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  Weathering the Storm 
  prove your salt and sail into the eye of the storm. 
   
   
   
  Episode 9 of Convergence Manifesto 
   
  An Across Eberron Adventure 
   
  CREDITS 
   
  Writer: Jarrod Taylor 
   
  Editors: Will Brolley, Wayne Chang, Laura Hirsbrunner 
  Executive Producer: Keith Baker 
   
  Cover Art & Design: Kristóf Köteles, Laura Hirsbrunner 
  Interior Art: Kristóf Köteles 
  Maps: Anthony Turco 
  Layout: Wayne Chang, Laura Hirsbrunner 
   
  Playtesters: Erin Crane, Andy Fuller, Zach Hammit, Matt House, Cody Steward 
   
  Special thanks to my father for encouraging me to pursue dreams, to my spouse Nicky for 
  putting up with my pirate ramblings, to the editors for helping to shape this adventure, 
  and to Keith Baker for creating this marvelous world which we all love. 
   
  Published by Across Eberron, an Eberron community project. 
   
   
   
  Disclaimer: Across Eberron is not responsible for any strained relationships with House Lyrandar created by adventurers who seek to steal their own private airship. At the behest of 
  the High Prince, we remind you that piracy is bad, no matter how fashionable the lifestyle is. 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their 
  respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. 
   
  This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon 
  Masters Guild. 
   
  All other original material in this work is copyright 2020 by Across Eberron and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
   
   
  
   
  4 
   
  INTRODUCTION 
  Welcome to Weathering the Storm, episode 9 of Convergence 
  Manifesto, an Across Eberron adventure path. This adventure is 
  the sequel to AE01-08: March of Madness, available on the 
  Dungeon Masters Guild, using characters and story elements 
  introduced in the previous adventure. This adventure plays best 
  when used in conjunction with either Eberron: Rising from the 
  Last War or the Wayfinder’s Guide to Eberron by Keith Baker. 
  DMs and players may also enjoy the easy reference materials 
  provided in Across Eberron’s Eberronicon: A Pocket Guide to 
  the World. 
   Weathering the Storm is an adventure designed for five 5th 
  level characters. It offers players a chance to explore 
  swashbuckling action and high stakes in the world of Eberron. 
  Characters will have a chance to explore the islands and seas of 
  the Lhazaar Principalities, taking to the skies and ocean waves. 
  SUMMARY 
  After making some backroom deals, Provost N. Faurious has 
  procured an Aethervane, an astrolabe-like instrument used to 
  navigate manifest zones. Unfortunately for the Provost, the 
  Riedran ship that was carrying the Aethervane across the Sea of 
  Rage to deliver it to their agent in Regalport fell victim to piracy. 
  The player characters are dispatched to Regalport to meet up 
  with the Provost’s agent there and petition High Prince Rygar 
  for more information about the stolen cargo. 
   When the characters dock in Regalport, they meet the 
  Provost’s contact and are ushered into a meeting with High 
  Prince Rygar. Wishing to show his intolerance for piracy, Rygar 
  charters one of his own ships for the party’s use as they 
  investigate the stolen cargo. Upon arriving at the crash site of 
  the stolen cargo, the party is set upon by a fleet of pirates known 
  as the Wind Whisperers. When things turn sour, a new surprise 
  reveals itself as an unnatural storm rolls in, a stolen airship at 
  its heart. The Wind Whisperers have found a way to convert the 
  Aethervane to serve their own purposes.  
   Seeking aid from Rygar and House Lyrandar, the heroes 
  chase after the pirates by sail and airship. As they do, they are 
  bedeviled by the Chaos Fleet—strange ships sailed by an even 
  stranger crew that are drawn to the Aethervane and the chaos it 
  brings.  
   In a final airborne confrontation, the party boards the rogue 
  airship and retrieves the sought-after artifact, with a chance to 
  salvage or sink the stolen vessel in the process… 
   
  THE LHAZAAR PRINCIPALITIES 
  Off the eastern coast of Khorvaire, the Lhazaar Principalities are a 
  chain of islands that run the entire length of the continent. Inhabited 
  mostly by sailors of all races and the descendants of elven refugees, 
  the islands are grouped into principalities governed by regional 
  princes. A principality is measured by the size and strength of a fleet, 
  rather than the size of the island where they make port. Some of the 
  isles are unsettled, but filled with history, legends, and mystery.  
  RUNNING THE ADVENTURE 
  Weathering the Storm is a swashbuckling action-packed 
  adventure intended for five 5th-level characters and designed to 
  take approximately 3-4 hours of game time. If you find yourself 
  with time to spare, you may also wish to introduce the three 
  bonus scenes. Each is expected to add around 20 minutes to 
  your game. 
   
  All monster stat blocks needed for encounters in this adventure 
  are contained in Appendix A: Bestiary. 
   While running the adventure, look out for the following 
  formatting: 
   
  Text like this is intended to be read aloud or paraphrased for your 
  players. 
   
  Sidebars like this contain rules reminders, reveal background Eberron 
  lore, or point you to sources to learn more. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  5 
   
  CAST OF CHARACTERS  
  Weathering the Storm follows the player characters as they 
  meet pirates and princes alike. These are the colorful characters 
  they encounter along the way. 
  MAJOR CHARACTERS 
  Ishmael (ISH-mail). The characters’ contact in Regalport, 
  Ishmael is an old sea salt and infrequent contact of Provost N. 
  Faurious. A tall and slender changeling born in the 
  Principalities, Ishmael has a knack for knowing the right people 
  and keeping a keen ear on worthwhile rumors. An ex-sailor, 
  Ishmael enjoys spinning a different tale every time someone 
  asks about the peg leg, when in truth it was an unfortunate 
  rigging accident. 
   Personality: I am a friend to all, for more friends mean more 
  knowledge and experiences to learn. 
   Ideal: I want to be part of something worthy of remembrance.  
   Bond: Seeking knowledge is what I live for. 
   Flaw: I often ignore the shortcomings of those I consider allies. 
  My thirst for gossip has gotten me in trouble before. 
   
  Thariv Brightwind (THAIR-ivh BRITE-wind). Half-elf captain of 
  the Kiss of Thunder, Thariv is a fierce sailor who sails under the 
  flag of her father. Years of piracy have taken their toll, and she 
  compensates for her missing eye with the aid of her 
  pseudodragon familiar, Spittlerime. Thariv bears an aberrant 
  dragonmark, a mixed mark from her Lyrandar father and 
  rumored Thuranni mother, which gives her powers over storms 
  and skies. Even so, without the Mark of Storm, she cannot pilot 
  her own ship, but relies on Lyrandar excoriates to control the 
  elemental therein. 
   Personality: Bold and confident, I laugh at danger and carve 
  my own destiny. 
   Ideal: The sea is mine to command, and my mastery of the 
  storm is proof by birthright. 
   Bond: I will do whatever it takes to impress my father and 
  earn his praise. 
   Flaw: My emotions are a tempest and react very violently 
  when my plans go awry. 
   
   
   
  
   
  6 
   
  MINOR CHARACTERS 
  Krill (KRILL). A merfolk seaweed farmer who lives in the coastal 
  waters near Greentarn. He tends fields of salas and enjoys 
  competing with land-dwellers in games of sport and battles of wit. 
   Personality: The world is my oyster. I live to smile and make 
  others laugh. 
   Ideal: Do my best for my people. Learn what I can for the 
  services I provide. 
   Bond: My people are proud and I will not accept slights against 
  us. 
   Flaw: I do not take landwalkers seriously and my jovial nature 
  can seem uncaring. 
   
  High Prince Rygar ir’Wynarn (RY-gar ear-win-ARN). 
  Representing the Lhazaar Principalities at the Treaty of 
  Thronehold, Rygar is a Prince of princes. The human captain 
  rules the Seadragon Principality from the nation’s capital of 
  Regalport and claims to be of the same bloodline as Galifar’s 
  kings. A charismatic man, Rygar’s wit is as sharp as his sword. 
   Personality: Kind, clever, and fair, I wish not to rule my people 
  but to lead them. 
   Ideal: A lifetime of legendary deeds are only as worthy as who 
  performed them. 
   Bond: Lhazaarites are a free-spirited people, and we are all 
  bound by our love of the sea. 
   Flaw: I am fixated on my goals and bringing them to fruition 
  which causes overconfidence.  
   
  Prince Koulton Brightwind (COLE-ton BRITE-wind). An 
  excoriate of House Lyrandar, this half-elf rules the pirate fleet 
  known as the Wind Whisperers. Mostly comprised of exiled 
  Lyrandar and Medani heirs, Prince Brightwind brings many 
  outcasts under his flag. His greatest advantage is the stolen 
  airship, Kiss of Thunder, which his daughter Thariv often 
  captains in his stead. 
   Personality: Haughty and arrogant, who is House Lyrandar to 
  stop me? 
   Ideal: Increase the holdings of my Principality to rival the other 
  princes. 
   Bond: The Kiss of Thunder means more to me than anything. I 
  will use any tools at my disposal to further my goals. 
   Flaw: I cannot see beyond my own ambitions. 
   
  Lady Alizeh d’Lyrandar (Ay-LYE-zuh duh-lye-RAN-der). 
  Regalport’s liaison for the House Lyrandar, Alizeh has been 
  working with High Prince Rygar toward the bettering of 
  relationships between House and Principalities. A meticulous 
  half-elf woman past middle age, Alizeh has spearheaded the 
  project of constructing an airship tower in Regalport to increase 
  commerce and trade. 
   Personality: Shrewd and calculating, I take no unnecessary 
  risks. 
   Ideal: Extend the reach of House Lyrandar to the skies above 
  the Lhazaar Principalities. 
   Bond: My House is my family and come first in all matters. 
   Flaw: Everyone, even the Thuranni Baron, must look upon my 
  magnificent creation. 
  Spittlerime (SPIH-tuhl-rime). Thariv Brightwind’s loyal 
  pseudodragon familiar, he answered the strength of her call after 
  her mixed dragonmark manifested. He is devoted to his mistress 
  and enjoys soaring through the clouds on the Kiss of Thunder. 
   Personality: I am content when I am spoiled. 
   Ideal: Serve my captain to be rewarded with treats. Make 
  anyone who makes her cross fall asleep. 
   Bond: Thariv provides for me, and I am loyal only to her will. 
   Flaw: I have a habit of stinging allies. 
  ACROSS EBERRON CHARACTERS 
  The following characters appear as framing devices and are 
  recurring characters in the Across Eberron series, though they 
  do not directly push the narrative of this adventure. 
   
  Guild Handler Lhara (LAHR-ah). Lhara is a shifter with white 
  hair streaked with black. Her skin is pale, she has blue eyes, and 
  wears an eyepatch over the left. She holds a middling position 
  of authority within the Clifftop Guild. Lhara is the characters’ 
  handler inside Clifftop and is trying to increase the guild’s 
  coffers and reputation. 
   Personality: I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I 
  never raise my voice or let my emotions control me. 
   Ideal: Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild. The Guild is my home and 
  its members are my family. 
   Bond: I will prove that Clifftop is the best group of skilled 
  troubleshooters and that we can get any job done. 
   Flaw: I am very sarcastic, and it can be difficult for people to 
  tell when I am being serious. 
   
  Provost Nigel Faurious (NIGH-jel FAR-ee-us). The Provost is 
  very focused on his work and is often lost in thought. He seeks 
  to prove his theories on planar bodies and is willing to spend the 
  money required to build his strange device. 
   Personality: I am horribly, horribly awkward in social 
  situations and have little patience for any conversation that 
  doesn’t have to do with my work. 
   Ideal: No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility 
  inherent in all existence. 
   Bond: My life’s work is the study of planar bodies and their 
  effects on Eberron. I must complete my work and be given the 
  recognition I deserve. 
   Flaw: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth every coin of my 
  family fortune. 
   
  THE CLIFFTOP ADVENTURERS’ GUILD 
  Eberron, of course, has its share of organizations dedicated to the 
  support and employment of exceptional individuals. Professional 
  adventurers in good standing might be invited to join the Clifftop 
  Adventurers’ Guild (see chapter 1 of Eberron: Rising from the Last 
  War). The Clifftop guild, based in the Clifftop district of Upper Dura, 
  Sharn, was founded one hundred fifty years ago by a dwarf named 
  Shekkal Korranor. The current leader is Sumara Korranor, better 
  known among her charges as Summer. 
  The reputation of the Clifftop guild is well earned, and members 
  are expected to uphold their guild’s virtuous principles. Their long-
  standing rivals from the Deathsgate guild have no such inclinations. 
  
   
  7 
   
  SCENE 1: REGALPORT 
  “To harness the churning power of Kythri’s chaos would be an 
  invaluable boon…” 
  -fragment of Provost Nigel Faurious’s Convergence Manifesto 
   
  The characters, all members of the Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild, 
  have embarked on a mission for Lhara, their guild handler. 
  Their task is to retrieve a stolen relic called the Aethervane, 
  rightly belonging to their client Provost Nigel Faurious. Read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  Your journey upon the frigid waters of the Lhazaar Sea draws to a 
  close as your ship approaches Regalport. Ships flying the flag of the 
  Seadragons escort you into port. Here is High Prince Rygar’s seat of 
  power, as well as the home of House Thuranni. The bay city is grand, 
  and it is easy to see why this is called the Jewel of the Lhazaar Sea. 
  Regalport extends inland as the eastern cliffs of the Greentarn rise, 
  offering natural protection to the city. As the cliffs peak, the 
  beginnings of an airship dock tower overlook the city below. 
   
   
  The adventure begins as the characters step from the ship onto 
  the docks of Regalport. Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  As you plant your feet on the docks, taking a few moments to enjoy 
  finding feet beneath you that no longer sway, a figure hails you as 
  they draw near. A tall and slender changeling, they walk with a peculiar 
  gait, and soon it is apparent they have a wooden prosthetic replacing 
  their left leg. “Call me Ishmael. Hullo and welcome! You must be the 
  ones the Provost sent word of, yes? Please follow me, let us move to 
  somewhere dry.” 
   
  The changeling leads you a small watering hole called the 
  Drowned Rat, whose sign displays a rodent upended in a mug of 
  spirits. Dry is an overstatement, as there are leaking places in 
  the roof and the thatch on the floor is almost soggy in places. 
  Sliding two tables together to accommodate everyone, Ishmael 
  allows everyone to introduce themselves if they haven’t done so 
  along the way.  
     
  “So, you see, the ole Provost has run into a bit of a dilemma. You 
  were supposed to arrive here on his behalf to pick up an Aethervane, 
  a compass of sorts, touched by Kythri. A remarkable device, it reads 
  the influence of worlds and their effects, rather than cardinal 
  directions. However, the vessel transporting it ran afoul of pirates in 
  the Lhazaar Sea. We’ve got you a meeting with the High Prince to see 
  what he can tell us about these brigands and what you can do about 
  it. Got it so far?” 
   
  What does Ishmael know? An old sea salt, the changeling 
  knows many rumors about the Principalities, and is accustomed 
  to unusual requests from the Provost. He is a well-connected 
  sailor with contacts and friends in most ports. 
  • The High Prince. “Prince Rygar’s time is valuable, so it’s 
  good to make an impression.” Ishmael knows that the 
  window to meet with Rygar is brief, but will offer to help the 
  Clifftop party make a better impression should they choose. 
  High Prince Rygar has been cracking down on piracy, trying 
  to better the world opinion of the sailors of the Principalities. 
  • Travel. “It’ll be boats of various craft and size to ferry us 
  between X’s on maps.” There are always boats making port 
  and setting sail from the isles, and Ishmael knows enough 
  captains to get the party passage on vessels to get them to 
  their destinations. 
  • The Aethervane. “Nigel said it helps track the… what’d he 
  call ‘em, au’karak and manifest zones.” Ishmael only knows of 
  the item by description, a large instrument, like an astrolabe, 
  that is meant to foretell reality storms and measure manifest 
  zones. 
  • The thief. “Haven’t the slightest idea which pirates stole it, 
  these parts are full of ‘em. Hopefully Rygar will know more.” 
  • Kythri. “Place of chaos, maelstroms and the like. They say a 
  bit of chaos is in the heart of every storm.” Kythri is a plane of 
  primordial chaos and change, a roiling soup of proto-matter. 
   
  KYTHRI, THE CHURNING CHAOS 
  Kythri encompasses change and chaos. The entire plane is roiling 
  cauldron of primal forces, elemental matter, and protoplasmic 
  ooze, where islands of matter can be held in stability by willful 
  inhabitants. Slaad and howlers call Kythri home, as well as the 
  proud githzerai who dwell on the more stable islands. 
      Chaotic in purpose as well as orbit, Kythri is unpredictable in 
  regard to its proximity to Eberron. It has no set pattern of effects 
  when conterminous. Similarly, manifest zones to Kythri are varied, 
  amplifying elements of chaos in their borders. 
      More information on Kythri can be found in chapter 4 of 
  Eberron: Rising from the Last War. 
   
   
  
   
  8 
   
  BONUS SCENE 1: EARNING YOUR 
  SEA LEGS 
  If the players want to make a better impression before meeting 
  with High Prince Rygar, include this bonus scene before their 
  introduction in Scene 2. 
   
  “Salasta is the way to impress any captain—a strong drink made from 
  salas seaweed. Every Lhazaarite worth their salt knows the value of 
  salasta. If you’re aiming to gain Rygar’s attention, I know where you 
  can go.” 
   
  If they agree, Ishmael offers to help the party gain a few bottles 
  of salasta to present to High Prince Rygar and his court. 
   
  Ishmael manages to book passage for your group on a vessel called 
  Fury’s Rash, a derelict ship little better than a rowboat captained by a 
  red-nosed shifter simply known as Moony Mag. With inebriated grace, 
  she sails her vessel around the Greentarn Isle to a small seaweed-
  choked bay. Several creatures swim through the waters, and it is not 
  difficult to discern that these are merfolk. 
   
  Mag’s sailing is less than ideal. Players must succeed on a DC 
  10 Constitution save when the ship stops, or suffer disadvantage 
  on their next skill or ability check. Anything that a character 
  might have to negate seasickness can negate this save. A large 
  raft of flotsam offers a brief escape from the Fury’s Rash. There, 
  a merfolk leans upon the raft and greets the party. 
   
  “More landwalkers for the salasta harvest? Ishmael knows Krill cannot 
  just give the efforts of his people away, so what will you do for me to 
  earn it? Are you willing to trade your time for my entertainment? A 
  test of your measure to earn the drink of captains.” The merfolk is all 
  smiles as he speaks. “Deep below, a ship lies broken where other 
  landwalkers underestimated the hunger of the sea. There is a chest 
  where bottles of salasta rest. Reach the chest, that is all you have to 
  do. Let Krill see how well those legs serve you beneath the waves. If 
  you need more reason,” he draws a pearl from a bag upon his waist, 
  “This gift of the sea will be given to whoever reaches the chest first!” 
  Krill laughs as he tosses and catches the pearl. “A simple wager with 
  nothing to lose but pride.” 
   
  A shipwreck inhabited by merfolk rests on the seabed 60 feet 
  beneath the surface, resting among fields of seaweed. The 
  water is clear, but the seaweed lightly obscures visibility to 30 
  feet. Krill wants the landwalkers to succeed, and will even offer 
  two potions of waterbreathing upon a successful DC 15 
  Persuasion check. The characters are encouraged to utilize 
  whatever means they have to reach the ship and the chest be it 
  by spell, wildshape, or other ingenuity. 
  GOING DOWN WITH THE SHIP 
  Characters must initially make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) 
  check to navigate the fields of seaweed choking the surface as 
  they swim. Anyone who fails the check is tangled in salas and is 
  considered grappled. A character’s second check to escape the 
  grapple is made with advantage. Their third check to break free 
  of the seaweed is an automatic success. Roll initiative and track 
  the race as the players compete against each other to reach the 
  chest of salasta. Krill swims along behind the party to watch 
  their progress with bemusement.  
  ALL THAT GLITTERS 
  The seaweed parts to reveal the wide shipwreck, a battered 
  chest chained to the main deck. Several merfolk swim around 
  the ship, spectating as the adventurers swim along, while 
  Mooney Mag remains upon her ship drinking. Whoever reaches 
  the chest must attempt to open the stuck trunk with a DC 13 
  Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Characters may help one another, 
  but only whoever first touched the chest will receive the prize. 
  Within the chest are six bottles of salasta in a net. 
   If a character, against all odds, is struggling and looks like 
  they may start to drown, a merfolk will quickly rush them back 
  to the surface. 
  BOOTY! 
  When the party finally resurfaces, Krill rises from the waters 
  and leans against the raft. 
   
  “Well done, landwalkers! Your salasta has been well earned. Take it 
  with our blessing, and this—” He tosses the pearl to whoever 
  reached the chest first. “May it serve you well!” 
   
  The lustrous blue-gray pearl is worth 100 gp and can function 
  as a component for the identify spell. After persuading the 
  merfolk for a few bottles of salasta for herself, Moony Mag sails 
  the party back to Regalport. 
   
   
   
  
   
  9 
   
  SCENE 2: LAIR OF SEADRAGONS 
  Accepting the mission, Ishmael leads the party from the 
  Drowned Rat, not deeper inland, but further down the docks to 
  where a magnificent vessel rests. Read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  If Regalport is the Jewel of the Lhazaar Sea, the ship before you is the 
  brightest gem of the trove. A swift and powerful vessel, the 
  Dragoneye is a marvel and it proudly displays the banner of the High 
  Prince—that of a fierce seadragon on a field of blue-green waves. 
  Many sailors stand at arms, their polished leather armor dyed to 
  match the flag of their Prince. 
   
  You are escorted to the captain’s quarters—a vast chamber that 
  could house an entire smaller sailboat. High Prince Rygar 
  ir’Wynarn stands as you enter, and your changeling contact 
  awkwardly takes a knee, waving for you to do the same. 
   
  “Fair winds, and welcome to Regalport.” The High Prince has a 
  commanding presence, but he greets you warmly and steps forward 
  to take each of you by the forearm if you accept his sign of greeting. 
  If not, he does not press. “I understand that something belonging to 
  one of your scholars has been taken.” He clucks his tongue. “This 
  simply will not do. I want to help you, to see your property returned… 
  there are many who still cling to the old ways of blood and salt, but it 
  is a tradition I am trying to steer my people away from, to join the 
  civilized world.” 
   HOIST THE COLORS 
  The party should have a chance to engage with the High Prince 
  and his crew, as he wants to get to know them and learn about 
  their plight in detail before offering assistance. 
   Rygar loves a good story or colorful show, especially those 
  that regale him with valiant deeds of heroism. Each character 
  may make an ability check related to their attempts to impress 
  Rygar, or Help another party member with one. These might 
  include Charisma (Persuasion) to convince them of their need, 
  Charisma (Performance) to enthrall him with their tales of 
  heroism, Charisma (Arcana) along with showy spellcasting to 
  provide a captivating show of magical prowess, or any other 
  creative skills you deem fitting. If the party previously completed 
  Bonus Scene 1, the High Prince’s eyes light up when they offer 
  him the salasta, and he will offer to share a toast with the party. 
  This reduces the DC of the below checks by 5. The highest 
  check result of the group determines how much assistance he 
  decides to provide. 
  • Automatic: After learning of what has happened, the High 
  Prince will provide the party the coordinates of where the 
  Riedran vessel was attacked by pirates, as well as offering 
  one of his own chartered ships and crew to take the party 
  there to investigate, along with four of his Seadragon 
  Wyrmguards (see Appendix A: Bestiary) to escort the party. 
  • DC 12: In addition to the above, Rygar will send two 
  additional Seadragon Wyrmguards along to assist the party 
  should they run into trouble. 
  • DC 15: In addition to all the above, the Prince will loan the 
  party a rope of climbing from his personal stores. 
  • DC 20: In addition to all the above, High Prince Rygar will 
  loan a party member a ring of swimming from the 
  Seadragon’s cache. 
   The High Prince wishes the group luck as he ushers them to 
  set sail swiftly on the Seadragon ship to investigate. Ishmael 
  lets the party know he will be waiting at the Rat for their return. 
  SCENE 3: RASCALS & SCOUNDRELS 
  After gathering any supplies desired, the party boards the High 
  Prince’s loaned Seadragon ship, christened Malleon’s Bastard. 
  It sails northward, quickly leaving the comforts of the coast for 
  the frigid expanse of the Lhazaar Sea. The soarwood vessel is 
  slender and cuts through the waves as it heads toward its 
  destination. Fast as she is, it still takes a day to reach the spot 
  the High Prince noted. East of the Island of Questor, the 
  Bastard sails upon an unfortunate sight. 
   
  A once-proud Riedran ship lays split upon an unseen shoal. As your 
  own ship sails cautiously closer, the damage becomes clearer. The 
  hull of the vessel is cracked as though it suffered a powerful blow. As 
  your escorts load you into a rowboat to examine the wreckage, one of 
  the Seadragons warns you that you are within the waters of the 
  Direshark Principality, and they are not a kind lot. 
   
  As the party is rowed to the Riedran wreckage, two Wyrmguard 
  sailors stay on the rowboat while the others join the party on the 
  unstable shipwreck. Footing is hazardous at best, but a wide 
  sand bar prevents the ship from slipping beneath the sea. 
   Once on board the wreck of the Sun-Dahred Ohrs, the party 
  may look over the ship for clues. Upon a successful DC 17 
  Intelligence (Investigation) check, the party finds a transaction 
  record in a logbook that has been spared from tumbling into the 
  half-flooded captain’s quarters. The log details acquisition of the 
  Aethervane by Provost Nigel Faurious and payment for its 
  shipment to Regalport. The other findings throughout the ship 
  are grisly—Riedran sailors that have been cut down by blade 
  and charred by electrocution. 
  TREASURE 
  Most of the ship has been scoured and picked over by other 
  opportunists. But a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check of the wreckage yields a false book with a vial inside 
  containing a potion of invisibility, as well as a sea serpent carved 
  from a khybershard, worth 75 gp. 
   
   
   
  
   
  10 
   
  VILLAINS & KNAVES 
  While still investigating the wreck, a warning call rings out. 
   
  While you scout deep inside the broken ship, you hear a shout from 
  the Malleon’s Bastard, and a sailor beside you curses. “Devourer take 
  us, it’s the Wind Whisperers!” 
   
  The alarm is raised and the sailors ready their arms. Read or 
  paraphrase the following: 
   
  A ship speeds toward the wreckage, a ring of water encircling the 
  ship and granting it an elemental boon. This is an elemental galleon, 
  and the Wind Whisperer banner is unfurled. It will be fast upon you, 
  and there is no time to make it back to your own ship. As they 
  approach, the skies open up and a light rain begins to fall, heralding 
  the arrival of those who command storms. 
   
  Characters can ready themselves as the galleon pulls up beside 
  Malleon’s Bastard. Seadragons begin to fire upon the galleon 
  with ballista and crossbow bolts as it draws upon them. The 
  galleon pulls alongside Malleon’s Bastard, 240 feet from the 
  wreckage where the characters are. Pirates begin to board the 
  ship, and the characters notice that all of the rival sailors are 
  half-elves. A band of pirates, the Wind Whisperers, leaps from 
  the ship and speed toward the wreckage, surfing on a water 
  weird that carries them. 
   Roll for initiative. The flooding ship makes poor footing for a 
  battle. The entirety of the ship counts as difficult terrain. Moving 
  from the interior hull to the slanted deck above requires a 
  successful DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. 
   There are four Wind Whisperer pirates (see Appendix A: 
  Bestiary) sent to the wreckage to counter the party, plus one 
  extra Wind Whisperer pirate for every two Seadragon 
  Wyrmguards that have come to help the party on the wreckage. 
  The water weird spends the first two rounds of combat dashing. 
  After reaching the wreckage, the pirates jump off its back and 
  engage in melee combat, then the water weird joins into the fray. 
  The Wyrmguards defend the party as best they are able.  
  THE STORM IS BREWING 
  Once the party defeats the pirates, their remaining escorts (or 
  the two left on the rowboat) urge them to head back to the main 
  ship where the battle is still ongoing with the ship’s crew. The 
  rain and wind continue to get heavier as the fighting goes on. If 
  no Wyrmguard escorts survive, the crew of the flagship hails the 
  party to return. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  As you begin rowing back, several cracks of lighting illuminate the 
  skies, immediately followed by the tremendous boom of thunder. The 
  rain falls in sheets and the wind has picked up considerably. Through 
  the storm, it appears that the crew of Malleon’s Bastard are besting 
  the Wind Whisperers, and the elemental galleon has taken 
  considerable damage from the efforts of Rygar’s sailors. The sky, 
  almost black with this sudden weather, lights up with another near-
  blinding flash of lighting, and at the center of the storm’s eye, you see 
  the silhouette of an airship. Ropes are tossed from the side, and the 
  few living Wind Whisperers that remain grab ahold as the airship lifts 
  further into the sky. As the ship disappears beneath the cover of the 
  clouds, the rain ceases. Soon the gray clouds roll back and there is no 
  sign of the mysterious flying craft, just an abandoned elemental 
  galleon. 
   
  Returning to their ship, the party finds that the Seadragons took 
  a few losses, but that the Wind Whisperers were severely 
  outskilled. The fallen Seadragons are given rites and buried at 
  sea, and the fallen Whisperers are given as tribute to the 
  Devourer. A squad of the Seadragon sailors remain behind to 
  see if the elemental galleon can be salvaged, and Malleon’s 
  Bastard turns and sets sail southward to take the news to the 
  High Prince. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  11 
   
  BONUS SCENE 2: HERE THERE BE 
  MONSTERS 
  If the players are seeking more combat after their encounter 
  with the Wind Whisperers, run this encounter at any time after 
  Scene 3, allowing time first for a short rest, but before their ship 
  finishes the day’s sail back to Regalport. Read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  With a lull in the wind, your ship slows tremendously. Many of the 
  Seadragons walk about the deck to pass the time. As you meander the 
  deck, there is a sudden scream—one of the Seadragons is pierced by 
  a harpoon and pulled overboard. An eerie sound cuts through the air 
  as a flock of seagulls on a nearby rock outcropping take flight, 
  disturbed by the sound of the sailor’s screams. As the flock draws 
  closer, you can see that their wings are disjointed, their flight 
  awkward. Movement in the water below draws further attention as 
  large fins break the surface. 
   
  The ship has sailed into the haunting grounds of three merrow 
  zombies and a swarm of undead seagulls (see Appendix A: 
  Bestiary).  Roll for initiative.  
   The merrow have enough cunning left to harpoon their 
  victims, pulling them overboard if they can, then attacking with 
  bite and claw. At the start of the third turn of combat, roll 
  initiative for the seagulls as they reach the ship and descend 
  upon the party, attacking indiscriminately. 
   Any remaining Seadragon Wyrmguards immediately move to 
  attack the merrow with light crossbows. For purposes of this 
  combat encounter, you can describe the rest of the ship’s crew 
  as taking defensive actions against the seagulls or dodging the 
  harpoons, but they do not engage in direct offensive combat. 
  This encounter can be run in two dimensions, as if on a flat 
  surface, ignoring the vertical component of ship-to-water 
  combat. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  TO THE BALLISTA! 
   
  A Seadragon bellows, “Someone send these damned things back to 
  the depths! To the ballista!” 
   
  Two (or more) characters can take advantage of the starboard 
  ballista to shoot the merrow.  
   
  BALLISTA 
  Large object 
  Armor Class: 15 
  Hit Points: 50 
  Damage Immunities: poison, psychic 
  A ballista is a massive crossbow that fires heavy bolts. Before it can be 
  fired, it must be loaded and aimed. It takes one action to load the 
  weapon, one action to aim it, and one action to fire it. 
  Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage. 
  TREASURE 
  The thankful crew pools together and rewards the party with 
  100 gp and a bottle of salasta for helping to thwart the undead. 
   
   
   
  
   
  12 
   
  SCENE 4: THE WINDS OF CHANGE 
  As the Seadragons sail back into port, read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  Soon after defeating the undead, the wind picks back up, and your 
  vessel returns swiftly to Regalport. As soon as the High Prince’s 
  Dragoneye is in view, the crew sends a silvery pigeon as an animal 
  messenger, carrying an update straight to High Prince Rygar. 
  Malleon’s Bastard weighs anchor beside the flagship. There is a 
  somber atmosphere as the sailors reflect upon their fallen. As you 
  disembark, you are ushered quickly to Rygar’s chamber, where he sits 
  surrounded by attendants. The prince pets the pigeon resting on his 
  hand, and speaks softly but with a serious tone. 
   “Bahamut here tells me that you encountered the Wind Whisperers, 
  and that they have a new edge in the sky. Please, tell me what 
  happened.” 
   
  Once again, Rygar and his privateers love being regaled with 
  tales of derring-do. There is no risk of failure, but this is an 
  opportunity to spin a yarn for sailors who live for legendary 
  deeds on the high seas. Encourage the players to retell their 
  deeds, with flair or a bit of embellishment, then have one 
  character make a Charisma (Performance) check, rolled with 
  advantage if other party members joined in. 
  • Below 10: The pirates nod, admiring the tale, but they remain 
  somber, the mood fouled by recent events. 
  • DC 10: There is scattered applause as the morale of the 
  Seadragons is lifted despite the recent loss of their comrades.  
  • DC 15: All the gathered Seadragons smile and applaud the 
  tale, including Captain Rygar. 5d4 silver pieces are tossed on 
  the planks before the party in appreciation. 
  • DC 20: The sailors of Regalport are thoroughly inspired by 
  the party’s silver tongues, and glasses are raised in their 
  names. Later, at the Drowned Rat, the characters can 
  overhear their tale being retold—and growing larger in the 
  telling. Their drinks are paid for, and a few of Rygar’s fleet 
  insist upon gifting any party members willing to accept a 
  Seadragon tattoo (or etching if a warforged player accepts the 
  offer). 
   After the tale is told, Rygar speaks to the party again. 
   
  “You’ll be meeting again with Ishmael, he is to take you to Alizeh 
  d’Lyrandar, the liaison for her House in my Principality. I have been 
  working with the Lyrandars to improve these isles, and they have 
  recently begun construction on a docking tower for new airships. 
  They will certainly wish to know about the threat of the Wind 
  Whisperers. I thank you again for your efforts, but your tale has more 
  that has yet to be written. Devourer spare you, and may we meet again 
  soon on happier tides.” 
  Any remaining Seadragon Wyrmguards bid farewell to the 
  party and remain with their High Prince.  
  DRINK UP, ME HEARTIES 
  Returning to the Drowned Rat, Ishmael awaits the party within. 
  Several revelers are deep in their cups, and the atmosphere is 
  jovial. A rotund dwarf approaches the most fetching (or 
  outlandish) party member and beseeches them to join in a lively 
  dance, grinning wide with all three of their golden teeth. If a 
  character wishes to make a Charisma (Persuasion) check (or an 
  unarmed strike) to decline, the outcome remains the same—a 
  contented dwarf falls to the thatch floor, unconscious and 
  smiling from ear to ear. 
   Ducking through the revelers, Ishmael again has several 
  lopsided tables pushed together so he may speak with the party. 
   
  “A little dragon filled me in on what’s been about. Terrible business, 
  the Wind Whisperers, bunch of outcasts. That puts this whole ordeal 
  into the hands of Lady Alizeh. While you’ve been out, I’ve been trying 
  to find more about your missing Aethervane. If the rumors are true, 
  and this hurricane bodes very ill, the Whisperers that stole your relic 
  have...twiddled with it. Their cap’n is a fierce one, daughter of Prince 
  Brightwind—he’s the leader of those wayward storm-children. Enjoy 
  your small victory, my friends, we’ll soon be off to the tower where 
  Lady Alizeh has more information than old Ishmael.” 
   
  The characters can celebrate, but the urgency of their task 
  should not be forgotten. Soon enough, Ishmael draws them 
  from the Drowned Rat and escorts them through Regalport, 
  toward the Wyvern Aerie.  
   
  THE FISH WAS THIS  BIG! 
  As the party makes their way through Regalport, Jewel of the 
  Lhazaar Sea, they can buy supplies as they pass through the 
  Pirate Exchange. On their way, allow them to attempt a DC 12 
  Charisma (Investigation) check in passing to overhear some of 
  the rumors that pirates and sailors are swapping in the vast 
  marketplace. Upon a success, they hear all of the below 
  snippets. Upon a failure, they only glean one or two.  
  • “A white whale, it was. Bigger than any ship in the fleet!” 
  • “Shargon lost a bet to his cousin the Keeper, ye see, and that 
  is why the dead swim near the Gray Tide.” 
  • “Why it’s them, surely it be. My sister’s husband’s friend said 
  they wrestled the Daring Dar!” 
  • “Nay, a black whale, I heard that’s what swallowed that lying 
  warforged and the toymaker.” 
  • “Sure as the sea, the witch gave the mermaid legs to walk 
  among men, and took her voice for the price.” 
   The DM is encouraged to play up any other sea tale, or have 
  sailors recognize the Clifftop adventurers from some of their 
  previous deeds. 
   
   
  
   
  13 
   
  SCENE 5: BRING ME THE HORIZON 
  The Wyvern Aerie is a half-completed tower that sits at the peak 
  of the Greentarn bluffs. Scaffolding and rope ladders surround 
  the climbing tower shell that connects a wide loading and 
  passenger station that is fully constructed. The way is steep and 
  the tower overlooks the grand port city below. When you finally 
  reach the tower, Ishmael declines to follow. 
   
  ”I’ll see it when there are stairs. Ropes and I are no longer friends.” 
   
  The peg-legged changeling waves them farewell as he makes 
  his way back down to the Jeweled City below. Soon their next 
  contact greets them, stepping from the lower boarding station. 
  Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  The Lady Alizeh d’Lyrandar is of proud stature. Though youth is a 
  distant friend to her, age has done nothing to diminish her regal 
  beauty. Her silver-plaited hair twists in a complex braid like a fishtail, 
  and her piercing eyes shine like a sky just before a storm. A 
  dragonmark curls along her collar and around the back of her neck. 
   “There is much to discuss. Please come inside.”  She curtly escorts 
  the party inside the building into a chart room that acts as an 
  impromptu meeting room. 
   “I am sure you have many questions. The Wind Whisperers who 
  attacked your vessel are a band of pirates from Orthoss, led by Prince 
  Koulton Brightwind, an excoriate of House Lyrandar. Many of his 
  Chaos Fleet are former members of both House Lyrandar and Medani. 
  We would pay a handsome reward to see Koulton’s head brought to 
  us—a few years ago, events led to Koulton fleeing from the House. 
  This culminated in him stealing a precious airship and seeking refuge 
  here in the Principalities. His excoriation is bad enough, but he 
  continues to flaunt his abilities, making him a permanent 
  embarrassment to us. We would have had him by now, but his 
  dealings with House Thuranni have always kept him safe in the 
  shadows. His daughter, Thariv, captains the stolen ship and 
  commands her father’s forces in his absence.” 
   
  If any character in the party visibly bears the Mark of Storm, 
  whether they are full heir or foundling, she turns to address 
  them directly.  
   
  “Whatever matter your Guild has before you, the House will not 
  hinder, but Koultan is a continued stain upon our line. Any blow you 
  can strike against him will be appreciated—and rewarded.” 
   
  Lady Alizeh pauses for refreshments. Characters are welcome 
  to inquire more before she moves the conversation along. 
   
   
  What does Alizeh know of the Wind Whisperers? The half-elf 
  is very knowledgeable about the excoriate and will readily 
  answer any questions. 
  • Location. “Orthoss Isle is their home, though they seldom 
  house the stolen airship there.” Orthoss is a large island in 
  the frigid northern sea. Blackrock is the name of the pirate 
  base there. 
  • Prince Brightwind. “His charm is like summer rain after a 
  long drought.” The marked excoriate is a clever prince, and 
  fights just as many battles with honeyed words as he does his 
  cutlass. 
  • Thariv Brighwind. “She’s a storm within her, and her 
  inherited gifts over weather are a force to be reckoned 
  with.” The young half-elf fights unhinged, and the powers of 
  her mixed mark are fearsome and powerful. 
  • The Aethervane. “Something that powerful has to be 
  fueled by more than Lyrandar.” The Aethervane is likely to 
  be tethered into the matrix of the bound airship elemental. 
  • Goals. “Being a thorn in Lyrandar’s side seems his 
  primary joy.” The Wind Whisperers frequently attack 
  Lyrandar sailing vessels in attempts to upset or hijack 
  shipments. 
  • Airship layout. “Here are the Kiss of Thunder’s plans. 
  Might help navigate the decks if you’re unfamiliar with 
  airships.” Appendix B: Maps contains deck plans for the Kiss 
  of Thunder, which can be provided to the party if they ask. 
  The bound elemental is on the bottom cargo deck, and can be 
  reached by taking the stairs in the middle of the ship. 
   
   Alizeh turns the conversation to the attack, and the 
  Aethervane. 
   
  “It is not random that your Aethervane was purloined. There have 
  been several other reports over the past few days of tremendous 
  storms coming out of nowhere and disappearing just as quickly, 
  showing a mastery over weather that no marked heirs of our House 
  here in the Principalities possess. I believe Captain Thariv has found a 
  way to alter or enhance the power of the Aethervane by empowering 
  the device’s connection to Kythri. The Wind Whisperers have 
  unlocked the raw might of the storm, and it follows their airship, Kiss 
  of Thunder.” 
   “At dawn, our airship, the Gilded Needle, will arrive here at the 
  dock. Staffed with Lyrandar heirs, their task is to help you chase the 
  Kiss of Thunder and to reclaim the property of your employer. If all 
  goes well, this will be a chance for us to finally reclaim the ship from 
  the Wind Whisperers and cripple Prince Koulton’s endeavors. It will 
  not be easy, but power like this cannot go unchecked. Rooms will be 
  prepared for you here. There is not much to our station yet, but 
  whatever hospitality we can offer you as guests, we shall.” 
   
  Lady Alizeh thanks the party, wishes them luck, and makes her 
  exit. Half-elves of Lyrandar will see to the party’s comfort for the 
  night.  
  
   
  14 
   
  ABERRANT AND MIXED MARKS 
  The true dragonmarks, represented by members of the Twelve 
  Houses, are predictable by bloodlines, and have reliable powers 
  generally tied to the power to create. Aberrant dragonmarks are wild, 
  unpredictable, and contrary or destructive by nature. 
   Aberrant dragonmarks can manifest on anyone, and there is no 
  discernable way to determine if or how someone might develop one. 
  Their powers are as varied as their form, some aberrant marks 
  manifesting similar to the tattoo-like true marks but emerging in vivid 
  reds or blacks, where another aberrant dragonmark might be traced in 
  jagged burn scars or weeping lines like acidic cuts.  
   When two members of different dragonmarked houses have 
  children together—such as heirs from House Cannith and House 
  Deneith—it increases the possibility of one type of aberrant mark 
  manifesting. These marks are still aberrant in nature, but are 
  commonly called mixed marks. Mixed marks still have unreliable 
  powers that might not have anything to do with the powers of either 
  parent mark.  
   Persons bearing an aberrant or mixed mark do not have a guarantee 
  to pass it along to their children, even if the other parent also has an 
  aberrant mark.  
   More information on aberrant dragonmarks can be found in 
  chapter 1 of Eberron: Rising from the Last War, as well as chapter 4 
  of Dragonmarked. 
   
  INTO THE SUNRISE 
  Before the sun rises, the Clifftop adventurers are awoken and 
  escorted up the rope ladders to the mostly completed docking 
  platform. Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  Wind from the sea carries the scent of salt and the mist of sea spray. 
  Gulls caw on the docks of the city below, and the rolling waves crash 
  against the bluffs. As the sun peeks over the horizon, there is a glint 
  of gold. Keeping the sun to its back, the golden shimmer grows ever 
  larger until details manifest of a glorious airship. The glamoured 
  soarwood of the ship ripples like molten gold and the struts hold aloft 
  a burning coil, a ring of elemental flame. The thrum of the ship cuts 
  through the port sounds, the sound of the bound elemental forever 
  burning in its perpetual ring. As it slides parallel to the dock, the 
  Gilded Needle maneuvers in ways no vessel by sea could hope to 
  match. 
   
  Several of the Regalport House Lyrandar heirs lay down 
  gangplanks for quick boarding, the symbol of the kraken 
  emblazoned on their tabards as they rush across to join their kin 
  on the Needle. Lady Alizeh has come to see you off on your 
  journey. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  “May the winds favor you, and may these help if they do not.” She 
  says as she distributes a shiny new feather token to each of you. “Let 
  us worry about holding off the pirates on the Kiss of Thunder, while 
  your mission is to retrieve the Aethervane, no matter what.” 
   
  Aboard the Gilded Needle, the party flies off as the sun rises, 
  chasing storms and excoriated storm masters. 
   
  FEATHER TOKEN 
  Wondrous Item, Common 
  This small metal disk is inscribed with the image of a feather. When 
  you fall at least 20 feet while the token is on your person, you 
  descend 60 feet per round and take no damage from falling. The 
  token's magic is expended after you land, whereupon the disk 
  becomes nonmagical. While it’s an expensive form of insurance, 
  frequent airship travelers and citizens of Sharn often appreciate the 
  security it provides. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  15 
   
  BONUS SCENE 3: WHAT’S OUR 
  HEADING? 
  “You got the makings of greatness in you, but you gotta take the 
  helm and chart your own course!” 
   
  As the Gilded Needle races north, tensions are high and 
  demeanors are dour. Run this scene to lighten the mood and 
  give characters a rare opportunity. During the flight, the party is 
  asked to come to the helm, where a few of the airship sailors 
  stand. Read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  The half-elf heir waves you over, his hand upon the wheel of wind and 
  water that steers the vessel and lets him communicate with the 
  bound elemental within. 
   “Want to give it a try? We’ll be right here to make sure nothing 
  happens.” 
   
  If anyone wishes to help pilot the ship, the pilot will move to the 
  side, keeping one hand upon the wheel as a player character 
  steps up to the helm. 
   Any character who touches the helm must first make a DC 15 
  Wisdom saving throw. Any character with a Mark of Storm 
  makes the saving throw with advantage. Upon a failure, the 
  mental effort proves too strenuous. Failure by more than 5 
  results in the character taking 1 point of fire damage as the 
  wheel burns hot in their hand. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
    
   
   
   
  If a character succeeds the saving throw, they may then enter 
  into a contest of wills with the bound elemental. The character 
  makes a contested Wisdom check against the bound fire 
  elemental, which has 12 Wisdom. Any character with a Mark of 
  Storm makes this check with advantage, while any others make 
  the check with disadvantage.  
    
  Upon a failure, the presence of the elemental is too much for 
  the character to bear: 
  There is a crackling hiss in your mind at the elemental shudders 
  against its yoke. The entire vessel shudders and the pilot politely asks 
  to take back the helm. 
   
  Upon a tie, the elemental’s curiosity is piqued: 
  Inside your mind there is a strange sensation, as if a presence 
  crawling, seeking something to burn. Make another contest of wills 
  with advantage. 
   
  Upon a success, with the help of the pilot, the fire elemental 
  bends to the character’s will: 
  You feel the mental struggle of the elemental as it desires to burn, but 
  you quell its turmoil. The straining subsides and for a brief 
  exhilarating moment, you are guiding a vessel of soarwood and flame 
  across the sky of Eberron, the distant horizon beckoning you to 
  adventure. 
   
  The elemental immediately rebukes any attempt by a character 
  to alter course or any purposeful malicious actions. After a few 
  moments of bliss, the pilot takes back over the helm completely. 
   
   
   
  
   
  16 
   
  SCENE 6: YOU CALL THIS A STORM?! 
  A few days pass as the Gilded Needle chases the havoc the Kiss 
  of Thunder leaves in her wake.  
   
  A merchant vessel sundered by lightning East of Orgalos. A passenger 
  ship splintered in the straits of Port Verge. Devastation. The Khoravar 
  of the Gilded Needle work quickly to plot the course the Kiss of 
  Thunder is taking as it returns north toward Orthoss. Thariv is headed 
  for Eel Bay. 
   
  Marked heirs work in shifts to continue sailing, coaxing all haste 
  they can from the elemental. As the airship enters Eel Bay from 
  the East, each character may attempt a DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. 
   Upon a success, they spot the Kiss of Thunder before their 
  own vessel is spotted. Read the following: 
   
  Alert for any dangers, you spy the shape of what must be the ship 
  among the clouds. Signaling to the Lyrandars, your vessel begins to 
  ascend in pursuit. Soon the Kiss of Thunder comes fully into view. A 
  wider airship than the Needle, the entire ship has been painted a deep 
  red. An air elemental powers the ship and the ring crackles with 
  electricity. As your ship climbs quickly above the Kiss, preparing for 
  boarding, a ballista bolt cuts through the sky and grazes your hull. 
   
  Upon a failure, the Kiss of Thunder spots the Lyrandar vessel 
  first. Read the following: 
   
  The air is still, the thrum of the elemental ring drowning out most 
  other noise. A sudden shout brings everyone’s attention to a shape 
  amidst the clouds. The Kiss of Thunder alters its course to intercept 
  you, coming fully into view. A wider airship than the Needle, the 
  entire ship has been painted a deep red. An air elemental powers the 
  ship and the ring crackles with electricity. As your ship struggles to 
  climb above the Kiss, jockeying for a boarding position, a ballista bolt 
  cuts through the sky and grazes your hull. 
   
  Characters must succeed on a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check DC 
  13 or be knocked prone. Pre-combat, this does not have any 
  mechanical disadvantage, but will happen again later once they 
  have boarded the Kiss of Thunder. 
   As the airships close on each other, the Aethervane is 
  activated to unleash a hurricane. Read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  As the airships draw near, you can see the Wind Whisperers are clad 
  in tabards of crimson cut with white lightning bolts. Their captain 
  stands beside the helm, her raven tresses whipping beneath a tricorn 
  cap. A long overcoat trails behind Thariv, two gloved hands rest upon 
  her hips, and a pale pseudodragon rests upon her shoulder. She raises 
  a hand and it crackles with lightning as she kneels to funnel the 
  lightning through the arcane matrix of the vessel.  She commands the 
  Lyrandar excoriate at the helm to awaken the storm. An electric 
  tremor ripples through the ship before their elemental ring bursts 
  with blue and white radiance. The clouds immediately begin to 
  darken, the winds howl, and the skies open to torrents of rain as 
  Thariv summons a hurricane with the power of the adjusted 
  Aethervane. 
  BOARDING THE KISS 
  As the Gilded Needle fights against the hurricane, it draws close 
  enough to be over the deck of the Kiss of Thunder, 50 feet above 
  the stolen airship. 
   Roll initiative as the party prepares to board the other ship. 
  The party and House Lyrandar sailors may roll with advantage 
  if they succeeded on the earlier Perception check to spot the 
  Kiss of Thunder before they were spotted. Fourteen Lyrandar 
  airship sailors roll as a group, and fourteen Wind Whisperer 
  pirates roll as another group. Captain Thariv Brightwind, 
  Spittlerime, and the players roll individually. 
   When the sailors and party begin boarding the Kiss of 
  Thunder, the Kiss’s defenders attempt to rebuff the boarding 
  party as they make their way on deck.  Read or paraphrase the 
  following:  
   
  The Lyrandar heir at the helm calls to you, “We will hold them off on 
  deck, you fight through to the Aethervane two decks down!” And 
  with that, the sailors around you begin to leap overboard and 
  plummet to the ship below. 
   Captain Thariv howls in fury as the Lyrandars begin to board her 
  ship. “You’ll never have it!” The jagged dragonmark that twists up the 
  side of the half-elf’s face glows red. Hand outhrust, she launches a 
  bolt of red energy at a Lyrandar as she slides down a rope toward the 
  Thunder—the energy crackles and the lifeless heir falls toward the Eel 
  Bay below. Thariv takes off, pseudodragon on her shoulder, 
  abandoning the helm to flee below deck. 
   
  Player characters have several options for boarding the Kiss of 
  Thunder, all of which can be completed in the first round: 
  • Characters may jump overboard and activating a feather 
  token to float down to the ship as crossbow bolts fly past them. 
  Allow all characters using a feather token or the feather fall 
  spell to land successfully somewhere on the deck, but at a 
  random DM-selected location away as the winds dramatically 
  push them off of their intended landing spot. 
  • If characters have misty step or similar teleportation ability, a 
  character may jump overboard and activate it, allowing them 
  to land where they desire without complication.  
  • Characters may use the rope of climbing if Rygar loaned it to 
  them, which automatically attaches to the deck at a location 
  of their choosing, leaving no chance of them being blown off 
  course. To slide down the rope safely in the hurricane, 
  characters must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) 
  
   
  17 
   
  check or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and fall prone on a 
  random location on deck. 
  • Characters may throw a harpoon (treat as a javelin) against 
  the deck (AC 10 to hit) and climbing down the attached rope. 
  The harpoons have disadvantage because of the strong winds 
  of the hurricane, but if they hit, this allows characters to climb 
  down at a location of their choosing, leaving no chance of 
  them being blown off course. To slide down the rope safely in 
  the hurricane, characters must succeed on a DC 15 Strength 
  (Athletics) check or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and fall 
  prone on a random location on deck. 
   To add to the feelings of peril, narrate the following after the 
  characters decide upon their method of descent, but before they 
  know that they successfully land on deck: 
   
  As you make your descent to board the rival airship, you watch a 
  Lyrandar sailor tie a rope around their waist and jump over the rails of 
  the Needle. The hurricane gale whips the Khoravar into the crackling 
  elemental ring. The sailor’s screams are short-lived. 
   
   Regardless of the narration above, fourteen Lyrandars should 
  land on the deck without falling damage or other mishap. 
  SKY DECK 
  Once initiative is rolled, the party has 13 rounds before the Kiss 
  of Thunder is destroyed to retrieve the Aethervane from below 
  deck. If the players linger on deck, reinforce that the ship is 
  continuing to be fired upon by the Needle by ballista bolts and 
  spells from the Lyrandars. The Mark of Storm heirs and 
  excoriates will be engaging each other, but the Lyrandars can 
  only buy the party so much time (and fight for their own survival 
  for so long) before the stolen airship takes too much damage 
  from the battle. The party’s focus should primarily be upon 
  retrieving the artifact, which lies two decks below. 
   As the party plus the Lyrandars successfully land on board the 
  Kiss of Thunder during the first round (assume all sailors land 
  without falling damage), they are pelted with crossbow bolts 
  from fourteen Wind Whisperer pirates on deck. Do not focus 
  fire on the party, but a few crossbow bolts might strike them on 
  the way down. 
  Every 1d4 rounds at the top of the round, a ballista bolt strikes 
  the deck of the Kiss of Thunder, rocking the entire ship and 
  requiring a DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check from each 
  character on deck; upon a failure, they are knocked prone.  
   For every round of combat that the party remains on the Sky 
  Deck (see Appendix B: Maps, Deck 1), 1d3 Whisperers break 
  away from combat with the Lyrandars to intercept them. 
  Otherwise, the pirates on deck should not be the party’s primary 
  focus, nor do other pirates take opportunity attacks against the 
  party, but are there for narrative tension, engaging each other 
  on the storm-driven deck while the party fights their way 
  through the ship. You can use the rules for Handling Mobs in 
  Chapter 8 of the DMG as the two factions fight if you wish, or 
  skip the dice-rolling for the other pirates that are not engaging 
  the party. If the party targets the pilot instead of heading below 
  deck, the ship is able to keep flying, as several of the Whisperers 
  are marked Lyrandar excoriates, who will jump in place to 
  control the elemental if one of their kin is felled. 
   As the party fights their way to the stairs down, a Wind 
  Whisperer pirate stands blocking the door leading below deck, 
  which has been hastily barricaded. Once the Whisperer 
  blocking their path has been dispatched, a successful DC 10 
  Strength (Athletics) check allows them to force open the stuck 
  door, rolled with advantage if another character helps with the 
  attempt. Alternately, the party may break down the door, which 
  has AC 15 and 10 hit points. Once the door to the lower decks is 
  breached, one more Wind Whisperer pirate blocks their way 
  down the stairs. Once they are dispatched, no more Whisperers 
  follow them downstairs, remaining engaged in combat on the 
  sky deck. 
  PASSENGER DECK 
  As the party moves below to the passenger deck (see Appendix 
  B: Deck 2), read or paraphrase the following: 
   
  On this mostly abandoned floor, the everbright lanterns crackle as the 
  entire ship hums with electric energy amplified by the Aethervane. 
  Arcs of lightning ripple across the walls following strange patterns. 
   
  This deck is mostly abandoned, the Whisperers having already 
  gone above deck to defend the ship. However, two Wind 
  Whisperer pirates move to intercept the party as they round 
  the corner toward the next set of stairs down. 
   As on the previous deck, every 1d4 rounds at the top of the 
  round, a ballista bolt strikes the deck of the Kiss of Thunder, 
  rocking the entire ship and requiring a DC 13 Dexterity 
  (Acrobatics) check from each character; upon a failure, they are 
  knocked prone. 
   There should be no reason for the party to linger on this floor 
  to explore. If Lady Alizeh previously gave them plans to the ship, 
  the characters will know that the next set of stairs to head 
  further down lie directly behind the stairs they’re currently on 
  and can head directly there. If not, a successful DC 15 Wisdom 
  (Survival) check allows them to track the wet boot prints of 
  Captain Thariv around the corner, leading the way to the 
  khybershard core of the airship. Alternately, the party may 
  choose to explore behind each door until they find the stairs 
  down; for every room they enter before finding the stairs, they 
  encounter 1d2 Whisperers. 
   
   
  
   
  18 
   
  SCENE 7: AN AGENT OF CHAOS 
  Once the party reaches the bottom deck that contains cargo and 
  the bound elemental, Thariv awaits their arrival. The elemental 
  room lies at the stern (the back of the ship), amongst the cargo. 
  As the party approaches the room, read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  A door stands ajar, a strange whirring sound emanating from within. 
  Behind the door, Thariv’s voice goads the party, “Come and taste the 
  death my storm has for you. I know who you are, you’ve come for the 
  Aethervane. I say again, you’ll not have it. I’ve come too far.” 
   
  Within the elemental room (see Appendix B: Deck 3) stands 
  Captain Thariv Brightwind, with her pseudodragon 
  Spittlerime perched on her shoulder. Whoever opens the door 
  first is targeted by Thariv’s readied eldritch blast. After 
  narrating the results of that attack, read or paraphrase the 
  following: 
   
  This chamber of the airship is where the khybershard is housed. This 
  is the heart of the vessel. Lightning dances along sigils on the floor 
  and walls, chasing a complex arcane matrix that directs the elemental 
  through the ship. A large blue khybershard is nestled in the center of 
  the room within an impressive gilded cage. The stone glows with a 
  pulsing cerulean light. In front of the cage, the Aethervane has been 
  installed with makeshift conduits of copper and brass. 
   This artifact you seek resembles a combination of an orrery and an 
  astrolabe. Rings of metal spin around each other, studded with tiny 
  Siberys dragonshards. Where a normal device would glow gently with 
  the indication of planar anomalies, Thariv’s device spins wildly and 
  whirs at incredible speeds. The Aethervane pulses in a kaleidoscope 
  of colors that compete with the energies of the elemental within the 
  khybershard.  
   An exasperated Khoravar steps in front of both devices. She holds a 
  cutlass before her. Her aberrant mixed mark still glows red hot, as if it 
  threatens to burst from the lines that contain it. One eye is covered 
  by a scarlet eyepatch, hiding an old wound. The glowing pulses of 
  light reflect against the beads of rain and sweat that glisten on her 
  dark skin. She bares her cutlass. The small pale dragon perched upon 
  her shoulder hisses and flicks its tail. 
   “This ends now. I’ll not let you so easily take what my father has 
  struggled for.” 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT 
  At the top of each round of combat until the Aethervane’s gyros 
  are slowed, instead of rolling for ballista strikes as on the 
  previous decks, roll 1d4 on the following table to determine if 
  any environmental effects occur. 
  d4 
  Effect 
  1 
  A ballista bolt strikes the hull of the Thunder. Each character, 
  excluding Spittlerime, must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity 
  save or be knocked prone. 
  2 
  The makeshift conduits of the Aethervane temporarily 
  overload, sending tiny jolts of lightning through the room. 
  Each character, excluding Spittlerime, must succeed on a 
  DC 13 Dexterity save or take 2d6 lightning damage. 
  3 
  The elemental strains against the force of the hurricane, and 
  for a moment, a mighty gale blasts through the room. Each 
  character, excluding Spittlerime, must succeed on a DC 13 
  Strength saving throw or, if no walls are in the way, be 
  pushed 10 feet further from the Aethervane. 
  4 
  No effect. 
   
  If anyone in the party bears a Mark of Storm, Thariv focuses 
  most of her aggression toward them.  During the encounter, 
  Thariv will flaunt her apparent superiority. Here are a few barbs 
  and villainous one-liners the half-elf can bandy about while she 
  fights: 
   
  “Only I understand the whim of the storm. I hear her calling, the Fury 
  answers me!” 
    
  “You will fall like droplets of rain, and your blood will wash away with 
  my victory.” 
   
  “It is my powers that have unlocked the true potential of the 
  Aethervane.” 
    
  Thariv refuses to surrender, instead fighting to the death. If the 
  characters manage to subdue or incapacitate her, she will be 
  taken into custody by House Lyrandar for her crimes, cursing 
  the party the entire time she is conscious. 
  Spittlerime attempts to flee at the 
  death or capture of his 
  mistress, via porthole  
  window, splintered hole 
  from a ballista bolt, or 
  any other means that 
  he can. If also subdued, 
  the small dragon refuses 
  to cooperate with anyone 
  other than his Captain, 
  if she still lives. 
   
   
   
  
   
  19 
   
  SECURING THE AETHERVANE 
  When Thariv is defeated, the party has precious few moments 
  remaining to claim the Aethervane. If the characters attempt to 
  wrest the Aethervane free without first defeating Thariv, she will 
  be quick at their heels and continue her attack, but might not be 
  able to finish the party off before her ship is destroyed. 
   Anyone attempting to grab the Aethervane must succeed on a 
  DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 points of bludgeoning 
  damage from the spinning gyros. If the check is successful, the 
  character must then succeed upon a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) 
  check to slow the gyros. Upon a failure, both checks must be 
  attempted again. If dispel magic is cast upon the Aethervane, 
  the gyros stop spinning immediately, there is a ripple across the 
  conduit and a large crack appears in the nearby khybershard 
  housing the elemental. 
   After slowing the spinning gyros, the party can safely attempt 
  to free the Aethervane from its chassis. Characters may attempt 
  an Intelligence (Thieves’ Tools or Arcana) check. If they succeed 
  on this check with a 25 or higher, they are able to remove the 
  Aethervane from its makeshift housing unit without disrupting 
  the arcane matrix of the Kiss of Thunder’s bound air elemental. 
  If they succeed upon this check with a 15 or higher, they figure 
  out how to uninstall the jury-rigged device effectively, but it 
  disrupts the matrix and the airship begins to lose 
  altitude.  Alternately, they can crudely break it free from the 
  chassis, which has AC 15, 10 hit points, and is immune to 
  piercing and psychic damage.  
   
  If the party frees the Aethervane with a check of 25 or higher, 
  read or paraphrase the following:  
   
  With careful attention to the energies flowing through the matrix, you 
  are able to remove the Aethervane from its makeshift housing unit 
  without disrupting the arcane matrix of the Kiss of Thunder’s bound 
  air elemental. You have it, the Aethervane is yours. The winds outside 
  immediately start calming, and much to your relief, the khybershard 
  containing the elemental glows peacefully before you. Perhaps the 
  Kiss of Thunder will live to fly another day! 
   
  If the party frees the Aethervane by cutting it loose, or with a 
  check below 25, read or paraphrase the following:  
   
  The planar device wrests free from its makeshift housing. You have it, 
  the Aethervane is yours. The winds outside immediately start calming, 
  but the matrix tethered to the khybershard begins to sizzle and crack. 
  You need to get out now, the ship is going down! 
   
  The Aethervane weighs 30 pounds and is slightly larger than a 
  backpack. The characters must now make a hasty exit, finding 
  that the hurricane has ceased, and many of the surviving 
  Whisperers have surrendered while others have flung 
  themselves over the rails, depending upon feather tokens or 
  other abilities to survive the plunge. In the calm, the party can 
  now easily climb ropes back to the Gilded Needle. 
  If the party preserved the bound elemental in the khybershard, 
  read or paraphrase the following:  
  You hastily return to the Gilded Needle. Waiting with bated breath 
  and watching the Kiss of Thunder, you see her remaining aloft, 
  though the elemental ring’s intensity is dampened. After several more 
  anxious moments, the Lyrandar heirs breathe more easily, realizing 
  that the ship remains intact. On their way over to help calm the air 
  elemental, several heirs pat you on the back in appreciation for a ship 
  preserved and job well done. 
   
  If the khybershard was damaged upon retrieving the Aethervane, 
  read or paraphrase the following:  
  You hastily return to the Gilded Needle. Barely back on the ship, you 
  see the elemental ring of the Kiss of Thunder flicker, sputter, and then 
  erupt into a brilliant explosion of electricity as the air elemental 
  breaks free of its bonds. The Gilded Needle pulls a short distance 
  away as the Kiss of Thunder crashes into Eel Bay. The descent isn’t 
  completely destructive, and perhaps the Lyrandars can salvage it yet. 
   
  In the unlikely event that the party does not obtain the 
  Aethervane within 13 rounds of combat, the matrix 
  spectacularly overloads, cracking the khybershard and sending 
  the Aethervane ricocheting across the room, where it can safely 
  be retrieved. All characters in the room must succeed on a DC 
  16 Dexterity save or take 3d6 lightning damage. Several 
  Lyrandar sailors then arrive to quickly assist the party, along 
  with the Aethervane, back to the Gilded Needle just before the 
  Kiss crashes. If Thariv still lives and was neither defeated nor 
  subdued, she will go down with her ship. Read or paraphrase 
  the above text from the escape after damaging the khybershard. 
   
   
   
  
   
  20 
   
  CONCLUDING THE ADVENTURE 
  Once the party escapes the Kiss of Thunder with the Aethervane, 
  the journey back to Regalport is serene by comparison.  
   Upon their return, Lady Alizeh d’Lyrandar praises the party for 
  striking a telling blow against the High Prince Brightwind. She 
  offers the party free passage back home to Sharn when they are 
  ready to leave. 
   High Prince Rygar thanks the Clifftop adventurers for their part 
  in helping quell the actions of pirates, and the Seadragons sing 
  many songs and share many drinks on behalf of the party. Any 
  surviving Wind Whisperers are imprisoned in Regalport, where 
  Rygar promises to turn over any excoriates to their proper houses. 
   
  MISSION REWARDS 
   Once back in Sharn, Lhara will reward the party for their efforts 
  and deeds on behalf of the Clifftop Guild, giving each character 
  600 gp in payment for services rendered. She also passes on the 
  gift of a Quaal’s feather token of a swan boat, given with gratitude 
  from House Lyrandar and High Prince Rygar. 
   
   If the party managed to salvage the Kiss of Thunder without 
  its destruction, House Lyrandar gifts the party an additional 100 
  gp per character, a trident of fish command as a token of their 
  appreciation, and free passage upon one Lyrandar vessel by sea 
  or air to a location of the party’s choosing. 
   
  THE CONVERGENCE MANIFESTO 
  With the acquisition of a Kythri-empowered Aethervane, 
  Provost Faurious is nearing the completion of his Convergence 
  Manifesto. If the players wish to complete further missions for 
  the Guild, they can continue this adventure path in AE01-10: At 
  Death’s Door. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  21 
   
  APPENDIX A: BESTIARY 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  22 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  23 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
     
  
   
  24 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  25 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  26 
   
  APPENDIX B: MAPS 
  DECK 1: SKY DECK 
   
   
   
  
   
  27 
   
  DECK 1A: CAPTAIN’S AND PILOT’S QUARTERS 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  DM NOTE 
  The scenes aboard the Kiss of Thunder, as written, do not reference 
  Deck 1A: Captain Quarters, which lies beneath the bridge. However, 
  it is included for completeness, in case you wish to expand upon the 
  adventure or use the battlemaps for other adventures. 
   
   
  
   
  28 
   
  DESK 2: PASSENGER DECK 
   
   
  
   
  29 
   
  DECK 3: CARGO DECK 
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Adventures/Across Eberron/Across Eberron - Convergence Manifesto - Episode 09 - Weathering the Storm.pdf