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DDAL-ELW11 - Secrets Below
DDAL-ELW11 - Secrets Below
SECRETS BELOW
An Eberron Embers of the Last War Adventure
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1
Adventure Primer
This section provides the adventure’s background and an
overview of the adventure’s episodes and objectives.
Background
In SHARN, MERRIX D’CANNITH, leader of CANNITH
SOUTH, has been using a secret, and highly illegal,
CREATION FORGE to manufacture powerful new
WARFORGED, whom he is selling to the SWORDS OF
LIBERTY. As this adventure begins, the characters have
finally discovered the location of his SECRET LAB—and
the creation forge within.
Episodes
The adventure’s story is spread over three story episodes
which take approximately 2 hours to play.
• Episode 1: A Bar Called Shamukaar. The adventurers
are asked to find and destroy the illegal creation forge.
This is the Call to Action.
• Episode 2: Forgehold Infiltration. The adventurers
enter the Sharn Forgehold, searching for Merrix’s secret
laboratory. This is Main Objective A.
• Episode 3: Creation Forge Conundrum. The
adventurers find the creation forge—and confront
Merrix d’Cannith. This is Main Objective B.
Bonus Objectives
The primary objective of the adventure is to discover
and destroy the secret creation forge Merrix is using to
manufacture warforged. However, this adventure also
includes two 1-hour bonus objectives that the characters
can pursue if they have the time to do so—earning
additional advancement and treasure checkpoints in the
process.
• Bonus Objective A: Get the Evidence. The
adventurers must retrieve evidence linking Merrix
d’Cannith to the Swords of Liberty. More details can be
found on page 13.
• Bonus Objective B: Save the Prisoners. The
adventurers must rescue two prisoners from the Sharn
Forgehold. More details can be found on page 14.
Episode Sequence
The duration of your session depends on how much of
this adventure you utilize. At the very least, your session
will last approximately 2 hours. If you wish, you can
provide a longer experience for your players by utilizing
the bonus objectives.
Main Objectives Only. To complete the adventure’s
main objectives, the characters play episodes 1 through 3
in order.
Bonus Objectives. You can extend this adventure
by one or two hours by utilizing the bonus objectives
provided. Bonus Objective A and Bonus Objective B
occur during episode 2. This additional content can’t be
utilized anywhere else.
2
Adventure Flowchart
This section provides a basic understanding of not only the flow of the episodes, but also the outline of the different paths
that your players may take in reaching their stated objective.
1
A Bar Called
Shamukaar
Forgehold
Infiltration
A B
Get the Evidence Save the Prisoners
(Bonus Objective A) (Bonus Objective B)
Creation Forge
Conundrum
3
Episode One:
A Bar Called Shamukaar
Estimated Duration: 20 minutes and immense factories.
Atmosphere. Metallic clanging fills the air, along with
Let’s finish this.
the ever-present stench of sulfur and smoke. The whole
— Merrix d’Cannith
area is dimly lit by a perpetual red glow, supplied by the
The adventure begins in a secure room at the fires of a thousand furnaces.
Shamukaar tavern in the Cogs. The adventurers have Population. While many thousands work in the Cogs,
been summoned there by Antonia d’Medani, their few reside there if they can help it. Warforged, goblins,
contact from House Medani. and humans are the most numerous inhabitants, but just
about every race is represented, including monsters from
Prerequisites Droaam.
This adventure is the climax to the Embers of the
Last War series. If you wish to play it as a standalone About Shamukaar
adventure, Antonia contacts the party through a mutual Shamukaar is the largest and most popular tavern in the
acquaintance about a job that might interest them. Cogs. It stretches over five subterranean levels crudely
hewn from dark, volcanic rock. It is run by goblins and
Area Information is especially popular with immigrants from Droaam.
The Cogs ward has the following features: Each level is packed around the clock with ogres, gnolls,
Dimensions & Terrain. The area is a warren of natural harpies, minotaurs, and other bizarre monsters.
tunnels and old goblin ruins. While there are several
large thoroughfares, most of the passages are narrow and
crowded.
Structures. A combination of freestanding stone Meeting with Medani
buildings in several large caverns as well as innumerable Antonia d’Medani (a spy) has arranged to meet in a small
chambers dug from the rock. The Cogs is primarily an private room on the lowest level of Shamukaar. She
industrial area, home to great furnaces, vast foundries, assures the adventurers the room is quite secure from
4
eavesdropping, before sharing the following information. Reward
If you are playing this as a standalone adventure, Antonia Antonia is authorised to offer them 3,000 gp to complete
first shares the background information supplied in the the mission.
Adventure Primer.
Bonus Objectives
If you wish for a longer game, Antonia gives the
adventurers one or both bonus objectives:
• Bonus Objective A. House Medani believe there might
be evidence in Merrix’s private apartment linking him
directly to the Swords of Liberty. If it exists, they want it.
• Bonus Objective B. House Medani have learned that
Merrix is keeping two prisoners in the Forgehold.
They want these prisoners rescued so they can be
interrogated. Their names are Grannok Twinpines, a
half-orc, and Sharyl Fiennes, a human.
5
Episode Two:
Forgehold Infiltration
Estimated Duration: 1-3 hours Objectives
I promise you that I have defenses you know nothing The main objectives are to locate the creation forge in
about. the secret laboratory, and disable it using the mabaranic
—Merrix d’Cannith infuser. The secret lab may be accessed through area 4
or area 25.
Most people in the Cogs have heard rumors of House The bonus objectives are to rescue the prisoners from
Cannith’s Sharn Forgehold. It is a massive subterranean area 28, and retrieve the incriminating letter from area 25.
fortress containing foundries, forges, workshops, and other
facilities. The location of the Forgehold is a closely kept Creatures/NPCs
secret, being accessed through an illusory wall at the end
of a seemingly blind alley in the Cogs industrial district. Most of the creatures inside the Forgehold are warforged,
many of them designed for very specific purposes. Unlike
Prerequisites the warforged outside, these creatures have never known
freedom. Following are some of the unique warforged the
This episode begins once the characters complete adventurers might encounter:
episode 1. Pickers are shaped like small centaurs, with four arms
and an extensible torso. They transport items around the
Map Forgehold.
There is a map of the Forgehold in Appendix B. The Couriers look like disembodied warforged heads with
entire Forgehold is massive, and the map shows only the dove-like wings and tiny claws. They are messengers.
north wing of the first level. Stewards are tall and spindly. They oversee the various
operations of the Forgehold.
Area Information Fitters have six arms, two of them terminating in hands
and the other four terminating in various tools, such as
The Forgehold has the following features: screwdrivers, wrenches, and chisels.
Dimensions & Terrain. The interior walls and ceiling Riggers are short, squat, and have four thick legs. Their
of the Forgehold are covered by large brass plates, the arms terminate in two flat forks, and their rotund torso is
corridors being engraved with a houndstooth pattern. extensible. They lift and transport heavy items.
The floor is laid with massive onyx flagstones. Unless None of these warforged are built for battle, and all have
otherwise noted, the ceiling is 15 feet high. the statistics of a commoner. None of them have names
Doors. The interior doors are made of iron reinforced and they are usually referred to by type and number (e.g.
with decorated steel belts. The doors are not locked Fitter 874).
unless stated otherwise.
Lighting. Every 10 feet a narrow strip of blue crystal is Random Encounters
set in the corridor and chamber walls, reaching from floor
The corridors of the Forgehold are busy. Whenever the
to ceiling. These strips give off a dim, phosphorescent
characters leave a room, roll on the following encounter
light.
table:
Teleporting. The dimensional pillars in area 5 prevent
any teleportation magic or similar from operating within d20 Encounter
the Forgehold.
1-4 None
Traps & Puzzles 5-9 Picker
Merrix d’Cannith has placed deadly traps in the Forgehold 10-14 Courier
and these may prove fatal to the careless. Several rooms 15-20 Darkwood Watch
contain interesting devices which the characters can
manipulate to their advantage.
6
These encounters are described below:
Picker. These warforged gallop down the corridors
with requisition slips in their hands, wearing a backpack
full of components (see the Components table). A typical
requisition slip might say, “4 crystal pinions to soarsled
workshop.” Pickers are single-minded about their
deliveries and are unlikely to stop and talk.
Courier. These warforged carry component requisition
slips from the workshops and maintenance bay to Picker
Dispatch (area 19). Like the pickers, they are single-
minded about their tasks. Grabbing one from the air
requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity check.
Darkwood Watch. Five leather-cloaked human wand
adepts (Appendix A) patrol the corridors. These are
members of the famed Darkwood Watch, and they attack
any intruders.
Forgehold Locations
Resting Refer to the map in Appendix B for locations.
7
Wax blocks. Six massive wax blocks, 8 feet wide, 1 foot
Roleplaying Steward 88 deep, and 15 feet high, are lined up against the east wall.
Steward 88 is responsible for the day-to-day operations Three of them are inscribed with a seemingly random
of this wing of the Sharn Forgehold. They can describe array of little horizontal and vertical notches.
the basic functions of the rooms in the Forgehold
but do not know where the Well of Harmony is. Creatures/NPCs
If intimidated into answering, they suggest the Embedded near the top of the west wall is an 8-foot-tall
adventurers either go to the map room (area 12) or talk warforged face, surrounded by tubes and wires. The
to the Comptroller (area 3). face says: “Greetings! My name is Comptroller 13. What
Trait. I am always in a hurry, always rushing from one problem do you wish to solve?”
place to another and talking about how busy I am. Comptroller 13 does not know where the Well of
Ideal. It is my desire to run my wing of the Forgehold Harmony is, but does know there is a map room in the
as efficiently as possible. Forgehold. They suggest the adventurers try to find it.
Bond. I was created to serve House Cannith and my
loyalty to them is unwavering. Roleplaying Comptroller 13
Flaw. I am a coward and can be easily intimidated.
This remarkable creature was made by Merrix to
record his accounts and help him with complex
calculations. They use the mage hand spell to inscribe
2. Antechamber account information on the wax blocks and to use the
The area has the following features: abacuses. Comptroller 13 is rather delicate with AC 12
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 40 feet wide and 14 hit points.
and 60 feet long. The brass walls are engraved with a Trait. I love performing calculations and continually
wave pattern. interrupt people to ask if they have a mathematical
Furniture. There are several dark, leather-covered problem to solve.
couches against the western wall. Ideal. It is my desire to perform every calculation with
Sound. A rapid, metallic clicking sound occasionally perfect precision.
emerges from the passage in the western wall. The area Bond. I was created by Merrix d’Cannith and my
beyond this passage is dark. loyalty to him is unthinking.
Flaw. I am very ignorant of the outside world and
Traps & Puzzles have a childlike naivety.
There are three enormous crystal screens in this
chamber, all hanging on the east wall. Each screen has a
permanent scrying spell cast on it, targeting the following 4. Well of Harmony
areas in the Forgehold:
• Crystal foundry (area 9) This is the entrance to the secret laboratory. Merrix has
forbidden everyone from entering this chamber, and none
• Cannon workshop (area 11)
of the warforged in the wing know what is in it.
• Soarsled workshop (area 14)
Area Information
Creatures/NPCs The area has the following features:
1 round after the adventurers enter the chamber, the Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 50 feet long
flickering blue image of a tall, spindly warforged appears. and 40 feet wide. The brass walls are engraved with a
They say: gingham pattern.
8
5. Dimensional Pillars
The area has the following features:
Dimensions & Terrain. The chamber is 40-foot-square.
The bronze walls are engraved with chevrons which seem
to drift upward if you stare at them for any length of time.
Pillars. There are nine ebony pillars in three rows in
this room, each 1 foot in diameter and 12 feet high. They
emit a low, throbbing hum.
Traps & Puzzles
A character examining the pillars and succeeding on
a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check deduces that they
prevent teleportation magic from functioning in this wing
of the Forgehold.
A character trying to work out how to turn off the pillars
and succeeding on another DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana)
check deduces that connecting all the pillars together
using elemental wire would cause them to short out.
(Elemental wire can be found in areas 15-18.)
6. Maintenance Bay
The area has the following features:
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 30 feet
long and 60 feet wide. The brass walls are plain though
smeared with grease and grime.
Furniture. There are numerous iron benches and boxes
scattered all over the area, holding spare parts and tools.
Scaffolding covers the west wall. Several chains and
8. Storm Cocoons
oversized hooks dangle from pulleys in the ceiling. The area has the following features:
Dimensions & Terrain. This bottle-shaped chamber is
Creatures/NPCs 70 feet long and 30 feet wide. The walls are made of dark
There are four warforged fitters and four warforged bronze engraved with a skyscape, showing angry titans
riggers in the bay, and seven warforged of miscellaneous casting lightning bolts at one another.
type in varying stages of repair. These workers ignore Cocoons. Three 15-foot-tall silver cylinders are lined
the adventurers unless attacked, in which case they up in this chamber. They are beehive-shaped with a
attempt to flee. corrugated surface. A loose bundle of silver wires
There are also two warforged couriers here and a connects the top of each cylinder to the ceiling.
warforged steward with a notepad and stylus. The These devices supply energy to the north wing of the
steward demands the adventurers leave immediately. Forgehold.
Treasure Traps & Puzzles
A character who searches amongst the tools and parts, Anyone touching a cylinder or the wiring must make
and makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 28 (8d6)
check, locates a brazier of commanding fire elementals. lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much
This is used by the fitters to perform welding operations. damage on a successful one.
The top of each cylinder may be unscrewed with a
7. Other Wings successful DC 15 Strength check. Doing so frees the
The area has the following features: storm elemental within.
Doors. A pair of ponderous bronze doors, 12 feet high If the wires for all three cylinders are severed, or if the
and engraved with a checkerboard pattern, block the way. storm elementals are released, the following changes take
Inscribed in glowing green letters on the right-hand wall place in the Forgehold:
are the words: • The lights go out, and all chambers and rooms are in
complete darkness.
SOUTH WING • All warforged workers (such as pickers and fitters)
immediately cease work and stand at attention, awaiting
WEST WING
further instruction.
EAST WING • Comptroller 13 in area 3 is disabled.
LOWER LEVELS • The dimensional pillars in area 5 are disabled.
• The map in area 12 is disabled.
Traps & Puzzles • The crystal bolters in area 23 are disabled.
The doors are secured by three arcane locks. The other • The Darkwood Watch urgently begin seeking the
wings and levels are beyond the scope of this adventure, intruders. There is a 50 percent chance of the party
but they mostly consist of foundries, forges, workshops, encountering them whenever they enter a corridor or
factories, storage chambers, and so on. a room.
9
Creatures/NPCs Treasure
Inside each silver cylinder is a storm elemental. The A character who examines the benches and makes a
storm elemental has the statistics of an air elemental successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check finds four
with the following modifications: rough diamonds mixed in with the rock crystal. They are
• It deals lightning damage instead of bludgeoning worth 200 gp in total.
damage
• The reach of its slam attack is 20 ft. 10. Shrine to the Traveler
If a storm elemental is released from its cylinder, it The area has the following features:
immediately attacks any creature it notices. Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 30 feet long
and 40 feet wide. The walls comprise a mishmash of
Treasure bronze panels, each a different width and shade. Inscribed
The silver wire is worth 35 gp. on the floor are eight arrows in a radial pattern.
Altar. At the intersection of the eight arrows is a 3-foot-
9. Crystal Foundry high altar composed of various animal skulls sculpted in
The area has the following features: silver. On top of the altar is a wide silver dish.
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 60 feet Traps & Puzzles
long and 30 feet wide. The walls are made of light
Inscribed inside the dish are the words:
bronze engraved top and bottom with thin bands of an
interlocking fret pattern.
Furniture. A dozen sturdy iron benches are neatly Beware the gifts of the Traveler
arranged in this room, each one holding rock crystals
being sculpted into crystal parts. An open-sided iron bin In the dish are an old pipe, a pair of socks, a copper badge
on the west wall holds the finished parts. shaped like a shield, and a silver teardrop earring.
Creatures/NPCs If anyone places a personal item in the dish, they must
roll on the following table:
There are five warforged fitters here, cutting and
polishing the raw rock crystal into the shapes required d20 Effect Duration
by the workshops. These workers ignore the adventurers
unless attacked, in which case they attempt to flee. 1 You are poisoned. 1d6 hours
2 You are blinded. 1d6 hours
3 You are incapacitated. 1d6 hours
4 You are paralyzed. 1d6 hours
5 You are deafened. 1d10 hours
6 You gain a short-term madness 1d4 hours
condition.
7 All the hair on your body falls out. -
8 You become an oni. 1d4 hours
9 You become another alignment.* 1d4 hours
10 Your skin becomes translucent. 1d6 days
11 You become another race.* 1d4 hours
12 You become another gender.** 1d4 hours
13 Your Dexterity increases to 25. 1d4 hours
14 You become invisible. 1 hour
15 You gain the effect of the haste spell. 1 hour
16 You are healed of all damage. -
17 You gain 3d6 temporary hit points. -
18 You become resistant to all damage. 1 hour
19 You gain advantage on all rolls. 1 hour
20 You become 5 years younger. Permanent
10
11. Cannon Workshop Treasure
The raw rock crystal, uncut and unpolished, is worth 1 gp
The area has the following features:
per pound.
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is shaped like a
stretched octagon, being 100 feet long and 40 feet wide,
with three large alcoves in each of the long walls. The 14. Soarsled Workshop
alcoves are full of metal shelves and drawers stuffed with The area has the following features:
tools and components. Dimensions & Terrain. This square chamber has walls
Production Line. There is a long iron table down 60 feet long. The brass walls are plain though dirty.
the middle of the room with several portable magefire Furniture. There are numerous iron benches, shelves,
cannons on it, in varying stages of construction. Tools and chests, and cabinets arranged neatly around the room, all
components are scattered all over the table. overflowing with tools and components.
Production Table. There is a round iron table in the
Creatures/NPCs middle of the room, 20 feet in diameter. There are several
There are ten warforged fitters and five warforged riggers soarsleds on it, in varying stages of construction. Tools
here, assembling portable magefire cannons. These and components are scattered all over the table.
workers ignore the adventurers unless attacked, in which
case they attempt to flee. Creatures/NPCs
There are also three warforged couriers here and There are eleven warforged fitters and five warforged
a warforged steward with a notepad and stylus. The riggers here, assembling soarsleds on the table. These
steward demands the adventurers leave immediately. workers ignore the adventurers unless attacked, in which
case they attempt to flee.
Treasure There are also four warforged couriers here and
There are six portable magefire cannons on the a warforged steward with a notepad and stylus. The
production line, in progressively more complete stages of steward demands the adventurers leave immediately.
construction. On the southern end of the table is a fully
working cannon. Treasure
There are eight soarsleds on the production table, and
two of them are in working order.
Portable Magefire Cannon
A portable magefire cannon looks like a short stovepipe
made of crystal and onyx, with an iron triggering Soarsled
mechanism attached. It is fired from the shoulder but A soarsled is a crystalline disk, 5 feet in diameter, that
in all other respects is identical to a wand of fireballs crackles with eldritch energy. Within Sharn’s manifest
(except it does not require attunement). Further details zone (which includes the Forgehold), it has a flying
can be found in Appendix D. speed of 90 feet. You do not require any special
proficiencies to operate a soarsled, although you may be
required to make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check in some
12. Map Room circumstances, such as changing direction suddenly,
colliding with an obstacle, taking damage, etc.
The area has the following features:
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 20 feet
long and 30 feet wide and the walls are engraved with
elaborate mapping symbols. 15-18. Storerooms
Podium. There is a steel podium in the center of the The area has the following features:
room with a square crystal button on it. The button Dimensions & Terrain. These chambers are 30 feet
currently glows red. long and 25 feet wide.
Fixtures. These rooms have rows of floor-to-ceiling iron
Traps & Puzzles shelves packed with components (see Component table).
An enormous crystal screen hangs from the west wall. If
anyone presses the red crystal button, its color switches Treasure
to green and a map of this part of the Forgehold appears If scavenged for treasure, the components are typically
on the screen. Give the players the player map from worth 1d10 sp each. There are some more valuable
Appendix B. items on the shelves as well. A successful DC 17 Wisdom
If the button is pressed while green, the map disappears (Perception) check locates one of the following:
from the screen and the color reverts to red.
d6 Item
13. Crystal Repository 1 Bag of holding
The area has the following features: 2 Brooch of shielding
Dimensions & Terrain. This irregularly shaped 3 Elemental gem (randomly determine type)
chamber is 50 feet long and 30 feet wide with two small
alcoves near the rear wall. The bronze walls are dusty and 4 Gauntlets of ogre power
scratched. 5 Goggles of night
Contents. A great pile of raw rock crystal sits against
6 Robe of useful items
the rear wall and spills across the floor. The individual
stones range in size from an inch to over 3 feet across. Only one magic item per storeroom can be located.
11
19. Picker Dispatch they slowly crawl out before collapsing, all the while
muttering their thanks. After gathering some strength,
The area has the following features: they say:
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 30 feet long • They are called Fitter 331.
and 20 feet wide. The brass walls are dull and unadorned.
• They were trying to escape the Forgehold when they
Creatures/NPCs were caught by Merrix and placed in the Obedience
There are ten warforged pickers in this room, standing in Dome.
two columns at attention. They have been commanded to Fitter 331 knows some secrets. With some prompting,
neither move nor speak and will not do so even if attacked. they reveal the following:
Every 10 minutes, there is a 25 percent chance that a • Merrix has forbidden the warforged from entering a
warforged courier arrives with a requisition slip. If that certain room (area 4).
happens, the picker nearest the door takes the slip and • Whenever Merrix enters the door that leads to his
gallops off to the storerooms (areas 15-18). Every other chambers (area 23), he says the word “Whitehearth”.
picker then moves forward one spot. When a picker
returns from their job, they rejoin the formation at the rear.
Roleplaying Fitter 331
20. Fitter & Rigger Depot Unlike their fellow warforged, Fitter 331 is very poor at
The area has the following features: following orders.
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 40 feet long Trait. I am intensely curious and have explored this
and 20 feet wide. The brass walls are dull and unadorned. part of the Forgehold quite thoroughly.
Ideal. I yearn to have an individual identity and to
Creatures/NPCs make decisions about my own fate.
There are thirty warforged fitters and fourteen warforged Bond. My ultimate loyalty is to myself.
riggers in this room, standing to attention in four Flaw. I have had no moral training and sometimes
columns. They have been commanded to neither move behave in a petulant and childish manner.
nor speak and do not do so even if attacked. This is the
alternative shift of fitters and riggers. Every twelve hours,
the two shifts swap. 22. Watch House
Traps & Puzzles The Darkwood Watch sometimes rest here when
A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals on patrol (they have better apartments deeper in the
some graffiti inscribed in very small letters on the western Forgehold).
wall. It reads, “I just want to be me.” Area Information
The area has the following features:
21. Obedience Dome Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 30 feet long
The area has the following features: and 20 feet wide. The brass walls are bright and engraved
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 40 feet long with a scale pattern. A colorful tapestry depicting a battle
and 20 feet wide. The brass walls are dull and engraved scene from the Last War almost completely covers the
with deep horizontal grooves that circle the chamber and north wall.
give it a severe look. Furniture. There are five iron cots here, each with a
Dome. In the middle of the room is a dome made of feather mattress and a small footlocker.
thick, clear crystal. It has an 8-foot diameter and is 6-foot
high with a small, square crystal door with an external Monsters/NPCs
bolt on it. This may be easily unbolted from the outside, This area is currently unoccupied. Every hour the
and the door opened. adventurers spend here, there is a 20 percent chance the
Podium. There is a 4-foot-high steel podium before the Darkwood Watch returns and discover them.
dome.
Treasure
Traps & Puzzles The footlockers contain the following items:
Embedded on the top surface of the podium is a square • Footlocker 1: 28 gp, two leather cloaks, a pair of boots,
cut gem, 2 inches across and glowing red. Touching the and a potion of healing.
gem while it is red causes it to glow green. Touching it • Footlocker 2: 11 pp, night gown, a pair of boots, and a
while green causes it to turn red. driftglobe.
While the gem is red, once per hour the dome fills with • Footlocker 3: 20 gp, a spyglass, a lantern, and a vial of
a strobing red light. Anyone inside the dome when this perfume.
happens suffers excruciating pain and takes 1d4 psychic • Footlocker 4: 31 gp, a leather cloak, and a box of
damage. They must also succeed on a DC 10 Constitution buttons.
saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.
• Footlocker 5: 83 sp, a pair of boots, a spell scroll of
Creatures/NPCs darkvision, and a spell scroll of levitate.
Inside the dome is a warforged fitter in very bad shape.
When they see the adventurers, they point toward the
door with a pleading expression. If the door is opened,
12
Bonus Objective A
Areas 23-25 relate to Bonus Objective A. If you are not
playing this bonus objective, you can:
• Eliminate the entrance to area 23.
• Secure the entrance with three arcane locks.
• Make these areas abandoned and empty.
• Have an NPC encourage the characters to look
elsewhere.
13
made using thieves’ tools. If the check fails, lightning Monsters/NPCs
erupts from the bureau, dealing 18 (4d8) lightning There are six iron cobras (Appendix A) in the stalls to the
damage to any creature within 10 feet of it. south. They immediately emerge and attack.
The lock can be forced open with a crowbar or
equivalent, and a successful DC 15 Strength check.
Attempting this also triggers the lightning trap. Adjusting This Encounter
Secret Door. Anyone who examines the walls of Here are some suggestions for adjusting this
the bedroom and makes a successful DC 25 Wisdom encounter,
(Perception) check discovers a secret door. This door according to your group.
opens onto a winding stone tunnel that leads down to the • Very Weak: remove three iron cobras.
secret lab (see episode 3). • Weak: remove two iron cobras.
Treasure
The locked bureau contains a money pouch with 263 gp.
There is also a letter (see Appendix C: Handout). 28. North Cell
The other bureaus are covered with uninteresting The area has the following features:
financial papers as well as a few incomprehensible Locked Doors. The reinforced, brass double doors are
technical memoranda. magically locked. There is a keypad next to the door made
of green crystals, each engraved with a number from 1
Bonus Objective B through 9. Punching in the code 3427 causes the doors
to unlock and swing open. The door has AC 16, 120 hit
Areas 26-29 relate to Bonus Objective B. If you are not points, resistance to piercing and slashing damage, and
playing this bonus objective, you can: immunity to poison and psychic damage.
• Eliminate the entrance to area 26. Dimensions & Terrain. This cell is 20 feet long and 40
• Secure the entrance with three arcane locks. feet wide. The brass walls are dull and unadorned.
• Make these areas abandoned and empty. Furniture. There are two brass divans in the cell,
• Have an NPC encourage the characters to look several clean blankets, a brass chamber pot, and a large
elsewhere. pitcher of water.
Monsters/NPCs
26. Detention Reception There are two prisoners in this cell:
• Grannok Twinpines, a male half-orc soldier
The area has the following features:
• Sharyl Fiennes, a genderfluid (currently female) human
Dimensions & Terrain. This chamber is 40 feet long
charlatan
and 60 feet wide. The brass walls are scored with deep,
diagonal grooves, which gives the room a severe look. They are in poor shape, each one having 1d4 levels of
Furniture. The chamber is sparsely furnished, with two exhaustion. Merrix captured them several months ago
divans against the north wall, and a brass desk and chair and has been using the obedience dome (area 21) to
near the west wall. interrogate them about a smuggling operation they were
involved in four years ago. For more information about
Traps & Puzzles these characters, see DDAL-ELW00: What’s Past is
A wall of force blocks the east passageway. The brass Prologue.
desk has two crystal buttons on top of it, one red and the
other blue. 29. East Cell
Pushing the blue crystal button causes the wall of force The area has the following features:
to toggle off and on. Pushing the red crystal button causes Locked Doors. The reinforced, brass double doors to
a warning klaxon to sound for 1 minute. The Darkwood this cell are magically locked. There is a keypad next to
Watch appear in the reception 30 seconds after the the door made of green crystals, each engraved with a
klaxon starts. number from 1 through 9. Punching in the code 3427
Monsters/NPCs causes the doors to unlock and swing open. The door
A warforged steward named Warden 41 sits behind the has AC 16, 120 hit points, and resistance to piercing and
brass desk. “What do you want?” they demand curtly slashing damage.
when the adventurers enter. If the adventurers become Dimensions & Terrain. This cell is 20 feet long and 40
aggressive, or cannot give a convincing reason for their feet wide. The brass walls are dull and unadorned.
presence, Warden 41 presses the red crystal button. Furniture. There are two brass divans in the cell, a
Warden 41 knows the passcode to the cells, which is brass chamber pot, and a large empty pitcher.
3427, and reveals it on a successful DC 12 Charisma Monsters/NPCs
(Intimidation) check. There are no prisoners in this cell.
14
Episode Three:
Creation Forge Conundrum
Estimated Duration: 40 minutes Creatures/NPCs
We both know I can’t let you live, but there are certainly Merrix d’Cannith (LE male Mark of Making human
more pleasant ways to end this. abjurer, see Appendix A) is here. He is hovering 60 feet
— Merrix d’Cannith above the ground, performing some minor maintenance
on the creation forge, while seated in a cauldron-shaped
Prerequisites soarsled equipped with a chair.
Merrix is startled to see the adventurers but recovers
This episode can only begin after the characters have
quickly, and quietly casts wall of force about his soarsled
completed episode 2.
before he demands to know who they are and what they
want.
Secret Laboratory Once he realizes they wish to destroy the creation forge,
There is a map of the secret laboratory in Appendix B. he sincerely tries to dissuade them. He argues that this
creation forge is the only means to create new warforged.
Destroying it means the warforged race is doomed and is
Area Information therefore an act of genocide.
The area has the following features:
Dimensions & Terrain. This circular chamber is 100
feet wide and over 120 feet tall. The walls are rough-hewn
volcanic stone.
Light. The walls are pockmarked with small, round
portals of blue light, giving everything in the chamber a
blueish tinge.
Creation Forge. The creation forge sits in the center
of the chamber. It is 20 feet across at the base and nearly
100 feet high, made from cobalt with brass gilding. It
has an organic shape, resembling a tree trunk without
branches. See “Tricks & Puzzles” for information about
disabling the creation forge.
Materialization Pool. A 10-foot-wide pool of glowing
white light is positioned next to the main structure.
Silver Pillars. There are four silver pillars around the
creation forge. They are 8 feet tall and bulge in the center.
Entrance. There is a 20-foot-high vertical pool of liquid
set into the wall at this point. The adventurers emerge
here if they entered the pool in area 4. Anyone re-entering
the pool from here is drawn upwards and emerges in area
4.
Secret Door. There is a secret door built into the
chamber wall about 100 feet above the floor. It leads to
the secret door in area 25.
15
• Its type is construct.
• Its gore attack is replaced by a tail attack that is
otherwise identical.
At the same time a warforged dreadnought begins
emerging from the materialization pool, but it will not be
ready for combat until the start of the second round.
A warforged dreadnought is heavily armored, has
enormous warhammers built into its arms, and is three
times the size of a regular warforged. It has the statistics
of a stone golem with the following modifications:
• It does not have the slow feature.
16
Adventure Rewards
Upon completing the adventure, everyone receives
rewards based upon their accomplishments. These
rewards include advancement, treasure, and magic item
unlocks; and may include new downtime activities and
story awards, as follows:
Player Rewards
The characters earn the following player rewards:
Advancement and Treasure
Checkpoints
The characters receive 1 advancement checkpoint and 1
treasure checkpoint for each objective they complete, as
follows:
• Main Objective A: Discover the creation forge.
• Main Objective B: Destroy the creation forge.
• Bonus Objective A: Retrieve evidence linking Merrix
d’Cannith to the Swords of Liberty.
• Bonus Objective B: Rescue the two prisoners from the
Sharn Forgehold.
17
Appendix A: Creature Statistics
This appendix details new monsters that do not appear in
the Monster Manual. Iron Cobra
Medium construct, unaligned
18
Nimblewright Oaken Bolter
Medium construct, unaligned Medium construct, unaligned
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 8 (−1) 10 (+0) 6 (−2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 1 (-5)
Saving Throws Dex +6 Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
Skills Acrobatics +8, Perception +2 from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
nonmagical attacks paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, petrified, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages understands one language of its creator but can’t
Languages understands one language of its creator but can’t speak
speak Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Magic Resistance. The oaken bolter has advantage on saving
Magic Resistance. The nimblewright has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The nimblewright’s weapon attacks are Actions
magical. Multiattack. The oaken bolter makes two lancing bolt attacks or
Repairable. As long as it has at least 1 hit point remaining, the one lancing bolt attack and one harpoon attack.
nimblewright regains 1 hit point when a mending spell is cast
on it. Lancing Bolt. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 4)
Sure-Footed. The nimblewright has advantage on Strength and piercing damage.
Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock
it prone. Slam. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 50/200 ft.,
one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage, and the target
Actions is grappled (escape DC 12). While grappled in this way,
Multiattack. The nimblewright makes three attacks: one with its a creature’s speed isn’t reduced, but it can move only in
dagger and two with its rapier. directions that bring it closer to the oaken bolter. A creature
takes 5 (1d10) slashing damage if it escapes from the grapple
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 or if it tries and fails. As a bonus action, the oaken bolter can
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing pull a creature grappled by it 20 feet closer. The oaken bolter
damage. can grapple only one creature at a time.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Explosive Bolt (Recharge 5-6). The oaken bolter launches an
Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. explosive charge at a point within 120 feet. Each creature within
20 feet of that point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw,
Reactions taking 17 (5d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much
Parry. The nimblewright adds 2 to its AC against one melee damage on a successful one.
attack that would hit it. To do so, the nimblewright must see the
attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
19
Steel Predator Wand Adept
Large construct, lawful evil Medium humanoid (human), any alignment
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
24 (+7) 17 (+3) 22 (+6) 4 (−3) 14 (+2) 6 (−2) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2)
Skills Perception +7, Stealth +8, Survival +7 Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +4, Wis +3
Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic, thunder Skills Perception +3, Stealth +8
Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and Senses passive Perception 13
slashing from nonmagical attacks Languages Common
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, stunned
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Wandslinger. The adept gains the following benefits:
Languages understands Modron and the language of its owner
but can’t speak • Being within 5 feet of a hostile creature or attacking at long
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) range doesn’t impose disadvantage on the adept’s ranged
attack rolls with a wand.
Innate Spellcasting. The steel predator’s innate spellcasting • The adept ignores half cover and three-quarters cover when
ability is Wisdom. The steel predator can innately cast the making ranged attacks with a wand.
following spells, requiring no components: • The adept deals an extra 1d10 fire damage on ranged
3/day each: dimension door (self only), plane shift (self only) weapon attacks made with a wand (already accounted for in
its statistics)
Magic Resistance. The steel predator has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects. Innate Spellcasting. The wand adept’s spellcasting ability is
Charisma (spell save DC 12). It can innately cast the following
Magic Weapons. The steel predator’s weapon attacks are spells, requiring no material components:
magical.
At will: dancing lights
Actions 1/day each: darkness, faerie fire
Multiattack. The steel predator makes three attacks: one with Actions
its bite and two with its claw.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Multiattack. The adept makes two wand attacks.
Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) piercing damage. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) slashing damage.
Wand. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one
Stunning Roar (Recharge 5–6). The steel predator emits a roar target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) fire damage.
in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC
19 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes
27 (5d10) thunder damage, drops everything it’s holding, and
is stunned for 1 minute. On a successful save, a creature takes
half as much damage. The stunned creature can repeat the
saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on
itself on a success.
20
Appendix B: Maps
21
22
Silver Pillars
Creation
Forge
Entrance S
Materialization
Pool
Secret Door
23
Appendix C: Handout
Sincerely,
Lobana Petrievna
24
Appendix D: Magic Item
Characters completing the adventure unlock this magic
item.
Wand of Fireballs
Wand, rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster)
Tier 2-4, 20 treasure checkpoints
Magic Item table G, Dungeon Master’s Guide
This wand, also known as a portable magefire cannon,
looks like a short stovepipe made of crystal and onyx, with
an iron triggering mechanism attached. It is usually fired
from the shoulder.
This wand has 7 charges. While holding it, you can use
an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast the
fireball spell (save DC 15) from it. For 1 charge, you cast
the 3rd-level version of the spell. You can increase the spell
slot level by one for each additional charge you expend.
The wand regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges daily at
dawn. If you expend the wand's last charge, roll a d20. On
a 1, the wand crumbles into ashes and is destroyed.
25
Appendix E: Dungeon Master Tips
This adventure is designed for three to seven 5th-10th Each player is responsible for maintaining an accurate
level characters and is optimized for five characters logsheet. If you have time, you can do a quick scan of
with an average party level (APL) of 10. Characters a player’s character sheet to ensure that nothing looks
outside this level range cannot participate in this out of order. If you see magic items of very high rarities
adventure. or strange arrays of ability scores, you can ask players
to provide documentation for the irregularities. If they
cannot, feel free to restrict item use or ask them to use a
New to D&D Adventurers League? standard ability score array.
http://dnd.wizards.com/playevents/organized-play Point players to the D&D Adventurers League Players
New to the Annual Storyline? Guide for reference. If players wish to spend downtime
days and it’s the beginning of an adventure or episode,
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/news/eberron-
they can declare their activity and spend the days now,
adventurers-league-embers-last-war-storyline
or they can do so at the end of the adventure or episode.
New to Being the Dungeon Master? Players should select their characters’ spells and other
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/public- daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless
dungeon-master the adventure specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the
adventure description to help give players hints about
what they might face.
To DM an adventure, you must have 3 to 7 players—
each with their own character whose level is within the
adventure’s level range. Characters playing in a hardcover Adjusting This Adventure
adventure may continue to play too but if they play a When combat is a possibility, the adventure will provide
different hardcover adventure, they can’t return to the a sidebar that helps you to determine the best mix/
first one if they’re outside its level range. number of opponents to provide them with to create an
appropriate challenge. While you’re not bound to these
Preparing the Adventure adjustments; they’re here for your convenience and
consideration.
Before you start play, consider the following: To determine whether you should consider adjusting the
• Read through the adventure, taking notes of anything adventure, add up the total levels of all the characters and
you’d like to highlight or remind yourself of while divide the result by the number of characters (rounding .5
running the adventure, such as a way you’d like or greater up; .4 or less down). This is the group’s average
to portray an NPC or a tactic you’d like to use in party level (APL). To approximate the party strength for
a combat. Familiar yourself with the adventure’s the adventure, consult the table below.
appendices and handouts.
• Gather any resources you’d like to use to aid you in Determining Party Strength
running this adventure--such as notecards, a DM screen, Party Composition Party Party Strength
miniatures, and battlemaps.
3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak
• Ask the players to provide you with relevant character
information, such as name, race, class, and level; 3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak
passive Wisdom (Perception), and anything specified as 3-4 characters, APL greater than Average
notable by the adventure (such as backgrounds, traits,
5 characters, APL less than Weak
flaws, etc.)
Players can play an adventure they previously played as 5 characters, APL equivalent Average
a Player or Dungeon Master but may only play it once with 5 characters, APL greater than Strong
a given character. Ensure each player has their character’s 6-7 characters, APL less than Average
adventure logsheet (if not, get one from the organizer).
The players fill out the adventure name, session number, 6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
date, and your name and DCI number. In addition, the 6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong
player also fills in the starting values for advancement and
treasure checkpoints, downtime days, and renown. These
values are updated at the end of the session.
26