TEXT: Bad Business in Parnast 
  Bad Fruul and his minions have been threatening to overtake the town of Parnast for some time, 
  and intelligence provided by SEER (via HSING) confirms that an attack is imminent. Despite this, 
  the town is at risk from within as internal politics threaten to tear it apart. It is up to adventurers 
  to resolve the infighting in Parnast and prepare the town for the hill giant’s onslaught. 
  A Two-Hour Adventure for 1st-4th Level Characters 
  Joe Marflak 
  Adventure Designer 
  Adventure Code: DDAL05-12 
  Version: 1.1 
  Development and Editing: Claire Hoffman, Travis Woodall 
  Organized Play: Chris Lindsay 
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett 
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, 
  Alan Patrick 
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
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  Introduction 
  Welcome to Bad Business in Parnast, a D&D 
  Adventurers League™ adventure, part of the official 
  D&D Adventurers League™ organized play system 
  and the Storm King's Thunder™ storyline season. 
   This adventure is designed for three to seven 1st-
  4th level characters and is optimized for five 4th-
  level characters. Characters outside this level range 
  cannot participate in this adventure. A player with an 
  ineligible character can create a new 1st-level 
  character or use a pre-generated character. 
   The adventure is set in the village of Parnast, in the 
  Forgotten Realms.  
  The D&D Adventurers League 
  The D&D Adventurers League™ is the official 
  organized play system for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®. 
  Players can create characters and participate in any 
  adventure allowed as a part of the D&D Adventurers 
  League. As they adventure, players track their 
  characters’ experience, treasure, and other rewards, 
  and can take those characters through other 
  adventures that will continue their story. 
   For more information on playing, running games as 
  a Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the D&D 
  Adventurers League, please visit the D&D 
  Adventurers League home at: 
  www.dndadventurersleague.org 
  Preparing the Adventure 
  Before you show up to Dungeon Master this 
  adventure for a group of players, you should do the 
  following to prepare. 
  • Make sure to have a copy of the most current
  version of the D&D Basic Rules or the Player’s
  Handbook.
  • Read through the adventure, taking notes of
  anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself
  while running the adventure, such as a way you’d
  like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in
  a combat.
  • Get familiar with the monster statistics in the
  Appendix.
  • Gather together any resources you’d like to use to
  aid you in running this adventure--such as
  notecards, a DM screen, miniatures, and
  battlemaps.
  • If you know the composition of the group
  beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted
  throughout the adventure.
  Before Play at the Table 
  Ask the players to provide you with relevant 
  character information: 
  • Character name and level
  • Character race and class
  • Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common
  passive ability check
  • Anything notable as specified by the adventure
  (such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.)
  Ensure that each player has an official adventure 
  logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from 
  the organizer). The player fills out the adventure 
  name, session number, date, and your name and DCI 
  number (if they have one). In addition, the player also 
  fills in the starting values for experience, gold, 
  downtime, renown, and number of permanent magic 
  items. He or she fill in the other values and write 
  notes at the conclusion of the session. Each player is 
  responsible for maintaining an accurate logsheet. 
   If you have time or see the need to do so, you can 
  do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to ensure 
  that nothing looks out of order. If you see magic items 
  of very high rarities or strange arrays of ability 
  scores, you can ask players to provide documentation 
  for the irregularities. If they cannot, feel free to 
  restrict item use or ask them to use a standard ability 
  score array. Point players to the D&D Adventurers 
  League Player’s Guide for reference.  
   If players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the 
  beginning of an adventure or episode, they can 
  declare their activity and spend the days now. 
  Alternatively, they can do so at the end of the 
  adventure or episode. Players should select their 
  characters’ spells and other daily options prior to the 
  start of the adventure, unless the adventure specifies 
  otherwise. Feel free to reread the adventure 
  description to help give players hints about what they 
  might face. 
  Adjusting the Adventure 
  Throughout this adventure, sidebars provide 
  information to assist you in making adjustments for 
  smaller or larger groups and characters of higher or 
  lower levels than the adventure is optimized for. This 
  is typically used exclusively for combat encounters. 
  These adjustments are not required, nor are you 
  bound to the suggestions made by the adventure—
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
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  they are recommendations provided for guidance and 
  convenience. 
   This adventure is optimized for a party of five 
  4th-level characters. To figure out whether you 
  need to adjust the adventure, do the following: 
  • Add up the total levels of all the characters.
  • Divide the total by the number of characters.
  • Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round fractions
  of less than .5 down.
  You’ve now determined the average party level 
  (APL) for the adventure. To figure out the party 
  strength for the adventure, consult the following 
  table. 
  Determining Party Strength 
  Party Composition Party 
  Strength 
  3-4 characters, APL less than
  Very weak 
  3-4 characters, APL equivalent
  Weak 
  3-4 characters, APL greater than
  Average 
  5 characters, APL less than
  Weak 
  5 characters, APL equivalent
  Average 
  5 characters, APL greater than
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL less than
  Average 
  6-7 characters, APL equivalent
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL greater than
  Very strong 
  Average party strength indicates no recommended 
  adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or 
  may not offer suggestions for certain party strengths. 
  If a particular recommendation is not offered for your 
  group, you don’t have to make adjustments. 
  Running the Adventure 
  As the Dungeon Master of the session, you have the 
  most important role in facilitating the enjoyment of 
  the game for the players. You help guide the narrative 
  and bring the words on these pages to life. The 
  outcome of a fun game session often creates stories 
  that live well beyond the play at the table. Always 
  follow this golden rule when you DM for a group: 
  Make decisions and adjudications that enhance 
  the fun of the adventure when possible. 
  To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the 
  following: 
   You Are Empowered. You get to make decisions 
  about how the group interacts with the NPCs and 
  environment within this adventure. It is okay to make 
  considerable changes or engage in improvisation, so 
  long as you maintain the original spirit of what’s 
  written. 
   Challenge Your Players. Never being challenged 
  makes for a boring game, and being overwhelmed 
  makes for a frustrating game. Gauge the experience 
  level of the players (not the characters) with the 
  game, try to feel out (or ask) what they like in a game, 
  and attempt to give each of them the experience 
  they’re after when they play D&D. Everyone should 
  have the opportunity to shine. 
   Mind the Time. Watch for stalling, since play loses 
  momentum when this happens. At the same time, 
  make sure that the players don’t finish too early; 
  provide them with a full play experience. Try to be 
  aware of running long or short. Adjust the pacing 
  accordingly. 
   Keep the Adventure Moving. When the game starts 
  to get bogged down, feel free to provide hints and 
  clues to your players so they can attempt to solve 
  puzzles, engage in combat, and roleplay interactions 
  without getting too frustrated over a lack of 
  information. This gives players “little victories” for 
  figuring out good choices from clues. The Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide has more information on the art of 
  running a D&D game. 
  Spellcasting Services 
  Any settlement the size of a town or larger can 
  provide some spellcasting services. Characters need 
  to be able to travel to the settlement to obtain these 
  services. 
   Spell services generally available include healing 
  and recovery spells, as well as information-gathering 
  spells. Other spell services might be available as 
  specified in the adventure. The number of spells 
  available as a service is limited to a maximum of 
  three per day total, unless otherwise noted. 
  Spellcasting Services 
  Spell  
  Cost 
  Cure wounds (1st level)  
  10 gp 
  Identify   
  20 gp 
  Lesser restoration  
  40 gp 
  Prayer of healing (2nd level) 
  40 gp 
  Remove curse  
  90 gp 
  Speak with dead   
  90 gp 
  Divination  
  210 gp 
  Greater restoration  
  450 gp 
  Raise dead  
  1,250 gp 
  Resurrection* 
  3,000 gp 
  True Resurrection* 
  50,000 gp 
  *These spells require an additional expenditure of
  downtime days (150 for resurrection and 350 for true
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
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  resurrection). This cost can be reduced by 50 days for 
  each faction rank above 1 that the character 
  possesses. This downtime is spent in community 
  service for the church that provided the spell in 
  question. The Acolyte background feature does NOT 
  reduce the gp or downtime cost for either of these 
  spells. 
  Acolyte Background 
  A character possessing the acolyte background requesting 
  spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may request 
  one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table for free. 
  The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for the 
  consumed material component, if any. 
  Acolytes can call upon spellcasting services in and around 
  the three towns as follows: 
  Parnast (Tier 1). Mielikki 
  Stagwick (Tier 2). Chauntea 
  Beregost (Tier 3). Lathander, Waukeen 
  Death and Recovery 
  Sometimes bad things happen, and characters die. 
  Since you might not have the same characters return 
  from session to session, here are the rules when bad 
  things happen to characters.  
  Death  
  A character who is killed during the course of the 
  adventure has a few options at the end of the session 
  (or whenever arriving back in civilization) if no one in 
  the adventuring party has immediate access to a raise 
  dead or revivify spell, or similar magic. A character 
  subject to a raise dead spell is affected negatively 
  until all long rests have been completed during an 
  adventure. Alternatively, each downtime day spent 
  after raise dead reduces the penalty to attack rolls, 
  saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in addition to 
  any other benefits the downtime activity might 
  provide.  
   Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead 
  character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of the 
  other options, the player creates a new character. The 
  new character does not have any items or rewards 
  possessed by the dead character.  
   Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the 
  character’s body is recoverable (it’s not missing any 
  vital organs and is mostly whole) and the player 
  would like the character to be returned to life, the 
  party can take the body back to civilization and use 
  the dead character’s funds to pay for a raise dead 
  spell. A raise dead spell cast in this manner costs the 
  character 1,250 gp.  
   Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above, 
  except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise 
  dead spell is paid for by the party at the end of the 
  session. Other characters are under no obligation to 
  spend their funds to bring back a dead party member. 
   Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 
  and a member of a faction, the dead character’s body 
  can be returned to civilization and a patron from the 
  faction ensures that he or she receives a raise dead 
  spell. However, any character invoking this charity 
  forfeits all experience and rewards from that session 
  (both those earned prior to and after death during 
  that session) and cannot replay that episode or 
  adventure with that character again. Once a character 
  reaches 5th level, this option is no longer available. 
  Adventure Background 
  The village of Parnast is a small, secluded community 
  nestled between the southeastern boundary of the 
  Greypeak Mountains and the western edge of the 
  Weathercote Wood. Originally built as a Zhentarim 
  outpost, Parnast was a prosperous trade hub along 
  the Black Road. Following the death of the outpost's 
  commander and subsequent abandonment by the 
  Zhentarim, Old Parnast's fortifications fell into 
  disrepair and were in turn abandoned by the 
  villagers, who, over the years moved the village south. 
   Just over a year ago, Parnast was seized by the Cult 
  of the Dragon, who used the massive crater outside 
  the village as a dock for their flying fortress, Skyreach 
  Castle. The cult was eventually driven off, but not 
  before plundering Parnast and the surrounding 
  region of its resources, leaving the town vulnerable in 
  the face of the newest threat. 
   The giant, Bad Fruul, masses his armies to the 
  south, while outriders and scouts led by an orc 
  warrior named Kagrota Threeteeth scour the region 
  for supplies, slaves, and treasure. Marauding bands of 
  orcs and goblins have sent outlying homesteaders 
  fleeing for the relative safety of Parnast, lending 
  credence to rumors that had been following caravans 
  across the Anauroch for several tendays. Bad Fruul is 
  on the move and Parnast is about to be overwhelmed. 
  A Note on Magic 
  Some characters may attempt to use magic to manipulate 
  NPCs in this module. While this activity should not be 
  discouraged by the DM, please be sure you understand the 
  effects of such spells before adjudicating the outcome. So 
  while, charm person, for example, causes the victim to view 
  the caster as a friendly acquaintance. One does not necessarily 
  share their innermost secrets with a friendly acquaintance, or 
  otherwise change their plans for just them. 
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
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  Adventure Overview 
  The adventure is broken down into three parts: 
   Part 1. Raggnar Redtooth hires the adventurers to 
  investigate suspected sabotage that has hindered 
  recent attempts to ready defenses against the orcs. 
   Part2. The characters investigate the suspected 
  sabotage throughout the following day, and 
  eventually catch Tove Brandimen, one of Raggnar’s 
  militiamen, in the act. Tove attempts to flee. If 
  captured, he claims to be working for Kagrota 
  Threeteeth, an orc who he claims is holding his 
  mother Illyna captive. If the characters agree to try 
  and rescue his mother, he offers to lead them to 
  Kagrota. 
  Tove and Gotthard Brandimen 
  When the Zhentarim left Old Parnast, the Banite temple was 
  destroyed and one human acolyte fled into the forest with his 
  family. He built a cabin in the wooded hills and raised his 
  children to venerate Bane, as they raised theirs in turn. Today 
  the cabin is home to his great-grandchildren; identical half-elf 
  twins of forty-five, named Tove and Gotthard Brandimen who 
  have abandoned the worship of Bane in favor of Cyric. 
  Ostensibly, they are trappers. Both brothers, under the 
  guise of Tove, periodically travel to the village to trade meat 
  and skins for supplies. They have a good reputation as fair 
  traders and decent folk. Though the villagers know of 
  Gotthard, they believe him to be Tove’s younger reclusive 
  brother who has never come to town. Additionally, they do 
  not suspect that Tove and Gotthard are twins or that the 
  brothers have abducted and murdered numerous travelers 
  over the years. 
  When they learned of the orcs moving through the area, 
  and of the larger force following close behind, they made 
  contact with Kagrota and offered their allegiance. Kagrota 
  agreed, though she did wish to limit the brother’s actions 
  against the village. Her goal is not to slaughter the villagers, 
  but to take as many slaves as possible. Bad Fruul’s army 
  requires support after all, and corpses serve only crows. 
   Part3. The characters finally confront Kagrota at 
  the Brandimen’s cabin. 
  Adventure Hooks 
  There are many reasons for the adventurers to be on 
  site, including the following: 
   Treasure Hunters. You’ve recently come to Parnast 
  following a treasure hunting expedition in the 
  Greypeak Mountains. Characters who participated in 
  DDAL05-01 Treasures of the Broken Hoard may 
  already be in Parnast. 
   Caravan Guards. You recently arrived at Parnast 
  as part of a caravan traveling through the Anauroch 
  or Grey Peak Mountains, your employers are taking a 
  few days to rest before completing an arduous 
  journey. If the adventurers took part in DDAL05-02 
  The Black Road, they have knowledge of the area, and 
  recent history. 
    All Faction Members. Regardless of a particular 
  character’s specific reasons for being in Parnast, 
  members of every faction recently received a missive 
  from their handler, warning that Bad Fruul, a capable 
  hill giant war chief, has spent months gathering an 
  army of goblinoids, ogres and other, less pleasant 
  creatures in the Greycloak Hills. New intelligence 
  confirms that he is preparing to attack Parnast. You 
  are to travel to or remain in the village and assist the 
  people however you can.  
   Order of the Gauntlet (Faction Assignment). The 
  Order has heard tell of Cyric worshipers in the hills 
  around Parnast, seen the Skull-and-Sunburst (Cyric’s 
  Symbol) carved into trees along the trade route, and 
  borne witness to small shrines dedicated to the mad 
  god in the wilds. Members of the Order of the 
  Gauntlet—should they come upon any such symbols 
  or shrines—are to destroy them without hesitation. 
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
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  Part 1. Back in Parnast 
  Expected Play Time: 15 Minutes 
  The characters have recently arrived at The Golden 
  Tankard for the evening meal after having passed 
  through the village. There are several other locations 
  in town that they may wish to visit, either after their 
  meal or on the following day. Please read the box text 
  under “The Golden Tankard” and take a moment to 
  allow the characters to introduce themselves.  
  General Features 
  Parnast has the following general features: 
   Weather. Situated on the eastern boundary of the 
  Greypeak Mountains, a cool breeze continually flows 
  through Parnast. The shadow of the mountain range 
  begins to darken the village early in the evening. It is 
  currently overcast and windy, threatening rain. 
   Light and Visibility. During the day, the village is 
  well lit, however, in the wooded region outside of 
  town, the light is dim and both are dark at night. 
   Geography. The terrain around Parnast is uneven 
  and rocky. The region is covered with rugged scrub, 
  hearty wildflowers, and tall mountain pines. Hunting 
  is usually unproductive as nearly all large game has 
  been hunted out of the region. 
   Crater. Immediately southwest of Parnast is a 
  massive crater, used by the Cult of the Dragon to 
  house the floating fortress, Skyreach Castle. 
   In the Region. Within a day’s walk of Parnast, there 
  are a half-dozen farms and other outlying dwellings. 
   Refugees. Four farming families, workers in their 
  employ, and a number of other homesteaders have 
  recently arrived in Parnast. This increase in 
  population may be a burden, as half of the newcomers 
  are very old or very young, and the able-bodied adults 
  are not capable warriors. They are, however, 
  accustomed to hard labor and could be of use in the 
  construction of fortifications. 
  The Golden Tankard 
  This comfortable rustic tavern offers a limited menu 
  of flavorless food and bitter ale, however, there are no 
  rooms for rent here. The proprietor is Raggnar 
  Redtooth, a retired soldier turned barkeep who also 
  serves as the leader of the local militia and sees 
  himself as the town’s head. Characters who 
  participated in DDAL05-03 Uninvited Guests 
  recognize the barkeep. 
  Read or paraphrase the following: 
  The village of Parnast has seen better days. Rumors of 
  an encroaching monstrous army, once brashly 
  dismissed, became a living nightmare when the first 
  farm was sacked. Now make-shift shelters for the 
  newcomers and pickets for their animals can be 
  found scattered along the streets and among 
  buildings. A quiet gloom hangs over the village. 
      This evening, you arrive late to The Golden Tankard 
  to find a burly man with prominent muttonchops 
  bidding three men goodnight. Two are clearly 
  militiamen, and the third is a short half-elf, clad in 
  worn furs. As the three leave, the burly man spots you 
  approaching and smiles apologetically, saying “I’m 
  sorry friends, but the Tankard’s cl… On second 
  thought, would you be interested in some work?”  
  The Offer 
  Raggnar had been discussing the news of monsters 
  and missing farmers with two of his regular 
  militiamen and Tove Brandimen, his scout. 
  Unbeknownst to the barkeeper, Tove has been 
  feeding him false information, leading him to believe 
  that the best option is to build fortifications, in hopes 
  that the village looks too dangerous for the orcs to 
  risk attacking. Raggnar believes that the village can 
  conceivably be defended, but only if people would do 
  what he says. 
   Raggnar introduces himself and asks if the 
  characters are interested in work. If so, he invites 
  them into the tavern and calls for his daughter 
  Elspeth to bring cheese and ale to tide the 
  adventurer’s over until morning.  
    Once inside, he explains that he has been 
  scrambling to organize a defense, but has 
  encountered resistance and ill fortune at every turn. 
  In the end, he explains that he suspects foul play and 
  that Gundalin Cartwright may be involved. He will 
  pay them 50 gp if they investigate and bring what 
  they find to him.  
   While Raggnar is talking to the party, someone 
  knocks on the door. Elsepth answers it, to find a 
  young man waiting. Characters who participated in 
  DDAL05-03 Uninvited guests recognize him as 
  Wallace, the cartwright’s son. Elsepth turns to her 
  father as if to ask a question, but before she gets the 
  words out Raggnar sighs and waves. Elspeth smiles, 
  dons a cloak, and joins Wallace to sit and chat on the 
  front porch. 
   Raggnar provides the following information about 
  the situation: 
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
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  • Every decision he makes is second guessed by
  Gundalin Cartwright or one of his cronies.
  • Gundalin and his friends are the most skilled
  woodworkers and craftsmen in the village, yet they
  refuse to work with him. They still blame Raggnar
  for the situation with the Cult of the Dragon.
  • If Gundalin is behind the sabotage, Raggnar intends
  to use that to discredit him and gain the support of
  his followers.
  • If Gundalin is not behind it, Raggnar would like the
  characters to reason with the man. Gundalin is a
  skilled craftsman and Raggnar needs men like him.
  • If he cannot get the villagers to work together soon,
  Raggnar worries that people may begin fleeing into
  the hills. This would only result in a slaughter.
  • Tove has reported that he has been unable to
  determine the strength of the invading force, other
  than to say that it is sizeable. He’s says that the
  monsters are constantly on the move through the
  surrounding countryside, traveling in groups of
  various size, but he’s been unable to locate a
  permanent camp. The orcs are not occupying the
  farms they sack, and have destroyed what supplies
  they couldn’t carry with them.
  • Raggnar does not know that an attack by Bad
  Fruul’s army is imminent. This intelligence has not 
  yet been provided to him and if the characters let 
  him know, it only reinforces his determination to 
  catch the saboteur and rally the people.  
  While he can’t definitely prove it to be sabotage, he 
  has the following evidence: 
  • Supplies and tools have been vanishing. They’ve
  been storing their supplies in the small building in
  the center of town. (Though he doesn’t mention this
  to the characters, last night he had several of his
  trusted militiamen move most of the supplies into
  his tavern, where he can keep an eye on them.
  Unbeknownst to Raggnar, Gotthard observed this
  from the edge of town.)
  • The day after they completed the southern
  watchtower, it collapsed killing a militiaman named
  Donnal. Raggnar isn’t a carpenter, but he’s sure it
  was sturdy. Raggnar says one of the men claimed to
  see a light near the base of the tower just before it
  collapsed, and getting men to work on rebuilding it
  has been challenging. They’d built the towers with
  materials scavenged from Old Parnast and now
  rumors are spreading that the tower was cursed.
  • To make things worse, just this morning, the cart
  they’d been using to haul building materials from
  Old Parnast broke its second axle in a tenday. It had
  recently had its wheels and axle replaced by
  Gundalin. The owner took the cart back to 
  Gundalin’s shop. Raggnar doesn’t trust him, but he 
  is the only cartwright in town. 
  If the party expresses an interest in leaving town to 
  find the orcs, Raggnar asks that they stay. He says that 
  his people are not yet prepared to defend themselves, 
  and the presence of experienced warriors in the 
  village would put his mind at ease. He would prefer if 
  the characters remain in Parnast, until he’s managed 
  to fortify the village and sufficiently prepare his 
  people. 
   When they’ve finished speaking, Raggnar offers to 
  put them up in the stables across the village square. 
  He warns them that it is a bit crowded, but they 
  should be able to find space for a bed roll. Any 
  mounts they’ve brought can be secured at the picket 
  outside the Tavern. In the event that any of the 
  characters participated in DDAL05-03 Uninvited 
  Guests and received the Defenders of Parnast story 
  award, Raggnar instead offers them space to sleep in 
  the tavern. 
  Roleplaying Raggnar Redtooth 
  Raggnar is a tall, burly, boisterous man with enormous 
  muttonchops and dark hair. He served as a soldier in his youth 
  but is vague regarding the details. When the Cult of the 
  Dragon occupied Parnast, Raggnar capitulated, accepting 
  bribes to help conceal their activity and maintain control over 
  the village. When he was eventually found out, he maintained 
  that his actions were for the good of the villagers who, he 
  says, would have been slaughtered otherwise. This line of 
  argument prompted many of the townsfolk to forgive his 
  actions and, given his military experience, embrace him as 
  their de facto leader. Raggnar is a bully who does not shy from 
  using intimidation and coercion to get his way, though he can 
  be charming when it suits him. He looks out for number one 
  and takes advantage of every opportunity that presents itself 
  regardless of the consequences levied upon others. Despite 
  this, he presents his motives as altruistic. 
  Quote: “No good deed goes unpunished.” 
  The characters may not wish to go directly to the 
  stables after leaving the Tankard, however, it is late 
  and most decent townsfolk are sleeping. The shops 
  are closed, and no one takes kindly to knocks on the 
  door at this hour. If the characters go elsewhere, 
  please proceed to Part 2, below. Otherwise, continue. 
  The Stables 
  The Cult of the Dragon used the stables to house their 
  wyverns when they occupied Parnast. The scent of 
  the creatures still lingers, frightening livestock that 
  comes too close.  As such, the stables now serve as a 
  makeshift inn for travelers and - more recently -
  refugee families. While many of the newcomers have 
  
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  set up temporary shelters in and around the village, 
  the elderly and very young children are being housed 
  in the stables along with Tove, who stays here when 
  he is not “scouting”.  
   In the event that no characters stay at the stables, 
  they meet Tove the following morning as he prepares 
  to leave town.  
  The sound of a crying infant can be heard coming 
  from the stables as you approach. A hint of something 
  acrid hangs in the air about the building. The short, 
  fur-clad half-elven man you saw in the Golden 
  Tankard earlier leans on the wall outside the door of 
  the building smoking a pipe. He smiles and waves as 
  you approach. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Tove.” 
  Tove attempts to strike up a conversation with the 
  characters, complaining about the crying child in the 
  stables. How anyone is supposed to sleep with that 
  racket he is unsure. 
   When speaking to the characters, Tove is curious 
  and friendly and does his best to avoid seeming 
  pushy. He would like to know who they are and what 
  they are doing in town. If they mention that they are 
  investigating possible sabotage, he acts skeptical that 
  anything untoward is happening. 
   If asked, he explains that he is a scout for Raggnar, 
  just in town for the evening to report. He plans on 
  leaving again in the morning to keep an eye on the 
  orcs as best he can.  
   If asked about his past, his demeanor darkens and 
  he quickly tires of the conversation. He divulges that 
  he and his brother had a run-in with the orcs nearly a 
  score of days ago. He says they “got out alive” but had 
  to split up and that Gotthard can take care of himself. 
  This is all true in a sense and he should have 
  advantage on a Charisma (Deception) check if the 
  characters are suspicious.  
   When he’s had enough, Tove excuses himself. He 
  rests near the northern corner of the stables. When 
  he thinks it safe, he contacts Gotthard using the 
  message cantrip. He lets his brother know everything 
  he can about the party, including their names, 
  equipment, what he thinks of them and where they 
  seem to be spending the evening. 
   When not in the village, neither Gotthard nor Tove 
  return to the cabin except in the event of an 
  emergency, or to report important activity to Kagrota. 
  During the day, they keep a cold camp well away from 
  Parnast and plan their evening mischief. When Tove 
  is in town Gotthard waits on the northeastern 
  perimeter each night, to exchange information. 
  Roleplaying Tove Brandimen 
  Tove is a short, handsome half-elf with sandy blonde hair and 
  green eyes. He is personable and enjoys small talk. He offers 
  reasonable advice to those who ask and none to those who 
  don’t, and is always eager to help out. This is, of course, all a 
  show, and any who see through it find him to be somewhat 
  off-putting and strange. They may notice that he nods too 
  often, refuses to break eye contact or never blinks. He 
  habitually rests his hand on the pommel of his short sword. 
  Despite this, he is a skilled woodsman and his reputation made 
  him an obvious choice for a scout in Raggnar’s militia. 
  Quote: “What can I do to help?” 
  
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  Part 2. Bad Business 
  Expected Play Time: 60 Minutes 
  The Brandimen brothers have thus far been 
  methodically disrupting the villager’s activities. 
  Rather than feel threatened by the characters’ 
  involvement, they see this as an exciting challenge 
  and become more aggressive rather than cautious. 
   The following events take place over the course of 
  the next day, at the relevant times though the exact 
  moment of each event is up to the DM’s discretion.  
   The characters may visit any or all of the locations 
  under “People and Places” in any order. 
  A. The Day’s Events
  The following events occur throughout the day, at the 
  indicated times. These should serve to interrupt the 
  flow of the investigation, as the characters investigate 
  the town interacting with people and places detailed 
  in section 2B. The exact timing of each event is left up 
  to the DM’s discretion. If it seems like the party is 
  taking too long, use the poisoning or kidnapping 
  events to get them moving. If they are really behind, 
  allow them a good chance to capture or kill Tove 
  during Kidnapping. 
  1. Poisoning (Morning) 
  On the evening the characters arrived, after he spoke 
  with Tove and was certain that the village was asleep, 
  Gotthard stole into the Herbalist’s garden and took 
  substantial cuttings from the yew shrubs found there. 
  He then mixed the cuttings into hay used to feed 
  several draft horses brought by a farming family. 
  Then he doubled back to the garden and made an 
  obvious trail leading to Gundalin’s shop, where he 
  planted the shears and bag used to collect the 
  clippings.  
    The horses are located at one of the redoubts noted 
  on the map. Several families have brought horses and 
  livestock with them and Gotthard is not targeting any 
  in particular, nor is he on any rigid timeline so long as 
  he can complete his task before morning. If the 
  characters are scouting in the evening, Gotthard waits 
  for an opportunity to target horses without being 
  caught. 
    Early the following morning, the farmer (Wald) and 
  his son (Enryn) feed the animals and leave to attend 
  other chores. Shortly after that, the horses are 
  discovered dying. The symptoms they present include 
  labored breathing, trembling and dizziness. 
    The characters are alerted to the situation by a 
  commotion. Villagers are shouting for help and 
  someone is running to fetch Chandra Stol from the 
  Shrine of Axes. 
   When the characters arrive on the scene, they see 
  three afflicted horses. Two lay on the ground, one 
  trembling violently, the other is dead. A third is on its 
  feet, staggering as a farmer tries to steady it. Chandra 
  Stol arrives several minutes after the commotion 
  begins. Characters investigating the scene may use 
  the following ability checks to learn more 
  information: 
  • Intelligence (Investigation):
  DC 11. Several evergreen branches are mixed in
  with the hay that the horses have been eating. 
  • Wisdom (Medicine), Intelligence (Nature or
  Survival):
  DC 8. The animals appear to have been poisoned,
  the motionless one is dead. 
   DC 12. The horse on the ground is very close to 
  death. The other will die soon. 
   DC 14. The character recognizes these as species of 
  yew plant, all parts of which are highly toxic to people 
  and livestock. 
  • Curing the Horses. The trembling and staggering
  horses have only two minutes, and half an hour to
  live, respectively. Their condition can be cured with
  magic, such as protection from poison. Alternatively,
  a horse that is fed antitoxin gradually recovers if it
  succeeds on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. A
  character who searches Sylas’s garden and
  succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Nature) check
  finds the necessary herbs to counter the toxic
  effects of the evergreen branches. Characters who
  are proficient with herbalism kits add their
  proficiency bonus to this check. A horse given this
  remedy gradually recovers without the need for a
  saving throw.
    
  If the characters openly discuss the poisoning, 
  Chandra Stol lets them know that Sylas, the late 
  Herbalist’s husband may have something that could 
  help. 
  • Searching the Area. Any tracks that may have been
  left by the culprit have been obscured by milling
  townsfolk.
  2. Kidnapping (Afternoon) 
  This event should happen after the characters have 
  visited two or three locations in town. 
    Gundalin's son Wallace sneaks off into the woods 
  early in the afternoon. He found a note left for him 
  that he thought left by his lover Elspeth, Raggnar’s 
  daughter. The note was forged by Tove, penned in her 
  
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  graceful hand and signed with a stylized E. It invites 
  him to the “usual place”; a copse of trees a short 
  distance to the east of town. Unfortunately for 
  Wallace, Tove is waiting for him and quickly subdues 
  the young man with sleep before binding and gagging 
  him.  
   The Brandimen intend to frame Wallace for the 
  arson they plan to commit this evening. Tove keeps 
  the boy alive until shortly after the fire is started—
  knowing that Chandra Stol will notice if the kill is not 
  fresh when he carries Wallace’s corpse into town the 
  following morning.  
   Generally, this goes unnoticed by the characters. 
  However, if they are near Gundalin’s house in the 
  early afternoon the characters may see Wallace leave. 
  In that event, go to Stakeout. 
   Stakeout. Characters who decided to keep watch 
  on Gundalin’s home or happen to be in the area see 
  Gundalin leave around noon, heading toward the 
  tavern. He is going to find the farmer whose cart he’s 
  just finished repairing. A few minutes later, Wallace 
  leaves, heading east. 
   Characters succeeding on a DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) 
  check notice that the boy is acting suspiciously—
  periodically checking over his shoulder as he moves 
  down the street.  
   If confronted, he admits that he’s going to meet his 
  lover Elspeth and shows them the note. He begs the 
  characters not to tell Gundalin or Raggnar, who he 
  believes would be furious. 
   Characters following Wallace that succeed on a DC 
  10 Dexterity (Stealth) check see him sneak out of 
  town and enter a stand of pine trees, vanishing from 
  sight amid the low hanging branches. He notices 
  those that fail and hollers at them to mind their own 
  business. 
   Characters within thirty feet of the boy when he 
  disappears into the trees that also succeed on a DC 13 
  Wisdom (Perception) check hear him call out 
  “Elspeth?” Those that succeed by 5 or more hear a 
  murmured response, that sounds more like 
  nonsensical utterings than a language. Characters 
  proficient in Arcana that hear the response identifies 
  them as the verbal component for some sort of arcane 
  spell. 
   If the characters were stealthy, they may be able to 
  capture Tove, otherwise, he flees into the hills and 
  escapes. 
   Sneaking up on Tove requires two successful 
  Dexterity (Stealth) group checks—one to approach 
  the stand of trees DC 11, and another upon entering 
  DC 16. 
  • If Tove Detects the Characters:
  Entering the stand of trees, you see Wallace face 
  down amid the pines, asleep. His hands are bound 
  behind his back. 
  If Tove heard the characters approaching, he casts 
  longstrider and sneaks off before they arrive, leaving 
  Wallace and abandoning the plan of framing the boy. 
  The DM may allow the characters a chance to catch 
  Tove leaving even if they failed the second stealth 
  check. 
  • If the Characters Surprise Tove:
  You enter the stand of trees and see Wallace face 
  down amid the pines. A hooded figure crouches 
  nearby, apparently unaware of your presence. 
  Tove attempts to flee using longstrider and Cunning 
  Action. If escape isn’t possible, he surrenders. 
  Proceed to Part 3, bearing in mind that Gotthard is 
  unaware of Tove’s capture. Arson (see below) occurs 
  regardless of the characters’s actions unless Tove has 
  an opportunity to contact him via message.  
  • Searching the Area:
  The party finds a sack hanging from a low branch 
  near Wallace that contains a dagger, several crumpled 
  love letters written between Wallace and Elspeth, pen 
  and ink. A character who succeeds in a DC 11 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check notices slight 
  inconsistencies between the hand used in the 
  crumpled notes from Elspeth to Wallace, and the note 
  that brought him out today, though the contents of 
  the note was clearly similar enough to fool him.  
  • If Wallace Slips Away Unseen:
  Left undisturbed, Tove leaves the stand of trees at 
  dusk as the shadow of the mountain falls over the 
  village. He moves into position on the perimeter of 
  town and waits for Gotthard to initiate Arson.  
  3. Arson (Night) 
  After most of the villagers have turned in for the 
  evening, the Brandimen brothers attempt to burn 
  down the tavern in order to destroy the community’s 
  food supply.   
   Gotthard kills the guard on the northern tower with 
  an arrow, and then sets it ablaze with lamp oil stolen 
  from the trading post before fleeing. While the 
  townsfolk rush to put the fire out, Tove sneaks into 
  
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  the tavern through the back door to destroy it with 
  the rest of the stolen oil. If he is spotted by the 
  characters before entering, he attempts to throw a 
  lighted flask at the tavern before fleeing.  
   If he enters the tavern undetected, he is caught by 
  Elspeth as he lights the fire. Tove knocks her 
  unconscious and leaves her to burn, fleeing to the 
  copse of trees where he ambushed Wallace.  
   Anyone in the village square hears her screams or 
  see her being chased past a window with a successful 
  DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. If unsuccessful, a 
  villager notices flames spreading in the tavern, and 
  alerts the characters one round later—giving Tove a 
  one-round head start. Any character entering or 
  looking into the building sees Elspeth prone on the 
  floor of the taproom. 
   Fighting the Fire. If Tove successfully lights the 
  fire, the characters have the opportunity to save the 
  Tavern, and Elspeth’s life. For the most part, the 
  majority of the townsfolk have sleepily emerged from 
  their homes and mill about, uncertain of how to 
  proceed. Raggnar and the four militia men on a 
  handful of townsfolk do spring into action, running to 
  fill buckets at the well. When Raggnar sees the 
  Tankard burning, he sprints back, yelling that the 
  village’s provisions are inside. 
   As the fire burns, the fire fighters (villagers and 
  characters) receive a total of ten d20 rolls. These may 
  be rolled by the players. A roll of one to ten is a 
  failure, eleven to twenty is a success.  The number of 
  successful rolls determines the level of damage to the 
  tavern, and the village supplies. In addition to merely 
  stating that they wish to help fight the fires, the 
  characters can take an action to improve the odds of 
  success every time a firefighting die is rolled.   
   The following are examples of actions that may be 
  taken, and the outcome of success. This is not an all-
  encompassing list, please reward creative play.  
  • Rally the milling townsfolk to organize a response
  to the fire. A successful DC 12 Charisma
  (Persuasion or Intimidation) grants a +1 bonus to
  all firefighting rolls going forward.
  • Rig the well to fill multiple buckets at once. A
  successful DC 11 Intelligence (Thieves’ Tools,
  Tinker’s Tools) grants a +1 bonus to all firefighting
  rolls.
  • Spells such as prestidigitation, control flame or
  druid craft, can be used to battle the fire. Every 
  character dedicated to doing this grants an 
  additional +1 bonus to firefighting rolls. 
  • Spells that create large quantities of water, such as
  create or destroy water can be used to rapidly douse
  flames, granting an automatic success.
  • Pull Elspeth from the building. A successful DC 10
  Strength (Athletics) or Wisdom (Survival) check
  allows a character to extract Elspeth without
  incident. A failure on this roll causes the character
  to take 7 (2d6) damage from fire, smoke inhalation
  or falling debris in the process of rescuing her. The
  damage type is up to the discretion of the DM.
  • Rushing in to save supplies. A successful DC 13
  Strength (Athletics) check allows the character to
  enter the tavern and retrieve a crate of supplies
  from the store room, granting a success. A failure
  on this roll causes the character to take 7 (2d6)
  damage from fire, smoke inhalation or falling
  debris in addition to failing to retrieve any supplies.
  The damage type is up to the discretion of the DM.
  Fire Damage 
  Successes 
  Tavern 
  Supplies 
  0-1
  Destroyed 
  Destroyed 
  2-4
  Nearly Destroyed 
  Mostly Destroyed 
  5-6
  Heavily Damaged 
  Half Destroyed 
  7-8
  Lightly Damaged 
  A Quarter Destroyed 
  9-10
  Superficial Damage 
  Most Saved 
  • The Well, Water, and Buckets:
  There are six buckets by the well and more in the 
  stables and various homes throughout the village. If 
  the characters get the villagers moving, people run off 
  to gather more.  
  • The Tower:
  Unless a character was near the tower and sees the 
  fire start, it burns too quickly to be saved by buckets 
  from the well, though several villagers try.  
   A create water spell positioned on the tower douses 
  the flames. 
   A character near the tower when the fire is set that 
  succeeds on a Wisdom (Perception) check opposed 
  by Gotthard’s Dexterity (Stealth) check sees a cowled 
  figure sneaking away from the tower. Gotthard is in 
  an area of darkness when this check is made. If he is 
  caught, he pretends to be Tove and claims to be in 
  pursuit of someone who just set the tower on fire. 
   A member of the militia spots the burning tower 
  after it had been burning for two rounds, and calls for 
  help if no one else has. 
  • The Tavern:
  If the characters enter the tavern, they notice that the
  back door has been left open. If they saw or heard
  Elspeth being chased and head immediately to the
  building, they see Tove exiting. Otherwise,
  investigating the area behind the tavern may reveal
  Tove’s tracks. A successful DC 11 Wisdom (Survival)
  
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  check reveals that the tracks lead to the northwest. 
  The tracks are far apart, indicating that the individual 
  was running. 
  4. Clean Getaway
  If Tove manages to escape undetected, he waits in the 
  grove where they’re keeping Wallace, whether 
  Wallace is still there, or not. This is the brother’s 
  agreed meeting point. In the event that Wallace has 
  been rescued, and the characters have not captured 
  or killed either brother, the brothers return to the 
  cabin to report to Kagrota.  
    Otherwise, Gotthard shows up just before dawn 
  and Tove kills Wallace. Gotthard then cuts Tove’s arm 
  and splatters some blood on Wallace’s hand in order 
  to support the story that Wallace attacked him. Tove 
  bandages his wound, takes the body and dagger, and 
  heads back to town. 
  His story is as follows: 
  • Tove was headed into town and saw the fires.
  • Tove ran into Wallace; the boy appeared to be
  fleeing town.
  • Tove attempted to calm the Wallace down, but the
  young man drew a knife and attacked him—dealing
  a wicked cut on his arm (winces in pain).
  • Tove tried to disarm and subdue Wallace, but
  ended up killing him during the struggle.
  Raggnar accepts Tove’s side of the story, and suggests 
  that Wallace and Gundalin are behind the sabotage. If 
  the shears and clippings were found in Gundalin’s 
  house and presented to Raggnar, he is certain of their 
  guilt. 
   Characters closely inspecting Wallace’s body notice 
  that it smells strongly of pine, but not of smoke or oil. 
  Additionally, characters inspecting the body may use 
  the following ability checks to learn more 
  information:  
  • Intelligence (Investigation):
  DC 9. Wallace corpse isn’t wearing a dagger sheath.
  • Wisdom (Medicine):
  DC 11. Wallace’s wrists appear to have rope burns.
  If Tove’s story is not believed, he makes one last 
  attempt to escape. 
  Treasure 
  If Tove or Gotthard are killed or captured the 
  characters discover that the brothers each carry 
  30 gp worth of assorted coins. 
   Additionally, Tove has oil of slipperiness and 
  Gotthard has a potion of healing, both of which they 
  may use in their attempts to overcome the characters. 
  XP Award 
  If the characters save the horses, award each 
  character 25 XP for each horse save. Additionally, if 
  the characters rescue Elspeth, award each character 
  50 XP.  
   Award each character 50 XP for each Brandimen 
  brother they capture or kill. 
   And finally, if the characters roll five or more 
  successes while fighting the fire, award each 
  character 50 XP, if they roll nine or more, award an 
  additional 25 XP. 
  B. The People and Places of Parnast
  The characters have the opportunity to visit the 
  following during their investigation: 
  1. Townsfolk 
  The townsfolk of Parnast are clearly frightened, 
  keeping their heads down as they go about their 
  chores. Their talk is hushed and several of them 
  cringe at your presence, glancing nervously at your 
  weapons. 
  The average person in town doesn’t know anything 
  about the sabotage. Most are more focused on feeding 
  their families and determining whether to flee or 
  fight.  Tales of marauding monsters as well as 
  murdered and missing neighbors are a heavy weight 
  on people’s minds. That said they have a little 
  information that the characters can uncover by 
  talking to them directly, or overhearing conversation. 
  • Several villagers who escaped encounters with the
  orcs recall the leader, a huge female orc in full
  armor who wore tusks braided into her hair.
  • Though the orcs did kill people, they seemed more
  interested in taking prisoners.
  • The attacking orcs screamed their battle cries in
  common, saying things like “Bones for the mother!”
  or “Three Teeth!”.
  2. The Militia 
  There are twelve militiamen in all, including Tove 
  Brandimen. They are able to relate the following: 
  • The morning the southern watchtower fell, one of
  the militiamen (Ulrich), was the first on the scene.
  He pulled Donnal’s body out of the wreckage. He
  isn’t sure if it was his imagination, but believes he
  saw a faint blue light near the base of the tower. It
  caught his eye an instant before the tower fell, and
  
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  then it was gone. Once word of that got out, the 
  townsfolk began to embellish the tale, resulting in 
  the belief that ghosts are haunting the materials 
  brought from Old Parnast. 
  • The militiamen think Tove is a good scout. He has
  killed a fair number of goblins over the years, and
  he’s helped to track down missing persons.
  • They know as much about the orcs as the
  townsfolk.
  • They may have heard only rumors about Bad Fruul,
  but don’t seem aware that an army is bearing down
  on them.
  • They are nervous, but trust Raggnar to do what is
  best for the village.
  3. The Cartwright’s Shop 
  The cartwright’s home is squat building located 
  beside the stables, on the northern end of town. A 
  sign posted out front depicts a horse-drawn wagon. 
  Wagon wheels are arranged in orderly stacks on the 
  front porch.  
   In the event that the party goes to Gundalin’s shop 
  the night they arrive, both Gundalin and Wallace are 
  asleep. Gotthard doesn’t attempt to drop the evidence 
  in Gundalin’s home if he sees the characters in or 
  around the residence. He spends several rounds 
  scouting the home before he makes any attempt to 
  complete his part in poisoning. The DM may 
  determine that he arrived before the characters, in 
  which case, they may find the planted evidence. 
  Otherwise he arrives after they leave. 
    If the adventurers approach Gundalin’s home in the 
  morning, he is here watching his son Wallace work a 
  lathe to craft a new axle for a cart, but not the one 
  Raggnar mentioned. As it turns out, several carts and 
  wagons have had similar problems over the last 
  tenday. The characters recognize Wallace as the 
  young man who visited the Tankard the night before. 
   If the characters arrive in the afternoon, Gundalin is 
  still here and is quite angry about his son, Wallace, 
  having run off—shirking his chores. He has no idea 
  where Wallace went, and there are no tracks or 
  evidence to lead the characters to him. 
   Development. If the characters participated in 
  DDAL05-03 Uninvited Guests, Gundalin recognizes 
  them and is friendly and helpful. He is grateful that 
  his son, who volunteered to join the adventurers, 
  survived Raggnar’s hunting expedition, though he is 
  still bitter that the expedition took place at all. 
  • He also feels that something is going on, and
  suspects that Raggnar intends to pin the blame on
  him.
  • Gundalin offers 80 gold if they bring whatever they
  find during their investigation to him instead of
  Raggnar.
  • Gundalin enthusiastically allows the characters to
  search his property; insisting that he’s got nothing
  to hide.
  • Several carts were brought to him for repairs
  during the last tenday. All of the wagons were being
  used to clear the land around the village or bring
  building materials from Old Parnast.
  • Several carts, including the one Raggnar told the
  characters about, have suspiciously broken axles in
  the last tenday. The axles broke clean—as if they’d
  been intentionally damaged, rather than snapped
  under the weight of a load or from wear.
  In addition to being suspicious of Raggnar, Gundalin 
  disagrees with his recent choices. Gundalin and his 
  friends believe that Raggnar is overconfident and that 
  defending the village will prove too difficult. Instead, 
  Gundalin believe the villagers should retreat to Old 
  Parnast. He argues that the Zhents picked the site of 
  Old Parnast for its defensive features, and the old 
  palisade that still stands would make for a much more 
  defensible location. 
   Searching Gundalin’s House. Characters that 
  succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check 
  find a bag tucked behind a crowded workbench in the 
  back of the shop. The bag has a pair of pruning shears 
  and traces of pine needles and red berries inside it. If 
  confronted, Gundalin denies ever seeing it. A 
  character succeeding on a DC 11 Wisdom (Insight) 
  check gets the impression that he is telling the truth. 
  Roleplaying Gundalin Cartwright 
  Gundalin is an unremarkable, balding human man in his mid-
  fifties who wears what remains of his hair in a long gray 
  ponytail. The scent of sawdust lingers in the air about him. 
  Gundalin is hardworking and fair, but harsh when wronged 
  and slow to forgive. 
  He is unhappy with the current state of affairs, in which 
  Raggnar is the de facto leader of the village merely because he 
  had been a soldier. He loathes Raggnar for his cooperation 
  with the Cult of the Dragon, and more-so since Raggnar sent 
  Wallace, Gundalin’s only son, on a dangerous hunt in order to 
  provide for a frivolous feast in honor of Raggnar’s vanity 
  (DDAL05-03 Uninvited Guests). 
  Quote: “I’m surrounded by liars and fools.” 
  
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  4. The Crater
  Sheer craggy cliffs drop into a desolate basin, 
  hundreds of feet deep and nearly a mile in diameter. 
  The view is awe-inspiring. 
  There is nothing to be found here. 
  5. The Smithy 
  Just across from the stables is a small smithy. Its large 
  front doors take up the majority of the eastern wall 
  and are left open during the day to allow the cool 
  breeze to move through the shop. It is owned by an 
  ugly, harried looking man in his early thirties named.  
   Predominately skilled at forging horseshoes and 
  repairing tools, Rodric spends more time these days 
  pounding dents out of helmets and repairing weapons 
  damaged by militiamen in training.  
   Rodric is not particularly interested in talking to 
  the characters. He is too busy to waste his time and he 
  doesn’t know anything about their investigation.  
  6. The Herbalist 
  This shop is run by an elderly human named Sylas. He 
  is not a herbalist himself, but his recently deceased 
  wife was. Sylas is simply keeping the shop open until 
  he sells off her remaining stock. His days are spent 
  tidying up the shop and staring out into the neglected 
  garden that his wife used to tend.  
   The only thing that keeps him in business is a tonic 
  that he makes himself, Sylas’s Wake-Up Sauce—a 
  favorite of the regulars at The Golden Tankard. He 
  sells a small bottle of the pungent liquid for 10 gp, 
  and has 2 vials on-hand. 
   Sylas’s Wake-Up Sauce. If imbibed, this home 
  remedy neutralizes the effects of intoxication on a 
  creature for 24 hours. 
   Development. If asked about suspicious activity 
  around town, he reveals that some bushes in his 
  wife’s garden were tampered with. He takes them to 
  the garden outside his home and shows them several 
  evergreen shrubs, which have been hastily trimmed. 
  The clippings are nowhere to be found. A character 
  succeeding on a DC 11 Intelligence (Nature) check 
  identifies the shrubs as yew, a plant toxic to horses 
  and other animals. 
   Additionally, a character succeeding on a DC 13 
  Wisdom (Survival) check finds booted footprints in 
  the garden. The footprints lead out of the garden to 
  the north, where they circle about the northern 
  perimeter of town—eventually leading to Gundalin 
  Cartwright’s home. 
    A Cure for Poison. Although Sylas has no antitoxin 
  on hand and wouldn’t know if he did, herbs in his 
  garden can be used to craft a remedy for the horses. A 
  character who searches Sylas’s garden and succeeds 
  on a DC 13 Intelligence check finds the necessary 
  herbs to counter the toxic effects of the evergreen 
  branches. Characters who are proficient with 
  herbalism kits add their proficiency bonus to this 
  check. A horse given this remedy gradually recovers 
  without the need for a saving throw.  
  7. Trading Post and Provisions 
  The trading post is owned by Calder, an enterprising 
  halfling merchant. He has available any item from the 
  Adventuring Gear table (Player’s Handbook, p.150) 
  worth 45 gp or less. Curiously, his supply of lamp oil 
  vanished about a tenday ago. Calder complained to 
  Raggnar, who said he’d look into it but has not found 
  the culprit. 
  8. The Shrine of Axes 
  An unassuming wooden building in the center of 
  town serves as a shrine representing Auril (winter), 
  Chauntea (summer), Mielikki (autumn), and 
  Angharradh (spring). 
   Previously unattended, a priestess of Mielikki 
  named Chandra Stol took up residence within the 
  shrine. She prepares bread daily, which is passed out 
  free of charge. These days she is busier than usual, 
  tending to the spiritual and physical needs of the 
  many refugees sheltering in town. She has no 
  information regarding the suspected sabotage, but 
  identifies the plant used to poison the horses as yew 
  and informs the characters that it grows in the 
  herbalist’s garden (see 5. The Herbalist, above). 
  Roleplaying Chandra Stol 
  Chandra Stol is a female half-elf who moved into Parnast a 
  little over half a year ago. Having lived for decades in the wilds 
  surrounding the village, she remains unaccustomed to 
  socialization. She is quiet, but not shy and when she speaks, 
  she is terse and blunt but not intentionally rude. Shandra does 
  not care for Raggnar Redtooth or Gundalin Cartwright, seeing 
  them as two sides of the same coin. She does, however, feel 
  an obligation to aid the less fortunate villagers. 
  Quote: ::shrug:: 
  9. Old Parnast
  To the northwest of town are the remains of several 
  old buildings: the former Lord’s residence, a guildhall, 
  
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  a way station, as well as the remnants of palisades 
  that once encircled the village. It is all little more than 
  a few walls now but serves as a safe camping area for 
  the visiting caravans.  
   The villagers abandoned the settlement when the 
  Zhentarim left for a variety of reasons both practical 
  and superstitious. The old buildings, damaged when 
  Old Parnast fell, prompted determined villagers to 
  build new homes as the old quickly became unsound. 
  Whispers of ghosts haunting the ruins of the Banite 
  temple spread, and newcomers and expanding 
  families began building further and further away 
  from the old settlement. No one believes these 
  rumors anymore, or at least they hadn’t until the 
  southern watch tower collapse. Now many are 
  unsure. 
  10. Southern Watchtower
  The southern watchtower is a heap of broken beams. 
  Blood stains several broken beams where Donnal the 
  militiaman was crushed in the tumble.  
  Any character searching the wreckage that succeeds 
  on a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a 
  crowbar buried beneath the pile. 
   Any character that casts detect magic in this area 
  detects a faint, residual aura of conjuration magic on 
  the crowbar, though it is clear the object itself is not 
  magical, but rather that it may have been temporarily 
  enchanted or manipulated using magic. 
   Tove, after slowly loosening the supports manually 
  over several days, was then able to collapse the tower 
  from a distance using mage hand and a crowbar.  
  C. Development
  Once one or both of the brothers has been captured 
  or killed, all that remains is to report their findings. 
  Reporting to Raggnar 
  Raggnar asks the characters to go after Kagrota, but 
  leaves it to them to decide whether or not they want 
  to bring Tove along. Either way, he realizes that this 
  looks bad for him, and asks them to keep quiet about 
  the situation until after Kagrota has been dealt with. 
   Treasure. The characters are paid 50 gp and 
  promised more if they deal with Kagrota. 
   XP Award. For reporting their findings to Raggnar 
  or Gundalin, each character is awarded 300 XP. 
  Reporting to Gundalin 
  Gundalin insists that Tove remain under guard in the 
  village, and summons several of his followers to keep 
  an eye on him. Like Raggnar, he asks them to seek out 
  the cabin and deal with Kagrota. He is concerned that 
  the missing farmers may be there and promises a 
  reward if the characters can free them. After the 
  adventurers leave, he gathers his allies to confront 
  Raggnar 
   Treasure. The characters are paid 80 gp and 
  promised more if they deal with Kagrota. 
    XP Award. For reporting their findings to Raggnar 
  or Gundalin, each character is awarded 300 XP. 
  Wrongfully Accused 
  If the adventurers accuse someone else, Raggnar is 
  happy to accept their explanation, though Gundalin is 
  skeptical.  
  The Brothers Escape 
  In the event that Tove and Gotthard both escape, and 
  their plan to frame Wallace was foiled, one of 
  Raggnar’s men discovers the tracks behind the 
  Tankard the following morning.  
   Raggnar comes to the characters with this 
  information, asking that they follow the tracks, as 
  they were surely left by the saboteur. The tracks, once 
  pointed out, can be easily followed to the stand of 
  trees where Tove had planned to ambush Wallace.  
   Characters who succeed in a DC 12 Wisdom 
  (Survival) check, find a pair of matching boot tracks 
  leading away from town. These can be tracked to the 
  Brandimen cabin. 
  
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  Part 3. Teeth 
  Expected Play Time: 45 Minutes 
  This part of the adventure culminates in Kagrota’s 
  “last stand” at the Brandimen cabin. How the 
  characters proceed depends on the fate of one or both 
  of the Brandimen brothers during Part 2, above. 
  Oh, Brother… 
  Failing Kagrota leaves the brothers in an 
  uncomfortable position. Being captured or killed was 
  never part of their plan. Now the Brandimen brothers 
  work to escape with their lives. They have no loyalty 
  to the orcs and happily lead the characters directly to 
  them. That said, if they have the opportunity to warn 
  Kagrota of the adventurer’s approach, they do so. The 
  best outcome from their perspective is one in which 
  both Kagrota and the adventurers are dead. 
  Brothers in Life 
  If either Brandimen is captured by the characters, he 
  claims to be Kagrota’s pawn; that he was coerced into 
  working for her because she has taken his mother, 
  Illyna. This is a lie, their mother has been dead for a 
  long time, killed by their father when they were 
  young boys. However, to support this claim, both 
  brothers carry a female human’s finger wrapped in a 
  cloth, and a note purported to be written by Kagrota 
  (Player Handout 2). The note is a cheap forgery, but 
  with nothing to compare the writing to, discovering 
  this would be difficult. 
   The captured brother agrees to face the village’s 
  justice, but implies that the Parnast’s problems won’t 
  die with him. He claims to know where the warband’s 
  leader (Kagrota) is, and is willing to direct and even 
  lead the characters to her. His only condition is that 
  they agree save Illyna. He feels that demanding this 
  will increase the credibility of his lies. Additionally, he 
  tells them truthfully that Kagrota is holding at least 
  seven other prisoners, both farmers and travelers.  
   If the characters promise to save his mother, he 
  agrees to lead them to his cabin. If they do not allow 
  him to join them, he explains how to get there, in 
  hopes that his brother will free him from the 
  villagers. 
  Brothers in Death 
  If killed, the characters find a human finger wrapped 
  in the note from Kagrota (Player Handout 2) among 
  Tove’s possessions. Raggnar (or Gundalin if the 
  characters placed their trust in him) suggests that 
  Chandra Stol (see The Shrine of Axes, above) may 
  know where the Brandimen’s cabin is located. He 
  identifies Illyna as their mother. 
   If the characters seek out Chandra’s aid, she 
  confirms stumbling upon the cabin many years ago, 
  and points the characters in the right direction. If 
  asked why she hasn’t been back since, she explains 
  that Tove’s father was jealous of his privacy, and she 
  is not one to intrude.  
  Into the Woods 
  The cabin is a three-hour trip from town, situated 
  atop a wooded hill, dotted with massive boulders. 
  Kagrota has taken over the cabin because the hill 
  affords her a good vantage of the surrounding region. 
  Her goblin scouts use the boulders as lookout posts. 
  She resides inside the building with a handful of her 
  warriors.   
   Kagrota has become careless as of late; since 
  overrunning the farms and driving the survivors into 
  town, she has allowed her force to be spread too thin. 
  She has lookouts positioned about the cabin but does 
  not have scouts currently patrolling. She relies on 
  solitary messengers to relay communications. 
  General Features 
  The area has the following general features: 
   Terrain. The landscape is dotted with large, craggy 
  boulders, old fir trees and brown scrub grass, all of 
  which are covered by a light dusting of snow. 
   Weather. If the characters arrive during the day, 
  the area is well lit. Otherwise, the moon above dimly 
  lights the area. It is cold, but not windy.  
  Taking Tove  
  If the characters bring Tove, his brother (if alive) 
  shadows them back to the cabin, waiting for an 
  opportunity to free his brother and get away. This is 
  likely to happen as the characters battle Kagrota’s 
  forces. The brothers don’t want a prolonged fight and 
  do only what is required to escape—whether that 
  means slipping away unnoticed or subduing a captor 
  before fleeing. 
     Tove is Left Behind. Tove or Gotthard is left behind 
  in the village, and the other helps his escape while the 
  adventurers are busy with Kagrota. 
    Tove is Dead. The surviving brother hurries back 
  to the cabin to aid Kagrota against the characters. 
  
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  Approaching the Cabin 
  A few hours after leaving Parnast, you crest the hill 
  and spot the cabin, situated amid the massive 
  boulders and old fir trees that cover the landscape. 
  It would be idyllic, were it not for the screaming. 
  In and around the cabin there are three goblins, four 
  orcs, and Kagrota herself. She has positioned the two 
  goblin lookouts either atop rocks or under pine trees 
  on either side of the cabin. The trees near the cabin 
  have low hanging boughs that provide half cover (+2 
  AC) for any creature under them. They should be 
  considered difficult terrain for any creature of 
  medium size or larger. 
   Because the goblins have had time to prepare, 
  spotting them requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. The goblins each have a horn that 
  they sound if the characters are spotted, in order to 
  alert Kagrota. 
   The trees, boulders and screaming prisoners 
  provide enough cover for the characters to easily get 
  within sixty feet the Cabin map without being noticed. 
  Beyond that, the characters must succeed on a DC 13 
  Dexterity (Stealth) group check if they wish to move 
  closer to the cabin unseen. Moving within 30 feet of 
  the cabin requires individual checks. 
  Suggested Monster Positions: 
  Monster 
  Ambush 
  No Ambush 
  Kagrota 
  Perimeter 
  Cabin 
  Goblins 
  3 Perimeter 
  2 Perimeter, 
  1 Campfire 
  Orcs 
  1 Campfire, 
  2 Perimeter, 
  1 Cabin 
  2 Cabin,  
  1 Campfire,  
  1 In or Near Shed 
  Ogre 
  Behind Cabin 
  In Shed 
  Approaching the cabin, you see a large wooden cage 
  beside a small campfire. Five prisoners cringe as a 
  goblin cavorts about the cage, threatening them with 
  a red-hot poker. 
  Adjusting this Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter. These 
  are not cumulative. These are just guidelines, please take into 
  account your party’s balance and the experience of your 
  players if possible. 
  • Very Weak Party: Remove two orcs and two goblins, and 
  Kagrota is an orc with 30 hit points.
  • Weak Party: Remove one orc and one goblin.
  • Strong Party: Add an ogre; Kagrota has 60 hit points.
  • Very Strong Party: Replace two orcs with two ogres;
  increase Kagrota’s Hit Points to 60, and add the following
  action to her stat block: “Multiattack. Kagrota makes two
  melee attacks.”
  The Characters Get the Drop on Kagrota 
  Kagrota is in the cabin having a meal and discussing 
  the Parnast situation with some of her men. The other 
  orcs and goblins who are not on duty, are scattered 
  about the area. The ogre, if present, rests in the shed 
  in front of the cabin. When the combat begins, 
  Kagrota blesses three of her men, and herself and 
  hangs back, charging in on the second round. She 
  focuses on weak targets and healers first. 
  Kagrota Gets the Drop on the Characters 
  Kagrota has left a handful of her minions within the 
  cabin, and the ogre, if present, positioned behind it. 
  The rest wait in hiding along the character’s 
  approach. When the combat begins, Kagrota blesses 
  several of her orcs, and herself and hangs back, 
  charging in on the second round. She focuses on weak 
  targets and healers first. 
   Upon the characters’s arrival, Kagrota orders one of 
  her men to begin torturing the prisoners, hoping that 
  this prompts the adventurers to abandon caution. 
   In the event that one or both of the Brandimen 
  brothers are here, position them however you feel 
  appropriate. In terms of combat, they do only what is 
  necessary to escape with their lives. If one of the 
  brothers is a captive of the characters, the other does 
  whatever he can to free him. Otherwise, they may 
  make a ranged attack or cast a spell to aid Kagrota if 
  the characters seem to be doing particularly well, but 
  only if they can do so without risking their own lives. 
  This changes if one of the brothers was killed by the 
  characters, in that event, the surviving brother fights 
  to the death alongside Kagrota’s forces. 
  Kagrota Threeteeth, The Mother of Bones 
  Kagrota is the female chief of a small and relatively weak orc 
  tribe who rose to power after discovering gauntlets of ogre 
  power while scavenging equipment from a battlefield. She 
  used them to kill her husband, the former chief, and both of 
  their sons in successive combats. She bound a tusk from each 
  to a cord, which she braids into her hair. 
  While she mourns them to this day, she believes they were 
  too weak to lead. Soon after, she joined Bad Fruul's forces. 
  Bad Fruul, seeing that Kagrota was eager to prove herself, sent 
  her to secure the lands around Parnast ahead of his army. He 
  promised wealth and power to her, if she could secure the 
  farms, and slaves to work them. 
  Quote: “Crush the puny humans!” 
  
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  Inside the Cabin 
  The inside of the cabin is a small rustic affair, 
  complete with animal skins and antlers hung from the 
  walls. It is everything you’d expect from an ordinary 
  woodsman’s cabin. It would probably be cozy were it 
  not for the mess. Rotting food and discarded trash lay 
  scattered about the room, and a large pile of tools lay 
  in a haphazard pile in one corner. 
  The obvious entrance to the cellar is a hatch on the 
  outside of the building. There is, however, a trap door 
  hidden under a bearskin rug that leads to a small, 
  secret shrine dedicated to Cyric, which is not 
  accessible from the main cellar. The shrine, which has 
  not been uncovered by Kagrota, houses a small stash 
  of treasure accumulated by the Brandimen family 
  over the years. Characters who investigate the cabin 
  automatically uncover the trap door. 
   The focus of the shrine is a shattered jade statuette 
  of Bane’s old holy symbol – a fist clutching beams of 
  light. The relic that had been expertly carved now 
  rests in six fragments on the altar. Despite its 
  condition, it is still worth a fair amount of gold. If the 
  party somehow repairs it, they can still sell the 
  completed piece at a much greater value. 
  A steep ladder leads down into a small earthen room 
  beneath the cabin. In another home, you might expect 
  a root cellar, but what you find waiting in the 
  darkness below the Brandimen cabin is far more 
  disturbing. Long multicolored ropes of braided 
  human hair hang from the ceiling throughout the 
  room, strung with small bells that tinkle as you move 
  through them.  
    On the far side of the chamber is a crude altar 
  whose top bears the painted image of a black 
  sunburst. Resting atop that stand two black candles 
  flanking an elven woman’s skull and the shattered 
  remains of a jade statuette. Beside the altar lay 
  several chests and bags filled with treasure. 
  Treasure 
  Between Kagrota’s minions the characters find an 
  assortment of coins worth 50 gp. Kagrota herself has 
  a small pouch with six small sapphires worth 100 gp 
  total. Additionally, Kagrota wears gauntlets of ogre 
  power. 
   Upon the shrine is a shattered jade statuette that 
  had been a depiction of Bane’s holy symbol during the 
  Era of Upheaval —a fist clutching beams of light. The 
  jade fragments are worth 75 gp, however if the 
  characters are able to repair it, the completed relic is 
  worth 200 gp.  
   The Brandimen stash consists of a variety of coins, 
  art, and gemstones worth 350gp. 
   Finally, if any of the Brandimen brothers are here, 
  they each carry 30 gp in coins. 
  Bane and Cyric 
  Bane is a ruthless god of tyranny, who believes himself to be 
  the rightful ruler of all the planes and is bent on the 
  domination of the Realms. He demands absolute loyalty from 
  his followers, and deals harshly with his enemies. When Bane 
  was slain by Torm during the time of troubles, Cyric absorbed 
  most of his followers. For this crime, Cyric and his worshipers 
  are chief among Bane’s foes. 
   Bane returned in 1372 DR, stronger than before and eager to 
  resume his conquest of the Realms. At that point many of his 
  former devotees repented and returned to his church. Today 
  his followers can be found everywhere, even among the Lord’s 
  Alliance and the Zhentarim. Worshipers of Bane adhere to a 
  strict hierarchical structure, and brook no dissention. 
  XP Award 
  If they destroy the statuette, award each character 50 
  XP. 
  Faction Assignment 
  If the characters destroy the statuette, any members 
  of the Order of the Gauntlet satisfy the requirements 
  of their special mission. 
  Conclusion 
  Returning to Parnast 
  The mood upon the characters’ return to Parnast is 
  determined by the fate of the Brandimen brothers: 
   One Brother Was Left in the Village. The party 
  returns to find the village in an uproar. The militia is 
  on full alert, and Chandra Stol is busy treating 
  wounded villagers. It seems that while they were 
  gone, the captive brother escaped. 
    Several villagers were wounded by the man who 
  came to save him, and another was killed. In the end, 
  the intruder was brought down by a militiaman’s 
  arrow. A puzzled villager explains that when the body 
  was recovered, Tove’s rescuer was...Tove.  
    Neither Brother Was Left in the Village. The party 
  returns to find the villagers in good spirits. Several 
  members of the militia spot them coming back and 
  
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  greet them, before guiding them to a meeting taking 
  place in the stables. 
   Soon after you return, the villagers gather in the 
  stables to hear of your success. A cheer goes up and 
  the villagers make their appreciation clear. Food and 
  drink are prepared for you, and you know that you 
  will always be welcome in Parnast. 
   Heartened by your actions, and looking to you for 
  advice, the people of Parnast set about making plans 
  to defend their village. 
    Party Reported to Gundalin. Raggnar is not 
  present at the Golden Tankard. Rather, he wallows in 
  stocks at the center of town. Revelations that one of 
  his men had been working against them, added to 
  memories of his involvement with the Cult of the 
  Dragon, led the villagers to turn on him and finally 
  side with Gundalin.  They have not yet decided what 
  is to be done with Raggnar, but for now, they are 
  content to let him ruminate on his misdeeds. 
    Party Reported to Raggnar. After the initial 
  outrage, Raggnar was able to convince the villagers 
  that he was not ultimately responsible for Tove’s 
  actions. Indeed, it was Raggnar who hired the party of 
  adventurers to investigate and he could hardly have 
  acted without evidence. In the end, and to Gundalin’s 
  surprise, Raggnar used these events to win over the 
  remaining villagers.  
   Incredulous, but with few allies and fewer 
  alternatives, Gundalin put aside his misgivings and 
  agreed to follow Raggnar’s lead. 
  With Kagrota Threeteeth dead, the orc warband 
  wallows in disarray. A tenday passes in relative peace 
  as the villagers of Parnast coalesce about a single 
  leader and begin working on fortifications in earnest. 
  Your actions have bought the villagers of Parnast a 
  little time, but each night more campfires appear on 
  the southern horizon, marking the approach of a 
  larger and far more dangerous foe. 
  Failure 
  If the characters are killed, or fail to defeat Kagrota. 
  Over the coming days, the village of Parnast suffers 
  increased raids. Though only a few people are killed, 
  things look dire; it’s no longer a matter of if Bad Fruul 
  arrives, but when. 
  
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  Rewards 
  Make sure players note their rewards on their 
  adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI 
  number (if applicable) so players can record who ran 
  the session. 
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters present 
  in the combat. For non-combat experience, the 
  rewards are listed per character. Give all characters 
  in the party non-combat experience awards unless 
  otherwise noted. 
  Combat Awards 
  Name of Foe 
  XP Per Foe 
  Goblin  
  50 
  Tove/Gotthard Brandimen  
  200 
  Kagrota Threeteeth 
  450 
  Ogre 
  450 
  Orc 
  100 
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
  XP Per Character 
  Tove/Gotthard killed or captured 50 ea. 
  Horses saved 
  25 ea. 
  The Golden Tankard saved  
  50 or 75 
  Wallace saved 
  50 
  Elspeth saved 
  50 
  Completing faction assignment 
  50 
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 640 experience 
  points. 
   The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 850 experience 
  points. 
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided 
  up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to 
  divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece 
  values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their 
  selling price, not their purchase price.  
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one 
  character is interested in a specific consumable magic 
  item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly 
  should the group be unable to decide.  
   Permanent magic items are divided according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
  GP Value 
  Tove’s Coins 
  30 
  Gotthard’s Coins  
  30 
  Monster’s Coins  
  50 
  Kagrota’s Sapphires 
  100 
  Shrine Stash 
  350 
  Bane statuette (broken) 
  75 
  -or-
  Bane statuette (repaired)
  200 
  Raggnar’s reward
  50 
  -or-
  Gundalin’s reward
  80 
  Bounty on Kagrota
  100 
  Permanent Magic Item Distribution 
  D&D Adventurers League has a system in place to determine 
  who is awarded permanent magic items at the end of a 
  session. Each character’s logsheet contains a column to record 
  permanent magic items for ease of reference. 
  • If all the players at the table agree on one character taking
  possession of a permanent magic item, that character gets 
  the item.
  • In the event that one or more characters indicate an 
  interest in possessing a permanent magic item, the
  character that possesses the fewest permanent magic items 
  gets the item. If there is a tie in the total number of
  permanent magic items owned by contesting characters,
  the item’s owner is determined randomly by the DM.
  Gauntlets of Ogre Power 
  Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement) 
  These sturdy leather gauntlets appear to be in 
  pristine condition. Indeed, any nicks of tears in the 
  material mends itself within twenty-four hours. 
  Additionally, any blood, mud or other grime that soils 
  the gloves quickly dries begins falling away in fine 
  flakes until the surface is again clean.  This item can 
  be found on Player Handout 3. 
  Potion of Healing  
  Potion, uncommon 
  This item can be found in the Player’s Handbook. 
  Oil of Slipperiness 
  Potion, uncommon 
  This item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  
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  Renown 
  Each character receives one renown at the 
  conclusion of this adventure. 
   Members of the Order of the Gauntlet who 
  destroyed the Altar in the Brandimen’s basement 
  receive one additional renown. 
  Downtime 
  Each character receives five downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this adventure. 
  DM Rewards 
  For running this adventure, you receive 225 XP, 112 
  gp and five downtime days.  
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Appendix. NPC Summary 
  The following NPCs appear in this adventure: 
   Chandra Stol (CHAN-druh STOLE). Female half-elf. 
  Chandra has only been in Parnast for half a year, but 
  has lived just outside of the village for decades. Until 
  very recently, she occasionally came into the village 
  to leave small offerings to Mielikki (gifts of bread, 
  berries, and small sacrifices), but avoided being seen 
  due to the presence of the Cult of the Dragon. With 
  their defeat, however, she has taken up permanent 
  residence in the shrine. She is very quiet; she rarely 
  speaks and is more likely to shrug in response to a 
  question than give an answer other than “yes” or “no”. 
   Elspeth Redtooth (ELLS-peth). The daughter of 
  Raggnar, and Wallace's lover. Although she cares for 
  Wallace and would like him to stay and marry her, 
  she has come to realize that he has other plans. 
   Gotthard Brandimen (GAH-terd). The twin 
  brother and co-conspirator of Tove Brandimen. Of the 
  two, Gotthard is the more proficient woodsman, but 
  he is less capable in social situations. Raised to 
  venerate Cyric, the Brandimen brothers have, over 
  the years, abducted and murdered numerous 
  travelers and even villagers who ventured too far 
  from home. They had pinned these crimes on local 
  tribes of goblins, and earned the thanks of the 
  villagers for returning the bodies of missing persons 
  along with the heads of several scapegoats.  
   Gundalin Cartwright (GUHN-duh-linn). A human 
  male in his mid-fifties, who makes and repairs 
  wagons for passing caravans and local farmers. Since 
  the Cult of the Dragon was chased out of Parnast, he 
  has risen in opposition to Raggnar, to an almost 
  irrational degree. Gundalin believes that Raggnar will 
  always put himself before the village, and may even 
  go so far as to work with Bad Fruul, like he did with 
  the Cult, if it means saving his own skin. 
   Kagrota Threeteeth (KAH-grow-tah). A female 
  orc who rose to Chieftain of her clan after slaying her 
  mate, the former chief, and their two sons. Her 
  incredible strength is imbued by a pair of magical 
  leather gauntlets that she discovered while 
  scavenging the dead on a long abandoned battlefield. 
  Kagrota's tribe was among the first to align 
  themselves with Bad Fruul. 
   Raggnar Redtooth (RAG-narr). During the cult’s 
  occupation of Parnast, Raggnar accepted bribes from 
  the cult’s leadership to conceal their activity and keep 
  them abreast of any unusual activity within Parnast. 
  Though, he was outed for his conduct, he has 
  managed to convince most of the townsfolk that he 
  did what he did to ensure Parnast’s well-being. Now, 
  being a former soldier, he has taken on a leadership 
  role in the village, training the newly founded militia 
  and working to form a defense against the invaders. 
   Tove Brandimen (TOV). The twin brother and co-
  conspirator of Gotthard Brandimen. Tove is the more 
  charismatic of the two, while Gotthard prefers to 
  remain in the wilds. Raised to venerate Cyric, the 
  Brandimen brothers have, over the years, abducted 
  and murdered numerous travelers and even villagers 
  who ventured too far from home. They had pinned 
  these crimes on local tribes of goblins, and earned the 
  thanks of the villagers for returning the bodies of 
  missing persons along with the heads of several 
  scapegoats.  
   Wallace Cartwright (WAHL-uhs). The nineteen-
  year old son of Gundalin. Although he is involved with 
  Elspeth, he has plans to leave town and find his 
  fortune.  
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Appendix. NPC/Monster Statistics 
  Goblin 
  Small humanoid (goblinoid), neutral evil 
  Armor Class 15 (leather armor, shield) 
  Hit Points 7 (2d6) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  8 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  8 (−1) 
  8 (−1) 
  Skills Stealth +6 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9 
  Languages Common, Goblin 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
  Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the Disengage or 
  Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns. 
  Actions 
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. 
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Gotthard Brandimen (Scout) 
  Medium Humanoid (Half-Elf), neutral evil 
  Armor Class 13 (leather armor) 
  Hit Points 16 (3d8+3) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  Skills Deception +2, Nature +4, Perception +5, Stealth 
  +6, Survival +5
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 
  Languages Common, Elvish 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Fey Ancestry. Gotthard has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed, and magic cannot put him to 
  sleep. 
  Keen Hearing and Sight. The scout has advantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or 
  sight. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Gotthard makes two melee attacks or two 
  ranged attacks. 
  Short Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. 
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. 
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Kagrota Threeteeth (Eye of Gruumsh) 
  Medium humanoid (orc), chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 16 (ring mail, shield) 
  Hit Points 55 (8d8 + 21) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  19 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  9 (−1) 
  13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  Skills Intimidation +3, Religion +1 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common, Orc 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
  Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orc can move up to 
  its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see. 
  Gruumsh’s Fury. The orc deals an extra 4 (1d8) damage 
  when it hits with a weapon attack (included in the 
  attack). 
  Gauntlets of Ogre Power (Special Equipment). Kagrota’s 
  Strength is 19 when she wears these gauntlets. 
  Spellcasting. The orc is a 3rd level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11, +3 to hit 
  with spell attacks). The orc has the following cleric spells 
  prepared. 
  Cantrips (at-will): guidance, resistance, thaumaturgy 
  1st level (4 slots): bless, command 
  2nd level (2 slots): augury, spiritual weapon (spear) 
  Actions 
  Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 
  5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d6 + 4 plus 
  1d8) piercing damage, or 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage if 
  used with two hands to make a melee attack. 
  Ogre 
  Large giant, chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 11 (hide armor) 
  Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  19 (+4) 
  8 (−1) 
  16 (+3) 
  5 (−3) 
  7 (−2) 
  7 (−2) 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 
  Languages Common, Giant 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
  Actions 
  Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 
  4) piercing damage.
  Orc 
  Medium humanoid (orc), chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 13 (hide armor) 
  Hit Points 15 (2d8 + 6) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  7 (−2) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  Skills Intimidation +2 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common, Orc 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orc can move up to 
  its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see. 
  Actions 
  Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 
  3) piercing damage.
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Tove Brandimen (Spy) 
  Medium Humanoid (Half-Elf), neutral evil 
   Armor Class 14 (studded leather) 
  Hit Points 27 (6d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Investigation +5, Nature 
  +4, Perception +6, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +4,
  Stealth +4
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 
  Languages Common, Elvish, Orc 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
  Fey Ancestry. Tove has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed, and magic cannot put him to 
  sleep. 
  Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Tove can use a 
  bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide 
  action. 
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Tove deals an extra 7 (2d6) 
  damage when he 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 Tove that isn’t incapacitated 
  and the spy doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack 
  roll. 
  Spellcasting. Tove is a 1st level spellcaster. His 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 11, +3 to 
  hit with spell attacks). He knows the following wizard 
  spells: 
  Cantrips (At Will): mage hand, message, prestidigitation 
  1st Level (2 slots): longstrider, sleep 
  Actions 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Short Bow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Appendix. Parnast Map 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Appendix. The Golden Tankard Map 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Appendix. The Cabin Map 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Player Handout 1. 
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  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
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  Player Handout 2. 
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  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Player Handout 3. Gauntlets of Ogre 
  Power 
  Gauntlets of Ogre Power 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) 
  Your Strength is 19 when you wear these gauntlets. 
  They have no effect if your Strength is already 19 or 
  higher. This item can be found in The Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide. 
   These sturdy leather gauntlets appear to be in 
  pristine condition. Indeed, any nicks of tears in the 
  material mends itself within twenty-four hours. 
  Additionally, any blood, mud or other grime that soils 
  the gloves quickly dries begins falling away in fine 
  flakes until the surface is again clean. 
  
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  DDAL05-12 Bad Business in Parnast 
  �� 
  Results Code: January – February 2017 
  If you are DMing this adventure during the months of January – February 2017, please show your players this page. 
  The QR code below can be scanned, and will allow them to give feedback and results on the adventure to influence 
  the storyline in the future! 
  If a player does not have a mobile device, please tell them to head to dndadventurersleague.org/results to enter 
  their results. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/S05 - Storm Kings Thunder/DDAL5-12 - Bad Business in Parnast.pdf