Sample file House of Blades A Spies Below the Moonsea Adventure Zim Von Zeam – of ZVZ Caravans – has spent his life braving the lawless lands of Thar with his caravans. Now, life has gifted him with a new opportunity – establishing a trade route from Melvaunt to nothing less than an Underdark city. Does he have what it takes to deal with the treacherous drow? Zim’s ambition is an adventuring opportunity like no other. A Two- to Four-Hour Adventure for Tier 2 Characters. Optimized for APL 8. SampleBy Andrew Bishkinskyi file CREDITS Design & Writing: Andrew Bishkinskyi HalCon AL Administration: Sussie Jensen D&D Adventurers League Guildmaster: Chris Lindsay Art Direction: Andrew Bishkinskyi Cover, Drow Portrait Art and Borders: James Austin Cover Font: Pixel Sagas, used under commercial license Additional Character Portrait Art: Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art © Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games Other Art: Wizards of the Coast DMsGuild Creator Resource Maps: Andrew Bishkinskyi via Inkarnate Pro Icons: Lorc and Dalapoite Template: Simple Microsoft Word Template by Laura Hirsbrunner D&D Adventurers League Wizards Team: Adam Lee, Chris Lindsay, Mike Mearls, Matt Sernett D&D Adventurers League Administrators: Amy-Lynn Dzura, Alan Patrick, Travis Woodall, Claire Hoffman, Greg Marks, Ma’at Crook, LaTia Jacquise, Will Doyle, Shawn Merwin Playtesters: anon. 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CCC-HAL-05 House of Blades 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents............................................................. 4 Appendix 3. Bonus Objective A ..................................... 29 Adventure Primer .....................................................................5 Scene A. Mules with Eight Legs ......................................... 29 Episode Flowchart ........................................................... 7 Scene B. Three Steeders for Zim Von Zeam ..................... 30 Episode 1: Zim Von Zeam of ZVZ Caravans (Call to Appendix 4. Bonus Objective B ...................................... 31 Action) .............................................................................. 8 Scene A. Apprentices Become Masters?............................ 31 Scene A. A Melvaunt Meeting ............................................... 8 Appendix 5. Map of Steeder Caves ................................ 32 Episode 2: Skill Exchange .............................................. 10 Appendix 6. Map of Claddatar Arena............................ 33 Scene A. House of Blades ...................................................... 10 Appendix 7. Map of Axcelon Mine Locations .............. 34 Episode 3: A Joint Mission ............................................. 14 Scene A. The Briefing ............................................................ 14 Appendix 8. Drow Apprentice Handouts ..................... 35 Scene B. The Mine .................................................................. 15 DM Instructions ..................................................................... 35 Scene C. The Claddatar Tunnel ........................................... 16 Bard .................................................................................... 36 Scene D. The Zaunmice Tunnel ........................................... 17 Drow Elite Warrior ........................................................... 37 Drow Mage ........................................................................ 38 Wrap-Up: Concluding the Adventure ........................... 18 Drow Priest of Selvetarm (Drow Priestess of Lolth) 39 Adventure Rewards ........................................................ 19 Illusionist .......................................................................... 40 Character Rewards ................................................................. 19 Knight ................................................................................. 41 Dungeon Master Rewards .................................................... 19 Martial Arts Adept .......................................................... 42 Priest .................................................................................. 43 Appendix 1. Locations & NPCs ...................................... 20 Swashbuckler ................................................................... 44 Appendix 2. Creature Statistics ..................................... 21 Appendix 9. Magic Items and Story Awards ................ 45 Bard ..................................................................................... 21 Cloak of Underdark Protection ...........................................45 Corpseplanter Solthus (Drow Necromancer)............. 21 Heward’s Handy Spice Pouch ............................................ 46 Derro Savant ...................................................................... 21 Story Award .............................................................................47 Drow Elite Warrior .......................................................... 22 Drow House Captain ....................................................... 23 Appendix 10. Further Information on the Zethlentyn Drow Mage ........................................................................ 23 Protectorate ................................................................... 48 Drow Priest of Selvetarm (Drow Priestess of Lolth) 24 Player Handout - History of the Protectorate ............... 48 Grick ................................................................................... 24 DM Brief – Select Houses of the Protectorate ............... 49 Grick Alpha ....................................................................... 25 Appendix 11. General Underdark Effects ...................... 50 Illusionist .......................................................................... 25 Knight ................................................................................ 26 Appendix 12. Character Portrait Cards .......................... 51 Martial Arts Adept ........................................................... 26 Dungeon Master Tips .................................................... 52 Mittronil Claddatar (Drow Warlord) ........................... 27 Priest .................................................................................. 27 Swashbuckler ................................................................... 27 Sample file Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. CCC-HAL-05 House of Blades 4 help defenses as well as to locate those who have been ADVENTURE PRIMER taken from the surface in drow slave raids. Making "Concentration, focus, long-term thinking--those are the alliances and gaining information about the different qualities that separate a warrior from a mere flailing houses is the priority. Direct membership in the factions is not necessary to have been hired by them. fighter." House of Moonlight. House Tor’Erhyl have proven - Grand Admiral Thrawn, themselves to be allies to those on the surface. If the characters have encountered them in other adventures, as written by Timothy Zahn. they know that the goal of Eilistraee’s followers is to liberate Zethlentyn’s slaves and transport them to the This section provides the adventure’s background, a list surface. To this end, establishing a non-drow trade of prominent NPCs, an overview of the adventure in route to the surface would certainly prove beneficial. play, and hooks that you can use to introduce your In the Name of Commerce! Zim Von Zeam is nothing players’ characters to the action. if not an entrepreneur. Regardless of the characters personal motives in taking the job, he pays fairly and ABOUT THE SERIES treats those in his employ well. For those looking for This adventure is part of the Spies Below the Moonsea interesting work, an Underdark venture certainly series of adventures that deal with the Zethlentyn qualifies. Protectorate – a city-state in the Underdark. Warrior Prowess. Zim makes no secret about his plan Adventures in this series can be played without to approach the militaristic House Claddatar. Claddatar knowledge of the others and in any order. warriors are famed for their martial prowess. An While the events of this adventures take place opportunity to learn from them or test one’s skills chronologically after House of Moonlight, it is very much against them is highly appealing to practitioners of intended that it can be used as an alternate entry point martial disciplines. into the series and playable on entirely on its own. Underdark Expertise. Characters that have previously ventured into the Underdark