A Four-Hour Icewind Dale Adventure for Tier 1 Characters. SampleOptimized for APL 3. file

D&D Adventure Format ©2018 Wizards 1 DC-POA-VAN-MT-01

The Thief’s Gambit

A request to restore the honor of the Four Heavenly Schools of Dragonchess takes you to the Grand Tournament in Easthaven, where you discover horror waiting beneath the frozen earth. A Four-Hour Icewind Dale Adventure for Tier 1 Characters. Optimized for APL 3. Sample file

Credits

Designer: Mitch Tee Dungeoncraft Seed Used: Do You Know the Way to Lonely Wood

Beta Reader: Ken Wong

D&D Adventurers League Guildmaster: Chris Lindsay

Art Director & Graphic Design: Mitch Tee Twemoji graphics licensed under CC-BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 (https://twemoji.twitter.com). Alien, Flesh, and Organic Map Assets created by Cannyjacks and licensed under CAL-NA: https://cartographyassets.com/license (https://cartographyassets.com/creator/cannyjacks)

D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Brandy Camel, Lea Helotis, Chris Lindsay, Chris Tulach

D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Alan Patrick, Amy Lynn Dzura, Travis Woodall, Ma’at Crook, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks

Playtesters: Morthos, Alton Tealeaf, Brock Lee, Bash, Belren, Magnus, Nightowl

Initial Dragonchess mechanics: Paul Gabat (https://twitter.com/DMPaulG)

Dedication: This adventure is dedicated to Lorraine Chow, who puts up with the inordinate amount of time I spend playing D&D every week; and to Sebastian Hesse, without whom I would never have started this hobby.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. Sample file ©2021 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK.

Adventure Primer This adventure is designed for three to seven 1- • Call to Action: The Dojo Breaker The 4-level characters and is optimized for five characters come across the aftermath of a characters with an average party level (APL) Dragonchess exhibition, in which four of 3. Characters outside this level range cannot Dragonchess schools suffered a dishonorable participate in this adventure. defeat at the hands of BESS THARMON. The This adventure occurs in the towns of GOOD schools entreat the characters to take revenge. MEAD and EASTHAVEN in Icewind Dale, and • Part 1: Opening Preparation. The schools are their surrounding areas. It uses the Do You unwilling to let their representatives make a Know the Way to Lonely Wood adventure Dragonchess challenge without adequate seed. preparation. The characters train with each school’s master, learning their techniques. Background • Part 2: En Passant. After tracking Bess over the Eastway, the party finds her unconscious The Grand Tournament in Easthaven is the in the snow and must defend her from largest Dragonchess gathering of its kind. nightmares borne of her own inner demons. Players from across the realms compete to be • Part 3: The Thief’s Gambit. Depressed over crowned Icewind Dale Dragonchess Champion. her loss in the Grand Tournament, Bess Unbeknownst to them, their brains, honed by challenges the players to a game of years of Dragonchess practice, are an irresistible Dragonchess. They help her regain her self- delicacy to a colony of nearby MIND FLAYERS. confidence, just as a letter of challenge arrives, A tenday ago, an ulitharid named Uquirrhoon offering Bess a championship rematch. Qrahoonil split with its elder brain, intending to • Part 4: Zwischenzug. The group arrives at the form a new colony just in time to feast on the Easthaven Dragonchess Hall, but find it empty. Grand Tournament brains. In the ice caverns Bess’s invitation leads underground. below Easthaven, Uquirrhoon founded a new lair • Part 5: Armageddon. Bess faces off in the and busied itself preparing an EXTRACTOR game of her life against an embryonic ELDER STAFF ritual, in which it would become the elder BRAIN while the characters valiantly fend off brain of the new colony. the fledging colony’s defenders. Before this could come to pass, a RRAKKMA raided Uquirrhoon’s new lair, and though it cost Adventure Hooks all of them their lives, the gith destroyed most of the illithid present, and delivered a mortal The Grand Tournament. As a Dragonchess wound to Uquirrhoon. player and enthusiast yourself, you are passing Unfortunately, this was but a pyrrhic victory, through Good Mead on the way to the biggest as the surviving mind flayers were able to Dragonchess event of its kind, the Grand extract Uquirrhoon’s brain from its corpse, and Tournament in Easthaven. begin the ritual anyway. The nutritious brains of The Four Schools. You have heard of the the gathered Dragonchess masters may yet intense training regimens practiced by the Four nurse Uquirrhoon back to health. Heavenly Schools of Dragonchess in Good Mead. They offer their wisdom even to non- Dragonchess players, and many of their students Overview have gone on to become famous adventurers. The adventure’s story is spread over five parts The Corona Gambit. Rumor has it that an and takes approximately 4 hours to play. The Elven caravan carrying mead all the way from adventure begins with a Call to Action scene. Waterdeep is passing through Good Mead on the way to Easthaven. Up here in the cold, you’d be Samplecrazy to pass up the chance file to get your hands on a bottle of that Waterdahvian nectar.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 4 Adventure Flowchart This section provides a basic understanding of not only the flow of the adventure, but also the outline of the different paths that your players may take in reaching their stated objective.

Call to Action: The Dojo Breaker

1.1 Black 1.2 Green 1.3 Red 1.4 White 1.5 Titled Tortoise Dragon Phoenix Tiger Tenthday School School School School

1.6 The Fifth School 1.7 Prelude

2. En Passant

3.1 Thief’s 3.2 Thief’s Gambit: Gabat Gambit Variation Declined

3.3 Tiebreak

4. Zwischenzug Sample5. Armageddon file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 5 Call to Action: The Dojo Breaker Estimated Duration: 5 minutes

The characters arrive to find Good Mead’s Four school, stand before the boards, attempting to Heavenly Schools of Dragonchess in disarray. calm their agitated disciples. They happen upon the aftermath of a Dragonchess simul, an exhibition in which one You have finally arrived in Good Mead, only to find player plays against several others at once. the town in disarray. As you push your way to the In this case, the other players are the front of the crowd gathered in the small square, representatives of the Four Heavenly Schools, you find four elderly humans dressed respectively who have suffered a devastating defeat at the in black, green, red, and white winter furs, each hands of half-elf Dragonchess prodigy Bess staring forlornly at separate Dragonchess boards. Tharmon, who recently rose to fame at an On each board, a golden king lies on its side, tipped amateur tournament in Waterdeep. While this over in resignation. would normally be fine, the winner invoked her The crowd remains in a shocked, silent stupor for ancient right to claim the schools’ signboards: a what seems like forever, until finally, a young man demand that, while indescribably disrespectful, bursts from the crowd, crying: “Master! We cannot could not be refused according to the deep- rooted traditions governing Dragonchess in the accept this dishonor! Let us go after the half-elf, north. defeat her, and demand she return our signboards!” Dragonchess Following the pointing mitten, you see the speck Dragonchess is an ancient game of war and strategy, of a mead caravan in the distance, pulled swiftly by usually enjoyed by the nobility and merchant classes. On a team of sled dogs. It soon slips over the horizon a battlefield of three stacked, rectangular boards— and into the distant snowbanks of the Eastway. representing sky, land, and subterranean theaters of operations—gold and scarlet forces vie for supremacy, Area Information each side attempting to checkmate the other’s king. This area has the following features: Although each side controls 42 pieces, the bulk of Lighting. Despite it being daytime, the square each army is made of pawns in the form sylphs, warriors, and dwarves. Minor pieces comprise of units is dimly lit as if by twilight. There is no sunlight such as thieves, unicorns, griffons, oliphants, and in Icewind Dale due to the Everlasting Rime, and basilisks, while the most powerful pieces are the dragon, the people of Good Mead have sacrificed the the paladin, the mage, and the cleric. warmth of fire to Auril, so no lanterns are lit. The game in its modern form was introduced to Good Sounds. There is a shocked silence over the Mead when the town’s first settlers arrived from Chult town square, occasionally broken by angry 400 years ago. As such, many of the pieces used by the murmurs from the crowd, and the soft crunch of locals have dinosaur motifs, although they are still boots on snow as the elderly Dragonchess referred to by their common names. masters pace back and forth. Although none of the locals seem to notice it, Setting: Good Mead Square the droning buzz of bees at work is ever-present in the background. The buzzing originates from It is mid-morning, and light flurries of snow the Good Mead mead hall. swirl in the chill air. The adventurers are at the edge of Good Mead’s town square, where four Warmth Sacrifice Dragonchess boards are set up; however, on Good Mead, like all of Icewind Dale, is currently trapped each board, the king is toppled. in an unending winter night called the Everlasting Rime: A small, unruly crowd is gathered between the SampleAuril the Frostmaiden has wovenfile a spell that prevents adventurers and the gameboards. Four elderly the sun from rising. humans, the masters that head each respective

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 6 In desperation, the people of Ten-Towns have begun an elven mead caravan all the way from to sacrifice to Auril, to appease her and end the Rime. Waterdeep. The caravan has already dropped off When the moon wanes towards the new moon, as it is some of the Waterdahvian supply and picked up when the adventurers arrive, the people of Good Mead barrels of the local mead, and is taking its cargo sacrifice their warmth; no fires warm their hearths, and to Easthaven. Since the caravan schedule was no lanterns light their streets. While in town, visitors are quite aggressive, directly after her victory, Bess expected to abide by the same rules. had the caravan workers spread out to retrieve Creature Information each signboard before they left Good Mead. The four heads of each Heavenly School of Dragonchess (Gendry Burton, Suzanne Quinciel, Development Sergio Patorita, and Beatrice Cole), sit or pace by If the characters do not intervene, one of the their boards, while their assembled students masters eventually notices them standing among stand behind them. the students, and beckons them to the front of What do they want? The masters want their the crowd. Once approached, the master signboards back, won honorably in a bemoans the fact that they are too old to make Dragonchess match. Each signboard bears the the trip, and that the students are needed in name of its respective school and should hang town to produce the mead upon which the town proudly from its school’s gates. Although it may relies, but perhaps the adventurers could be of have been normal for the signs to be claimed some assistance. hundreds of years ago, these days, such a thing is The master suggests that the adventurers go to considered deeply insulting, even if it is still Easthaven and find the Heavenly Schools officially the victor’s right. Unlike their more hot- representatives, and ask them to defeat Bess— tempered students, the masters do not wish Bess on the board—and restore the schools’ harmed. signboards and honor. Good Mead cannot afford What do they know? The masters know that to send anyone. The town is already stretched the brightest students from each school left for thin, filling shifts for those playing at the Grand Easthaven two days ago, to participate in the Tournament. Of course, the characters are free to Grand Tournament. This left the masters challenge Bess themselves, if they think they can themselves to play in Bess’s simultaneous win, and if they can prove their ability to the exhibition. While they were all once brilliant Dragonchess masters. players, age has taken its toll on each master, In either case, the masters refuse to let the and they were unable to put up a proper fight. adventurers go off claiming to represent the The masters describe Bess to the party as a interests of the Four Heavenly Schools without half-elven young woman with red hair, and can first assessing their Dragonchess proficiency. provide her name and even a sketch from a Waterdahvian Dragonchess magazine. They also know that Bess both arrived and left town with Sample file

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 7 Part 1: Opening Preparation Estimated Duration: 60 minutes

The Four Schools are unwilling to let their Area Information representatives make a Dragonchess challenge This area has the following features: without adequate preparation. The characters Lighting. The training area is dimly lit by the train with each school’s master, learning their Frostmaiden’s twilight. Piles of firewood techniques. surround a stove heater, but only cold ashes fill it, due to the sacrifice of warmth. Setting: Four Heavenly Sounds. Loud grunting, steady chopping, and the staccato clatter of someone dropping a heavy Schools of Dragonchess sack of rocks are all common sounds here, as the The players can choose to train with as many or Black Tortoise students train their bodies. few masters as they like, or have time for. Smells. The area smells of sweat, and freshly However, it is recommended that they visit at chopped wood. least one school: there are mechanical bonuses Training apparatus. Trainees use whatever is in the final encounter attained by successfully available to grow stronger: they lift sacks of completing training (see the “Gifts of the Four rocks, chop trees into firewood, perform Heavenly Schools” sidebar in Part 5), and also calisthenics on beams and rings, and punch one of the adventure’s permanent magic items hanging frozen reindeer carcasses. can only be found on the Four Schools’ grounds. If any character is already proficient in The Four Heavenly Schools Dragonchess, they can choose to challenge the In Good Mead, where there is naught to do but fish and masters of each school (Scene 1.5 “Titled make mead, the residents pass their time by playing Tenthday”) for additional bonuses. Dragonchess, a game that enjoys widespread popularity When the adventurers have completed their in Ten-Towns. Over time, different opinions about which training, the heads of the schools give them a virtues were most suited to Dragonchess coalesced into place to rest (Scene 1.7 “Prelude”) before these four schools: Black Tortoise School. The followers of the Black officially commissioning the party. The next day, Tortoise School know that Dragonchess is a game of the party is free to travel across the Eastway to endurance. Games can last for days at a time, and those track down Bess. who neglect their physical training will be unable to maintain their focus. They pride themselves on their Objective iron bodies and minds, and their impenetrable The characters should complete each school’s Dragonchess defensive formations. training, and learn how to play Dragonchess. Green Dragon School. Green Dragon practitioners They should demonstrate their mastery of the know that the lessons of Dragonchess translate off the game to the heads of each school to receive their board into their daily lives, and vice versa. They extoll blessing. patience as the prime Dragonchess virtue, and are fond of drawing Dragonchess tactics from the world around them. They know that victory is made of tiny, 1. Black Tortoise School incremental improvements in position. Master Gendry Burton teaches the characters the Red Phoenix School. The students of the Red Phoenix value of defense in Dragonchess, and the School value trickiness and devious tactics above all. They love to take advantage of their opponents’ greed importance of training one’s body as well as by setting traps and feigning unsound play. one’s mind. He takes the characters to the Black White Tiger School. Attack, attack, attack! The White TortoiseSample School’s training area, a small clearing Tiger School teaches that ferociousfile offense is the best in the frozen woods to the north of the town. path to victory. Cunning plans and long-term positional advantages mean nothing when one’s opponent is

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 8 constantly reeling on their back foot, scrambling to Black Tortoise Challenges mount a defense. White Tiger players are feared for d6 Challenge their unrelenting aggression. 1 A footrace through the snow. 2 Hanging upside down from the roof beams, and Creature Information doing sit ups. Master Gendry (NG human veteran) and his five 3 Chopping wood. students (NG human thugs) train here. They will 4 Lifting a giant sack of rocks over your head. not fight, and if attacked, take the Dodge action 5 Running up a steep and icy set of stairs. and retreat inside the school building, in 6 Punching a frozen reindeer carcass that is accordance with their principles of endurance hanging from beams and being preserved by and defense. the cold. The students here are noticeably well muscled, even under the fur coats and hats that they wear Adjusting the Scene in order to be able to train outside. Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: What do they want? Master Gendry wants to test the party to see if they are capable of • Very Weak: Exhausted from their previous training, enduring long, punishing games of Dragonchess. the student has Disadvantage on all ability checks. To this end, he selects one of his students and • Weak: The student is a bandit pits them against the party in a series of physical • Strong: Master Gendry himself takes part in the challenges. challenge. What do they know? He knows that the key to • Very Strong: Master Gendry takes part in the Dragonchess is to form an impregnable defense. challenge and is a champion. Neutralizing enemy attacks, and wearing them If the adventurers defeat the Black Tortoise down until they make a mistake is the surest student, the party gains access to Black path to victory. Tortoise Defense during the final battle. Black Tortoise Representative. The student representing the Black Tortoise School in Treasure Easthaven is a short, wiry human named Dani du If this is the final training encounter, or if the Boeuf, who actually holds the school’s current party has shown an especial affinity for the Black muscle up record. If Master Gendry is asked Tortoise school, Master Gendry takes the about his school’s representative, he knows the characters back to the hanging reindeer. With a information in the Dramatis Personae. single, mighty strike, he splits the reindeer in two, revealing a moon-touched shortsword which Development he gives to the party member with the highest The party faces off against the Black Tortoise Constitution score. The party can receive only student in a variety of exercises, and anyone who one moon-touched shortsword. is able to follow the routine to its end wins the A sturdy tortoise adorns the sword’s ebony challenge. Each round, all challengers and the sheath. Engraved roughly into the pommel in Black Tortoise student must succeed on a Chultan is the following githzerai aphorism: Constitution (Athletics) check, or drop out of the “Endure. In enduring, grow strong”. exercise competition. The challenge ends when either the student drops out, every party 2. Green Dragon School member has dropped out, or when the characters have successfully kept up with the On the eastern side of town, Master Sergio student for 3 rounds. Patorita trains his students at the tranquil Green The challenge DC starts at 5 and increases by 5 Dragon School. The training area is a large each round. You can choose a challenge, or roll fenced yard in front of the school building. randomly on the following table, re-rolling Several well cared for dogsleds are parked on duplicatesSample: file the south western side of the yard.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 9 Area Information Easthaven is a bearded human with spiky hair This area has the following features: named Barty Fins. If Master Sergio is asked Lighting. The yard is dimly lit. What light the about his school’s representative, he knows the adventurers bring with them reflects warmly off information in the Dramatis Personae. the glossy dog sleds. Sounds. From inside the school building, Development someone plucks a cittern. Despite the freezing Master Sergio makes a sacred pact with the temperatures, the sound of tranquil, trickling characters: he promises to teach them water drifts in a lazy harmony with the buzzing Dragonchess; they promise to learn. Sergio says, of bees. and they do: no questions. Smells. Adventurers with a Passive Perception If the adventurers agree, Master Sergio brings of 13 or higher notice the faint smells of wax and each a rag and a can of wax, directing them to the sawdust. dog sleds. “First wash all the sleds. Then wax.” Dogsleds. Three large dogsleds lie in the He brooks no protest, but leaves them with the corner of the yard. A successful DC 12 following advice before retiring inside to a cold Intelligence (Investigation) check determines cup of tea: “Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left that the sleds have been lovingly and carefully hand. Breathe in the nose and out the mouth. maintained, while a successful DC 15 Intelligence Don’t forget to breathe. Very important.” (History) check reveals that the sleds are all Every round of waxing takes 1 hour. At the end classic models, and quite ancient. of each hour, every adventurer must make a DC Fence. A six-foot tall fence surrounds the yard. 10 Constitution saving throw as their hands A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check begin to crack from the cold, and from the reveals that it has been painted recently. vigorous waxing motions. On a failure, they can Deck. A small wooden deck surrounds the wax no more, and must retire inside. If a building entrance. Adventurers with a Passive character remembers to breath, they have Investigation of 15 or higher notice that through advantage on this saving throw. the thin layer of snow, the deck has been freshly Characters who succeed on the saving throw sanded. can make a Wisdom (Insight) check. The DC begins at 25 and lowers by 5 every round. Creature Information Characters automatically succeed on this check Master Sergio (CG human martial arts adept) after 3 rounds. On a success, a character realizes meets the adventurers at the yard’s gate when that their patience and insight are being tested. they arrive. His students remain indoors, The condition of the sleds means this is part of meditating, and can be spotted through the the regular Green Dragon training, and not fogged-up windows, by any character with a simply a form of hazing. Passive Perception of 10 or more. The Green When they succeed, Master Sergio invites them Dragon students all wear matching headbands. in to the school house to congratulate them. He What do they want? Master Sergio wants to demonstrates Wax On Wax Off, using the waxing test the patience and insightfulness of the motions to move Dragonchess pieces between adventurers, to see if they can adequately the different tiers of the board, while reiterating represent his beloved Green Dragon School in to the characters that repeated practice and tiny Easthaven. accrued advantages will allow them to remain What do they know? He knows that over time, calm under pressure and eventually lead to small, incremental improvements can lead to an victory. overwhelming advantage. If one understands the If any character learns Master Sergio’s lesson, best position for each piece, winning the party gains access to Green Dragon Insight combinations will naturally present themselves. during the final battle. GreenSample Dragon Representative. The student file representing the Green Dragon School in

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 10 Treasure affair. Falling into the lake subjects a character to If this is the final training encounter, or if the the effects of Frigid Water. party has shown an especial affinity for the Wind. Away from the protection of trees and Green Dragon school, Master Sergio takes the mountains, the wind over the open lake howls characters to the wooden deck and gives them and whips around loose snow. It is considered handheld sanders. “You sand the whole floor. strong wind. Right circle, left circle. Breathe in, breathe out.” While sanding, the character with the highest Frigid Water Passive Perception discovers a hidden cover on A creature can be immersed in frigid water for a number the deck. Lifting it reveals a small compartment, of minutes equal to its Constitution score before containing a moon-touched shortsword, glowing suffering any ill effects. Each additional minute spent in bright beside its sheath. The party can receive frigid water requires the creature to succeed on a DC 10 only one moon-touched shortsword. Constitution saving throw or gain one level of exhaustion. Creatures with resistance or immunity to When the sword is discovered, Master Sergio cold damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, comes to greet the party one last time. “A gift,” as do creatures that are naturally adapted to living in he explains. “Just remember: Green Dragon ice-cold water. lessons are not for Dragonchess only. Lessons A character who is pulled out of the water is dripping are for your whole life.” wet and continues to suffer the effects of the frigid A wise, imperious dragon is entwined around water until the wet clothes are taken off and replaced the jade sheath. The Chultan word for “Patience” with dry ones. is carved into the sword’s pommel in a flowing script. Creature Information Master Suzanne (CN human bard) is the 3. Red Phoenix School wizened old crone who leads the Red Phoenix School. She prides herself on her craftiness and Master Suzanne Quinciel oversees the Red imparts the wisdom of deception on her Phoenix School, a venerable building students (CN human spies). overlooking Redwaters, the shallow lake that What do they want? Master Suzanne wants gave birth to Good Mead. the characters to learn that laying careful traps She notices the party approaching from her can lead to quick wins against unwary foes. She viewpoint on the school’s upper balcony, and also wants her students to get some practical meets the them by the lakeshore, along with five experience, as lately they have been overusing of her hand-picked students. rote trap openings and neglecting the fundamentals. Area Information What do they know? Master Suzanne and her This area has the following features: students know that seals hunt for food beneath Lighting. It is the middle of the day and dimly the frozen ice. They have been known to try and lit. Light sparkles off the ice crystals that have drag down anyone who falls into the lake. Master formed on the lake’s frozen surface. Suzanne also knows about a particularly Sounds. Close to the lake, the drone of bees is aggressive walrus that frequents this part of the drowned out by the rush of gusting winds. The lake, and is counting on it showing up as part of background howls are occasionally punctuated one of her traps. by the sharp pop of cracking ice. Red Phoenix Representative. The student Redwaters. Redwaters is an enormous lake, representing the Red Phoenix School in stretching from Easthaven to Dougan’s Hole. Easthaven is a serene young woman named Rose Although it is Icewind Dale’s shallowest lake and Eriksson. If Master Suzanne is asked about her almost completely frozen over, patches of weak school’s representative, she knows the iceSample dot the surface, making traversal a dangerous information in the Dramatis file Personae.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 11 Development make all ability checks and saving throws at Master Suzanne fires an arrow from her Disadvantage until the start of their next turn. shortbow across the lake, and tasks the On the other hand, a character moving at characters to retrieve the arrow before one of Careful pace proceeds carefully over the ice, her students. This is more difficult than it seems, examining each patch before setting foot on it, since the ice covering the lake is thin and the and can move a distance of no more than half characters must take care not to fall in. To make their base speed. Moving at a Careful pace grants matters worse, the Red Phoenix student will try the character Advantage on ability checks and and deceive the party into stepping onto weak saving throws until the start of their next turn. ice, in order to beat them to the prize. Regardless of pace, at the end of each creature’s turn, the DM rolls a d6. Depending on Strong Wind the character’s pace (see “Ice Travel Pace” table), the ice may crack, forcing the creature to A strong wind imposes disadvantage on ranged weapon succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or fall attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing. A strong wind also extinguishes open flames, into the frigid water. disperses fog, and makes flying by nonmagical means A creature that has fallen in the lake must use nearly impossible. A flying creature in a strong wind its action to attempt a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) must land at the end of its turn or fall. check, pulling itself back onto land on a success. However, a seal swims below the ice, looking for Have the players roll initiative. One Red a meal. It acts on initiative count 0, and uses its Phoenix student represents the entire school and action to attempt a Grapple attack on anyone in goes on initiative count 0. On their turn, a the water. If attacked, the seal attempts to flee. creature may attempt to move closer to the At the end of each round, all characters make a arrow, which has landed 100 feet away from the group Charisma (Deception) check contested by lake’s edge. The arrow is embedded quite firmly the Red Phoenix student’s Wisdom (Insight). If into the ice and takes an Action to remove. If you half or more of the characters win the contest, wish, you can use Appendix 3: “Red Phoenix then the Red Phoenix student makes an School” to track their position across the ice. additional saving throw against cracking ice at At the beginning of each turn, the player Disadvantage, at the start of their next turn. declares if they are moving at a Reckless, Otherwise, the student makes their own Normal, or Careful pace. Each has special effects, Charisma (Deception) check contested by the that are summarized in the following table: characters’ Wisdom (Insight). Any character that loses this second contest makes the additional Ice Travel Pace disadvantaged save at the start of their next turn. Pace Effects Ice Cracks Examples Reckless Disadvantage Always Teleporting, jumping, Adjusting the Scene dashing, Here are some suggestions for adjusting this scene: Feline Agility • Very Weak: The student is a scout, and the seal is Normal — 5–6 Walking, friendly. It nudges characters who fall into the lake flying low to back to the surface, using its action to Help characters ground climb out. Careful Advantage, 6 Walking • Weak: The student is a scout. half speed slowly, • Strong: Master Suzanne takes part in the test as well, crawling using her Taunt ability on any character close enough Moving at a Reckless pace enables a character to hear her over the lake winds. to make risky maneuvers, such as running at • Very Strong: Master Suzanne takes part in the test as breakneck speed over the frozen Redwaters, well, using her Taunt ability on any character close teleportingSample over top of untested patches of ice, or enough to hear her over the filelake winds. The student stomping and jumping with great force over the has Advantage on all ability checks and saving throws brittle lake surface. This causes a character to due to years of training on the ice.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 12 When a character reaches the arrow and uses Area Information their Action to pull it free, they find that Master Training takes place in a small clearing in the Suzanne has laid one final trap: she has baited forest. In the center of the clearing, a single the arrow with fish guts, attracting a nearby ancient tree has been spared chopping. Nearby, walrus, that breaks through the ice and attacks. climbing spurs and thick lanyards lie coiled It has the same initiative as the character who neatly on the ground. freed the arrow, and goes immediately after that Lighting. If this is the final training encounter, character’s turn. If it brings them down, the or if you plan to have the characters acquire the walrus grabs the arrow in its maw, and attempts moon-touched sword here, the top of the tree is to escape with it. The Red Phoenix student does brightly lit after Master Beatrice throws the not know about this. moon-touched sword to the top (see Treasure). If the characters manage to return the arrow Otherwise, the clearing is dimly lit, while the top to Master Suzanne, the party gains access to Red of the tree is enshrouded in darkness. Phoenix Deception during the final battle. In Sounds. The sound of bees does not reach the either case, Master Suzanne takes anyone who forest. The snow crunches as it is walked upon, has fallen into the lake inside to borrow a dry set having been packed by the constant training of of clothes. the White Tiger School, and protected from fresh snowfall by the surrounding forest. Treasure Tree. A wide, sturdy tree dominates the center If this is the final training encounter, or if the of the clearing. It has been climbed often, evident party has shown an especial affinity for the Red from the many marks across its trunk. The White Phoenix school, there is a moon-touched Tiger students climb this tree regularly for shortsword beside the arrow that Master training and recreation. Suzanne fired. It was planted there in advance of Climbing gear. There are enough climbing the trial. Master Suzanne pretends to know spurs and lanyards for everyone. The spurs nothing of the sword, and encourages the consist of a metal spike protruding from leather character with the highest Charisma score to straps, and are meant to be attached to a keep it. The party can receive only one moon- climber’s feet. The lanyards are meant to wrap touched shortsword. around the tree, creating a line that can be A fiery phoenix bursting from ashes is flipped up the trunk to prevent the climber from engraved on the sword’s red lacquered sheath. A falling backward. All lanyards and spurs are in Chultan proverbial poem is carved around the good condition; the White Tiger disciples replace pommel: The water is calm / but only a fool them when they begin to fray. would cross / sharp teeth lurk below. Creature Information 4. White Tiger School Master Beatrice (LN human war priest) and three of her students (LN human The White Tiger School is led by Master Beatrice swashbucklers) wait for the characters in the Cole, one of the last few in the town who still forest clearing, reviewing and analyzing the reveres Tempus as their ancestors did. Although game Master Beatrice lost against Bess. They she is one of the priests of the Shrine of Tempus, stand with an imposing intensity and the school itself is on opposite side of Good Mead intimidating presence that seems to suck the air from the shrine, on the western outskirts, close out of the clearing, making it difficult to to the forest. approach. Among the masters, Master Beatrice is most What do they want? Master Beatrice wants to feared for her sharp tactical mind. The more test the characters’ resolve, and their ability to experienced Dragonchess players know that her push past adversity and setbacks. She wants to unrelentingSample attacks on the board are not impress upon them the Whitefile Tiger School random, but that each is one of a long, calculated chain.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 13 philosophy of relentlessly moving forward, no At the end of each round, all characters make a matter how often one is pushed back. DC 12 Intelligence (Intimidation) check, as they What do they know? Climbing the ancient tree attempt to impress the White Tiger student with is a White Tiger School tradition and rite of the creativity and efficiency of their climbing passage. The students demonstrate their route. If half or more of the characters succeed, implacable drive for victory by propelling the student is sufficiently intimidated and is themselves up the tree, pushing through cold unable to climb or pull the arrow free until the and dodging falling snow from the branches end of their next turn. However, if more than half above. With enough effort, any student can make of the characters fail, those who fail the check by it to the top. 5 or more have their speed reduced by half until White Tiger Representative. The student the end of the next round. Creatures can make representing the White Tiger School in this check whether or not they make progress, Easthaven is lanky, bemulletted human male, relying purely on their route reading ability to who sports a patchy moustache. If Master intimidate their competition. Beatrice is asked about her school’s Once a creature reaches the arrow, they must representative, she knows the information in the use their action to pull it free. The race ends with Dramatis Personae. victory for whoever retrieves the arrow first. If one of the characters wins, the party gains access Development to White Tiger Intimidation during the final Master Beatrice fires an arrow (or throws the battle. moon-touched shortsword if you intend for the players to obtain it here) to the top of the tree, Treasure and sets the characters in a race against one of If this is the final training encounter, or if the her students to retrieve it. party has shown an especial affinity for the When the characters are ready to begin, have White Tiger school, Master Beatrice throws a them roll into initiative order. At your option, moon-touched shortsword to the top of the pole you may use Appendix 3: “White Tiger School” to instead of firing an arrow. She gifts the sword to track the characters’ tree climbing progress. the winner of the race. The party can receive At the start of each round, every creature on only one moon-touched shortsword. the tree must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity Master Beatrice also gives them the sheath, saving throw. On a failure, the creature is hit by which is made of mammoth ivory, and has a falling ice, taking 1d4 piercing damage and is relief carving of mighty tiger, teeth bared and knocked 5 feet back down the trunk. Failing the claws extended, captured forever in mid-pounce. save by 5 or more results in an additional 5-foot The sword’s pommel is polished to a high sheen, fall, dealing 1d6 bludgeoning damage. and bears the following inscription in Chultan: A creature wishing to climb the tree must “Swift, as a coursing river.” succeed on a Strength (Athletics) check. If the check succeeds by 5 or more and the creature is 5. Titled Tenthday a player character, they gain a climbing speed equal to their walking speed until the start of Any character who is either proficient in their next turn. Flying and magic are not allowed, Dragonchess, who can prove a previous great as they are not in the spirit of the test. Dragonchess victory (such as with a spiky crown proclaiming them to be the Avernus Climbing Dragonchess Champion), or who has befriended Each foot of movement costs 1 extra foot when you’re a Dragonchess playing awakened fox is climbing. You ignore this extra cost if you have a welcomed personally by the masters, and is climbing speed and use it to climb. Creatures with a invited to demonstrate their skill in a climbingSample speed can forgo the tree climbing gear, and do Dragonchess game instead file of undergoing basic not need to make the Strength (Athletics) check. training. Each of these games is tracked by individual character.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 14 Each game is played against one of the Four For convenience, the following table lists the Schools masters, and takes place in their bonuses to each master’s d20 roll: respective school. Since the characters have not yet learned the special Dragonchess techniques Four Heavenly Masters’ Dragonchess Bonuses that each school uses, for now, each participating Master Bonus Skill character makes an Intelligence (Dragonchess Gendry Burton +4 Constitution (Athletics) set) check, contested by the master’s specialty. Sergio Patorita +5 Wisdom (Insight) Give the players Appendix 9: “Good Mead Score Suzanne Quinciel +2 Charisma (Deception) Sheet” to track their progress against the Beatrice Cole +4 Intelligence masters. Outside assistance such as magic or (Intimidation) Help actions is not allowed, and a single roll Development represents the characters’ performance over the Characters receive 1 point for a win, half a point entire game. for a draw (tie), and no points a loss. If the characters lose any game, the master they are Area Information playing against is cheered after their defeat at The Dragonchess matches takes place inside the the hands of Bess, but suggests that the halls of each Heavenly School, with the master character can still learn something of value by playing and the school’s students watching. The training with their disciples, as in Scenes 1.1–1.4. surroundings of each school are detailed in Each individual character that has a final score Scenes 1.1–1.4. of 2 or higher gains Inspiration at the start of every Dragonchess game for the duration of this Creature Information adventure. Additionally, if any character scores 2 Each master plays according to the style of or more, they gain the benefit of all of Black Dragonchess espoused by their school. Further Tortoise Defense, Green Dragon Insight, Red descriptions of each master can be found in Phoenix Deception, and White Tiger Scenes 1.1–1.4 and the Dramatis Personae. Intimidation for the entire party during the Master Gendry Burton. A hulking giant of a final battle. man despite his advanced age, Master Gendry If all participating characters score a 2 or prefers to outlast his opponents, choosing to higher, roll a d6. On a 6, they are challenged to a play defensively. He contests the characters’ game by the shadowy head of the Fifth Heavenly ability checks with Constitution (Athletics). School of Dragonchess, Master Pippin Le Tigre Master Sergio Patorita. A short, mustachioed Many-Arrows. Otherwise, proceed to Scene 1.7, man who prefers to play patiently, waiting for “Prelude”. openings. He prefers to keep tension and improve the position of his pieces rather than With decisive and accurate play, the final make rash exchanges. He contests the Dragonchess game against the master comes to an characters’ ability checks with Wisdom (Insight). end. As you become aware of the world outside Master Suzanne Quinciel. A stooped, elderly the board again, there are no cheers, and no woman with a bun almost as large as her head. applause. There is only a reverent silence and She walks with a cane, but is rumored to be quite whispers of disbelief, as a heavyset orc sheds a spry. She lays devious traps for her opponents winter cloak and a frozen fish, and takes a seat at and contests the characters’ ability checks with the board. Charisma (Deception). “Well?” he finally rumbles, looking expectantly at Master Beatrice Cole. A wide-shouldered, the prone king, “I thought professionals knew how white haired woman who doubles as one of the to lose and congratulate opponents.” town’s priests of Tempus. She favors relentless, As you and the master quickly exchange but calculated, attacks and contests the congratulations for a game well played, the half- characters’Sample ability checks with Intelligence orc speaks again. file (Intimidation).

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 15 “The “F”our “S”chools are apparently nothing sides must move quickly, their hands ablur, without me. I am Master Le Tigre and I am officially making their next moves before their opponents’ inviting you to a blitz match with the prize fund. previous piece has even fully settled on the Both of us will invest 50 gp and winner takes it all!” board. Master Le Tigre contests the character’s Intelligence (Dragonchess set) check with 6. The Fifth School Dexterity (Sleight of Hand). Regardless of the result, the character playing against Le Tigre The characters are challenged by Master Le finds themself very suddenly mated. Tigre Many-Arrows, the head of the defunct Vermillion Eagle School of Dragonchess. He has just come back from fishing on Redwaters and Playing the Pillars carries an enormous knucklehead trout with Here are some suggestions for this encounter: Combat. Master Le Tigre is furious that the characters him. would attack him, crying out: “Are you kidding? Be brave, be honest to yourself and stop this trush!” He Area Information delivers one round of attacks before attempting to flee. This encounter takes place in whichever school The Dragonchess masters are horrified and emphasize building the characters were in when they won that they do not with Bess harmed, only for their their final Dragonchess game. signboards to be returned. Lighting. The dim light filtering in from one of Exploration. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) the windows is partially blocked by Master Le check notices that Master Le Tigre bumped a thief piece Tigre’s giant frame. with his elbow, moving it to a different square. A Sounds. The Four Schools disciples whisper in successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation), or DC 8 hushed awe. Many of them have never seen (Dragonchess set) check recalls that his light squared Master Le Tigre in the flesh, and know him only thief was taken early on in the game, but the mating by reputation. sequence just now involved a light squared thief that Smells. Although the knucklehead trout has could not have existed. just been caught, a faint fishy smell begins to Social. If accused of cheating, Master Le Tigre states sardonically: “Le Tigre Many-Arrows is always play fair!” pervade the school building. A successful DC 8 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals that this is not malicious, and he only seeks to impress upon Creature Information them the final lesson of Dragonchess: never let your The school building holds Master Le Tigre (CE guard down. If they learn this lesson without turning orc orog), the master of the school, the school’s violently on Master Le Tigre then, for the duration of disciples, and the characters themselves. this adventure, all players gain one Luck point that can What do they want? Master Le Tigre has had be used only on Dragonchess games (see Lucky feat). his interest piqued by all the strangers in town, but was unfortunately out fishing when Bess 7. Prelude showed up. He wants to test the characters, and to teach them to be wary of opponents who do It is well into the evening, and the last of the light not play by the same rules as they do. has faded. The masters invite the characters to What do they know? The masters and their stay and rest in their school buildings for the disciples know that Master Le Tigre is a strong, if night, although they apologize for the lack of eccentric, Dragonchess player. Although his fires. The characters awaken the next morning school no longer holds official title, he is still well with the benefits of a long rest. respected and held in high esteem. As the characters look out at the road leading to the Eastway, fresh snow sparkles in the dim Development light. There is a temporary lull in the snowfall as Master Le Tigre pulls out a clock for each side, the party makes its way out into the cold SampleIcewind Dale morning, andfile begins the long walk representing the remaining time they have to make a move. As the time winds down, both to Easthaven.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. DC-POA-VAN-MT-01 The Thief’s Gambit (Version 1) 16