Temple Heist

About the adventure

This is a introductory one-shot for players new to D&D. It's a chance to experience a small adventure with the potential to carry characters into another longer campaign. Life within the Aebruirean Empire is a generally pleasant experience for those residing within it. Out of an early campaign of conquest and diplomacy, a human-led group came down from the mountains a little over two generations ago and somehow took over nearly the whole continent of Ureisos. This new dynastical rule was defined by many already established cities, peoples and regions coming together as one. Local leadership including political, military and religious were folded into the hierarchy of the empire allowing a comfortable transition. Loyalty was fiercely rewarded, while dissenters were redispersed across the expanding territory. A labour tax imposed on the conquered (3 months per household per year) allowed the benefits of Aebruirean control to be felt by all. These included arable farming techniques leading to bountiful food stores all year round; marvels of engineering and art including the Immortal City itself or the aqueducts and canals which were constructed that irrigated farmland and routed water into settlements across the empire; a road network which connected the western edge of the continent like never before; and imposing higher levels of ‘civility’ by observing well-defined ethics and norms as well as banning the unauthorized use of magic, thereby reducing witchcraft and sorcery. Religious artifacts were seized and held captive in the Immortal City making it a place of pilgrimage for many across the empire and dissuading rebellion. This is where you find yourselves, beginning to think about your own adventurer with their small part to play in the scheme ahead. You are working the tax, living in the Immortal City for a period of 1-3 months, applying yourself at a skill or passion beneficial to the empire (or hard labour if you aren’t one of the lucky ones). You are a level three adventurer of a race and class of your choosing. A friend you know from your residence tips you off to a less than above board ‘job’ they think you might be perfect for. Your team are to be tasked with retrieving a stolen artifact on display within the impressive Temple Museum. When creating your character consider these restrictions so they are the kind of individual who would engage in this type of illicit activity (i.e. most paladins would not be asked along on this heist). Let the heist begin!