TEXT:  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  3 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow 
  By Page Bonifaci 
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  3 
  Love’s Fickle Arrow 
   
   
   
   
  Someone wants Landon Rigolo dead, and they have a poetic 
  plan for vengeance. Thwart a theatrical assassination in 
  this adventure set in the City of Splendors. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers 
  League, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and 
  their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or 
  unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
  ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 
  4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. 
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  3 
  Contents 
   
  Introduction 
  4 
  Background 
  4 
  Overview 
  4 
  Tying into Dragon Heist 
  5 
  The Lightsinger 
  6 
  The Adventure 
  10 
  Meeting at the Lightsinger 
  10 
  Tour and Introductions 
  12 
  Running Security 
  12 
  Notable Attendees 
  13 
  Night 1 
  14 
  Night 2 
  15 
  Night 3 
  16 
  Investigations 
  18 
  Resolving the Adventure 
  20 
  Appendix A: NPCs 
  21 
  Appendix B: Altering the Adventure 
  26 
  Another Assassin? 
  26 
  Combat 
  27 
  Assigning Experience 
  28 
  Appendix C: Statistics 
  29 
  Fangirl Mob 
  29 
  Gharin Blackfinger 
  29 
  Nadia Thinreed 
  30 
  Zhentarim Ambusher 
  31 
  Zhentarim Thug 
  31 
   
   
   
   
   
  Credits 
   
  Adventure Design:  
  Page Bonifaci 
   
  Editor:  
  John Newland-Thompson 
   
  Cover Art:  
  "ep28 : The Festivities" by “David Revoy, 
  www.davidrevoy.com”, used under CC BY 
  / cropped from original. 
   
  Interior Art:  
  "ep28 : The Festivities" by “David Revoy, 
  www.davidrevoy.com”, used under CC BY 
  / cropped from original. 
   
  Some artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used 
  with permission. All rights reserved. 
   
  Some artwork © Gary Dupuis. 
   
  Map assets by 2minutetabletop.com, used 
  with permission. 
   
   
  Special Thanks To:  
  Emily Bonifaci, Spencer Hepp, Liz Williams, 
  Jac Gentile, Eric Salinger, Cory Byrnes, 
  Madeline Claire Hahn 
   
  Using this book 
  When a creature’s name appears in bold type, 
  that’s a visual cue for you to look up the 
  creature’s stat block. All stat blocks used in 
  this adventure are included in Appendix C.  
  Abbreviations 
  WDH: Waterdeep Dragon Heist
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  4 
  Introduction
  A popular bard by the name of Landon Rigolo is 
  scheduled to perform at the Lightsinger Theater 
  in the Castle Ward. Unfortunately for Rigolo, 
  someone has it out for him, and they have a 
  poetic plan for vengeance. 
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow is designed to be played as 
  part of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist but can be 
  adapted for other adventures in Waterdeep or 
  another urban setting.  
   
  This adventure assumes you have a copy of 
  Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Several NPC’s from 
  Dragon Heist appear in Love’s Fickle Arrow. 
   
  Party Level and Experience 
  This quest has been optimized for a party of 
  four 3rd level characters, but should work for 
  any Tier 1 party. 
   
  This adventure has an emphasis on roleplaying 
  encounters and careful decision making, and 
  works best using Milestone levelling. If you are 
  using encounter-based XP in your game, there 
  are optional guidelines for assigning xp rewards 
  in Appendix B. 
   
  Background 
  Harvo Caulminster is a lovelorn noble with a 
  sadistic streak. He has recently suffered a bad 
  breakup, and has twisted his feelings of loss 
  into a thirst for vengeance. His target is the 
  famous Bard Landon Rigolo. 
   
  The noble has put out a call for an assassin to 
  carry out his plan. He intends for the murder to 
  take place on the final night of Rigolo's tour in 
  Waterdeep, during a performance of his most 
  famous song; Love's Fickle Arrow. His theatrical 
  plan calls for the bard to be shot through the 
  heart with a crossbow bolt during the final 
  verse. 
   
  Rigolo is currently performing at The 
  Lightsinger Theater, a well established venue in 
  Waterdeep. His performances are a major draw 
  for the theater, and the manager Ekkala needs 
  it to go smoothly. Rumor of the assassination 
  has reached her ears, and she has in turn 
  decided to bring in some extra security. 
   
  Overview 
  The adventure starts with the players called to 
  the Lightsinger by a mutual aquaintance of 
  theirs and Ekkala. Once there, they will be told 
  about the threat against Rigolo’s life, and 
  (assuming they accept) given a tour of the 
  theater. 
   
  The adventure then proceeds over three nights 
  of performances. On the third night, the 
  assassin will strike, unless stopped by the 
  characters. 
   
  The players are able to resolve the threat 
  during any of the three days, and can do so in a 
  variety of ways (see “Resolving the Adventure” 
  for details). 
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow is designed with flexibility in 
  mind. You will find several NPCs with 
  alternative motives, an optional second 
  assassin, and advice for customizing the 
  adventure later in this book. 
   
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  5 
  Tying into Dragon Heist 
  Serveral options are available for tying this 
  adventure more closely to Waterdeep: Dragon 
  Heist. 
   
  The Cassalanters 
  Caulminster could be a minor member of the 
  Cassalanter cult. He isn’t devout, and is a cultist 
  mostly because he has heard it may curry favor 
  with more powerful nobles. 
   
  He doesn't know any names, though he does 
  believe there’s a Masked Lord at the head of 
  the cult. If searched, he carries a small gold 
  symbol of Asmodeus, and a wax sealed letter 
  mentioning a ritual meeting "Beneath the feet 
  of the knight when the bakers wake". This is a 
  coded reference to a certain mausoleum in the 
  City of the Dead, and the time that the ritual 
  will begin. 
   
  Jarlaxle 
  During her introduction Ekkala mentions a new 
  owner who she needs to impress. The new 
  owner is Jarlaxle in one of his disguises (most 
  likely as Rongquan). You may replace the Seven 
  Masks theater in Chapter 4 of Dragon Heist 
  with the Lightsinger. 
   
  Rongquan will want to meet the party during 
  their investigation, and will feign interest in 
  preventing Rigolo’s death. He's already 
  identified Harvo as the source of the threat, 
  and is close to identifying the assassin, but is 
  planning to blackmail both of them if they 
  succeed. He knows he can fan unrest from a 
  public assassination, and then solve the 
  problem himself later for leverage over the city.  
  Manshoon 
  The assassin works for Manshoon’s Zhentarim, 
  though she doesn’t know he is involved. If 
  Manshoon is aware of the party’s involvement 
  with the Stone of Golorr, he’ll send additional 
  backup (two Zhentarim Ambushers and a 
  Zhentarim Thug) if the party confronts Nadia. 
   
  If Harvo Caulminster escapes the adventure 
  unscathed, Manshoon will take the opportunity 
  to blackmail him. Harvo’s influence is limited, 
  but he will start relaying information on other 
  nobles to the Black Network, as well as fanning 
  negative opinions of Laerel among his fellows. 
   
  Xanathar 
  The Xanathar has little interest in the theater 
  itself. It does have an interest in protecting the 
  Cache of Dragons. You can replace the Pink 
  Flumph from Chapter 4 of Dragon Heist with 
  The Lightsinger. In this case, the players may 
  spot Xanathar Guild spies (one Goblin Boss and 
  two Kenku flunkies) scoping out the alley 
  around the theater during any of the 
  performances. 
   
  If Xanathar is your villain, Dhovin has been 
  turned into a spy. He was captured the month 
  before while walking home, and had an 
  Intellect Devourer placed in his skull. His 
  primary goal is to keep anyone from 
  discovering the trap door to the Cache of 
  Dragons within the prop room (area T8, only if 
  using Xanathar) with a secondary goal of 
  keeping tabs on Mirt and any other foes of The 
  Xanathar who come to the theater. 
   
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  6 
  The Lightsinger
   
  The Lightsinger Theater sits at the southern 
  edge of the Sea Ward just north of The God 
  Catcher. It's long established in the district but 
  has lost some of its luster recently and is facing 
  competition from newer theaters. They book a 
  mixture of plays from the resident troup and 
  travelling performers.  
   
  Most of the regulars aren't around during this 
  adventure since Rigolo is dominating the 
  schedule. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Where exactly is the Lightsinger?  
  Waterdeep: Dragon Heist references both the 
  Sea Ward and Castle Ward as locations for the 
  Lightsinger. We've gone with a compromise of 
  locating the theater right at the edge between 
  the two wards. The precise location of the 
  theater doesn't impact the story, so feel free to 
  locate it anywhere that works for your 
  campaign. 
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  7 
   
   
  Map 1 – Lightsinger Theater Main Level 
  Map 2 – Lightsinger Theater Upper Level 
  Full-size maps are available in the “Maps” folder alongside this document, ready for printing or use with your 
  virtual tabletop of choice. 
   
  Map assets by 2minutetabletop.com, used with permission. 
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  8 
  T1 - Lobby  
  The Lightsinger's lobby is dominated by a large 
  open atrium reaching up to the ceiling, filled 
  with beautiful glass chandeliers. The central 
  chandelier depicts an angel made from 
  thousands of individual pieces of white and 
  yellow glass suspended from the ceiling. 
   
  A pair of wide staircases line the north and 
  south walls providing access to the private 
  boxes on the second floor. 
   
  Two guards are stationed at the doors, dressed 
  as ushers and paid by the theater. They don't 
  carry spears, but each has a club and dagger if 
  fighting breaks out. They're mostly there to 
  escort out drunkards. 
   
  T2 - Ticket Booths  
  These twin booths sell tickets, serve as a coat 
  check, and will also provide refreshments 
  during intermission. 
   
  T3 - Front Office  
  Set between the ticket booths, this is Dhovin’s 
  office. The location keeps him readily available 
  to tackle any issues that come up, though he 
  usually prefers to walk the floor while guests 
  arrive. 
   
  Beneath the desk is a small safe, where the 
  night’s take is kept. Dhovin empties the safe 
  every morning, taking the contents to a nearby 
  bank. A character with thieves’ tools can open 
  the safe with a DC 18 Dexterity check. On a 
  performance night, the safe contains 60+2d10 
  gp. 
   
  T4 - Auditorium  
  Padded seats are arranged in 8 tiered rows, 
  facing the stage. There are four pathways, two 
  down the middle, and two at the far edges of 
  the auditorium. The auditorium can hold 
  around 250 audience members. 
   
  T4a – Orchestra Pit 
  This lowered area before the stage is filled by 
  musicians during most shows. Rigolo’s 
  accompaniment is simple, and consists of a 
  single violinist and cellist during performances. 
   
  T5 - The Stage  
  The center of focus, the Lightsinger's stage is 
  raised several feet above the auditorium floor, 
  and ringed by braziers with continual flame 
  spells. These braziers can be capped with 
  colored glass hoods to change or darken the 
  stage lighting. 
   
  One of the braziers has been broken recently, 
  and is currently using a regular oil flame. 
  The back wall is currently dominated by a 
  painted backdrop of a city vista. The backdrop 
  is changed out for each production. 
   
  Tucked behind the stone pillars on both sides of 
  the stage are wooden ladders that allows 
  access to a raised walkway and rafters (T15). 
   
  Actors and stage hands can watch from behind 
  the red curtains at the north and south edges 
  of the stage. 
   
  T6 - Stage Manager's Office  
  This is Ekkala's office, and she is usually found 
  here between performances. It is filled by 
  shelves overflowing with papers, scripts, and 
  accounting books. The remaining space is filled 
  by an old wooden desk and a small sleeping cot 
  which Ekkala sometimes uses when working 
  late.  
   
  T7 - Dressing Rooms  
  These rooms contain clothing racks, makeup 
  tables, and mirrors.  
   
  T8 – Prop Storage 
  Props are staged here for use during plays. It is 
  piled high with extra stuff right now. 
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  9 
  T9 – Backstage (Lower) 
  This wide hallway provides access between the 
  various dressing rooms and the stage. There 
  are usually several stage hands bustling about, 
  but they don’t tend to pay attention to each 
  other (or anyone sneaking through). 
   
  T10 - Private Boxes  
  Seven private boxes line the back wall of the 
  auditorium. They are all accessed by a 
  passageway behind the boxes. A richly carved 
  wooden railing runs along the front of the 
  boxes. A character can clamber over the railing 
  from one box to another with a DC 12 Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) check. 
   
  T11 – Owner’s Suite 
  This pair of rooms are set aside as an 
  apartment and office for the theater owner. 
  The current owner of the theater is rarely in, 
  and leaves the day-to-day business to Ekkala. 
  The exterior door is locked with a well made 
  padlock (DC 20). 
   
  T12 – Mallory’s Apartment 
  This room has been Mallory Cavwren’s suite for 
  many years. She pays rent out of her theater 
  wages. 
   
  Mallory’s room is filled with velvet and silk 
  scarves, tapestries, and shawls. She has a large 
  four poster bed, and a rich walnut makeup desk 
  where she practices lines and prepares for 
  performances. The only light is from small oil 
  lamps. 
   
  T13– Apartment/Large Dressing Room 
  Rigolo and Unter share this large dressing room 
  as both living accommodations and office. 
  Rigolo is rarely here, preferring to spend his 
  time out on the town carousing. Unter will 
  usually be here, writing or reading letters at his 
  brass and wood travel desk.  
   
  T14 – Backstage (Upper) 
  This area provides access between the larger 
  dressing rooms/apartments and the rest of the 
  theater. The upper walkways that flank the 
  auditorium have a low wooden handrail for 
  safety, but are off-limits to guests. Ushers and 
  stage hands will sometimes watch shows from 
  here. 
   
  T15 – Walkway 
  Accessible by two ladders from the stage (T5), 
  this is a rickety walkway that spans the width of 
  the stage, as well as a set of pulleys and ropes 
  used for certain stunts.  
   
  Mostly disused these days, the walkway is 
  behind locked gates on either side. The only 
  ones with keys are Ekkala and Ardin. Ekkala 
  keeps her keys hanging in her (usually 
  unlocked) office, and Ardin misplaced his for 
  nearly a full day last week. 
   
  A character can climb around the locked gates 
  with a DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. 
   
  Trapdoor 
  If Xanathar is your villain, and you are using the 
  Lightsinger in place of the Pink Flumph, there is 
  a trap door hidden in the southernmost 
  dressing room of area T7 beneath a rug and 
  heavy clothes chest.  
  The door can be found with a DC 20 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check, and is secured with an 
  arcane lock spell. It can be pulled open with a 
  successful DC 30 Strength (Athletics) check, or 
  opened with a knock spell. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  10 
  The Adventure
  The party are called to a meeting with Ekkala 
  Redscale, manager of the Lightsinger Theater. 
  Depending on which hook you use, they may be 
  introduced by a mutual acquaintance. 
   
  Faction Hooks 
  Harpers: Mirt will summon Harper characters 
  directly to the lightsinger using a paper bird 
  (see WDH). As a frequent patron of the theater, 
  he has become friends with Ekkala, and has 
  already promised her the characters would help 
  before consulting them. He will introduce the 
  party to Ekkala personally. 
   
  The Lord’s Alliance: A public (and high profile) 
  murder wouldn't be good for Waterdeep's 
  reputation, particularly with the Zhents and 
  Xanathar Guild stretching the Watch as is. 
  Jalester will approach the players with orders 
  to prevent the assassination and find out who is 
  behind the attempt. He does not accompany 
  them to the theater. 
   
  Bregan D'aerthe: Jarlaxle has recently 
  purchased the theater under a false identity 
  (Rongquan Mystere). He is partly interested in 
  keeping his investment solvent, but mostly 
  intrigued by whoever issued the assassination 
  contract. He suspects it’s a noble of some sort 
  already, and would be interested in 
  blackmailing them. He will introduce the 
  players to Ekkala after they are met by Dhovin. 
   
  Non-Faction Hooks 
  Recommended By A Friend: Any well 
  connected NPC that the party has befriended 
  (Volo Geddarm, Renaer Neverember, etc) can 
  recommend the party to Ekkala and handle 
  introductions. 
  Public Quest Board: The players might find 
  Ekkala's request for help on a public notice 
  board. "Investigators required for security at 
  Castle Ward Theater. Discretion required." The 
  notice instructs them to meet Ekkala at The 
  Woodcutter’s Teahouse, a small cafe in the Sea 
  Ward. The introductory scene will play out 
  similarly, but players won’t meet Dhovin at the 
  door. After the party accepts, Ekkala leads 
  them to the theater and gives the tour as 
  written. 
   
  Meeting at the Lightsinger 
   
  The meeting with Ekkala is scheduled for the 
  evening, after the Theater’s performances have 
  finished for the day. You can read or 
  paraphrase the following text to introduce the 
  Lightsinger to your players. 
  The street is dark in the descending gloom as 
  Lamplighters begin their work. 
   
  Before you rears a large stone building, rising high 
  above the nearby shops and restaurants. Rich 
  stained glass windows shine from within, casting 
  multicolored light down onto the street. Above the 
  door is a glowing pane depicting an Angel, harp in 
  hand, cut from white and gold glass.  
   
  As you approach the broad doors, you can make out 
  a name carved into the stone above the entrance: 
  The Lightsinger Theater. 
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  11 
  Dhovin, the house manager, will meet the party 
  at the door. He is initially rude and standoffish, 
  demanding to know their business. Once told 
  that they are there to meet Ekkala he will sigh 
  and call over one of the ushers to lead them 
  back to Ekkala’s office. If the party has a 
  friendly NPC to introduce them Dhovin is 
  instead simply dismissive and lets them through 
  without question. 
   
  The party is led back to Ekkala’s office (area T6). 
  They find Ekkala at her paper-strewn desk. 
  “Oh! Hello! Thank you so much for coming.” The 
  dragonborn woman stands up from her desk, and 
  enthusiastically shakes your hands.  
   
  “This all feels like something out of a silly mystery 
  play but I just can’t ignore a threat against one of 
  our performers.” She sits back down, and after a 
  moment of searching pulls out a crumpled piece of 
  parchment which she hands to you. 
   
  “Someone is going to kill Landon Rigolo, our visiting 
  performer. I’ve reported the threat to the Watch 
  but they don’t have any suspects. I really need 
  someone to investigate the threat and protect Mr 
  Rigolo.” 
  The contract is written in a flowery script on 
  quality parchment, and reads as follows: 
  Willing to pay three hundred and fifty dragons for 
  the death of a philanderer, rake, and poisoner of 
  hearts. If able to cure this injustice, take a room at 
  the Grey Serpent Inn in the Trade Ward. Leave a red 
  rose outside your door. 
  Ekkala offers to pay the party 50gp per night to 
  investigate. She will answer any questions the 
  players have for her, and offers to give them a 
  tour of the theater.  
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  12 
  Tour and Introductions 
  This is a good time to provide the players with a 
  copy of the Lightsinger Map. 
   
  Ekkala will walk the party through the theater, 
  and introduce them to several NPCs. The house 
  manager Dhovin (who will be in his office in T3), 
  stage hand Ardin Quoth (checking the lights in 
  T5), actress/singer Mallory Cavwren (found 
  backstage near the dressing rooms in T9), and 
  Rigolo’s manager Unter Strakehammer 
  (upstairs in area T13). 
   
  Dhovin remains dismissive of the party, but will 
  answer any questions truthfully and lets them 
  examine the list of private box bookings if 
  asked. 
   
  Ardin is clearly stressed about something (his 
  gambling debt), and will try to get back to his 
  duties as quickly as possible. 
   
  Mallory feigns concern for Rigolo, though a DC 
  14 Wisdom (Insight) check shows that she is 
  lying. If pressed, she will half-heartedly praise 
  Rigolo’s writing while insinuating that she could 
  perform it better. 
   
  Unter is dismissive of the threat against his 
  employer, stating "Lot's o' folk out there, some 
  of them angry. Not worth my time to worry 
  about every one of them." He will postulate the 
  contract was written by a husband or lover of 
  one of Rigolo's conquests, and thinks it's just an 
  idle threat, and that Waterdeep is safe enough. 
   
  Landon Rigolo will be out on the town, and only 
  returns to the theater on the first day of 
  performances.  
   
  For more information about each NPC, refer to 
  Appendix A. 
   
  Once introductions are complete. Ekkala will 
  return to her office. She is happy to help the 
  players in any way she can, and will provide the 
  following services if asked. 
   
   Provide the party with theater uniforms. 
   Let the players deputize the two door 
  guards. 
   Provide the party with a key to the 
  exterior doors. 
   Provide the party with a key to the 
  landing (T15), though it takes her a few 
  minutes to find one. 
   
  She is not willing to cancel Rigolo’s remaining 
  performances. If the players have evidence of 
  Harvo Caulmimster or the Assassin’s 
  involvement, she is willing to bar either of them 
  from the theater. 
   
  Running Security 
  The core of the adventure unfolds over three 
  days and nights. During each day, your players 
  are free to pursue their investigations around 
  town (see “Investigations” below). They are 
  expected to spend their evenings at the 
  Lightsinger. 
   
  Each night at the theater consists of several 
  phases. As you move from each phase to the 
  next, ask your players where their characters 
  will be, and what they will be doing, during that 
  period. Taking turns, let characters react to 
  anything they might notice from their chosen 
  area of the theater. The specific duration of 
  each phase is left intentionally vague. 
   
  Your players will likely miss some events. 
  Remember that these events have still 
  transpired. 
   
  The evening phases are as follows: 
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  13 
  Doors Open  
  Stage hands will be busy getting the stage 
  ready, and won't have time to talk or help. The 
  ushers and Dhovin are busy taking tickets and 
  leading people to their seats. Ekkala will be 
  making sure that Rigolo is ready to perform. 
   
  Act One 
  The ushers will mostly be relaxing in T2, some 
  will be watching the show from the doorways 
  into the auditorium, ready to respond if 
  something requires their attention. Dhovin will 
  usually be fretting over the small bar, setting 
  out wine and food for intermission.  
   
  Ekkala usually watches the first act from the 
  wings of the stage. Ardin will be operating the 
  stage lights, and any other stage hands are 
  usually relaxing in the back. 
   
  Intermission 
  Ushers help guide people out to the lobby and 
  back to their seats afterwards. Dhovin will be 
  selling food and wine to guests (a waiter will 
  bring refreshments to the private boxes for 
  guests who don’t spend the intermission in the 
  lobby).  
   
  Most attendees will be standing and chatting, 
  either in the lobby or the auditorium.  
   
  Backstage will be busy preparing for act 2. 
  Rigolo's performances are fairly simple, without 
  much in the way of props, but that just means 
  it's a smaller staff than usual. 
   
  Act Two 
  Ushers will be relaxing in T2 and watching the 
  auditorium from the doors. Dhovin and Ekkala 
  will be working in their respective offices.  
   
  Ardin will be operating the stage lights, and any 
  other hands will be relaxing in the back, passing 
  around a flask or playing cards. 
   
  End of the Night 
  Ushers lead everyone out of the theater, Ekkala 
  and Dhovin will be at the doors saying 
  goodnight to attendees and attending to 
  important patrons. Backstage will be a short 
  flurry of activity before the hands all head to a 
  nearby tavern. 
   
  Notable Attendees 
  Each night includes a list of notable patrons to 
  the theater. Unless otherwise stated, assume 
  the show is sold out, both in the private boxes 
  and the auditorium. Many of these NPCs are 
  described in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, others 
  can be found in Appendix A.  
   
  Several NPCs will attend multiple shows during 
  the three nights. Party members with a passive 
  perception of 13 or higher will notice this the 
  second night they are present. All characters 
  will notice the third night an NPC attends. 
  Characters can also check with Dhovin to get 
  the list of who has purchased a ticket for a 
  private box. 
   
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  14 
  Night 1 
  Notable attendees: 
   Harvo Caulminster (Box A)  
   Lady Euphemia Gost and Lady Ellassia 
  Sultlue (Box B)  
   Mirt (Box C) 
   Lady Mirala Roznar and her daughter 
  Esvele Roznar (Box D) 
   Renaer Neverember (Box E) 
   Empty (Box F) 
   Regan Undertree (General Admission)  
   Nadia Thinreed (General Admission) 
   
  Events 
  Before the show, Unter can be found in the 
  alley behind the theater smoking a pipe. If 
  asked what he’s doing there he indicates Rigolo 
  has a woman in their quarters, and that he 
  didn’t feel like sticking around. 
   
  Anna may be caught sneaking out of Rigolo's 
  room shortly before the show starts. Rigolo is 
  reclining inside, drinking wine (Dancing Efreet 
  Calimshan Red). 
   
  Doors Open 
  Harvo arrives just before the performance, and 
  bullies his way to his private booth (Box A), 
  dismissing the ushers or anyone else in his way. 
   
  Renaer does not show up for his reserved box. 
  Ezvele Roznar actually reserved it in his name, 
  to ensure she had a place to stash her gear. 
  Neverember is unaware the box was reserved 
  for him. 
   
  Act One 
  Ekkala will be nervously pacing in the wings 
  during the performance, and gets into an 
  argument with Ardin over timing of the lights. 
  Ardin's work is fine, but Ekkala is too wound up 
  over the threat. 
   
  Nadia will watch the show quietly from a back 
  row of the auditorium. 
   
  Intermission 
  Nadia slips away and scopes out the back alley 
  during intermission. If discovered, she claims to 
  have gotten too hot inside, and stepped out for 
  a breather. A DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check 
  indicates she's lying. Otherwise, she sneaks 
  back inside through the north backstage door 
  (which she left open) and takes her seat for the 
  second act. 
   
  Regan Undertree tries to sneak back stage 
  during intermission, trying to meet Rigolo, and 
  clutching a poem he has written. If caught he'll 
  sheepishly apologize as he doesn't want to be 
  banned from the theater. Rigolo will spend the 
  intermission in the wings (drinking from a flask) 
  and Regan will miss him. 
   
  Harvo will be in the lobby during intermission, 
  berating a young server for bringing him the 
  wrong wine. 
   
  Mirt remains in his box during intermission. A 
  paper bird flies in through an old skylight and 
  into his private booth. Characters in the 
  auditorium can notice the flying parchment 
  with a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check. The 
  information written inside uses a Harper code 
  and is unreleated to the threat against Rigolo. 
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  15 
  Act Two 
  During the second act, Esvele will escape her 
  mother, and change into her Black Viper outfit 
  in the empty box she reserved under Renaer’s 
  name. She stashes her clothes under a chair 
  before sneaking into Box C.  
   
  While surprised to find the two middle-aged 
  noble ladies in flagrante delicto, she isn’t 
  distracted from making off with several pieces 
  of jewelry. Neither lady notices the thief. She 
  will sneak out through the back stage and the 
  southern exit door. 
   
  If discovered leaving the private box, she will 
  smirk, and with a theatrical flourish leap from 
  the balcony to the auditorium below and 
  escape out the northern backstage door. The 
  auditorium is dark during this act, and almost 
  no one in general admission will notice her. She 
  will stash her loot and equipment nearby 
  before trying to slip back into the theater.  
   
  If she can't find a safe entrance, she has a spare 
  set of clothes hidden in a nearby alley and will 
  change into them before returning to the 
  theater. She claims to have stepped outside for 
  a breath of fresh air if caught. Characters who 
  saw her earlier in the evening can notice the 
  slightly different outfit with a DC16 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. 
   
  End of the Night 
  Harvo is the first out the door after the 
  performance. He ignores both Dhovin and 
  Ekkala at the doorway. 
   
  Esvele and Mirala bicker loudly as they leave 
  the auditorium.  
   
  Mirt remains in his box for half an hour after 
  the show, reviewing the intelligence report he 
  received earlier in the night. The ushers are 
  used to this, and leave him alone. 
  Night 2 
  Notable attendees: 
   Harvo Caulminster (Box A)  
   Empty (Box B) 
   Mirt (Box C) 
   Victoro and Ammalia Cassalanter (Box 
  D) 
   Yalah Gralhund (Box F)  
   Lidda Gammarch (General Admission)  
   Regan Undertree (General Admission)  
   Nadia Thinreed (General Admission) 
   
  Events 
  Doors Open 
  Ammalia and Victoro Cassalanter enter 
  accompanied by their butler Willifort, while a 
  Cassalanter house guard keeps several beggars 
  outside the theater. Ammalia will politely 
  apologize to Dhovin and any party members 
  manning the front of house for the disturbance 
  before joining her husband and butler in their 
  private box. 
   
  Act One 
  Mallory confronts Ekkala in her office during 
  Act 1, and their shouting can be faintly heard 
  throughout the theater. 
   
  Intermission 
  Lidda and Mirt can be found in the lobby, 
  drinking wine and discussing a potion he has 
  ordered. 
   
  Ammalia Cassalanter and Yalah Gralhund chat 
  idly over wine in the lobby. A DC 14 Wisdom 
  (Insight) check shows that Ammalia is 
  contemptuous of Yalah, and is not invested in 
  their conversation. Victoro Cassalanter doesn't 
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  16 
  leave their private box. Willifort keeps an eye 
  on the lobby from the stairs.  
   
  Harvo stays in his private box, and has a plate 
  of cheese and wine brought up to him. He is 
  writing a poem about a spurned lover. 
   
  Act Two 
  Nadia pokes around backstage during the 
  second act. She can be caught either checking 
  the catwalk or modifying the lock on the south 
  door so that it won't latch. If spotted (DC 16 
  Perception), she runs for it (a chase may 
  ensue). Her hood is up and she's wearing a 
  mask, making it very difficult (DC 20 
  Perception) to identify her. 
   
  If any characters spotted The Black Viper the 
  previous night, they might mistake Nadia for 
  the same woman. Their cloaks are similar, 
  though a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check 
  makes it clear that they were not the same 
  woman. 
   
  Ardin has some difficulty bringing the stage 
  lights back up after the end of act 2. If checked 
  on, he's slurring the command word having 
  taken a few too many swigs from his flask. 
   
  End of the Night 
  With a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check, 
  Harvo can be seen standing at the balcony of 
  his box, staring at the stage well after Rigolo 
  has finished bowing for the audience and left. 
  He appears lost in thought. 
   
  After the show, Regan stays in the auditorium 
  until he can slip backstage and find Rigolo. He 
  corners the poet and fawns over him. Unter will 
  intervene if a player doesn't, and 
  unceremoniously kicks the young gnome out 
  into the alleyway. 
  Night 3 
  Notable attendees: 
   Harvo Caulminster (Box B) 
   Mirt (Box C) 
   Lady Melana Silsark and her companion 
  Leannor (Box D) 
   Davil Starsong (Box F) 
   J.B. Nevercott (General Admission) 
   Yaliek Iltizmar (General Admission) 
   
  Events 
  Before the doors open one of the maids trips 
  and spills the contents of a chamber pot into 
  Box A. The staff are able to clean most of it up, 
  and Ekkala runs to a nearby shop for incense to 
  cover the smell. Box A is not available for the 
  evening’s performance. 
   
  Doors Open 
  Harvo is first through the doors as they open. 
  When he is told that his box is unavailable he's 
  surprisingly cordial, saying with a smile "I'm 
  sure the show will still go to plan." and accepts 
  Box B as a replacement. 
   
  Act One 
  J.B. Nevercott will loudly applaud and 
  drunkenly praise Rigolo during the 1st Act, 
  causing a minor scene. If no player intervenes, 
  Biggs will ask him to quiet down, which he 
  does.  
   
  Yaliek gets up during the first act and starts 
  flirting with one of the ushers by the south 
  entrance to the auditorium. She’s investigating 
  the Black Viper, and following a tip that the 
  Viper robbed someone at the theater recently.  
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  17 
  Intermission 
  As intermission begins, a pack of screaming 
  young women fill the lobby and rush the stage 
  doors (Nadia dropped hints around the ward 
  that Rigolo was meeting fans, and looking for a 
  wife). During the commotion, Nadia slips 
  through the south door and backstage. Anyone 
  who remains backstage can spot the assassin 
  entering with a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) 
  check, but they have disadvantage as the 
  screaming commotion is audible throughout 
  the theater.  
   
  Nadia hides herself inside a wardrobe in area 
  T8. A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check 
  while searching backstage will uncover the 
  Assassin's hiding place. If discovered, Nadia will 
  pretend to be another fangirl just trying to 
  catch a moment with Rigolo. A DC 14 Wisdom 
  (Insight) check indicates she is lying. If the 
  players see through her act, she abandons the 
  contract and makes escape her top priority. 
   
  Running the lobby as combat 
  Optionally, you may run the lobby scene as a 
  non-lethal combat encounter. Rules for this are 
  included in Appendix: B. 
   
  Act Two 
  Yaliek sneaks upstairs to Mirt’s box, to key him 
  in on what she learned from the usher during 
  Act One. Any players with a Passive Perception 
  of at least 16 who are watching the balcony or 
  lobby will spot her. If confronted, Mirt will 
  vouch for her, saying that she works for him, 
  though he avoids outright saying that she is a 
  Harper agent. 
   
  If Nadia hasn't been discovered, she creeps out 
  of her hiding place and takes up position 
  behind the southern curtain. She takes aim 
  with her hand crossbow, and kills Rigolo during 
  his triumphant performance of "Love's Fickle 
  Arrow". She doesn't bother to check the kill, 
  instead fleeing backstage and out through the 
  northern exit.  
   
  She prefers to run and trip up pursuers instead 
  of fighting, and carries two Tanglefoot bags to 
  aid her escape. If confronted, she'll flee as far 
  as the Dock Ward, and meet up with 2 
  Zhentarim Thugs there. The three of them will 
  stand their ground and fight if confronted. 
   
  The first members of the Watch (an eight man 
  patrol) will arrive five minutes after Rigolo is 
  killed, and will prevent anyone from leaving the 
  theater. Half an hour after the assassination, 
  another two patrols will arrive (bringing the 
  total number of Watch members to 24), along 
  with Sergeant Seath Cromley to begin an 
  investigation. 
   
  End of the Night 
  After taking statements from everyone present 
  at the theater, the Watch will dispatch a unit to 
  follow the Assassin to the docks. They will not 
  be able to catch them before they go to 
  ground. 
   
  Confession 
  If your players haven’t identified Harvo as the 
  one who took out the contract, and you want 
  to tie up the loose ends of the adventure, he 
  will find Leannor (his erstwhile lover) in the 
  lobby, and madly proclaim that he had Rigolo 
  killed out of vengeance for her “betraying” him. 
  He has clearly lost his mind as he rants and 
  raves while being dragged away by the Watch. 
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  18 
  Investigations 
  The players will likely spend the mornings 
  before each performance investigating outside 
  the theater. 
   
  Checking up on NPCs 
  The NPC section includes where you can expect 
  most NPC's to be when not at the Lightsinger. 
   
  The Contract 
  Harvo’s contract was circulated to several 
  seedy bars by anonymous couriers or paper 
  birds. 
   
  Players in good standing with the Zhentarim 
  can find out that they received the 
  assassination contract as well. Ziraj elected not 
  to take it, but is willing to hand off the contract 
  to another member of the faction. 
   
  Other criminal contacts may be able to provide 
  a copy of the same request. The Lord’s Alliance 
  or Force Grey may also have a copy of this intel. 
   
  Any NPCs who have read the contract will scoff 
  at the amateur nature of the communication 
  method. 
   
   
  The Grey Serpent Inn 
  You are almost to the end of the cul-de-sac 
  before you finally make out the Grey Serpent.  
   
  A small sign hangs above the door, barely visible 
  against the pale stone walls, as if the Grey 
  Serpent Inn doesn’t want to be found. 
  The Grey Serpent is a nondescript inn down a 
  nondescript street, at the far south end of the 
  Trade Ward. The owner (a male Damaran 
  named Besk) makes his coin renting rooms with 
  an emphasis on "no names". Rooms can be paid 
  for in advance, and the alley door can be 
  opened with a room key for those not wishing 
  to be seen. 
   
  The lobby is small, little more than a hallway 
  and desk. There is a small lounge to the right of 
  the entrance, with a beer keg and two tables, 
  but the Serpent isn’t a tavern. The rest of the 
  two-story building is dedicated to rooms for 
  rent. Besk lives on the premises. 
   
  The owner will not share his books under any 
  circumstances shy of a Magistrate’s order. If 
  players do manage to get a look at the guest 
  book it has dates, room numbers, and initials. 
   
  The Assassin took a room at the Serpent six 
  days before the players met with Ekkala, using 
  a single ‘X’ as their initial. Harvo had been 
  staying there for several nights under the 
  initials “L.R.” (a poetic flourish he’s rather 
  proud of). They met and finalized the contract 
  that evening. 
   
  Roses in Winter? 
  If running your game outside the season for 
  fresh roses, the assassin purchased theirs from 
  Fala Lefaliir, an Herbalist in the North Ward 
  with an impressive greenhouse. 
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  19 
  Tracking down Harvo's lover 
  Harvo's lover is a young woman named 
  Leannor. She isn't noble, but has grown up as 
  the companion and friend of Lady Melana 
  Silsark. Leannor and Harvo enjoyed a torrid and 
  emotional relationship for the past six months, 
  but his sadistic nature started to become more 
  noticeable and she cut ties with him. 
  Unfortunately she shared his theatrical nature 
  and used a passage from Love's Fickle Arrow in 
  her parting letter, which may have inspired 
  Harvo’s plan. 
   
  The players can track down Leannor with a DC 
  16 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Characters 
  with the Noble background have advantage on 
  this check. She's spent the last three weeks as a 
  guest at the Silsark estate, rarely leaving. 
   
  Leannor is willing to meet with anyone who 
  mentions they are investigating Harvo, and will 
  do so in the gardens of the Silsark estate, with 
  Lady Melana Silsark also in attendance. 
   
  If asked, she believes that Harvo would be 
  willing to kill someone he blamed for the 
  breakup. She'll attest to his temper and 
  emotional instability. She can identify the 
  handwriting on the contract as his, and 
  mentions that she used a line from Love’s Fickle 
  Arrow in her goodbye letter if told about 
  Rigolo’s performances.  
   
  Hired Help 
  The party might want to hire Vincent Trench (a 
  private eye from Trollskull Alley) to track down 
  Harvo’s lover. Doing so costs 50gp, and will take 
  a full day. He will give the players Leannor’s 
  name, and tell them that she has been staying 
  at the estate of Lady Melana Silsark. 
  Rumor about Rigolo 
  Players might encounter this rumor at any time 
  during their investigations. 
  “Rigolo is in Waterdeep looking for a wife, he’s 
  going to choose someone to marry after his last 
  night of performances.” 
  Nadia has been seeding this rumor, and with 
  the help of her two Zhentarim allies, is trying to 
  organize a mob of young women to cover her 
  entrance to the theater. 
   
  Rumors about the new owner 
  Rumors are swirling among certain crowds 
  about the myterious new owner of the 
  Lightsinger.  
   
  Characters might overhear any of the following 
  if they hang out near the theater. It’s left up to 
  the DM to determine how accurate any of 
  these rumors are. 
   
  That old Lightsinger theater? I heard there’s a new 
  owner, and they’re using the place as a front for 
  something shady. 
   
  That new owner of the Lightsinger? I hear he’s 
  gonna give old Ekkala the boot if she can’t get more 
  talent like Rigolo. 
   
  I hear there’s going to be a shakeup over at the 
  Lightsinger. Friend of mine says the whole troupe is 
  getting replaced. 
   
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  20 
  Resolving the Adventure 
  The party’s primary goal is to stop the 
  assassination of Rigolo. They do not necessarily 
  have to bring the assassin or their patron to 
  justice, though they will receive the best 
  reward for doing so. 
   
  Confronting Harvo with evidence of his 
  involvement (such as his lover’s testimony and 
  a copy of the contract) will convince him to turn 
  over the identity of his assassin. He’s also 
  willing to pay up to 500 gold to keep the party 
  quiet. 
   
  If the assassin is confronted or captured, they 
  will offer the name of their patron in exchange 
  for their own freedom (including exile from 
  Waterdeep). 
   
  Aftermath 
  If the party prevents the assassination: 
  A grumbling Unter will reward the party with 
  100gp. Rigolo will proclaim their virtue, and 
  promise to write a ballad about the party which 
  he will perform far and wide. The two leave the 
  city (headed towards Silverymoon) as soon as 
  Unter can arrange transportation. 
   
  Any members of the Harpers, Force Grey, The 
  Lords’ Alliance, or the Order of the Gauntlet 
  may receive 1 point of renown with a chosen 
  faction (they don’t get to double up if members 
  of multiple factions). 
   
   
   
   
  If the players prevent the assassination and 
  bring Harvo to justice without killing anyone: 
  In addition to other rewards they will receive 
  commendations from Mirt (for saving his 
  favorite theater) in the form of a silver stag 
  statuette worth 120 gold. 
   
  If the party kills the assassin: 
  They will be investigated by the watch. Ekkala 
  will provide testimony defending their actions, 
  and submit the contract as evidence. 
   
  If the players kill Harvo: 
  They will be charged with murder of a noble. 
  Even proving that he took out the contract may 
  not be enough to completely exonerate their 
  actions. They are likely to receive a reduced 
  sentence, unless a powerful ally (such as Mirt) 
  steps in to help them. They may be tasked with 
  a mission by a powerful NPC, such as the 
  Blackstaff, in order to work off their crime. 
   
  If Rigolo is assassinated: 
  Even if Harvo and the Assassin are brought to 
  justice, the city is put on edge. Between the 
  ongoing gang war and this, the nobles and 
  common folk will start to question the lords of 
  the city, and whether they are capable of 
  running Waterdeep properly. You can expect 
  any active villains to capitalize on this 
  additional unrest. 
   
  Ekkala will vow to persevere, but attendance at 
  the Lightsinger will quickly drop. Anna, Dhovin, 
  and most of the resident troupe will leave, but 
  Mallory and Ardin will stick by the theater. 
   
    
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  21 
  Appendix A: NPCs
  Possible motives are provided for several NPCs. 
  These are available if you want to shake up the 
  adventure, provide red herrings for your 
  investigators, or perhaps for an Agatha Christie 
  style reveal at the end. 
   
  Anna Purkeva 
  CG Female Rashemi Human Commoner 
  A young actress, Anna hangs around the 
  theater even when not performing. She has a 
  tiny apartment in the North Ward. She's fallen 
  for Rigolo's charms, and daydreams about 
  running off with the rakish bard. 
   
  She's usually found at the theater practicing for 
  her role in an upcoming performance of 
  Caligorro's Cabinet. 
   
  Possible Motive: Anna knows about Rigolo's 
  philandering, and rather than idly accepting it 
  she has become vengeful towards her erstwhile 
  lover. If so, she doesn't have the money to pay 
  the contract, and plans to take her own life 
  after Rigolo is dead, re-enacting a scene from a 
  famous play. 
   
  Ardin Quoth 
  CN Male Half-Elf Commoner  
  Senior stage hand for the Lightsinger. In 
  addition to moving set pieces around, he 
  controls the colored shades used on the stage 
  lamps to set different scenes. Tends to be the 
  nearest person to Rigolo during a performance. 
  Ardin is withdrawn and irritable, and a known 
  gambler. 
   
  When not working Ardin can usually be found 
  in some sort of gambling hall, or throwing dice 
  in the back of a South Ward tavern. 
  Possible Motive: Ardin is currently in debt to 
  Istrid Horn (Zhentarim) for 55 gold, with little 
  hope of repaying it on his wages. He might be 
  desperate enough to assassinate Rigolo for the 
  payout. 
   
  Ammalia and Victoro Cassalanter 
  Lord Victoro Cassalanter and Lady Ammalia 
  Cassalanter are powerful Waterdhavian Nobles, 
  commanding a great deal of respect. They are 
  known for their philanthropy and their money-
  lending business.  
   
  Several years ago Lady Ammalia paid for a 
  production of the opera The Damnation of 
  Goeth at the Lightsinger. As such the family are 
  favored guests. 
   
  See Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for more 
  information about the Cassalanters. 
   
  Dhovin 
  N Male Tiefling Commoner  
  The Lightsinger’s house manager. Always 
  impeccably dressed in a smart black suit, 
  Dhovin greats guests, overseas ushers, and 
  manages the front of house. He cares little for 
  what Ekkala does, or what shows are 
  happening, and largely keeps to himself when 
  not interacting with guests. 
   
  In his off hours, Dhovin is a wine aficionado, 
  and can often be found at local tastings and 
  events. He dreams idly of moving up in his 
  station, perhaps becoming the head of servants 
  to a powerful noble family. 
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  22 
  Ekkala Redscale 
  NG Female Dragonborn Commoner  
  Theater manager of the Lightsinger. Ekkala is 
  dedicated to keeping the theater successful, 
  and often works unhealthy hours to do so. She 
  is rarely not at work, and has no family or 
  friends to speak of. She rents a small apartment 
  nearby, and once per tenday goes to the House 
  of the Moon to pray. 
   
  She will sometimes get breakfast or lunch at 
  The Woodcutters Teahouse nearby, and often 
  has a pot of their "Blackstaff Black" tea brewing 
  in her office. 
   
  Harvo Caulminster 
  LE Male Air Genasi Noble 
  "I am Harvo Caulminster if you don't already know. 
  A fair sight more important than you if I do say. 
  Now if you don't get out of my way I'm going to 
  miss the performance!" 
  A minor Whaterdhavian noble, who has 
  recently ended a terrible love affair. Harvo is 
  usually dressed in an extravagant and foppish 
  outfit of bright blue and gold, though on the 
  third night of performances he will change to a 
  much more elegant silver and black suit. His 
  elemental heritage is not strong, but his 
  medium-length blonde hair will always be 
  blowing in a slight breeze. 
   
  He has a highly inflated opinion of himself, and 
  his ego will brook no slight. He has a small 
  crowd of sycophants and other young noble 
  men who often hang around him. By his 
  request, they do not accompany him to the 
  theater. 
   
  Any party member who spends time in noble 
  circles, or succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check while asking around, can 
  discover a rumor that Harvo and his lover had a 
  public row recently. 
   
  Harvo will brush off conversation from any non-
  noble party members. For characters with the 
  Noble background or who are Waterdeep 
  nobility, he will try and ingratiate himself. If the 
  players name-drop a connection to Mirt or a 
  similar powerful noble, Harvo will answer 
  questions but remains disdainful. 
   
  He comes to the theater every night. On the 
  third night, he will be unusually relaxed, and 
  friendly to any characters who speak with him. 
   
  If asked about Rigolo, he'll give a forced laugh 
  and talk about how foolish the poetry is, but he 
  will defend his attendance claiming that 
  women are fans, and will swoon for a man who 
  recites this "tripe". A DC 12 Wisdom (Insight) 
  check will show him to be lying about his 
  opinion of the material. 
   
  Motive: Harvo has come to blame Rigolo in a 
  twisted type of jealousy after his lover left him. 
  He's hired the Assassin to kill the bard with a 
  crossbow bolt through the heart, in reference 
  to Rigolo's most popular work "Love’s Fickle 
  Arrow".  
   
  Lady Ellassia Sultlue 
  NG Female Human Noble  
  The wife of Lord Bromas Sultlue. Ellassia and 
  Bromas never had much of a romantic spark, 
  and their marriage is one of convenience. She 
  ignores her husband’s clumsy attempts to gain 
  a mistress, having been rather more successful 
  in finding lovers of her own. She is currently 
  having an affair with Lady Euphemia Gost. 
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  23 
  Lady Euphemia Gost 
  NG Female Human Noble  
  A bored noble widower. Her husband died 
  several years ago, and her two sons have taken 
  over the family businesses. She spends most of 
  her time attending the theater and throwing 
  parties for her friends and acquaintances. She is 
  having an affair with Lady Elassia Sultlue. 
   
  Landon Rigolo 
  CN Male Half-Elf Bard 
  Rigolo would describe himself as a hopeless 
  romantic. Most who know him would say he's a 
  hopeless womanizer. Rare is the night Rigolo 
  sleeps in his own bed, and were it not for his 
  fame and money, he'd likely have met his end 
  years ago at the hands of a jealous boyfriend or 
  vengeful father. He's no longer quite a young 
  man, but his beauty hasn't faded, nor has his 
  skill with words. 
   
  The bard has made a very good life for himself, 
  performing across much of western Faerun. He 
  has a beautiful voice, and is skilled at writing 
  love songs and sappy poetry. He brushes off 
  most threats, or indeed any serious concerns 
  brought to him. He directs any serious concerns 
  to his manager Unter. 
   
  Rigolo spends his time between performances 
  chasing women, drinking the hours away at any 
  bar he can find, and nursing a hangover in his 
  dressing room. 
   
  Rigolo Lore 
  A successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check 
  will reveal the following information about 
  Rigolo and his works. Any character with a 
  background in poetry or performance has 
  advantage on the check. 
   Landon Rigolo has been performing in cities 
  up and down the Sword Coast for years. 
   His most popular works are: Love's Fickle 
  Arrow (a romantic sonnet), Eye of the Oak 
  (a mournful poem about a young soldier), 
  and Angel's Break (an upbeat and slightly 
  blasphemous song). 
   
  Lidda Gammarch 
  NG Female Halfling Alchemist  
  Lidda is well cultured and pretty, with red hair 
  and dark eyes. She usually wears a sweeping 
  scarlet dress and a gold amulet. 
   
  Most of her business is in custom order potions 
  and salves for well-paying clients. 
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  24 
  Mallory Cavwren 
  N Female Human Commoner  
  A diva well past her prime. Mallory is a good 
  actress and singer, but she is getting older and 
  has been arguing with Ekkala about the roles 
  she is being given. She is jealous of Anna being 
  cast in Caligorro's Cabinet, the theater’s next 
  scheduled production. 
   
  Everything Mallory says or does is dramatic. 
  She’s a consumate diva, and utterly convinced 
  that she’s the most important person in any 
  room. 
   
  She lodges in an upper room of the theater, 
  and spends most of her time around the 
  building. She can also be found at a ritzy nearby 
  bar (Aurielo’s) where she holds court for her 
  steadfast fans. 
   
  If asked, Mallory is openly dismissive of Anna's 
  talent and her character, seeing the young 
  woman as a challenger to her position. She’s 
  appreciative of Rigolo’s poetry, but considers 
  herself a better performer than him. 
   
  Possible Motive: Rigolo's special performances 
  have supplanted her regular act. Removing 
  Rigolo from the picture could cement Mallory's 
  status as the queen of the Lightsinger. 
   
  Mirt the Moneylender 
  CG Male Human 
  A famous Noble (and rumored Masked Lord) of 
  Waterdeep. Mirt is a retired adventurer, and 
  even at his not-inconsiderable age and weight 
  he maintains a keen eye and mind. 
   
  Mirt spends a lot of time at the Lightsinger, 
  both for pleasure, and as a place to conduct 
  Harper business. 
   
  See Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for more 
  information about Mirt. 
   
  Nadia Thinreed 
  NE Female Human Spy 
  A human member of the Zhentarim (Manshoon 
  faction), Nadia works as a mercenary and 
  assassin for hire. She isn't too concerned about 
  who her victims are, and Rigolo is her biggest 
  job yet. 
   
  Nadia dresses in simple but well made dark 
  clothes. She wears a dress to the show, but in a 
  sensible cut rather than the opulent gowns that 
  are the current fashion within Waterdeep. She 
  also wears a long black hooded cloak, just nice 
  enough to avoid questions. 
   
  Nadia attends the performance on the first 
  night, and can be spotted scoping out the 
  alleyway during intermission. She sneaks back 
  stage during the second night to establish her 
  path to the stage and to rig the lock on the back 
  door.  
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  25 
  Regan Undertree 
  CG Male Gnome Commoner 
  A young Gnomish poet who looks up to Rigolo 
  with no small amount of hero worship. His 
  enthusiastic attempts to speak with Rigolo have 
  thus far been rebuffed by the famous bard. 
   
  The gnome can often be found at the old 
  Elfstone Tavern, writing flowery poetry and 
  sipping elverquisst. If asked about how he pays 
  for his (unusually extravagant) lifestyle, Regan 
  will become defensive. He inherited a goodly 
  sum of wealth from his uncle, but has no 
  business sense, and is on track to burn through 
  his inheritance in a few short years. 
   
  Unter Strakehammer 
  LN Male Dwarven Veteran  
  Rigolo's manager. Unter is a stereotypically 
  taciturn and gruff Dwarf. He's constantly busy, 
  sending letters day and night, and takes little 
  notice of the threat against Rigolo’s life. Above 
  all else Unter dislikes changing plans and will 
  require hard evidence of danger to Rigolo 
  before he agrees to cancel any performances. 
   
  Unter is a veteran of several wars for his old 
  clan, and while he has a limp he still carries 
  himself like a warrior. He refuses to answer any 
  questions about his own history.  
   
  Possible Motive: Rigolo doesn't have any heirs 
  or family (at least that he's on speaking terms 
  with) and in the event of his death, Unter 
  would inherit his wealth and written works. 
   
  Yaliek Iltizmar 
  N Female Rashemi Bard 
  A Waterdhavian actress, and agent of the 
  Harpers. Yaliek has striking angular features 
  and wears a short green dress when visiting the 
  Theater. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  26 
  Appendix B: Altering the Adventure
  Every table is different. Here are a few options 
  for changing up the adventure. Either for 
  running it with a different party, or to fit your 
  party’s tastes. 
   
  Another Assassin? 
  If the party catches Nadia on the first night, or 
  if you want to up the difficulty, Harvo's contract 
  doesn't have to be exclusive, and another 
  assassin may be vying for the payout.  
   
  Garin can also be substituted for Nadia from 
  the beginning. 
   
  If both Nadia and Garin are still around to make 
  their move on the third night, flip a coin for 
  which one succeeds in killing Rigolo. Whoever 
  doesn't make the kill will try and follow the 
  other, and may show up when the party 
  confronts the assassin. If neither assassin is 
  brought to justice, the next edition of the 
  Waterdeep Wazoo includes a note about one of 
  their bodies being found washed up under one 
  of the Dock Ward piers. 
   
  Garin Blackfinger 
  A heavily scarred Ghostwise Halfling Assassin. 
  Garin doesn't understand poetry but he'll do 
  just about anything for gold. He wears a simple 
  outfit modeled after pages and couriers, 
  designed to blend into crowds. 
   
   
  Events:  
  Night 1:  
  Garin watches the show from General 
  Admission and is bored by the whole thing. 
  After the show he leaves quickly but returns 
  later that evening and scales the back of the 
  building to leave a rope tied outside one of the 
  skylights for his later escape. The rope is left 
  coiled up on the roof, so won't be visible to 
  anyone searching from the street. 
   
  Night 2:  
  Garin watches act 1 from his seat. During 
  intermission, he goes out to the lobby and 
  observes everyone in attendance. He buys a 
  glass of wine from the bar but doesn't drink it.  
   
  After the show, he sneaks backstage and hides 
  in an empty closet in one of the dressing rooms 
  (T8) until the guests and most of the staff leave. 
  A character stationed backstage can notice him 
  with a DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check. 
   
  During the night, he climbs up into the rafters, 
  and props open the skylight he set the rope on 
  during Night 1 then leaves by the rope. He 
  conceals the rope as best he can, but anyone 
  who looks around the back alley of the theater 
  afterwards with a DC 13 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check will find it running down 
  the south east corner of the building. 
   
  Night 3:  
  Garin hides in the alleyway (DC 16 Perception) 
  waiting for Act 1 to begin, before he climbs the 
  rope and slips through the open skylight onto 
  the walkway T15. 
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  27 
  Characters in the Auditorium or the Private 
  Balcony may spot him up there (DC 17 
  Perception). He lines up his shot with a Light 
  Crossbow, and waits patiently for Act Two. 
  During Act Two, he fires, shooting Rigolo 
  through the heart.  
   
  He waits just long enough to see blood leaking 
  from the body before escaping through the 
  skylight. He dashes down the rope, and flees to 
  the Harbor, trying to lose anyone following him. 
  He'll end up at the Skewered Dragon, where he 
  has already reserved a hidden room. Characters 
  searching the tavern can find this room with a 
  check (DC 14 Investigation). He has no interest 
  in fighting, and if captured will do anything he 
  can to barter for his own safety. 
   
  Combat 
  This adventure has very few combat 
  encounters. Here are some additional 
  encounters that you can add in. 
  Thug Ambush 
  After the first night of performances, the 
  Assassin might send a group of Thugs to 
  intimidate the party and get them out of the 
  way. These are hired Zhentarim mercenaries. 
   
  The thugs will ambush the party shortly after 
  they leave the theater on nights one or two. 
  The composition of the ambush will depend on 
  the level of your party. The Assassin themselves 
  doesn’t take part in the ambush. 
   
  Party Level 
  Encounter 
  2nd 
  2x Bandits 
  2x Zhentarim Thugs * 
  3rd 
  1x Zhentarim Ambusher * 
  2x Zhentarim Thugs * 
  4th 
  1x Bandit Captain 
  2x Zhentarim Thugs * 
  *– Statistics provided in Appendix B 
  Fangirl Mob 
  During the third night of performances, a crowd 
  of screaming women (and a few men) will rush 
  the theater, trying to get to Rigolo. 
   
  This encounter is a bit slapstick, and may or 
  may not fit the tone you are going for. 
   
  Non-Violent Combat 
  Any violence or intentional injury will be 
  reported to the Watch, and the player will likely 
  be charged with Assault (or Murder). The 
  challenge here is to clear out the fangirls 
  without injuring them. Dhovin will shout for the 
  party to help chase the women out of the 
  theater. These rules are merely a suggestion for 
  how to run the encounter; feel free to modify 
  them or play the encounter “by ear”. 
   
  Treat the screaming women as three Fangirl 
  Mobs. Each one is considered to have 20 “hit 
  points”. These don’t represent actual health or 
  injury, but instead represent the Mob’s 
  willingness to continue on its path. Once the 
  Mob’s hitpoints are reduced to zero, they 
  disperse and leave the theater. 
   
  As an action, characters may try and Intimidate, 
  Persuade, or Charm a Mob. Each check deals 
  “damage” to the Mob’s “hit points” equal to its 
  total above 10. So an Intimidate check of 17 will 
  reduce the Mob’s hitpoints by 7.  
   
  Shoving is handled as if the Mob was a single 
  creature, but it cannot be knocked prone. Each 
  mob starts within 15 feet of the entrance. If 
  they are pushed outside they will immediately 
  disperse. 
   
  Characters can try and grapple a member of the 
  mob. This won’t stop the mob (each one being 
  composed of multiple people) but it will reduce 
  their willingness to continue. For each grappled 
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  28 
  target from a Mob, reduce its hitpoints by 5. At 
  the start of the Mob’s turn, any grappled 
  members will give up and leave the theater. 
   
  Your players will undoubtedly try and use other 
  spells/abilities to disperse the women. There 
  are too many options to cover them all, and 
  you will need to adjudicate as they come. If 
  necessary, remind your players that attacking 
  or harming the mobs will result in severe legal 
  issues. 
   
  Assigning Experience 
  You have a few options if using experience-
  based levelling (instead of milestone levelling).  
   
  One option is to roll everything up and hand 
  out a lump sum of XP per day. If you want to go 
  this route, we recommend 300XP per character 
  per night. This would take a party of 3rd level 
  characters halfway to level 4 by the end of the 
  adventure.  
   
  Another option is to hand out experience 
  directly for player actions. Here is a table of 
  different actions/events and XP values. This 
  method of awardng experience can lead to 
  under- or overrewarding characters, 
  particularly if your party splits up to follow 
  different leads and deals with different events. 
  Given the freedom characters have to resolve 
  the adventure, be cautious with this approach. 
   
  Individual XP Rewards 
  Action 
  Reward 
  Investigating the Grey Serpent 
  100xp 
  Finding Harvo’s Lover 
  300xp 
  Investigating a Rumor 
  100xp 
  Finding and questioning an 
  NPC outside the theater 
  100xp 
  Catching an NPC sneaking 
  around the theater 
  100xp 
  Preventing the Assassination 
  600xp 
  Capturing the Assassin 
  600xp 
  Catching Harvo 
  1000xp 
  Chasing off the Black Viper 
  300xp 
  Catching the Black Viper 
  600xp 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  29 
  Appendix C: Statistics 
   
  Fangirl Mob 
  Large swarm of medium humanoids (any race), N 
   
  Armor Class: 10 
  Hit Points: 20 (5d8) 
  Speed: 10 ft. 
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  10 (0) 
  11 (0) 
  10 (0) 
  10 (0) 
  10 (0) 
  11 (0) 
   
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing 
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, 
  paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned 
  Skills Charm +2, Persuasion +2 
  Senses passive Perception 8 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) 
   
  Swarm. The mob can occupy another creature's space and 
  vice versa, and the mob can move through any opening 
  large enough for a medium creature. The mob can't regain 
  hit points or gain temporary hit points. 
  Actions 
  Trample. The Mob moves up to its speed. Any creatures in 
  its path must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or 
  take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. 
  Scream. This scream has no effect on other Fangirl Mobs. 
  All other creatures within 30 feet of the Mob that can hear 
  it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a 
  failure, a creature becomes deafened for 1 minute and 
  takes 3 (1d6) Thunder damage. 
   
   
   
   
   
  Gharin Blackfinger 
  Small humanoid (Halfling), NE 
   
  Armor Class: 13 
  Hit Points: 27 (6d8) 
  Speed: 25 ft. 
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  10 (0) 17 (+3) 10 (0) 12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
   
  Skills Deception +3, Insight +4, Investigation +3, Acrobatics 
  +5, Persuasion +3, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +5 
  Saves: Advantage against being Frightened 
  Senses passive Perception 14 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP) 
  Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Gharin can use a 
  bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. 
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Gharin deals an extra 7 (2d6) 
  damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack and 
  has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is 
  within 5 feet of an ally of Gharin’s that isn’t incapacitated 
  and he doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. 
  Halfling Nimbleness. Gharin can move through the space 
  of any creature larger than small size. 
  Telepathy. Gharin can speak telepathically with any 
  creature within 30 feet. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Gharin makes two melee attacks. 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage.  
   
   
   
  
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow  
  30 
  Nadia Thinreed 
  Medium humanoid (human), NE 
   
  Armor Class: 13 
  Hit Points: 27 (6d8) 
  Speed: 25 ft. 
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  10 (0) 16 (+3) 10 (0) 12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
   
  Skills Deception +4, Insight +4, Investigation +4, Acrobatics 
  +5, Persuasion +4, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +5 
  Senses passive Perception 14 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1 (200 XP)  
  Cunning Action. On each of her turns, Nadia can use a 
  bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. 
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Nadia deals an extra 7 (2d6) 
  damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack and 
  has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is 
  within 5 feet of an ally of Nadia’s that isn’t incapacitated 
  and she doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. 
  Actions 
  Multiattack. Nadia makes two melee attacks. 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. 
  Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 
  100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage.  
  Tanglefoot Flask (2). Ranged Improvised Attack: +5 to hit 
  with disadvantage, range 20ft., one target. Hit: Target 
  becomes restrained. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Tanglefoot Flask 
  Adventuring Gear, Alchemical, 25gp  
  This sticky, adhesive liquid rapidly hardens 
  when exposed to air. As an action, you can 
  throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on 
  impact. Make a ranged attack against a 
  creature or object, treating the Tanglefoot Flask 
  as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target 
  becomes restrained.  
  A creature can end the restrained condition by 
  using its action to scrape off most of the sticky 
  substance. After scraping off the substance, 
  their speed will be reduced by 10 until they can 
  properly wash off the remaining residue with 
  water, or using a magical cleaning effect like 
  Prestidigitation. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  Love’s Fickle Arrow   
   
  31 
   
  Zhentarim Ambusher 
  Medium humanoid (any race), NE 
   
  Armor Class: 13 
  Hit Points: 22 (4d8 + 4) 
  Speed: 30 ft. 
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
  11 (0) 
  15 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (0) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (0) 
   
  Skills Acrobatics +2, Intimidation +2, Persuasion 
  +2, Survival +5 
  Senses passive Perception 13 
  Languages Common 
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) 
  Pack Tactics. The ambusher 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 ambusher makes two melee 
  attacks. 
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing 
  damage. 
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to 
  hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) 
  piercing damage.  
   
   
  Zhentarim Thug 
  Medium humanoid (any race), NE 
   
  Armor Class: 11 
  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 Athletics +2, Intimidation +2, Persuasion 
  +2, Survival +2 
  Senses passive Perception 10 
  Languages 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.  
   
  
   
   
  Thank You  
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/DM's Guild/Love's Fickle Arrow/1784582-Loves_Fickle_Arrow.pdf