Time: 40 minutes
Goal: Engage in high-stakes combat or tense negotiation.
Setting the Scene
As the midnight bell begins to toll, masked figures step forward, casting off their disguises to reveal robes marked with dragon motifs. The room erupts into chaos as spells flare and blades are drawn.
DM Tips:
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Maintain urgency and panic through NPC reactions.
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Allow players to split tasks (protecting Silverhand, disabling traps, subduing cultists).
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Emphasize environmental hazards like broken chandeliers or spilled wine creating difficult terrain.
Enemies and Cultists
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Number of Cultists: 8 (4 spellcasters and 4 melee combatants).
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Leader: A Dragonborn sorcerer with a staff engraved with Tiamat’s sigils.
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Minions: Shadowy specters conjured by the cultists.
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Trapmasters: One cultist operates magical traps embedded in the hall.
Battlefield Notes:
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Tables provide cover; chandeliers threaten to fall.
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Arcane sigils are scattered, requiring Arcana checks to disable.
Key Challenges:
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Protecting Lady Silverhand: She begins counterspells and wards but needs 3 rounds to complete a defensive ritual.
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Disabling Traps: Arcane sigils threaten to trigger poison clouds or magical fires.
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Subduing Cultists: Each cultist has a hidden dagger coated in poison, forcing players to act quickly.
Skill Checks:
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Arcana/Investigation (DC 15): Disable arcane traps.
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Athletics (DC 14): Move obstacles to protect NPCs.
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Persuasion (DC 16): Convince nobles to help defend or flee effectively.
Silverhand’s Actions if Players Fail:
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Initial Defense: Casts a Wall of Force to shield herself and any close allies.
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Counterattack: Summons spiritual weapons to fight alongside her.
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Final Resort: Uses Mass Suggestion to force surrender or teleports herself and others to safety if overwhelmed.
Key NPC Lines:
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Lady Laeral Silverhand: As the attack begins.
“Stand strong! These shadows will not dim Waterdeep’s light tonight!”
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Cult Leader: As the cultists move in.
“For Tiamat! The Dragon Queen’s rise cannot be stopped! Kneel or perish!”
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Panicked Noble: During the chaos.
“The guards! Where are the guards? Someone stop them!”
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Harper Agent (disguised): Helping the players.
“Quickly! Protect Silverhand—I’ll cover your flank!”
Outcomes:
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Victory: Cultists are defeated, survivors interrogated, and new threats hinted at.
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Failure: Silverhand’s intervention saves the night, but her weakened state creates vulnerabilities for future encounters.
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Compromise: Some cultists escape, leaving behind clues to a larger conspiracy.
Consequences of Failure:
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The Cult recovers an arcane artifact hidden in the hall.
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Nobles lose trust in Waterdeep’s security, fracturing alliances.
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Silverhand is wounded, leading to political instability.
Loot and Rewards:
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Gold and Art Objects: Recovered from cultists.
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Magic Items:
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Wand of Counterspells.
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Rings of Protection.
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Cloak of Displacement (from the cult leader).
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Information:
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A coded journal revealing future plans of the Cult of the Dragon.
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Maps marking hidden cult bases outside Waterdeep.
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Environmental Descriptions and Effects:
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Falling Chandeliers: Dexterity Save (DC 14) or take 3d6 bludgeoning damage.
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Fire Trap Glyphs: Arcana Check (DC 15) to disable; triggers 2d8 fire damage on failure.
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Poisoned Goblets: Constitution Save (DC 13) or suffer poisoned condition for 1 hour.
Battle Pacing Suggestions:
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Round 1: Cultists position themselves, spells begin firing.
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Round 2: Players must disable traps or protect nobles.
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Round 3: Silverhand finishes her ritual, tipping the scales.
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Round 4+: Cult leader either flees or is captured for interrogation.