A Fair Feathered Friend
**Adventure: Shadows Over Waterdeep** notice. Please, help yourselves. We have
*Session 0 and 1* much to discuss."*
--- *[She watches them closely as they settle in,
before getting to the heart of the matter.]*
### **Adventure Background**
In Waterdeep, dark forces are moving in the **Lady Amara Dune**:
shadows. An arcane conspiracy involving *"I believe Waterdeep is in grave danger.
mercenary Aarakocra is threatening to There have been several violent attacks in
destabilize the city. Hired by an unknown the city recently, and they all seem to be
employer, these Aarakocra mercenaries are connected to a group of mercenaries.
causing violent disruptions at the behest of Aarakocra, if you can believe it. They’ve been
powerful entities with ties to an ancient magical causing chaos in the Dock Ward, striking
order. The adventurers are hired by Lady Amara swiftly and disappearing into the sky."*
Dune, a noblewoman with influence, to
investigate these attacks and uncover the true *[She leans forward, her voice low and
motivations behind the chaos. serious.]*
The investigation leads the party to a larger plot **Lady Amara Dune**:
involving arcane symbols, dark rituals, and the *"But I suspect there’s something more to
Zhentarim. However, the true mastermind this than a mere band of criminals. I’ve had
behind the attacks is far more dangerous than reports of strange arcane symbols found at
the Aarakocra themselves. the sites of these attacks. Runic sigils that
are not native to our city. Something...
--- ancient. Something dangerous."*
### **Session 0: Bringing the Party Together** *[She sighs, her face hardening.]*
**Location**: Lady Amara Dune’s Estate, **Lady Amara Dune**:
Waterdeep *"I am not naive. There are powers at play
**NPC**: **Lady Amara Dune** here, and I fear the city’s stability is at risk. I
need capable individuals to uncover the
--- truth. These Aarakocra must be stopped, and
their employer discovered. But be
#### **Lady Amara Dune’s Script** cautious—many eyes are watching in the
shadows."*
- **Introduction to the Party**:
*[As the adventurers arrive at her grand but *[She places a small bag of coins on the
modestly decorated home, Lady Amara Dune table.]*
greets them. She is well-dressed in an elegant
but practical outfit, with sharp, calculating eyes **Lady Amara Dune**:
that have seen the darkest of intrigues. She *"I will pay you 100 gold pieces for your
motions for them to sit around a table, offering efforts, but this is just the beginning. I trust
tea or wine.]* you will discover much more. Waterdeep’s
future could depend on your success."*
**Lady Amara Dune**:
*"Ah, the heroes I have heard so much *[She gives them a moment to ask questions,
about. Thank you for coming at such short her demeanor poised and professional.]*
A Fair Feathered Friend
**Lady Amara Dune** (if asked about the The party can find **Aarakocra feathers**
Aarakocra): scattered around the estate’s walls and gates.
*"I don’t know who hired them, but I do Deep **scratch marks** are visible on the walls,
know they are mercenaries. They do not suggesting the attackers engaged in close
strike at random—they are after something. combat and may have flown down to make their
And whatever it is, they will stop at nothing strike. This provides the party with the first clear
to obtain it. I will not rest until I know who is clue that Aarakocra were involved in the attack.
behind this."*
2. **Torn Documents (DC 15 Investigation)**
**Lady Amara Dune** (if asked about the A torn document found in Faerath’s study has
runes): strange **arcane runes** scrawled on the
*"The runes seem familiar to me, but I’ve corners. A **DC 14 Arcana check** will reveal
seen them only in old, forbidden texts—ones the runes are related to **elemental magic**,
that speak of an ancient cult, long believed specifically tied to an ancient cult that sought to
to have been eradicated. There are rumors of harness elemental power. The full meaning is
a group seeking to wield elemental forces to unclear, but the runes indicate something much
rewrite this city's power rules."* larger is at work than a simple raid.
*[Lady Amara gives a cryptic look, then 3. **Eyewitnesses (DC 10 Persuasion or DC 13
softens.]* Insight)**
Faerath’s servants mention seeing Aarakocra
**Lady Amara Dune**: leaving the estate just before the city watch
*"Be careful. You’ll be up against forces arrived. They also describe the attackers as
greater than you can imagine. I only hope organized and skilled in aerial maneuvers. The
you can uncover the truth before it’s too party can ask these witnesses questions, but
late."* getting them to speak up may require some
convincing.
---
---
### **Session 1: Investigating the Attack**
### **Encounter**
**Location**: Lord Faerath’s Estate, Waterdeep
**NPCs**: Lord Oswald Faerath (if alive), The party may encounter Aarakocra
Faerath’s Servants mercenaries still searching for remnants of their
**Encounter**: mission. They will attempt to flee, leading to a
The party arrives at Lord Faerath’s estate, where chase across rooftops or through alleyways. The
a violent attack recently occurred. Lord Faerath Aarakocra will have the advantage of height,
claims a group of Aarakocra attacked him, making them difficult to catch.
though he managed to escape. The estate is
now a crime scene, and several guards were ---
killed in the raid.
**Aarakocra Mercenary Stats**
--- - **HP**: 13 (2d8 + 4)
- **Armor Class**: 13 (Natural Armor)
#### **Clues at the Estate:** - **Speed**: 10 ft., fly 50 ft.
- **Attack**: Talon Strike (Melee Weapon Attack,
1. **Feathers & Scratches (DC 12 +4 to hit, 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage)
Investigation)** - **Abilities**:
A Fair Feathered Friend
- **Windborne**: The Aarakocra can disengage 1. **Arcane Runes & Cult Involvement**: The
or dash as a bonus action while flying. Aarakocra are pawns in a larger plot
- **Fleeing**: The Aarakocra will flee once it orchestrated by an **elemental cult** with ties to
drops below 5 HP, aiming to alert its allies of the the **Zhentarim**. The cult is seeking to gather
party’s pursuit. ancient artifacts and unlock elemental forces
that could destabilize the city. The party will
--- learn that the artifacts Faerath was guarding are
**crucial** to the ritual the cult is performing.
### **Interrogating Captured Aarakocra
(Optional)** 2. **The Zhentarim Connection**: The
mercenaries were hired by a secretive entity
If the party successfully captures an Aarakocra, with connections to the **Zhentarim**. This
they can attempt to interrogate it. reveals that the Aarakocra are simply hired
muscle, and their role is to disrupt investigations
**DC 13 Insight Check**: The party can sense and eliminate threats to the ritual.
that the Aarakocra is deeply loyal to its employer
but knows little about them beyond their **DC 16 Investigation/Insight Check**: The party
instructions. The Aarakocra speaks in vague realizes that the Aarakocra’s attacks are only
terms, unwilling to give away too much. part of the scheme—there is a greater, more
dangerous force manipulating things from
**DC 15 Persuasion/Intimidation**: With a behind the scenes.
successful check, the Aarakocra will reveal:
- **“I was hired… to remove anyone ---
investigating the runes and artifacts. We were
told the target, Faerath, had something that ### **Climactic Encounter: The Ritual Site**
didn’t belong to him. He was a fool to keep such
powerful relics.”** **Location**:
- **“I don’t know who hired us… they only told us
to eliminate the threats and keep quiet.”** An ancient **ruin beneath Waterdeep**
- **“The winds… they carry us to our next task. The adventure concludes with the party
The employer is powerful. I don’t fear the city discovering the cult’s hidden temple, where the
watch, but I fear what will happen when we final confrontation takes place. The cultists are
fail.”** performing an elemental summoning,
threatening to tear apart the fabric of the city if
**DC 17 Arcana**: The symbols on the left unchecked.
Aarakocra’s body (tattoos or armor) match the
**arcane runes** the party found earlier. They The party will need to navigate traps, combat
are part of the **Elemental Gambit**, an ancient dangerous enemies, and possibly stop the ritual
ritual that seeks to harness elemental power and before the city is consumed by elemental chaos.
could threaten Waterdeep itself.
---
---
*This adventure is designed for 3-5 players, with
### **The Plot Unfolds** a mix of roleplay, investigation, and combat
encounters.*
As the investigation deepens, the party uncovers
several pieces of the puzzle:
