Heists and Holocrons
An anthology of heist-themed adventures for SW5e
Contents
Introduction: A Collection of Heists
Heists and Holocrons presents twelve SW5e adventures that feature heists. In each adventure, the characters receive a mission, plan the job, execute their plan, and try to escape the scene. You can run each heist as a standalone adventure or as part of a larger campaign (see "A Campaign of Heists" later in this introduction). Each adventure can be adapted to take place in any Star Wars era you wish.
Using the Adventures
The Heist Adventures table summarizes the adventures in this anthology. Each adventure is designed for four to six characters of a particular level and adheres to the following narrative structure:
- Mission Briefing. The characters are recruited to undertake a specific job. In most cases, this involves procuring an object.
- Plan the Heist. The characters investigate the heist location, learn about the obstacles they need to overcome, and strategize about completing the job. Each adventure includes a way for the characters to create or obtain a map of the target location.
- Execute the Heist. The characters enact their plans. Unforeseen complications often arise during this stage.
- Conclude the Heist. The characters' success determines their reward and how the story might progress beyond the main adventure.
These short adventures work best with players who enjoy the heist genre. In addition to thrills, drama, strategizing, and twists, each adventure includes opportunities for exploration, roleplaying, and combat.
Running the Adventures
To run these adventures, you need the following SW5e rulebooks: Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Wretched Hives, Expanded Content, Scum and Villainy 2.0 (link), and Fisto's Codex (link).
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud or paraphrased for the players when their characters first arrive at a location or under a specific circumstance, as described in the text.
When a creature's name appears underlined, that's a visual cue pointing you to its stat block as a way of saying, "Hey, DM, get this creature's stat block ready. You're going to need it." Each stat block that isn't included in the adventure is in Scum and Villainy 2.0, unless it is marked with an asterisk (Fisto's Codex) or two asterisks (this document's Appendix).
Powers and equipment mentioned in the adventure are described in the Player's Handbook unless the adventure's text directs you to an item's description elsewhere. Enhanced items are described in Wretched Hives unless the adventure's text directs you to an item's description elsewhere.
Creating a Heist Crew
This book's adventures require the characters to practice teamwork. Encourage your players to think of their characters as longtime associates or perhaps relatives so they feel tight-knit from the start.
Similarly, ask your players to consider creating characters suited to undertaking heists. Combat prowess is less important when sneaking through a guarded complex, for example, whereas stealth, skill with locks, social skills, clever problem-solving, and versatile character abilities will shine.
Well-outfitted characters are also more likely to succeed at these adventures. Equipment such as a security kit, a slicer's kit, fibercord cable, and a grappling hook might mean the difference between taking a shortcut to the objective and getting caught.
Characters can accomplish these adventures' missions in multiple ways. As the Dungeon Master, reward creative thinking!
A Campaign of Heists
You can combine the adventures in this book to form a campaign. Each adventure would be an episode in the campaign, with you filling in the details of the characters' stories between jobs.
If you go this route, encourage the players to create a crack team and a base of operations, a supporting cast of allies, and other hallmarks of a heist crew. Have your group decide on these details before play begins so the adventures progress seamlessly.
Heist Adventures
Adventure | Level | Description |
---|---|---|
The Tilnes Terror | 1 | Retrieve a mysterious egg ensconced in a museum to avert disaster. |
The Shadow World Gambit | 2 | Rob an Umbara–themed casino built with stolen money. |
The Onderon Incursion | 3 | Search for a Sith spellbook in a mansion corrupted by a dark spirit. |
Prisoner 13 | 4 | Obtain the key to a vault from a spymaster imprisoned on Devil's Asteroid. |
Oyyd's Droids | 5 | Liberate a Mustafarian town besieged by security droids gone bad. |
Ahead of the Game | 6 | Infiltrate a crime syndicate to retrieve a stolen droid head. |
Vidorant's Vault | 7 | Retrieve a stolen diadem from the vault of a notorious thief. |
Shard of the Accursed | 8 | |
Heart of Ashes | 8 | |
Affair on the Concordant Express | 9 | |
Party at Paliset Hall | 10 | |
Fire and Darkness | 11 |
To ensure the characters are always prepared for their next heist, make sure their level matches the heist's level, as shown in the Heist Adventures table. For example, the characters should be 2nd level before undertaking "The Shadow World Gambit."
Patron Organizations
A heist crew might have a patron organization that hires the characters to undertake these adventures. If you wish to use such an organization, consider one of the following.
Bothan Spynet
The Bothan Spynet is a galaxy-spanning intelligence organization made up of Bothans and other agents. While the Spynet's primary goal is buying and selling information, sometimes they might come across situations where intervention is deemed necessary, and send in agents to perform special missions.
Imperial Security Bureau
Though the Empire is usually associated with villainy, they do have an interest in maintaining peace, order, and at least the appearance of justice. Sometimes, doing so might require stepping outside of the confines of the law. In such cases, the ISB would rather hire outside operatives than jeopardize the reputation of their own agents.
The Insiders
Led by Wedge Antilles, the Insiders are a resistance force within the New Republic, carrying out necessary tasks that official authorities are unwilling to act on.
Strategic Information Service
The primary intelligence service of the Old Republic, the SIS gathers information and conducts operations throughout the galaxy. It was later reorganized into Republic Intelligence, which lasted through the days of the Clone Wars. Like the ISB, the SIS might well hire outside operatives when they wish to intervene without getting their hands dirty.
Joining a Patron Organization
Once an adventuring group proves itself effective, an operative approaches the characters to offer membership in the patron organization. Should the group accept, its members join the ranks of the patron organization, and the person who invited them becomes their handler for future missions. For an example of a handler, see the "Meera Raheer" section.
If the characters get stuck, the patron organization can provide unexpected help. For instance, if the characters lack vital information needed for a heist, their handler might share a recent discovery. If the characters need special equipment, their handler might be able to obtain it for them, provided the equipment is readily available and not too expensive.
If you decide to use a patron organization, work with the players to determine what impressive deeds their characters performed in their backstories to gain the attention of the patron organization. Then improvise a roleplaying scene in which the characters meet their handler.
Data Cubes
If the characters become operatives of a patron organization, their handler records their biometric data. Each adventure in this book includes a "Using a Patron Organization" section, in which the patron organization dispatches a data cube to the group, usually via a hired courier. The data cube is biometrically encoded to the characters and can only be activated by them. When activated, the cube plays a message that assigns them a heist, provides basic details, and sets them on the right path. After the message plays, the data cube self-destructs with a small puff of smoke.
Working in the Shadows
Secrecy is paramount for any intelligence organization. To protect the organization, the characters' handler never provides more information than is absolutely necessary. Similarly, operatives are aware of only a handful of their fellow members. This compartmentalization ensures no one individual knows enough to jeopardize the organization at large.
Should operatives be caught breaking the law while serving the patron organization, the organization does its best to protect them. It may pull strings to ensure members aren't incarcerated—or worse—depending on the organization's resources in the area.
Meera Raheer
Meera Raheer (lawful light, Human commoner**) is a handler you can assign to oversee your players' heist crew.
When Meera was young, her kindhearted and upstanding mothers served as city clerks. But when they began investigating financial irregularities, the unscrupulous mayor framed them for embezzlement to cover his own corruption. The only evidence of the Raheers' innocence was a set of holographic communications between the mayor and his conspirators. The recordings were locked in the mayor's office.
Luckily for the Raheers, a crew of operatives of the patron organization infiltrated city hall, retrieved the recordings, and revealed the mayor's crimes. The Raheers kept fighting against government corruption, and Meera has followed in her parents' footsteps, continuing their anti-corruption work by becoming a city's clerk and a member of the patron organization.
Meera lives and breathes city protocols, procedures, and statutes. She also understands that sometimes doing the right thing means operating outside the law.
Heist Complications
Unforeseen complications are an iconic aspect of heist narratives. Whether they take the form of a rival crew appearing out of nowhere or a treasure that turns out to be fake, complications ratchet up the tension and require the characters to think on their feet.
If you want to challenge your players, consider adding one of the complications below to any of this book's adventures.
The Moving MacGuffin
Many of this book's heists involve procuring a MacGuffin. Part of preparing for these heists is determining where the MacGuffin in question is located.
If the characters are having too easy of a time finding the MacGuffin, consider shifting its location to another place that makes sense. Or consider revealing that the MacGuffin is a fake, and the real prize is still nearby. The characters should still be able to determine where it's really located.
For example, in "The Tilnes Terror," perhaps the MacGuffin is no longer in the Gemstone Wing and is being stored in the museum's attic overnight. The characters could learn this detail by reading notes they discover in the curator's office or by questioning one of the museum guards.
If you use the moving MacGuffin complication, be careful of moving the MacGuffin more than once. Having trouble locating the object of the heist could unduly frustrate your players.
Rival Crew
A rival crew vying for the same goal can increase the pressure on the characters. Regardless of your players' goal, once another crew appears, the adventure becomes a race to accomplish the objective first.
You can add a rival crew to an adventure at any time. When you do, make it clear to the characters that they have competition. The characters might see evidence of their rivals, such as an alarm that has already been disabled or an incapacitated guard. At some point, the characters might even catch their rivals trying to steal the adventure's MacGuffin from right under their noses!
The rival crew could include some or all of the following members:
Arlo Kettoe (neutral balanced Rodian) is abrupt and direct with their compatriots. Arlo loves puns and wordplay.
Enna "The Silence" Gala'kiir (neutral balanced Twi'lek) is an intimidating, stealthy woman who rarely speaks; when she does, her voice is a quiet hiss.
Gregir Fendelsohn (lawful balanced Human) is loyal and passionate. He insists on the crew getting paid no matter what.
Sabrina "Kill More" Kilgore (chaotic balanced Human) is a brash, violent woman who loves thrills and sweets.
Torgja Stonecrusher (chaotic balanced Ugnaught) has a jovial, happy-go-lucky nature that belies her ruthlessness.
Tosh Starling (neutral balanced Zabrak) is loquacious but always focused on his objective. He takes pride in his meticulously groomed appearance.
If a fight breaks out between the characters and a rival crew, use stat blocks for the rivals that are appropriate for the adventure's level, as indicated in the Rival Crew Statistics table. Each stat block can be found in Scum and Villainy 2.0, unless it is marked with an asterisk (Fisto's Codex) or two asterisks (this document's Appendix).
Rival Crew Statistics
Rival | Levels 1-4 Stat Blocks | Levels 5-8 Stat Blocks | Levels 9-11 Stat Blocks |
---|---|---|---|
Arlo | Trooper, heavy | Sergeant* | Smuggler |
Enna | Thug* | Spy* | Lethal operative** |
Gregir | Thug* | Goon** | Veteran** |
Sabrina | Thug* | Goon** | Veteran** |
Torgja | Thug* | Goon** | Veteran** |
Tosh | Navy trooper | Spy* | Assassin* |
Rival Crew in Play
Decide whether the rival crew is ahead of or behind the characters in pursuit of the objective. If either would make sense for your game, roll a d20. On an even result, the rivals are closer to achieving the objective than the characters. On an odd result, the rivals are nipping at the characters' heels.
Pay attention to how the characters respond to their rivals' presence. If the characters take pains to thwart trailing rivals or catch leading rivals, the characters should achieve their objective without further complication. If the characters ignore the rival crew, the rivals should achieve the objective first. Then it's up to the characters to chase their rivals and try to salvage the mission.
Always give the characters the opportunity to confront rivals who have achieved the objective first. This might lead to a negotiation scene or a fight.
Rival Crew Motivations
A rival crew might pursue the characters' objective for a variety of reasons. Greed might motivate rivals to steal a valuable objective, or they might have deep emotional involvement in the story.
A rival crew might be working at the behest of a patron. Perhaps an evil guild leader has hired the rivals to steal the MacGuffin. If the characters aren't working for a patron organization, perhaps the rivals are—and they might try to recruit the characters to their cause.
The Rival Crew Motivations table provides hooks for how a rival crew might become involved in each of this book's adventures.
Rival Crew Motivations
Adventure | Rival Crew's Motivations |
---|---|
The Tilnes Terror | Museum curator Alda Arkin hires the rivals to steal the Tilnes Stone, a curiosity she knows would fetch a high price on the black market. |
The Shadow World Gambit | Regor Falsain (neutral dark, Human noble**), a gambler who wasn't invited to participate in the Pazaak tournament, hires the rivals to steal the Vixian Mauler statuette. |
The Onderon Incursion | Yex An'thal (chaotic dark, Twi'lek Revanite, believer) was one of Markos Delphi's researchers until he was caught trying to steal the Sith spellbook. Eager to commune with dark spirits, Yex hires the rivals to steal the book from Delphi Mansion. |
Prisoner 13 | Horath Ker'skar (lawful dark, Bothan veteran**) hires the rivals to retrieve Prisoner 13's key so he can steal Clan Askar's treasure for himself. |
Oyyd's Droids | Oyyd's code cylinder is a copy of a code cylinder that opens a vault containing vast wealth in another Mustafarian stronghold. Wrrl (neutral dark, Mustafarian smuggler) hires the rivals to retrieve the code cylinder for her so she can claim the treasure. |
Ahead of the Game | The rivals are members of another crime syndicate, such as Black Sun. They seek TC-01 for Skandor Torreth (neutral balanced, Human lethal operative**), an assassin who needs information only the droid head knows. |
Vidorant's Vault | The rivals are members of the Blue Ghosts and wish to impress Samph Goldan by stealing the diadem. They are unaware Goldan has hired the characters. |
Shard of the Accursed | |
Heart of Ashes | |
Affair on the Concordant Express | |
Party at Paliset Hall | |
Fire and Darkness |
The Tilnes Terror
An Adventure for 1st-Level Characters
Unbeknownst to anyone but a disgraced academic, the Reidi Artom Museum in the city of Gadrin on the planet Cularin is in grave danger. Archaeologists at a dig site on one of the planet's moons recently unearthed a curiosity: the Tilnes Stone. This object is actually a dark creature's egg, and it's about to hatch. The characters must infiltrate the museum, steal the egg, and return it to Dr. Cassee Dannell to be neutralized before it releases a Shrii-Ka-Rai--an Eater of the Force.
Adventure Background
Dr. Cassee Dannell, a brilliant academic, long ago learned to hide her interest in the occult. She instead built a career gaining expertise in the peoples and cultures of Cularin, continuing her occult research in secret. By age twenty-four, Dr. Dannell had earned her doctorate in anthropology from Gadrin University, a prestigious institution in her home city. Her ability to connect local archaeological objects with their cultural context was unrivaled, so after her graduation, Dr. Dannell became a Gadrin faculty member and field scientist, accompanying the university's archaeology crews on digs in the area.
On a recent expedition to the moon Tilnes, the archaeologists unearthed a strange object. Purple, opaque, and with a gemstone-like sheen, this ovoid stone was covered in strange patterns. The stone seemed ritualistic in nature, but it matched no recorded historical practices, and no one could identify its composition. The more Dr. Dannell studied it, the more she became convinced this object, which the archaeologists dubbed the Tilnes Stone, was not created by any known civilization—and might be dangerous.
Dr. Dannell tried to convince the dig's archaeologists to isolate the Tilnes Stone until she could learn more about it, but word of the discovery spread quickly. When the Reidi Artom Museum offered a generous price for the stone, it was soon whisked from the dig site to the museum.
Dr. Dannell continued to research the strange stone. Her concern turned to dread when she found descriptions of similar objects in her occult tomes. These objects were, in fact, the eggs of dark creatures called the Nameless, also known as Shrii-Ka-Rai, which translates to "Eaters of the Force". She learned that such eggs lay dormant for generations, but once the eggs are unearthed, the creatures within rapidly develop and hatch. The resulting creatures are ravenous for Force energy and grow exponentially as they feed. Since the planet Cularin is a nexus of the Force, if one of the Nameless were to hatch there, it would be catastrophic. The eggs are nearly indestructible, but the tomes claim encasing them in crystal can neutralize them.
According to Dr. Dannell's research, the Tilnes Stone is due to hatch in a matter of days. She frantically presented her findings to the university's administrators, who deemed her work pseudoscience and refused to interfere with the museum's upcoming exhibition of the Tilnes Stone. Desperate, Dr. Dannell snuck into the museum after hours and tried to steal the stone, but she was caught. The university disavowed her actions and fired her. With mere hours left in the Tilnes Stone's gestation period, Dr. Dannell is nearly out of options.
Using a Patron Organization
If you're using a patron organization, a data cube is delivered to the characters in whatever manner you deem fit. The data cube is biometrically encoded to the characters and can only be activated by them. When the characters activate the cube, a soothing voice says the following:
"Greetings, operatives. [Patron organization] has learned that the egg of a nameless horror has been mistaken for a historical object and is about to go on display at the Reidi Artom Museum. The anthropologist Dr. Cassee Dannell tried to warn officials about this egg, known as the Tilnes Stone, but none believed her. We do, and we know that if this egg hatches, many will die—or worse. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to infiltrate the museum, steal the egg, and return it to Dr. Dannell, who will neutralize it. There's no time to waste; the egg could hatch at any moment. Start by meeting with Dr. Dannell. Good luck, operatives."
After the message plays, the data cube self-destructs with a small puff of smoke.
A Cry for Help
Time is short, and Dr. Dannell is desperate for help. She has exhausted all official channels and has turned to the characters.
The characters should have some connection to Dr. Dannell to explain why she reaches out to them. Have your players determine this connection before the adventure begins. Here are some possibilities:
- Dannell Family Friend. Dr. Dannell hails from a family of professors and scientists who have interacted significantly with Gadrin's intellectuals and nobility. One or more characters have rubbed shoulders with members of the Dannell clan, including Cassee.
- Museum Enthusiast. Dr. Dannell's research is cited liberally in the Reidi Artom Museum's exhibits, and she regularly corresponds with fans of her work, including one or more characters who have earned her respect.
- Gadrin University Student. Dr. Dannell has taught numerous anthropology and history classes attended by one or more characters and is impressed with their occult acumen.
Once the characters have determined their connection to Dr. Dannell, read the following out loud to get this adventure started:
No matter your business this morning, a droid messenger finds you and hands you a datacard containing a written message.
"Meet me at the Sage's Quill today as soon as you can," the missive reads. "I beg your help in a delicate matter whose importance cannot be overstated. I shall await you in a purple hooded robe."
The note is signed, "Dr. Cassee Dannell."
When you look up, the droid has wandered off.
The Clock is Ticking
The Sage's Quill is a quiet, plush cantina that caters to the city's academics and intellectuals. It is located next to the Reidi Artom Museum, less than a mile from Gadrin University.
Once the characters arrive at the cantina, read the following out loud:
As you enter the Sage's Quill, soft light reveals mahogany furniture and luxurious carpets. A few genteel patrons murmur in the lounge. You soon notice a purple-hooded figure tucked into a corner booth.
Dr. Dannell gestures for you to sit. You notice lines of worry etched into her normally cheerful face.
Dr. Dannell (neutral light, Human commoner**) has an Intelligence score of 18. She anxiously addresses the characters:
"Thank you for coming so quickly," she says. "A few weeks ago, I attended a dig on the moon Tilnes that unearthed a smooth, purple stone. I'll give you all the details, but the bottom line is that it isn't a stone at all—it's the egg of a dark creature which legends call a Shrii-Ka-Rai--an Eater of the Force. Moreover, my research indicates it'll hatch at midnight tonight.
"Trouble is, no one will listen to me. The university ignored me, and I was caught trying to steal the egg from the museum so I could contain it. Now I've been fired, the Tilnes Stone display at the museum opens tomorrow, and the egg is about to hatch.
"This whole planet is strong in the Force. If that creature gets free, it will devour everything, and grow too fast to be contained. You've got to steal the Tilnes Stone and bring it back so I can save the planet!"
What Dr. Dannell Knows
If the characters talk with Dr. Dannell further, she gives more information about their mission and what she has learned about the stone:
- Getting the Egg. The characters need to reconnoiter the museum in search of security measures, steal the Tilnes Stone at an opportune time (see "Stealing the Tilnes Stone" below), and deliver it to Dr. Dannell. She'll wait for them in an alley between the museum and the Sage's Quill.
- Traits of the Egg. The Tilnes Stone can't be damaged or destroyed. Unearthing the egg triggered the rapid development of the creature within, which will soon be ready to hatch.
- Containing the Egg. At this point, the only way to keep the egg from hatching is to encase it in a specially prepared crystal container. Dr. Dannell created a crystal box for this purpose. She still needs to seal cracks in the crystal, so the characters can't take the box with them on the heist.
- What's in the Egg. Dr. Dannell's occult sources indicate an extremely dangerous creature will hatch from the egg unless it can be safely contained.
Stealing the Tilnes Stone
The Tilnes Stone is going on public display tomorrow at the Reidi Artom Museum, Dr. Dannell explains. A private gala celebrating the new exhibition will occur tonight in the museum's second-floor Gemstone Wing.
The characters aren't required to attend the gala, but doing so is the only way to glimpse the stone—and the security measures around it—before their heist. Dr. Dannell has secured a gala ticket for each character, and she gives them the tickets now.
The characters must wear formal dress to the gala. Dr. Dannell has an appropriate outfit for each character ready. One of the outfits is actually a set of clothes, clandestine (fine). The characters can use the hidden pockets in the outfit to smuggle small weapons or adventuring gear into the gala, if they wish.
Dr. Dannell's Tools
Before her unsuccessful attempt to steal the Tilnes Stone, Dr. Dannell scouted the Reidi Artom Museum. She pretended to be a patron and recorded the museum's layout, filling in what she knows about nonpublic areas, such as the basement.
Dannell's Map. Dr. Dannell gives the characters her sketch of the museum (see map 1.1) before they leave for the gala. Although she's a brilliant academic, Dr. Dannell is neither an architect nor a burglar. Her map is based on the public map of the museum's exhibits, so it is incomplete and lacks information about the museum's security measures. For instance, Dr. Dannell knows the museum is outfitted with alarms after it closes to the public, but she doesn't know where those alarms are located or how to bypass them.
Museum Staff
Dr. Dannell knows that the museum has twelve guards and that the museum curator—the Twi'lek Alda Arkin—likely has a record of the areas the guards patrol at night. Dr. Dannell suspects this information is in Arkin's office, located somewhere in the eastern wing on the first floor. Arkin herself will attend the gala.
The Reward
For bringing the Tilnes Stone back to Dr. Dannell, she offers the clothes, clandestine (fine) plus 200 cr per character. If a character succeeds on a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check, Dr. Dannell increases her offer to 300 cr per character.
Map 1.1: Players' Map
The Opening Gala
The private gala celebrating the opening of the Tilnes Stone exhibition begins at 6 p.m., and the museum closes at 8 p.m. There's enough time for characters to prepare before attending, including retrieving or procuring formal attire if they don't wish to wear the clothes Dr. Dannell provided. Weapons and visible armor are not permitted inside the museum and must be smuggled in using hidden pockets or stashed elsewhere.
Once the characters are ready to enter the museum, keep track of which character is wearing the clothes, clandestine (fine), if the characters are making use of the hidden pockets. Then read the following aloud:
The facade of the Reidi Artom Museum boasts enormous columns and elegant archways hewn from marble. Cosmopolitan visitors bustle about the entrance, including some clad in sleek formalwear.
The museum is open to the public today; only the Gemstone Wing on the second floor is closed for the ticketed gala. The Tilnes Stone is ensconced in the Gemstone Wing.
Scouting the Museum
The characters can explore the public areas of the museum while it's open. The entire museum is public except for its offices (areas V5–V7), basement (area V16), and attic (area V17).
The characters have about two hours to prepare for their heist before the museum closes. If the characters don't immediately go to the Gemstone Wing (area V13), museum guards notice their formal attire and periodically suggest they do so.
Information relevant to the characters' heist plan is below. More information about specific areas of the museum is included in the "Museum Locations" section later.
Entering Nonpublic Areas
The doors to the museum's offices (areas V5–V7) and basement (area V16) are locked at all hours, as described in the "Interior Doors" subsection of the "General Features" section. Curator Alda Arkin, whom the characters might meet at the gala, carries a master code cylinder, while the museum's guards have code cylinders that grant access to specific areas (see "Circumventing Security" and "Curator Alda Arkin").
Encountering Museum Guards
As long as the characters aren't caught entering a restricted area or causing a public incident, the museum's guards ignore them during the gala.
If one or more characters are spotted in a restricted area or cause a public incident, a guard** approaches them. Roll on the Museum Guards table to determine which guard arrives. Characters in formal dress are escorted to the Gemstone Wing, while characters who are improperly dressed for the occasion are told to leave the museum at once. If the characters protest, the guard becomes hostile and calls for backup. At the end of each of the guard's turns, an additional 1d4 guards** arrive until all the museum guards are accounted for.
Provided a guard hasn't called for backup, a character can take an action and use trickery or intimidation to convince a guard to leave. The character must make a DC 10 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, the character convinces the guard to look for trouble elsewhere. If the check fails, the guard becomes hostile and behaves as described above, and the character can't repeat the check on that particular guard.
Museum Guards
d12 | Guard Description |
---|---|
1 | Darrison Blackwaters (neutral balanced Human), a former soldier who takes everything literally |
2 | Franceena Lic'tor (neutral light Twi'lek), a sarcastic newbie who respects history |
3 | Fubbodrrl (lawful balanced Wookiee), who loves policy and procedure |
4 | Mila Wum (lawful light Duros), who is very serious but loves a good pun |
5 | Garent Millaneff (neutral dark Human), a bully who loves money and bragging rights |
6 | Violet Pendergilt (neutral light Human), a wistful dreamer who plans to quit soon |
7 | Sureth Dhanvhal (neutral balanced Human), a reserve soldier who is always pressed for time |
8 | Brendara Valin'dril (lawful balanced Bothan), a graduate student in history at the university |
9 | Ziransa (neutral light Tarasin), a wanderer paying off a debt to the museum |
10 | Clark Jonathan Vanth (lawful light Human), a young and naive individual |
11 | Sareena Shu (chaotic neutral Devaronian), an overeager lover of history and learning |
12 | Maryam Bikram (lawful balanced Human), a city watch veteran who rigidly enforces the rules |
Investigating Security Measures
The museum is protected by several security measures after it closes at 8 p.m.
Alarms. Audible alarm tech powers have been cast in areas marked (A) on map 1.2. The museum's guards and the curator have pass cards that allow them to bypass these alarms, and spare pass cards are kept in area V7 (see "Bypassing Alarms" below for more information). The alarms are located as follows:
- The front doors to area V1
- At the bottom of the stairs in area V1
- In each hallway leading from area V1 to area V3
- On the doors leading from area V1 to areas V5, V6, and V7
- In the hall leading from area V11 to area V12
- On the door leading from area V12 to the hallway to area V13
- If an alarm is on a door, touching the door sets off the alarm. If an alarm is on a 5-foot square, entering that square sets it off. The alarm on the front doors in area V1 extends 10 feet, covering the entire width of the doorway. When an alarm sounds, any guards in the area plus 1d3 other guards from that floor hear it and investigate.
The characters can find a record of the museum's payment for these alarms, including their specific locations, by searching the records room (area V6); the alarms can also be detected using detect enhancement. The alarms aren't armed while the museum is open to the public.
Droid Statues. The statues that flank the front desk in area V1 and the statue next to the stairs in area V12 are actually security droids that can activate after hours to attack intruders. These statues use the B2 series, B2-A stat block. Causing a droid to activate alerts any guards in that area.
A detect enhancement tech power reveals an aura around each statue. A character who examines the statues can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Technology) check. If the check is successful, the character realizes the statues are droids.
Gemstone Wing. If the characters don't carefully remove the Tilnes Stone from its pedestal in area V13, lock tech powers cause all doors leading to the room (including secret doors) to close and lock. As an action, a character can either try to unlock a door using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check, or force open the door by succeeding on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. The characters can learn about this security measure by attending the gala (see the "Attending the Gala" section).
Guards. After hours, Maryam Bikram is stationed at the entrance to the gala. Eleven other museum guards watch the areas indicated in the Guard Locations After Hours table. Guards have keys to certain areas. Guards also have pass cards that allow them to bypass the museum's alarms (see "Bypassing Alarms" below).
If the characters get into a noisy fight with one or more guards, an additional 1d4 guards** arrive each round until all the remaining museum guards are accounted for.
If the guards incapacitate a character or a character surrenders, the guards haul that character to the nearby city watch headquarters. If all the characters are caught, their mission is unsuccessful and the adventure ends.
Guard Locations After Hours
Area | Guards |
---|---|
V1 | 2 |
V3 | 1 |
V4 | 1 |
V8 | 1 |
V9-V10 | 2 |
V11 | 1 |
V12 | 2 |
V13 | 2 |
Circumventing Security
Characters who discover the museum's security measures can find ways to circumvent them. A few suggestions are provided below:
- Avoiding Statues. Characters can keep the statues from activating by staying more than 5 feet away from them.
- Bypassing Alarms. The curator and guards each carry a palm-sized pass card embossed with the museum's logo. A detect enhancement tech power reveals an aura around each pass card, which allows the bearer to bypass any of the museum's alarms. The characters can find a stash of extra pass cards in area V7. A character who is hidden and within reach of a guard can try to steal that guard's pass card without the guard's knowledge, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
- Sneaking Past Guards. The characters can find a document in the curator's office (area V5) that outlines the guards' stations after hours. During the gala, the curator keeps this document on her person (see the "Curator Alda Arkin" section). Characters who spend at least 1 minute studying the document have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to sneak past guards after hours.
- Stealing Code Cylinders. The curator carries a master code cylinder, while each guard carries a code cylinder that unlocks all doors to the area in which the guard is stationed. Guards in area V1 also have a code cylinder to the break room (area V7). A character can steal a guard's code cylinder in the same way as they can steal a pass card, described in "Bypassing Alarms" above.
Hiding in the Museum
The characters can hide in numerous locations while the museum closes. Below are good options, which are detailed in the "Museum Locations" section:
- Cleaning Supply Storage. Short hallways that hold cleaning supplies are concealed behind secret doors in areas V3, V4, V8, V9, V12, and V13.
- Privies. The guards nominally check area V15 before closing, but anyone who hides here avoids detection.
- Attic or Basement. The guards don't enter areas V16 or V17 before the museum closes.
Reentering the Museum
The characters might decide to leave the museum when it closes and sneak back inside after hours. Below are some strategies they might use:
- Front Doors. The characters could pick the lock on the front doors to area V1, use pass cards to bypass the alarm (see "Bypassing Alarms"), and contend with the falling net trap just inside the doors while remaining a safe distance from the droid statues.
- Attic Skylight. The characters could pick the lock on the skylight to enter the building. Grappling hooks and fibercord cable are required to scale the building. By the end of the gala, it is dark enough to allow characters to enter through the attic skylight without being seen.
- Basement Doors. The characters could pry open the loading dock doors or prop open the secret door if they find it.
Attending the Gala
If the characters approach the private gala in the Gemstone Wing (area V13), they encounter Maryam Bikram (lawful neutral, Human guard**). The captain of the museum's security force, Maryam is a serious woman and a veteran of the city's watch. She admits any character who is dressed for the occasion and has a ticket. Others are turned away.
When the characters enter the gala, read the following aloud:
The Gemstone Wing's oak doors open into a luxuriously appointed ballroom. Crimson tablecloths and fine china adorn dining tables, and chandeliers sparkle overhead. Cabinets with glittering gemstones surround the space. Against the wing's east wall is a marble pedestal bearing a peculiar, purple stone.
Twenty other gala attendees (unarmed and unarmored nobles**) mill around the event. All are dressed in elaborate finery, and most are long-time donors to the museum.
When a character interacts with an attendee, roll on the Gala Attendees table to determine whom they meet. The attendees know nothing about the Tilnes Stone beyond basic details about its discovery. However, if the characters fish for information about the stone or the museum and succeed on a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check, an attendee reveals one random piece of information from the Museum Gossip table.
Gala Attendees
d4 | Attendee |
---|---|
1 | Captain Frankheim Walters (chaotic balanced Human), who never served in the military but implies he did |
2 | Luceena Dylarahal (neutral dark Rodian), a sneering heir to a mining fortune |
3 | Countess Helene Danforth (neutral light Human), a member of an ancient, titled family with little actual wealth |
4 | Dr. Horthnar Stonecrusher (lawful light Ugnaught), a surgeon who loves natural history and gemstones |
Museum Gossip
d4 | Juicy Tidbit |
---|---|
1 | The curator has been fidgeting with her clutch all night. Has she gotten some sort of bad news? Maybe she's about to fire someone! |
2 | Sometimes the museum keeps displays hidden in the basement at night. The curator must think her own guards might steal something! |
3 | It's unfortunate that the museum has fallen on hard financial times. If only they sold all those ore and gem samples they keep in the basement. I've heard there's a fortune down there! |
4 | The curator has a strange obsession with interrogation droids. I've heard she keeps one in her office! |
Curator Alda Arkin
Mingling with the gala's attendees is Alda Arkin (neutral dark, Twi'lek noble**), the museum's curator. During the gala, the curator is unarmed and unarmored. A retired university professor, Alda is responsible for the museum's close ties to Gadrin University's anthropology and archaeology departments.
When she notices the characters, she assumes they're wealthy museum donors, welcomes them, and engages in chitchat. Alda is familiar with Dr. Dannell. She deeply dislikes the anthropologist due to Dr. Dannell's interest in the occult. If the characters mention Dr. Dannell's fears about the Tilnes Stone, Alda snorts, dismisses their concerns, and leaves to mingle with other attendees.
Alda's Clutch. Characters who watch Alda closely notice a fancy clutch she holds behind her back. Inside the clutch is a map of the museum guards' after-hours stations, a master code cylinder to the museum's locked doors, and a pass card that allows Alda to bypass the museum's alarms (see "Investigating Security Measures" earlier in the adventure for details).
Examining the Tilnes Stone
The Tilnes Stone sits atop a pedestal in area V13, flanked by informational placards about the stone's discovery and theories about its use—though Dr. Dannell's occult theory is missing.
Gemstone Wing Security Measures. A character who spends at least 1 minute studying the pedestal during the gala realizes it has an elaborate defense mechanism (see area V13).
Reidi Artom Museum
Once the Tilnes Stone exhibition gala ends, the museum closes. Its staff members activate the protections listed in the "Investigating Security Measures" section.
General Features
The Reidi Artom Museum has stone walls and tiled floors. The building's other features are described below:
- Ceilings. The museum's ceilings are 30 feet high.
Map 1.2: DM's Map
Player Version
- Interior Doors. The interior doors are closed and locked, with the exception of the privies in area V15. A character can use an action to try to unlock a door using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 12 Dexterity check unless otherwise noted. Attempting to use a security kit to unlock a door with an enabled alarm tech power triggers that alarm.
- Lighting. On the first two floors, most areas are lit with glowrods placed on sconces. The grand entrance (area V1), Prehistoric Predators exhibit (area V12), basement (area V16), and attic (area V17) are areas of dim light. Guards in areas V1 and V12 carry glowrods.
- Secret Doors. A secret door can be found by any character who takes an action to examine the surrounding wall and succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Museum Locations
The following locations are keyed to map 1.2. The descriptions assume the characters are exploring the museum after it's closed to the public.
V1: Grand Entrance
Statues depicting hooded Human women flank the sides of this public mingling space, which boasts a marble column in the center. The museum's information desk is situated just inside the front doors. To the north is a grand staircase draped in rich carpet.
Two guards** patrol this area. The two droid statues flanking the information desk activate if a character comes within 5 feet of either of them. The statues use the B2 series, B2-A stat block and fight until destroyed.
Alarms. An alarm tech power has been cast on the bottom of the grand staircase. Another such power has been cast on the front doors.
Front Doors. The museum's front doors are locked from the inside. As an action, a character can try to pick the lock using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 16 Dexterity check.
Trap. The 5-foot-by-10-foot section of floor immediately north of the museum's front doors (marked T on map 1.2) contains a pressure plate hidden under a rug. Lifting the rug or pushing it aside reveals the pressure plate, which is activated and deactivated by a toggle switch hidden under the nearby information desk. The trap is normally activated while the museum is closed to the public and deactivated while the museum is open to the public.
The first time a creature steps on the pressure plate while the trap is activated, a weighted net drops from a secret compartment in the ceiling, covering the 10-foot-square area between the front doors and the information desk. Creatures in that area are restrained by the net, and those that fail a DC 10 Strength saving throw are also knocked prone.
A creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. The net has AC 10 and 12 hit points. Creatures are no longer restrained by the net once it drops to 0 hit points.
V2: Museum Shops
Display racks here are filled with tunics, bandannas, datacrons, and bric-a-brac, most emblazoned with the museum's logo. Plush benches serve as seating areas.
The eastern shop sells cheap souvenirs and bears a sign that reads, "The Historian's Gifts." The western shop sells datacrons and artifact replicas and is labeled "The Archaeologist's Spade."
Loot. Each shop includes a small back room with a locked door. As an action, a character can try to unlock either door using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 16 Dexterity check. Inside each shop's back room is a till containing 12d6 cr. Additionally, one security kit can be cobbled together from the supplies in the back rooms.
V3: Ancient Plants Exhibit
Artificial plants made of wood, silk, and other materials sprout from artfully arranged planters. Ch'hala trees, Greenbark trees, Jo trees, and T'chira trees are represented alongside placards about ancient plant life.
One guard** patrols this area. Hallways to the north and south connect to area V4.
Alarms. The short hallways that connect this area to the grand entrance (area V1) have alarm tech powers cast on them.
Secret Doors. The northern and central exhibit rooms each have a secret door in the west wall that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the opposite end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal a similarly sized exhibit room in area V4.
V4: Ancient Cultures Exhibit
Glass display cases boast objects related to life on ancient Cularin. Clay pots, stone tools, and scraps of leather clothes are interspersed with informational placards about their historical use by the Tarasin.
One guard** patrols this area. Hallways to the north and south connect to area V3.
Secret Doors. The northern and central exhibit rooms each have a secret door in the east wall that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the opposite end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal a similarly sized exhibit room in area V3.
V5: Curator's Office
A solid wood desk stands on a plush carpet in the center of this office. In the southeast corner, a sleek black protocol droid reclines against the wall, motionless.
Alarm. An alarm tech power has been cast on the door that connects this room to area V1.
Deadly Droid. After hours, the curator enables her office's defense mechanism: a 000 series protocol droid. When a creature other than Alda enters the room, the droid activates and attacks, fighting until destroyed.
At your discretion, a noisy fight might attract the attention of the guards patrolling area V1.
Guards' Patrol Routes. If the characters didn't snatch Alda's clutch during the gala, they can find a copy of the guards' after-hours patrol routes on the desk under some other loose paperwork (see the "Curator Alda Arkin" section).
V6: Records Room
Computer databanks stand in this records room.
Alarm. An alarm tech power has been cast on the door that connects this room to area V1.
Records. This room contains records about past and current exhibits as well as the museum's financial records. Accessing the digital records requires Alda Arkin's code cylinder or a successful DC 12 Intelligence check using a slicer's kit. A character who accesses the records also finds information about the placement of the building's alarm tech powers (see "Investigating Security Measures" earlier in the adventure).
V7: Break Room and Storage
Boxes of display supplies are stacked into this room's corners. Chairs surround a circular table in the middle.
Alarm. An alarm tech power has been cast on the door that connects this room to area V1.
Pass Card Stash. Characters who take a minute to search the boxes find a small, partially open box in the southwest corner. Inside are three palm-sized pass cards, each stamped with the museum's logo. A scrap of paper inside the box reads "spare alarm pass cards." Each pass card allows its bearer to bypass the museum's alarms, as described in the "Bypassing Alarms" section earlier in this adventure.
Loot. Tucked between supply boxes in the northwest corner is a vial containing a dose of karrak (high quality).
V8: Creatures of the Past Exhibit
Fossils of small prehistoric creatures are arranged here, some as fully reconstructed skeletons. The exhibit includes dua-wurms, emmosi lizards, juru ants, and an ancestor of the akcinor bird. Informational placards tell the stories of these creatures and their bones' discovery.
One guard** patrols this area.
Secret Door. Between two of the 15-foot-square exhibit rooms is a secret door that opens into a short hallway heading north. At the opposite end of the hallway, which holds cleaning supplies, is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door opens to reveal area V12.
V9: Underground Wonders Exhibit
Glittering ore and gemstones are arranged in velvet-backed display cases. Informational placards explain local geologic history.
Two guards** patrol this exhibit and area V10, moving from one room to the other every 5 minutes.
The gems on display here hold little value; precious stones are reserved for display in the Gemstone Wing (area V13).
Fake Tilnes Stone. A character who examines the stones on display in the easternmost room realizes the central display cabinet includes a chunk of amethyst similar in size and weight to the Tilnes Stone. The display case is locked, but a character can take an action to try to open it using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. Smashing the display case's glass attracts the guards patrolling this area.
Secret Door. Between this exhibit and area V10 is a secret door that opens into a short hallway heading north. At the opposite end of the hallway, which holds cleaning supplies, is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal area V13.
V10: Archaeology Display
Picks, trowels, brushes, and other archaeological tools are on display here. Informational placards label them as tools famous local experts used to dig up the wonders found in the museum. Murals along the south wall depict famous digs.
Two guards** patrol both this exhibit and area V9, moving from one room to the other every 5 minutes.
This exhibit tells the story of the infamous Rogerson dig, where most of the creatures in the Prehistoric Predators exhibit were found. The placards dismiss local legends that claim the excavators were subsequently cursed.
Loot. A character who studies the exhibit and succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check realizes the items on display include two flawless weapons: a +1 vibrodagger and a +1 techaxe. The weapons are inside a glass case with a jammed lock, so the characters must break or cut through the glass to access the weapons. Breaking the glass attracts the guards patrolling this area.
V11: Unearthed Café
This space holds a mix of cafeteria-style tables and lounge furniture. A counter in the northeast corner sits underneath a sign that reads, "Unearthed Café."
One guard** patrols this area.
Loot. A small lockbox is stashed under the counter. As an action, a character can try to open the lockbox using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check. The lockbox contains 159 cr.
V12: Prehistoric Predators Exhibit
The intact skeletons of several large prehistoric monsters are on display here, including the museum's most famous display: the beautifully preserved body of a prehistoric ancestor of the Kilassin, its leathery skin appearing supple to the touch. An informational placard next to the great lizard explains it died in a mire millennia ago and was naturally preserved. Display cases along the room's walls hold fossils of other ancient local predators.
Two guards** patrol this area.
The statue west of the stairs depicts a Tarasin. If a character comes within 5 feet of the statue, it activates. The statue uses the B2 series, B2-A stat block and fights until destroyed.
Alarms. An alarm tech power has been cast in the hallway leading to the Unearthed Café (area V11). Another alarm power has been cast on the door in the middle of the east wall (which leads to area V13).
Kilassin. The Kilassin ancestor looks like a preserved specimen, but the museum hired astrotechs to transform it into a harmless animatronic display. A character who examines the display's base notices a small hatch covering a panel of buttons. A character can use these controls to turn on the animatronic display, which alerts not only the guards in this area but also the guards in areas V11 and V13.
As an action, a character can use astrotech's implements or a slicer's kit to try to overload the controls, doing so with a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Technology) check. This causes the animatronic Kilassin (see its stat block at the end of the adventure) to break free from its display base and rampage for 10 minutes before becoming inert again. The creature stomps through the area, then heads down the grand staircase, causing mayhem in area V1.
Vent. The east wall has a 3-foot-high, 3-foot-wide, 5-foot-deep air vent leading to area V13. The vent is 10 feet above the floor. Reaching it requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Safely returning to the floor doesn't require an ability check.
V13: Gemstone Wing
Chairs surround several tables cluttered with crystal and silver tableware. Against the east wall, a purple stone rests atop a marble pedestal.
Two guards** patrol this area.
Staff members plan to remove the tables and restore the normal gemstone exhibits in the morning before the museum opens. For now, the contents of those exhibits are in the basement (area V16).
Purple Stone. The purple stone on the pedestal is the Tilnes Stone, which is described at the end of this adventure. As Dr. Dannell fears, the stone is indeed a dark creature's egg. At 10:30 p.m., the effects described in "The Tilnes Stone" begin, and at midnight, the egg hatches. See "Museum Feeding Frenzy" to learn what happens when the egg hatches.
Rigged Pedestal. A detect enhancement tech power reveals an aura around the pedestal, which is attached to the floor and can't be moved. A character who examines the pedestal notices tiny sensors around the stone and can make a DC 12 Intelligence (Technology) check. On a success, the character realizes that all doors leading to the room will lock if the stone is removed from the pedestal.
If the Tilnes Stone is removed from the pedestal, lock tech powers activate on all doors leading to the room (including secret doors), causing them to close and lock. As an action, a character can try to open a locked door using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check, or force open a locked door by succeeding on a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. The lock powers don't prevent the curator or the museum guards from opening the doors.
Replacing the Tilnes Stone with a fake can prevent the trap from triggering. A suitable fake can be found in area V9. Swapping it for the real Tilnes Stone without activating the lock powers requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
Vent. The west wall has a 3-foot-high, 3-foot-wide, 5-foot-deep air vent leading to area V12. The vent is 10 feet above the floor. Reaching it requires a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. Safely returning to the floor doesn't require an ability check.
Secret Door. The south wall contains a secret door that opens into a short hallway containing cleaning supplies. At the far end of the hallway is another secret door that doesn't require an ability check to spot from inside the hall. This secret door pulls open to reveal the hallway between areas V9 and V10.
V14: Access Hallway
This hallway connects the Unearthed Café (area V11) to the Prehistoric Predators exhibit (area V12) and the privies (area V15).
V15: Privies
This area holds five stalls. A simple latch allows the door of each privy to be locked from the inside. East of the privies is a staircase to the attic (area V17).
V16: Basement
Boxes and crates are piled here in groups. Enormous warehouse doors take up much of the basement's northern wall.
Objects formerly on display or not yet prepped for display are stored here. The area is infrequently visited, and a dua-wurm, adolescent (see its stat block at the end of the adventure) recently took up residence in the centermost pile of boxes. The dua-wurm is a two-headed purple worm, 2 meters in length, which dwells underground on Cularin. Noticing it before it attacks requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The dua-wurm waits to attack until a character moves within 5 feet; it then fights until destroyed.
Loading Docks. The warehouse doors open onto an underground ramp that leads to street level. A character who has observed the whole building from the outside can easily find where the ramp exits at ground level. The doors are locked, and their hinges are stiff. Unlocking them requires a successful DC 14 Dexterity check with a security kit; after that, shoving the doors open requires a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. This is noisy and attracts the attention of one guard patrolling the grand entrance above (area V1).
Secret Door. In the basement's northwest corner, a secret door opens into a 50-foot-long tunnel that emerges in a copse of trees near the museum.
Loot. Most of the items in the boxes would be nearly impossible to sell, as they would quickly be identified as stolen museum property. However, the boxes in the southeastern corner contain the items from the Gemstone Wing that were stored to make room for the Tilnes Stone gala: gemstones and chunks of raw silver ore, all found locally. The 20 pounds of gems and ore are worth 1500 cr total.
V17: Attic
A winding staircase leads up to this cramped space filled with haphazardly stacked boxes. Starlight pours into the space through a large skylight.
Supplies for events—such as lecterns, linens, and tableware—are stored here.
Skylight. The skylight overhead is locked. A character can use an action to try to unlock the skylight using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity check. Lifting the skylight to open it then requires a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check.
Loose bricks are scattered on the roof near the skylight. A character could use a brick to prop the skylight open.
Conclusion
If the characters escape the museum with the Tilnes Stone, they can deliver it safely to Dr. Dannell. The anthropologist locks it in a box made of crystal, whereupon the stone becomes inert and its effects stop immediately. Dr. Dannell assures the characters that the egg will be safe in her care for the time being. The characters receive their rewards, and Dr. Dannell tries to regain her position at the university while making provisions to ensure the Tilnes Stone remains in its crystal box. At your discretion, Dr. Dannell might ask the characters to help (see "Reinstate Dr. Dannell" below).
If the characters don't bring the Tilnes Stone to Dr. Dannell by midnight, it hatches into a nascent Eater of the Force. Additionally, Alda Arkin might be revealed as a syndicate head. These outcomes are discussed in the "Further Adventures" section.
For a Patron Organization
If the characters are working for a patron organization, they must deliver the Tilnes Stone to Dr. Dannell by midnight. Once they do, the organization rewards the characters with a premium enhanced item of their choice (subject to your approval) as payment. The item is delivered to the characters the next day.
Further Adventures
Once the heist ends, the adventure's story might continue. Use the following hooks for a successful or an unsuccessful mission.
Mission is Successful
If the characters bring the Tilnes Stone to Dr. Dannell before it hatches, use the following adventure hooks to continue their story.
Another Stone. After the Tilnes Stone is neutralized, Dr. Dannell hears from a colleague that another expedition on Tilnes has unearthed a similar object. This time, however, the egg is closer to hatching, and strange happenings are befalling the excavation crew. With Dr. Dannell still discredited, it's up to the characters to travel to the dangerous moon Tilnes, locate the crew, and contain the egg. But when the characters arrive at the dig site, the egg has hatched—and now the characters must defeat the hatchling before it causes more harm. The hatchling uses the maalraas, adolescent stat block, except it is an aberration.
Investigate the Hatchling. A strange creature has appeared in the Emmosi lizard enclosure at the Gadrin Zoo. The creature hatched from an egg similar to the Tilnes Stone and is now nearly 8 feet long. The zoo's baby Emmosi have disappeared, and animals near the Emmosi lizard enclosure have become violent. Headaches plague zookeepers who have tried to capture the creature. While Dr. Dannell tries to convince the zookeepers of the creature's nature, it's up to the characters to stop the hatchling. It's growing bigger by the hour as more animals disappear or act erratically. The hatchling uses the maalraas, adolescent stat block, except it is an aberration.
Reinstate Dr. Dannell. Now that she knows her theories about the Tilnes Stone were correct, Dr. Dannell seeks to regain her position at Gadrin University. She has assembled proof that the Tilnes Stone is a dark creature's egg. But the museum's curator blocks her reinstatement bid—and then goes missing, casting further suspicion on Dr. Dannell. Dr. Dannell offers the characters a share of her future earnings for their help tracking down the curator and convincing her to reverse her vote against Dr. Dannell. The characters follow Alda's trail through Gadrin's high society and discover the curator is the head of an illegal syndicate fencing stolen objects. The characters must confront her and her minions to save Dr. Dannell's reputation and prevent stolen historical objects from being sold illegally.
Mission is Unsuccessful
If the characters don't retrieve the Tilnes Stone in time, use the following adventure hooks to continue their story.
A Stolen Stone. Shortly after the characters' unsuccessful heist, Alda Arkin steals the stone herself. The secret leader of an illegal syndicate that fences stolen historical objects, the curator believes she can get a high price for this strange piece. Using a Nameless control rod, the curator renders the egg unable to hatch, but its dire effects persist. When the egg's dark energy transforms the curator into an aberration, she holes up in her manor with the egg, unable to think straight. The characters must confront the warped creatures within Alda's manor—including the curator—before the stone can cause more mayhem.
Museum Feeding Frenzy. The Tilnes Stone hatches into an eight-foot-long, nascent Eater of the Force, and the stone's effects cease. At first, the museum's staff assumes someone stole the stone and closes the building. But the hatchling terrorizes and eats the guards one by one. Curator Alda Arkin admits Dr. Dannell's theory might be correct and hires the characters to stop the dark creature. The wily monster is now the size of a pony and uses the maalraas, adolescent stat block, except it is an aberration. It has set traps using the slime it secretes while metabolizing its food, and the entire museum is its nightmarish habitat. The characters must stop this creature before it outgrows the museum.
If the Shrii-Ka-Rai isn't defeated within a few days, it rampages through the museum's front doors, bolting toward Gadrin University. Now grown to enormous proportions, the juvenile Eater of the Force uses the Hssiss stat block but understands no languages and has a Charisma score of 18. It also has the following additional action option:
Forcecasting. The Shrii-Ka-Rai casts one of the following powers, requiring no components and using Charisma as the forcecasting ability (save DC 14):
2/day each: force blind/deafen, force blur
1/day: force project
The city needs heroes to track down the horror and incapacitate it before it causes even more carnage.
The Tilnes Stone
Recently unearthed on Cularin's moon Tilnes, the unenhanced object called the Tilnes Stone is the egg of a dark creature. The opaque, purple stone weighs 10 pounds and has abstract patterns on its surface.
The egg's removal from Tilnes rapidly accelerated the development of the creature inside it. Starting at 10:30 p.m., the egg's stony shell becomes translucent, revealing the horror inside, and it begins to emit a pulse of dark energy every 10 minutes. Whenever a pulse occurs, each creature within 20 feet of the egg must make a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw, and a forcecaster or a creature holding the egg has disadvantage on the roll. Any creature that fails the saving throw is subjected to an effect determined by rolling on the Tilnes Stone Effects table. When a creature rolls for a new effect, the previous one ends. The effects end when the egg hatches or when the egg is encased in the crystal box Dr. Dannell provides.
Tilnes Stone Effects
d12 | Effect |
---|---|
1 | Harsh whispers in an unknown language assault your consciousness. You gain vulnerability to psychic damage and can't maintain concentration on powers. |
2 | Adrenaline courses through your veins. You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. |
3 | Your limbs feel leaden, and your body responds sluggishly. You have disadvantage on Dexterity checks and Dexterity saving throws. |
4 | Your skin takes on a weird sheen. You gain resistance to piercing and slashing damage. |
5 | Your walking speed increases by 5 feet. |
6 | Your mind is pulled in a thousand directions, making it difficult to focus. You have disadvantage on attack rolls. |
7 | Ripples pulse underneath your skin like vermin are skittering inside your flesh. You have disadvantage on Charisma checks and Charisma saving throws. |
8 | You become filled with a nameless dread. You are frightened of the Tilnes stone. |
9 | You receive premonitions of attacks made against you. Attack rolls against you have disadvantage. |
10 | Your thought processes are sluggish, as if you just awoke from terrible nightmares. You have disadvantage on Intelligence checks and Intelligence saving throws. |
11 | Your senses are dulled, as if an invisible barrier sits between you and reality. You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. |
12 | A shimmery film covers you. You gain a +2 bonus to AC. |
Stat Blocks
Animatronic Kilassin
Large droid, unaligned
- Armor Class 13 (armor plating)
- Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18)
- Speed 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 5 (-3)
- Skills Perception +5
- Damage Vulnerabilities ion
- Damage Resistances necrotic, poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities diseased, poisoned
- Senses passive Perception 15
- Languages --
- Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Circuitry. The animatronic has disadvantage on saving throws against effects that would deal ion or lightning damage.
Pounce. If the animatronic moves at least 30 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the animatronic can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) kinetic damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) kinetic damage.
Dua-Wurm, Adolescent
Medium beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 5 (-3) 13 (+1) 8 (-1)
- Skills Stealth +5
- Damage Immunities acid
- Condition Immunities prone
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
- Languages --
- Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Grappler. The dua-wurm has advantage on attack rolls against creatures grappled by it.
Two Heads. The dua-wurm has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) kinetic damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) kinetic damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13).
The Shadow World Gambit
An Adventure for 2nd-Level Characters
At the Shadow World Casino, a Pazaak tournament called the Grand Vixian Invitational awards one winner with a sizable purse and a golden Vixian Mauler statuette. A former gambler with a score to settle hires the characters to steal the statuette as well as credits from the casino's vault before the tournament ends and the winner is declared. The characters must case the casino, steal what they came for, and escape.
This adventure can take place on any planet of your choice.
Adventure Background
A skilled Pazaak player and a shrewd Umbaran entrepreneur, Veti Kye toured the gambling circuit for years, making a name for herself and winning numerous large tournaments.
While on the circuit, Veti met a Balosar gambler named Quentin Tol'pok. The two hit it off, and they formed a plan to save enough winnings to open their own casino. Just as they seemed poised to put their plan in action, Quentin disappeared, taking all their money with him—only to resurface years later, having built the Shadow World Casino using the stolen money.
Now, Veti needs the characters to break into the vault at the Shadow World Casino, steal the Vixian Mauler statuette meant to be the prize for the casino's Pazaak tournament, and retrieve her share of the money from the vault. For Veti, it's not the money or the statuette that matters—it's ensuring that Quentin's betrayal comes back to haunt him, and that he knows the person he betrayed made him pay.
Using a Patron Organization
If you're using a patron organization, a data cube is delivered to the characters in whatever manner you deem fit. The data cube is biometrically encoded to the characters and can only be activated by them. When the characters activate the cube, a soothing voice says the following:
"Greetings, operatives. An ally of [patron organization] named Veti Kye had her life's savings stolen from her by a devious gambling partner. We've found an opportunity to right this wrong. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to infiltrate the Shadow World Casino and steal a statuette and a sum of money. Meet with Veti at the Brine Widow cantina to learn more details. Good luck, operatives."
After the message plays, the data cube self-destructs with a small puff of smoke.
Starting the Adventure
The characters start this adventure at the Brine Widow, a local cantina near the water, having received directions from their patron organization (see above) or a mysterious invitation to discuss an "advantageous opportunity" with someone named Veti Kye, who waits for them in the Brine Widow's back room.
Roleplaying Veti Kye
Veti Kye is bold, confident, and genuinely kind—though not always nice. Quentin's betrayal cut her two ways—the deception from a potential business partner hurt, but such treachery from someone she called a friend was unforgivable.
Veti has little patience for cheats and liars (card-table deception notwithstanding). Though she has no expectation of total honesty from the characters, blatant deception or an attempt to double-cross her quickly earns her ire.
At the Brine Widow
Veti Kye (neutral light, Umbaran spy*) sits patiently at a table in the back room and makes small talk with the characters if they arrive in ones and twos. Once all the characters have arrived, Veti asks the last to enter to close the door.
To begin this scene, read the following text:
The back room in the Brine Widow is well appointed, with a polished wood table, paintings of local landscapes, and wrought-iron lanterns. Platters on the table are piled with food, and a pot of tea steams in the center of the table.
The Umbaran before you has pale skin, light blue eyes, and curly white hair she wears in long twists.
"Thank you for accepting my invitation. I'm Veti Kye, and what I'm about to discuss with you requires the utmost secrecy. I can't stress to you enough how important it is that you speak nothing of what you hear within these four walls."
Once Veti gets assurances from the characters that they will keep quiet about her mission, she tells them about the job:
"The Shadow World Casino is a new Umbara–themed attraction just outside town. The owner, Quentin Tol'pok, built it using prize money he stole from me, and I'd like you to give him hell. He's hosting a tournament there. I want you to steal the Vixian Mauler statuette he plans to award as a prize, embarrassing him in front of the big names at the tournament. I also want you to steal back the fifty thousand credits he stole from me. Bring the statuette and the credits here, where I'll be waiting for you."
Veti can provide the characters with transportation, a rough map of the casino (see "Veti's Map" below), and a camtono (fine) for transporting the loot. She offers to pay the characters 1000 cr apiece and cedes any claim on additional credits or items they acquire within the casino. A character who negotiates the reward and succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check gets her to raise the payment to 1500 cr apiece.
Map 2.1: Players' Map
The characters have just over 48 hours to steal the Vixian Mauler statuette, as the tournament ends two nights from now and the statuette will depart with the winner. While the characters could try to take the statuette from the winner on their way out, Veti wants to limit the heist's impact to Quentin as much as possible to shame him publicly.
Veti's Camtono
Veti instructs the party not to lock the camtono until they have the statuette inside it. Unbeknownst to the characters, the key she gives them to open the camtono with is a fake--she holds on to the real key herself.
Veti's Map
The map Veti gives to the characters is a hand-drawn floor plan of the casino and the employee-only areas, as shown in map 2.1. Veti paid Gildur Draak, an Ugnaught who worked for the construction company that built the casino, to provide her with information about the building's nonpublic areas. However, Veti is no artist, so the map's accuracy is questionable.
What Veti Knows About the Casino
Veti can give the characters a few ideas about what to expect, but she hasn't been to the casino herself, so she can't provide details. She tells the characters the following information:
- Arrival. Boats shuttle visitors and personnel to and from the casino, which is built inside a cavern. The boats ply the river that leads to the cavern. (Veti knows no other way to enter the casino.)
- Employees. The casino employs Umbarans only.
- Employee-Only Areas. Doors to employee-only areas have neon trim and have enhanced locks. Getting into them might require the characters to obtain an employee pass card, which bypasses the locks.
- Security Mirrors. Security mirrors throughout the casino (marked on Veti's map with red icons) are actually two-sided mirrors behind which are security cameras with a live feed to the security office (area A16).
- The Prize. The casino uses exclusively digital transactions, but the only way to withdraw all the credits from the casino's account at once is to use one of the computer terminals in the vault. The Vixian Mauler statuette is also kept in the vault. (Veti is not entirely correct. The statuette is on display in area A9, where the tournament takes place.)
Getting Caught
If one or more characters are caught trying to steal from the casino, security guards attempt to apprehend them. Captured characters are taken to the holding cells (area A17). Quentin visits them an hour later. If the characters reveal they're working for Veti Kye, the Balosar laughs and makes them a counteroffer (see area A14 for details). If the characters refuse his counteroffer, Quentin has them tossed out of the casino and sent up the river in a gondola.
Planning the Heist
How the characters execute the heist is up to them. Allow your players to flex their creativity.
The characters would be smart to scout the casino and learn as much as they can about the layout, personnel, and security arrangements before perpetrating the heist. They can also try to acquire employee uniforms and pass cards.
Disguises
Dealers, bartenders, and other floor employees wear Umbaran shadowcloaks. The characters might try to steal the uniforms to disguise themselves as new hires. The easiest approach would be to snatch uniforms from the laundry (area A7).
Since all casino employees are Umbarans, non-Umbaran characters who wish to disguise themselves as employees will need disguise kits or appropriate powers to perpetrate the deception.
Whenever a disguised character enters a situation where the disguise might be detected by an onlooker who takes more than a passing interest in the character, have the character make a Charisma (Deception) check. If the check's total is higher than the passive Wisdom (Perception) score of the onlooker, the disguise does its job. If the check fails, the onlooker sees through the disguise and either alerts security or demands a small bribe (50 cr) to keep silent.
Employee Pass Cards
Every casino employee carries a pass card made of silver metal and embossed with a stylized image of a vixus. A detect enhancement tech power reveals a faint aura around the card.
Anyone in possession of a pass card can open any locked door in the casino, bypassing the lock tech power on the door.
As an action, a character within reach of an employee can attempt to steal that employee's pass card, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. If the check fails by 5 or more, the employee notices the botched theft and cries for help. Otherwise, a failed check goes unnoticed.
The Shadow World Casino
The Shadow World Casino lies three miles north of the nearest town. It's an architectural marvel built into a natural cavern carved by a river nicknamed the Ghost River. Quentin Tol'pok themed his casino around Umbara for two reasons--firstly to spite Veti, and secondly because he visited the planet himself some time ago and found its unique environment alluring and atmospheric.
After passing through the casino, the river pours over a waterfall into a larger body of water (which could be a lake or an ocean, depending on where you set the adventure). The waterfall isn't a safe way to enter or leave the casino.
Arriving at the Casino
The characters can take the landspeeder offered to them by Veti or find their own way to the casino. At a branch in the road, they see an illuminated sign declaring, "This way to the Shadow World!" in eerie blue lettering, with an arrow pointing down the narrower branch. Characters who follow this route for a short distance come to a cobbled turnaround and lot where chauffeurs can wait while their patrons gamble.
As the characters step from the speeder, they are greeted by a white-robed Umabaran commoner** who welcomes them to the Shadow World Casino. This Umbaran directs them down a brightly lit row of docks, where boats wait to take the characters downriver. The casino's entrance is visible a short distance away, where the river enters a wide-mouthed cave.
Boat Ride
An Umbaran ferrier (commoner**) in a heavy, hooded robe waits silently to convey characters to the casino.
The ferrier is instructed to maintain a mysterious atmosphere. The Umbaran keeps their hood up at all times and doesn't speak to passengers. If the characters touch the ferrier or attempt to pull back the ferrier's hood, the ferrier breaks character and asks the characters to stop—the Umbaran is just trying to do their job.
When the characters enter the casino for the first time, read the following:
The ferrier ably navigates your boat downriver and into an underground channel. As the cave mouth swallows you, you hear music over the echo of a distant waterfall.
The cave's ceiling rises high above your heads, and dancing lights bob around hanging stalactites. The river winds through the casino floor, splitting the cavernous chamber in two and passing under arched stone bridges at various points. Card tables and other gaming stations surrounded by chattering patrons fill the open space. A cheer rises from deeper in the cavern, which is decorated in Umbaran architectural styles.
The ferrier steers your boat toward the left bank, and your boat rocks as it bumps up against a wooden dock. The ferrier then raises one hand, gesturing at the glittering sights before you, and intones in a deep, raspy voice: "Welcome to the Shadow World. Darkness awaits."
The characters can leave the boat and freely explore what the casino has to offer.
Casino Features
The Shadow World Casino is built within a natural cavern. Its common features are described in the following sections.
Cashier Stations
The casino has four cashier's stations (in areas A2 and A4), where Umbaran cashiers (commoners**) trade credits for tokens. The casino's tokens are thin metal disks. Stamped on both sides of every token is the casino's emblem: a stylized image of a vixus.
Exchange of credits is not handled with physical credit chips, but digital transfer. Customers use datapads to transfer their credits to the casino's account, and are given tokens in return. Customers can also trade in their tokens for credits. Transactions are automatically recorded in the clerk's office.
Withdrawls of more than 2,500 cr at once require a second cashier to confirm the transaction, and transactions at the cashier stations can be canceled by Quentin if he considers them fraudulent. The only sure way to steal credits from the casino's account is to do so from the casino vault using Quentin's code cylinder.
Ceilings
The ceiling in the public parts of the casino is 50 feet high and festooned with hanging stalactites. The ceilings in the employee-only areas are 20 feet high and smooth.
Doors
The casino's interior doors are made of durasteel. Lock tech powers have been cast on the doors that lead to the employee-only areas, the vault hallway, and the vault itself. These doors have neon trim, making them obvious to visitors. (On map 2.2, these doors are marked with dots to indicate they are locked.)
Casino personnel use pass cards (see "Employee Pass Cards" earlier in the adventure) to bypass the lock tech powers on the doors, which can be shouldered open with a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check.
Employee-Only Areas
Entering an employee-only area requires a pass card (see "Employee Pass Cards" earlier in the adventure).
Security guards who encounter unauthorized individuals in employee-only areas immediately try to usher them out. If those individuals resist, the guards attempt to apprehend the intruders and take them to the holding cells (area A17).
Lights and Music
The casino is lit by programmed mobile lights tech powers that create eerie blue, green, and violet lighting. These lights float and bob at varying heights. The employee tunnels contain glowrods on sconces.
Pulsing, synthesized music plays through speakers throughout the casino. The music plays more softly in employee-only areas.
Security Guards
Five Umbaran security guards (use the trooper, sapper* stat block) patrol the casino floor, and a sixth stands next to the display case containing the erinyes statuette (in area A9). If the characters cause a ruckus, the nearest guard moves toward them and tries to quell the disturbance without resorting to violence. If attacked, the guard reacts in kind and calls for reinforcements. All other guards arrive in 3 rounds.
Security Mirrors
Throughout the casino are security mirrors, each one anchored to a wall at a downward angle twelve feet off the floor. Each mirror is a Large object with AC 13, 5 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. In addition to functioning as a normal mirror, each security mirror is double-sided and has a secuirty camera behind it, allowing guards in the security office (area A16) to see a live feed.
Breaking or tampering with a mirror leads two guards from area A16 to investigate and report what they learn to Quentin.
Walls and Floors
The casino's perimeter walls are made of rough, naturally carved stone. Interior walls are made of 2-foot-thick stone; these walls look natural but were sculpted using laser drills. The floors are made of smooth worked stone.
Cheating
A patron who is caught cheating is escorted by 1d3 security guards (use the trooper, sapper* stat block) to the holding cells (area A17). The cheater is released the next dawn, escorted by security to a boat, advised never to return, and sent upriver.
Games of Chance
The casino has many diversions for its patrons to enjoy, the most popular being games of chance.
Pazaak
Pazaak is a card game. If you own an actual Pazaak deck, you can play the card game for real. If you know how to play black jack, you can play that instead using normal cards--the games are quite similar. Otherwise, you can play this Dice Pazaak game using your dice (based on this post by DarthSyphilis).
- Each player takes a standard set of dice, minus the percentile die (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20).
- Players roll initiative for their character to determine what order they act each round.
- Each player places an agreed-upon opening bet.
- Each round, each player chooses one of their dice, announces whether they will add or subtract their roll from their score, and rolls the die.
- Starting in the second round, each player can choose to raise their bet before rolling their die. If one player raises, each player after them must match that player's bet, raise the bet, or fold, forfeiting any bet they've placed and dropping out of the game.
- Each player can roll each die once. The game ends after all dice have been rolled, or after all players but one have folded.
- The first player to get a score of exactly 23 wins. If the game ends and no player has won, the player with the closest score to 23 wins.
- Any player whose score exceeds 23 is eliminated.
- If you get to 23 and another player has already scored 23, you can attempt to steal their win by rolling two of your remaining dice. If you roll a 2 and a 3, you win.
Life and Death
Life and death is a dice game played between the house (represented by a dealer) and a player. While up to five players can sit at a table, their only opponent is the house.
To play, each player places a bet; once bets have been placed, the house and the players each roll a d20. If a player rolls lower than the dealer, the house wins. A player who rolls higher than the dealer reclaims the money they bet and wins that same amount from the house.
War. A player who ties with the house has two options: the player can surrender and lose half their bet, or the player can "go to war," in which case the player must double their bet, and then the player and dealer both roll again.
Push Your Luck. When a player wins a roll of life and death, they can opt to push their luck on their next bet. In this case, they bet everything they won on the last roll (their ante plus the winnings from the house). If they win, the house pays double their bet.
Slot Machines
These machines are simple clockwork devices that accept 1 cr casino tokens. Each machine has a spring-loaded lever and five identical spinning cylinders called reels. Six glowing Umbarese letters are displayed on each reel. A player inserts between 1 and 9 tokens into the machine's slot and pulls the lever, which causes the reels to spin, stop, and display a row of five letters. The player wins by matching three or more letters.
To determine the result of a pull, have the player roll 5d6 (the dice represent the five reels of Umbarese letters). The player's goal is to roll as many of the same number on the dice as possible. The payout, if any, varies according to the results, as shown in the Slot Machine Payouts table.
Slot Machine Payouts
5d6 Result | Payout |
---|---|
Three of a kind | 2-to-1 |
Four of a kind | 4-to-1 |
Five of a kind | 10-to-1 |
Quentin Tol'pok
Quentin Tol'pok (lawful dark, Balosar noble**) has a devilish aspect to his appearance. He dresses in a white suit with black lapels, slicks back his black hair, curls his mustache, and cultivates a long, pointy beard.
Quentin used to be a professional Pazaak player, but his rise to prominence was cut short ten years ago when, in a major tournament, he lost the final gambit (and the entire prize) to a relative newcomer: a young Umbaran named Veti Kye.
Quentin never forgave Veti for what he felt was a stunning humiliation and vowed to take his revenge. He spent the next several years building up a false friendship with her, traveling the gambling circuit with her and cultivating a mutual dream: owning and operating their own casino. Then, three years ago, he saw his opportunity, stole all the money they had pooled together, and vanished from Veti's life. Opening the Shadow World Casino was the final coup de grace in Quentin's vengeance against Veti, and he is riding high on the grand-opening weekend. He secretly hopes Veti arrives to confront him herself so he can laugh in her face.
Roleplaying Quentin
Quentin sees himself as Veti's victim and portrays himself as a martyr for losing to her. He sees the theft and his new casino as his rightful chance to even the scales and reclaim his dignity.
Quentin is a classic villain, happy to monologue if given the chance—how will the characters know how brilliant he is otherwise?
Quentin's Location
You decide where Quentin is at any given time. If he's not chatting with patrons or boosting staff morale on the casino floor, he's usually in his office (area A14). He also visits the holding cells (area A17) to question patrons who have been detained by security.
Casino Patrons
The Shadow World Casino is bustling with patrons from all parts of the world. Roll or pick randomly from the Casino Patrons table when you need a patron.
Casino Patrons
d6 | Patron |
---|---|
1 | Lysa Silv (neutral balanced, Umbaran noble**) is eager to break the monotony of her life of leisure. |
2 | Georgie Simmons (neutral light, Human commoner**) is a down-and-out loser who is determined to have a good time. |
3 | Karlton Keyes (lawful balanced, Human commoner**), a merchant, hopes to open his own casino and is here doing research. |
4 | Lowell Braz (neutral light, Lannik commoner**) thinks gambling is a waste of money but is here with his sister, Lorna. |
5 | Lorna Braz (lawful balanced, Lannik commoner**) is a hard-nosed slot machine player who thinks she has the machines' algorithms figured out. |
6 | Rythil Ire (chaotic balanced, Twi'lek noble**) aims to enjoy the cocktails at the bar and soak away his stress in the spa. |
Shadow World Casino Locations
The casino is divided into nine areas of gaming and entertainment. The north end of the casino ends in an 80-foot rocky cliff face. The river that runs through the casino pours over the cliff at the overlook (area A10) and empties into a larger body of water below.
The following locations are keyed to map 2.2.
A1: Docking Area
The casino's boats load and unload passengers at a pair of wooden docks. Two Umbaran attendants (commoners**) help patrons into and out of the boats.
Patrons are expected to abide by the casino's rules, which are posted on placards near the docks. The placards read as follows:
Rules in Shadow World
Stay out of the Ghost River.
Don't cheat. (Cheaters never prosper.)
Don't accost or threaten other patrons or the staff.
Keep your weapons hidden or sheathed at all times.
Only employees may pass through neon-trimmed doors.
WIN, WIN, WIN!
A2: Pazaak Floor
This area holds Pazaak tables and slot machines. Just south of the game tables are two cashier booths. Just north of the games area is a secluded lounge that holds a small bar as well as chairs and couches.
Security Mirrors. A security mirror hangs in the southeast corner overlooking the games area. Another security mirror hangs on the north wall, above the chairs in the lounge area.
A3: Life and Death Floor
This section contains rows of slot machines and five life and death tables, each with a different bet value: 1 cr, 5 cr, 10 cr, 50 cr, and 100 cr.
A4: Race Track
A narrow racing track dominates the center of this section, with shouting and cheering patrons clustered around it. Numbered skeeris scurry along their respective lanes. As the skeeris cross the finish line, cries of victory and groans of defeat erupt from the patrons. Just south of the track are a pair of lounge chairs and two cashier booths staffed by Umbarans wearing shadowcloaks.
Security Mirrors. A security mirror overlooks the cashier booths in the southwest corner. Another security mirror hangs in the northwest corner of this area, overlooking the track.
A5: Bar
This area features two bars and plenty of plush, comfortable chairs and cushions. The Umbaran bartenders (commoners**) serve spirits and spotchka. Patrons can also buy death sticks here for 1 cr each.
Security Mirror. A security mirror in the northwest corner of this area faces the northernmost bar and seating area.
Map 2.2: DM's Map
Player Version
A6: Spa and Baths
The air in here is warmer and more humid than in the casino proper and bears a sulfurous fragrance. An Umbaran seated behind a desk gives you a warm smile. Chintz curtains are drawn behind her.
"Dear souls," says the Umbaran. "Care to enjoy a massage, relax in our sauna, or take a warm bath?"
The Umbaran attendant (commoner**) is happy to schedule massages or time in the sauna or baths. Patrons are allowed to explore the areas beyond the curtain:
- Spa. The northernmost chamber is where patrons receive therapeutic massages (100 cr for an hour) or relax in the wood-sided sauna for free. A locked double door in the east wall leads to the laundry (area A7).
- Baths. The southernmost room contains four steaming pools of water. Patrons can pay 20 cr for two hours in the pools or 50 cr for an all-day pass.
A7: Laundry
Employee-Only Area
This area holds two large washtubs, as well as a clothesline hung with towels and employee uniforms. Characters who want to disguise themselves as employees can find plenty of uniforms here.
A8: Circus Rootai
The Circus Rootai performs here for the enjoyment of all. Hour-long performances occur here once every four hours. Each show presents a mix of Umbaran acrobats and trained animals, all performing to the music of a Umbaran synthtone player. The star of the show is a trained gladiopod named Emrys, which leaps through flaming hoops on command. See area A12 for more information about these creatures.
Casino patrons come and go through two sets of double doors in the east wall. Descending rings of seats encircle a 35-foot-wide, 10-foot-deep depression in the floor. When the circus is in full swing, performers and trained animals enter and leave through an open tunnel in the west wall of the depression. This tunnel leads to a staging area (area A12) behind a locked double door.
Security Mirror. A security mirror hangs in the northwest corner, overlooking the seating area.
A9: Tournament Floor
Steps lead to the sunken floor of a gambling haven ringed with pillars of black basalt. Seven three-dragon ante tables take up the floorspace. A three-foot-high shelf carved into the far wall bears a glass case, displayed in which is a gold statuette of a hulking beast. Standing next to the display case is an Umbaran security guard.
The five tables closest to the entrance are high-stakes tables (500 cr buy-in) open to anyone, while the easternmost two tables are reserved for the final rounds of the Grand Vixian Invitational tournament.
Grand Vixian Invitational. When the characters first arrive here, the tournament is in full swing. Its eight remaining participants (see the "Tournament Participants" sidebar) are arranged as shown in the Tournament Seating table. Between rounds of the tournament, characters are free to mingle and chat with the tournament participants.
Tournament Seating
Table 1 |
---|
Anaïs Bellefleur |
Karn Irosch |
Lahdia Mizreem |
Whipp Walsh |
Table 2 |
---|
Jetta Moore |
Ruthie Swifford |
Nigh Shadi |
Thi-Wum Lendo |
Tournament Participants
Eight card sharks have come to participate in the Grand Vixian Invitational tournament. Use the noble** stat block to represent them, but assume they are unarmed and unarmored. Their names and descriptions are as follows:
Anaïs Bellefleur (chaotic light Devaronian) smokes foul-smelling death sticks, has a bellowing laugh, and enjoys ale a bit too much.
Jetta Moore (neutral light Human) has childlike enthusiasm and displays guileless naiveté.
Karn Irosch (lawful balanced Trandoshan) grumbles to himself, counts cards, and is deliberately slow at playing his hands.
Lahdia Mizreem (neutral balanced Zabrak) is aloof, inscrutable, and fiercely determined to win.
Nigh Shadi (lawful light Umbaran) finds the theme of the casino distasteful but is willing to overlook it to win the purse.
Ruthie Swifford (neutral light Human) is a determined, no-nonsense player who keeps up a constant stream of good-natured chatter.
Whipp Walsh (chaotic balanced Human) is a charming rake and a sore loser.
Thi-Wum Lendo (lawful dark Cerean) dislikes playing high bets and is condescending.
Barring character intervention, the tournament participants are eliminated in the following order: Thi-Wum Lendo, Anaïs Bellefleur, Whipp Walsh, Jetta Moore, Karn Irosch, Nigh Shadi, and Ruthie Swifford. That leaves Lahdia Mizreem as the winner.
Security Guard and Display Case. An Umbaran security guard (use the trooper, sapper* stat block) stands next to the display case and allows guests to examine the statuette without touching the case.
The display case is 2 feet wide, 2 feet deep, and 3 feet tall, and it weighs 25 pounds. It is a Small object that has AC 13, 3 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. The Vixian Mauler statuette is a Tiny object that weighs 6 pounds.
A character who examines the display case and succeeds on a DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check spots a line of barely visible sensors around its base. A detect enhancement tech power reveals an aura emanating from the case. Damaging the case triggers an Umbaran stun grenade that forces each creature in a 15-foot-radius sphere centered on the case to succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute.
The front of the display case is a hinged door with a locked latch. The door can be unlocked and opened using the keycard found in Quentin's office (area A14). As an action, a character using a security kit can try to pick the lock, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
Security Mirror. A security mirror hangs on a pillar in the southwest corner, overlooking the room.
A10: Waterfall Overlook
The casino floor ends where the river spills over the edge of a cliff and into a much larger body of water. The waterfall is thunderous, drowning out the noise from the casino. Above the waterfall is a stone overlook bounded by three-foot-high railings.
The waterfall is 100 feet tall and plunges into water that is 30 feet deep.
Security Mirror. A security mirror is mounted in the northeast corner, overlooking the area.
A11: Underground Restaurant
This area is a restaurant located 20 feet below the casino. It can be reached by descending a spiral staircase in the hallway between areas A6 and A9.
The restaurant's dining area sits on a ledge behind the waterfall (area A10). The ceiling here is uneven but is roughly 12 feet high. A smooth wall separates the dining area from the kitchen, which contains two large stoves.
The restaurant is open all day and offers the following menu of options:
Security Mirror. A security mirror hangs on the southeast wall, just north of the entry tunnel, overlooking the dining room.
A12: Staging Area and Animal Cages
Employee-Only Area
The Circus Rootai uses this room as a holding pen for animals and a staging area for performers. Characters entering from the south must descend a flight of steps to reach the chamber's sunken floor.
When the characters enter this room for the first time, read the following:
This room smells like hay and musk. Three crates rest on the floor in one corner, and a portable cage on rollers sits beside them. Floor-to-ceiling bars form two larger cages against the north wall. A chest sits against the east wall near the biggest cage. Resting on the lid of the chest is a stack of keycards.
A locked double door in the middle of the east wall conceals a curvy tunnel that leads to area A8.
When the Circus Rootai isn't performing in area A8, the northwest cage holds three trained mantorrs that shriek whenever someone new enters the room, and the northeast cage contains a quiet trained gladiopod named Emrys. Three Umbaran acrobats (commoners** with Acrobatics +4 and Performance +4) are also rehearsing together in the middle of the room. One Umbaran performs a one-handed handstand, while another twirls a flaming hoop, and the third tunes a synthtone. During performances, the Umbarans and the animals are all absent.
Chest. The wooden chest next to the gladiopod's cage is unlocked. The keycard on the chest unlocks the doors to the animal cages. The chest itself contains juggling pins, rubber balls, colorful streamers, and other circus doodads. A dose of giggledust (fine) can be found here as well.
A13: Employee Lounge
Employee-Only Area
This room is sixty feet long by fifty feet wide. A long table surrounded by ten chairs takes up the center of the room, and the far corners each hold a couch, two cushioned chairs, and a coffee table.
At any time during casino hours, three Umbaran employees (commoners**) are here on a break.
The off-duty employees are chatty and not overly fond of their employer. Characters who question the Umbarans can learn the following information:
Security Droid. Quentin recently added a new security measure to the casino's vault: a security droid called K-1LR. Quentin refers to it as "Killer." It can be controlled using a remote that Quentin keeps in his office (area A14).
Security Office Personnel. Three guards staff the security office across the hall.
A14: Quentin's Office
Employee-Only Area
This roomy office contains an L-shaped desk, cushioned chairs, and knickknacks on shelves. A bas-relief painted with fluorescent paint spans the entire north wall and depicts Umbaran flora and wildlife.
If Quentin Tol'pok is in his office and notices one or more of the characters, add the following:
A smartly dressed Balosar with a devilish countenance sits behind the desk, stroking his pointy beard. When he notices you, he curls his lips in a lopsided smile. "Well, now," he says. "What can I do for you?"
Quentin (lawful dark, Balosar noble**) shrewdly shuns combat, but he draws his vibrorapier and defends himself if threatened and cornered. As an action, he can press a panic button, which opens two hatches in the ceiling and releases a pair of banshees, which appear in unoccupied spaces and act as Quentin's allies. The banshees use the flutterplum, Mantellian stat block, except they shed dim light in a 10-foot radius and have darkvision with a range of 60 ft. If the banshees are defeated, Quentin shouts for help, attracting the three security guards from area A16 if they haven't already been dealt with.
Ain't Foolin' No One. Quentin personally hires all casino staff and knows all their names. Consequently, he isn't fooled by characters pretending to be employees he doesn't know.
Quentin's Counteroffer. If the characters come clean to Quentin, he is amused to hear that Veti hired them to rob his casino. He refuses to give the characters what they came for, instead offering to pay them 1500 cr each to forgo the heist and return to Veti with a message from him.
If the characters agree to his terms, Quentin writes a quick message, saves it on a datacard, and hands it to them with their payment before leading them back to the casino floor. In addition, he gives each of them a handful of casino tokens equivalent to 150 cr.
Quentin's letter to Veti reads as follows:
It is such a disappointment when one attempts to conceal their lack of skill by sending others to do their dirty work. Nevertheless, after all this time, it appears I am, in fact, better than you.—Q.
Desk Drawers. The top drawer of Quentin's desk holds a stylus pen, a datapad, a holorecorder, a small keycard that unlocks the display case in area A9, a code cylinder that can be used in to withdraw credits from the casino's account in area A19, and a velvet pouch containing 250 cr.
The bottom drawer of Quentin's desk contains an unlocked case that contains a remote control. As an action, the holder of the remote can use it to command the security droid in area A19, provided the remote is within 30 feet of it. The security droid follows such commands to the best of its ability. If the security droid ever leaves the casino, it self-destructs.
Loot. Quentin wears nine gem-inlaid gold rings (1,000 cr each) on his fingers and keeps an employee pass card in his waistcoat pocket (see "Employee Pass Cards" earlier in the adventure).
A15: Clerk's Office
Employee-Only Area
This office contains an L-shaped desk with a monitor built into the surface. Other furnishings include cushioned chairs and two bare bookshelves.
The computer in the desk tracks all money moving in and out of the casino. Any character who accesses the computer by making a successful DC 15 Intelligence check with a slicer's kit can verify that the casino's digital account contains roughly 50,000 cr.
A16: Security Office
Employee-Only Area
Five desks face the west wall, which is covered with screens. Each screen on the wall corresponds to a security mirror elsewhere in the casino, and whatever is happening within line of sight of the mirrors is displayed here. Three Umbaran security guards (use the trooper, sapper* stat block) monitor the screens.
Keycard. A keycard sits on the desk next to the south door. It can be used to unlock the cells and chests in area A17.
A17: Holding Cells
Employee-Only Area
This area holds six jail cells and two metal chests (see "Metal Chests" below). The keycard in the security office (area A16) unlocks the cells and the chests. As an action, a character using a security kit can try to pick a lock, doing so with a successful DC 17 Dexterity check. If the character tries to pick the lock of a cell door from inside the cell, the check is made with disadvantage.
Metal Chests. Both chests are unlocked and empty. If one or more characters are detained here, their weapons are locked in the chests for safekeeping.
A18: Back Hallways
Employee-Only Area
These three hallways are used frequently by casino employees. At your discretion, characters who linger here might encounter one or more of these employees heading to or from the casino floor.
Security Mirrors. Each hallway has a security mirror on its west wall that faces a single or double door to the east.
A19: Vault
Employee-Only Area
The double door leading to the vault has Umbaran lightning cannons mounted on its south side. If a creature without an employee pass card comes within 10 feet of the double door, the cannons fire a 10-foot-wide, 30-foot-long line of electricity down the hallway. Each creature in the line must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This trap resets at the next dawn.
When the characters peer into the vault for the first time, read the following:
The vault is forty feet deep and almost twice as wide. A security mirror stares back at you from the far wall. Seven computer terminals stand against the north and east walls, and two tall wardrobes stand against the south wall.
Standing in the middle of the room is a tall black droid with glowing red eyes.
K-1LR the KX-series security droid stands guard in the center of the room. Killer attacks any intruders who aren't escorted by Quentin. A character who has Quentin's remote (see area A14) can use it to command Killer.
Computer Access. The computer terminals here can be used to transfer credits from the casino's digital account onto a credit chip, and these transactions cannot be canceled. Using the terminal requires Quentin's code cylinder or a successful DC 15 Intelligence check using a slicer's kit.
At any given time, the casino's account contains a total of 2d4 × 10,000 cr.
If all the credits are removed from the account, the cashiers quickly discover they are unable to withdraw money from the account and alert the guards immediately. It's only a matter of time until someone investigates.
Security Mirror. A security mirror hangs on the north wall of the vault, facing the double door.
Wardrobes. The wardrobes hold items of value given by rich patrons for collateral against the house: a gold and ruby necklace (2,500 cr), a jade Rancor figurine (750 cr), and a +1 vibrorapier.
Conclusion
The adventure ends when the characters return to Veti Kye with the fruits of their heist, Quentin's message, or nothing:
- Returning with the Loot. If the characters obtained the statuette and the money and return both to Veti Kye, she is pleased. She pays the characters and thanks them for their service.
- Returning Empty-Handed. If the characters return empty-handed, Veti is disappointed but open to the possibility of giving them more opportunities to prove themselves, if they're game for it.
- Returning with Quentin's Message. If the characters return without the loot but give Quentin's message to Veti, she reads it in furious silence. She then tells the characters to leave and offers them no recompense.
For a Patron Organization
If the characters accomplish the heist for a patron organization, Veti ensures that the organization learns about the characters' success. She also informs the characters that they are entitled to a premium enhanced item of their choice (subject to your approval) as payment for the statuette. The item is delivered to the characters the next day.
The Onderon Incursion
An Adventure for 3rd-Level Characters
Markos Delphi's curiosity has taken a tragic turn. The spirit of King Ommin has taken control of Markos, compelling him to commit evil acts. At Ommin's command, Markos is using a Sith spellbook to bring Ommin back into the physical world. The book's previous owner hired adventurers to retrieve the spellbook and prevent Markos from using it, but these adventurers fell prey to the horrors of Delphi Mansion. A new group of adventurers—the player characters—must now complete the task. Meanwhile, Markos is close to accomplishing Ommin's goal.
Acquiring the Sith spellbook is the primary goal of this adventure, but the characters also have a chance to free Markos from the dark spirit's control. Body horror is a recurring theme in this adventure; before running it, discuss with your players their level of comfort with these elements.
Adventure Background
Markos Delphi grew up with an insatiable curiosity. Eventually, he had his fill of worldly knowledge and began delving into the arcane, eager to understand the secrets of the Force. Raised in a family of scholars and academics among Onderon's elite, Markos wished to make a breakthrough discovery that would propel himself and his family to new heights.
This quest for understanding became Markos's obsession. He sequestered himself and his fellow researchers in the remote Delphi Mansion. As Markos began to tap into the secrets of Sith sorcery, he unwittingly summoned the spirit of the Sith sorcerer King Ommin, who ruled Onderon centuries before, and bound it to a Sith mask Markos was studying. The dark ghost sought to use its influence over Markos to transfer its spirit to a living body once again.
Ommin has eroded Markos's sense of self until he became eager to commit evil acts in Ommin's service. The entire Delphi mansion has become corrupted as well, both by Ommin's dark influence and by Markos's experiments with Sith alchemy and sorcery.
Acting under Ommin's control, Markos visited one of his peers, a sage named Vasil Talistrome. Markos incapacitated Vasil and stole a book from the sage's library. Long unopened and forgotten, the book once belonged to Ommin and contains ancient Sith rituals. Ommin needs Markos to perform one of these rituals to transfer Ommin's spirit to a physical body.
Without any knowledge of the dark entity influencing Markos, Vasil Talistrome asked a Jedi Knight named Elra Lionheart to retrieve the spellbook. Elra and three other adventurers traveled to Markos's mansion, where they witnessed a number of peculiar effects caused by Ommin's growing influence. One by one, they fell prey to the mansion's sinister occupants.
Using a Patron Organization
If you're using a patron organization, a data cube is delivered to the characters in whatever manner you deem fit. The data cube is biometrically encoded to the characters and can only be activated by them. When the characters activate the cube, a soothing voice says the following:
"Greetings, operatives. Vasil Talistrome, a sage who works with [patron organization], has reported the theft of a Sith spellbook. This book contains rituals that, in the wrong hands, could be used to carry out great evil. The book was stolen by a nobleman named Markos Delphi, who might be under the influence of some dark entity. Four adventurers hired to retrieve the book from Delphi Mansion have disappeared without a trace. We have good reason to believe they're dead. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to travel to Delphi Mansion and retrieve the Sith spellbook. May you fare better than the last group. Good luck, operatives."
After the message plays, the data cube self-destructs with a small puff of smoke.
Adventure Hooks
If you're not using a patron organization, choose one of the following adventure hooks instead.
Hired by Vasil
Vasil Talistrome, a Human sage who lives in the city of Iziz, hires the characters to retrieve the Sith spellbook from Delphi Mansion. Vasil doesn't want any harm to befall Markos, whom he still regards as a friend. Vasil is worried about what might've prompted Markos to steal the book and what he might do with the book's information.
The characters aren't the first group to receive this quest, as Vasil is quick to mention. The last group he hired was led by a Human Jedi named Elra Lionheart. Elra and her companions perished in Delphi Mansion. (Vasil inquired of a Jedi seer who confirmed as much.)
Vasil's Reward
Vasil is prepared to pay 2,500 cr to each character if the Sith spellbook is safely delivered to him. If the Jedi Order is active during the era of your campaign, Vasil promises that he will turn the book over to them so that it can be contained or destroyed.
Hired by Markos's Family
Shortly after Markos stole the Sith spellbook from the library of Vasil Talistrome, the incident was reported to Markos's wealthy family. Several family members are concerned about Markos and fear his recent studies have led him down a troubled path. One of Markos's family members hires the characters to travel to Delphi Mansion and stop Markos from doing anything that might hurt himself or others. The family member asks the characters to return the Sith spellbook to its rightful owner, preferably without harming Markos.
Reward
Markos's family is prepared to pay 1,000 cr to each character for delivering the Sith spellbook safely to Vasil Talistrome, plus an extra 1,500 cr each if the characters bring Markos home alive.
Meeting Elra
The journey to the Delphi Mansion on Onderon can be as eventful as you wish. When the characters get within 1 mile of the mansion, they encounter a manifestation of the late Elra Lionheart.
Elra's spirit manifests as a Force ghost. In this form, Elra reaches out to the characters and provides some helpful information:
A ray of sunlight shines down on a tree stump by the side of road, and the transparent blue figure of a Human woman in Jedi robes appears seated on the stump.
"My name is Elra Lionheart," says the ghost. "I, and most of my companions, died trying to retrieve the Sith spellbook. Heed my words, lest you too fall prey to the dangers of Delphi Mansion. Markos is using the book to conjure a Sith spirit not meant to return to this world. Beware the foul undead. Beware the thing that has hooks for hands. And beware the mansion itself, for it is thick with darkness. You must stop Markos before it's too late!
"My companions and I had a camp on a bluff due south of the mansion. If you go there first, you'll find a backpack containing a map of the mansion and some notes we acquired from a dubious source. These might help you plan your approach. May the Force be with you!"
The characters have a choice: go to Elra's camp or to the mansion.
At your discretion, Elra's ghost can float alongside the characters as they explore Delphi Mansion. In this form, Elra can't be harmed, nor can she physically interact with her surroundings in any way. Moreover, Elra can't stray more than a few feet from the characters. But she can provide helpful advice if the characters get stuck and don't know what to do.
If you choose not to have Elra accompany the characters, her spirit fades away.
Elra's Camp
Elra and her companions camped on a bluff that has an unobstructed view of the south wall of Delphi Mansion. The characters can locate the camp without difficulty.
A quick search of the camp yields a backpack containing a rolled-up map of Delphi Mansion sketched on flimsiplast. Give your players a copy of map 3.1 at this time.
Accompanying the map are some scraps of flimsiplast with notes written on them in Galactic Basic. Elra and her companions obtained the map and notes from one of Markos's cultists, whom they caught leaving the mansion. The notes are as follows:
- "Markos has a room on the third floor where he performs rituals."
- "The basement contains a secret door--only those closest to Markos know its location and password."
- "Mansion windows can be unlocked using the password 'Ommin.'"
Delphi Mansion
Members of the Delphi family are nobles known for their academic studies. Markos's ancestors built Delphi Mansion in a forest away from civilization so they could study in peace.
Arriving at the Mansion
Once the characters are within sight of the mansion, read or paraphrase the following:
A three-story mansion stands alone in a clearing. It has alabaster walls, windows on all three levels, and a closed double door on the ground floor. The area around the mansion seems unnaturally quiet.
Delphi Mansion Features
The mansion has the following features:
- Ceilings. The ceilings throughout the mansion are 20 feet high.
- Doors. The mansion's doors and secret doors are unlocked unless the text states otherwise.
- Lighting. The mansion is illuminated by glowrods that are mounted to the walls.
- Windows. Each window is under the effect of a lock tech power. The password to circumvent the enhanced locks is "Ommin."
The Dark King
King Ommin, the entity at the center of this adventure, was a powerful Sith sorcerer who ruled Onderon centuries ago. Ommin's spirit is currently bound to a Sith mask, but he seeks to inhabit a physical body again. If you wish to set this adventure somewhere other than Onderon, you can replace Ommin with a more suitable dark spirit.
Map 3.1: Players' Map
Map 3.2: DM's Map
Player Version
Dark Surges
Since the day Markos contacted Ommin, his presence has slowly warped Delphi Mansion and its residents. Ommin's influence is strongest in certain rooms. When a room's description calls for it, or whenever a creature casts a force power in Delphi Mansion, roll on the Dark Surges table to see how Ommin's influence manifests in that location. The surge lasts for 1 hour. Rolling on the Dark Surges table while a surge is already in effect causes the current surge to end.
Dark Surges
d4 | Surge Effect |
---|---|
1 | The air becomes heavy and malleable, filled with an ichorous mist. The space in the room becomes difficult terrain. While in the room, creatures have a flying speed equal to their walking speed. |
2 | Doors and windows in the room crackle with Sith lightning. A creature that passes through a door or window in the room must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (2d4) lightning damage. A creature can take this damage only once per turn. |
3 | Illusory magic causes one to perceive objects and creatures a short distance from their actual locations. While in the room, a creature has disadvantage on attack rolls. |
4 | An animated shadow of the creature that caused the surge--a reflection of its dark side--appears in its space while it is in the room. Until the creature leaves the room, immediately after it makes an ability check, an attack roll, or casts a force power on its turn, the shadow makes a melee force attack (+4 to hit) against a random creature within 5 feet of it, dealing 5 (2d4) necrotic damage on a hit. |
Delphi Mansion Locations
Locations in Delphi Mansion are keyed to map 3.2.
D1: Foyer
A sickly sweet scent hangs in the air of this dusty foyer. Two staircases rise from the hardwood floor to a balcony, and a glass chandelier hangs above the center of the room. Below the chandelier, the pelt of a wampa has been made into a fine rug, its head staring at the entrance.
The stairs climb to a balcony (area D10). The ceiling here rises 30 feet from the floor. The wampa rug weighs 50 pounds.
D2: Dining Hallway
This L-shaped hall is lined with large paintings of members of House Delphi and various figures from Onderon's history. The ones that feature Jedi have had their faces scratched off.
D3: Dining Room
Chairs and candelabras accompany a large dining table. The heads of several tee-musses are mounted on the walls.
Concealed inside one of the tee-muss heads is an upgraded AX-108 sentry gun, which has 86 hit points (18d8 + 18) and a challenge rating of 2 (450 XP). The Delphi family installed it there to guard a secret door, which leads to a hidden room (described below). The sentry gun is programmed to attack if a character stands directly across from it. If triggered, the tee-muss head splits down the middle and opens up, and the sentry gun opens fire.
Hidden Room. The wooden plaque behind the sentry gun is a lever of sorts. A character who inspects the wall and succeeds on a DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check spots scratches around the plaque that suggest the plaque can be rotated in either direction. Doing so causes the secret door to swing inward, revealing a dusty room with several shelves. Lining the shelves are jars, most of which contain harmless liquids. Among these are six specimen jars, each containing one larval sithspawn (see its stat block at the end of the adventure). The larval sithspawn are little more than slithering blobs of organic matter; Markos and his followers are culturing them in jars at the direction of Ommin, hoping to one day grow them into formidable warbeasts.
Hiding in the dark corners of the hidden room are two ID-9 seeker droids. If one or more characters enter the hidden room, the droids start pushing the jars with sithspawn larvae off the shelves and onto the ground, releasing the sithspawn. On its turn, a seeker droid can move to a specimen jar and take an action to release the larva trapped within.
Loot. On the shelf along the dining room's west wall is a small box with the Delphi family crest (a purple eye) engraved on the lid. The box is unlocked. Inside is a bag that contains 1,500 cr and three medpacs.
D4: Kitchen
This large kitchen is in poor condition. Flies cover foul-smelling messes of several meals stacked on a worktable in the middle of the room.
The kitchen is in shambles. The half-eaten food on the cookery and plates has begun to rot.
Chimney. A fireplace in the middle of the east wall contains a black iron pot hung on a hook. The chimney is too narrow for Medium or Small characters to climb, but a Tiny creature could fit.
D5: Pantry
The pantry is well stocked, and the foodstuffs here haven't spoiled yet. A sack of potatoes rests against the east wall next to stairs that lead to the wine cellar (area D23).
D6: Parlor
Small circular pedestals dot the room, each one large enough to hold a couple of drinking cups. In the corners of the room stand four suits of armor.
This room contains two maalraas, adolescent, which are under the effects of force camouflage. A character with a passive Perception of 14 or higher becomes aware of the presence of invisible creatures in the room. The maalraas attack if a character comes within 5 feet of either of them and fight until destroyed.
D7a: Empty Sitting Room
All furnishings and decorations have been removed from this room, leaving nothing but dust and cobwebs.
D7b: Room with a Secret
The walls of this sitting room are decorated with grim paintings, but all furnishings have been removed except two potted plants, one in the middle of the floor and one on a table in the middle of the north wall.
The plants in this room have been twisted by Sith alchemy. The plant on the floor is a saava, and the plant on the table is a dart flower (see its stat block at the end of the adventure). They both attack if a character comes within 5 feet of either.
Hidden Room. A secret door in the north wall (behind the dart flower) leads to a hidden room. A character who examines the north wall and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds the secret door, which pushes inward easily enough.
The hidden room has a pair of cobwebbed chairs at one end and a dusty table at the opposite end. Tucked under the table is a small metal chest with handles.
Loot. The metal chest is unlocked and holds three spell scrolls (see the Dungeon Master's Guide): curse, dark side tendrils, and improved phasewalk. It also holds a bag containing six pieces of jewelry worth 1,000 cr each.
D8a: Tower Ground Floor
A cold wind descends this tower staircase.
The stairs here climb 20 feet to area D8b.
D8b: Tower Stairs
The stairs here descend 20 feet to area D8a and climb 20 feet to area D8c.
D8c: Stargazer's Roost
Rubble lies scattered across the floor where part of the roof has collapsed, revealing the sky. Perched atop the rubble is a figure wrapped in a cloak. It gazes at the sky, unaware of you.
The cloaked figure is Zala Morphus (lawful dark, Human dark novice*). Zala helped Markos contact Ommin. She regrets her actions, overwhelmed by the magnitude of Ommin's evil, and has become irrationally obsessed with astrology, believing that the stars will contain some sign about how Ommin can be defeated. Zala has no interest in Markos's current activities and little knowledge about them.
If the characters attack Zala, she responds in kind. If they claim to be looking for the Sith spellbook, Zala advises them to search Markos's office (area D11b) or his bedroom (area D15).
Zala wants a holobook on astronomy called The Celestial Codex from the library (area D21). If the characters retrieve the book for her, Zala tells characters about the locked secret door in the wine cellar (area D23) along with the password ("nwûl tash").
Loot. Zala carries two spell scrolls (see the Dungeon Master's Guide): cloud mind and force confusion. She also carries a holocron, adept that contains the following force powers: coerce mind, hallucination, and project.
D9: Guest Bedrooms
These two adjacent rooms are furnished identically:
This dusty room contains a bed, a wardrobe, and a writing desk.
The first character to enter the westernmost bedroom triggers a roll on the Dark Surges table.
The easternmost bedroom contains a vornskr that has been mutated by Sith alchemy into a Chrysalide beast (making it an aberration). It attacks any character who opens the door and fights to the death.
D10: Balcony
This balcony overlooks the foyer (area D1), the floor of which is 20 feet below.
D11a: Empty Office
All furnishings have been removed from this room, leaving nothing but dust and cobwebs.
D11b: Markos's Office
This room contains a black wooden desk with a cushioned, high-backed chair behind it. Two smaller chairs face the desk with their backs to the door. A niche in the northeast corner contains a computer.
The first character to enter the office triggers a roll on the Dark Surges table.
Correspondence. The computer in the northeast niche is unlocked and contains correspondence between Markos and other nobles. You can decide if these messages are addressed to or written by anyone of significance to the characters.
Desk. The desk contains a complete set of writer's implements (see Wretched Hives).
D12: Gallery
Framed portraits and alabaster busts of members of the Delphi family decorate the walls and corners of the room, with facial expressions ranging from proud to downright haughty. Four cushioned chairs surround a table in the center of the room, on which is displayed a Dejarik set with physical pieces sculpted from ivory.
Loot. Two of the busts and five of the framed paintings are well made and in good condition, and each could fetch 500 cr from a collector. Each bust weighs 30 pounds, and each framed painting weighs 15 pounds. The ivory Dejarik set is worth 1,500 cr.
D13: Alchemy Lab
This room reeks of chemicals. A long table with various vials and compounds occupies the center of the room. At the table, two cloaked figures oversee various alchemical experiments.
One of the cloaked figures is Markos's head researcher, Xander (lawful dark, Human Revanite, believer). The other figure is an apprentice named Kura (lawful dark, Human Revanite, follower). Both have embraced Ommin and the power he offers. Xander and Kura are indifferent toward intruders and don't attack unless the intruders aim to harm them or hinder their research.
Xander and Kura don't keep track of Markos's movements, but they know he has been spending a lot of time in the caves below the basement (area D27). They assume the Sith spellbook is with Markos or in his bedroom (area D15).
Loot. Characters can assemble a biochemist's kit and a poisoner's kit from the contents of this lab. Among the various concoctions found throughout the room are four medpacs, a sorcerer's adrenal (improved), a vial containing oil of slipperiness (see the Dungeon Master's Guide), and a vial with one dose of assassin's blood poison (see the Dungeon Master's Guide).
D14: Meditation Room
A fetid stench permeates this room, which is empty save for two small, bare tables standing against the west wall and an ornate rug in front of the window. Resting next to the rug is a wooden candlestick holding the melted stump of a red candle. A long pull-rope hangs from a wooden trapdoor in the ceiling.
There's no obvious source for the horrible smell that lingers here. The first character who enters the room triggers a roll on the Dark Surges table.
Markos used to sit on the rug and meditate while pondering the secrets of the Force, but he hasn't used this room in a while.
Trapdoor. The trapdoor in the ceiling leads to the master bath (area D17). An unfolding wooden ladder allows easy access.
D15: Markos's Bedroom
This room contains a bed with an ornately carved frame, a wardrobe, a writing desk, and a leather chair. A fireplace stands along the east wall.
Behind the headboard of the bed is a secret door to a hidden walk-in closet. A character who examines the wall and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers not only the secret door but also a secret button on the headboard. Pushing the button causes the bed to slide eastward, allowing easy access to the hidden closet.
Hidden Closet. This closet contains clothing on hooks and shelves, plus an assortment of footwear. On a small table against the east wall sits a durasteel lockbox. A character using a security kit can try to pick the lock, which requires 1 minute and a successful DC 14 Dexterity check.
Loot. The lockbox contains an amethyst cloak pin shaped like an eye (1,250 cr) and a Sith acolyte's robe.
D16: Student Quarters
These rooms were set aside for Markos's pupils, who shared his drive for knowledge but didn't share in their master's reward for contacting Ommin. The pupils tried to flee the mansion after Markos made his pact--Ommin didn't approve. Each room now contains two Nightsister zombies* that mill about. They attack intruders on sight.
Loot. Characters who search the northernmost room find three holocrons (journeyman): one containing comprehend speech, sense force, and telemetry, one containing battle precognition and phasewalk, and one containing malacia and probe mind.
D17: Bathroom
A raised marble tub occupies this room. Near it are two marble sinks with oval mirrors mounted above them, a fireplace, and a small table against the east wall that has a colorful collection of bottles atop it.
Loot. Four bottles of perfumes and scented oils (250 cr each) sit on the small table.
D18: Third-Floor Hall
This hallway has become a lair for baby rupings (use the bogwing, lesser stat block)—two per character. The rupings entered the mansion through the hole in the roof above area D8c. They attack anyone who tries to cross the hall.
D19: Genetic Engineering Room
This room is empty except for a circle of vile symbols on the floor and various nasty-looking implements strewn around the perimeter. The floor is stained with various fluids. Standing in the circle is an eight-foot-tall, bipedal mutant with long metal hooks grafted onto the ends of its arms in place of hands. The creature wears the tattered remnants of a butler's uniform.
The first character who enters the room triggers a roll on the Dark Surges table.
Circle of Symbols. A sense force force power reveals an aura around the circle on the floor. A creature standing fully inside the circle feels the unsettling presence of a dark spirit and can choose to receive an omen from that spirit, as if the creature had cast a danger sense force power. After receiving such an omen, the creature can't receive another one for 24 hours but still feels the dark presence while inside the circle.
Esquire. The hook-handed figure is Markos's former butler, Esquire (see his stat block at the end of the adventure), who has been turned into a sithspawn. Esquire isn't bound inside the circle and attacks intruders on sight. He doesn't know the cause of his mutation. If the characters explain that an evil entity is responsible for Esquire's mutation or that Markos might be in danger from this entity, Esquire lets them live if they vow to save Markos.
Esquire's tattered butler uniform has a pocket containing a datapad and a piece of flimsiplast. The datapad contains a single audio file of a voice saying the password to the temple, "nwûl tash," which is Sith for "peace is a lie", the first line of the Sith Code. The flimsiplast contains a sketch of a wine bottle and a row of four circles. The second circle from the left is crossed out. (The circles represent the casks in area D23, the crossed-out one representing the cask blocking a secret door.)
Loot. Characters can assemble a set of geneticist's implements from the contents of the room.
D20: Storage Closet
This walk-in closet contains four cabinets.
Loot. Characters who search the cabinets can find a focus generator chassis, standard. Characters also find a vial of bubbling green liquid stained by a drop of some dark substance.
The alchemists in area D13 concocted the potion, which functions as a potion of poison (see the Dungeon Master's Guide) but has an additional property. When the poison effect ends, the imbiber sprouts a tentacle made of inky shadow. This shadowy tentacle lasts for 1 hour. As a bonus action, the potion's imbiber can use the tentacle to make a melee weapon attack (+4 to hit) against a creature the imbiber can see within 5 feet of itself. On a hit, the target takes 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.
D21: Library
The walls of this room are covered with shelves of holobooks. The ghost of King Ommin's royal adviser, Novar (dark side spirit), wanders the room. Novar, also a Sith sorcerer, was summoned together with Ommin, but knows that Ommin has no intention of sharing his power. The ghost hopes to find a holobook in the library that will teach him to bind his spirit to the physical world before he is dragged back to Chaos. Novar is not hostile and attacks only in self-defense or if a character tries to steal a holobook. The ghost stops attacking as soon as the stolen book is returned.
Characters who examine the holobooks closely find one called The Celestial Codex. This is the book sought by Zala Morphus (see area D8c).
D22: Storage Rooms
Each of these unfurnished rooms contains two adolescent tuk'ata, which use the tuk'ata stat block, except they are Medium. They were attracted to the mansion by the dark energies there. The tuk'ata are hostile.
D23: Wine Cellar
The faint aroma of grapes fills the air in this cellar. Four large wine casks stand against the west wall, a fine layer of dust covering each of them. The three wine racks to the south are empty.
Three of the wine casks contain varying amounts of wine. The fourth cask is empty and positioned in front of a secret door in the west wall. Characters who examine the empty cask see handprints on it, suggesting it has been moved multiple times. The characters also feel cold air coming from the wall, suggesting the presence of a secret door. The wine cask must be moved aside to access the secret door.
Secret Door. A lock tech power has been cast on the secret door. The password to bypass the power is "nwûl tash," which is Sith for "peace is a lie", the first line of the Sith Code. Esquire's datapad (see area D19) contains an audio file that plays the password.
D24: Temple
Four wooden pews face a mechanical armature in the middle of this torchlit chamber.
Standing before the statue are four red-cloaked figures, their faces hidden by cowls. They are writing on pieces of flimsiplast and muttering to each other, oblivious to your presence.
The dark energies in this room are particularly volatile. The first character who enters the room triggers a roll on the Dark Surges table. After the surge begins, on initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), roll again on the Dark Surges table.
Cloaked Figures. The cloaked figures are four neutral dark, Human cultists (use the Revanite, follower stat block) who are taking notes on the dark surges that occur in this area. These cultists defend themselves if attacked but otherwise pose no threat. They know Markos is performing a ritual in area D27 but won't share this information until the Ommin harness is destroyed.
Ommin Harness. The mechanical armature is called an Ommin harness, and was used by King Ommin during his life to increase his strength and extend his lifespan. Any creature that touches the armature for the first time on a turn must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or take 3 (1d6) psychic damage.
The Ommin harness amplifies the dark surges, which a character can ascertain by examining the armature and then succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence (Lore) check. If the armature is destroyed, the dark surges stop occurring throughout the mansion. The Ommin harness is a Medium object with AC 17, 36 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
D25: Storage
Three severed heads and two headless bodies lie on the floor of this room, which also contains four small crates in the far corner.
The severed heads and decapitated bodies belong to Elra Lionheart and two of her Human adventuring companions. The body of one of Elra's companions is missing (and can be found in area D27).
If Elra is with the characters (see "Meeting Elra" earlier in this adventure), she mourns her dead companions.
Loot. Four small crates rest in the northwest corner. One contains a set of gold-plated cups and plates worth 2,000 cr total. Another contains a taozin amulet. The third contains 20 days' worth of edible rations. The final crate contains a dozen glowrods and three plasma grenades.
D26a: Vestry
This dusty chamber contains four unlocked wooden trunks, each of which contains four dark-red silk robes.
D26b: Ceremony Room
Iron brackets bolted to the walls hold four flickering glowrods that cast this otherwise empty room in dim light. On the far side of the room, a spiral staircase descends into darkness. From below, you hear a Human voice chanting in a blasphemous tongue.
The spiral staircase descends 20 feet to area D27. The voice rising up the stairs is chanting in Sith, calling to the spirit of Ommin.
D27: Ritual Room
This location consists of two roughly circular caves joined by an opening. The staircase from area D26b leads to the southern cave, which is empty. From the stairs, characters can see activity in the northern cave:
The staircase leads to a roughly circular cave that is empty and unlit. Opposite the stairs, though a twelve-foot-wide archway, you see a similar cavern lit by red light emanating from four large crystals jutting from the floor. All crystals flicker in concert with the chanting that echoes through the caves.
The chants come from a sallow, dark-robed figure who stands near the edge of a circle of Sith runes inscribed on the floor. The figure recites an incantation from a book, then carefully sets the book atop a wooden crate near the back wall. The figure turns toward the circle, wherein kneels a corpse in battle armor. A Sith mask has been placed on the corpse's face.
Markos Delphi (neutral dark, Human Revanite, worshipper) is performing a ritual that will allow Ommin's spirit to transfer from the Sith mask (see its stat block at the end of the adventure) to the lifeless body of one of Elra's adventuring companions. The body is stunned and remains so until the ritual is complete. It is possible to attack the mask without harming the body.
On each of his turns in combat, Markos defends himself while taking a bonus action to continue the ritual. If he's able to take this bonus action three more times, Ommin takes control of the body, at which point the body is no longer stunned.
The Sith mask and the body which wears it are considered two creatures occupying the same space. Neither can be separated from the other until one or both of them drop to 0 hit points, at which point Ommin's spirit is severed from the mask and banished to Chaos. While wearing the mask, the body uses the nekghoul savage stat block, has Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of 16, and acts immediately after the Sith mask in the initiative order.
Once the ritual is complete, the mask continues to act, but destroying the mask is no longer sufficient to banish Ommin--the body must be reduced to 0 hit points in order to sever his spirit from it.
Helping Markos. As an action, a character can make a DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check to try to convince Markos he's being controlled. If the check fails, nothing happens and the action is wasted. If the check succeeds, Markos has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of his next turn as he wrestles with the possibility that he's not in control of his actions.
Crystals. As a bonus action, a character can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Lore) check to ascertain the purpose of the large crystals sprouting from the floor. These crystals focus the ritual's dark energy, allowing Ommin to possess the mask long enough for him to transfer his spirit to the body. A character who succeeds on the check also knows that destroying all four crystals stops the ritual. Each crystal is a Large object with AC 13, 10 hit points, vulnerability to kinetic and sonic damage, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Each time a crystal is destroyed, Markos has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the end of his next turn as he confronts the possibility that he might not be in control of his actions.
Ending the Threat. If all four crystals are destroyed, if the Sith mask or the body it's attached to drops to 0 hit points, or if Markos drops to 0 hit points before the ritual is completed, Ommin's spirit is severed from the mask and banished to Chaos. Defeating Ommin ends the dark surges in Delphi Mansion, frees Markos from Ommin's influence (see "Conclusion" below), restores Zala Morphus's sanity, and causes the cultists in area D24 to flee.
Loot. The book resting on the crate is the Sith spellbook. A force push/pull force power can easily move the book. An invisible character can sneak across the room and try to steal the book without Markos noticing, doing so with a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) check. On a failed check, Markos detects the theft. Although he no longer needs the book to complete the ritual, Markos won't give it up without a fight while he's under Ommin's influence. Once free of that influence, Markos is horrified by his actions and gladly gives up the book (see "Markos Lives").
The Sith spellbook is filled with dark incantations in the Sith language, and tucked between the book's pages are two spell scrolls (see the Dungeon Master's Guide): armor of Aboleth and dark side tendrils.
Conclusion
If the characters obtain the Sith spellbook, they can return the book to Vasil Talistrome, to the Jedi Order, or to their patron organization, and claim their reward. The choice of who to entrust the book with, or whether to attempt to keep it or destroy it themselves, may provide an interesting moral quandary.
Markos Dies
If Markos dies, the characters can return his body to his family for a proper funeral.
Markos Lives
Defeating Ommin frees Markos from the evil spirit's influence, at which point Markos is eager to make amends for the trouble he has caused. He allows the characters to keep whatever loot they found in the mansion.
If Markos is reunited with his family, the family gives 1,500 cr to each character as a reward.
Dead Adventurers
If the characters recount the horrors of Delphi Mansion to Markos's family, the family makes arrangements to rid the mansion of any remaining monsters. Elra's body is returned to the Jedi Order to be cremated, and the bodies of the other adventurers are returned to their home planets to be given a proper funeral. If the characters are present at Elra's funeral, her ghost congratulates them on their heroism before fading away into the Force.
For a Patron Organization
If the characters are working for a patron organization, the organization's representative approaches them after their harrowing experience at Delphi Mansion. For delivering the Sith spellbook to the patron organization, the characters are promised a premium enhanced item of their choice (subject to your approval) as payment. The item is delivered to the characters the next day.
Stat Blocks
Dart Flower
Tiny plant (sithspawn), chaotic dark
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 36 (14d4)
- Speed 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 1 (-5) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 2 (-4)
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, frightened
- Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10
- Languages --
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
False Appearance. While the flower remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal flower.
Actions
Poison Thorn. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) kinetic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 2 (1d4) poison damage and be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Esquire
Large aberration (sithspawn), neutral balanced
- Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20)
- Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
- Skills Perception +3
- Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13
- Languages Galactic Basic
- Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Echolocation. Esquire can't use his blindsight while deafened.
Keen Hearing. Esquire has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Actions
Multiattack. Esquire makes two hook attacks.
Hook. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) kinetic damage.
Larval Sithspawn
Tiny aberration (sithspawn), chaotic dark
- Armor Class 12
- Hit Points 10 (4d4)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 3 (-4) 5 (-3) 3 (-4)
- Skills Stealth +4
- Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, sonic
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 7
- Languages understands Sith but can't speak
- Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Force Resistance. The sithspawn has advantage on saving throws against force powers and other force effects.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,, one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) kinetic damage.
Sith Mask
Tiny construct, lawful dark
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 10 (3d4 + 3)
- Speed 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 4 (-3) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3)
- Skills Lore +7, Persuasion +7
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, diseased, exhaustion, poisoned
- Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 13
- Languages Galactic Basic, Onderonian, Sith, telepathy 60 ft.
- Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Dark Revitalization. The mask touches one creature that has 0 hit points in the mask's space. The target regains 10 hit points, and each creature within 10 feet of the healed creature takes 3 (1d6) psychic damage.
Force-Empowered Dodge. Until the start of the mask's next turn, any attack roll made against the mask has disadvantage, and the mask makes saving throws with advantage.
Prisoner 13
An Adventure for 4th-Level Characters
On a remote asteroid lies an impenetrable fortress built to house the Outer Rim's most dangerous criminals. One of this prison's earliest inmates, a Bothan known as Prisoner 13, spends her days in seeming quiet and solitude while secretly pulling the strings of a spy network that spans much of the galaxy. She holds the key to a treasure she stole from a Bothan clan. In this heist, the characters must infiltrate the prison, retrieve the key from Prisoner 13 (her cybernetic hand), and return the key to Varrin Brek'skar, the Bothan who hired them.
Adventure Background
Prisoner 13 is a Bothan named Korda Glins'tone. Prior to her incarceration years ago, Korda was an ally and agent of Clan Askar, a moderately influential Bothan clan in a Bothan colony on Thalassia. Korda built a network of informants and agents, ostensibly all to the benefit of Clan Askar. With each success, she paid mod-artists to replace a part of her with cybernetics. Many of these mods grant her special abilities.
Korda grew too ambitious for her role as an agent, so she devised a plan to take power for herself. Over five years she took careful stock of Clan Askar's wealth and, in one fell swoop, used her network of lieutenants to steal away most of the clan's credits, leaving only a pittance.
The Askar Bothans discovered her almost immediately. They rounded up her agents, who either fought to the death or were executed. They captured Korda and interrogated her, but she never revealed the location of the stolen fortune, even under truth serum. The Askar Bothans used their influence to have her sentenced to life in prison on Devil's Asteroid. There, Clan Askar was hopeful Korda would eventually break and reveal the location of the stolen wealth. This played right into Korda's hands, since she had made copious enemies who can't move against her while she's incarcerated.
Korda, now known as Prisoner 13, prepared for her imprisonment by laying the groundwork for a new spy and criminal network, which cost her much of her stolen fortune. She now runs her operations from the prison. Using her subvocal commlink implant, she sends untraceable messages to coordinate agents throughout the Outer Rim and beyond, none of whom know the identity of their employer. As for what remains of the stolen Askar wealth, it rests in an unmarked vault on Thalassia, sealed by an enhanced lock that only Korda's cybernetic right hand can open.
Adventure Hooks
After years of financial hardship due to their stolen fortune, the Bothans of Clan Askar have located the lost wealth but have been unable to access it. Scans of the vault reveal that, if they attempt to break it open, detonators are set to destroy the entire fortune. A representative of the clan, Varrin Brek'skar, wishes to hire the characters to learn how to access the vault. If you're not using a patron organization (see "Using a Patron Organization" below), here are some possible ways Varrin learned about the characters:
- By Reputation. Varrin learned of the characters in the aftermath of a previous adventure, especially one that involved retrieving a person or item from a dangerous location.
- Mutual Acquaintance. One of the characters' patrons is an old acquaintance of Varrin's and arranged the meeting. If the characters are involved with a patron organization, use this option.
- Trial Run. Varrin was responsible for a previous adventure the characters completed successfully. It was a test to see if they were worthy of this mission.
Using a Patron Organization
If you're using a patron organization, a data cube is delivered to the characters in whatever manner you deem fit. The data cube is biometrically encoded to the characters and can only be activated by them. When the characters activate the cube, a soothing voice says the following:
"Greetings, operatives. We have discovered the location of a great Bothan fortune, but only a prisoner incarcerated within the prison Devil's Asteroid knows how to access the vault. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you travel to the prison, infiltrate it, and learn how to access the treasure from the prisoner. Return this information to the Bothan known as Varrin Brek'skar, who will brief you on the details of the mission. Good luck, operatives."
After the message plays, the data cube self-destructs with a small puff of smoke.
Varrin's Proposition
Varrin Brek'skar (lawful light, Bothan noble**) contacts the characters to enlist their aid in retrieving the key. Varrin's braided hair and beard are black with streaks of gray. He wears a loose, comfortable robe over weave armor. Whether Varrin approaches the characters or invites them to a meeting, read the following text:
"Thank you for hearing me out. My name is Varrin Brek'skar, and I have a proposition for you. My clan has located wealth stolen from us many years ago, but it's sealed in a vault that will self-destruct if we try to break it open. If you can recover the key—whatever it is—you'll gain the undying gratitude of Clan Askar. And I'll cut you in for a percentage of the recovered treasure, of course.
"The catch here is the person who knows how to open the vault is rotting away in the prison of Devil's Asteroid. She's proved uncooperative with my people in the past, but I recently discovered the vault where she hid what she stole from us. I need you to question her and learn how to open the vault. How you do that is up to you; if you need to spring her from the prison in exchange for this information, please do so. I can provide you with a way in, as well as the layout of Devil's Asteroid and a few useful tricks."
Give the players a copy of map 4.1 (see "The Breaker's Map" below), and read the following text:
Varrin retrieves a stack of datapads and hands one to each player. "These each contain a holographic map of Devil's Asteroid," he explains. "While the map is displayed, you can tap any door or hatch and temporarily unlock it. This function will be usable until the next time the prison changes their security encryption--five days from now."
The Breaker's Map
While wearing a datapad given to them by Varrin, each character can cause a holographic image of map 4.1 to appear in the air before them while they aren't incapacitated (no action required). Varrin explains each of the features the characters can see on their maps:
- Cells. The cells, highlighted in red, are blanketed in permanent scrambling fields. Prisoner 13's cell is clearly marked.
- Doors and Hatches. The doors and hatches are sealed with lock tech powers that only prison staff can bypass. However, while the characters are within 100 feet of Devil's Asteroid, the map allows them to use an action to touch the image of a door or hatch and suppress the lock on that portal. While a lock is suppressed, its image turns green. The lock remains suppressed for 1 minute or until another lock is suppressed.
- Patrol Route. The yellow path marked on the map is the regular patrol route guards take. The usual patrol rotation is once every 20 minutes, but if the guards are suspicious, patrols will likely become more frequent.
The Devil in the Details
In the likely event that the characters want more information, Varrin answers their questions succinctly and honestly. He has spent the last of his personal fortune gathering information on the prison and making the arrangements for a team to confront Korda. These are the details he can provide:
- Entering the Prison. The prison staff rotate out periodically. Varrin knows the schedule of the next rotation, and his agents are standing by to capture a number of guards and cooks so the characters can take their place (see "Approaching the Prison").
- Prisoner 13. Prisoner 13 was a trusted agent of Clan Askar until she betrayed the clan and stole its fortune. If pressed, Varrin reluctantly tells the characters her name (Korda Glins'tone), but he stresses that they shouldn't reveal they know it. No one in the prison except perhaps the warden knows Prisoner 13 by her real name, so using it would only raise suspicion. Her cell is marked on the map.
- Key. Prisoner 13 must have the vault key or know where it is, but every method Clan Askar has tried to locate the key has failed. Varrin presumes Prisoner 13 would give up the key only in exchange for freedom, but if the characters can find the key or convince her to give it up any other way, he'll be just as pleased. Clan Askar tried to arrange her release, but the Prison Council at Devil's Asteroid denied the request.
- Meeting Prisoner 13. Visitors can request meetings with prisoners, but those meetings are always supervised by the warden (to learn about the warden, see "R21: Warden's Quarters"). If the characters want to talk to Prisoner 13, their best bet is to try when she's not in her cell, hopefully out of sight of the guards. Prisoners do chores such as scrubbing refreshers and cleaning up after meals, and they exercise in the courtyard daily. When prisoners are injured or fall ill, they are taken to the prison medbay.
- Devil's Asteroid Details. Varrin can give a general overview of Devil's Asteroid, the security features on doors and hatches, and the prison's high-alert procedure (see below). Varrin also knows the armory has a dangerous guardian, but he doesn't know the details.
- Loot. The treasure is locked in a vault buried beneath the surface of Thalassia. Varrin promises the characters 2 percent of whatever wealth they recover if they make it possible for him to open the vault. If the characters press for more, Varrin is irritated, but he agrees to 3 percent if the characters succeed on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Varrin notes that the warden likely has some funds hidden in her office or quarters, if the characters are inclined to seek these out.
- Escape Route. Varrin will have a small ship within sight of the prison but at a safe distance. When the characters are ready to leave the prison with their target, they can call Varrin's commlink, and the ship will pick them up.
When the characters are ready to depart from their meeting with Varrin, he provides them each with the choice to pose as a guard or a cook. Guards must wear assault armor, and kitchen staff must wear simple uniforms. Cooks can hide light armor under their uniforms. Small or Tiny characters also have the option to stow away inside a crate of supplies.
Map 4.1: Players' Map
Journey to the Prison
Varrin has sent word to his agents, and Bethra (chaotic light, Bothan spy*) meets the characters when they arrive on Gorsh, the nearest inhabited planet to Devil's Asteroid. She provides the uniforms for their chosen cover and directs them to report to a ship called the Jolly Pelican the following dawn. The ship regularly delivers a fresh rotation of prison staff to Devil's Asteroid and returns the relieved shift to Gorsh. The journey to Devil's Asteroid by hyperspace takes a ship with a class 1 hyperdrive fifteen hours under normal conditions.
Twenty-five guards and six cooks are bound for the prison, including any characters taking their places. If the characters express concern over the fate of staff they're replacing, Bethra assures them that none of the people were killed, and they'll be released safely when the job is over.
The players can make up whatever names they like for their cover. Those are the names of the guards or cooks they've replaced.
Devil's Asteroid
Devil's Asteroid is a panopticon, a prison configured in such a way that the activities of the prisoners can be closely monitored from a central location. Situated on a remote asteroid, the prison is a single-story structure topped with battlements. Rising from the core of the panopticon is a tower that holds the prison's administrative offices and guard barracks.
Devil's Asteroid can be approached from two directions--the typical entrance is the docking port on the north side. However, there is also an airlock at the south end of the prison, accessible from the surface of the asteroid. The asteroid is small enough that it's not possible for a ship to approach drop characters off on the surface without being seen from the prison.
Devil's Asteroid is authorized by the current galactic government (Old Republic, Galactic Empire, or New Republic), but is run by an alliance of the ten nearest inhabited sectors. To be imprisoned on Devil's Asteroid, one must have committed a serious crime against one or more of the member sectors and been sentenced to a lengthy period of incarceration (typically a standard year or more).
Each member sector assigns one representative to Devil's Asteroid, and together the representatives form a parole committee called the Prison Council. Rarely are all ten council members present, since Devil's Asteroid offers little in the way of comfort and amenities. If the council needs a tiebreaking vote to determine whether to commute a prisoner's sentence, the prison warden—a neutral arbiter with no ties to any member sector—casts the deciding vote.
Prison Features
The prison, built from ferrocrete, has 20-foot-high outer walls and flat, 20-foot-high ceilings throughout. Additional information about the prison is summarized below:
- Doors and Hatches. Each door and rooftop hatch is made of durasteel held shut by a lock tech power. Prison personnel can open these doors and hatches normally. A locked door or hatch is too strong to be shouldered or kicked open, but it can be destroyed if it takes enough damage. A door or hatch has AC 19, a damage threshold of 10, 30 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
- Lighting. Unless a location states otherwise, the courtyard, corridors, rooms, and staircases are brightly lit. (The unlit cells in area R17 are exceptions.) In some locations, the lights can be dimmed or turned off, as noted in the text.
- No Atmosphere. Creatures outside the prison are exposed to the vacuum of space (see below).
- Prison Guards. The prison has a garrison of 75 guards (use the veteran** stat block) who work eight-hour shifts. Two-thirds of the garrison is off duty and resting in area R19 at any given time. While on duty, each guard wears assault armor that bears the logo of the current governing authority (Old Republic, Galactic Empire, or New Republic).
- Prisoners. All prisoners on Devil's Asteroid are identified by a number. This simple protocol keeps prisoners on an equal footing. Prison personnel commit these numbers to memory, and the records of all prisoners—past and present—are stored in area R22. Each inmate wears a uniform that consists of a jumpsuit without pockets, leather slippers without laces, and cloth undergarments. While outside their cells, prisoners wear binders on their wrists and ankles. While manacled, a prisoner's walking speed can't exceed 10 feet.
Approaching the Prison
When the characters approach the prison, read the following text:
Perched on a large asteroid is a bleak ferrocrete fortress. A central tower looms above the rest of the fortress, and light leaks from its viewports. Four smaller towers rise from the outermost corners of the fortress, and guards wearing space suits and gravity generators can be seen atop them.
Characters might approach the prison via the Jolly Pelican, or they might choose to approach on their own (see "Getting Inside" below).
Characters approaching from the north can also see the prison's docking port, surrounded by an illuminated border.
Characters approaching from the south can see the prison's south airlock and the trail that leads up to it.
Low Pressure
Creatures that don't use a starship to approach the prison are exposed to low pressure, as described in chapter 8 of the Player's Handbook
Guards on Watch
The prison has four guard towers (see area R9), and three guards wearing space suits and gravity generators (see Expanded Content) are stationed atop each one. If you need to make Wisdom (Perception) checks for the guards to determine if they notice something, make only one roll with advantage.
If the guards on a tower see or hear something out of the ordinary—such as an approaching ship, a group of visitors, or a space-borne monster—one guard descends into the tower to alert the rest of the prison while the others stay at their posts.
Getting Inside
If the characters use the cover Varrin provided, their ship docks at Devil's Asteroid fifteen hours after leaving Gorsh. The characters are directed off the ship and enter through the north airlock. The ship disengages and flies away as soon as the passengers have disembark. Characters posing as guards are taken to the barracks (area R19), where they meet with head guard Yula Dargeria, a no-nonsense stickler for the prison's rules. Characters posing as cooks are delivered to the kitchen (area R8), where they report to Chef Tiny Toulaine, a hulking, jovial man who carries an enormous saucepan. Small or Tiny characters who stowed away in supply crates are taken to either the storeroom (area R13), the kitchen's cold storage room (the middle room off area R8), or the pantry (the northernmost room off area R8). If more than one Small or Tiny character stows away, pick one location where they're all delivered.
Characters who approach the prison's south airlock in space suits, or who claim to be having ship trouble and request to dock their own starship at the docking port, are admitted into a 30-foot-long corridor, where they are greeted by the three guards from a nearby guard room (area R3). These guards insist on confiscating the characters' weapons and wristpads and storing them in a nearby lockbox. In addition, one guard searches each character for concealed weapons. A character can conceal a vibrodagger or similarly sized weapon from a guard's notice with a successful DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
After relinquishing their weapons, the characters are escorted by one of the guards to the meeting room (area R12), where they must wait one hour for the warden to greet them. During this time, the characters are unattended and can attempt to sneak into the prison at large. Doing so without alerting the guards requires a successful DC 13 Dexterity (Stealth) check. Recovering the characters' weapons from the lockbox requires a successful DC 16 Dexterity check with a security kit. If the characters are caught attempting either of these tasks, the guards return them to the meeting room and wait with them for the warden, who throws them out unless they provide a satisfactory reason for their visit and subterfuge.
The warden only accepts the characters' presence if they are seeking shelter--for instance, if they claim to be having a hyperdrive malfunction, fake crashing their ship into the asteroid, or approach in an escape pod. In that case, she grants them temporary accommodations (in area R7) for up to two days and two nights, and the characters receive three meals a day during their stay. If the characters fail to provide a satisfactory reason for their visit, the warden has their weapons returned to them and throws them out.
Suspicion
Activities outside the daily routine of the prison draw attention from the guards and what few other staff members there are. Suspicion is measured in levels from 1 to 6. When the characters arrive at the prison, the suspicion level is 1.
Suspicion can increase when prison staff members witness or find evidence of behavior outside the norm. Circumstances that increase the suspicion level include the following:
- Using a prisoner's real name while in the guise of prison staff
- Getting caught by a patrol (see Patrol Routes)
- Casting a power that has perceptible effects in sight of a guard
- Conversing with a prisoner about anything other than prison business (such as giving them instructions for tasks)
For suspicion to increase, prison staff members must witness the characters performing unusual activity, and any witnesses must report their observations. If the characters can convince the witness what they saw was justified, the suspicion level doesn't increase.
Distractions
A character can create a distraction, giving themself or an ally time to undertake a suspicious activity without being witnessed. If the distracting character succeeds on a Charisma (Deception) check against a DC set by the current suspicion level (see the Suspicion table), the suspicious activity goes unnoticed. Use your discretion to decide if any given activity is subtle enough to be covered by a distraction. For example, a glib conversation can't cover up an explosion.
Effects of Suspicion
As the suspicion level increases, patrols become more frequent, and the prison staff become increasingly vigilant. At suspicion level 6, the warden puts the prison on high alert.
Suspicion
Level | Patrol Die | DC |
---|---|---|
1 | d20 | 10 |
2 | d12 | 12 |
3 | d10 | 14 |
4 | d8 | 16 |
5 | d6 | 18 |
6 | d4 | 20 |
Level. The current suspicion level is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1) every 8 hours if the prison staff detects no suspicious activity during that time.
Patrol Die. Roll a die based on the current suspicion level when characters enter the patrol route to see if they encounter a guard patrol (see "Patrol Routes").
DC. The DC of Charisma checks made against prison staff and of ability checks made to avoid patrols is set by the current suspicion level.
High Alert
When a matter of concern is brought to her attention, the warden (see area R21) decides whether to place the prison on high alert. Circumstances that warrant taking such action include a prisoner revolt, an escape, the approach of an unfamiliar ship, a purrgil sighting, an attack, discovering a dead body, or suspicious activity (see "Suspicion" above).
By speaking the password, "maristo," into her commlink, the warden—and only the warden—can place the prison on high alert (or speak it again to end the high alert), with the following effects:
- Detect Invisibility. The warden and all prison guards gain the benefit of a detect invisibility tech power.
- High-Alert Signals. For 1 minute, a warning horn blares throughout the prison, and all light in the prison takes on a reddish hue.
- Prison Deployment. The guards in area R19 don their armor, arm themselves, and move to area R18. The warden does the same and commands the garrison from there. Members of the Prison Council retreat to area R20.
Patrol Routes
Guards regularly patrol in pairs from the guard rooms (area R3, alternating which room for each patrol) around the hexagon (area R15), with short checks into the courtyard (area R11) and the armory (area R10). The route is marked in yellow on the players' map of Devil's Asteroid. It normally takes 4 minutes for a patrol to make its round and return to its post.
When one or more characters enter an area marked on the patrol route, roll a die. The size of the die rolled is determined by the current suspicion level of the prison, as indicated on the Suspicion table. On a 1, the characters encounter a patrol. Ask the players how their characters react, and give them 1 round of actions. The characters can try to slip away if there is a nearby exit or corner to duck around by making a group Dexterity (Stealth) check or try to blend in by making a group Charisma (Deception) check. Each check is made against a DC set by the current suspicion level. On a failure, the patrol notices the characters, who must account for their presence.
If the characters try to talk their way past a patrol, have one of the characters make a Charisma check using Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion, depending on their story, against a DC set by the suspicion level. If other characters support the story, the check is made with advantage. On a success, the patrol lets them go. On a failure, the patrol escorts the characters to a guard room (area R3), where the guard interrogates the characters about the characters' presence in a prohibited area. If the characters have a cover story for being in the prison, the guards escort them to where they should be: the kitchen staff's quarters (the largest side room off area R8) or the barracks (area R19) in the case of off-duty guards. The suspicion level then increases by 1.
Once the characters encounter a patrol, don't check for another patrol when the characters enter the route until 20 minutes have passed.
Devil's Asteroid Locations
The following locations are keyed to Devil's Asteroid, as shown on map 4.2.
R1: Escape Ship
Varrin's escape ship is waiting for the characters in this direction. The ship can't dock at Devil's Asteroid without permission. After calling for pickup, the characters must exit through an airlock wearing space suits and the ship will pick them up.
R2: Docking Port
Ships dock here to offload prisoners and supplies.
R3: Guard Rooms
This room contains a table with four chairs, and a cabinet holding simple supplies for repairing armor and weapons.
Three guards (veterans**) are stationed in each of these two rooms. The guards pass the time by playing cards and sharpening their weapons.
During a patrol, two of the guards leave the room to make their rounds for 4 minutes.
R4: Hospital
This medbay contains a dozen simple beds. Cabinets along the north wall hold medical supplies.
The cabinets hold enough supplies to assemble twenty traumakits, five antitoxkits, a selection of unenhanced prostheses (see Wretched Hives) and various other medicines and tinctures.
Map 4.2: DM's Map
Player Version
Some of these substances are poisonous if ingested in the wrong proportion. A character proficient with a bioanalysis kit, a biochemist's kit, a poisoner's kit, or the Medicine skill can identify the tinctures and combine them into an ingested poison. A creature that ingests the poison must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, it takes 10 (3d6) poison damage and becomes poisoned for 1 hour. On a successful saving throw, it takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned. In either case, the creature has painful stomach cramps until it finishes a short rest, receives an injection from an antitoxkit, or is targeted by an effect that ends the poisoned condition. If a prisoner suffers these cramps, the guards bring the prisoner to the hospital to be examined and treated. Characters disguised as guards can volunteer for or be assigned that duty.
R5: Space Suit Storage
Twelve space suits and twelve gravity generators (see Expanded Content) are stored here on racks.
R6: Mess Hall
Prison personnel dine here. Tables and benches fill the room, and dishes and dulled cutlery are stored in cabinets along the south wall. The mess hall serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The characters can meet here without arousing any suspicion.
R7: Councilor's Quarters
These ten rooms are furnished identically. Each contains a bed, a desk with matching chair, a secure chest, and wall hooks for hanging clothes. The lights that illuminate each room can be switched on or off.
These rooms are set aside for the ten members of the Prison Council, though only three rooms are currently in use. The other seven members of the council are absent, so the warden lets visitors use the spare rooms.
Council Members. These three members of the Prison Council are on Devil's Asteroid:
- Councilor Voss Anderton. Voss represents the Kanz sector. He is a lawful balanced, Lorrdian noncombatant who has a precise, lawyerly way of speaking. He never misses a council meeting or parole hearing. He votes with his head, not his heart, and he always weighs the ramifications of commuting a prisoner's sentence.
- Councilor Jil Torbo. Jil represents the Kwymar sector. She is a neutral balanced, Ithorian noncombatant who loathes her job. She has no sense of humor and sighs deeply when her patience is tested. She likes giving others the benefit of the doubt, however—perhaps as an act of dissent—and votes yes on commutations more often than not.
- Councilor Kriv Norixius. Kriv represents the Corva sector. He is a lawful light, Human noncombatant. He hopes to impress the Tieress of Ventooine by doing a good job. He has no tolerance for unrepentant criminals and often votes no on commutations.
R8: Kitchen and Side Rooms
Six cooks (neutral balanced, Human commoners**) take shifts here, working in pairs to produce meals for the prisoners and staff. The kitchen contains everything one would expect to see.
Off-duty cooks sleep in the largest of the three rooms west of the kitchen. The lights in this side room can be switched on or off.
The middle side room—not heated, unlike the rest of the prison—is used for cold storage.
The smallest side room is a well-stocked pantry.
R9: Guard Towers
Each of these four triangular towers is two stories tall. A tower's interior chamber is empty except for a ladder that climbs to a durasteel hatch held shut by a lock tech power (see the "Prison Features" section for more details). This hatch leads to an airlock that opens onto the tower's flat rooftop, which is lined with battlements. Three guards (veterans**) with space suits and gravity generators (see Expanded Content) are stationed on the roof of each tower.
R10: Armory
This room contains metal racks and chests filled with weaponry. Stationed in the middle of the room is a tall black droid with glowing red eyes, armed to the teeth.
The inventory is unenhanced and includes twenty vibropikes, fifteen vibroblades, fifteen techblades, ten vibroglaives (see Wretched Hives), ten marksman blasters (see Expanded Content), five heavy pistols, and hundreds of power cells.
The armory is guarded by an advanced security droid that uses the dark trooper, phase zero* stat block, except it is a droid and has resistance to psychic damage. It knows every member of the prison staff on sight. It won't leave the room and attacks anyone it doesn't recognize.
Hatch. A ladder leads to a durasteel hatch in the ceiling. A lock tech power seals the hatch (see the "Prison Features" section for more details), which leads to an airlock that opens onto the roof.
R11: Courtyard
This courtyard's floor is the natural surface of the asteroid. The ceiling is made of transparisteel, allowing a view of the stars.
Prisoners are brought here—individually or in small groups—for exercise. They are watched closely by guards on the ground as well as the guards on the corner tower. Characters can speak quietly with a prisoner without being noticed from the tower.
R12: Meeting Room
This room holds a large, rectangular table with a single chair on one long side and three similar chairs on the opposite side. The room is used for meetings with prisoners or the warden.
Hatch. A ladder leads to a durasteel hatch in the ceiling. A lock tech power seals the hatch (see the "Prison Features" section for more details), which leads to an airlock that opens onto the roof.
R13: Storeroom
Supplies are stored here in crates and other containers. At present, the prison has stockpiled enough necessities to continue operations for six months.
R14: Refresher
This room contains a dozen vacc tubes. Once per day, usually in the morning, manacled prisoners clean the refresher while watched by guards.
R15: Hexagon
This corridor allows guards and visitors to access the outermost rooms of the prison while avoiding the panopticon (area R16) and its prison cells (area R17). The guards refer to this corridor as "the hexagon" because of its shape.
R16: Panopticon
This hexagonal chamber is a large open space at the center of the prison. Cells line the chamber walls, and a smaller hexagonal room occupies the center of the space.
The lights in this area can be dimmed from the surveillance hub (area R18). The hall is dimly lit at night.
R17: Cells
Each cell is enclosed by a formidable ray shield. Bolted to the back wall are iron bunk beds, each with a thin mattress. A vacc tube sits near the beds.
The prisoners are kept in these unlit cells (effectively illuminated by the lights in R16) behind ray shields that can be opened only from area R18. The shields are too secure to be forced open using brute strength or weapons, and enhanced attempts to open or bypass them are thwarted by permanent scrambling fields. Each field encompasses one cell and its shield. Powers and other enhanced effects are suppressed in a scrambling field and can't protrude into it. While an effect is suppressed, it doesn't function, but the time it spends suppressed counts against its duration.
Bolted to the back wall of each cell is an iron bunk bed with thin mattresses and a vacc tube nearby. Prisoners take their meals in their cells.
Prisoners. Each of the twenty-four cells can hold one or two prisoners. Roll 4d10 to determine the number of prisoners currently incarcerated at Devil's Asteroid, give each one an identification number, and distribute them in the cells as you see fit. Numbers are assigned in the order in which the prisoners arrive and are never reused. The longest-serving prisoner currently incarcerated at Devil's Asteroid is Prisoner 6, and the newest one is Prisoner 299. Prisoner 13 (see the "Roleplaying Prisoner 13" section later in this adventure for more details) has no cellmate. Her cell is marked on map 4.1.
To add detail to other inmates, roll on the Prisoners table or choose entries you like. If a prisoner's game statistics become necessary, choose an appropriate stat block and remove armor, weapons, and other gear.
Prisoners
d6 | Prisoner |
---|---|
1 | Gallia Strand (neutral dark Human), convicted of smuggling contraband luxuries, has served 1d6 years of a 10-year sentence. |
2 | Barlo Rageblade (chaotic light Human), a famous adventurer convicted of reckless endangerment, has served 1d4 years of a 5-year sentence. |
3 | Quillion Sardo (lawful balanced Duros), convicted of treason, has served 1d12 years of a 20-year sentence. |
4 | Piro Ett (chaotic dark Devaronian), a thieves' guild leader convicted of multiple crimes, has served 1d20 years of a life sentence. |
5 | Ishar (chaotic dark Twi'lek), convicted of conspiracy to murder members of a noble family, has served 1d20 years of a life sentence. |
6 | Grix (neutral balanced Weequay), convicted of espionage, has served 1d6 years of a 10-year sentence. |
R18: Surveillance Hub
This hexagonal room is the base of the prison's central tower. A spiral staircase rises to the tower's upper levels. Several guards watch through the gun ports, observing the cells, while one sits at a metal desk and console with a myriad of switches and dials and a microphone.
The stairs lead to areas R19 through R23. Seven guards (veterans**) are stationed in this surveillance hub. One sits at a console south of the staircase. The other guards watch the prisoners through 4-foot-tall, 1-foot-wide gun ports in the walls. Hanging on the walls between the gun ports are fifty sets of binders guards use to bind prisoners' wrists and ankles.
Console. The console is a device that resembles a desk with a slanted top and is bolted to the floor. It is a Large object with AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. The console has the following properties, which are disabled if it is reduced to 0 hit points:
- Light Control. A brass dial on the console controls the light level in area R16. Turning the dial requires an action or a bonus action.
- Loudspeaker. As an action, a creature can use this device to broadcast its voice throughout the prison.
- Shield Control. Twenty-four switches on the console open and close the ray shields to the prison cells. A master switch opens or closes all the shields at once. Flipping one or more switches on the console requires an action.
R19: Barracks
A door in the spiral staircase leads into a large room filled with bunk beds. There are arrow slits in the north, west, and south walls. Footlockers and armor racks accompany each bed. The spiral stairs continue up past the door.
Characters who climb the spiral staircase come to a door 100 feet above the prison roof. The staircase continues beyond this door to the tower's higher levels.
The door opens into a room filled with bunk beds. Areas to the north, west, and south can be viewed through 4-foot-tall, 1-foot-wide gun ports. These gun ports use magnetic fields to seal the atmosphere while allowing the guards to fire their weapons outside the prison if necessary. The lights in this room can be switched on or off.
When the prison isn't on high alert, fifty guards (veterans** without armor or weapons) sleep in the bunks. The guards keep their armor and weapons within easy reach. They keep other belongings in unlocked footlockers tucked under their bunk beds.
The guards need 10 minutes to don their armor. If the prison is put on high alert, the guards take the time to put on their armor before making their way down to area R18.
R20: Trial Hall
The floor of this room is 120 feet above the prison roof. A spiral staircase connects the room to the other levels of the tower (area R18 is 140 feet down, area R19 is 20 feet down, and area R23 is 20 feet up). Narrow windows line the outer walls.
A long, slightly curved table with eleven chairs takes up much of the room. The middle chair has no special adornments, while the others have banners hanging over their high backs, each one emblazoned with the crest of a member sector. Banners hanging on the walls display the governing authority's logo (Old Republic, Galactic Empire, or New Rebpulic).
Prison Council Meetings. Members of the Prison Council gather here to weigh the merits of releasing prisoners whom one or more council members have recommended for parole. No prisoner can receive such consideration more than once a year. Prisoners up for parole are brought to this room in binders and given a chance to sway the council members before votes are cast. The warden (see area R21), who always attends such meetings, sits in the middle chair and casts the tiebreaking vote, if necessary.
R21: Warden's Quarters
The lock on this door can be opened only by the warden. Beyond the door is a comfortable bedchamber whose lights can be dimmed or brightened.
Prison Warden. The calm and unflappable warden of Devil's Asteroid is Marta Marthannis, a lawful light, Thakwaash Jedi knight sage* who speaks Galactic Basic, Huttese, and Thakwaese. She stands about 3 meters tall, average for her species. She wears a red uniform and keeps a keycard and a code cylinder in one pocket. The keycard unlocks the warden's chest (see "Loot" below); the code cylinder unlocks the computer in the warden's office (area R22).
So far, the warden has managed to conceal her Force sensitivity from everyone else in the prison. However, she will cast Force powers if she can do so without being seen, or if doing so is necessary to defend herself or the prison.
Marthannis's Alter. Unlike her Force sensitivity, Marthannis hasn't concealed the fact that, like all Thakwaash, she has multiple personalities. While many Thakwaash have dozens of alters, Marthannis has only a single prominent one. Her alter takes control of Warden Marthannis once or twice a day, each time for an hour or two—though never while she's performing important duties, such as supervising prisoner meetings with visitors.
While under the alter's control, the warden can't cast her force powers or use the password for high alert (see the "High Alert" section), speaks only Huttese, and occasionally indulges the alter's vice for ale and spirits.
The warden has made her state known to the prison guards and Prison Council members, and they have grown accustomed to her personality changes and bouts of revelry. The alter hasn't affected the warden's ability to carry out her duties, and so far, no one has questioned her fitness for her job.
Loot. Among the chamber's furnishings is a locked chest, for which the warden carries the only keycard. A character using a security kit can use an action to try to pick the lock, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check.
The chest holds a set of writer's implements (see Wretched Hives), a sack containing 7,500 cr (money that's used mainly to pay ship captains who drop off prisoners and cargo), and a silver cloak pin (250 cr) bearing the symbol of the Jedi Order.
Any character who searches the chest for secret compartments finds one in the lid. It holds an enhanced focus generator with the absorbing 6 property that the warden keeps for emergencies.
R22: Office
A heavy desk stands in the middle of the room with a computer monitor built into it.
Prison records are stored here in the computer. The computer also contains ship cargo manifests and records of past deliveries, as well as prisoner transfer orders and a file documenting the names, crimes, sentences, and commutations of every prisoner who has been incarcerated on Devil's Asteroid. The records include death certificates for prisoners who died while incarcerated. The cause of death is always given as "natural," "accidental," or "unnatural," with no details.
The code cylinder to access the computer is in the warden's possession. A character with a slicer's kit can use an action to try to access the computer, doing so with a successful DC 12 Intelligence check.
R23: Tower Roof
This flat rooftop is 140 feet above the prison roof. Three 6-foot-high walls to the north, southwest, and southeast provide limited cover, but much of the rooftop is exposed to the elements. Access to the roof requires passing through an airlock which is under the effect of a lock tech power.
No guards are stationed here. If the guards in the prison watchtowers (area R9) see an unauthorized starship or a space-borne threat approaching Devil's Asteroid, they alert the rest of the prison. If necessary, guards and the warden don space suits and gravity generators and exit the prison to deal with the threat.
Roleplaying Prisoner 13
The first time the characters encounter Prisoner 13, read the following:
This tightly muscled Bothan woman keeps her red hair cut short. Her right hand, left eye, and many of her joints have been replaced with cybernetic mods, which she wears proudly. She surveys you with unimpressed eyes.
Prisoner 13 is a cunning schemer, ruthless and patient. She listens and watches, absorbing every detail she can, and shares as little as she can get away with.
Prisoner 13 is comfortable with her lot in life, enjoying the anonymity and ironic protection of Devil's Asteroid like a warm blanket on a winter night. While confined to her scrambling field cell, she is cautious since she can't rely on her mods to defend herself. Outside her cell, she grows overly confident and even banters if she's able to do so without being caught by guards. In battle she poses a potent threat, creating blasts of sonic energy, striking with augmented force in melee combat, and firing lasers from her left eye at range.
She spends her time contemplating the web of schemes she learns through the eyes, ears, and hands of her agents outside the prison. While outside her cell during daily exercise in the courtyard or during chores, she contacts her agents for updates and makes arrangements that keep her network running.
Prisoner 13's Mods
Much of Prisoner 13's modwork is covered by her uniform. Her mods include the following:
- Augmented Fists. Her right hand is entirely cybernetic. Her left hand merely has an implant across her knuckles which adds electrical force to her punch.
- Cybernetic Joints. Her shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles have all been replaced with cybernetics, with the organic limbs then reattached to the cybernetic joints. As a result, her limbs can bend in unnatural directions, allowing her to twist out of most grapples and restraints.
- Detachable Hand. Her right hand can be twisted off, if she allows it, leaving a hollow socket at the end of her arm. Her hand is the key to the vault on Thalassia. The characters must acquire this key to complete their mission (see "Acquiring the Key" below).
- Hardened Nanomachines. Beneath her skin is a layer of nanomachines. These aren't usually visible, but when she experiences physical trauma, that area of her skin temporarily takes on a metallic sheen.
- Laser Eye. Her left eye is replaced with a glowing orange cybernetic, which can fire energy blasts.
- Neural Shielding. The only outwardly visible sign of the mods that shield her brain against psychic attack is a small implant protruding from the back of her neck, just under the base of her skull.
- Seismic Projectors. Seismic projectors in her back and chest enable her to release a sonic shockwave.
- Subvocal Commlink Implant. She has a commlink implanted directly into her larynx, allowing her to communicate through it without speaking audibly. The subspace transmissions are undetectable, untraceable, and can broadcast instantaneously at unlimited range. The only outward signs of this mod are a small implant protruding from her throat, and another one under her left ear (through which she hears replies).
A character who examines Prisoner 13's mods and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check notices the barely-visible signs of her neural shielding and commlink implant. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Technology) check realizes that she might be able to communicate subvocally, without being heard or detected by the prison staff.
When Prisoner 13 was first incarcerated, the Prison Council debated removing her mods, but it was deemed inhumane, since this would mean not only putting her through intensive surgery without her consent, but fully removing one of her eyes and all of her limbs. Moreover, prison resources would have to be used preserving the organic portions of her limbs, which are inextricably connected to her cybernetic joints. Since the scrambling fields disable her mods' special abilities, and she's always watched by mutiple guards when out of her cell, the Council decided that it was safe to allow her mods to remain. They didn't know about her subvocal commlink.
Acquiring the Key
If she's approached with the possibility of freedom, Prisoner 13 looks genuinely surprised but quickly assumes her usual neutral mask. Here's how she responds to some likely questions:
What do you know about the vault and key? She plays coy: "I don't know what you mean." If pressed further, she shrugs. "I've been asked about this vault and key before. Assuming I did know where the key might be, what would be in it for me to tell you?"
Do you want to be set free? "As flattered as I am that you care, I'm afraid I must decline. I'm fine where I am, thanks."
What do you want for the key? She ponders for a moment before answering: "The warden has a digital record, probably in her office. It contains all the names, crimes, and prisoner numbers of everyone ever incarcerated on Devil's Asteroid. Bring me that list, and I'll see to it that you get your key."
In response to a verbal threat, Prisoner 13 shakes her head and says, "I could make quite a scene and bring the guards down on you. Maybe even the warden herself. You really don't have anything to threaten me with."
Finding the Key. When Prisoner 13 talks about the key, each character present can make a DC 19 Wisdom (Insight) check. If the check is successful, the character notices Prisoner 13 flexing her right hand and tracing a fingertip across the wrist joint when she mentions the key. The character deduces that the hand is the key.
Forcible Jailbreak. Taking Prisoner 13 alive and delivering her to Varrin is difficult but possible. She won't go willingly and fights back if the characters try to force her. In that case, they'll be hard-pressed to knock her unconscious and make their escape without alarming the guards and placing the prison on high alert. If a fight breaks out with closed doors between the battle and the nearest guards, on initiative count 0, make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check for the guards to see if they notice the commotion. If they succeed, roll initiative for the guards. They investigate on the following round.
Trade for the Key. If the characters acquire the prisoner files from the warden's office (area R22), Prisoner 13 demands to read them somewhere outside her cell. She takes 20 minutes to read through the documents and relay the information to her agents for later use. Following that, she reveals that her right hand is the key to the vault. She allows the characters to study it so they can replicate it, which could be done in one of the following ways:
- A character proficient in biotech's implements could craft a hand prosthesis (see Wretched Hives) that would function as a key to the vault.
- A droid techcaster could use the alter self tech power to give itself a hand that would function as a key to the vault.
- A techcaster could use the construct droid tech power (see Expanded Content) to construct a droid with a hand that would function as a key to the vault.
In any case, a character must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Technology) check to commit the hand's design to memory, which requires 10 minutes of study. The characters can retry if they fail, at the cost of more time and more risk of discovery.
If the characters don't have a way to replicate the hand, they will need to take the original. Prisoner 13 accepts this, but demands that they provide her a replacement, both for her convenience and to avoid arousing suspicion from the guards. The characters can steal a hand prosthesis (see Wretched Hives) from the medbay, which can easily plug in to Prisoner 13's wrist socket.
Last Resort. A gruesome but effective option is killing Prisoner 13 and taking her body back, or just her right hand. If the characters are working for a patron organization, they know the organization would not approve of this method. The characters receive no reward from the organization if they kill or mutilate Prisoner 13.
Conclusion
When the characters successfully deliver the key (Prisoner 13's right hand), Varrin's joy and relief crack his usually reserved exterior, and he sends his agents to open the vault and reveal the lost Askar treasure (he won't allow the characters to be present for the vault opening, unless they must be present to provide a replica key). While much of the clan's stolen wealth has been spent, there's still a great fortune remaining. As a result of their success, the characters have advantage whenever one of them attempts a Charisma check that would influence Askar Bothans. Varrin makes good on his bargain and gives a fair share to the characters as promised. The reward includes the following credits and gems (use the amounts in brackets if the characters negotiated a 3 percent fee):
- 2,310 cr (3,465 cr)
- 12 (18) gemstones worth 500 cr each
The characters can also choose three enhanced items from the following list, or four items if they successfully negotiated for a bigger reward from Varrin:
- Grenade, fragmentation (average)
- Matrix armor
- Muon gold (fine)
- Rocket boots (fine)
- Stamina adrenal (fine)
- Survival and surveillance implant
For a Patron Organization
If the characters are working for a patron organization, they must deliver the key to Varrin Brek'skar. Once they do, the organization rewards the characters with a prototype enhanced item of their choice (subject to your approval) as payment. The item is delivered to the characters the next day.
Stat Blocks
Prisoner 13
Medium humanoid (Bothan), neutral dark
- Armor Class 17 (hardened nanomachines)
- Hit Points 102 (12d8 + 48)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Con +7, Wis +5
- Skills Athletics +5, Deception +9, Insight +5, Perception +5, Stealth +6
- Damage Vulnerabilities ion
- Damage Immunities psychic
- Condition Immunities charmed
- Senses passive Perception 15
- Languages Galactic Basic, Bothese, Huttese
- Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Enhanced Weapons (Mod). Prisoner 13's weapon attacks are enhanced.
Hardened Nanomachines (Mod). Prisoner 13's AC includes her Constitution modifier.
Modded. Prisoner 13 has disadvantage on saving throws against effects that deal ion damage.
Neural Shielding (Mod). Prisoner 13 can't be targeted by any feature that would read her thoughts, and she can't be contacted telepathically unless she allows such contact.
Scrambling Susceptibility. In a scrambling field, Prisoner 13's mods and reactions don't function, and she suffers the following modifications to her statistics: her AC becomes 13, she loses her immunity to psychic damage and the charmed condition, and her Augmented Punch doesn't deal its additional lightning damage.
Subvocal Commlink Implant (Mod). Prisoner 13 can send encrypted subspace messages to dozens of agents across the galaxy, and receive their replies. These messages cannot be detected, intercepted, or decrypted.
Actions
Multiattack. Prisoner 13 makes two attacks.
Augmented Punch. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) kinetic damage plus 4 (1d8) lightning damage.
Eye Laser (Mod). Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 +3) energy damage.
Dislocate Joints (Mod). Prisoner 13 ends any effects causing the grappled or restrained conditions on herself. If she is bound with unenhanced restraints, she slips out of them.
Seismic Burst (Recharge 5-6) (Mod). Prisoner 13 unleashes a shockwave from the mods in her back and chest, filling a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on her. Each other creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 13 (3d8) sonic damage and is knocked prone. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn't knocked prone.
Reactions
Readiness. When a creature Prisoner 13 can see within 60 feet of herself ends its turn, Prisoner 13 makes one attack or uses Dislocate Joints. She can then move up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Oyyd's Droids
An Adventure for 5th-Level Characters
The droids that guard the Mustafarian town of Lok'for have attacked the very residents they were meant to keep safe, forcing a town-wide evacuation. At the heart of the matter is Security Overseer Oyyd, a droidsmith who has turned malicious.
In this adventure, the characters must enter Lok'for, recover a code cylinder, and use it to activate a fail-safe device that shuts off the droids.
Adventure Background
The droids that protect Lok'for are the creations of a Mustafarian droidsmith named Oyyd, who recently decided to become a mechanical being herself. She began with a series of procedures whereby she replaced parts of her body with cybernetics created in her workshop. At some point, Oyyd lost all compassion and empathy for her fellow townspeople. Her fellow droidsmiths urged her to stop what she was doing, but she refused. When the militia tried to shut down her workshop, Oyyd unleashed her droids on the citizens of Lok'for, many of whom were killed. The survivors fled and regrouped outside the settlement in a nearby network of tunnels and caverns. The survivors then sealed the doors to Lok'for to keep Oyyd's droids from escaping.
Oyyd's painstaking transformation into a machine has occupied her for the past few weeks, during which time the other residents of Lok'for have been searching for adventurers to help them reclaim their settlement.
Lok'for's mayor, Brrt, asks the adventurers to infiltrate the town and retrieve a code cylinder last seen in Oyyd's possession. When used to activate a fail-safe device in Oyyd's workshop, the key permanently shuts down the droids, rendering them harmless. How the characters deal with Oyyd is left up to them.
Using a Patron Organization
If you're using a patron organization, a data cube is delivered to the characters in whatever manner you deem fit. The data cube is biometrically encoded to the characters and can only be activated by them. When the characters activate the cube, a soothing voice says the following:
"Greetings, operatives. We have learned the Mustafarian town of Lok'for needs your help. Oyyd, once entrusted with the town's security, has turned the town's droids against the populace. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to infiltrate Lok'for, retrieve a code cylinder, and use it to power down the droids. You are also empowered to stop Oyyd from doing further harm to the town. Start by meeting with the town's mayor, Brrt. She's waiting for you in the caves outside the gates of Lok'for. Good luck, operatives."
After the message plays, the data cube self-destructs with a small puff of smoke.
Mustafar Encounters
Lok'for is situated in an underground cave on Mustafar, but the tunnels leading to the settlement are well traveled and relatively easy to navigate. Illuminated signs can be found at every junction, pointing the way to the settlement.
If you want to make the journey to Lok'for more interesting, you can insert a random encounter or two as the characters make their way through dark tunnels. To determine what the characters encounter, roll on the Mustafar Encounters table.
Mustafar Encounters
d12 | Encounter |
---|---|
1 | Two lava nymphs (see their stat block at the end of the adventure) drop on the characters from above. |
2 | The characters hear the clicks and clacks of three xandanks several minutes before these predators appear and attack. The xandanks use the nashtah stat block, except they have resistance to fire damage. |
3 | A heavy-duty mining droid (use the melee grapple droideka stat block) reveals itself and tries to converse with the characters in Binary. The droid was abandoned by its mining company and has wandered the tunnels for some time. It is bored and eager to strike up a conversation, but knows nothing about Lok'for and has no interest in joining the characters' mission. |
4 | A young roggwart crawls from a crevice in the wall and attacks. The roggwart uses the gutkurr stat block, except it has resistance to fire damage. |
5 | The characters find a fusion cutter that was left behind by a Mustafarian miner. |
6 | The characters enter a small cave containing what looks like a mechanized hoverchair, with controls on the arms. If anyone sits on it, the controls go haywire and the chair attacks and fights until destroyed. The chair uses the 74-Z speeder bike stat block, except it lacks the Piloted trait. |
7-12 | A Mustafarian front-line soldier* named Nxxx is on the lookout for adventurers heading to Lok'for. Nxxx speaks Galactic Basic and Mustafarian. She greets the characters curtly and offers to escort them to Mayor Brrt without delay. |
Meeting the Mayor
Mayor Brrt (neutral light, Mustafarian commoner**) speaks Galactic Basic in addition to Falleen and Mustafarian. She and her fellow Mustafarian exiles are gathered in a cavern not too far from the front gates of Lok'for. If the characters say they've come to help, the mayor eagerly gives them an overview of the situation:
"I can't tell you how pleased we are that you're here to help us! We've sealed the gates of Lok'for to contain the threat that has claimed so many innocent lives.
"Some weeks ago, Oyyd, our security overseer, ordered her droids to attack her fellow citizens. Not knowing what else to do, I ordered an evacuation. But Lok'for is our home, and I am determined to reclaim it.
"Oyyd built a fail-safe device to shut down the droids in the event of malfunction. The device is in her workshop, protected by an electromesh trap. To activate the fail-safe, you need a code cylinder that Oyyd keeps in a safe in her workshop. We need you to retrieve the code cylinder and use it to shut down the droids. How you deal with Oyyd is up to you."
Mayor Brrt provides a hand-drawn map of the town (give your players a copy of map 5.1). In her haste, the flustered mayor has flip-flopped the locations of the infirmary (area L4) and the jail (area L5) on her map.
Mayor Brrt also tells the characters about some useful items hidden under her desk in the town hall (area L2). The characters are free to claim the items for themselves. If asked why the items were left behind, Mayor Brrt admits she forgot about them in her rush to evacuate Lok'for. The items are as follows:
- Four medpacs
- A portable teleporter mk II
- Two fragmentation grenades
Planning the Heist
Armed with Mayor Brrt's map, the characters can begin planning their heist. If they do so in the company of Mayor Brrt and her advisers, these Mustafarians share the following useful information:
- Features. The Mustafarians can share the information in the "General Features" section. The "Bridges" and "Slagline" sections are especially important when it comes to planning the heist.
- Oyyd's Droids. If the characters request more information about Oyyd's droids, use the information in the "Security Forces" section to describe them.
- Oyyd. The trouble began when Oyyd began performing procedures on herself, replacing parts of her body with cybernetics. Her fellow droidsmiths urged her to stop these procedures, but she refused. The mayor ordered the militia to shut down Oyyd's workshop, but the militia was unable to get past the guard droid stationed outside the workshop. After the militia was rebuffed, Oyyd instructed her droids to attack everyone else in Lok'for.
- Warehouse Contraption. Warehouse 6, in the Cavemouth district, contains a drilling machine big enough to hold two characters (see area L11 for details). The Mustafarians have no clue what the characters might use it for, but it could come in handy.
Rewards
If the characters retrieve the code cylinder and shut down Oyyd's droids, Mayor Brrt promises to award the characters the following treasure:
- 50,000 cr
- Rocket boots (fine)
- Darkvision goggles
- Cloak chassis (premium)
If the characters make the case that one or more of the enhanced items might help them accomplish their mission, Mayor Brrt agrees to give them one enhanced item as a down payment—though if the characters abandon the mission, she expects them to return the item.
Shown the Door
When the characters are ready to enter Lok'for, they're led to the town's fortified entrance by Sergeant Nukkel (neutral light Mustafarian front-line soldier*), the highest ranked of the surviving militia members. Stern and scowling, he walks with a slight limp and has a heavily bandaged arm, both the result of injuries he sustained during the evacuation.
Sergeant Nukkel speaks Falleen and Mustafarian, but not Galactic Basic. If asked for advice on the mission, the sergeant offers the following information and guidance:
- Friendly Advice. The sergeant urges the characters to move quickly and quietly through the town, doing their best to avoid Oyyd's droids.
- Avoid Cavemouth. The sergeant suggests the characters avoid the Cavemouth district due to the likely presence of monsters there. (Normally kept at bay by the security droids, monsters are likely to have ventured from their hidey-holes and into the streets. Kubaza beetles are a particular nuisance.)
- Healing Aids. The sergeant recalls that medpacs and traumakits can be found in the city infirmary in Turbine Heights.
Additionally, if the characters show Sergeant Nukkel the map of Lok'for provided by Mayor Brrt, the sergeant points out that the map flip-flops the locations of the infirmary (area L4) and the jail (area L5).
Lok'for Overview
Due to its strategic location and proximity to valuable resources, Lok'for has been a consistent target of attack. As a result, the Mustafarians have fortified the town, which is described in greater detail below.
General Features
The town is situated in a vast cavern tinged red by the magma that flows through the channels that separate the various districts. By and large, the town is well maintained, with streets and buildings composed of gray stone bricks. Other noteworthy features are summarized in the sections that follow.
Map 5.1: Players' Map
Map 5.2: DM's Map
Player Version
Bridges
Bridges made of metal span the magma lake at various points, connecting the town's various districts to one another. Consoles in the power station (area L6) and the security center (area L12) enable these bridges to be raised or lowered, much like a modern-day drawbridge that spans a waterway.
To control the flow of traffic through town, Oyyd has raised the following bridges: the Old Lok'for–Cavemouth bridge, the Cavemouth–Smoldertown bridge, one of the two Smoldertown–Turbine Heights bridges, and the two bridges leading to the Overlook from Old Lok'for and Turbine Heights.
Buildings
Most of Lok'for's buildings are single-story stone structures (about 12 feet high) with stone doors that are 7 feet high and 3 feet wide. Building interiors tend to be unlit (which is of little concern to Mustafarians, who have darkvision).
Lok'for contains many buildings not described in the adventure. If the characters investigate one of these buildings, roll on the Buildings of Lok'for table to determine what kind of building it is. Each building's occupants took everything of value before fleeing Lok'for, leaving nothing of value for characters to find.
Buildings of Lok'for
d100 | Building Type |
---|---|
01-25 | Residence, squalid (quarters for 4d6 Mustafarians) |
26-40 | Residence, modest (quarters for 2d6 Mustafarians) |
41-50 | Residence, wealthy (quarters for 1d6 Mustafarians) |
51-53 | Spicer's shop |
54-56 | General store |
57-58 | Bathhouse |
59-62 | Brewery |
63-64 | Surveyor's workshop |
65-66 | Armorer's workshop |
67-69 | Empty building (with a for-sale sign on the door) |
70-72 | Restaurant (with a menu by the door) |
73-76 | Gemcutter's workshop |
77-78 | Synthweaver's workshop |
79-82 | Jeweler's shop |
83-84 | Cybertech's workshop |
85-88 | Mechanic's workshop |
89-92 | Cantina |
93-96 | Tinker's workshop |
97-00 | Artificer's workshop |
District Elevations
While most districts sit 150 feet above the magma lake, two do not. The Overlook, built into a rock formation at the center of the cavern, sits 170 feet above the magma. Cavemouth is 120 feet above the magma.
Exterior Lighting
The roof and walls of Lok'for are bathed in a fiery hue, thanks to the magma that fills the lake and heats the town. The town's power station (area L6) generates electricity that powers streetlamps in every district, although the streetlamps have gone out in Cavemouth. These lights can be switched on or off from control consoles in the power station and the security center (area L12).
Magma
Any creature that falls into Lok'for's magma lake is likely to be killed instantly unless that creature is immune to fire damage. Any creature that enters the magma for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 55 (10d10) fire damage.
Slagline
Suspended above the magma lake is a carousel-like chain of dangling steel buckets called the Slagline. The buckets are spaced 15 feet apart. Roughly half of them contain ore and uncut gems from the mines; the rest are empty and big enough to carry five Small creatures or two Medium creatures each.
The Slagline is automated so that the buckets move counterclockwise around the town. (Normally, ore and gems from the Cavemouth district are received at the foundry in the Smoldertown district for smelting and refining. The processed materials are then transported past Turbine Heights to Old Lok'for, where they are sold by merchants and guild artisans.) The Slagline alternates between running for 1 minute and then pausing for 1 minute to allow time to load and unload its buckets. Whenever the Slagline stops, the buckets suspended above the magma bob and sway slightly—not so much that they spill their contents, however.
Creatures can safely climb into buckets at one of four loading stations (two in Cavemouth, one in Smoldertown, and one in Old Lok'for) and ride the Slagline from one district to another.
Security Forces
Oyyd created two primary types of droids to protect Lok'for:
- Battle Droids. Lok'for has twenty B2 series, B2-A battle droids, not including ones that were destroyed during the town's evacuation or the damaged one in area L6.
- Probe Droids. Lok'for has eight DRK-1 tracker droids. The probes are tasked with monitoring the streets to ensure nothing has penetrated the city's defenses. If a probe detects intruders, it contacts Oyyd, letting her know where the intruders are. Oyyd then orders the probe to use its next action to emit a piercing shriek, which is loud enough to summon 1d4 B2 series, B2-A droids. These reinforcements arrive 2 rounds later. If the number of battle droids summoned is greater than the number left in Lok'for, adjust the number of reinforcements accordingly.
Other droids under Oyyd's control include two C1 series astromech droids (see area L9a) and a Large guard droid. The guard droid stands guard outside Oyyd's workshop (area L9).
Wandering Monsters
Each time one or more visible characters exit a building or enter a new district, roll a d6. On a roll of 1 or 2 (or just 1 if the characters are trying to be stealthy), they attract the attention of one or more wandering monsters determined by rolling another d6 and consulting the Wandering Monsters table. See "Security Forces" above for more information about how many battle droids and probe droids are present in Lok'for.
In the Cavemouth district, the monsters encountered have all crawled from the mines. The characters encounter Oyyd's droids elsewhere.
Wandering Monsters
d6 | Encounter in Cavemouth | Encounter Elsewhere |
---|---|---|
1 | 2 Kubaza beetles, young following 1 Kubaza beetle, adult | 3 B2 series, B2-A droids |
2-3 | 2 Kubaza beetles, adult | 2 B2 series, B2-A droids |
4-6 | 1 krishel (use the cliffborer worm stat block) | 1 DRK-1 tracker droid |
*see the Kubaza beetle stat blocks in Vesh's Holodex (link)
Lok'for Locations
The following locations are marked on map 5.2.
Old Lok'for (Areas L1-L2)
Old Lok'for is the oldest part of the town. The cobblestones here have been worn smooth over the centuries, and the streetlamps are wrought in a more ornate style than those in the rest of Lok'for. A few dead Mustafarians lie in the streets; most wear the weapons and armor of the militia.
L1: Entrance and Gatehouse
When the characters are ready to enter the town, read or paraphrase the following:
Sergeant Nukkel leads you to a bulwark hastily erected outside Lok'for's impressive gates. The bulwark is defended by weary-looking members of the town militia, who salute the sergeant as he limps past them.
Standing watch by the gates are two dour Mustafarians in black robes. On Nukkel's signal, each of these Mustafarians casts a tech power that causes the gates to swing open before you. A wave of heat washes through the bulwark as the gates part, revealing a grim town bathed in hellish light and periodically brightened by flashes of lightning.
The outer gates lock automatically when they close. The two Mustafarian engineers on duty know release tech powers, which they use to circumvent the gates' complex locking mechanisms. It takes two release powers to open the gates.
Sergeant Nukkel goes no farther. In Mustafarian, he wishes the characters good luck, instructs them to knock on the gates seven times to signal that they're ready to exit, and assures them he will be here waiting for them. (If the characters don't speak his language, the sergeant raps his knuckles on the outer gates seven times to explain what they must do to signal for the gates to be opened.)
As soon as the characters enter the town, the gates lock behind them. True to his word, Sergeant Nukkel instructs the engineers to open the gates if he hears someone on the other side knock on the gates seven times.
Gatehouse. A modest gatehouse stands inside the gates. Map 5.2 includes an inset map that shows the interior of the gatehouse, which the characters can use as a place to rest or regroup. The gatehouse contains sleeping quarters and an armory that was cleaned out during the evacuation.
L2: Town Hall
The bodies of three dead Mustafarians clad in the armor of the town militia splay on the front steps of the town hall, the doors to which are wide open.
The town hall features a spacious chamber for large gatherings and has three small offices at the back.
Loot. From Mayor Brrt's office, characters can retrieve four medpacs, two fragmentation grenades, and a portable teleporter mk II. These items are kept in an unlocked footlocker under the mayor's desk. On the desk is a set of writer's implements (see Wretched Hives).
Halfway Isle (Area L3)
Halfway Isle used to be a giant stalagmite until the Mustafarians sheared off the top of it to create a plateau, atop which they built the Temple of the Bright Star (area L3). Bridges connect Halfway Isle to the neighboring districts of Old Lok'for and Turbine Heights.
L3: Temple of the Bright Star
Next to the road stands a squat stone building capped with a stone dome. The building's entrance is a double door carved to resemble interlocking hands, and centered above the doorway is a crescent-shaped carving, adorned with lava crystals.
Map 5.2 includes an inset map that shows the interior of this building.
A character who examines the crescent and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Lore) check recognizes it as a representation of the Bright Star, a crescent-shaped artifact revered by the Mustafarians.
Temple Interior. A 4-foot-tall statue of a Mustafarian, his face and figure hidden under a cowled robe, stands in an alcove just inside the entrance. The statue's right hand is held out, displaying a stone-carved crescent in its palm.
The largest room in the abbey, directly across from the entrance, serves as a place of worship. Low benches face the middle of the domed chamber, where every word spoken—even a whisper—can be heard throughout the space. Skulking in the dark corners of this room are two prisoners who escaped the custody of their guards as they were being led from the jail (area L5) during the evacuation of Lok'for. The two prisoners—a Falleen crime boss named Slonk (use the ISB officer stat block) and a Gamorrean warrior* named Yuzzik—have binders on their wrists and carry no weapons. Slonk was the leader of a gang of brigands that preyed on travelers in the tunnels near Lok'for. Yuzzik is Slonk's sole surviving bodyguard. Both are unscrupulous and will do almost anything to survive, short of betraying each other.
Other rooms in the abbey include sleeping quarters for Mustafarian monks, a private chamber for the priest, and a privy. A search of these areas yields nothing of value.
Father K'voda. The priest K'voda tried to flee Lok'for with his fellow monks, but he didn't get far before one of Oyyd's droids chased him back to the temple. Minutes after K'voda returned to the abbey, Slonk and Yuzzik showed up. K'voda avoided them by casting force camouflage. He has been using force camouflage powers to hide ever since. As the characters explore the abbey, K'voda hears one of them and becomes visible when he thinks it's safe to do so.
Father K'voda's stat block is found at the end of the adventure. He wears a gray robe and carries an oscillation callibrator (average) and a strength stim (fine).
K'voda doesn't want to stay in Lok'for any longer. Desperate and hungry, he begs the characters to escort him safely to Lok'for's outer gates (area L1), offering his enhanced items if they accept the quest. He insists they deliver him to the gates by the most direct route without delay, and he protests loudly if they dawdle or deviate from this course of action. If he is separated from the characters or wounded, K'voda runs back to the temple, crying "Bright Star, protect me!" all the way.
Turbine Heights (Areas L4-L6)
Turbine Heights is where members of the militia and their families lived. This district also contains a power station and an infirmary.
When the characters first arrive at Turbine Heights, read the following text:
The streets of this district are filled with steam. Through the haze, you can see bright streetlamps and abandoned buildings. Every fifteen seconds, a bolt of electricity arcs from a metal tower in the middle of the district to similar towers in other districts.
The electrically charged metal tower is attached to the roof of the power station (area L6). Due to a backup at the station, steam has overflowed into the streets of Turbine Heights. Consequently, the district is lightly obscured, as if by fog.
L4: Infirmary
A sign depicting a crutch hangs above the entrance to this one-story building. The double door below the sign is ajar, revealing a hallway beyond.
Beyond the double door is a long, dark hallway with three small examination rooms on one side of it and three small storage rooms on the opposite side (see "Loot" below). At the far end of the hall, behind another double door, is an operating room. Characters who search the infirmary thoroughly can find crutches and wheelchairs, as well as bandages and other mundane medical supplies.
Loot. Characters who loot the storage rooms find six traumakits and six medpacs.
L5: Jail
This fortified, two-story stone edifice has a heavy iron door that hangs open. In front of the building, four dead Mustafarians in armor lie amid the fragments of a battle droid.
The dead Mustafarians lying in the street are prison guards who were killed by Oyyd's droids. The guards managed to destroy one of the droids that attacked them, but the prisoners they were escorting slipped away (and ended up in area L3). Characters who search the corpses find a keycard. The keycard unlocks all the cells in the jail.
Building Interior. Map 5.2 includes inset maps that show both floors of this two-story building. The lower floor contains a kitchen and mess hall for the jailers and an office reserved for the head jailer. A spiral staircase connects to the upper level, which contains prison cells.
L6: Power Station
A thirty-foot-tall metal tower extends from the rooftop of this blocky, one-story stone building. The tower crackles with electricity and spews clouds of steam. Every fifteen seconds, it discharges an arc of lightning that leaps to a tower in another district.
The power station generates electricity that powers the bridges, the Slagline (see "General Features" earlier in the adventure), and various workshops scattered throughout the town. The electricity is transmitted through arc towers like the one rising from the power station's roof.
Building Interior. Map 5.2 includes an inset map that shows the power station's interior, which you can describe as follows:
The interior of the power station is one big room filled with billowing clouds of steam. Four howling turbines take up most of the floorspace. Iron steps lead to a six-foot-high iron balcony on the west side of the room. At the north end of the balcony is an iron ladder that climbs to a trapdoor in the roof. The balcony also supports a metal console.
Damaged Turbine. A power station worker was cornered by a battle droid at the north end of the balcony and shoved the droid off the balcony into the northwest turbine. The droid's blaster arm became stuck in the turbine, causing the turbine to malfunction. Characters within 10 feet of the northwest turbine can see the damaged B2 series, B2-A droid, which has 24 hit points remaining. This droid is restrained and unable to free itself or use its wrist blaster, but it can attack creatures that come within reach of it.
Once the battle droid is defeated, a character can use an action to try to dislodge it from the turbine, doing so with a successful DC 17 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. Removing the battle droid's mangled arm from the turbine's machinery causes the power station to stop spewing steam, with the steam throughout Turbine Heights dissipating 1d10 minutes later.
Control Console. The metal console overlooking the turbines features a holographic map of the town. Next to this map are several switches: one for every bridge and district, one for the Slagline (see "General Features"), and one for the power station. All are described below:
- Bridge Switches. There's one switch for each of Lok'for's nine bridges. A bridge can be raised by turning its switch to the left or lowered by turning its switch to the right.
- District Switches. There's one switch for each of Lok'for's six districts (Cavemouth, Halfway Isle, Old Lok'for, the Overlook, Smoldertown, and Turbine Heights). The streetlamps in a district can be shut off by turning that district's switch to the left or switched on by turning its switch to the right.
- Slagline Switch. There's one switch for the Slagline. Turning it to the left shuts off the bucket chain. Turning it to the right switches the bucket chain on.
- Station Shutdown Switch. Turning this switch to the left shuts down the turbines in the power station, causing the streetlamps to turn off throughout town, shutting down the Slagline, and preventing the town's bridges from being raised or lowered. Turning it to the right switches the power back on.
Smoldertown (Areas L7-L9)
When the characters first enter this district, describe it as follows:
The acrid stench of hot metal hangs over this district. Buildings here have no decoration, and nearly every surface is caked in decades of grime and soot. A few more Mustafarian bodies lie face-down in the grit.
Smoldertown, with its many workshops and smithies, is the industrial heart of Lok'for. Oyyd's workshop (area L9) is located here, but Oyyd herself is taking a break at the Motherlode Cantina (area L8).
L7: Foundry
The soot-stained foundry stands at the edge of this district, overlooking the magma lake far below. Its huge sliding doors stand open, revealing dark furnaces and silent machinery. A raised loading dock allows access to the dangling buckets of the Slagline, which deliver unrefined ore to the foundry.
Map 5.2 includes an inset map that shows the foundry's interior, which is one large, open space. The building has no ceiling, allowing heat and smoke to escape. Ore from the Slagline's buckets can be dumped via chute into any of the foundry's five large furnaces.
Loot. Characters who loot the foundry find three sets of astrotech's implements and two sets of tinker's implements.
L8: Motherlode Cantina
Hanging above the entrance of this grimy stone building is a painted wooden sign that depicts gemstones pouring from a flagon. Built-in lights cause the gemstones to glitter invitingly.
Map 5.2 includes an inset map that shows the cantina's interior, which consists of a cellar and a taproom.
Cellar. The cellar contains crates of worthless supplies, several kegs of a locally brewed mushroom beer called Lbbb Classic (named for its brewer, the Mustafarian Lbbb), and several more kegs of a spicy whiskey called Grunseit's Finest (named after the Falleen family that originally distilled it).
Taproom. The taproom contains seating areas, including a row of stools next to a low bar made of carved basalt. Hanging above the bar are two soot-stained lanterns. Half-drunk flagons of flat mushroom beer rest on the bar and on the tables, abandoned by patrons in their haste to evacuate Lok'for.
Oyyd. Unless she was defeated elsewhere, Oyyd (see her description and stat block at the end of the adventure) sits on the barstool farthest from the entrance, cradling an empty flagon while mumbling to herself.
The presence of intruders confuses, disturbs, and annoys Oyyd. If she is confronted by the characters here or if the alarm tech power triggers on the safe in area L9b, she casts dimension door and steps through the spell's magical doorway into area L9b. As she leaves, she says, "Break time's over, Ptts!" (The characters have no way to know this, but Ptts is the name of an imaginary friend Oyyd invented in her childhood. This long-lost imaginary friend has resurfaced recently in response to Oyyd's mounting loneliness.)
L9: Oyyd's Workshop
This windowless, two-story structure has a single door tucked near a corner on the ground floor. Standing in front of the door is an eight-foot-tall, bipedal droid made of rusty metal and green copper. It clutches a heavy electrostaff in both hands, and its ominous head turns slowly from side to side.
Guard Droid. The droid blocking passage into Oyyd's workshop uses the IG-100 MagnaGuard stat block, except it is Large. It defends itself if attacked and attacks anyone who tries to slip past it. It is too big to fit through the workshop's front door.
Workshop Interior. Map 5.2 includes inset maps that show both floors of Oyyd's workshop, which are described in areas L9a and L9b.
L9a: Workshop, Lower Floor
The ground floor is one big work area containing a smelter, drums filled with droid parts, and a dizzying array of tools. Mounted on one wall is an iron ladder that ends before a trapdoor in the ceiling.
Inscribed on the floor is a complex geometric design that includes a few blinking lights. In the middle of this design, embedded in the floor, is a one-foot-square metal box with a scomp terminal in the top of it.
This workshop is where Oyyd creates her security droids. Two C1 series astromech droids nicknamed Rack and Pinion serve as her assistants and perform most of the hands-on work. These droids attack intruders on sight.
The workshop contains a smelter used to fabricate parts and tools. There are enough tools here to assemble one set of astrotech's tools and one set of tinker's tools.
The trapdoor in the ceiling opens into area L9b.
Geometric Design. A detect enhancement tech power reveals an aura around the complex geometric symbol inscribed on the floor. When a creature other than Oyyd enters the space above the symbol for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, the area between the geometric symbol and the ceiling is filled with an electromesh tech power (save DC 15) that has a duration of 1 minute.
Fail-Safe Device. If Oyyd's code cylinder is inserted into the metal box embedded in the floor and turned counterclockwise, Lok'for's battle droids and probe droids are rendered unconscious indefinitely. Turning the code cylinder clockwise deactivates the power of the geometric design on the floor and ends any ongoing effects of it. The code cylinder is kept in Oyyd's safe (in area L9b).
L9b: Workshop, Upper Floor
The workshop's upper floor consists of a sparse room furnished with a simple cot and worktables covered in schematics. An iron safe, five feet on a side, stands against one wall, its thick metal door fitted with a combination lock and a handle.
Safe. The safe can't be moved, and a detect enhancement tech power reveals an aura around it.
A character equipped with a security kit can spend 1 minute trying to crack open the safe door, doing so with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check. Alternatively, a character can spend 1 minute pressing their ear to the safe's door while trying to delicately pick its combination lock, opening the door with a successful DC 16 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or Wisdom (Perception) check. The safe door also opens when the proper combination ("Ptts") is entered into the lock. A release tech power or similar effect also opens the safe.
Oyyd. If the safe door is opened by any means other than entering the code, a mental alarm tech power alerts Oyyd (see her description and stat block at the end of the adventure). Unless she was defeated in area L8, Oyyd uses her Translocation Implant to appear in the middle of the room and attacks any burglars she sees.
If Oyyd is reduced to 40 hit points or fewer, she uses her next action to use her Translocation Implant again, shimmering in a holographic configuration before disappearing into area L12.
Loot. The safe contains an onyx-studded jewelry box worth 2,500 cr. The box is unlocked and holds the following items:
- Dolovite ring (600 cr)
- Three lava crystals (1,000 cr each)
- The code cylinder to the fail-safe device in area L9a
Cavemouth (Areas L9-L10)
When the characters first enter Cavemouth, read the following text:
Mining equipment lies abandoned in the alleys and stalagmite-lined streets of this gloomy district.
The Cavemouth district is where most of Lok'for's miners live and work. Two roads lead to the mines, which are not shown on map 5.2.
The bridges to Cavemouth have been raised, and the streetlamps throughout the district have been shut off. The characters can lower the bridges and turn on the streetlamps using a control console in area L6 or area L12.
Mines. The mine entrances, once protected by Oyyd's droids, are now unguarded. The mines are beyond the scope of the adventure. If the characters insist on exploring them, they eventually attract the attention of a wandering darkghast (rancor, adolescent) that tries to frighten them away with haunting roars.
L10: Miners' Guildhall
Hanging above the open doorway of this large, crystal-studded building is a sign depicting a pick and a hammer.
The miners' guildhall has offices for senior guild members, stout metal lockers where miners can store their gear, and functional showers. Most of the building's former occupants vacated in a hurry, leaving sundry equipment scattered about.
L11: Warehouse 6
Bright light seeps through cracks around the sliding metal doors of this otherwise nondescript warehouse.
If the characters slide open the doors, read:
The interior of the warehouse is an open space roughly twenty feet wide and thirty feet long. Parked in the middle of the warehouse is a strange metal vehicle with treads. Floodlights embedded in the hull shine light in all directions. Mounted to the front of this contraption is a large, cone-shaped drill. At the rear of the contraption is a closed, three-foot-square steel hatch. A metal crate with something fleshy affixed to the outside sits next to the vehicle.
The thing attached to the outside of the crate is a mynock. The crate isn't sealed, and if the characters touch or otherwise disturb the crate or the creature attached to it, the crate bursts open to release two mynock swarms that attack anyone nearby.
Contraption. The vehicle in the warehouse is a drilling machine used by the miners of Lok'for to burrow new tunnels (see its stat block at the end of the adventure).
Ignus. An inventor named Ignus (lawful balanced, Mustafarian software developer* who speaks Galactic Basic, Binary, and Mustafarian) built the contraption and recently locked himself inside it with enough food and water to keep himself alive for 1 week. A metal hatch at the back of the vehicle is the only entrance, and Ignus used a spell scroll of lock (see the Dungeon Master's Guide) to seal it. A character can use an action to try to pull open the sealed hatch, doing so with a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. If the characters knock on the contraption, they hear Ignus's muffled voice shout, "Go away!" in Mustafarian. Ignus attacks anyone who breaks into his contraption but surrenders if reduced to 10 hit points or fewer.
Ignus and Oyyd are rivals, and Ignus long suspected Oyyd's experiments would prove troublesome for Lok'for. His public warnings about Oyyd went ignored, however. A character can use an action to try to convince Ignus to help them, first by impressing on him the importance of freeing Lok'for from Oyyd's control and then by succeeding on a DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Once coaxed into helping the characters, Ignus pilots his contraption anywhere they need him to go. The vehicle has enough space inside for Ignus plus one other passenger. If a character asks Ignus to allow the party to drive the contraption, he adamantly refuses to part with his prized invention.
Questioning Ignus. Ignus knows the following useful information about Oyyd and her workshop, which he shares with characters who befriend him:
- Astromech Droids. Two C1 series astromech droids help Oyyd assemble her other contraptions.
- Safe. Oyyd has an iron safe on the upper floor of her workshop.
- Guard Droid. Oyyd uses a Large droid to guard the front door to her workshop. The droid is too big to fit through the door.
- Who Is Ptts? When Oyyd is upset, she speaks to an imaginary friend named Ptts—as if Ptts were standing right next to her. (Ignus doesn't know that "Ptts" is also the code to bypass the alarm tech power on Oyyd's safe.)
The Overlook (Area L12)
When the characters are close enough to see the Overlook, describe it as follows:
The central feature of Lok'for is an enormous, hollowed-out stalactite with luminous clock faces built into it.
The Overlook's clocks are mechanical wonders. They keep perfect time.
A hollowed-out central chamber in the Overlook contains Lok'for's security center (area L12). This facility is surrounded by rough-hewn chambers containing magnificent fungi gardens and open windows overlooking the town. Residents of Lok'for used to come here to wander the gardens, pick mushrooms, and enjoy the views.
Characters can use the control consoles in areas L6 and L12 to raise and lower the bridges that connect the Overlook to the districts of Old Lok'for, Smoldertown, and Turbine Heights.
L12: Security Center
A large, rough-hewn cavern in the heart of the Overlook has a floor that rises toward the middle. Scores of insects—a few of them big enough to ride as mounts—sleep and crawl on the slopes of this natural rise. Perched atop the rocky mound is a squat stone building topped with a crystal dome. Multicolored light gleams within the dome.
The cavern is home to six lava fleas and hundreds of spark-roaches (see their stat blocks at the end of the adventure), all of which are docile but skittish. The lava fleas are trained to serve the Mustafarians as pack animals. A character who approaches a lava flea can use an action to try to keep it from running away, doing so with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. A lava flea that doesn't run away can be used by that character as a mount.
Domed Building. Map 5.2 provides an inset map of the security center. Spiral staircases on the north and south sides of the building climb 15 feet to a circular chamber, which you can describe to the players as follows:
Beneath a fifteen-foot-high crystal dome is a chamber containing a ten-foot-square, three-dimensional hologram of Lok'for. Rising from the floor near the projection is a metal console with numerous switches on it.
Control Console. The console functions like the one in the power station (area L6).
Hologram. The hologram of Lok'for is a harmless illusion that changes to match the current state of things in town; for example, if a bridge is lowered in Lok'for, the hologram's version of the bridge lowers as well. The hologram has no substance, allowing creatures to pass right through it.
Oyyd. If she fled to this chamber using her Translocation Implant, Oyyd (see her description and stat block at the end of the adventure) is next to the console. She has attached an experimental steam-powered jet pack to her body, giving her a flying speed of 30 feet and the ability to hover. She accuses the characters of being pawns and mocks their heroics. She occasionally speaks to an imaginary friend named Ptts, saying things like, "We'll show them, Ptts!" and "No one can stop us!"
If Oyyd is reduced to 0 hit points, her jet pack explodes in a 20-foot-radius sphere, blowing Oyyd to smithereens. Every other creature within that sphere must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (3d10) kinetic damage from flying shrapnel. If the explosion occurs under the crystal dome, the dome shatters, showering creatures in the room with harmless, confetti-sized quartz particles.
Conclusion
Once the characters use the code cylinder to activate the fail-safe device and shut down Oyyd's droids, the major threat to the city is ended.
Lok'for's residents feel a mixture of grief and relief when they return to the town. They are grateful to the characters for saving the town and raise statues in the characters' honor. Furthermore, Mayor Brrt gives the characters their promised rewards (see "Rewards" earlier in the adventure), and invites the characters to stay in Lok'for as long as they wish and return as often as they can.
For a Patron Organization
If the characters are working for a patron organization, the organization's representative is waiting with Mayor Brrt to confirm the droids were shut down. Once the representative confirms the characters' success, the organization rewards them with a prototype enhanced item of their choice (subject to your approval) as payment. The item is delivered to the characters the next day. This reward is in addition to the treasures promised by Mayor Brrt.
Oyyd
Using cybernetics, Oyyd has transformed most of herself into a machine. What was once her torso is now a steel carapace that can discharge jets of scalding steam. Her left arm ends in a humming blade. Her right arm ends in a metal shield. Her eyes are shiny, metallic red orbs that can see through illusions.
In her current form, Oyyd ruthlessly seeks to destroy anyone and anything that stands in the way of her ultimate goal, which is to become a droid. If she's allowed to continue her work, she will achieve this apotheosis in a matter of weeks, after which she gains the Total Reconstruction feat (see Expanded Content) and counts as a droid (class IV).
Stat Blocks
Drilling Machine
Large construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 20 (armor plating)
- Hit Points 200 (21d10 + 84)
- Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 7 (-2) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 7 (-2)
- Damage Vulnerabilities ion
- Damage Resistances necrotic, poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, diseased, frightened, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, stunned
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages --
- Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Circuitry. The construct has disadvantage on saving throws against effects that would deal ion or lightning damage.
Piloted. The construct requires an active pilot to take any actions, and if the pilot is subjected to any conditions that the construct is not immune to, the construct is also subjected to those conditions. The pilot may take their own action or one of the actions granted by the construct.
Tunneler. The construct can burrow through solid rock, leaving a 10-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake.
Actions
Multiattack. The construct makes two mining claw attacks.
Mining Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) kinetic damage, or the target is grappled (escape DC 15) (pilot's choice).
Floodlights. The construct's floodlights turn on or off. While on, the construct emits bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
Father K'voda
Medium humanoid (Mustafarian), chaotic light
- Armor Class 12 (hide)
- Hit Points 16 (3d6 + 6)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 9 (-1)
- Skills Investigation +3, Perception +4, Stealth +2
- Damage Resistances fire
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages Galactic Basic, Falleen, Mustafarian
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Innate Forcecasting. K'voda's innate forcecasting ability is Wisdom (force save DC 12). He can innately cast the following force powers:
At-will: force camouflage
1/day each: force blind/deafen, force blur, force maskSerene Mind. K'voda has advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against force powers.
Actions
Vibrostaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) kinetic damage, or 7 (2d4 + 2) kinetic damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Poisoned Vibrodart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) kinetic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Lava Flea
Large beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 19 (3d10 + 3)
- Speed 30 ft., burrow 5 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)
- Damage Resistances fire
- Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages --
- Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Standing Leap. The flea's long jump is up to 30 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) kinetic damage.
Lava Nymph
Tiny beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 73 (21d4 + 21)
- Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 9 (-1) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 9 (-1) 11 (+0) 9 (-1)
- Skills Perception +4
- Damage Immunities fire
- Condition Immunities prone
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
- Languages --
- Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Death Burst. When the lava nymph dies, it explodes in a burst of fire and magma. Each creature within 10 feet of it must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Flammable objects that aren't being worn or carried in that area are ignited.
Luminous. The lava nymph sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
Actions
Multiattack. The lava nymph makes two lava spit attacks.
Lava Spit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) fire damage.
Oyyd
Medium humanoid (Mustafarian), chaotic dark
- Armor Class 17 (natural armor, medium physical shield)
- Hit Points 75 (10d6 + 40)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 10 (+0)
- Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +2
- Skills Perception +2, Technology +9
- Damage Vulnerabilities ion
- Damage Resistances fire
- Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 12
- Languages Galactic Basic, Binary, Mustafarian
- Challenge 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Force Field. Oyyd generates a force field around herself. This force field has 15 hit points and regains all its hit points at the start of each of Oyyd's turns, but it ceases to function if Oyyd drops to 0 hit points. Any damage Oyyd takes is subtracted from the force field's hit points first. Each time the force field regains hit points, the following conditions end on Oyyd: grappled, restrained, and stunned.
Innate Techcasting. Oyyd’s techcasting ability is Intelligence (tech save DC 14). She can innately cast the following tech powers:
1/day each: mirror image, paralyze humanoid
Modded. Oyyd has disadvantage on saving throws against effects that deal ion damage.
Actions
Multiattack. Oyyd makes three Techblade or Lightning Discharge attacks.
Techblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) kinetic damage plus 10 (3d6) sonic damage.
Lightning Discharge. Ranged Tech Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (3d10) lightning damage.
Translocation Implant (2/day). Oyyd teleports herself from her current location to any other spot within 500 feet. She arrives at exactly the spot desired. It can be a place she can see, one she can visualize, or one she can describe by stating distance and direction, such as "200 feet straight downward" or "upward to the northwest at a 45-degree angle, 300 feet."
Bonus Actions
Scalding Steam (Recharge 5–6). Oyyd emits a jet of piping-hot steam in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that cone must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Spark-Roach
Tiny beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 10
- Hit Points 2 (1d4)
- Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 2 (-4) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 8 (-1) 3 (-4)
- Damage Resistances fire
- Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages --
- Challenge 0 (0 or 10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 kinetic damage.
Ahead of the Game
An Adventure for 6th-Level Characters
A group of scholars and sages known as the Order of Dwartii recently purchased a droid head known as TC-01, said to be the most aesthetically pleasing droid ever created. Before the sages could study it, the head was stolen by the Son-tuul Pride, a crime syndicate. In this adventure, the characters must retrieve TC-01 from the Son-tuul Pride's guildhouse and return it to Adrisa Carimorte, a member of the Order of Dwartii.
This adventure can take place on any Outer Rim planet.
Adventure Background
The Order of Dwartii collects obscure objects of curious origin and historical significance. The group's interests focus on items owned by powerful and popular individuals speculated to maintain covert ties with occult or nefarious organizations. Serious academics often write off the Order of Dwartii as charlatans or pranksters, and with good reason: the Order rarely collects enough evidence to support their outlandish claims. Still, the organization occasionally stumbles upon something of true significance.
Recently the group acquired a droid head known as TC-01, reputed to be the most beautiful droid ever created. The group spent a small fortune acquiring the head and prepared to host a debate over its cultural significance, the aesthetics of technology, and the question of whether droid design can be considered art. They also planned to research the head's other properties (see the end of this adventure for the head's description and stat block).
The day after the debate was announced, a small team of Son-tuul Pride thieves raided the Order's vaults. The thieves slew three guards during the theft, then fled with the droid head. Word has spread that the Son-tuul Pride plans to fence the head in the next three days.
During the robbery, Order guards captured a lookout working with the thieves. This captive is willing to trade information for his freedom.
The Order of Dwartii distrusts the authorities and doesn't wish to report the theft. Instead, the organization seeks skilled adventurers to recover the droid head.
Adventure Hooks
If you're not using a patron organization (see "Using a Patron Organization" below), you can use any of the following hooks to help motivate the characters:
- A Favor Owed. The characters either owe someone in the Order of Dwartii a favor or seek the counsel of one of its members. Upon arrival, this individual might request that the characters retrieve TC-01 to repay the individual's patronage or for mutual benefit.
- Knowledge Sought. The characters have prior reason to find the portrait or seek knowledge they believe someone in the Order of Dwartii possesses. However, the knowledge actually resides in TC-01's memory.
- Strike a Blow. One or more characters have clashed with the Son-Tuul Pride in the past and want to strike a blow against the troublesome crime syndicate.
Using a Patron Organization
If you're using a patron organization, a data cube is delivered to the characters in whatever manner you deem fit. The data cube is biometrically encoded to the characters and can only be activated by them. When the characters activate the cube, a soothing voice says the following:
"Greetings, operatives. A valuable droid head has been stolen from a member of the Order of Dwartii, an organization with connections to [patron organization]. The Order of Dwartii specializes in the study of rare objects of historical significance. We suspect that the stolen droid, TC-01, has enhanced properties.
"This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to infiltrate a guildhouse of the Son-Tuul Pride, a dangerous crime syndicate. Find where the head is kept, recover it, and return it to Adrisa Carimorte of the Order of Dwartii. A preliminary meeting with Adrisa has already been arranged, and a speeder will arrive shortly to deliver you safely to her location. Good luck, operatives."
After the message plays, the data cube self-destructs with a small puff of smoke.
An airspeeder arrives not long after the data cube self-destructs. The driver, a cheerful woman, invites the characters to climb aboard and delivers them safely to Adrisa if they accept the ride.
Warehouse Visit
Read or paraphrase the following if the characters choose to meet with Adrisa Carimorte:
Rain begins to fall as your speeder pulls up beside an open warehouse surrounded by fields of dead grain. A tall, well-dressed Human woman emerges from the warehouse as you exit the coach. "Thank you for coming," she says with a smile. "I'm Adrisa Carimorte. My organization would like to hire you to retrieve a droid head that was stolen from us by a crime syndicate. For the droid's safe return, I'm prepared to pay you twenty thousand credits. Let's go inside to escape the rain, shall we? There's someone else I'd like you to meet."
Adrisa Carimorte (neutral balanced, Human Jedi knight sage*) is an influential member of the Order of Dwartii. If the characters turn down the offer, Adrisa has the speeder driver return them whence they came. If the characters express interest in the job, Adrisa escorts them into the warehouse, which the Order of Dwartii sometimes uses as a secret meeting place.
Adrisa leads the characters up a ladder to the warehouse's loft. Once everyone is in the loft, read or paraphrase the following:
In the middle of the loft, tied to a chair, is a scrawny Human man with patchy facial hair. He is sweating profusely and chewing nervously on a cloth gag.
The man tied to the chair is Grinky Brithwort (neutral dark, Human thug*). He was captured during the theft of TC-01 and has useful information about the Son-tuul Pride and its headquarters—information the characters can use to help plan their heist.
Grinky's Deal
Grinky has been associated with the Son-tuul Pride for years. During the theft of TC-01, Grinky's job was to watch for guards. He was caught and given to Adrisa for questioning. Adrisa has offered to release Grinky in exchange for his help.
What Grinky Knows
Adrisa gives the characters a chance to question Grinky. During this conversation, Grinky shares the following true information:
- Guildmaster Dusk. "Guildmaster Dusk leads this planet's branch of the Son-tuul Pride. She's a trained assassin with powerful political connections."
- Getting Inside. "The windows of the guildhouse are boarded up, and its doors are usually locked. At least three guild members have master keycards to the doors: Guildmaster Dusk; Elikss the Saint, one of Dusk's lieutenants; and Jamon the Sinner, the guild's resident spy. The astrotech, Gwish, might have a keycard as well. If you want to get your hands on a master keycard, your best bet is to snatch it from Elikss the Saint, who frequents a seedy cantina called the Tipsy Tankard."
- Guildhouse Guards. "By late evening, most guild members have gone to sleep. Senior guild members bully lower-ranking guild members into taking the late-night shifts."
- Guild Membership. "Dusk isn't accepting new guild members right now. I've been working for the guild since I was a kid, and I'm still not a ranking member."
- Head's Location. "I don't know where the head is, but I'm guessing it's either in Guildmaster Dusk's quarters, which are on the second floor of the guildhouse's tower, or hidden in the basement, where new guild members are trained."
- Supply Deliveries. "Supplies are sometimes delivered to the guildhouse by speeder. All supplies are received and inspected by Laris Drot, the head mechanic, at the garage."
What Adrisa Knows
After the characters question Grinky, they can ask Adrisa questions about the Son-tuul Pride or TC-01. She knows the following:
- Guildmaster Dusk. "Everyone seems to ignore the activities of Dusk and her guild. Larceny is the Son-tuul Pride's specialty, but Dusk uses blackmail, extortion, threats of violence, and whatever else it takes to keep her enemies at bay."
- Droid Lore. "The droid head is the work of famed artist Dkesii Kwan and was commissioned by the late Daiyani Grysthorn, a grand dame in the criminal underworld. The head is sentient and was made to eavesdrop on conversations and pass along secrets to its owner. The head is notoriously vain."
- Sense of Urgency. "It's likely that the Son-tuul Pride has a buyer for the droid head. Therefore, it's vital you recover it as quickly as possible before it ends up in an even more secure location."
Planning the Heist
The characters' goals are simple: locate the head and return it safely to the Order of Dwartii.
Grinky's Map
Grinky furnished Adrisa with a sketched map of the Son-tuul Pride's guildhouse (see map 6.1). Adrisa gives Grinky's map to the characters.
Grinky is neither well informed nor a high-ranking member of the Son-tuul Pride. Consequently, his map contains inaccuracies, such as the following:
- Grinky's guesses as to where Dusk stored the droid head are wrong.
- Grinky's map is missing the topmost level of the tower, where the head is kept (area G27 on map 6.2).
Elikss the Saint
Characters can obtain one of the guildhouse's master keycards from Elikss the Saint (lawful dark, Trandoshan warrior), a high-ranking member of the Son-tuul Pride and one of Guildmaster Dusk's more capable lieutenants. After questioning Grinky, the characters should know that Elikss the Saint frequents a tavern called the Tipsy Tankard, which is about a 45-minute walk from the guildhouse. He travels there alone because he likes to flirt with a bartender named Karyssa (neutral balanced, Trandoshan commoner**).
Elikss usually leaves the guildhouse at sundown and returns by midnight. Characters can approach him during this interval and take his master keycard by force or snatch it from him without his knowledge. As an action, a character within reach of Elikss can try to snatch the keycard from his pocket, doing so with a successful DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. If the attempt is made in a crowded place where others might notice the theft, increase the DC by 5.
Elikss would sooner die than betray Guildmaster Dusk, although a coerce mind force power or other coercive power can wring information from him. For example, he knows where TC-01 is being kept (on the tower's third floor, above Guildmaster Dusk's private quarters).
Clever characters can steal Elikss's identity as well as his keycard. If Elikss is either detained or disposed of, a character can use powers (for example, alter self or force mask) to mimic his appearance. A disguise kit can also help perpetrate such a ruse. In this form, a character can search most of the guildhouse without inviting altercations.
Map 6.1: Players' Map
If Elikss the Saint doesn't return to the guildhouse by midnight, the lookouts on watch assume he had too much to drink and either passed out in a field or got thrown in jail for brawling. His failure to return won't cause alarm.
Surveillance
Characters can use force camouflage or infiltrate powers to approach and observe the guildhouse without being seen. They can also use a locate object force power to pinpoint the droid head's location (area G27 on map 6.2). A techcaster's interfaced tracker droid can slip inside the guildhouse without attracting too much attention.
Son-tuul Pride Guildhouse
The Son-tuul Pride's guildhouse is situated at the end of a winding, cobbled street that runs parallel to a small river. The back of the garage faces a grassy embankment scattered with mulberry trees.
The guildhouse is a wooden complex consisting of a main building with an adjoining tower and basement, as well as a garage area that includes speeder storage, an office, and quarters for paying visitors.
General Features
Recurring features of the guildhouse are described in the following sections.
Doors
Doors in the guildhouse complex are locked unless otherwise noted. Some individuals have keycards to specific areas, as noted in their descriptions. Others possess a master keycard that opens all locked doors in the complex.
As an action, a character can use a security kit to try to open a locked door, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check, or force open the door with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Each door has AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Secret Doors. A secret door blends in perfectly with the wall that surrounds it. A character who uses an action to examine a stretch of wall can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, finding any secret door hidden there on a success. The guildhouse complex's secret doors are well-oiled, allowing them to be opened and closed quietly.
Floors
The upper floors, garage catwalk, and porches are unlacquered hardwood planks. Rough, splintery, and slightly warped with age, these floors creak when walked on. Characters make any ability checks to move stealthily on the upper floors at disadvantage. The ground floor is paved with slate tiles, and the basement is cobblestone.
Light
The garage is unlit. During the day, light filters in from the entrances and through cracks in the plank walls, filling the area with dim light.
The rest of the guildhouse complex is filled with bright light during the day, either from lighting fixtures or the sun. At night, rooms and hallways are dimly lit by lighting fixtures.
Guild members carry glowrods with them when they descend into the basement, which is unlit.
Walls
The exterior walls are made of wood. The interior walls are plastered lath, making them relatively soundproof. The basement walls are made of clay bricks braced at regular intervals by thick, rough-cut wooden beams.
Windows
Most of the guildhouse complex's windows are boarded up (except the ones in area G21), but tiny cracks between the boards allow creatures to peer through. Prying away the boards is relatively easy, but doing so quietly requires a successful DC 13 Dexterity (Stealth) check.
Guild Member Names
If you need a name for a low- or mid-ranked member of the Son-tuul Pride, pick one from the following list:
Brick Face
Deadly Nell
Evil Marvus
Farrow the Filcher
Greedy Pete
Grimbeard
Night Lily
Ookie the Cheat
Pistachio
Stickyfingers
Vaelin Shadowblade
Zeke the Sneak
High Alert
If a situation arises that puts the guildhouse on high alert, a task force assembles to deal with the threat. This force is summarized in the Guild Task Force table. Subtract any individuals who have already been neutralized.
Guild Task Force
Creature | Location |
---|---|
Guildmaster Dusk (lethal operative**) | G26 |
Gwish (Sith sorcerer*) | G21 |
Jamon the Sinner (assassin*) | G3 |
Elikss the Saint (Trandoshan warrior) | G23 |
3 thugs* | One each from G19, G22, and G24 |
3 goons** | One from G13 and two from G25 |
Guildhouse Locations
The following locations are keyed to map 6.2.
Credit to Magog for the speeder bike and swoop tokens used on map 6.2.
Map 6.2: DM's Map
Player Version
G1: Front Porch
Nailed to this lengthy porch are short planks that bear the words "Private Property. No Trespassing!" in Galactic Basic. A lookout is stationed on a second-floor balcony above the western end of the porch.
Any character who approaches the porch in plain view is spotted by the thug* on the south balcony (area G22), who calls out, "Hey, you, get lost! Can't you read the signs?" If this warning is ignored, the lookout shouts the same thing again, putting the guildhouse on high alert, then shoots a slug into the ground near the character's feet as a final warning.
Drop Box. The staircase in front of the double door to area G10 has a loose plank near the top. This plank conceals a drop box where visitors stash black-market goods, fenced items, and guild tributes. Any character who lifts the plank sees a dusty satchel in the drop box. The satchel contains 25 cr and a datacard that transfers ownership of two swoop bikes to Guildmaster Dusk.
G2a: Speeder Storage
Ten swoop berths and a catwalk line the walls of this garage, which has an open doorway at each end. A small puddle of fuel has pooled on the ground around a large canister.
The berths contain ten swoops*.
Fuel Canister. The leaky canister is a fire hazard. If the canister is pushed against a wall and set ablaze, the fire quickly spreads. After 1 minute, the smoke puts the guildhouse on high alert.
Fire. The Son-tuul Pride isn't equipped to stop a fire that starts in the garage. Such a fire takes 1 minute to spread throughout the structure. After that, the fire moves 5 feet westward each minute until the whole east building is engulfed. After 5 minutes, the building collapses, and the stairs to the basement are buried in flaming debris. The west building is spared.
Ladders. A wooden ladder in each corner berth ascends to a trapdoor that leads to the catwalk (area G2b). The trapdoors are unlocked.
G2b: Catwalk
The hayloft is 10 feet above the swoop berths and consists of a 5-foot-wide wooden walkway that runs the perimeter of the building. Broad, square loading doors open in the north and south walls, each fitted with block-and-tackle rigs for hoisting supplies up to the catwalk. Crates of speeder parts take up most of the space. A few loose tools lie scattered about the crates.
Mechanic's Assistant. A young mechanic named Needly Pitts (neutral balanced, Human commoner**) lazes on the catwalk, supposedly guarding against speeder thieves. He has nodded off but wakes if characters disturb the swoops, make too much noise in the garage, or start a fire. In the event of trouble, Needly calls the head mechanic (see area G16), who takes 1 minute to arrive.
G3: Staircase
Halfway up this flight of stairs is a sleeping figure wrapped in a wool blanket. A door is situated at the top of the stairs.
The door at the top of the stairs is unlocked and opens into area G14.
Jamon the Sinner. The figure on the steps is Jamon the Sinner, a neutral balanced Clawdite assassin* disguised as a drunken guest. Only Guildmaster Dusk knows that Jamon is a shapechanger. The Clawdite pretends to be asleep, but a character can discern that he's awake with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check. Jamon doesn't start fights he knows he can't win and allows intruders to pass by. When the intruders are gone, Jamon taps three times on the staircase wall to alert Gwish in area G21, then slinks away to alert Guildmaster Dusk in area G26.
Master Keycard. Jamon carries a master keycard that unlocks all doors in the guildhouse complex.
G4: Mechanic's Workshop
Three broken-down speeder bikes occupy this room. Pegs and hooks on the inner walls bear hydrospanners and fusion cutters. Nearby, shelves hold smaller boxes filled with miscellaneous hardware.
The shop has two access points: the garage to the east and a door to the west that leads to area G7.
Loot. Characters can assemble one mechanic's kit from the tools stored here.
G5: Office
A wooden countertop divides the room. Signboards display services and fees for speeder storage and room rentals. Two keycards sit in compartments on the east wall above the counter. A third compartment is empty.
When the office is staffed, a visitor can secure an upstairs bed for 1 cr per night (5 cr for a private room). Accommodations can also be made in the garage for a traveler's speeder at a cost of 1 cr per night.
Coin Box. Tucked behind the counter is a coin box with a copper clasp. A character who inspects the coin box before opening it notices a row of tiny pinholes in the lid. The coin box contains 13 cr, as well as a young gizka.
Keycards. The two keycards in the compartments unlock the doors to areas G17 and G18, respectively.
Secret Door. A secret door in the office's back wall leads to area G6.
G6: Basement Staircase
A wooden staircase in the northeast corner of this empty, boarded-up room leads to the basement.
The stairs descend 15 feet to area G28.
G7: Service Entrance
Hanging on the walls of this small, muddy room are several cloaks, glowrods, and coils of fibercord cable.
Guild members store their gear here. A search of the room yields nothing of great value.
G8: Courtyard
A cobblestone courtyard is wedged between the two main buildings of the guildhouse. Situated in the middle of the yard is a stone well rigged with a simple bucket winch.
The well is 30 feet deep and has fresh water filling its bottom 5 feet. The well's winch and rope are sturdy enough to bear 250 pounds of weight.
G9: Conference Room
This room contains several unmatched chairs situated around a long oak table scarred with knife marks. On the table sits a half-eaten cheese wheel, four wine jugs, and some wine-stained flagons.
Guildmaster Dusk holds meetings here.
G10: Main Hall
Visitors who try to enter this hall through the north door must contend with a trap.
Back-Door Trap. The northernmost door has a "No Trespassers!" sign hanging on the outside of it and is sealed from the inside (a fact not discernible from the outside). As an action, a character can try to force open the door using brute strength, doing so with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. Breaking down the door puts the guildhouse on high alert unless a smuggle tech power or similar effect is used to muffle the noise.
A character who searches the door for traps can make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. If the check is successful, the character notices a vial of poison gas hidden in the door itself. As an action, a character can try to disable the trap using a security kit, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check.
Unless the trap is disabled, tugging or jostling the door causes the vial in the door to break, releasing a cloud of poisonous gas that fills a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on the door. The trap also triggers if the door is forced open. Each creature in the trap's area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 16 (3d10) poison damage and is poisoned for 1 minute; on a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned. The trap can be triggered only once.
Entering the Hall. Use the following boxed text to describe the hallway:
A long, well-trafficked hall runs the width of the house. A staircase along the west wall leads to the second floor.
The stairs climb 15 feet to area G23.
G11: Kitchen
A cooking hearth occupies one corner of this kitchen, and nets holding dried sausages, cheese, peppers, and garlic hang from the rafters. Other items found here include a butcher's block, a table for preparing meals, a pail of potatoes, a few cast-iron pots, a sack of flour, a tin filled with cooking utensils, a block of salt, and a knife with a cutting board.
The kitchen contains nothing of great value.
G12: Parlor
This room contains a fireplace, a tattered couch, and several upholstered chairs, one of which is bright blue. Sabacc cards and credit chips lie scattered across a table. Slumped around the table are four drunken guild members clutching empty mugs and reeking of ale.
The four guild members have been drinking and playing sabacc. The motley crew consists of three goons** and one Gamorrean enforcer. The goons are poisoned and unconscious, while the enforcer is merely poisoned and spoiling for a fight. The unconscious condition ends on a goon who is wounded, knocked out of their chair, or splashed with a pint or more of liquid.
Blue Chair. The blue chair in the south corner covers a secret trapdoor in the stone floor. A character who examines the floor near the chair can make a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check, finding the trapdoor on a success. Pulling open the trapdoor reveals a wooden ladder that descends 15 feet to area G37.
Loot. The credit chips on the table amount to 152 cr.
G13: Tower Rotunda
A lit fireplace warms this mostly empty tower chamber. A wooden staircase hugs the west wall.
A goon** sits near the bottom of the stairs, engrossed in a saucy holobook. If this guard detects intruders, he tries to run up the stairs to wake Guildmaster Dusk in area G26.
G14: Upstairs Foyer
This rectangular room has a door on every wall. A plaque on the west door says, "Private Rooms."
The north door leading to area G19 is locked; the other doors are unlocked.
G15: L-Shaped Hall
Wooden doors line the walls of this L-shaped hallway.
Closets. The two small rooms to the north are closets behind unlocked doors. One stores a mop and broom and a few buckets. The other has shelves holding linens, blankets, soap, and candles.
G16: Head Mechanic's Quarters
This room belongs to the head mechanic, Laris Drot (neutral balanced, Human commoner**), who is a stout woman in her fifties. Laris carries two keycards on her person: one unlocks the door to this room, and the other unlocks the doors to area G7.
A wooden trunk at the foot of Laris's bed contains folded clothing and personal effects.
Loot. On a nightstand, next to a keycard to the garage, is a coin pouch containing 66 cr.
Development. If Laris is here when the stable hand in area G2b calls her, Laris heads to the stables to find out what's going on. It takes her 1 minute to get there.
G17: Small Common Room
This room stinks of speeder fuel due to its proximity to the garage. It contains two neatly made beds, two empty footlockers, and a nightstand with a light hanging above it.
G18: Large Commmon Room
This room stinks of speeder fuel due to its proximity to the garage. It contains four neatly made beds, each with its own nightstand and empty footlocker. A lamp rests atop each nightstand.
Loot. Hidden inside one of the lamps is a ring of apprentice force storing, left by a past guest. No one in the guild is aware that the ring is there.
G19: North Balcony
A wooden railing encloses this balcony. Mounted on one corner of the railing is a set of macrobinoculars.
A thug* stationed atop this balcony watches for trouble coming from the north and west. If she sees anything suspicious or threatening, she shouts loud enough to put the rest of the guildhouse on high alert. This thug carries a keycard that unlocks the door to area G14.
Macrobinoculars. The macrobinoculars attached to the balcony are missing one of their lenses and are nonfunctional.
G20: Private Room
This private room contains a bed, a nightstand, a footlocker, and a small fireplace. A small lamp, a water pitcher, and two mugs rest on the nightstand. Sitting on the edge of the bed is a heavy man in a nightgown.
A traveling merchant named Thyval Horne (neutral balanced, Human commoner**) rents this room. On the nightstand rests a keycard that unlocks the door to this room.
Roleplaying Thyval. The merchant hasn't had a good night's sleep in days and quickly angers if disturbed. Characters who threaten Thyval or use powers to coerce him can pry the following information out of him:
- Guildmaster Dusk is hosting an unscrupulous, well-connected noble named Dartinal Livereth. (Thyval suspects the two are lovers.)
- Jamon the Sinner, the guild's resident spy, is a master of disguise.
- Thyval can't sleep because of the beeping droids in the room next door (area G21).
G21: Gwish's Room
The room contains a large bed, a sturdy trunk, a wooden nightstand, and a darkened fireplace. The windows here aren't boarded, and the window in the west wall is open slightly. In the middle of the room, an old man in an oversized black robe carefully removes a datacard from a spherical probe droid while muttering kind words to it. Two more droids watch from the rafters.
The man is a Human Sith sorcerer* named Gwish. Guildmaster Dusk is the only other guild member who knows Gwish's true nature. Gwish is wearing a Sith warrior's robe.
Gwish is reclusive and rarely interacts with the other guild members. The sorcerer has three Sith probe droids that act as messengers. These droids deliver secret messages to the guildmaster's spies abroad and receive similar messages from those spies. (Dusk is paranoid about short-range communications being intercepted.)
If one or more characters interrupt the sorcerer, he politely asks them to leave. If they refuse, he shoos away the droids and attacks the characters. The sorcerer's lightsaber is in a hidden wall compartment in the northeast corner behind the door.
Droid's Message. Gwish has received a message from one of Guildmaster Dusk's spies. The note is written in code on a datacard, and only Guildmaster Dusk is authorized to read it. Gwish plans to deliver the message to Dusk once her guest leaves (see area G26).
A character can decipher the message in 1 minute by succeeding on a DC 20 Intelligence check using a slicer's kit. A decryption program tech power grants advantage on this check. The message reads, "TC-01 in danger. Dwartii retaliation imminent. Be on high alert."
Gwish's Trunk. The trunk at the foot of Gwish's bed contains a spare unenhanced red crystal and a collection of Sith writings.
Master Keycard. One of the deep pockets on Gwish's robe contains a master keycard that unlocks all doors in the guildhouse.
G22: South Balcony
A wooden railing encloses this balcony. Mounted on one corner of the railing is a set of macrobinoculars.
A thug* stationed atop this balcony watches for trouble coming from the south and east. If she sees anything suspicious or threatening, she shouts loud enough to put the rest of the guildhouse on high alert. This thug carries keycards that unlock the doors to areas G23, G24, and G25.
Macrobinoculars. The macrobinoculars are damaged, but functional.
G23: Stolen Goods
Deep scrapes crisscross the floor of this spacious room, and wood shavings scatter the perimeter. A string of lights dangles from the ceiling, suspended on block and tackle above several containers—mostly small casks and crates, although there's an earth-encrusted coffin here as well.
Elikss the Saint (lawful dark, Trandoshan warrior; see the "Elikss the Saint" section earlier in the adventure) works here during the day. Armed with a crowbar, he examines containers stolen by the Son-tuul Pride. He then records their contents (and the estimated value of those contents) on a datapad.
Master Keycard. Elikss carries a master keycard that unlocks all doors in the guildhouse complex.
Loot. The following stolen goods are stored here:
- Six casks of exquisite Corellian wine (2,500 cr each)
- Chest containing six poisoner's kits
- Crate containing eight security kits
- Crate containing two rocketpacks (see Wretched Hives)
- Coffin containing the moldy corpse of a Human Jensaarai wearing a copper necklace shaped like the Jensaarai emblem (250 cr), an ornate animalistic mask (2,500 cr), and Jensaarai armor
G24: Elikss's Office
This office contains a plain wooden desk, a simple chair, and a fireplace. A door in the south corner sports a plaque that says, "Private! Enter at your own risk."
A thug* stands guard outside the door to Guildmaster Dusk's quarters (area G26). The thug's job is to shout at the first sign of trouble, thus alerting the guildmaster.
Desk. If the characters search the desk at night, they find a datapad in an unlocked drawer, along with a stylus pen. The datapad provides an account of stolen goods acquired by the Son-tuul Pride, but TC-01 is not among the items listed.
G26: Dusk's Quarters
This circular room contains a canopied bed with a leather trunk at the foot of it and a fireplace. Wooden staircases hug the walls—one leading up, the other down. The scent of spice hangs in the air.
Unless she has been lured elsewhere, Guildmaster Dusk (lawful dark, Rodian lethal operative**) is asleep in bed with her lover, a politically influential noble
named Dartinal Livereth (lawful dark, Human noble**). Neither is wearing armor, but they keep their weapons within reach.
If the guildhouse is on high alert, Dusk leaves the room to find out what's happening. Meanwhile, Dartinal smokes a death stick in bed and waits for Dusk to return.
Fireplace. Resting on the fireplace mantel are a wedge of soap, a brush, a clay pipe, and an ivory spice jar carved in the shape of a skull. Buried in the ashes of the hearth is a spare techblade covered with soot.
Leather Trunk. This trunk holds a spare, loaded slugthrower under some linens, bedding, and neatly folded outfits.
Master Keycard. Guildmaster Dusk keeps a master keycard on a nightstand next to her bed, and she takes it with her when she leaves the room. The keycard unlocks all doors in the guildhouse complex.
G27: Tower Peak
This room is situated at the top of the tower and is off limits to everyone except Guildmaster Dusk, who comes here to reflect, doodle in her diary, and gaze upon her latest acquisition: TC-01.
This tower chamber is lit by a chandelier suspended from beams that support a conical roof. A cluttered writing desk and a padded chair are positioned opposite the descending staircase. An exquisitely sculpted gold-plated protocol droid head sits on a golden pedestal in a shallow alcove near the top of the stairs.
Characters who search the guildmaster's cluttered desk find sketches and descriptions of deadly mechanical traps, including a rough sketch of the trap in this room (see "Trap" below).
TC-01. The droid head that sits in the alcove is TC-01 (see its description and stat block at the end of the adventure). Guildmaster Dusk is interfaced with the head and has commanded it to defend itself against all creatures except her. As an action, a character can throw a sheet over the head, making it unable to cast tech powers.
The Order of Dwartii was wrong about one thing: Guildmaster Dusk has no intention of selling the head. By learning its secrets, she hopes to become as notorious and wealthy as the late Daiyani Grysthorn, the crime lord who commissioned the painting in the first place.
Trap. Canisters of poisonous gas are hidden in the wall behind the droid head. Removing the head from its pedestal without first disabling the trap causes the gas to spew from tiny holes previously concealed by the head. Each creature in the room when the gas is released must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
A character who searches the alcove for traps spots the holes behind the head with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. This check is made with advantage if the character saw the trap's sketch in Dusk's diary. Once the trap is detected, a character can spend 1 minute trying to disable it, either by plugging the holes or by placing a counterweights on the pedestal as someone else carefully lifts the head. The character trying to disable the trap must make a DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, disabling the trap on a success and triggering the trap on a failure.
G28: Cellar
This room lies at the bottom of a wooden staircase that climbs 15 feet to area G6. The cellar is unlit.
This dank cellar reeks of soured wine. Wooden trunks line the south wall, and a chamber to the east contains stacks of barrels and crates.
The crates, barrels, and trunks are all empty.
Secret Door. A secret door in the south wall can't be opened from this side without powers (see area G33 for details). It leads to area G33.
Thieves' Test. The door leading to area G29 is unlocked and has the following note (handwritten in Galactic Basic) tacked to it:
Here are the rules. Look for keys and keyholes. Watch out for my pets. Follow the arrows, but don't let them hit you. Trust your ears, and remember: a little pressure can be a good thing. Get out alive. Remember, you wanted this. Good luck, grunt.—Dusk
Areas G29–G33 contain challenges that are meant to test thieves who want to join the guild. The note is meant for those applicants, but characters would be wise to heed its advice:
- "Look for keys and keyholes" and "Watch out for my pets" refer to challenges in area G29.
- "Follow the arrows, but don't let them hit you" refers to the set-up in area G31.
- "Trust your ears" and "A little pressure can be a good thing" speak to areas G32 and G33.
G29: Murky Pool
A ten-foot-square pool of murky water occupies most of this unlit room. A narrow ledge surrounds the pool, and a chalk-drawn arrow on the east wall points down.
The pool is 10 feet deep, and the murky water reduces underwater visibility to 0 feet. Characters can find the way to area G30 by exploring the pool:
- Pool Floor. An unenhanced silver key rests on the floor of the pool. A character submerged in the pool can take an action to feel around its floor, finding the key with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
- Pool Walls. The east wall of the pool has a tiny keyhole in the middle of it. A character submerged in the pool can take an action to search the pool's walls, finding the keyhole with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
- Secret Exit. If the pool's silver key is inserted into the pool's keyhole, a section of the pool's east wall retracts, revealing a 4-foot-high, 4-foot-wide, flooded tunnel containing a swarm of faa (see its stat block at the end of the adventure). The swarm attacks the nearest prey. A character who swims to the far end of the tunnel and feels around for an exit finds an unlocked trapdoor in the ceiling that pops open to reveal a dry, T-shaped chamber (area G30) and a passageway leading south (area G31).
G30: Trapdoor
This unlit, T-shaped area is empty except for a wooden trapdoor in the floor. A tunnel (area G31) leads south from here.
Trapdoor. Below the trapdoor is a 4-foot-wide, 4-foot-high tunnel filled with murky water and a hungry swarm of faa (see area G29 for details). Characters who follow this tunnel west come to a dead end unless they previously opened that end of tunnel in area G29.
G31: Follow the Arrows
Characters who have darkvision or a light source can see the following:
Chalk arrows drawn on the floor point toward the south end of this narrow corridor. Arrow slits are evenly spaced along the walls.
The arrow slits are too narrow for a Small or larger character to squeeze or crawl through. Behind the arrow slits are two closed-off chambers—one to the west and one to the east. A character who has darkvision or a light source can peer through nearby arrow slits to see what each closed-off area contains: five freestanding battle droids, B1-A draped in cobwebs and clutching compound bows instead of blaster rifles (see Expanded Content). Most of these droids are inert, propped up to look threatening. Each one is a Medium object with AC 15, 4 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Only two droids are activated, and they guard the hallway's midpoint. When a character enters the square marked T on map 6.2, one battle droid uses its reaction (if available) to make a compound bow attack, targeting that character. The character can make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to tumble out of the way; if the check is successful, the droid has disadvantage on its attack roll.
If a character somehow gains access to one of the closed-off chambers, perhaps by being Tiny size, the battle droid in that area stops guarding the hallway and instead attacks that character.
Secret Door. A secret door at the south end of the hallway is unlocked and can be pushed open to reveal a tunnel leading to area G32.
G32: Eastern Maze
Characters who have darkvision or a light source can see the following:
Branches in the tunnel ahead suggest you're entering some sort of maze. You hear the sounds of heavy breathing coming from somewhere ahead.
Implant message tech powers create the sounds of heavy breathing. These sounds originate in the two spaces marked T on map 6.2. Any character who succeeds on a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check can track the sounds to their points of origin. A character who enters one of these squares steps on a pressure plate that sinks 1 inch into the floor and remains in that position for 1 minute before resetting itself. A character who searches that section of floor before stepping on it must make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. If the check is successful, the character spots the pressure plate and can avoid it. If the characters depress the two pressure plates here along with the one in G33, the north secret door in area G33 swings open.
G33: Western Maze
This maze is like the one in area G32, right down to the heavy breathing. The square marked T on map 6.2 contains a hidden pressure plate on the floor identical to the ones in area G32.
Secret Doors. This maze contains two secret doors, one to the north and the other to the west:
- North Secret Door. This secret door has three separate locks built into it. If all three pressure plates in the maze (the one in this area and the two in area G32) are in their sunken positions, the door unlocks and swings open on its own, revealing area G28 beyond. Otherwise, each of the door's three locks requires a separate release tech power or similar effect to bypass. The locks are hidden and can't be picked.
- West Secret Door. This secret door is unlocked and pushes open to reveal area G34 beyond.
G34: Cell Block
Characters who have darkvision or a light source can see the following:
Vertical iron bars stretch from floor to ceiling, dividing this room into six cells. The two southernmost cells have wooden barrels and trunks in them, while the cell in the northern corner contains a scruffy-looking prisoner.
All the cell doors are locked, and a secret door connects the cell block to area G33.
G34a: Smugglers' Barrels. This cell contains four wooden barrels that have padded interiors and air tubes for breathing. The thieves use these barrels for smuggling people.
G34b: Smugglers' Trunks. Three iron-bound trunks rest against the back wall of this cell. The chests have padded interiors and air tubes for breathing. Like the barrels in the adjoining cell, these trunks are used for smuggling people.
G34c: Prison Cells. Each of these cells contains a wooden bench and a small drain hole in the floor.
Imprisoned in the northernmost cell is a thief named Dury Sneeth (neutral dark, Human spy*), who was caught taking a bribe from a member of Black Sun, a rival crime syndicate. After he was rightly accused of spying for Black Sun, Dury was locked up and interrogated. He found a vibrodagger hidden behind one of the bricks in the wall of his cell, and he keeps it hidden on his person. He has no other weapons.
Guildmaster Dusk is satisfied that Dury is guilty of betraying the Son-tuul Pride, but she hasn't gotten around to punishing him yet and has, in fact, told Dury that she's willing to give him a second chance if he behaves himself from now on. Dury is not convinced Dusk has his best interests at heart and pleads for release.
G35: Storage Room
Lining two walls of this room are four wooden crates and four wooden chests.
The crates contain stolen weapons and ammunition: ten techblades, twelve slugthrowers, five shotguns, and hundreds of slug cartridges. The chests are filled with ordinary cutlery, candlesticks, plates, pitchers, and mugs.
Loot. One of the chests has a secret compartment, which a character searching the chest can find with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. The secret compartment contains six pieces of costume jewelry (50 cr each), a gold necklace with a black pearl pendant (7,500 cr), and a grenade, fragmentation (major).
G36: Storage Room
This room is mostly empty except for a potted plant with red flowers shoved in a corner next to a paper-wrapped slab of meat.
The plant is a saava. To keep the carnivorous plant satiated, Guildmaster Dusk brings it a fresh slab of meat every few days. The saava attacks any character who tries to steal the meat but otherwise prefers to be left alone.
Secret Door. Hidden in the room's south corner is a secret door that swings open into area G37.
G37: Secret Tunnel
This tunnel has a secret door at one end and a 15-foot-tall ladder at the opposite end. The ladder climbs to a stone trapdoor in the ceiling that leads to area G12. A character at the top of the ladder can try to push open the trapdoor, doing so with a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check; the check is made with disadvantage if the blue chair in area G12 is weighing down the trapdoor.
Conclusion
If the characters return TC-01 to Adrisa Carimorte, she gives them their promised reward. If they also present Elikss the Saint's datapad (see areas G23 and G24), Adrisa offers to buy it for 5,000 cr.
If the characters deciphered the coded message delivered by Gwish's droid (see area G21) and share the message with Adrisa, she suspects one of Guildmaster Dusk's spies has infiltrated the Order of Dwartii. She thanks the characters for the information and gives them a smugglepack (fine) as an added reward. Identifying the spy is beyond the scope of this adventure but a good hook for a future one.
For a Patron Organization
If the characters are working for a patron organization, Adrisa Carimorte arranges to give the characters a prototype enhanced item of their choice (subject to your approval) as payment for delivering the droid head to her. The item is delivered to the characters the next day.
TC-01
This droid head, designed by famed artist Dkesii Kwan, is the most beautiful piece of droid craftsmanship ever created--all of its curves are mathematically calculated for maximum aesthetic value. The head is one of several art pieces commissioned by the late Daiyani Grysthorn, a crime lord who frequently gave artwork as gifts to her most esteemed associates.
Sentience. The droid head is sentient, and whenever conversation occurs within the head's auditory range (120 feet), the head eagerly gathers secrets, the names of secret tellers, significant events, or any political conversations.
Personality. TC-01 is demanding, condescending, and vain. It doesn't like being covered or placed out of sight, and it loudly condemns anyone who tries to remove it from its golden display pedestal.
Wealth of Information. The droid head's primary purpose is to observe and recall conversations. Over the past few decades, TC-01 has quietly observed countless conversations and now possesses an unquantifiable amount of lore—everything from criminal conspiracies to secret passwords. The DM decides what the head knows and what it doesn't.
Stat Blocks
Swarm of Faa
Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned
- Armor Class 13
- Hit Points 28 (8d8 - 8)
- Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 9 (-1) 1 (-5) 7 (-2) 2 (-4)
- Damage Resistances kinetic and energy
- Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
- Languages --
- Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Blood Frenzy. The swarm has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny faa. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Water Breathing. The swarm can breathe only underwater.
Actions
Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm's space. Hit: 14 (4d6) kinetic damage, or 7 (2d6) kinetic damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
TC-01
Tiny droid (tracker), lawful dark
- Armor Class 12 (armor plating)
- Hit Points 20 (8d4)
- Speed 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 1 (-5) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
- Skills Lore +6, Perception +3
- Damage Vulnerabilities ion
- Damage Resistances necrotic, poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities diseased, poisoned, prone
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
- Languages Galactic Basic, Binary, Huttese
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Advanced Interface. Maintaining an interface with TC-01 requires more investment than a typical tracker droid. Casting the tracker droid interface tech power on TC-01 costs two attunement slots, which can't be used until the power ends (the caster can willingly end the power over the course of a short rest).
Circuitry. The droid has disadvantage on saving throws against effects that would deal ion or lightning damage.
Innate Techcasting. The droid's techcasting ability is Intelligence (tech save DC 12, +4 to hit with tech attacks). It can innately cast the following tech powers:
3/day: homing rockets
Interfaced Communications Protocol. While a creature is interfaced with this droid via the tracker droid interface tech power, the creature can communicate with the droid via its tech focus over any distance, provided the two are on the same planet. However, contacting the droid from more than 100 feet away requires the creature's concentration (as if concentrating on a power).
Vidorant's Vault
An Adventure for 7th-Level Characters
Over the years, the notorious Twi'lek thief Nixylanna Vidorant has stolen many famed prizes and stored them in her vault. Her former partner believes one of these trophies—a ruby diadem—rightly belongs to him. He hires the characters to infiltrate Vidorant's vault, bypass its security features, and steal the diadem. In a twist, the characters come face-to-face with Vidorant, and she offers them a deal that's hard to refuse.
Adventure Background
The Blue Ghosts are no mere guild of pickpockets and ruffians. The elite thieves of this interplanetary organization pull off impossible heists, targeting crown jewels, governmental secrets, and other heavily guarded prizes. Decades ago, the Twi'lek Nixylanna Vidorant joined the Blue Ghosts, where she partnered with a Zygerrian named Samph Goldan. These friendly rivals made a good pair. Vidorant was skilled with picking locks and deftly getting into tough places, and Goldan used his connections and quick thinking to research targets and talk the pair's way out of trouble.
As the years passed, the duo rose in the ranks of the Blue Ghosts. But their partnership abruptly ended when they stole the Ruby Diadem, an heirloom once worn by Queen Erlynn Blessore. Goldan's family traces its lineage to the Zygerrian queen, who was captured in a battle centuries ago, and he desperately wanted to reclaim his family's diadem. The heist seemed like any other—until thirty guards suddenly surrounded the pair of thieves. Vidorant nimbly escaped via the roof with the diadem in hand, but Goldan was caught. He avoided imprisonment by calling in favors with powerful friends, but when he tracked down Vidorant, she refused to hand over the diadem despite his family's claim to it.
Goldan claimed Vidorant set him up and alerted the authorities. Meanwhile, Vidorant claimed innocence, insisting Goldan was covering for his own inability to escape the situation. Whatever the truth, she kept the diadem, the once-friendly rivalry turned bitter, and the two have tried to outmaneuver each other ever since.
Recently, their uneasy relationship changed again with the death of the longtime leader of the Blue Ghosts. Vidorant and Goldan each competed to win leadership of the society, calling in favors from every ally they had in the organization. Unfortunately for Vidorant, Goldan proved defter at internal politics, winning leadership of the society—and getting Vidorant expelled in the process. Goldan promised harsh retaliation against anyone who helped Vidorant, ensuring none of her former allies would stand against him.
Weeks after his takeover of the Blue Ghosts, Goldan made an even bigger move against Vidorant. He promised a favor to any existing or aspiring Blue Ghost who steals the Ruby Diadem of Erlynn Blessore and delivers it to him. This challenge is the talk of scoundrel circles as everyone vies to steal the diadem from Vidorant. Doing so won't be easy, as Vidorant keeps her treasures in her secure vault on the outskirts of the city.
Using a Patron Organization
If you're using a patron organization, a data cube is delivered to the characters in whatever manner you deem fit. The data cube is biometrically encoded to the characters and can only be activated by them. When the characters activate the cube, a soothing voice says the following:
"Greetings, operatives. An heirloom diadem from a Zygerrian queen is in the possession of master thief Nixylanna Vidorant. The queen's descendant, Samph Goldan, would like the diadem returned, and [patron organization] finds value in allying with his Blue Ghosts. This quest, should you choose to undertake it, requires you to infiltrate Vidorant's vault and recover the diadem. Start by meeting with Goldan. Good luck, operatives."
After the message plays, the data cube self-destructs with a small puff of smoke.
Steal the Diadem
To kick off this adventure, the characters receive an invitation to meet with the head of the Blue Ghosts, Samph Goldan (lawful balanced, Zygerrian noble). A character who is a thief or has the criminal background is familiar with the Blue Ghosts, an elite organization for exceptional thieves.
Alternatively, the characters could hear about Goldan's challenge to bring him the diadem through the gossip of other thieves; in this case, skip to the "Preparation" section.
If the characters are too lawful or good to work with a thieves' guild, consider Goldan approaching them simply as a descendant of Erlynn Blessore, asking them to return the Ruby Diadem to its rightful heirs.
Mission from Goldan
Goldan asks the characters to meet with him in the back room of a restaurant. When the party arrives, read the following:
An elegantly dressed Zygerrian greets you in the back room, a polite smile gracing his face. He introduces himself as Goldan and offers you tea. After everyone is served, he casually dips a pinky into his own cup and tastes a drop before taking a larger sip.
Once the characters sit down near him, Goldan addresses them:
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm sure you've heard of my organization, the Blue Ghosts. Only the most elite thieves in the world qualify for membership.
"You may have heard that Nixylanna Vidorant, my former partner, is no longer with the Blue Ghosts. We've withdrawn all protection from her and her property, and we now have room in the society for new members.
"As such, I present to you a challenge. Whoever brings me the Ruby Diadem of Erlynn Blessore from Nixylanna's personal vault will become a member of the society. As my family is descended from Queen Erlynn, we've wanted the diadem returned to us for years.
"You can keep a few things for yourself from her collection, but I'd advise against too much distraction. Nixylanna has been a problem for me for a long time because she is very good at what she does. And remember: you cannot trust her."
Goldan relates the information from "Adventure Background"—though told from his perspective. He explains the diadem is of only moderate value and has no enhanced properties, but its connection to his family and his history with Vidorant make it valuable to him.
If the characters are uninterested in membership in the Blue Ghosts, Goldan offers a reward of 20,000 cr, though he grumbles the reward is far more than the diadem is worth.
Preparation
The party's preparation for the heist might include seeking information from Vidorant's former guards, surveilling Vidorant at her mansion, or staking out her vault. Though each approach can yield useful information, the characters shouldn't delay too much; other Blue Ghosts may also be preparing to steal the diadem (at your discretion).
Gathering Intelligence
By combing through local pubs or asking around with their own informants, the characters can locate up to six guards (veterans) formerly employed by Vidorant. Use the Former Guards table to help you roleplay each guard.
Former Guards
d6 | Ex-Guard |
---|---|
1 | Turolga Flathelm (neutral balanced Zygerrian), a gruff woman who has a soft spot for stray cats |
2 | Ballidyr Josephon (neutral balanced Human), a pompous man who refers to himself in the third person |
3 | Jeniana Damaritz (lawful balanced Human), an aloof woman who talks to only the most well-dressed of the characters |
4 | Pelten Kiwaris (chaotic balanced Human), a gregarious person who invites the characters to join them at a party |
5 | Kavton Bould (neutral balanced Togruta), a jocular man who sells stolen goods |
6 | Breelen Fibble (chaotic balanced Bothan), a cheerful woman who fidgets constantly |
To convince a former guard to share information about the vault and its defenses, a character can make a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check or another appropriate ability check, depending on their approach. A character who offers a bribe of 100 cr reduces the DC of this check by 5.
On a failed check, the former guard walks away, disinterested in further conversation. If other characters approach the guard later, the guard remains unwilling to share information about the vault.
On a successful check, the character convinces the former guard to reveal the basic layout of the vault's first floor, as shown on map 7.1. The guard also answers simple questions about Vidorant and her physical appearance, the guard uniforms, and other information every guard would know.
If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character also learns one of the following pieces of information:
- The basic layout of the vault's second floor, as shown on map 7.1
- The location of the secret door between area T3 and the building's exterior
- The password to bypass the pressure plate in area T9: "quixotic"
- The location of a switch to disable one trap (either the pit trap in area T3 or the statues in area T6)
- The guard rotation (detailed in "Vault Guards")
Surveilling the Target
If the characters spy on Vidorant, they can find her at her mansion in a well-to-do neighborhood near the vault. This doesn't yield useful information about the vault, but the characters can get a good glimpse of Vidorant and several associates, which can aid the characters in creating disguises.
Vidorant is a tall Twi'lek woman with green skin. She usually wears black clothes accented with tasteful but clearly valuable silver jewelry. She's brusque, authoritative, and direct, though she listens with remarkable patience and intensity whenever anyone addresses her directly.
Map 7.1: Player's Map
While no one in the Blue Ghosts would dare help Vidorant right now, she still has a few informants and cronies from outside the organization. If the characters watch her long enough, they see meetings with four people: a muscular Aqualish woman in a fine suit and hat, a sneering Human man carrying a large leather case, an unkempt Mirialan man with patched clothing, and a smiling Twi'lek woman who bears a striking resemblance to Vidorant but is noticeably younger. Learning the identities of these associates would take additional sleuthing.
Casing the Joint
If the characters scout the vault before the heist, read or paraphrase the following:
The vault stands in a rundown neighborhood, but the street and alleyways around the vault are unobstructed. Small windows glint from high on the vault's stone walls. Two guards keep watch on the second-floor balcony, while another guard patrols around the structure at ground level.
Vidorant's vault is an unmarked building on the city outskirts in an area with moderate foot traffic. The neighboring buildings stand at least 20 feet from the vault and don't share walls with it. Nearby businesses include a jewelry store, a mechanic's shop, a brewery, and a foundry. Several other nearby buildings are empty and are ideal locations for a stakeout.
If the characters observe the vault before the heist, they learn the general exterior layout, including the locations of the main door, balcony door, and windows. They also get a good look at the guard uniforms—dark blue with gold stitching—which can aid in creating disguises.
If the characters venture within 30 feet of the south side of the building, they hear animal noises coming from the zoo (area T8), and a character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check finds the secret door leading from the exterior to the gem room (area T3).
If the characters observe the vault for at least 4 hours, they learn two guards are always on duty on the balcony, accessed via a rope ladder the guards leave hanging down to ground level. The characters also learn the basic exterior and interior guard rotation (detailed in "Vault Guards").
The Vault
On the day (or night) of the heist, nothing notable has changed from the party's previous surveillance. If the characters didn't visit the vault earlier during their preparations, read the read-aloud text from "Casing the Joint" as they approach the vault.
Vault Features
Vidorant's vault has the following features.
Ceilings
Ceilings throughout the vault are 15 feet high.
Doors
Doors in the vault are made of wood, except for the inner vault's metal door.
Locked Doors. As an action, a character can try to unlock a locked door in the vault, doing so with a successful Dexterity check using a security kit, or force the door open with a successful Strength (Athletics) check. Either check's DC is 15 unless the text states otherwise.
Light
Unless otherwise noted, all areas are brightly lit.
Walls and Floors
The vault's walls and floors are made of thick stone. The characters can attempt to create a passage into the vault, though a guard patrol spots them if the characters spend more than a minute getting everyone inside. Each 10-foot section of wall has AC 15, 200 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Damaging the wall catches the attention of the guards unless the characters take extraordinary measures.
Wards
The building is warded against teleportation. Effects like the translocate tech power can't be used to enter, exit, or move within the building.
Windows
Areas T2, T3, T7, T8, and T9 have windows 10 feet above the ground, and area T13 has a window 20 feet above the ground. Each window is locked and can be unlocked easily from the inside. As an action, a character can use a security kit to try to unlock a window from the outside, doing so with a successful DC 16 Dexterity check.
Each window is warded with a sensor that sounds an audible alarm if the window opens (see "Caught in the Act"). A character who searches a window for traps notices the sensor with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check and can use an action to try to disable it, doing so with a successful DC 14 Intelligence (Technology) check using a slicer's kit or a diminish tech tech power. A character who disables the alarm on one window can do the same on other vault windows without having to repeat the check.
The windows are too small for a Medium creature to climb through, but a Small creature can squeeze through one with a successful DC 20 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
Vault Guards
Vidorant employs a dozen guards (use the veteran** stat block) to protect her treasures—three guards outside and nine inside the vault. Guards remain alert for noises elsewhere in the vault, and if the characters do something particularly loud, a guard might investigate at your discretion.
Exterior Security
Characters who learned the guard rotation in the "Preparation" section know two guards are posted on the balcony and one guard patrols around the outside of the building at ground level.
A character can avoid the notice of the exterior guards with a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check. An effective distraction might lower the DC or even bypass this check entirely. At night, the DC of this check decreases to 9.
Interior Security
Characters who learned the guard rotation in the "Preparation" section know two guards are posted in the lobby, seven guards patrol the first floor of the vault, and no guards patrol upstairs.
Rather than requiring you to track each patrolling guard's location, this adventure represents the guards moving about the vault by having you roll to determine whether a guard is present in any given room. In areas specified as part of the guard rotation, roll a d4 to determine if a guard is present when the characters approach that room. On a 1, a guard is present in that room. If the characters learned the guard rotation in the "Preparation" section, roll a d6 instead of a d4, reflecting their increased ability to avoid the guards.
If the characters spend more than 10 minutes in any room that's part of the guard rotation, a guard interrupts them. Any character who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher hears the guard coming 2 rounds before the guard enters the room.
Evading Guards
When guards are present in an area, characters can resolve encounters without resorting to combat. Some examples are listed below, though the characters may come up with creative alternatives:
- Bluffing. A character can lie their way past a guard with a successful DC 16 Charisma (Deception) check. If the party's preparations convincingly support their story—such as wearing guard uniforms while claiming they're new guards—the DC decreases to 12.
- Bribing. A character can convince a guard to look the other way with a 500 cr bribe and a successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check.
- Hiding. Before entering a room, a character can tell if a guard is present by listening at the door and succeeding on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. The party can make a DC 14 group Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide in their current room until the guards leave. On a successful check, the guard leaves without noticing the characters, allowing the party to enter the next room undetected. On a failed check, the guard discovers the characters, likely by entering the room the characters are in and spotting them.
- Intimidation. A character can frighten a guard into letting them pass with a successful DC 17 Charisma (Intimidation) check.
If you wish, a character who succeeds on one of the above checks by 5 or more might also learn one piece of information from the "Gathering Intelligence" section, perhaps by overhearing a conversation or persuading a guard to share it.
Caught in the Act
If the characters are spotted by a guard and don't talk their way out of it, the guard calls for backup and attempts to run away, taking the Dash action. The guard returns 3 rounds later with an additional 1d4 + 1 guards (unless there aren't that many guards left). The guards (use the veteran** stat block) fight until reduced to 10 hit points, then flee.
If the characters set off any audible alarms in the building, a guard immediately investigates, arriving 3 rounds after the alarm sounds. The alarm also puts the guards on high alert throughout the vault. For 1 hour after an alarm sounds, when rolling to determine if a guard is present in a room, roll two dice instead of one; if either result is a 1, a guard is present. Additionally, the DC on checks made to nonviolently deal with guards increases by 2 (see "Evading Guards"), and the price to bribe a guard increases to 1,000 cr.
Changing of the Guard
If the characters neutralize all nine interior guards, the party has the run of the building until the next shift's guards show up. However, the three guards outside the building remain alert to loud noises inside the vault and enter the building to investigate suspicious sounds. A new shift starts every four hours, and six guards show up at each shift change.
Vault Locations
The following locations are keyed to map 7.2.
T1: Lobby
This beautifully decorated lobby has stone floors polished to a mirror finish. To the west, a large statue depicts a Human woman wielding a lightbow. To the east, two comfortable chairs accompany a small table. A double door leads outside to the north, and two doors on the south wall lead into the vault.
Guards. Two guards watch the unlocked front door while sitting in the lobby's chairs. Though suspicious of people trying to get in, they're accustomed to confused people occasionally entering the unmarked building.
Locked Door. The door to area T5 is locked.
T2: Break Room
This break room smells faintly of sweat and greasy food. Scuffed furniture and a large couch provide comfort for off-duty guards.
The room includes a table and chairs for eating, a couch and several chairs for lounging, and a refresher. A trunk on the east wall contains a dozen spare guard uniforms.
Map 7.2: DM's Map
Player Version
Guards. Two off-duty guards are playing cards at the table. They aren't expecting to be interrupted, and each has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 7. If the characters try a nonviolent approach (as detailed in the "Evading Guards" section), the DC of those checks decreases by 2 against the off-duty guards.
Locked Door. The door to area T3 is locked. Each guard in the vault has a keycard that unlocks this door.
T3: Gem Room
This room contains open crates of gems sorted by color and type. Most are neatly faceted, though a few remain uncut.
Guards. This room is part of the guard rotation. Roll to determine if a guard is present (as described in "Interior Security").
Locked Door. The door to area T2 is locked. Each guard in the vault has a key that unlocks this door.
Secret Door. The southwest wall of this room contains a secret door to the exterior. Vidorant uses this door often. A character who examines the wall and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check spots the door, which opens silently.
Trap. Any character who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher notices the floor is unusually clean in a 10-foot square in front of the gem crates. When a creature steps on this area, the floor collapses into a 10-foot-deep pit with poisoned spikes lining its floor. Any creature on the collapsing floor falls into the pit, taking 3 (1d6) kinetic damage and landing prone. In addition, the creature must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or be impaled by 1d3 spikes, each of which deals 3 (1d6) kinetic damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
A character who searches the floor for traps and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check detects the trap, which can be disabled by placing a strong object such as a pole or crowbar between the floor panels. If the check made to detect the trap succeeds by 5 or more, the character also spots a concealed switch on one wall that disables the trap.
Loot. The crates hold 60 pounds of gemstones. The valuable gems include a large uncut diamond (10,000 cr), four small diamonds (1,000 cr each), a bag of diamond dust (3,000 cr), four flawed rubies (500 cr each), and four pearls (1,000 cr each). The remainder of the semiprecious stones in the crates are worth a total of 10,000 cr.
T4: Ciphers and Elixirs
This room has four short bookshelves, each bearing eight glass vials of liquid. Several open barrels hold small technological devices.
Guards. This room is part of the guard rotation. Roll to determine if a guard is present (as described in "Interior Security").
Shelves of Elixirs. The four shelves each hold eight adrenals, alcoholic beverages, or stims in bottles (see "Loot" below). Any character who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 18 or higher notices the shelves are precariously balanced. To safely remove a bottle from a shelf, someone must steady the shelf with a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check or the shelf collapses, shattering all the bottles on it. Each creature within 5 feet of a collapsing shelf must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The noise alerts the guards in the lobby (area T1), who arrive 2 rounds later to investigate.
Loot. The shelves contain twenty-six bottles of raava, an alacrity adrenal (fine), two environmental barriers mk II (one fire, the other poison), two medpacs (fine), and one wisdom stim (fine).
The devices in the barrels include ciphers (spell scrolls, see the Dungeon Master's Guide) for each of the following tech powers: analyze (4 ciphers), buffer (1 cipher), detect enhancement (2 ciphers), diminish tech (1 cipher), energetic burst (2 ciphers), infiltrate (1 cipher), invisibility to cameras (1 cipher), kolto pack (1 cipher), and tranquilizer (2 ciphers).
T5: Documents Room
This room holds two large iron safes.
Guards. This room is part of the guard rotation. Roll to determine if a guard is present (as described in "Interior Security").
Locked Door. The door to area T1 is locked. Each guard in the vault has a keycard that unlocks this door.
Trapped Safes. The two document safes in this room contain secret information about local nobles and government officials. Each safe is trapped. If a creature attempts to open a safe without Vidorant's personal keycard, the safe's trap emits an audible alarm (see "Caught in the Act") and casts paralyze humanoid (save DC 16) on the three creatures nearest the safe. A character who uses an action to search the safe for traps notices the trap with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Once the trap is detected, a character can use an action to try to disarm the trap, doing so with a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Technology) check using a slicer's kit or a diminish tech tech power.
A character using a security kit can try to unlock a safe, which takes 1 minute. At the end of that time, the character must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity check, or the safe remains locked. The safes are full of documents. Every minute a character spends looking through the documents yields one of the following:
- Bribe. A tattered parchment details how a prisoner, jailed for stealing fathiers, was freed after a noble bribed a local government official.
- Disputed Will. A parchment bears the original will of a recently deceased local noble. As the noble's family members are currently fighting over the estate, this will would be of great value to the heirs named in it.
- Goldan's Secret. Small scraps of parchment hold notes from Goldan. Though Vidorant's half of the correspondence is absent, the notes suggest Vidorant and Goldan plotted a fake heist and used their "breathtaking success" to gain entrance to the Blue Ghosts. Vidorant didn't use this information while vying for control of the Blue Ghosts, as it implicated her too, but nothing would stop her from using it now.
- Love Letters. Several perfumed envelopes hold romantic letters between a local noble and a government official. The affair would be a scandal if revealed.
None of the documents in the safe have intrinsic monetary value, though they could be used to gain money or influence through blackmail.
T6: Gallery
Landscape paintings cover the walls of this room. In the center of the floor stand two marble statues of a Human man and woman, both holding musical instruments. One statue faces the door to the south, and the other faces the door to the west.
Flamethrowing Statues. When a creature steps on a square marked T on map 7.2, the statue closest to that square triggers a hidden flamethrower, which fills the two squares between the statue and the door nearest to it. Any creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
As an action, a character can search a trapped area and make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If this check succeeds, the character finds a tiny switch on the wall next to the nearest door. Flipping the switch temporarily disables whichever statue shoots fire toward that door. The trap reactivates 1 minute later.
Guards. This room is part of the guard rotation. Roll to determine if a guard is present (as described in "Interior Security"). Guards enter the room only via its secret passage, and they leave through either of the main doors after flipping the switch to temporarily disable the traps.
Secret Door. A character who inspects the paintings and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers a large painting on the east wall pivots—along with the bookshelf on the other side of the wall—revealing a secret way to area T9.
Loot. Four 12-foot-wide paintings (4,000 cr each) and a smaller 2-foot-wide painting (10,000 cr) are on display. A character who examines them and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Lore) check recognizes the small painting is by a famous artist and is significantly more valuable than the others.
T7: Armory
Three suits of armor stand against the walls, watching over this armory. Three large chests sit along the south wall.
The two easternmost suits of armor are B2 series, B2-HA droids in disguise. They attack creatures (other than Vidorant) that aren't wearing guard uniforms. They obey Vidorant's spoken commands. If she's not present, they obey anyone wearing a guard uniform, even if commanded to attack another guard. They don't leave this room, and they ignore orders that would cause them to do so.
Guards. This room is part of the guard rotation. Roll to determine if a guard is present (as described in "Interior Security").
Loot. The chests hold more weapons. Most of the equipment in this room is unenhanced, but a character who is proficient with armormech's implements or armstech's implements or who succeeds on a DC 17 Intelligence (Lore) check immediately spots the most finely crafted items: a +1 techblade, a +1 vibroblade, and a suit of +1 weave armor.
T8: Zoo
This room contains five large cages holding unusual creatures. It smells of fur and feathers. Chirps, grunts, and howls fill the air.
Cages. Each cage has a door held shut by a rudimentary latch. One contains exotic birds. Another holds two aryx and six bogwings, lesser. A third contains harmless mammals. The last two cages each hold one narglatch. The aryx, bogwings, and narglatches are aggressive but accustomed to being placated with food by Vidorant and the guards.
Guards. This room is part of the guard rotation. Roll to determine if a guard is present (as described in "Interior Security"). Any guard in this room carries food for the animals.
T9: Library
This room has several bookshelves filled with holobooks. A large, embroidered rug covers the floor.
A character who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 18 or higher notices a pressure plate peeking from under the rug. After discovering it, a character can use an action to try to disable the pressure plate, doing so with a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Technology) check using a slicer's kit or a diminish tech tech power.
If a creature steps on the rug without saying the password, "quixotic," the pressure plate activates a camouflaged spelunker probe droid (see its stat block at the end of the adventure). The droid doesn't reveal its presence or attack immediately, waiting to do so until the characters either remove a holobook from the room or try to cross the spiked pit in area T10.
Guards. This room is part of the guard rotation. Roll to determine if a guard is present (as described in "Interior Security"). The guard uses the password if forced to step onto the rug.
Secret Door. A character who inspects the bookshelves and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check discovers the bookshelf to the west pivots—along with the painting on the other side—revealing a secret way to the gallery (area T6).
Loot. Most books in this room have no monetary value, but three of the oldest books are worth 5,000 cr each. A character can identify these valuable books if they spend 5 minutes examining them and succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence (Lore) check: Adventures of the Mystique (first edition, mint condition) is a transcription of a first mate's logbook, which recounts several harrowing adventures aboard a cruiser called the Mystique.
The Dark Side Codex, written by a Sith pureblood named Nadir, provides tips and tricks for surviving encounters with Sith.
Eight for Dinner (first edition, signed by the author) is a murder mystery in which an inquisitive gray Jedi detective solves a murder aboard a repulsor locomotive called the Concordant Express.
T10: Pit
A ten-foot-wide pit with spikes at the bottom divides this room from east to west. A sturdy-looking stone bridge spans the pit. The room is dimly lit by a flickering lamp on the north wall. Near it, a double door leads west. On the south side of the pit is a spiral metal staircase going up.
Guards don't patrol this room. If the spelunker probe droid was activated in the library and hasn't attacked yet, it attempts to shove a character into the pit, then attacks the party (see its stat block at the end of the adventure).
Holograms. Two permanent hologram tech powers have been cast over the pit, one on the east side and another on the west. The hologram on the west side depicts a bridge spanning the pit. The hologram on the east side shows an open pit, hiding a real bridge that can be used to safely cross. Touching the fake bridge (which is shown on map 7.2) reveals that it has no substance. Similarly, feeling around the pit for the real bridge reveals it in short order. Casting diminish tech on either hologram ends it.
Spiked Pit. Any creature that falls into the pit is impaled by 1d3 spikes, each of which deals 3 (1d6) kinetic damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
T11a-b: Stairwell
A spiral metal staircase ascends gracefully, connecting the first and second floors. A flickering lamp casts dim light on the stairs.
Guards don't patrol this area.
T12: Balcony
On the second floor's large balcony, a table and chairs allow for dining while enjoying a lovely view of the city. The view is unimpeded by a low railing. To the east, a rope ladder hangs from the balcony to the ground fifteen feet below. A double door leads into the building.
A creature that falls off the balcony can catch the railing with a successful DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature falls to the ground 15 feet below, taking 3 (1d6) kinetic damage from the fall.
Guards. Two guards are posted here. During shift changes, guards access the balcony via the rope ladder and never enter area T13. A guard who notices suspicious activity below uses an action to pull up the rope ladder.
Locked Door. The double door to area T13 is locked. The balcony guards have a keycard but use it only if they detect intruders inside.
Vidorant. If Vidorant teleports to the vault (see the "Vidorant Arrives" section later in the adventure), she arrives on the balcony, as the interior of the vault is warded against teleportation powers.
T13: Vidorant's Quarters
The north half of these luxurious living quarters holds a study area with a fine desk and two beautiful paintings of night festivals. A delicate curtain opening to the south reveals a sleeping area. The bed is piled high with sumptuous linens. This area also holds a sturdy wardrobe and a refresher.
Guards don't patrol this room, the eastern door of which is unlocked. Though Vidorant lives in a mansion nearby, she sometimes sleeps here after working late in her vault. Her bedroom includes a wardrobe with several changes of clothes, which could be useful if a character wants to fashion a disguise.
Desk. Vidorant's desk drawer is locked. As an action, a character can use a security kit to try to unlock it, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. The desk contains many documents. A character who examines them for 1 minute and succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds the plans for Vidorant's next heist, targeting a noble with close ties to Goldan.
Locked Door. The door to area T12 is locked but easily unlocked from inside this room.
Loot. The two paintings of night festivals are worth 2,500 cr each.
T14: Strong Room
This room contains four large metal cabinets.
Guards don't patrol this unlocked room.
Secret Passage. Any character who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 18 or higher notices that the hallway between areas T14 and T15 doesn't extend as far north as this room does. A character who searches the northeast corner of the room can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, finding a secret door on a success. Beyond it is a passage ending at another secret door. No ability check is required to spot the door from inside the passage. Characters can use this route to enter area T15 and avoid the trap there.
Trapped Cabinets. All four cabinets in this room are locked and trapped. A character who examines the cabinets for 1 minute can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check, finding all four traps on a success. Inside each cabinet is a delicate glass vial containing poison gas. The vial breaks if the cabinet is opened by any means other than using the proper keycard (which is in Vidorant's possession). A character can use a security kit to try to disarm one of these traps, doing so with a successful DC 18 Dexterity check. Failing the check by 5 or more triggers the trap.
A character can use a security kit to try to unlock a cabinet, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. However, if the trap hasn't been disarmed, the cabinet releases its poison gas. The gas from one vial is enough to fill the room but dissipates quickly. Each creature in the room when the gas is released must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) poison damage.
Loot. Each cabinet holds 10,000 cr.
T15: Inner Vault
This room's main door, situated in the middle of the west wall, is locked (DC 18 to open) and made of metal.
Trap. Just behind the door, inside the room, is an electrically charged metal wire resembling a trip wire. When the door opens, it makes contact with the wire. Any creature touching the door takes 22 (4d10) lightning damage from the shock. The wire then snaps, disabling the trap. The trap is easy to disarm from inside the room (no check required), but it can't be disarmed from outside the room.
Characters can avoid the trap by entering the room through a secret door in the northwest corner (see area T14).
This room has marble flooring and ivory-colored wallpaper with silver accents. The room contains seven glass cases on pedestals, each enclosing a small item.
Display Cases. On each case, a notecard written in elegant handwriting bears the item's name and a brief description:
- Jeweled Human Skull. The card reads, "Unclear if genuine skull or replica. Found in ancient tomb." This skull is coated with gold. Large diamonds are mounted in its eye sockets, and small rubies drip down its cheekbones like bloody tears. (The skull is worth 20,000 cr.)
- Lost Map of Tishanos. The card reads, "Reportedly from Pirate Queen Shrixette Laderie. No other records of Tishanos found. Must mount expedition." This star chart details a planetoid that lies about a hundred parsecs from an unidentified star system. (The map has no intrinsic monetary value but could lead to adventure.)
- Royal Scepter. The card reads, "Used in the coronation of Queen Calinia. Possible gift from Mon Calamari court." This golden scepter is intricately engraved and set with diamonds and sapphires. (The scepter is worth 20,000 cr.)
- Ruby Diadem of Erlynn Blessore. The card reads, "Owned by Queen Erlynn Blessore, ancestor of Samph." Each spire of the diadem is studded with rubies. (The diadem is worth 20,000 cr.)
- Silver Dagger. The card reads, "Used to assassinate Prince Angryn Sheselitte. Unenhanced." This dagger is unremarkable, though high quality. (The dagger is worth 10,000 cr as a collector's item.)
- Snowy's Collar. The card reads, "Owned by legendary fortune-teller Gratchia Gartirio. Dog reportedly told the future." This fine silk collar, sized for a small dog, has a diamond-encrusted tag reading "Snowy." (The collar is worth 10,000 cr.)
- Thesis of Mortinsor. The card reads, "Owned by Jedi Maser Mortinsor. Possibly contains secret arts, but difficult to decipher." This oversized tome is full of esoteric, archaic text that would require extensive research to decipher. A character who spends 12 weeks studying it and succeeds on a DC 22 Intelligence (Lore) check finds a page that serves as a spell scroll (see the Dungeon Master's Guide) of force project. (The thesis is worth 5,000 cr.)
Each item is protected by two separate sensors that trigger alarm tech powers. The first sensor is on the display case, and it sounds an audible alarm when that display case is opened (see "Caught in the Act"). The second sensor is on the item itself, and it silently alerts Vidorant when that item is removed from the room (see "Vidorant Arrives" below).
A character who examines the various treasures and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices the first set of sensors on all the display cases. A character who succeeds on this check by 5 or more also notices the second set of sensors on the items themselves.
A character can disable a particular sensor (and its linked alarm power) with the diminish tech tech power or a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Technology) check using a slicer's kit. A character who fails the check by 5 or more triggers the alarm. The first time a character successfully disables one of these sensors, the DC to do so on the others decreases to 13. Alternatively, a character can slip an item out of its case without triggering the display case alarm by succeeding on a DC 18 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. On a failed check, the audible alarm activates (see "Caught in the Act").
Vidorant Arrives
Once the characters obtain the diadem, they must escape the vault to complete the heist.
If Vidorant (chaotic balanced, Twi'lek lethal operative**) is alerted to the theft by an alarm in her inner vault (area T15), she uses a custom-made ring that functions as a helm of teleportation (to which only she can attune; see the Dungeon Master's Guide) to teleport to the balcony 5 rounds after the alarm is triggered. She heads toward the characters while calling loudly for the guards. The balcony guards follow her, and all other guards in the vault go on high alert (see "Caught in the Act").
Vidorant's Offer
If Vidorant intercepts the characters, she makes a surprising offer:
A Twi'lek woman with green skin approaches you with a smile. "You've done well. Not just any thieves could make it to my personal vault. I congratulate you. I'm sure this means the Blue Ghosts placed a bounty on that ruby diadem—Goldan's been furious about that thing for years. But if you'll allow me a moment, perhaps I can make you a better offer?"
If the characters refuse to hear her deal, Vidorant attacks them. If they agree to listen to her deal, she continues speaking:
"I could try to dispatch you—and I might succeed—but more thieves will keep trying to interfere with my business. Instead, what if you went back and told everyone my vault was impenetrable and I thoroughly defeated you? It would head off a lot of trouble. In exchange, I'll give you this." She unfastens a belt from around her waist. "It's worth more to you than the diadem—after all, it's part of how I've become such a famous thief. Goldan is planning to take the diadem for himself, right? He's still mad about our heist all those years ago. But this belt you can keep. Tell whatever story you like about where you got it, as long as it's not from me. You get rich, I look strong, and no one's the wiser."
The belt is a Defel mimicker. If the characters agree to Vidorant's terms or negotiate her into a reasonable compromise, she upholds her part of the deal.
If Vidorant knows the characters have taken items of significant value from her vault, she suggests an even better deal: if they return the most valuable items they stole, she'll also give them her Aratech sound dampening boots.
If all parties agree, she hands over the belt (and possibly the boots) in exchange for the diadem, then escorts the characters outside, loudly bragging about their defeat and threatening violence if she ever sees them again.
Conclusion
If the characters return the diadem to Goldan, he offers them lifetime membership in the Blue Ghosts. He also promises them a personal favor they can redeem next time they need help with a situation. If the party prefers a cash reward instead, he happily obliges and still promises a favor.
If the characters took Vidorant's deal or decided to keep the diadem for themselves, they must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma (Deception) check to convince Goldan they were unable to retrieve the diadem. If Goldan realizes they're lying to him, he grows very serious. He doesn't attack the party himself; instead, he uses the Blue Ghosts to steal back the diadem or otherwise make the characters' lives difficult.
If the characters fool him or were simply unable to recover the diadem, Goldan is disappointed, but he reassures the characters there will be other opportunities to work together in the future.
Blackmailing Goldan
If the characters found the blackmail material regarding Goldan in Vidorant's safe and they bring it up with him, his face goes blank and he responds:
"I see. She couldn't reveal that without implicating herself, but you have no such hesitation. I have no comment on its truth—but it would be messy if revealed. I am willing to buy this from you."
He offers the characters 10,000 cr for the original copy of Vidorant's blackmail material. A character who succeeds on a DC 17 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check convinces him to increase his payment to 20,000 cr.
For a Patron Organization
If the characters are working for a patron organization and they return the diadem to Goldan, the organization offers the characters a prototype enhanced item of their choice (subject to your approval) as payment. The item is delivered to the characters the next day.
Stat Blocks
Spelunker Probe Droid
Large droid, unaligned
- Armor Class 14
- Hit Points 104 (14d10 + 28)
- Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 19 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 11 (+0)
- Skills Perception +8, Stealth +10
- Damage Vulnerabilities ion
- Damage Resistances necrotic, poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities diseased, poisoned
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18
- Languages Binary, understands Galactic Basic but doesn't speak it
- Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Circuitry. The droid has disadvantage on saving throws against effects that would deal ion or lightning damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The droid makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) kinetic damage.
Holographic Cloak. The droid activates or deactivates its holographic cloak. While activated, the droid is invisible.
Appendix: NPC Stat Blocks
Commoner
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment
- Armor Class 10
- Hit Points 4 (1d8)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages any one language (usually Galactic Basic)
- Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Hold-Out. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 30/120, one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) energy damage.
Goon
Medium humanoid (any species), any non-light alignment
- Armor Class 11 (combat suit)
- Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
- Skills Intimidation +2
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages any one language (usually Galactic Basic)
- Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Squad Tactics. The goon has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the goon's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. The goon makes two melee attacks.
Vibroknuckler. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) kinetic damage.
Hunting Rifle. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 125/500 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10) kinetic damage.
Guard
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment
- Armor Class 16 (mesh armor, medium shield generator)
- Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
- Skills Perception +2
- Senses passive Perception 12
- Languages any one language (usually Galactic Basic)
- Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Riot Baton. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) kinetic damage.
Blaster Pistol. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 50/200 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) energy damage.
Lethal Operative
Medium humanoid (any species), any non-light alignment
- Armor Class 15 (fiber armor)
- Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
- Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +4
- Skills Acrobatics +6, Deception +3, Perception +3, Stealth +9
- Damage Resistances poison
- Senses passive Perception 13
- Languages Any two languages
- Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Assassinate. During its first turn, the operative has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn. Any hit the operative scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.
Evasion. If the operative is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the operative instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The operative deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the operative that isn't incapacitated and the operative doesn't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Actions
Multiattack. The operative makes two techblade attacks.
Techblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) kinetic damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Slugthrower. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 105/420 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) kinetic damage, and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 24 (7d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Noble
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment
- Armor Class 15 (weave armor)
- Hit Points 9 (2d8)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
- Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Persuasion +5
- Senses passive Perception 12
- Languages any two languages
- Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Vibrorapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) kinetic damage.
Reactions
Parry. The noble adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the noble must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
Veteran
Medium humanoid (any species), any alignment
- Armor Class 17 (assault armor)
- Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
- Skills Athletics +5, Perception +2
- Senses passive Perception 12
- Languages any one language (usually Galactic Basic)
- Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Multiattack. The veteran makes two vibroblade attacks. If it has a techblade drawn, it can also make a techblade attack.
Techblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) kinetic damage.
Vibroblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) kinetic damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) kinetic damage if used with two hands.
Marksman Blaster. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 125/500 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) energy damage.