Jarlaxle, the leader of Bregan D’aerthe, sees membership in the Lords' Alliance as his path to power beyond Luskan. As the secret lord of a city with an unsavory reputation, he has had a hard time getting a seat at the table with other cities of the North when it comes to trade and defense of the region. Thus, he plans to use the stolen gold to bargain with Laeral Silverhand for inclusion in the alliance, and to oust Neverwinter and its lord Dagult Neverember-Jarlaxle’s fiercest political opponent-from the group.
Facing Jarlaxle
As the characters investigate the Sea Maidens Faire, they could run into Jarlaxle, especially if they take a kick-in-the-door approach and storm the vessels of the traveling carnival. When Jarlaxle learns that the characters are aboard one of his ships, he arranges to meet with them in the guise of Zardoz Zord. If they refuse, Jarlaxle orders his crew to cast the characters overboard-or takes care of the job himself if he must.
If he thinks the adventurers can be trusted, Jarlaxle proposes that they join his search for the Vault of Dragons. He intends to return the gold to Laeral Silverhand, less 5,000 gp for the characters in exchange for their help. He offers another 5,000 gp for their help in recovering the
If the characters don’t agree to Jarlaxle’s terms, or if they assault him, he tries to knock them
In the unlikely event that Jarlaxle is killed, Bregan D’aerthe raises him from the dead within a tenday. Once he’s back in action, he tries to recover any gear that was stolen from him.
Disrupting Jarlaxle’s Operation
Characters can hinder Jarlaxle in the ways described in the following two subsections.
Destroy the Figureheads
The figureheads on Jarlaxle’s ships (area J8) create illusions around drow crew members, making them appear human. If a figurehead is destroyed, the drow on that ship remain belowdecks to ensure that they don’t draw unwanted attention.
Sink or Steal a Vessel
If the characters sink or steal one of his sailing ships or the Scarlet Marpenoth, Jarlaxle tasks his crew members with finding out what went wrong. In the case of a sunken ship, such wanton destruction could also involve the City Watch, especially if the act results in people drowning.
Sea Maidens Faire
Jarlaxle Baenre’s seafaring carnival travels up and down the Sword Coast in three ships. The Eyecatcher, Jarlaxle’s flagship, is ostentatious. Mounted underneath it is the Scarlet Marpenoth, a submarine of Lantanese design. The second ship, the Heartbreaker, is primarily used to transport performers, strange creatures, and
All three ships are crewed by drow who are magically disguised to appear human. Despite their disguises, the drow still have the Sunlight Sensitivity trait.
Approaching the Ships
The Heartbreaker and the Hellraiser are docked across from each other at the same pier in the Dock Ward. The characters need only walk up a ramp from the pier to area J1 on either ship. The pier is so busy that no one takes notice of the characters until they are on a vessel.
Jarlaxle’s flagship is anchored in Deepwater Harbor, a mile away from his other ships. To reach the Eyecatcher, the characters must travel there by using another vessel, by swimming, or by flying. If the characters approach in a vessel known to the crew, such as a rowboat from another of Jarlaxle’s ships, the characters arouse no suspicion until they are seen on deck. The crew of the Eyecatcher crew sends word to Jarlaxle immediately if the characters approach in an unknown vessel.
If the characters approach the Eyecatcher in an underwater vehicle, such as Grinda Garloth’s
Crews
The characters can learn valuable information by interrogating crew members and carnival performers.
Ship Captains
Although Zardoz Zord (Jarlaxle Baenre) commands the fleet, each ship has its own captain: a Bregan D’aerthe drow mage disguised as a slender, well-dressed human. These captains know of Jarlaxle’s plans. They communicate with each other and with Jarlaxle by way of
Velgos Ephezzrin captains the Hellraiser in the guise of a human named Fergus Crabwater. He enjoys wine a little too much, and characters have advantage on Charisma checks made to interact with him during a meal.
Tylan Ilueph captains the Heartbreaker as a human named Klarr Besham. He’s a humorless taskmaster whose tarantula familiar is always on his shoulder.
Llorath Pharn captains the Eyecatcher as a human named Tarwind Arryhook. He loves games of chance and can’t resist a good wager.
A successful DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check and the mention of Zardoz Zord’s name is enough to gain an audience with a ship captain.
If the characters capture one of the captains and succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check, they learn the following information by asking the right questions:
- “The Sea Maidens Faire and all its ships are under the command of Captain Zardoz Zord of Luskan.” (A ship captain won’t divulge Zord’s true identity unless magically compelled to do so.)
- “Zord has a cabin aboard the Eyecatcher and spends a lot of time there with Margo Verida and Khafeyta Murzan, two of the Faire’s star performers.”
- “A year ago, the Sea Maidens Faire visited the island nation of Lantan, where Zord acquired a submarine called the Scarlet Marpenoth. The submarine is mounted underneath the Eyecatcher." “Zord has operatives searching for an artifact called the
Stone of Golorr , which leads to a place called the Vault of Dragons.” (For security, the captains aren’t kept informed as to the mission’s progress.) - “Zord has drow spies in Waterdeep-Fel’rekt Lafeen, Krebbyg Masq’il’yr, and Soluun Xibrindas. All carry Lantanese firearms.”
- “Our disguises are powered by a magical figurehead fixed to the fore of each ship.”
Sailors
The Eyecatcher, the Heartbreaker, and the Hellraiser are crewed by twenty sailors each: three drow elite warrior (mates) and seventeen drow, all magically disguised as slender humans while aboard their vessel. All are loyal members of Bregan D’aerthe, and all know that Zardoz Zord is Jarlaxle Baenre in disguise. They know nothing about the Scarlet Marpenoth or Jarlaxle’s plans.
The crew has orders not to fraternize with strangers or guests. Characters who question crew members can learn the following:
- “Zardoz Zord is master of the Sea Maidens Faire. If you want to meet him, talk to a ship captain.” (A sailor won’t divulge Zord’s true identity unless magically compelled to do so.)
- “The Sea Maidens Faire is based out of Luskan.”
Carnies
Most of the carnival performers and workers are human commoner trained to perform a handful of tasks or stunts. (Performers have proficiency in the Performance skill.) They’re kept in the dark about most things, but they’re not oblivious. With a successful DC 10 Charisma check, a character can cajole or trick a carny into revealing one of the following pieces of information:
- “Zardoz Zord uses magic to get from the Eyecatcher to the other boats. I’ve never seen him in a rowboat.”
- “The sailors communicate with each other using odd hand signals.” (Members of Bregan D’aerthe use Drow Sign Language.)
- “All the sailors have an aversion to sunlight.”
- “Have you noticed the sailors have the slightest hint of an Elvish accent?”
- “All the crew members are men. Very odd.”
Discovering the Drow
Any character who spends 1 hour observing a ship’s crew can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. With a successful check, the character notices that most crew members speak Common with an Elvish accent and exchange hand signals when they think no one is looking. A drow character recognizes the hand signals as Drow Sign Language.
The changes wrought by the magic of the ships' figureheads (see area J8) fail to hold up to physical inspection, meaning that characters who interact with crew members have a chance to notice the illusion. For example, a character who grabs one of the sailors by the ear would quickly realize by touch that the ear is pointed, not rounded as it appears. Additionally, any drow character who boards one of these ships instantly takes on the illusory form of a human of the same gender, height, and weight, because of the magic of the ship’s figurehead.
Ship Features
Each ship has the statistics of a
Alarms
If intruders are detected or a fight breaks out on one of the ships, the entire crew (one drow mage captain, three drow elite warrior, and seventeen drow) mobilizes to combat the threat. The drow prefer to take captives or render enemies
Ceilings
Cabins, holds, and passageways have 8-foot-high ceilings with 6-foot-high doorways connecting them.
Doors
Unless otherwise noted, doors are made of wood. A door’s lock can be picked by a character who makes a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, or a door can be forced open by a character who makes a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. A ship’s captain has keys to all locked doors aboard his vessel.
Elevator Platforms
Each ship is equipped with an elevator platform that can be lowered and raised with a lever to make loading and unloading cargo easier. When not in use, this platform stays in the lowest cargo hold of each ship. See the descriptions of the cargo holds for more information.
Lighting
Areas belowdecks are brightly lit by hanging lanterns.
Rigging
Rigging can be climbed without an ability check.
Areas of the Ships
The Eyecatcher, the Heartbreaker, and the Hellraiser have the same general configuration and occupants, corresponding to map 7.1. Exceptions are noted in an area’s description and on the map.
J1. Main Deck
Three sailors (drow) and a mate (drow elite warrior) are on deck at all times. If the characters board the ship and ask to speak with the captain, the mate asks their business before even thinking about disturbing him.
Jolly Boats
Four rowboats are stacked on top of each other on this deck. Ropes and pulleys are used to hoist these boats in and out of the water.
J2. Storage
The smell of tar permeates this cluttered cabin, which contains the following features:
- Barrels of tar are secured with nets to the starboard wall below mounted tools.
- Against the port wall, tight rolls of white canvas are stacked on top of each other and secured with rope.
J3. Mates' Cabin
This cabin has the following features:
- Twin hammocks hang perpendicular to one another. Two off-duty mates (drow elite warrior) relax in the hammocks.
- Three walnut chests sit under the hammocks. The chests are unlocked.
Treasure
Each chest holds two sets of
J4. Crew Cabins
Each of these cabins holds four hammocks. One off-duty sailor (drow) rests in each cabin.
J5. Galley
Heat and savory scents burst from this cramped cabin, which contains the following features:
- A busy cook (commoner) works a frying pan with one hand and stirs a pot with the other over a small stove.
- Dirty dishes are stacked in a washbasin.
- A table holds foods in various states of preparation.
The cook is too busy to speak with characters, and is quick to holler in alarm if attacked, drawing the attention of the crew.
J6. Pantry
Secured to the walls are racks of cooking ingredients, including jars of spices, sacks of flour, and casks of lard.
J7. Dining Cabin
The crew dines here throughout the day. At any given time, the cabin contains the following:
- Six sailors (drow) are enjoying a meal.
- Aboard the Heartbreaker or the Hellraiser, the sailors are joined by
1d4 carnies (commoner). Furnishings include a table, ten stools, and two oak cabinets containing dishes,tankard , and utensils.
J8. Forecastle
The forecastle is within sight of the sailors on the main deck (area J1), the aft castle lower deck (area J9), and the aft castle upper deck (area J11).
Figurehead
A gilded wooden figurehead of a female elf with flowing hair sticks out from the ship’s prow, reaching forth with both hands. Since the figurehead is unpainted, there’s no way to tell that it depicts a drow, but a character who inspects the figurehead closely and succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a tiny embossed spider on its forehead.
A
J9. Aft Castle Lower Deck
This deck has the following features:
- Two sailors (drow) are here at all times.
- Stairs to port and starboard climb to the aft castle upper deck (area J11) and the captain’s wheel.
Anchor
The ship’s anchor is accessed from this deck. It can be raised or lowered by one creature in 10 rounds (1 minute), by two creatures in 5 rounds, by three creatures in 3 rounds, or by four creatures in 1 round.
J10. Captain’s Cabin
Regardless of which ship the characters are on, this opulent cabin contains the following features:
- Stylish purple drapes cover the large windows that look out over the harbor.
- To one side of a central pillar rests a comfortable bed, its oak headboard carved to resemble a kraken. An oak dining table surrounded by six high-backed chairs rests on the opposite side of the central pillar.
- Other furnishings include a glass-doored cabinet containing shelves of books, a wooden trunk sealed with a padlock, and a small writing desk.
Captain
Each ship’s captain (drow mage) can usually be found here, with a nimblewright (see appendix B) acting as an attendant and bodyguard.
A captain is happy to meet with characters who ask to speak with him, mostly to gauge whether they pose a threat. If the characters are polite, the captain invites them to join him for a meal. If the characters grow tiresome or threatening, he commands them to leave the ship at once, sounding an alarm if they refuse.
Fastened to each captain’s belt is a ring holding a number of keys. One key unlocks the trunk in this cabin; other keys unlock any locked doors on the captain’s ship.
Book Cabinet
Each captain keeps a modest collection of mundane books. Each hides his spellbook in a secret space under the bottom shelf, which can be found with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. The spellbook contains the following spells:
Locked Trunk
A successful DC 20 Dexterity check by a character using thieves' tools opens the padlock, or it can be broken off with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. The trunk contains folded clothes, 250 gp in a sack,
J11. Aft Castle Upper Deck
This highest deck of the ship is within sight of the forecastle (area J8), the main deck (area J1), and the aft castle lower deck (area J9). It has the following features:
- The ship’s wheel stands atop the deck.
- Two sailors (drow) are stationed here at all times.
Wheel
If the ship is sailing with a full crew, a character who has proficiency with water vehicles can stand at the wheel and steer the vessel.
J12. Orlop Deck
This hold contains the following features:
- Large grilled doors in the ceiling open to allow goods to be moved to and from this hold using the cargo elevator. A 15-foot-by-10-foot section of floor opens to reveal the lower cargo hold (area J17 aboard the Eyecatcher or the Hellraiser; area J19 aboard the Heartbreaker). Crates and barrels stacked to the ceiling are tied down to ensure that they don’t move. These containers hold food and water for the crew and the carnies.
Cargo Elevator
To activate an elevator platform, a creature must stand on the platform and use an action to pull a lever up or down. The platform can’t be raised higher than the main deck (area J1) or lowered deeper than a ship’s lowest cargo hold.
The trapdoor in the floor opens when the cargo elevator is raised. If the platform is raised to area J1, the trapdoor remains open until the elevator platform returns to this area or area J17 (J19 on the Heartbreaker).
J13. Head
The reek of urine fills the cramped head. Privies-each little more than a bench seat with a hole open to the water below-are this room’s only features.
J14. Carnies' Cabins
Eight narrow cabins are fitted with hammocks, each of which holds a resting carnival performer or worker (commoner). Carnies call for help when they are confronted by intruders and fight only in self-defense.
J15. Brig
A door made of crisscrossing iron bars and fitted with a sturdy lock seals off this cabin, whose only feature is a chamber pot. The captain carries the key to the door. The lock can be picked by a character who makes a successful DC 17 Dexterity check using thieves' tools (made with disadvantage from inside the cell). A successful DC 23 Strength (Athletics) check forces the door open. The door has AC 19, a damage threshold of 10, 27 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
Jailed Sailor
There’s a
Brig Occupant
| d100 | result |
|---|---|
| 1-25 | A Sailor is here |
| 26-100 | The cells are empty |
J16. Armory
The drow store their weapons and armor here while the ship is at sea. If the characters are captured and stripped of their equipment, their nonmagical belongings are stowed here. The cabin has the following features:
- Empty weapon racks and armor hooks line the walls.
- Stairs lead down into the ship’s belly.
Safe (Eyecatcher Only)
The armory aboard the Eyecatcher also features a 750-pound cast iron safe with a combination lock. Jarlaxle and his lieutenants (Fel’rekt Lafeen, Krebbyg Masq’il’yr, and Soluun Xibrindas) know the combination: 1-20-59. A character can pick the lock with a successful DC 25 Dexterity (Investigation) check using thieves' tools. Each attempt takes 1 minute. A
Stairs
The stairs lead to area J17 on the Eyecatcher or the Hellraiser, or to area J20 on the Heartbreaker.
J17. Upper Cargo Hold
Eyecatcher and Hellraiser only
The fantastical floats of the Sea Maidens Faire are broken down and kept in the lower cargo hold of the Hellraiser, while the Eyecatcher holds pieces of broken and experimental floats. (See area J19 for a description of the Heartbreaker’s lower cargo hold.)
Cargo Elevator
If the cargo elevator platform is lowered to this area while creatures are in the 15-foot-by-10-foot space where the platform lands, each of those creatures must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (
Hellraiser’s Hold
The hold of the Hellraiser is mostly cleared out on days when parades are scheduled, except for empty storage trunks. On other days, it contains the following paraphernalia:
- Various trunks filled with musician, dancer, acrobat, and clown costumes
- Casks holding confetti, glitter, and body paint
- Bundles of wooden stilts (4 and 8 feet high)
- Papier-mâché beholders mounted atop 10-foot poles
- A float topped by a life-size mechanical unicorn ridden by a mechanical drow ranger waving two scimitars (when a lever under the float is pulled, the unicorn farts a 15-foot cone of confetti, which it can do twice before needing to be refilled)
- A float topped with two mechanical goblins that repeatedly punch each other when wound up
- A float bearing a mechanical armored knight battling a mechanical pit fiend (when wound up, the knight cleaves with its sword while the devil flaps its wings)
- Deflated black, blue, green, red, and white dragon balloons (they float magically when filled with air, and their size is Huge while inflated)
- An enormous tarrasque puppet for five puppeteers
- Wagon covers decorated with tassels and painted with colorful patterns and creatures
- Horse and ox harnesses, all brightly decorated
Eyecatcher’s Hold
The aft section of the hold of the Eyecatcher is guarded by four giant spiders painted in bright colors. These arachnids have been trained by Jarlaxle since they were hatchlings, and they can pass themselves off as inanimate float decorations by remaining perfectly still until they attack. They aren’t hostile toward drow, whose true nature they sense despite the ship’s illusion magic. Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 17 or higher realize that the spiders are a threat before the creatures attack.
All sorts of damaged and unfinished attractions are stored here, including the following:
- A number of broken clockwork monsters
- Half-completed or broken wagon covers and puppets
- A deflated balloon of an oversized flumph that has a small gash in it (a mending cantrip can repair the damage)
- An undecorated float, topped with an unpainted mechanical gold dragon made of canvas stretched over a wooden frame
Rigged with a glass canister of flammable gas, the mechanical gold dragon is designed to breathe fire when a lever is pulled. Pulling the lever cracks the canister and sets the dragon on fire. If the fire breaks out here and isn’t extinguished promptly, it spreads to other parts of the hold after 1 minute. Crew members in other parts of the ship detect smoke 5 minutes later, by which time the hold is a raging inferno. Crew members will focus on saving the submarine (if it’s still attached) before abandoning ship.
J18. Craft Supplies
Eyecatcher and Hellraiser only
Each of these cabins contains materials used to decorate floats:
- Glitter, feathers, fabric,
paper (one sheet) , scissors, sewing needles, spools of colored thread, and flasks of glue are strewn over small tables. - Schematics for parade floats are tacked to the walls alongside various tools.
J19. Heartbreaker Upper Cargo Hold
Heartbreaker only
Beastly odors fill the hold of the Heartbreaker, becoming stronger as the characters get closer to the creature pens (area J20). The hold is mostly empty on parade days. On other days, it contains disassembled wagons (axles, wheels, and cages) that are used to pull exotic creatures through crowded streets. Tools needed to assemble and repair the wagons hang from hooks on the walls.
Cargo Elevator
If the cargo elevator platform is lowered to this area while creatures are in the 15-foot-by-10-foot space where the platform lands, each of those creatures must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 11 (
J20. Creature Pens
Heartbreaker only
This section of the hold reeks of animal musk and waste. When they’re not being paraded through city streets in cage-wagons, the monstrous attractions of the Sea Maidens Faire growl, chortle, stamp, snort, and roar in closed stalls. Two handlers (commoner with proficiency in Animal Handling) walk from stall to stall, carrying buckets of food and speaking softly to the creatures.
Each pen is effectively a cell equipped with a sliding door that can be double-latched from the outside. A wagon assembled in area J19 can be backed up to any pen. With the pen door open, a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check then coaxes a caged creature into the back of a wagon. This check is made with advantage if food is given to the creature. If this check fails by 5 or more, the creature escapes, panics, and begins attacking indiscriminately as it tries to win its freedom. Any such ruckus alerts the animal handlers or other crew members if they are nearby.
The following creatures are kept in the twelve pens:
| - | - | | Two ape | Four giant fire beetle | | One rhinoceros | One hippogriff | | One tiger | One axe beak | | One allosaurus | Two death dog | | Two panther | One giant vulture | | One owlbear | One polar bear |
The death dogs and the giant vulture are evil, and the giant vulture can understand Common (though it can’t speak). They seize any chance to escape and revel in the suffering of other creatures.
J21. Handlers' Cabin
Heartbreaker only
This cabin contains hammocks for the two handlers who work in area J20. If the creatures have been taken on parade, the handlers are asleep in their hammocks.
J22. Beast Supplies
Heartbreaker only
Supplies and food for the creatures in area J20 are stored here:
- Haunches of meat hanging from the ceiling give this cabin a sickly-sweet scent.
shovel , ropes, chains,bucket , bales of hay, and several large crates are pushed against the walls.
The crates hold a variety of lichens, mosses, and fungi that are fed to the herbivorous creatures. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Nature) check identifies the vegetation as native to the Underdark, and the haunches of animal meat as deep rothé—an ox-like creature raised for its meat by drow in the Underdark.
J23. Gunslingers' Hold
Heartbreaker and Hellraiser only
No one is allowed down here without the captain’s permission, and the guards have orders to kill trespassers on sight. This area contains the following features:
- Two drow gunslinger (see appendix B) stand guard outside area J27.
- The hold is filled with barrels containing ale and fresh water. The barrels are held down by cargo nets hooked to the floor.
Drow Gunslingers
The drow take cover behind the walls that divide this area as they shoot. They fight to the death to keep intruders from reaching area J27.
J24. Cleaning Supplies
These closets hold mops, brushes,
J25. Gunslingers' Cabins
Heartbreaker and Hellraiser only
These two cabins are the quarters of the drow gunslingers in area J23. Each contains the following features:
- A hammock hangs on the wall opposite the door.
- A wooden mannequin and a walnut chest rest against the wall by the door.
The mannequins double as armor racks, though no armor currently adorns them.
Treasure
Each chest holds two sets of
J26. Lockers
Heartbreaker and Hellraiser only
Lining this hall are eight closets used as storage lockers by the workers and performers of the Sea Maidens Faire. They contain traveling clothes and outerwear hanging on hooks, as well as boots and shoes.
J27. Smokepowder Storage
Heartbreaker and Hellraiser only
The locked door to this forward cabin has a wooden sign nailed to the outside that reads, in Common and Elvish, “RESTRICTED AREA. DO NOT ENTER.” The room contains the following features:
- Twenty wooden kegs are secured to the walls with ropes. Each keg has a paper label, written on which are the words “SMOKEPOWDER! EXPLOSIVE!” in Common and Elvish.
- A shelf above the kegs is lined with wooden boxes.
Boxes
Ten wooden boxes on the shelf each contain one hundred pistol bullets.
Kegs
Each keg holds five pounds of
J28. Walk-in Closets
Eyecatcher only
The doors to these closets are locked from the outside.
Port Closet
This closet abuts Jarlaxle’s cabin (area J30) and contains tailored outfits and cloaks for every season and occasion, as well as towels. Against the back wall stands a wooden mannequin wearing an eye patch. A secret door along one wall can be detected with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Starboard Closet
This closet abuts the guest cabin (area J29) and contains a half-dozen gowns and two soft fur cloaks on hangers, ladies' hats on hooks, and fancy towels and shoes on shelves. A secret door along one wall can be detected with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
J29. Guest Cabin
Eyecatcher only
This richly appointed cabin is set aside for special guests. It contains a large bed, a wooden chest, a freestanding mirror, and a dresser with a lyre atop it. Empty wine bottles roll back and forth across the floor as the ship moves. The bed holds three giggling figures:
- Jarlaxle Baenre (see appendix B), in the guise of Zardoz Zord (absent if he’s marshalling the Day of Wonders parade; see “Special Events”).
- Margo Verida, a female Amnian human bard (see appendix B)
- Khafeyta Murzan, a female Mulhorandi human swashbuckler (see appendix B)
Margo and Khafeyta both joined the Sea Maidens Faire within the past year-Margo as a lyrist, Khafeyta as an acrobat. Jarlaxle has taken a romantic interest in both women, who are also in love with each other.
Margo and Khafeyta are polite but terse. Both are neutral good. If attacked, they grab their weapons and other belongings and flee through a secret door (see below).
If separated from Jarlaxle and compelled to divulge information about their host, Margo and Khafeyta reveal some or all of the following facts:
- Zardoz Zord is a drow named Jarlaxle in disguise.
- Each ship in the Sea Maidens Faire is crewed by drow. The ships' figureheads cast illusions on the drow, making them appear human.
- Jarlaxle wants the Lords' Alliance to recognize his city, Luskan, as a new member, and he wants to push Neverwinter out of the alliance.
- A year ago, the Sea Maidens Faire visited the island nation of Lantan, where Jarlaxle obtained a Lantanese submarine and several clockwork servants.
Secret Door
A secret door leading to a walk-in closet (area J28) can be found with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Treasure
Margo’s lyre is worth 30 gp. An unlocked chest at the foot of the bed holds four sets of costume clothing and a jewelry box containing six gold bracelets (worth 25 gp each), two diamond rings (worth 250 gp each), and a pearl necklace (worth 500 gp).
J30. Zardoz Zord’s Cabin
Eyecatcher only
The doors to this cabin are locked. If anyone other than Jarlaxle turns the handle of either door, a
The room contains the following features:
- The sweet smell of lavender permeates the cabin. (The scent is created by magic and can be dispelled.)
- A nimblewright (see appendix B) stands in a small alcove next to a chess table. An empty wine bottle on the table is labeled “One-Eyed Jax” in Common.
- Behind a purple curtain, a bed is covered by a soft blue blanket and matching pillows. Next to the bed is a wooden chest with clawed feet.
Nimblewright
The nimblewright serves Jarlaxle as a servant, and it obeys its master’s commands without question. Absent orders, it attacks anyone who discovers the trapdoor in the floor (see below).
Secret Doors
Any character who searches the cabin and succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check finds a secret door leading to a walk-in closet (area J28) and a secret trapdoor in the floor.
The trapdoor has an
Below the trapdoor, a metal ladder descends to the bottom of a 10-foot-long, 3-foot-diameter steel tube with a circular metal hatch at the bottom. The hatch is opened by turning its valve wheel, which grants access to area U1 on the Scarlet Marpenoth. This area is magically pressurized to keep water from entering the ship if the hatch is opened while the submarine isn’t docked.
Treasure
The chess set features jade pieces shaped like drow and is worth 2,500 gp.
J31. Training Area
Eyecatcher only
Jarlaxle trains here regularly. The space contains the following features:
- Ropes are strung throughout the area like webs.
- Four rapiers hang from a wooden rack attached to the mast.
- Five beat-up mannequins made of wood, straw, and canvas stand about the room. Each holds a wooden sword and a wooden shield.
- A dartboard mounted on one wall has a shiny dagger sticking into it.
Attack Mannequins
As a bonus action, Jarlaxle can command the five magic mannequins to animate and attack a single target of his choice. Each mannequin has the statistics of animated armor. Mannequins that take damage become inanimate until Jarlaxle uses another bonus action to reanimate them. A mannequin targeted by a
Dagger
The dagger in the dartboard is a
Ropes
The ropes make all parts of this area difficult terrain. As part of its movement, a creature can maneuver around the ropes with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, negating the ropes' effect for that creature until the end of its turn.
J32. Jarlaxle’s Sauna
Eyecatcher only
The door to this room is closed with an exterior hook latch. When the door is opened, clouds of steam billow out from the area beyond. This steam is created magically and can be dispelled with a successful casting of dispel magic (DC 14). The room holds only a wooden bench.
Steam
The steam has no adverse effect for the first hour. For each additional hour spent in this room, a creature must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain one level of
Scarlet Marpenoth
Jarlaxle’s submarine, the Scarlet Marpenoth, is mounted underneath the Eyecatcher and can be seen only by creatures under the water. Jarlaxle retreats here if the Eyecatcher comes under attack.
Drow Crew
The magic that conceals the true appearance of drow aboard Jarlaxle’s ships doesn’t extend to the Scarlet Marpenoth. Characters who encounter drow while sneaking around the submarine are questioned. If the drow don’t get the answers they want, they attack. Any nearby drow who hear a fight break out will investigate and team up to repel boarders.
Gnome Engineers
Rock gnome engineer maintain and operate the Scarlet Marpenoth. These gnomes are apprentice wizard (see appendix B), with these changes:
- The gnomes are neutral good.
- They are Small and have 7 (
2d6 ) hit points each. - They have these racial traits: They have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic. Their walking speed is 25 feet. They have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. They speak Common and Gnomish.
The gnomes know a great deal about submarines and very little about everything else. They are treated well by Jarlaxle, but a successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation) check or a bribe of 100 gp or more can convince a gnome to surrender its master keys, tamper with the engine, or pilot the submarine as the characters direct.
Submarine Features
The Scarlet Marpenoth has AC 20, 300 hit points, a damage threshold of 15, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. The submarine’s structural integrity fails when the vessel drops to 0 hit points, whereupon it floods and sinks. The submarine is worth 15,000 gp intact and requires at least one pilot and one engineer to operate. It has a maximum speed of 2 miles per hour and can hold up to 10 passengers plus 2 tons of cargo.
The submarine has the following general features:
- Interior spaces are unlit. (The drow and the gnomes rely on darkvision to see.)
- All furnishings and features are bolted down.
- Chambers are 8 feet high, with 6-foot-high passages and doorways connecting them.
- Air magically circulates through a complex ventilation system and small metal grills set into the floors.
- Doors are made of steel and have AC 19, 27 hit points, a damage threshold of 10, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. A door’s lock can be picked by a character who makes a successful DC 18 Dexterity check using thieves' tools. A door can be forced open by a character who succeeds on a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. Jarlaxle and the gnomes aboard the Scarlet Marpenoth have keys to all locked doors. All doors are airtight while closed.
Areas of the Scarlet Marpenoth
The following locations are keyed to map 7.2.
U1. Entrance Hatch
Characters descending from Zardoz Zord’s cabin on the Eyecatcher (area J30) arrive in this chamber. From this side, the circular metal hatch is opened by turning its valve wheel. This area is magically pressurized to keep water from entering the Scarlet Marpenoth if the hatch is opened while the submarine isn’t docked to the Eyecatcher. But if both the outer hatch and the inner door are opened underwater, the submarine will flood.
U2. Engine Room
The door to this area is locked. A plaque on the door reads “ENGINE ROOM” in Common and Gnomish. The room has the following features:
- The engine room is filled with machines that hiss, whir, and clatter constantly. A rock gnome named Breena Bafflestone monitors the machinery at all times. Nearby is a copper speaking tube, which enables her to communicate with the control room command center (area U7b).
- Drawers in the walls contain screwdrivers, wrenches, and other tools.
- To port and starboard, 3-foot-high, 2 1/2-foot-wide passageways lead deeper into the machinery. Medium creatures must squeeze to move through these passages.
Machinery
The engine is a quasi-magical machine that controls the submarine’s propulsion and depth and powers the fins and rudder that control direction. A
A character who has proficiency with tinker’s tools can use the tools to disable the engine with a successful DC 15 Intelligence check. The same check reactivates the disabled engine. Whether it succeeds or fails, each check represents 10 minutes of work. The engine can also be destroyed. It has AC 16, 50 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
U3. Soluun’s Stateroom
If he has not been encountered and disposed of elsewhere, a drow gunslinger named Soluun Xibrindas (see appendix B) is here, worshiping before a shrine of Lolth. His stateroom has the following features:
- The port alcove contains a net hammock and a steel footlocker.
- A black metal shrine of Lolth covered in tiny spider statuettes stands against one wall. At its top is a sculpture of the demon goddess, with the head and upper body of a female drow and the lower body of a spider.
- A Lantanese diving suit hangs in the closet to the south.
Diving Suit
This experimental device consists of a pressure-resistant padded suit, made of canvas with iron fittings and iron gauntlets. A fishbowl helmet attaches to the suit’s collar and functions as a
Treasure
The shrine weighs 50 pounds and is worth 125 gp as an art object. The footlocker contains a pouch holding 50 gp and a
U4. Jarlaxle’s Stateroom
The door to this tidy cabin is locked. The cabin contains the following features:
- The scent of lavender magically permeates the cabin. (The scent is created by magic and can be dispelled.)
- A hammock is suspended in the starboard alcove. A
detect magic spell or similar magic reveals that the wall behind the hammock radiates an aura of transmutation magic. - Other furnishings include a tall harp with a stool nearby, a harpsichord with a matching bench, a freestanding mirror, and a large wooden trunk.
Closet
The locked closet aft of the cabin contains a wooden rack stocked with sixty bottles of wine. Each one is a rare vintage worth 25 gp.
Magic Window
Touching the wall behind the hammock renders the wall transparent from this side, and touching it again makes this “window” go away. When the wall is transparent, creatures in the cabin can see out, but creatures outside the submarine can’t see in.
Wooden Trunk
The trunk isn’t locked. Lifting the lid causes panels in the front and sides to open, releasing a swarm of mechanical spiders that attacks anyone other than Jarlaxle. This swarm has the statistics of a swarm of spiders, with these changes:
- The swarm is made up of Tiny constructs.
- It doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
- The swarm has vulnerability to lightning damage, is immune to
exhaustion , and can’t becharmed ,frightened ,paralyzed ,petrified , knockedprone , orpoisoned .
The chest has a secret compartment in the bottom that can be detected and opened with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. If Jarlaxle has the
U5. Fel’rekt’s Stateroom
If he has not been encountered and defeated elsewhere, a drow gunslinger named Fel’rekt Lafeen (see appendix B) is here, cleaning his pistol. His stateroom contains a net hammock and a steel footlocker.
Treasure
Fel’rekt’s footlocker contains 65 gp in a pouch, a comb carved from dragon bone (worth 5 gp), and a pair of obsidian dice (worth 25 gp).
U6. Krebbyg’s Stateroom
If he has not been encountered and defeated elsewhere, a drow gunslinger named Krebbyg Masq’il’yr (see appendix B) is here, sharpening his sword. His stateroom contains a net hammock and nothing else.
U7. Control Room
The control room has two levels: an observation deck (U7a) and a command center (U7b), with two ladders running between levels. Two circular soundproof windows are embedded in the port and starboard bulkheads. The window panes are made of glassteel, a resilient metal magically rendered transparent. Curious merfolk who live in Deepwater Harbor investigate the submarine from time to time, and might be seen peering through the windows.
U7a. Observation Deck
If Jarlaxle Baenre (see appendix B) is forced to retreat to the submarine, he is here when the characters first arrive. The observation deck is an elevated, 10-foot-high metal platform with a grilled floor, supported by two metal columns. Two padded swivel chairs are bolted to the deck, which is enclosed by a thin steel railing. The height of each chair can be adjusted to accommodate a Small or Medium creature. Between the two chairs is a bronze periscope that can be raised or lowered whenever the submarine is detached from the Eyecatcher.
U7b. Command Center
Three rock gnome engineer named Lorella Middenpump, Tervaround Waggletop, and Anverth Leffery are on duty here, along with two drow elite warrior named Karabal L’enz and Marro Qaz’arrt. The drow guard the control room and keep the gnomes on task.
Lorella sits in the pilot’s swivel chair, which is bolted to the floor and can be lowered or raised to accommodate a Small or Medium creature. The chair is situated before a panel of dials, levers, and buttons. Tervaround and Anverth stand by the back wall, monitoring gauges and performing system checks. A copper speaking tube enables them to communicate with Breena Baffle stone in the engine room (area U2).
The gnomes can pilot the Scarlet Marpenoth without needing to make a check. Any other creature must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence check to figure out the controls. From the control panel, the pilot can detach the submarine from the Eyecatcher, as well as control its speed, direction, and depth. The pilot can electrify the outer hull for 1 minute, after which the system requires 1 hour to recharge. Any creature that comes into contact with or starts its turn in contact with the outer hull when it’s electrified must make a DC 15 Dexterity check, taking 22 (
U8. Engineers' Staterooms
Each of these four compartments contains an off-duty rock gnome engineer sleeping in a small hammock, beneath which are two steel footlockers. The four rock gnomes are named Cockaby Fapplestamp, Ellywick Fiddlefen, Gerbo Reese, and Zaffrab Horcusporcus.
Footlockers
Each footlocker belongs to a particular gnome engineer stationed aboard the Scarlet Marpenoth. Both contain folded clothes sized for a gnome. One of them also holds a set of grease-stained overalls and a set of tinker’s tools that belong to the gnome asleep in the bunk. There is a
U9. Dining Room
This room has the following features:
- A walnut dining table is surrounded by eight padded swivel chairs. The height of each chair can be adjusted to accommodate a Small or Medium creature.
- Soft, ambient music fills the room, created by magic.
U10. Galley
This room has the following features:
- An iron stove sits in one corner.
- In the opposite corner stands a steel food preparation table with utensils dangling above it. Built into the table is a lidded steel box attached to a pedal on the floor below. When the pedal is pumped, water and moving brushes scrub dishes and utensils that have been placed into the box.
- A cart holds cutlery and dishes.
U11. Pantry
Metal shelves lining the walls hold fresh fruit, vegetables, casks of wine, and meat. Two steel barrels (one containing ale, the other drinking water) stand beneath the shelves.
U12. Privy
This privy has a toilet and a washbasin, both attached to pipes. Above the basin is a hinged mirror, behind which is a compartment containing soap and towels.
U13. Air System
The door to this area is locked. A plaque on this door reads “AIR SYSTEM” in Common and Gnomish. The room has the following features:
- The area is filled with machines that hiss, whir, and clatter constantly.
- Drawers in the walls contain screwdrivers, wrenches, and other tools.
- To port and starboard, 3-foot-high, 2 1/2-foot-wide passageways lead deeper into the machinery. Creatures that are Medium or larger must squeeze to move through these passages.
Machinery
The quasi-magical machinery in this area generates and circulates fresh air throughout the submarine. A
A character who has proficiency with tinker’s tools can use them to disable the machinery with a successful DC 15 Intelligence check. The same check reactivates the disabled machinery. Whether it succeeds or fails, each check represents 10 minutes of work. The machinery can also be destroyed. It has AC 16, 50 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage.
When this machinery shuts down, air stops pumping throughout the vessel. Unless the air system is reactivated, creatures trapped in the submarine that need oxygen to breathe will begin to suffocate after two days (see “Suffocating” in chapter 8 of the Player’s Handbook).
Special Events
You can use one or more of the following events if the characters take an interest in the Sea Maidens Faire.
The Friendly Dragon
In the water ahead, a large shape speeds toward you. As it gets closer, you recognize it as a dragon with bronze-colored scales. Slewing to a stop, the creature gives a toothy grin, then raises a claw in a small wave. “Well met!” it chirps.
Zelifarn, a young bronze dragon, recently moved into Deepwater Harbor. He has spent the past several months scouring wrecks at the bottom of the harbor for treasure and stashing precious baubles in a hidden underwater cave. Recently, he noticed a strange craft mounted on the underside of the Eyecatcher. His attempts to treat with the crew have met with no success, but he’s curious to know more. Since the characters appear to be headed toward a rendezvous with the Eyecatcher, Zelifarn would like them to find out all they can about the underwater vessel without raising suspicion. The dragon promises to meet them again after they have completed their mission. In exchange for information, he offers to give the party a barnacle-covered chest that he found recently. He hasn’t opened it yet, so its contents are unknown to him, but he can smell gold inside.
Treasure
Zelifarn approaches the characters again as they leave the Eyecatcher. If they tell him more about the contents of the submarine and he believes that they’re being truthful, he gives them the promised reward: an old chest with a rusted lock that can be busted or pried open with a successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. It contains 300 sp plus a golden amulet shaped like an octopus with amethyst eyes (worth 250 gp).
A secret compartment in the chest’s lid can be found with a successful DC 11 Wisdom (Perception) check. It contains a stoppered wooden scroll tube that holds a
A Night to Remember
If the characters stake out the ships of the Sea Maidens Faire, they observe strange activity on the pier during their first night of surveillance:
A thick fog unexpectedly rises along the water, engulfing vessels and docks alike. As the gray miasma thickens, the creaking sound of shifting ships becomes increasingly haunting. Suddenly, you spot three shadows gliding through the gloom like elves slipping through a forest. Where they came from and where they’re going, you don’t know.
The shadowy figures are the three drow gunslinger Fel’rekt Lafeen, Krebbyg Masq’il’yr, and Soluun Xibrindas (see appendix B). If any of these drow are dead or otherwise indisposed, replace them with drow elite warriors. The drow used the cover of the fog to come ashore in one of the Eyecatcher’s
These Bregan D’aerthe spies are on their way to a secret meeting with Laeral Silverhand (see appendix B). The Open Lord is waiting for them in an alley in the Dock Ward, under the cloak of an
Harper spies in Luskan recently warned Laeral that Jarlaxle might be in Waterdeep. She reached out to him with a
If a battle erupts and escape appears impossible, the drow fight to the death. A City Watch patrol consisting of six veteran arrives
Jarlaxle’s Letter
One of the Bregan D’aerthe spies carries a letter for Laeral. It bears the wax seal of Luskan and is written in Jarlaxle’s elegant hand, in Elvish. It reads as follows:
To Her Ageless Majesty, Laeral Silverhand, the Witch-Queen of Stornanter, Lady of the North, She of the Seven Sisters, Chosen of Mystra, and Open Lord of Waterdeep:
Your spies are to be commended! Rest assured, my presence in your fair city is purely recreational-though if fortune smiles upon me, this visit could benefit us both.
Your predecessor left the City of Splendors in a sorry state, but you have done wonders to lift the spirit of the citizenry during your short time in office. I know how politics offends you, so forgive me for taking this opportunity to point out the obvious. We can make both our cities stronger and strike back at he who robbed Waterdavians of their wealth and dignity. I’m speaking, of course, of that dirty sack of rats, Dagult Neverember. That’s the phrase you used to describe him yesterday to the emissary from Mirabar, is it not? Evidently, my spies are also to be commended!
Why let Neverember get away with his crimes against Luskan and Waterdeep? Can we be allies, if not friends? These are the questions that haunt my dreams, as surely as I haunt yours.
Sincerely, J
Laeral isn’t surprised that Jarlaxle lacks the courage to meet her in person. She thanks the drow messengers for delivering the letter, cautions them to mind the City Watch and the City Guard, and heads back to the Palace of Waterdeep. The drow spies return whence they came.
Conversation with Laeral
If Laeral becomes aware of the characters, she appears before them and asks what business they have with Bregan D’aerthe. If the characters have not met the Open Lord before, she might impress them with her plainspoken manner and lack of pretense. Alone and outside the political maelstrom, she acts more like an adventurer than a city official.
If the characters inquire about the letter, she shows it to them and asks their opinions on Luskan’s joining the Lords' Alliance. In her mind, Luskan is a greedy pirate state that can’t be trusted under any circumstances. If the characters feel similarly, she trusts them enough to ask for their help in finding and securing Lord Neverember’s hidden cache of dragons. In exchange, she promises them a 5,000 gp reward and Waterdeep’s gratitude.
Day of Wonders Parade
The Day of Wonders is the grandest parade of the fall season, and Jarlaxle wants the Sea Maidens Faire to be a part of it. In the guise of Zardoz Zord, he pays a visit the day before the holiday to the House of Inspired Hands, Waterdeep’s temple of Gond, to coordinate with the acolytes in charge of organizing the parade. He presents a detailed plan that commingles the attractions of the Sea Maidens Faire with the bizarre inventions of the temple-a plan that is well received.
The evening before the Day of Wonders, workers begin assembling the wagons and floats of the Sea Maidens Faire on the pier. Early the following morning, the docks are a hive of activity as performers practice their routines and caged creatures are offloaded one by one. An hour before highsun on this crisp and windy autumn day, the Sea Maidens Faire makes its way to the House of Inspired Hands to meet up with the Gond worshipers and their contraptions. From there, the parade strikes out in earnest, marching through Waterdeep’s streets to the cheers of the local folk. Zardoz Zord serves as grand marshal, leading the parade on the back of a rainbow-feathered diatryma summoned using his
While the Boss Is Away
As the Sea Maidens Faire parades through Waterdeep, the characters can slip aboard one or more of Jarlaxle’s ships. If things turn violent aboard a ship, its captain uses a
If the characters escape a confrontation on the ships but leave behind witnesses who can identify them, it takes Bregan D’aerthe several days to track them down (assuming Jarlaxle hasn’t already met them). Although killing the characters would be easy at that point, Jarlaxle would rather put them to work for him. He has them watched but doesn’t provoke hostilities until such time as the reward clearly outweighs the risks.
Escaped Bear
The Sea Maidens Faire parade ends where it started-at the docks. As the attractions are being loaded back onto their ships, the Faire’s polar bear gets loose, fleeing into the Dock Ward before its handlers can corner it. News of the escaped bear spreads quickly, and sightings are frequent. If the characters impressed one of the drow ship captains, he contacts them by way of a
The characters can track and corner the polar bear with a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Survival) check. Whether a check succeeds or fails, each attempt represents 1 hour of searching. If the characters find the bear within 4 hours, it can be lured back to the Sea Maidens Faire with food or a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. The captain then makes good on the promised reward. If the characters don’t find the bear, members of the City Guard get to it first and kill it.