DDAL-ELW08

THE KUNDARAK JOB

An Eberron Embers of the Last War Adventure

One of Sharn’s most influential figures is hiding something… inside a House

Kundarak vault. To acquire the answers they need, the characters must break into
one of Sharn’s most secure locations and get out alive.

A Three-to-Four-Hour Adventure for Tier 2 Characters. Optimized for APL 8.

Credits

D&D Adventurers League Guildmaster: Chris Lindsay Designer: Shawn Merwin D&D
Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Editing: James Introcaso, Ashley
Michaela "Navigator" Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett
Lawson D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Bill Benham, Layout and Graphic
Design: Rich Lescouflair Alan Patrick, Travis Woodall, Lysa Chen, Claire
Cartography: Travis Woodall Hoffman, Greg Marks
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Adventure Primer
“The problem isn’t that the vault is impenetrable. The problem is that mortal forms
are highly penetrable.”
—Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
The Kundarak Job is an adventure for three to seven 5th-to-10th-level characters,
optimized for five 8th-level characters.

Background
After MERRIX D’CANNITH built a secret CREATION FORGE in a laboratory beneath Sharn,
he gave the BLUEPRINTS to one of his assistants, AVIDONA DREFF, for safekeeping.
Avidona placed the documents in the most secure place she could imagine: the
KUNDARAK VAULTS of the CENTRAL PLATEAU QUARTER of SHARN.
In the previous adventures in this series, the characters have chased leads
throughout, above, and below Sharn. Now the only lead they have left points them to
one of the most heavily guarded structures in all of Khorvaire.

Episodes
The story begins with the characters being instructed by their contact within House
Medani, Antonia d'Medani, that the only remaining lead regarding Merrix d’Cannith
and his plans is apparently secured in a lockbox in the Kundarak Vaults, possibly
the most secure location in Sharn.
This adventure is spread over three episodes and takes approximately two to four
hours of play. The story begins

Bonus Objectives
This adventure includes two bonus objectives that the characters can pursue if they
have the time to do so—earning additional advancement checkpoints in the process.
These bonus objectives are found in this adventure’s appendices, as follows:
•
Bonus Objective A: Lucky Charm. Bonus Objective A involves the characters finding
Avidona Dreff and stealing from her a keycharm, a magical device that can help them
gain access to the lockbox. Details can be found in Appendix D.

•
Bonus Objective B: Blackmail and White Lies. Bonus Objective B involves the
characters helping out an old friend, Watchman Kavill, who is being blackmailed by
Clan Boromar. The evidence is being transferred to a less secure, but still highly
dangerous, section of the Kundarak Vaults. Details can be found in Appendix E.

Episode Sequence
Depending on your time constraints, play style, and play environment, this
adventure takes approximately two to four hours to play.
How Will You Play?
The duration of your session depends on how much of this adventure you utilize. At
the very least, your session will last approximately two hours. However, if you
wish, you can provide a longer experience for your players by pursuing the bonus
objectives.
Main Objective Only. To complete the adventure’s main objective, the characters
participate in episodes 1, 2, and 3 in order. However, you may include the
opportunity to This section provides a basic understanding of not only the flow of
the episodes, but also the outline of the different paths that your players may
take in reaching their stated objective.

“The hardest part about doing the impossible is figuring out which of the wildly
flawed solutions can’t possibly fail.”
—Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator

Estimated Duration: 15 minutes Location: Any

If the characters played and survived the previous adventure in the Embers of the
Last War series, Blades of Terror, they were the ones who learned that important
details regarding Merrix d’Cannith’s plans are being held in a lockbox in the
Kundarak Vaults of Sharn.
If they did not play that adventure, Antonia d’Medani supplies that information to
them when she hires them to infiltrate the Kundarak Vaults in Sharn’s Upper Central
Plateau.

The Meeting with Antonia

Antonia d’Medani is a half-elf in her mid-twenties. Her sardonic demeanor belies an
earnest desire to root out corruption—on her own terms. She keeps her dark hair
cropped in a curled bob, and wears deep red lipstick in an attempt to appear more
mature—but it does little to mask her youthful face.
Antonia is keen and witty and, despite her affinity for doing the right thing,
enjoys games of chance when the opportunity arises. She meets with the characters
in a secure and discreet location in Sharn. She relays to them the following
information:
•
The only viable lead concerning Merrix d’Cannith’s plans is the revelation that a
lockbox in the Kundarak Vaults supposedly contains something of importance to
Merrix.

•
House Medani has a spy working in the Kundarak Vaults. The spy, at great risk to
their cover, has learned that the lockbox was rented and accessed by one of
Merrix’s assistants, a half-elf named Avidona Dreff. She has not returned to the
lockbox since renting it and placing something inside.

•
The lockbox is on the fourteenth floor of the vaults, in the northwest tower, which
is considered a medium-security area. The lockbox is roughly the size of a standard
treasure chest: 3 feet wide, 2 feet long, and 2 feet deep. It is secured within the
wall and cannot be removed.

•
The Kundarak Vaults are probably the most secure series of buildings in Sharn. They
are maintained by House Kundarak, and breaking into the vaults is considered
impossible by even the most accomplished thieves.

•
Avidona carries a keycharm, a magical item that gives her unfettered access to her
lockbox within one of the Kundarak Vaults.

•
If you are running this adventure in two hours, Antonia has secured the keycharm
for the characters already. If you are running this adventure for more than two
hours,

the characters must obtain the keycharm in Bonus Objective A. The keycharm can help
bypass some of the security measures. Getting into the vaults themselves, however,
is still not easy.
• Antonia cannot provide the name or identity of the House Medani spy, but this
infiltrator might be able to step in to help if the characters run into minor
difficulties, but the spy will not blow their cover in order to pull the characters
out of more serious trouble.

Watchman Kavill’s Troubles

If you are running the full four hours of this adventure, Bonus Objective B should
be included as well. That extra content deals with the characters securing
blackmail material that Clan Boromar has gathered on Watchman Kavill.
This side quest assumes that the characters have played all of the Embers of the
Last War adventures, including Murder in Skyway, which introduces Watchman Kavill
and establishes his connection to the characters. If the characters did not play
that adventure, you can replace Watchman Kavill with any other NPC who might be a
close friend or associate of the adventurers.
Kavill’s Request
When the characters are done chatting with Antonia and move out into the city
streets and towers, they are approached by Kavill. He looks upset, and he relays
the following information:
•
Kavill’s brother, Orwin, is a troubled young man who has been involved in criminal
activity throughout Sharn.

•
Kavill has tried everything to get his brother out of trouble. At one point, Orwin
owed a significant amount of coin to a disreputable and dangerous loan shark called
Svorna the Hatchet, a known associate of Clan Boromar.

•
Kavill paid the debt to save his brother’s life, and now the Hatchet is using that
payment against Kavill, threatening to turn over documents and witness statements
about him offering money to the Hatchet and Clan Boromar for nefarious reasons.
Since the payment to Svorna that saved his brother’s life is technically illegal,
Kavill does not know what to do.

•
Kavill has learned that the witness statements and financial records Svorna
recorded on paper are about to be placed into the Kundarak Vaults. Once they go
into the vaults, Kavill fears he’ll never get them back. He’ll be forced to resign
because otherwise the threat of blackmail is too great and taints everything he
does as a member of the City Watch. Bonus Objective B highlights the different ways
in which

the characters might be able to deal with the situation. It can either be done
after the papers are deposited into the vaults, while the criminals are in the
vaults, or before the carriers of the documents enter the vaults.

Using Kavill
Watchman Kavill is, first and foremost, an honest, lawabiding citizen and an
officer of the law. Characters might be tempted to use Kavill’s position in the
City Watch to their advantage when planning their infiltration of the Kundarak
Vaults.

Kavill is willing to assist the characters in some ways, but he definitely does not
agree to break the law to help them. If the characters propose a limited
distraction using Kavill as a participant, for example, he might do so as long as
no one gets hurt in the process.
He would also participate in a ruse where it looks like he is arresting the
characters to keep them out of trouble, but he would not be a party to the
characters stealing the keycharm from Avidona. He would, however, assist in
arresting Sonorous and her crew for their criminal activities at Askew Visions. As
the characters’ plans unfold, be clear with them the limit of Kavill’s involvement.
If necessary, use guard stats for Kavill.
RUNNING A HEIST ADVENTURE
This adventure is, in part, a heist. Heists can be great fun to run and play, in
the vein of the great heist films and television shows of our time. Heists,
however, can be difficult to run as an adventure. Below are some tips for running a
heist adventure.
•
Be a fan of the characters. Heists assume that the individuals taking part in the
heist are competent and experienced and skilled at what they do. If you bring down
the full weight of the entire guard team on the characters after the first failed
ability check, the game will not go well for anyone. Hope that the characters
succeed, and throw just enough interference their way to make them think they might
not.

•
Allow planning without too much planning. Heists are successful because of research
and planning, but too much time spent planning can ruin the fun of an adventure.
Provide the characters with the information they could know or find out up front,
and then assume planning happened when the characters reach a point in the heist
where they need important information.

•
Heists work on the notion that all people and systems are somehow flawed, and those
flaws can be exploited. Allow for Wisdom (Insight) checks to learn people’s flaws
and how to exploit them, and allow Intelligence (Investigation) checks to learn a
system’s flaws or workarounds. This simulates research and planning done
beforehand, without wasting hours actually planning.

•
Allow tricks to solve minor problems, but not THE problem. One high-level spell
like teleport cannot allow the characters to just pop in, steal the goods, and then
leave. The Kundarak Vaults are resistant to that ploy, using anti-teleportation
magic to prevent rampant theft. One charm person spell on the right employee
wouldn’t give the characters the run of the vaults. Such magic might, however, get
the characters out of or past one particular sticky situation.

•
Try to give an “out” when possible. If the characters are having terrible luck with
their rolls, and everything is going wrong, use the story to provide a solution
that puts them back on solid ground. If the alarms all get tripped, bringing every
guard in the vaults down on the characters, an NPC who knows one of the characters
could step in at the last minute, saying that the characters were part of a
security test of the facility. The characters would owe this NPC a big favor, but
they could continue with their mission for the time being.

“Technically speaking, you can’t get out if you never get in.”
—Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
Estimated Duration: 45 minutes Location (District, Ward): Korranath, Upper Central
Prerequisites
Before accessing the Kundarak Vaults, the characters must possess the keycharm
formerly held by Avidona Dreff. This is either provided to them by Antonia
d’Medani, or they secured in from Avidona in Bonus Objective A.

Central Plateau City Watch

Regardless of the time of day, the characters find that Upper Central is not
crowded, but neither is it empty. This is the hub of monetary power in Sharn, and
it never sleeps, but neither is it in a hurry. The power and the wealth of Sharn
starts here, trickling down to the rest of the city at its own pace, if at all.

Creatures/NPCs
As the characters move toward the buildings that make up the complex of the
Kundarak Vaults, they are approached by a pair of elite City Watch guards (use
gladiator statistics), Jenari and Sureen. They’ve been ordered to patrol the area,
as there has been increased criminal activity here recently.

The pair take their jobs seriously, aggressively questioning people who don’t look
like they belong in the wealthiest section of Sharn. Chances are high that the
characters don’t look like they belong…
The pair of guards are backed up by Venetia (N female Brelish human enchanter)
(Appendix B). She blends in with the rest of the people moving about the area,
working hard not to be noticed. She only makes herself known if the characters
attack the guards, resist arrest, or in some other way cause a ruckus.
If the workers at the Kundarak Vaults are forced to call the City Watch, this is
the contingent that arrives within 3 minutes of the call to investigate.

Objective
The objective in this scene is quite simple: don’t attack the guards. Unless the
characters break the law right in front of the guards, the guards do not arrest
them. However, the guards might behave in a confrontational manner, attempting to
provoke the characters into doing something foolish. A successful DC 10
Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight) check lets a character realize
that as long as they keep their cool, they have nothing to fear.
Even if the characters do not break the law, acting in a suspicious manner does put
Venetia on the alert. She might begin to tail them, following them to the door of
the Kundarak Vaults, and waiting outside until they emerge, which might cause some
problems if the characters do anything illegal while they are outside the
buildings, or if they flee the building with House Kundarak guards on their tails.

Entering the Building

The main entrance to the Kundarak Vaults is set in a unique oval-shaped building. A
set of locked double doors are guarded by two dwarfs (veterans) who hold the
leashes of a pair of mechanical guard drakes (Appendix B).
The guards each possess keys to the building, but they do not open the door for
just anyone. A character in possession of an active keycharm can show that to gain
access to the building, but they would need to give a good reason for the rest of
the characters to be going in with them. A successful DC 10 Charisma (Deception or
Persuasion) check, along with a believable reason why all of the characters are
necessary, is enough to carry the ruse and get the characters into the reception
area.
Characters can use the excuse that they want to also rent a lockbox or vault from
the facility, but they need to show the guards a valuable object or a sizeable
amount of wealth (300 gp) to make that deception viable.
Objective
The objective of the characters is to get into the building without drawing
suspicion. On a failed first attempt, the characters must come up with a new plan
to get past the guards, such as coming in disguised as someone else, or entering in
a container of some sort. Other schemes are viable as well, of course.

Reception Area
The reception area to the Kundarak Vaults is an open room in an oval-shaped tower
at the center of a cluster of five tall towers. From this central building, clients
and staff take a set of mechanical circular stairs up to other floors, which are
connected to the other buildings by skyways. The higher the vaults, the more
stringent the security.

Objective
The objective of this scene is to gain access to the

fourteenth floor of the northwest tower of the Kundarak Vaults, where the lockbox
belonging to Merrix d’Cannith is located.

Creatures/NPCs
The reception area is on the ground floor of the central building. An officious
dwarf named Aggmar Oakbell (guard) works the reception desk when the characters
enter. Also in the room are a pair of House Kundarak dwarves named Grimmok and
Grustern d’Kundarak (LN male Mark of Warding dwarf veterans) who make sure no one
goes up the stairs without permission.
When the characters enter, an elf named Eyevahnae (commoner) is complaining to
Aggmar about the slowness of service, the exorbitant price of renting a box, the
lack of snacks while waiting for service, etc. It is apparent Aggmar is having
difficulty holding his tongue and not asking the guards to toss the elf out of the
building on her ear.

Bluffing
If the characters show Aggmar the keycharm, he checks his control panel and
recognizes the item as belonging to Avidona Dreff, who is an employee of House
Cannith in Sharn. The characters need a good excuse for why they have it instead of
her, and they must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check to get Aggmar to
believe their story.

The Control Panel and the Stairway

Aggmar works at a desk that contains a rune-covered control panel. The panel
controls access to different floors and vaults within the complex. The panel works
automatically for anyone bearing the Mark of Warding. Others attempting to use the
control panel must succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) or Dexterity (Sleight
of Hand) check.
If successfully manipulated, the control panel allows the user to permit access,
via the mechanical circular staircase, to a particular floor. The user assigns the
visitor a floor, and the visitor steps on the circular stairway. The stairway then
turns, wending upward until it reaches the assigned floor, then it stops.
If the visitor attempts to move up or down the stairway to another floor, the steps
retract, turning the stairway into a circular slide that deposits the visitors back
on the ground floor unless they succeed on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to
brace themselves against the slide or a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to
balance on a narrow ledge between the stairs and the floor they are on. These same
checks could allow a character to move up or down the retracted stairway to access
other floors.

Combat
If one of the characters has the Mark of Warding, the party could “take out” the
guards in the reception area and use the control panel themselves, giving
themselves access to the proper floor. As long as they act quickly, the soundproof
walls muffle any sounds of combat from the guards outside. Characters would then
have to make sure no one else came in, or they might pretend to be vault workers.
Failure to properly manage this results in a
Exploration

Having just one way up and down the vault towers would be foolish and inefficient.
A secret stairway hidden in the walls provides access to the entirety of the
complex for the vault workers. This secret passage, and others like it, can be
found with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Traps similar to
the one on the lockbox (see episode 3) would guard some of the passages, but the
vault workers would know the location and the

Social
Gaining access to the fourteenth floor might be as simple as pretending to be
interested in securing a lockbox. The characters would have to show something
valuable they wanted to protect, and show at least 300 gp to pay for it, but this
would get them access to the fourteenth floor, although a vault worker (see episode
3) would go with them to show them to their lockbox. A couple of Charisma checks
would be needed to pull off this ruse.

“The easiest way to avoid getting killed by a trap is to send the fighter into it
face-first.”
—Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
Estimated Duration: 60 minutes Location: Kundarak Vaults, Upper Central

Prerequisites
The characters must gain access to the fourteenth floor of the Kundarak Vaults by
successfully completing episode 2 to undertake this episode.

Objectives
The characters must get to the northwest tower, past any guards, then locate Merrix
d’Cannith's lockbox. From there, they have to bypass the extra traps and fight the
summoned creatures to gain access to the contents, which might be destroyed if the
trap is sprung.

The Central Tower

If the characters take the mechanical spiral staircase to the fourteenth floor,
they emerge into an oval area similar to the reception area.
Area Information
A control panel, similar to the one in the reception area (see episode 2), rests in
the center of this oval chamber. The control panel manipulates the wards on this
level, and opens or closes doors leading to the skyways and the towers here. Like
the other control panel, it can automatically be used by someone bearing the Mark
of Warding, or a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) or Dexterity (Sleight of
Hand) check also allows for its use.
Openings in the walls around the chamber lead to skyways leading to four towers
holding lockboxes and other receptacles for storage. The characters are looking for
the northwest tower.
Doors. The doors leading out of the central tower and into each of the four outer
towers can be opened with the control panel here. They can also be opened manually
with a copy of the key, which Serghum and the five guards each carry, or they can
be picked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check made with thieves’ tools. They
are metal and reinforced, meaning a DC 25 Strength check is needed to smash them,
and they have 100 hp with an AC of 15.

Creatures/NPCs
This level, as well as floors 13 and 15, is managed and guarded by Serghum
d’Kundarak, a bored and rebellious young dragonmarked dwarf (CN female Mark of
Warding dwarf commoner). She bristles at being forced to work in the vaults. She
oversees five Mark of Warding dwarf veterans who patrol the thirteenth, fourteenth,
and fifteenth floors of the vaults, responding to calls and only leaving these
three floors if an alarm is rung elsewhere.

Every trio of levels has a similar team of workers and guards. When a client is
cleared to use the circular stairway, the workers move to that level to meet them.
Serghum’s Story
Serghum wants out of her current life as a worker drone in House Kundarak. She
dreams of traveling the world, going on grand adventures, and experiencing
everything life has to offer. Instead, she’s been placed inside a virtual prison,
guarding other people’s valuables. She is not happy and would do practically
anything to escape this life.
If the characters arrive via normal means, she rudely, and with a bored tone, walks
them through the steps of unlocking the portals between here and the northwest
tower, and taking them to the lockboxes there.
If they arrive through less normal means (i.e. sneaking or fighting their way in),
she perks up and says something like, “Sweet! I knew this was going to be a great
day. What’s your story?” Serghum is a willing participant in any shenanigans the
characters hope to perpetrate, as long as they promise to take her with them when
they leave, giving her cover so she can ‘defect’ from House Kundarak.
THE GENERAL ALARM AND THE SPY
At any point, while the characters are in the Kundarak Vaults, there is a risk of
the workers sounding the general alarm. This is accomplished by buttons set into
the control panels on each floor. When the general alarm is sounded, the following
happens:
•
All doors are locked, and the mechanical spiral stairs stop working. All workers
know to use the secret doors and stairways on the outside of the towers.

•
The five guards (veterans) from the floors above and below where the alarm was
triggered converge on the floor between them.

•
The guards from outside the front doors are brought inside to the reception area,
and the front doors remain closed until the alarm is turned off.

•
A City Watch patrol (see episode 2) arrives within 3

minutes to guard the front doors from the outside. Characters can use appropriate
DC 15 ability checks to mess with alarm buttons, locks, etc.
The spy for House Medani is also inside the building. He is a halfling spy named
Emro Soresaddle. He knows the characters are in the building, and if the alarm goes
off, he moves to their location as quickly as possible to help. How much assistance
he provides, and the form it takes, is up to you.
The Northwest Tower
The 10-foot-high walls of the fourteenth floor of this tower all have lockboxes set
into them. Instead of numbers, each lockbox is decorated with different symbols.
The symbols for a particular lockbox match the ones etched into the lockbox’s
corresponding keycharm.
Lockboxes
The lockboxes that are in use are sealed with a standard lock and two arcane lock
spells. If a person has the correct keycharm for that lockbox, that person can
bypass both the arcane locks and open the normal lock with the keycharm. Otherwise,
a person must succeed at three separate DC 25 Dexterity checks made with thieves’
tools to open all the locks, or three separate DC 30 Strength checks to force the
lockbox door open.
Trap. The lockbox also hosts a glyph of warding spell, an explosive rune placed on
the lockbox by the House Kundarak security experts. A successful DC 14 Intelligence
(Investigation) check notices the rune. A creature using the keycharm does not
spring the trap when opening the lockbox. If someone sets off the glyph, it erupts
with magical energy in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the glyph. Each creature
in the area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 22 (5d8)
lightning damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage on a successful
one.
The Contents
When the characters open the lockbox, they see a variety of objects: a packet of
papers, ten silk pouches, three scroll cases, and a shortsword (see “Treasure &
Rewards”).
If the players pick up the packet of papers without first searching it for traps,
they trigger the extra traps placed on them by House Cannith.

The Additional Traps

Unfortunately for the characters, Merrix d’Cannith is an untrusting sort. He
trapped the packet within the lockbox with a second glyph of warding spell that
triggers an explosive rune. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check
notices the rune. When the topmost piece of parchment is disturbed without
dispelling the rune first, it erupts with magical fire in a 20-foot-radius sphere
centered on the glyph. Each creature in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw. A creature takes 22 (5d8) fire damage on a failed saving throw, or half as
much damage on a successful one.
In addition, the rune summons forth two air elementals, which immediately attack
anyone in the room that does not bear the Mark of Making.

Aftermath
When Merrix d’Cannith put the extra explosive rune and summoning symbol into the
lockbox, he broke his contract with House Kundarak. If the characters defeat the
summoned elementals—especially if they saved the life of a vault worker—any minor
laws they may have broken along the way are more likely to be forgiven.

Treasure & Rewards

The lockbox contains more treasure than just the blueprints of the creation forge.
Monetary Treasure. Each of the ten silk pouches contains tiny diamonds worth a
total of 50 gp.
Magic Items. Each of the three scroll cases contains a different scroll of
protection: beasts, fiends, and undead. The shortsword is a sword of vengeance,
possessed by a spirit of a House Cannith soldier who died in the Last War (Appendix
F).
Special Rewards. If the characters find and disable the second explosive rune (the
one on the packet), they can read the packet. They are the blueprints and plans for
a creation forge, along with a note mentioning possible locations for such a place
beneath Sharn.
If the characters did not find and disable the explosive rune, the packet is
destroyed by flames and cannot be salvaged. However, a burnt scrap that survives
the fire refers to Cannith South having a secret facility beneath Sharn.
ADJUSTING THIS ENCOUNTER
Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter, according to your group.
•
Very Weak: Replace one air elemental with two dust mephits. Reduce the damage of
the traps to 18 (4d8).

•
Weak or Strong: No change.

•
Very Strong: Add one air elemental. Increase the damage of the traps to 36 (8d8),
and the DCs of saving throws against the traps to 16.

Adventure Rewards

Upon completing the adventure, everybody receives rewards based upon their
accomplishments. These rewards include advancement and treasure checkpoints, magic
item unlocks; and may include new downtime activities and story awards, as follows:
Player Rewards
The characters earn the following player rewards for completing the adventure:
Advancement and Treasure Checkpoints
The characters receive one advancement checkpoint and one treasure checkpoint for
each objective that the characters complete, as follows:
•
Main Objective A. Get into the Kundarak Vaults successfully.

•
Main Objective B. Take possession of the documents from the lockbox.

•
Bonus Objective A. Get the keycharm from Avidona.

•
Bonus Objective B. Retrieve the blackmail documents from Svorna the Hatchet or her
lockbox.

Magic Item Unlock

Characters completing this adventure unlock the following magic item:
Shortsword of Vengeance. This item can be found in Appendix F.

Story Awards
During this adventure, the characters may earn the following story awards:
Workshop Blueprints. You found the blueprints for a laboratory. These blueprints
might help you discern what Merrix d’Cannith is plotting, and where he plans to
build this workshop.
Burnt Documents. Although the plans were burnt by a trap, you were able to recover
scraps of notes talking about a potential building site beneath Sharn.

DM Rewards
In exchange for running this adventure, you earn advancement and treasure
checkpoints as though you played the adventure, but none of the other player
rewards.
However, this adventure may qualify for rewards earned by completing DM Quests. See
the ALDMG (Adventurers League Dungeon Master’s Guide) for more information about DM
Quests.
LEVEL PROGRESSION IN EMBERS OF THE LAST WAR
Between Encounters in Sharn and the Embers of the Last War story arc, the
Adventurers League Eberron campaign has many play opportunities. If you plan to
play regularly and take in the entire Embers of the Last War story, strongly
encourage the players to use the Slow Progress option where they voluntarily halve
the rewards received for playing. If you plan to play only some of the adventures,
or not take part in the bonus objectives, the Normal Progression of rewards may be
more appropriate. Because the Embers of the Last War adventures are produced as a
serial, managing character level according to play style is important.

The following NPCs feature prominently in this adventure.

NPCs
• Antonia d’Medani. A clever-eyed half-elf in her midtwenties. Her sardonic
demeanor belies an earnest desire to root out corruption—on her own terms. She
frequently offers pro bono legal services to Sharn’s poorer residents, but all too
often finds herself wrapped up in larger schemes. She keeps her dark hair cropped
in a curled bob and wears deep red lipstick in an attempt to appear more mature—but
it does little to mask her youthful face. Antonia is keen and witty, and, despite
her affinity for doing the right thing, enjoys games of chance when the opportunity
arises. She’s earned the respect of the Callestan Clash, a ragtag gang who run a
back-alley gambling and street fighting ring (as seen in the Encounters in Sharn
supplement).
Personality: I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a big payoff,
and I encourage others to do the same.
Ideal: It is everyone’s responsibility to bring a little more
fairness to the city. Bond: I owe a large gambling debt to a certain backalley
gangster. There could be trouble for me if he calls it in.
Flaw: I worry that people don’t take me seriously because of my youth, so I’m
always trying to appear more mature and experienced than I really am.
• Watchman Kavill. Kavill is young, idealistic, and just starting to notice the
corruption and laziness in some of his superiors. He has been on the Watch less
than a year.
Personality: I put my best face forward and I’m friendly,
helpful, loyal, and motivated. Ideal: I can make life better and safer for the
people of Sharn.
Bond: I have let my brother down, and now I must save
him and my own reputation. Flaw: Sometimes I get caught by surprise when my
superiors don’t follow the same rules they set for others.
• Svorna the Hatchet. A leader of a ring of thugs, loan sharks, and smugglers, this
short and stocky half-orc maintains a good relationship with Clan Boromar. She
believes she and her group are above the law and indefatigable.
Personality: I have this life figured out, and I will always come out on top of any
situation.
Ideal: Power is the only goal. Bond: I take care of my crew so they will remain
loyal to me.
Flaw: I don’t always make the best choices, especially when I think I have the
upper hand. And I always think I have the upper hand,

• Avidona Dreff. A half-elf of slight build and red hair, she has served Merrix
well for many years, thanks to her obsessive nature and fanatical devotion to her
work and the finer details.
Personality: I am obsessive, and I focus fully on whatever I am thinking about at
the time. Lately that focus has been the kalashtar culture and a poet called
Sonorous.
Ideal: I want to be rid of the details of my previous existence and loose myself in
the strange and wonderful world that the kalashtar inhabit.
Bond: I am madly in love with Sonorous, and I would
do anything to be with her for the rest of my life. Flaw: When I am obsessed with
something, I might neglect some of the other details in my life.
• Sonorous. Sonorous is a tall, striking female kalashtar with a magnetic
personality and a taste for the finer things. Her blonde hair reaches almost to the
floor, and she moves with an ethereal grace.
Personality: I know how to say the right thing at the right time to get what I
want. Right now I am scamming people out of their coin, but soon I will be living a
life of leisure.
Ideal: People will give you anything you want if you tell
them what they want to hear. Bond: My only bond is to myself. I have people who I
can use to help me meet my desires, and I will remain loyal to them until they no
longer serve their purpose.
Flaw: Sometimes I can take the mystical kalashtar act too far, and I become a
parody of it.

• Aggmar Oakbell. Aggmar is a dour, angry dwarf who works the reception desk at the
Kundarak Vaults. His graying hair and beard frame a heavily wrinkled face. While he
is not as old as he looks, his attitude is one of an older and sourer person.
Personality: I just want to be left alone with a big mug of
ale and the latest works of the leading dwarven scholars. Ideal: Efficiency and
focus are of paramount importance. Less talk, more work.
Bond: House Kundarak has been a fine employer over the years. They allow me to
enjoy the little things in life, and my work, though aggravating at times because
of the clientele, sustains me.
Flaw: I have seen everything in my job, and sometimes that makes me numb to real
problems.
• Serghum d’Kundarak. Serghum d’Kundarak is a dragonmarked member of her house. She
hates her job, her house, and Sharn with a passion. She dresses in a manner that
her peers find inappropriate and acts in a manner that achieves the same effect.
Personality: I was born into this prison life, and if I don’t escape soon my soul
will be crushed.
Ideal: Freedom is more important than anything else. Bond: My only bond is to the
life of adventure waiting for me out there in the wider world.
Flaw: My imprisonment in this life of service to others has made me rude,
sarcastic, and unempathetic.
• Emro Soresaddle. Emro is a halfling employed by House Kundarak, but he is
actually a spy for House Medani. He is plain-looking, quiet, unassuming, and
retiring, all of which is an act. When not undercover, he is brash and witty.
Personality: I am just going about my business, fixing some of the mechanical
features of this building. I am really not noting who is entering the building and
where they go. Really.
Ideal: Doing good is, well, good. But I am more in it for
the challenge of seeing what I can get away with. Bond: House Medani helped me
escape a rough life in Sharn, and I will do everything I can to repay that debt.
Flaw: Sometimes the draw of a tough challenge outweighs my sense of whether or not
I could actually meet that challenge.

This appendix details new monsters that do not appear in the Monster Manual.

Bard
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 15 (chain shirt) Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8) Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3 Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +5, Performance +6
Senses passive Perception 15 Languages any two languages Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Spellcasting. The bard is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following
bard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, vicious mockery 1st level (4 slots): charm
person, healing word, heroism, sleep, thunderwave 2nd level (3 slots):
invisibility, shatter
Song of Rest. The bard can perform a song while taking a short rest. Any ally who
hears the song regains an extra 1d6 hit points if it spends any Hit Dice to regain
hit points at the end of that rest. The bard can confer this benefit on itself as
well.
Taunt (2/day). The bard can use a bonus action on its turn to target one creature
within 30 feet of it. If the target can hear the bard, the target must succeed on a
DC 12 Charisma saving throw or have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls,
and saving throws until the start of the bard’s next turn.

Actions
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 +
2) piercing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5
(1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

SONOROUS, KALASHTAR BARD

Sonorous is a poet who performs at the Askew Visions public house in the Overlook
district of Upper Dura. She is a Bard with the following adjustments:
•
Type: Medium humanoid (kalashtar), neutral evil

•
Skills: Persuasion +6

•
Damage Resistance: Psychic

•
Languages: Common, Quori

•
Innate Spellcasting. Sonorous's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save
DC 12). She can innately cast the following spell, requiring no material
components: 3/day: hypnotic pattern

•
Spellcasting. Sonorous may use her voice as a spellcasting focus for her bard
spells. Effects that prevent her from providing verbal components also counteract
this ability.

•
Dual Mind. When Sonorous makes a Wisdom saving throw, she can use her reaction to
gain advantage on the roll. She can use this trait immediately before or after she
rolls, but before any of the roll’s effects occur.

•
Mind Link. Sonorous can speak telepathically to any creature she can see within 60
feet of her. They don’t need to share a language for them to understand her
telepathic messages, but the creature must be able to understand at least one
language or be telepathic themselves. As a bonus action when Sonorous is speaking
telepathically to a creature, she can grant that creature the ability to speak
telepathically to her until the start of Sonorous’s next turn. To use this ability,
the creature must be within 60 feet of Sonorous and be able to see her.

•
Psychic Glamour. Sonorous has advantage on Persuasion ability checks.

•
Severed from Dreams. Sonorous is immune to magical spells and effects that require
her to dream, such as the dream spell, but not to spells and effects that put her
to sleep, like the sleep spell.

Enchanter
Medium humanoid (any), any alignment
Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) Hit Points 40 (9d8) Speed 30 ft.
STR 9 (-1) DEX 14 (+2) CON 11 (+0) INT 17 (+3) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 11 (+0)
Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4 Skills Arcana +6, History +6 Senses passive Perception
11 Languages any four languages Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Spellcasting. The enchanter is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is

Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The enchanter has
the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, mending, message 1st level (4 slots): charm
person,* mage armor, magic missile 2nd level (3 slots): hold person,* invisibility,
suggestion* 3rd level (3 slots): fireball, haste, tongues 4th level (3 slots):
dominate beast,* stoneskin 5th level (2 slots): hold monster
*enchantment spells of 1st level or higher
Actions
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6-
1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 – 1) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
Instinctive Charm (Recharges after the Enchanter Casts an Enchantment Spell of 1st
level or higher). The enchanter tries to magically divert an attack made against
it, provided that the attacker is within 30 feet of it and visible to it. The
enchanter must decide to do so before the attack hits or misses.
The attacker must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker
targets the creature closest to it, other than the enchanter or itself. If multiple
creatures are closest, the attacker chooses which one to target.
Half-Orc Red FangMedium humanoid (half-orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 9 (-1) 11 (+0) 9 (-1)
Skills Intimidation +1, Perception +2, Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Cunning Action. On each of their turns, the Red Fang can use a bonus action to take
the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Expert Hand. The Red Fang deals an extra 2 dice of damage when they hit a target
with a weapon attack (included in their attacks).
Evil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the Red Fang’s darkvision.
Slayer. In the first round of a combat, the Red Fang has advantage on attack rolls
against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn yet. If they hit a creature that
round who was surprised, the hit is automatically a critical hit.

Actions
Multiattack. The Red Fang makes two scimitar or dart attacks.
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d6 +
3) slashing damage.
Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d4 +
3) piercing damage.
Evil's Veil (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The Red Fang casts darkness
without any components. Wisdom is their spellcasting ability.

Half-Orc Flesh Gnawer

Medium humanoid (half-orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 14 (studded leather) Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4) Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 8 (-1) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
Saving Throws Dex +4 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages
Common, Goblin Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Rampage. When the Flesh Gnawer reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee
attack on their turn, they can take a bonus action to move up to half their speed
and make a bite attack.
Actions
Multiattack. The Flesh Gnawer makes three attacks: one with their bite and two with
their shortsword.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2)
piercing damage.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 +
2) piercing damage.
Sudden Rush. Until the end of the turn, the Flesh Gnawer’s speed increases by 60
feet and they don’t provoke opportunity attacks.

Master Thief
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 16 (studded leather) Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26) Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1)
Saving Throws Dex +7 Int +3 Skills Acrobatics +7, Athletics +3, Perception +3,
Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7 Senses passive Perception 13 Languages any one
language (usually Common) plus thieves’ cant Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can use a bonus action to take the
Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Evasion. If the thief is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity
saving throw to take only half damage, the thief instead takes no damage if it
succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The thief deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a
target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the
target is within 5 feet of an ally of the thief that isn’t incapacitated and the
thief doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. The thief makes three attacks with its shortsword.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 +
4) piercing damage
Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit:
8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.

Reactions
Uncanny Dodge. The thief halves the damage that it takes from an attack that hits
it. The thief must be able to see the attacker.

Mechanical Guard Drake

Medium construct, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 52 (7d8 + 21) Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 4 (–3) 10 (+0) 7 (–2)
Skills Perception +2 Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic Condition Immunities
Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages
understands Common but can’t speak it Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. The drake makes two attacks, one with its bite and one with its tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3)
piercing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3)
bludgeoning damage.

Svorna the Hatchet

Medium humanoid (half-orc), chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (chain mail, shield) Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24) Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Wis +3 Skills Insight +3, Intimidation +4, Perception +3 Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Common, Goblin Challenge 4
(1,100 XP)
Aggressive. As a bonus action, Svorna can move up to her speed toward a hostile
creature that she can see.
Foe Smiter. Svorna deals an extra die of damage when she hits with a hatchet attack
(included in the attack).
Actions
Multiattack. Svorna makes two melee attacks with her hatchet or two ranged attacks
with her javelins. If Hatchet’s Command is available to use, Svorna can use it
after these attacks.
Hatchet. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3)
slashing damage, or 14 (2d10 + 3) slashing damage when used with two hands.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Hatchet's Command (Recharge 4–6). Up to three allied orcs or half-orcs within 120
feet of Svorna that can hear her can use their reactions to each make one weapon
attack.

“The first rule of not losing a valued possession is don’t keep it on you. The
second rule? Never let it out of your sight.”
—Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
Estimated Duration: 60 minutes Location (District, Ward): Overlook, Upper Dura

Prerequisites
After Episode 1, the characters must obtain the keycharm to Merrix d’Cannith’s
lockbox from Avidona Dreff.

Objectives
Antonia d’Medani tells them about the half-elf Avidona Dreff. When the assistant to
Merrix d’Cannith is not locked away working on House Cannith business, she is most
often found in an odd public house called Askew Visions in the Overlook district of
Upper Dura. The house serves exotic food and drink, and perhaps stronger stuff, and
it hosts frequent entertainment, mostly in the form of the works of poets and
dramatists.
Antonia reminds the characters, before they head off to look for Avidona and her
keycharm, that it is vitally important the characters act discreetly. If harm
befalls the half-elf, or if she realizes that the keycharm has been taken from her,
House Cannith and Merrix may redouble their security, or even change the
arrangements with House Kundarak, which would be disastrous.

Askew Visions
This public house is very much as described by Antonia: it does offer food, drink,
and entertainment, but it has a secret. Overlook is a kalashtar ghetto in Sharn,
acting as a place of comfort for exiles and expatriates from Sarlona. The owner of
Askew Visions has recently employed a kalashtar poet calling herself Sonorous to
entertain the clientele.
Area Information
Askew Visions is not a large establishment. The bar at the back of the building
doubles as the stage for a performance. The dining area is turned into a listening
area when performances take place. A kitchen in the back makes authentic Sarlonan
meals and delicacies, or as close an approximation as can be found in Sharn.
An area on the level above the public house holds living quarters used by the
kalashtar owner Malisasha and her human husband Viko, as well as Sonorus and her
two ‘assistants.’

Creatures/NPCs
Sonorous is a kalashtar bard (refer to the sidebar in Appendix B) who is in league
with a pair of master thieves (Appendix B). The two humans, named Eldriz and
Carnuk, wait for Sonorous to cast her spell over the crowd (literally and
figuratively), and then they steal select valuables from those incapacitated or
charmed by her. They never take enough to make the theft obvious. The patrons might
notice a missing earring or a few missing coins, but not think more of it.
Avidona’s Story
Avidona attended one of Sonorous’s first poetry performances a month ago, and she
is completely in love with the kalashtar poet. Whenever she can get away from work
and other responsibilities, she attempts to spend time with Sonorous. The kalashtar
harbors no such amorous feelings toward Avidona, but she is aware that having
control over the heart of an employee of House Cannith might be valuable in the
future. With such motives in mind, she flirts and spends time with Avidona to
maintain the illusion of friendship—and possibly more.

The keycharm is piece of cloudy quartz about three inches long, fashioned as a
pendant similar to a holy symbol of the Path of Light and worn on a necklace around
Avidona’s neck. Checks to remove it from her neck without her noticing are made
with disadvantage. However, Avidona frequently removes the keycharm and uses it as
a ‘worry stone’, rubbing it between her fingers to soothe herself. When this is
happening, it is much easier to steal. And of course, while she is listening to one
of Sonorous’s performances, she falls victim to the incapacitating magic, so it
could be removed unnoticed by her then.
If the characters want to swap it out, they can find several similar pieces of
jewelry for sale in the Overlook district for just a few silver pieces.

Complication
The leadership of House Cannith in Sharn is suspicious about Avidona’s frequent
absences at night, leaving her distracted and bleary-eyed during the day. They
recently hired a human assassin named Kindra to follow Avidona and make sure she
was not getting into trouble. Kindra is aware that Avidona frequents Askew Visions,
but does not know what goes on inside. Kindra does not get involved unless she
witnesses Avidona being attacked or getting any of her possessions stolen.
The characters might get the opportunity to gain monetary or magical treasure from
several of the NPCs in this encounter, depending on how they go about completing
their goals. In addition, they may be given treasure by the NPCs for assistance if
they take that route.
Monetary Treasure. Avidona carries 20 gp, in addition to the keycharm. Sonorous
wears a gold necklace worth 10 gp, and each of her crewmates carries 10 gp.
Magic Items. Eldriz and Carnuk each carry a potion of greater healing.
ADJUSTING THIS ENCOUNTER
Here are some suggestions for adjusting this
encounter, according to your group. These are not
cumulative.
•
Very Weak: Replace master thieves with bandit captains. Reduce the assassin’s hit
points to 58.

•
Weak or Strong: No change.

•
Very Strong: Increase the master thieves’ hit points to 104. Give the assassin a
potion of invisibility to use before she attacks.

Combat
While the characters would be wise to avoid direct attacks on Avidona to allay
suspicions of House Cannith, attacking Sonorous and her two helpers could help them
gain access to the keycharm, either under the pretext of defending the innocent
from their ploy, or after they themselves steal the keycharm from Avidona during a
Exploration

If Sonorous and her crew steal the keycharm themselves, they might lead the
characters on a merry chase through Upper Dura in an attempt to escape. If the
characters retrieve the keycharm from Sonorous, it gives them a chance to find a
replica, switch it out for the real one, and return it to Avidona so she is none
the wiser that the real keycharm is no

Social
After assessing the situation at Askew Visions, the characters may figure out the
scam taking place there every night. They might use this knowledge to open
Avidona’s eyes to the treachery of the poet, or they might join forces with
Sonorous’s crew to fleece the crowd in exchange for Sonorous using her relationship
with Avidona to secure
“There’s only one thing worse than having an honest, lawabiding officer of the law
as a sworn enemy: having one as a close friend.”
—Emro Soresaddle, halfling infiltrator
Estimated Duration: 45 minutes Location: Kundarak Vaults, Upper Central

Prerequisites
This bonus episode can take place any time after the characters talk to Watchman
Kavill and before the end of the adventure. The characters only need to hear about
his plight and the details of what they must accomplish to assist him.

Objectives
Operatives of Clan Boromar have obtained documents that make it appear Watchman
Kavill is beholden to them because he repaid a debt owed to one of their associates
by Kavill’s brother.
Kavill has learned Clan Boromar plans to deposit
creditor into the Kundarak Vaults for safekeeping. He hopes that the characters can
take possession of those documents before they get deposited.

When to Act?
So when do the characters make their move against Clan Boromar? As the criminals
move through Upper Central toward the Kundarak Vaults? While they are in the vaults
but before the documents are secured? Or will they try to steal them after they are
locked away?
That is answered best by you and your players! Where does it fit best into the
story that you are telling?
If you want them to handle the problem before the criminals get into the vaults,
Kavill might supply them with a description of the team that is delivering the
package, allowing them to set up an ambush in a place that is outside the prying
eyes of the City Watch.
If you want the attack to take place outside of the entrance to the vaults, Kavill
might suggest using cunning to trick the criminals into attacking the party, where
the documents can be stolen in the fray.
If you want the attack to take place inside the vaults, have the criminals be
waiting in the reception area as the characters enter. There is also great comic
potential if the characters fight the criminals while the guards try to keep the
peace and Eyevahnae the elf complains about the service.

If you want to have this bonus objective be an additional heist within the Kundarak
Vaults, Kavill might have learned the location of the vault where the documents
were secured. It is held in a cheaper and less secure part of the Kundarak Vaults,
but it relies more on mechanical guard drakes (Appendix B) than traps and magic.
Attacking in the City
The documents are being taken to the vaults by Svorna the Hatchet (Appendix B)
herself. She is accompanied by four half-orc flesh gnawers and a half-orc red fang
(also found in Appendix B).
The group is overconfident in their fighting abilities, they have no respect for
the law, and they are easily distracted. All of these factors can be used by the
characters to set up an ambush or use the increased City Watch presence to assist
them in obtaining the documents.

Attacking Outside the Vaults

If the characters wait to attack until Svorna and her crew get to the tower, they
face the same opponents.

Again, if they can trick the half-orcs into attacking first, they might be able to
get assistance from the Kundarak guards or the City Watch. In that case, it is just
a matter of somehow obtaining the documents Svorna carries without getting caught.

Attacking in the Vaults

If the characters wait to attack until Svorna and her crew are inside the vaults,
they could actually use the distraction to help them in their plans to access
Merrix’s blueprints.

Stealing from the Vaults

If the characters wait until Svorna has deposited the documents into a vault, they
must now access the 4th floor of the facility as well. This is in the southwest
tower, and the floor is patrolled by a single guard and his band of five mechanical
guard drakes. The lockbox holding the papers can be picked with a successful DC 15
Dexterity check made with thieves’ tools.
The lockbox is protected by a poison gas trap that can be located with a successful
DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check and disarmed with a DC 15 Dexterity
(Sleight of Hand) check. If the trap is sprung, all creatures in the room must
succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 21
(6d6) poison damage and falls unconscious for 1 minute. An unconscious creature can
attempt a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of their turns to
regain consciousness. The trap also alerts the guard on this floor, who arrives
with his mechanical guard drakes in 5 rounds.

Treasure & Rewards

The characters might get the opportunity to gain monetary or magical treasure from
several of the NPCs in this encounter, depending on how they go about completing
their goals. In addition, they may be given treasure by the NPCs for assistance if
they take that route.
Monetary Treasure. In addition to the papers, Svorna the Hatchet carries coins and
gems worth 75 gp.
ADJUSTING THIS ENCOUNTER
Here are some suggestions for adjusting this encounter, according to your group.
These are not cumulative.
•
Very Weak: Remove the half-orc red fang. Reduce the trap’s damage to 14 (4d6).

•
Weak or Strong: No change.

•
Very Strong: Add a half-orc red fang. Increase the trap’s damage to 28 (8d6).

Combat
This episode might already be combatheavy, but you could add more, seeing the
characters engage in a full-on assault against not just Svorna and her bodyguards,
but also a significant portion of her extended criminal crew. This should include
at least two hard combat
Exploration

Rather than encountering Svorna the Hatchet and her crew out in the city, the
characters could instead attempt to break into her office and steal the papers.
This could be a low-security break-in, contrasting the high security of the
Kundarak Vaults.

Social
Rather than taking a hostile route in dealing with Svorna the Hatchet, the
characters might try to reason with her, offering their services or something of
value. Svorna could ask them to remove a key witness in a criminal case against her
in return for the blackmail papers.

Characters completing this adventure’s second main objective unlock this magic
item.

Shortsword of Vengeance
Weapon, uncommon (requires attunement) Tier 1-4, 16 treasure checkpoints, found on
Magic Item Table F
You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic weapon. The
sword whispers warnings to its bearer, granting a +2 bonus to initiative if the
bearer isn’t incapacitated.
Curse. This sword is cursed and possessed by the vengeful spirit of a House Cannith
soldier. Becoming attuned to it extends the curse to you. As long as you remain
cursed, you are unwilling to part with the sword, keeping it on your person at all
times. While attuned to this weapon, you have disadvantage on attack rolls made
with weapons other than this one.
In addition, while the sword is on your person, you must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom
saving throw whenever you take damage in combat. On a failed save, you must attack
the creature that damaged you until you drop to 0 hit points or it does, or until
you can’t reach the creature to make a melee attack against it.
You can break the curse in the usual ways. Alternatively, casting banishment on the
sword forces the vengeful spirit to leave it. The sword then becomes a +1 weapon
with no other properties.
This adventure is designed for three to seven 5th-10th level characters and is
optimized for five characters with an average party level (APL) of 8. Characters
outside this level range cannot participate in this adventure.
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To DM an adventure, you must have 3 to 7 players— each with their own character
whose level is within the adventure’s level range. Characters playing in a
hardcover adventure may continue to play too but if they play a different hardcover
adventure, they can’t return to the first one if they’re outside its level range.

Preparing the Adventure

Before you start play, consider the following:
•
Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything you’d like to highlight or
remind yourself of while running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to portray
an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a combat. Familiar 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.)

Players can play an adventure they previously played as a Player or Dungeon Master
but may only play it once with a given character. Ensure each player has their
character’s adventure logsheet (if not, get one from the organizer). The players
fill out the adventure name, session number, date, and your name and DCI number. In
addition, the player also fills in the starting values for advancement and treasure
checkpoints, downtime days, and renown. These values are updated at the end of the
session.

Each player is responsible for maintaining an accurate logsheet. If you have time,
you can do a quick scan of a player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing looks
out of order. If you see magic items of very high rarities or strange arrays of
ability scores, you can ask players to provide documentation for the
irregularities. If they cannot, feel free to restrict item use or ask them to use a
standard ability score array.
Point players to the D&D Adventurers League Players Guide for reference. If players
wish to spend downtime days and it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode, they
can declare their activity and spend the days now, or they can do so at the end of
the adventure or episode. Players should select their characters’ spells and other
daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless the adventure specifies
otherwise. Feel free to reread the adventure description to help give players hints
about what they might face.

Adjusting This Adventure

When combat is a possibility, the adventure will provide a sidebar that helps you
to determine the best mix/ number of opponents to provide them with to create an
appropriate challenge. While you’re not bound to these adjustments; they’re here
for your convenience and consideration.
To determine whether you should consider adjusting the adventure, add up the total
levels of all the characters and divide the result by the number of characters
(rounding .5 or greater up; .4 or less down). This is the group’s average party
level (APL). To approximate the party strength for the adventure, consult the table
below.
Determining Party Strength
Party Composition Party Party Strength
3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak
3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak
3-4 characters, APL greater than Average
5 characters, APL less than Weak
5 characters, APL equivalent Average
5 characters, APL greater than Strong
6-7 characters, APL less than Average
6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong