An ancient gold dragon hosts an annual masquerade ball in humanoid form. Somewhere in the dragon's mansion is a stolen artifact that must be recovered before dawn. Plan the heist, work the party, and pray the dragon doesn't notice — because the dance floor is the most dangerous room in the building.
Story Arcs
The Goldscale Job
The party must infiltrate the annual Goldscale Gala — a lavish masquerade thrown by the ancient gold dragon Auremaxis in her humanoid guise as Lady Aurelius. Hidden in her private vault is the Tears of Selune, an artifact stolen from the party's patron. The party must blend in, gather intelligence, bypass security, crack the vault, and escape — all while dancing, socializing, and avoiding the notice of a dragon who can smell deception.
Session Outlines
These outlines are for planning reference only. Actual sessions are not created by the template.
The Heist at Goldscale Gala
PLANNING (30 min): The patron briefs the party on the target, the venue, and the host. Give players a rough map of the mansion and let them plan their approach. They choose roles: who mingles as a distraction, who scouts the security, who cracks the vault. Provide 3 entry strategies (front door with forged invitations, servant entrance via bribery, rooftop via fly/climbing). Each has trade-offs. INFILTRATION (45 min): Players execute their plan. The gala is in full swing — masked guests, an orchestra, flowing champagne. Key challenges: getting past the guest list (Deception/Forgery), navigating the social scene without blowing cover (Charisma checks, mini social encounters), scouting the security (Perception/Investigation to identify guards, wards, and Lady Aurelius's movement patterns). Lady Aurelius mingles with guests and has frighteningly good Insight. If she engages a player in conversation, they must survive without arousing suspicion. THE VAULT (30 min): Players reach the private wing. Magical wards, a puzzle lock, and two dragonborn guards protect the vault. Inside: the Tears of Selune sit in an anti-magic display case. Removing it triggers a silent alarm — the party has 10 minutes before Lady Aurelius is alerted. ESCAPE (30 min): Getting out is harder than getting in. If the alarm was triggered, Lady Aurelius blocks the main exit in humanoid form, demanding the thief reveal themselves. Players can bluff, fight (very bad idea), create a diversion, or use a prepared escape route. Best ending: they slip out during the midnight fireworks display. If Lady Aurelius catches them, she offers a deal — she'll return the artifact if they do her a favor (hook for a future adventure).
NPCs
Lady Aurelius (Auremaxis)
Gold Dragon (Polymorphed) · Host and Collector
An ancient gold dragon who has spent centuries collecting rare artifacts and hosting extravagant parties in her humanoid form — a tall, golden-haired woman with amber eyes and an unsettling grace. She has +15 Insight and can literally smell lies (dragon senses persist in humanoid form). She is not evil — she genuinely believes she is the best guardian for powerful artifacts. She collects them to keep them safe, not to hoard them. If confronted honestly, she might negotiate. If deceived, she is terrifyingly calm about it.
Korrath
Dragonborn · Head of Security
Lady Aurelius's chief bodyguard, a gold dragonborn paladin who takes his job with religious seriousness. He patrols the gala in formal armor (polished to a mirror shine) and knows every guest by invitation number. He is honorable but suspicious of anyone he doesn't recognize. His weakness: he's secretly in love with the orchestra's lead violinist and can be distracted during her solos.
Whisper
Changeling · Fellow Thief
Another thief at the gala with the same target. Whisper is a changeling who has replaced one of the real guests and is running their own heist. The party may discover them during reconnaissance (a guest who doesn't match their invitation). Whisper can be an ally (split the job), a rival (race to the vault), or a scapegoat (frame them for the theft). They're pragmatic and will betray anyone if it means surviving.
Maestro Pavan
Satyr · Orchestra Conductor
The flamboyant conductor of the gala's orchestra. He knows every guest's gossip and will share it freely if flattered or bribed with fine wine. He's performed at the Goldscale Gala for thirty years and knows the mansion's layout intimately — including a few passages Lady Aurelius doesn't know he knows about.
Locations
Aurelius Mansion
A palatial estate on a cliffside overlooking the sea. The architecture is impossibly elegant — soaring golden arches, crystal skylights, and gardens that bloom year-round. Every surface subtly reflects gold tones. The mansion has three floors: the gala occupies the ground floor ballroom and gardens, the private wing is on the second floor (off-limits to guests), and the vault is in the basement. Magical wards detect invisibility and teleportation throughout the estate.
The Grand Ballroom
A vast room with a marble dance floor, a crystal chandelier the size of a wagon, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the moonlit sea. Three hundred masked guests swirl through waltzes and conversations. The orchestra plays on a raised stage. Lady Aurelius moves through the crowd like a shark through still water — graceful, watchful, always present.
The Private Wing
The second floor is off-limits, guarded by two dragonborn sentries and a Glyph of Warding on the staircase. Beyond the guards: Lady Aurelius's study (contains the vault access puzzle), a gallery of collected artifacts (alarmed), and a balcony overlooking the ballroom (useful for surveillance or escape).
The Vault
A reinforced chamber beneath the mansion, accessed through a puzzle lock in the study (requires solving a riddle in Draconic). Inside: shelves of priceless artifacts, each in an anti-magic display case. The Tears of Selune sits on a central pedestal. Removing it breaks a circuit that triggers a silent alarm to Korrath's earpiece. The vault door locks behind intruders after 10 minutes.
Quests
Steal the Tears of Selune
The artifact is in Lady Aurelius's vault beneath the mansion. Get in, get it, get out. The vault has a puzzle lock, anti-magic display cases, and a silent alarm. The party has until dawn — when the gala ends and Lady Aurelius retires to her vault to admire her collection.
Maintain Your Cover
The gala is full of socialites, nobles, and at least one dragon with +15 Insight. Every interaction risks exposure. Blend in, play your role, and don't let anyone — especially Lady Aurelius — suspect you're anything other than a wealthy guest enjoying the party.
Deal with Whisper
Another thief is here for the same prize. A changeling called Whisper has replaced a real guest and is running a parallel heist. Ally with them, outpace them, or use them as a scapegoat when things go wrong.
Encounters
Social Duel with Lady Aurelius
Lady Aurelius approaches a player for a dance and conversation. She asks probing questions with supernatural Insight. This is a social encounter played like combat — each exchange is a "round" where the player must Deceive or Persuade while Lady Aurelius makes Insight checks. Three failures and she grows suspicious. Five failures and she knows.
Vault Security
Two dragonborn guards and a Glyph of Warding protect the private wing. The vault itself has a puzzle lock requiring Draconic literacy and a DC 18 Thieves' Tools check. If the alarm triggers, Korrath and two additional guards arrive in 3 rounds.
The Dragon Revealed
If the party is caught and refuses to surrender, Lady Aurelius drops her humanoid form. An ancient gold dragon fills the ballroom. This is not a fight the party can win — it is a consequence. She will not kill them but will take back the artifact and demand restitution. Play this for dramatic weight, not TPK.
Factions
The Aurelius Household
Lawful Good
Lady Aurelius's personal staff and security. Dragonborn guards, enchanted wards, and the dragon herself. They are not evil — they genuinely believe they are protecting priceless artifacts from those who would misuse them. Their loyalty to Lady Aurelius is absolute.
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