Advice to the GM
T
he following sections provide tips on
running the adventure, to ensure the heist
goes smoothly for you if perhaps not so
much for the players.
Spotlight & Dramatic
Tension
A scenario like this is tailor-made for splitting the party.
The following advice from Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad
Mage applies:
Splitting the Party
To ensure that every member of a split party gets
attention, think of yourself as a film editor
cutting scenes in a movie. Jump from one group
of characters to the next while spending no more
than a few minutes with any given group or
individual. Tense moments are great times to
"cut" from one group to another-don't be afraid
to leave them hanging!
cuts between characters as a way to play with time and
force serendipity. For example, Brynn Hilltopple races
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In addition, in these confined quarters you can use jump
through the kitchen, disguised as a giant rat, but fails her
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Dexterity (Stealth) check. At this point, shift focus to
Renaer, who is trying to swindle Victoro in a game of Five-
Dragon Ante. Just as he is about to steal Victoro’s key - the
game is interrupted by screams from the terrified kitchen
staff!
You can use time bending tricks to make things easier or
more difficult for the players, depending on the needs of
the situation, as well as ensure the players end up in the
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cellar together.
Inspiration
As mentioned, it’s a good idea to start the players off with
inspiration. A heist scenario like this tends to have a lot of
make-or-break dice rolls, for example when pickpocketing a
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major NPC, hiding at a crucial moment, or opening a
locked door. Inspiration reduces some of the randomness
(we are dealing with trained professionals after all) and
helps keep the game flowing, especially if you allow it to be
used after a player fails a roll.
Don’t forget that players can give their inspiration to each
other as well.
Entering the Villa
One of the two questions the players need to answer is
“how will my character infiltrate the party?”. Here are some
potential answers.
6
Front Door
Even though no personal invitations have been sent, the
festivities have been widely announced among the elite of
Waterdeep. Guards outside the estate will allow nobles
passage to the front entry. Esvele and Renaer are
welcomed by default, while other characters have to use
deception to pass as nobles, bodyguards or servants.
Stables
As a gesture of good faith towards the commoners of
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Waterdeep, the Cassalanter family has graciously opened
their garden to the people. Drinks and food are served, and
hired bards provide music and entertainment.
Although the garden is open, only a finite number of
people are allowed in at a time, so characters need to be
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early to get in line. The line starts outside of the estate’s
main gates and winds its way towards the stable entrance.
Inside, guards check prospective revelers and ask them to
leave weapons at an improvised cloakroom. Brynn has no
trouble blending in, as do Barnibus and Saeth (they might
even be allowed to keep their arms). Runagar and Rolling
Bones have a harder time entering here, especially if they
arouse suspicion in any other way.
Garden Wall
A character can enter the estate and try to climb the inner
wall that leads to the garden. Note that there are guards on
both sides of this wall, requiring multiple Dexterity
(Stealth) checks, plus Strength (Athletics) for the climb.
However, a detected character is assumed to be simply
trying to sneak into the party for free booze, so failure is
not disastrous.
The garden has about a dozen guards wandering around
to keep the peace and prevent commoners from entering
the main building through the garden mudroom, reading
room, or balcony. The foliage in the southern area is a good
place to hide.
Getting Caught
When a PC inevitably gets too cocky and fails a test while
pickpocketing one of the antagonists or is caught snooping
around, the Cassalanters’ go-to reaction is to isolate and
intimidate that character, temporarily breaking their own
facade and showing off a hint of their true power. Willifort,
for instance, grabs a character’s wrist with a speed that is
uncanny for a simple old man. Ammalia uses a magical and
vicious message while keeping up her superficial smile and
babble. Victoro enhances his visage with thaumaturgy or
mixes a magical command in with his words. The NPC
says something like this:
I don’t know what you think you’re trying to do here, but
you are meddling with forces far beyond your imagination. I
would strongly suggest you stay out of our affairs. There will
be no second warning.
After this, the character will be shadowed by an imp,
shown their way out or, if their transgressions are serious
enough, marked for death. In the latter case, Willifort is
summoned to inform the character that there is an urgent
matter that requires their attention outside, leads the
character to a quiet spot in the garden, and uses his
Surprise Attack ability to assassinate them.
Spiking the Drinks
A good way to get the Cassalanters to give up the
passphrase and their keys is to spike their drinks with a
philter of love, or so it would seem. However, since the
Cassalanters have poisoned all of the wine in the house,
both will staunchly refuse a drink, regardless of how
Charismatic (Persuasive) a character is. This is also a good
way to arouse suspicion in the players that something is
not right.
(Note that in the original module the Cassalanters are
immune to poison, but for this adventure it’s more fun to
remove that ability).
Quantum Keys
One way to tweak the difficulty and length of the heist is to
move keys around as the story demands it. The idea here is
that until a character finds a key, that key could be
anywhere, so you can cheat a little. For instance, if the
players roll particularly well and easily make their way into
Victoro’s office and Ammalia’s study, you may decide at that
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point that actually the keys are not in these locations but
are being carried by the Cassalanters. Likely key locations
are:
Victoro’s Key. Either on his person (playing cards in the
family dining room, C9) or in his office, guarded by the
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animated armor (C6).
Ammalia’s Key. Either on her person (entertaining
guests at the masked ball in the ballroom, C13) or in her
study (C22).
Willifort’s Key. On his person, but may be attached to a
chain, making pickpocketing difficult.
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Character-specific
Difficulties
Here are some ways to make life miserable for the heist
crew:
Laiba
Sa
Entering the mansion seems easy for Laiba - she already
starts inside! However, as a member of staff she is expected
to keep to her duties.
You can start Laiba in the children’s bedroom, putting
them to sleep for the night. This is a good way to set up the
final dilemma by playing up their innocence. The kids are
also a great way to interrupt Laiba’s plans. They can start
running amok at the party, causing the Cassalanters to
seek Laiba and order her to stay with the children.
Renaer
As soon as Victoro spots Renaer from his game of Five
Dragon Ante, he insists that the young lord joins.
Unfortunately, Renaer is not quite as prosperous as he’d
like to be, especially after burning through his last cash to
buy (faulty) magic items, so coming up with the ante might
be difficult.
Rolling Bones
Any social interaction that involves Rolling Bones will be
awkward, so make sure to have lots of characters engage
him in small-talk or interrogation. The guards, Willifort,
random nobles or, if you can pull it off, Victoro’s card game
are great for this.
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Rolling Bones and Runagar
These two characters stand out like sore thumbs. They will
be confined to the outside area, if the guards even allow
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them in. Also note that anyone using the entrance through
the stables will be requested to leave their weaponry,
especially when that weaponry is a massive battle axe.
Esvele
As soon as Ammalia catches wind of Esvele she corners
her for an enthusiastic demonstration of her dancing robot.
Brynn
Brynn will probably create her own trouble trying to turn a
halfling to her cause. Here are some halfling names you
can use: Bernie High-hill, Franklin Tosscobble, Lyle
Goldfound, Cora Stoutman, Vani Tenpenny.
Brynn players seem to enjoy entering the villa through
the sewers. Ask for a Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence
(Investigation) check and bend time depending on the
outcome. She can show up late which causes trouble for
whoever is waiting for her in the toilet area with a fresh
pair of clothes (C16b) as Crowelle sends servants to see
what’s up.
Barnibus & Saeth
These two have some bad blood with the Cassalanter
family and are not allowed into the party proper. If they
insist, they are confined to the library by Willifort.
Playing the Cassalanters
The Cassalanters have their own locations in the villa but
playing them as active and roaming agents can make for a
dynamic adventure. Here are some tips on having them
respond to players.
Victoro
Victoro is the center of a high stakes Five Dragon Ante
game in the family dining room. If he spots Renaer he
insists that he joins the table. Victoro is a talkative, good-
spirited host who makes a point of keeping everybody at
the table liquored up (with poison). He ribs on Renaer
incessantly about his absent father. If other characters join
the game, especially when in disguise, he will make a point
of asking them about their history, family, home, and
favorite pastimes.
7
 Cheating at cards is a great way to retrieve Victoro’s key. If
the stakes are raised high enough he drops his key on the
table and dramatically declares that this is a key to his
private vault. If a character wins the key, Victoro laughs and
explains that it is useless without the other two, quite
proud of his trickery.
Ammalia
The lady of the house is arranging a masked ball, and
particularly keen to show off her dancing man to the
guests. She will draw in Esvele in particular if she spots
her.
Terenzio & Elzerina
The children are in their room and can play a role if Nana
Rosse is part of the player characters. They require all
kinds of attention to be put to sleep.
They can be used later to call Nana from her business at
an inopportune moment - soon joined by Ammalia.
Willifort Crowelle
The head servant leads nobles in through the entrance and
shows them towards either the family dining room for the
card game or the upstairs area for the masked ball. He will
also be the first to check out any ruckus in the building.
Crowelle is a doppelganger, which means that he can
read surface thoughts. You may want to downplay this
ability, perhaps downgrading it to a heightened sense of
awareness and suspicion towards the characters. If
interaction, he will send an invisible imp after that
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Crowelle has reason to distrust a character due to a poor
character to spy. If the players don’t have the lantern of
revealing the imp could also be polymorphed into crow
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form.
He has quite a bit of antipathy towards Barnibus
Blastwind, as the inspector came close to figuring out the
Cassalanters’ secret and it took Willifort a lot of work to
cover that up. He will not allow Barnibus or his friend
Saeth access to the ballroom or card game but allows them
to stay in the library or garden, under the supervision of a
guard (and invisible imp).
m
Jandar and Tissina
The other named characters and co-conspirators can be
relegated to the background unless their existence proves
particularly useful. Tissina can be a roadblock to
investigating Ammalia’s study, as she is lounging in the
master sitting room (C19) which is on the way to the study.
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Exposition
You’ll want to foreshadow the climax a little bit so that it
doesn’t come out of nowhere. The original module provides
plenty of clues in the Cassalanter residence, and we can
make a few tweaks to streamline the adventure.
Ammalia's Study
The text in the tome that describes how to summon
Asmodeus can be in Common. Make sure the vials have
obvious traces of the poison.
8
Victoro's Office
If the characters don’t need to go to Ammalia’s Study, be
sure to move the summoning tome into Victoro’s office.
Otherwise, the symbol of Asmodeus can be augmented
with one extra scroll tube - this one detailing the terms of
the contract with Asmodeus: a hundred thousand gold
coins and the blood of a hundred men.
The symbol of Asmodeus is three inverted triangles
arranged in a long triangle, by the way.
Statue of Asmodeus
If the characters defeat the Cassalanter family, Asmodeus
himself enters the scene, using the statue as his avatar. He
will gladly explain the arrangement he had with the family
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and offer an alternative one.
Story Chokepoint
The transition between the heist’s execution and climax
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can be tricky and involves a sleight of hand on the part of
the dungeon master. The Cassalanters, who were
previously complicating the players’ attempts to retrieve the
three keys, must now await them in their secret dungeon
below the villa. Here are some tips on pulling this off:
Grande Finale. Right as the players find the last key,
Victoro and Ammalia initiate the final stage of their plan.
They announce that dinner is being served in the banquet
hall (C15). The card game and masked ball are halted for
the big event. They usher remaining nobles towards the
banquet and declare that they will be joining them soon,
then head down towards the basement. If the characters
follow them, the Cassalanters are gone - having used the
secret door to witness the final act of the ritual.
Close One. If the characters beat the Cassalanters to the
cellar, you can create a tense situation where the two barely
pass by the party. This works particularly well with a group
of players that is sneaky, especially if they have access to
dust of disappearance. As the characters are opening the
vault, or just after they have opened it and learned that it is
empty, the door on top of the stairs opens and the voices of
Victoro and Ammalia can be heard making their way down.
The party can hide in the vault or in plain sight using the
dust, and the Cassalanters pass them by only to vanish
through the secret door in the wine cellar.
Cultist Giveaway. As the characters open the vault and
find that it is nearly empty, tell them that there are two bags
of silver lying in the wine cellar. Shortly afterward, the
secret door opens and a cultist pops out to retrieve the last
of the bags for the ritual. If the characters defeat and
question the cultist they learn that the rest of the money is
through the secret passage. When the players move down
and enter the underground ceremonial hall - Victoro and
Ammalia also enter the hall, but through the other
entrance. So if the player characters end up on the balcony,
the Cassalanters enter through the anterior vestibule, and
vice versa.
A Wizard Did It. As a last resort, simply have the
Cassalanters teleport to the statue of Asmodeus using
Victoro’s dimension door spell. This is a great way to
escape if the characters try to ambush the Cassalanters in
the cellar - make sure to bait out Barnibus’ counterspell
first with one of Ammalia’s spells.

The Final Battle
Into the Dungeon
As the characters find the vault empty they should not get a
lot of time to grieve over their wasted effort and head on to
the secret passage to the temple of Asmodeus. If they stall
or fail to search the wine cellar for clues, have a cultist
appear to gather the last bags of silver.
Simplified Floor Plan
This part of the original module contains some exploration
and encounters, but for pacing reasons you won’t want to
spend too much time here. Appendix E presents a no-frills
version of the temple that leads straight to the action. Use
the tomb area only if Rolling Bones is with the party, and
don't forget to give the magic armor the power of flight.
Tweaking the Difficulty
The Cassalanters
It would seem that Victoro and Ammalia, being CR 10 and
CR 5 enemies respectively, would be more than a match for
a group of level 5 adventurers. And indeed some of
Victoro’s abilities have the potential of ruining the
encounter, so this dungeon master would not use them:
His rod of rulership can end the fight instantly.
Dimension door can instantly save him and Ammalia if
the fight goes badly - which is terribly anticlimactic.
Divine word can take players out of the battle
completely, which is no fun.
Heal tends to just drag on a battle and prolong the
inevitable.
e The cathedral features imps and bearded devils, and these
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Having said that, it’s easy to underestimate how much
damage a hero can inflict on our antagonists. If Runagar
gets a lucky critical hit, he will deal 3d12 + 2d6 + 8 (avg 35)
damage in a single swing. Add in a fireball from Nana, a
stun-lock from Brynn, and Esvele’s sneak attack, and it’s
not inconceivable that a prepared party can bring Victoro
close to death in a single round, or one-shot Ammalia.
Here’s how the math works out:
m
Party size “Deadly” XP Cassalanters XP
3 3300 11550
4 4400 11550
5 5500 11550
Sa
6 6600 7700
7 7700 7700
Note that versus a 6 or 7-player group the two
Cassalanters are only just “Deadly”. In that scenario, this
writer advises using them to their full extent. As anecdotal
evidence, in one test game a party entered combat having
spent most of their resources, including both of Nana’s
spell slots, Runagar’s reincarnation, Brynn’s lunar points,
Renaer’s inspiration, and Barnibus’ third level spells, and
still easily wiped the floor with their adversaries.
For smaller groups, here are some ways to keep the
encounter level “Deadly”, but not overly so:
Party
size Tweaks
7 -
Remove the rod of rulership, dimension door,
6
divine word and heal abilities
5
Remove dominate person and summon demon
from Victoro's abilities
Use Ammalia’s stat block for Victoro, but keep
4
his increased hit points
3 Use Ammalia’s stat block for Victoro
A Murder of Cultists
The infernal cathedral in the Cassalanter dungeon houses
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30 cultists. However, usually these are instantly incinerated
by a fireball. And if they are not, their paltry +3 to hit and 4
damage makes them more akin to difficult terrain than an
actual threat.
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Midnight Tears
A great way to turn the tables mid-fight is by invoking the
midnight tears, especially if the party has already figured
out that the drinks in the mansion are poisoned. Inform the
players that the midnight hour has struck and have anyone
who’s had a drink roll their Constitution saving throw. Note
that the poison deals around 31 damage (15 on a save) so
many characters will survive even a failed save.
Devils
can be used to bog down the players. Use them sparingly,
as the action economy can quickly turn against the players.
Denouement
As the smoke clears and our heroes start collecting silver,
there is one final trial we can visit upon them.
The statue of Asmodeus comes to life and congratulates
the characters on a job well done. It then explains the
situation (the Cassalanters had a contract, it needs to be
paid or the children are doomed) and offers, as a sign of
good will, to allow the characters to fulfill the terms. If
anyone asks about the “deaths” part of the deal, Asmodeus
points out the smoldering corpses of the cultists. But as far
as coin goes, he sadly informs them that their hard-earned
wealth must be deposited into the brazier.
Ideally, this leads to some debate as the characters weigh
the value of the Cassalanter children’s lives versus their
own financial gains, perhaps even including a dramatic
battle if Nana feels her plot to ruin the ritual is in jeopardy.
It is this dungeon master’s experience, however, that
players are all too eager to take the money and run. In such
an event, make sure to have Asmodeus applaud the
characters’ lack of moral compass and tell them that he
looks forward to welcoming their eternal souls into his
domain.
A Note on Carrying Gold
Technically, the amount of silver needed for the ritual
requires a few trips to carry, or multiple bags of holding. It
is up to you how strict you want to be here, but in general
we can assume a single bag should be enough. If it was
Renaer who purchased said bag and it malfunctions, well,
that’s on him.
9
 Appendix A: A Cast of Thieves
The following handout can be given to Esvele's player, along with her character sheet.

Heist Rules
Gather a crew
Esvele has a list of contacts in and around the city. From these she can hire a crew to help her plan and execute the

e
heist.
Plan the heist

fil
Once the crew is complete, planning can begin. Esvele has procured a simple map of the mansion and the following
information:
The safe is in the cellar of the villa.
To open the safe requires three separate keys. One is worn by lord Victoro Cassalantar, the other by lady Ammalia
Cassalantar, and the third by their head servant Willifort Crowelle.
The safe is magically trapped. Entering it safely requires a key phrase that only Victoro, Ammalia and Willifort
know.
Purchase equipment e
Esvele has a budget of 5000 Dragons to buy specialized equipment for the operation. This means she can buy 10
items from the Black Market table.
pl
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Sa

10
Esvele Rosznar (The Black Viper)
A
s the only daughter of a noble family, lady
Esvele has been brought up to be the most
proper noble possible, partaking in lessons of
etiquette, dance, and poise as befits someone
of her station.
e an object.
In her younger days, Esvele openly rebelled, but that
behavior led to locked doors and house guards, so she
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taught herself how to pick locks, pluck keys from belts and
pouches, clamber up walls. and sneak past guards, playing
the perfect daughter by day while cutting loose at night. To
hide her identity from those she met, she wore a hood and
mask, exchanging her fine clothes for the kind of practical
clothing her parents would never let her wear.
These days the noble families of Waterdeep tremble at
m
the thought of being visited in the night by Esvele, even if
they do not know her identity: it is said no treasure is safe
from the Black Viper.
Esvele has learned that the Cassalanters, another noble
family, have recently withdrawn all of their gold from the
bank of Waterdeep and transported the coins back to their
villa, perhaps in preparation for a large business deal. The
loot is estimated to be at least 100.000 golden Dragons. As
Sa
luck would have it, the Cassalanters are hosting a party on
Founders’ Day - the perfect opportunity for a heist!
Black Viper
Medium humanoid (human), chaotic neutral
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 28
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
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8 (-1) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +5
Skills Acrobatics +7, Sleight of Hand +10,
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Stealth +10, Investigation +5, Perception +4,
Deception +5, Persuasion +5, Thieves' Tools +7
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Thieves' Cant
Cunning Action. On each of your turns, you can
use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage,
or Hide action, perform a Sleight of Hand check,
use your Thieves' Tools, or otherwise interact with
Second Story Work. You can climb at your regular
movement speed.
Sneak Attack (1/turn). You deal an extra 3d6
damage when you hit a target with a weapon
attack and have advantage on the attack roll, or
when the target is within 5 feet of an ally that isn't
incapacitated and you don't have disadvantage on
the attack roll
Actions
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft.,
one target. Hit: 1d8 + 4 piercing damage.
Hand crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
reach 30ft./120ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + 4
piercing damage.
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach
5ft., one target. Hit: 1d4 + 4 piercing damage.
Inspiring Leader. You spend 10 minutes inspiring
your companions. Each friendly creature that can
hear and see you (including yourself) gains 7
temporary hit points.
Reactions
Uncanny Dodge. You halve the damage from an
attack that hits you. You must be able to see the
attacker.
11
 Laiba "Nana" Rosse (the insider)

L
aiba Rosse is one of the staff members of the
Cassalanter household, taking the duties of
caretaker and private tutor for the two
children Terenzio and Elzerina Cassalanter.
Like many of the family’s servants she is
tainted by an infernal bloodline, a condition
not uncommon in Waterdeep. Her heritage
presents itself through her purple skin-colour, small horns,
and penchant for the arcane.
Like many tieflings, Laiba grew up shunned by society
and in poverty. While she has some loyalty to the
Cassalanters, she feels that they do not sufficiently

e
appreciate their wealth, and the prospect of relieving them
off it sounds quite appealing to her.
Heist Rules

fil
Nana knows many additional features of the house, which
can be of help during planning.

Nana Medium humanoid (tiefling), lawful evil

Cantrips (at will): thaumaturgy, prestidigitation,
Armor Class 11 friends
Hit Points 38 Spells (2 slots): fireball, stinking cloud, scorching ray,
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS

e
CHA
blindness/deafness, command, burning hands
Actions
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft.,
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8 (-1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) one target. Hit: 1d4 piercing damage.

Saving Throws Wisdom +3, Charisma +7 Eldritch Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach
Skills Arcana +4, Religion +4, Medicine +3, Deception 120ft., two beams. Hit: 1d10 + 4 force damage per
+7 beam.
Damage Resistances fire Mask of Many Faces. You can magically disguise
Senses passive Perception 10, Darkvision (60 ft.) yourself to look like another person. You can change
Languages Common, Infernal your race, gender, height (+/- 1ft.), weight, as well as
m

clothing, armor, and other belongings on your person.

Flames of Phlegethos. When you cast a spell that deals
fire damage, you can reroll any roll of 1 on the fire
damage dice. In addition, after casting the spell a
wreath of flames protects you until the end of your
next turn. Any creature within 5 feet that attacks you
suffers 1d4 fire damage.
Sa
The effect is illusionary - your actual dimensions or
equipment do not change. To discern that you are
disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect
your appearance and must succeed on a DC 15
Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Darkness (1/Day). You create a magical 15 ft. radius
sphere of darkness as per the darkness spell.

Voice of the Chain Master. You can communicate

telepathically with your familiar, see through its eyes,
and speak through it in your own voice.
Reactions
Hellish Rebuke (1/Day). You point your finger at a
Dark One's blessing. When you reduce a hostile
creature that dealt damage to you and it is
creature to 0 hit points you gain 9 temporary hit
surrounded by hellish flames. The creature must
points.
make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 3d10 fire
Dark Ritual. Whenever you finish a short rest, you damage on a failed save, or half as much on a
recharge both your spell slots. successful one.
Spellcasting. You are a 5th level spellcaster (spell save
DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). Your patron
allows you to cast the following spells:

12
Nana's Imp Shapechanger : The imp can use its action to
polymorph into a beast form that resembles a rat
Tiny fiend (devil, shapechanger), lawful evil
(speed 20 ft.), a raven (20 ft., fly 60 ft.), or a spider
(20 ft., climb 20 ft.), or back into its true form. Its
Armor Class 13 statistics are the same in each form, except for the
Hit Points 10 speed changes noted. Any equipment it is wearing or
Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if
it dies.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Devil's Sight : Magical darkness doesn't impede the
imp's darkvision.
6 (-2) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)
Magic Resistance : The imp has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Skills Deception +4, Insight +3, Persuasion +4,

Stealth +5
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't
silvered
Damage Immunities fire, poison
e
Actions
Sting (Bite in Beast Form) : Melee Weapon Attack: +5
to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d4 + 3 piercing
damage, and the target must make on a DC 11

Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Infernal, Common
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Constitution saving throw, taking 3d6 poison damage
on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one.
Invisibility : The imp magically turns invisible until it
attacks or until its concentration ends (as if
concentrating on a spell). Any equipment the imp
wears or carries is invisible with it.

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pl
m
Sa

13
 Laiba "Nana" Rosse (Spellbook)
Spellbook Friends
Conjuration cantrip
Cantrips Casting Time: 1 action
Thaumaturgy Range: Self
Transmutation cantrip Components: S, M (make-up applied to face)
Duration: concentration, up to 1 minute
Casting Time: 1 action Using your action, choose a creature you can see that
Range: 30 feet isn't hostile toward you. You gain advantage on Charisma
Components: V checks toward it for the duration. When the spell ends, the
Duration: Instantaneous / 1 minute creature realizes you used magic on it and becomes hostile,
You manifest a minor wonder, a sign of supernatural

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possibly attacking or getting other payback.
power, within range. You create one of the following
magical effects within range: Spells
Your voice booms up to three times as loud as normal Fireball
for 1 minute.

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3rd level evocation
You cause flames to flicker, brighten, dim, or change Casting Time: 1 action
color for 1 minute. Range: 150 feet
You cause harmless tremors in the ground for 1 minute. Components: V, S, M (A tiny ball of bat guano and sulfur)
You create a sound that originates from a point of your Duration: Instantaneous
choice within range.
You cause an unlocked door or window to fly open or A bright streak flashes from your pointing finger to a
slam shut. point you choose within range and then blossoms with a
You alter the appearance of your eyes for 1 minute. low roar into an explosion of flame. Each creature in a 20-
foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to Dexterity saving throw. A target takes 8d6 fire damage on a
dismiss such an effect as an action.
Prestidigitation
Transmutation cantrip
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three of its 1-minute effects active at a time, and you can failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
The fire spreads around corners. It ignites flammable
objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.
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Stinking Cloud
Casting Time: 1 action 3st level conjuration
Range: 10 feet Casting Time: 1 action
Components: V, S Range: 90 feet
Duration: Instantaneous / 1 minute Components: V, S, M (A rotten egg or several skunk
This spell is a minor magical trick that novice cabbage leaves)
spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the Duration: Up to 1 minute
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following effects: You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of yellow, nauseating

You create a harmless sensory effect.
You light or put out a small fire.
You clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.
You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving
material for 1 hour.
You make a small mark appear on an object or surface
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gas centered on a point within range. The cloud spreads
around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. The cloud
lingers in the air for the duration.
Each creature that is completely within the cloud at the
start of its turn must make a Constitution saving throw
against poison. On a failed save, the creature spends its
action that turn retching and reeling. Creatures that don’t

for 1 hour.
You create a nonmagical trinket or a hand-sized illusory
image. It lasts until the end of your next turn.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to
three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and
you can dismiss an effect as an action.
need to breathe or are immune to poison automatically
succeed on this saving throw.
A moderate wind (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses
the cloud after 4 rounds. A strong wind (at least 20 miles
per hour) disperses it after 1 round.

14
Laiba "Nana" Rosse (Spells, Cont'd)
Scorching Ray Burning Hands
3nd level evocation 3rd level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet Range: Self (15-foot cone)
Components: V, S Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous Duration: Instantaneous
You create four rays of fire and hurl them at targets As you hold your hands with thumbs touching and
within range. You can hurl them at one target or several. fingers spread, a thin sheet of flames shoots forth from your
Make a ranged spell attack for each ray. On a hit, the target outstretched fingertips. Each creature in a 15-foot cone
takes 2d6 fire damage. must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 5d6

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fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
Blindness/Deafness successful one. The fire ignites any flammable objects in
3nd level necromancy the area that aren’t being worn or carried.
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet

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Components: V
Duration: 1 minute
You can blind or deafen your foes. Choose up to two
creatures that you can see within range to make a
Constitution saving throw. If it fails, the target is either
blinded or deafened (your choice) for the duration. At the
end of each of its turns, the target can make a Constitution
saving throw. On a success, the spell ends.
Command
3nd level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
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Duration: 1 round
You speak a one-word command to creatures you can see
within range. Choose up to three targets. A target must
succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or follow the command
on its next turn. The spell has no effect if the target is
undead, if it doesn’t understand your language, or if your
command is directly harmful to it. Some typical commands
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and their effects follow. You might issue a command other

than one described here. If you do so, the GM determines
how the target behaves. If the target can’t follow your
command, the spell ends.
Approach. The target moves toward you by the shortest
and most direct route, ending its turn if it moves within
5 feet of you.
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Drop. The target drops whatever it is holding and then

ends its turn. Flee. The target spends its turn moving
away from you by the fastest available means.
Grovel. The target falls prone and then ends its turn.
Halt. The target doesn’t move and takes no actions. A
flying creature stays aloft, provided that it is able to do
so. If it must move to stay aloft, it flies the minimum
distance needed to remain in the air.

15
 "Rolling Bones" (the specialist)
I
t is said that the kenku, a race of short, humanoid
crow-like people, once angered a god. As
punishment, the god took away their wings, their
ability to speak, and their creativity. Most kenku
wander the world as vagabonds and burglars who
live at the edge of human society.
Kenku can mimic the sound of anything they hear. A
kenku asking for money might make the sound of coins
clinking together, and a kenku referring to a busy
marketplace can reproduce the cacophony of hawking
vendors, barking dogs, bleating sheep, and the cries of
street urchins. When mimicking voices, they can only
repeat words and phrases they have heard, not create new
sentences. To converse with a kenku is to witness a
performance of imitated sounds and almost nonsensical
verse. Their talent for mimicry extends to handwriting, and
criminal organizations often employ kenku to forge
documents. When a kenku commits a crime, it might forge
evidence to implicate another creature.
Rolling Bones e Lucky (3/Day). Reroll an attack roll, saving throw, or
Medium humanoid (kenku), chaotic neutral
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 25
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Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (-1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2)
Saving Throws Constitution +5, Charisma +5
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Skills Perception +5, Deception +5, Acrobatics +4,
Stealth +4, Forgery Kit +5
Senses passive Perception 15, darkvision (120 ft.)
Languages Common, Auran, but you can speak only
by using your Mimicry trait
Sorcery Points. You have 5 sorcery points that you can
use as follows:
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Subtle spell (1 point): when you cast a spell, you
can spend 1 sorcery point to cast it without
somatic or verbal components.
Darkness (2 points): use your sorcery points to
cast the darkness spell without expending a spell
slot. If you cast the spell in this way, you can see
through the darkness.
Twinned spell (variable): when you cast a spell that
has a single target you can spend a number of
sorcery points equal to that spell's level to cast a
duplicate of the spell with a different target.
Cast a spell (variable): use your sorcery points to
cast one of your spells without expending a spell
slot. The point cost is equal to the spell's level + 1.
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Rolling Bones is one of the rare kenku who are more
ambitious and daring than their fellows. Renowned for his
excellent skills of forgery and infiltration, he leads a small
flock in the Field Ward of Waterdeep, offering his services
to anyone ranging from the deranged Xanathar guild to the
wizards of the Blackstaff Academy.
Heist Rules
Rolling Bones has enough time to forge up to two items or
documents prior to the heist.
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ability check and take the best result. You can even
reroll attack rolls made by enemies against you.
Strength of the Grave (1/Day). When damage reduces
you to 0 hit points, you can make a Charisma saving
throw (DC 5 + the damage taken). On a success, you
instead drop to 1 hit point. You can't use this feature
if you are reduced to 0 hit points by radiant damage
or by a critical hit.
Expert Forgery. You can duplicate other creatures'
handwriting and craftwork. You have advantage on all
checks made to produce forgeries or duplicates of
existing objects.
Mimicry. You can mimic sounds you have heard,
including voices. A creature that hears the sounds
you make can tell they are imitations with a
successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your
Charisma (Deception) check.
Spellcasting. You are a 5th level spellcaster (spell save
DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). Your know the
following spells:
Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mending, minor illusion,
shocking grasp, message
1st level (4 slots): charm person, sleep
2nd level (3 slots): darkness, see invisibility, gust of
wind
3rd level (2 slots): hypnotic pattern, major image,
enemies abound
Actions
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft.,
one target. Hit: 1d4 + 1 piercing damage.
Recharge Sorcery. As a bonus action, you can expend
a spell slot to regain sorcery points equal to the slot's
level.