Joining Factions
Word begins to spread throughout Waterdeep that a
group of adventurers helped Volothamp Geddarm and
rescued Renaer Neverember. Within days, faction rep-
resentatives begin to approach the characters and try
to recruit them. This book's introduction describes the
various factions and what they look for in recruits. The
characters need not all join the same faction, and some
might not want to join a faction at all.
A character who belongs to a faction is given a mission
upon gaining a level, from 2nd through 5th level. Com-
pleting the mission increases that member's renown in
the faction. Other characters who aren't faction mem-
bers can assist in the mission's completion. A character
who belongs to a faction other than the Lords' Alliance
can turn down a mission without consequence.
Each faction has a representative who serves as its
primary contact. This NPC delivers mission briefings
and dispenses the tangible rewards for completing a
BREGAN D'AERTHE MISSIONS
Party Level
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Mission Brief
"I'd like you to steal a silk handkerchief from a
Waterdavian noble and give it to a tiefling girl
who lives in a crate at the corner of Net Street
and Dock Street, by the wharf."
"This mission is so easy, a gang of street ur-
chins could pull it off. I want you to deliver an
expose to Gaxly Rudderbust, the publisher of a
local broadsheet called The Waterdeep Wazoo,
without his knowing who wrote it or where it
came from. You'll find his office at the corner
of Im mar Street and Stallion Street, in the
North Ward. Leave the story on his desk."
"We've captured a member of the Xanathar
Guild, and I'd like you to guard him for three
nights until I or another member of Bregan
D'aerthe reclaims him. You'll find him trapped
in your basement."
"We have a spy deep within Xanathar's orga-
nization, but I fear he has been compromised.
It breaks my heart to do this, but I'm sending
you to eliminate him. Make it quick and pain·
less, and for Lolth's sake, be discreet."
OH APTER 2 I TROLLSKULL ALLEY
mission. An increase in renown quickly follows. The
missions and the manner in which they can be com-
pleted are described in the tables throughout this sec-
tion. You can use missions from these tables or replace
any of them with ones of your own creation.
If a mission ends in failure, the characters can try
again after 24 hours, unless the failure has created cir-
cumstances where doing so is impossible.
BREGAN D'AERTHE
If one or more characters are drow,Jarlaxle Baenre has
his lieutenants, three drow gunslingers, shadow these
potential new recruits while keeping a safe distance.
Fel'rekt Lafeen and Krebbyg Masq'il'yr watch the char-
acters at night, and Soluun Xibrindas watches them
during the day (doing his best to stay out of the sunlight).
See appendix B for details on these lieutenants.
Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Perception)
score of 18 or higher see fleeting glimpses of the drow
spies over a period of several days and can, with a sue-
Mission Requirements and Reward
Finding a noble isn't hard, but snatching one's handkerchief without
being detected requires a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of
Hand) check. One can also convince a noble to surrender it with
a successful DC 12 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persua-
sion) check. The tiefling girl in the crate thanks the characters for
the hanky. Reward: Each Bregan D'aerthe character gains l renown.
)arlaxle has written an expose on devil worship among unnamed
Waterdavian noble families. The story mentions orgies and secret
deals happening behind closed doors. ()arlaxle never passes up a
chance to rattle the nobility and sow political unrest.) A character
can break into Gaxly's office while it's closed, either during lunch
hour or after hours. Getting in and out without being seen requires
two successful DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and getting past
a locked door requires a successful DC 10 Dexterity check using
thieves' tools (or a knock spell or similar magic). Reward: Each Bre·
gan D'aerthe character gains l renown.
Characters who search the basement of their Trollskull Alley tavern
find Ott Steeltoes (see appendix B) bound by iron bands of Bilarro.
How he got there is anyone's guess; even he doesn't know. On the
first night, Xanathar sends a gang of six bugbears to attack the tav-
ern and rescue Ott. If the characters have moved Ott elsewhere, the
bugbears attack the tavern anyway. On the second night, four mem-
bers of the Dungsweepers' Guild (commoners) with intellect de-
vourers in their skulls visit the tavern. They order drinks and scope
out the tavern, attacking if they find Ott or leaving if they don't. On
the third night, a beholder zombie attacks. After the third attack, Ott
disappears as mysteriously as he arrived, along with t he iron bands
of Bi/arro. Reward: Each Bregan D'aerthe character gains 2 renown.
)arlaxle identifies the traitor as a drow mage named Nar'I Xibrindas
(see appendix B) and furnishes the characters with a route to Xana-
thar's lair through underground passageways. (Xanathar's lair is de-
scribed in chapter 5. Characters who follow )arlaxle's route arrive at
area Xl .) Reward: Each Bregan D'aerthe character gains 2 renown.
Each party member who contributes to the mission receives a tro-
phy bearing a gold statuette of )arlaxle (worth 250 gp).
