Meeting Sergeant Vilroy:
The adventure begins in the Upper Central Plateau, where the characters meet Sergeant Germaine Vilroy. Cobaltus, who has contacts within the authorities, introduces the group to her. The sergeant is gruff and straightforward, hiring the party to meet with a warforged named Coal in the Cog Carnival, a warforged bar in the High Walls district of Lower Tavick's Landing. She offers them 25 gold pieces each up front and an additional 50 gold pieces each if they bring Coal back safely. Vilroy emphasizes the importance of discretion, worried that her presence might attract unwanted attention and endanger Coal.
Meeting Coal at the Cog Carnival:
The party finds Coal, a black, one-armed warforged, at the Cog Carnival. The bar is filled with warforged, many of whom are missing digits or limbs, and the air is thick with the smell of tobacco and the sound of raucous games. After a brief conversation, they learn about the kidnapping of Caden d'Orien, the murder of Razor, and Daask's hunt for artifacts in Old Sharn. Coal is visibly shaken, recounting how her friend Razor was executed as an example. Just as Coal finishes her story, a bolt of fire narrowly misses her, causing chaos in the bar.
A Daask hit squad, consisting of a female shifter named Hound and several kobolds, ambushes the party. The party fights back, with Trista using her agility to flank the attackers, Zharina tanking the hits, Dorbo healing the wounded, and Cobaltus supporting with his light crossbow. Armand, Cobaltus's pet armadillo, targets the weakest enemies. The party manages to defeat the hit squad, capturing one of the kobolds for interrogation.
Under Dorbo's stern questioning, the captured Daask member reveals that Garra, a half-ogre, ordered them to kill Coal to silence her.
Rescuing Caden d'Orien:
The party brings Coal to Sergeant Vilroy for protection and heads to Unicorn Estate in the Mithral Tower district to meet Alden d'Orien. The gates of Unicorn Estate are open, allowing the party to walk onto the property after presenting themselves to the guards. The estate is grand, with unicorn statues and topiaries, and the house is clearly owned by one of the city's wealthiest dragonmarked families.
Alden is a haggard man in his late thirties, deeply worried about his son. He recounts how Caden was abducted almost a month ago, and how he was forced to cooperate with Garra, who demanded warforged laborers to dig for something in Old Sharn. Vishtai, Alden's kalashtar bodyguard, telepathically gives the party directions to the ruins of Old Sharn where Caden is imprisoned. Alden breaks down, sobbing, as the party leaves to rescue his son.
Exploring Old Sharn:
Following Vishtai's directions, the party finds the lift and descends into the Daask excavation site in the ruins of Old Sharn. The lift ride is long and unsettling, shaking and rattling as it descends into the depths of the city. When the doors open, the party finds themselves in a vast, unlit cavern filled with broken stonework from ancient buildings. The air is stale, filled with dust and the scent of decay.
Ahead of them, a fifty-foot-diameter pit has been intentionally dug, and the soft sobs of a young child can be heard from a wooden shed on the far side of the pit. Four Daask goblins guard the area, hiding in the pit. The party notices them in time to avoid a surprise attack and engages in combat. They manage to defeat the goblins, with one fleeing into the ruins.
The party descends into the excavation pit and finds eleven warforged in various states of disrepair, chained together on the pit floor. Among them is the corpse of a warforged with its head struck from its shoulders. The party frees the warforged, who scatter into the Cogs, grateful for the rescue.
They then approach the shed and find Caden d'Orien, a small child covered in dust and wearing the ruined livery of House Orien. Caden is nearly catatonic, but after some comforting and healing magic from Dorbo, he begins to open up about his ordeal. He tells the party that a big, mean lady named Garra and her goblin friends imprisoned him here.
While exploring further, the party encounters the ghost of Pfingston Nezzelech, a gnome inquisitive who died when the old city collapsed during the War of the Mark. The ghost is cursed to investigate a long-unsolved jewel heist. The party helps Pfingston find his remains, gaining valuable historical insights about Sharn. Grateful, Pfingston fades away, granting the party advantage on Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks for the next 24 hours.
Skycoach Ride:
As the party leaves Mithral Tower with Caden, a skycoach piloted by a disguised changeling named Jas, posing as Sergeant Vilroy, approaches them. Jas tries to convince the party to board, but Trista notices slight differences in the sergeant's demeanor. When confronted, Jas leaps out of the skycoach, using a feather token to land safely. The party quickly stabilizes the skycoach and pursues Jas through the crowded streets of Sharn.
After a short chase, they capture Jas, who reveals that Garra is leaving Sharn on a lightning rail bound for Wroat and that the changeling's role was to deliver them into a trap at Garra's safe house.
Terminus and Garra's Apartment:
The party heads to Terminus in Lower Tavick's Landing. They navigate the busy streets filled with travelers, pickpockets, and con artists, and make their way to Garra's apartment in a tenement tower. They speak with Martisha Kullandra, an elderly magewright, who informs them about Garra's comings and goings. Martisha saw Garra leave the apartment minutes before the party arrived.
Inside Garra's apartment, the party encounters four kenku cutpurses hiding behind furniture. A battle ensues, and the party defeats the kenku. In the bedroom, they find a gnoll named Nur frantically burning documents. The party defeats Nur and rescues Sergeant Vilroy, who is bound and unconscious on a mattress. They recover two important documents: a receipt for a lightning rail ticket to Wroat and a list of warforged addresses.
Catching the Lightning Rail:
The party rushes to Terminus Station just as a lightning rail train is about to depart. They fight through a group of Daask bandits who attempt to stop them and manage to board the train. The train has ten cars, including a first-class car where Garra is hiding.
The party searches the train and finds Garra lounging in a luxury passenger car with a battleaxe within reach and a wooden chest by her feet. A chaotic evil sprite named Rot, who is invisible, serves Garra. The party confronts Garra, who initially tries to bribe them with 100 gold pieces to let her go. When the party refuses, a battle breaks out.
Garra, seeing herself outnumbered, tries to escape by climbing onto the roof of the train, where she can shove enemies off. The party follows her onto the roof, successfully maintaining their balance. After a fierce fight, they manage to subdue Garra without killing her.
Bringing Garra to Justice:
The party secures Garra with rope and makes their way back inside the train car. They present their writ to the conductor, who halts the train at the next station. Sharn Watch guards arrive to take Garra into custody, verifying the party's claims and thanking them for their service. Sergeant Vilroy, if present, commends the party for their work.
Rewards and Future Prospects:
The party receives 50 gold pieces each for their efforts, gaining favor with the Sharn Watch. They also secure the books, schemas, and treasure from Garra's chest, including a gem of brightness, a feather token, and 600 gold pieces. Alden d'Orien, grateful for his son's safe return, might approach them for additional tasks in the future.
Epilogue:
The party's heroic actions catch the attention of influential figures in Sharn, opening up new opportunities for adventures. Whether they continue working with the Sharn Watch, House Orien, or embark on new quests, their future is filled with possibilities. United by their courage and determination, they stand ready for whatever comes next.
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