TEXT: on the BARON’S TRAIL
  Part One of the Storm Herald Trilogy
  Following the destruction of the Thunderbound and the Ark of the Mountains, the 
  cloud giant known as Baron Rajiram, remains at-large. A lead from the Harpers 
  has brought the party to the city of Hulburg in pursuit of one of the Baron’s known 
  accomplices. If they can locate his partner-in-crime, the party will be a step closer to 
  finally apprehending the Baron and bringing him to justice.
  A Four-Hour Adventure for 11th–16th Level Characters
             
  I
  R
  T
  THE ROLE
  INITIATIVE
  ADAM SCARAMELLA
  Adventure Designer
  Adventure Code: CCC-TRI-22 STORM 1-1
  Optimized For: APL 13
  Version: 1.2
  Story Arc Coordinator: Garrett Colón
  Editor: Colin Pekruhn
  Formatting and Layout: Travis Legge
  Senior Editor: David Jedlinsky
  Playtesting: Liam Buntenbah, Mark Burgess, Robert “Trebor” Carey, Mark Christopher, Alex Coleman, Dave Hayes, 
  Matt Hicks, David King, Violet King, William “Sküm” Scammell, Matthew Strumpf, Brian Woodring
  Organized Play: Chris Lindsay
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Alan Patrick, Bill Benham, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, 
  Lysa Chen
  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 
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  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 
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  Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  2
  Introduction
  Welcome to On the Baron’s Trail, a D&D 
  Adventurers League™ adventure, part of the official 
  D&D Adventurers League™ organized play system 
  and The Role Initiative’s Storm Herald series.
  This adventure takes place in Hulburg. Over the 
  past two centuries, Hulburg has been devastated 
  several times by invading forces. While some 
  enterprising souls have tried to restore parts of the 
  city, much of it still lies abandoned and ruined.
  This adventure is designed for three to seven 
  11th—16th level characters and is optimized for 
  five characters with an average party level (APL) 
  of 13 Characters outside this level range cannot 
  participate in this adventure.
  Adjusting This Adventure
  This adventure provides suggestions in making 
  adjustments for smaller or larger groups, characters 
  of higher or lower levels, and characters that are 
  otherwise a bit more powerful than the adventure 
  is optimized for. You’re not bound to these adjust-
  ments; they’re here for your convenience.
  To figure out whether you should consider 
  adjusting the adventure, add up the total levels of all 
  the characters and divide the total by the number 
  of characters (rounding .5 or greater up; .4 or less 
  down). This is the group’s APL. To approximate 
  the party strength for the adventure, consult the 
  following table.
  Determining Party Strength
  Party Composition Party   
  Strength
  3–4 characters, APL less than  
  Very weak
  3–4 characters, APL equivalent  
  Weak
  3–4 characters, APL greater than  Average
  5 characters, APL less than  
  Weak
  5 characters, APL equivalent  
  Average
  5 characters, APL greater than  
  Strong
  6–7 characters, APL less than  
  Average
  6–7 characters, APL equivalent  
  Strong
  6–7 characters, APL greater than  Very strong
  Some encounters may include a sidebar that offers 
  suggestions for certain party strengths. If a partic-
  ular recommendation is not offered or appropriate 
  for your group, you don’t have to make adjustments.
  Party Strength: Deadly. Many Adventurers 
  League groups turn out to be stronger than the 
  Party Strength listed above would suggest. In such a 
  case, the DM and players should feel empowered to 
  raise the difficulty. To that end, a new party strength 
  of “Deadly” has been added to the encounter in Part 
  Three for Very Strong parties whose players would 
  like an additional challenge.
  Before Play at the Table
  Before you start play, consider the following:
  • Read through the adventure, taking notes of 
  anything you’d like to highlight or remind yourself 
  of while running the adventure, such as a way 
  you’d like to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like 
  to use in a combat. Familiarize yourself with the 
  adventure’s appendices and handouts.
  • Gather any resources you’d like to use to aid you 
  in running this adventure—such as note cards, a 
  DM screen, miniatures, and battlemaps.
  • Ask the players to provide you with relevant char-
  acter information, such as name, race, class, and 
  level; passive Wisdom (Perception), and anything 
  specified as notable by the adventure (such as 
  backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.)
  Playing the Dungeon Master
  You have the most important role—facilitating the 
  enjoyment of the game for the players. You provide 
  the narrative and bring the words on these pages to 
  life.
  To facilitate this, keep in mind the following:
  You’re Empowered. Make decisions about how 
  the group interacts with the adventure; adjusting 
  or improvising is encouraged, so long as you 
  maintain the adventure’s spirit. This doesn’t allow 
  you to implement house rules or change those of 
  the Adventurers League, however; they should be 
  consistent in this regard.
  Challenge Your Players. Gauge the experience 
  level of your players (not the characters), try to feel 
  out (or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to 
  deliver the experience they’re after. Everyone should 
  have the opportunity to shine.
  Keep the Adventure Moving. When the game 
  starts to get bogged down, feel free to provide 
  hints and clues to your players so they can attempt 
  to solve puzzles, engage in combat, and roleplay 
  interactions without getting too frustrated over 
  a lack of information. This gives players “little 
  victories” for figuring out good choices from clues. 
  Watch for stalling—play loses momentum when 
  this happens. At the same time, make sure that the 
  players don’t finish too early; provide them with a 
  full play experience.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  3
  Adventure Primer
  Adventure Background
  Recent events across both the Sword Coast and the 
  Moonsea have drawn the interest of the factions, 
  independent scholars, and . . . other parties to the 
  fallen city of Hulburg. A large fissure has opened 
  at the site of an ancient battle between giants and 
  dragons in the Galena Mountains, and rumors of 
  treasure and items of power are whispered in tavern 
  halls far and wide.
  These events have drawn the interest of the cloud 
  giant, Baron Rajiram, who is desperately seeking 
  to restore his strength after the destruction of his 
  flying galleon, Thunderbound. Characters who 
  played in DDEP05-02, “Ark of the Mountains” 
  may have been asked to keep an eye out for him. 
  However, the Baron has managed to remain hidden 
  from prying eyes using both magical and mundane 
  protections. That is, until one of his lieutenants was 
  recently spotted in the ruined city of Hulburg.
  Location and NPC Summary
  The following NPCs and locations feature prominently in this 
  adventure.
  Jeremiah Treewhistle (jer-i-MY-ah tree-hwis-el). A gnomish 
  informant who has been investigating the rumors of the 
  Baron and his lieutenants being in Hulburg. His bubbly 
  personality doesn’t make him the most discreet investigator.
  Harael Jataren (ha-RAIL ja-TA-ren). The captain of the 
  Errant Luck. Most believe him to be a simple trader, but some 
  suspect he is a smuggler. In truth, he is both, and a slaver to 
  boot. He possesses a sharp wit, and a silver tongue which 
  is why Shira has set him up as the apparent leader of their 
  group.
  Shira Chaven (SHE-ra cha-ven). The cunning leader of a 
  small slaving ring, she hides this fact by posing as Harael’s 
  escort in public. In this role, she comes off as a somewhat 
  air-headed doxy who is solely focused on watching Harael’s 
  back; in reality, she is clever, confident, and wholly without 
  scruples.
   Baron Rajiram. A cloud giant whose bid to claim ancient 
  artifacts from the wars between dragons and giants has not 
  ended. Severely weakened, he works through others.
  The party has been tasked with finding this lieu-
  tenant, a woman named Selise Teshwave, sister to 
  the Teshwave siblings the characters may have met 
  in CCC-TRI-04, “Birds of a Feather.” While faction 
  intelligence indicates Selise is indeed in the Baron’s 
  employ, this alliance is odd given she has no prior 
  connection to him. But the factions believe that 
  she may be their best chance to finally track down 
  Baron Rajiram.
  While Selise will not be found over the course of 
  this adventure, the party will uncover an important 
  lead. They will learn that Selise was preparing to 
  accompany the Baron on an expedition into the 
  Galena mountains.
  Who is Baron Rajiram?
  Players who have not played in any of the three 
  adventures involving Baron Rajiram (DDAL05-08, 
  “Durlag’s Tower,” DDAL05-09, “Durlag’s Tomb,” and 
  DDEP05-02, “Ark of the Mountains”) may not know 
  him. The following information may be helpful to 
  set the stage for those players, and to refresh the 
  memory of other players.
  • Baron Rajiram is a cloud giant pirate who, until 
  recently, dominated the skies above the Sword 
  Coast.
  • An outcast from his own kind, this cloud giant 
  rose to prominence amongst the pirates of the 
  Nelanther Isles, eventually coming to lead them.
  • His flying galleon, Thunderbound, was responsi-
  ble for numerous raids along the Sword Coast.
  • He is described as small for a cloud giant, but 
  what he lacks in sheer might he makes up for in 
  spellcasting potency.
  • Recently, he led his forces, which consisted 
  of other giants, pirates of assorted races, and 
  numerous beasts into the mainland, in a failed 
  attempt to claim the Ark of the Mountains, a flying 
  warship.
  • Had this attempt not been thwarted, his forces 
  would have likely run rampant across much of the 
  North
  • It is believed that he suffered significant damage 
  during this attack, both to his person and to his 
  organization.
  • To date, the factions have failed to apprehend him, 
  but they continue to coordinate their efforts.
  Who is Selise Teshwave?
  Because no one has been able to find Baron 
  Rajiram, efforts have turned to locating his 
  lieutenants. One such person of interest is Selise 
  Teshwave. The hope is that by either capturing or 
  trailing her, she will lead them to the Baron himself.
  The plan, laid out to you before you set out for the city, 
  is for you to locate a woman named Selise Teshwave. 
  Rumors have placed her here in the city, along with 
  the elusive Baron Rajiram. Recently captured pirates 
  working under the Baron’s banner have confirmed 
  that Selise is working for him and is likely in frequent 
  contact with the cloud giant. 
   You’ve been told that capturing her alive may not be 
  possible, so the wiser course may be to track her down 
  and tail her back to the Baron.
  Characters with soldiers or mercenary backgrounds 
  may have heard of Selise. A DC 12 Wisdom 
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  4
  (History) check by characters with an appropriate 
  background will reveal that Selise Teshwave is well-
  known mercenary who has served as an officer in 
  several companies. By reputation, she is a ruthless 
  and formidable warrior.
  Adventure Overview
  The party has been retained by the factions to meet 
  with a Harper agent named Jeremiah Treewhistle. 
  The gnome claims to have evidence that Selise 
  Teshwave, a known close associate of the Baron, 
  has been in Hulburg and may still be there.
  The hope is that either by capturing or following 
  Selise, the party may be able to find the Baron, and 
  bring him to justice.
  The adventure is broken down into 5 parts:
  Part 1. The party meets with Jeremiah, who 
  provides them with some leads and fills in any 
  background information which they may lack.
  Part 2. The party investigates the leads which 
  Jeremiah provided. This should give them enough 
  information to know that Selise was obtaining 
  mining equipment, and that she was often acting 
  oddly. They will also encounter Harael, who will 
  give them a lead as to where Selise may have been 
  staying.
  Part 3. Harael’s lead turns out to be deadly, as 
  he has been sending those who get too close to 
  his secrets to the lair of Vaomarxiri, a death tyrant 
  hiding beneath the city.
  Part 4. (Optional) Warned by Harael, the Baron 
  sends a group of mercenaries to ambush the party. 
  The treasure they carry is clearly the spoils of 
  Rajiram’s raids along the Sword Coast. 
  Part 5. The party confronts Harael and his crew 
  aboard his ship the Errant Luck. How they handle 
  the encounter will determine how they learn of the 
  Baron’s plan to travel to the Galena Mountains.
  Adventure Hooks
  Rumors of the Baron. Baron Rajiram hasn’t been 
  seen since the Thunderbound crashed. However, 
  his network of agents and followers still seem to 
  be operating with some organization. While some 
  believe it is possible that one of his lieutenants 
  has taken charge, you have heard a rumor that an 
  individual matching the Baron’s appearance has 
  been seen in Hulburg. A Harper informant named 
  Jeremiah Treewhistle is said to know more about 
  these rumors.
  Heroes of Beregost. You participated in the 
  clash between the Ark of the Mountains and Baron 
  Rajiram’s flying galleon Thunderbound. The Baron 
  avoided capture, and this has never sat well with 
  you. The Harpers have offered you a chance to 
  finish what was started, reportedly having a lead on 
  the Baron’s whereabouts. You are to meet with one 
  of their agents, Jeremiah Treewhistle, in the city of 
  Hulburg.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  5
  Part One
  Estimated Duration: 20 minutes
  Rumored sightings of the Baron Rajiram have 
  brought the party to the city of Hulburg. A Harper 
  operative, Jeremiah Treewhistle, has information 
  regarding one Selise Teshwave, who reportedly has 
  been working with the Baron. She likely knows the 
  location of his current hideout and details of his 
  latest scheme.
  The Swaggering Troll
  The party has been directed to meet Jeremiah in the 
  Swaggering Troll tavern. Little more than a dive bar, 
  this squat building may have been a shop before the 
  city was razed. Several large holes in the walls are 
  roughly boarded up with wood scraps salvaged from 
  crates and nearby buildings.
  What a dump! You heard that Hulburg wasn’t in 
  great shape, but the rumors fail to properly describe 
  the ruined city that lies before you. The walls of the 
  city seem to have more holes in them than stone, 
  and many buildings appear to be nothing more than 
  shattered and abandoned ruins. 
   As you proceed further into the city, it’s clear your 
  gnomish contact, Jeremiah Treewhistle, couldn’t have 
  picked a worse place to meet. The Swaggering Troll 
  may in fact be the worst tavern you’ve ever stepped 
  foot in. A small, squat building, the walls of the 
  establishment are peppered with crude boards to cover 
  gaping holes in large sections of the tavern’s walls. 
  Murky puddles dot the floor from what you hope was 
  the last rainstorm. 
   And the patrons . . . well, one of them is already face 
  down in what you really hope is his own vomit. The 
  rest of the motley assemblage don’t seem to be fairing 
  much better. A heavy-set half-orc with a receding hair-
  line of greasy dark hair pulled back into a thin ponytail 
  tends bar across the room.
  The Swaggering Troll is run by Kremic, the half-
  orc behind the bar. Drinks are cheap and heavily 
  watered down, except for the house brew, the Troll 
  Swagger. A concoction of Kremic’s own invention, 
  imbibing just one mug could probably put a troll 
  under the table. It’s impossible to know what is 
  in this drink; the regulars simply describe it as 
  “green . . . and burn-y”.
  Surprisingly, fights are not common in the Troll 
  Swagger, thanks to a deal Kremic has with his 
  regulars. Should a fight breakout, anyone who puts 
  it down and physically ejects the instigators receive 
  a round of Troll Swagger on the house.
  A quick scan of the tavern reveals that Jeremiah 
  Treewhistle is not present. Unfortunately for the 
  party, he is going to be exceptionally late to the 
  meeting.
  At this point, allow the party to introduce 
  themselves and collect any information that you 
  wish to know about them. Elements such as 
  Passive Perception, Passive Insight, and charac-
  ter’s Factions will likely be relevant later in the 
  adventure.
  Meeting Jeremiah
  He’s late . . . very late. Jeremiah Treewhistle was 
  supposed to meet you here over an hour ago. By the 
  time the gnome walks in the door, your mug of Troll 
  Swagger has started to congeal. 
    Your contact isn’t hard to miss either. He sports 
  a lime green cloak, which scarcely hides his boldly 
  colored attire: a lavender sweater, powder blue pants, 
  and a mismatched set of boots. The gnome looks 
  quickly around, and upon seeing your group, smiles 
  and strides over to you. 
    “Salutations, my friends. Glad you could all make it! 
  Ok, ok, ok. Shall we get down to business? I’m not sure 
  how much time we have available to us.”
  Jeremiah will pull a chair up to the table and 
  attempt to order a glass of Arabellan Dry. When the 
  bartender laughs at him, he will look at the table 
  and point at the drink of whoever seems the most 
  reputable, asking for “one of those”.
  Roleplaying Jeremiah Treewhistle
  Jeremiah is probably not one’s first choice to be an 
  undercover operative. He’s a bit hyperactive, overly talkative, 
  and somewhat of a coward. But he has a strange knack 
  for getting people to open up and talk. When roleplaying 
  the gnome, don’t be afraid to make Jeremiah look 
  incompetent . . . because he really is.
   Quote: “Ok, ok, ok. I can help you with this, right? I’m your 
  guy on the ground, your ear on the street, huh, huh? Your 
  agent . . . in the alleys . . . yeah?”
  Once he has his drink, or if the party pushes him to 
  move it along, Jeremiah will retrieve a small book 
  from his pouch and provide the following informa-
  tion to the party:
  • Selise has been confirmed as being in the city.
  • Jeremiah has not laid eyes on her himself.
  • His notes have names of people who have seen 
  her, as well as dates of the sightings.
  • Jeremiah attempted to recreate a sketch of Selise 
  based on descriptions. It is utterly useless (“It’s 
  more of a visual mnemonic, you see”)
  • His notes describe Selise as a severe looking 
  woman with a wild mane of red hair. They 
  indicate she is ‘really tall’ (over 5½’ is ‘tall’ to 
  Jeremiah), but he can compare her to party 
  members well enough for them to place her as 
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  6
  around 6’4”. She is well armored and carries a 
  really big sword.
  • Sightings of Selise have been in the following 
  areas:
  • She has been seen doing business with several 
  merchants, one of whom is a Harper informant. 
  This is what brought her to the attention of the 
  faction.
  • She seems to spend a lot of time in Tent City, 
  an elevated area of the city which is covered 
  in large canvas tents and ramshackle wooden 
  buildings. This isn’t unusual since it’s what 
  passes as the ‘city proper’ in this dump.
  • She has also been seen heading out into the 
  western part of the city. Where specifically she 
  is going is unclear. Most of that area of the city 
  is abandoned, and Jeremiah just hasn’t gotten 
  around to following up on this lead. (Actually, 
  he’s scared to go there).
  • Jeremiah feels that the rumors of the Baron him-
  self being near Hulburg are not credible. (“You’d 
  think that a big ‘ol 40-foot-tall guy stomping 
  around would attract some attention!”)
  If the party points out that this isn’t great informa-
  tion, Jeremiah will look crestfallen. He will suggest 
  that they can probably talk to some people in the 
  various taverns in Tent City if they think they can do 
  better.
  If asked about the merchants Selise was dealing 
  with:
  • Jeremiah will jot some names down on a scrap of 
  paper for the party.
  • The names are not important, unless you have 
  substantial time for roleplay. You may wish to 
  simply summarize this investigation by having 
  the party do an appropriate skill check.
  • Jeremiah will not reveal which of the merchants 
  (Blaisus) is the Harper informant unless there is 
  a Harper character in the party. However, he can 
  probably be tricked into it with a bit of roleplay.
  If asked why he chose this bar:
  “Ok, ok, so they told me to find a place that was 
  discreet and ‘out of the way’. Was this not out of the 
  way enough?”
  If the party asks where they can find Selise:
  “Ok, ok, ok, ah, I’m not exactly sure. We never did 
  figure out where she has been hiding. Oh, oh! But there 
  was one tavern she was frequenting on a somewhat 
  regular basis. It was . . . ” the gnome digs through his 
  notes. “ok, ok, ok, something like the ‘Woody Hollerer’”
  Asking around, it will be easy enough for the party 
  to determine that the name of the tavern is the 
  “Woad Hallow.”
  If the party asks about the Teshwave Siblings:
  Some characters may also recognize the name 
  “Teshwave” if they have participated in CCC-TRI-03, 
  “Fences and Swords” or CCC-TRI-04, “Birds of a 
  Feather.” If they inquire about the family connection, 
  Jeremiah will impart the following:
  • Selise is the sister of Char and Abigail, the pirates 
  who may have been encountered in “Birds of 
  a Feather.” Their whereabouts are currently 
  unknown.
  • If either or both siblings were killed in CCC-
  TRI-04, “Birds of a Feather,” Jeremiah will 
  acknowledge this fact and indicate that, nonethe-
  less, they are alive and well. He suspects that they 
  have a patron who can bring back the dead (much 
  as players have the Factions and Spellcasting 
  Services).
  One More Thing
  “Oh, there’s one more thing. I had an assistant, a 
  young half-elf Agent named Geoff, right? Ok, so he’s 
  gone missing . . . I think he may have been chasing 
  after a girl or something like that. Normally, I wouldn’t 
  report such a thing, after all, kids . . . amirite? 
   At any rate, it would be really, really helpful if you 
  could keep an eye out for Geoff.
  Jeremiah does not know the identity of the woman, 
  nor did he ever meet her. Geoff apparently met 
  her when he was investigating some leads in Tent 
  City. If someone suggests that he might have been 
  investigating Selise, he’ll shake his head, “Naaaa! 
  He would have told me, right?”
  Harper Faction Activity
  If there are any Harpers amongst the group, 
  Jeremiah will quietly turn to them.
  Unfortunately, Geoff may have borrowed my code 
  cylinders. They’re disassembled, and he, uh, needed 
  the practice, taking them apart and putting them back 
  together. So, we kept them in his pack, you know, 
  easier, right? So, they can’t be used by anyone else . . . 
  at least I don’t think so. At any rate, probably best you 
  keep an eye out for those cylinders as well.
  If the Harpers inquire further about why Geoff took 
  the cylinders, an appropriate DC 20 Charisma skill 
  check will reveal that Geoff has the code cylinders 
  because Jeremiah can’t operate them himself.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  7
  Part Two
  Estimated Duration: 30 minutes
  If the party asked the right questions of Jeremiah, 
  they may have enough information to proceed 
  directly to the Woad Hollow tavern. However, some 
  parties may decide to put their ear to the ground 
  and look for more information. Other parties may 
  not have enough information and will need to do 
  some investigating.
   Allow the party to poke around the city as they 
  see fit. Have the characters perform Wisdom 
  (Investigation) checks and impart information as 
  follows (cumulatively) based on the result of their 
  rolls:
  DC 12. The party learns that the streets are 
  dangerous at night. Rumors of undead prowling the 
  streets have begun to make the rounds, and several 
  people have gone missing.
  DC 15. Someone suggests that the party seek out 
  Diego; he’s a peddler who has been rambling on 
  about a Selise.
  DC 18. The party finds a merchant by the name 
  of Blasius Rucker who has been doing business 
  with Selise. He will recognize Selise by name or 
  her description and will reveal that Selise recently 
  bought mining equipment from him. A bunch of 
  men, who he thought looked like mercenaries, 
  picked the equipment up, and headed into the 
  ruined western part of the city.
  Diego
  Diego is a half-drunk, half-crazed street peddler. 
  His cart is full of knick-knacks, clutter, and junk, 
  which makes about as much sense as the peddler’s 
  nonsense ramblings.
  Roleplaying Diego
  Diego has had too many dealings with a hag, and these 
  exchanges have warped his mind. He is at the same time 
  terrified that her attention will return to him as he wishes for 
  it to happen. His mind is shattered and will attempt to sell 
  the party junk and garbage, offering a cracked pot to wear as 
  a hat, or a piece of a stovetop as ‘gert!’.
   Trying to get Diego to explain anything should be an 
  exercise in frustration for the party. His short-term memory is 
  entirely gone.
  If the party has succeeded on their Investigation 
  check as noted above, someone will refer them to 
  the peddler, as he may have been rambling some-
  thing about a woman named Selise.
  If Selise is mentioned to Diego, he grins and 
  hoots.
  “Selise? Selise! Selise, Selise, Selise! Diego knows who 
  Selise is, yes, yes, yes! You are looking for Selise, yes, 
  yes. Not the only one, no. Sister . . . sister and . . . brother 
  or sister, . . . yes, two! Two siblings look for their sister. 
  Diego see Selise . . . tells them she is here. They come 
  soon.”
  Getting anything comprehensible out of the daft 
  peddler will be difficult. If the party mentions Char 
  or Abigail by name, he will clap in agreement. If 
  they ask how he contacted the siblings, or suggest 
  that he couldn’t have done so, he will show them 
  a clamshell. The clamshell would have been 
  perfectly formed, and fully sealed, except that it has 
  split neatly in twain. Casting detect magic on the 
  shell will reveal the remnants of strange, almost 
  perverted, evocation magics. Players who have dealt 
  with hags may recognize this as reminiscent of their 
  weird magic with a successful DC 20 Intelligence 
  (Arcana) check. It is worthless.
  Other Methods of Investigation
  Some parties may attempt other methods of investigation. 
  Unfortunately, both Selise and the Baron have been 
  exceptionally adept in hiding their movements within the city.
  • Divination magics will not locate or find the Baron or 
  Selise, and none of their underlings are known well enough 
  to use as a focus. However, Geoff is not warded in this way, 
  and It may be possible to track Geoff to Vaomarxiri’s lair 
  (Part 3).
  • Following the rumors of people disappearing in the 
  western part of the city could lead the party to the 
  Vaomarxiri’s lair. Use your judgment in helping the party 
  reach the death tyrant’s lair (Part 3).
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  8
  The Woad Hollow
  When the party decides to visit the Woad Hollow, 
  they will find it a much better establishment than 
  the Swaggering Troll.
  The Woad Hollow is a significant step up from the 
  Swaggering Troll. A small cooking fire lights the 
  center of this large yurt, and the ground is clear of 
  foul puddles. The walls are lined with blankets and 
  furs which look like they were properly tanned before 
  hanging. While there aren’t many more patrons in this 
  establishment than there were in the Troll, they do 
  seem to all be conscious. 
   Two men sit off to the right of the entrance. One 
  quickly looks directly up at you as you enter, while his 
  companion barely glances up from his meal. Behind 
  the bar, directly across from entrance, stands a bald, 
  burly man with a set of heavy muttonchops. Several 
  large casks are stacked on the crates behind him, three 
  of which have been tapped. He nods briskly at you, and 
  then turns his attention back to a solitary card game 
  to the left. Off to the right, a pair of men are huddled 
  over their meals, one of whom seems to be trying to 
  convince the other of something.
  Read the appropriate box text when the party 
  approaches any of the tavern’s occupants.
  The Brothers (Table on the Left)
  Both men are wearing well-worn homespun clothes. 
  The style of heavy wool sweaters, and thick, scuffed 
  leather boots suggest they may work down near the 
  docks, if not on a ship. A pair of caps and two pairs of 
  heavy gloves sit on the table next to the pairs’ meals, 
  which appears to be some sort of soup. The man who 
  had his back to the door has an extremely irritated look 
  on his face, while his companion seems to be trying 
  hard to maintain his optimistic enthusiasm.
  The two men to the left are Garre and Reme. Reme 
  is treating his brother to dinner to try and calm him 
  down after an argument with their older brother. 
  Neither knows Selise and pursuing the family 
  problems will be a waste of time.
  The Staff
  In addition to the bartender, a young woman is clearing 
  a table near the center of the tent. Her curly brown hair 
  is pulled back with a kerchief, and her apron stuffed 
  with some of the mugs she has already cleared. Seeing 
  you approach, she smiles with tired eyes. 
  “Sit down anywhere, luvs. If it’s not clean, I’ll be by in a 
  second.”
  The bartender’s name is Gordom, and he’s a friendly 
  enough sort. His two children help him run the 
  tavern. His daughter, Ceira, waits tables unless 
  Gordom “doesn’t like the look of someone.” In such 
  cases, he sends her back to the kitchen and her 
  brother, Colos, takes her place.
  If the party indicates that they are looking for 
  Selise and describe her, all three will recognize 
  her, as she has conducted business here before. If 
  speaking to Colos, it’s obvious he is a bit enamored 
  with her.
  They will describe her as a strange sort. They 
  will note that sometimes Selise would act a little 
  confused and subordinate, while at other times she 
  was confident and obviously the leader of her group. 
  She always came in with two or three other people, 
  and one of who was always the same guy. The guy 
  didn’t say much but was always sat at her side. 
  He would occasionally whisper something in her 
  ear, which she always seemed puzzled by, but then 
  continued as if nothing had happened. She was last 
  in here about three days ago.
  With a bit of roleplaying, or a DC 15 Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check, one or more of the staff will 
  refer the party to Harael, as she did business with 
  him once or twice. This check will be made with 
  disadvantage if the party has suggested that they 
  might mean Selise any harm (she was a paying 
  customer, and they do have a reputation to uphold), 
  or if the party’s behavior caused Gordom to send his 
  daughter out of the room.
  If the party asks about Geoff, the staff will not 
  recognize him by name, as the Harper agent did not 
  use his name here. If they can provide a description 
  of Geoff, they will recognize him as an infrequent 
  patron. They will describe him as a quiet sort who 
  sat around and watched other patrons. They haven’t 
  seen him since the day before yesterday.
  The Smuggler (Table on the Right)
  The two men who sit at the table are well dressed. 
  The larger man, a brawny Calashite, is dressed in a 
  coat lined with furs. He is leaning back in his chair, 
  which also has furs thrown over it, and is swirling 
  an amber liquid in a glass mug. To his left sits a fair 
  skinned woman with blonde hair. She is also dressed 
  well, but not quite as well as her companion. Behind 
  both stands a large man, with dark hair and dark scars 
  across his face. His arms are folded in front of him, but 
  the blade at his side suggest he may be a bodyguard. 
    The man who is speaking to the Calashite is a 
  smaller man who looks as if he may have some elven 
  blood in his parentage. To say that he is dressed well is 
  only in comparison to what you’ve seen as the norm for 
  Hulburg. He too has a bodyguard, a narrow-eyed rake 
  who watches you as you approach and makes a quick 
  sound to alert the table of your approach.
  
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  If the party chooses to eavesdrop on the conversa-
  tion before approaching, which requires an active 
  DC 22 Wisdom (Perception) check, the half-elf 
  merchant, Caibrio, appears to be concerned (overly 
  so, in Harael’s opinion) about the shipment Harael 
  is going to be transporting. Neither one of them will 
  divulge the contents of the cargo (slaves), but it will 
  be clear that the cargo is being smuggled.
  If the party approaches the table, Caibrio, will be 
  visibly annoyed. If the party doesn’t back off, he will 
  ask them to wait their turn, as they can *plainly* see, 
  they are in the middle of a game. Harael will find 
  Caibrio’s annoyance amusing but suggests that their 
  business is concluded. He will tell Caibrio to have 
  his cargo brought to the docks before dark.
  If the party asks about Selise, Harael will know 
  her both by description and name. Harael has been 
  paid by the Baron to ensure that anyone looking 
  for Selise meets with a bad end, and he intends to 
  do everything he can to lower the party’s guard by 
  appearing helpful, so he may later spring his trap.
  If the party asks after Selise’s business or 
  whereabouts, he will narrow his ample eyebrows 
  and ask why the party is looking for her. Based on 
  the party’s response, he will give an appropriately 
  innocent answer as to her business with him. He 
  will, however, tell the party he hasn’t seen her in a 
  few days, but he knows a place where she may have 
  been holed up. There’s an old manor house in the 
  western part of the city. He’s made a few deliveries 
  out that way, and they may find her there.
  The other people at this table will not be inter-
  ested in conversing with the party. Neither Caibrio 
  nor his guard, Josse, know anything about Selise, 
  and Josse isn’t going to risk inflaming his boss’s 
  irritation with the party’s presence. Harael’s guard, 
  Barat, will simply shrug and refer any questions to 
  Harael.
  The woman, an Illuskan named Shira Chaven, 
  will appear as if she hasn’t been paying attention, 
  and look to Harael to answer. In truth, this is an act; 
  she’s actually the one in charge, but she prefers to 
  watch and listen. She is exceptionally adept at main-
  taining her facade (assume she has rolled a 22 on 
  her Charisma (Deception) check), and if it appears 
  that the players are scrutinizing Harael’s words, she 
  will not speak at all.
  If the party asks about Geoff, Harael will recog-
  nize him by his description but not his name. He 
  was also looking for Selise, and Harael gave him the 
  same information about the old manor about two 
  days ago.
  Roleplaying Harael Jataren
  Harael Jataran is a man of few morals and scruples. Most of 
  his customers know him as a trader, some know that he often 
  smuggles goods illicitly. But very few know his real trade: 
  slaver. His group frequents Hulburg, because not only are 
  the docks left uninspected but also, they are able to easily 
  supplement their supply of slaves where disappearances are 
  common enough thanks to the undead.
  Harael always considers his words carefully, as he is used 
  to dealing with insightful people. Whenever possible, he will 
  answer with misleading or indirect statements.
   Quote: “Come now, if we are all friends, I’m sure we can 
  find a profitable arrangement here.”
  Roleplaying Shira Chaven
  Shira is a woman who has learned that life is what you take 
  from it. She believes morality is a facade most people hide 
  behind for comfort or gain, but only fools really believe in 
  it. She is the leader of a slaving ring and takes the secrecy 
  of the business and her place in it very seriously. Her plans 
  and methods are often overly elaborate, but they have always 
  proved to be effective.
  She prefers to remain quiet during meetings, allowing 
  Harael to take the lead in most business dealings. This 
  act has often caused people to mistake her for Harael’s 
  bodyguard or ‘escort’. This suits her just fine, as such 
  assumptions usually lead to her being underestimated.
  Quote: Blank stare . . . ” What?”
  Development
  After the party leaves, Harael will conclude his 
  business with Caibrio (if it wasn’t already). Using a 
  set of veiled statements, Shira will tell Harael that 
  she thinks he may have underestimated the party. 
  He will then motion to Barat, who will lean down to 
  hear him whisper, “Start the boys packing up. We 
  need to ship out as soon as it’s dark.”
  
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  Part Three
  Estimated Duration: 75 minutes
  No Rest for the Weary
  From this point forward, the party will only be able to take a 
  single short rest. If they take more than one, or decide to take 
  a long rest, then they will have failed this mission, as Harael 
  will have sailed off.
  The smuggler’s directions to the manor are rela-
  tively easy to follow. Surrounded by the remnants of 
  several buildings, which are little more than burned-
  out shells, a single townhouse sits. A fire razed the 
  area some time ago, but the stone walls around this 
  townhouse kept the fire from completely burning 
  the building down.
  At one point, this townhouse could have been home 
  to a wealthy family. It is a two storied home with a 
  turreted attic space. It has a large gardened yard 
  surrounded by a stone wall. 
   Now, the top floor is badly damaged and open to the 
  elements, thanks to the fire that razed the rest of this 
  neighborhood. The turret lacks its entire roof along 
  with most of its eastern wall. The yard is choked with 
  weeds and checkered with large patches of dirt. The 
  once fine stone walls are crumbling and shattered in 
  many places.
  Approaching the townhouse poses no actual danger, 
  although you are encouraged to play up the house 
  as being exceptionally creepy.
  • An old gate swings in the breeze, banging with an 
  irregular beat against its frame. Players who move 
  it aside wonder if it is colder than it should be.
  • The window frames are little more than bare 
  rotting wood.
  • The wind blows through the windows, giving the 
  bare impression of someone howling.
  • The front door is unlocked but closed. Pushing it 
  open causes a loud, audible creak.
  Signs of the Undead
  The death tyrant, Vaomarxiri, has been sending his undead 
  minions out to forage for more worshipers. Characters 
  that investigate the area and succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Survival) check see signs of small groups having moved 
  through the area. These groups seem to be relatively small, 
  and occasionally move as if they are wounded or carrying 
  their wounded.
   
  Be wary of providing too much information. Given 
  the rumors, some players may deduce that zombies may have 
  frequented the area. If the party surmises that these zombies 
  may be dragging their kills back to a lair, you may wish to 
  confirm that the evidence might support that theory, but that 
  this wouldn’t be normal behavior. While some characters may 
  be aware of the effect of being near a death tyrant’s lair, they 
  do not yet have enough context to make that intuitive leap, so 
  there is no need for the DM to confirm such a theory.
  The Townhouse
  Allow the party to explore the house. Provide the 
  players with the following descriptions as they move 
  inside the demise:
  • While the house is still standing, it has been 
  largely gutted by fire.
  • The floorboards creak with every step. One of 
  the party’s steps will snap a loose board but will 
  manage to pull their foot free before they fall 
  through. The fragments of the board clatter down 
  into a cellar below.
  • The stairs leading upstairs have collapsed. Should 
  the party climb up to the top, the floor will creak 
  menacingly, but if the party is cautious, it should 
  hold.
  • The second floor is largely open, large sections 
  of the looks as if it was gutted
  • Jumping around will trigger the collapse of the 
  house as if the party triggered the trap in the 
  study (see below).
  • Only a few rooms seem to be remotely intact. 
  Some of these rooms have old furniture in them, 
  burned and rotted from exposure.
  • The ceiling and most of the rooms above have 
  collapsed, exposing this room to the elements.
  The Study
  One of the few rooms that looks relatively intact is 
  the study. Located on the first floor, the door to the 
  study has a 1-inch-wide gash. Peering through the 
  hole shows a room with a chest against the far wall 
  next an old bed. Unfortunately, the weight of the 
  house has shifted over the years, and the door is all 
  that is holding the holding the contents of the room 
  above (which includes a bathtub) from crashing 
  through the weakened ceiling.
  If a player is about to open this door, and has been 
  acting cautiously, a Passive Investigation of 18 or an 
  active DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check will 
  allow the character to notice that the door looks to 
  be unusually stressed.
  Forcing the door open will require a DC 14 
  Strength (Athletics) check. Smashing through it will 
  require inflicting 5 hp of damage to the door (AC 
  10). However, doing either will cause the weight 
  on the ceiling to crash down, requiring a DC20 
  Dexterity saving throw to avoid a falling bathtub. 
  A failed save results in the character taking 3d6 
  (10) bludgeoning damage, while a successful save 
  avoids all damage. Attempting to come in through 
  any section of the wall within 10’ of the door will 
  also trigger a collapse, but characters will have 
  advantage on their Dexterity saving throws.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
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  The bathtub will then crash through the 
  floor, taking a large amount of the floor with it. 
  Anyone within 20 feet of the door must make a 
  DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 4d6 (14) 
  bludgeoning damage as they fall 30 feet into the 
  cellar. Some of this damage is from falling debris. 
  Characters who can reduce or avoid falling damage 
  still must make the saving throw, but will only suffer 
  1d6 bludgeoning damage, or half damage on a 
  successful save.
  As if that wasn’t bad enough, you all suddenly realize 
  the bathtub has taken out whatever was holding 
  the rest of the house up. With a loud cracking, the 
  floor falls out from beneath you, and you fall into the 
  darkness below . . . 
  Should the party manage to obtain the chest, they 
  will find that it only holds some old shirts, a pair of 
  rusted copper spectacles without lenses, and an old 
  worn book titled, “The Effects of Extended Draught 
  on the Plains of the Western Flanaess,” by Renwit 
  Teeves.
  The Cellar
  If the party doesn’t trigger the trap, they will be able 
  to enter the cellar through stairs in the kitchen.
  The cellar seems to have been saved from the ravages 
  of the fire. At one point, it may have been used for 
  storage. There are several shelves and tables scattered 
  about that have all been picked bare. 
   At the far end of the 40-foot wide cellar, there is an 
  opening in the wall, revealing a tunnel that slopes 
  down into the darkness.
  The tunnel descends irregularly down to the lair of 
  Vaomarxiri, a death tyrant.
  Vaomarxiri’s Lair
  There have been undead beneath the city of 
  Hulburg for as long as people remember. Some 
  believe they are those that were slain when an army 
  of giants razed the city, others lay the blame at the 
  carnage caused by orcs and ogres from Thar.
   Wherever the cause, the horror known as 
  Vaomarxiri has claimed dominion over them. The 
  death tyrant has set them to digging to expand its 
  domain deeper. Others still are sent to raid the 
  surface for fresh victims to bolster the ranks of 
  its army. It demands worship from all its undead 
  servants, seeing it as a means to set the stage for its 
  ascension to greater power.
  General Features
  Corridors. The tunnels of this domain are irregular, but all 
  are at least 10 feet wide. The surfaces are rough-hewn, and 
  upon inspection, appear to have been dug with bare hands.
  Illumination. There is no light in the tunnels except what 
  the party brings with them. Vaomarxiri’s audience chamber is 
  bathed in a baleful crimson light.
  Sounds. A low moaning can be heard . . . but only when the 
  party isn’t actively listening for it.
  The Audience Chamber
  The tunnel spirals down until it ends in a large 
  chamber, which Vaomarxiri deems its audience 
  chamber.
  The tunnel emerges into a large underground chamber. 
  Despite its dark vaulted ceilings, the cavern feels 
  oppressive, as if the walls move closer together every 
  time you look away. 
   The shattered remains of hundreds of bodies cover 
  the floor, some more skeletal than others. From where 
  you stand, a narrow path winds towards the center 
  of the room, free from any bodies, ending in a small 
  cleared circle with a stone disc in its center. Four 
  skulls, too large to have come from humans or elves, 
  surround the circle. Baleful crimson flames dance 
  above each of the skulls, bathing the chamber in a deep 
  and malicious red glow. 
   Immediately to the left of the circle is a stone statue 
  of a man in armor. A section of its head and left arm 
  are missing.
  The statue is the last member of a group of heroes 
  who attempted to breach Vaomarxiri’s sanctum. 
  While his comrades were turned to ash and bone, 
  this warrior was turned to stone by one of the 
  tyrant’s gazes. His remains were placed here so 
  that he can eternally attend to Vaomarxiri in his 
  audience chamber.
  Vaomarxiri has learned from this last unwanted 
  intrusion and has taken precautions. The light cast 
  by the crimson flames serve several purposes:
  • Invisible creatures and objects are visible if 
  they are in the chamber. Invisibility effects are 
  suppressed, not dispelled.
  • Saving throws against fear effects made by any 
  creature except for Vaomarxiri are made at 
  disadvantage.
  • Vaomarxiri is immediately aware of when 
  someone crosses the threshold of its audience 
  chamber.
   Regardless of how the party has entered the 
  chamber, the death tyrant will be aware of their 
  presence.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
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   A deep gravelly voice, sounding like blades scraping 
  against stone, draws your attention to one of the 
  tunnels leading out of the chamber. A giant skull, nearly 
  10 feet across, floats in the air, its central eye a burning 
  ember of rage. Several spectral eyes float above it, 
  many of them fixated on you and your companions.
   “I knew Jataren’s word was worthless, but I did not 
  expect him to send assassins against me. But once I 
  have disposed of you, I will take the girl back from his 
  ship, and he will join you . . . as one of my cadaverous 
  minions!”
  Give the party a moment to parlay with Vaomarxiri 
  before entering initiative. The death tyrant is a 
  complete megalomaniac, and as long as the party 
  remains on the Audience Platform, he will banter 
  with them.
  He is extremely intelligent, and will see through 
  veiled insults. For the first such insult, he will boast 
  that he sees through their vulgar wordplay. But if 
  another insult is uttered, or if the party attempts 
  to approach, he will attack. His zombie minions, 
  which were previously indistinguishable from the 
  piles of cadavers, will rise up and move to attack.
  Roleplaying Vaomarxiri (Vow-mar-siri)
  The horror known as Vaomarxiri has dreamed itself beyond 
  death, and it sees itself on a path that will lead it to godhood. 
  Its rage and hunger are bottomless, but it can usually be 
  convinced to listen to those who pretend to accept its 
  nascent godhood. Unfortunately for the party, any attempt to 
  negotiate with Vaomarxiri will fail for a few reasons:
  • The party now knows the location of its lair . . . they must 
  die!
  • It assumes the party is associated with someone who 
  betrayed it . . . they must die!
  • The party has likely not prostrated themselves before the 
  God of All-Seeing Death . . . they must die . . . horribly!
  Due to the piles of corpses, the entire cavern should 
  be considered difficult terrain, except for the narrow 
  path.
  Setting up the Encounter
  Two versions of the Average Party Strength encounter are 
  suggested. Larger groups may find a larger number of 
  opponents to be more challenging, as they will be less able to 
  focus fire.
  Very Weak
  • Vaomarxiri (Death Tyrant): AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri does not gain lair actions
  • Zombie (1): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Weak
  • Vaomarxiri (Death Tyrant): AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri does not gain lair actions
  • Zombie (2): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Average (Option 1 – Smaller Parties)
  • Vaomarxiri (Death Tyrant): AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri gains lair actions
  • Zombie (2): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Average (Option 2 – Larger Parties)
  • Vaomarxiri (Death Tyrant): AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri does not gain lair actions
  • Ogre Zombies (5): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Strong
  • Vaomarxiri (Death Tyrant): AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri gains lair actions
  • Ogre Zombies (5): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Very Strong
  • Vaomarxiri (Death Tyrant): AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri gains lair actions
  • Greater Zombies (5): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Deadly
  • Vaomarxiri (Death Tyrant): AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri gains lair actions and an additional legendary 
  action
  • Greater Zombies (7): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2 
  Zombies gain Minion’s Sacrifice
  Lair Actions
  When fighting inside its lair, a death tyrant can invoke the 
  ambient magic to take lair actions. On initiative count 20 
  (losing initiative ties), the death tyrant can take one lair action 
  to cause one of the following effects:
  • An area that is a 50-foot cube within 120 feet of the tyrant 
  is filled with spectral eyes and tentacles. To creatures other 
  than the death tyrant, that area is lightly obscured and 
  difficult terrain until initiative count 20 on the next round.
  • Walls sprout spectral appendages until initiative count 20 
  on the round after next. Any creature, including one on 
  the Ethereal Plane, that is hostile to the tyrant and starts 
  its turn within 10 feet of a wall must succeed on a DC 17 
  Dexterity saving throw or be grappled. Escaping requires 
  a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) check.
  • A spectral eye opens in the air at a point within 50 feet of 
  the tyrant. One random eye ray of the tyrant shoots from 
  that eye, which is considered to be an ethereal source, at 
  a target of the tyrant’s choice. The eye then closes and 
  disappears.
  The death tyrant can’t repeat an effect until all three have 
  been used, and it can’t use the same effect on consecutive 
  rounds.
  Additional Legendary Action (Deadly Only)
  If the party is proceeding at Deadly party strength, Vaomarxiri 
  gains the following additional legendary action:
  • Serve Me (Costs 2 actions). Vaomarxiri summons greater 
  zombies that rise from points in the chamber that 
  Vaomarxiri can see. If there are already three or more 
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
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  greater zombies in the lair, this action cannot be used. 
  Otherwise, it summons a number of greater zombies to 
  bring the total active minions to three (e.g., if there was 
  one greater zombie left, two new greater zombies rise).
  Minion’s Sacrifice (Deadly Only)
  If the party is proceeding at Deadly party strength, the greater 
  zombies gain the following reaction:
  • Minion’s Sacrifice. The greater zombie takes the damage 
  Vaomarxiri would have received from a single source. To 
  do so, the greater zombie must be able to see Vaomarxiri. 
  The greater zombie still benefits from its Undead Fortitude 
  when resolving this damage.
  Tricks of the Trade
  Tier 3 parties can be very effective in a battle 
  against a single opponent, especially if one or 
  more of the characters is optimized for single 
  target ‘spike’ damage. Consider the following 
  tactical suggestions to increase the difficulty of this 
  encounter:
  The Tyrant is Cunning. Vaomarxiri is an intelligent foe. DMs 
  are encouraged to target foes who look dangerous (or are 
  proving to be dangerous) instead of ‘rolling randomly for 
  targets’ or ‘focusing on the tank’. If there are characters 
  who are proving especially dangerous to it, it will focus 
  fire. Likewise, its lair attacks should also be leveraged to 
  take care of threats. If the party revives fallen characters, 
  Vaomarxiri will begin targeting fallen characters, before 
  targeting the healer.
  Random does not mean stupid. A death tyrant’s stat block 
  suggests that you choose which eye rays to fire by rolling 
  a d10. Consider determining which rays Vaomarxiri will 
  have available before selecting the targets. The death tyrant 
  is smart enough not to waste an attack on a target who 
  is likely to be (or has demonstrated themselves to be) 
  resistant or immune to that attack. 
   For example, should a target prove to be immune to 
  charm, Vaomarxiri will not target that character with a 
  second Charm Ray.
   Likewise, consider the order of the rays. Is there a way to 
  make it a ‘one-two punch’?
   Spread your foes out. Avoid grouping your zombies, as this 
  will reduce their effectiveness, especially when casters 
  can leverage powerful area of effect. They should appear 
  scattered around the party.
  Consider a second wave. If the party annihilates the zombies 
  in the first two rounds, consider having a smaller second 
  wave appear in round three. For parties who have opted 
  to engage the encounter at the Deadly level, consider 
  removing the “three-zombie maximum” limitation on the 
  “Serve Me” Legendary Action. However, consider the time 
  constraints of the game before taking this action.
  Treasure
  Within one of the rooms, the party will find an 
  open chest with plunder Vaomarxiri’s minions have 
  gathered. Vaomarxiri would not lower himself to 
  handling his own treasure, and zombies are not 
  known for being tidy. So, the treasure is scattered in 
  and around an open chest.
  The treasure consists of various coins totaling 
  3,000 gp, an alexandrite gemstone (300 gp), a 
  platinum crown (2,500 gp), a ring and bracelet 
  joined with a mesh of small golden rings (250 gp), 
  a platinum wine stopper embedded with four small 
  rubies (750 gp), a potion of longevity, and a spell 
  scroll of sickening radiance.
  The Flaming Skulls. Some players may inquire 
  about removing the skulls from the death tyrant’s 
  lair. The skulls are not affixed to anything and 
  can be removed from the chamber. However, 
  as part of Vaomarxiri’s lair, they are powered by 
  his essence, which is fading. Their flames (and 
  any effects) will fail 1 hour after Vaomarxiri’s 
  destruction.
  Geoff’s Remains. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) 
  check will identify one of the bodies in the audience 
  chamber as Geoff, the Harper who was sent to 
  Hulburg with Jeremiah. He is slumped over a pile 
  of bodies. Investigation of his body will reveal the 
  following:
  • He appears to have been killed by one of the death 
  tyrant’s rays. A hole is burned straight through his 
  body.
  • His pack is strapped to his back and contains his 
  journal and Jeremiah Treewhistle ‘s missing code 
  cylinders. Characters who read the journal glean 
  the following information:
  • Geoff didn’t think highly of Treewhistle’s meth-
  ods, so he struck out on his own.
  • During his investigation, he determined that 
  something was strange about Selise. At times, 
  she led the group of men she traveled with, 
  but at other times she seemed to behave in a 
  confused manner.
  • Like the party, he obtained a lead from Harael 
  Jataren that Selise and her crew were holed up 
  at an old manor. He managed to flee, hide, and 
  evade the death tyrant and its zombie minions, 
  but could not escape the lair.
  • He noted that the monster calls itself 
  “Vaomarxiri” and believed itself to be a god. Its 
  zombie minions were being sent out every night 
  to collect more “followers”.
  • He deduced that while Vaomarxiri was alerted 
  to his presence whenever he crossed the thresh-
  old of the audience chamber. It could, however, 
  not determine his precise location.
  • Geoff noted he witnessed the death tyrant 
  meeting with Harael and Selise. While he could 
  not overhear their conversation, it was clear 
  Harael was making an introduction.
  • Geoff believed that Harael sends people to 
  Vaomarxiri when they get too close to his 
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  14
  operation, noting it’s “not really surprising given 
  his line of business’.
  Geoff was eventually discovered while attempting 
  an escape, but there is no real way for the party to 
  discover exactly how he was discovered.
  Treasure
  Geoff’s pack is a full explorer’s pack.
  Harper Faction Activity
  Characters who locate Geoff’s remains and obtain 
  the code cylinders by searching him will have 
  completed their faction activity upon returning them 
  to Jeremiah Treewhistle.
  Development
  Should the party explore the lair, they will find sev-
  eral chambers with bodies waiting to be animated 
  by the death tyrant. These corpses have not been 
  raised yet, so they can be animated or spoken to, 
  should the party have the right skills or spells.
   
  Should the party take a long rest within 
  1 mile of Vaomarxiri’s lair, every creature (this 
  includes characters, animals, and familiars) in the 
  party must roll a d20. On a roll of 10 or lower, the 
  creature is subjected to one random death tyrant 
  eye ray. The creature will hear Vaomarxiri’s raspy 
  voice echo and screech at them, “From hell’s heart, 
  I stab at thee, for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at 
  thee.”
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  15
  Part Four: Rajiram’s Ambush
  Estimated Time: 45 minutes
  DM Note: Time Management
  As some groups may invest a large amount of time into 
  the battle with the death tyrant, it could be appropriate to 
  consider reducing or removing this encounter.
  Possibilities for shortening the encounter include:
  • Remove the caster(s) from the encounter. This will make 
  the combat much less complex.
  • Consider having one or more of the mercenaries flee the 
  encounter if the fight is going against them.
  Whether he has received word from Harael, or from 
  another source, Baron Rajiram is aware that there 
  is a group of heroes in the city looking for Selise. He 
  is shrewd enough to know that they should be dealt 
  with regardless of their intentions.
  Unfortunately, for him, he has already sent most 
  of his minions out of the city with Selise. So, he 
  has resorted to hiring a group of mercenaries to 
  strike at the party after they have been weakened 
  by Vaomarxiri. Between the death tyrant and the 
  mercenaries, it should at least buy him the time to 
  get his remaining agents and gear out of the city.
  Characters with Passive Perceptions of 13 or higher 
  spot the ambushers as they emerge from the alleys.
  As you make your way back through the ruined streets, 
  you realize you are being watched. Several figures step 
  out from the shadows, some in your path, some you 
  see out of the corner of your eye moving to flank you. 
   The lead figure in front of you, a half-orc with a pair 
  of wicked blades, chuckles at you. “Now, I ain’t real 
  clear on what youse all done to merit this stomp down, 
  but,” he motions to a hooded figure standing in the 
  shadows of a far-off alley behind him, “he’s paid us 
  some nice coin to make sure you don’t go no further.” 
   Without warning, the hooded figure hurls a sparkling 
  red gem over your heads. As it lands, it shatters in a 
  burst of flame, releasing a massive fiery figure that 
  roars at you. 
    The half-orc briefly turns for a moment, watching 
  his employer dash down the alleyway, before turning 
  back to you. “USE IT! Kill them all!!!” He screams, 
  brandishing his blades.
  Setting up the Encounter
  Very Weak
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (2): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (1): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Weak
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (2): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (2): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Average
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (2): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (3): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Strong
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (3): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (3): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Very Strong
  • Evoker: AC 15, 66 hp, Init +2
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (2): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (3): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Modifications to Stat Blocks
  Half-orcs: As noted in other modules, half-orc veterans have 
  the following racial traits:
  • Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points 
  but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. 
  You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
  • Savage Attacks. When you score a critical hit with a melee 
  weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage 
  dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of 
  the critical hit.
  Tricks of the Trade
  Modify your casters’ spell choices. At higher levels, you may 
  find that the default spell choices may not provide the 
  proper threat for your party. DM’s are always encouraged 
  to modify spell lists to challenge your players. You may 
  already have some ideas for spells which you’ve found 
  effective, but some ideas include: 
   In the Illusionist’s spell list, consider replacing Phantom 
  Steed with Hypnotic Pattern. 
   In the Evoker’s spell list, consider replacing Stoneskin with 
  Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere.
  Surround the party. The mercenaries will split themselves 
  evenly on either side of the party. As numbers allow, one of 
  the veterans will attempt to safeguard the caster, while the 
  others will attempt to set up the master thieves for sneak 
  attacks.
  Let them burn! Have the fire elemental take advantage of its 
  Fire Form and the tighter quarters the party finds itself in. 
  Move through the characters’ spaces and set them ablaze.
  Modify your casters’ spell choices. At higher levels, you may 
  find that the default spell choices may not provide the 
  proper threat for your party. DM’s are always encouraged 
  to modify spell lists to challenge your players. You may 
  already have some ideas for spells which you’ve found 
  effective, but some ideas include:
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  16
  Recommended Spell Changes
  • In the Illusionist’s spell list, consider replacing Phantom 
  Steed with Hypnotic Pattern.
  •  In the Evoker’s spell list, consider replacing Stoneskin with 
  Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere.
  Chasing Rajiram
  One or more party members may break off from 
  combat to chase the Baron. Some parties may try to 
  close the distance (e.g., dimension door) or thwart 
  his attempt to teleport. Regardless, the Baron 
  should have little difficulty escaping. He is not stand-
  ing out in the open, is already a fair distance away, 
  can easily break line of sight to cast teleport, already 
  has a head start, has at least half the mercenaries 
  between him and the party, and is armed with a 
  substantial number of spells, including counterspell, 
  wall of force, and additional castings of teleport.
  Development
  If the party manages to take any mercenaries 
  prisoner for questioning, they will not have much to 
  reveal. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  or (Intimidation) check will get them to reveal the 
  following:
  • The person who hired them kept his face hidden 
  in a hooded cloak. They did catch the occasional 
  glimpse of him. He had a strong face with dark 
  hair that had a shock of whitish hair.
  • Some of the mercenaries were debating whether 
  their patron was a spellcaster or a warrior at one 
  point. While he did carry a ‘big ol’ morningstar’, 
  the way he moved his hands was very precise.
  • The stranger kept stooping to avoid hitting his 
  head on the tavern ceiling while he was hiring 
  them. Like, he kept thinking he was going to crack 
  his head on the ceiling . . . “but he weren’t that tall”. 
  The party might deduce that the cloaked figure 
  was used to be taller than he appeared.
  The party may gain more information by examining 
  the Baron’s payment, found on many of the merce-
  naries. The Baron paid them with four jade discs, 
  each about an inch thick and three inches across. 
  The discs are marked with dwarven runes that tell 
  the story of Lord Wilmar Portyr, a hero who stood 
  against giants. A successful DC 15 Intelligence 
  (History) check will allow a character to recognize 
  these discs as the Tears of Sune. They were a prized 
  possession of the Portyrs of Baldur’s Gate, notably 
  stolen in one of Baron Rajiram’s raids.
  Treasure
  There is a reward of 3,000 gp for the return of the 
  Tears of Sune to the Portyr family. However, a char-
  acter with the Criminal Contact background feature 
  could convince their contact to fence them for 4,000 
  gp. This requires a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check to persuade the contact to take the risk.
  The spellcasters do not carry their spellbooks 
  with them.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  17
  Part Five: The Docks
  Estimated Duration: 60 minutes
  At this point, the party should be looking to find 
  Harael. They should be looking to find out why he 
  sent them to Vaomarxiri’s lair, and a number of 
  potential clues should indicate that Harael is up to 
  something nefarious.
  If they return to the Hallowed Woad, they will 
  learn that Harael and his group left. Unless the 
  party comes off as actively hostile, or were poor 
  patrons earlier, Gordom or Ceira will let them know 
  that they probably returned to their ship, the Errant 
  Luck.
  If the party doesn’t return to the Hallowed Woad, 
  or burned their bridges there, they can ask around 
  the city. Harael is well known to most shopkeepers, 
  and a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check will provide the party with the same informa-
  tion about the Errant Luck.
  The party may also suggest other creative ways 
  to find the ship. Feel free to have them make an 
  appropriate skill check to move the party to the 
  Errant Luck.
  The Docks
  Hulburg’s harbor has seen better days, but there are 
  several docks and slips that have been rebuilt. The 
  Errant Luck is moored in a slip off to one side of the 
  harbor. While its seclusion allows the crew to load 
  and offload any slaves without anyone noticing, it 
  does mean that they can’t cast off as fast.
  The Errant Luck
  Approaching the Errant Luck won’t be difficult. The 
  same protections that the crew uses to keep people 
  from noticing what occurs on the ship will allow the 
  party to sneak up relatively easy. However, boarding 
  the ship without notice will be a little more difficult.
  Harael employs a wizard named Ozlo to protect 
  the ship against intruders. To this end, Ozlo regu-
  larly casts several spells to guard the ship.
  • At the points where people might try to sneak 
  aboard, Ozlo regularly casts alarm as a ritual. 
  This includes the anchor moorings and the areas 
  where the ship is lashed to the slip, but not the 
  main gangplank (as that would be annoying). Any 
  attempt to enter the ship by these methods will 
  alert the entire crew.
  • The area below the crow’s nest is trapped with 
  a glyph of warding (see diagram below), which 
  Ozlo refreshes as necessary. Anyone who climbs 
  the mast intending to enter the crow’s nest will 
  trigger the glyph if they are not wearing a special 
  armband, which are all currently being worn by 
  the person (people) in the crow’s nest.
  • The effect will trigger as someone passes the 
  midpoint of the 50’ mast. It does not require 
  them to be touching the mast, only traveling 
  within 5 feet of it.
  • Anyone within the blast must make a Dexterity 
  saving throw against Ozlo’s DC (varies by party 
  strength) or suffer 6d8 cold damage (5d8 for weak 
  and very weak parties, 7d8 for very strong parties)
    
   
  Glyph of Warding
  Encounter
  The following assumes that the party has triggered 
  the alarm spells or announced their presence in 
  some other way..
  Harael steps out onto the deck with the woman 
  from the Hallowed Woad at his side. A brief look of 
  recognition crosses his face, and he looks to be a little 
  surprised to see you. 
   “Well, I can’t say I’m happy to see you. I was paid quite 
  a bit of money to get rid of anyone sniffing around 
  Selise’s tail. If Vaomarxiri couldn’t do the job, I guess 
  we’ll just have to do it ourselves.” 
   The woman, who has been noticeably quiet the 
  entire time, suddenly barks out an order, her sharp 
  tone straightening even your backs for just a moment. 
  “Crew! Repel Boarders! Give them no quarter!”
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  18
  Setting up the Encounter
  Very Weak Party
  • Harael Jataren (Champion): AC 18, 143 hp, Init +2
  • Lookout (Archer): AC 16, 75 hp, Init +4
  • Ozlo (Illusionist): AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  Weak Party
  • Bandit Captain: AC 15, 65 hp, Init +3
  • Harael Jataren (Champion): AC 18, 143 hp, Init +2
  • Lookout (Archer): AC 16, 75 hp, Init +4
  • Ozlo (Illusionist): AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  Average Party
  • Harael Jataren (Warlord): AC 20, 229 hp, Init +3
  • Lookout (Spy): AC 12, 27 hp, Init +2
  • Ozlo (Conjurer): AC 15, 40 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran (2): AC 17, 58 hp, Init +1
  Strong Party
  • Gladiator (3): AC 16, 112 hp, Init +2
  • Harael Jataren (Warlord): AC 20, 229 hp, Init +3
  • Lookout (Archer): AC 16, 75 hp, Init +4
  • Ozlo (Conjurer): AC 15, 40 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  Very Strong Party
  • Gladiator (3): AC 16, 112 hp, Init +2
  • Harael Jataren (Warlord): AC 20, 229 hp, Init +3
  • Lookout (Archer) (2): AC 16, 75 hp, Init +4
  • Ozlo (Evoker): AC 15, 66 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  Modifications to Stat Blocks
  • Replace the Spy’s Hand Crossbow attack with the 
  following: 
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage.
  • As Ozlo typically has plenty of time available to him, he 
  doesn’t tend to prepare spells that he can cast as rituals.
  • For the Conjurer version of Ozlo (Average and Strong 
  Parties), replace unseen servant with grease.
  Shira Chaven (Drow House Captain)
  • Change creature type to Medium humanoid (elf)
  • Remove: Sunlight Sensitivity
  • Replace language: Undercommon with Common
  Tricks of the Trade
  Use the Lookouts to snipe party members. Any archers will 
  stay in the crow’s nest. Unless they are attacking, they will 
  use their movement to move back into full cover after their 
  attacks. When they do attack, they will have three-quarters 
  cover (+5 to AC and Dexterity saving throws). They will try 
  to focus their attacks on any spellcasters who look like they 
  are concentrating on spells, especially if they are flying.
  Harael and Shira should work as a team. As often as 
  possible, Harael will leverage his legendary action, 
  Command Ally, to have Shira attempt to knock his target 
  prone before he attacks.
  Ozlo will leverage his spells to disrupt other casters. Ozlo 
  will opt to cast magic missile, targeting one missile at any 
  familiars that are participating in combat. He will also use 
  this spell (or other area of effect spells) against characters 
  who are utilizing displacement effects (e.g., mirror image, 
  cloak of displacement).
  Treasure
  Shira carries a Bag of Devouring, which she uses 
  to dispose of incriminating evidence, including 
  bodies. The bag is covered in giant runes and bears 
  the smiling face of a stone giant.
  Exploring the Rest of the Ship
  Once the crew of the Errant Luck has been dealt 
  with, the party is free to explore the ship. The 
  following locations are areas the party will visit:
  The Captain’s Cabin. The captain’s cabin, 
  typically occupied by Harael, is well furnished, and 
  is dominated by a comfortable bed and a large desk.
  The desk drawers are rigged with a poison 
  needle trap. Noticing the trap will require a DC 15 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check. Disarming it will 
  require a DC 15 thieves’ tools check. The key to the 
  desk is in the first mate’s cabin and using it to open 
  the drawers bypasses the trap. If the poison needle 
  is triggered, the character triggering the trap must 
  make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer 
  22 (4d10) poison damage. A successful saving 
  throw halves this damage.
  Treasure
  The desk contains several coin purses totaling 
  500 gp.
  The First Mate’s Cabin. Shira lives in the first 
  mate’s cabin, which is also well furnished. It is also 
  locked. Opening the door will require a successful 
  DC 15 thieves’ tool check or DC 18 Strength 
  (Athletics) check.
  Searching the cabin with a successful DC 15 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check or a DC 20 
  Wisdom (Perception) check will uncover a small 
  lock box hidden under the bed.
  The box is locked and trapped with a similar 
  mechanism to the desk in the captain’s cabin. 
  Noticing the trap will require a DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Investigation) check. Disarming it will require a DC 
  15 thieves’ tools check. The key to the desk is in the 
  first mate’s cabin. If the poison needle is triggered, 
  the character triggering the trap must make a DC 
  15 Constitution saving throw or suffer 22 (4d10) 
  poison damage. A successful saving throw halves 
  this damage.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  19
  Treasure
  The lockbox contains several golden bracelets 
  (250 gp), a golden locket with a picture of two small 
  girls hugging each other within (50 gp), and 200 gp 
  in assorted coins. There are also several keys in the 
  lock box, some of which will open the manacles of 
  the slaves, and one which opens the desk drawers in 
  the captain’s cabin.
  Ozlo’s Quarters. The ship’s mage, Ozlo, has his 
  own cabin. Behind a large metal mirror is a hidden 
  compartment where he stores his spellbooks. An 
  active DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check or a 
  passive score of 30 or more reveals the presence of 
  the secret compartment.
  There is a glyph of warding on the inside of the 
  secret compartment. A detect magic spell will 
  reveal this, but it will be extremely difficult to detect 
  otherwise (DC 22 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check). If anyone but Ozlo opens the compartment, 
  everyone in the room must make a Dexterity saving 
  throw (save DC ranges from 13 to 15 based on 
  Ozlo’s party strength) or suffer 5d8 (22) points of 
  lightning damage. A successful saving throw halves 
  this damage.
  The spellbooks are stored in a copper box, which 
  will protect the books against a lightning strike (as 
  copper is non-ferrous)
  Treasure
  Ozlo’s spellbooks include all the spells he has 
  memorized, based on party strength, as well as 
  alarm, glyph of warding, and unseen servant. The 
  copper box they are stored in is worth 3 gp.
  The Hold. All entrances to the steerage deck are 
  padlocked when the ship is in port. Additionally, the 
  deck has been enchanted such that no sound may 
  pass in or out of steerage deck, although it can be 
  heard normally from within its confines. Chained 
  within the hold of the ship are two dozen men and 
  women. They are all malnourished, and some are 
  barely conscious. Freeing them from these chains 
  will require either a successful DC 15 thieves’ tools 
  check or the key from Shira’s lockbox.
  Where is Selise?
  If the party defeats the crew of the Errant Luck without killing 
  them all, the survivors will reveal their dealings with Selise 
  and the Baron. If the party dispatched the entire crew, they 
  will be able learn about Harael and Shira’s dealing with the 
  cloud giant’s agents from several of the slaves who witnessed 
  the various negotiations.
  The Errant Luck has been responsible for smuggling in 
  people and resources for the Baron’s expedition to the 
  Galena Mountains. Selise has been to the ship several times 
  with some of the Baron’s cronies, and once with a man 
  who the party might be able to determine was the Baron 
  himself. While the Baron used magics to change his size, 
  his arrogance prevented from changing his appearance too 
  drastically.
  To continue their mission to bring Baron Rajiram to justice, 
  the party must now make their way to Galena Mountains. 
  Their mission will be continued in CCC-TRI-23.
  Development
  Depending on how this encounter was resolved, 
  the party may learn information about Selise in 
  different ways.
  From Harael. If the party managed to subdue the 
  slaver, he will attempt to bargain for his freedom. 
  He will let the party know that his job was to bring 
  in people and equipment for the Baron’s expedition. 
  He is aware that the Baron intends to delve into the 
  depths of the Galena Mountains and hopes to find 
  a sky fortress to aid him in reclaiming his pirate 
  kingdom.
  From Shira. Shira, the true leader of this slaving 
  ring, knows everything Harael knows. However, 
  she will be shrewder in her dealings than Harael 
  if she thinks the party hasn’t caught on to her true 
  role. She offers what she knows in exchange for her 
  freedom and the ship.
  From the crew. If the party kept another crew 
  member alive, they know that they were bringing 
  in people and equipment for a woman that meets 
  Selise’s description. They guess it was for a trip 
  to the Galena Mountains but aren’t entirely sure. 
  They only want their freedom in exchange for this 
  information.
  From the slaves. Some of the slaves were 
  brought in because they had experience traveling in 
  the Galena Mountains. Some were used as porters 
  to transport goods off the ship for a ‘mean looking 
  red haired woman’.
  If the party left no one alive. Sorry, there’s 
  no way for them to get this information. The 
  factions will have to find another way to find this 
  information.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  20
  Rewards
  Make sure players note their rewards on their 
  adventure log sheets. Give your name and DCI 
  number (if applicable) so players can record who 
  ran the session.
  Experience
  Total up all combat experience earned for defeated 
  foes, and divide by the number of characters present 
  in the combat. For non-combat experience, the 
  rewards are listed per character.
  Combat Awards
  Name of Foe 
   
   
  XP Per Foe
  Archer  
   
   
  700
  Bandit Captain 
   
   
  450
  Champion 
   
   
  5,000
  Conjurer  
   
   
  2,300
  Death Tyrant 
   
   
  11,500
  Death Tyrant in lair 
   
  13,000
  Evoker  
   
   
  5,000
  Fire Elemental 
   
   
  1,800
  Gladiator 
   
   
  1,800
  Illusionist 
   
   
  700
  Master Thief 
   
   
  1,800
  Shira Chaven 
   
   
  5,000
  Warlord  
   
   
  8,400
  Veteran  
   
   
  700
  Zombie  
   
   
  50
  Greater Zombie  
   
  1,800
  Ogre Zombie 
   
   
  450
  The minimum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 10,125 experience 
  points.
  The maximum total award for each character 
  participating in this adventure is 13,500 experience 
  points.
  Treasure
  The characters receive the following treasure, 
  divided up amongst the party. Treasure is divided 
  as evenly as possible. Gold piece values listed for 
  sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, not 
  their purchase price.
  Treasure Awards
  Item Name 
   
   
  GP Value
  Purses in captain’s quarters 
  500
  Coins in first mate’s quarters 
  200
  Gold bracelets 
   
   
  250
  Golden locket 
   
   
  250
  Copper box 
   
   
  3
  Tears of Sune 
   
   
  3,000
   (if sold on black market) 
  4,000
  Vaomarxiri’s gold  
   
  3,000
  Alexandrite gem  
   
  500
  Platinum crown  
   
  2,500
  Bracelet and ring  
   
  250
  Platinum wine stopper 
   
  750
  Consumable magic items should be divided up 
  however the group sees fit. If more than one char-
  acter is interested in a specific consumable magic 
  item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly 
  should the group be unable to decide.
  Permanent magic items are divided according to 
  a system detailed in the D&D Adventurers League 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Bag of Devouring
  Wondrous item, very rare
  A full description of this item can be found in Player 
  Handout 1.
  Potion of Longevity
  Potion, very rare
  This item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide..
  Spell Scroll of Sickening Radiance
  Scroll, rare
  A spell scroll bears the words of a single spell, 
  written as a mystical cipher. If the spell is on your 
  class’s spell list you can use an action to read the 
  scroll and cast its spell without having to provide 
  any of the spell’s components. Otherwise, the scroll 
  is unintelligible.
  If the spell is on your class’s spell list but of a 
  higher level than you can normally cast, you must 
  make an ability check using your spellcasting ability 
  to determine whether you cast it successfully. The 
  DC equals 10 + spell’s level. On a failed check, the 
  spell disappears from the scroll with no other effect.
  Once the spell is cast, the words on the scroll 
  fade, and the scroll itself crumbles to dust.
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  21
  The level of the spell on the scroll determines the 
  spell’s saving throw DC and attack bonus, as well as 
  the scroll’s rarity.
  Sickening Radiance is a 4th level spell which 
  appears on the sorcerer, warlock, and wizard spell 
  lists. The description of the spell can be found in 
  Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. Casting it from the 
  scroll requires a DC 14 ability check, and targets 
  must make their saving throws versus a DC 15.
  Renown
  Each character receives one renown at the conclu-
  sion of this adventure.
  Members of the Harper faction that successfully 
  retrieve Jeremiah’s code cylinders earn one addi-
  tional renown point.
  DM Reward
  In exchange for running this adventure, you earn 
  DM Rewards as described in the D&D Adventurers 
  League Dungeon Master’s Guide (ALDMG).
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  22
  Appendix. Dramatis Personae
  The following NPCs are featured prominently in 
  this adventure:
  Jeremiah Treewhistle (jer-i-MY-ah tree-hwis-el). 
  A gnomish informant who has been investigating 
  the rumors of the Baron and his lieutenants being 
  in Hulburg. His bubbly and outgoing personality 
  doesn’t make him the most discreet investigator.
  Harael Jataren (ha-RAIL ja-TA-ren). The captain 
  of the Errant Luck. Most believe him to be a simple 
  trader, but some suspect he is a smuggler. In truth, 
  he is both, and a slaver to boot. He possesses a 
  sharp wit, and a silver tongue which is why Shira 
  has set him up as the apparent leader of their group.
  Shira Chaven (SHE-ra cha-ven). The cunning 
  leader of a small slaving ring, she hides this fact by 
  posing as Harael’s escort in public. In this role, she 
  comes off as a somewhat air-headed doxy who is 
  solely focused on watching Harael’s back; in reality, 
  she is clever, confident, and wholly without scruples.
  Baron Rajiram. A cloud giant whose bid to claim 
  the ancient artifacts from the wars between dragons 
  and giants has not ended. Severely weakened, he 
  works through others.
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  23
  Appendix. Monster/NPC Statistics
  Archer
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  16 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0)
  Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +5
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Archer’s Eye (3/Day). As a bonus action, the archer 
  can add 1d10 to its next attack or damage roll with a 
  longbow or shortbow.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The archer makes two attacks with its 
  longbow.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
  Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 
  150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing 
  damage.
  Source: Volo’s Guide to Monsters
  Bandit Captain
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful alignment
  Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   15 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Str +4, Dex +5, Wis +2
  Skills Athletics +4, Deception +4
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages any two languages
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Actions
  Multiattack. The captain makes three melee attacks: 
  two with its scimitar and one with its dagger. Or the 
  captain makes two ranged attacks with its daggers.
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 
  (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
  Reactions
  Parry. The captain adds 2 to its AC against one melee 
  attack that would hit it. To do so, the captain must see 
  the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  24
  Champion
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 143 (22d8 + 44)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5)  
  15 (+2)  
  14 (+2)  
  10 (+0)  14 (+2)  
  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Str +9, Con +6
  Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +5, Perception +6
  Senses passive Perception 16
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Indomitable (2/Day). The champion rerolls a failed 
  saving throw.
  Second Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). As 
  a bonus action, the champion can regain 20 hit points.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The champion makes three attacks with 
  its greatsword or its light crossbow.
  Greatsword. Melee weapon attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 
  ft. one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage, or 
  19 (4d6 + 5) slashing damage while enlarged plus 7 
  (2d6) slashing damage or 14 (4d6) slashing damage if 
  the champion has more than half of its total hit points 
  remaining.
  Light Crossbow. Ranged weapon attack: +6 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage 
  plus 7 (2d6) piercing damage if the champion has 
  more than half of its total hit points remaining.
  Source: Volo’s Guide to Monsters
  Conjurer
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 40 (9d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   9 (−1)  
  14 (+2)  
  11 (+0)  
  17 (+3)  12 (+1)  
  11 (+0)
  Saving Throws Int +6 Wis +4
  Skills Arcana +6, History +6
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages any four languages
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Spellcasting. The conjurer is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 
  to hit with spell attacks). The conjurer has the following 
  wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): acid splash,* mage hand,* poison 
  spray,* prestidigitation
  1st level (4 slots): mage armor, magic missile, unseen 
  servant*
  2nd level (3 slots): cloud of daggers,* misty step,* web*
  3rd level (3 slots): fireball, stinking cloud*
  4th level (3 slots): Evard’s black tentacles,* stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): cloudkill,* conjure elemental*
  *Conjuration spell of 1st level or higher
  Benign Transportation (Recharges after the Conjurer 
  Casts a Conjuration Spell of 1st Level or Higher). As a 
  bonus action, the conjurer teleports up to 30 feet to an 
  unoccupied space that it can see. If it instead chooses 
  a space within range that is occupied by a willing Small 
  or Medium creature, they both teleport, swapping 
  spaces.
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) 
  piercing damage.
  Source: Volo’s Guide to Monsters
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  25
  Death Tyrant
  Large undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 187 (25d10 + 50)
  Speed 0 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  DEX 
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  19 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  19 (+4)
  Saving Throws Str +5, Con +7, Int +9, Wis +7, Cha +9
  Skills Perception +12
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, paralyzed, 
  petrified, poisoned, prone
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 22
  Languages Deep Speech, Undercommon
  Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)
  Negative Energy Cone. The death tyrant’s central eye 
  emits an invisible, magical 150-foot cone of negative 
  energy. At the start of each of its turns, the tyrant 
  decides which way the cone faces and whether the cone 
  is active. 
   Any creature in that area can’t regain hit points. Any 
  humanoid that dies there becomes a zombie under 
  the tyrant’s command. The dead humanoid retains its 
  place in the initiative order and animates at the start 
  of its next turn, provided that its body hasn’t been 
  completely destroyed.
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 14 (4d6) piercing damage.
  Eye Rays. The death tyrant shoots three of the following 
  magical eye rays at random (reroll duplicates), 
  choosing one to three targets it can see within 120 feet 
  of it:
  1. Charm Ray. The targeted creature must succeed 
  on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by 
  the tyrant for 1 hour, or until the beholder harms the 
  creature.
  2. Paralyzing Ray. The targeted creature must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be 
  paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving 
  throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect 
  on itself on a success.
  3. Fear Ray. The targeted creature must succeed on 
  a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 
  minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the 
  end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a 
  success.
  4. Slowing Ray. The targeted creature must succeed 
  on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, 
  the target’s speed is halved for 1 minute. In addition, 
  the creature can’t take reactions, and it can take either 
  an action or a bonus action on its turn, not both. The 
  creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each 
  of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  5. Enervation Ray. The targeted creature must make 
  a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) 
  necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one.
  6. Telekinetic Ray. If the target is a creature, it must 
  succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or the tyrant 
  moves it up to 30 feet in any direction. The target is 
  restrained by the ray’s telekinetic grip until the start of 
  the tyrant’s next turn or until the tyrant is incapacitated. 
   If the target is an object weighing 300 pounds of 
  less that isn’t being worn or carried, it is moved up to 
  30 feet in any direction. The tyrant can also exert fine 
  control on objects with this ray, such as manipulating a 
  simple tool or opening a door or a container.
  7. Sleep Ray. The targeted creature must succeed 
  on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or fall asleep and 
  remain unconscious for 1 minute. The target awakens 
  if it takes damage or another creature takes an action 
  to wake it. This ray has no effect on constructs and 
  undead.
  8. Petrification Ray. The targeted creature must make 
  a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the 
  creature begins to turn to stone and is restrained. It 
  must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn. 
  On a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature 
  is petrified until freed by the greater restoration spell or 
  other magic.
  9. Disintegration Ray. If the target is a creature, it 
  must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or 
  take 45 (10d8) force damage. If this damage reduces 
  the creature to 0 hit points, its body becomes a pile of 
  fine gray dust. 
   If the target is a Large or smaller nonmagical object 
  or creation of magical force, it is disintegrated without 
  a saving throw. If the target is a Huge or larger object 
  or creation of magical force, the ray disintegrates a 
  10-foot cube of it.
  10. Death Ray. The targeted creature must succeed 
  on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 55 (10d10) 
  necrotic damage. The target dies if the ray reduces it to 
  0 hit points.
  Legendary Actions
  The death tyrant can take 3 legendary actions, using 
  the Eye Ray option below. It can take only one legendary 
  action at a time and only at the end of another 
  creature’s turn. The tyrant regains spent legendary 
  actions at the start of its turn.
  Eye Ray. The death tyrant uses one random eye ray.
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  26
  Drow House Captain
  Medium humanoid (elf), neutral evil
  Armor Class 16 (chain mail)
  Hit Points 162 (25d8 + 50)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   14 (+2) 
  19 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1)
  Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +6, Wis +6
  Skills Perception +6, Stealth +8
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
  Languages Elvish, Undercommon
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Battle Command. As a bonus action, the drow targets 
  one ally he can see within 30 feet of him. If the target 
  can see or hear the drow, the target can use its reaction 
  to make one melee attack or to take the Dodge or Hide 
  action.
  Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed, and magic can’t put the drow 
  to sleep.
  Innate Spellcasting. The drow’s innate spellcasting 
  ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). He can innately 
  cast the following spells, requiring no material 
  components:
  At will: dancing lights
  1/day each: darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only)
  Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has 
  disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The drow makes three attacks: two 
  with his scimitar and one with his whip or his hand 
  crossbow.
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 14 
  (4d6) poison damage.
  Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is 
  an ally, it has advantage on attack rolls until the end of 
  its next turn.
  Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, 
  range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing 
  damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 
  Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. 
  If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is also 
  unconscious while poisoned in this way. The target 
  regains consciousness if it takes damage or if another 
  creature take an action to shake it.
  Reactions
  Parry. The drow adds 3 to his AC against one melee 
  attack that would hit him. To do so, the drow must see 
  the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
  Source: Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
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  Evoker
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0)
  Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +5
  Skills Arcana +7, History +7
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages any four languages
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Spellcasting. The evoker is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 
  to hit with spell attacks). The evoker has the following 
  wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt,* light,* prestidigitation, ray of 
  frost*
  1st level (4 slots): burning hands,* mage armor, magic 
  missile*
  2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, misty step, shatter*
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball,* lightning bolt*
  4th level (3 slots): ice storm,* stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): Bigby’s hand,* cone of cold*
  6th level (1 slot): chain lightning,* wall of ice*
  *Evocation spell
  Sculpt Spells. When the evoker casts an evocation spell 
  that affects other creatures it can see, it can choose 
  a number of them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. The 
  chosen creatures automatically succeed on their saving 
  throws against the spell, and they take no damage if 
  they would normally take half damage on a successful 
  save.
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 − 1) bludgeoning damage, 
  or 3 (1d8 − 1) bludgeoning damage if used with two 
  hands.
  Source: Volo’s Guide to Monsters 
  Fire Elemental
  Large elemental, neutral
  Armor Class 13
  Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
  Speed 50 ft.
   
  STR  
  DEX 
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0)  
  17 (+3)  
  16 (+3)  
  6 (−2)  
  10 (+0)  
  7 (−2)
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing from nonmagical weapons
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, 
  petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages lgnan
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Fire Form. The elemental can move through a space as 
  narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. A creature 
  that touches the elemental or hits it with a melee attack 
  while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) fire damage. In 
  addition, the elemental can enter a hostile creature’s 
  space and stop there. The first time it enters a 
  creature’s space on a turn, that creature takes 5 (1d10) 
  fire damage and catches fire; until someone takes an 
  action to douse the fire, the creature takes 5 (1d10) fire 
  damage at the start of each of its turns.
  Illumination. The elemental sheds bright light in a 
  30-foot radius and dim light in an additional 30 feet.
  Water Susceptibility. For every 5 feet the elemental 
  moves in water, or for every gallon of water splashed on 
  it, it takes 1 cold damage.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The elemental makes two touch attacks.
  Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) fire damage. If the target 
  is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a 
  creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target 
  takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of its 
  turns.
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
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  Gladiator
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather, shield)
  Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR  
  DEX  
  CON  
  INT  
  WIS  
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  15 (+2)
  Saving Throws Str +7, Dex +5, Con +6
  Skills Athletics +10, Intimidation +5
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages Any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Brave. The gladiator has advantage on saving throws 
  against being frightened.
  Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its 
  damage when the gladiator hits with it (included in the 
  attack).
  Actions
  Multiattack. The gladiator makes three melee attacks 
  or two ranged attacks.
  Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 
  5 ft. and range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) 
  piercing damage, or 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage if 
  used with two hands to make a melee attack.
  Shield Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage. If the 
  target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed 
  on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
  Reactions
  Parry. The gladiator adds 3 to its AC against one melee 
  attack that would hit it. To do so, the gladiator must see 
  the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
  Greater Zombie
  Medium undead, neutral evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   18 (+4) 
  10 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  4 (−3) 
  6 (−2) 
  6 (−2)
  Saving Throws Wis +1
  Damage Resistances cold, necrotic
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, 
  paralyzed, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
  Languages understands the languages it knew in life 
  but can’t speak
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Turn Resistance. The zombie has advantage on saving 
  throws against any effect that turns undead.
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 
  hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw 
  with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage 
  is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the 
  zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The zombie makes two melee attacks.
  Empowered Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, 
  reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning 
  damage and 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
  Source: Tales from the Yawning Portal 
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  29
  Illusionist
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 38 (7d8 + 7)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   9 (−1) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +2
  Skills Arcana +5, History +5
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages any four languages
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Spellcasting. The illusionist is a 7th-level spellcaster. 
  Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 
  13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The illusionist has the 
  following wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, mage hand, 
  minor illusion, poison spray
  1st level (4 slots): color spray,* disguise self,* 
  mage armor, magic missile
  2nd level (3 slots): invisibility,* mirror image,* 
  phantasmal force*
  3rd level (3 slots): major image,* phantom steed*
  4th level (1 slot): phantasmal killer*
  *Illusion spell of 1st level or higher
  Displacement (Recharges after the Illusionist Casts an 
  Illusion Spell of 1st Level or Higher). As a bonus action, 
  the illusionist projects an illusion that makes the 
  illusionist appear to be standing in a place a few inches 
  from its actual location, causing any creature to have 
  disadvantage on attack rolls against the illusionist. 
  The effect ends if the illusionist takes damage, it is 
  incapacitated, or its speed becomes 0.
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6 − 1) bludgeoning damage, 
  or 3 (1d8 − 1) bludgeoning damage if used with two 
  hands.
  Source: Volo’s Guide to Monsters 
  Master Thief
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +3
  Skills Acrobatics +,7, Athletics +3, Perception +3, 
  Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7
  Senses passive Perception 13
  Languages any one language (usually Common) plus 
  thieves’ cant
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the thief can use 
  a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide 
  action.
  Evasion. If the thief is subjected to an effect that 
  allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only 
  half damage, the thief instead takes no damage if it 
  succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if 
  it fails.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The thief deals an extra 14 
  (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon 
  attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when 
  the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the thief that isn’t 
  incapacitated and the thief doesn’t have disadvantage 
  on the attack roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The thief makes three attacks with its 
  shortsword.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.
  Reactions
  Uncanny Dodge. The thief halves the damage that it 
  takes from an attack that hits it. The thief must be able 
  to see the attacker.
  Source: Volo’s Guide to Monsters
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
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  Ogre Zombie
  Large undead, neutral evil
  Armor Class 8
  Hit Points 85 (9d10 + 36)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   19 (+4) 
  6 (−2) 
  18 (+4) 
  3 (−4) 
  6 (−2) 
  5 (−3)
  Saving Throws Wis +0
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
  Languages understands Common and Giant bu can’t 
  speak
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 
  hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw 
  with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage 
  is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the 
  zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
  Actions
  Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 
  5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
  Spy
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 27 (6d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   10 (+0) 
  15 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  16 (+3)
  Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Investigation +5, 
  Perception +6, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +4, 
  Stealth +4
  Senses passive Perception 16
  Languages any two languages
  Challenge 1 (200 XP)
  Cunning Action. On each of its turns, the spy can use 
  a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide 
  action.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The spy deals an extra 7 (2d6) 
  damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and 
  has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is 
  within 5 feet of an ally of the spy that isn’t incapacitated 
  and the spy doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack 
  roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The spy makes two melee attacks.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
  Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 
  range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing 
  damage.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  31
  Veteran
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 17 (splint)
  Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   16 (+3) 
  13 (+1) 
  14 (+2) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Skills Athletics +5, Perception +2
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Actions
  Multiattack. The veteran makes two longsword 
  attacks. If it has a shortsword drawn, it can also make a 
  shortsword attack.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 
  (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, 
  range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) piercing 
  damage.
  Warlord
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 229 (27d8 + 108)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   20 (+5) 
  16 (+3) 
  18 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Str +9, Dex +7, Con +8
  Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +8, Perception +5, 
  Persuasion +8
  Senses passive Perception 15
  Languages any two languages
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
  Indomitable (3/Day). The warlord can reroll a saving 
  throw it fails. It must use the new roll.
  Survivor. The warlord regains 10 hit points at the start 
  of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point but fewer hit 
  points than half its hit point maximum.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The warlord makes two weapon attacks.
  Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 
  80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
  Legendary Actions
  The warlord can take 3 legendary actions, choosing 
  from the options below. Only one legendary action 
  option can be used at a time and only at the end of 
  another creature’s turn. The warlord regain spent 
  legendary actions at the start of its turn.
  Weapon Attack. The warlord makes a weapon attack.
  Command Ally. The warlord targets one ally it can see 
  within 30 feet of it. If the target can see and hear the 
  warlord, the target can make one weapon attack as a 
  reaction and gains advantage on the attack roll.
  Frighten Foe (Costs 2 Actions). The warlord targets one 
  enemy it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can 
  see and hear it, the target must succeed on a DC 16 
  Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end 
  of warlord’s next turn.
  Source: Volo’s Guide to Monsters
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  32
  Zombie
  Medium undead, neutral evil
  Armor Class 8
  Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9)
  Speed 20 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA 
   13 (+1) 
  6 (−2) 
  16 (+3) 
  3 (−4) 
  6 (−2) 
  5 (−3)
  Saving Throws Wis +0
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
  Languages understands the languages it knew in life 
  but can’t speak
  Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
  Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 
  hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw 
  with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage 
  is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the 
  zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
  Actions
  Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  33
  Appendix. Encounter Setup
  Part Three: Vaomarxiri’s Lair
  Very Weak Party Strength (11,550 XP)
  • Vaomarxiri: AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri does not gain lair actions
  • Zombie (1): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Weak Party Strength (11,600 XP)
  • Vaomarxiri: AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri does not gain lair actions
  • Zombie (2): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Average Party Strength – Smaller Party Option (13,150 XP)
  • Vaomarxiri : AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri gains lair actions
  • Zombie (2): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Average Party Strength – Larger Party Option (13,750 XP)
  • Vaomarxiri : AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri does not gain lair actions
  • Ogre Zombies (5): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Strong Party Strength (15,250 XP)
  • Vaomarxiri : AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri gains lair actions
  • Ogre Zombies (5): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Very Strong Party Strength (22,000 XP)
  • Vaomarxiri : AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri gains lair actions
  • Greater Zombies (5): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2
  Deadly Party Strength (25,600 XP)
  Deadly is an optional choice for DMs and players 
  who decide to take on an additional challenge.
  • Vaomarxiri: AC 19, 187 hp, Init +2 
  Vaomarxiri gains lair actions and an additional 
  legendary action
  • Greater Zombies (7): AC 8, 22 hp, Init −2 
  Zombies gain Minion’s Sacrifice
  Lair Actions
  When fighting inside its lair, a death tyrant can invoke the 
  ambient magic to take lair actions. On initiative count 20 
  (losing initiative ties), the death tyrant can take one lair action 
  to cause one of the following effects:
  • An area that is a 50-foot cube within 120 feet of the tyrant 
  is filled with spectral eyes and tentacles. To creatures other 
  than the death tyrant, that area is lightly obscured and 
  difficult terrain until initiative count 20 on the next round.
  • Walls sprout spectral appendages until initiative count 20 
  on the round after next. Any creature, including one on 
  the Ethereal Plane, that is hostile to the tyrant and starts 
  its turn within 10 feet of a wall must succeed on a DC 17 
  Dexterity saving throw or be grappled. Escaping requires 
  a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) check.
  • A spectral eye opens in the air at a point within 50 feet of 
  the tyrant. One random eye ray of the tyrant shoots from 
  that eye, which is considered to be an ethereal source, at 
  a target of the tyrant’s choice. The eye then closes and 
  disappears.
  The death tyrant can’t repeat an effect until all three have 
  been used, and it can’t use the same effect on consecutive 
  rounds.
  
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only
  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  34
  Part Four: Rajiram’s Ambush
  Very Weak Party Strength (6,800 XP)
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (2): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (1): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Weak Party Strength (7,500 XP)
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (2): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (2): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Average Party Strength (8,200 XP)
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (2): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (3): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Strong Party Strength (10,000 XP)
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (3): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (3): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Very Strong Party Strength (13,200 XP)
  • Evoker: AC 15, 66 hp, Init +2
  • Fire Elemental: AC 13, 102 hp, Init +3
  • Illusionist: AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Master Thief (2): AC 16, 84 hp, Init +4
  • Veteran, Half-Orc (3): AC 17, 48 hp, Init +1
  Part Five: Errant’s Luck
  Very Weak Party Strength (11,400 XP)
  • Archer: AC 16, 75 hp, Init +4
  • Harael Jataren (Champion): AC 18, 143 hp, Init 
  +2
  • Ozlo (Illusionist): AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  Weak Party Strength (11,850 XP)
  • Archer: AC 16, 75 hp, Init +4
  • Bandit Captain: AC 15, 65 hp, Init +3
  • Harael Jataren (Champion): AC 18, 143 hp, Init 
  +2
  • Ozlo (Illusionist): AC 15, 38 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven (Drow House Captain): AC 16, 
  162 hp, Init +4
  Average Party Strength (17,300 XP)
  • Harael Jataren (Warlord): AC 20, 229 hp, Init +3
  • Ozlo (Conjurer): AC 15, 40 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  • Spy: AC 12, 27 hp, Init +2
  • Veteran (2): AC 17, 58 hp, Init +1
  Strong Party Strength (21,800 XP)
  • Archer: AC 16, 75 hp, Init +4
  • Gladiator (3): AC 16, 112 hp, Init +2
  • Harael Jataren (Warlord): AC 20, 229 hp, Init +3
  • Ozlo (Conjurer): AC 15, 40 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  Very Strong Party Strength (25,200 XP)
  • Archer (2): AC 16, 75 hp, Init +4
  • Gladiator (3): AC 16, 112 hp, Init +2
  • Harael Jataren (Warlord): AC 20, 229 hp, Init +3
  • Ozlo (Evoker): AC 15, 66 hp, Init +2
  • Shira Chaven: AC 16, 162 hp, Init +4
  Modifications to Stat Blocks
  • Replace the Spy’s Hand Crossbow attack with the 
  following: 
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 
  ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage.
  • As Ozlo typically has plenty of time available to him, he 
  doesn’t tend to prepare spells that he can cast as rituals.
  • For the Conjurer version of Ozlo (Average and Strong 
  Parties), replace unseen servant with grease.
  Shira Chaven (Drow House Captain)
  • Change creature type to Medium humanoid (elf)
  • Remove: Sunlight Sensitivity
  • Replace language: Undercommon with Common
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  35
  Appendix. Vaomarxiri’s Lair
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  36
  Appendix: Map. The Errant Luck
  
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  CCC-TRI-22 On The Baron’s Trail
  37
  Player Handout 1. Magic Item
  During the course of this adventure, the characters 
  may find the following permanent magic item:
  Bag of Devouring
  Wondrous item, very rare
  This bag superficially resembles a bag of holding 
  but is a feeding orifice for a gigantic extradimen-
  sional creature. Turning the bag inside out closes 
  the orifice.
  The extradimensional creature attached to the 
  bag can sense whatever is placed inside the bag. 
  Animal or vegetable matter placed wholly in the bag 
  is devoured and lost forever. When part of a living 
  creature is placed in the bag, as happens when 
  someone reaches inside it, there is a 50 percent 
  chance that the creature is pulled inside the bag. 
  A creature inside the bag can use its action to try 
  to escape with a successful DC 15 Strength check. 
  Another creature can use its action to reach into the 
  bag to pull a creature out, doing so with a successful 
  DC 20 Strength check (provided it isn’t pulled inside 
  the bag first). Any creature that starts its turn inside 
  the bag is devoured, its body destroyed.
  Inanimate objects can be stored in the bag, which 
  can hold a cubic foot of such material. However, 
  once each day, the bag swallows any objects inside it 
  and spits them out into another plane of existence. 
  The DM determines the time and plane.
  If the bag is pierced or torn, it is destroyed, and 
  anything contained within it is transported to a 
  random location on the Astral Plane.
  The bag is covered in giant runes and bears 
  the smiling face of a stone giant. The bag seems 
  to vibrate when it is within 120 ft. of its favorite 
  organic material: Dragon.
  This item can be found in the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/Adventure League/Convention Created Content/TotalCon (TRI)/CCC-TRI-22 - On the Barons Trail.pdf