Crown Jewel Heist

In this intrigue-heavy D&D 5th Edition campaign, a party of 3rd level adventurers is being recruited by more than one faction of the underworld to steal pieces of the crown jewels as they are transported for repairs.

DM Overview

This section contains spoilers for the adventure.

Plot Summary

Two different underworld organizations–the Scrivener Syndicate and the Dusk Network–approach the players with a job.

In a few days, a piece of the crown jewels will be transported back from a jeweler’s workshop in Portsmouth (where the players are located) to The Capital. This is a five-day trip, and the players will need to ambush the carriage somewhere on the road.

The Scrivener Syndicate is the first to approach the players. They are looking to steal the jewels for status and (secretly) to humiliate the Royal Court. Their unique offer is a collection of scrolls from the Mages College that will help the players in their quest–but the scrolls contain a magical trap, giving the Syndicate information about what the players are doing.

The Dusk Network makes a counteroffer. Secretly, their client is the Royal Court attempting to foil a potential heist. Their unique offer is a sedating poison and a key to the chest used to transport the jewels.

Factions

Royal Court

The Royal Court is based in The Capital, several days’ journey from Portsmouth, the port city where the players are currently located. While the Court has a great deal of influence in The Capital, it’s just one more organization among the traders, societies, and other factions in Portsmouth.

In this adventure, they have sent a piece of the crown jewels to a world-reknown goldsmith’s shop in Portsmouth. Their eyes and ears in the city know the existence of the heist plot, but not details. And they do not have enough resources in Portsmouth to prevent the heist with any certainty.

Scrivener Syndicate

A crime organization for which the players have (briefly) worked before. It does not hold much influence in The Capital, and a major player with the Syndicate wants to increase his standing by stealing the crown jewels for himself.

The players’ contact will explain the goal of this job is a point of pride, although the real intentions are to gain further influence. By stealing the jewels and making the theft public knowledge, they can undermine the power of the Court.

To assist in the job, the Syndicate offers the players several scrolls obtained through the Mages College. Secretly, these scrolls are marked with a scrying rune that gives the Syndicate 10 minutes of visibility into the players’ location when a scroll is used.

Dusk Network

The Dusk Network is another Syndicate within Portsmouth, but consider themselves to be more “ethical” than other gangs in that they avoid violence and typically steal prestigious items over necessities to be sold on the black market. As such, they tend to be employed by the more “upstanding” businessmen and those close to the court and town guards.

The Dusk Network makes the players a counteroffer on the crown jewel heist. Unbeknownst to them, the Dusk Network’s client for this job is the Royal Court–however, not everyone involved in the Dusk Network’s offer knows this (including the players’ handler, Aeden Breen). Knowing the heist is likely, they are trying to create a diversion that will further complicate the plan; anything they learn about the various thieves’ guilds capabilities is a bonus.

Mages College

The Mages College in Portsmouth is a prestigious academic institution. It sees itself as above the fray of intrigue in the city, but has too many students and faculty to be completely independent of outside influence.

 

 

 

 

Faction Connections

The Scriveners, Dusk Network, Court, and Mages College are large enough to be interconnected in many ways. For this job, there are only a few people that tie the intrigue together. The players will likely never meet most of these people, but the connections explain how information might be passed between organizations.

• Octavian Whitewood, Oliver Kottow, Benedict Slyfeld are management at the Scrivener Syndicate. Octavian is the client (though to some degree that is a front for the guild as a whole).
• Reginald Thorpe, Gregory Betton, Claire Gyll organized and planned the crown jewel heist job for the Scriviner Syndicate. Works with Ellen and Gabriel at the Mages College to arrange the scrolls offered to the players.
• Gabriel LeStrange is the magical contact at the Mages College, and Ellen Isley is a non-magical clerk at the college who is assisting him.
• Rafe Brystow is the players’ handler at the Scrivener Syndicate.
• Oliver Marley is a merchant who works with both Octavian in Portsmouth as well as the Capital Merchants’ Guild. He let slip the existence of the job to Sybil Corley, which is how the Royal Court knows about it.
• Sybil Corby is a member of the Capital Merchants Guild who works with Oliver Marley. She also has links to the Royal Court.
• Cornelius Dryden is in the Dusk Network management. He received the counteroffer job from Sybil.
• James Ermyn, Edmund Norwich organized and planned the crown jewel heist for the Dusk Network.
• Aeden Breen is the players’ handler at the Dusk Network.

Stealing the jewels

When the players encounter the royal carriage, they will have to work through a series of defenses:

Guards

On the road, the carriage is guarded by a Veteran (Monster Manual, p. 350), a Spy (Monster Manual, p. 349), and four Guards (Monster Manual, p. 347). Two of these will be driving, two will be in the carriage itself, and two serve as lookouts. The players’ best option is to find a way to split them up or pick them off slowly; as soon as they’re attacked they will cry out for the other guards.

In town, the number and placement of guards varies. The players’ best strategy is to find a time and place where the number of guards are minimal. Note that in town (or along a busy roadway), guards might decide not to signal if they think it would draw the wrong kind of attention. This may be to the players’ advantage.

You can use some combination of the following:

• A Veteran (Monster Manual, p. 350, challenge rating 3), if you want to have a single “main” villain in the encounter.
• Spies (Monster Manual, p. 349, challenge rating 1), if you want multiple big targets.
• Guards (Monster Manual, p. 347, challenge rating 1/8) to round out the encounter.

This adventure relies on the fact that some encounters will be impossible for players to brute force their way through. Don’t be afraid to add in more enemies to force players to retreat or bargain.

The carriage door

The carriage doors are locked at all times. This is a nonmagical steel lock and there will be a few copies floating among the guards (as they have to get in and out of the carriage). The lock can be picked with Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) DC 15 or broken with Strength DC 30.

Players can attempt to pick the lock as many times as they want (and as time allows). Each failed attempt to break the lock reduces the DC by 2 (as the lock wears down), but every attempt makes a loud clanging noise that can be heard about half a mile away.

 

 

The chest

The crown jewel piece is stored in a 3” x 3” chest securely bolted and magically welded to the floor of the carriage.

The chest is locked with a magical lock; only Court agents in Portsmouth and The Capital have a copy of the key. Simply copying the key shape alone won’t open the lock, and copying the magical aura is a complicated process.

For the purposes of game mechanics, think of this as two separate locks.

The physical part of the lock can be opened with a Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) DC 18, a DC 30 Strength check, a Knock spell, or a physical copy of the key.

The magical part of the lock is a little more complicated, but the players have a few options:

• A separate Knock spell can open it, but the player must make a spell attack roll against DC 15.
• A Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check of DC 20 can disable the mechanism that the spell is tied to.
• A Strength check of DC 30 can disable the mechanism that the spell is tied to. Each failed attempt reduces the DC by 2 (as the mechanism wears away), but a trap in the mechanism deals 1d6 lightning damage to everyone in the carriage.

Of course, if the players accepted the Dusk Network’s offer, they have a key that will open the chest automatically.

Closing the chest

If the players want to cover their tracks, they will need to make it look as if the chest was never opened. If they do this, the guards will think that the lock foiled the heist. (This is critical if the players want to pass off the Dusk Network’s replica as the real thing.)

Closing the chest will re-engage the entire locking mechanism, unless the players successfully destroyed either the physical or magical component with a Strength check. (If the players attempted, but did not succeed in, breaking the lock, the guards will still believe the chest is secure.)

Scenes

The offer

The players receive letters delivered by a hired courier. They recognize the wax seal on the envelope as the Scrivener Syndicate, an organization they have done small, questionably legal jobs for in the past.

A carriage will arrive, and a man will ask them to take a ride.

 

 

The man leads them through the double doors and into a small room.

This is Rafe Brystow, the players’ handler for this job at the Scrivener Syndicate.

The man offers the players:

• 250 gold pieces per player, upfront
• A steed per player, on loan from the Scrivener Syndicate
• Scrolls equivalent to 1 day’s worth of spells for a 3rd level Wizard. The players must submit a list of their choices to a contact at the Mages College. The man gives them a piece of Invisibility Paper for this task, which will make all writing appear or disappear using a special phrase.

The man magically copies an illustration of the piece and the carriage, so the players can identify the target. He also shows the players a map of the area, noting they can get similar maps in town.

Players will meet up with a contact on the west end of the Great Forest to drop off the piece.

The caravan leaves in three days from the north gate of Portsmouth. Players will need to follow the caravan.

 

 

The caravan’s trip will take five days to get to The Capital, taking them through the smaller villages of Iverness, Oakheart, and Durmchapel. The Syndicate believes there will be checkpoints in all of these cities that will notify the Court if anything goes wrong.

Interactions

• Syndicate background and context: Have the players make a DC 12 Intelligence check after Rafe makes his speech. On a success, they know that the Scrivener Syndicate is prevalent throughout Portsmouth and elsewhere in the kingdom, but do not have much influence in The Capital or the Court. As such, this job may reflect some antagonism on their part. On a roll of 20+, the players realize that succeeding at this job might allow the client to gain some leverage over the Royal Court. It would put them on the defensive and require them to cover up such a high profile loss.
• Why not steal the jewels in town? Because you would be tracked as soon as you were discovered inside the workshop. The client would like to avoid a clear trail back to themselves.
• How will the jewels be guarded? Surprisingly lightly once they leave town. The Court wants to avoid drawing too much attention to the piece. Knowing that the guards could be overpowered by the right people, the Court prefers secrecy.
• How do you know all this? The Syndicate has contacts within the Court. Rafe will refuse to reveal any more specifics. This allows him to hide the fact that they’re not particularly close contacts, and that the Syndicate is hedging its bets by putting the risk of faulty information on the players.

When the discussion is done, the players are ushered back the carriage and returned to where they were picked up.

The next day, as the players make preparations, they will encounter the counteroffer.

The counteroffer

While in town, the players should make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. If they succeed, they will find that someone has bumped into them and left a small envelope in their bag–sort of a reverse pickpocketing. (Otherwise, they will discover it later when they rest.) The message is unsigned.

The Boar and Deer is a tavern near the Mages College. A man is waiting in a secluded booth near the back of the common room. When the players get near, he subtly waves them over.

 

 

This is Aeden Breen, the players’ handler for this job at the Dusk Network.

Interactions

• Dusk Network background and context. Have the players make a DC 12 Intelligence check after the man makes his speech. On a success, the players know that the Dusk Network considers itself more “ethical” than other gangs in that they avoid violence and typically steal more prestigious items (rather than necessities to be sold on the black market). As such, they tend to be employed by more “upstanding” businessmen, including those close to the court and town guards.

• What if the players decide to tell the Syndicate? Aeden is bluffing that the Syndicate will rescind the offer. The Syndicate will want to know about the Dusk Network’s interest; however, they’re stretched thin already and on a deadline. The Dusk Network’s scheme will be the players’ problem. At some point during the journey, they will be ambushed by other adventurers who will have the sedating poison and the chest key.

• How do you know all this? The Dusk Network has contacts with the Syndicate. In Portsmouth, with so many factions struggling against each other, it’s critical to know what your rivals are doing. As with Rafe, Aeden is bluffing the players with this answer; they’re not particularly close contacts.

In two more days, the players will need to begin following the caravan along the road to Iverness.

The road to Iverness

After preparations are complete, the players set off on the caravan’s route. They may either leave before or behind the caravan–it depends upon their strategy for the heist. The first stop on the route is Iverness.

This section of road is primarily flat grassland with very sparse trees, dotted by the occasional farm. The road here is wide and well-traveled (as it’s one of two main thoroughfares out of Portsmouth).

After a day of traveling along the road, the players will arrive in Iverness.

The players have a few options the players may take on the road:

• Continue pursuit: After a day of traveling along the road, the players will arrive in Iverness.
• Stealing the jewels for the Syndicate: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Syndicate, they may need to go through (or around) Iverness, up the road to Oakheart, and through the forest to the Syndicate drop.
• Stealing the jewels for the Dusk Network: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Dusk Network, the straightest route is across the plains to Colkirk. (There are several other circuitous routes they could choose, including backtracking along the road to Iverness or continuing along the road to Oakheart. However, travel along the road is risky with the payload in tow.)

 

 

Traveling through the wilderness

The players may decide to forego the road and travel through the wilderness. This will slow their travel time a bit, but not significantly–terrain is not particularly difficult and they won’t have to deal with the masses of merchants and travelers on the road.

Straying too far from the farms may bring them into contact with small, low-level wildlife, such as:

• 3-4 Axe Beaks (Monster Manual, p. 317)
• 2 Cockatrices (Monster Manual, p. 42)

The river is about a half-day’s journey west of the road, and the great forest is about a day’s journey east of the road.

Farmers may not take too kindly to players’ traveling through their land.

Village of Iverness

There are a few possible options the players may take from Iverness:

• Continuing pursuit: If the players continue pursuing the carriage, they will travel along the road to Oakheart for another day.
• Stealing the jewels for the Syndicate: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Syndicate, they will need to go through the forest to the Syndicate drop.
• Stealing the jewels for the Dusk Network: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Dusk Network, they will either need to go through the forest to Walden and on to Colkirk, or across the plains to Colkirk.

The royal carriage in Iverness

If the players follow the royal carriage into town, they will find that it parks itself inside one of the few completely closed-off tents in town. This tent is located by the north edge of the village, just a few doors down from the inn.

The players will also notice a few Royal Guards scattered sparsely in town, but there’s a noticeable patrol that sweeps by the inn every hour or so. They will notice any attempts to get into the tent.

If the players do manage to sneak into the tent, they will find several Royal Guards waiting quietly–a much more intimidating presence than one would expect from the outside.

If the players ask around about the carriage–especially if they show the picture that Rafe gave them–they might attract attention from the Royal Guards.

Road to Oakheart

The road here is not much different than it was in the plains, but the land around it is much different. There are no farms here; going too far off the road just leads into the lonely wilderness.

There are also limited options for traveling west of the main road. The river is much closer to the road here; under pursuit, the players could become boxed in between the river and the main road.

In the forest, the river’s shores become steeper and rockier. Rushing across the steep and/or wet rocky areas near the river requires a Strength or Dexterity (Athletics) check of DC 20 to avoid falling. A fall off of a steep rock could separate the victim from the party for some time.

Town of Oakheart

 

 

There are a few possible options the players may take from Oakheart:

• Continuing pursuit: If the players continue pursuing the carriage, they will travel along the road to Durmchapel.
• Stealing the jewels for the Syndicate: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Syndicate, they will need to go through the forest to the Syndicate drop.
• Stealing the jewels for the Dusk Network: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Dusk Network, they will need to go through the forest to Walden and on to Colkirk. (They could also backtrack down the road to Iverness and then across the plains to Colkirk.)

The royal carriage in Oakheart

The carriage is less guarded here than it was in Iverness. It is pulled into one of the sheds behind the inn used to house traveling caravans. Royal Guards patrol around the inn–but not specifically around the carriage, to avoid drawing too much attention to it.

Several of the hunters and rangers hawking their wares here are on the Court payroll, and will jump into action if they see the carriage attacked.

Through the forest to the Syndicate drop

If the players are working the job for the Syndicate (or are trying to stop the Syndicate team), they will need to make their way to the western part of the Great Forest. There’s a few ways they can do this:

The river bridge at Iverness

The players could cross the Pauchaug River near the bridge at Iverness, or hire a boat to help them across somewhere else.

Between Portsmouth and Oakheart, the river is wide and quite deep, so the road or a boat is critical to this strategy. Swimming across the river safely would require a Strength (Athletics) DC 25 (possibly more if the character is burdened by anything they’re carrying).

If they’re already past Iverness, this might require some backtracking. If they’re being pursued, this may make it easier for them to be spotted. Plus, they’re likely to be caught between the main roads and the river, so multiple squads of guards, syndicate thugs, or other pursuers may be able to box them in.

Fording the creeks

The Pauchaug River breaks up into smaller creeks near the Great Forest. Toward the northern end of the forest, these creeks are shallow and gentle enough to ford on foot.

If they’re being pursued, this route becomes risky. Finding an accessible spot for a crossing may take some time. Rushing across the steep and/or wet rocky areas near the river requires a Strength or Dexterity (Athletics) check of DC 20 to avoid falling. A fall off of a steep rock could separate the victim from the party for some time.

Plus, this area is boxed in by the river on one side and the main road on the other. Even though there’s lots of cover provided by trees and rocks, this limits the number of places the players can hide from pursuers.

Players might encounter a Grick (Monster Manual, p. 173) or a nest of 3-4 Giant Poisonous Snakes (Monster Manual, p. 327) around the rocks.

Across the plains near Durmchapel

As the creeks end towards the north side of the Great Forest, the players could simply travel north (either by road or along the creek bank) and around.

This is a little more straightforward than the other two options, but it does present risks if the players are being pursued. First, it requires traveling along (or nearby) the road through the entire forest. Then, working around the creeks may require some travel through the plains, which provides less cover than the forest.

Players might encounter an Ankheg (Monster Manual, p. 21) in the plains.

The Syndicate drop

Once the players end up in the western side of the Great Forest, they need to track down the Syndicate drop-off. The drop-off is a fairly standard-looking carriage–nothing fancy, the sort a merchant in a small village might own.

A Wisdom (Survival) check of 12 or Wisdom (Perception) check of 18 will lead the players to the right place.

Three guards in common traveling clothes are with the carriage. One is on the driver’s seat ready to move if necessary; the other are standing watch on either side.

Once the drop is completed, the Syndicate guards get into the wagon, shut the curtains, and head southwest towards Ironport. They will do their best to avoid the players tailing them, as this presents a risk; they expect the players to have been pursued. (The hand-off may help confuse any pursuers, as there will be two fresh sets of tracks leaving the drop-off.)

 

 

When the Syndicate guards reach Ironport, the two guards will hop aboard a fishing vessel and head for Lakeland. (Meanwhile, the carriage will head back to Portsmouth via Iverness, in an effort to further throw off pursuers.) From Lakeland, the two guards will head by horse back to a Syndicate safehouse in the Lowland Marshes, just outside Portsmouth.

From here, the players can head back the way they came and back to Portsmouth. The easiest route is back the road to Oakheart to Portsmouth, but there’s multiple other ways they could go.

Road to Durmchapel

There are a few possible options the players may take from the road:

• Continuing pursuit: If the players continue pursuing the carriage, they will travel along the road to Durmchapel.
• Stealing the jewels for the Syndicate: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Syndicate, they will need to go through the forest to the Syndicate drop.
• Stealing the jewels for the Dusk Network: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Dusk Network, they will need to go through the forest to Walden and on to Colkirk. (They could also go back to Oakheart and backtrack to get there.)

Making camp

Travel to Durmchapel or Walden is more than a day’s journey, so players will need to make camp in the woods.

There is plenty of room to make camp at the roadside. There’s always somebody else around, and you’ll likely be sharing a roadside campsite with other travelers. That makes it relatively safe (as monsters and wild animals won’t venture out into the crowds), but it also means the players won’t have any privacy. If they do anything suspicious, it’s likely to be spotted by a curious traveler who will report it (or worse, a guard or Syndicate member).

On the other hand, going too far off the road increases the risk of an encounter.

Possible encounters

Going off the road increases the players’ risk of an encounter with a monster, wild animal, or bandit.

Some encounters you can use here are:

• A pack of 3 Dire Wolves (Monster Manual, p. 321)
• A Bandit (Monster Manual, p. 343) and a Bandit Captain (Monster Manual, p. 344)

City of Durmchapel

There are a few possible options the players may take from Durmchapel:

• Continuing pursuit: The players have one last shot at stealing the jewels along the short road to The Capital. Once the carriage reaches The Capital, it will be surrounded by a much larger contingent of the Guard, and the players will have failed in their quest.
• Stealing the jewels for the Syndicate: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Syndicate, they will need to backtrack and head hrough the forest to the Syndicate drop.
• Stealing the jewels for the Dusk Network: If the players steal the jewels here and want to deliver them to the Dusk Network, they can take the east road to Walden, which takes two days’ journey.

 

 

The carriage in Durmchapel

The carriage is far more open in Durmchapel than it was in previous towns, but that’s only because the Royal Guard has a much stronger presence here.

It will be parked near the inn for the night, in a small alleyway with several other carriages. Two guards flank every entrance to the alley (which isn’t unusual given the number of Royal Guard in town). If the players try to attack the carriage in the alleyway, more guards arrive immediately and box them in.

Through the forest to Walden

If the players’ take the Dusk Network’s offer, one option is to travel east through the Great Forest, to (or near) the village of Walden, and then south down the road to Colkirk. This is more than a day’s journey, so they will have to make camp on the way.

Going off the road also increases the players’ risk of an encounter with a monster, wild animal, or bandit. Some possible encounters include:

• An Owlbear (Monster Manual, p. 249)
• An Ettercap (Monster Manual, p. 131) nest, with webs stretched between trees or rocks

Village of Walden

The players may stay the night at the inn in Walden. The road to Colkirk runs south out of the village.

Across the plains to Colkirk

Colkirk is about two days’ journey away, whether the players start from the Capitol Road or the south end of the Great Forest. Finding a place to make camp is easy, as the land is very flat with trees and rocks being few and far between.

Eventually, the players end up in Colkirk.

While in the plains, Players might encounter an Ankheg (Monster Manual, p. 21).

Alternate route: the Sea Road

Rather than making the entire journey across the plains, players could travel due south to the Sea Road. This is about one day’s journey, allowing them to set up camp along the road.

While this doesn’t greatly change travel time, it is easier traveling and safer due to the other people on the road.

Road to Colkirk

After a day on the road, the players will arrive at the town of Colkirk.

Possible encounters

Traffic here is very sparse, making it more likely that monsters may wander right up to the edge of the road. However, the area is open and players have a great deal of visibility, making ambushes unlikely.

The players could even veer off-road to avoid an encounter, though this might add to the travel time.

• An Ankheg (Monster Manual, p. 21)
• 3-4 Axe Beaks (Monster Manual, p. 317)
• 2 Cockatrices (Monster Manual, p. 42)

 

 

Town of Colkirk

Delivering the jewels

If the players have the jewels, they will find Aeden Breen waiting in the tavern of The Sea Road Inn. They can drop off the jewels and be off. See the Epilogue for how this will resolve.

 

 

Possible Epilogues

Delivery to the Scrivener Syndicate

When the players deliver the jewels to the Syndicate drop in the Great Forest, they are free to do what they want. They may keep the horses and scrolls (though remember, the scrolls still allow the Syndicate to spy).

If the players decided to follow the Syndicate guards delivering the jewels to the safehouse, and they’re being followed, they may unwittingly cause the operation to fail. The Syndicate no loyalty to the players; if they’re caught red-handed, they will certainly give up the players’ identities if they think they can bargain with the Royal Court.

The double-cross

If the players accepted the Dusk Network’s offer, a long term game might cover the fallout of this double-cross. Since the Network is secretly being backed by the Royal Court on this offer, they don’t take this as a personal slight.

The Network will pursue the players, but they will use them to get information about their contacts at the Syndicate. (Both the Network and the Court understand that, for mercenaries contacted about a job, it’s just business.)

If the players committed any serious crimes during their heist–killing Royal Guards, etc.–the Network will pass along this information to the Royal Court, who will pursue the players to be arrested, tried, and possibly executed.

Delivery to the Dusk Network

When the players deliver the jewels (and the key) to the Dusk Network drop in Colkirk, they are free to do what they want.

If the players’ are being tailed by the Royal Court or the Syndicate, this makes the drop a little more complicated. The Dusk Network contact will have to leave town immediately; this is risky, but the players can help run interference.

If the players are not being tailed, the Dusk Network contact will stay in Colkirk for several days until things cool off. During this time, the players must not attempt to make contact again; doing so might tip off the guard.

The double-cross

For a longer campaign, the players will have to deal with the fallout once the Syndicate realizes they have been double-crossed.

A few days after the jewels were scheduled to arrive in The Capital, the Syndicate will get word that a heist was successful. They won’t know it was the players who did the heist and will attempt to make contact to collect information about what happened.

If the players don’t respond, the Syndicate will become suspicious that something bad happened during the heist. (They don’t know what happened, but assume it’s a risk to the Syndicate and the players are trying to hide something by avoiding them.) They will attempt to track down the players, using violence if necessary.

If the players do respond, they can attempt to bluff the Syndicate to hide their involvement. This is tricky, as the Syndicate should watch for:

• The players giving contradictory information. The Syndicate will know approximately where and when the heist occurred from multiple other sources. If the players make claims that contradict this, they will have some reason to suspect the players.

• The players giving information they shouldn’t know. The Syndicate will become suspicious if the players give any information that they shouldn’t know–for example, anything that could only come from an eyewitness account of the heist.

One way or the other, the Syndicate will collect enough information to realize that the players double-crossed them–and they will take this personally.

Failure to steal the jewels

For a short game, the game will end once the players escape safely.

For a longer game, there may be fallout:

• If the players fought and killed any Royal Guards, they may be guilty of crimes. The Royal Guard will hunt them down to arrest, try, and possibly execute the players.

• A few days after the jewels were scheduled to arrive in The Capital, the Syndicate will get word that a heist failed. They will attempt to contact the players. If the players respond, there will be no serious negative consequences–they’ll probably get yelled at or berated, and will lose reputation for getting future Syndicate jobs. If the players avoid making contact, the Syndicate will take this personally and track them down.