service only for as long as they are useful.

The very
concept of sanity and order is offensive.
The shard knows that it can grow, and it pursues this
goal aggressively without any conscious agenda. Once
it reaches a certain size, it blossoms into a rift between
its home plane and the material, allowing the old one
that birthed the shard to manifest in the world.
If the party knows some of the townsfolk, they’ll care
a lot more when the villagers start growing extra
limbs. If one of your characters came from a small
village near a forest, you can substitute that village
for Anvarmere.
If you’re using the shard as their opening quest, you
should start the adventure in or near Anvarmere, with
the party called in to solve the mystery of disappearing
livestock. The first scheme has some suggested plot
hooks in its “Rumors” section. Encountering the
shard so early puts the party in a position of knowing
there’s a dangerous threat that exceeds their abilities,
and they might be forced to serve it for a time while
they find a way to take it down. The shard won’t kill
them—it needs servants—so even if they go all out
and are completely outgunned, they won’t need to
make new characters.
POWER
The shard has a small reservoir of power that it
expends to control its minions, reshape reality, and
keep itself safe if any adventurers come knocking.
The shard’s maximum Power begins at 6 and
increases as it completes its schemes. The shard
regains all expended power at dawn each day.
Anvarmere Village
The tiny, once-cozy village of Anvarmere is
provided as a default location for the story of the
Shard of Madness. Full details are listed in the
“Lair” section. You can use this village as written,
make modifications, or even replace it with a
village of your own design if you have one in mind.
ABILITY POWER
COST DESCRIPTION
Exert
Control 1
The shard attempts to charm a creature, requiring it to succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or
be charmed by the shard for 10 minutes. A charmed creature generally blunders into
an encounter or
surrenders to the villagers to be locked up. A creature that succeeds on this save
is immune to being
charmed by the shard for one hour.
Terrible
Insight 2
When a creature makes an Intelligence- or Wisdom-based ability check, the shard can
send the creature
maddening visions. The creature must succeed on a DC 13 saving throw with the same
ability used to make
the triggering ability check or suffer a lasting madness effect.
Warp
Flesh 3
One unwilling creature must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or gain
the Entropic template.
The effect lasts for one minute, and the creature can repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success. If the creature is hostile to the shard,
it activates its new ability once
per turn targeting itself without using an action.
Recharge 4 As a bonus action, the shard regains the use of all of its abilities
detailed in its stat block.
Weave
Insanity 5 All creatures of the shard’s choice must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or suffer both a fleeting
madness and a lasting madness effect.
Spawn
Chaos 8 The shard summons a chaos elemental which can appear anywhere within its
radius of influence.service only for as long as they are useful. The very
concept of sanity and order is offensive.
The shard knows that it can grow, and it pursues this
goal aggressively without any conscious agenda. Once
it reaches a certain size, it blossoms into a rift between
its home plane and the material, allowing the old one
that birthed the shard to manifest in the world.
If the party knows some of the townsfolk, they’ll care
a lot more when the villagers start growing extra
limbs. If one of your characters came from a small
village near a forest, you can substitute that village
for Anvarmere.
If you’re using the shard as their opening quest, you
should start the adventure in or near Anvarmere, with
the party called in to solve the mystery of disappearing
livestock. The first scheme has some suggested plot
hooks in its “Rumors” section. Encountering the
shard so early puts the party in a position of knowing
there’s a dangerous threat that exceeds their abilities,
and they might be forced to serve it for a time while
they find a way to take it down. The shard won’t kill
them—it needs servants—so even if they go all out
and are completely outgunned, they won’t need to
make new characters.
POWER
The shard has a small reservoir of power that it
expends to control its minions, reshape reality, and
keep itself safe if any adventurers come knocking.
The shard’s maximum Power begins at 6 and
increases as it completes its schemes. The shard
regains all expended power at dawn each day.
Anvarmere Village
The tiny, once-cozy village of Anvarmere is
provided as a default location for the story of the
Shard of Madness. Full details are listed in the
“Lair” section. You can use this village as written,
make modifications, or even replace it with a
village of your own design if you have one in mind.
ABILITY POWER
COST DESCRIPTION
Exert
Control 1
The shard attempts to charm a creature, requiring it to succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or
be charmed by the shard for 10 minutes. A charmed creature generally blunders into
an encounter or
surrenders to the villagers to be locked up. A creature that succeeds on this save
is immune to being
charmed by the shard for one hour.
Terrible
Insight 2
When a creature makes an Intelligence- or Wisdom-based ability check, the shard can
send the creature
maddening visions. The creature must succeed on a DC 13 saving throw with the same
ability used to make
the triggering ability check or suffer a lasting madness effect.
Warp
Flesh 3
One unwilling creature must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or gain
the Entropic template.
The effect lasts for one minute, and the creature can repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success. If the creature is hostile to the shard,
it activates its new ability once
per turn targeting itself without using an action.
Recharge 4 As a bonus action, the shard regains the use of all of its abilities
detailed in its stat block.
Weave
Insanity 5 All creatures of the shard’s choice must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or suffer both a fleeting
madness and a lasting madness effect.
Spawn
Chaos 8 The shard summons a chaos elemental which can appear anywhere within its
radius of influence.service only for as long as they are useful. The very
concept of sanity and order is offensive.
The shard knows that it can grow, and it pursues this
goal aggressively without any conscious agenda. Once
it reaches a certain size, it blossoms into a rift between
its home plane and the material, allowing the old one
that birthed the shard to manifest in the world.
If the party knows some of the townsfolk, they’ll care
a lot more when the villagers start growing extra
limbs. If one of your characters came from a small
village near a forest, you can substitute that village
for Anvarmere.
If you’re using the shard as their opening quest, you
should start the adventure in or near Anvarmere, with
the party called in to solve the mystery of disappearing
livestock. The first scheme has some suggested plot
hooks in its “Rumors” section. Encountering the
shard so early puts the party in a position of knowing
there’s a dangerous threat that exceeds their abilities,
and they might be forced to serve it for a time while
they find a way to take it down. The shard won’t kill
them—it needs servants—so even if they go all out
and are completely outgunned, they won’t need to
make new characters.
POWER
The shard has a small reservoir of power that it
expends to control its minions, reshape reality, and
keep itself safe if any adventurers come knocking.
The shard’s maximum Power begins at 6 and
increases as it completes its schemes. The shard
regains all expended power at dawn each day.
Anvarmere Village
The tiny, once-cozy village of Anvarmere is
provided as a default location for the story of the
Shard of Madness. Full details are listed in the
“Lair” section. You can use this village as written,
make modifications, or even replace it with a
village of your own design if you have one in mind.
ABILITY POWER
COST DESCRIPTION
Exert
Control 1
The shard attempts to charm a creature, requiring it to succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or
be charmed by the shard for 10 minutes. A charmed creature generally blunders into
an encounter or
surrenders to the villagers to be locked up. A creature that succeeds on this save
is immune to being
charmed by the shard for one hour.
Terrible
Insight 2
When a creature makes an Intelligence- or Wisdom-based ability check, the shard can
send the creature
maddening visions. The creature must succeed on a DC 13 saving throw with the same
ability used to make
the triggering ability check or suffer a lasting madness effect.
Warp
Flesh 3
One unwilling creature must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or gain
the Entropic template.
The effect lasts for one minute, and the creature can repeat the saving throw at
the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on itself on a success. If the creature is hostile to the shard,
it activates its new ability once
per turn targeting itself without using an action.
Recharge 4 As a bonus action, the shard regains the use of all of its abilities
detailed in its stat block.
Weave
Insanity 5 All creatures of the shard’s choice must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or suffer both a fleeting
madness and a lasting madness effect.
Spawn
Chaos 8 The shard summons a chaos elemental which can appear anywhere within its
radius of influence.