Dungeon Mastering the Background Adventure The players have by now, most likely realized they are the type of people who would rather spend Saint Patrick’s Day Rule #1 of Paddy’s Shamrock ... have fun. That is the job of with you lot, than to be in a bar with a bunch of drinking the DM, ensuring the players are enjoying the game. You are amateurs and the “Irish for the Day” partygoers. Your players the glue that binds this adventure together. have either just put their head in their hands, giving into their When in doubt about a decision and/or rule, error towards new found nerdom; or they have sat up proudly, reaffirming keeping the game fun and moving. their individualistic endowment. In support of the above, please consider the following: While you can easily reskin this adventure into a different setting, it is written with the Adventurers League Season 3 Exercise your almighty power as the DM to make Narrative, written by Travis Woodall, in mind. adjustments to this adventure to enhance its enjoyment as you see fit. Feel free to enhance the difficulty up or down if A city built upon the exchange of your players are destroying their way through the handshakes and gold, HILLSFAR was, adventure, or if they are getting their arses handed to them. in its infancy, ruled by a council of Boxed text, to be read aloud, is a suggested narrative. Feel humans, half-elves, and representatives free to embellish. of the ELVEN COURT of CORMANTHOR. In 1354 DR, the This adventure is more weighted toward role-playing than arch wizard MAALTHIIR overthrew combat; but the players can easily play it as a series of the council using blackmail and threats combat encounters, scorching the earth as they go. And of violence and appointed himself as the they probably will, if they are juiced on the green stuff. FIRST LORD of Hillsfar. In this This may be the more difficult path. capacity, he appointed the mercenary Experience points may be awarded for successfully group THE RED PLUMES, as the accomplishing the encounter goals, whether that be keepers of peace in Hillsfar, though the through combat or more diplomatic means. group would eventually begin harassing The Spring Equinox Festival is the suggested starting and extorting the people of the city. point, offering hints of direction for the adventure. Under Maalthiir’s rule, the city-state The players should save themselves for the climax of the enacted TWO GREAT LAWS …. adventure with Saint Patrick. Receiving Magic Items Sample Thosefile two great laws are: The Great Law of Trade. Do not interfere with legitimate Magic items are cool and coveted. There are opportunities to trade. procure magic items in this adventure. The Great Law of Humanity. Only humans are allowed in You’re all adults, and I am sure you can figure out who the city. deserves each magic item. If all else fails, roll a d20, highest results win. Hillsfar has a new ruler, First Lord Torin Nomerthal, who Character Advancement has whole-heartedly embraced the two great laws. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THE HILLSFAR AREA AND I recommend milestone based leveling. After completing THE AGE OF EMONS EASON ETTING OF nd R D ™ S 3 S D&D PART II. LUCK O’ THE IRISH, advance the players to 2 ADVENTURERS LEAGUE QUESTS BY PICKING UP A COPY OF level. THE “D&D ADVENTURERS LEAGUE SEASON 3 If you wish to distribute XP based on encounters and NARRATIVE” ON THE DUNGEON MASTER’S GUILD achievements, I recommend awarding XP as you progress WEBSITE. through the adventure. Players who earn enough XP to advance levels, shall only do so after a long rest. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Paddy’s Shamrock 6 region that does not have native snakes; the growing snake Background information for sightings and attacks concern her. She asks, Saint Patrick can be read in Part IV. Saint Patrick’s Day – The Holy Find out from where they are originating. Trinity Is it a natural occurrence or is there something more sinister behind it? Is it related to the Underdark problems plaguing the area? Overview She suggests the characters start in the village of Cambium, which the faction knows little about. There is a Spring This adventure consists of four parts. Equinox Festival that would be a good opportunity for them PART I. The characters meet on the road traveling to to learn more about the village, its inhabitants and maybe to Cambium. The time visiting Cambium is used to give the find useful information in regards to the snakes. characters further adventuring leads. Additionally, they will be faced with an encounter that can be resolved either through THE HARPERS: Olisara Lightsong (Moon Elf, ranger, diplomacy or combat. This encounter involves Faralin female, chaotic good) is the leader of the Harpers in the Greenale, a Clurichaun who has spiked the ale creating quite Moonsea region; she has asked you to investigate the Order of the scene at the Spring Equinox Festival. the Shamrock, whose ranks are swelling daily with new PART II. The characters investigate the rise in the areas converts. She asks, bandit activity, especially the encounters that result in only gold being stolen (Boddy Cromwell, a Leprechaun who steals Find out the purpose, the mission of the Order of the only gold). The first part of this section is a red herring, the Shamrock. characters are ambushed by a regular bandit crew, who will Find out who is the leader(s). attempt to steal all of the character’s possessions. At some Would we find their mission complementary or a point after this encounter the Leprechaun will seek out the hindrance to our mission? characters. PART III. The characters seek out Valkana Nightwalker, a She suggests the characters start in the village of Cambium, Banshee who has been heard wailing by the Cambium which the faction knows little about. There is a Spring villagers. She was romantically involved with Saint Patrick, Equinox Festival that would be a good opportunity for you to and is now a lover spurned. Combat with Valkana could learn more about the village, its inhabitants and maybe find easily be deadly for characters at this level. This is intended as useful information about the Order of the Shamrock. a role-play encounter. There is a built-in out should the green beer give your players liquid courage. Sample OfileRDER OF THE GAUNTLET: Zern Xerkstil (Half-Orc, PART IV. The character’s encounter Saint Patrick, a high paladin, male, lawful good) is the leader of the Order of the elf who is in the area to grow the ranks for his cult, Order of Gauntlet for the Moonsea region; he has asked you to find the Shamrock, to exact revenge against the Hillsfar leadership. out more about Saint Patrick. He asks, This section includes the conclusion of the adventure. Find out as much as you can about this Saint Patrick person. Adventure Hooks What god does he serve? Before I share the adventure hook suggestions; the characters How was he Sainted? should be encouraged to craft their own reasons for passing Is his mission complementary to our mission? Or is he through or going to Cambium. opposed to our goals? The character’s faction contacts may have requested the If he is a friend of ours, how can we mutually help each characters to: other? If he be a foe, destroy him and his following swiftly. THE EMERALD ENCLAVE: Seranolla the Whisperer (Forest Gnome, druid, female, neutral good) is the leader of the He suggests the characters start in the village of Cambium, Emerald Enclave in the Moonsea region; she has asked the which the faction knows little about. There is a Spring Emerald Enclave agents to investigate the growing rumors Equinox Festival that would be a good opportunity for you to about a snake problem in the areas surrounding Hillsfar; the learn more about the village, its inhabitants and maybe find village of Cambium in particular. She shares that this is a useful information about Saint Patrick. Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. Paddy’s Shamrock 7 THE LORDS ALLIANCE: Dornal Whitebeard (Dwarf, male, pot of gold, thus they want to see if this is true for lawful neutral) is the leader of the Lords Alliance in the themselves. Moonsea region; he shares the following, and asks you, You have heard all the cool non-humans are joining the Order of the Shamrock, and you got to be a part of it. The Lords Alliance is concerned about the quickly growing You have heard of that there is a huge Spring Equinox Order of the Shamrock. Before they grow too powerful, we Festival going on in the village of Cambium and you got to need to know their philosophy and intentions. The leader be part of it. Rumor is there is plenty of green ale to be of the Order of the Shamrock seems to be a person named had. Saint Patrick. The Lords Alliance needs to know more Your character has been drinking since before noon, and about him and the Order of the Shamrock. wandered into the area looking for his/her mates who have Find out about Saint Patrick. Where is he from? What are left them. his intentions? Would the Order of the Shamrock be worthy of a mutual All the above adventure hooks, or those crafted by the interest treaty? players, should lead the characters to starting the adventure, Or do we need to make a move to diminish their growing Part 1.