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  A Six-Hour Adventure for Tier 3 Characters.
  Optimized For: APL 13
  A Dreams of the Red Wizards Adventure
  DDAL-DRW-05
  Credits
  Credits
  Lead Designer: Greg Marks
  Designer: Ben Heisler
  Special Thanks: Paige Leitman, Shawn Banerjee
  Editing: Scott Fitzgerald Gray
  D&D Adventurers League Guildmaster: Chris Lindsay
  Art Director and Graphic Designer: Rich Lescouflair
  Cartography: Paige Leitman
  Interior Art: provided by Wizards of the Coast
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Ari 
  Levitch, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Alan Patrick, 
  Amy Lynn Dzura, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg 
  Marks, LaTia Jacquise, Ma’at Crook
  Playtesters: Gary Affeldt, James Bowen, David Brainard, 
  Richard Brown, Matt DeKok, Daniel Franco, Ron 
  Franke, Ross Hooper, David Jimenez, David Krolnik, 
  Paige Leitman, Chris Lindsay, Jackson Lucas, Chris 
  McGovern, Sean Mittelstaedt, Daniel Oliveira, Alain 
  Pham, David Rosser Jr., James Schweiss, Ben Siekert, 
  Phil Toni, Aaron Wampler
  UNCERTAIN SCRUTINY
  In search of King Hekaton, you must enter the dread land of Thay—but 
  getting in will prove less difficult than getting out.
  Part Two of the Storm King’s Descent series of adventures.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Adventure Primer
  Adventure Primer
  This adventure is designed for three to seven 11th- to 
  16th-level characters and is optimized for five characters 
  with an average party level (APL) of 13. Characters 
  outside this level range cannot participate in this adventure.
   The adventure occurs in the Thayan city of Eltabbar, 
  and in the vast series of dungeons beneath the Citadel of 
  Thaymount.
  Background
  KING HEKATON, ruler of MAELSTROM and lord of the 
  storm giants, is missing, and the WYRMSKULL THRONE 
  has been stolen! With the royal court of the giants in 
  disarray, Hekaton’s daughter, PRINCESS SERISSA, has 
  assumed control. Her first act as queen is to determine 
  who is responsible, but she knows that allowing the 
  giants to investigate will further open up divisions in their 
  already fractious ranks, and might leave her vulnerable 
  to those who want to claim her power. Serissa has thus 
  turned to smallfolk allies to aid her, as was done when her 
  father went missing during the events of the Storm King’s 
  Thunder adventure.
   Having traveled to Maelstrom on business regarding 
  the ILTKAZAR SCEPTER she carries, the privateer 
  ZEHIRA has become one of Serissa’s allies in the hunt 
  to recover the Wyrmskull Throne and determine the fate 
  of King Hekaton. Zehira is a cunning swashbuckler who 
  knows adventurers throughout Faerûn, and who can easily 
  assemble a team to aid the new storm giant queen.
   In the previous adventure, Zehira and her player 
  character allies uncovered that the CULT OF THE 
  DRAGON was responsible for the attack and the theft of 
  the Wyrmskull Throne. During the investigation, they met 
  the Turmish wizard KHYNREE, an ally of the Thayan 
  ZULKIR OF ENCHANTMENT, DAR’LON MA. Through 
  a bargain struck with the zulkir, the characters learned 
  that another group was responsible for King Hekaton’s 
  disappearance—THE RED WIZARDS OF THAY.
   Zehira now seeks champions to join her in a bold 
  adventure: to infiltrate the capital city of Thay and discover 
  the fate and whereabouts of King Hekaton.
  Overview
  The adventure’s story is spread over three parts and takes 
  approximately six hours to play. The adventure begins 
  with a “Call to Action” scene, but the call to action and 
  part 1 are significantly different depending on whether the 
  characters have the Ally of the Zulkir legacy event. To help 
  understand the flow of the adventure, see “Appendix 1: 
  Adventure Flowchart.”
  Call to Action: Into the Belly of the Beast. The call to 
  action draws the characters into Eltabbar, the capital city 
  of Thay. The characters’ ally, Zehira, reminds them of 
  what’s at stake.
  Part 1A: Dirt Under the Fingernails OR Part 1B: Queen 
  of the Damned. After learning that King Hekaton has 
  been killed and taken to the dungeons beneath the 
  Citadel at Thaymount, the characters must find their way 
  into that dangerous and well-guarded site. Gaining entry 
  to the dungeons is Story Objective A.
  Part 2: Digging Deeper. The characters have reached 
  the dungeons beneath Thaymount—though whether 
  they arrive alive or as undead depends on their 
  circumstances. There, they track down a new ally and 
  make new enemies in their search for King Hekaton. 
  Discovering the fate of the dead storm giant king is 
  Story Objective B. Finding out what the Thayans know 
  of the location of the Wyrmskull Throne stolen by the 
  Cult of the Dragon is Story Objective C.
  Part 3: You Can Check Out but You Can Never Leave. 
  Having obtained the information they came for, the 
  characters discover that getting out of the dungeons 
  beneath the Citadel is even harder than getting in. 
  Escaping the dungeons is Story Objective D.
  Setting as Character
  Eltabbar and the dungeons beneath the Citadel are unique 
  locations unlike any other visited in Adventurers League 
  before. As part of your preparation for this adventure, be sure 
  to check out “Appendix 2: DM’s Setting Information” to get a 
  good feel for how to make these fantastic locales stand out to 
  your players.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Adventure Hooks
  Uncertain Scrutiny follows directly from DDAL-DRW04 
  Foreign Affairs, picking up the hunt for the Wyrmskull 
  Throne and for information regarding the fate of King 
  Hekaton. If the characters didn’t play the previous 
  adventure, the following hooks provide possible ways to 
  involve them in the scenario.
  Better Dead Than Red. Veterans of DDEP00-01 The 
  Red War or the defense of Port Nyanzaru in DDEP07-
  02 Drums of the Dead are contacted by their current 
  or former factions. Those factions ask the characters 
  to work against Thay by gathering information and 
  sneaking into the dungeons beneath Thaymount.
  You Good for Another Round? A character who has 
  met Zehira, a recurring ally throughout the Dreams of 
  the Red Wizards series, is the target of a sending spell 
  asking for aid in infiltrating the heart of Thay.
  Help Me Adventurers, You’re My Only Hope. Princess 
  Serissa of Maelstrom calls out to characters who helped 
  her father in his time of need in Storm King’s Thunder.
  The Only Good Dragon is a Dead Dragon. Characters 
  who have proven their valor against the Cult of the 
  Dragon (including in season 1 of Adventurer’s League, 
  the Tyranny of Dragons adventure storyline, or the Storm 
  King’s Thunder adventure) are contacted with the grave 
  information that the cult and the Red Wizards of Thay 
  might be forming an alliance. Fearless souls are needed 
  to go to Thay to investigate.
  You’re Hired! The characters are made aware of a lucrative 
  and exceptionally dangerous job offer, involving a 
  mission to the east. When they inquire about it, they’re 
  referred to Zehira, who hires them for the adventure.
  Legacy Events
  At certain points in the adventure, you’ll see this 
  glyph along with an entry that describes how the 
  specified legacy event story award is earned or 
  impacted by the story. Legacy events are specific type of 
  story award that have significant impact on future parts of 
  the story. Ignore the entry if it refers to a legacy event that 
  none of the characters have. If it’s referring to a story award 
  the characters just earned, it provides information for you 
  and the players.
   Before beginning play, ask the players to check their 
  Adventure Records for any legacy events that might affect 
  this adventure. Uncertain Scrutiny incorporates the 
  following legacy events and story awards from previous 
  adventures in the Dreams of the Red Wizards series and 
  The Red War epic.
  Ally of the Zulkir
  This optional legacy event has a significant influence on 
  the call to action and part 1 of the adventure, essentially 
  providing two different paths to reach part 2. If one 
  character has this legacy event, this path is open to the 
  party and all characters gain this legacy event. However, 
  it is still up to the players whether the characters take up 
  Zulkir Dar’lon Ma’s offer of aid or whether they forsake it 
  for this adventure. If some characters refuse to work with 
  a zulkir, even to foil Szass Tam, the party will not be able to 
  make use of this legacy event.
   Two paths are presented in the call to action and part 1 
  of the adventure. Path A assumes the characters do not use 
  this legacy event, while path B makes use of it.
  Hunted by the Red
  This story award earned from The Red War epic comes 
  into play throughout the adventure, granting additional 
  benefits and introducing additional complications for the 
  characters.
  Recognition of a Hero
  In part 2 of the adventure, an ally of the party confined to 
  the dungeons beneath the Citadel recognizes one of the 
  characters. Ask if any of the characters participated in The 
  Red War epic, or, failing that, go for the character who has 
  the most renown for a particularly heroic thing they’ve 
  accomplished. This renown will be mentioned by the ally 
  when they are introduced in part 2.
  The Iltkazar Scepter
  Zehira Deryan is present with the characters throughout this 
  adventure, unless there’s a strong reason for her not to be. As 
  the primary quest giver and sidekick, she has a vested interest 
  in all that happens in the storyline. Zehira is also the wielder 
  of the Iltkazar Scepter—one of the ten Ruling Scepters of 
  Shanatar, forged by the dwarven gods and given to the ruling 
  houses of that ancient dwarven empire.
   The Iltkazar Scepter is an intelligent artifact-level magic 
  item that is bonded to Zehira. It takes the form of a tapered 
  mithral rod as thick and long as a dwarf’s forearm, with 
  a small platinum knob at the bottom and a rounded disk 
  adorned with a ring of seven tiny red gems at the top. A 
  wielder attuned to the scepter has access to these properties:
  • They gain a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with 
  this scepter, which can be wielded as a magic club.
  • They can make the scepter appear nonmagical at will, as if it 
  were under the effect of the Nystul’s magic aura spell.
  • They can use the properties of the Wyrmskull Throne.
   Additionally, the scepter has 10 charges, and it regains 1d6 
  + 4 expended charges at dawn. The wielder of the scepter can 
  use these charges to access the following properties:
  • If the wielder is underground or underwater, they can use an 
  action to expend 1 charge to determine the distance to the 
  surface.
  • As an action, they can expend 2 charges to cast the sending 
  spell from the scepter.
  • As an action, they can expend 3 charges to cast the teleport 
  spell from the scepter. If the destination is within 60 feet of 
  the Wyrmskull Throne, there is no chance of a teleport error 
  or mishap occurring. (Because the teleport spell takes the 
  caster to a location, not an object, the wielder must know the 
  location of the Wyrmskull Throne in order to teleport to it.)
   The Iltkazar Scepter has additional properties that manifest 
  throughout this series of adventures. (For example, Zehira 
  uses it to disrupt a magically sealed door in part 3 of this 
  adventure).
   Though Zehira is a close ally of the characters, she does not 
  allow anyone else to use the scepter, and the scepter cannot 
  be attuned to another creature. If Zehira is incapacitated 
  or killed and the characters attempt to claim the artifact, it 
  teleports away from them, taking Zehira with it.
  
  4
  Estimated Duration: 20 minutes
  The adventure begins with the characters 
  reaching the Thayan capital of Eltabbar, either 
  finishing a long overland journey by crossing 
  Lake Thaylambar, or by teleportation (if the 
  characters have the Ally of the Zulkir legacy event). If 
  the characters have come overland, play through “The 
  Blue Kingfisher” part of this section. If they come by 
  teleportation, play through “A Thayan Teleportation” below.
   This part of the adventure begins not long after Foreign 
  Affairs ended. Be sure to review adventure hooks with 
  players whose characters did not play that adventure before 
  you begin.
  The Blue Kingfisher
  The last stage of the characters’ overland journey to 
  Thay sees them crossing Lake Thaylambar on The Blue 
  Kingfisher, a barge that has sailed to and from Thay for 
  more than a decade, and which wears the passage of time 
  well. There’s not a cloud on the horizon as the barge nears 
  Eltabbar.
  The Blue Kingfisher creaks and groans as the city of 
  Eltabbar looms on the horizon. It’s been a long journey, 
  but one thankfully free of Thayan obligations. As you draw 
  closer to your destination, Zehira calls everyone on the 
  deck to discuss the plan of action.
  What Zehira Knows
  Zehira knows that once the barge lands in about an hour, 
  the characters will have precious little time before the 
  Thayans want them out of port. The Red Wizards and 
  their bureaucracy don’t appreciate guests without formal 
  invitations. The characters might have only a matter of days 
  to find allies and gather information before the Thayans 
  catch up to them and force them to flee.
   Zehira asks if the characters have any allies in Thay, and 
  she talks about one contact of her own—Gaedynn Telstaerr, 
  who operates a winery in the city. The last time she and 
  Gaedynn met, he was well connected, and Zehira hopes 
  he might be willing to help the characters in their quest—
  though his aid will no doubt have a price.
   Zehira then lays out a few things she knows about 
  Eltabbar and Thay:
  • The city is old, and one of the few in Thay that allows 
  outsiders. It’s a trading hub, and one of the wealthiest 
  cities in Faerûn.
  • Thayans employ low-caste humanoids of all types (those 
  without martial or magical talent) alongside undead 
  throughout the city. Interrupting or interfering with the 
  work of those laborers is a good way to gain the wrong 
  kind of attention—as is impersonating a Red Wizard, 
  which is punishable by enforced servitude or death.
  • The city is close to Thaymount, which means that any 
  transgression here is met with immediate and brutal 
  violence. Zehira underlines the importance of everyone 
  being on their best behavior.
  • Zehira will be with the characters throughout their time 
  in Thay, and can be relied on in a fight. She can also take 
  care of securing lodging, transport, and the like, and is 
  always happy to offer advice.
  Call to Action
  Regardless of what Thay has to throw at them, Zehira and 
  the heroes need to find out what part the Red Wizards 
  played in the disappearance of King Hekaton. They must 
  then rescue him if possible, and learn what the Thayans 
  know about the location of the Wyrmskull Throne.
  Development
  Once the characters arrive in Eltabbar, proceed to “Part 1A: 
  Dirt Under the Fingernails.”
  A Thayan Teleportation
  Characters who have agreed to accept the assistance 
  of Dar’lon Ma, the Thayan zulkir of enchantment, are 
  teleported directly to Eltabbar by a Turmishan wizard by 
  the name of Khynree. (Characters who played through 
  Foreign Affairs know Khynree from that adventure.)
  Call to Action: Into the Belly of the Beast
  Call to Action: Into the Belly of the Beast
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Khynree’s teleport spell is well executed, with only the 
  smallest bit of vertigo-like discomfort. As the wizard 
  nods and teleports away without another word, you find 
  yourselves standing in a dimly lit room, where a bone-
  thin man with pallid skin, sunken eyes, and stringy hair 
  awaits you.
  “Good, good, you’ve arrived,” the figure says. “The 
  master will be pleased.”
  Area Information
  The area the characters teleport into has the following 
  features.
  Dimensions and Terrain. The room the characters are in 
  is made of stone and measures 30 feet square. A 10-foot-
  diameter teleportation circle stands at the center of the 
  room.
  Lighting. The room is dimly lit by shrouded lamps.
  Scents. The room has an antiseptic and slightly acidic 
  odor.
  Supplies. Cots are set up around the room, and a table is 
  set with fresh food and drink.
  Creature Information
  Grayson (a neutral evil ghoul) is a low-level member of the 
  Undying Resistance, a faction seeking to change the place 
  of intelligent undead in Thay (see the sidebar). He greets 
  the characters and offers them the refreshments prepared 
  for their arrival—water, wine, and nourishing food. He also 
  offers the use of the cots for anyone who needs to rest. (Not 
  all who teleport into Thay are in as good a shape as the 
  characters.)
   What Does Grayson Know? The characters have 
  arrived in Eltabbar, the capital city of Thay. They are in the 
  sanctum of Elchorius, who graciously welcomes them, and 
  who is eager to meet with them when they are ready.
   What Does Grayson Want? Grayson considers it a 
  privilege to be able to meet with non-Thayan folk. He 
  greatly wishes to know what goes on outside Thay, but 
  tempers himself as best he can to be genial to the guests. 
  He knows that if they are here, they are Allies of Dar’lon 
  Ma and have work to do in the city, and he does not risk 
  delaying them for the sake of his curiosity.
   With the characters safely in Thay, Zehira can share the 
  following information:
  • The city is old, and one of the few in Thay that allows 
  outsiders. It’s a trading hub, and one of the wealthiest 
  cities in Faerûn.
  • Thayans employ low-caste humanoids of all types (those 
  without martial or magical talent) alongside undead 
  throughout the city. Interrupting or interfering with the 
  work of those laborers is a good way to gain the wrong 
  kind of attention—as is impersonating a Red Wizard, 
  which is punishable by enforced servitude or death.
  • The city is close to Thaymount, which means that any 
  transgression here is met with immediate and brutal 
  violence. Zehira underlines the importance of everyone 
  being on their best behavior.
  • Zehira will be with the characters throughout their time 
  in Thay, and can be relied on in a fight. She can also take 
  care of securing lodging, transport, and the like, and is 
  always happy to offer advice.
  The Undying Resistance
  The rise of Szass Tam and the school of necromancy in Thay 
  has not been the boon to undead that some might expect. 
  While the appearance of undead on the streets of Thayan 
  cities and smaller settlements is commonly accepted, those 
  undead are uniformly under the direction and control of the 
  living. Only the intelligent undead who are also Red Wizards 
  are truly independent.
   A number of intelligent undead across Thay have banded 
  together to form the Undying Resistance: a group that 
  believes that intelligent undead should have the same rights 
  as any other citizen. Though their numbers are small, the 
  Undying Resistance includes a number of powerful members 
  whose work is shrouded in secrecy.
  Call to Action
  Regardless of what Thay has to throw at them, Zehira and 
  the heroes need to find out what part the Red Wizards 
  played in the disappearance of King Hekaton. They must 
  then rescue him if possible, and learn what the Thayans 
  know about the location of the Wyrmskull Throne.
  Development
  When the characters are ready to begin, proceed to “Part 
  1B: Queen of the Damned.”
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Estimated Duration: 100 minutes
  This part of the adventure is for characters who travel 
  overland to Eltabbar, making the last stage of their journey 
  across Lake Thaylambar. A contact of Zehira’s reveals the 
  fate of King Hekaton, and helps put together a risky plan to 
  learn more about the Red Wizards’ plots.
  So, About These Fights …
  Many of the combat encounters in this section are tough, 
  and information for scaling the fights is not provided. This 
  is on purpose. Combat is not the optimal path in this part 
  of the adventure, and while careful application of force can 
  be successful, a stand-up fight will not serve the characters’ 
  mission well. Feel free to have Zehira warn the characters 
  (repeatedly if necessary) that Eltabbar is home to many 
  powerful people, and that there are alternatives to fighting.
  A Warm Welcome
  As the barge comes into port, a handsome, salt-and-
  pepper bearded man awaits it on the docks. He wears gray 
  noble’s attire over multitudes of Thayan tattoos, and has a 
  red rose set prominently at his lapel.
  “Zehira!” the figure calls out. “It’s so good of you to 
  visit. And I see you’ve brought friends! I am pleased to be 
  the first one to welcome you and the Iltkazar Scepter to 
  Eltabbar!”
  Creature Information
  The figure on the dock is Zulkir Damond (a lawful evil 
  human archmage), the Thayan zulkir of divination, and 
  ruler of Eltabbar. He is not actually present, since he has no 
  desire to be within striking range of powerful adventurers 
  visiting his city, but is instead using the project image spell 
  to greet them. A detect magic spell senses the illusion 
  magic, and truesight allows a creature to see through 
  Damond’s spell.
  Zulkir Damond
  Lawful evil human archmage
  Zulkir Damond is an aging human in excellent health. 
  He projects an image of cunning, and he wears the most 
  fashionable and classy noble attire in charcoals and grays, 
  with a red flower or ascot strategically placed to show his 
  allegiance, rather than traditional full red robes.
  What They Want. Damond wants the characters and Zehira 
  to know they’re being watched. His divination ability has 
  warned him that the party will create a minor disturbance 
  in the city, but not one that threatens his position. As such, 
  he allows their presence in the hope that their actions 
  might ultimately work to his advantage.
  Meticulous Gardener. Damond rose to power by being 
  cautious and thorough in equal measure, planting the 
  seeds of power like a gardener. Even as he now harvests 
  that power, he is constantly tending to the garden he has 
  meticulously grown in his own image. He understands that 
  powerful adventurers with an artifact have the potential to 
  threaten him and his city.
   Any character with a passive Wisdom (Insight) score 
  of 15 or higher, or who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Insight) check recognizes that it is highly unusual for the 
  archmage ruler of a city to greet guests in such a manner. 
  It is clear that the party’s arrival in Thay has been foreseen, 
  and that all the characters are being watched.
   Damond briefly asks the party’s business in Eltabbar, and 
  recommends a few places for them to visit. These include 
  the Museum of Thayan Majesty, the renowned corpse 
  wineries, luxury shops, and similar tourist traps that speak 
  to the glory of Thay. He tells them they are welcome in his 
  city for two days, during which time they may conduct their 
  business—and after which, they will leave. He then wishes 
  them well before he disappears, ending the spell and 
  vanishing into thin air.
   With only two days for the characters to pursue their 
  inquiries, Zehira makes it clear that they will need to move 
  quickly.
   Characters can use this time to explore Eltabbar (see 
  “Appendix 2: DM’s Setting Information”) or to move on 
  directly to meet with Gaedynn. As they move through 
  the streets, they don’t note anyone watching or paying 
  particular attention to them.
  Part 1A: Dirt Under the Fingernails
  Part 1A: Dirt Under the Fingernails
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Story Objective
  Entering the dungeons beneath the Citadel at Thaymount in 
  two days or less is Story Objective A.
  Corpse Wine
  Thay has long been known for the quality of its vineyards 
  and the wines they produce. But the disturbingly named 
  ‘corpse wine’ is a relatively recent development among 
  Thayan vintners. A favorite drink among intelligent undead 
  and decadent mortals—and growing in popularity under the 
  rule of Szass Tam—corpse wine incorporates the bodies of 
  dead humanoids into the vinification process, making use of 
  special recipes that prevent the wine from putrefying even as 
  it takes on a delicate bouquet of death.
  Wine Wars
  Whenever the characters are ready to meet Zehira’s 
  contact, she leads them from the main docks to the banks 
  of the River Eltar. A wide variety of looming warehouses 
  stand along the riverfront, each set with a large sign that 
  glitters with magical effects to make it noticeable, day and 
  night. The sign on the warehouse toward which Zehira 
  leads them identifies the place as “Telstaerr’s.”
  Beyond its glass front door, this winery features an elegant 
  lobby and wine-tasting room, all in brick and marble. A 
  wide variety of green-glass bottles are on display on dark 
  wood tables.
  A short human woman with dark hair looks over as you 
  enter, then rings a bell. After a moment, a tall, thin, bald 
  human man in violet robes emerges from a back room. He 
  flashes a genial smile that shows crooked, yellowed teeth. 
  “Zehira, darling. What brings you back to Thay?”
  After a brief embrace, Zehira introduces the characters 
  to Gaedynn Telstaerr (a lawful neutral human noble), 
  scion of the Telstaerr line and master vintner of Telstaerr 
  corpse wine.
  Gaedynn Telstaerr
  Lawful neutral human noble
  Gaedynn is the picture of Thayan nobility—fit, pale, and 
  bald like so many of the mages who rule the city. He speaks 
  eloquently and is an expert at manipulation.
  What They Want. Gaedynn wants more power and prestige 
  for his family winery.
  Darling of the Wine World. Gaedynn is a prominent voice in 
  the world of wine, entertainment, and high-class social 
  gatherings. He has the interest, if not the full respect, of 
  every noble and zulkir in Thay.
   Gaedynn welcomes the characters, telling them that any 
  friends of Zehira’s are friends of his. When Zehira asks 
  if they can discuss the reason she and the characters are 
  in the city, Gaedynn leads them to a private room with a 
  large glass window looking over huge wooden barrels in 
  the warehouse below. Two workers can be seen, lowering a 
  naked human corpse into a barrel before sealing it. A broad 
  table in the room holds a number of bottles of wine—all of 
  which clearly hold bone fragments within them.
   As Zehira and the characters discuss why they’ve come to 
  Thay, Gaedynn can provide the following information:
  • In response to any talk of King Hekaton, Gaedynn’s 
  mood darkens as he regretfully tells the characters that 
  Hekaton is dead. The storm giant king’s corpse was 
  brought to Eltabbar with much fanfare, then paraded 
  along the river before being taken to Thaymount—
  likely to the dungeons under the Citadel. He recalls the 
  spectacle clearly, saying that the sales of wine were 
  particularly good that day.
  • No one other than Red Wizards, their guests, 
  remarkable prisoners, and the undead get into 
  Thaymount. Fewer still get into the dungeons below 
  the Citadel, which are reserved for powerful criminals 
  (including adventurers working against Thay, traitors, 
  and disgraced Red Wizards), undead deemed worthy 
  of termination, and Szass Tam’s most gifted students. 
  Those students test out new projects on unwilling 
  victims collected from among the condemned, making 
  being sent to the dungeons a fate worse than death.
  • Goods travel more freely to and from Thaymount. 
  Gaedynn’s winery frequently sends shipments of wine 
  there for ceremonies and gatherings, but he has no 
  orders going to Thaymount in the next two days. An 
  unscheduled shipment would immediately arouse 
  suspicion.
  • Thankfully, Gaedynn knows that a rival house is sending 
  a large number of barrels of wine to a celebration for 
  one of Lord Szass Tam’s apprentices that very night. 
  And if something were to happen to that shipment, he 
  and his winery would be in a perfect position to step up, 
  giving the characters a possible starting point for getting 
  into the dungeons where King Hekaton’s body most 
  likely lies.
  Gaedynn’s Offer
  Gaedynn sets out an arrangement of mutual convenience 
  for the characters. If they break in and ruin the shipping 
  area of the Farkas winery, he’ll smuggle them into the 
  celebrations at Thaymount. From there, the characters can 
  sneak their way into the dungeons beneath the Citadel.
   Gaedynn gives the characters time to discuss whether to 
  take the job or not. If they seem reluctant, Zehira can share 
  that this sort of corporate espionage is business as usual 
  in Thay. But if the characters are going to do dirty work, 
  they need to be careful. Justice in Thay is swift, and often 
  results in execution—followed by undead servitude. The 
  worst offenders are sent to the dungeons under the Citadel 
  as a precursor to lengthy trials, but never with weapons, 
  armor, or other resources. Zehira believes that Gaedynn is 
  on the level, and that his plan offers the best chance for the 
  characters to gain access to Thaymount.
   If the characters agree to the plan, Gaedynn gives the 
  characters all the necessary details:
  • The Farkas family winery is a smaller, up-and-coming 
  operation. The characters’ job won’t be as simple as just 
  destroying wagons to stop shipments. Gaedynn wants 
  the Farkas winery so badly damaged the family can’t 
  recover. This will allow him to buy them out after the 
  characters strike.
  
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  • One of the reasons the Farkas family hasn’t been taken 
  over by another group yet is because they’re a family of 
  former adventurers. But surely Zehira’s crew can best 
  some retired explorers.
  • The winery warehouses along the river all share 
  a similar layout—tasting room and offices in front, 
  shipping and receiving areas exposed to the side, and 
  the rest of the warehouse space used to ferment and 
  age the wine.
  • The characters will be better off hitting the warehouse 
  than trying to attack shipments in transit. The route 
  between the city and Thaymount is well patrolled.
  • Goods shipped to Thaymount are tightly regulated and 
  scheduled. For a replacement order to be sent within the 
  proper timeframe after Gaedynn negotiates the buyout, 
  the characters have only six hours to complete the job.
  Heist Timing
  This job has a tight timetable as written, but feel free to 
  modify it as suits your group. Some players and play styles 
  will thrive under the threat of pressure and the need to have 
  the job finished within 6 hours of game time. Other players 
  might be overwhelmed by decision paralysis. Either way, 
  though, you can use timing as a motivator to keep scenes 
  moving if the players get mired in too much planning.
  Preparations and Planning
  The Farkas winery is a smaller warehouse a few streets 
  away from the banks of the river. Though it’s not a prime 
  location, it is known as one of the hottest up-and-coming 
  wineries in Eltabbar.
   The characters might want to prepare before their 
  incursion into the warehouse, whether by gathering 
  information, scouting the location, creating disguises, 
  forging identification, or using a background feature. 
  Each preparation activity takes 1 hour of game time. For 
  activities that require an ability check, characters can use 
  the Help action to work together and grant advantage on 
  the check, but that cooperation doesn’t reduce the amount 
  of time necessary.
   Share the handout of appendix 9 with the players, to 
  remind them of their objectives and clarify their planning 
  options. If the characters are dithering or taking a long 
  time to come up with a plan, have Zehira remind them 
  what is at stake and prod them toward action.
  Gathering Information
  A character who takes this action and who succeeds 
  on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) or Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check learns one of the following pieces of 
  information, rolled randomly or chosen by you. If the check 
  succeeds by 5 or more, the character learns an additional 
  piece of information. Do not repeat the same information.
  Information Learned
  d8
  Information
  1
  The Farkas family are a group of former adventurers 
  who operated out of the Moonsea region. They made 
  allies in Thay and moved to Eltabbar after slaying an 
  ancient black dragon.
  2
  The winery is an up-and-coming favorite among 
  Eltabbar locals. The place is constantly visited by 
  mages, nobles, and priests planning special events.
  3
  The winery is prosperous, and hosts tours twice a day. 
  The characters have already missed the early tour, 
  but could use the later tour as a means of gathering 
  information about the winery, or to cause a distraction.
  4
  In addition to the Farkas family, many young 
  adventurers work in the winery, learning skills from the 
  retired adventurers.
  5
  Kethra Farkas was a potent mage in her adventuring 
  days, but she now mainly represents the winery to 
  large clients. This includes maintaining relationships 
  with many nobles and other important people, and 
  visiting those clients’ estates. She’s married to master 
  vintner Bogdan.
  6
  Bogdan Farkas, a renowned priest of Chauntea, is a 
  master vintner and rarely leaves the winery. He often 
  comments that this life isn’t exactly what he planned 
  for his retirement, given that he’s constantly working. 
  He’s married to Kethra, who focuses on customers and 
  marketing.
  7
  Kethra is known to have a menagerie of familiars who 
  travel with her wherever she goes, but her favorite is a 
  tressym named Jesse.
  8
  The Farkas Winery has a Thayan noble patron—
  whispers hint that it might even be a zulkir—and any 
  danger there will surely draw the patron’s attention.
  Scouting the Area
  A character who takes this action makes a Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. The total of the check determines the 
  amount of information gleaned from observing and moving 
  around the area.
  DC 10. The winery has the same basic layout as the 
  Telstaerr operation—a large warehouse featuring a 
  smaller front section of lobby and tasting rooms, with the 
  bulk of the space devoted to storing, aging, and bottling 
  wine.
  DC 15. The shipping area is one of the most exposed areas 
  of the winery, and its wagon-sized doors are kept open 
  all day. At any given time, three to five wagons are pulled 
  up to pick up orders and drop off empty barrels, bottles—
  and corpses.
  DC 20. Cleverly inscribed symbols on most of the 
  doorframes appear to be glyph of warding spells.
  DC 25. The tasting room is inside, but has windows allowing 
  views of the fermenting area and the shipping area.
  
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  Creating Disguises
  A character with a disguise kit who is proficient with its 
  use can create a disguise and make a Charisma check 
  using their proficiency bonus. The check total is the DC 
  required to see through the disguise with an Intelligence 
  (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check. Potential 
  disguises include the uniforms of low-caste workers (who 
  are largely ignored by other people) and the uniforms of 
  Farkas employees.
  Forging Identification
  A character with a forgery kit who is proficient with its 
  use can create forged identification and make a Dexterity 
  check using their proficiency bonus. The check total is 
  the DC required to spot the forgery with an Intelligence 
  (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check.
  Using a Background Feature
  Any character can also spend 1 hour to utilize a 
  background feature, typically to gather information without 
  requiring an ability check. When a character does so, give 
  them one piece of data from gathering information or 
  scouting the area that the party doesn’t have already.
   Background features can also be used to generate results 
  outside the scope of information gathering or scouting. 
  For example, a character with the criminal background 
  might gather allies to cause a distraction. A character with 
  the noble background might gain a private audience with 
  Kethra that provides the characters with a way in to the 
  Farkas winery. Or the guild merchant background might 
  allow a character to arrange for a cart and wagon to pick 
  up a large order. Embrace creativity, and empower your 
  players to think outside the box.
  Easy Way Out
  Ethically minded adventurers might see this challenge and 
  ask, “Are there any alternatives to destroying this family’s 
  business so they can be taken over by the sketchy friend of 
  an NPC?” From their intelligence-gathering activities, you 
  can have the characters initially learn that Kethra and Bogdan 
  are the couple in charge of the winery, and that both had 
  admitted to friends and clients that the operation is more 
  work than they expected.
   If the characters speak with the couple with any eye 
  to buying them out, Kethra and Bogdan are initially not 
  interested in giving up the winery. However, a successful 
  DC 22 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check or DC 
  26 Charisma (Intimidation) check can encourage them to 
  consider the idea. Because it took a significant part of a black 
  dragon’s hoard to get the winery set up and successful, Kethra 
  and Bogdan would need at least 35,000 gp to cover their 
  investments and expenses, and to start somewhere else anew.
   The two are open to reducing the cost to 20,000 gp if the 
  characters promise to escort them out of Thay, since they 
  expect they’ll need additional protection against their former 
  patron. If the characters agree, each character must spend 20 
  downtime days at the conclusion of this adventure to perform 
  this service.
   As part of this less-hostile takeover, Gaedynn grants the 
  characters the 10,000 gp he was planning to use to buy the 
  Farkas family out, but they must come up with the other 
  10,000 gp themselves.
  Farkas Winery
  This section describes the Farkas family winery and sets 
  up the characters’ infiltration. A map of the winery can be 
  found in appendix 5.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Construction. The warehouse is made of stone with a 
  clay-tile roof. The inside walls are stone unless noted 
  otherwise.
  Height. All areas of the building have 20-foot-high ceilings.
  Light. Unless otherwise indicated, all areas of the winery 
  are brightly lit by driftglobes, and by sunlight through the 
  windows during the day.
  Roof. The roof is made of red clay tiles. There is no ready 
  access to inside through the roof, but the tiles can be 
  broken or moved out of the way to make one with a 
  successful DC 18 Strength check. Breaking or moving the 
  tiles is equally loud, and is noticed by any creatures in the 
  area under that part of the roof unless magically quieted.
  Windows. The windows of the winery are normal glass 
  and can be broken through easily. Unless doing so is 
  magically silenced, breaking a window creates a great 
  deal of noise that draws the attention of any nearby 
  creatures.
  Scents. The scent of grapes, yeast, and wine are present 
  everywhere in the winery.
  Hallowed. The winery is under the effect of the hallow 
  spell, preventing teleporting in or out of the building even 
  for characters with approved Thayan tattoos or spell tiles 
  (see appendix 15).
  W1. Lobby
  Yuiredd Farkas (a neutral half-elf warlock of the fiend) and 
  his husband Rhistel (a chaotic good spring eladrin) work 
  the front lobby, entertain guests, and ensure that public 
  activities at the winery (tours, tastings, and meetings) stay 
  on schedule.
   The lobby area features leather chairs, marble flooring, 
  and gilded accents to impress guests. The heavy wood and 
  stone front desk provides half cover. A ten-foot-high set of 
  steps leads to the tasting room, and a side door behind the 
  front desk leads to offices.
  W2. Tasting Room
  A large, elegant table in this area offers bench seating 
  for several people, and is adorned with fresh flowers and 
  polished skulls. Dozens of bottles of Farkas wines are 
  on display here, and large windows offer views into the 
  fermenting area (area W4) and the shipping area (area W5).
   One Red Wizard of Thay (use the archmage stat block), 
  her guardian (a warlord), and two retainers (both bards) 
  are present when the characters first enter or see into this 
  area, picking out vintages for an upcoming celebration. A 
  Farkas associate (also a bard) helps them sample.
   Jesse, Kethra Farkas’s tressym familiar, also lounges in the 
  tasting room, keeping an eye out for invisible creatures in 
  this area and through the windows revealing the fermenting 
  area. If the guests notice anything amiss, the associate 
  rushes to get help while the Thayans defend themselves.
  
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  W3. Offices
  Kethra Farkas (a neutral good tiefling abjurer), two mages, 
  and two commoners are at work here when the characters 
  first arrive or see into this area. The offices are protected 
  by alarm spells and glyph of warding spells set on the 
  doors, both of which are triggered by any nonemployee 
  who enters this area. Either spell can be dispelled with 
  dispel magic, or can be removed with a successful DC 
  18 Intelligence (Arcana) check or Dexterity check using 
  thieves’ tools. The glyph of warding is a spell glyph that 
  casts hold person on the first intruder through the door.
   Treasure. A safe within the office holds a valuable supply 
  of diamonds. Kethra and Bogdan know the combination, or 
  the safe can be opened with a successful DC 20 Dexterity 
  check using thieves’ tools.
  Kethra and Bogdan Farkas
  Neutral good tiefling abjurer and lawful good half-orc 
  war priest of Chauntea
  Kethra and Bogdan are a hard-working married couple who 
  were successful adventurers in their time. Kethra is a slender, 
  blue-skinned tiefling with golden eyes and curving ibex-like 
  horns over her white hair. Bogdan is a bulky, muscle-gutted 
  half-orc of dark complexion and gentle eyes.
  What They Want. Kethra and Bogdan want to see their winery 
  succeed, though they’ve come to realize it’s more work 
  than they anticipated.
  Picture of a Successful, Loving Couple. Kethra and Bogdan 
  stopped the great evil of an adult dragon years before and 
  lived to tell the tale—and to spend the loot. They carry a 
  heroic reputation, and have created a life for themselves 
  that many adventurers dream of. As such, they aren’t 
  willing to give that life up without a fight.
  W4. Fermenting Area
  Bogdan Farkas (a lawful good half-orc war priest of 
  Chauntea) and five workers (all experts) are in this area 
  when the characters first arrive or see in here. The estate 
  hosts tours twice a day, during which times other guests 
  might be in the fermenting area (see “Playing the Pillars” 
  below for more information). This area is magically cooled, 
  keeping it below 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 degrees 
  Celsius at all times.
   Glyph of warding spells are cast throughout the room, 
  but these store the control flames spell in case of fire. The 
  room has no other magical alarms.
   Fermenting Barrels. The central fermenting area is 
  lined with huge barrels where the corpse wine matures. 
  Each barrel is 10 feet on a side, and has AC 12, 100 hit 
  points, vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to poison 
  and psychic damage. If a fight breaks out in this area, 
  members of the Farkas family and their employees avoid 
  damaging the barrels at all costs.
   Vintage Vault. An adamantine door (AC 20, 100 hit 
  points, immunity to poison and psychic damage, immunity to 
  damage from nonmagical attacks excluding siege weapons, 
  and resistance to all other damage) seals off a dark room 
  inset into the corner of the fermenting area. The door is 
  protected by a magical ward that allows it to be opened only 
  by someone of Farkas blood—or with Farkas blood on their 
  hands. The ward can be overcome with a dispel magic spell 
  (DC 18). Within are high, round racks each set with one 
  hundred bottles of each year’s vintage left here to age.
  W5. Shipping Area
  Lambrac Farkas (a neutral good half-elf warlord) and Guy 
  Farkas (a neutral tiefling assassin) are here when the 
  characters first arrive or can see into this area, along with 
  two young adventurers (use the gladiator stat block) and 
  twelve laborers (commoners) keeping orders flowing to 
  customers. The shipping area is full of bottles and wine 
  barrels ready to go to various functions—thirty barrels in 
  this area, along with two wagons and four horses outside.
  How Much is in a Barrel, Anyway?
  The standard shipping barrels used at the Farkas winery 
  are much smaller than the huge fermenting barrels. Each is 
  made of aged Chondalwood oak with metal bands, and holds 
  200 liters or 53 gallons. A barrel has AC 12, 25 hit points, 
  immunity to poison and psychic damage, and vulnerability to 
  fire damage. Breaking open more than a few barrels produces 
  a volume of liquid that quickly becomes noticeable. Like all 
  wine, Farkas wine does not contain enough alcohol to be 
  flammable.
  The Brute Squad
  In addition to the staff and guests on site, the popularity of 
  Farkas wine means that the family can quickly draw upon 
  aid from their powerful friends and their patron as needed. 
  If Kethra, Bogdan, or Lambrac perceive that they are facing 
  a credible threat, that NPC breaks a spell tile of sending to 
  call for help. An archmage, two warlord Thayan knights, 
  two junior mages, and six gladiator house guards arrive 
  10 rounds later. If these forces defeat the characters, they 
  avoid killing them. See the “So You Got Caught” sidebar.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Spell Tiles
  This adventure uses a unique Thayan magic item called 
  a spell tile. These items function like spell scrolls, except 
  they are usable by any creature, and any choices the caster 
  would normally make are set by the spell tile’s maker when 
  it is created. For example, a spell tile of sending can send 
  a message only to a specific person determined when the 
  tile is made, and a spell tile of teleport is created keyed to a 
  specific destination.
   As an action, a creature holding a spell tile can break it 
  to cast its spell. Spells on spell tiles cannot be copied to a 
  wizard’s spellbook.
  So You Got Caught
  If the characters find themselves overwhelmed during 
  combat, their assailants don’t kill them—but the characters 
  might wish they had. This part of the adventure ends and 
  the characters wake up in the “Captured!” section of part 
  2 without any of their equipment, and with two levels of 
  exhaustion.
  Playing the Pillars
  You can make use of the following suggestions when 
  running the encounters in the winery.
  Exploration. One of the best times for the characters 
  to strike is during a tour, since the Farkas family 
  members and winery staff will focus on protecting their 
  guests rather than protecting the wine or making an 
  immediate counterattack. A tour party consists of twelve 
  commoners, one mage, one gladiator, and one priest. If 
  a threat arises in the shipping area, the tour guides rush 
  to get the guests to the safety of the lobby before they 
  return to deal with the threat.
  Combat. If a fight erupts, the Farkas family are proud, 
  retired adventurers who don’t pull punches, and who are 
  quick to call for aid (see “The Brute Squad” above). They 
  are all canny combatants who focus on spellcasters first, 
  then on lightly armored strikers. Once those threats are 
  dealt with, they clean up heavily armored and resilient 
  foes last. If a fight erupts in one part of the warehouse, 
  any family members who aren’t incapacitated or silenced 
  shout out an alarm for staff and family in other parts 
  of the winery to hear. Those other NPCs come to 
  investigate within 2 rounds.
  Social. It’s not necessary to fight the Farkas family to fulfill 
  the objective of this part of the adventure (see the “Easy 
  Way Out” sidebar). Social encounters can also be used 
  to distract family members, or even to pull them away 
  from the winery while the characters do their dirty work. 
  Convincing Kethra to leave the premises for last-minute 
  party planning, drawing away Lambrac or Guy to deal 
  with a shipping problem with an unhappy customer, 
  and similar bits of deceit can be accomplished with a 
  successful DC 18 Charisma (Deception) check.
  Treasure
  Characters who take a thorough approach to exploring 
  the winery might claim the diamonds in the office safe 
  (area W3).
  Development
  Regardless of how the characters accomplish Gaedynn’s 
  mission, they are able to get away with no further 
  repercussions. However, word of their activities comes 
  to Zulkir Damond, whose insight into future events 
  allows him to send an agent in his service to contact the 
  characters. The characters will meet this agent—the diviner 
  Sharade Quilbax—in part 2 of the adventure.
  The Plan Comes Together
  After the characters have dealt with the Farkas family by 
  destroying the shipping area or buying them out, they can 
  return to Gaedynn. Pleased as punch, the master vintner 
  goes to make the buyout and the characters can enjoy a 
  short rest.
   When Gaedynn returns, he brings with him a number 
  of barrels of Farkas corpse wine—with fragments of 
  fermented body parts still included. Using these barrels, 
  Gaedynn will smuggle the characters into Thaymount. He 
  explains that the characters will not be able to keep their 
  magic items with them, for fear of them being detected 
  when the barrels pass through the gates of the Citadel. 
  Likewise, the characters will need a change of clothes 
  when they arrive, and characters who plan on disguising 
  themselves as castle servants will need to keep their armor 
  and weapons safely stowed. Gaedynn can arrange to have 
  all such items transported in additional barrels, including 
  one lined with lead to protect magic items from detection. 
  The Iltkazar Scepter refuses to part with Zehira, but has 
  the power to make itself appear nonmagical.
   Once the characters’ magic items and other gear are 
  secured, Gaedynn helps each character climb into a half-
  full barrel. With enough wine in the barrel to make it sound 
  full, and with a precious breathing space of air above the 
  liquid, the characters are sealed in. The barrels are then 
  loaded onto wagons for the long trip to the Citadel.
  But I’m an Adventurer!
  Characters who refuse to part with their magic items without 
  obscuring those items with a Nystul’s magic aura spell or 
  similar effect are detected at the gates to the Citadel. Thayan 
  forces smash the barrels open and discover the characters 
  within. Outnumbered and surrounded, the characters are 
  thrown into the dungeons beneath the Citadel, and the 
  adventure continues with the “Captured!” section in part 2.
   Upon arriving at the gates, all the characters can hear 
  the barrels being tapped on to sound their contents. Decide 
  which character must duck down into the wine as their 
  barrel is opened just enough to admit a ladle to sneak some 
  wine for the guards before it is resealed. The shipment is 
  then admitted inside.
   As the barrels are unloaded a short while later, each 
  character must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving 
  throw or gain one level of exhaustion from lack of air, 
  cramped conditions, and being soaked in wine. But as their 
  barrels are cracked open, the characters discover they are 
  not where they expected to be. Continue with “Guess Who’s 
  Coming to Dinner?”
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?
  Read the following to set the scene in the wine cellar (area 
  P1 below) as the characters leave their barrels.
  As the barrels are cracked open, fresh air rushes in to 
  relieve hours of stale confinement. Gaedynn Telstaerr 
  is there, but his mood is dark. “The plan’s changed, I’m 
  afraid. The party’s in Szass Tam’s palace, and starting 
  soon—and we were ordered to bring the wine straight 
  here. You’ll have to get to the dungeons from here, but the 
  place is crawling with servants, and worse.”
  Gaedynn needs to leave immediately, or run the risk of 
  drawing attention to himself and the delivery. He wishes 
  the characters luck, then departs.
   The palace of Thaymount is part of the Citadel, and 
  serves as Szass Tam’s estate, though the zulkir of 
  necromancy rarely spends time there. The site instead 
  serves as a place for trophies and lavish celebrations—
  which Tam requires his apprentices to host so that they 
  learn the social aspects of zulkir rule in addition to their 
  magical prowess. Because guests often frequent the 
  palace, a few of its areas are open. However, others are 
  trapped against living creatures, and many of the trophies 
  on display are worthless replicas of real treasures hidden 
  away. Szass Tam’s phylactery is not in the palace.
   Gaedynn knows that access to the levels below the palace 
  will be found somewhere within it, but he does not know 
  the layout of the area well. The characters will need to 
  explore without revealing their identities or the purpose of 
  their mission.
   The characters have enough time to quickly change 
  out of their wine-soaked clothing, and to retrieve their 
  magic items and other gear as they plan their next moves. 
  Characters who want to pose as servants of the Citadel 
  can safely leave armor and weapons hidden in one of the 
  barrels for later retrieval.
  The Celebration
  The celebration the characters have crashed in their 
  attempt to reach the dungeons beneath the Citadel is in 
  honor of the anniversary of Congenio Ioun’s death more 
  than four thousand years before. One of the first great 
  arcanists of Ancient Netheril, he is still revered by Thayan 
  leadership nearly as much as he was while he lived. Szass 
  Tam’s apprentice Valakhod is tasked with hosting the 
  celebration.
  The Palace of Szass Tam
  This section details the areas of the palace of Szass 
  Tam that the characters must pass through to get to the 
  dungeons where they believe King Hekaton’s body was 
  taken.
   A map of the areas of the palace used in this section can 
  be found in appendix 6.
  Area Information
  The palace has the following general features.
  Lighting. Driftglobes in the shape of skulls provide bright 
  light throughout the palace.
  Adornment. Much of the décor of the palace incorporates 
  magic and is necromantic in nature. Szass Tam’s favorite 
  colors are often on display, typically in the form of 
  electrum surfaces set with fluorescent green gems.
  Trophies. The palace is home to many trophies, ranging 
  from the polished skulls of enemies to potent magic 
  items and artifacts. Any room the characters enter 
  appears to hold a legendary item—an apparatus of 
  Kwalish, a holy avenger, an Ollamh Harp, an Axe of 
  the Dwarvish lords, a talisman of ultimate evil, and so 
  forth—prominently on display. Each is a clever replica 
  using Nystul’s magic aura to make it appear real, 
  and is trapped with a glyph of warding bearing the 
  imprisonment spell. The spell uses the chaining option, 
  manifests as restraints scrawled with ‘CAN’T KEEP 
  HANDS TO THEMSELVES’, and can be avoided with a 
  successful DC 20 Wisdom saving throw.
  Servitors. While many of the palace servants are mortals, 
  undead roam about with elaborate sashes bearing their 
  mortal names. Keen eyes can recognize former kings, 
  archmages, and defeated heroes who now serve Szass 
  Tam in undeath.
  Creature Information
  Preparations for the celebration make the palace a hotbed 
  of activity. Potential foes the characters need to keep an eye 
  out for include a bard overseer named Larruthath; a death 
  knight loyal to Szass Tam, known as Archana the Spider; 
  and a number of death giants ready to destroy intruders on 
  Archana’s orders. But the characters also have a chance to 
  meet three potentially unwitting allies—the necromancer 
  apprentices Valakhod, Gisa, and Geralf, all of whom can 
  lead the characters to the necromancer academy where 
  King Hekaton’s body was last seen.
  P1. Kitchen and Wine Cellar
  This large kitchen is a hotbed of servant activity during the 
  celebration. A pantry holds fine foods from across Faerûn, 
  as well as serving uniforms.
   Larruthath (a neutral aasimar bard) oversees the 
  activities of ten commoner servants as he roams between 
  the ballroom (area P2) and these areas. Have him arrive 
  in the wine cellar shortly after Gaedynn departs and the 
  characters have cleaned themselves up. If the characters 
  are armed and armored, he takes them for guests of the 
  celebration looking to get an early start on drinking, and 
  stiffly asks them to return to the ballroom and wait. If they 
  appear nondescript, he assumes they are low-caste workers 
  assigned to the party and takes them to task for lounging 
  about. He then guides them to the kitchen and gives them 
  their work orders—helpfully supplying them with servants’ 
  uniforms.
   Each servant’s uniform is a muted, red-tinged set of 
  gray robes. Each uniform comes with an ioun stone of 
  celebration (see the sidebar), which is required to complete 
  the outfit.
  
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  Ioun Stone of Celebration
  Wondrous item, common (requires attunement)
  An Ioun stone is named after Ioun, a god of knowledge and 
  prophecy revered on some worlds. Many types of Ioun stone 
  exist, each type a distinct combination of shape and color.
   When you use an action to toss one of these stones into the 
  air, the stone orbits your head at a distance of 1d3 feet and 
  confers a benefit to you. Thereafter, another creature must 
  use an action to grasp or net the stone to separate it from 
  you, either by making a successful attack roll against AC 24 or 
  a successful DC 24 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. You can use 
  an action to seize and stow the stone, ending its effect.
   A stone has AC 24, 10 hit points, and resistance to all 
  damage. It is considered to be an object that is being worn 
  while it orbits your head.
   While this pale red sphere orbits your head, you can use 
  a bonus action to cause it to display one of the following 
  effects:
  • The ioun stone pulses with green, violet, or amber light 
  for 1 minute, filling the area around you with dim light to a 
  distance of 10 feet.
  • The ioun stone emits harmless sensory effects such as a 
  shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an 
  odd odor for 1 minute.
  • The stone pauses in its orbit in the direction of the most 
  powerful spellcaster or magical effect within 30 feet of you. 
  If there are no spellcasters or magical effects in range, it 
  pauses in the direction of Szass Tam’s palace.
   An ioun stone of celebration also has the harmonious minor 
  property, so that attuning to it requires only 1 minute. The 
  item must be attuned to function, and stops working outside 
  the borders of Thay.
  Larruthath
  Neutral aasimar bard
  A former thrall, Larruthath is now a free Thayan and a 
  member of the narrow middle class within the magocracy. 
  Broad shouldered and muscular from years toiling under the 
  yoke, he has great empathy for the commoners and servants 
  in his employ.
  What They Want. Larruthath wants to be successful without 
  becoming indebted to any lord or zulkir.
  Make or Break Time. The celebration that Larruthath is 
  overseeing at Szass Tam’s palace has the potential to 
  catapult him into even more lucrative contracts—or to 
  put him out of business. His normally kind and empathic 
  nature is being put to the test this night, as are his 
  organizational skills.
  P2. Ballroom
  This huge hall is set up for a small orchestra, and features 
  many tables adorned with fuchsia flowers, supported by 
  electrum skulls with florescent green gems for eyes. Thirty 
  mortal servants (all commoners) scurry about making last-
  minute preparations.
   Suspended from the ceiling is a magnificent crown sized 
  for a huge head. Any character who has seen King Hekaton 
  or who succeeds on a DC 14 Intelligence (History) check 
  recognizes the crown as belonging to the storm giant king.
   Death Giant Guardians. Eight death giants stand 
  motionless in the ballroom, two at each of the four corners. 
  In response to any disturbance, Archana the seneschal 
  (see area P4) activates the death giants to slay anyone she 
  deems a threat.
  P3. Loge Boxes
  Above the ballroom are six private boxes where guests can 
  relax and watch over the celebrations. The steps leading 
  up to each box are accessible from the end of the ballroom. 
  When the characters first enter or see into these areas, 
  servants are setting the boxes up with wine and canapés, 
  and one is already occupied.
   Valakhod. The host of the celebration is a young 
  necromancer (a neutral evil human) named Valakhod, who 
  was chosen to be Szass Tam’s apprentice for his power 
  over the dead. He cares little for social functions and about 
  becoming a good zulkir, though he longs for Szass Tam’s 
  approval.
   Valakhod is initially dismissive of anyone who approaches 
  him, but a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion or 
  Deception) check inspires him to openly express how 
  he would rather be working than hosting a party. With 
  a followup successful DC 25 Charisma (Deception, 
  Intimidation, or Persuasion) check, Valakhod can be 
  convinced that there’s enough time to show off his 
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  necromantic techniques before the celebration starts—but 
  he’ll need the party’s help in avoiding the notice of Archana 
  the seneschal where she watches the ballroom from area 
  P4. If the characters can help Valakhod pretend they and 
  he have some urgent business to attend to, he can safely 
  escort them to the library (see area P6), then into the 
  secret passage that leads to the cold storage room in the 
  “Ravensblood Academy” section of part 2 of the adventure.
  Valakhod
  Neutral evil human necromancer
  An unprecedented savant of necromancy, Valakhod is only a 
  teenager but already has the immense weight of Szass Tam’s 
  expectations on his shoulders. He is short for his age, wears 
  the dark red of a wizard of his station, and is bald with cold 
  blue eyes.
  What They Want. Valakhod craves the approval that Szass 
  Tam rarely provides, and it makes the young savant want to 
  show off even more.
  The Power Flows Through Me. Valakhod has immense power, 
  but is a long way from possessing the maturity to wield it 
  judiciously.
  P4. Entryway
  Forged of adamantine and set with diamonds, the grand 
  entrance to the palace is closed. The seneschal Archana is 
  here, reviewing the guest list before the celebration begins, 
  and berating servants where she watches over the setup of 
  the ballroom through the open doors into that area.
   Archana the Spider. An ancient lawful evil death 
  knight bound to Szass Tam, Archana the Spider serves as 
  seneschal for the palace. If she spots any characters who 
  aren’t one of the apprentices or servants she knows, she 
  approaches and asks what they’re doing there. A successful 
  DC 22 Charisma (Deception) check is required to assuage 
  her suspicion. If characters not in servant’s uniforms 
  claim to be guests, she compares their names to the guest 
  list and a character must succeed on a DC 22 Charisma 
  (Deception) check to explain the party not being on it. This 
  check is made with disadvantage.
   If the characters are in servants’ uniforms or pretend to 
  be servants, Archana assumes they are bumbling mortal 
  fools and calls Larruthath to collect them and put them to 
  work. If any character attacks or attempts to cast a spell on 
  her, Archana immediately activates the death giants in the 
  ballroom (area P2) and goes for the kill.
  Archana the Spider
  Lawful evil death knight
  Archana is an ancient undead who was one of the first to 
  swear fealty to Szass Tam, and who has brutally enforced 
  and empowered his rule for centuries. Her physical form 
  is of a skeleton with glowing purple eyes, enrobed in 
  ceremonial plate mail.
  What They Want. Archana wants Szass Tam to continue to 
  rule over Thay—and eventually the world.
  Hatred for the Living. Archana holds living creatures in 
  contempt, and longs to replace all the mortal servants and 
  students of Szass Tam with undead.
  P5. False Entry to the Citadel
  A grandiose stairway leading down from the ballroom 
  is only for show. The stairs lead to a dead end, and are 
  protected by a powerful magical ward that triggers if 
  anyone touches the wall there (including characters 
  searching for secret doors). The first creature that does so 
  is affected by a true polymorph spell that turns them into a 
  flumph (see appendix 10) unless they succeed on a DC 20 
  Wisdom saving throw.
   Off-Duty Apprentices. When the characters first 
  approach or look into this area, they see two apprentices—
  Gisa and Geralf—hiding out here. Gisa (a neutral evil water 
  genasi necromancer) and Geralf (a lawful evil earth genasi 
  necromancer) are two older apprentices of Szass Tam. 
  They are shirking the duties given to them by Valakhod, 
  and arguing whether Gisa’s approach of trapping souls to 
  serve in flesh or Geralf’s method of flesh-crafting amalgams 
  of creatures is the better way to create potent undead 
  warriors.
   If the characters approach them, both necromancers 
  attempt to draw them into the debate. A successful DC 18 
  Intelligence (Arcana) check allows a character to properly 
  engage the two. (A wizard of the necromancy school 
  automatically succeeds on this check.) A subsequent 
  successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) 
  check entices Gisa and Geralf to offer to show the 
  characters their newest creations. The two then safely 
  escort the characters to the library (see area P6) and 
  through the secret door to the cold storage room in the 
  “Ravensblood Academy” section in part 2 of the adventure.
  Gisa and Geralf
  Neutral evil water genasi necromancer and lawful evil 
  earth genasi necromancer
  Gisa and Geralf are a pair of genasi Red Wizard students of 
  Szass Tam, who have aided in the creation of many of the 
  zulkir’s war efforts. They are both thin, having neglected their 
  bodies in devotion to their minds and the art of necromancy.
  What They Want. Gisa and Geralf both want Szass Tam 
  to state his preference for their conflicting styles of 
  necromancy—Gisa’s soul trapping, allowing undead to rise 
  directly from the grave, versus Geralf’s method of stitching 
  corpses into amalgam abominations.
  Heated Debate. Gisa and Geralf’s love of debate with each 
  other and with other knowledgeable arcanists is second 
  only to their love of service to Szass Tam.
  Hunted by the Red
  If characters have the Hunted by the Red story award, Gisa 
  and Geralf recognize them from the events of The Red War 
  epic. The DCs for the checks to win the apprentices over are 
  reduced by 5, but a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check 
  reveals that the apprentices recognize the characters and 
  have ill intent.
   When they reach the lab, Gisa and Geralf unleash their 
  creations in the hope that they slay the characters, after 
  which they plan to deliver their bodies to Szass Tam. 
  See “Undead Ambush” in area N6 of the “Ravensblood 
  Academy” section of part 2.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  P6. Library
  The door that leads to the library opens off the ballroom 
  but is cordoned off with velvet ropes. Characters coming 
  here with Valakhod, Gisa, or Geralf can enter freely. 
  Otherwise, the characters need to succeed on a DC 
  18 group Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid attracting 
  attention. At your discretion, creating some kind of 
  diversion might grant advantage or automatic successes 
  on the characters’ checks. Characters who are noticed at 
  the library doors are reported to Larruthath by one of the 
  servants. The overseer quickly appears and orders them 
  away. If they’re caught a second time, Larruthath reports 
  them to Archana, who responds by attacking.
   The library is filled with desks and bookshelves 
  containing hundreds of history books, reference volumes, 
  and arcane treatises. A few desks hold in-progress essays 
  on esoteric necromancy subjects, but one also has a spell 
  scroll of forcecage lying on it.
   Secret Door. A successful DC 22 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check discovers a false book among the 
  twelve volumes of the Revelations of the Kilmaruu Swamp. 
  When the book is pulled forward, the bookshelf it is on 
  slides away to reveal a landing and a staircase leading 
  down. Resting just inside this secret door is a staff of frost 
  belonging to Geralf, which can be claimed if the characters 
  pass this way alone, or if they’re content to fight their escort. 
  (Though it shouldn’t happen under normal circumstances, 
  if the characters have already claimed the staff of frost from 
  part 1B of the adventure, this staff is not here.)
   The stairs lead down to the cold storage room in the 
  “Ravensblood Academy” section of part 2 of the adventure.
  Playing the Pillars
  You can make use of the following suggestions when 
  running the encounters in the palace.
  Exploration. The secret door in the library gives the 
  characters access to Ravensblood Academy—Szass 
  Tam’s necromancy school set up in the caverns 
  beneath the Citadel. The academy in turn grants 
  access to the dungeons beneath the Citadel. 
  The door can be found by characters who gain 
  stealthy access to the library (area P6), or 
  through roleplaying encounters with Valakhod, 
  Gisa, or Geralf.
  Social. By getting on the good side of Valakhod, 
  Gisa, or Geralf, the characters can be safely 
  escorted to the secret door in the library and 
  down to Ravensblood Academy. However, 
  characters with the Hunted by the Red story 
  award might be betrayed by Gisa and Geralf.
  Combat. If a fight breaks out in the palace, Valakhod, 
  Archana, and eight death giants face off against the 
  characters while Gisa and Geralf look on, amused at the 
  adventurers’ gall in trying to assault Szass Tam’s domain. 
  If the characters are defeated (as is likely), proceed to the 
  “Captured!” section of part 2 of the adventure.
  Treasure
  If the opportunity presents itself, the characters can 
  claim Geralf’s staff of frost and the library’s spell scroll of 
  forcecage.
  Development
  When the characters descend the secret staircase in the 
  library, go to “Ravensblood Academy” in part 2.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Estimated Duration: 100 minutes
  This part of the adventure is for characters who arrive in 
  Eltabbar by teleportation. There, they meet a fellow ally of 
  Dar’lon Ma—a powerful undead priest who works to loosen 
  Szass Tam’s stranglehold on the city.
  So, About These Fights …
  Many of the combat encounters in this section are tough, 
  and information for scaling the fights is not provided. This 
  is on purpose. Combat is not the optimal path in this part 
  of the adventure, and while careful application of force can 
  be successful, a stand-up fight will not serve the characters’ 
  mission well. Feel free to have Zehira warn the characters 
  (repeatedly if necessary) that Eltabbar is home to many 
  powerful people, and that there are alternatives to fighting.
  In the Master’s Chambers
  When the characters are ready, the ghoul servant Grayson 
  leads them from the arrival chamber, revealing that they 
  are in an opulent mansion. Humans and undead roam 
  the house in understated Mulhorandi livery. Grayson 
  leads them to the second floor, and into a room where a 
  venerable human woman sits behind a desk, bearing three 
  blue dots tattooed on her forehead, and wearing the fine 
  white clothes of a noble.
  As the woman’s mouth opens, it seems as though her 
  desiccated skin might crack to reveal the bones beneath. 
  “Welcome, mutual friends of Dar’lon Ma. I am Elchorius. 
  How might we help each other?”
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Dimensions and Terrain. The office is 30 feet square. A 
  large desk separates Elchorius from the characters, and 
  comfortable seating is arranged facing the desk.
  Lighting. Open windows fill the room with bright light.
  Opulence. Many lifetimes’ worth of riches are on display 
  here.
  Creature Information
  Elchorius is a lawful evil formerly human mummy lord 
  (see the sidebar for additional information). A former 
  Mulhorandi noble and priest of Sebek, she asks what brings 
  the party to Eltabbar, and what accord was struck with 
  Dar’lon Ma as part of that. (Elchorius has already heard a 
  version of this exchange from Dar’lon Ma, but is curious to 
  know whether the adventurers have a different story.)
   As Zehira and the characters discuss why they’ve come to 
  Thay, Elchorius can provide the following information:
  • In response to any talk of King Hekaton, Elchorius 
  shows no emotion as she tells the characters that 
  Hekaton is dead. The storm giant king’s corpse was 
  brought to Eltabbar with much fanfare, then paraded 
  along the river before being taken to Thaymount—
  likely to the dungeons under the Citadel. She recalls 
  the event with clear scorn, talking of how Szass Tam 
  floated through the city and had her people all dancing 
  to his tune.
  • No one other than Red Wizards, their guests, 
  remarkable prisoners, and the undead get into 
  Thaymount. Fewer still get into the dungeons below 
  the Citadel, which are reserved for powerful criminals 
  (including adventurers working against Thay, traitors, 
  and disgraced Red Wizards), undead deemed worthy 
  of termination, and Szass Tam’s most gifted students. 
  Those students test out new projects on unwilling 
  victims collected from among the condemned, making 
  being sent to the dungeons a fate worse than death.
  • Thankfully, Elchorius has the resources to help the 
  characters get into the dungeons where King Hekaton’s 
  body most likely lies. They simply must do a small task 
  for her first.
  Elchorius
  Lawful evil (formerly human) mummy lord
  Elchorius is a mummy lord stolen from her homeland of 
  Mulhorand centuries ago and brought to Thay. After freeing 
  herself from Thayan servitude, she has become a power 
  player in the shadows as a leader of the Undying Resistance. 
  Many nobles and Red Wizards serve her cause without 
  knowing it.
   Elchorius has these changes from the standard mummy 
  lord stat block:
  • She has the revivify spell prepared instead of animate dead.
  • She has the danse macabre spell prepared instead of 
  contagion. (For more information, see the “Follow The 
  Leader” section of “Supply Tunnel” below.)
  • She has the raise dead spell prepared instead of insect 
  plague.
  What They Want. Freedom for the undead to govern 
  themselves as citizens of Thay.
  Age and Treachery. Elchorius is ancient, and is always playing 
  the long game. She knows that undead won’t see freedom 
  under the rule of Szass Tam, but every little bit of defiance 
  and change helps further her eventual goals.
  Heist Timing
  Unlike with part 1A of the adventure, the timing in this part is 
  more flexible. It is up to the characters to decide when to visit 
  the Tower of Reverence, and how best to use the horn of silent 
  alarm to begin the lockdown. This lack of time pressure is one 
  of the many benefits of Dar’lon Ma’s aid.
  Part 1B. Queen of the Damned
  Part 1B. Queen of the Damned
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Elchorius’s Task
  Elchorius wants the characters to sneak into the Tower of 
  Reverence, one of the centers of bureaucracy and power 
  in Eltabbar. A scroll containing information important 
  to her can be found on the third floor of the tower. While 
  her agents provide a distraction, she is confident that the 
  characters can claim the scroll and replace it with a copy 
  so the theft goes unnoticed.
  Swapping Quests
  If the characters don’t trust Elchorius and are looking for 
  other options, Zehira can tell them about her friend Gaedynn 
  and his winery. You can go back to the “Wine Wars” section, 
  but after their false start with Elchorius, the characters have 
  only 5 hours to complete their mission.
   If the characters agree to help Elchorius, she sets out the 
  following terms:
  • Elchorius forbids the characters from killing anyone. The 
  deaths of living folk have serious repercussions in Thay.
  • She gifts the characters a horn of silent alarm, which 
  has been magically set to use its first charge to call 
  out to Elchorius’s allies. This is the signal to begin the 
  distraction that will cause the tower to go into lockdown. 
  A lockdown ensures that the guards in the tower 
  focus on protecting the entrances, rather than on what 
  happens in any of the offices.
  • During the lockdown, the characters must reach the 
  registry office on the third floor, extract the scroll from 
  its specific storage location, replace it with a copy 
  Elchorius can provide, and then escape the tower safely.
  • The director of the registry office is an evoker named 
  Shas’venath. The characters would do well to avoid 
  his notice.
  • How the characters get in and out of the tower is up to 
  them. When they have the scroll, they must return it to 
  Elchorius, after which she will arrange for the party to 
  gain access to the dungeons beneath the Citadel.
  After Hours
  Although the Tower of Reverence isn’t open to the public 
  by night, guards remain on duty there at all hours. Undead 
  servants likewise labor through the dark hours, along with 
  a late-working scrivener or two. While this certainly makes 
  it easier to move around with fewer eyes on the characters, 
  each door in the tower is sealed with an arcane lock spell that 
  opens only for undead or to special keystones carried by the 
  guards. Elchorius can share this information.
  The Tower of Reverence
  The Tower of Reverence is located in Eltabbar’s trade 
  district, and is a thirty-minute carriage ride from Elchorius’s 
  estate. The tower is one of seven that strengthen and 
  distribute the magical power of the Weave, and which help 
  maintain the arcane prisons beneath the city. It serves as 
  a government building, including courts on the ground 
  floor, and agency offices on the second and third floors. 
  The interior of the tower is magical, providing access to 
  demiplanes that vastly increase its inside space.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Getting Inside
  The tower’s only entry point is on the ground floor, and 
  features a checkpoint occupied by a warlock of the Great 
  Old One, two undead Thayan guardians, and one master 
  thief. The guardians and the master thief perform physical 
  searches, while the warlock uses detect magic to check for 
  weapons and other items. All magic—including component 
  pouches and spellcasting focuses—as well as mundane 
  weapons must be checked at the door. All who enter, 
  including those who work at the tower, are screened before 
  they are allowed entry. Items are held at the checkpoint and 
  returned when visitors leave.
   A character who chooses to can conceal any small, 
  one-handed weapon of approximately dagger size with 
  a successful DC 17 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. 
  However, magic items must be concealed by Nystul’s magic 
  aura or similar effects to avoid detection. Characters who 
  want to smuggle in a full array of weapons and magic will 
  need to make use of extradimensional storage and magical 
  masking (a bag of holding under the effect of Nystul’s magic 
  aura, for example), or take some other approach whose 
  effectiveness is left to you to adjudicate.
  Getting Around
  The ground floor of the tower is home to courtrooms, legal 
  offices, and bureaucratic offices. The second floor is court 
  archives and a scrivener’s office. The second-floor stairs 
  are guarded by two sword wraith commanders who allow 
  access only to staff, maintenance workers, and those with 
  appointments. An appointment can be made on the first 
  floor, but without significant social pull, the next available 
  one is two months from now. (Zehira refuses to wait that 
  long if any character suggests it, reminding them that the 
  giants are teetering on the edge of political unrest.) When 
  the lockdown begins, the stair guards rush downstairs to 
  aid in guarding the sealed main door.
  Lockdown
  Blowing the horn of silent alarm given to the characters by 
  Elchorius begins the lockdown, as a group of rogue undead 
  nearby begin trampling through the streets, injuring living 
  Thayans and causing property damage.
   As part of the lockdown, all the guards rush to defend the 
  inside of the ground floor entrance, sealing the tower off 
  from the street to protect the judges, officials, and records 
  within. In addition, the tower’s walls magically shift to cover 
  all windows and prevent potential attackers from gaining 
  entry anywhere other than the ground floor. This gives the 
  characters the freedom to move about the third floor to 
  complete their mission.
   The undead are dispersed relatively quickly, but the tower 
  stays in lockdown for 1 hour before the guards unseal the 
  doors and begin checking on the health of everyone inside.
  Preparations and Planning
  The characters might want to prepare before they 
  infiltrate the Tower of Reverence, whether by gathering 
  information, scouting the location, creating disguises, 
  forging identification, or using a background feature. 
  Each preparation activity takes 1 hour of game time. For 
  activities that require an ability check, characters can use 
  the Help action to work together and grant advantage on 
  the check, but that cooperation doesn’t reduce the amount 
  of time necessary.
   Share the handout of appendix 11 with the players, to 
  remind them of their objectives and clarify their planning 
  options. If the characters are dithering or taking a long 
  time to come up with a plan, have Zehira remind them 
  what is at stake and prod them toward action.
  Gathering Information
  A character who takes this action and who succeeds 
  on a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) or Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check learns one of the following pieces of 
  information, rolled randomly or chosen by you. If the check 
  succeeds by 5 or more, the character learns an additional 
  piece of information. Do not repeat the same information.
  Information Learned
  d8
  Information Gained
  1
  The registry office is on the third floor, and requires an 
  appointment for admittance.
  2
  Like much of the rest of Thay, the Tower of Reverence 
  has a mix of undead and low-caste living humanoids 
  who work as janitors, maintenance workers, and other 
  menial employees.
  3
  Politics in Thay are cutthroat at every level, and the 
  bureaucracy is no exception. The current leader of the 
  registry office keeps the skull of their former boss on 
  their desk.
  4
  Security at the tower is heaviest on the ground floor, 
  but a mix of guards and undead protect all areas. Some 
  of the undead in the tower have the power to summon 
  allies if needed.
  5
  In addition to guards, powerful magic protects the 
  tower’s trove of books, scrolls, and important records.
  6
  Spells that create extradimensional spaces can’t be 
  used in the tower except as approved Thayan tattoos or 
  spell tiles. And if the tower is threatened or attacked, it 
  magically seals itself off for protection.
  7
  The tower outgrew the space available within it many 
  years ago. Rather than expanding to another building, 
  however, the tower’s interior was expanded by tapping 
  into magical demiplanes.
  8
  The Tower of Reverence is one of seven similar towers 
  in the city. Each operates as a distinct unit, and power 
  struggles between the towers mean than the guards 
  in the Tower of Reverence won’t call for aid from other 
  towers unless it appears that all is lost.
  Scouting the Area
  A character who takes this action makes a Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. The total of the check determines the 
  amount of information gleaned from observing and moving 
  around the area.
  DC 10. The adamantine doors to the tower are kept open 
  from nine bells till dusk, and a steady stream of people 
  and undead pass through them during that period. 
  When the doors close at dusk, they open only for 
  employees to leave.
  
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  DC 15. Guards at the main entrance collect any weapons, 
  magic items, component pouches, and spell focuses from 
  visitors before they are allowed into the tower.
  DC 20. The tower doesn’t appear to have any exits other 
  than the main entrance on the ground floor, but surely 
  must have some means of emergency escape.
  DC 25. Many styles of dress are seen among visitors and 
  workers in the tower, but the undead and low-caste staff 
  wear white-and-gray uniforms that would be easy to 
  duplicate.
  Creating Disguises
  A character with a disguise kit who is proficient with its 
  use can create a disguise and make a Charisma check 
  using their proficiency bonus. The check total is the DC 
  required to see through the disguise with an Intelligence 
  (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check. Potential 
  disguises include the uniforms of low-caste workers (who 
  are largely ignored by other people), maintenance or 
  scrivener uniforms, and the like.
  Forging Identification
  A character with a forgery kit who is proficient with its 
  use can create forged identification and make a Dexterity 
  check using their proficiency bonus. The check total is 
  the DC required to spot the forgery with an Intelligence 
  (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check.
  Using a Background Feature
  Any character can also spend 1 hour to utilize a 
  background feature, typically to gather information without 
  requiring an ability check. When a character does so, give 
  them one piece of data from gathering information or 
  scouting the area that the party doesn’t have already.
   Background features can also be used to generate results 
  outside the scope of information gathering or scouting. 
  For example, a character with the sage background might 
  make inquiries to learn the layout of the registry stacks. A 
  character with the noble background might be able to gain 
  an appointment within a few days’ time. Or a character with 
  the charlatan or spy background might be able to illegally 
  obtain the work permits and uniforms of agents with 
  business in the tower. Embrace creativity, and empower 
  your players to think outside the box.
  Going Legit
  This section of the adventure assumes that the characters 
  use the horn of silent alarm to call for a distraction, getting the 
  guards out of the way while the characters undertake their 
  search. The players can then decide how they want to deal 
  with the power-hungry director Shas’venath and his less-than-
  loyal employees. However, it’s also possible for the characters 
  to use background features to gain an appointment, sneak 
  restricted items in, and then visit the third floor legitimately.
   If the characters enter the tower with seemingly legitimate 
  purpose, clerk Kherr Tralac is assigned to assist them, all the 
  while being savagely micromanaged by director Shas’venath. 
  Shas’venath quickly realizes that the characters are not 
  locals, and attempts to gain their aid in replacing Faust—and 
  denying them access to the scroll unless they acquiesce.
   Particularly stealthy characters might also break away from 
  Kherr or Shas’venath. However, only those who understand 
  Thayan and can figure out how to navigate the ancient 
  organizational system (see “Area Information” below) will be 
  able to successfully retrieve the scroll.
  The Registry Office
  The registry office takes up half of the third floor of the 
  Tower of Reverence. The opposite side of the third floor is 
  the office of proclamation (see below).
  Area Information
  The registry office has the following features.
  Area and Terrain. The office takes up half of the tower 
  section—a half circle with a 100-foot radius. Most of 
  the staff have small desks which are cluttered with 
  seemingly endless piles of work.
  Lighting. The area is well lit by driftglobes.
  Racks upon Racks of Scrolls. Every part of the registry 
  office is lined with racks holding well-preserved scrolls. 
  The scrolls maintain registry and ownership for property, 
  and are organized first by rack number, then by column 
  and row number within the rack. The scrolls are delicate 
  and particularly susceptible to fire, but are magically 
  protected (see below).
  Arcane Defenses. To protect the scrolls, each rack is 
  imbued with magic that surrounds the rack with a wall 
  of magical force (as if produced by the wall of force 
  spell) if any fire of greater size than a candle flame is 
  ignited within the registry office. The same force field 
  can be triggered by other specific effects (see the text for 
  details).
  Ancient Organizational System. The racks in the office 
  utilize an organizational system that is uniquely Thayan. 
  The organizational structure is written in the Thayan 
  language, and attempting to discern where specific 
  items are located requires a knowledgeable guide or a 
  successful DC 20 Intelligence check.
  Restricted Magic. In addition to the normal restrictions 
  on teleportation and planar travel magic in effect across 
  Eltabbar, spells that create extradimensional spaces 
  can be utilized only in the form of Thayan spell tiles or 
  Thayan tattoos within the tower. If such spells are cast 
  normally or from other items, the spell fails and the 
  casting is wasted.
  Spell Tiles
  This adventure uses a unique Thayan magic item called 
  a spell tile. These items function like spell scrolls, except 
  they are usable by any creature, and any choices the caster 
  would normally make are set by the spell tile’s maker when 
  it is created. For example, a spell tile of sending can send a 
  message only to a specific person determined when the tile is 
  made, and a spell tile of teleport is created keyed to a specific 
  destination.
   As an action, a creature holding a spell tile can break it 
  to cast its spell. Spells on spell tiles cannot be copied to a 
  wizard’s spellbook.
  Creature Information
  The registry office is run by director Shas’venath (a neutral 
  evil human evoker), and staffed by five mages and three 
  clerks (all commoners). A zombie serves as a janitor. 
  The skull of the previous director—which functions as 
  a demilich under Shas’venath’s control—sits atop the 
  director’s desk as a warning to any who might cross him.
  
  Director Shas’venath
  Neutral evil human evoker
  Shas’venath is a power-hungry, corrupt, and sadistic 
  bureaucrat.
  What They Want. Keen to move up the ladder of authority by 
  any means possible, Shas’venath is only a few steps from 
  becoming a zulkir—at least in his own mind.
  Chaos is a Ladder. Shas’venath is willing to use any means 
  necessary to advance his power and position. He sees 
  chaos—such as adventurers arriving on his doorstep—as 
  an opportunity.
   Dealing with the Director. When Shas’venath becomes 
  aware of the characters, he knows they don’t have an 
  appointment to be there (his schedule is clear). However, 
  he sees the presence of brash outsiders as an opportunity 
  to further his own ends, and he’s willing to engage the 
  characters. After all, he doesn’t expect to be in the registry 
  office long enough to deal with the fallout from whatever 
  they want. He thus happily offers to help the characters 
  swap the scrolls if they help him—by slaying director Faust 
  (a lawful evil human noble), Shas’venath’s rival and the 
  head of the office of proclamation.
   If the characters decide to take out Faust, you can set 
  up the office of proclamation in a similar manner as the 
  registry office. Shas’venath knows that Faust is presently 
  working alone—but if the characters go after the director, 
  they’ll run afoul of a security squad (two gladiators, two 
  sword wraith commanders, and a mage) who show up 
  unexpectedly while making their lockdown rounds.
   Shas’venath also possesses a spell tile of teleport—one 
  of many given to all the tower’s directors as a means of 
  emergency exit, which functions even within the city’s 
  magical wards—and which would be ideal for characters 
  needing to get out of the building without running into 
  security. Faust possesses an identical spell tile. Both 
  tiles are keyed to a secluded park behind the tower, and 
  breaking it can teleport all the characters to that location.
   The Enemy of My Enemy. All those working for 
  Shas’venath know that he’s as crooked as a dog’s hind 
  leg, and that he’ll do anything for power—including using 
  violent threats and attacks to take out his frustrations on 
  those who serve him. The employees want to get rid of 
  him, but none of them have the guts to do it themselves. 
  During the lockdown, Kherr Tralac (a neutral good tabaxi 
  mage) works up the courage to quietly make an offer 
  to the characters on behalf of himself and the rest of 
  Shas’venath’s terrified staff.
   Kherr knows that the magic allowing Shas’venath to 
  control the demilich skull is tied to the magic that affixes 
  the skull to the director’s desk. That magic can be broken by 
  removing the skull from the desk with a successful DC 20 
  Strength (Athletics) check or a successful DC 16 Dexterity 
  check using thieves’ tools. Kerr offers a potion of vitality 
  to the party if one of the characters breaks the skull free. 
  Doing so frees the demilich, who immediately attempts to 
  slay Shas’venath. However, attempting to free the demilich 
  triggers the office’s arcane defenses as if fire had been 
  detected in the area (see “Area Information” above).
  What’s On the Scroll?
  Elchorius didn’t forbid the characters from reading the scroll 
  she wants, nor its replacement. Both are written in Thayan, 
  and are complex legal documents pertaining to the rights 
  of sentient undead in the city. Characters able to read the 
  scrolls can note that the original presents sentient undead 
  as no different from their mindless kin in their treatment and 
  rights, granting them no rest or leisure time from labor, nor 
  any responsibility for recompense if injured or destroyed. 
  Elchorius’s forged scroll is modified to limit intelligent 
  undead working hours, and to provide a basic modicum of 
  legal recompense for injury and protection from destruction, 
  similar to other Thayan citizens.
  Playing the Pillars
  You can make use of the following suggestions when 
  running this encounter.
  Exploration. Creating a disguise resembling the livery of 
  maintenance and janitorial workers requires a successful 
  DC 16 Dexterity check using a disguise kit, and allows 
  easy access to the tower. Outside of combat, any of the 
  office and security staff have disadvantage on Wisdom 
  (Insight or Perception) checks and a −5 penalty to their 
  passive Wisdom (Insight or Perception) scores for 
  checks made regarding characters in such a disguise.
  
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  Combat. If the characters fight Shas’venath, his employees 
  initially join in to defend their boss. However, as soon 
  as it looks as though Shas’venath is losing, the mages 
  surrender and beg the characters to kill him. If fighting 
  breaks out (including if the characters free the demilich 
  so that it attacks Shas’venath), a security team (two 
  gladiators, two sword wraith commanders, and a 
  mage) comes to investigate in 5 rounds.
  Social. The duplicitous Shas’venath is interested only in 
  his own power, and he’s more than happy to not fight the 
  characters if it means he has something to gain. The same 
  isn’t true for the tower’s security staff, who attack at once 
  in response to any hint of dangerous or suspicious activity.
  Treasure
  The characters might claim the potion of vitality offered by 
  Kherr Tralac, as well as the spell tiles of teleport possessed 
  by Shas’venath and Faust. The characters can also keep the 
  horn of silent alarm Elchorius gave them.
  Getting Out
  The characters have a number of options for getting out of 
  the Tower of Reverence when their mission is complete, 
  including any of the following:
  • After the lockdown lifts, two security teams (each 
  consisting of two gladiators, two sword wraith 
  commanders, and a mage) begin to move throughout 
  the offices from the ground up, checking in on each 
  office. They reach the third floor after 10 minutes. 
  Getting past both teams requires a successful DC 
  20 group Dexterity (Stealth) check. Characters in 
  maintenance or janitor uniforms have advantage on this 
  check. Once past security, characters can leave by the 
  front door easily, slipping into the mass of employees 
  and visitors on their way out.
  • In the course of dealing with Shas’venath or Faust, 
  the characters might procure a spell tile of teleport. 
  From the secluded park behind the tower that the 
  tiles are keyed to, the characters can easily get away 
  without incident.
  • If things get more complicated—most likely because 
  combat breaks out with one or more security teams—
  the characters can rush out the front doors by pushing 
  through the crowd of staff and visitors lining up to leave. 
  The crowd slows the security teams down enough to 
  allow the characters to make a narrow escape.
  So You Got Caught
  If the characters find themselves overwhelmed during 
  combat, their assailants don’t kill them—but the characters 
  might wish they had. This part of the adventure ends and 
  the characters wake up in the “Captured!” section of part 
  2 without any of their equipment, and with two levels of 
  exhaustion.
  Development
  Regardless of how the characters accomplish Elchorius’s 
  mission, they are able to get away with no further 
  repercussions. However, word of their activities comes 
  to Zulkir Damond, whose insight into future events 
  allows him to send an agent in his service to contact the 
  characters. The characters will meet this agent—the diviner 
  Sharade Quilbax—in part 2 of the adventure.
   When the characters return to Elchorius, the reception 
  they receive depends on whether they killed anyone as 
  a result of getting into combat. She is irate if so, but her 
  annoyance passes as long as the characters have the scroll. 
  She accepts the scroll, reviews it, and then rips it in half 
  before handing it to a servant to be burned.
   With the characters’ part of the deal done, Elchorius 
  agrees to transport them to the lawless dungeons 
  beneath the Citadel. She tells them that their best bet 
  for learning what happened to King Hekaton is to get 
  inside Ravensblood Academy—Szass Tam’s school for 
  necromancers, on the same subterranean levels as the 
  dungeons. However, she also shares that they might 
  instead seek out a Red Wizard named Trildor Zihial. The 
  intelligence her followers have gathered indicates that 
  Trildor was involved with whatever happened to King 
  Hekaton’s body—and that he has recently been exiled to the 
  dungeons for disloyalty to Szass Tam. She does not know 
  exactly where Trildor is, but trusts that the characters have 
  the resources to find him.
   Continue with the “Supply Tunnel” section of this part of 
  the adventure.
  Supply Tunnel
  When the characters are ready for their incursion into 
  the dungeons beneath the Citadel, Elchorius leads them 
  to a warehouse on the banks of the river—an access point 
  for sending supplies down into the dungeons. Crates and 
  barrels are piled up inside the warehouse, alongside a large 
  winch that lowers a platform into a 20-foot-diameter round 
  shaft.
   The shaft is guarded by four champions, twelve knights, 
  and an abjurer—all of whom have been paid off by the 
  Undying Resistance. After a brief conversation, the guards 
  step back to allow Elchorius and the characters through.
   The platform descends some 250 feet, stopping where 
  the vertical shaft opens up to a dark, 15-foot-wide supply 
  tunnel. It then rises back up after the characters and 
  Elchorius disembark.
  As the platform disappears above you, Elchorius speaks. “I 
  was hoping we’d be able to travel with a supplies caravan 
  scheduled for today, but they appear to have departed 
  early. Hopefully that doesn’t work against our interests.”
  Elchorius warns the characters to stay close to her, saying 
  that she can shield them from any divination magic that 
  might be active in the tunnels.
   At the head of the tunnel, a fifteen-foot-tall statue of 
  Szass Tam has been carved from a stone pillar. Elchorius 
  kneels before the statue and utters praise for the zulkir of 
  necromancy—whereupon a stone carving in the likeness of 
  Szass Tam’s head appears at the statue’s feet. She asks one 
  of the characters to take the head, explaining that it will ask 
  the security questions that allow the gates to the dungeons 
  to be opened. Those questions change frequently, so she 
  can’t simply give the characters the answers and send them 
  on their way.
  
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  Area Information
  The supply tunnel has the following features.
  Area and Dimensions. The tunnel is 15 feet wide and 15 
  feet high, carved out of natural stone. It extends some 
  500 feet from the vertical shaft to the entrance to the 
  dungeons.
  Lighting. The tunnel is dark except for whatever light the 
  characters bring with them.
  Floor. The floor is flat, but has a noticeable pair of ruts 
  worn down by wagon wheels.
  Sealed Gates
  Every hundred feet along the tunnel’s length, adamantine 
  doors seal it off into sections. At each of the first four 
  doors, dials are labeled with letters or numbers, and 
  Szass Tam’s stone head will ask the characters a question 
  whose answer can be given using the dials. When a correct 
  answer is entered, the doors open and reveal a statue 
  beyond, set with a detachable sculpted head. The doors 
  close and reseal after being open for 5 minutes.
   If an incorrect answer is entered, the character who 
  entered the answer is targeted by a pulse of destructive 
  magic. This is identical to the effect of a disintegrate spell 
  with a DC 15 saving throw, but deals only 22 (4d10) force 
  damage.
   Each gate can also be opened with a knock spell, or with 
  5 minutes’ work and a successful DC 24 Dexterity check 
  using thieves’ tools.
   The handouts of appendices 12A, 12B, and 12C can 
  be shared with the players to show them the dials for the 
  third, fourth, and final doors. The answers to the security 
  questions are in appendix 3.
  First Door
  One hundred feet down the tunnel, the first door is set 
  with four dials with the digits 0–9 on each one. When the 
  characters arrive here, the stone head of Szass Tam asks: 
  “What year did the glorious nation of Thay rise to freedom 
  after breaking the yoke of the kings of Mulhorand?”
   A character who succeeds on an Intelligence (History) 
  check recalls the following information:
  DC 15. The wizards who would lead Thay were potent 
  arcanists under the control of the God Kings of 
  Mulhorand, and waged crusades against neighboring 
  lands in the eighth century.
  DC 20. By 934, Thay was united and attempting to conquer 
  Rashemen.
  DC 25. The year Thay seceded from Mulhorand was 922.
   The answer can be keyed in as 0-9-2-2, and can be 
  provided by Elchorius if need be. The door opens when the 
  correct number is keyed.
   On the other side of the door is a statue of the zulkir of 
  enchantment, Dar’lon Ma, with a line clearly separating 
  the head from the body. If the characters don’t attempt to 
  do so instinctively, Elchorius tells them to collect the head. 
  Moments after it is removed, another appears.
   Any character who lifts both heads notes that the head of 
  Dar’lon Ma is heavier than the head of Szass Tam. This fact 
  becomes important at the fifth door (see that section below, 
  and appendix 12C).
  Second Door
  Another hundred feet along the supply tunnel, the second 
  door features seven dials with letters in Common. The 
  middle letter dial is stuck on “S.” When the characters 
  arrive here, the stone head of Szass Tam asks: “Who is the 
  god that blesses the zulkirs, and whose light is a beacon for 
  all of Thay?”
   A character who succeeds on an Intelligence (Religion) 
  check recalls the following information:
  DC 15. The Thayans largely worship evil gods, including 
  Bane, Loviatar, Kossuth, Shar, and Cyric.
  DC 20. Only one of those gods is known to shine light.
  DC 25. Thayans have revered Kossuth since the 
  Salamander War of 1357.
   The answer can be keyed in as K-O-S-S-U-T-H, which 
  Elchorius can again provide if needed. The door opens 
  when the correct word is keyed in.
   On the other side of the door is a statue of Sirikhan, 
  the zulkir of abjuration. The statue appears as a studious 
  woman with Shou features, with a line clearly separating 
  the head from the body. As at the first door, another head 
  appears moments after the first head is removed.
  It Wasn’t Me!
  Shortly after the characters pass through the second 
  gateway, the sound of bells rises, echoing along the tunnel.
  Elchorius frowns. “Something’s wrong. The alarm has 
  been sounded. Perhaps I’m not the only one sneaking 
  guests in. Quickly—you need to decide if you trust me to 
  get you through, or if you want to continue on your own.”
  Elchorius confirms for the characters that the supply 
  tunnel is one of the few ways in or out of the Citadel. She 
  suspects that the supplies caravan ahead of the party 
  must have been carrying some sort of contraband, which 
  means that poison gas is about to be released in all the 
  tunnel sections—and an extermination squad of constructs 
  and undead are set to march down the tunnel to clear out 
  intruders. Elchorius might be able to shield the characters 
  from magical detection, but if the extermination squad sees 
  them, there will be nothing she can do.
   The mummy lord then makes the characters an offer:
  • They can trust her to get them through, but it’s going to 
  hurt. The characters can’t make it through alive—but she 
  can slay them, take them safely through the tunnel as 
  undead, and bring them back on the other side.
  • The characters and Elchorius can part ways, and they 
  can continue on their own. The characters will take the 
  zulkir heads already collected, which will be needed to 
  open the final door, but they’ll have to collect the final 
  two heads and avoid the patrol on their own.
   Give the players a few minutes of real time to debate, 
  reminding them that poison gas is rising throughout the 
  tunnel. After three minutes or so, the players must reach 
  consensus before continuing.
   If the characters accept Elchorius’s offer to lead them 
  along the tunnel, continue with “Follow the Leader.” If the 
  players choose to continue on alone, go to “Nobody Makes 
  Me Bleed My Own Blood” below.
  
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  Follow The Leader
  If the characters accept Elchorius’s offer to lead them, 
  she again warns them that this is going to hurt. With the 
  characters’ consent, she steps close, draws a slender knife, 
  and drives it into a character’s ear to kill them. (She is 
  prepared to stab multiple times if a character has some 
  means of not dying immediately if reduced to 0 hit points.)
   If the players change their minds about this choice 
  after the first or second character is slain, Elchorius can 
  cast revivify to quickly bring them back (she carries the 
  necessary components), but she notes that this won’t 
  solve their dilemma. In any event, Elchorius then leaves 
  the characters, wishing them good luck. Continue with 
  “Nobody Makes Me Bleed My Own Blood” below.
   If the characters are all slain by Elchorius, she 
  immediately casts danse macabre. This spell appears in 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, and allows the caster to 
  raise and command a number of dead bodies as zombies. 
  (If there are more than five characters in the party, assume 
  that Elchorius has the ability to raise the necessary number 
  of characters by casting the spell using her 6th-level spell 
  slot.) She then makes the characters follow her as the 
  poison gas—to which they are now immune—starts to rise.
   Elchorius meets the extermination squad where it 
  advances down the supply tunnel from beyond the fifth 
  door, but she is able to talk her way past them, guiding her 
  zombie flock safely on. Beyond the fifth door, she takes 
  them to the trading post known as the Last Stop (see that 
  section in part 2 of the adventure). Securing a room in a 
  hostel there, she casts raise dead on all the characters, 
  using her 5th- and 6th-level spell slots, along with a number 
  of spell scrolls she carries in expectation of having to 
  execute this plan. (As with revivify, Elchorius carries the 
  necessary components for the spell.)
   When the characters have all been returned to life, 
  Elchorius departs to return to the surface, and you can 
  continue with “The Last Stop” in part 2 of the adventure. 
  Remind the players that each character has a −4 penalty 
  to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks as a result 
  of being raised, with the penalty reduced by 1 each time 
  a character finishes a long rest. The first long rest the 
  characters take in the Last Stop is free, but draws attention 
  to them. See the “Resting Limits” sidebar in “The Last 
  Stop” section of part 2 of the adventure.
  Nobody Makes Me Bleed 
  My Own Blood
  If the characters do not accept Elchorius’s aid, she leaves 
  them with the zulkir heads, wishes them good luck, and 
  returns to the surface. The supply tunnel begins to fill with 
  poison gas that deals damage and reduces visibility in the 
  tunnel to 5 feet, even for creatures with darkvision. The 
  poison grows more detrimental over time, as noted on the 
  following table:
  Supply Tunnel Gas Effects
  Minutes
  DC
  Poison Damage
  1–6
  15
  22 (4d10)
  9–15
  18
  44 (8d10)
  18+
  20
  55 (10d10)
   The minutes noted in the table refer to real time, with 
  characters needing to make new saving throws every 
  three minutes. The poison is absorbed through the skin, 
  so holding one’s breath or using a necklace of adaptation 
  offers no defense against it. Characters immune to poison 
  ignore the damage but have their vision limited.
   Extermination Squad. The extermination squad charged 
  with clearing out the supply tunnel consists of an iron 
  golem, an alhoon, a young red dracolich, and a wraith. 
  They emerge from beyond the fifth door and stalk down 
  the tunnel toward the entrance. Characters can attempt 
  to avoid the patrol by using the obscuring effect of the gas 
  to hide, by concealing themselves behind already-opened 
  doors, and so forth. However, the young red dracolich has 
  a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 18, as well as 
  blindsight that sees through not only the gas but through 
  illusions and similar magic.
  
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  Why Doesn’t the Alhoon … ?
  If the characters are largely immune to poison, spoiling for 
  a fight, or if you have extra time in your slot, the alhoon uses 
  its detect thoughts innate spell to pinpoint the characters. It 
  starts combat with a mind blast focused on the area where the 
  largest group of characters are hiding.
   Alternatively, if you are pressed for time or simply want 
  to give the characters a break, the alhoon and the dracolich 
  believe they have already dealt with the would-be intruders 
  (see “Doomed Caravan” at the fourth door below), so 
  they are not as thorough in their searching as they might 
  otherwise be.
   Continuing On. Once they are past the extermination 
  squad, the characters must still contend with the last three 
  doors (which are locked again as the extermination squad 
  passes through them) and their puzzles.
  Third Door
  Three hundred feet along the tunnel, the third door has 11 
  dials marked with letters in Common. The last dial is stuck 
  on E. When the characters arrive here, the stone head of 
  Szass Tam asks: “What magic did I weave to end the zulkir 
  rebellion and unify Thay into the power it is today?”
   A character who succeeds on an Intelligence (Arcana) 
  check recalls the following information:
  DC 15. The zulkir rebellion began when the zulkirs refused 
  to allow Szass Tam to ascend to the position of High 
  Regent of Thay.
  DC 20. The rebellion took place in 1375 and lasted ten 
  years, ending with the death of Mystra and the merging 
  of Abeir and Toril.
  DC 25. The answer is the Spellplague.
   The answer can be keyed in as S-P-E-L-L-P-L-A-G-U-E. 
  The door opens when the correct word is keyed in. On the 
  other side is a statue of Damond, the zulkir of divination, 
  with a line clearly separating the head from the body. 
  Moments after the head is removed, another appears.
  Fourth Door
  Four hundred feel along the tunnel, the fourth door has 
  nine dials marked with letters in Common. The fifth dial 
  is stuck on A. When the characters arrive there, the stone 
  head of Szass Tam asks: “What is the newest jewel in the 
  crown of almighty Thay?”
   A character who succeeds on an Intelligence (Arcana) 
  check recalls the following information :
  DC 15. A decisive war was recently fought in the local 
  region between Thay and coalitions of adventurers.
  DC 20. The answer is Mulmaster.
   Any characters with the Hunted By the Red story award 
  have advantage on this check.
   The answer can be keyed in as M-U-L-M-A-S-T-E-R. The 
  door opens when the correct word is keyed in. On the 
  other side is a statue of M’Weru, the zulkir of evocation—a 
  beautiful woman of Rashmeni features. A line clearly 
  separates the statue’s head from the body. Moments after 
  the head is removed, another appears.
   Doomed Caravan. Beyond the fourth door, the 
  characters find a caravan of two wagons driven by 
  skeletons and pulled by warhorse skeletons, stopped 
  along the tunnel wall. The wagons are heading for the 
  fifth gate and barely visible in the haze of poison gas. Four 
  humanoids (a human, two elves, and a dwarf) have been 
  slain where they were hidden inside the crates and barrels 
  of mundane foodstuffs and gear on the wagons. (This was 
  the threat that caused the alarm to be sounded.)
   The dead human has a potion of superior healing 
  clutched in their hands, inches from their mouth. Held 
  tightly in the dwarf’s rigor mortis grasp is a staff of frost. 
  (Though it shouldn’t happen under normal circumstances, 
  if the characters have already claimed the staff of frost from 
  part 1A of the adventure, this staff is not here.)
  Final Door
  At the final door 500 feet along the tunnel, there are no 
  dials. Instead, five headless statues have been carved into 
  the stone of the wall to the right of the door. Each of the 
  five statues is clad in magnificent robes, and all appear 
  identical.
   The challenge here is to place the heads in order of 
  weight, with the heaviest head closest to the door (statue 
  5, on the right as the characters are looking at the statues) 
  and the lightest head farthest from the door (statue 1, on 
  the left). Appendix 12C provides clues as to the weight of 
  the heads. Additionally, a character who succeeds on an 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check made to study the statues 
  notes the following information:
  DC 15. The figure in the center is slightly larger than the 
  others, and its hands are skeletal. This is clearly Szass 
  Tam.
  DC 20. The headless statue to the immediate right of Szass 
  Tam has broad shoulders and a fine physique. This must 
  be Dar’lon Ma.
  DC 25. The headless statue to the far right of Szass Tam 
  wears a small amulet bearing the symbol of abjuration 
  that has been nearly rubbed away. This must be 
  Sirikhan.
   Solving this puzzle involves placing Damond and M’Weru 
  on the left, Dar’lon Ma and Sirikhan on the right, and 
  Szass Tam in the middle. When the stone heads are placed 
  in the correct orientation, the fifth and final door opens. 
  The statue heads then vanish, unwrought by the magic 
  that made them. If poison gas is present in the tunnel, it 
  dissipates harmlessly.
  Treasure
  Whether the characters continued on alone or were 
  escorted along the supply tunnel by Elchorius in zombie 
  form, they can claim the staff of frost and the potion of 
  superior healing when this part of the adventure is done.
  Development
  On the other side of the final gate is an underground 
  trading post known as the Last Stop. When the characters 
  arrive here (or when the last of them is raised here by 
  Elchorius), proceed to “The Last Stop” in part 2 of the 
  adventure. The characters can take a long rest at this point 
  in the adventure if they wish, but see the “Resting Limits” 
  sidebar in that section for important information.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Estimated Duration: 100 minutes
  Though the first part of this adventure can take the 
  characters along different paths depending on how they 
  came to Thay and the choices they make thereafter, those 
  paths merge as the characters make their way into the 
  dungeons beneath the Citadel at Thaymount. In these dark 
  tunnels and caverns, power and chaos rule over a lawless 
  populace of degenerate undead and savage mortals.
   This section of the adventure can begin in three different 
  places, depending on how the characters got to this point:
  • In the “Ravensblood Academy” section, if the characters 
  worked with Gaedynn Telstaerr and entered the 
  dungeons by way of the library in Szass Tam’s palace.
  • In “The Last Stop” section, if the characters are allies of 
  Dar’lon Ma and was guided by the mummy lord Elchorius 
  to enter the dungeons by way of the supply tunnel.
  • In the “Captured!” section, if the characters’ actions 
  in part 1 of the adventure saw them defeated by the 
  forces of Thay.
   “Appendix 2: DM’s Setting Information” contains 
  information on the dungeons beneath the Citadel, and 
  advice on making the locations in this part of the adventure 
  come to life.
  Playing this Section on Its Own
  If you are playing this part of the adventure without having 
  played part 1, assume that the characters have gone through 
  a number of harrowing adventures to reach the dungeons 
  beneath Thaymount. They now find themselves at the Last 
  Stop, a ramshackle trading post just inside a well-protected 
  supply tunnel that is one of the few ways in or out of the 
  dungeons beneath the Citadel.
   Before beginning this part of the adventure, be sure to 
  read the “Overview” and “Legacy Events” sections in the 
  “Adventure Primer” section, and “Appendix 2: DM’s Setting 
  Information.” You might also find “Appendix 1: Adventure 
  Flowchart” useful.
  Story Objectives
  Merely learning that King Hekaton’s body was taken to 
  Ravensblood Academy is not enough to satisfy Zehira. On 
  behalf of Princess Serissa, she wants proof of what was done 
  to the storm giant king so that the foul plans—and fouler 
  magic—of the Red Wizards might eventually be undone. Area 
  N3 of the “Ravensblood Academy” section holds the secret to 
  the fate of Hekaton, which is Story Objective B.
   What the Thayans know about the Wyrmskull Throne is 
  privileged information. At the moment, the only one who has 
  it—at least of the people that the characters have access to—
  is the former Red Wizard Trildor Zihial. For his disobedience 
  to Szass Tam, Trildor has been sent to the Word of Recall, 
  an exclusive magical boutique in the dungeons beneath the 
  Citadel, to have his memories erased. In exchange for being 
  rescued in the “Word of Recall” section, he can provide 
  information about the Cult of the Dragon’s plans, which is 
  Story Objective C.
  The Dungeons under 
  Thaymount
  Long before humans came to dominate Faerûn, the 
  progenitor serpentfolk known as the sarrukh raised a great 
  tower atop Thaymount, and excavated a vast network of 
  chambers and tunnels below it. (See the sidebar in the 
  “Things Left Behind” section of part 3 for more information 
  on the sarrukh.) The Thayans repurposed these ruins in 
  the creation of the Citadel, and used the caverns below 
  for the creation of open dungeons. Rather than going to 
  the trouble of building cells and paying guards to watch 
  over those who challenge the order of Thayan society, the 
  Thayans throw lawless outsiders and citizens alike into 
  permanent exile beneath Thaymount, to let them fend for 
  themselves in a dark and lawless realm.
   The dungeons consist of a series of tunnels and large 
  caverns filled with squalid, haphazardly built structures. 
  Building materials are in short supply in the dungeons 
  beyond the original stone of sarrukh construction, so most 
  buildings are decrepit—patched with the remains of barrels 
  and crates that food is delivered in, or fragments of other 
  buildings that have collapsed. There is no planning to this 
  underground settlement, with buildings randomly placed 
  and often demolished to make room for something else. 
  Streets and alleys are filled with trash and rubble, and many 
  of the tunnels between caverns are dangerously unstable.
   The tunnels and caverns along the edges of the dungeons 
  feature reptilian carvings dating back to the sarrukh. 
  But most of these areas have been collapsed to keep the 
  denizens of the dungeons contained.
  The Last Stop
  The Last Stop is a trading post just past the end of a supply 
  tunnel leading into the dungeons beneath the Citadel at 
  Thaymount. Here, Thayan agents, merchants, and exiles 
  congregate to collect wares, vie for the right to take charge 
  of newly arrived prisoners, and share information about the 
  outside world. It’s a chaotic mix of bar, marketplace, and 
  thrall auction all in one.
   If the characters arrive through the tunnel without 
  Elchorius, they draw the attention of merchants, traders, 
  and hangers-on who want to know who they are, why 
  they’ve come, and where the overdue supply wagons are. 
  (Those wagons were the source of the alarm that saw the 
  supply tunnel locked down in part 1 of the adventure.)
   If the characters arrive as undead with Elchorius, or 
  if they come here after first making their way through 
  Ravensblood Academy, the folk of the Last Stop pay no 
  special attention to them.
  Part 2: Digging Deeper
  Part 2: Digging Deeper
  
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  The Purpose of The Last Stop
  This part of the adventure is intended to give the characters 
  more information on the power players in the dungeons 
  beneath the Citadel, to offer up necessary clues to drive their 
  search, and to introduce them to the doppelganger Eurid 
  Eight-Fingers. Eurid can both simplify the characters’ journey 
  through the dangerous patchwork of gang territories beneath 
  the Citadel and provide key information on the dungeons. No 
  matter how the characters arrived here, set up for the players 
  that the Last Stop is a hub of commerce and information.
  Area Information
  The Last Stop has the following features.
  Ramshackle Trading Post. The Last Stop is a ruined 
  and squalid settlement built of cobbled-together junk. 
  Ramshackle tables and colorful patchwork tents are 
  arrayed around the huge adamantine doors at the tunnel’s 
  end, with more of the trading post spreading beyond.
  Sounds and Music. Off-key and out-of-tune music can be 
  heard throughout the area, interrupted by the shouts of 
  merchants selling their wares.
  Desperation. Almost everyone here seems desperate for 
  something, and all are fixated on new arrivals of goods 
  and creatures coming through the supply tunnel doors.
  Market Stalls. Merchants of all types sell goods from the 
  depths of the dungeons or from the surface here. Any 
  items from the Player’s Handbook under 1,000 gp in 
  value can be procured in the Last Stop—but at a cost of 
  10 times their normal value due to scarcity.
  Creature Information
  A number of NPCs potentially important to the characters 
  can be found in the Last Stop.
   Quan Dul. A lawful evil Thayan human necromancer, 
  Quan Dul has little initial interest in the characters. He’s 
  simply at the doors awaiting deliveries that are now late, 
  along with a bodyguard (a human champion) and a small 
  retinue of six zombie laborers. After an hour, Quan leaves 
  the Last Stop—allowing the characters to sneakily follow 
  him to the side entrance to Ravensblood Academy (area 
  N4) if the players are looking to follow a random lead. Go 
  to the “Ravensblood Academy” section below.
   Faraway Visions. This neutral evil tabaxi enchanter 
  offers otherworldly delights, including pipeweed, alcohol, 
  and other intoxicants—all the while recommending that the 
  characters visit the Word of Recall, an exclusive magical 
  boutique where they can go anywhere and be whoever they 
  want to be.
   Sharade Quilbax. Sharade (a neutral tiefling diviner) 
  has all the trappings of a flamboyant fortune teller, and they 
  offer to read palms and gaze into the future of anyone they 
  meet. When the characters first meet Sharade, the tiefling 
  pays them special attention:
  The lavender-skinned tiefling swirls their peacock-feather-
  adorned sash and looks at you all with unsettling yellow 
  eyes. “I see … that you seek a throne … the throne of 
  seven lords. I cannot see the path before you. But I know 
  someone who perhaps can …”
  If the characters take them up on this offer, Sharade directs 
  them to search for “Maelstrom’s jetsam” at the Word of 
  Recall, a unique magical boutique that serves the denizens of 
  the dungeons. “Maelstrom’s jetsam” is a phrase that came to 
  Sharade’s mind, but the diviner isn’t sure what it means. (It 
  symbolically represents Trildor Zihial, who is held prisoner 
  at the Word of Recall, though Sharade doesn’t know this.)
   Though the characters will learn this only later, Sharade 
  Quilbax is secretly an agent of Zulkir Damond, and has 
  been ordered to assist the party. Sharade returns in part 3 
  of the adventure.
  Sharade Quilbax
  Lawful evil Thayan human necromancer
  Sharade is an agent of Zulkir Damond in the dungeons 
  beneath the Citadel, using a cover identity as a fortune-teller 
  in the Last Stop trading post to meet and keep tabs on many 
  people. They are a lavender-skinned tiefling with golden eyes 
  and long, antelope-like horns, who dresses in peacock-feather 
  adorned robes and sashes.
  What They Want. Sharade wants the will of Zulkir Damond to 
  be done in the dungeons—so that one day, they can leave.
  Flamboyant. Sharade is not subtle. They live, speak, and dress 
  in a loud, lively fashion.
  Hungry for Vengeance
  If the characters played through the “Captured!” section of this 
  part of the adventure before coming to the Last Stop, Sharade 
  speaks of having seen visions of a mighty clash of fire, steel, 
  and blood where the characters reclaim what is theirs and 
  vanquish Savas the Scarlet. The red abishai warlord lairs deep 
  down in the dungeons in dangerous territory, and Sharade’s 
  visions should offer warnings that the characters going after 
  her before reclaiming “Maelstrom’s jetsam” could be suicide.
   Duggurond Stoneskin. A neutral good dwarf commoner, 
  Duggurond is a merchant awaiting the caravan that has yet to 
  arrive. If the characters emerge from the tunnel on their own, 
  Duggurond eagerly asks them if they saw the wagons, and 
  offers the party a potion of vitality to learn what happened.
   Lauzoril. A former Red Wizard (a neutral evil human 
  commoner), Lauzoril has burn marks all over his body 
  where his magic tattoos were removed. He lives as a 
  beggar now, and warns everyone he meets—particularly 
  any Red Wizard apprentices who visit the Last Stop—to 
  not trust the Red Wizards the way he did. Lauzoril knows 
  where the secret entrance to Ravensblood Academy is, and 
  he can share this information for 200 gp.
   Eurid Eight-Fingers. A neutral good doppelganger, 
  Eurid wears the form of an older human male when 
  the characters first meet him, missing two fingers but 
  conspicuously healthy looking compared to many destitute 
  denizens of the dungeons. Eurid earns a living as a kind of 
  carriage driver in the dungeons—courtesy of the undead-
  animated corpse of a massive giant centipede, which he’s 
  converted into a vehicle.
  Eurid is the focus of the Recognition of a 
  Hero legacy event, in which a character who 
  participated in The Red War epic (or, failing that, 
  a character with renown for particularly heroic 
  deeds or actions) inspires the doppelganger to 
  repay a favor. Choose the appropriate character ahead of 
  time, and paraphrase the following text with details of the 
  character’s heroic deeds as appropriate.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Through the crowd, a round-bellied and rosy-cheeked 
  man pushes toward you excitedly, waving two hands with 
  two noticeably missing fingers. “It’s you! I never would 
  have believed it. I’m Eurid! Ah, you probably don’t even 
  remember, there was so much going on. But you saved my 
  life, and I’ll never forget it.”
  Observing that the characters seem out of place in the Last 
  Stop, Eurid offers to show them around and help them 
  out. He waves the party toward a partially collapsed tunnel 
  nearby, and gives a sharp whistle. A monstrously huge, 
  rotting centipede with a roughshod carriage precariously 
  balanced atop it quickly shambles forth. Many of the 
  arthropod’s legs are missing, replaced with skeletal grafts 
  from humans, horses, and all manner of other creatures.
   Eurid’s undead carriage is called Nazrohi. It has the 
  capacity to fit eight Medium humanoids inside and one 
  up top, alongside Eurid. When everyone loads in, the 
  doppelganger is happy to take the characters wherever 
  they’d like to go.
   In addition, Eurid can share the following information—
  and begins rambling on if the characters don’t ask the right 
  questions:
  • The dungeons beneath the Citadel twist and turn like 
  crazy. There’s always some section falling apart or 
  being claimed by one gang or another. Some folks even 
  talk about ancient tunnels down at the lowest levels 
  created by the sarrukh—a long-dead line of serpentine 
  humanoids who were one of the creator races of Faerûn.
  • Walking around in the dungeons is dangerous. Just 
  about every gang is out for blood, any valuables you’re 
  carrying, or both. The gangs are formed of the toughest 
  inmates who get thrown into the dungeons—mostly 
  monsters and former heroes every bit as strong as the 
  characters.
  • Anybody who dies in the dungeons ends up getting 
  collected by the Red Wizards for Ravensblood Academy, 
  their necromancy school connected to the dungeons. For 
  that matter, even living folk whose luck turns bad can 
  get collected. The Red Wizards are just about the only 
  free folk down here, always coming up with new ways to 
  experiment on the living and the dead.
  • In addition to the necromancers, Red Wizard diviners 
  have had a stronger presence in the dungeons in the past 
  few years, ever since that zulkir took over Eltabbar.
  • The corpse of the king of the storm giants was seen in 
  the Last Stop, when the necromancers had it carried to 
  Ravensblood Academy.
  • More recently, two Thayan guards paid Eurid to take 
  them and a prisoner from the surface to the magical 
  boutique known as the Word of Recall. Eurid didn’t ask 
  questions, but burn marks on the prisoner suggested 
  that his Red Wizard tattoos had been recently removed. 
  The fact that the guards didn’t simply let him loose in 
  the dungeons suggested that the mages at the Word of 
  Recall had something special planned for him.
   Eurid is keen to have the characters take him along on 
  whatever crazy scheme they’ve got going on. But though 
  he’s happy to drive the characters around, he stays with 
  Nazrohi after dropping them off, waiting nearby in case 
  they need a fast exit. He does not assist in combat.
  Eurid Eight Fingers
  Neutral good doppelganger
  Eurid once lived a simple life undercover in Mulmaster—
  before being caught and presumed to be a spy during the 
  events of The Red War epic. (It was during that calamitous 
  time that the doppelganger claims they lost their two missing 
  fingers.)
  What They Want. Eurid wants out of the dungeons beneath 
  the Citadel, and hopes that a worthy hero comes to aid 
  them in that quest. But they’ve seen so many heroes turn 
  into feral villains in the dungeons that they’re starting to 
  doubt whether heroes are even real anymore.
  Everybody’s Friend. Eurid and their undead monstrous 
  centipede, Nazrohi, operate as one of the few carriage 
  services not controlled by the gangs of the dungeons. The 
  doppelganger knows the tunnels beneath Thaymount like 
  the back of their hands, and are quick to build rapport with 
  anyone they can.
  Traveling without Eurid
  Traveling without Eurid can expose the party to all manner 
  of complications. If you find yourself with extra time during 
  your session, these threats might include random urban 
  encounters from chapter 2 of Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. 
  If you don’t have time for that, you can add suitably flavorful 
  noncombat encounters around the characters:
  • Parts of the wall behind the characters begin to shift, and a 
  number of hunched-over kobolds emerge from previously 
  unseen tunnels. They giggle maniacally and drag heavy metal 
  spikes along the ground behind them, leaving a shower of 
  sparks. Any initial interest they have in the characters is lost 
  quickly as they wander away into the darkness.
  • A sunken-cheeked and hollow-eyed elf sees the characters 
  coming and steps toward them. His skin is bone white and 
  appears to be barely clinging to his skeleton. A look of hope 
  flashes across his eyes as he asks for food and drink.
  • Thunder rumbles down a tunnel as a convoy of undead 
  “vehicles” appears—huge skeletal creatures, animated as 
  undead and transformed into transportation by lashing 
  on rough seats and straps. Most appear ready to fall apart 
  to bones and bits of carapace at any moment, but a few 
  feature shiny metal plating and bright lamps lighting their 
  way through the darkness.
  • A scream echoes down a tunnel as grimy claws reach up 
  from the ground to pull one of the dungeons’ denizens 
  down. The characters can quickly intervene, whereupon the 
  claws descend and the stone reseals. (The origin and nature 
  of this threat is left to your determination.)
  Sanctuary
  The Last Stop is a safe place for the characters to take a 
  short rest. They can also rent a room in the trading post’s 
  disheveled but clean hostel for 5 gp to take a long rest. 
  (The hostel is where characters appear who are killed, then 
  raised by Elchorius in the “Supply Tunnel” section of part 1 
  of the adventure.)
  
  Resting Limits
  During the first long rest the characters take in the Last Stop, 
  rumors begin to spread about a new group of adventurers 
  recently arrived in the dungeons. Members of the gangs that 
  control the dungeons begin to prowl around the Last Stop, 
  and the hostel owner refuses to allow the characters to stay 
  there any longer for fear of violence. If the characters attempt 
  any additional long rests in the trading post, those rests are 
  interrupted by a gang attack squad consisting of an assassin, 
  an evoker, a war priest of Bane, and a champion.
  Treasure
  If the characters shared their tale with Duggurond 
  Stoneskin, they earn the dwarf’s potion of vitality.
  Ravensblood Academy
  Szass Tam’s school for promising necromancers, 
  Ravensblood Academy is part of the subterranean levels of 
  caverns and tunnels beneath the Citadel, and is connected 
  to the lawless, squalid tunnels and caverns of the 
  dungeons. An aura of menace—not to mention the threat of 
  the academy’s powerful spellcasters and undead guards—
  inspires the gangs of the dungeons to give the academy a 
  wide berth.
   A map of Ravensblood Academy can be found in 
  appendix 7.
  Area Information
  The areas of the academy have the following features.
  Lighting. Except where otherwise indicated, all areas 
  are brightly lit by driftglobes or fixed magical lanterns 
  imbued with the continual flame spell.
  Ceilings. Corridors in the academy are 10 feet high, with 
  ceilings in the larger chambers rising to 20 or 30 feet.
  Creature Information
  In addition to Valakhod or Gisa and Geralf (if those NPCs 
  lead the characters down here), the occupants of the 
  academy when the characters arrive include the skull lord 
  headmaster Skivarn Yazar, as well as the undead creatures 
  serving him. A selection of students and faculty members 
  are also present, including a necromancer able to turn 
  the academy’s central lab into a deadly battleground in 
  response to the characters’ incursion.
   If the characters defeat and question any of the NPCs 
  here, all of them know that King Hekaton has been raised 
  as a death knight under the control of Szass Tam, and 
  that he has been sent somewhere away from Thay on a 
  mission. However, the characters must still collect specific 
  information to complete the story objective in this section 
  (see area N3).
  N1. Guarded Entrance
  The main entrance to the academy is a grandiose portal 
  carved with sigils of necromancy and protected by two 
  death giant guards, who dissuade anyone not having 
  legitimate business from getting near. This entrance is 
  largely for show, however, and is barred from the inside. 
  It was last used to bring King Hekaton’s corpse inside the 
  academy, but was then swiftly resealed.
   Most students and faculty use the entrance from Szass 
  Tam’s palace into area N7, use the hidden alley entrance to 
  area N4 whenever they have business in the dungeons, or 
  teleport into area N3 (provided they have approved Thayan 
  tattoos or spell tiles to bypass the magical wards protecting 
  the dungeons). It is not expected that the characters will 
  enter the academy this way, and if the idea comes under 
  discussion, the players should be made aware of the 
  difficulties they will have in doing so.
  N2. Great Hall
  This huge hall is impeccably clean, and has many chairs 
  and tables stacked along its walls. Though regularly used 
  for lectures and meals, the great hall is not in use and 
  empty of other creatures when the characters first pass 
  through here.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  N3. Headmaster’s Office
  The headmaster’s office serves as a gateway to the library, 
  and is used to keep track of the comings and goings of 
  students. The office is slightly raised above a 10-foot-
  wide passage that runs from the great hall to the library. 
  Galleries to either side of the passage (each 20 feet wide by 
  30 feet long) are 5 feet higher than the hallway, so that the 
  headmaster can look down upon the students as they pass.
   Desks and Records. Large, neat desks in this area 
  hold the school’s records and correspondence. The desks 
  provide half cover, and give stealthy characters the potential 
  to sneak through this area (see “Playing the Pillars” below).
   The files here provide proof of the fate of the dead King 
  Hekaton, allowing the characters to complete Story 
  Objective B. Share the player handout of appendix 13 
  when the characters discover this information.
   Teleportation Circle. A permanent teleportation circle in 
  this area is the arrival point for most students and faculty 
  coming to the academy, allowing all arrivals to be properly 
  met by Skivarn. The circle can be activated or used as a 
  destination only by creatures bearing the potent magical 
  tattoos of the Red Wizards.
   The Headmaster. Skivarn Yazar is the neutral evil 
  skull lord who oversees the academy. He commands two 
  disgraced apprentices who now serve him in undeath 
  (use the revenant stat block), as well as the tortured, 
  disembodied brain of a former rival (a brain in a jar). All 
  these servants are fitted with control collars that force 
  them to follow Skivarn’s commands.
   Skivarn is able to identify all current and previous 
  students and faculty at the academy by face and name, 
  making it impossible for characters to use that ruse to bluff 
  their way past him. If intruders are detected in his school, 
  he fights to the death to destroy them.
  Headmaster Skivarn Yazar
  Neutral evil skull lord
  The master of Szass Tam’s private school of necromancy 
  enjoys maintaining a useful level of terror among the 
  students.
  What They Want. Skivarn plans on maintaining his 
  prestigious position as head of Ravensblood Academy at 
  any cost. He does not suffer idiots or aggression lightly.
  Lord of My Domain. Skivarn commands respect among all 
  students and faculty of the academy, and they bend to 
  his will. Szass Tam’s star pupil, Valakhod, is a notable 
  exception.
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  Very Weak. Remove the brain in a jar, and replace the 
  revenants with mummies.
  Weak. Replace the two revenants with four mummies.
  Strong. Replace the brain in a jar with an alhoon.
  Very Strong. As strong, and add one revenant.
   Playing the Pillars. You can make use of the following 
  suggestions when running this encounter.
  Exploration. Stealthy characters who can beat Skivarn’s 
  passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 22 can move 
  throughout the cluttered room and search the 
  files without being noticed. Even if the characters 
  intentionally bring themselves to the attention of the 
  revenants or the brain in a jar, those servants of Skivarn 
  don’t alert their hated master.
  Social. The revenants and the brain in a jar serve Skivarn 
  against their will. Any character who succeeds on a DC 
  22 Wisdom (Insight) check made while watching the 
  undead at work determines that there is discord between 
  them, which can be capitalized on in a fight. A successful 
  DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check inspires one of the 
  revenants or the brain in a jar to point out the collars that 
  prevent them from joining any fight against Skivarn. A 
  collar can be deactivated with a dispel magic spell (DC 
  16). An undead whose collar is deactivated joins with the 
  party to defeat Skivarn, then flees the academy.
  Combat. If a fight breaks out, Skivarn spends his first 
  legendary action to summon undead to protect himself 
  and assail enemy spellcasters. The revenants lock the 
  characters down as best they can, while the brain in the 
  jar and Skivarn rain spells down on their opponents.
  N4. Library
  Carefully preserved stacks of books fill the shelves that 
  cover the walls in this area. Also on display throughout the 
  library are statues of some of the necromantic triumphs 
  that have been conceived of at the academy—including 
  numerous undead creatures, a mockup of a death giant, 
  and a diorama map of Mulmaster cursed and dominated by 
  Thay.
   Three poltergeists serve as the unseen librarians of this 
  ancient repository of forbidden knowledge. They shush 
  anyone who speaks louder than a whisper in the library, 
  and assail anyone except students or faculty who attempt to 
  remove a book from the shelves.
   Hidden Door. A secret door in the far corner of the 
  room can be found with a successful DC 22 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check. The door leads to a shadowy alley 
  outside, then to the dungeons beyond. If the characters 
  come to the academy from the dungeons, they might be led 
  or directed to this door by Quan Dul or Lauzoril (see “The 
  Last Stop”), or by Trildor Zihial (see “The Word of Recall”).
  N5. Student Quarters
  The most talented student necromancers stay in Szass 
  Tam’s Palace. Less distinguished students live in these 
  plain dormitories, set with bunks, footlockers, and nothing 
  else of value or interest.
   When the characters first come this way, one dormitory 
  is empty, while three mages and four Thayan apprentices 
  are present in the other. If the students have any reason to 
  suspect trouble (for example, if the noise of a battle reaches 
  this area or if they overhear characters talking in the 
  corridor) they barricade the door and cast arcane lock on it.
  N6. Central Lab
  Everything about this area underlines its purpose as a 
  necromantic laboratory. Two magic circles are inscribed 
  in opposite corners of the room, each set with humanoid 
  skeletons clustered around it in preparation for dark 
  rituals. More skeletons are stacked along one wall, and 
  four unlit braziers stand around the room. A number of 
  tables pulled together in the center of the room feature 
  legs formed of humanoid, animal, and monstrous bones. 
  
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  Flexible hoses with metal tips hang down from the 
  ceiling, while the side walls of the room are set with pairs 
  of skeletal arms hanging between shelves stacked with 
  surgical and dissection tools.
   Class in Session. When the characters first enter this 
  area, a necromancer professor and three students (a 
  mage and two Thayan apprentices) are present here, 
  working on the corpse of a hill giant. If the characters are 
  unaccompanied, it takes a suitable story and a successful 
  DC 22 Charisma (Deception) check to explain their 
  presence and let them slip out again. Otherwise, the 
  professor and her students attempt to turn the characters 
  into more fodder for their dark experiments.
   In combat, the professor spends her first action to chant a 
  dark incantation which causes the hill giant corpse to arise 
  as a devourer. She can also make use of lair actions while 
  within the central lab. See the “Home Field Advantage” 
  sidebar of the necromancer entry in the “Creature 
  Statistics” section.
   Special Guests. If the characters are accompanied by 
  Valakhod (see area P3 of “The Palace of Szass Tam” in 
  part 1 of the adventure), the professor and her students 
  are present here, but they don’t dare to question Szass 
  Tam’s prize student as he takes over their lecture. If the 
  characters are accompanied by Gisa and Geralf (see area 
  P5 of “The Palace of Szass Tam”) but those apprentices 
  don’t know who the characters are, the two ask the 
  professor to allow them to demonstrate their undead 
  creation techniques.
   Whichever NPCs take over the process of preparing 
  the hill giant to be raised as an undead creature, the 
  characters can attempt to slip away at some point during 
  the demonstration—or you might decide that the professor 
  grows suspicious of their presence and challenges them.
   Undead Ambush. If the characters are accompanied 
  by Gisa and Geralf and the two apprentices are intent 
  on catching the characters off guard, the professor and 
  students are not here, replaced by two wraiths and two 
  undead Thayan guardians. The two necromancers order 
  these creatures to attack, then quickly join in.
   Both Gisa and Geralf can make use of lair actions while 
  within the central lab. See the “Home Field Advantage” 
  sidebar of the necromancer entry of the “Creature 
  Statistics” section.
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  Very Weak. Remove the mage and replace the devourer with a 
  giant skeleton.
  Weak. Remove the mage and replace the devourer with a 
  Thayan guardian.
  Strong. As normal, but the devourer is under the effect of a 
  haste spell from the potency of the ritual.
  Very Strong. Replace the necromancer professor with an 
  archmage and replace the mage with a necromancer. The 
  archmage professor can make use of lair actions while within 
  the central lab. See the “Home Field Advantage” sidebar of 
  the archmage entry of the “Creature Statistics” section
   Treasure. A number of shelves along the walls are 
  stacked with a variety of blood-streaked relics—including 
  armor, jewelry, a spell scroll of mass cure wounds, and 
  an unusually large ring. A successful DC 20 Intelligence 
  (History) check identifies this as King Hekaton’s signet ring, 
  confirming that the storm giant king’s body passed through 
  this area. However, finding the ring does not satisfy Story 
  Objective B. (If necessary, Zehira reminds the characters 
  that they must determine the full scope of what happened 
  to Hekaton.)
  N7. Cold Storage
  This cadaver storage area is the characters’ entry point into 
  Ravensblood Academy if they come here by way of Szass 
  Tam’s palace in part 1 of the adventure. Characters who 
  descended the stairs from the library, whether alone or 
  with Valakhod or Gisa and Geralf, arrive here.
   The door into this area is thick and insulated to keep the 
  cold in. It also keeps noise out, and fighting here doesn’t 
  attract attention from other areas. The creatures here 
  likewise don’t respond to fighting or alerts in other areas.
   Chilling Out. Hanging from hooks set into the ceiling 
  across this area are the corpses of humanoid creatures of 
  every type found in Faerûn. Larger creatures, including 
  giants and dinosaurs, are laid out on wide tables against 
  the walls. Any creature that looks closely at the ceiling 
  notes that it is covered with brown mold that keeps the 
  area unnaturally cold (see the sidebar). If the mold is hit 
  with fire, it reacts violently, spreading down the walls and 
  onto the floor.
   Undead Guardians. An abjurer watches over this area, 
  assisted by three bodaks to prepare the cadavers used by 
  students. Believing that any intruders must be intent on 
  stealing their precious bodies, these guardians attack 
  at once.
   Hidden Door. A hidden switch behind a stack of 
  cadavers can be found with a successful DC 20 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check. Pulling the switch opens the secret 
  door that leads up to the library (area P6) in Szass Tam’s 
  palace.
  Brown Mold
  Brown mold feeds on warmth, drawing heat from anything 
  around it. A patch of brown mold typically covers a 10-foot 
  square, and the temperature within 30 feet of it is always frigid.
   When a creature moves to within 5 feet of the mold for the 
  first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a DC 
  12 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) cold damage 
  on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
   Brown mold is immune to fire, and any source of fire 
  brought within 5 feet of a patch causes it to instantly expand 
  outward in the direction of the fire, covering a 10-foot-square 
  area (with the source of the fire at the center of that area). 
  A patch of brown mold exposed to an effect that deals cold 
  damage is instantly destroyed.
  
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  Accompanying Valakhod
  While the characters are with Valakhod, no one in 
  Ravensblood Academy questions their presence. Szass Tam’s 
  prize apprentice seems much more at home among the 
  undead than among the living, but can still be manipulated by 
  socially adroit characters into revealing important information 
  with successful DC 18 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or 
  Persuasion) checks.
   Valakhod was the primary caster of the ritual that 
  transformed King Hekaton’s body into a death giant, assisted 
  by Szass Tam and an elder Red Wizard named Trildor Zihial. 
  Valakhod hasn’t seen Trildor since the ritual was completed, 
  though he knows the elder was recently stripped of his power 
  and sent to the dungeons under the Citadel after some sort 
  of disagreement with Szass Tam. He also has no idea who 
  Hekaton was or what the Wyrmskull Throne is, though he 
  knows that records of the rituals performed on the storm 
  giant king would be kept in the headmaster’s office.
  Accompanying Gisa and Geralf
  Gisa and Geralf knew exactly who King Hekaton was when he 
  was brought to Ravensblood Academy, and they’re envious 
  that Szass Tam chose Valakhod instead of one of them to lead 
  the ritual that animated and transformed the king. They can’t 
  be bluffed into telling the characters this information, but 
  might be coerced into revealing it to save their own lives if 
  they are overcome in combat.
   If the two recognize the characters in part 1 of the 
  adventure, they might tease them with hints of what they 
  know to lure them down into the cold storage room and the 
  central lab. See the “Hunted by the Red” sidebar in area P5 of 
  “Szass Tam’s Palace.”
  Captured!
  If the characters were overcome by Thayan forces in 
  part 1 of the adventure, they start part 2 of the adventure 
  here. Describe for the players the process by which their 
  characters were taken into custody, paraded before a 
  jeering crowd, and eventually knocked unconscious to 
  prevent struggle. From there, the characters were taken to 
  the dungeons beneath the Citadel, left to rot with all those 
  who oppose Thayan rule.
   In the dungeons, the still-unconscious characters were 
  found by a gang whose members took the opportunity to 
  relieve them of their gear. Read the following to set the 
  scene as the characters regain consciousness.
  Your return to consciousness brings pain—a rough 
  reminder of the thrashing the Thayans delivered to you. 
  Laughter is the first thing your senses pick up on, followed 
  by the stink of grime and the light of a fire. A voice calls 
  out: “Look at all these new toys we got. Time to take back 
  the block.”
  The characters discover that they have been stripped of 
  their magic items (including magic armor). Each character 
  has two levels of exhaustion but has full hit points and the 
  benefit of having taken a long rest.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Area and Terrain. Savas and her crew have pulled the 
  characters into an abandoned ruin to strip their gear. 
  It’s a 50-foot-long and 35-foot-wide room with 10-foot 
  ceilings. The characters are prone and 30 feet from 
  Savas and her crew when they awaken.
  Lighting. The area is dimly lit by trash fires.
  Stink. While the trash fires provide illumination, they also 
  make everything smell awful.
  Sealed Chute. Above the middle of the area is a chute 
  sealed with a shimmering wall of force (as that created 
  by the spell of the same name). The characters were 
  tossed down this chute from the surface after being 
  captured.
  Creature Information
  Savas the Scarlet (a chaotic evil red abishai) leads the 
  gang who found the characters and their equipment—
  an assassin, an evoker, a war priest of Bane, and a 
  champion.
  
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  Savas the Scarlet
  Chaotic evil red abishai
  Savas is a brutal warlord, and the undisputed master of the 
  dungeons beneath the Citadel.
  What They Want. Savas wants to reclaim territory that she’s 
  lost to other gangs, and to ultimately challenge the Red 
  Wizards for control of the dungeons.
  Driven. Savas has always been a bit of an outcast, but her 
  draconic heritage gives her instinctual cunning and wrath.
   The gang members have already put on and attuned to 
  the characters’ magical equipment, and taken their spell 
  components. The gang’s old equipment and the characters’ 
  nonmagical weapons, gear, and armor lie discarded within 
  20 feet of the characters. The characters can replace any 
  magic armor and weapons with the gang’s scuffed and 
  nonmagical gear, up to a total of 750 gp in value. They can 
  also claim any missing spell components no greater than 
  50 gp in value.
  Playing the Pillars
  You can make use of the following suggestions when 
  running this encounter.
  Exploration. Savas and her crew don’t feel the need to 
  stick around. If the characters start obviously rising 
  up, the gang members quickly flee with their new loot. 
  Characters who play dead or sneak toward the discarded 
  gear might be able to surprise the gang members.
  Social. Savas is a bully at heart, and she delights in 
  humiliating the fallen adventurers. She offers to give 
  each character one random piece of gear back if they get 
  on their knees and beg.
  Combat. The characters can grab the mundane loot and 
  immediately try to stop Savas, but she and her crew 
  have more interest in getting away than getting caught 
  up in a fight.
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  Very Weak. Remove the evoker and the champion.
  Weak. Replace the evoker with a mage and the champion with 
  a gladiator.
  Strong. Replace the champion with a warlord.
  Very Strong. As strong, and add one master thief.
  Savas Now or Savas Later
  If the characters don’t do battle with Savas now—a 
  rough proposition given that they’ve lost their magic and 
  are exhausted—she and her crew appear again in the 
  “Levelers” section of part 3 of the adventure, to give them an 
  opportunity to get their gear back.
  Development
  If the characters attempt to pursue the gang members, 
  they discover that the area around the ruin is a network of 
  deserted twisting alleys and other ruined buildings. The 
  gang members know the area well, and quickly vanish 
  from sight.
  When the encounter is done, the dungeon 
  carriage driver Eurid appears, traveling through 
  the area in search of a fare. (See “The Last Stop” 
  section for information on this helpful NPC.) 
  After introducing himself with the Recognition of a Hero 
  legacy event (as described in “The Last Stop”), Eurid can 
  take the characters to the trading post to recover, gather 
  information, and plan their next move.
  The Word of Recall
  The Word of Recall is a unique magical boutique set within 
  the dungeons, operated by a group of enchanters and 
  illusionists from the Citadel, and offering those condemned 
  to the dungeons a chance to escape their dismal lives for 
  a time—and for a price in coin and memories. The mages 
  who run the Word of Recall use the combined powers of 
  the dream and modify memory spells, unique rituals, and 
  mind-reading undead creatures known as thieves of sanity 
  to give the interred a pleasant escape, even as they gain 
  unfettered access to the secrets their clients have locked 
  in their memories. The mages then sell these secrets 
  to the highest bidder, or sometimes accept payment to 
  purposefully excise and rewrite memories so that they are 
  lost to time forever.
   This second service of the mages is why Szass Tam has 
  sent Trildor Zihial to the Word of Recall. The elder mage 
  knows certain secrets learned while serving the zulkir of 
  necromancy, and Szass Tam has ordered those secrets 
  erased to punish Trildor for disobedience. (See the “Story 
  Objectives” and “Accompanying Valakhod” sidebars in part 
  2 of the adventure). Rescuing Trildor allows the characters 
  to fulfill Story Objective C and grants them a potential ally 
  for part 3 of the adventure.
  Outside
  As the characters approach the Word of Recall, they see 
  that the building is of much better construction than most 
  other structures in the dungeons. Its exterior is painted 
  with lively scenes of tropical delights, underwater ruins, 
  golden pyramids rising above sand dunes, and ominous 
  gothic castles perched above misty fields. A single red iron 
  door is the only visible entrance.
  Area Information
  The interior of the Word of Recall has the following 
  features.
  Fine Décor. The Word of Recall is an island of normalcy 
  in the decrepit environs of the dungeons, set with 
  comfortable furniture and paintings on the walls.
  Paintings. These promotional pieces feature images 
  showcasing faraway destinations such as Chult, Phlan, 
  and Waterdeep. Each is set with slogans such as, “Have 
  the adventure you’ve always dreamed of!” and, “Don’t let 
  this opportunity to be a Masked Lord pass you by!”
  Scented Candles. These provide the sickly sweet aroma of 
  flowers, fresh linen, and other scents meant to create a 
  relaxing air.
  Lighting. The main areas of the building are brightly lit by 
  magical lanterns. In the treatment areas, the lanterns are 
  shrouded to fill each room with dim light.
  
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  Creature Information
  The enchanters and archmages who operate the Word 
  of Recall are assisted by a number of shadow dancer 
  orderlies, as well as mind-reading undead creatures known 
  as thieves of sanity. These enchanters are especially slick 
  and personable. See the sidebar in the enchanter entry in 
  the “Creature Statistics” section.
  E1. Entrance Lounge
  Beyond the front door, a large lobby is set with a long desk.
  Two Thayan apprentices are waiting in the chairs for 
  appointments when the characters arrive. Assuming the 
  characters are openly armed, the apprentices give them 
  suspicious looks but cause no trouble.
   Hard Sell. Behind the desk sits Navarra, a neutral good 
  Rashemi halfling enchanter. She has dark hair and wears 
  adventuring gear that has clearly not seen any use.
  Navarra
  Neutral good Rashemi halfling enchanter.
  This charming and bubbly halfling works the front desk at the 
  Word of Recall.
  What They Want. Navarra genuinely seeks to provide relief 
  to those who suffer in the dungeons below the Citadel, 
  and sees nothing but good in the services the Word of 
  Recall provides. That said, she is keen to weed out the 
  merely curious from those who have the coin to afford the 
  fantastic journeys on offer.
  I’ve Got a Bridge to Sell You. Navarra’s charming ways are all 
  meant to entice guests to pay hundreds or even thousands 
  of gold pieces to experience delights they can only barely 
  conceive of, all while staying perfectly safe.
   Navarra begins with the company line, including asking 
  about the characters and where they want to go. She 
  describes the benefits of the Word of Recall as: “Take 
  a vacation, be a hero, all without leaving the dungeons 
  or having any real danger! Your mind won’t know the 
  difference!” Appropriate roleplaying and a successful DC 
  18 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) 
  check—or a 100 gp down payment—is enough to impress 
  upon Navarra that the characters aren’t seeking run-of-the-
  mill entertainment, and are worth being sent on to Skemp 
  in area E2.
  E2. Treatment Area
  Beyond the entrance lounge, a broad hallway opens up, with 
  a number of doors leading to small rooms, and a desk set in 
  a large open space at center. When the characters first enter 
  this area, they catch a glimpse of a “satisfied client”:
  The area beyond the entrance lounge is a large open 
  space with four smaller rooms within it. A pale, hairless 
  humanoid in clean white robes is in the process of leading 
  a disheveled-looking, mumbling human through the door 
  of one of those rooms. As the door closes, the human’s 
  faint words carry to you. “No, no … I have to remember … 
  remember Hekaton … remember Hekaton …”
  An aasimar in brilliant golden robes turns toward your 
  group as you are spotted. “Oh, don’t mind him. He just 
  had the trip of a lifetime to Maelstrom, the storm giant 
  citadel. Such a wondrous place that he’s already keen to 
  go back. How can I help you go on the journey you’ve 
  always wanted?”
  Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score 
  of 15 or higher notices that the mumbling human showed 
  signs of burn marks on their head and arms.
   Helpful Staff. Skemp (a neutral evil aasimar) leads the 
  characters to the central desk to talk to them. He uses the 
  archmage stat block with this change:
  • He has hypnotic pattern prepared instead of 
  lightning bolt.
   As the characters follow, they see another enchanter 
  through the open door of one of the area’s four treatment 
  rooms, implanting and withdrawing memories from a 
  serene-looking elf. Three orderlies (shadow dancers) 
  work at a table across from the desk, assembling ritual 
  components.
   The characters also catch a glimpse of an undead 
  thief of sanity slipping under the closed door and into 
  the room where the disheveled human was taken. Any 
  character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 
  or higher can hear groans and occasional wailing coming 
  from that room.
   Skemp’s Desk. The central desk can provide half cover 
  in combat, and contains detailed records of all of the Word 
  of Recall’s clients—including confirmation that Trildor 
  Zihial is here.
   Treatment Rooms. Three of this area’s four treatment 
  rooms are presently occupied—by a dwarf seeking to 
  forget an unhappy life, an elf wanting to revisit her past in 
  Waterdeep, and Trildor.
  Skemp
  Neutral evil aasimar archmage
  Skemp is a practitioner of powerful magic, and a true believer 
  in better living through magical memory modification.
  What They Want. Skemp looks for any opportunity to help 
  the characters, seeing that as the means of gaining potent 
  memories that can be marketed as future vacations.
  We Can Take You Anywhere. Though he has never left Thay, 
  Skemp has experienced many of the most dangerous and 
  exciting places of Faerûn through others’ memories.
  Trildor’s Treatment
  In his treatment room, Trildor Zihial is exhausted as a thief 
  of sanity floats above him, draining his intelligence and 
  memories away. Once the undead creature is dealt with, 
  Trildor slowly regains his senses and can speak with the 
  characters.
  
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  Trildor Zihial
  Neutral good human noble
  A former noble and Red Wizard, Trildor Zihial has always 
  wanted what is best for Thay to grow and thrive—leading 
  him to frequently clash with other nobles and even zulkirs. 
  Outplayed by Szass Tam, he now finds himself condemned to 
  the dungeons under the Citadel, and given over to the mages 
  of the Word of Recall to have his memory purged.
  What they Want. Trildor has always opposed Szass Tam’s rule 
  over Thay, preferring that the Red Wizards take a stance 
  that furthers magical study without antagonizing the rest 
  of Faerûn.
  Lost and Forgotten. Trildor’s Thayan tattoos have been burned 
  away, and the services of the Word of Recall have removed 
  decades of memory from him already. However, he retains 
  fragmented chunks of critical information.
   Playing the Pillars. You can make use of the following 
  suggestions when running this encounter.
  Exploration. While one or more characters engage Skemp, 
  other stealthy characters can follow the sound of moaning 
  into Trildor’s room with relative ease. There, they find the 
  former Red Wizard wide-eyed and dazed as his memories 
  are stolen. If the thief of sanity can be dealt with quickly 
  and quietly, it won’t alert the other staff. If a fight goes 
  more than 1 round, the undead uses its next action to 
  flee and alert the enchanters and orderlies. If Skemp or 
  Navarra become involved, they do all they can to keep 
  Trildor confined, fearing the wrath of Szass Tam.
  Social. Given that the characters represent a huge windfall 
  of potential memory material to be mined, Skemp is 
  eager to deal with them. In exchange for some of the 
  characters’ most exciting memories, he can conveniently 
  arrange for Trildor to be left unguarded so the characters 
  can escape with him. This painful procedure leaves 
  gaps in the characters memories, which Skemp fills 
  with some of the Word of Recall’s Maelstrom memory 
  program (one of his favorites). Each character gains 
  indefinite madness taking the form of a new flaw: “I’m a 
  storm giant stuck in a smallfolk body.” This flaw can be 
  removed only by a wish spell or divine intervention.
  Combat. The enclosed spaces of the Word of Recall 
  make for a tricky fight. Skemp uses hypnotic pattern 
  freely, trying to incapacitate as many characters as 
  possible, with Navarra using hold person on lone 
  characters. The orderlies 
  know to stay out of the way of 
  Skemp’s magic, then move in to 
  focus on incapacitated foes.
  Rescuing Trildor
  Once Trildor Zihial is found and freed from the thief of 
  sanity, he begs the adventurers for assistance. Any talk 
  of King Hekaton or the Wyrmskull Throne leads him to 
  quickly offer a deal: if the characters get him out of the 
  Word of Recall, Trildor will tell them everything he knows 
  about Hekaton’s transformation, Szass Tam’s plans for the 
  dead giant, and the fate of the Wyrmskull Throne.
   Characters who talk about wanting to leave the dungeons 
  also inspire Trildor to offer to guide them to the sarrukh 
  ruins deep under the Citadel—the easiest way to get out 
  of the dungeons and back to the surface world. If the 
  characters take Trildor with them, refer to the “Trildor’s 
  Aid” sidebars in part 3 of the adventure.
  Hekaton’s Fate
  When the characters escape the Word of Recall with 
  Trildor, he gives them the following information:
  Though he knows he’s safe, Trildor clutches his head and 
  rubs his fingers over the burn scars where his Thayan 
  tattoos once were. “So much is lost … I can’t remember 
  my wife’s face or the names of my children. But I still 
  know this to be true: for there to be peace in Thay, Szass 
  Tam must be overthrown. And that means we must find 
  Hekaton. Something … happened to the storm giant. I 
  don’t remember what. But he serves Szass Tam now, and 
  has been sent to the Cloakwood, south of Baldur’s Gate. 
  For that’s where Tam believes the Cult of the Dragon have 
  taken the Wyrmskull Throne.”
  Learning this information from Trildor allows the 
  characters to complete Story Objective C.
   Trildor doesn’t remember what was done to Hekaton, 
  but he knows there are records of the procedure in the 
  headmaster’s office of Ravensblood Academy. If the 
  characters haven’t already gone there, he can take them to 
  the secret door that leads into the library (area N4) in the 
  “Ravensblood Academy” section.
  Development
  With the information from Trildor, the characters 
  can either allow him to join their group or let him 
  make his own way to freedom. If the characters 
  allow Trildor to remain with them, they have a 
  chance to gain the Liberator legacy event if he survives 
  through part 3 of the adventure.
  Finishing Up
  Once the adventurers have obtained both Story Objective 
  B and Story Objective C in this part of the adventure, they 
  can begin plotting their escape. Proceed to part 3.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Estimated Duration: 120 minutes
  In possession of all the information they came for, the 
  characters must now make their way out of one of Thay’s 
  most dangerous dungeons. Escaping the Citadel and 
  Thaymount is Story Objective D. Zehira reminds the 
  characters of this if they look as though they’re going to get 
  tangled up in unnecessary conflicts.
  Playing This Section On Its Own
  If you are playing this part of the adventure without having 
  played parts 1 and 2, explain to the players that their 
  characters’ daring plan to get into the dungeons beneath 
  the Citadel and obtain information vital to Princess Serissa 
  succeeded—but that saving Faerûn from the newest 
  Thayan threat means the characters must now escape to 
  deliver that information. The characters start out at the Last 
  Stop, a ramshackle trading post that serves as a center of 
  information and trade in the dungeons beneath the Citadel.
   Before beginning this part of the adventure, be sure to 
  read the “Overview” and “Legacy Events” sections in the 
  “Adventure Primer” section, and “Appendix 2: DM’s Setting 
  Information.” You might also find “Appendix 1: Adventure 
  Flowchart” useful.
  Why Don’t We Just Leave the Way We Came In?
  If the characters return to Ravensblood Academy or the Last 
  Stop, they find that their activities in the dungeons have 
  attracted enough notice that both the supply tunnel and the 
  secret passage in the academy leading to Szass Tam’s palace 
  have been sealed off.
  Have to Go Deeper
  As the characters exit from their previous area, they find 
  the tiefling fortuneteller Sharade Quilbax waiting for 
  them, either with Eurid if the characters procured the 
  carriage driver’s services, or in a deserted stretch of tunnel. 
  See “The Last Stop” in part 2 of the adventure for more 
  information on these NPCs.
  Clad in flamboyant peacock-feather adorned robes, the 
  tiefling fortuneteller Sharade approaches your group. “I 
  had a vision, telling me that you’ve found what you came 
  for. Now the powers above and below want me to help 
  you escape.”
  Sharade reveals that they are an agent of Zulkir Damond, 
  who sees the potential for the characters to cause grief for 
  Szass Tam and to disrupt the balance of power among the 
  zulkirs to his own advantage. Damond has sent Sharade a 
  vision of how to escape the dungeons, though doing so will 
  be difficult.
  Trildor’s Aid
  If Trildor Zihial is with the characters, he can share that 
  Sharade is a pawn of a zulkir who opposes Szass Tam. He 
  knows that the tiefling can be trusted as an enemy of the 
  party’s enemy.
   Sharade shares that their vision had the following 
  portents, which they believe point to the route the 
  characters must take:
  The characters prowling among mighty beasts. Sharade 
  takes this to mean the characters must pass through the 
  territories of dangerous dungeon gangs.
  A great battle among fire and steel, passing through 
  the jaws of a great beast. On the far side of gang 
  territory, great and terrible constructs called levelers 
  roam the dungeons, destroying everything in their 
  path—another way in which the Thayans instill fear in 
  those condemned to these levels. Sharade foresees the 
  characters clashing among the flames with a draconic 
  humanoid (Savas the Scarlet, though the diviner does 
  not know that).
  The adventurers descending among the bones of ancient 
  serpents. Past the constructs are the ancient ruins of the 
  sarrukh—the long-lost civilization that excavated beneath 
  Thaymount and built the Citadel. Trildor knows that the 
  Red Wizards have largely left the ruins alone, meaning 
  the characters should be able to explore there without 
  fear of being pursued by patrols.
  Sunlight. A final vision of sunlight seemed to suggest that 
  there must be some way out to the surface from the 
  sarrukh ruins, though Sharade does not know where 
  that exit is.
   Sharade is willing to guide the characters as far as they 
  can. The characters have time to make any necessary 
  preparations before they begin.
  But My Stuff!
  For characters who played the “Captured!” section of part 
  2 and lost their magic items, Sharade adds a note to the 
  vision of fire and steel. The diviner speaks of seeing a storm 
  of fire stripping the weapons and armor from the draconic 
  humanoid, and promises that the characters will have a 
  chance for justice.
  Development
  The characters can prepare for their departure as they 
  see fit, within the limitations on rests and equipment for 
  purchase established in “The Last Stop” section in part 2. 
  When ready, proceed to “Wrong Side of Town.”
  Part 3: You Can Check Out but 
  Part 3: You Can Check Out but 
  You Can Never Leave
  You Can Never Leave
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Wrong Side of Town
  The first stage of the characters’ journey out of the 
  dungeons sees them pass through gang territory—either 
  stealthily, or being chased.
  When the characters are ready, Sharade gathers with them. 
  “The outlying areas of the dungeons should be relatively 
  easy, but when we get farther out, we’ll pass through areas 
  where Savas and Landarai are fighting for control. All the 
  members of these groups were adventurers once, just 
  like you. And being condemned down here hasn’t dulled 
  their skills.”
  Sharade can share that Savas is a red dragonborn, and 
  that Landarai (who the characters have not yet heard of) 
  is some kind of fiery elf. (The diviner is misinformed about 
  Savas, and characters who have met her can confirm that 
  she is an abishai.)
  Trildor’s Aid
  If Trildor Zihial is with the party, he knows of a collapsed 
  passage that the Thayans use to get past this area and 
  directly to the territory of the levelers. However, the tunnel 
  isn’t large enough for Eurid’s undead carriage, Nazrohi. Eurid 
  bids farewell to the characters and stays in the dungeons, 
  unwilling to leave his vehicle and friend behind. Proceed to 
  the “End of the Line” section.
   If the characters have Eurid with them, Nazrohi the 
  centipede carriage isn’t able to stealthily move through the 
  ruins. Proceed to “Eurid’s Undoing.” If the characters go on 
  foot, proceed to “Crawling in the Dark” below.
  Eurid’s Undoing
  With the party on board, Eurid expertly guides his undead 
  carriage along the tops of the ruins, avoiding patrols on the 
  streets below. Read the following to set the scene:
  “Don’t worry,” Eurid says. “I take fares out here all the 
  time. We’ve got an understanding—” But the driver’s 
  assurances are cut off by a javelin that flies through the air 
  and punches into Nazrohi, the undead centipede carriage.
  Nazrohi’s balance shifts precariously as more projectiles 
  impact into the centipede’s animated corpse. Eurid 
  screams, “We’re going down!”
  The carriage comes crashing down, and everyone within 
  takes 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage from the fall. In the 
  aftermath, the characters can see that Eurid has taken a 
  javelin to the heart, lying dead in their doppelganger form 
  and clutching the reins of Nazrohi. The monstrous undead 
  centipede has already begun to rot and fall apart.
   Squads of local toughs are moving toward where the 
  party fell, and Zehira urges the characters to run. A 
  successful DC 15 group Strength (Athletics) check is 
  enough to escape the agitated gang fighters. On a failed 
  check, each character takes 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage 
  from stumbling and crashing through rubble.
   As the characters continue on, proceed with “Crawling in 
  the Dark.”
  Crawling in the Dark
  To continue through gang territory, the characters must 
  succeed on a DC 20 group Dexterity (Stealth) check to 
  move unnoticed among desolate rubble, then succeed 
  on a DC 18 group Wisdom (Survival) check to navigate 
  away from the most dangerous areas. Characters who 
  engage in clever roleplay, come up with helpful ideas, or 
  have an appropriate background (such as the urchin) have 
  advantage on these checks. Clever use of spells might grant 
  automatic successes, at your determination.
   The party’s overall success in this section depends on the 
  results of the group checks:
  Two Successes. If the characters succeed on both group 
  checks, they make it through the area without incident.
  One Success. If the characters succeed on one check, they 
  are either noticed and have to outrun gang pursuit, or 
  they lose their way and waste hours traversing the ruins 
  to get back on course. In the end, the characters make it 
  safely out of the area, but each character gains one level 
  of exhaustion.
  Two Failures. If the characters fail both group checks, 
  they are chased through the streets and empty buildings 
  by feral gang members, taking 21 (6d6) bludgeoning 
  damage from thrown rocks and pushing through 
  narrow egresses. Each character also gains one level of 
  exhaustion.
   When the characters’ group checks have been resolved, 
  continue with “End of the Line.”
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  End of the Line
  When the characters emerge from gang territory, read the 
  following to set the scene:
  The first stage of your journey is behind you, but ahead 
  lies a terrible sight. Colossal constructs stomp across 
  the tunnel floors, smashing everything before them. 
  Their flaming gargantuan maws then suck up any rubble 
  or debris in their way, creating a horrid grinding sound 
  within them.
  In front of the constructs, dozens of gang members 
  are in the midst of a deadly showdown. One side is led 
  by a savage red abishai, while the other responds to the 
  commands of an elegant, fiery elf.
  The characters must first pass through the gang battlefield 
  to reach the leveler constructs, and there’s no cover in 
  sight. The dozens of members of both gangs make far too 
  many foes to fight, and Zehira urges the characters not to 
  rush headlong into a battle.
   If the characters played the “Captured!” section of part 2 
  and are eager to slay Savas to get their gear back, Sharade 
  cautions them that the time will come for justice—they just 
  need to wait a little longer.
   The most obvious options for the characters include the 
  following:
  Fight. If the characters insist on fighting, these hardened 
  gang warriors—many of whom are former adventurers 
  of the characters’ own power level—quickly overwhelm 
  them. Tell the players that the characters realize they 
  are in over their heads, but can avoid a total-party-kill 
  scenario by having each character take 55 (10d10) 
  slashing damage. The players are then free to pick one 
  of the other options below—but each character can draw 
  on their battle fury to gain advantage for the first group 
  check.
  Make a Hole! A group Charisma (Deception or 
  Intimidation) check can distract or give the gang 
  members pause long enough for the characters to move 
  through the fight and run at the levelers. If the group 
  check is a success at DC 20, the party gets through 
  unscathed. If the group check is a success at DC 15, the 
  party gets through but each character takes 22 (4d10) 
  slashing damage. If the group check fails to beat DC 
  15, the characters get through but each one takes 55 
  (10d10) slashing damage.
  Flee. With a group Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity 
  (Stealth) check, the characters can attempt to run or 
  bob-and-weave through the melee. If the group check is 
  a success at DC 20, the characters do so safely. If the 
  group check is a success at DC 15, the characters get 
  through, but each one takes 22 (4d10) slashing damage. 
  If the group check fails to beat DC 15, the characters get 
  through but each one takes 55 (10d10) slashing damage.
  Flight. If the characters fly over the battle, both gangs turn 
  to launch thrown weapons and crossbow bolts at them. 
  Each character makes it over the fight, but takes 55 
  (10d10) piercing damage.
   If the players have other suggestions for getting past the 
  fight, use the preceding options as guidelines for creating 
  ability checks and dealing damage in response. Magic or 
  special abilities might grant advantage on one or more 
  characters’ checks, or even grant automatic successes.
  Development
  As the characters rush toward the fury of the levelers, 
  the gang members cease their pursuit for fear of the 
  destructive machines—but from the edge of the fray, Savas 
  roars out and gives chase. If the characters were captured 
  and played through the “Captured!” section of part 2 of the 
  adventure, read or paraphrase the following:
  Savas the Scarlet yells after you: “I should have killed 
  you when I had the chance. Nobody gets out of here. 
  I’ll slay you with your own weapons in payment for your 
  insolence!”
   Proceed with “Levelers.”
  Levelers
  Along the edges of gang territory, huge constructs created 
  by the Red Wizards rend apart the tunnels of the dungeons 
  to leave only rubble behind. In the area the characters must 
  pass through, the levelers all but fill the tunnels they are 
  chewing through. But though the characters might have a 
  chance to push past the constructs, their diviner guide has 
  other ideas:
  “In my vision, we pass through the beast,” Sharade 
  calls. “In the mouth and then to darkness!” In response, 
  Zehira takes the lead, rushing into the fiery mouth of the 
  massive machine!
  As the characters rush into the mouth, Sharade disappears 
  as the diviner is teleported out of danger by her patron, 
  Zulkir Damond. Any character with a passive Wisdom 
  (Perception) score of 15 or higher, or who succeeds on a 
  DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, can tell that Sharade is 
  surprised and anguished to be pulled away.
   The remaining characters are followed into the leveler by 
  the leaders of the two warring gangs.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features. A map of the mouth of 
  the leveler is available in appendix 8.
  Dimensions and Terrain. The mouth of the leveler is 30 
  feet wide, 60 feet long, and 20 feet high.
  Debris. Large chunks of debris are scattered within the 
  area of the mouth, and provide half cover.
  Intense Heat. The heat within the mouth is so strong that 
  it overcomes any resistance to fire damage for creatures 
  or objects. Creatures and objects immune to fire damage 
  are unaffected.
  Lighting. Jets of flame provide bright light in this area.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Flame Jets. The leveler’s flame jets are activated in three 
  zones, marked on the map as 1, 2 and 3. On initiative 
  count 0 each round, one 20-foot-long and 10-foot-wide 
  section of your choice within the area is blasted with 
  flame, starting with area 3 and counting down, then 
  repeating. Each creature in the area of the flames must 
  make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) 
  damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage 
  on a successful one. The jets set to go off in the next area 
  glow with an intense light during the previous round, in a 
  way noticeable to all characters.
  Crushing Gears. Opposite the mouth entrance are a series 
  of crushing gears that grind apart anything they touch. 
  Any creature that comes into contact with the gears for 
  the first time on a turn or ends its turn in their area takes 
  55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage.
  Locked Door. On the far side of the leveler’s mouth is a 
  sealed access door that leads out of the construct and 
  into the tunnel around it. Opening the door requires a 
  successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check followed 
  by two successful DC 22 Dexterity checks using thieves’ 
  tools, each of which requires an action. Zehira takes 
  this task on while the characters face off against their 
  enemies unless told otherwise. She spends the first two 
  turns using the artifact power of the Iltkazar Scepter 
  to succeed on the Intelligence (Arcana) check without 
  needing to roll.
  Trildor’s Aid
  If Trildor Zihial is with the party, he focuses on opening the 
  door while Zehira protects him. He automatically succeeds 
  on each roll to open the door.
  Creature Information
  As she pursues the characters, Savas the Scarlet (a red 
  abishai) is accompanied by her second-in-command 
  Mardani the Cruel (an iron golem). Landarai the Flame 
  (a summer eladrin) and their trusty comrade Dharxes (a 
  tiefling firecaller) are close behind. Both gang bosses want 
  to claim the characters’ heads for themselves, but they are 
  willing to work together to accomplish this.
  Time to Get Even
  If the characters lost gear in the “Captured!” section of part 
  2 and did not regain it, Savas and Mardani have all that gear, 
  which can be reclaimed after the battle. Spice things up by 
  describing the evil characters using the heroes’ own tools 
  against them.
  Playing the Pillars
  You can make use of the following suggestions when 
  running this encounter.
  Combat. Savas begins with her Incite Fanaticism action, 
  even begrudgingly empowering Landarai and Dharxes. 
  She wears a cape of the mountebank and uses it to 
  attack more vulnerable characters. Mardani does all 
  they can to stay in the fire jets, allowing the flame to heal 
  them each round. Landarai uses their fey step to close 
  the distance toward mages and clerics and escape the 
  wrath of defenders, ignoring the flame jets with their 
  immunity to fire damage (see the “Summer’s Chosen” 
  sidebar at the summer eladrin entry in the “Creature 
  Statistics” section). Dharxes moves to stay in the area of 
  the flame jets, taking advantage of his immunity while he 
  provides artillery support.
  Exploration. Characters particularly eager to get out can 
  either use the Help action or take over for Zehira and 
  Trildor (if present) to get the door open faster. Once the 
  door is open, the characters discover a smooth stone 
  opening up in the surrounding tunnel. Their enemies 
  aren’t willing to follow into the unknown.
  Social. Savas and Landarai’s alliance against the characters 
  is tenuous at best. A character can capitalize on this with 
  suitable roleplaying and a DC 18 Charisma (Deception) 
  check. A successful check undermines the accord 
  between the two, causing each to direct one or more of 
  their attacks at the other in the following round. After 
  that, they resume cooperating unless undermined again.
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  Very Weak. Mardani is a fire elemental myrmidon and 
  Dharxes is a warlock of the fiend. Savas does not use her 
  Incite Fanaticism action, preferring to focus on direct 
  attacks.
  Weak. Mardani is a chain devil and Dharxes is an evoker who 
  is immune to fire, and who has used all his 5th- and 6th-
  level spell slots.
  Strong. Savas and Landarai are both under the effect of the 
  mind blank and haste spells.
  Very Strong. As strong, plus Landarai drinks a potion of 
  invulnerability just before the fight and Savas is under the 
  effect of foresight instead of haste.
  Treasure
  Savas has a cape of the mountebank that can be claimed 
  by the characters. The characters also regain all of their 
  equipment that was stolen in the “Captured!” section of 
  part 2. If the characters had a bag of holding or similar 
  magical storage, Mardani carries it, and any gear not 
  used by them or Savas is discovered stowed within. If the 
  characters did not, Mardani has an extradimensional space 
  built into their body, which ejects the characters’ gear when 
  the golem is reduced to 0 hit points.
  Development
  After escaping the leveler’s mouth, the characters must flee 
  from the construct. Close to the point where they emerge 
  into the tunnel, a smooth stone chute opens up, leading 
  down into a visible section of cavern below the destruction 
  the levelers leave behind them. This lower cavern leads 
  directly into the sarrukh ruins.
  Things Left Behind
  In the sarrukh ruins, the characters must pay tribute to 
  long-forgotten gods to secure passage out of the depths 
  beneath the Citadel.
   The bottom of the chute that opens up beneath the leveler 
  is a broad cavern filled with truly ancient debris. Fragments 
  and remnants of sarrukh culture are scattered throughout 
  mundane rubble, with carvings on them depicting serpent-
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  like humanoids holding dominion over amphibians, winged 
  folk, elves, and humans. A character with proficiency in the 
  History skill recognizes those five peoples as the so-called 
  creator races who dominated Faerûn millennia ago. The 
  style of the carvings here is of the ancient sarrukh—the 
  serpentine people who were the progenitors of the yuan-ti, 
  the nagas, and the lizardfolk.
  The Sarrukh
  The creator races are the ancient races of Faerûn, whose 
  empires dominated the continent more than thirty-five 
  thousand years ago. The Sarrukh Empire was the first to 
  hold dominion over these lands, but was succeeded by the 
  batrachi (originators of bullywugs, doppelgangers, kopru, and 
  other amphibious folk) and then by the aearee (originators 
  of the aarakocra and kenku). The sarrukh left this plane in 
  search of other conquests ages before even the elves had 
  become civilized enough to record history.
   As the characters explore, they feel subtle currents of 
  fresh air that tell them they are close to an opening to the 
  surface. Following that breeze, they come upon a still-
  standing temple whose ancient wall stands between them 
  and the access point to the world outside.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Dimensions and Terrain. The temple’s central worship 
  chamber is 40 feet square by 20 feet high.
  Fresco. Each wall of the temple is adorned with frescoes, 
  though all but one have been ravaged by time. See 
  appendix 14A for the remaining fresco.
  Dragon Statues. Four twenty-foot-high statues of 
  dragons—black, white, red, and blue—loom over the 
  center of the temple. Low on the belly of each of the 
  dragons (at head height for a Medium creature) is a 
  symbol, with four recessed square indentations below it. 
  Give the players the handout of appendix 14F to show 
  them the symbols and help them visualize this setup.
  Cubes of Worship. In the center of the worship chamber 
  is a basin holding four fist-sized cubes. The cubes have 
  strange symbols on them that match the marks on the 
  fresco. See appendix 14B through 14E for the papercraft 
  cubes.
  Fresh Air. Characters can feel a slight breeze from the 
  other side of the wall bearing the single fresco, carrying 
  the fresh scent of the world outside.
  Magic from the Time Before. Ancient and 
  incomprehensible sarrukh magic acts as an antimagic 
  field throughout the whole temple. This effect cannot be 
  dispelled.
  Passage of the Ancients
  The fresco shown in appendix 14A shows the symbols of 
  the four elements needed to pay reverence to the ancient 
  spirits and reveal the passage out.
   The Dragons’ Puzzle. The characters must place the 
  cubes into the indentation of the dragon matching the 
  symbols, as guided by the fresco. Each dragon requires 
  all four cubes to be used. For instance, the Red Dragon 
  symbol is 
   , so the characters should find every pairing 
  on the fresco with 
  , check to see which symbols from 
  those pairings are on their cubes, and arrange the cubes in 
  the indentations with those symbols showing. For the Red 
  Dragon, this means they find the symbols 
  , 
   , 
  , 
  , and 
  . Examining the cubes, they see they lack 
   
  , so they arrange the cubes as in any order to solve the 
  red dragon.
   After a dragon’s cubes are entered correctly, the statue 
  mechanically shifts to bow to the characters, then ejects the 
  cubes onto the floor. Answers to the puzzle are available in 
  appendix 4.
   Displeasing the Ancient Spirits. Each time the 
  characters get a combination wrong, the cubes which were 
  correctly placed glow with energy before all the cubes are 
  ejected from the alcoves to fall onto the floor. The terrible 
  hissing sound of a great serpent rises as the entire temple 
  is filled with a blast of energy, of a type dependent on the 
  dragon the incorrect cubes were placed within—fire from 
  the red dragon, lightning (for air) from the blue dragon, 
  cold (for water) from the white dragon, or acid (for earth) 
  from the black dragon. The punishment begins as 22 
  (4d10) damage of the element in question, but increases 
  to 55 (10d10) damage after the second failure, then 99 
  (18d10) damage after the third failure. This damage toll 
  resets back to 22 (4d10) each time the characters attempt a 
  different element, either because they have completed one 
  element or because they switch to a different dragon statue.
  Trildor’s Aid
  Trildor Zihial sadly finds many holes in his memories when it 
  comes to this puzzle, but he can offer hints as needed.
  
  Development
  After the last combination of cubes is successfully set and 
  the last dragon bows, the cubes return to the basin and 
  a grinding noise of stone on stone rises. The temple wall 
  opens to reveal a rough-hewn passageway, down which a 
  fresh breeze flows.
   Free of the dungeons beneath the Citadel, the characters 
  can take a short or long rest in the tunnel. Zehira suggests 
  this if none of the players do, reminding them that they 
  have no idea where they’re going to come out.
  Thayan Ambush
  Even throughout all the trouble the characters got up to 
  before entering the dungeons beneath Thaymount, they 
  have managed to avoid drawing the attention of Szass 
  Tam, ruler of Thay—but no more. When Zulkir Damond 
  used his magic to teleport Sharade away from danger 
  in the “Levelers” encounter, Szass Tam became aware 
  of it through the wards controlling teleportation in the 
  dungeons. Focusing in on the area allowed him to see the 
  characters and follow their progress down into the sarrukh 
  ruins. At the same time, he has used his resources to learn 
  some of their purpose in coming to Thay—and means now 
  to teach the characters a permanent lesson regarding what 
  happens to those who try to cross him.
  The breeze picks up the farther you go down the tunnel, 
  and at long last, you see a light. Sunlight touches the base 
  of a rockfall. Freedom is only a short climb away.
  Climbing up the 30-foot-high rockfall requires a successful 
  DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Be sure to ask for an 
  order as the characters climb or ascend in other ways. 
  When half or more of the party members have reached the 
  top, an illusion of Szass Tam appears above them, created 
  by a project image spell.
  Just as you emerge from the darkness of the final tunnels 
  beneath the Citadel and into sunlight, the air shifts—and 
  floating above you is the ghastly figure of the dread zulkir 
  of necromancy, Szass Tam.
  “Well. Friends of Damond’s pet diviner, are you? Brazen 
  enough to come to my domain uninvited? Resourceful 
  enough to have escaped from the dungeons? Powerful 
  enough to be a threat, perhaps. So that threat ends here.”
  Even as the illusion speaks, a Thayan strike team teleports 
  in to surprise the characters.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Dimensions and Terrain. The area where the characters 
  emerge from the tunnel is a stretch of grassland slope. 
  A few bushes and ruined walls in the area provide half 
  cover.
  Lighting. The characters emerge by day into bright 
  sunlight.
  Creature Information
  The Thayan strike team includes an archmage, a warlord, 
  a boneclaw, and a sword wraith commander. They are 
  here with the sole intention of slaying the characters 
  and any NPCs with them. The Thayans focus first on the 
  characters, and then on any NPCs present.
  Scry and Fry
  The strike team has information on the characters’ relevant 
  abilities, and its members have prepared the following 
  tactics before the fight begins:
  • The archmage has already cast mirror image and 
  mind blank on himself, and has taken a potion of 
  invulnerability to gain resistance to all damage. He 
  uses his first action to cast forcecage on the most 
  powerful martial character present (focusing on fighters, 
  barbarians, and paladins).
  • The archmage also has a unique contingency spell cast 
  upon him by Szass Tam, which works differently 
  than the normal version of that spell. The first time 
  the counterspell spell is cast against the archmage, 
  his unique contingency spell is triggered, and the 
  caster of counterspell is immediately targeted by a 
  banishment spell (save DC 20).
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  • The warlord has had foresight cast upon her. Her first 
  action is an attack on a lightly armored character.
  • The boneclaw is under the effect of a haste spell. The 
  creature unleashes its piercing claw against another 
  lightly armored character.
  • The sword wraith commander uses its Call to Honor 
  action as soon as it takes damage, calling four sword 
  wraith warriors around the most heavily armored 
  character.
   These details also appear as sidebars in the “Creature 
  Statistics” section.
   Unless the characters have a weapon of warning, the 
  alertness feat, or another way to avoid surprise, they cannot 
  react to the sudden appearance of the strike team. If any 
  character triggers an effect to avoid being surprised, be 
  sure that the rules for that effect are followed (such as only 
  characters within 30 feet of the wielder enjoying the benefit 
  of a weapon of warning).
  Legacy Event 
  – Hunted by the Red
  Each strike team member has advantage on 
  attack rolls against any character with the 
  Hunted by the Red story award, and advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other effects used by that 
  character.
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  Very Weak. Replace the archmage with a necromancer, 
  the warlord with a champion, and the boneclaw with a 
  tyrannosaurus zombie.
  Weak. Replace the archmage with a necromancer and the 
  boneclaw with a tyrannosaurus zombie.
  Strong and Very Strong. Replace the archmage with Szass 
  Tam’s simulacrum.
  Development
  If the characters survive the strike team, they face no 
  other challenge in Thay. They are watched closely through 
  scrying but are allowed to leave the country.
  Wrap-Up
  Following the characters’ escape, they can return to 
  Princess Serissa and share what they have learned. The 
  princess is deeply saddened to learn the fate of her father, 
  but remains more resolute than ever that those who 
  attacked Maelstrom must pay. She entreats the characters 
  to proceed at once to the Cloakwood—where they are to 
  locate and retrieve the Wyrmskull Throne.
  Rewards
  At the end of the session, the characters receive rewards 
  based upon their accomplishments.
  Character Rewards
  The characters earn the following rewards:
  Advancement
  A character participating in this adventure gains one level. 
  Players must tick the box to show this reward has been 
  claimed.
  Optional: Declining Advancement
  Each player can decline advancement if they so choose, 
  gaining potential benefits. It’s possible that a player might 
  want their character to not advance outside of an adventure’s 
  level range, meaning that they’d be unable to play the 
  adventure as planned. Similarly, advancing too quickly means 
  that a character won’t earn as much gold as their peers.
   Conversely, remind the players that the amount of gold 
  their characters can earn per level is limited. Characters 
  declining advancement might reach a point where they no 
  longer earn gold.
  Gold
  Award each character gold for each hour of the session. 
  Adventures typically feature cues for where this treasure 
  appears, but you can add it wherever you see fit. The 
  maximum gold that you can award a character per hour is 
  determined by their tier, as follows:
  Tier
  Hourly GP Award
  GP Limit per Level
  1
  20 gp
  80 gp
  2
  30 gp
  240 gp
  3
  200 gp
  1,600 gp
  4
  750 gp
  6,000 gp
  Magic Items
  The characters can keep the following magic items 
  (described in appendix 15, “Character Rewards”) if they are 
  found during the adventure:
  • Cape of the mountebank
  • Horn of silent alarm
  • Potion of superior healing
  • Potion of vitality (2)
  • Spell scroll of forcecage
  • Spell scroll of mass cure wounds
  • Spell tile of teleport
  • Staff of frost
  Legacy Events
  The characters can gain the following legacy event in this 
  adventure.
  Liberator. You rescued the Thayan political prisoner 
  Trildor Zihial from the dungeons beneath the Citadel, 
  and he survived to tell the tale. He owes you his life and 
  swears to dedicate his freedom to continuing to oppose 
  Szass Tam’s tyrannical rule over Thay.
  Dungeon Master Rewards
  For running this adventure, you earn a DM Reward. See 
  the Adventurers League Dungeon Master’s Guide for more 
  information
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Dramatis Personae
  The following NPCs feature prominently in this adventure:
  Zulkir Damond
  (ZOOL-keer DAH-MOND)
  Zulkir Damond is an aging human in excellent health. 
  He projects an image of cunning, and he wears the most 
  fashionable and classy noble attire in charcoals and grays, 
  with a red flower or ascot strategically placed to show his 
  allegiance, rather than traditional full red robes.
  What They Want. Damond wants the characters and 
  Zehira to know they’re being watched. His divination 
  ability has warned him that the party will create a minor 
  disturbance in the city, but not one that threatens his 
  position. As such, he allows their presence in the hope 
  that their actions might ultimately work to his advantage.
  Meticulous Gardener. Damond rose to power by being 
  cautious and thorough in equal measure, planting the 
  seeds of power like a gardener. Even as he now harvests 
  that power, he is constantly tending to the garden he has 
  meticulously grown in his own image. He understands 
  that powerful adventurers with an artifact have the 
  potential to threaten him and his city.
  Gaedynn Telstaerr
  (GAY-den TELL-stare)
  Gaedynn is the picture of Thayan nobility—fit, pale, and 
  bald like so many of the mages who rule the city. He speaks 
  eloquently and is an expert at manipulation.
  What They Want. Gaedynn wants more power and 
  prestige for his family winery.
  Darling of the Wine World. Gaedynn is a prominent voice 
  in the world of wine, entertainment, and high-class social 
  gatherings. He has the interest, if not the full respect, of 
  every noble and zulkir in Thay.
  Kethra and Bogdan Farkas
  (KETH-ra and Bog-DAN FAR-KASS)
  Kethra and Bogdan are a hard-working married couple 
  who were successful adventurers in their time. Kethra is a 
  slender, blue-skinned tiefling with golden eyes and curving 
  ibex-like horns over her white hair. Bogdan is a bulky, 
  muscle-gutted half-orc of dark complexion and gentle eyes.
  What They Want. Kethra and Bogdan want to see their 
  winery succeed, though they’ve come to realize it’s more 
  work than they anticipated.
  Picture of a Successful, Loving Couple. Kethra and 
  Bogdan stopped the great evil of an adult dragon years 
  before and lived to tell the tale—and to spend the loot. 
  They carry a heroic reputation, and have created a life 
  for themselves that many adventurers dream of. As such, 
  they aren’t willing to give that life up without a fight.
  Larruthath
  (LAH-RUE-that)
  A former thrall, Larruthath is now a free Thayan and a 
  member of the narrow middle class within the magocracy. 
  Broad shouldered and muscular from years toiling under 
  the yoke, he has great empathy for the commoners and 
  servants in his employ.
  What They Want. Larruthath wants to be successful 
  without becoming indebted to any lord or zulkir.
  Make or Break Time. The celebration that Larruthath is 
  overseeing at Szass Tam’s palace has the potential to 
  catapult him into even more lucrative contracts—or to 
  put him out of business. His normally kind and empathic 
  nature is being put to the test this night, as are his 
  organizational skills.
  Valakhod
  (VAH-LAH-kod)
  An unprecedented savant of necromancy, Valakhod is only 
  a teenager but already has the immense weight of Szass 
  Tam’s expectations on his shoulders. He is short for his age, 
  wears the dark red of a wizard of his station, and is bald 
  with cold blue eyes.
  What They Want. Valakhod craves the approval that Szass 
  Tam rarely provides, and it makes the young savant want 
  to show off even more.
  The Power Flows Through Me. Valakhod has immense 
  power, but is a long way from possessing the maturity to 
  wield it judiciously.
  Archana the Spider
  (ARR-CHAN-AH)
  Archana is an ancient undead who was one of the first to 
  swear fealty to Szass Tam, and who has brutally enforced 
  and empowered his rule for centuries. Her physical form 
  is of a skeleton with glowing purple eyes, enrobed in 
  ceremonial plate mail.
  What They Want. Archana wants Szass Tam to continue to 
  rule over Thay—and eventually the world.
  Hatred for the Living. Archana holds living creatures in 
  contempt, and longs to replace all the mortal servants 
  and students of Szass Tam with undead.
  
  Gisa and Geralf
  (GEESE-AH and GHERR-ALF)
  Gisa and Geralf are a pair of genasi Red Wizard students of 
  Szass Tam, who have aided in the creation of many of the 
  zulkir’s war efforts. They are both thin, having neglected 
  their bodies in devotion to their minds and the art of 
  necromancy.
  What They Want. Gisa and Geralf both want Szass Tam 
  to state his preference for their conflicting styles of 
  necromancy—Gisa’s soul trapping, allowing undead to 
  rise directly from the grave, versus Geralf’s method of 
  stitching corpses into amalgam abominations.
  Heated Debate. Gisa and Geralf’s love of debate with each 
  other and with other knowledgeable arcanists is second 
  only to their love of service to Szass Tam.
  Elchorius
  (ELL-CHOR-EE-US)
  Elchorius is a mummy lord stolen from her homeland 
  of Mulhorand centuries ago and brought to Thay. After 
  freeing herself from Thayan servitude, she has become a 
  power player in the shadows as a leader of the Undying 
  Resistance. Many nobles and Red Wizards serve her cause 
  without knowing it.
   Elchorius has these changes from the standard mummy 
  lord stat block:
  • She has the revivify spell prepared instead of 
  animate dead.
  • She has the danse macabre spell prepared instead of 
  contagion. (For more information, see the “Follow The 
  Leader” section of “Supply Tunnel” in part 1B.)
  • She has the raise dead spell prepared instead of 
  insect plague.
  What They Want. Freedom for the undead to govern 
  themselves as citizens of Thay.
  Age and Treachery. Elchorius is ancient, and is always 
  playing the long game. She knows that undead won’t see 
  freedom under the rule of Szass Tam, but every little bit 
  of defiance and change helps further her eventual goals.
  Director Shas’venath
  SHAZ-ven-ATH)
  Shas’venath is a power-hungry, corrupt, and sadistic 
  bureaucrat.
  What They Want. Keen to move up the ladder of authority 
  by any means possible, Shas’venath is only a few steps 
  from becoming a zulkir—at least in his own mind.
  Chaos is a Ladder. Shas’venath is willing to use any means 
  necessary to advance his power and position. He sees 
  chaos—such as adventurers arriving on his doorstep—as 
  an opportunity.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Sharade Quilbax
  (SHAR-ade QUIL-backs)
  Sharade is an agent of Zulkir Damond in the dungeons 
  beneath the Citadel, using a cover identity as a fortune-
  teller in the Last Stop trading post to meet and keep tabs 
  on many people. They are a lavender-skinned tiefling with 
  golden eyes and long, antelope-like horns, who dresses in 
  peacock-feather adorned robes and sashes.
  What They Want. Sharade wants the will of Zulkir 
  Damond to be done in the dungeons—so that one day, 
  they can leave.
  Flamboyant. Sharade is not subtle. They live, speak, and 
  dress in a loud, lively fashion.
  Eurid Eight Fingers
  (EWW-rid)
  Eurid once lived a simple life undercover in Mulmaster—
  before being caught and presumed to be a spy during the 
  events of The Red War epic. (It was during that calamitous 
  time that the doppelganger claims they lost their two 
  missing fingers.)
  What They Want. Eurid wants out of the dungeons 
  beneath the Citadel, and hopes that a worthy hero comes 
  to aid them in that quest. But they’ve seen so many 
  heroes turn into feral villains in the dungeons that they’re 
  starting to doubt whether heroes are even real anymore.
  Everybody’s Friend. Eurid and their undead monstrous 
  centipede, Nazrohi, operate as one of the few carriage 
  services not controlled by the gangs of the dungeons. 
  The doppelganger knows the tunnels beneath 
  Thaymount like the back of their hands, and are quick to 
  build rapport with anyone they can.
  Headmaster Skivarn Yazar
  (SKEE-varn YAH-ZAR)
  The master of Szass Tam’s private school of necromancy 
  enjoys maintaining a useful level of terror among the 
  students.
  What They Want. Skivarn plans on maintaining his 
  prestigious position as head of Ravensblood Academy at 
  any cost. He does not suffer idiots or aggression lightly.
  Lord of My Domain. Skivarn commands respect among 
  all students and faculty of the academy, and they bend 
  to his will. Szass Tam’s star pupil, Valakhod, is a notable 
  exception.
  Savas the Scarlet
  (SAV-AHZ)
  Savas is a brutal warlord, and the undisputed master of the 
  dungeons beneath the Citadel.
  What They Want. Savas wants to reclaim territory that 
  she’s lost to other gangs, and to ultimately challenge the 
  Red Wizards for control of the dungeons.
  Driven. Savas has always been a bit of an outcast, but her 
  draconic heritage gives her instinctual cunning and wrath.
  Navarra
  (Nah-VARRA)
  This charming and bubbly halfling works the front desk at 
  the Word of Recall.
  What They Want. Navarra genuinely seeks to provide relief 
  to those who suffer in the dungeons below the Citadel, 
  and sees nothing but good in the services the Word of 
  Recall provides. That said, she is keen to weed out the 
  merely curious from those who have the coin to afford 
  the fantastic journeys on offer.
  I’ve Got a Bridge to Sell You. Navarra’s charming ways 
  are all meant to entice guests to pay hundreds or even 
  thousands of gold pieces to experience delights they can 
  only barely conceive of, all while staying perfectly safe.
  Skemp
  (Ska-EMP)
  Skemp is a practitioner of powerful magic, and a true 
  believer in better living through magical memory 
  modification.
  What They Want. Skemp looks for any opportunity to 
  help the characters, seeing that as the means of gaining 
  potent memories that can be marketed as future 
  vacations.
  We Can Take You Anywhere. Though he has never 
  left Thay, Skemp has experienced many of the most 
  dangerous and exciting places of Faerûn through others’ 
  memories.
  Trildor Zihial
  (TRILL-door Zee-HI-al)
  A former noble and Red Wizard, Trildor Zihial has always 
  wanted what is best for Thay to grow and thrive—leading 
  him to frequently clash with other nobles and even zulkirs. 
  Outplayed by Szass Tam, he now finds himself condemned 
  to the dungeons under the Citadel, and given over to the 
  mages of the Word of Recall to have his memory purged.
  What they Want. Trildor has always opposed Szass Tam’s 
  rule over Thay, preferring that the Red Wizards take a 
  stance that furthers magical study without antagonizing 
  the rest of Faerûn.
  Lost and Forgotten. Trildor’s Thayan tattoos have been 
  burned away, and the services of the Word of Recall have 
  removed decades of memory from him already. However, 
  he retains fragmented chunks of critical information.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Creature Statistics
  The following creatures appear in this adventure.
  Abjurer
  Abjurer
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
  Speed 30 ft. 
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  Saving Throws Int +8, Wis +5
  Skills Arcana +8, History +8
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages Any four languages
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Spellcasting. The abjurer is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to 
  hit with spell attacks). The abjurer has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): blade ward, dancing lights, mending, message, 
  ray of frost
  1st level (4 slots): alarm,* mage armor,* magic missile, shield*
  2nd level (3 slots): arcane lock,* invisibility
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell,* dispel magic,* fireball
  4th level (3 slots): banishment,* stoneskin*
  5th level (2 slots): cone of cold, wall of force
  6th level (1 slot): flesh to stone, globe of invulnerability*
  7th level (1 slot): symbol,* teleport
  *Abjuration spell of 1st level or higher
  Arcane Ward. The abjurer has a magical ward that has 30 hit 
  points. Whenever the abjurer takes damage, the ward takes 
  the damage instead. If the ward is reduced to 0 hit points, the 
  abjurer takes any remaining damage. When the abjurer casts an 
  abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number 
  of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 (1d6 − 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 − 1) 
  bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
  Alhoon
  Alhoon
  Medium undead, any evil alignment
  Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (0) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  19 (+4) 
  17 (+3) 
  17 (+3)
  Saving Throws Con +7, Int +8, Wis +7, Cha +7
  Skills Arcana +8, Deception +7, History +8, Insight +7, Perception 
  +7, Stealth +5
  Damage Resistances Cold, Lightning, Necrotic
  Damage Immunities Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing 
  from Nonmagical Attacks
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages Deep Speech, telepathy 120 ft., Undercommon
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Magic Resistance. The alhoon has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The alhoon’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no components:
  At will: detect thoughts, levitate
  1/day each: dominate monster, plane shift (self only)
  Spellcasting. The alhoon is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to 
  hit with spell attacks). The alhoon has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): chill touch, dancing lights, mage hand, prestidigi-
  tation, shocking grasp
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, disguise self, magic missile, shield
  2nd level (3 slots): invisibility, mirror image, scorching ray
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fly, lightning bolt
  4th level (3 slots): confusion, Evard’s black tentacles, phan-
  tasmal killer
  5th level (2 slots): modify memory, wall of force
  6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability
  Turn Resistance. The alhoon has advantage on saving throws 
  against any effect that turns undead.
  Actions
  Chilling Grasp. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage.
  Mind Blast (Recharge 5–6). The alhoon magically emits psychic 
  energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed 
  on a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (4d8 + 4) psychic 
  damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A target can repeat the 
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on 
  itself on a success.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Archmage
  Archmage
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 99 (18d8 + 18)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +6
  Skills Arcana +13, History +13
  Damage Resistances Damage from Spells; Nonmagical 
  Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing (from Stoneskin)
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages Any six languages
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
  Magic Resistance. The archmage has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Spellcasting. The archmage is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with 
  spell attacks). The archmage can cast disguise self and invisibility 
  at will and has the following wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, 
  shocking grasp
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, identify, mage armor,* 
  magic missile
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, misty step
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fly, lightning bolt
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, fire shield, stoneskin*
  5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, scrying, wall of force
  6th level (1 slot): globe of invulnerability
  7th level (1 slot): teleport
  8th level (1 slot): mind blank*
  9th level (1 slot): time stop
  *The archmage casts these spells on itself before combat.
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  Thayan Ambusher
  In the final encounter, the archmage has already cast mirror 
  image and mind blank on himself, and has taken a potion of 
  invulnerability to gain resistance to all damage.
   The archmage also has a unique contingency spell cast 
  upon him by Szass Tam, which works differently than the 
  normal version of that spell. The first time the counterspell 
  spell is cast against the archmage, his unique contingency 
  spell is triggered, and the caster of counterspell is immediately 
  targeted by a banishment spell (save DC 20).
  Home Field Advantage
  If the professor in area N6 of the “Ravensblood Academy” 
  section in part 2 is an archmage, he has access to the 
  following lair actions:
  Lair Actions
  • The tubes that hang from the ceiling of the lab begin to 
  spew out clouds of toxic necromantic gas. Characters 
  in a 20-foot-square area of this creature’s choice who 
  are not immune to necrotic damage must make a DC 
  18 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) necrotic 
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  • The fourteen 5-foot-by-15-foot tables in the lab have the legs 
  of undead creatures, and move up to 30 feet per round at 
  the mental command of the masters of the room (no action 
  required). Tables can shift to block characters, forcing them 
  to succeed on a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check to climb 
  over, or can move to provide full cover to the characters’ 
  enemies. They can also climb on top of each other to 
  reach the ceiling. Each table has AC 16, 20 hit points, and 
  immunity to poison and psychic damage. A table that 
  moves into another creature’s space pushes that creature to 
  one side of the table (your choice).
  • One pair of arms along the walls come to life, and can 
  either attempt to grab and immobilize intruders, or attack 
  them with nearby tools. A pair of arms has a 20-foot reach 
  and can make a single attack at +14 to hit. If wielding tools, 
  the arms deal 23 (4d6 + 9) slashing damage and 7 (2d6) 
  necrotic damage. If the arms are not wielding tools, the 
  target of a successful attack is grappled (escape DC 24).
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Assassin
  Assassin
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
  Armor Class 15 (Studded leather)
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +4
  Skills Acrobatics +6, Deception +3, Perception +3, Stealth +9
  Damage Resistance Poison
  Condition Immunities Poisoned
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages Thieves’ cant plus any two languages
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Assassinate. During its first turn, the assassin has advantage on 
  attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit 
  the assassin scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.
  Evasion. If the assassin is subjected to an effect that allows it 
  to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the 
  assassin instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving 
  throw, and only half damage if it fails.
  Sneak Attack. Once per turn, the assassin 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 assassin that isn’t incapacitated and the assassin 
  doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The assassin makes two shortsword attacks.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must 
  make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) 
  poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target 
  must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) 
  poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  Bard
  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
   11 (+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, +4to 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
  Quarterstaff. 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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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Bodak
  Bodak
  Medium undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   15 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
  7 (−2) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +4
  Skills Perception +4, Stealth +9
  Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, 
  and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Damage Immunities Lightning, Poison
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages Abyssal, the languages it knew in life
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Aura of Annihilation. The bodak can activate or deactivate this 
  feature as a bonus action. While active, the aura deals 5 necrotic 
  damage to any creature that ends its turn within 30 feet of the 
  bodak. Undead and fiends ignore this effect.
  Death Gaze. When a creature that can see the bodak’s eyes starts 
  its turn within 30 feet of the bodak, the bodak can force it to make 
  a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if the bodak isn’t incapacitated 
  and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, 
  the creature is reduced to 0 hit points, unless it is immune to 
  the frightened condition. Otherwise, a creature takes 16 (3d10) 
  psychic damage on a failed save.
  Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the 
  saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls against the bodak until the start of 
  its next turn. If the creature looks at the bodak in the meantime, it 
  must immediately make the saving throw.
  Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The bodak takes 5 radiant damage 
  when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
  Actions
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 
  (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
  Withering Gaze. One creature that the bodak can see within 60 
  feet of it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 
  (4d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage 
  on a successful one.
  Boneclaw
  Boneclaw
  Large undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 127 (17d10 + 34)
  Speed 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   19 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  9 (−1)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +6, Wis +6
  Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7
  Damage Resistances Cold, Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and 
  Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 16
  Languages Common plus the main language of its master 
  (Thayan)
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
  Rejuvenation. While its master lives, a destroyed boneclaw gains 
  a new body in 1d10 hours, with all its hit points. The new body 
  appears within 1 mile of the boneclaw’s master.
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the boneclaw can 
  take the Hide action as a bonus action.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The boneclaw makes two claw attacks.
  Piercing Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a 
  creature, the boneclaw can pull the target up to 10 feet toward 
  itself, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). The boneclaw 
  has two claws. While a claw grapples a target, the claw can attack 
  only that target.
  Shadow Jump. If the boneclaw is in dim light or darkness, each 
  creature of the boneclaw’s choice within 5 feet of it must succeed 
  on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 34 (5d12 + 2) 
  necrotic damage.
  The boneclaw then magically teleports up to 60 feet to an 
  unoccupied space it can see. It can bring one creature it’s 
  grappling, teleporting that creature to an unoccupied space it can 
  see within 5 feet of its destination. The destination spaces of this 
  teleportation must be in dim light or darkness.
  Reactions
  Deadly Reach. In response to a visible enemy moving into its 
  reach, the boneclaw makes one claw attack against that enemy. 
  If the attack hits, the boneclaw can make a second claw attack 
  against the target.
  Thayan Ambusher
  The boneclaw in the final encounter is under the effect of a 
  haste spell. Its speed is doubled, it gains a +2 bonus to AC, 
  it has advantage on Dexterity saving throws, and it gains 
  an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be 
  used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, 
  Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Brain in a Jar
  Brain in a Jar
  Medium undead, any alignment
  Armor Class 11 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
  Speed 0 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   1 (−5) 
  1 (−5) 
  15 (+2) 
  19 (+4) 
  10 (+0) 
  15 (+2)
  Saving Throws Int +7, Cha +5
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison, Psychic
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages any language it knew in life
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Detect Sentience. The brain in a jar can sense the presence 
  and location of any creature within 300 feet of it that has an 
  Intelligence of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing barriers, 
  unless the creature is protected by a mind blank spell.
  Magic Resistance. The brain in a jar has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The brain in a jar’s innate 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15). It can 
  innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
  At will: detect thoughts, mage hand, zone of truth
  3/day each: charm person, command, hold person
  1/day each: compulsion, hold monster, sleep (cast at 3rd level), Ta-
  sha’s hideous laughter
  Actions
  Mind Blast (Recharge 5–6). The brain in a jar magically emits 
  psychic energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 13 (2d8 + 
  4) psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can 
  repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on itself on a success.
  Chain Devil
  Chain Devil
  Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 85 (10d8 + 40)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2)
  Saving throws Con +7, Wis +4, Cha +5
  Damage Resistance Cold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing 
  from Nonmagical Attacks that aren’t Silvered
  Damage Immunities Fire, Poison
  Condition Immunities Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the devil’s 
  darkvision.
  Magic Resistance. The devil has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The devil makes two attacks with its chains.
  Chain. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. The target is grappled (escape 
  DC 14) if the devil isn’t already grappling a creature. Until this 
  grapple ends, the target is restrained and takes 7 (2d6) piercing 
  damage at the start of each of its turns.
  Animate Chains (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). Up to four 
  chains the devil can see within 60 feet of it magically sprout razor-
  edged barbs and animate under the devil’s control, provided that 
  the chains aren’t being worn or carried.
  Each animated chain is an object with AC 20, 20 hit points, 
  resistance to piercing damage, and immunity to psychic and 
  thunder damage. When the devil uses multiattack on its turn, 
  it can use each animated chain to make one additional chain 
  attack. An animated chain can grapple one creature of its own but 
  can’t make attacks while grappling. An animated chain reverts 
  to its inanimate state if reduced to 0 hit points or if the devil is 
  incapacitated or dies.
  Reactions
  Unnerving Mask. When a creature the devil can see starts its 
  turn within 30 feet of the devil, the devil can create the illusion 
  that it looks like one of the creature’s departed loved ones or 
  bitter enemies. If the creature can see the devil, it must succeed 
  on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end 
  of its turn.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Champion
  Champion
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 143 (22d8 + 44)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   20 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Str +9, Con +6
  Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +5, Perception +6
  Senses passive Perception 16
  Languages Common
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Indomitable (2/Day). The champion rerolls a failed saving throw.
  Second Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). As a bonus 
  action, the champion can regain 20 hit points.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The champion makes three attacks with its 
  greatsword or its shortbow.
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage, plus 7 (2d6) slashing 
  damage if the champion has more than half of its total hit points 
  remaining.
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, plus 7 (2d6) piercing 
  damage if the champion has more than half of its total hit points 
  remaining.
  Commoner
  Commoner
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 10
  Hit Points 4 (1d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages Any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 0 (0 XP)
  Actions
  Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 
  (1d4) bludgeoning damage.
  Death Giant
  Death Giant
  Huge undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 247 (19d8 + 95)
  Speed 50 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   27 (+8) 
  11 (+0) 
  23 (+6) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +9, Cha +10
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Giant
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Magic Resistance. The death giant has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Marshal Undead. Unless the death giant is incapacitated, it and 
  undead creatures of its choice within 60 feet of it have advantage 
  on saving throws against features that turn undead.
  Spellcasting. The death giant is a 19th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It has the following paladin spells prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): command, compelled duel, searing smite
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, magic weapon
  3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, elemental weapon
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, staggering smite
  5th level (2 slots): destructive wave (necrotic)
  Actions
  Multiattack. The death giant makes three longsword attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 8) slashing damage, or 23 (3d10 
  + 8) slashing damage if used with two hands, plus 18 (4d8) 
  necrotic damage.
  Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
  Hellfire Orb (1/Day). The death giant hurls a magical ball of fire 
  that explodes at a point it can see within 120 feet of it. Each 
  creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must 
  make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. The sphere spreads around 
  corners. A creature takes 35 (10d6) fire damage and 35 (10d6) 
  necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  Reactions
  Parry. The death giant adds 6 to its AC against one melee attack 
  that would hit it. To do so, the death knight must see the attacker 
  and be wielding a melee weapon.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Death Knight
  Death Knight
  Medium undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 180 (19d8 + 95)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   20 (+5) 
  11 (+0) 
  20 (+5) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +9, Cha +10
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Abyssal, Common
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Magic Resistance. The death knight has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Marshal Undead. Unless the death knight is incapacitated, it and 
  undead creatures of its choice within 60 feet of it have advantage 
  on saving throws against features that turn undead.
  Spellcasting. The death knight is a 19th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It has the following paladin spells prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): command, compelled duel, searing smite
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, magic weapon
  3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, elemental weapon
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, staggering smite
  5th level (2 slots): destructive wave (necrotic)
  Actions
  Multiattack. The death knight makes three longsword attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing 
  damage if used with two hands, plus 18 (4d8) necrotic damage.
  Hellfire Orb (1/Day). The death giant hurls a magical ball of fire 
  that explodes at a point it can see within 120 feet of it. Each 
  creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must 
  make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. The sphere spreads around 
  corners. A creature takes 35 (10d6) fire damage and 35 (10d6) 
  necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  Reactions
  Parry. The death giant adds 6 to its AC against one melee attack 
  that would hit it. To do so, the death knight must see the attacker 
  and be wielding a melee weapon.
  Demilich
  Demilich
  Tiny undead, neutral evil
  Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 80 (32d4)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   1 (−5) 
  20 (+5) 
  10 (+0) 
  20 (+5) 
  17 (+3) 
  20 (+5)
  Saving Throws Con +6, Int +11, Wis +9, Cha +11
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from 
  Magic Weapons
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison, Psychic; Bludgeoning, 
  Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, 
  Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Stunned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages –
  Challenge 18 (20,000 XP)
  Avoidance. If the demilich is subjected to an effect that allows 
  it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead 
  takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half 
  damage if it fails.
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the demilich fails a saving throw, 
  it can choose to succeed instead.
  Turn Immunity. The demilich is immune to effects that 
  turn undead.
  Actions
  Howl (Recharge 5–6). The demilich emits a bloodcurdling howl. 
  Each creature within 30 feet of the demilich that can hear the howl 
  must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or drop to 0 
  hit points. On a successful save, the creature is frightened until 
  the end of its next turn.
  Life Drain. The demilich targets up to three creatures that it can 
  see within 10 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 19 
  Constitution saving throw or take 21 (6d6) necrotic damage, and 
  the demilich regains hit points equal to the total damage dealt to 
  all targets.
  Legendary Actions
  The demilich can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the 
  options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a 
  time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The demilich 
  regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  Flight. The demilich flies up to half its flying speed.
  Cloud of Dust. The demilich magically swirls its dusty remains. 
  Each creature within 10 feet of the demilich, including around a 
  corner, must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be 
  blinded until the end of the demilich’s next turn. A creature that 
  succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this effect until the 
  end of the demilich’s next turn.
  Energy Drain (Costs 2 Actions). Each creature within 30 feet of 
  the demilich must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a 
  failed save, the creature’s hit point maximum is magically reduced 
  by 10 (3d6). If a creature’s hit point maximum is reduced to 0 by 
  this effect, the creature dies. A creature’s hit point maximum can 
  be restored with the greater restoration spell or similar magic.
  Vile Curse (Costs 3 Actions). The demilich targets one creature 
  it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 
  15 Wisdom saving throw or be magically cursed. Until the curse 
  ends, the target has disadvantage on attack rolls and saving 
  throws. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each 
  of its turns, ending the curse on a success.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Devourer
  Devourer
  Large fiend, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 178 (17d10 + 85)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   20 (+5) 
  12 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Str +9, Con +6
  Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Poisoned
  Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +5, Perception +6
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
  Actions
  Multiattack. The devourer makes two claw attacks and can use 
  either Imprison Soul or Soul Rend.
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage plus 21 (6d6) necrotic damage.
  Imprison Soul. The devourer chooses a living humanoid with 
  0 hit points that it can see within 30 feet of it. That creature is 
  teleported inside the devourer’s ribcage and imprisoned there. A 
  creature imprisoned in this manner has disadvantage on death 
  saving throws. If it dies while imprisoned, the devourer regains 
  25 hit points, immediately recharges Soul Rend, and gains an 
  additional action on its next turn. Additionally, at the start of its 
  next turn, the devourer regurgitates the slain creature as a bonus 
  action, and the creature becomes an undead. If the victim had 2 
  or fewer Hit Dice, it becomes a zombie. If it had 3 to 5 Hit Dice, it 
  becomes a ghoul. Otherwise, it becomes a wight. A devourer can 
  imprison only one creature at a time.
  Soul Rend (Recharge 6). The devourer creates a vortex of life-
  draining energy in a 20-foot radius centered on itself. Each 
  humanoid in that area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving 
  throw, taking 44 (8d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half 
  as much damage on a successful one. Increase the damage by 10 
  for each living humanoid with 0 hit points in that area.
  Diviner
  Diviner
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 67 (15d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0)
  Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +4
  Skills Arcana +7, History +7
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages Any four languages
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Spellcasting. The diviner is a 15th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to 
  hit with spell attacks). The diviner has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, message, true strike
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic,* feather fall, mage armor
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts,* locate object,* scorching ray
  3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance,* fly, fireball
  4th level (3 slots): arcane eye,* ice storm, stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): Rary’s telepathic bond,* scrying*
  6th level (1 slot): mass suggestion, true seeing*
  7th level (1 slot): delayed blast fireball, teleport
  8th level (1 slot): maze
  *Divination spell of 1st level or higher
  Portent (Recharges after the Diviner Casts a Divination Spell of 
  1st Level or Higher). When the diviner or a creature it can see 
  makes an attack roll, a saving throw, or an ability check, the 
  diviner can roll a d20 and choose to use this roll in place of the 
  attack roll, saving throw, or ability check.
  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.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Elchorius (Mummy Lord)
  Elchorius (Mummy Lord)
  Medium undead, neutral good
  Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39)
  Speed 20 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  10 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Con +8, Int +5, Wis +9, Cha +8
  Skills History +5, Religion +5
  Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and 
  Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages Common, Thayan, Mulhurandi
  Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
  Magic Resistance. The Mummy Lord has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Rejuvenation. A destroyed mummy lord gains a new body in 
  24 hours if its heart is intact, regaining all its hit points and 
  becoming active again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the 
  mummy lord’s heart.
  Spellcasting. The mummy lord is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit 
  with spell attacks). The mummy lord has the following cleric 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): sacred flame, thaumaturgy
  1st level (4 slots): command, guiding bolt, shield of faith
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, silence, spiritual weapon
  3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, revivify, spirit guardians
  4th level (3 slots): divination, guardian of faith
  5th level (2 slots): danse macabre,* raise dead
  6th level (1 slot): harm
  * From Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
  Actions
  Multiattack. The mummy lord can use its Dreadful Glare and 
  makes one attack with its rotting fist.
  Rotting Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) 
  necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on 
  a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with mummy 
  rot. The cursed target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point 
  maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If 
  the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target 
  dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by 
  the remove curse spell or other magic.
  Dreadful Glare. The mummy lord targets one creature it can see 
  within 60 feet of it. If the target can see the mummy lord, it must 
  succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or 
  become frightened until the end of the mummy’s next turn. If the 
  target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for 
  the same duration. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is 
  immune to the Dreadful Glare of all mummies and mummy lords 
  for the next 24 hours.
  Legendary Actions
  The mummy lord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the 
  options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a 
  time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The mummy 
  lord regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  Attack. The mummy lord makes one attack with its rotting fist or 
  uses its Dreadful Glare.
  Blinding Dust. Blinding dust and sand swirls magically around 
  the mummy lord. Each creature within 5 feet of the mummy lord 
  must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be blinded 
  until the end of the creature’s next turn.
  Blasphemous Word (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord utters 
  a blasphemous word. Each non-undead creature within 10 feet 
  of the mummy lord that can hear the magical utterance must 
  succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until 
  the end of the mummy lord’s next turn.
  Channel Negative Energy (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord 
  magically unleashes negative energy. Creatures within 60 feet 
  of the mummy lord, including ones behind barriers and around 
  corners, can’t regain hit points until the end of the mummy lord’s 
  next turn.
  Whirlwind of Sand (Costs 2 Actions). The mummy lord magically 
  transforms into a whirlwind of sand, moves up to 60 feet, and 
  reverts to its normal form. While in whirlwind form, the mummy 
  lord is immune to all damage, and it can’t be grappled, petrified, 
  knocked prone, restrained, or stunned. Equipment worn or 
  carried by the mummy lord remain in its possession.
  Queen of the Damned
  In addition to her normal statistics, Elchorius is permanently 
  under the effect of a mind blank spell, and she is hidden 
  even from divination magic that is not a spell. She cannot be 
  targeted by such magic or perceived through magical scrying 
  sensors—even by Szass Tam.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Enchanter
  Enchanter
  Medium humanoid (any race), 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): counterspell, fireball, haste, tongues
  4th level (3 slots): dominate beast,* stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): hold monster*
  *Enchantment spell 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.
  Reactions
  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.
  Enchanters of The Word of Recall
  The enchanters who work at the Word of Recall are especially 
  slick and personable. Each has a Charisma of 16 (+3) and is 
  proficient in the Deception (+6), Insight (+4), and Persuasion 
  (+6) skills.
  Eurid (Doppelganger)
  Eurid (Doppelganger)
  Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2)
  Skills Deception +6, Insight +3
  Condition Immunities Charmed
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages Common
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Ambusher. The doppelganger has advantage on attack rolls 
  against any creature it has surprised.
  Shapechanger. The doppelganger can use its action to polymorph 
  into a Small or Medium humanoid it has seen, or back into its 
  true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each 
  form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It 
  reverts to its true form if it dies.
  Surprise Attack. If the doppelganger surprises a creature and hits 
  it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes 
  an extra 10 (3d6) damage from the attack.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The doppelganger makes two melee attacks.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
  Read Thoughts. The doppelganger magically reads the surface 
  thoughts of one creature within 60 feet of it. The effect can 
  penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of wood or dirt, 2 feet of stone, 2 
  inches of metal, or a thin sheet of lead blocks it. While the target 
  is in range, the doppelganger can continue reading its thoughts, 
  as long as the doppelganger’s concentration isn’t broken (as if 
  concentrating on a spell). While reading the target’s mind, the 
  doppelganger has advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma 
  (Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion) checks against 
  the target.
  Eurid’s Talents
  In addition to his normal statistics, Eurid has proficiency 
  with ground vehicles and proficiency in the Animal 
  Handling skill (+6).
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Evoker
  Evoker
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0)
  Saving throws Int +7, Wis +5
  Skills Arcana +7, History +7
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages Any four languages
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Spellcasting. The evoker is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell 
  attacks). The evoker has the following wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt,* light,* prestidigitation, ray of frost*
  1st level (4 slots): burning hands,* mage armor, magic missile*
  2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, misty step, shatter*
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball,* lightning bolt*
  4th level (3 slots): ice storm,* stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): Bigby’s hand,* cone of cold*
  6th level (1 slot): chain lightning,* wall of ice*
  *Evocation spell
  Sculpt Spells. When the evoker casts an evocation spell that 
  forces other creatures it can see to make a saving throw, it can 
  choose a number of them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. These 
  creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws against 
  the spell. If a successful save means a chosen creature would take 
  half damage from the spell, it instead takes no damage from it.
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 (1d6 – 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 – 1) 
  bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
  Expert
  Expert
  Medium humanoid, any alignment
  Armor Class 14 (Studded Leather)
  Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Dex +6
  Skills Acrobatics +4, Performance +4, Persuasion +4, Sleight of 
  Hand +4, Stealth +4
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages Thayan, native tongue (usually Common, Orc, Goblin, 
  or Giant)
  Challenge 1 (200 XP)
  Helpful. The expert can take the Help action as a bonus action.
  Tools. The expert has thieves’ tools and a musical instrument.
  Actions
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
  Fire Elemental Myrmidon
  Fire Elemental Myrmidon
  Medium elemental, neutral
  Armor Class 18 (Plate)
  Hit Points 123 (19d8 + 38)
  Speed 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   13 (+1) 
  18 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  9 (−1) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from 
  Nonmagical Attacks
  Damage Immunities Fire, Poison
  Condition Immunities Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Ignan and one language of its creator’s choice
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Illumination. The myrmidon sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius 
  and dim light in a 40-foot radius.
  Magic Weapons. The myrmidon’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the myrmidon moves in 1 
  foot or more of water, it takes 2 (1d4) cold damage.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The myrmidon makes three scimitar attacks.
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
  Fiery Strikes (Recharge 6). The myrmidon uses Multiattack. Each 
  attack that hits deals an extra 5 (1d10) fire damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Flumph
  Flumph
  Small aberration, lawful good
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 7 (2d6)
  Speed 5 ft., fly 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   6 (−2) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0)
  Skills Arcana +4, History +4, Religion +4
  Damage Vulnerabilities Psychic
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
  Advanced Telepathy. The flumph can perceive the content of any 
  telepathic communication used within 60 feet of it, and it can’t be 
  surprised by creatures with any form of telepathy.
  Prone Deficiency. If the flumph is knocked prone, roll a die. On an 
  odd result, the flumph lands upside-down and is incapacitated. 
  At the end of each of its turns, the flumph can make a DC 
  10 Dexterity saving throw, righting itself and ending the 
  incapacitated condition if it succeeds.
  Telepathic Shroud. The flumph is immune to any effect that 
  would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as all 
  divination spells.
  Actions
  Tendrils. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage. 
  At the end of each of its turns, the target must make a DC 10 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 2 (1d4) acid damage on a 
  failure or ending the recurring acid damage on a success. A 
  lesser restoration spell cast on the target also ends the recurring 
  acid damage.
  Stench Spray (1/Day). Each creature in a 15-foot cone originating 
  from the flumph must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw 
  or be coated in a foul-smelling liquid. A coated creature exudes a 
  horrible stench for 1d4 hours. The coated creature is poisoned as 
  long as the stench lasts, and other creatures are poisoned while 
  within 5 feet of the coated creature. A creature can remove the 
  stench on itself by using a short rest to bathe in water, alcohol, 
  or vinegar.
  Giant Skeleton
  Giant Skeleton
  Huge undead, neutral evil
  Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 115 (10d12 + 50)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   21 (+5) 
  10 (+0) 
  20 (+5) 
  4 (−3) 
  6 (−2) 
  6 (−2)
  Damage Vulnerabilities Bludgeoning
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
  Languages Giant (understands but can’t speak)
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Evasion. If the skeleton is subjected to an effect that allows it to 
  make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no 
  damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage 
  if it fails.
  Magic Resistance. The skeleton has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Turn Immunity. The skeleton is immune to effects that 
  turn undead.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The skeleton makes three scimitar attacks.
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) slashing damage.
  Gladiator
  Gladiator
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 16 (Studded Leather, Shield)
  Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Str +7, Dex +5, Con +6
  Skills Athletics +10, Intimidation +5
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages Any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Brave. The gladiator has advantage on saving throws against 
  being frightened.
  Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when 
  the gladiator hits with it (included in the attack).
  Actions
  Multiattack. The gladiator makes three melee attacks or two 
  ranged attacks.
  Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. and 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage, or 
  13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a 
  melee attack.
  Shield Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a 
  Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength 
  saving throw or be knocked prone.
  Reactions
  Parry. The gladiator adds 3 to its AC against one melee attack that 
  would hit it. To do so, the gladiator must see the attacker and be 
  wielding a melee weapon.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Iron Golem
  Iron Golem
  Large construct, unaligned
  Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 210 (20d10 + 100)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   24 (+7) 
  9 (−1) 
  20 (+5) 
  3 (−4) 
  11 (+0) 
  1 (-5)
  Damage Immunities Fire, Poison, Psychic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, 
  and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren’t Adamantine
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Understands the languages of its creator but can’t 
  speak (Thayan)
  Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
  Fire Absorption. Whenever the golem is subjected to fire damage, 
  it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points 
  equal to the fire damage dealt.
  Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect that 
  would alter its form.
  Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The golem’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The golem makes two melee attacks.
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
  Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) slashing damage.
  Poison Breath (Recharge 6). The golem exhales poisonous gas 
  in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) poison damage on a 
  failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Knight
  Knight
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 18 (Plate)
  Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   16 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  15 (+2)
  Saving Throws Con +4, Wis +2
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages Any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Brave. The knight has advantage on saving throws against being 
  frightened.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The knight makes two melee attacks.
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.
  Heavy Crossbow. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage.
  Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute, 
  the knight can utter a special command or warning whenever a 
  nonhostile creature that it can see within 30 feet of it makes an 
  attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll 
  provided it can hear and understand the knight. A creature can 
  benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. This effect ends if 
  the knight is incapacitated.
  Reactions
  Parry. The knight adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that 
  would hit it. To do so, the knight must see the attacker and be 
  wielding a melee weapon.
  Mage
  Mage
  Medium humanoid (any race), 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 6 (2,300 XP)
  Spellcasting. The mage is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell 
  attacks). The mage has the following wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield
  2nd level (3 slots): misty step, suggestion
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, fly
  4th level (3 slots): greater invisibility, ice storm
  5th level (1 slot): cone of cold
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Master Thief
  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 Thieves’ Cant plus any one language (usually 
  Common)
  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.
  Mummy
  Mummy
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 11 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
  Speed 20 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   16 (+3) 
  8 (−1) 
  15 (+2) 
  6 (−2) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Wis +2
  Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from 
  Nonmagical Attacks
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages The languages it knew in life
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Actions
  Multiattack. The mummy can use its Dreadful Glare and makes 
  one attack with its rotting fist.
  Rotting Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) 
  necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on 
  a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with mummy 
  rot. The cursed target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point 
  maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If 
  the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target 
  dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by 
  the remove curse spell or other magic.
  Dreadful Glare. The mummy targets one creature it can see 
  within 60 feet of it. If the target can see the mummy, it must 
  succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or 
  become frightened until the end of the mummy’s next turn. If the 
  target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for 
  the same duration. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is 
  immune to the Dreadful Glare of all mummies (but not mummy 
  lords) for the next 24 hours.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Necromancer
  Necromancer
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0)
  Saving throws Int +7, Wis +5
  Skills Arcana +7, History +7
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages Any four languages
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Spellcasting. The necromancer is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit 
  with spell attacks). The necromancer has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): chill touch, dancing lights, mage hand, mending
  1st level (4 slots): false life,* mage armor, ray of sickness*
  2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness,* ray of enfeeblement,* web
  3rd level (3 slots): animate dead,* bestow curse,* vampiric touch*
  4th level (3 slots): blight,* dimension door, stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): Bigby’s hand, cloudkill
  6th level (1 slot): circle of death*
  *Necromancy spell of 1st level or higher
  Grim Harvest (1/Turn). When necromancer kills a creature that is 
  neither a construct nor undead with a spell of 1st level or higher, 
  the necromancer regains hit points equal to twice the spell’s level, 
  or three times if it is a necromancy spell.
  Actions
  Withering Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 5 (2d4) necrotic damage.
  Home Field Advantage
  In area N6 of the “Ravensblood Academy” section of part 2, 
  the necromancer professor, Gisa, Geralf, and Valakhod have 
  access to the following lair actions:
  Lair Actions
  • The tubes that hang from the ceiling of the lab begin to 
  spew out clouds of toxic necromantic gas. Characters 
  in a 20-foot-square area of this creature’s choice who 
  are not immune to necrotic damage must make a DC 
  18 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) necrotic 
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful save.
  • The fourteen 5-foot-by-15-foot tables in the lab have the legs 
  of undead creatures, and move up to 30 feet per round at 
  the mental command of the masters of the room (no action 
  required). Tables can shift to block characters, forcing them 
  to succeed on a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check to climb 
  over, or can move to provide full cover to the characters’ 
  enemies. They can also climb on top of each other to 
  reach the ceiling. Each table has AC 16, 20 hit points, and 
  immunity to poison and psychic damage. A table that 
  moves into another creature’s space pushes that creature to 
  one side of the table (your choice).
  • One pair of arms along the walls come to life, and can 
  either attempt to grab and immobilize intruders, or attack 
  them with nearby tools. A pair of arms has a 20-foot reach 
  and can make a single attack at +14 to hit. If wielding tools, 
  the arms deal 23 (4d6 + 9) slashing damage and 7 (2d6) 
  necrotic damage. If the arms are not wielding tools, the 
  target of their attack is grappled (escape DC 24).
  Noble
  Noble
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 15 (Breastplate)
  Hit Points 9 (2d8)
  Speed 20 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3)
  Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Persuasion +5
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages Any two languages
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
  Actions
  Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage.
  Reactions
  Parry. The noble adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that 
  would hit it. To do so, the noble must see the attacker and be 
  wielding a melee weapon.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Poltergeist
  Poltergeist
  Medium undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 22 (5d8)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover)
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   1 (−5) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0)
  Damage Resistances Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder; 
  Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, 
  Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Understands the languages it knew in life but can’t 
  speak
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Incorporeal Movement. The poltergeist can move through other 
  creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 
  (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the poltergeist has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight.
  Invisibility. The poltergeist is invisible.
  Actions
  Forceful Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (3d6) force damage.
  Telekinetic Thrust. The poltergeist targets a creature or 
  unattended object within 30 feet of it. A creature must be 
  Medium or smaller to be affected by this magic, and an object can 
  weigh up to 150 pounds.
   If the target is a creature, the poltergeist makes a Charisma 
  check contested by the target’s Strength check. If the poltergeist 
  wins the contest, the poltergeist hurls the target up to 30 feet 
  in any direction, including upward. If the target then comes into 
  contact with a hard surface or heavy object, the target takes 1d6 
  damage per 10 feet moved.
   If the target is an object that isn’t being worn or carried, 
  the poltergeist hurls it up to 30 feet in any direction. The 
  poltergeist can use the object as a ranged weapon, attacking one 
  creature along the object’s path (+4 to hit) and dealing 5 (2d4) 
  bludgeoning damage on a hit.
  Priest
  Priest
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 13 (Chain Shirt)
  Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  13 (+1)
  Skills Medicine +7, Persuasion +3, Religion +5
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages Any two languages
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Divine Eminence. As a bonus action, the priest can expend a spell 
  slot to cause its melee weapon attacks to magically deal an extra 
  10 (3d6) radiant damage to a target on a hit. This benefit lasts 
  until the end of the turn. If the priest expends a spell slot of 2nd 
  level or higher, the extra damage increases by 1d6 for each level 
  above 1st.
  Spellcasting. The priest is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5to hit with spell attacks). 
  The priest has the following cleric spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
  1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, guiding bolt, sanctuary
  2nd level (3 slots): lesser restoration, spiritual weapon
  3rd level (2 slots): dispel magic, spirit guardians*
  Actions
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Red Abishai
  Red Abishai
  Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 22 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 255 (30d8 + 120)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   23 (+6) 
  16 (+3) 
  19 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  19 (+4)
  Saving Throws Str +12, Con +10, Wis +8
  Skills Intimidation +10, Perception +8
  Damage Resistances Cold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing 
  from Nonmagical Attacks that aren’t Silvered
  Damage Immunities Fire, Poison
  Condition Immunities Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
  Languages Draconic, Infernal telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 19 (22,000 XP)
  Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the abishai’s 
  darkvision.
  Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The abishai can use its Frightful Presence. It also 
  makes three attacks: one with its morningstar, one with its claw, 
  and one with its bite.
  Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  17 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 38 (7d10) fire damage.
  Frightful Presence. Each creature of the abishai’s choice that is 
  within 120 feet and aware of it must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom 
  saving throw or become frightened of it for 1 minute. A creature 
  can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending 
  the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is 
  successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the 
  abishai’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
  Incite Fanaticism. The abishai chooses up to four of its allies 
  within 60 feet of it that can see it. For 1 minute, each of those 
  allies makes attack rolls with advantage and can’t be frightened.
  Power of the Dragon Queen. The abishai targets one dragon it 
  can see within 120 feet of it. The dragon must make a DC 18 
  Charisma saving throw. A chromatic dragon makes this save with 
  disadvantage. On a successful save, the target is immune to the 
  abishai’s Power of the Dragon Queen for 1 hour. On a failed save, 
  the target is charmed by the abishai for 1 hour. While charmed 
  in this way, the target regards the abishai as a trusted friend to 
  be heeded and protected. This effect ends if the abishai or its 
  companions deal damage to the target.
  Revenant
  Revenant
  Medium undead, neutral
  Armor Class 13 (Leather Armor)
  Hit Points 136 (16d8 + 64)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  13 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Str +7, Con +7, Wis +6, Cha +7
  Damage Resistances Necrotic, Psychic
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Poisoned, Stunned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages the languages it knew in life
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Regeneration. The revenant regains 10 hit points at the start of its 
  turn. If the revenant takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t 
  function at the start of the revenant’s next turn. The revenant’s 
  body is destroyed only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and 
  doesn’t regenerate.
  Rejuvenation. When the revenant’s body is destroyed, its soul 
  lingers. After 24 hours, the soul inhabits and animates another 
  humanoid corpse on the same plane of existence and regains all 
  its hit points. While the soul is bodiless, a wish spell can be used 
  to force the soul to go to the afterlife and not return.
  Turn Immunity. The revenant is immune to effects that 
  turn undead.
  Vengeful Tracker. The revenant knows the distance to and 
  direction of any creature against which it seeks revenge, even 
  if the creature and the revenant are on different planes of 
  existence. If the creature being tracked by the revenant dies, the 
  revenant knows.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The revenant makes two fist attacks.
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 
  (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature against 
  which the revenant has sworn vengeance, the target takes an 
  extra 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage. Instead of dealing damage, 
  the revenant can grapple the target (escape DC 14) provided the 
  target is Large or smaller.
  Vengeful Glare. The revenant targets one creature it can see 
  within 30 feet of it and against which it has sworn vengeance. The 
  target must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the 
  target is paralyzed until the revenant deals damage to it, or until 
  the end of the revenant’s next turn. When the paralysis ends, the 
  target is frightened of the revenant for 1 minute. The frightened 
  target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, 
  with disadvantage if it can see the revenant, ending the frightened 
  condition on itself on a success.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Shadow Dancer
  Shadow Dancer
  Medium humanoid (elf), neutral
  Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws DEX +6, CHA +4
  Skills Stealth +6
  Damage Resistances Necrotic
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages Common, Elvish
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Fey Ancestry. The shadow dancer has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed, and magic can’t put it to sleep.
  Shadow Jump. As a bonus action, the shadow dancer can teleport 
  up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Both the space it 
  teleports from and the space it teleports to must be in dim light 
  or darkness. The shadow dancer can use this ability between the 
  weapon attacks of another action it takes.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The shadow dancer makes three spiked 
  chain attacks.
  Spiked Chain. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target 
  must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or suffer one 
  additional effect of the shadow dancer’s choice:
  • The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Medium or 
  smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained, 
  and the shadow dancer can’t grapple another target.
  • The target is knocked prone.
  • The target takes 22 (4d10) necrotic damage.
  Skeleton
  Skeleton
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 13 (Armor Scraps)
  Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  6 (−2) 
  8 (−1) 
  5 (−3)
  Damage Vulnerabilities Bludgeoning
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
  Languages Understands all languages it knew in life but can’t 
  speak
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
  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.
  Skull Lord
  Skull Lord
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 18 (Plate)
  Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  17 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
  21 (+5)
  Skills Athletics +7, History +8, Perception +12, Stealth +8
  Damage Resistances Cold, Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and 
  Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, 
  Frightened, Poisoned, Stunned, Unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22
  Languages all the languages it knew in life
  Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the skull lord fails a saving throw, 
  it can choose to succeed instead.
  Master of the Grave. While within 30 feet of the skull lord, any 
  undead ally of the skull lord makes saving throws with advantage, 
  and that ally regains 1d6 hit points whenever it starts its turn there.
  Evasion. If the skull lord is subjected to an effect that allows it to 
  make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half the damage, the 
  skull lord instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving 
  throw, and only half damage if it fails.
  Spellcasting. The skull lord is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC18, +10 to hit with 
  spell attacks). The skull lord knows the following sorcerer spells:
  Cantrips (at will): chill touch, fire bolt, mage hand, poison spray, ray 
  of frost, shocking grasp
  1st level (4 slots): magic missile, expeditious retreat, thunderwave
  2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, scorching ray
  3rd level (3 slots): fear, haste
  4th level (3 slots): dimension door, ice storm
  5th level (2 slots): cloudkill, cone of cold
  6th level (1 slot): eyebite
  7th level (1 slot): finger of death
  Actions
  Multiattack. The skull lord makes three bone staff attacks.
  Bone Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) 
  necrotic damage.
  Legendary Actions
  The skull lord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the 
  options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a 
  time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The skull lord 
  regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  Bone Staff (Costs 2 Actions). The skull lord makes a bone 
  staff attack.
  Cantrip. The skull lord casts a cantrip.
  Move. The skull lord moves up to its speed without provoking 
  opportunity attacks.
  Summon Undead (Costs 3 Actions). Up to five skeletons or 
  zombies appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the skull 
  lord and remain until destroyed. Undead summoned in this way 
  roll initiative and act in the next available turn. The skull lord can 
  have up to five undead summoned by this ability at a time.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Spring Eladrin
  Spring Eladrin
  Medium fey (elf), chaotic neutral
  Armor Class 19 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 127 (17d8 + 51)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4) 
  11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  Skills Deception +8, Persuasion +8
  Damage Resistances Cold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing 
  from Nonmagical Attacks that aren’t Silvered
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Fey Step (Recharge 4 – 6). As a bonus action, the eladrin can 
  teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
  Innate Spellcasting. The eladrin’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the following 
  spells, requiring no material components:
  At will: charm person, Tasha’s hideous laughter
  3/day each: confusion, enthrall, suggestion
  1/day each: hallucinatory terrain, Otto’s irresistible dance
  Joyful Presence. Any non-eladrin creature that starts its turn 
  within 60 feet of the eladrin must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving 
  throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed by the 
  eladrin for 1 minute. On a successful save, the creature becomes 
  immune to any eladrin’s Joyful Presence for 24 hours.
  Whenever the eladrin deals damage to the charmed creature, 
  it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on 
  a success.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The eladrin makes two weapon attacks. The eladrin 
  can cast one spell in place of one of these attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage, or 7 (1d10 + 2) slashing 
  damage if used with two hands, plus 4 (1d8) psychic damage.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 150/600 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) 
  psychic damage.
  Summer Eladrin
  Summer Eladrin
  Medium fey (elf), chaotic neutral
  Armor Class 19 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 127 (17d8 + 51)
  Speed 50 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   19 (+4) 
  21 (+5) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Skills Athletics +8, Intimidation +8
  Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from 
  Nonmagical Attacks
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
  Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Fearsome Presence. Any non-eladrin creature that starts its turn 
  within 60 feet of the eladrin must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving 
  throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes frightened of the 
  eladrin for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the 
  end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. 
  If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, 
  the creature is immune to any eladrin’s Fearsome Presence for the 
  next 24 hours.
  Fey Step (Recharge 4–6). As a bonus action, the eladrin can 
  teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
  Magic Resistance. The eladrin has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The eladrin makes two weapon attacks. The eladrin 
  can cast one spell in place of one of these attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 15 (2d10 + 4) 
  slashing damage if used with two hands, plus 4 (1d8) fire damage.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 150/600 
  ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) 
  fire damage.
  Reactions
  Parry. The eladrin adds 3 to its AC against one melee attack that 
  would hit it. To do so, the eladrin must see the attacker and be 
  wielding a melee weapon.
  Summer’s Chosen
  As a chosen of summer, Landranai, the summer Eladrin in 
  the “Levelers” section of part 3 of the adventure, is immune 
  to fire damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Sword Wraith Commander
  Sword Wraith Commander
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 18 (Breastplate, Shield)
  Hit Points 127 (15d8 + 60)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2)
  Skills Perception +4
  Damage Resistances Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and 
  Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned, 
  Unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages the languages it knew in life
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Martial Fury. As a bonus action, the sword wraith can make one 
  weapon attack, which deals an extra 9 (2d8) necrotic damage on 
  a hit. If it does so, attack rolls against it have advantage until the 
  start of its next turn.
  Turning Defiance. The sword wraith and any other sword wraiths 
  within 30 feet of it have advantage on saving throws against 
  effects that turn undead.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The sword wraith makes two weapon attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage 
  if used with two hands.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
  Call to Honor (1/Day). To use this action, the sword wraith must 
  have taken damage during the current combat. If the sword wraith 
  can use this action, it gives itself advantage on attack rolls until 
  the end of its next turn, and 1d4 + 1 sword wraith warriors appear 
  in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of it. The warriors last until 
  they drop to 0 hit points, and they take their turns immediately 
  after the commander’s turn on the same initiative count.
  Sword Wraith Warrior
  Sword Wraith Warrior
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 16 (Chain Shirt, Shield)
  Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  6 (-2) 
  9 (−1) 
  10 (+0)
  Damage Resistances Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and 
  Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned, 
  Unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
  Languages The languages it knew in life
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Martial Fury. As a bonus action, the sword wraith can make one 
  weapon attack. If it does so, attack rolls against it have advantage 
  until the start of its next turn.
  Actions
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing 
  damage if used with two hands.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Szass Tam’s Simulacrum (Lich)
  Szass Tam’s Simulacrum (Lich)
  Medium undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 135 (18d8 + 54)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  16 (+3) 
  20 (+5) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Con +10, Int +12, Wis +9
  Skills Arcana +18, History +12, Insight +9, Perception +9
  Damage Resistances Cold, Lightning, Necrotic
  Damage Immunities Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing 
  from nonmagical attacks
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, 
  Paralyzed, Poisoned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 19
  Languages Common plus up to five other languages
  Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the lich fails a saving throw, it 
  can choose to succeed instead.
  Rejuvenation. If it has a phylactery, a destroyed lich gains a new 
  body in 1d10 days, regaining all its hit points and becoming active 
  again. The new body appears within 5 feet of the phylactery.
  Spellcasting. The lich is an 18th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell 
  attacks). The lich has the following wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): mage hand, prestidigitation, ray of frost
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, magic missile, shield, thunderwave
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, Melf’s acid arrow, 
  mirror image
  3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, counterspell, dispel magic, fireball
  4th level (3 slots): blight, dimension door
  5th level (3 slots): cloudkill, scrying
  6th level (1 slot): disintegrate, globe of invulnerability
  7th level (1 slot): finger of death, plane shift
  8th level (1 slot): dominate monster, power word stun
  9th level (1 slot): power word kill
  Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws against 
  any effect that turns undead.
  Actions
  Paralyzing Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) cold damage. The target must succeed on 
  a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. 
  The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its 
  turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Legendary Actions
  The lich can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options 
  below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time 
  and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The lich regains 
  spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  • Cantrip. The lich casts a cantrip.
  • Paralyzing Touch (Costs 2 Actions). The lich uses its 
  Paralyzing Touch.
  • Frightening Gaze (Costs 2 Actions). The lich fixes its gaze on 
  one creature it can see within 10 feet of it. The target must 
  succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw against this magic 
  or become frightened for 1 minute. The frightened target can 
  repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending 
  the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is 
  successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to the 
  lich’s gaze for the next 24 hours.
  • Disrupt Life (Costs 3 Actions). Each living creature within 20 
  feet of the lich must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw 
  against this magic, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed 
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Not Your Daddy’s Szass Tam
  Szass Tam as presented here is not the actual lich, but merely 
  one of his many simulacra. The master of Thay is angered 
  that the characters have been so bold as to enter his domain, 
  but he does not have time to meet them in person. This 
  powerful substitute represents a significant investment of 
  time, energy, and magic, but is not nearly as powerful as the 
  real Szass Tam, who has the these changes from the standard 
  lich stat block:
  Ancient Secrets. Szass Tam has an intelligence score of 
  24 (+7). Additionally, he is equivalent to a 20th-level 
  spellcaster. These elements combine to raise the DC of his 
  spells from 20 to 22.
  Grim Harvest. Once per turn when Szass Tam kills a creature 
  that is neither undead nor a creature using a spell of 1st 
  level or higher, he gains hit points equal to twice the spell’s 
  level, or three times if the spell was of the necromancy 
  school.
  Immunity through Undeath. Szass Tam is immune to 
  necrotic damage and cannot have his hit point maximum 
  reduced.
  Necrotic Simulacrum. Szass Tam can regain hit points via his 
  Grim Harvest ability in addition to alchemical restoration. 
  If he drops to 0 hit points, he becomes a foul-smelling pile 
  of meat scraps and coagulated blood.
  Zulkir’s Contingency. The first time that Szass Tam would be 
  reduced to 0 hit points, it triggers a latent magical ward 
  that prevents all damage dealt by the attack or effect that 
  reduced him to 0 hit points. Szass Tam is also immediately 
  affected by the invulnerability spell (as seen in Xanathar’s 
  Guide to Everything). That spell is in effect for 10 minutes 
  or until Szass Tam’s concentration ends, during which time 
  he is immune to all damage.
  Thayan Ambusher
  In the final encounter, Szass Tam’s simulacrum has already 
  cast mirror image and mind blank on himself, and has taken a 
  potion of invulnerability to gain resistance to all damage.
   Szass Tam’s simulacrum also has a unique contingency spell 
  cast upon him by Szass Tam, which works differently than the 
  normal version of that spell. The first time the counterspell 
  spell is cast against the archmage, his unique contingency 
  spell is triggered, and the caster of counterspell is immediately 
  targeted by a banishment spell (save DC 20).
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Thayan Apprentice
  Thayan Apprentice
  Medium humanoid, any non-good alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 27 (15d8 + 45)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0)
  Skills Arcana +4
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages Common, Thayan
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Thayan Devotion. Within Thay, the apprentice has advantage on 
  saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
  Spellcasting. The apprentice is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mage hand, prestidigitation, 
  shocking grasp
  1st level (4 slots): burning hands, detect magic, mage armor, shield
  2nd level (3 slots): blur, scorching ray
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  Thayan Guardian
  Thayan Guardian
  Large undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 104 (11d10 + 44)
  Speed 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   20 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  10 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +7
  Skills Insight +7, Perception +7
  Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison
  Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, 
  Frightened, Poisoned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages all
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Gatekeeper’s Aura. The Thayan guardian can activate or 
  deactivate this feature as a bonus action. While active, any 
  creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the thayan guardian 
  must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, 
  the creature is immune to this aura for the next 24 hours. On a 
  failed save, the creature has disadvantage on saving throws and 
  its speed is halved until the start of its next turn.
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the Thayan guardian to 0 
  hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC 
  equal to 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or 
  from a critical hit. On a success, the thayan guardian drops to 1 
  hit point instead.
  Vigilant. The Thayan guardian can’t be surprised.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The Thayan guardian makes two longsword attacks 
  and uses its Strength Drain once.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 16 (2d10 + 
  5) slashing damage if used with two hands, plus 11 (2d10) 
  necrotic damage.
  Strength Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) necrotic damage. Unless the target is 
  immune to necrotic damage, its Strength score is reduced by 1d4. 
  The target dies if this reduces its Strength to 0. Otherwise, the 
  reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest.
  Thief of Sanity
  Thief of Sanity
  Medium undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 12 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
  Speed 40 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   6 (−2) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  6 (−2) 
  10 (+0) 
  8 (−1)
  Skills Stealth +4
  Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant
  Damage Resistances Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and 
  Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, 
  Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages --
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
  Amorphous. The thief of sanity can move through a space as 
  narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
  Detect Sentience. The thief of sanity can sense the presence 
  and location of any creature within 300 feet of it that has an 
  Intelligence of 3 or higher, regardless of interposing barriers, 
  unless the creature is protected by a mind blank spell.
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the thief of sanity 
  can take the Hide action as a bonus action.
  Sunlight Weakness. While in sunlight, the thief of sanity has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws.
  Actions
  Memory Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) necrotic damage, and the target’s 
  Intelligence score is reduced by 1d4. If the target’s Intelligence is 
  reduced by half or more, it gains the amnesia long term madness. 
  The target dies if this reduces its Intelligence to 0. Otherwise, the 
  reduction lasts until the target finishes a short or long rest.
   If a non-evil humanoid dies from this attack, a new thief of 
  sanity rises from the corpse 1d4 hours later.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Tiefling Firecaller
  Tiefling Firecaller
  Medium humanoid (tiefling), neutral evil
  Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  19 (+4)
  Skills Arcana +5, Deception +8, Performance +8
  Damage Immunities Fire
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages Common, Ignan, Infernal
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Funeral Pyre. When the tiefling firecaller drops to 0 hit points, 
  their body is consumed in a flash of fire and smoke. Anything they 
  were wearing or carrying is left behind among ashes.
  Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the Tiefling Firecaller fails a 
  saving throw, they can choose to succeed instead.
  Spellcasting. The Tiefling Firecaller is a 10th-level spellcaster. 
  Their spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit 
  with spell attacks). The Tiefling Firecaller knows the following 
  sorcerer spells:
  Cantrips (at will): chill touch, fire bolt, friends, mage hand, message, 
  produce flame, thaumaturgy
  1st level (4 slots): burning hands, chromatic orb, hellish re-
  buke, shield
  2nd level (3 slots): darkness, detect thoughts, misty step, 
  scorching ray
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball, hypnotic pattern
  4th level (3 slots): wall of fire
  5th level (2 slots): dominate person
  Actions
  Multiattack. The Tiefling Firecaller makes two melee attacks.
  Bloodflame Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 7) piercing 
  damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage. The Bloodflame Dagger returns 
  to the Tiefling Firecaller’s hand after each throw.
  Tressym
  Tressym
  Tiny beast, chaotic neutral
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 5 (2d4)
  Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   3 (−4) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1)
  Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  Languages Common understands but can’t speak
  Challenge 0 (10 XP)
  Detect Invisibility. Within 60 feet of the tressym, magical 
  invisibility fails to conceal anything from the tressym’s sight.
  Keen Smell. The tressym has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on smell.
  Poison Sense. A tressym can detect whether a substance is 
  poisonous by taste, touch, or smell.
  Actions
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  1 slashing damage.
  Tyrannosaurus Zombie
  Tyrannosaurus Zombie
  Huge undead, unaligned
  Armor Class 11 Natural Armor
  Hit Points 136 (13d12 + 52)
  Speed 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   25 (+7) 
  6 (−2) 
  19 (+4) 
  1 (−5) 
  3 (−4) 
  5 (−3)
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 6
  Languages –
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Disgorge Zombie. As a bonus action, the tyrannosaurus zombie 
  can disgorge a normal zombie, which appears in an unoccupied 
  space within 10 feet of it. The disgorged zombie acts on its own 
  initiative count. After a zombie is disgorged, roll a d6. On a roll 
  of 1, the tyrannosaurus zombie runs out of zombies to disgorge 
  and loses this trait. If the tyrannosaurus zombie still has this 
  trait when it dies, 1d4 normal zombies erupt from its corpse 
  at the start of its next turn. These zombies act on their own 
  initiative count.
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the tyrannosaurus zombie 
  to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with 
  a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant 
  or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit 
  point instead.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The tyrannosaurus zombie makes two attacks: 
  one with its bite and one with its tail. It can’t make both attacks 
  against the same target.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 33 (4d12 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or 
  smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple 
  ends, the target is restrained and the tyrannosaurus zombie can’t 
  bite another target or disgorge zombies.
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 
  20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  War Priest
  War Priest
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 117 (18d8 + 36)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  13 (+1)
  Saving Throws Con +6 Wis +7
  Skills Intimidation +5, Religion +4
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages any two languages
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Spellcasting. The priest is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It 
  has the following cleric spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): light, mending, sacred flame, spare the dying
  1st level (4 slots): divine favor, guiding bolt, healing word, 
  shield of faith
  2nd level (3 slots): lesser restoration, magic weapon, prayer of heal-
  ing, silence, spiritual weapon
  3rd level (3 slots): beacon of hope, crusader’s mantle, dispel magic, 
  revivify, spirit guardians, water walk
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, freedom of movement, guardian of 
  faith, stoneskin
  5th level (1 slot): flame strike, mass cure wounds, hold monster.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The priest makes two melee attacks.
  Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
  Reactions
  Guided Strike (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The priest 
  grants a +10 bonus to an attack roll made by itself or another 
  creature within 30 feet of it. The priest can make this choice after 
  the roll is made but before it hits or misses.
  Warhorse Skeleton
  Warhorse Skeleton
  Large undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 13 (Barding Scraps)
  Hit Points 22 (3d10 + 6)
  Speed 60 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  2 (−4) 
  8 (−1) 
  5 (−3)
  Damage Vulnerabilities Bludgeoning
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
  Languages –
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
  Actions
  Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
  Warlock of the Fiend
  Warlock of the Fiend
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 With Mage Armor)
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws WIS +4, CHA +7
  Skills Arcana +4, Deception +7, Perception +7, Religion +4
  Damage Resistance Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from 
  Nonmagical Attacks that aren’t Silvered
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages any two languages (usually Abyssal or Infernal)
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells (spell save DC 
  15), requiring no material components:
  At will: alter self, false life, levitate (self only), mage armor (self only), 
  silent image
  1/day each: feeblemind, finger of death, plane shift
  Spellcasting. The warlock is a 17th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes a 
  short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, fire bolt, friends, mage hand, minor 
  illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp
  1st–5th level (4 5th-level slots): banishment, burning hands, flame 
  strike, hellish rebuke, magic circle, scorching ray, scrying, stinking 
  cloud, suggestion, wall of fire
  Dark One’s Own Luck (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). 
  When the warlock makes an ability check or saving throw, it can 
  add a d10 to the roll. It can do this after the roll is made but 
  before any of the roll’s effects occur.
  Actions
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Warlock of the Great Old One
  Warlock of the Great Old One
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 With Mage Armor)
  Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7
  Skills Arcana +4, History +4
  Damage Resistance Psychic
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages telepathy 30 ft. any two languages
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells (spell save DC 
  15), requiring no material components:
  At will: detect magic, jump, levitate, mage armor (self only), 
  speak with dead
  1/day each: arcane gate, true seeing
  Spellcasting. The warlock is a 17th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes a 
  short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
  Cantrips (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast, guidance, mage hand, 
  minor illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp
  1st–5th level (3 5th-level slots): armor of Agathys, arms of Hadar, 
  crown of madness, clairvoyance, contact other plane, detect 
  thoughts, dimension door, dissonant whispers, dominate beast, 
  telekinesis, vampiric touch
  Whispering Aura. At the start of each of the warlock’s turns, each 
  creature of its choice within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 
  Wisdom saving throw or take 10 (3d6) psychic damage, provided 
  that the warlock isn’t incapacitated.
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  ranger 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) piercing damage.
  Warlord
  Warlord
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 229 (27d8 + 108)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   20 (+5) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Str +9, Dex +7, Con +8
  Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +8, Perception +5, Persuasion +8
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages any two languages
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
  Indomitable (3/Day). The warlord can reroll a saving throw it fails. 
  It must use the new roll.
  Survivor. The warlord regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn 
  if it has at least 1 hit point but fewer hit points than half its hit 
  point maximum.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The warlord makes two weapon attacks.
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
  Legendary Actions
  The warlord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the 
  options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at 
  a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The warlord 
  regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  Weapon Attack. The warlord makes a weapon attack.
  Command Ally. The warlord targets one ally it can see within 30 
  feet of it. If the target can see and hear the warlord, the target can 
  make one weapon attack as a reaction and gains advantage on 
  the attack roll.
  Frighten Foe (Costs 2 Actions). The warlord targets one enemy 
  it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see and hear it, 
  the target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be 
  frightened until the end of warlord’s next turn.
  Thayan Ambusher
  The warlord in “The Things We Leave Behind” in part 3 of 
  the adventure is under the effect of foresight. They can’t 
  be surprised and have advantage on attack rolls, ability 
  checks, and saving throws. Additionally, other creatures 
  have disadvantage on attack rolls against the warlord for the 
  duration.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Wraith (Tier 3)
  Wraith (Tier 3)
  Medium undead, neutral evil
  Armor Class 13
  Hit Points 113 (14d8 + 53)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   6 (−2) 
  18 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2)
  Damage Resistances Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Thunder
  Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison, Bludgeoning, Piercing, and 
  Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
  Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, 
  Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  Languages The languages it knew in life
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Incorporeal Movement. The wraith can move through other 
  creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 
  (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the wraith has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight.
  Weave Resistance. Once per day the wraith has advantage on 
  saving throws versus magic and magic effects.
  Actions
  Life Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 26 (5d8 + 4) necrotic damage. The target must 
  succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or its hit point 
  maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. 
  This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target 
  dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
  Create Specter. The wraith targets a humanoid within 10 feet of it 
  that has been dead for no longer than 1 minute and died violently. 
  The target’s spirit rises as a specter in the space of its corpse or in 
  the nearest unoccupied space. The specter is under the wraith’s 
  control. The wraith can have no more than seven specters under 
  its control at one time.
  Young Red Dracolich
  Young Red Dracolich
  Large undead, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 18
  Hit Points 178 (17d10 + 84)
  Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   23 (+6) 
  10 (+0) 
  21 (+5) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  19 (+4)
  Saving Throws Dex +4, Con +9, Wis +4, Cha +8
  Skills Perception +8, Stealth +4
  Damage Resistances Necrotic
  Damage Immunities Fire, Poison
  Condition Immunities The dracolich can’t be charmed, frightened, 
  paralyzed, or poisoned. It also doesn’t suffer from exhaustion.
  Senses Blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
  Languages Common, Draconic
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Magic Resistance. The dracolich has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The dracolich makes three attacks: one with its bite 
  and two with its claws.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 
  17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage.
  Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dracolich exhales fire in a 30-foot 
  cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Dexterity 
  saving throw, taking 56 (16d6) fire damage on a failed save, or 
  half as much damage on a successful one.
  Zombie
  Zombie
  Medium undead, neutral evil
  Armor Class 8
  Hit Points 2 (3d8 + 9)
  Speed 20 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   13 (+1) 
  6 (−2) 
  16 (+3) 
  3 (−4) 
  6 (−2) 
  5 (−3)
  Saving Throws Wis +0
  Damage Immunities Poison
  Condition Immunities Poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
  Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can’t 
  speak
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, 
  it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the 
  damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. 
  On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
  Actions
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
  
  Key NPC Statistics
  The following NPC appears in this adventure.
  Zehira Deryan
  Zehira Deryan
  Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
  Armor Class 19 (mariner’s studded leather, shield +1)
  Hit Points 90 (12d10 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   12 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Dex +9, Int +5
  Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +12, Insight +8, Perception +8, 
  Persuasion +12, Stealth +9, Survival +8
  Senses passive Perception 18
  Languages Common, Elvish, Infernal, Primordial, Sahuagin, 
  thieves’ cant
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
  Cunning Action. Zehira can take a bonus action on each of her 
  turns to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
  Fancy Footwork. During her turn, if Zehira makes a melee attack 
  against a creature, that creature can’t make opportunity attacks 
  against her for the rest of her turn.
  Rakish Audacity. Zehira adds her Charisma modifier (+2) to her 
  initiative rolls. She doesn’t need advantage on the attack roll 
  to use Sneak Attack against a creature if she is within 5 ft. of it, 
  no other creatures are within 5 ft. of her, and she doesn’t have 
  disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Zehira deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage 
  when she hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage 
  on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally that 
  isn’t incapacitated and Zehira doesn’t have disadvantage on the 
  attack roll. Also see Rakish Audacity.
  Spellcasting. Zehira is a 12th–level spellcaster. Her spellcasting 
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). 
  Zehira has the following ranger spells prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, goodberry, zephyr strike
  2nd level (3 slots): darkvision, lesser restoration
  3rd level (2 slots): water breathing
  Actions
  Multiattack. Zehira makes two attacks with either her club, 
  dagger, or rapier.
  Club +3. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 9 (1d4 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 + 6) piercing damage.
  Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.
  Mariner’s Studded Leather
  While wearing this armor, Zehira has a swimming speed 
  equal to her walking speed. In addition, whenever she starts 
  her turn underwater with 0 hit points, the armor causes her to 
  rise 60 feet toward the surface. The armor is decorated with 
  fish and shell motifs.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 1: Adventure Flowchart
  Appendix 1: Adventure Flowchart
  Dirt Under the 
  Fingernails 
  —Wine Wars
  The Blue 
  Kingfisher
  Thayan 
  Teleportation
  Queen of the 
  Damned 
  —Tower Heist
  Ravensblood 
  Academy 
  (Story Objective B)
  Dirt Under the 
  Fingernails 
  —Dinner 
  (Story Objective A)
  Queen of the 
  Damned 
  —Tunnel 
  (Story Objective A)
  The Last Stop 
  Legacy Event: 
  Recognition of a Hero
  The Word of 
  Recall 
  (Story Objective C)
  Captured!
  Have to go 
  Deeper
  Wrong Side of 
  Town
  Levelers
  Things Left 
  Behind
  Thayan Ambush 
  (Story Objective D)
  Legacy Event: Ally of 
  the Zulkir Path
  If Defeated in Any 
  Part 1
  Part 1: 
  Parallel 
  Paths
  Part 2: 
  Site Based
  Part 3: 
  Linear
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  When playing this adventure, think of the setting as 
  something like an additional NPC. Just as you would make 
  use of an NPC’s traits to help bring them to life for the 
  players, you can keep the following traits of the setting in 
  mind while you play.
  Part 1: Eltabbar
  The city of Eltabbar is a unique locale that presents a 
  number of interesting challenges for players and characters 
  accustomed to life along the Sword Coast.
   Clean. Eltabbar is one of the cleanest settlements in 
  all Faerûn. Low-caste and undead servitors cleaning the 
  streets and buildings, along with an advanced sewer and 
  waste system, make the city feel decidedly alien to many 
  visitors. For those used to the grime of Waterdeep, Baldur’s 
  Gate, and other cities, Eltabbar might simply feel too 
  unsoiled to be real.
   Future Facing. A city built on magic, Eltabbar has 
  an advanced level of public works. This includes public 
  transport, clean water, waste management, green spaces, 
  and an infrastructure that keeps all parts of the city in 
  good condition.
   Rigid Caste System. The difference between the haves 
  and the have-nots in Eltabbar can be startling to outside 
  folk. Normal people in the city live a menial existence 
  lorded over by priests—who are in turn lorded over by the 
  arcanists who control all. Sentient and thrall undead roam 
  in the open, often marked with the crests and tabards 
  of their masters. The lowest caste among the living are 
  unremarkable humans who are forbidden to cut their hair 
  (marking anyone with long hair as a thrall), in addition 
  to most non-humans, including significant populations of 
  orcs, gnolls, goblins, halflings, and gnomes.
   No Maps. All those in the city know of the great prison 
  beneath it, which keeps the demon Eltab interred. 
  Residents of Eltabbar also know that the magic of Eltab’s 
  prison requires that no maps be made of the city, as each 
  one diminishes the potency of the binding. There are plenty 
  of signs giving directions, as well as ready guides on most 
  streets (both low-caste living humanoids and undead). 
  As well, the people of the city use directions based on 
  sites rather than streets. Potent divination magic is set to 
  detect if anyone draws a map of the city, and deadly force 
  is authorized to destroy any maps of Eltabbar—and the 
  people that created them.
   Religion at a Distance. All the temples in Eltabbar are 
  located on an island just off the lakeshore. Many bridges 
  connect the island to the city, and the worship of evil gods 
  such as Shar, Kossuth, and Bane mostly takes place there. 
  It’s rare to see anyone pray in public or thank the gods as 
  they might elsewhere in Faerûn.
   High Magic. Eltabbar is one of the most potent magical 
  bastions in the world. It’s not uncommon to see Red 
  Wizards or servant aarakocra flying through the air. 
  Dancing lights, continual flame, and other illusion spells 
  are commonly used in advertisements. Most buildings 
  have magical protection in addition to martial protection, 
  including the glyph of warding and alarm spells. Using 
  detect magic in Eltabbar can often give non-locals a 
  headache, at least until they become accustomed to how 
  common the weave is worked into everyday life.
   Magical Wards. A number of magical effects are 
  prohibited in Eltabbar—not just by law but by potent 
  wards. Layers of ancient abjuration and divination magic 
  track all people in the city, and any spell that makes use 
  of teleportation or planar travel automatically fails unless 
  previously approved by Zulkir Damond or the high council, 
  or cast through approved magical tattoos or magic items. 
  This includes spells such as misty step, dimension door, 
  teleport, banish, far step, plane shift, and the like—up to 
  and including a wish spell used in an attempt to bypass the 
  wards.
  Parts 2 and 3: The Dungeons 
  Beneath the Citadel
  The dungeons beneath the Citadel are a sprawling expanse 
  of tunnels, caverns, and makeshift subterranean structures 
  that will challenge even the hardiest Underdark veterans.
   Squalid. The dungeons are uniformly filthy. Trash 
  litters the streets, dead bodies draw flies in alleyways, and 
  excrement is left wherever people feel like leaving it.
   Desperate. All folk in the dungeons except for the Red 
  Wizards live with an edge of desperation. Everyone needs 
  something—food, water, pipeweed, faith, hope—that they 
  can’t get down here. Many of those condemned to the 
  dungeons fall into a deep depression from this desperation, 
  while others use it to fuel a spark of hope that they will 
  once again be free, or will rise to greatness in their exile.
   Rule through Strength. Many of the people cast down 
  into the dungeons are remarkable individuals. Powerful 
  heroes, wily nobles, cunning politicians, and deadly rogues 
  are sent here to suffer, and end up constantly warring 
  for supremacy against other figures or factions. Many 
  of the residents are the equivalent of tier 3 and higher 
  adventurers who have been robbed of their opportunity to 
  ever see daylight again. Less experienced individuals often 
  don’t survive in the dungeons for long.
   Show Your Power. Those who have power in the 
  dungeons make it clear they aren’t to be trifled with. They 
  often make grand gestures such as throwing coin to their 
  followers—but might next race down crowded tunnels in 
  carriages created from giant undead creatures, just to see 
  folk flee from them in fear.
   Collapsing. The dungeons are in terrible repair. Tunnels 
  constantly collapse into each other, and many buildings 
  teeter just on the edge of falling. All the while, colossal 
  constructs called levelers rip the existing levels apart to 
  force entrenched gangs out to fight for survival and new 
  territory, ensuring that no one can consolidate power to 
  threaten the Red Wizards.
   Magical Wards. As in Eltabbar, magic is restricted within 
  the dungeons beneath the Citadel. Ancient enchantments 
  built upon the sarrukh ruins at the base of the dungeons 
  means that any spell that makes use of teleportation or 
  planar travel automatically fails unless previously approved 
  by the high council, or cast through approved magical 
  tattoos or magic items. This includes spells such as misty 
  step, dimension door, teleport, banish, far step, plane shift, 
  and the like—up to and including a wish spell used in an 
  attempt to bypass the wards.
  Appendix 2: DM’s Setting Information
  Appendix 2: DM’s Setting Information
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Gate 1: “What year did the glorious nation of Thay 
  rise to freedom after breaking the yoke of the kings of 
  Mulhorand?”
  Answer: 0922
  Gate 2: “Who is the god that blesses the zulkirs, and whose 
  light is a beacon for all of Thay?”
  Answer: KOSSUTH
  Gate 3: “What magic did I weave to end the zulkir rebellion 
  and unify Thay into the power it is today?”
  Answer: SPELLPLAGUE
  Gate 4: “What is the newest jewel in the crown of almighty 
  Thay?”
  Answer: MULMASTER
  Gate 5:
  Statue 1
  Statue 2
  Statue 3
  Statue 4
  Statue 5
  Zulkir Damond
  Zulkir M’Weru
  Szass Tam
  Zulkir Dar’lon Ma
  Zulkir Sirikhan
  Appendix 3: DM’s Supply Tunnel Answers
  Appendix 3: DM’s Supply Tunnel Answers
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 4: DM’s Sarrukh Ruins Answers
  Appendix 4: DM’s Sarrukh Ruins Answers
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 5: Farkas Winery Map
  Appendix 5: Farkas Winery Map
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 6: Szass Tam’s Palace Map
  Appendix 6: Szass Tam’s Palace Map
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 7: Ravensblood Academy Map
  Appendix 7: Ravensblood Academy Map
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 8: Leveler Mouth Map
  Appendix 8: Leveler Mouth Map
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 9: Player Handout 
  Appendix 9: Player Handout 
  —Farkas Winery Job
  —Farkas Winery Job
  You’ve been hired by Gaedynn Telstaerr to ruin the shipping 
  area of the Farkas Winery. He has additionally stipulated 
  the following:
  • Only the shipping area is to be destroyed.
  • No one is to be killed if you can help it.
  • Don’t get caught.
  You have six hours to do the job. Though you can simply 
  kick the door down, you can also prepare for the job by 
  undertaking the following activities:
  • Gather rumors and information with Intelligence 
  (Investigation) or Charisma (Persuasion)
  • Scout the area with Wisdom (Perception)
  • Create disguises with a Charisma check and proficiency 
  with a disguise kit
  • Forge documents and identification with a Dexterity 
  check and proficiency with a forgery kit
  • Use a background feature
   Each preparation activity takes 1 hour of game time. For 
  activities that require an ability check, characters can use 
  the Help action to work together and grant advantage on 
  the check, but that cooperation doesn’t reduce the amount 
  of time necessary.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 10: Player Handout 
  Appendix 10: Player Handout 
  —So You’re a Flumph
  —So You’re a Flumph
  A character who has been turned into a flumph in Szass 
  Tam’s palace uses the following stat block for 1 hour:
  Flumph
  Flumph
  Small aberration, lawful good
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 7 (2d6)
  Speed 5 ft., fly 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   6 (-2) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0)
  Skills Arcana +4, History +4, Religion +4
  Damage Vulnerabilities Psychic
  Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
  Advanced Telepathy. The flumph can perceive the content of any 
  telepathic communication used within 60 feet of it, and it can’t be 
  surprised by creatures with any form of telepathy.
  Prone Deficiency. If the flumph is knocked prone, roll a die. On an 
  odd result, the flumph lands upside-down and is incapacitated. 
  At the end of each of its turns, the flumph can make a DC 
  10 Dexterity saving throw, righting itself and ending the 
  incapacitated condition if it succeeds.
  Telepathic Shroud. The flumph is immune to any effect that 
  would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, as well as all 
  divination spells.
  Actions
  Tendrils. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage. 
  At the end of each of its turns, the target must make a DC 10 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 2 (1d4) acid damage on a 
  failure or ending the recurring acid damage on a success. A 
  lesser restoration spell cast on the target also ends the recurring 
  acid damage.
  Stench Spray (1/Day). Each creature in a 15-foot cone originating 
  from the flumph must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw 
  or be coated in a foul-smelling liquid. A coated creature exudes a 
  horrible stench for 1d4 hours. The coated creature is poisoned as 
  long as the stench lasts, and other creatures are poisoned while 
  within 5 feet of the coated creature. A creature can remove the 
  stench on itself by using a short rest to bathe in water, alcohol, 
  or vinegar.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  You’ve agreed to work with Elchorius, a mummy lord and 
  ally of Dar’lon Ma, to steal a scroll from the registry office 
  in the Tower of Reverence. Elchorius has additionally 
  stipulated:
  • You must replace the scroll with a forgery, and bring the 
  original to her.
  • No one is to be killed if you can help it.
  • Don’t get caught.
  You’ve been given a horn of silent alarm to cause a 
  distraction to draw guards away from the tower. You can 
  also prepare for the job by undertaking the following 
  activities:
  • Gather rumors and information with Intelligence 
  (Investigation) or Charisma (Persuasion)
  • Scout the area with Wisdom (Perception)
  • Create disguises with a Charisma check and proficiency 
  with a disguise kit
  • Forge documents and identification with a Dexterity 
  check and proficiency with a forgery kit
  • Use a background feature
  Each preparation activity takes 1 hour of game time. For 
  activities that require an ability check, characters can use 
  the Help action to work together and grant advantage on 
  the check, but that cooperation doesn’t reduce the amount 
  of time necessary.
  Appendix 11: Player Handout 
  Appendix 11: Player Handout 
  —The Tower Heist
  —The Tower Heist
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  At three hundred feet along the tunnel, an adamantine door 
  is set with eleven dials, each marked with letters. The last 
  dial is currently stuck on the letter E.
  Appendix 12A: Player Handout 
  Appendix 12A: Player Handout 
  —Supply Tunnel
  —Supply Tunnel
  — — — — — — — — — — E
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  At four hundred feet along the tunnel, an adamantine door 
  is set with nine dials, each marked with letters. The fifth 
  dial is currently stuck on the letter A.
  Appendix 12B: Player Handout 
  Appendix 12B: Player Handout 
  —Supply Tunnel
  —Supply Tunnel
  — — — — A — — — —
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  At the final door five hundred feet along the tunnel, 
  five headless statues of humanoids stand. Each of the 
  five statues is clad in magnificent robes, and all appear 
  identical. Each neck has a pressure plate where a head 
  should be.
   Examining the stone heads you have collected, you note 
  the following:
  • Zulkir Sirikhan’s head weighs more than Zulkir Dar’lon 
  Ma’s head.
  • The head of Szass Tam weighs less than the heads of 
  Zulkir Sirikhan and Zulkir Dar’lon Ma.
  • Zulkir Damond’s head weighs the least of the five heads.
  Appendix 12C: Player Handout 
  Appendix 12C: Player Handout 
  —Supply Tunnel
  —Supply Tunnel
  Statue 1
  Statue 2
  Statue 3
  Statue 4
  Statue 5
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  RAVENSBLOOD ACADEMY PROCEDURE 87691
  Attendees: Student First Class Valakhod, assisted by Zulkir 
  Szass Tam and Elder Trildor Zihial 
  Results: With able assistance from Zulkir and Elder, Student 
  Valakhod completed the necromantic transformation to rebirth 
  subject #92081 (commonly known as King Hekaton) to the 
  status of a Death Giant in direct service of Zulkir Tam. 
  Following, Zulkir Tam and Elder Zihial had another 
  confrontation (records notice – this is the fourth such act of 
  disobedience from Elder Zihial) about the best use of Death 
  Giant Hekaton. 
  Follow Up #01: Zulkir Tam has decreed that for his 
  disobedience, Elder Zihial will have his tattoos removed and 
  status lowered from Elder to Professor. He will continue to 
  lead explorations into the Sarrukh ruins.
  Follow Up #02: Zulkir Tam has decreed that Professor Zihial 
  is a strategic threat for high probability of continued treason 
  against the elder circle. Professor Zihial will be sent to the 
  Word of Recall for reconditioning and removal of state secrets.
  Kept on file in the Ravensblood Academy headmaster’s office is the following:
  Appendix 13: Player Handout 
  Appendix 13: Player Handout 
  —The Headmaster’s Files
  —The Headmaster’s Files
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 14A: Player Handout 
  Appendix 14A: Player Handout 
  —Sarrukh Ruins Fresco
  —Sarrukh Ruins Fresco
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 14B: Player Handout 
  Appendix 14B: Player Handout 
  —Sarrukh Ruins Cube 1
  —Sarrukh Ruins Cube 1
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 14C: Player Handout 
  Appendix 14C: Player Handout 
  —Sarrukh Ruins Cube 2
  —Sarrukh Ruins Cube 2
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 14D: Player Handout 
  Appendix 14D: Player Handout 
  —Sarrukh Ruins Cube 3
  —Sarrukh Ruins Cube 3
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 14E: Player Handout 
  Appendix 14E: Player Handout 
  —Sarrukh Ruins Cube 4
  —Sarrukh Ruins Cube 4
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 14F: Player Handout 
  Appendix 14F: Player Handout 
  —Sarrukh Dragons
  —Sarrukh Dragons
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Appendix 15: Character Rewards
  Appendix 15: Character Rewards
  The characters can keep the following magic items if they 
  are found during the adventure. It is suggested that you 
  print off enough copies of this page to be able to give one 
  to each of your players, crossing out rewards they didn’t 
  receive during the session.
  Cape of the Mountebank
  Wondrous item, rare
  This cape smells faintly of brimstone. While wearing 
  it, you can use it to cast the dimension door spell as an 
  action. This property of the cape can’t be used again until 
  the next dawn.
   When you disappear, you leave behind a cloud of smoke, 
  and you appear in a similar cloud of smoke at your 
  destination. The smoke lightly obscures the space you left 
  and the space you appear in, and it dissipates at the end of 
  your next turn. A light or stronger wind disperses the smoke.
   Flames lick all around the edges of this cloak. Both the 
  back and front are emblazoned with the crest of Tiamat.
  Horn of Silent Alarm
  Wondrous item, common
  This horn has 4 charges. When you use an action to blow 
  it, one creature of your choice can hear the horn’s blare, 
  provided the creature is within 600 feet of the horn and not 
  deafened. No other creature hears sound coming from the 
  horn. The horn regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn.
  Ioun Stone of Celebration
  Wondrous Item, Common (requires attunement)
  An Ioun stone is named after Ioun, a god of knowledge and 
  prophecy revered on some worlds. Many types of Ioun stone 
  exist, each type a distinct combination of shape and color.
   When you use an action to toss one of these stones into 
  the air, the stone orbits your head at a distance of 1d3 feet 
  and confers a benefit to you. Thereafter, another creature 
  must use an action to grasp or net the stone to separate it 
  from you, either by making a successful attack roll against 
  AC 24 or a successful DC 24 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. 
  You can use an action to seize and stow the stone, ending 
  its effect.
   A stone has AC 24, 10 hit points, and resistance to all 
  damage. It is considered to be an object that is being worn 
  while it orbits your head.
   While this pale red sphere orbits your head, you can use 
  a bonus action to cause it to it display one of the following 
  effects:
  • The ioun stone pulses with green, violet, or amber light 
  for 1 minute, filling the area around you with dim light to 
  a distance of 10 feet.
  • The ioun stone emits harmless sensory effects such as a 
  shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or 
  an odd odor for 1 minute.
  • The stone pauses in its orbit in the direction of the most 
  powerful spellcaster or magical effect within 30 feet of 
  you. If there are no spellcasters or magical effects in 
  range, it pauses in the direction of Szass Tam’s palace.
   An ioun stone of celebration also has the harmonious 
  minor property, so that attuning to it requires only 1 
  minute. The item must be attuned to function, and stops 
  working outside the borders of Thay.
  Potion of Superior Healing
  Potion, rare
  You regain 8d4 + 8 hit points when you drink this potion. 
  The potion’s red liquid glimmers when agitated.
  Spell Scroll of Forcecage
  Scroll, very rare
  An immobile, invisible, cube-shaped prison composed of 
  magical force springs into existence around an area you 
  choose within range. The prison can be a cage or a solid 
  box, as you choose. It lasts for 1 hour.
   A prison in the shape of a cage can be up to 20 feet on a 
  side and is made from 1/2-inch diameter bars spaced 1/2 
  inch apart.
   A prison in the shape of a box can be up to 10 feet on a 
  side, creating a solid barrier that prevents any matter from 
  passing through it and blocking any spells cast into or out 
  from the area.
   When you cast the spell, any creature that is completely 
  inside the cage’s area is trapped. Creatures only partially 
  within the area, or those too large to fit inside the area, 
  are pushed away from the center of the area until they are 
  completely outside the area.
   A creature inside the cage can’t leave it by nonmagical 
  means. If the creature tries to use teleportation or 
  interplanar travel to leave the cage, it must first make a 
  Charisma saving throw. On a success, the creature can 
  use that magic to exit the cage. On a failure, the creature 
  can’t exit the cage and wastes the use of the spell or effect. 
  The cage also extends into the Ethereal Plane, blocking 
  ethereal travel.
   This spell can’t be dispelled by dispel magic.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  Spell Scroll of Mass Cure Wounds
  Scroll, rare
  A wave of healing energy washes out from a point of 
  your choice within range. Choose up to six creatures in a 
  30-foot-radius sphere centered on that point. Each target 
  regains 3d8 + 5 hit points. This spell has no effect on 
  undead or constructs.
  Spell Tile of Teleport
  Spell tile, very rare
  This spell instantly transports you and up to eight willing 
  creatures of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of 
  you, or a single object that you can see within 10 feet of 
  you, to a preset destination. If you target an object, it must 
  be able to fit entirely inside a 10-foot cube, and it can’t be 
  held or carried by an unwilling creature.
   A spell tile of teleport provides no innate sense of its 
  programmed destination unless that destination is marked 
  on the tile by mundane means.
  Spell Tiles
  This adventure uses a unique Thayan magic item called a spell 
  tile. These items function like spell scrolls, except they are usable 
  by any creature, and any choices the caster would normally 
  make are set by the spell tile’s maker when it is created. For 
  example, a spell tile of sending can send a message only to a 
  specific person determined when the tile is made, and a spell 
  tile of teleport is created keyed to a specific destination.
   As an action, a creature holding a spell tile can break it 
  to cast its spell. Spells on spell tiles cannot be copied to a 
  wizard’s spellbook.
  Staff of Frost
  Staff, very rare (requires attunement by a druid, sorcerer, 
  warlock, or wizard)
  You have resistance to cold damage while you hold this 
  staff.
   The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an 
  action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the 
  following spells from it, using your spell save DC: cone of 
  cold (5 charges), fog cloud (1 charge), ice storm (4 charges), 
  or wall of ice (4 charges).
   The staff regains 1d6 + 4 expended charges daily at 
  dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the 
  staff turns to water and is destroyed.
   This staff is made of ice as hard as steel with a frozen 
  skull perched at the head of it.
  Story Awards
  The characters might earn the following story award in this 
  adventure.
  Legacy Event: Liberator
  You rescued the Thayan political prisoner Trildor Zihial 
  from the dungeons beneath the Citadel, and he survived 
  to tell the tale. He owes you his life and swears to dedicate 
  his freedom to continuing to oppose Szass Tam’s tyrannical 
  rule over Thay.
  
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  DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny (v1.0)
  To run an adventure as a DM, you must have three to 
  seven players, each with their own character within the 
  adventure’s level range (see the “Adventure Primer” section 
  at the start of the adventure).
  New to D&D Adventurers League?
  http://dnd.wizards.com/playevents/organized-play
  New to the Annual Storyline?
  You can find out more about the Dreams of the Red 
  Wizards storyline here:
  http://dndadventurersleague.org/storyline-seasons/
  dreamsof-the-red-wizards/
  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 it, such as a way you’d like to portray an NPC 
  or a tactic you’d like to use in a combat. Familiarize 
  yourself with the adventure’s appendices and handouts.
  • Gather any resources you’d like to use to aid you in 
  running the adventure, such as notecards, a DM screen, 
  miniatures, and battle maps.
  • Ask the players to provide you with relevant character 
  information, such as name, race, class, and level; passive 
  Wisdom (Perception) score; and anything the adventure 
  specifies as notable (such as backgrounds, traits, 
  and flaws).
   Players can play an adventure they previously played 
  as a player or Dungeon Master, but can do so only once 
  with a specific character. Ensure that each player has 
  their character’s adventure logsheet (if not, get one from 
  the organizer) with their starting values for level, magic 
  items, gold, and downtime days. These are updated at the 
  conclusion of the session. The adventure information  
  and your information are added at the end of the 
  adventure session—whether the character completed the 
  adventure or not.
   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 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 immediately, 
  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
  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
  Appendix 16. Dungeon Master Tips
  Appendix 16. Dungeon Master Tips
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/Convention Created Content/DDAL-DRW05 Uncertain Scrutiny.pdf