Part Five: The Red Keep

Read this as the group is about to enter the Cruel Wood:

The Cruel Wood looms ahead, its dense canopy of towering oaks and fruit trees seeming to swallow up the light. The ground grows increasingly soggy as you near, and a sense of foreboding weighs heavy in the air. You can't shake the feeling that something malevolent is watching you from the shadows.

Andias has scouts out looking for the group and as soon as they are spotted will be approached. As quietly as possible they will be escorted to the staging area. The Lawmaster has things prepared and well in hand. About half a mile from the dragon's lair a hidden encampment has been set up, shrouded from above. The troops can confirm that the dragon is in its lair, it arrived last night.   Andias's Plan
Andias's plan is simple. The party finds a way inside to where the dragon is sleeping, sneaking through the Red Keep. Once inside, wait until dawn and force the dragon outside where it will flee into the Dragon Nets and the ambush. It is now up to the players to find their way inside the keep and into the caves below. Andias will have his troops ready to strike at dawn. Once the players drive the dragon out, Andias will request they arrive at the battlefield as quickly as possible.   If the party recruited Lobs, he will stay behind with the gathered forces.    

Objectives

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At this point in the adventure the group should have visited Shelter Lake, Dondarian, Lolien, and Tintown, having amassed troops, gear, and allies along the way. Andias will have everyone hidden and prepared to strike at the entrance to the dragon's lair once the group has flushed the creature out using The Bomboozler or some other means.    

Background

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The Red Keep is a perilous place with a dark history. Over time various factions have employed the fortified location for their own nefarious purposes, and the stains of those deeds can still be found scattered throughout the complex. Meanwhile, Smolderthorn the Reclaimer slumbers beneath in its lair.   Constructed sometime between 4300 DA and 4400 DA, the keep is located on the eastern edge of The Cruel Wood. Legend connects the keep to the Sovereign Sage Maltavoris, often referring to dark deeds done inside.   There is a moat with a drawbridge, arrow slits, thirty foot walls, and unmanned parapets. Heavy magical defensives remain active on the structure. The keep is said to be connected to an ancient underground city, which can only be accessed via a secret entrance hidden somewhere within.

 

A Dragon's Lair

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This area has been Smolderthorn's lair for months now and the effects of the dragon can be felt in the area. The following things may occur as stated:

• Small earthquakes are common within 6 miles of the dragon’s lair.
• Water sources within 1 mile of the lair are supernaturally warm and tainted by sulfur.
• Rocky fissures within 1 mile of the dragon’s lair form portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire, allowing creatures of elemental fire into the world to dwell nearby.
  
  

Welcome to the Red Keep!

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When your players finally arrive at the Red Keep they will find it already occupied by three kobolds. The dragonkin are living safely in a building they now call "The Dragon's Nest." The little ones have no real desire to fight, and simply wish to remain as close to Smolderthorn as they can.

Pocky, Bolt, and Tum Tum

Read this as the group approaches their destination:

As you walk through the dense woods, you come across a clearing and behold the Red Keep. Its red-brick walls enclose four buildings within the compound, and the entire place hums with magic. A 30-foot moat surrounds the structure, and although there are no signs of life within it, long-dead skeletons lie at the bottom. On the west side of the building, the drawbridge is raised, its length visible above the wall. It is safe to assume that the massive iron portcullis behind it is closed to you.   Evidence of the dragon's presence is everywhere, with scorch marks filling the courtyard and surrounding lands. Some trees on the outer edge still smolder, although currently, there is no movement within the keep.

The Keep's Defenses

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Before entering the Red Keep there are defenses to protect its perimeter. The walls and the moat possess magical properties.   The front of the keep has a drawbridge that acts as both a front door and entry point. It is the only visible door on the keep. When the players arrive the drawbridge is up and any investigation inside will reveal that the mechanism has long been broken. Behind the drawbridge is a shut and locked portcullis.   The moat is 20 feet deep and 30 feet wide. The surface of the water is still, although any creature that enters the water is immediately stuck in an unseen current. Those who become trapped in its water must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be dragged to the bottom and held there. The saving throw increases by 1 for each passing turn. Characters with a swim speed have advantage on the saving throw.   The walls surrounding the keep are 30 feet high and 10 feet thick, made of carved basmuth bricks. The wall possesses two magical properties of its own.   The first is designed to repel those who attempt to enter using magic. If anyone casts a spell of any kind within 120 feet of the outer walls, they will be met with magic missiles in response, taking 3d4+3 force damage. A DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) check can deduce the missiles come from the wall itself.   The second is a hum of electric energy laced into the stones. If anyone touches the outer wall they are immediately struck with a thunderwave spell, DC 16 Constitution saving throw. If they fail they are knocked back 10 feet into the moat and take 2d8 thunder damage, half damage on a success. Once this effect occurs it needs time recharge, and does so on a 5 or 6.

 

Inside the Walls

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Once past the outer walls the players will find themselves in a large courtyard with four buildings and a well at the center.

Each building has its own unique description as listed below. The longer the players spend searching buildings the more chance the kobolds will figure out they are here. If they do, they will bar their door and try to stay hidden from the group.   Read the following once players are inside the walls of the Red Keep:

As you enter the compound, the overgrown grass and four red brick buildings give no immediate signs of life. The center of the complex is occupied by a large well in good condition, providing a source of water for the area. The stillness of the air and the abandoned surroundings evoke a sense of history and nostalgia.

Building One: Storage of the Primordial

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This building has been used for storage for most of its history. Most recently it housed a crazed druid who was trying to open an elemental pathway between the plane of earth and Dromaria. Most of his presence, or the conflict that occurred here, have since faded, although if the players are perceptive enough they may see signs of the kobolds who have been here.

Read as the group enters:

As you enter the old stone structure, you find it in disarray. The large open warehouse complex is cluttered with old crates pushed to the edges of the room, mostly opened and rummaged through. Decayed books are strewn about. At the center of the room lies a stone plinth with a large runic circle carved into its top. Pieces of a large statue are scattered across the floor and atop the plinth, which is cracked in two. A summoning circle now sits destroyed and useless. On the outside of the small base are three visible gems: a blue sapphire, green emerald, and red corundum.

Hidden under the statue is an Elemental Gem: Yellow Diamond that is still whole. A DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check will reveal that only the yellow gem has power remaining within it. The others are cracked and will break in their sockets if removed from the stone base. The yellow gem is blocked by a large chunk of statue that will need to be moved to access it, DC 21 Strength (Athletics). Players with proficiency in Jeweler's Tools may salvage the other gems for a total value of 400 gold.   If players search the room they will find nothing but rubble and refuse. A DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal the presence of creatures being here recently, having rifled through the stuff left behind. If players use mending on any of the books they will find journals of the mad druid with no discernable goal or motive.   Given enough skill, time, and money it is possible this elemental gateway could be reconstructed. Players with high Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (Nature) may be able to understand its construction.   Loot and Rewards: Elemental Gem - Yellow Diamond

 

Building Two: The Seeping Apothecary

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This building was once a large alchemical laboratory and dormitory. Years ago a strange sect of alchemists had taken up here working on using their craft to make themselves immortal. The result was many of the alchemists turning themselves and the unwary into various oozes, most of which died or fled long ago. There is little remaining of the strange experiments they were attempting. Those perceptive enough will find signs of an ooze's passing and more signs of a kobold presence.

Read as the group enters:

This large redstone structure, once bustling with life, now stands as a relic of the past, lost to the ravages of time. The abandoned dorms, which stretch out in a series, surround a communal laboratory at the building's eastern wall. Long-forgotten notes and papers, now faded and yellowed with age, remain untouched on the tables, as if frozen in time. Broken vials and beakers litter the floors, their contents having long since dried up.

Little remains in the Seeping Apothecary. If players search the area they may find a few of the sleep areas locked. The center bedroom is the only one of value and is one of the locked rooms, DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools), and contains a complete set of alchemical supplies, two formulas, and a spellbook. The rest of the area has been thoroughly pilfered. Slime trails and signs of kobolds are everywhere within.   Loot and Rewards: Alchemist's Supplies, Magic Item Formula for Potion of Fire Breath and Potion of Invisibility, and a spellbook containing the following spells: Alter Self, Color Spray, Confusion, and Stoneskin

Building Three: The Red Dungeons

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Devoid of windows, this space once served as a small prison. The door is unlocked and once inside it is obvious something has been regularly moving through here. The kobolds have trapped a black pudding they found in the Seeping Apothecary and are feeding it various odds and ends. Prior to the kobolds discovering it, the pudding ate a man named Corvus Kindle who was wearing a Ring of Mind Shielding, which now contains his soul. Corvus has been trying to communicate through the black pudding ever since.   Read as the group enters:  

As you step into the building, a chilling sight meets your eyes. Prison cells line the walls, with skeletons in various stages of decay, some slumped in their final resting place while others still cling to the rusted bars in a desperate bid for food or freedom. These poor souls were clearly forgotten and left to slowly wither away. However, one of the cells stands out. It's devoid of skeletons, but instead, a large, clear tank. Inside it, a thick, black sludge writhes and wriggles, its tendrils slapping against the glass in a strangely familiar pattern. It's almost as if it's trying to communicate with you...

  There are thirteen cells, all of them locked except one. Inside the unlocked cell is a clear box containing what is now Corvus. He badly wants freedom but does not understand that he has been turned into an ooze. He will attempt to communicate by spelling words on the glass of his box, using his newfound inky tendrils to do so. If the kobolds have accompanied the players to the dungeon they will beg to let them keep the ooze.   Corvus was a gnomish thief who fled authority and sought refuge in the Red Keep. If anyone communicates with him inside the ring Corvus will happily share his expertise with them.

Loot and Rewards: Ring of Mind Shielding

Building Four: The Dragon's Nest

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The three kobolds, named Pocky, Bolt, and Tum Tum, who are living in the keep, have been here for a few months. Any history of this building has been defaced by its inhabitants, although it was once used as a growing area long ago. The kobolds have been growing crops indoors using chemicals they found in the Seeping Apothecary. If the little dragonkin have gotten any sense of the player's presence they will have locked and barred the door, DC 15 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) and DC 15 Strength (Athletics) to open. They will yell at anyone they hear to go away.

Read if the group manages to get inside:

As you enter, your eyes are immediately drawn to an eclectic assortment of trinkets and baubles scattered about the space. It's as if the current inhabitants have taken every possible nook and cranny and filled it with their belongings. Three pint-sized, red-scaled reptilians with long tails and scavenged attire nervously huddle behind a makeshift barricade crafted from sharpened wooden stakes. One of the creatures grips a sizable pot, another brandishes a small stick, and the third clutches a frying pan, all poised and ready to strike at any moment.

  The kobolds have no real interest in fighting and will beg for their lives if threatened. If not treated with hostility the little dragonkin will tell a story of how they used to live in a city under the keep devoted to the dragons who have resided here throughout the ages. This newest dragon wasn’t interested in followers so he burned out the city below, forcing them up here. They came up through the well in the center of the keep.   They will also talk of the pudding they found and how they trapped it within the dungeon and have been feeding it for various purposes. If the players have already killed the pudding the kobolds will be angry, although not hostile. They will discuss the following topics if they are shown kindness:

The Black Pudding. Pocky wants to turn the black pudding into a weapon to take back as a present for the dragon. Bolt wants to eat it so she is fattening it up. Tum Tum wants to understand it, because it is clearly trying to talk to them. He is pretty sure it is saying it is hungry.   The Badger. They have a badger trapped inside the well and they are going to feed to the black pudding, want to watch?   Ghosts. The area under the keep is filled with ghosts now that the dragon killed everyone.   The Dragon's Hoard. The dragon's lair holds so many wonders and so much gold. They saw all the things!
 

The Well

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Among the four buildings, in the heart of the complex, sits a large well. Upon inspection it is clear there is a slimy spiral staircase inside that looks difficult to traverse. There does not appear to be any water within. A rope hangs from the sturdy frame and goes into the wells depths. At the bottom is a small cage with a badger inside.   The badger is actually an imp familiar named Thister. His master was an adventurer who died in Oldtown a few months ago. Bitter about its imprisonment and the weakness of its master, if freed Thister will do whatever it can to bait the party into Oldtown and force them to face the same fate as its master. If the kobolds try to feed the badger to the black pudding, Thister will transform back into its impish form and try to bargain, even though it does not have anything to bargain with.   Just beyond the cage is a hole where the staircase continues to descend. The group can follow the stairs into the undercity known as Oldtown.

 

Welcome to Oldtown!

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As the group descends the well, they will find themselves on the outskirts of an old civilization inside a large series of open caves. The city, once known as Oldtown, has recently been ravaged by the dragon.   Nearly two millennia ago Oldtown served as a small community dedicated to the ancient dragon lineage of Scaborous the Pure. In the last hundred years the city had become a place of refuge from the surface, until Smolderthorn arrived in his ceremonial home. The dragon ravaged Oldtown, burning and destroying everything and everyone inside. The place is now a haunted shell of its former self.

When the players first enter Oldtown read the following:

As you venture forward, you come across an abandoned city that seems to have been ravaged by time and dragon's fire. The walls of the caves are adorned with draconic iconography carved with care. The buildings, made from wood and stone, are either burnt or crumbling, with the exception of one on the city's edge to the west, which still stands resolute. You notice the spectral shadows of the former inhabitants roaming about, reliving their mundane lives. To the north, a tunnel leads upwards, and you feel a sudden warmth emanating from its entrance.

  The players can hear the dragon breathing while in the ruins with a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception). The entire area is unnaturally warm. There is nothing to find here and any exploration serves to endanger the group's mission. All of the buildings in the city are dangerous to enter, tilting in precarious positions and threatening to collapse. The only building that looks safe to hide in is a three story home on the western wall.   Oldtown is now home to a creature known as a Skulldug Nosher, a monstrosity that possesses empty vessels, often abandoned homes. The monster lures the unwary within its walls to rest for eternity. The Nosher uses the spirits of its victims to spread throughout the city and lure others to share in the same fate. While not a quick foe, if the party finds themselves in the monster's clutches, it will be hard for them to escape. The ghosts of the city will do whatever they can to lure the party to the location.   Read the following when the players are moving about Old Town:

Walking through the burnt and fractured remains of the underground city you feel the presence of death. There is a deep rumbling roar from somewhere farther ahead that echoes throughout the open chamber of stone. If there was ever any doubt about the dragon's presence it has been shaken. As if summoned from the roar a glowing pale figure appears from the darkness. The spirit floats there, seemingly confused, or perhaps scared. When it notices you it motions frantically, waving its hands to follow.

  Combat Encounter
The Skulldug Nosher is the only "safe" structure left standing in Oldtown. It looks old and singed, but the supports of the place seem intact and structurally sound. The house is actually a creature that can possess objects and alter its appearance. Those that died to the dragon's wrath have been drawn to the house, absorbed into its walls.   The Nosher will use its spirits to lure creatures throughout Oldtown. The spirits will act kindly, ushering travelers to "safety." Anytime the dragon makes noise they will insist and plead to seek a safe place to hide. Players with high enough Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) may notice large drag marks leading from the house into a cave going deeper underground. This is the path the Nosher took to get here and the cavern leads deep into the depths.   If no one is willing to follow, it will bring more spirits, insisting they do so. As a last resort it will possess whoever it believes to be the weakest willed, forcing them to enter the house. Against those who refuse to enter, the Nosher will launch debris at until it the victim is incapacitated, where the house will begin to consume it. Those inside the creature will be exposed to damage for moving within, and take damage from the creature's bite, or be sent to another part of the house.   Killing the Skulldug Nosher will free all the souls that have been imprisoned.  

Skulldug Nosher Details
The Skulldug Nosher is aware of its surroundings and all creatures within it. It wants nothing more than to devour more creatures, absorbing their souls into its structure. Those trapped inside want nothing more than to be free.   The house has three stories with two main entrances, one in the front and one in the back. The house's exterior is made of carved gray stone and has wooden floors throughout, and all windows have been boarded up. The ceilings vary in height by floor. The first floor has 12-foot-high ceilings, the second floor has 10-foot-high ceilings, and the third floor has 8-foot-high ceilings.   None of the rooms in the house are lit when the characters arrive, although most areas contain working oil lamps or fireplaces.   Read the following when the player's approach the Skulldug Nosher:

Despite the devastation that surrounds it, the building appears to be a sturdy and safe haven in the ruined Oldtown. As you draw nearer, you can't help but feel a sense of curiosity and wonder about what lies within.

        Loot and Rewards: When the spirits are released from the home they will give what little they have left to offer, placing the Death Ward spell on those who saved them.

The Lair of Smolderthorn the Reclaimer

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Once the players have seen all they wish to see of the Red Keep and Oldtown it is time to drive the dragon from its lair and attempt to put an end to it once and for all.
Read as the party approaches the dragon's lair:

As you make your way through the tunnel, you notice the massive claw marks that have gouged the walls, and the air is thick with the smell of sulfur. You come to a stone balcony that overlooks a vast chamber below. Another tunnel on ground level to the east should lead to the surface, while staircases descend on either side of the balcony to the floor below. You are at the edge of the dragon's lair, a massive domed room with elegant red carpeting and tapestries from another era. Now, they serve as a backdrop for the hoard of treasure. Resting comfortably atop the wealth of the Tritos Dominion, the beast slumbers, tendrils of smoke escaping its nostrils with every exhale.

Smolderthorn Combat Encounter (Lair)
The party is not meant to fight the dragon here and will likely die in an attempt if they do so. Instead their goal should be to drive Smolderthorn out of his lair into the awaiting ambush with whatever means they have at their disposal. If the players have The Bomboozler it can be used here to force the dragon outside. As soon as the device is released it will begin its cacophonous sonic attacks and flashing with bright lights.   The dragon may attempt to fight back but will not remain in the area of the Bomboozler for more than one full round. As soon as Smolderthorn exits the tunnel the effects of his lair begin. Players will be dealing with magma, tremors, and volcanic gases as they follow.

Read the following as Smolderthorn flees:

The dragon thrashes violently, flames fuming from its nose. With a deafening rush of wings, it takes off towards the large tunnel to the east, fleeing from its lair. As it does so, the temperature inside the chamber rises immensely, and gouts of molten magma shoot up from the floor, sending waves of searing heat towards you. The air thickens with a noxious, phosphorus gas, making it difficult to breathe and causing you to choke.

  In total it will take approximately six rounds to exit the tunnel following the dragon. Players will have to deal with the dragon's lair actions as they do so, avoiding magma, tremors, and volcanic gasses. Each round choose one of the listed effects to use and have the party move through the tunnel to reach the battle on the surface.

• Magma erupts from a point on the ground, creating a 20-foot-high, 5-foot-radius geyser. Each creature in the geyser’s area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
• A tremor shakes the lair in a 60-foot radius. Each creature other than the dragon on the ground in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
• Volcanic gases form a cloud in a 20-foot-radius sphere. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is lightly obscured. It lasts until initiative count 20 on the next round. Each creature that starts its turn in the cloud must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its turn. While poisoned in this way, a creature is incapacitated.

      Smolderthorn Combat Encounter (Outside)
Andias and his troops are well prepared but still won't be enough to take out Smolderthorn on their own. Once the dragon is forced out of his lair it will fly outside through the tunnel to the east. Most of the soldiers are dead, having succumbed to the dragon itself or the effects of the lair actions.   Smolderthorn will have his stats altered in the following ways depending on how well the party did on their recruitment mission:

• Once Smolderthorn is outside and facing the Civil Legion he will have his hit points reduced by 1 for each soldier recruited.
• If the players used the Dragon Nets many of the dragon's scales will be damaged. Smolderthorn's AC will be reduced by 2, to a total of 17. The dragon will also be unable to fly.
• If the players recruited Lobs, the dragon will not be able to use its breath weapon or bite for 1d4 rounds of combat while Lobs holds its mouth closed.
• Smolderthorn will not be able to use wing attacks while held down by the Dragon Nets.
• If the party did not acquire the Dragon Nets, or did not find a secondary way to hamper Smolderthorn's flight, he will take to the skies to evaluate his position before striking and will be undamaged, having the normal stat block of an Adult Red Dragon.

Use the Guard stat block for Civil Legion soldiers. Lobs and Andias will hold their positions until the situation changes and then they will help however they can. Both of them have their HP reduced by half.

If the players recruited Lobs and got the Dragon Nets read the following as they exit the cave:

As you emerge from the mouth of the cave, a scene of absolute carnage confronts you. The few remaining Civil Legion soldiers are struggling to hold the dragon nets, trying to immobilize the beast and keep it to the ground, blood flows from between its scales. Despite their efforts, the dragon lashes out with its tail and claws, slashing at anyone who dares to get close. The forces have suffered a heavy toll, and bodies lie strewn about the area. Flames engulf everything in sight, and gouts of molten rock shoot from the ground, searing the soldiers struggling to hold it down. Andias is among them, doing everything he can to restrain the creature.   In a rage, Smolderthorn lets out a bestial roar before breathing deeply and exhaling a powerful blast of fire, engulfing its captors. From near the mouth of the cave, Lobs hurls a chunk of debris at the dragon, momentarily diverting its attention. Seizing the opportunity, the dragonborn wades through the flames and grabs the colossal beast by its jaws, holding its mouth closed despite the intense pain.   Amid the chaos, a haggard-looking Andias yells above the din, "We can't hold him for long! You have to finish the job!"

 
If the players did not recruit Lobs read the following as they exit the cave:

As you emerge from the mouth of the cave, you're confronted with a scene of absolute carnage. The few remaining Civil Legion soldiers are holding the dragon down, immobilizing the beast and keeping it to the ground, blood flows from between its scales. Despite this, the dragon lashes out with its tail and claws, slashing at anyone who dares to get close. The forces have suffered a heavy toll, and bodies lie strewn about the area. Flames cover everything in sight, and gouts of molten rock shoot from the ground, searing the soldiers struggling to hold it down. Andias is among them, doing everything he can to restrain the creature.   Smolderthorn rages, screaming a beastial roar before breathing deeply and exhaling a powerful blast of fire, engulfing its captors. By the time the flames die down only three soldiers remain.   A burnt and terrified looking Andias yells above the slaughter, "We can't hold him for long! You have to finish the job!"

 
If the players did not hamper the dragon's flight read the following:

As you step outside the cave, you're greeted by an empty sky. Smolderthorn is nowhere to be seen. However, you can see signs of its strafing attacks. The ground is scarred with gouts of flame, and you hear the screams of soldiers as they try to put out the fires and help their wounded comrades. It's clear that the dragon will fiercely defend its lair.

If the players are successful in killing Smolderthorn the Reclaimer they will become heroes of the Tritos Dominion and gain access to the dragon's hoard. Roll the following to determine how much is contained within.

• 12d6 × 100 cp
  
• 4d6 × 1,000 sp
  
• 8d6 × 1,000 gp
  
• 10d6 × 100 pp
  
• 2d6 mundane items
  
• 6d6 gems
  
• 3d6 art objects
  
• 1d8 magic items
  
  

In addition to the rolled items, the hoard includes the following items that Lobs gave to the dragon and 15,000 additional gold that was stolen from Shelter Lake, Dondarian, and Bastor during the festival.   Storm Maw (warhammer), Ring of Protection, Rust Bag of Tricks, and the Belt of Arctalian    

After the Game

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If the party survives they will be hailed as heroes of the Tritos Dominion and Ania will be keen to put their skills to use. The world is open to them!