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  1 
   
   
   
  Secrets of Golden Fire 
  An elusive school of monks and misfits traveling westward has smuggled itself into Melvaunt at a time 
  of celebration, only to be cruelly ensnared by shadows from its fraught past.  Will you help them hold 
  back the darkness? 
  A 4-Hour Adventure for 1st-4th Level Characters 
   
  Keith Christensen and Lindsey Ginou 
  Adventure Designers 
   
  Adventure Code: CCC-AN-01 
  Optimized For: APL 3 
  Version: 1.3 
   
  Development and Editing: Andrew Bishkinskyi, Wayne Chang, Keith Christensen, Lindsey Ginou, Mark McClenaghan  
  Art and Maps: Xavier Devenoges, Lindsey Ginou 
  Organized Play: Chris Lindsay 
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett 
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Lysa Chen, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks,  
  Alan Patrick 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all 
  other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses 
  are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork 
  contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
  ©2018 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The 
  Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.
  
   
  2 
   
  Introduction 
  Welcome to Secrets of Golden Fire, a D&D 
  Adventurers League™ adventure, part of the official 
  D&D Adventurers League™ organized play system. 
   The adventure is set in Melvaunt and the shores 
  east of town on the Moonsea during the Greengrass 
  festival (first day of spring). 
   This adventure is designed for three to seven 
  1st-4th level characters and is optimized for five 
  characters with an average party level (APL) of 
  3. Characters outside this level range cannot 
  participate in this adventure. 
  Adjusting This Adventure 
  This adventure provides suggestions in making 
  adjustments for smaller or larger groups, characters 
  of higher or lower levels, and characters that are 
  otherwise a bit more powerful than the adventure is 
  optimized for. You’re not bound to these 
  adjustments; they’re here for your convenience. 
   To figure out whether you should consider 
  adjusting the adventure, add up the total levels of all 
  the characters and divide the total by the number of 
  characters (rounding .5 or greater up; .4 or less 
  down). This is the group’s APL. To approximate the 
  party strength for the adventure, consult the 
  following table. 
  Determining Party Strength 
  Party Composition Party   
  Strength 
  3-4 characters, APL less than  
  Very weak 
  3-4 characters, APL equivalent  
  Weak 
  3-4 characters, APL greater than  
  Average 
  5 characters, APL less than  
  Weak 
  5 characters, APL equivalent  
  Average 
  5 characters, APL greater than  
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL less than  
  Average 
  6-7 characters, APL equivalent  
  Strong 
  6-7 characters, APL greater than  
  Very strong 
  Some encounters may include a sidebar that offers 
  suggestions for certain party strengths. If a 
  particular recommendation is not offered or 
  appropriate for your group, you don’t have to make 
  adjustments. 
  Before Play at the Table 
  Before you start play, consider the following: 
   Read through the adventure, taking notes of 
  anything you’d like to highlight or remind 
  yourself of while running the adventure, such as a 
  way you’d like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d 
  like to use in a combat. Familiarize yourself with 
  the adventure’s appendices and handouts. 
   Gather any resources you’d like to use to aid you 
  in running this adventure--such as notecards, a 
  DM screen, miniatures, and battlemaps. 
   Ask the players to provide you with relevant 
  character information, such as name, race, class, 
  and level; passive Wisdom (Perception), and 
  anything specified as notable by the adventure 
  (such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.) 
  Playing the Dungeon Master 
  You have the most important role—facilitating the 
  enjoyment of the game for the players. You provide 
  the narrative and bring the words on these pages to 
  life.  
   To facilitate this, keep in mind the following: 
   You’re Empowered. Make decisions about how 
  the group interacts with the adventure; adjusting or 
  improvising is encouraged, so long as you maintain 
  the adventure’s spirit. This doesn’t allow you to 
  implement house rules or change those of the 
  Adventurers League, however; they should be 
  consistent in this regard. 
   Challenge Your Players. Gauge the experience 
  level of your players (not the characters), try to feel 
  out (or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to 
  deliver the experience they’re after. Everyone 
  should have the opportunity to shine. 
   Keep the Adventure Moving. When the game 
  starts to get bogged down, feel free to provide hints 
  and clues to your players so they can attempt to 
  solve puzzles, engage in combat, and roleplay 
  interactions without getting too frustrated over a 
  lack of information. This gives players “little 
  victories” for figuring out good choices from clues. 
  Watch for stalling—play loses momentum when this 
  happens. At the same time, make sure that the 
  players don’t finish too early; provide them with a 
  full play experience. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  3 
   
  Adventure Primer 
  [This adventure has a hidden backstory, as 
  many do, that informs the motives of the 
  supporting cast and antagonists.  It is 
  recommended that you familiarize yourself with 
  the Background below and improvise dialogue 
  earned by the party when confronting certain 
  NPCs, but some notes to remind the DM of this 
  exist in the text in this version.] 
  Adventure Background 
  Nearly two centuries ago, deep within the 
  Empire of Shou Lung of far-off Kara-Tur, a gifted 
  monk and sage with her own burgeoning school 
  made a profound discovery regarding the nature of 
  ki.  This Founder’s revelations, which she rued 
  sharing with her pupils every season since, related 
  to a method by which life energy could be channeled 
  into and through all manner of objects.  The school 
  had only weeks to practice their new techniques 
  before power-hungry authorities in the region 
  closed in on them. The martial and military 
  applications of this ki-infusion were simply too 
  tempting to ignore.  Knowing the improper use of 
  such techniques could create widespread violence 
  and the utter corruption of ki practitioners 
  everywhere, the Founder’s school went 
  underground and swore never to divulge what 
  they’d learned.  Most of them eventually died cruel 
  deaths for their silence. 
  The Founder was shattered by what her 
  secret had wrought and disappeared. Her most loyal 
  but least bold comrade, Master Peren Tan, would 
  ultimately survive and travel ever westward with a 
  handful of monks bearing the styles and secrets of 
  the school.  His half-elven blood gave him the 
  stamina to survive into the present day, long after 
  all his fellows vanished; he became ‘Teacher’, 
  rescuing countless stray outcasts in every region, 
  creating the nomadic Swift Horse School.  With time, 
  his heart hardened to the Founder, but he created a 
  home for over a hundred souls.  Today, he is weary 
  and leans on two stalwart adjutants, Jandar 
  Nicodeme and Ralbea Silentread, to protect and 
  foster the current thirty two students who look to 
  him for wisdom and training.  Knowing that even 
  their new refuge in Melvaunt’s damaged harbor 
  cannot last, he persists. 
  Unknown to all, the Founder was 
  discovered by a somber, celestial ki-rin that bound 
  her as a warlock patron.  This holy beast assured the 
  monk that sharing the secret was no mistake and 
  that it would serve a pure, immense purpose in the 
  Material Plane someday.  Reinvigorated, the 
  Founder traveled west in secret, hardly aging over 
  the years. With her patron’s guidance she has made 
  a sanctum of a derelict shrine to Torm east of 
  Melvaunt on the Moonsea coast.  From here, she 
  sends portentous dreams to the reluctant Teacher, 
  beckoning him for a meeting of reconciliation.  As 
  the Founder waits, the walls of the cave around her 
  burn with a living fire that transcribes the first 
  verses of her secret techniques into the stone.   
  An organisation called the Syndicate 
  continues to pursue the Founder and her school till 
  this day. They have at last discovered the Swift 
  Horse School’s location and hidden identity.  
  Nicodeme, trusted martial instructor, is a deep-
  cover wererat spy with a force of elite hobgoblin 
  killers under his command.  Worse, he has tempted 
  the School’s most brilliant young monk, Kanithar, to 
  the Syndicate’s cause with promises of much-
  deserved vengeance against the boy’s tyrannical 
  homeland of Thay.  Even Kanithar’s friends, 
  gregarious Rai Astorio and inquisitive Beat of Heart, 
  are oblivious to his imminent fall. 
   
  Today, on the eve of Greengrass, Melvaunt 
  partakes in festivities of renewal after a trying year 
  and the School secretly celebrates a day of sport in 
  the docks district after a costly jaunt through Thar’s 
  wasteland.  Nicodeme knows tonight is his best 
  chance to extract whatever truths haunt Teacher, 
  which will hopefully lead to the secrets his masters 
  have waited one hundred and eighty two years to 
  claim.  Swift Horse is doomed to subjugation and 
  failure without unforeseen help.  Help that the 
  Founder is counting on… 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  4 
   
  Adventure Overview 
  Part 1 
  In the midst of fruitless guard duty, the adventurers 
  come across Swift Horse students and are drawn to 
  their warehouse by Beat of Heart’s impulsive 
  invitation.  They find that only through success in 
  the exhibition of arts and skills can they get closer to 
  Teacher and learn his purpose.  Tensions and 
  passions flare towards the end of the games, hinting 
  at trouble. 
  Part 2 
  Having gotten closer to the monks, the characters 
  are caught up in the Syndicate’s strange attack and 
  find their lives directly threatened. With some help 
  from Beat of Heart and Rai, the characters can 
  pursue the traitor Nicodeme and prevent his faction 
  from stealing explosive secrets that jeopardize 
  everyone.  Whether inside the warehouse or atop 
  the moonlit roofs of festive Melvaunt, the 
  Syndicate’s forces must be fought. 
  Part 3 
  The party travels the cliff-side east of Melvaunt in 
  pursuit of the Syndicate’s vanguard.  If not already 
  beaten, Nicodeme, Wind Talon (a Syndicate 
  assassin), and Kanithar will stand in their way, but 
  they may attempt to reach a truce when the 
  Founder’s sanctum proves impenetrable.  The party 
  must decide how to manage Beat, Rai and Kantihar’s 
  needs while protecting the Founder’s secrets.  Rai’s 
  hidden bloodline may prove vital for victory here, 
  and Beat will do her utmost to protect her friends.   
  Adventure Hooks 
  No Faction: Melvaunt is packed and quite 
  entertaining on account of the festival, and you’re 
  hoping to find security work in light of the crises 
  that faced the city last year.  Oddly, no official jobs 
  were posted so you’d better team up and find a 
  willing patron.  The town still bears scars, 
  particularly on the waterfront, across the walls and 
  on the rebuilt northern edge.  If you’re a drinking 
  sort, you may have met up at the newly-renovated, 
  tabaxi-run Cat’s Eye Tavern near Asberyth Square. 
   
  Emerald Enclave (Faction Assignment): 
  Merchants on the road from Thentia to the east have 
  reported unusual luminous phenomena washing 
  across coastal waters and up over the beaches. They 
  say it resembles the auroras described in the Spine 
  of the World, but in warmer hues.  Members are to 
  seek out an expert who has information on these 
  phenomena, assess any dangers and report to the 
  Enclave. 
      
  Harpers (Faction Assignment): The Harpers have 
  actually eased the passage of a group called “Swift 
  Horse” through the eastern the Moonsea territories, 
  both concealing evidence of their presence and 
  watching their back for pursuers from afar. 
  Members are to quietly make themselves known to 
  the group and gather more information on their 
  pursuers, in case they could be a broader threat.  
  Concrete physical evidence of their activities or 
  methods is sought. 
    
  Lords Alliance and Order of the Gauntlet: 
  Although the Alliance does not fully operate in 
  Melvaunt, authorities sympathetic to them have 
  heard from the City Watch that pairs and trios of 
  hooded strangers have been slipping past the outer 
  checkpoints and have vanished into the city.  Certain 
  wagon manifests also seem suspicious on second 
  glance and may have covered for stowaways.  
  Faction members should be on the lookout for 
  groupings of these fellows and report illegal activity.  
  There may be a resurgence of Cyric cultists here, 
  and this is particular interest to the noble Order. 
   
  Zhentarim (Faction Assignment): A Black Network 
  agent has deserted in Melvaunt bearing many 
  inconvenient trade secrets and first-hand 
  knowledge of a few assassinations. Adventurers are 
  to keep an eye out for a Halfling woman with deadly 
  marksmanship and a penchant for dangerous 
  beasts. Her last known alias was ‘Wind Talon’ and 
  she is of completely average Halfling appearance.  
  She is to be returned to the Zhentarim dead or alive. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  5 
   
  Part 1. I’m Late for School! 
  Estimated Duration: 90 minutes   
  This section will steer the party towards the Swift 
  Horse School.  Once there, they meet the key players 
  and should join in the tail-end of the exhibition of 
  skills, which can earn them rewards and even an 
  audience with the withdrawn Teacher.  It's 
  important that you briefly highlight Nicodeme, 
  Ralbea and Kanithar even if the players avoid 
  speaking to them directly. 
  Keep the games moving swiftly but reward quick, 
  creative solutions and storytelling.  It should serve 
  as a kind of icebreaker between party members and 
  the School. 
  A. Rift Alley 
   
  Melvaunt, City of a Thousand Forges, is full to the brim 
  with myriad folk eager to partake in today’s Greengrass 
  festivities and put two troubling seasons behind them.  
  Between city walls ravaged by an orc horde, chaotic rifts to 
  the plane of Mechanus popping open, and the sinister 
  machinations of Cyric’s death cultists, there is much to move 
  past.  Tonight is slated to bring a raucous parade hosted by 
  the Joydancers of Lliira and engineered by the craftsmen of 
  Gond.   
          You crossed paths in this city while being hired for 
  festival security.  It seemed like the most lucrative and 
  necessary work, but today has proven quite frustrating.  No 
  merchant or stall involved in Lliira’s joyful Swords Cast Down 
  ritual is eager to see their door darkened by armed 
  adventurers, so despite the ample distractions and finger 
  foods, you have been very bored. 
   
  A few hours past high-sun you find yourselves outside of 
  the Cat’s Eye Tavern where a Tabaxi couple serves you 
  refreshing cups of tea. DYou relaxation is interrupted when 
  you spot a strange magical shimmer down a nearby alley.  
  You spit out your tea as the air is rent by gashes bigger than 
  horses that afford you views of some maddening clockwork 
  vista!  A collection of spindly, clicking, geometrical constructs 
  tumble into formation through the planar anomalies; 
  modrons, judging by the scuttlebutt in Melvaunt since last 
  year’s incursion.  More of them are approaching you from 
  the distant side of those rifts…The one resembling a starfish 
  speaks rapid-fire gibberish with five mouths: 
  They’re launching themselves in your direction! 
  The alley is around a corner from the street’s bustle 
  and roughly 15 feet wide with crates and barrels 
  scattered about, but no map or scaling should be 
  necessary because of the brevity of this fight.  For 
  weaker parties, the pentadrone does not attack on 
  its turn; it Dodges and reiterates the same order.  
  Otherwise, it fights as normal by spewing the 
  paralytic gas from the ‘hub’ connecting its heads 
  (even if it hits the subordinates). Three 
  monodrones, two duodrones, and one tridrone 
  attack any who resist. During the first round of 
  battle Beat leaps off the roof and onto a monodrone, 
  and rolls with it spitting a hissing around the corner. 
  Rai also leaps off the roof and does a flying kick into 
  another monodrone and follows as it rolls around 
  the corner too.  
   
  If the party flees they bump into Alston Baffleston 
  anyway, receiving the same pay for keeping quiet 
  about the hazardous incident given the festival’s 
  importance.  
   
  At the end of the first round, read of paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  As combat begins in earnest, the modrons are yanked 
  back backwards into the rifts with a strange popping sound. 
  The rifts then close, leaving humming seams in their place, 
  but heavier, well-ordered mechanical steps come from 
  outside of the alley.  A squad of six metal men about the 
  height of dwarves has formed up around a flashy, 
  bespectacled gnome who waves his hands in a frenzy of 
  somatic components surrounding the glinting cog-shaped 
  necklace he proudly wears. 
   
  “I do appreciate your stumbling across this miniature rift, 
  which we shall indubitably patch up within the hour, but it’s 
  time to move along if you please.  Our new and improved 
  Gondsmen now secure this area and the city as a whole so 
  there really isn’t any need for hired swords.  Please tell 
  whomever hired you that Alston Baffleston of The Purple 
  Portals Temple gave you express permission to leave all this 
  in the hands of the Wonderbringer’s best servants.”  
  His impressive casting and the armaments of the Gondsmen 
  make it clear this is no negotiation. 
  Alston brooks no argument and assures skeptics 
  that these Gondsmen are much-improved compared 
  to the prototypes of last year.  
  ● 
  A DC10 Religion check verifies that his holy symbol 
  and terminology mark a true worshiper of Gond, 
  God of craft and smith work. 
  
   
  6 
   
  ● 
  A DC12 Intelligence (Arcana) check confirms Alston 
  is wielding powerful conjuration magic to hold the 
  rift shut.  
  His contingent will make ample room for the party 
  to leave. 
  A few yells and ‘kiais’ can be heard from around the corner. 
  “Well then!  More vagrants poking their noses into 
  dangerous matters… Why don’t you make yourselves useful 
  and deal with them?” offers the gnome.  He throws out a 
  tumbled, golden-hued quartz stone for your troubles and 
  tells you to stay out of trouble. 
  Treasure 
  The stone is aventurine, also known as love stone, 
  and worth 50 gp. 
  XP Award 
  If the party remains non-violent with Alston/the 
  Gondsmen and eventually complies, award each 
  character 50 XP. 
  B. Interlopers 
  Finding the pair in another, smaller alley is trivial. 
  The adventures can help the two teenagers finish off 
  the two monodrons.  Beat’s curiosity won’t allow 
  her not to meet a colourful group of strangers.  Rai 
  is game but somewhat reluctant, being wary of any 
  violence the players could bring. 
  The young man looks you over with a guilty smile. “Ehh, 
  thanks for your help; Beat and I couldn’t resist getting a hold 
  of one of those things...” He gestures to the young cat girl at 
  his side.” Yeah!” she pipes up.  We’ve got to make sure they 
  aren’t a threat to the School!” Rai’s eyes widen and he jabs 
  Beat in the side with his elbow. “Oops… but Rai, you know 
  the School’s the most exciting thing to happen since my folks 
  dragged me to this smokey place!” [PARTY CAN INTERJECT 
  HERE] Rai starts to drag Beat away after a curt bow to you, 
  but she resists and says “Nonononono, these guys look really 
  cool and they went right after the modrons aaaaand they 
  obviously don’t have anything better to do now! What’s that 
  about, huh? Who are you guys?” 
  Roleplaying Rai Astorio 
  Rai is a lean human teenager dressed simply in a belted tunic 
  and leggings, but his shock of white-blonde hair really 
  catches people’s attention. Any adventures that look closely 
  will see odd flecks of gold in his dark eyes. He is wide-eyed 
  and attentive, often seen doing push-ups and stretches He 
  always wants to do things the right way and honour his 
  Teacher. His mixed Shou and Turami ancestry hides a blood 
  tie to the Founder herself.  
  Quote: “If Teacher decides you’re worthy, then I can adapt!  
  I’d better warm up…” 
  Roleplaying Beat of Heart 
  Beat is an energetic and curious Tabaxi youth. She gets 
  bored easily so when her chores are done she loves to spend 
  her time hunting and exploring in the city, which her parents 
  emigrated to only five months ago. She is smart, very fast, 
  and more than able slip out dangerous situations quickly.  
  After finding the Swift Horse School, she became obsessed 
  with their hybrid approach to monk teachings and she trains 
  every day. She is a welcome guest but not a full-fledged 
  member, and lacks any ki abilities whatsoever.  She also has 
  a weakness for fish and meat and will stare longingly at it 
  until she is offered some; it’s the best way to silence her 
  motor-mouth. 
  Quote: “Ooooh! What’s going on over there?” 
   
  Beat makes her pitch: 
   
  “Alright, friends, here’s the thing; this festival might be 
  nice on the surface, but it’s LOUSY when you look harder.  
  Those Lliiran’s who are burying the swords and axes for 
  lasting peace or whatnot?  They’ll turn around and sell ‘em 
  to mercs in a couple days!  The tinkerers for Gond are reeeal 
  high on themselves since rolling out those new toys and 
  won’t give you the time of day.  And Loviatar’s House of 
  Pain? *shudder* SO MUCH blood and broken glass over 
  there.  Stay. Away.  
   
  So how about I take you to a secret place and get you a 
  real challenge, eh?” She winks as Rai sighs. “And check out 
  what I took off those modrons!” She holds up a copper 
  amulet containing tiny interlocking gears [Note: this 
  Clockwork Ammunlet is a common wondrous item]. I can 
  hear it ticking! I’m going to put it in the prize pile and maybe 
  you can win it if you are good enough!” 
   
  “You know Kanithar will rat them out to Ralbea and 
  Teacher out when you sneak them in, right Beat?” 
   
  “No sneaking!  I’ve got a good feeling about this one, pal.  
  Let’s move it, sports day’s almost done!” 
   
  “Exhibition day, Beat.  I swear…” 
  
   
  7 
   
  Beat (tabaxi scout) takes charge once Rai (martial 
  arts adept) runs ahead; she leads them on a very 
  indirect route to try and conceal the School’s 
  relative position. All but those familiar with 
  Melvaunt will be hard pressed to keep their 
  bearings. A Wisdom (Survival) check DC13 will 
  allow characters to find their way back to the tavern 
  area without assistance. Characters with the Urban 
  Bounty Hunter background can automatically find 
  their way back with no check.  Beat will eagerly chat 
  about the characters but wants to keep the School 
  as mysterious as possible. Sharp eyed characters 
  Wisdom (Perception) check DC16 (passive or 
  active) will notice a barn owl (common in these 
  parts although not so much in the city) shadowing 
  the party. If they mention it to Beat and Rai their 
  faces turn red and they mutter something about 
  having to wash dishes for a week. The awakened 
  owl is Ralbea’s and has been keeping tabs on the 
  pair since they snuck away from the warehouse 
  earlier in the day. 
  Stat Block Changes: 
  Beat has: 
  +20 ft. climb speed 
  +Feline Agility. When the scout moves on its turn in 
  combat, it can double its speed until the end of the 
  next turn. Once it uses this ability, the scout can’t use 
  it again until it moves 0 feet on one of its turns. 
  +Healer. Beat uses a healer’s kit for either effect: 
  -When you use a healer’s kit to stabilize a dying 
  creature, that creature also regains 1 hit point. 
  -You can spend one use of a healer’s kit to tend to a 
  creature and restore 1d6 + 4 hit points to it, plus 
  additional hit points equal to the creature’s maximum 
  number of Hit Dice. The creature can’t regain hit 
  points from this feat again until it finishes a short or 
  long rest. 
  Multiattack. The scout makes two claw attacks. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) slashing damage. 
  Rai has: 
  +only two unarmed strikes and no darts 
   
   
   
  C. The Games Begin 
   
  It takes about fifteen minutes to reach the Swift Horse 
  hideout by Beat’s tricky route, which winds southwestward 
  into the docks district. You notice very few people, a great 
  deal of rubble stored haphazardly in sheds, and a shocking 
  amount of overgrown plant life choking out the alleys. 
  Confident nobody has followed you, Beat leads you to a 
  large, three story high, damaged warehouse with patched-
  up walls. A door opens after she raps a sequence of knocks 
  on the wall.  
  “Better get the rejection over with…” Rai mutters, leading 
  you inside.  On the first floor, boxes and tents have all been 
  set up around the edges of the building to leave a large, 
  open space in the center. Areas have been sectioned off and 
  roughly thirty people of all walks of life are milling around 
  either limbering up or attempting to organize this happy 
  chaos that you’ve intruded on. The second and third stories 
  are built entirely around the inner edge of the walls.  The 
  second level is equipped with cranes for transferring goods 
  at ground level.  Everyone turns to notice you. More than a 
  few look tense and poised for flight or fight, while others 
  look up curiously. 
  The second floor isn’t a floor at all as a railed walk 
  way extends along the walls and there are 
  maneuverable cranes and catwalks that would allow 
  for easy access to goods that were once packed up 
  to the ceiling. Staircases lead to the second and third 
  floor. The main doors are 10 feet high and the 2nd 
  floor is 15 feet up. The third floor is 30 ft up with the 
  whole building 40 feet high. The building has seen 
  better days. There are many holes in the walls and 
  boarded up windows. Both cranes still work and 
  must be operated from the 2nd floor. They twist in a 
  180 degree arc and a large hook hangs from the end 
  of the main rope which can be winched by a second 
  person. A large net has been strung from the second 
  floor and thin plank crosses over top of it allowing 
  acrobatic people to take another way across the 2nd 
  floor.   
   
  Rai is worried. The characters may want to make an 
  attempt to smooth things over. Whatever they have 
  to say, Rai insists that they need to check in with the 
  Teacher first. Characters can make a Charisma 
  (Persuasion/Deception) DC 15 check, to have him 
  
   
  8 
   
  just take the characters into the makeshift arena 
  and allow them to sign up for whatever they want.  
  If this happens Ralbea, a wood elf druid, intercepts 
  the group before they can get any further. 
  Characters that try to intimidate their way in will 
  also cause Ralbea to appear with 5 martial arts 
  adepts.  Nicodeme will then request an apology. If 
  one is sincerely made the characters will be allowed 
  to stay, although the character who did the 
  intimidation will not be able to participate in any of 
  the games. If there is no apology the characters will 
  be asked to leave and the module is over and 
  everyone should go home and think about being 
  nicer people. 
   
  When Rai attempts to take the characters up to see 
  the Teacher they run into Ralbea. She strides down 
  the staircase from the 2nd floor where she was 
  overseeing the games. She is an auburn haired, 
  wood elf dressed in patched, but comfortable green 
  robes. A barn owl sits on her shoulder and appears 
  to be whispering in her ear. She pauses for a 
  moment and then looks at the party.  
   
  Welcome to the School of the Swift Horse, I am Ralbea, one 
  of the instructors here,” she says bowing her head slightly. 
  “And welcome back, Rai,” she says with a raised eyebrow,” 
  and Bea….drat that cat!” she sighs as Beat’s tail disappears 
  into the crowd. “I was just taking these adventurers to see 
  Teacher,” says Rai sheepishly. “They want to compete in the 
  games today.” “I will speak with you and Beat later about 
  your escapades in town, but for now, the Teacher is not 
  available. However, I was alerted to the arrival of our guests 
  and I’m happy to invite them to participate. Perhaps if they 
  perform well enough they can rouse the Teacher from his 
  meditation and take tea with him. Explain the games to 
  them, Rai and introduce them to the others. Good luck to 
  you all.” 
  With that she heads back upstairs trusting Rai to 
  wrangle the party. Her owl stays on the banister to 
  watch you. 
   
  XP Award 
  If everyone comports themselves with manners and 
  makes a good impression on the School right away, 
  award each character 50 XP. 
   
  C. The Games Begin (aka. Sports Day) 
  Rai or Nicodeme can explain all of the following 
  events to the characters.  The exhibition contests 
  will be adjudicated quickly and semi-abstractly.  
  Each contest requires an unusual combination of 
  abilities so that characters are challenged in unique 
  ways. 
  Each successful check in these contests earns the 
  player one ‘token’ (a paper crane said to bring luck), 
  which can be cashed in for rewards at day’s end.  
  Passing two of the three checks indicates that the 
  player is the overall winner in their event.  Passing 
  all three represents smashing success and earns a 
  special fourth token.   
  Lastly, natural rolls of 1 or 20 have special 
  importance; the former results in comedic and 
  spectacular failure that DM and player can conceive 
  of together, and the latter instantly earns 
  inspiration (which a player can immediately pass 
  to another party member as encouragement if they 
  themselves already have it) 
  Each player can participate in two different 
  events at most. 
  Eloquence 
  A loading bay space on the second floor has been 
  rearranged such that crates and curtains form a 
  private, somewhat quiet space for reflection.  
  Incense and other accoutrements are here to 
  enhance focus, and some missing slats in the wall 
  provide a stunning easterly view of the sunrise over 
  Melvaunt and the Moonsea. 
  The exhibition of eloquence involves the crafting of 
  oratory to fit a traditional form but reflect the theme 
  of the contests and festivals of the day, or capture 
  beauty that the participant has experienced in their 
  lifetime.  Ralbea is the primary judge, and is 
  therefore easily accessed for conversation by 
  anyone trying this contest. 
  It is an Intelligence (Performance) check, DC 10 
  to start and increasing by +2 for each roll.  
  Players may have advantage once if they actually 
  write and recite an appropriate haiku. 
  Disrespectful conduct here counts as one or more 
  failures, DM’s discretion. 
  If a player does not win, then Ralbea judges a blind 
  tiefling woman named Orianna the victor for her 
  
   
  9 
   
  evocative poetry; she describes vistas, flora and 
  fauna with eloquence that puts the sighted to 
  shame. 
   
  Balance 
  On the second floor, a plank has been erected 
  between opposite balconies with a safety net 
  stretched out below.  The dizzying height and 
  creaking of wood add to the challenge. 
  To demonstrate inner harmony and balance 
  contestants must walk across the plank, without 
  falling off, while heavy, leather balls filled with sand 
  are thrown at them,. They either take the hits or 
  dodge them. 
  It’s a Constitution (Acrobatics) check, DC 10 to 
  start and increasing by +2 for each roll.  
  The event is hard to miss so all eyes are on the 
  players when they attempt it.  The main thrower is a 
  goliath youth named Thotham who doesn’t crack a 
  smile until someone bests him at contest’s end.  The 
  back-slapping congratulation that ensues is hard to 
  endure. 
  Speed 
  This contest is a parkour race through, over and 
  around adjacent abandoned buildings, cleverly 
  concealed by Ralbea’s druidic plants. Characters 
  must be agile and aware to pick out the most 
  appropriate route to the finish. 
  It is a Dexterity (Survival) Check, DC10 to start 
  and increasing by +2 for each roll.  
  Urban Bounty Hunters get advantage on their rolls. 
  Taking harmful actions against other racers is 
  grounds for instant disqualification from this and 
  other events. 
  Winning the event with two successes ties a player 
  with Beat of Heart, who has reigned supreme in 
  prior races.  Three successes means they actually 
  best her, earning her awe from this point on. 
   
  Strength 
  Characters must grapple Renthor the Swift, a good 
  natured but bucking centaur who’s almost a school 
  mascot at this point. Ralbea rescued him from exile 
  in forests east of the Earthspur Mountains and they 
  made the glacier crossing together with the others. 
  It is a contest where players must grapple using 
  Strength (Animal Handling) DC 12 in place of 
  Athletics (because of his unusual body) and 
  increasing by +2 for each roll.  Any character that 
  makes a horse related joke gets disadvantage on 
  their next roll. 
  Any character that offers the centaur alcohol gets 
  advantage on their roll, as this makes him go a little 
  easier on them.  A Passive Insight of 13 or higher 
  would have had them overhear Renthor make 
  reference to his love of the stuff (and immense 
  capacity for it) just prior to wrestling. 
   
  Sparring  
  The special attraction, which every member is 
  encouraged to participate in, is a mock duel versus 
  some of the school’s most interesting fighters.   
  It is a streamlined battle with certain special rules 
  and restrictions: 
  ● 
  Victory goes to the first fighter to land a blow on the 
  opponent, which represents the breaking of a 
  ceramic tile tied to their chest.  Blows made to harm 
  an actual living creature are prohibited unless 
  declared non-lethal.  Assume non-lethal blows fail to 
  every knock out an opponent. 
  ● 
  No real or ranged weapons are permitted, but 
  wooden dummy versions of any melee or thrown 
  weapon desired (plus shields) are available. 
  ● 
  Armor is not permitted, but wooden shields are. 
  ● 
  Anyone bringing in a casting focus cannot also bring 
  a weapon.   
  ● 
  Only spells that either target self or use an attack 
  roll are permitted.  Spells granted by one’s race are 
  subject to the same restriction. 
  ● 
  Fighters must stay inside the warehouse but can 
  otherwise run around if needed. 
  ● 
  Speaking is fine, but it’s implied that some modicum 
  of respect should be shown.  Opponents may do a 
  bit of taunting if they’re skeptical of the party, so 
  players can return the favour if they feel like it. 
  ● 
  Any damage accidentally inflicted may be patched 
  up after the by healers in the school. 
  ● 
  The player’s speed in attaining victory determines 
  their reward; 4 tokens for first-round victory, 
  decreasing by one each round to a minimum of 1 
  token.  No tokens for a loss. 
   
  DM Notes: 
  ● 
  Instead of initiative, determine whether the player 
  goes first by having them call even or odd and 
  rolling any die. 
  ● 
  Keep things moving quickly to make time for 
  everyone. 
  
   
  10 
   
  ● 
  Don’t use a map, but do track whether or not 
  duelists are adjacent/within melee reach. 
  ● 
  If a grapple or shove is attempted by the player, the 
  opponent has a +2 modifier to their check to resist 
  or break out. 
  ● 
  Feel free to give feedback or hints if the fight drags 
  or they ask the right questions. 
  ● 
  Players must pick their equipment prior to knowing 
  their enemy’s identity.  As DM, you can ‘metagame’ 
  lightly and quickly by selecting a fighter well-suited 
  to the player’s abilities, so long as you keep things 
  moving.   
  ● 
  Miscellaneous player abilities not accounted for in 
  this text are for you to adjudicate. 
   
  There are 6 different possible opponents. Each has 
  unique qualities that grant strengths and 
  weaknesses to keep things interesting. Roll 1d6 if 
  you wish to randomize the opponents 
   
  1)   Leorio, the precocious young human wizard: 
  AC15 from mage armor, has a shy snowy owl 
  familiar that swoops in to grant him advantage on 
  his firebolt (+3 to hit) shots on each of his turn.  
  Spooking the owl with a DC10  
  Charisma(Intimidation) check as an action, or 
  otherwise disabling it, prevents it from helping.  The 
  boy can be played as a parody of a certain boy 
  wizard. 
  2)  Ashen, the brusque and temperamental Fire 
  Genasi Martial Arts Adept: AC14, fights with 
  nunchaku and kicks (+4 to hit, two attacks per turn) 
  or produce flame (+3 to hit) at a distance.  His thin-
  skinned nature is obvious to anyone with passive 
  insight of 10 or higher and taunting him in any 
  way, rather than showing fear or respect, will cause 
  his guard to drop.  This grants the player advantage 
  on all subsequent attack rolls (no check required). 
  3)  Mimikyu, the enigmatic kenku mimic in a mask: 
  AC12, attacks with one of two kama (+5 to hit, one 
  attack per turn, basically a reversed police 
  nightstick held against the forearms).  They almost 
  perfectly mirror the player, causing both their 
  attacks and the kenku’s to have disadvantage.  If the 
  player succeeds at a free DC14 
  Deception/Performance (Dexterity) check on a 
  given turn, they throw the mimicry out of step and 
  bypass this penalty for that turn.   
  4)   Orianna, the serene and blind (with 10 ft 
  blindsight) tiefling acolyte of Tyr: AC11, attacks 
  with a light hammer (+5 to hit, melee or thrown, but 
  not to start with) but casts sanctuary (DC15 
  Wisdom Saving Throw) as a bonus action on her 
  first turn, then Dodges constantly.  She speaks 
  calmly to the player, trying to suss out “what justice 
  means to you” during the fight, as befits a 
  worshipper of Tyr.  If the player speaks truthfully 
  and succeeds on a free DC14 
  Int/Wis/Cha(Religion) check, OR voluntary blinds 
  themselves in any way, they become able to ignore 
  both the spell and the Dodge condition for the 
  remainder of the fight.  Orianna only attacks if the 
  player fails the check by 5 or more OR remarks on 
  her tiefling heritage. 
  5)   Mendylyn, nearly-mute firbolg moon druid:  
  AC16 from barkskin, armed with a sickle. She turns 
  invisible at the start, reappears as an animal still 
  wearing the tile, +3 to hit. 
   
  6)   Thotham, mighty young goliath: AC14, throws 
  two wooden hand axes (+4 to hit, two attacks per 
  turn, 10 axes total) 
   
  Special Event 
  When all the players interested in battling have 
  finished, a grudge match of sorts takes place 
  between Rai and a prodigal student named Kanithar 
  who has been present intermittently throughout the 
  day, never drawing excess attention.  Characters 
  with passive perception 13 or higher recall 
  hearing other students whispering about Kanithar’s 
  prowess, as they do now before a respectful silence 
  sets in.  The chatter includes effusive praise of his 
  skill and capacity for quick learning, calling him a 
  “battle genius” but notes his fearful lack of humor 
  and brooding intensity as potential problems.  It 
  seems he was a slave in Thay until recently, but his 
  feelings surrounding the school are more complex 
  than simple gratitude at this point. 
  
   
  11 
   
  Roleplaying Kanithar 
  Being a survivor of Thayan slavery, he has cast off his old 
  family name and taken on a severe demeanor and intense 
  dedication to ki training.  He comes across as cool and polite, 
  making him popular, but prodding into his background or 
  commenting on the bone comb that holds back his ponytail 
  can send him into a silent rage; it’s made of part of the slaver 
  he killed to gain he freedom. Teacher and Nicodeme monitor 
  his progress with care and attention, but Kanithar is 
  practically an instructor,  despite his youth and recent 
  arrival.  Inwardly, he is losing faith in Teacher for his 
  willingness to keep running west rather than fight the evils 
  of the world as a team, particularly those in Thay, which 
  makes him a mark for Nicodeme’s message.  He treats Rai 
  and Beat as younger siblings; with some affection but also a 
  measure of condescension and distance.  
   
  During the fight, Rai fights brashly and throws new 
  tricks at Kanithar one after the other to try to best 
  the ‘ace’.  Kanithar counters proficiently and presses 
  closer to Rai with each exchange, menacing him but 
  speaking little.  Rai puts some distance between 
  them and remarks with irritation on how Kanithar 
  has changed lately. 
   
  At this, Kanithar’s eyes flare with malice, he tells Rai 
  he understands nothing of the world, and he ends 
  the fight with a flurry of savage blows, some of 
  which actually leave Rai bleeding.  Rai’s tile breaks 
  and no rules are broken, but the tension is palpable.  
  Players note Beat’s skill with a healer’s kit (counting 
  as the Healer feat, which can aid them later) when 
  she rushes to Rai and patches his wounds.  Both are 
  dismayed at whatever has happened to their 
  friend/rival.  
    
  After the fight, the Teacher and Ralbea do their best 
  to salvage the mood and bring the exhibition to a 
  close.  Nicodeme and Kanithar slip away to affirm 
  that the plan is on tonight, which sneaky players 
  may be able to intercept. Players can cash in on 
  their victories to potentially stay for a full dinner or 
  even get a private audience with the Teacher in the 
  beginning of Part 2. 
    
  D. Prizes! 
   
   
  Token target needed by party size 
  Reward 
  3-PC 
  4-PC 
  5-PC 
  6-PC 
  7-PC 
  1) 
  Trinkets 
  6 
  8 
  10 
  12 
  14 
  2) Potion 
  of Greater 
  Healing 
  12 
  16 
  20 
  24 
  28 
  3) Tea 
  with 
  Teacher 
  15 
  20 
  25 
  30 
  35 
  4) 
  Clockwork 
  Amulet 
  18 
  24 
  30 
  36 
  42 
   
  1: 1d8 rolls on the Trinkets table (PHB pg.160), 
  representing curios the students would like the 
  players to take on their journey (as they don’t 
  expect any of the players to stay, but had fun) 
  2: This one potions is Ralbea’s work, brewed with 
  either exotic fruit juice or rice wine (player’s choice, 
  she has both in storage) 
  3: The more-or-less private meeting with Teacher 
  will take place this evening, during dinner. See 
  Option B: Tea with Teacher. 
  4: Beat of Heart will never forget today, and she 
  insists the party takes this common wondrous item 
  (which she pulled of the monodrons she fought that 
  morning) and think of her when they hear its 
  ticking.  
   
   PC’s receive all the rewards equal to and lower than 
  the number of tokens they earned. So if they earn 
  enough tokens to claim Tea with Teacher, they also 
  gain the Greater Healing Potion, and the trinkets.  
   
  XP Award 
  If all players earned at least one token, award each 
  character 100 XP. 
  If all players were good sports on the whole, award 
  each character 50 XP. 
   
  
   
  12 
   
  Part 2. Fighting Evil by 
  Moonlight 
   
  There are several options a party can choose from 
  to complete this section. If you are pressed for time, 
  cut option C.  
   
  A) The party eats dinner on the ground floor 
  with most of the school. They are attacked 
  by the Vargouille and Hobgoblins.  Rai 
  and Beat come down from the top floor and 
  explain that the teacher has been attacked 
  as well. Relbea’s owl leads them to the 
  Founder. 
   
  B) The party has tea with the Teacher. They 
  are attacked by Nicodeme and Wind 
  Talon.  Players may decide to go back 
  downstairs and help with that fight. If so, 
  Ralbea’s owl will lead them to the 
  Founder’s location like in Option A. 
  Otherwise: 
   
  C) After the Teacher is attacked the Party 
  decides to pursue the assassins over the 
  rooftops where they will fight Wind Talon 
  and Hobgoblin Iron Shadows.  
   
  Nicodeme, the main combat instructor and a trusted 
  member of the school, is actually the most senior 
  agent involved.  He’s been at the school for three 
  years and conceals his wererat lycanthropy traits 
  well using experimental formulations from his 
  overseers in the east. 
   
  The main assassin is a Halfling woman who defected 
  from the Zhents, but now is a freelancer who rides a 
  vicious peryton.  She is an excellent shooter and 
  poisoner, and the Syndicate has provided her with a 
  Helm of Telepathy with which to extract the 
  Teacher's Secrets when the time is right.  
    
  Lastly, a strange man is set to arrive at the school 
  tonight carrying a grotesque secret weapon.  This 
  man is a husk and a vargouille on the verge of 
  sprouting its wings, with a body that is largely 
  hollowed out and fleshless.  A heavy traveller’s 
  cloak conceals him and the strange, pseudo-magical- 
  ki gong contained in his chest cavity. He leans 
  heavily on a walking stick with a padded handle. 
    
  Sadly, Kanithar has been taken in by Nicodemus’s 
  promising talk of a future where the Syndicate 
  unlocks the ki-manipulating secrets of the Founder.  
  The boy, being an ex-slave from Thay, has seen the 
  deep evil wrought by mages in the world and has 
  grown to resent the School’s willingness to simply 
  wander when they could take a more active role in 
  liberating people; his ideals are such that his own 
  rescue is just not enough.  Nicodemus swears 
  (truthfully) that the Syndicate only knows enough at 
  this point to create weapons that turn ki against its 
  users, and they require the full story from the 
  Founder in order to unlock other applications.  
  Kanithar realizes that such weaponry and 
  techniques could circumvent and trump the arcane 
  might of Thay someday, and dreams of righteous 
  vengeance.  This dream is enough for him to turn his 
  back on his comrades. He was told that that the 
  School was to be held hostage, but no one would be 
  killed. Tonight, his job is simply to let the withered 
  man in through the door and leave the scene when 
  Nicodemus gives the sign.  He does not know that a 
  contingent of Hobgoblin Iron Shadows stands by to 
  be summoned to the school for a slaughter.  
   Option A) Ask Not for Whom the Gong Tolls 
    
  Players are enjoying a pleasant, hearty dinner on 
  the ground floor of the School.  Some students are 
  melancholy about missing out on the city’s festival 
  but understand the need for secrecy.  Most have 
  warmed up to the party after their performance, 
  with their suspicion of adventurers melting away 
  over the course of the meal. Teacher is on the third 
  floor with Relbea, and Kanithar is on watch under 
  the stern (but fraudulent) eye of Nicodeme from the 
  second floor. Rai and Beat are on the roof watching 
  the fireworks.  
    
  The disguised vargouille arrives at the door and is 
  let in and announced by Kanithar.  It hobbles 
  forward and seems injured so people rush to 
  provide aid.  Nicodeme runs upstairs to ostensibly 
  
   
  13 
   
  inform the Teacher.  Then the visitor’s head 
  detaches and his robes fall away to reveal the 
  imbedded gong. He strikes the gong with his 
  walking stick and activates it. As the strangely loud 
  sound echoes throughout the building all but six 
  (Renthor the Swift, Beat, Rai, Orianna, Leorio and 
  Ralbea) of the school’s 30 students (those who have 
  no ability to use ki so far, plus Rai’s special case) are 
  crippled with Lv 4 exhaustion and have no access to 
  their ki powers.  Any monks in the party are hit with 
  Lv 1 exhaustion only since they were not trained by 
  the Teacher and their ki does not resonate to the 
  sound in the same way.  
   
   
   
  The attackers use the tents for cover and focus on 
  the characters.  Party members who fall can be 
  dragged to cover and stabilized by one of the three 
  the students who are not exhausted. 
  The main attackers are the crazed vargouille (who 
  is actually what remains of a Syndicate descendant) 
  and four hobgoblins. 
  Adjusting this Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter, 
  according to your group. These are not cumulative. 
   Very Weak: Remove three hobgoblins 
   Weak: Remove two hobgoblins 
   Strong: Replace two hobgoblins with one hobgoblin 
  captain 
   Very Strong: Add two hobgoblins and a hobgoblin captain 
  The attackers surrounded the building after being 
  smuggled in by their Syndicate bosses, possibly with 
  magic the Harpers missed. Their focus is on killing 
  the characters and preventing anyone from 
  escaping. The students not affected by the gong try 
  to pull their comrades out of the way of the fight 
  and protect them as best they can. When the fight 
  dies down (with the promise of more attackers 
  biding their time outside), Beat and Rai come 
  downstairs with a message from Ralbea and her 
  owl. 
   
   
  Give the party a chance to fill them in. Rai will ask 
  where Kanithar is, but the traitor has already snuck 
  out during the battle to meet with Nicodeme. Rai 
  does not know why he is unaffected by the gong. 
  Ralbea is working to heal the Teacher and 
  counteract the effects of the gong.  
   
   
   
  The players can have a moment to think things 
  through. If they go upstairs to see Relbea, they will 
  find her with the Teacher on the third floor. Part of 
  the ceiling has been smashed open and the two 
  instructors are sitting in the wreckage. He is much 
  worse for wear having just survived being stabbed 
  with a poisoned blade, but he is not dead, just 
  exhausted and attempting to come up with ways of 
  removing the effects of the gong. Ralbea will ask 
  why the party hasn’t pursued Nicodeme already 
  because every minute counts. There is no way for 
  the characters to help with the gong. If they refuse 
  to go after Nicodeme then she asks them to leave.  
  The sound dies away quickly, but none of the 
  monks are restored. A large crash can be heard 
  upstairs, like a wall being broken down. Bandits 
  rush in through the front door and a fiendish 
  humanoid steps out from the shadows on the 
  second floor, blocking the stairs. Nicodeme, can 
  be heard shouting from the top floor, “Kill the 
  newcomers and take the rest hostage!  We’ve 
  got what we’ve come for, but they could be 
  hiding more.” 
   
  “The Teacher has been attacked!” gasps Rai. 
  “Nicodeme has turned on us and tried to kill the 
  Teacher.” “There was this weird flying thing 
  with antlers and a giant vulture and they 
  smashed in through the roof! We almost fell off, 
  well Rai nearly did,” interjects Beat. Rai is about 
  to yell at her but looks around at the chaos and 
  asks, “What in the Nine Hells happened here?!” 
   
  Rai and Beat look horrified at the news. 
  “Kanithar is a traitor? No. I won’t believe it.” 
  states Rai firmly. Beat looks at you imploringly. 
  “Ralbea knows where Nicodeme is going. Will 
  you help us, please? He is on the way to destroy 
  everything the Teacher fought to protect and 
  unleash something terrible on the region. I don’t 
  know what that even means. But we have to 
  stop it and now Kanithar is involved. You’ll have 
  the thanks of the School of the Swift Horse. 
  Helios here knows the way.” She nods to the 
  owl.  
   
  
   
  14 
   
   
  The party can take a short rest if they want to risk 
  giving Nicodeme an extra hour to complete his 
  plans. It’s not actually an issue as Nicodeme can’t 
  break into the Founder’s cave.  
   
  When the party decides to leave, continue on to Part 
  3: The Vision of Golden Fire. 
   
  Treasure 
  The highest-ranking hobgoblin carries a decorated 
  longsword with a silver hilt work 75 gp, two potions 
  of healing  and a written, concealed decryption key 
  for Syndicate missives that can be turned by 
  Harpers to complete their faction assignment. 
   
  XP Award 
  If the party stands to fight and does not use 
  members of the school as cover, award each 
  character 50 XP. 
    
  Option B) Tea with the Teacher 
    
  If the party earns a private audience with the 
  Teacher they are escorted up to the third floor’s 
  office, which he has converted into a private room 
  for sleeping and meditation. There are some exotic 
  but threadbare cushions scattered around the room 
  and the Teacher sits cross legged on one of them 
  with a small tea tray next to him piled high with 
  small wooden cups and a steaming pot of tea.   
  He is a half-elf with Shou features and a slight salt 
  and pepper beard. He wears simple robes and looks 
  both strong and alert, but hides the fact that he is 
  also weary and concerned. Characters that make a 
  DC13 Wisdom (Perception/Insight) check will 
  note that the lines around the Teacher’s eyes show 
  him to be tense and worried. He sits near a small 
  window that looks out over the city. Occasional 
  fireworks pepper the sky. Ralbea sits outside this 
  room’s curtain for most of the tea session, sipping 
  tea and keeping tabs on both the students below 
  and the newcomers meeting Teacher.   
   
    
   
  The conversation is a chance for Zhentarim, Harper, 
  and Emerald Enclave agents to fulfill their missions, 
  though the Teacher’s reactions vary. He is truthful 
  about everything he says and simply refuses to 
  answer certain questions rather than lie about any 
  topic. 
           
  For Zhentarim,  
  ● 
  He is not fond of the Black Network (since its 
  methods remind him of the Syndicate), but isn’t 
  rude about it. 
  ● 
  He has not seen any people fitting the description 
  given to him, and neither has Ralbea.  The Halflings 
  in the school have been here too long to match the 
  profile. 
  ● 
  He hopes the players resolve the matter peaceably. 
    
  For Harpers, 
  ● 
  He is willing open up about his conviction that the 
  School’s past has come back to haunt him.   
  ● 
  He says that he is not the true founder of this style, 
  only its maintainer, and the Founder may have need 
  of him.   
  ● 
  He has been contacted by the Founder and would 
  like the Harpers help investigating the cliffs to the 
  east soon in hopes of understanding the cryptic 
  messages he has been receiving. 
           
  For the Emerald Enclave,  
  ● 
  Ralbea is also a member of the Enclave and will 
  encourage the Teacher to speak with the party if 
  they identify themselves as members. 
  ● 
  The Teacher knows of the lights from images in his 
  dreams and from one allusion in the sending from 
  The Teacher does not stand when you enter, but 
  he gracefully inclines his head. “Welcome to you 
  all. I knew that the School would have important 
  guests this day, but did not anticipate how skillful 
  they would be. Thank you for taking tea with me 
  after all of your efforts.” Ralbea pours everyone a 
  cup of tea and tries not to appear too concerned 
  about your proximity to the Teacher. “I am 
  content to sit with you all in peaceful 
  contemplation, but I suspect you have questions 
  for me. Please be at ease and ask what you wish. I 
  will answer as best I can.” 
  
   
  15 
   
  the Founder.  He believes strongly that they stem 
  from a good and pure source, but fears that they 
  could be dangerous.   
  ● 
  He gives the party his blessing if they agree to 
  investigate. 
   
  For the Order of the Gauntlet and the Lords 
  Alliance 
  ● 
  He admits that the School of the Swift Horse did 
  sneak into the City, but they have no malicious 
  intent. 
  ● 
  He apologizes for their misdirection, but he is afraid 
  that the School is being followed by a group from 
  Kara Tur called the Syndicate, that wishes to harm 
  them.  
  ● 
  Neither the School nor the Syndicate are involved 
  with Cyric in any way. 
  ● 
  He doesn’t wish to discuss the Syndicate any 
  further, but believes they pose no threat to the City 
  of Melvaunt.  
    
  When all the faction reps have had a chance to 
  speak with the Teacher there are footsteps in the 
  hall, and then Nicodeme steps past the curtain and 
  over to Teacher. He then announces that a strangely 
  withered man has appeared and is asking for 
  shelter. In actuality Nicodeme is here to extract 
  secrets from the Teacher, kill him, and then find the 
  Founder.  
   
  The gong rings; its sound builds for a moment and 
  then cuts out completely, at which point the ki-
  suppression occurs.  The Teacher is hit particularly 
  hard and collapses  
   
  (Roll Initiative) 
    
  On 23 Nicodemus catches and supports the Teacher, 
  then whistles sharply to signal the halfling assassin, 
  Wind Talon, perched on a nearby roof astride her 
  peryton.  
   
  On 20 The peryton rips back a portion of the flimsy 
  roof, leers menacingly at the party members, and 
  hops off out of view, leaving Wind Talon just a 
  moment to poke her head in and scan the Teacher’s 
  mind with her Helm of Telepathy. Dazed and 
  exhausted, the Teacher unwillingly surrenders the 
  Founder’s location from his dreams through detect 
  thoughts.   A collapsing portion of the roof 
  temporarily blocks Ralbea from entering, and her 
  attention is split between this room and the chaos 
  below (where all other ki users are collapsing and 
  shock troops are pouring into the warehouse).  
   
  As the fight continues Nicodeme stabs the Teacher 
  with a poisoned blade. It will be a mortal wound 
  without intervention, both deep and laced with 
  poison that Teacher’s ki would normally neutralize. 
  The goal is to ‘sever the head’ of the school to leave 
  them without direction from the man who dodged 
  the Syndicate for years, but not to kill everyone, 
  since that would truly bury the valuable secrets 
  should the mind scan prove fruitless. 
   
  He then escapes to the roof as soon as there is an 
  opportunity to disengage. The peryton will dodge 
  while Wind Talon provides cover for the wererat’s 
  escape. Once he is on the roof he leaps onto a giant 
  vulture and the two fly off. The Halfling uses the 
  Helm of Telepathy to project the location of the 
  Founder to Syndicate henchmen, so if anyone is 
  killed there is always someone who knows where to 
  go. When Ralbea can act, she will try to stabilize the 
  Teacher with druidic magic. If the characters are 
  able to kill Nicodeme, Wind Talon will take his place 
  later in the adventure and Kanithar will have to do 
  the talking (as he’s slipped out to the roof by now). 
  If Wind Talon and/or the peryton are taken out, 
  there will be fewer enemies for the party to tangle 
  with later in the adventure.   
   
  Option C: Rooftop Battle 
   
  Teacher will have moments to impress on the party 
  that his worst fears are playing out and that these 
  foes must be stopped from taking the secrets that lie 
  where they’re now headed.  He begs them to give 
  chase through the opening on the second floor. 
    
  Chasing the running Syndicate members leads to a 
  conflict right above the passing parade. 
    
  Area Description: 
  
   
  16 
   
  ● 
  Players enter on the south east corner and need to 
  reach the north west corner; enemies guard the 
  area. 
  ● 
  The rooftops are approximately 30 ft. off the ground 
  at the edges, rising another 15 ft. for slanted roofs, 
  with some exceptions as seen on the map. 
  ● 
  Climbing up or down the walls to ground level 
  requires a DC10 Athletics check. 
  ● 
  The chimneys are 10 ft. high and provide three-
  quarters cover, but also cast long dark shadows to 
  the west that a hobgoblin iron shadow can use for 
  Shadow Jaunt, contrasting with the dim ambient 
  light. 
  ● 
  Spectators hoping to get close to the fireworks 
  occupy the edges of the roads, counting as difficult 
  terrain.  They will flee after violence breaks out, but 
  area of effect spells and the like could kill civilians if 
  used there. Some children could be on the rooftops 
  looking for a better view.   
  ● 
  A parade advances north in the streets; ahead of the 
  float (shaped like Lliira’s holy symbol, a sturdy trio 
  of six-pointed stars) are tall cloth banners depicting 
  scenic vistas and historical peacetimes, which rise 
  to 40 ft and count as total cover. 
  ● 
  The float and banners move north at 10ft/round, 
  unless the oxen are spooked by fighting (DM’s call) 
  and they all pick up the pace to 20ft/round. 
  ● 
  The float rises to 25 ft. and can hold three Medium 
  creatures before collapsing, as it’s supported by 
  wooden columns and is quite top-heavy. 
  ● 
  Optional: On Initiative count 20 losing ties, roll a 
  d6.  On a 5 or 6, fireworks burst overhead and flood 
  the area with bright light, eradicating the shadows 
  from chimneys and the like until the next round.  
  This removes the Shadow Jaunt ability from play for 
  that round. 
  ● 
  Optional: At ground level, there are security 
  Gondsmen equipped with net launchers that try to 
  quell a battle with limited effectiveness.  At 
  Initiative count 0 once the battle is joined, any 
  player character standing on the edge of a rooftop 
  has a 1 in 4 chance of being targeted by one of them.  
  +4 to hit, same function as a net in PHB pg. 148. 
  ● 
  Optional: Chasers on the ground are slowed by 
  crowds (difficult terrain) but spared from attacks, 
  which makes it a viable recovery strategy for 
  wounded players to clamber down and return later.  
  They can even call on healing from Lliran priests for 
  a price while on the run (spellcasting services)!  
  Play for laughs.  
  ● 
  Optional: Falling or jumping from a roof injures a 
  civilian unless the character succeeds on a DC12 
  Dexterity saving throw. 
   
  By default there is one hobgoblin iron shadow and 
  Wind Talon’s peryton to defeat here, without its 
  rider (by default, adjustments below).  The 
  carnivorous flyer prefers to strike humans, elves 
  and half-elves and would normally tear out the 
  heart after felling one, but Wind Talon’s 
  preternatural trained bond with it taught it restraint 
  in the interest of speed.  It will still prioritize such 
  characters as targets.  If reduced to half its hit points 
  the peryton flees to rejoin Wind Talon. 
  Adjusting this Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter, 
  according to your group. These are not cumulative. 
   Very Weak: Remove the peryton 
   Weak: Replace the peryton with two bandits 
   Strong: Add Wind Talon the spy, riding her peryton  
   Very Strong: Add Wind Talon the spy, riding her peryton, 
  and four bandits 
  After beating the Syndicate’s rear guard here, the 
  party is able to slip away from the authorities and 
  out of the scaffolded cleft in Melvaunt’s eastern wall.   
  Rai and Beat catch up with the party; they can 
  quickly recap the situation at the school and 
  impress on the party that Kanithar has seemingly 
  betrayed the them, fleeing with Nicodeme after 
  letting the gong carrier in.  The students are still 
  crippled by the gong, Rai being an odd exception, 
  and are being held hostage while Nicodeme goes to 
  claim his goal outside of town.   
  Stat Block Changes: 
  Wind Talon (Spy) has: 
  Halfling Nibleness. The spy can move through the 
  space of any creature that is a size larger than it. 
  Naturally Stealthy. The spy can attempt to hide even 
  when it is obscured by a creature that is at least one 
  size larger than it. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  17 
   
  Driven to bring Kanithar back (refusing to believe 
  he’s really a traitor at heart) and save their school, 
  the youth will insist on joining the party. If the party 
  agrees, Ralbea’s awakened owl makes an 
  appearance and reminds them of the cliffside 
  landmark they need to reach.  It will take until the 
  wee hours of the morning to reach that place 
  overland, but exhaustion checks are not necessary.   
  If the party insists on taking a short rest during this 
  trip, the students can’t stop them.   
   
  Treasure 
  The hobgoblin iron shadow carries a decorated 
  dagger with a silver hilt work 75 gp, a spell scroll of 
  shadow blade, and a written, concealed decryption 
  key for Syndicate missives that can be turned by 
  Harpers to complete their faction assignment. 
   
  XP Award 
  If the party manages not to harm any civilians, 
  award each character 50 XP. 
   
  Part 3. The Vision of Gold Fire 
    
  The journey to Torm’s derelict shrine doesn’t need 
  to be elaborated on beyond some descriptions of the 
  sand dunes, beech trees, and the odd golden 
  shimmer on the lake, to build atmosphere. 
   
  The character’s pursuit ends at a coastal cliff shrine. 
  They round a bend on the rocky beach and enter an 
  inlet with steep sides. 50 feet back from the water is 
  a 50 foot high cliff. A well-worn set of stairs lead up 
  from the beach and end at a roughly hewn cave 
  mouth 30 feet up the cliff.  This aperture and 
  everything past it is covered in hemisphere of 
  ‘golden fire’ (actually the Founder’s ki siphoning) 
  that continuously wicks off of the lake’s waves, 
  across the beach and up the 10 ft. wide staircase.   
   
  Two large stone figures flank the cave entrance 
  inside of the dome, but their features have eroded 
  away, only their longswords are clearly visible. A 
  DC15 Perception or Investigation check will 
  reveal that these are real, but very tarnished, silver 
  longswords that can be detached and used. The 
  sides of the inlet slope up to the top of the cliff. The 
  cliff faces are riddled with nooks and crannies 
  where sea birds have nested for ages.  
   
  The silhouettes of those statues and of a meditating 
  humanoid can be glimpsed through the shield.  
  Where the back wall of a humble shrine should be, 
  there is actually a new 10x10ft opening sculpted out 
  of the stone and sand by the Founder’s power.  This 
  leads into the larger sanctum described later in this 
  section. 
   
  The golden, translucent fire also dances along the 
  water’s edge and covers the stairs. It is 10 feet wide, 
  20 feet high.  A DC 12 Arcana or Religion check 
  will reveal it to be pure radiance, the fuel for smites 
  and celestial effects. DC 16 will reveal that it is 
  possibly being generated by a celestial being and is 
  probably dangerous to touch.  
   
  Note: Any creature that enters the fire or starts its 
  turn there will take 1d4 radiant damage. Aasimar, 
  Celestial Warlocks, Lawful Good characters, or 
  characters with any other celestial aspects are 
  immune to this damage, Rai included. The fire 
  cannot be dispelled or removed. It does not burn 
  nonliving matter.  
   
  Nicodeme and Kanithar stand on the thin ledge that 
  surrounds the shielded entrance on the east side. 
  Their faces are hard to see as they stand in front of 
  the fire, which blocks their way to the cave. Their 
  minions stand on the ledges below the cave, giving 
  the fire a wide berth. 
  Characters enter from the west side. Rai refuses to 
  sneak over and addresses Kanithar directly.  
   
  
   
  18 
   
   
   
  The characters must decide if they should agree 
  with Nicodeme and help him and Kanithar with 
  their plans, or fight for something they really don’t 
  understand. 
     
  If they question Nicodeme he will reveal the 
  following things, with DC13 Wisdom (Insight) 
  checks distinguishing truth from lies: 
   
  ● 
  He works for an organization run by powerful 
  interests in Kara Tur whose name roughly 
  translates to “the Syndicate.” (TRUE) 
  ● 
  The Swift Horse School has been hiding the 
  knowledge of how to empower mundane objects 
  with ki energy which the “selfish” Teacher refuses to 
  share even with his own students. (TRUE) 
  ● 
  Kanithar has been a great help, so of course the 
  Syndicate will help him with his revenge against 
  Thay. (FALSE, they’ll string him along carefully and 
  eventually dispose of him if he protests) 
  ● 
  The Syndicate is already able to make rudimentary 
  destructive items with the snippets of knowledge 
  they have, like the gong. (TRUE)  
  ● 
  If the characters help complete the formula then 
  their usage can expand to more beneficial 
  applications (TRUE, but to what end?) and this 
  would be their opportunity to take this knowledge 
  and share it with their factions. (FALSE, the 
  Syndicate would put great effort into keeping it all 
  to themselves) 
  ● 
  Resistance is futile, as Nicodeme has already 
  summoned powerful arcanists to this location who 
  will arrive by sunrise to crack open the sanctum, 
  take the secrets and silence any who oppose them.  
  (Technically FALSE, BUT detects as TRUE because 
  Nicodeme believes it’s true and has used a sending 
  stone to contact his people; the Syndicate is 
  watching through an invisible scrying sensor but is 
  too cautious to teleport here on his request) 
   
  Rai does not want to fight his friend and schoolmate. 
  If the party wants to fight Nicodeme then they can 
  try to convince Rai and Beat to join them. They need 
  to do an inspiring speech or weave some amazing 
  lies to ignite Rai’s fighting spirit. DC 15 Persuasion 
  or Deception. This is an epic moment, please 
  encourage good role playing! 
   
  If the party succeeds continue on to Part A. If the 
  party fails, run Part A, but the characters receive no 
  assistance from Rai and Beat to start. If the party 
  decides to join Nicodeme continue to Part B. 
   
  PART A: Fight Nicodeme and the Syndicate 
   
  Rai stands up, grabs Beat’s hand and turns to face 
  you.  
  “You traitor!” Screams Rai.”Kanithar, how 
  could you turn on the Teacher and the School 
  that saved you?!” 
   
  “We are going to take this knowledge the 
  School hid from the world and turn it on the 
  Red Wizards of Thay! I will destroy their evil 
  and free their slaves! How can I not?!” 
   
  “Yes,” says Nicodeme, “help us with these 
  noble goals.” But as he steps forward to 
  address you the clouds part and the full moon 
  shines down on both the teacher and student. 
  The teacher’s face is that of a man-sized, 
  sneering rat, and the student’s has taken on a 
  twitching, bestial aspect. 
   
  “Mouse men! Yells Beat as her fur fluffs out 
  and her tail lashes back and forth. “We have 
  to stop them, they’re eeeeviiilll! But that’s 
  Kanithar…..oh no…” 
   
  “This was the price I had to pay to avenge my 
  family. Please, my friends help me.”  
  Rai sinks to his knees and Beat clutches his 
  shoulders. “I don’t know what to do,” says Rai, 
  his voice shaking. Beat looks at you with wide, 
  tearful eyes.    
   
  
   
  19 
   
   
   
  Fight! 
  Enemies: Kanithar is a martial arts adept who has 
  gained incredible resilience and a feral appearance 
  from his sudden onset of lycanthropy.  Because the 
  ki in his body is fighting that curse, all other wererat 
  abilities are omitted. 
  Stat Block Changes: 
  Kanithar has: 
  + Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered 
  Nicodeme fights cautiously and is a full wererat. 
  On the upper cliffs, Wind Talon the spy is lurking 
  and can provide sneaky support; she is a spy with 
  the Halfling Nimbleness and Naturally Stealthy 
  traits.  If she is not adjusted out of this fight, she 
  wears the Helm of Telepathy.  If she was removed, 
  she is splayed out on the worn staircase with golden 
  fire coursing over her.  
   
  The fight should feel deadly but this is mitigated by 
  the terrain and the help available to the players. 
    
  Adjusting this Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter, 
  according to your group. These are not cumulative. 
   Very Weak: Remove the spy; Kanithar the martial arts 
  adept only fight players if directly attacked or if Nicodeme 
  goes down, otherwise locked into battle with Rai 
   Weak: Remove the spy 
   Strong: No adjustment  
   Very Strong: Add Wind Talon’s peryton, which she can fly 
  in battle and acts as an independent mount 
   If the peryton was defeated, add a hobgoblin iron shadow 
   (Enemies defeated in Part 2 are absent and can be 
  substituted with suitable hobgoblin-type replacements.) 
  Rai can pass through the golden fire unharmed. 
  Nicodeme will allow him to engage with Kanithar, 
  convinced that his personal student will have no 
  trouble against a young upstart. Nicodeme and any 
  minions will focus on the party. Assume that the two 
  students do 5 points of damage to each other each 
  round. Rai will be angry at any character that 
  interferes with their fight and insists that they don’t 
  kill Kanithar. Both NPCs will aim to do non-lethal 
  damage.  
   
  Climbing the sides of the inlet requires a DC12 
  Athletics check. The moon shines brilliantly down 
  on the scene, this, coupled with the golden fire 
  ensures there are no shadows.  
   
  Beat will not partake directly in the fight. She will 
  use her skill to apply healing kits to people who are 
  in danger. She will enter the golden fire if necessary 
  and will even drag people out of it to heal them.  
   
  At some point during the battle Rai will ‘power up’ 
  meaning his celestial blood will be fully activated. 
  His hands will be covered in the golden fire and he 
  can use an action to transfer this fire to any one 
  melee or ranged weapons he chooses. These chosen 
  weapons will also glow with golden fire and their 
  damage type turns to Radiant. There are no bonuses 
  to hit or damage, but they are considered 
  temporarily magical.  
   
  He can do this up to three times, simultaneously. 
  This power up could happen at any point and DMs 
  can use their discretion. Possible triggers include: 
   
  ● 
  PCs are unable to damage Nicodeme  
  ● 
  A PC is dropped or killed 
  ● 
  Beat is hurt or killed 
  ● 
  Rai is cornered or about to die 
  ● 
  A bard gives Bardic Inspiration to Rai 
  ● 
  A buff spell is cast on Rai 
  ● 
  A PC tries to hurt Kanithar (Rai will try to intimidate 
  the PC into standing down, +4 Intimidation with 
  advantage due to cool celestial flame power up) 
   
  “Thank you my friends. I forgot myself and you 
  brought me back. He flashes a grim smile. 
  “Those bastards will pay for what they have 
  done to our school!” Suddenly, his eye light up 
  with the same golden fire that burns along the 
  beach, but Rai doesn’t seem to notice. Some of 
  the radiance dances along Beat’s whiskers. She 
  looks calm for once. “We will fight for the 
  School of the Swift Horse.”  
   
  “Let’s go,” say Rai. “But leave Kanithar to me.”  
   
  
   
  20 
   
  If the party prevails, and Kanithar is not dead, Rai 
  and Beat will request that he be taken back to the 
  school to be judged by his peers. If Rai and Beat did 
  not fight with the party this is when they will rejoin 
  the group ashamed that they didn’t fight and 
  worried about their friend. If Kanithar is not 
  unconscious he will be both ashamed at having 
  worked against the School, but also distraught that 
  his chance at fighting the Red Wizards is gone. Beat 
  will remind him that there may still be answers on 
  the other side of the barrier. If Rai did not power up 
  during the battle, his body flares with golden fire as 
  he approaches the glowing barrier. When he 
  touches it the barrier and all the fire fades away, but 
  light still emanates from within the cave. If Rai is 
  dead then the fire simply fades and the party may 
  enter.  
   
  The cave is a 40x40x20 ft high room roughly hewn 
  from the cliff side. It's a derelict shrine to Torm. 
  There is a hole in the ceiling directly above a worn 
  altar in the centre of the room. The full moon is 
  directly above the hole and illuminates the altar, but 
  this opening is concealed by an illusory terrain from 
  the top side.  Behind the altar is a 20 foot high 
  indentation in the wall where it looks like a large 
  statue of a humanoid once stood, but checks will 
  reveal this to be much more recent than the shrine’s 
  construction. Carved into all the walls and the 
  ceiling are words in an unknown language 
  (Celestial) that glow with golden fire. On the altar 
  sits and ageless Shou woman dressed in a simple 
  tunic with breeches and bare feet. She appears to be 
  exhausted. 
   
   
   
  If Rai is dead, The Founder will ask for his body to 
  be placed on the altar. The fire that illuminates the 
  writing will coalesces into the glowing form of a ki-
  rin, It looks somewhat like a golden stag covered in 
  scales and fur. It has coppery, cloven hooves, violet 
  eyes, and a copper, spiral horn. It is insubstantial 
  and cannot be attacked. It will touch its horn to Rai’s 
  body and cast Raise Dead. It will not raise anyone 
  else.  
   
    
   
  Give the players an opportunity to give input on 
  Rai’s decision. He will do whatever they say in the 
  end.  
   
  Either way the Founder then explains that the 
  School of the Swift Horse must stop running and 
  settle in Melvant to protect this site and build their 
  resources for the coming evil (which she will give no 
  details on). If Rai goes with the Founder the ki-rin 
  will shake its mane and golden fire will cascade over 
  the party. They will receive the Story Award 
  The Shou woman turns to you and smiles. “I am 
  the Founder. You have chosen well this day and 
  gained me enough time to finish my ritual. She 
  gestures to the walls. Here lie written the 
  secrets of my Ki, but not just anyone can 
  interpret them. Rai, step forward.”  
   
  As Rai stands before the Founder you can see 
  clear similarities in their features, so it is of no 
  surprise when the Founder says, “Rai, some of 
  the energy from my celestial pact with my 
  patron is in your blood. You are my great 
  grandson and destined to bring this knowledge 
  to the world. With the teaching of the school, 
  and further training with me, you will fight a 
  coming evil.” Rai looks surprised.  
   
  “More training with you?! What does that 
  mean? I don’t want to leave the School and my 
  friends when I don’t even really know who you 
  are.” He turns towards you and Beat, “What 
  should I do?”   
   
  “Don’t leave us,” says Beat.  
   
  “It will be difficult for the School to protect you 
  and the knowledge here,” says the Founder 
  gently. If one could easily interpret the 
  emotions of an extra planar being of goodness, 
  you would say the ki-rin looks annoyed.  
   
  “Rai, the truth is my blood runs in your veins; it 
  resonated with mine such that my pact will 
  soon become yours, and I believe subtle 
  movements of fate brought you to the School’s 
  protection for this eventual calling.  Be strong, 
  great-grandson.  
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  21 
   
  “Blessings of the Ki-rin” unless they are evil and 
  then they get no benefit. Beat will be inconsolable.  
  If Rai stays with the group Beat will be delighted, 
  and the Founder and the ki-rin will disappear in a 
  flash of fire. The party can then return to the School 
  and impart what it knows. Ralbea and the Teacher 
  will look strangely relieved at the news that they no 
  longer have to be on the move. They will welcome 
  Kanithar back with some trepidation, but recognize 
  that the right thing to do would be to one day help 
  Kanithar find peace with his past which could mean 
  a fight with the Red Wizards.  
   
  Regarding the location: 
   
   
   
  Inspection of the words carved into the shrine 
  reveals them to be passages written in celestial that 
  are introductory fragments of beautiful poetry. Rai, 
  the Teacher, and any celestial speaker could grasp 
  some of their meaning, but it will take much study 
  and soul searching to fully understand and make 
  use of it. Perhaps one day the ki-rin and the 
  Syndicate will both return to play out their 
  destinies.  
   
  Part B: The Party Helps the Syndicate 
   
  Rai stands up, grabs Beat’s hand and turns to face 
  you. 
   
   
   
  The cave is a 40X40X20ft high room roughly hewn 
  from the cliff side. It's a derelict shrine to Torm. 
  There is a hole in the ceiling directly above a worn 
  altar in the centre of the room. The full moon is 
  directly above the hole and illuminating the altar, 
  but this opening is concealed by an illusory terrain 
  from the top side.  Behind the altar is a 20 foot high 
  indentation in the wall where it looks like a large 
  statue of a humanoid once stood, but checks will 
  reveal this to be much more recent than the shrine’s 
  construction. Carved into all the walls and the 
  ceiling are words in an unknown language 
  (Celestial) that glow with golden fire. On the altar 
  sits and ageless Shou woman dressed in a simple 
  tunic with breeches and bare feet. She appears to be 
  exhausted. 
   
    
   
   “This place was dedicated to Torm, a divine 
  being whose exhortation of self-sacrifice and 
  courage resonate with the entity I serve.  Even 
  in this region, where history makes people 
  suspicious and fearful of their neighbours, there 
  were those who felt the need to enshrine these 
  virtues.  I felt the call of this shrine and began 
  my work, waiting for circumstances to bring us 
  all to this point.  Thank you, sincerely, for risking 
  yourselves to make it here.” 
   
  “Thank you my friends. I can’t harm another 
  member of my School , no matter what he’s 
  done. Maybe we can convince Kanithar to come 
  home after Nicodeme gets what he wants.” 
  Beat hisses and cries at the same time. “No! I 
  won’t work with a rat man,! Why are you 
  humans so stupid?!” she yells at Rai, and runs 
  off, back to the School. Rai steps into the flames 
  and walks up the stairs unharmed, when he 
  reaches Nicodeme and Kanithar on the top edge 
  the shield and all the fire evaporates. Nicodeme 
  gestures for you all to enter 
  The Shou woman looks sadly up at you, Rai, and 
  Nicodeme in the back. “You have chosen poorly 
  this day, my great grandson.” You realize that 
  she and Rai have clear similarities in their 
  features. “None of you are worthy of my 
  patron’s blessing. You will find nothing here of 
  value. The secrets will not be shared yet.” Then 
  she and Rai disappear in a flash of golden fire.   
   
  “Huh,” says Nicodeme, looking around at the 
  carved walls. “I guess I’m left with a bunch of 
  loose ends. I’m sorry, but I’m afraid we’re going 
  to have to kill you now, and that cat girl too. 
  Kanithar, it’s been fun.”  The wererat and his 
  minions leap at you with the intent to kill! 
   
  
   
  22 
   
  Adjusting this Encounter 
  Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter, 
  according to your group. These are not cumulative. 
   Very Weak: Remove the spy; Kanithar the martial arts 
  adept only fight players if directly attacked or if Nicodeme 
  goes down, otherwise locked into battle with Rai 
   Weak: Remove the spy 
   Strong: No adjustment  
   Very Strong: Add Wind Talon’s peryton, which she can fly 
  in battle and acts as an independent mount 
   If the peryton was defeated, add a hobgoblin iron shadow  
   (Enemies defeated in Part 2 are absent and can be 
  substituted with suitable hobgoblin-type replacements.) 
   
  Kanithar will start the fight dodging, unable to 
  accept what has happened. If anyone attacks him he 
  will fight them the next round. He can be persuaded 
  to return to the School with a DC 15 Persuasion or 
  deception check with advantage if they mention 
  using Remove Curse to get rid of his growing 
  lycanthropy. Nicodeme and his minions will focus 
  on killing the players first. Kanithar won’t turn on 
  his teacher, but will fight the minions. If Nicodeme 
  reaches 10 or fewer HP then he will whistle for the 
  giant vulture that is lurking nearby and try to 
  escape. The vulture will not attack.  
   
  After the battle if the characters take the time to 
  look over the inscriptions and can read Celestial, 
  then they will find it to be nonsensical gibberish. 
  The party will then have to decide if they will return 
  to the school and report what happened or simply 
  leave with the treasure they have gained from the 
  fight.  
   
  If they return to the school, then they will not be 
  allowed in. Beat has told of their betrayal and when 
  it is ascertained that Rai is not with the Party then 
  they assume the worst has happened. If the Party 
  convinces them otherwise DC 20 Persuasion or 
  Deception, they will still firmly ask them to leave 
  while the school attempts to rebuild. The School of 
  the Swift Horse will be gone from Melvaunt by the 
  next day.  
   
   
   
  Treasure 
  Wind Talon wears the helm of telepathy. 
  There is a decorative right-hand gauntlet made of 
  silver within the shrine, left behind by whatever 
  transpired and originally placed here in tribute to 
  Torm, which is now worth 250 gp to collectors due 
  to the unique pattern of etchings burned into it by 
  the golden fire.   
  This gauntlet or (found with a DC 13 
  Perception/Investigation check) a similarly-marked 
  piece of detritus can be presented to by Emerald 
  Enclave members to complete their faction 
  assignment. 
  Nicodeme wore two jade-studded studded bracers 
  intended to painfully block blows as a deterrent for 
  failure at the school, and they are worth 25 gp 
  apiece. 
   
  Rewards 
  Make sure players note their rewards on their 
  adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI 
  number (if applicable) so players can record who 
  ran the session. 
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters 
  present in the combat. For non-combat experience, 
  the rewards are listed per character. 
  Combat Awards 
  Name of Foe 
   
   
  XP Per Foe 
  Duodrone 
   
   
  50 
  Hobgoblin 
   
   
  100 
  Hobgoblin Captain 
   
  700 
  Hobgoblin Iron Shadow 
   
  450 
  Martial Arts Adept 
   
  700 
  Monodrone 
   
   
  25 
  Pentadrone 
   
   
  450 
  Peryton  
   
   
  450 
  Spy 
   
   
   
  200 
  Tridrone  
   
   
  100 
  Vargouille 
   
   
  200 
  Wererat  
   
   
  450 
  Task or Accomplishment  
  XP Per Character 
  Comply with Alston 
   
   
  50 
  Good first impression 
   
   
  50 
  One token each  
   
   
  100 
  Good sport 
   
   
   
  50 
  Stand and fight/don’t harm civilians 
  50 
  
   
  23 
   
  The adventures minimum and maximum XP awards 
  are located on the Adventure Rewards document. 
  Note that DDAL adventures award a maximum of 
  the “target XP” award. Only epics may grant the 
  “maximum” amount. 
   The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 900 experience 
  points. 
   The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 1200 experience 
  points. 
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, 
  divided up amongst the party. Treasure is divided as 
  evenly as possible. Gold piece values listed for 
  sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, not 
  their purchase price.  
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value 
  Adventurine 
   
   
   
  50 
  [Clockwork amulet parts  
   
  100] 
  Silver-hilt weapon 
   
   
  75 
  Fire-engraved gauntlet 
   
   
  250 
  Jade-studded bracers 
   
   
  50 
   
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one 
  character is interested in a specific consumable 
  magic item, the DM can determine who gets it 
  randomly should the group be unable to decide.  
  Permanent magic items are divided according to a 
  system detailed in the D&D Adventurers League 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide. 
  Helm of Telepathy 
  Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement) 
  The helm protects all the areas that it should but 
  only barely, using just enough material to cover 
  them while leaving cosmetic gaps and slits.  It sports 
  a distinct geometric design that originated 
  somewhere far to the east and stands out to any 
  observer, but that slight build makes it possible to 
  conceal the apparatus under a cloak as easily as one 
  would a circlet or tiara. 
  Potion of Greater Healing 
  Potion, uncommon 
  This item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide. 
  Potion of Healing 
  Potion, common 
  This item can be found in the Player’s Handbook. 
  Scroll of Shadow Blade 
  Scroll, uncommon 
  This item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide. 
   
  Clockwork Amulet 
  Wondrous item, common 
  This item can be found in Xanathar’s Guide to 
  Everything 
  Downtime Activities 
  During the course of this adventure, the characters 
  may earn access to the following downtime activity: 
   
   
  Saved the School: Having aided the school in a time 
  of great need, you are welcome to stay with them 
  for a time, come what may.  If you spend 5 
  downtime days training at Swift Horse, you train 
  your spirit to make one future Wisodm saving 
  throws with advantage, at which point this benefit 
  disappears. 
  Story Awards 
  During the course of this adventure, the characters 
  may earn the following story award: 
   
  Betrayed the School:  Your choices have made you 
  a mortal enemy of the Swift Horse School and its 
  Founder.  They avoid you as best they can and are 
  likely to retaliate against you with force should the 
  conditions favor them. Perhaps one day you can 
  redeem yourself in their eyes...  
   
  Blessing of the Ki-rin. You have helped the Ki-rin 
  and its allies on the Moonsea and it may see fit to 
  bless you with celestial aid down the road.  This can 
  only happen if you once again elect to help the 
  School of the Swift Horse.  
   
  Renown 
  Each character receives one renown at the 
  conclusion of this adventure. 
  
   
  24 
   
  Emeral Enclave members can earn one additional 
  renown for submitting one of the two fire-engraved 
  objects from the shrine 
  Harper members can earn one additional renown 
  for turning over the decryption key 
  Zhentarim members can earn one additional 
  renown for brining Wind Talon in at the end of the 
  adventure. 
   
   
    
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Appendix 1. Monster/NPC 
  Statistics 
   
  Monodrone 
  Medium construct, lawful neutal 
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 5 (1d8 + 1) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  4 (-3) 
  10 (+0) 
  5 (−3) 
    
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Modron 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
  Axiomatic Mind. The monodrone can’t be compelled 
  to act in a manner contrary to its nature or its 
  instructions. 
  Disintegration. If the monodrone dies, its body 
  disintegrates into dust, leaving behind its weapons and 
  anything else it was carrying. 
   
  Actions 
  Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) 
  piercing damage. 
   
  Duodrone 
  Medium construct, lawful neutal 
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  6 (-2) 
  10 (+0) 
  7 (−2) 
    
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Modron 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
  
   
  25 
   
  Axiomatic Mind. The duodrone can’t be compelled to 
  act in a manner contrary to its nature or its 
  instructions. 
  Disintegration. If the duodrone dies, its body 
  disintegrates into dust, leaving behind its weapons and 
  anything else it was carrying. 
   
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The duodrone makes two fist attacks or 
  two javelin attacks. 
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 
  (1d6+1) piercing damage. 
   
  Tridrone 
  Medium construct, lawful neutal 
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   12 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  9 (-1) 
  10 (+0) 
  9 (−1) 
    
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Modron 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Axiomatic Mind. The tridrone can’t be compelled to 
  act in a manner contrary to its nature or its 
  instructions. 
  Disintegration. If the tridrone dies, its body 
  disintegrates into dust, leaving behind its weapons and 
  anything else it was carrying. 
   
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The tridrone makes three fist attacks or 
  three javelin attacks. 
  Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) bludgeoning damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 
  (1d6+1) piercing damage. 
   
   
  Pentadrone 
  Large construct, lawful neutal 
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 32 (5d10 + 5) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
    
  Skills Perception +4 
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Modron 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
  Axiomatic Mind. The pentadrone can’t be compelled 
  to act in a manner contrary to its nature or its 
  instructions. 
  Disintegration. If the pentadrone dies, its body 
  disintegrates into dust, leaving behind its weapons and 
  anything else it was carrying. 
   
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The tridrone makes five arm attacks. 
  Arm. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) bludgeoning damage. 
  Paralytic Gas (Recharge 5-6). The pentadrone exhales 
  a 30-foot cone of gas. Each creature in that area must 
  succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or 
  be paralyzed for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the 
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the 
  effect on itself on a success. 
   
  Beat of Heart (Scout) 
  Medium humanoid (tabaxi), chaotic good 
  Armor Class 13 (leather armor) 
  Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Nature +4, Perception +5, Stealth +6, 
  Survival +5 
  Senses passive Perception 15 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  
   
  26 
   
  Keen Hearing and Sight. The scout has advantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or 
  sight. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The scout makes two melee attacks or 
  two ranged attacks. 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing 
  damage. 
   
  Martial Arts Adept 
  Medium humanoid, lawful neutral 
  Armor Class 16  
  Hit Points 60 (11d8 + 11) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
    
  Skills Acrobatics +5, Insight +5, Stealth +5 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
  Unarmored Defense. While the adept is wearing no 
  armor and wielding no shield, its AC includes its 
  Wisdom modifier. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The adept makes three unarmed strikes 
  or dart attacks. 
  Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning 
  damage. If the target is a creature, the adept can 
  choose one of the following additional effects: 
   
  The target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength 
  saving throw or drop one item it is holding 
  (adept’s choice). 
   
  The target must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity 
  saving throw or be knocked prone. 
   
  The target must succeed on a DC 13 
  Constitution saving throw or be stunned until 
  the end of the adept’s next turn. 
  Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. 
   
  Druid 
  Medium humanoid (wood elf), any alignment 
  Armor Class 11 (16 with barkskin) 
  Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 15 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Medicine +4, Nature +3, Perception +4 
  Senses passive Perception 14 
  Languages Druidic plus any two languages 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
  Spellcasting. The druid is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to 
  hit with spell attacks). It has the following druid spells 
  prepared: 
   
  Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, produce flame, shillelagh 
  1st level (4 slots): entangle, longstrider, speak with 
  animals, thunderwave 
  2nd level (3 slots): animal messenger, barkskin 
  Actions 
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit (+4 to 
  hit with shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) 
  bludgeoning damage, or 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage 
  with shillelagh or if wielded with two hands. 
   
   
  Hobgoblin 
  Medium humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 18 (chain mail, shield) 
  Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 10 (+0) 
  9 (−1) 
    
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common, Goblin 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Martial Advantage. Once per turn, the hobgoblin can 
  deal an extra 7 (2d6) damage to a creature it hits with 
  a weapon attack if that creature is within 5 feet of an 
  ally of the hobgoblin that isn’t incapacitated. 
  
   
  27 
   
  Actions 
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) slashing damage, or 6 
  (1d10 + 1) slashing damage if used with two hands. 
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing 
  damage. 
   
  Vargouille 
  Tiny fiend, chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 13 (3d4 + 6) 
  Speed 5 ft., fly 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   6 (-2) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  4 (-3) 
  7 (-2) 
  2 (-4) 
    
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning 
  Damage Immunities poison 
  Condition Immunities poisoned 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 
  Languages understands Abyssal, Infernal, Common but 
  can’t speak 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
  Dive Attack. If the peryton is flying and dives at least 
  30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a 
  melee weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 9 (2d8) 
  damage to the target. 
  Flyby. The peryton doesn’t provoke an opportunity 
  attack when it flies out of an enemy’s reach. 
  Keen Sight and Smell. The peryton has advantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or 
  smell. 
  Actions 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) 
  poison damage.. 
  Kiss. The vargouille kisses one incapacitated humanoid 
  within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 12 
  Charisma saving throw or become cursed. The cursed 
  target loses 1 point of Charisma after each hour, as its 
  head takes on fiendish aspects. The curse doesn’t 
  advance while the target is in sunlight or the area of 
  a daylight spell; don’t count that time. When the 
  cursed target’s Charisma becomes 2, it dies, and its 
  head tears from its body and becomes a new 
  vargouille. Casting remove curse, greater restoration, 
  or a similar spell on the target before the 
  transformation is complete can end the curse. Doing 
  so undoes the changes made to the target by the 
  curse. 
  Stunning Streak. The vargouille shrieks. Each 
  humanoid and beast within 30 feet of the vargouille 
  and able to hear it must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom 
  saving throw or be frightened until the end of the 
  vargouille’s next turn. While frightened in this way, a 
  target is stunned. If a target’s saving throw is 
  successful or the effect ends for it, the target is 
  immune to the Stunning Shriek of all vargouilles for 1 
  hour. 
   
  Hobgoblin Captain 
  Medium humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 17 (half plate) 
  Hit Points 55 (6d8 + 12) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
   
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common, Goblin 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
  Martial Advantage. Once per turn, the hobgoblin can 
  deal an extra 10 (3d6) damage to a creature it hits 
  with a weapon attack if that creature is within 5 feet of 
  an ally of the hobgoblin that isn’t incapacitated. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The hobgoblin makes two greatsword 
  attacks. 
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 
  2) piercing damage. 
  Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 
  1 minute, the hobgoblin can utter a special command 
  or warning whenever a nonhostile creature that it can 
  see within 30 feet of it makes an attack roll or a saving 
  throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll provided it 
  can hear and understand the hobgoblin. A creature 
  can benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. 
  This effect ends if the hobgoblin is incapacitated. 
   
  
   
  28 
   
  Hobgoblin Iron Shadow 
  Medium humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 15 
  Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 15 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +5, Stealth +5 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 
  Languages Common, Goblin 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
  Spellcasting. The hobgoblin is a 2nd-level spellcaster. 
  Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, 
  +4 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following wizard 
  spells prepared: 
  Cantrips (at will): minor illusion, prestidigitation, true 
  strike 
  1st level (3 slots): charm person, disguise 
  self, expeditious retreat, silent image 
  Unarmored Defense. While the hobgoblin is wearing 
  no armor and wielding no shield, its AC includes its 
  Wisdom modifier. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The hobgoblin makes four attacks, each 
  of which can be an unarmed strike or a dart attack. It 
  can also use Shadow Jaunt once, either before or after 
  one of the attacks. 
  Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning 
  damage. 
  Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 20/60 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Shadow Jaunt. The hobgoblin magically teleports, 
  along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up 
  to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Both the 
  space it is leaving and its destination must be in dim 
  light or darkness.   
   
  Peryton 
  Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil 
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6) 
  Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  9 (−1) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
    
  Skills Perception +5 
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical attacks 
  Senses passive Perception 15 
  Languages understands Common and Elvish but can’t 
  speak 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
  Dive Attack. If the peryton is flying and dives at least 
  30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a 
  melee weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 9 (2d8) 
  damage to the target. 
  Flyby. The peryton doesn’t provoke an opportunity 
  attack when it flies out of an enemy’s reach. 
  Keen Sight and Smell. The peryton has advantage on 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or 
  smell. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The peryton makes one gore attack and 
  one talon attack. 
  Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage. 
   
  Wind Talon (Spy) 
  Medium humanoid (lightfoot halfling), any alignment 
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 27 (6d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 14 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Investigation +5, 
  Perception +6, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand 
  +4, Stealth +4 
  Senses passive Perception 16 
  Languages any two languages 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
  Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the spy can use a 
  bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide 
  action. 
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The spy deals an extra 7 (2d6) 
  damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and 
  has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is 
  within 5 feet of an ally of the spy that isn’t 
  incapacitated and the spy doesn’t have disadvantage 
  on the attack roll. 
  
   
  29 
   
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The spy makes two melee attacks. 
   
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 
  range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing 
  damage. 
   
  Jandar Nicodeme (Wererat) 
  Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger), lawful evil 
  Armor Class 12  
  Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6) 
  Speed 30 ft.  
   
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 10 (+0) 
  8 (-1) 
   
  Skills, Perception +2, Stealth +4 
  Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing damage from nonmagical weapons that 
  aren’t silvered 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft. (rat form only), passive 
  Perception 12 
  Languages Common (can’t speak in rat form) 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)     
  Shapechanger. The wererat can use its action to 
  polymorph into a rat-human hybrid or into a giant 
  rat, or back into its true form which is humanoid. 
  statistics, other than its size, are the same in each 
  form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is not 
  transformed. It reverts to its true form when it dies. 
  Keen Smell. The wererat has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack (Humanoid or Hybrid form only). The 
  wererat makes two attacks one of which is a bite. 
  Bite (Rat or Hybrid form only). Melee Weapon Attack: 
  +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) 
  piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid it must 
  succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be 
  cursed with wererat lycanthropy. 
  Shortsword (Humanoid or Hybrid form only). Melee 
  Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 
  (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Hand Crossbow (Humanoid or Hybrid form only). 
  Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  30 
   
  Appendix 2. Maps 
   
   
   
  
   
  31 
   
  
   
  32 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/Convention Created Content/CCC-AN-01 - Secrets of Golden Fire.pdf