I thought I’d try something different and share a short encounter. This is my “I have two sessions to sell you on playing D&D” design. I’ve run this encounter for both of my long-running professional groups. I think it’s a rather fun introduction to my playstyle and a game like D&D. Dungeons & Dragons can seem intimidating at first to someone who’s new to the concept of rolling dice and playing roles. This encounter was built to ease players into that.
Background
I wrote this encounter to fulfill three purposes:
- get the table playing D&D fast so they can learn the rules along the way
- introduce players to my personal DM style, which might not fit what they’ve seen before
- ascertain which aspects of the game my players enjoy the most
To this end, I wanted to make sure I included as many “iconic” D&D moments in this adventure as possible. I wanted strong moments in exploration, combat, and roleplay. I needed real stakes, comedic NPCs, and several chances to pull a goofy Hail Mary. I also needed to give players a broad view of things they could actually do in the game.
The adventure takes place in the Xanathar’s lair beneath Waterdeep and has several hooks into Dragon Heist. This is by design. Dragon Heist is a rather forgiving adventure for first-time players and a campaign I like to run. But this adventure has not always led into Dragon Heist.
This also isn’t, like, a fully-fleshed out encounter. It’s just notes from my journal. I don’t have stat blocks for some NPCs. This encounter isn’t an exercise in game balance, after all. It’s an exercise in getting started.
The Encounter Begins
…with character creation! One major thing I wanted was to make sure that players felt ownership over their characters. But I didn’t have them make a full character. Instead, I asked them to choose a race and roll stats. We filled these things out together, and then we could start. I said aloud to my players:
You were in Waterdeep, City of Splendors— that’s, like, Fantasy New York City, kind of—when it happened. You were surrounded by shady-looking individuals and knocked out. When you came to, you were on the cold ground of a dungeon cell, behind bars with several people you’ve never seen before. I’m going to go around the table. Please tell me your character’s name, a short description, and why they think this happened to them.
“You wake up imprisoned” is a pretty standard start to an adventure, but it’s a quick way to unite a party that doesn’t know each other. Maybe I did too many team-building exercises in middle school, but I believe nothing unites a bunch of strangers quite like a puzzle they have to solve.
Also in the cell with them is a familiar face at my table, Bratwurzt McRib (they/them, drow rogue). Bratwurzt speaks in a thick Brooklyn accent, clings to the fourth wall, and is a professional adventurer. They know where they are and tell the group as such: they’re deep underneath Waterdeep, in the lair of Xanathar the Beholder.
Bratwurzt was here on a rescue mission to save their friend Cendrillion (she/her, wood elf cleric) when they were taken by surprise and imprisoned. They claim they don’t have time to “babysit” new adventurers but gladly cooperate with any plans the party hatches to escape.
Here By Mistake
What the party doesn’t realize is that they’re not here because of anything they’ve done. The Xanathar Guild stooges mistook them for actual famous adventurers and imprisoned them, hoping one of them would know the location of the Stone of Golorr.
After several moments of searching the empty cell, a guard arrives and questions the players. He unquestioningly believes that they are great and legendary heroes (perhaps mistaking a drow for Drizz’t Do’Urden, or a dwarf for Bruenor Battlehammer). He suspects that if they don’t know the whereabouts of the Stone of Golorr, they would know how to locate such an object. If the party attempts to explain the misunderstanding, the guard accuses them of lying.
The weak-willed guard can be fooled or scared into opening the door with a successful DC 13 Charisma (Deception or Intimidation) check. From there, the party can deal with the guard how they see fit and make a run for it.
Through the Dungeon
For this encounter, I used a simplified version of the layout of Xanathar’s hideout from Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. The only way out is through this series of rooms, so it doesn’t map one to one. I removed references to other ways out or stuffed them with guards so the party couldn’t take them.
Instead of rewriting the Xanathar map for you, I’ll list what’s different about the rooms in my encounter.
Gladiatorial Arena
While nothing is happening in this large chamber at the moment, six guards are preparing for the next tournament. Bratwurzt happens to know that the exit is up north, but too many guards are blocking the way for the level zero party to get through. They can sneak around the south way towards the Hall of Statues with a successful DC 13 group Dexterity (Stealth) check.
Hall of Statues
Touching one of the statues in this room causes the hand to pop off and become a crawling claw that attacks whomever touched it.
Audience Chamber
Eight guards are here now. They’re sitting in front of an ornate door, inebriated and loudly extolling the virtues of the Xanathar. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals they’re doing this loudly so the Xanathar can hear them; he must be nearby. The party can sneak by this crowd with a successful DC 13 group Dexterity (Stealth) check.
Stealth has, historically, never been the party’s move here. While one group rushed into combat, itching for a fight, another group took up the ale and wine and pretended to commiserate with the Xanathar’s lackeys. They had the entire guild on their side before someone realized they weren’t supposed to be there.
Listening in the back, near a second door, is Nar’l Xibrindas, an NPC from Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. He knows the party does not belong but is not interested in snitching. If the party agrees to deliver a handwritten letter to Zardoz Zord, admiral of the Sea Maidens Faire, he gives them a smoke grenade. He tells the party, “When you see Xanathar, toss this at his big eye and run.”
Xanathar’s Chamber
I must admit, nobody has ever waded through the drunk guild members in order to cross that door, but behind it is the big eye himself. He does not appreciate being interrupted during a conversation with his goldfish, especially by prisoners who are supposed to be in their cell.
Bratwurzt tells the group, “Listen up. Here’s adventuring lesson one: know when to run away.”
Barracks
Past Nar’l is a series of rooms, many of which are barracks, workshops and chambers. Inside one of them is a large mastiff who seems to be tied up, alone in a room. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals this dog is neglected and underfed. It doesn’t take much to convince the dog to travel with the party, only a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.
In another room, another guard sits against the wall, poisoned with wine. Leaned against the wall with him are several weapons: an axe, a spear, and a longbow with 10 arrows. The guard barely notices the characters aren’t guild members and lets them take what they like.
Ahmaergo’s Collection
One fun fact from Dragon Heist is how much Xanathar’s majordomo loves minotaurs. I beefed that obsession up a bit and filled his room with minotaur memorabilia: posters, statues, an autographed minotaur calendar. One item in particular stands out: an obsidian minotaur bust with ominous writing in Abyssal: “Push that which crowns him Horned King / to this plane let madness bring.”
Pushing down the horns on this statue summons forth the spirit of Baphomet, who has been unfortunately trapped inside of the bust. He claims the statue must be destroyed in sunlight in order to free him and promises “great and untold power” to anyone who does this for him.
After agreeing to Baphomet’s deal, when a character pushes down on the horns while pointing the statue at a target, they can cast eldritch blast from the statue’s mouth (+3 to attack).
Workshop
The characters come across an unoccupied workshop. With a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check, a character finds a letter painstakingly written in elegant script. It reads:
O Great Xanathar–
In our generously and liberally-given spare time, we have created spell scrolls which can be used by anyone, regardless of their field of study. You simply need to be able to read Common to cast from these scrolls. Please find this gift of an easily-marketable, million-dragon product as thanks for keeping us alive.– Wizard Interns
Sitting next to the letter is a small stack of scrolls. They contain the spells cure wounds, entangle, and magic missile. As the letter suggests, they work differently than normal spell scrolls. While they are one-time use, anyone can use them. Instead of using the character’s spellcasting ability modifier, use +3 and Spell Save DC 13.
The Escape
Once the characters make it through the hallway, passing through all or none of the rooms there, they run into Cendrillion. Bratwurzt recognizes her immediately and asks her if she’s alright.
Cendrillion escaped days ago. She heard Bratwurzt was in trouble and returned to rescue them. She urges the group to follow her to get back to the surface.
Unfortunately, guards become aware of the adventurer’s presence. While the party escapes, they are pursued by two bandits, a guard, and an apprentice wizard (VGM). One more bandit blocks their path to the ladder.
This is the big unavoidable combat scene. Whether combat lasts one round or many, we roll initiative here, possibly for the first time. The party can use everything they’ve collected up until this point: weapons, animal companions, spell scrolls, you name it.
The party is level 0, but they aren’t in any real danger. Bratwurzt and Cendrillion assist. Bratwurzt provides the Help action to those who need it, and Cendrillion casts cure wounds. If things go truly south, they go on the offensive and hold the enemies off while the party escapes.
Conclusion
When the group reaches the surface, Bratwurzt and Cendrillion suggest the party lie low for a while. Cendrillion suggests they stay with her at the temple of Lliira, the god who “saved all your sorry asses down there.”
I ask the group what parts of the encounter they enjoyed. Did they like meeting the dog and gaining an animal companion? Did they like casting a spell to attack or solve a problem? Are they going to honor their promise to Baphomet? After a quick discussion, I help level the player characters to 1, where they choose both a class and a background.
By the end of this process, most players feel a connection to their character. They feel more confident about the world and have an idea of how they like to play. My party unfortunately meets Bratwurzt McRib, who likely becomes an ally in future endeavors. The group also gets a strong sense of how I like to pose problems, introduce new characters, and interact with players.
Obviously this information changes as we play more together. I’ve seen players switch up playstyles and preferences after we’ve been together for months. But nothing comes close to watching that feeling of accomplishment players get when they escape from the Xanathar on the first try.
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