0

Fired & Forgotten

Take a literal leap of faith into Sharn's industrial underworld. Will you fight for warforged rights?

Episode 1 of Convergence Manifesto

An Across Eberron Adventure

CREDITS
Writer & Designer: Imogen Gingell

Editors: Wayne Chang, Laura Hirsbrunner, Anthony Turco

Executive Producer: Keith Baker

Cover Art & Design: Kristóf Köteles, Laura Hirsbrunner

Interior Art: Imogen Gingell, Kristóf Köteles
Layout: Anthony Turco

Playtesters: Alastair Skerman, Charlix Whipp, Freya Griffiths, Josie Dandrige, Rosana Griffin, Thomas Loades, Tom Cosans, Zi Graves

Special thanks to Freya Griffiths for fueling my enthusiasm, and Keith Baker for creating Eberron!

Published by Across Eberron, an Eberron community project.

Disclaimer: The editorial staff of Across Eberron is not responsible for any damages due to hobgoblin wrestlers, levitating glass, or hypothetical lava.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, 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 2020 by Across Eberron and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

1
 In order to resolve the strike, characters might join the protest,
INTRODUCTION seek allies among the warforged locals, or earn the crew some
Welcome to Across Eberron: Convergence Manifesto, an street cred by taking part in an underground wrestling match.
adventure path for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS fifth edition, set in the Once the warforged have returned to work, the party must
Eberron campaign setting. This adventure plays best when used help an artificer stabilize the magical forge while being attacked
in conjunction with either Eberron: Rising from the Last War or by emerging fire elementals.
the Wayfinder’s Guide to Eberron by Keith Baker. DMs and Finally, once the prize artifact has been constructed, the
players may also enjoy the easy reference materials provided in characters fight their way past an ettin enforcer for the
Across Eberron’s Eberronicon: A Pocket Guide to the World. monstrous Daask crime syndicate.
Convergence Manifesto plays out in thirteen adventures as the
characters, in the employ of the Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild,
crisscross the continent of Khorvaire to retrieve items and
RUNNING THE ADVENTURE
magic associated with the thirteen planes of Eberron from their Fired & Forgotten is a relatively linear expedition intended for
associated manifest zones. These objects serve as components five 1st-level characters.
and fuel for an eldritch machine back in Sharn, a device with a The adventure is designed to take approximately 3 to 4 hours
nefarious purpose yet to be revealed… of game time. Expect to spend up to a full hour on character
Fired & Forgotten, the first adventure of the season, is introductions and Scene 1: Sharn Chicken, and up to two hours
designed for 1st to 4th level characters and is optimized for five in Scene 3: Warforged on Strike. Scene 5: Daask & Debts may
1st level characters. Characters outside this level range may take another half hour, but can be cut to save time if you wish.
not find the adventure challenging enough as written. If you find yourself with even more time to spare, you may also
This adventure allows heroes to dive (in some cases literally) wish to run one or both Bonus Scenes. These optional
into the rich lore and themes of the Eberron campaign setting. encounters introduce an additional element of Eberron lore
Players will have a chance to explore the industrial underbelly (Bonus Scene 1) and an unorthodox combat encounter (Bonus
of Sharn, the City of Towers, and join the call for warforged Scene 2). Each is expected to take approximately half an hour of
rights. Along the way, they may even find their way into the game time.
squared circle!
All monster stat blocks needed for encounters in this adventure

SUMMARY are contained in Appendix A: Bestiary.

While running the adventure, look out for the following
Characters are inducted into the Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild formatting:
with a literal leap of faith, playing the notorious freefall game
Sharn Chicken—who will be the last to activate their feather fall
Text like this is intended to be read aloud or paraphrased for your
talisman?
players.
As new members of the guild, they are then tasked with
collecting an artifact, tied to the fires of Fernia, from an artificer
in the deep forge districts of Sharn. Within the Cogs, the Sidebars like this contain rules reminders, reveal background Eberron
characters find the item has not even been finished—the lore, or point you to sources to learn more.
warforged employees of the forge are on strike!

2
 CAST OF CHARACTERS Tresca Tauny Teesbeak (TRESS-kah). A gnome from Zilargo
Fired & Forgotten principally follows the conflict between a who works for Halas Drummond. She has working knowledge
forge owner, Halas Drummond, and his warforged employees. of some simple elemental binding techniques, and will craft the
The artificer Tresca Teesbeak is the characters’ main point of Burning Idol for the Clifftop Guild’s client. She is much
contact, having been commissioned to construct an artifact for friendlier with Stoke than with Drummond.
their new patron. Personality: I am perky and analytical. Everything needs to be
written down.
CORE CONFLICT Ideal: Creation. There are so many ways to tinker with the
world. I have to try all of them.
Bond: Stoke’s crew have been a part of my experiments for so
long, and I will do all I can to help them.
Flaw: I can spend too much time taking notes, and not enough
time taking action.

Halas Drummond (HAL-las DRUH-mund). A greasy Brelish

human, proprietor of Drummond Independents, and the boss of
Tresca and all of Stoke's crew. He has mismanaged his funds
and refuses to pay Stoke's crew a reasonable wage.
Personality: I am slimy and condescending, and love to show
off my meager wealth.
Ideal: Money. The world owes me comfort and I intend to
collect.
Bond: The only thing that really matters is my own skin. No one
else deserves my pity.
Flaw: I am derisive and rude to almost everyone I meet.
Stoke (stəʊk). A warforged who has helped his fellows organize
and resist the harsh policies of Halas Drummond. He is
adamantine-bodied, wide-shouldered, and blackened by soot.
Personality: Despite my imposing physique, I am kind and
gentle, especially with fellow warforged.
Ideal: Future.
Bond: My crew are my family, and their wellbeing means more
than anything.
Flaw: I have seen enough of death. I will avoid violence even if it
is justified or necessary.

3
 Yadha-Ro (YA-da rəʊ). An ettin veteran with a missing arm, CONVERGENCE MANIFESTO CHARACTERS
now working for the criminal syndicate Daask in the Cogs. Twin The following characters appear as framing devices, though
heads Yadha and Ro are unusually coordinated for an ettin, but they do not directly push the narrative of the adventure. They
age and injury have caught up to them. Nevertheless, they are are likely to reoccur later in the Convergence Manifesto
willing and able to throw their weight around. adventure path, so if you intend to continue the series you may
Personality: We are impatient and quick to anger, especially if wish to spend time developing their characters early.
people try to turn us against each other.
Ideal: Strength. We earned our place through power and Guild Handler Lhara (LAHR-ah). Lhara is a shifter with white
persistence. They are the only things that matter. fur streaked with black. Her skin is pale, she has blue eyes, and
Bond: Throwing our weight around on behalf of Daask is our wears an eyepatch over the left. She holds a middling position
duty and our pleasure. of authority within the Clifftop Guild. Lhara is the characters’
Flaw: We are prone to frustration at minor mistakes. handler inside the Clifftop Guild and is trying to increase the
Guild’s coffers and reputation.
MINOR CHARACTERS Personality: I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I
The following are minor characters in this adventure. never raise my voice or let my emotions control me.
Auger. A warforged in Stoke's crew. When she isn’t working, Ideal: Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild. The Guild is my home and its
she dons the disguise of the Silver Kiss to fight in the pit at the members are my family.
Troll’s Nose tavern, but has yet to win a match. Bond: I will prove that Clifftop is the best group of skilled
Blue and Crucible. A pair of warforged with connections and troubleshooters and that we can get any job done.
an interest in construct welfare, both based at the Red Hammer Flaw: I am very sarcastic, and it can be difficult for people to tell
club in Blackbones, deep in the Cogs. when I am being serious.
Bolaar. A hobgoblin manager of the prize fighting ring at the
Troll’s Nose. He expects Auger to turn up at any moment.
THE CLIFFTOP ADVENTURERS’ GUILD
Daring Dar. A hobgoblin heel wrestler in the Troll’s Nose
Eberron, of course, has its share of organizations dedicated to the
tavern and fighting pit, specializing in traditional Dhakaani forms.
support and employment of exceptional individuals. Professional
Chandra Thane. A human historian studying the migration of
adventurers in good standing might be invited to join the Clifftop
Lhazaar at Sharn’s infamous Morgrave University. She Adventurers’ Guild (see chapter 1 of Eberron: Rising from the Last
unexpectedly manifests an aberrant dragonmark in Bonus War).The Clifftop guild, based in the Clifftop district of Upper Dura,
Scene 1. Sharn, was founded one hundred fifty years ago by a dwarf named
Deathsgate Guild Rivals. Ferrin (female halfling ranger), Shekkal Korranor. The current leader is Sumara Korranor, better
Aena Thennas (female elf warlock) and Gor'aashta (male half- known among her charges as Summer.
orc fighter) represent the Deathsgate Guild of adventurers. They The reputation of the Clifftop guild is well earned, and members
are pitted against the characters in a game of Sharn Chicken are expected to uphold their guild’s virtuous principles. Their long-
during the opening scene of the game. standing rivals from the Deathsgate guild have no such inclinations.

Provost Nigel Faurious (NIGH-jel FAR-ee-us). A human

academic who is very focused on his work and is often lost in
thought. He seeks to prove his theories on planar bodies and is
willing to spend the money required to build his strange device.
Personality: I am horribly, horribly awkward in social situations
and have little patience for any conversation that doesn’t have to
do with my work.
Ideal: No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility
inherent in all existence.
Bond: My life’s work is the study of planar bodies and their
effects on Eberron. I must complete my work and be given the
recognition I deserve.
Flaw: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth every coin of my
family fortune.

4
 SCENE 1: SHARN CHICKEN “And their challengers, representing the Deathsgate Guild...”
Three people step up to collect their talismans: A halfling in a
Our story begins in the city of Sharn, whose towers reach
patterned poncho and dinosaur feathers woven into her hair, an elf in
heavenwards as if to touch the moons scattered about the daytime
gold and black robes and a skull painted onto her face, and an orc in
sky. A network of bridges, walkways, and elevators present a maze in
scratched and beaten mail. He spits at the ground and shrugs.
every direction, each bustling with cosmopolitan citizens. Above the
The trio shake themselves out and stretch, then after a moment's
city, the shining Skyway district eclipses the sun. Below, the poor and
pause, the elven announcer picks up his commentary.
needy pace the slums for their next meal. In the district of Upper
The aim of the game is simple. The last one to activate your feather
Dura, toward the reaches of Sharn’s mile-high towers, a crowd of
fall talisman wins!” He shuffles everyone up to the edge of the
would-be heroes has gathered…
bridge, tiptoes dangling over a mile of weaving bridges, towers, and
sky coaches.
The adventure begins in medias res with the characters being
“Now… JUMP!”
briefed on their initiation rite. Read or paraphrase the following
introduction:

“Welcome to a tradition as old as Sharn itself.” The elf man waves SHARN CHICKEN
his cloak with practiced flair. It will take twenty seconds (three rounds) for the characters to
“... a competition of guts and skill to test the mettle of the heroes reach the lowest wards of the Dura district in Sharn. As they
of the Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild and the cowards from Deathsgate.” fall, the characters must evade obstacles along the way,
maintain their courage, and judge the right time to activate their
The rival crowd returns the insult with theatrical boos and hisses.
feather fall talisman at the last possible moment before hitting
the ground, saving themselves from an untimely death by
The announcer bows and then picks up a bucket brimming with falling.
tokens. He moves down the line of assembled would-be Roll for initiative when the characters and their Deathsgate
adventurers, handing them out one by one. rivals jump from the bridge. Each round, the characters face a
random obstacle from Table 1: Falling in Sharn. Roll only once
“Challengers! Introduce yourselves!” on the table—all characters face the same threat. Reroll repeats
to ensure variety. Evading the obstacles usually requires a
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. However, if a player can justify the
The announcer will ask each character their name and hand use of a different ability or skill proficiency then you should
them each a feather fall talisman. These are antiquated tokens, support their creativity! The consequences of a failure are
similar to Sharn’s more modern feather tokens, but require the different for each event, given in the table.
user to manually activate it instead of automatic activation upon At the end of each round the characters must make a Wisdom
a fall. Not as useful for saving lives, but perfect for a game of saving throw. The save DC is 5 in the first round, increases to
Sharn Chicken. 10 in the second round, and rises again to 15 in the third round.
If a character fails to avoid an obstacle on a given round, they
suffer disadvantage on the saving throw in addition to the failure
consequence in the table. On a failed save, a character’s resolve
breaks and they activate their feather fall talisman early—they
are out of the “race!” A character also activates their feather fall
talisman if they are reduced to 0 hp during the fall.

FEATHER FALL TALISMAN

Wondrous Item, Common
This small metal disk is inscribed with the image of a feather. While
the talisman is in your possession, you can cast feather fall as a bonus
action, with a target of self only. A feather fall talisman only holds
sufficient charge for a single use, after which it loses its power. While
it’s an expensive form of insurance, frequent airship travelers and
citizens of Sharn often appreciate the security it provides.

5
 TABLE 1: FALLING IN SHARN
1d8 Obstacle Evasion Failure Consequences
1 A washing line pegged with fresh DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) You become tangled and drag a ripped
laundry spans the gap between the bedsheet with you. Suffer disadvantage on your
towers. next Dexterity check.
2 A sky coach carrying a pallet of DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) You strike the pallet, sending a cascade of
cabbages drifts into your path. cabbages tumbling into everyone else. Impose
disadvantage on the following PC’s next
Dexterity check.
3 A flock of dirty pigeons takes flight DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) to avoid You enjoy a face-full of sky rat. Suffer
right into your path. or Wisdom (Animal Handling) to scare disadvantage on your next Constitution check.
them off
4 A pair of magewrights are carefully DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) to avoid Breaking glass is not as easy as the bards make
levitating a pane of glass across a or Constitution (Athletics) to endure it sound. Take 1d4 points of slashing damage.
gap between two towers. the impact
5 You are sure there wasn't a bridge DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) to avoid Your heart skips a beat as you slide harmlessly
there before! or Wisdom (Perception) to notice the through the illusory blueprint. Take 1d4 points
illusion of psychic damage.
6 You notice unexpectedly peaceful air DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) or You lose control of your trajectory and skip
and a sudden weightlessness. Wisdom (Acrobatics) to adjust for the across the side of a tower. Lose one item worth
manifest zone’s magic less than 5 gp.
7 A Talenta halfling mounted on a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) to avoid You collide with the beast, sending you
glidewing swoops across your path, or Wisdom (Animal Handling) to tumbling. Suffer disadvantage on your next
heedless to your fall. predict the glidewing’s behavior Dexterity check.
8 A lottery ticket drifts on the DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) to None. Though if you do catch it, you can cash it
currents, crossing your trajectory. catch it! in at your nearest House Kundarak branch for
2d10gp.

RIVAL PERFORMANCE OPTIONAL: WHAT WAS THAT?

If you wish, the Deathsgate rivals can use the same system as If you have time and wish to include an extra scene in this
the characters. Ferrin, Aena and Gor have a +5, +2 and +0 adventure, when you come to round 3, read the following text in
bonus to Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, respectively, and a +2, place of rolling on Table 1:
+3 and -1 bonus to Wisdom saving throws. However, for ease of
play and to keep the spotlight on the characters, DMs are
Light in a full spectrum of color bursts from a fast-approaching
encouraged to use an abstracted system: Ferrin activates her
talisman after 1d3+1 rounds (maximum 3), Aena activates hers bridge. The crowd screams and parts around a central figure. Before
after 1d3, and Gor activates his after 1d3-1 (minimum 1). you can fully assess the source, the prismatic cloud engulfs you and
Characters that make it to the end of the third round without your vision is overwhelmed by dancing lights.
activating their feather fall talisman reach the lowest possible
point of Lower Dura. Of those characters, the winner of the
As part of this obstacle, characters must succeed on a DC 12
race is the one that successfully avoided the most obstacles. A
Constitution saving throw or become blinded for one round. A
tie is possible between characters! However, under the
blinded character will automatically fail their Wisdom saving
simplified ruleset, the Deathsgate rivals will always lose to a
throw to maintain their resolve at the end of the current round,
player character that also achieves the full 3-round fall.
effectively ending their part in the game of Sharn Chicken.
If the characters are curious what happened or who ruined
When everyone has finally caught up and reassembled at the
their chance at victory, they can track back to the location of the
landing site, they will be greeted by their new handler within
disturbance. Move on to Bonus Scene 1.
the Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild. Move on to Scene 2.

6
 clear that they are outmatched, they will flee at the earliest
BONUS SCENE 1: A FIEND IN NEED opportunity.
If Chandra is saved, she will thank the characters and try to
If the characters track back to find the source of the blinding find a way to lay low while she can figure out what to do. In the
lights and the screams, read the following: future, she may return as a useful ally, or seek retribution if the
characters contributed to her “death.”
As the elevator returns you to the scene of the disturbance, you find
the conflict is far from over. A human woman is being pushed against REWARDS
Chandra isn’t rich, but she has reasonable means. She will
the edge of the bridge, and she struggles against the grip of a Sharn
lament she can’t help the characters more, since she needs her
watchman. She spills a satchel of books and loses her tricorn hat to
savings for an expedition she had been planning to take—which
the wind. The back of the woman’s left hand is emblazoned with an seems all the more important now that she has reason to make
angry, red dragonmark, still scintillating with colorful bursts. herself scarce. However, she will offer the characters a palm-
“She's marked! Drop her!” a voice bellows from the gathered sized crystal which pulses with colored light. It is a bauble,
worth little more than 10gp.
crowd.
“She's too dangerous!”
I know it’s not much for my life, but...it’s all I can afford to lose. I’m
The watchman holds her fast, but seems unsure of his duty.
sorry.”

The woman's name is Chandra Thane. During the characters’

fall, she manifested an aberrant dragonmark and accidentally Perhaps more importantly, the news of the characters saving
Chandra will eventually find its way to House Tarkanan, a
cast a powerful color spray, temporarily blinding a crowd of
criminal organization that serves as a sanctuary for aberrant-
nearby citizens.
Chandra is a young historian with Morgrave University, and marked outcasts. Some time later, whenever you feel is
appropriate, have a rat approach the characters and deliver a
were she not fearing for her life, she would gladly talk about her
specialty: Lhazaar's legendary migration from the distant 25-word message via animal messenger. Read the following:
continent of Sarlona. However, her new situation makes her a
pariah at all levels of society. She does not wish anyone harm, A common street rat scampers in front of your path, then rears up on
and is just as surprised by her manifestation as the gathered its hind legs and peers up at you. After a moment, it opens its mouth
mob. and begins to speak Common.
“Your aid of Chandra Thane was appreciated. If you need a favor
NEGOTIATIONS
The watchman threatening Chandra's life is caught up in mob from her new family, whisper it to the wind. We will find you.”
mentality, but he can be talked down. The characters can And just like that, the rat scampers away.
attempt a Charisma check, using the Intimidation, Persuasion
or Deception skills as appropriate. A bribe of at least 5gp will If the characters attempt to capture the rat, they find it is an
grant advantage on the Charisma check. The outcome is absolutely normal specimen of its species. A character who
determined by the total roll: succeeds on a DC 12 Arcana check can recognize the work of
the animal messenger spell.
• Less than 10: The watchman becomes angered by the
characters’ intervention and pushes Chandra from the
ABERRANT DRAGONMARKS
bridge. She is likely to die from the fall unless the
Dragonmarks are hereditary patterns that appear on the skin of
characters can think of a way to save her.
Khorvaire’s diverse people, granting them innate magical abilities
• 10+: The watchman will pull Chandra away from the edge
which have allowed them to dominate trade and industry as the
of the bridge, but will still attempt to take her into custody.
thirteen Dragonmarked Houses. However, the true marks have a
• 15+: The watchman will come to understand that Chandra dangerous counterpart. Aberrant marks can appear on anyone, and
is either innocent or too dangerous to deal with alone. He each is unique. Their powers are unpredictable and often destructive.
will let her go. Bearers of aberrant marks are often pushed to the fringes of society,
forced out by fear and hate.
“NEGOTIATIONS” Fifteen hundred years ago, the conflict known as the War of the
If the characters use force to save Chandra, or if they earn Mark came to a definitive end in the City of Towers. The forces of the
enough scorn to face arrest themselves, the watchman and his Dragonmarked Houses laid siege to the city, while the aberrants
backup will attack. The pair of guards (see Appendix) aren't made their final stand. When it became clear that they would fall,
afraid to “punish” Chandra, and will spend their first turn aberrant-marked legends Halas Tarkanan and the Lady of the Plague
attempting to shove her from the bridge. However, if it becomes laid waste to the towers of Sharn. Some whisper that aberrant magics
still stir in the city’s Depths.

7
 Guild Handler Lhara will not be particularly patient with the
SCENE 2: YOUR MISSION... characters, but she is willing to elaborate if asked. The players
might wonder:
Once the characters have landed in the lower districts, they will
have a moment to catch their breath and interact with the • What is the Burning Idol? A conduit to Fernia, the Sea of
Deathsgate rivals if they so choose. Fire—an elemental plane that drifts in and out of alignment
with Eberron (see sidebar).
FIRST TASK • What’s special about the Cogs? The Cogs are the heart of
Sharn’s industry, and home to a number of forges and
Before long, however, Clifftop Guild Handler Lhara arrives and foundries. It is said that fires burn extra hot in the Cogs,
congratulates or commiserates with the characters, then owing to a manifest zone linking it to Fernia.
launches into their first mission briefing, right on the spot. Read • How can we find Drummond Independents? Head to the
the following. fountain known as the Pool of Onatar’s Tears, and look for
the crossed iron staves above the door.
A shifter woman pushes through the crowd, clapping slowly. Her hair • Why aren’t the Cogs friendly? It’s dark, the City Watch
is white and striped with black and her skin is unusually pale. Her never go down there, and it’s a home to all manner of
unsavory goblins, gnolls and...others. They basically run the
right eye is striking blue. The left is hidden behind an eyepatch. She
place.
wears a mantle of command for the Clifftop Guild.
“Well, well, well….impressive show for new blood.”
She holds out a clawed hand to shake with any who will accept it. FERNIA, THE SEA OF FIRE
To most, Fernia is considered the embodiment of evil in the form of
“Name’s Lhara. I’ll be taking care of your first steps in the Guild.
fire, featuring endless pools of magma and flame, dotted with blasted
And now that you've officially joined our little family, it's time to put obsidian isles where creatures of fire manifest and make war with one
you straight to work. I need you to collect an order for a client—a another. Some scholars, however, believe that the plane embodies
bespoke piece, courtesy of an old friend and artificer called Tresca neither evil nor good, but is merely an elemental force unto itself—
representing fire as a destructive force, but also fire as a creative
Teesbeak. She works at a workshop called Drummond Independents
force, one that yields warmth and light and the potential for craft and
way down in the Cogs. Blackbones district. Ask her for the Burning
industry.
Idol and give her this…” When Fernia is coterminous with Eberron, heat waves and drought
She hands over an envelope sealed with the crest of the Banking follow. Volcanoes and magma pools often become portals between
Guild of House Kundarak. the worlds, though inaccessible to most mortals
More information about Fernia can be found in chapter 4 of
“That credit note is properly notarized so don't bother getting funny
Eberron: Rising from the Last War.
with me. You couldn’t keep up anyway.”
“Bring the Idol to my office in Clifftop. And hey, newbloods… be
careful, yeah? The Cogs ain’t always friendly.” She winks, pulls up her
hood, ready to disappear into the bustling crowd.
“Any questions, ask ‘em quick...I got a schedule to keep.”

8
 DESCENT
When the characters are ready to head down into the Cogs,
read the following:

From the lower wards of the City of Towers, you find an elevator to
carry you deeper still. The human attendant double-checks the
condition of the lift’s ropes and pulleys, and having satisfied himself,
he calls out your destination.
“Welcome aboard for Blackbones. Please keep your arms inside the
cabin, and for your own safety and sanity, try not to stare too deeply
into the darkness.”
He pulls a lever at his control point, and the cage begins to
descend.
Soon the throngs of people thin out, and the light of everbright
lanterns becomes increasingly rare. Within minutes, the lantern
aboard the elevator is your only sanctuary against the darkness.
Beyond the cabin, the lowest Depths of the towers of Sharn are
stacked with broken floors, collapsed bridges and abandoned
streets—a ghost of an ancient city, now merely a foundation. It is
silent save for the labored breathing of the attendant.

The Depths of Sharn record the history of Khorvaire,

transitioning from the poorest slums of Lower Dura to the
tunnels said to be haunted by the Lady of the Plague (see
Aberrant Dragonmarks, page 7). Deeper still, the foundations of
the human settlement on the Dagger River give way to the ruins
of Sharaat, a goblin city and once a jewel of the ancient empire
of Dhakaan. Though the Depths are dangerous to explore, the
routes down into the Cogs have been kept clear.
Introduce the characters to the Cogs by reading the following:

Then, even the ruins are swallowed by natural rock, and the silence
gives way to the rumbles of industry: rhythmic hammering, the hiss
of steam, and the roar of forge fire.
The lift attendant opens the cage to reveal the cavernous expanse
of the Blackbones central square, lit in the deep orange glow of
molten metal and everburning torches. At its focus is an oasis of
sparkling water surrounded by a pool of blazing lava. At its fringes,
shadowed, smoke-filled tunnels promise an endless network of
foundries and mines.
Untroubled by the smoke and sulfur, warforged are common—
hauling machinery, pushing carts of ore, and pumping the bellows. As
in much of Sharn’s underbelly, goblinoids share the space, making
their living as best they can from the shadows.

When the characters head off to find the Drummond

Independents forge, move on to Scene 3: Warforged on Strike.

9
 Tresca is firmly on the side of Stoke's crew. Their years of
SCENE 3: WARFORGED ON STRIKE working together have lead to a much stronger friendship
between the gnome and the warforged than with their mutual
You arrive at the Drummond Independent workshop to find a barrier employer Drummond. She won't tolerate breaking their strike
with violence, extortion or Intimidation. If the characters want
of steel and stone blocking the entrance to the grounds - not a wall,
Tresca to deliver their commission, they'll have to find a way to
but a crew of warforged standing sentinel. Their chanting is
help Stoke's crew achieve their demands.
accompanied with the thumping of their hammers against the
ground. The employer, Drummond, is also on the scene, jeering at them.
Many of the crew are carrying protest boards made from offcuts of Allow the characters some interaction with Tresca and a chance
soot-covered wood: “Thronehold means Freedom,” “Sovereigns not to survey the environment before introducing him.
Slaves,” and “Our war is not over!”
A hulking warforged paces in front of the picket, rousing the “I can wait you out, you'll come crawling back!” A human man leans
chanting crowd. His adamantine frame shines with the reflected against a thick wood door emblazoned with a pair of tongs and the
orange glow of the forges, though his hands and forearms are word Drummond in brass. His shoulder-length black hair is greasy
charred and blackened. and his waistcoat is stained with ink.
“For too long the charlatan Drummond has taken us for granted. “I ain't paying you any more than I spend on my hammers. Some of
We work until our joints weaken and our armor is shot—but we are us folk actually have to eat, you know.”
cast as servants and slaves, not partners or comrades.”
He stops down the line, and places a hand on one of his crew
Drummond is the owner of the eponymous workshop, and has
mate's shoulders, then he takes the hand of another. His touch is
been for many years. Since the Treaty of Thronehold
tender despite his strength. recognized warforged as people, he has enjoyed the fruits of
“They cast us as weapons, as slaves of war. Today we show them their labor. However, he barely considers Stoke's crew to be
how we build our future without shedding blood. It is time we earned people. On discovering how much House Cannith's forges in the
what we are worth. It is time for Drummond to listen.” Cogs pay their workers, Stoke brought his grievance to his boss.
His crew muster all the enthusiasm they can, but it’s clear that When he was refused, he and his crew walked out.

some of them are nervous about the display, or struggling to keep up

The characters can help Stoke's crew in the following ways:
the furor.

• The characters join the protest, improving morale. See

The warforged employed by the Drummond workshop are on Scene 3A.
strike. Led by a towering warforged named Stoke, they have • The characters secure the allegiance of local influencers.
ceased maintaining and working Drummond's forge to demand See Scene 3B.
fair wages, fair treatment, and proper acknowledgment of their • The characters help Stoke's crew with their lives outside
toil. work, ensuring they can maintain the picket. See Scene 3C.

The artificer employed by Drummond's workshop, a gnome If the characters achieve two of three, Drummond will finally
named Tresca, is ready to explain the situation to the cave to Stoke's demands and the forge will reopen. If they fail
characters. two, Stoke's crew will still return to work, but remain under the
exploitative conditions they had previously labored under.
You are approached by a young gnome woman wearing the
Once the strike resolves, whether in Stoke’s favor or in
incongruous mix of a prim, buttoned blouse and a heavy artificer's
Drummond’s, progress to Scene 4.
tool belt. She is scribbling notes into a tiny book, and a floating snow
globe follows her closely, emanating a cool breeze.
“You must be here for the Clifftop commission? I'm Tresca, the
artificer for this forge. I'd love to finish your order, but my friend
Stoke there has taken an opportunity. Drummond seems on the
verge of cracking, but if you want your order today, I think you'll have
to grease the wheels for Stoke and the others.”

10
 What matters to him is what he can do for his kin. That's
SCENE 3A: PROTEST why he is leading the strike—to see that his crew, whether
they're weapons, tools, or people, get what they need to live
Like most warforged, Stoke has learned the hard way that their lives. Though the warforged have no need of food,
friends and allies are worth their weight in gold. He lost they still require money for repairs, improvements,
countless brothers and sisters during the Last War, all while socializing, and supporting dependents, among other
fighting for the causes of others. Now that he is free, he has things. Even if Drummond will never see that Stoke's crew
found a reason to stand up for himself and the family he has are people deserving of reasonable wages, Stoke would be
built while working in the Cogs. However, despite his newfound satisfied if Drummond decides he needs to better maintain
focus on warforged welfare, he recognizes their precarious his “machinery.”
position in the post-War society, and therefore he is happy to • Vocation. “I was finished with destruction. The Cogs
accept help from anyone that can offer it. offer a chance to create.” Like many warforged, Stoke
If the characters approach Stoke and the picket, read the enjoys the rote work in the foundry. He finds it meditative
following: and satisfying.
• Family. “A warforged has the privilege of choosing their
“Welcome, folk from the Towers.” The warforged leading the family.” Stoke considers his crew his family. Not by
circumstance, but because they build their life together.
protest offers you a soot-stained gauntlet to shake. “The name's
Stoke. This here's our crew. Are you with us?”
ROUSE THE CROWD
If Stoke is satisfied that the characters are friendly to his cause,
STOKE’S CREW
The warforged working at the Drummond workshop come in all he will invite them to join his protest. He will point them toward
shapes and sizes, and Stoke is not alone in considering them a a stack of boards, some bearing slogans and others blank. The
kind of found family. The crew include: Anvil, Auger, Axle, Flux, characters can make a Charisma (Performance) check to rally
Graver, Hammer, Helve, Matchet, Mint, Pig, Quench, Slag, the crew and bring bystanders into the fold as follows:
Striker, Tilt, and Tongs. • DC 12: Your enthusiasm is infectious. The crew links arms
and bellows their song with renewed vigor. Drummond
retreats to his offices in frustration.
HEART TO HEART • DC 15: The energy in your protest draws attention across
Stoke especially is willing to talk to the players about his crew the plaza. Several warforged, and even a couple of goblins,
and their struggles. It may not directly influence the outcome of leave their games, drinks, and businesses to join the
their strike, but it could still earn the characters an ally and chorus.
friend. Additionally, if Stoke believes the characters are sincere • DC 20: Following your performance, word of the strike
in their interest, he will allow them to join the protest and rouse quickly makes its way around the Cogs. The crowd swells
the crowd (see below). Stoke will share his thoughts and as other warforged work crews join the protest and, with a
situation as follows: united voice, demand better treatment from other
independent foundries and even from House Cannith. If
• The Last War. “I was taught to kill for Breland, and your players roll this high, expect news of their exploits to
every day, I regret that I did my duty.” Stoke fought for reach the city above. A reporter from the Sharn Inquisitive
Breland, like most of his crew. At the time, he did not think or the Korranberg Chronicle might drop in for an interview
about what he wanted—others told him where to swing his when the characters return to the Clifftop Guild.
sword and he obeyed. At first, their losses were material,
then comrades, then friends. He deeply regrets his time
fighting, despite how little choice he was offered.
• Freedom. “We aren't truly free until we can forget we
ever heard the names of the Five Nations.” Like many
warforged, Stoke only considered that choice was an option
when the Treaty of Thronehold released him from service
to Breland. Stoke is frustrated that despite how few his
material needs actually are, he feels suppressed by the role
House Cannith and the Five Nations have constructed for
his kind.
• Personhood. “I don't care what they think. I care about
what we need.” Stoke knows full well how many people
consider him a weapon rather than a person. He sees little
point in arguing the philosophy of it all with other people.

11
 TALK DOWN CRITICS • Intimidation or Persuasion (DC 15) - The characters can
Alternatively, characters might attempt to convince Stoke's only sway Drummond by speaking to his greed. He should
employer, Halas Drummond, to do the right thing. However, he consider the risk to his profits, his reputation, and
is currently spending his time heckling the picket. If engaged in ultimately his business if he were to break Stoke's crew of
debate, Drummond will simply laugh off their concerns. their ambition and their morale. If the characters have
discovered Drummond's dodgy accounts, the characters
will have advantage on their Intimidation or Persuasion
“I don’t pay my hammer, and I don't pay my kiln. I'm already more
check.
generous than I ought to be. Treaty or not, they got a long way to go
to prove themselves to me.”
Any attempt at ending the strike by visiting violence upon
Drummond will be strongly resisted by Stoke. He wishes for his
Drummond isn't much for philosophy, and he cares for nothing people to win favor with peace and mutual respect, not fear and
but himself. A favorable response is possible if the characters a heavy fist. He is conscious of most people’s perceptions of him
can find the right buttons to press. and his crew as living weapons, and hopes for better in the
future.
• Investigation (DC 12) - Searching the workshop offices
can reveal the depth of Drummond's issues. He is not as
Successfully rousing the crowd or talking down Drummond will
good at accounts as he thinks he is. He is cutting corners
give the protest the space and the voice to grow, counting for
with more than just labor—he has also elected not to pay
one success toward resolving the strike.
for House Cannith certification and stiffed a local chapter
of the Daask crime syndicate out of their protection money.

12
 RED HAMMER
SCENE 3B: RED HAMMER The Red Hammer is a place for warforged to gather, make
Since they do not tire and have no need to worry about friends, and seek repairs or cosmetic improvements. It was
breathing, the Cogs are a hotbed for warforged workers. Stoke's introduced in Sharn: City of Towers (page 100) and is featured
crew could find many potential allies among the folk here, but in the adventure Steel Shadows by Keith Baker (Dungeon
they do not wish to leave their picket. Magazine #115).
The Hammer is owned and run by two female-personality

SEARCH FOR SOLIDARITY warforged named Blue and Crucible. Blue was an exceptional
soldier, but following the Last War she settled down to help
Characters can ask around for leads on potential allies for build a community for her people. Blue and other patrons can
Stoke's crew. An Intelligence or Charisma (Investigation) check speak little of Crucible's past, though they know she is a
to gather information from locals can reveal much of the local talented artificer.
politics. Warforged, goblinoids, and humans with the Mark of
Making gain advantage on their roll. Depending on the total of SWELLING THE RANKS
the roll, reveal the following: If the characters want Blue or the patrons of the Red Hammer
to join Stoke's strike action, they will need to convince them to
• DC 8: There is no significant law enforcement in the Cogs. close down the Red Hammer for a time and leave whatever
• DC 10: House Cannith controls most of the legitimate employment or obligations they already have. A Charisma
industry in the Cogs. However, most Cannith forgeholds (Persuasion) check can achieve the following, based on the
aren't much interested in the support of warforged rights. total. A warforged gains advantage on the check.
Instead, they seek to exploit wayward warforged in much
the same way as Drummond Independents, albeit to a • Less than 12: The patrons are struggling to make ends
lesser extent. meet as it is, and the Red Hammer is their only solace.
• DC 12: The Red Hammer is a tavern and smithy run by and Although they sympathize with Stoke, they simply can't
for warforged. It is a popular social hub and its proprietors afford to risk their standing with their own employers, or to
Blue and Crucible are pillars of the community. spend their hard-earned breaks on folly.
• DC 15: The monstrous criminal syndicate known as Daask • DC 12: A handful of patrons will leave the Red Hammer to
has significant presence in the Cogs, especially in the join the picket. The smithy Ash, the skittish Copper, the
district known as Khyber's Gate. zealous Shadowblack, and the well-dressed Dandy all offer
• DC 20: Some people have heard that a House Cannith to add their voices to the chorus.
leader is bankrolling Blue and Crucible at the Red • DC 15: Blue is deeply moved by tales of Stoke's plight. She
Hammer. Perhaps some of the creators care for their retrieves some wooden boards from beneath the bar,
‘children’ after all? scrawling out slogans with charcoal. She hands them out to
the patrons and turfs everyone out of the Red Hammer.
If the characters fail to find out about the Red Hammer, they “Time to show off what warforged are really capable of!”
will be unable to find a way to significantly add to the protest • DC 20: Blue will secretly pass on the characters’ passion
and they will consequently fail this section of the scene. If they for warforged rights to her mysterious benefactor, Lord
take the bait and head to the Red Hammer, read: Merrix d’Cannith. When the time is right, weeks, months,
or years down the road, Merrix might reach out to the
characters with a request, a favor, or even just a chance for
The Red Hammer is easily found by the gathering of warforged
a meeting.
outside its meager storefront. The patrons outside eye you with
suspicion, but do not challenge you. Inside, the air is thick with
Any attempt at Intimidation, or discovery of a Deception, will
smoke from a small forge burning low in the common room, and a cause Blue and the patrons of the Hammer to turn on the
single wall-mounted brazier provides dim, flickering lighting. A dozen characters and eject them from the venue.
warforged are scattered about the floor, speaking in rumbling voices
and working personnel repairs with the varied tools of artifice. The Bringing any number of patrons from the Red Hammer is
clientele are as diverse as Khorvaire’s battlefields: an eclectic Cyran enough to bolster the protest, counting for one success toward
ending the strike.
siege smith mixes with a slight Karrnathi scout and a heavy Thranish
knight. The cobalt-plated warforged at the bar breaks conversation to
greet you. Her voice is like a song.
“Welcome to the Red Hammer, friends. The name's Blue. What can
we help you with?”

13
 Auger risks losing her contract. On delivering the bad news,
SCENE 3C: THE SQUARED CIRCLE Auger will become demoralized and abandon the picket.
If the characters gain entry, read:

A circular ring has been laid into the center of this ramshackle tavern.
A crowd cheers and jeers from the edge. Many are waving around
If the player characters indicate they wish to talk with some of
the nervous or worn-down warforged in the picket, read: handfuls of copper coins, calling out bets on competitors. In the ring,
a dwarf trades blows with his human opponent. From the sidelines, a
giggling gnoll passes the dwarf a stool, who cracks it over the head of
On mingling with Stoke's crew, you find one anxious warforged
his adversary. The human hits the ground to a roar from the crowd,
staring off across the square at a clock face. They are shuffling
and when the dwarf holds his pin, copper coins start flying between
nervously and struggling to keep time with the crew's chants.
the tavern's clientele.

Auger is a warforged with a secret. After work, she heads to the

Troll's Nose tavern to participate in underground prize fighting.
The competition is fierce, and she fears that her sponsor will FIGHT!
ditch her if she fails to show up to her fight. However, she does
not want to abandon her crew in their vigil. Instead, if she takes The characters must nominate one of their own to fight in
a shine to our heroes, Augur will suggest that one of the Auger's match. All matches are strictly non-lethal, though many
characters fight in her place. of the fighters enjoy pushing the boundaries—especially with
Augur fights in disguise as Silver Kiss. It's a simple enough non-lethal magic. A character must fight without weapons (but
costume—a billowing black cape and a silvered crucible for a unarmed strikes are encouraged!) and can end a fight early by
mask. Her signature move is a headbutt, naturally called “the grappling their opponent. If they maintain the grapple until the
Silver Kiss.” end of their opponent's next turn, they win the match without
If the characters agree to help Augur, she will lend them her knockout. If a creature is reduced to less than half of their
disguise and direct them to the Troll's Nose in Khyber's Gate. maximum hit points, they suffer disadvantage on ability checks
Her point of contact there is a hobgoblin named Bolaar. to escape a grapple.
Auger's opponent is Daring Dar (see page 4 and Appendix), a
hobgoblin who specializes in traditional Dhakaani wrestling
Constructed haphazardly between a scrapyard and a slagheap is the
forms. His strategy is to land one powerful unarmed strike
Troll's Nose tavern, signposted only with the eponymous severed (mostly for show), then go in for the grapple.
proboscis nailed to the door. A menagerie of gnolls, hobgoblins,
humans, and warforged drift in and out, and each time the door
opens, the tunnel floods with cheers and the sounds of crashing TAG OUT!
metal. A gaunt hobgoblin is leaning against the entrance, questioning
The Troll’s Nose loves the spectacle much more than the
each new arrival.
technicality of the rules. Characters on the sidelines can try to
influence the fight by casting non-lethal spells such as grease or
The hobgoblin Bolaar is both managing the tournament and color spray, or even just join in to fight alongside Silver Kiss—
screening clients. He's not about to let anyone in to the club that but Daring Dar’s allies might try the same!
he can't trust—unless he can make some good money from
them. If one of the characters dons Auger's disguise, Bolaar can If Daring Dar is defeated, the characters will earn 3d4 gp in
be fooled into thinking his fighter has finally arrived with a DC prize money, Bolaar will be a happy agent, and Auger can keep
12 Charisma (Disguise kit) check. The hobgoblin has trouble protesting into the night. If not, Auger will be disappointed in
telling warforged apart from each other, or even from a suit of the blow to her reputation as Silver Kiss, but she will still be
armor. Warforged characters and other characters wearing grateful that the characters could cover for her. Either way,
heavy armor gain advantage on their Charisma check. Even if simply engaging in the fight is enough to count for one success
the disguise fails, Bolaar can be convinced to let someone fight toward resolving the strike.
in Auger's place with a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If
all attempts to sway him fail, Bolaar will reject the idea, and

14
 SCENE 4: LIGHT ‘ER UP! Stoke hefts a wrench as Tresca rolls up her sleeves. She whispers a
word of power to her snow globe, which bursts into a shower of ice.
If the strike resolved in Stoke's favor, read the following:
“Listen, that forge has been unattended for too long.” She hands a
stone crucible to Clifftop's finest. “I can handle the planar instability,
A chorus of steel and stone echoes across Blackbones as Stoke's
but I need you to help me lock it down. You might want to cover
warforged proclaim, with one voice, their right to be treated as
yourselves. Come on.”
people, not tools or weapons. Having retreated from the growing
She skips off into murky tunnels beside Drummond's workshop.
display, Drummond returns with a sack of sovereign coins and
The heat soon becomes nearly unbearable, stinging skin, singeing
paperwork promising more.
hair, and drying wood. Protected by her snow globe, Tresca doesn't
“Fine, fine.” He speaks through gritted teeth. “Take your money.
seem to mind.
And you'd best be worth it.”
“Who knows what the fires of Fernia have brought with them,” the
As his crew cheer on, Stoke finds a moment with you. “We won't
gnome mutters as she scribbles notes into her book. “But keep them
forget your part in this. I don't think any warforged in the Cogs will.
off me and wait for my signals. It's important we do this together.”
I'll make sure of it. You'll have friends here, if you need ‘em. Now
Stoke peels off to the right of the forge’s central chamber, readying
come on, let's get your artifact finished.”
his wrench to open a valve on a vat of molten metal. Tresca takes her
place in the center of a circle of arcane glyphs only ten feet from a
If the strike resolved in Drummond’s favor, read the following
roaring fire.
instead:

With local support dwindling, morale among Stoke's crew begins to The crucible Tresca has given to the characters is an important
part of the process to stabilize the forge. Stoke will fill it with
fall. Before long, defeated warforged drift away from the picket. Some
molten orichalcum, but using the metal to activate the glyphs
head out in search of employment elsewhere in the Cogs. Others
and complete the ritual will require precision and timing.
return to a gleeful Drummond, accepting the meager reward he is The stabilization process is about coordination between
prepared to offer. Tresca and the characters, following a sequence as follows:
Stoke finds a moment with you by the entrance of Drummond's
forge. • Round 1: Tresca will begin weaving magic into glyphs
“Thank you for your help, my friends. It seems today was not meant engraved into a circle around the forge. If she is not
incapacitated at initiative count 0 at the end of the round,
for us. Now don't you worry about old Stoke, I'll be here with my
the glyph preparation is successful.
crew the next time opportunity strikes.” • Round 2: Tresca does not need help with her ritual during
He sighs—a rattling imitation of a living human's breath. “Come this round. However, at the end of the round she will signal
on, let's get you your artifact.” the characters that their part of the ritual is approaching.
• Round 3+: With the crucible having been filled by Stoke, a
character must use an action to decant the molten metal
Either way, there’s work to be done!
over Tresca's glyphs of binding at just the right moment,
requiring a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
success, the glyphs activate and stabilize the forge. On a
failure, a character must refill the crucible (as part of their
move) before they may try again.

The elementals of Fernia have been enjoying the heat of the

runaway forge and will attack Tresca and the characters as they
conduct the ritual. A magma mephit (see Appendix) will
emerge from the forge's fires immediately, and again every
round at initiative count 0 if any previously emerged mephit has
been destroyed and the forge is not yet stable.

15
 FERNIAN HEAT
A creature that ends their turn within 30 feet of the forge must fire, caging its otherworldly fury. Tresca takes a deep breath as the
succeed on a Constitution saving throw or gain one level of fires calm.
exhaustion. The DC is 5 for the first round and increases by 1
“Great work, everyone!” Tresca scribbles down some notes, then
for each additional round. Creatures wearing medium or heavy
armor, or who are clad in heavy clothing, have disadvantage on starts rummaging through a chest of materials. “It should be safe to
the saving throw. Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire finish your client’s order now…” She retrieves a mold and starts
damage automatically succeed on the saving throw. Creatures cleaning out the soot.
can remove one level of exhaustion caused by the Fernian heat “You're right to come to us. Only Stoke and I can get the magic
effect when they finish a short rest.
worked into the metal as it's being cast. And you know you can trust
the word of a Zil. But it'll take even us a couple of hours to finish up.”
SUCCESS
When the forge has been stabilized and any remaining mephit
has been defeated, read: Allow time for the characters to take a short rest. The next
scene will depend on the time you have available. With time to
As the molten metal flows into the glyphs, they spark to life with a
spare, Tresca can send the characters on an errand into the
forgotten tunnels of the Cogs—see Bonus Scene 2. Otherwise,
hum and an orange glow. Tresca slams her rod into the focus of the
move on to Scene 5.
circle and roars a command in an arcane tongue. A net of ethereal
tendrils gathers at the gnome's feet and then erupt toward the forge

16
 FUNGAL CROP
BONUS SCENE 2: The characters will find four fire fungus (see Appendix) in this

PLAYING WITH FIRE cave. Each is hungry to consume organic creatures that wander
into their territory. If all four die without being captured, there
will be no suitable material for Tresca's alchemy. If a character
“If you'd like to keep yourselves busy while I finish up, I know just succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) check to
the thing. Right, Stoke?” Tresca doesn't look up from her determine the weaknesses of the fire fungi, reveal both the Heat
Death and Hibernation traits and see Douse the Flame below.
enchantments.
“While I'm shoring up the Idol's connection to the Sea of Fire, I can
CAPTURE
recycle the excess magic into a little alchemy project I've been toying A strong hero can subdue the fire fungus by grappling it, then
with. Something to protect against the heat or, if you prefer, to they or an ally can tie off its tendrils. A fire fungus is slow and
harness it instead.” easy to hold—it has a −4 modifier on Strength (Athletics) checks
Tresca holds out a hand expectantly. Stoke throws her a wand from and a −5 modifier on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks. To properly
restrain a fungus by tying off its tendrils, a character must
across the room.
succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check while the
“The concoction needs a live fire fungus hood. LIVE, understand?
fungus is grappled.
Just the one, but it best still be wiggling. Follow the lava veins down
Khyber's Gate and I'm sure you'll find some.” DOUSE THE FLAME
Fire fungus doesn't have a physical connection to a fungal
network. Instead, each mushroom is woven through Fernia
THE HUNT itself. Removing it from the manifest zone in the Cogs will
The tunnels beneath Khyber's Gate are even more difficult to therefore kill it. However, it also means it can enter a dormant
navigate than the back “roads” around Drummond state if it is temporarily cut off from Fernian influence. Fire
Independents. A DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check is required to fungi are vulnerable to water, and enter into a dormant state if
successfully navigate underground and follow the trail to where they come into contact with more than half a gallon at one time.
the fire fungi are growing. On a success, the characters will find That water might be collected from wells in the populated areas
the crop without issue. Read the following: of the Cogs, or even from water features like the sacred Pool of
Onatar's Tears fountain in the Blackbones district (see chapter
3 of Eberron: Rising from the Last War). Water summoned via
The twisted tunnels of Khyber's Gate give way to blackened caves of
spells such as create or destroy water is also an option for savvy
cooled lava and shining obsidian. The orange glow of superheated spellcasters.
rock still emanates from cracks beneath your feet, drawing a network
like the roots of a magical tree. Where the heat and light are If a fire fungus is doused with half a gallon of water within one
strongest, four red mushrooms sprout from the solidified lava. Each round, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or
is the size of a halfling, and caresses the broken rock with a forest of become incapacitated for one hour.
writhing tendrils.
REWARD
If the characters bring Tresca a living fire fungus, she will
However, if their tracker fails, they will instead follow the fungal harvest it to create their choice of a potion of fire resistance or a
network to an unstable tunnel. It will break, dropping the potion of fire breath. It is a quick process—Stoke has already
characters into the middle of the fire fungus crop. The fungi will fetched her cauldron. When the players have decided who gets
attack while the characters are surprised. the potion, move on to Scene 5.

17
 SCENE 5: DAASK & DEBTS
“Now for the grand finale! Brace yourselves!” Tresca retrieves a blue
crystal sliver from her belt pouch, sets it into a crucible, and gently
slides it into the stabilized fire with a pair of tongs. It rests atop a
glowing stone mold.
A moment later a wave of heat washes over you. It is infused with
malevolent intent and an insatiable hunger to burn.
With one practiced motion, Tresca pulls out the mold with her
tongs, and Stoke smashes it with an oversized iron maul.
All that remains is a shimmering, metallic statue, cast in brass-
colored orichalcum. The figure sits in meditation, the blue crystal set
atop its crown.
“It'll be warm, but it's safe to touch. Mostly. Do not remove the
crystal stopper. It contains the endless fires of Fernia.”

THE BURNING IDOL

Tresca's warning about the Burning Idol is sincere. It must be
carried carefully to avoid dangerous release of its arcane power.
When a creature who is carrying the artifact takes damage, they
must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to 10 or
half the damage taken, whichever is greater. If a character fails
their saving throw, they drop the artifact. Though the Idol itself
is sturdy and will not break, the disruption can cause a chain
reaction of unbound fire magic.
A sea of fire leaks from the artifact, causing 1d4 fire damage
to the creature that dropped it. The sea of fire immediately
spreads through a 5-foot-diameter space beneath it. At initiative
count 0, it will spread 5 feet in all directions. A creature that
starts their turn in the sea of fire takes 1d4 fire damage.
The spread of the sea can be halted by using an action to
understand and tweak the environmental magic, requiring a DC
12 Intelligence (Arcana) check. Within a Fernia manifest zone
such as the Cogs, the fire will burn eternally. Otherwise, it
remains burning for 1 hour after the spread has been halted.
Attempting to extinguish the fire with water will instead
produce a cloud of steam as if someone had cast fog cloud.
Once the characters have collected the Idol and begin to make
their way out, Drummond is paid a visit by a would-be business
partner. Move on to Scene 5A.

18
 DIPLOMACY
SCENE 5A: Yadha-Ro is not interested in letting the characters go free for

TWO HEADS ARE nothing, no matter how silver-tongued their bard might be.
Yadha-Ro can only be persuaded to back off for the moment if

BETTER THAN NONE they offer tangible reason to do so. Regardless, sweet-talking
them might get Yadha-Ro talking about Daask's role in the
Cogs. With a Charisma (Persuasion) check, Yadha-Ro will
“Drummond, you worm, we've come to collect.” gladly reveal the following lore:
Their twin voices, in unison, shake the pebbles scattered about the
• DC 8: Daask is a syndicate claiming to represent the
floor. She is twelve feet tall, built like a lightning rail car, and sports
interests of so-called monstrous peoples in Khorvaire.
two heads—each as angry and each as disheveled. Her tangled braids
• DC 10: Daask supremacy is unquestioned in the Cogs, and
trail behind her, blackened by soot, and she thumps a club against their presence is also strong in Lower Dura.
the ground with her one remaining arm. • DC 12: If you need narcotics in the lower wards, Daask can
“Money or blood, Drummond, ” her left head roars. “Blood or get it for you. They also have a particular interest in
money,” the right echoes. “protection” of certain businesses in Sharn. Especially
protection from Boromar influence.
• DC 15: The leader of Daask in Sharn is an oni named
Yadha-Ro is an enforcer for the criminal syndicate known as Cavallah. If the characters have grievance with Daask, they
Daask. The warforged workers are not the only faction that could always go see her in Callestan, Lower Dura.
Drummond has failed to pay properly, and Daask intends to
teach him a swift lesson about tribute in the Cogs. Yadha-Ro expects a lot of a business relationship, especially one
Although their kind are usually cast as dumb brutes, Yadha-Ro that would save Drummond's forge. With a successful DC 18
has years of experience working the racket in Khyber's Gate. Charisma (Persuasion, Intimidation or Deception) check, Yadha
Age and injury limit their strength compared to others of their or Ro can be persuaded to trade the satisfaction of breaking
kind, but they still tower above any common gnoll, orc, or Drummond's legs for a favor owed to Daask. Both heads, Yadha
hobgoblin. Perhaps more rarely for an ettin, twin heads Yadha and Ro, must be persuaded separately, using two different types
and Ro get on well with each other. Their coordination serves of skill.
them well, and together they are sharper than the lowest of However, failing a Charisma check, either in pursuit of
Daask's leadership. Their relationship is born out of necessity, knowledge about Daask or as a means of bargaining, will anger
at least for Ro. Having lost her arm in Droaam's consolidation, Yadha-Ro enough that they attack (see Show of Strength
she is almost entirely reliant on Yadha. below). If the characters convinced just one of the heads to play
Daask's patience with Drummond has worn through, and the nice, Yadha-Ro will have disadvantage on attack rolls, ability
attention brought by Stoke's crew hasn't helped. Despite their checks, and saving throws until the end of their first turn.
warning, Yadha-Ro isn't much interested in money. For them,
it's leg breaking time. As far as Yadha-Ro and Daask are
SHOW OF STRENGTH
concerned, Stoke's crew, Tresca and even the player characters The surest way to get Yadha-Ro to back off is to best them in
are guilty by association. Even without Drummond in the combat. Ettins respect strength, and proving that the forge has
picture, failing to deal with Yadha-Ro will make life difficult for powerful friends will be enough to cause Daask to back off—at
Tresca and Stoke in the near future. Characters might defuse least for now. Yadha will freely admit that, though Ro will
the situation in the following ways: chastise her twin's loose lips.
If a fight breaks out, the players will first face Yadha-Ro (see
Appendix). The commotion will draw the ettins’ two goblin (see
DAASK Appendix) goons from their lookout spots. Each goblin will
An aggressive criminal organisation, Daask (see chapter 4 of arrive after 1d3+1 rounds (roll separately). If Yadha-Ro has
Eberron: Rising from the Last War) is led by monstrous immigrants
been defeated in that time, they will back off without a fight.
from the land of Droaam. Active principally within the Cogs and the
Yadha-Ro and their goons will attempt to disrupt whoever is
district Malleon’s Gate, Daask appear to most to be a violent gang
carrying the Burning Idol. Dropping the Idol will not damage it,
keen on selling narcotics and expanding their influence. However,
but it may cause a fire to spread through the battleground (see
the leadership are careful to ensure that their growth is sustainable.
the Burning Idol section on page18).
The leader of the Sharn chapter, Cavallah, is an oni scholar who may
end up an unlikely ally if her goals align with the characters’. Once Yadha-Ro and Daask have been subdued or satisfied,
the characters are free to return to their employer. Move on to
the conclusion in Scene 6.

19
 SCENE 6: NEW BEGINNINGS
Once the characters have retrieved the Burning Idol and have
safely navigated the aggressions of Daask, they can return to the
Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild in Upper Dura without further
conflict. When they do, read the following:

Guild Handler Lhara, the pale shifter who had given you your mission,
is waiting for you beneath the arches of the Clifftop guildhall. Leaning
casually against the stone walls, she flicks away a toothpick and
saunters over to meet you.
“I hope you have our client’s Idol?” She grins, baring her fangs.
“Speaking of which, there’s someone you should meet.”
Lhara beckons you into the guild hall and leads you through a maze
of stone corridors. The walkways are flanked by statues of previous
guild heroes: Shekkal Korranor, the Guild’s Founder, plus the likes of THE CONVERGENCE MANIFESTO
Kallon ir'Harwent, Rayla of Farcove, Mira Dread, and more. Before For too long, my theories have been dismissed…
long, your Guild Handler has led you to a well-appointed sitting room There are no barriers. No limits!
decorated in oak.
I will prove my thesis, once and for all…
A middle-aged human man is seated in one of the plush chairs. He
appears well-to-do, with a well-maintained mustache and academic The Sea of Fire can be channeled for the betterment of all nations…

robes. He is scratching away in a notebook with an ink pen at an

almost feverish pace. Lhara clears her throat when the man doesn't
immediately notice your group enter. She makes introductions when MISSION REWARD
Lhara was not expecting the characters to run into much
his attention is finally drawn from his writing.
trouble in the Cogs, so she had not expected to pay them much
“This is Provost Nigel Faurious, our client for your little endeavor. for what might have been done by any competent courier.
It’s my hope the group of us will have a very fruitful relationship.” However, she will gift each of the characters a 100 gp ‘signing
on’ bonus for joining the Clifftop Adventurers’ Guild, in hopes
that'll tempt them into keeping contact. She will congratulate
them on passing probation.
THE PROVOST'S MANIFESTO
The Provost is a studious man and pays more attention to his
work than the characters. However, if pushed, he is happy to THE END?
The Provost needs thirteen focuses to prove his thesis correct.
discuss his field of expertise, interest, and some might say
If the players wish to continue this story and work closely with
obsession: the thirteen outer planes moving through the
Guild Handler Lhara, they can look forward to a further 12
cosmos. The Burning Idol is the focus for tracking Fernia, the
adventures as the Convergence Manifesto series continues
Sea of Fire.
with AE01-02: Live Another Day.
If asked specifically what he is writing, he reveals only the title
of his thesis: The Convergence Manifesto. He will under no
circumstances let the characters read it. If the characters try to
sneak a peek at what he’s writing, a DC 18 Wisdom
(Perception) check will allow them to catch a few snippets
before he closes the notebook (see sidebar). If the players
attempt to steal the book, they will find it locked by an arcane
lock, and any attempt to force it open will damage the book
beyond readability.

20
 APPENDIX A: BESTIARY

21
22