Fated Flight of the Recluse

Preparation

Before running the adventure, prepare as follows:

Step 1. Read through the adventure once.
Step 2. Reference chapter 7, "Elemental Airships," in Eberron: Forge of the Artificer for information on how to operate airships, which is central to this adventure.
Step 3. Reference the Recluse map and show it to the players. They will use it throughout the adventure.
Step 4. Reference the monsters (open monster entries on D&D Beyond, or bookmark physical books). They all appear in the Monster Manual or Eberron: Forge of the Artificer. Here's a list of the stat blocks needed to run the adventure:

Running this Adventure

To run this adventure, you need Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, as well as the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual.

Unless otherwise stated, monster names in bold point you to the corresponding stat block in the Monster Manual, and descriptions of magic items can be found in the Dungeon Master's Guide.

Halfling Overboard

It wasn't long before the Strider Airship, Recluse, having departed the dwarven city of Soldorakhold only the day before, was beset by a group of human pirates aboard a pair of Lyrandar Skyskiffs as they passed over the vast Ironroot Mountains. See chapter 7 of Eberron: Forge of the Artificer for the Strider Airship and Lyrandar Skyskiff statistics.

Eight pirates boarded the Recluse when the Recluse's captain, a halfling named Ryvan Rallanith, made a brash decision; he veered the ship into a steep dive. Four of the pirates fell overboard—however, not before one of them cut the harnesses lashing Captain Rallanith to the helm. Four pirates remain aboard the airship.

Without a pilot, there's no chance of the ship righting itself, let alone continuing their voyage.

Regaining Control of the Helm

A creature occupying the Helm crew station of an airship typically requires the Mark of the Storm to access the station's actions (see chapter 7 of Eberron: Forge of the Artificer for more on crew stations). The Recluse, however, is unique in that the airship is powered not only by a captive air elemental, but also the spirit of a long-dead previous captain who, having fallen into the elemental ring, was absorbed into the airship's elemental core. The spirit's inhabitancy allows a creature occupying the Helm to bypass that station's requirements and use the station's actions regardless.

A character that takes the Study action and succeeds on a DC 9 Intelligence (Arcana) check recalls not only that a pilot must bear a Mark of the Storm, but also that House Lyrandar tightly controls individuals bearing such a mark; given that the former pilot wasn't a member of House Lyrandar, it's more likely than not that the ship can be controlled by someone without the dragonmark, and that Captain Rallanith deduced another way to do so.

The ship is currently tilted steeply enough that the airship's vertical surfaces are horizontal to the ground. The characters' options now depend on where they were when Captain Rallanith entered the dive. Give the players a few minutes to describe their characters and what they were doing prior to their being attacked by pirates.

On the Deck

While Captain Rallanith shouted for the characters to take shelter within the Recluse's interior, those that might have ignored the order were hastily issued harnesses and now find themselves lashed to a safety rail that runs along the airship's gunwale.

Inside the Airship

Those that heeded the captain's orders are in a room of their choosing within the airship's interior.

Reaching the Helm

With Captain Rallanith's demise, the ship's Helm is unoccupied. A character that wishes to right the airship must first reach and interface with the Helm.

Inside the Airship

Due to the ship's tilted orientation, creatures inside the ship must climb to access other areas of the ship. A creature without a Climb Speed that attempts to climb inside the ship must succeed on a DC 11 Strength (Athletics) check or fall.

On the Deck

Creatures wearing harnesses on the ship's deck can climb the deck's vertical surface without falling. A creature has Disadvantage on attack rolls while wearing a harness.

As a Utilize action, a creature can make a DC 11 Strength (Athletics) check to remove the harness, safely doing so without falling on a successful check. When a creature without a harness is pushed or gains the Prone condition, the creature must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or fall—potentially off the ship and to its death.

Pirates

Four pirates (Medium Bandit Captains) aboard the Recluse, also wearing harnesses, engage the characters. The pirates remaining aboard their own skyskiffs continue their attempts to capture the Recluse. Each skyskiff is 30 feet away from the Recluse, has harpooned the airship using the Tow Cable crew station, and is slowly dragging it toward their base of operations in the Ironroot Mountains. Each of the two skyskiffs has one pirate (Medium Bandit Captain) remaining aboard.

Ghost in the Machine

A character attempting to operate the Helm (see Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, chapter 7) notices an unusual telepathic presence that reaches out to them when they touch it. The presence (described in the "x" sidebar) is initially Indifferent to the character.

A character that takes the Influence action and succeeds on a DC 17 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check changes the presence's attitude to Friendly and convinces it to allow them to access the Helm's actions. Characters that have proficiency with Navigator's Tools make this check with Advantage, while characters with the Mark of Storm automatically succeed on this check. The presence's attitude changes to Hostile if the check fails by 5 or more.

Once a character has assumed control of the Helm, the ship can be righted, and the other characters can operate one of the Recluse's five other crew stations: four Arcane Launchers (two on either side of the airship) and a Sky Veil.

The pirates release the harpoons once the Recluse has righted itself. A skyskiff flees if reduced to half its Hit Points.

Accusations of Artifice

The dwarf, Kreffik (Medium Cannith Artificer), and the two remaining members of the crew are thankful that the characters deterred the pirates, but also because they discerned how to resume control of the Recluse. Kreffik is clever and understands that ethics and principles serve only as obstacles to academic pursuits. He has few reservations about lying when it comes to protecting his research, financial goals, or his clan's reputation. He begins the adventure with a Friendly attitude toward the characters.

Kreffik claims to not know what motivations the pirates have for trying to hijack the Recluse, but a character that takes the Search action and makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check discerns that he's hiding something. Kreffik comes clean and offers to reveal his cargo to the characters if a character takes the Influence action and succeeds on a DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check.

Leading them to the Recluse's cargo hold, Kreffik opens one of the crates, revealing a rack of delicate vials of thin green liquid, which he declares the "essence of intuition." The rack is a yet another ruse, however; if removed, the remains of a dead warforged lie beneath it. He hastily admits that Karrnath pays well for such "materials" for their use in augmenting their undead army—a old practice that the nation openly claims is no longer utilized.

He claims x has never previously indulged in the trade. A character that takes the Search action and succeeds on a DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check finds that this is a lie; Clan Soldorak has been in the business of tracking such things for many years. While Kreffik resists the characters' attempts to disrupt the shipment, he realizes that stopping the characters from disrupting his mission is easier said than done. That said, he isn't empty-handed; one of the six crates contains a Helmed Horror (immune to the Fireball, Shocking Grasp, and Spirit Guardians spells) that bursts forth at his command.

Treasure

Once the characters resume their journey, they find a beaded, oil-cloth satchel on the Recluse's deck, which was seemingly dropped by a pirate that boarded the airship. The satchel contains 25 GP and a Potion of Healing (greater).

If Kreffik is fought and defeated, they find that he wears a suit of +1 Scale Mail and a backpack containing 250 GP in Soldorak trade bars (for use in bribing Karrnathi officials) and a ledger outlining the details of his would-be sale.

To Korth

Once the characters have assumed control of the Recluse, they can continue toward Korth.

Plotting the Course

Korth is approximately 960 miles away from where the Recluse was attacked. The characters must navigate their airship to its intended destination if they have any hopes of arriving before their supplies run out. This section references the rules and guidance in the "Journeys in the Skies" section of chapter 7 of Eberron: Forge of the Artificer.

Weather

At the beginning of each travel day, roll 1d6 and consult the Airship Travel Weather table to determine the weather the characters face that day. This weather also determines the encounter distance and DC for Wisdom (Survival) checks made to avoid getting lost, as shown in the Airship Travel Conditions table.

Airship Travel Weather

1d6	Weather
1–3	Clear skies
4–5	Light Precipitation
6	Heavy precipitation

Piloting

An airship's pilot is subject to the rules of extended travel (beyond 8 hours per day) in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Characters able to successfully interface with the Recluse's Helm and the spirit within can take turns piloting the ship, allowing the ship to make progress for more than 8 hours per day.

A character operating the Helm makes a Wisdom (Survival) check at the end of their eight-hour shift against the DC appropriate to the travel conditions, as shown in the Navigation DC column of the Airship Travel Conditions table. The airship goes off course on a failed check, extending the airship's journey by 1d4 days. Another crew member can take the Help action to assist this check if they spend the entirety of the shift assisting the pilot.

Supplies

The Recluse has lost all but 100 pounds of food and 100 gallons of water. As the journey progresses, see the rules for dehydration and malnutrition in the Player's Handbook if the crew risks running out of supplies.

Journey Encounters

While journeying to Korth, you can roll for or choose an encounter from the Airborne Encounters table, referencing the Encounter Distance column of the Airship Travel Conditions table to determine the distance at which creatures become aware of each other.

The ship will always encounter the dragon Brynshal'duun.

Above the Ashen Spires

Drawing ever closer to their journey's end, the Recluse eventually passes over the Ashen Spires, a cluster of mountains 250 miles to the east of Korth. Long suspected to be a manifest zone linked to Fernia, the Sea of Fire, the area is Lightly Obscured by clouds choked with ash, and fire behaves oddly (see the "Fernia Manifest Zone" sidebar).

A character that takes the Search action and succeeds on a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check faintly sees an immense dark shape moving through the clouds surrounding the airship.

Electric Death

Though Kreffik doesn't know it, there is a spy aboard the Recluse. One of the two remaining crew members is a devotee of Brynshal'duun, a young blue dragon whose lair lies in the upper reaches of the Blade Desert. The dragon, having learned what Kreffik has been trafficking to Karnath, has chosen to waylay the airship above the Ashen Spire, and to put an end to Kreffik's blasphemous trade.

Read or paraphrase:

Brynshal'duun (Neutral Young Blue Dragon) is currently in the service of Cannith South and has been tasked with stopping the delivery of Kreffik's cargo to Korth.

The Recluse itself is the dragon's primary focus; the ship's cargo is destroyed if the ship is. If the characters find the dragon too formidable a foe, they may wager their best bet is to either parley with the dragon or flee far enough away from the area that the dragon abandons its pursuit of the airship.

Liaising With the Dragon

If the characters choose to surrender to or parley with the dragon, it lands on the ship's foredeck. While Brynshal'duun is Hostile and determined to scuttle the airship, the dragon can be reasoned with; its goals, while currently aligned with Cannith South, lie intertwined with the Draconic Prophecy—a complex and enigmatic means by which adherents believe they can shape the course of history.

The Draconic Prophecy

The Introduction of Eberron: Forge of the Artificer includes a verse of this prophecy, as well as various interpretations of its lines. A character that takes the Study action and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (History) check recalls the prophecy and surmises Brynshal'duun's dedication to the prophecy's fulfillment.

Reasoning with Brynshal'duun

A character that takes the Influence action to parley with Brynshal'duun can make a DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check; a character that includes mention of the Draconic Prophecy makes this check with Advantage. On a successful check, Brynshal'duun's attitude improves by one step: from Hostile to Indifferent, or from Indifferent to Friendly.

Brynshal'duun allows the characters to depart without further incident if its attitude is shifted to Friendly.

Fleeing from the Dragon

If the characters decide to flee rather than fight, Brynshal'duun gives chase. Use the rules for running chases in chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master's Guide in addition to the sections below. The chase begins with the dragon circling 120 feet behind the Recluse. The dragon initiates combat if it catches the ship.

Hiding the Airship

On Initiative count 0 each round, the creature occupying the Helm can make a DC 18 Dexterity (Stealth) check to try and hide the ship. On a successful check, the ship is obscured by the clouds, and the dragon gives up its chase.

Dragon Chase Complications

While the chase is ongoing, each participant in the chase rolls 1d12 at the end of its turn. Consult the Dragon Chase Complications table to determine whether a complication occurs. If it does, it affects the next chase participant in the Initiative order, not the participant who rolled the die. Brynshal'duun isn't affected by complications.

Ending the Chase

Brynshal'duun abandons the chase if it is reduced to 50 Hit Points or fewer or if it starts its turn more than 250 feet away from the Recluse.

Dragon Chase Complications

1d12	Dragon Chase Complications
1	One random crew station powers down as waves of fear can be felt emanating from the elemental core powering the airship. The station can be reactivated if a creature takes an action and makes a successful DC 9 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check to placate Captain Valthan's cowardly spirit.
2	The dragon's immense wings envelop you in a swirling eddy of ash so strong that even the airship's wind wards don't completely block it out. Make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw to avoid inhaling the ash. On a failed save, you have the Poisoned condition until the end of your next turn.
3	The dragon dashes against the Recluse's hull. Make a DC 13 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you have the Prone condition.
4	One of the deck hands, consumed with terror, tries to grab at you. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you have the Grappled condition (escape DC 10). A character that takes the Influence action to calm the deck hand can make a DC 13 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check, helping the deck hand regain their composure and ending the grapple on a successful check.
5	The dragon dashes past the airship and severs part of the rigging which hurtles toward you. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the ropes. On a failed save, you take 6 (1d10) Bludgeoning damage and have the Grappled condition (escape DC 13). While Grappled in this way, you also have the Restrained condition.
6	The dragon knocks the ship into a bank of thick cloud and ash. Until the end of your next turn, the ship is Heavily Obscured.
7-12	There is no complication.

Arrival at Korth

Leaving the Ashen Spires behind, the characters see the Nightwood sprawling into the distance, and their destination, the city of Korth, beyond it.

The cargo lift is about 50 feet away from the edge of the dock where the Recluse is moored. The individuals on the lift are the Baron Zorlan d'Cannith (Medium Cannith Artificer, detailed in Eberron: Forge of the Artificer), his retinue of three warforged bodyguards (Medium Warrior Veterans), and Bastion, his personal warforged bodyguard (Medium Guard Captain). The four warforged are Constructs instead of Humanoids.

A character that takes the Study action and succeeds on a DC 11 Intelligence (History) check identifies that the human's dragonmark and garb suggests high ranking in House Cannith. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, the character recognizes the human as Zorlan d'Cannith, the Cannith baron that rules Cannith East.

Baron Zorlan d'Cannith

The Baron of Cannith East is a man of few words. Always looking for a means by which to assume control of the entirety of House Cannith, Zorlan has set his eyes on Merrix d'Cannith's field of expertise: warforged—specifically undead ones. Through his extensive contacts, he has been arranging for the delivery of dead warforged for years for use in his experimentation.

Unless the characters cause a problem, the meeting with Baron Zorlan proceeds simply: there's an exchange of money (see "x"), the undead soldiers load Kreffik's seven crates on a cart on the lift, and the parties part ways. If the characters discovered what the crates contained, however, they may try to prevent the exchange.

If the characters take moral affront with the cargo, Baron Zorlan is not one to be trifled with; his retinue move to block the characters should they threaten violence. If Kreffik remains alive, he and his Helmed Horror defend Baron Zorlan should a fight break out.

Baron Zorlan doesn't care who receives payment; as long as he takes delivery of the cargo, he is content to leave his payment on the dock for whomever wants to fight over it. In fact, he takes an interest in characters who display particular skill in violence should their dealings come to blows.

Treasure

Whether to Kreffik or to the characters, Baron Zorlan tenders payment in a chest containing seven smaller pouches within. Each pouch contains 100 GP in coins of various mint (removing one pouch for each undelivered crate). Further, the chest contains a pair of Boots of the Winding Path (see Eberron: Forge of the Artificer).

Credits

Lead Designer:. Travis Woodall
Designers:. Makenzie De Armas, Chris Tulach
Editor:. Amanda Frechin
Graphic Designer:. Zsolt Tóth
Cover Illustrator:. Chase Stone
Cartographer:. Sean Macdonald
Illustrators:. Antonio José Manzanedo, John Thacker, Craig J. Spearing
Producer:. Bill Benham

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