The Dragon Heist

The Dragon Heist

Year: 1492 DR. Waterdeep the City of Splendors, plays host to a hidden contest. A hoard of treasure, concealed by the disgraced Open Lord Dagult Neverember, pulses at the heart of the city’s undercurrents. That treasure is the spark for a game played in shadows—and the city itself is the board.

Adventure Structure

  • The hunt centers on the Stone of Golorr, a cipher to the treasure. Unraveling its secrets propels the party into the depths of factional plots.

  • Investigation and subterfuge reign. Tasked with locating lairs, tracking clues, and navigating shifting alliances, the adventurers step lightly through ever-intensifying intrigue.

  • Multiple minor heists unfold—the Stone’s Eyes, hidden locations, and guardians—all leading the party deeper into the Grand Game.

  • The quest leads eventually to the Vault—promise of reward, peril of confrontation, and potential for city-shaking consequences.

The Grand Game & Factions
The central conflict is a web of rival factions each vying for the treasure.

Major factions:

  • Xanathar – The beholder crime lord, endlessly curious and suspicious. Holds the Stone initially, hunts the Eyes to unlock its secrets.

  • Manshoon – A clone of the infamous Zhentarim mage. A calculated schemer fixated on the Eyes, revitalizing old alliances.

  • Jarlaxle Baenre – Drow captain, masked among city crowds under a circus guise. Charismatic, opportunistic, seeking leverage to aid his home city.

  • The Cassalanters – Noble family with hidden occult depths. Their interest in the Stone goes beyond wealth; they weave darker agendas into their pursuit.

  • Other factions: The Open Lord’s agents may cross paths if the party stumbles into their investigations. Various religious factions or crafting guilds can also be drawn into the hunt for the vault.

Seasons as Flavor, Factions as Arcs
The adventure unfolds in seasons tied loosely to factions—but in the remix, each villain can show up at a time that fits their theme and tone rather than fixed slots:

  • Spring: Rain-washed streets, rising tension.

  • Summer: Sun-bleached festivities.

  • Autumn: Harvest markets and fog.

  • Winter: Crisp air, lengthening nights.