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  Defiance in phlan 
   
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  2 
  Introduction 
  Welcome to Defiance in Phlan, a D&D ExpeditionsTM 
  adventure, part of the official D&D Adventurers 
  LeagueTM organized play system and the Tyranny of 
  DragonsTM storyline season.  
   This introductory adventure is designed for three to 
  seven 1st- level characters, and is optimized for five 
  1st level characters. It can also be played by 2nd level 
  characters, although those characters might have a 
  much easier time playing the adventure. Characters 
  outside this level range cannot participate in this 
  adventure. Players with ineligble characters can create a 
  new 1st-level character or use a pregenerated character. 
   This adventure is broken up into five mini-
  adventures, each of which takes approximately one 
  hour to complete. A group can play through any or all of 
  these adventures in whatever order they choose.  
  The D&D Adventurers 
  League 
  This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers League 
  play. The D&D Adventurers League is the official 
  organized play system for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®. 
  Players can create characters and participate in any 
  adventure allowed as a part of the D&D Adventurers 
  League. As they adventure, players track their 
  characters’ experience, treasure, and other rewards, and 
  can take those characters through other adventures that 
  will continue their story. 
   D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into 
  storyline seasons. When players create characters, they 
  attach those characters to a storyline season, which 
  determines what rules they’re allowed to use to create 
  and advance their characters. Players can continue to 
  play their characters after the storyline season has 
  finished, possibly participating in a second or third 
  storyline with those same characters. A character’s level 
  is the only limitation for adventure play. A player cannot 
  use a character of a level higher or lower than the level 
  range of a D&D Adventurers League adventure. 
   If you’re running this adventure as a part of a store 
  event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DCI 
  number. This number is your official Wizards of the 
  Coast organized play identifier. If you don’t have a 
  number, you can obtain one at a store event. Check with 
  your organizer for details.  
   For more information on playing, running games as a 
  Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the D&D 
  Adventurers League, please visit the D&D Adventurers 
  League home. 
  Preparing the Adventure 
  Before you show up to Dungeon Master this adventure 
  for a group of players, you should do the following to 
  prepare. 
   
   
  Make sure to have a copy of the most current 
  version of the D&D basic rules or the Player’s 
  HandbookTM.   
   
  Read through the adventure, taking notes of 
  anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself 
  while running the adventure, such as a way you’d 
  like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in 
  a combat. 
   
  Get familiar with the monster statistics in the 
  Appendix. 
   
  Gather together any resources you’d like to use to 
  aid you in Dungeon Mastering, such as notecards, a 
  DM screen, miniatures, battlemaps, etc.  
   
  If you know the composition of the group 
  beforehand, you can make adjustments as noted 
  throughout the adventure.  
  Before Play at the Table 
  Ask the players to provide you with relevant character 
  information. This includes:  
   
   
  Character name and level 
   
  Character race and class 
   
  Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common 
  passive ability check 
   
  Anything notable as specified by the adventure 
  (such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, and so on) 
   
  Players that have characters outside the adventure’s 
  level range cannot participate in the adventure with 
  those characters. Players with ineligible characters can 
  make a new 1st-level character or use a pregenerated 
  character. Players can play an adventure they previously 
  played or ran as a Dungeon Master, but not with the 
  same character (if applicable).  
   Ensure that each player has an official adventure 
  logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from the 
  organizer). The player will fill out the adventure name, 
  session number, date, and your name and DCI number. 
  In addition, the player also fills in the starting values for 
  
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  XP, gold, downtime, renown, and number of permanent 
  magic items. He or she will fill in the other values and 
  write notes at the conclusion of the session. Each player 
  is responsible for maintaining an accurate logsheet.  
   If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s 
  character sheet to ensure that nothing looks out of 
  order. If you see magic items of very high rarities or 
  strange arrays of ability scores, you can ask players to 
  provide documentation for the irregularities. If they 
  cannot, feel free to restrict item use or ask them to use a 
  standard ability score array. Point players to the D&D 
  Adventurers League Player’s Guide for reference. 
   If players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the 
  beginning of an adventure or episode, they can declare 
  their activity and spend the days now, or they can do so 
  at the end of the adventure or episode.  
   Players should select their characters’ spells and 
  other daily options prior to the start of the adventure, 
  unless the adventure specifies otherwise. Feel free to 
  reread the adventure description to help give players 
  hints about what they might face. 
  Adjusting the Adventure 
  Throughout this adventure, you may see sidebars to help 
  you make adjustments to this adventure for 
  smaller/larger groups and characters, of higher/lower 
  levels that the optimized group size. Most of the time, 
  this is used for combat encounters.  
   You may adjust the adventure beyond the guidelines 
  given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For 
  example, if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced 
  players, you might want to make the adventure a little 
  easier; for very experienced players, you might want to 
  make it a little harder. Therefore, five categories of party 
  strength have been created for you to use as a guide. 
  Use these as a guide, and feel free to use a different 
  adjustment during the adventure if the recommended 
  party strength feels off for the group. 
   This adventure is optimized for a party of five 1st-
  level characters. To figure out whether you need to 
  adjust the adventure, do the following: 
   
   
  Add up the total levels of all the characters 
   
  Divide the total by the number of characters 
   
  Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round frations 
  of less than .5 down 
   
  You’ve now determined the average party level (APL) 
  for the adventure. To figure out the party strength for 
  the adventure, consult the following table. 
  Determining Party Strength 
  Party Composition  
   
  Party Strength 
  3-4 characters, APL equivalent  
  Weak 
  3-4 characters, APL greater than 
  Average 
  5 characters, APL equivalent  
  Average 
  5 characters, APL greater than  
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL equivalent  
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL greater than 
  Very strong 
   
  Average party strength indicates no recommended 
  adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or may 
  not offer suggestions for certain party strengths. If a 
  particular recommendation is not offered for your group, 
  you don’t have to make adjustments.  
  Dungeon Mastering the 
  Adventure 
  As the DM of the session, you have the most important 
  role in facilitating the enjoyment of the game for the 
  players. You help guide the narrative and bring the 
  words on these pages to life. The outcome of a fun game 
  session often creates stories that live well beyond the 
  play at the table. Always follow this golden rule when 
  you DM for a group: 
   
  Make decisions and adjudications that enhance the 
  fun of the adventure when possible. 
   
  To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the following: 
   
   
  You are empowered to make adjustments to the 
  adventure and make decisions about how the group 
  interacts with the world of this adventure. This is 
  especially important and applicable outside of 
  combat, but feel free to adjust the adventure for 
  groups that are having too easy or too hard of a 
  time. 
   
  Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult 
  for a group. Never being challenged makes for a 
  boring game, and being overwhelmed makes for a 
  frustrating game. Gauge the experience of the 
  players (not the characters) with the game, try to 
  feel out (or ask) what they like in a game, and 
  attempt to give each of them the experience they’re 
  after when they play D&D. Give everyone a chance 
  to shine.  
   
  Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session 
  moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling, 
  since play loses momentum when this happens. At 
  
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  the same time, make sure that the players don’t 
  finish too early; provide them with a full play 
  experience. Try to be aware of running long or 
  short. Adjust the pacing accordingly. 
   
  Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to 
  modify the text as you see fit, especially when 
  dialogue is present.  
   
  Give the players appropriate hints so they can make 
  informed choices about how to proceed. Players 
  should be given clues and hints when appropriate 
  so they can tackle puzzles, combat, and interactions 
  without getting frustrated over lack of information. 
  This helps to encourage immersion in the 
  adventure and gives players “little victories” for 
  figuring out good choices from clues. 
   
  In short, being the DM isn’t about following the 
  adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about facilitating a 
  fun, challenging game environment for the players. The 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide TM has more information on 
  the art of running a D&D game. 
  Downtime and Lifestyle 
  At the beginning of each play session, players must 
  declare whether or not they are spending any days of 
  downtime. The player records the downtime spent on 
  the adventure logsheet. The following options are 
  available to players during downtime (see the D&D 
  basic rules or the D&D Adventurers League Player’s 
  Guide for more information): 
   
   
  Catching up  
   
  Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot 
  commit to crafting a single item) 
   
  Practicing a profession 
   
  Recuperating 
   
  Spellcasting services (end of the adventure only) 
   
  Training 
   
  Other downtime options might be available during 
  adventures or unlocked through play, including ­faction-
  specific activities. 
   In addition, whenever a character spends downtime 
  days, that character also spends the requisite expense 
  for his or her lifestyle. Costs are per day, so a character 
  that spends ten days of downtime also spends ten days 
  of expenses maintaining his or her lifestyle. Some 
  downtime activities help with lifestyle expenses or add 
  lifestyle expenses. 
  Spellcasting Services 
  Any settlement the size of a town or larger can provide 
  some spellcasting services. Characters need to be able 
  to travel to the settlement to obtain these services. 
  Alternatively, if the party finishes an adventure, they can 
  be assumed to return to the settlement closest to the 
  adventure location.  
   Spell services generally available include healing and 
  recovery spells, as well as information-gathering spells. 
  Other spell services might be available as specified in 
  the adventure. The number of spells available to be cast 
  as a service is limited to a maximum of three per day 
  total, unless otherwise noted.  
  Spellcasting Services 
  Spell 
   
   
   
  Cost 
   
  Cure wounds (1st level) 
   
  10 gp 
   
  Identify 
   
   
   
  20 gp 
  Lesser restoration 
   
   
  40 gp 
   
  Prayer of healing (2nd level) 
   
  40 gp 
   
  Remove curse 
   
   
  90 gp 
   
  Speak with dead 
   
   
  90 gp 
  Divination  
   
   
  210 gp 
  Greater restoration  
   
  450 gp 
   
  Raise dead  
   
   
  1,250 gp  
  Acolyte Background 
  A character possessing the acolyte background requesting 
  spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may request 
  one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table for free. 
  The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for the 
  consumed material component, if any.  
  Character Disease,  
  Death, and Recovery 
  Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get 
  poisoned, diseased, or die. Since you might not have the 
  same characters return from session to session, here 
  are the rules when bad things happen to characters. 
  Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating 
  Effects 
  A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and other 
  similar effects at the conclusion of an adventure can 
  spend downtime days recuperating until such time as he 
  or she resolves the effect to its conclusion (see the 
  recuperating activity in the D&D basic rules). If a 
  character doesn’t resolve the effect between sessions, 
  that character begins the next session still affected by 
  the debilitating effect.  
  
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  Death 
  A character who dies during the course of the adventure 
  has a few options at the end of the session (or whenever 
  arriving back in civilization) if no one in the adventuring 
  party has immediate access to a raise dead or revivify 
  spell, or similar magic. A character subject to a raise 
  dead spell is affected negatively until all long rests have 
  been completed during an adventure. Alternatively, each 
  downtime day spent after raise dead reduces the penalty 
  to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in 
  addition to any other benefits the downtime activity 
  might provide. 
   Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead 
  character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of the 
  other options, the player creates a new character. The 
  new character does not have any items or rewards 
  possessed by the dead character. 
   Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the 
  character’s body is recoverable (it’s not missing any vital 
  organs and is mostly whole) and the player would like 
  the character to be returned to life, the party can take 
  the body back to civilization and use the dead 
  character’s funds to pay for a raise dead spell. A raise 
  dead spell cast in this manner costs the character 1,250 
  gp.  
   Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above, 
  except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise dead 
  spell is paid for by the party at the end of the session. 
  Other characters are under no obligation to spend their 
  funds to bring back a dead party member. 
   Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 and 
  a member of a faction, the dead character’s body can be 
  returned to civilization and a patron from the faction 
  ensures that he or she receives a raise dead spell. 
  However, any character invoking this charity forfeits all 
  XP and rewards from that session (even those earned 
  prior to death during that session), and cannot replay 
  that episode or adventure with that character again. 
  Once a character reaches 5th level, this option is no 
  longer available.  
  Adventure Background 
  Phlan is a city in transition. Many groups compete for 
  power, sometimes working together, but often at odds as 
  schemes progress and alliances form and unravel. 
   Thrown into this volatile mix is the Cult of the Dragon, 
  a cabal of dragon-obsessed zealots whose plans go 
  much deeper than the power struggles of mortals. 
   While each mini-adventure takes place against the 
  backdrop of the struggles in Phlan, none focus too 
  closely on any of Phlan’s plots or sites. Each gives just a 
  small taste of the deeper troubles in Phlan, instead 
  focusing on giving the players a fun, quick mission that 
  can be completed in less than an hour. 
  Overview 
  Unlike most other D&D Expeditions adventures, 
  Defiance in Phlan is broken into five mini-adventures, 
  each of which is designed for one hour of play.  If 
  running this adventure as part of an event that cycles 
  players through quickly, the DM should be familiar with 
  the mini-adventures that he or she is going to run. At 
  public events, time is often the most important factor. 
  Get the players into the mini-adventure as quickly as 
  possible, keep an eye on the clock, and take whatever 
  shortcuts are necessary to stay on schedule. 
   If time is not an issue, let the characters spend more 
  time interacting with the NPCs within the mini-
  adventures. 
   Each mini-adventure takes place at a different time of 
  day, and the names correspond to that time. In a large 
  public event, this should assist players in remembering 
  which mini-adventures they have completed. 
  Adventure Hook 
  One consistent element in each of the mini-adventures is 
  the starting and ending location: Madame Freona’s Tea 
  Kettle. Use this location to orient the characters, as 
  some players may play the mini-adventures in order 
  from beginning to end, others might just play one or two 
  random mini-adventures, and others still may play them 
  in no particular order. 
   Madame Freona’s Tea Kettle (and Freona herself) is a 
  mystery to many. In the tumultuous Phlan, this is a place 
  where people can go to have a drink or meal and escape 
  the tensions of the schemers and the power-hungry. 
  With the Tea Kettle’s reputation as a haven, adventures 
  who can be discreet and behave themselves can often 
  find employment there. 
   Since time is usually of the utmost importance during 
  this event, the hook for each mission is generally the 
  same: the characters were told Madame Freona’s Tea 
  Kettle is a great place to find work, so they are there. As 
  is appropriate for a time-sensitive event, the adventure 
  will find the characters quickly and without much fuss. 
   
   
  
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  Mission 1: The Meeting 
  at Deepnight 
  The party is summoned to receive a mission from a 
  Harper agent.  
   
  You were told that Madame Freona’s Tea Kettle was the place 
  where adventurers could find work and avoid the hassle 
  associated with other places in Phlan. So far, that has been 
  true. Madame Freona, a stout and officious halfling who runs 
  the establishment with her five daughters, has proven an 
  excellent hostess. 
   Although you have had to share a common bunkroom with 
  several other adventurers, the evening meal was excellent and 
  the atmosphere pleasant. You are preparing to bunk down for 
  the evening when one of Freona’s daughters peeks into the 
  room. She calls a few of the adventurers, including you, into 
  the hall. 
   “Pardon my interruption,” says the halfling girl named Reece, 
  one of Freona’s five daughters, just shy of adulthood. “A chap 
  just came into the common room downstairs and asked me to 
  fetch you. Something about some coin needing to change 
  hands for an easy job.” She plays with her curly red hair 
  nervously. 
   
  Reece cannot tell the characters anything more, since 
  the mysterious stranger kept his hood pulled low. 
  Helping the Harper 
  When the characters go to the common room, they see a 
  hooded figure alone at a large table. The figure motions 
  to them as they descend the stairs. Use the bullet points 
  below to guide the conversation. Remember to keep this 
  brief to finish the mission in time. 
   
   
  The figure keeps his face obscured by his hood and 
  speaks in a low voice, obviously disguising it. If he 
  must reveal himself, he is an older half-elf with 
  close-cropped grey hair. He refuses to provide a 
  name. 
   
  The figure identifies himself as a member of the 
  Harpers, an organization dedicated to fighting evil 
  wherever it hides. He wears a brooch that confirms 
  his ties to the Harpers.  
   
  He has a mission that the characters are in a unique 
  position to complete. The Harpers have captured a 
  merchant that was going to illegally purchase a red 
  dragon egg. The Harper wants the characters to 
  pose as the merchant and any hirelings, go to the 
  buy site, make the transaction, and place a magical 
  device on one of the sellers so that Harpers can 
  track them back to their place of residence. 
   
  One of the characters (chosen at random) bears 
  enough of a resemblance to the captured merchant 
  that the sellers (who have never seen the merchant) 
  can be easily fooled. The rest of the characters can 
  act the roles of bodyguards, assistants, porters, etc. 
  The merchant can be male or female at your 
  discretion. 
   
  The Harper provides a small sack of fake diamonds 
  that the characters should use to buy the egg. The 
  “diamonds” are basically worthless, but good 
  enough to pass a cursory inspection. 
   
  At some point during the exchange, one of the 
  characters must place a small silver pin infused 
  with magic on the seller or one of the crew. Once 
  that is done, the Harpers can more easily scry on 
  the sellers and learn more about their operation.  
   
  No real names are used in these transactions, so 
  the two parties will refer to each other as “the 
  buyer” and “the seller.” 
   
  Once the transaction is complete, the characters are 
  to bring the egg back to the stables behind the Tea 
  Kettle, where the Harper will meet them and take 
  possession of it. 
   
  Under no circumstances should the characters fight 
  the sellers or harm the egg. The point is to track the 
  sellers, so killing or capturing them is 
  counterproductive. 
   
  For completing the task successfully and as 
  instructed, the Harper offers the group 200 gp. The 
  sum will be paid upon delivery of the egg. 
   
  The Harper agent gives the characters the small pouch 
  of fake diamonds, the magical silver pin, and directions 
  to an abandoned barn on the northern outskirts of 
  Phlan. Answer other questions as best you can. 
  Remember the time pressure, and use that as an in-
  game excuse to keep the players moving forward. The 
  meeting is scheduled for right now, so there is no time 
  to plan further. The characters must hurry! 
  The Meet at the Barn 
  It is a 20-minute walk to the meeting place. When the 
  characters arrive, the sellers are already waiting at the 
  abandoned barn. 
   The barn itself is a simple, open structure, 30 feet 
  wide and 80 feet long. A ladder at the end of the barn 
  
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  opposite the open doorway leads to a hay loft 10 feet 
  above the barn floor. The loft is 40 feet long and the 
  entire width of the barn, directly above the end of the 
  barn opposite the door. Rusted farm implements lean 
  against the barn walls. A secret exit (known by the 
  sellers) is obscured by burlap sacks on the wall near the 
  ladder opposite the main entrance. 
   Although neither the characters nor the sellers are 
  aware, two bandits—members of Phlan’s thieves’ guild 
  called the Welcomers—hide in the loft. They can only be 
  spotted with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) 
  check, and only by someone in the loft above. 
   The seller is an elf spy who waits with three human 
  guards. They have no reason to expect trouble during 
  the sale, but they are wary nonetheless. 
   When the characters enter the barn, the seller calls for 
  the characters to halt when they get within 20 feet of 
  her. 
   
  A sinewy elf in gray clothes smiles at three humans behind her. 
  “I told you they would come. A dragon egg is much too 
  valuable to pass up.” 
   The elf turns back to you. “Now, let’s do this quickly. Here is 
  what you asked for.” She holds a very large hide backpack 
  toward you. 
   “You throw the payment over to me, and we will leave the egg 
  here. We will exit the barn, and then you can leave after five 
  minutes have passed. No fuss, no muss.” She pauses and 
  looks at you more closely. “Hold on. Something is not right 
  here.” 
   
  Inevitably, the elf seller notices something is amiss, 
  namely a single aspect of the character posing as the 
  merchant that looks wrong. It might be the seller 
  expected someone shorter or taller. She might have 
  expected the merchant to have a mole or birthmark—or 
  perhaps she expected the merchant to have a facial tic 
  or strange speech pattern. Whatever you choose, make it 
  something fun or interesting for the characters to have 
  to roleplay or think of an excuse for. 
   At this point, two skill checks are going to be most 
  relevant during the exchange: a DC 10 Charisma 
  (Deception) check and a DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of 
  Hand) check. 
   One successful Deception check is enough to convince 
  the sellers that the characters are the legitimate buyers. 
  Feel free to give a bonus to the check, or even automatic 
  success, based on outstanding roleplaying. 
   One successful Sleight of Hand check indicates that a 
  character has planted the silver pin, assuming the 
  characters can come up with a reasonable excuse to get 
  close to the sellers. 
   If at any point the elf believes she is in danger, she 
  simply drops the egg and flees with her guards. She 
  tries to get the diamonds if possible, but not at the risk 
  of her life. The elf and the guards only defend 
  themselves if pressed to do so.  
   The egg is a fake. Only after the characters take 
  possession of the hide backpack and investigate closely 
  can they even attempt to verify the authenticity of the 
  egg, and even then it is a DC 20 Intelligence (Nature) 
  check. If the egg is thrown to the ground, it gives off a 
  flash of light accompanied by a loud noise which blinds 
  all creatures within 50 feet who do not succeed at a DC 
  13 Constitution saving throw until the end of their next 
  turn. The elf and her guards are immune to this because 
  they know what it does and can close their eyes in time. 
  Blinded 
   
  A blinded creature can't see and automatically fails any 
  ability check that requires sight. 
   
  Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the 
  creature's attack rolls have disadvantage. 
  Uninvited Guests 
  Regardless of whether or not the sale goes smoothly, 
  members of the Welcomers—Phlan’s thieves’ guild—
  come out of hiding to attempt to steal the egg. (They 
  don’t bother with the diamonds or any other valuables. 
  They are only interested in the egg.) 
   For the mission to run smoothly and in a timely 
  manner, the best time for the Welcomers to interrupt is 
  just after the exchange has taken place, right after the 
  characters likely attempt the Nature check to recognize 
  that the egg is a fake. This lets the sellers leave (or flee) 
  and remain uninvolved in the combat, letting it run more 
  quickly. This also gives the characters the option of 
  simply handing over the egg, thereby avoiding the battle 
  altogether. 
   The other time to introduce the Welcomers’ 
  interruption is if the characters are caught in their 
  deception and are unable to talk their way out of it. The 
  interruption of the Welcomers provides the characters 
  with an opportunity to plant the pin on the seller as she 
  drops the egg and flees with her bodyguards. 
   The following read-aloud text assumes the Welcomers 
  arrive after the seller and her bodyguards have already 
  left. Adjust as necessary. 
   
  
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  8 
   
  A voice interrupts you, and a tough-looking half-orc male 
  brandishing a mace appears in the doorway of the barn. “The 
  toll for passage out of this barn is that egg. I’m sure you will 
  hand it over peacefully so I don’t have to take your lives 
  instead.” 
   
  The man in the entrance is a half-orc thug, who 
  nominally leads the bandit gang. Four bandits are 
  present: the aforementioned two hidden in the loft and 
  two additional bandits waiting outside the barn on either 
  side of the entrance.  
   The two bandits in the hay loft are armed with nets in 
  addition to their normal equipment. They can drop the 
  nets through holes in the loft as an action; each 
  attempting to entangle one character. A character must 
  make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the net. 
  On a failed save, the targeted creature becomes 
  restrained. To remove the condition, the character must 
  take an action to make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) or 
  deal 5 points of slashing damage to the net. 
  Restrained 
   
  A restrained creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't 
  benefit from any bonus to its speed. 
   
  Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the 
  creature's attack rolls have disadvantage. 
   
  The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. 
  Giving Up the Egg 
  The characters might realize that the egg is a fake, and 
  therefore there is no harm in simply giving the egg to the 
  Welcomers. If this happens, the bandits are initially 
  suspicious, but eventually accept their good fortune at 
  avoiding a fight. The bandits question the characters 
  about why they wanted the egg and intimidate them in 
  an attempt to deter the characters from following them, 
  but otherwise leave peacefully. 
  Is That All?! 
  If the characters give up the egg without a fight, they 
  might finish the event in half the allotted time—or maybe 
  even less. This is probably not a problem.  
   However, if you think the players will be upset about 
  not getting a chance to fight during the session, have the 
  four bandits (but not their leader) follow the characters 
  back to Phlan and attempt to waylay them before 
  reaching the city. Perhaps the bandits realized the egg 
  was a fake and think the characters are hiding the real 
  one somewhere. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative. In addition, you can add 
  one or two of the half-orc’s racial traits to the thug statistics if 
  you have access to a Player’s Handbook, although this is not 
  necessary. 
   
  Weak party: remove the two bandits waiting outside with 
  the thug  
   
  Strong party: add one bandit in the loft 
   
  Very strong party: change one of the bandits in the loft into 
  a human thug  
  Conclusion 
  The Harper is waiting for the characters, as promised, in 
  the stable behind Madame Freona’s Tea Kettle. If the 
  characters successfully planted the pin and have the egg, 
  the Harper recognizes it as a fake after a quick 
  examination. He gives them the promised gold, as well 
  as one potion of healing. 
   If the characters return without the egg but recognized 
  it as a fake, the Harper gives them the promised money 
  but no potion. If they have the egg but failed to plant the 
  pin, he offers this same reward. 
   If they neither have the egg nor succeeded in planting 
  the pin, he gives them half of the promised coin as a 
  consolation prize for their effort. 
   In any case, the Harper gives them a warning: 
  “We have seen an increased interest in all things related to 
  dragons. We have also heard of more dragon sightings in the 
  Moonsea region—and elsewhere. Keep your eyes and ears 
  open for further information on dragons. It might save your 
  life.” 
  Rewards 
  Make sure the players note their rewards on their 
  adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI number 
  (if applicable) so players can record who ran the session.  
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters present in 
  the combat. For non-combat experience, the rewards 
  listed are per character. Give all characters in the party 
  non-combat experience awards unless otherwise noted.   
  Combat Awards 
  Name of Foe 
   
   
  XP per Foe 
  Bandit 
   
   
   
  25 
  Guard 
   
   
   
  25 
  Spy 
   
   
   
  200 
  Thug 
   
   
   
  100 
   
  
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  9 
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per Character 
   
  Successfully planting the pin  
  50 
  Recovering the egg  
   
  25 
   
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 75 experience points. 
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 100 experience points.  
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided 
  up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to 
  divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece 
  values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their 
  selling price, not their purchase price. 
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one character is 
  interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM 
  can determine who gets it randomly should the group be 
  unable to decide.  
   Permanent magic items are divided up according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value 
  Payment from the Harper 
   
  200 
  Potion of Healing 
  A description of this item can be found in the basic rules 
  or the Player’s Handbook.   
  Renown 
  Harper characters only receive one renown point for 
  successfully planting the pin. 
  Downtime  
  Each character receives five downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this mini-adventure.  
   
  DM Rewards 
  You receive 100 XP and five downtime days for each 
  session you run of this mini-adventure.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  	
   
  
   
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  11 
   
  Mission 2: The Screams 
  at Dawn 
  A troublesome cry disturbs the morning meal, as a 
  distraught woman seeks aid. 
  You were told that Madame Freona’s Tea Kettle was the place 
  where adventurers could find work and avoid the hassle 
  associated with other places in Phlan. So far, that has been 
  true. Madame Freona, a stout and officious halfling who runs 
  the establishment with her five daughters, has proven an 
  excellent hostess. 
   After a peaceful night’s rest, Briez, one of Madame Freona’s 
  five daughters, is serving you a delightful breakfast, which 
  includes freshly made wildberry jam on warm biscuits. 
   “My sisters and I picked the berries ourselves,” says the 
  young halfling woman, sweeping her long black hair out of her 
  face. “Some say the wildberries in this area are—” 
   Before Briez can finish her thought, shrieking erupts from the 
  street outside the Tea Kettle. While the words are mostly 
  unintelligible, you do make out “help” and “family.” 
  The Distraught Woman 
  When the characters go into the street, townsfolk are 
  rushing to assist a middle-aged human woman. She has 
  collapsed in the middle of the road, crying hysterically, 
  clutching an infant boy in her arms. If the characters 
  don’t calm her, another passerby does, allowing her to 
  tell her story. 
   
  Her name is Millivent Moss. Her family farms peat 
  from a bog about an hour from Phlan. Earlier this 
  morning her husband and children, as well as a few 
  hired hands, were attacked by goblins. 
   
  She was able to leap onto a wagon and escape with 
  her youngest child Bo, still an infant. She drove 
  away quickly, turning just long enough to see 
  goblins dragging people away to the east. It looks 
  like they were still alive, perhaps being taken 
  captive. 
   
  She needs someone to come to her family’s aid, 
  rescuing them if possible. 
  After this information is given, two Black Fist guards 
  come upon the scene, ordering people to stop blocking 
  traffic on the street. When Millivent tells them her story, 
  they roll their eyes, sigh, and say that their jurisdiction 
  lay only within the city itself. Then one pulls a small 
  piece of paper from a pouch, hands it to the nearest 
  adventurer, and orders them to go investigate. 
   The paper is a promissory note entitling its bearer to 
  50 gp from the city’s coffers for services rendered. 
   The characters should hurry to assist Millivent, 
  although they certainly can take the time to get their 
  equipment, don armor, prepare spells, and do anything 
  else to gear up for an adventure—quickly! 
  Tracking Through the Bog 
  Millivent takes the characters to her wagon and drives 
  them back to her family’s peat harvesting farm. She 
  shows them where the raid took place, and tell them 
  once more that it looked like the goblins were taking the 
  prisoners to the east. She doesn’t know the number of 
  goblins, but claims that there were too many to count. 
  Her husband Haldred, her daughters Alleena and 
  Kithian, her sons Quayle and Volland, and six hired 
  hands were at the farm when the attack took place. 
   For tracking purposes, treat the area as swampland. 
  The characters must attempt a Wisdom (Survival) check 
  to find and follow the tracks. One character may attempt 
  this check, and one other character can assist using the 
  Help action (which gives advantage on the original 
  Wisdom check). Use the chart below to determine the 
  results of the check. 
  Tracking Success Chart 
  Wisdom  
  Consequence 
  Check 
   
   
  Less than 7 
  Add 2 goblins to the lair 
  7-11 
   
  Add 1 goblin to the lair 
  11-15 
   
  No adjustment 
  More than 15 
  Remove 1 goblin from the lair 
   
  Goblins can be added to the lair in room 2A or 2C, and 
  are in addition to any other adjustments made. 
  Regardless of the check result, the characters do find 
  the tracks of the goblins eventually and they can follow 
  their tracks back to the caves that the goblins call home. 
   Depending on the results of the Wisdom (Survival) 
  check and the abilities of the characters (i.e. rangers 
  may have the ability to know numbers of creatures 
  automatically), dole out information as you see fit. 
   
  The trails make it appear that about a dozen 
  prisoners were being dragged. 
   
  The prints in the mud show that more than a dozen 
  goblin-sized creatures passed through here today. 
   
  One larger-sized creature also walked with the 
  other creatures. The print size reveals that this 
  
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  12 
  creature was probably larger than a human, though 
  not as large as an ogre. 
  The Lair Entrance 
  After traversing the swampy bog for at least an hour 
  (adjust the time based on the level of success in the 
  Wisdom (Survival) check), the characters finally come to 
  the end of the trail. The trail leads directly into the 
  mouth of a cave in the side of a hill rising from the bog. 
  Brush and other low vegetation allow the characters to 
  easily hide and observe the following. 
   At the entrance, the characters observe a goblin 
  talking in Common to a human-sized figured dressed in 
  heavy cloaks that obscure his face. The voice is male 
  and human-sounding.  
  The goblin says in broken Common, “Only one raiding group 
  return. They bring prisoners. Other raiding groups return 
  soon. No more snake coin people found.” 
   The human nods and says, “Excellent. Tell Gorrunk that my 
  friends and I will pay lots of coin and give lots of gifts for all of 
  the dragon artifacts you can find. And kill any other humans 
  who you find near your home.” 
   The goblin nods and enters the cave, while the cloaked figure 
  whispers a word and simply vanishes. 
   
  This should get across to the characters that something 
  bigger is behind the goblin attack, and that many more 
  goblins are going to be returning to the lair soon. They 
  have very little time to rescue the prisoners! 
   No further movement or traffic occurs near the cave 
  entrance, although there is an occasional goblin shout or 
  human scream echoing from within.  
  The Goblin Lair 
  The Foulwater goblin tribe moved into this cave system 
  less than a month ago. A young black dragon dominated 
  the area before that, but it died in a fight with some 
  adventurers. The adventurers perished as well, leaving 
  the place open for occupation. 
   The goblins thought their luck was great in finding the 
  place. However, the presence of the dragon brought 
  other interested parties—the Cult of the Dragon in 
  particular. After the Cult killed many goblins while 
  exploring the extensive cave system, the two sides 
  struck a deal. The goblins would excavate and explore 
  the former dragon’s lair, and the Cult would purchase 
  from them anything relevant to their interests in 
  dragons. 
   A member of the Zhentarim, following a lead that Cult 
  activity was spotted in the area, entered the cave to 
  investigate. He was waylaid by the goblins. Now the 
  goblins are raiding the countryside at the behest of the 
  Cult, ensuring that no more Zhentarim operatives 
  happen across the area. 
  General Features 
   Ceilings. All ceilings in the goblin lair are 10 feet tall. 
   Light. Unless otherwise noted, the areas of the goblin 
  lair are unlit. 
  2A. Entrance Passage 
  The passage is unlit, although the sunlight reaches far enough 
  into the 10-foot-wide cave passage to let you see that it travels 
  about 25 feet before turning south. Piles of rubble are strewn 
  in the passage, large enough to hide behind. 
   
  If any character takes the time to listen, a successful DC 
  10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that some soft, 
  guttural mumbling is coming from behind the eastern 
  wall where the passageway turns south. The same check 
  reveals that small holes riddle the wall, allowing for 
  viewing up the passage by creatures behind the wall. 
   The piles of rubble are large enough to allow 
  characters to hide as they move up the passage. The two 
  goblins behind the eastern wall are not paying close 
  attention, so a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) 
  check lets a character sneak past unnoticed. 
   If the goblins are alerted, they shoot through the holes 
  at anyone in the passageway between their wall and the 
  cave entrance. Treat the holes as arrow slits, giving the 
  goblins three-quarters cover. After shooting two arrows 
  each, the goblins spend an action to pull an alarm rope 
  that alerts everyone in the Guard Room (2C) to the 
  intruders. Note that the alarm rope can be disabled in 
  the Trapped Room (2B). 
   After that, the goblins remain in the alcove looking for 
  more intruders. They were told not to leave their posts 
  under any circumstances, so they do not. 
  Adjusting the Adventure 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative. 
   
  Weak party: remove one goblin 
   
  Strong party: add one goblin 
   
  Very strong party: add two goblins  
   
  2B. Trapped Room 
  This room is littered with ratty blankets and bedrolls, some 
  
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  13 
  small bones from eaten rodents, and other filthy remnants of 
  fine goblin living. Lice-ridden furs decorate the walls. 
   
  A tripwire has been set across the entrance to this 
  room, roughly two feet above the ground. Any creature 
  passing through the area containing the tripwire sets off 
  the trap. The trap can be found with a successful DC 10 
  Wisdom (Perception) check and disabled by a character 
  with a set of thieves’ tools with a successful DC 10 
  Dexterity check. 
   If trigged, stones fall into the ceiling of the 10-foot by 
  40-foot section of Area 2A directly north of the tripwire. 
  Any creature in the trapped area takes 5 (2d4) 
  bludgeoning damage from falling rocks. A successful DC 
  10 Dexterity saving throw halves this damage. The trap 
  also sets off alarm bells in other parts of the lair. 
   If the trap is successfully disarmed, pulling the alarm 
  rope in other areas of the lair has no effect. Since it is all 
  made of one complicated set of ropes and bells, the 
  goblins in other areas are not aware that pulling the 
  rope has no effect elsewhere. 
   A hidden door curtain of wolf pelts hanging conceals 
  a hallway in the southeastern corner of the room. The 
  hallway can be found by removing the pelts, though any 
  character with a passive Perception of 15 or higher 
  automatically notices it. 
  2C. Guard Room 
  This room contains three goblins and two wolves. If the 
  characters were able to get this far without being seen, 
  or if they disarmed the alarm before it was triggered, 
  they get a surprise round in this combat. 
  Like the previous room, this one contains mostly bedrolls and 
  a few decrepit furnishings where the goblins rest and relax 
  when not out doing the terrible things that goblins do. 
   Three cages against the east wall, between two doors, two of 
  which house a single wolf each. They snarl and snap in your 
  direction. 
   
  When combat begins, one goblin attacks while the 
  others run to the two cages that each hold a wolf. As an 
  action, a goblin can unlock a cage and release the wolf 
  within it. If the characters are lucky, good, or both, they 
  might be able to defeat the goblins before the wolves can 
  be released. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative.  
   
  Weak party: remove one goblin and one wolf 
   
  Strong party: change one of the wolves to a worg 
   
  Very strong party: change both of the wolves to worgs, and 
  they are uncaged 
  2D. Boss and Prisoners 
  This room is lit by torches and contains three goblins 
  and a bugbear called Gorrunk who has taken leadership 
  of the Foulwater goblins. 
  The room itself is better furnished than the previous rooms, 
  with some serviceable tables and chairs, some palatable food 
  and drink, and even a larger chair sitting on a granite slab at 
  the far end. Several passages lead out of the room deeper into 
  the cave. 
   Some goblins stand around the room, all looking for direction 
  from a large bugbear. Two large cages at the back of the room 
  hold the 11 prisoners taken from the peat bog. In addition, a 
  human dressed in black underclothing, the kind you would 
  typically wear under armor, is caged. 
   
  The twelfth prisoner is Chaab, the Zhentarim agent who 
  was captured investigating Cult activities in the caves. 
   If the characters have managed to be stealthy to this 
  point, not setting off any of the alarms, the creatures 
  here are not overly wary and the characters get a 
  surprise round. If the alarm has been raised, they are 
  fully prepared when the characters enter. 
   If the characters kill the bugbear Gorrunk, the 
  remaining goblins surrender. Gorrunk carries the keys 
  to the prisoner cages, which can also be picked with a 
  DC 15 Dexterity check, provided the character 
  attempting this check has a set of thieves’ tools. 
   The peat bog workers are terrified but grateful for 
  being rescued and otherwise cannot offer much in the 
  way of information or assistance. Chaab, however, can 
  offer the following: 
   
  The Zhentarim have been investigating some 
  strange happenings in the area. A black dragon 
  laired here until recently, and it was parleying with 
  humans for some reason. 
   
  The dragon hadn’t been seen in a while, but the 
  humans were still skulking in the area, so Chaab 
  came to investigate. 
   
  He found that the dragon had been killed by 
  adventurers, but the adventurers perished as well. 
  Someone emptied the dragon’s hoard and started 
  harvesting parts of the dead dragon. 
   
  Chaab was trying to escape the lair and report his 
  findings when he was waylaid by dozens of goblins. 
  
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  14 
  Since then, the goblins have been in talks with the 
  humans to secure the area. He doesn’t know more 
  about their relationship. 
   
  There are dozens, if not hundreds, of goblins living 
  elsewhere in the lair. Their numbers are currently 
  low because they were raiding the countryside. If 
  the group doesn’t escape soon, the sheer numbers 
  of goblins will be too much to fight. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative.  
   
  Weak party: remove all the goblins  
   
  Strong party: add two goblins 
   
  Very strong party: add four goblins 
  Escape  
  If the characters leave the area immediately, they 
  encounter no more goblins. If there is time, you can 
  make a few implications that more goblins are just 
  around the corner or pursuing the characters. 
  Treasure 
  The peat bog workers don’t have much to offer in terms 
  of rewards, but Chaab gives the characters a handful of 
  stashed gems worth 100 gp for freeing him. He also 
  gives a potion of climbing that he was saving for a 
  special occasion. In addition, he shows the characters 
  that the shield Gorrunk was using was actually the scale 
  of a black dragon. While it acts simply as a regular 
  shield, it is a trophy that can be carried with pride. 
  Rewards 
  Make sure the players note their rewards on their 
  adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI number 
  (if applicable) so players can record who ran the session.  
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters present in 
  the combat. For non-combat experience, the rewards 
  listed are per character. Give all characters in the party 
  non-combat experience awards unless otherwise noted.   
  Combat Awards 
  Name of Foe 
   
   
  XP per Foe 
  Bugbear  
   
   
  200 
  Goblin 
   
   
   
  50 
  Wolf 
   
   
   
  50 
  Worg 
   
   
   
  100 
   
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per Character 
   
  Avoiding or disabling the tripwire 
  25 
  Rescuing all the prisoners 
   
  50 
   
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 75 experience points. 
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 100 experience points.  
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided 
  up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to 
  divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece 
  values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their 
  selling price, not their purchase price. 
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one character is 
  interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM 
  can determine who gets it randomly should the group be 
  unable to decide.  
   Permanent magic items are divided up according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value 
  Payment from the Black Fist guard 
  50 
  Payment from Chaab 
   
  100 
  Black dragon scale shield 
   
  50  
  Potion of Climbing 
  A description of this item can be found in the basic rules 
  or the Dungeon Master’s Guide.  
   
  Renown 
  Zhentarim characters only receive one renown point 
  for rescuing Chaab. 
  Downtime  
  Each character receives five downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this mini-adventure.  
  DM Rewards 
  You receive 100 XP and five downtime days for each 
  session you run of this mini-adventure.
  
   
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  fiance in phlan 
  16 
  
  Defiance in phlan 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  17 
  Mission 3: The Dead at 
  Highsun 
  A priest from Valhingen Graveyard comes to the 
  characters with a disturbing problem. 
  You were told that Madame Freona’s Tea Kettle was the place 
  where adventurers could find work and avoid the hassle 
  associated with other places in Phlan. So far, that has been 
  true. Madame Freona, a stout and officious halfling who runs 
  the establishment with her five daughters, has proven an 
  excellent hostess. 
   The crowd at the Tea Kettle is sparse for the Highsun meal. 
  The youngest of Madame Freona’s daughters, Grelinda, is 
  clearing away your table setting after a pleasant meal. 
  Grelinda’s short hair is tinted an odd shade of coppery green, 
  and she treats the flatware roughly as she stacks it on a tray. 
  “Stupid boring work,” she mutters under her breath. 
   Before you can comment, the door of the Tea Kettle opens, 
  and a cool draft plays through the room. A tall, dour-looking 
  human glances around, and his sallow expression finally 
  settles on you. 
   He removes his tall black hat to reveal a balding pate. “I 
  apologize for disturbing you,” he says in a deep, monotone 
  voice. “I assume you are adventurers for hire, and I seek your 
  expertise for a small matter.” 
  The Keeper of the Dead 
  The man introduces himself as Brother Keefe, priest of 
  Kelemvor and “Keeper of the Dead” of Valhingen 
  Graveyard in Phlan. Use the bullet points below to guide 
  the conversation. Remember to keep this brief to finish 
  the mission in time: 
   
  As Keeper of the Dead, Brother Keefe is charged 
  with seeing to the interment of bodies and keeping 
  records. He calls himself “the overseer of all 
  permanent residents of the Valhingen Graveyard.” 
   
  He is also in charge of disinterment at the 
  graveyard, and that is why he is looking for 
  assistance this afternoon. 
   
  Evidence has been brought forth to the clerics of 
  Kelemvor that one of the long-standing residents of 
  the cemetery, Xandria Welltran, was not in fact 
  human, but a polymorphed green dragon.  
   
  Brother Keefe must now enter the crypt and inspect 
  the body to confirm or disprove these claims. He 
  fears that there may be more to this than meets the 
  eye, but the other priests of Kelemvor laughed at his 
  concern. Therefore Brother Keefe is looking for 
  some adventurers to accompany him into the crypt. 
   
  He offers the characters 100 gp to accompany him, 
  and if there's trouble, he'll throw in a scroll of 
  protection from evil and good. 
  If the characters are satisfied with the explanation and 
  the terms of their employment, Brother Keefe leads 
  them to the Welltran Crypt in the Valhingen Graveyard. 
   When they arrive, they might be surprised to learn that 
  the graveyard is actually quite well maintained, if 
  somber. Brother Keefe tells the characters that 
  Doomguide Yovir Glandon, his superior and the senior 
  member of the Most Solemn Order of the Silent Shroud, 
  personally sees to the maintenance of the grounds. 
  Xandria’s Crypt 
   Ceilings. In the rooms below the crypt, all ceilings are 
  ten feet high. 
   Light. None of the areas below the crypt are lit. 
   Secret Doors. Three secret doors are held within the 
  spiral wall. They can be noticed with a successful DC 15 
  Wisdom (Perception) check. The undead creatures 
  automatically sense their presence. Living creatures 
  who pass through them take 2 (1d4) necrotic damage. 
  Undead creatures passing through them regain 2 (1d4) 
  hit points. 
  The crypt of Xandria is a nicely appointed stone and marble 
  building, roughly 20 feet square. Brother Keefe produces a key 
  to unlock it. 
   The interior is equally fine. The walls are carved and painted 
  with various scenes showing a lovely human woman in 
  different locales: looking toward a snow-covered peak, 
  standing in the rain of a thunderstorm, sitting in a comfortable 
  room by a roaring fire, holding a venomous snake in a garden, 
  working with bubbling vials in a laboratory, and many others. 
  The lid of the marble sarcophagus in the center is carved with 
  the likeness of the same beautiful human woman in the prime 
  of her life. 
   
  Brother Keefe pries open the lid of the sarcophagus, 
  revealing a jumbled pile of bones. A quick investigation 
  shows that these are definitely not human bones—many 
  of them are draconic in nature. It is also readily 
  apparent that at least half the bones that should be there 
  are missing. 
   Also resting among the bones are 5 tiny gems: a red 
  ruby, a green emerald, a black opal, a white diamond, 
  and a blue sapphire. 
  
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  18 
  The Trap and Secret Passage 
  Soon after the remains are disturbed, read:  
  A few moments after the lid is removed and the sarcophagus’s 
  contents examined, a scraping sound echoes through the 
  crypt. The door closes and seals, and a hissing sound makes 
  you aware that some kind of gas is entering the crypt. It does 
  not smell pleasant. 
   
  Let the characters panic for a moment if they choose. 
  Smashing the door or walls does no good. The only way 
  out is to find the secret passage beneath the 
  sarcophagus, and that requires some quick thinking. 
  You can roll initiative and give the characters two 
  rounds before the gas hits them, or let them work it 
  through without using initiative.  
   If the characters take even a moment to look closely at 
  the walls, floor, or sarcophagus, they notice a few 
  oddities. 
   
  There are scrape marks on the floor around the 
  sarcophagus, showing it can move. However, 
  pushing does nothing. 
   
  The tiny gems are all the same size and shape, and 
  they are cut in a way that makes it look like they 
  might slide into something. 
   
  Five of the carvings on the walls have a place in 
  them where a tiny gem could be inserted. 
  Each gem matches the color of one of the chromatic 
  dragons, and each spot in a carving matches one of the 
  elements associated with the corresponding colored 
  dragon. 
   
  The white diamond fits into the indentation on the 
  top of the snow-covered mountain. 
   
  The blue sapphire fits into the indentation at the 
  point of a lighting strike in the thunderstorm. 
   
  The red ruby fits into the indentation in the roaring 
  fire of the comfortable room. 
   
  The green emerald fits into the indentation on the 
  fang of the poisonous snake. 
   
  The black opal fits into the indentation on the bub-
  bling vial of acid. 
  If the characters fail to see this connection between the 
  gems in the indentations in the wall carvings within two 
  rounds, the gas deals 3 (1d6) points of poison damage. A 
  successful DC 12 Constitution saving throw halves this 
  damage. After that, Brother Keefe points out how it 
  looks like the gems might fit into those indentations. 
   Do not force the characters to make another saving 
  throw unless they put the wrong gems in the wrong 
  places. Even if they do, they should only have to make 
  one more set of saving throws before Brother Keefe 
  provides enough hints to get the puzzle correctly solved. 
   When the gems are inserted correctly, the gas 
  dissipates, the crypt door opens, and the sarcophagus 
  slides away, revealing a stairway down into the 
  darkness. Tracks in the dust shows it has been used 
  recently by at least two human-sized creatures. The 
  gems cannot be pried free from their housings once 
  inserted. 
   Brother Keefe refuses to enter the lower chambers. 
  He is a simple priest and has no magical or martial 
  powers. However, he begs the characters to investigate. 
  3A. Honor Guard 
  The stairs descend steeply, and then the passage 
  continues, curving to the left and slightly downward in a 
  spiral. The curving passage continues to the south and 
  curves west, but also opens into a chamber. 
  The passage opens into a chamber. Three odd humanoid 
  skeletons, topped with draconic skulls, stand at attention, 
  holding swords. At the back of the chamber is a large throne-
  like chair, currently empty, on a mahogany dais. 
   
  These three skeletons are currently not animated but 
  might become so if the characters perform certain 
  actions: in this room, if any creature sits on the throne, 
  magic is released to animate the skeletons. In the next 
  room, the party might also animate the skeletons. 
   If the characters sit on the throne, or search the 
  throne with a successful DC 10 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check, they notice a hinged panel in the 
  bottom of the throne. It is trapped with a poison needle 
  trap, which is noticed with a successful DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check and disabled with a successful DC 
  15 Dexterity check, provided the character attempting 
  this check has a set of thieves’ tools. If someone opens 
  the panel without disarming the trap, they are stuck with 
  a needle. They must make a DC 12 Constitution saving 
  throw or take 4 (1d8) poison damage. Within the secret 
  compartment is a small tourmaline worth 50 gp and a 
  scroll of comprehend languages.  
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative.  
   
  Weak party: remove one skeleton  
   
  Strong party: add two skeletons 
   
  Very strong party: add four skeletons 
  
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  19 
  3B. Reanimation Chamber 
  The spiral passage continues until it reaches another 
  chamber. 
  This chamber has been set up as a small laboratory. Tables 
  around the room are covered with beakers, vials, tomes, 
  cauldrons, and pots full of alchemical agents. 
   In the middle of the central table is a note next to a blue clay 
  pot. The note, written in Common, says, “Raaxil, I have figured 
  out how to complete the process. When you are ready, simply 
  pour the contents of this blue pot into the cauldron and stir. 
  The effects should be instantaneous, but DO NOT DRINK 
  THE RESULTING POTION.” 
   
  A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals 
  that the books and alchemical agents are all tied to 
  necromantic magic, specifically targeted toward 
  dragons. It is extremely advanced magic, though—well 
  beyond the expertise of the characters at this level. 
   If the characters complete the process, this causes a 
  thick vapor to spread quickly throughout the chambers, 
  animating the skeletons in the previous room. If the 
  characters already fought them, the skeletons 
  reanimate. The creatures move through the chambers 
  (using the secret doors if appropriate) to surround the 
  characters and attack. 
   A character is foolish enough a drink the potion must 
  make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 21 
  (6d6) poison damage. 
   All of this equipment has been cursed with magic. If it 
  is taken out of the underground complex, it dissolves 
  into nothingness. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative.  
   
  Weak party: one of the glyphs is already marred; remove 
  one zombie  
   
  Strong party: each round, each active glyph pulses and 
  heals 2 (1d4) damage to a zombie 
   
  Very strong party: all zombies have 5 additional hit points; 
  unless all glyphs are deactivated, a zombie reanimates with 
  half hit points the round after it is killed 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  3C. Teleportation Circle 
  The spiral passage continues until it reaches a final 
  chamber. 
  This chamber’s walls are painted to look like the inside of a 
  dragon’s lair: the scenes depict piles of treasure, robed 
  acolytes bowing in supplication, bound prisoners being served 
  up as a meal, etc. All the paintings focus toward the alcove in 
  the south wall, where a pile of gold coins form a nest perfect 
  for a large dragon! 
   In addition to the paintings, there are four large glyphs: one 
  each on the north, south, east and west walls. The southern 
  glyph is within the alcove. These glyphs glow slightly in the 
  dark of the rooms. 
   In the northwest corner of the room, a teleportation circle has 
  been etched into the floor. The lack of wear on the etchings 
  implies that the circle was created very recently. A thick metal 
  rod, inscribed with sigils stands in the middle of the circle.  
   Lying on the floor in different parts of the room are 4 dead 
  bodies. Although the bodies look roughly humanoid, they are 
  stitched together from various parts, including some that 
  appear to be draconic in nature. 
   
  As soon as the characters interact with anything in the 
  room in a significant way (touching, examining, etc.), 
  two things happen: the four large glyphs glow brightly, 
  and the four bodies spring up and animate, becoming 
  four zombies.  Each one has some semblance of 
  draconic features, such as small wings, tails, and 
  enlongated necks.  
   During combat, describe how the glyphs flare when 
  the zombies attack or take damage. If the characters use 
  an action to mar a glyph with an attack (AC 10, 5 hp) or 
  disable it with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) 
  check, a zombie is blinded until the end of its next turn. 
  If all the glyphs are deactivated in this way, the zombies 
  cease their movement and fall to the ground, inanimate. 
   If a character enters the southern alcove, that 
  character triggers an invisible force field across the 
  alcove opening. The force field is impenetrable but can 
  be brought down with a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) 
  check or 5 points of force damage. It also disappears if 
  all of the glyphs are deactivated. 
   The gold coins in the southern alcove are worthless 
  wooden disks painted gold. There is nothing else of 
  value in the room. 
   
   
   
   
  
  Defiance in phlan 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  20 
   The teleportation circle can be easily defaced to make 
  it unusable. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) 
  check shows that the teleportation circle is probably 
  linked to a similar circle elsewhere, and strong magic is 
  needed to make use of the circles. 
  Informing Brother Keefe 
  Assuming the characters clear out the dangers from the 
  chambers beneath the crypt, Brother Keefe asks them to 
  show him what they found. If the characters have not yet 
  made the connection between the necromantic magic 
  and the dragon motifs, he informs them that it is 
  possible someone is trying to create a dracolich. 
   At this point, Brother Keefe reveals that he a member 
  of the Lord’s Alliance, a group looking to maintain 
  stability in Phlan, but not at the cost of lawlessness. He 
  admits that the rumors about the draconic nature of 
  Xandria Welltran came from a source within the Lord’s 
  Alliance, who also told him that the Welcomers, the 
  thieves’ guild of Phlan, have been investigating various 
  dragon-themed leads in the last month. The Welcomers 
  may be involved in this as well. 
  Rewards 
  Make sure the players note their rewards on their 
  adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI number 
  (if applicable) so players can record who ran the session.  
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters present in 
  the combat. For non-combat experience, the rewards 
  listed are per character. Give all characters in the party 
  non-combat experience awards unless otherwise noted.   
  Combat Awards 
  Name of Foe 
   
   
  XP per Foe 
  Skeleton  
   
   
  50 
  Zombie  
   
   
  50 
   
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per Character 
   
  Solving the gem puzzle without help 
  25 
  Clearing out the crypt 
   
  50 
   
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 75 experience points. 
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 100 experience points.  
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided 
  up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to 
  divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece 
  values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their 
  selling price, not their purchase price. 
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one character is 
  interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM 
  can determine who gets it randomly should the group be 
  unable to decide.  
   Permanent magic items are divided up according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value 
  Payment from Brother Keefe  
  100 
  Small tourmaline gem 
   
  50  
  Spell Scroll: Protection from Evil and 
  Good 
  This spell scroll contains a single protection from evil 
  and good spell. A description of spell scrolls can be 
  found in the basic rules or Dungeon Master’s Guide.  
  Spell Scroll: Comprehend Languages 
  This spell scroll contains a single comprehend 
  languages spell. A description of spell scrolls can be 
  found in the basic rules or Dungeon Master’s Guide.  
  Renown 
  Lords’ Alliance characters only receive one renown 
  point for informing Brother Keefe. 
  Downtime  
  Each character receives five downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this mini-adventure.  
  DM Rewards 
  You receive 100 XP and five downtime days for each 
  session you run of this mini-adventure. 
   
   
  	
  	
  	
  
   
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  fiance in phlan 
  22 
  
  Defiance in phlan 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  23 
  Mission 4: A Shock at 
  Evenfeast 
  The characters are approached by a half-orc seeking 
  help in finding a powerful magic item. 
  You were told that Madame Freona’s Tea Kettle was the place 
  where adventurers could find work and avoid the hassle 
  associated with other places in Phlan. So far, that has been 
  true. Madame Freona, a stout and officious halfling who runs 
  the establishment with her five daughters, has proven an 
  excellent hostess. 
   The Tea Kettle is crowded this evening, as the Evenfeast meal 
  has brought many hungry patrons. A young halfling woman 
  called Blaizette, obviously one of Freona’s daughters, wears a 
  blue kerchief and acts as your server for the meal. She 
  manages to keep a smile despite the busy night. 
   After she brings your meals and heads off to another table, a 
  half-orc pulls up a chair and smiles a toothy smile at you. “Just 
  act normal,” he says through clenched teeth, “but listen 
  closely. Everyone’s life might be in danger. My name is Buhrell 
  Caah. I represent the Emerald Enclave, a group that watches 
  over the happenings in Phlan and beyond. I was just told by an 
  associate that a potentially devastating magical object was 
  brought into the Tea Kettle. We don’t know what it looks like or 
  who has it, but I need your help in finding it. Could you split 
  up and talk to anyone who looks suspicious, and find out if 
  they are in possession of a powerful item? Do not let anyone 
  know what you are doing, for the possessor of the item might 
  set it off if he or she knows we are aware.” 
   
  This mini-adventure contains little combat, and possibly 
  none at all. The characters must get to the bottom of 
  what is happening, first to find the magical item, then to 
  stop the energy that it unleashes, and finally to help its 
  victims before they perish. 
   Buhrell goes to speak with Blaizette, letting the 
  characters focus on other patrons of the Tea Kettle. 
  When the characters look around, they see sxi tables 
  that seem likely candidates. Each character should 
  choose a table to investigate.  
   During these investigations, use DC 10 as the target 
  number for any ability or skill checks the characters 
  might attempt, but feel free to adjust those up or down 
  based on the situation.  
   
   
  Table 1 
  	
  A wild elf dines alone at this table. She looks out of place in a 
  nice establishment like this. She wears leather armor dirty with 
  sweat, grime, and the stains of moving through vegetation. A 
  fine-looking bow of strange, purple-hued wood is strung 
  across her back. 
   
  Casting detect magic shows something is magical in her 
  rucksack. It is a potion of healing. 
   When approached, the elf nods but says nothing. If 
  convinced to speak, the elf says that her name is Surruk. 
  She has been patrolling the Quivering Forest for the last 
  two weeks, making sure none of the more malevolent 
  fey creatures don’t bother anyone. She has recently 
  taken leave for a few days, and she wished to start her 
  vacation with a good meal.  
   Identifying the unusual wood the bow is made of 
  requires a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check 
  can identify the bow as being fashioned from Morcant 
  Burl; a rare wood that grows only within the Quivering 
  Forest. 
  Table 2 
  	
  Two older human women dine together, but they seem to be 
  spending more time looking around the room than chatting 
  with each other. 
   
  Casting detect magic reveals that one of the women 
  wears a necklace with radiates magic. The magic is 
  simply a spell that keeps the necklace clean and 
  untarnished. 
   When approached, the two elderly ladies smile and 
  welcome the characters. Their names are Esma and 
  Eve, and they are two widows who meet here once a 
  week to gossip and watch people. If a character can get 
  a word in as the two yammer on, they can give 
  background information on Surruk (table 1), Yanna 
  (table 3), and Schuyler (table 4). They don’t know the 
  other people, but they are more than happy to speculate 
  and make up far-fetched stories. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Defiance in phlan 
   
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  24 
  Table 3 
  	
  An older human man and dwarven woman dine together, 
  talking emphatically. Neither looks like an adventurer, as both 
  are dressed in fine clothes.  
   
  Casting detect magic indicates that something in the 
  older human’s pack radiates magic. Inside his is a large, 
  glass sphere containing a heavily padded enchanted 
  dragon’s tooth that causes problems later on. 
   When approached, the human tells the character that 
  this is a private meeting. The dwarf reinforces the 
  sentiment. A successful Wisdom (Perception) check 
  reveals that the human is intentionally trying to go 
  unnoticed. 
   If the character attempts to take or look inside the 
  human’s pack, the human tries to grab it quickly. 
  Unfortunately, in doing so, the pack strikes the leg of his 
  table, breaking the sphere inside and releasing the 
  terrible spell that the tooth holds. The human is the first 
  person targeted by the lightning spell. 
   Make sure that all the other characters have a chance 
  to interact with their tables before continuing. 
  Table 4 
  	
  A half-elf man dines alone, playing with his food with a grumpy 
  expression on this face. He jots notes in a small book on the 
  table. 
   
  Casting detect magic reveals the pen the man uses to 
  write is magical. The magic on the pen simply allows it 
  to stay sharp and hold ink.  
   When approached, the man looks up at the character, 
  perplexed at the interruption. After regaining his 
  bearings, he introduces himself as Schuyler, a food 
  critic. He asks the character if he or she has ever had 
  such a terrible meal. Schuyler points to his plate and 
  says that the cook obviously used too much safflower oil. 
  Such a thing is far too pungent to use in such quantities. 
  Any character succeeding at a DC 10 Intelligence 
  (Nature) check knows that safflowers grow locally only 
  within the Quivering Forest. 
  Table 5 
  	
  A pale-scaled dragonborn woman dines alone. She looks 
  around nervously as she eats, startling at every sound. 
   
  No magic is revealed on or around the dragonborn. 
   When approached, the dragonborn recoils a bit, as if 
  the character is going to attack. If calmed, she reveals 
  her name is Halda (an alias), and that she is in town 
  visiting family (a lie). In reality, her name is Minnitha, 
  and she is planning to explore the mountains to the 
  north looking for treasure. However, she has already 
  been attacked twice by bandits while in Phlan, and 
  everyone stares at her because of her white dragon 
  heritage. 
  Table 6 
  	
  Three halflings dressed in bright motley colors dine at the bar. 
  They talk loudly, but in a language that is unrecognizable.  
   
  One of the halflings wears a belt pouch that radiates 
  faint magic. The pouch contain some dust which 
  magically expands into a cloud when tossed to the 
  ground. It is part of their tumbling act. 
   When approached, the three halflings, named Tawn, 
  Tane, and Tine, stop their conversation and stare at the 
  character. They answer only in grunts and nods unless 
  the character does something to entertain them. If so, 
  the halflings give their names and say that they are 
  triplets. They performs as tumblers in a traveling show 
  which is now in Phlan. 
  The Lightning Spell 
  After the glass vial breaks at table 3, the following 
  occurs. 
  The human moves quickly, trying to whisk away whatever he 
  was concealing. The sound of glass shattering echoes through 
  the room, and then the human screams as his body is 
  surrounded by a blue crackling energy. He falls to the floor, a 
  dagger-like object clutched in his hand. The dwarf at the same 
  table pushes back her chair and runs for the door. 
   
  At this point, the characters have different options. 
  Some may want to check on the human, others may 
  want to chase down the fleeing dwarf, and others still 
  may want to examine the blue dragon’s tooth. 
  
  Defiance in phlan 
   
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  25 
   As the DM, your main job is controlling the pace. You 
  can have the party roll initiative to keep track of actions. 
  When characters split up, it makes your job more 
  challenging. Allow characters to go in different 
  directions, but keep jumping rapidly between groups to 
  keep everyone in the action. If the characters are about 
  to go too far afield from each other, use the arrival of 
  Emerald Enclave operative Buhrell Caah to bring 
  everyone back together. 
  Surveying the Scene 
  Characters who examine the struggling human see that 
  lightning is inundating his body. A successful DC 10 
  Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) check reveals this 
  lightning is definitely magical—not naturally occurring—
  and shows no sign of dissipating. Also, there is no way to 
  heal the man or stop the spell that is evident. 
   Clutched tightly in the human’s hand is a long, dagger-
  like tooth. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) 
  check reveals that it is definitely the tooth of a blue 
  dragon. Prying the tooth from the man (or any contact at 
  all with anyone suffused with the energy) requires a DC 
  10 Strength check and does 2 (1d4) lightning damage 
  each time it is attempted. 
   The tooth is warm to the touch, and it pulsates in 
  rhythm with the crackling of the lightning. A DC 10 
  Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the tooth can 
  hold the lightning, but only if the lightning jumps to a 
  person holding the tooth when the lightning reaches 
  them. (If the characters do not learn this information 
  now, it will be told to them later in this mini-adventure.) 
   After a few seconds (or one round), the man collapses 
  when the lightning jumps to Schuyler at table 4. The 
  lightning jumps to the nearest person who has had 
  recent contact with something from the Quivering 
  Forest. Since Schuyler has been eating oil made from 
  safflowers harvested from the Quivering Forest, he is 
  the next target. 
  Catching the Dwarf 
  The fleeing dwarf is Yanna Hammerbound, a high-level 
  representative of The Ironhanded; Phlan’s Ironworkers’ 
  Guild. She was here to purchase the blue dragon tooth 
  from the man, who told her that its magic would be a 
  great asset to the guild. She was not aware of the nature 
  of the magic within the tooth. 
   The characters need to make a DC 10 Strength check 
  to restrain her before she leaves, and then a DC 10 
  Charisma (Intimidate or Persuasion) check to get her to 
  talk. She doesn’t know much else about the man or the 
  tooth, only that the tooth came from a blue dragon that 
  supposedly once lived in the Quivering Forest. 
  Bottling the Lightning 
  Once the characters have all of the information and have 
  seen the lightning spell in progress, all that is left it to 
  figure out why the lightning is jumping to certain people 
  and not others, and then to obtain the dragon tooth and 
  become the next target to catch the lightning. 
   However, a few seconds after the lightning leaves the 
  first victim, something strange occurs. 
  Although it looked like the human was dead, he rises to his 
  feet. He is alive but moving. He walks, eyes closed, toward the 
  door. He leaves the building, stops in the middle of the street, 
  and stands as if waiting. 
   
  The man is alive. Anyone touching him takes 1d4 
  lightning damage. Any subsequent attack that damages 
  him kills him, but he will continues to move regardless, 
  animated and controlled by the spell. It is possible to 
  restrain him with a successful DC 10 Strength check, 
  but anyone holding him suffers 2 (1d4) lightning damage 
  each round that they do so. 
   As the lightning leaves each person it affects, they too 
  wander out into the street, join hands and start to form a 
  large circle, which crackles with lightning. Nothing else 
  happens as a result of this strange occurrence.  
  The Order of Victims 
  The lightning starts with the original human victim. 
  When it finishes with him, it jumps to Schuyler, who had 
  eaten a large amount of safflower seed oil. The next 
  victim is the wild elf ranger Surruk, who carries the bow 
  made of Morcant Burl. 
   After the spell leaves Surruk, it flies out an open 
  window and strikes a small dwarven girl wearing a 
  necklace made of safflowers. After it leaves her, it 
  strikes the elven man who works at a stall outside the 
  Tea Kettle where flowers, including the safflowers likely 
  worn by the dwarven girl, are sold. 
   By this time, if the characters have no figured out the 
  pattern, Buhrell Caah should run forward and help the 
  characters put together the puzzle. 
   In order to catch the spell in the tooth, a character 
  must take the tooth, cover himself or herself with 
  flowers from the flower-vendor’s stall (or something else 
  related to the forest), and be the closest person to the 
  current victim of the spell. 
  
  Defiance in phlan 
   
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  26 
   When that happens, the lightning flies to that 
  character, whirls around him or her a few times, and 
  gets drawn into the tooth. 
   With that, all of the victims of the spell collapse in a 
  heap, unconscious but alive (unless the characters 
  attacked any of them, which means those victims are 
  dead).  
  Wrapping Up 
  If the original human victim (named Trett) is alive, he 
  says that he is just a merchant who bought the tooth 
  from a traveling band. They showed him that the tooth 
  could be used to heat and work metal more easily than 
  in a forge. So he purchased it to sell it to the 
  Ironworkers’ Guild. 
   Buhrell Caah thanks the characters for their 
  assistance, and offers them 100 gp for helping. He 
  wants to take the dragon tooth back to his Emerald 
  Enclave peers for observation. It is obviously too 
  dangerous to leave with others. If the characters 
  willingly give up the tooth, he offers them a potion of 
  healing. If they do not give up the tooth, then a character 
  can keep it, but it’s a bane for them if they have it for 
  more than a day – it grants them vulnerability to 
  lightning damage. 
   Finally, he tells them that he has been keeping an eye 
  on the guilds. They have been gaining more and more 
  power in the city recently, and it might be a good idea to 
  watch out for them in the coming weeks and months. 
  Rewards 
  Make sure the players note their rewards on their 
  adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI number 
  (if applicable) so players can record who ran the session.  
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters present in 
  the combat. For non-combat experience, the rewards 
  listed are per character. Give all characters in the party 
  non-combat experience awards unless otherwise noted.   
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per Character 
   
  Determining the lightning pattern without help 
  25 
  Capturing the lightning 
   
   
  75 
   
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 75 experience points. 
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 100 experience points.  
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided 
  up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to 
  divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece 
  values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their 
  selling price, not their purchase price. 
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one character is 
  interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM 
  can determine who gets it randomly should the group be 
  unable to decide.  
   Permanent magic items are divided up according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value 
  Reward from Buhrell Caah 
   
  100 
  Small tourmaline gem 
   
  50  
  Enchanted Blue Dragon’s Tooth 
  A character that possesses this item for more than a day 
  has vulnerability to lightning damage. 
  Potion of Healing 
  A description of this item can be found in the basic rules 
  or the Player’s Handbook.   
   
  Renown 
  Emerald Enclave characters only receive one renown 
  point for finding the dragon tooth. 
  Downtime  
  Each character receives five downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this mini-adventure.  
  DM Rewards 
  You receive 100 XP and five downtime days for each 
  session you run of this mini-adventure. 
  
  Defiance in phlan 
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  27 
  Mission 5: The Danger 
  at Dusk 
  A gnome tinkerer looks for help in rescuing his daughter 
  from a group of corrupt and vile Black Fists.  
  You were told that Madame Freona’s Tea Kettle was the place 
  where adventurers could find work and avoid the hassle 
  associated with other places in Phlan. So far, that has been 
  true. Madame Freona, a stout and officious halfling who runs 
  the establishment with her five daughters, has proven an 
  excellent hostess. 
   As the sun finally sets in the west, you settle down for one 
  last beverage. Whittlee, one of Freona’s daughters, sees to the 
  late-night crowd. Her startlingly white hair is pulled back in a 
  tight braid. She expertly juggles pots of tea, tankards of ale, 
  flagons of wine, and other assorted mugs and cups. 
   The door to the Tea Kettle opens, revealing a worried-looking 
  gnome. He wears patchwork clothes and wrings a floppy hat 
  nervously in his calloused hands. 
   He peers around the room pensively, until his eyes focus on 
  your group. He quickly walks toward you, ignoring the stares 
  and whispered jibes from some of the other patrons. “Are you 
  adventurers? My little girl is in terrible trouble. Will you hear 
  my story?  I can pay!” 
  A Troubled Gnome 
  When the characters agree to hear his tale, the gnome 
  relates the following. Remember to keep this brief to 
  finish the mission in time. 
   
  The gnome is a tinkerer called Rillo Leadstopper. 
  His daughter is called Villonah. After Villonah’s 
  mother died, the girl became wild and inconsolable. 
  She has been in trouble with the law ever since. 
   
  Most of the crimes were minor offenses that earned 
  her small fines or a few days in the jail. However, 
  her previous acts made her a “usual suspect” for the 
  Black Fist guards. 
   
  Last night, while Villonah was visiting her father’s 
  home, the guards arrested her. They gave no 
  indication of the charges. 
   
  In the past she was held in Castle Valjevo, and the 
  next day Rillo goes and pays for her release. This 
  time when he went to Stojanow Gate to inquire 
  about her, he was told she was not in the castle jail. 
  Rillo tried to find her whereabouts by bribing 
  guards and calling in favors, but no one knows her 
  whereabouts. 
   
   
   
  In a panic, he asked about her in the seedier parts 
  of town. He found a cutpurse who spoke of a secret 
  prison that a small group of Black Fist guards 
  covertly use to torture and murder prisoners 
  without their leadership finding out. He heard a 
  rumor she was taken there because Villonah stole 
  something valuable from one of those guards. 
   
  It is unlikely that the leadership of the Black Fist 
  knows that this secret prison exists and that the 
  guards who use it do so in a personal capacity. 
   
  The prison, he heard, is located beneath the ruins of 
  the Lyceum of the Black Lord. Although the burnt-
  out Lyceum has been converted into a make-shift 
  shelter for the displaced and injured, the guards 
  have found and taken up secret residence in some 
  chambers beneath it. There is a secret entrance to 
  the place from caves on the shore of the River 
  Stojanow. 
   
  If the characters go there and learn how to release 
  her, he offers 50 gp for the information. If the party 
  is able to release her, he's willing to throw in a fine 
  magnifying glass as well.  
  The Secret Prison 
   Ceilings. In the rooms of the prison, all ceilings are 
  ten feet high. 
   Light. All areas of the secret prison are sparsely lit by 
  torches. 
   Sound. The moans, cries, and muttering of the 
  prisoners occasionally echo throughout the prison. 
   Rubble. Area 3C is littered with areas of rubble. 
  These areas are treated as difficult terrain. 
   Rillo leads the characters to the secret entrance, 
  which is simply a tunnel starting at the river and running 
  under Phlan to the secret chambers beneath the ruined 
  Lyceum. The tunnel is not guarded, and it runs for 
  several hundred yards before it ends in a door. The 
  stonework around the door is well crafted, unlike the 
  rudimentary tunnel. 
   A DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check from anyone 
  listening at the door reveals occasional low whimpers 
  and unintelligible babbling within. 
   The door is locked, and a DC 10 Dexterity check is 
  needed to pick the lock, provided the character 
  attempting this check has a set of thieves’ tools. 
  Otherwise, the door must be bashed down with a DC 10 
  Strength check. Bashing down the door automatically 
  alerts the guards in Area 3B. 
  
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  28 
  3A. Prisoners 
   
  This room contains eight cells, five currently occupied by 
  prisoners who start begging to be released as you enter. A 
  door to the east is barred from this side, and there is also a 
  door on the south wall. A stone chair is bolted to the floor in 
  the room’s center, and interrogation instruments hang from 
  the walls. 
   
  When the prisoners see the characters, they begin to call 
  for the characters to release them. The noise risks 
  alerting the guards. To quiet the criminals before the 
  guards come, a character must succeed at a DC 15 
  Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check. 
   Of the five prisoners here, four are in terrible 
  condition from starvation and dehydration. They can 
  walk on their own, but they are in no condition to fight. 
  Two only have one ear, a likely sign that they are 
  members of the Welcomers, the theives’ guild in town. 
  The other two ran afoul of the Black Fist in other ways. 
  If asked about Villonah, the prisoners say that she was 
  thrown into the Funhouse, and they point to the door to 
  the east, which is barred from this side. 
   The last prisoner is a cultist, having been driven 
  insane by his long confinement and exposure to the 
  obelisks in Area 3C. He attacks the creature closest to 
  him once he is released from his cell. A character talking 
  to him and succeeding at a DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) 
  check can realize that he is not just mad, but he is 
  homicidal and will attack if released. If the combat goes 
  more than one round, the noise alerts the guards. 
  3B. Guard Room 
  This door is not locked. The occupants do not pay close 
  attention to what is happening in the other room unless 
  the door is bashed down, the cultist fanatic attacks, or 
  the characters fail to quiet the prisoners. 
   
  A table and some chairs dominate the center of the room, 
  while a couple of bunks line the walls. A small cooking stove 
  rests in the corner.  
   
  Four guards play cards while a large dog (wolf 
  statistics) naps on a straw pallet nearby. The guards are 
  here in their free time and are not on duty. As such, they 
  are not wearing armor or shields (their AC is 11). They 
  do have their weapons, however. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative.  
   
  Weak party: remove two guards  
   
  Strong party: the guards are wearing their armor 
   
  Very strong party: the guards are wearing their armor and 
  add one wolf  
  3C. Funhouse 
  This area is the home of a terrible creature. When the 
  guards are ready to kill a prisoner, or if they want to 
  drive a prisoner mad to help with later interrogations, 
  they lock a prisoner in this room. 
  This chamber was once grand but is now in shambles. The 
  walls have collapsed in and given way to earth. An obelisk 
  stands in the middle of the room, covered in sigils. 
   A cage has been erected in the middle of the room 
  surrounded by a number of peculiar obelisks made of black 
  stone. Within the cage, a young gnome woman dressed in a 
  simple gray tunic sits on the floor--her back to the obelisk. She 
  rocks back and forth with her head in her hands, saying a mad 
  whisper, “Can't run away. Can't run away.” 
   
  A grick (marked G on the map) lives in this sealed off 
  area. It is currently hiding and will attack the first 
  character to approach the cage in the center of the 
  room. Some areas on the map show areas where the 
  ceiling collapsed. This is difficult terrain. Due to the 
  obelisks in the room, the grick typically does not move 
  too far into the room, but when the characters enter, the 
  grick simply can't resist. When the characters enter this 
  area, the grick is hiding. 
   Obelisks. Any time a creature passes within 5 feet of 
  the pillar, it sends out a pulse of magical energy. The 
  triggering creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving 
  throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can 
  repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, 
  ending the effeect on it early on a success. If the 
  creature's saving throw is successful or the effect on it 
  ends, the creature is immune to this effect for the next 
  24 hours. For all intents and purposes, the obelisks are 
  collectively considered to a single source for this effect. 
  Frightened 
   
  A frightened creature has disadvantage on ability checks 
  and attack rolls while the source of its fear is within line of 
  sight. 
   
  The creature can't willingly move closer to the source of its 
  fear. 
   
   
  
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  29 
  The obelisks are quite old and fragile, and can be 
  destroyed (AC 8, 5 hp). They can also be pushed over 
  with a successful DC 5 Strength check. Doing either of 
  these things, however, causes the ceiling of the cavern 
  around the obelisk to collapse, dealing 7 (2d6) 
  bludgeoning damage to each creature in a square 
  adjacent to the obelisks and knocking that creature 
  prone. A creature making a successful DC 10 Dexterity 
  saving throw takes only half damage is not knocked 
  prone. Note that the grick’s damage resistances are 
  effective against damage from the ceiling collapse. 
   Cage. In the center of the room is a cage that the 
  guards have been using to torment their prisoners. It is 
  quite small, just large for an adult to stand, but due to 
  her size, Villonah is able to sit. When the characters 
  enter this area, she is seated with her back to the 
  entrance. The door is on the north face of the cage. 
   Villonah (marked V on the map) will not move unless 
  carried. If someone tries to pick her up, however, she 
  struggles. A character must use an action to grab her, 
  and her struggling makes the character carrying her 
  move at half speed. If the character takes an action to 
  calm Villonah—a successful DC 15 Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check—then she still will not walk on her 
  own, but she does not struggle against being carried. 
  A Second Rescuer 
  After the characters have dealt with the grick, they can 
  return to the room with the cages. They find that 
  someone waits for them there. 
  An elf stands before the door into the tunnel. She has an arrow 
  nocked and trained on you. “Put the gnome down and leave. 
  You will not take her anywhere and torture her more. There 
  may be more of you, but some of you will not survive the fight 
  if you try to take her.” 
   
  The elf is Yllivia (use the scout statistics), a member of 
  the Order of the Gauntlet, a group dedicated to fighting 
  the tyranny of the Black Fist knights. Villonah is also a 
  member of the Order of the Gauntlet. 
   As long as the characters make no overt actions 
  against the Yllivia, she does not fight. If the characters 
  can bring Villonah out of her stupor with a successful 
  DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check, the gnome can 
  confirm Yllivia is a friend. 
   Either way, the whole reason for Villonah’s 
  imprisonment is hidden on her. She stole a map from 
  the Black Fists that is rumored to lead to the lair of a 
  white dragon in the mountains to the north. She created  
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat 
  encounter. These are not cumulative unless otherwise noted.  
   
  Weak party: the grick is injured, possessing only 13 hit 
  points  
   
  Strong party: the obelisks pulse each round after the first 
  character sets one off, forcing each creature within 5 feet of 
  an obelisk to make a saving throw or be frightened  
   
  Very strong party: as strong party, plus the grick has 40 hit 
  points 
   
  a patch of fake skin, hiding the map on the sole of her 
  right foot. 
   As long as the characters allow Villonah and Yllivia to 
  keep the map and take it back to the Order of the 
  Gauntlet, no hostilities take place. In fact, Yllivia 
  rewards the characters with an additional 50 gp and a 
  potion of healing. 
   Rillo is relieved to have his daughter back, and he 
  offers the characters the reward he promised. Villonah 
  and Yllivia tell the characters that the Black Fist knights 
  hold the honest citizens of Phlan in a state of fear with 
  their tyranny, and their interest in anything related to 
  dragons is a bad sign for the city. 
  Rewards 
  Make sure the players note their rewards on their 
  adventure logsheets. Give your name and DCI number 
  (if applicable) so players can record who ran the session.  
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters present in 
  the combat. For non-combat experience, the rewards 
  listed are per character. Give all characters in the party 
  non-combat experience awards unless otherwise noted.   
  Combat Awards 
  Name of Foe 
   
   
  XP per Foe 
  Guard 
   
   
   
  25 
  Grick 
   
   
   
  450 
  Scout 
   
   
   
  100 
  Wolf 
   
   
   
  50 
   
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per Character 
   
  Freeing the prisoners 
   
  25 
  Rescuing Villonah  
   
  50 
   
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 75 experience points. 
  
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  30 
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 100 experience points.  
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided 
  up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to 
  divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece 
  values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their 
  selling price, not their purchase price. 
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one character is 
  interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM 
  can determine who gets it randomly should the group be 
  unable to decide.  
   Permanent magic items are divided up according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value 
  Payment from Rillo  
   
  50 
  Magnifying glass from Rillo 
   
  50 
  Payment from Yllivia 
   
  50 
  Potion of Healing 
  A description of this item can be found in the basic rules 
  or the Player’s Handbook.   
  Renown 
  Order of the Gauntlet characters only receive one 
  renown point for rescuing Villonah. 
  Downtime  
  Each character receives five downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this mini-adventure.  
  DM Rewards 
  You receive 100 XP and five downtime days for each 
  session you run of this mini-adventure. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  	
   
  
   
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  fiance in phlan 
  32 
  	
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/S01 - Tyranny of Dragons/DDEX1-01 - Defiance in Phlan.pdf