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TheeponymousownerofRedSally’sBordello
isanighthagdisguisedasamiddle-agedelven
woman.Sheisalsotheleaderofapowerful
crime syndicate within the capital city Ravarian.
Recently,RedSallyhadashipmentofmagical
armssmuggledintothecity.Thesepowerful
armamentscouldchangethetideofabattle
forthesidethatpossessesthemandtheir
movement is restricted by the rulership.
Through deals and bribes, Sally has ensured
that the arms have gone unnoticed by the city
watch. She plans to sell the weapons to the The Warehouse
highest bidder, be that the Crown or another
faction. The warehouse appears to be a dilapidated
building,butinrealityitisawell-mainta
ThesuccubusXenira,arivalofSally,learned andsecurestonebuilding.Thereareafew
oftheshipmentandhascharmedBernd,the shutteredwindowsonthebottomlevel.T
leaderofRedSally’sdocksidethugs.Shehas crestsat20feetandtherearetwolargesk
convinced him to betray Sally and instead steal windowsontheroof.
thearmsforher.Withlittleotherchoice,Sally
turnedtoadventurerstoregaincontrolofthe
warehouseandcustodyofhergoodsasquietly General Features
as possible. She will pay 200 gp to complete this
mission. Light. Mostofthewarehouseisunlit,to
maintainthesenseofitbeingdisused.The
singleoillamplitatthecenterofthero
2
Doors and Windows. Sturdy wooden doors 10 half orc thugs
arereinforcedwithironbandsandallhave are in this area.
metallocks.IttakesasuccessfulDCDexterity
15 Mostofthem
checkmadewiththieves’toolstopickalockor are lounging,
asuccessfulDC15Strengthchecktoforceopen talking quietly
a door. or gambling.
Any stranger
that is noticed
1. Entrance will be attacked
immediately.If
A single half orc thug stands guard here. both Xenira and
He acts as a drunkard to blend in and has Bernd are defeated the remainingthugsw
proficiencyinthePerformanceskill.Ifheisyield,otherwise,theyfighttotheend.
assaultedandoutnumberedhecallsforaidand
5halforcthugsfromarea3arriveoneroundThree thugs are on the balcony and they are
later. armed with crossbows. From this higher ground
their allies do not provide any cover against
Treasure. The thug carries a key that opens their ranged attacks.
the door he guards.
2. Shipping Entrance
3. Storage Area
Thisareaisfilledwithstacksofcrates,barrels
andboxes.Asingleoillamplitatthecenter
oftheroom.Amongthecratesof
mundane items are several that
arefilledwithswords,maces,
shields,andarrows.TheseareSally’s
smuggled armaments.
3
Treasure.Sally’ssmuggledarmaments
include twelve each +1 swords, +1 maces, +1
shields, +1 chain shirts, and 100 +1 arrows.
There is an empty cart in the warehouse along
with a horse, tack and harness. The cart is a
wagon of holding which was used to smuggle
the armaments into the city.
4. Foreman’s Office
Thisroomiskeptassleepingquartersforwhen
Sally’sthugsneedtolaylow.Itiscurrently
beingusedbyXenirasuccubus)
( andBernd
( wereboar guard).Thepairareinflagrante
andmakeanyWisdom(Perception)checkswith
disadvantage.Ifenoughnoiseismadeinarea3
theywillpausetoinvestigate.Xenirawillfleeif
unable to overcome the party, unconcerned with
Bernd’sfate.
Scaling Options
Ifyouneedtomakethisencountermore
difficult, add an Action Surge to both
XeniraandBernd,allowingthemtotakeone
additional action on their turn. They must
finishashortorlongrestbeforeusingit
again.
Ifyouneedtomakethisencounter
easier,havethe3thugsonthebalcony
be asleep. They join the encounter on
thethirdroundafterthecombatstarts.
4
Holding the Bag
Written by Fletcher Haug
E 5
The Delivery
The street the PCs travel narrows and passes or the watchwoman, their conversation ends
severalalleywaysbeforearrivingatthe andthetieflingturnstoengagethecharac
warehouse. As the PCs approach the warehouse conversation.
they notice a city watch guard speaking with
awell-dressedtieflingmaninfrontofthe Xanderisasilver-tongueddevilandhewan
warehouse,whosedoorsareopen.Thetiefling the armaments above all else. He will employ
isXanderincubus)
( andhewillconstantly theprovendeviltacticsofpersuasiona
retainhistieflingform.Thecharmedcitywatch bribery to convince the PCs to see things his
guardisheretohelpherfriendsecurehis way. As he talks, his imps move invisibly into
unexpectedlylatedelivery.Shehasevenstriking been rangeofPCs,alley
thethugs prepare
kind enough to open the locked warehouse toattackfromhiding,and arbalists
the have
doorsforhim.OnceaPCisnoticedbyXander Readied Actions to fire their crossbowsif
Xander is attacked.
6
The Deal
Xander and Company (A). Standing Ground Muscle (C).
infrontoftheopenedwarehousedoorsare Hiding in the shadows
Xander and the charmed city watch guard. near Xander are 4 alley
Two imps hover invisibly near Xander. The thugs whoawaitXander’s
soundoftheimp’sflappingwingscanbeheardcommand to attack with
withaDC17Wisdom(Perception)check. their nets. Their hide DC
is15foranyonetryingto
Rooftop Vantage (B). Two perceive them.
arbalists are taking cover
behinddormersontheroofs Watch Patrol (D).Ifan
ofnearbybuildings.Theyhave alarm has been sounded
theircrossbowsreadytofire. apatrolof3citywatch
TheirhideDCis13foranyone guards will appear here
trying to perceive them. the5throundafterthe
alarm was raised.
C B
E C
7
Escape Route (E). IfXandersucceedsin Those losing the check notice nothing and are
commandeering the wagon, he will make his surprised. Those succeeding the check notice his
escape in this direction. attempt and can enter initiative with Xander to
begincombat.IfatanypointXanderisattac
IfXanderfailstoconvincetheplayerstothearbalistsontherooffiretheirweapo
relinquish the armaments, he will try to gain Readied Action and combat begins.
surprisebeforeenteringcombatbycovertly
using his suggestive missive ability while he is Afterthesurpriseroundisover,orifXande
still in conversation, targeting the most obvious isattackedbeforehecanmakethisatte
fighter-typecharacter.Todothis,Xandermakes use the Actions and Complications table to
aCharisma(Deception)checkasheistalking. determinethecourseofcombatoverthefi
Those that can see him can make an opposed rounds.
Wisdom(Insight)checkagainstXander’sroll.
8
Conclusion Scaling Actions
IfthePCscangetthecargointothewarehouse Ifyouneedtomakethisencountermore - di
andclosethedoorbeforethewatcharrives, cult, give Xanderoneorbothofthese Patron
the watch will not enter the warehouse unless Boons,whichtakeeectthemomentXander
a watch guard has been killed. They know that fallsbelow35hitpoints.
thisisawarehouseofRedSallyandareawareof
theconsequencesfortriflinginheraairs.Protection.
The Xander’sfiendishoverlord - inte
conflictwillbeblamedonXander’sunderlings venesandcureshimof15hitpointsofdamage
and the PCs succeed. andgrantsXanderthebenefit shield
ofaspell to
use at will.
IfthePCskillorsubdueXanderandescape,
theincubuswillbeblamedforthesmuggled Malignance. Xander’sfiendishoverlordcan
armaments,buttheywillbeconfiscatedand alsocauseanyenemywithin60feetofXander
Red Sally will demand her payment be returned tofacetheeectsbane ofa spell(noconcentra -
forthecharacter’smiserablefailure. tion).
IfthePCsareleftwiththesmuggledarmaments
Ifyouneedtomakethisencounter easier,
intheirpossesion,theywillbeimprisoned.
giveIfthe arbalists and/or the alley thugs the
theyfleefromthesceneorkillanycitywatch
minion template. This template leaves their stat
guards,theywillbecomefugitiveswithbounties
blockunchangedexceptthattheyonlyhav
placed on their heads. andcanbekillediftheytakeanydamage.
IfthePCsrevealRedSally’sinvolvementor
acceptXander’sbribetowalkaway,theywill
makeapowerfulenemywhoseeksretribution
assoonasshebuysherwayoutofhertrouble
with the city watch. They will have made a new
friend,andXanderwillfindawaytoexploithis
newfriends,ultimatelyattemptingtocorrupt
their souls.
9
Appendix: NPCs and Items
Alley Thug
Grappler. The alley thug has advantage on attack rolls
Medium humanoid (any race), against any creature grappled by it or by a net it has
any alignment thrown.
Arbalist
High Ground. The arbalist has advantage on ranged
Medium humanoid (any race), attacks against a creature if it is positioned on higher
any alignment ground than its target.
Armor Class 16 (breastplate)
Hit Points 15 (3d8) Actions
Speed 30 ft. Multiattack. The arbalist makes one ranged heavy
crossbow attack or two melee attacks.
Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d10 +2) piercing
12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) damage.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5
Senses passive Perception 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.
Languages Common
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
10
Half Orc Thug Pack Tactics. The thug has advantage on an attack
roll against a creature if at least one of the thug’s
allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn’t
Armor Class incapacitated.
Hit Points Relentless. (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).
Speed When the half orc thug is reduced to 0 hit points but
not killed outright, it can drop to 1 hit point instead.
Incubus Actions
Claw (Fiend Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack:
+5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3)
slashing damage.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Armor Class one target. Hit: 7 (1D8 +3) piercing damage.
Etherealness. ThefiendmagicallyenterstheEtherea
Hit Points Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa.
Speed Charm. Onehumanoidthefiendcanseewithin30
feetofitmustsucceedonaDCWisdom 15 savingthrow
orbemagicallycharmedfor1day.Thecharmedtarget
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA obeysthefiend’sverbalortelepathiccommands.Ift
targetsuersanyharmorreceivesasuicidalcomma
itcanrepeatthesavingthrow,endingtheeecton
Saving Throws asuccess.Ifthetargetsuccessfullysavesagainst
Skills eect,oriftheeectonitends,thetargetisimmune
tothisfiend’sCharmforthenext24hours.Thefiend
Damage Resistances canhaveonlyonetargetcharmedatatime.Ifitchar
another,theeectontheprevioustargetends.
Enthrall. The incubus chooses one humanoid it can
Senses darkvision seewithin90feetwhichmustsucceedonaDC15
Languages Wisdomsavingthrow.Onafailure,thetargetbecomes
Challenge athrallofthefiend,immediatelyusingitsactiont
make a melee or ranged attack against a creature the
incubuschooses.Theincubuscanonlyhaveonethra
at a time. The thrall can make a DC 15 Wisdom saving
throwtobreakthecharmattheendofeachofitst
Onasuccess,thespellends.Iffailed,thetargetmus
continue its attacks on the selected target.
Suggestive Missive.(1/day).Asthesuggestionspell
exceptitdoesnotrequireconcentration.
11
Wereboar Guard form. Any equipment being worn or carried isn’t
transformed. Bernd reverts to its true form if it dies.
(Boar or Hybrid Form Only). If Bernd moves
Armor Class at least 15 feet straight toward a target and then hits
it with its tusks on the same turn, the target takes
an extra 7 (2d6) slashing damage. If the target is a
creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving
Hit Points throw or be knocked prone.
Speed (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).
When reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright,
Bernd can drop to 1 hit point instead.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA When Bernd scores a critical hit
with a melee weapon attack, he can roll one of the
weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to
Saving Throws the extra damage of the critical hit.
Skills
Damage Immunities
(Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only).
Bernd makes two attacks, only one of which can be with
Senses its tusks.
Languages (Humanoid or Hybrid Form Only).
Challenge : +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:
10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.
(Boar or Hybrid Form Only).
: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 +
3) slashing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be
cursed with wereboar lycanthropy.
Thewagonisaectedbyadweomerthatconcealsits
magicalaurafromdetection.Thecasterofadetect
magic spell must pass a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana)
checkinordertoovercomethisconcealmentmagic
If magic is detected, it radiates transmutation and
alterationmagic.
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15
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3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indi- cate Your Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Pe-
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the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive Thieves’ Honor Copyright 2022, The Eldritch Press; LLC. Authors Fletcher Haug
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