Tip of the

Tongue
A Fifth Edition adventure for
four to five 7th–8th level PCs
◀◁⸺◆⸺▷▶

PART FOUR

irsli Aptal embodies the

H finest qualities of Bellek, the

city of scholars—disciplined, studi-

ous, and dedicated to the pursuit

of knowledge. Lately however, her

perfect memory (itself a product

of the alchemy she practices) is

proving to be elusive at times and

unreliable at others.

After months of researching the phenom-

enon, debating with her fellow noble scientists,
and several failed attempts to get to the bottom
of the enigma, she’s posted a sizable reward for writing Mike Myler
anyone able to determine what is happening to Christopher Kugler
both her and the other nobility in Bellek. Will editing Christopher Kugler
the adventurers be able to get to the bottom of color art Gennifer Bone
this mystery and, if so, survive the dangerous 5e conversion Mike Myler
knowledge they’re destined to awaken? layout Eric Life-Putnam

EN World EN5ider
Additional Enemies
To win over Lord Percival Budalist, the party have to defeat a pair of titonydrausauruses, and the favor of
Baroness Tenvi Sahasika requires revealing and bringing an end to the wickedness of Corwin the Balewind.

Corwin the Balewind Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Corwin deals an extra 7

Medium humanoid (any), chaotic evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 130 (20d8+40)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws str +9, con +6; Proficiency +4
Skills Athletics +13, Intimidation +4, Stealth +11,
Survival +5; disguise kit +4
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Halfling, Thieves’ Cant
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Action Surge (1/Short Rest). Once on Corwin’s turn,
he can take an additional action on top of his regular
action and a possible bonus action.
Cunning Action (1/Turn). Corwin can take a bonus
action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Favored Enemy. Corwin has advantage on Wisdom
(Survival) checks to track halflings and humans and on
Intelligence checks to recall information about them.
Indomitable (1/Long Rest). Corwin can reroll a saving
throw that he fails but must use the new roll.
Rage (2/Long Rest). On his turn, Corwin can enter a
rage as a bonus action. His rage lasts for 1 minute,
ending early if he is knocked unconscious or if his turn
ends and he hasn’t either attacked a hostile creature
since his last turn or taken damage since then. Corwin
can also end his rage on his turn as a bonus action.
While raging, he gains the following benefits:
* advantage on STR checks and STR saving throws.
* when he makes a melee weapon attack using
Strength, he deals 2 extra damage.
* resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
damage.
(2d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon
attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when
the target is within 5 feet of an ally of his that isn’t
incapacitated and Corwin doesn’t have disadvantage
on the attack roll.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Corwin attacks three times.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8+7) slashing damage, or 10
(1d10+5) slashing damage if wielded in two hands.
Handaxe (6). Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to
hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+5) slashing
damage.
Draconic Form. Corwin magically polymorphs into a
draconic form that resembles a green dragon or back
into his true form. He reverts to his true form if he
dies. Any equipment Corwin is wearing or carrying is
absorbed or borne by the new form (his choice).
~In Corwin’s draconic form, he retains his alignment,
hit points, Hit Dice, ability to speak, proficiencies, and
ability scores, as well as this action. His size increases
to Huge and he gains the following benefits:
* fly speed of 50 feet.
* darkvision 60 feet.
* a bite natural weapon attack (+9 to hit, 1d8+5
piercing damage).
* a claw natural weapon attack (+9 to hit, 1d8+5
slashing damage).
* an acid breath weapon (as an action, Corwin exhales
acid in a 40-foot cone; each creature in that area
must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking
8d10 acid damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one; the breath weapon
recharges after Corwin finishes a long rest).

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Tip of the Tongue, Part Four  |  EN World EN5ider


Titanohydrosaurus
Gargantuan beast, unaligned
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 174 (12d20+48)
Speed 20 ft., swim 70 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 6 (–2) 19 (+4) 3 (–4) 13 (+1) 5 (–3)
Proficiency +3
Skills Athletics +8, Perception +4, Stealth +9
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages —
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Amphibious. The titanohydrosaurus can breathe both
air and water.
Aquamirage. While underwater, the titanohydrosaurus
can use a bonus action to cast mislead without the
use of components (spell save DC 12). Only creatures
above the water are affected by this trait, and it ends
whenever the titanohydrosaurus ceases concentrating
on it or emerges from the water.
Pain Threshold. Any attacks or spells that deal 6 points
of damage or less do not deal any damage to the
titanohydrosaurus.
Slippery. While in the water, the titanohydrosaurus
is considered to be under the constant effects of a
freedom of movement spell.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The titanohydrosaurus attacks once with
its bite and once with its tail slap.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one
target. Hit: 21 (3d10+5) piercing damage.
Tail Slap. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 25 ft.,
one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) bludgeoning damage.
REACTIONS
Jet (Recharge 5–6). On its turn before it takes its
action, the titanohydrosaurus can use its reaction to
move 70 feet in a straight line through the water.
EN World EN5ider |  Tip of the Tongue, Part Four
Mass Combat
Although the GM and players might be interested
in a prolonged conflict with each NPC taking an
individual turn in a battle between hundreds of
warriors against the vergeten hordes of Mitk’, to
keep the table focused on the story it’s recom-
mended to make mass combat abstract using the
rules designed by Benjamin Eastman in EN5ider
#339 - Tertiary System: Mass Combat.
Armies
No matter how the party fared with Baroness Ten-
vi Sahasika (who may also grant wardens), Duke
Girman Kai (who may also grant thieves), or Lord
Percival Budalist (who may also grant privateers),
they should have at least four types of armies at
their disposal. The following list of units assumes
that the party has at least one battalion army to
control per player, but if not there are also smaller
units provided for the lesser armies (companies)
among the Material Plane’s forces in this battle
(and a smaller battalion unit of vergeten to match).
Note that each of the defending armies have sta-
tistics for fighting from the walls of Bellek. When a
defending unit ventures into the greater battlefield
(see Terrain), reduce its armor category by one
step, to a minimum of light armor. Units marked
with a * do not reduce their armor.
Bellek Armies
All of Bellek is eager to defend the city, yet once the
full nature of the threat is known to the Aptals a
royal decree forbids many of the most knowledge-
able and capable from taking up the proverbial
sword. Even so there are some men and women in
the guard dispensed for protecting the city walls,
and if the party is on good terms with the royal
family they have the services of a company squad
of Bellek scholars as well.
Morale. The people of Bellek do not break.
Tactics. The Bellek guard are unwilling to with-
draw into the city until the attackers have breached
the walls, but the Bellek scholars are eager to get
onto the battlefield to find out more about what ex-
actly is going on.
Bellek Guard Company
This company of guards are not disciplined warriors, but
they will fight to the death to protect their city.
HP 25, Unit Die 1d6, Damage 1d6+1, Weapon spear,
Armor heavy
Specialty “Bellek guards fight best from the city walls.”
Bellek Guard Battalion
This battalion of guards are not disciplined warriors, but
they will fight to the death to protect their city.
HP 50, Unit Die 1d8, Damage 1d8+2, Weapon spear,
Armor heavy
Specialty “Bellek guards fight best from the city walls.”
Bellek Scholar Squad
This squad of scholarly mages make up for what they
lack in combat experience with impressive control of the
arcane.
HP 20, Unit Die 1d4, Damage 1d4, Weapon fire bolt,
Armor none, Traits misty step 3/day, fireball 3/day
(1d10+3 fire damage to 2 adjacent units), greater
invisibility 2/day (2 mass combat rounds)
Specialty “Bellek scholars fight best while within the
city.”
Budal Armies
The forces offered by Lord Percival and the Port
of Profiteers are a hardy bunch of sailors, their
courage tested by the open sea and their mettle
measured at the end of bloody cutlasses. Even
though the threat they face is a mysterious one
these warriors are not phased; there are plenty of
magical and unnatural things on the waves, and
the unique nature of the invaders will not make
Budal’s best falter in the fight. When they arrive
in Bellek their ships anchor off-shore briefly to dis-
pense of most of their crews, then retreat to a safe
distance nearby until needed. They bring a bit of
unruliness to the city with them, and at the GM’s
discretion there may be a matter or two (or more)
that the adventurers have to deal with that has
their nautical allies at the center of things.
Morale. Once the fighting starts these armies
stick with the battle until reduced to 10 hit points
or less—each mass combat round after that, at the
Tip of the Tongue, Part Four  |  EN World EN5ider
start of the unit’s turn it makes death saving throws,
and when it would die it instead flees. If the army
is on a ship, it starts making similar death saving
throws when the ship is reduced to half hit points,
abandoning the fight when it accrues 3 failures.
Tactics. The sailors do their best fighting when
on or near water, but in lieu of that prefer to rally
around the most powerful allies they can find on
the battlefield. While they might not like the or-
der they are given, none will risk mutiny and the
wrath of Lord Percival Budal.
Budal Privateer Squad
This rugged squad of sailors are all seasoned by the sea,
their hair salty and their hands as rough as their reckless
approach to life.
HP 15, Unit Die 1d4, Damage 1d4, Weapon scimitar,
Armor medium, Special when making a Clash roll to
attack the privateers attack a second time without
taking damage, when making a Clash roll to defend the
privateers add +2
Specialty “Privateers fight best when on a coast or on
ships.”
Budal Shiphand Company
This company of sailors are eager to prove their courage.
HP 25, Unit Die 1d6, Damage 1d6+1, Weapon scimitar,
Armor medium
Specialty “Shiphands fight best when on a coast or on
ships.”
Budal Shiphand Battalion
This battalion of sailors are eager to prove their courage.
HP 50, Unit Die 1d8, Damage 1d8+2, Weapon scimitar,
Armor medium
Specialty “Shiphands fight best when on a coast or on
ships.”
Sahasi Armies
Of all the allies that heed Bellek’s call for aid none
are as disciplined as the warriors from Sahasi.
The wardens and guardians of the Thorned Town
are wont to turn their allegiance with nature to-
wards violence, but the threat posed by another
alien world brings out the fierceness within them.
Their presence in Bellek is initially met with some
unrest—the ways and practices of scholars are
not always undertaken with great respect—and
at the GM’s discretion, the adventurers may need
to intervene to smooth things over with the first
arrivals. Afterwards the guardians and wardens
of Sahasi bring confidence to the populace and a
sense of calm before the big battle commences.
Morale. The forces of Sahasi do not break and
fight until the bitter end.
Tactics. These armies prefer to fight in the for-
est, drawing enemies into the woods if necessary.
If they have wardens on the water, that unit tries to
draw already wounded foes into the forests where
guardians are in wait.
Sahasi Guardian Company
This company of experienced mercenaries are woe to
make war but become a force of nature when unleashed
upon a foe.
HP 25, Unit Die 1d6, Damage 1d6+1, Weapon longsword
or crossbow, Armor heavy
Specialty “Guardians fight best when within sight of
wardens or while within a forest.”
Sahasi Guardian Battalion
This battalion of experienced mercenaries are woe to
make war but become a force of nature when unleashed
upon a foe.
HP 50, Unit Die 1d8, Damage 1d8+2, Weapon longsword
or crossbow, Armor heavy
Specialty “Guardians fight best when within sight of
wardens or while within a forest.”
Sahasi Warden Squad
This squad of druids are dedicated to defending their
world and willing to die doing just that.
HP 15, Unit Die 1d4, Damage 1d4, Weapon quarterstaff
or produce flame, Armor heavy, Traits thunderwave 4/
day
Specialty “Wardens fight best on natural terrains
(including water).”
EN World EN5ider |  Tip of the Tongue, Part Four
Zakai Armies
One thing about the not always reliable soldiers
hailing from Zakai that can be relied upon is that
their loyalty is a true blood compact: nothing will
stop them from rendering the promised services
lest their reputation (and future profits) suffer.
Coin is all that will keep these rowdy warriors
in line once they arrive in Bellek—whether that’s
provided by the party, persuaded from the Aptal’s
royal treasury, or a properly threatening remind-
er instead of the payment Duke Girman Kai has
promised—and without it the damage they wreak
causes each of the city’s armies to enter the big
fight reduced by 1 hit point.
Morale. The forces from Zakai do not break,
but whenever they take 6 or more damage from a
Clash roll they retreat next turn.
Tactics. The brutes are eager to meet the enemy
head on, but the thieves wait until an ally has en-
gaged a foe before joining in the fight.
Zakai Brute Company
This company of amateur soldiers all have a decidedly
suspicious look about them, and many sport strange
bruises or missing fingers.
HP 25, Unit Die 1d6, Damage 1d6+1, Weapon greataxe,
Armor medium, Damage Resistances bludgeoning,
piercing, slashing
Specialty “Brutes fight best when lunging into battle
with reckless abandon, or when in foothills or plains
and in sight of an ally unit fighting on the same
terrain.”
Zakai Brute Battalion
This battalion of amateur soldiers all have a decidedly
suspicious look about them, and many sport strange
bruises or missing fingers.
HP 50, Unit Die 1d8, Damage 1d8+2, Weapon greataxe,
Armor medium, Damage Resistances bludgeoning,
piercing, slashing
Specialty “Brutes fight best when lunging into battle
with reckless abandon, or when in foothills or plains
and in sight of an ally unit fighting on the same
terrain.”
Zakai Thief Squad
This squad of warriors move with great speed and agility,
though not one of them is in step with another.
HP 15, Unit Die 1d4, Damage 1d4, Weapon shortsword
or light crossbow, Armor medium, Special thieves
deal double damage when making a Clash roll if an ally
unit is adjacent to the unit it is fighting, when making
a Clash roll to attack the thieves attack a second time
without taking damage
Specialty “Thieves fight best when their allies have just
attacked the same target, or when in forests or plains.”
Vergeten Armies
Every one of these hideous alien invaders is en-
slaved to the will of Mitk’, fighting fearlessly and
with uncanny efficiency. What’s most chilling
about the vergeten is their utter lack of mercy,
their penchant for slaying wounded foes making it
clear immediately that if they make it into Bellek it
will rapidly become a bloodbath.
Morale. The vergeten do not break—there will
always be more of their kind to continue with the
invasion until Mitk’ is destroyed.
Tactics. When an enemy unit is reduced to 0 hit
points, any vergeten units that are able to move to
and attack it in the same turn or target it with a
ranged attack do so on their next turn.
Vergeten Soldier Regiment
Composed of freakish amalgamations of flesh and bone,
this regiment is typical of the alien infantry.
HP 100, Unit Die 1d10, Damage 1d10+2, Weapon bone-
bladed arms, Armor medium, Damage Resistances
psychic
Specialty “Vergeten soldiers fight best when within
sight of vergeten commanders.”
Vergeten Soldier Battalion
Composed of freakish amalgamations of flesh and bone,
this battalion is typical of the alien infantry.
HP 50, Unit Die 1d8, Damage 1d82+2, Weapon bone-
bladed arms, Armor medium, Damage Resistances
psychic
Specialty “Vergeten soldiers fight best when within
sight of vergeten commanders.”
Tip of the Tongue, Part Four  |  EN World EN5ider
Vergeten Commander Battalion
The creatures in this soaring alien battalion are vaguely
humanoid in shape but made of eyes, brains, and sinew
grafted into nerve tissue.
HP 50, Unit Die 1d8, Damage 1d8+2, Weapon corporeal
cannon, Armor light, Damage Resistances psychic,
Traits invisible 3/day, regeneration 1
Specialty “Vergeten commanders fight best when they
begin their attack while invisible.
Vergeten Scion Squad
Although the creatures in this squad of floating aliens are
the most recognizably humanoid, the outer features of
each have been stripped away to leave bones, muscles,
and organs exposed.
HP 20, Unit Die 1d4, Damage 1d4, Weapon cerebral
atrophy, Armor light, Damage Resistances psychic,
Traits misty step 5/day, regeneration 2, Special a unit
is destroyed after its 4th Clash roll against vergeten
scions
Specialty “Vergeten scions fight best when they can
swoop down onto their foes.”
Mitk’ (Unit)
Made from immaterial thought forced into existence on
the Material Plane, this raging entity of crimson energies
grows like a storm in the skies above the battle.
HP 310, Unit Die 1d4, Damage 1d4+2, Weapon slam,
Armor none, Damage Immunities poison, psychic,
Special after every 5 rounds of intimate combat Mitk’
increases in size by one step (from 1d4 to 1d6, 1d6 to
1d8, 1d8 to 1d10, and 1d10 to 1d12) and its damage
increases by +2, units Mitk’ makes a Clash roll against
gain no benefits from fortifications like city walls
Specialty “Mitk’ fights best when adjacent to a unit it is
fighting.”
Note Armies that try to engage Mitk’ in mass combat
are doomed—only the heroes of this adventure have
any chance of stopping the nigh-godly entity, and even
then only in intimate combat using Kurtaric weapons.
Even so, at the end of every 5 rounds of intimate
combat in this adventure’s climax, units may make
Clash rolls against Mitk’ to damage it. In this case, the
Mitk’ army unit and Mitk’ fighting the adventurers use
the same hit points.
Heroes
Each of the adventurers (as well as major NPCs if
they’ve been successfully persuaded) can attach
themselves to a unit as its leader. While attached,
they add 1d6 Hero dice to the unit’s damage (NPCs
may add a lesser or greater Hero die).
Before a mass battle each unit leader designates
two specialties to describe how they’ll assist in the
fight to come, phrased in the following method:
▶▶“I contribute to battle when (condition; as the
Ready action).”
Players should come up with their own specialties,
but some example specialties specific to this sce-
nario might be:
▶▶“I contribute to battle when the wardens or
guardians are fighting in the forest.”
▶▶“I contribute to battle when the brutes or thieves
charge into the foothills.”
▶▶“I contribute to battle when the shiphands or
privateers are fighting on the water.”
▶▶“I contribute to battle when the vergeten invaders
first defeat an army along the city’s walls.”
Remember that a unit leader may also roll their
Hero die with advantage when invoking their
specialty. When their specialty is exploited or is
otherwise ill-suited for their battlefield role, the
Hero die is rolled with disadvantage.
Outcome
Unlike normal, when a unit being led by an adven-
turer is overcome after a Clash roll, the adventurer
is not captured (NPC unit leaders are still captured
or knocked unconscious). Instead the adventurer
moves about the battlefield, reentering the ini-
tiative order when battle transitions from mass
combat to intimate combat.
EN World EN5ider |  Tip of the Tongue, Part Four
Terrain
While some parties may choose to keep their forces
safely inside Bellek’s walls, there are advantages
to be had by taking a unit away from the safety of
the city’s fortifications. The GM determines the
precise details of how the landscape outside the
settlement is arranged, but it should include at
least one of each of the following areas.
Coast
Coasts must be adjacent to water. The sand on a
coast makes for difficult terrain unless a unit can
fly or has a specialty with coasts.
Foothills
Foothills must be adjacent to mountains. A unit
can move twice as far as normal as long as it moves
in a straight line away from the nearest mountains.
Forest
A unit that retreats takes half as much damage as
normal.
Mountains
A unit on mountains has advantage on Clash rolls
against units below it. Moving up the mountain
requires double the normal movement and mov-
ing down the mountain requires half the normal
movement.
Plain
A unit can move twice as far as normal when
retreating.
Water
Only Wardens and units able to fly (including all
the vergeten) are able to fight on the water unless
they have ships (each unit of privateers and ship­
hands has a vessel of its own, which has hit points
equal to the unit). e