Heist Heist

Baby!
Operation Ice Diamond
Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Chapter 2: Ice to Meet you 4
Chapter 3: Gutters or Gables 8
Chapter 4: Grounds for Suspicion 14
Chapter 5: Inside Job 17
Chapter 6: Vaulting Ambition 24
Chapter 7: Chilling Betrayal 27
Chapter 8: Conclusion 28
Credits and Legal 29
Note from the Author 30
Chapter 1: Introduction
In the bustling city of Waterdeep, a shadowy grand facades of lavish villas lie secrets
underworld criminal known as Valerius waiting to be uncovered, and within the
Nightshade seeks the ultimate prize: the shadows exist countless opportunities for
Heart of Ice, a priceless blue diamond. To those with the right skills.
secure this coveted gem, he assembles a
team of skilled individuals, each with their
Timeline
own unique talents and secrets. Together,
this team of rogues and misfits must The story takes place over the course of
overcome personal conflicts and trust issues a single evening. The clock starts ticking
to accomplish their daring mission. Will they when the team reaches the villa. From this
succeed in their audacious heist, or will the point they have two hours of in-game time
secrets that bind them lead to their undoing? to penetrate the vault and retrieve the gem.
During combat the timer will be paused.
Heist Heist Baby! is a one-shot D&D 5e
adventure designed for 4-6 level 6 players. The time limit creates a sense of urgency
and prevents players from examining every
single corner of the villa in detail. Their goal
Summary of the Adventure is to find the gem and escape.
Heist Heist Baby! begins as the rag-tag band
of criminals assembles in the secret hideout Once the gem has been located, the real fun
of Valerius Nightshade. He explains the begins! Not only do they have to worry about
intricacies of the heist job, sharing valuable The Viper returning home, they also have to
intelligence about the villa they intend to defend themselves against each other and
rob. escape with their lives.

Under cover of darkness, the team traverses The entire gameplay is approximately
either the darkened rooftops or filthy sewers 4-6 hours.
of Waterdeep to reach the villa. Once they
have figured out how to get inside they need Equipment
to navigate the treacherous halls and retrieve Each team member carries a small backpack
the gem. containing only the essential tools of their
The tension reaches its peak when they trade. Leave the rations and bedroll at home
find the jewel and discover that they still - there’s no room for excess in a high-stakes
have each other to contend with! Hidden heist like this. Weapons are a must, and each
agendas, conflicting loyalties and the lure of team member may also bring 2gp worth of
the ultimate prize threaten to tear the team mundane items to assist them in their task.
apart. As tensions rise and trust falters, they
must confront their own demons and decide Assembling the Crew
whether their unity can withstand the allure
of personal gain. A classic heist is always made up of a crew with
distinct roles. A list of these roles is provided
in Appendix 1. Players can be assigned a
The Setting role by the DM, roll a d10 or choose from
The adventure is set in the vibrant and the list. They may choose multiple roles if
bustling city of Waterdeep, nestled on the their chosen options combine well, e.g. one
famous Dragon Coast. The city is steeped PC can be both the Leader and the Veteran,
in history and intrigue, providing the perfect or both the Insider and the Forced Hand, etc.
backdrop for a heist adventure. Its complex
network of guilds, factions and secret
societies create an atmosphere of hidden
agendas and shifting alliances. Behind the

1
 Relationships
• A flashback must be used before
Leave it up to the players to decide if their
the skill check takes place (i.e. it
characters are previously acquainted.
cannot be used to turn a failure into
Perhaps they’ve pulled off a job together
a success).
before. Maybe they have a closer relationship
such as spouses, siblings, parent and child, • A flashback must not require any
or master and apprentice. These connections knowledge that the PC could not
bring a new level of complexity to the team, reasonably have had access to prior
influencing their interactions and adding to the heist.
personal stakes to the heist. By leaving • A flashback cannot change things
the relationships open-ended, players which have already happened.
can organically develop their characters’
histories and explore the dynamics that
make their team unique. These connections DMs should embrace the flexibility and
offer opportunities for roleplay, character creativity that flashbacks bring. Encourage
growth and moments of both cooperation players to think outside the box and describe
and conflict. their characters’ ingenious preparations. The
goal is to enhance the sense of excitement,
Flashbacks allowing players to feel like true masters of
their craft as they seamlessly incorporate
In the world of heists, the thrill lies not only in their characters’ past experiences into their
execution but also in meticulous preparation. present endeavors.
What better way to capture the essence of
a well-prepared team than through the use
of flashbacks? Flashbacks offer a glimpse Secrets
into the past, allowing each team member In the world of shadows and deception,
to showcase their resourcefulness and secrets are the keys to survival. Each
expertise. These snapshots in time bypass member of the heist team carries with them
skill checks by revealing how the team a hidden truth, a secret that can sway the
member acquired specialized knowledge or balance of the mission. These secrets are
honed specific skills to ensure success. the driving force behind their actions, fueling
their desires and shaping their alliances,
and adding depth and complexity to the
Each team member has one flashback
narrative.
to use as and when they wish.

Make sure each player believes they

Essentially a flashback allows the player
to bypass a skill check or a problem by
describing how their character prepared in
advance to be able to succeed at their task.
For example, a rogue might describe how
he spent days tracking down a rare model
of safe and meticulously practised picking
the lock in a secluded hideout. A bard might
reveal her masterful manipulation skills as
she describes tailing a guard and seducing
him in a dimly lit tavern, which results in
him recognizing her as a friend. Or a monk
might explain how he set up a replica of a
room filled with treacherous traps and spent
countless hours rehearsing how to cartwheel
flawlessly through the simulated dangers.
are the only one with a secret!
A list of suggested secrets is provided in
Appendix 2. DMs can either roll a d6 or
assign each character whichever secret
fits best with their class and back story.
Remember, the descriptions of the secrets
provided are merely examples. Feel free to
explore different options, create compelling
twists and tailor the secrets to fit seamlessly
into the fabric of your game. The more
intriguing and personal the secrets, the more
they will captivate your players and immerse
them in the world of intrigue and suspense.

2
Adventure Hook But hold on tight because Valerius
has faith in you, the best of the
Alright, folks, buckle up and get
best. Well… the best that’s available
ready to embark on the heist of a
anyway. He believes you’ve got the
lifetime! Let me introduce you to the
skills, the guts and the sheer audacity
man of mystery himself: Valerius
to pull off the impossible. He’s betting
Nightshade, the ultimate mastermind
everything on the chance that you can
lurking in the shadows of Waterdeep’s
slip through the tightest of security,
underworld. This guy knows all the
outsmart the sharpest minds and snag
tricks of the trade, pulling strings and
that precious gem right from under
orchestrating schemes that will make
The Viper’s nose.
your head spin.
So gather your crew, dust off your
Now, picture this: rain pouring down,
wits and get ready to steal the show.
streets glistening with that eerie city
Valerius Nightshade is inviting you to
glow. Valerius needs a favor, and
join him on a heist like no other. Think
trust me, it’s a big one. He’s got his
shadows, deception and adrenaline-
eye on the Heart of Ice, a dazzling
fueled action. This is your chance to
blue diamond that’s worth more than
shine, to outwit the competition and
your wildest dreams. We’re talking life-
walk away with the ultimate prize. Will
changing riches here, my friends. But
you rise to the challenge? Will you
here’s the kicker – it’s locked up tight
outmaneuver those who stand in your
in the clutches of Lady Seraphina
way? It’s time to make your mark, my
Blackthorne, AKA The Viper. And let
daring comrades… and remember,
me tell you, she’s no ordinary socialite.
the road ahead is as thrilling as it is
This lady is a collector extraordinaire
treacherous. Keep your heads cool,
with a taste for rare artifacts and shady
your senses sharp, and get ready for
trades. Crossing paths with her is like
the ride of a lifetime!
dancing with a deadly snake: one
wrong move and you’ll feel the venom.

3
 Chapter 2: Ice To Meet You
Welcome to Waterdeep, the Crown
of the North. She’s a city that plays
hard to get. You want her? Then you’d
better work for it. Tonight her streets
are shrouded in a thick mist that wraps
around the buildings like a lover ’s
embrace. Waterdeep is a city with many
faces, and she reveals her darker side
under the cloak of night.
As the golden hues of the sunset
fade away, and the city streets are
shrouded in darkness, a mysterious
gathering begins to unfold. Figures
clad in shadows emerge one by one,
converging towards the unassuming
facade of the Grinning Lion Tavern. Its
lively atmosphere serves as the perfect
disguise for Valerius Nightshade’s
clandestine operations. Behind the
tavern lies a refuse dump of rotting
food and trash which conceals a
hidden staircase, a gateway into the
realm of secrets known only to those
in his inner circle.
Step by step you descend into the
depths, guided by flickering lanterns
casting eerie shadows on the walls.
The sounds of the city above slowly
fade into silence. The passageway
leads you to a small chamber where
an array of empty chairs invite you to
take your place. This familiar setting
beckons you to wait patiently, knowing
that patience is a virtue in the realm of
shadows.
One by one you join the gathering.
The air is thick with anticipation as you
wait nervously, casting glances at one
another, faces etched with a mixture
of excitement and trepidation. This is
the calm before the storm, a moment
to gather your thoughts and steel your
resolve. Time passes, and the tension
lingers. Curiosity gnaws at your minds
as you ponder what the night will bring.
Questions hang in the air, waiting to
4
be answered. But for now, you have
an opportunity to converse amongst
yourselves, to exchange introductions,
and to share your thoughts on the
daring venture that lies ahead.
This is an opportunity for the team to introduce
themselves, describe their appearance and
explain the relationships between them.
Suddenly the door opens and in walks
a grizzled dwarf with a long grey beard.
You recognise him as Thaddeus
Stoneforge, Valerius’s trusted right
hand man. His piercing gaze scans the
assembled group, and with a voice
that carries authority and no room for
pleasantries, he says “Let’s be having
you then”.
You file past him, each step tinged with
a mix of anticipation and uncertainty.
Moving along a dimly lit hall, you find
yourselves in front of a door which is
slightly ajar, and you tentatively enter
the room. There, bathed in a soft
glow of candlelight, stands Valerius
Nightshade himself. His demeanor
exudes an air of intrigue and calculated
confidence. As he pours a deep red
liquid into small glasses, a playful
smile dances upon his lips. His voice,
smooth and alluring, beckons you
further. “Ah, please come in”.
The room is surrounded by shelves
lined with yellowing books and
unidentified artifacts. The scent of aged
parchment mingles with the rich aroma
of the wine, creating an ambiance that
feels both intoxicating and dangerous.
Valerius looks at each of you in turn
with his piercing gaze, assessing your
presence, your readiness for the task
at hand.
“Welcome, my friends”, he says. “ I am
pleased to see you”. You don’t believe

him. Valerius reminds you of a wily
fox, his eyes gleaming with a mix of
cunning and mischief. He raises his
hand in a theatrical gesture. “Tonight
we will secure a prize of unparalleled
value”, he declares. “The Heart of
Ice is a jewel beyond compare, and
soon it will be ours”. He passes out
the drinks and raises his own. “Now,
let us raise our glasses to the daring
and audacious”, he proclaims. “To the
heist that will be spoken of in hushed
whispers, the legend we shall forge
together.” He takes a sip and looks at
you expectantly.
Any PC who trusts Valerius enough to take a the team will need to overcome.
sip from the glass will gain +5 temporary HP.
Valerius turns around and lays out three
maps on the table. The team members
have seen these maps before; Valerius
showed them to each team member when
he recruited them. Now he wants to review
the plan one last time.
The first map is a detailed plan of Waterdeep,
marked to show key features around the villa
and routes to get there. The second map is
a rough hand-drawn sketch, courtesy of a
business associate who works as a cleaner
in many of the noble houses of Waterdeep,
including Blackthorne Villa. She has drawn
this map from memory, so Valerius cannot
guarantee its accuracy. It does however give
some useful information about the location
of the jewel and the major difficulties that
This is Blackthorne Villa, owned
by Lady Seraphina Blackthorne,
otherwise known as The Viper. She is
one of the most prolific collectors of
rare artifacts on the Sword Coast, not
all of them acquired legally. The vault
where she keeps her most valuable
treasures is at the top of a 100ft tower
surrounded by guards and traps... and
you are going to rob it.
Good news first: The Viper herself
will not be a problem this evening.
She will be departing just prior to
eight of the clock to take her teenage
daughter Aurelia to a pop concert by
“The Bopping Banshees”, courtesy of
an associate of mine who arranged the
tickets. I estimate that you will have
just over two hours to grab the gem
and get out of dodge. You do not want
to be there when she returns.
The bad news is that the security of
this villa rivals most maximum security
prisons. First you will have to get close
to the villa, which isn’t easy because
armed guards patrol the perimeter
and you must avoid being identified
or stopped by the City Watch. Next
you will need to get past a 15ft brick
wall, then make your way through the
5
 grounds which are patrolled by vicious
dogs. Once you reach the villa you
will have to get inside through one of
the doors, which cannot be opened
because they are trapped with alarms
that summon the guards if they’re
touched. Don’t even bother trying the
windows; they’re unbreakable and
don’t open.
Inside the villa there are alarms on the
internal doors which sound if they’re
opened. The front and rear halls are
guarded by animated statues which
attack intruders. A guard patrols
through the villa every hour, and there
are also magical security mirrors
which project what they reflect onto
twin mirrors in the security office.
Apart from that there are undoubtedly
a variety of traps which we don’t even
know about.
In the center of the villa is the tower,
which is accessed via an elevator.
This is where it gets tricky. The tower
is enchanted to be invisible from the
outside. It has no windows and is
surrounded by magical winds which
blow so hard that nobody would be
able to fly or climb to the top. The only
way to reach the room at the top of
the tower is via the elevator, but the
elevator won’t open without a key,
which you won’t have. It also won’t
move without a voice confirmation
from The Viper, which you won’t get,
and her fingerprint, which you can’t
fake. Furthermore, the elevator itself
is a fireproof box because the shaft is
protected by a permanent Wall of Fire
which will roast anyone who tries to
climb up it. Essentially that means if
you try to bypass the elevator you’ll be
burned to death.
Once you reach the top of the shaft
it’s a piece of cake. Just a Displacer
Beast guarding the entry room and the
most elaborate vault door ever seen
in Faerûn.
Any questions?
6
Valerius is offering 10,000 gold
pieces for the retrieval of the diamond.
Give the team an opportunity to discuss how
they will undertake the heist.
Valerius can offer the following information
about The Viper:
• She is a newcomer to Waterdeep; while
the Blackthorne family has long held a
seat of nobility in the frozen north, they
have never previously had any business
interests along the Sword Coast.
• She arrived in Waterdeep last year,
along with her teenage daughter
Aurelia (unknown to Valerius, her
husband Cedric passed away not long
beforehand).
• She purchased one of the noble villas in
the Sea Ward (a wealthy area located in
the north west of the city) and set about
renovating it. One of her new additions
was a tower with a vault at the top,
designed to store her most important
valuables.
• She needs the vault because she is a
prolific collector and black market dealer
of rare treasures and antiquities. A lot of
money passes through her hands.
• Her shady business activities have earned
her the nickname The Viper.
Valerius can suggest the following advice to
help with the team’s plan:
Avoiding The Viper. She is under
surveillance and an agent will report via a
Sending Stone when she leaves the concert
venue. He gives the other Sending Stone to
the team so they can receive the message.
At that point they will have approximately
fifteen minutes to get out of the villa.
Tracking time. The Lord’s Palace has a
clock which rings out across the city on the
hour and the half hour. The team will be able
to hear the chimes.
Villa staff. There are staff quarters on site Elevator. The key for the elevator hangs
but these are currently empty. The Viper on a chain around The Viper’s neck, but
prefers privacy and is not keen on having Valerius thinks the lock is the least of the
live-in staff. Her servants generally work team’s problems. He also cannot offer any
their hours and take lodgings elsewhere in suggestions about how to bypass voice
Waterdeep. recognition. He can however offer a tin of
Fingerprint Powder which an associate of
Guards. The team will need to either go over his swiped from the City Watch. This small
the rooftops or through the sewers in order brass tin contains some black powder,
to get close to the villa without being seen. a small brush and a square of soft white
If the Guards realize there are intruders in fabric. If the team finds a suitable fingerprint
the villa, they will probably attempt to ring by dusting they can pick it up on the fabric.
the alarm bell in the Security Office to alert
the City Watch. If Guards start going missing Vault. The vault was designed by Lockwell
it will probably attract suspicion. & Co., a respected firm of Dwarven security
consultants in Waterdeep. Valerius arranged
Rooftops vs sewers. The sewers can be for one of his spies to break into the office of
accessed directly underneath the Grinning the head designer, Bartram Lockwell. The
Lion, and they take a circuitous route to spy found the plans for the vault and reported
approach the villa underground. The team that the parts of the locking mechanism
won’t be seen but unfortunately there is a need to be moved into a circle in order to
risk of encountering various creatures and open the door.
diseases down there. The route over the
rooftops is more direct, and the team are Equipment - Valerius also provides the
less likely to have nasty encounters up there. team with a Scroll of Revivify, a vial of acid, a
However, it’s been raining so it might be a smoke bomb and one greater healing potion
bit slippery, and they will need to navigate each. He also hands over a battered deck
narrow planks and treacherous leaps. of cards wrapped in a leather strap; this is a
Deck of Nice Mundane Things.
Accessing the villa - at exactly eight of
the clock the perimeter Guards change.
They walk to the Security Office and switch
places with their replacements. This gives
roughly two minutes when the perimeter is
unguarded.
Door alarms inside the villa - our cleaner
friend has indicated that the guards carry
snake-shaped trinkets in their pockets which
can suppress an alarm spell as long as it is
touching the door.
Animated statues - the cleaner has been
told to stay 5ft away from the statues to avoid
triggering them.
Security mirrors. The mirrors show what is
directly in front of them in a 5ft wide line, like
looking through a window. They don’t have a
wide field of view. They are positioned about
3ft off the floor. If the team is seen passing in
front of a mirror, the game is up. If a mirror
is broken or its magic is suppressed or
dispelled, the Guards will know something
is wrong.

7
 Chapter 3: Gutters or Gables
There are two options for this chapter
depending on what the team chooses: The
Sewers or The Rooftops. In both cases they
will meet some elderly people who provide
comic relief and a piece of useful information.
DMs who are short on time may elect
to skip this chapter and deposit the
team directly at the villa.
Option 1: The Sewers
You emerge from the hidden rooms
beneath the Grinning Lion into the
darkness of the city night. The sewers
are well known to those of you who
are involved in Waterdeep’s criminal
underworld, and you know exactly
where to find the secret door that
provides access.
Descending once more into the
depths, you light a torch and find
yourselves in a small stone chamber
with passages heading off in various
directions. Consulting your map, you
head south west, along a wide tunnel
with a stone walkway on either side
and a pungent river of effluent flowing
down the centre.
The team will arrive at their destination a few
minutes before eight of the clock. They will
need to pass two locked sewer gratings, one
slippery patch, a couple of Sewer Grannies
and a Sewer Jelly. DMs should place these
obstacles as they see fit.
Tunnels. The entry chamber is 30ft wide
and made of solid stone. Tunnels are 20ft
wide with a 3ft wide stone ledge on either
side. A 14ft wide river of sewage flows down
the middle.
Illumination. There is no light in the sewers
apart from the torch carried by the team, the
lantern held by the Sewer Grannies, and
any magical light the team creates.
8
Noise. The flowing effluent produces a
lot of noise, resulting in a -4 penalty to all
Perception checks that rely on listening.
Walkways. The stone walkways are slippery
in places and strewn with debris. In one
place it is slippery enough for the team
to fall into the sewage. PCs will need to
make a successful DC15 Acrobatics check,
otherwise they slip and fall into the river of
sewage, and may contract Sewer Sickness.
Disease. The sewers are filled with tainted
water which transmits Sewer Sickness.
If a creature is immersed in sewer water,
they need to make a successful DC12
Constitution check, otherwise they begin to
vomit and take 6HP Poison damage. If they
are in combat they are incapacitated until
the end of their next turn.
Gratings. Sewer gratings are stout, but
many are old and rusty. Their function is to
block the tunnels to everyone except official
sewer workers who have keys to open them.
Opening a sewer grating requires either
a successful DC12 Dexterity check with
Thieves’ Tools or a successful DC12 Strength
check to break it open.
Sewer Jelly. A yellow jelly-like creature
lies across the stone walkway in front of
the team, dangling into the flow of sewage
and sucking up any debris that floats past.
It is approximately 6ins thick and 15ft in
diameter. The jelly covers the entire walkway
and most of the river, but doesn’t reach as
far as the opposite walkway. The team can
choose to bypass it if they have the means
to do so, for example by crossing the river
of effluent to the opposite walkway. It is not
possible to get a running start on the narrow
ledge, so the river is too wide to simply jump
across. Alternatively they can choose to
engage the creature in combat. The Sewer
Jelly is designed to be a fun little encounter
that doesn’t damage the team too much,
so it has relatively high HP but doesn’t do a
great deal of damage.
9
 The Sewer Grannies
As you progress up the tunnel you hear
a whispering sound ahead and you see
a faint flickering light. Approaching
closer, you see a couple of old ladies
hunched on the opposite side of the
flowing river of filth. They’re holding a
lantern and dangling what looks like
a net in the sewage. Beside them are
a pile of gunky objects: an old sock,
a broken bottle and several other
disgusting small items. Their clothing
is tattered and stained. As you draw
level with them you can hear one
muttering “Ooh Mabel, there’s some
lovely filth down here… oh, how do
you do!”
Mabel and Fay are two elderly human
ladies who live in the sewers. They make a
living from fishing junk out of the sewage
and selling it. They also have very strong Option 2: The Rooftops
opinions on the oppression of the poor and
the failures of capitalism. If attacked they
will try to escape by running away along the
walkway. Their AC is 10 and they have 4HP
(See Commoner stat block in Appendix 8).
The old ladies know a great deal about the
sewers and the type of sewage that comes
out of each noble house. If questioned they
will happily tell the team that they have seen
evidence of a Mimic in the sewage coming
from the villa, and they offer the team a dead
rat to help them lure it out of hiding.
Roleplaying Mabel and Fay
The old ladies have squeaky voices
and a colloquial style of speech,
punctuated with loud cackles and sly
remarks. Appendix 3 contains some
suggested quotes to help bring Mabel
and Fay to life.
10
Exiting from the Sewers
The team exits from the sewers via a surface
shaft which is 6ft in diameter with iron
rungs set in the wall to use as a ladder.
The entrance to the shaft is a 3ft wide hole
capped with a removable metal cover, which
requires a successful DC12 Strength check
to lift. They emerge into Lhestyn’s Court, a
small enclosed alleyway opposite the villa.
Assuming the party still has a light source,
they are perfectly safe. However, as soon as
the light is extinguished, the ghosts of the
alley begin to attack. Anything weighing less
than a pound is whirled about the court as if
caught within a wind. Shadows swarm over
the walls and repeatedly deal 1d4 Slashing
damage, starting with a slash to the right
ankle. This continues until light returns or
the team escapes into the street outside.
The incorporeal shadows cannot be stopped
or attacked, only escaped from.
You emerge from the hidden rooms
beneath the Grinning Lion into the
darkness of the city night. The rooftops
stretch out above you like a labyrinth
of hidden pathways, a secret world
above the misty streets.
An old wooden barrel is conveniently
placed beside the tavern wall, and
using it as a springboard you hoist
yourselves up onto the roof. Those
who are involved in Waterdeep’s
criminal underworld know that a
hidden ladder is discreetly nestled
against the neighbouring building,
and you quickly locate it and climb up
to the rooftops above Shando Street.
The tiles glisten wetly after the recent
rain and your feet slip slightly as you
begin to head northwards.
11
 The team will arrive at their destination a few
minutes before eight of the clock. Their route
will take them in the following direction:
• Diagonally across Suldown Street on a
narrow plank that stretches between two
turrets. A successful DC14 Acrobatics
check is required to cross safely. If a PC
fails this check they will lose their footing
and fall Prone, taking 1d6 Bludgeoning
damage. This makes the plank wobbly
and adds +2 to the DC of any subsequent
attempts to cross it.
• Anticlockwise around the block, over
the rooftops of buildings which are three
storeys high. The tiles are particularly
slippery at this point where a gutter
has been leaking across the roof. A
successful DC15 Acrobatics check is
required to make it over the roof safely,
otherwise they slip on the wet tiles and
slide down towards the edge of the
roof, grabbing a stone gargoyle at the
last moment to save themselves from
plummeting down to the cobbled street
below. They will take 1d6 Bludgeoning
damage from the impact with the
gargoyle.
• Past the headquarters of the GWL.
• Across the High Road, the main road
through the centre of Waterdeep. The
road is 150ft wide and carriages rumble
past below. The party may have spells or
equipment to help them get across, or
they may be able to persuade the GWL to
allow them to use their pulley.
• Northwards following the High Road to
the villa. One thatched rooftop is rotten
and collapses under the weight of being
stepped on; PCs must make a successful
DC14 Perception check to notice the
rotten thatch or they fall through the roof
and become stuck at waist level. They
take 1d6 Bludgeoning damage and are
Restrained. Pulling them out requires a
successful DC15 Strength check.
• The remainder of the narrow side streets
are easy to cross. The buildings are
close and jut out across the street, so it’s
possible for anyone with a Strength score
of 10 to leap between them without
12
difficulty. Players must roll a d20; if they
roll below 10 they are distracted by a
pigeon flapping in their face and they
miss one of the leaps. They manage
to grab the edge of the roof but an
item slips out of their bag and falls to
the ground with a clatter (DM’s choice
regarding which item they drop).
The Guild of Waterdeep Liberation
As you make your way across the tiled
rooftops you hear voices arguing. You
edge a bit closer and peer around a
turret. Wedged in the corner between
two adjoining roofs is a makeshift
shelter built from a pile of broken boxes
and discarded bits of wood. In front of
it, perched on old milk crates, are four
elderly men. They are the Guild of
Waterdeep Liberation, or GWL. Their
goal is to exterminate all pigeons in
Waterdeep. As the team approaches
they are deep in conversation: “… and
I’m telling you, enough with their beady
eyes and flapping wings! It’s time to
take back our skies and defend our
rooftops from the airborne menace!”
The GWL is a group of four human
men who have formed a guild with the
aim of exterminating all pigeons from
Waterdeep. They see pigeons as nefarious
criminals which steal food and defecate
on everything. The members are Reginald
Wingstrangler, Oswald Beakcrusher,
Archibald Featherwhacker and Mortimer
Plumeblaster. These are of course not
their real surnames, but pseudonyms which
they took to reflect their commitment to the
cause. If attacked they will try to escape by
running away across the rooftops. Their AC
is 10 and they have 4HP (see Commoner
stat block in Appendix 8).

Roleplaying the GWL
The GWL members are passionate
about their cause, and their deep
disdain for pigeons is evident in
their words and actions. They use
exaggerated intonation and dramatic
pauses to add humor to their dialogue.
Appendix 3 contains some suggested
quotes to help bring the GWL to life.
The GWL spend a lot of time chasing
pigeons over rooftops, which means they • Climb down from the roof of the High
see and hear a lot of what happens in the
city. If questioned about the villa they will
inform the team that Aurelia Blackthorne
regularly hangs out of her bedroom window
smoking, and it’s always left ajar. This could
be a good route to get inside the building.
Aurelia sleeps in the attic at the rear of the
villa.
The GWL has ingeniously rigged a rope-
and-pulley system across the daunting
150ft span of the bustling High Road. This • Open a window, enter the High Flagon
contraption, born out of their relentless
pursuit to rid Waterdeep of its feathered
foes, is an unexpected lifeline for the team.
It provides a quick and foolproof way to cross
the road... if the GWL can be persuaded to
let them use it.
A successful DC15 Persuasion check plus a
verbal description of anti-pigeon behavior
will convince them that the team truly hates
pigeons and is worthy of using the pulley.
With careful coordination and assistance
from the GWL, a sturdy harness is secured
around the PC’s waist. Then Reginald gives
a nod and the ascent begins. The other men
pull on the rope as the PC is whisked through
the air, the wind caressing their faces as they
swiftly traverse the expanse of the High Road.
The rope is then pulled back to transport the
next team member.
The team can operate the pulley themselves,
but the GWL will try to prevent them, unless
they are either killed or intimidated into
stepping aside (successful DC15 Charisma
check). The team could also strike a bargain
if they have something to offer, or use another
approach such as magic to persuade the
GWL to comply. The pulley can be operated
from both sides of the street.
Exiting from the Rooftops
The team arrives on top of the High Flagon
Gambling House, a four-storey stone building
on the corner of Thunderstaff Way and the
High Road. The building showcases a mix
of architectural styles, combining elements
of classic Waterdhavian design with ornate
details and intricate carvings.
From here, the team are likely to:
Flagon. There are various balconies
down the side of the building, the lowest
of which are enticingly level with the
perimeter wall of Blackthorne Villa, and
also with the single storey roof of the
Dining Room.
• Throw a rope across from the roof of the
High Flagon to the roof of Blackthorne
Villa, or use magical abilities to cross
over.
and head down the stairs, emerging at
street level (not the most inconspicuous
option, and the windows are very difficult
to open).
• Continue along the rooftops to the
Golden Harp Inn at the rear of the
villa. This squat two-storey building
has a steeply pitched slate roof with
several chimneys, and its low height
makes it easy to climb down from. The
southernmost gable leans across the
alley towards the stable block inside the
grounds of the villa.
13
 Chapter 4: Grounds for Suspicion
There are several routes into the grounds of
the villa. Some suggestions of strategies the For approximately two minutes the
team might employ: perimeter is unguarded.

• Swing from the roof of a neighboring

building onto the roof of Blackthorne
Villa, or onto the roof of one of the other
buildings inside the grounds.
• Stealth along the empty street and
quickly climb over the wall.
• Use a spell such as Mold Earth to tunnel
through the wall.
• Use ablities such as Misty Step or
Shadow Step to cross over to the roof of
the villa, or to get past the gate.
• Attack guards and take their uniforms,
or disguise themselves as guards, then
march right in through the security office.
• Pose as authorised visitors and con the
guards into letting them through the front
gate.
The team may decide this is a good
time to attack or pickpocket a guard
and take his snake trinket, so they can
open the doors of the villa.
The team sees the Guards leave and may
run stealthily around the perimeter at ground
level with a successful DC10 Stealth check.
A failed check results in a Guard looking
back over their shoulder and spotting the
team, then rushing back to confront them.
This may not necessarily lead to combat; the
Guards are used to dealing with loiterers
and will simply move them on, especially if
they don’t look suspicious. It is possible for
a team member to pick a Guard’s pocket
(DC12 Dexterity check), or attack them from
behind.
After a few minutes the new perimeter
Guards emerge from the Security Office
and take their places, as the previous
Guards disperse into the streets on
their way home, heading down Copper
Street. The Guard patrolling the
grounds takes a little longer to return
to the Security Office.

Guards
There are ten Villa Guards stationed around
the perimeter of the villa; three on the east
and west, and two on the north and south.
There are two more Guards stationed inside
the Security Office. As the Palace clock
chimes eight, one of the two Guards in the
Security Office heads off on his hourly patrol
around the villa and grounds, leaving one
Guard behind to deal with the shift change.
The Guards who were stationed on
Thunderstaff Way and Copper Street make
their way clockwise around the block, back
to the Security Office. The Guards who
were stationed on Skulls Street and Shield
Street head back to the Security Office
anticlockwise.

14
Front Gate attempt to call for backup from the ten
perimeter Guards.
The ornate iron gate is next to the Security
Office and is controlled from within. The gate
still bears the crest of the villa’s previous Be prepared for the team to decide
owner, emblazoned with the name Jhansczil. that taking out the two Guards in the
Through the gate a gravelled path is visible, Security Office is the best approach.
leading up to a large villa with lit windows. This means the mirrors are no longer
Several large trees and bushes are dotted an issue because nobody is watching
around. An Arcane Lock spell is cast on the them, and it also means there will be
gate. Opening it requires a successful DC25 no hourly patrols around the villa.
Strength check or a DC25 Dexterity check
using Thieves’ Tools. Alternatively it can be
opened from within the Security Office using Grounds
the hand winch.
The grounds of the villa are filled with lush
foliage and trees - ideal for hiding behind.
Security Office Three attack dogs roam the grounds of the
The Security Office is a single-storey building villa. The dogs are Villa Mastiffs, and are
where the Villa Guards begin and end their randomly distributed around the grounds.
shifts. The Guards are not accommodated
on-site; they clock in and out for their shifts
then go home. The office is occupied by
two Guards, who take it in turns to make
an hourly patrol around the grounds and the
villa. They are also in charge of opening and
closing the front gate for authorized visitors.
The main room contains a table with two
chairs, a shelf of paperwork relating to
various comings and goings, and a storage
cupboard with a dozen spare uniforms in
various sizes. On the wall is a winch which
opens the main gate, and there is also an
alarm bell which is connected to the villa’s
defences. A row of six mirrors hangs on the
wall; these reflect the interior of the villa,
At the back of the office is an empty prison
cell with iron bars, used to temporarily hold
anyone who poses a problem to security. In
the back corner is a small WC containing a
chamber pot with a lid. Each dog will spot anyone who gets within
Walking in through the front gate of the 30ft and will bark to alert the Guards and
Security Office is a risky proposition; any the other dogs. They will then attack the
suspicion could lead to the team being intruders. Dogs can be bypassed with a
relieved of their backpacks and imprisoned successful DC14 Stealth check to hide; they
in the cell. Escaping requires retrieving can also be killed, charmed or bypassed with
a set of Thieves’ Tools and a successful a flashback. A Guard patrols the grounds
DC14 Dexterity check to pick the lock, every hour when the palace clock chimes.
or a successful DC20 Strength check to A successful DC10 Stealth check is required
burst through the bars. A fight with any to hide from a Guard. These Guards can be
Guards present will undoubtedly follow. If also be killed, restrained, charmed, bribed
outnumbered the Guards in the office will or bypassed with a flashback.

15
 Stable this the team would have to specifically look
up and make a successful DC15 Perception
The wooden building is occupied by two or Investigation check (unless the GWL has
brown riding horses who are happily eating told them that the window is left open). If
hay. There are two more stalls but no horses the team has a route up to the window (e.g.
present, plus an empty space big enough a grappling hook) it is possible to push the
for a carriage and several wheel-marks on window open and climb through.
the dusty floor. In the corner is a large open
crate full of horse feed. Doors
The external doors of the villa are locked
Servants’ Quarters but can be unlocked with a successful DC14
This single-storey stone building is clearly Dexterity check using Thieves’ Tools. The
unoccupied and the door is unlocked. It doors are also trapped with alarm spells
contains a common room with several dusty which sound if the door is opened. The alarm
tables and chairs, plus a dormitory which spell can be dispelled using Dispel Magic;
contain wooden beds with no bedding. it can also be suppressed with a Guard’s
Between the beds are empty lockers, and an trinket.
empty chamber pot resides under each bed. Secret Entrance

Scouting around the villa will reveal a scuffed

Entering the Villa area of grass behind a large bush adjacent
Windows to the outer wall of the library. This is caused
by a secret door in the wall swinging open.
All of the windows except one do not open The team can discover the secret door with
and are unbreakable. The top floor window a successful DC15 Investigation check. It is
leading into Aurelia Blackthorne’s bedroom not trapped with any spells.
has been left slightly ajar. In order to notice

16
Chapter 5: Inside Job
Illumination the level of the mirror (or climbing
along the ceiling above the mirror) and
Unless stated otherwise, the interior of the
succeeding on a DC12 Stealth check.
villa is lit by wall sconces imbued with a
permanent Continual Flame spell. It’s night • Lifting the mirror off the wall (DC15
so the curtains are drawn in every room. Sleight of Hand check) and passing
behind it.
Traps • Killing the Guards in the Security Office
so nobody is watching the mirrors.
In addition to the traps which are specifically
mentioned, there are also random traps in
rooms. When the team enters a room, the
DM should roll on the Traps list in Appendix
4 or choose a trap from the list.

Alarms
All internal doors are imbued with an alarm
spell which goes off if the door is opened
without being in contact with a snake
trinket. Alarms can be detected using Detect
Magic. If an alarm goes off, a Guard comes
to investigate. The team can deal with this
in various ways, for example by hiding
(successful DC12 Stealth check), attacking
or charming the Guard, etc.

Security Mirrors
The mirrors are positioned on the stair
landings and transmit their reflections to twin
mirrors in the Security Office. They reflect the Guard Patrols
area directly in front of them in a 5ft line. If At each hourly chime of the palace clock, a
the team is seen on a security mirror, roll a Guard patrols the villa. He enters through
d20. On a roll of 10 or lower a Guard will the Kitchen door, using his snake trinket to
spot them and come to investigate. On a open the door without triggering the alarm.
roll of 11 or higher the Guard wasn’t paying He makes a sweep of the villa on each level,
attention to the mirror and didn’t spot them, looking and listening for anything that’s out
so nobody comes to investigate. If a mirror of place. He doesn’t have to worry about the
is broken or its magic is suppressed or security mirrors, and he knows about the
dispelled, this will also attract a Guard, as various traps and bypasses them with ease.
they will notice that the mirror is no longer
working. If he sees the team he will shout with fright
and attempt to escape to seek backup.
Mirrors can be bypassed in the following Unless killed, restrained, charmed, bribed
ways: or otherwise stopped, he will head for the
Security Office to alert the other Guard to
• Invisibility. the intruders and ring the alarm bell for the
• Illusion magic which alters what they City Watch.
reflect. If the Guards in the Security Office have
• Sneaking past by bending down below been killed there will be no patrols.

17
 Valuable Items DOWNSTAIRS
The villa is littered with ornaments and
treasures in every room except the halls and Room 1: Entrance Hall
the vault tower. If the team enters a room,
the DM should roll on the Valuable Items The entrance hall is a grand and opulent
Table in Appendix 5 to see what the room space that exudes wealth and class. A
contains, or select an item from the list. plush velvet rug lies on the floor, leading to
a majestic marble staircase adorned with
intricate carvings of horses. A magnificent
Traversing the Villa chandelier hangs from the ceiling, casting a
The key areas in the villa are the Elevator warm and inviting glow. In the corner of the
(which the team needs to bypass in order hall is a large statue of a coiled serpent.
to reach the vault), and the Attic (where
Animated Statue. This 10ft tall statue is
they can discover what The Viper’s voice
stationary unless a creature moves within 5ft
sounds like. Her fingerprints can be found
of it. Then it comes to life, transforming into
in several places including on her personal
a Giant Viper which attacks the intruder.
items in the Main Bedroom and on the items
Activating one statue does not activate the
inside the desk in her Study. Searching the
other one.
other rooms may yield additional treasures
and some information about The Viper’s A finely woven carpet runs the length of the
personal life. hall and attacks anyone who stands on it.
This is a Rug of Crushing. It has some basic
Fingerprints intelligence so doesn’t react to being poked,
only trod on. It only attacks intruders and
Most of the rooms and items in the villa is smart enough to recognise people it isn’t
contain a variety of fingerprints from The supposed to attack (e.g. Guards). When
Viper and Aurelia, cleaners, guards, guests, activated it attempts to grapple a victim
etc. The teacups in the parlour contain two and drag them away (10ft per turn). It takes
sets of fingerprints but it is impossible to say the Dodge action on every turn and uses its
which belong to the mother or daughter. bonus action to crush its victim.

Room 2: WC
This small room contains a built-in seat with
a hole in it, presumably descending to the
sewers.

Room 3: Study
The room is small and contains a heavy roll-
top desk accompanied by a wooden chair.
A shelf holds several leather-bound ledgers
and loose pieces of paper.
The top of the desk can be rolled back to
reveal a pile of blank writing paper and
envelopes, a pen and several bottles of black
ink, a stick of sealing wax and a seal. There
is also a dagger which at first looks like a
letter opener, until it gleams with a golden
sheen. This is a Dagger of Restorative
Vengeance.

18
The desk has two drawers which contain Room 7: Wine Cellar
some string, spare pens, and a folder of
This room has an earthy aroma of wine and
personal paperwork. Opening the folder
oak. The walls are lined with wooden shelves
reveals several love letters addressed to
full of dusty bottles of various shapes and
Lady Seraphina Blackthorne from her
sizes. In the corner stands a small table with
husband Cedric, a death certificate for
several glasses and a corkscrew on top.
Lord Cedric Blackthorne dated last year,
and what looks like a memorial card from a The labelled wines include Manycherries,
funeral service. The card bears a picture of a Arabellan Dry, Thayan Red and Westgate
bearded man which matches the painting in Ruby. There are also some bottles of Baldur ’s
the Parlour. The certificate states the cause Gate Pale Ale, and three bottles of beer
of death as a “carriage accident”. called Healing Harvest, which function as a
Greater Healing Potion (4d4+4).
Room 4: Library
The Library smells of parchment and dust. Room 8: Ballroom
A polished wooden table occupies the The ballroom is a grand space adorned with
centre of the room, surrounded by chairs black and white parquet flooring. White
with blue leather seats. Shelves along the leather seats are placed around the walls,
walls contain a wide selection of books and in between them are lush green potted
and scrolls, including valuable copies of plants. Large glass doors look out onto a
“Fossils of the Sword Coast”, and “Fairytales dark terrace. Against one wall stands a small
of the Lost Realm”. These rare books can polished wooden table with a large silver box
be identified as valuable by any PC with an on top. On the wall hangs a large longsword
Intelligence score of 15 or more, and are which dances with wisps of blue light - this is
worth 100gp each. The fingerprints on them a Blade of Inspiration.
belong to Aurelia, since the books are fairy
tales and geography (homework). If the silver box is opened, ethereal
music begins to play. Any humanoid who
approaches within 30ft (whose ears are
Room 5: Kitchen not blocked) is compelled to waltz around
The Kitchen is warm and the scent of meat the room. Closing the music box stops the
and spices lingers in the air. The fire in the music and frees the dancers. As they waltz
large stone hearth has gone out but the past the box they may attempt to kick the lid
embers still radiate heat. Copper pots and closed; a successful DC15 Dexterity check is
pans hang above it, glinting in the moonlight required. Alternatively the team may come
that filters through the window. A rough up with a more inventive solution?
wooden table stands in the middle of the
room, scrubbed clean and still damp. Room 9: Rear Hall
Room 6: Pantry The hall is dominated by a huge stained glass
window which depicts the city of Waterdeep.
The walls of this small room are lined with The light spilling from the High Flagon
shelves stacked with a variety of jars and Gambling House next door filters through
bottles. Stacks of wooden crates and barrels the glass and creates a wash of colour on
are neatly arranged on the floor. Several the floor. A large statue of a coiled serpent
cured hams hang from the ceiling. stands in front of the window.
The jars and bottles contain various exotic The Animated Statue is identical to the
spices and preserves. The crates and barrels one in the Entrance Hall. If a creature moves
contain flour, rice and other foodstuffs. They within 5ft of the statue it transforms into a
all open easily without any resistance. Giant Viper and attacks.

19
 Room 10: Dining Room Room 12: Central Hall
This room smells faintly of beef and cabbage, This small hall contains a narrow set of
and is lit by a large green glass chandelier wooden stairs which wind up out of sight.
hanging from the ceiling. A long table with In the corner stands a pair of sleek silver
feet carved in the shape of claws takes elevator doors. Opposite them is a large
centre stage in the room. On the floor lies a green plant, and an expensive looking blue
green rug with gold threads woven through rug lies on the floor.
it. Against the far wall stands a tall cabinet
with detailed gold inlay on the doors. A Mimic disguised as a plant waits by the
elevator to attack any a creature that passes
The cabinet contains a variety of crockery, within 5ft. Roots emerge from the plant pot
glassware and silverware. Anyone with a and function as legs, as a leafy mouth opens
Wisdom score of 15 or more knows the street up to bite. If it is enticed with a dead rat, it
value of the cutlery; the flowers engraved on will grab the rat and scuttle off into a corner
the handle identify it as the handiwork of the to chew on its prize, completely ignoring the
Quintus Silversteel factory, a revered group team.
of artisans whose silverware fetches 1gp per
item (there are 50 items).
Elevator
The smooth metallic doors stare blankly out
Room 11: Parlour into the hall. There is no call button or any
The room is comfortable and decorated in obvious way to summon the elevator. On the
a fashionable style. Two soft red sofas are wall nearby is a metal plate with a keyhole
arranged around a low table with a teapot in it.
and two empty cups standing on it. A thick
red rug lies on the floor. Along the wall runs Inside the Elevator is lined with raw gold silk
a long sideboard made from dark wood. and lights in crystal sconces. On the wall is a
small metal item which looks like a trumpet,
Above the sideboard hangs a painting of a and a flat panel with the outline of a hand
tall sharp-faced woman with short dark hair, drawn on it.
and a teenage girl with dark hair curling
loosely over her shoulders. Behind them The trumpet is for voice recognition, The
stands a bearded man with his arms around Viper speaks into it and the elevator registers
their shoulders. The tall woman is holding a her voice. The panel is for a fingerprint.
small brown dog.
The painting is of The Viper, her dog Locked Elevator Door
Barkley, her daughter Aurelia and her
deceased husband Cedric. The cups have The Viper wears the Elevator key on a chain
dregs of tea in the bottom and were used around her neck. The team can bypass the
by the mother and daughter before they lock in several ways:
left the villa. Using Fingerprint Powder
on these cups will reveal two distinct sets • The Knock spell can open the lock, but
of fingerprints, but they are very similar and the noise will attract a Guard unless it is
there is no way to identify which belong to silenced in some way, for example using
the mother or daughter. the Silence spell.
• The lock can be picked with a successful
The sideboard contains a box of six
DC20 Dexterity check with Thieves’
chocolates, each of which function as a
Tools.
Potion of Healing if eaten (2d4+2 HP). There
is also a decanter of some sort of dark • The doors can be prised open with a
alcoholic spirit and several small glasses. crowbar and a successful DC20 Strength
Right at the back is a small wooden box check.
marked “Do Not Touch Contents”. Inside is a • A player could use a flashback to explain
Rock of Companionship.

20
 how they got a copy of the key. Room 15: Storage
The storage room is small and dark. It
Voice Recognition
contains two boxes, a chest, and a child’s
The elevator will not move unless it hears rocking horse. Everything is covered in a
The Viper’s voice saying the key word. The fine layer of dust.
team can bypass voice recognition in several
Rocking Horse: A child’s rocking horse, old
ways, assuming they know what The Viper’s
and faded.
voice sounds like:
Box 1: A selection of old toys, dolls and
• The Minor Illusion spell can replicate a teddy bears.
voice.
Box 2: Crumpled pieces of paper with crude
• The Major Image spell can replicate a paintings on them. The top one is labelled
voice. “By Aurelia aged 6”. It looks like a picture
• A Kenku can mimic a voice. of a brown dog surrounded by pink hearts,
and it bears the name “Barkley“ in childish
• A Changeling can alter their voice.
handwriting.
• Alter Self can change the caster ’s voice.
Chest: Dress-up costumes, including a
• The Actor feat allows a PC to mimic a princess dress and a fur cloak. The chest
voice. also contains a crown, which is a bit too
sparkly to be costume jewellery, and is in
The team may use a flashback to find out fact a Crown of Clairvoyance.
what The Viper’s voice sounds like, or they
may have found the Echo Stone in the attic. Room 17: Master Bedroom
The key word is “Barkley”. However, DMs may The room is dimly lit by a bedside lamp and
permit the team to succeed with a reasonable smells faintly of perfume. A large double bed
guess at what they think the keyword might draped with red curtains stands in the middle
be. Options could be “Cedric”, “Aurelia”, of the room. Next to it is a small nightstand
Blackthorne”, “Viper ”, etc. The Crown of with a carved wooden box on top. A lush
Clairvoyance could also be used to bypass green plant stands by the window. Two doors
this difficulty. are slightly ajar, offering a glimpse of what
looks like a dressing room and a bathroom.

UPSTAIRS The box on the bedside table has an

engraving on top: “Barkley, Gone from my
sight but never from my heart“. Opening the
Room13: Upstairs Hall box reveals a small pile of ashes.
The stairs open into a wide hall which Dusting the room for fingerprints reveals only
matches the one downstairs. A security one set of prints, which presumably belong
mirror is positioned on one wall, carefully to The Viper.
watching the door opposite. The stairs do
not continue any higher.
Room 18: Dressing Room
Rooms 14, 16, 21: Bedrooms Opening the closet reveals that all of the
clothes are black (The Viper is still in
These four rooms all contain a double bed mourning for her husband).
frame, a heavy wooden closet and a small
chair. The beds have no covers or mattresses The dressing table contains a hairbrush, a
on them, and the closets are empty. It is perfume spray, a bag of makeup and a tray
obvious that these are guest rooms which of assorted jewellery. The tray contains five
are not currently in use. pairs of earrings worth 1gp each, and two

21
 gold wedding rings (one small and one large)
worth 5gp each.
The personal items on the dressing table are
a good place to find The Viper’s fingerprints.
Room 19: En Suite
This room is clearly a bathroom. A wooden
tub stands against the wall next to a red
velvet chaise longue. In the corner is a woven
screen, behind which is a chamber pot.
Room 20: Upstairs Central Hall
This hall is exactly the same as the one
downstairs, minus the Elevator doors. It
is incredibly warm; a successful DC10
Perception check leads the team to notice
that the heat seems to emanate from the
outside of the Elevator shaft. They may recall
that the shaft is filled with fire to prevent
anyone climbing it. Breaking through the
wall reveals flames roaring upwards. Dispel
Magic only dispels a small portion of these
flames. The stairs continue on upwards.
ATTIC
Room 23: Attic Hall
This hall is identical to the one below. A blue
rug lies on the floor, the wall of the Elevator
shaft feels warm, and there is a security
mirror on the wall.
Room 24: Attic Corridor
This long narrow corridor contains two
closed doors and offers access to the rooms
in the attic.
Room 25: Aurelia’s Bedroom
Light filters into the room from a small
casement window set into the sloping
ceiling. This is clearly an attic room which
has been adapted for use as a bedroom. At
first it seems puzzling, considering that there
are empty bedrooms downstairs. However,
all becomes clear when the team realizes
that this is a teenager ’s bedroom. Teenagers
always want their own space!

Room 22: Bathroom The room contains a single bed with a pink
cover, and there is a small table beside it
The door swings open to reveal a gold- with a framed picture on top. A large pink
framed mirror hanging on the opposite wall. rug lies on the floor. There is also a dressing
The room also contains a wooden bathtub table with various bits and bobs strewn on
and a purple velvet chair. it, and a carved wooden closet. On the wall
The mirror looks different to the magic opposite the bed is a dog-eared poster of
security mirrors, and is enchanted with three young men which bears the legend
a spell to trap intruders. The first PC to “The Bopping Banshees“. The central figure
open the door sees their reflection and is in the picture has a pink lipstick kiss on his
inescapably drawn to gaze into the mirror cheek.
forever. They can still move and speak, but The items on top of the dressing table include
cannot move more than 10ft away from the bits of makeup, a pipe full of tobacco and
mirror. Breaking the spell requires someone a tinder box. The pipe is a Pipe of Smoke
to say the PC’s name; when they turn to look Monster.
at the speaker they are distracted from the
mirror and are free to walk away. The spell The closet contains several items of clothing
can also be broken by blocking the PC’s view including a school uniform. Anyone whose
of the mirror, by carrying them out of sight passive Intelligence is higher than 14 will
of the mirror, by turning them invisible so recognise the uniform as belonging to
they can’t see their reflection, or by casting the Eltorchul Academy in Waterdeep, an
Dispel Magic on the mirror. exclusive school which provides magical
education to the children of the wealthy.
The man in the picture on the bedside
table is Aurelia’s father Cedric, who died
in a carriage accident last year. The team

22
may recognize him from the painting in the at the top to accommodate a guardian beast
Parlour or the Echo Stone in the attic. and a vault. It also includes a sketch of the
vault door which looks like the diagram in
Dusting the room for fingerprints reveals one Appendix 6.
set of prints which belong to Aurelia. They
match those seen on one of the teacups in Trunk: A folded wedding dress made from
the Parlour. smooth white silk, worth 50gp. On top of
the dress is a silver tiara worth 10gp, a few
dried roses, and a large clear oval gem. This
Room 26: Attic
is an Echo Stone. A PC can look through the
As the door swings open with a creak, dust stone and see a recording of a past event.
swirls into the air. The room is dark and filled The scene is a church, where a dark-haired
with a variety of boxes, chests and trunks. woman is marrying a tall bearded man. The
There are three boxes, two chests, and a priest says “Repeat after me: I, Seraphina
large locked trunk which may easily be Viperhart, take you, Cedric Blackthorne,
unlocked with a successful DC10 Dexterity to be my wedded husband”. The woman
check with Thieves’ Tools, or burst open repeats the phrase. The dog barks happily
with a successful DC10 Strength check. and the woman bends down to pet him,
saying “Oh Barkley! I love you too!” The
Box 1: Various decorations and baubles scene ends and the image fades away.
painted with snowflakes, the sort of thing
that people use to decorate their homes for
the Midwinter festival.
The Echo Stone is particularly
Box 2: Random bits of junk. A couple of important because it gives the team the
commemorative mugs, several bits of string opportunity to learn what The Viper’s
and various bits of unidentified metal and voice sounds like.
wood, a folded banner emblazoned with
the words “Happy Birthday!“, and a pencil
marked with the phrase “I went to Baldur ’s
Gate and all I got was this lousy pencil”.
Box 3: Letters relating to gambling debts
owed by Cedric Blackthorne. They are
mildly threatening, containing phrases such
as “You have thirty days to pay what your
husband owed us otherwise we will take
further steps to retrieve our money”.
Chest 1: Women’s clothes in a variety of
styles and colors (these belong to The
Viper).
Chest 2: Piles of paper, obviously letters
and bills. Sifting through them reveals that
the majority are for mundane things like
deliveries of wine and coal, but there is also
one from Lockwell & Co for the purchase
and construction of an enchanted tower
vault. Looking more closely, the receipt is an
itemised list of features to be included in the
design: invisible tower with winds blowing
round it to prevent access, elevator with
lock, voice and fingerprint protection, Wall
of Fire in the elevator shaft, and two rooms

23
 Chapter 6: Vaulting Ambition
Beastly Barrier
The elevator door slowly creaks open
to reveal a dimly lit chamber. It seems
much bigger than the hall downstairs;
obviously some sort of enchantment.
Your eyes are immediately drawn to
the huge metal door on the far wall,
which appears to be coated in ice. In
front of it stands a formidable creature
that seems to have stepped out of a
nightmare. Its sleek black body ripples
with iridescent blue markings. A
sinuous tail sways menacingly behind
it, and its six legs are planted firmly
on the ground, ready to pounce. Two
pairs of wicked tentacles unfurl from its
back and with horror you realize that
each tentacle has the head of a snake.
The tentacle snakes hiss menacingly
and a low, guttural growl rumbles from
the creature’s throat.
• Speed and Agility: It has incredible speed
and agility, and can move quickly across
the battlefield, making it challenging for
melee characters to keep up.
• Use the Environment: The creature’s
abilities rely on exploiting visual cues
and misdirection. Using environmental
factors like lighting, obstacles
or distractions can influence the
effectiveness of its displacement ability.
• Team Coordination: The creature is
intelligent and will likely employ hit-
and-run tactics. Coordination among
the party members will be essential in
countering its strategies.
• Dispel Magic and True Sight: Spells
like Dispel Magic can help negate the
creature’s displacement ability, making it
easier to land successful attacks.
• Close-Quarters Combat: It prefers to
attack in melee range, so characters
with ranged attacks might find it more
challenging to deal with.

The Viper Displacer Beast is a challenging

encounter for the team. Here are some key
points for running it successfully:

• Low Hit Points: Despite its formidable

abilities, it is not particularly tough. It
has relatively low hit points compared to
other creatures of its challenge rating,
and its main strategy is to avoid being
hit.
• Displacement Ability: Its primary defense
is its displacement ability, which causes
attacks against it to have disadvantage.
This can make it frustratingly elusive to
hit in combat.
• Illusory Duplicates: It can create illusory
duplicates of itself, further confusing
attackers and making it harder to
determine its true location.
• Multiple Attacks: The creature can make
two attacks per round, using its tentacles
to strike opponents. These attacks can
be combined with its displacement ability
to make it a formidable opponent.

24
The Vault Door Appendix 6 describes how to solve the
puzzle. If the team cannot solve it, there are
alternative approaches to opening the vault:
The vault door is an imposing sight,
made from solid steel with intricate
• Dispel Magic can suppress the spell
carvings of thorny vines etched into
which forces the gemstones to be
its surface. In the centre of the door
touching two others. This allows them
are what look like six black berries
to be moved freely into a circle, even
hanging on the vines. The carvings
though they are very stiff once the
and berries are obscured by a thick
enchantment has been removed, and
layer of ice.
sliding them requires a successful DC18
Strength check.

The ice can be melted by any fire spell, or by • Each gemstone can be prised off the
something like Prestadigitation, or simply by door with a successful DC18 Strength
an ordinary torch or lantern. check, revealing the mechanism behind.
The mechanism can then be picked as
Once the ice is melted, it is possible to see that a normal lock with a successful DC18
the berries are actually faceted gemstones. Dexterity check using Thieves Tools.
A PC who is sufficiently knowledgeable
• The Knock spell can move the gemstones
about black market gemstones might
into the correct position and unlock the
recognise them as black sapphires. When
door, but unless the noise is silenced in
touched, the gemstones move very easily
some way (e.g. the Silence spell) it will
and slide around on the surface of the door.
alert the Guards.
But they are obviously under some sort of
enchantment, because once a hand has • A flashback may be used to identify how
been laid on a gemstone it is impossible to to move the gemstones, e.g. the player
let go unless the gemstone is touching two could explain how their character sought
other gemstones. When three gemstones out the vault designer and tortured him
have been moved, there is a creaking sound to find out the solution.
and the gemstones reset to their original
position.
25
 Inside the Vault
As the heavy door swings open, a rush
of icy air spills out, enveloping you in
a bone-chilling embrace. Inside, the
vault is bathed in an ethereal blue
glow. The walls are covered with frost
and icicles hang from the ceiling like
chandeliers. Stacks of gold coins
glint temptingly among a variety of
other treasures including a silver cup,
a stack of books on a table, a huge
golden statue of a lion, and a golden
necklace in a green leather box.
At the back of the room stands a
wooden pedestal, and upon it rests a
dazzling diamond - the Heart of Ice. As
you breathe out in awe, your breath
hangs in the freezing air like smoke.
The coldness is emanating from the
gem itself, filling the vault and frosting
its contents.
The silver cup, books and necklace are
mundane items which are nevertheless
incredibly valuable. The cup is encrusted
with rubies and is worth 500gp. The books
are worth 100gp each. The emerald necklace
is worth 700gp. The 10ft tall statue is only
gold-plated but is still worth at least 1000g,
possibly more if it’s an antique.
If one of the players has been assigned
Secret 4: The Artifact Hunter, the
item they seek is within the vault.
The Viper is certain that her vault is secure
so there are no further traps. The team may
be paranoid about picking up the Heart
of Ice, perhaps thinking that an alarm will
sound, but in fact they can freely remove
it from the pedestal. However, it is freezing
cold and deals 5HP Cold damage to anyone
who picks it up with a bare hand, causing
them to drop it on the floor. It can be picked
up comfortably using a cloth, a glove or
Mage Hand etc.

Just as the team enters the vault,

the carrier of the Sending Stone feels The vault is lit only by the Heart of Ice,
a slight vibration in their pocket, and so if it is placed inside a pocket or bag
they hear a voice in their head: “The the room suddenly goes dark.
Viper has left the theatre. You have
about fifteen minutes to GET OUT OF
THERE!”
The other team members know nothing
of this unless the carrier of the Sending
Stone chooses to inform them.

26
Chapter 7: Chilling Betrayal
The team has achieved their objective
of laying hands on the Heart of Ice... and
now the real fun begins! They all have a
secret, and a reason to betray the others.
Roleplay and discussion will inevitably lead
to deception and bluffing, then to fighting
and possibly even to death.
At the height of the battle, when the team
is weakened and some of them are possibly
even dead, The Viper herself arrives.
You are so busy fighting among
yourselves, you barely notice the
sound of approaching footsteps.
Suddenly, from the shadows emerges
a tall woman clad in long black robes.
She brushes back her short dark hair
as her gaze sweeps across the room,
and she gives a slight smile as she says
“Now then, what do we have here”
Even if the team manages to make
it back to the elevator, The Viper is
waiting for them when the doors open.
their lives. This solution works out well for
everyone - The Viper appears powerful, the
team are rich, and her vault is safe from
further intruders... for a while at least. She
threatens to kill them all if they do not agree
to her plan.
She may also resort to persuasion, explaining
that she is a single mother since her husband
died, and she has a daughter to raise. Upon
her husband’s death, the noble title of Lord
Blackthorne passed to his brother, leaving
her and her daughter as outcasts. She
gathered the remaining wealth that she had
stashed away and came to Waterdeep to start
a new life. Trading black market artifacts is
just a way to make a living for the sake of her
child and pay off her late husband’s debts.
If some of the team agree to her plan
but others do not, she will direct them
to kill the others. As a last resort she
will kill the team herself, especially if
they try to escape with the diamond.

The Viper is a CR8 Assassin and is virtually

impossible for the team to defeat, especially
in their weakened state. She has no interest
in killing them however - instead she plans
to offer them a deal. She congratulates
them on accessing the vault, and explains
that she could easily kill them if she wanted
to... but more thieves will come. Instead
she proposes to let them go free, with the
same amount of money in their pockets that
they were offered by whoever hired them,
plus a large gemstone each. She believes
this deal is worth more to them, because
their employer undoubtedly plans to keep
the Heart of Ice for themselves... but the
gemstones she is offering are theirs to keep.
In exchange she wants them to tell everyone
that her vault is impenetrable. She asks
them to lie and say they tried to break into
the vault but failed, barely escaping with

27
 Chapter 8: Conclusion
If any of the team survive
The Viper’s smile widens slightly,
satisfied with your compliance. She
reaches out a leather-clad hand and
retrieves the Heart of Ice, placing it
carefully back on its pedestal. Then
she gracefully tosses a large bag of
coins to each of you, the promised
payment matching what you were
offered by Valerius. Finally she hands
each of you a large sparkling ruby, a
parting gift for your cooperation.
“Remember our deal”, she reminds
you, her voice cold and unforgiving.
“Tell the world about my impenetrable
vault, or suffer the consequences”.
Without another word, she ushers you
out of the vault and escorts you out of
her territory. As the heavy gate clangs
shut behind you, you find yourselves
back in the dark streets of Waterdeep.
As you disperse into the night, you
know that you will need to keep your
promise and uphold the lie about her
impenetrable vault. You’ve walked a
treacherous path, facing traps and
betrayals, all for a prize that you will
never truly possess. But in the end,
you survive to see another day, richer
in both coin and experience.
As the night unfolds, you each go
your separate ways, knowing that The
Viper’s influence will be ever-present
in the city’s criminal underworld.
Perhaps one day, your paths may cross
again? But for now, you are grateful to
have survived, to have walked away
from The Viper’s lair with your lives,
and to carry a tale of adventure and
cunning that will be whispered in the
shadows for years to come.
28
If the team is dead
The Viper’s sighs sadly, her eyes
lingering on your fallen and mangled
bodies. “Such a pity,” she mutters
under her breath, shaking her head.
“There’s no helping some people.”
She retrieves the Heart of Ice with a
leather-clad hand and returns it to
its pedestal, now spattered with your
blood. Then with an air of grace she
steps delicately over your lifeless
corpses and heads for the door. As
she casts one last glance over her
shoulder, she frowns and says crossly
“Idiots. They could have walked away
with wealth beyond their wildest
dreams, but greed got the better of
them”. Then, without another word,
she disappears into the shadows.
The treasure in the vault remains
untouched, gleaming in the blue glow
of the Heart of Ice. For your once
brave and daring team, there will be
no escape. Your dreams of riches have
been extinguished, replaced only by
an empty silence - a testament to the
dangers of crossing paths with The
Viper.
The city moves on, and the story of
your ill-fated heist is whispered as a
grim cautionary tale among thieves
and adventurers. A reminder that not
all treasure is worth pursuing, and
that sometimes, the cost of greed and
ambition is far too steep.
Credits and Legal
Illustrations created by Kelly Smith.
Diamond backgrounds from Adobe Stock.
Maps created by Kelly Smith using RPG Map Editor 2. https://deepnight.net/tools/rpg-map/
Tokens created by Kelly Smith using Token Stamp 2. https://rolladvantage.com/tokenstamp/

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eber-
ron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names,
and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other
countries.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such
material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon
Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2023 by Kelly Smith and published
under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

29
 Note from the Author
Heist Heist Baby is designed to be more about roleplay than combat. While there are a few
opportunities for hack-and-slash, these are not the main part of the adventure. The “boss
fight” at the end is actually a fight between players. The real joy of the game is seeing how
players interact as a team, how they deal with traps and puzzles, and ultimately how they
turn on each other at the end.

The adventure can be quite lengthy if the team chooses to explore every single room,
hence the time limit. DMs who have more time to spare may choose to extend this time
limit or dispense with it entirely.

The spelling throughout the Heist Heist Baby adventure is American English in order to
align with the style of the official D&D books. My nationality is British/Irish so I apologize if
any non-American spellings have slipped through unnoticed!

30