So the players have a book that they can't translate, and all their leads seem to have gone to Drakeholt. It's probably time for them to head there too (although they could stay in Myrehall for a while and break into Molgond's cottage for example, although nothing else will happen of note for the next week or so at least).

Drakeholt is about a day's journey from Myrehall, so assuming the players start off at a reasonable time in the morning, they'll arrive by early evening reaching The Wise Cat tavern on the southern outskirts of the town. Things seem to have been somewhat troubled of late and there is a discussion going on in the tavern's common room. Haldis (the wife of the landlord Olvir) is talking to a group of travelling dwarves:

Haldir: Yes that's right friend, the town has been disturbed of late.
Haldir: A fair few places have been broken into in the night and had things stolen. Mostly food, and no one has been hurt, but there is something in the town, something sinister.
Haldir: No, we've no idea who's doing it. Whoever is doing this disappears without a trace.
Haldir: The town has been peaceful for so long. We work for Lord Hugon, and trade with the nearby villages. Now it feels like there is a cloud over us, even though it's not long until the midsummer festival.

If questioned, Haldir doesn't know much more about the mystery. She can direct the players towards the castle library though. She hasn't seen anyone called Molgond. She does know about the lost caravan though. They performed in the town square a few days ago, although she's not seen them since and doesn't know where they are staying.

A colony of Kobolds has established itself in the subterranean tunnels beneath the town, and is emerging sporadically at night to raid the town's population. So far they have managed to evade capture and so are creating a gradually growing sense of panic. The Kobolds have also broken through into an ancient catacomb below the castle which holds an ancient secret of the Knights of Icaria who built this castle to protect the first human settlers in the Wyrm Lands. This catacomb can also be accessed from a forgotten doorway in the depths of the library within the castle.

Presumably the players will want to have the book from the hidden sanctuary translated. They have three options to achieve this.

• Syren can cast the “Comprehend Languages” spell that will allow her to translate the book.
• There is a book in the library that if studied will allow the players to translate one page per short rest.
• There is a scroll of Comprehend Languages in the librarian's chest that will allow a player to translate the book.
• There is a scroll of Comprehend Languages in the large chamber underneath the library which will allow a player to translate the book.

There are then three things the players may choose to investigate: the Kobold attacks; the library; and the caravan.

The players will arrive in Drakeholt on the 29th day of Diphu the Flower. In the evening of that day a comet will appear low on the northern horizon, visible just as the players arrive at the outskirts.

• Day One (30 Diphu): Terrowin is manning the office at the castle gate; Molgond can be seen leaving the library and returning to the tower.
• Day One Night (30 Diphu): the Kobold robbery at the bakery.
• Day Two (1 Dorvoros): Molgond is in the library.
• Day Two Night (1 Dorvoros): the Kobold robbery at The Wise Cat
• Day Three (2 Dorvoros): Molgond is in the library.
• Day Four (3 Dorvoros): the caravan appear in the town square; there is a total solar eclipse.

(Day Four can be moved forward or backwards depending on how much progress they players have made - for example if they've raced through things and reached the end, have the caravan arrive the next day, if they are still working at it, push it back a bit).

On Day 4 (3 Dorvoros) wherever the players are they will hear a commotion in the town with the townsfolk flocking to the square. If they investigate they will find a brightly painted cart rolling into the town from the road leading out to the Burnt Lands. With each of the members hanging off the sides encouraging people to come and see the show, this is the lost caravan from Feyharbour.

The players can stick around and watch the show. After the show the caravan members will start to pack up around the cart. What happens next will depend on the players and how they interact. The caravan have been staying out of town and quietly searching through the Burnt Lands. Syren will look off into the middle distance:

Syren: I have seen something. A vision of the future. A prophecy. A message from the elemental plane.
Syren: Dragons. Flying over the hills to the north. Returning from banishment.
Syren: I felt the call, it was so urgent I could not ignore it. A call from the plane beyond. From the world before my kingdom was cursed.
Syren: The worlds are drifting closer together. It may hold the key.

In short, Syren has had a vision of the dragons trapped on another plane, and that their return is possible in the imminent future. Syren led the caravan here because his vision was centred around the mountains in the north and he believes that the vision may be connected to the curse that froze his kingdom in the ice. He will be quite open in talking about this. The caravan aren't staying in the town but are slowing exploring the lands to the north working upwards towards the Burnt Lands. Syren will suggest that the players finish off whatever they have left to do in the town and then follow the caravan north.

As the players are talking to Syren the sky will begin to slowly darken. A hush falls on the townsfolk and the moon will slowly move across the sun until there is a total solar eclipse. An eerie silence will descend, followed by utter mayhem as everyone begins to wonder what it all means.

As a bard, Syren can cast Comprehend Languages (Players Handbook p.224) and read the book to the players if asked, although he won't make the immediate connection to anything else that is going on (he's rather distracted by his vision).

Molgond has made an agreement with the chancellor of Drakeholt that he can continue his research in the library, and is staying in the tower while he does so. On Day 1 (30 Diphu) if the players are either at the castle gate or walking across to the library they will see him leaving the library and heading into the tower.

How he interacts with them is going to depend entirely on how they approach him. If they challenge him he will leave, and after how they treated him last time fairly angrily. If they get too aggressive the guards will protect him, and if they come anywhere near him again he'll avoid them. On the other hand if they try to share what they know and make friends, or open up about their confusion he will still happily talk to them. He knows now that they're interested in things dragon-related which is his interest too.

He will be willing to say that he is researching dragons and collaborating with a colleague in Feyharbour who shares that interest (“D”), and after what happened in Myrehall and the advice from D he has come to continue that research in the library at Drakeholt. He believes there are secrets hidden there that will help to uncover what happened to the dragons and where they went. If they are interested in dragons he will encourage them to research Drakeholt history, and look for secrets. He will be very interested in the book and will suggest they look in the library for help translating it, although he can't translate it himself.

There are two separate Kobold attacks. Each of these give the players a chance to work out that the Kobolds are emerging from a tunnel system that connects to the “drain” grille in the town square and thereby access the tunnels.

The night after the players arrive at The Wise Cat (ie. the night after the first full day in Drakeholt) Gerd will arrive at the tavern late at night, hammering on the door and shouting for help. She owns the bakery on the edge of the town square. Allowed in, she is out of breath:

Help me please! There's someone in the bakery! That place is my life, please won't someone help me!

If the players follow Gerd the hundred metres or so to the bakery they find the shop door swinging open with the lock broken. Inside is a mess of broken pots and ripped open sacks of flour. Gerd will be able to confirm that anything that was already baked (some loaves that didn't sell this morning) and a sack of flour have been taken. If the players were quick off the mark and followed Gerd immediately they can each make a Wisdom (Perception) check against DC20 to spot a figure disappearing through a grille in the floor in the centre of the town square. This leads down into the subterranean tunnels and can be lifted with a Strength check against DC15 as it is quite heavy.

There are no other clues in the bakery itself. If the players fail to get there on time and fail to spot the creatures disappearing down the grille, then there's nothing further to do and they will be left with a sobbing Gerd in her bakery.

The second attack occurs some nights later at The Wise Cat (or potentially wherever the players are staying if they've managed to find a different place to stay). In the night there will be a crash as the door is broken in, and then more noise as the Kobolds dismantle the kitchen in search of food. What follows will be general mayhem as the tavern residents wake up and head downstairs to find out what's going on. There are four Kobolds and they will make a dash for the exit with whatever they've been able to scavenge and will run off towards the town square eventually, if they get this far, disappearing down the grid into the tunnels. If the Kobolds don't make it there, they may get far enough for the players to guess where they were heading. If the players really haven't got anywhere by this point, they might notice that the grille is slightly lifted, or that there is a tuft of cloth caught in it.

The library is just inside the castle walls. On the first day after they arrive in Drakeholt, Terrowin will be the Reeve on duty at the castle gate and will allow them access, walking them across to the library and introducing them to the librarian. She won't be back on duty until day four, and the reeve who is on duty will be a peevish man who will dismiss the players out of hand (and if they offer violence the guard will lock them in the dungeons to cool off, depending on how far they go).

Sneaking into the library is possible, but it will mean either getting past the guards at the gate, or getting over the wall some other way, and getting past Rufia without an introduction.

The librarian is a woman called Rufia. If the players are open with her she will try to help them, she will be genuinely interested in helping them research a subject and helping them find some of the secrets hidden in the library, she'll get quite excited in fact. In this case she will direct the players to either of the galleries depending on whether they ask about languages and translating a book (the Languages Section) or the history of Drakeholt and dragons (the History Section). If the players can build a good relationship with her she will also let them investigate behind the bookcases and through the trapdoor - she might even bring some of the guards to help with any fights. Otherwise they will need to persuade her to go somewhere else so they can investigate at leisure. Rufia will get very cross, including calling in the guards, if there is any damage to the library, or if the players suggest or attempt a course of action likely to damage the library or the books.

The best way to get on Rufia's side is to be transparent about what they're searching for and try to involve her in it with enthusiasm.

Rufia will recognise the Homunculus as the familiar of a mage or sorceror but is not aware that it is connected to Lord Hugon. She is not aware that there is a mimic hiding in the gallery (“I always wondered why I never saw Jodrick again after I sent him to the languages section”). She isn't aware of the trapdoor and has never looked behind the bookcases, but as noted above if befriended is potentially willing to let the players investigate if they are open with her. The other tack is to try and get her out of the way so the players can investigate. You'll need to assess how plausible what the players attempt is.

The library is a large building, larger than might be expected for a town of this size. It clearly speaks of a time when recording knowledge was felt to be both important, and a duty of the lord. Inside the double doors to the left is a desk and chair for the librarian, normally scattered with Rufia's papers. Behind the desk is a locked chest. If the players do manage to get access to this chest they will find:

• The ledger which records who has borrowed what books.
• A scroll of Comprehend Languages.
• A scroll of Detect Magic.

In the middle of the main hall is a large table with chairs around it for visitors to view and read the books. All around the walls of the library are wooden bookcases which reach about 10 feet in height. They are separate cases rather than a continuous row, two along each long wall with smaller cases along the back wall. The cases against the back wall aren't quite pushed all the way back. It would be possible at a squeeze for a smaller character to squeeze between two cases into the gap behind, although if they fail a Dexterity check against DC10 they'll make it wobble noisily (and a critical failure would push the bookcase over with a crash). Larger characters, or those wearing metal armour, would need to move a bookcase to get behind them. This can be done with a Strength check against DC15 and cannot be done silently.

Behind the bookcases at the back of the library is a wooden trapdoor leading down to the hidden chamber.

On each side of the main hall are wooden staircases leading up to two gallery areas. Each gallery area is a separate mezzanin level with a balustrade overlooking the main hall, and with bookcases lining the long wall.

The left hand gallery holds the books in the library that cover languages. Anything more than a cursory search will reveal a book on ancient draconic that has enough examples of the same script for players to be reasonably certain that it will allow them to have a go at translating the book from the sanctuary.

For each short rest spent studying the book, players can make an Intelligence (Investigation) check against DC15 to translate one page of the book - although if the players determine to sit down and just work through it, probably best to have it take a whole day for the whole party to translate the whole thing. If they keep hold of the book, they can use it to help them translate other brief lines of draconic text.

There is a Mimic hiding at the end of the gallery disguised as a chest. As soon as anyone gets within range it will launch a pseudopod attack and try to eat the players. If Rufia is in the library at the time of the attack she will her the commotion and run up the stairs. Seeing what's going on she will run off before returning with two guards who will return and help with the fight after a total of 10 turns.

The right hand gallery holds a section of history books, covering the whole history of Drakeholt and the nearby areas. All the books here postdate the time of the dragons. If the players work down the shelves they will quickly realise that the books get older and older as they move further down from the stairs. As the players move along the shelf they will hear a chirruping noise from the top of the book shelves. The noise will continue as they keep looking. The books which cover the very beginning of Drakeholt at the very far end and on the very top shelf. There is no obvious means to reach that far up, and the wooden bookcase looks quite rickety. A Dexterity (Acrobatics) ability check against DC15 will be needed to climb up successfully, with failure progressing down from just not getting a proper grip all the way to pulling over the whole bookcase with a crash on a critical failure (which will get the players thrown out of the library and told never to come back).

Whether successful or not, as they reach the top a homunculus will crawl out from behind the bookcase, chirruping madly and grab the very topmost book and clumsily fly towards an open window. A quick player already clambering up can make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against DC20 to leap up and grab the book and land safely. At which the homunculus will fly off. If the players follow the homunculus they will see it fly up to the top of the tower and go in by a window.

The homunculus is the newly created familiar of Lord Hugon and has been sent out to scour the library for books that might help him complete his quest. The book in question is the only book in the library that describes the period just after the dragons were banished. After a short rest spent reading it, the players will learn that humans had already begun moving into the Wyrm Lands before the dragons disappeared. The book is hazy on how the dragons came to disappear. A section of the Knights of Icaria established “the Drake Hold” to protect the early human settlers and that the town grew up around the original early complex, and that this was not originally a castle as such but rather the earliest fortified buildings. The Knights gradually died out leaving the lordship to local rulers, and whatever secrets the Knights knew have been lost. It implies that they there may be secrets left behind by the Knights that might help reveal the full story of those times.

This story told to Rufia will really engage her in helping the players out with any search of the library.

Underneath the trapdoor, steps disappear down into the dark. They reach the end in a small dark chamber about 5 metres square. Opposite the steps is an archway with two grotesque stone figures on either side each with a spear held so that they cross in front of the archway. These figures are gargoyles. Above the door is a carved golden dragon's head, and a message written in draconic and carved in gold which reads:

“Origato Ve Lekar” (Let Me Enter)

The players can read the script using the book from the languages section (if they've retrieved it) and making an Intelligence (Investigation) check against DC15. When one player says the draconic words, the gargoyles will lift their spears and allow that character to pass before snapping back into place. Each player must say the words in turn to be allowed through. On the other hand, the players could fairly easily stoop under the spears and into the passageway. As soon as someone attempts this the gargoyles will come to life and attack. They will pursue the players through the archway, but if the players retreat back up the steps to the library the gargoyles will return to their guard on either side of the archway, so they can take the fight in chunks if they prefer. Under the archway steps disappear down into the dark, leading eventually to the large chamber in the tunnels.

For the players here is an adjusted map that doesn't show the hidden trapdoor and underground chamber, but does include the Mimic chest at the far end of gallery 2:

The tunnels are an ancient hidden chamber and secret exit from the castle area of Drakeholt, with an entrance in the library and an exit in what is now the town square. The players may enter the tunnels from either the hidden chamber in the library, or from the grille in the town square.

The main chamber is large with four pillars. The steps down from the hidden chamber in the library emerge on one side. On the opposite side there is a larger passageway leading to the rest of the complex. In the centre is a raised dais with a large stone pedestal about 1 metre high on it. On side of the dais is a large stone throne facing the wall across from the pedestal, and on that opposite wall is what at first sight looks like a blank stone wall, but on closer inspection becomes clear is a large stone doorway. The players can see the outline of the door frame, but there is no handle or other visible door furniture.

At the very bottom of the steps from the library, just as they emerge into the chamber, there are two statues each of humans in very natural poses (these are two visitors who were petrified after encountering the cockatrices).

The floor has a thin layer of undisturbed dust unless there has been a gap of at least a day since encountering the homunculus in the library, and the homunculus escaped with the book. If this is the case there will instead be one very recent trail through the dust to the pedestal, the throne, the stone door, and back.

In one chest there is a heavy 6 inch high golden statue of dragon, curling around and looking forward in one direction, heavily wrapped in embroidered cloth and clearly placed with reverence in this chest.

In the other chest there is more random treasure:

• A scroll of Comprehend Languages (Players Handbook p.224)
• Two common potions of healing (Dungeon Masters Handbook p.187)
• Bags with 1300 copper coins, 1100 silver coins, and 80 gold coins

If the players entered this chamber from the library, then some point while the players are investigating they will hear a pitter patter sound of feet on the stone floor and a squawking noise before being attacked by 4-8 cockatrices (depending on how strong the party is at this point) who have made these tunnels their home.

The stone door on one side of the chamber is visible as a large double door outline in the stone. When someone sits in the throne facing the wall across the pedestal large gold letters will become visible on the stone door. They are in draconic and read:

“aurix coi jahus batobot locked nomeno mojka” (Gold it was that locked this away)

“ekess ocuir svabol wharacic putole” (To see what lies beyond)

“aurix zklaen vorq nomeno idol tenamalo” (Gold must look this way again)

The players can read this if they have the book from the languages section of the library and can pass an Intelligence (Investigation) check against DC20. To open the door, the golden dragon statue must be placed on the pedestal looking at the door with a player sitting in the throne. There will then be a loud snick and the double door will then slowly grind open revealing the chamber beyond. If the players need a bit of a clue, have them notice that there is a groove on the pedestal like something is meant to fit there.

Once the players open the stone door, behind they find a smaller chamber. Inside is another pedestal which holds just one thing, a crystal ball about 6 inches across covered initially by a silk cloth. Underneath the crystal ball is a shallow indentation roughly the shape of a finger ring. Behind the pedestal is a large gate-like construction set away from the wall. It is initially covered by a large threadbare banner or curtain which might have once shown the picture of a circular dragon. There is nothing else in the room.

Players carrying dragonslayer swords will notice as they enter this chamber that the hilts of their sword become very gently tingly, like there is an electric charge running through it.

The seeing stone is a crystal ball of True Seeing (Dungeon Master's Guide p.159 and Players Handbook p.273 for the Scrying spell). It can be used for the other purposes outlined in the description, but at present is strongly attuned to the ethereal plane to which the dragons have been banished. When someone picks it up and looks through it at the 'gate' they will see the gate become what looks like a portal through which can be seen swirling mist and cloud. Moving through the cloud are large winged shapes which it gradually becomes clear are many many dragons all circling in the air on another plane of existence.

To the side of the room with the gate and the seeing stone is a slightly smaller chamber, apparently a room used for storage. Like the other chambers here it is dusty and very obviously hasn't been entered for a long time. To either side of the entrance are two stands with armour. Any member of the Order of Icaria will recognise this as ancient examples of the armour worn by the knights, although now degraded and not wearable. On the far wall are two chests. One holds a set of silver plates, patens, ewers, jugs and so forth. The players could take this but it looks pretty heavy. The other holds carefully folded cloaks and tabards embroidered with the emblems of the Order of Icaria.

Beyond the larger chamber at 1. is a wide passageway that spreads on either side into eight separate small chambers or large alcoves. Here there is detritus all over the floor, broken rusty blades and bits of metal, half chewed bones, and the excrement of the cockatrices. It's disgusting. If the players enter from the tunnels, this is where they will encounter 4-8 cockatrices (depending on how strong the party is at this point).

Whichever way the players arrive at this point they will notice charred remains on the ground that look like Kobolds in between two recesses in the wall. Each recess holds a large statue of a dragon curled around a post with its head facing into the passageway and mouth open. If the players simply try to walk past both dragons will blast fire from their mouths, filling the passageway. The player attempting to pass will feel a snick as the pressure plate is depressed and have to pass a Dexterity saving throw against DC13 or take 4d10 fire damage, half as much if they pass the saving throw. If the players stop and search before triggering the check they will notice the pressure plate. It can't be stepped over, but it can be jammed with success on a Strength check against DC12. (See the Dungeon Master's Guide p.122 for more information on the sample fire statue trap).

The Kobolds have burrowed into the neatly carved walls of the ancient tunnel to scrape out a small living area covered in detritus, bones, and other general rubbish. There is also a sleeping area and a storage area. There's nothing interesting in the sleeping area other than some smelly bed rolls. In the storage area are pots, sacks, and barrels storing things that the Kobolds have taken from the town during their depredations. There will be 4-8 Kobolds here depending on the strength of the party when they reach this point who will fight to the death.

Further down the passage way towards the main chamber there is pile out wood and stones, it looks very much like the Kobolds have tried to barricade themselves in from whatever lies further beyond.

Ending the adventure could come in a number of ways depending on where the players stop. At its most simple, the players could clear out the Kobolds and not investigate further, or they could fully explore the chambers under the library. Either should be acceptable. The adventure then will formally stop when the players encounter the lost caravan and hear Syren's prophecy and get him to translate the book from the sanctuary. At this point the players can be left with Syren's words ringing in their ears and thunderstruck as the solar eclipse darkens the sky.

Syren will insist on leaving the players behind and travelling back north while the players rest up and recover before following them.

There are a total of approximately 1200 XP available based on the monsters included in this scenario, and another 1000 XP at DM's discretion based on how the players approach solving the various challenges included, in particular how they handle negotiating with the various NPCs and getting the book from the sanctuary translated. If they simply pile through it in a combat oriented way, stick to the 1200 for the monsters.

• Cockatrice: Monster Manual p.42
• Drakeholt Guard: Monster Manual p.347
• Gargoyle: Monster Manual p.140
• Homunculus: Monster Manual p.188
• Kobold: Monster Manual p.195
• Mimic: Monster Manual p.220