Contents
Keep on the Borderlands
Rising from rugged crags amid a harsh countryside, the Keep on the Borderlands is a bastion of peace amid an otherwise brutal wilderness. The keep's stalwart defenders protect their community from the forces of chaos that would revel in its fall.
DM Secret
This is for the Dungeon Master's eyes only. Unless text appears in a read-aloud box (like the one below), don't read it to the players.
Getting Started
The Keep on the Borderlands Map displays all the locations characters can visit in the keep. Share this map with your players.
To begin, read the following boxed text aloud:
The player characters start just outside the keep. The first time they arrive at the keep, the characters must proceed to the x (detailed later in this chapter), which functions as a tutorial with helpful sidebars. You can skip this location for subsequent visits to the keep unless the player characters want to return to it.
After the characters visit the gatehouse or whenever they return to the keep, have the players choose a location shown on the map. The Keep Locations table summarizes noteworthy sites within the keep in the order they appear. Each location provides approximately 30â60 minutes of gameplay, depending on the nature of the characters' visit.
Once the player characters choose a location, go to that location and review its "What You Need to Play" section.
Keep Locations
| Location | Description |
|---|---|
| x | Guards vet entrants and keep watch at this gate. |
| x | Livestock and steeds are stabled and groomed here. |
| x | These modest apartments house long-term residents. |
| x | A blacksmith crafts metalwork goods here. |
| x | This messy, halfling-owned shop specializes in gear. |
| x | This trading post sells armor and weapons. |
| x | The keep's citizens store their valuables at this bank. |
| x | Travelers can rent rooms at this cozy inn. |
| x | Patrons flock to this rowdy tavern for food and drink. |
| x | Merchants and artisans assemble in this guildhall. |
| x | Priests offer guidance and healing in this house of worship. |
| x | This fortification is the keep's last line of defense. |
| x | The keep's guards live and train in this enclosed court. |
| x | The castellan governs the keep from this stronghold. |
Exploring the Keep
The player characters can visit any location in the keep, meeting and interacting with the citizens who reside there. Each keep location employs one or more NPCs, typically representing the most important person at a location, such as an establishment's owner or highest-ranking representative.
The map of the keep isn't to scale, but you can use it to track the characters' current whereabouts. If this is your first time as Dungeon Master, ask your players to keep the party together; it's easier if the player characters visit each location as a group.
Location Descriptions
Each description of a keep location has the following sections:
- Features. This section details noteworthy features about the location.
- NPCs. Each keep location contains one or more NPCs, each reflected by a digital NPC Card nested within the section.
- Services. Services offered at the location, such as goods for sale or rooms for rent, appear here. If a player character pays for a good or service, collect Gold Pieces equal to its cost from that player.
- Quest. This section contains a quest unique to the location. Most take place in the keep, though some encourage the characters to venture beyond its walls. Each quest can be completed only once.
Social Interaction
The keep offers ample opportunities for characters to socialize with its inhabitants. All NPCs in the keep are initially Indifferent toward the characters. For more about NPC attitudes, see the D&D Beyond Basic Rules.
Combat
Combat is prohibited in the keep. If you need game statistics for an NPC, reference the recommended stat block listed on their NPC Card.
At your discretion, characters who antagonize peaceful members of the keep might attract the attention of the soldiers of the keep, of whom there are many (use the Guard stat block). Those who refuse to keep the peace might be arrested and detained for a few days, fined up to 50 GP, or ousted from the keep until they can behave.
The following stat blocks are used in this section:
Resting
Unlike in the other two adventure settings, the keep is a safe place to rest and resupply. The characters can freely take Long Rests in the keep. For more on resting, see the D&D Beyond Basic Rules.
Leaving the Keep
The player characters can leave the Keep on the Borderlands whenever they choose. As they accumulate treasure and advance in level, the party might return to spend their hard-earned wealth, rest, or follow up on previously undertaken quests.
Character Advancement
Though there are quests to complete in the Keep on the Borderlands, the characters don't gain levels in this section. Each quest offers its own reward, usually in the form of gold or favors.
1: Outer Gatehouse
This gatehouse is the first stop for those seeking to enter the Keep on the Borderlands. The guards here greet outsiders, watch for potential threats, and permit entrance to citizens and peaceful visitors.
When the characters arrive at the outer gatehouse, read the following boxed text aloud:
The guards are Bartho and Gala. The characters must respond to the guards and say whether they mean well or ill. After confirming the characters are well-meaning adventurers, Bartho and Gala call for the drawbridge to be lowered, then welcome the party to the keep.
Gatehouse Features
The gatehouse has the following features:
- Drawbridge. The keep's first line of defense is a steep ditch, 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep, in front of the fortress. The only sure means to cross the dry moat is the drawbridge at this gatehouse.
- Gate. The stone arch behind the drawbridge contains an iron portcullis and large oak doors.
- Towers. Stairs inside each square, 30-foot-tall tower connect the ground floor to the roof. Arrow slits in the tower walls and roof battlements help archers defend the keep.
[image: Banner for the Keep]
Gatehouse Services
The gatehouse offers the following services:
- Lower the Drawbridge. The drawbridge usually remains raised night and day. To lower or raise the bridge, wheels in both towers must be turned to release or tighten the drawbridge's chains. The portcullis operates in a similar manner.
- Orientation. The gate guards, Bartho and Gala, can describe and give directions to any location in the keep. They can also tailor recommendations to a traveler's needs. For example, if a character wants to purchase weapons or armor, the guards point them to the trader's shop (x).
Quest: Entry Screening
Once the drawbridge is lowered, Bartho and Gala introduce themselves and encourage the characters to lend their services to the keep.
Read the following boxed text aloud:
Before they venture into the Borderlands, the characters can report to the fortress (x) for more information on how they can further the interests of the castellan and his advisers.
Bartho's Reward
The guards here have orders to help out around the keep between shifts, but Bartho claims he must rest instead to stay sharp when he's on duty. He pulls the characters aside and asks them to complete quests around the keep for a small reward.
When the characters return to the outer gatehouse after completing at least three quests around the keep, Bartho thanks them and gives each character 5 GP.
2: Barn
This barn shelters the keep's livestock. It also serves merchants and travelers who need a place to stable their mounts while visiting the keep. Animals housed at the barn receive a box stall or pen, food, and grooming.
When the characters arrive at the barn, read the following boxed text aloud:
The halfling is Cornflower, the barn hand.
Barn Features
The barn has the following features:
- Box Stalls. The barn has roomy stalls for up to six Large mounts.
- Livestock Pens. Cows, chickens, pigs, and other barn animals occupy several livestock pens.
- Loft. Golden piles of hay are stored in a loft above the animal enclosures.
- Trough. Stabled animals drink water from a common trough along the stalls.
Barn Services
The barn offers the following services:
- Chores. Once per day, the characters can assist Cornflower with chores around the barn, such as collecting freshly laid eggs, feeding and grooming animals, and milking cows and goats. In exchange for their help, Cornflower pays them 1 GP each.
- Dairy Products. For 1 GP, Cornflower sells a pail's worth of milk or a slab of freshly churned goat butter (customer's choice).
- Hit the Hay. Cornflower sympathizes with travelers who can't afford to stay at the inn (x). She lets them sleep in the loft for free.
Quest: Billy Goat Wranglin'
After introducing herself and explaining the barn's services, Cornflower confesses she could use the characters' help. Read the following text aloud:
Cornflower offers the characters 1 GP for every goat they bring back. The number of missing goats equals the number of player characters.
Finding the Goats
The goats are scattered throughout the keep. Roll 1d12 for each missing goat, rerolling duplicates. Keep these results secret. Each result corresponds to a numbered location on the Keep on the Borderlands Map where a goat can be found. For example, on a 6, a goat is outside the trader's shop (x). To find the goat, the characters must go to that location, though they don't have to venture inside.
A character can narrow their search by making one of the following ability checks. Consider these examples:
DC 10 Wisdom (Survival). The character follows hoofprints in the dirt.
DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion). The character asks passersby if they've seen a loose goat.
On a successful check, the character learns the location of one goat whose whereabouts the party doesn't already know.
Returning the Goats
When the characters arrive at a goat's location, they find it grazing outside the structure and can coax it back to the barn. When the characters return a goat to Cornflower, she pays them 1 GP as thanks.
[image: A Spunky Barn Goat]
3: Private Apartments
Residents and long-term visitors rent apartments in this tenement building. The complex's most notable resident is also its landlord, a crotchety jeweler who invests in gemstones and other valuables.
When the characters arrive at the apartments, read the following boxed text aloud:
The jeweler, Lenk, puts down his loupe with a sigh and invites the characters in.
Apartments Features
The apartments have the following features:
- Apartments. Each two-story apartment is a section of the same large tenement building. The apartments have identical amenities: a stove, a small drawing room, a bedroom, and a storage area.
- Rain Barrel. A large barrel near the building holds clean water for washing dishes and clothes.
Apartments Services
The apartments offer the following services:
- Buy Gems. Lenk can buy gems the characters find in their adventures. Lenk exchanges gems at this location for their value in gold. All the gems in this adventure are worth 100 GP; this rate includes Lenk's appraisal fee.
- Rent an Apartment. Characters can rent an apartment for 100 GP per month.
Quest: Breaking the Bank
After detailing the services he offers, Lenk tells the characters he's exploring a new line of business. Read the following boxed text aloud:
If the characters agree, Lenk hands each of them a locked iron strongbox and instructs them to try to pilfer its contents however they please. Each strongbox contains a modest amount of gold. If a character can get into a strongbox, they can keep its contents, though Lenk doesn't reveal what's inside.
Cracking the Strongboxes
A character can make one attempt to open a strongbox through any of the following means:
- Breaking the Strongbox. Each strongbox is a Tiny object with AC 19, 5 HP, Immunity to Poison and Psychic damage, and Vulnerability to Cold damage. A character who reduces a strongbox to 0 Hit Points with a single attack or spell destroys the strongbox but not its contents.
Picking the Lock (A character who has Thieves' Tools). A character that can use Thieves' Tools to pick the strongbox's lock, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.
- Prying Open the Lid. A character can force open a strongbox's lid with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
At the DM's discretion, other methods of opening a strongbox might exist.
Reward
Inside each strongbox is 5 GP. If the characters manage to penetrate all the strongboxes, Lenk grouses about the boxes' poor craftsmanship. If all the strongboxes thwart their attempts, Lenk pays each character 1 GP as a consolation and says there are nobler skills to master than thievery.
4: Smithy
The smithy is where the keep's residents purchase metal goods and have them repaired.
When the characters arrive at the smithy, read the following boxed text aloud:
The hard-working smith is Kalista.
Smithy Features
The smithy has the following features:
- Forge. The large forge behind the counter fills most of the smithy's lower floor. Water barrels and bellows flank the forge.
- Mundane Goods. A few stout posts support the upper floor. They bear hanging tools and everyday metal goods: cast-iron pots, horseshoes, and so on.
- Private Rooms. Two doors at the rear of the smithy lead to storerooms containing ingots and spare tools. A third door opens to a washbasin and spiral stairs that ascend to Kalista's quarters.
[image: A Blacksmith's Hammer and Anvil]
Smithy Services
The smithy offers the following service:
- Leather Branding. For 1 GP, Kalista can brand anything made of leather, such as Leather Armor or a Spellbook, with the keep's coat of arms.
Kalista makes armaments but doesn't sell them. She forges them exclusively for the keep's armed forces.
Quest: Tools of Destruction
If a character asks to purchase armor or weapons, Kalista explains why she no longer sells those to outsiders. Read the following boxed text aloud:
The keep's soldiers occasionally bring confiscated weapons to Kalista for destruction.
Weapon Smelting
Kalista recently received a cartload of battered and rusted weapons seized by the keep's defenders. She asks the characters to help melt them down.
The disarmament process takes 1 hour. To aid Kalista with it, the characters must succeed on the following ability checks in this order:
DC 13 Strength (Athletics). The character piles the weapons in the forge and undertakes the tough labor needed to properly melt them down.
DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand). The character carefully tips a crucible of molten metal into an ingot mold without spillage.
If at least one character succeeds on each check, the party completes the disarmament. The characters can retry failed checks, but if they accumulate three failures, Kalista dismisses them with a sigh, insisting she can handle the rest of the job herself.
If the characters successfully help Kalista destroy the weapons, she pays them each 5 GP.
5: Provisioner's Shop
This cluttered shop provides supplies for travelers who venture into the wilderness.
When the characters arrive at the shop, read the following boxed text aloud:
An affable halfling named Ruckus runs this shop.
Shop Features
The shop has the following features:
- Brimming with Supplies. Everyday supplies fill the shop's packed interior. Shelves, crates, chests, and cabinets overflow with clothes, blankets, tools, trinkets, toys, and other miscellaneous junk.
- Private Rooms. A side entrance leads to a few low rooms where Ruckus lives.
- Storage. A storeroom door toward the back of the shop is roped off and bears a hastily scrawled sign that reads, "WARNING! FIRE GHOST. STAY OUT!" Inside the storeroom, jumbled goods cram floor-to-ceiling shelves.
Shop Services
The Provisioner Handout lists items available for sale. Give this handout to the players whenever they visit this location. Ruckus might point proudly at some of the illustrations to invite comment about how nice they look.
Items for Sale
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Acid | 25 GP |
| Antitoxin | 50 GP |
| Ball Bearings | 1 GP |
| Potion of Healing | 50 GP |
| Healer's Kit | 5 GP |
| Hooded Lantern | 5 GP |
| Rope | 1 GP |
[image: Provisioner Handout]
Quest: Fire Ghost
If the characters don't bring up the unusual sign on the storeroom door, Ruckus soon mentions it and asks for their help in resolving the matter. Read the following boxed text aloud:
The "Ghost"
The only thing haunting the shopkeeper is his own reckless disorganization. Ruckus recently relocated some inventory to a shelf in his storeroom; the merchandise included a hefty magnifying glass. On sunny days, the light through a high window focuses through the lens on a dusty old cloak, causing it to smolder. It's a major fire hazard.
Ruckus's decision to leave the storeroom alone compounds the danger. If the problem isn't dealt with soon, a conflagration is inevitable.
Investigating the Scene
Characters can get at the truth by investigating the jumbled storeroom, where they discover a singed cloak stained with dried ale.
Gathering Clues
Characters in the storeroom can gather clues by succeeding on one of the following ability checks. Consider these examples:
DC 13 Intelligence (Nature). At noon each day, sunlight from the window shines on the cloak.
DC 12 Wisdom (Perception). High on a shelf near the storeroom window, a magnifying glass protrudes from an open box.
[image: Storeroom Box]
Solving the Case
After inspecting the storeroom, the characters can draw their conclusions. A character who considers the evidence and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check correctly deduces the source of the smoke and the risk it poses to Ruckus's shop. A character who gathered one or both clues has Advantage on this check.
If the characters explain the situation, Ruckus is relieved to hear his shop isn't haunted and corrects the fire hazard. As thanks, he pays each character 10 GP and encourages them to spend it here.
6: Trader's Shop
Only bold traders bring goods to the Borderlands.
When the characters arrive at the shop, read the following boxed text aloud:
The woman is Oleira, the shop's owner. The trader's shop is a family business. She runs it with her two teenage sons, Derlo and Ulmar, who dream of being brave knights rather than shopkeepers.
Shop Features
The trader's shop has the following features:
- Indoor Display. The shop interior contains minor luxuries such as salt, spices, cloth, and furniture, which Oleira sells only to citizens of the keep. The goods are clean and well organized.
- Outdoor Display. When the shop is open, Oleira displays armor and weapons under the awning.
- Warehouse. Behind the shop is a small warehouse, where Oleira receives, sorts, and stores goods.
[image: A suit of armor for sale]
Shop Services
The Trader Handout lists items available for sale. Give this handout to the players whenever they visit this location.
Sturdy Armors and Shields
| Armor | Cost |
|---|---|
| Breastplate | 400 GP |
| Splint Armor | 200 GP |
| Shield | 10 GP |
| Studded Leather Armor | 45 GP |
[image: Trader Handout]
Quest: Dangerous Stowaway
As the characters browse Oleira's wares, she offers them each 1 GP to unload a wagon while her sons are off watching soldiers train elsewhere in the keep. The delivery is late, so Oleira tells the characters to meet the wagon along the trail.
Unknown to Oleira, the shipment contains a dangerous stowaway. During transit, a nasty ooze slithered onto the wagon and gobbled up its driver. Oozes usually lurk in dark places like caves or dungeons, but they go wherever they can sate their voracious appetites.
Ooze Surprise
If the characters agree, the guards at the outer gate nod at them as they exit the keep and head down the trail. When the characters come across the wagon, read the following boxed text aloud:
A Gray Ooze Glob lurks within the abandoned wagon, waiting to ambush the characters. When the characters approach the wagon, the ooze seeps from the supplies with a hideous squelching noise and fights the characters. Roll Initiative!
Preparing for Combat
Use the "Combat" section of the D&D Beyond Basic Rules, along with the Trail Map and the Gray Ooze Glob stat block, to run this encounter.
Reward
After defeating the ooze, carting the goods is straightforward work. When the characters return to Oleira, she's shocked to learn of the oozeâshe or her sons could've been seriously harmed.
To show her gratitude, Oleira exceeds her original offer, paying each character 5 GP for their heroism.
7: Bank
The keep's residents and visitors store their most valuable belongings and savings in the bank.
When the characters arrive at the bank, read the following boxed text aloud:
The banker, Quink, relies on the keep's soldiers for protection. Yvette is stationed here most days to discourage anyone from hassling Quink.
Bank Features
The bank has the following features:
- Service Counter. Sturdy hinges connect a wooden drop-down counter to the bank's window. At night, Quink folds up the counter and closes the window, then secures both with an iron grate.
- Vault. A locked, reinforced door connects the bank teller's office to Quink's private quarters and a vault. Inside the vault are several strongboxes containing 250 GP worth of deposited wealth.
Bank Services
The bank offers the following services:
- Take Out a Loan. A character can borrow up to 10 GP from the bank with an interest rate of 1 GP per day. There's no minimum payment due, but if the loan is left unpaid for long, word of the character's financial insolvency spreads throughout the keep.
- Deposit and Withdraw Money. A character can deposit gold and other valuables at the bank. They can withdraw some or all the deposited savings during regular business hours at no cost.
[image: A Hefty Bank Deposit]
Quest: Bank Job
At the service counter, Quink asks the characters if they're adventurers looking for work. If they say yes, she leans in close and speaks to them in hushed tones. Read the following boxed text aloud:
If the characters accept, Quink continues:
Quink believes the culprit lives in the keep.
Thief in the Night
That night, a masked thief stealthily approaches the bank's door and attempts to pick its lock. The thief is Indifferent toward and wary of the characters if approached but doesn't immediately run away.
As an Influence action, a character can dissuade the thief and make one of these ability checks:
DC 15 Charisma (Deception). The character tells the thief a lie, like saying the guards are coming.
DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion). The character convinces the thief to pursue a different line of work.
DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation). The character threatens the thief, who abandons the heist.
On a successful check, the thief lingers long enough for the characters to recognize Yvette, the bank's usual guard! On a failed check, she flees before they can get a good look at her.
Reward
Quink pays the characters 20 GP for stopping the heist as promised. If they also reveal the thief's identity, Quink is flabbergasted but adds a 10 GP bonus for the characters' exceptional work. Soon after, two guards arrive and arrest Yvette. After the arrest, Yvette no longer appears at this location.
8: Traveler's Inn
This inn caters to weary travelers, merchants, and adventurers. It offers a range of accommodations depending on a customer's budget.
When the characters arrive at the inn, read the following boxed text aloud:
The dwarf is Haldryck, the innkeeper.
Inn Features
The inn has the following features:
- Common Room. The common sleeping area is a large, open room with a handful of stiff cots and a crackling hearth. Patrons can also lay out their own sleeping mats on the floor for a safeâalbeit uncomfortableânight's sleep.
- Private Rooms. Customers with gold to spare can sleep in one of the inn's six private rooms. Each well-appointed room has four beds. Haldryck boasts that the beds in these rooms are bug free.
- Wares. Haldryck rents and sells various bedding items, including wool blankets, woven sleeping mats, and pillows stuffed with goose down.
Inn Services
The inn offers the following services:
- Rent a Cot. Cots in the common room are available to rent for 1 GP per night. Roll 1d4 for each character who rents a cot. On a 1, the character finds a dead bug on their pillow.
- Rent a Room. A private room costs 5 GP per night. Roll 1d4 for each character who rents a room. On a 4, the character finds 1 GP under their mattress.
[image: The Inn's Call Bell]
Quest: Wake-up Call
After making introductions, Haldryck tells the characters they look light on their feet and in possession of good manners. He could use their help. Read the following boxed text aloud:
If the characters agree, Haldryck thanks them and describes the three guests who requested wake-up calls before returning to his duties.
Waking the Early Risers
When the characters arrive to wake the early risers, twelve people are asleep in the common room. The early risers are scattered about the room, dozing among other guests who don't wish to be disturbed.
To find and wake an early riser without disturbing the other guests, a character must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) check. On a failed check, the character still wakes the early riser but bumps a grumpy sleeper in the process, rousing them from their slumber. The characters must make this check three times, one for each early riser.
Checking In with Haldryck
For waking the early risers, Haldryck rewards the party 5 GP, recommending they use it to rent a private room. If the characters completed the task without bothering any other guests, Haldryck gives the characters an additional 10 GP for their good work. Otherwise, he mutters about receiving a noise complaint from an unhappy guest.
9: Tavern
Dubbed the Drunken Dragon, this tavern caters to residents and visitors alike and hosts a nightly drinking game.
When the characters arrive at the tavern, read the following boxed text aloud:
The man behind the bar is Umbrusk. After taking the characters' orders, Umbrusk invites them to play chug champion (see this x).
Tavern Features
The tavern has the following features:
- Taproom. The tavern's taproom holds a sticky bar counter, ten round tables, and forty chairs in varying states of disrepair.
- Kitchen. In addition to hired cooks, Umbrusk's staff includes patrons who couldn't pay their tabs. They all work in a cramped, greasy kitchen behind a swinging door near the bar.
- Stage. There's no formal vetting process for who can use the stage; the taproom's rowdy patrons loudly express their enthusiasmâor disdainâfor anyone brave enough to perform.
Tavern Services
The tavern offers the following services:
- Food and Drink. The tavern sells the items listed on the Drunken Dragon Handout. Give this handout to your players whenever they visit this location.
Drinks
| Drink | Cost |
|---|---|
Stiff | |
Dry | |
Food
| Food | Cost |
|---|---|
| Bottomless Soup | 1 GP |
| Cheese and Fruit | 1 GP |
| Roast Fowl | 1 GP |
| Roast Joint | 2 GP |
| Good Stew | 1 GP |
| Very Good Stew | 2 GP |
Dessert
| Dessert | Cost |
|---|---|
| Apple Fritter | 1 GP |
| Bread Pudding | 1 GP |
| Slice of Cake | 1 GP |
[image: Drunken Dragon Handout]
- Buy the House a Round. For 20 GP, a character can buy a drink for everyone in the taproom. For the next 24 hours, that character has Advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks made in the keep.
- Solicit Rumors. Once per day, a character in the tavern can make a DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check to glean a rumor from the bartender or a chatty patron. On a successful check, roll on the Tavern Rumors table to determine the rumor they learn. The rumor's veracity is noted in parentheses; don't read that part out loud.
Tavern Rumors
| 1d4 | Rumor |
|---|---|
| 1 | "Bree-yark" is a goblin phrase that means "we surrender!" (False) |
| 2 | The keep's banker, Quink, has been having trouble with break-ins recently. (True) |
| 3 | For the right price, the outer gatehouse guards will let anyone into the keep. (False) |
| 4 | Kalista, the keep's blacksmith, doesn't forge weapons anymore. (Partially true; she makes them only for the keep's militia.) |
Quest: Chug Champion
The tavern's signature game is a nightly contest called chug champion.
Playing the Game
To play chug champion, participantsâcalled "chuggers"âline up at the bar and pay 5 GP each to receive three pints of either heady ale or non-alcoholic cider (their choice). The goal is to drink the pints as quickly as possible over 3 rounds.
Each round, each participating character must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw to quaff the pint in one go. On a failed save, the character drinks too slowly and is eliminated along with a handful of other chuggers. Otherwise, they proceed to the next round. A character who succeeds on all three saves wins the game.
If multiple characters succeed on all three saving throws, compare the results of those chuggers' last saves, rerolling any ties. The character with the highest result places first, the character with the second-highest result places second, and any other characters place third.
[image: A Tavern Stein]
Winning the Game
The winner receives 25 GP. Second- and third-place chuggers win 15 GP and 10 GP, respectively.
10: Guild House
This guild house offers membership to merchants and artisans, who enjoy benefits such as workshop space, library access, and armed escorts.
When the characters arrive at the guild house, read the following boxed text aloud:
The greeter is the guildmaster, Toryn.
Guild House Features
The guild house has the following features:
- Administration. Toryn oversees the guild from a polished but cluttered oak desk in an office with a private elevator.
- Library. The guild holds the largest collection of books and scrolls in the keep.
- Workshops. Guild members ply their trades in 10-foot-square sections of a spacious room partitioned by hanging curtains.
Guild House Services
The guild house offers the following services:
- Customize Equipment. A character can hire an artisan to customize their equipment, such as emblazoning a Shield with a symbol of their choice or embellishing the binding of a Spellbook. The standard rate is 5 GP per piece of equipment.
- Research. The library contains books on history, magic, and the creatures of the Borderlands. For 1 GP, a character can spend 1 hour researching in the library. The next time that character takes the Study action relating to a subject covered by the library's books, they have Advantage on the Intelligence check made as part of that action. A character can benefit from this only once per day.
Quest: Chaos Unfurls
Once Toryn learns the characters are adventurers, she tries to hire them. Read the following aloud:
If the characters agree, Toryn leads them to a storeroom containing a pile of empty scroll cases and a warded chest that holds the scrolls. She instructs the characters to open the chest when they're ready, then wishes them good luck and departs hurriedly.
[image: A Dangerous Magical Scroll]
Ensorcelled Scrolls
When the characters open the chest, the scrolls erupt from it in a flurry of whirling parchment and shimmering ink. Roll Initiative.
Each round on Initiative Count 10 (losing Initiative ties), the scrolls fold themselves into weapons and deliver brutal paper cuts. Each character must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d4 Slashing damage. A character reduced to 0 Hit Points by a scroll has the Unconscious condition but is Stable.
There are two scrolls for every player character in the party. As an action, a character can try to stow a scroll in its case by succeeding on one of the following ability checks:
DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand). The character deftly plucks a scroll from the air and puts it into a scroll case.
DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana). The character pacifies a scroll with an arcane gesture, allowing it to be scooped up and peacefully stored.
DC 12 Charisma (Intimidation). The character bullies a scroll, causing it to flee into a case.
Case Closed
If the characters encase all the scrolls, Toryn pays them 20 GP as promised. If the scrolls knock out all the characters, Toryn finishes the task before tending to the party. The characters wake up in her office with 1 Hit Point each. When the characters come to, Toryn apologizes sheepishly for putting them in so much danger, then awards them 10 GP for their effort.
11: Temple
The temple meets the spiritual needs of the keep. The curate, a human man named Fazzir, guides the temple's daily activities, which include conducting ceremonies, healing injured soldiers, and offering counsel in matters of ethics and morality.
When the characters arrive at the temple, read the following boxed text aloud:
Until recently, the temple's head priest was a human woman named Ivlis, but she recently departed the keep on a long-anticipated pilgrimage.
DM Secret
Ivlis secretly leads the Cult of Chaos, an evil cult that feeds on destruction and disarray. Her supposed religious journey is a cover for her occult activities, which are detailed in the "Caves of Chaos".
Temple Features
The temple has the following features:
- Alms Box. A stout pole near the temple's entrance holds a small box for visitors to leave donations. At any given time, the alms box contains 1d8 GP. The box is unlocked. A character who steals from the alms box must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or have Disadvantage on D20 Tests for the next 24 hours.
- Sanctuary. This spiritual center can accommodate dozens of worshipers. Fazzir delivers sermons from the altar each dawn. His simple lessons appeal to a variety of religious traditions.
- Underground Accommodations. Fazzir inhabits modest rooms in the temple's cellar. The cellar also contains two small spare rooms. Fazzir uses these rooms as infirmaries or guest quarters as circumstances demand.
Temple Services
The Sacred Services Handout lists available goods and services. Give this handout to the players whenever they visit this location. Fazzir provides the temple's healing and revival services as detailed on the Curate stat block.
Sacred Services
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Flask of Holy Water | 25 GP |
| Healing | 50 GP |
| Revival | 2,000 GP |
[image: Sacred Services Handout]
May all who act with kindness and virtue Always stand upright.
May neither claw nor steel nor darkness hurt you; Be shielded by the light.
Quest: Priestly Duties
In Ivlis's absence, Fazzir is having trouble keeping up with the flood of new responsibilities. He asks the characters to help him with two clerical tasks.
[image: A Holy Symbol]
Impromptu Blessing
A married couple asked Fazzir to give them a blessing for safe travel for a romantic getaway. Fazzir needs two assistants to perform the ceremony.
To conduct the ceremony properly, two characters must each take the Study action and make a DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check. On a successful check, the couple departs the temple with cheer. On a failed check, the couple postpones their trip, uneasy about what their journey might bring.
Occult Symbol
Last night, a vandal defaced the temple with a strange symbol. Fazzir doesn't recognize the symbol. He asks the party to scrub away the graffiti.
A blood-red bell is splattered onto the side of the temple in runny paint. A character who inspects the symbol and succeeds on a DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes the bell as the mark of the Cult of Chaos and an omen of future turmoil. If informed about the symbol's meaning, Fazzir finds the revelation deeply troubling. The mark washes off easily, but its stain on the priest's mind lingers.
Reward
After these tasks, Fazzir gives each character 3 GP regardless of their performance. He is just grateful for their support.
12: Inner Gatehouse
This gatehouse houses on-duty soldiers and separates the civilian areas of the keep from the inner bailey (x).
When the characters arrive at the inner gatehouse, read the following boxed text aloud:
The guards ask the characters about their business, then escort them to Andrella, Captain of the Guard.
Gatehouse Features
The gatehouse has the following features:
- Garrison. Twenty-four soldiers, including Captain Andrella, are garrisoned in the gatehouse.
- Gate. The gate features a massive oak double door. During invasions, soldiers can bar the doors with a heavy timber beam from the other side.
- Murder Holes. Guards atop the gatehouse can thrust spears down at invaders through holes in the ceiling of the archway.
Gatehouse Services
The gatehouse offers the following service:
- Requisition Uniforms. Characters who pledge to defend the keep can requisition uniforms from Andrella free of charge. Give those players one Borderlands Tabard each.
[image: A Rack of Standard-Issue Spears]
Quest: Testing the Defenses
Andrella has an unusual request. Once she learns the characters are adventurers, she dismisses the guards and says the following to the party:
In exchange for their work, Andrella offers the characters a total of 25 GP.
Infiltrating the Guardhouse
During the night, eight soldiers stand watch outside the gatehouse: six on the roof and another two on the ground before the open gate. If necessary, use the Guard stat block to represent each soldier.
As an action, a character can try to bypass the soldiers and make one of these ability checks:
DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth). The character slips past the soldiers undetected.
DC 15 Strength (Athletics). The character scales the keep's sheer wall between regular patrols.
DC 15 Charisma (Deception). The character fools the soldiers with a disguise or convincing lie.
On a successful check, the character bypasses the soldiers undetected. On a failed check, two soldiers spot the character and take them into custody, but other characters can continue the mission.
Debrief with Andrella
If at least one character reaches the pennant without getting caught, Andrella meets them afterward. She pays the party 25 GP as promised. If no characters were spotted, Andrella throws in an extra 15 GP and chastises the soldiers they evaded.
If all the characters are detained before anyone in the party can grab the pennant, Andrella visits the characters in a sparsely furnished detention cell and thanks them for testing her soldiers. She informs the soldiers about the training exercise and smugly pays the characters 25 GP on their release.
13: Inner Bailey
The sheltered inner bailey is where the keep's defenders live and practice combat drills.
When the characters arrive at the inner bailey, read the following boxed text aloud:
The man is the keep's demanding and curmudgeonly sergeant of the guard, Shannik.
Inner Bailey Features
The inner bailey has the following features:
- Cavalry Stable. The bailey contains a stable with thirty horses. These war-trained horses serve as mounts for the keep's cavalry.
- Guard Towers. Four towers rise above the bailey, one in each corner. The smallest, to the southeast, holds up to eight guards. The southwest and northeast towers each hold one dozen guards, as well as food stores and other supplies. The Great Tower to the northwest is 60 feet tall.
- Watches. Eight soldiers, two atop each tower, watch over the inner bailey at all hours. Use the Guard stat block for these soldiers if necessary.
Inner Bailey Services
The inner bailey offers the following service:
- Weapon Upgrade. The keep ordered too many crossbows, which untrained recruits can't wield effectively. Shannik wants to trade the weapons for simpler ones. In exchange for 25 GP and a Shortbow, he can provide a character with a Hand Crossbow.
Quest: Shannik's Chores
Shannik hires the characters to complete a couple chores around the inner bailey. The characters can refuse his request, but Shannik asks with increasing insistence each time they visit the inner bailey.
Disrupting the Charge
Shannik wants to train two green recruits for the cavalry. He has them ride around the bailey for 10 minutes, spearing the hanging rings with lances.
During the exercise, Shannik asks the characters to disrupt the training by distracting the horses or their riders without causing injury to either. A character can do so by succeeding on one of the following ability checks. Consider these examples:
DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling). The character guides a horse off course.
DC 13 Charisma (Intimidation). The character tries to startle a horse or its rider.
[image: A Cavalry Lance Laden with Training Rings]
Catapult Installation
Shannik wants to install a catapult atop the Great Tower to defend against invaders. To do so, the characters must succeed on the following ability checks in this order:
DC 15 Strength (Athletics). The character hauls supplies out of the stores in the southwest tower, across the bailey, and up the Great Tower.
DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation). The character correctly assembles the catapult according to its blueprints.
DC 13 Wisdom (Perception). The character calibrates the catapult by test-firing it at a target outside the keep's walls.
This task takes 1 hour. If at least one character succeeds on each check, the party completes the task. The characters can retry failed checks, but if they accumulate three failures, Shannik dismisses them, grumbling about their incompetence.
Reward
In exchange for completing a chore, Shannik pays a character 5 GP. A character can complete each of Shannik's chores only once. Thereafter, the sergeant greets the characters with a respectful nod whenever they visit this area.
14: Fortress
The castellan governs the keep from its fortress, a stone stronghold solidly built to withstand assault. Multiple towers rise above the main building, which is 30 feet tall. The fortress shelters emergency resources, municipal chambers, and the keep's armed forces. Militaristic banners and upholstered furniture decorate its dignified interior.
When the characters arrive at the keep fortress, read the following boxed text aloud:
Fortress Features
The fortress has the following features:
- Armory. Barding and lances for the keep's cavalryâthirty troops strongâare stored here, though the equipment is off-limits to the characters.
- Barracks. Sparsely furnished quarters throughout the fortress can collectively accommodate up to thirty-six soldiers at once.
- Great Hall. A spacious hall in the fortress hosts ceremonies, proclamations, and other receptions.
- Private Chambers. Two lavishly decorated rooms are reserved for guests of the keep, while another belongs to the castellan.
- Towers. Two peaked towers rise from the fortress.
- Undercroft. Beneath the fortress are cellars containing vast provision stores, a cistern, and a dungeon with four stout cells for detainees and prisoners. If Yvette was arrested at the bank (see x), she is detained in one of the cells.
Fortress Services
The fortress offers the following services:
- Defense. In times of crisis, the castellan can muster up to thirty-six trained soldiers from the fortress to defend the keep. The fortress also provides refuge during incursions.
- Seat of Government. During the day, the castellan and his two assistants conduct business in the main building, where they hold audience with citizens and visitors of the keep.
Quest: Official Errands
Each official in the fortress spurs the characters to explore a different adventure setting.
Dwern the Scribe
The castellan's scribe, a dwarf man named Dwern, sits at a tidy desk in an austere office, documenting changes to the keep's inventory in a heavy ledger.
When the characters visit Dwern, he issues the following quest:
If the characters explore three or more wilderness regions (see the "Wilderness" section) and report their findings to Dwern, the scribe pays them a handsome reward: a large, glittering gemstone (worth 100 GP), which they can sell to the jeweler for gold (see x).
Elandra the Adviser
The castellan's trusted adviser, an elf woman named Elandra, operates in one of the towers. Carpets and tapestries decorate her chamber.
When the characters visit Elandra, she issues the following quest:
If the characters complete three quests within the keep and report back to Elandra, she rewards them with one magic item; roll once on the x table in appendix A (rerolling duplicates) to determine the item.
Winvarle the Castellan
The keep's noble castellan, a human man named Winvarle, holds court daily in the great hall. A keen strategist, Winvarle casts his vigilant gaze toward the Caves of Chaos, where rumors of a sinister cult have surfaced (see the "Caves of Chaos").
When the characters visit Winvarle, he issues the following quest:
Winvarle claims this quest is its own reward, but he adds that the Caves of Chaos abound with treasure, hoping to entice any characters who seek only to fill their coffers.
Castellan Winvarle also encourages the characters to meet with his adviser and scribe, who might have other tasks for them to complete.
Heroes' Return
[image: Castellan Winvarle and the citizens of the keep celebrate the characters' heroic deeds]
If the characters return to this location at level 3, having fulfilled all three keep officials' quests (detailed in the previous sections), they receive a heroes' welcome. That evening, Castellan Winvarle throws a celebration in the characters' honor and invites the citizens of the keep to participate in the festivities. At your discretion, any of the NPCs within the keep might be present at the celebration to mingle with the characters and show their appreciation.
At the height of the revelry, the castellan publicly thanks the characters and presents them a writ of congratulations. Give the players the Castellan's Letter Handout, which might inspire future adventures involving the Keep on the Borderlands.
[image: Castellan's Letter Handout]
Ending the Adventure
Castellan Winvarle's celebration marks the end of this adventure, but there's still plenty to explore after that. The characters can continue to adventure in the Keep on the Borderlands, the Caves of Chaos, and the Wilderness (detailed in each respective section) until they've experienced all the Borderlands has to offer. You can also use them to tell stories of your own.
If you wish to advance these characters beyond level 3 and create new adventures for them, you need the core rules: the Player's Handbook, the Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monster Manual.