Yearning to Breathe Free

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist Primer

 Yearning to Breathe Free
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist Primer

Introduction: This FREE primer is designed to allow you to integrate your

reputation with the Factions introduced in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist into the
Yearning to Breathe Free campaign. This primer also offers a new faction: The Order
of the Hellfire Hearth.

Yearning to Breathe Free:

When a prominent Waterdhavian Noble is murdered in what appears to be
a ritual designed to empower the Order of the Hellfire Hearth, things grow bleak
for the tieflings of Faerûn. In response to the murder, the Lords of Waterdeep begin
rounding up and jailing tieflings with no cause. The Order of the Hellfire Hearth
does not take the accusation of murder lightly, nor do they respond well to the
summary imprisonment and demonization of their tiefling brothers and sisters. This
climate of intolerance, bigotry and fear spreads outward through the Sword Coast,
for as it is often said, “as goes Waterdeep, so goes the North.”
As heroes of the Sword Coast, it is up to the players to discover the truth
about the murder, bring the parties responsible to justice, and if possible, relieve
tensions across the Sword Coast before the fragile peace between various factions of
the North is irreparably damaged.

by Travis Legge Cover Art

Some artwork copyright Claudio Pozas, used with
Additional Writers permission.
R P Davis Some Artwork David Revoy
Rafa Martins
Dan Layman-Kennedy Interior Art
Seth Rinker David Revoy

edited by
Sarah Scharnweber

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This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is
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All other original material in this work is copyright 2018 by Travis Legge and published under the
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2 YEARNING TO BREATHE FREE


Prelude to a Crisis
This document is designed to give the Dungeon Master
a toolkit to integrate the information in Waterdeep:
Dragon Heist into a Yearning to Breathe Free
campaign. As Yearning to Breathe Free is designed
for characters of levels 5-15, the suggestions within this
primer operate from the assumption that Waterdeep:
Dragon Heist will be run as a prelude, or the first phase
of the Yearning to Breathe Free story.
Introduction
On the continent of Faerûn, tieflings are people
without a homeland. Distrusted in many communities,
the tieflings of the Sword Coast encounter prejudice and
fear wherever they tread. Though the city of Neverwinter,
which is arguably the most welcoming and cosmopolitan
settlement on the Sword Coast, is officially welcoming to
tieflings, the citizenry is often suspicious of the infernal-
blooded. This leads to discrimination and fear on the
streets of Neverwinter, even if such behavior is not
officially supported by the city government.
Beyond the walls of Neverwinter, tieflings are treated
less favorably by the other humanoid races. The smaller
and more remote a settlement is, the less likely it is to
be welcoming to those with “the blood of Asmodeus.” Of
course, there are some exceptions, as some small and
remote villages celebrate their heroic tiefling residents,
but such cases are exceedingly rare. Across the Sword
Coast, tieflings are tolerated at best, feared and hated at
worst.
In recent months, a new faction has gained some
power, and a small foothold on the Sword Coast. The
Order of the Hellfire Hearth is an organization formed
to rescue young tieflings from those who would oppress
them and build a permanent home for the tiefling people
on the Sword Coast. Since its inception, the Order of
the Hellfire Hearth has ventured into the Underdark to
liberate enslaved tieflings and to protect the mothers of
unborn tiefling children. In the wake of the Demon Lords
running rampant through the Underdark, hundreds of
women were left carrying tiefling babies. The Order
of the Hellfire Hearth was able to free several of these
women, bringing them into the fold and offering them
protection and safety. The Order of the Hellfire Hearth
has now set up two semi-permanent settlements in the
North, straddling a gateway between the surface and the
Underdark. On the surface side, stands Camp Brimstone,
a quickly growing outpost-turned-village just south of
Longsaddle. Below, Hrast Het stands as the Hellfire
Hearth’s Underdark home.
As the Order of the Hellfire Hearth has amassed
lands and recruited tieflings and sympathetic
humanoids from across Faerûn, they have also forged
a few important political alliances in the North. Lord
Neverember of Neverwinter has pledged to aid the
Order of the Hellfire Hearth in any way he can, and King
Bruenor Battlehammer of Gauntlgrym has befriended
many of the leaders of the Hellfire Hearth, offering
support and supplies to the tieflings. Many tieflings
who have answered the call to settle the Order of the
Hellfire Hearth’s new holdings have connections to
the Zhentarim, which can offer aid and support to the
tieflings, for a price. Perhaps most importantly, the
Hellfire Hearth has forged an alliance with the Harpell
wizards from their nearest neighbors to the North:
Longsaddle. Each of these alliances will be strained and
tested by the course of the Yearning to Breathe Free
adventure, but beforehand, the Order of the Hellfire
Hearth makes gestures to form alliances across the
Sword Coast, including in the City of Splendors...
How to Use This Book
The information included in this volume draws from
and builds upon the information provided in both
Yearning to Breathe Free and Waterdeep: Dragon
Heist. This information can be used to enrich either
campaign book and to serve as a bridge between both
stories.
Additional Information
Some of the NPCs discussed in Yearning to Breathe
Free either draw from basic NPC stat blocks, or lacked
game traits. As Waterdeep: Dragon Heist includes
additional information regarding game traits and
statistics for such NPCs, as well as additional information
regarding items and locations.
Waterdeep
The information below, can be used to supersede,
replace, or supplement the information in Yearning to
Breathe Free.
The People of Waterdeep
There are several people within Waterdeep and the
surrounding area who have a role to play in the events of
Yearning to Breathe Free. DMs may wish to include the
wealth of NPCs detailed throughout Waterdeep: Dragon
Heist in their campaign, particularly if the two are run
back to back.
Waterdhavian Nobles
Harkas Kormallis
Lawful good male human paladin
Harkas Kormallis retains the traits and information
detailed in Yearning to Breathe Free.
Helm “The Torturer” Kormallis
Lawful evil male human knight
Though not explicitly stated in either campaign, it can
be assumed that Helm Kormallis is a Masked Lord of
3
Waterdeep, and therefore has in his possession a Lord’s
Ensemble as described in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist,
Appendix A: Magic Items.
Kylynne Silmerhelve
Lawful good female tiefling noble
Magistra Silmerhelve receives a brief mention in
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Chapter 1: A Friend in Need.
If running both campaigns, be sure to take note of the
party’s interactions with the Magistra. While she may
barely recall the party if they are respectful and courteous
(most people who come before her have the good sense
to be) if they treat her with disrepsect, rudeness, or
otherwise in a manner out of step with her station this
can certainly negatively impact relations during Yearning
to Breathe Free.
Lady Laeral Silverhand
Chaotic good female human archmage
Lady Silverhand is detailed at length in Waterdeep:
Dragon Heist, Appendix B: Monsters and NPCs. The
information provided there can come in very handy,
especially if any of the various parties involved in the
events of Yearning to Breathe Free are suicidal enough
to attempt a direct assault on the Open Lord.
Malcer Kormallis
Neutral good male human paladin, deceased
Malcer was a Masked Lord. This offers the Dungeon
Master a few opportunities to add complications to the
plot of Yearning to Breathe Free as there are no details
offered within that supplement as to the whereabouts of
Malcer’s Lord’s Ensemble. This could be used as a plot
4 YEARNING TO BREATHE FREE
point in a number of ways. Perhaps the party discovers
the ensemble while investigating the murder. Do they
hand it over or try and keep it for their own purposes? Or
they could find out that the ensemble has gone missing.
Was it stolen by the assassins? A member of the City
Watch? What could a missing ensemble mean for the city?
Waterdhavian Law Enforcement
City Guard
Any alignment, any race (though most are lawful humans,
dwarves, or elves)
As suggested in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Appendix
B: Monsters and NPCs you may use the veteran stat
block from the Monster Manual to represent the majority
of the City Watch, Sergeants and higher ranks may be
represented by the knight stat block.
The Waterdhavian Inquisition
Any lawful alignment, any race but tieflings (most are
humans, half-elves, or aasimar)
As described in Yearning to Breathe Free, the
Inquisition is a loud and influential minority who usurp
authority through fear and indifference. Their true threat
is only apparent to a few at their inception. The following
NPCs from Waterdeep: Dragon Heist could align
themselves with the Inquision, offering support:
Rishaal the Page-Turner: The proprietor of the Book
Wyrm’s Treasure is easily persuaded that a conspiracy
of Asmodeus-worshipping tieflings is responsible for
the murder of Malcer Kormallis, and has no qualms
about lending aid to the Inquisition, should they ask.
He takes his duty as a member of the Watchful Order of
Magists and Protectors seriously and will not shirk that
responsibility, even if it means dragging every tiefling in
Waterdeep before the magistrates.
Victoro and Ammalia Cassalanter: The Cassalanters
are more than happy to support the holy quest of the
Inquisition. Doing so adds another level of subterfuge
to their secret lives as cultists of Asmodeus. The
Cassalanters neither know nor care if Malcer was
murdered by followers of Asmodeus. Depending on the
events of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist the noble family may
even hold a direct grudge against the Order of the Hellfire
Hearth, particularly if the faction was instrumental in
preventing the Cassalanters from bringing their plan to
fruition.
Factions in Waterdeep
Waterdeep: Dragon Heist covers a number of factions,
which the characters may earn a reputation with in
the events of that campaign. In this section, tips are
offered for applying that reputation during the events of
Yearning to Breathe Free.
Bregan D’aerthe
Being a band of misfit and ostracized drow, Bregan
D’aerthe is likely to be very sympathetic to the Order
of the Hellfire Hearth. With the Order’s activities in the
Underdark liberating drow from the matriarchy and
saving those pregnant with tiefling children, Jarlaxle is
likely to see the Order’s work as good. It stands to reason
that the drow renegade would lend support and succor
to the Hellfire Hearth, so long as doing so does not
jeopardize any established Bregan D’aerthe operations.
Characters with rank in Bregan D’aerthe can receive the
following support during Yearning to Breathe Free:
• The adventurers receive small, unmarked black
pouches of coins from an anonymous source.
• The adventurers are granted access to a Bregan
D’aerthe safehouse while traveling to the Brimstone
Trail.
• Sanctuary in Luskan.
Though Bregan D’aerthe will not openly or directly
engage the Inquisition, characters of sufficent renown
may find that Inquisitors hot on their heels are suddenly
dispatched by drow gunslingers, at DM discretion.
Force Grey
Force Grey is placed in a particularly nasty bind by the
events of Yearning to Breathe Free. As adventurers with
experience, and a penchant for heroism, the members
of Force Grey are unlikely to be very sympathetic to the
Inquisition’s methods. Few members of Force Grey are
naive enough to buy the theory that a grand conspiracy
of tieflings is bumping off nobility. There is also history
between Force Grey and the Knights of Samular, as the
two factions have often not seen eye to eye regarding
what is best for Waterdeep.
Despite Lady Silverhand’s public approval of the
Inquisition, she has specifically forbidden Force Grey
from getting involved in the situation.
Unofficially, Lady Silverhand has communicated to the
Blackstaff that a small amount of Force Grey activity on
behalf of the tiefling population might be overlooked.
Characters with rank in Force Grey can receive the
following support during Yearning to Breathe Free:
• Adventurers who are arrested are released under
the loose supervision of the Blackstaff, Vajra
Safahr. This protection could even extend to
tieflings arrested by the Inquisition, though the
Blackstaff will consider this a massive debt to be
worked off for any character of lower rank than
Force Grey Initiate.
• Inquisitors pursuing the adventurers are interfered
with and delayed by members of Force Grey, who
invoke their privilege to question the Inquisitiors
(and subsequently communicate their regrets at
being unable to get involved.)
• Access to Force Grey safehouses throughout
Waterdeep and the Lord’s Alliance.
Xanathar Guild
As detailed in Yearning to Breathe Free, the Xanathar
Guild maintains an official position of non-involvement
with the Inquisition and the surrounding drama. However,
a member of the Guild is still a member of the Guild, and
can draw upon the same support offered detailed in the
Introduction of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist.
A New Faction
For Dungeon Masters who plan to run Waterdeep:
Dragon Heist as an introduction or use its events
and structure in the lead up to Yearning to Breathe
Free, the Order of the Hellfire Hearth may act as an
additional faction in Waterdeep. Though the Order of the
Hellfire Hearth is of limited influence within the City of
Splendors (and virtually no influence whatsoever once the
Inquisition begins) those with renown among this faction
can expect support in the following ways:
• If the adventurers require healing, a member of the
Order can provide it, or facilitate a meeting with
one who can.
• If the adventurers are seeking a person or object,
the particular skills of paladins of the Oath of the
Orphaned can be of assistance.
• If the adventurers need aid in securing, rebuilding,
and protecting their holdings in Trollskull Alley, the
Order may be willing to help.
Renown in the Order of the Hellfire Hearth can be
gained by any character, though it is easier (+2 to all
renown rewards) for a tiefling. The order also shows a
slight preference (+1 to all renown rewards) for drow and
dragonborn.
5
Table: Order of the Hellfire Hearth Missions
Party Level Mission Brief
2nd “An associate of ours, a young
woman named Jinny, has been
collecting some sensitive information
for the Order. She was meant to dead
drop it to us two days ago and has not
done so. She works for Hammond
Kraddoc, a salesman for the Vintners’,
Distillers’, and Brewers’ Guild and
is usually in his company during the
workday. Find her, find out what went
wrong with the drop, and, if possible,
acquire the documents she has been
preparing for us.”
3rd “An operative of ours, a paladin
named Hate, has smuggled two drow
women out of the Underdark and into
one of our safehouses in the city. The
women are with child, one of them is
nearly due. Hate was wounded during
travel and to complicate matters, he
felt he may have been followed by drow
when he came into the city. Make haste
to the safehouse in the Southern Ward!
You will find it on the southeast corner
of Carter’s Way and Coach Street.
Gather the drow and escort them to
the God Catcher, where two of our
paladins will meet you with a cart.”
4th “One of our associates, a farmer
named Criella, has run into a spot
of trouble with the Solemn Order of
Recognized Furriers and Woolmen.
Please head over to the Market and
lend her a hand.”
5th “Lady Remallia Haventree is hosting
a party at House Ulbrinter, her villa
on Delzorin Street, located between
Vhezoar Street and Brondar’s Way in
the North Ward. We have reason to
suspect that drow spies have infiltrated
the guest list. Attend the party and root
out the disguised drow. Dress sharply.”
6 YEARNING TO BREATHE FREE
Mission Requirements and Reward
Characters can find Jinny, a young and quiet NG female tiefling commoner
who wears spectacles, with a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Characters who begin their search with local pubs and taverns may make this check
with advantage. If she is located while she is working, she will quickly shut the
characters down, offering to speak with them at the Yawning Portal at sunset. The
characters must try to convince Jinny that they’re working on behalf of the Order by
making a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, Jinny explains
that she was forced to work late due to a mistake on Hammond’s part dealing with
a delivery of spirits to Lady Cassalanter. As such, she missed the drop, but she did
discover that there are a couple of tiefling servants working for the Cassalanters,
and struck up a conversation with the nanny, a young woman called Nana. Jinny
happily hands over the documents, in a sealed envelope, which she produces from the
notebook she carries everywhere.
Reward: Each Order of the Hellfire Hearth character gains 1 renown.
Imrae Dyrr (CN female drow commoner) and Chandara Ousstyl (NE female drow
knight) await collection at the Hellfire Hearth safehouse. Both are pregnant. While
Imrae is not due for a couple of months, Chandara could give birth any day. The party
must find the safehouse, introducer themselves and convince the drow to follow
them to the rendevous by making a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check or through
roleplay.
Hate is severely wounded, currenlty only at 5 hit points. If the party heals him, he
elects to remain at the safehouse, not wanting to draw attention (as he is dressed in
plate armor and carrying a glowing moon-touched sword.)
Once the party begins traveling to the God Catcher, they find themselves being
tailed by two mysterious figures. A DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal
that they are being followed by two drow. These are drow gunslingers in the service
of Bregan D’aerthe, though the party will not likely be able to discern this. The drow
gunslingers can be shaken with a successful DC 13 group Dexterity (Stealth) check.
If the party attacks the drow, they fight only to flee. This will earn the group the ire of
Bregan D’aerthe.
Reward: Each Order of the Hellfire Hearth character gains 1 renown if Imrae and
Chandara are escorted to the rendevous without drow in pursuit. Each Order of the
Hellfire Hearth character gains 1 additional renown if Hate is healed by the party.
The characters must speak with Franciso Lackman (LN male Illuskan human
commoner) and ease tensions between the Solemn Order of Recognized Furriers
and Woolmen and Criella (CG tieflling female commoner). Taking Criella for a rustic
backwoods yokel, Lackman has insisted she pay a 5 gp tax to sell her wares in the
market. Criella has refused and has a stubborn, stern manner. She is unwilling to
“choke down offal from an inflated windbag.” The party can defuse the situation
by calming Criella down with a DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check and talking
Francisco into lowering his tax to 1 gp, also requiring with a DC 14 Charisma
(Persuasion) check. Characters who mention the rate of Guild membership being 1
gp a month may have advantage on this check. Alternatively, the characters can simply
pay the tax out of pocket, which will offend Criella.
Reward: Each Order of the Hellfire Hearth character gains 2 renown.
Passion provides this quest as a favor to her Harper contact, Mirt (see Waterdeep:
Dragon Heist, Appendix B: Monsters and NPCs). If the party performs well, they
will earn Mirt’s respect in addition to the reward listed below.
Remallia Haventree (see Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Appendix B: Monsters and
NPCs) knows of the mission, but it’s not revealed to the characters that she’s a Harper.
There’s one drow spy in attendance: Jarlaxle Baenre (see Waterdeep: Dragon Heist,
Appendix B: Monsters and NPCs). He uses his hat of disguise to appear as a young
actor from Luskan named Erystian Demarne. A successful DC 24 Wisdom (Insight)
check is needed to out Jarlaxle. Impressed by the perceptive adventurers, he thanks
Lady Haventree for an entertaining evening and dashes off, but not without first
tipping his hat to the character or characters who exposed him.
Reward: Each Order of the Hellfire Hearth character gains 2 renown./ Every party
member who attended the party receives 200 gp.
Order of the Hellfire Hearth Missions
As with the other factions detailed in Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, the Order of the Hellfire Hearth offers missions to
characters of levels 2-5. The missions and the manner in which they can be completed are described in Table: Order of
the Hellfire Hearth Missions. You can use missions from this table or replace any of them with ones of your own creation.
If a mission ends in failure, the characters can try again after 24 hours, unless the failure has created circumstances
where doing so is impossible.
The Order of the Hellfire Hearth contact in Waterdeep is a female Paladin of the Hellfire Hearth (see Yearning to
Breathe Free, Appendix A: NPCs) named Passion.

What’s Next?
After completing Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, you can continue this storyline with Yearning to Breathe Free, available in
.pdf and print on demand at DMsGuild

https://www.dmsguild.com/product/244598/Yearning-to-Breathe-Free