Shadows of Rikton: System-Agnostic 6 Session Campaign with DnD Battlemaps (it's Foundry VTT Modules, Printable Battlemaps & Campaign Sourcebook .PDF to Be Released September 2025 to Members)

Embark on a daring heist through the glittering, treacherous streets of Rikton in this thrilling 6-session D&D campaign, complete with detailed battlemaps of city districts, sewers, and vaults. Your adventure begins in the shadows of a ruined monastery, clutching an ancient parchment map etched with a cryptic cipher and blood-scrawled words: “Break the cipher and reap the riches…” Penned by the vanished infamous criminal thieves crew, The Aces.

Long ago, The Aces disappeared without a trace, leaving behind whispers of betrayal and a secret tied to Rikton’s undercity. Now, their map has drawn you—a crew of ambitious thieves—into a web of intrigue, where every lock picked and shadow crossed brings you closer to legendary riches or a brutal end.

From the moment you claim The Aces’ sewer hideout, danger stalks you. A talking statue, Bailey, offers cryptic guidance and a penchant for cards, while Arlin, a gruff barkeep in the raucous Cloak and Drain tavern, points you toward lucrative marks in Rikton’s residential districts. But as you pull off heists in noble houses and a fabled vault, a sinister force emerges with its own sinister plans for you.

Through rat-infested sewers, a storm-lashed manor, and catacombs deep beneath the undercity, you’ll face bloodthirsty rats, relentless enforcers, and veiled assassins who seem to know your every move. The map’s cipher holds the key to unimaginable wealth, but a darker truth lurks—one that could reshape Rikton or plunge its undercity into chaos.

Will you outwit the enforcers to claim your fortune and fame, or uncover a secret that threatens to consume the city? Adventure, betrayal, and shadowy riches await in Shadows of Rikton!

All the maps for this system-agnostic kingmaking DnD campaign are available as Foundry VTT modules, print-formatted files with grids, as well as .JPEGs you can import into other VTTs. Subscribe for access, and to let me know that you want more campaigns!

Campaign Hook:

30x20 Ruined Sewer Base (Free VTT Resolution Map)

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The players arrive in Rikton each with their own dreams of fame and fortune with the leader of the players holding an old parchment map of Rikton. The old parchment map is what has brought the players to Rikton as the map appears to have intricate notes about the city and its layout courtesy of the cartographer of one of the most infamous criminal crews within Rikton known as The Aces who disappeared years ago without a trace. Hastily scribed words also emblazoned the front corner of the map in blood “break the cipher and reap the riches…”. On the back of the map is an intricate cipher in bold black ink. The symbols are of unknown origin and have no connection to any language known.

All groups need a base of operations and fortunately the map does offer a first clue, the location to The Aces base of operations. Arriving at an abandoned monastery, long overgrown within one of the poor districts of Rikton. Nearby, a drunken man stumbles down the road, laughing maniacally and ranting about “ghosts in the walls with a taste for noble blood.” If the players engage him, his madness is evident, offering no useful information.

Continuing on their path the players are led to an old locked iron gate which when picked or broken leads into the monastery courtyard and to an old boarded up well. Removing the boards and entering the well, the players may notice the walls are slick and without the use of rope or other tools the players are sure to slip falling into the pool of water deep below.

Making their way to the bottom of the well they players find wall sections which have been removed revealing large rooms now only filled with broken crates, barrels and litter, perceptive players may notice movement in the shadows, chattering or other tells before the players are attacked by swarms of rats which were nesting in the barrels. Large rats can also be found in some of the other chambers.

In a deeper chamber, a statue emits an audible yawn, followed by a rumbling voice. “I didn’t think anyone would return! Glad to see you!” it booms. But as players approach or speak, the statue’s tone shifts to melancholy. “You’re not them,” it mutters, whispering to itself about self-delusion.

If questioned, the statue introduces itself cheerfully. “I’m Bailey,” it says. “The Aces haven’t been here in years, and I’m bored to death with these rats—they don’t even play cards!” If asked about the cipher, Bailey claims ignorance but recognizes the map as belonging to Elgris, The Aces’ cartographer. “How’d you get that map?” he asks, curious but not hostile. Regardless, Bailey is grateful for company and, learning of the players’ quest for fame and fortune, offers a deal. “Use The Aces’ base as your own—at least until they return,” he says with a chuckle. “I’ll even help clean up and fix up that stuff that’s been stored in the crates and barrels!” A magical floating arcane hand appears, grabbing a wooden broom to sweep the floor.

GM’s Notes: Bailey knows basic magic to repair objects in the base and lift light items with his arcane hands. After a few days, the base becomes surprisingly homey, with Bailey insisting on a card table in his chamber for games with the players. A secret exit in one of the main rooms leads to the sewers.

Session 2:

Multi-Level 60x40 Rikton City Residential District (Free VTT Resolution Map)

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When the players are ready for their first job, Bailey speaks up. “Head to the Undercity tavern, the Cloak and Drain, and ask for Arlin,” he suggests. “Get a feel for what’s happening in Rikton before doing anything foolish. I’ve been out of the loop since The Aces left, and that map’s info might be outdated. Either way, I’m excited to hear what’s going on!” He eagerly awaits the players return.

At the Cloak and Drain, the players witness a burly man with curly red hair, a well-groomed mustache, and a brown leather apron tossing a portly drunk onto the undercity streets before returning inside. The tavern is lively, filled with the sounds of drunken gambling and raucous laughter. The red-haired man stands behind the bar, where a cheerful girl, no older than fourteen, with matching curly red hair, cleans mugs. “What’ll you have?” he asks, offering drinks like Ratbite Rum, Nightshade Nectar, or Murkwater Mead.

When the players inquire about the city’s happenings, he chuckles, eyeing their unfamiliar faces. “More meat for the meat grinder, eh, boys?” he quips, prompting a cheer from the tavern goers, who raise their glasses. He explains, “All types are welcome in the undercity, but I don’t know you, and frankly, I don’t care to—not until you prove you won’t get yourselves killed or nabbed by enforcers.”

He warns them sternly. “Don’t bring trouble to the undercity. There’s an unspoken code here: the ‘sobs’ don’t steal from or kill nobility or high-status folk, and the enforcers leave us alone. Get caught thieving or killing, and you’re done for, but at least they won’t bother the rest of us.”

The young girl tugs his arm. “Can I be excused, Papa? I’m done cleaning,” she says. “Of course, sweetheart,” he replies, ruffling her hair. She flashes a shy smile at the players and saunters off.

“Now, where were we?” the barkeep continues. “Ah, the city.” He pulls out a crude map, far inferior to the players’. Pointing to three residential districts—Northcote, Westbury, and Eastwood—he says, “These are good for it. Eastwood’s got fewer enforcers but poorer folk. Northcote’s got richer marks, but not the kind who’d be missed—though it’s crawling with enforcers.” He adds with a grin, “If you nab anything valuable, I’d be content to fence it for a modest fee.”

As the players leave, he calls out, “Oh, by the way, I’m Arlin. I’ll get your names if you come back!” He gives them a sly smile.

In their chosen district, players can scope out the area. Most houses are two stories with simple locks, but a few fancier ones have advanced locks.

GM’s Notes: Use the same Rikton City Residential District map for all districts, adjusting loot value and enforcer numbers:

• Eastwood: One enforcer patrol (1d6) circuits the district.

• Westbury: Two patrols (2d6), +50% loot value.

• Northcote: Three patrols (3d6), +100% loot value.

At the beginning of a heist have players roll a d6 for each patrol within their chosen district, then secretly roll a d6. If the numbers match, they encounter a patrol during their heist at some point, perhaps even at an inopportune moment. 

For multiple heists, reuse the map, placing combat in new locations if needed.

Session 3:

Multi-Level 40x30 Rikton Bank Vault (Free VTT Resolution Map)

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Arlin, having warmed to the players after their residential district heists, says he's “Heard a rumor of a once-in-a-lifetime score at the Domed Vault of Ackredis,” sliding them a paper showing artifacts within. “Nobles love flaunting their wealth. This could make your name.”

If the players check their map they can see a secret entrance from the sewers leads into the Domed Vault. Making their way there they find the secret entrance which leads down some stairs and into knee high water, it seems that the previous tunnel collapsed and the only route through is now through this small cavern.

Perceptive characters might notice air bubbles occasionally coming from the water before the players are attacked by whatever has been living in the water, slender tentacles whip up from the water, bludgeoning and grappling the players. When enough tentacles have been slain the creature submerges in the water and flees through a crack under the water, never to be seen again.

The players go up another set of stairs and find themselves at the secret entrance to the vault. Inside, the players find artifacts like a glowing orb, a rune-etched dagger, and a magical scroll. As they loot, enforcers storm in, shouting “You’re under arrest for the murders in the upper vault!” Blood and slashed nobles litter the upper levels. The players must fight or flee, but two enforcers escape, spreading word of their alleged involvement in the noble slaughter.

Session 4:

60x40 Rikton Criminal Undercity (Subscriber Only Map, This is a Low-Resolution Sample)

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Returning to the Cloak and Drain, the players find Arlin in peril outside, battered and kneeling, his lip bloody. Lord Captain Luis, a cold, impeccably dressed noble-enforcer, stands over him, surrounded by armed enforcers. “Bring me the vault murderers, or Arlin dies!” Luis demands. Arlin quips defiantly, “You’re a scumbag, Luis, but not a murderer. My cousin, of all people.” Luis spits at his feet. “You made your choices, like your backstabbing father,” he sneers. The restless undercity crowd watches, too scared to act.

If the players surrender to negotiate, Luis betrays them, ordering their execution sterning saying “creatures like you cannot be trusted to negotiate, I saw personally what you did to those noble lords within the domed vault.” A desperate fight breaks out, with the crowd possibly aiding if the players earned goodwill (e.g., sparing innocents or freeing slaves in the residential district). Before Luis or all of his enforcers are killed, Arlin intervenes. “Keep him alive!” he urges. “He needs to tell the enforcers at central to stand down. No more escalation!”

Luis reluctantly agrees to the parlay but still demands the players turn themselves in. He scoffs but without further manpower agrees to give Arlin and them one week to clear their names before sauntering off with his remaining guard.

Arlin is furious, blaming the players for bringing this to the undercity. A persuasion check may calm him depending on the previous actions of the players, if the players have wantonly killed people he is less likely to believe their innocence in the murders at the dome while if they have generally tried to avoid murder or assisted those they can he will easily believe them. 

Once trust is regained, Arlin shakes himself off and leads the players to a private room in the Cloak and Drain. “Thanks for saving my life,” he says gruffly, “but killing enforcers risks an inquisition. We can’t let that happen.”

He lowers his voice. “If you’re right about being framed, maybe the old tales are true. Hundreds of years ago, they spoke of a cult of assassins—shadows, shades, wraiths—lurking in catacombs below the undercity, preying on the living. Were they undead? Metaphorical, probably. But, what if the assassins were real and they have returned? Or worse, what if they never left but only bided their time?” He shakes his head. “No proof of fairy tales. We work with what we’ve got.”

Arlin shakes his head trying to focus. “Where’s the map? Elgris’s map?” If the players feign ignorance, he presses, “Don’t play dumb. Escaping a sealed vault? Only that map’s secret entrance could’ve done it.” If asked how he knows, he admits, “I was an Ace before they vanished. Elgris was a legend—charted Rikton better than anyone in centuries.”Arlin tells the players to put the map out on the table, before leaving the table and recovering an artifact from a secret safe in the wall. “You’re in the big leagues now, boys,” he says, shining the artifact over the map. A beam of light pinpoints a manor house on a man-made island in Rikton’s river. Arlin narrows his eyes at this but doesn’t say anything for a moment before the light fades and the artifact goes dormant.

“That’s where you’re going,” he says. If pressed, he explains, “This artifact shows what you desire most. Right now, I want your names cleared before the undercity’s dragged into war. Whoever framed you is likely there.”

If the players stay hidden during the shakedown with Luis instead, they watch as Luis raises his sword to execute Arlin. Lila, Arlin’s daughter, charges from the crowd with a short sword but is grabbed by an enforcer. Luis laughs, kicking Arlin down and deciding to take Lila hostage instead. “Bring me the murderers’ heads in one week, or face the enforcers’ full force!” he bellows. Looking at Arlin, he adds, “Find them, or you’ll never see your daughter again.” He struts off with his enforcers and captive, leaving Arlin tearful and desperate.

Regardless of the outcome with Luis, the players return to their base, where Bailey’s stone face shifts in shock to hear what happened. “You’ve stirred up a mess!” he exclaims, his rumbling voice tinged with unease. He sighs, “Alright, I know more about the map and The Aces than I let on.”

He explains, “The Aces originally found the parchment in ancient catacombs below Rikton. Back then, it only had the cipher. Elgris, our cartographer, spent nearly a decade mapping the city on the other side, realizing the ‘cipher’ wasn’t a code but tied to Rikton’s layout. He was a hair’s breadth from uncovering its secret when one of our own betrayed us.”

Bailey’s tone darkens. “Hammond Krenn, our enforcer. He handled the dirty work, silencing guards, confronting rivals. The rest of The Aces were angels compared to him. And he didn’t even like playing cards!”

“Krenn might be the last living Ace who knows what Elgris discovered. Ask around and I'm sure you’ll track him down.” The players can ask around the surface and eventually get a lead to a Lord Hammond Krenn, who owns a manor house which sits on a man made island in the middle of the river which runs through Rikton.

If the players go to Arlin and ask him about Krenn, he pauses and clenches his jaw, heavily putting down his drink. “Everything leads to Krenn, then,” he growls. “That manor the artifact lit up? It’s his—Lord Hammond Krenn’s.” He explains

“Krenn replaced me after I left The Aces. He’s now a Lord of Rikton, bastard betrayed us all. If you find him, like Bailey says, kill him afterward. The Aces were family—his role in their disappearance means he deserves what’s coming.”

Arlin glances at his daughter, Lila, serving tables. She turns and smiles back. “Family’s important,” he says fiercely. “Now go clear your damned names, uncover the map’s secret, and save the undercity!”

If Lila was taken hostage by Luis, Arlin instead looks to where she’d be serving, his eyes hard. “Family’s important,” he says. “Clear your damned names, uncover the map’s secret, and save my daughter!”

Session 5:

60x40 Rikton River Island Manor Raining Night (Subscriber Only Map, This is a Low-Resolution Sample)

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When the players head to Lord Hammond Krenn Manor it’s storming, wind howling and raining pelting down. They can either take the sewers coming up a well in the courtyard, climb the walls of the manor or use any other manner of tricks to get inside, the manor is only guarded by two enforcers which only patrol the building every hour or so from their guard station on the outer wall.

Making their way inside the players notice the building is silent but for the storm outside. Upstairs, light flickers under a door, accompanied by the crackle of a fire. Investigating, the players find Lord Krenn in a comfy chair, reading a book with a glass of wine. He sets the book down without turning. “Do you have any idea who I am?” he says, unimpressed. “Touch me, steal from me, and your heads—your family’s, your friends’—go on pikes. Leave now. I’m generous; others would arrest you for trespassing. But I’ve a soft spot for thieving crews.”

If questioned about the vault frame-up, he turns, shocked, a bead of sweat on his brow. “How’d you tie me to that horrible business?” he yells, denying involvement. “You need to leave! They’ll think I’m plotting with you. You’re in over your heads—it’ll get us all killed!”

If pressed further, he grows agitated. “They know you have the map!” he snaps. “They’ll think I want back in, that I regret betraying The Aces!” Suddenly, an inhuman voice whispers behind the players, “Saa’veth kwe vadis, Dom Krenn, esh nul requira.” Purple veins crawl up Krenn’s neck as he convulses, collapsing in pain.

"Kwe vadis tu.” the voice whispers this time to the players, “sh’vox sibilat, tu esh nul requira etiam. Gratias tu, pro facila rekupera la karta, supra nos spekta.” With that three or more assassins seem to phase out of the walls, covered in black tattered flowing cloaks and wearing black veils over their faces reminiscent of wraiths. When defeated the inhuman whispering voice seems to scream as it fades away into nothing. Inspecting the bodies of the assassins you find the faces under the veils have no mouths as if they were melded shut. In addition they have signet rings with skulls without mouths on them, several minutes later the bodies dissolve into shadows leaving no trace.

A sleepy voice from the staircase leading to the second floor suddenly breaks the tension calling “Father?” Looking over, the players see a girl no older than ten. She is wearing a night gown with a glowing magical necklace around her neck.

Lord Krenn calls to the young girl, who despite fear pushes past the players. Lord Krenn eyes the closest player, grabbing their arm “Please take her.” he fleebly requests before telling his sobbing daughter “I’m dying, go with these men, it’s your only hope.” Coughing, he explains, “She was dying when the Black Veil came. They offered a cure—this necklace—for betraying The Aces. I didn’t know their plan or the map’s purpose, but I had to save her. It haunts me every day.” If the players ask what the Black Veils plan is or what the map is for his voice grows more garbled as the purple veins spread over his face. “The map, the map.” he whispers motioning to bring it to him. If the players do, he points to a central location in the Undercity, his finger shaking. With great strength and his eyes open wide, he opens his mouth one last time saying “Eternity” before dying.

Lord Krenns daughter completely breaks down at this and has to be carried away. If she is instead left, she is found by the guards doing their next round and the enforcers are called, not understanding the complexity of what happened she describes the players to enforcers, who mark them as Krenn’s assassins, increasing their infamy.

Session 6:

60x40 Rikton Sewers Assassins Guild (Subscriber Only Map, This is a Low-Resolution Sample)

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Back at the Cloak and Drain, Arlin is stunned by Krenn’s story. “He had a daughter?” he says, shaking his head. “I get a father’s love, but I can’t forgive his betrayal of The Aces.” If told about the assassins, he’s less surprised. “Maybe the tales are true,” he muses. “They must’ve framed you, but for what reason is yet to be seen.”

If the players mention Krenn’s reference to “Eternity” and the map’s undercity location, Arlin asks to see it. “That’s just an old warehouse,” he says, puzzled. “But Krenn knew something. It’s your only lead, and time’s running out.”

The players find the secret entrance to the Black Veil in the old Undercity warehouse, descending deeper into the earth into what appears to be part of the catacombs. Through the tunnels and halls of the Black Veil’s hideout the players uncover assassins similar to the ones they fought in the manor house. As well as troves of esoteric information contained within books, ledgers and scrolls including some notable tomes talking about a place called Eternity which appears to be a place in between life and death, a place of darkness and nothingness but also a place of everything. The tomes do note however, that you can only find places within Eternity if you already know their exact location and to reach these locations one must open a rift to Eternity known as “breaching the veil”.

In the final chamber, a beautiful assassin priestess stands before a giant skull statue with no mouth, surrounded by flickering candles. Clad in tight black leather, a thick cloak, and a black veil, she wields gloves with blade-like fingernails. Her inhuman voice, the same that killed Krenn, welcomes the players. “Thank you for bringing the map back to Rikton,” she says. “We’ve searched long for it.”

If asked about why the assassins framed the players. She walks closer swaying her hips as she goes, reaching out a finger to the air with one blade like nail extended, the blade seemingly cutting the air as if it was cloth leaving a long purple broken line in the air as she walks. “We hoped the enforcers would seize the map for us,” she says. “But their incompetence abounds.” If the players ask why they want the map so badly, she says “It holds the key to Eternity, an infinite realm of possibilities—if you know where to look. The map is the cornerstone.”

During combat, she carves symbols with her gloves, opening shadowy rifts from which minions emerge. When defeated, her body dissolves into shadows just like the assassins and shadowy portals fracture open in front of the players, but this time the players find two of the surviving Aces, Elgris, a slender man with wild shoulder length hair and round spectacles, and Toren, a muscular bald man who stumble through, bloodied and bruised but unaged, as if time halted beyond the veil. Their black uniforms, embroidered with Ace cards, mark them as Aces.

Befuddled, Elgris speaks. “You're not with the assassins are you, and do you by chance happen to have a map with you, a very particular map?” When the players explain who they are he laughs “My plan worked!” he exclaims. “The Black Veil ambushed us, you see, they expected us and when it seemed like all hope was lost I sent the map with the bloodied message away via magic, hoping someone would find it and be lured back to Rikton with the promises of riches, they’d then find out about the Black Veil and stop them where we failed!”

Elgris continues frantically “Torin and I jumped through a rift into Eternity the priestess had created to escape! You see, I knew that they wouldn’t be able to follow us if we moved quickly on the other side, because we’d no longer be where we should have been! Research, you see!”

If the players note that it seems like a pretty stupid plan, since it was the map that the Black Veil were after and having people bring the map back to Rikton could have put it back in their hands and without it, it doesn’t seem like they could have completed their plan. Torin looks at Elgris and nods, seemingly agreeing with the players. 

Elgris pauses before putting one finger up. “Good point,” he admits. “I was bleeding out… or am I still?” He collapses, pointing to the priestess’s bladed gloves. “You’ll need those,” he murmurs before Toren hoists him over his shoulder.

On the journey back to the Cloak and Drain, Toren’s muteness becomes clear, only speaking in signs. Talking to Arlin after the events within the Black Veil’s hideout, he is gobsmacked but excited to see Elgris and Torin alive, grabbing Torin in a big hug and making sure Elgris is put in a cot where he can recover. He's furthermore absolutely shocked to hear about the assassin priestess and what the players have learned about Eternity.

Arlin also tells the players he’ll contact Luis, who reluctantly sends men to inspect the Black Veil’s hideout. Inside they find troves of information, like death notes which describe each of the kills the Black Veil were involved in that both exonerates the players but also implicates many of the current nobles of Rikton in treason working secretly with the Black Veil to overthrow the current power structure, and bring about something that the texts only reference as the Great Night.

Luis, despite his zealous lawkeeping, turns out to be fairly reasonable, refusing to apologize to the players, but trusts Arlin to help keep the Undercity sobs in check in the future. In addition Arlin is re-offered his place among the nobility as his bloodline would normally grant him, for his part in uncovering and putting an end to The Black Veil. He however declines saying “The undercity’s my home,” and “These folk are my family now.”

A couple days later when Elgris has recovered, Arlin sends word to the players to come to the Cloak and Drain and to bring the map and the bladed gloves on Elgris’ request. When they arrive they’re ushered into the private room with an excited Elgris and curious Torin. Elgris, now vibrant, explains, “We didn’t just fight the Black Veil to save Rikton—we’re not always heroes. We needed the priestess’s bladed gauntlets to make the map work, to complete the greatest heist in the history of the world”

With that Elgris asks the players to place the map on the table and hand him the gloves. He flips the map to the side with the cipher before snapping on the gloves. He points at several pieces of the cipher before carving the same symbols into the air, with a woosh a shadowy portal opens in front of everyone. An eerie echoing whisper ripples through the air so quiet as to make the players even question that it was spoken: “Voxumbra esh liberata”. Elgris bows. “After me!” he says, leaping through, followed by Toren and Arlin.

When the players enter they see Elgris, Torin and Arlin standing in front of them with a massive almost endless hall full of carved pillars, staircases and piles of gold and silver heading off into the horizon. “Behold!” Elgris shouts at the top of his lungs… “Eternity’s Vault!”

GM’s notes: If the players brought Krenn's daughter with them and Arlin is asked to look after her, he agrees saying that she holds no sins of her father. She’s quite distraught but eventually brightens up spending time with Lila who ends up being a great big sister. If Krenn’s daughter is talked to about the magical necklace, she explains that it keeps her alive and that she remembers being very sick before her father got it for her.

Epilogue: Legends of the Undercity

The air in Rikton’s undercity hums with a rare energy as you step into the Cloak and Drain, the tavern’s familiar glow washing over you. The scent of Murkwater Mead and sizzling rat skewers fills the room, mingling with raucous laughter and the clink of glasses. Tonight, the “sobs” of the undercity aren’t just surviving—they’re celebrating. Word of your deeds has spread like wildfire: the Black Veil’s defeat, the rescue of the Aces, and the uncovering of Eternity’s Vault. 

Arlin stands behind the bar, his curly red hair damp with sweat, a grin splitting his weathered face. He slams a tray of frothing mugs onto the counter, their dark liquid glinting under the tavern’s lanterns. “To the Insert Players Crew Name!” he roars, raising a mug of a new brew— Brew in their honor, a heady mix of Nightshade Nectar and something that burns like victory. The crowd erupts, glasses raised, as undercity rogues, pickpockets, and dreamers toast the players names. Arlin’s eyes meet the players, and he gives a nod, a silent acknowledgment of the trouble they’ve stirred, and the salvation they’ve brought.

Across the room, Elgris and Toren sit at a corner table, surrounded by wide-eyed undercity youths. Elgris, his wild hair tamed for once, gestures animatedly, sketching maps on a napkin as he regales the “sobs” with tales of the Aces’ greatest heists. Toren, ever silent, offers a rare smile, his massive arms crossed as he nods approvingly. The Aces, they declare, are done, disbanded for good. Their days of thieving are over, but they’ve found a new calling: mentoring the next generation of undercity crews. “You lot,” Elgris says, pointing at the players with a grin, “you’ve outdone us. The map’s yours now, don’t muck it up.” He slides the players a tattered Ace card, its edges worn but its symbol bold, a token of their respect. 

At a nearby table, Lila weaves through the crowd, her red curls bouncing as she balances a tray of drinks with the finesse of a seasoned thief. She’s joined a new crew, the whispers say; a band of young rogues calling themselves the Shadowclaws, already making waves in Eastwood. If Elara, Lord Krenn’s daughter was rescued by the players, Lila’s taken her under her wing. The ten-year-old, once frail and tearful, now darts between tables, mimicking Lila’s sly grin as she pockets a stray coin or two. Lila ruffles Elara’s hair, whispering tricks of the trade, a big sister forging a future thief, or perhaps something greater. Elara’s necklace glows faintly, a reminder of her father’s sacrifice.

The tavern door swings open, and a hush falls as Lord Captain Luis strides in, his polished armor clashing with the undercity’s grit. The crowd tenses, but Luis raises a hand, his cold eyes scanning the room before settling on you. “You’ve done what I couldn’t,” he says, his voice grudging but steady. “The Black Veil’s gone, and those traitor nobles are answering for it. But don’t think this makes you saints. Stay clean, or I’ll have your heads on pikes.” He tosses a sealed letter onto the bar. It shows that bounties have been rescinded, a rare concession from the zealous enforcer. As he turns to leave, he glances at Arlin, his cousin, and a flicker of respect passes between them.

Arlin climbs onto the bar, his voice booming. “The undercity’s ours now, thanks to you lot!” The crowd cheers. Arlin’s leadership has sparked a renaissance of new taverns, hidden markets, even a makeshift school for kids like Lila and Elara. He’s turned down a noble title, declaring, “This is my family, and the Cloak and Drain’s my throne.” The undercity, once a shadow, now glimmers with hope. The map, still in the possession of the players, hums faintly, its cipher quiet but not silent.

The players stand together, their crew (whatever they call themselves) forged in heists, betrayal, and triumph. The undercity sings their names, and the riches of Eternity’s Vault are theirs. Rikton is changed, and so are they. 

So what’s next? The night is young, and the shadows are calling…

GM’s Note: The Aces card grants each player a bonus to a skill like Thievery, reflecting the Aces’ mentorship.

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