Introduction
Introduction
This adventure, designed for three to seven 2nd-level characters, is the second in a series of four adventures. It is set in Spelljammer Academy on the island of Nimbral, many miles off the southwest coast of the Chultan peninsula in the Forgotten Realms setting.
Background
Tensions are running high at Spelljammer Academy on the island of Nimbral, thanks to a recent rash of thefts and an attack against the academy’s founder, Mirt the Merciless. The academy’s instructors have made it clear that it’s business as usual for new cadets, though. The characters will be put to the test as they participate in a competitive series of illusory training exercises against another squad of cadets. The characters are to take charge of their own spelljamming ship, plying a magical simulation of Wildspace on a mission to seek out the wreckage of a ship lost in an asteroid cluster. Are they up to the challenge?
Overview
The adventure’s story takes approximately two hours to play and is spread over three parts:
Part 1: Preflight Meal. While having breakfast and preparing for their imminent training exercise, the characters meet other cadets and discuss the recent troubling events happening at the academy.
Part 2: Test of Mettle. Under the supervision of Spelljammer training officer Saerthe Abizin and Spelljammer Corps training officer Boatswain Tarto, the cadets begin a competitive training exercise. Taking on the challenge of crewing their own spelljamming ship will test their skills, bravery, and ability to function as a team.
Part 3: Sabotage! An agent of an unknown foe sabotages the simulation chamber where the training exercise takes place, causing the equipment there to explode. The characters must help tend to the wounded and might be instrumental in discovering a clue to the identity of the saboteur.
During parts 2 and 3 of the adventure, the characters’ actions determine their score—and thus their success or failure—in the training exercise.
Adventure Hooks
Trial by Fire follows the events of Orientation, the first adventure in the series. Characters who did not participate in the first adventure are assumed to have completed their orientation and are assigned to join the other characters’ training team.
PLAYING IN THE ADVENTURERS LEAGUE
You can play the Spelljammer Academy adventures as a part of the D&D Adventurers League Forgotten Realms campaign. These adventures have been designed to be fully compatible with Adventurers League play and require no additional adaptation. Follow the guidelines present for the D&D Adventurers League for character creation and rewards, available in the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide.
At some events, these adventures might use a code to be identified more easily. The code for this adventure is SJA-02.
Part 1: Preflight Meal
The adventure begins with the characters gathering in the academy’s refectory to eat breakfast with other cadets and discuss recent events at the academy.
SPELLJAMMER ACADEMY
While adventurers of all stripes explore Faerûn and deal with the perils of ancient ruins, malevolent cults, and long-forgotten tombs, those who come through Spelljammer Academy on Nimbral strive to protect the world from far greater threats. Spelljammer Academy trains cadets for service as Spelljammers and members of the Spelljammer Corps: both branches of a magical navy sworn to protect Toril and to explore other worlds beyond. Few people know of the academy’s existence, and its leaders try to keep it that way.
Mirt the Merciless—also known as “the Old Wolf”—is Spelljammer Academy’s founder and chief financial officer. He manages the institution’s operations alongside a small group of powerful high-ranking officers, known collectively as “the Bridge.” While most of its candidates are from Toril, the academy occasionally recruits from outside Realmspace (the Wildspace system that is home to the planet Toril) to bring individuals with unique talents into their ranks. Giff, githyanki, hadozee, plasmoids, and myriad other peoples can join the cadets alongside folk native to Toril.
The academy was founded by Mirt as part of a joint investment with the retired elf adventurer Elmandar, who operates a shop on the Rock of Bral—a city built on an asteroid. Prince Andru, the monarch of Bral, has invested heavily in the academy, though his support has waned of late over questions regarding security within the institution.
Fellowship
To begin the adventure, read or paraphrase the following:
Today is the day! It’s the official start of your academy training. Fresh from orientation, you and your crewmates are to report to Saerthe Abizin, the Spelljammer training officer. Before you head out, though, your first stop is the academy refectory for a hearty breakfast.
Found on the Cadet Quarters level, the refectory is a large communal dining hall with a patio. The room is well lit by a dozen blue-glowing orbs attached by bronze-colored rods to the ceiling. An L-shaped counter to the northwest is covered with small tools, contraptions, and alchemical tubes and containers. Behind the counter, a door bears a sign that reads “Staff Only.”
Breakfast of Champions
When the characters arrive, a stocky giff named Petty Officer Winston Ryeback (see the accompanying sidebar) is behind the counter doing what he does best: preparing meals for the academy’s hungry cadets. When the characters arrive, the refectory holds a dozen other cadets (a mixture of acolyte, apprentice wizard, and bandits), all lined up before the counter or seated at tables.
Each character who joins the line receives a bowl containing a smoky concoction of deep-fried meat or beans (the character’s choice), held together with sticky starches. Though the galley cook has never given his signature dish a name, most cadets have resorted to calling it “gunpowder chowder.”
In addition to the characters, another group of cadets are receiving their first training assignment today. There’s talk that the training officers might combine the two groups to create a competitive training exercise on the academy’s Simulations Deck.
The Simulations Deck is a magical marvel equipped with three simulation chambers that magically create the experience of traveling and fighting in Wildspace. Spelljammer Academy has been plagued by a rash of recent thefts, many of them targeting instructors. The thieves have yet to be identified or caught. In addition to Realmspace charts going missing, one of the thefts saw Ryeback’s quarters robbed of a custom pistol. The giff loudly voices his frustration around that event if any characters talk about the thefts within earshot of him.
More troubling than the thefts is the recent attack on academy founder Mirt the Merciless (which the characters thwarted in the previous adventure). Other cadets suspect the characters’ involvement but don’t know the details.
PETTY OFFICER WINSTON RYEBACK
Giff Galley Cook
Petty Officer Ryeback (RIE-bak) is a muscular giff in charge of the food served at the Academy (and on the rare occasion, he crews a ship). Like anyone else who runs a respectable galley, he’s a staunch believer in the four basic food groups: beans, bacon, whiskey, and lard. He’s raucous and brash and gives bear hugs so good you think he might break a rib (but in a good way). His gray skin is usually coated with light sheen of sweat; kitchens are hot!
Quote: “The best way to someone’s heart is through their stomach.”
Meeting Miken
By the time the characters have picked up their meals, the only table with enough space for all of them is occupied by a cadet named Miken Haverstance (see the accompanying sidebar). Though his head is buried deep in a book, he notices the characters and invites them to sit if they don’t do so themselves.
If the characters strike up a conversation with Miken, he expresses anxiety about the upcoming training exercises, having already convinced himself that he doesn’t have what it takes to be a recruit. But he’s even more afraid of letting down his fellow crewmates. He has been avoiding them to help him keep his focus.
Miken’s worst enemy is his own fear. The characters can boost his confidence and lift his spirits in one of the following ways (which might affect their crew’s final score at the end of the adventure):
Words of Encouragement. A character offering Miken advice to boost his confidence can make a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If successful, his spirits are lifted, and you can jump to part 2 of the adventure.
Problem Solving. A character asking Miken about his studies kicks off a conversation about spelljamming, taking his mind off his troubles. If that character succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check, Miken’s spirits are lifted, and you can jump to part 2 of the adventure.
Feeling the Vibe. A character who speaks to Miken’s crewmates can encourage them to reveal their own insecurities regarding the upcoming training exercises to put Miken’s mind at ease. A successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check persuades the cadets to call Miken over to their table, bolstering his spirits, and you can jump to part 2 of the adventure.
This adventure, designed for three to seven 2nd-level characters, is the second in a series of four adventures. It is set in Spelljammer Academy on the island of Nimbral, many miles off the southwest coast of the Chultan peninsula in the Forgotten Realms setting.
Background
Tensions are running high at Spelljammer Academy on the island of Nimbral, thanks to a recent rash of thefts and an attack against the academy’s founder, Mirt the Merciless. The academy’s instructors have made it clear that it’s business as usual for new cadets, though. The characters will be put to the test as they participate in a competitive series of illusory training exercises against another squad of cadets. The characters are to take charge of their own spelljamming ship, plying a magical simulation of Wildspace on a mission to seek out the wreckage of a ship lost in an asteroid cluster. Are they up to the challenge?
Overview
The adventure’s story takes approximately two hours to play and is spread over three parts:
Part 1: Preflight Meal. While having breakfast and preparing for their imminent training exercise, the characters meet other cadets and discuss the recent troubling events happening at the academy.
Part 2: Test of Mettle. Under the supervision of Spelljammer training officer Saerthe Abizin and Spelljammer Corps training officer Boatswain Tarto, the cadets begin a competitive training exercise. Taking on the challenge of crewing their own spelljamming ship will test their skills, bravery, and ability to function as a team.
Part 3: Sabotage! An agent of an unknown foe sabotages the simulation chamber where the training exercise takes place, causing the equipment there to explode. The characters must help tend to the wounded and might be instrumental in discovering a clue to the identity of the saboteur.
During parts 2 and 3 of the adventure, the characters’ actions determine their score—and thus their success or failure—in the training exercise.
Adventure Hooks
Trial by Fire follows the events of Orientation, the first adventure in the series. Characters who did not participate in the first adventure are assumed to have completed their orientation and are assigned to join the other characters’ training team.
PLAYING IN THE ADVENTURERS LEAGUE
You can play the Spelljammer Academy adventures as a part of the D&D Adventurers League Forgotten Realms campaign. These adventures have been designed to be fully compatible with Adventurers League play and require no additional adaptation. Follow the guidelines present for the D&D Adventurers League for character creation and rewards, available in the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide.
At some events, these adventures might use a code to be identified more easily. The code for this adventure is SJA-02.
Part 1: Preflight Meal
The adventure begins with the characters gathering in the academy’s refectory to eat breakfast with other cadets and discuss recent events at the academy.
SPELLJAMMER ACADEMY
While adventurers of all stripes explore Faerûn and deal with the perils of ancient ruins, malevolent cults, and long-forgotten tombs, those who come through Spelljammer Academy on Nimbral strive to protect the world from far greater threats. Spelljammer Academy trains cadets for service as Spelljammers and members of the Spelljammer Corps: both branches of a magical navy sworn to protect Toril and to explore other worlds beyond. Few people know of the academy’s existence, and its leaders try to keep it that way.
Mirt the Merciless—also known as “the Old Wolf”—is Spelljammer Academy’s founder and chief financial officer. He manages the institution’s operations alongside a small group of powerful high-ranking officers, known collectively as “the Bridge.” While most of its candidates are from Toril, the academy occasionally recruits from outside Realmspace (the Wildspace system that is home to the planet Toril) to bring individuals with unique talents into their ranks. Giff, githyanki, hadozee, plasmoids, and myriad other peoples can join the cadets alongside folk native to Toril.
The academy was founded by Mirt as part of a joint investment with the retired elf adventurer Elmandar, who operates a shop on the Rock of Bral—a city built on an asteroid. Prince Andru, the monarch of Bral, has invested heavily in the academy, though his support has waned of late over questions regarding security within the institution.
Fellowship
To begin the adventure, read or paraphrase the following:
Today is the day! It’s the official start of your academy training. Fresh from orientation, you and your crewmates are to report to Saerthe Abizin, the Spelljammer training officer. Before you head out, though, your first stop is the academy refectory for a hearty breakfast.
Found on the Cadet Quarters level, the refectory is a large communal dining hall with a patio. The room is well lit by a dozen blue-glowing orbs attached by bronze-colored rods to the ceiling. An L-shaped counter to the northwest is covered with small tools, contraptions, and alchemical tubes and containers. Behind the counter, a door bears a sign that reads “Staff Only.”
Breakfast of Champions
When the characters arrive, a stocky giff named Petty Officer Winston Ryeback (see the accompanying sidebar) is behind the counter doing what he does best: preparing meals for the academy’s hungry cadets. When the characters arrive, the refectory holds a dozen other cadets (a mixture of acolyte, apprentice wizard, and bandits), all lined up before the counter or seated at tables.
Each character who joins the line receives a bowl containing a smoky concoction of deep-fried meat or beans (the character’s choice), held together with sticky starches. Though the galley cook has never given his signature dish a name, most cadets have resorted to calling it “gunpowder chowder.”
In addition to the characters, another group of cadets are receiving their first training assignment today. There’s talk that the training officers might combine the two groups to create a competitive training exercise on the academy’s Simulations Deck.
The Simulations Deck is a magical marvel equipped with three simulation chambers that magically create the experience of traveling and fighting in Wildspace. Spelljammer Academy has been plagued by a rash of recent thefts, many of them targeting instructors. The thieves have yet to be identified or caught. In addition to Realmspace charts going missing, one of the thefts saw Ryeback’s quarters robbed of a custom pistol. The giff loudly voices his frustration around that event if any characters talk about the thefts within earshot of him.
More troubling than the thefts is the recent attack on academy founder Mirt the Merciless (which the characters thwarted in the previous adventure). Other cadets suspect the characters’ involvement but don’t know the details.
PETTY OFFICER WINSTON RYEBACK
Giff Galley Cook
Petty Officer Ryeback (RIE-bak) is a muscular giff in charge of the food served at the Academy (and on the rare occasion, he crews a ship). Like anyone else who runs a respectable galley, he’s a staunch believer in the four basic food groups: beans, bacon, whiskey, and lard. He’s raucous and brash and gives bear hugs so good you think he might break a rib (but in a good way). His gray skin is usually coated with light sheen of sweat; kitchens are hot!
Quote: “The best way to someone’s heart is through their stomach.”
Meeting Miken
By the time the characters have picked up their meals, the only table with enough space for all of them is occupied by a cadet named Miken Haverstance (see the accompanying sidebar). Though his head is buried deep in a book, he notices the characters and invites them to sit if they don’t do so themselves.
If the characters strike up a conversation with Miken, he expresses anxiety about the upcoming training exercises, having already convinced himself that he doesn’t have what it takes to be a recruit. But he’s even more afraid of letting down his fellow crewmates. He has been avoiding them to help him keep his focus.
Miken’s worst enemy is his own fear. The characters can boost his confidence and lift his spirits in one of the following ways (which might affect their crew’s final score at the end of the adventure):
Words of Encouragement. A character offering Miken advice to boost his confidence can make a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If successful, his spirits are lifted, and you can jump to part 2 of the adventure.
Problem Solving. A character asking Miken about his studies kicks off a conversation about spelljamming, taking his mind off his troubles. If that character succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check, Miken’s spirits are lifted, and you can jump to part 2 of the adventure.
Feeling the Vibe. A character who speaks to Miken’s crewmates can encourage them to reveal their own insecurities regarding the upcoming training exercises to put Miken’s mind at ease. A successful DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check persuades the cadets to call Miken over to their table, bolstering his spirits, and you can jump to part 2 of the adventure.
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