CHAPTER 7: MAESTRO'S FALL
ARLAXLE, THE LEADER OP BRECAN D'AERTHE,
sees membership in the Lords' Alliance as
his path to power beyond Luskan. As the
secret lord of a city with an unsavory repu-
tation, he has had a hard time getting a seat
at the table with other cities of the North
when it comes to trade and defense of the
region. Thus, he plans to use the stolen gold
to bargain with Laeral Silverhand for inclusion in the
alliance, and to oust Neverwinter and its lord DaguJt
Neverember- Jarlaxle's fiercest political opponent- from
the group.Facingjarlaxle
As the characters investigate the Sea Maidens Faire,
they could run into Jarlaxle, especially if they take a
kick-in-the-door approach and storm the vessels of the
traveling carnival. When Jarlaxle learns that the char-
acters are aboard one of his ships, he arranges to meet
with them in the guise of Zardoz Zord. If they refuse,
Jarlaxle orders his crew to cast the characters over-
board-or takes care of the job himself if he must.
If he thinks the adventurers can be trusted, jarlaxle
proposes that they join his search for the Vault of Drag-
ons. He intends to return the gold to Laeral Silverhand,
less 5,000 gp for the characters in exchange for their
help. He offers another 5,000 gp for their help in recov-
ering the dragonstaff of Ahghairon. If the characters
accept,jarlaxle upholds his end of the agreement. Once
the gold is secure, he gives the characters their cut.
If the characters don't agree to jarlaxle's terms, or if
they assault him, he tries to knock them unconscious
and leave them without clothes or equipment in a gutter
in the Dock Ward. He stores their equipment in areajl6
aboard the Eyecatcher, with the exception of any magic
items. Those be stashes in area U4 aboard the Scarlet
Marpenoth, his secret submarine.
In the unlikely event tbatjarlaxle is killed, Bregan
D'aerthe raises him from the dead within a tenday. Once
he's back in action, he tries to recover any gear that was
stolen from him.DISRUPTING j ARLAXLE'S OPERATION
Characters can hinder Jarlaxle in the ways described in
the following two subsections.DESTROYTHE FIGUREHEADS
The figureheads onjarlaxle's ships (areaJ8) create illu-
sions around drow crew members, making them appear
human. If a figurehead is destroyed, the drow on that
ship remain belowdecks to ensure that they don't draw
unwanted attention.SINK OR STEAL A VESSEL
If the characters sink or steal one of his sailing ships
or the Scarlet Marpenoth,Jarlaxle tasks his crew mem-
bers with finding out what went wrong. In the case
of a sunken ship, such wanton destruction could also
involve the City Watch, especially if the act results in
people drowning.CHAPTER 7 I MAESTRO'S FALL