The following special events can occur while the characters are in Nightstone 1 Ideally, the characters are 2nd level before either event occurs.

Seven Snakes:

This event takes place after the characters rid Nightstone 1 of its goblin infestation but before they have time to finish a long rest.
 
Seven Zhentarim mercenaries arrive at the village on horseback. If the drawbridge is lowered, they ride to the square and call out for Keila Darkhope. If the characters raised the drawbridge, the Zhents call out for someone to lower it. If she's still alive, Keila tries to let them in.
 
The leader of the new arrivals is Xolkin Alassandar (LE male Half-Elf bandit captain), a charming, ruthless man in his mid-thirties. He and his six subordinates (LE male and female Human bandits of various ethnicities) are mounted on seven riding horses. Known as the Seven Snakes, Xolkin's band does "dirty work" for the Snail, a Zhent leader based in Daggerford (see the "Daggerford" section in chapter 3). Their current mission is to help Keila Darkhope turn Nightstone 1 into a base for the Black Network. The settlement's defensibility and its proximity to Waterdeep make it ideal for Zhentarim operations. The Seven Snakes had planned to infiltrate the village posing as bounty hunters in search of a wanted criminal (Keila), but they drop the ruse once it becomes apparent that the village is mostly abandoned.
 
Xolkin is in love with Keila and would do just about anything for her, even though he knows that she doesn't feel the same way about him. If Keila is a prisoner, Xolkin tries to buy her freedom (see "Treasure"). Failing that, he tries to liberate her by force. If Keila wormed her way into the characters' good graces, she reveals her allegiance to the Zhentarim once the Seven Snakes are close enough to protect her. If the party includes one or more characters with strong ties to the Black Network, Keila tries to convince them to help secure the village as a Zhentarim base.
 
If the characters do nothing to oppose the Zhent mercenaries, Xolkin orders his men to raise the drawbridge while he uses his Flying Snake to send a message to the Snail, letting him know that the village is under the Black Network's control. If the characters killed Xolkin's flying snake, Xolkin orders one of his meres to ride to Daggerford and report the news while the others "hold down the fort." If combat erupts, Xolkin drinks his Campaign Resources/Equipment/Potions/Magic Potions/Potion of Invulnerability before leaping into the fray.
 
The Zhents have no easy way to reach the keep and ignore it for the time being. That said, if the Zhents learn that some of Lady Nandar's guards are holed up in the keep, they urge friendly characters to dispose of the guards. Similarly, if the characters are on friendly terms with the guards in the keep, the guards ask the characters to save the village from Zhentarim occupation.
 
The characters are under no obligation to rid Nightstone of Keila Darkhope and the Seven Snakes. If they defeat the Zhents or come to terms with them, allow the characters to take a long rest, if they wish, before continuing with the "[Ear Seekers]" event.

Treasure:

Xolkin wears a gold ring (worth 25 gp) emblazoned with the symbol of the Zhentarim: a black winged serpent. He also carries a pouch that holds:

NPCs Involved:

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