TEXT: Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, and Peter 
  Adkison. 
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  sanction and run DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game events of all sizes, visit our website at www.wizards.com/rpga. 
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  Visit the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CAMPAIGNS website at www.rpga.com
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  MARK OF HEROES
  DESOLATE ENDEAVOR
  Contents
  Introduction  ................................................................................................................................................................... 2
  Background ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3
  Adventure Start ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
  Part One: Tale of Two Rivals ................................................................................................................................................. 4
  Part Two: Tower on Desolation’s Edge ....................................................................................................................................12
  Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................................................22
  Adventure Questions .........................................................................................................................................................22
  Design: Chris Lindsay
     Development: Stephen Radney-MacFarland
  Illustrations:  David Esbrì 
  Cartography: Stephen Radney-MacFarland 
  Playtersters: Zephreum Humphreys, Trevor Kidd, Suzanne LeMere, Alexander Lindsay, Pamela Lindsay and the 
  Players at Gen Con So Cal 2005 
  Sources: Sharn: City of Towers [Keith Baker and James Wyatt], Five Nations [Bill Slavicsek, David Noonan, Christopher Perkins], Spell 
  Compendium [Matthew Sernett, Jeff Grubb, Mike McArtor], Dungeon Master’s Guide II [Jesse Decker, David Noonan, Chris Thomasson, 
  James Jacobs, Robin D. Laws], Libris Mortis [Andy Collins and Bruce Cordell], Monster Manual III [Rich Burlew, Eric Cagle, Jesse 
  Decker, Andrew J. Finch, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Rich Redman, Matthew Sernett, Chris Thomasson, P. Nathan Toomey], 
  “Eternal Evil: The Lords of Dust” from Dragon #337 [Keith Baker]. 
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  2
  INTRODUCTION
  Desolate Endeavor is optimized for 7th-level characters. This means 
  that it’s designed and balanced for a group of four to ﬁ ve 7th-level 
  characters (PCs). If your group deviates from this size and strength, 
  each encounter features a section titled “Scaling the Encounter” so 
  that you, the Dungeon Master (DM), can create a more enjoyable 
  and better balanced adventure. If there are only four of ﬁ ve PCs of 
  the same level in your group, it’s easy to use this section: just use 
  the level entry that corresponds with the PCs’ level (the optimized 
  entry is given in the main adventure text). For groups of mixed levels 
  and groups with six PCs, determine the average level of the PCs, 
  and increase that average by one for groups of six PCs. Treat that 
  level as the groups level. That said, as DM you have discretion when 
  it comes to ﬁ tting the challenges of the adventure to your group. If 
  your group ﬁ nds the challenges too easy or too difﬁ cult, feel free to 
  increase or decrease the level of challenge appropriately. The goal is 
  to challenge the PCs and entertain the players, not to overwhelm or 
  even underwhelm them. The most enjoyable D&D games are ones 
  where failure and character death are possible, but success and reward 
  are attainable through daring and smart play. 
   
  Desolate Endeavor has been designed to be part of the RPGA 
  DUNGEON & DRAGONS CAMPAIGNS: MARK OF HEROES program. Like all 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CAMPAIGNS adventures, it’s recommended that 
  PCs undertaking its challenges have at least one arcane spellcaster, a 
  divine spellcaster (preferably a cleric), a strong warrior, and a rogue. 
  Parties missing these valuable adventuring components may ﬁ nd 
  Desolate Endeavor very challenging, and the chances of character death 
  higher. Please warn the players of this before play starts. DUNGEONS 
  & DRAGONS CAMPAIGNS allow players to “take one for the team”; that 
  is to play a fastplay wizard, ﬁ ghter, rogue, or cleric in place of one of 
  their characters, and gain experience point for their character. If the 
  group lacks one of these vital four classes, suggest to your players to 
  take advantage of this option.
  RPGA-Sanctioned Play
  Most likely you ordered this adventure as part of an RPGA even from 
  the RPGA website, or as part of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CAMPAIGNS 
  retail program. To play Desolate Endeavor as part of the MARK OF HEROES 
  campaign—a worldwide, ongoing D&D campaign set in Eberron—you 
  must sanction it as part of an RPGA event. This event could be as 
  elaborate as a big convention, or as simple as a group of friends 
  meeting at the DM’s house. 
   
  To sanction an RPGA event, you must be at least a HERALD-LEVEL 
  gamemaster. The person who sanctions the event is called the senior 
  gamemaster, and is in charge of making sure the event is sanctioned 
  before play, runs smoothly on the date sanctioned, and then reported 
  back to the RPGA in a timely manner. The person who runs the game 
  is called the table DM (or usually just DM). Sometimes (and almost 
  all the time in the cases of home events) the senior gamemaster is also 
  the table DM. You don’t have to be a HERALD-LEVEL GM to run this 
  adventure if you are not the senior GM. 
   
  By sanctioning and reporting this adventure you accomplish a 
  few things. First, it allows the PCs participating in play to accumulate 
  experience points (XP) and gold pieces (gp) to advance their MARK OF 
  HEROES characters. Second, it allows the RPGA to track and record 
  what character did during the adventure, and future adventures a 
  written with what the majority of player did in mind—in this way 
  characters’ action shape the future of the campaign. Lastly, player and 
  DMs gain rewards for sanctioned RPGA play if they are members of 
  the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS program. Playing this adventure is 
  worth four (4) points. 
   
  This adventure retires from RPGA sanctioned play on June 5, 
  2006.   
   
  To learn more about the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CAMPAIGNS: 
  MARK OF HEROES character creation and development, RPGA event 
  sanctioning, and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS REWARDS, visit the RPGA 
  website at www.rpga.com. 
  . Players Read No Farther
  If you are planning on playing this adventure, stop reading now. 
  The rest of the information in this adventure is for the DM only. If 
  you read farther than this section, you’ll know too much about its 
  challenges, which kills the fun. Also, if you’re playing this adventure 
  as part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, reading beyond this point 
  makes you ineligible to do so. 
  Preparing for Play
  To get the most out of this adventure, you need copies of the 
  following D&D books: Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster 
  Manual, and the Eberron Campaign Setting. It is also a good idea to have 
  a copy of the Expanded Psionics Handbook, as it is possible that some 
  character playing in this adventure will be kalashtar utilizing the 
  psionics rules. 
   
  Throughout this adventure, blocks of italicized text provide player 
  information for you to paraphrase or read aloud when appropriate. 
  Sidebars contain important information for you, including special 
  instruction on running or expanding the adventure. Information 
  on nonplayer characters (NPCs) and monsters appear in abbreviated 
  form in the adventure text. Full information on NPCs and monsters 
  are given in a section directly after each encounter in a section titled 
  “Combat Statistics” or can be found in the Monster Manual. 
   
  This adventure may use material from various other D&D 
  sourcebooks and other ofﬁ cial sources. While many times the 
  adventure text notes where this information came from, the adventure 
  is designed so that you don’t need to have those sources during play. 
   
  Either attached to the adventure, you’ll ﬁ nd a special RPGA 
  Session Tracking Sheet tailored for this adventure. If you’re playing this 
  adventure as part of an RPGA-sanctioned event, complete and turn 
  in this sheet to your senior GM directly after play. 
  INTRODUCTION
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS  MINIATURES
  To run this adventure it’s recommend you have the following 
  miniatures:
  From the ARCHFIENDS TM set: 
  Sage (24/60) to represent Dharu Khali
  From the GIANTS OF LEGEND TM set: 
  Rakshasa (38/72)
  From the DEATHKNELLTM set: 
  Boneclaw (47/60)
  2 Deathlocks (50/60)
  From the ANGELFIRETM set: 
  Divine Crusader of Corellon (16/60) to represent Zaira Dane
  2 Chain Devils (36/60)
  Imp (43/60)
  4 Skeletal Archers (50/60) 
  From the UNDERDARKTM set: 
  6 Drow Arcane Guard (47/60) to represent Citadel agents.
  
  Background
  Prior to graduating from Morgrave University, Mah’vara d’Orien 
  spent several months studying the Demon Wastes, accompanied only 
  by her faithful companion and cohort, the warforged Bastion. In that 
  ruined waste, Mah’vara studied the activities of the Maruk Ghaash’kala 
  and the inexplicable migrations of orcs into the area. That was until 
  an occurrence changed here life. 
   
  The dusk hag Beltrudelgald touched her, inﬂ icting prophetic 
  nightmares upon Mah’vara. Those nightmares predicting that she 
  would meet a prince of Ashtakala, who would provide her with a 
  means to achieve power not thought possible. Her hag-induced vision 
  alluded that she was of two spirits in one body, though she remains 
  perplexed as to the exact meaning of that prophecy.
   
  It wasn’t long, at any rate, before she did meet Dharu Khali, a 
  rakshasa sorcerer and a Claw of Khyber in the service of Kashtarhak. 
  Infatuated with the beautiful and sly Mah’vara, Dharu worked out a 
  partnership with the wizard allowing him to see more of her, even 
  while working toward the ends of his subtle and mysterious master. 
   
  Not long after forging their alliance, Mah’vara and Dharu 
  discovered an ancient portal that purportedly connects the ruined 
  keep at Desolate to a chamber in Sharn’s Cogs. Mah’vara and the 
  Claw of Khyber hope to open the portal, creating a ready means of 
  transportation between Sharn and Desolate, allowing an unsavory 
  transport rakshasa or worse into the City of Towers.  
   
  Unbeknownst to Mah’vara, Dharu has also become aware of a 
  magical location beneath the keep—a spellward of arcane might. While 
  the rakshasa covets the power of the location, he knows the history 
  of the keep, and is not willing to risk death to obtain it. Because of 
  the dangers involved, Mah’vara and Dharu have opted to hire a band 
  of adventurers from Sharn to plunder the keep. Once completed, 
  the duo plans to destroy the adventurers, ensuring that further 
  knowledge of the portal does not spread, before proceeding with 
  their nefarious plans. 
  Summary
  The PCs are called to a meeting with Mah’vara d’Orien in the city of 
  Sharn. The wizard hires them to clear out and abandoned watchtower 
  at Desolate, so she may establish a presence in the Demon Wastes 
  (which she calls by its proper Infernal name, Fah’lrrg).  She claims that 
  this endeavor will allow her continue research that’ll no doubt beneﬁ t 
  Morgrave University not to mention expand the canon of civilized 
  knowledge about the waste. 
   
  Mah’vara warns the PCs that Zaira Dane, a former academic rival 
  who wishes to see Mah’vara fail and isn’t afraid to use the power of her 
  position in the King’s Citadel to do so, may attempt to hinder the 
  PCs’ mission. 
   
  Because she fears the machinations of her rival, time is of 
  the essence. She wants to start the expedition ﬁ rst thing the next 
  morning. The plan is to teleport the PCs, along with her “assistant” 
  Dharu, to Desolate. There, Dharu—an explorer knowledgeable in the 
  lore of portals—can reopen it, and he and the PCs can use it to return 
  to Sharn
   
  Once they leave the meeting with Mah’vara, Zaira Dane and 
  a band of King’s Citadel agents confront the PCs. Zaira distrusts 
  her old rival, and has heard rumors that Mah’vara now trafﬁ cs with 
  rakshasa.  And while the agent of Breland would like nothing more 
  than to implicate her old rival, Zaira is more concerned with the 
  security of the city. She attempts detain the PCs for questioning, and 
  she is quite willing to use force to do so.
   
  If the PCs resist Zaira’s attempt to arrest them, a ﬁ ght ensues. 
  DESOLATE ENDEAVOR
  3
  If the PCs are incapacitated, Zaira takes them in for questioning. 
  Otherwise, the PCs can continue on about their business, and meet 
  with Mah’vara in the morning. If taken in for questioning, forcibly or 
  willingly, Zaira informs the PCs of her suspicions regarding Mah’vara, 
  and demands their aid in ferreting out her plans. 
   
  Either way, when the PCs return in the morning, Mah’vara is 
  waiting for them, and in true House Orien fashion, has the group 
  teleported out to the keep at Desolate. 
   
  Inside the keep the PCs must survive the traps and creatures 
  inhabiting the place, and ﬁ nd the portal deep within. Even then, 
  their toils are not over. At some point Dharu slips away from the 
  group on a mission of his own. His own research has discover that the 
  watchtower is also the site of a spellward of arcane might, whose boon he 
  covets to increase his already considerable arcane power. If the PCs 
  pursue the disguised rakshasa, they catch up with him as he absorbs 
  the magical locations considerable power. Bolstered by its power, the 
  ﬁ end decides the time is ripe to dispense of Mah’vara’s little pawns. 
  The PCs must survive the rakshasa’s assault or be the latest group to 
  ﬁ nd death in the Demon Wastes. 
  Troubleshooting
  Buying Equipment
  During the adventure the PCs may want to purchase a good piercing 
  weapon, or magic item that can enchant bless or align a weapon. 
  Buying such items during the adventure takes cash on hand (CoH). 
  The PCs can pool their CoH to purchase items. 
   
  To help you out, here are some campaign costs for major items. 
  This list expands the list of items the PCs can usually buy, but only for 
  this adventure. 
  Item 
  Cost
  +1 holy piercing weapon 
  +8,300 gp
  +1 holy piercing ammunition (20) 
  +41,500 gp
  +1 holy piercing ammunition (1) 
  +8,300 gp
  Divine scroll of align weapon (good)(CL 3rd) 
  750 gp
  Divine scroll of bless weapon (CL 1st) 
  500 gp
  Oil of align weapon (good) (CL 3rd)  
  1,500 gp
  Oil of bless weapon (CL 4th) 
  1,000 gp
  In the case of weapons and ammunition, add the campaign cost of the 
  weapon or ammunition to the above prices. 
   
  There are ways the PCs can reduce these costs. Characters with the 
  Scribe Scroll or Brew Potions feat have enough time to brew a single 
  item before they leave Sharn; this reduces the prices of those items by 
  25% to 50% depending on the character’s feat selection. 
   
  Dragonmarked characters with the Favored of the House feat 
  can succeed a DC 15 check to gain a single potion or scroll from the 
  above list from their house, and a DC 20 grants a mix of three potions 
  and scrolls or a single weapon or piece of ammunition. Unused or 
  salvageable items must be given back to the house at the end of the 
  adventure. Member of House Cannith and House Orien get a +2 
  circumstance bonus to this check, due to the nature of the house (in 
  the case of Cannith) or to the fact the PCs are pursuing this mission 
  for a member of House Orien (since the house does not know their 
  member is in league with the Lords of Dust). 
  
  It’s Good to Read Minds
  Throughout this adventure the rakshasa, Dharu Khali, can and 
  will attempt to read the thoughts of the PCs via his detect thoughts 
  supernatural ability (see Monster Manual page 212). The PCs do get a 
  Will save, and for ease of adjudication, assume that PCs constantly 
  “take 10” on these saves. This means that PCs with a Will saving throw 
  bonus of +4 or less always fail the save, while those with a bonus of +5 
  or more always succeed. 
   
  This has the following effects: First it allows you to make tactical 
  decisions for Dharu based on the thoughts of those PCs who failed 
  their save. You’ll have to use your best judgment there; Second, those 
  who succeed feel a magically forceful tingle on their ﬁ rst meeting 
  with Dharu, though they are not able to determine the source or 
  the effect (see Player’s Handbook page 177). A secretive and cautious 
  creature, Dharu does not attempt to pry into the thoughts of a PC 
  who succeeds his or her ﬁ rst save unless his nature is uncovered. At 
  that point, when Dharu uses his ability have the PCs attempt the Will 
  saving throw normally; Lastly, insights into the minds of his enemies 
  grants Dharu tactical advantage. The rakshasa gets pool of action-
  point-like dice that he can roll and add the results to attack rolls 
  against PCs who failed their Will save (and only those who failed their 
  Will save). He gets 1d6 for every PCs who failed the save, the dice can 
  only modify his attack roll and/or roll to conﬁ rm a critical, and only 
  one of these action-point-like dice can be rolled a round. Just like 
  action points, once the die is rolled it is spent.   
  Raising the Dead 
  At this point the PCs may have gained enough renown, and hopefully 
  enough gold and experience, to come back from the dead. Like many 
  things that involve XP and gp cost, raise dead and other spells work 
  differently in DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CAMPAIGNS. If a PC dies, and his 
  or her companions are able to bring the body back to a temple with 
  clerics powerful enough to cast raise dead within 11 days after the time 
  of death, a character can be raised (assuming the soul is willing). 
  This incurs a 1,100-gp debt, which may be divided up between the 
  characters played during the session. This debt is forever subtracted 
  from the equipment value of the characters, and reported in the “GP 
  Debt” ﬁ eld of the Session Tracking sheet. Additionally, the character 
  that came back from the dead has its experience points reduced. The 
  amount of experience points reduced is dependent on the current 
  character level (see the table below) of the PC raised. Record the 
  proper amount on the “XP Drain” ﬁ eld of the Session Tracking 
  sheet. These two costs are the only costs for the raise dead (even for 
  1st-level characters), and overrides the rules for the spell found in 
  the Player’s Handbook. 
   
  Please Note: When a character is brought back from the dead it is 
  not recorded as a character death (so don’t mark “Y” on the Session 
  Tracking). Just record the gold debt and experience drain. 
  Experience Point Drain for Raised Characters
  Character Level 
   
   
  XP Drain
  7th  
   
   
   
  3,500 XP
  8th  
   
   
   
  4,000 XP
  9th  
   
   
   
  4,500 XP
  10th 
   
   
   
  5,000 XP
  11th  
   
   
   
  5,500 XP
  Adventure Start 
  Desolate Endeavor beings in Sharn, the City of Towers. Though not the 
  capital of Breland, it is the commercial and—as many would argue—
  cultural hub of that nation, if not of all Khorvaire. 
   
  The city sits on a point of two convergences, one terrestrial, the 
  other planar. 
   
  Situated on the conﬂ uence of the Dagger and Hilt Rivers, the 
  city is a port with easy access to the Thunder Sea, an serves as the 
  closest cosmopolitan center to Stormreach and the rest of the exotic 
  Xen’drik continent, a distinction that has contributed to its rise. 
  The place also sits on a manifestation zone of the plane of Syrania, 
  the Azure Sky, and this conﬂ uence enhances ﬂ ying and other 
  gravity-defying magics. In a place were horizontal sprawl was made 
  impossible by an inhospitable outcrop of rocks, the manifestation 
  zone has allowed the city to grow upwards, making Sharn a vertical 
  city that employs ﬂ y mounts, magical boat-like skycoaches, sprawling 
  causeways and arcane lifts in place of the paved roads, carriages, and 
  horses of typical Khorvaire cities. 
   
  From the industrial Cogs region extending below the 
  foundations of Sharn to the wealthy echelons of the Upper City and 
  the free-ﬂ oating skyway, over 200,000 souls hang their hat in Sharn. 
  It’s home to even more intrigues, both malign and malignant. 
   
  While this adventure does not require the uses of the Sharn: City 
  of Towers supplement, having it could aid you in player immersion 
  when describing this remarkable city. It could also aid you in 
  constructing a DM’s Mark adventure that you could run in concert 
  with Desolate Endeavor. 
   
  Just why the PCs are in the Sharn is up to you, but here is a brief 
  list of ideas:
   
  • The PCs could be in the city as part of a DMs Mark adventure  
   
   
  you’re running. This adventure could take place either  
   
   
  before or after the DM’s Mark. 
   
  • The PCs could be in Sharn serving as couriers to private and  
   
   
  sensitive communiqué between the patrons of Grea Tower  
   
   
  and the Diggers’ Union chapterhouse in Sharn. 
   
  • Sharn is a city of many festival days and diversions. If you have  
   
   
  access to the Sharn: City of Towers suppliment, take a look  
   
   
  at the festivities and sporting events described on pages  
   
   
  30 to 33. Anyone of them is reason alone why the PCs  
   
   
  might be in Sharn. 
  Part One: Tales of Two Rivals
  Once the players are ready to play, read aloud the following text.
  You’ve been summoned by way of goblin courier to meet with Mah’vara d’Orien, wizard 
  and alumni of Morgrave University. 
   
  The message you received indicated that the employment opportunity she is offering 
  is of a personal nature, and that your utmost discretion was requested. It also suggested 
  that the potential gain could be greater than any mission you have currently undertaken on 
  behalf of the Diggers’ Union. 
   
  Lastly, the summons gives directions to her abode in Skysedge Park on the Upper 
  Central Plateau. 
  This kind of summons is unusual, as it is not coming by way of 
  summons from the unusually secretive Sharn chapterhouse of the 
  Union. Particularly lawful or loyal members of the Union may want 
  to clear it with the local patrons, it doesn’t take long for them to ﬁ nd 
  out that the Union has no problem with commission as long as the 
  PCs report their activities once the mission is completed.   
   
  They PCs may know of Mah’vara by reputation. A DC 15 
  Knowledge (local) check yields the following information. Similar 
  4
  DESOLATE ENDEAVOR
  
  5
  information can garnered with a Gather information check of the 
  same DC (see the “Covering the Bases” sidebar for consequences of 
  this course of action). 
  While not ofﬁ cially associated with the Diggers’ Union, she has been known to sponsor 
  expeditions to various locales, both civilized and remote. 
  A more successful check (DC 20) garners this additional information. 
  It can also be discovered via Gather Information at the same DC and 
  with similar consequences. 
  The wizard has recently returned from an expedition to the Demon Wastes, where she 
  studied the Maruk Ghaash’kala, and the inexplicable migration of orcs into the area. 
  Grandeur of the Upper City
  The PCs could walk from almost anywhere in Sharn to Mah’vara 
  d’Orien’s ﬂ at, but a skycoach is much quicker. Depending on where 
  the PCs start in the city, it could cost as much a 6 sp to rent a skycoach 
  to take them to Skysedge Park. Skycoach rates are 1 sp a mile. 
  Mah’vara d’Orien’s summons takes you to Upper Central Plateau. The vast wealth of 
  this district of Sharn is readily apparent. Residences and business buildings are lined 
  with gold and mithral, and magic is lavishly used for advertisement of goods and services 
  with breathtaking illusory displays, to using scrying homunculi to safeguard the wealth so 
  proudly displayed on every corner.
   
  Winding your way to the Skysedge Park neighborhood, magic and wealth is only 
  overshadowed by the stunning ﬂ ora and statues that gives the district its name. Well-
  tended and as stunning as precious stones, your verdant path leads to the complex of 
  expensive ﬂ ats that Mha’vara d’Orien calls home.
   
  Traversing a great arching causeway, your approach does not go unnoticed. A 
  monstrous warforged with adamantine-laced armor advances, a massive and ornate 
  greatsword dangles menacingly from its back. 
  Characters with an Intelligence of 12 or better could succeed two DC 
  20 Intelligence check to notices a pair of scrying sensors currently 
  watching the area. You should make these checks for the PCs in 
  secret. 
   
  The warforged conﬁ dently walks up to the PCs and addresses 
  them.  
   
   
  “I am Bastion. My lady d’Orien anxiously awaits your arrival. Please follow me.” 
   
  The living construct turns and strides into the apartment complex, leading you into 
  the emerald courtyard and over to a lift, cleverly disguised to blend in with the courtyard’s 
  lush garden. 
  Bastion forestalls any conversation, answering all questions posed to 
  him with, “My lady will make all things clear shortly.”
  The lift opens onto and open-air antechamber. There, a stunning woman waits. The 
  Upper Central Plateau breeze plays in her long, ﬂ owing chestnut hair and her violet eyes 
  ﬂ ash in the early evening starlight. The woman sees you and smiles warmly. She stroll 
  forward, her hand extended in friendship, her glamerweave robe trailing behind her, 
  shifting in its almost hypnotic fashion.
   
   “Greetings. I am Mah’vara d’Orien, and I see you’ve already met Bastion. Please, 
  do the honor of joining me for refreshments? I ﬁ nd business discussions are ﬁ ner when 
  accompanied by ﬁ ne Aundair brandy wine.”
  Mah’vara leads the PC through her rich apartment and out to 
  another terraced veranda. The platform is itself a surprisingly lavish 
  garden containing exotic plants of many varieties. Observant PCs will 
  note (Knowledge [nature] DC 15) samples of the rare and dangerous 
  Fah’lrrg death weed, and the exotically beautiful and carnivorous hag’s 
  tongue ﬂ ower, both from the Desolate region of the far-off Demon 
  Wastes. 
  At the center of the garden stands an ornate refreshment stand. Next to it a balding 
  middle-aged Eldeen human of average height, build, and appearance waits. Sticking out 
  like a goblin in a Zilargo family reunion, the man wears a dusty and well-used explorer’s 
  outﬁ t, carries a dagger and a wand at his waist, and has a stuffed backpack sitting on the 
  ﬂ oor beside him. 
   
  He stands expectantly, if not impatiently, while staring out over the city. Upon 
  noticing your approach, he moves quickly, smiling as he warmly embraces Mah’vara, who 
  introduces you. 
   
  “This is my friend Dharu Khali. He is here for much the same reason as you.”
  Observant characters (either Knowledge [local] DC 25 or a standard 
  Investigate check and a DC 15 check to analyze the situation) 
  notices that while Dharu Khali looks Eldeen his name smacks of the 
  Infernal-tinged dialect of the Demon Wastes. And while the humans 
  there are said to be savage, if not depraved, Dharu carries himself 
  with what can only be called a civilized bearing, and wears clothing 
  common to the Five Nations. 
   
  At this time, also inform the PCs who make their save against 
  Dharu’s detect thought supranational ability (see Troubleshooting, 
  page 3) that they feel a strange tug in their mind. 
  Mah’vara speaks as Bastion offers wine from a large silver tray. 
   
  “While a student at Morgrave, I had the great fortune to complete my studies 
  abroad, amid the orcs that make up the Maruk Ghaash’kala, in Fah’lrrg—the land the 
  layman calls the Demon Wastes. There I studied the strange magic and peoples of that 
  land. While there I stumbled upon the ancient city, originally named Greenholt, then 
  Newholt, then Kymar’s Folly, and now called Desolate. 
   
  “For those not familiar with Desolate, various groups have attempted to settle the 
  place. Every time its residents have inexplicably disappeared. But this aspect of Desolate’s 
  history is not why I’ve called for you.
   
  “Before my last expedition into Fah’lrrg, I came into the possession of an ancestor’s 
  journal. Centuries ago this ancestor was part of the group that settled Greenholt. The 
  journal told the tale that House Orien build a rare and wondrous portal deep within their 
  Greenholt enclave, to bypass House Lyrandar dependency, and that portal served as a 
  direct link between Greenholt and Sharn. Unfortunately the journal was quiet as to its 
  location in Newholt or Sharn. 
   
  Intrigued by such a powerful Orien artifact, Bastion and I scoured the libraries of 
  Morgrave University, the Royal Collection of Aundair, and the ruins of Desolate searching 
  for the location of the ancient Orien enclave. Here is the ﬁ rst big of information I found in 
  the Royal Collection of Aundair. 
  Mah’vara hands the PCs piece of parchment, obviously torn from a 
  large tome. If asked if she stole the page from the Royal Collection 
  she tells the PCs no. This is a lie (Bluff +1). 
   
  After the PCs have read the journal fragment, Mah’vara 
  continues:
  The fragment comes from the journal of the Aundairian Captain Saal Ennes, who, until 
  he died in 894 YK, claimed to be the only survivor of Kymar’s Folly. His story was widely 
  discredited, as it was believed that no one survived the incident there, but his journal 
  matched the claim of a House Orien portal in the ruins of Desolate. Further research 
  uncovered the ruins of the southern watchtower, just outside of the Kymar’s Folly ruins, 
  and much older than that site.  And that is where Dharu comes in. He is a skilled explorer 
  and an expert in portals, and my house has entrusted him with the secrets of activating 
  portals in that region. 
   
  According to reports from the Maruk Ghaash’kala, the watchtower is…haunted, 
  though by what I don’t know. It would be up to you to explore the structure, locate the 
  DESOLATE ENDEAVOR
  
  6
  DESOLATE E ENDEAVOR
  portal, and with assistance from my dear friend Dharu, open it so that you may return 
  safely to Sharn by its magic. For this service, I’m willing to pay each surviving participant 
  5,000 gold. Additionally, any items that you may ﬁ nd within the tower that are not of 
  historical signiﬁ cance are yours to claim as well. What do you say?
  At this point, the PCs may have some questions for Mah’vara. She 
  answers each as best she can, given the particular boundaries of her 
  ﬁ ction. Any question not speciﬁ cally addressed, is up to the DM’s 
  discretion to answer, given the information in the adventure. Any 
  question that might give information that Mah’vara would not be 
  willing to part with, she merely answers with a faint smile, saying, 
  “That is unknown to me as well. Perhaps the answer can be found 
  elsewhere.” Additionally, Mah’vara is not prepared or willing to 
  haggle over payment, nor is she willing to part with a single copper 
  until the job is done. Any question regarding her honor draws a 
  cold, hard stare from her and Bastion alike.
   
  While Mah’vara is indeed charming, and always acts friendly, 
  if not downright warm, canny PCs will detect that her demeanor is 
  more façade than fact. A Sense Motive DC 20 gives a PC the hunch 
  that not everything about Mah’vara is on the up-and-up, but such 
  worries can be easily explained away as the strange way dragonmarked 
  scions deal with the “mundane” population.  
   
  A cloak of Khyber spell (see sidebar) cloaks Dharu’s identity and 
  motives. Furthermore, any questions directed toward the disguised 
  rakshasa are immediately deﬂ ected toward Mah’vara, “I’m a simple 
  explorer, just like you. Better ask our friend and employer.”
   
  Should any PC be unwilling to take on such a risky venture, they 
  are excused from the meeting. Once they leave the meeting they 
  are still confronted by Zaira Dane. If she can persuade the PCs to 
  take the mission in the name of Breland, the PCs can return and 
  renegotiate with Mah’vara. She can be persuaded to hire the PCs on 
  again, but if during their negotiations the PCs don’t succeed a DC 
  25 Diplomacy check, she reduces the payment for services rendered 
  to half the original rate. 
  New Magic
  A crafty spell used by the Lords of Dust aids in Dharu’s 
  deception. This spell is from the “Eternal Evil: The Lords 
  of Dust” article by Keith Baker that appeared in Dragon 
  #337. 
  Cloak of Khyber
  Illusion (glamer)
  Level: Sorcerer/wizard 3
  Components: V, S, F
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Personal
  Target: You
  Duration: One day/level
  Rakshasas are masters of deception, and over the course of 
  hundreds of thousands of years they developed this spell 
  this spell to enhance their powers of disguise. 
   
  The cloak of Khyber conceals the caster’s alignment from 
  any form of divination. More importantly, it shields a 
  shapechanging or magically disguised creature from true 
  seeing, causing the disguise to appear to be the caster’s true 
  form. However there is one signiﬁ cant restriction to this 
  power: the disguise must be maintained for six hours 
  before the power of the cloak takes effect. As such, it is 
  an extremely useful spell for a deep cover agent who rarely 
  shifts his shape, but it is useless to a character casting a 
  disguise self spell that only lasts for a few minutes. 
   
  Arcane Focus: A small Khyber dragonshard, worth 50 gp. 
  If this focus is ever taken more than a foot away from the 
  subject, the spell immediately ends. 
  
  7
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  Combat Statistics
  Mah’vara d’Orien 
   
  CR 8
  Female human wizard 5/cataclysm mage 3
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +2; Senses Listen +1, Spot +1 
  Languages Common; Draconic, Elven, Infernal
  AC 16, touch 12, ﬂ at-footed 14 (mage armor)
  hp 38 (84 HD plus false life)
  Immune confusion, insanity
  Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +9
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
  Melee masterwork dagger +3 (1d4-1/19-20)
  Ranged masterwork dagger +6 (1d4-1/19-20)
  Base Atk +3; Grp +2
  Special Actions cataclysm of ﬂ esh (DC 18)
  Combat Gear bag of tricks (gray), wand of magic missile (CL 
  3rd; 10 charges)
  Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 7th; 1d20+7 to overcome SR):
   
  4th—dimension door, greater invisibility
   
  3rd—dispel magic, extended bull’s strength†,   
   
   
   
  nondetection†
   
  2nd—extended mage armor†, false life†, scorching ray (2  
   
   
  rays; +5 ranged touch attack), web (DC 16)
   
  1st—expeditious retreat, feather fall, magic missile (2),   
   
   
  shield
   
  0—detect poison, detect magic, message, read magic
   
  † Spell already cast
  Abilities Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 13
  SQ Dhakaani Secret, personal prophecy, Xoriat secret
  Feats Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Extend 
  Spell, Leadership (cohort – Bastion), Least Mark of Passage 
  (1/day – dimension leap), Scribe Scroll
  Skills Concentration +10 (+14 w/casting defensively), Decipher 
  Script +11, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (history) +14, 
  Knowledge (the planes) +14, Spellcraft +16, Survival +8
  Possessions masterwork dagger, amulet of health +2, cloak 
  of protection +1, glamerweave courtier’s outﬁ t, identiﬁ cation 
  papers (with portrait). 
   
  Dhakaani Secret (Ex): When Mah’vara creates magic 
  weapons with the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat, she can 
  imbue the weapon with one of the following special abilities 
  at no experience point cost: bane, keen, mighty cleaving, 
  thundering, or vicious. When Mah’vara creates magic armor 
  or shields with the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat, she can 
  imbue the armor or shield with one of the following special 
  abilities at no experience point cost: arrow catching, bashing, 
  blinding, light fortiﬁ cation, shadow, or silent moves.
   
  Personal Prophecy: Mah’vara has had a prophecy that 
  she is to be of two spirits in one body. She is unsure what 
  this pertains to precisely, though she has unwisely divulged 
  information regarding the prophecy to the rakshasa Dharu 
  Khali, who plans to fulﬁ ll the prophecy by forcing Mah’vara to 
  be possessed by a devil at some point in the future.
   
  Xoriat Secret (Ex): Immunity to confusion and insanity 
  effects.
   
  Cataclysm of the Flesh (Sp): Mah’vara has the ability to 
  tear a hole in the fabric of the planes and let the madness of 
  Xoriat corrupt all it touches.
   
  This ability has a range of 40 feet, and a duration of 3 
  rounds total. All creatures within a 20-foot radius of the affect’s 
  center must succeed on a Reﬂ ex save DC 18 or be touched 
  by the lemon rains and mindless star-worms of the Realm of 
  Madness, forced to endure as their own ﬂ esh melts away and 
  rains upward to patter on the ceiling as they deliquesce.
   
  An affected creature cannot hold or use any item (including 
  clothing, armor, magic items, and so on). It can ooze forward 
  with gelatinous pseudopods at a speed of 10 feet. Iﬁ t normally 
  has movement modes other than land speed, those modes 
  are reduced by 30 feet (with a speed of 0 or less meaning that 
  the creature has lost that movement mode until it regains its 
  normal form).
   
  Pain also wracks the stressed nerves of the victim. To cast 
  a spell or use a spell-like ability while in this oozelike form, 
  a creature must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 25 
  + spell level) or have the spell or spell-like ability wasted. (In 
  addition, because of its inability to hold objects, an affected 
  creature cannot cast spells that require material components.) 
  The amorphous wretch can still attack with natural weapons, 
  but it does so at a -4 penalty on attack rolls and with a 50% miss 
  chance because its eyes have transmuted into spongy yolks. 
  The victim regains its normal form when the effect ends.
   
  Note: Begins the encounter having already cast extended 
  mage armor, false life, and nondetection on herself, as well as 
  having cast extended bull’s strength on Bastion.
  Bastion 
   
   
  CR 6
  Male personality warforged ﬁ ghter 6
  N Medium living construct
  Init +1; Senses Listen -2, Spot -2 
  AC 21, touch 12, ﬂ at-footed 20
  hp 58 (6 HD); DR 2/adamantine 
  Immune poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, 
  fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, 
  and energy drain
  Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +0
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
  Melee +1 keen greatsword +12/+7 (2d6+8/17-20) or
   
  slam +11/+6 (1d4+5) 
  Ranged masterwork composite longbow +8/+3 (1d8+5/x3)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  Base Atk +6; Grp +11
  Abilities Str 20, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 6, Cha 6
  SQ Warforged traits
  Feats Adamantine Body, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility, 
  Power Attack, Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack
  Skills Climb +9, Jump +9, Swim +4
  Possessions +1 enhancement bonus to armor plating, +1 
  keen greatsword, masterwork composite longbow (Str bonus 
  +5) and 20 arrows, ring of protection +1
   
  Warforged Traits (Ex): Immunity to poison, sleep effects, 
  paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that 
  cause the sickened condiction, and energy drain; cannot 
  heal damage naturally; does not eat, sleep, or breathe; light 
  fortiﬁ cation
  Cont. page 8
  
  8
  Agents of the King’s Citadel (EL 9)
  At some point after they leave Mah’vara’s ﬂ at, Zaira Dane, leading a group 
  King’s Citadel agents, approaches the PCs on a strangely quiet causeway. 
   
  With great efﬁ ciency Dane and here band have cleared the street, and she 
  approaches the PCs with speed and stealth. 
   
  Approaching an intersection of causeways, something is obviously not right. The streets are too quiet; 
  this part of the Sharn is strangely deserted. Then, a clarion female voice rings out, piercing the silence. 
   
  “Halt where you are! We the Citadel of King Boranel, and you are under arrest!”
  Zaira Dane ﬂ ies above the intersection, looking down on the PCs. Her voice 
  alerts the PCs to her presence. Read the following descriptive text. 
  The person shouting out orders is a half-elf woman magically ﬂ ying about 20 feet above 
  the causeway conjunction. Wearing shoulder-length blond hair kept out of here eyes by a 
  golden circlet, this tiny, angular and stern-looking woman is armored in a glittering chain 
  shirt. A halberd is fastened to her back by way of some specialized sheath, and she caries a 
  bow, one arrow on string and ready to be knocked. 
  Citadel agents witnessed the PCs enter Mah’vara’s ﬂ at by way scrying, 
  but the organization is unaware of what transpired through those 
  warded and lead-lined walls. 
   
  The King’s Citadel has received a second-hand report that the 
  Orien lady is in league with a rakshasa, and that ﬁ end may even be 
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  Dharu Khali (rakshasa) 
   
  CR 10 
  LE Medium outsider (native)
  Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Listen +13, Spot +11 
  Languages Common, Infernal, Undercommon
  AC 25, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 23
  hp 52 (7d8+21 HD); DR 15/good and piercing
  SR 27
  Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +6
  Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
  Melee 2 claws +8 (1d4+1) and
   
  bite +3 (1d6)
  Base Atk +7; Grp +8
  Combat Gear 2 scrolls of dimension door (CL 7th), wand of 
  magic missile (CL 3rd; 10 charges)
  Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 7th; 1d20+7 to overcome SR):
   
  3rd (5/day)—ﬁ reball (DC 16), ﬂ y
   
  2nd (7/day)—cloak of Khyber, invisibility, scorching ray 
   
   
  (2 rays; +9 ranged touch attack)
   
  1st (7/day)— expeditious retreat, familiar pocket, lesser   
   
           acid orb (4d8; +9 ranged touch attack), magic  
   
   
          missile, ray of enfeeblement (1d6+3 Str penalty; +9  
   
   
  ranged touch attack)
   
  0 (6/day)—detect magic, light, mage hand, message,  
   
   
          read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue
  Abilities Str 12, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 17
  SQ change shape, damage reduction 15/good and piercing, 
  darkvision 60 ft., spell resistance 27
  Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Improved Familiar (imp)
  Skills Bluff +17*, Concentration +13 (+17 w/casting 
  defensively), Diplomacy +7, Disguise +17 (+19 acting)*, 
  Intimidate +5, Listen +11, Move Silently +13, Perform (oratory) 
  +13, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +11, Spot +9
  Possessions +1 defending dagger, amulet of natural armor 
  +1, bracers of armor +2, ring of protection +1, 2 arcane scrolls 
  of dimension door (CL 7th), wand of magic missile (CL 3rd; 
  10 charges)
   
  Detect Thoughts (Su): Dharu can continuously use 
  detect thoughts as the spell (CL 18th; Will DC 15 negates). It 
  can suppress or resume this ability as a free action. The save 
  DC is Charisma-based.
   
  Change Shape (Su): Dharu can assume any humanoid 
  form, or revert to his own form, as a standard action. In 
  humanoid form, Dharu loses his claw and bite attacks. Dharu 
  remains in one form until he chooses to assume a new one. A 
  change in form cannot be dispelled, but Dharu reverts to his 
  natural form when killed. A true seeing spell normally reveals 
  his natural form, but Dharu is currently under the effect of a 
  cloak of Khyber spell (see page 6). 
   
  *Skills: When using change shape, Dharu gains an 
  additional +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks. If 
  reading an opponent’s mind, his circumstance bonus on Bluff 
  and Disguise checks increases by a further +4.
  Shazagauroth (imp familiar) CR -- 
  LE Tiny outsider (evil, extraplanar, lawful)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Listen +7, Spot +7 
  Languages Infernal
  AC 24, touch 15, ﬂ at-footed 21
  hp 26 (7d8 HD); fast healing 2; DR 5/good or silver
  Immune poison
  Resist ﬁ re 5 
  Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +6
  Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), ﬂ y 50 ft. (perfect)
  Melee sting +12 (1d4 plus poison)
  Space 2 1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
  Base Atk +7; Grp -1 
  Special Atk poison, spell-like abilities
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; 1d20+6 to overcome SR):
   
  At will – detect good, detect magic, invisibility (self only); 1/
  day – suggestion (DC 15). The save DC is Charisma-based.
  Abilities Str 10, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14
  SQ Alternate form, damage reduction 5/good or silver, 
  darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 2, immunity to poison, resistance 
  to ﬁ re 5; Dharu gains Alertness, improved evasion, share 
  spells, empathic link, deliver touch spells
  Feats Dodge, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Bluff +16, Concentration +10, Diplomacy +8, Disguise 
  +16, Hide +17, Intimidate +4, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Listen 
  +11, Move Silently +15, Perform (oratory) +12, Search +6, 
  Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +10, Spot +9, Survival +1 (+3 
  following tracks)
   
  Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 13, initial damage 
  1d4 Dex, secondary damage 2d4 Dex. The save DC is 
  Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
   
  Alternate Form (Sp): Shazagauroth can assume the form 
  of a raven at will as a standard action. This ability functions as 
  a polymorph spell cast on itself (caster level 12th), except that 
  Shazagauroth does not regain hit points for changing form.
  
  9
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  in the city, but Zaira or any other Citadel agent has of yet to conﬁ rm 
  such suspicions. This is the main reason that Zaira Dane wants to 
  interrogate he PCs. 
   
  While Mah’vara has warned the PCs that Zaira has a personal 
  vendetta against here, and 
   
  In addition to Zaira herself, six agents of the King’s Citadel, 
  each armed with spiked chains, approach from each of the causeways 
  (two agents from the causeways in front of the PCs, and two from 
  each causeway behind the PCs (see Map 1). Once Zaira stops the 
  PCs, it is appropriate to allow them Spot checks against the agent’s 
  Hide checks.
  Fighting the King’s Citadel 
  If the PCs attack Zaira, or take any hostile action (which includes 
  any form of noticeable spell casting or the manifestation of a psionic 
  display) the King’s Citadel agents move forward and attack.
   
  Zaira Dane: hp 31; Combat Statistics.
   
  Citadel Agents (6): hp 31, 30, 30, 27, 25, 22; Combat Statistics. 
   
  Tactics: While the agents don’t pull their punches, they would 
  rather not kill the PCs, as Zaira wants to interrogate them. Still, if 
  the PCs resist arrest aggressively, the agents have no qualms with 
  responding with similar aggression…after all, speak with dead was granted 
  by the gods to converse with obstinate foes.  
   
  The Citadel agents move into ﬂ anking positions, taking advantage 
  of their spiked chain’s reach. Zaira attempts to disable PCs with hold 
  person, Tasha’s hideous laughter, and charm person, and only resorts to magic 
  missile or scorching ray if she feels that her life or her agent’s lives are 
  threatened.
   
  If her life is threatened (that is here hit points are reduced to a 
  quarter of their maximum), Zaira ﬂ ees the scene, hoping to regroup 
  and try to detain the PCs later after rallying a stronger force, but 
  chances are by then the PCs are long gone.  
   
  Development: After defeating the Citadel agents, the PCs may 
  ﬁ nd a slip of paper on any given agent’s person. Give them Handout 2 
  Map 1: Sharn Walkway
  Map 1: Sharn Walkway
  – Citadel Agent Communiqué.
   
  If the agents defeat the PCs, and the PCs still live, they transport 
  the PCs to the safe house described below, and cure them to the 
  edge of consciousness (0 hp) before beginning the interrogation. 
  Surrendering to the King’s Citadel
  On the other hand, if the PCs speak to Zaira in a civil tongue 
  (Diplomacy DC 15), and accept the arrest, she allows them to retain 
  their weapons and doesn’t even shackle them. 
   
  Desiring to talk with them in a secure location, Agent Zane 
  is unwilling to divulge the issue until they get there. If asked, she 
  allows the PCs to examine her identiﬁ cation papers, which identify 
  her as an agent of the King’s Citadel. An Appraise or Investigate 
  DC 15 (grant a special +2 synergy bonus to characters with at least 4 
  ranks of Forgery) veriﬁ es that the papers are legitimate. 
   
  The PCs are then escorted to a private skycoach lacking any 
  identiﬁ cation or insignia. A ﬁ fteen minute hasty travel—at times 
  becoming almost a breakneck decent—deposits the PCs to a King’s 
  Citadel safe house located in a lower and much darker section of 
  the city.
   
  Zaira and the agents then escort the PCs into a room with a 
  large table.
  A long plain table dominates this large, windowless chamber. There are six chairs on the 
  nearer side of the table, and one on the far end. Behind the table bright arcane lights 
  shine down, obscuring the details of a group maybe half-a-dozen people observing 
  from a raised observation room. 
  Zaira begins the PCs interrogation with a statement required under 
  the Code of Justice (a DC 10 Knowledge [local] or Intelligence 
  check recognizes it as such. Brelish characters gain a +2 circumstance 
  bonus to recognize it, as the people of that nation are very familiar 
  with the Code) followed by a simple question.
  “I am an agent of the King of Breland, and any information give to me during this 
  questioning is asked in the name of the king, and may be used by the king or his agents 
  for the betterment of the kingdom, including to prosecute the law of the kingdom against 
  you or others.
   
   “What is the nature of your relationship with Mah’vara d’Orien?” 
  The Citadel is not a trusting institution, and Zaira has had this 
  chamber prepared with zone of truth. In order to overcome the effects 
  of this spell, any given PC must make a DC 18 Will save. While 
  Zaira is not the Citadel’s best interrogator (Sense Motive +6 and 
  Intimidate +1) she knows the nature of zone of truth enough to ask 
  the same question to multiple PCs, focusing on warforged and orcs 
  whenever possible to conﬁ rm results. 
   
  Assuming the PCs disclose the entire conversation with 
  Mah’vara to Zaira, the Citadel agent is both pleased and intrigued. 
  She tells the PCs the following. 
  What you say is both interesting and troubling. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve known 
  Mah’vara d’Orien for a long time, and beneath that graceful and charming exterior is a 
  selﬁ sh and maleﬁ cent mind. I’ve no doubt that this portal between Desolate and Sharn 
  is a harbinger of a darker plot. 
   
  For the good of Breland, I order you partake in Mah’vara d’Orien’s mission, but 
  instead of activating the portal, I want you to destroy it, and in doing so any threat to 
  Breland. 
  The PCs may be taken aback by Zaira Dane’s direct manner, but 
  the King’s Citadel does not ask, it tells. Further discussion on 
  PC
  Start
  CA
  CA
  CA
  CA
  CA
  CA
  ZD
  (20 ft. above walkway)
  
  10
  the matter (and Zaira refuses to call it negotiations) yields the 
  following concessions. 
   
  The King’s Citadel gives the PCs two powerful magic items 
  to help complete their quest. The ﬁ rst is a rod of recall, a crystalline 
  rod that when thrust into the ground, will transport all willing 
  creatures in a 10-foot radius blast to the King’s Citadel sanctuary, 
  which is the interrogation room. The second is an arcane scroll 
  of seal portal, that the PCs are instructed to use if the portal is 
  accidentally opened.  
   
  Assuming the PCs explain the nature of their afﬁ liation with 
  Mah’vara (as employees only), Zaira is pleased, and asks the PCs 
  if they would indeed go on the mission for Mah’vara as outlined. 
  Instead of aiding in the opening of the portal, Zaira wants the 
  PCs to remove any possible threat to Breland by sealing the 
  portal. She gives the PCs an arcane scroll of seal portal (CL 11th) 
  and a rod of recall (see sidebar for spell and item) to accomplish the 
  new mission and escape Desolate.
   
  Zaira also tells the PCs that the King’s Citadel has received 
  unconﬁ rmed intelligence that Mah’vara is in league with the 
  rakshasas of the Demon Waste, and may even be a pawn those foul 
  creatures. She explains that those creatures are nigh invulnerable. 
  Their one weakness are good piercing weapons.  She recommends 
  the PCs procure scrolls of align weapon or bless weapon, or prepare 
  such a spell to be cast on a piercing weapon. This would enable 
  the PCs to possess a good aligned weapon, should the situation 
  call for it. Arrows or bolts would be her ﬁ rst choice, but a handy 
  spear or dagger should do the trick as well.
   
  If the PCs are unwilling to divulge the nature of their 
  association with Mah’vara, Zaira places them under arrest, and 
  unless the PCs manage to ﬁ ght through Zaira and a dozen Citadel 
  agents the adventure is over. 
   
  Development: Once the encounter has played itself out, 
  assuming the PCs are still planning to continue with the journey 
  to the Demon Wastes, they now have the opportunity to rest, 
  prepare spells, and on the way to meet with Mah’vara in the 
  morning they can use whatever cash on hand they possess in order 
  to purchase supplies and items they think they might need in the 
  course of the adventure (see Troubleshooting, page 3). 
   
  The next morning, Mah’vara meets the PCs in the appointed 
  place, house Orien wizards are already ﬁ nalizing the teleportation 
  circle ritual. 
   
  She quickly leads the group over to a desk where a contract 
  awaits, along with a squirrelly-looking gnome of house Sivis. The 
  contract states in no uncertain terms that each PC is to be paid 
  DESOLATE ENDEAVOR
  Combat Statistics
  Zaira Dane 
   
   
   
  CR 6
  Female half-elf paladin 1 (Dol Arrah)/enchanter 5
  LG Medium humanoid (elf)
  Init +1; Senses low-light vision, Listen +1, Spot +1 
  Aura good
  Languages Common; Draconic, Elven, Goblin
  AC 23, touch 14, ﬂ at-footed 19 
  hp 31 (6 HD)
  Immune sleep spells and similar magic effects
  Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +4 (+6 against enchantment spells or 
  effects)
  Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
  Melee masterwork halberd +4 (1d10/x3) 
  Ranged masterwork longbow +5 (1d8/x3)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. 
  Base Atk +3; Grp +3
  Atk Options smite evil 1/day
  Combat Gear potion of shield of faith +2 (used), scroll of 
  protection from evil, scroll of web (DC 13), wand of cure light 
  wounds (10 charges)
  Enchanter Spells Prepared (CL 5th; 1d20+5 to overcome 
  SR; prohibited schools – illusion and necromancy):
   
  3rd—ﬂ y†, haste†, hold person (DC 18)
   
  2nd—darkvision†, scorching ray (1 ray; +5 ranged touch 
  attack), Tasha’s hideous laughter (DC 17), web
   
  1st—charm person (DC 16), feather fall, magic missile 
  (2), shield†
   
  0—daze (DC 15), detect magic, light, mage hand, 
  message
   
  † Spells already cast
  Abilities Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 12
  SQ Aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day (+1 to hit and 
  damage)
  Feats Heroic Spirit, Knight Training, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus 
  (enchantment)
  Skills Concentration +8, Diplomacy +8, Knowledge (nobility 
  and royalty) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Sense Motive +6, 
  Spellcraft +9
  Possessions +1 mithral shirt, headband of intellect +2, 
  masterwork halberd, masterwork longbow and 20 arrows, 
  identiﬁ cation papers (with portrait), masterwork manacles
   
  Note: Begins encounter having cast darkvision, ﬂ y, and 
  shield upon herself, and haste upon the citadel agents and 
  herself. The effects of haste are already ﬁ gured into the 
  appropriate statistics blocks.
  Citadel Agents  
   
   
  CR 3
  Male or female human expert 2/rogue 2
  LN Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +2; Senses Listen +10, Spot +10
  Languages Common; Dwarven, Goblin
  AC 20, touch 16, ﬂ at-footed 17 (blur; 20 % miss chance)
  hp variable (4 HD)
  Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +4
  Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
  Melee masterwork spiked chain +6 (2d4)
  Ranged light crossbow +5 (1d8/19-20)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. w/spiked chain)
  Base Atk +2; Grp +2
  Special Atk sneak attack +1d6
  Combat Gear potion of blur (used), potion of shield of faith +3 
  (used), potion of cure light wounds
  Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 8
  SQ evasion, trapﬁ nding
  Feats Alertness, Exotic Weapon Proﬁ ciency (spiked chain), 
  Weapon Finesse
  Skills Bluff +6, Decipher Script +9, Diplomacy +10, Disguise 
  -1 (+1 acting), Gather Information +1, Intimidate +8, Jump -
  16, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +3, 
  Listen +10, Search +9, Sense Motive +8, Spot +10 
  Possessions +1 studded leather, masterwork spiked chain, 
  light crossbow with 20 bolts, darkweave cloak of resistance +1
  
  11
  ADVENTURE TITLE
  
  12
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  5,000 gold upon successful completion of the mission: the opening of 
  the House Orien portal in Desolate, and the testing of said portal by 
  using it to return to Sharn. Dharu signs a contract. 
   
  Once the PCs and Dharu use the teleportation circle, proceed to Part II.
  Scaling the Encounter
   
  4th and 5th-Level Characters: Only two agents accompany Zaira. 
  There are four agents present during the questioning, rather than 
  twelve.
   
  6th-Level Characters: Only four agents accompany Zaira. There 
  are eight agents present during the questioning, rather than twelve.
   
  8th-Level Characters: In the initial encounter, replace the six 
  agents of the King’s Citadel with six hound archons. 
   
  Hound Archons (6): hp 33 each; Monster Manual 17.
   
  If the PCs agree to be questioned, there are six hound archons and 
  six agents of the King’s Citadel present during the questioning.
   
  9th-Level Characters: In the initial encounter, Zaira is accompanied 
  by two agents of the King’s Citadel and two avoral guardinals. 
   
  Avoral Guardinals (2): hp 66 each; Monster Manual.
   
  If the PCs agree to be questioned, there are three avoral guardinals 
  and six agents of the King’s Citadel present during the questioning.
  Part Two: Tower on  
  Desolation’s Edge
  The teleportation circle deposits the PCs just outside and ruined 
  watchtower in vicinity of dusty Desolate. 
  A dry and dusty wind whistles through the crevasse that houses the entrance to the 
  watchtower. The walls extend upward a treacherous climb of some eighty feet, among the 
  ruined upper works of the tower. The entrance to the watchtower is in sight ahead, at the 
  base of the crevasse wall. 
  No one or no thing here to impedes the progress of the PCs. Still 
  the landscape is foreboding. Not a single stitch of plant life lives in 
  the crevasse, and the only animal life the PCs see are strange thumb-
  sized, evil-looking burrowing beetles, that a Knowledge (nature) 
  check identiﬁ es as stink scarab. While generally harmless they do spit 
  (ranged touch +1) stinking spittle that smells worse than rotting eggs 
  or even skunk spray. 
   
  The door is some 100 feet down the crevasse from the PCs starting 
  point. Feel free to play up the feeling that they might be watched, since 
  Dharu is now accompanied by his imp familiar, Shazagauroth, who 
  remains invisible as well as hidden within a familiar pocket (see sidebar). 
  More New Magic
  The hand rod that the King’s Citadel gives the PCs is an item 
  new to this adventure. The seal portal spell is found on page 181 
  of the Spell Compendium. 
  Rod of Recall 
  Upon breaking this rod, entire groups of adventures can be 
  magically whisked to a predetermined sanctuary. 
   
  Description: A spearlike shaft of crystal, the hollow 
  inside is infused with swirling golden energy that glows with 
  the radiance of a torch. 
   
  Activation: As a standard action, the wielder must slam 
  the rod, tip ﬁ rst, into the ground, breaking the rod and 
  releasing its bound spell energy. The rod is consumed on 
  activation.
   
  Effect: When the rod is activated, it creates an 
  instantaneous 10-foot radius burst of swirling golden energy 
  centered at the point of impact. Willing creatures that are fully 
  within the burst are instantly transported back to a sanctuary 
  designated at the rod’s creation. The effect transports the 
  creature and all the objects the creature carries, as long as 
  their weight does not exceed the creature’s maximum load. 
  Creatures carrying objects that exceed their maximum load 
  are not transported. 
   
  This rod of recall is keyed to the doorstep of Kurala’s 
  House of Healing in the Clifftop neigborhood of Sharn (see 
  Sharn: City of Towers, page 53). 
   
  Aura/Caster Level: Moderate conjuration; CL 11th
   
  Construction: Craft Rod, word of recall. 
   
  Weight: 3 lb. 
   
  Price: 6,000 gp. 
  Seal Portal
  Abjuration
  Level: Sorcerer/wizard 6
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 standard action
  Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
  Target: One interplanar gate or portal
  Duration: Permanent (D)
  Saving Throw: None
  Spell Resistance: No
  You can permanently seal an interplanar gate or portal. This 
  spell prevents any use of the portal, although seal portal can be 
  dispelled by a dispel magic spell. A knock spell does not function 
  on a sealed portal, but a chime of opening dispels a seal portal if seal 
  portal was cast by a spellcaster of lower than 15th level. 
   
  Once a portal is opened, seal portal does not remain in 
  effect and must be cast again. 
   
  Material Component: A silver bar worth 50 gp. 
  
  13
  GAMBIT AT DREADHOLD
  Further protected by Dharu’s cloak of Khyber glamer, the imp takes the 
  form of a rat, to rouse less suspicion if its other subterfuges are somehow 
  foiled. 
   
  If the PCs should dawdle for too long, Dharu encourages them to 
  enter the watchtower, though he remains toward the rear of the group.
  1. Death’s Door (EL 8)
  This opening in the side of the crevasse wall reveals a wide outer chamber where a portcullis, now 
  rusted away, once impeded progress to the inner tower. 
   
  At the other end of the chamber a pair of carved stone doors bar further entrance into the 
  guard tower. To the left of the doorway stands what appears to be a large statue shrouded in a 
  dirty and worn canvas. 
  In these shadowy conditions, PCs without darkvision have a chance to 
  notice the arrow slits that line the north and south walls (Spot DC 10). 
  Characters with darkvsion can automatically spot the slits, as can other 
  characters after a light fully illuminates the chamber. 
   
  This is the only entrance to the watchtower. It houses an elaborate 
  trap in the ﬂ oor, just ﬁ ve feet beyond where the portcullis once stood. 
  The hobbling trap is meant to stop a large force of attackers from gaining 
  entrance to the structure, even as they attempt to batter down the door.
  Hobbling Trap: CR 6; mechanical device; location trigger; manual 
  reset; ﬂ oor spikes (Atk +16 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4+4 each); 
  hobbling barbs (creatures damaged by spikes are pinned and must make a 
  Strength check, DC 20 +1 per spike that damaged it, to pull free; damaged 
  creatures are hobbled as by caltrops); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 
  20.
   
  When hobbled, a creature’s speed is reduced by half until the damage 
  is healed or someone tends the wound by succeeding a DC 15 Heal check. 
  Once triggered the trapped area becomes difﬁ cult terrain. 
  The chambers on the other side of the arrow slits (area 1a) house a 
  quartet of skeletal archers that ﬁ re at any living creature entering the 
  area. Additionally, the large statue is actually a boneclaw, a corrupted 
  Droaamite ogre mage skeleton with a tremendous reach that uses its 
  advantage to attack PCs who might be caught in the trap, or who otherwise 
  approach the doorway.
   
  Creatures: Place here by the same master, the skeletal archers and the 
  boneclaw work in concert to protect the tower’s inner sanctum. 
   
  Skeletal Archers (4): hp 12, 9, 7, 6; Combat Statistics. 
   
  Boneclaw: hp 105; Combat Statistics. 
   
  Tactics: The skeletons gain the +8 bonus to Armor Class, the +4 bonus 
  to Reﬂ ex saves, and the beneﬁ ts of the improved evasion class feature (see 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide page 59 and 60), while suffering no penalty for ﬁ ring 
  out through the arrow slits. They ﬁ re continuously until destroyed or they 
  lose sight of the PCs. After the PCs set off the hobbling trap, the bone 
  claw lurches forward, attacking characters within reach.  
   
  Development: The large stone doors leadings to the watchtower’s 
  inner chamber are carved with the symbol of House Orien (a unicorn 
  head ﬂ anked by a pair of crescent moons) rendered in a rather archaic 
  way. A DC 20 Knowledge (royalty and nobility) check realizes that it 
  is the form of a symbol popular hundreds of years ago, about the time 
  of the Greenholt settlement in Desolate. Member of house Orien may 
  attempt the check to recognize the seal an Intelligence check, or they gain 
  a +4 circumstance bonus if they have ranks in Knowledge (nobility and 
  royalty). 
   
  The doors are stuck with age (4 in. thick; hardness 8; hp 60 each; 
  Open DC 28) as its hinges have been damaged. If the PCs notice the 
  damage (Search DC 15, stonecunning bonus applies) they can repair the 
  damage (Craft [stonemasonry], stonecunning applies). The repaired door 
  becomes unstuck. Unfortunately either repairing the door or breaking it 
  
  14
  down alerts the creatures within (see area 2). 
  Scaling the Encounter
   
  4th and 5th-Level Characters: The hobbling trap has already been 
  triggered, making that area difﬁ cult terrain.
   
  6th-Level Characters: Remove the skeletal archers from the 
  encounter.
   
  8th-Level Characters: A wraith attacks PCs in addition to the 
  boneclaw and skeletal archers. The creature enters combat from the 
  north wall.
   
  Wraith: hp 32;  Monster Manual  258.
   
  9th-Level Characters: A spectre attacks PCs in addition to the 
  boneclaw and skeletal archers. The creature enters combat from the 
  north wall.
   
  Spectre: hp 45; Monster Manual 232.
  2. Bedeviling Butlers (EL 8)
  This is a large and tall chamber, but a tangle of chains further choked by thick cobwebs 
  hanging from the ceiling obscures the view of its entire expanse.  
   
  The air smells fetid and stale, and the ﬂ oor is covered in a thick layer of dust.
  The chains are the remains of a complicated pulley device that allowed 
  the workers of House Orien to move product between the lower level 
  and the portal level. 
   
  A pair of chain devils now guards the place, gated and bound here 
  from Shavarath to protect the remains of Zarx the Black. These two 
  relish the opportunity for glorious combat after decades of virtual 
  solitude. 
   
  The creatures are prepared to ﬁ ght when the door is opened, 
  scramble up toward the ceiling (hanging from the chains, of course) 
  to surprise the PCs. In this case have the PCs make Spot checks against 
  the Hide check results of the kytons. Success allows the PCs to act 
  during the surprise round.
   
  Creatures: The devils taunt the PCs in common and jeering them 
  with spitting hisses as they attack.
   
  Chain Devils (2): hp 58, 48; Monster Manual 53.  
   
  Tactics: The kytons use the hanging chains to attack the PCs via 
  their dancing chains ability. Each attacks a separate PC with all four 
  attacks, unless a single opponent proves to be more troublesome than 
  the others.
   
  The ceiling climbs up more than ﬁ fty feet, and the two devils are 
  content to stay within 15 feet of the ﬂ oor, climbing from chain to 
  chain at a Speed of 5 feet with relative ease due to decades of practice. 
  Creatures of Shavarath, their weakness is a direct challenge to single 
  combat, especially one made by a worshiper of the Silver Flame, Dol 
  Arrah, or Dol Dorn, which they accept without hesitation.  
   
  If the pair needs help, or even feels like adding insult to the 
  PCs’ injury, they’ll move to open chamber 2b’s door, triggering the 
  haunting trap. Because of the nature of their binding, the devils are 
  immune to the trap. Neither suspects disabling the trap is the key to 
  freedom (see area 2b, below). 
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  Combat Statistics 
  Skeletal Archers  
   
   
  CR 1/3
  NE Medium undead
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Listen +0, Spot +0 
  AC 17, touch 11, ﬂ at-footed 16
  hp 6 (1d12 HD); DR 5/bludgeoning
  Immune cold 
  Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
  Melee 2 claws +1 (1d4+1)
  Ranged masterwork composite longbow +2 (1d8+1/x3)
  Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  Base Atk +0; Grp +1
  Abilities Str 13, Dex 13, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
  SQ damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., 
  immunity to cold, undead traits
  Feats Improved Initiative
  Possessions masterwork chain shirt, masterwork composite 
  longbow (Str bonus +1) and 20 arrows
  Boneclaw 
   
   
   
  CR 5
  CE Large undead
  Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Listen +15, Spot +15 
  Languages Abyssal, Common
  AC 16, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 12
  hp 105 (10HD); DR 5/bludgeoning 
  Immune cold 
  Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +9
  Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
  Melee 2 piercing claws +7 (2d6+7)*
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
  Base Atk +5; Grp +14
  Special Atk reaching claws
  Abilities Str 21, Dex 18, Con -, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 19
  SQ +2 turn resistance, damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, 
  darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, undead traits, unholy 
  toughness
  Feats Combat Reﬂ exes, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural 
  Attack (claw), Power Attack
  Skills Hide +13, Intimidate +17, Listen +15, Move Silently 
  +17, Search +15, Spot +15
  *A boneclaw normally attacks using its Power Attack feat, 
  taking a –2 penalty on its attack rolls and gaining a +2 bonus 
  on damage rolls.
   
  Reaching Claws (Ex): A boneclaw can make melee 
  attacks with its bone claws, instantly extending them as part 
  of an attack to a distance of up to 20 feet (thereby allowing the 
  boneclaw to threaten more squares than even its Large size 
  would otherwise indicate).
   
  Unholy Toughness (Ex): A boneclaw gains a bonus to 
  its hit points equal to its Charisma modiﬁ er X its Hit Dice.
  Description This large skeletal humanoid’s clawlike ﬁ ngers 
  are at least two feet long. Worse, the slender, knife-sharp 
  claws contract and extend in length from moment to moment, 
  sometimes instantly reaching a length of 10 or more feet, 
  before slowly contracting. 
  
  15
  GAMBIT AT DREADHOLD
   
  Due to the nature of their bindings, the devils cannot leave the 
  central shaft of the tower (area 2 both the lower ﬂ oor and the upper 
  catwalk and area 2c). They have been barred from entering area 2a or 
  2b, and do not know the contents of either chamber. 
   
  Development: The central wooden spiral staircase is rotten and 
  rickety. Creatures weighing more than 50 lbs. attempting to climb the 
  stairs must succeed at a DC 20 Balance check to avoid collapsing it. 
  Two checks are required to reach the catwalk 20 feet above the ground. 
  The stairs climb about 30 feet up the ruined watchtower, but the upper 
  levels are even more unstable and dangerous. 
   
  If the ﬁ rst check collapses the stairs, creatures on the lower 
  sections of the stair (including the creature prompting the collapse) 
  must succeed a DC 12 Reﬂ ex save or fall 10 feet, and may take damage 
  from debris (1d4 attacks; +10 melee, 1d6 damage each). 
   
  If the second check fails, it affects the creatures on the lower section 
  of the stairs as above, but those on the upper section (including the 
  creature prompting the collapse) must succeed a DC 16 Reﬂ ex save or 
  fall 20 feet, and may take damage from the debris (see above). 
   
  The stair is destroyed when collapsed. 
  Scaling the Encounter
   
  4th and 5th-Level Characters: One chain devil stands guard over 
  this area. The kyton begins combat by opening the door to area 2b, 
  and then attacks
   
  6th-Level Characters: Replace one of the chain devils with a 
  bearded devil.
   
  Bearded Devil: hp 45; Monster Manual 52.
   
  8th-Level Characters: Add a third chain devil.
   
  9th-Level Characters: Add an erinyes.
   
  Eyrines: hp 85; Monster Manual 54.
  2a. Trapped Treasure (EL 5)
  The elite dreadlocks that guard the portal (see area 4) trapped the inner 
  doorway of this chamber almost a century ago, while in possession 
  of a greater share of their sanity. It was guarded to protect a stash of 
  treasure that they have since forgotten about.
   
  Trap: a ghoul glyph (see sidebar) triggers once a creature enters the 
  5-foot square just in front of the door.  
   
  Ghoul Glyph Trap: CR 5; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); 
  automatic reset; spell effect (ghoul glyph, 6th-level wizard, paralysis and 
  stench, 1d6+2 rounds, Fort DC 15; Search n/a*; Disable Device n/a*.
   
  *See spell description.
   
  Development: Beyond the glyph is a chamber containing a 
  number of barrels and crates, dry and brittle through years of neglect. 
  The barrels are empty, their contents drained or evaporated years ago, 
  and the crates contain yards of disintegrating canvas. 
   
  Treasure: A Search DC 25 ﬁ nds the deathlock’s forgotten treasure 
  stash among the refuse. It includes a number of scrolls and potions, 
  protected from the elements by airtight scroll cases or ﬂ asks. Among 
  the three scroll tubes and potion vials are two arcane scrolls of ray of 
  enfeeblement (CL 1st), an arcane scroll of vampiric touch (CL 5th), and one 
  of enervation (CL 7th). All three potions are powerful cure moderate wounds 
  (CL 5th) and they are clearly labeled as such in Common. 
  2b. Headless Haunting (EL 5)
  Noticeably colder than other chambers in the watchtower, this dust and cobweb cloaked 
  room’s only other feature is the headless humanoid skeleton that lies in its center.  
  A DC 25 Knowledge (local) check (or Investigate DC 20) recognizes 
  the skeleton as that of a big orc. Recognition is difﬁ cult because 
  the skull is missing. The skeleton is the partial remains of the long 
  dead Zarx the Black, and ancient dread necromancer of the Maruk 
  Ghaash’kala, and self-proclaimed protector of the House Orien 
  watchtower at desolate. 
   
  The skeleton is the focus of a haunting trap. Glyphs etched into 
  the bones of this skeleton provide the power for this trap, and must be 
  
  16
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  Map 2: 
  Map 2: WatchTower (Lower Level)
  WatchTower (Lower Level)
  Map 3: 
  Map 3: WatchTower (Upper Level)
  WatchTower (Upper Level)
  Map 4: 
  Map 4: Spellward
  Spellward
  1
  1a
  1a
  2
  2B
  2B
  2a
  3
  3a
  3a
  4
  7a
  7a
  5
  2c
  2c
  6
  7
  3a
  3a
  8
  s
  s
  scratched out without destroying the bones themselves in order to 
  remove the trap, but the trap can be suppressed with a successful 
  turn check.
   
  Haunting Trap: CR 5; magic trap; location trigger; automatic 
  reset; crushing despair (DC 20 Will save to negate); Search DC 25; 
  Disable Device DC 25 or turn (as 10 HD undead; turn suppress 
  for 1 minute, destroy disables the trap).
   
  Crushing Despair: Each affected creature takes a -2 penalty on 
  attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon 
  damage rolls.
   
  Development: Disabling (but not suppressing) the haunting 
  trap has a number of consequences. First and foremost it destroys 
  the bindings trapping the devils in the watchtower. The devils 
  immediately sense their freedom, and unless they are bound by a 
  personal challenge made by a worshiper of the Silver Flame, Dol 
  Arrah or Dol Dorn, they ﬂ ee the watchtower to harass the wider 
  world of Eberron. 
   
  Disabling the trap also severely weakens Zarx the Black’s head 
  (see area 2c). 
  2c. Zarx the Grumbly Mumbler
  This place, just off the main balcony, is marked by a large brutish humanoid skull resting upon 
  a four-foot-high stone pedestal. To either side of the pedestal are engraved stone pillars, 
  decorated with ﬂ ourished ﬂ ames and the ancient device of House Orien. 
   
  The dust and cobwebs so prevalent in other areas of the watchtower doesn’t encroach upon 
  the area about the skulled pedestal. 
  Any PC that makes a DC 20 Knowledge (local) check (or an Investigate 
  DC 15), recognizes the skull is of an orc. This is the resting place of Zarx 
  the Black’s head. 
   
  If the PCs approach to within 10 feet of the skull (the area that lacks 
  s
  
  17
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  cobwebs and dust), its eye sockets ﬂ icker to life, as dim amber ﬂ ame 
  shining from within. Unmoving, the skull speaks to them by way of 
  a grumbling and brutish spectral voice. The skull only speaks Orc, 
  though it understands both Common and Draconic, it just refuses to 
  speak those tongues.  
  “I feel the living. Stay where you are and give proper reverence to Zarx the Black!”
  What happens next is determined by the PCs’ actions, past and present. 
  If the PCs disabled or destroyed the haunting trap in area 2b, Zarx’s 
  power is greatly diminished—he can only converse with the PCs. 
   
  If not destroyed, Zarx is a strange and immobile arcane variant of 
  the brain in the jar (from Libris Mortis page 90).
   
  In either circumstance, if the PCs give the former orc necromancer 
  the proper deference, he can impart valuable information, some of 
  which to the chagrin of Dharu.
   
  Zarx, an arrogant orc exiled from the tribes of the Ghaash’kala 
  for high crimes against life and nature, has been trapped in his 
  strange undead form within the watchtower for decades. Already 
  a misanthropic creature, Zarx’s undead state has only enhanced his 
  attitude. Any conversations the PCs have with the spiteful undead orc 
  are insult-rich tirades demanding the patience of and undying elf. 
  Still, if the PCs are able to tolerate Zarx’s aggravating arrogance, and 
  pander to robust ego (Diplomacy DC 30—give up to a +5 bonus for 
  good rolepaying; failing by 5 or more grants an insult and a harmful 
  spell if Zarx still has his arcane power), he clues them into the location 
  of a masterfully crafted secret door in the wall behind him (Search DC 
  30) that leads to the portal. He also gives them the following caution. 
  Beware, for I, Zarx the Black, miscalculated the power of this place. Trying to twist the 
  portal to my own bidding, a magical backlash blew my essence asunder. There is magic 
  deeper in this place more powerful than the Orien portal. And if it could do this to a 
  powerful intellect like me, imagine what it will do to you poor intellectual insects. 
  While Dharu does not comment on Zarx’s description of the spellward 
  of arcane might, PCs might see him grimace at it (Sense Motive DC 
  20) giving them the hunch that he might know something about the 
  arcane site.  
  Haunting Traps and GHOUL GLYPHS
  Haunting traps are a new type of trap detailed fully in the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide II (pages 43 and 44). They are magical 
  traps, and in a way they are also undead. Both detect magic and 
  detect undead can reveal the moderate aura of this haunting 
  trap. Haunting traps are keyed to an alignment (the one 
  in this adventure is lawful evil) so the appropriate spell can 
  also identify the trap’s alignment aura.
   
  A haunting trap covers a 30-foot radius, usually in the 
  shape of a hemisphere. The radius around this adventure’s 
  trap centers Zarx’s remains, but only extends out of the 
  chamber if one of the doors is opened, at which point it 
  extends like a burst out that door. 
   
  Creatures within the area of a haunting trap 
  immediately notice a sudden drop in temperature. The 
  radius also bolsters undead. An undead creature gains a +2 
  insight bonus to its Armor Class and on Will saving throws, 
  and a +2 to the DCs of any mind affecting special attacks 
  the undead has. 
  Ghoul Glyph
  Necromancy
  Level: Hunger 2, sorcerer/wizard 2
  Components: V, S, M
  Casting Time: 1 minute
  Range: Touch
  Effect: One ghoul glyph that must ﬁ t within a 1-ft. square
  Duration: Permanent until discharged
  Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
  Spell Resistance: Yes
  You inscribe a glyph that paralyzes any living creature 
  of Large or smaller size that enters, passes, or opens the 
  warded area. You can scribe the glyph to be visible as faintly 
  glowing lines, or invisible. You can inscribe a ghoul glyph on 
  a portable object, but if the object is moved more than 5 
  feet, the glyph fades.
   
  Conditions for triggering a ghoul glyph are stringent. 
  It takes effect on any creature except yourself that moves to 
  or within 2 feet of it. It affects invisible creatures normally but 
  is not triggered by those that travel past it ethereally. Only a 
  single ghoul glyph can be inscribed in a 5-foot square. 
   
  Ghoul glyphs cannot be affected or bypassed by such 
  means as physical or magical probing, though they can be 
  dispelled. Mislead and nondetection can fool a ghoul glyph.
   
  Read magic allows identiﬁ cation of a ghoul glyph with a 
  successful DC 13 Spellcraft check, if the glyph is noticed 
  before it is activated. A rogue (only) can use the Search skill 
  to ﬁ nd a ghoul glyph and Disable Device to thwart it. The DC 
  in each case is 27.
   
  When a glyph is activated, the subject is paralyzed for 
  1d6+2 rounds. Additionally, if the subject fails his Fortitude 
  save, the paralyzed subject exudes a carrion stench that 
  causes retching and nausea in a 10-foot radius. Those in 
  the radius must make a Fortitude save or take a -2 penalty 
  on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill 
  checks, and ability checks until the spell ends.
   
  Material Component: You trace the glyph with earth from a 
  ghoul’s lair.
  
  18
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  Combat Statistics 
  Zarx the Black  
   
  CR 3
  NE Tiny undead
  Init +2; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., Listen 
  +9, Spot +9 
  Languages Orc, Common and Draconic (only speaks Orc)
  AC 11, touch 11, ﬂ at-footed 11
  hp 19 (3 HD); 
  Immune cold 
  Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +6
  Speed 0 ft. (0 squares)
  Space 1 ft.; Reach –
  Base Atk – ; Grp – 
  Special Atk Scorching eye ray, spell-like abilities 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th)
   
  3/day—blindness/deafness, magic missile, ray of   
   
  exhaustion (+3 ranged touch)
   
  1/day—shield
  Abilities Str – , Dex – , Con -, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 16
  SQ +4 turn resistance, darkvision 60 ft., madness, undead 
  traits
  Feats Alertness, Iron Will
  Skills Bluff +9, Diplomacy +9, Knowledge (history) +9, 
  Knowledge (arcane) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Listen +9, 
  Spot +9
   
  Madness (Su): Anyone targeting Zarx with a thought 
  detection, mind control, or any sort of telepathic or psinic 
  ability that makes direct contact with its tortured mind takes 
  1d4 points of Wisdom damage. 
   
  Scorching Eye Rays (Su): Zarx the Black can spend 
  a standard action to deliver a ﬁ ery assault from its eyes. 
  Each eye is a separate scorching ray (range touch +4), as 
  the spell cast by a 3rd-level wizard.
  3. Caustic Causeway (EL 7)
  The stone doors (3 in. thick; hardness 8; hp 50 each; break DC 25) to 
  this passage are locked with a rusted good lock (Open Locks DC 33). 
  Once opened, the PCs notice the other side of the doors is corroded, 
  as is the entire passageway. 
  The 10-foot wide passage beyond is constructed of the same dull-gray stone as the rest of 
  the tower. However the walls and ﬂ oor, as well as the surface of the inside of the door, are 
  pitted and scarred. 
  A DC 15 Knowledge (dungeoneering) check that can be modiﬁ ed by 
  stonecunning conﬁ rms that a powerful acid ate into the stone causing 
  the pitting and scarring. A Spellcraft DC 26 recognizes the damage as 
  that coming from multiple acid fog spells.  
   
  Within the passage, at the point where it turns north, there is an 
  acid fog trap set into the ﬂ oor.  If the trap is set off, the acid fog effectively 
  ﬁ lls the entire passageway from door to door.
   
  Acid Fog Trap: CR 7; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); 
  automatic reset; spell effect (acid fog, 11th-level wizard, 2d6/round acid 
  for 11 rounds); Search DC 31; Disable Device DC 31.
  Scaling the Encounter
   
  4th and 5th-Level Characters: Replace the acid fog trap a ﬁ reball trap 
  (8th-level caster).
   
  Fireball Trap: CR 5; magic device; touch trigger; automatic reset; 
  spell effect (ﬁ reball, 8th-level wizard, 8d6 ﬁ re, DC 14 Reﬂ ex save half 
  damage); Search DC 28; Disable Device DC 28.
   
  6th-Level Characters: Replace the acid fog trap an empowered ﬁ reball 
  trap (10th-level caster).
   
  Empowered Fireball Trap: CR 6; magic device; touch trigger; automatic 
  reset; spell effect (empowered ﬁ reball, 10th-level wizard, 10d6 ﬁ re, DC 16 
  Reﬂ ex save half damage); Search DC 30; Disable Device DC 30.
   
  8th-Level Characters: Replace the acid fog trap an empowered acid fog 
  trap.
   
  Empowered Acid Fog Trap: CR 8; magic device; proximity trigger 
  (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (empowered acid fog, 15th-level 
  wizard, 2d6/round acid for 15 rounds); Search DC 33; Disable Device 
  DC 33.
   
  9th-Level Characters: Replace the acid fog trap a maximized acid fog 
  trap.
   
  Maximized Acid Fog Trap: CR 9; magic device; proximity trigger 
  (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (maximized acid fog, 17th-level 
  wizard, 2d6/round acid for 17 rounds); Search DC 34; Disable Device 
  DC 34.
  3a. Stone Stairwell 
  These stone stairs are the core of this section of the watchtower, though 
  there is no trap or encounter planned for this area. The stairs extend 
  from the ground ﬂ oor up to the 2nd ﬂ oor only.
  4. Ghastly Guardians (EL 8)
  Cooler than most areas of the watchtower, this place smells of rotting mold. A pair of 
  sarcophagi lies just beyond the door. Each has been opened and seems looted; the remains of 
  their shattered stone lids are strewn about the ﬂ oor.  
  These chambers serve as the crypt and home to a pair of elite deathlocks; 
  former House Orien wizards with the defense of the watchtower. Over 
  the centuries their sanity has evaporated, as their hatred for the living 
  has grown. With a passion devoid of reason, they guard these chambers, 
  the stairs up to the portal level, and the portal itself only, and suffer 
  none to live.  
   
  If the PCs enter these chambers, they are immediately beset by the 
  deathlock’s assault. If the PCs bypass these chambers and ﬁ nd another 
  way to the portal, they will ﬁ nd them there. 
   
  If made aware of the PCs approach (Listen +9) the deathlocks cast 
  mage armor, shield, and levitate. By the time the PCs enter the room, they 
  ﬂ oat 15 feet in the air just short of the chamber’s ceiling. 
   
  Elite Deathlocks (2): deathlock wizard 3; hp 33, 23; Combat 
  Statistics sidebar. 
   
  Tactics: Distaining melee, deathlocks keep a distance from their 
  foe, and pepper the battleﬁ eld with cause fear and magic missile, and 
  summon monster I. In times of need they can use their inﬂ ict minor wounds for 
  healing. 
   
  Development: Once the PCs engage in combat with the deathlocks, 
  Dharu takes the takes the distraction as an opportunity to go invisible, leave 
  the PCs, and purse the spellward of arcane might. If necessary, Dharu uses a 
  scroll of dimension door to get into room 6 before proceeding further.
  
  Scaling the Encounter
   
  4th and 5th-Level Characters: There is only one elite deathlock.
   
  6th-Level Characters: Replace one elite deathlock with a wight.
   
  Wight: hp 26; Monster Manual 255.
   
  8th-Level Characters: Add a pair of vampire spawn.
   
  Vampire Spawn (2): hp 29, 29; Monster Manual 253.
   
  9th-Level Characters: Add an elite deathlock to the encounter 
  (hp 31) and a pair of vampire spawn.
   
  Vampire Spawn (2): hp 29, 29; Monster Manual 253.
  Combat Statistics
  Deathlock Elite Guardian  
  CR 6 
  Deathlock wizard 3 
  NE Medium undead
  Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Listen +9, Spot +9
  Languages Common; Abyssal, Infernal
  AC 14, touch 13, ﬂ at-footed 11
  hp 39 (6 HD) 
  Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +8 
  Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
  Melee bite +2 (1d4) .
  Base Atk +2; Grp +2
  Special Atk spell-like abilities
  Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; 1d20+3 to overcome 
  SR):
   
  2nd—levitate, web (DC 15)
   
  1st—grease (DC 14), mage armor, shield
   
  0—acid splash (2; +5 ranged touch attack), ray of   
   
  frost (2; +5 ranged touch attack) 
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th):
   
  At will – detect magic, inﬂ ict minor wounds (DC 14), 
  read magic; 3/day – cause fear (DC 14), magic missile, 
  summon monster I; 2/day – death knell (DC 15), ghoul glyph 
  (DC 15)*. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
  Abilities Str 11, Dex 16, Con -, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 16
  SQ darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, +2 turn resistance
  Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, 
  Scribe Scroll
  Skills Concentration +9 (+13 cast defensively), Hide +9, 
  Knowledge (arcana) +12, Listen +9, Spellcraft +12, Spot 
  +9
  Possessions cloak of charisma +2, headband of intellect 
  +2
  *See ghoul glyph sidebar. 
  Description Skeletally thin, these creatures wear the tatters 
  of a once-dramatic cloak emblazoned with he symbol of 
  House Orien. Their cadaverous eyes sizzle with cursed 
  power, and deadly spells dance on their ﬁ ngertips. 
  5. Perilous Portal 
  Traps: Like doors in area 2b and 4, the doorways of this chamber are 
  guarded by ghoul glyphs; see the trap description in area 2b, and the spell 
  description in the sidebar found on page 17. 
  This open chamber is surprisingly free of dust and grime. It has a high 40-foot vaulted 
  ceiling and houses an adamantine archway that is 10 feet high and 10 feet wide. The 
  archway is engraved with many runes, but crowned with what appears to be a greater Mark 
  of Passage.
   
  The wall beyond the arch is scribed with strange runes, diagrams, and mathematical 
  equations.  
  This is the portal the PCs seek, which indeed leads to a lower chamber 
  in the Cogs of Sharn. 
   
  If the PCs did not encounter the elite deathlocks in area 4, the duo 
  comes up here to investigate any disturbance. Remember, neither of 
  the deathlocks triggers the ghoul glyphs. 
   
  As detailed in area 4, Dharu uses the deathlock attack as a 
  distraction to slip away from the PCs and move toward the spellward of 
  arcane might. 
  Dharu Slips Away
  While the rakshasa does not have the greatest Hide bonus 
  (+2) his Move Silently (+13), Bluff (+17, +21 against PCs 
  he reading the thoughts of), invisibility spell, and scrolls of 
  dimension door should assure that he is able to slip away from the 
  PCs and pursue his own quest for the spellward of arcane might. 
   
  If the opportunity presents itself, consider using 
  the “creating a diversion to hide” option with Dharu’s 
  formidable Bluff skill (Player’s Handbook page 68). If he beats 
  the PCs’ highest Sense Motive checks by 10 or more, he can 
  also affectively hide the verbal and somatic of an invisibly 
  with the diversion, so the PC don’t notice the spell, and thus 
  can’t attempt a Spellcraft check to recognize it. 
   
  If the PCs don’t investigate his disappearance, Dharu is gone for a 
  about 20 minutes, and then returns to perform the portal ritual, now 
  empowered by the spellward’s boon. Telling the PCs he investigated 
  areas 6 and 7 while they fought the deathlocks, if cornered with a lie, 
  or harangued by unbelieving PCs, the rakshasa attacks, his arrogance 
  bolstered by the spellward’s power (see Area 8 for the rakshasa’s 
  tactics). 
   
  In cases where the PCs aren’t working for the King’s Citadel and 
  they end up defeating Dharu, it’s possible to activate the portal without 
  the rakshasa. Even if the PCs end up destroying or not checking Dharu’s 
  possessions—which include the ritual’s instructions  (see Handout 3) 
  and materials—the PCs could ferret out the ritual from the code and 
  ruins on the chamber’s far wall. This requires either a comprehend language 
  or a Decipher Script (DC 30) followed by a Knowledge (arcane) check 
  DC 25 to weed out the instructions from the frantic jumble of notes, 
  equations and diagrams. If the PCs have ﬁ gured out the ritual, but 
  lack components, a successful Use Magic Device check (DC 25) and 
  a creative swapping out of materials or spells, can be used in place 
  of each of the rituals requirements. So, a crafty PC can use stand in 
  19
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  
  spells and items and succeed six DC 25 Use Magic Device checks and still 
  activate the portal. The PC cannot take 10 or 20 on any of these checks, 
  and if they fail, he or she cannot attempt to swap out that section of the 
  ritual again, but another PC could. 
   
  Development: Should the PCs complete the ritual as given, it opens 
  up a permanent transport to Sharn that can only be closed by an equally 
  intricate ritual (currently unknown to the PCs or Mah’vara for that matter) 
  or disabled by the scroll of seal portal given to the PCs by the Citadel.
  6. Trapped Bedroom (EL 5)
  Trap: The door leading from room 5 to this room is locked and trapped 
  with a fusillade of darts trap. It also has a ghoul glyph (see area 2b and the 
  sidebar on page 17) in front of it. 
   
  Strong Wooden Door: 2 in. thick; hardness 5, hp 20; break DC 25; 
  average lock DC 25.
   
  Fusillade of Darts: CR 5; mechanical; location trigger; manual 
  reset; Atk +18 ranged (1d4+1, dart); multiple targets (1d8 darts per target 
  in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); Search DC 19; Disable Device DC 25.
   
  Once the door is open, read or paraphrase the following.
  This room contains a large four-poster bed, sturdy dresser, and desk, all draped in aged, dust 
  covered canvas.
  Once the residence of the Orien portal mage, years of disuse have ruined 
  the once expensive furnishings of this room, so there is little of value. 
   
  The desk drawer contains a dry inkwell and broken pen, while the 
  dresser is completely empty. Searching the desk (Search DC 15) ﬁ nds 
  the rotted remains of a secret compartment. Inside are the fragments of 
  a journal. 
   
  Perusing through the fragments, which takes at least ﬁ ve minutes, 
  hints at the location of the spellward of arcane might (give out Handout 4) and 
  gives some insights to the strange code on the wall of the portal room. 
  Using the journal fragments reduces the Decipher Script check made to 
  decipher the ritual code to DC 15. 
   
  Development: The only other door leading out of this room is to a 
  sizeable storeroom (area 7, below).
  7. Long-Abandoned Storeroom
  This long abandoned storeroom is a morass of dust, ancient cobwebs, collapsed and decayed 
  shelves, and crumbling crates. 
  This former storeroom of the Orien portal mage is ﬁ lled with the 
  remains of arcane and alchemical supplies. Only one object is still 
  magically potent. 
   
  Treasure: If the PCs make a DC 25 Search check, they discover a 
  single cloak that appears to have resisted the ravages of time. It happens 
  to be a cloak of resistance +2. A DC 20 Search check of the closet itself reveals 
  a secret door in the back that is easily opened with a simple shove. The 
  secret door leads to a rough-hewn passage and a spiral stone staircase that 
  ends in room 8. The secret door become much easier to ﬁ nd (DC 15) if 
  Dharu has already passed though this place, as the debris in front of it has 
  been disturbed by the rakshasa’s push. 
  20
  ADVENTURE TITLE
  
  21
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  8. Spellward of Arcane Might (EL 10)
  This strange mystical place, intrinsically tied to the House Orien 
  portal, was inexplicitly created in the portal mage’s secret magical 
  libratory when that magical machine was activated. Like the portal, the 
  place was lost for decades, but armed with secret knowledge granted to 
  him by the rakshasa loremaster (and his own master’s rival), Hektula, 
  Dharu searches for the place’s location.
   
  While it’s unlikely that the PCs will reach this chamber before 
  Dharu, it is also unlikely that their suspicious guide’s disappearance 
  goes unnoticed. If the PCs pursue Dharu to this place, it’s easier—and 
  more cinematic—to have them enter the chamber just as the rakshasa 
  completes the ritual to activate the spellward. 
  Almost every inch of this massive chamber’s surfaces are covered in magical glyphs that give 
  off a cerulean glow and hum with eldritch power. A silver circle—approximately 20 feet 
  in diameter and glowing with spidery green runes of a more sinister nature—dominates the 
  center of the chamber. At that eldritch ring’s center stands an ecstatic Dharu, bathed in 
  an emerald arcane ﬁ re lifting him off the ﬂ oor and furling clothing and equipment with 
  dramatic intensity.
  If discovered with his hand in the spellward’s cookie jar, his natural 
  rakshasa arrogance takes hold. He reverts to his natural form attacks 
  the PCs, though he does not gain a surprise round. 
   
  On his opening round however, he uses the power gained by the 
  spellward to cast a quickened ﬁ reball at the PCs, and then follows up 
  with another ﬁ reball in the same round, cast normally. He then works 
  meticulously to pick one PC off at a time, starting with archers, and 
  working his way through the rest of the ﬁ ghter-types before attacking 
  spellcasters, whom he believes he has little to fear from.
   
  Development: Though the chamber is a spellward of arcane might, it 
  also retains strong necromantic energies. Once activated, it is only a 
  matter of time before it begins creating undead. The creatures seem 
  to rise from the ground inside the silver circle. Though some malign 
  inﬂ uence seems to be at work, where the power is coming from is 
  impossible to determine.  
   
  Scaling the Encounter
   
  4th and 5th-Level Characters: At these levels Dharu uses the 
  scroll of dimension door immediately. However, he is replaced with three 
  vampire spawn, which rise from the center of the silver circle.
   
  Vampire Spawn (3): hp 29, 29, 29; Monster Manual 253.
   
  6th-Level Characters: Dharu uses the scroll of dimension door 
  immediately. However, he is replaced with three wraiths, which rise 
  from the center of the silver circle.
   
  Wraiths (3): hp 32, 32, 32; Monster Manual 258.
   
  8th-Level Characters: Add pair of wraiths. They rise from the 
  center of the silver circle to attack the PCs.
   
  Wraiths (2): hp 32, 32; Monster Manual.
   
  9th-Level Characters: Add a pair of spectres. They rise from the 
  center of the silver circle to attack the PCs.
   
  Spectres (2): hp 45, 45; Monster Manual 232.
  
  22
  DESOLATE ENDEVOUR
  Conclusion
  If the PCs manage to defeat the Dharu Khali (or the undead he leaves 
  in his wake), and stop the opening of the House Orien portal, they’ve 
  succeeded in completely thwarting the plans of Mah’vara and her evil 
  ally. All they need to do is activate the rod of recall, leave the accursed 
  watchtower behind, and gain Zaira Dane’s Favor (see the Digital Story 
  Object sidebar). 
   
  If the PCs manage to defeat the rakshasa, and open the portal 
  themselves, because they don’t realize that this is bad, or have no 
  other way of getting back to Sharn, it becomes possible for Mah’vara 
  to begin her business of transporting demons, devils, and other 
  unsavory creatures from the Demon Wastes into Sharn. What impact 
  this ultimately has on the campaign is as yet unknown. 
   
  When the PCs go to collect their reward, they’ll ﬁ nd that Mah’vara 
  is no longer in Sharn. Stranger still, any attempt they make to ﬁ nd her 
  new location or collect their reward from House Orien is blocked. Even 
  PC member of the house ﬁ nd doors close, and trusted companions 
  strangely silent about Lady Mah’vara d’Orien—many claim that they 
  have never heard of the woman. Only a Favored of the House has any 
  chance of getting answers before the adventure’s end. With a successful 
  DC 20 check, a contact nervously tell the House Orien scion the 
  following:
  Mah’vara is protected by the young and inﬂ uential Jorat d’Orien. He is an ambitious and 
  powerful master in the Couriers Guild and some whisper that it is he who will one day 
  succeed Baron Kwanti as patriarch. Jorat made it known Mah’vara never existed, if you 
  know what I mean. 
  While the contact deﬁ nitely gives the impression that Mah’vara 
  was disappeared, this is not the case. She is being shielded by Jorat 
  d’Orien, who she is either manipulating or who is also in league the 
  Lords of Dust. 
   
  Worse still if the PCs did not successfully open the portal, 
  Mah’vara, at an opportune time as not draw suspicion on her or Jorat’s 
  person, attempts to “properly reward” the PCs. This is tracked by the 
  “Favor” of Mah’vara story object (see the sidebar). If they did open the 
  portal, she allows them to live for services rendered,  though they will 
  never see the money she promised. 
   
  It is possible that the PCs defeat Dharu, and then realizing that 
  opening the portal is bad, they decide to hoof-it back to Sharn. This is 
  entirely possible, though it does drain a portion of their resources in 
  order to do so, the cost of this is a 50-gp drain on each character, track 
  this on the Session Tracking Sheet. 
   
  ADVENTURE QUESTIONS 
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CAMPAIGNS (of which MARK OF 
  HEROES is part of) tracks character progress digitally. At the adventure’s 
  end, you report what the characters did, by answering a number of 
  questions. The answers to those questions are tallied, and determine 
  not only what happens in the campaign, but also the experience (XP) 
  and gold piece (gp) value increase each characters gains.
   
  At the end of this adventure, you’ll ﬁ nd the RPGA Session Tracking 
  form, tailored for this adventure. On the section titled “Adventure 
  Questions” ﬁ ll in the bubble that corresponds to the best answer for 
  the questions below.
   
  Many time the questions ask whether or not the PCs defeated an 
  Spellward of Arcane Might
  From Dungeon Master’s Guide II page 247. 
   
  A magical event of great power sometimes gives rise to a 
  spellward of arcane might. Such areas are imbued with so much raw 
  arcane energy that the very air seems to hum with unfocused 
  power. Like other magical locations, spellwards of arcane might are 
  extremely rare, and the conditions that give rise to them are 
  poorly understood. A spellward of arcane might could arise from 
  battles between multiple powerful spellcasters, the creation 
  of an artifact or a similarly powerful magic item, the use 
  of multiple wish spells in the same spot, and similar titanic 
  releases of arcane power.
   
  Although spellwards form anywhere, most are indoors. 
  Magical glyphs of vibrant blue energy continuously form and 
  fade on the walls, ceilings, and ﬂ oors of these spaces. While 
  only a few such sigils are ever present within a spellward, their 
  glow provides faint illumination within its conﬁ nes.
   
  Lore: Characters can gain the following pieces of 
  information about a spellward of arcane might by making 
  Knowledge (arcana) checks at the appropriate DCs, as given 
  below.
   
  DC 15: A spellward of arcane might is a wellspring of magical 
  power.
   
  DC 20: A spellward of arcane might allows a spellcaster to alter 
  spells as they are cast.
   
  DC 25: A spellward of arcane might is a magical location that 
  grants an experienced spellcaster the ability to spontaneously 
  quicken a small number of spells.
   
  Description: Spellwards of arcane might are usually found 
  indoors. Every interior surface of such a location is covered in 
  glyphs that glow with a magical light. This faint glow provides 
  dim illumination throughout the spellward.
   
  When a spellcaster enhances a spell with the power of a 
  spellward, glowing blue runes form in the air around her. 
  These runes vanish almost immediately, but the presence is a 
  visible reminder of the power granted by the spellward. 
   
  Prerequisite: Only a 5th-level or higher arcane spellcaster 
  can access the power contained within a spellward of arcane might.
   
  Location Activation: To claim the power of a spellward of 
  arcane might, a qualiﬁ ed arcane spellcaster must stand within 
  its conﬁ nes and draw its power into herself by force of will. 
  Doing so requires a full-round action and provokes attacks of 
  opportunity.
   
  Recharge: Once a spellward of arcane might has conferred 
  its ability on a single spellcaster, it cannot do so again for one 
  year.
   
  Special Ability (Su): An arcane spellcaster who draws 
  forth the power of a spellward of arcane might casts certain 
  spells faster than normal. Once per day, she can cast a spell of 
  3rd level or lower that normally has a casting time of 1 standard 
  action as a swift action instead.
   
  Duration: The conferred ability functions for 30 days.
   
  Aura: Strong transmutation and universal. The spellward 
  in this adventure also has a strong aura of necromancy as 
  well.
   
  Ability Value: 9,000 gp.
  
  ADVENTURE QUESTIONS
  23
  encounter. Defeating doesn’t necessarily mean killing all the enemies, but 
  many times such an event sufﬁ ces as defeating an encounter. Sometimes the 
  PCs merely bypass an encounter. Through luck or circumstance a group 
  of PCs can avoid encounters unscathed. Does bypassing an encounter 
  earn the XP that defeating it would? No. The reward for getting past an 
  encounter without actually interacting with it is having extra resources to 
  bear in the next encounter. Where is the line? You are going to have to 
  make that decision, because you are the DM.
   
  For traps, PCs get experience points just for encountering them, 
  whether or not they have been disabled. 
   
  Sometimes the PC’s actions don’t really ﬁ t the actions of a particular 
  adventure question perfectly. This especially happens when you play the 
  adventure using the ‘Scaling the Encounter’ options. In these cases ﬁ nd 
  the answer that best ﬁ ts the spirit of their results.
  1. How did the PCs deal with Zaira and the other Agents of the King’s 
  Citadel?
   
  A. 
  The PCs fought the agents and were defeated.
   
  B. 
  The PCs fought the agents and defeated them. They found the  
   
   
  Citadel Agent Communiqué.  
   
  C. 
  The PCs fought the agents and defeated them, but didn’t ﬁ nd  
   
   
  the Citadel Agent Communiqué. 
   
  D. 
  They surrendered to or successfully parleyed with Zaira and   
   
   
  agreed to work for King’s Citadel. 
   
  E. 
  The PCs surrendered or successfully parleyed with Zaira, but  
   
   
  were obstinate during questioning and were detained.
  2. Did the PCs encounter the hobbling trap and defeat the bone 
  claws? 
   
  A. 
  Yes. They did both. 
   
  B. 
  Almost. They never found the hobbling trap but defeated the  
   
   
  boneclaw. 
   
  C. 
  Almost. They found the hobbling trap, but didn’t defeat the   
   
   
  boneclaw. 
   
  D. 
  No. They did neither.  
  3. Did the PCs defeat the chain devils, deathlocks, and encounter the 
  ghoul glyph trap?
   
  A. 
  No. 
   
  B. 
  Yes. They defeated the monsters and encountered the trap.
   
  C. 
  Almost. They defeated the chain devils, but not the deathlock,  
   
   
  and did not encounter the trap.
   
  D. 
  Almost. They defeated the chain devils and the deathlock, but  
   
   
  didn’t encounter the trap.
   
  E. 
  Almost. They defeated the deathlocks, but didn’t defeat the   
   
   
  chain devils and didn’t encounter the trap.
   
  F. 
  Almost. They defeated the deathlock and encountered the 
   
   
  trap, but didn’t defeat the chain devil. 
  4. Did the PCs encounter the haunting and the acid fog trap?
   
  A. 
  Yes. They encountered both trap.
   
  B. 
  They encountered one but not the other
   
  C. 
  No. They encountered neither. 
  5. Did the PCs encounter the fusillade of darts trap?
   
  A. 
  No. 
   
  B. 
  Yes. 
  6. Did the PCs defeat the raksasha, or cause him to ﬂ ee and defeat any 
  undead he summoned? 
   
  A. 
  Yes.
   
  B. 
  No.
  7. How did the adventure end?
   
  A.  They defeated the plans of Mah’vara and Dharu Khali, and 
   
   
  gained Zaira Dane’s favor. 
   
  B. They defeated Dharu Khali but opened the portal themselves.
   
  C. They didn’t get this far. 
   
  D. Some other, unanticipated, ending. or
  8. Rate the group’s roleplaying.
   
  A. 
  Fantastic. Everyone had interesting and engaging characters 
   
   
  that interacted with the adventure in very fun ways.
   
  B. 
  Good. Most everyone had interesting and engaging characters 
   
   
  that interacted with the adventure in very fun ways.
   
  C. 
  Okay. There was some roleplaying.
   
  D. 
  None. They treated the adventure only as a set of objectives. 
   
   
  There was no roleplaying.
  Digital Story Objects
  Starting with Desolate Endeavor, story objects are going digital! 
  You’ll notice on both your Session Tracking Sheet, and in 
  the online reporting, there are section entitled certiﬁ cation 
  or cert. The sections allow you to enter up to two groups of 
  ﬁ ve alphanumeric characters. At the end of each adventure, 
  usually in a sidebar of in the Conclusion section, is a list of 
  story objects unique to this adventure. The list also features a 
  description of the object, and the ﬁ ve alphanumeric character 
  code you place on the Session Tracking Sheet and the online 
  reporting to grant a character that story object. The story 
  object then is reported with the adventure questions, and 
  appears on the character’s online character record.
   
  Here are the story objects for this adventure: 
  Object ID: MH1001
  Object Name: Zaira Dane’s Favor
  Object Description: At the behest of the Agent Zaira 
  Dane, you have completed a mission for the King’s Citadel. 
  In return you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to any Bluff 
  or Diplomacy check against members of the Citadel or 
  Knowledge (local) or bardic knowledge check regarding the 
  organization. Also, this favor unlocks the rod of recall for your 
  character. See the Mark of Heroes Story Object Lexicon (or page xx 
  of this adventure) for that item’s description. 
  Object ID: MH1002
  Object Name: Mah’vara d’Orien’s “Favor”
  Object Description: For whatever reason, you didn’t open 
  the portal between Desolate and Sharn for Mah’vara d’Orien. 
  The Lady d’Orien has warned you that she considers your life 
  forfeit, and you get the impression she will attempt to make 
  good on her threat. At the beginning of each adventure, tell 
  the PCs that you have this “favor.” It may affect game play. 
  
  HANDOUT
  24
  Handout 1 – Journal of Captain Saal Ennes
  5 Barrakas, 862 YK
  We discovered a rune-engraved arch while excavating the southern watchto wer. We cleared the 
  loose earth from the ruin to discover a much larger chamber with a strange diagram engraved 
  into the wall. T he diagram incor porates House Orien markings with others, but none among us 
  read them. I guess this means I will have to seek aid from that bastard, Soarminst.  
  15 Barrakas, 862 YK
  We’ve begun fortifying the area around the to wer, and while it seems the enemy has fall back, I 
  suspect they’ll come for us again. I’ve told the men to save their strength for the coming ﬁ ght. 
  I greatl y fear that we are the last of Kyrmar’s Hold to survive the enemies’ assault. 
  T hat damned wizard has spent the last week in the chamber housing the arch way. As al ways, 
  Soarminst is cry ptic and irritating, but he seems to think that the arch way could hold our onl y 
  chance for escape. 
  1 7 Barrakas, 862 YK
  T hey attacked us again today. T he defenses held, but the cost was high. T hose ﬁ ends shredded 
  half of our defenders and then mysteriousl y fell back. I feel as thought they are toying with us. 
  I can still hear the moaning wails of those left to die, pinned do wn beyond the front door. T he 
  sound is maddening. 
  19 Barrakas, 862 YK
  T he arch way is a portal of House Orien make, or at least that’s what Soarminst believes. He 
  a wakened the device and it lit u p like a holiday parade. It’s possibl y the most beautiful thing 
  I’ve ever seen. 
   
  I had to sto p that fool of a wizard from ju mping through its glittering gate. If this endeavor 
  has taught me anything it is that discovered magics in the Demon Wastes are not to be trusted. 
  We’ll dra w stra ws to see who’s to test the “gate.” Soarminst will not be dra wing a stra w. As much 
  as it pains me to admit it, he is too vital to our survival to waste. 
  20 Barrakas, 862 YK
  Gwen dre w the short stra w and entered the shimmering door way. T o our relief she returned 
  minutes later, deliriousl y hap py, and babbling ab out Sharn and the Cogs. Soarminst was right it 
  is a portal; a passage to Breland. We’re getting out of this Olladra forsaken place!
  20 Barrakas, 862 YK
  Gwen dre w the short stra w and entered the shimmering door way. T o our relief she returned 
  minutes later, deliriousl y hap py; babbling ab out Sharn and the Cogs— Soarminst was right it is 
  a portal; a passage to Breland. We are getting out of this Olladra forsaken place!
  
  DESOLATE ENDEAVOR
  25
  Handout 2 – Citadel Agent Communiqué
  Detain agents of the Orien witch for 
  questioning.
  Suspect that she is in league with prince of 
  Ashtakala.
  Be ware the rak shasa!
   Handout 3 – Details for Ritual
  Spike a pinion of  each met al into the ground at the four cardinal 
  points surr ounding the archway at a diﬆ ance of  fi ve feet . Th ey  
  are pres ent for target ing purposes  only. 
  Silver – North  
   
  Cold Iron – South
  Adamantine – East  
  Mithral – Wes t
  Place a drop of  celes tial and infernal blood fr eely given at the 
  crown of  each spike. Th en cast lightning spell, target ing silver 
  primarily, and all ot hers sec ondarily in order to power up the 
  portal. Once this is complet e, cast knock to open the way.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/3rd Edition (3.x)/RPGA/Eberron - Mark of Heroes/EMH-10 Desolate Endeavor.pdf