• Episode 3: Darkest Knight, Brightest Stars. The Adventure Primer characters finally reach the site of Artor Morlin’s new “Not just beautiful, though—the stars are like the trees in lair and the Weave to which he must be attuned, but the forest, alive and breathing. And they’re watching me.” one last Shadowdusk stands in their way. This is Story Objective B. —Haruki Murakami Background Bonus Objectives This adventure also includes two, 1-hour bonus objectives The Baron of Blood, vampire ARTOR MORLIN, that the characters can pursue if they have additional time is ready to get out of Skullport, where he has been to do so—earning additional advancement and treasure dwelling since Jarlaxle Baenre exposed Artor’s previous checkpoints in the process. These bonus objectives are lair. Recently, adventurers helped Artor clear a section found in this adventure’s appendices, as follows: of Undermountain for his new home sweet home in • Bonus Objective A: Amulet of the Weave. Before they SHADOWDUSK HOLD (in DDAL08-16 Change of can perform the ritual to attune Artor to the Weave, the Address) and fetch a powerful item to seal off the Far characters must fetch one last necessary artifact. This Realms that corrupt it (in DDAL08-17 The Tower of bonus objective is found in Appendix 4. Ahghairon). Now Artor needs adventurers to help him • Bonus Objective B: Entity on the Loose. As the enter Undermountain without becoming imprisoned characters return to the Tempted Paladin, they find himself. Artor’s moving into Shadowdusk Hold has meant But the previous adventurers’ expedition caught the someone—or something—else has had to move out. This attention of mad mage HALASTER, and he is not bonus objective is found in Appendix 5. amused. Well, truthfully, he is amused, quite amused, and he’s ready to have some fun. Should Artor’s Episode Sequence adventurers surpass Halaster’s tricks, traps, and attention span, the Shadowdusk family has sent HANNELORE Depending on your time constraints, play style and SHADOWDUSK, a death knight, and her army of undead environment, this adventure takes approximately four-to- to ensure Artor’s housewarming party is to die for. six hours to play. Episodes How Will You Play? The duration of your session depends on how much of The adventure’s story is spread over three story episodes this adventure you utilize. At the very least, your session that take approximately 4 hours to play. These episodes will last approximately four hours. However, if you wish, are introduced by a Call to Action episode. you can provide a longer experience for your players by If you’re planning to play the entire adventure at once, utilizing the bonus objectives. you only need to introduce the Call to Action once. • Story Objectives Only. To complete the both of the However, if you plan to play them over several sessions, adventure’s story objectives, the characters play in you’ll want to revisit the Call to Action each time you play. Episodes 1 through 3 in order. • Episode 1: Making Moves. The Baron of Blood, Artor • Bonus Objectives. You can extend this adventure by Morlin, recruits the adventurers to escort him through one- or two- hours by utilizing the bonus objectives Shadowdusk Hold, his new lair. This is the Call to provided in the appendices. These objectives branch off Action. Episodes 2 and 3. • Episode 2: Halaster’s Housewarming Rift. With Artor safely secured in his coffin, the characters face tricks, traps, and treacherous foes sent by the Far Realm and Halaster. This is Story Objective A. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 2 DDAL08-18 Moving Day (v1.0) Adventure Flowchart This section provides a basic understanding of not only the flow of the episode, but also the outline of the different paths that your players may take in reaching their stated objective.

1 Making Moves (Call to Action)

A 2 Amulet of the Weave Halaster’s (Bonus Objective A) Housewarming Gift (Story Objective A)

3 B Darkest Knight: Entity on the Loose Brightest Stars (Bonus Objective B) (Story Objective B)

Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DDAL08-18 Moving Day (v1.0) 3 Episode 1: Making Moves Estimated Duration: 30 minutes Creatures/NPCs Scene A. Artor’s Artor Morlin (a vampire) sits alone at the table furthest from the door. Patrons scattered at the other tables sit Final Request silently and turn in unison when the characters enter; they are vampire spawn who serve Artor. The Baron of Blood and Masked Lord of Waterdeep Artor Objectives/Goals. Having been assisted by adventurers Morlin has summoned the characters to the Tempted (perhaps the characters themselves, if they played Paladin to petition their help. Artor requires powerful previous adventures) in clearing out a portion of adventurers to escort him to his new headquarters in Shadowdusk Hold and secure an item to rid the layer of Undermountain’s Shadowdusk Hold, where he can end Undermountain of its Far Realm influence, the Baron the Far Realm and undead incursions that threaten the of Blood’s new lair is primed for his arrival. However, he lair and, potentially, Waterdeep. needs powerful adventurers to escort him and perform a • Played Prior Season 8 Adventures. Upon returning ritual. from one of Artor’s previous missions or answering What Does He Know?Someone in Shadowdusk Hold a new invitation from the Baron of Blood, Artor has been directing undead threats into Waterdeep, and announces he has one final request. Artor is eager to stop these once he’s moved in. But one • Didn’t Play Prior Season 8 Adventures. The does not simply walk into Shadowdusk Hold. To ensure characters’ reputations precede them. Artor Morlin’s he can come and go as he pleases (to serve the city of minions deliver a letter summoning the characters to Waterdeep, of course!), Artor requires the group to escort the Tempted Paladin, where he offers them a job of him safely sealed in his coffin and perform a ritual that utmost importance to Waterdeep’s safety. Escort him attunes his coffin and himself to the Weave. and enter the deepest depths of Undermountain and the The characters can enter Shadowdusk Hold in the bounty they hold. cellar of the Tempted Paladin, which houses one of Halaster’s elder rune gates, activated by pouring a potion Area Information of healing onto the threshold; although adventurers have travelled by the gate before and provided a rough map This area has the following features: of where to find the Weave, Artor is unsure how the Far Dimensions & Terrain. The Tempted Paladin is in Realm has warped Shadowdusk Hold since. Skullport. Tapestries hang on the walls depicting battles Artor can offer a reward capable of great healing in from the ancient Shoon Imperium. The interior space of exchange, but for his own assurance that the characters the tavern is approximately 60 feet long and 30 feet wide. will deliver him safely, he will keep it on his person. They The bar is on the west wall of the common area which has can only retrieve it once he emerges. several small round tables arranged throughout. A heavy red curtain hangs behind the bar, concealing a doorway Treasure & Rewards that leads to a small, empty kitchen and the cellar. Lighting. A large fire blazes in the hearth in the middle If the characters have no potion of healing, Artor gives the of the room, casting warmth and flickering shadows characters: across the tavern. • A slender vial filled with a murky red liquid: a potion of Smells & Sounds. Although solemn, haunting music healing. and hushed whispers often fill the Tempted Paladin, today the tavern is silent and still, the air laced only with a thin Call to Action coppery aroma. Artor requires the following of the characters: • Escort Artor’s sealed coffin to the Weave in Shadowdusk Hold. • Perform a ritual that attunes Artor and his coffin to the Weave, a powerful magical force that surrounds Waterdeep and Undermountain. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 4 DDAL08-18 Moving Day (v1.0) • The characters must determine who is carrying the Scene B. Sanguine, coffin. A character with a Strength ability score of 14 or higher can carry the coffin themselves; otherwise, Sealed, Delivered two characters are required. (The last time adventurers The characters prepare to enter the elder rune gate that entered the gate, the second to pass through was takes them to Shadowdusk Hold but first must help seal affected, so Artor requests not to enter second.) Artor Morlin in his coffin. • The characters must establish a secret passphrase to be used at the end of the ritual. Area Information • The characters must sacrifice a drop of blood onto This area has the following features: the coffin. Artor llste them this is to ensure they are Dimensions & Terrain. The gate room mirrors the size the only ones who can complete the ritual and release of the tavern above—70-feet long and 30-feet wide, with him. In truth, this ensures that if someone attacks the a 7-foot high ceiling. Old barrels and wooden boxes have coffin, one of the characters at random will be damaged been neatly stacked against the walls. instead. Lighting. The cellar is dimly lit by sparse sconces. • BONUS OBJECTIVE A. If using this additional content, Smells & Sounds. The cellar smells dusty and moldy, Artor also tells the characters they will need to find an like every other place in Skullport. amulet he believes they’ll find hidden in Shadowdusk Elder Rune Gate. The gate stands opposite the Hold. It appears to be a trinket but belonged to someone circular stair on the far side of the cellar. Two wide when the Weave first was discovered. Its presence pillars stand 5 feet apart and 3 feet from the far wall. should strengthen the ritual. The pillars have been carved to resemble index fingers—complete with claw-like fingernails curved Entering the Gate toward each other. There’s no visible gate threshold. A red stain mars the floor here, but Artor insists it is from a Characters can enter the gate once Artor steps into his previously splashed potion. coffin, closes the lid, and seals it from the inside. The Baron’s Coffin. A simple ebony wood coffin rests Once a character splashes a potion of healing on on a stand in front of the gate. the ground between the finger-like pillars, the gate activates for one minute—filling the space between Creatures/NPCs them with a swirling blue vortex appears. The first character passing through the gate does Vampire Artor Morlin escorts the characters to the cellar, so without incident. When the second character which is full of cloaked figures (Artor’svampire spawn) attempts to pass, however, the character is here to see off the vampire lord. paralyzed, and an elder rune (determined randomly Objectives/Goals. Artor requests the characters’ help from the Elder Rune Deck found in Appendix 10) sealing him in his coffin before they enter the elder rune appears on the gate’s vertical plane. Roll a die to gate. determine whether it applies a boon or a bane (even What Does He Know? Mad Mage Halaster, who rules for boon, odd for bane). Once done, the character is Undermountain, likely is onto the Baron of Blood’s no longer paralyzed and can pass through the gate. plans. The adventurers should be alert. Before they No other elder runes appear here. enter Shadowdusk Hold, Artor provides the characters a rough map from the last expedition (Appendix 6) and instructions for the ritual they must perform once they reach the Weave (Appendix 7). Artor requires the following before sealing his coffin: Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DDAL08-18 Moving Day (v1.0) 5 Episode 2: Halaster’s Housewarming Rift Estimated Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes Scene A. We’ve Been Expecting You Return to Shadowdusk The characters enter the gate room and find Halaster has sent creatures to greet them. Hold Area Information The characters enter Shadowdusk Hold and find it This area has the following features: changed from previous expeditions. Dimensions & Terrain. Behind the gate, this 25-foot radius circular room melts into inky darkness speckled Prerequisites with orbs of flickering light. Creatures not native to the Far Realm that end their turn in this darkness must This episode may be pursued after the characters accept succeed a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 the Call to Action. (4d10) psychic damage, or half as much on a success. Story Objective A Elder Rune Gate. The “pillars” on this gate are activated for one minute by splashing a potion of healing Escorting Artor’s sealed coffin safely through into the area between the toes. Shadowdusk Hold is Story Objective A. The characters Crumbled Pillars and Statues. The gate is surrounded must bring the coffin to the Weave’s location, where the by crumbled stones that were once painted statues— required ritual can be performed. one of which is still intact and depicts a wild-eyed man with long white hair and beard and a robe. The words Area Information “Welcome Home” have been carved into the statue in Deep Speech. This area has the following features: “Surprise!”. A glowing bead rests against the doorway Dimensions & Terrain. 15-feet high ceilings, with 25 feet from the gate where the characters enter. This is a floors and walls of smooth stone—polished to a mirror delayed blast fireball(DC 22), which deals 42 (12d6) fire finish. damage if it erupts. When the last person walks through Lighting. Unless stated otherwise, there is no light the gate, the bead detonates if it hasn’t already. except what the characters bring with them. Extinguished torches are set in upside-down sconces throughout Creatures/NPCs Shadowdusk Hold. A star spawn larva mage and two star spawn hulks wait Will-o’-wisps. Any humanoid that dies within for prey to enter the darkness. Shadowdusk Hold rises 1d4 hours later as a will-o’-wisp Objectives/Goals. The star spawn’s goal is to stop under the DM’s control. Casting dispel evil and good on the adventurers from helping Artor Morlin. They attack the corpse before the will-o’-wisp forms prevents this, as the characters (after the delayed blast fireball bead is does removing the body from Shadowdusk Hold or into detonated or otherwise dealt with). They focus their the area of a hallow spell. attacks on characters they see carrying or protecting Restless Whispers. It is difficult to rest in Shadowdusk Artor’s coffin. Hold, as indecipherable voices and strange laughter What Do They Know? Halaster informed the star whisper in the ears of any characters that dare stay still spawn that Artor intends to seal off the Far Realm. They too long. When attempting a short rest, characters must know the Shadowdusks have sent someone to confront succeed a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the characters as well but don’t share this. characters do not receive the benefits of a short rest and instead gain one short-term madness. For a long rest, the DC is increased to 20. Adjusting the Scene Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: • Very Weak: Remove two star spawn hulks. • Weak: Remove one star spawn hulk. • Strong: Add one star spawn hulk. • Very Strong: Add two star spawn hulks. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 6 DDAL08-18 Moving Day (v1.0) Scene B. Hall of the Nightwalker Objectives/Goals. This entity is hungry for memories and knowledge of the Material Plane. Depending on As the characters continue to travel through Shadowdusk which room the characters are in, the entity would like to Hold, they find it further warped by undeath and the Far acquire information about different subjects in exchange Realm in a strange, winding hallway. Roll initiative when for teleporting the character to a room with their ally or to the characters enter this hall. “the next room, the beyond room” (Scene D). Area Information What Does It Know? The entity knows very little, and it’s so grateful to the adventurers for telling it about This area has the following features: their world. It is so glad it followed “the Berlain” to this Dimensions & Terrain. This hallway is approximately wonderful place. 100-feet long and 10-feet wide but zigzags back and forth. There is a 10-feet high ceiling where the adventurers Four Orb Rooms enter. The ceiling slopes downward until it is only 5-feet All rooms are 5-foot radius orbs with images swirling high at the other end. across the polished walls. As adventurers share stories NightWALLkers. Although the floor, walls, and or roleplay to leave the rooms, award inspiration at your ceilings have the same glassy mirror finish as the discretion: rest of Shadowdusk Hold, the surfaces here appear Room 1: Seasons. Images of pouring rain, blazing sun, as if nightwalkers—hulking undead beings made of and falling leaves pass before the characters’ eyes. The shadow and darkness—are pressed against them, their entity has started to learn about seasons but knows “one bodies broken, contorted, and smashed together. Their is missing”. It demands a character feed it its memory. enervating presence effects creatures in the hall. Any A character can describe a winter memory or perhaps creature that ends its turn in the hallway must succeed a create an illusion or display an item related to winter. DC 21 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum Room 2: Elements. Images of angry flame, crashing is reduced by 18 (4d8) necrotic damage. This reduction waves, and powerful winds pass before the characters’ lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. eyes. The entity has started to learn about the elements The Exit: Rune Puzzle. The hallway ends in a wall but knows “one is missing”. It demands a character feed it with four marble tiles in a row. Distribute the handout in its knowledge. A character can describe earth or perhaps Appendix 8. The first three tiles have glowing symbols demonstrate a spell related to earth. on them. The fourth tile is blank. A creature can use its Room 3: Creatures. Images of marching goblins, action to trace a symbol on the fourth tile. If a creature floating flumphs, and other creatures pass before the traces a “correct” symbol, it is teleported randomly to characters’ eyes. The entity has started to learn about one of the four orb rooms in Scene C. A correct symbol creatures but feels there are countless more it hasn’t includes lines that cross in exactly four spots (no more collected. It demands a character tell it about a creature than four), and the puzzle does not accept the same and at least one fact about that creature. A character can solution twice. describe any monster or perhaps gift the entity a trophy collected from battle. Scene C. Feed Me Room 4: Pain. The walls of this room lined with Characters discover themselves in one of four instances thousands upon thousands of tentacles. The first time a of a curious, sentient room willing to help them for a creature enters this room, or any time it attacks the walls, price. it must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (2d10 +4) psychic damage. They take half as much on Creatures/NPCs a success. The entity has started to learn about pain, and A new entity from the Far Realm has discovered the it gleefully admits this is its favorite room. It demands a connection to Shadowdusk Hold. It manifests as a giant character explain “this fascinating sensation”. A character eyeball or many smaller eyeballs on the walls of these can define pain or share a painful memory. rooms. When the entity is talking to a character, it appears in that room and disappears from the others, but it can hear what is happening in all rooms at all times.

Playing the Pillars (Scene C. Feed Me) Combat Exploration Social The entity cannot be killed by attacks to The images in the room are constantly The entity enjoys chatting with the the room, but it becomes very annoyed if shifting, and you are not limited by the characters and has an almost child-like anyone tries to attack it. It might verbally descriptions above. Feel free to get creative curiosity. You mustn’t forget that at its core, express frustration, jostle the entire room, with descriptions of seasons, elements, however, the entity is selfish and cruel. or ignore the occupants of that room until creatures, etc. If characters do not make the they’ve calmed down. connections, allow for Intelligence checks. Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DDAL08-18 Moving Day (v1.0) 7