ADAP2-2

The Spiral Gate

A Dungeons & Dragons Living Forgotten Realms Adapted Adventure By Scott Fitzgerald Gray
Adaptation by Pieter Sleijpen

All Faerns fate is being shaped in Netheril. You can hide behind your belief that this is all about other lands, other people, other lives; but in the end, your lands and your people will be caught up in this struggle like all the rest. So decide now. Which side are you on? A Living Forgotten Realms adapted adventure set in Hillsfar in the Moonsea region for characters levels 14-17. This adventure is found in Issue #180 of Dungeon Magazine, part of D&D Insider. Dungeon Magazine issues may be found on the Wizards of the Coast website (http://wizards.com/dnd). This adaptation document does not present adjusted stat blocks for low/high tier; any legal table of characters levels 14-17 can play, but bear in mind that the stat blocks in the adventure were written for a party of 16th-level characters, so tables at the low end of the P2 level band might find this adventure very difficult. At least one person at the table (either a player or the DM) must have an active subscription to D&D Insider. We recommend that you allow at least eight hours of playing time to complete this adventure (the equivalent of a two-round LFR adventure).

Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and the new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game designed by Andy Collins, Rob Heinsoo, and James Wyatt. This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without permission of Wizards of the Coast. To learn more about the Game System License (GSL), please visit www.wizards.com/d20. This is an official D&D play document. To find out more about official D&D play and to learn more on how you can schedule and run DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game events of all sizes, visit our website at www.wizards.com/dnd, and click on Events. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, RPGA, Wizards Play Network, Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, and Monster Manual are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the US and other countries. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast LLC. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental. 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC For rules questions specific to this document, visit www.wizards.com/customerservice. Permission is granted to photocopy this document for personal use.

The Wizards Play Network

If you want to organize public LFR games at a retail game store, you need to be associated with a Wizards Play Network (WPN) store. If you want to organize public LFR games outside of a store, you should be associated with a Wizards Play Network store, but you can be an independent organizer too. For these organizers, we have included a blank RPGA tabletracking form at the back of the adventure. To learn more about the Wizards Play Network, visit http://www.wizards.com/wpn If you want to organize LFR games at home, you don't need to be associated with the Wizards Play Network, nor do you need to schedule games or report them. You dont need to report your event to anyone, and neither the DM nor the players need to have DCI/RPGA membership numbers. Just find the adventure you want to play, download it, and have fun!

often creates stories that live well beyond the play at the table. Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a group: Make decisions and adjudications that enhance the fun of the adventure when possible. To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the following: You are empowered to make adjustments to the adventure and make decisions about how the group interacts with the world of this adventure. This is especially important and applicable outside of combat encounters, but feel free to use the "scaling the encounter" advice (usually for adjusting to different-sized groups) to adjust combat encounters for groups that are having too easy or too hard of a time in an adventure. Don't make the adventure too easy or too difficult for a group. Never being challenged makes for a boring game, and being overwhelmed makes for a frustrating game. Gauge the experience of the players (not the characters) with the game, try to feel out (or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to give each of them the experience theyre after when they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine. Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling, as play loses momentum when this happens. At the same time, make sure that the players dont finish the adventure too early; provide them with a full play experience. Living Forgotten Realms adventures are designed to be played within 3.5 4 hours; try to be very aware of running long or short. Adjust the pacing accordingly. Give the players appropriate hints so they can make informed choices about how to interact with their environment. Players should always know when enemies are affected by conditions and are bloodied. They should be given clues about how to interact with their surroundings so they can tackle skill challenges, combats, and puzzles without getting too frustrated over lack of information. This helps to encourage immersion in the adventure and gives players little victories for figuring out a good choice from a clue.

Preparing for Play

In order to play this adventure, youll need copies of the following D&D 4th Edition rulebooks: Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, and the Monster Manual. Any other rules referenced in this adventure will be noted in the New Rules Items section at the end of the adventure. Throughout this adventure, text in bold italics provides player information for you to paraphrase or read aloud when appropriate. Information on nonplayer characters (NPCs) and monsters appear in abbreviated form in the adventure text. Along with this adventure, youll find a session tracking sheet. If youre playing this adventure as part of a WPN event (see above), complete and turn in this sheet to your organizer directly after play.

Reading Monster Stat Blocks

Most of the information should be easy to understand, as it mirrors the information presented in the Monster Manual. Attacks may have a letter next to them designating the type: M for melee, R for ranged, C for close, and A for area. A lower-case letter (used only in some melee and ranged attacks) denotes that the attack can be used as a basic attack.

Important DM Information
As the DM of the session, you have the most important role in facilitating the enjoyment of the game for the players. You take the words on these pages and make them come alive. The outcome of a fun game session ADAP2-2 The Spiral Gate

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In short, being the DM for a Living Forgotten Realms adventure isnt about following the adventures text word-for-word; its about creating a fun, challenging game environment for the players. Chapters 1 and 2 of the Dungeon Masters Guide are filled with good information about being a DM for a D&D game.

Character Death
Adventuring can be a dangerous business. Your character might succumb to those dangers. However, death is usually a temporary situation for powerful adventurers (and even for less-powerful adventurers who have powerful friends). If your character dies during the course of an adventure, you always have at least one option (accepting Death Charity) and you might have additional options (such as the Raise Dead ritual). Most importantly, the DM must decide if your group has access to the dead character's body. Pay for the Raise Dead ritual. If the group has access to the body and chooses this option, the component cost should be divided evenly amongst the group (500 gp for heroic tier, 5,000 gp for paragon tier, and 50,000 gp for epic tier). If a PC can cast the ritual, then the component cost is the only cost. If the group must locate an NPC to cast the ritual, that NPC charges a fee equal to 20% of the component cost. The total cost for Raise Dead when using an outside source is 600 gp for Heroic tier, 6,000 gp for Paragon tier, and 60,000 gp for Epic tier. Use a power that returns dead characters to life. Certain characters gain powers that allow them to restore life without using the Raise Dead ritual or paying a component cost. For example, the warpriest (a cleric build from Heroes of the Fallen Lands) gains the resurrection daily utility power at 8th level. NPCs may not be used for this option unless an adventure specifically says so; otherwise, a player character with the appropriate power must be at the table (assuming he or she isn't the dead character) and all other conditions for using the power must be met. For example, resurrection may only be used at the end of an extended rest, and the character must have died within the last 24 hours. Invoke the Death Charity clause. If the group doesnt have access to the dead character's body, or if they have the body but cannot afford (or are unwilling) to pay for a ritual, the player can choose to return the PC back to life at the end of the adventure, exactly as if the Raise Dead ritual had been used on the dead character. Some heroes seem to have been marked by fate to fulfill a special purpose; their destinies do not include an ignoble demise. The details of exactly how the character's body made its way back to civilization are up to the player, or this can be left deliberately vague. (To be clear, invoking Death Charity is completely optional; some players prefer to let their dead characters stay dead if the circumstances seem dramatically appropriate. A character that does not return from the dead is Page 3

Appropriate Character Levels

This adventure is designed for player characters (PCs) levels 14 - 17. Characters that fall outside of the level range may not participate in the adventure. Make certain to check the levels of the PCs before beginning play to ensure that they are the proper level. Important Note: Unlike regular LFR adventures, there is no low-level or high-level version of this adaptation. The Spiral Gate is written specifically for a group of five 16th-level characters, and as such can be played by any legal LFR table in the P2 level band (levels 14-17). A group with primarily 14 and 15 level PCs might have difficulties, especially with the final encounter. The DM is free to make adjustments as needed to ensure that the players have an enjoyable yet challenging experience. However, the rewards in this adaptation assume that the PCs will face the challenges at the difficulty level presented in the published adventure. If you reduce those challenges, such as by decreasing the monster levels from the published adventure, you must also reduce the XP and treasure awards in this adaptation proportionally. (The adaptation does include standard LFR four- and sixplayer adjustment notes; using these notes does not affect the listed XP or treasure awards.)

Failing to Defeat an Encounter

If a group fails to defeat an encounter that is, if they have to flee from a combat because its too tough or they reach the predetermined number of failures in a skill challenge before reaching success they are only awarded half experience points (round down) for the encounter. If they manage to tackle the encounter later and defeat it, award them the other half of the experience points for the encounter.

ADAP2-2 The Spiral Gate

retired from play.) There is no cost for accepting Death Charity, but the character forfeits all non-XP rewards for the adventure (including gold, Story Awards, and the opportunity to select a Treasure). The PC cannot participate in the same adventure a second time. Regardless of which option is chosen, any character who dies during an adventure gains less XP from that adventure. At the end of the game session, when the DM announces the XP each character earns, your character suffers a 20% penalty (so you get 80% of the amount earned by those characters that did not die during the adventure). If a character is killed in the final encounter, but the rest of the party prevails, then the DM may choose to waive the 20% XP penalty if the DM believes that the group as a whole might not have succeeded without the dead character's sacrifice. The penalty also does not apply in the event of a TPK (Total Party Kill), because the DM reduces the entire group's XP award to reflect the fact that the party as a whole failed to complete the adventure. Sometimes, invoking the Death Charity clause is the only option to return a dead PC to life. For example, if the group suffers a TPK and no friendly NPCs know where to find them, then it's unlikely that their bodies can be recovered. The DM is the final arbiter of whether or not a dead character's body can be recovered. Remember, the Death Charity clause is always an option, no matter what happened to the PC. A death penalty almost always applies to any character brought back from the dead (see the next section). Mounts are not characters, and do not use these rules if they are killed during an adventure. To resurrect a dead mount, the owner must pay 20% of the mount's market price at the end of the adventure in which the mount died.

Milestones
No matter if the characters succeed or fail in an encounter, they reach a milestone if it is the second encounter theyve had since the start of the adventure or their last extended rest. Encounters that do not give out experience points do not count for purposes of reaching a milestone. Make certain to mention this information to the players when applicable, as it gives each PC another action point and affects how some magic item powers are used.

Lasting Effects
Sometimes a PC suffers a lasting effect that isnt easily resolved before the end of the adventure. The two most ADAP2-2 The Spiral Gate

common lasting effects are the death penalty and diseases. Death Penalty: When a character dies and is brought back to life, that character usually suffers a death penalty. For example, a character brought back by the Raise Dead ritual or a warpriest's resurrection power suffers a -1 penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks, saving throws, and ability checks until he or she has reached three milestones. The player should record the character's death on his or her Adventure Log, and then keep a running tally of milestones reached. Once the PC has reached the third milestone since coming back to life, the death penalty ends. Sometimes the death penalty is paid by a character other than the character that was returned to life. For example, if a sentinel uses the restore life power, there is a cost of four healing surges. These healing surges cannot be regained until the PCs who spent the surges (which cannot include the character who was returned to life) have reached three milestones or taken three extended rests. The character(s) who spent the surges track this on their own individual Adventure Logs. As each individual character crosses the appropriate threshold, the death penalty ends for that character, regardless of whether it is still active on other characters. Diseases: Diseases take hold of a character and last until they are cured or they reach their final state. Normally, a PC makes an Endurance check after each extended rest to see if the disease improves, worsens, or maintains its current condition. At the end of an adventure, any character suffering from a disease must resolve the disease to either its cured or final state, using the necessary number of extended rests to do so. Other characters adventuring with the PC may aid the afflicted character during this time. If a disease reaches its final state and the PC can get a Cure Disease ritual cast (and pay the appropriate costs), they may do so. Other Lasting Effects: Other effects that last beyond the scope of the adventure should be resolved at the DMs discretion. Any effects that last for a specific period of time (that end after a certain number of days or a certain number of extended rests) should be resolved at the end of the adventure in which the effect was obtained (unless otherwise specified). Effects that use some sort of adventuring benchmark of unknown duration (such as milestones) should be recorded on the characters Adventure Log and tracked across adventures. It is always the player's responsibility to inform his or her DM at the beginning of an adventure if the character is suffering from a lasting effect.

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Adapted Adventures
This adventure has been adapted from a published product. You must obtain a copy of the adventure from Dungeon Magazine (Issue #180) to use this adaptation. The published adventure is the version used by the DM. There is no high or low tier (see Appropriate Character Levels above). At least one person at the table must have an active subscription to D&D Insider (this can be one of the players or the DM; it does not matter). You should be aware that this adventure runs longer than a standard Living Forgotten Realms adventure. The estimated playtime for this adventure is about eight hours. In this document, youll find the information necessary to reward your Living Forgotten Realms characters upon completion of the adventure. Each encounter has notes on the rewards for the characters, and a total is given at the end of the adventure. The treasure section in each encounter and the rewards in this document replace the rewards listed in the adventure.

Melegaunt and Brennus Thantul. Melegaunt required Brennus aid, but dislikes the situation. Melegaunts agents oppose the idea of outside involvement, but loose the argument with Captain Durbela, who serves Brennus. The shadar-kai and thaalud attack at S1 and S2 are on orders of Melegaunt, and shock and surprise the agents of Brennus. When it happens in Encounter S1, and there are still any Netherese agents present with the PCs (and there should be one for this reason alone) they are equally shocked by the treachery and make it very clear to the characters. In this case a group of shadar-kai attack the characters from behind, and the remaining Netherese agents on the PCs side fight against these. After the fight, any shadar-kai survivors of the Shadow Chasm mention they acted on orders of Melegaunt. Brennus agents express shock, and make sincere apologies. It is not that they care all that much about the PCs lives, but betraying mercenaries for no apparent reason is not good for business.

DMs Introduction
Run the adventure as presented, with the modifications listed in this document. The adventure is set in the city of Hillsfar on the southern shores of the Moonsea. More information on the city can be found in Appendix 1. The First Lord of the city is quickly aware of the conflict taking place in and around his city. He purposely orders the Tower Guard to keep their distance, letting the adventurers sort out matters. The reason for his reluctance to get involved is his mixed feelings on the matter. He fears Netheril, and is afraid active involvement of the city will anger the much more powerful kingdom, forcing him to ally with hated Myth Drannor in defense. Instead he secretly aids the PCs by making the sought information on the scroll fragments, the Spiral Gate and the nearby portals relatively easy available. Before the adventure you should check whether the PCs contain members with disfavors with Netheril or the Church of Shar. If so, the shadovar are not going to approach the PCs for aid. Similarly, as known enemies of Netheril, the Sand Kings are much more likely to stop hostilities in Encounter M1. Characters with these story awards gain a +5 bonus on their skill checks to pacify the Sand Kings. In the adventure the PCs can ally with Netheril, but are later betrayed by the shadar-kai in Encounter S1 and S2. The reason for this betrayal is internal strife between the two Netherese princes involved in the project: ADAP2-2 The Spiral Gate

Encounter M1: Market Place Skirmish

Encounter Level 16 3 (7200 XP)
While the encounter should be mostly run as described in the adventure, both the Sand Kings and Netheril offer a gold reward (600 gp each now, 3000 gp each when the portal is either disabled or activated) and access to their own vaults for the characters aid. Regardless, the PCs are on the major quest of the Spiral Gate.

Scaling the Encounter

Make the following adjustments to the combat based on the number of PCs present. Four PCs: Remove the Sand King stormlord. Six PCs: Add a Sand King mystic.

Experience Points
The characters receive 1440 experience points each for defeating or befriending the Sand Kings.

Treasure
If the characters accept the offer of the Sand Kings, they gain 600 gp each now and 3000 gp each after having destroyed the Spiral Gate permanently. On the other hand, if the PCs make a deal with the shadovar agents, they get the same amount of gold for restoring the Spiral Gate. Page 5

Note that if the PCs double cross their employer, and hence gain 600 gp from both Netheril and the Sand Kings, the opposing group in T1 carries 600 gp less gold. Regardless, the characters never gain more gold than the cap mentioned in the Rewards section.

Encounter S1: Shadow Chasm

Encounter Level 17 (8400 XP)
Scaling the Encounter
Make the following adjustments to the combat based on the number of PCs present. Four PCs: Remove one of the shadar-kai dawnkillers. Six PCs: Add another shadar-kai painbearer.

Encounter T1: Mutashis Tomb

Encounter Level 16 (7500 XP)
Scaling the Encounter
The encounter is already scaled for the number of PCs and NPCs present. The experience point total assumes one level 16 enemy present per PC.

Experience Points
The characters receive 1680 experience points each for defeating the shadar-kai.

Experience Points
The characters receive 1400 experience points each for overcoming the enemy. Note that the experience for the trap is not included since it affects the enemy equally to the PC (if not more so in regards to the Shadovar who have no special powers to force move the characters).

Treasure
The shadar-kai have a battle standard of shadow (level 17), as well as 2000 gp per PC.

Treasure
The enemy carries 2400 gp per PC in various coin, jewelry and gems. In addition to the gold, the opponents carry a ring of the shadow guard (level 18) and a Melegaunts blade +4 (level 17).

Encounter S2: The Spiral Gate

Encounter Level 19 (12800 XP)
In Draigdurrochs study (Area T10) the PCs discover a trapped desk. The statistics block for the glyph of warding trap is the same at the low and high tier.

Encounter T2: Temple of Mystra

Encounter Level 16 (7800 XP)
Scaling the Encounter
Make the following adjustments to the combat based on the number of PCs present. Four PCs: Remove a banderhobb warder. Six PCs: Add a banderhobb filch.

Tiering the Encounter

Make the following adjustments to the combat based on the number of PCs present. Four PCs: Remove 40 hit points from each thaluud. Six PCs: Add 40 hit points to each thaluud.

Experience Points
The characters receive 2240 experience points each for defeating the thaluuds. If they either permanently activate or disable the Spiral Gate they earn 320 experience points each.

Experience Points
The characters receive 1560 experience points each for defeating the banderhobbs.

Treasure
No treasure.

Treasure
In the rubble the PCs find the remnants of the temples treasure, 2800 gp per character and a belt of the witch king (level 18), a philosophers crown (level 17) and a set of planestrider boots (level 18). ADAP2-2 The Spiral Gate

Conclusion
PCs successfully activating or destroying the Spiral Gate earn the gratitude of their employers. Give them ADAP09 Kings of the Sand if they worked for the Sand Kings and destroyed the gate. If the PCs activated the portal and worked for the Netherese give them Page 6

ADAP10 Gratitude of Netheril. In addition they gain the promised reward, and treasure bundle A. If the PCs somehow activated or destroyed the portal while not working for the interested party, they will get the gold reward, but not the story award. Neither the shadovar nor the Sand Kings are too impressed by the apparently unreliable characters, although, a DM is free to rule that a good bluff would convince them otherwise. PCs who failed, but gave their best do gain the gold, but not the story award or the treasure bundle.

Experience Points
PCs who either permanently destroyed or activated the Spiral Gate gain 1600 experience points each for finishing the major quest.

Treasure
Assuming the PCs successfully destroyed or activated the Spiral Gate, they each gain the promised 3000 gp.

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Rewards Summary
At the conclusion of the adventure, the PCs earn experience points, treasure, and possibly story awards. All totals listed here are per PC. A number before the slash is the low-level value; after the slash is the highlevel value.

Experience Points
Give PCs a full award for each encounter they successfully completed, and a half award if they were unsuccessful. Give no award if the characters did not play the encounter at all. Encounter M1: Marketplace 1440 XP Encounter T1: Mutashis Tomb 1400 XP Encounter T2: Temple of Mystara 1560 XP Encounter S1: Shadow Chasm 1680 XP Encounter S2: The Spiral Gate 2560 XP Major Quest: The Spiral Gate 1600 XP Total Possible Experience 10240 XP Base Gold per PC 10800 gp (Encounter M1: 600 gp, Encounter T1: 2400 gp, Encounter T2: 2800 gp, Encounter S1: 2000 gp, Conclusion: 3000 gp)

spend more gold than he or she earns during an adventure, but characters may not spend gold that they do not have. For details on selling items, see the Living Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. If a player selects a magic weapon or suit of armor for their PC that is not specific on the type of item listed, they must select the exact item at the time they choose that bundle. For example, if a duelists weapon +1 is listed as a Treasure, a player selects the form of the weapon amongst the choices possible for that magic item (light blades). If the player selects the item as a +1 duelists dagger, the player writes that information down on the PCs adventure log and the item is forever after that specific weapon. An asterisk next to a magic item means that it is an item that appears in the New Rules section.

Two Rounds, Two Treasures

Since this is a double-length (two-round) adventure, the PCs earn twice the normal XP and twice the normal base gold per PC. (The appropriate amounts have already been calculated, and are listed under Total Possible Experience and Base Gold per PC.) To keep these rewards in balance with the campaigns expected level-advancement rate, the PCs should also have the opportunity to select two Treasures. For this adventure, each PC may choose TWO of the listed Treasures (including More Gold). To be clear, a character who chooses More Gold twice receives no found items plus 13000 gp in addition to the base gold award, for a grand total of 23800 gp gained from this adventure.

Each PC Selects Two of the Following:

Treasure A: Any Common magic item of your level + 2 or less, or any Uncommon magic item of your level or less, from any player resource. Found in Conclusion Treasure B: ring of shadow guard* (level 18; Adventurers Vault 1) Found in Encounter T1 Treasure C: Melegaunts darkblade +4* (level 17; Dungeon 177) Found in Encounter T1 Treasure D: philosophers crown (level 17; Adventurers Vault 2) Found in Encounter T2

Treasure
Each PC receives treasure in the form of gold pieces (the Base Gold listed above) as well as the option to select from a list of Treasures. A Treasure may give the PC more gold, a magic item, or something else of value. Each player makes one and only one selection for their character; multiple players may choose the same Treasure. Some of the listed Treasures may not be available if the PCs did not complete the objective specified in the adventure to unlock that Treasure. If a character buys or sells gear during the adventure (or pays for services, such as NPC ritual casting) add or subtract the amount from the base gold. If a player selects a Treasure that gives their character more gold, add that amount to that characters base gold award. It is possible and permissible for a character to ADAP2-2 The Spiral Gate

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Treasure E: planestrider boots (level 18; Manual of the Planes) Found in Encounter T2 Treasure F: belt of the witch king (level 18; Adventurers Vault 2) Found in Encounter T2 Treasure G: battle standard of shadow* (level 17; Adventurers Vault 1) Found in Encounter S1 Consumable plus Gold: If a player doesnt want to select one of the Treasures listed above for their character, they can choose to add a potion of vigor* (level 19) plus 2300 gp to their rewards from this adventure. The player should write the consumable gained on their adventure log. That character (and only that character) then receives the consumable plus the listed amount of gold (if any) instead of any other Treasure. Consumable items obtained in this fashion do not take up found magic item slots. More Gold: If a player doesn't want to select one of the Treasures listed above for their character, they can choose to add 6500 gp to their rewards from this adventure. That character (and only that character) receives more gold instead of any other Treasure.

not cost you a found-item slot, but it does count toward the total limit of Uncommon items you may possess. It has no sale value. ADAP10 Gratitude of Netheril For restoring the Spiral Gate, Prince Brennus Thantul provides you with a shade coin in recognition of your service to the Empire of Netheril. The coin is a silver triangle with one-inch sides. One side of the token is featureless. The other side of the coin depicts a personalized symbol of Shar. As long as the person who earned the token has it in his possession, it feels remarkably cold. Showing the coin to other Netherese agents or governments under the control of Netheril might induce them to assist you (DMs discretion), but it could also create the opposite effect due to the ever-shifting politics and enmities between various factions among the Shadovar. Showing it to enemies of Netheril is guaranteed to generate distrust. If you already have a shade coin (such as the one gained from story award CORE02) you do not gain a new coin. Instead, your existing coin is imbued with shadow magic, As long as you have the coin in your possession, you gain resist necrotic 5 and shadows seem to cling to you, giving you a +2 bonus to Stealth checks in dim light or darkness. The magic is tied to the coin and your soul, so nobody else can gain the benefits from the coin. The coin does not cost you a found-item slot, but it does count toward the total limit of Uncommon items you may possess. It has no sale value.

Story Awards
Award these if the PC completes the condition for the award in the adventure. Pass out certificates to the players for their story awards. The PCs can only gain one of these two story awards, and it is possible that they will gain neither, depending on how they behave toward the different factions during the adventure. ADAP09 Kings of the Sand You destroyed the Spiral Gate in name of the Sand Kings, and by doing so earned their gratitude and respect. They are unlikely to forget your service, but nor are the agents of Netheril. You earned their enmity. If you possess a shade coin (such as the one gained from story award CORE02) it is instantly destroyed, and in future encounters, agents of Netheril and Shar will prefer you as a target. The Sand Kings also give you a solitaire (citrine) with the marking of the Sand Kings on it. The gem glows with the brightness of a candle as long as it is in your possession, or when loaned to another person who is functioning as your messenger. It loses its magic when stolen, sold, or permanently given away. The gem does ADAP2-2 The Spiral Gate

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New Rules
All magic items have a rarity of Uncommon unless otherwise specified.

Battle Standard of Shadow

Level 17 This silky black flag becomes insubstantial as you raise it, a field of shadow spreading out from it to cover the battlefield. Level: 17 Price: 65,000 gp Wondrous Item Power (Encounter Illusion, Zone): Standard Action. When you plant the battle standard in your space or an adjacent square, it creates a zone of shadow in a close burst 10. Within the zone, all bright light is reduced to dim light, and you and your allies gain low-light vision and a +2 power bonus to Stealth checks. This effect lasts until the end of the encounter or until the battle standard is removed from the ground. Any character in or adjacent to a battle standards square can remove it from the ground as a standard action. Reference: Adventurer's Vault 1, page(s) 179.

Philosophers Crown

Level 17 This intricate golden crown ensures that the breadth of your knowledge is unparalleled. Level: 17 Price: 65,000 gp Item Slot: Head Property: You gain a +2 item bonus to Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, and Religion checks. Power (Daily): Free Action. Trigger: You make an Arcana, Dungeoneering, History, Nature, or Religion check and dislike the result. Effect: You reroll the check and use either result. Reference: Adventurer's Vault 2, page(s) 62.

Planestrider Boots

Level 18 The links of this slim silver chain are separated by small spheres of arcane-enhanced obsidian. Level: 18 Price: 85,000 gp Item Slot: Waist Property: You gain a +2 item bonus to Fortitude. Power (Daily Healing): Free Action. Trigger: You become bloodied. Effect: You regain hit points equal to twice the level of the highest-level arcane power you have not expended. Reference: Adventurer's Vault 2, page(s) 75.

Belt of the Witch King

Level 18 These boots allow you to teleport around corners and to places you might not see from your current point of view. Level: 18 Price: 85,000 gp Item Slot: Feet Property: When you use a power to teleport, you can instead teleport twice as the same action. The total distance you travel with both teleports cannot exceed the distance you could have traveled with the original teleport. You could, for example, teleport to a corner, establish a new line of sight, and teleport to a square not visible from your starting location, so long as the maximum number of squares teleported does not exceed the teleport powers allotted movement. Power (Encounter Teleportation): Move Action. Teleport 10 squares. Reference: Manual of the Planes, page(s) 156. Level 18 While wearing this dark iron ring, your shadow is infused with black tendrils from the Shadowfell. Level: 18 Price: 85,000 gp Item Slot: Ring Property: Gain resist 10 cold and resist 10 necrotic. Power (Daily Cold, Necrotic): Standard Action. You infuse your shadow with the essence of the Shadowfell. Until the end of your next turn, any enemy that starts its turn or moves adjacent to you takes 2d10 cold and necrotic damage. If youve reached at least one milestone today, you also gain 15 temporary hit points. This benefit lasts until none of these temporary hit points remain or until you take an extended rest. Reference: Adventurer's Vault 1, page(s) 159.

Melegaunt's Darkblade

Level 17 Forged long ago in a pact with a Prince of Netheril, this blade of shimmering black glass trails shadowy tendrils as it strikes with preternatural alacrity. Level: 17 Price: 65,000 gp Weapon: Heavy blade, Light blade Enhancement: +4 attack rolls and damage rolls Critical: +4d6 cold damage, or +4d10 cold damage against shadow creatures. Property: This weapon scores critical hits on a 19 or 20. Reference: Dungeon Magazine 177.

Ring of Shadow Guard

Potion of Vigor

Level 19 This vermilion liquid invigorates you, at least temporarily. Lvl 19 4200 gp Potion Power (Consumable): Power (Consumable): Minor Action. Drink this potion and spend a healing surge. You do not gain hit points as normal. Instead, gain 25 temporary hit points. Reference: Adventurer's Vault 1, page(s) 189.

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Appendix 1: Hillsfar
Source: Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, pages 150 and 151. Gateway City; Population 35,000 Perched on a rocky bluff overlooking the Moonsea, Hillsfar is an important trade city. Metalwork, quarried stone, livestock, and furs from the northern city-states come through Hillsfar on their way to Cormyr and Sembia. Wine, grain, and ale of southerly lands passes through the gateway city bound for the north. Hillsfar is ostensibly neutral, but in fact its power runs from Teshwave to Elventree. A contentious senate made up of wealthy merchant-nobles and important guildmasters purportedly governs the city, but its thirty-one members accomplish little. Since the senate rarely agrees on anything, true control of the city falls to the First Lord, Torin Nomerthal. Head of a powerful family, First Lord Torin is a clever, calculating man who hides his sharp mind behind a genial guise. Normally the senate chooses a new First Lord from its membership once every seven years, but Lord Torin is well into his third term, having now governed Hillsfar for close to twenty years. A strong mages guild and a large, well-paid standing army known as the Tower Guard (so named for the First Lords Tower, the citadel of Hillsfar) keep the city and its surroundings safe from bandits and monsters. Hillsfar maintains an uncomfortable peace with Myth Drannor. For years, the lords of the city-state have desired to clear and settle more of the forest lands to their south, but the power of the Coronal deters them. As a result, Hilssfar tries to ignore the fey kingdom as much as possible. It deals with Myth Drannor only when forced to for example, by the threat of Netherese expansion in the western Moonsea lands.

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__________________________________
(character name)

__________________________________
(character name)

__________________________________
(character name)

(cross out those not received; these awards are mutually exclusive)

Has Received Story Awards From:

(cross out those not received; these awards are mutually exclusive)

Has Received Story Awards From:

(cross out those not received; these awards are mutually exclusive)

Has Received Story Awards From:

ADAP2~2 The Spiral Gate

ADAP09 Kings of the Sand You destroyed the Spiral Gate in name of the Sand Kings, and by doing so earned their gratitude and respect. They are unlikely to forget your service, but nor are the agents of Netheril. You earned their enmity. If you possess a shade coin (such as the one gained from story award CORE02) it is instantly destroyed, and in future encounters, agents of Netheril and Shar will prefer you as a target. The Sand Kings also give you a solitaire (citrine) with the marking of the Sand Kings on it. The gem glows with the brightness of a candle as long as it is in your possession, or when loaned to another person who is functioning as your messenger. It loses its magic when stolen, sold, or permanently given away. The gem does not cost you a found-item slot, but it does count toward the total limit of Uncommon items you may possess. It has no sale value. ADAP10 Gratitude of Netheril For restoring the Spiral Gate, Prince Brennus Thantul provides you with a shade coin in recognition of your service to the Empire of Netheril. The coin is a silver triangle with one-inch sides. One side of the token is featureless. The other side of the coin depicts a personalized symbol of Shar. As long as the person who earned the token has it in his possession, it feels remarkably cold. Showing the coin to other Netherese agents or governments under the control of Netheril might induce them to assist you (DMs discretion), but it could also create the opposite effect due to the ever-shifting politics and enmities between various factions among the Shadovar. Showing it to enemies of Netheril is guaranteed to generate distrust. If you already have a shade coin (such as the one gained from story award CORE02) you do not gain a new coin. Instead, your existing coin is imbued with shadow magic, As long as you have the coin in your possession, you gain resist necrotic 5 and shadows seem to cling to you, giving you a +2 bonus to Stealth checks in dim light or darkness. The magic is tied to the coin and your soul, so nobody else can gain the benefits from the coin. The coin does not cost you a founditem slot, but it does count toward the total limit of Uncommon items you may possess. It has no sale value.

ADAP2~2 The Spiral Gate

ADAP09 Kings of the Sand You destroyed the Spiral Gate in name of the Sand Kings, and by doing so earned their gratitude and respect. They are unlikely to forget your service, but nor are the agents of Netheril. You earned their enmity. If you possess a shade coin (such as the one gained from story award CORE02) it is instantly destroyed, and in future encounters, agents of Netheril and Shar will prefer you as a target. The Sand Kings also give you a solitaire (citrine) with the marking of the Sand Kings on it. The gem glows with the brightness of a candle as long as it is in your possession, or when loaned to another person who is functioning as your messenger. It loses its magic when stolen, sold, or permanently given away. The gem does not cost you a found-item slot, but it does count toward the total limit of Uncommon items you may possess. It has no sale value. ADAP10 Gratitude of Netheril For restoring the Spiral Gate, Prince Brennus Thantul provides you with a shade coin in recognition of your service to the Empire of Netheril. The coin is a silver triangle with one-inch sides. One side of the token is featureless. The other side of the coin depicts a personalized symbol of Shar. As long as the person who earned the token has it in his possession, it feels remarkably cold. Showing the coin to other Netherese agents or governments under the control of Netheril might induce them to assist you (DMs discretion), but it could also create the opposite effect due to the ever-shifting politics and enmities between various factions among the Shadovar. Showing it to enemies of Netheril is guaranteed to generate distrust. If you already have a shade coin (such as the one gained from story award CORE02) you do not gain a new coin. Instead, your existing coin is imbued with shadow magic, As long as you have the coin in your possession, you gain resist necrotic 5 and shadows seem to cling to you, giving you a +2 bonus to Stealth checks in dim light or darkness. The magic is tied to the coin and your soul, so nobody else can gain the benefits from the coin. The coin does not cost you a founditem slot, but it does count toward the total limit of Uncommon items you may possess. It has no sale value.

ADAP2~2 The Spiral Gate

ADAP09 Kings of the Sand You destroyed the Spiral Gate in name of the Sand Kings, and by doing so earned their gratitude and respect. They are unlikely to forget your service, but nor are the agents of Netheril. You earned their enmity. If you possess a shade coin (such as the one gained from story award CORE02) it is instantly destroyed, and in future encounters, agents of Netheril and Shar will prefer you as a target. The Sand Kings also give you a solitaire (citrine) with the marking of the Sand Kings on it. The gem glows with the brightness of a candle as long as it is in your possession, or when loaned to another person who is functioning as your messenger. It loses its magic when stolen, sold, or permanently given away. The gem does not cost you a found-item slot, but it does count toward the total limit of Uncommon items you may possess. It has no sale value. ADAP10 Gratitude of Netheril For restoring the Spiral Gate, Prince Brennus Thantul provides you with a shade coin in recognition of your service to the Empire of Netheril. The coin is a silver triangle with one-inch sides. One side of the token is featureless. The other side of the coin depicts a personalized symbol of Shar. As long as the person who earned the token has it in his possession, it feels remarkably cold. Showing the coin to other Netherese agents or governments under the control of Netheril might induce them to assist you (DMs discretion), but it could also create the opposite effect due to the ever-shifting politics and enmities between various factions among the Shadovar. Showing it to enemies of Netheril is guaranteed to generate distrust. If you already have a shade coin (such as the one gained from story award CORE02) you do not gain a new coin. Instead, your existing coin is imbued with shadow magic, As long as you have the coin in your possession, you gain resist necrotic 5 and shadows seem to cling to you, giving you a +2 bonus to Stealth checks in dim light or darkness. The magic is tied to the coin and your soul, so nobody else can gain the benefits from the coin. The coin does not cost you a founditem slot, but it does count toward the total limit of Uncommon items you may possess. It has no sale value.

Event Name: _______________________________ Event Code: __________________________

(This number was given to the organizer when the event was scheduled)

Adventure Title: ______________________________________________ Session Number: ____

(For administrative use only)

SESSION TRACKING

/ / Date of Play:
Month Day Year A legal table has no less than four players, and no more than six players.

Start Time: :
Hour

Minute

Give hour in military time standard (p.m. hours = hour +12). Dont record the exact minute the adventure played. Instead list the closest 30minute interval the game was scheduled to start at (30 or 00).

AA SS TT EE RR DUNGEONM M
DM Name: _____________________

RPGA Number: May be less than a 10-digit number. Player Name RPGA/DCI Number

1 2 3 4 5 6
Dungeons & Dragons is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast LLC. 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC

a b c

Event Name: _______________________________ Event Code: __________________________

(This number was given to the organizer when the event was scheduled)

Adventure Title: ______________________________________________ Session Number: ____

(For administrative use only)

SESSION TRACKING

/ / Date of Play:
Month Day Year A legal table has no less than four players, and no more than six players.

Start Time: :
Hour

Minute

Give hour in military time standard (p.m. hours = hour +12). Dont record the exact minute the adventure played. Instead list the closest 30minute interval the game was scheduled to start at (30 or 00).

AA SS TT EE RR DUNGEONM M
DM Name: _____________________

RPGA Number: May be less than a 10-digit number. Player Name RPGA/DCI Number

1 2 3 4 5 6
Dungeons & Dragons is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast LLC. 2010 Wizards of the Coast LLC

a b c