Xaxlar Grablethax's Orphanage for Outcasts (5e Quest)

Adventure Background

Long ago, a mindflayer broke from their elder brain's control. Conflicted by the sudden onset of morality and mortality, he and a blue dracolich he had befriended on his travels set out to found a sanctuary for those whose origins leave them untrusted and persecuted by traditional society. This small, wooden orphanage bore the name the mindflayer had taken; Xaxlar Grablethax's Orphanage for Outcasts. Shortly after its first inhabitants arrived, Xaxlar and the dracolich, named Indura, formulated an intricate magical clock intended to block out any supernatural interference with their peoples' minds, ranging from lycanthropes' moonlight transformation to demonic influences on Tanarukk. This does not nullify magic altogether, only that which would effect one's mind. Across decades, the small building expanded into a 3-district town, with each being inhabited by their builders:

Greyroad

• Greyroad is an area inhabited by lycanthropes ruled by a clean, muscular red weredragon named Andron. The roads of Greyroad are made of scarred stone devoid of life or filth, but the buildings are made of misaligned wooden planks. Lots of food sale, not much else. If the full moon rises, they will transform and go into a blind rage against the rest of the town.

Dawnhill

• Dawnhill is the land of the dead. In the daytime, the land is covered in corpses and mist. When night falls, these corpses rise back to life. Despite only acknowledging minor public action, the undead of Dawnhill are belligerent against the other quarters and are open about their “get-up-and-go” attitude should either Greyroad or Clearpark attack. The only buildings they have are storerooms and artisans.

Clearpark

• Clearpark is a dense, shadowy neighborhood with tall, close stone buildings vaguely held together along dirt roads. Small goblinoids flit between shadowy alleyways. The area is lead by a hobgoblin warlord named Drotteact. (DC 16 Dex save) a player’s coinpurse is stolen by a bright-eyed goblin child named Eags. If they catch and rough him up, Drotteact appears and stops them, returning the purse to the player. If they do not, Eags runs head-first into Drotteact, he will return the purse -10 gp, and he is much more open with information. Clearpark doesn’t want to fight, but has the most to gain from the other quarters’ feud. Clearpark’s business is primarily in potions and other consumable non-foods.

Overview

<- Give a quick run-down of how the adventure plays out. ->

Hook

<- Provide a few different examples of how the party could be dragged into this adventure. This makes it easier for your adventure to be incorporated into an existing campaign. ->

Stage

<- A stage is a chapter, or an important phase of the story. In a dungeon crawl, a stage would be one floor of the dungeon. In a more episodic, story-like adventure, a stage would be a series of connected scenes. ->

Step or Location

<- This is one scene in an adventure. In dungeon crawls, each room is a scene. ->

Features

<- List everything which has actual mechanical importance, like traps, lighting, climb DCs for walls, hidden stuff, etc. ->

Inhabitants

Lycanthropes - The lycanthropes are confident in their physical strength, imbuing their ranks with equal measures of bravery and aggression. Andron is confident that if there is a war among the orphanage, his people will win no matter what. Originally, the lycans were against the clock’s construction, as “the moon sickness is part of lycan culture”. When determining names for Greyroad citizens, consider using [this name generator].

Undead - The undead typically keep to themselves, though they have been known to actively tail and harass any residents of the other quarters that enter their own. At the head of Dawnhill, atop a quiet, cold, stone thrown, sits Gimbleward the Eyeless, a gruff ghoul lord with only hollow void for eyes. In the shadow of the walls sits a shady, hooded skeleton named Aango Two-Legs, who will pay the party to cause problems on purpose. When determining named for Dawnhill, consider using [this name generator]

Goblinoids - The goblinoids

Inhabitant

<- Describe them. If they're supposed to fight, give them a stat block, link to a creature entry, or give a page reference to the MM. ->

Developments

<- List how the scene can change over time due to character actions. ->

Treasure

<- List any treasure the players might acquire, and how they would acquire it. ->

Conclusion

<- What happens when the adventure is completed? ->

Rewards

This is a transcript of everything to be awarded the players, and the conditions attached to those rewards, at the end of the adventure. Think of it as a sort of checklist to make sure everything was covered.

Experience

Combat Awards

Name of Foe	XP per foe
<-Name->	<-XP->
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<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
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Non-Combat Awards

Task or Accomplishment	XP per Character
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->

The minimum total award for each character participating in this adventure is X experience points.

The maximum total award for each character participating in this adventure is X experience points.

Treasure

The characters receive the following treasure, divided up amongst the party. Characters should attempt to divide treasure evenly whenever possible. Gold piece values listed for sellable gear are calculated at their selling price, not their purchase price.

Consumable magic items should be divided up however the group sees fit. If more than one character is interested in a specific consumable magic item, the DM can determine who gets it randomly should the group be unable to decide.

Permanent magic items are divided up according to a system. See the sidebar if the adventure awards permanent magic items.

Treasure Awards

Item Name	Sale Value
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->
<-Name->	<-XP->

[[<- Unique Magic Item ->]]

<- If the magic item exists only on this page, remove the header brackets, otherwise make the title a link to the page containing the item. <- Duplicate this section as many times as needed. ->

Enmity

<- This is an actual effect generated by you doing something that hurt people who still exist in the setting. Think of it is a boon, but absolutely horrible. ->

Renown

<- In games which contain factions, this is where you would award renown for completing faction-related activities. ->

Downtime

Each character receives <-X-> downtime days at the conclusion of this adventure.

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