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  Outlaws of the Iron Route 
  The Iron Route, an important trade road east of Phlan, is beset by competing bandits. An exiled Black Fist officer leads his 
  band of mercenaries turned cloaked ruffians, while a mysterious dragonborn sorcerer commands screaming savages from 
  the north. In this war over the trade route, the beleaguered merchants are the victims, and Phlan suffers from a lack of 
  supplies. It’s up to adventurers to strike out and reopen this vital route. An adventure for 1st-4th level characters. 
  Adventure Code: DDEX1-9 
  Credits 
  Adventure Design: Will Doyle 
  Development and Editing: Jennifer Clarke-Wilkes, Claire Hoffman, Chris Tulach, Travis Woodall 
  D&D Organized Play: Chris Tulach 
  D&D R&D Player Experience: Greg Bilsland 
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Greg Bilsland, Chris Lindsay, Shelly Mazzanoble, Chris Tulach 
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Robert Adducci, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, Alan Patrick 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Debut: November 7, 2014 
  Release: December 1, 2014 
   
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  their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are 
  property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or 
  unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
  ©2014 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 
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  Outlaws of the Iron Route 
   
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  2 
   
  Introduction 
  Welcome to Outlaws of the Iron Route, a D&D 
  ExpeditionsTM adventure, part of the official D&D 
  Adventurers LeagueTM organized play system and the 
  Tyranny of DragonsTM storyline season.  
   This adventure is designed for three to seven 1st-4th 
  level characters, and is optimized for five 2nd level 
  characters. Characters outside this level range cannot 
  participate in this adventure. Players with ineligble 
  characters can create a new 1st-level character or use a 
  pregenerated character. 
   The adventure is set in the Moonsea region of the 
  Forgotten Realms, in the town of Phlan and west along 
  the Iron Route, a major trade route through the area. 
    
  The D&D Adventurers 
  League 
  This adventure is official for D&D Adventurers League 
  play. The D&D Adventurers League is the official 
  organized play system for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®. 
  Players can create characters and participate in any 
  adventure allowed as a part of the D&D Adventurers 
  League. As they adventure, players track their characters’ 
  experience, treasure, and other rewards, and can take 
  those characters through other adventures that will 
  continue their story. 
   D&D Adventurers League play is broken up into 
  storyline seasons. When players create characters, they 
  attach those characters to a storyline season, which 
  determines what rules they’re allowed to use to create 
  and advance their characters. Players can continue to 
  play their characters after the storyline season has 
  finished, possibly participating in a second or third 
  storyline with those same characters. A character’s level 
  is the only limitation for adventure play. A player cannot 
  use a character of a level higher or lower than the level 
  range of a D&D Adventurers League adventure. 
   If you’re running this adventure as a part of a store 
  event or at certain conventions, you’ll need a DCI number. 
  This number is your official Wizards of the Coast 
  organized play identifier. If you don’t have a number, you 
  can obtain one at a store event. Check with your organizer 
  for details.  
   For more information on playing, running games as a 
  Dungeon Master, and organizing games for the D&D 
  Adventurers League, please visit the D&D Adventurers 
  League home. 
  Preparing the Adventure 
  Before you show up to Dungeon Master this adventure for 
  a group of players, you should do the following to prepare. 
   
  • 
  Make sure to have a copy of the most current version 
  of the D&D basic rules or the Player’s HandbookTM.   
  • 
  Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything 
  you’d like to highlight or remind yourself while 
  running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to 
  portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a 
  combat. 
  • 
  Get familiar with the monster statistics in the 
  Appendix. 
  • 
  Gather together any resources you’d like to use to aid 
  you in Dungeon Mastering, such as notecards, a DM 
  screen, miniatures, battlemaps, etc.  
  • 
  If you know the composition of the group beforehand, 
  you can make adjustments as noted throughout the 
  adventure.  
  Before Play at the Table 
  Ask the players to provide you with relevant character 
  information. This includes:  
   
  • 
  Character name and level 
  • 
  Character race and class 
  • 
  Passive Wisdom (Perception)—the most common 
  passive ability check 
  • 
  Anything notable as specified by the adventure (such 
  as backgrounds, traits, flaws, and so on) 
   
  Players that have characters outside the adventure’s level 
  range cannot participate in the adventure with those 
  characters. Players with ineligible characters can make a 
  new 1st-level character or use a pregenerated character. 
  Players can play an adventure they previously played or 
  ran as a Dungeon Master, but not with the same 
  character (if applicable). 
   Ensure that each player has an official adventure 
  logsheet for his or her character (if not, get one from the 
  organizer). The player will fill out the adventure name, 
  session number, date, and your name and DCI number. In 
  addition, the player also fills in the starting values for XP, 
  gold, downtime, renown, and number of permanent magic 
  items. He or she will fill in the other values and write 
  notes at the conclusion of the session. Each player is 
  responsible for maintaining an accurate logsheet.  
   If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a player’s 
  character sheet to ensure that nothing looks out of order. 
  
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  3 
   
  If you see magic items of very high rarities or strange 
  arrays of ability scores, you can ask players to provide 
  documentation for the irregularities. If they cannot, feel 
  free to restrict item use or ask them to use a standard 
  ability score array. Point players to the D&D Adventurers 
  League Player’s Guide for reference. 
   If players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the 
  beginning of an adventure or episode, they can declare 
  their activity and spend the days now, or they can do so at 
  the end of the adventure or episode.  
   Players should select their characters’ spells and other 
  daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless the 
  adventure specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the 
  adventure description to help give players hints about 
  what they might face. 
  Adjusting the Adventure 
  Throughout this adventure, you may see sidebars to help 
  you make adjustments to this adventure for smaller/larger 
  groups and characters, of higher/lower levels that the 
  optimized group size. Most of the time, this is used for 
  combat encounters.  
   You may adjust the adventure beyond the guidelines 
  given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For example, 
  if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced players, 
  you might want to make the adventure a little easier; for 
  very experienced players, you might want to make it a 
  little harder. Therefore, five categories of party strength 
  have been created for you to use as a guide. Use these as 
  a guide, and feel free to use a different adjustment during 
  the adventure if the recommended party strength feels off 
  for the group. 
   This adventure is optimized for a party of five 2nd-
  level characters. To figure out whether you need to 
  adjust the adventure, do the following: 
   
  • 
  Add up the total levels of all the characters 
  • 
  Divide the total by the number of characters 
  • 
  Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round frations of 
  less than .5 down 
   
  You’ve now determined the average party level (APL) for 
  the adventure. To figure out the party strength for the 
  adventure, consult the following table. 
   
   
   
   
  Determining Party Strength 
  Party Composition  
   
  Party Strength 
  3-4 characters, APL 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 
   
  Average party strength indicates no recommended 
  adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or may 
  not offer suggestions for certain party strengths. If a 
  particular recommendation is not offered for your group, 
  you don’t have to make adjustments.  
  Dungeon Mastering the 
  Adventure 
  As the DM of the session, you have the most important 
  role in facilitating the enjoyment of the game for the 
  players. You help guide the narrative and bring the words 
  on these pages to life. The outcome of a fun game session 
  often creates stories that live well beyond the play at the 
  table. Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a 
  group: 
   
  Make decisions and adjudications that enhance the fun of 
  the adventure when possible. 
   
  To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the following: 
   
  • 
  You are empowered to make adjustments to the 
  adventure and make decisions about how the group 
  interacts with the world of this adventure. This is 
  especially important and applicable outside of 
  combat, but feel free to adjust the adventure for 
  groups that are having too easy or too hard of a time. 
  • 
  Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for 
  a group. Never being challenged makes for a boring 
  game, and being overwhelmed makes for a 
  frustrating game. Gauge the experience of the 
  players (not the characters) with the game, try to feel 
  out (or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to 
  give each of them the experience they’re after when 
  they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.  
  • 
  Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session 
  moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling, since 
  
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  4 
   
  play loses momentum when this happens. At the 
  same time, make sure that the players don’t finish 
  too early; provide them with a full play experience. 
  Try to be aware of running long or short. Adjust the 
  pacing accordingly. 
  • 
  Read-aloud text is just a suggestion; feel free to 
  modify the text as you see fit, especially when 
  dialogue is present.  
  • 
  Give the players appropriate hints so they can make 
  informed choices about how to proceed. Players 
  should be given clues and hints when appropriate so 
  they can tackle puzzles, combat, and interactions 
  without getting frustrated over lack of information. 
  This helps to encourage immersion in the adventure 
  and gives players “little victories” for figuring out 
  good choices from clues. 
   
  In short, being the DM isn’t about following the 
  adventure’s text word-for-word; it’s about facilitating a 
  fun, challenging game environment for the players. The 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide TM has more information on the 
  art of running a D&D game. 
  Downtime and Lifestyle 
  At the beginning of each play session, players must 
  declare whether or not they are spending any days of 
  downtime. The player records the downtime spent on the 
  adventure logsheet. The following options are available to 
  players during downtime (see the D&D basic rules or the 
  D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide for more 
  information): 
   
  • 
  Catching up  
  • 
  Crafting (exception: multiple characters cannot 
  commit to crafting a single item) 
  • 
  Practicing a profession 
  • 
  Recuperating 
  • 
  Spellcasting services (end of the adventure only) 
  • 
  Training 
   
  Other downtime options might be available during 
  adventures or unlocked through play, including faction-
  specific activities. 
   In addition, whenever a character spends downtime 
  days, that character also spends the requisite expense for 
  his or her lifestyle. Costs are per day, so a character that 
  spends ten days of downtime also spends ten days of 
  expenses maintaining his or her lifestyle. Some downtime 
  activities help with lifestyle expenses or add lifestyle 
  expenses. 
  Spellcasting Services 
  Any settlement the size of a town or larger can provide 
  some spellcasting services. characters need to be able to 
  travel to the settlement to obtain these services. 
  Alternatively, if the party finishes an adventure, they can 
  be assumed to return to the settlement closest to the 
  adventure location.  
   Spell services generally available include healing and 
  recovery spells, as well as information-gathering spells. 
  Other spell services might be available as specified in the 
  adventure. The number of spells available to be cast as a 
  service is limited to a maximum of three per day total, 
  unless otherwise noted.  
  Spellcasting Services 
  Spell 
   
   
   
  Cost 
   
  Cure wounds (1st level) 
   
  10 gp 
   
  Identify 
   
   
   
  20 gp 
  Lesser restoration 
   
   
  40 gp 
   
  Prayer of healing (2nd level) 
   
  40 gp 
   
  Remove curse 
   
   
  90 gp 
   
  Speak with dead 
   
   
  90 gp 
  Divination  
   
   
  210 gp 
  Greater restoration  
   
  450 gp 
   
  Raise dead  
   
   
  1,250 gp  
  Acolyte Background 
  A character possessing the acolyte background requesting 
  spellcasting services at a temple of his or her faith may request 
  one spell per day from the Spellcasting Services table for free. 
  The only cost paid for the spell is the base price for the 
  consumed material component, if any.  
  Character Disease,  
  Death, and Recovery 
  Sometimes bad things happen, and characters get 
  poisoned, diseased, or die. Since you might not have the 
  same characters return from session to session, here are 
  the rules when bad things happen to characters. 
  Disease, Poison, and Other Debilitating 
  Effects 
  A character still affected by diseases, poisons, and other 
  similar effects at the conclusion of an adventure can 
  spend downtime days recuperating until such time as he 
  or she resolves the effect to its conclusion (see the 
  recuperating activity in the D&D basic rules). If a 
  character doesn’t resolve the effect between sessions, that 
  character begins the next session still affected by the 
  debilitating effect.  
  
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  Death 
  A character who dies during the course of the adventure 
  has a few options at the end of the session (or whenever 
  arriving back in civilization) if no one in the adventuring 
  party has immediate access to a raise dead or revivify 
  spell, or similar magic. A character subject to a raise dead 
  spell is affected negatively until all long rests have been 
  completed during an adventure. Alternatively, each 
  downtime day spent after raise dead reduces the penalty 
  to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks by 1, in 
  addition to any other benefits the downtime activity might 
  provide. 
   Create a New 1st-Level Character. If the dead 
  character is unwilling or unable to exercise any of the 
  other options, the player creates a new character. The 
  new character does not have any items or rewards 
  possessed by the dead character. 
   Dead Character Pays for Raise Dead. If the 
  character’s body is recoverable (it’s not missing any vital 
  organs and is mostly whole) and the player would like the 
  character to be returned to life, the party can take the 
  body back to civilization and use the dead character’s 
  funds to pay for a raise dead spell. A raise dead spell cast 
  in this manner costs the character 1,250 gp.  
   Character’s Party Pays for Raise Dead. As above, 
  except that some or all of the 1,250 gp for the raise dead 
  spell is paid for by the party at the end of the session. 
  Other characters are under no obligation to spend their 
  funds to bring back a dead party member. 
   Faction Charity. If the character is of level 1 to 4 and a 
  member of a faction, the dead character’s body can be 
  returned to civilization and a patron from the faction 
  ensures that he or she receives a raise dead spell. 
  However, any character invoking this charity forfeits all 
  XP and rewards from that session (even those earned 
  prior to death during that session), and cannot replay that 
  episode or adventure with that character again. Once a 
  character reaches 5th level, this option is no longer 
  available.  
  Adventure Background 
  Knight Sahnd Krulek was a low-ranking officer in the 
  Black Fists, the order charged with maintaining law and 
  order in Phlan. After arresting a rather influential local 
  noble, he was framed and subsequently sentenced to 
  death for reportedly plotting to assassinate Lord Regent 
  Ector Brahms. Knowing Krulek to be innocent, a group of 
  other Knights of the Black Fist helped him escape from 
  Stojanow Gate and spirited him away across the Grass 
  Sea. 
   To strike back against the nobles of Phlan, the 
  renegade knights began robbing caravans bound for the 
  city. At first, the so-called “Gray Patriots” earned a 
  reputation for criminal decency; they stole only from 
  merchants in the employ of the nobles of Phlan, and 
  never killed unnecessarily. However, as Krulek’s plot to 
  punish the nobles gathered momentum, he and his fellow 
  outcast knights became ever more barbaric. Over time, 
  they became little more than the bandits and criminals 
  they once swore to pursue. 
   Later, a dragonborn sorcerer named Jeralla led a force 
  of crazed kobolds from Thar to the east and unleashed 
  them upon the summer caravans. Declaring herself the 
  Chosen of Tiamat, Jeralla made it no secret that she and 
  her “Claws of Tiamat” were gathering riches for the 
  benefit of the Dragon Queen’s hoard. These brazen 
  attacks drew the attention of the Cult of the Dragon, who 
  dispatched an agent to infiltrate the group and investigate 
  the sorcerer’s true intentions. The agent, a kobold named 
  Sharrak, soon wormed its way through the ranks to 
  become one of Jeralla’s trusted advisors. 
   The emergence of these new outlaws on the Iron Route 
  hindered Krulek’s plans for rebellion. For months, the 
  two groups waged bloody war against one another, until 
  at last the foundations for a shaky truce were laid. Rather 
  than continue attacking one another, they agreed to meet 
  in parley and discuss terms for dividing the Iron Route 
  between them. This meeting is due to take place at King’s 
  Pyre, a ruined statue on the rocky coast of the Moonsea. 
  Overview 
  This adventure takes place in four parts. 
   Part 1: Riot in Phlan. The adventure begins after 
  Phlan erupts into a riot. The party rescues a retainer of a 
  local noble house, who hires the adventurers to hunt 
  down the outlaw chiefs and restore peace to the city. 
   Part 2: Grimshackle Jail. The characters travel to a 
  remote prison tower, where they interrogate a captive 
  outlaw and learn of the meeting taking place at King’s 
  Pyre. During the interrogation, a corrupt jailer 
  orchestrates a prison break, and the characters must 
  escape the tower. 
   Part 3: King’s Pyre. The rest of the adventure takes 
  place at King’s Pyre. The players are tasked with 
  infiltrating the site, sabotaging the meeting, and defeating 
  the outlaw chiefs. Along the way, they discover that the 
  Cult of the Dragon has a spy among the kobolds. 
   Part 4: Orc Assault. The cult sends an orc war band to 
  raze the meeting site. The characters most likely make 
  their getaway during this assault. 
  
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  Pacing the Adventure 
  The adventure is designed for 4 hours of play. Use the table 
  below to budget your time, adjusting the pace as necessary to 
  keep on schedule. In a large public event, you’ll need to keep an 
  eye on the clock. 
   
  Allow time for strategizing and roleplaying, but try to keep 
  things moving throughout. Offer hints if the players appear 
  stuck, and be prepared to drop encounters wholesale. The 
  players are not expected to explore the whole King’s Pyre 
  adventure site, or complete all of their objectives. Two of the 
  adventure’s phases—Prison Break and Orc Assault—can be run 
  earlier as needed to bring events to a conclusion. 
  Adventure Pacing 
  Stage 
   
  Playing Time (Highlights) 
  Riot in Phlan 
  30 min (combat, social interaction) 
  Outlaw Prisoner 
  30 min (social interaction, exploration) 
  Prison Break 
  30 min (combat, social interaction) 
  King’s Pyre* 
  120 min (combat, social interaction, 
  exploration) 
  Orc Assault 
  30 min (combat) 
  *Main adventure site, contains multiple encounters 
  Adventure Hooks 
  The adventure begins in Phlan, a struggling city-port on 
  the northern shore of the Moonsea. Let the players invent 
  their own reasons for visiting the city, or use one of the 
  following adventure hooks. 
   Swords for Hire. Braden Yil, a retainer of House 
  Cadorna, has invited the characters to Phlan to discuss 
  mercenary work. They have arranged to meet him at 
  midday at his caravan in Podol Plaza. 
   The Scroll Thief. Any characters with the Favor of 
  Ellison Berenger (from DDEX1-6 The Scroll Thief) are 
  contacted by the notorious scroll thief. Disguised, he 
  passes information to the adventurers regarding two 
  groups of bandits that have been plaguing the Iron Route. 
  Berenger arranges a meeting between the adventurers 
  and Braden Yil, a retainer of House Cadorna, to discuss 
  further details. 
   One Blood, One Family. Characters with the noble 
  background are approached by Braden Yil, a retainer of 
  House Cadorna, who has an offer of work. He would like 
  the adventurers to meet him in Podol Plaza at midday. 
   
  
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  7 
   
  Part 1: Riot in Phlan 
  Podol Plaza, the city’s market square, is the setting for 
  the adventure’s first scene. 
   
  Cold rain falls over Podol Plaza, and a throng of citizens and 
  merchants have gathered before the Stojanow Gate in protest of 
  recent banditry and politics that has starved Phlan of vital 
  supplies. A line of Black Fist militia is all that stands between 
  them and Valjevo Keep. 
   “Does the Lord Regent fear this wild dog?” a bedraggled citizen 
  yells, a soggy notice clenched in her fist. “Are his hired goons 
  cowed by their own castoffs?” 
   Her accusations are joined with angry jeers. 
   
  Give the players Handout 1. This is a wanted notice for 
  Sahnd Krulek, a bandit leader and former member of the 
  Black Fist. The notice is posted throughout the city. 
  Caravan Looters 
  With tensions high, it isn’t long before trouble flares. The 
  characters find themselves caught in the middle of a riot. 
   
  Something soft and stinking flies through the air and splatters 
  on one of the guard’s armor. He and the others charge forward, 
  cudgels drawn, and the plaza erupts into chaos. Mobs form, 
  turning on one another and a covered merchant wagon nearby. 
   “These goods are going to waste,” snarls one of the thugs as 
  he clambers atop the wagon. “Let us take them off your hands!” 
   
  A small group of five commoners break away from the 
  main mob and attempt to rob the wagon. The merchant 
  stays out of combat, shouting for someone to help. 
   Players wishing to avoid a fight can attempt a DC 15 
  Charisma check (Persuasion or Intimidation) to defuse 
  the situation. Outstanding roleplaying should grant 
  advantage on the roll. Each successful check turns away 
  one commoner. 
  Developments 
  Between the adventurers and the Black Fist, the riot is 
  eventually quelled. Those fortunate enough to scramble 
  away avoid being dragged off to Stojanow Gate. Once the 
  square is cleared, the adventurers meet the merchant 
  whose wagon the looters were attempting to pillage. 
   The merchant is Braden Yil, a retainer of House 
  Cadorna. If you’ve chosen one of the adventure hooks 
  provided above, Braden is the noble that the characters 
  have come here to meet. Regardless of how they’re 
  introduced, the merchant invites the party inside his 
  wagon to discuss business. 
   If the any of the commoners were killed in the fight over 
  Braden’s wagon, the Black Fists move to take the 
  adventurers into custody, but after an open exchange of 
  words (and a subtle exchange of coins), Braden manages 
  to convince them otherwise. 
  The Merchant’s Offer 
  Braden’s bodyguards have deserted him, and he’s 
  desperate for help. The merchant has a proposition for 
  adventurers willing to fight for justice. Over the course of 
  the discussion, Braden reveals the following: 
   
  • 
  Storms have driven trade inland, and caravans must 
  use the Iron Route—a perilous road that skirts the 
  northern coast of the Moonsea. 
  • 
  A number of caravans have been lost to the Gray 
  Patriots, a group of highwaymen led by the disgraced 
  Knight Sahnd Krulek. 
  • 
  Sahnd Krulek escaped from Stojanow Gate after 
  being arrested, tried, and sentenced to hang for 
  plotting against Lord Regent Ector Brahms. 
  • 
  House Cadorna recently learned that a second group 
  of outlaws has begun operating along the Iron Route: 
  a legion of kobolds headed by an insane dragonborn 
  who routinely sacrifices her victims to dark gods. 
  • 
  The dragonborn sorcerer is said to draw her powers 
  from Tiamat, the god of chromatic dragons. 
  • 
  A bloody feud exists between the two outlaws. The 
  merchants are thankful for this dispute, as it has led 
  to more caravans passing safely through the Iron 
  Route. 
  • 
  The Lord Regent refuses to send his Black Fists to 
  stop these bandits, and so it falls on those who have 
  an active interest in the Route’s safety to see the job 
  done. 
  • 
  Recently, a merchant caravan owned by House Sokol 
  was ambushed. They were ready for the attack, 
  however, and drove off the bandits, but not before 
  capturing one. 
  • 
  The bandit was sold to the Grimshackle Brothers, a 
  pair of ne’er-do-wells who run a prison a ways up 
  river. Outlaws sold to the Grimshackles are typically 
  ransomed off to anyone who will pay—be it those 
  who serve the law or those who operate outside of it. 
  • 
  Braden suggests speaking to the captured outlaw. He 
  is likely the best lead to Krulek and may have 
  information about the dragonborn sorcerer as well. 
   
  
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  If the characters accept the contract, Braden directs them 
  to Grimshackle Jail, where the captured outlaw is reputed 
  to be held. The merchant is willing to travel with the 
  characters to the prison, if only to cover any fees that the 
  Grimshackle brothers might levy.  
   House Cadorna offers a bounty of 75 gp for the leaders 
  of each of the two bandit groups (a pittance compared to 
  the revenue lost so far to their activities). An adventurer 
  succeeding at a DC 15 (Persuasion) check is able to 
  bargain up the bounty to 100 gp each. If asked, Braden is 
  willing to provide an advance of 10 gp on the bounty, 
  provided the party is able to suitably impress upon him 
  the need. 
   This bounty is in addition to the 100 gp bounty that the 
  Lord Regent has already offered for the arrest or death of 
  Sahnd Krulek. The Lord Regent has not yet offered a 
  bounty on the dragonborn. 
   Braden offers the adventurers a map of the local area 
  (Handout 2). 
  Roleplaying Braden Yil 
  Braden Yil is a nervous, meticulous man. He frequently looks 
  toward the sky, perhaps to ensure that he is adhering to whatever 
  schedule he has set for himself that day. He speaks curtly and 
  briefly, and quickly grows impatient when subjected to long, 
  drawn out speeches. 
   
  Quote: “Get to the point!” 
  Faction Assignment: Lords’ Alliance 
  House Cadorna is a member of the Lords’ Alliance, and 
  as a retainer of the house, Braden passes messages to 
  other members. If any character belongs to this faction, 
  he takes them aside and gives them the following 
  assignment. 
   Recover the Stolen Necklace. House Cadorna has lost 
  a small fortune to the bandits, but nothing compares to 
  losing the Heart of Myth Drannor, the symbol of the 
  house’s loyalty to the Lords’ Alliance. A character who 
  recovers this emerald necklace for Braden earns one 
  additional renown point. 
  Wait, don’t I know you? 
  Players who enjoyed Strategic Simulations Inc.’s 1988 Pool of 
  Radiance computer game may recall the traitorous councilor 
  Porphyrys Cadorna, who betrayed the heroes to seize control of 
  the mystical Pool of Radiance. Possessed by the evil spirit 
  Tyranthraxus, the councilor drained the pool of its power and fled 
  the city. Two hundred years have passed since those terrible 
  events, yet House Cadorna still abides. Braden Yil is an employee 
  of the house, but like most others, he has no knowledge of its 
  dark past. 
   
   
  
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  9 
   
  Part 2: Grimshackle Jail 
  The trek to Grimshackle Jail takes just over 3 hours. The 
  party can hike alongside the river, or charter a river 
  barge. Braden can also hire horses if needed. 
   Fog rolls in from the sea as the characters depart, 
  slowing progress to a crawl. They arrive cold and soaked 
  to the bone. 
   
  Grimshackle Jail clings like a drowning man to the rocky bank of 
  the Stojanow River. Rotten timbers sag from the tower’s walls, 
  and its outbuildings stand in ruin. Rooks nest in the crenels of 
  the tower’s battlements. 
   Broad walls encircle the tower’s base, where a large gate house exits 
  onto the towpath. A slatted peephole is fitted at human eye level in the 
  stout, iron-bound door. 
   
  The Grimshackle brothers pay good coin for wanted 
  rogues, whom they ransom to the highest bidder. 
  Prisoners with no buyers perish in their cells, or are 
  grudgingly handed over to the Black Fists in Phlan for a 
  small bounty. 
   Braden knows the jailers won’t grant an audience for 
  free. When the party arrives, he hands one of them a 
  purse containing 10 gold pieces “to ease negotiations.” 
  For moral reasons, Braden refuses to enter the prison or 
  pay the prisoner’s ransom. 
  The Outlaw Prisoner 
  Rathene Fel is a half-orc mercenary and footpad. She 
  joined the Gray Patriots after they freed her from a labor 
  camp outside Phlan. 
   Rathene believes that the outlaws have deserted her. 
  Sahnd Krulek has had ample time to cough up her 
  ransom, and the five days she has festered in the jail has 
  robbed her of any loyalties she held. 
  Roleplaying Rathene Fel 
  Rathene has more or less given up. Captured during a raid, she 
  genuinely believes that her gang has abandoned her. Because of 
  this she is bitter and lashes out at others. But for the right price, 
  she’ll happily rat out her former comrades. 
   
  Quote: “You want to hurt the Gray Patriots? I can tell you how.” 
  The Jailers 
  Ukharim and Bhevek, a miserly pair of lightfoot 
  halflings, run the prison tower. They employ eight 
  crooked jailers, some of whom are former prisoners. 
   The Traitorous Jailer. The Gray Patriots have bribed 
  one of the jailers—a dwarf named Iorg Brokenjaw—into 
  freeing Rathene. Iorg plans to open the cell belonging to a 
  dangerous convict and smuggle Rathene out in the 
  ensuing chaos. The breakout is scheduled to occur shortly 
  after the characters arrive. 
  Grimshackle Jail 
  The characters can approach the jail however they please. 
  General Features 
   Light. The interior of the tower is pitch dark. Tiny 
  windows are found in just a handful of cells. 
   Collapsed Floors. Some floor sections (marked on map 
  1: Grimshackle Jail) have collapsed due to rot and lack of 
  repair. A character that falls through a rift lands on the 
  level below, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. 
   Weak Floors. Roll a die if a creature of Medium size or 
  larger steps onto a weak floor (marked on the map). On 
  an odd result, the creature falls through to the level 
  below, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. The creature 
  also falls prone and is restrained under the rubble until 
  freed with an action and a successful DC 15 Strength 
  (Athletics) check. Noticing an area of weak flooring 
  requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. 
   Front Door. The door into the jail is made of stout 
  wood and bound in iron. Unlocking the door’s well-made 
  lock requires a set of thieves’ tools and a successful DC 
  15 Dexterity check. The door may be forced open using a 
  DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check, though doing so alerts 
  any of the thugs in the courtyard. 
   Cell Doors. Sturdy wooden doors fortify the cells, set 
  with small barred windows. An adventurer using thieves’ 
  tools unlocks the door with a successful DC 15 Dexterity 
  check. A door may be forced open with a successful DC 
  15 Strength (Athletics) check, though doing so alerts any 
  of the prison’s inhabitants in the area. 
   Prisoners. Prisoners are held inside the marked cells. 
  If freed, these villains count as bandits. They have neither 
  armor nor weapons. Escape is their only concern. 
  Sneaking Inside 
  The prison’s outer wall is 15 feet high and easy to climb, 
  scalable with a successful DC 5 Strength (Athletics) 
  check. The parapet is rarely patrolled, but two thugs are 
  always present inside the courtyard. The inner door is 
  kept locked, although both of the thugs carry a key. 
  Picking the lock requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity 
  check with the use of thieves’ tools. 
   Inside, six thugs work in shifts, rotating in pairs 
  between the cells and the upper-floor guardroom. The 
  two halflings spend their time drinking in the entrance 
  
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  10 
   
  hall (area 4). There are no secret passages into the prison, 
  and the thugs react violently to any intrusion. 
   If the characters fight their way to Rathene’s cell, you 
  can either skip part 3 of this adventure or launch the 
  breakout during the party’s assault. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove two thugs 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove one thug 
  • 
  Strong party: Add one thug 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add two thugs 
  Going in the Front Door 
  Sometimes the easiest path is the most direct one. If the 
  adventurers simply walk up to the door and knock, read: 
   
  Muffled footsteps are heard, drawing closer. They pause outside 
  the door, and you hear somebody climbing a creaking foot 
  ladder. The peephole snaps open, and a pair of glaring eyes 
  confront you. 
   “What do you want?” 
   
  This is Bhevek, one of the Grimshackle brothers. He 
  grants entry only to bounty hunters or to those looking to 
  pay a ransom. If the characters offer gold, Bhevek invites 
  them inside. They are led through an overgrown 
  courtyard and into the tower, where they meet Ukharim. 
  One of the thugs keeps a crossbow trained on them 
  throughout the negotiations. 
  Roleplaying Bhevek and Ukharim 
  You’d be hard pressed to find more loathsome wretches than 
  this pair. Filthy, bedraggled, and prone to using crude language, 
  these two are in it for nothing but the money and the opportunity 
  to squeeze it out of needy people. 
   
  Quote: “This is definitely gonna cost you.” 
   
   The halflings know that Rathene runs with the Gray 
  Patriots, so they’ve set her ransom at 100 gold pieces. 
  The jailers charge 10 gp for a half-hour visit, on the 
  condition that their prisoner isn’t harmed. Characters 
  who succeed on a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check 
  can barter the fee down as far as 5 gp. If the players 
  otherwise devise a good bluff to get to Rathene or haggle 
  well, the Grimshackle brothers accept their proposal. 
   If the characters agree on a price, Bhevek leads them to 
  the cells. 
   
   
   
  A cramped spiral staircase punches through the heart of the 
  prison tower. Archways open onto each floor, offering eerie 
  glimpses of dank stone corridors, barred cell doors, and 
  scurrying river rats. 
   Halfway up, you pass a cell door reinforced with iron bars and 
  lengths of chain. Seeing you looking, Bhevek simply mutters 
  “pirate.” 
   
  Captain Walharrow, a notorious Moonsea pirate, is 
  incarcerated inside the cell marked “W” on the map. 
  Questioning the Prisoner 
  Rathene Fel is imprisoned inside the cell marked “P” on 
  the map.  
   
  The bandit’s cell is at the very top of the tower, near a small 
  guardroom. Bhevek unlocks the cell door and hands you his 
  lantern. “Half a bell,” he snaps.  
   A half-orc clad in filthy rags is held in the cell, lashed to the wall 
  by her wrists and fettered with heavy chains. 
   She winces at you through wet, plastered hair. 
   “You’re no jailers,” she croaks. “Why are you here?” 
   
  The characters have 30 minutes to question the prisoner. 
  Bhevek waits at the door, watching for any mischief. 
   
  “I’ve no loyalty to Sahnd Krulek,” says the half-orc. “I can tell 
  you where the bastard is right now. Tell you about that 
  dragonborn he’s at war with too. But first you’ve got to earn it. 
   “Get me out of here, or get me a better cell: one where I can 
  see the sky. Then I’ll talk.” 
   
  Threats don’t sway the half-orc. She’s abandoned all hope 
  of rescue and has little left to live for. 
  Paying for Information 
  Bhevek won’t relocate Rathene to a new cell, but the 
  characters can bargain with him to improve her 
  conditions. Each improvement offered (such as a blanket 
  to sleep on, or better meals) costs 10 to 20 gp and yields 
  just one answer from Rathene. The outlaw is determined 
  to get all she can for her information. 
   If the characters pay her ransom, Rathene reveals 
  everything she knows. 
   
   
   
  
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  11 
   
  Freeing the Prisoner 
  Picking the lock on Rathene’s shackles requires thieves’ 
  tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. Naturally, 
  any jailers present will try to stop this. Once free of the 
  tower, Rathene gladly tells her rescuers everything she 
  knows about the outlaws. 
   Rathene imparts the following information: 
   
  • 
  The gangs are meeting soon to discuss a truce at 
  King’s Pyre, a ruined statue that the Gray Patriots 
  use as a hideout. The outlaws plan to sail there on 
  their longship, entering by way of a sea cave. 
  • 
  Krulek was once a Knight of the Black Fist but was 
  framed after he arrested an influential noble. Other 
  Knights broke him out of Valjevo Castle, and together 
  they turned to banditry to strike back against the 
  merchants. 
  • 
  There are fourteen outlaws in the gang. Krulek has 
  two lieutenants: a Talashan berserker called Ruse, 
  and a giant Calishite called Little Erik. Ruse is blind 
  in her left eye, and Erik believes he is cursed: a hag 
  once told him that the hoot of a screech owl would 
  foreshadow his death. Krulek also runs with a moon 
  elf archer, Kai Tyran Uviel, who wields a magic bow. 
  All of Krulek’s outlaws wear gray hooded cloaks. 
  • 
  The dragonborn is called Jeralla. She believes 
  herself to be the Chosen of Tiamat, and has dubbed 
  her gang the Claws of Tiamat. Jeralla’s wild magic 
  has warped her minions, making them strange to 
  behold. They are known for taking captives from 
  their raids, whom they sacrifice to their dark 
  goddess. 
  • 
  There are at least thirty kobolds in the gang. A 
  winged kobold called Sharrak appears to be Jeralla’s 
  second-in-command; he has two heads, so he’s easy 
  to identify. Recently, Sahnd Krulek received 
  intelligence that Jeralla has some terrible monster in 
  her employ. She is also known to keep a magic book 
  in her wagon, which can dictate messages on 
  command. 
   
  Rathene marks the position of King’s Pyre on the player’s 
  map; it is situated on the coastline, about 40 miles west of 
  Phlan. 
  Prison Break 
  Launch this event whenever seems appropriate. Iorg 
  Brokenjaw has murdered a jailer and armed Captain 
  Walharrow, who is now running amok through the prison. 
  An oil lantern has been spilled and fire is spreading. 
   
  Muffled shouts are heard from somewhere below. A bell starts 
  clanging, and on the air you catch a telltale whiff of smoke. 
   
  The characters’ fate is now in their own hands. Use map 
  1 to manage their escape. The two encounters listed 
  below are optional, and can occur in any order. 
   Hearing the bell terrifies Bhevek if he’s present. 
   
  “That’s the prisoner alarm,” gasps Bhevek. “Torm’s teeth! That 
  better not be Walharrow!” 
   
  Bhevek warns the party that they are in grave danger. He 
  sticks close to them as they head down the tower, but 
  avoids combat unless cornered. If she is present, Rathene 
  pleads for her freedom, unaware that Iorg is on his way to 
  rescue her. Of course, the jailers don’t take kindly to 
  characters freeing prisoners. 
  Encounter 1. Captain Walharrow 
  Captain Walharrow, a minotaur and feared Moonsea 
  pirate, has been freed from his cell and is rampaging 
  throughout the tower. He delights in carnage and attacks 
  anyone he sees. 
   
  A door ahead explodes in a shower of splinters, and a hulking 
  creature with the head of a bull bounds through the wreckage. 
  The creature’s left leg is fashioned from intricately carved wood, 
  starting just below the knee, resembling an angry man with its 
  arms and hands upraised to support the leg. Rusted chains 
  dangle from around the monster’s waist, arms, and shoulders, 
  and a number of crossbow bolts jut from its bare chest. A 
  jailer—obviously dead—lies limp in its arms. 
   The beast sees you and bellows “Blood for Walharrow!” 
  Tossing aside the broken corpse like little more than a doll, it 
  wrenches a massive beam from a nearby wall and strides toward 
  you, striking the beam into its open palm. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Minotaur’s hit points reduced by 30 and 
  can’t use charge ability 
  • 
  Weak party: Minotaur’s hit points reduced by 15 
  • 
  Strong party: Minotaur’s hit points increased by 15 
  • 
  Very strong: Minotaur’s hit points increased by 30 
   
   
  
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  12 
   
  Tactics 
  The minotaur’s primary objective is to escape the prison. 
  In combat, Captain Walharrow fights with furious 
  abandon, charging the closest target and executing a gore 
  attack. If the characters are in trouble, draw more guards 
  into the fight as fodder. 
  Balancing the Odds 
  Captain Walharrow is an enraged engine of destruction, so play it 
  up if you feel the adventurers need the help or simply if you feel it 
  makes the combat exciting. If it misses a charge, it might smash 
  its head into the wall, causing rubble to clatter down harmlessly 
  from the ceiling. If it has a character cornered, it might waste its 
  action bellowing in triumph. Clever players shouldn’t have 
  trouble goading Captain Walharrow onto weak floors or into the 
  fire. 
   
  Captain Walharrow’s Labyrinthine Recall ability allows it to 
  recall the precise path out of the prison with perfect clarity. In any 
  round that the minotaur is not engaged in melee, it moves as 
  quickly as possible toward the exit. 
  Spreading Fire 
  Set this encounter in an area where fire is spreading. 
  When you describe the scene, choose one or two 
  locations on the map to be on fire. 
   Fire. A creature that is forced into the flames or that 
  starts its turn inside the fire takes 4 (1d8) fire damage. 
  Additionally, it must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving 
  throw to avoid catching on fire; if it fails this save, it takes 
  an additional 3 (1d6) fire damage at the start of its turn 
  each round thereafter until it spends an action putting out 
  the flames. 
  Development 
  If characters are defeated here, Walharrow robs them of 
  any gold and leaves them for dead. One of the surviving 
  jailers revives the characters as soon as the minotaur 
  departs. 
  Encounter 2. Hostage Taker 
  The jailers corner the Grimshackle jailer Iorg Brokenjaw 
  before he can free Rathene. Iorg takes Ukharim hostage, 
  hoping to use the halfling as a bargaining chip. 
   
  Ahead you see a dwarf jailer struggling with one of the 
  Grimshackle brothers. The jailer holds his boss in a headlock, a 
  shortsword pressed to the halfling’s throat. Another jailer stands 
  in their way, waving a spear at the hostage taker.  
  “Back off or I’ll slit the halfling’s throat!” the traitor growls. 
   
   
   
  The dwarf threatens to kill his boss if his demands are not 
  met. If Rathene is present, Iorg reveals he was sent to 
  free her, and tries to escort her to the bandits waiting in 
  the woods. Depending on the players’ actions so far, 
  Rathene might turn on the party to escape. 
  Hostage Negotiation 
  Play this as a tense hostage situation. Iorg wants to get to 
  Rathene. Ukharim screams at the characters for aid. If 
  anyone gets too close, Iorg slashes the halfling’s throat 
  and fights his way to Rathene. 
   Iorg can be talked down only if the characters promise 
  him safe passage or offer him more money than he’s 
  already been promised (25 gp). Alternatively, a character 
  who succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma check (Persuasion or 
  Intimidation) can distract the jailer, granting another 
  character an opportunity to rush him. If Iorg is reduced to 
  0 hit points with a single attack, Ukharim is freed without 
  further harm. 
  Roleplaying Iorg 
  Iorg is nothing if not true to his word, but don’t mistake his 
  warped sense of honor for weakness—he is dangerous when 
  backed into a corner. Despite his rough appearance, he is well-
  spoken and uses brief, terse sentences in conversation. 
   
  Quote: “It will be done.” 
  Development 
  If rescued, Ukharim agrees to almost anything that the 
  characters demand, be it releasing Rathene into their 
  custody, or simply granting them leave to exit the prison 
  unmolested. 
   Two Gray Patriot bandits—both on horseback—are 
  watching the prison tower from the opposite side of the 
  river, waiting for Rathene. If they see that Rathene and 
  Iorg are not alone, they gallop off into the fog and report 
  back to Sahnd Krulek. 
  Outside the Prison  
  Braden Yil is horrified to hear of a truce between Krulek 
  and the sorcerer. He begs the characters to make for 
  King’s Pyre and sabotage their meeting. He hires horses 
  or even charters a small sailboat if the characters plan on 
  approaching from the sea. He refuses to travel with the 
  characters, though. 
  XP Award 
  Once the adventurers escape from Grimshackle Prison, 
  award each character 50 XP. 
   
   
  
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  13 
   
  Part 3: Kings’ Pyre  
  King’s Pyre is situated on the coast, about 40 miles west 
  of Phlan. Traveling overland, the characters must brave 
  the Iron Route, a rugged trail that drives through wild 
  grasslands and along wind-whipped cliffs. The party 
  arrives at King’s Pyre after 2 days of travel. By sea, the 
  journey takes 14 hours. Along the way, they pass a dock 
  that any characters who participated in DDEX1-3 
  Shadows over the Moonsea recognize as that used by 
  Warsh the Boatman to ferry them to “the Village.” When 
  the adventurers pass by the dock, Warsh and his ferry are 
  nowhere to be seen, but the island still looms in the 
  distance, shrouded by mist. 
   The Iron Route skirts around the site, so characters on 
  foot must follow the shore for a few miles to reach their 
  destination. Give the players Handout 3 as the party 
  rounds the final headland. The party gets a good view of 
  the location from land or sea. 
   
  The fog swirls aside, revealing the effigy of a king carved into the 
  stone of the cliff face, a full eighty feet tall from toe to crown, 
  seated on a rocky ledge overlooking the sea. Trees sprout from 
  the statue’s lap, moss clings to its weathered surface, and its 
  right hand grasps a goblet. 
   Tumbling waterfalls flank the statue, bathing its body in 
  glistening spray. Structures of various degrees of permanency 
  surround the statue, coils of smoke winding lazily through the 
  misty air. 
   
  The two outlaw groups maintain their own camps on 
  either side of the statue. To the west, a loose circle of 
  tents surrounds a large covered wagon. Wood smoke 
  drifts from a low cave nearby. Beyond the camp, an 
  overgrown trail cuts through steep woods to the cliff top. 
   A neat circle of tents makes up the eastern camp. More 
  tunnels dot the rock face behind it, and a great sea cave 
  yawns at the foot of the cliff. A longship bobs in the water 
  near the cave, anchored to the statue’s sunken hand. 
  General Features 
  King’s Pyre is open to the sky. Fog banks roll over it from 
  the sea, and the cliff is honeycombed with caves. 
   Fog. Sea fog lightly obscures all exterior locations, 
  imparting disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks 
  that rely on sight.  
   Caves. The caves are dark unless stated otherwise. 
  Cave ceilings vary in height, ranging between 5 and 15 
  feet above the floor. 
   Cliffs. A character can climb the rugged cliff face with a 
  DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. 
   Rivers. The rivers are noisy and dangerous to ford. 
  Creatures within 60 feet of a waterfall have disadvantage 
  on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. 
  Characters attempting to wade through a river must 
  succeed on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check or be 
  pulled 2d12 feet downstream. If washed over the falls, the 
  character takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage. 
   Statue. Moss clings to the statue’s body, making it 
  relatively easy to climb. A character must succeed on a 
  DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to climb one of the 
  statue’s limbs.  
   Thickets. Gorse and sage scrub covers the cliff-side. 
  Thickets count as difficult terrain and provide half cover. 
   Smells. Wood smoke, salt 
   Sounds. Muffled shouting, idle chatter, horses, falling 
  water, seabirds 
  Approaching the Camps 
  The players can approach King’s Pyre however they 
  please. Use the encounters listed as rough guides only, 
  and be prepared to improvise. The players are not 
  expected to explore the whole site. Once events come to 
  a climax, spring the orc assault (part 4) on the group. 
  Assault 
  The poor visibility and roaring waterfalls make direct 
  assault a valid tactic. If the characters silence horn 
  blowers and runners first, they’ll be able to fight through 
  most locations without alerting the rest of the camp. 
  Deception 
  Plenty of opportunities exist to dupe the bandits: for 
  example, dressing up in bandit cloaks, posing as 
  emissaries from town, or staging “false flag” attacks to 
  turn the gangs against each other. Such plans are the 
  stuff of great roleplaying, so try to present fun twists 
  instead of blunt obstacles. This approach naturally 
  requires a lot of improvisation. 
  Stealth 
  Once inside the camp, the party can safely travel between 
  most locations without resorting to group Dexterity 
  checks. Don’t spend too long focusing on sneaking 
  characters. If the players split the party, spring a couple of 
  bandits on those who remain behind. Sharrak, the flying 
  kobold, could turn up anywhere, or the orc shock troops 
  from the finale could show up early. 
  
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  14 
   
  Roleplaying the Outlaws 
  King’s Pyre is a “living” adventure site; creatures don’t 
  just wait for the characters to arrive but respond to 
  events. Alerted outlaws warn their neighbors by blowing 
  horns, send runners to their chiefs, or shake up their 
  patrols. 
  The Meeting 
  The meeting is taking place on the statue’s lap (area 14 
  on map 2: King’s Pyre) and lasts throughout the night. As 
  the deal is being hashed out, recesses are called every 
  half-hour to allow the chiefs to seek counsel with their 
  advisors. 
   Negotiations balance precariously on a knife edge. Both 
  chiefs expect trickery and have readied their outlaws to 
  strike when special signals are given. Sahnd Krulek’s elf 
  archer provides overwatch from the statue’s shoulder; at 
  any sign of treachery, he fires a flaming arrow over the 
  Gray Patriot camp. Jeralla’s signal is to light the pyre 
  within the statue’s cup. When either signal is given, the 
  rival gangs charge each other. 
   The signal is to be given only in the event of an 
  obvious and intentional double-cross. If an unknown 
  and unseen enemy attacks from either side, both the 
  chiefs fall back to defend their own camps. Once the all-
  clear has been given, the meeting resumes. 
  Gang War 
  If the gangs go to war, describe how the conflict rages 
  across the adventure site. Do not use dice to resolve 
  combat between NPCs; simply provide dramatic 
  narration. During the chaos, the players should have 
  plenty of opportunities to rescue prisoners or single out 
  specific enemies. 
   It falls to you to determine which side wins or loses. 
  Once the battle is over, the victors return to their camp to 
  rest and rejoice. At this stage, you can use the encounters 
  listed as a guide for exploring their camp. 
  Interrogating Captives 
  Captive outlaws can be pressured into answering the 
  characters’ questions with a successful DC 15 Charisma 
  (Intimidation) check. All the outlaws know the basic layouts 
  of their own camps and the signal that calls them to war. If 
  the players missed any information from Rathene, it can also 
  be revealed here. 
  Captured characters 
  It’s possible that the outlaws might capture one or more 
  characters. The Claws of Tiamat chain their prisoners 
  inside the cave of captives (area 6), while the Gray 
  Patriots dump them inside one of the tents at the outlaw 
  camp (area 11). In either case, runners are sent to notify 
  the respective outlaw chief, who calls a recess to 
  interrogate the prisoners. Give plenty of opportunities for 
  the rest of the party to stage a breakout before or after the 
  interrogation. 
  Mutant Kobolds 
  Jeralla’s wild magic has warped her kobold minions, afflicting 
  many of them with permanent mutations. Any time the 
  adventurers encounter a new group of kobolds, describe one or 
  two of them as bearing strange deformations, such as: 
   
  • 
  Body covered in colored, heatless flames 
  • 
  Extra eyes, or eyes arranged oddly around head 
  • 
  Vestigial limbs, extra arms, tiny dragonfly-like wings 
  • 
  Oddly colored scales: bright pink, white, metallic, and so on 
  • 
  Glowing eyes 
  • 
  Hovering 2 inches above the ground at all times 
  • 
  Mane of slithering tentacles 
  • 
  Shadow that acts independently 
  • 
  Fur! 
  • 
  Transparent scales, revealing organs inside 
  Optional Encounter: Cult Spy 
  Run this encounter at any time to foreshadow the finale. 
  The characters encounter Sharrak, the Cult of the 
  Dragon’s spy within the Claws of Tiamat. Sharrak is a 
  winged kobold, known as an urd, so the encounter can 
  take place almost anywhere. 
   
  Through the fog, you spot a scaly humanoid with leathery, bat-
  like wings. The creature has two reptilian heads; one looks 
  around nervously, while the other whispers into a black stone 
  held in its palm. The creature cannot be more than three feet 
  tall. 
   
  A character must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) 
  check to sneak up on Sharrak. Anyone who gets close 
  hears the kobold whispering into its sending stone. A DC 
  10 Wisdom (Perception) check allows a character to 
  overhear what is being said. 
   
  “Jeralla won’t suspect a thing!” one head whispers. “She’s too 
  busy with the humans. There is no better time to attack than 
  now! Kill the heretic, and the Cult of the Dragon shall shower 
  you in gold!” 
   “Hurry up with that stone!” hisses the creature’s other head. 
  “It is not safe here.” 
  
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  15 
   
  Developments 
  If cornered, Sharrak betrays Jeralla without hesitation. 
  Knowing that the orcs are closing in, it buys time by 
  pleading to serve as the party’s spy. The kobold reveals its 
  cult ties only if it knows its life is in grave peril. Don’t 
  worry about spoiling the finale: knowing about the 
  impending attack will more than likely force the players to 
  take action. 
   If Sharrak escapes, it hurries back to the Claws’ camp 
  to warn the other kobolds of intruders. It doesn’t warn 
  Jeralla—she might wonder why it was so far from its post. 
   The party can attempt to contact Narle, the orog 
  warband leader (see part 4) through Sharrak’s seized 
  sending stone, but it carries some risk. If a character 
  wishes to pretend to be Sharrak and perpetrate a ruse, 
  succeeding in a contest pitting a character’s Charisma 
  (Deception) check with disadvantage against Narle’s 
  Wisdom (Insight) check might be able to change the 
  outcome of the final battle, allowing some of Jeralla’s 
  forces to escape. Under no circumstances will Narle not 
  launch the attack; the best he can be convinced to do is 
  delay for an hour or two.   
   If the characters do not succeed in deceiving Narle, he’ll 
  know that Sharrak has been compromised, and orders 
  additional orcs to hunt alongside him for the interlopers 
  at the battle.  
  Roleplaying Sharrak 
  Sharrak’s mutation has granted it two separate personalities. Its 
  left head is proud and haughty, while its right head is cunning 
  and cruel. The two heads constantly bicker and contradict each 
  other. One might try to cut a deal with a character, only to be 
  rebuked by the other. 
  1. Dead Cleric 
  A dead cleric of Helm is lashed to a tree near the top of 
  the slope—all that remains of an investigation party sent 
  by the Order of the Gauntlet. The kobolds devoured the 
  cleric’s companions and strung him up as a warning to 
  others. 
   
  A dead human is lashed to a tree near the top of the slope. His 
  white cloak hangs in tatters, and his armor is torn asunder. By 
  his dress, he looks like a cleric. The words “GO HOM” are 
  carved into his bare chest. 
  Faction Assignment: Order of the 
  Gauntlet 
  If the characters search the cleric, they find a crumpled 
  letter from Barrowin Undurr, hero of the Order of the 
  Gauntlet. Give the players Handout 4 when they recover 
  the letter. Characters allied with the Order of the 
  Gauntlet now gain the following assignment. 
   Rescue the Captives. Reports of human sacrifice have 
  troubled the Order’s upper echelons. Characters 
  belonging to the Order who bring the captives back alive 
  earn one additional renown point. 
  2. Kobold Caverns 
  Kobolds guard the caves on the western slope. If no alarm 
  has been raised, the kobolds are busy betting on a weasel 
  fight. Bestial snarls and excited barks and yips are heard 
  from the caves as the characters approach. 
   The three caves shown on the map all lead into the 
  same cavern. If the kobolds are distracted, the characters 
  can peer inside without being spotted. 
   
  A ghastly animal stench fills your nostrils. Two giant weasels 
  snarl and spit at each other at the center of a low cavern, 
  watched by a trio of small reptilian humanoids. Three more 
  weasels are chained to a boulder at the back of the cavern, near 
  a darkened passageway that leads off into the rock. 
   
  There are three kobolds and five giant weasels inside 
  the cave. Three of the weasels are chained to the wall. 
  The party can easily sneak past the caves, though the 
  outlaws in the camp are unlikely to hear any combat 
  taking place here. 
  Tactics 
  The kobolds fight to the death. At the first sign of trouble, 
  one rushes to free the chained weasels. The weasels turn 
  on anybody who threatens their masters. 
   One of the kobolds carries a jar of poisonous spiders, 
  which can be thrown up to 20 feet, shattering on impact. 
  Make a ranged attack against a creature or object, 
  treating the jar as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the jar 
  deals 1 piercing damage as it shatters, and 1d6 angry 
  spiders land on the target. Each spider attacks once 
  before skittering away. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Subtract one kobold and one giant weasel 
  • 
  Weak party: Subtract one giant weasel  
  • 
  Strong party: Add one kobold 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add one kobold and one giant weasel 
   
  
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  Poisonous Toadstools 
  A patch of striped toadstools grows near the back of the 
  cave. Any creature ingesting a mouthful of these 
  toadstools must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving 
  throw or take 7 (2d6) poison damage and become 
  poisoned for 1 hour. To identify the toadstools, a 
  character must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) 
  check. 
  2a, 2b. Cliff Caves 
  The passage that exits the rear of the cavern emerges 
  high above each outlaw camp. Both cave mouths are 45 
  feet above ground level. Just ahead of the western cave 
  mouth, a side passage descends to the cave of captives 
  (area 6). 
  3. Kobold Scareman 
  A monstrous effigy built from fur and wicker has been 
  placed on the trail outside the kobold camp. The kobolds 
  built it to trick the Gray Patriots into thinking that Jeralla 
  has an ogre in her employ. 
   
  Through the fog you spot a hulking figure standing beside the 
  track. The giant stands nine feet tall and is clad in scraps of hide 
  armor. Five tiny reptilians stand around it, obviously 
  accustomed to its presence. 
   
  Eight kobolds guard the trail. At any time, two of the 
  kobolds patrol the woods to either side of the trail. One 
  hides inside the effigy, occasionally moving its head to 
  give it the semblance of life, while the rest mill about its 
  feet. 
   If the kobolds here are attacked, they try to topple the 
  effigy onto their enemies (see below). The kobolds on 
  patrol join the battle after 1d3 rounds. If at least two 
  kobolds are killed, one of the kobolds runs to warn the 
  kobold camp (area 4). 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove four kobolds 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove three kobolds 
  • 
  Strong party: Add two winged kobolds 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add four winged kobolds 
  Ogre Effigy 
  Due to the slope of the path and the heavy foliage, the 
  effigy can only be revealed as such by a character within 
  20 feet of it who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom check. 
  Due to the fog, this check is made with disadvantage. 
   A group of at least four kobolds can combine their 
  actions to topple the effigy onto their enemies. Any 
  creature adjacent to it when it falls must succeed on a DC 
  15 Dexterity saving throw to dodge out of the way. A 
  creature caught under the falling wreckage takes 4 (1d8) 
  bludgeoning damage and is restrained until it spends an 
  action to escape with a successful DC 10 Strength check. 
  4. Kobold Camp 
  If the alarm is raised elsewhere, all of the kobolds present 
  here move to protect Jeralla’s wagon (area 5). 
   
  A circle of tents is pitched around a blazing cook fire. Reptilian 
  humanoids scamper about the camp; some sharpen spears in 
  the hot ash by the fire, some tend to the cooking pot, and others 
  lurk inside the tents. To the north, a large covered wagon is 
  parked next to a team of oxen. Strange growls and hoots can be 
  heard from a wooden cage near the cliff’s edge. 
   
  There are eight kobolds in the camp. If combat ensues, 
  the two kobolds guarding the wagon at area 5 join the 
  fight at the beginning of the second round. The kobolds 
  aren’t expecting attack from the west, so characters 
  approaching from the woods can observe the camp in 
  relative safety. 
  Inside the Camp 
  The kobold camp has the following features. 
   Tents. Each of the five tents contains supplies of 
  sugared beetles, jugs of ox milk, simple carpentry tools, 
  and one of the treasures listed below. 
   Cooking Pot. The kobolds are preparing a foul beetle 
  stew. Characters spying on the cook see it drawing water 
  from a mostly unwatched pail. If the water pail is spiked 
  with the poisonous toadstools in area 2, the entire camp 
  is poisoned within 15 minutes. 
   Owlbear Cage. Jeralla unleashes her owlbear during 
  raids to devour caravan guards and sow terror among her 
  enemies. The owlbear grudgingly recognizes her as its 
  master, but it has no loyalty to her minions. If released 
  from its cage, the beast goes on the rampage. The cage is 
  padlocked, but the rusty lock can be picked with a DC 12 
  Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. A character must 
  succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check to sneak up 
  on the wagon unnoticed. 
   
   
   
  
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  17 
   
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove two kobolds 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove one kobold 
  • 
  Strong party: Add one kobold 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add one kobold and one winged kobold 
  Treasure 
  The kobolds’ tents contain the following purloined 
  treasures: a chest filled with silver trade bars (15 gp total), 
  three bolts of fine silk (5 gp each), a barrel of spices (10 
  gp), a single garnet (5 gp), and a set of silver candlesticks 
  (5 gp). 
  5. Jeralla’s Wagon 
  The wagon is Jeralla’s private quarters. 
   
  A large wagon is parked near the river. Mysterious symbols are 
  carved into the wagon’s sides, and its leathery coverings are 
  dyed red, white, green, blue and black. 
   
  Two kobolds stand guard outside the wagon. The 
  kobolds only leave this location if the signal pyre (area 7) 
  is lit. 
   
  Silken drapes decorate the wagon’s interior. A leering dragon 
  skull is suspended from the wagon’s ribs; green flames flicker in 
  its eye sockets, and its crown is lidded like a treasure chest. 
   Hovering nearby is a large, open book bound in dragon skin. 
  The corner of one page is folded around a quill pen, which 
  busily scratches out script on the blank page opposite. 
  Dragon Skull Chest 
  The skull’s eye sockets flare when the skull lid is lifted, 
  causing nearby shadows to coalesce into a snarling 
  dragon head. The conjuration delivers a surprise attack 
  on the person who opened the chest, and then rolls 
  initiative. The creature opening the skull’s lid must 
  succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 
  (2d8) necrotic damage on a failed save or half that much 
  damage on a successful one. It can be dispelled using 
  dispel magic (DC 12), or by taking an action to snuff the 
  flames in the skull’s eye sockets. The conjuration is 
  otherwise immune to damage. The trap doesn’t trigger if 
  the eye flames are snuffed before opening the lid. 
  Magic Book 
  The sorcerer bound a bard’s spirit into the book, which 
  she tasked with chronicling her ascent as the Chosen of 
  Tiamat. After watching the characters for a while, the 
  spirit tries to communicate with them. The book “speaks” 
  by rapidly flipping through its pages and using folded 
  page corners to point to individual words. It is keen to 
  know what the characters are doing here, and happily 
  answers their questions. The spirit has no loyalty to 
  Jeralla, and yearns to be free of its labors. 
   The saga itself is composed in painful poetic verse. The 
  sorceress is painted as Tiamat’s earthly daughter, 
  destined to rule over all of Faerûn. If asked, the book 
  admits this is “bluster and hogwash.” It does not believe 
  she is the Chosen. 
   The spirit knows the following important facts: 
   
  • 
  Snuffing out the skull’s eye flames disables the 
  trap. 
  • 
  Jeralla has come to distrust her second-in-
  command, Sharrak, who she suspects of plotting 
  against her.  
  • 
  One of the captives held in the cave is a Harper 
  agent. 
  • 
  Jeralla stole the owlbear from an elf druid in the 
  Quivering Forest. She uses the Elven word 
  Arael’sha to placate the beast when it is angry. If 
  Jeralla were not present, the owlbear would destroy 
  the kobolds. 
   
  The only way to free the spirit from its labors is to “end 
  Jeralla’s saga.” If the sorcerer dies, the book becomes 
  inert. 
  Faction Assignment: Emerald Enclave 
  If the book reveals the owlbear’s story, any characters 
  belonging to the Emerald Enclave gains the following 
  assignment. 
   Free the Owlbear. The owlbear’s druid master wishes 
  its safe return. If the owlbear escapes the camp alive, any 
  players allied with the Emerald Enclave gain one 
  additional renown point. 
  Treasure 
  The treasure chest contains 80 gp in loose coins, silver 
  trade bars bearing the mint mark of Baldur’s Gate (20 gp 
  total), a jade dragon statuette (10 gp), a set of jeweled 
  finger-gauntlets (10 gp), and a copper locket containing a 
  painting of a halfling child (5 gp). 
  XP Award 
  If the adventurers successfully disable the trap on the 
  skull, award each character 25 XP. 
  
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  18 
   
  6. Cave of Captives 
  Characters that approach this cave from the outside risk 
  falling into the pit trap at the cave mouth. 
   
  A low cave slashes the rock face. Wood smoke drifts from 
  within, and firelight flickers against the cave mouth. Looking 
  closer, you see the shape of a clawed hand acting out a shadow 
  play against the cave wall. 
   
  The kobolds’ shadow play, recounting the legend of 
  Kurtulmak, is intended to scare their captives. There are 
  five kobolds inside the cave and seven captives. 
  Characters who listen carefully can hear kobolds 
  explaining how their god came to serve Tiamat in the 
  Nine Hells. 
   A safer, less-traveled route enters the rear of the cave 
  from the kobold caverns (area 3). 
   
  A campfire crackles in the center of this misshapen cavern. Four 
  bedraggled humans, a half-elf, and a pair of dwarves are tied 
  nearby, sprawled over a pile of stinking furs. Wicker cages 
  containing oversized centipedes and cockroaches are stacked 
  against the back wall. 
   A narrow passageway ascends to the northwest. To the south, 
  a slanting cave mouth curls outside. 
   
  If anyone falls into the pit trap (see below), the kobolds 
  come running. A character entering the cave entrance 
  while the shadow play is in progress is spotted 
  immediately. The kobolds fight to the death. 
  Cave Features 
  The cave has the following important features. 
   Pit Trap. The pit is 12 feet deep and hidden under 
  trampled scrub brush. Twine is strung between the pit’s 
  wicker surface and a wasps’ nest above. A creature falling 
  into the pit pulls the nest down with it, enraging the 
  wasps. In addition to 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage from 
  the fall, the creature takes an additional 2 (1d4) poison 
  damage from the wasps at the end of every turn it 
  remains inside the pit. Anyone within 5 feet of the pit who 
  is actively searching for traps can detect it with a DC 13 
  (Perception) check. 
   Captives. Most of the captives are simple caravan 
  guards. One is Sirge Wintermelt, a half-elf scout allied 
  with the Harpers (see below). The captives are desperate 
  for freedom, having seen plenty of their fellow prisoners 
  sacrificed to Tiamat. 
  Sirge Wintermelt 
  The half-elf reveals he is a Harper to any character allied 
  with the same faction. Even if there are no Harpers in the 
  party, the adventurers should recognize the faction’s 
  symbol on Sirge’s cloak pin.  
   Sirge relates the following: 
   
  • 
  The Harpers have learned that the Cult of the Dragon 
  is mustering orcs in the wilds of Thar. 
  • 
  Sirge was sent to hunt down the agent behind these 
  deals, but was captured before he was able to make 
  his move. 
  • 
  At first, he thought Jeralla belonged to the Cult of the 
  Dragon, but now that he’s had time to study her, he 
  no longer believes that. She’s too brash, too wild. 
  • 
  He believes that Sharrak, the two-headed urd, serves 
  the cult. He’s seen it whispering into a sending stone. 
   
  If the characters haven’t heard of the Cult of the Dragon, 
  Sirge can explain what he knows about the cult. 
  Faction Assignment: Harpers 
  Once freed, Sirge beseeches the party to help him capture 
  Sharrak, the sorcerer’s two-headed lieutenant. Characters 
  allied with the Harpers gain the following assignment. 
   Capture the Cult Spy. If Sharrak is returned alive to 
  Phlan for questioning, each character allied with the 
  Harpers earns one additional renown point. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove two kobolds 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove one kobold 
  • 
  Strong party: Add one kobold 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add two kobolds 
  Treasure 
  A leather sack at the back of the cave contains the 
  kobolds’ purloined riches. Inside the sack is a fine 
  whalebone comb (10 gp), a bronze helmet set with a fan 
  of peacock feathers (7 gp), a bronze torc (5 gp), and a 
  silver ring engraved with dueling mermen (3 gp). 
  XP Award 
  If the adventurers successfully avoid the pit trap, award 
  each character 50 XP. 
   
   
  
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  19 
   
  7. Signal Pyre 
  A kobold lookout is stationed here, poised to light the 
  signal pyre if Sahnd Krulek shows any sign of treachery. 
   
  The stone goblet looms overhead, the air above it trembling 
  with pungent oil fumes. A scaly humanoid stands on the 
  goblet’s rim, clutching a burning torch. It is looking toward the 
  statue’s lap. 
   
  Climbing to the goblet requires a DC 15 Strength 
  (Athletics) check, and a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check 
  to avoid being spotted by the kobold. If a character is 
  spotted on approach, the kobold shouts to warn Jeralla. 
  Lighting the Pyre 
  The kobold lights the signal pyre on Jeralla’s orders 
  alone. Roughly 15 gallons of oil have been poured over 
  the deadwood inside the goblet. Once lit, any creature 
  entering the inferno or starting its turn inside takes 27 
  (6d8) fire damage. 
  8. Outlaw Longship 
  The Gray Patriots arrived here on this vessel. 
   
  A longship is anchored to the statue’s sunken hand. The ship’s 
  mainsail is tightly furled, but its lines are set for a quick cast off. 
  Two gray-cloaked figures patrol the deck. 
   
  The two bandits have orders to ward off any vessel that 
  draws near. If the bandits are attacked, they fight valiantly 
  to defend the longship. 
  Assaulting the Longship 
  The longship is 8 feet at the beam, 60 feet in length, and 
  equipped with a single deck. 
   Slippery Deck. The deck is slippery from the fog. Any 
  character moving more than half speed in a single turn 
  must succeed at a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or 
  fall prone, ending his or her turn. 
   Cold Waters. The Moonsea is cold enough to knock the 
  breath out of a swimmer. A character who unexpectedly 
  falls into the water gains one level of exhaustion until he 
  or she gets to dry land and spends a few minutes drying 
  off. 
  Longship Supplies 
  The longship carries rations, kegs of ale, and a small 
  armory of swords, spears, arrows, and longbows. Among 
  the supplies are half-dozen thick gray cloaks. 
  Faction Assignment: Zhentarim 
  A full search of the vessel uncovers a scroll case 
  containing a letter for Sahnd Krulek. The letter is from 
  one of Krulek’s spies in Phlan, warning him of a 
  Zhentarim plot against him. Give the players Handout 5 
  when the party finds this letter. Characters allied with the 
  Zhentarim gain the following assignment on reading the 
  letter. 
   Capture Krulek Alive. The Zhentarim have ways of 
  getting to their enemies, even if they’re in prison. 
  Characters who return Sahnd Krulek alive to the 
  authorities earn one additional renown point. 
  9. Sea Cave 
  The Gray Patriots use the sea cave to traverse between 
  the outlaw longship (area 8) and the outlaw camp (area 
  11). 
   
  A pebble stone beach nestles inside the sea cave. A rowboat has 
  been pulled up onto the beach, stowed away next to a narrow 
  passageway that leads upward. The cavernous sea cave echoes 
  with the ebb and flow of the tide. 
   
  The passageway winds up to the cave entrance at area 
  10. The rowboat is empty, and it can fit eight passengers. 
  10. Cave Entrance 
  Two bandits patrol the camp’s perimeter. The guards are 
  playing a game of dragonchess to mark their patrols. 
   
  A three-tiered chessboard lies on the ground just outside the 
  cave, its pieces set in mid-game positions. A loaf of bread and a 
  wineskin sit next to the board. The outlaw camp lies to the 
  south, half-hidden behind a rise of boulders. 
   
  If the characters approach this location from the sea cave, 
  they spot one of the outlaws playing her move. 
   
  A woman in a gray cloak crouches next to the chessboard, 
  studying the pieces. She appears to be alone. 
   
  After a short while, the outlaw plays her move and 
  continues her patrol. Each outlaw takes roughly 10 
  minutes to circle the camp, with one passing the board 
  every 5 minutes. Both scouts carry horns, which they 
  sound if they spot intruders. 
   
  
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  Development 
  If one of the scouts returns to the chessboard and sees 
  that the other has not played his or her move, the scout 
  notifies the outlaw camp (area 11) and conducts a search 
  of the area. If the missing person is not found, the scout 
  goes to the meeting place (area 14) and warns Sahnd. 
  11. Outlaw Camp 
  The Gray Patriots await the signal to attack. The outlaw 
  Ruse, Sahnd Krulek’s trusted lieutenant, leads the gang 
  in his absence. 
   
  A circle of tents is pitched near the cliff edge, partially hidden 
  behind rocks and scrub brush. Half a dozen gray-cloaked 
  outlaws mill around the camp, sharpening swords, checking 
  supplies, or practicing archery on straw targets. To the 
  northeast, a lone tent can be glimpsed through the fog. 
   A muscled Tashalan woman paces restlessly through the camp, 
  her eyes locked on the statue to the west. As she walks, she 
  angrily swishes an axe back and forth. 
   
  Characters can hide behind rocks and thickets to sneak 
  past the campsite. Any who approach the camp are likely 
  to be seen before they can exploit the benefits of surprise. 
  Tactics 
  Ruse, a berserker, commands six hardened bandits. If 
  the campsite is attacked, one of the group rushes to the 
  meeting place (area 14) to warn Sahnd Krulek. The thug, 
  Little Erik, guarding Sahnd Krulek’s tent (area 12) 
  arrives at the beginning of the second round. 
   Ruse is blind in her left eye, but she is well-practiced at 
  hiding this weakness. Characters who know of her 
  blindness can exploit it during combat to gain advantage 
  on melee attacks made against her. Only one character 
  may benefit from this tactic in a single round. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Reduce the berserker’s hit points by 15 and 
  remove one bandit 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove one bandit 
  • 
  Strong party: Add one bandit  
  • 
  Very strong party: Add one bandit and one thug 
  Treasure 
  The tents contain bedrolls, lanterns, supplies of oil, and 
  rations. Characters who search through the bandits’ 
  belongings uncover 15 gp in loose coins. Additionally, one 
  of the bandits wears a fine silken shirt embroidered in 
  gold worth 10 gp. 
  12. Sahnd Krulek’s Tent 
  The outlaw Little Erik guards Krulek’s tent at all hours. 
   
  A military tent is pitched to the north of the main camp. Outside 
  the tent, a seven-foot tall brute stands vigil. 
   
  The thug Little Erik has orders to prevent entry to all who 
  approach. Little Erik believes that a hag has cursed him, 
  and he is convinced that the cry of a screech owl heralds 
  the moment of his death. If Little Erik hears such a noise, 
  he is struck dumb with fear and has disadvantage on all 
  attacks and skills for 1d3 rounds. 
   Roll a die at the end of every combat round that occurs 
  here: on an odd result, the bandits at the outlaw camp 
  (area 11) are alerted. Once Little Erik is dealt with, the 
  characters can safely enter the tent. 
   
  A map of the Iron Route is spread over a table inside the tent. 
  Various notations have been inked onto the map, and chess 
  pieces are positioned across its surface. Scrolls, coins, and wax 
  seals clutter the rest of the table. At the rear of the tent, an 
  ornately carved wooden rack sits with a wooden chest upon it. 
  The chest is locked with a heavy padlock. 
  Features of the Tent 
  The tent is spacious enough for five characters to move 
  about inside. 
   Trapped Chest: A magic ward protects the treasure 
  chest. Whenever Sahnd Krulek leaves, he places a 
  glittering longsword inside the chest and sprinkles a 
  small amount of dust on the chest’s lock. If the lock is 
  opened before the dust is removed, the sword animates 
  and attacks. Unlocking the chest requires the use of 
  thieves’ tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. 
  Because the trap activates when the chest is unlocked, 
  the sword is set to attack once the lid is opened: the 
  adventurers are surprised when the flying sword leaps 
  out of the chest. A character who is actively searching the 
  tent can spot the dust on a successful DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. Removing the dust is as simple as 
  blowing it off the lock. 
   Maps and Papers. The map shows the outlaws’ 
  hideouts in the Grass Sea and the sites of their 
  ambushes. The paperwork reveals that Krulek is raising a 
  mercenary army to overthrow the merchant houses and 
  take control of Phlan. 
  
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  21 
   
  Treasure 
  The treasure chest contains 50 gp in loose coins and an 
  emerald necklace shaped like a heart (75 gp). The 
  emerald necklace is the Heart of Myth Drannor: the 
  heirloom that Braden Yil is so desperate to recover for the 
  Lords’ Alliance. 
  XP Award 
  If the adventurers successfully disable the trapped chest, 
  award each character 50 XP. 
  13. Lookout 
  The moon elf Kai Tyran Uviel provides overwatch from 
  the statue’s shoulder. 
   
  The statue’s head and shoulders rest against the upper heights 
  of the cliff face, some twenty feet below the cliff’s edge. A thin 
  length of rope is stretched taut between a sapling on the 
  statue’s shoulder and a tree on the rocky ledge far below. 
   
  The gray-cloaked elf scout hides in the undergrowth. 
  Wisdom (Perception) checks made to spot him suffer 
  disadvantage due to the fog and undergrowth. 
   Kai does not to betray his position unless absolutely 
  necessary. If he witnesses strangers sneaking about, he 
  gives a crow call to warn Krulek. 
  13a. Zip Line 
   
  A length of silk rope is fastened to a silverbark tree near the foot 
  of the cliff. The rope stretches all the way to the statue’s 
  shoulder, roughly sixty feet west and forty feet above. 
   
  Using the zip line, the elf scout on lookout can reach the 
  vicinity of the camp in just two rounds. Climbing the rope 
  requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, 
  while zip-lining down requires a DC 10 Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) check. Any creature who fails either of these 
  checks falls to the ground below, taking 3 (1d6) 
  bludgeoning damage for each 10 feet fallen. 
  Treasure 
  Kai carries a +1 longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows. 
  14. Meeting Place 
  The meeting between Sahnd Krulek and Jeralla takes 
  place on the statue’s lap. 
   
   
  Thick scrub grows over the statue’s lap. The king’s ruined 
  forearms rest on his thighs, forming two platforms high above 
  ground level. Sea fog swirls over the statue, and the roar of the 
  waterfalls is deafening. 
   A grim warrior in plate armor stands on the eastern arm. On 
  the arm opposite, a red-scaled dragonborn woman faces him. 
   
  A DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check is required to sneak up 
  on the meeting without being spotted. Characters who 
  sneak closer overhear the outlaws thrashing out their 
  deal. They recognize Sahnd Krulek from his wanted 
  poster. 
   
  Sahnd Krulek calls out to the dragonborn opposite. 
   “I know which wagons are fat with riches, Jeralla! You leave the 
  east to me, and I’ll give you a cut of the best meat.” 
   “Scraps from your table, more like!” the sorcerer snarls. “Why 
  should I pay for what my claws can tear freely?” 
   
  The conversation continues in this manner for hours. It is 
  unlikely that the two enemies reach an accord before the 
  orcs attack (see part 4). 
  Tactics 
  As a knight, Sahnd Krulek is a dangerous combatant. 
  Jeralla relies on her wild magic to defend herself. If 
  combat ensues here, the lookouts at areas 7 and 13 open 
  fire to support their chiefs. If horns are blown, 
  reinforcements from the camps can reach the meeting 
  place within 5 rounds. 
   An outlaw chief engages in combat only if directly 
  threatened. If only one side is attacked, the other chief 
  retreats to their camp and musters their gang for a 
  counterattack. 
  14a, 14b. River Crossings 
  The rivers can be safely forded in the positions shown. A 
  character can sneak over either crossing with a 
  successful DC 10 Dexterity (Stealth) check. 
  Treasure 
  Sahnd Krulek wears an ornate silver armband (15 gp), 
  and carries a pouch containing 10 gp. 
   Jeralla’s teeth are all capped in gold worth a total of 20 
  gp. She carries a pouch containing 5 gp. 
   
   
   
  
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  22 
   
  Hostage Stand-Offs 
  If an outlaw chief is held hostage, his or her cohorts try to 
  negotiate an immediate release. The hostage-taker can force the 
  outlaws to back off with a successful DC 15 Charisma 
  (Intimidate) check. Morale swiftly crumbles if the chief is 
  kidnapped or killed. Once all is lost, the gang disbands in a 
  matter of hours due to infighting, desertion, and greed. 
   
   
  
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  23 
   
  Part 4: Orc Assault 
  Launch this stage as events reach a climax. The Cult of 
  the Dragon has paid an orc war band to raid King’s Pyre 
  and destroy the heretical Claws of Tiamat. Their orog 
  war chief, Narle Shieldbiter, leads over thirty orcs in the 
  assault.  
   
  The howls of wolves echo from the woods around King’s Pyre. 
  Crows take flight from the treetops, and a cold breeze blows in 
  from the sea. Something is moving up there.  
  The Burning Banner 
  Narle Shieldbiter believes that his tribe, the Burning 
  Banner, is destined to serve the dragons that shall soon 
  rule over Faerûn. Sharrak’s words have enflamed his 
  imagination, and now his orcs paint dragons on their 
  shields and wear helmets hammered into crude 
  representations of dragon skulls. When they go to war, 
  the orcs set fire to their banners in honor of their draconic 
  masters. Narle is sworn to the Cult of the Dragon, but 
  Sharrak is his only contact within the group. 
  Running the Assault 
  The orcs arrive at King’s Pyre from the north. Before 
  launching his assault, Narle dispatches shock troops to 
  silence any lookouts. The characters should be present 
  when the shock troops attack (see encounter 1, below). 
  If you’re short on time, skip straight to encounter 2. 
   The war band soon sweeps down the slope into Jeralla’s 
  camp. Taken by surprise, the dragonborn’s forces are 
  decimated. Don’t resolve these conflicts using dice; 
  instead, simply narrate them as background events. The 
  orcs soon sweep across every area of the adventure site, 
  including the Gray Patriot camp. Launch encounter 2 if 
  the players get caught up in the assault. 
   If the players managed to seize Sharrak’s sending stone 
  and perpetrated a ruse on Narle, some of Jeralla’s forces 
  do catch wind of the attack and the battle is a bit more 
  pitched. By the time the orc shock troops attack the 
  characters in encounter 1, their numbers are halved 
  (round up).  
  Encounter 1. Orc Shock Troops 
  This encounter can take place anywhere. A small group of 
  orcs assaults the characters’ location prior to the main 
  attack. 
   
   
  A dark figure emerges from cover, its skin wet with pitch. It 
  wears an iron helmet hammered into the shape of a dragon 
  skull and wields a rusty axe. Tusks rise from its pig-like jaw. 
   “For the Scaled Lords,” it snarls, and leaps forward. 
   
  Six orcs assault anyone present in this location. If the 
  characters are hiding in cover, narrate the combat 
  between NPCs instead of rolling dice. The orcs fight to 
  the death. 
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove four orcs 
  • 
  Weak party: Remove three orcs 
  • 
  Strong party: Add one orc 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add two orcs 
  Development 
  When the shock troops are slain or move off, the main 
  assault begins.  
   
  Horns bellow from the west. Burning battle standards appear 
  through the trees above, carried by a large group of screaming 
  humanoids. The war band charges down the wooded slope 
  toward the statue, battle cries filling the air. 
   
  Give the players time to react. Launch encounter 2 if they 
  are still present when the orcs sweep through the camp. 
  Encounter 2. Orog Chieftain 
  Run this encounter when the characters are escaping 
  with the captives, locked in combat with one of the outlaw 
  chiefs, or whenever else seems most dramatic. Narle 
  Shieldbiter confronts the characters in mortal combat.  
   
  The battle rages around you. Arrows whistle overhead, and the 
  air is filled with choking smoke. As you move through the chaos, 
  a bestial man-thing emerges from the fog, riding a giant wolf. 
  The creature wields a rusted axe and carries a burning battle 
  standard. Its teeth are filed metal. Near him, several orcs move 
  up through the haze to menace you. 
   
  The orog Narle and his worg steed fight to the death. 
  Three orcs attempt to engage lighter-armored characters, 
  and flee if Narle is defeated. If the battle turns against the 
  characters, one or more outlaws could be drawn into the 
  fight to confront the war chief. 
   If Narle dies, the rest of his war band routs. 
  
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  24 
   
  Adjusting the Encounter 
  Here are recommendations for adjusting this combat encounter. 
  These are not cumulative. 
  • 
  Very weak party: Remove the worg and orcs  
  • 
  Weak party: Remove the orcs  
  • 
  Strong party: Add one orc 
  • 
  Very strong party: Add one orog, one worg, and one orc 
  Treasure 
  Narle carries a pouch containing 15 gp, an ornate dagger 
  carved like a dragon’s head (8 gp), and an armband made 
  from wyvern skin (5 gp). The worg wears a collar studded 
  with black pearls (22 gp). Narle’s sending stone has been 
  crushed during the battle, rendering Sharrak’s sending 
  stone useless. 
  Ending the Assault 
  The characters might choose to escape rather than 
  confront Narle and his war band. If so, the orcs destroy 
  both outlaw gangs. If the outlaws were largely unscathed 
  when the attack began, the orcs might be decimated too. 
   It is up to you to determine who else survives the orc 
  attack, based on the party’s actions so far. An outlaw chief 
  could be found critically injured, or the characters could 
  encounter both rivals locked in bloody combat. Whatever 
  you choose, don’t make it too challenging: by this stage, 
  the players have earned a break! 
  Conclusion 
  The characters report back to Braden Yil, who pays them 
  their reward. Over the following days, the first few 
  merchant caravans leave Phlan and journey cautiously 
  along the Iron Route. Word of the caravans’ arrival is 
  greeted with celebration, and the characters are feted as 
  heroes. The city is safe again—at least until next time! 
  Rewards 
  Make sure note their rewards on their adventure log 
  sheets. Give your name and DCI number (if applicable) so 
  players can record who ran the session. 
  Experience 
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated foes, 
  and divide by the number of characters present in the 
  combat. For non-combat experience, the rewards are 
  listed per character. Give all characters in the party non-
  combat experience awards unless otherwise noted. 
   
  Combat Awards 
  Name of Foe 
   
   
  XP per Foe 
  Captain Walharrow, minotaur  
  700 
  Owlbear  
   
   
  700 
  Jeralla, sorcerer 
   
   
  450 
  Narle, orog 
   
   
  450 
  Ruse, berserker 
   
   
  450 
  Sahnd Krulek, knight 
   
  450 
  Orc 
   
   
   
  100 
  Scout (including Kai Tyran Uviel) 
  100 
  Thug (including Little Erik) 
   
  100 
  Worg 
   
   
   
  100 
  Sharrak, winged kobold 
   
  50 
  Bandit 
   
   
   
  25 
  Giant weasel 
   
   
  25 
  Grimshackle brothers, halfling bandits 
  25 
  Guard (including Grimshackle jailer) 
  25 
  Kobold 
   
   
   
  25 
  Commoner 
   
   
  10 
  Spider 
   
   
   
  10 
  Non-Combat Awards 
  Task or Accomplishment 
   
  XP per Character 
  Escape from Grimshackle 
   
  50 
  Avoiding the pit trap in area 6  
  50 
  Disabling Krulek’s magic dust trap 
  50 
  Disabling Jeralla’s skull trap 
   
  25 
   
   The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 450 experience points. 
   The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 600 experience points. 
  Treasure 
  The characters receive the following treasure, divided up 
  among the party. Characters should attempt to divide 
  treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece values 
  listed for sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, 
  not their purchase price. 
   Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one character is 
  interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM 
  can determine who gets it randomly should the group be 
  unable to decide. 
   Permanent magic items are divided according to a 
  system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards 
  permanent magic items. 
   
   
  
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  25 
   
  Treasure Awards 
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value 
  Sahnd Krulek’s tent  
   
  125 
  Jeralla’s wagon 
   
   
  125 
  Black Fist bounty on Krulek 
   
  100 
  House Cadorna bounty on Krulek 
  75 
  House Cadorna bounty on Jeralla 
  75 
  Bounty bonus for haggling 
   
  50 
  Kobold treasure (area 4) 
   
  50 
  Orog chieftain’s treasure 
   
  50 
  Kobold treasure (area 6) 
   
  25 
  Bandits’ possessions (area 11) 
  25 
  Krulek’s possessions 
   
  25 
  Jeralla’s possessions 
   
  25 
  +1 Longbow 
  Magic weapon, uncommon 
  You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls when 
  wielding this weapon. 
  Permanent Magic Item Distribution 
  D&D Adventurers League has a system in place to determine 
  who is awarded permanent magic items at the end of a session. 
  Each character’s log sheet contains a column to record 
  permanent magic items for ease of reference. 
  • 
  If all the players at the table agree on one character taking 
  possession of a permanent magic item, that character gets 
  the item. 
  • 
   In the event that one or more characters indicate an interest 
  in possessing a permanent magic item, the character that 
  possesses the fewest permanent magic items gets the item. 
  If there is a tie in the total number of permanent magic items 
  owned by contesting characters, the item’s owner is 
  determined randomly by the DM. 
  Renown 
  All faction members earn one renown point for 
  participating in this adventure. 
   Faction Assignment (Emerald Enclave): Freeing the 
  owlbear and ensuring that it escapes King’s Pyre alive 
  satisfies the requirements for this faction assignment. Any 
  member of the Emerald Enclave who fulfills this 
  assignment earns one additional renown point. 
   Faction Assignment (Harpers): Capturing the Cult of 
  the Dragon spy, Sharrak, and returning him to Phlan 
  satisfies the requirements for this faction assignment. Any 
  member of the Harpers who fulfills this assignment earns 
  one additional renown point. 
   Faction Assignment (Lord’s Alliance): Locating and 
  recovering the Heart of Myth Drannor from Krulek’s tent 
  satisfies the requirements for this faction assignment. Any 
  member of the Lord’s Alliance who fulfills this 
  assignment earns one additional renown point. 
   Faction Assignment (Order of the Gauntlet): Freeing 
  the bandits’ captives satisfies the requirements for this 
  faction assignment. Any member of the Order of the 
  Gauntlet who fulfills this assignment earns one 
  additional renown point. 
   Faction Assignment (Zhentarim): Capturing Krulek 
  alive and returning him to Phlan to face the Black Fist 
  satisfies the requirements for this faction assignment. Any 
  member of the Zhentarim who fulfills this assignment 
  earns one additional renown point. 
  Downtime 
  Each character receives ten downtime days at the 
  conclusion of this adventure. 
  DM Rewards 
  You receive 200 XP and ten downtime days for running 
  this session. 
   
   
   
  
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  26 
   
  Appendix 1: 
  Monster/NPC 
  Statistics 
  Bandit 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful alignment 
   
  Armor Class 12 (leather armor) 
  Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
  Actions 
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage. 
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80 ft./320 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage. 
   
  Commoner 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment 
    
  Armor Class 10 
  Hit Points 4 (1d8) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 0 (10 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. 
   
   
   
  Flying Sword 
  Small construct, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 17 (5d6) 
  Speed 0 ft., fly 50 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  1 (−5) 
  5 (−3) 
  1 (−5) 
    
  Saving Throws Dex +4 
  Damage Immunities poison, psychic 
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned 
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 7 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
    
  Antimagic Susceptibility. The sword is incapacitated while in the 
  area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the sword 
  must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster’s 
  spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute. 
  False Appearance. While the sword remains motionless and isn’t 
  flying, it is indistinguishable from a normal sword. 
  Actions 
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) slashing damage. 
   
  Giant Weasel 
  Medium beast, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 13 
  Hit Points 9 (2d8) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  4 (−3) 
  12 (+1) 
  5 (−3) 
    
  Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
    
  Keen Hearing and Smell. The weasel has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. 
  Actions 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 
  (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. 
  
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  27 
   
  Grimshackle Brothers, 
  Halfling Bandits 
  Medium humanoid (halfling), neutral evil 
   
  Armor Class 12 (leather armor) 
  Hit Points 9 (2d8) 
  Speed 25 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   9 (−1) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common, Halfling 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
   
  Brave. The halfling has advantage on saving throws against being 
  frightened. 
  Halfling Nimbleness. The halfling can move through the space of 
  any creature that is of a size larger than it. 
  Actions 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage. 
  Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 30 ft./120 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage. 
   
  Grimshackle Jailer 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment 
    
  Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield) 
  Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Skills Perception +2 
  Senses passive Perception 12 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage. 
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80 ft./320 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage. 
  Guard 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment 
    
  Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield) 
  Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
   
  Skills Perception +2 
  Senses passive Perception 12 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
    
  Actions 
  Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage. 
   
  Jeralla, Sorcerer 
  Medium humanoid (dragonborn), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 13 (mage armor) 
  Hit Points 21 (5d6 + 5) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +4, Cha +6 
  Skills Arcana +3, Intimidation +6 
  Senses passive Perception 11 
  Damage Resistance fire 
  Languages Common, Draconic 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
    
  Draconic Ancestry. Jeralla has red dragon ancestry 
  Spellcasting. Jeralla is a 5th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). 
  Jeralla knows the following sorcerer spells: 
  Cantrips (at will): acid splash, fire bolt, mage hand, message, minor 
  illusion 
  1st level (4 slots): mage armor, thunderwave 
  2nd level (3 slots): cloud of daggers, crown of madness, scorching 
  ray 
  3rd level (2 slots): hypnotic pattern 
  Actions 
  Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Breath Weapon (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). Jeralla 
  exhales a 15-foot cone of fire. Each creature in the area must 
  succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) fire 
  damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful 
  one. 
  Reckless Dweomer (Recharge 5–6). When Jeralla casts a spell, she 
  can invoke a wild magic surge to cast the spell as though she had 
  spent a slot one level higher than the slot used to cast the spell. 
  (The DM may consult the Wild Magic Surge table in the Player’s 
  Handbook when using this ability.) 
  
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  28 
   
  Kai Tyran Uviel, Scout 
  Medium humanoid (high elf), neutral 
   
  Armor Class 15 (chain shirt) 
  Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Nature +4, Perception +5, Stealth +6, Survival +5 
  Senses passive Perception 15 
  Languages Common, Elvish 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
   
  Special Equipment. Kai has a +1 longbow. 
  Keen Hearing and Sight. Kai has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight. 
  Fey Ancestry. Kai has advantage on saving throws against being 
  charmed, and magic can’t put her to sleep. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The scout makes two melee attacks or two ranged 
  attacks. 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Longbow (+1 Longbow). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, ranged 
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Kobold 
  Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil 
    
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 5 (2d6 − 2) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   7 (−2) 
  15 (+2) 
  9 (−1) 
  8 (−1) 
  7 (−2) 
  8 (−1) 
    
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 
  Languages Common, Draconic 
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) 
    
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kobold has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll against 
  a creature if at least one of the kobold’s allies is within 5 feet of 
  the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Actions 
  Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Sling. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage. 
  Captain Walharrow, 
  Minotaur 
  Large monstrosity, chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 76 (9d10 + 27) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  6 (−2) 
  16 (+3) 
  9 (−1) 
    
  Skills Perception +7 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17 
  Languages Abyssal 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
    
  Charge. If the minotaur moves at least 10 feet straight toward a 
  target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the 
  target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is a 
  creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be 
  pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone. 
  Labyrinthine Recall. The minotaur can perfectly recall any path it 
  has traveled. 
  Reckless. At the start of its turn, the minotaur can gain advantage 
  on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that turn, but 
  attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next 
  turn. 
  Actions 
  Greatclub. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. 
  Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. 
   
   
   
  
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  29 
   
  Narle Shieldbiter, Orog 
  Medium humanoid (orc), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 18 (plate) 
  Hit Points 42 (5d8 + 20) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
   
  Skills Intimidation +5, Survival +2 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common, Orc 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
    
  Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orog can move up to its speed 
  toward a hostile creature that it can see. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The orog makes two greataxe attacks. 
  Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage. 
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. 
   
  Orc 
  Medium humanoid (orc), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 13 (hide armor) 
  Hit Points 15 (2d8 + 6) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  7 (−2) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
    
  Skills Intimidation +2 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages Common, Orc 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
    
  Aggressive. As a bonus action, the orc can move up to its speed 
  toward a hostile creature that it can see. 
  Actions 
  Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage. 
  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. 
   
   
   
  Owlbear 
  Large monstrosity, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21) 
  Speed 40 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  12 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  3 (−4) 
  12 (+1) 
  7 (−2) 
    
  Skills Perception +3 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
    
  Keen Sight and Smell. The owlbear has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The owlbear makes two attacks: one with its beak 
  and one with its claws. 
  Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage. 
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage. 
  Ruse, Berserker 
  Medium humanoid (human), chaotic evil 
    
  Armor Class 13 (hide armor) 
  Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  9 (−1) 
  11 (+0) 
  9 (−1) 
    
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 2 (450 XP) 
    
  Reckless. At the start of its turn, the berserker can gain advantage 
  on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls 
  against it have advantage until the start of its next turn. 
  Actions 
  Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage. 
   
   
   
  
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  30 
   
  Scout 
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment 
   
  Armor Class 13 (leather armor) 
  Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Nature +4, Perception +5, Stealth +6, Survival +5 
  Senses passive Perception 15 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
   
  Keen Hearing and Sight. The scout has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The scout makes two melee attacks or two ranged 
  attacks. 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. 
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, ranged 150/600 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. 
   
  Sahnd Krulek, Knight 
  Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil 
    
  Armor Class 18 (plate) 
  Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
   
  Saving Throws Con +4, Wis +2 
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 3 (700 XP) 
   
  Brave. The knight has advantage on saving throws against being 
  frightened. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The knight makes two melee attacks. 
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. 
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 100/400 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. 
   
   
  Leadership (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute, 
  the knight can utter a special command or warning whenever a 
  nonhostile creature that it can see within 30 feet of it makes an 
  attack roll or a saving throw. The creature can add a d4 to its roll 
  provided it can hear and understand the knight. A creature can 
  benefit from only one Leadership die at a time. This effect ends if 
  the knight is incapacitated. 
  Reactions 
  Parry. The knight adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that 
  would hit it. To do so, the knight must see the attacker and be 
  wielding a melee weapon. 
   
  Sharrak, Winged Kobold 
  Small humanoid (kobold), lawful evil 
    
  Armor Class 13 
  Hit Points 7 (3d6 − 3) 
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   7 (−2) 
  16 (+3) 
  9 (−1) 
  8 (−1) 
  7 (−2) 
  8 (−1) 
    
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8 
  Languages Common, Draconic 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
    
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the kobold has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) 
  checks that rely on sight. 
  Pack Tactics. The kobold has advantage on an attack roll against 
  a creature if at least one of the kobold’s allies is within 5 feet of 
  the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Actions 
  Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Dropped Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, one target 
  directly below the kobold. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. 
   
   
   
  
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  31 
   
  Spider 
  Tiny beast, unaligned 
    
  Armor Class 12 
  Hit Points 1 (1d4 − 1) 
  Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   2 (−4) 
  14 (+2) 
  8 (−1) 
  1 (−5) 
  10 (+0) 
  2 (−4) 
    
  Skills Stealth +4 
  Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10 
  Languages — 
  Challenge 0 (10 XP) 
    
  Spider Climb. The spider can climb difficult surfaces, including 
  upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability 
  check. 
  Web Sense. While in contact with a web, the spider knows the 
  exact location of any other creature in contact with the same web. 
  Web Walker. The spider ignores movement restrictions caused 
  by webbing. 
  Actions 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 9 
  Constitution saving throw or take 2 (1d4) poison damage. 
   
  Thug  
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment 
   
  Armor Class 11 (leather armor) 
  Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10) 
  Speed 30 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
   
  Skills Intimidation +2 
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages any one language (usually Common) 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
    
  Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an attack roll against a 
  creature if at least one of the thug’s allies is within 5 feet of the 
  creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. The thug makes two melee attacks. 
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. 
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 100/400 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing damage. 
   
  Worg 
  Large monstrosity, neutral evil 
   
  Armor Class 13 (natural armor) 
  Hit Points 26 (4d10 + 4) 
  Speed 50 ft. 
    
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  13 (+1) 
  7 (–2) 
  11 (+0) 
  8 (–1) 
   
  Skills Perception +4 
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 
  Languages Goblin, Worg 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
   
  Keen Hearing and Smell. The worg has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell. 
  Actions 
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must 
  succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. 
   
   
   
  
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  32 
   
  Player Handout 1 
   
   
  
   
  Outlaws of the Iron Route 
   
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  33 
   
  Player Handout 2 
  
   
  Outlaws of the Iron Route 
   
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  34 
   
  Player Handout 3 
  
   
  Outlaws of the Iron Route 
   
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  35 
   
  Player Handout 4 
   
  
   
  Outlaws of the Iron Route 
   
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  36 
   
  Player Handout 5 
   
   
  
   
  Outlaws of the Iron Route 
   
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  37 
   
  Map 1: Grimshackle Jail 
   
   
  
   
  Outlaws of the Iron Route 
   
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  38 
   
  Map 2: King’s Pyre 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/S01 - Tyranny of Dragons/DDEX1-09 - Outlaws of the Iron Route.pdf