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As you may have already ascertained, this remix is simply tossing out most of Chapter 4: Dragon Season from the original campaign. The original sequences no longer work with the more dynamic, multi-faction approach we’re using for the remix, and I’m simply not that interested in these sorts of pre-scripted, linear, and often railroaded sequences.

We’re still going to take advantage of some of the raw material in Chapter 4, however, to create a number of Outposts for each faction. (In some ways you can think of this as sort of taking the best version of each location from the campaign.)

BREGAN D’AERTHE OUTPOSTS

FENERUS STORMCASTLE’S HOUSE (Trade Ward, Quill Alley – Dragon Heist, p. 63): Fenerus Stormcastle was the founder of the Blood Hawk Posse, a gang of horse-riding brigands that, to this day, harries travelers on the road to Amphail. When he was drummed out of the gang after a botched raid, Fenerus “retired” to Waterdeep and joined the Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters. He supplements his income by spying for the city of Luskan and providing his contacts with information on the political climate in Waterdeep, as well as juicy bits of news overheard on his nightly rounds through the Trades Ward.

Since the Sea Maidens Faire arrived in Waterdeep, Fenerus has also been acting as a message drop for Bregan D’Aerthe. Fenerus collects messages from various covert drops and brings them back to his house, where they are collected by Krebbyg Masq’il’yr and taken back to Jarlaxle’s ship.

Questioning Fenerus: Although he’s supposed to be a cut-out, Fenerus once followed Krebbyg after Jarlaxle’s lieutenant picked up the messages and knows that they’re being taken to the Sea Maidens Faire.

Following Krebbyg: Krebbyg comes to collect messages from Fenerus once every 1d3 days. If the PCs stake out the house long enough, they may also be able to follow him to the Sea Maidens Faire.

Messages: The PCs may be able to capture several messages. These are written in code, requiring an Intelligence test (DC 16) to decipher. (The check is made with advantage if they speak Drow.) The contents of these messages will vary depending on when, exactly, the PCs come to Fenerus’ house. Possibilities include:

• Information unrelated to the Grand Game, most likely revolving around attempting to identify Masked Lords, gain blackmail material over them, and/or diplomatic assessments of their support for Luskan joining the Lords’ Alliance.
• A report from the Gralhund Villa observation team: “Watchpost established in the manor south of the Gralhund Villa. We have identified members of the Black Network onsite. We have also observed gazers in the area, although we have not yet determined which beholders’ dark dreams they’ve sprung out of. – Fel’Rekt Lafeen”
• “Westra Moltimmur is demanding three additional dresses for Sapphiria’s Booty. Considerable expense. Rongquan Mystere may need to put in an appearance.” (A little research can quickly identify these names as referring to the Seven Masks Theater, see below.)
• “The Council of Musicians, Instrument-Makers, & Choristers refuses to withdraw their objection to the Sea Maidens Faire as a public entertainment. But I’ve resolved the matter by getting license from the Jesters’ Guild. We only need to make payment to them with claim that we are employing a guild entertainer, even though we’re not. The guilds in this city are even more rotten than those in Luskan.”
• “Nimblewright delivery completed to Bowgentra Summertaen. We have eyes up in the Watchful Order.” (Summertaen is the leader of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, a guild for wizards and sorcerers in Waterdeep.)

SEVEN MASKS THEATER (Dragon Heist, p. 75): Use the description of the Autumn version of the theater from the original campaign. Jarlaxle owns this theater under the false identity of Rongquan Mystere. One of the dressing rooms is kept empty as a safe house for D’Aerthe agents in trouble. Jarlaxle will also use the theater as a “neutral” meeting place with other factions (including the PCs).

Malcolm Brizzenbright: We’ll also transplant Brizzenbright’s Ghost from the Winter version of the Theater (see Dragon Heist, p. 76). He’s the founder of the Seven Masks Theater, but has been dead for over thirty years.

• He knows that “Rongquan Mystere” is a fake identity, and he’s anxious that his theater not be used for nefarious purposes.
• He can identify the dressing room being used as a safe house.
• He once saw “Rongquan” speaking with drow in the lobby during a performance of The Mad Mage’s Seven Riddles. They mentioned something called the “Sea Maidens Faire”.

Area P6 – Stage Manager’s Office: Amongst the other papers dealing with theater work is a Letter Regarding Fenerus Stormcastle’s House. Directed simply to “J”, it warns him that, “There have been strange eyes fixed upon the house of Fenerus Stormcastle and flights of black snakes have been seen flocking the skies of the Trades Ward. Greater care should be taken when messengers approach the house, and we may want to find an alternative asset. I leave it to your judgment whether or not Fenerus himself should be warned. -K”

• GM Note: “J” is Jarlaxle Baenre and “K” is Krebbyg.

CASSALANTER OUTPOSTS

ASMODEAN SHRINE (North Ward, Aveen Street): From the outside, this appears to be a nondescript residence. The entire interior of the house, however, has been converted into a shrine dedicated to Asmodeus. The Cassalanters discovered the ancient Hell cyst (see Area 8) below the house, bought the property, and installed members of the cult.

Area 1 – Summoning Circle: Demonic sigils have been painted onto the floor to form a summoning circle. Tapping into the power of the Hell cyst, the circle can be used to summon 2 imps once every nine days.

Area 2 – Styxian Shrine: Intertwined figures of demons and devils twist about the columns in this room, a visceral depiction of the savage brutality of the Blood War. At one end of the room there is a small font of reddish-gray stone that extrudes from the wall. The cistern is half-filled with grayish water, enchanted to act as the water of the River Styx. Those drinking from it must succeed at a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or lose all of their memories for 8 hours. (The cultists consider this a test of their faith and a sacrament.) On the wall above the font, the symbol of Asmodeus has been painted on the wall in blood.

Area 3 – Demonic Statues: Two large demonic statues – one depicting a kyton (chain devil) and the other a bezekira (hellcat) – face off against each other.

Area 4 – Chapter House: Huge, writhing tentacles seem to erupt from an arcane circle on the far side of this room, but it’s just a disturbingly lifelike statue given the semblance of life by an animate object spell (50 hp, AC 10, +6 to hit, 2d20+2 damage, Str 14, Dex 10). The tentacles are fastened to the floor and only attack a target within 10 feet if given a command by one of the cultists; otherwise they just writhe artistically.

Two cots are lined up against the wall. A long trestle table runs down the middle of the room with benches to either side.

Under the cot is Arn’s Book of Worship: This text with a stylized goat’s head drawn in blood upon its plain brown cover, contains a number of “high prayers” to Asmodeus and the description of a number of banal demonic rites of worship. On the inside back cover, in simple handwriting, one can read, “This book belongs to Arn Xalrondar, of the Windmill upon Coachlamp Lane.”)

Area 5 – Demonic Jelly: Three large wooden kegs. A mysterious amber jelly within them acts like a potion of hill giant strength if rubbed over the body (6 doses per keg).

Area 6 – Mirror of the Fiend: A large mirror with an obsidian frame carved with demonic sigils stands at the far end of this chamber. Anyone seeing themselves reflected in the mirror is bathed in purplish flames which deal 1d6 damage per round to most creatures, but heal 1d6 damage per round for fiends.

• Noble Sigil: On the back of he mirror is carved a small rune. A DC 13 Intelligence (History) check reveals that his is a Waterdhavian noble sigil; a practice that was once common in Waterdeep, but which died out over a century ago. A DC 16 check identifies this specific rune as indicating that the mirror belonged to the Cassalanter family.

Area 7 – Passage of the Nine Hells: The plaster walls of this long hallway are completely covered in a mural seamlessly depicting the Nine Hells – the desolate wasteland of Avernus; the malefic green skies of Dis; the endless rotting bogs of Minauros; the magma-ridden valleys of Phlegethos; the frozen sea of Stygia; the cyclopean basalt of Malbolge; the endless, maze-like ruins of Maladomini; the serrated glaciers of Cania. At the far end, above the arch leading to the descending stairs, is depicted the Malsheem, the Citadel of Hell, in Nessus, the Ninth Circle of Hell.

Area 8 – The Hell Cyst: The entire lower level of the shrine is clearly much, much older than the house above it. The walls were once covered in bas relief, but the stone has worn away and the carvings have become unrecognizable.

In a niche one end of the cramped corridor, the extrusions of stone seem to reach out from the wall and almost cradle a glowing ball of hellish red light which floats in midair.

Those who dare to lean close to the ball will discover that – at a distance of a few inches or so – they can actually peer into it (or perhaps, more accurately, through it). Doing so is like peering through a heavily distorted lens into a volcanic hell. (The Hell cyst is actually a pin-prick of Hell co-located onto the Material Plane. There is no way to traverse or communicate through the event horizon of the cyst, but the cyst is nevertheless a literal manifestation of Hell on Earth and can be used as the focus for a number of demonic rites.)

ASMODEAN SHRINE – ADVERSARY ROSTER

1 cult fanatic + 2 imps	Area 1	MM p. 345, MM p. 76
1 apprentice wizard + 2 imps	Area 2	DH p. 194, MM p. 76
2 cult fanatics	Area 4	MM p. 345

Questioning Cultists: Successfully questioning the cultists will reveal that rituals are held at a site beneath the Cassalanter Villa. The fanatics will report that their contact there is Willifort Crowell (which might lead the PCs to believe that the Cassalanters are unaware of what’s happening in their own home); the wizard knows better and may be made to reveal as much.

Instructions from Lord Cassalanter: The apprentice wizard carries a note from Lord Cassalanter instructing that the next pair of imps to emerge from the summoning circle should be dispatched to perform surveillance on the Sea Maidens Faire, which he believes to have become of particular importance as a result of recent intelligence which has come into his posssesion. (The note might mention the PCs by name here if they were the source of this intelligence; otherwise he names Willifort Crowelle.) “The imps should report back to me directly at the villa.”

CONVERTED WINDMILL (Southern Ward, Coachlamp Lane): Use the description of the Summer version of the Converted Windmill (see Dragon Heist, p. 88). It’s used as an apartment by Arn Xalrondar (LE male Tethyrian human) and Seffia Naelryke (LE female Tethyrian human), both cult fanatics.

Area W7 – Secure Apartment:

• A note can be found under the bed. It reads: “Meeting Ches 17^th, the shrine on Aveen Street”.

Area W8 – The Room of Rituals: A pentagram has been painted on the floor in blood. At the points of the pentagram are five black globs of wax — the remains of burned candles — and there’s a variety of writing in charcoal surrounding the pentragram. There is a desk alone one wall, covered in a mass of papers.

• The Ritual – DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana): The ritual performed here was a form of weak demonic divination, similar to a legend lore or contact other plane spell, but more like a weakly amped up Ouija board or similar parlor trick. The runes indicate that this ritual was performed in an effort to find something associated with “Neverember”, “the wealth of Waterdeep”, “Golorr”, and “that which has been lost to the waters of Lethe” (although the latter appears to be more of a symbolic representation rather than a literal one).
• Desk: At the center of the drift of miscellaneous papers is a map of Waterdeep. Strange lines of blood criss-cross the map in bizarre patterns, but one location within the City of the Dead has been picked out from the pattern and circled in black charcoal. Accompanying writing identifies this as the “Brandath Crypt”.
• GM Note: This ritual, performed by Seffia, identified the Brandath Crypt as the hiding place of one of the Eyes. It actually only worked, however, because the Vault is actually hidden below the Crypt (making it a much more powerful locus for the conceptual anchors of the ritual), although Seffia didn’t realize that.

Got to Part 3B: More Faction Outposts