Adventure Background: Search for the Diamond Staff

The Diamond Staff of Chomylla, an artifact with the power to unlock the mysteries of an ancient elven civilization, has at long last been found. When orcs steal the staff, though, it’s up to a group of heroes to stop them. Why orcs should want the staff is anyone’s guess, and the quest to find the truth might well lead the adventurers across the Dalelands and into the depths of the lost library-vaults of Uvaeren.

Search for the Diamond Staff takes characters from levels 4-6. This season also includes an optional online component, which allows players and Dungeon Masters to convert the adventure to the D&D Next playtest.

Map of the Dalelands

(5.6 Mbs PDF)

Dalelands Player Map Handout

(5.8 Mbs PDF)

Session Recaps

Previous Season: Storm Over Neverwinter

The frontier city of Neverwinter has persevered in the face of calamity. Yet even as the city rebuilds, an insidious threat rises from within its walls. Neverwinter’s citizens are succumbing to an inexplicable madness, while from the shadows, an evil cult of Asmodeus spins sinister plans. Unless a group of heroes rises to stop these perils, Neverwinter might face an even greater danger on the horizon.

Two Ways to Play

Of course, there are a great many players who enjoy playing D&D 4th Edition, as well as players excited about the D&D Next Playtest. And so, this season of D&D Encounters will support both D&D 4th Edition and D&D Next, with conversion rules! This means that during the first week when players make their characters, they’ll also need to decide which version of D&D they want to play. Dungeon Masters who choose to run this season under D&D Next rules will be able to download conversion notes at www.dndnext.com.

D&D Next Rules

If you choose to play this season using D&D Next rules, things will be a little more involved. Your store/play group will need to do the following:

1. Talk to the players at your store and your D&D Encounters organizer. Find out how many people are interested in playtesting D&D Next and how many want to continue playing 4th Edition. Gauge players’ interest, and coordinate with any other DMs to try to ensure that everyone (including you) has the opportunity to play in his or her preferred type of game.


2. Visit dndnext.com and sign up for the playtest.


3. Download the playtest packet and review the documents, paying close attention to the How to Play and DM Guidelines files.


4. Read and print the Search for the Diamond Staff conversion notes (in the playtest packet). This file contains instructions, guidelines, and statistics blocks for adapting the adventure to D&D Next.


5. Familiarize yourself with the adventure, and get ready to run D&D Next!

(54 Kbs PDF)

Bring Your Own Hero to the Table

If you’re like many players, you’ll want to build your own 4th-level character to bring to D&D Encounters, using the standard character creation rules presented in the Rules Compendium, Heroes of the Fallen Lands, or Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms. Of course, you can also use the D&D Character Builder to create your character as well.

For this D&D Encounters season, players can create characters using any official 4th Edition materials, including options presented in Dragon magazine.

Gaining Experience, Leveling Up, and Earning Rewards

Each week, as you face monsters and overcome obstacles, you’ll gain experience points that will enable you to eventually level up your character. If you manage to play most or all of the sessions this season, you can hit 6th level by the conclusion of the story.

Dungeon Masters Wanted

D&D Encounters can’t happen without people behind the screen—the most important seat in the house. With D&D Encounters, DMing is easy. Your store organizer will have everything you need—the adventure, maps, tokens (for PCs and Monsters), as well as all the other game materials you and your players will want and need.