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  THE KUNDARAK JOB
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, 
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  One of Sharn’s most influential figures is hiding something… inside a 
  House Kundarak vault. To acquire the answers they need, the characters 
  must break into one of Sharn’s most secure locations and get out alive. 
   A Three-to-Four-Hour Adventure for Tier 2 Characters. 
  Optimized for APL 8.
  An Eberron Embers of the Last War Adventure
  Credits
  Designer: Shawn Merwin
  Editing: James Introcaso, Ashley Michaela "Navigator" 
  Lawson
  Layout and Graphic Design: Rich Lescouflair
  Cartography: Travis Woodall
  D&D Adventurers League Guildmaster: Chris Lindsay
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, 
  Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Bill Benham, 
  Alan Patrick, Travis Woodall, Lysa Chen, Claire 
  Hoffman, Greg Marks
  DDAL-ELW08
  
  2
  Adventure Primer
  “The problem isn’t that the vault is impenetrable. The 
  problem is that mortal forms are highly penetrable.”
  —Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
  The Kundarak Job is an adventure for three to seven 
  5th-to-10th-level characters, optimized for five 8th-level 
  characters.
  Background
  After MERRIX D’CANNITH built a secret CREATION 
  FORGE in a laboratory beneath Sharn, he gave the 
  BLUEPRINTS to one of his assistants, AVIDONA 
  DREFF, for safekeeping. Avidona placed the documents 
  in the most secure place she could imagine: the 
  KUNDARAK VAULTS of the CENTRAL PLATEAU 
  QUARTER of SHARN.
  In the previous adventures in this series, the characters 
  have chased leads throughout, above, and below Sharn. 
  Now the only lead they have left points them to one of the 
  most heavily guarded structures in all of Khorvaire.
  Episodes
  The story begins with the characters being instructed by 
  their contact within House Medani, Antonia d'Medani, that 
  the only remaining lead regarding Merrix d’Cannith and his 
  plans is apparently secured in a lockbox in the Kundarak 
  Vaults, possibly the most secure location in Sharn.
  This adventure is spread over three episodes and takes 
  approximately two to four hours of play. The story begins 
  with a Call to Action scene.
  • Episode 1: Do the Impossible. The characters learn 
  the location of the lockbox, as well as the existence 
  of the keycharm associated with that lockbox. If this 
  adventure is being run as a two-hour adventure, the 
  Medani agent provides the keycharm to the characters. 
  This is the Call to Action.
  • Episode 2: Not My Vault. The characters must gain 
  access to the Kundarak Vaults. They can do so in a 
  variety of ways, but none of those ways are easy. If they 
  resort to combat, the cause might be already lost.
  • Episode 3: Extreme Measures. Having gained access 
  to the Kundarak Vaults, the characters must overcome 
  the advanced security measures employed by House 
  Kundarak in their most secure areas.
  Bonus Objectives
  This adventure includes two bonus objectives that 
  the characters can pursue if they have the time to do 
  so—earning additional advancement checkpoints in 
  the process. These bonus objectives are found in this 
  adventure’s appendices, as follows:
  • Bonus Objective A: Lucky Charm. Bonus Objective 
  A involves the characters finding Avidona Dreff and 
  stealing from her a keycharm, a magical device that can 
  help them gain access to the lockbox. Details can be 
  found in Appendix D.
  • Bonus Objective B: Blackmail and White Lies. Bonus 
  Objective B involves the characters helping out an old 
  friend, Watchman Kavill, who is being blackmailed by 
  Clan Boromar. The evidence is being transferred to a 
  less secure, but still highly dangerous, section of the 
  Kundarak Vaults. Details can be found in Appendix E.
  Episode Sequence
  Depending on your time constraints, play style, and play 
  environment, this adventure takes approximately two to 
  four hours to play.
  How Will You Play?
  The duration of your session depends on how much of 
  this adventure you utilize. At the very least, your session 
  will last approximately two hours. However, if you wish, 
  you can provide a longer experience for your players by 
  pursuing the bonus objectives.
  Main Objective Only. To complete the adventure’s main 
  objective, the characters participate in episodes 1, 2, and 
  3 in order. However, you may include the opportunity to 
  pursue bonus objectives.
  Bonus Objectives. You can extend this adventure 
  by one or two hours by including opportunities for 
  the characters to pursue the bonus objectives. Bonus 
  Objective A sees the characters taking possession of 
  the keycharm from Avidona Dreff instead of Antonia 
  d'Medani obtaining it for them. Bonus Objective B sees 
  the characters stealing blackmail material implicating 
  Watchman Kavill in potential criminal activity.
  Each of these Bonus Objectives adds one hour of 
  playtime. Just be sure, if you use Bonus Objective B, to 
  have Watchman Kavill approach the characters before 
  they enter the Kundarak Vaults.
  
  3
  Adventure Flowchart
  This section provides a basic understanding of not only the flow of the episodes, but also the outline of the different paths 
  that your players may take in reaching their stated objective.
  Do the Impossible
  Not My Vault
  Lucky Charm      
  (Bonus Objective A)
  Blackmail and
  White Lies
  (Bonus Objective B)
  Extreme Measures
  1
  A
  2
  B
  3
  
  4
  “The hardest part about doing the impossible is figuring 
  out which of the wildly flawed solutions can’t possibly fail.”
  —Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
  Estimated Duration: 15 minutes
  Location: Any
  If the characters played and survived the previous 
  adventure in the Embers of the Last War series, Blades 
  of Terror, they were the ones who learned that important 
  details regarding Merrix d’Cannith’s plans are being held 
  in a lockbox in the Kundarak Vaults of Sharn.
  If they did not play that adventure, Antonia d’Medani 
  supplies that information to them when she hires them 
  to infiltrate the Kundarak Vaults in Sharn’s Upper 
  Central Plateau.
  The Meeting with 
  Antonia
  Antonia d’Medani is a half-elf in her mid-twenties. Her 
  sardonic demeanor belies an earnest desire to root out 
  corruption—on her own terms. She keeps her dark hair 
  cropped in a curled bob, and wears deep red lipstick in an 
  attempt to appear more mature—but it does little to mask 
  her youthful face.
  Antonia is keen and witty and, despite her affinity for 
  doing the right thing, enjoys games of chance when the 
  opportunity arises. She meets with the characters in a 
  secure and discreet location in Sharn. She relays to them 
  the following information:
  • The only viable lead concerning Merrix d’Cannith’s 
  plans is the revelation that a lockbox in the Kundarak 
  Vaults supposedly contains something of importance to 
  Merrix.
  • House Medani has a spy working in the Kundarak 
  Vaults. The spy, at great risk to their cover, has learned 
  that the lockbox was rented and accessed by one of 
  Merrix’s assistants, a half-elf named Avidona Dreff. She 
  has not returned to the lockbox since renting it and 
  placing something inside.
  • The lockbox is on the fourteenth floor of the vaults, in the 
  northwest tower, which is considered a medium-security 
  area. The lockbox is roughly the size of a standard 
  treasure chest: 3 feet wide, 2 feet long, and 2 feet deep. 
  It is secured within the wall and cannot be removed.
  • The Kundarak Vaults are probably the most secure 
  series of buildings in Sharn. They are maintained 
  by House Kundarak, and breaking into the vaults is 
  considered impossible by even the most accomplished 
  thieves.
  • Avidona carries a keycharm, a magical item that gives 
  her unfettered access to her lockbox within one of the 
  Kundarak Vaults.
  • If you are running this adventure in two hours, Antonia 
  has secured the keycharm for the characters already. If 
  you are running this adventure for more than two hours, 
  Episode One:
  Do the Impossible
  
  5
  the characters must obtain the keycharm in Bonus 
  Objective A. The keycharm can help bypass some of the 
  security measures. Getting into the vaults themselves, 
  however, is still not easy.
  • Antonia cannot provide the name or identity of the 
  House Medani spy, but this infiltrator might be able 
  to step in to help if the characters run into minor 
  difficulties, but the spy will not blow their cover in order 
  to pull the characters out of more serious trouble.
  Watchman Kavill’s Troubles
  If you are running the full four hours of this adventure, 
  Bonus Objective B should be included as well. That 
  extra content deals with the characters securing 
  blackmail material that Clan Boromar has gathered on 
  Watchman Kavill.
  This side quest assumes that the characters have played 
  all of the Embers of the Last War adventures, including 
  Murder in Skyway, which introduces Watchman Kavill 
  and establishes his connection to the characters. If the 
  characters did not play that adventure, you can replace 
  Watchman Kavill with any other NPC who might be a 
  close friend or associate of the adventurers.
  Kavill’s Request
  When the characters are done chatting with Antonia 
  and move out into the city streets and towers, they are 
  approached by Kavill. He looks upset, and he relays the 
  following information:
  • Kavill’s brother, Orwin, is a troubled young man who has 
  been involved in criminal activity throughout Sharn.
  • Kavill has tried everything to get his brother out of 
  trouble. At one point, Orwin owed a significant amount 
  of coin to a disreputable and dangerous loan shark 
  called Svorna the Hatchet, a known associate of Clan 
  Boromar.
  • Kavill paid the debt to save his brother’s life, and now 
  the Hatchet is using that payment against Kavill, 
  threatening to turn over documents and witness 
  statements about him offering money to the Hatchet and 
  Clan Boromar for nefarious reasons. Since the payment 
  to Svorna that saved his brother’s life is technically 
  illegal, Kavill does not know what to do.
  • Kavill has learned that the witness statements and 
  financial records Svorna recorded on paper are about 
  to be placed into the Kundarak Vaults. Once they go 
  into the vaults, Kavill fears he’ll never get them back. 
  He’ll be forced to resign because otherwise the threat of 
  blackmail is too great and taints everything he does as a 
  member of the City Watch.
  Bonus Objective B highlights the different ways in which 
  the characters might be able to deal with the situation. It 
  can either be done after the papers are deposited into the 
  vaults, while the criminals are in the vaults, or before the 
  carriers of the documents enter the vaults.
  Using Kavill
  Watchman Kavill is, first and foremost, an honest, law-
  abiding citizen and an officer of the law. Characters might 
  be tempted to use Kavill’s position in the City Watch to 
  their advantage when planning their infiltration of the 
  Kundarak Vaults.
  Kavill is willing to assist the characters in some ways, 
  but he definitely does not agree to break the law to help 
  them. If the characters propose a limited distraction using 
  Kavill as a participant, for example, he might do so as 
  long as no one gets hurt in the process.
  He would also participate in a ruse where it looks 
  like he is arresting the characters to keep them out of 
  trouble, but he would not be a party to the characters 
  stealing the keycharm from Avidona. He would, however, 
  assist in arresting Sonorous and her crew for their 
  criminal activities at Askew Visions. As the characters’ 
  plans unfold, be clear with them the limit of Kavill’s 
  involvement.
  If necessary, use guard stats for Kavill.
  Running a Heist adventuRe
  This adventure is, in part, a heist. Heists can be great 
  fun to run and play, in the vein of the great heist films 
  and television shows of our time. Heists, however, can 
  be difficult to run as an adventure. Below are some tips 
  for running a heist adventure.
  • Be a fan of the characters. Heists assume that the 
  individuals taking part in the heist are competent and 
  experienced and skilled at what they do. If you bring 
  down the full weight of the entire guard team on the 
  characters after the first failed ability check, the game 
  will not go well for anyone. Hope that the characters 
  succeed, and throw just enough interference their way 
  to make them think they might not.
  • Allow planning without too much planning. Heists 
  are successful because of research and planning, but 
  too much time spent planning can ruin the fun of an 
  adventure. Provide the characters with the information 
  they could know or find out up front, and then assume 
  planning happened when the characters reach a point 
  in the heist where they need important information.
  • Heists work on the notion that all people and systems 
  are somehow flawed, and those flaws can be exploited. 
  Allow for Wisdom (Insight) checks to learn people’s 
  flaws and how to exploit them, and allow Intelligence 
  (Investigation) checks to learn a system’s flaws or work-
  arounds. This simulates research and planning done 
  beforehand, without wasting hours actually planning.
  • Allow tricks to solve minor problems, but not THE 
  problem. One high-level spell like teleport cannot allow 
  the characters to just pop in, steal the goods, and then 
  leave. The Kundarak Vaults are resistant to that ploy, 
  using anti-teleportation magic to prevent rampant 
  theft. One charm person spell on the right employee 
  wouldn’t give the characters the run of the vaults. Such 
  magic might, however, get the characters out of or past 
  one particular sticky situation.
  • Try to give an “out” when possible. If the characters 
  are having terrible luck with their rolls, and everything 
  is going wrong, use the story to provide a solution 
  that puts them back on solid ground. If the alarms all 
  get tripped, bringing every guard in the vaults down 
  on the characters, an NPC who knows one of the 
  characters could step in at the last minute, saying that 
  the characters were part of a security test of the facility. 
  The characters would owe this NPC a big favor, but they 
  could continue with their mission for the time being.
  
  6
  “Technically speaking, you can’t get out if you never get in.”
  —Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
  Estimated Duration: 45 minutes
  Location (District, Ward): Korranath, Upper Central
  Prerequisites
  Before accessing the Kundarak Vaults, the characters 
  must possess the keycharm formerly held by Avidona 
  Dreff. This is either provided to them by Antonia 
  d’Medani, or they secured in from Avidona in Bonus 
  Objective A.
  Central Plateau City Watch
  Regardless of the time of day, the characters find that 
  Upper Central is not crowded, but neither is it empty. 
  This is the hub of monetary power in Sharn, and it never 
  sleeps, but neither is it in a hurry. The power and the 
  wealth of Sharn starts here, trickling down to the rest of 
  the city at its own pace, if at all.
  Creatures/NPCs
  As the characters move toward the buildings that make up 
  the complex of the Kundarak Vaults, they are approached 
  by a pair of elite City Watch guards (use gladiator 
  statistics), Jenari and Sureen. They’ve been ordered to 
  patrol the area, as there has been increased criminal 
  activity here recently.
  The pair take their jobs seriously, aggressively 
  questioning people who don’t look like they belong in the 
  wealthiest section of Sharn. Chances are high that the 
  characters don’t look like they belong…
  The pair of guards are backed up by Venetia (N female 
  Brelish human enchanter) (Appendix B). She blends 
  in with the rest of the people moving about the area, 
  working hard not to be noticed. She only makes herself 
  known if the characters attack the guards, resist arrest, or 
  in some other way cause a ruckus.
  If the workers at the Kundarak Vaults are forced to call 
  the City Watch, this is the contingent that arrives within 3 
  minutes of the call to investigate.
  Objective
  The objective in this scene is quite simple: don’t attack 
  the guards. Unless the characters break the law right 
  in front of the guards, the guards do not arrest them. 
  However, the guards might behave in a confrontational 
  manner, attempting to provoke the characters into doing 
  something foolish. A successful DC 10 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check lets a character 
  realize that as long as they keep their cool, they have 
  nothing to fear.
  Even if the characters do not break the law, acting in 
  a suspicious manner does put Venetia on the alert. She 
  might begin to tail them, following them to the door of the 
  Kundarak Vaults, and waiting outside until they emerge, 
  which might cause some problems if the characters do 
  anything illegal while they are outside the buildings, or 
  if they flee the building with House Kundarak guards on 
  their tails.
  Entering the Building
  The main entrance to the Kundarak Vaults is set in a 
  unique oval-shaped building. A set of locked double doors 
  are guarded by two dwarfs (veterans) who hold the 
  leashes of a pair of mechanical guard drakes (Appendix 
  B).
  The guards each possess keys to the building, but 
  they do not open the door for just anyone. A character 
  in possession of an active keycharm can show that to 
  gain access to the building, but they would need to give a 
  good reason for the rest of the characters to be going in 
  with them. A successful DC 10 Charisma (Deception or 
  Persuasion) check, along with a believable reason why 
  all of the characters are necessary, is enough to carry the 
  ruse and get the characters into the reception area.
  Characters can use the excuse that they want to also 
  rent a lockbox or vault from the facility, but they need to 
  show the guards a valuable object or a sizeable amount of 
  wealth (300 gp) to make that deception viable.
  Episode Two:
  Not My Vault
  
  7
  Objective
  The objective of the characters is to get into the building 
  without drawing suspicion. On a failed first attempt, the 
  characters must come up with a new plan to get past the 
  guards, such as coming in disguised as someone else, or 
  entering in a container of some sort. Other schemes are 
  viable as well, of course.
  Reception Area
  The reception area to the Kundarak Vaults is an open 
  room in an oval-shaped tower at the center of a cluster of 
  five tall towers. From this central building, clients and staff 
  take a set of mechanical circular stairs up to other floors, 
  which are connected to the other buildings by skyways. 
  The higher the vaults, the more stringent the security.
  Objective
  The objective of this scene is to gain access to the 
  fourteenth floor of the northwest tower of the Kundarak 
  Vaults, where the lockbox belonging to Merrix d’Cannith 
  is located.
  Creatures/NPCs
  The reception area is on the ground floor of the central 
  building. An officious dwarf named Aggmar Oakbell 
  (guard) works the reception desk when the characters 
  enter. Also in the room are a pair of House Kundarak 
  dwarves named Grimmok and Grustern d’Kundarak (LN 
  male Mark of Warding dwarf veterans) who make sure no 
  one goes up the stairs without permission.
  When the characters enter, an elf named Eyevahnae 
  (commoner) is complaining to Aggmar about the 
  slowness of service, the exorbitant price of renting a 
  box, the lack of snacks while waiting for service, etc. 
  It is apparent Aggmar is having difficulty holding his 
  tongue and not asking the guards to toss the elf out of the 
  building on her ear.
  Bluffing
  If the characters show Aggmar the keycharm, he checks 
  his control panel and recognizes the item as belonging 
  to Avidona Dreff, who is an employee of House Cannith 
  in Sharn. The characters need a good excuse for why 
  they have it instead of her, and they must succeed on a 
  DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check to get Aggmar to 
  believe their story.
  The Control Panel and the 
  Stairway
  Aggmar works at a desk that contains a rune-covered 
  control panel. The panel controls access to different 
  floors and vaults within the complex. The panel works 
  automatically for anyone bearing the Mark of Warding. 
  Others attempting to use the control panel must succeed 
  on a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) or Dexterity (Sleight of 
  Hand) check.
  If successfully manipulated, the control panel allows 
  the user to permit access, via the mechanical circular 
  staircase, to a particular floor. The user assigns the visitor 
  a floor, and the visitor steps on the circular stairway. The 
  stairway then turns, wending upward until it reaches the 
  assigned floor, then it stops.
  If the visitor attempts to move up or down the stairway 
  to another floor, the steps retract, turning the stairway 
  into a circular slide that deposits the visitors back on the 
  ground floor unless they succeed on a DC 10 Strength 
  (Athletics) check to brace themselves against the slide 
  or a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to balance on a 
  narrow ledge between the stairs and the floor they are on. 
  These same checks could allow a character to move up or 
  down the retracted stairway to access other floors.
   
   
  Playing the Pillars
  The characters could use many different tactics or strategies to gain access to the fourteenth floor.
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  If one of the characters has the Mark of 
  Warding, the party could “take out” the 
  guards in the reception area and use 
  the control panel themselves, giving 
  themselves access to the proper floor. As 
  long as they act quickly, the soundproof 
  walls muffle any sounds of combat from 
  the guards outside. Characters would then 
  have to make sure no one else came in, 
  or they might pretend to be vault workers. 
  Failure to properly manage this results in a 
  general alarm being raised.
  Having just one way up and down the vault 
  towers would be foolish and inefficient. 
  A secret stairway hidden in the walls 
  provides access to the entirety of the 
  complex for the vault workers. This secret 
  passage, and others like it, can be found 
  with a successful DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check. Traps similar to the 
  one on the lockbox (see episode 3) would 
  guard some of the passages, but the vault 
  workers would know the location and the 
  passwords to these traps.
  Gaining access to the fourteenth floor might 
  be as simple as pretending to be interested 
  in securing a lockbox. The characters would 
  have to show something valuable they 
  wanted to protect, and show at least 300 gp 
  to pay for it, but this would get them access 
  to the fourteenth floor, although a vault 
  worker (see episode 3) would go with them 
  to show them to their lockbox. A couple of 
  Charisma checks would be needed to pull 
  off this ruse.
   
   
  
  8
  “The easiest way to avoid getting killed by a trap is to send 
  the fighter into it face-first.”
  —Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
  Estimated Duration: 60 minutes
  Location: Kundarak Vaults, Upper Central
  Prerequisites
  The characters must gain access to the fourteenth floor of 
  the Kundarak Vaults by successfully completing episode 2 
  to undertake this episode.
  Objectives
  The characters must get to the northwest tower, past any 
  guards, then locate Merrix d’Cannith's lockbox. From 
  there, they have to bypass the extra traps and fight the 
  summoned creatures to gain access to the contents, 
  which might be destroyed if the trap is sprung.
  The Central Tower
  If the characters take the mechanical spiral staircase to 
  the fourteenth floor, they emerge into an oval area similar 
  to the reception area.
  Area Information
  A control panel, similar to the one in the reception area 
  (see episode 2), rests in the center of this oval chamber. 
  The control panel manipulates the wards on this level, 
  and opens or closes doors leading to the skyways and 
  the towers here. Like the other control panel, it can 
  automatically be used by someone bearing the Mark of 
  Warding, or a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) or 
  Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check also allows for its use.
  Openings in the walls around the chamber lead to 
  skyways leading to four towers holding lockboxes and 
  other receptacles for storage. The characters are looking 
  for the northwest tower.
  Doors. The doors leading out of the central tower and 
  into each of the four outer towers can be opened with the 
  control panel here. They can also be opened manually 
  with a copy of the key, which Serghum and the five guards 
  each carry, or they can be picked with a successful DC 
  15 Dexterity check made with thieves’ tools. They are 
  metal and reinforced, meaning a DC 25 Strength check is 
  needed to smash them, and they have 100 hp with an AC 
  of 15.
  Creatures/NPCs
  This level, as well as floors 13 and 15, is managed and 
  guarded by Serghum d’Kundarak, a bored and rebellious 
  young dragonmarked dwarf (CN female Mark of Warding 
  dwarf commoner). She bristles at being forced to work 
  in the vaults. She oversees five Mark of Warding dwarf 
  veterans who patrol the thirteenth, fourteenth, and 
  fifteenth floors of the vaults, responding to calls and only 
  leaving these three floors if an alarm is rung elsewhere.
  Every trio of levels has a similar team of workers and 
  guards. When a client is cleared to use the circular 
  stairway, the workers move to that level to meet them.
  Serghum’s Story
  Serghum wants out of her current life as a worker drone 
  in House Kundarak. She dreams of traveling the world, 
  going on grand adventures, and experiencing everything 
  life has to offer. Instead, she’s been placed inside a virtual 
  prison, guarding other people’s valuables. She is not 
  happy and would do practically anything to escape this 
  life.
  If the characters arrive via normal means, she rudely, 
  and with a bored tone, walks them through the steps of 
  unlocking the portals between here and the northwest 
  tower, and taking them to the lockboxes there.
  If they arrive through less normal means (i.e. sneaking 
  or fighting their way in), she perks up and says something 
  like, “Sweet! I knew this was going to be a great day. 
  What’s your story?” Serghum is a willing participant in 
  any shenanigans the characters hope to perpetrate, as 
  long as they promise to take her with them when they 
  leave, giving her cover so she can ‘defect’ from House 
  Kundarak.
  tHe geneRal alaRm and tHe spy
  At any point, while the characters are in the Kundarak 
  Vaults, there is a risk of the workers sounding the 
  general alarm. This is accomplished by buttons set 
  into the control panels on each floor. When the general 
  alarm is sounded, the following happens:
  • All doors are locked, and the mechanical spiral stairs 
  stop working. All workers know to use the secret doors 
  and stairways on the outside of the towers.
  • The five guards (veterans) from the floors above and 
  below where the alarm was triggered converge on the 
  floor between them.
  • The guards from outside the front doors are brought 
  inside to the reception area, and the front doors 
  remain closed until the alarm is turned off.
  • A City Watch patrol (see episode 2) arrives within 3 
  minutes to guard the front doors from the outside.
  Characters can use appropriate DC 15 ability checks to 
  mess with alarm buttons, locks, etc.
  The spy for House Medani is also inside the building. 
  He is a halfling spy named Emro Soresaddle. He knows 
  the characters are in the building, and if the alarm goes 
  off, he moves to their location as quickly as possible to 
  help. How much assistance he provides, and the form 
  it takes, is up to you.
  Episode Three:
  Extreme Measures
  
  9
  The Northwest Tower
  The 10-foot-high walls of the fourteenth floor of this tower 
  all have lockboxes set into them. Instead of numbers, each 
  lockbox is decorated with different symbols. The symbols 
  for a particular lockbox match the ones etched into the 
  lockbox’s corresponding keycharm.
  Lockboxes
  The lockboxes that are in use are sealed with a standard 
  lock and two arcane lock spells. If a person has the 
  correct keycharm for that lockbox, that person can bypass 
  both the arcane locks and open the normal lock with the 
  keycharm. Otherwise, a person must succeed at three 
  separate DC 25 Dexterity checks made with thieves’ tools 
  to open all the locks, or three separate DC 30 Strength 
  checks to force the lockbox door open.
  Trap. The lockbox also hosts a glyph of warding 
  spell, an explosive rune placed on the lockbox by the 
  House Kundarak security experts. A successful DC 14 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check notices the rune. A 
  creature using the keycharm does not spring the trap 
  when opening the lockbox. If someone sets off the glyph, 
  it erupts with magical energy in a 20-foot-radius sphere 
  centered on the glyph. Each creature in the area must 
  make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 22 
  (5d8) lightning damage on a failed saving throw, or half as 
  much damage on a successful one.
  The Contents
  When the characters open the lockbox, they see a 
  variety of objects: a packet of papers, ten silk pouches, 
  three scroll cases, and a shortsword (see “Treasure & 
  Rewards”).
  If the players pick up the packet of papers without first 
  searching it for traps, they trigger the extra traps placed 
  on them by House Cannith.
  The Additional Traps
  Unfortunately for the characters, Merrix d’Cannith is 
  an untrusting sort. He trapped the packet within the 
  lockbox with a second glyph of warding spell that triggers 
  an explosive rune. A successful DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check notices the rune.
  When the topmost piece of parchment is disturbed
  without dispelling the rune first, it erupts with magical 
  fire in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the glyph. Each 
  creature in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving 
  throw. A creature takes 22 (5d8) fire damage on a failed 
  saving throw, or half as much damage on a successful 
  one.
  In addition, the rune summons forth two air 
  elementals, which immediately attack anyone in the room 
  that does not bear the Mark of Making.
  Aftermath
  When Merrix d’Cannith put the extra explosive rune 
  and summoning symbol into the lockbox, he broke his 
  contract with House Kundarak. If the characters defeat 
  the summoned elementals—especially if they saved the 
  life of a vault worker—any minor laws they may have 
  broken along the way are more likely to be forgiven.
  Treasure & Rewards
  The lockbox contains more treasure than just the 
  blueprints of the creation forge.
  Monetary Treasure. Each of the ten silk pouches 
  contains tiny diamonds worth a total of 50 gp.
  Magic Items. Each of the three scroll cases contains a 
  different scroll of protection: beasts, fiends, and undead. 
  The shortsword is a sword of vengeance, possessed by a 
  spirit of a House Cannith soldier who died in the Last War 
  (Appendix F).
  Special Rewards. If the characters find and disable the 
  second explosive rune (the one on the packet), they can 
  read the packet. They are the blueprints and plans for 
  a creation forge, along with a note mentioning possible 
  locations for such a place beneath Sharn.
  If the characters did not find and disable the explosive 
  rune, the packet is destroyed by flames and cannot be 
  salvaged. However, a burnt scrap that survives the fire 
  refers to Cannith South having a secret facility beneath 
  Sharn.
  adjusting tHis encounteR
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this 
  encounter, according to your group.
  • Very Weak: Replace one air elemental with two dust 
  mephits. Reduce the damage of the traps to 18 (4d8).
  • Weak or Strong: No change.
  • Very Strong: Add one air elemental. Increase the 
  damage of the traps to 36 (8d8), and the DCs of 
  saving throws against the traps to 16.
  
  10
  Adventure Rewards
  Upon completing the adventure, everybody receives 
  rewards based upon their accomplishments. These 
  rewards include advancement and treasure checkpoints, 
  magic item unlocks; and may include new downtime 
  activities and story awards, as follows:
  Player Rewards
  The characters earn the following player rewards for 
  completing the adventure:
  Advancement and Treasure 
  Checkpoints
  The characters receive one advancement checkpoint 
  and one treasure checkpoint for each objective that the 
  characters complete, as follows:
  • Main Objective A. Get into the Kundarak Vaults 
  successfully.
  • Main Objective B. Take possession of the documents 
  from the lockbox.
  • Bonus Objective A. Get the keycharm from Avidona.
  • Bonus Objective B. Retrieve the blackmail documents 
  from Svorna the Hatchet or her lockbox.
  Magic Item Unlock
  Characters completing this adventure unlock the 
  following magic item:
  Shortsword of Vengeance. This item can be found in 
  Appendix F.
  Story Awards
  During this adventure, the characters may earn the 
  following story awards:
  Workshop Blueprints. You found the blueprints for a 
  laboratory. These blueprints might help you discern what 
  Merrix d’Cannith is plotting, and where he plans to build 
  this workshop.
  Burnt Documents. Although the plans were burnt by 
  a trap, you were able to recover scraps of notes talking 
  about a potential building site beneath Sharn.
  DM Rewards
  In exchange for running this adventure, you earn 
  advancement and treasure checkpoints as though you 
  played the adventure, but none of the other player rewards.
  However, this adventure may qualify for rewards earned 
  by completing DM Quests. See the ALDMG (Adventurers 
  League Dungeon Master’s Guide) for more information 
  about DM Quests.
  level pRogRession in embeRs of tHe last WaR
  Between Encounters in Sharn and the Embers of the 
  Last War story arc, the Adventurers League Eberron 
  campaign has many play opportunities. If you plan to 
  play regularly and take in the entire Embers of the Last 
  War story, strongly encourage the players to use the 
  Slow Progress option where they voluntarily halve the 
  rewards received for playing. If you plan to play only 
  some of the adventures, or not take part in the bonus 
  objectives, the Normal Progression of rewards may 
  be more appropriate. Because the Embers of the Last 
  War adventures are produced as a serial, managing 
  character level according to play style is important.
  
  11
  The following NPCs feature prominently in this 
  adventure.
  NPCs
  • Antonia d’Medani. A clever-eyed half-elf in her 
  midtwenties. Her sardonic demeanor belies an earnest 
  desire to root out corruption—on her own terms. She 
  frequently offers pro bono legal services to Sharn’s 
  poorer residents, but all too often finds herself wrapped 
  up in larger schemes. She keeps her dark hair cropped 
  in a curled bob and wears deep red lipstick in an 
  attempt to appear more mature—but it does little to 
  mask her youthful face. Antonia is keen and witty, and, 
  despite her affinity for doing the right thing, enjoys 
  games of chance when the opportunity arises. She’s 
  earned the respect of the Callestan Clash, a ragtag gang 
  who run a back-alley gambling and street fighting ring 
  (as seen in the Encounters in Sharn supplement).
  Personality: I’m a born gambler who can’t resist 
  taking a risk for a big payoff, and I encourage others to 
  do the same.
  Ideal: It is everyone’s responsibility to bring a little more 
  fairness to the city.
  Bond: I owe a large gambling debt to a certain back-
  alley gangster. There could be trouble for me if he calls 
  it in.
  Flaw: I worry that people don’t take me seriously 
  because of my youth, so I’m always trying to appear 
  more mature and experienced than I really am.
  • Watchman Kavill. Kavill is young, idealistic, and just 
  starting to notice the corruption and laziness in some of 
  his superiors. He has been on the Watch less than a year.
  Personality: I put my best face forward and I’m friendly, 
  helpful, loyal, and motivated.
  Ideal: I can make life better and safer for the people of 
  Sharn.
  Bond: I have let my brother down, and now I must save 
  him and my own reputation.
  Flaw: Sometimes I get caught by surprise when my 
  superiors don’t follow the same rules they set for others.
  • Svorna the Hatchet. A leader of a ring of thugs, loan 
  sharks, and smugglers, this short and stocky half-orc 
  maintains a good relationship with Clan Boromar. 
  She believes she and her group are above the law and 
  indefatigable.
  Personality: I have this life figured out, and I will 
  always come out on top of any situation.
  Ideal: Power is the only goal.
  Bond: I take care of my crew so they will remain loyal 
  to me.
  Flaw: I don’t always make the best choices, especially 
  when I think I have the upper hand. And I always think I 
  have the upper hand,
  • Avidona Dreff. A half-elf of slight build and red hair, she 
  has served Merrix well for many years, thanks to her 
  obsessive nature and fanatical devotion to her work and 
  the finer details.
  Personality: I am obsessive, and I focus fully on 
  whatever I am thinking about at the time. Lately that 
  focus has been the kalashtar culture and a poet called 
  Sonorous.
  Ideal: I want to be rid of the details of my previous 
  existence and loose myself in the strange and wonderful 
  world that the kalashtar inhabit.
  Bond: I am madly in love with Sonorous, and I would 
  do anything to be with her for the rest of my life.
  Flaw: When I am obsessed with something, I might 
  neglect some of the other details in my life.
  • Sonorous. Sonorous is a tall, striking female kalashtar 
  with a magnetic personality and a taste for the finer 
  things. Her blonde hair reaches almost to the floor, and 
  she moves with an ethereal grace.
  Personality: I know how to say the right thing at 
  the right time to get what I want. Right now I am 
  scamming people out of their coin, but soon I will be 
  living a life of leisure.
  Ideal: People will give you anything you want if you tell 
  them what they want to hear.
  Bond: My only bond is to myself. I have people who I 
  can use to help me meet my desires, and I will remain 
  loyal to them until they no longer serve their purpose.
  Flaw: Sometimes I can take the mystical kalashtar act 
  too far, and I become a parody of it.
  Appendix A: NPCs
  
  12
  • Aggmar Oakbell. Aggmar is a dour, angry dwarf who 
  works the reception desk at the Kundarak Vaults. His 
  graying hair and beard frame a heavily wrinkled face. 
  While he is not as old as he looks, his attitude is one of 
  an older and sourer person.
  Personality: I just want to be left alone with a big mug of 
  ale and the latest works of the leading dwarven scholars.
  Ideal: Efficiency and focus are of paramount 
  importance. Less talk, more work.
  Bond: House Kundarak has been a fine employer over 
  the years. They allow me to enjoy the little things in life, 
  and my work, though aggravating at times because of 
  the clientele, sustains me.
  Flaw: I have seen everything in my job, and sometimes 
  that makes me numb to real problems.
  • Serghum d’Kundarak. Serghum d’Kundarak is a 
  dragonmarked member of her house. She hates her job, 
  her house, and Sharn with a passion. She dresses in a 
  manner that her peers find inappropriate and acts in a 
  manner that achieves the same effect.
  Personality: I was born into this prison life, and if I 
  don’t escape soon my soul will be crushed.
  Ideal: Freedom is more important than anything else.
  Bond: My only bond is to the life of adventure waiting 
  for me out there in the wider world.
  Flaw: My imprisonment in this life of service to others 
  has made me rude, sarcastic, and unempathetic.
  • Emro Soresaddle. Emro is a halfling employed by 
  House Kundarak, but he is actually a spy for House 
  Medani. He is plain-looking, quiet, unassuming, and 
  retiring, all of which is an act. When not undercover, he 
  is brash and witty.
  Personality: I am just going about my business, fixing 
  some of the mechanical features of this building. I am 
  really not noting who is entering the building and where 
  they go. Really.
  Ideal: Doing good is, well, good. But I am more in it for 
  the challenge of seeing what I can get away with.
  Bond: House Medani helped me escape a rough life in 
  Sharn, and I will do everything I can to repay that debt.
  Flaw: Sometimes the draw of a tough challenge 
  outweighs my sense of whether or not I could actually 
  meet that challenge.
  
  13
  This appendix details new monsters that do not appear in 
  the Monster Manual.
  Bard
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
  Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  10 (+0)
  14 (+2)
  12 (+1)
  10 (+0)
  13 (+1)
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3
  Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +5, Performance +6
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages any two languages
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Spellcasting. The bard is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell 
  attacks). It has the following bard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will):  friends, mage hand, vicious mockery
  1st level (4 slots): charm person, healing word, heroism, sleep, 
  thunderwave
  2nd level (3 slots): invisibility, shatter
  Song of Rest. The bard can perform a song while taking a short 
  rest. Any ally who hears the song regains an extra 1d6 hit points 
  if it spends any Hit Dice to regain hit points at the end of that 
  rest. The bard can confer this benefit on itself as well.
  Taunt (2/day). The bard can use a bonus action on its turn to 
  target one creature within 30 feet of it. If the target can hear 
  the bard, the target must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving 
  throw or have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and 
  saving throws until the start of the bard’s next turn.
  Actions
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
  sonoRous, KalasHtaR baRd
  Sonorous is a poet who performs at the Askew Visions 
  public house in the Overlook district of Upper Dura. 
  She is a Bard with the following adjustments:
  • Type: Medium humanoid (kalashtar), neutral evil
  • Skills: Persuasion +6
  • Damage Resistance: Psychic
  • Languages: Common, Quori
  • Innate Spellcasting. Sonorous's innate spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12). She can 
  innately cast the following spell, requiring no material 
  components: 3/day: hypnotic pattern
  • Spellcasting. Sonorous may use her voice as a 
  spellcasting focus for her bard spells. Effects that 
  prevent her from providing verbal components also 
  counteract this ability.
  • Dual Mind. When Sonorous makes a Wisdom saving 
  throw, she can use her reaction to gain advantage on 
  the roll. She can use this trait immediately before or 
  after she rolls, but before any of the roll’s effects occur.
  • Mind Link. Sonorous can speak telepathically to any 
  creature she can see within 60 feet of her. They don’t 
  need to share a language for them to understand her 
  telepathic messages, but the creature must be able 
  to understand at least one language or be telepathic 
  themselves. As a bonus action when Sonorous is 
  speaking telepathically to a creature, she can grant 
  that creature the ability to speak telepathically to her 
  until the start of Sonorous’s next turn. To use this 
  ability, the creature must be within 60 feet of Sonorous 
  and be able to see her.
  • Psychic Glamour. Sonorous has advantage on 
  Persuasion ability checks.
  • Severed from Dreams. Sonorous is immune to magical 
  spells and effects that require her to dream, such as 
  the dream spell, but not to spells and effects that put 
  her to sleep, like the sleep spell.
  Appendix B: Creature Statistics
  
  14
  Enchanter
  Medium humanoid (any), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 40 (9d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  9 (-1)
  14 (+2)
  11 (+0)
  17 (+3)
  12 (+1)
  11 (+0)
  Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4
  Skills Arcana +6, History +6
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages any four languages
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 
  Spellcasting. The enchanter is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit 
  with spell attacks). The enchanter has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, mending, message
  1st level (4 slots): charm person,* mage armor, magic missile
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person,* invisibility, suggestion*
  3rd level (3 slots): fireball, haste, tongues
  4th level (3 slots): dominate beast,* stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): hold monster
  *enchantment spells of 1st level or higher
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 (1d6-1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 – 1) 
  bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
  Instinctive Charm (Recharges after the Enchanter Casts an 
  Enchantment Spell of 1st level or higher). The enchanter tries 
  to magically divert an attack made against it, provided that the 
  attacker is within 30 feet of it and visible to it. The enchanter 
  must decide to do so before the attack hits or misses.
  The attacker must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a 
  failed save, the attacker targets the creature closest to it, other 
  than the enchanter or itself. If multiple creatures are closest, 
  the attacker chooses which one to target.
  Half-Orc Red Fang
  Medium humanoid (half-orc), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  11 (+0)
  16 (+3)
  15 (+2)
  9 (-1)
  11 (+0)
  9 (-1)
  Skills Intimidation +1, Perception +2, Stealth +5
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  Languages Common, Goblin
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Cunning Action. On each of their turns, the Red Fang can use a 
  bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
  Expert Hand. The Red Fang deals an extra 2 dice of damage 
  when they hit a target with a weapon attack (included in their 
  attacks).
  Evil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the Red Fang’s 
  darkvision.
  Slayer. In the first round of a combat, the Red Fang has 
  advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken 
  a turn yet. If they hit a creature that round who was surprised, 
  the hit is automatically a critical hit.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The Red Fang makes two scimitar or dart attacks.
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) slashing damage.
  Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (3d4 + 3) piercing damage.
  Evil's Veil (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The Red 
  Fang casts darkness without any components. Wisdom is their 
  spellcasting ability.
  Half-Orc Flesh Gnawer
  Medium humanoid (half-orc), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  12 (+1)
  14 (+2)
  12 (+1)
  8 (-1)
  10 (+0)
  8 (-1)
  Saving Throws Dex +4
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Common, Goblin
  Challenge 1 (200 XP)
  Rampage. When the Flesh Gnawer reduces a creature to 0 hit 
  points with a melee attack on their turn, they can take a bonus 
  action to move up to half their speed and make a bite attack.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The Flesh Gnawer makes three attacks: one with 
  their bite and two with their shortsword.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
  Sudden Rush. Until the end of the turn, the Flesh Gnawer’s 
  speed increases by 60 feet and they don’t provoke opportunity 
  attacks.
  
  15
  Master Thief
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  11 (+0)
  18 (+4)
  14 (+2)
  11 (+0)
  11 (+0)
  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Dex +7 Int +3
  Skills Acrobatics +7, Athletics +3, Perception +3, Sleight of Hand 
  +7, Stealth +7
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages any one language (usually Common) plus thieves’ 
  cant
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can use a bonus 
  action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
  Evasion. If the thief is subjected to an effect that allows it to 
  make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the 
  thief instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving 
  throw, and only half damage if it fails.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The thief deals an extra 14 (4d6) 
  damage when it 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 the thief that isn’t incapacitated and the thief 
  doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The thief makes three attacks with its 
  shortsword.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack:  +7 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.
  Reactions
  Uncanny Dodge. The thief halves the damage that it takes 
  from an attack that hits it. The thief must be able to see the 
  attacker.
  Mechanical Guard Drake
  Medium construct, unaligned
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 52 (7d8 + 21)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  16 (+3)
  11 (+0)
  16 (+3)
  4 (–3)
  10 (+0)
  7 (–2)
  Skills Perception +2
  Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
  Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, 
  Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  Languages understands Common but can’t speak it
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Actions
  Multiattack. The drake makes two attacks, one with its bite and 
  one with its tail.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
  Svorna the Hatchet
  Medium humanoid (half-orc), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 18 (chain mail, shield)
  Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
  STR
  DEX
  CON
  INT
  WIS
  CHA
  17 (+3)
  11 (+0)
  17 (+3)
  10 (+0)
  12 (+1)
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Wis +3
  Skills Insight +3, Intimidation +4, Perception +3
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Common, Goblin
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Aggressive. As a bonus action, Svorna can move up to her 
  speed toward a hostile creature that she can see.
  Foe Smiter. Svorna deals an extra die of damage when she hits 
  with a hatchet attack (included in the attack).
  Actions
  Multiattack. Svorna makes two melee attacks with her hatchet 
  or two ranged attacks with her javelins. If Hatchet’s Command 
  is available to use, Svorna can use it after these attacks.
  Hatchet. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 14 (2d10 + 3) 
  slashing damage when used with two hands.
  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.
  Hatchet's Command (Recharge 4–6). Up to three allied orcs 
  or half-orcs within 120 feet of Svorna that can hear her can use 
  their reactions to each make one weapon attack.
  
  16
  Appendix C: Map
  
  17
   “The first rule of not losing a valued possession is don’t 
  keep it on you. The second rule? Never let it out of your 
  sight.”
  —Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
  Estimated Duration: 60 minutes
  Location (District, Ward): Overlook, Upper Dura
  Prerequisites
  After Episode 1, the characters must obtain the keycharm 
  to Merrix d’Cannith’s lockbox from Avidona Dreff.
  Objectives
  Antonia d’Medani tells them about the half-elf Avidona 
  Dreff. When the assistant to Merrix d’Cannith is not 
  locked away working on House Cannith business, she is 
  most often found in an odd public house called Askew 
  Visions in the Overlook district of Upper Dura. The house 
  serves exotic food and drink, and perhaps stronger stuff, 
  and it hosts frequent entertainment, mostly in the form of 
  the works of poets and dramatists.
  Antonia reminds the characters, before they head off 
  to look for Avidona and her keycharm, that it is vitally 
  important the characters act discreetly. If harm befalls 
  the half-elf, or if she realizes that the keycharm has been 
  taken from her, House Cannith and Merrix may redouble 
  their security, or even change the arrangements with 
  House Kundarak, which would be disastrous.
  Askew Visions
  This public house is very much as described by Antonia: 
  it does offer food, drink, and entertainment, but it has a 
  secret. Overlook is a kalashtar ghetto in Sharn, acting as 
  a place of comfort for exiles and expatriates from Sarlona. 
  The owner of Askew Visions has recently employed a 
  kalashtar poet calling herself Sonorous to entertain the 
  clientele.
  Area Information
  Askew Visions is not a large establishment. The bar 
  at the back of the building doubles as the stage for a 
  performance. The dining area is turned into a listening 
  area when performances take place. A kitchen in the back 
  makes authentic Sarlonan meals and delicacies, or as 
  close an approximation as can be found in Sharn.
  An area on the level above the public house holds living 
  quarters used by the kalashtar owner Malisasha and her 
  human husband Viko, as well as Sonorus and her two 
  ‘assistants.’
  Creatures/NPCs
  Sonorous is a kalashtar bard (refer to the sidebar in 
  Appendix B) who is in league with a pair of master 
  thieves (Appendix B). The two humans, named Eldriz 
  and Carnuk, wait for Sonorous to cast her spell over the 
  crowd (literally and figuratively), and then they steal select 
  valuables from those incapacitated or charmed by her. 
  They never take enough to make the theft obvious. The 
  patrons might notice a missing earring or a few missing 
  coins, but not think more of it.
  Avidona’s Story
  Avidona attended one of Sonorous’s first poetry 
  performances a month ago, and she is completely in love 
  with the kalashtar poet. Whenever she can get away from 
  work and other responsibilities, she attempts to spend 
  time with Sonorous. The kalashtar harbors no such 
  amorous feelings toward Avidona, 
  but she is aware that having 
  control over the heart 
  of an employee of 
  House Cannith 
  might be valuable 
  in the future. With 
  such motives in 
  mind, she flirts 
  and spends time 
  with Avidona 
  to maintain 
  the illusion of 
  friendship—and 
  possibly more.
  Appendix D: Lucky Charm
  (Bonus Objective A)
  
  18
   
   
  Playing the Pillars
  The scene at Askew Visions could play out in a number of different ways. The complicating factor of Sonorous’s criminal activities 
  could make the characters’ obtaining of the keycharm much easier, or much more difficult.
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  While the characters would be wise to 
  avoid direct attacks on Avidona to allay 
  suspicions of House Cannith, attacking 
  Sonorous and her two helpers could help 
  them gain access to the keycharm, either 
  under the pretext of defending the innocent 
  from their ploy, or after they themselves 
  steal the keycharm from Avidona during a 
  performance.
  If Sonorous and her crew steal the keycharm 
  themselves, they might lead the characters 
  on a merry chase through Upper Dura in an 
  attempt to escape. If the characters retrieve 
  the keycharm from Sonorous, it gives them a 
  chance to find a replica, switch it out for the 
  real one, and return it to Avidona so she is 
  none the wiser that the real keycharm is no 
  longer in her possession.
  After assessing the situation at Askew 
  Visions, the characters may figure out the 
  scam taking place there every night. They 
  might use this knowledge to open Avidona’s 
  eyes to the treachery of the poet, or they 
  might join forces with Sonorous’s crew to 
  fleece the crowd in exchange for Sonorous 
  using her relationship with Avidona to secure 
  the keycharm, leaving the half-elf unaware.
   
   
  The Keycharm
  The keycharm is piece of cloudy quartz about three 
  inches long, fashioned as a pendant similar to a holy 
  symbol of the Path of Light and worn on a necklace 
  around Avidona’s neck. Checks to remove it from her 
  neck without her noticing are made with disadvantage. 
  However, Avidona frequently removes the keycharm and 
  uses it as a ‘worry stone’, rubbing it between her fingers 
  to soothe herself. When this is happening, it is much 
  easier to steal. And of course, while she is listening to 
  one of Sonorous’s performances, she falls victim to the 
  incapacitating magic, so it could be removed unnoticed by 
  her then.
  If the characters want to swap it out, they can find 
  several similar pieces of jewelry for sale in the Overlook 
  district for just a few silver pieces.
  Complication
  The leadership of House Cannith in Sharn is suspicious 
  about Avidona’s frequent absences at night, leaving her 
  distracted and bleary-eyed during the day. They recently 
  hired a human assassin named Kindra to follow Avidona 
  and make sure she was not getting into trouble. Kindra is 
  aware that Avidona frequents Askew Visions, but does not 
  know what goes on inside. Kindra does not get involved 
  unless she witnesses Avidona being attacked or getting 
  any of her possessions stolen.
  Treasure & Rewards
  The characters might get the opportunity to gain 
  monetary or magical treasure from several of the NPCs 
  in this encounter, depending on how they go about 
  completing their goals. In addition, they may be given 
  treasure by the NPCs for assistance if they take that 
  route.
  Monetary Treasure. Avidona carries 20 gp, in addition 
  to the keycharm. Sonorous wears a gold necklace worth 
  10 gp, and each of her crewmates carries 10 gp.
  Magic Items. Eldriz and Carnuk each carry a potion of 
  greater healing.
  adjusting tHis encounteR
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this 
  encounter, according to your group. These are not 
  cumulative.
  • Very Weak: Replace master thieves with bandit 
  captains. Reduce the assassin’s hit points to 58.
  • Weak or Strong: No change.
  • Very Strong: Increase the master thieves’ hit points 
  to 104. Give the assassin a potion of invisibility to use 
  before she attacks.
  
  19
  “There’s only one thing worse than having an honest, law-
  abiding officer of the law as a sworn enemy: having one as 
  a close friend.”
  —Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
  Estimated Duration: 45 minutes
  Location: Kundarak Vaults, Upper Central
  Prerequisites
  This bonus episode can take place any time after the 
  characters talk to Watchman Kavill and before the end 
  of the adventure. The characters only need to hear about 
  his plight and the details of what they must accomplish to 
  assist him.
  Objectives
  Operatives of Clan Boromar have obtained documents 
  that make it appear Watchman Kavill is beholden to them 
  because he repaid a debt owed to one of their associates 
  by Kavill’s brother.
  Kavill has learned Clan Boromar plans to deposit 
  the documents detailing his payments to his brother’s 
  creditor into the Kundarak Vaults for safekeeping. 
  He hopes that the characters can take 
  possession of those documents before 
  they get deposited.
  When to Act?
  So when do the characters make their 
  move against Clan Boromar? As the 
  criminals move through Upper Central 
  toward the Kundarak Vaults? While they 
  are in the vaults but before the documents 
  are secured? Or will they try to steal them 
  after they are locked away?
  That is answered best by you and your 
  players! Where does it fit best into the story 
  that you are telling?
  If you want them to handle the 
  problem before the criminals get into the 
  vaults, Kavill might supply them with a 
  description of the team that is delivering 
  the package, allowing them to set up an 
  ambush in a place that is outside the prying 
  eyes of the City Watch.
  If you want the attack to take place outside 
  of the entrance to the vaults, Kavill might 
  suggest using cunning to trick the criminals 
  into attacking the party, where the documents 
  can be stolen in the fray.
  If you want the attack to take place inside 
  the vaults, have the criminals be waiting in the 
  reception area as the characters enter. There is 
  also great comic potential if the characters fight 
  the criminals while the guards try to keep the peace 
  and Eyevahnae the elf complains about the service.
  If you want to have this bonus objective be an additional 
  heist within the Kundarak Vaults, Kavill might have 
  learned the location of the vault where the documents 
  were secured. It is held in a cheaper and less secure part 
  of the Kundarak Vaults, but it relies more on mechanical 
  guard drakes (Appendix B) than traps and magic.
  Attacking in the City
  The documents are being taken to the vaults by Svorna 
  the Hatchet (Appendix B) herself. She is accompanied by 
  four half-orc flesh gnawers and a half-orc red fang (also 
  found in Appendix B).
  The group is overconfident in their fighting abilities, they 
  have no respect for the law, and they are easily distracted. 
  All of these factors can be used by the characters to set up 
  an ambush or use the increased City Watch presence to 
  assist them in obtaining the documents.
  Attacking Outside the Vaults
  If the characters wait to attack until Svorna and her 
  crew get to the tower, they face the same opponents. 
  Appendix E: Blackmail and White Lies
  (Bonus Objective B)
  
  20
  Again, if they can trick the half-orcs into attacking first, 
  they might be able to get assistance from the Kundarak 
  guards or the City Watch. In that case, it is just a matter 
  of somehow obtaining the documents Svorna carries 
  without getting caught.
  Attacking in the Vaults
  If the characters wait to attack until Svorna and her 
  crew are inside the vaults, they could actually use the 
  distraction to help them in their plans to access Merrix’s 
  blueprints.
  Stealing from the Vaults
  If the characters wait until Svorna has deposited the 
  documents into a vault, they must now access the 4th 
  floor of the facility as well. This is in the southwest 
  tower, and the floor is patrolled by a single guard and 
  his band of five mechanical guard drakes. The lockbox 
  holding the papers can be picked with a successful DC 15 
  Dexterity check made with thieves’ tools.
  The lockbox is protected by a poison gas trap that 
  can be located with a successful DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check and disarmed with a DC 15 
  Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. If the trap is sprung, 
  all creatures in the room must succeed on a DC 14 
  Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature 
  takes 21 (6d6) poison damage and falls unconscious for 
  1 minute. An unconscious creature can attempt a DC 14 
  Constitution saving throw at the end of each of their turns 
  to regain consciousness. The trap also alerts the guard on 
  this floor, who arrives with his mechanical guard drakes 
  in 5 rounds.
  Treasure & Rewards
  The characters might get the opportunity to gain 
  monetary or magical treasure from several of the NPCs 
  in this encounter, depending on how they go about 
  completing their goals. In addition, they may be given 
  treasure by the NPCs for assistance if they take that 
  route.
  Monetary Treasure. In addition to the papers, Svorna 
  the Hatchet carries coins and gems worth 75 gp.
  adjusting tHis encounteR
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this 
  encounter, according to your group. These are not 
  cumulative.
  • Very Weak: Remove the half-orc red fang. Reduce the 
  trap’s damage to 14 (4d6).
  • Weak or Strong: No change.
  • Very Strong: Add a half-orc red fang. Increase the 
  trap’s damage to 28 (8d6).
   
   
  Playing the Pillars
  Combat
  Exploration
  Social
  This episode might already be combat-
  heavy, but you could add more, seeing 
  the characters engage in a full-on 
  assault against not just Svorna and her 
  bodyguards, but also a significant portion 
  of her extended criminal crew. This 
  should include at least two hard combat 
  encounters.
  Rather than encountering Svorna the 
  Hatchet and her crew out in the city, the 
  characters could instead attempt to break 
  into her office and steal the papers. This 
  could be a low-security break-in, contrasting 
  the high security of the Kundarak Vaults.
  Rather than taking a hostile route in dealing 
  with Svorna the Hatchet, the characters 
  might try to reason with her, offering their 
  services or something of value. Svorna 
  could ask them to remove a key witness in 
  a criminal case against her in return for the 
  blackmail papers.
   
   
  
  21
  Appendix F: Magic Item
  Characters completing this adventure’s second main 
  objective unlock this magic item.
  Shortsword of Vengeance
  Weapon, uncommon (requires attunement)
  Tier 1-4, 16 treasure checkpoints, found on Magic Item 
  Table F
  You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with 
  this magic weapon. The sword whispers warnings to its 
  bearer, granting a +2 bonus to initiative if the bearer isn’t 
  incapacitated.
  Curse. This sword is cursed and possessed by the 
  vengeful spirit of a House Cannith soldier. Becoming 
  attuned to it extends the curse to you. As long as you 
  remain cursed, you are unwilling to part with the sword, 
  keeping it on your person at all times. While attuned to 
  this weapon, you have disadvantage on attack rolls made 
  with weapons other than this one.
  In addition, while the sword is on your person, you must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw whenever you 
  take damage in combat. On a failed save, you must attack 
  the creature that damaged you until you drop to 0 hit 
  points or it does, or until you can’t reach the creature to 
  make a melee attack against it.
  You can break the curse in the usual ways. Alternatively, 
  casting banishment on the sword forces the vengeful 
  spirit to leave it. The sword then becomes a +1 weapon 
  with no other properties.
  
  22
  This adventure is designed for three to seven 5th-10th 
  level characters and is optimized for five characters 
  with an average party level (APL) of 8. Characters 
  outside this level range cannot participate in this 
  adventure.
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  To DM an adventure, you must have 3 to 7 players—
  each with their own character whose level is within the 
  adventure’s level range. Characters playing in a hardcover 
  adventure may continue to play too but if they play a 
  different hardcover adventure, they can’t return to the 
  first one if they’re outside its level range.
  Preparing the Adventure
  Before you start play, consider the following:
  • Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything 
  you’d like to highlight or remind yourself of 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. Familiar yourself with the adventure’s 
  appendices and handouts.
  • Gather any resources you’d like to use to aid you in 
  running this adventure--such as notecards, a DM screen, 
  miniatures, and battlemaps.
  • Ask the players to provide you with relevant character 
  information, such as name, race, class, and level; 
  passive Wisdom (Perception), and anything specified as 
  notable by the adventure (such as backgrounds, traits, 
  flaws, etc.)
  Players can play an adventure they previously played as 
  a Player or Dungeon Master but may only play it once with 
  a given character. Ensure each player has their character’s 
  adventure logsheet (if not, get one from the organizer). 
  The players fill out the adventure name, session number, 
  date, and your name and DCI number. In addition, the 
  player also fills in the starting values for advancement and 
  treasure checkpoints, downtime days, and renown. These 
  values are updated at the end of the session.
  Appendix G: Dungeon Master Tips
  Each player is responsible for maintaining an accurate 
  logsheet. If you have time, 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 Players 
  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, 
  or 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 This Adventure
  When combat is a possibility, the adventure will provide 
  a sidebar that helps you to determine the best mix/
  number of opponents to provide them with to create an 
  appropriate challenge. While you’re not bound to these 
  adjustments; they’re here for your convenience and 
  consideration.
  To determine whether you should consider adjusting the 
  adventure, add up the total levels of all the characters and 
  divide the result by the number of characters (rounding .5 
  or greater up; .4 or less down). This is the group’s average 
  party level (APL). To approximate the party strength for 
  the adventure, consult the table below.
  Determining Party Strength
  Party Composition Party 
  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
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/DMsGuild/DMsGuild Adept/DMsGuild Adept/DDAL-ELW08 - The Kundarak Job.pdf