BY GABRIEL KERR

Enhance the Hoard of the Dragon

Queen Experience with 20 Encounters!
 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, and all other Wizards of the Coast
product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA
and other countries.

This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors.
Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon
Masters Guild.

All other original material in this work is copyright 2021 by Christian Zeuch and Gabriel
Kerr, and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

2
Contents Credits
Introduction ................................................4 Authors: Gabriel Kerr
Hoard of the Dragon Queen ..............................4 Editor: Kathleen Harrington
Overview ....................................................................4 Layout: Christian Zeuch
Running Encounters .............................................4
Encounter Challenge...........................................4 Art Direction: Christian Zeuch
Sword Coast Map .................................................... 5
Cover Art: Анна Богатырева
Chapter 1: Greenest in Flames ................. 6
Interior Illustrators: James RPG Art, Григорий
The Traveling Monk.............................................. 6
Break the Siege......................................................... 7 Юник, witview, warmtail, liuzishan, mikesilent, zef art
Nighthill Rescue.................................................... 7 Corey Johnston
Cultist Abduction ................................................. 8
Chapter 2: Raiders’ Camp ......................... 11 Cartography: Christian Zeuch

The Lost Wagon .....................................................11 Playtesters: Daniel Legaspi IV, Sebrina Calkins
Slave Traders ......................................................... 12
Chapter 3: Dragon Hatchery .................13
Troglodyte Hideout ............................................13
Chapter 4: On the Road............................16
Exorcist Helpers................................................... 16
Breaking In .............................................................. 17 “TWITTER, TWEET, RETWEET and
The Way Inn..............................................................18 the Twitter logo are trademarks of Twitter, Inc.
Chapter 5: Construction Ahead ..........20 or its affiliates.”
Cloaks’ Ambush .................................................... 20
Roadhouse Rock .................................................. 20
Tunneled In............................................................. 21
Chapter 6: Castle Naerytar................... 22
Black Dragon Den ................................................ 22
Chapter 7: Hunting Lodge...................... 26
Dignitaries from Phlan...................................... 26
Slave Deposit .......................................................... 26
Great Cultist Cook Off..................................... 27
Dreaming in the Parlor...................................... 27
Chapter 8: Castle in the Clouds .......... 29
Surprise at the Shrine ......................................... 29
The Slave Captain.................................................30

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 Introduction
Hoard of the Dragon Queen Encounter Challenge
This supplement contains twenty-one encounters to Combat is not the only way of succeeding in these
be used as a complement to the official hardcover encounters, even the ones that have named enemies
campaign Hoard of the Dragon Queen. The encounters and battlemaps. Foes can also be defeated by trickery,
are divided by the chapters of the original campaign, intimidation, negotiation, and other means your
in chronological order of the events. Some are players may come up with. Don’t restrict their
shorter, like a set piece battle, some are longer, like a choices.
small scenario, and some could even be considered Each encounter has a reward section. Most of them
micro-adventures or side quests. have XP Rewards, to be distributed as discussed in
the “Creating a Combat Encounter” section of
Overview chapter 3 of the DMG. If you’re using the milestone-
Queen’s Hoard Expanded provides new detailed based level advancement rules in the “Experience
encounters to be used when you’re running Hoard of Points” section in chapter 8 of the DMG, give them
the Dragon Queen. Some of these can be adapted to the alternative rewards described there.
other settings or adventures with little modification.
This publication contains one new creature and
several battlemaps to use in these encounters.
The overall goal is to improve player experience
during the campaign. We provide a new hook, to
take the characters where they need to be, and more
choice of actions. We also try to reinforce the dragon
theme and give more clues about what’s really
happening in the adventure. It is often easy to get to
the last chapter and still have no idea about the story
in the original hardcover.

Running Encounters
To run the encounters in Queen’s Hoard Expanded,
you will need the core rulebooks (Player’s Handbook,
Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual) and the
hardback campaign Hoard of the Dragon Queen. Each
encounter background will guide you to the most
appropriate place and time for it to happen.
A new creature is introduced in appendix A.

4
5
 Chapter 1
Greenest in Flames

The Traveling Monk After a turn in the road, you see a toppled wagon
with people hiding behind it. A group of tough-
Encounter Level: 1 looking men with drawn swords are trying to
Encounter Type: Social/Combat encircle the wagon, while two men, an adult and a
teen, throw rocks from behind the wagon. A
Encounter Spots: Any town on the Sword Coast woman and two younger children crouch behind
Encounter Overview: A traveling monk hires the them.
party to escort him to Greenest. (This can serve as an Three bandits (Alden, Miles, and Waldo, who is the
alternative point of entry for the published leader) are menacing the family who are hiding
adventure.) behind the wagon. The bandits are hostile (see
Background “Social Interaction,” chapter 8, DMG) and try to
attack while evading the rocks the men are throwing
Nesim Waladra is a young monk from Berdusk at them. The people behind the wagon are the
whose master, Leosin Erlanthar, has summoned him Hamiltons, a family of five commoners: a middle-
to Greenest. Leosin had been investigating the aged man with 4 hp, a young man with 3 hp, a young
activities of the Cult of Dragons in the area and woman with 3 hp, and two children with 1 hp each);
when his clues pointed him toward Greenest, he sent the wagon provides them half cover from the
for Nessim to join him there to further the bandits’ attacks. If the party intervenes, the man and
apprentice's training. Nesim knows that he is too teen boy advance for the melee using makeshift
inexperienced to travel that distance alone, so he clubs, while the woman and two children throw
hires the characters to accompany him on the rocks from behind the wagon. If the party wishes to
journey. On the way, they meet refugees being try nonviolent means to defuse the situation, a
attacked by cultists. successful DC 10 Charisma (Deception,
Intimidation, or Persuasion) check convinces the
The Encounter bandits to leave the family alone. If Waldo is
Read or paraphrase the following: defeated, the other two surrender (see “Morale,”
chapter 9, DMG).
After days of traveling, you're one day away from
your final destination: the small town of Greenest. Outcomes
You've been escorting Nesim Waladra, an
apprentice monk who was summoned there by his There are two possible outcomes:
master, Leosin Erlanthar. Leosin is engaged in some
investigative work for the monastery and wants to • The bandits win and leave the party with no
take Nesim as his personal trainee. possessions in the middle of the road. The only
way is forward.
Nesim is a young monk, brave but still a bit naive, • The party wins. The bandits are just common
who regards Leosin as the best master ever. After criminals who prey on travelers. The family are
introducing the characters and having some warm- refugees from the countryside around Greenest.
up roleplaying, read or paraphrase the following: An army has been on the move in the region and

6
 the Hamiltons have heard that several towns in the them with Stealth, the kobolds attack on sight. The
region have been sacked in the last few tendays. winged kobolds also become aware of the party if
They are fleeing to Baldur’s Gate to wait until the they are attacked or if the party tries to damage the
land is safe and there’s farm work to be done again. trebuchet. This trebuchet was hastily built so it has
AC 13 and 100 hp. For each two turns the party
Rewards spends trying to destroy the trebuchet, two more
Normal rewards for the battle. winged kobolds approach and attack.
When the party is in Baldur’s Gate, the Hamilton
Family provides a contact in the Lower City. Outcomes
If none of the Hamiltons were hurt, award XP for a Some of the possible outcomes are listed here:
Medium encounter.
• The trebuchet is destroyed. The party still must
Break the Siege return to the keep unnoticed, but their mission is
accomplished.
Encounter Level: 1 • If the party is defeated, they wake up at the keep,
Encounter Type: Exploration/Combat having been rescued by some soldiers. As the last
stages of the siege begin, jump to the events at the
Encounter Spots: Greenest
end of the chapter after the keep’s quests.
Encounter Overview: The party must destroy a
trebuchet that is being brought to Greenest. Rewards
Background Normal XP for the battles.
If the trebuchet is destroyed, award XP for a
The village of Greenest is besieged by the Cult of the Medium encounter.
Dragon. The party has been running errands from If they make it back to the keep, Nighthill gives the
the main keep, trying to turn the tide of the battle. party two potions of healing.
Governor Nighthill wants the characters to destroy
one of the siege weapons coming for the keep. They
must go down and blow everything up.
Nighthill Rescue
Encounter Level: 1
The Encounter Encounter Type: Social/Combat
A huge wooden trebuchet is being mounted on the Encounter Spots: Greenest
outskirts of town. The invading armies are Encounter Overview: The party must rescue the
confident, so it’s lightly guarded. The trebuchet is governor’s family at their mansion.
1,000 feet from the keep. The party receives five
sticks of dynamite to help (see “Explosives,” chapter Background
9, DMG). Each stick can be thrown up to 60 feet and
Governor Nighthill has received word that his family
deals 3d6 bludgeoning damage to anything within a
is in danger, and he enlists the characters to go to his
5-foot radius. A creature in the area of effect can
mansion and rescue them. When the characters
avoid damage by making a successful DC 12
arrive, they find a group of kobolds trying to break
Dexterity saving throw. Don’t forget to check for
down the front door. They must defeat the kobols,
roaming parties as described in the adventure. The
convince the family to come with them, and return
encounter has three phases:
to the keep.
To leave the keep unseen, each character in the
party must make a successful DC 10 Dexterity The Encounter
(Stealth) check; if two or more fail, a patrol of one
cultist and three kobolds surrounds the party near The Nighthill manor is on one of the edges of the
the walls of the keep. map, so getting there is potentially dangerous.
To cross the field from the keep to the trebuchet, Follow the “Wandering Encounters” rules again if
the adventurers can either try to move stealthily or you want to make the characters’ lives more difficult.
to run through the battlefield. Continue checking for The house is in flames and six kobolds by the
patrols based on the characters’ actions as described door shout threats as they wait for the family to flee.
in “Wandering Encounters” in chapter 1 of Hoard of When three or more are defeated, the rest try to
the Dragon Queen. negotiate or escape. They can also be reasoned with,
The trebuchet is on the far side of the battlefield intimidated, or otherwise convinced to leave if a
and is protected by four winged kobolds (passive character makes a successful DC 12 Charisma
Perception 8). If the characters don’t try to approach (Intimidation or Persuasion) check.

7
 Behind the house is an old well with a bucket. The afraid the city won’t discover much after the
party can find more buckets inside the house. If the attackers have gone. This is a way to give the players
characters take protective measures, such as soaking more information about the plot.
themselves in water or donning thick, protective
clothing, they gain advantage in their ability checks The Encounter
against fire. A bucket of water is enough to clear a 5- When you return from your previous mission,
foot square of fire, but it starts to burn again in 5 Escobert the Red, second-in-command in the town
rounds if an adjacent square is still on fire. Each time defenses after Governor Nighthill, approaches you
a character ends their movement in a square that is privately.
on fire, they must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity “Heroes, I have a favor to ask of you. We need to
saving throw or take 1d8 damage. know exactly who these raiders are, who they work
Four people (commoners) are inside the house: for, and why they’re here. This whole thing looks
the mother, two daughters, and a son. The Nighthills far too organized for a simple barbaric raid—
are frightened and in shock, so the characters must kobolds, dragons, humans, siege weapons...
convince each one to accompany them by making a something much more sinister must be going on.
successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check. A Capture and bring me one of the humans. We have
to get to the bottom of this!”
character can also carry them by force (use grapple
rules). The house collapses in 20 turns, trapping The adventurers are tasked with going around town
everyone who is still inside. Anyone who was on the and using themselves as bait to draw the attention of
second floor takes 1d6 damage from the fall and some of the patrols. They only need to bring back
lands prone; in addition, all creatures anywhere in one cultist. Remind them of the rules for nonlethal
the house take 1d10 bludgeoning damage from damage: a character who brings an enemy to zero hit
falling debris. points in melee combat may decide to knock them
On their way back, the characters still have to deal unconscious, with no lethal wounds. This can be a
with patrols; pay attention to their load to see if they surprise for players coming from older editions and
move slower. similar games. They must bring back an unconscious
body to the keep, so adjust their speed accordingly
Outcomes on their return. As they try to capture someone,
Some of the possible outcomes are listed here: continue checking to see if another patrol spots
• The party is defeated. The house burns down and them; do the same on the way back.
the attackers capture the Governor’s family. If you When the characters return to the keep, Escobert
don’t want a total party kill here, have one of the allows the characters to ask the prisoner three
characters wake up an hour later with 1 hp and see questions to “see what they can do.” Greenest is
the others unconscious. under the protection of Elturgard and follows strict
• The party returns with the family members. rules of warfare: no torture or killing of prisoners is
Governor Nighthill owes them a favor and will allowed. If the characters succeed on a DC 15
give them each a potion of healing when they set out Intelligence (History) check, they may know this
for the next chapter. already; if they do not, Escobert reminds them of the
rules before they begin their questioning.
Rewards The players are free to choose any method of
Normal rewards for the battles. obtaining information that doesn’t involve physical
For each person saved, award XP for an Easy violence. After they describe their actions, ask for an
encounter. The party also gets the Governor’s favor. appropriate ability check such as Charisma
(Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion). A
Cultist Abduction successful DC 12 check yields the short answers
below; if they succeed at a DC 15 check, the prisoner
Encounter Level: 1
reveals the longer versions.
Encounter Type: Social/Combat
Encounter Spots: Greenest What a cultist knows
Encounter Overview: The party must capture one • “We are paid soldiers for a cult (the Cult of the
of the cultists and bring them back alive for Dragon).”
questioning. • “Our mission here is to pillage valuables (and we
also attacked other cities).”
Background • “We have a base nearby (where we’re taking the
Escobert the Red asks the characters to capture one goods after the attack).”
of the human attackers for questioning. He wants to
know more about the reasons for the attack and is

8
 2nd Floor

Ground Floor
9
After their questions, Escobert takes the prisoner to
the basement for “further interrogation.” If the
characters try to stop him, Nighthill appears with
another quest for them.

Outcomes
Some of the possible outcomes are listed here:
• The characters successfully capture a cultist and
obtain maximum information. Escobert is
impressed and his respect for them increases.
• The characters capture and question a cultist but
obtain minimal information.
• The characters are unable to capture anyone.
• They are defeated by the patrols or another group
of raiders. The battle rages on around their
unconscious bodies until morning; when they
wake up, the enemy has already moved on.
• The characters capture one or more cultists but are
unable to get any answers. Escobert is visibly
disappointed and loses any respect he had for the
characters. From now on, he is condescending
toward the party.

Rewards
Normal rewards for the battles.
For each question answered, award XP equivalent
for an Easy encounter. Double the reward if they get
the long version. They can possibly obtain useful
information as part of the encounter.

10
 Chapter 2
Raider’s Camp

n this chapter the adventurers they notice a heavy (20 pounds) metal chest. It takes
investigate the camp of the invaders some time to get it out from under the wreck. The
with the mission to find Leosin chest is locked and trapped; if the lock is inspected, a
Erlanthar. It is important that the DM character making a successful DC 12 Wisdom
frames this as a rescue mission. The (Perception) check discovers a small needle trap,
camp is large and full, so it’s not a designed to trigger when the lock is opened. The
straightforward extrication, but at the same time needle can be disarmed with a successful DC 12
don’t go overboard so they think it’s impossible. Dexterity check using thieves’ tools, which also
They’ll have an opportunity to come back here later. opens the lock. If the trap is triggered, the character
must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a
The Lost Wagon failed save, they take 7 (2d6) poison damage and are
Encounter Level: any poisoned for 10 minutes. Inside, they find a silver
brooch in the form of a five-headed dragon (worth
Encounter Type: Exploration 50 gp) and five black tunics like those some of the
Encounter Spots: Road raiders were wearing. These are usable as disguises
Encounter Overview: The party finds a lost wagon to infiltrate the camp. The characters also find a
on the road. small diary in which several towns and landmarks
across the Sword Coast are marked, including
Background: Greenest, Triboar, and Boareskyr Bridge, among
others.
On their way from Greenest to the camp, one of the
cultists’ wagons broke from the weight of the loot. Outcomes
When it tumbled, a heavy chest landed under it and
the cultists left without realizing it was missing. Two of the possible outcomes are listed here:
• The party obtains items that start them on the trail
The Encounter of the identity of the raiders, with the Tiamat
Following the trail of the raiders, you stumble on a brooch. They also gain a way to disguise
toppled wagon. It is upside down and has broken themselves and infiltrate the camp.
wheels. It looks like it broke from the weight of the • The party can’t open the chest. Someone in town
loot it carried. From the marks around it, you may open it for 10 gp.
deduce that many people worked to unload its cargo.
If the characters decide to search the wagon and if
anyone tries to see if there’s anything underneath,

11
Rewards: of the cult’s tactics. It is also another reason for the
party to infiltrate the camp.
If they open the chest, award XP equivalent to an • The party is defeated and is sold to the cult as
Easy encounter. slaves. The negotiation between the cult and the
If they use the cloaks to infiltrate the camp, award slavers goes through and the party is imprisoned in
XP equivalent to an Easy encounter. Besides, the the meat locker (see next chapter of the
party could potentially access the chest contents. adventure).
Slave Traders Rewards:
Encounter Level: 2 Normal rewards for the battle.
Encounter Type: Social/Combat
Encounter Spots: Camp/Road
Encounter Overview: The party surprises a group
of slave traders on the road.

Background
The Cult of the Dragon is amassing slaves for their
final sacrifice and slave traders are working for them.
The characters can spot the slavers approaching the
camp either after the party has already arrived there,
or while they are scouting or observing from afar.
This can be an opportunity.

The Encounter
A group of four people approaches the camp. They
are not dressed like the raiders in their cultists’
uniforms, but are wearing more practical clothes,
including light armor, pants, and jackets. One of
them is a large, burly figure who has a big scar that
runs from his left eye to under his nose. The others
are more slender, but they look dangerous.
This is a group of slavers, going to the camp to
negotiate the sale of a group of slaves to the cult. The
leader is a thug and the others are scouts. If
negotiations are successful, they arrange for the
delivery to be made to Proskur, where a Zhentarim
agent will take them to Zhentil Keep. The Zhents
hold a group of twenty slaves (commoners) guarded
by four bandits and a bandit captain.
If left on their own, the slave traders go straight to
level 2 on the camp’s map, to meet with the camp
leader to negotiate their price. After about a half
hour of discussion, they leave satisfied. If the party
does not intervene, they return the next day with the
slaves and the rest of the gang to seal the deal.

Outcomes
Two of the possible outcomes are listed here:
• If the party defeats the group, either by combat or
intimidation, and interrogates them, they learn
that the slavers are selling slaves to the cult, not
only here but all across the Sword Coast. This is
important so the players discover the cultists are
hoarding slaves in addition to coin, which is part

12
 Chapter 3
Dragon Hatchery

n this chapter, the party comes back to Room A — Troglodyte Gates

the raiders’ camp to investigate further, Though the crevices are uncomfortably narrow, it
based on information gathered by doesn’t take long to reach an opening to a small
Leosin Erlanthar. It is also possible for cave. As you stumble in, you see four humanoid
them to return here without such creatures standing with spears pointing at you,
information, depending on their course guarding a passage.
of action. Room 5 inside the hatchery has a hook for
The crevices and the troglodyte caves have no light,
further development of the dungeon.
as they can all see in the dark. If the party is carrying
Troglodyte Hideout a light source, the creatures are always prepared for
them. Four troglodytes lair In this cave. They are
Encounter Level: 3 surprised to have been found, but they know they’re
Encounter Type: Social/Combat no match for the heavily armed party, so if not
attacked, they just stand in defensive formation.
Encounter Spots: Caves
They only speak their own language and, if a
Encounter Overview: A clan of troglodytes hides standoff continues, they try to push the party back
in the hatchery, waiting for revenge. outside. However, if the party is in any way disguised
as cultists, they recognize the uniform and attack,
Background shouting “Dracons!”
A tribe of troglodytes dominated these caves before Room B — Save the Children
the Cult of the Dragon came in. They’ve lost ground,
but are not yet defeated. A well-hidden cave complex The cave continues for some distance before it
inside the hatchery is lair to a small clan of the reaches another opening on the left wall. It’s a huge
creatures. The troglodytes are hostile to the cultists cavern, illuminated by a glowing yellow light. At a
distance you see several adult troglodytes sitting
(and anyone wearing their regalia), which can work down, eating something that looks to be kobold
to the party’s advantage if approached properly. The parts. Another thirty infant troglodytes are in the
entrance is in area 5 of the map. back, sleeping.
The Encounter This is the troglodyte’s sleeping quarters. The yellow
light is bioluminescent fungi.
After searching the kobold dumping grounds for a These fourteen adult troglodytes are more
while, you notice some small crevices in the
northern wall. A foul smell comes from confident than the ones in room A because of their
them...different, and worse than the garbage that numbers. They also hate cultists and attack in the
surrounds you now. The crevices are tight, but you same way if the characters are in disguise. If not, they
can squeeze in with some effort. try more forcefully to get them out. If the party

13
 D

14
reached a deal with their leader in room D, they are be reasoned with, allowing for an alliance, or at least
allowed to harvest up to five rations worth of food a truce, if the party doesn’t try to intervene in the
from the mushroom farm. troglodyte succession. If an agreement is reached, the
troglodytes invite the characters for a banquet; the
Room C — Tear down this wall dead leader is the main course.
The corridor is wider here but soon you notice a
wooden blockade. There’s a gap in the middle, like Outcomes
a passage, but the rest of the way is blocked. From
behind the trenches, you hear a heavily accented If the characters befriend the troglodyte clan, the
voice speaking in Common: “Stand back, dragons!” troglodytes can provide four warriors to assist the
party as part of a raiding team. These reptiles don’t
Six troglodytes armed with crossbows are behind understand complex orders, only finger pointing at
the blockade, which provides them with full cover. enemies. They can also be used as a distraction.
The voice is from Torgrax, troglodyte bandit
captain. If the characters have killed any troglodyte
before reaching this area, he is hostile. If not, he can
be convinced to make a temporary agreement
against the cult by a character who makes a
successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception,
Intimidation, or Persuasion) check. He can’t close
any deals, but allows the party passage to the leader’s
room.

Room D — Old Habits

This cave is even dirtier than the others and the
stench is stronger. Beside a huge pile of trash is the
body of the largest, fattest troglodyte you’ve ever
seen lying dead on the floor. Around him, four
troglodyte warriors stand bloodied, one of them
wielding a rusty longsword.
A claimant and his allies have killed the old leader
and are ready to eliminate Torgrax, too. This
claimant is also hostile, but speaks Common and can
 Chapter 4
On the Road

Exorcist Helpers chanting and asks divine-powered characters to join

him.
Encounter Level: any Call for one of the characters to make a DC 15
Encounter Type: Social Intelligence (Religion) check. If the check fails, the
Encounter Spots: City possessed man reacts in one of these ways (DM’s
choice): his head rotates, he throws things at Gideon,
Encounter Overview: The party helps at an or he threatens the group. Each time one of these
exorcism attempt. things occurs, one of the family members—first the
Background wife and then the two sons—tries to invade the room
to disrupt the ritual. They can be forcibly restrained
The party is in the city of Elturel, before infiltrating or reasoned with by succeeding on an opposed check
the caravan where the cult has wagons transporting on either Strength (Athletics) or Charisma
part of the hoard of treasure they have amassed. (Persuasion), respectively. The mother rolls with +2
Ontharr Frume is an important nonplayer character against Persuasion and +0 against force. The sons
in Rise of Tiamat and the party can get to know him roll with +3 against force and +1 against Persuasion.
better. The characters must prevent the ritual chanting
from being interrupted for five rounds for it to
The Encounter succeed. The possessed man rants continuously
Ontharr Frume asks the party to help with an during the entire ritual, saying that Elturel will fall
exorcism that will take place shortly before they soon, that the devils are coming, and that all will be
leave town. They need assistance to deal with any consumed in flames.
angry family members. Gideon Lightward and his
assistant Pherria Jynks are performing the ritual Outcomes
(these are important nonplayer characters in Descent It may take some time but Gideon eventually
into Avernus). completes the ritual and the old man comes back to
You enter a two-story house in the middle of town his senses. The family is grateful. but most
and the assigned knight takes you to the master importantly, the party gains the trust of Ontharr
bedroom. An old man lies in bed, bound securely Frume, which may be useful in Rise of Tiamat.
with ropes. Around him are two figures who wear
the symbol of the Order of the Gauntlet, a mailed Rewards
fist grasping a blade.
If the ritual goes through without interruptions,
The players must choose how their characters will award XP equivalent to a Medium encounter.
help. Characters with divine magic can help channel Otherwise, award XP equivalent to an Easy
positive energy to the exorcists. Other characters can encounter. Gideon also gives each character a potion
deal with worried family members. Gideon starts of heroism.

16
Breaking in supposed to also be in the caravan.
Encounter Level: 3 The Encounter
Encounter Type: Exploration/Combat/Social Jamna, a gnome, is interned in the psych ward of
Encounter Ppots: City Harborside Hospital. This is a separate building from
Encounter Overview: The party must rescue a the main one, having a first floor with clerics’ offices,
patient from the psych ward of the hospital in rest rooms and supply rooms. Two human guards
Baldur’s Gate. watch the main entrance. On the second floor are
the patients’ rooms. In front of Jamna’s bedroom are
Background two more human guards. Inside, two sahuagin cult
fanatics are trying to kill Jamna.
The party must seek out Ackyn Seleborn to gain a
place in the caravan and begin traveling the road to Development
the north, which is the main event of this chapter.
Before he helps the group obtain jobs within the The party can outsmart or convince the human
caravan, Seleborn wants them to release a friend guards to let them pass without a fight, but they’re
from the psych ward in Baldur’s Gate’s Harborside there for a reason: Jamna was investigating the
Hospital. Her name is Jamna Gleamsilver and she is temple of Umberlee in the Lower City but was

17
 Jamna

caught, and now someone wants her out of action.

The cult fanatics can’t be reasoned with and fight The Way Inn
unless subdued by other means. The characters only Encounter Level: 3
need to get Jamna out, though; once rescued, she’s Encounter Type: Social
more than happy to join the caravan and stay out of
Encounter Spots: Road
town for a while.
Encounter Overview: The party meets important
Rewards people at the inn, but they have to choose sides.
If the characters manage to rescue Jamna by fighting Background
only the cultists or not fighting at all, award XP
equivalent to a Hard encounter. If they simply kill all The Way Inn is a well-known landmark on the
opponents instead of trying to reason with them, Trade Way. A strongly fortified settlement, between
award XP equivalent to a Medium encounter. its weapons, gated walls, and position atop a tall
Jamna also gives one of the characters a ring of plateau, it can fend off a large attacking force. Inside
poison resistance. the walls are three small keeps, each guarding one of
the gates, and the famous two-story stone inn. The
inn was recently rebuilt by wealthy merchants from

18
Waterdeep after a black dragon destroyed it and the walls.
village that once surrounded it.
Outcomes
The Encounter Two possible outcomes are presented below:
Arthagast Ulbrinter, a Masked Lord of Waterdeep
• If the characters agree to help Ulbrinter and are
and husband to Remallia Haventree, is here with a
successful in capturing or defeating Rian, they gain
large party on the lookout for the fugitive Rian
his favor and by extension, Remallia’s. This may be
Nightshade. Rian is officially an advisor to Lord
useful in the next adventure. On the other hand
Dagult Neverember, but according to Ulbrinter, she
Rian will remember them making it more difficult
is also an agent of the Zhentarim, a network of
to gain the trust of Lord Neverember at the
assassins and smugglers. The party may help either
Council of Waterdeep.
of them. If they help Ulbrinter, it may give them an
• If they help Nightshade, they gain a favor from the
advantage in how Remallia reacts to them in Rise of
undercover Zhentarim agent. In any town, they
Tiamat. Otherwise, they may gain the favor of Lord
know how to find the local agent and ask for a
Neverember.
small favor, such as a place to hide and take a long
Ulbrinter is in the hall with four more guards
rest, or some important piece of information they
(veterans), loudly discussing invading the rooms
need. For Rise of Tiamat the effects are reversed
upstairs to capture Rian. He approaches the party to
from before: Remallia wants nothing to do with
try to enlist their help with the job. Ulbrinter asserts
them, but it's easier to gain Neverember’s trust.
his position as a Waterdeep noble if anyone tries to
interfere. The tiefling Rian is alone and has no Rewards
protection. Although she is a capable warlock, she
knows she can’t handle Ulbrinter’s party, and is Award XP equivalent to a Medium encounter.
trying to escape. The innkeeper isn’t happy about the
situation. He has twenty-one men at his disposal but
at any time, up to ten may be on sentry duty on the

19
 Chapter 5
Construction Ahead

Cloaks’ Ambush cloaked figures in a dark alleyway. One of them

shouts, “Stop where you are, criminals! We know
Encounter Level: 4 everything!”
Encounter Type: Combat Roll for initiative. The characters may still argue
Encounter Spots: City with them, but the Cloaks fight on their turns.
Encounter Overview: The party is attacked by Between rounds, have them talking trash, to give the
members of the Lord’s Alliance in the streets of group a chance to convince them that they are not
Waterdeep. the real criminals. Since they are fighting, this may
be harder than usual to accomplish, but not
Background impossible.
The party is investigating the next destination for Outcomes
the cultists’ wagons near Waterdeep’s North Gate.
They find the right warehouse where the convoy If the party successfully communicates their mission
commander, Arded Briferhew, is happy to hire them to the Cloaks’ patrol, the Lord’s Alliance will be
to escort the cargo to its next destination. informed of what’s going on sooner than the
The Lord’s Alliance is slowly realizing that campaign expects it to be. If that happens, the party
something big is going on and has put their Cloaks, has a great opportunity to gain a companion when
the lowest ranking members, on alert. These faction they reach Parnast later in the adventure. The
agents mistake the characters for the bandits. companion can even be one of the Lord's Alliance
members, trying to get into Skyreach castle. Another
The Encounter option is to have the Alliance rescue the party if they
are in the castle when it falls to the ground at the end
The group of Cloaks is made up of three spies and of the adventure, solving the problem of how to get
one priest. A character who succeeds at a DC 15 them out of there.
Wisdom (Perception) check may notice that their
party is being surrounded by these agents. This is Rewards
their only chance to prepare or come up with
alternative tactics. The Cloaks are on official Normal rewards for the battle.
business and announce their presence as soon as they
are in a comfortable position: Roadhouse Rock
You leave the warehouse, having sealed the deal Encounter Level: 4
with Ardred Briferhew. Returning to your base for Encounter Type: Social/Combat
the night, you are surrounded by a group of

20
Encounter Spots: City Background
Encounter Overview: The party is blackmailed The warehouse hides a tunnel, used by the lizardfolk
by a thief during their investigation. to take the cult’s loot to Castle Naerytar. As written,
Background the tunnel is not dangerous, but something dug in
swampland can’t be safe.
The roadhouse is where the cultists’ caravan
connects with the lizardfolk. Through a secret The Encounter
passage in a warehouse, the lizardfolk take delivery The tunnel winds through darkness for about 200
of the goods and transport them through a tunnel to yards when you see a strange glow after a left twist.
a cult base in the marsh. The glow emanates from something that is
covering the whole tunnel, ground, walls, and
The Encounter ceiling.
The adventure presents Larion Keenblade (bandit The glow is from a patch of poisonous fungi that
captain) as a thief among the cultists who can be extends for 100 yards (300 feet). Ask each player to
convinced to help the characters in exchange for state how they intend to cross it. They need three
getting away with his stash. Let’s invert this successes on a DC 15 ability check to cross to the
dynamic. Larion is smart and notices that the other side; on each failure they must make a
characters are different from the others here. He successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take
starts shadowing them, which can be noticed by a 7 (2d6) poison damage. Skills suggested are Athletics
character who makes a successful DC 20 Wisdom (run as fast as you can), Acrobatics (jump around
(Perception) check. trying to touch the ground as little as possible),
Have Larion surprise the characters when they are Stealth (soft steps), and Nature or Survival (finding
alone, perhaps in Bog Luck’s room (6) or the Strong the least hazardous path to cross).
Room (4). He won’t try to fight the party alone, so he
brings four more bandits with him and threatens to Outcomes
tell Bog Luck that they are spies. The party crosses the tunnels and emerges in the
Outcomes Mere of the Dead Men at the start of a trail.

If the party kills Larion, they’ll need to figure a way Rewards

to dispose of him. The cultists will quickly notice his Award XP equivalent to a Medium encounter.
disappearance and start asking questions, so the
party must devise a way to avoid becoming suspects.
If the cultists think the party is involved, the
characters must escape to avoid imprisonment and
probably execution. Set it up so that they have
already learned about the tunnels or the existence of
some kind of base in the middle of the Mere of Dead
Men, for them to be able to continue on the quest.
Another possibility is to have someone such as
Ontharr or Leosin tip them in that direction (which
is what I did for my first table).

Rewards
Award normal XP for the combat.

Tunneled in
Encounter Level: 4
Encounter Type: Exploration
Encounter Spots: Tunnel/Cave
Encounter Overview: The party must traverse a
tunnel to get to their destination.

21
 Chapter 6
Castle Naerytar

his chapter has a lot going on with necklace of old coins, etc.
factions and a dungeon within a castle. “I heard you guyssss are helping ussss. I can help
The missing thread is the black dragon you. I take offerings to the dragon in the mere.
in the Mere. Considering that this is a Help me cross the way and I can provide you with a
story about dragons, we’ll have a side blessing from the powerful Voarag.”
quest related to him.
If the party agrees, Scalar will guide them through
Black Dragon Den the mere for about four hours over a path that has
Encounter Level: 5 no easily discernible marks or guides. Finding the
Encounter Type: Exploration/Combat way back without Scalar’s guidance requires a
successful DC 20 Wisdom (Survival) ability check.
Encounter Spots: Swamp
Encounter Overview: A devotee offers the party a The swampland goes on for miles and, being waist-
deep in the water with tall vegetation all around, it
chance to worship the Black Dragon. is hard to know exactly where you are. Suddenly,
Scalar stops:
Background
“We need to swim for a stretch now. Let’sss go
The Mere of Dead Men, where Castle Naerytar is slowly, we don’t want to awaken the creaturesss
located, is the home to the black dragon here.”
Voaraghamanthar. All lizardfolk in this area honor
him, and the dragon has pledged to support the cult The party must make a successful DC 15 Strength
“when the time comes”— but is not doing anything (Athletics) group ability check to swim to the other
to help right now. The dragon has a secret twin side and a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) group ability
brother, Waervaerendor, but the only one who check to do so without making much noise. If they
knows this, other than the dragons themselves, is the fail either, two water weirds attack. After dealing
half-dragon Rezmir. with the water weirds, they can cross the stretch of
deep water with no further issues.
The Encounter Rules Reminder: To make a group ability check,
everyone in the group makes the ability check. If at
At any time where they can speak to a lizardfolk least half the group succeeds, the whole group
without tension, the characters are approached by succeeds. Otherwise, the group fails. Rules for
Scalar, a lizardfolk shaman and a true believer in underwater combat are in chapter 9 of the PHB.
the power of dragons. After crossing the deep water, the terrain gets
One of the lizardfolk approaches the party. This firmer and in about an hour they reach what looks
one wears items even more decorative than those like the entrance to a cave. The mouth is large
worn by the others: a huge tooth collar, feathers, a enough for an adult dragon to enter.

22
 The mouth opens into a large, circular cave with a is protected by a glyph of warding, which can be
tall ceiling. Scattered on the floor are years of old spotted by a character who succeeds on a DC 17
offerings to the dragon: decorative figures, wooden Intelligence (Investigation) check. This glyph is
statues, some metal weapons, and hundreds of modified to work in a 20-foot cone, pointed at the
copper coins. entrance to the passage, instead of a circle; when
Scalar deposits what he has brought in one of the triggered, it causes 6d8 poison damage.
corners and begins setting up what looks to be a The ritual that Scalar is performing involves
ritual space. To the north is a dark passage; he lighting five sticks, one of each of the colors of a
points in that direction as he works, saying, “We chromatic dragon, and singing in Draconic: “She will
never go there! Last one got burned!” return!” as if it were a mantra. If asked about it, Scalar
says that he doesn’t even speak the Draconic
The offerings lying around are mostly worthless, language, he’s just memorized these words. If a
apart from the 340 copper coins. A character who character of draconic heritage is in the party, Scalar
makes a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) invites them to participate in the ritual.
ability check notices that some of the items are If they press on past the glyph and enter the
decorated with a five-headed dragon motif. passage north, they find miles of twisting
The northern passage leads to the dragon’s den and underground tunnels inside. To find the right way to

23
the den requires a successful DC 17 Wisdom do it.
(Survival) check. Otherwise they walk around in
circles for half an hour, finally arriving back at the
cave entrance. If they make it to the den,
Waervaerendor, an adult black dragon, is waiting
for them and attacks on sight.
When they are prepared to return to the castle,
read the following:
As you walk outside, following Scalar’s lead, you
hear high winds approaching. Suddenly, everything
is covered by shadows and you see an enormous
black dragon approaching in your direction. It
lands in front of you and speaks:
“You stupid little lizard! Voaraghamanthar told you
not to bring newer servants here! Who are they?”

This is Voaraghamanthar, the black dragon

worshipped by the lizardfolk. He always talks about
himself in the third person and pretends to be poorer
than he is. The hoard on display here is just what the
lizardfolk have offered and he doesn’t think that they
are worthy to add to the real hoard inside the cave. If
the party slew his twin brother, he smells it and
attacks. If they fought Waervaerendor and try to
take a rest at the entrance, have Voaraghamanthar
approach immediately. Otherwise the dragon
continues the conversation with the party. He tells
them that servants are not allowed to know the
location of his cave and they are now his prisoners.
They can bribe their way out if they agree to give
him something valuable, such as a magical item, or if
they offer their services to him. The latter tips the
balance of power in the castle against the bullywugs.

Six Things to Find in the Hoard

• A pair of telescope lenses
• A wooden lizardfolk “action figure” with moving arms
• A broken compass
• A cape with the old symbol of the Cult of the
Dragon, a stylized dragon face (Scalar tells them
nobody wants to use this anymore)
• Colored incense
• A lance made with a young dragon’s tooth

The Outcome
Scalar keeps his word and gives the characters the
effects of a bless spell that lasts until the end of this
chapter.

Rewards
Award XP equivalent to a Deadly encounter.
If they have entered into service with
Voaraghamanthar, all lizardfolk in the castle are now
friendly toward the characters. They still won’t
betray the cult themselves, but will allow the party to

24
25
 Chapter 7
Hunting Lodge

his chapter can be short, depending on Virulence, now rules over the city of Phlan. Talis is
the characters’ actions, and may easily allied with the would-be green wyrmspeaker. This is
derail the DM’s session planning. important to communicate so that the players don’t
feel like they are the only ones fighting the cult.

Outcomes
Dignitaries from Phlan Two possible outcomes are listed below:
Encounter Level: 6 • If the party only observes the situation, the knights
Encounter Type: Exploration/Combat enter the lodge and go to the guest chamber in
Encounter Spots: Trail room 10, waiting for an audience with Talis.
• If the party attacks and defeats the newcomers,
Encounter Overview: A group of foreigners arrive they are uncooperative, but brag about the cult’s
on the scene before the party. victories in Phlan. At this point it’s possible that
Background the players still haven't figured out what’s going
on, so give them some information here and the
Shortly before the party reached the lodge via the rest when they meet Talis. If the fight takes longer
teleportation circles, another group arrived from the than 5 rounds, there’s a 1 in 6 chance that one of
East. Cult emissaries from Phlan have come to give the patrols around the house will join the fight.
an account of the developments of the Cult’s plans
on that front. When the party comes on the scene, Rewards
the Phlan delegation is near the front door of the Award XP for a Deadly encounter should they
lodge. (The Phlan storyline was the focus of the first somehow survive. The party can also acquire
season of Adventurer’s League.) information about the plotline.
The Encounter Slave deposit
As you look in the direction of the house, you see Encounter Level: 6
three tall figures ahead, going in the same direction.
They are all clad in black armor, with green paint Encounter Type: Combat
splashed over it. One of them, bulkier than the Encounter Spots: Any
others, leads the way.
Encounter Overview: The party finds a suspicious
This is a group of Tears of Virulence, former looking shed that turns out to be full of slaves.
Knights of the Black Fist, from the city of Phlan. A
female half-black dragon veteran leads the two Background
male human dragonclaws. All three wear green
cloth masks. They have come here to inform Talis The cult’s goal is to release Tiamat from the Nine
that the green dragon Vorgansharax, the Maimed Hells. They'll use a summoning ritual that requires a

26
large hoard of gold (hence the adventure’s name) and jump on the opportunity, proceed with the scene as
many humanoids to sacrifice. For this they are described below.
amassing slaves and sending them with the gold to Holger is a grumpy middle-aged cultist who is
the cult’s headquarters in the Well of Dragons. acting as the cook for Talis. He resents this, as he
imagined other activities when joining the cult, but
The Encounter he’s experienced as a cook and Talis has taken
Opposite the kennel, you see a simple building advantage of that. Holger lashes out his frustrations
made of wood; it has no windows and just a small at the characters whenever possible. Use your best
door. You can hear moaning coming from inside, as French, Spanish, British, or Italian accent here, or
if people are in pain. mimic your favorite TV chef. The first chore is to
Two veterans with two guard drakes stand by the peel the potatoes. He points to a large pile of
door, protecting the place. Twenty slaves potatoes. Each chore takes about ten minutes. Have
(commoners), mostly humans but also some elves them make a group ability check (they can choose
and half-elves, are inside. They are injured and between Strength and Dexterity) and note the result.
starving, so they can barely walk. The second chore is to chop the carrots à julienne.
Have them take the same test and note the results.
Outcomes Remind the players that the clock is ticking.
If the party decides not to fight and to use stealth to If the party stays in the kitchen, they must
remove themselves from the situation, remind them complete two more chores: slicing the meat and
of the people who are suffering inside. smashing the potatoes. Have them make the checks
If they start a fight and it takes longer than 5 in the same way. If the total of the four chores is 50
rounds, the outdoor patrol arrives and joins in. If the or higher, Holger is pleased with the party and
characters manage to defeat everyone, they still must congratulates them. At this point a group of ten
deal with the question of how to manage the slaves. more cultists enters through the door and expose
If the party is defeated, they wake up in room 9, tied the party as intruders.
and stripped of their armor and weapons.
Outcomes
Rewards
Two possible outcomes are listed below:
Award normal XP for the combat.
Award XP for a Hard encounter if they somehow • If a fight occurs, the noise is heard and at least one
save the slaves. of the cultists tries to escape to alert others. The
house is on alert at this point and it is not possible
Great Cultist Cook Off to surprise any groups in any of the other rooms.
Encounter Level: 6 • If the characters manage to move along with no
fighting, continue as the adventure describes.
Encounter Type: Social
Encounter Spots: Any house Rewards
Encounter Overview: The cook enlists the service Award normal XP for combat.
of the party for the banquet. Award XP for an Easy encounter if they satisfy
Background Holger.

The room in the back of the lodge is a kitchen. It is

possible that this is the first room the party sees.
Dreaming in the Parlor
Encounter Level: 6
Inside, four human cultists, two men and two
women, are preparing food for a banquet. The room Encounter Type: Combat/Exploration
description says they just give the characters hostile Encounter Spots: Any house
looks but won’t attack if not attacked first.
Encounter Overview: The party is transported to
The Encounter a hunt inside their dreams.

Add this to the description: Background

One of the women turns to you and shouts: This encounter can happen in either room 21
“You’re very late! Get to your positions and start (Trophy Room) or room 11 (White Stag Parlor), at
chopping!” the DM’s choice. Many groups don’t go through
This is an opportunity for the party to immediately every room in the house, stopping exploration after
disguise themselves. If the players don’t go for this, meeting Talis.
play out the scene as intended in the book. If they In addition to the room description in the

27
adventure, fragrant incense burns in a censer in a gaining the same amount instantly.
corner. If they stay in the room long enough to make
a thorough search, the incense begins to affect them.
Each character must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom
saving throw or fall into a magically induced sleep
that lasts until the dream encounter ends.

The Encounter
You are in a mist-shrouded forest, feeling drowsy.
You can hear horn sounds, followed by hoofbeats,
which reminds you of a hunt. Suddenly, a giant
white stag stops in front of you and then
disappears again.
A few minutes later a group of hunters appears: two
mounted hobgoblin captains with their two
displacer beast pets. They try to communicate with
the party, inviting them to join in their hunt for the
white stag. If they accept, they must make three
successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) checks before
two failures to find the stag. It takes only one attack
attempt to kill it; no roll is needed. Portray the
hobgoblins as becoming more impatient as the
failures pile up. If the party makes two failures, the
group accuses them of being awful hunters and
attacks.
The party may opt from the beginning to protect
the white stag, attacking the hunters outright or
failing the tests on purpose.

Outcomes
Some possible outcomes are presented below:
• If the hunt is successful and the stag is slain, the
hunters thank the characters, honoring them as
great warriors, and pay in gold for the help (see
below). As they bid farewell, they are engulfed in a
red mist and the party wakes up back at the lodge.
• If they defeat the hunters, having failed the tests,
the red mist surrounds the party, sending them
back to the lodge.
• If the characters intentionally try to protect the
stag and succeed, the animal approaches them and
blesses the party (see below). They wake up at the
lodge, feeling lighter.
• If they are defeated by the hunters and their pets,
the DM may wish to transport the characters back
to the lodge at 1 hit point each.

Rewards
• If the hunt is successful, the hobgoblin captains pay
500 gp to the party. The gold disappears two
minutes later when they wake up at the lodge.
• If they purposefully protect the stag, it approaches
the party and blesses them, bestowing the benefits
of the aid spell, cast at 3rd level: each character’s
maximum hit points are raised by 10 for 8 hours,

28
 Chapter 8
Castle in the Clouds

Surprise at the Shrine around which several small towns are located.
Angharradh, goddess of spring, has a defaced
Encounter Level: 7 effigy. A character who touches it senses the smell of
Encounter Type: Social/Combat fresh flowers and remembers their happiest moment
Encounter Spots: A temple in life. Ask the player what it was.
The image of Chauntea, goddess of summer, lies
Encounter Overview: Messing with statues inside on its side, and appears to be the oldest of the four
a temple is never a good idea. statues. When touched, the character feels their
Background hands burn. The effect is the same as a 3rd level
burning hands spell.
In the village of Parnast, where Skyreach Castle is If the party decides to try each of the statues, after
currently located, a small temple to the elven gods of their third one, two cultist mages enter the temple
the season stands at the square. If the characters and ask what they’re doing. Fighting may erupt
disturb the four small statuettes inside, there are depending on the characters’ actions.
repercussions. They must deal with these and with
the angry attendants who catch them in the act. One Outcomes
of the figurines represents the Frostmaiden, so you Spending too much time in the temple may alter the
may want to emphasize this if you want to play events in the village, possibly affecting the amount of
Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden later, so that the time it takes for them to be discovered and for the
players can get a sense of interconnectedness. flying castle to depart.
The Encounter Rewards
Mielikki, goddess of autumn, has the only The statues are valuable to their devotees. If the
completely intact statue. If a character touches it, characters take them, they can sell them at an elven
they feel a sense of melancholy and remember community for 25 gp each. If they keep them, they
something they miss from their past. Ask the player may give them to the King of Elves in Rise of Tiamat
what it is. to gain his favor.
Auril, the Frostmaiden, is the goddess of winter
and her figurine has a dead squirrel lying by its feet.
Anyone touching her statue feels a burst of cold
coming from it. Apply the effects of the frostbite spell
as if cast by a 5th-level evoker. The character also
has a vision of a flurry of snow falling in a lake,

29
The Slave Captain Appendix A: Creatures
Encounter Level: 7
Encounter Type: Social/Combat Half-Black Dragon Veteran
Medium human, any alignment
Encounter Spots: A tavern
Encounter Overview: A slave captain enters the Armor Class 17 (splint mail)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
inn and tries to hire the party. Speed 30 �.

Background STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
The Golden Tankard is a focal point of this part of
the adventure. If the characters ask for a room, the Skills Athle�cs +5, Percep�on +2
innkeeper will tell them that all the rooms are Damage Resistances acid
reserved for Lord Marsten. In the original adventure Senses blindsight 10 �., darkvision 60 �., passive Percep�on
12
this is a lie, but we can change that. Lord Marsten is Languages Common, Draconic
a slave trader from the Silver Frontier and is here to Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
close the sale of a new shipment.

The Encounter ACTIONS

Mul�a�ack. The veteran makes two longsword a�acks. If it
Sometime after the party orders drinks at the inn, or has a shortsword drawn, it can also make a shortsword
when they are asking questions to the patrons, a�ack.
Marsten enters the room loudly, with his Longsword. Melee Weapon A�ack: +5 to hit, reach 5 �., one
companions. He is a half-black dragon veteran target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3)
and he is accompanied by two human veterans. He’s slashing damage if used with two hands.
being obnoxious at the inn and tries to hire the party Shortsword. Melee Weapon A�ack: +5 to hit, reach 5 �., one
for a raid; he wants to leave today for the Greypeak target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Mountains to hunt orcs. He offers the characters 100
gp each to help them. The party may ignore him or Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon A�ack: +3 to hit, range
100/400 �., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) piercing damage.
fight him.
Acid Breath (Recharge 5–6). The veteran exhales acid in a
Outcomes 15-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line
must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8)
If the characters start a fight here, any hope of acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
passing for cultists is lost and they draw the attention successful one.
of Captain Othelstan. Of course, going with Lord
Marsten means that they miss the castle when it
departs. The party is on the clock at this part of the
adventure and if this encounter takes very long, it
may derail their plans.

Rewards
If there’s a fight, normal XP for the battle.

30
 Get More Encounters!
Deeper Descent into Avernus Encounters in Saltmarsh

Encounters in Chult

Encounters in Candlekeep Encounters in Icewind Dale

31
 Stay Tuned for more!
Planned for the Second Half of 2021

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