Go to Part 1

In this penultimate section of the Remix, we’re going to use the principles of node-based scenario design to retrofit the campaign’s fundamental structure. This work can broadly be divided into three parts:

• Strengthening the Three Clue Rule for Finding Floon (Chapter 1)
• Heavily revising the Nimblewright Investigation that leads to the Gralhund Villa (Chapter 2)
• Linking together all of the elements of the Grand Game (primarily the faction outposts and lairs)

This will primarily consist of revelation lists, the use of which is discussed in the original Three Clue Rule essay.

Where the clues on these revelation lists can be integrated into the material we’ve treated at length in the Remix, I’ve done so. In these cases, the revelation lists can be used strictly for their normal function: As a reference for helping the GM to understand and track the structure of the scenario.

In some cases, however, clues are added to other sections of the campaign which we haven’t visited in detail as part of the Remix. (This is particularly true for the material in Part 5B: Finding Floon, for example.) These clues will be called out, and the GM will need to use the revelation lists to make sure that this material is properly incorporated into those sections of the campaign.

THE REFERENCE TIMELINE

Before diving into the revelation lists, however, we’re going to organize all of the back story of the campaign (revised and otherwise) into a single reference timeline. This partly exists in order to eliminate the myriad continuity errors found in the original campaign, but mostly to provide an easy reference for the GM while they’re actually running the campaign.

RISE AND FALL OF LORD NEVEREMBER

• 1451 DR: Neverwinter is destroyed when a small adventuring party (including Jarlaxle Baenre) awoke the primordial Maegera beneath Mount Hotenow.
• 1467 DR: Lord Dagult Neverember, Open Lord of Waterdeep, proclaims himself ruler of Neverwinter and begins the New Neverwinter movement to rebuild the city.
• Lord Neverember begins embezzling money from the Waterdeep treasury.
• Lord Neverember discovers the Stone of Golorr in Neverwinter.
• When Lady Alethea Brandath (Lord Neverember’s wife) dies, Lord Neverember learns of the existence of an ancient dwarven vault beneath the Brandath Mausoleum.
• Lord Neverember gains access to the old Melairkyn Vault beneath the Brandath Mausoleum. He begins storing the embezzled money (eventually totaling half a million gold dragons) in the Vault and uses the Stone of Golorr to hide its existence.
• As an additional security precaution, Lord Neverember blinds the Stone of Golorr: Leaving the Stone in Waterdeep Palace, he keeps one of the Eyes with him in Neverwinter, secretly gives one to his son (hidden inside a mourning locket), and hides the last within the Brandath Mausoleum.
• During this time, various factions become aware that Lord Neverember is engaged in some grand scheme, of which only the contours are known. The phrase “Neverember’s Enigma” is coined.
• 1489 DR: Laeral Silverhand returns to Waterdeep and Lord Neverember is deposed.
• In the confusion of the transition of power, Lord Neverember sends agents to retrieve the Stone of Golorr from the palace. As those agents leave the city, they are ambushed by Xanatharian agents who steal the Stone.

THE GRAND GAME

• The Cassalanters retrieve what they believe to be Neverember’s Enigma — but is actually just one of the Eyes — from the Brandath Mausoleum. Their research quickly reveals that it is part of the Stone of Golorr.
• Lord Neverember sends a network of agents into Waterdeep. Many of these agents are attempting to locate the Stone. One of them, Dalakhar, is assigned to keep a watchful eye on Dagult’s son, Renaer. (Dalakhar isn’t told this, but Lord Neverember’s primary concern is that the Eye unwittingly carried by Renaer is kept safe until he can regain the Stone.)
• Manshoonian Zhentarim steal the Eye from the Protector’s Enclave in Neverwinter.
• Laeral Silverhand’s auditors discover Lord Neverember’s embezzlement. The news soon leaks.
• Zhentarim go to Xanathar to propose an alliance. Xanathar kills the embassy and takes their Eye. A gang war breaks out between the Guild and the Black Network.
• Lord Neverember discovers that Xanathar stole the Stone. Dalakhar is sent to infiltrate Xanathar’s organization and steal the Stone back. (At this point Lord Neverember believes that Xanathar has the Stone and that the Zhentarim still have the Eye they stole from him. To maintain the original siloing of information, Dalakhar is not told about the Eyes and doesn’t know to look for the one Xanathar now holds.)
• Jarlaxle Baenre arrives in Waterdeep and begins selling nimblewrights.

DRAGON HEIST BEGINS (1492 DR)

• With Dalakhar’s network removed from watching over Renaer, he’s exposed. The Zhentarim kidnap Renaer and take the Eye hidden in his mourning locket. (The PCs then presumably rescue Renaer.)
• Ches 20^th: Dalakhar successfully steals the Stone from Xanathar.
• Ches 22^nd: Dalakhar’s attempts to leave town are unsuccessful. (Xanathar tracked down and killed his extraction team before he could rendezvous with them, and he has agents surrounding Renaer Neverember’s house.) Dalakhar attempts to meet Renaer at Trollskull Manor, but by this time he’s being actively tracked by the Gralhund, Zhentarim, Cassalanters, and possibly others. Dalakhar is killed by the Gralhund Nimblewright. (See Part 2 and Part 5C.)

REVELATION LIST: THE STONE OF GOLORR

The first part of Dragon Heist is procedurally driven by investigations which are, structurally, unrelated to the Stone of Golorr: The PCs can solve the mysteries of Floon’s kidnapping and Dalakhar’s assassination without necessarily understanding what the ultimate motivation behind those crimes was.

Thus, the key turning point in the campaign is when the PCs realize what’s truly at stake and, importantly, begin to proactively drive the Grand Game.

REVELATION: DALAKHAR WAS CARRYING THE STONE OF GOLORR

• Casting speak with dead on Dalakhar or the dead Zhentarim (see Dragon Heist, p. 46, but note that we’re specifically adding that the Zhentarim knew that Dalakhar was carrying the “Stone of Golorr”).
• Questioning any number of people involved in the Grand Game (Urstul Floxin, the Gralhunds most likely, but also members of Xanathar’s Crime Guild or, later, Bregan D’Aerthe lieutenants).
• Observing Jarlaxle’s nimblewright recordsings. (Sea Maidens Faire)
• A Directive from Jarlaxle (Gralhund Villa – Arthen Manor)

REVELATION: WHAT IS THE STONE OF GOLORR?

• Researching the Stone of Golorr (see Part 6A)
• Any significant player in the Grand Game (lieutenant or up within any faction) will know that the Stone of Golorr is they key to finding Lord Neverember’s Enigma
• Faction Reports on the Grande Game (see Part 6D)

REVELATION LIST: THE THREE EYES

The PCs need to figure out that (a) the Stone of Golorr is missing three Eyes and (b) where those Eyes are being held, so that (c) they can go steal them. This is basically the core structure of the campaign.

REVELATION: THERE ARE THREE MISSING EYES

• Studying the Stone of Golorr
• Gralhund Study of the Grand Game (Gralhund Villa)
• Jarlaxle’s Report on the Grand Game (Sea Maidens Faire)
• Cassalanter Report on the Grand Game (Cassalanter Villa)
• Xanathar’s Report on the Grand Game (Xanathar Lair)
• Manshoon’s Report on the Grand Game (Kolat Tower)
• Letter to Lord Neverember (Kalain)

REVELATION: CASSALANTERS’ EYE

• If the PCs are working for them, the Cassalanters provide their Eye once they have the other two.
• Jarlaxle’s Report on the Grand Game (Sea Maidens Faire)
• Manshoon’s Report on the Grand Game (Kolat Tower)
• Seffia’s Ritual & Seffia’s Note (Converted Windmill / Response Team: Seffia)

REVELATION: XANATHAR’S EYE

• Gralhund Report on the Grand Game (Gralhund Villa)
• Jarlaxle’s Report on the Grand Game (Sea Maidens Faire)
• Cassalanter Report on the Grand Game (Cassalanter Villa)
• Manshoon’s Report on the Grand Game (Kolat Tower)

REVELATION: ZHENTARIM’S EYE

• Gralhund Report on the Grand Game (Gralhund Villa)
• Jarlaxle’s Report on the Grand Game (Sea Maiden’s Faire)
• Xanathar’s Report on the Grand Game (Xanathar’s Lair)
• Questioning Samara (Xanathar’s Lair)

REVELATION LIST: THE VAULT KEYS

• Examining and researching the vault entrance (The Vault)
• Cassalanter’s Report on the Grand Game (Cassalanter Villa)
• Vision of the Vault (Stone of Golorr)
• Questioning Kalain (Backtracking Dalakhar)

Go to Part 5B: Finding Floon

Go to Part 1

Although Manshoon lost the original Eye he had obtained, as Dragon Heist begins the Zhentarim seize possession of the Eye unwittingly carried by Renaer Neverember. This Eye is then immediately taken back to Kolat Towers and secured.

Unlike the other lairs in Dragon Heist, Kolat Towers operates more like a fortified bunker. This creates a very non-typical heist scenario which, in some respects, will play more like a raid or dungeoncrawl scenario. The primary heist-like aspect of the scenario, in fact, is simply gaining access to the Towers in the first place.

Kolat Towers is structured like an onion:

• You need to obtain a pass-amulet in order to pass through the force field surrounding Kolat Tower. A pass-amulet is a silver disc with the initials “DK” (for Duhlark Kolat) written in Espruaran runes on either side of a small, central blue gemstone. Someone holding a pass-amulet, or touching someone holding a pass-amulet, can simply walk through the force field as if it wasn’t there. (Other methods for bypassing the force field are described on pages 148-149 of Dragon Heist.)
• You need to obtain a teleporter signet ring in order to reach the inner sanctum., as described on page 157 of Dragon Heist. These brass signet rings have a stylized M. written upon them.

SURVEILLANCE OPPORTUNITY

Barring unusual circumstances or out of the box thinking, the PCs are unlikely to have a surveillance opportunity inside Kolat Towers.

More traditional surveillance (i.e., simply watching the Towers from a nearby building) reveals the crucial point of data required, however: The use of pass-amulets by anyone entering or leaving the tower. (They may glimpse some taking them out from their shirts and holding them aloft, although that’s not strictly necessary. They may also note the strange habit of those accompanying pass-amulet holders of touching them as they move through the force field.)

In addition, most of the Towers’ inhabitants will simply assume that anyone who has bypassed the force field must have a pass-amulet and, therefore, must have legitimate business there. Their incredible security system has, ultimately, made them somewhat lax when it comes to actual security, and PCs who are smart enough to lean into that assumption can effectively seize a surveillance opportunity for themselves mid-heist.

BLUEPRINT NOTES

The original tower which stood on this site was a small library owned by the Watchful Order of Magists & Protectors. The Kolat brothers purchased the site, altered the original tower, and built a second tower. Buried deep in its records, the Watchful Order still has copies of the original plans drawn up when they acquired the tower as part of a deceased wizard’s estate. These plans, however, only show the Tower as it existed before the Kolat brothers began their renovations. It:

• Consists of only of the Main Tower.
• Does not include areas K7, K8, K12, K13, or K14.
• Level 6 is a single room.

It should be noted that Xanathar has a superior set of blueprints for the Towers, obtained by his agents (see Part 4D).

THE TOWERS

Area K14 – Servants’ Quarters: Sidra Romeir also bunks in this room (in a larger bed opposite the four bunk beds used by the thugs she bunks with). She keeps her teleporter signet ring in the locked drawer in the bedside table.

Area E9 – Library: Alabaster shelves line the porphyry walls and jut out into the center of the room. On one wall, an arcane rune has been carved into the porphyry and filled with some form of bright green metal.

• Books: 10 particularly rare books have bookplates identifying them as belonging to Duhlark Kolat are laid out on a small table with a notebook nearby showing that someone has been studying them and taking notes; they are worth 50 gp each. The entire collection is worth 5,000 gp.
• Rune: This rune is the keymark for an astral vault bloodlocked to Manshoon. By design, Manshoon (and only Manshoon) can trace a specific set of patterns on the rune, causing the wall to temporarily phase out of existence and grant access to a small astral vault. In practice, dispel magic can disable the bloodlock or a disguise self (or similar illusion) can fool it, while an Intelligence (Arcana) or Dexterity check can figure out the pattern (defeating it like any other lock).
• Inside the Astral Vault: The vault contains the Eye, 5 pass-amulets, a dozen teleporter signet rings, and Manshoon’s Report on the Grand Game (see Part 6D).

Area E10 – Audience Chamber: This room is lit by a sunglobe which levitates in midair near the ceiling. (On command, a sunglobe glows with the light of the sun itself. It can be commanded to maintain its current position, levitating in mid-air until grasped.)

ADVERSARY ROSTER

* Has a teleporter signet ring.

STAT REFERENCE

Sidra Romeir (LE female Callishite human) – veteran, MM p. 350
Manafret Cherryport – lightfoot halfling mage, MM p. 347; see DH p. 149
Yorn the Terror – half-orc thug, MM p. 350; see DH p. 150
Lady Gondafrey – gargoyle, MM p. 140; see DH p. 152
Kaejva Cynavern (female Mulan human) – mage, MM p. 347; see DH p. 158
Urstul Floxin – assassin, MM p. 343; see DH p. 216
Vevette Blackwater (CE female Tethyrian human) – swashbuckler, DH p. 216
Agorn Fuoco (NE male Turami human) – bard, DH p. 195

Havia Quickknife / Mookie Plush (LE lightfoot halfling) – martial arts adepts, DH p. 209

• Lawful Evil
• 49 (11d6+11) hit points
• Racial Traits: Small, walking speed 25 ft., move through the space of a Medium or larger creature, advantage on saving throws vs. being frightened.
• Speak Common and Halfling.

Manshoon Simulacrum – DH p. 209
Manshoon – DH p. 209

Thugs – MM p. 350
Apprentice Wizards – DH p. 194

Animated Armor – MM p. 19
Barlgura – MM p. 56
Spectator – MM p. 30
Flying Snakes – MM p. 322

QUESTIONING THE ZHENTARIM

Thugs know the general layout of the tower:

• They’ve been told not to enter the Outer Tower or go above the third level of the Main Tower.
• Manshoon’s lieutenants wear special rings that let them access Manshoon’s sanctuary atop the Outer Tower (although they don’t know that this is actually an extradimensional space; they think he just lives up there).

Apprentice wizards know the same, but also know:

• That Manshoon lives in an extradimensional sanctum.
• He protects his valuables in an astral vault hidden somewhere in the sanctum. His former fourth apprentice tried to gain access to it and was disintegrated when Manshoon caught him.
• That the Stone of Golorr was blinded and Manshoon is attempting to find its three Eyes. He already has one. He once had another that was stolen by Xanathar. And he has recently identified that a local noble family has the third. (They don’t know the identity of the noble family.)

Manshoon’s lieutenants know what the apprentice wizards know, but also:

• The layout of the extradimensional sanctum, including the location of the astral vault.
• That the Cassalanters are the noble family who possess the third Eye.

THE DEMON

If the PCs encounter the summoning ritual in Area K15 and don’t disrupt it, then eventually the apprentice wizards succeed in binding the barlgura and Manshoon is able to send it on a mission. Options to consider might include:

• Attacking the PCs at Trollskull Manor.
• Sending it as part of an operation to steal back “his” Eye from Xanathar, possibly inflicting damage in Xanathar’s Lair. (This could easily happen in the middle of the PCs attempting their heist there.)

Go to Part 5: Clues and Timelines

Go to Part 1

Xanathar stole the Stone of Golorr from Lord Neverember and he stole one of the three Eyes from the Zhentarim. Then he lost the Stone when Dalakhar took it from him.

As a result, once the PCs become truly involved with the Grand Game, it is likely that Xanathar is on a level playing field with Manshoon and the Cassalanters, holding but a single Eye.

EVENT SCHEDULE & SURVEILLANCE OPPORTUNITY

Throughout the festival season, Xanathar hosts gladiatorial games every 2-4 days. As noted in Part 3B, those interested in attending the fights must learn the secret pass phrases and go to gladiatorial gathering points throughout the city.

In addition to the arena itself (X6), those attending these fights are allowed to congregate in areas X2, X17, and X18. Servants circulate through these areas, serving drinks and food. Additional guards are placed in the entrance to hallways X21 and X22, however, to turn guests away. (See the Tournament adversary roster, below.)

Panopticus Dwarves: The panopticus dwarves in Area X16 keep the following areas constantly under surveillance:

• Area X2 – Entrance Hall
• Area X6 – Arena
• Area X18 – Audience Chamber
• Area X23 – Antechamber of Madness
• Area X32 – Downstairs Hallway

Identifying the function of the ghostly eyes during onsite surveillance is probably crucial to carrying out an effective heist. Their function can be determined with a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check, making it clear that there must be a panopticus circle somewhere nearby being monitored by a number of watchers equal to the number of ghostly eyes. A detect magic spell combined with a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check will allow the caster to follow the magical lines of force between the eyes and the panopticus circle, effectively triangulating the location of the circle if they can observe at least two eyes.

In addition, as described in Area X16 below, the panopticus circle can be suborned.

DESIGN NOTE

Note that the list of areas surveilled by the panopticus dwarves is deliberately altered. The easiest access to Xanathar’s Sanctum (X19) is through the door in Area X18. By placing a scrying sensor there, it more or less forces the PCs to either suborn the panopticus or find an alternative route to Area X19.

BLUEPRINT NOTES

There are no blueprints of Xanathar’s Lair to be found. Questioning Xanatharian agents might give the PCs an opportunity to piece out information, but convincing them to do so when the consequence is Xanathar’s displeasure is not an easy task.

Far easier is contacting one of the many people who have attended the gladiatorial games to describe what they’ve seen. In general their recollections will be limited to the “public” areas listed above, but:

• There’s one halfling who remembers seeing some of Xanathar’s personal guard come through the secret door between X17 and X16 (“I was looking at this fresco of a leafless tree that had lidless eyes embedded in its branches and suddenly – presto! – the whole wall swung back and some of those shifty-eyed bugbears came through”). She didn’t see how the door operates.
• If they get particularly lucky, they might track down a foolhardy couple who snuck through the door from the Audience Chamber (X18) into Xanathar’s Sanctum (X19) and can describe what they saw there.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

As described on p. 101-102 of Dragon Heist, there are a number of other powerful factions throughout the city that are aware of Xanathar’s Lair and can reveal the secret entrance to Area X1.

There is a magical portal to Xanathar’s Lair in the Guild Sewer Hideout in Chapter 1: Finding Floon. It’s possible (although unlikely) that the PCs already gained access to the lair at that time. If not, they could theoretically put the hideout under surveillance, ambush Nihiloor, and use his amulet to activate the portal and enter the lair.

If Ott Steeltoes is rescued from the Zhentarim (see Part 3B), he may also be gulled into leading the PCs to this secret entrance.

PLAYER TWO ENTERS THE GAME

Whenever the PCs choose to launch their actual heist, it turns out that Jarlaxle is simultaneously attempting to do the exact same thing.

The Team: Jarlaxle’s team consists of himself, one of his lieutenants, and a Bregan D’Aerthe response team (see Part 3C).

Entrance: Generally speaking, there are three methods of entry to Xanathar’s Lair. You can come in the secret entrance (X1), you can try to sneak in from Skullport (X4), or you can be brought in as part of the audience for the gladiatorial games (also via X4, but almost certainly arriving in X6 before you’ll have a chance to slip away).

I recommend having Jarlaxle’s team use a method of entry which the PCs didn’t. So if the PCs came in through X1, for example, then Jarlaxle’s team arrived from either Skullport or as part of the crowd for the gladiatorial tournament.

Jarlaxle’s Plan: The ace in the hole for Jarlaxle is that he’s aware of the secret passage (X14) leading to Xanathar’s Sanctum. How, exactly, he gains access to the passage is heavily dependent on the circumstances in which the heist takes place. (And, dramatically speaking, the DM should ideally make it cross the path of the PCs’ heist as much as possible: Seeing Jarlaxle or his lieutenants from across a crowded room or at the far end of a deserted hallway about their business will be a satisfying complication. This will also be easier to do if Jarlaxle’s team includes someone the PCs have seen before during the Grand Game, if that’s not Jarlaxle himself.)

Jarlaxle’s modus operandi will generally be using secondary teams to create distractions in order to draw people (including Xanathar) away from where he wants his primary team to be. For example, if the heist is going down during a gladiatorial match, Jarlaxle’s plan might look something like this:

• One of his men picks a fight with the guards blocking entrance to hallway X21. This draws the guards preventing entry to X22 away from their posts.
• Jarlaxle’s lieutenant and two more of his men slip into X22 and down the stairs to X32. They make their way to the Recreation Hall (X28) and throw smoke bombs through the door.
• Men from X28 rush to the Audience Chamber (X18), causing the guards on the door there to rush out to X8. Jarlaxle and his remaining men slip through the door behind them and then through the secret door to X19.
• After locating the Eye, they go down the emergency escape route to X21. Jarlaxle uses his hat of disguise to don the appearance of Ahmaergo, orders the guards to assist in the commotion downstairs, meets up with the rest of his team as they emerge back up the stairs and through Area X22, and then heads for the exit.

Nar’l Xibrindas: N’arl is an agent of Bregan D’Aerthe, but his ability to directly assist Jarlaxle during the heist is limited due to the presence of the grell bodyguard Xanathar has placed on him. Jarlaxle would also prefer to keep him in situ as a valuable source of intel until the Grand Game has concluded.

However, once the distractions start causing turmoil, Nar’l might contribute to Jarlaxle’s plan in subtler ways. (For example, by ordering key guards out of the way on plausible pretexts at the right moment.)

Effect on the PCs: The presence of Jarlaxle’s team will almost certainly cause complications for the PCs’ plans, but the PCs’ actions are also likely to cause complications for Jarlaxle. It will be most satisfying if you let both those things play out naturally, and keep in mind that it’s equally possible for the PCs to benefit from security holes Jarlaxle opens for his own team (and vice versa).

DESIGN NOTE

Competing with a second crew trying to pull of the same job is a really exciting situation that opens up a lot of unique tactical choices and dramatic situations. But there’s another reason for including Jarlaxle’s crew here: Xanathar’s Lair is probably the hardest nut to actually crack. If things get out of hand, the presence of Jarlaxle’s crew gives the DM a tool to either (a) easily pull heat off of the PCs or (b) steal the Eye, prompting an easier heist at the Sea Maidens Faire.

THE LAIR

X7 – Cell Block: See Dragon Heist for full description.

• Questioning Samara: Samara was part of the original delegation sent to Xanathar to negotiate a Golorr-related allegiance. The rest of her team was killed, but she was thrown in here and has been fighting for her life ever since. Her information is dated, but she believes that Xanathar holds the Stone of Golorr (which is the key to Neverember’s Enigma, although she doesn’t know that’s half a million gold coins) and that he’s taken Manshoon’s Eye. She also knows that there are two other Eyes. She can tell PCs that Manshoon is based out of Kolat Towers, and that the Towers can be accessed from Yellowspire.

X12 – Ahmaergo’s Quarters: In addition to the normal entry for this room, the chest contains A Briefing for Xanathar Concerning the Grand Game.

X16 – Panopticus Station: In addition to the normal entry for this room, it is possible to suborn the panopticus network. A DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check can determine that altering two specific runes in the circle will create an “echo” in the vision provided by the ghostly eyes. (In other words, yes, they can loop the video feed.) Doing so will require sneaking past the dwarves, but that’s not too hard because they’re only half-aware of their immediate surroundings.

X18 – Audience Chamber: In addition to the normal entry for this room, there is a ghostly eye scrying sensor.

X19 – Xanathar’s Sanctum: In addition to the normal entry for this room, Xanathar keeps the Eye in Sylgar’s fishbowl.

X28 – Guild Recreation Hall: In contradiction of the normal entry for this room, there is no scrying sensor in this room.

X35 – Nar’l Xibrindas’ Office: In addition the normal entry for this room, the desk contains a Report on the Seven Masks Theater.

• Report on the Seven Masks Theater: A letter Rostrum Feilcook of the Fellowship of Innkeepers, a guild which also oversees local theaters, confirms “your exalted suspicion” regarding the new ownership of the Seven Masks Theater, insofar as the purported owner – “Rongquan Mystere” – is actually being funded by another source, most likely with money originating from outside Waterdeep. A second letter, dated two days later, reports that Rostrum has identified Rongquan’s mysterious patron as “Captain Zord of the Sea Maidens Faire” with his money “originating from Luskan”.
• GM Note: Nar’l Xibrindas stole these letters and hid them before Xanathar could see them.

ADVERSARY ROSTER

XANATHAR’S LAIR

RANDOM ENCOUNTERS: When entering any public area, there is a 1 in 10 chance of having a random encounter.

A PRIVATE FIGHT

• Xanathar (invisible in southeast alcove)
• Ahmaergo
• Noska Ur’gray
• 10 bandits + 5 bugbears as an audience
• 2 goblins serving salted rat intestines and stirge meat pies
• 1d4 random combatants from Area X7

A PUBLIC AUDIENCE

• Xanathar, using psychedelic light display to deliver an incoherent, self-aggrandizing speech to a group of sycophantic underlings who have never seen his true form
• Nar’l Xibrindas
• Grell Bodyguard
• 10 bandits
• 2 duergar

ADVERSARY ROSTER – TOURNAMENT

During a tournament, there will be gathered an audience of 30-60 people. This crowd will either by in the Arena (X6) or congregating socially in Promenade (X17) and Audience Chamber (X18).

Guards: Xanathar’s bandits act as guards. (These numbers are included in the adversary roster below.)

• X6: 2 guards at either end of the audience.
• X17: 2 guards are stationed at the exits to X2, X21, and X22.
• X18: 2 guards on all three doors.

Xanathar: Xanathar enters the Audience Chamber (X18), gives a short speech extolling how wonderful it is that he’s doing this for everyone, and then floats through the Promenade (X17) to the Arena (X6), where he sets up court in the southeast corner.

The Arena Crowd:

• Xanathar
• Ahmaergo
• Thorvin Twinbeard (01-50%)
• Nihilor (01-50%)
• Ott Steeltoes
• Nar’l Xibrindas (01-50%)

In the Arena: See Dragon Heist, p. 114 for details on participating in the tournament.

XANATHAR’S LAIR – DURING A TOURNAMENT

STAT REFERENCE

Ahmaergo – DH p. 193
Flutterfoot Zipswiggle – DH p. 104
Thorvin Twinbeard – dwarven commoner, MM p. 345 (DH p. 216)
N’arl Xibrindas – drow mage, MM p. 129 (DH p. 211)
Noska Ur’gray – shield dwarf thug, MM p. 350 (DH p. 213)
Ott Steeltoes – dwarf cultist, MM p. 345 (DH p. 214)

Bandits – MM p. 343
Bugbears – MM p. 33
Duergar – MM p. 122
Grell – MM p. 172
Kuo-toa / Kuo-toa whip – MM p. 199-200

Chefs – kobolds, MM p. 195
Halfling Cook – commoner, MM p. 345

QUESTIONING THE HENCHMEN

Any member of the Xanathar Guild will be fairly familiar with all of the public spaces in the lair.

• Xanathar is even more paranoid than usual right now and hasn’t left his lair in weeks. That isn’t likely to change as long as the gang war with the Zhentarim is ongoing.
• Xanathar has some kind of machine that “wakes him up in emergencies”. (GM Note: This is a mangled version of what his dream machine (X20) is actually for.)
• Virtually all of the Xanatharians steer clear of the mind flayer’s demesne (X23-X27). It’s not unheard of for even loyal members of the Guild to disappear over there. As a result, they don’t know much about the layout or what’s there (although they know prisoners are delivered over there). Conniving Guild members might try to convince the PCs that this is where whatever it is they’re looking for is located (with the expectation that Nihiloor will eat their brains).
• Xanathar doesn’t allow anyone to enter the Area X33 and most don’t even know what’s in there, but some know that there’s a secret door connecting the Arena (X6) and “whatever Xanathar has hidden down there”.

N’arl Xibrindas knows more than most. He’s even snuck into the Crypt of Xanathars Past (X33). But he’ll also suspect that anyone questioning him is actually an agent of Xanathar trying to reveal him as a double agent.

To Part 4E: Zhentarim – Kolat Towers

Go to Part 1

As Dragon Heist begins, the Cassalanters control one of the Eyes. (They stole it from the crypt of Lady Alethea Brandath, Renaer’s mother.) If the PCs are working with the Cassalanters, however, it is quite likely that they will have no need of performing a heist to obtain this Eye: If the Cassalanters are kept apprised of the PCs’ progress, they’ll inform them that they possess one of the Eyes and turn it over to them once they’ve secured the other two.

The Cassalanters will want the Stone of Golorr once the PCs have used it to locate the Vault. If the PCs turn it over and later come to regret that action, they may need to carry out a belated heist at a later date.

BLUEPRINT NOTES

As the PCs discovered when renovating Trollskull Manor, nothing gets done without the guilds getting involved. This very much includes the construction of expensive villas by noble families, and many of those guilds will have the original construction on file. (Getting access to them may require some fast-talking, a few well-placed bribes, or perhaps a little mini-heist in its own right.)

Guilds that are likely to have useful plans:

• Carpenters’, Roofers’, and Plasterers’ Guild
• Cellarers’ and Plumbers’ Guild
• Guild of Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, and Tile-makers
• Surveyors’, Map-, and Chart-makers’ Guild

If it would be interesting, feel free to split up the useful plans across multiple guilds: The Stonecutters might have the outer walls and first floor (where detailed carvings were done). The Roofers might have a detailed plan of the upper floor. The cellar might only appear in the records of the Cellarers. And the Surveyors’ might have a very old map of the region showing that there was a sizable underground construction on the site before the Cassalanter Villa was constructed (suggesting the presence of the Temple of Asmodeus without providing any meaningful detail of it).

In preparing blueprints for your players to obtain, I recommend the following alterations:

• The hatch between C22 and C23 was not initially concealed and will likely appear on any blueprints the PCs obtain.
• C28 and C29 were not part of the original construction. They are unlikely to appear on any blueprints the PCs obtain.
• It is quite likely that C27 will be prominently identified as a highly secure VAULT.

EVENT SCHEDULE

CHES 30^th – HIGHCOIN BALLS: See surveillance opportunities, below.

TARSAHK 1^st – CARAVANCE: During this gift-giving holiday, the Cassalanters give most of their staff the night off. Presents are hidden throughout the house and the Cassalanters celebrate with their children by hunting the presents down. (The Cassalanters are taking one last chance to share joy with their children before possibly losing them forever.)

The only people left in the Villa during this time, beyond the Cassalanters themselves, are:

• The guards
• Willifort Crowell
• The imps guarding Osvaldo Cassalanter

This makes it an excellent opportunity to perform a heist onsite, particularly if the PCs can learn that it’s happening ahead of time from the servants.

Later in the evening, however, after the Cassalanter children go to bed, Asmodean cultists arrive onsite for a ritual in the Temple. (See the Cult Gathering roster below.)

TARSAHK 9^th – LEIRUIN FEAST: This is the feast at which the Cassalanters poison 99 guests and perform the ritual necessary to save their children’s’ souls (assuming they’ve managed to secure the gold from the Vault). If they haven’t secured the Vault and are, thus, unable to rescue their children, their plans for this feast are abruptly canceled.

TARSAKH 11^th – THE TWINS’ BIRTHDAY: The twins’ ninth birthday, on which Asmodeus will claim their souls.

SURVEILLANCE OPPORTUNITY

The PCs will have an opportunity to observe some of the household’s regular routine when they are first invited to the Villa to hear the Cassalanters’ plea for help. And they may be able to conduct similar surveillance on future meetings with the Cassalanters (which are likely to take place in different areas of the house).

The best general surveillance opportunity, however, is the Highcoin Ball. The house will be swarming with upper class guests, and if the PCs can somehow swing an invitation, join the retinue of someone who has an invitation, or otherwise slip their way in, they’ll be able to get a good sense of the place.

 THE VILLA

Area C4 – Reading Room: A black dragon’s head is mounted on the wall as a hunting trophy.

Area C6 – Victoro’s Office: In addition to the normal entry for this room, the Eye is secured in the hidden compartment in Victoro’s desk. The locked drawer also contains a Report from Seffia Naelryke.

• Report from Seffia Naelryke: “Milord—There are fresh eyes everywhere. We had a watcher keeping an eye on the Coachlamp Lane windmill, but I sent a message by way of arrow. They survived, and I think we can be fairly certain they work for Xanathar, as Arn followed them back to Terasse’s house on Elsambul’s Lane. – Seffia Naelryke”

Area C22 – Ammalia’s Private Study: In addition to the normal entry for this room, the desk contains the Cassalanter Report on the Grand Game (see Part 6D).

ADVERSARY ROSTERS

CASSALANTER VILLA

TEMPLE OF ASMODEUS (CULT GATHERING)

MEALTIME:

• Cassalanters are all located in Area C9 (Dining Room).
• 10 servants located in Area C8 (Covered Porch).

THE CHILDREN: Roll 1d6 to determine where Terenzio and Elzerina are. (They are generally accompanied by Nana Rosse, unless she is determined to be in Area C17 on the roster above.)

STAT REFERENCE

Cooks – commoners, MM p. 345
Cultists – MM p. 345
Guard – MM p. 347
Servants – commoners, MM p. 345

Imps – MM p. 76
Oslando Cassalanter – chain devil, MM p. 72

Jandar Chergoba (Head Chef) – tiefling cult fanatic, MM p. 345 (DH p. 117)
Laiba “Nana” Rosse (Tutor/Caretaker) – tiefling cult fanatic, MM p. 345 (DH p. 117)
Tissina Khyret (Chief Housemaid) – tiefling cult fanatic, MM p. 345 (DH p. 117)
Willifort Crowelle (Head Butler/Agent) – doppelganger, MM p. 82 (DH p. 116)

Victoro Cassalanter – DH p. 218 (has gold key which opens desk in his office)
Ammalia Cassalanter – DH p. 193

QUESTIONING STAFF

The risk of questioning the Cassalanter’s staff is that there is a 10% chance that they’re asking someone who is a secret member of the cult. Cult members are virtually certain to report the questioning to their masters as soon as possible, and may also mislead PCs by providing false information.

Likely information that can be provided by servants, however, include some subset of:

• A general layout of the areas of the villa they’re familiar with (generally the first three floors).
• Victoro keeps valuables locked in the desk in his office.
• There’s a vault in the basement.
• When working on the third floor once, they heard horrible screams coming from above them on the roof. (GM Note: That was Oslando on a particularly bad day.)
• The servants are periodically asked to gather in one area of the house or another; it’s an open secret that this is done so that the Cassalanters can host secret guests.
• Ammalia is worried sick about her children, although they seem in perfect health.
• They once saw a number of people go down into the wine cellar. They waited around for twenty minutes before Willifort shoed them away, but nobody came back up.
• There’s a secret orgy room under the guest house. (False)

Go to Part 4D: Xanathar’s Lair

Go to Part 1

As the PCs become embroiled in the Grand Game, Jarlaxle does not control an Eye. Nevertheless the Sea Maidens Faire and his ships are likely to become a target for a heist before the campaign is done:

• As noted in Part 1 and Part 5, Jarlaxle sold the nimblewright which murdered Dalakhar and can identify the purchasers. PCs may break into the ships in order to steal his shipping records or to access the crystal ball connected to the nimblewrights.
• The Bregan D’Aerthe team at Gralhund Villa (Part 2) successfully take possession of the Stone of Golorr.
• Jarlaxle’s agents may come into possession of an Eye at a later date, either by stealing it from the PCs or by beating them to the prize in Xanathar’s Lair (see below).

Therefore, we’re going to break down the heist structure for this lair, just like all the others.

It’s also an unusual lair because it really consists of four distinct areas:

• The docked ships Hellraiser and Hellbreaker
• The Sea Maidens Faire carnival which is erected on the pier between the two ships
• The flagship Eyecatcher anchored in the harbor

BLUEPRINT NOTES

Unlike a city building, there won’t be any plans of Jarlaxle’s ships readily available. However, it’s relatively easy to keep them under surveillance. I recommend preparing a player’s copy of the ship maps which includes the upper decks and the portholes on the lower decks.

EVENT SCHEDULE

CARNIVAL PARADES: The Sea Maidens Faire carnival goes on five different parades during its stay in Waterdeep.

• Ches 10^th, announcing its arrival
• Ches 21^st, participate in the Twin Parades of Selûne Sashelas
• Ches 25^th, parade to Shipwrights’ House and then set up local attractions for the evening as part of the Shipwrights’ Ball (Jarlaxle’s agents happily use the occasion to infiltrate this important social event)
• Tarsakh 1^st, join the Caravance holiday parade
• Tarsakh 5^th, a special midnight parade during Goldenight

During the parades, the Sea Maidens Faire attractions are shut down and the ships themselves are depopulated (see the Parade adversary roster, below).

ZORD’S BUSINESS: At irregular intervals, Jarlaxle (as “Captain Zord”) will leave the Eyecatcher. On these occasions his rowboat can be seen docking at the Sea Maidens Faire pier, and then he and his group will move off into the city on various errands (often splitting up).

During these times, the following characters should be stricken from the Eyecatcher’s adversary roster:

• Jarlaxle
• Margo Verida & Khafeyta
• Any lieutenants who would otherwise be present on the ship
• 1d3 mates
• 1d6+2 sailors

Although these expeditions cannot be easily planned for, when they occur the Eyecatcher will be substantially less guarded than under normal circumstances.

END OF THE SEA MAIDENS FAIRE: On Tarsakh 20^th, the Sea Maidens Faire packs up and sails out of Waterdeep harbor. (If the business of the Grand Game has not been concluded, then it’s likely that Jarlaxle will remain behind with a team of operatives.)

SURVEILLANCE OPPORTUNITY

The drow generally don’t bring strangers onto the ship, and although it may seem like there’s a lot of chaos where the carnies are concerned, the truth is that they’ve been journeying together long enough that everyone pretty much knows each other on sight. Other than becoming one of Jarlaxle’s “romantic” conquests, the PCs are unlikely to get onboard any of the ships under any sort of legitimate pretenses in order to conduct surveillance. However, there are a couple of options which can offer comparable information.

SEA MAIDENS FAIRE: The carnival itself, operating on the pier between the ships, runs from mid-morning until late into the night. This provides the perfect cover for those interested in keeping the Heartbreaker and Hellraiser under surveillance. This surveillance position is able to:

• Identify the total number of crew on each ship — 1 captain, 3 mates, 17-18 sailors, 16 carnies (when they’re not working on the dock; a handful onboard taking breaks at any given time when the carnival is operating)
• Find opportunities to peer in through portholes and get some knowledge of the interior layout of the ship(s)
• Intuit that the Heartbreaker and Hellraiser are virtually identical in layout, suggesting that the same is also likely true of the Eyecatcher
• Note that the Eyecatcher goes on full alert when a local yacht steers too close, but has no reaction to rowboats from the Heartbreaker or Hellraiser approaching

THE DRAGON ZELIFARN: As described in Dragon Heist on p. 145, the dragon Zelifarn is a curious young bronze dragon who wants the PCs to investigate the submarine attached to the bottom of the Eyecatcher and learn nothing in particular about it for no particular reason.

We’re going to swap that up a bit: If Zelifarn spots the PCs surveilling Jarlaxle’s ship, he’ll approach them with a request for help. (If the PCs spot Zelifarn watching Jarlaxle’s ship without being detected themselves, they might also choose to approach the dragon.)

Zelifarn’s mother was, in addition to being a dragon, a master crystalmancer. Jarlaxle and his agents killed his mother, Asphosis, and stole from her the special crystal ball that he uses to spy through the nimblewrights. Zelifarn doesn’t know exactly what the crystal ball does, but he wants it back so that he can restore his mother’s horde. Zelifarn knows that Jarlaxle keeps it in the Scarlet Marpenoth, but hasn’t been able to figure out a way to get it by himself.

By default, Zelifarn would prefer to pay the PCs to do the work for him. They may be able to convince him to actively assist in their raid on the Eyecatcher with a Charisma (Persuasion) check.

(This counts as a surveillance opportunity because the PCs can learn about the existence of both the submarine and the crystal ball from Zelifarn.)

SPECIAL EVENTS: These events may be observed if the PCs are keeping the Sea Maidens Faire under long-term surveillance.

• Escaped Bear (DH p. 146) – evening
• Lieutenants Meet with Laeral (DH p. 145) – night

THE SHIPS

Area J18 (Eyecatcher Only) – Nimblewright Storage: Each of these cabins contain 4 deactivated nimblewrights.

• GM Note: These are the nimblewrights which Jarlaxle has not yet sold. The process for activating them can be intuited with 5 minutes of work and a DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) test. Jarlaxle and his lieutenants all know the procedure and can activate one of the nimblewrights with a single action.

Area J29 (Eyecatcher Only) – Guest Cabin: A small bag of multihued dragon scales has been strewn across the bed (or is kept in a small bag in the bedside table). Jarlaxle uses them like other people might use rose petals.

Area J30 – Zardoz Zord’s Cabin: In addition to the normal entry for this area, a small desk contains a variety of papers. Among these is the Ledger of Nimblewright Sales (see Part 5) and, if Jarlaxle has become involved in the Grand Game, A Report on the Cultists of Asmodeus and Jarlaxle’s Report on the Grand Game.

• Report on the Cultists of Asmodeus: This report compiles information from a number of different sources – most contemporary, although a few surprisingly historical – exploring indications that there is a well-established cult of Asmodeus “which has infiltrated the highest strata of Waterdhavian society”. After what appears to be a considerable amount of legwork, the report identifies a house on Aveen Street in the North Ward as being a secret front for one of the cult’s shrines. This does not appear to be the center of worship, however. That distinction, according to references in some of the documentation captured from the Asmodean cultists over a century ago, appears to belong to an ancient site of worship located below the Sea Ward. A recommendation is made that gaining access to the records of the Suveyors’, Map-, and Chart-makers’ Guild might prove useful in identifying this site, although likely only if its location could be narrowed down.
• GM Note: The house on Aveen Street is the Asmodean Shrine (a Cassalanter outpost). The “ancient site of worshgip” lies beneath Cassalanter Villa.

Area U3 – Soluun’s Stateroom: The footlocker contains A Letter from N’arl.

• A Letter From N’arl: “Brother—I hope this letter finds you in good spirits. Thank you for the evening at the Seven Masks last tenday. A delightfully bloody affair. I think it wonderful that Jarlaxle has decided to purchase the theater, even if his intentions are not purely artistic. It was quite a joy to escape from Xanathar’s lair for a few hours and remember who I truly am. It’s a pity that we can’t do it more often, but the risk of X discovering my true allegiance is simply too great. On that note, I have taken some pains to arrange assurances for myself. When the time comes, I’ll be able to bring this whole wretched ant’s nest down on that floating fool’s head. – N’arl Xibrindas”

Area U4 – Jarlaxle’s Stateroom: In addition to the normal entry for this area, a crystal ball sits upon a plush cushion of black velvet on a pedestal at the foot of the bed. This is the Nimblewright Crystal Ball (see Part 5).

ADVERSARY ROSTERS

HEARTBREAKER (CARNIVAL ANIMALS)

HELLRAISER (PARADE FLOATS)

EYECATCHER (FLAGSHIP)

SCARLET MARPENOTH

* Has key to captain’s trunk and all doors on their ship.

ADVERSARY ROSTER – DURING PARADE

HEARTBREAKER (CARNIVAL ANIMALS)

HELLRAISER (PARADE FLOATS)

EYECATCHER (FLAGSHIP)

SCARLET MARPENOTH

* Has key to captain’s trunk and all doors on their ship.

STAT REFERENCE

Jarlaxle Baenre – DH p. 206
Margo Verida – female Amnian human bard (DH p. 195)
Khafeyta – female Mulhorandi human swashbuckler (DH p. 216)

Captain – drow mage, MM p. 129 (prepare sending instead of fly)
Mates – drow elite warrior, MM p. 128
Sailors – drow, p. 128
Carnies – commoners, MM p. 345

Gnome Engineers – apprentice wizards, DH p. 194

• NG, Small, 7 (2d6) hp
• Racial Traits: Advantage on Int, Wis, Cha saving throws vs. magic. Walking speed 25 ft. Darkvision 60 ft. Speak Common and Gnomish.
• Names: Lorella Middenpump, Tervaround Waggletop, Anverth Levery, Cockaby Fapplestamp, Ellywick Fiddlefen, Gerbo Reese, Zaffrab Horcusporcus

Nimblewright – DH p. 212
Drow gunslingers – DH p. 201

QUESTIONING CREW

• Captains: Dragon Heist, p. 132
• Sailors: Dragon Heist, p. 132
• Carnies: Dragon Heist, p. 132
• Margo / Khafeyta: Dragon Heist, p. 140
• Gnome Engineers: Dragon Heist, p. 141-142

Go to Part 4C: Cassalanter Villa