A Trade of Bride

and Pride
A Fifth Edition compatible
mini-adventure for three
to four PCs of 4th–8th level.

F redrigarr Bersk, the cap-

tain of the guard whose iron

fist clenches tighter around bribes

than it does around crime, has fi-

nally met his match. Brigands with

an axe to grind have stolen away

his young bride, Lady Arilette, and

the ransom must be delivered in

three days to the infamous ship’s

graveyard known as Hull’s Breach.

Worse still, the kidnappers have

warned that if the city guard gets writing Liz Orchard

color art Jon Hollander
involved, all the Captain will see maps Dyson Logos
developer Russ Morrissey
of his dear wife again is her head. layout Eric Life-Putnam

EN World EN5ider
This corrupt official must resort to
promising great rewards for his be-
loved’s safe return, but as the search
goes on, one question rises to the sur-
face: is that something Lady Arilette
even wants?
Background
Arilette’s mother gave her daughter’s hand to Cap-
tain Bersk to escape poverty, believing she could do
no better than a rich, powerful husband. However,
the newlywed lady dreams of a life of freedom and
exploration, not being trapped as some pig’s trophy
wife. And so one night while going on a twilight
stroll in their estate gardens, piously awaiting her
husband’s return from work, both she (and a great
deal of her jewelry) disappeared, leaving only a
Character Hooks
Captain Bersk is a man of great wealth and con-
nections, and he always knows just what to offer to
get others to do what he wants. Not only is the par-
ty promised double the ransom upon success, but
he also gives more individual incentives to each
member. He promises to sweep past crimes under
the rug, access to forbidden areas of the city, meet-
ings with other higher-ups the PCs seek dealings
with, and more. Pleasing Fredrigarr could make
the next leg of the adventure far more convenient.
If the party chooses to side with Lady Arilette,
she can be persuaded to let them keep half the
1,000 gp ransom money (which she intended to use
to start her new life) as a token of her thanks. A sig-
nificantly smaller reward—and they may need to
skip town when Captain Bersk finds out what hap-
pened, but such is the price for doing what’s right.
Clues
Investigating Lady Arilette’s kidnapping can re-
veal the following:
▶ Lady Arilette disappeared as she strolled the

scrawled ransom note in her place.
Overview
Bersk summons the party to his office in the
Watchmaster’s Accord to explain his situation and
ask for their help. Joining them on the journey to
Hull’s Breach is local paladin Graysha Greypeak,
gardens at night while Captain Bersk was
still working. He had not seen her since he
departed that morning before she was awake.
The servants last saw her last at supper, only
realizing she was gone when they went to
fetch her for bed.
▶ The ransom note is scrawled in messy, unfa-

an old friend to the guard captain and his lady.
However after several attempts by the brigands
themselves to stop the ransom’s delivery, the ad-
venturers arrive at the drop-off point to discover
that Lady Arilette herself has orchestrated this en-
miliar handwriting. In the bottom corner is
a red insignia of a dog’s head dripping blood.
This is in deliberate contrast to Captain
Bersk’s seal: a blue hunting dog.
▶ Lady Arilette’s jewelry box is gone from their

tire charade to escape her unwanted marriage to
this wicked older man. Now the party must choose:
forsake their promised rewards and risk Captain
Bersk’s ire to let this young woman go free, or drag
her back home and finish what they started?
bedroom. The Captain assumes the brigands
who absconded with Lady Arilette stole this
too, though he is uncertain how this could be
if they ambushed her from the gardens and
never entered the house.

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Ransom Exchange
After acquiring some information from Captain
Bersk, then meeting the companion Graysha Grey-
peak and getting the ransom payment, the party
have a short journey to Hull’s Breach, where the
complicated nature of their task becomes clear.
The Watchmaster’s Accord
This large, square building is at the heart of the
city and houses law enforcement offices, dungeons,
and torture chambers right across the hall from
each other. Captain Bersk’s chamber is on the top
level, filled with expensive furniture, a liquor cab-
inet behind his desk, and a window spanning an
entire wall overlooking the city.
▶ Bree Greenbottle. A chirpy halfling who acts
as secretary and personal assistant to Captain
Bersk, Bree is always bustling about, eager
to please and too naïve to ask questions. It
was Bree that summoned the party to meet
with the big boss and is the first person they
talk to when they go to meet with the guard
captain, Though she has some magical ability
(cantrips like mage hand and prestidigitation),
Bree uses the statistics of a commoner.
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▶ Fredrigarr Bersk. The guard captain is a
large, mustachioed man with graying side-
burns, wearing polished armor and a blue
cape that signifies his station. First seen
drunken and puffy-eyed from a sleepless
night of crying for his poor wife, he quickly
pulls himself together when the adventurers
arrive, showing his slick and conniving side.
The City Outskirts
It’s only a day’s journey from the main gate to the
shore where Hull’s Breach lies, but the road is noto-
riously frequented by bandits and thieves. Meeting
the party with the horse-drawn cart holding the
ransom money, hidden under clothes and travel
packs, is the paladin Graysha Greypeak, who will
be joining them to ensure things go smoothly.
▶ Graysha Greypeak. This half-orc paladin
once served alongside Fredrigarr Bersk
before he was promoted to captain and they
swore allegiance to the templars. Their
shared service led to a loyal friendship that
has endured many trials, but while Graysha
remains a person of honor and integrity, they
seem unaware of how power has changed
their so-called brother-in-arms.
Graysha Greypeak
Medium humanoid (half-orc), lawful good
Armor Class16 (breastplate)
Hit Points29 (4d10+12)
Speed30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)
Saving ThrowsWis +3, Cha +5
SkillsAthletics +3, Insight +3, Intimidation +5, Percep-
tion +3, Religion +2
Sensesdarkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
LanguagesCelestial, Common, Orc
Challenge2 (450 XP)
Divine Smite. When Graysha hits a creature with a
melee weapon attack, they can expend one spell slot
to deal 2d8 radiant damage to the target, in addition to
the weapon’s damage. The damage increases by 1d8 if
the target is an undead or a fiend.
Lay on Hands (10 points). As an action, Graysha can
touch a creature and restore a number of hit points to
it, up to the maximum amount remaining in this pool.
Alternatively, Graysha can expend 5 hit points to cure
the target of one disease or neutralize one poison
affecting it.
Relentless Endurance (1/Long Rest). When Graysha is
reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, they can
drop to 1 hit point instead.
Savage Attacks. When Graysha scores a critical hit
with a melee weapon attack, they can roll one of the
weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it
to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Spellcasting. Graysha is a 2nd-level spellcaster that
uses Charisma as their spellcasting ability (spell save
DC 13; +5 to hit with spell attacks). Graysha has the
following spells prepared from the paladin spell list:
1st-level (2 slots): command, cure wounds, divine favor,
healing word, shield of faith
ACTIONS
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+2) piercing damage.
A Trade of Bride and Pride  |  EN World EN5ider
Of course things don’t go smoothly. During their
journey, 3–4 thugs and a druid ambush the ad-
venturers. The druid attempts to set the horse free
from the cart and will then don the stirrups and
use Wild Shape to become a horse to make off with
the ransom. The enemies’ clothes bear the same
dog’s-head insignia from the ransom note. NPCs
interrogated by the party lie, saying that they were
sent to collect the ransom ahead of schedule.
Treasure. A total of 80 gp can be collected from
the thugs’ pockets. The druid holds a necklace
with Captain Bersk’s emblem on the pendant, as
well as a flask of water that always remains cool to
the touch.
Hull’s Breach
On the jagged shores of Shale Coast, a ship cracked
in half like an egg lies on its side over a massive
horn of rock. This is Hull’s Breach, the gravesite
of dozens of vessels and hundreds of sailors. The
massive rock cleaving through the sideways ship
actually houses the mouth of an underground cave,
mostly shielded from the surf by the broken hull
to make a perfect hideout for those up to no good.
A half dozen thugs (and the druid, if they es-
caped), are at the ready within. One drags forward
a bedraggled Lady Arilette, ready to exchange her
for the ransom. Meanwhile a small rowboat is be-
ing hauled out of the cave mouth and dragged to
the water, set to carry out the brigands and the
ransom to a ship waiting on the horizon.
As the PCs receive the hostage, they have the
chance of discovering—aided by Graysha—that
this woman is an imposter! The real Lady Arilette
is the hooded figure readying the getaway rowboat.
There is the possibility of an encounter here be-
tween the party and the brigands (aided by Arilette),
but before combat breaks out the noblewoman
calls for a halt to briefly explain the situation.
Lady Arilette’s revelation of her mistreatment by
Captain Bersk and her staged kidnapping leaves
Graysha in shock, and the adventurers must try
to snap them out of it to get their aid in the fight,
or to convince them to allow her to leave with the
ransom (betraying Captain Bersk’s trust in them).
Lady Arilette Bersk
Medium humanoid (human), neutral
Armor Class14
Hit Points58 (9d8+18)
Speed30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)
SkillsAcrobatics +6, Perception +3, Persuasion +5
Sensespassive Perception 14
LanguagesCommon, Elvish, Thieves’ Cant
Challenge4 (1,100 XP)
Bardic Inspiration (3/Short Rest). As a bonus action
on her turn, Arilette can choose one other creature
within 60 feet who can hear her. That creature gains
one Bardic Inspiration die, a d8. Once within the next
10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the
number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or
saving throw it makes. In addition, they can add it to a
weapon damage roll, or when they are hit by an attack
they can use their reaction to add it to their AC (pos-
sibly causing an attack to miss). The creature can wait
until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the
Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the GM
says whether the roll succeeds or fails.
Countercharm. As an action, Arilette can start a perfor- Conclusion
mance that lasts until the end of her next turn. During There are two main conclusions expected from the
that time, Arilette and any friendly creatures within 30 conflict.
feet of her who can hear her have advantage on saving ▶ Arilette Escapes. If the PCs decide to let Ari-

throws against being frightened or charmed. The per-
formance ends if Arilette is incapacitated or silenced or
if she voluntarily ends it (no action required).
Cunning Action (1/Turn). Arilette can use a bonus
action to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, Use Object
action, to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, or
to use thieves’ tools to disarm a trap or open a lock.
Second-Story Work. Climbing does not cost Arilette
lette escape, she will grant them half of the
ransom money (500 gp) and depart with her
crew. If they fall for the imposter’s deception
until it’s too late, Graysha pays them 200 gp
out of her own pocket. In either case, the
paladin advises the adventurers to return to
the city and try to smooth things over.
▶ Arilette Returns. If Arilette is forced to

extra movement. When she makes a running jump, the
distance she covers increases by 4 feet.
ACTIONS
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4)
Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack. +6 to hit,
range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4)
Peerless Escape. Lady Arilette turns invisible and takes
the Dash action.
return to her husband, the adventurers are
rewarded in full (2,000 gp), and they receive
the good favor of Captain Bersk. However,
soon Arilette escapes on her own again, now
filled with hatred and a desire for revenge—a
new antagonist for the party is born.e

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