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  A Six-Hour Adventure for Tier 3 Characters.
  Optimized For: APL 13
  A Dreams of the Red Wizards Adventure
  DDAL-DRW-04
  Credits
  Credits
  Lead Designer: Greg Marks
  Designer: Ginny Loveday
  Editing: Scott Fitzgerald Gray
  D&D Adventurers League Guildmaster: Chris Lindsay
  Art Director and Graphic Designer: Rich Lescouflair
  Cartography: Travis Woodall
  Interior Art: provided by Wizards of the Coast
  D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Ari 
  Levitch, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls
  D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Alan Patrick, 
  Amy Lynn Dzura, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg 
  Marks, LaTia Jacquise, Ma’at Crook
  Playtesters: Gary Affeldt, Daniel Beam, James Bowen, 
  Nathan Bowen, Richard Brown, Daniel Chapman, 
  Brian Clift, Gina Devlin, Leighton Eash, Carlos Fraire, 
  Daniel Franco, Austin Haffke, Ross Hooper, Paul 
  Koehler, David Krolnik, Michael LeBlanc, Tommy 
  Lerttuangsitthisiri, Genesis Martinez, Michael 
  Mattson, Chris McGovern, Yosefat Nava, Daniel 
  Oliveira, Alain Pham, Jonathan Reitz, Brett Robinson, 
  Matthew Roderick, Dave Rosser, James Schweiss, 
  Miguel Angel Segura Sandoval, Ben Siekert, Rebecca 
  Smith, Flavio Soto, Phil Tobin, Marcello Velazquez, 
  Max Wilband
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS
  An invitation to the storm giant court of King Hekaton becomes a continent-
  spanning mystery that could change the face of Faerûn.
  Part One of the Storm King’s Descent series of adventures.
  
  Adventure Primer
  Adventure Primer
  The world is full of obvious
  obvious things which nobody by any 
  chance ever observes.
  —Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles
  This adventure is designed for three to seven 11th- to 
  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.
  Background
  In previous D&D Adventurers League adventures 
  (DRW01 through DRW03), the noble-turned-privateer 
  ZEHIRA DERYAN acquired a magic rod dedicated to 
  CLANGEDDIN SILVERBEARD, the dwarven god of war 
  and valor. This rod is the ILTKAZAR SCEPTER, one of 
  ten RULING SCEPTERS OF SHANATAR that can be 
  used to control the WYRMSKULL THRONE, an artifact 
  that is the centerpiece of KING HEKATON’S throne room 
  in the undersea storm giant citadel of MAELSTROM. 
  Zehira is intent on keeping the scepter, and so has received 
  an invitation from Hekaton to travel to Maelstrom so that 
  the scepter can be used to activate the throne.
   Recently, agents of the CULT OF THE DRAGON 
  secretly stole into Maelstrom, assassinated King Hekaton, 
  and stole the Wyrmskull Throne away with the use of 
  powerful magic. The Cult of the Dragon had previously 
  turned the corpse of the ancient blue dragon sorcerer 
  IYMRITH into a dracolich, and has since bound the 
  Wyrmskull Throne as her phylactery. Still nurturing the 
  rage inspired by her being murdered by adventurers in 
  Storm King’s Thunder, Iymrith seeks vengeance if those 
  foes ever cross her path again.
   The RED WIZARDS OF THAY have long sought the 
  Wyrmskull Throne for themselves, and have been secretly 
  watching the activities of the Cult of the Dragon. The 
  Red Wizards had hoped to follow the cult assault force to 
  Maelstrom and overcome them after they had dealt with 
  the giants, but their agents arrived in the stronghold just 
  after the cult had spirited the throne away. Never one to let 
  an opportunity pass them by, the Thayans stole the body of 
  King Hekaton instead. Then, using powerful necromantic 
  rituals, they raised him as a death knight slave of SZASS 
  TAM, the ancient lich who rules Thay.
   With her father once again absent, PRINCESS 
  SERISSA is thrust into power, a familiar position after the 
  events that occurred in Storm King’s Thunder. Serissa still 
  possesses the KOROLNOR SCEPTER, with the Cult of 
  the Dragon having failed to claim it when the Wyrmskull 
  Throne was stolen. Her possession of the scepter has 
  helped Serissa keep control over the giant court in the 
  immediate aftermath of King Hekaton’s disappearance, 
  but her hold on power is tenuous at best. With her mother 
  dead, her sisters defeated for their previous betrayal of her 
  father, and her father missing amid signs of violence, she is 
  desperate for aid.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Overview
  The adventure’s story is spread over three parts and takes 
  approximately six hours to play. The adventure begins with 
  a Call to Action scene.
  Call to Action: A Courtly Invitation. The characters begin 
  in Turmish with the privateer Zehira Deryan, who has 
  received an invitation to the court of King Hekaton so 
  that the giants can use the power of the Iltkazar Scepter. 
  Zehira doesn’t entirely trust the giants, and asks the 
  characters to accompany her.
  Part 1: Disappearances and Doubts. Arriving at 
  Maelstrom, the characters find that citadel in chaos. 
  Signs of a battle are seen in the throne room, Hekaton is 
  missing, and the Wyrmskull Throne has been stolen. The 
  characters must determine who was behind the attack. 
  This is Story Objective A.
  Part 2: Hunting for Answers. The Cult of the Dragon has 
  been using a ruin in the Mere of Dead Men to create new 
  rituals related to dracoliches, and to plan their assault on 
  Maelstrom. Though the cult is no longer here in force, 
  a group of cultists led by the arcanaloth Zexmanthass 
  continues their research at the site. The characters must 
  defeat or negotiate with the cultists to learn the location 
  of their main headquarters in Waterdeep. This is Story 
  Objective B.
  Part 3: X Marks the Spot. The characters follow their 
  leads to Dragonhorn Manor in Waterdeep, a main 
  headquarters for the activities of the Cult of the 
  Dragon. There, they discover that a group of mercenary 
  adventurers are searching for the Wyrmskull Throne, 
  on the orders of a mysterious giant death knight whose 
  identity and motives must be discovered. This is Story 
  Objective C.
  Wrap-Up. As they consider their next moves in the search 
  for King Hekaton, the characters are contacted by the 
  Thayan zulkir of enchantment, Dar’lon Ma. Dar’lon 
  knows of the troubles of the storm giant court, and can 
  share potentially helpful information about the location 
  of Hekaton if the characters agree to work with him.
  Legacy Event
  At certain points in the adventure, you’ll see this 
  glyph along with an entry that describes how the 
  specified legacy event story award is earned or 
  impacted by the story. Legacy events are specific type of 
  story award that have significant impact on future parts of 
  the story. Ignore the entry if it refers to a legacy event that 
  none of the characters have. If it’s referring to a story award 
  the characters just earned, it provides information for you 
  and the players.
  Adventure Hooks
  Any prior connection to the characters and events of the 
  Storm King’s Thunder adventure can inspire the characters 
  to be caught up in the events of Foreign Affairs.
  Adventure Hook 1. If the characters played one of the 
  previous adventures (DRW01 through DRW03) they 
  are already acquainted with Zehira Deryan. While in 
  Turmish, they receive a personal request to meet with 
  her about accompanying her on a perilous journey.
  Adventure Hook 2. For characters who played through 
  Storm King’s Thunder or have connections to other 
  characters who did, the opportunity to visit King 
  Hekaton’s court might be of particular interest.
  Adventure Hook 3. Characters with dwarven ancestry or 
  a background connecting them to dwarven legends have 
  heard rumors that Zehira holds the Iltkazar Scepter, an 
  ancient relic dedicated to Clangeddin Silverbeard, the 
  dwarven god of war and valor. Zehira is looking to hire 
  adventurers, and gaining a chance to see the scepter is 
  too precious an opportunity to pass up.
  Adventure Hook 4. The characters hear word of a job 
  escorting a privateer on a perilous journey to King 
  Hekaton’s court, and know that the more dangerous the 
  quest, the better the reward.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Estimated Duration: 20 minutes
  The adventure begins in the coastal town of Ayakar, located 
  in northern Turmish. The privateer Zehira Deryan, the 
  current owner of the Iltkazar Scepter, has been invited to 
  attend the court of King Hekaton. Uneasy about traveling to 
  Maelstrom on her own, she has sought out an adventuring 
  party to accompany her.
  Setting Information
  Ayakar is a bustling trading post on the Sea of Fallen Stars, 
  Faerûn’s largest inland body of water. Sitting along a small 
  bay, the town is famous for its large bazaar that juts out 
  over the cliff side above the water.
  Terrain. Ayakar is so rocky that it’s a wonder a settlement 
  was built atop its jagged terrain. The town is easy 
  enough to traverse, though, thanks to many small 
  bridges and the structure of the bazaar, which allows 
  people to pass through most of the village under cover 
  and on flat ground.
  Light. A thick fog hangs over the bay most days, and 
  diffuses the light from the burning orange sun. The sky in 
  daytime is often a pale red hue.
  Call to Action
  The Call to Action is to accept the invitation to accompany 
  Zehira to Maelstrom, then travel to that undersea fortress 
  of the storm giants.
  Meeting with Zehira
  Whichever hook you use to bring the characters into the 
  adventure, Zehira arranges to meet with them at a fine 
  teahouse in the bazaar. Read or paraphrase the following to 
  set the scene, making adjustments if the characters already 
  know Zehira:
  The scents of salty sea air, fresh-baked bread, and the 
  pungent aroma of tea hang over the noise and bustle of 
  Ayakar’s bazaar. Entering the teahouse, it’s easy to spot the 
  noble-turned-privateer Zehira, sitting alone at a large table.
  Allow the players to introduce their characters or renew 
  their acquaintance of Zehira as they join her.
  Objectives
  Zehira has recently received an invitation from King 
  Hekaton to attend his court as a guest, in order that the 
  giants can make use of the magic of the Iltkazar Scepter 
  to activate the Wyrmskull Throne. For characters who did 
  not play through adventures DRW01 through DRW03, 
  the privateer explains that this legendary relic came into 
  her possession in the lair of a morkoth during a previous 
  adventure. She has held onto it despite the efforts of a 
  malenti spy to steal it while in the underwater city of Myth 
  Nantar, in addition to several Thayan agents who have 
  attempted to claim the scepter.
   Zehira thinks the journey to Maelstrom will be 
  worthwhile, if only to learn more about the scepter and 
  to have the rare opportunity to visit the giant fortress. 
  However, she is leery of trusting the giants, and seeks 
  additional companions to protect her if necessary while 
  in King Hekaton’s court. If the characters are acquainted 
  with Zehira, they are familiar with the types of perilous 
  situations she often ends up in.
  The Iltkazar Scepter
  Zehira came into possession of the scepter during her 
  kidnapping after joining the crew of Umberlee’s Resolve in 
  adventure DRW01 and being trapped in the lair of a morkoth. 
  Initially, the scepter appeared to be a barnacle-covered rod, 
  but after Zehira traveled to Myth Nantar, it was noted that the 
  rod began to behave strangely in the presence of the magic 
  statue known as the Librarian (DRW02). The Librarian was 
  able to reveal to Zehira that the rod was of dwarven origin but 
  had been lost long ago.
   While Zehira was at Myth Nantar, several other parties 
  became interested in the rod and attempted to steal it. 
  Thayan diviners detected a strange magical force and sent a 
  necromantic arcane trickster and a band of pirates to retrieve 
  the rod. At the same time, a malenti spy tracking Zehira 
  became set on taking the rod from her too. After escaping 
  from the clutches of those foes, Zehira made it to safety and 
  was able to experiment further with the rod and uncover more 
  of its magical properties.
   Only when she received the invitation from Hekaton’s court 
  did Zehira learn of the true nature of the Iltkazar Scepter, 
  which is one of ten Ruling Scepters of Shanatar forged by the 
  dwarven gods and given to the ruling houses of that ancient 
  dwarven empire. Each of the ruling scepters can be used in 
  conjunction with the Wyrmskull Throne, which has been in King 
  Hekaton’s possession since his wife bestowed it upon him.
  Traveling to Maelstrom
  King Hekaton’s invitation asked Zehira to attend on him as 
  quickly as she is able. However, she is willing to allow the 
  characters to decide how they wish to travel to Maelstrom.
  From Here To There
  Maelstrom lies on the floor of the Trackless Sea west of 
  Faerûn, some three thousand feet beneath the surface 
  and more than nineteen hundred miles from Ayakar. The 
  instructions received by Zehira speak of sailing to the 
  point above where the stronghold is located on the sea 
  floor, between Ruathym, the Whalebones, and the Korinn 
  Archipelago. Normally, a ship passing over Maelstrom 
  is drawn down into a whirlpool and destroyed, but King 
  Hekaton’s invitation holds a magic mark that will alert the 
  giants to Zehira’s approach, and promises that she and any 
  companions with her will be met and taken down into the 
  depths safely.
  Call to Action: A Courtly Invitation
  Call to Action: A Courtly Invitation
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
   If the characters possess suitable magic, you can let 
  them determine the easiest way to get to Maelstrom. 
  Teleportation can be used to expedite the trip, but the 
  attempt might fail for characters unfamiliar with the 
  destination. Characters who played through Storm King’s 
  Thunder might possess the conch of teleportation, which 
  is keyed to Maelstrom and can take them directly there. 
  Alternatively, Zehira can use her contacts to get access to 
  magic allowing her and the characters to easily reach the 
  citadel (see “I Know a Guy” below).
   Sea Voyage. Without the use of magic, traveling from 
  Turmish to the Trackless Sea by traditional means involves 
  traveling south to the city of Hlondeth, via ship to Arrabar, 
  then taking the Golden Road south to the port city of 
  Innarleth on the Lake of Steam. Passage on a ship sailing 
  to the Trackless Sea can be obtained there for 500 gp per 
  passenger, owing to the numerous transfers involved and 
  the potential dangers of the route. Zehira can pay for her 
  own passage. In lieu of paying fare, the characters can 
  attempt to barter their way on board as crew for each leg 
  of the voyage. A successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check sees the characters hired on. The voyage is not an 
  easy one, however, and each character arrives in Maelstrom 
  with one level of exhaustion.
   When the ship arrives at its open-sea destination point, 
  the magical mark of Zehira’s letter summons a storm giant 
  sorcerer who arrives by teleportation and greets her and 
  the characters grimly. The sorcerer then teleports Zehira 
  and the characters to the portal chamber in Maelstrom (see 
  “Quick Arrival” below).
   I Know A Guy. Zehira is acquainted with a local 
  Turmishan wizard by the name of Khynree, who can 
  cast teleportation and has studied Maelstrom enough to 
  reach it without error. The characters can visit Khynree 
  to request that he teleport them there, which he is willing 
  to do for a future favor from the characters and 1,000 gp 
  from the party. Khynree teleports himself back to Ayakar 
  immediately afterward, as he has no appetite for risks.
  Development
  The characters’ choice of how to travel to Maelstrom is 
  important. Make note of that choice and how it affects the 
  setup of the adventure:
  • If they choose to travel by mundane means, the 
  characters lose precious time. Both the agents of the 
  Cult of the Dragon and the Red Wizards gain a head 
  start on their plans.
  • If the characters use their own magic to travel, they run 
  the risk of a teleportation failure. If they are successful, 
  they arrive just after Hekaton and the Wyrmskull Throne 
  are discovered to be missing.
  • If they choose to have Khynree cast a teleportation spell 
  for them, the characters arrive just after Hekaton and 
  the Wyrmskull Throne are discovered to be missing, 
  but they are indebted to the spellcaster. This can later 
  complicate their dealings with Dar’lon Ma, the Thayan 
  zulkir of enchantment, in the “Wrap-Up” section.
  • If the characters possess the conch of teleportation 
  from Storm King’s Thunder, they arrive in Maelstrom 
  just after Hekaton and the Wyrmskull Throne are 
  discovered to be missing. However, their possession of 
  the conch can cause some of the members of the giant 
  court to assume that they have arrived with ill intent, 
  complicating the characters’ interactions with those 
  giants as you determine.
   Zehira is present with the characters for the duration 
  of the adventure. The characters should understand the 
  importance of keeping her alive, and Zehira should act as a 
  helpful, capable member of the party while not stealing the 
  limelight from the characters. Her statistics can be found in 
  the “Key NPC Statistics” section for easy reference, so that 
  one or more players can run her as an NPC.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Estimated Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes
  Depending on how the characters decided to travel in the 
  previous section, two different scenarios could be unfolding 
  as they arrive.
  Long Journey
  If the characters traveled by mundane means, the journey 
  has taken a few months. The attack and the disappearance 
  of King Hekaton and the Wyrmskull Throne happened 
  a month ago, giving Princess Serissa time to establish 
  herself as ruler of Maelstrom.
   The storm giant sorcerer who teleports the party down 
  to the citadel can explain what happened, and that the 
  fortress has been closed off since then, with no one allowed 
  to leave or enter. Tensions are running high, with some of 
  the giants suspecting that the attack was a plot by their 
  fellow giants to gain power. None of the giants dare to 
  openly cross Princess Serissa, however, as they fear she 
  might turn the power of the Korolnor Scepter against them 
  in her despair.
   When they are teleported down to Maelstrom, the 
  characters arrive in the portal chamber, as described below.
  Story Objective
  Investigating the attack at Maelstrom and determining who 
  was behind the disappearance of King Hekaton and the 
  Wyrmskull Throne is Story Objective A.
  Quick Arrival
  If the characters used teleportation to travel to Maelstrom, 
  they arrive in an alcove whose floor is set with a huge 
  glowing glyph, in the northeast corner of a rough-hewn 
  chamber on the first level of the citadel. This portal 
  chamber is the characters’ arrival point even if their 
  intended destination was elsewhere in the stronghold.
   It is immediately clear that the court is in chaos. The 
  guards in the portal chamber inform the characters that 
  King Hekaton was discovered missing just a few hours 
  ago, with signs of a battle evident in the throne room. To 
  make matters worse, whoever perpetrated the attack has 
  stolen the legendary Wyrmskull Throne. Princess Serissa 
  has assumed the mantle of leadership once more and has 
  sealed off the fortress, allowing no one in the court to leave. 
  Tensions are high and accusations are being thrown about 
  from all parties.
  Entering Maelstrom
  When Zehira shows her invitation, the characters are 
  quickly taken to the throne room and presented to Princess 
  Serissa. As they leave the portal chamber, the character 
  with the highest passive Wisdom (Perception) score is the 
  first to spot faint traces of muddy footprints leading out of 
  the portal chamber. The giant guards are careful not to step 
  on the tracks, and order the characters to do the same.
   Read the following to set the scene of the characters’ 
  arrival:
  A spiral staircase leads up from the portal chamber into a 
  huge great hall. Seven giants are there, all of them pacing 
  fitfully or sitting alone. Each of them looks over to see you, 
  staring closely. You do not stop, though, as your escort 
  leads you through the room toward a huge set of open 
  doors and a massive throne room beyond.
  Setting: Maelstrom
  Maelstrom lies on the floor of the Trackless Sea, some 
  three thousand feet beneath the surface. The undersea 
  fortress of King Hekaton is carved into a reef. Its four rocky 
  towers covered in barnacles and coral rise upward, and a 
  large sinkhole between them descends into the heart of the 
  fortress.
  Dimensions and Terrain. The stronghold has slick, 
  rough-hewn walls. Most of its rooms have 50-foot-high 
  ceilings. The giant-sized doors are 30 feet tall and made 
  of barnacle-covered stone with rusty iron hinges. Their 
  handles are 13 feet above the floor.
  Light. All interior spaces are filled with dim light. Air-
  filled chambers feature shrouded wall sconces with 
  continual flame spells cast on them, or oval windows 
  of transparent crystal that allow light from the 
  bioluminescent coral reef to enter. Bioluminescent fish 
  illuminate submerged areas.
  Speeding Up This Encounter
  If you are running this encounter in less than the 
  recommended time, or if you find that time is running short 
  during your session, consider speeding up this section by 
  making the giants more willing to assist the characters. You 
  can remove the ability checks and simply have the characters 
  interact with the giants, who can share what information 
  they know without the need for the characters to win them 
  over. Likewise, multiple exploration and social paths can 
  reveal the clues in this section. To save time, if the characters 
  are successful in learning specific clues in the investigation 
  section, you can direct them away from the giants who 
  reveal the same clues in the social interaction section of the 
  adventure.
  Throne Room
  Maelstrom’s throne room resembles a great amphitheater, 
  with stone bleachers overlooking an oblong chamber with a 
  50-foot-deep pool of seawater near its center. In the middle 
  of the bleachers is an archway with two doors in it. Facing 
  the pool and the doors are two enormous thrones made 
  of coral and giant seashells, flanking an empty spot in the 
  middle where the Wyrmskull Throne should be.
  Part 1: Disappearances and Doubts
  Part 1: Disappearances and Doubts
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
   When the characters first see it, the throne room is 
  in a sorry state. Lesser bits of furnishings have been 
  smashed and strewn about, and the floor is dotted by the 
  same muddy tracks seen in the portal chamber. Even if 
  the characters took the long journey option to arrive at 
  Maelstrom, Princess Serissa has ordered that nothing 
  be touched while she tries to keep the giant court under 
  control and to determine who kidnapped her father. (None 
  of the giants or the sea creatures that observed the attack 
  know that King Hekaton is dead, and assume instead that 
  he has been kidnapped.)
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Dimensions and Terrain. The throne room is 150 feet 
  long from the entryway to the passageway behind the 
  thrones. The amphitheater area is 150 feet wide, while 
  the lower chamber is 80 feet wide.
  Creature Information
  The guards escorting the characters from the portal 
  chamber present them to the princess, who is seated in 
  the throne room. In addition to the giants the characters 
  passed in the great hall (who are introduced in that section 
  below), Maelstrom is home to numerous storm giant 
  guards and other creatures.
  Princess Serissa
  Chaotic good storm giant
  The youngest daughter and chosen successor of King 
  Hekaton, Serissa is cool and calm, even as she understands 
  that others in the giant court covet her position.
   What They Want. To maintain peace among the giants, 
  Serissa must find her father and the Wyrmskull Throne, and 
  have whoever attacked Maelstrom face justice.
   Optimistic Leader. Serissa wants to believe that all folk are 
  innately good at heart. Reluctantly accepting the mantle of 
  ruler once more in her father’s stead, she is determined to 
  do everything she can to find King Hekaton and return the 
  Wyrmskull Throne to Maelstrom. She fears that her father’s 
  disappearance will bring about a new rise in tensions between 
  the giant races, and knows that she must defuse those 
  tensions if she can.
  Serissa’s Request
  Princess Serissa is distrustful of the other 
  giants at court, understanding that all 
  have their own agendas—and that some 
  are more than capable of using King 
  Hekaton’s disappearance to seize power 
  for themselves. The characters’ unexpected 
  arrival thus comes at an ideal moment, 
  allowing an impartial party of experienced 
  adventurers to do what she cannot.
   Serissa publicly requests that Zehira and 
  the characters undertake an investigation into 
  what happened when King Hekaton went missing. 
  Once the characters agree to assist, Serissa allows 
  them to search the throne room and to speak to the 
  guards. She also promises that the courtiers currently 
  assembled in the great hall be made available for the 
  characters’ questions (see “The Great Hall” below).
  Serissa’s Story
  Serissa shares that the attack took place when King 
  Hekaton was alone in the throne room, not long after 
  the end of a banquet in the great hall. The banquet 
  was in honor of the five giant nobles presently visiting 
  Maelstrom—the cloud giant Count Nimbian, the frost 
  giant Jarl Frella, the stone giant Kralvar, the hill giant 
  Murgen, and the fire giant Lord Mephyr. The banquet was 
  noteworthy for a singing performance by the storm giant 
  Hestia, one of King Hekaton’s wards. Afterward, all the 
  giants retired to their guest quarters while King Hekaton 
  went to the throne room alone.
   The attack came with no warning. The unknown 
  assailants worked quickly, killing a guard in the portal 
  chamber and two guards at the throne room doors. They 
  then slipped into the throne room and stole away both 
  the king and the Wyrmskull Throne before anyone could 
  notice. The signs of the battle were discovered only 
  after the frost giant Jarl Frella investigated, having been 
  disturbed in her quarters by a disturbance.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Throne Room Clues
  As the characters investigate the throne room, they might 
  discover any of the following information.
   Dead Guards. Any of the guards the characters speak 
  to tell them that the attackers arrived at Maelstrom in the 
  portal chamber, where they managed to quickly subdue the 
  storm giant on watch and slit his throat before he was able 
  to call for help. They then made their way to the throne 
  room, where they surprised and overcame the two storm 
  giant guards there.
   If the characters teleported directly to Maelstrom, they 
  can investigate the bodies of the slain guards themselves. 
  If they made the long journey by ship, the guards presently 
  on duty can describe in graphic detail the wounds their 
  fallen compatriots sustained. Either way, a successful DC 
  15 Intelligence (Investigation) check or DC 18 Wisdom 
  (Medicine) check reveals that the attackers were smallfolk, 
  as the first wounds were lower down and designed to 
  knock the guard prone before the killing blows were struck. 
  (The guards were killed by members of the Cult of the 
  Dragon, who were the first force to invade Maelstrom.)
   Muddy Footprints. The attackers tracked traces of 
  mud from the portal chamber, up the spiral staircase, 
  through the great hall, and into the throne room. A close 
  inspection of the mud and a successful DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Nature) check allows a character to deduce that the 
  attackers passed through a swamp-like environment 
  before reaching Maelstrom. (These tracks are from the 
  cultists, whose hideout is in the great swamp known as 
  the Mere of Dead Men.)
   If the check is 18 or higher, a character also discovers 
  that a second, separate group of tracks follows the same 
  route. However, the second tracks passed through the 
  citadel only after the initial assault, and the only mud they 
  carry was picked up from the first sets of tracks. (This 
  second force was a group of Red Wizards of Thay, who 
  were in pursuit of the cultists but failed to prevent them 
  from taking the Wyrmskull Throne. They claimed King 
  Hekaton’s body as a consolation prize.)
   Residual Magic. The magical glyph in the portal 
  chamber stores a residual record of all those who teleport 
  into Maelstrom. A character can assess that residual 
  magic with a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. A success 
  suggests that the attackers arrived in two waves, with 
  a first group arriving all at once and a second group all 
  teleporting individually.
   If the check is 18 or higher, the character is also able to 
  sense a residual trace of corrupted magic still lingering 
  in the glyph. With a few minutes’ concentration, the 
  character understands this is the echo of the sigil sequence 
  of a teleportation circle used to travel to Maelstrom, and 
  is able to record that sigil sequence. (This is the failing 
  teleportation circle the Cult of the Dragon discovered in 
  the Mere of Dead Men, and which they used to launch their 
  raid on Maelstrom. This sigil sequence is instrumental in 
  getting the characters into part 2 of the adventure.)
   Ripped Cloak. Among the broken bits of furniture in the 
  throne room, a piece of a black cloak can be found with a 
  successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Part of an 
  insignia can be seen on the cloak, which a successful DC 
  15 Intelligence (History) check identifies as belonging to 
  the Cult of the Dragon. A second successful DC 20 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check spots a piece of shattered furniture that 
  has caught at the clothing or cloak of someone rushing past 
  it. A thin edge of dark-red piping has been torn free and still 
  clings there.
   Observant Sea Life. The throne room features several 
  oval crystal windows looking out over the coral reef, which 
  is teeming with sea life. Any character who walks past 
  a window draws in a number of curious fish and other 
  underwater beasts, all of which would have had a clear 
  view of what happened in the throne room. By using speak 
  with animals or similar magic, a character can speak with 
  these creatures, which can relay that a group of humanoids 
  in black robes came and attacked the king, leaving him 
  motionless on the floor. They then used some sort of 
  powerful magic to make the Wyrmskull Throne disappear. 
  Another group in red robes entered the throne room just 
  as the first group vanished. The second group searched the 
  area quickly, then took the king’s body away.
  Great Hall
  Used primarily for entertaining guests, Maelstrom’s great 
  hall is a majestic space. Barnacle-covered pillars of hewn 
  rock rise to meet the vaulted ceiling, and the light filtering 
  in through a huge crystal window casts beautiful patterns 
  on the walls.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Dimensions. The great hall is roughly circular and 150 
  feet in diameter. The space is split into two levels, with a 
  15-foot-high raised ledge hugging the walls to the north 
  and east, and gently sloping ramps leading up to it.
  Creature Information
  In the aftermath of King Hekaton’s disappearance, 
  Princess Serissa has ordered all the giants in the citadel 
  sequestered into this area when they are not in their 
  quarters. She makes it known to the other giants that they 
  are expected to truthfully discuss what they know of the 
  attack with the characters.
   Each of the giants in attendance in the great hall has been 
  shaken by King Hekaton’s disappearance, and most are 
  distrustful of each other. All the giants aside from Princess 
  Serissa and Hestia (one of Hekaton’s wards; see below) 
  are distrustful of smallfolk. It takes effective roleplaying or 
  a successful DC 20 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) 
  check to convince a giant to share what they know.
   Information on each of the giants the characters can 
  question can be found in appendix 3, “The Giant Court.”
  Development
  The giants in the great hall are in a state of high emotion 
  when the characters speak with them. Most of them view 
  the smaller races as one homogenous, untrustworthy group, 
  which they call the smallfolk. King Hekaton’s late wife 
  Queen Neri was a noteworthy exception, as is her daughter, 
  Princess Serissa. Both have always been thought odd for 
  wishing to associate with the smallfolk and treating them 
  as equals. Queen Neri’s death at the hands of smallfolk 
  in Storm King’s Thunder has only amplified most giants’ 
  animosity toward humanoids. Meanwhile, the infighting 
  between the different types of giants has escalated.
  
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   NPC Relationships. Each of the giants in the great hall 
  has a selfish desire to have something that another giant 
  currently possesses. If the characters can assist any giant 
  with attaining what they desire, that giant automatically 
  shares the information they know. The interactions with 
  the giants are presented in a freeform setup, so that you 
  can adjust those interactions in whatever way feels most 
  logical for the players’ approach. Set a DC of 15 for any 
  ability checks that come into play during negotiations, or 
  simply allow the players to roleplay their exchanges, as fits 
  your preferred style. The one exception to this is Kralvar 
  the stone giant, whose distrust of smallfolk makes him 
  particularly reserved. Attempts to interact with him require 
  a successful DC 30 Charisma (Persuasion) check unless 
  the characters have already gained the favor of six other 
  giants.
   Goal. The most important information the characters can 
  learn from the giants includes what Kralvar knows about 
  the mud and swamp grass, which can help the characters 
  guess that the attackers came from the Mere of Dead Men, 
  and what Count Nimbian can tell them about the residual 
  magic in the portal chamber and the sigil sequence that 
  can be discovered there.
   Are the Characters Stuck? Some players might struggle 
  with interactions that are heavy on roleplaying. If you see 
  this, consider suggesting that the characters regale some of 
  the giants with tales of bravery or other social commentary, 
  which can take the place of the roleplaying needed to 
  engage the giant.
  What the Giants Know
  This section introduces the giants in the great hall, talking 
  about what each one knows and how the characters might 
  get on their good side. Appendix 3, “The Giant Court,” can 
  be given to the players as a handout, and provides a quick 
  precis of Serissa and the other seven giants.
   Because many of the giants distrust each other, the 
  information the characters can learn from them includes 
  a number of red herrings and false suggestions. Use these 
  bits of false information to make the roleplaying and 
  investigation fun, but don’t be afraid to steer the characters 
  toward the important information if they focus too much on 
  a false lead.
  Serissa
  Serissa and her father had numerous discussions about 
  each of their guests prior to their arrival at Maelstrom. 
  Because of that, she has been keeping a watchful eye on all 
  the giants, and has a clear sense of the suspicion growing 
  between them.
   The storm giants Hestia and Thellan are wards of King 
  Hekaton—a polite form of hostage meant to keep other 
  noble families in line. Both grew up in Hekaton’s court, and 
  feel closer to Serissa than they do to the members of their 
  own family. For her part, Serissa treats the two as siblings 
  more loyal than her sisters ever were.
   Interacting with Serissa. Though the characters do not 
  need to get on Serissa’s good side as they do with the other 
  giants, their investigation might put them in a position to 
  bolster the beleaguered princess’s spirits. The fire giant 
  Lord Mephyr fought beside King Hekaton in battle long 
  ago, and Serissa longs to hear a friendly story about 
  her father. She would be grateful if the characters could 
  convince Lord Mephyr to regale her with some stories.
  Hestia
  The storm giant Hestia was singing in the great hall during 
  the banquet. During her performance, she remembers 
  thinking it odd to see Lord Mephyr stepping away and 
  heading down the spiral staircase toward the portal 
  chamber. Hestia cares most about music, her brother 
  Thellan, and Serissa.
   Interacting with Hestia. Hestia covets a white seashell 
  comb owned by Jarl Frella. She would be grateful if the 
  characters could convince the frost giant to part with it.
  
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  Thellan
  The storm giant Thellan remembers speaking to King 
  Hekaton at the banquet before Hestia’s performance, 
  mentioning his own distrust of some of the visiting giants. 
  Hekaton shared with Thellan that the hill giant Murgen had 
  been telling him she believed she should be the ruler of all 
  giants, but Hekaton laughed it off as a joke. Thellan thinks 
  that perhaps the king’s disappearance is part of Murgen 
  taking steps to ensure her ascendancy.
   Thellan is a warrior who is especially protective of his 
  sister Hestia, and characters who are kind to Hestia have 
  an easier time winning him over.
   Interacting with Thellan. Thellan has seen the cloud 
  giant Count Nimbian practicing scrying magic while at 
  the citadel. He is interested in learning the spells the 
  count knows, and would be grateful if the characters could 
  convince Nimbian to share his knowledge.
  Count Nimbian
  On the recommendation of Thellan, Count Nimbian has 
  spent much time in Maelstrom’s library during his stay, 
  seeking out lore on the history of giant rulers. He fears now 
  that Thellan might have been setting him up for suspicion 
  of being jealous of King Hekaton’s position. If questioned 
  about the scrying magic he has been using while at the 
  citadel, Nimbian says truthfully that he has been keeping 
  an eye on family members, but he becomes irritated at the 
  characters poking into his personal affairs.
   If the characters win over Count Nimbian and were 
  unsuccessful in making the Intelligence (Arcana) checks to 
  assess the residual magic in the portal chamber or in the 
  sample of swamp grass held by Kralvar, he offers to assist 
  them, and automatically succeeds on those checks. This 
  gives the characters the sigil sequence to the Cult of the 
  Dragon’s teleportation circle in the Mere of Dead Men.
   Interacting with Count Nimbian. The Korolnor Scepter 
  is a legendary magic artifact, and Count Nimbian would be 
  grateful if the characters could convince Princess Serissa 
  to allow him to study it under her supervision.
  Jarl Frella
  The frost giant Jarl Frella was the first person to become 
  aware of the attack, saying that she heard a commotion 
  that woke her in her guest chamber. She was the one who 
  found the dead guard in the portal chamber and raised 
  the alarm, but King Hekaton and the Wyrmskull Throne 
  were already gone. Along with Hestia, Frella also saw Lord 
  Mephyr leaving the banquet during Hestia’s performance, 
  and heading down the spiral staircase toward the portal 
  chamber. Though she doesn’t really suspect that the fire 
  giant had anything to do with the attack, she thinks about 
  implicating him just to take him down a notch.
   Interacting with Jarl Frella. Frella has long admired the 
  fighting style of the storm giants, and would be grateful 
  if Thellan could be convinced to provide her with some 
  training.
  Kralvar
  After the attack, the stone giant Kralvar was the first to 
  notice the faint tracks left by smallfolk, and he quietly 
  claimed a trace of crushed weeds left behind by the muddy 
  footprints. He is initially hostile toward the characters, 
  though, as he remembers how Queen Neri died at the 
  hands of smallfolk and is suspicious that King Hekaton has 
  suffered the same fate. He wonders openly if this was a plot 
  by the smallfolk to put the Princess Serissa on the throne, 
  as she is known to be sympathetic to their kind.
   If the characters can get on Kralvar’s good side, he 
  shares the sample of vegetation he found tracked in by the 
  first group of attackers. Any character with proficiency in 
  the Nature skill or who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Nature) check recognizes the sample as swamp grass, 
  and notices that it carries a faint trace of corrupting magic. 
  With a second successful DC 20 Intelligence (Nature) 
  check or a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a 
  character determines that the grass came from a large area 
  of swamp broadly imbued with the taint of dark magic. Any 
  character with proficiency in the Arcana or Nature skills 
  who is familiar with the Sword Coast recognizes that the 
  Mere of Dead Men is the most obvious such location.
   Interacting with Kralvar. Kralvar is fascinated by jewelry 
  with symbolism, and he has been quietly admiring the 
  necklace that the hill giant Murgen has made from the 
  teeth of her enemies. He would be grateful if Murgen could 
  be convinced to allow him to borrow the necklace to make 
  a sketch of it.
  Murgen
  The hill giant Murgen is suspicious of the stone giant 
  Kralvar, who she describes as acting distant and aloof his 
  entire time at court. She notes that Kralvar alone did not 
  seem fazed when the attack was discovered. Murgen was a 
  legendary combatant in her day. If won over, she can share 
  her certainty that the dead guards were killed by smallfolk 
  based on the nature and position of their wounds.
   Interacting with Murgen. Murgen has seen Hestia with 
  a beautiful pearl-encrusted hand mirror, and she wants 
  to have it for her own so she can admire her beauty. She 
  would be grateful if the characters could procure the 
  mirror for her.
  Lord Mephyr
  The fire giant Lord Mephyr is quick to share that he is 
  deeply distrustful of all the other giants, and Count Nimbian 
  in particular. He says that Nimbian has been acting 
  secretive, and spends all his time hiding in the library.
   Lord Mephyr has long admired the stonework and 
  fortifications crafted by the storm giants and the stone 
  giants. When he stepped away from the banquet, it was 
  to walk around Maelstrom assessing the aesthetics of its 
  grand design, a thing he has done frequently since arriving.
   Interacting with Lord Mephyr. Despite his antipathy 
  toward Kralvar, Lord Mephyr would be grateful if the 
  characters could convince the stone giant to discuss the 
  possibility of having his folk construct a beautiful fortified 
  wall at Lord Mephyr’s citadel.
  Next Moves
  If the characters have been successful in their 
  investigations and their interactions with the giants, they 
  have obtained the sigil sequence to the teleportation circle 
  used by the first group of attackers, and deduced that those 
  attackers likely came by way of the Mere of Dead Men. If 
  they failed to pick up one or the other piece of information, 
  you can have Princess Serissa’s sages and servants fill in 
  the missing information. Either way, with the sigil sequence 
  at hand, the characters are ready to pursue those who stole 
  the Wyrmskull Throne in part 2 of the adventure.
  
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  Estimated Duration: 2 hours
  With the teleportation circle sigil sequence gleaned from 
  the residual magic in Maelstrom’s Portal chamber, Princess 
  Serissa allows the characters to use the portal chamber 
  to teleport to that location. Though some of the giants are 
  keen to pursue the attackers themselves, Serissa knows 
  that the characters have a better chance of pursuing King 
  Hekaton without drawing attention to themselves, and she 
  quickly puts down any opposition.
   Once the characters arrive at the mere, they need to 
  search for signs of the attackers’ movements and determine 
  where they came from—and why.
  Story Objective
  Defeating the cultists at their hideout in the Mere of Dead 
  Men and learning the location of the Cult of the Dragon’s 
  main headquarters in Waterdeep is Story Objective B.
  Speeding Up This Encounter
  If you are running this encounter in less than the 
  recommended time, or if you find that time is running short 
  during your session, you can speed things up by running only 
  one or two random encounters and avoiding the hidden nest 
  encounters. Likewise, the search of the sunken settlement 
  of Drybed can be narrated to get the characters into the final 
  combat encounters more quickly.
  The Mere of Dead Men
  The Mere of Dead Men is a cold saltwater swamp situated 
  along the shore of the Sword Coast, halfway between 
  Waterdeep and Neverwinter. Said to have been created by a 
  lich’s curse, the site is named for the countless people who 
  perished there when the sea rolled in to flood the land. All 
  folk of the Sword Coast know the site as a desolate place 
  full of monsters, including a pair of ancient black dragons 
  who claim the mere as their dominion. The only humanoid 
  inhabitants of the swamps are lizardfolk clans and small 
  numbers of equally hardy folk.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Terrain. The mere is a seemingly endless expanse of water 
  and deep mud, overgrown with trees and vines, set with 
  quicksand and other hazards, and difficult terrain in all 
  areas. The water covering large portions of the mere is 
  deep enough to be navigable by flat-bottomed boat, but 
  monsters and hidden obstructions lurking in the dark 
  water make such travel risky. Scattered all through the 
  mere are the flooded or decaying ruins of old castles 
  and settlements, including the ruined tower where the 
  characters arrive and the forgotten village taken over by 
  the Cult of the Dragon.
  Light. The area is usually covered in fog, reducing daylight 
  to dim light and making large expanses of the swamp 
  lightly obscured. At night, any moonlight and starlight is 
  lost in the fog, casting all the mere into an eerie darkness.
  Arrival
  The characters appear within a crumbling stone circle, set 
  at the center of the ruins of an old tower. Any character 
  with proficiency in the Arcana skill can tell that the magic 
  of the teleportation circle is failing, and that this corruption 
  is what allowed the circle’s sigil sequence to be read from 
  Maelstrom.
   The ruins sit on a low rise above the swamp, which 
  extends in every direction around it. A thorough search 
  of the area shows signs where a number of humanoids 
  recently came out of the swamp and up to the teleportation 
  circle. With a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception or 
  Survival) check, a character notes that no footprints lead 
  back in the same direction. (Though the characters will 
  learn much from investigating the Cult of the Dragon’s 
  hideout in the mere, the cultists who attacked Maelstrom 
  teleported themselves and the Wyrmskull Throne to 
  another location.)
  Hazards in the Mere
  The natural and unnatural hazards present in the mere 
  are a constant threat to explorers. A few examples of 
  potential hazards the characters might encounter are 
  noted below. As time allows, use two or more of these 
  hazards prior to the encounter with Lakar (see “A Friendly 
  Face in the Fog” below).
  Quicksand
  A patch of quicksand usually appears solid, and might even 
  be covered with debris. A typical quicksand pit is 25 feet 
  in diameter. A character walking at a normal pace is able 
  to recognize the danger with a successful DC 18 Wisdom 
  (Survival) check and avoid the pit. On a failed check, the 
  creature is stuck at the edge of the pit, sinking 1d4 + 1 
  feet into it and becoming restrained. A creature moving 
  faster than normal or mounted has no chance to spot the 
  pit and travels 1d3 × 5 feet into it before becoming stuck. A 
  creature in quicksand must succeed on a DC 18 Strength 
  (Athletics) check to move 5 feet. Failure results in sinking 5 
  feet and starting to drown (see “Suffocating” in chapter 8 of 
  the Player’s Handbook).
  Sinkhole
  Hidden dry sinkholes are scattered throughout he swamp. 
  A sinkhole can be spotted from a safe distance with a 
  successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. Otherwise, 
  the first creature to step on the thin crust covering the 
  60-foot-deep sinkhole must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity 
  saving throw or fall in and take 21 (6d6) bludgeoning 
  damage.
  Part 2: Hunting for Answers
  Part 2: Hunting for Answers
  
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  Noxious Gases
  A thin layer of what looks like moss covers a 40-foot-square 
  section of the swamp on all surfaces rising above the water 
  (small islands, downed trees, rocks and debris, and so 
  forth). Any creature passing within 5 feet of a moss-covered 
  object causes the moss to release a 5-foot-radius cloud 
  of invisible but highly odorous gas. A creature within the 
  area of the gas or who starts their turn there must make 
  a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a successful save, the 
  creature is immune to the effect of the gas for 24 hours. 
  On a failed save, the creature gains a type of short-term 
  madness that causes them to believe their allies are 
  enemies who are violently attacking them. The madness 
  wears off after 1d10 minutes, or can be negated with a 
  calm emotions or lesser restoration spell.
   Creatures that are immune to poison or that do not 
  breathe suffer no ill effects from the gases.
  Petrifying Plot
  A statue of a humanoid woman with outstretched arms 
  stands at the center of a 60-foot-square plot of land that is 
  oddly dry. Once any creature moves within 10 feet of the 
  statue, each creature on the dry land must succeed on a DC 
  18 Constitution saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. A 
  stunned creature still in the area at the end of its turn must 
  repeat this saving throw. On a success, the creature is no 
  longer stunned by this effect. On a failed save, the creature 
  is petrified. The creature can be returned to normal with 
  a greater restoration spell or any other effect that removes 
  the petrified condition.
   The statue has AC 17, 30 hit points, immunity to poison 
  and psychic damage, and a damage threshold of 5. If the 
  statue is destroyed, all petrified victims return to normal.
  Illusory High Ground
  Creatures see this area as a tall hill rising above the 
  fog, and offering a sweeping view of the surrounding 
  swampland. In actuality, this is a permanent illusion effect 
  that disguises a 60-foot-deep dry sinkhole with spiked 
  stakes set into the bottom. The sinkhole has been set up 
  this way by a clan of bullywugs, who capture wandering 
  creatures here and present them as tribute to the black 
  dragons that roam the mere.
   A creature carefully examining the hill from a distance 
  notices its illusory nature with a successful DC 18 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check, seeing it as a vague 
  image superimposed on the terrain. Any creature that does 
  not see through the illusion and walks into the area topples 
  into the sinkhole, taking 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage and 
  21 (6d6) piercing damage.
  Hidden Nest
  The characters stumble into a hidden nest, disturbing the 
  creatures within. Roll on the table to determine what type 
  of creatures lair in the nest.
  d4
  Creatures
  1
  1d4 + 3 hydras
  2
  1d4 + 8 giant crocodiles
  3
  1d4 + 5 catoblepases
  4
  1d4 + 2 rot trolls
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  • Very Weak. Instead of rolling a d4 for the number of 
  creatures, assume the roll was 1.
  • Weak. Instead of rolling a d4 for the number of creatures, 
  assume the roll was 2.
  • Strong. Add one additional creature, or combine this 
  random encounter with one of the environmental effects 
  noted above.
  • Very Strong. Add two additional creatures, or combine this 
  random encounter with one of the environmental effects 
  noted above.
  A Friendly Face in the Fog
  At a point of your choosing while the characters are 
  exploring the mere, the character with the highest passive 
  Wisdom (Perception) score spots something ahead. Atop a 
  rickety wooden platform set near two low mounds, a lone 
  human is carefully threading a line onto the fishing pole in 
  his hand.
  Lakar Klotd
  Neutral evil human commoner
  Lakar has lived in the Mere of Dead Men his entire life, and 
  he is familiar with the unique dangers found there. An agent 
  of the Cult of the Dragon, he enjoys acting the part of a 
  simple fisher, and is friendly toward strangers to get them 
  close enough for his froghemoth companions to strike.
   What They Want. Lakar enjoys watching the froghemoths 
  feed—and the money the Cult of the Dragon provides him 
  for each potential intruder eaten makes it that much sweeter 
  for him.
   Opportunist. Always on the hunt for a way to make coin, 
  Lakar will consider any bargain—and will betray anyone if 
  there’s profit in it for him.
  
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   The fisher is Lakar (a commoner), and the two mounds 
  are actually two froghemoths in his service. A recently 
  recruited agent of the Cult of the Dragon, Lakar keeps 
  an eye out for suspicious explorers and adventurers who 
  might be seeking the cult’s hideout, luring them close and 
  into the waiting maws of his pets.
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  • Very Weak. Replace one froghemoth with a giant crocodile.
  • Weak. Replace one froghemoth with two giant crocodiles.
  • Strong. Add two giant crocodiles.
  • Very Strong. Add a hydra and one giant crocodile.
   Playing the Pillars. You can make use of the following 
  suggestions when running this encounter.
  Combat. Lakar flees at the first sign of trouble, cackling 
  wildly as he runs. The froghemoths lash out first with 
  their tentacle attacks, attempting to grapple as many 
  characters as possible in order to eat them.
  Exploration. The water is 2 feet deep in this section of the 
  mere, which features a number of spots of dry land.
  Social. If the characters offer to pay Lakar for information 
  about the Cult of the Dragon, he quickly orders the 
  froghemoths to stand down. See “Developments.”
  Developments
  If the characters offer Lakar 250 gp or more, he reveals the 
  location of their hideout in the nearby village of Drybed. 
  He is willing to lead the characters there, after which he 
  makes himself scarce. If the characters insult him with 
  a lesser offer, he takes whatever he can get and gives 
  them directions—which lead them into a 
  random encounter of your choice 
  before they reach the village.
   If the froghemoths 
  are killed and Lakar 
  is questioned, he can 
  fearfully reveal the route to 
  Drybed. If Lakar is killed 
  during the fight, a search 
  of the area around his 
  fishing platform reveals a 
  well-traveled path cutting 
  across stands of dry land. 
  Following the path brings 
  the characters to Drybed 
  in short order.
   Treasure. Lakar has a 
  small pouch tied to his belt, 
  containing coins along with 
  a potion of water breathing 
  (see appendix 4, “Character 
  Rewards”).
  Drybed
  The ruins of the sunken settlement that the Cult of the 
  Dragon have taken over as their hideout are partially 
  submerged in the mere. Most of the buildings that once 
  stood on this site have rotted away or crumbled into ruin. 
  However, a dozen structures remain more or less standing 
  atop the rise of a small island.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Terrain. Even atop the island, most of the buildings are 
  rotting and crumbling away, making their ruins difficult 
  terrain. The handful of structures that are still mostly 
  intact were all long abandoned and rundown before the 
  Cult of the Dragon cleaned them up. The walls of most 
  buildings are weak enough to knock down easily, having 
  AC 15 and 20 hit points.
  Trees. Trees can be found across the island. Each is 30 
  feet high and can be climbed to get a view of the entire 
  settlement, even through the fog.
  Pathways. The pathways across the island are made of 
  packed dirt and are slick. Any creature that takes the 
  Dash action along a path must succeed on a DC 18 
  Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone.
  Light. Dense fog covers most of the settlement, making the 
  area lightly obscured.
  
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  Creature Information
  A huge undead creature known as the ooze master is 
  positioned in a half-crumbled building on the outskirts of 
  the sunken settlement. This creature and its ooze servants 
  were left here by the Red Wizards of Thay as a nasty 
  surprise for the cult forces here—and for the characters as 
  they explore.
  D1. Edge of Town
  Along the edges of the island, a few stone walls are all that 
  remain of what used to be modest homes. In one of those 
  ruins of your choice, the ooze master lingers, watching 
  out for intruders. Two huge gray oozes lurk nearby, 
  indistinguishable from piles of gray rubble. Two gelatinous 
  cubes are scouring other nearby buildings and come forth 
  in response to the sounds of combat.
  Ooze Master
  The ooze master is the result of a failed experiment to bind 
  a Red Wizard with an ooze. An attempt to create the perfect 
  assassin, the creature retains a Red Wizard’s intellect and 
  deadly spellcasting ability.
   What They Want. The ooze master’s singular drive is to 
  destroy all creatures, forcing its victims to attack each other if 
  it can. It then consumes the dead.
   Agents of the Red Wizards who followed the forces of 
  the Cult of the Dragon to Maelstrom pursued them back 
  to this location after taking the body of King Hekaton to 
  Thay. (The characters will learn more about this in the 
  “Wrap-Up” section.) Questioning a number of cultists 
  taken unawares on the outskirts of the ruined settlement 
  confirmed that the cult agents who stole the Wyrmskull 
  Throne did not return here, so the Red Wizards quickly 
  departed. Before they did, though, they left behind a 
  creature known as the ooze master, which has been 
  tasked with killing any cultists who venture out from the 
  headquarters, and ensuring that the Cult of the Dragon 
  cannot utilize this location as a base of operations again. 
  The ooze master can speak, but it is no longer aware who 
  created it, or of their motivations.
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  • Very Weak. Remove one huge gray ooze.
  • Weak. Replace one huge gray ooze with a gelatinous cube.
  • Strong. Replace both gelatinous cubes with one huge gray 
  ooze.
  • Very Strong. Add one huge gray ooze.
   Playing the Pillars. You can make use of the following 
  suggestions when running this encounter.
  Combat. If cornered in or near a building, the ooze master 
  uses its Spider Climb trait to take to high ground, 
  keeping out of reach of melee attacks.
  Exploration. The surviving structures of the settlement 
  can offer shelter or cover for the characters.
  Social. If the characters try to reason with the ooze master, 
  the creature utters a harsh guttural laugh, then speaks in 
  Primordial: “Fools … running blindly to your deaths …”
   Treasure. Along with the bones of a few cultists who 
  were killed after questioning by the Red Wizards, one of 
  the gray oozes has absorbed a dragontooth dagger (see 
  appendix 4, “Character Rewards,” for more information).
  D2. Dilapidated Houses
  Farther away from the encroaching swamp, a number of 
  houses stand mostly intact. The cult has been making use 
  of these structures to house high-ranking members and 
  valuable items. Most of what was stored here was taken 
  when the cultists returned to their main headquarters 
  in Waterdeep, but a number of items can be found by 
  characters who search the ruins:
  • A small leather satchel with numerous maps of 
  Waterdeep. One of the maps has a residence in the 
  North Ward circled. (This is Dragonhorn Manor, the Cult 
  of the Dragon’s main hideout.)
  • A crumpled letter found beneath a mattress mentions 
  undertaking research into “the giants’ throne,” which 
  someone named Severin was particularly interested in.
  • Rough sketches show a number of different amulets, 
  and are annotated with references to the amulets 
  collecting immense power. The source of the power is 
  not mentioned. (The notes relate to the research being 
  undertaken by an arcanaloth in service to the Cult of the 
  Dragon. See area T5 below for more information.)
  • The remains of several small, recently constructed 
  shrines can be found in the ruins, all devoted to the 
  worship of dragons. Just over half of them are devoted 
  to blue dragons, and feature symbols representing 
  lightning.
  Who is Severin?
  Severin Silrajin was the Red Wyrmspeaker and the main 
  leader of the reformed Cult of the Dragon, who believed 
  that the cult should be worshiping living rather than undead 
  dragons. It was Severin who tried to raise Tiamat’s temple 
  from Avernus to Faerûn before being defeated in the Tyranny 
  of Dragons storyline. The characters will come into contact 
  with more of this history of the cult throughout this series of 
  adventures.
  
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  The Town Hall
  This large building once served as a central gathering place 
  for the folk of the fallen settlement. It has recently been 
  converted into a makeshift research facility by the Cult of 
  the Dragon.
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Dimensions and Terrain. This large structure is 150 feet 
  from side to side. It features a central meeting hall that 
  has been converted into a laboratory, surrounded by a 
  hallway that opens up into a number of smaller rooms 
  along the outside of the building.
  Light. Most of the building is dark, but the large laboratory 
  is brightly lit by wall sconces with continual flame spells 
  cast on them.
  Creature Information
  The Cult of the Dragon shut down its operations here in 
  advance of its successful raid of Maelstrom. Only three 
  cultists remain behind, all of them afraid to leave after 
  losing compatriots to the ooze master in the outside 
  ruins. Also present is the arcanaloth Zexmanthass, who is 
  working to finish the research he has undertaken here on 
  the cult’s behalf.
  T1. Makeshift Barracks
  These rooms are all lined with rickety cots, each of which 
  has a small footlocker nearby. Most of the footlockers are 
  now empty, but a thorough search turns up several well-
  thumbed books extolling the philosophies of the Cult of the 
  Dragon, as well as three sets of cultist robes.
   One of the footlockers also has a sketchbook folded 
  inside a piece of burlap, which contains several drawings 
  of a dracolich standing before what are easily recognized 
  as the ruins of Drybed. The shape of its horns suggests 
  that the dracolich was once a blue dragon, as can be 
  determined by anyone with experience of dragons, who 
  has fought a blue dragon, or who succeeds on a DC 16 
  Intelligence (Nature) check.
  T2. Training Rooms
  These two rooms are hung with weapon racks that now 
  hold only a few rusted spears and a broken crossbow. 
  Empty cabinets and chests are arranged along the walls 
  next to three oversized target dummies made of leather, 
  canvas, and straw. Anyone who inspects the giant-sized 
  dummies can see where they have been repeatedly 
  attacked at specific vulnerable points, making it clear that 
  this is where the attacks against Maelstrom’s giant guards 
  were practiced.
   One of the walls has a crude map carved into it, which is 
  first recognized by the character with the highest passive 
  Intelligence (Investigation) score as showing the portal 
  chamber, the great hall, and the throne room at Maelstrom.
   Creatures. If the characters enter the second training 
  room prior to entering area T5, three cultists (use the 
  assassin stat block) are waiting behind the door to 
  ambush them.
  Adjusting the Scene
  Consider the following suggestions for adjusting this scene 
  depending on the relative combat strength of the party:
  • Very Weak. Remove two assassins.
  • Weak. Remove one assassin.
  • Strong. Add two assassins.
  • Very Strong. Add three assassins.
   Playing the Pillars. You can make use of the following 
  suggestions when running this encounter.
  Combat. The cultists have been ordered to keep intruders 
  away from area T5 by any means. The first assassin to 
  drop below 40 hit points attempts to flee to area T5 to 
  warn Zexmanthass.
  Exploration. The weapon racks and other furnishings 
  in the room can be used to provide half cover from the 
  cultists’ attacks.
  Social. If the characters attempt to talk to the cultists, 
  assurances that they are only seeking information 
  combined with a successful DC 25 Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check convince them to stand down. 
  Characters who talk of having destroyed the ooze master 
  (truthfully or otherwise) have advantage on this check. 
  All are recent recruits who started their service to the 
  cult in Drybed. They know that the cultists who were 
  here have gone to Waterdeep, but they don’t know the 
  location of the cult headquarters there. They can also 
  report that the Red Wizards of Thay came to Drybed 
  recently, killed a number of cult followers, and left the 
  ooze master and its minion oozes behind. The cultists 
  then offer to fetch Zexmanthass from area T5 so the 
  characters can negotiate with the arcanaloth.
  T3. Storage Areas
  Stacks of crates line the walls of both these rooms. The lids 
  have been pulled off most of them, and straw once used for 
  packing objects is scattered about.
   Any character searching through the crates and 
  succeeding on a DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check 
  finds a blue dragon scale.
  T4. Record Hall
  Desks, tables, and cabinets are scattered around this room. 
  Papers are piled up on most of the area’s available flat 
  surfaces, but any search reveals them to be little more than 
  mundane cult communications, religious tracts, and journals 
  of mundane history. However, any character who searches 
  the empty cabinets and succeeds on a DC 16 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check notices a large folded map stuffed down 
  almost out of view. The map is a detailed overview of the 
  North Ward of Waterdeep, with a large X over a manor near 
  the end of a street. Characters who found the maps in area 
  D2 can see that they show the same location.
   Any search of the desk reveals a journal marked with 
  arcane sigils. Written by someone named Zexmanthass, 
  the journal outlines experiments on transferring a soul 
  from a phylactery into a new vessel. Any character with 
  proficiency in the Religion skill or who succeeds on a 
  DC 18 Intelligence (Religion) check understands that 
  this process would allow creatures such as liches or 
  dracoliches to change phylacteries.
  
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  T5. Zexmanthass’s Laboratory
  This area has workbenches set along the walls, most of 
  which are covered with notebooks—along with a number 
  of amulets that lie in shattered pieces. The center of the 
  room has a large black mark on the floor, as if an explosion 
  occurred there. Several blue dragon scales are scattered 
  across one workbench, where the characters see an 
  unusual creature at work.
  A creature resembling a humanoid jackal stands at the 
  workbench, muttering as they flip through a notebook. 
  “My greatest achievement yet … yes … hmmm. What 
  to do now?”
  Zexmanthass (an arcanaloth) cocks their head and 
  looks quizzically at the characters as soon as they reveal 
  themselves. He has no immediate interest in confrontation, 
  but if the characters attack, he responds in kind, calling 
  the cultists in area T2 unless the characters encountered 
  them earlier.
  Zexmanthass
  Neutral arcanaloth
  Like all yugoloths, Zexmanthass is a mercenary of the highest 
  order. When contacted by the Cult of the Dragon, the arcanaloth 
  agreed to undertake research into powerful magic concerning 
  liches on the cult’s behalf. Zexmanthass takes pride in wearing 
  fine robes set with intricate embroidery and silk linings.
   What They Want. Zexmanthass’s all-consuming drive in 
  life is to acquire knowledge, and their well-paid assignment 
  with the Cult of the Dragon has provided them with endless 
  research opportunities.
   Knowledge Enthusiast. Zexmanthass cares little who they 
  work for, as long as their pursuit of knowledge can continue. 
  They are not concerned with the morality of their employers.
   Playing the Pillars. You can make use of the following 
  suggestions when running this encounter.
  Combat. Zexmanthass is not particularly interested 
  in fighting, and wants to avoid having his laboratory 
  destroyed. If attacked, the arcanaloth uses dimension 
  door as soon as possible to move the combat outdoors.
  Exploration. Some of the experiments that Zexmanthass 
  has been working on are still extremely volatile. Any 
  creature handling one of the broken amulets must make 
  a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) 
  psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage 
  on a successful one.
  Social. Zexmanthass is happy to negotiate with characters 
  who don’t threaten them or their work. If reassured that 
  the characters will leave the arcanaloth alone to continue 
  their research, Zexmanthass tells all they know. If the 
  characters appear untrustworthy, a successful DC 18 
  Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check might be 
  needed to convince the arcanaloth to talk.
   What Zexmanthass Knows. The arcanaloth was set 
  up in Drybed by the Cult of the Dragon, who wanted their 
  research undertaken far from prying eyes. Zexmanthass 
  can confirm that the Cult of the Dragon used this settlement 
  as a hideout while they trained for an assault on what the 
  arcanaloth calls “some giant fortress.” He is unaware of any 
  specific plans concerning King Hekaton, and has not seen 
  the Wyrmskull Throne or any giant at the settlement.
   In the course of Zexmanthass’s experiments, the 
  arcanaloth was able to successfully transfer the soul of a 
  blue dracolich who visited Drybed into a new phylactery. 
  (A few earlier unsuccessful experiments were the origin of 
  the scorch marks in the lab.) After Zexmanthass shared the 
  full knowledge of the ritual with the cult leader in charge 
  of the operation at Drybed, most of the cultists packed up 
  and left. The arcanaloth has no idea where they went, but 
  suggests that the characters search area D2 or area T4 if 
  they haven’t already.
   Treasure. Zexmanthass is willing to part with a potion of 
  supreme healing in thanks for the characters leaving them 
  to their research. If the characters refrained from attacking 
  the arcanaloth and didn’t destroy any of their experiments, 
  Zexmanthass also offers up a necklace of fireballs for 
  the characters’ kindness. See appendix 4, “Character 
  Rewards,” for more information on these items.
  Resting
  The characters can choose to take a long rest between this 
  section of the adventure and part 3.
  
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  Estimated Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes
  The final part of the adventure sees the characters 
  pursuing the Cult of the Dragon to Waterdeep—and 
  discovering that the cultists are not the only foes they must 
  face.
  Traveling to Waterdeep
  The maps found in the cultists’ hideout in the Mere of Dead 
  men clearly point toward the characters’ next destination 
  in their pursuit of the cultists who stole the Wyrmskull 
  Throne. Waterdeep is some 150 miles south of the Mere 
  of Dead Men, or six day’s travel along the High Road for 
  characters without access to teleportation magic. The 
  characters can shorten the trip by a few days by seeking 
  ship’s passage from any coastal settlement south of the 
  Mere of Dead Men.
  Story Objective
  Discovering that another group is searching for the missing 
  Wyrmskull Throne on the orders of a giant death knight is 
  Story Objective C.
  Speeding Up This Encounter
  If you are running this encounter in less than the 
  recommended time, or if you find that time is running short 
  during your session, you can speed things up by narrating 
  the search of Dragonhorn Manor up to the point where the 
  characters locate the access to the secret underground lair.
   Another option is to collapse some of the encounters, such 
  as removing the helmed horrors from D1 and moving the 
  illusory dragon trap to D6 with the quicklings.
  Dragonhorn Manor
  Standing near the end of a quiet street, this two-story stone 
  manor appears less well maintained than the other homes 
  in the area. The grass and flowerbeds are overgrown, 
  and moss is spreading across the roof. Characters who 
  approach the front doors can see that all the windows are 
  shuttered, denying any glimpse inside the house. Knocking 
  at the door yields no response.
   Characters who ask around the neighborhood learn that 
  the manor has been empty since its previous owners left 
  Waterdeep a year ago. (Those owners were devotees of the 
  Cult of the Dragon who left to join its operations elsewhere. 
  They bequeathed the house—and its elaborate system of 
  hidden cellars—to the cult for use as a headquarters.)
  Getting Inside
  Gaining entrance to the manor requires breaking in. The 
  main doors on the ground level, the door leading into 
  the kitchen (area D4), and the doors on the second-floor 
  balcony (area D8) are all locked, but can be opened with a 
  successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools, or 
  forced with a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check. 
  Any of the shuttered windows can be forced open with a 
  successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. As long as 
  the characters take a bit of care, they can enter the manor 
  unobserved by neighbors or passersby (but see “Wrap-
  Up” below for information on another group watching the 
  house).
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Terrain. A layer of dust covers the floors in all areas of 
  the manor, making it clear that the place has been 
  unoccupied for months.
  Light. By day, the manor is filled with dim light filtering in 
  through the shuttered windows. Opening the shutters 
  lets in bright light by day. The manor is dark at night.
  D1. Grand Salon
  This room is lavishly appointed with ornately carved 
  chairs and matching tables, all arranged in small groups. 
  Lavish curtains cover the large window, making this area 
  dark while the shutters are also closed. A large tapestry 
  hangs opposite the windows, depicting a scene in which 
  humanoids of different lineages bow down in submission 
  before a pair of blue dragons.
   Creatures. Four sets of regal armor flank both the 
  entrances into this room. When the first character moves 
  more than 10 feet into the salon, these helmed horrors 
  animate and attack the party. The constructs pursue 
  characters who leave this area.
   Additionally, when any character moves within 5 feet of 
  the tapestry, a shadow illusion of a blue dragon appears in 
  the center of the room, created by the illusory dragon spell 
  (see the sidebar). The illusion is programmed and does 
  not move, but it unleashes a cone of lightning on initiative 
  count 0 each round. Saving throws against the illusion 
  are made at DC 20. A character who suspects the dragon 
  isn’t real can attempt a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check to assess it, noting that the dragon is an illusion on a 
  success.
   The illusion vanishes when all the helmed horrors are 
  destroyed, or after 1 minute.
   Alarm. When the helmed horrors activate, an alarm 
  magically triggers in area U1. Members of the Cult of the 
  Dragon would normally come upstairs to engage intruders, 
  but they are already occupied by other threats. See the 
  “Underground Lair” section for more information.
  Part 3: X Marks the Spot
  Part 3: X Marks the Spot
  
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  Illusory Dragon
  8th-level illusion
  Casting Time: 1 action
  Range: 120 feet
  Components: S
  Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
  By gathering threads of shadow material from the Shadowfell, 
  you create a Huge shadowy dragon in an unoccupied space 
  that you can see within range. The illusion lasts for the spell’s 
  duration and occupies its space, as if it were a creature.
   When the illusion appears, any of your enemies that can 
  see it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become 
  frightened of it for 1 minute. If a frightened creature ends its 
  turn in a location where it doesn’t have line of sight to the 
  illusion, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on 
  itself on a success.
   As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the illusion 
  up to 60 feet. At any point during its movement, you 
  can cause it to exhale a blast of energy in a 60-foot cone 
  originating from its space. When you create the dragon, 
  choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, or 
  poison. Each creature in the cone must make an Intelligence 
  saving throw, taking 7d6 damage of the chosen damage type 
  on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
   The illusion is tangible because of the shadow stuff used 
  to create it, but attacks miss it automatically, it succeeds 
  on all saving throws, and it is immune to all damage and 
  conditions. A creature that uses an action to examine the 
  dragon can determine that it is an illusion by succeeding 
  on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell 
  save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the 
  creature can see through it and has advantage on saving 
  throws against its breath.
   This spell is found in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.
  D2. Music Room
  A small stage sits at one end of this room, with a dusty 
  golden harp upon it. The room also features a grand piano 
  badly in need of tuning, a lute, and a matching pair of reed 
  pipes. A number of lavish chairs are pushed in along the 
  walls and covered with linen cloth.
  D3. Library
  Bookshelves filled with tomes covering a wide range of 
  subjects fill most of this room, and a pair of plush reading 
  chairs are tucked into the far corners. Any character 
  examining the shelves and succeeding on a DC 18 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check notes that the books are 
  organized by subject, and that sections on liches and giants 
  are both missing a number of volumes. Any character with 
  the sage background or experience with research has 
  advantage on this check.
  D4. Kitchen
  This area features dust-covered stoves and preparation 
  tables. Room 4a is a large walk-in cabinet filled with 
  cookware and dishes.  
  Unlike the rest of the manor, the 
  dust on the floor in this area shows signs of being regularly 
  disturbed, with tracks leading from the outside door to the 
  larder (area D5). A successful DC 18 Wisdom (Survival) 
  check determines that the most recent tracks were made 
  just a few hours ago, by five humanoid creatures.
  D5. Larder
  Opening the door to this area reveals a mess of broken 
  crates and overturned shelves. A thorough search allows 
  the characters to follow the trail of footprints from the 
  kitchen through the debris, and to locate a hidden trapdoor 
  that leads to the Cult of the Dragon’s secret underground 
  lair (see that section below).
  D6. Dining Hall
  A fine wooden table large enough for twelve diners stands 
  at the center of this room, a luxuriously soft rug covering 
  the hardwood floor beneath. The table is set with dusty 
  cutlery and exquisitely crafted plates and bowls, as though 
  a dinner party were about to occur. Two sideboards stand 
  against the walls, each set with a pair of ornate golden 
  candlesticks. One of the candles on the sideboard opposite 
  the door has been knocked over onto its side, ruining the 
  otherwise perfect decorations.
   Conjuration Trap. A magic trap triggers the first time 
  any creature steps onto the rug in the center of the room. 
  When the trap triggers, two quicklings are conjured on the 
  stairwell in the hallway outside the door, each under the 
  effect of a greater invisibility spell as they dart into the dining 
  hall and attack any characters they can see. The trap can be 
  triggered once for each character who steps onto the carpet, 
  with two additional invisible quicklings conjured each time.
  D7. Grand Ballroom
  The largest room in the manor, this ballroom features 
  oversized mirrors along its walls with light sconces placed 
  between them.
  D8. Balcony
  This large open balcony is enclosed behind an iron railing, 
  and offers a stunning view of Waterdeep’s North Ward. The 
  floor here is set with colorful mosaic tiles featuring images 
  of doves.
  D9. Guest Bedrooms
  Each of these chambers is furnished with a wooden four-
  poster bed, a wardrobe, and a small writing table, and has 
  a painting hung on the wall opposite the bed. Each painting 
  depicts a scene of a battlefield with a different-colored 
  chromatic dragon soaring above it—red, black, green, and 
  white.
  D10. Master Bedroom
  This large bedchamber features an ornately carved canopy 
  bed draped with dusty silk. A large wooden chest in the 
  corner of the room has an enormous white dragon scale 
  hanging above it, etched with some sort of rune. (The 
  chest contains moldering fine clothing if opened.) A large 
  wardrobe stands next to the chest.
   A writing table sits across from the door, with a large 
  woven tapestry hanging on the wall next to it. The tapestry 
  shows dragons soaring across a night sky filled with 
  lightning, above cultists on the ground hurling living 
  sacrifices onto pyres. A painting similar to those seen in the 
  other chambers also graces the wall across from the bed, 
  this one depicting a majestic ancient blue dragon leading 
  an army to battle.
  
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   Dragon Shield Trap. A close investigation of the dragon 
  scale hanging on the wall shows that its underside is set 
  up to allow it to be wielded as a shield. Taking the shield 
  triggers a magical glyph inscribed on the wall behind it, 
  which activates the symbol (death) spell (DC 20).
   Ravenous Wardrobe. The wardrobe is a giant mimic 
  that came here just after the manor was abandoned, and 
  which has been feeding on mice and insects. The creature 
  is ravenous, and attacks if any character moves more than 
  10 feet into the room. The mimic pursues characters into 
  other areas of the manor, but must squeeze to get through 
  doors and move down hallways.
   Treasure. The dragon scale is actually a shield of the 
  uven rune (see appendix 4, “Character Rewards”).
  Underground Lair
  The Cult of the Dragon has an underground lair beneath 
  Dragonhorn Manor, accessed by way of a trapdoor hidden 
  in the larder off the kitchen (area D5).
  Area Information
  The area has the following features.
  Dimensions and Terrain. The tunnels and chambers in 
  the lair have walls and ceilings reinforced with rough-
  hewn stone, and floors of packed earth. Ceilings in the 
  tunnels are 10 feet high, with ceilings in chambers from 
  10 to 15 feet high.
  Light. Torches mounted in brackets along the walls fill all 
  areas of the lair with bright light.
  U1. Entrance Area
  This area would normally be guarded by low-ranking 
  cultists assessing all those who enter the lair. However, 
  the Cult of the Dragon has come under attack, as the 
  characters will discover.
   Two dead bodies wearing black robes with the insignia 
  of the Cult of the Dragon lie sprawled in the middle of 
  the room, blood seeping into the dirt floor beneath them. 
  Both show signs of having taken damage from weapons 
  and spells. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check 
  confirms that the two were killed within the last two hours.
  U2. Armory
  The door to this area is locked, but can be opened with 
  a successful DC 16 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools, 
  broken through with a series of three successful DC 18 
  Strength (Athletics) checks, or smashed down. The iron 
  door has 150 hit points, AC 20, and immunity to poison 
  and psychic damage.
   When the characters enter this area, they find three 
  cultists wearing the insignia of the Cult of the Dragon. All 
  three have weapons at the ready and attack at once.
   Playing the Pillars. You can make use of the following 
  suggestions when running this encounter.
  Combat. If the characters have alerted the cultists to their 
  approach by talking loudly in area U1, or by attempting 
  to force or attack the door for more than 1 round, the 
  cultists have surprise and have taken the time to rig a 
  trap. When the door opens, the first character to pass 
  through it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving 
  throw or have six vials of acid drop on them from above, 
  dealing 42 (12d6) acid damage. If the cultists do not 
  know the characters are coming, each spends the first 
  round of combat throwing two vials of acid at the first 
  character to enter the room. Each vial of acid is +1 to hit 
  and deals 7 (2d6) acid damage.
  Exploration. The room contains weapons racks holding 
  mundane weapons of your determination. A smaller 
  rack mounted on the wall behind the cultists contains 
  additional vials of various substances, most notably 
  alchemist’s fire. If the rack is smashed or disturbed 
  (including by being caught in the area of a damage-
  dealing spell), all the glass vials explode, dealing 17 
  (5d6) piercing damage and 21 (6d6) fire damage to every 
  creature in the room.
  Social. The three neutral cultists are terrified. They are 
  prepared to fight to the death, but would much prefer to 
  live and are willing to negotiate. If the characters stop 
  the fight to parley, the cultists can report that they were 
  on guard in area U1 when another adventuring party 
  entered the lair two hours before. The adventurers killed 
  two guards then pushed past the others, who locked 
  themselves in the armory. They have no idea who the 
  attackers were, but describe them all wearing the sigil of 
  black crow’s wings on their armor. With a successful DC 
  15 Intelligence (History) check, a character recognizes 
  that as the symbol of the Ebon Wings—a brutal company 
  of adventurers for hire.
  U3. Living Quarters
  This room is furnished with several basic beds with straw 
  mattresses. The attackers who pushed past the cultists in 
  area U2 have been through here, as evidenced by the six 
  bloody bodies of cultists lying dead on the floor.
  U4. Temporary Holding Cells
  Four cells have been set up in this chamber, but currently 
  do not hold any prisoners.
  U5. Office
  Most of this room is filled by a large writing desk. The 
  drawers of the desk have been yanked open, and papers 
  are strewn around the room. A quick glance at the papers 
  shows that all are mundane correspondence and directives 
  between members of the cult.
  U6. Storage
  Barrels and crates are stacked along the walls in this 
  area, holding water, grain, salted meat, and other basic 
  foodstuffs.
  U7. Ritual Hall
  This huge chamber has several pillars supporting the 
  ceiling. An elaborate altar decorated with symbols of 
  Tiamat stands near the center of the room.
   Five humans (see the “Ebon Wings” sidebar and the 
  “Creature Statistics” section) stand just past the altar, 
  corralling a group of ten cultists and three cult fanatics 
  from the Cult of the Dragon against the far wall. Five of 
  those cultists are already on the ground, alive but brutally 
  beaten.
   The lawful evil members of this adventuring party arrived 
  at Dragonhorn Manor two hours before the characters. 
  
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  After picking the lock at the kitchen door, they followed 
  the tracks in the dust to the larder and began their assault 
  against the Cult of the Dragon.
  Ebon Wings
  The members of the Ebon Wings are Whaylon (a warlord), 
  Azalathar (an evoker), Emita (a blackguard), Ravek (a 
  warlock), and Serinna (an assassin). All are lawful evil, and 
  were hired by the Thayans to seek out the Wyrmskull Throne 
  after the Red Wizards failed to acquire it at Maelstrom.
   What They Want. The Ebon Wings were hired by a giant 
  death knight to search for the missing Wyrmskull Throne. 
  (This death knight is King Hekaton, raised by the Red 
  Wizards and now a servant of Szass Tam, the ancient lich 
  who rules Thay. The Ebon Wings have no idea of the death 
  knight’s true identity.)
   Hired Mercenaries. Though they might share similar goals 
  with the characters, the Ebon Wings are unwilling to share 
  loot or information unless they are completely defeated. They 
  know only that their patron, the giant death knight, sent them 
  to this location to seek information about the throne. Having 
  been paid in advance, they are content to report what they’ve 
  found and end their involvement in the search, and have no 
  interest in joining forces with the characters.
   Playing the Pillars. You can make use of the following 
  suggestions when running this encounter.
  Combat. If the characters attempt to intervene in the Ebon 
  Wings’ brutal interrogation of the cultists, Whaylon (the 
  group’s leader) tells them to clear off. If the characters 
  refuse, the Ebon Wings attack. See “Social” below for 
  making use of the cultists in combat.
  Exploration. The ground in the ritual chamber is 
  especially damp. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 
  Wisdom (Perception) check can spot a slippery patch of 
  dirt and lead one of the Ebon Wings into it during melee 
  combat. That enemy must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity 
  saving throw or fall prone.
  Social. Any character with a passive Wisdom (Insight) 
  score of 13 or higher, or who succeeds on a DC 13 
  Wisdom (Insight) check made to assess the Cult of the 
  Dragon followers, can tell that they are all terrified of the 
  Ebon Wings. A successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check convinces the ten cornered cultists and three cult 
  fanatics to assist the characters in combat. Though all 
  the cult followers have been disarmed, cultists can use 
  the Help action to aid the characters in combat, and 
  you can have the cult fanatics use their spells against 
  the Ebon Wings. The cultists fight for their own self-
  preservation first and foremost, though, and flee the fight 
  and the lair at the first opportunity, taking their wounded 
  comrades with them.
   Mystery Mission. If the characters parley with the 
  members of the Ebon Wings or question survivors after 
  defeating them, the mercenaries know only that their 
  patron, a giant death knight, sent them to this location 
  seeking information about the Wyrmskull Throne. If none 
  of the Ebon Wings survive a fight with the characters, this 
  information can be found on notes or a journal retrieved 
  from one of them.
   What’s Known of the Throne. Any of the cult fanatics 
  still present after a skirmish with the Ebon Wings are able 
  to confirm that the Cult of the Dragon has taken possession 
  of the Wyrmskull Throne, though none of these cultists 
  were involved in the raid on Maelstrom. They do not know 
  
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  where the throne currently is or what it is meant to be 
  used for, nor do they have any knowledge of King Hekaton 
  having been kidnapped by the cult. They do know that a 
  blue dracolich that has joined the cult has a particular 
  interest in the throne. If all the cult fanatics flee the fight, 
  a surviving cultist can share this information, or it can be 
  found in area U8.
   Treasure. The members of the Ebon Wings carry sacks 
  full of valuables and coins they’ve looted on other recent 
  jobs. (They were intending to loot Dragonhorn Manor after 
  finishing their business with the Cult of the Dragon.)
  U8. Storage
  This room is used to store candles and components required 
  for rituals calling on the power of Tiamat. Any character 
  doing a search of the room and succeeding on a DC 20 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers a well-hidden 
  secret entrance behind a shelf of components. Opening 
  the door reveals footprints in the soft floor, leading along 
  an upward-sloping dirt tunnel. With a successful DC 15 
  Wisdom (Survival) check, a character determines that two or 
  more people fled this way approximately an hour ago.
   If the characters could not obtain the information from 
  the cult fanatics or cultists in area U7, they find a small 
  backpack dropped here. The pack contains mundane 
  personal effects, plus an incomplete letter detailing the 
  information in “What’s Known of the Throne” above.
   The tunnel leads up to a secret trapdoor in a backyard 
  shed a few houses down from Dragonhorn Manor. If 
  questioned, the owners of the shed have no idea that the 
  trapdoor is there. Footprints through the yard show that 
  whoever fled the lair ran to the street and disappeared.
   Treasure. The characters can claim a selection of 
  valuable oils and incense from the cultists’ stores.
  Wrap-Up
  Estimated Duration: 20 minutes
  The characters’ incursion into Dragonhorn Manor has 
  gained them valuable information, but the trail of the 
  servants of the Cult of the Dragon has gone cold. If none of 
  the characters does so first, Zehira Deryan suggests that 
  their best course of action would be to return to Maelstrom 
  to brief Princess Serissa on what they have learned so far. 
  However, even as the characters leave Dragonhorn Manor, 
  they are met by an unexpected group of would-be allies.
  Unlikely Alliance
  The Thayan zulkir of enchantment, Dar’lon Ma, says that 
  he has learned of the troubles of the storm giant court, and 
  has information that he believes might prove helpful to the 
  party. As soon as the characters leave the manor, Dar’lon 
  and a small retinue approach them on the street. You can 
  read or paraphrase the following to set the scene:
  As you depart the manor, a figure steps out from a lane 
  farther along the street. They set their course for you, led by 
  a figure in the unmistakable robes of a Red Wizard of Thay.
  Dar’lon and his entourage are nonthreatening as they 
  approach the characters, stopping and nodding in greeting. 
  Dar’lon explains that he has had Dragonhorn Manor 
  watched for some time now, and says that if the characters 
  are investigating what went on there, he might have 
  information of use to them. He invites the characters to a 
  private meeting in a tavern he knows to talk more.
  Dar’lon Ma
  Lawful evil Thayan human enchanter
  Broad shouldered and oozing charisma, Dar’lon Ma is the 
  Thayan zulkir of enchantment—a consummate politician and 
  manipulator. While his bright smile serves to mark him as 
  approachable, his sizable frame and cautious body language 
  suggest that he is a formidable combatant.
   What They Want. Dar’lon Ma wants to ensure that the 
  characters are indebted to him in case he ever needs to call in 
  a favor in the future.
   Cunning Politician. One of the twelve zulkirs of Thay, 
  Dar’lon Ma uses his command of enchantment magic to 
  ensure that he remains in power and that his enemies are 
  kept at bay.
  Dar’lon Ma’s Offer
  Dar’lon Ma has important information about the location 
  of King Hekaton that he is willing to share if the characters 
  ally with him in their search. If the characters accept, 
  Dar’lon Ma then introduces them to a wizard named 
  Khynree (or reintroduces them if they sought Khynree’s aid 
  to read Maelstrom in part 1 of the adventure).
  Legacy Event: Ally of the Zulkir
  By accepting the zulkir’s aid, the characters gain 
  the Ally of the Zulkir legacy event.
   
  Rumors heard through agents and 
  informers suggest that King Hekaton has been kidnapped 
  by the Red Wizards and taken to the Thaymount, for 
  reasons unknown. (Dar’lon does not know that Hekaton 
  was killed in the attack on Maelstrom or that the king has 
  been raised as an undead.) On Dar’lon Ma’s instructions, 
  Khynree can assist the characters with gaining access to 
  Thay, allowing them to seek more information and attempt 
  to determine what’s happened to the king. If the characters 
  ask about his motivations for aiding them, Dar’lon says only 
  that he has longstanding disagreements with Thayan ruler 
  Szass Tam, and any trouble the characters can make for 
  that legendary lich would please the zulkir. (The characters 
  will learn more of Dar’lon Ma in the next adventure.)
   If the characters are not inclined to accept but have met 
  Khynree already, the wizard tries to sway them, telling 
  them (half truthfully) that Dar’lon Ma is trustworthy. If the 
  characters owe Khynree for teleporting them, agreeing to 
  work with Dar’lon Ma clears that debt.
   If the characters are noncommittal, they can return 
  to Princess Serissa with what they’ve learned. With 
  the characters having gained no word on her father’s 
  whereabouts, Serissa entreats them to continue onward to 
  the Thaymount, with or without Dar’lon Ma’s help, as his 
  information is the only lead the party has.
  Legacy Event: A Costly Ride
  Characters who owe Khynree and refuse to work 
  with Dar’lon Ma gain the A Costly Ride legacy 
  event.
  The choices the characters make at the end of this 
  adventure are key legacy events. They should be recorded, 
  as they affect the next adventure.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Rewards
  At the end of the session, the characters receive rewards 
  based upon their accomplishments.
  Character Rewards
  The characters earn the following rewards.
  Advancement
  A character participating in this adventure gains one level. 
  Players must tick the box to show that this reward has 
  been claimed.
  Optional: Declining Advancement
  Each player can decline advancement if they so choose, 
  gaining potential benefits. It’s possible that a player might 
  want their character to not advance outside of an adventure’s 
  level range, meaning that they’d be unable to play the 
  adventure as planned. Similarly, advancing too quickly means 
  that a character won’t earn as much gold as their peers.
   Conversely, remind the players that the amount of gold 
  their characters can earn per level is limited. Characters 
  declining advancement might reach a point where they no 
  longer earn gold.
  Gold
  Award each character gold for each hour of the session. 
  Adventures typically feature cues for where this treasure 
  appears, but you can add it wherever you see fit. The 
  maximum gold that you can award a character per hour is 
  determined by their tier, as follows:
  Tier
  Hourly GP Award
  GP Limit per Level
  1
  20 gp
  80 gp
  2
  30 gp
  240 gp
  3
  200 gp
  1,600 gp
  4
  750 gp
  6,000 gp
  Magic Items
  If found during the adventure, the characters can keep 
  the following magic items. These items are described in 
  appendix 4, “Character Rewards”:
  • Dragontooth dagger
  • Necklace of fireballs
  • Potion of supreme healing
  • Potion of water breathing
  • Shield of the uven rune
  Legacy Events
  The characters can gain either of the following legacy 
  events in this adventure.
  A Costly Ride. You offered a favor to the wizard Khynree 
  and passed up a chance to repay that debt. Since you 
  refused him once, your debt has grown. To clear your 
  debt, Khynree requires that you forfeit a common 
  or rarer permanent magic item or a rare or rarer 
  consumable magic item.
  Ally of the Zulkir. You have agreed to work with the 
  Thayan zulkir of enchantment, Dar’lon Ma.
  Dungeon Master Rewards
  For running this adventure, you earn a DM Reward. See 
  the Adventurers League Dungeon Master’s Guide for more 
  information.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Dramatis Personae
  The following NPCs feature prominently in this adventure.
  Dar’lon Ma
  (DAR-lon MA)
  Broad shouldered and oozing charisma, Dar’lon Ma is the 
  Thayan zulkir of enchantment—a consummate politician 
  and manipulator. While his bright smile serves to mark 
  him as approachable, his sizable frame and cautious body 
  language suggest that he is a formidable combatant.
  What They Want. Dar’lon Ma wants to ensure that the 
  characters are indebted to him in case he ever needs to 
  call in a favor in the future.
  Cunning Politician. One of the twelve zulkirs of Thay, 
  Dar’lon Ma uses his command of enchantment magic to 
  ensure that he remains in power and that his enemies 
  are kept at bay.
  Khynree
  (KEN-ree)
  A Turmishan wizard who has become indebted to the Red 
  Wizards, Khynree is currently in the employ of the Thayan 
  zulkir Dar’lon Ma, though he does not reveal this fact.
  Lakar Klotd
  (LUH-kar klot)
  Lakar has lived in the Mere of Dead Men his entire life, 
  and he is familiar with the unique dangers found there. An 
  agent of the Cult of the Dragon, he enjoys acting the part of 
  a simple fisher, and is friendly toward strangers to get them 
  close enough for his froghemoth companions to strike.
  What They Want. Lakar enjoys watching the froghemoths 
  feed—and the money the Cult of the Dragon provides 
  him for each potential intruder eaten makes it that much 
  sweeter for him.
  Opportunist. Always on the hunt for a way to make coin, 
  Lakar will consider any bargain—and will betray anyone 
  if there’s profit in it for him.
  Princess Serissa
  (SAH-riss-ah)
  The youngest daughter and chosen successor of King 
  Hekaton, Serissa is cool and calm, even as she understands 
  that others in the giant court covet her position.
  What They Want. To maintain peace among the giants, 
  Serissa must find her father and the Wyrmskull Throne, 
  and have whoever attacked Maelstrom face justice.
  Optimistic Leader. Serissa wants to believe that all 
  folk are innately good at heart. Reluctantly accepting 
  the mantle of ruler once more in her father’s stead, 
  she is determined to do everything she can to find 
  King Hekaton and return the Wyrmskull Throne to 
  Maelstrom. She fears that her father’s disappearance 
  will bring about a new rise in tensions between the giant 
  races, and knows that she must defuse those tensions if 
  she can.
  The Ebon Wings
  The members of the Ebon Wings are Whaylon (a warlord), 
  Azalathar (an evoker), Emita (a blackguard), Ravek (a 
  warlock), and Serinna (an assassin). All are lawful evil, 
  and were hired by the Thayans to seek out the Wyrmskull 
  Throne after the Red Wizards failed to acquire it at 
  Maelstrom.
  What They Want. The Ebon Wings were hired by a giant 
  death knight to search for the missing Wyrmskull 
  Throne. (This death knight is King Hekaton, raised by 
  the Red Wizards and now a servant of Szass Tam, the 
  ancient lich who rules Thay. The Ebon Wings have no 
  idea of the death knight’s true identity.)
  Hired Mercenaries. Though they might share similar 
  goals with the characters, the Ebon Wings are 
  unwilling to share loot or information unless they are 
  completely defeated. They know only that their patron, 
  the giant death knight, sent them to this location to 
  seek information about the throne. Having been paid in 
  advance, they are content to report what they’ve found 
  and end their involvement in the search, and have no 
  interest in joining forces with the characters.
  Zehira Deryan
  (zeh-HEER-uh DAIR-yuhn)
  Zehira is an experienced privateer, once the daughter of 
  Turmishan merchants. She has keen dark eyes, olive skin, 
  and black hair that she keeps in a tight braid.
  What They Want. Zehira possesses the Iltkazar Scepter, 
  and wants to make sure that this powerful relic does 
  not fall into the wrong hands. She aspires to protect the 
  greater good.
  Reckless at Heart. Zehira is intelligent and kind, but can 
  be a little reckless in her pursuit of adventure.
  Zexmanthass
  (ZECKS-man-thass)
  Like all yugoloths, Zexmanthass is a mercenary of the 
  highest order. When contacted by the Cult of the Dragon, 
  the arcanaloth agreed to undertake research into powerful 
  magic concerning liches on the cult’s behalf. Zexmanthass 
  takes pride in wearing fine robes set with intricate 
  embroidery and silk linings.
  What They Want. Zexmanthass’s all-consuming drive 
  in life is to acquire knowledge, and their well-paid 
  assignment with the Cult of the Dragon has provided 
  them with endless research opportunities.
  Knowledge Enthusiast. Zexmanthass cares little who 
  they work for, as long as their pursuit of knowledge can 
  continue. They are not concerned with the morality of 
  their employers.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Creature Statistics
  The following creatures appear in this adventure.
  Arcanaloth
  Arcanaloth
  Medium fiend (yugoloth), neutral evil
  Amor Class 17 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   20 (+5) 
  11 (+0) 
  19 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  15 (+2)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +9, Wis +7, Cha +7
  Skills Arcana +13, Deception +9, Insight +9, Perception +7
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical weapons
  Damage Immunities acid, poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned
  Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17
  Languages all, telepathy 60 ft.
  Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. The arcanaloth’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 15). The arcanaloth can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components.
  At will: alter self, darkness, heat metal, invisibility (self only), 
  magic missile
  Magic Resistance. The arcanaloth has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The arcanaloth’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Spellcasting. The arcanaloth is a 16th-level spellcaster. His 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit 
  with spell attacks). The arcanaloth has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mage hand, minor illusion, pres-
  tidigitation
  1st level (4 slots): detect magic, identify, shield, Tenser’s 
  floating disk
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, phantasmal 
  force, suggestion
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fear, fireball
  4th level (3 slots): banishment, greater invisibility
  5th level (3 slots): contact other plane, hold monster
  6th level (1 slot): chain lightning
  7th level (1 slot): finger of death
  8th level (1 slot): mind blank
  Actions
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage. The target must make a DC 14 
  Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a 
  failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Teleport. The arcanaloth magically teleports, along with 
  any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an 
  unoccupied space it can see.
  Assassin
  Assassin
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
  Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +5
  Skills Acrobatics +7, Deception +4, Perception +4, Stealth +11
  Damage Resistances poison
  Senses passive Perception 14
  Languages thieves’ cant plus any two languages
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Assassinate. During its first turn, the assassin has advantage on 
  attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit 
  the assassin scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.
  Evasion. If the assassin is subjected to an effect that allows it 
  to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the 
  assassin instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving 
  throw, and only half damage if it fails.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The assassin deals an extra 13 (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 assassin that isn’t incapacitated and the assassin 
  doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The assassin makes two shortsword attacks.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must 
  make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) 
  poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target 
  must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) 
  poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  
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  Azalathar (Evoker)
  Azalathar (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 +6, History +6
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages any four languages
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Spellcasting. The evoker is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 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 slot): 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 
  forces other creatures, it can choose a number of them equal 
  to 1+spell level. These creatures automatically succeed on their 
  saving throws against the spell. If a successful save means a 
  chosen creature would take half damage from the spell, it instead 
  takes no damage from it.
  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.
  Catoblepas
  Catoblepas
  Large monstrosity, unaligned
  Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)
  Hit Points 84 (8d10 + 40)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   19 (+4) 
  12 (+1) 
  21 (+5) 
  3 (−4) 
  14 (+2) 
  8 (−1)
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  Languages —
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Keen Smell. The catoblepas has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
  Stench. Any creature other than a catoblepas that starts its 
  turn within 10 feet of the catoblepas must succeed on a DC 16 
  Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the 
  creature’s next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is 
  immune to the stench of any catoblepas for 1 hour.
  Actions
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 
  21 (5d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed 
  on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the start 
  of the catoblepas’s next turn.
  Death Ray (Recharge 5–6). The catoblepas targets a creature 
  that it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 
  16 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage 
  on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. 
  If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target instead takes 
  64 necrotic damage. The target dies if reduced to 0 hit points 
  by this ray.
  Commoner
  Commoner
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 10
  Hit Points 4 (1d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 0 (10 XP)
  Actions
  Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 
  (1d4) bludgeoning damage.
  Cult Fanatic
  Cult Fanatic
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
  Armor Class 13 (leather armor)
  Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  14 (+2)
  Skills Deception +4, Persuasion +4, Religion +2
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Dark Devotion. The fanatic has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed or frightened.
  Spellcasting. The fanatic is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting 
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11, +3 to hit with spell attacks). 
  The fanatic has the following cleric spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
  1st level (4 slots): command, inflict wounds, shield of faith
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person, spiritual weapon
  Actions
  Multiattack. The fanatic makes two melee attacks.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Cultist
  Cultist
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
  Armor Class 12 (leather armor)
  Hit Points 9 (2d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Skills Deception +2, Religion +2
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
  Dark Devotion. The cultist has advantage on saving throws 
  against being charmed or frightened.
  Actions
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. 
  Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage.
  Emita (Blackguard)
  Emita (Blackguard)
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
  Armor Class 18 (plate)
  Hit Points 153 (18d8 + 72)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  11 (+0) 
  18 (+4) 
  11 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2)
  Saving Throws WIS +5, CHA +5
  Skills Athletics +7, Deception +5, Intimidation +5
  Senses passive Perception 12
  Languages any one language (usually Common)
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Spellcasting. The blackguard is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It has the following paladin spells prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): command, protection from evil and good, thun-
  derous smite
  2nd level (3 slots): branding smite, find steed
  3rd level (2 slots): blinding smite, dispel magic
  Actions
  Multiattack. The blackguard makes three attacks with its glaive or 
  its shortbow.
  Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage.
  Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
  Dreadful Aspect (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The 
  blackguard exudes magical menace. Each enemy within 30 feet of 
  the blackguard must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw 
  or be frightened for 1 minute. If a frightened target ends its turn 
  more than 30 feet away from the blackguard, the target can repeat 
  the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Froghemoth
  Froghemoth
  Huge monstrosity, unaligned
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80)
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   23 (+6) 
  13 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  2 (−4) 
  12 (+1) 
  5 (−3)
  Saving Throws Con +9, Wis +5
  Skills Perception +9, Stealth +5
  Damage Resistances fire, lightning
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19
  Languages —
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Amphibious. The froghemoth can breathe air and water.
  Shock Susceptibility. If the froghemoth takes lightning damage, 
  it suffers several effects until the end of its next turn: tis speed is 
  halved, it takes a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, 
  it can’t use reactions or Multiattack, and on its turn, it can use 
  either an action or a bonus action, not both.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The froghemoth makes two attacks with its 
  tentacles. It can also use its tongue or bite.
  Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 20 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage and the creature 
  is grappled (escape DC 16) if it is a Huge or smaller creature. 
  Until the grapple ends, the froghemoth can’t use this tentacle on 
  another target. The froghemoth has four tentacles.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage, and the creature is swallowed if it 
  is a Medium or smaller creature. A swallowed creature is blinded 
  and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects 
  outside the froghemoth, and takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the 
  start of each of the froghemoth’s turns.
   The froghemoth’s gullet can hold up to two creatures at a time. 
  If the froghemoth takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from 
  a creature inside it, the froghemoth must succeed on a DC 20 
  Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all 
  swallowed creatures, each of which falls prone in a space within 
  10 feet of the froghemoth. If the froghemoth dies, a swallowed 
  creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the 
  corpse using 10 feet of movement, exiting prone.
  Tongue. The froghemoth targets one Medium or smaller creature 
  that it can see within 20 feet of it. The target must make a DC 18 
  Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target is pulled into 
  an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the froghemoth, and the 
  froghemoth can make a bite attack against it as a bonus action.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Gelatinous Cube
  Gelatinous Cube
  Large ooze, unaligned
  Armor Class 6
  Hit Points 84 (8d10 + 40)
  Speed 15 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   14 (+2) 
  3 (−4) 
  20 (+5) 
  1 (−5) 
  6 (−2) 
  10(−5)
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion 
  frightened, prone
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 8
  Languages —
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Ooze Cube. The cube takes up its entire space. Other creatures 
  can enter the space, but a creature that does so is subjected to 
  the cube’s Engulf and has disadvantage on the saving throw.
   Creatures inside the cube can be seen but have total cover.
   A creature within 5 feet of the cube can take an action to pull a 
  creature or object out of the cube. Doing so requires a successful 
  DC 12 Strength check, and the creature making the attempt takes 
  10 (3d6) acid damage. The cube can hold only one Large creature 
  or up to four Medium or smaller creatures inside it at a time.
  Transparent. Even when the cube is in plain sight, it takes a 
  successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot a cube that 
  has neither moved nor attacked. A creature that tries to enter the 
  cube’s space while unaware of the cube is surprised by the cube.
  Actions
  Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  creature. Hit: 10 (3d6) acid damage.
  Engulf. The cube moves up to its speed. While doing so, it can 
  enter Large or smaller creatures’ spaces. Whenever the cube 
  enters a creature’s space, the creature must make a DC 12 
  Dexterity saving throw.
  On a successful save, the creature can choose to be pushed 5 feet 
  back or to the side of the cube. A creature that chooses not to be 
  pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw.
   On a failed save, the cube enters the creature’s space, and 
  the creature takes 10 (3d6) acid damage and is engulfed. The 
  engulfed creature can’t breathe, is restrained, and takes 21 (6d6) 
  acid damage at the start of each of the cube’s turns. When the 
  cube moves, the engulfed creature moves with it.
   An engulfed creature can try to escape by taking an action to 
  make a DC 12 Strength check. On a success, the creature escapes 
  and enters a space of its choice within 5 feet of the cube.
  Giant Crocodile
  Giant Crocodile
  Huge beast, unaligned
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 85 (9d12 + 27)
  Speed 30 ft., swim 50 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   21 (+5) 
  9 (−1) 
  17 (+3) 
  2 (−4) 
  10 (+0) 
  7 (−2)
  Skills Stealth +5
  Senses passive Perception 10
  Languages —
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Hold Breath. The crocodile can hold its breath for 30 minutes.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The crocodile makes two attacks: one with its bite 
  and one with its tail.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 
  21 (3d10 +52) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape 
  DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the 
  crocodile can’t bite another target.
  Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target not 
  grappled by the crocodile. Hit: 14 (2d8 +5) bludgeoning damage. 
  If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC Strength 
  saving throw or be knocked prone.
  Giant Mimic
  Giant Mimic
  Large monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral
  Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20)
  Speed 15 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  15 (+2) 
  5 (−3) 
  13 (+1) 
  8 (−1)
  Skills Stealth +3
  Damage Immunities acid
  Condition Immunities prone
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages —
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Shapechanger. The mimic can use its action to polymorph into an 
  object or back into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the 
  same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t 
  transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
  Adhesive (Object Form Only). The mimic adheres to anything that 
  touches it. A Huge or smaller creature adhered to the mimic is 
  also grappled by it (escape DC 13). Ability checks made to escape 
  this grapple have disadvantage.
  False Appearance (Object Form Only). While the mimic remains 
  motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary object.
  Grappler. The mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any 
  creature grappled by it.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The giant mimic attacks twice with its pseudopod 
  and once with its bite.
  Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the mimic is in 
  object form, the target is subjected to its Adhesive trait.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 
  (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Helmed Horror
  Helmed Horror
  Medium construct, neutral
  Armor Class 20 (plate, shield)
  Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  13 (+1) 
  16 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Skills Perception +4
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 
  nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine
  Damage Immunities force, necrotic, poison
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, 
  paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 14
  Languages understands the languages of its creator but can’t 
  speak
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Magic Resistance. The helmed horror has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Spell Immunity. The helmed horror is immune to three spells 
  chosen by its creator. Typical immunities include fireball, heat 
  metal, and lightning bolt.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The helmed horror makes two longsword attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage, or 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing 
  damage if used with two hands.
  Huge Gray Ooze
  Huge Gray Ooze
  Huge ooze, unaligned
  Armor Class 8
  Hit Points 152 (16d12 + 48)
  Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  6 (−2) 
  16 (+3) 
  1 (−5) 
  6 (−2) 
  2 (−4)
  Skills Stealth +2
  Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, 
  frightened, prone
  Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), 
  passive Perception 8
  Languages —
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Amorphous. The ooze can move through a space as narrow as 1 
  inch wide without squeezing.
  Corrode Metal. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal that 
  hits the ooze corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes 
  a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its 
  penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical 
  ammunition made of metal that hits the ooze is destroyed after 
  dealing damage. 
   The ooze can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical metal 
  in 1 round.
  False Appearance. While the ooze remains motionless, it is 
  indistinguishable from an oily pool or wet rock.
  Enlarge (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). For 1 minute, 
  the ooze magically increases in size. While enlarged, the ooze is 
  Gargantuan, doubles its damage dice with its pseudopod attack, 
  and makes Strength checks and Strength saving throws with 
  advantage.
  Invisibility (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The ooze 
  magically turns invisible for up to 1 hour until it attacks, it uses 
  its Enlarge, or its concentration is broken (as if concentrating 
  on a spell).
  Actions
  Multiattack. The Huge Gray Ooze can make two attacks with its 
  pseudopods.
  Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 21 (6d6) acid damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage, or 
  42 (12d6) acid damage while the ooze is enlarged. If the target is 
  wearing nonmagical metal armor, its armor is partly corroded and 
  takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it offers. 
  The armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10.
  Hydra
  Hydra
  Huge monstrosity, unaligned
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 172 (15d12 + 75)
  Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   20 (+5) 
  12 (+1) 
  20 (+5) 
  2 (−4) 
  10 (+0) 
  7 (−2)
  Skills Perception +6
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  Languages —
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Hold Breath. The hydra can hold its breath for 1 hour.
  Multiple Heads. The hydra has five heads. While it has more than 
  one head, the hydra has advantage on saving throws against 
  being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and 
  knocked unconscious. 
   Whenever the hydra takes 25 or more damage in a single turn, 
  one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, the hydra dies. 
   At the end of its turn, it grows two heads for each of its heads 
  that died since its last turn, unless it has taken fire damage 
  since its last turn. The hydra regains 10 hit points for each head 
  regrown in this way.
  Reactive Heads. For each head the hydra has beyond one, it gets 
  an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks.
  Wakeful. While the hydra sleeps, at least one of its 
  heads is awake.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The hydra makes as many bite attacks as it 
  has heads.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 
  10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Ooze Master
  Ooze Master
  Huge undead, lawful evil
  Armor Class 9 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 138 (12d12 + 60)
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   16 (+3) 
  1 (−5) 
  20 (+5) 
  17 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +4
  Skills Arcana +7, Insight +4
  Damage Resistances lightning, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities acid, cold, poison
  Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, 
  frightened, paralyzed, poisoned, prone
  Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Common, Primordial, Thayan
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the ooze master or hits 
  it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 9 (2d8) acid 
  damage. Any nonmagical weapon that hits the ooze master 
  corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent 
  and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to 
  −5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition that hits 
  the ooze master is destroyed after dealing damage.
   The ooze master can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical 
  wood or metal in 1 round.
  Instinctive Attack. When the ooze master casts a spell with a 
  casting time of 1 action, it can make one pseudopod attack as a 
  bonus action.
  Spellcasting. The ooze master is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): acid splash, friends, mage hand, poison spray
  1st level (4 slots): charm person, detect magic, magic missile, ray 
  of sickness
  2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, Melf’s acid arrow, suggestion
  3rd level (3 slots): fear, slow, stinking cloud
  4th level (3 slots): confusion, Evard’s black tentacles
  5th level (1 slot): cloudkill
  Spider Climb. The ooze master can climb difficult surfaces, 
  including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an 
  ability check.
  Actions
  Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) 
  acid damage.
  Reactions
  Instinctive Charm. If a creature the ooze master can see makes an 
  attack roll against it while within 30 feet of it, the ooze master can 
  use a reaction to divert the attack if another creature is within the 
  attack’s range. The attacker must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving 
  throw. On a failed save, the attacker targets the creature that is 
  closest to it, not including itself or the ooze master. If multiple 
  creatures are closest, the attacker chooses which one to target. 
  On a successful save, the attacker is immune to this Instinctive 
  Charm for 24 hours. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune 
  to this effect.
  Quickling
  Quickling
  Tiny fey, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16
  Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3)
  Speed 120 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   4 (−3) 
  23 (+6) 
  13 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  7 (−2)
  Skills Acrobatics +8, Perception +5, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +8
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  Languages Common, Sylvan
  Challenge 1 (200 XP)
  Blurred Movement. Attack rolls against the quickling have 
  disadvantage unless the quickling is incapacitated or restrained.
  Evasion. If the quickling is subjected to an effect that allows it to 
  make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead 
  takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half 
  damage if it fails.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The quickling makes three dagger attacks.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 +6) piercing damage.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Ravek (Warlock of the Fiend)
  Ravek (Warlock of the Fiend)
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7
  Skills Arcana +4, Deception +7, Persuasion +7, Religion +4
  Damage Resistances slashing damage from nonmagical attacks 
  not made with silvered weapons
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages any two languages (usually Abyssal or Infernal)
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells (spell save DC 
  15), requiring no material components:
  At will: alter self, false life, levitate (self only), mage armor (self 
  only), silent image
  Spellcasting. The warlock is a 17th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It regains expended spell slots when it finishes a 
  short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, fire bolt, friends, mage hand, minor 
  illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp
  1st-5th level (4 5th-level slots): banishment, burning hands, flame 
  strike, hellish rebuke, magic circle, scorching ray, scrying, stinking 
  cloud, suggestion, wall of fire
  Dark One’s Own Luck (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). 
  When the warlock makes an ability check or saving throw, it can 
  add a d10 to the roll. It can do this after the roll is made but 
  before any of the roll’s effects occur.
  Actions
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  3 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage.
  Rot Troll
  Rot Troll
  Large giant, chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 138 (12d10 + 720)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  13 (+1) 
  22 (+6) 
  5 (−3) 
  8 (−1) 
  4(−3)
  Skills Perception +3
  Damage Immunities Necrotic
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  Languages Giant
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Rancid Degeneration. At the end of each of the troll’s turns, 
  each creature within 5 feet of it takes 11 (2d10) necrotic damage, 
  unless the troll has taken acid or fire damage since the end of its 
  last turn.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The troll makes three attacks: one with its bite and 
  two with its claws.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 
  (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 16 (3d10) necrotic damage.
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 5 (1d10) necrotic damage.
  Serinna (Assassin)
  Serinna (Assassin)
  Medium humanoid (any race), any non-good alignment
  Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  10 (+0)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +5
  Skills Acrobatics +7, Deception +4, Perception +4, Stealth +11
  Damage Resistances poison
  Senses passive Perception 14
  Languages thieves’ cant plus any two languages
  Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
  Assassinate. During its first turn, the assassin has advantage on 
  attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit 
  the assassin scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.
  Evasion. If the assassin is subjected to an effect that allows it 
  to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the 
  assassin instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving 
  throw, and only half damage if it fails.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The assassin deals an extra 13 (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 assassin that isn’t incapacitated and the assassin 
  doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The assassin makes two shortsword attacks.
  Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must 
  make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) 
  poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 
  ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target 
  must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) 
  poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Whaylon (Warlord)
  Whaylon (Warlord)
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 20 (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 Common, Giant
  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 
  regains 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 the warlord’s next turn.
  Zehira Deryan
  Zehira Deryan
  Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
  Armor Class 19 (mariner’s studded leather, shield +1)
  Hit Points 90 (12d10 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   12 (+2) 
  18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  16 (+3) 
  14 (+2)
  Saving Throws Dex +9, Int +5
  Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +12, Insight +8, Perception +8, 
  Persuasion +12, Stealth +9, Survival +8
  Senses passive Perception 18
  Languages Common, Elvish, Infernal, Primordial, Sahuagin, 
  thieves’ cant
  Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
  Cunning Action. Zehira can take a bonus action on each of her 
  turns to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
  Fancy Footwork. During her turn, if Zehira makes a melee attack 
  against a creature, that creature can’t make opportunity attacks 
  against her for the rest of her turn.
  Rakish Audacity. Zehira adds her Charisma modifier (+2) to her 
  initiative rolls. She doesn’t need advantage on the attack roll 
  to use Sneak Attack against a creature if she is within 5 ft. of it, 
  no other creatures are within 5 ft. of her, and she doesn’t have 
  disadvantage on the attack roll.
  Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Zehira deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage 
  when she hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage 
  on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally that 
  isn’t incapacitated and Zehira doesn’t have disadvantage on the 
  attack roll. Also see Rakish Audacity.
  Spellcasting. Zehira is a 12th–level spellcaster. Her spellcasting 
  ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). 
  Zehira has the following ranger spells prepared:
  1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, goodberry, zephyr strike
  2nd level (3 slots): darkvision, lesser restoration
  3rd level (2 slots): water breathing
  ACTIONS
  Multiattack. Zehira makes two attacks with either her club, 
  dagger, or rapier.
  Club +3. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 9 (1d4 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 + 6) piercing damage.
  Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.
  Mariner’s Studded Leather
  While wearing this armor, Zehira has a swimming speed 
  equal to her walking speed. In addition, whenever she starts 
  her turn underwater with 0 hit points, the armor causes her to 
  rise 60 feet toward the surface. The armor is decorated with 
  fish and shell motifs.
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  D1
  D1
  D2
  D2
  D2
  D2
  D2
  D2
  D2
  D2
  T1
  T1
  T2
  T2
  T1
  T1
  T1
  T1
  T2
  T2
  T3
  T3
  T3
  T3
  T4
  T4
  T5
  T5
  Appendix 1: Drybed Map
  Appendix 1: Drybed Map
  
  33
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  D1
  D1
  D2
  D2
  D3
  D3
  D4
  D4
  D6
  D6
  D5
  D5
  D4
  D4
  D9
  D9
  D9
  D9
  D10
  D10
  D9
  D9
  D9
  D9
  D8
  D8
  D7
  D7
  B2
  B2
  B1
  B1
  B3
  B3
  B4
  B4
  B5
  B5
  B6
  B6
  B8
  B8
  B7
  B7
  Appendix 2: Dragonhorn Manor and 
  Appendix 2: Dragonhorn Manor and 
  Underground Lair Map
  Underground Lair Map
  
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  Player Map
  
  You can give these pages as a handout to the players as the 
  characters interact with the members of the giant court.
  Appendix 3: The Giant Court
  Appendix 3: The Giant Court
  Princess Serissa
  Chaotic good storm giant
  The youngest daughter and chosen successor of 
  King Hekaton, Serissa is cool and calm, even as she 
  understands that others in the giant court covet her 
  position.
  What They Want. To maintain peace among the 
  giants, Serissa must find her father and the 
  Wyrmskull Throne, and have whoever attacked 
  Maelstrom face justice.
  Thellan
  Chaotic good storm giant
  Thellan has icy white hair, in stark contrast to his 
  warm demeanor. A longtime resident of Maelstrom, 
  Thellan and his sister Hestia grew up with Princess 
  Serissa and her sisters.
  What They Want. Thellan wants to protect his 
  sister Hestia, and worries that her friendship with 
  Princess Serissa makes her a target for control by 
  the other giants of the court.
  Hestia
  Chaotic good storm giant
  With her great height and long, silky-white hair, 
  Hestia carries herself like the noble she is. A longtime 
  resident of Maelstrom, Hestia and her brother Thellan 
  grew up with Princess Serissa and her sisters.
  What They Want. Hestia has been friends with 
  Princess Serissa since childhood, and wants to help 
  her friend stop the endless bickering among the 
  giant races.
  Count Nimbian
  Neutral good cloud giant
  Having only just arrived at court, Count Nimbian is 
  more convinced than ever that the storm giants are 
  unfit to rule. Wearing a pale-green robe and carrying 
  an eighteen-foot-long staff, Nimbian stands out among 
  the other giants in residence at the court.
  What They Want. Count Nimbian hopes to gather 
  enough evidence of the incompetence of the ruling 
  family to convince the other cloud giants to rally 
  behind him, pushing for a higher place for their kind 
  in the ordning—with him as the giants’ new leader
  Jarl Frella
  Neutral evil frost giant
  Jarl Frella has braided blue hair only slightly lighter 
  than her skin, wears a majestic horned helm, and 
  carries a gigantic battleaxe. Like most frost giants, her 
  countenance is as cold as the territory she rules in the 
  Sea of Moving Ice.
  What They Want. Jarl Frella has been at court for 
  some time now, and is quite tired of listening to Lord 
  Mephyr prattle on about his conquests.
  Kralvar
  Neutral stone giant
  Kralvar has dark-gray skin and wears a tunic made 
  of animal pelts. Most of the time, he sits with an 
  expression that makes him appear lost in his own 
  thoughts. In actuality, Kralvar pays close attention to 
  everything happening around him.
  What They Want. Kralvar is in attendance at the giant 
  court in the hope of seeing some semblance of order 
  restored among the giants, so that the members of 
  his tribe can go back to their peaceful way of life.
  Murgen
  Chaotic evil hill giant
  Murgen has deeply tanned skin and a hulking figure. 
  As the leader of her tribe, she has grown accustomed 
  to having food at her leisure, and she believes that if 
  the hill giants were elevated in status, it would improve 
  her life even more.
  What They Know. Murgen is deeply distrustful of all 
  the other giants. But she believes that Kralvar in 
  particular has been acting aloof and suspicious.
  Lord Mephyr
  Lawful evil fire giant
  With dark skin and flaming-red hair, Lord Mephyr has 
  a commanding presence in any room. The fire giant 
  is proud of his days as a solider, and is always ready 
  to tell a tale of some village or other that he single-
  handedly conquered.
  What They Want. Lord Mephyr wants the giant 
  empire to resume its prior state of glory, and 
  reconquer all the territory of their kingdoms of old. 
  He distrusts Count Nimbian, who he describes as 
  being secretive.
  
  36
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  The characters can keep the following magic items if they 
  are found during the adventure. It is suggested that you 
  print off enough copies of this page to be able to give one 
  to each of your players, crossing out rewards they didn’t 
  receive during the session.
  Dragontooth Dagger
  Weapon (dagger), rare
  A dagger fashioned from the tooth of a dragon. While the 
  blade is obviously a fang or predator’s tooth, the handle is 
  leather wrapped around the root of the tooth, and there is 
  no cross-guard.
   You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls you 
  make with this weapon. On a hit with this weapon, the 
  target takes an extra 1d6 acid damage.
   Draconic Potency. Against enemies of the Cult of the 
  Dragon, the dagger’s bonus to attack rolls and damage 
  rolls increases to +2, and the extra acid damage increases 
  to 2d6.
   This item is found in Tyranny of Dragons.
  Necklace of Fireballs
  Wondrous Item, rare
  This necklace has 6 beads hanging from it. You can use 
  an action to detach a bead and throw it up to 60 feet 
  away. When it reaches the end of its trajectory, the bead 
  detonates as a 3rd-level fireball spell (save DC 15). You can 
  hurl multiple beads, or even the whole necklace, as one 
  action. When you do so, increase the level of the fireball by 
  1 for each bead beyond the first. This item is found in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Potion of Supreme Healing
  Potion, very rare
  You regain 10d4+20 hit points when you drink this potion. 
  The potion’s red liquid glimmers when agitated. This item 
  is found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Potion of Water Breathing
  Potion, uncommon
  You can breathe underwater for 1 hour after drinking this 
  potion. Its cloudy green fluid smells of the sea and has a 
  jellyfish-like bubble floating in it. This item is found in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Shield of the Uven Rune
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)
  This shield is made from the scale of an ancient white 
  dragon. It has a rune burned into its outward-facing side. 
  A character who examines the rune and succeeds on a DC 
  20 Intelligence (History) check recognizes it as an uven 
  (“enemy” in Giant) rune that confers great power.
   While holding the shield, you benefit from the following 
  properties.
   Winter’s Friend. You are immune to cold damage.
   Deadly Rebuke. Immediately after a creature hits you 
  with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deal 3d6 
  necrotic damage to that creature.
   Bane. You can cast the bane spell from the shield (save 
  DC 17). The spell does not require concentration and lasts 
  for 1 minute. Once you cast the spell from the shield, you 
  can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
   Gift of Vengeance. You can transfer the shield’s magic 
  to a nonmagical weapon by tracing the uven rune on the 
  weapon with one finger. The transfer takes 8 hours of 
  work that requires the two items to be within 5 feet of each 
  other. At the end, the shield is destroyed, and the rune is 
  etched or burned into the chosen weapon. This weapon 
  becomes a rare magic item that requires attunement. It 
  has the properties of a +1 weapon. The bonus increases to 
  +3 when the weapon is used against one of the following 
  creature types, chosen by you at the time of the magic 
  weapon’s creation: aberrations, celestials, constructs, 
  dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, or undead.
   This item is found in Waterdeep: Dungeon of the 
  Mad Mage.
  Legacy Events
  The characters might earn either of the following legacy 
  event story awards in this adventure.
  A Costly Ride
  You offered a favor to the wizard Khynree and passed up a 
  chance to repay that debt. Since you refused him once, your 
  debt has grown. To clear your debt, Khynree requires that 
  you forfeit a common or rarer permanent magic item or a 
  rare or rarer consumable magic item.
  Ally of the Zulkir
  You have agreed to work with the Thayan zulkir of 
  enchantment, Dar’lon Ma.
  Appendix 4: Character Rewards
  Appendix 4: Character Rewards
  
  37
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  DDAL-DRW04 Foreign Affairs (v1.0)
  To run an adventure as a DM, you must have three to 
  seven players, each with their own character within the 
  adventure’s level range (see the “Adventure Primer” section 
  at the start of the adventure).
  New to D&D Adventurers League?
  Information about the Adventurers League, including 
  finding places to play, organizing events, and a list of 
  supporting resources and documents, can be found here:
  http://dnd.wizards.com/playevents/organized-play.
  New to the Annual Storyline?
  You can find out more about the Dreams of Red Wizards 
  storyline here: 
  http://dndadventurersleague.org/storyline-seasons/dreams-
  of-the-red-wizards/
  Preparing the Adventure
  Before you start play, consider the following:
  • Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything 
  you’d like to highlight or remind yourself of while 
  running the adventure, such as a way you’d like to 
  portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in a combat. 
  Familiar yourself with the adventure’s appendices 
  and handouts.
  • Gather any resources you’d like to use to aid you in 
  running this adventure--such as notecards, a DM screen, 
  miniatures, and battlemaps.
  • Ask the players to provide you with relevant character 
  information, such as name, race, class, and level; passive 
  Perception score, and anything the adventures specifies 
  as notable (such as backgrounds, traits, flaws, etc.)
   Players can play an adventure they previously played as 
  a Player or Dungeon Master but may only play it once with 
  a given character. Ensure each player has their character’s 
  adventure logsheet (if not, get one from the organizer) 
  with their starting values for level, magic items, gold and 
  downtime days. These are updated at the conclusion of the 
  session. The adventure information and your information 
  are added at the end of the adventure session—whether the 
  completed the adventure or not.
   Each player is responsible for maintaining an accurate 
  logsheet. If you have time, you can do a quick scan of a 
  player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing looks out 
  of order. If you see magic items of very high rarities or 
  strange arrays of ability scores, you can ask players to 
  provide documentation for the irregularities. If they cannot, 
  feel free to restrict item use or ask them to use a standard 
  ability score array.
   Point players to the D&D Adventurers League Players 
  Guide for reference. If players wish to spend downtime 
  days and it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode, 
  they can declare their activity and spend the days now, 
  or they can do so at the end of the adventure or episode. 
  Players should select their characters’ spells and other 
  daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless 
  the adventure specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the 
  adventure description to help give players hints about what 
  they might face.
  Adjusting This Adventure
  To determine whether you should consider adjusting the 
  adventure, add up the total levels of all the characters and 
  divide the result by the number of characters (rounding .5 
  or greater up; .4 or less down). This is the group’s average 
  party level (APL). To approximate the party strength for 
  the adventure, consult the table below.
  Determining Party Strength
  Party Composition Party 
  Party Strength
  3-4 characters, APL less than 
  Very weak
  3-4 characters, APL equivalent 
  Weak
  3-4 characters, APL greater than 
  Average
  5 characters, APL less than 
  Weak
  5 characters, APL equivalent 
  Average
  5 characters, APL greater than 
  Strong
  6-7 characters, APL less than 
  Average
  6-7 characters, APL equivalent 
  Strong
  6-7 characters, APL greater than 
  Very strong
  Appendix 5. Dungeon Master Tips
  Appendix 5. Dungeon Master Tips
  
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