This subsequent journey is categorized within the description as a “reverse heist,” and when you’ve got learn by way of Journeys By the Radiant Citadel, the situation of this journey is likely to be acquainted. Shard of the Accursed is the primary of two Eighth-level adventures introduced on this anthology.
Spoiler Warning
As with the opposite adventures I’m , chances are you’ll discover out greater than you bargained for in case you stick round to learn this abstract. Whereas I’m not going to element each little part of the journey, it’s most likely finest if gamers keep away from the remainder of this part of the evaluation.
The Hook
Okay, there are a couple of completely different elements to this hook. In case you aren’t working for The Golden Vault, chances are you’ll get the Shard of Xeluan, the thing that must be reverse “heisted,” from one in all two sources.
One potential supply is a member of a commerce group that has acquired the thing and needs one thing with the merchandise’s repute put to relaxation within the tomb from which it got here. The opposite potential supply is a hobgoblin wizard and scholar who picked it up as an oddity out there, then did some analysis and realized that it could have to be returned to the place it got here from.
In case you work for The Golden Vault, they ship you the shard together with your key, and ship you to talk with a Tabaxi playwright that is aware of extra of the historical past of the merchandise. This is identical character that both one of many above contacts may even ship the PCs to see.
Nevertheless, when you 1. Get the shard and a pair of. Speak to the playwright, you then find yourself 3. speaking to the mayor of the city, who offers you the ultimate info that you’ll want to begin really planing and executing the reverse heist.
The Setting
The city of Oztocan and its environs is the setting for this journey, which, in contrast to a lot of the earlier adventures on this anthology, locations it in a longtime D&D setting location. This time, that location is within the One Flint Sierras mountain vary south of San Citlan within the Radiant Citadel setting. A lot of the motion goes to be going down in an excavation outdoors of the city.
Heist Tropes
It is a “reverse heist,” which implies the PCs are sneaking right into a location to return an merchandise. That could be a trope that comes up sometimes in heist tales, however as introduced that is one other journey that feels prefer it might have gone right into a sourcebook that didn’t characteristic heists and nonetheless really feel like a reasonably strong instance of the kind of job that D&D adventurers typically carry out.
That mentioned, like nearly each different journey on this anthology, the PCs obtain a map to assist them plan their infiltration, and so they have a number of methods of approaching their stealth infiltration of the excavation website. They’ve the chance to disguise themselves as employees on the website, or utilizing the air flow shafts to sneak in with no disguise.
Particulars
There’s a lot to be taught in regards to the big Xeluan, whose physique is being excavated for a uncommon materials that may increase spellcasting potential, and the large’s connection to an adventuring band that had been his pals, and construct the tomb round him when his physique was petrified saving the area.
Native politics in addition to the familial relationship between the mayor and his sister, the chief of a neighborhood legal group, additionally play into the storyline, as does the household historical past of the sister’s deceased lover, who’s integral in resolving the state of affairs as soon as the PCs make their option to the petrified big’s physique.
Creatures
There are humanoid guards and members of the legal group, myconids, shambling mounds, a clay golem, doppelgangers that take the type of their boss to assist her make her escape, an invisible stalker, wraiths, and a ghost.
After Motion
If the PCs obtained the job provide outdoors of the Golden Vault, they could rating a go well with of elven chain or a necklace of prayer beads. Whereas the playwright Leandro and Tavio, the mayor, are invested in fixing the state of affairs, neither one contributes something to the PCs in the event that they succeed. So maintain your eyes open for what you may steal from the legal syndicate in command of the tomb excavation, the Onyx Scar.
The Golden Vault delivers their customary magic merchandise as cost. This time round, the rarity for the merchandise is about to uncommon.
Ideas
Concerning the opening hooks, it actually feels somewhat redundant to have the PCs get the mission, go to at least one individual for info, then go see one other individual for info earlier than the mission begins. Particularly since Leandro has info that he doesn’t wish to share, however Tavio is more likely to volunteer. It appears like The Golden Vault might simply ship the PCs to Leandro and Tavio collectively, since they’re pals.
When you might take into account this a “twist,” the truth that the PCs might discover out that they’ll’t restore the shard of the large’s coronary heart to the remainder of his coronary heart with out the presence of the ghost who initially broke his coronary heart could also be somewhat irritating, particularly as soon as in addition they discover that the souls of the large’s pals have been trapped and so they have to verify to assemble these gadgets and produce them to the large’s petrified physique as properly.
I really actually just like the narrative that the PCs finally uncover, that the Onyx Scar tried to excavate materials from the large’s physique, which was indestructible, however as a result of one of many individuals serving to the Onyx Scar was a descended of the large’s pals, his participation actually broke the large’s coronary heart and made the large’s physique harvestable. It’s a pleasant story ingredient.
I want there have been somewhat extra of a head’s up that the PCs would possibly have to do one thing particular contained in the tomb different than simply returning the shard, in addition to getting some superior warning that perhaps a number of the magical experimentation which results in the souls being trapped is happening in any respect.
I’m a fan of returning to San Citlan as a setting, and truthfully, in case you aren’t planning on utilizing this “reverse heist” as a part of a Golden Vault marketing campaign, this isn’t a nasty journey to slip into your exploration of the Radiant Citadel, providing you with a further Eighth stage journey for that marketing campaign.
