Tyranny of Dragons

Hello Lemmings,

I've written out a small quest to start off my RoT (Rise of Tiamat) campaign and let the characters (and players) acclimate to one-another before the council sessions start.

One of my player's character can read minds, which will explain why I plan around this.

Feel free to use this! And let me know what you think.

Overview

[From the official book]

Though the leadership of the Cult of the Dragon could not have realized it, one of the key events in the fight to thwart Severin’s plans was the cult’s assassination of Arthagast Ulbrinter, a Masked Lord of Waterdeep and husband of Remallia Haventree of the Harpers. News of Arthagast’s recent murder will spread across the Sword Coast, and has galvanized opposition to the cult in Waterdeep. In her grief, Remi Haventree has sworn to destroy the cult and the threat it presents to the Sword Coast. She has been instrumental in bringing the factions together for this Council of Waterdeep, setting up the potential for alliances that the adventurers must now complete.

Investigation quest

Arthagast Ulbrinter, who was he?

• Intellectual and scholarly: As an archimage and the head of a magic academy, Arthagast is highly intelligent and scholarly. He is always seeking to expand his knowledge and understanding of magic, and he is skilled at teaching and mentoring others in the arcane arts.
• Demanding and perfectionist: Arthagast has high standards for himself and those around him, and he can be demanding and perfectionist in his pursuit of excellence. He expects nothing but the best from his students and colleagues, and can be critical when they don't meet his expectations.

Facts

Late during the night, an old man and his grandson saw an attack of figures in dark robes on Lord Ulbrinter and his guard. They killed his guard disconcertingly easily (the guard was drunk), and a red half-dragon warrior decapitated Arthagast in one fell swoop. The half-dragon took the body with him and flew away into the night (Dragonsoul flight capacity). The assassin who beheaded the Lord said something in draconic ("Galvin sends his regards") as he excecuted his victim. His allies whispered as one voice "Death to the oppressors, the reign of dragons approaches!".

Remalia is "misusing" the party recommended by different people on the Council to investigate this matter discreatly. She is trying to assess they capabilities and gather intel on them.

Investigation

Ulbrinter is missing, presumed dead. We know this for sure because he is not answering his Sending Stone (Remalia has the other stone and is adamant he would have contacted her by now).

• Who? Cult of the dragon, assassins sent by Galvan.
• Why? He got hold of the White Dragon Mask and was studying it.
• When? Late night, after a night out at his favorite tavern
• How? Decapitated, body stolen (prevent true resurrection), his guard was drunk, they were manipulated into drinking more than usual by a shady fellow
• Where? Backstreet Shadow Alley, on his way back from the Mighty Manticore Tavern to the Palace of Waterdeep.

The investigation's goal is not to recover the body, but to determine who killed Arthagast and why.

Remallia Haventree knows her late husband was going to be at the Mighty Manticore Tavern, in the Castle Ward, just north of the Palace. He loved their specialty drink, the Elderberry red wine. She suggests the party starts their search there, and perhaps talk to the city guard, but discretely. She doesn't want word to get out that her husband died before she can confirm how, by whom and why.

Find scene of the crime

Three leads to find clues...

Interrogate city guard

Why should the guard disclose this to the party? Persuasion check DC 12 (with advantage if they tell them Remallia sends them)

• The bodies of the guard of Lord Ulbrinter were found in Shadow Alley.
• If the party is amicable, one of the guards offers to take them to the crime scene.

Ask the Zhentarim for leads (costs 50 GP per lead)

• Jamuel Sackson is a patron at the Mighty Manticor Tavern, he knows the coming and goings of his Lordship better than most as he sometimes accompanies him on his way home after a night out drinking.
• An old man and his grandson were heard recounting an attack this morning at The Master Bakers' Hall (baker's guildhall). They say it happened during the wee hours of the morning, when they were on their way to get more firewood to light the bakery's ovens.

Interrogate people at the Mighty Manticore Tavern

• Imzeel Coopercan, proprietor, half-dwarf male:

His Lordship? Aye, he was here just last night, regaling us with another one of his tales about magical research. Left well past midnight.

• Ginalee, barmaid, human female:

Lord Ulbrinter's guards were quite rowdy. More than usual. It's not like them drink as much while on duty. Strange. But they left a nice tip! I do hope they come back later this week...

Persuasion check DC 15, one of the staff will point the party to him "he's a regular, might have seen something"

• Jamuel Sackson, regular patron, half-elf: If the party are friendly to him, he will share what he knows.

The guard of Lord Ulbrinter were encouraged to drink by a shady fellow wearing a blood red cape pulled over his face. I'm sure of it! I saw the guy pull out a snakes' tongue and a bit of honeycomb from a small pouch under the table. He was mighty persuasive after that... Must have been some sort of spellwork afoot.

Arcana check DC 15 to recall these are the material components of the Suggestion or Mass Suggestion spell.

I didn't leave at the same time as his Lordship last night. But I have walked alongside him on a few occasions. A good man, Lord Ulbrinter, not snooty or arrogant like the rest of the nobility in this city. I can show you the way he takes to get back to the castle. He's a man of habit and never changed his route.

Jamuel will bring the party to the Palace of Waterdeep, passing the crime scene. The crime scene is evident as there are five city guards lurking about an area.

Find perpetrators of assassination

How to find whitnesses?

• Ask around the neighbourhood for clues. Has anybody heard or seen anything? An old man and his grandson were heard recounting an attack this morning at The Master Bakers' Hall (baker's guildhall). They say it happened during the wee hours of the morning, when they were on their way to get more firewood to light the bakery's ovens.
• Put out word that a monetary reward will be offered to anybody with information about the happenings that night. Wait a few hours, a young man named Jacob Goldwheat will come forward.

Whitnesses at The Master Bakers' Hall

The party will need to convince the bakers to disclose what they saw last night, although it won't take much probing as the grand-father is keen on retelling the story to whomever asks about it. Charisma (any) check DC 10

Alister Goldwheat (old man):

We were making our way back from Fetlock Court to our bakery, the Crispy Crust, a fine establishment... Jacob here was pulling a cart loaded with firewood for our ovens you see, when we heard some scaffufle off of the Street of Silks. I immediately told the boy to stop and not make a sound! You never know with these late night bandits, hopefully they won't hear you and carry on with they business. Anyway, we halt the cart, and I risk a quick glance around the corner into the side street, and you won't believe what my old eyes saw, I hardly do: the good Lord Ulbrinter and his guard being attacked! Now mind you, we like his Lordship alright, he's been good to Waterdeep and its business. But I don't care for his recruitment standards. Those guards of his barely had the time to reach for their swords before their bodies fell to the floor like ragdolls. Then this large fellow, with a wonky horned hat, just slices his Lordship's head clean off in one fell SWOOP! Unbelievable. And then he said something in a foreign tongue or another, very lispy, I couldn't make it out. Haven't heard anything like it in all my years. I tell you, these strange folk coming into Waterdeep unchecked. The city is going towards troubled times if we keep imigration unchecked!

Jacob Goldwheat (yound man):

I heard the figures whisper "Death to the oppressors, the reign of dragons approaches!" as the Lords' head hit the ground. Gruesome stuff. I almost lost my breakfast then and there.

If the players attempt to read their minds to have them recall the lispy speech they need to pesuade or decieve them as to what they are doing as this type of spellcasting is illegal in Waterdeep. A successfull interaction will allow the mind reader to hear the draconic words "Galvan sends his regards".

Investigate scene of the crime:

• Dried blood (Medicine/Investigation check DC 12): the dried blood is splashed on the floor in a way that seems to point towards slashing weapons being used to perpetrate the attack.

• Signs of struggle (Perception check DC 20): one of the attackers left behind a small iron pin bearing a dragon's head profile.

• Footsteps of peculiar nature (Survival check DC 14 followed by Nature check DC 10): half dragon or dragonborn tracks.

Conclusion

Conclusions should point towards the Cult of the Dragon as culprits. If the party managed to get the Goldwheat's to recall the draconic speech they will know this was done on behalf of somebody called Galvan. Otherwise they will surmise this is an act of violence to distabilize the political structure of Waterdeep.

As they report to Remallia, the Draakhorn Sounds...