TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  Credits 
   
  Art: Dean Spencer 
  Cover Design: Sarah Pope 
  Layout and Design: Jake Hartman and Sarah Pope 
  Editors: Ashe Richards, Lena Letichevsky, and Sarah Pope  
  Play Testers: Nic Hartman (IG: bruinheart1990), Claire Hartman, and  
  Dusty Bryan 
  Maps: Jake Hartman using Dungeondraft and Campaign Cartographer
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  https://www.fadedquillgaming.com 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all 
  other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other 
  countries. 
   
  This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission 
  under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. 
   
  All other original material in this work is copyright 2020 by Jake Hartman and published under the Community Content Agreement 
  for Dungeon Masters Guild.
  
   
  1 
   
  Introduction 
  In this adventure, the characters are hired to 
  recover the stolen goods of local merchant 
  Gaskin Utgar. Included are opportunities for 
  fighting, stealth, scouting a location, planning 
  an infiltration, and if everything goes well, the 
  recovery of stolen merchandise.  
  Gaskin Utgar and Darin Goldbow, leaders of 
  the two largest merchant organizations in Ore 
  Town, are waging a silent war against each 
  other. Months of petty thefts and skirmishes 
  between the merchant’s employees, have 
  been causing minor disruptions and 
  inconvenience for the involved organizations. 
  Darin has recently escalated the conflict by 
  hijacking a full shipment of goods from 
  Gaskin. The characters are hired by Gaskin to 
  recover his goods. 
  This adventure is part of the Ore Town 
  collection. It is not required to have played 
  any other Ore Town escapades but having 
  done so will provide familiarity with the story 
  and location! O Wagon, Where Art Thou? is 
  designed for a party of four level 3 characters 
  but as the DM you can adjust the encounters 
  as needed. This title uses the fifth edition 
  Dungeons & Dragons ruleset and monsters.  
  Background 
  Gaskin Utgar and Darin Goldbow are 
  determined to make their individual merchant 
  organizations the largest and most powerful 
  in Ore Town. This has led to intense 
  competition between the two merchants and 
  their companies. Several months ago, Gaskin’s 
  daughter, Kletra, was kidnapped. Rumor has it 
  that Darin was the culprit, and he was using 
  her as leverage to get Gaskin to leave Ore 
  Town. The attempt failed, and with help, 
  Gaskin was able to recover his daughter. Since 
  that incident, Gaskin and Darin have been 
  chipping away at each other’s business in 
  hopes of driving the other out of Ore Town. 
  They have kept the conflict discreet to avoid 
  drawing the attention of the town council and 
  guard. 
  Since the discovery of the great silver vein and 
  increased revenue, the town council has taken 
  a keen interest in the efficiency of all 
  businesses that generate taxable income. 
  They act quickly to resolve issues that impact 
  productivity and use any means they deem 
  necessary. Therefore, Gaskin and Darin have 
  been extremely careful about how they wage 
  their private war. All physical altercations are 
  done in such a way as to appear as simple 
  tavern brawls, and any theft or property 
  damage, although meant to cause 
  inconvenience, is never significant enough to 
  involve the guard.  
  The conflict recently escalated when Darin 
  stole a wagon full of products from Gaskin. He 
  did this hoping it would cause Gaskin to 
  retaliate in a violent and public manner. 
  Instead, Gaskin has remained calm publicly 
  and is looking to hire someone to recover his 
  wagon for him.  
  The characters’ goals of this adventure are to 
  recover Gaskin’s stolen goods, cause Darin 
  some grief, and do it all without drawing too 
  much attention.  
  Overview 
  Chapter 1 – Job Seekers. The party arrives 
  at Gaskin’s warehouse just as a group of 
  robed figures attack. The characters will need 
  to defend themselves and the warehouse. 
  Chapter 2 – Planning! The characters meet 
  with someone who can provide them with 
  information about Darin’s warehouse. This is 
  
   
  2 
   
  the starting point for the characters to create 
  a plan. They can scout the location and area 
  to gather information to develop a strategy. 
  Chapter 3 – Location Info. This section 
  provides specific information about Darin’s 
  warehouse and surrounding area. This is the 
  location reference you, as the DM, will use as 
  the characters create and execute their plan.  
  Chapter 4 – Infiltration! The characters will 
  put their plan into action! 
  Chapter 5 – Recovery! The characters have 
  gotten to the goods, now what? 
  Adventure Hooks 
  Here are some potential story hooks: 
  • 
  If you and the players have already played 
  Merchant Beware, the characters will 
  receive a letter from Gaskin requesting 
  they meet him at his warehouse. He 
  wants to discuss another business 
  opportunity with them. 
  • 
  The characters were escorts for a recently 
  arrived merchant caravan to Ore Town. 
  The caravan master suggests they go to 
  Gaskin’s warehouse to see about 
  additional work. 
  • 
  The characters are relaxing in a tavern 
  when they overhear that escort and guard 
  work is available at Gaskin’s warehouse. 
  Feel free to adapt these or use your own! 
  NPCs of Note 
  These are NPCs the characters will interact 
  with as part of the game. 
  Gaskin Utgar – Merchant of Ore Town  
  (Goblin, Male, CG) 
  Appearance. Gaskin is 4’5’’. He has coal-
  black hair that’s slightly visible under his black 
  top hat. His brown eyes are constantly darting 
  around, gathering information about his 
  surroundings. Gaskin is well-groomed and 
  wears some of the finest clothing available in 
  Ore Town. He is barefoot. 
  Personality. Gaskin has worked hard to be a 
  successful businessman and understands that 
  others may be surprised by the fact that he is 
  a goblin. He has focused on developing 
  characteristics and mannerisms he believes 
  make him look civilized and like someone of 
  standing. Gaskin speaks clearly and 
  enunciates every word. It is very important to 
  him that his appearance matches the level of 
  success he believes he has achieved. This 
  means Gaskin is always well-groomed and 
  dressed in high-quality clothing. If anyone 
  acknowledges these things or compliments 
  him on his professionalism, he immediately 
  considers them as someone with taste who 
  knows class when they see it. When Gaskin 
  gets angry, he reverts to speaking in goblin 
  and sometimes becomes violent and breaks 
  things. 
  Ideals. Gaskin believes in the power of 
  wealth. 
  Bonds. Gaskin will do anything to protect his 
  business. 
  Flaws. Gaskin tends to forget those around 
  him when focused on his business. 
  Glipkip – Gaskin’s assistant  
  (Goblin, Male, CG) 
  Appearance. Glipkip is 4’. He has stringy, 
  greasy black hair plastered against his scalp. 
  He has small, beady, yellow eyes. Glipkip 
  wears simple linen pants and a thick cloth 
  tunic. He is always barefoot. 
  
   
  3 
   
  Personality. Glipkip is an integral part of 
  Gaskin’s organization. He can convince others 
  to do things for him. Glipkip portrays himself 
  as a simple assistant to the public, but he is 
  intelligent and has been studying Gaskin for 
  quite some time to learn what he can. He is 
  friendly to those he trusts and civil to those he 
  has just met. Glipkip has not developed the 
  mannerisms that Gaskin has and still acts very 
  much like a goblin. 
  Ideals. Glipkip wants to be a powerful 
  merchant like Gaskin. If he can’t do that, he 
  wants to make himself indispensable to 
  Gaskin. 
  Bonds. Glipkip does what is necessary to 
  advance his standing with Gaskin. 
  Flaws. Glipkip is not brave. 
  Jasper – Gaskin’s contact 
  (Human, Male, LN) 
  Appearance. Jasper is a tall, skinny human. 
  He has brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. 
  He appears scruffy due to a lack of shaving. 
  Dark circles around his brown eyes indicate 
  he has had little sleep. 
  Personality. Jasper is nervous and 
  exhausted. He talks quickly and seems to 
  want to be somewhere else. 
  Ideals. Jasper wants to earn money to live 
  comfortably. 
  Bonds. Jasper was born and raised in Ore 
  Town; he is a 3rd generation wagon driver. 
  Flaws. Jasper gambles far too much. 
  Turlak – Head of Darin’s guards 
  (Hobgoblin, Male, LE) 
  Appearance. Turlak is a large hobgoblin, 
  with deep-red skin and golden eyes. His long 
  black hair is pulled back into a single braid. He 
  has a scar that crosses his left eye. He wears a 
  large black robe with the hood drawn back. A 
  simple cord acts as a belt. He carries an 
  elaborately carved staff with silver caps on 
  both ends. 
  Turlak is a Hobgoblin Devastator and will 
  use that stat block in combat. 
  Personality. Turlak is only concerned with his 
  job which is protecting the warehouse. He 
  does not speak to anyone who works for him 
  other than to give them orders.  
  Ideals. Turlak’s job is what is most important 
  to him. 
  Bonds. Turlak’s only bond is that he wishes to 
  move up in Darin’s organization. His goal is to 
  become head of Darin’s security. 
  Flaws. Turlak does not trust anyone and is 
  arrogant. 
  Notes for the DM 
  Ore Town is not a place that is concerned 
  about species, religion, or any kind of beliefs. 
  The only interest is in what you can contribute 
  to the current expansion. This mentality has 
  allowed a wide variety of species to coexist in 
  the town. Generally, the inhabitants focus on 
  their jobs and potentially making it rich, so the 
  diverse population hasn’t been an issue. 
  Problems that do occur are promptly 
  managed by the town guard and council to 
  prevent any impact on production and 
  revenue generation. 
  It is common to see humans, hobgoblins, 
  goblins, gnomes, dwarves, kobolds, and in 
  some cases orcs, walking around Ore Town. 
   
   
   
  
   
  4 
   
  Playing the Adventure 
  Combat is not meant to be the only option in 
  this adventure. The encounters can be 
  combat heavy or not depending on what the 
  characters plan, what choices they make, or 
  how the dice roll. Ideally, with strong planning 
  and persuasion, the characters can recover 
  the stolen goods with little combat if that is 
  what they want. That being said, if your 
  players want their characters to fight, plenty 
  of opportunities exists! 
  Creature stat blocks are included in the 
  section where the creature is encountered.  
  A creature’s name in bold indicates their 
  corresponding stat block. Stat blocks are 
  found at the end of each section containing 
  the creature encounter.  
  All “guards” that are referred to in the 
  adventure will use the thug stat block unless 
  stated otherwise. 
  Treasure is provided but feel free to change. 
  The text in these boxes can be read aloud 
  to your players. You can adjust or use your 
  own wording as you see fit. 
  Text in these boxes is meant as notes to 
  the DM. 
  Two maps are included in this adventure: 
  Darin’s Warehouse 
  Ore Town 
  Chapter 1 - Job Seekers 
  The adventure begins with the characters 
  approaching Gaskin’s warehouse. Dark clouds 
  loom overhead, and the characters can smell 
  the approaching rain as the humidity rises. 
  The scent of rain becomes stronger as 
  menacing dark clouds sweep across the 
  sky. Claps of thunder can be heard in the 
  distance. Before you stands a sizable two-
  story wooden warehouse. A 10’ wall 
  protects the property. The only visible 
  access is through a large gate that is 
  under the watchful eyes of two guards. 
  The wall only allows the second floor to be 
  seen from the street, and four windows 
  are visible from where you are standing. 
  Crusted with dust and dirt, the windows 
  do not provide a clear view into the 
  warehouse, but faint light from either 
  candles or lanterns can be seen inside.  
  Gaskin’s Warehouse Entrance 
  Gaskin’s warehouse is a long two-story 
  building surrounded by a yard. A 10’ tall wall 
  encompasses the compound with a large 
  double gate that allows access. Two guards 
  are posted at the gate with four guards 
  walking the perimeter wall on the inside. 
  As the characters approach the gate, a female 
  guard intercepts them and asks what their 
  business is. If the characters say that they are 
  looking for employment, she asks what type 
  of work they are looking for and where they 
  heard that it was being offered.  
  Once the players explain why they are at the 
  warehouse, the guard tells the nearest 
  warehouse worker to let Glipkip know that 
  some potential hires are here to be 
  interviewed. The gate is opened, and the 
  guard motions for the characters to follow 
  her. 
  
   
  5 
   
  Warehouse Yard 
  Workers move about the yard loading and 
  unloading wagons. The warehouse doors are 
  open, allowing various sized crates and 
  barrels to be moved in and out. Lightning 
  flashes and the cold drizzle that has just 
  started causes everyone to work a bit faster.  
  As the characters move toward the gate, six 
  darkly clothed figures rush from across the 
  street and attack. The remaining guard yells a 
  warning and moves to shut the gate but only 
  succeeds in closing it about a quarter of the 
  way before the attackers arrive.  
  The robed figures focus their attacks on the 
  party. The guards will see the attackers 
  engage the characters and will concentrate on 
  safeguarding the area by getting the workers 
  into the warehouse and securing those doors.  
  The attackers are not expecting experienced 
  adventurers. They will fight until three of 
  them have been downed. As soon as the third 
  one falls, the remaining attackers will flee.  
  If the characters pursue, the remaining 
  attackers will split off separately and 
  disappear into Ore Town, evading the party. If 
  the party subdues any of the attackers, they 
  will not know anything other than they were 
  hired to assault the warehouse. They never 
  met anyone face to face and received their 
  payment through a courier. 
  The attackers were hired by Darin to 
  wreak havoc at Gaskin’s warehouse. The 
  timing of the attack with the arrival of the 
  characters is coincidental. 
  Once the fighting is over, and the gates are 
  secure, the female guard will check with the 
  characters to see if they need medical 
  assistance. This assistance is limited to basic 
  bandages. She will then continue to escort the 
  characters to Glipkip. The other guards are 
  gathering any remaining bodies and bringing 
  them within the wall to load them into a 
  wagon. The warehouse doors are reopened, 
  and workers are cautiously exiting and 
  beginning to work again. 
  Creatures. The attacking party consists of 2 
  human thugs and 4 goblins.  
  Thugs 
  Medium humanoid, human, lawful evil 
  Armor Class 11 (Leather Armor) 
  Hit Points 32 (5d8+10) 
  Speed 30 ft 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  15 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0)  
  Skills Intimidation +2 
  Senses Passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an 
  attack roll against a creature if at least one of 
  the thug’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature 
  and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks. 
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5’, 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) bludgeoning damage. 
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to 
  hit, range 100’/400’, one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) 
  piercing damage. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  6 
   
  Goblin 
  Small humanoid, goblinoid, lawful evil 
  Armor Class 15 (Leather Armor, Shield) 
  Hit Points 7 (2d6) 
  Speed 30 ft 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  8 (-1) 
  14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) 
  8 (-1) 
  Skills Stealth +6 
  Senses darkvision 60’, passive perception 9 
  Languages Common, Goblin 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
  Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the 
  Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on 
  each of its turns.  
  Actions 
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 
  5’, one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage 
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 
  range 80’/320’, one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) 
  piercing damage. 
  Treasure. Each downed attacker will have 
  5d6 cp.   
  Front Office 
  The guard escorts the characters to a side 
  door that says “Office” and knocks three times 
  before opening it. Once the door is open, she 
  motions for the characters to enter. The office 
  is a small room with a wooden desk and chair 
  lit by a lantern. Two tables, covered in various 
  documents, line the walls. There is another 
  door that leads to the interior of the 
  warehouse. 
  Sitting behind the desk is a small goblin with 
  yellow eyes and greasy black hair. He is 
  wearing simple clothing, a brown shirt, black 
  pants, and is barefoot. He looks at the 
  characters and nods. If the characters have 
  encountered Glipkip before, he greets them 
  with a friendly smile. 
  “Dis is very good timing! Many thanks for 
  handling that surprise. Is very clear what 
  your skills are and as luck would have it, I 
  may have the job for ya.”, the goblin sits 
  up straight behind the desk and speaks 
  slowly and deliberately, “I, Glipkip, have 
  been authorized by Gaskin Utgar, owner 
  of this enterprise, to hire a proven party…”, 
  Glipkip looks down at a parchment on his 
  desk and quickly looks back up, “…to 
  recover a wagon full of merchandise that 
  has recently been stolen. The goods and 
  the wagon are believed to be located in 
  the warehouse under the Goldbow name 
  at the Ore Town mine site. You will be paid 
  to recover these assets and return them 
  here.” He smiles proudly and looks at each 
  of you, “If ya have questions, ask.” 
  Glipkip will answer any questions the players 
  have to the best of his ability. Here is what 
  Glipkip knows: 
  • 
  It is believed that the wagon has been 
  stolen by a competitor, Darin Goldbow. 
  • 
  The driver and two of the three escorts 
  have not been found. 
  • 
  One escort was recently spotted in town 
  and followed back to Darin’s warehouse 
  and has not been seen since. 
  • 
  The wagon contained a 3’ silver statue of 
  an elven warrior, 2 chests of various 
  spices, and a pallet of finished stone. 
  • 
  Darin’s warehouse is a 45-minute ride 
  northwest of Ore Town and is located on 
  the southwest outskirts of the mine area. 
  • 
  He believes the recent attack was 
  instigated by Darin. 
  • 
  Darin is working to cause Gaskin as much 
  trouble as possible because he is a jealous 
  competitor.  
   
  
   
  7 
   
  The driver and escorts were threatened 
  and told to leave Ore Town when the 
  wagon was hijacked. All left but one who 
  was observed entering Darin’s warehouse. 
  He thought he could earn some coin by 
  blackmailing Darin; he was never seen 
  again. The others felt staying in Ore Town 
  was not worth the risk as they had no 
  family or any other connections, so they 
  left. If they are reported missing, the guard 
  will not investigate as people decide to 
  just leave Ore Town regularly. 
  Glipkip offers the characters 75 gp each upon 
  delivery of the recovered items to this 
  warehouse. The characters can choose to 
  negotiate the reward. On a successful DC 20 
  Persuasion (CHA) check Glipkip increases the 
  payment to 100 gp. If the check fails, Glipkip 
  states that 75 gp is all that has been 
  authorized for this job.  
  Once payment has been agreed upon, 
  another goblin enters the office from the 
  warehouse. He is dressed in a white linen 
  shirt, purple velvet vest, and black pants. He 
  wears a tall black top hat with a gold velvet 
  band on his head. He is barefoot. Glipkip 
  stands up quickly from behind the desk and 
  gives the goblin a bow. The goblin nods at 
  Glipkip and looks at the characters. If the 
  characters have encountered Gaskin before, 
  he greets them and welcomes them back.  
  “I see that Glipkip has completed 
  negotiations. With that being resolved, I, 
  Gaskin Utgar, would request that if you 
  can’t recover all of the stolen goods, 
  please at least return with the silver statue 
  and the chest with the copper bands. 
  These two items are the priority.” He sighs, 
  “I have a contact within Darin’s 
  organization that may be of use here. He 
  owes me a debt, and I am about to collect. 
  I will send a message to him to meet you 
  in the Golden Pick tavern tomorrow 
  evening. He is one of Darin’s drivers, who 
  runs wagons to and from that warehouse 
  to Ore Town so he can provide you 
  information about the warehouse. When 
  you get to the tavern, ask the barkeep to 
  meet with Jasper.” Gaskin smiles, “While I 
  believe Jasper will prove useful, I would 
  also suggest that you scout the area 
  yourselves to confirm what you have been 
  told and to make your own assessments 
  on how to get in. I would also request that 
  this be handled as quietly as possible. 
  Granted, any minor damage you can 
  cause to the warehouse would not be 
  frowned upon but try not to take any lives 
  or burn the place down. Death and 
  destruction have a way of drawing 
  attention. Of course, sometimes these 
  things can’t be avoided, just take a care if 
  they must happen.” 
  At this point, a male human enters the office 
  and whispers into Gaskin’s ear. Gaskin thanks 
  the characters and excuses himself. If the 
  characters attempt to ask Gaskin any 
  questions, he will refer them to Glipkip. 
  Glipkip thanks the characters for their time 
  and defense of the warehouse and provides 
  each player with 3 gp. He says that he must 
  return to work and insists the characters stay 
  at the Oak and Raven Inn. This way he can get 
  in touch with the players much easier if 
  needed. 
  
   
  8 
   
  Chapter 2 - Planning! 
  This chapter provides the characters with 
  opportunities for gathering useful information 
  that can help in developing their plan to 
  recover the goods. 
  The Oak and Raven Inn 
  The Oak and Raven Inn the players with a 
  temporary base of operations.  
  As you enter the Oak and Raven Inn, you 
  are immediately enveloped by the scent of 
  fresh bread and a delicious stew. The inn 
  is brightly lit by several bronze lanterns 
  mounted on the walls. The soft melodies 
  of a gently plucked lute mingle with the 
  murmur of patron’s conversations. The 
  source of the music is a young, fair-haired 
  man, sitting on a stool to the right of the 
  door, his hands dancing across the strings 
  of his instrument. An elderly man with 
  thinning white hair and an eyepatch 
  stands behind a large bar that dominates 
  the room. He looks at you all and greets 
  you with a smile and a wave, “Welcome to 
  the Oak and Raven! We’ve got a couple of 
  empty tables, so pick one and someone 
  will be with ya soon!” 
  The inn is owned by Lester Bellows, a short, 
  elderly, human with white thinning hair. His 
  single visible eye is blue while the other one is 
  hidden beneath a black eyepatch. Lester 
  wears a white apron and greets all new 
  arrivals with a friendly smile. There are two 
  females, human and dwarven, who serve the 
  dining area. They both are profoundly serious 
  and are focused on doing their jobs. The 
  kitchen is run by Lester’s wife, Silvia. She is a 
  plump, elderly, human with black hair tied up 
  into a bun. She always has a few choice words 
  for Lester but says them with a smile and a 
  twinkle in her green eyes. It’s the 
  mouthwatering aroma of her freshly baked 
  bread and stew that fill the brightly lit inn.  
  The inn is a small two-story building with the 
  first floor as the kitchen, bar, and eating area 
  and rooms on the second floor. All the rooms 
  are the same and contain a single bed, a small 
  night table with a candle, a locked chest, a 
  washbasin, and a small table and chair. A 
  window lets the daylight in unless shuttered 
  by the occupant. The key to each room is also 
  the key that locks and unlocks the chest in 
  that particular room.   
  • 
  The Oak and Raven Inn is 12 sp per 
  person, per day. Two meals, breakfast and 
  dinner, and one night’s lodging are 
  included in the cost. One drink is also 
  included with each provided meal. 
  • 
  Additional Ale is 4 cp per mug and wine is 
  2 sp per pitcher. 
  • 
  An additional meal is 3 sp. 
  The characters can attempt to negotiate the 
  price, and on a successful DC 18 Persuasion 
  (CHA) check, Lester drops it to 8 sp per night. 
  A failed check leaves the cost at 12 sp per day. 
  If the characters really engage with Lester to 
  negotiate, he appreciates their effort, and 
  they can roll with advantage. Lester enjoys a 
  good haggle!  
  Lester will chat with the characters if they 
  choose to interact with him as he makes his 
  way among the tables, checking on his 
  customers. He is friendly and willing to share 
  what he knows if asked. Here are things that 
  Lester knows and, in some cases, knows 
  nothing about:  
  • 
  Glipkip helped Lester establish the inn, so 
  he considers Glipkip a friend and helps 
  him out when he can. 
  • 
  Lester knows that the competition 
  between Gaskin and Darin has grown 
  drastically over the last couple of months. 
  
   
  9 
   
  • 
  Lester knows that Ore Town is in a state of 
  growth right now and there are issues 
  with that growth – the guard is spread 
  thin, some cultures clash, but the council 
  and guard do everything they can to 
  resolve problems as quickly as possible. 
  • 
  Lester knows that Gaskin and Darin are 
  the currently the most powerful 
  merchants in Ore Town. 
  • 
  Lester does not know anything about 
  Jasper. 
  • 
  Lester does not know anything about any 
  specific activities taking place between 
  Gaskin and Darin. 
  During the evenings, the Oak and Raven has 
  live music provided by various bards traveling 
  through the area. The bard currently working 
  at the Oak and Raven is a human named Will. 
  He is a short blonde man with green eyes. His 
  specialty is song and storytelling and the lute.  
  If the players engage Will in any discussion, 
  they can learn the following: 
  • 
  The rumors of the wealth in the Ore Town 
  mine have spread far and wide. 
  • 
  Ore Town is a genuinely exciting place 
  with all the different species living in one 
  place. 
  • 
  Ore Town is a hot spot for all bards as 
  there is a constant demand for 
  entertainment. 
  • 
  The Oak and Raven is a favorite spot 
  because it has a constant flow of patrons 
  who tip well (*wink* *wink*) with none of 
  the risk found in the rougher taverns and 
  camps.  
   
   
  Golden Pick Tavern 
  The Golden Pick Tavern is dimly lit and reeks 
  of spilled beer and sweaty bodies. Yelling, 
  laughter, and the sound of constant chatter 
  greet the characters as they enter the busy 
  tavern. A large circular bar dominates the 
  center of the single room tavern, providing 
  easy access to anyone who requires a drink. 
  Smaller tables are placed in the area 
  surrounding the bar with private booths lining 
  the walls of the tavern. Four barmaids work 
  their way through the room, removing empty 
  flagons and glasses as well as taking orders 
  from the rowdy crowd. There are dwarves, 
  goblins, gnomes, and humans among other 
  species in the tavern. Most patrons are just 
  drinking while others are taking part in 
  various games of chance and in some cases 
  strength. You see games of cards and dice 
  and a couple of lively groups arm wrestling. 
  The characters can check around to see if 
  they can join any of the games. You can 
  simply roll dice such as a d100 to 
  determine if they win or not. Any 
  gambling process is up to you to decide 
  on resolution and pot size. 
  This dimly lit tavern reeks of spilled ale 
  and body odor. The sound of laughter, 
  yelling, and talking is pervasive. A large 
  bar sits in the center of the room with an 
  almost equally corpulent man behind it. 
  He is bald, with a gray handlebar 
  mustache, and his apron is stretched to 
  the point of almost snapping. The 
  perimeter of the room is lined with private 
  booths - each with its own candle or 
  lantern. A cloud of hazy smoke from the 
  cheap candles at various tables stings 
  your eyes. Haggard-looking bar staff 
  make their way among the tables, some 
  laughing loudly about an overheard 
  comment while others yell at raucous 
  customers. 
  
   
  10 
   
  The barkeep is not talkative at all but will take 
  their order if they want drinks or the 
  characters can ask the bar staff. This tavern 
  only offers the basics. 
  • 
  Ale (mug) is 4 cp each. 
  • 
  Common wine (pitcher) is 2 sp. 
  • 
  Loaf of bread is 2 cp. 
  • 
  Large hunk of cheese is 1 sp. 
  • 
  Large chunk of meat is 3 sp. 
   
  When the players ask about Jasper, he grunts 
  and motions behind him to the left, to a booth 
  back in the corner. 
  Jasper is sitting hunched over a tankard of ale 
  in a darkened booth. He jumps when the 
  characters approach. His brown hair is pulled 
  back into a ratty ponytail. He is scruffy 
  looking, and his clothing is rumpled and dirty. 
  His brown eyes have dark circles from lack of 
  sleep. Jasper is extremely nervous and is 
  constantly looking about, jumping slightly now 
  and then.  
  He will answer any questions the characters 
  have within the limits of his knowledge but 
  only after the characters introduce 
  themselves. 
   
   
  This is meant to be a social encounter, but 
  as the DM feel free to provide Jasper’s 
  knowledge in any way you feel is 
  necessary to convey the information the 
  characters and players need to progress. 
  Ideally, the characters must interact with 
  Jasper to get the information by asking 
  questions. Jasper should be played as 
  someone who is extremely nervous and is 
  being forced to do something. The only 
  reason he is doing it is that, as of now, he 
  has a greater fear of his debt to Gaskin. He 
  will tell the characters everything they 
  want as long as he is asked. 
  This is what Jasper shares freely: 
  • 
  He owes money to Gaskin and this 
  meeting resolves that debt. 
  • 
  He is ready to get rid of the debt because 
  it puts him at risk as a wagon driver for 
  Darin. 
  • 
  He is a regular wagon driver for Darin on 
  the permanent payroll, and if any of 
  Darin’s people find out about this meeting 
  bad things could happen to him. 
  • 
  Darin’s organization views Gaskin’s as a 
  threat that needs to be removed. 
  • 
  There has been an increase in the number 
  of guards used when escorting wagons 
  loaded with goods. 
  • 
  He knows the warehouse in question is 
  always looking for laborers and recently 
  has needed someone to help in the office. 
  • 
  There is a tarp-covered wagon in the back-
  left hand corner of the warehouse, and it 
  is very odd that a wagon would be hidden 
  like that. 
  • 
  All wagons that enter or leave the 
  warehouse are checked thoroughly.  
  The following list consists of specific details 
  that Jasper knows about Darin’s warehouse 
  
   
  11 
   
  located at the mine. The characters will need 
  to ask questions about the warehouse 
  because he will not simply provide all the 
  information upfront. Here are the details: 
  • 
  There is a sign over the gate that reads 
  “Goldbow Mercantile”. 
  • 
  The warehouse is surrounded by a 10’ tall 
  wooden wall which is wide enough to 
  allow a guard to patrol along the top. 
  • 
  There are two main access points to the 
  warehouse – the large main gate in the 
  front and a standard-sized gate at the 
  back for employee access. 
  • 
  There are no workers at night unless 
  there is a nighttime delivery. 
  • 
  There are currently no scheduled 
  nighttime deliveries. 
  • 
  There is one main entrance to the 
  warehouse building consisting of two 
  wooden sliding doors. The entrance is 
  large enough to allow wagons access into 
  the warehouse. 
  • 
  At the front of the warehouse, to the far 
  left of the main entrance, a set of stairs 
  leads to a door that opens directly into the 
  offices on the second floor. 
  • 
  There are always two guards at the main 
  gate. 
  • 
  There is always one guard at the 
  employee entrance gate. 
  • 
  There are always at least two guards 
  posted inside the warehouse. 
  • 
  There is always at least one guard posted 
  at the top of each of the four sections of 
  the wall. 
  • 
  Two guards do a walk-through of the full 
  yard at the bottom of every hour. 
  • 
  He doesn’t know how many total guards 
  are at the warehouse. 
  • 
  The guard is led by a large hobgoblin 
  named Turlak who is always at the 
  warehouse. 
  • 
  The warehouse is managed by a human 
  named Andrew Thoms who has been 
  there longer than Jasper (1+ years). 
  • 
  Andrew has a small home in Ore Town, 
  located in the residential area on 
  Horseshoe Lane. 
  Ore Town 
  Ore Town is a community currently in the 
  throes of change. It started as a basic mining 
  settlement where all the buildings were made 
  of wood, harvested from the edges of the 
  nearby forest. The roads were dirt wagon 
  tracks with various-sized footpaths leading off 
  from them. When the massive silver vein was 
  discovered and “The Boom” started, there was 
  a rapid influx of individuals looking to make 
  their fortunes.  
  This swift population growth has led to drastic 
  improvements in Ore Town’s appearance. 
  Wooden buildings, the standard structure in 
  Ore Town, are now being expanded or torn 
  down and replaced with stone. The old dirt 
  roads are being paved with gravel, and some 
  of the footpaths expanded into small roads as 
  new buildings start to appear. With Ore 
  Town’s population growth and diverse species 
  taking up residence, the types of buildings 
  vary greatly. Warehouses have been built, 
  various neighborhoods have been 
  established, and overall, everyone tends to 
  get along.  
  If your players choose to explore Ore Town, 
  these are key locations that can be used. 
  
   
  12 
   
   
  Market Square 
  The Market Square is probably the busiest 
  area of Ore Town. The Golden Pick Tavern sits 
  on the perimeter.  
  The square itself is a constant flurry of activity. 
  It remains active around the clock to provide 
  supplies and services to the residents of Ore 
  Town who work numerous shifts throughout 
  the day. The square is filled with brightly 
  colored tents and owners hawking their 
  wares. Bodies constantly collide as 
  inhabitants try to make their way through the 
  crowded market. The air is saturated with the 
  scents of various spices, cooked meats and 
  vegetables, and body odor.  
  The Market Square vendors provide anything 
  that can be found in the Players Handbook in 
  the Equipment chapter. The only exception is 
  magical items, which can’t be purchased or 
  sold in the Market Square. The perimeter of 
  the square is filled with buildings housing the 
  permanent vendors of Ore Town. They 
  include the following: 
  The Golden Pick Tavern. This establishment 
  is described above. 
   
  Goldbow Mercantile. This shop is one of the 
  storefronts on the square that was 
  successfully updated to a stone structure. The 
  “Goldbow Mercantile” sign hangs from a 
  wrought iron rod extending out from the 
  stone wall over the door. The store contains a 
  large selection of merchandise sold by Darin 
  Goldbow and resembles a general goods 
  store – it sells clothing (common and fine), 
  non-martial weapons, tools, and trade goods 
  (costs can be found in the Equipment section 
  of the Player’s Handbook).  
  It is managed by a brown-haired, blue-eyed 
  male human named Oscar. Oscar is friendly 
  and helpful to anyone who enters the shop. 
  He is assisted by a bald male half-orc named 
  Huron. Huron is largely for security and 
  spends his time by the door. He does not 
  speak but will grunt if someone attempts to 
  talk to him. 
   
  Delectable Delites. This shop has a wooden 
  storefront. The sign is a roughly painted piece 
  of wood leaning against the door frame 
  leading inside. Delectable Delites is owned 
  and run by a male goblin named Garve. The 
  food here varies from standard goblin fare to 
  Garve’s interpretation of human cuisine. The 
  darkly lit shop has almost overwhelming 
  odors – a cacophony of smells that are simply 
  not pleasant to humans, elves, and dwarves. It 
  is a popular place for goblins and other 
  similar species. Garve is a flamboyant 
  character while his assistant and brother, 
  Narve, is quiet and sullen. Both goblins have 
  brown hair and yellow eyes. They only wear 
  pants and their chef’s aprons. This is a risky 
  place for humans, elves, and dwarves to eat 
  simply because of Garve’s interpretation of 
  what he thinks non-goblinoids find delicious. 
   
  Tak Armaments. A metal sign hangs over 
  the wooden door of this shop. It has a 
  wooden front with glass windows, allowing 
  passersby to see the goods being sold inside. 
  This shop is the only place in Ore Town where 
  martial weapons and armor can be 
  
   
  13 
   
  purchased. The smell of weapon oil and metal 
  is strong as one enters the establishment.  
  It is run by a hobgoblin named Tak. Tak was 
  one of the first of his species to arrive in Ore 
  Town. His black hair and orange skin make 
  him stand out. He hikes up all his prices by 
  20% (use costs in the equipment section of 
  the Player’s Handbook for the base price) with 
  specific intent. Obviously, if someone will pay 
  it, he is fine with that, but what he is looking 
  for is someone who wants to haggle. Tak 
  doesn’t haggle with words though, he wants 
  to use physical challenges. His favorite 
  methods are: 
  • 
  Beat him in an arm-wrestling match, best 
  two out of three, to get base cost. Use 
  contested STR checks; Tak has an 18 
  strength for this contest. 
  • 
  Who can lift the most? At the back of the 
  store, Tak has three crates of various sizes 
  (small, medium, large). The players must 
  start with the small crate and work their 
  way to the largest. Tak will not allow them 
  to pick just one crate to lift; the crates 
  must be lifted in succession. Based on 
  what the character can lift, the price of the 
  item will be adjusted:  
  Crate 1 – Successful DC 18 STR check and 
  Tak will reduce the price to the base price. 
  Crate 2 – Successful DC 20 STR check and 
  Tak will take 10% off the base price. 
  Crate 3 – Successful DC 25 STR check and 
  Tak will take 25% off the base price. 
  These are not cumulative, so if the 
  character lifts all three crates, they only 
  get a total of 25% off the base price. 
  Gaskin’s Goods. This store is currently going 
  through a renovation. The back of the store is 
  being expanded, and various woodworkers 
  are currently working on extending walls and 
  the floors. Fortunately, they’re leaving the 
  existing back wall there as they work, so the 
  sounds of construction are slightly muffled. 
  There are piles of stone outside the front of 
  the store that indicate that the storefront will 
  soon be updated.  
  This large clean shop is managed by a human 
  female named Gladys. She has short black 
  hair with blue eyes. The shop sells clothing 
  (common and fine), non-martial weapons, 
  tools, and trade goods (costs can be found in 
  the Equipment section of the Player’s 
  Handbook). Gladys is very polite and efficient. 
  She bustles around the shop constantly 
  straightening things, organizing the shelves, 
  and adding new stock. Gladys is assisted by a 
  young goblin named Ketzek. Ketzek is short 
  even for a goblin. He is bald with yellow eyes. 
  He proudly wears a burlap sack with a rope 
  tied as a belt. He is proud because it was the 
  first thing he bought with his “salary” earned 
  working at the shop. 
  Ore Town Cemetery 
  Cemetery is a loose term when describing the 
  place where citizens of Ore Town bury their 
  dead. It’s a grass scrubbed area where bodies 
  are buried or burned. Most graves are 
  unmarked, and those that are use roughly cut 
  wooden boards to indicate the burial plot. 
  There are some stone headstones, but those 
  were placed by the wealthier families in Ore 
  Town. These nicer burial sites are in the 
  northern section of the graveyard. The 
  graveyard itself is open to the land around it 
  with no fence or barrier surrounding it.  
  A little shack is situated at one end where the 
  caretaker, Ollie, lives. Ollie is a large male 
  human in his late 30’s. He has black hair and 
  green eyes. Ollie likes to keep to himself and 
  will not interact much with anyone other than 
  determining where a burial spot needs to be 
  and when it needs to be ready.  
  
   
  14 
   
  Chapter 3 - Location Info 
  This chapter provides detailed information on 
  Darin’s warehouse and surrounding area.  
  Outside Darin’s Warehouse 
  The warehouse is a 45-minute horse ride 
  northwest of Ore Town and is located on the 
  southwest outskirts of the mine area. There 
  are several other warehouses in the vicinity, 
  but Darin’s has a “Goldbow Mercantile” sign 
  above the main gate. Across the road from 
  the warehouse is a hill covered in brush and 
  small trees, providing an ideal vantage point 
  to observe the location. 
  If the characters watch the warehouse during 
  daytime, they notice the following 
  immediately: 
  • 
  The warehouse is surrounded by a 10’ tall 
  wooden wall. 
  • 
  There is a main gate with two guards – the 
  gate is closed. 
  • 
  Some guards can be seen patrolling the 
  top of the wall during the day. 
  • 
  No guards are located outside of the 
  walls. 
  • 
  The warehouse itself is a two-story 
  building with no windows. 
  • 
  There is a single large entrance into the 
  warehouse – it consists of two wooden 
  sliding doors that are currently open. 
  • 
  There is a staircase on the left front of the 
  warehouse that leads to a closed door on 
  the second floor. 
  If the characters watch the warehouse longer 
  than an hour, they observe the following: 
  • 
  Every hour a group consisting of two 
  guards will walk the yard surrounding the 
  warehouse. 
  • 
  The yard is full of activity – wagons being 
  loaded and unloaded while workers move 
  crates and sacks in and out of the 
  warehouse. 
  • 
  There is a stable in the yard where the 
  characters see two horses. 
  Characters can attempt to sneak in closer to 
  investigate the wall. On a successful DC 15 
  Sneak (DEX) check they will be able to 
  determine the following: 
  • 
  The wooden wall is smooth but has slight 
  horizontal gaps every 4’ that could allow a 
  dexterous person to climb the wall. 
  • 
  There is a single regular-sized gate in the 
  back with one guard – the gate is closed. 
  • 
  The lock on the gate is only accessible 
  from inside the warehouse yard.  
  • 
  Through one of the gaps on the western 
  wall, a glimpse of what looks like a 
  covered manhole can be seen. 
  A failed sneak check will lead to one of the 
  guards on the wall noticing the characters and 
  yelling at them to leave. If the characters do 
  not leave, the guards will begin shooting at 
  them with crossbows.  
  If the characters choose to fight back, the 
  guard will yell that the warehouse is under 
  attack. At this point more guards will begin to 
  arrive to confront the character or characters 
  who approached the warehouse. If this turns 
  into a combat encounter, follow the process 
  for the Wave Table in Chapter 4 under the 
  “Non-Stealth Infiltration” section. 
  If the characters scout the area during the 
  night, they will see the same things visible at 
  daytime with the following changes: 
  • 
  There are no warehouse workers. 
  
   
  15 
   
  • 
  The main entrance into the warehouse is 
  closed. 
  • 
  Any wagons in the yard have are parked 
  against the warehouse building. 
  • 
  Light can be seen from within the 
  warehouse through the cracks 
  surrounding the main warehouse door. 
  Inside Darin’s Warehouse 
  Here is information that characters can learn 
  if they gain access to the inside of Darin’s 
  warehouse. This information corresponds 
  with the included map of Darin’s Warehouse. 
  First Floor  
  This is an open space with rows of various 
  sized crates, sacks, barrels, and slabs of stone. 
  Wooden stairs lead to the second floor. Key 
  info for the characters to discover: 
  • 
  There is a covered wagon in the back left-
  hand corner of the warehouse. 
  • 
  The warehouse floor is highly active 
  during the day.  
  • 
  At night, the warehouse is empty except 
  for the two warehouse guards patrolling 
  every hour. 
  • 
  The main doors are locked at night. 
  • 
  Barrels and crates are stacked in rows 
  throughout the first floor allowing easier 
  access for the workers and providing the 
  characters potential nooks and crannies 
  to hide in or use for cover. 
  Key info for the DM: 
  • 
  Only the inside guards, one gate guard, 
  Turlak, and Andrew have keys to the 
  warehouse. 
  • 
  On a successful DC 15 Dexterity check 
  using thieves’ tools, the doors can be 
  unlocked. These locks can be broken with 
  a successful DC 20 Strength check. 
  The products stored in the warehouse are 
  dried goods, ore (iron, copper, etc.) from the 
  mine, tools, and cloth. The first floor does not 
  contain anything of true value to the 
  characters other than the stolen wagon. 
  The rows of crates, barrels, and sacks are 
  objects that can enhance combat if 
  needed. They can provide cover and 
  environmental obstacles to be used by 
  you and the characters. The crates and 
  barrels provide half cover (+2 AC bonus). 
  The sacks provide no cover. 
  Second Floor 
  The second floor of the warehouse contains 
  three offices, a filing room, and a secure 
  room. Part of the second floor opens to the 
  first floor with wooden railings around the 
  open area. The ceiling has a winch and pulley 
  system over the open space for lifting heavy 
  items onto the second floor. 
  1 – Large Office  
  This office belongs to Andrew. The door is 
  locked when Andrew is not onsite, and he is 
  the only person with the key. On a successful 
  DC 15 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools, the 
  lock can be picked. On a DC 20 Strength 
  check, the door can be broken.  
  Three bookshelves line the walls. A large 
  brown rug covers the floor in front of a quality 
  wooden desk. Two wooden chairs face the 
  desk while a padded leather chair sits behind 
  it. The desk has some paperwork and writing 
  utensils on it. If the characters check the 
  paperwork, they will find various documents 
  relating to the payroll, manifests, and shipping 
  schedules. Gaskin will pay 25 gp for the 
  shipping schedules.  
  The characters will also notice some 
  documents have a wax stamp on them. The 
  brass stamp and a pot of wax are in the 
  locked desk drawer. This drawer can be 
  successfully opened on a DC 10 Dexterity 
  
   
  16 
   
  check with thieves’ tools or forced open on a 
  DC 10 Strength check.  
  2 – Office 2 
  This office belongs to the head of the guard, 
  Turlak the hobgoblin. It is sparse, containing 
  only a simple desk, chair, and a locked 
  wooden chest. The desk is clean with only an 
  inkpot and quill on it. If the characters check 
  the drawers, they will find a brass stamp and 
  wax. Turlak lives at the warehouse and never 
  appears to leave. He always keeps the door to 
  his office locked unless he is in it. On a 
  successful DC 15 Dexterity check with thieves’ 
  tools, the lock can be picked. On a DC 20 
  Strength check, the door can be broken. 
  Treasure. The lock on this chest can be 
  picked on a successful DC 20 Dexterity check 
  with thieves’ tools. Turlak also has a key that 
  will open these chests. The chest contains a 
  Potion of Healing, a small bag of gems (50 gp), 
  a Level 2 spell scroll, and a Level 3 spell scroll. 
  Any damage caused to the chest will trigger a 
  spell that burns all contents; anyone within 5’ 
  will take 1d4 fire damage on a failed dexterity 
  save. A successful DC 15 Dexterity check 
  allows the character to dodge out of the way 
  and avoid any damage. A check for traps will 
  not find anything but detect magic will 
  indicate evocation magic. 
  The stamps in the offices make any 
  written document official for the workers 
  or guards at the warehouse. If the players 
  think about it, they can forge an 
  authorization to transport the wagon. This 
  will be an immediate pass for any of the 
  warehouse guards. The gate guards are 
  kept aware of all expected transports, so 
  they will need to be persuaded. The 
  document will allow the characters to roll 
  with advantage on the persuasion check. 
  If Turlak’s seal is used and shown to 
  Turlak, he will know the document is 
  forged and will immediately yell for 
  guards, starting combat. 
  3 – Office 3 
  This office is unoccupied and is currently 
  being used for storage for various types of 
  furniture such as empty desks, stacked chairs, 
  and an empty bookshelf. This door is not 
  locked. 
  4 – Filing Room  
  This room is lined with 6’ tall shelves filled 
  with paperwork, scrolls, and ledgers. Wooden 
  crates containing archived paperwork are 
  stacked on top of the shelves. A small desk 
  and wooden chair are situated against the 
  wall. If a character is hired on as the office 
  assistant based on the information provided 
  by Jasper, this will be their desk.  
  The door to this room is locked except when a 
  file clerk is working. If this is one of the 
  characters, they will have a key. On a 
  successful DC 15 Dexterity check with thieves’ 
  tools, the lock can be picked. On a DC 20 
  Strength check, the door can be broken. There 
  is nothing of value in this room as documents 
  are not relevant to anyone other than Darin’s 
  organization. 
  5 – Secure Room 
  This room’s only entry is a locked iron banded 
  door. Only Andrew and Turlak have access to 
  this room. It is where any valuable product is 
  stored while in the warehouse. On a 
  successful DC 20 Dexterity check with thieves’ 
  tools, the lock can be picked. On a DC 25 
  Strength check, the door can be broken. 
  Shelves line the walls of this room. There are 
  also eight chests stored here. Four of the 
  chests are locked while the remaining four are 
  empty.  
  
   
  17 
   
   
  Treasure. There are four locked chests. Each 
  lock can successfully be picked on a DC 20 
  Dexterity with thieves’ tools. On a successful 
  DC 25 Strength check, the locks can be 
  destroyed. Two chests contain a bag of 124 
  gp, while the other two contain 50 gp worth of 
  gems each. One chest will also contain a silver 
  sword +1 to ATT. 
  The shelves contain an assortment of various 
  scrolls and books. On a successful DC 15 
  Investigation (INT) check three books valued 
  at 25 gp each can be found. These books are 
  historical works. 
  6 – Open Area 
  This area contains two cots for off-shift 
  guards. It opens to the lower level so the 
  guards can readily be alerted if needed. 
  7 – Break Area 
  This area contains a table and chairs for 
  employees to sit at when on break or lunch. 
  Mine Waste Pit 
  This large, open pit is the main depository of 
  all waste from the buildings that surround the 
  mine (not including Ore Town). It is located 
  west of the mine and is visible from where the 
  warehouses are located. The odor emanating 
  from the circular pit is unpleasant, so no one 
  ever stays in the area long. The hole is about 
  30’ deep and 20’ wide, and the waste inside is 
  about 8’ deep. There are 3 tunnel openings, 6’ 
  in diameter, on different sides of the pit 
  where waste flows from. Each tunnel is 
  located 8’ below the pit’s rim. Only one tunnel 
  appears to go in the direction of Darin’s 
  warehouse.  
  Characters must make a DC 17 Constitution 
  check if they enter the pit. On a failure they 
  become nauseated and vomit and will have 
  the poisoned condition for 10 minutes. A 
  success means they are unaffected by the 
  stench.  
  The Mine Waste Pit can be used in either the 
  full assault or stealth approaches discussed in 
  Chapter 4. 
  Main Tunnel  
  This tunnel is 6’ in diameter and runs for 150’ 
  in the direction of the Goldbow warehouse. As 
  the characters make their way down the main 
  tunnel, they will see six tunnel openings, three 
  on either side, with a set of letters carved into 
  the stone above indicating what warehouse 
  they connect to. The first five tunnels are 
  labeled “CG”, “KN”, “BT”, “DM”, and “WT” or 
  however you want to label them. The sixth 
  tunnel has “GM” carved above it. This is the 
  tunnel that leads to Darin’s warehouse - 
  Goldbow Mercantile. Using and exiting any of 
  the other tunnels could lead to potential 
  encounters of your own design.   
  The tunnel labeled “GM” is 75’ long and leads 
  to the manhole located in the warehouse 
  yard. Several smaller tunnels branch off in the 
  last 10’ of this tunnel but are not passable due 
  to their size. The manhole is located at the 
  end of the tunnel.  
  There is a large crack in the side 45’ into the 
  “GM” tunnel where four giant rats have a 
  nest. A single giant rat will be visible as the 
  
   
  18 
   
  characters make their way down the tunnel. 
  The rats will attack the characters as they pass 
  because they are defending the nest. The rats 
  can be distracted with food as an alternative 
  to combat. If the characters distract the giant 
  rats, they can move further up the tunnel 
  towards the manhole without a fight.  
  When the characters get to the manhole, it 
  will be locked with a large iron padlock. Using 
  thieves’ tools with a successful DC 15 
  Dexterity will open the lock. The lock can also 
  be physically broken on a successful DC 20 
  Strength check. 
  Creatures. These 4 giant rats will have a nest 
  just inside the large crack.  
  Giant Rat 
  Small beast, unaligned 
  Armor Class 12  
  Hit Points 7 (2d6) 
  Speed 30 ft 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  7 (-2) 
  15 (+2) 11 (+0) 2 (-4) 
  10 (+0) 4 (-3) 
  Senses darkvision 60’, passive perception 10 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
  Keen Smell. The rat has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell. 
  Pack Tactics. The rat has advantage on an 
  attack roll against a creature if at least one of 
  the rat’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and 
  the ally isn’t incapacitated.  
  Actions 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5’, 
  one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) piercing damage 
  Treasure. If the rats are killed or distracted, 
  the characters can search the nest, they will 
  find trash and 10 cp. 
   
   
  Mine and Surrounding Area  
  The mine entrance is a large 20’ by 10’ cave 
  opening that leads to several tunnels within. 
  Assorted temporary buildings are set-up in 
  the area surrounding the mine. These 
  buildings range from barracks for miners to 
  warehouses built to store stone and ore until 
  it can be shipped to Ore Town or other 
  destinations. There are also multiple tents 
  belonging to individuals who are hoping to 
  establish their own mines in the vicinity. Food 
  tents provide basic meals to anyone for a 
  charge. Drinking is not allowed around the 
  mine. This area is active day and night since 
  the mine runs all hours. 
  This area provides no access to any 
  warehouses. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  19 
   
  Chapter 4 - Infiltration! 
  This chapter provides details on potential 
  scenarios the characters can follow to recover 
  the stolen goods. These are not the definitive 
  options (as we all know players never go by 
  the script!) but are meant to provide you with 
  information that can help you accommodate 
  whatever plan the characters create. To 
  simplify and keep consistency across these 
  scenarios, any combat that takes place inside 
  the warehouse will lead to the wave combat 
  process as described in the Non-Stealth 
  Infiltration section below. 
  Non-Stealth Infiltration 
  This method is a completely combat-based 
  scenario. The characters do what they need to 
  gain access to the warehouse regardless of 
  alerting the guards. 
  The number of guards at the warehouse is 
  not unlimited, so if the characters can survive 
  long enough, they can get to a point where 
  they can recover the stolen goods. 
  The combat in this scenario will take place in 
  five waves, consisting of a total of 11 guards 
  and Turlak. The waves represent guards 
  yelling for backup and the approach of 
  additional guards from various locations in 
  the warehouse to provide support. The 
  number of guards will incrementally grow 
  during the first 3 waves, but the last two 
  waves will decrease in number. This indicates 
  the dwindling number of reinforcements 
  coming from further locations. If the 
  characters survive the combat, they have two 
  hours before reinforcements arrive. This 
  reflects the amount of time workers take in 
  returning to Ore Town to report what is 
  happening and for additional guards to arrive. 
  The characters will need to recover the stolen 
  goods and leave the warehouse before the 
  two-hour window is over, or they will face 
  overwhelming odds and not be able to 
  recover the stolen items. 
  Details about the waves are provided in the 
  Wave Table below. 
  The last wave is Turlak, the head of the guard, 
  who is a Hobgoblin Devastator. If the 
  encounter with Turlak takes place in the 
  warehouse, he will avoid casting spells that 
  could damage any goods, such as fireball, acid 
  splash, etc. If the encounter happens in the 
  yard or if one of the characters has already 
  done something to damage goods, Turlak will 
  use any available spells. 
  Turlak is an NPC you can use at any point 
  you feel he might be encountered in the 
  warehouse, based on what your players’ 
  characters are doing. The only set 
  encounters for Turlak are the wave table 
  or the Escape Chapter. Feel free to use 
  him when it fits the story you and your 
  players are creating. Note that if Turlak is 
  killed at any point, he will not be available 
  to use in the wave table or any other 
  encounters. If you start a combat with 
  Turlak on his own, he will yell for backup 
  which will follow the first four waves of the 
  wave table. Wave One will arrive at the 
  first turn of combat with Turlak. 
  Wave 
  Creatures 
  Arrival of Additional Guards 
  # of Guards in Combat 
  1 
  2 guards 
  Turn 1 
  2 
  2 
  3 guards 
  Turn after 1st guard is downed 
  4 
  3 
  4 guards 
  Turn after 3rd guard is downed 
  6 
  4 
  2 guards 
  Turn after 7th guard is downed 
  4 
  5 
  1 Hobgoblin Devastator 
  Turn after 9th guard is downed 
  3 
  Wave Table 
  
   
  20 
   
  The characters can flee at any point during 
  the combat. Guards will not pursue outside of 
  the warehouse wall. If the characters do flee, 
  the next wave appears as they run. This 
  represents the players running into the 
  incoming support. For example, if the 
  characters flee on Wave Three, they will 
  encounter Wave Four the following turn. 
  Creatures. The guards use the thug stat 
  block. The guards will fight to the death or 
  until they are disabled.  
  Thug 
  Medium humanoid, any non-good alignment 
  Armor Class 11 (Leather Armor)  
  Hit Points 32 (5d8 +10) 
  Speed 30 ft 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  15 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 
  Skills Intimidation +2 
  Senses Passive perception 10 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an 
  attack roll against a creature if at least one of 
  the thug’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature 
  and the ally isn’t incapacitated.  
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks. 
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5’, 
  one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 +2) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to 
  hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) 
  piercing damage. 
   
   
   
  Turlak, Hobgoblin Devastator 
  Medium humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 13 (Studded Leather)  
  Hit Points 35 (7d8 +14) 
  Speed 30 ft 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  13 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 
  Skills Arcana +5 
  Senses Darkvision 60’, Passive perception 11 
  Languages Common, Goblin 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
  Arcane Advantage. Once per turn, the hobgoblin 
  can deal an extra 7 (2d6) damage to a creature it 
  hits with a damaging spell attack if that target is 
  within 5 feet of an ally of the hobgoblin and that 
  ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Army of Arcana. When the hobgoblin casts a 
  spell that causes damage or that forces other 
  creatures to make a saving throw, it can choose 
  itself and any number of allies to be immune to 
  the damage caused by the spell and to succeed 
  on the required saving throw. 
  Spellcasting. The hobgoblin is a 7th-level 
  spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence 
  (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It 
  has the following wizard spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): acid splash, fire bolt, ray of 
  frost, shocking grasp 
  1st level (4 slots): fog cloud, magic missile, 
  thunderwave 
  2nd level (3 slots): gust of wind, Melf’s acid arrow, 
  scorching ray 
  3rd level (3 slots): fireball, flay, lightning bolt 
  4th level (1 slot): ice storm  
  Actions 
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, 
  reach 5’, one creature. Hit:45 (1d6 +1) 
  bludgeoning damage, or 5 (1d8 +1) bludgeoning 
  damage if used with two hands. 
  
   
  21 
   
  Treasure. The thugs will have 5d6 cp per 
  defeated guard. The Devastator will have 4d6 
  sp and 3d6 gp. Turlak’s quarterstaff is of high 
  quality. The ends are covered in silver 
  (silvered weapon), and it has exquisite 
  scrollwork along its length. The staff can be 
  sold for 2 gp.   
  Stealth Infiltration 
  This strategy will require the characters to use 
  covert methods to gain access to the 
  compound and is optimal if it takes place at 
  night. This section provides information that 
  can be used if the characters choose this 
  approach.  
  The warehouse details in the Location chapter 
  should be referenced at this point to 
  determine what checks will need to be rolled 
  when attempting to gain access to various 
  parts of the warehouse. 
  Every time the characters break a door or its 
  lock, you roll a 1d100 and compare the results 
  to the Alert Table.  
  # of broken 
  locks or doors 
  1d100 roll needed to 
  continue unnoticed 
  1 
  <20 a patrol is alerted 
  2 
  <40 a patrol is alerted 
  3 
  <60 a patrol is alerted 
  4 
  <80 a patrol is alerted 
  5 or more 
  A patrol is alerted 
  Alert Table 
   
  If the roll is less than the number listed in the 
  second column, the characters alert the two 
  guards on patrol. If the roll is greater than the 
  number, no guards are alerted. The more 
  times a lock or door is broken, the characters 
  increase their chances of being discovered. An 
  alerted patrol will approach and investigate 
  the area the characters are in.  
   
   
  The characters can attempt to hide from the 
  guards, sneak away, or engage. Rolling 
  successfully on a contested Stealth (DEX) roll 
  against each patrol guard’s Investigation (INT) 
  roll allows the characters to hide if a hiding 
  place is available or sneak away if the 
  characters’ movement is enough to get them 
  out of the guards’ visibility. The characters 
  that fail the roll will be engaged by the patrol.  
  If the patrol is alerted due to a broken door 
  but all characters succeed on their stealth 
  check, the guards will discover the damage 
  and yell a warning about intruders. All guards 
  will then be on alert and will forcefully engage 
  any characters they see transitioning, to a 
  non-stealth infiltration using the Wave Table 
  for combat.  
  During the day, the warehouse employees 
  pay little attention to the characters, being 
  focused on their own jobs and assuming that 
  anyone within the compound is authorized. At 
  most the characters may receive a nod from a 
  worker. The exception to this is if the 
  characters do anything suspicious like pick a 
  lock or break a door when a worker is 
  present. As the DM, you decide if anyone is 
  around at that time, and hopefully the 
  characters will check. If a worker sees this 
  type of activity, they will immediately yell for a 
  patrol who will then engage the character(s) 
  Engaging the guards does not necessarily 
  result in combat. The characters can attempt 
  to persuade the guards that they are meant to 
  be there for some reason. They succeed on a 
  DC 16 Persuasion (CHA) check. Success means 
  the guards are convinced. The guard will 
  inform them that they aren’t on the access list 
  and should hurry up with what they are doing 
  and leave. The guard will also tell them to 
  make sure they are on the list next time. 
  Failure to persuade the guards will lead to 
  them attacking the characters and beginning 
  
   
  22 
   
  combat based on the wave table from the 
  non-stealth infiltration section.  
  Let the players roll with advantage if they 
  provide an excellent argument about why 
  they are where they are or why the lock or 
  door is broken.  
  Creatures. The guards use the thug stat 
  block.  
  Thug 
  Medium humanoid, any non-good alignment 
  Armor Class 11 (Leather Armor)  
  Hit Points 32 (5d8 +10) 
  Speed 30 ft 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  15 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 
  Skills Intimidation +2 
  Senses Passive perception 10 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an 
  attack roll against a creature if at least one of 
  the thug’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature 
  and the ally isn’t incapacitated.  
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks. 
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5’, 
  one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 +2) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to 
  hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) 
  piercing damage. 
   
  Approaching Andrew Thoms 
  This scenario comes into play if the characters 
  decide that the warehouse manager, Andrew 
  Thoms, is their way into the warehouse. 
  Unfortunately, at this time Andrew has been 
  sent on a trip by Darin outside of Ore Town 
  and will not be back in time to be of any use 
  to the characters. Andrew is a committed 
  employee, and because of this, he is often 
  used by Darin for important business trips 
  throughout the region.  
  Andrew lives in a simple cottage located on 
  Horseshoe Lane in the residential area of Ore 
  Town. This area is not where the wealthy live, 
  but it does merit regular patrols from the 
  town guard, and neighbors tend to look out 
  for each other.  
  The single-story cottage is surrounded by a 3’ 
  tall wooden picket fence with a single gate 
  that is always open. A lantern hangs next to 
  the front door, the only door into the home. 
  The yard within the fence is brown grass with 
  small patches of green scattered throughout. 
  There is a total of four windows on the 
  cottage: two windows on either side of the 
  front door facing Horseshoe Lane and 
  another two windows on the left side of the 
  house facing a small street. The right side has 
  no windows and faces a neighbor’s home.  
  The front door is locked and can be picked on 
  a successful DC 15 Dexterity check with 
  thieves’ tools. The door can be forced open on 
  a DC 17 Strength check, but this approach is 
  loud and will attract the attention of 
  neighbors who will yell for the town guard. 
  The windows can also be unlocked on a 
  successful DC 12 Dexterity check with thieves’ 
  tools or broken into. Breaking a window does 
  not require any skill check, but it will attract 
  the attention of a neighbor on a 1d100 roll of 
  40 or higher who will then yell for the guards. 
  There is a bedroom, living area, kitchen, and 
  bathroom in the cottage. Each room is a 
  different size but occupies a corner of the 
  square building. The interior of the cottage is 
  sparsely furnished.  
   
  
   
  23 
   
  There is nothing of real value or anything 
  related to Andrew’s work as he does not bring 
  those things home. If the characters search, 
  they will find a small pouch of 20 sp hidden 
  under the mattress in the bedroom. There is a 
  parchment on the night table indicating that 
  Andrew has been sent on an errand to one of 
  Darin’s other warehouses. It states that Turlak 
  is to be left in charge of the warehouse at the 
  mine as Andrew will be gone for quite some 
  time. 
  If the guards are alerted by a yelling neighbor, 
  four will approach the house. If the characters 
  flee as soon as the neighbor yells for the 
  guard, they escape. Remaining in the house 
  causes the guards to engage the characters 
  with non-lethal force to arrest them.  
  The characters can attempt to fight the 
  guards, and if they kill or incapacitate them, 
  they will be able to escape. Once they’ve 
  escaped, the characters will not be able to 
  return to this area of Ore Town for at least 7 
  days. If they return sooner, they will be 
  recognized and reported by neighbors, 
  forcing them to flee, fight, or be arrested.  
  If the characters are arrested, they will have to 
  pay a 50 gp fine each and spend one day in 
  the town prison. If they do not have the funds, 
  they will have to spend two days in prison. 
  During these two days they will be required to 
  sort rocks brought from the mine for the 
  mayor’s “Beautify Ore Town” project. After the 
  second day, they are given their belongings 
  and released with a warning of “don’t do it 
  again”. 
  Creatures. These town guards use the guard 
  stat block. It is two humans, a dwarf, and a 
  goblin guard that arrive to investigate. 
   
   
  Guard 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good 
  alignment 
  Armor Class 16 (Chain Shirt, Shield)  
  Hit Points 11 (2d8 +2) 
  Speed 30 ft 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  13 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 
  Skills Perception +2 
  Senses Passive perception 12 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
  Actions 
  Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to 
  hit, reach 5’ or range 20/60’, one target. Hit:45 
  (1d6 +1) piercing damage, or 5 (1d8+1) piercing 
  damage is used with two hands to make a 
  melee attack. 
   
  Darin’s Warehouse Jobs 
  The following jobs will allow the characters to 
  easily scout the inside of the warehouse. This 
  scenario can utilize either the stealth 
  approach or the brute force method 
  depending on how planning and encounters 
  go. 
  Andrew Thoms, the warehouse manager, is 
  looking to hire for three positions, two 
  warehouse workers and a file clerk.  
  His assistant, Mari Bandywine, will do the 
  interviews in his office, one at a time. Mari is a 
  female gnome with black hair and brown 
  eyes. She is dressed in a long brown tunic 
  with grey pants, and her feet are in sandals. 
  She is polite but focused on what Andrew 
  needs her to do. During the interview she is 
  direct and efficient, working to fill the 
  positions quickly with as little chatting as 
  possible.  
   
  
   
  24 
   
  Here are the specifics for each job:  
  Warehouse Workers 
  These workers are responsible for loading 
  and unloading wagons, moving products to 
  designated areas within the warehouse 
  compound, and assisting in performing 
  inventory counts.  
  Mari focuses on these three topics during the 
  brief interview: 
  • 
  Any issues with doing what you are told 
  when you are told? 
  • 
  The job requires heavy lifting, is that a 
  problem? 
  • 
  Any issues with periodically having to 
  work at night? 
  These two positions need to be filled quickly. 
  If the characters applying for the job agree to 
  the three requirements above and present 
  themselves as at least somewhat intelligent, 
  Mari will hire them on the spot.  
  A warehouse worker receives:   
  • 
  5 sp per day paid weekly 
  • 
  Full access to the first floor of the 
  warehouse and surrounding yard 
  • 
  Access to the open area on the second 
  floor but no access to the offices 
  • 
  A copper token inscribed with a three-digit 
  number and “GM” – which stands for 
  Goldbow Mercantile - stamped on one 
  side, as proof of employment 
  File Clerk  
  This position is responsible for helping 
  maintain paperwork and managing inventory. 
  The paperwork includes inventory counts, 
  orders, and filing of completed invoices.  
   
  These are the three main questions Mari will 
  have during the interview: 
  • 
  Does the character know how to read and 
  write? 
  • 
  Does the character know how to work 
  with numbers? 
  • 
  Any issues with periodically having to 
  work at night? 
  It is difficult to find someone who knows how 
  to read, write, and do math in this area. If the 
  character meets these three requirements, 
  they will be hired on the spot.  
  The file clerk receives: 
  • 
  8 sp per day paid weekly 
  • 
  Full access to the yard and first and 
  second floors of the warehouse 
  • 
  Restricted access to the secure location on 
  the second floor, only with Andrew 
  present 
  • 
  A copper token inscribed with a three-digit 
  number and “GM” – which stands for 
  Goldbow Mercantile - stamped on one 
  side, as proof of employment 
  The tokens are items that prove that 
  characters are employees. Area 
  restrictions still apply. 
  Once the interviews are over, Mari leaves the 
  warehouse.  
  Either of these jobs allows the characters to 
  scout the inside of the warehouse compound. 
  You can provide the hired characters the map 
  of the inside of Darin’s warehouse and share 
  the descriptions from the section that 
  discusses the inside of Darin’s warehouse as 
  they access and explore areas.  
   
  
   
  25 
   
  If the characters are sneaking around or are in 
  a restricted area, a patrol will notice and 
  become suspicious. The guards will stop the 
  character(s) and question them.  
  A successful DC 12 Persuasion check is 
  needed to convince each guard that nothing 
  questionable is happening. A failed check with 
  either guard leads to them escorting the 
  suspicious characters from the warehouse 
  and then reporting the incident to Turlak.  
  In this situation, the character(s) escorted 
  from the warehouse can be considered fired. 
  The guards will provide no reason other than 
  the characters broke the rules. It does not 
  matter if they are new or not, the rules are 
  rules. 
  The characters can attempt to prevent the 
  guards from escorting them out or reporting 
  to Turlak. If attacked, the guards will yell for 
  backup, and unless they are incapacitated or 
  killed by the end of the second turn, this will 
  begin the wave combat referred to in the non-
  stealth infiltration section above.  
  Any warehouse workers that can see the fight 
  will get out of the way and not risk their lives.  
  Note that the warehouse workers will 
  never engage in any kind of combat. They 
  are only concerned about staying alive. If 
  someone is brave or crazy enough to 
  attack Darin’s warehouse, they want 
  nothing to do with them and will just get 
  out of the way. The workers feel that if the 
  guards are doing their job, they won’t 
  need any assistance and will handle any 
  problems themselves.   
  At this point, there is no way for the 
  characters to continue under the guise of 
  employees. They will need to either escape 
  combat or try to brute force their way to 
  recovering the goods. 
   
  Creatures. The guards use the thug stat 
  block. They can be any species you choose. 
  Thug 
  Medium humanoid, any non-good alignment 
  Armor Class 11 (Leather Armor)  
  Hit Points 32 (5d8 +10) 
  Speed 30’ 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  15 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 
  Skills Intimidation +2 
  Senses Passive perception 10 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an 
  attack roll against a creature if at least one of 
  the thug’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature 
  and the ally isn’t incapacitated.  
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks. 
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5’, 
  one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 +2) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to 
  hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) 
  piercing damage. 
  Treasure. The gear is standard and of no real 
  value. The guards will have 5d6 cp each if the 
  characters have time to loot.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  26 
   
  Chapter 5 - Recovery! 
  This section covers the recovery of the stolen 
  goods. If the characters succeed and get to 
  the point where they have access to the 
  wagon, they will need to determine how to get 
  the goods out. 
  Wagon Recovery 
  The wagon is intact, and all goods are still 
  stored on it. The only way to get the wagon 
  out is through the front gate. The stables have 
  three horses, and the wagon requires at least 
  one.  
  If the characters triggered the wave combat, 
  they have two hours to get the wagon and 
  goods out of the warehouse without being 
  stopped.  
  If the characters infiltrate at night and all the 
  guards and Turlak are removed, they will have 
  until sunrise to get the wagon out. At sunrise 
  a group of ten workers arrives, and they will 
  notice something is amiss when there are no 
  guards at the gates. The workers will 
  immediately head for Ore Town to report 
  something is wrong. At that point, the 
  characters will have two hours to get out with 
  the goods before reinforcements arrive. If you 
  have any workers remain to watch the 
  warehouse, they do not interfere with the 
  characters. The workers will not risk their 
  lives, but they will report anything they see.  
  If the characters are able to get to the wagon 
  and there are still active guards, and possibly 
  Turlak, they must plan how to transport the 
  wagon out of the compound. The two gate 
  guards will not be focused on activity within 
  the yard. If either the warehouse or yard 
  patrols are still active, you can decide if one of 
  them is present when the characters attempt 
  to pass through the yard, retrieve the horses, 
  and get the wagon out of the warehouse.  
  If the characters are caught, they can attempt 
  to persuade or intimidate the guards. This will 
  require a successful DC 15 Persuasion (CHA) 
  or Intimidation (CHA) check for the guards to 
  let them continue.  
  If the characters present written authorization 
  with either Andrew or Turlak’s stamp, the 
  patrols will let them pass without question. If 
  there are any warehouse workers around, 
  they won’t pay attention to the characters 
  because they assume that if someone is 
  already in the yard or warehouse, they are 
  authorized. Any warehouse workers in the 
  vicinity, if fighting breaks out, will get out of 
  the way and hide.  
  Front Gate  
  If the characters successfully get the wagon to 
  the front gate and the gate guards are still 
  there, they will have to convince those guards 
  that they are authorized to take the wagon. If 
  they have a forged authorization, using either 
  Andrew or Turlak’s stamp, they can present it 
  to the guards.  
  Because the gate guards are familiar with the 
  transport schedules for the day, a DC 20 
  Persuasion (CHA) check is required, but the 
  forged authorization will allow the characters 
  to roll with advantage. If the roll is a success, 
  the guards allow the wagon through. If the 
  check fails, the guards will prevent the wagon 
  from leaving and immediately call for backup.  
  If Turlak is still in play, he arrives along with 
  one other guard. If Turlak is not in play, three 
  additional guards show up to support the two 
  guards at the gate, starting a combat 
  encounter.  
  If Turlak arrives, characters can attempt a DC 
  20 Persuasion (CHA) with disadvantage to 
  persuade him that the authorization is 
  legitimate. A successful check will convince 
  
   
  27 
   
  Turlak, and he will proceed to yell at the gate 
  guards for wasting his time.  
  A failure, or if the characters are using an 
  authorization with Turlak’s stamp, will lead to 
  Turlak preventing the wagon from going any 
  further. He will demand that the characters 
  get off the wagon and that the guards restrain 
  them; this initiates combat. The characters 
  will face off against three guards and Turlak. If 
  Turlak is not in play, three additional guards 
  show up to support the two guards at the 
  gate starting a combat encounter. Any 
  remaining guards will work on securing the 
  warehouse and workers.  
  If the characters succeed in either combat 
  encounter, any guards not engaged in combat 
  will not attack because they realize they are 
  outclassed by the characters.   
  The front gate is locked; the two guards have 
  keys. The lock on the gate can be picked using 
  thieves’ tools on a successful DC 20 Dexterity 
  check. The lock can be broken on a successful 
  DC 23 Strength check. The gate has 45 hit 
  points if the characters choose to attack it.  
  Successfully recovering the wagon and 
  returning it to Gaskin allows the characters to 
  collect their agreed upon reward. Glipkip also 
  tells the characters that moving forward they 
  can stay at the Oak and Raven at no charge, 
  as long as they assist Gaskin or himself as 
  needed – any compensation will be discussed 
  at the time of the job offering.  
  If the characters took the schedules from 
  Andrew’s office and provide them to Gaskin, 
  he pays 25 gp total in exchange. He also gives 
  the characters 10 gp for each brass stamp if 
  the characters offer them to him. 
  Partial Recovery 
  If the characters focus on just retrieving the 
  silver statue and chest, it will require at least 
  one character to carry the statue and two 
  characters to carry the chest. Retrieving only 
  these two items allows the characters 
  different options for getting out of the 
  warehouse compound.  
  Employee Gate  
  This gate always has a single guard unless the 
  wave combat has happened or the characters 
  have already removed this guard.  
  If the characters are still warehouse 
  employees and provide a good reason, they 
  can convince the guard to leave the post 
  temporarily on a successful DC 18 Persuasion 
  (CHA) check. A failed check, or if the 
  characters were not hired as warehouse staff, 
  requires the guard be dealt with in another 
  way.  
  If the guard sees either the statue or chest, 
  the check will also fail. Any physical or magical 
  violence aimed at the guard will have them 
  yelling for backup. If Turlak, the hobgoblin 
  devastator, is still active and has not been 
  removed from play, he and two other guards 
  will arrive at the beginning of the second turn 
  and attack the characters. If Turlak is not 
  available, four guards will arrive at the 
  beginning of the second turn of combat. 
  Manhole 
  The manhole is not guarded, but guards 
  regularly patrol this area.  
  If the characters did not enter the warehouse 
  compound through the manhole, they will 
  need to pick or break the lock. Using thieves’ 
  tools with a successful DC 15 Dexterity will 
  open the lock. The lock can also be physically 
  broken on a successful DC 20 Strength check. 
  If there are still active guards, breaking the 
  lock will require a 1d100 roll.  
  Results higher than 50 draw two guards to 
  investigate. The guards will yell for backup 
  and engage in combat immediately because 
  
   
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  the scene looks suspect. If Turlak, the 
  hobgoblin devastator, is still active and has 
  not been removed from play, he will arrive at 
  the beginning of the second turn and attack 
  the characters. If Turlak has already been 
  removed, three additional guards will arrive at 
  the end of turn two. 
  Unless the rats have already been dealt with 
  in the tunnel, they will need to be handled on 
  the way out. 
  Climb the Wall 
  The characters can attempt to climb the wall. 
  They will need to succeed on two DC 18 
  Strength or Dexterity checks to be able to 
  climb the wall while carrying the statue and 
  chest. The use of a grappling hook will allow 
  the characters to roll with advantage.  
   
  A failed check results in an item being 
  dropped. The dropped item bangs against the 
  wall and makes quite a bit of noise. If Turlak, 
  the hobgoblin devastator, has not been 
  encountered yet, he will appear with two 
  guards before the characters can gather what 
  was dropped, and attempt to prevent the 
  characters from escaping. If Turlak has 
  already been dealt with and there are still 
  active guards, four of them show up and 
  engage the characters. If the characters 
  survive the encounter, they will be able to get 
  the statue and chest over the wall. 
  Successfully returning the statue and chest 
  allows the characters to receive their agreed 
  upon reward. Gaskin personally thanks the 
  characters. If the characters provide the 
  schedules they took from the warehouse, 
  Gaskin gives them 25 gp total. He also gives 
  them 10 gp for each of the brass stamps if 
  they offer them to him. 
  Creatures. The guards use the thug stat 
  block.  
  Thug 
  Medium humanoid, any non-good alignment 
  Armor Class 11 (Leather Armor)  
  Hit Points 32 (5d8 +10) 
  Speed 30’ 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  15 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 
  Skills Intimidation +2 
  Senses Passive perception 10 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an 
  attack roll against a creature if at least one of 
  the thug’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature 
  and the ally isn’t incapacitated.  
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks. 
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5’, 
  one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 +2) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to 
  hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) 
  piercing damage. 
   
   
   
  
   
  29 
   
  Turlak, Hobgoblin Devastator 
  Medium humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 13 (Studded Leather)  
  Hit Points 35 (7d8 +14) 
  Speed 30’ 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  13 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 
  Skills Arcana +5 
  Senses Darkvision 60’, Passive perception 11 
  Languages Common, Goblin 
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) 
  Arcane Advantage. Once per turn, the hobgoblin 
  can deal an extra 7 (2d6) damage to a creature it 
  hits with a damaging spell attack if that target is 
  within 5 feet of an ally of the hobgoblin and that 
  ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Army of Arcana. When the hobgoblin casts a 
  spell that causes damage or that forces other 
  creatures to make a saving throw, it can choose 
  itself and any number of allies to be immune to 
  the damage caused by the spell and to succeed 
  on the required saving throw. 
  Spellcasting. The hobgoblin is a 7th-level 
  spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence 
  (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It 
  has the following wizard spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): acid splash, fire bolt, ray of 
  frost, shocking grasp 
  1st level (4 slots): fog cloud, magic missile, 
  thunderwave 
  2nd level (3 slots): gust of wind, Melf’s acid arrow, 
  scorching ray 
  3rd level (3 slots): fireball, flay, lightning bolt 
  4th level (1 slot): ice storm  
  Actions 
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, 
  reach 5’, one creature. Hit:45 (1d6 +1) 
  bludgeoning damage, or 5 (1d8 +1) bludgeoning 
  damage if used with two hands. 
   
  Commoner 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment 
  Armor Class 10   
  Hit Points 4 (1d8) 
  Speed 30’ 
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 
  Actions 
  Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5’, 
  one creature. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Failed Recovery 
  Failure to return any goods to Gaskin leads to 
  him being disappointed. He requests the 
  characters provide him with as much detail as 
  possible about what happened at the 
  warehouse.  
  He suggests the characters lay low for a while 
  as he believes there is a good chance Darin 
  knows who they are now. Gaskin will pay only 
  10 gp if either the statue or chest is returned. 
  If the characters attack Gaskin, twelve guards 
  will swarm in attacking the party, allowing 
  Gaskin to flee. Surviving the encounter leads 
  to the characters being driven from Ore Town. 
   
   
   
  
   
  30 
   
  Killing Guards and Workers  
  If the characters kill two or more guards, 
  Glipkip suggests that they lay low for a while. 
  Because blood has now been shed, Darin may 
  retaliate forcefully, and the characters may 
  now be known to him. 
  If the characters attack the workers, they will 
  use the Commoner stat block. Attacking the 
  workers will have consequences, and the 
  citizens of Ore Town will hear about it. The 
  needless death of the workers will make 
  Gaskin angry, and he will not pay the 
  characters even if they return with the goods. 
  He will tell the characters that their actions 
  have caused the town council to become 
  involved, and that they will need to leave and 
  never return. The murder of civilians is a 
  death sentence, and the town guard will act 
  swiftly.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Epilogue 
  This brief interaction is dependent on at least 
  some of the characters surviving and is to let 
  the characters know they have been noticed 
  by Darin. 
  A strange woman appears where the 
  characters are staying sometime after their 
  last meeting with Gaskin whether they 
  succeeded or failed. She arrives as the 
  characters are sitting down in an inn or tavern 
  to relax. 
  A slight, hooded figure quickly makes their 
  way to your table. Upon arrival, they bow 
  slightly, and a feminine voice can be 
  heard. “Hello. I bring you greetings from 
  one Darin Goldbow.” She holds up both 
  hands indicating she is unarmed, “I mean 
  no harm at this moment. It was requested 
  that I let you know that you are now 
  known to my employer, and you have 
  piqued his interest. Please be aware you 
  may be called upon soon for a meeting. 
  Until then, be”, she pauses slightly and 
  then continues, “…safe.” She then turns 
  and quickly leaves, disappearing into a 
  large group of patrons who are just now 
  entering through the door. 
  Because of the crowd and how quickly she 
  disappeared, she can’t be found if pursued. 
  The characters can search but discover 
  nothing. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/O Wagon, Where Art Thou v2.pdf