
  speech, Pirene ran directly to speak with him. 
  Unfortunately she clashed with Hailee Dunn; 
  after escaping the argument she found Volo. 
  The two then engaged in a heated discussion, 
  in which she revealed that she is his 
  estranged daughter. They were interrupted by 
  Davil Starsong. She then spent the remainder 
  of the evening with a fellow guest Lady 
  Visamel Opal, within eyesight of a Sparaunt 
  guard, Hannar Bright.
  Pirene’s Encounters
  Despite her intentions to kill Volo, being 
  among civilisation is rare for Pirene, and it is 
  an opportunity she wishes to make the most 
  of. However, these attributes eventually lead 
  to her downfall. The encounter marked with 
  a * indicates this is the encounter where Volo 
  is killed, whereas the one marked with ** is 
  when Pirene is finally confronted. In order 
  to maintain the mystery, it is recommended 
  that the encounter with a * happens out of the 
  character’s sight.
  P1. Dance like No One’s Watching
  Location: Ballroom (area S4)
  Before Volo even appears to give his 
  opening speech, and partially during, Pirene 
  swirls and dances within the very heart 
  of the ballroom. Guests, guards, and the 
  musicians seem entirely enraptured by her 
  performance. Characters watching need 
  to succeed a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw, 
  If She Killed Volo
  When: During the Daughters’s 
  Scorn encounter.
  How: Being stabbed in the heart 
  from behind. His heart was later torn 
  from his chest.
  Why: Avenging the way she believed 
  Volo had treated her mother. She believes 
  he tricked her mother, abandoning her 
  with a broken heart.
  Fake Alibi: Using her nymph heritage, 
  Pirene has charmed two individuals. 
  Another party guest and a Sparaunt Guard 
  both attest to her being downstairs during 
  the time of the murder.
  
  24
  Pirene's Murder Clues
  Murder Clue
  Description
  Encounter & 
  Location
  Volo’s Body
  Volo lays on his side in the middle of the floor, blood scattered across 
  the floor. A hole in his chest reveals that his heart has been torn out. A 
  successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) reveals that Volo had been 
  stabbed in the heart from behind, and the body has been significantly 
  moved about.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Speak With 
  Dead
  If any of the characters cast speak with dead, Volo knows the following 
  information:
  • 
  He was stabbed from behind and didn’t see who could’ve done it.
  • 
  He had an argument with a woman claiming to be his daughter. 
  • 
  Davil Starsong led him up here to discuss a business opportunity 
  that Volo flat-out refused.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Nymph Hair 
  Braid
  • 
  Forced into Volo’s dead grasp is a two-inch long braid.
  • 
  Characters who smell the braid must succeed a DC 14 Constitution 
  saving throw or become charmed by Pirene for 1 hour. She, 
  however, will not know that they are charmed.
  • 
  A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that the 
  braid is from a fey creature, most likely a nymph.
  • 
  The braid belongs to Pirene’s mother, and if presented with it a 
  successful DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) reveals that she is trying to 
  conceal that she knows something about the braid.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Bloody 
  Handprint & 
  Trail
  The faintest trail of blood leads from the balcony down towards the 
  library. It takes a successful DC 19 Wisdom (Perception) check to 
  identify the trail against the vibrantly dyed rug. On a pillar outside of 
  the library, a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) reveals a half-
  handprint where someone seemingly briefly leaned up against the wall.
  Library (area S8)
  Bloody Glove
  In one of the far corners, a bloody glove has been hidden behind some 
  older books on the bottom of a shelf. The dust around them has been 
  distrubed, indicating recent movement.
  Library (area S8)
  Sparaunt 
  Guard Dagger
  Under the desk within the centre of the room, a guard’s dagger has 
  been stabbed into the wood. The blade is clean, but a successful 
  DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals it was recently 
  covered in blood.
  Library (area S8)
  Sparaunt 
  Guard
  Hannar Bright has been working for Lady Sparaunt for a few years. 
  She’s reliable and sturdy. She’s currently charmed by Pirene, and the 
  dagger which all guards have on their belt is missing.
  Accompanying 
  Pirene
  Party Guest
  Lady Visamel Opal, a noble within Waterdeep, is known for her 
  association with the Talmost family. She, too, has been charmed by 
  Pirene. Her attire appears to be missing both fine, elbow-length white 
  gloves. A successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that Visamel 
  is visibly uncomfortable without her gloves, unsure where to place 
  her hands.
  Accompanying 
  Pirene
  Volo’s Heart
  Deep within a hidden leather pouch, Pirene keeps Volo’s pierced heart. 
  It has dried somewhat, but the inside of the bag is damp with blood.
  In Pirene’s 
  possession
  
  25
  otherwise they’ll feel compelled to join in 
  the dance. A subsequent successful DC 18 
  Intelligence (Arcana) discerns that there is 
  something clearly fey about Pirene. Pirene 
  invites multiple people in, all the while never 
  breaking her motions. 
  Alternatively, if Pirene is left alone with 
  a character, she might see it as a perfect 
  opportunity to charm a member of the 
  party. If they succeed the save, Pirene 
  would apologise deeply, and blame it on an 
  inability to control parts of her fey heritage. 
  A successful contest of Pirene’s Charisma 
  (Deception) against the characters Wisdom 
  (Insight) reveals that she is telling a half-truth 
  but did not mean the character harm. 
  P2. Family Matters
  Location: Library (area S8)
  As characters approach the library, they 
  observe that the door is closed and a muffled 
  yelling is heard from inside. A successful 
  DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check to listen 
  closely reveals that Volo is having a heated 
  argument with a female voice. If the check is 
  passed by 4 or more, they distinctly make out 
  the word “daughter” said repeatedly.
  Before much else can happen, the yelling 
  grows louder as it approaches the door which 
  suddenly swings open. Pirene pushes past 
  the group to return to the ballroom (area 
  S4), leaving Volo standing alone looking 
  flabbergasted among stacks of his new books. 
  A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) check 
  reveals that Pirene is furious. Volo is hesitant 
  to share any information regarding the 
  argument, dismissing it quickly as insane. He 
  does ask however for the adventurers to go 
  and enjoy the party, while he takes some time 
  to think alone on the balcony (area S11). 
  P3. Daughter’s Scorn*
  Location: Hawk’s Eye Balcony (area S11)
  Following the unsuccessful conversation with 
  her father, Pirene simply waits. She charms 
  both a noble, Lady Visamel Opal and a guard, 
  Hannar Bright, to assist with her plans. 
  
  26
  Pirene asks Hannar Bright to ensure she 
  is not interrupted, while taking one of Lady 
  Visamel’s gloves and Hannar’s dagger. 
  Sneaking up to the balcony, Pirene catches 
  Volo unaware and stabs him repeatedly in 
  the back. Watching the life drain from Volo, 
  she takes out a lock of her mother’s hair and 
  forces it into the corpse’s grasp. Content 
  with her work, Pirene returns the bloody 
  glove back to Lady Visamel, who in a panic 
  proceeds to hide it within the library (area 
  S8). Pirene follows, opting to conceal the 
  murder weapon under the desk but jabbing it 
  into the wood underneath. 
  P4. Sins of her Father**
  Location: Wherever Pirene is Located.
  After Volo has been killed, Pirene never 
  leaves the company of her two charmed allies 
  and is found using the Pirene’s Location  
  table. While they talk, she aims to direct 
  any accusations towards the other two, or 
  interject when they are being interrogated. 
  When it becomes clear that the characters 
  believe Pirene to be the culprit, she curses 
  Volo for ever being her father, and engages 
  the characters in combat. 
  Tactics. Pirene uses any charmed 
  individual to aid her, Lady Visamel 
  (commoner) stays out of combat, other than 
  throwing hazards to slow the adventurers. 
  Each hazard requires a successful DC 10 
  Dexterity saving throw to navigate past, 
  failing results in being knocked prone.  
  Hannar Bright (guard) is more confident, 
  and putting herself near Pirene to protect her 
  doesn’t feel like a dangerous act. 
  Pirene can be particularly cruel, singling 
  out an individual to ensure that they suffer, 
  such as someone who spoke positively 
  about Volo within her presence or bears any 
  resemblance to him. 
  
  27
  Davil Starsong
  Davil Starsong acts as the Master of 
  Opportunities and Negotiations for 
  Waterdeep’s own division of the Black 
  Network, or as they are better known, the 
  Zhentarim. He’s a fairly attractive sun elf, 
  often caught in vibrant blues with yellow or 
  gold stripes, with a finely crafted elven lute 
  slung over his shoulder.
  Davil shares a number of similarities to 
  Volo. First, he is something of a smooth 
  talker, as would be expected from his role. 
  Secondly, Davil also has an affinity for magic.
  In his youth (not that Davil is particularly 
  old) he was part of a legendary adventuring 
  company known as the Doom Raiders. 
  They dove straight into the heart of danger 
  with lich’s lairs as their prime target. The 
  company’s idea of retirement led them to the 
  Zhentarim, because working from Waterdeep 
  seemed significantly more appealing than 
  clearing out any more lich lairs, or as they’re 
  known, “dooms,” hence the adventuring 
  company’s name.
  It was under the order of the Black 
  Network that Davil and the rest of the Doom 
  Raiders moved to Waterdeep to establish 
  a foothold. The pay was good. Davil acted 
  as a middle-man in securing profitable 
  loans, magic, and mercenary work from the 
  Zhentarim for acquaintances. 
  His reputation with the Black Network 
  recently took a slight hit, as he was briefly 
  imprisoned by the City Watch following the 
  events of the Gralhund Villa Bloodbath. Davil 
  fears little, but the thought of falling out of 
  favour with the Black Network and being 
  forced out of Waterdeep is something he’ll 
  fight tooth and nail to avoid. 
  Personality Trait: Negotiator. If someone 
  disagrees with me, I take it upon myself to 
  convince them to see my side.
  Ideal: Fortune. Opportunities for lucrative 
  deals are easily found, if you’ve got the 
  eye for it.
  Bond: Black Network. Years of delving into 
  dooms make me appreciate what we have 
  in Waterdeep.
  Flaw: Drinker. Once I start to drink, I find it 
  hard to stop - not that it interferes with my 
  work much.
  Relationship to Volo
  Davil occasionally meets up with his fellow 
  Doom Raiders at the Yawning Portal, 
  where he has made contact with Volo on a 
  number of occasions. Given Davil’s ability to 
  make friends quickly, he and Volo have the 
  appearance of being rather friendly. By Davil’s 
  own admission, he’s attempted to create a 
  lucrative business deal with Volo multiple 
  times, but each time he has been rudely 
  dismissed by the explorer. 
  Davil's Location
  d100
  Davil’s Location
  01-60
  The banquet Hall (area S5), mingling 
  with a drink in hand.
  61-90
  The smoking room (area S7), leaning 
  heavily against the bar.
  91-00
  The foyer (area S3), standing with an 
  empty wine glass.
  Davil Starsong
  
  28
  After Volo’s Death
  Following the Return to the Ethereal Plane 
  event. Davil’s location can be determined by 
  using the corresponding location table. He 
  is happy to be interviewed by the characters, 
  assuming they’re not accusing him; however, 
  he is more focused on returning back to the 
  Material Plane.
  His Account of Events
  Davil explains that he arrived late. Witnessing 
  a drow (Soluun) steal a scimitar from a 
  crate within the entry hall. Davil pushed 
  pass to immediately seek Volo out, mostly 
  to apologise for his late arrival and discuss 
  a private business opportunity. He found 
  Volo arguing rather loudly with Pirene and 
  interrupted to give Volo an excuse to escape. 
  He then led Volo upstairs to the Hawk’s Eye 
  Balcony for a private word, leaving him to 
  think before appearing in the Banquet Hall to 
  mingle for the rest of the evening. 
  Davil’s Encounters
  Davil arrives at the party late, and when he 
  does, it is straight to business. Matters are 
  complicated when he and his Zhentarim 
  associates become trapped in Sparaunt 
  Tower. As Davil and Nursi Goldsteel 
  communicate, they inadvertently leave 
  enough evidence to implicate themselves. 
  The encounter marked with a * indicates 
  this is where Volo is killed, whereas the 
  one marked with ** is when Davil is finally 
  confronted. In order to maintain the mystery, 
  it is recommended that the encounter with a * 
  happens out of the character’s sight.
  D1. Eyes of a Hawk*
  Location: Hawk’s Eye Balcony (area S11)
  Arriving late, Davil finds Volo and asks for 
  a word in private. The pair proceed to the 
  balcony, where nights before Davil planned 
  for Ziraj the Hunter to fire a dagger-tipped 
  arrow through the window. The shot landed 
  true, piercing Volo in the heart and killing 
  him. Davil then quickly discarded the arrow 
  shaft out of the window and used one of 
  Skeemo Weirdbottle’s concoctions to flesh 
  shape Volo’s mouth shut. His entire plan went 
  off without a hitch, at least until the entire 
  statue teleported into the Ethereal Plane. 
  D2. Chase the Snake
  Location: Ballroom (area S4)
  Once the party returns downstairs from 
  discovering Volo’s body, characters with a 
  passive Wisdom (Perception) score higher 
  than 17 notice that one of the musicians is 
  watching them closely, so much as to begin 
  following them from a far distance. The 
  musician is Nursi Goldsteel (spy), working for 
  the Zhentarim and Davil. She’ll watch them 
  closely and report to Davil by sending a flying 
  snake with a message.
  If the characters fail to spot Nursi’s 
  spying, they hear the faint flapping where a 
  successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check 
  identifies a flying snake hugging the shadows 
  as it flies from Nursi to wherever Davil is 
  hiding. If the snake is apprehended, the 
  characters discover a hastily written note that 
  outlines whatever the party was just doing. 
  Confronting Nursi Goldsteel is met with 
  harsh denial. She lies, saying that since Volo 
  was murdered she is suspicious of everyone. 
  The truth can be discerned from a contest 
  of Nursi’s Charisma (Deception) against a 
  character's Wisdom (Insight). 
  If He Killed Volo
  When: During the Eyes of a 
  Hawk* encounter.
  How: Davil had his companion, Ziraj the 
  Hunter, fire a poison dipped, drow-dagger-
  tipped arrow through the eye of the Hawk 
  Man statue. The arrow hit Volo in his heart, 
  killing him almost instantly.
  Why: Davil was in charge of organising 
  the abduction of Renaer Neverwinter, but 
  instead caught Volo’s friend Floon in a 
  misidentification. Volo’s interference led to 
  both Floon and Renaer escaping, which 
  only displeased the Zhentarium. In order 
  to avoid such issues again,  Davil gave 
  Volo a choice: leave the city immediately 
  or die. Volo opted for the latter. 
  Fake Alibi: Davil left Volo alone in the 
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony to consider a business 
  opportunity. 
  
  29
  Davil's Murder Clues
  Murder Clue
  Description
  Encounter & 
  Location
  Volo’s Body
  In the center of the balcony, Volo lays lifeless on his back. An onyx 
  dagger protrudes from his chest. A pinkish liquid covers his face, and 
  his mouth is missing; where it should be is mysteriously sealed shut.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Suspicious 
  Pinkish Liquid
  1. 
  The liquid is a potion of flesh shape (see appendix A), a vial of 
  Skeemo Weirdbottle’s creation.
  2. A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the 
  liquid is magical in nature, belonging to the school of necromancy.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Broken 
  Window & 
  Arrow Shaft
  Shattered glass surrounds the floor of the right port window. A 
  successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check deduces that 
  something smashed through the window, rather than out of it. Peering 
  out of the window and looking down, a character that succeeds on 
  a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check notices an arrow shaft and tail, 
  resting within a crack of the statue’s face, down roughly 10-feet.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Drow Dagger
  1. 
  Inspecting the onyx dagger, a successful DC 14 Intelligence 
  (Religion) check reveals that the dagger holds depictions of the 
  goddess of spiders, Lolth. 
  2. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check on the wound 
  caused by the dagger reveals that it was thrust into Volo with 
  considerable force.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Dent in the 
  Wall
  1. 
  A number of small dents are in the far wall behind Volo’s body. 
  They appear to be at least a few days old. A successful DC 17 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check identifies the dents line up from 
  the window straight through where Volo must’ve stood.
  2. The dents were caused by Ziraj the Hunter, taking some practice 
  shots before the real thing. A Zhentarim agent later collected the 
  arrows to dispose of them.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Zhentarim 
  Agent
  Nursi Goldsteel is working with Davil, acting as his eyes and ears during 
  the party. Once the music stops, she actively follows the party.
  Chase the Snake 
  Ballroom (area S4)
  Winged Snake
  Nursi Goldsteel’s flying snake has been tasked to deliver the 
  occasional message between her and Davil, implicating the Zhentarim 
  in Volo’s death.
  Chase the Snake 
  Foyer (area S3)
  Empty Potion 
  Vial
  1. 
  If characters have identified the potion of flesh shape, it is easy to 
  deduce that it originated from this vial.
  2. Any character that has encountered Skeemo Weirdbottle can 
  identify the vial as one of his creations.
  In Davil’s possession
  Witness 
  Account
  If the characters discover Crill, and prove themselves as allies, Crill 
  eventually shares that he saw Davil standing on a rooftop alongside a 
  burly half-orc wielding a massive bow prior to the party starting.
  Eagle Eyed Witness 
  Sparaunt’s Aviary 
  (area S9)
  
  30
  D3. Eagle Eyed Witness
  Location: Sparaunt’s Aviary (area S9)
  If the characters discover the Sparaunt 
  Tower’s secret room, or need assistance 
  in pinpointing the murderer, they  find the 
  deliberately quiet aarcraoka, Crill. He is wary 
  of the adventurers as they have invaded his 
  home, where a successful DC 16 Wisdom 
  (Insight) determines that Crill is studying 
  the group intently as if to evaluate their 
  trustworthiness.
  Provided the characters prove they can 
  be trusted, either by having other Sparaunt 
  Tower staff vouch for them or a successful DC 
  15 Charisma (Persuasion) check, Crill reveals 
  that he saw Davil Starsong standing on a roof 
  nearby the statue with a half-orc bearing an 
  oversized bow mere minutes before the party. 
  D4. Starsong of the Night**
  Location: Wherever Davil is located. 
  Confronting Davil requires him being 
  found first. His location can be determined 
  using the Davil’s Location table. Davil 
  defuses any accusations, relying on 
  mentioning his Zhentarim connections only 
  if the conversation proceeds to go sour. A 
  successful DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check 
  reveals he is hiding far more information than 
  he lets on, as well as the incriminating potion 
  vial, hidden on his person. When conflict is 
  inevitable, Davil makes a sharp whistle before 
  engaging in combat. 
  Tactics. Three Zhentarim spies, disguised 
  as members of the party (one of which will be 
  Nursi Goldsteel unless apprehended), emerge 
  to fight beside Davil. If confident that he has a 
  fighting chance, he’ll open the fight by casting 
  dominate person on the character that poses 
  the largest threat. From there, Davil uses 
  his many allies to keep out of harm's way, 
  supporting them by casting neutralising 
  spells like polymorph or suggestion if his 
  concentration is broken. Once below half his 
  maximum hit points, Davil casts invisibility on 
  himself in order to escape.
  
  31
  Hailee’s family, as many were in 
  Lonelywood, were poor. Her father, Tybald, 
  struggled under strict merchant laws, and 
  her mother Ambere spent most of her time 
  drowning in ale at the local tavern. Living in 
  the north hardened Hailee, and scrambling 
  for every coin doubly so. She resorted to a 
  life of petty crime, all in the best interest of 
  Lonelywood, helping businesses through her 
  ill-gotten gains.
  As such, Hailee has become fiercely 
  protective of her hometown. She’s seen the 
  struggles of the town rise and fall. In her 
  mind, the thriving of the town has always 
  been directly correlated to the commerce 
  flowing through it, and anything that damages 
  the town’s reputation harms its livelihood. 
  People who meet Hailee initially describe her 
  as friendly and fairly talkative, but for her it 
  is simply a means to get gold, to lure people 
  to pay her for secrets or pick their pockets. 
  Those who truly get to know Hailee call her 
  cold, calculating, and cutthroat.
  Personality Trait: Icewind Resolve. The 
  people of Ten Towns suffer daily. Any 
  dangers south are nothing.
  Ideal: Commerce. The flow of travellers, 
  trade, and coin, pumps the heart of even the 
  smallest of towns. 
  Bond: Lonelywood. My home ain’t much, but 
  the people work hard and are kind enough.
  Flaw: Greed. There is little I wouldn’t say or 
  do for the right amount of coin.
  Relationship to Volo
  Volo visited Lonelywood while Hailee was in 
  her late teens, when by her own admission 
  she was something of a trouble maker. When 
  Volo appeared, blustered by the weather, 
  Hailee began to sell him information - some 
  true, some false. Hailee made Volo pay a high 
  Hailee Dunn
  Hailee Dunn is from Lonelywood, one of 
  the Ten Towns in Icewind Dale. It is a cold 
  and unforgiving land, where if the climate 
  doesn’t deter you, the barbarian, goblin, yeti, 
  or orc raids might. As such, she’s a sturdy, 
  broad-shouldered woman. Her dark brown 
  hair is braided and coiled into a bun behind 
  her head. Hailee wears a thick, greying 
  winter cloak filled with many hidden pouches 
  and pockets. 
  By her own admission, Hailee was a 
  troublesome child. She had a habit of lying 
  to entertain herself, spying on residents of 
  Lonelywood and selling those secrets to 
  anyone who would pay her. Lonelywood 
  gained a reputation for harbouring the many 
  rogues of Icewind Dale. Hailee was well-
  suited for this theive’s landing.  As Hailee 
  grew, she found other uses for her natural 
  ability to blend with the shadows.
  Hailee Dunn
  
  32
  price for some of secrets earned by her days 
  of spying. She made quite a tidy profit, and 
  Volo seemed satisfied with the bundles of 
  notes he made. 
  When Volo eventually left, it wasn’t for a 
  year that word of his publication reached 
  Lonelywood. To say that Volo wrote scathing 
  words about Ten Towns would be an 
  understatement. It didn’t help that Volo had 
  a coin pouch stolen (by Hailee) during his 
  stay. Lonelywood suffered commercially in a 
  particularly harsh winter. Most blamed it on 
  the weather, but Hailee only blamed Volo. He 
  had damaged the reputation of Lonelywood, 
  nearly ruined the lives of its citizens, and he’d 
  pay for it. One way or another. 
  Hailee's Location
  d100
  Hailee's Location
  01-60
  In the smoking room (area S7), drinking 
  and smoking excessively by the bar.
  61-90
  In the ballroom (area S4), around the 
  edges attempting to pickpocket nobles 
  or spread false rumours about Volo.
  91-00
  In the library (area S8), looking to steal 
  any books of value.
  After Volo’s Death
  Once Volo’s body has been discovered and 
  the events of Return to the Ethereal Plane, 
  Hailee appears somewhat panicked. She 
  makes no effort to hide how much she detests 
  the feeling of being trapped. She paces about 
  for a considerable amount of time, before 
  opting to find the smoking room to drown out 
  her worries. Whether sober or drunk, Hailee 
  doesn’t oppose speaking with the characters, 
  but charges them a silver piece for any 
  information she knows.
  Her Account of Events
  Arriving in Waterdeep earlier in the tenday, 
  Hailee pawned some goods in order to get a 
  ticket to the party. She arrived with the bulk 
  of the guests and went to collect some dirt 
  and spread illicit rumours about Volo with 
  the other guests. While making her way into 
  the ballroom, she clashed with an elf-looking 
  woman, who Hailee admits she got a little 
  rough with. After failing to find Volo, Hailee 
  swiped a drink and alleviated a man of his 
  coin purse. Next thing she knew, someone 
  announced that Volo was dead.
  Hailee’s Encounters
  Hailee comes to the party with a few 
  intentions, discredit Volo, steal from the rich 
  party goers, and kill Volo. Unfortunately, 
  her kleptomania ultimately contributes to 
  her downfall. The encounter marked with 
  a * indicates this is the encounter where 
  Volo is killed, whereas the one with a ** is 
  when Hailee is finally confronted. In order 
  to maintain the mystery, it is recommended 
  that the encounter with a * happens out of the 
  character’s sight.
  H1. Did you Hear What He Did?
  Location: Ballroom (area S4)
  Before Volo has even made his grand 
  entrance, Hailee Dunn is starting a smear 
  campaign to undermine the guests' opinions 
  of him. As characters enter the ballroom, they 
  If She Killed Volo
  When: During the To Break the 
  Ice encounter.
  How: While Volo’s back was turned, 
  Hailee used a wand of freezing (see 
  appendix A) to freeze him solid. Then, 
  using her trusty ice pick, she smashed 
  Volo’s body to pieces.
  Why: Ten Towns received a significantly 
  negative review in Volo’s Guide to the 
  North that Hailee blames on a significant 
  decrease in the town’s commerce. 
  Fake Alibi: Hailee admits that she 
  commited a crime: she stole a coin purse 
  from some noble while Volo was allegedly 
  being murdered. She offers up the stolen 
  pouch and makes a half-hearted apology. 
  
  33
  Hailee's Murder Clues
  Murder Clue
  Description
  Encounter & 
  Location
  Volo’s Body
  The most striking thing about Volo’s body is the fact that he has been 
  frozen solid and then smashed. Pieces of Volo lay scattered around 
  the room, the worst offending being his head. Puddles of frozen and 
  defrosting blood scatter the room. Stepping on any of the frozen 
  blood puddles requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or 
  the creature is knocked prone. A successful DC 14 Wisdom (Medicine) 
  determines that Volo was instantly frozen and promptly smashed. A 
  successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) deduces that some form of 
  ice-pick was used to smash Volo.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Volo’s Coin 
  Pouch
  Volo’s coin pouch is on the floor at the top of the stairs. The lining on 
  one side has been cut, and its contents have been completely emptied.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Bloody 
  Message
  Beside his body, written in Volo’s blood is the simply chilling message 
  that reads: “Volo condemned us all.” It is clear that the message was 
  written in a hurry.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Snapped Half 
  of a Wand of 
  Freezing
  Underneath Volo’s body is a three-inch-long gnarled stick, with one 
  end splintered and frozen. A successful DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) 
  check identifies the item as a broken wand, and if the result surpassed 
  20, the character knows the wand broke after it cast a spell. This would 
  indicate the user was not proficient with magic.
  Hawk’s Eye Balcony 
  (area S11)
  Frozen 
  Fireplace
  In the smoking room, the grand fireplace has been extinguished, 
  replaced with a chunk of ashened but frozen wood. While peering into 
  the fireplace, a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) deduces 
  that a snapped slender piece of wood tucked within the firewood is out 
  of place. A successful DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the 
  piece of wood is the other part of the wand of freezing.
  Smoking Room 
  (area S7)
  Destroyed 
  Volo’s Guide to 
  the North
  Between a stack of firewood and a coffee table is a wedged book. 
  The book has been scoured with a dagger, and multiple pages have 
  been torn out, presumably thrown into the fire. A successful DC 17 
  Intelligence (History) check recalls that Volo’s Guide to the North was 
  fairly successful within the south, but many individuals from the north 
  were angered by Volo’s reviews.
  Smoking Room 
  (area S7)
  Pickpocketed 
  Nobles
  Amidst all the chaos, two nobles announce that their coin pouches 
  have gone missing. One believes they simply misplaced it, while the 
  other believes Hailee to be the culprit.  
  (Alternatively, they could accuse another guest in order to provide a 
  red-herring within the mystery)
  Thief Among Us 
  Foyer (area S3)
  Hailee’s Ice 
  Pick
  Concealed within a hidden pouch in her cloak, Hailee holds the murder 
  weapon. If the characters catch Hailee within an hour of the murder, 
  the pick-end is cold to the touch, and has watered-down blood across 
  it. Any character who spends time watching Hailee and succeeds in a 
  DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) determines that she is walking in a manner to 
  keep a shape within her cloak concealed.
  In Hailee’s 
  possession
  Volo’s Gold
  Hailee’s own coin pouch is stuffed to the brim with a wide variety of 
  coins from across Faerun. Upon closer inspection, a few coins have 
  drops of blood speckled across their surface.
  In Hailee’s 
  possession
  Unconscious 
  Guard
  As Hailee approached the Hawk’s Eye Balcony, she encountered a 
  lone guard. Not wishing to be spotted, she delivered an almighty 
  blow to the guard and hid his body within the unused apartment. 
  Unfortunately for Hailee, she did not deliver a killing blow. The guard 
  was instead left in an unconscious state. The guard can re-emerge if 
  the investigation remains unsolved, however they cannot provide any 
  details about their attacker, other than that they had a winter’s cloak.
  Private Apartment D 
  (area S10)
  
  34
  can attempt a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) 
  check to overhear the conversation of some 
  guests. They hear one of the following 
  snippets of information:
  False Rumors
  d4
  False Rumour Overheard
  1
  “-ver would believe it either. But the lass 
  sure sounded convinced, she -saw- Volo 
  pay a bunch of gnomes to write his 
  books for him.”
  2
  “-old by another guest, that Volo is 
  something of a charlatan. Writing about 
  areas he’s never been too. Apparently 
  his review of the North is rife with 
  falsities.”
  3
  “-ou overheard them say -that- about 
  Volo? My my, I must admit his speed 
  in producing guides did always seem 
  suspect to me.”
  4
  “-f course Volothamp enjoys a drink. 
  Who doesn’t? But to get so drunk in Ten 
  Towns to lose a month’s worth of notes 
  is hardly a good show of character.”
  If approaching any of the guests, they initially 
  refuse to share who told them those rumours. 
  However, a successful DC 18 Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check or a bribe convinces a 
  guest to give a brief description of Hailee’s 
  appearance. She is doing her best to blend 
  into the party, which makes spotting her 
  difficult. A character must succeed on a 
  Wisdom (Perception) check against Hailee’s 
  Dexterity (Stealth) to spot the rogue from 
  Lonelywood. 
  H2. To Break the Ice*
  Location: Hawk’s Eye Balcony (area S11)
  As Volo goes towards the balcony for a brief 
  respite, Hailee Dunn follows behind with 
  a raised cloak. The guards on the first set 
  of stairs are distracted, and a lone guard 
  watches the spiral stairs upwards. Hailee 
  uses her ice pick to smash the guard in the 
  back of the head. Assuming the guard is dead, 
  she deposits his body into the nearby unused 
  apartment. The guard awakes in 1 hour, 
  allowing for Hailee to be accused of being 
  the murderer.
  
  35
  Moving upstairs, Hailee notices Volo with 
  his back turned, so she pulls out her wand 
  of freezing to freeze him and sections of 
  the ground. Hailee proceeds to smash Volo 
  to pieces, stealing the coins from his coin 
  pouch and writing a message in his blood. 
  Her inexperience with using magic causes 
  the wand to snap. Using the ice to clean the 
  blood from her hands, Hailee sneaks back 
  downstairs. She waits for an opportunity to 
  dispose of the other half of the wand within 
  the fireplace of the smoking room (area S7).
  H3. Thief Among Us
  Location: Foyer (area S3)
  Following the comotion and discovery of 
  Volo’s corpse, two nobles (commoners)  
  angrily report two separate cases of missing 
  coin pouches to Frug Knucklespring (bandit 
  captain). They’re both hesitant to share 
  information with the party, but one noble 
  is more easily convinced than the other, 
  requiring a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check. They impart the following information:
  • 
  One believes their coin pouch to be 
  simply misplaced, as they were showing 
  off the fine silver thread to a small 
  group of guests. If pressured, they 
  vaguely recall Hailee Dunn being one 
  of the guests.
  • 
  The other noble recalls in exact detail a 
  northern woman who leant in close to 
  share some secret regarding Volo. They 
  checked for their coin pouch shortly 
  after to discover it missing.
  • 
  Both seem adamant that the thief must 
  also be the killer of Volo. A successful 
  DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals 
  that they’re both being intentionally 
  overdramatic, in order to sound 
  more impressive.
  • 
  Alternatively, the two nobles suggest 
  Hailee Dunn or another culprit to be the 
  thief. This creates confusion or provides 
  a red herring if characters are catching 
  on too soon, or time begins to become 
  a constraint.
  H4. Dunn and Dusted**
  Location: Wherever Hailee is Located.
  If the characters approach Hailee with 
  the intent to confront her, this encounter 
  begins. If the characters confront Hailee 
  for stealing, she openly admits to stealing 
  the coin pouches and offers to return them 
  if only to diffuse the situation. A successful 
  DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals she 
  is hiding far more information than she lets 
  on. In addition, if the coins are returned, a 
  successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  identifies some of the coins belonging from 
  areas outside of Waterdeep. Alternatively, 
  if the guard Hailee knocked unconscious 
  awakes to inform the group, she attempts 
  to stab them and escape, dealing as much 
  damage to the characters as possible before 
  breaking line of sight. 
  Tactics. Hailee is a dirty fighter. She uses 
  every trick in her book to put the characters 
  on the backfoot, as well as using her northern 
  fortitude to shrug off some of the nastier 
  attacks. Ultimately, Hailee has no intentions 
  to fight until death. Once she is below a 
  quarter of her maximum hit points, she 
  surrenders. 
  
  36
  The following diagram outlines how the order of encounters can happen across all four culprit 
  choices, each one resulting in a slightly different style of play.
  Encounter Chains
  
  37
  Core Encounters
  The following encounters happen consistently 
  in any runthrough of this adventure, such as 
  setting the scene or traversing the characters 
  to and from the Ethereal Plane. 
  1. The Grand Entrance
  Location: Foyer (area S3)
  Servants of the tower begin to clink glasses, 
  informing and guiding all the guests back into 
  the foyer in order for Volo to make his grand 
  arrival. The man of the hour is fashionably 
  late, descending down the stairs with a copy 
  of his new book and a glass of wine in hand. 
  Read or paraphrase the following:
  Emerging from the spiral staircase, with a 
  vibrant blue leather tome in one hand and 
  a glass within the other, is the one and only 
  Volothamp Geddarm.
  “Evening! Ho, ho, one and all. Welcome to 
  this exquisite evening to celebrate the release 
  of my newest book, Volo’s Enchiridion to 
  Making Friends.”
  Volo pauses, bringing the book into 
  both hands and raising it above his head 
  dramatically. 
  “A book that promises to aid each and 
  everyone one of you in navigating the 
  battlefield that is making friends. I have 
  travelled the land far and wide, and there is 
  nothing more essential than a few allies to 
  back you up. Which is why I’ve gathered you 
  all here, with hopes that by the end of the 
  night, we’re all friends!”
  The four culprits are all in attendance, 
  scattered throughout the foyer. Depending on 
  the season, Volo can make a different closing 
  statement to foreshadow the events to come:
  Spring. “Word travels quickly in Waterdeep, 
  let us hope the popularity of my newest book 
  spreads far and wide!” 
  Volo’s talk ends to a cautious applause, 
  except for a few individuals such as Soluun 
  Xibrindas, who skulks in the shadows 
  scowling. 
  Summer. “Because, while we cannot pick 
  our family, we can certainly pick our friends.”
  Throughout Volo’s entire speech, Pirene 
  is making a concentrated effort to divert as 
  much attention away from him. Laughing 
  loudly with a group of guests formed 
  around her. 
  Autumn. “We’re fortunate to be inside 
  the Hawk Man statue, where the sights 
  from the balcony are to die for! Let the party 
  commence!” 
  At this point, Davil Starsong is yet to arrive. 
  But fifteen minutes after the talk ends, he 
  appears in a hurry. Searching the foyer for 
  wherever Volo could’ve gone. 
  Winter. “Now, I’ve spoken enough. I say 
  we kick the celebrations off post haste. Let’s 
  break the ice as they say!”
  Hailee Dunn uses everyone's focus on 
  Volo as another opportunity to pickpocket, 
  however as his talk proceeds she grows 
  increasingly angry, to the point of stopping 
  with clenched fists and openly glaring at Volo.
  2. Return to the 
  Ethereal Plane
  Location: Everywhere.
  The very moment life leaves Volo’s body, a 
  great cosmic disturbance causes the Hawk 
  Man Statue and all those inside it to return to 
  the Ethereal Plane. Read or summarise the 
  following to the characters:
  An echoing rush of crackling magic suddenly 
  rushes itself over you all. In a brief instance 
  you feel the ground beneath you, the entire 
  statue begins to fall, and a moment after you 
  fall with it. The weightlessness is over in a 
  fraction of a second, but the chaos of guests, 
  ornaments, and glasses now scattered across 
  the floor certainly remains. 
  The process of travelling across the planes 
  is not a comfortable one, requiring each 
  character to make a DC 8 Dexterity saving 
  throw or be knocked prone in the sudden 
  
  38
  shift. For added fun, any character that has 
  never done planar travel can make a DC 8 
  Constitution saving throw or feel significantly 
  queasy for 1 minute. There are three views 
  out of the statue, at the entrance (area S1), 
  at the balcony (area S11) and the Sparaunt 
  Aviary (area S9). 
  Any character looking out easily identifies 
  that the statue is no longer in Waterdeep, 
  while a successful DC 16 Intelligence 
  (Arcana) check deduces the surroundings to 
  be of the Ethereal Plane. A thin veil seems 
  to encapsulate the entire statue, preventing 
  everything within from turning noncorporeal. 
  3. Where’s Volo Gone?
  Location: Anywhere.
  Once the commotion of transporting planes 
  has settled, every guest is understandably in 
  a state of panic, unknowing of what exactly 
  transpired. The guards of Sparaunt tower do 
  their best to maintain control or decorum. 
  However, it doesn’t take long for many of 
  the guests to rather loudly observe that Volo 
  hasn’t been seen in a long while.
  Some guests may even begin to blame 
  Volo for the sudden disturbances, but the 
  adventuring party are quickly informed by 
  guards that Volo was last spotted heading up 
  to the Hawk’s Eye Balcony (area S11). 
  4. Return To Waterdeep
  Location: Everywhere.
  Whenever the killer of Volo is brought to 
  justice or remains undiscovered, the magic 
  that caused the statue to vanish works once 
  more. There is a tremendous crash, as the 
  entire building staggers during the planar 
  travel. The tilt of the Hawk Man statue is now 
  a little more extreme, causing all the floors 
  inside to be at a perceivable slant. 
  Vajra Safahr. Emerging into the tower, 
  joined by four members of the Watchful 
  Order of Magists and Protectors, Vajra 
  scans her surroundings. Being the Blackstaff 
  of Waterdeep, all the walking statues fall 
  under her jurisdiction. She quickly assesses 
  the situation, learning of the characters’ 
  involvement while evacuating the entire tower 
  due to safety concerns. 
  As the characters emerge outside, it is well 
  into the late evening, and much of Waterdeep 
  seems as peaceful as it was left. griffon 
  riders expedite the process of getting people 
  down from the entrance. At the bottom, a 
  few investigators ask for accounts of what 
  happened, but ultimately Vajra interjects to 
  allow the adventurers to leave. 
  Optional Encounters 
  The following encounters all involve two 
  of the culprits encountering one another 
  to provide red herrings, raise suspicion, or 
  involve the other culprits with the main story 
  arc. Each encounter is designed to happen 
  within the evenings timeline as shown within 
  the encounter chain diagram. It is also 
  possible for these encounters to all happen 
  off screen, and to be simply revealed through 
  interrogating the culprits involved. 
  O1. Ballroom Blitz
  Location: Ballroom (area S4) involving 
  Pirene, the Half-Nymph x Hailee Dunn
  Following Pirene’s entrancing dance that 
  captured the attention of the entire ballroom 
  (described in encounter P1 Dance Like No-
  Ones Watching), she spies Volo and moves 
  hastily towards him. Pirene inadvertently 
  bumps into Hailee Dunn, who takes offence, 
  and the two engage in a heated argument. 
  The yelling escalates to the point where two 
  guards are required to step in and separate 
  them both.
  Summer. During Summer, the guests 
  asked about the argument hint that it 
  was Pirene’s actions that escalated the 
  conflict, whereas others would aggressively 
  refuse that Pirene could ever be at fault, a 
  successful DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) seems 
  that the guests were enraptured by Pirene’s 
  performance.
  Winter. In Winter, the surrounding guests 
  not only identify Hailee as the main aggressor 
  but the one who was spreading negative 
  rumours about Volo. Hailee also used the 
  confusion to pickpocket a few of the guests, 
  which is spotted by any character who 
  succeeds at a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) as 
  she storms off, bumping into another guest.
  
  39
  O2. Stealing 
  Whats Mine
  Location: Entry Hall (area 
  S2) involving Soluun 
  Xibrindas x Davil Starsong
  Following Volo’s opening 
  speech, Soluun sneaks into 
  the entry hall to steal back his 
  scimitar which was confiscated 
  by Frug Knucklespring. The 
  guards have temporarily moved 
  into the foyer, while Volo's grand 
  entrance is being made. Davil, 
  as he arrives at the party late, 
  witnesses Soluun collecting the scimitar. If 
  the characters are there to witness the theft, 
  Soluun would excuse his own behaviour by 
  suggesting the weapon holds sentimental 
  value, and potentially offer a gold bribe if the 
  characters would be receptive to it. 
  Spring. Soluun proceeds to use the 
  scimitar as a murder weapon, before 
  concealing it within his leather tunic. Davil 
  happily tells the adventuring party that 
  he witnessed Soluun taking the scimitar, 
  believing it to be a good opportunity to stay in 
  the adventurers’ favor. 
  Autumn. When the adventurers come to 
  interrogate Davil, he informs them that he 
  saw a drow stealing a blade. Davil hopes 
  that this is enough information to distract 
  the party, and stop them from asking him 
  additional questions. 
  O3. Mind If I Intrude?
  Location: The Library (area S8) involving 
  Pirene, the Half-Nymph x Davil Starsong
  Pirene and Volo engage in a heated 
  argument, where she reveals that she is 
  enfact his estranged daughter. A fact that Volo 
  initially vehemently disagrees. After arriving 
  late, Davil intrudes the argument to offer Volo 
  an escape, or more importantly get him alone 
  to discuss a business opportunity.  
  Summer. Pirene is furious at both Volo 
  and Davil and storms out, rather than let the 
  pair leave her alone. She will later use this 
  encounter to say Davil was the last person to 
  see Volo alive, deflecting any accusations. 
  Autumn. Before Volo is killed, Pirene 
  reports that Davil was the last person to see 
  him alive. While she may confess that they 
  were arguing, Pirene reveals to the party that 
  she is Volo’s estranged daughter, but shares 
  no love for the now deceased scholar. Davil 
  uses the encounter as probable cause to 
  suggest Pirene to be the killer.
  On Volo’s Death
  The moment that Volo is killed, the Return 
  to the Ethereal Plane event is triggered. 
  This returns the Hawk Man statue back 
  into the Ethereal Plane until the murder 
  is solved, or at least until Vajra Safahr, the 
  current Blackstaff, can be informed of its 
  disapperance and determine the best course 
  of action.
  
  40
  O
  nce the culprit has been confronted, 
  the sudden return back to Waterdeep 
  is met with a force of City Watch 
  and griffon calvary at the ready on 
  the scene. At this point, the murderer can 
  be handed over to the authorities, if they’ve 
  been successfully apprehended. Otherwise, 
  a series of questions from Vajra Safhr the 
  Blackstaff and the many Watchful Order of 
  Magists and Protectors will quickly identify 
  the characters as being the heroes of the day. 
  The matter of Volo’s body, and what exactly 
  caused Sparaunt Tower to vanish remains 
  unanswered, but finding those answers can 
  lead to adventures in themself! 
  Resurrecting Volo
  Volo is a man of many connections and a 
  respectable amount of wealth. It is very 
  likely for him to have a will prepared, or 
  contingency plans in the event of his death, 
  as there are plenty of unexplored domains, 
  or creatures to study, it would be hard to 
  believe that Volo would be content to rest. It 
  is possible that Elminster, an ally of Volo, sees 
  to handling matters taking him to the Golden 
  Spires of Waterdeep to be resurrected and 
  tended to over a tenday. 
  Alternatively, resurrections are costly 
  rituals, and it could be up to the adventuring 
  party to fetch a diamond of value, trading 
  within Waterdeep or going further afield in 
  hunt of treasure. However it is done, Volo 
  is one of the Forgotten Realm’s most iconic 
  characters, so for some it might be a shame 
  to have this be the end of the scholar's tale. 
  Resolving the 
  Adventure Hooks
  Word of the heroes' success will spread 
  rather quickly around Waterdeep, afterall 
  what noble doesn’t enjoy the occasional bit 
  of gossip. 
  A Secret Invitation
  The sender of the mysterious letter can 
  present themselves as the heroes return. 
  They could be any of the following:
  • 
  Elminster. Concerned for his friend’s 
  wellbeing, Elminster cleverly recruited 
  the help of an adventuring group to get 
  involved and settle matters.
  • 
  Jarlaxle. A man who pulls many 
  strings, it is beneficial for Jarlaxle to 
  be enthralled in Waterdeep’s politics 
  despite his nonchalant objections. Plus 
  if Davil Starsong is the villain, seeing 
  the Zhentarium’s control ruptured can 
  only benefit the drow. 
  Aftermath
  
  41
  • 
  Volo himself. Volo is no fool, and when 
  plots to kill him are set into motion, his 
  innate danger sense would tingle. The 
  very same courier appears to deliver 
  Volo’s explanation for hiring the party, 
  and see them rewarded. 
  • 
  Anyone. This list of suggestions is not 
  exhaustive, meaning you can insert 
  just about anyone who can further 
  your campaign!
  Faerûn’s Up and 
  Coming Heroes
  In the days following Volo’s party, all of 
  Waterdeep begins to endlessly speculate 
  about the new band of heroes who happened 
  to save the day. People of all backgrounds 
  go out of their way to find the party, asking 
  for assistance with tasks from mundane to 
  mysterious and occult. Others might suggest 
  the heroes begin a mercenary business within 
  the city, offering financial support in exchange 
  for royalties. 
  Volo’s “Best” Friends
  A somewhat sombre end to the adventure, 
  as the party comes to terms with the death 
  of their friend. There is the opportunity for 
  them to be directly involved in Volo’s eventual 
  resurrection, or depending on what suits your 
  campaign for a memorial service to be held. 
  Some of the most iconic characters will travel 
  far and wide to attend Volo’s funeral. 
  Further Adventures
  This brings us to the end of the adventure, 
  but that doesn’t mean everything has to cease. 
  There are a plethora of options to expand 
  the scope of this adventure, and enhance a 
  Waterdeep: Dragon Heist campaign. Your 
  answers to the following questions can form 
  the basis for further adventures:
  • 
  How does Jarlaxle respond to one 
  of his lieutenants being caught for 
  murdering Volo?
  • 
  Does the City Watch believe there to 
  be more going on than the characters’ 
  descriptions of events?
  • 
  Does Perine’s mother ever discover 
  what her daughter enacted?
  • 
  How does Vajra Safhr discover the 
  cause of the Hawk Man statue’s 
  disappearance?
  • 
  If Davil Starsong has been 
  apprehended, how does the remaining 
  Doom Raiders react?
  • 
  What is the truth behind Lady 
  Sparaunt’s mysterious behaviour and 
  possessions?
  • 
  Does the North’s review of Ten Towns 
  get changed, or worsen because of 
  Hailee Dunn’s actions? 
  These are just some suggestions and may 
  vary considerably based on the events that 
  unfold with your party. Whatever happens, the 
  friends made and enemies throughout this 
  adventure have repercussions that can affect 
  the heroes’ lives for years to come. 
  
  42
  T
  his appendix contains information 
  on the unique magical items not 
  found in the Dungeon Master's 
  Guide or Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. 
  The items are all in alphabetical order.
  Potion of Flesh Shape
  Potion, uncommon
  When you pour this pinkish liquid over flesh 
  no more than 5 feet in any dimension, for 
  1 minute you may shape the flesh into any 
  shape that suits your purpose. After the time 
  expires, the flesh retains whatever shape it 
  was formed into. The flesh can return to its 
  original shape through the lesser restoration 
  spell or other magic. 
  Wand of Freezing
  Wand, rare
  This wand has 7 charges for the following 
  properties. It regains 1d6 + 1 expended 
  charges daily at dawn. If you expend the 
  wand’s last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the 
  wand crumbles to ashes and is destroyed.
  Spells. While holding the want, you can 
  use an action to expend some of its charges 
  to cast one of the following spell (save DC 
  17): freezing sphere (3 charges). Alternatively, 
  you can spend 4 charges to create a 15-foot 
  cone of a freezing blast. Each creature in the 
  cone must make a Constitution saving throw. 
  A creature that fails becomes incapacitated 
  as they are frozen solid for 1 minute. Any 
  damage immediately ends the effect, unless it 
  reduces the creature to 0 hit points, at which 
  point they shatter. 
  Appendix A: Magical Items
  
  43
  Davil Starsong
  Medium humanoid (elf), neutral
  Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
  Hit Points 82 (15d8 + 15)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0)
  14 (+2)
  12 (+1)
  16 (+3)
  12 (+1)
  17 (+3)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Cha +6
  Skills Arcana +6, Deception +6, History +6, Insight +4, 
  Perception +4, Performance +6
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Fey Ancestry. Davil has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed, and magic can’t put him to sleep.
  Spellcasting. Davil is a 12th-level spellcaster. His 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 
  to hit with spell attacks). He has the following bard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): mage hand, mending, minor illusion, 
  vicious mockery
  1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, disguise self, sleep
  2nd level (3 slots): crown of madness, 
  invisibility, suggestion
  3rd level (3 slots): nondetection, sending, tongues
  4th level (3 slots): compulsion, freedom of 
  movement, polymorph
  5th level (2 slots): dominate person, greater restoration
  6th level (1 slot): Otto’s irresistible dance
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 
  5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) 
  piercing damage.
  Appendix B: Creatures & NPCs
  Hailee Dunn
  Medium humanoid, chaotic neutral
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  14 (+2)
  18 (+4)
  14 (+2)
  11 (+0)
  11 (+0)
  15 (+3)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Cha +6
  Skills Athletics +4, Deception +6, Perception +3, Sleight 
  of Hand +7, Stealth +7
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages Common
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Ball Bearings (3/day). As a bonus action, Hailee can 
  release ball beads from a pouch to cover a level 10 ft 
  square area. A creature moving across the covered area 
  must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall 
  prone. A creature moving through the area at half speed 
  doesn't need to make the save.
  Cunning Action. On each of her turns, Hailee can 
  use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or 
  Hide action.
  Evasion. If Hailee is subjected to an effect that allows 
  her to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half 
  damage, she instead takes no damage if she succeeds on 
  the saving throw, and only half damage if she fails. She 
  can’t use this trait if she’s incapicated. 
  Northern Indomitability (1/day). Hailee can reroll a 
  saving throw that she fails. She must use the new roll.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Hailee deals an extra 14 (4d6) 
  damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack and 
  has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is 
  within 5 feet of an ally of Hailee that isn’t incapaciated 
  and Hailee doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. Hailee makes three attacks with 
  her ice pick.
  Ice Pick. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. 
  Reactions
  Parry. Hailee adds 2 to her AC against one melee attack 
  that would hit her. To do so, she must see the attacker 
  and be wielding a melee weapon.
  
  44
  Pirene, the Half-Nymph
  Medium humanoid (fey), chaotic neutral
  Armor Class 17 
  Hit Points  82 (15d8 + 15)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0)
  17 (+3)
  12 (+1)
  16 (+3)
  17 (+3)
  19 (+4)
  Saving Throws Cha +6, Dex +5
  Skills Acrobatics +5, Animal Handling +5, Deception +6, 
  Insight +5, Nature +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +6
  Condition Immunities charmed
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages Common, Sylvan
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. Pirene’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). 
  She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no 
  material components:
  At will: detect magic, druidcraft, shillelagh
  1/day each: dimension door
  Spellcasting. Pirene is a 7th-level spellcaster. Her 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 
  to hit with spell attacks). She has the following bard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): guidance, produce flame, resistance
  1st level (4 slots): faerie fire, fog cloud, healing word, 
  purify food and drink
  2nd level (3 slots): barkskin, hold person, spike growth
  3rd level (3 slots): call lightning, dispel magic, 
  plant growth
  4th level (1 slot): polymorph
  Unearthly Grace. While Pirene is wearing no armor 
  and not wielding a shield, her AC includes her Charisma 
  modifier. Additionally, when forced to make any saving 
  throw, she can make a Charisma saving throw instead. 
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Charm. One humanoid Pirene can see within 30 feet 
  of her must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw 
  or be magically charmed for 1 day. The charmed target 
  obeys Pirene’s verbal commands. If the target suffers any 
  harm or receives 
  a command that would harm 
  themselves, it can repeat the saving throw, ending 
  the effect on a success. If the target successfully saves 
  against the effect, or the effect on it ends, the target is 
  immune to Pirene’s Charm for the next 24 hours. 
  Stunning Glance (Recharge 5-6). Pirene attempts to 
  stun a creature within 30 feet of her with a look. If that 
  creature and Pirene can see each other, the creature 
  must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or 
  be stunned for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the 
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on a success.
  Soluun Xibrindas
  Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil
  Armor Class 18 (studded leather, shield)
  Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  13 (+1)
  18 (+4)
  14 (+2)
  11 (+0)
  13 (+1)
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +4, Wis +3
  Skills Deception +4, Perception +3, Stealth +8
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, Elvish, Undercommon
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Fey Ancestry. Soluun has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed, and magic can’t put him to sleep.
  Gunslinger. Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature or 
  attacking at long range doesn’t impose disadvantage 
  on Soluun’s ranged attack rolls with a pistol. In addition, 
  he ignores half cover and three-quarters cover when 
  making ranged attacks with a pistol.
  Innate Spellcasting. Soluun’s spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 12). He can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components:
  At will: dancing lights
  1/day each: darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only)
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Soluun has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
  Actions
  Multiattack. Soluun makes two scimitar attacks.
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. Any 
  creature dealt damage by the scimitar must succeed 
  on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned 
  for one hour. 
  Poisonous Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, 
  reach 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing 
  damage plus 11 (2d10) poison damage.. 
  
  45
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/DM's Guild/Volo's Guide to Getting Murdered/1931655-Volos_Guide_to_Getting_Murdered.pdf