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Nerzugal's duNgeoN master toolkit 4

foreword / thaNks
After two long years, Nerzugal’s Dungeon Master Toolkit 4 is ready! This is my sixth supplement book for Dungeons & Dragons and
the 5th in the Dungeon Master Toolkit series. The chaos of the world and big shifts in my personal life including a new home, a new
job, and finishing off a campaign that managed to make it all the way to level 20 meant a bit more time between publications, but I
am so thrilled with the final product. Within this book, you will find 6 adventures, 2 dungeons, 10 puzzles, and over 100 monster stat
blocks. This comes with a full suite of maps to go with each of those adventures with over 20 of them in total. This book also contains
what is by far my most ambitious adventure of all time - The Stacked Deck - which accounts for 60 of the pages of this book!
With each release, I continue to try to push myself and the content I create. With this book, the goal was to give multiple solutions to
nearly every challenge the players face, allowing them to find success through both combat and roleplaying. Many of these paths are
described in the adventures, but the point I always want to emphasize is to reward your players for thinking creatively, even if it might
mean “spoiling” an encounter. At the end of the day, my goal as a Dungeon Master is to make sure everyone sitting at the table had a
good time and I never want my players to feel their creativity has been restricted for the sake of playing out the adventure as written.
I encourage you to adopt that same mindset when utilizing these adventures in your own sessions.
I always have to give a big thanks to all of the friends and playtesters who helped to make these books a reality. Justin, Jeff, Kelly,
Rachael, and Hyde for sticking with our campaign through the height of the pandemic and working with me as we shifted to a digital
tabletop to keep the adventure alive. Wally, Troy, Jeff, and Aaron from my online games for playtesting my content and providing some
excellent feedback! My wife, Bella, has supported me through all of this, always serving as my sounding board for ideas and putting up
with my long hours in front of the computer writing and editing. And I always have to thank my sister Kayla for assisting me with the
graphic design elements of the books. Without your ideas and your friendship, these books would never happen!

I always love to get feedback from readers to know how I can make my next publications even better! Please let me know what aspects
of the book you liked and which you think missed the mark! The writing and editing of these books remains a solo operation, so I am
sure there are still items that slipped through the cracks, but hopefully you will find the content to be well organized and polished. If
you do have feedback, you can leave a review or review on the DM’s Guild, contact me on Twitter (@Nerzugal), or send me an e-mail
(Nerzugal@gmail.com). If you reach out, I am almost certain to respond.

The layout of the book was created using The Homebrewery on Naturalcrit.com. A huge shoutout to the developer and support him on
Patreon if you use the tool as well! The maps were made using the DungeonDraft product, which has swiftly become my favorite tool
for creating maps for my content. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to up their mapmaking game.

The art for this book (including the cover) was created almost entirely by Yulia Plokhaya with additional contributions by Uyen
Nguyen.

Enjoy!
-Steven Williams (aka Nerzugal)

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Table Of Contents
Adventures
(006) Patch of Eden [1-4]
(020) The Hag Who Stole Snowfall [1-4]
(038) The Festival of Revelry [5-8]
(059) Into the Depths [5-8]
(082) Trouble in Paradise [5-8]
(105) The Stacked Deck [5-8]
Dungeons
(167) Rule of Law Dungeons [1-8]
(180) House of Unspeakable Horrors [5-8]
Puzzles
(188) Bookend Cipher
(189) By the Light of the Stars
(189) Untitled
(191) Oceanic Mural
(191) Elemental Runestones
(192) Oronym
(192) Cascading Shapes
(193) Polyhedral Cipher
(194) The Perfect Round
(195) A Real Page Turner
Nerzugal’s Extended Bestiary 4
(202) Abyssal Jellyfish
(204) Aquatic Elementals
(204) Coral Elemental
(205) Kelp Elemental
(206) Sandcastle Elemental
(208) Cult of Fortunes
(209) The Dealer
(209) The High Roller
(210) The One-Armed Bandit
(210) The Coinslinger
(211) Lady Luck
(212) Dragon Shark
(214) Electric Eels
(215) Elemental Infused Beasts
(215) Poison Beasts
(217) Radiant Beasts
(219) Necrotic Beasts
(221) Fire Beasts
(224) Lightning Beasts
(225) Ice Beasts
(228) Gemstone Elementals
(229) Amethyst Elementals
(231) Aquamarine Elementals
(233) Peridot Elementals
(235) Rose Quartz Elementals
(237) Tourmaline Elementals
(240) Island Spirit
(242) Merfolk
(243) Merfolk Vanguard
(243) Merfolk Snarer
(244) Merfolk Aquamancer
(244) Merfolk Ichthyologist
(245) Grand Merfolk Ichthyologist
Nerzugal’s Extended Bestiary 4 Cont.
(246) Musical Mercenaries
(246) Stagehand
(247) Brass Bruiser
(247) Destructive Drummer
(248) Seductive Saxophonist
(249) Verbose Vocalist
(249) Vexing Violinist
(250) Galvanizing Gauntlet
(251) Mutant Broodmother
(254) Mutated Snapping Turtle
(255) Plaguebearers
(255) Plague Rat Swarm
(256) Plague Locust Swarm
(257) Festering Dead
(258) Contagion Sludge
(258) Ratcaller
(259) Plague Locust Host
(260) Blight Bringer
(261) It That Defiles
(263) Titans
(265) Colossal Ape
(266) Elder Roc
(267) Feyqueen Moth
(269) World-Splitter Worm
(270) Winter Hag
(272) Winter Holiday Creatures
(272) Animated Gingerbread Cookie
(273) Gift Box Mimic
(274) Animated Sled
(274) Living Snowman
(275) Gingerbread Cookie Swarm
(276) Living Ice Sculpture
(277) NPCs
(278) Earth Splitter
(278) Stormbringer
(279) Toad Caller
(279) Light Weaver
(280) Resourceful Hunter
(280) Battlerage Brute
(281) Flamecaller
(281) Spirit Weaver
(282) Spirit Replicant
(283) Bat Summoner
(284) Enchanted Archer
(284) Lava Shaper
(285) Glacial Sorcerer
(286) Monk of the Perfected Strike
(287) Chained Gladiator
(288) Demon Hound Master
(289) Speaker of the Arcanum
(290) Monk of the Lightning Fist
(291) The Technologist
Appendices
(292) Appendix A: Monsters By CR
(294) Appendix B: Monsters By Creature Type
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Adventures
Continuing with the theme from Nerzugal’s Dungeon Master
Toolkit 3, I have decided to keep utilizing the term Adventures
rather than one-shots, as much of the content within this
book will take multiple sessions to complete. There are still
a few that will clock in comfortably enough to complete in
one sitting, but be sure to check the estimated time for each
of the adventures before you run them! As always, these are
simply estimates based on my own playtesting and what you
encounter at your own table may always vary depending on
the actions of your players.
On the following pages, you will find six self-contained
adventures that can be integrated into your campaign world or
utilized as a one-off adventure with new characters! They are
a great tool for new Dungeon Masters who may be hesitant
to take the full plunge into running their own game. A few of
these adventures - The Festival of Revelry and The Stacked
Deck - are catered to more advanced Dungeon Masters with
the rest of these adventures being friendly to all levels of
experience.
My love for creating adventures inspired by movies
continues in this book with adventures inspired by The Little
Mermaid and by How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Hag
Who Stole Snowfall has a fairly direct connection and even
opens up with a nursery rhyme for your players as they must
save a small town from a hateful hag! Into the Depths diverges
further from its inspiration but will give your players plenty
of opportunities to get into trouble under the sea. Trouble in
Paradise is an adventure that opens up with heavy roleplaying
and then immediately transforms into a horror adventure as
the party must fight for their lives as the elementals of the
island seek to take back their lands. Patch of Eden has the
party helping out a town of people who have been living with
the debilitating side effects of a plague from a century ago.
The Festival of Revelry is a sequel to my Harvest Festival
adventure and contains all-new mini-games, food, drink,
taverns, and an overarching story for the players to enjoy.
And finally is The Stacked Deck, an adventure that will
likely never be the same for any two groups no matter how
many run this adventure. This story brings back Kal, the
playful efreeti that has shown up in my books throughout
the years. This time around, he offers to the party a deck of
cards to determine a set of challenges they will have only 24
hours to complete! Each face value is a different task and each
suit is a complication, meaning there are nearly an endless
amount of potential combinations for this adventure as your
party can choose to draw randomly or to stack the deck and
decide the difficulty of their challenges. 13 different tasks each
that can each be made more restrictive makes for a LOT of
possibilities and I am so thrilled with the final result.
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Overviews
Patch of Eden
Levels: 1-4
Expected Duration: 3-5 Hours
Tags: One-Shot, Emotional,
Roleplaying, Beginner-Friendly
Patch of Eden takes the party to the town of Eden, where
all of the citizens are survivors of the brutal Fleshrot plague
from a century ago. As a side effect of surviving the disease,
the people of Eden are essentially sentient ghouls - doomed
to live forever without the sensations of taste or touch and
with numbed emotions. One of the townsfolk, a woman by the
name of Theodora, has not given up hope, however. Thanks to
some new alchemy books she’s obtained, Theodora believes
she can reverse the lingering effects of Fleshrot on the people
of Eden! Unfortunately, the ingredient list will require the
help of some brave adventurers as they seek out a bone from
patient zero, a sundew tulip, a strand of unicorn hair, and
water elemental essence to bind it all together! This beginner-
friendly adventure gives a more linear set of objectives with
multiple paths to success as well as opportunities for deep
roleplay with the people of Eden.
The Hag Who Stole Snowfall
Levels: 1-4
Expected Duration: 2-4 Hours
Tags: One-Shot, Holiday, Light-
Hearted, Beginner-Friendly, Multiple
Endings
The Hag Who Stole Snowfall takes the party to the town of
Circta just in time for the annual Snowfall Festival. While
the initial mission that brought them to town was to retrieve
a ruby from the Circta Mining Company, they will quickly get
swept up in the chaos as decorations of the festival come to
life and attack! When the town huddles inside of the Circle
Gingerbread Bakery they are still not safe, for even the
cookies have come to life and viciously attack the citizens with
toothpick daggers! This is all the work of Grincella, a winter
hag who lost her coven. As a result of this loss, she is trapped
up on the mountain overlooking Circta, but each year she is
reminded of what she has lost as the townsfolk celebrate and
sing! But no more! This year she seeks to ruin their holiday
festivities once and for all. That is unless a brave set of heroes
can save the town from her wrath.
This is a winter holiday-themed adventure and has a
light-hearted story and enemies. If the party is filled with the
Snowfall spirit, they can even find their way to a happy ending
for everyone - even the hag. This is a perfect one-shot for when
the holiday season rolls around!
The Festival of Revelry
Levels: 5-8
Expected Duration: 3-4 Sessions
Tags: Festival, Mini-Games, Roleplaying,
Adult-Content, Low-Combat
The Festival of Revelry is a lengthy adventure that covers the
annual celebration that takes place in the city of Drakos, a
fantasy equivalent of Las Vegas. Included in this book is an
overarching adventure that has the party working to impress
one of the wealthiest individuals in the city - Varda. This
is done by creating their own game booth, testing out the
House of a Thousand Horrors, putting on their own show,
and completing the Checklist of Revelry that is given to each
attendee as they enter Drakos. This checklist contains a set
of objectives for guests to complete to say they have truly cut
loose and enjoyed the festivities and includes items such as:
"do something that terrifies you", "participate in a brawl", and
even "get laid".
This adventure is catered to a more adult audience with
drugs included in the list of items to be found at the festival
alongside its taverns, game booths, food carts, specialty
drinks, and arenas. The party can have fun playing the 10
mini-games and accumulating Revelry Tickets with the hopes
of claiming one of the coveted Mystery Boxes from the prize
counter! Perhaps they sawing by Leah’s Pleasure Palace to
bump shoulders with the wealthy and powerful of the city in
its extravagant lobby. Do they spend their evening cheering
on the performers at the Keys to the Kingdom Dueling Piano
Tavern! No matter the party’s decisions, they are sure to have a
delightful time at the Festival of Revelry!
Into the Depths
Levels: 5-8
Expected Duration: 5-8 Hours
Tags: Aquatic, Puzzles, Multiple Paths,
Horror
Into the Depths is an adventure that takes place almost
entirely underwater! The party is asked for help by a mermaid
princess, Lierra. Her father has been acting strange as of late
- more aggressive, and now he seeks to send her people to war
against the surface dwellers! She knows that something is
influencing his mind, but her kin are too afraid to act against
their king, so she had no choice but to turn to the surface for
help. The party will swiftly discover the source of the king’s
corruption - an ancient, powerful aboleth named K’Thraxis.
Throughout this adventure, the party will need to retrieve
ancient relics of the merfolk people to give them an edge in this
battle, otherwise, they wouldn't stand a chance against such a
power. Unfortunately, the acquisition of these relics is no small
feat and will have the party going up against a colossal crab
guardian, taking down a cursed ghost ship, and navigating
through the well-guarded tunnels of the merfolk people.
With all of the relics assembled, the party will still need to
plunge into the lightless depths of the Kellerak Trench and
do battle with this malevolent foe, putting an end to him once
and for all and preventing a war between the terranean and
aquatic worlds.
Trouble in Paradise
Levels: 5-8
Expected Duration: 4-6 Hours
Tags: One-Shot, Mini-Games,
Roleplaying, Horror, Multiple Endings
Sometimes an adventuring group needs an opportunity to
just get away from it all and have some drinks on the beach
of a tropical island. Trouble in Paradise gives the party the
opportunity to do just that! Everything starts calmly with a
sandcastle building contest and volleyball on the beach with
another adventuring party, but then strange and unfortunate
events start to happen. First, the group's relaxation specialist
is attacked by a massive school of jellyfish. Then the water of
the hot springs turns scalding as a set of mephits prank the
party. It all goes to hell during dinner on the docks when a
scream rings through the night and the party arrives to find
nothing but blood and sand.
The adventure swiftly transforms into one of horror and
survival as the party must make their way across the island
while the elementals that once called it home rise up to
take back their lands! Coral elementals hurl jellyfish from a
distance, sandcastle elementals attempt to drag the party into
the sands, and even the great volcano of the island erupts!
After facing these trials and more, the party will then be faced
with a final choice - help the Nakumana Island Spirit return
this land to the elementals or slay her and avenge those she
and her kind have slain!
The Stacked Deck
Levels: 5-8
Expected Duration: 2-5 Sessions
Tags: Experienced DMs, Multiple
Paths, Puzzles, Combat, Roleplaying
The Stacked Deck is the "Mega Adventure" of this book as its
scale is beyond anything I have ever created. The party meets
up with Kal, a disguised Efreeti who wishes to find a bit of
entertainment by giving the party a series of tasks to complete
in the next 24 hours. He presents them with a simple deck
of playing cards and explains to them the rules. Each face
value represents a different task to complete and each suit
represents a different complication. He won't tell the party
what the tasks are, but they grow progressively more difficult
the higher the value of the card. The rewards get progressively
higher as well. If the party fails, he can rewind time and they
won't remember a thing, so they have nothing to lose and
everything to gain!
The party can then choose if they want to let fate take the
wheel by simply drawing cards from the top of the deck to get
their tasks or if they would like to stack the deck and choose
the level of challenge they seek to face! With 13 different
challenges and 4 potential complications for each, this is an
adventure that can be played over and over and no experience
will ever be quite the same!
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 Patch of Eden
A One-Shot Adventure for Levels 1-4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adventure Synopsis Average Party Level (APL)
The people of Eden are trapped in a state of limbo, unable to
die but also unable to truly live. Just over a hundred years ago,
the area was struck by a horrifying plague. Most were killed as
their flesh decayed and turned to ruin, but there were a select
few who survived the effects of the disease and came out the
other side with a new gift - immortality. But not without a cost.
The people of Eden are effectively zombies that have had
their minds remain intact. Every citizen of the town has some
portion of their body that began to decay before the disease
stabilized and left them in their current state. They keep
these unsightly marks covered with clothing at all times and
so many of the townsfolk have signature outfit components.
The people that inhabit Eden have all been alive for over a
century now, though many more of its citizens have taken their
own lives over the years, a feat that can only be accomplished
through decapitation.
Along with this new ghoulish form, the people of Eden lost
their ability to feel physical pain and pleasure. They have no
need for food and drink and cannot taste it regardless. Even
their emotions - while still present - are numbed. The joy they
once felt cannot reach the same heights. This lack of ability to
experience these feelings that are so core to being alive has
been enough to turn many to apathy. The people of the town
do their best to pretend, wearing fanciful clothing and faking
a life of luxury while desperately hanging on to the hope that
one day a cure to their ailment can be discovered.
Fortunately, one member of the town has been hard at
work trying to find a cure ever since the fall of Eden. Most in
the town do not have the drive to do any such activities, but
Theodora has continued her work as feverishly as possible.
After sixteen failed cures, Theo thinks she has finally figured
out a way to save the people of Eden, she just needs help from
a few willing adventurers to find out for sure!
Expected Length: 3-5 Hours
The expected length of this adventure is 3-5 hours. Of course
these are expectations and what you experience may change
based on player choices and pacing.
Content Warning - Suicide
The people of the town of Eden living with a suppressed set
of emotions and taking their own lives is a core component of
this adventure. One arm of the adventure involves comforting
a character that is contemplating suicide and this may be a
difficult section for some players. Read the contents of the
adventure and determine if it will be appropriate for your
players. You may consider removing the Strand of Unicorn
Hair from the ingredient list if necessary, as this is the
ingredient that deals with this topic the most.
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This adventure uses Average Party Level (APL) to scale the
difficulty of encounters. Average Party Level is calculated as
follows:
• Find the average levels of all of your party members (round
up if you want to make things more challenging or down if
you want them to be easier!)
• For example, a party of four level 5 characters has an
APL of 5. A party of two level 6 characters and two level 7
characters has an APL of 6.5, but you can choose to round
this to 6 or 7 depending on the challenge you are seeking
for the adventure!
• For each character in the group above 4, add one to your
calculated APL. For each character fewer than 4, subtract 1
from the APL.
• For example, a party of six level 4 characters has an
average level of 4, but since there are six total characters,
we add 2 to our APL for a total APL value of 6.
Descriptive Text
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud
for the players when their characters first arrive at a location
or under a specific circumstance that will be noted.
Adventure Introduction (Optional)
This is suggested if you are running a one-shot separate from
an overarching campaign and want to kick things off swiftly.
If you are embedding this adventure in an existing campaign,
there may be better ways to guide your party to the adventure’s
hook.
After being intrigued by a job on the bounty board at The
Summit Tavern, you find yourselves on the road to a small
town called Eden. It is a ways off the beaten trail out in the
middle of the forest, but the reward for the job is enticing.
The posting spoke of helping an alchemist by the name of
Theodora gather some reagents she needs to craft a potion.
A potion that she claims will help to save the people of her
town, but could require the slaying of some exotic beasts! She
is offering a reward of 250 gold pieces and since Eden is just
a couple of hours out of your way, it seems like a solid payday
to help a good cause. The job board said to find her in the
bright yellow house just off the city square.
Patch of Eden Key Events Reminder
This page can serve as a quick reference to remind you of
major events, NPC names, locations, and any other relevant
information that you may need during the adventure! The
ordering of some of the events can change based on the
player’s choices, but all of the events are detailed below with
identifying headers.
If you are running this at the table, I would suggest printing
this out and having it at the ready to get yourself back on track
no matter what happens!

Major Events
•A  rrival in Eden
• Introductions with Abraham
• Visiting with Theodora
• Retrieving a Bone from Patient Zero
• Meeting with Mayor Adam Relnok
• Breaking into the Mausoleum
• Battling with the Undead!
• Retrieving a Sundew Tulip Bulb
• Travel to the East of Eden
• Snagging the Sundew Tulip Past the Centaur Guardian -
Sylfaren
• Revelation by Lenora the Pixie
• Capturing a Sundrop Squirrel
• Retrieving a Strand of Unicorn Hair
• Travel Beyond Lake Tranquility to Carter’s Clearing
• Helping Carter Find His Way
• Retrieving a Mote of Enchanted Water
• Travel to the Mountains to the North
• Battling or Bargaining with the Elementals
• Combat with the Elementals!
• Crafting a Cure

Important NPCs
•T  heodora - Human woman and town’s alchemist and the key
NPC for this adventure.
•A  braham - Human man that serves as town’s welcoming
party.
•M  ayor Adam Relnok - Human man and mayor of Eden for
many decades.
• Sylfaren - Centaur guardian of the sundew tulip patch.
•L  enora - Helpful pixie that guides that informs the party
about how to obtain a magical sundrop tulip.
•C  arter - Human man from town depressed over the loss of
his wife.

Notable Locations
•T  he Town of Eden - Primary location for the adventure.
Citizens survivors of the Fleshrot Plague.
• Eden’s General Goods - Basic general goods store with a
severe lack of food options
• Theodora’s Alchemical Remedies - Home of the primary
quest NPC for this adventure - Theodora
• Angelica’s Designer Boutique - The Tailor / Clothing
Store.
• The Cracking Hammer - The Blacksmith.
• Lake Tranquility - One square mile lake to the north of Eden.

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Arrival at Eden
As you approach the town of Eden, you are struck by the
smell of a powerful perfume in the air. It’s a hyper-focused
blast of lavender and wildflowers, and while the smell isn’t
unpleasant, it is so strong that it overwhelms you and causes
fits of sneezing. You see the town start to form ahead with
quaint little homes that are well maintained and most with a
garden out front. There are approximately seventy homes in
total scattered throughout Eden which is nestled deep in the
forest. Mature trees tower high overhead between its streets
and houses. On the northern edge of the town you can make
out a large, peaceful lake. You spot a woman tending to her
garden and as you draw near she turns and gives you a wave.
The lower half of her face is concealed by a white scarf and
she wears a massive yellow sunhat despite the trees providing
the area with ample shade.
The Town of Eden
History of the Plague
The section below provides you with the context of the
town’s history and the people that live here. Think about
how this affects the way you roleplay the townsfolk as you
lead your players through this adventure!
The town of Eden is one of tragedy. This area was struck by
a terrible plague that became known simply as Fleshrot just
over a century ago. It killed ninety percent of those infected
with no one under the age of ten surviving once afflicted. Most
of those that survived managed to recover and live ordinary
lives, their bodies able to fight back quickly enough to keep
healthy.
Others though - roughly one in a thousand of those infected
- had a different experience. These people were infected by
the Fleshrot which began to eat away at their bodies. Pieces
of them decayed as the flesh turned necrotic, sometimes
eating down to the bone. It hit everyone differently - some
losing eyes, some having their arms eaten away, others losing
massive chunks of their legs or stomach.
But then it stopped.
They were not healed but they were also not killed - they
were stuck somewhere in between. The way the disease
afflicted them prevents them from aging and also prevents
other illnesses from taking hold. They do not need to eat or
drink. They feel no physical pain, but also no pleasure. Death
can only come to them through decapitation which is why
many have come to associate them with zombies. In the year
following the plague, the people afflicted with this condition
were forced to Eden, a small town whose entire population
had been wiped out by Fleshrot. It was unclear if these in-
between survivors would spread the disease and so they were
quarantined. Fortunately, they do not spread the disease, but
these individuals chose to stay in Eden after their one-year
quarantine as a community had formed.
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Those who were affected in this way suffer many long-term
effects. Besides having massive chunks of their bodies rotted
away that never recover, their minds have been changed.
Their emotions are numbed, unable to attain the elation that
life can provide. They crave the ability to taste a meal, to feel
the warmth of another’s touch, but they are denied. This was
enough to drive many to madness.
Over the past century, over seventy-five percent of those
that were left in this in-between state of alive and dead have
decided to end their own lives. Those who remain try to make
life seem as normal as possible. They use thick perfume to
hide their sometimes rancid smell (their sense of smell is
almost non-existent so it is quite pungent). Extravagant outfits
hide their rotted flesh from others. They go on pretending that
their town is just as the name suggests, but with each passing
year, it grows more difficult to keep up the facade.
The locals of the nearby cities know this tale and keep their
distance, but the people of the Eden are harmless despite
their unpleasant appearances as Fleshrot has been eradicated
for decades.
Encounter with Abraham
As the party makes their way into Eden, one of the locals
approaches them!
A human man that appears to be in his late forties approaches
you with a wave and a friendly smile. He is wearing a maroon
three-piece suit and a fine black bowler hat on his head that
is just a few shades darker than his skin. He has a neatly
trimmed goatee that compliments his square jaw. As he
waves, you notice he is wearing a single black glove that
covers his right hand. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you folks
come through our humble town. Welcome to Eden. The
name’s Abraham,” he says and offers up his non-gloved hand.
As he approaches, you realize that he is exuding a powerful
scent. It is the pleasant smell of vanilla, but so potent you can
taste it.
Abraham is one of the citizens of the town of Eden and is
typically the one who greets newcomers. He lets them know
about the condition of the people of their fair town. He is
fortunate to have almost no visible deformities as a result of
the disease, only a few bits of skin on his right hand which he
keeps covered with a glove. The rest of his marks are on his
chest and are easily concealed by a shirt.
He will let the party know that the people here may be
standoffish but not to hold it against them. People wear
clothing to make themselves feel comfortable. He asks that
the party doesn’t give them a hard time if they are wearing an
outfit that is less than fashionable. If interested, he will also let
the party know of some of the stores available in town:
• The General Store - Eden General Goods
• The Tailor - Angelica’s Designer Boutique
• The Blacksmith - The Cracking Hammer
• The Tavern - Paradise Inn
• The Alchemist - Theodora’s Alchemical Remedies
More Details of Eden
The Stores
There isn’t a huge amount for the party to do in Eden, but
there are a few stores that they may wish to explore as well as
Lake Tranquility. Details of these locations are found below.
Eden General Goods. A small general store that provides
mostly household items run by a man named Lawrence. The
party can find rope, rations, torches, and any other regularly
acquired adventuring gear they might need for their mission.
One thing that is different from most general stores is the lack
of food variety. The shelves are almost exclusively rice and
beans as the people of Eden don’t have the ability to taste and
these items have a long shelf life.
Angelica’s Designer Boutique. This is the most popular
store in town. Angelica and her crew of workers make all of
the outfits for the people of town, making customizations to
meet their needs depending on how the disease manifested
on their bodies. This is also where the townsfolk get their
colognes and perfumes. There is an entire wall dedicated to
the scents and the store is difficult to browse as a result of
how powerful the smell is for an ordinary person.
The Cracking Hammer. A simple blacksmith operation
where the party can purchase most basic weapons as well as
some martial weapons. It is run by a dwarf named Korwin
- the only dwarf known to have survived the disease out of
the few that caught it. The side effects of the disease did not
impact him quite the same as others and he is the only person
in town that has maintained a sense of touch which is critical
to his work.
Paradise Inn. This is the small tavern of the town of Eden.
It is ordinarily fairly empty, catering primarily to folks passing
through the town. As a result, it is the only place the party can
get a good tasting meal. The folks of Eden still remember how
to cook a good meal, there just isn’t the need most of the time.
They have six rooms available for a rate of 1 silver per night as
well as a small selection of alcohol. It is nothing to write home
about, but it can provide the party with a warm place to rest
their heads at night. The bartender at the establishment is a
"young" woman named Prudence with black hair accented by
a large white streak. No matter the hour you find her, her hair
is always worn in a bun.
Lake Tranquility. A roughly one square mile lake that is
off the northern edge of the town. Most of the homes are
designed in a way to provide an ample view of the lake as it
is quite beautiful. It was the reason people decided to settle
the town in the first place. Ducks and geese both call this lake
home as well as many different species of fish. There are a few
docks that can be used for fishing, but it has been a long time
since the citizens of the town have felt the need since they no
longer need nor taste food.
Meeting Theodora
The Story of Theodora
Theodora is the town’s alchemist. She once worked in the care
of horses, but in her decades of extended life, she decided to
take on a new profession. Many have attempted to help their
village over the years, but none were able to succeed and after
the first decade of failed attempts, the rest of the world simply
consigned them to their fate.
She unfortunately lost her wife, Emma, to the disease and
has not taken on a partner since. The loss consumed her for
the first few years of this new life, but she eventually managed
to work through her grief. Seeing others lose their own loved
ones to the natural depression that comes with this form is
what drove her to start practicing alchemy.
Theo is not willing to give up. Most of her fellow citizens
suffer from a lack of drive that is a common side effect of their
numbed emotions. Getting them to do anything outside of
their normal routine is often an exhausting process. She is
different in this regard. Theo still has the passion to learn and
she attributes this to the love she still feels for Emma after all
these years. There have been sixteen failed cure attempts, but
this time she thinks she has it! She put up fliers in all of the
nearby towns asking for help, for the ingredients she needs to
gather are not the easiest to attain.
Her reflexes have dulled in the years and there is no way
she could hope to traverse the wilds, so she needs the help of
others. Her rotted flesh is on her arms and - like the rest of the
town - she keeps them covered by a set of long blue gloves that
she always wears. Some of her brown hair is missing as well
so she wears flowery hats of different varieties. She considers
each word she speaks carefully, which gives a slow cadence
to her speech that is off-putting to some. She is kind and
generous, willing to do whatever it takes to restore the people
of Eden to their former selves.
An Alchemist’s Request
The party should eventually make their way to Theodora’s
home, the yellow house just off the town square as advertised.
There is a small sign by the door that reads “Theodora’s
Alchemical Remedies”.
As the party walks in, read the following:
The door opens to reveal a small shop that is set up in a
converted sitting room from the home’s original construction.
There are potion bottles scattered all throughout on wall-
mounted shelves and on small tables. A bell rings as you
step through and moments later a woman appears from the
next room. She is wearing a stylish wide-brimmed hat that
is covered in a pattern of bluebonnet flowers. She wears a
flowing dress of the same shade with a set of elegant blue
gloves that go all the way past her elbows. “Welcome to
Theodora’s Alchemical Remedies! I am the owner of this
store. How may I help you?” She gives a lovely smile and her
grey eyes shine ever so slightly.
Once the party tells her that they are here about the flier they
found, she will be delighted. The party should note swiftly that
she is different than the others in the town in this regard as
her level of excitement is beyond what any others have shown.
She will explain to the party the situation of the people in the
town if they are not already aware, even showing them the
decayed flesh of her own arms to demonstrate what everyone
in the town experiences.
9
She feels certain that this time around she has found the right
combination of ingredients. Her last attempt was so close and
recently a set of travelers passed through and they had a book
on new alchemical cures that has proved incredibly useful!
Each potential cure gets them closer and closer, but finding
that perfect combination is so challenging.
She explains to the party what she needs:
•A
 Bone from Patient Zero - After everything happened, they
eventually traced the disease back to a single individual - a
caravan trader named Cole. They buried him out in a special
mausoleum in the graveyard to make sure the infection was
kept locked away. When next they went to bury a body, the
dead were stirring and they sealed the place! They were said
to be ravenous and filled with rage. Cole was buried with his
amulet of Lathander around his neck - that is how they will
know it is him. Adam Relnok, the town mayor, has the key to
this mausoleum but will be unwilling to give it up easily as
he is afraid of a full-blown zombie invasion! His house is on
the far north side of town near the lake if the party wishes
to try to change his mind. She also assures the party that
Fleshrot cannot survive longer than a week without a living
host so even though this is patient zero, they are at no risk of
infection!
•A
 Sundew Tulip Bulb - A Sundew Tulip can be found about
two hours east of town, in the deepest section of the forest.
The flower is a vibrant yellow with blue near its base. They
only grow in areas that are inhabited by fey creatures, but
she is not sure if the creatures are drawn to the flowers or
the other way around. She warns the party may be walking
into the garden of a dryad or the territory of a band of sprites,
so be careful as they approach!
•A
 Strand of Unicorn Hair - One of the villagers, Carter, left
just over a week ago. He wandered off into the woods to the
north, presumably to end his life. He said he was going to
a clearing where he and his wife used to have picnics back
when they could still taste food. His wife carried a locket with
a strand of unicorn hair arranged into a heart. Carter kept
it with him always so he should still have it even if he is no
longer of this world. It is a sad ordeal, but people choosing
to end their lives is just a part of life in the town of Eden.
She imagines this will be much easier than trying to hunt a
unicorn.
•A
 Mote of Elemental Water - The potion will not bind
without a mote of pure elemental water. There is a spring
that pours out of the mountain a few hours northwest of town
that is frequented by elemental creatures. Usually, it’s steam
mephits or small water elementals, but sometimes stronger
elementals as well so approach cautiously. They simply need
to capture some of the creature’s essence in an enchanted
vial which Theo hands over to the party to use on their quest.
They can capture its essence by passing this vial through the
elemental’s form with the stopper off. It should be painless
for the creature but they may not be willing to give this up
without a fight!
Once all of the ingredients are collected, Theodora should be
able to have a sample ready to test within hours. She offers to
answer any other questions the party might have and wishes
them luck on their quest! She is not sure how long these
ingredients will stay potent, so they will need to gather them
all with as much swiftness as they can muster!
10
Gathering Ingredients
The party is free to gather the ingredients in any order. There
is no hard deadline, but Theo will tell them to try to bring all
of the items back within twenty-four hours so they are all at
their maximum potency. The party will have some time for
rest in between sections, but the adventure is designed to be
completed in a full adventuring day with two short rests. The
most likely start for the players is the bone from patient zero
since the mayor is just a few streets over and the graveyard is
just outside of town, but really it is completely up to the party!
They may just as well save it until last since it is the clostest!
A Bone from Patient Zero
In order to obtain the bone from Cole, the party will need to
enter the mausoleum within the graveyard just to the east of
town. To get inside, the party has two main options:
• Convince Mayor Relnok to give them the key so that they can
open the doors
• Break in!
There are also some sub-options such as stealing the key
or trying to picklock the doors. This section will cover these
strategies and what the party finds within the mausoleum!
Convincing Mayor Relnok
Adam Relnok has been Mayor of the town of Eden for over
fifty years now. He is a big part of why the people of the town
behave the way they do - the heavy perfumes and outfits that
hide their deformities. He was elected after a spike in suicides
caused his predecessor to take his own life.
He lives in the largest house in town, on the far north side
near Lake Tranquility. The town is not under heavy guard so
the party can go right up to his house and knock on the door
without facing any resistance.
The door opens and you see Mayor Adam Relnok himself! He
is a human man with sharp grey eyes and a clean shaven head.
He wears a navy three-piece suit with a white pocket square
that compliments his dark skin. He has a finely trimmed beard
that hangs down to the top button of his outfit and he smells
strongly of cherries and whiskey. He appears to be in his early
sixties, but given the tragedy that befell these folks you know
this man is at least a hundred and fifty years old. He gives a
smile and greets you. “Out of towners, huh? What brings you
to Eden?”
When the party explains that they are in town to help Theo
with her cure and are looking to get to the mausoleum, he
invites them into his house to discuss. He has a large sitting
area off the main hall with a pair of loveseats, a few massive
pillows, and even some bean bag-style seats. “Could I interest
you in something to drink? I make a mean cup of tea! Well,
I assume it still tastes as good as I remember.”
The party can ask questions of Adam and gain more details
about the town if they’d like. Use the information provided at
the start of the adventure and embellish as needed to answer
the party’s questions.
He informs the party that he has the key to the mausoleum but would prefer to keep it sealed. Within are creatures of death - not like
those of the town of Eden. He was part of the crew that originally locked the place up… their minds were gone. Many of those they saw
had been dead for decades before Cole joined their ranks. Life for the people of Eden may not be the most glamorous, but it would not
benefit from being overrun by the undead!
The party will need to convince the mayor that they can handle whatever may lie in wait in the mausoleum. They can do
this by telling the mayor of some of their past victories or even just showing off some of their capabilities. This will typically
be accompanied by a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Performance) check. If they do an exceptional job in their
descriptions, be sure to give them advantage. If the players are unsuccessful in their attempt, feel free to give them one more try in
convincing the mayor, but if they fail a second time the party will need to find another solution!

Stealing the Key

The party can also steal the key from the mayor if their persuasion is a failure. It is in the nightstand next to his bed on the second
floor of the house, but they do not have this information unless they find a way to pry it out of him. He lives alone, so that makes the
matter a bit easier. They will need to find a way to get to his room and snag the key. His room is on the second floor, but as mentioned
earlier there are tall trees all throughout the town so it isn’t terribly difficult to do so with a bit of athleticism to make their way to the
window that he keeps open to allow a breeze to roll in!

Graveyard Map
Below is a map of the graveyard. You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the
DM's Guild.

11
Opening the Mausoleum A Sundew Tulip Bulb
The mausoleum is at the center of the graveyard just to the
The Sundew Tulips can be found in the forest about two hours
east of town. As advertised, when the party approaches they
directly east of Eden. If the party asks some of the townsfolk,
can hear gentle scraping against the thick stone. There are
they will say to follow the exact direction of the rising sun as
three primary ways in:
that always seems to lead the way!
As the party approaches, they will see the trees and other
• I f they have the key from the mayor, they can use it to open flora become more lush and vibrant. This area represents a
the door without any resistance. shallow point between the feywilds and the material plane and
•S
 uccess on a DC 17 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check will many fey creatures cross over here as a result.
open the lock. These Sundew Tulips only bloom in these areas where the
•A
 final option is to smash their way in. The mausoleum line between realms is thin, but this also means that they are
is made of thick stone, but a few powerful bashes with a surrounded by fey creatures. Read the following as the party
maul or a warhammer can break through. Have the person approaches this area:
swinging make a Strength (Athletics) check to see how
they do smashing through. On a 12 or lower, it takes them a The trees loom high overhead and are overgrown with bright
full five minutes to open the door and a member of the town emerald green leaves and vines. Beautiful flowers bloom all
will come out to confront them before they are done and will around you and even the sun itself seems brighter with every
step you take. The aroma here is divine - a welcome smell
threaten to tell the mayor! On a 13 or higher, they smash
after the overwhelming scent of the town of Eden. You spot
through fast enough that it does not raise the alert of any of
a rabbit not too far away nibbling on a bit of grass, seemingly
the townsfolk. completely unafraid of you as you approach. A small squirrel
scurries up a nearby tree, a multitude of flowers blooming on
Beyond the door is a small pack of undead waiting to pour its back and providing camouflage while it’s on the ground.
out. Fortunately for the folks of Eden, the undead are not
interested in consuming their half-rotted flesh and see them
as allies. The party on the other hand is fresh meat!
Roll for Initiative!
The types and number of undead your party faces depends
on your party’s APL. Consult the table below to determine the
enemies in this combat.

APL Enemies
1 1x Zombie (MM Pg. 316)
2x Skeleton (MM Pg. 272)
2 1x Zombie
5x Skeleton
3 1x Ghast (MM Pg. 148)
3x Skeleton
4 1x Ghast
6x Skeleton

Cole uses the stat blocks of either a zombie or a ghast

depending on the party’s APL and has a sun-shaped
pendant around his neck. The party must dispatch Cole and
retrieve one of his bones when the deed is done! When Cole
falls, the other undead continue to fight so the combat does
not end and the party will hopefully not want to leave the dead
roaming around Eden!

Getting Clever
The party can use the mausoleum doors to their
advantage to let only a single zombie out at a time.
This can make this combat rather trivial! In fact, if
your party is clever enough with the use of the door
and some ranged weapons they may get through this
without taking a single point of damage and that is
great! Reward the party for their creative thinking in
these cases!
Finding the Flower
The party will need to wander through this area for just a bit
before they stumble upon a small grove in between a cluster of
trees. A huge pillar of sunlight beams down over the area and
a massive patch of sundew tulips sit at its center. A sleeping
centaur also waits at the center of this area, laying in the
middle of the flowers and basking in the sunlight.

12
Sylfaren's Grove Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

The party can take a few approaches here: If the centaur is awoken as the result of a failed stealth
check, read the following. Otherwise, ignore this text.
•T
 hrough magic such as Mage Hand they can snag a flower
from a safe distance without much risk of waking the You see the ears of the centaur twitch and then his eyes fly
sleeping centaur. open. In a flash he is on his feet and brandishes a wooden
•T
 hey can have someone sneak up to the area and snag one club that was tucked at his side a moment before. His eyes
are wide with anger as he stares you down and shouts, “Who
of the flowers as the centaur sleeps. This requires a success
dares tread upon the grove of Sylfaren?”
on a DC 13 Dexterity (Stealth) check. On a failed save, the
centaur stirs from his slumber and awakens in a foul mood!
•T
 he party can also intentionally wake the centaur and ask to
take a flower from this grove. (See the section below for how
the centaur reacts when awoken).

13
The centaur (whose name is Sylfaren) is upset about being
woken from his slumber and is just as upset that someone
would trespass on his lands! That being said, he does not
immediately attack. He waits for the party to provide an
explanation and if they tell him of the plight that is occurring
with the people of Eden, he quickly calms and shifts towards
sympathy for the trapped souls of the town. “For a cause such
as this, I would be a monster to turn you away.”
Of course, if the party acts with aggression, they will need to
fight Sylfaren! Use the stat block of a centaur (MM Pg. 38) for
the combat and the map shown on the page above. Once he is
defeated, the party will have access to the flowers they need.
A Strand of Unicorn Hair
As mentioned at the start of the module, this section of
the adventure deals with the topic of suicide. Make sure
you determine if this is appropriate for your table before
proceeding. This is intended to have a positive ending, but
it is always a challenging topic.
The party’s best option for finding a strand of unicorn hair
is by tracking down Carter. Fortunately, Theo knows where
he went - a clearing that is only about 40 minutes outside of
Eden, beyond the far side of Lake Tranquillity.
As the party enters the clearing, read the following:

You step into a beautiful clearing in the forest. The grass here
Lenora’s Revelation is lush and thick and giant sunflowers are scattered through
As the party is heading out of the area with the flower in hand, the area. The tallest of these flowers are over seven feet high!
they hear a bit of buzzing and a pixie comes swooping down On the far side of the clearing is a wooden shelter with a fire
from the canopy. Her hair is fiery red and whips behind her as burning out front and a stack of firewood nearby. This seems
if in a powerful breeze as her hands glow with purple energy. to be a recent addition and the shelter is more makeshift than
This pixie is named Lenora and she is one of many who hang a permanent fixture of the area. You spot a bit of movement
out in this area of the forest. She will defend it from anyone from inside the structure - a quick flash of color that catches
who would seek to do harm to the plants or creatures here, your eyes.
but once she has determined you are pure of heart she can
be your best friend! She demands to know what the party is
doing in her people’s forest!
Carter the Broken
Carter is within the shelter. He initially came out here to take
The party will need to explain the situation to Lenora and
his own life, but when the time came he found he couldn’t
afterwards she bursts into laughter. “You are all so silly! You
go through with it. His wife - Elizabeth - finally reached her
found a sundew tulip but you didn’t get one of the magic
breaking point just over a year ago, leaving Carter alone as he
ones! It’s a good thing I found you because that one isn’t
was not yet ready to go. Their two sons - Henry and Edward
going to be any good in a potion I’m afraid. What you need
- did not survive the initial infection and the pain of that loss
is a sundew tulip from the back of a Sundrop Squirrel! You
still wears on Carter even a hundred years later. Of course, he
may have seen some running around - they have flowers all
and his wife were unable to have any additional children and
over their backs! You have to make sure the squirrel is alive
this only added to the pain.
when you harvest the flower though! It doesn’t hurt them to
When the party asks Carter for the locket, he will tell them
take a flower but it loses its magic if the squirrel is dead!”
that he will give it to them if they are willing to kill him. He has
So now the party is presented with a new problem! They
been too cowardly to do it himself, but he wishes to be with
will need to track down and either capture or befriend a
Elizabeth and his boys. He is done with this life of not tasting
sundrop squirrel. Finding one can be a bit challenging since
food, of not feeling joy - more so in the last year than before.
most of them are hidden amongst the flowers that cover this
At this point, the party has two primary options - they can
area! The party can perform Wisdom (Survival) or Wisdom
agree to help Carter with his request or they can convince him
(Perception) checks as they move through the area,
that his life is still worth living. It is almost always expected
spotting a squirrel with a result of 15 or higher! They can
that the party will try to help Carter find a new hope for life,
also use some bait to lure out a squirrel - nuts or berries serve
but it is always an option for them to let Carter be at peace
as a good incentive! They can also simply wait for long enough
after a long life of hardships.
and one will make its presence known in fifteen minutes or so!
Carter and his story should fill the party with sorrow for
With a squirrel in their sights, the next step is to either
this man and the struggles he has endured, but with a cure as
capture or befriend one. The party should have a number
a possibility on the horizon, he just might be able to return to
of options available - magics such as speak with animals, a
normal. Carter will of course fight back - what is a life without
gnome’s ability to speak with small animals, luring the squirrel
his beloved Beth? The party will have to roleplay their way
over with food, or even just trying to use speed to snatch one
into convincing Carter that there can be joy in this life again.
before it can flee! Let your party use their own creativity for
Have Carter give some resistance, but once the party presses,
this section and set the DCs as you feel is necessary.
have him come around and agree to return with them and be
If they do a good job, don’t be afraid to give the party a
thankful they talked him down.
new animal companion in the form of a sundrop squirrel.
Do not use a roll for this section of the adventure. This
Everyone loves pets! You can find the stat block for a sundrop
is the standard, but the party may be heavily invested
squirrel at the end of the module!
in Carter’s fate and if they put forth a strong enough
With a magical sundrop tulip in their possession, the party
argument, he will agree without the need for a dice roll.
has successfully gathered another ingredient!
Reward your players for their roleplaying!

14
When Carter returns to town with the party, he removes the
strand of unicorn hair and gives it to the party, wishing them
luck in their efforts to help Theodora and save the town. He
also thanks them for taking the time to show him compassion
and hope. These are both things he has been missing and it is
nice to experience them again, even if it is a numbed version
of them.
A Mote of Elemental Water
For this portion of the quest, the party will need to capture
the essence of a water elemental using the magical vial that
was given to them by Theodora. It is known by the people
of the town that water elementals frequent the origin of a
spring in the hills about five miles northwest of town. They
are just shy of being mountains, so it is quite a difficult climb!
Different elementals roam this area at different times of the
day - sometimes existing in harmony and other times fighting
over the territory.
The party will have to make this journey out into the wilds.
It isn’t particularly difficult for a set of seasoned adventurers,
but it does take three hours due to the roughness of the
terrain, especially once they reach the base of the mountain.
Have someone in the party make a Wisdom (Survival)
check as they make their way out there. On a result of 15 or
higher, they can knock the journey down to just two hours.
The party can also ask one of the townsfolk to serve as a guide
or purchase a map of the area from the general store which
will lead them to a faster journey!
Extending the Adventure
If you want this adventure to go on for a bit more time or
give your party some additional combat, you can have them
encounter creatures out in the wilderness. This is purely
optional! The type and number of creatures they encounter is
determined by the party’s APL.
APL Enemies
1 1x Brown Bear (MM Pg. 319)
2 2x Dire Wolf (MM Pg. 321)
3 1x Owlbear (MM Pg. 249)
4 4x Dire Wolf
Arrival at the Spring
Depending on if it is dark or light when the party arrives
at the spring, they will need to fight different sets of water
elementals. Simply refer to the tables below utilizing your
party’s APL to determine what is present at the time of their
arrival. A map of the area can be found on the next page!
Daylight
APL Enemies
1 2x Small Water Elemental (End of Module)
2 3x Small Water Elemental
3 1x Water Weird (MM Pg. 299)
1x Small Water Elemental
4 1x Water Elemental (MM Pg. 125)
Darkness
APL Enemies
1 3x Steam Mephit (MM Pg. 217)
2 5x Steam Mephit
3 4x Steam Mephit
4x Mud Mephit (MM Pg. 216)
4 1x Imbued Steam Mephit (End of Module)
4x Steam Mephit
The Bargaining Option
Like most of the objectives in this adventure, this can be
completed in a few different ways. If someone in the party
speaks primordial or aquan, they will be able to communicate
with the elementals. The water elementals are neutral
creatures and the steam mephits are neutral evil, but the party
can make a deal with either.
The mephits will want either something of value from
the party - coins, gems, etc… or to have the party humiliate
themselves for their entertainment. Perhaps they ask two
party members to fight until one is unconscious or ask them
to reveal their biggest secret to the rest of the party. The
party can also threaten to destroy the mephits unless they
help! Depending on how well the party does, the mephits will
cooperate and will fill the vial of water with their essence.
Have the party make a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion)
or Charisma (Intimidation) check with advantage /
disadvantage depending on the party’s performance. This
may also be a Deception check depending on the party’s
tactics!
The elementals are willing to help, but they want something
in return. They are not a fan of the mephits and their evil ways.
They make a mess of the springs and their numbers threaten
to continue to grow! The elementals want the party members
to destroy the mephits or scare them away in exchange for
their assistance. If the party agrees, they will need to wait until
dark when the mephits arrive and do as asked. The party can
also intimidate the elementals, threatening to destroy them
unless they help! Have the person leading the conversation
make a DC 13 Charisma (Intimidation) check if they
choose to threaten the elementals. Provide advantage /
disadvantage depending on the party’s tactics.
Traveling Back in Style
If the party meets up with water elementals and befriends
them, the elementals will offer to give them a trip back down
the mountain! The spring becomes a stream that flows all the
way back down to Lake Tranquility and the elementals will
carry the party safely down in an exciting adventure through
the woods! This should be a fun reward for your party so use
plenty of description as they surf down the mountainside!
15
Mountain Spring Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.
Alternative Options
If the party cannot speak to the elementals, they will have
limited options for this part of the mission! The party needs
only swipe the vial through the form of one of the elementals
to obtain the water they need, so they don’t necessarily need
to defeat all of them, but if the party cannot communicate with
the elementals and approach, they will be met with a violent
response!
16
If the party can find a way to discreetly perform the task,
that will work as well! They will need to swipe the elemental
with the vial without it realizing, because if it is aware and
the party tries this then they will be attacked! Options for this
include spells like invisibility or even a mage hand. Determine
what rolls will need to be made by the party for their plan to
succeed if they take this approach, but if they are caught then
the elementals will attack without hesitation!
A Cure is Found Experience
Once the party has obtained all four of the ingredients, they The Experience listed below represents a blend of monster
will need to take them back to Theodora’s Alchemy shop. She encounters, non-combat encounters, and some bonus
will be thrilled that the party was successful in their endeavors experience for finishing the quest. Feel free to adjust these
and immediately get to work. She invites the party to stick values if you see fit.
around and see the results of their efforts. As mentioned
earlier, she thinks she will have a test ready in just a few APL XP Per Player
hours. 1 300
Regardless of what the party decides, with all of the
2 600
ingredients gathered as promised, Theo offers the party the
payment of 250 gold that they are owed. 3 1,200
If they agree to stay, you can do a quick time jump to the 4 2,000
party waiting at the Paradise Inn when the following happens:

A woman bursts in through the front door of the tavern, a Loot

set of beautiful red curls cascading down her shoulders. She The reward your party receives for completion of this
wears a gorgeous sundress and has a smile that matches the adventure is based upon the party’s APL.
brightness of her outfit. After a moment, you realize this is
Theodora as she shouts, “It works!” Her skin, once ghostly APL Reward
pale, is now a warm cream color, her dark brown hair has
turned a dazzling shade of red, and her eyes are a shining
1-2 250 gold
green where once they were grey. “Quick, someone get me 3-4 250 gold, +1 Weapon
something to drink! I want to see if I can taste!”

Theo runs over to the bar and Prudence slides her a drink.
Theodora chugs it down with a refreshing “ahh”. Tears stream
down her face as she feels such incredible joy having this
sensation returned to her once again. She then turns to the
party. “We did it! It actually worked! I can make us better!”
Theo shares this moment of elation with the party, feeling
joy that has been lost to her for a full century. She hugs each
member of the party, something she refused to do before
due to her condition. The first hug she gives lingers on for a
long while, holding them tightly and sobbing for it has been a
hundred years since she has been able to feel the warmth and
comfort of a hug.
Theo invites the party to go with her as she administers the
cure to the citizens of the town.
Word spreads quickly that a miracle is happening! Once the
cure has been administered, their body returns to its original
form over the next hour. It is painful but well worth it to have
their lives restored. And even pain is a welcome sensation for
the people of this town! There is a celebration in the town on
behalf of Theodora and her relentless hard work and refusal
to accept their fate and the party is recognized as heroes
of Eden for helping when so many others thought it was
hopeless.
The party is given the deed to a home in the town of Eden
near Lake Tranquility. They will be able to return whenever
they’d like on their journeys and see how the town thrives now
that the people have been restored to life once again!
If the party is of APL 3-4, Mayor Relnok will also offer the
party a +1 weapon as thanks for their help! Have this be a
weapon that is usable by a member of the party. Regardless
of the type of weapon, it has the word “Eden” etched into
it somewhere to remind the party of its roots and the great
deed they’ve accomplished.

17
Stat Blocks

Sundrop Squirrel Small Water Elemental

Tiny beast, unaligned Small elemental, neutral

Armor Class 11 Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 1 (1d4 - 1) Hit Points 22 (3d10 + 6)
Speed 20 ft. Speed 30 ft., swim 50 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
2 (–4) 13 (+1) 8 (–1) 3 (–4) 10 (+0) 5 (–3) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 4 (–3) 10 (+0) 8 (–1)

Senses Darkvision 30ft., Passive Perception 10 Damage Resistances Poison

Languages – Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Proficiency Bonus +2 Senses Darkvision 60ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages Aquan
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Floral Camouflage. While the squirrel remains motionless, it is Proficiency Bonus +2
indistinguishable from an ordinary cluster of sunflowers.

A ctions Water Form. The elemental can enter a hostile creature's space
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as
Hit: 1 piercing damage. 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Disorienting Pollen (1/Day). The squirrel unleashes a burst of Freeze. If the elemental takes cold damage, it partially freezes;
pollen from the flowers that cover its body. Each non-floral its speed is reduced by 20 feet until the end of its next turn.
creature within 10 feet of the squirrel must make a DC 10
Constitution saving throw.
A ctions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target.
On a failed saving throw, the creature takes 2 (1d4) poison
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
damage and must roll a d8 at the start of its next turn to
determine what it does during that turn. On a 1 to 2, the Water Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +2 to hit, reach 30/120ft.,
creature sneezes uncontrollably and can move but can’t take one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4)
an action or a bonus action. On a 3-4, the creature's eyes cold damage.
water uncontrollably and it is considered blinded this turn. On
a 5-8, the creature fights the additional effects of the pollen
and can act normally.

18
Imbued Steam Mephit
Small elemental, neutral evil

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 28 (8d6)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

6 (–2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1)

Damage Immunities Fire, Poison

Condition Immunities Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages Aquan, Ignan
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Death Burst. When the mephit dies, it explodes in a cloud of

steam. Each creature within 5 feet of it must make a DC 11
Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) fire damage on a failed
save.
Innate Spellcasting (1/Day). The mephit can innately cast
mirror image, requiring no material components. Its innate
spellcasting ability is Charisma.

A ctions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) fire damage.
Steam Discharge (Recharge 6). The mephit causes steam
to erupt from its body. Each creature in a 15-foot cube
originating on the mephit must make a DC 11 Dexterity
saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) fire damage on a failed save, or
half as much damage on a successful one.

19
 the hag who stole sNowfall
a wiNtery oNe-shot adveNture for levels 1-4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
adveNture syNopsis average party level (apl)
The Hag Who Stole Snowfall is meant to be a lighthearted This adventure uses Average Party Level (APL) to scale the
winter-themed adventure with some playful enemies and a difficulty of encounters. Average Party Level is calculated as
happy ending (unless you opt for the dramatic twist ending follows:
option!). That is of course assuming the party makes the
• Find the average levels of all of your party members (round
heroic decisions as the events of the story unfold!
up if you want to make things more challenging or down if
The players have been sent to the town of Circta to retrieve
you want them to be easier!)
a ruby from the local mining company, but that is really just
our way of getting them into the town and meeting some of • For example, a party of four level 5 characters has an
its citizens as things start to go awry! Your players will be able APL of 5. A party of two level 6 characters and two level 7
to enjoy the splendor of the Snowfall Festival, the celebration characters has an APL of 6.5, but you can choose to round
that welcomes home the traders of the town after a long this to 6 or 7 depending on the challenge you are seeking
season on the road. The snow is piled high and children are for the adventure!
running around building snowmen, sledding, and having • For each character in the group above 4, add one to your
snowball fights! The party is treated like family as the people calculated APL. For each character fewer than 4, subtract 1
of this town are truly kind. from the APL.
• For example, a party of six level 4 characters has an
Unfortunately, this year the celebration is cut short. average level of 4, but since there are six total characters,
we add 2 to our APL for a total APL value of 6.
There is a winter hag named Grincella that lingers in the
mountains just to the east of town. She looks down on their
celebrations each year with a mixture of jealousy and disgust. expeCted leNgth: 2-4 hours
She sees the way they dance and sing and play and it makes The expected length of this adventure is 2-4 hours. Of course,
her miserable. She once had a family of her own - a coven of these are simply expectations and what you experience may
sister hags - but they were all slain by the people of the town. change based on player choices and pacing.
In all fairness, Grincella and her sisters had kidnapped two-
dozen people from Circta and were going to sacrifice them
to call upon an ancient god… but still! Grincella must remain desCriptive text
near the mountain, for if she strays too far from the lingering
power of her coven she too will perish. So for Grincella there Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud
is no escaping the yearly celebration of the town below… for the players when their characters first arrive at a location
unless she does something about it! This year she will use the or under a specific circumstance that will be noted.
remaining magics she has stored to wreak havoc on Circta
and ensure that they never enjoy another Snowfall Festival
again!
That is unless the party can save the day.

20
Adventure Introduction (Optional)
This is suggested if you are running a one-shot separate from
an overarching campaign and want to kick things off swiftly.
If you are embedding this adventure in an existing campaign,
there may be better ways to throw the party into the action.
Read this next party as you would a children’s story. It gives
a few spoilers, but we want this to be set as a storybook
adventure and it will also cause them to wonder when things
are going to finally go astray!
In the town of Circta, there’s a time loved by all
The annual festival known as Snowfall!
The children rejoice with the fires a blazin’
As the trees are covered in bright decoration
There’s singing and dancing and joy all around
With kindness and sharing all through the town
Neighbors and strangers are family this day
For kindness and sharing are the Snowfall way!
But there’s one in the region who’s set apart
A creature with a cruel and frozen heart
As presents are pulled from their boxes and bags
Only a sneer can be seen by the hag
Sleds are ridden and snowballs are thrown
Yet sadness and pain are what’s felt by the crone
As cookies and cakes are baked in the ovens
She is only reminded of her long, lost coven
So on this year, she has made a decision
She will wield her magic with deadly precision
The adults will mourn and the children will bawl
And she will take away their precious Snowfall!
After you have made it through the nursery rhyme, you can
continue on to truly introduce your party to the adventure and
their arrival in Circta!
You find yourselves arriving in the town of Circta just as they
are about to have their annual Snowfall Festival! You have
been sent to gather a large ruby that was uncovered in their
mines and bring it back to the town of Kerash. You have been
advised to make the trip short, for the full fury of winter is on
the way and the roads will soon be impassable. Despite being
early in the season, Circta rests at the base of the Rockfall
Mountains and there is a deep coating of powdery snow on
the ground. As you approach the quaint town, you spot a
group of children taking cover behind makeshift barriers of
piled-up snow and hurling snowballs at one another. Large
stacks of firewood sit on the side of each of the thick-logged
cabins that make up the homes of Circta. In the town square,
you can see a towering spruce tree that has been adorned
with a multitude of candles beneath stained-glass domes and
decorative spherical ornaments.
You have been told to speak about the ruby to the owner
of the local mines, a dwarf named Rellik. According to your
sources, he can be found at the Circta Mining Co. Lodge. You
have a voucher for 500 gold pieces ready to trade for the ruby
in question.
As you walk past a large sign welcoming you to “Circta,
Heart of the Rockfall Mountains” a dwarven woman and her
two young boys take notice of you and beckon you over with
a smile as they hold up large mugs with steam cascading off
of them.
The adventure picks back up at Meandering Through Circta,
with the following sections fleshing out the town of Circta and
its citizens.
21
the hag who stole sNowfall key eveNts remiNder
This page can serve as a quick reference to remind of
major events, NPC names, locations, and any other relevant
information that you may need during the adventure! The
ordering of some of the events can change based on the
player’s choices, but all of the events are detailed below with
identifying headers.
If you are running this at the table, I would suggest printing
this out and having it at the ready to get yourself back on track
no matter what happens!

major eveNts
• Arrival in Circta
• Meeting with Rellik at the Circta Mining Co. Lodge
• Gift Opening in the town sqaure
• Attacked by the Gift Box Mimics!
• Arguments in the square among citizens
• Forming a plan in the Gingerbread Bakery
• Animated Cookie Attack!
• Ascending the mountain
• Meeting with Grincella
• Options to befriend or to fight!
• Return to town and celebration!

importaNt NpCs
• Grincella - The winter hag attacking the town
• Rellik - Owner of the Circta Mining Co. Lodge
• Myrina - The dwarven woman that welcomes the party
• Elnir and Fulnir - Myrina's two sons
• Harris - Bartender at the Silver Pickaxe
• Nikola - Mayor of Circta
• Margaret - Gift giver in the town square and Nikola's wife
• Rudy - Nikola's elk from his figurine of wondrous power

NotaBle loCatioNs
• The Town of Circta - Heart of the Rockfall Mountains!
• The Circta Mining Co. Lodge - Primary employer in town
and owner of the mines
• The Silver Pickaxe - The local tavern
• The Gingerbread Bakery - Bakery just off the town square
• Rockfall Mountains - The mountains near Circta where
Grincella lives

22
Welcome to Circta!
About the Town
Circta is a town of approximately eight hundred people
nestled up in the mountains to the north. This population is a
near-even split between dwarves and humans and they have
lived in harmony here for centuries. It primarily serves as a
mining colony as the mountains hold a plethora of valuable
ores and precious gemstones. In the summer months, traders
from the town will head down south and sell these goods,
bringing back food and luxuries from the larger cities that will
last them through the snowy season. This is usually a massive
caravan of just over one hundred of the town’s citizens, so
Circta feels a heavy impact when they are away.
As winter arrives, the caravan makes its way back into town
after months on the road! Circta throws a massive celebration
to welcome them back before the cold fully sets in - The
Snowfall Festival! A week after the festival, only the brave or
foolish stray more than a mile from the town as the elements
are too harsh to facilitate long-distance travel. The town has
sled dogs that can pull small groups to the slightly larger cities
a few dozen miles to the southwest, but these treks are only
made when they are in dire need of medicine or supplies.
In general, the folks of Circta are kind and giving; it is just
the nature of their ways. If a neighbor is in need, the citizens
will provide them with whatever they can spare. They watch
after each other’s children, share their meals when someone
is struggling, and will give shelter to any who may need it. This
is the kind of hospitality that the party can expect to see as
they enter the town.
The town's mayor is a stocky, elderly dwarf named Nikola
who is adored by his people. He has been around Circta since
it was established nearly three hundred years ago and has
been mayor for over seventy years. He was also the one that
conscripted help when the town was attacked by Grincella's
coven a decade ago.
The Silver Pickaxe
The Silver Pickaxe is the only place that offers public lodging
in Circta. There is additional lodging for miners who come
in for the season, but they all stay at the Circta Mining Co.
Lodge. At the crest of the tavern’s roof is an oversized pickaxe
ten feet wide and painted a shining silver color. The primary
bartender is a half-human, half-dwarven man named Harris.
He is taller than a dwarf but still shorter than the average
human with a stocky build and the thick signature beard of a
dwarf which is charcoal black. His features are rougher than
that of your typical human, making him seem older than his
true age of thirty-four.
Lodgings cost 7 silver per night plus an additional 1 silver
per person per meal each day. The rooms are quite cozy and
each is decorated with a different type of mineral or ore for
its theme and the keys that go to each of the rooms match
that theme. Instead of a room number, they are denoted by a
Gold Room, Silver Good, Copper Room, Iron Room, etc… The
public dining and drinking area has rustic decor, stained dark
from constant utilization by hands dirty from a full day in the
mines.
The Gingerbread Bakery
A bustling bakery just off the town square. While it is
named for its signature gingerbread, they sell desserts of all
varieties within its walls and it is one of the main areas for
congregation in town besides the Silver Pickaxe. When the
town isn't under attack, the party can enjoy a lovely slice of
apple pie or their signature gingerbread crusted cheesecake!
The Circta Mining Co. Lodge
This is the largest structure in the town by a wide margin. It
is built to house up to four dozen out-of-towners when then
they are in need of work. In the winter months, this lodge
is at capacity as people prepare for long-term stay and then
travel back to the south with their pockets full once the snow
has melted away and cleared the roads. They each have their
own living space, though it is only a few hundred square feet
each. The bottom floor of the building contains offices for
the owners and foremen and a large shared dining hall and
entertainment space where most of the lodge guests hang out
in their time off to play cards and dice games.
Grincella, The Winter Hag
As mentioned above, Grincella is a Winter Hag and is the
final surviving member of her coven. Nine years ago, she and
her sisters who lived up in the Rockfall Mountains decided to
make a ritual sacrifice using some of the townsfolk in order to
summon forth a being that would give them immortality.
They were successful in capturing two dozen of Circta's
citizens, but they were not ones to sit idly by. The town's
mayor, Nikola, managed to hire a group of adventurers that
were passing through to go up on the mountain and take down
the coven before the ritual could be completed!
Grincella's coven was wiped out with her being the only
survivor. Now she is trapped in the Rockfall Mountains, unable
to leave the place of power where she lost her sisters or she
will perish. Her strength has been greatly weakened with the
loss of her coven and she has been forced to stay high up on
the mountains, listening to the town celebrate year after year
as she continues to mourn the loss of her sisters.
Hags are typically evil creatures and this remains true of
Grincella, but she is also a creature that can be redeemed.
Her loneliness over the years and desire for a connection
with other living creatures gives the party an opportunity to
show her kindness instead of hate. This is meant to be an
uplifting adventure and this redemption for Grincella and her
acceptance into the town of the very people she sought to kill
a major component of this adventure's happy ending.
23
Meandering Through Town
As the party enters the town, they are immediately the
recipients of its hospitality. A dwarvish woman named Myrina
and her two boys - Elnir and Fulnir - offer up the party some
fresh made hot cocoa to help them stay warm in the chilling
weather. Myrina’s bright red hair is tied in an intricate braid
and is held in place with a hair spike decorated to look like
a pickaxe. She also has a pair of beautiful huskies sitting
obediently next to the two boys. Their names are Aster and
Eros and they are some of the sled dogs used in the winter
months.
Myrina will give the party their official welcome to the town
and provide the following information:
•F
 irst of all, the party is arriving at the perfect time, for they
are having their Snowfall Festival this weekend! There is
going to be delicious food and drink with gifts all around!!
She will give the party a brief overview of the holiday as
described above!
• I f they are looking for a place to stay, The Silver Pickaxe is
where they will need to head! Circta is a small town so it
only has one tavern to take in travelers, though most of its
citizens would offer up a spare room. It is one street off from
the town square, but they can spot it by its gleaming silver
pickaxe-shaped sign.
•T
 he Circta Mining Co. Lodge is at the heart of the town,
just off the square. It is by the Snowfall Tree which can’t be
missed!
As the party reaches the town square, read to them the
following:
As you step into the town square, you can finally appreciate
the scale of the Snowfall Tree at its center. It is a full two-
hundred feet high and twenty-five feet wide at its base!
Spiraled all the way up to the top of the tree are decorated
metal and glass ornaments, the ones at the top merely
shimmering motes of light due to their height. The base of
the tree is surrounded by finely wrapped gift boxes ranging
from a few inches across to a few feet!
The square is busy with townsfolk enjoying the snow and
festivities. There are booths set up through the area and the
smell of fresh-baked cookies fills the air. Snowmen of varying
qualities have been constructed all around the square as
well as a few expertly crafted ice sculptures. A small band of
musicians stands near the base of the tree playing a light and
lovely tune as nearby citizens sing along. As far as you can tell,
everyone around you knows the lyrics! Behind the musicians,
a group of young boys are gathered around a small table
spinning finely crafted wooden tops with glee.
You also spot the distinctive sign for The Silver Pickaxe just
behind The Gingerbread Bakery and taking up the entire south
side of the town square is the Circta Mining Co. Lodge.
24
Meeting with Rellik
The party can make their way over to the Circta Mining
Co. Lodge where they know their contact, Rellik, should be
waiting for them. It is easy to find his office once they get
inside and they are immediately beckoned in where they find
a middle-aged dwarf working behind a desk stacked high with
ledgers. The office is quite spacious and has enough seating
for the entire party. Rellik invites them to sit and rolls out from
behind his desk to introduce himself.
Rellik has neatly trimmed red facial hair. While it is still
longer than that of most humans, it is on the shorter side for a
dwarven beard. He wears a set of bifocals that accent his kind,
brown eyes. He has a winning smile and it is clear that he is
someone who cares a great deal about appearances. His outfit
sends a statement, but is not overly extravagent. He utilizes a
wheelchair to move around the facility as he has been without
the use of his legs since an accident when he was a young
man. He extends a hand to each member of the party as he
greets them and they can feel the roughness of his hands that
tell he has spent a great deal of time doing manual labor.
Rellik is a kind soul and is happy to complete the deal
with the party when they present him with the voucher for
payment. He informs the party that unfortunately the ruby is
within their high security safe which requires two codes as a
protective measure. Rellik has one of the combinations but the
other is with his colleague, Hannuk, who is leading operations
in the mines today. It will be an early day in the mines due to
the Snowfall Festival, but it will still be many hours before he
can get them the ruby. He suggests that they partake in some
of the festivities in the town and even offers to pay for their
room and board at The Silver Pickaxe for the night.
He also tells the party to have a chat with Margaret near
the Snowfall tree when they leave. She is an elderly human
woman with stark white hair and should be wearing her
famous Snowfall dress of beautiful red, so you can’t miss
her!
The Fall of Snowfall
The party can make their way back out to the square where
they do indeed find Margaret standing near the base of the
tree.
You see an elderly woman with short, curly hair as white as
the snow around her. She wears a vibrant red dress with white
trim that is festive but also seems quite warm. Based on what
Rellik told you, you can assume this to be Margaret. She is
standing amidst a large stack of presents along the edge of
the Snowfall tree. She gives you a bright smile and waves
you over to her as she looks around to find a gift. “You must
forgive me. I did not expect to get any more out-of-towners
this late in the season, but I am sure we’ll be able to find a gift
to give you a Snowfall welcome!”
Circta Town Square
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.
Margaret examines the nearby boxes, making small talk with
the party and letting them know that she volunteers to hand
out gifts to the newcomers to town and to the children as the
holiday festivities kick off.
She picks up a particularly large box and looks at it with
a frown. “You know, I don’t recall this gift being dropped
off. No name on it. It must be from an anonymous donor! It
is nicely wrapped though, so it must have something good!”
She smiles and hands this to a member of the party and then
provides additional presents to the rest of the group. She tells
them to not be shy and to open them up!
The first party member to open their gift finds a beautiful
vanilla-scented candle with a fine brass base. It is quite lovely
and smells wonderful!
The second party member to open a gift is in for a
surprise, for their gift is a mimic! If they shake the box, the
mimic will growl and give away its hidden identity! (You can
see more details of this in the stat block for the gift mimic at
the end of the module). Otherwise, the gift will have a surprise
attack to bite their hand. As the gift box mimics attack, the
party may also need to deal with other objects around the
square coming to life and attacking as well!
Roll for initiative!
25

The number of gifts that are mimics changes based on your
party’s APL, and the combat may also be accompanied by
some other animated decorations depending on the party’s
strength. Check the table below to see what sort of enemies
your party will be going up against! Stat blocks for all
creatures in this adventure can be found at the end of the
module.
APL Enemies
1 2x Gift Box Mimic
2 2x Gift Box Mimic
2x Animated Sled
3 2x Gift Box Mimic
2x Animated Sled
1x Living Snowman
4 2x Gift Box Mimic
2x Animated Sled
1x Living Ice Sculpture
The townsfolk immediately go into a panic. The children are
ushered away by the elderly adults, including Margaret, while
the able-bodied adults grab for whatever weaponry they can
find. They primarily act to keep the enemies contained and
prevent them from harming others as it seems like the party
has the situation under control! They are all stunned by the
events unfolding and legitimately have no idea what is going
on (in the case the party may want to make insight checks).
26
As the party is close to defeating the enemies and
protecting the townsfolk from these renegade Snowfall
decorations, a cackling laugh echoes through the village.
“No longer shall your precious Snowfall be associated with
joy. It shall be a time of fear!” Whispers and murmurs sweep
through the crowded townsfolk and the party hear things like
“It’s her!”, “I thought the hag was dead!”, and “I knew this day
would come. I’ve been saying it for years!”
This is the voice of Grincella.
disCord iN the square
When all of the animated objects have been put down, the
party learns the details of Grincella and her sisters from the
frightened townsfolk. Some of them will be truthful while
others will spin wild tales such as when a dog goes missing
from the town it is the hag exacting her revenge on the people
of Circta! The townsfolk do not know Grincella's name or
that she is trapped up on the mountain, but they all recall the
events of the kidnapping.
Tensions swiftly rise in the village as more folks pour into
the square having heard the commotion and the rumor mill
is already hard at work. Some people want to gather up
weapons and go into the mountains to hunt the hag. Some
want to gather up all of their decorations and gifts and burn
them in the square just to be safe. Others want to just hope
this was a single attack and move on with the holiday as
normal! The debates get quite heated between the townsfolk
as shouting erupts.
Let the townsfolk and the party deliberate for a bit
and allow the party to glean more information about the
situation before reading the following:
A sharp whistle rings through the town square and causes the
low roar of chatter and arguments to cut out immediately.
All eyes turn to a man who is standing on the seat of a large
sleigh. He is wearing his own festive red outfit and you spot
Margaret standing next to this makeshift stage, looking up
at the man and holding his hand. He is an elderly dwarf with
a sizable gut and a long white beard. “Let’s all take a deep
breath and remember that we are neighbors and not enemies.
If this hag thinks she can put an end to Snowfall, we will
remind her of the fortitude of we Circtans. I want the heads
of households and local business leaders to meet me in
The Gingerbread Bakery in five minutes. We will have a civil
discussion and choose our next actions! And you newcomers,
make sure to be there as well. I don’t know much about ya,
but it sounds like we may be needing a new set of adventurers
to help us this time around!”
Immediately the mood in the square shifts as people turn
to each other and apologize. With one speech, the man on the
sleigh managed to cut through all of the tensions and put the
town at ease. You hear one of the nearby villagers give a laugh
as he shakes the hands of another man who he was prepared
to punch mere seconds ago. “Nikola is one hell of a guy.
Guess there is a reason we keep electing him mayor. I swear
the man is a saint.”
The Gingerbread Bakery
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.
The party can join the others in the Gingerbread Bakery in
five minutes as requested. While the bakery has all of its seats
filled, it is warm, cozy, and smells of gingerbread cookies
and eggnog! The townsfolk pack into the bakery with roughly
forty individuals present in total. Waitresses nimbly move
through the space offering up holiday treats to any who wish
to indulge.
Nikola enters the bakery and addresses the room, still
dressed in his festive red outfit. “Now I realize emotions
are high right now and many of you are understandably
out for blood. Our children could have been hurt by those
creations of hers… but I propose we do things the Circta
way. We do things the Snowfall way. I know we see her as
evil, and perhaps she is, but this hag is without family and
I am sure she has never been shown kindness a day in her
life. Perhaps if we invite her to the festival we could put an
end to this without any violence.”
This is met with an eruption of opinions from the townsfolk.
27
Nikola will ask the party what they think about the plan. They
seem to be the most capable, so if someone if going to go meet
with the hag, it will likely need to be them in case things do go
sour. He realizes that this is not fair to simply ask for them to
make this sacrifice, so he is willing to offer them a reward of
(APL x 150) gold pieces and a deed to their own cabin on the
edge of the town. Importantly, he will ask them if they wish
to simply kill the hag or if they want to try to make peace?
He has stated his wishes, but will not hold them to it.
If they decide they want to destroy the hag (knowing that
she has done horrible things in the past) Nikola will not object
but he will inform them that he is not sure what the full extent
of her strength may be. She is certainly weaker now than
when she was with her coven, but she still has the power to
create all of these animated minions to attack the town. He
wants to be sure they do not take this task lightly as it very
well could mean their death.
A Half-Baked Attack
Immediately after the party accepts the deal and states their
intentions, read the following:
You hear a scream from the kitchen as a young half-dwarf
woman comes charging out with a gingerbread cookie
perched on her shoulder and pulling her hair. One of its arms
has been torn off and icing is leaking out onto her shoulder
and causing steam to bubble up as it is molten hot! “Help,
please! The cookies are attacking!” She takes the cookie and
hurls it across the room. The gingerbread attacker explodes
against the front window with a sizzling blast of frosting that
scorches some of the nearby villagers!
Nikola shoots you a knowing look and commands the
townsfolk to make some space for the heroes to do their
thing! Villagers start swarming the door as the sound of falling
pots and pans rings out from the kitchen.
Roll for initiative.
Consult the table below to see how many cookies attack the
party! The stat blocks for all of these creatures can be found
at the end of the module and the map for this encounter
can be found on the previous page.
APL Enemies
1 4x Animated Gingerbread Cookie
2 8x Animated Gingerbread Cookie
3 1x Gingerbread Cookie Swarm
6x Animated Gingerbread Cookie
4 2x Gingerbread Cookie Swarm
6x Animated Gingerbread Cookie
28
Onwards and Upwards
Once the party has dealt with the gingerbread cookie problem,
it is time for them to confront the hag herself. They know she
is up on the mountain but the exact location of her lair is a
mystery. Give the party some time to take a short rest as
supplies are gathered. Nikola volunteers to take the party up
the mountain as he has lived here for centuries and knows all
the paths and caverns even in the deepest of snows. He also
sees it as his responsibility as mayor to help resolve this issue
once and for all, even if he is no longer the fighter he used to
be due to his age and being out of practice for so long. He also
tells them that he has a friend from back in his adventuring
days that will help them make it up that mountain no
problem!
The party is given warm clothing to keep them protected
from the harsh weather of the mountain, ropes, pitons,
climbing boots, and whatever other supplies they will need to
survive up in the chilly snows overlooking the town. Nikola
suspects that the hag is watching the town as she would want
to see the results of her handiwork, so she can’t be too far
away! He is hoping they can catch her off guard thanks to their
method of ascension.
Rudy the Ruby Elk
Once the party is ready to go and has had their short rest, it
is time to face the mountain. Surprisingly, Nikola leads them
back to the center of the town and the Snowfall tree.
Nikola leads you over to the sleigh that he stood atop when
giving his speech to the town earlier. He rummages around in
his pack for a bit and pulls out a small ruby statue in the shape
of an elk. “Got this as a reward for helping a group of elves
save one of their crafting halls way back in the day and it has
served me well ever since!” He tosses the statue out in front
of him and it shimmers with a brilliant, blinding ruby light.
When the light fades, standing before you is a towering elk
over seven feet tall at the shoulders and with a set of antlers a
full four feet across. The elk is already equipped with a harness
and riding gear. It seems to be a totally normal elk except for
its eyes that still shine a bright red and cast their own ruby
glow out in front of it.
Nikola immediately gets to work hooking up the elk to the
sleigh as he explains, “Rudy here is impressive enough with
just his physical strength and stature, but what truly makes
him a creature worthy of our admiration is the fact that he can
fly! He can even pull along a vehicle - such as this sleigh here
- and allow it to fly as well! Climb aboard and once I have him
all hooked up we will take to the skies! But be sure to bundle
up, though. It is going to get cold!”
This elk is a Figurine of Wondrous Power - Flying Elk and if
the party plays their cards right they can have it for themselves
by the end of the adventure.
Figurine of Wondrous Power -
Flying Elk
Wondrous item, uncommon
This ruby statuette has the appearance of an elk with a
massive set of antlers. It can become an elk for up to 6
hours. The elk comes with riding gear and has a flight
speed of 60 feet. The elk's eyes glow red and with the
use of a command word can cast bright light in a 30-foot
cone and dim light for an additional 30 feet which pierces
through snow. The elk can be attached to a ground
vehicle of size Large or smaller to also grant that vehicle
the gift of flight. Once this figurine has been used, it can't
be used again until 5 days have passed.
The party loads up in the sleigh and it may seem like there is
no way that it will be able to get off the ground, but as soon
as Nikola gives his command to Rudy, the sleigh lifts up as
if it were weightless and they start soaring up towards the
mountain! The wind is chilly and sharp on their faces, but
the scarves, gloves, and masks that the villagers gave to the
party helps ease the pain. It takes only minutes before they are
soaring up amongst the peaks!
Up on the Mountaintop
Have each member of the party make a DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check. If any of them succeed, they spot a
figure standing in between a few trees on a cliff overlooking
the town! It is difficult to make out details through the snow
being whipped around by the wind, but they can only assume
it is the hag!
• I f someone succeeds, they will see the hag working up a
spell as they approach. She unleashes a blast of snow and
ice but Nikola will be able to move Rudy out of the way and
safely land in a nearby clearing. This only works if the person
that spotted the hag gives a warning though!
• I f no one succeeds, the party will not notice the hag firing
up her blast of icy magic. It will hit the sleigh and cause it to
tilt at an extreme angle. Each person on the sleigh will need
to succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be thrown
from the vehicle and down into the snow below! This fall only
deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage thanks to the heavy snowfall
up in the mountains, but this will separate the party. Nikola
will always remain on the vehicle and will navigate the sleigh
to the ground immediately after the incident.
With the party on the ground, they can move to confront the
hag. Nikola tells the group that he is going to stay with Rudy
and the sleigh to ensure he stays calm so they have a ride back
down!
The ground in the mountain is tricky to navigate and results
in the area being considered difficult terrain (except for those
that might have specific features to negate this effect). The
area may also be lightly to heavily obscured as wind kicks
snow up into the air.
If the players choose to battle up on the mountain, at
the top of each round of combat, roll a d6 to determine
visibility conditions:
• On a result of 1, vision is heavily obscured.
• On a result of 2-5, vision is lightly obscured.
• On a result of 6, the air is clear and visibility unobstructed.
The hag awaits between a cluster of trees on a cliffside a
few hundred feet over the town of Circta. From this height,
the specific details of the city are lost, but it would be easy to
watch the chaos unfold as her magic spells took hold. As the
party approaches, read the following:
You see the wavering of the trees coated in snow up ahead
as the chilling winds blow through. Though you cannot see
the hag’s form, you hear her sinister voice breeze down the
mountain as if she were the wind itself swirling around you.
“Every year I am forced to listen to music and cheering from
these pitiful villagers. Every year I have wanted to go and put
an end to them all. And every year I have been a coward. But
this year, I finally acted and I shall revel in their terror! You will
not take this away from me!” You can feel the bitter hatred
in her voice as she bites off the final words and the wind
slices across your cheeks with a frigid blast. The weather itself
seems to be dancing in sync with her outbursts of emotions.
The party will now have to make their final choice on if they
want to try to resolve this situation through kindness or
through violence. Move to the appropriate sections below
depending on the choice your party makes. - Kindness or
Violence.
Kindness
If the party chooses to be in alignment with Nikola’s request
and settle this through kindness, the party will still have some
work to do. This is intended to be a fun holiday adventure and
we want this path to lead to success, so as long as the players
engage in strong roleplay and legitimate kindness towards the
hag, be sure to reward them with success. This is a scenario
where we don't need the dice to determine our result.
When the party first approaches the hag, she will tell
them to stay back even if they are trying to be kind to her.
She attempts to stay obscured by the snow so the group
can only see her silhouette.
Grincella has never had anyone ask her name, so if the party
does so this will immediately take her aback and open up.
If the party makes the offer of her coming to join the
festivities down in town rather than staying up on the
mountain, she will assume it is a trap. They simply want to lull
her into a false sense of security so that they can slay her! She
will see the weapons they hold and know they want a payment
in blood for what she has done to the people of the town.
Grincella will tell the party that if they truly do not mean
her harm, they will lay down their weapons in the snow and
approach her unarmed.
29
The party will need to agree to this demand to approach
Grincella without her lashing out with one of her spells! Even
if they managed to get her to open up by asking her name, she
will stay firm in this demand. When they comply, you can read
the following:
As you step closer, you can finally make out the hag’s features.
She is a short, slender woman with skin the color and texture
of the bark of a sycamore tree. Her eyes are a stark white with
no hint of a pupil, but you can see her face move to follow
your movements so you are sure that she can see you. Despite
the stories you have heard of hags, this one’s appearance is
not as horrifying as you may have expected. Her features are
severe and her eyes unsettling, but she does not strike terror
into your heart the way one of her cousins may be expected
to do so. Her clothes are tattered rags and seem insufficient
to keep out the brutal cold of the mountain, but the hag
seems to pay it no mind.
She seems hesitant and uncertain, her face with an
expression of trepidation. “Do you truly mean the words
you say? Even seeing my hideous visage and knowing the
atrocities I have committed in the past?” You could swear
she is on the verge of tears and the words are filled with self-
loathing.
Now is the party’s opportunity to seal the deal and express
kindness to her. Perhaps they offer her one of their winter
coats or light a fire to keep her warm. Maybe someone takes
an opportunity to embrace her and let her know it is ok.
Any insight rolls will reveal that Grincella is being
sincere and she is simply a creature consumed by loss and
still dealing with the trauma that losing her coven has left
behind. As stated above, there is no need for any Charisma
checks for this portion of the adventure as long as your players
lead with strong roleplaying with the intention of making
Grincella feel safe.
If you feel the party has done this, Grincella will hesitantly
agree to come back to Circta with them. She agrees to
suspend all of the spells she has cast that would harm the
town until she can see if the townsfolk are genuine in their
offer of hospitality.
There is still the opportunity to turn to violence if they
choose this route. If the party refuses to lay down their
weapons or tries to deceive Grincella and keep a weapon
on their person, her deep distrust of others will take over
and she will lash out. There is a chance for the party to
recover the situation, but it will be challenging and now
the party WILL need to succeed on a DC 15 Charisma
(Persuasion) check or Grincella will not believe them and
continue the attacks! Remember, if the party is genuine we
want them to succeed but if they try underhanded tactics or
deception, things can still go awry!
30
After the Confrontation
The party makes their way back to Nikola with Grincella.
Nikola walks over to Grincella with arms open and offers her
an embrace. She seems taken aback at first, but after Nikola
gives a few waves of his hand she allows him to hug her and
she immediately falls to tears. Nikola reassures her,“Let’s call
this an official moment of putting the past behind us. I can’t
guarantee you that everyone down there is going to be kind
straight away, but give them some time and they will warm
up to you. I promise. And if anyone gives you a hard time,
you just come and find me and I will have a chat with them.”
Grincella doesn’t say anything but nods in agreement before
climbing into the sleigh.
Optional - A Twist Betrayal!
If you are feeling up to it, you can introduce a betrayal
in this section of the story! After Nikola gives Grincella
an embrace, he will reach into a large sack in the back
of the sleigh and pull out a battleaxe with the intent to
kill her!
Have each member of the party make a DC 15
Wisdom (Perception) check to spot Nikola going for the
axe. On a success, they see him rummaging through
the bag as they are about to climb aboard and pull out
the weapon. On a failure, he drives the axe down into
Grincella and combat begins!
One of the people kidnapped by the coven was
Margaret and Nikola is out for vengeance, but doesn't
want to risk his reputation of having a kind soul. He
will offer the party double the pay to help him take the
hag down and say the plan failed!
From here, the party can choose to side with Nikola
and slay Grincella or they can choose to stop and
potentially slay him instead! Grincella will think this
has all been a deception, but if she sees the party
fighting on her behalf, her opinion will shift and she
will help the party to defeat Nikola, though she will not
slay him if the party requests. (You can use the stat
block of a berserker for Nikola which is on page 344
of the Monster Manual.) After the battle, the party can
choose to proceed however they wish, but things could
be challenging if they bring back the hag and not the
mayor so they will need to choose carefully!
This line opens up the game to some extra combat
and plenty of extra improv at the end of the session
as the party tries to decide what to do, so this is
recommended only for more experienced Dungeon
Masters as I will not be detailing all of the potential
paths as a result of these choices!
The party soars back down to the town as townsfolk gather
around to see Nikola and his wondrous flying elk as it is quite
a rare sight. They are all curious to know what happened with
the hag up on the mountain. There is a moment of hesitation
as the ground arrives with Grincella alongside them in the
sleigh. She nervously makes her way down with the entire
town quiet and watching, waiting for someone to make the
first move.
After a few awkward moments, Myrina (the woman the
party first met when they arrived in town) approaches with
a steaming hot cup of hot cocoa. “You must be freezing,
dear. Here, drink this and it will help warm you up!”
Another villager steps forward and proffers her coat. Another
hands Grincella a blanket. They ask if she knows where she is
staying and offer up their homes to her. They provide her with
clothing. They bring forth food of all kinds.
Nikola watches all of this with a huge smile, knowing that
the hospitality and cheer of the Snowfall Festival would win
out over any harsh feelings that may exist. The people here
are good to their core and he had no doubt it would be enough
to warm the heart of even a winter hag! Nikola invites the
party to join them back at his home where he has their reward
as well as another something special for them. Before they
leave, he tells Rudy that he has done a great job and can
relax once again. The elk transforms back into the small
ruby statue with a brilliant flash of light.
At Nikola’s place, he offers the party the gold that they
rightfully earned in bringing the hag around and ending the
threat to the city and after some additional reflection also
hands to them his Figurine of Wondrous Power. “Rudy and
I have had some great times together over the years, but I
think maybe it is time he found some new adventurers that
can put him to better use than these worn out old bones!”
He then suggests they get back to the festivities with the
rest of the town where the party is celebrated for resolving the
situation in true Snowfall fashion. They are offered alcoholic
eggnog and all manner of peppermint flavored drinks as
the townsfolk sing, dance, and revel until late into the night.
Grincella uses her powers to repel the harshest of the cold
allowing the party to continue until late in the evening. When
the party sees her next, she is wearing the coat of one of the
townsfolk and is hardly recognizable with the massive smile
on her face.
During the celebrations, Rellik approaches the party
and presents them with the ruby they were sent to obtain
and also offers to them the reward they were promised by
Mayor Nikola. He thanks them for what they have done for
the town and lets them know they are always welcome at
the lodge if their new cabin doesn't have enough space.
Violence
If the party chooses violence, things are more straightforward.
Grincella will attempt to defend herself and she is quite the
challenge! With the difficult terrain and the fact that this is a
low level adventure, it can be quite easy for this battle to turn
in the favor of the hag! Nikola should have warned the party
they are not sure just how strong she is, but that she will still
be a formidable foe so they should have some awareness of
what they are up against!
Roll for initiative.
The hag’s strength and abilities vary depending on the
party’s APL. You can find full details of the hag’s abilities
and how to modify her for any APL at the end of this
module. A Snowy Mountaintop map that can be used for
this combat can be found on the next page as well.
Once the battle has been going for a few rounds or after a
member of the party is reduced to 0 hit points, Grincella
will cry out, “You’ve already taken everything from me, so
what more is my life possibly worth?” She will continue to
cry out for the sisters of her coven that she has lost and the
anguish in her voice should hopefully spark some guilt in
the party. We want them to reconsider their decision to slay
Grincella and give them the opportunity to make things
right.
Even if the party chose violence as their route, there is a
way for them to turn it around. If they offer up a truce or an
opportunity to talk to Grincella, they will need to make a DC
15 Charisma (Persuasion) check and on a success she will
stop her attacks and hear the party out. They can still pivot to
option one - Peace - if they play their cards right. We want this
to be a viable option, but it may take multiple attempts for her
to stop her attack as once combat is started the pain of her
loss takes hold.
Otherwise, when the party manages to defeat Grincella,
Nikola will thank them for their efforts and fly them back to
down - likely bloodied and battered. The people of Circta will
celebrate their return and offer to tend to their wounds and
keep them in town for as long as they need to recover. Rellik
will cover their room and board at the Silver Pickaxe until
they are in fighting form again and will offer them up the ruby
that they came to claim as part of their initial mission.
Nikola will grant them the standard gold reward for the
mission and the deed to one of their cabins, but if the party
chose the route of violence, he will not offer up the Figurine
of Wondrous Power - Flying Elk to them.

The adventure should end on this joyous high note of

holiday celebration. If you have gifts to give your players
at the table, you can even use this time to have their
characters select a new gift from beneath the tree and hand
their real gift over to them!

Happy Holidays!

31
Snowy Mountaintop
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

Experience Loot
The Experience listed below represents a blend of monster The reward your party receives for completion of this
encounters, non-combat encounters, and some bonus adventure is based upon the party’s APL.
experience for finishing the quest. Feel free to adjust these
values if you see fit. APL Reward
1 150 Gold, Figurine of Wondrous Power - Flying Elk
APL XP Per Player
2 300 Gold, Figurine of Wondrous Power - Flying Elk
1 300
3 450 Gold, Figurine of Wondrous Power - Flying Elk
2 600
4 600 Gold, Figurine of Wondrous Power - Flying Elk
3 1,200
4 2,000
32
Animated Gingerbread Cookie Gift Box Mimic
Tiny construct, unaligned Tiny monstrosity (shapechanger), unaligned

Armor Class 12 Armor Class 11

Hit Points 2 (1d4) Hit Points 14 (4d4 + 4)
Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft. Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1 (–5) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 5 (–3) 10 (+0) 4 (–3) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 12 (+1)

Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic Skills Stealth +3

Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened,
Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned,
Prone
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
Passive Perception 7
Languages –
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
False Object. If the cookie is motionless at the start of
combat, it has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover, if a
creature hasn’t observed the cookie move or act, that creature
must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to
discern that the cookie is animate.
Fresh From the Oven. The cookie is filled with frosting that
maintains its heat until the cookie is destroyed. Whenever
the cookie is reduced to 0 hit points, this frosting explodes
violently outward, dealing 1 fire damage to each non-cookie
creature within 5 feet.
Spider Climb. The cookie can climb difficult surfaces using
its frosting for adhesive, including upside down on ceilings,
without needing to make an ability check.
A ctions
Toothpick Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 piercing damage.
R eactions
Feign Innocence (1/Day). If a creature that can see the cookie
would hit it with an attack, the cookie can pretend to be
frightened and innocent. The attacking creature must succeed
on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or subtract 3 from its attack
roll total, potentially causing it to miss! A creature can only be
affected by this ability once per day, even if it is being used by
a different animated cookie.
Damage Immunities Acid
Condition Immunities Prone
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages –
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
False Appearance (Object Form Only). While the mimic
remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary
wrapped gift box.
Shake-Adverse. If someone shakes the mimic while it is in its
gift box form, it will let out a growl. Any creature within 5 feet
of the mimic when it makes this sound can make a DC 10
Wisdom (Perception) check to realize that the sound came
from the box.
Spider Climb. The mimic can climb difficult surfaces, including
upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability
check.
A ctions
Multiattack. The mimic makes one attack with its ribbon lash
and one with its bite.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage.
Ribbon Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage. The mimic can
then make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success,
it pulls itself to the target without expending additional
movement and has advantage on the next bite attack it makes
this turn against that target.
Shape-Shift. The mimic polymorphs into an object or back
into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same
in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t
transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

33
 Living Snowman
Animated Sled Medium elemental, unaligned
Medium Construct (shapechanger), unaligned
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
Hit Points 10 (3d6) Speed 15 ft., 30 ft. burrow (only through snow)
Speed 40 ft. (slide)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)
14 (+2) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 4 (–3) 5 (–3)
Skills Stealth +2
Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic Damage Immunities Cold, Poison
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Condition Immunities Poisoned
Prone Senses Passive Perception 10
Senses Blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Languages Aquan, Auran
Passive Perception 7 Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Languages – Proficiency Bonus +2
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
False Appearance. While the snowman remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from an ordinary nonliving snowman.
False Object. If the sled is motionless at the start of combat,
Snowy Decent. The snowman can become one with the
it has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover, if a creature
snow and move swiftly through its surroundings. When the
hasn’t observed the sled move or act, that creature must
snowman is moving in this way, it has resistance to damage
succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to discern
from nonmagical attacks.
that the sled is animate.
Ramming Speed. If the sled moves at least 30 feet before A ctions
striking a creature with its ram attack, the attack deals an Multiattack. The snowman makes two attacks with its
additional 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. snowball.
Slideby. The sled doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it Shovel. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
slides out of an enemy’s reach. target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) cold
A ctions damage.
Snowball. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 60 ft., one
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature
creature. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) cold damage.
that is standing on the ground. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning
damage and the creature must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving Snow Shaping. The snowman selects an area of snow it can
throw if it is standing. On a failed saving throw, the sled can see within 30 feet that fits within a 5-foot cube. The snowman
choose one of the following options: can manipulate it in one of the following ways:
• Knock Aside - The target is knocked prone into an adjacent, • This snow can be transformed into any simple shape of the
unoccupied space. snowman’s desire including a low wall, a pit, or even an igloo.
• Knock Aboard - The target falls prone atop the sled and • If a creature is standing in the snow, the snow envelops that
moves with the sled until it uses 5 feet of movement to creature. The creature in the space must succeed on a DC 11
climb off. This option can only be used if the creature is size Dexterity saving throw or become grappled until a creature
Medium or smaller. spends an action to dig them out.
• The top layer of the snow turns to ice. If a non-snowman
creature moves through such a space, it is considered
difficult terrain and that creature must succeed on a DC 11
Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. If the temperature can’t
sustain this ice, it will revert to snow after 1 hour.

34
Gingerbread Cookie Swarm Spider Climb. The cookie swarm can climb difficult surfaces
using its frosting for adhesive, including upside down on
Medium swarm of Tiny constructs, unaligned
ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Armor Class 12 Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and
Hit Points 25 (8d4) vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft. enough to accommodate an individual cookie. The swarm
can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA A ctions
6 (–2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 5 (–3) 10 (+0)
Toothpick Daggers. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
0 ft., one creature within the swarm’s space. Hit: 10 (4d4)
Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
piercing damage, or 5 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened,
half of its hit points or fewer.
Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified,
Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Stunned Combusting Cookie. The swarm offers up one of its own
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), as sacrifice, infusing the cookie with some of its collective
Passive Perception 7 frosting before launching it at a creature within 20 feet. This
Languages – cookie detonates on impact, spraying the creature with molten
Challenge 1 (200 XP) frosting. That creature must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving
Proficiency Bonus tex+2t throw, taking 7 (3d4) fire damage on a failed saving throw, or
half as much damage on a successful one.
False Object. If the cookie swarm is motionless at the start The cookie swarm loses 2 (1d4) hit points when it uses this
of combat, it has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover, ability.
if a creature hasn’t observed the cookie swarm move or act, Spray of Toothpicks (1/Day). The cookies within the swarm
that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) launch toothpicks in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in this area
check to discern that the cookies are animated. must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5 (2d4)
Fresh From the Oven. The cookies within the swarm are filled piercing damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
with frosting that maintains its heat and erupts violently as the damage on a successful one.
cookies are destroyed. Whenever the cookie swarm is dealt
damage, scorching frosting erupts onto each creature within 5
feet. Each non-cookie creature in this area takes 1 fire damage.

35
 Winter Hag Bind in Ice. Target creature within 90 feet of the hag that is
not flying must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw. On a
Medium fey, chaotic neutral
failed save, that creature takes 5 (2d4) cold damage and it is
bound in place with thick ice. A creature bound in ice has its
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
movement speed reduced to 0. A creature can use its action
Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8)
to attempt to break this ice, freeing the trapped creature
Speed 30 ft.
with success on a DC 11 Strength check. This effect also
ends if the ice comes in contact with fire of any kind. (This is
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA considered a cantrip spell for the purposes of counterspell)
14 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) Animate Cookies (1/Day). The hag tosses out two animated
gingerbread cookies in three adjacent unoccupied spaces
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11 within 15 feet that are added to the combat. Make a single
Languages – initiative roll to be used for all of the cookies. These cookies
Challenge 1 (200 XP) remain animated for 1 hour, until the hag dies, or until the hag
Proficiency Bonus +2 ends this effect as an action. (This is considered a 2nd level
spell for the purposes of counterspell)
Cold-Hearted. The hag’s heart is filled with such sadness
and malice that it manifests as a chill that follows the hag B onus A ctions
everywhere she goes. The area within 15-feet of the hag falls Sleet Step (2/Day). The hag is briefly surrounded by a mix of
under the following effects: sleet and snow, then teleports to an unoccupied space she can
• The temperature is lowered by 10 degrees. see within 30 feet. (This is considered a 2nd level spell for the
purposes of counterspell)
• The area is filled by a light dusting of snow and ice
fragments, lightly obscuring objects within. L egendary A ctions
• Every three rounds another creature spends in this area,
The hag can take 0 legendary actions, choosing from the
it must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a
gain 1 level of Exhaustion. The creatures can feel this chill
time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The hag
creeping into their bodies before this effect triggers.
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
A ctions Snowblind. Target creature within 60 feet has a powerful burst
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. of snow erupt into their eyes. That creature makes a DC 11
Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage. Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, that creature must roll a
d4 and subtract it from the result of their next attack roll made
before the end of their next turn.
Lash Out (Costs 2 Actions). The hag attacks with her claws or
uses her bind in ice ability.

Details for how to scale the hag at higher APLs can be found on the next page!

36
Fighting the Hag at Higher APLs
The hag gains additional hit points, armor, legendary actions,
and other bonuses depending on the party’s APL. For
Living Ice Sculpture
Medium elemental, unaligned
information about these effects, consult the sections below:
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
CR 2 Hit Points 37 (5d8 + 15)
•T
 he hag’s hit points are set to 52 and her AC is 14. Speed 30 ft.
 he hag’s Dexterity score increases to 16, causing her Claws
•T
attack to have a +5 bonus to hit and deal 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
damage. 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)
 he damage of her Bind in Ice ability is increased to 7 (2d6)
•T
Saving Throws text
cold damage.
Skills Stealth +2
• Her Animated Cookies ability instead conjures 3 cookies. Damage Resistances Piercing and Slashing from nonmagical
•T
 he hag gains 1 Legendary Action each turn. weapons
Damage Immunities Poison
Damage Vulnerabilities Bludgeoning, Fire
CR 3 Condition Immunities Poisoned
•T
 he hag’s hit points are set to 75 and her AC is 15. Senses Passive Perception 10
 he hag’s Dexterity score increases to 16, causing her Claws
•T Languages Aquan, Auran
attack to have a +5 bonus to hit and deal 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing Challenge 2 (450 XP)
damage. Proficiency Bonus +2
 he damage of her Bind in Ice ability is increased to 7 (2d6)
•T
cold damage. False Appearance. While the sculpture remains motionless, it
• Her Animated Cookies ability instead conjures 4 cookies. is indistinguishable from an ordinary nonliving ice sculpture.
•T
 he DCs of the hag’s abilities are increased to 12. Frozen Regeneration. The ice sculpture can use ice and snow
around it to repair damage to its form. At the start of each
•T
 he hag gains 2 Legendary Action each turn.
of the sculpture’s turns, if it is standing within 10 feet of ice
or snow, it regains 4 (1d8) hit points. This effect is disabled
CR 4 when the sculpture reaches 0 hit points or if it has taken fire
•T
 he hag’s hit points are set to 90 and her AC is 15. damage since its last turn.
 he hag’s Dexterity score increases to 16, causing her Claws
•T Icy Weapons. When the sculpture hits with its ice sword, it
attack to have a +5 bonus to hit and deal 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing deals an extra 3 (1d6) cold damage (included in the attack).
damage.
 he damage of her Bind in Ice ability is increased to 7 (2d6)
•T
A ctions
cold damage. Ice Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold
• Her Animated Cookies instead summons a Gingerbread damage.
Cookie Swarm.
Ice Shard. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 90 ft.,
•T
 he DCs of the hag’s abilities are increased to 12.
one creature. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) cold
•T
 he hag gains 3 Legendary Action each turn. damage.
Frozen Nova (1/Day). The sculpture slams the ground and
causes a pulse of icy energy to cascade around it. Each
creature within 10 feet of the sculpture must make a
DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) cold damage
and having its movement speed reduced to 0 on its next
turn on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage and its
movement is halved on its next turn on a successful one.

37
 The Festival of Revelry
A Hedonistic Festival for Levels 5-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adventure Synopsis Average Party Level (APL)
Welcome to the Festival of Revelry! In the town of Drakos,
folks from all across the land gather to partake in activities
often viewed as less seemly or less virtuous. Debauchery and
hedonism are the names of the game when the Festival of
Revelry is in swing! The entire city lets loose and is converted
into the hottest event on the plane! Folks flood the taverns
and streets with a party that continues twenty-four hours a
day for a full week. The lights of the celebration can be seen
from miles and miles around as each night is accompanied by
brilliant fireworks displays!
Each person that enters the city during the festival is
given a Checklist of Revelry, which includes a list of items
to accomplish during the celebrations to truly say they have
reveled to their fullest! This list includes requirements such as
staying up all night, participating in a brawl, doing something
unnecessarily dangerous, and other activities that might be
frowned upon by civilized society! This adventure includes full
details for mini-games, prizes, food, drinks, taverns, and even
drugs the party will be able to find during their time in Drakos!
You can use these to simply let your party have some time
to unwind and participate in some fun role-playing, but this
module also includes an overarching story in which the party
must impress a prominent figure within the city named Varda
to obtain a powerful magic item! This will require the party to
set up their own game booth for the festival, perform a test of
the new House of Unspeakable Horrors, and put on their own
show!
I hope you are ready for some wild and chaotic fun because
you never know what might be waiting for you at the Festival
of Revelry!
Adventure for ALL Levels
If you are not using the provided adventure hook and
simply want to use the activities, food, drink, and location
of the festival, this will work for ANY level of adventuring
party!
Expected Length: 3-4 Sessions
This is a special kind of adventure that involves an incredible
amount of freedom for your players with a whole slew of
activities for them to participate in outside of the primary
quest. You should expect to be spending multiple sessions at
the festival and engaging with its activities.
38
This adventure uses Average Party Level (APL) to scale the
difficulty of encounters. Average Party Level is calculated as
follows:
• Find the average levels of all of your party members (round
up if you want to make things more challenging or down if
you want them to be easier!)
• For example, a party of four level 5 characters has an
APL of 5. A party of two level 6 characters and two level 7
characters has an APL of 6.5, but you can choose to round
this to 6 or 7 depending on the challenge you are seeking
for the adventure!
• For each character in the group above 4, add one to your
calculated APL. For each character fewer than 4, subtract 1
from the APL.
• For example, a party of six level 4 characters has an
average level of 4, but since there are six total characters,
we add 2 to our APL for a total APL value of 6.
Descriptive Text
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud
for the players when their characters first arrive at a location
or under a specific circumstance that will be noted.
Disclaimer One - Adult Content
This adventure is targeted to an adult adventuring party
and engages in the topics of sex and drugs. These are both
reflected in a positive manner in the adventure, but make sure
your group is comfortable with these types of in-game topics
before running this adventure or omit those particular parts of
the festival from your sessions!
Disclaimer Two - Intended for
Experienced DMs
Much of my content is targeted for Dungeon Masters of any
experience level, but the festivals are a bit more involved.
There is a lot of content to manage and requires higher levels
of improvisation than some of my other adventurers. As a
result, I would not suggest this for a novice Dungeon Master.
Read over the adventure and make sure you are comfortable
running it for your table before committing!
Festival of Revelry Overview Sheet
Major Events Specialty Foods
•P
 arty enters the city of Drakos • Dragon’s Breath Salsa
• Receive the Checklist of Revelry • Owlbear Claws
• Fortune Telling by Gobi the Goblin • Roulette Sundae
• Opportunity to Explore the City • Basilisk Burgers
• Arrival at The Golden Dragon to Meet with Varda • Pop Popcorn
• First Assignment - Create a New Game Booth
• Second Assignment - Testing the House of Unspeakable
Horrors
Drugs
• Final Assignment - Putting on a Show • Tranquility
• Slumber Shrooms
• Melody Dust
The Checklist of Revelry • Laughing Gas
•P
 articipate in a brawl • Revelry Rum
•S
 teal something • Elation Sphere
•S
 tart a party
•D
 o something unnecessarily dangerous
•R
 eveal a secret that has burdened you
Game Booths
•S
 et something on fire • The Floor is Lava

•S
 tay up all night • Don’t Look Up

•M
 ake a bet over something inconsequential • The Mechano-Critter Gauntlet

•D
 o something that terrifies you • Strength of Arms

•M
 ake three new friends • Flame Catcher

•D
 o some drugs • Hot Shots

•G
 et laid • Walk the Tightrope
• Silver Rush
• Whack-a-Bulette
Important NPCs • The Blade Blitz
•V
 arda - Party’s primary contact in the city. Seller of an
ancient artifact
•A
 lthea - One of Varda’s Event Coordinators

Taverns, Casinos, and Brothels

•G
 olden Dragon Tavern and Casino
•L
 ucky Sapphire Casino
•S
 hots and Giggles Tavern
•P
 inned Down Tavern
•K
 eys to the Kingdom Dueling Piano Tavern
•L
 eah’s Pleasure Palace

Shows
•T
 he Fight Pits
•A
 dventures in the Feywild

39
Welcome to Drakos
Drakos is a city built on the back of tourism and seeks to let
visitors indulge in gambling, entertainment, drinking, drugs,
and sex. Think of it as Las Vegas within a fantasy setting.
People come from far and wide to visit the city and have some
time to cut loose before returning to their normal lives. Drakos
is nestled in a valley with a large mountain range to the east
and a river running through the northern portion of the city.
No matter the direction folks approach from, they first see
the city from a higher elevation, which inspires awe with its
vibrant lights and bustling streets.
The city is home to around twenty-thousand citizens year-
round, most of whom are involved in supporting the city’s
tourism in one form or another. Tourists outnumber the
full-time citizens three to one for the majority of the year, but
during the festival, those numbers swell to six visitors for
every person who calls Drakos home.
The height of the city’s activity is around its center at
the intersections of Indulgence Drive and Luxury Lane.
This is referred to as The Nexus. This area is all casinos,
taverns, brothels, and arenas. Lanterns enchanted to burn
endlessly keep this part of the city alive no matter the time of
day. Businesses draw in guests with unique color schemes
including the flames of their lanterns. Looking down at the
city from the hills at night reveals an array of brilliant dancing
colors at its center.
The Festival of Revelry has been going on for over fifty years
and grows larger each passing season. Temporary housing
and entertainment pop up all around the city with street
merchants, game booths, food stalls, musicians, and more!
The city expands by nearly half a mile as folks bring their own
tents and camp on its outskirts, not wishing to pay the hiked
up prices of the taverns near the center of the city. The color
scheme for the festival is red and black and the merchandise
sold for the event is reflective of this. The streets are even
painted red and black with many businesses changing their
lanterns to match the theme as well.
Kicking off the Adventure
We start this adventure with the party cresting the hills on the
outskirts of the city. They are amongst other travelers from
distant lands coming into town to catch the Festival of Revelry!
You see a sign just off the road that reads “Drakos Scenic
Overlook Ahead!” and you spot a few dozen travelers standing
near the edge of a cliff looking out at the area beyond. As you
crest the hill, you see the grand city of Drakos for the first
time. It is early evening, so all of the lights of the city are on
and its center glows vibrantly. You can see thousands upon
thousands of folks making their way through the streets,
mere specks from this distance. On the outskirts of town are
hundreds upon hundreds of tents with campfires scattered
between them. You can even hear a bit of music on the wind
and the sounds of people shouting from the arena near the
center of Drakos! It is a breathtaking sight to behold!
40
If Using the Provided Story Hook
As mentioned above, you can run this as a festival in your own
world, but if you wanted to run this as a one-off adventure, this
is the hook! Fill them in on the details of their mission as they
arrive!
The party has been called to the Festival of Revelry to meet
with an individual named Varda, a wealthy figure responsible
for nearly half of the game booths across the city. They have a
penthouse suite at The Golden Dragon Tavern and Casino, the
largest casino in the city and one that caters to high-rollers.
The party has been told to meet this contact in the Royal
Dragon Suite on the seventh floor.
Varda is said to be in possession of an ancient weapon
known as the Showstopper Flail that once belonged to a
powerful demon lord. The energy that flows through the
weapon allows it to destroy other fiendish artifacts where
normal weapons would prove ineffective. Of course, Varda is
not willing to simply part with this weapon for free. Rumors
are that Varda has some “unique” practices for dealmaking
and it will be up to the party to do as they ask to make sure
the sale goes through successfully. If you want to incorporate
this adventure into your own campaign, this can be any
magic item of your choosing that might be beneficial to the
party and their current goals.
The party must make their way through the heart of the
festivities, hopefully stopping to enjoy some of the food and
games as they go (see the sections below to let the party know
all of the options available to them as they make their way
through the crowded streets of Drakos!)
Read the section below to get the party up to speed!
You’ve been called to the Festival of Revelry to obtain a
powerful demonic artifact known as the Showstopper Flail.
It is rumored to have belonged to a jealous demon lord
that bestowed this weapon with the ability to destroy other
fiendish relics. General Shuja has asked you to rendezvous
with the person who is said to be in possession of the
artifact, a wealthy half-elf named Varda that is responsible
for a majority of the game booths within the city. You are to
meet Varda at the Golden Dragon Tavern and Casino where
you have been given permission to offer up to 25,000
gold pieces in exchange for the flail. This payment will be
made by the Loxodus Kingdom, so you unfortunately do not
have such wealth on hand. Of course, with the Festival of
Revelry underway, it is expected that you get a little rest and
relaxation while you are in town, but how you choose to blend
business and pleasure is ultimately up to you!
If you are running this as a one-off adventure, I recommend
giving each player 300 + (5d6 x 10) gold pieces to use as
they wish at the festival!
Into the City
It takes another hour to reach the city, but as the party arrives
they are presented with food carts, game booths, entertainers,
and merchants. The lights are vibrant, the music is loud, and
heavily intoxicated visitors stumble through the streets. Folks
can be found dancing and enjoying themselves no matter
where you look!
As you enter the city proper, a young woman in a black and
red cabaret outfit runs up to you with a stack of papers.
She extends one to each of you and tells you to make sure
you check off all of the items on the list to truly embrace
the festival experience! The flier she is handing you reads
“Checklist of Revelry” in fine black ink across the top. It
contains a list of activities to complete and a checkbox next
to each of them.
The Checklist of Revelry
The list that the woman gave the players is the Checklist of
Revelry. It is optional and simply serves as a way to get the
players to open up to additional roleplaying opportunities.
If you feel uncomfortable with any of the items on the list,
amend it as needed! The players are free to track their lists
and it is up to them if they think they’ve met the requirements
of some of the subjective items such as “do something that
terrifies you”.
The items on the list are as follows:
•P
 articipate in a brawl
•S
 teal something
•S
 tart a party
•D
 o something unnecessarily dangerous
•R
 eveal a secret that has burdened you
•S
 et something on fire
•S
 tay up all night
•M
 ake a bet over something inconsequential
•D
 o something that terrifies you
•M
 ake three new friends
•D
 o some drugs
•G
 et laid
For some extra fun, create a physical list to give to each
of your players so they can track their progress as they go
through the festival!
[Story] Meeting with Varda
If you wish to use an overarching adventure hook for the
festival, this is it! All of the contents flagged with [Story] are
specific to Varda and their requests of the party to make a
deal for the Showstopper Flail. If you simply wish to drop
the festival in your world without necessarily adding this
plot hook, you can ignore these sections, but they might
give some interesting ideas for activities for the party to
partake in!
A Stroll Through the City
The Golden Dragon Tavern and Casino is part of The Nexus,
the heart of the city where its two largest streets - Luxury
Lane and Indulgence Drive - meet. The party will have quite
a trek through Drakos to reach it. During their walk, they will
have a chance to check out many of the local food carts, game
booths, and even attend one of the shows if they’d like. It is an
opportunity to get an early start on completing the Checklist
of Revelry as well! Use information provided towards the
end of this module for information on all of the different
activities the party can partake in as they travel. Use the
Overview Sheet near the beginning of the adventure for a
quick reference list of all of these different activities!
You can use the following to text to offer up some of these
hooks to the party as they travel.
As you walk down the streets of the bustling city, you
pass folks from all walks of life and see some of the most
extravagant outfits you have ever laid eyes upon. Human
women wearing elegant gowns as they make their way to a
high-stakes casino, elvish men dressed in revealing, leathery
outfits that leave little to the imagination, and dwarves in
battle garb heading to the arena to participate in a fight. You
see tieflings, genasi, gnomes, half-orcs, goliaths, aasimar, and
even a few goblins in just a few minute span.
The streets are lined with vendors beckoning you over to
purchase their goods - owlbear claws, dragonbreath salsa,
and even a roulette sundae! Musicians, jugglers, dancers, fire
eaters, and a multitude of other entertainers have stations
set up throughout the city, each performing with a tip jar
or box sitting nearby. Bright and colorful game booths are
scattered between the buildings with both people playing and
crowds cheering them on. You see contestants smacking one
machine with a large mallet, another group of people running
around on a giant spinning disc with targets strapped on top
of their heads, and even a group of people trying to catch
actual balls of flame in a metal bucket!
The city is vibrant and full of life and is simply waiting for you
to explore it.
Gobi, the Prognosticating Goblin
As the party is making their way down the street, a goblin
sitting on a tall chair in an elaborately decorated booth will
call out to them. He will ask them if they would like their
fortune read for but three silver pieces each? This Goblin is
named Gobi and he serves as a fortune teller for the party. He
is wearing an elaborate garb and speaks in an over-the-top
dramatic voice at all times, which is a real crowd-pleaser. A
character can only have their fortune told by Gobi a single
time!
41
When the party speaks to Gobi, roll a d20 to determine their
fate. Use the result of the die to determine how their fortune
plays out!
Table of Fortunes
d20 Result
1 “Gobi sees a great misfortune in your future,
but not for you. No, you shall simply witness
this catastrophe!” Once in the next twenty-four
hours, they can replace any ability check made by
a creature that they can see with a 1!
2-4 “Gobi detects that great fortune awaits you! You
will stumble into unforeseen wealth!” Once in
the next twenty-four hours, this character can
double the amount of wealth they would receive
from a reward or gambling.
5-7 “Gobi divines that you will find a friend when
you are in need! The city is full of kind folks and
many are willing to take a chance on a stranger!”
Once in the next twenty-four hours, if this
character requests help or is in need, a friendly
NPC will come to their aid (if possible to do so).
8-10 “Gobi suspects fame in your future! People will
flock to you and adore you!” For the next twenty-
four hours, any Charisma (Performance) checks
made by this character are made with advantage.
In addition, NPCs are naturally drawn to them in
conversations.
11-13 “Gobi predicts that a friendship shall grow much
stronger during your time in the city! Revel as
one and be rewarded!” Gobi will choose another
random character in the party. As long as these
two characters are within 10 feet of each other
and have taken steps to deepen their bond, the
character that had their fortune told gets +1 to
their proficiency bonus.
14-16 “Gobi envisions a new companion, but not one
like you or I. They will love you dearly and stay
with you for a lifetime, should you let them!”
This character will find an animal companion
somewhere in the city. Keep this event a secret
until it comes time for them to meet their
companion.
17-19 “Gobi senses love in the air! With a city so grand,
it is no surprise that romance is in your future!”
For the next twenty-four hours, this character
has advantage on all Charisma skill checks made
when trying to engage in romantic behavior with
another. (This only extends to relationships for
the sake of romance and does not function when
ulterior motives are at play!)
20 “Gobi foresees that you will overcome great
odds! What might have been a tragedy will be a
triumph!” Once in the next twenty-four hours,
they can replace any ability check they’ve made
with a natural 20!
42
The Golden Dragon Tavern and
Casino
When the party finally makes their way to The Golden Dragon,
you can read them the following as they step inside:
The front doors of the Golden Dragon Tavern and Casino are
opened for you by an attendant dressed in a fine black and
red suit. The smell of food, liquor, and tobacco are thick in
the air and pleasant music from a live band on a stage not
far from where you’ve arrived echoes through. There are
hundreds of people within the main area, most of which are
crowded around the dozens upon dozens of card tables that
are scattered through the floor. Servers carry trays crammed
full of drinks to patrons parting with their hard-earned gold.
The decor is extravagant and it is clear tens of thousands if
not hundreds of thousands of gold pieces were spent in the
construction of this casino.
The Royal Dragon Suite
There is a minotaur that oversees a winch-operated elevator
that can take guests up to the higher floors, but when the party
asks for a ride, they will be told that the elevator services are
only for folks who have a room. They will need to take the
stairs. It is a long walk up the seven flights, but they eventually
arrive at the top floor where all of the finest suites are located.
The Royal Dragon Suite is on the corner nearest the The
Nexus. There is a human man in a fine suit next to the door,
a slender blade hangs at his side and there is a visible chain
shirt under his clothing.
The party introduces themselves and the man at the door
asks for them to leave their weapons in a nearby lockbox,
giving each of them a key so they can easily retrieve their
belongings once they are done with the meeting, then opens
the door to the suite.
You step into the suite and the smell of vanilla is the first
thing that strikes you - a strong aroma filling the air from
candles burning all across the space. The suite itself is larger
than many houses you’ve seen and is complete with its own
kitchen area, multiple tables and couches, and a sprawling bed
against the far wall with a massive mirror on the ceiling above
it. The far wall of the room is almost entirely floor-to-ceiling
windows that allow natural light to flood in. There is also a set
of glass double doors leading out to a balcony that overlooks
the city square. You can see the silhouette of a person sitting
outside holding a glass of alcohol in one hand. The guard at
the door gives you a nod.“Varda has been expecting you.
I suggest you don’t keep them waiting.”
Who is Varda?
Varda is a non-binary half-elf that has accumulated a great
deal of wealth in their thirty years of life. Varda’s mother
abandoned them at a young age, and they never knew their
father, so their childhood was one of hardship and thievery.
During that time, Varda observed some of the back alley
swindlers and learned more and more about gambling and
how to get people to part with their money without needing to
stoop to pickpocketing. The Festival of Revelry was a magical
time of year and after watching so many people drinking and
spending without reserve, ideas began to form. Varda started
with sleight of hand gambling games in the streets that later
transformed into game booths run by other street urchins and
finally into over half of the fully mechanized games that are
distributed across the city today!
Varda’s wealth is substantial, but thanks to their humble
beginnings, a great deal of that wealth goes back into the city
itself. They believe that the spirit of the festival is what saved
them from a life of starvation in the gutters, so it needs to
be persisted and flourish. This is why Varda puts such heavy
requirements on their business partners. Varda will only do
business with someone that they feel understands the Drakos
lifestyle and what it has to offer!
Varda lives the lifestyle of Drakos to the fullest and can be
erratic and sometimes even dangerous. They will pressure
people to do things that put them out of their comfort zones
and is very forward with their attraction to individuals which
may include anyone regardless of their gender identity. Varda
loves to live in luxury and will try to treat the party to that
same treatment during their stay in Drakos as long as they
remain on Varda’s good side.
Speaking with Varda
Varda has a slender form, deeply tanned skin, and hair that
has been dyed a deep blue. They keep their hair in a pixie cut
and it is often adorned with decorative hair pins. They wear
an assortment of jewelry which includes rings on nearly every
finger, eyebrow piercings, and a necklace displaying a golden
poker chip on a silver chain. They wear a set of thick-rimmed
black glasses and at the moment a black suit with red accents
matching the colors of the Festival.
Varda will greet the party and invite them out onto the
spacious balcony overlooking the city. There is seating for
everyone and Varda will offer up some top-shelf tequila with
fresh sea salt and lime to anyone interested. If anyone refuses,
Varda will be a bit offended and insist that they have a drink
to loosen up before they get down to business. Varda will
also take this time to size up the party and spot at least two
members of the group that catches their eye which will come
into play a bit later.
Once everyone has had a drink or refused, Varda will
finally start talking business with the party, but does so in an
incredibly nonchalant, casual manner despite the fact that
thousands of gold is on the table. Varda does in fact have the
item they seek (the Showstopper Flail if you are following
the guide for this adventure, but this could be an artifact of
your choosing as well!) and is always willing to make a deal.
Varda knows the item the party seeks will serve an important
purpose, but they do not sell their wares to just anyone!
In order for Varda to complete the deal, they will need the
party to do a few things to prove they are worthy of doing
business here in the town of Drakos.
Varda leaps up on the railing that surrounds the balcony,
teetering on the edge of a nearly hundred foot drop! They
throw their hands out towards the city as fireworks erupt in
the sky overhead. “This is my city. My home. It made me into
the person I am today and in return I help to ensure it stays a
place where people can unapologetically be themselves - free
of judgement. A place you can let out who you are deep down
in your core, the you that is normally kept hidden away due to
the pressures of society!” Varda turns to face you, still on the
edge of the balcony and a single slip away from death. They
give you a dazzling smile. “I will ask that you let this city move
you, that you become part of the festivities and let it change
the way you see yourself and the world. Then, and only then,
shall we do business. With twenty-five thousand gold on the
line, I think my demands are reasonable.”
And with that, Varda steps back down onto the balcony feeling
exhilarated and immediately downing another shot of tequila.
Varda will then give the party their first assignment!
They will need to create their own custom game booth!
Varda will provide them with any and all materials and even
talent they may need to make this a reality, but they are
looking for something not yet seen in this city! Dig deep and
know that this is Drakos where nothing is off limits! Varda
has procured them a spot not far from the Golden Dragon
Tavern and Casino where they will be able to work on their
new idea. They will have two days to complete this task and
Varda encourages them to explore the city and work on their
checklists with any extra time they have.
Varda has procured a suite for the party to share up here on
the top floor of the Golden Dragon and will hand them each a
keycard to allow them entry. It comes with multiple beds and
its own bar which Varda encourages them to use in their time
here. As long as they have those cards, they will be able to
access some of the VIP services of the Golden Dragon such as
the elevator. When Varda hands out the cards, they also slip
an extra card to Varda's own suite to two members of the
party and flashes them a wink with a seductive smile and
biting of their lower lip. The party can follow up on this how
they wish, but Varda is interested in a night of wild fun with
these characters.
[Story] The First Request -
A New Game Booth
The first mission the party will need to take on for Varda is
to create a new game booth. As promised, the space for this
booth is set up just a street over from the Golden Dragon. The
party will have a map in their suite that shows them where it
is located.
43
Althea, Event Coordinator As long as your players put a solid effort into this game booth
(which we can expect), Varda will be pleased with their
When the party arrives in the morning, they will find a half-elf progress. Varda will also ask the party what they have learned
woman already waiting for them. about the Drakosian lifestyle and if they have learned anything
about themselves along the way! Hopefully, by the time the
You see a half-elf woman standing in the open space that was party puts up the booth, they will have taken some time to
noted on your map by Varda. She waves to you excitedly as explore the city of Drakos and will be able to share some of
you approach and beckons you in her direction. She wears
their experiences with Varda.
garb that reminds you of a pirate, but it is quite stylish with
Varda will inform them that they are pleased with the party’s
its blue and green color palette. She has dark red hair that is
progress, but for such a massive deal as this, there will need
complemented by bright green eyes, though some of this
hair is covered by a green cavalier accented with a large white to be some additional efforts made.
feather. But even with such an eclectic outfit, by far her most The next request they will have to complete on this very
notable feature is a half-elf-scaled squirrel tail with red fur the night!
same color as her hair! She shoots you a winning smile and
introduces herself as Althea, one of Varda’s primary event
coordinators in the city! [Story] The Second
Althea will help to provide the party with any materials and Request - House of
labor they might need to get their game booth operational.
This is of course within reason, so items that might cost
Unspeakable Horrors
Varda is a primary investor in one of the newest attractions
multiple hundreds or thousands of gold pieces can still be
coming to the town of Drakos - The House of Unspeakable
rejected. Runners stop by to ask if Althea needs anything
Horrors! It is a haunted house of sorts and it is almost ready
every fifteen minutes or so and if she has no new requests
to be opened to the general public! There are just a few more
from the party, she will ask if they need anything to eat or
things they need to test out and Varda thinks the party will be
drink. Varda’s hospitality extends to Althea as well and she is
the perfect guinea pigs!
incredibly friendly and bubbly.
There are many forms of entertainment in the city, but not
If anyone asks, she is happy to share more about her
many that cater to the experienced adventuring group! These
squirrel tail. It was part of an elective body modification she
groups tend to have large amounts of cash on hand and are
had done a few years back using a blend of medicine and
looking for a different type of excitement, so the House of
magic! She wanted to get a modification to allow her to climb
Unspeakable Horrors has been designed to have one version
and scale objects more nimbly and used a squirrel as an
that is available to the general public, and another that is for
example. The people at the facility told her they could give her
those willing to put themselves in actual danger!
that capability and even teased they could give her a big fluffy
Varda says the party is to grab their gear and make their
squirrel tail too. They intended it to be a joke… but Althea was
way to the House of Unspeakable Horrors immediately!
so excited that she made it happen. So now she can scale
Varda wants to gauge how difficult the challenges within
buildings with retractable claws and can manipulate her tail
truly are, so they hope the party will be able to make it
as easily as she can any other limb.
through alive and provide feedback on the experience so
Varda can know how to make it even better for those that
Making The Game experience the House in the future!
For this next section, the party will need to complete the
This next section is intended to let your players really flex
House of Unspeakable Horrors Dungeon! You can find the
their creative muscles! They can use Althea as a contact to
information for how to run this in the Dungeons section of
get whatever they need (within reason) so they will have full
this book along with the maps needed to run it!
creative freedom to create a new game for the festival! If they
When the party makes their way into the Souvenir Shop of
are lacking ideas, offer to let them try out the game booths
the House of Unspeakable Horrors, Varda will be waiting for
around the city so they can experience what they are like!
the party, excited to see how they fared and also excited to see
In order to call this a success, they will need to have
if they have any feedback for how to make the attraction even
created a unique game booth concept that is fun and
more exciting to others who may visit!
can be scaled to other parts of the city. Pricing and prize
The party surviving is enough for Varda to be pleased with
structures aren’t necessary as Varda would be the one to
their performance and Varda will tell the group that they
make final decisions on those items. Give your players time
have but a single task left to perform before being considered
to hash out their ideas and finally explain to you how the game
worthy of going into business together. Varda hopes that the
will be played!
party had a good time working with Althea, because they will
Varda will arrive at the booth at dinner time two days
be working with her once again for the next step! Varda pulls
after making the initial request. At that time the party
out a rolled up piece of paper and unravels it to reveal an
will need to give their pitch of the game to Varda who will
advertisement for the Festival of Revelry’s latest "Mystery
challenge them with questions about their inspiration,
Performance - Presented by Varda" in just two nights!
feasibility, and how fun it is to play!

44
[Story] The Final Request
- A Show of Your Own
This is the final request Varda has for the party - they will
put on a show to a live audience! This has been a common
tradition for Varda - bringing in those that wish to go into
business and putting them under extreme pressure to see
how they adapt. Varda tells them the location of a tent where
they will be performing in front of a crowd of approximately
two-thousand individuals! Althea will be there and available to
them for anything they might need to put on the show, but it
is up to them what they want to do to wow the audience! As a
final offer to the party, Varda tells them that if they put on
an impressive enough show, they will get a cut of the ticket
profits.
The party is informed that Varda has an appointment at
Leah’s Pleasure Palace that they must run to, but that they
look forward to seeing the show in two nights! Before Varda
leaves, they have one final note. “Remember, you are
a team. I expect each of you to contribute to this show
somehow! This is Drakos and one can’t experience the city
by sitting on the sidelines.”
This task is similar to the game booth, but rather than
creating a game, the party will be putting on a show! Once
again, Althea is there with runners constantly appearing to
ask for any requests she might have for them. The party has a
fairly sizable budget for their production as these shows are
always a full-house and Varda makes a huge profit off of the
event. The show will take place inside a large tent with rows
of bleachers all around the outside for seating. The party will
have time to plot and can even partake in some of the other
events around Drakos for inspiration! The one requirement
is that each member of the party must play a role in this
show, otherwise Varda will be left disappointed no matter
how remarkable the performance. Althea will be sure to
remind the party of this fact if she notices that someone
isn’t pulling their weight.
Give the party time to prepare for their show and to
explore the city even more. Althea will hint to the party that
completing the checklist is something Varda always looks
for in business partners, so they should get to it! The party
could of course lie about the activities they undertook in the
city, but if Varda discovers the party is not being genuine about
any of their experiences in Drakos, the deal will be off!
After the two days have elapsed, the party will perform their
show!
You peek into the tent and see that the bleachers are
absolutely packed for the event! As promised, there are
thousands of people in attendance ready to see your show!
The murmuring of the crowd and the excitement is evident.
You see people chugging down drinks and snacks from
vendors making their way around the tent. At the far end,
there is a special seating area where you can see Varda
chatting with a few companions, all of which are dressed in
the latest fashions.
Varda rises to their feet and thanks everyone for coming
with a voice that has been amplified by magic. Over the
next few seconds, the entire crowd falls into a hush as Varda
begins to speak. “Thank you all for coming to another of
my special productions. I expect you are all having a good
time?” to which the crowd responds with an absolute uproar
of cheer. “Well, then I think you are in for a treat! I have only
known these fine folks for a few days, but from what I have
seen so far, our hands will be sore from clapping before this
night is over! Let’s start that process with a round of applause
to welcome them and we can get this show underway!”
The party will then need to perform their show! Each member
of the party should have a role to play, so have each of them
make rolls corresponding to the skill they are showing off
for the crowd! Note the result of each of these rolls as they
are made. Encourage each player to describe how their
character performs and give them advantage on their rolls
if they do an excellent job bringing the scene to life. This
is their key to making a nice profit! Be sure to tell the party
how the crowd reacts to their set depending on how well their
roll went.
Once everyone has described their part of the show, check
to see how many of them rolled a total of 15 or higher for their
check.
• If ALL of the party members succeed on their checks,
the crowd goes absolutely wild! They give a multi-minute
standing ovation and rain coins down into the arena for the
party to collect afterward! Varda gives the party a reward
of 500 gold plus (APL x 8d6) additional gold from all of the
coins thrown by the crowd!
• If at least half of the party members (rounded down)
succeeded, then their overall show is a success! The crowd
gives the party a hefty round of applause and many people
throw coins into the arena to show their appreciation. Varda
will reward the party with 300 gold plus an additional (APL x
8d6) silver from the crowd.
• If fewer than half of the party members (rounded down)
succeeded, then overall the show bombed. There are some
cheers from the crowd, but people funnel out rather quickly.
Varda does not give the party a cut of the profits and a mere
(APL x 8d6) copper pieces are tossed by the crowd.
Varda will also give the party a stack of 10,000 Revelry
Tickets to use as they'd like.
45
Regardless of the outcome, Varda will make their way over
to the party to chat when the show is over. Even if their
overall show was a failure, Varda will have a smile on their
face. Varda will ask them what they have learned about the
Drakosian lifestyle and if there is anything about the city that
will stick with them going forward? Varda then asks if the
party has been filling out their Checklist Revelry and asks
to see their progress. These lists are the true test for the
party. The show was important, but the goal was for them to
embrace the festivities!
Varda will pick out a few items on the lists of individual
characters and ask them to elaborate on what happened and
dig in for additional details! This should be a fun roleplaying
opportunity for your players and they recount their adventures
in Drakos. Varda takes immense pleasure in listening to their
stories, and as long as overall the party has made strong
efforts to fill out their lists, Varda will tell the party that they
would be happy to go into business together.
Varda says that they will take the next steps to fulfill their
deal and asks if the party would like to partake in an afterparty
at Varda’s suite? “Regardless of where your path leads you
from here, I hope that your stay in Drakos will have an impact
on your lives forevermore. But tonight… well we will see if I
remember tonight come the morning.”
You can choose to play out the events of the afterparty and
the party may have fun having one last night of indulgence.
There will be drinking, drugs, food, and plenty of people
looking to have a wild and exciting night! Varda even hires
a band to play in the suite including a guitarist whose
instrument produces lightning when played!

46
Taverns, Casinos, and
Brothels
Golden Dragon Tavern and Casino
Overview
The Golden Dragon Tavern and Casino is the largest
establishment in all of Drakos. It features over 50,000 square
feet of casinos, shops, restaurants, and guest rooms. One
could theoretically come to Drakos and never need to leave
the Golden Dragon with all of the amenities it features. As
the name would suggest, the theme of the Casino is gold
dragons. Sculptures, paintings, and outfits all depict these
most majestic of creatures. The waiters and waitresses all
wear outfits of black and red with golden scale accents and
don a golden dragon mask for the entirety of their shifts.
Fake displays of treasure and wealth fill the casino and serve
to draw folks to its numerous restaurants and the Dragon’s
Den Tavern. The Golden Dragon's main draw is its hundreds
of gambling tables with blackjack, craps, roulette, and poker
tournaments kicking off multiple times each day!
The Dragon’s Den Tavern features two stages that are
constantly cycling through live music as well as four separate
bars kept stocked with drinks from all across the continent!
The bartenders are performers as well as mixologists and
each beverage is accompanied by a small performance. The
tavern is even connected to a pool that extends to the exterior
of the casino. One of the bars is in the water and floating
fake lily pads serve as both decorations and drink holders. At
the center of the Dragon’s Den is a full-scale ancient golden
dragon statue surrounded by a fountain filled with coins.
Nearly everyone who makes their way to Drakos finds their
way to the Ancient Dragon Fountain and throws in a coin
as they make a wish. At the end of each night, the coins are
collected and donated to charitable organizations within
Drakos.
Staying at the Golden Dragon casino costs between 4 and
20 gold per night depending on the quality of the room.
Lucky Sapphire Casino
Overview
A luxurious casino just off The Nexus and across the street
from the Golden Dragon Tavern and Casino. These two
casinos are rivals, and while both are immaculate and
sumptuous, they have drastically differing styles. While
the Golden Dragon’s primary theme is the dragons of its
namesake, the Lucky Sapphire is decorated with elaborate
water features as well as advanced lighting mechanisms that
leave guests breathless as they explore the spaces between
gambling lounges. Everywhere you walk within the Lucky
Sapphire, there is some sort of fountain or stream of water
flowing by. Lights and gemstones encased in these waterways
cause the ceiling to dance with dazzling arrays of colors. The
waiters and waitresses wear silver and blue outfits that are
adorned with fake sapphire gemstones. The look is elegant
and the staff composes themself with an air of sophistication
that is not present in most of the city.
The Lucky Sapphire’s greatest amenity is the Sparkling
Sapphire Spa. Dozens of heated tubs fill the area to relax the
muscles combined with pleasant music from some of the best
musicians in the city. Guests can get massages of all varieties
for general relaxation or to treat the sore muscles of folks who
have been off adventuring for too long! This area also comes
with the largest pool in the entire city in the shape of a giant
cut gemstone. Sections of it are over thirty feet deep with
diving boards and poolside drink service. The pool's crowning
feature is a water slide that takes guests up and over the
casino before they curve around and splash into the deep end!
Staying at the Lucky Sapphire costs between 2 gold and
10 gold per night depending on the quality of the room.
Shots and Giggles Tavern
Overview
A comedy club / tavern with a massive sitting area around a
stage. There are regularly scheduled comedy acts as well as
open mic nights during which anyone can go up on stage and
perform a set. Some of the performers are hilarious and get
the crowd hooting and hollering, but many of the acts fall flat.
Each table is given a small bucket of old fruits and vegetables
that can be thrown at performers, but a refill of the bucket
comes at the cost of 2 silver! Most of those that get up on
stage for these acts are so drunk that they revel in the fruit and
veggie onslaught! It is not a tavern for everyone, as some think
it quite cruel to bombard the performers with old produce
even if the performers know it is coming.
Server
A young half-orc woman named Takila (pronounced the same
as Tequila). She gets many comments about her name, but her
father always tells her it is how she ended up conceived and
he always thought the word was pretty. She has an athletic
build and often comes out of the kitchen holding twelve plates
of food across two serving trays.
Food and Drink Specials
Laughing Gas is the specialty drink at Shots and Giggles. It is
a shot that produces a vapor that when inhaled will make you
feel dizzy and lightheaded for a few minutes. During this time,
it gives a sense of pure joy as if nothing could bring you down.
It also does a great job numbing physical pain! The standard
procedure is to take a deep breath of the vapor and then
knock back the shot. Patrons are warned to be seated when
consuming this drink or risk falling over!
The tavern serves your standard bar food, but there is a
special menu item called The Leftovers that one can order
for 5 silver pieces. It contains the remnants of leftover meals
piped into walnut-sized containers. These containers have a
light membrane and will erupt on contact. This is intended to
be a way to pack an extra punch when booing a performer off
stage and not actually to be consumed.
47
Pinned Down Tavern
Overview
This tavern is set in a bowling alley with thirty individual
lanes for guests to enjoy! A game of bowling costs 2 silver per
player and renting shoes for the oiled floors is an additional 5
copper pieces. Even with 30 lanes, the tavern is almost always
at capacity, but patrons can write their names down on a list
to reserve a lane and enjoy the rest of the tavern as they wait.
Besides the bowling alley, there are still dozens of booths and
tables to enjoy a nice drink and a meal.
If your players want to compete in a game of bowling, they
will need to make three checks from the following list and
sum their total:
•D
 exterity (Acrobatics)
•S
 trength (Acrobatics)
•D
 exterity (Athletics)
•S
 trength (Athletics)
•D
 exterity (Sleight of Hand)
•S
 trength (Sleight of Hand)
•W
 isdom (Perception)
Players are unable to choose the same option more than
once, so they will be better suited if they are a well-rounded
individual. There is of course no prize for winning, but the
players can have a good time betting on a winner.
Server
If the party gets service at Pinned Down, they will be helped
by an elderly human man named Nigel. He has lived in this
city his entire life and has been a participant in every single
one of the Festivals of Revelry. He has also managed to bowl
a few perfect games during that time and is arguably the best
bowler in the city even at the age of sixty-seven.
Food and Drink Specials
The Twelve Frame Shot Sampler is a sample drink tray that
comes arranged in a large line with the final three clustered
together. The standard challenge is to have one person down
each of the shots to say they have completed a perfect game,
but most patrons are absolutely smashed by the time they
complete the challenge! The alcohol used is from all across
the continent so it comes with a price tag of 3 gold per tray!
A character that attempts to drink all of the shots in a single
sitting must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw to get
through the first six, then an additional DC 15 Constitution
saving throw to down the next three! The final three shots
require success on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw! On a
failure, they either pass out or throw up before the deed can
be completed!
The 10-Pin Pretzel is a triangle-shaped dish of melted cheese
with ten individual soft pretzel sticks dipped into it in the
shape of a set of bowling pins. This is usually served with a
small bowl of meatballs or cherries that serve as the bowling
balls for this themed snack. Party members can snag one of
these delicious treats for 3 copper pieces.
48
Keys to the Kingdom Dueling Piano
Tavern
Overview
Keys to the Kingdom is set inside of a massive building styled
in the fashion of a castle’s great hall. The tables are over thirty
feet long, allowing nearly forty people to sit together at each
of them. There are no individual booths or smaller individual
tables in the Keys to the Kingdom as the style is meant to
encourage strangers to mingle over drinks! They want guests
to feel as if they are walking into a grand banquet! Servers
swing around to these tables, taking and dropping off orders
of mead, turkey legs, and other rustic feast food options.
At the far end of this dining hall, where one might expect
to traditionally see the thrones of a king and queen, are two
pianos facing one another. Sitting atop each of them are open
steel helmets with the words “Tips and Requests” painted on
the side. The piano players change throughout the week. Each
of them have their own gimmick and costume setups, but they
are all in the roles of traditional adventurers and villains! They
really get into their characters, making grand speeches and
playing to the crowd for tips as they battle it out through song!
At the end of the night, one of them will be declared
victorious and the other will fall to the floor in a dramatic
display during their final performance. This happens just
after midnight and the Keys to the Kingdom is packed tight
for this final, wondrous display of talent on the piano! You can
see details of potential heroes and villains below to bring the
tavern to life!
Heroes
• Torlivand, The Queen’s Blade. Knight of the Azure Court
and Defender of Justice! He plays in a full set of gleaming
plate mail armor.
• Zaleria, Weaver of the Arcane. Wizard from the Starsworn
Tower and bound to protect the celestials above with her
powerful magics! She wears a set of colorful wizard robes
and incorporates magic into her playing.
• Finn, The Grand Mistral. Traveling Storyteller and master
of over twenty instruments that he incorporates into his
songs along with the piano. Wears an elaborate outfit with a
signature oversized red cavalier.
Villains
• Rielt, The Shadow. Shapeshifter and Illusionist who tears
down empires from within! He will use illusion magic to
enhance each performance. Wears dark robes and uses
devices to swirl smoke around his piano.
• Celsia, The Ice Maiden. Powerful frost witch who comes on
stage dressed in a beautiful blue and white gown and uses
her magic to chill the air around her and cause snow to fall
inside the tavern!
• Nakata, the Betrayer. An Oathbreaker Paladin who betrayed
his people for greed! Comes out in armor painted black and
vicious weaponry that he sometimes uses to play the piano
or to slice open fruits for the crowd.
Food and Drink Specials
The Royal Chalice is fine wine served out of a beautifully
crafted chalice coated in a layer of real gold. It costs 2 gold to
order one of these drinks, but when you bring the chalice back
you are refunded 1 gold and 8 silver pieces. This is to prevent
people from just taking the chalices and running, though they
still lose a few dozen each night from people who want to keep
one as a souvenir! The wine is of the highest quality, but the
real treat is simply to drink like royalty.
The Turkey Leg Dinner is the most popular dinner option
at the Keys to the Kingdom. It comes with an entire roasted
turkey leg, mashed potatoes and gravy, a hunk of bread, peas,
corn on the cob, and a mug of ale for 5 silver pieces. Most
people are unable to finish the meal as it is a massive tray of
food, but folks are here to dine like royalty!
Leah’s Pleasure Palace
Overview
The contents of Leah’s Pleasure Palace are sexual in
nature, so depending on the comfort of your group you can
choose whether or not you wish to have it as a part of your
adventure.
Leah’s Pleasure Palace is one of the main draws of the
city. Its size is rivaled only by that of The Lucky Sapphire
and the Golden Dragon Casinos. It is a place for patrons to
indulge in their fantasies and desires free of judgment in
exchange for just a bit of coin. The decor is upscale and the
entire establishment feels like one of royalty with provocative
sculptures and artwork hanging from the walls but done so in
a tasteful manner. Patrons are funneled into a check-in desk
where they are asked about their interests and are relieved
of any weapons to be stored in lockboxes for later retrieval.
Bodyguards are scattered through the area to make sure that
anyone that gets out of hand is immediately removed from the
facility and banned.
The main lobby is one of indulgence that guests are free to
roam before partaking in other activities. There are multiple
bars with nearby seating and booths, some of which can be
closed off for privacy. Near the entryway is a massive fireplace
with a constantly roaring blaze and ample seating in the form
of large couches and round beds. There is even a pool area
with heated water that curves around the lobby and allows
guests to swim beneath glass tile flooring to other sections
of the lobby. Servers patrol the area, offering complimentary
wine to any patrons merely browsing. This is to loosen folks
up enough to make a purchase as many coming into the
Pleasure Palace are shy.
This lobby is often full of strangers looking to find a
connection, whether that by intellectual, philosophical, or
physical. Alcohol and drugs of all varieties are available here,
but the primary offering is elation spheres that can transform
any evening from wonderful to magical.
Activities
In terms of what Leah’s Pleasure Palace has to offer, it is
primarily a brothel. Patrons can pay to spend a few hours
or even an entire night with a member of their staff. Anyone
who wishes to partake in such activities will be asked to fill
out a quick questionnaire on their preferences so the perfect
partner can be selected for them for the evening. This can be
sex or just someone to accompany them as a date to an event
elsewhere in the city. It is 1 gold per hour or 8 gold for a
night which does include a luxurious room for their stay.
The Pleasure Palace is a massive operation and has
companions across the gender spectrum as well as outfits and
rooms for any need. Magical illusions can even be used for an
additional premium if a request is not offered as standard.
In addition to companions for the evening, the Pleasure
Palace also has a side auditorium that features nightly
burlesque shows. These are interactive and the dancers will
invite guests from the audience to get up on stage and dance
as well. The performances are intended for patrons of any
sexual orientation so there is a little bit of something for
everyone. The idea is for people to really cut loose, indulge,
and break down any barriers they might have about their own
sexuality. Tickets to a show run 1 gold apiece.
Connections
Leah's Pleasure Palace and its lounge is where many of the
powerful individuals of the city spend their time. It is a great
place to make allies that can further the party’s goals and if
they return to the city of Drakos, this can be a place to find
contacts. The party will encounter people who sell rare and
exotic weapons, potions, animals, and who give out some of
the most challenging jobs that pay well but require discretion.
Leah
Leah is the owner of the Pleasure Palace and is one of the
most powerful and influential figures in the entire city. She
is a pink-skinned tiefling with purple eyes, rare and stunning
colors that catch most off guard as they are so uncommon
to her race. The reality of her heritage is that she is half-
succubus. This is what gives her these distinct features, but
she does not let that information slip out to just anyone! She
is elegant and beautiful and is well aware of both of these
facts. She embraces her sexuality and will regularly make her
way through the lobby of her own establishment, looking for
those that pique her interests. One who manages to spend the
evening with Leah is quite lucky, for even after the evening’s
activities are done, they will have the ear of one of the most
wealthy, prominent individuals in the land. The party may even
be able to use this to their advantage!
49
Shows
For mass entertainment within the city are large-scale shows
that celebrate both ferocity and beauty. Feel free to add more
options to the list if your players are interested, but here are
just a few you can utilize.
The Fight Pits
The Fight Pits are the most deadly of the events in the city and
also one that draws the most attention. It is an open-air arena
of stone - a masterwork that took over a decade to complete
and can hold multiple thousands of observers for the events!
Each day, brave warriors fight against dangerous creatures
brought in from all across the continent in front of a cheering
crowd. Dangerous yetis from the mountains, fearsome
basilisks, sometimes even a bulette! It is bloody and barbaric
and is not without the chance for death, which is part of the
thrill for those who go to see the shows!
There are also occasional exhibition matches where they
invite others to participate in a battle! This normally comes
with a payday for those who wish to fight. If your party wishes
to participate in the Fight Pits, find some creatures of a high
difficulty for them to fight in a match after the officiants have
asked them about their skillset. These should be undead,
monstrosities, aberrations, etc… Never use humanoids for
these fights. We want these to be monsters and each of them
comes with a story of how they were terrorizing local villages
before being captured and brought here!
The party will be asked to sign waivers stating that they could
be permanently disabled or even killed in the Fight Pits as the
battles are quite real. They will have an opportunity to hear
what they will be put up against in the pits and given one final
chance to back out if they wish before the fighting begins.
The party has the option to surrender at any point during the
battle, at which point a group of their soldiers will rush in to
contain the situation.
You can find a map for the arena at the end of the module.
A Persistent Side Quest
Knowledge of the Fight Pits can be lucrative for the party,
as they are always willing to pay good coin for monsters that
can be brought to fight in the arena! The rules surrounding
the submission of monsters is that they must have somehow
been causing turmoil to the citizens of the land whether that
be attacking wagons or digging up crops. Someone will need
to be able to vouch on behalf of the party and of course the
creature must be captured alive. As long as the party can keep
the creature contained, they can simply send word back to
Drakos for someone to come collect and the next time the
party goes into the city they can get their payment or it can be
sent to any permanent residence they may have.
50
The reward for a creature scales with its Challenge Rating.
You can choose these values depending on how much gold
you want to award the party, but in general you can use the
following formula: [CR x CR x 10]
For example:
A CR 1 creature is [1 x 1 x 10] = 10 gold pieces
A CR 5 creature is [5 x 5 x 10] = 250 gold pieces
A CR 10 creature is [10 x 10 x 10] = 1,000 gold pieces
It is not a perfect scaling system, but it should get you pretty
close!
Adventures in the Feywild
The advertisements for Adventures in the Feywild describe
it as “A thrilling display of acrobatics and talent the likes of
which you have never seen! Come see our performers fly
through the trees, perform elaborately choreographed dances,
and sing enchanting melodies that will stay with you for the
rest of your life!” This is effectively a Cirque du Soleil show set
in the Feywilds but with live singing as well. Tickets will cost
the party between 1 silver and 2 gold depending on the quality
of seats they want for the performance.
This show has its own dedicated theater building that can
hold up to 900 guests at a time. The stage is decorated with
towering trees crafted with such detail that it is impossible to
tell that they are not real from the audience. The heroes of the
story swing from these trees, sing and dance with satyrs, do
battle against a deadly dream moth, are awed by the magics
of pixies, and eventually save a young princess from a coven of
hags! The show includes the use of real magics as well special
effects from the performers and it is a spectacularly good
time.
This show is primarily for entertainment, but you can
also have the party meet one of the higher-ups in the city if
they choose the luxury seats. They will overhear someone
whispering that the owner of the Lucky Sapphire Casino
is in attendance. Her name is Lucira. She is a retired
adventurer still renowned across the land as one of the
strongest sorcerers this world has ever seen. After decades of
adventuring, she decided to settle down in Drakos. This was
right as the Festival of Revelry was starting and it didn’t take
long for her to invest some of her tremendous wealth into the
Lucky Sapphire and has since increased that wealth ten-
fold. Her half-elf blood gives her an extended life, but at 138
years old she is past the prime of her youth. That being said,
she is still an absolute force to be reckoned with and knows
everyone of import within Drakos. If the party catches her ear,
they could pick up on some beneficial rumors or be pointed in
the direction of other powerful contacts.
You can also have the party find her hanging out at Leah's
Pleasure Palace if you'd like.
Food Carts
Scattered throughout the city are food carts with some of
the specialties of the festival! The characters will find them
on every street. Some vendors may have their own flair or
slightly different naming, but at the end of the day it always
comes back to these specialties! Many of the items are spicy,
as people are looking to live more adventurously during the
festivals!
Dragon’s Breath Salsa
This salsa is made with some of the hottest peppers that can
be found in the region! It is intended as a novelty due to the
extreme heat making it almost impossible to eat. Friends
will often have competitions to see who can eat the most
without stopping to get a drink. Its name comes not only
from the extreme heat but the color of the salsa which closely
resembles fire. It is typically sold with mugs of milk and
served alongside a platter of chips or thin bread. A typical
salsa and milk combo runs 6-8 copper depending on the
vendor.
Owlbear Claws
Owlbear claws are a twist on the traditional bear claw pastry.
Most booths make them massive in size - almost ten inches
in diameter. The owlbear claw comes with “feathers” made
of spun sugar and is drizzled with vanilla icing. Different
vendors have unique fillings for their owlbear claws, but apple
and cherry are the most popular throughout the festival! An
owlbear claw typically comes with a price point of 1 silver.
Roulette Sundae
This dish of ice cream comes with three scoops randomly
selected from a wide variety of flavors, all of which are
concealed and merely appear as ordinary scoops of vanilla
ice cream. The flavors are different for each booth around
the city, but part of the fun of the sundae is that while most of
the flavors are delicious - chocolate, hazelnut, salted caramel,
apple, peach - there are also some that are not quite as
pleasant! Some such flavors might be spicy pepper, lettuce,
cheese, beer, or corn! Taking a taste and trying to guess the
flavor or tricking your friends into taking a big bite of lettuce
ice cream is what makes these treats such a delight! A dish of
ice cream costs 3-5 copper depending on the stand.
Basilisk Burgers
These burgers are made with the tiniest amount of basilisk
venom. It is enough to add some kick to the burger and to
make your fingers and toes go numb! They are a delicacy and
do require some level of skill to prepare. If done so incorrectly,
it can cause temporary petrification! There is usually one or
two people each year that spend the night in the infirmary
encased in stone due to a poorly prepared basilisk burger, but
for most that simply adds to the thrill! You can even have the
players roll a d100 when they bite into their burger, becoming
petrified if they roll a 1. These burgers cost 1 gold each due
to the rarity of the ingredients and the difficulty of their
preparation.
Pop Popcorn
This special variety of popcorn comes with a multitude flavors
that can be added on top. Most food carts have powdered
cheeses as well as sweet options, but the true delight of the
popcorn is from the extra bit of fine ground mineral powder
added at the end. This causes the popcorn to crackle and pop
in your mouth as you chew it. It feels as if tiny pips of popcorn
are leaping around long after you have finished! This treat is
particularly popular with children who love running around
with their mouths open and listening to the pops! A bag of
this specialty popcorn costs 2-4 copper pieces.
Drugs
Drakos is a city where drugs are used as recreationally as
alcohol in other parts of the continent. There are vendors
all throughout the city where drugs can be purchased,
including each of the taverns! The market is regulated to
make sure visitors know exactly what they are in for and
there are people around the city ready to help if someone isn’t
having a favorable experience! The city of Drakos is one for
experimentation and freedom, so taking some of these more
potent substances is all within the spirit of the Festival!
Each of these drugs cost approximately 1 gold piece to
purchase (unless stated otherwise).
Tranquility
Tranquility is the most commonly used drug at the Festival
of Revelry and it is sold at all of the taverns as well as at
booths along the street. It is an herb most often ground up
and smoked, though sometimes it is baked into cookies or
brownies. It leaves the user feeling better about life for up to
twelve hours. It can calm anxieties, stifle mild pains, makes
food taste better, and in general just makes folks happier
while they are under its influence. It is always the drug that
vendors will suggest if someone is new to experimenting with
substances as very few have negative reactions when using
Tranquility.
Elation Sphere
Elation Spheres are part of the reward at the Hot Shots game
booths, but they can also be purchased at most taverns for
a price of 1 gold each or at the ticket redemption counters
for the price of 100 tickets. Consuming one of these blue,
squishy spheres provides a sense of ecstasy for the next thirty
minutes. During this time, any type of physical sensation is
magnified. As a result, these spheres are often taken before
sex. That being said, they can be dangerous with sensations
such as tickling as it can easily be overwhelming to the point
of physical illness. It is also not suggested to be taken along
side other substances as someone who stumbles while drunk
and stubs their toe will feel that pain magnified to the point
they may immediately pass out.
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Melody Dust
Melody dust is a fine red powder that comes in a small round
container and is sold at most of the taverns around town. It
has a very unique effect of highlighting the part of the mind
that appreciates sound. The dust is typically poured into a
drink and consumed, but one can also simply breathe in the
contents of the container. The melody dust lasts for about
four hours and during that time it brings music to life. Each
individual has a different experience but it is always the
manifestation of sound through other senses. Some folks see
vibrant colors swimming across their visions while others
have reported actually experiencing taste while listening to a
song as if they were eating a dessert.
Laughing Gas
Laughing Gas is a specialty drink at Shots and Giggles.
Inhaling the vapors will make one lightheaded and dizzy,
but also provides a sense of pure joy. It only lasts for a few
minutes and it ends rather swiftly so it can be dangerous!
While that feeling of joy persists, one typically loses all sense
of physical pain, which is why it is recommended to take this
drink sitting down and with a group of friends.
Revelry Rum
This is simply an incredibly potent rum that has managed
to mask its alcohol content behind a delicious berry flavor. It
does not carry the normal burning sensation or warmth in the
belly when consumed like most alcohol. It is one of the most
dangerous of the drugs offered in Drakos and as a result, it
is a bit more difficult to obtain. Since the rum tastes so good,
it is easy to over-consume and end up blacking out without
realizing what is happening! While most of the drugs are
about 1 gold piece, Revelry Rum comes with a price tag of
10 gold pieces per bottle, but that is enough to typically get
an entire group drunk for multiple nights.
Slumber Shrooms
Slumber Shrooms are the most difficult drug to obtain
in Drakos due to their powerful effect and because
the mushrooms required are so difficult to find. These
mushrooms give the user incredibly vivid dreams that seem
to last for hours and hours even if only a short period of
time has passed. Someone who gets a full night’s sleep after
consuming a Slumber Shroom will experience multiple
days worth of dreams and many folks wake up from this
experience feeling not only fully refreshed but also filled with
inspiration from these vivid and magical dreams. Due to their
difficulty to obtain, these mushrooms cost 5-10 gold each
and can only be bought at high-class establishments such
as Leah's Pleasure Palace or on the streets with the right
connections.
52
Games and Game Booths
Scattered throughout the city are multiple game booths as
well as some permanent establishments dedicated to more
complex and challenging games! Characters who partake
in these games are rewarded with Revelry Tickets that can
be turned in at prize booths all across the city for rewards!
Details of the prizes are noted in the [Revelry Ticket Prizes]
section below the Games and Game Booths descriptions.
The Floor is Lava
Overview
• Cost: 1 Gold
• Prize: 250 Revelry Tickets
• Game Type: Athletics and Acrobatics
The Floor is Lava game is a permanent fixture of the
town of Drakos. It is hosted inside of a large building with
enchanted signs out front that display “The Floor is Lava!
Come Feel the Heat!” and some illusions of lava pouring
over the words and melting them away every few seconds.
When the party enters the facility, they will be asked to pay
their entry fee and led to one of the multiple rooms that host
courses for players to attempt to conquer!
The rooms are a hundred feet across and are filled with
scattered formations of volcanic rock that look quite realistic
though they are crafted of wood, stone, paint, and clay. Along
the bottom of the room is an orange-red liquid that does look
incredibly similar to lava, though it is simply enchanted water.
Chunks of painted, floating clay fills the water to add to this
illusion of molten rock. The room is kept sweltering hot to
give the effect of heat and mechanisms cause the water to
flow and bubble so for those that have had a few drinks it is
indistinguishable from the real thing!
Playing the Game
In order to win the game, the player will need to get from one
side of the room to the other, leaping from rock formation
to rock formation along the way. Each of the rooms have
different paths that require different checks, but all are
approximately the same difficulty. As the player jumps from
rock to rock, they will need to make skill checks and saving
throws to determine if they succeed on their journey! Just one
failure and it is down into the lava and the player will have
to pay the entry fee again to give it another try! While in the
room, the use of magical effects are prohibited, so casting a fly
spell to soar to the other side would be a disqualification!
Roll a d8 5 times to determine the different skill checks
the player will need to make! After each roll, describe how
they traverse the course based on the type of roll made - a
long jump needed for an athletics check, springing between
multiple smaller stones for acrobatics, and trying not to slip
off a wet rock for a saving throw!
Skills Checks
d8 Roll
1 DC 11 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
2 DC 11 Strength (Athletics)
3 DC 12 Dexterity saving throw
4 DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
5 DC 13 Strength (Athletics)
6 DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
7 DC 14 Strength (Athletics)
8 DC 15 Dexterity saving throw
This game is intended to be very difficult, so it is expected a
player will fail multiple times before they make it to the other
side! If they do, their reward is 250 Revelry Tickets!
Don’t Look Up
Overview
•C
 ost: 1 Gold or 1 Silver
•P
 rize: 50-125 Revelry Tickets
•G
 ame Type: Archery and Thrill-Seeking
Don’t Look Up has two types of players - one that serves as an
Archer and many that serve as Targets!
The Targets must sign a waiver as they pay their 1 silver
to participate in the game stating that the Don’t Look Up
game booth is not responsible for any injuries or accidental
deaths that may occur when participating. Once the waivers
have been signed, the Targets are given a helmet with a
large wooden board on top painted with a target of black
and red lines. They then step onto a large rotating board and
must wait for an archer to step up and participate. They are
instructed to keep their heads level, and whatever they do,
don’t look up! (Though of course many in the city make a game
of looking up until the very last moment as an adrenaline
rush!) Have each of these players choose a number between
1 and 20 when they choose to be a Target as there are 20
Targets on the rotating board at a time! This will determine
if they win later on.
The Archer pays 1 gold to play and is led out to the center
of the rotating disc containing all of the players participating
as Targets. They are given a shortbow and an arrow with an
actual, sharpened tip! They must fire the arrow up into the air,
reaching at least the height of a red line painted on a nearby
post. The arrow then falls back down and hopefully hits one of
the many Targets rotating around the Archer!
The Archer must make an attack roll when they take their
shot! If the Archer misses, they must pay another gold to try
again, but all Targets get to remain on the board until one
of them gets hit!
Attack Roll Result
1-14 A miss!
15-17 The arrow strikes the outer edge of a target.
The Archer and the Target are each awarded
50 tickets!
18-20 The arrow strikes the ring just outside of the
bullseye. The Archer and the Target are each
awarded 75 tickets.
21-24 The arrow hits the bullseye! The Archer and
Target are both awarded 125 tickets!
25+ The arrow is shot with such skill that the
Archer can choose which of the Targets they
want to hit with a bullseye for 125 tickets
each!
Target Prizes
• When the Archer fires a shot and successfully strikes a
target, roll an additional d20 to determine which of the
Targets is hit. If the number rolled matches the number
chosen by one of the player character Targets, they win the
prize! After someone wins, a Target can pay again to keep
their spot on the board or choose a different number.
The Mechano-Critter Gauntlet
Overview
• Cost: 1-25 Gold for betting or 1 Silver for fun
• Prize: 10-250 Gold or 100-2,500 Tickets
• Game Type: Gambling / Racing
The Mechano-Critter Gauntlet seeks to put an interactive
spin on betting. Eight critters crafted by skilled artificers to be
equal in their performance line up at the start of the gauntlet
and must race their way through a series of obstacles to
reach their destination! Along the way, the mechano-critters
encounter spinning blades, dart traps, flame grates, as well as
sabotages from onlookers!
The Critters
• Weasel
• Rat
• Fox
• Cat
• Toad
• Hedgehog
• Squirrel
• Guinea Pig
Betting
There is a race every 10 minutes and before these events,
people can place their bets at one of many booths in the area.
Viewers can bet on any of the 8 animals or place a bet that
none of them finish which is always a possibility with the traps
and sabotages! Bets have a minimum of 1 gold!
• The payouts for winning for a specific critter is 10 times the
bet in coins or 100 times the amount contributed in Revelry
Tickets.
• The payout for none of the critters finishing is 5 times the bet
in coins or 50 times the bet in tickets.
53
The odds of any creature winning is perfectly evening
distributed, but the sabotages always throw a wrench into the
works as well as the different traps! The success rate for a
critter finishing the course is 35% even without any additional
sabotages from spectators due to the deadly nature of the
course.
The Race
During the race, the spectators have the option to spend
3 silver pieces on sabotages up to a maximum of 10
sabotages total! These sabotages are in the form of metal
pellets that can be launched at the mechs, ball bearings that
can be spilled onto the race track, and bags of oil that can be
tossed at the critters! Be sure to track which of the critters
received sabotages.
Details of these sabotages are as follows:
•B
 all Bearings - All of the mechs have a fixed lower rate of
completing the course as they scramble and crash while
navigating through the area! This can only be performed
one time per race!
•M
 etal Pellets - Thye shooter first chooses a target critter
they want to hit. Have them make an attack roll using their
Dexterity modifier and if they are proficient with a sling they
can add their proficiency bonus as well! On a result of 15 or
higher, they hit the target.
•B
 ag of Oil - The thrower hurls a bag at a chosen target
critter. This is considered an improvised weapon attack using
their Strength modifier. On a hit, the critter’s progress is
hindered!
The Race’s Completion!
Once the sabotages are completed, you will roll to determine
which of the mechs completed and which one was the overall
winner! For each animal listed above, roll a d20 to determine
if it finished the race. A roll of 14 or higher is required to have
completed the course successfully! For each sabotage the
critter received, subtract 2 from its total. This should result in
only a few of the critters successfully making it to the end and
sometimes none of them!
Once you have a list of all of the critters that completed
successfully, roll a d100 for each of them. They place in order
from highest to lowest result, rerolling to determine tie-
breakers. From there, you can award payouts to players based
on the winner of the race (including no one)!
Cheating with Valta
After the players participate in their first race, a female goblin
named Valta approaches them and discreetly asks them if
they are looking to win big. She is an older goblin and has
been living in Drakos for her entire life. It hasn’t always been
easy, but if there is one thing Drakos has going for it, it is the
acceptance of all people no matter their history, so she loves
the city with all her heart!
She will tell the party that she has a way to ensure their
critter comes in first, as long as they are willing to pay up and
not be too obvious about it. Her services come at a price of
100 gold which they can make back with just a single victory.
Her big rule is that no more than two people can bet on the
critter she fixes to rig. Can’t be having too many people win big
or they will catch on! She only offers up this service twice per
day, so if they don’t take her up on it they are out of luck!
54
Valta is good on her word, and as long as the party is willing
to pay her, she can ensure they get a victory in the next race!
The party just needs to make sure they don’t go too over the
top with it or some of the local bouncers may catch on that
something is up and shut down the operation, which would
make Valta quite upset! She won’t tell the party how she fixes
the race, but her numbers don’t lie!
Strength of Arms
Overview
• Cost: 1 Gold
• Prize: 10 - 300 Tickets
• Game Type: Brute Strength
This game is a basic arm wrestling style of game with
booths set up all around the city. The player arm wrestles
against an advanced mechanical device that has ascending
difficulty settings starting with Goblin and going up to Stone
Giant! The player must first start with the Goblin difficulty and
defeat each new challenge as they work their way up the prize
tiers! After each attempt, the player can choose to tap out and
take their prize or continue to press their luck and try the
next difficulty! If they fail to beat the new challenge, they lose
everything!
Arm Wrestling
Each arm wrestling attempt is a contest of Strength checks.
Best two out of three wins! Between each round, the person
running the booth will do their best to goad the player to
playing the next difficulty as it grows increasingly difficult and
very few can manage to take down the Stone Giant challenge.
Difficulty Level Strength Bonus Prize
Goblin +0 10 Tickets
Bugbear +2 25 Tickets
Yeti +4 150 Tickets
Stone Giant +6 300 Tickets
In addition to having a +6 Strength bonus, the Stone Giant
difficulty of the game automatically wins all ties!
Flame Catcher
Overview
• Cost: 1 Gold
• Prize: 10 - 150 Tickets
• Game Type: Sleight of Hand, Thrilling
This game is quite simple in concept. Flame Catcher booths
can be found throughout the city and the spellcasters that run
the booths will try to draw in players with dazzling displays
of flame! They are all Flame Jugglers and are masters of
fire magics. It costs one gold to play the game and players
are warned that it can be dangerous, but as long as they are
skilled, they should be fine!
The player is given a pair of thick gloves and a steel bucket
and must stand at the far end of a narrow 50-foot long
corridor. The Flame Juggler will then proceed to hurl 5 small
balls of fire in their direction and the player at the end of the
corridor will have to attempt to catch them in the bucket! Each
time a ball of fire is thrown, the player must make a DC 15
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. On a success, they manage
to catch the ball of fire! On a failure, they miss… but on a total
result of 5 or less, they are singed by the flames and take 1 fire
damage!
The player is rewarded 10 Revelry Tickets for each ball of
fire that they manage to catch. If they manage to catch all 5,
they receive a bonus 100 Tickets for a total of 150!
Hot Shots
Overview
•C
 ost: 2 Gold
•P
 rize: 100 Tickets and an Elation Sphere
•G
 ame Type: Drinking, Chance
This booth is a two-player game that can be found all
throughout the city of Drakos! Each player must pay 2 gold
for a buy-in and they are presented with a table containing 10
shots of alcohol of different varieties. One of these contains
an Elation Sphere that fills the user with a feeling of ecstasy
for the next thirty minutes and makes their eyes turn blue
for the duration. Another of the shots contains a Fire Seed
that causes immense pain if consumed. It is enough to make
eyes water, foreheads sweat, and some even vomit from the
intensity of the heat!
Whenever a player drinks the shot with the Elation Sphere
or with the Fire Seed, the game comes to an end. The player
who drank the Sphere or did not drink the Seed wins 100
Tickets. The players are then free to finish off the rest of the
shots as the alcohol comes with the entry fee!
To play the game, roll two d10s to determine which of the
shots contain the Elation Sphere and which contains the Fire
Seed. Then have your players take turns stating the number of
the shot they want to drink and let them know the results! Be
sure to build up the tension and excitement with long pauses
as each shot is consumed!
Walk the Tightrope
Overview
•C
 ost: 1 Gold
•P
 rize: 10-300 Tickets and an Elation Sphere
•G
 ame Type: Thrilling, Acrobatics
This game only has a few locations set up in the city due
to its sprawling nature, but each of its locations is amazing
and thrilling! For this game, a player pays a 1 gold entry fee
and ascends a 75-foot ladder leading up the side of a wooden
pillar. At the top, they will find a small round platform and a
slender pole roughly ten feet in length. This is intended to
help them keep their balance as they make their way through
the course! Leading from this platform to another nearby one
is thirty feet of rope. Down below the rope is a large net to
ensure anyone that falls lands safely!
There are four additional platforms in total, each harder than
the last, with the final one being on a slight incline! A player
traversing the ropes must succeed on Dexterity checks to
maintain their balance as they go. Each time the player makes
it across a rope, they earn some tickets, but all of them are lost
if they plummet to the netting below so they will have to press
their luck if they want to keep playing!
This is meant to be quite exciting because the city is below
them with its bright lights. The people walking through the
streets will often stop to cheer on the person playing the game
and there are entire areas dedicated to watching people try to
cross the tightropes! When they plummet, they may fall fifty
feet before hitting the rope net (depending on how high up
the buildings are) so it gives a huge adrenaline rush, even if it
doesn’t hurt.
The details of the rope sections are as follows:
Rope Dexterity DC Prize
1 10 10 Tickets
2 12 50 Tickets
3 13 125 Tickets
4 15 250 Tickets
Here is a bit of extra excitement! By the time a player
reaches the end of the course, they are nearly ninety feet
up. There is a ladder from each pillar that will allow them to
climb down, but from the final platform there is also a board
that stretches out over a large pool of bright purple liquid!
The NPC running the game will inform the player that they
can earn 50 bonus tickets if they want to take the plunge!
They simply need to step right off the board and they will be
fine! The pool is filled with a special liquid that absorbs and
distributes impact amazingly well, allowing for jumps of even
that extreme height to be safe! The crowds down below will
all shout and cheer if a player chooses to make the jump, but it
is strictly optional! This can serve as a nice way to check an
item off of their Checklist of Revelry!
Silver Rush
Overview
• Cost: 1 Silver
• Prize: 5 - 450 Tickets
• Game Type: Gambling, Sleight of Hand
Silver rush is a mechanical game with machines set up
all around Drakos in sets of a dozen. They are built to bleed
customers dry of their coins with the allure of a big payout
of tickets! The game works by feeding individual silver coins
into a slot that roll down and hit ticket prizes. The catch
is that the faster you can feed in the coins, the higher your
ticket multiplier goes! It is a bit of a predatory game since it
encourages rapid spending of money, but such is the way of
the Festival!
55
When a player approaches the game, ask them how much The Blade Blitz
they are willing to spend with a limit at 60 silver pieces as
the game gives off its big winner bell and prevents additional Overview
coins for a short period once the threshold is reached! Every • Cost: 5 Silver
10 silver pieces fed into the machine, they must succeed on a • Prize: 5-50 Tickets
DC 10 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to ensure they can • Game Type: Drinking, Athletics
feed the coins in fast enough. Each success adds a 20% bonus The Blade Blitz is a rare booth around the city but they
to their ticket output. The payouts are as follows: always draw in a crowd! To play, one must simply pay the entry
Coins Ticket Average Total Tier Value fee and be given a crate of fruits ranging from apples, oranges,
pineapples, kiwis, and more! The player then has 1 minute
1-10 5 50 Tickets to throw the fruit at a wall that is covered in razor-sharp
11-20 6 60 Tickets blades. As the fruit hits, it is sliced open and the juice from the
21-30 7 70 Tickets fruit runs down and is collected within a Festival of Revelry
souvenir mug that they get to take with them! The more juice
31-40 8 80 Tickets that is collected in the mug, the bigger their payout!
41-50 9 90 Tickets The player must make three Strength (Athletics) checks as
51-60 10 100 Tickets they hurl fruit at the wall of blades! The total result of these
checks determines how many tickets they receive at the end
So if a player feeds in 60 silver pieces and succeeds on each of the game and of course the better the result the more
Sleight of Hand check, they will win a total of 450 Tickets! juice will pour down into their mug! The player will always
Remember that if they fail the Sleight of Hand check, they do be offered a free shot of vodka in their fruity beverage at the
not progress to the next tier so will retain that same multiplier end of the game! With a score of 51+, the mug is overflowing
for the next 10 coins! with juice by the end and it will always rally the crowd to wild
cheering!

Whack-a-Bulette Athletics Check Total Tickets

<20 5 Tickets
Overview
•C
 ost: 1 Silver 21-30 15 Tickets
•P
 rize: 1-10 Tickets 31-40 25 Tickets
•G
 ame Type: Casual, Sleight of Hand 41-50 40 Tickets
This is one of the simplest games of the Festival but it is one 51+ 50 Tickets
of the most popular and a few machines are typically found
alongside the Silver Rush games. To play, a player simply
needs to insert a silver coin into the machine, grab a mallet,
and smack the little mechanical Bulettes that pop up as fast
as possible! This is just your traditional game of whack-a-mole
but with bulettes to replace the moles!
A player simply needs to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)
check to see how well they strike the Bulettes!

Sleight of Hand Result Tickets

1-9 1 Tickets
10-15 4 Tickets
16-20 7 Tickets
21+ 10 Tickets

56
Revelry Ticket Prizes When a player opens the Mystery Box, have them roll a d20 to
determine their prize!
Ticket Cost Prize d20 Result Prize
1 Assorted Candies 1 Philter of Love
5 Plastic Spider Ring 2 Gray Bag of Tricks
10 Bouncy Ball 3 Rust Bag of Tricks
50 Fire Seeds (3 pack) 4 Tan Bag of Tricks
100 Elation Sphere 5 Robe of Useful Items
100 Giant Bouncy Ball 6 Alchemy Jug
100 Giant Sugar Stick (3 temporary hit points 7 Bag of Holding
on consumption once per short rest)
8 Eversmoking Bottle
200 Masquerade Mask
9 Hat of Disguise
300 Juggling Set
10 100 Rubies worth 10 Gold each
400 Giant Slinky
11 Broom of Flying
500 Bag of Caltrops
12 Deck of Illusions
750 Festival of Revelry Souvenir Wooden
Sword 13 Immovable Rod
750 Festival of Revelry Souvenir Wooden 14 Portable Hole
Shield 15 Chime of Opening
1,000 Bottle of Revelry Rum 16 Ring of X-Ray Vision
1,250 Festival of Revelry Gambling Set 17 Wand of Wonder
2,500 Voucher for One Night at Leah's Pleasure 18 Bag of Beans
Palace 19 Bag of Devouring
5,000 Potion of Fire Breathing 20 Molzur’s Marvelous Pigments
5,000 Luxury Room Voucher at the Golden
Dragon Tavern and Casino
Experience
10,000 Festival of Revelry Fireworks Mega Kit
This experience is what is provided if you are using the
100,000 Mystery Box (Limited Supply!) provided story hook for the Festival and does not factor in
combat in the Fight Pits! Make adjustments as needed for
other scenarios.
Mystery Box Contents
The Mystery Box is a specialty item that can be purchased APL XP Per Player
at the various ticket booths across the city. They are almost 5 4,500
always fantastical magical items so they can be a real treat
6 7,000
for your players, but they have no idea what they are going to
win until they open the box. These boxes are in limited supply 7 9,000
and are intended to be one per guest at the Festival and every 8 11,000
purchase is recorded and spread to the other booths. There
are ways to get around this such as giving your tickets to
someone else to use and paying them to buy a box for you, but Loot
make sure your players have to work for it! The reward your party receives for completion of this
Some of these are high rarity and powerful items, so it is adventure is based upon the party’s APL. These are only
up to you how many magical items you want to potentially provided for the storyline that comes along with the
distribute to your players! Feel free to swap out items on the adventure! This reward is given upon completion of the
list as you see fit, but most of these items are intended to be custom show for Varda and is the same for all APLs.
those that can provide entertainment and chaos rather than
raw power. • (APL x 8d6) copper for an ok performance
• 300 gold + (APL x 8d6) silver pieces for a good performance
• 500 gold + (APL x 8d6) gold pieces for an amazing
performance
• 10,000 Revelry Tickets

57
Fight Pits Map

58
 Into the Depths
A One-Shot Adventure for Levels 5-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adventure Synopsis Expected Length: 5-8 Hours
The expected length of this adventure is 5-8 hours. Of course
The merfolk king Neptrus has fallen to the corruption of a these are expectations and what you experience may change
dark influence. Whereas his goals for the merfolk people were based on player choices and pacing, but I would recommend
once to expand their kingdom and keep them safe, he now setting aside two sessions for this adventure!
wishes to amass soldiers to attack the surface dwellers and
scare them from the seas forever more. Neptrus's daughter,
Lierra, knows that something is wrong with their king, but her Descriptive Text
people are either too afraid to act against him or have a deep
enough hatred for the surface dwellers that they don’t mind
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud
this change of vision. With help from her own people off the for the players when their characters first arrive at a location
table, Lierra has done what she thought she would never have or under a specific circumstance that will be noted.
to do - ask the outsiders for help in freeing her father from this
evil.
In this adventure, your party is tasked with freeing King Adventure Introduction (Optional)
Neptrus from the influence that has taken his mind. The party This is suggested if you are running a one-shot separate from
will uncover that it is the work of an ancient aboleth, one that an overarching campaign and want to kick things off swiftly.
has plagued these seas for centuries. Defeating this ancient If you are embedding this adventure in an existing campaign,
evil is the only way to ensure that the people of Aqualus will be there may be better ways to throw the party into the action.
safe for good.
This will be no easy task, however. The party will meet It is the morning after a restful night of sleep in the coastal
with a power hydromancer named Rasula that guides their city of Lucana. The cool chill of the ocean breeze rushes
path, telling them of ancient merfolk relics that will help them past you, giving respite from the sun that is already blazing
in their fight against this foul aberration. They will need to strongly. You hear the sounds of dockworkers busy loading
track down these relics if they hope to stand a chance against crates of goods onto ships ready to set sail to faraway ports.
K’Thraxis, the Nightmare of the Depths. The smell of cooking meats strikes your nostrils as many folks
are already out and enjoying breakfast on the patios in front of
Do your players have what it takes to face their fears, enter
the city’s many restaurants.
the undersea lair of K'Thraxis, and defeat this evil once and
for all? Or will they end up as corpses along the bottom of the You spot a young man looking around the town square with
ocean like so many others? large, frantic eyes. His boots and the bottom half of his pants
are dripping wet. When his eyes sweep over you, they go wide
and he throws a hand in the air to grab your attention. “Hey,
Average Party Level (APL) you there! You look strong,” he shouts as he runs over to you.
“Please, I need your help!”
This adventure uses Average Party Level (APL) to scale the
difficulty of encounters. Average Party Level is calculated as
follows:
•F
 ind the average levels of all of your party members (round
up if you want to make things more challenging or down if
you want them to be easier!)
• For example, a party of four level 5 characters has an
APL of 5. A party of two level 6 characters and two level 7
characters has an APL of 6.5, but you can choose to round
this to 6 or 7 depending on the challenge you are seeking
for the adventure!
• For each character in the group above 4, add one to your
calculated APL. For each character fewer than 4, subtract 1
from the APL.
• For example, a party of six level 4 characters has an
average level of 4, but since there are six total characters,
we add 2 to our APL for a total APL value of 6.

59
Into the Depths Key Events Reminder
This page can serve as a quick reference to remind you of
major events, NPC names, locations, and any other relevant
information that you may need during the adventure! The
ordering of some of the events can change based on the
player’s choices, but all of the events are detailed below with
identifying headers.
If you are running this at the table, I would suggest printing
this out and having it at the ready to get yourself back on track
no matter what happens!

Major Events Notable Locations

•A
 Plea For Help • The City of Lucana - Oceanfront city where the quest begins.
•M
 eeting with Lierra Only minor interactions for the party here.
•M
 eeting with Rasula, the Hydromancer
• Aqualus- The underwater capital city of the merfolk led by
•L earning of K’Thraxis, Nightmare of the Depths
King Neptrus.
•R
 etrieving the Artifacts
•T he Shells of Sanctuary • The Brine Temple - Location of the Shells of Sanctuary and
•B attling with Exscindere / Distracting Exscindere its guardian - Exscindere.
•T he Conch of Seeking • Coral Caverns - The caverns that guard the Trident of
•L ost at Sea Benediction.
•M eeting with Captain Letti • The Kellerak Trench - The trench the party must enter to
•C limbing Aboard Crossbones, the Skeleton Ship reach K’Thraxis.
•D estroying the Cursed Heart (Usually Combat) • K’Thraxis’s Lair - The lair of the nightmarish aboleth of the
•T he Trident of Benediction depths.
•T hrough the Blood Kelp Fields
•T he Cavern of Coral Teeth
•T he Ocean Depths Puzzle
•C ombat with the Guardians of the Trident
•A
 ttuning the Shell of Seeking
•D
 iving into the Kellerak Trench
•H auntings by K’Thraxis
•A byssal Jellyfish Attack!
•F alling Boulders
•K
 ’Thaxis’s Lair
•T hrough the Kelp and Darkness
•B attle with K’Thraxis!

Important NPCs
• Zeke - Quest initiator and Lierra’s beloved.
• Lierra - Merfolk Princess of Aqualus who requests the
party’s aid.
• Rasula - Merfolk hydromancer that guides them to the relics
needed to defeat K'Thraxis.
• King Neptrus - King of Aqualus and Lierra’s father. Under the
influence of K’Thraxis.
• Exscindere - Giant crustacean guardian within The Brine
Temple.
• Captain Letti - Captain of The Spirit Farer and current
owner of the Conch of Seeking.
• K’Thraxis, Nightmare of the Depths - Ancient aboleth
trying to rise to power through a land versus sea war

60
Plight of the Merfolk
A Call for Help
As the party wanders through the town of Lucana (or
whichever seaside town you might have in your own campaign
setting!), they are approached by a young man in need of help.
A young man runs up to your group. He appears to be in his
late teens with black hair, tanned (and partially sunburned
skin), and muscles that have seen a great deal of work down
on the docks. He is wearing the outfit of a dock worker but
his pants and boots are soaked. His eyes are wide and he
seems exasperated - desperate even.
He introduces himself as Zeke and tells the party that he
needs the help of some strong folks. He trips over his words
in his desperation, but urges the party to follow him because it
will make more sense soon!
If the party tries to pry him for questions, he will get
nervous and look around suspiciously. If they press him hard
enough, he will crack though. He has secretly been meeting
with a merfolk girl named Lierra down by the ocean’s edge for
a few weeks now. Most of the townsfolk are out for merfolk
blood since they began attacking trade ships recently, but Zeke
knows it isn’t their fault! He is in love with Lierra and would
do anything for her, but right now the merfolk need the help of
some heroes or a lot of people are going to die!
If the party wants a reward for their help, Zeke will let them
know that Lierra is a princess and that her people have vast
treasures in their empire. She is willing to give some of this
treasure to any who help!
To The Water’s Edge
When Zeke finally gets the party to agree to help, he leads
them down to the ocean to an area where a large cluster of
boulders forms a cove.
As you make your way closer to the outcropping of stone that
Zeke is leading you towards, you begin to hear music in the air.
It is absolutely beautiful and just the sound of it makes your
heart start to race as a feeling of elation sweeps over you.
“You feel it, don’t you?” Eric asks as you get closer. “Her voice
is magical.” Each step feels as if you are in a dream, weightless,
as if you aren’t controlling your own body. You feel a deep
desire to know what creature is capable of creating such
wonderful sounds and it compels you onward. As you round a
particularly large boulder, you see the source of the song and
the voice cuts off. A woman lays halfway out of the water with
shining white hair draped across the stone. Her skin is a pale
turquoise color with fins along the back of her arms. She gives
a beaming smile and a wave as she spots Zeke.
Zeke cries out to Lierra and runs down into the water to meet
her. If the party had not already extracted the information
from Zeke, this is their moment to realize that the person who
needs help is a merfolk.
Lierra, Princess of Aqualus
Lierra is the daughter of King Neptrus of the underwater
city of Aqualus. She is an only child and knows one day it
will be her duty to take the mantle of Queen and rule over
her people, but the idea is still terrifying to her as she is only
seventeen. She has white hair accented by pointed ears and
webbed fins on the back of her arms. Her emerald green eyes
are protected by a second set of translucent eyelids that shine
white when underwater. The bottom half of her body ends in a
large finned tail with webbing a shade lighter than her skin. A
decorative array of dark shells covers her chest and stomach
and a necklace of shells rests around her neck. Sticking out of
her hair is a piece of dark coral that almost appears to be an
antler when viewed from afar.
She has long been curious of the surface dwellers and
started making trips to the water’s edge to observe them. Then
one day she was spotted by Zeke and decided to take a chance
and talk to him. They have grown close and she has been back
to see him a few nights a week ever since. They often meet in
this little alcove, but today she had to go to the docks and call
out to him as there is an emergency in her kingdom.
A People In Need
Lierra introduces herself to the party and thanks them for
taking the time to hear her plea. She fears her father has
fallen under the influence of someone or something. He has
not been himself… distant and more aggressive. He canceled
plans to expand their city of Aqualus in favor of plans for
war with the surface dwellers! In the past few weeks, he has
sent crews to the surface to attack ships and learn of their
defenses. Lierra and The Aqualus Council tried to talk the
king out of this course of action, but he refused to listen and
during the most recent incident he struck Lierra for the first
time in her life!
This morning, her father announced that the war against
the surface dwellers will start tomorrow evening! They plan
on sinking every single ship that would sail over the seas.
This will surely mean the death of hundreds if not thousands
for each of their people. Lierra knew something needed to
be done to stop this war so she fled. She tried reaching out
to her own people but they are all either too fearful of facing
her father’s wrath or have their own lasting hatred for surface
dwellers from the wars of long ago when many of their kind
were slaughtered.
Feeling defeated, she went to the one other deep dweller
who she thought might be able to help - Grand Hydromancer
Rasula. Rasula has sensed the evil presence that surrounds
Lierra’s father and thinks she may know a way to make things
right, but they will need assistance! Knowing that her own
people were unwilling to aid her, Lierra decided to turn to
Zeke. She never wanted to involve him in these ordeals, but
she had no choice!
61
She tells the party that her father has great wealth in the
Aqualus Royal Vault and that should they succeed she will see
She holds a gnarled wooden staff with branching ends that
that the party is rewarded for their efforts! But time is of the are each tipped with a small glowing orb that illuminates
essence and they must make their way back to Rasula before her. She has flowing black hair with shells and even a few
it is too late to stop this war! starfish as decoration. Her skin is violet - much darker than
She offers each of the party members a Pearl of Lierra’s turquoise skin. Long strands of kelp are wrapped
Adaptation which when consumed allows them to gain the around her shoulders and drape over her chest which is
Aquatic Adaptation for twenty-four hours. covered in a woven mesh of seashells. Around her waist, she
wears a large belt with many pouches attached, but below
•A
 quatic Adaptation - Your body adapts to an aquatic
this belt she diverges greatly from Lierra. Rather than having
environment, sprouting gills, and growing webbing between
a tail resembling that of a fish, this creature has eight large
your fingers. You can breathe underwater and gain a
tentacles like those of an octopus. She raises a webbed hand
swimming speed equal to your movement speed. and gives you a friendly wave.
Zeke initially tries to come along with the party, but Lierra
asks that he stay on the surface. If their mission is not
successful he is to warn his own people of the danger that is
Rasula, Grand Hydromancer
(An image of the hydromancer can be found on the next page.)
coming! Zeke is reluctant at first, but caves after Lierra takes
his hands in her own and tells him that she loves him for the
Rasula was given the title of Grand Hydromancer years ago.
first time. He wishes the party good luck and dashes back
The mutation that caused her to be born with tentacles rather
towards the town of Lucana.
than a tail is one that is revered among the people of Aqualus
as it occurs less than one in every ten thousand births. These
Underwater Adventuring individuals are raised up - held in the same esteem as royalty
The party will need to follow after Lierra who leads them - and given whatever resources they need to follow their own
down into the depths of the ocean. With their adaptation, they path. Rasula decided to delve into the ways of magic and
can breathe underwater and nearly keep up with her speed. the relics of old for the merfolk people. She lives in solitude
As they dive, Lierra produces a set of squishy glowing orbs outside of the city to give herself the peace she needs to throw
that she distributes to the party. These offer up bright light for all of herself into research and experiments.
10 feet and dim light for an additional 10 feet. That being said, she doesn't mind the occasional guest and
The biggest issue with underwater travel is that the party one of Lierra’s duties as princess is to know each of Rasula’s
is unable to communicate through traditional means, so kind. Right now, Rasula is the only living individual with the
they will need to get by on hand gestures. Use this as an Blessing of Tentacles and as a result she and Lierra have
opportunity to encourage roleplay at your table! Don’t grown quite close.
worry, the party will gain the opportunities and tools
needed to communicate in a traditional fashion a bit later
in the adventure! Lierra and her people have adapted to
Nightmare of the Depths
After introductions, Rasula fills everyone in on the details of
underwater communication, so while the party cannot speak
the situation. She has been doing research while Lierra was
to one another, Lierra and other merfolk can speak to them
away and thinks she has nailed down what has happened
and be heard just fine. They know how to magically enchant
to King Neptrus - he is under the influence of an aboleth.
their words so they travel clearly through the water.
These are foul, evil aberrations with the power to dominate
minds and turn other creatures into their slaves. Only one
Rasula’s Plan of immense strength would have the ability to corrupt the
mind of someone like Neptrus though, and she thinks it is a
The party follows Lierra for about twenty minutes. As they
creature that has loomed for centuries, making an appearance
swim through an area of thick pink coral, Lierra warns the
every few decades until they drove him away over a hundred
party not to touch the coral or it will cut them! They weave
years ago.
their way through to a cave entrance that is lined with
bioluminescent flora. Lierra swims inside and beckons the
She has found only one reference to a name for this
party to follow.
aboleth:
After a few twisting turns through the glowing kelp and bulbs
along the walls of this cavern, the path opens to a massive K’Thraxis, Nightmare of
the Depths.
spherical chamber - at least eighty feet in diameter. There
are side rooms all along the exterior of this chamber, but the
most notable feature is a stone column that runs through the
chamber's center and breaches the water up above. Lierra
leads you up to the surface of the water and you are able
to breathe air once again. Lierra gives out a call that echoes
through the cave and moments later another sea creature
appears from one of the side chambers.

62
rasula, graNd hydromaNCer

63

Rasula runs her fingers over tablets she has set out on a
nearby stone shelf. “People have tried to fight back against
him, but he is damned powerful. I think if we combine the
strength of some of these relics of old and some of the newer
artifacts our people have created, we might just have a shot
though!”
She grabs a tablet and holds it up for you to see. It depicts a
set of seashells that are brightly colored. “Shells of Sanctuary
to protect your minds from his influence and allow you
to communicate even in the deepest of waters.” She sets
this tablet down and snags another. This one shows a large
salmon-colored conch shell. “The Conch of Seeking. We’ve
got to be able to track K'Thraxis down and my efforts for
traditional scrying have all failed! I believe this is our answer.”
She sets this tablet down and unravels a scroll of thick
paper. “And finally the Trident of Benediction. It was made
specifically to deal with this aberration. Over a century ago
they drove K'Thraxis away, but knew that he was not defeated
forever, so the trident has been kept hidden away.”
Rasula then goes into details about each of the different items
that the party will need to retrieve.
The Shells of Sanctuary are kept inside the Brine Temple
on the outskirts of Aqualus. It holds a number of ancient items
that are to be used in times of war, so Rasula hopes they will
arrive before they are taken to be used against the humans!
The challenge is that it is protected by a hulking crustacean
with claws large and powerful enough to slice a whale in
half. This guardian answers to Neptrus, so the party will
either need to sneak past him or defeat him to get the shells.
Once obtained, they can be worn with a necklace to form a
telepathic link with others who wear a shell and to protect
their minds from prying sources. Since they cannot speak
underwater, she suggests this as their first destination.
The Conch of Seeking is in the care of Captain Letti of
The Spirit Farer, a ghost ship that utilizes the Conch to help
them find and aid ships that are lost at sea. The Sea Farer
was a ship that sank centuries ago while trying to aid another
group of sailors. The Queen of Aqualus heard of their bravery
and offered them their lives back in the forms of spirits if they
agreed to help protect others lost at sea. They agreed and so
their ship was reborn as The Spirit Farer. Captain Letti takes
this role seriously and has saved thousands over the years. So
while the ship is impossible to find… if you simply get lost, it
will come and find you! Convincing Letti to let the party use
the Conch will be the challenging part! Once the party has the
conch, it will need to be attuned to K’Thaxis to point towards
his location. Fortunately, the Trident of Benediction can
serve as that anchor to the ancient aboleth as it was crafted
specifically to kill him!
64
The Trident of Benediction was a weapon crafted by one
of Rasula’s kin from long ago. They crafted it to destroy this
very foe and were able to wound and drive K'Thraxis away,
but knew he would return. The Trident is within the Coral
Caverns, not too far from where they are now. It has some
nasty plant life, vicious sea creatures, and even the sharp
edges of the coral itself as deterrents. Even Rasula is not
aware of what all dangers lie within, but it was intended to be
retrievable by someone worthy to fight against the aboleth,
so if the party is strong she has confidence they will be
successful!
Retrieving the Relics
The party can perform the next steps in whichever order they
want, but the Shells of Sanctuary are highly recommended for
they give the party the ability to speak telepathically. Each of
the relics has its own challenges, but the details for each are
detailed below!
The Shells of Sanctuary
The Shells of Sanctuary are located in the Brine Temple about
half a mile outside of the city of Aqualus. Lierra knows the way
as she has visited multiple times in her life. She also knows
of the guardian that Rasula spoke of - a horribly menacing
crustacean over thirty feet wide and with a set of brutally
vicious claws. She has never heard of anyone challenging the
creature let alone besting it! The people of her town call this
guardian Exscindere.
Ordinarily, there are additional guards scattered throughout
the Brine Temple, but Lierra’s father pulled them away so
they could go and hunt the ships of surface dwellers. Only
Exscindere remains to protect the temple. She knows a group
goes by every evening to drop off food for the guardian, but
besides those few individuals the temple has been empty for
months. Exscindere eats exclusively the giant kelp that grows
to the east of the city and can consume up to a thousand
pounds of it a day. Lierra will tell the party that Exscindere
eats ferociously and it is a sight to behold. He truly loves his
kelp!
It takes half an hour for the party to reach the Brine Temple
and Lierra takes them to a cliff that overlooks the area.
Looking down from the cliff you see a large stone temple.
Its color was once white, but with the passage of time it has
faded to a dull grey and that structure has become coated
with snails and plantlife. Three sides of the temple are solid
stone walls, but the front of the temple has a massive thirty-
foot wide entryway. The roof of the structure is fifty feet off
the ocean floor and each side is ninety feet long, which must
be necessary considering the size of the guardian that waits
within. The ground around the temple is laced with massive
white stripes of salt, some of which stretch for miles. In the
distance behind the temple, you can see a grand forest of kelp
with some strands reaching the water’s surface.
Brine Temple Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.
The shells are inside the temple, resting beneath a thick
crystal display. There are other relics in this place as well
including some ancient gemstones, treasure maps, and
armor and weaponry from the surface world, but Lierra will
discourage the party from taking anything but the shells since
these are the relics of her people.
There are two primary approaches to retrieving the shells
that will be covered in this adventure guide, but depending
on how clever your players are, there are certainly other
avenues that they can choose to utilize. Hopefully, the
information provided will give you what you need to an
exciting and rewarding conclusion to this portion of the
adventure!
65
Battling Exscindere
The main method is to defeat the great crustacean in battle!
If creatures that Exscindere does not recognize enter his
temple, he will rise and perform an elaborate display of
clacking claws and stomping feet to let them know that the
area is off-limits. If the creatures choose to still press onward,
he will strike quickly and without any additional warning.
He is terribly powerful but suffers from being but a single
creature going up against multiples, so action economy and
clever tactics should give the party an edge.
When Exscindere is harmed greatly enough, he will
withdraw his body into his shell as much as possible and
submit to his foes, hoping that they will leave him with his life.
At this point, the party is able to take whatever they wish from
the temple and Exscindere will do nothing to stop them. The
party can also choose to slay the guardian which will upset
Lierra, but not to the point that she will turn away the party’s
help.
Your party will battle a version of Exscindere depending
on their APL. A group with APL 5-6 will fight a CR 5
version of Exscindere while a group with APL 7-8 will fight
a CR 7 Exscindere. The stat blocks for both versions can be
found at the end of this module.
Distracting Exscindere
Another method is to bring Exscindere some of his favorite
giant kelp to lure him out of the temple. The party will need to
swim over to the giant kelp forest which takes an additional
10 minutes.
You come to the edge of a forest of kelp. It is difficult to tell
just how far it goes since the plants are so massive that they
block out all visibility past a few feet. Each individual strand
has leaves between one and three feet long and the stems
extend for dozens and sometimes hundreds of feet towards
the surface of the ocean. They wave with the currents and you
can see fish swimming within their protection. There are areas
near the edge where the kelp has been harvested, but even
these smaller pieces are regrowing at an impressive pace.
Ask the party how they would like to harvest this kelp and
assign some ability checks based on what sort of methods
they use.
Slashing through the kelp is easier said than done since
the party is down near the bottom of the ocean, making it
difficult to swing a weapon. Additionally, once the kelp is
cut, it immediately rushes to the surface due to its buoyancy.
This is another challenge they will need to overcome in
order to harvest the kelp! It is quite difficult to keep down
the particularly large strands so weighing it down with rocks
or something similar will be necessary. This should be
challenging and allow your party to be creative, but don’t
make this overly frustrating! Having them cut a piece of
kelp loose and then go rocketing to the surface makes for a
good laugh, but we still want them to succeed and get to the
rest of the adventure!
66
The party will need to take a hefty amount of kelp over to the
temple where they can leave it out front for Exscindere to find.
At first, the giant crustacean is hesitant to go after the food
because it is not delivered via the normal method, but things
have been so strange lately that he eventually wanders out and
begins eating. At this point, the party will have 5 minutes to
get inside and snag the shells!
They will still need to succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity
(Stealth) check with advantage to obtain the shells without
being spotted, however. For even with a distraction,
Exscindere never leaves his post completely abandoned!
Should he spot the party, he will immediately move to attack,
but if the party already obtained the shells and they flee,
Exscindere will not pursue as he cannot leave the temple
unprotected.
Other Methods
Other methods to steal the shells could include the use of
spells such as invisibility or even dimension door to get inside
and snag the shells without being spotted or to grab them and
get out before Exscindere can react!
Attempting to talk to the giant crustacean can work but
will be incredibly challenging. This is an ancient beast that is
duty-bound to the king. He also can’t speak, so some method
of telepathy or similar communication will be needed. Should
the party manage to establish a connection, they can make a
DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince Exscindere
to step aside peacefully. On a failure, Exscindere threateningly
snaps his claws at the party and commands them to leave!
They might also be able to force the crustacean out of the
temple through the use of poisons or some other contaminant
in the water.
The Shells
Once the party has obtained the shells, they can each place
one of them around their necks. Each person wearing one of
these shells can share thoughts telepathically with others who
are wearing a shell as long as they are within 5 miles of one
another and are both underwater. These shells also prevent
any others from forming a telepathic link or using any sort of
mind-reading or domination magic upon them as long as they
remain underwater. This will allow the party to communicate
and prevents K'Thraxis from being able to dominate the
minds of the party members.
Unfortunately, this only works on attacks going forward, so
placing a shell around the neck of the king will not break the
aboleth's hold over him.
The Conch of Seeking
To obtain the Conch of Seeking, the party will first need to find
their way to The Spirit Farer. Unfortunately for the party, this
ship is impossible to track down by conventional means so
the ship will need to find them! The party’s first step will be to
become lost at sea. Lierra has a plan for this, though!
She leads the party about fifteen minutes outside of Rasula’s
cavern to a large rocky outcropping.
There’s black stone scattered all through this area and giant
plumes of steam and bubbles erupt towards the surface at
sporadic intervals. Below, you can see the occasional bit
of molten hot rock bubbling from beneath the ocean floor
and rapidly cooling. Lierra points in the direction of one
particularly thick line of bubbles that spirals through the area
and out into the darkness of the ocean beyond. “We call it the
Hydrothermal Channel. Those who know how to navigate it
can use it to travel great distances with little effort. Those who
don’t know how to navigate it - all of you for example - will
be thrown out after some time at an unknown location in the
ocean depths. And that would certainly meet my definition for
lost at sea.” She holds a rope made of braided kelp out to you.
“You will probably want to tie yourselves together for this one.”
The party will need to swim up to the Hydrothermal Channel
and hop inside! Lierra warns them that it will be hot, but
not so much it will burn them. She is hopeful that the crew
of The Spirit Farer will be willing to listen to reason, but it
may require some convincing and building of trust first! She
wishes the party luck before sending them on their way.
All Aboard
As a character gets near the channel, they can feel it starting
to pull them in. This sensation gets stronger and stronger the
closer they get until it overwhelms them and they are sucked
into the current! As warned, the water in the channel is quite
hot. It is just below what it would take to scald the skin, so it
is deeply uncomfortable. They are dragged along, tossing and
turning and being thrown in every direction as they zip across
the ocean at speeds greater than fifty miles an hour! They are
dragged along through the darkness for a solid four minutes
before the channel turns hard and tosses the party back out
into the chilly depths of the ocean.
Have each member of the party make a DC 15
Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 bludgeoning damage
on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage on a
successful one as a result of being pummeled and tossed
while going through the channel.
The party can rise to the surface and wait for their ride
or they can remain underwater - the Spirit Farer will arrive
regardless! It can travel below water as easily as it can above,
propelled by a mysterious cyan energy source that trails
behind the ship. It takes about three minutes of wandering
out in these cool waters, nearly four miles from where they
began their journey, before they see a glimmer of energy in the
distance.
The glimmer of cyan energy starts off a tiny mote of light.
It’s impossible to discern its distance, but it begins to rapidly
grow. What began as just a glimmer of light becomes a full
ship within sixty seconds. Just as it seems as if it is going to
crash into you, the ship shifts to the side and comes to a halt
a few dozen feet away. The entire ship is glowing an ethereal
cyan color, but it is not translucent. It is a sizable ship - a full
one-hundred and sixty-five feet in length and able to hold a
crew of dozens! Along the side of the ship the words “The
Spirit Farer” are written, but the word “Spirit” is written above
the word “Sea” which has been crossed out with a large ‘X’.
A door on the side of the ship opens up and a glowing figure
beckons you to climb aboard.
If the party boarded The Spirit Farer underwater, it surges
to the surface where it breaches and sends massive waves
rolling out in each direction.
The party is greeted by a gnomish member of the crew
who introduces himself as Torvish.
Key Crew Members
All members of the crew are ethereal. They all perished when
their ship sank trying to rescue another, and while they have
been given the gift of continuing on in this world, they lack a
true physical form. This does afford them some benefits such
as no longer needing to eat, sleep, or breathe. They can travel
to the deepest depths of the ocean without feeling the effects
of the immense pressure. They even produce their own light
in the darkness of the ocean thanks to the faint emerald cyan
light that surrounds each of them.
Torvish serves as the one-person welcoming committee
for those who are lost at sea. He is an elderly gnome who
spent his entire living days sailing across the plane with
various crews - usually just as a merchant but sometimes with
militaries. As a result of this long life of travels, he speaks just
about every known language and uses this to determine where
the folks stranded at sea are headed and helps them get back
on the right track!
Captain Letti Zevestra is the one who commands The
Spirit Farer. It was her call to put their ship at risk to save
another and she feels responsible for the situation her crew is
in, but they are making the best of it. She is a human woman
with tan skin and short brown hair shaved along one side of
her head (though these features are more difficult to make out
in her spiritual form). She does still maintain her extravagant
garb made of various pieces of cloth each with its own distinct
patterns ranging from flowers, to ocean waves, to palm trees.
This is accented by numerous belts that run around her waist
and over her shoulders. Resting on one hip is a large scimitar
with an ornate and bejeweled handle and on the other hip is a
faded pink conch shell that (unlike the rest of her garb) is not
ethereal.
Captain Letti is a reasonable woman and her bleeding heart
is how they ended up in this position. That being said, it can
take time to earn her trust, something the party will need to
expedite as they need to get the Conch immediately! She does
not stand for liars and trying to use deception is one of the
quickest ways to land yourself right back in the ocean with no
way of getting home!
67
Convincing the Captain
Torvish welcomes the party aboard The Spirit Farer and lets
them know that all of their troubles are over. He looks out
through the threshold and asks “So what exactly happened
to cause your ship to sink and are any other survivors?”
The party can then explain to Torvish their situation and how
they are seeking out the Conch. Torvish will get a bit nervous,
asking follow up details if needed, before finally taking the
party to meet Captain Letti.
The captain is quite excited as they have not had a rescue
mission in over twenty-four hours. This is good for the general
populace, but boring for the members of her crew. When the
party tells Captain Letti of their situation and how they need
the Conch, she will grow suspicious of their claims. “It is not
that your tale is too far-fetched to be true… but you have to
understand that you are not the first to come aboard my ship
and try to take what is ours and Queen Azkala entrusted us
with the conch’s safekeeping. In fact, I am still dealing with
that particular thorn in my side! Damned skeleton ship!” This
is the party’s way of gaining Letti’s trust.
She has encountered skeleton ships similar to this in her
time as captain of The Spirit Farer. It is typically the result of
a crew of greedy sailors getting in over their heads and ending
up with a curse of some sort placed upon them. She has seen
a ship of people wrapped entirely in strands of kelp before, but
after that first encounter, she never saw them again! She is not
sure why they are hunting the Conch or how they are finding
her, but it must have something to do with whatever curse is
placed upon them. The bottom line - they are a pain in the ass!
They can’t hurt her crew, but they showed up during another
rescue mission and tried to kill the people they were saving
and that is unacceptable!
The captain reasons that if the party is trying to take out
an ancient aboleth, they must be fairly strong. They also
have corporeal bodies! She will tell the party that if they can
take out that skeleton ship, then she will let them borrow the
Conch. It will be no easy task, however. Just sinking the ship
isn’t going to work - the damned thing is already filled with
holes and just stays afloat. Though she is not one to talk since
her ship sails without needing to worry about holes in the
exterior either.
The captain tells the party that she will drop them off and
use the Conch. The skeleton ship seems to show up after she
has been using it in one location for an extended period of
time, so she should be able to lure them. Before the skeleton
ship arrives, she can take off and leave the party to deal with
the cursed souls. She will circle back to this location and pick
up the party in an hour and hopefully they will have finished
the deed in that time!
The Skeleton Ship
Captain Letti follows through with the plan assuming the
party agrees, dropping the characters off in the water and
using her the Conch of Seeking to lure in the skeleton ship
that has been hunting her crew. After a few minutes, the sky
starts to darken overhead as a wave of fog appears in the
distance rolling in towards the party. Letti shouts over the
edge “One hour and we will be back! Good luck!” and with
that, The Spirit Farer descends beneath the waves and is out
of sight in an instant.
68
The fog in the distance rolls towards you, thick and ominous.
The sky that was bright and beautiful just moments before is
now blackened as large raindrops splash down all around you.
You can hear a bell ringing from within the fog, tolling slowly
and filling you with a sense of dread. Moments later, the front
of a ship emerges from the obscurity and floats into view, the
wood rotted and gnarled. Skeletal figures hang over the edge
of the ship, peering into the ocean below.
Kolnar’s Curse
As Captain Letti suggested, the crew is indeed cursed. They
attempted to raid a pirate’s trove and ended up taking a chest
containing the heart of Dread Captain Kolnar. His heart slowly
drained the life force from the entire crew over the following
weeks and by the time they realized what was happening to
them it was too late. They now exist as Kolnar’s slaves, raiding
ships in search of great treasures that they can take back to
his trove. For the purposes of this adventure, they can simply
be a cursed group of pirates, but you could also use this as its
own plot hook to go track down Kolnar’s treasure trove!
Defeating the Crew
The party has a few different routes to get aboard the ship
- the primary two being to climb the ladders along the sides
of the ship and swimming in through the bottom. There
are skeleton guards scouting the area, so the underwater
approach provides them with the best odds of getting aboard
undetected. The hull of the ship is filled with holes, many of
them massive enough to fit multiple people through at once,
and yet somehow the ship is only filled with a few feet of
water. The party can swim up through one of these holes and
find themselves in the interior of the ship which is abandoned
since all hands are up on deck. This can allow the party to
have a bit of an element of surprise!
If the party chooses to enter undetected through the
bottom of the ship, have the party members make a
DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check as they move through
the interior. On a success, they can hear a thrumming deep
in their ears - a pulsing with a regularity that reminds them
of a heartbeat. It permeates through the entire area and
once they are made aware of its presence, it is impossible to
ignore. It gives a feeling of disquiet and unease, but the people
who are aware of it can feel it tugging at their soul, pulling
them upwards. (This is their hint to the heart’s curse without
destroying any of the skeletons.) As the party keeps following
this pulse, it will slowly lead the to the crow’s nest where the
heart is kept in its chest!
Skeleton Ship Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

69

Optional: Map to Kolnar's Cove
As the party is moving through the interior of the ship,
you may also have them stumble upon the remnants
of the map that led the crew in their non-undead form
to Kolnar’s treasure. This is what resulted in them
becoming cursed, but there are still many treasures
waiting at the cove for any brave enough to face the
trials that await!
The crew of the ship consists of skeletons of many varieties,
some stronger than others, but most are weak in comparison
to the party. The caveat is that the skeletons continue to
reform even after defeat due to the magic of Kolnar’s curse.
If a skeleton is defeated, it will rise again with 1 hit point at
the start of the next round unless its bones are hurled into the
sea or they are utterly destroyed. All of these skeletons are
scattered across the deck of the ship.
The types and number of skeletons aboard the skeleton ship
depends on the party’s APL:
APL Enemies
5 2x Rotting Skeleton (End of Module)
6x Skeleton (MM Pg. 272)
6 4x Rotting Skeleton
6x Skeleton
7 1x Skeletal Ravager (End of Module)
3x Rotting Skeleton
4x Skeleton
8 2x Skeletal Ravager
2x Rotting Skeleton
4x Skeleton
Details of the Skeleton Crew
•E
 ach time one of the skeletons die and are reformed,
a burst of emerald green energy twists down from the
crow’s nest and fills it with a new life.
• I n order for the party to stop the skeleton crew once and
for all, they will need to destroy the artifact that is keeping
them alive - Dread Captain Kolnar’s Heart - contained in a
waterlogged chest hidden in the crow’s nest. When they
get near, they can hear the sound of the heart beating loudly
from within.
•T
 he ladder leading up is 30 feet tall.
•T
 he leader of the skeleton crew (one of the most powerful
variety from the list above) holds the key to this chest, but
it can be smashed open by tossing it down from the crow’s
nest or hitting it with a hefty weapon.
•T
 he skeletons are mainly focused out at the water, so if the
party managed to get aboard the ship undetected, a party
member with high enough stealth, some invisibility, or even
just a good distraction might be able to climb up the crow’s
nest undetected!
70
The skeletons will do everything in their power to stop the
chest from being compromised, but as soon as the heart
within the chest is destroyed, all of the skeletons crumble
to dust and the ship starts to rapidly sink. As the last of the
skeletons are crumbling, the party hears the words “thank
you” whistle across the winds of the sea. As the ship sinks,
the sky begins to clear and the rain lets up, returning the
weather to normal.
Captain Letti returns as promised with The Spirit Farer
after one hour. Hopefully by this time the skeleton ship has
made its way to the depths of the ocean. With the cursed crew
dealt with, Letti agrees to let the party use the Conch on the
grounds that they return it to her when they are finished. If
they don’t return it to her crew, she may just have to come and
find them herself and take it back! They simply need to use the
Conch and focus on Letti and it will call out to her, letting her
know it is time to retrieve it!
The Trident of Benediction
When the party is ready to obtain the Trident, they need only
ask Rasula where the Coral Caverns are located. As promised,
it is only about a twenty-minute swim from where her own
cavern resides, but that does not mean it is an easy task by any
stretch of the imagination.
The party can make their way out to the cavern which is a
relatively peaceful swim, then read the following:
You find yourself at the location Rasula spoke of, where the
stone begins to turn a deep blue hue and dips down. Signs are
posted around this area warning of danger and to stay away.
You can see the mouth of a large cavern that is filled with
white coral that gives its entryway the appearance of a mouth
filled with jagged teeth. In front of this cave, blood-red kelp
lashes viciously back and forth as if acting on its own and not
simply being pulled by the currents of the sea. You realize
this may be the case as a strand of kelp snaps out at a fish
swimming by and swiftly entangles it, completely enclosing
its prey as it rolls up. Moments later, you see a red mist in the
water as the life is squeezed out of the fish.
The Carnivorous Kelp Fields
The party will need to make their way past the carnivorous
kelp out in front of the cavern, which they must pass to get
into the entrance. These plants will lash out at anything that
swims nearby, entangle it, and crush it to death. A creature
that gets close to a piece of carnivorous kelp must succeed on
a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or become grappled (escape
DC 13) by the kelp. A creature grappled by the kelp takes 1d8
bludgeoning damage at the end of each of its turns as the kelp
squeezes tight.
The kelp can be destroyed with a slashing weapon, but these
are not particularly effective underwater. The kelp can also be
distracted by luring in other fish or even dropping things like
rocks nearby, as the kelp will still lash out to grab them. There
are other strategies to defeat this kelp as well through the use
of spells or other tools - let your party get creative with it! The
party will need to use one of these strategies to get past the
kelp that is directly in front of the entrance to the cavern.
A Maze of Teeth and Stone
Once the party makes it past the carnivorous kelp, they find
themselves in the mouth of this cavern which is approximately
15 feet in diameter and slopes gently deeper into the stone.
The pathway is filled with spirals of ghostly white coral that
appears to have been dead and fossilized for some time now.
This coral is razor-sharp and can easily slice through the flesh
of unprotected parts of the body. In order to reach the inner
portions of the cavern where the Trident is kept, they will
need to make it through fifty feet of this dangerous coral, after
which they will find a large stone door waiting for them.
Creatures must make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
check or a Strength (Athletics) check to nimbly weave their
way through the coral. For small races, this DC is reduced
to 10. A creature that fails this saving throw takes 10 (4d4)
slashing damage or 15 (6d4) slashing damage on a total result
of 5 or less. As creatures are slashed by the coral, they will
note that their blood is absorbed into the coral itself which
restores some of its color - turning a faint pink and eventually
closer to red as it absorbs more. If three creatures fail their
saving throw, the coral absorbs enough blood to be restored
to life. When this occurs, the coral lets out a potent poison
and each creature in the area will need to succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour.
Unlike the kelp, this coral is a bit more difficult to clear out
of the way since the use of spells like thunder wave will cause
tiny shards of sharpened coral to fill the cavern passageway!
That being said, there are still some creative solutions that
will assist the party in their navigation through this deadly
corridor such as spells that make creatures smaller!
Protectors of the Depths
As the party makes it past the coral, they will find that the
passageway is sealed by a large stone door. When they arrive,
read the following:
You see a large door fixed into the cavern walls before you. It
is ten feet in diameter and painted upon it is a mural of sea
creatures of all varieties that has somehow maintained its
vibrancy over the years. You see crabs, jellyfish, clownfish,
sharks, whales, octopi, and more - just about every type of
sea creature you can imagine! The only portion of the door
that is not painted with these creatures is the very center
which is adorned with a smooth heart-shaped sapphire three
inches across. The sapphire pulses with a deep blue light
roughly every two seconds, flaring up and fading as if it were
a heartbeat.
When a party member touches the mural, the painted
creatures near their hand glow and come to life! The fish start
to swim in place and the entire mural around the touched area
awakens. If someone drags their fingers across the painting,
the creature they are touching will move along with it, the
entire mural adjusting and flowing to accommodate.
If someone presses their ear to the door, they hear deep tones
pulsing through it. They are slow, melodic, and comforting.
Someone who listens at the door can make a DC 15
Intelligence (Nature) check, realizing that it is a whale’s song
they are hearing on a success!
To open this door, the party will need to drag the whale
from the mural over the sapphire heart.
There are multiple clues that will allow the party to uncover
this solution:
• The sapphire pulses with a slow regularity, roughly the same
rate as a whale’s heartbeat.
• Someone who listens at the door can hear a whale’s song
coming from the other side.
• As they move fish across the mural, they will slowly uncover
teal lines which eventually reveal hidden words! By dragging
fish across the scene, the following message becomes visible:
“Our songs can be heard across the expanse of the ocean
and bring hope to the hearts of any who care to listen.”
When the whale has been put in place, the door spirals
open as eight shards of stone curl into the walls and reveal a
large room beyond.
Guardians of the Trident
As the door spirals open, you see a large dome-shaped room
beyond. It is sixty feet across and forty feet high, the walls and
ceiling made of smooth worked stone. At the center of the
room is a vortex of rapidly spinning water with a bright white
light beaming through its core. Within this vortex, you can see
the shadow of a trident slowly spinning. Bubbles erupt out of
this vortex and spill out into the rest of the room, flowing in
a violent clockwise motion. The water in the room is moving
quite rapidly and you can feel its pull even from the doorway.
The room containing the trident has a unique current
flowing clockwise around the trident’s vortex at its center.
Any creature that is within the room can move twice
its normal swim speed if moving clockwise and moving
counter-clockwise is considered difficult terrain.
71
Cavern of the Trident Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

When a creature attempts to reach into the central vortex

and grab the trident, it will throw them back violently. They APL Enemies
are launched halfway across the room and doors along the 5 1x Guardian of the Depths (End of Module)
edge of the area open up as the guardians of this chamber 2x Giant Octopus (MM Pg. 326)
pour forth! If the party tries to interact with the trident before
6 1x Guardian of the Depths
these guardians are defeated, they will be thrown back once
2x Hunter Shark (MM Pg. 330)
again!
7 2x Guardian of the Depths
Roll for initiative!
1x Hunter Shark
The types and number of guardians depends on the party’s 8 2x Guardian of the Depths
APL.
2x Hunter Shark

72
Once the guardians are defeated, the vortex at the center of
the room fades. The waters calm and the trident is left floating
Fighting K’Thraxis
in the beam of light. A member of the party is then free to go
You begin your swim down into the Kellerak Trench and
over and retrieve it. After someone takes the trident, they
what little sunlight existed before fades completely. The
hear the sound of shifting stone and a way out through the
temperature of the water drops rapidly and the water gains a
ceiling of the room opens up, allowing them to avoid going
slimy quality as it touches your flesh. The trench seems to go
back through the coral and carnivorous kelp. down endlessly. As you dive, a deep and rasping voice speaks
into your minds: “A set of brave trespassers dare enter my
domain. Your corpses shall rot along the bottom of the trench
Trident of Benediction where none shall find them, their remnants picked apart by
Trident, very rare (requires attunement) the bottom feeders.” You see a tentacled creature dash out of
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made sight just at the edge of your vision, but the Conch stays firm
while wielding this magic trident. Additionally, while you in directing you further down.
are attuned to this trident you can breathe underwater
and have a swim speed equal to your walking speed. As the party dives further, K’Thraxis will use his abilities as
As an action, you can speak the command phrase an aboleth to project images of himself as he speaks or to
“Death to the scourge of the depths”. Any aboleth, swim just outside of their view. K'Thraxis will continue to
krakens, corpse anglers, or tyrants of the depths within torment the party for their entire journey down to his lair.
120 feet become afflicted by the Hydromancer’s Curse
for the next hour. Whenever a creature affected by this
curse makes an attack roll or a saving throw, it must roll A Shock in the Dark
a d4 and subtract the number rolled from its result. In The party continues down, swimming perhaps a hundred and
addition, the creature’s AC is reduced by 3. fifty feet before the voice speaks to them again. “Soon the
seas will be littered with the dead. Chaos will take hold and I
shall rule in its wake. Your efforts here are meaningless.” As
Finding K’Thraxis K’Thraxis speaks these words, the ocean around the party
lights up like the night sky! Hundreds of jellyfish have gone
Attuning the Conch aglow in a massive sphere around them, creating a trap for the
party. Moments later, a much larger and brighter light pulses
For the party to find K’Thaxis through the Conch, it must first
on - one belonging to a jellyfish with a bell-shaped body that
be attuned to find him. The party can do so by holding the
is eight feet across with tentacles that drape for a full thirty
Conch of Seeking and the Trident of Benediction at the same
feet. It has additionally chitinous appendages that end in
time and focusing on the trident’s power. Rasula will be able
razor-sharp scythes. This is accompanied by the crackling of
to tell the party how to perform this attunement. When this
electricity in the darkness as electric eels swarm out from the
occurs, the conch gives out a shockwave that travels through
wall of jellyfish.
the water in a bright pulse of pink energy. Afterward, the
conch starts to pull in the direction of its new mark - K’Thraxis
Roll for initiative!
The types and number of creatures depends on the party’s
Following the Conch APL:
The Conch leads the party northwest of the city of Aqualus
for a full hour of swimming. Finally, they arrive at an area APL Enemies
that Rasula tells the party is known as the Kellerak Trench, a 5 1x Abyssal Jellyfish (End of Module)
rift that cuts deep into the ocean floor and completely lacks 1x Electric Eel Swarm (End of Module)
sunlight. The water in this area is freezing cold and as the
party reaches its edge, the Conch pulls downward into its
6 1x Abyssal Jellyfish
depths and a wave of foul evil washes over them. 2x Electric Eel Swarm
Rasula tells the party that she is not sure she can go down 7 1x Abyssal Jellyfish
into those depths - it is incredibly dangerous and she needs to 2x Giant Electric Eel (End of Module)
stay around to provide for her people. She extracts a new set 8 1x Abyssal Jellyfish
of glowing gel orbs from her bag and hands them to the party 3x Giant Electric Eel
though. These can be affixed to a character’s body and provide
bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an additional
15 feet.
The party will need to go over the edge and down into the
depths of the trench. Keep in mind that the players have very
limited vision and this is intended to increase the terror
they feel in these depths. Remind them frequently just
how dark it is and how they swear they can see something
moving just along the edge of their peripheral vision.

73
During the battle, the party is confined to the 30-foot radius
sphere of the jellyfish unless they wish to swim through the
wall of them. Trying to move through the jellyfish results in
that character taking 14 (4d6) poison damage as they force
their way through a tangled web of tentacles. Methods of
moving outside of the jellyfish such as a misty step spell will
still work without inflicting damage, but the jellyfish wall
causes the area beyond to be completely obscured, providing
total cover!
When the abyssal jellyfish and the eels are defeated, the
smaller jellyfish swim away rapidly with their lights fading.
k’thraxis’s lair
Down here in the depths is the lair of the deadly aboleth
himself. The Conch pulls them to the edge of the trench where
they find the entrance to a cavern.
You see a cavern in the side of the trench, its entrance
decorated with ship wreckage and the remains of humans,
merfolk, and sharks. Massive spikes of stone jut from the
ceiling and floor of the cavern with shark teeth embedded in
them. The ground here is slick with slime and the water has
gone from foul to rancid. The water itself is no longer clear
and carries a sickly green hue. The voice of K’Thraxis speaks
once again, “Are you truly so eager to forfeit your lives here
in these depths? Do you not see what happened to those
that came before you?” A wave of poison rolls out of the
cavern and sweeps over you. Your vision fades as the water is
clouded with muck, but then your Shells of Sanctuary begin
to glow and the poison disperses. You hear a loud hiss echo
from out of the cavern and you know K’Thraxis is not far now.

Kelp fills the cavern from floor to ceiling, making visibility

even more limited than just utter darkness. As the party moves
through this area, they will hear the light clanking of metal.
Before long, the party member up front will uncover a skeleton
chained to the floor and floating up amongst the kelp. This
skeleton are inanimate but intended to give that front party
member a nice scare!
A little further ahead, the cavern narrows to a mere three
feet high and six feet wide. It is just large enough for an
aboleth and the party should be able to fit just fine, but the
edges of the passage are coated with a disgusting slime. It
has the appearance of mucus and the water darkens as the
pathway narrows. There is ink obstructing vision beyond,
so the party will need to swim into total darkness. As they
make their way through the passageway blindly, they will start
death from aBove to bump into jellyfish that deal 1d4 poison damage to each
Unfortunately for the party, there is still some distance to go! member of the party and cause their hands to go temporarily
They continue to swim down as they go another 50… 100… numb.
150 feet but the bottom is not in sight and still the Conch
continues to pull them downward.
Have the party members make a DC 17 Wisdom
(Perception) check. On a success, they hear a rumbling
coming from far above them. It is very faint, but they can
detect the slightest of vibrations. K’Thraxis has commanded
creatures to roll boulders over the edge of the trench and they
are now plummeting down towards the party. Each member of
the party will need to make a Dexterity saving throw to dodge
the incoming rocks. The DC for this check is 10 if any member
of the party succeeded on the Perception check and heard
the rumbling or 16 if everyone failed the check. On a failure,
that creature takes 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage as they are
pummelled by stones. On a success, that creature manages
to dodge out of the way of the debris. A creature that rolls a
total of 5 or less is trapped under the boulder and is pulled
down to the bottom of the trench, an additional 100 feet
down!
A creature trapped beneath a boulder will start to be
crushed by the weight of the boulder, even underwater. They
take 1d8 damage at the start of each turn until their party can
free them! The boulder requires success on a DC 16 Strength
(Athletics) check to move. Remember to give advantage to a
creature if multiple are helping to push the boulder aside.

74
Confronting K’Thraxis
As you emerge from the thin tunnel, you see a horrifying
creature sitting upon a makeshift throne on the far side of
an eighty-foot wide chamber. The throne is adorned with
ship debris, bones, and even a few precious gemstones. The
chamber is filled with treasures as well as skeletal remains.
Floor-to-ceiling columns of stone are scattered through the
area, obscuring some portions of the room from your vision.
The creature resting upon the throne exposes a mouth
filled with four rows of razor-sharp teeth. Above this maw
is a set of three red eyes that seem to stare through you. Its
mucus-colored body is ten feet long and is akin to that of
an eel. Its flesh is coated in a thick slime and its lower half
branches into four tentacles. A crown crafted from the bones
of merfolk rests upon its head.
Before you have time to react, its three eyes flash a brilliant
red.
K'Thraxis's Lair
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.
K’Thraxis will immediately attempt to enslave the first
person into the room and as he does so their Shells of
Sanctuary pulse a brilliant white light. K’Thraxis's whispers
of madness run through their mind and cause a splitting pain,
but the attempt automatically fails thanks to the protections of
the shells.
Bargaining
K’Thraxis will congratulate the party for making it this far and
will attempt to bargain with them before fighting. “You have
proven yourselves determined, resourceful, and strong. You
are the types of creatures I could use to secure my position of
power in the seas once the war is underway. I can offer you
riches. I can give you empires over which you can rule! Lay
down your weapons and instead join me!”
Now, the party can choose to join K’Thraxis and your
adventure can transform into destroying the surface dwellers
and becoming rulers of the depth alongside their new master
K’Thraxis, but we hope that is not the path they will take as
they are heroes!
If the party refuses, K’Thraxis will become engaged and
attack!
75
K’Thraxis’s stat block and abilities scale with your party’s
APL:
Return to Aqualus
With K’Thraxis defeated or left to swim away in shame, the
APL Enemies party can return to Lierra back at Aqualus. Rasula is waiting
for them at the edge of the trench and accompanies them
5-6 K’Thraxis, Nightmare of the Depths (End of
on their journey. If any members of the party have been
Module) - Reduce K’Thraxis’s hit points to 100
afflicted by K’Thaxis’s disease from his tentacle attack,
and his AC to 16.
Rasula will offer to restore them to health once they return
7-8 K’Thraxis, Nightmare of the Depths to the city and she has access to additional supplies!
King Neptrus will have returned to his right mind as well
When K’Thraxis realizes the battle is lost, he will make one as a few other key government officials that had also fallen
final plea to spare his life. K'Thraxis pledges to free all of to the influence of the aboleth. The calls for war have come
the creatures from enslavement and travel far away, never to an end and the party will show up to King Neptrus giving
to return to this part of the world. The aboleth will offer the a speech to all of his people to let them know of K’Thaxis’s
party knowledge of a place of great power, one that can make influence. He will also give accolades to his daughter who
them akin to gods if used right! K'Thraxis will tell them of this helped to save him and shall be recognized as a hero of their
location once free of the cavern and will pledge a blood oath people. He presents Lierra with the crown of his deceased
that he will not go back on his word! K'Thraxis is pathetic and wife that was to be given to Lierra when she became queen.
miserable as he makes the plea, but it is up to the party to slay He is choosing to entrust it to her years ahead of schedule as
the aberration or let him go where he may try to rise to power an honor for her service.
once again. When Lierra spots the party, she will wave to them excitedly
Normally an aboleth could use its ability to probe into the and announces that the true heroes of the day have just
minds of the party to gain some additional knowledge of their entered the city. The party will hear murmurs and whispers
deepest desires, but fortunately the Shells of Sanctuary block spreading like wildfire with the word “surface dwellers" being
this ability so K’Thraxis has no deeper insights into the party the common phrase spoken. King Neptrus gives a deep bow
to use for his manipulations. as they approach and the rest of the merfolk follow suit,
If they choose to let K'Thraxis go, he will tell the party bowing and kneeling before their saviors. “We threatened
of the Island of Timeless Sands. Time for those on the the surface with war and slaughter and in turn, they have
island appears to pass normally, but for every five hours sent us saviors! Let this be a moment etched into our
that pass on this island, just one passes in the world outside history; even though we have strong disagreements with
of its influence! They can use this to gain a strategic edge the surface world, in our time of need they put their lives
over opponents! If the party chooses to kill K’Thraxis, this on the line for our own.”
knowledge is lost to them. Neptrus will rise and announce that a feast will be held and
a reward given to the Saviors of Aqualus!
Treasures of K’Thraxis’s Lair The party will receive the following loot from the Royal
The Lair is filled with all kinds of valuables that the party can Treasure Vault:
take with them! • 2x Aquamarine Seahorse (200 gold each)
•4
 x Jet (50 gold each) • 1x Amethyst Dolphin (300 gold)
•4
 x Ruby (50 gold each) • 1x Bag of Teardrop Sapphires (50x Sapphires worth 20 gold
•3
 x Emerald (50 gold each) each)
•2
 x Sapphire (50 gold each) • 1x Trident of Fish Command (uncommon)
•1
 x Golden Chalice (75 gold) • 1x Folding Boat (rare)
•1
 x Amber Tower (85 gold)
•1
 x Onyx Eye (100 gold) Along with this, if you choose to use this as part of a larger
campaign world, Aqualus is now a city of allies they can return
You can also choose to give your party one or more of the to whenever they’d like!
following magic items:
•R
 ing of Mind Shielding (uncommon) Experience
•S
 entinel Shield (uncommon)
The Experience listed below represents a blend of monster
•W
 and of Fear (rare)
encounters, non-combat encounters, and some bonus
experience for finishing the quest. Feel free to adjust these
The base items are shared across all APLs, but the amount of
values if you see fit.
gold and platinum that can be recovered scales by APL:
APL XP Per Player
APL Rewards
5 4,500
5 150 gold
6 7,000
6 300 gold
7 9,000
7 20 platinum. 300 gold
8 11,000
8 50 platinum, 500 gold

76
Loot Stat Blocks
Wealth
•2
 x Aquamarine Seahorse (200 gold each) Exscindere (CR 5)
•1
 x Amethyst Dolphin (300 gold) Huge beast, unaligned
•1
 x Bag of Teardrop Sapphires (50x Sapphires worth 20 gold
each) Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
•4
 x Jet (50 gold each) Hit Points 80 (8d12 + 32)
•4
 x Ruby (50 gold each) Speed 20 ft., 30 ft.
•3
 x Emerald (50 gold each)
•2
 x Sapphire (50 gold each) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
•1
 x Golden Chalice (75 gold) 20 (+5) 8 (–1) 19 (+4) 3 (–4) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)
•1
 x Amber Tower (85 gold)
•1
 x Onyx Eye (100 gold) Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 10
•V
 arying gold/platinum depending on the party’s APL Languages –
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Magic Items
•1
 x Trident of Fish Command (uncommon)
•1
 x Folding Boat (rare) Amphibious. Exscindere can breathe air and water.
•1
 x [Optional] Ring of Mind Shielding (uncommon)
•1
 x [Optional] Sentinel Shield (uncommon)
A ctions
•1
 x [Optional] Wand of Fear (rare) Multiattack. Exscindere makes two attacks: one with its claws
•1
 x Trident of Benediction (very rare) and one with its stomp.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 20 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage and the target is
Trident of Benediction grappled (escape DC 15). Exsceindere has two claws, each of
Trident, very rare (requires attunement) which can grapple only one target.
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10ft., one target.
while wielding this magic trident. Additionally, while you Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning and the target must succeed
are attuned to this trident you can breathe underwater on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
and have a swim speed equal to your walking speed.
As an action, you can speak the command phrase
“Death to the scourge of the depths”. Any aboleth,
krakens, corpse anglers, or tyrants of the depths within Exscindere (CR 7)
120 feet become afflicted by the Hydromancer’s Curse Huge beast, unaligned
for the next hour. Whenever a creature affected by this
curse makes an attack roll or a saving throw, it must roll Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
a d4 and subtract the number rolled from its result. In Hit Points 126 (12d12 + 48)
Speed 30 ft., 30 ft.
addition, the creature’s AC is reduced by 3.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

22 (+6) 8 (–1) 19 (+4) 3 (–4) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)

Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 10

Languages –
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

Amphibious. Exscindere can breathe air and water.

A ctions
Multiattack. Exscindere makes two attacks: one with its claws
and one with its stomp.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 25 (3d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage and the target is
grappled and restrained (escape DC 16). Exsceindere has two
claws, each of which can grapple only one target.
Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10ft., one target.
Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6) bludgeoning and the target must succeed
on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

77
 rottiNg skeletoN skeletal ravager
Medium undead, lawful evil Medium undead, lawful evil

Armor Class 9 Armor Class 14

Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8) Hit Points 55 (10d8 + 10)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 8 (–1) 15 (+2) 6 (–2) 8 (–1) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 5 (–3) 9 (–1) 7 (–2)

Damage Immunities Poison Damage Immunities Poison

Damage Vulnerabilities Bludgeoning
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 9
Languages Understands all languages it knew in life but
can’t speak
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Damage Vulnerabilities Bludgeoning
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 9
Languages Understands all languages it knew in life but
can’t speak
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Rotting Fumes. At the end of each of the skeleton’s turns,

each creature within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) poison damage.
A ctions
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic
damage.
A ctions
Multiattack. The ravager makes three attacks: one with its bite
and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Ravaging Slashes (Recharge 6). The ravager uses its
multiattack. The ravager’s attacks score a critical hit on a roll
of 19-20 until the start of its next turn.

78
Guardian of the Depths Electric Eel Swarm
Large construct, unaligned Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned

Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) Armor Class 13

Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18) Hit Points 27 (6d8)
Speed 30 ft., swim 20 ft. Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 8 (–1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 6 (–2) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)

Damage Immunities Poison Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing;

Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Lightning
Paralyzed, Poisoned Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Grappled,
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13 Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
Languages Understands Aquan and Common but does Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
not speak Languages –
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Amphibious. The guardian can breathe air and water. Electric Flesh. A creature that hits the swarm with a melee
Eternal Warden. The guardian doesn’t require air, food, drink, attack while within 5 feet of the swarm takes 3 (1d6) lightning
or sleep. damage.

Magic Resistance. The guardian has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
A ctions
Multiattack. The guardian makes two attacks with its anchor.
Anchor. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Cannon Ball. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
range 80/320 ft. or 30/60 ft. if underwater, one target.
Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Weighted Net (1/Day). The guardian throws a 10-foot
diameter weighted net over an area within 20 feet. Each
creature in that area must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity
saving throw or become restrained until freed. The net has
no effect on creatures that are formless, or creatures that are
Large or larger. A creature can use its action to make a DC 13
Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its
reach on a success. Dealing 10 slashing damage to the net
(AC 12) also frees the creature without harming it, ending the
effect and destroying the net.
After the guardian uses this ability, it can make an anchor
against a creature within range.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and
vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
enough for a Tiny eel. The swarm can’t regain hit points or
gain temporary hit points.
Water Breathing. The swarm can breathe only underwater.
A ctions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature
in the swarm’s space. Hit: 10 (4d4) piercing damage, or 5
(2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points
or fewer.
Jolt. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature
in the swarm’s space. Hit: 5 (2d4) lightning damage, or
2 (1d4) lightning damage if the swarm has half of its hit
points or fewer, and the target must succeed on a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or become stunned until the end of
its next turn.

79
 Giant Electric Eel Abyssal Jellyfish
Large beast, unaligned Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 Armor Class 78 (12d10 + 12)

Hit Points 45 (6d10 + 12) Hit Points 78 (12d10 + 12)
Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft. Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 3 (–4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 1 (–5) 8 (–1) 2 (–4)

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4 Damage Resistances Lightning, Poison

Damage Resistances Lightning Condition Immunities Poisoned, Prone
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Passive Perception 10 Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 9
Languages – Languages –
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Electric Flesh. A creature that hits the eel with a melee attack
while within 5 feet of it takes 4 (1d8) lightning damage.
Water Breathing. The eel can breathe only underwater.
A ctions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) lightning
damage.
R eactions
Jolting Retreat. After being hit by an attack, the eel charges its
body with electricity and zips away to a location within
20 feet. Attacks of opportunity made against the eel when it
uses this ability are made with disadvantage and damage from
its electric flesh triggered by those attacks is increased by
4 (1d8).
Deep-Dweller’s Reflexes. The jellyfish can’t be surprised.
Paralytic Venom. If a creature is hit by the jellyfish’s
tentacles twice in the same round, it must succeed on a
DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed for
1 minute. A creature paralyzed this way can repeat this saving
throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a
success. A creature that becomes paralyzed while underwater
immediately begins to drown if it can’t breathe underwater.
Poisonous Defenses. A creature that hits the jellyfish with a
melee attack while within 5 feet of the jellyfish takes 4 (1d8)
poison damage.
Water Breathing. The jellyfish can breathe only underwater.
A ctions
Multiattack. The jellyfish makes one attack with its scythe claw
and two attacks with its tentacles.
Scythe Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage.
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8)
poison damage and the target can’t take reactions until the
end of its next turn.

80
K’Thraxis
Large aberration, lawful evil
Armor Class 17
Hit Points 135 (18d10 + 36)
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
21 (+5) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) 15 (+2) 18 (+4)
Saving Throws Con +6, Int +8, Wis +6
Skills History +12, Perception +10, Persuasion +8
Damage Resistances text
Damage Immunities text
Damage Vulnerabilities text
Condition Immunities text
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 20
Languages Deep Speech, Telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Amphibious. The K’Thraxis can breathe air and water.
Mucous Cloud. While underwater, K’Thraxis is surrounded by
transformative mucus. A creature that touches K’Thraxis or
that hits him with a melee attack while within 5 feet of him
must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure,
the creature is diseased for 1d4 hours. The diseased creature
can breathe only underwater.
Probing Telepathy. If a creature communicates telepathically
with K’Thraxis, K’Thraxis learns the creature’s greatest desires
if K’Thraxis can see the creature.
A ctions
Multiattack. K’Thraxis makes three attacks: one with his bite
and two with his tentacles.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target
is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution
saving throw or become diseased. The disease has no effect
for 1 minute and can be removed by any magic that cures
disease. After 1 minute, the diseased creature’s skin becomes
translucent and slimy, the creature can’t regain hit points
unless it is underwater, and the disease can be removed
only by heal or another disease-curing spell of 6th level or
higher. When the creature is outside a body of water, it takes
6 (1d12) acid damage every 10 minutes unless moisture is
applied to the skin before 10 minutes have passed.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is a creature,
it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become
overwhelmed with rage. On that creature’s next turn, it must
take the attack action and attacks a random creature within
its range. If there are no targets in range, it will move to the
nearest target and then attack.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft. one target.
Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Enslave (3/Day). K’Thraxis targets one creature it can see
within 30 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 14
Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed by K’Thraxis
until K’Thraxis dies or until he is on a different plane of
existence from the target. The charmed target is under
K’Thraxis’s control and can’t take reactions, and K’Thraxis and
the target can communicate telepathically with each other
over any distance.
Whenever the charmed target takes damage, the target can
repeat the saving throw. On a success, the effect ends. No
more than once every 24 hours, the target can also repeat the
saving throw when it is at least 1 mile away from K’Thraxis.
Creatures wearing Shells of Sanctuary automatically pass the
saving throw against this ability.
L egendary A ctions
K’Thraxis can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action option can be
used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn.
K’Thraxis regains spent legendary actions at the start of its
turn.
Detect. K’Thraxis makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Tail Swipe. K’Thraxis makes one tail attack.
Bite (Costs 2 Actions). K’Thraxis makes one bite attack.
L air A ctions
When fighting inside his lair, K’Thraxis can invoke the ambient
magic to take lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing
initiative ties), K’Thraxis takes a lair action to cause one of the
following effects:
• K’Thraxis casts phantasmal force (no components required)
on any number of creatures he can see within 60 feet of it.
While maintaining concentration on this effect, K’Thraxis
can’t take other lair actions. If a target succeeds on the
saving throw or if the effect ends for it, the target is immune
to the K’Thraxis’s phantasmal force lair action for the next 24
hours, although such a creature can choose to be affected.
• Pools of water within 90 feet of K’Thraxis surge outward in a
grasping tide. Any creature on the ground within 20 feet of
such a pool must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw
or be pulled up to 20 feet into the water and knocked prone.
K’Thraxis can’t use this lair action again until it has used a
different one.
• Water in K’Thraxis’s lair magically becomes a conduit for the
creature’s rage. K’Thraxis can target any number of creatures
it can see in such water within 90 feet of it. A target must
succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or take 7 (2d6)
psychic damage. K’Thraxis can’t use this lair action again
until it has used a different one.
81
 Trouble in Paradise
A One-Shot Adventure for Levels 5-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adventure Synopsis Average Party Level (APL)
This adventure uses Average Party Level (APL) to scale the
Even adventurers need a break from time to time and difficulty of encounters. Average Party Level is calculated as
the newly opened island resort of Nakumana serves as a follows:
temporary respite from all of the politics and savagery of the • Find the average levels of all of your party members (round
world. It is a place of pure relaxation with events such as up if you want to make things more challenging or down if
snorkeling, sandcastle building contests, volleyball, and their you want them to be easier!)
infamous hot springs up near Nakumana’s dormant volcano - • For example, a party of four level 5 characters has an
Kijeau. APL of 5. A party of two level 6 characters and two level 7
The adventure begins with the party on their way to characters has an APL of 6.5, but you can choose to round
this island paradise, meeting some of the others who are this to 6 or 7 depending on the challenge you are seeking
making the escape as well. The party has the opportunity for the adventure!
to participate in a number of minigames and competitions
• For each character in the group above 4, add one to your
against this other adventuring party. All seems to be going
calculated APL. For each character fewer than 4, subtract 1
well until they attempt to go snorkeling and a wave of jellyfish
from the APL.
forces them out of the water and leaves their Relaxation
• For example, a party of six level 4 characters has an
Specialist with welts all over his body. Next, they are attacked
average level of 4, but since there are six total characters,
by some wiley mephits up at the hot springs! These seem to
we add 2 to our APL for a total APL value of 6.
be just minor setbacks though, and a candle lit dinner on the
docks brings all of the resort goers back into high spirits… at
least until one of the Relaxation Specialists runs to get more
alcohol and never comes back. After a scream, the party finds
Expected Length: 4-6 Hours
only a broken bottle, blood, and a few severed fingers in the The expected length of this adventure is 4-6 hours. Of course,
sand. It is at this point all hell breaks loose. these are expectations and what you experience may change
Nakumana is a paradise, but one that was intended for based on player choices and pacing.
elementals and not for humanoids. These elementals were
cast out over a year ago when the venture capitalist that built
the resort hired a set of mercenaries to wipe them off of the
Descriptive Text
island entirely. Unfortunately for the party, these elementals
have merely been waiting for the right time to make their Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud
return and reclaim the island that rightfully belongs to them! for the players when their characters first arrive at a location
Now the party must fight to escape paradise. Can they or under a specific circumstance that will be noted.
survive the assault of live jellyfish by attacking coral
elementals? Will the sandcastles that they built earlier in
the day be their undoing as they come to life and attempt to
pull the party down into the sand and suffocate them? And if
they survive that, there is still the hurricane-force storm and
erupting volcano to endure!
Will your players attempt to make peace with the wrathful
spirit of the island or shall they choose to destroy the
elementals and escape via ship out to the ocean? The decision
is theirs, but either way…
Welcome to Paradise.

82
adveNture iNtroduCtioN (optioNal)
This is suggested if you are running a one-shot separate from an overarching campaign and want to kick things off swiftly. If you are
embedding this adventure in an existing campaign, there may be better ways to throw the party into the action.

The salty smell of the sea strikes your nostrils as you sit aboard the deck of The Pickled Pineapple with your fellow resort-goers. You are
off to the Nakumana Island Resort for some much-needed rest and relaxation. The trip is all-inclusive and drinks served out of coconuts
and pineapples are being offered up to guests. A burly half-orc from another adventuring group has already had one too many and lays face
down snoring lightly on the deck of the ship. Fortunately, one of the staff was kind enough to put a thin blanket over him so he doesn’t
burn in the blazing heat of the sun which you have been assured means the water will be the perfect temperature for swimming and
snorkeling!
You’ve been sailing for over just over two hours when the island becomes visible in the distance! You can see the towering (mostly-
dormant) volcano of the island surrounded by lush green forest. This volcano provides the heat for the luxurious hot springs that have
caused the Nakumana Island Resort to gain renown all across the countryside.
A high elf woman with long blonde hair made frizzy from the mist and wind of the journey reaches over the edge of the boat and runs
her fingers through the water. “I am so ready to just kick back and not have to worry about the troubles of mainland life for a few days!
We were just on a caravan escort mission that lasted nearly three weeks and we ended up being attacked by a pack of wereboars, so
this is much needed!” She is in casual clothing but has a pack at her feet adorned with a pair of fine twin daggers. You’ve learned from
overhearing that this woman’s name is Lena and she is part of a small band of adventurers including the half-orc unconscious on the floor
of the ship who you have heard referred to as Brick, a starry-eyed halfling woman with a pet mouse named Nelly, and a middle-aged man
who looks like he has just strolled out of the salon with his immaculately trimmed beard who you’ve heard called Jorlen.
Lena turns to you with a smile and asks “So what have you been up to that calls for a vacation?”

83
Trouble In Paradise Key Events Reminder
This page can serve as a quick reference to remind you of
major events, NPC names, locations, and any other relevant
information that you may need during the adventure! The
ordering of some of the events can change based on the
player’s choices, but all of the events are detailed below with
identifying headers.
If you are running this at the table, I would suggest printing
this out and having it at the ready to get yourself back on track
no matter what happens!

Major Events Notable Locations

•T  he Boat Ride to Nakumana Island • The Nakumana Island Resort
•R  esort Activities on the Island • Mount Kijeau - Nakumana’s active volcano
• Sandcastle Contest • Osseb’s Island Home - Private home for the owner of the
• Volleyball Tournament island
• Snorkeling Attempt
• Trip to the Hot Springs
• Disruption by Disgruntled Mephits! Ships
• Dinner on the Docks • The Pickled Pineapple - The ship the party arrived on
• Revenge of the Elementals! • The Treasure Seeker - The personal ship of Noel Osseb
• Lulana Killed on her Trip Back
• Party Gathers Equipment at the Resort
• Searching for Survivors
• Attacked by Coral Elementals!
• Finding Karrek Amongst the Wreckage
• Attacked by Sandcastle Elementals!
• A Moment of Respite in the Caverns
• Find Mira, Relaxation Specialist
• Short Rest
• The Volcano Erupts!
• Meeting with the Island Spirit
• Battle or Bargaining with the Spirit
• Combat / Cracking Osseb’s Safe (Depending on Decisions)
• Escaping the Island

Important NPCs
•T  he Rival Band of Adventurers
• Lena - Female High Elf Rogue
• Brick - Male Half-Orc Fighter
• Nelly - Female Halfling Ranger
• Jorlen - Male Human Cleric
• Island Relaxation Specialists
• Marius - Male Human Relaxation Specialist assigned to
the party
• Lulana - Female Human Relaxation Specialist assigned to
rival group
• Mira - Female Half-Elf Relaxation Specialist hiding in the
staff caverns
• Karrek - Male Gnomish Crewmember of the Pickled
Pineapple
• Noel Osseb - Male Human Owner of Nukamana Island

84
Welcome to Nakumana
Island Lena Songcaller
Medium elf rogue, chaotic good
Fellow Adventurers Armor Class 15 (Studded Leather)
During most of this one-shot, the party will interact with Hit Points 25
another adventuring group. Below are general descriptions Speed 30 ft.
and stat blocks for these characters as they may be needed
throughout the adventure. Take some time to familiarize STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
yourself with their personalities to bring them to life during 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 9 (–1) 16 (+3)
the game!
Saving Throws Dex +6, Int +4
Lena Songcaller Skills Acrobatics +9, Performance +9, Sleight of Hand +6,
Lena is a high elf rogue born into a family that has made their Stealth +6
lives as bards and musicians, hence her name. Unfortunately Senses Darkvision (60 ft.), Passive Perception 11
for Lena, her crippling stage fright made it quite difficult for Languages Common, Dwarvish, Elvish, Orcish
Proficiency Bonus +3
her to play her flute in public and she decided to turn to a
profession that allowed her to lurk in the shadows a bit more
- a mercenary. She has a petite frame with very long curly
blonde hair that is normally in tight braids but is allowed to
A ctions
flow free during her vacation. She has bright green eyes and a Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach
5 ft. or ranged 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (1d4 + 3d6 + 3)
friendly personality, but if you put her in the spotlight she will
piercing damage.
likely choke and stumble.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 150/600
ft., one target. Hit: 18 (1d8 + 3d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Nelly Surefoot
Nelly is a quirky female gnome ranger. She has a pet mouse
that she keeps in her pocket at all times named Peanut.
She loves animals above all else and will ask anyone she Nelly Surefoot
encounters if they have any pets that she can see and hold. Small halfling ranger, lawful good
Her positivity is relentless and will always try to rouse the
party to join in games if someone is trying to be "boring". Armor Class 12
Hit Points 35
Brick Stonebreaker Speed 25 ft.
Brick is a man of few words, a hulking half-orc fighter who
grew up listening to tales of great warriors knowing he would STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
one day become such a hero. His adoptive human parents 7 (–2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+1) 17 (+3) 10 (+0)
treated him like one of their own along with his four other
adopted siblings. Every night they would read him stories and Saving Throws Dex +6, Str +1
he would picture himself defending those in need. As a result, Skills Animal Handling +6, Nature +5, Perception +6,
this half-orc has a heart of gold. He cares for his party as if Stealth +5
they were his own family and would do anything to protect Senses Passive Perception 16
them. He is often treated differently for being a half-orc which Languages Common, Elvish, Orcish
frustrates Brick for just because he is large in stature does not Proficiency Bonus +3
mean he is is a brute.
A ctions
Jorlen Orzona Multiattack. Nelly makes two attacks with her shortbow or
Jorlen Orzona is a human man in his mid-thirties with salt with her shortsword.
and pepper hair and a winning smile. He keeps himself very
well-groomed, putting a high importance on appearance as Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
it is key to make a strong first impression. He is a cleric of
Tymora, the Goddess of Good Fortune, though he believes Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 80/320 ft.,
fortune often finds those who are willing to put in the work to one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
seek it. He is an individual who wishes to accumulate wealth,
always looking for a way to strike a deal or make a wager.
That said, when he gets back to the city he is always sure to
give a portion of his proceeds to those in need - typically the
local orphanages in honor of Brick. But to donate money, one
needs money. He is a hedonist at his core, always seeking out
pleasure in whatever ways it may present itself.

85
 Brick Stonebreaker Jorlen Orzona
Medium half-orc barbarian, lawful good Medium human cleric, neutral good

Armor Class 14 (Unarmored Defence) Armor Class 18 (Chainmail, Shield)

Hit Points 55 Hit Points 30
Speed 40 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 9 (–1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 14 (+2)

Saving Throws Dex +4, Str +5 Saving Throws Cha +4, Wis +3
Skills Acrobatics +4, Athletics +7, Insight +3, Perception +3 Skills Deception +5, Insight +6, Persuasion +5, Religion +3
Senses Darkvision (60 ft.), Passive Perception 13 Senses Passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Dwarvish, Orcish Languages Common, Dwarvish, Elvish
Proficiency Bonus +3 Proficiency Bonus +3

A ctions
Multiattack. Brick makes two attacks with his greataxe.
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage.
A ctions
Sacred Flame. Target creature within 60 feet must succeed
on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 9 (2d8) radiant
damage.
Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage or 8 (1d10 + 3)
bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
Healing Touch (4/Day). Restores 8 (1d8 + 4) hit points to a
creature within 5 feet.
Tongues (2/Day). Jorlen touches a creature within 5 feet. For
the next hour that creature has the ability to understand any
spoken language it hears. Moreover, when the target speaks,
any creature that knows at least one language and can hear the
target understands what it says.

86
The Boat Ride
The adventure kicks off on the boat ride over to the island of
Nakumana. It is a leisurely trip aboard a large vessel called
The Pickled Pineapple. There are multiple members of the
crew dedicated to taking care of the guests during the hour-
long journey. There are drinks of all varieties offered up as
well as tropical island fruits in fine glass bowls that scream
elegance. Some of these fruits have been soaking in liquor and
can serve as a sweet treat that also helps get you tipsy!
The party is on the ship with another adventuring party
(whose descriptions and personalities are listed above) and
the adventure kicks off with them opening up conversations
with the party to get to know them better. You will want to
build a bond as they will be with the party for a majority of
the events on the island. You can use as many or as few of
the questions below as you see fit, but they are ultimately just
examples. The end goal here is to get to know the other group
and introduce each of their characters to open up roleplaying
opportunities.
• “ What have you been up to that requires a vacation?” from
Lena
• “ What is the fiercest battle you’ve ever been in?” from Brick
• “Are you in it for the money or for the glory?” from Jorlen
• “ Do you have any pets? If so, can I pet them?” from Nelly
Arrival at Nakumana
Once you’ve spent fifteen minutes or so in roleplaying dialog
and getting everyone comfortable, the boat arrives at the pier
of Nakumana. The groups are led off the boat and onto the
island for the first time. Down on the beach, there are a few
figures waving excitedly as the party steps off.
You step off The Pickled Pineapple and onto the finely-crafted
dock of the Nakumana Island Resort. You see another dock
a little ways down the beach with a set of dining tables and
chairs facing the ocean with fishing poles resting nearby.
There are unlit torches lining the area and a few umbrellas
scattered to shield from the sun that is blazing down quite
fiercely at the moment. Large white fish swim just beyond
the edge of the dock in the crystal clear water. In the distance
is a lush forest and the smoldering volcano, Kijeau. You can
hear tropical birds singing their songs and combined with the
crashing waves it does indeed create a wondrous feeling of
relaxation and serenity.
On the beach, you spot two figures waving excitedly in
your direction. One is a man and the other a woman, but
both are dressed in matching outfits of bright blue button-up
shirts, brown shorts, sandals, and wide-brimmed white hats.
They each hold a clipboard in their hands and have name tags
attached to their shirts. As you reach the warm sand of the
beach, the man walks up to you - a young human with a bright
smile. He extends his hand and says, “Hi there! I am your
Relaxation Specialist, Marius, and I am here to make sure you
have the time of your life at the Nakumana Island Resort!”
Marius is exactly what you would expect for someone with
the title Relaxation Specialist. He is annoyingly optimistic
about everything and will deflect any negative comments to
something positive. His facade can be cracked with enough
effort but it is difficult. He is clean cut with short blonde hair
and deeply tan skin made even darker from working out in
the sun. It truly is his job to make the party happy and he
will try to meet any of their needs as long as they are not too
outlandish, even if it means his own humiliation from time to
time.
The other group’s relaxation specialist is a heavyset human
woman named Lulana with brown skin and long black curly
hair that is decorated with flowers. Her personality is much
the same as Marius, as they are both Relaxation Specialists
and it is their job to see that the groups have a good time!
Marius leads the party to a set of buildings not far from the
beach. There are a few large central shelters that are quite
spacious with living quarters, an area to prepare meals, and
incredible bathrooms. Smaller huts are scattered around
these buildings that contain simply a bed, blankets, and a few
other basic amenities. The central building serves as a hub for
each group that stays here while the huts offer private sleeping
quarters and more exposure to the beach with its beauty and
comforts. Within the main building is a fully stocked bar and
fresh fruit for everyone to enjoy at their leisure.
Marius informs the party that there should be clothes
inside each of the huts that they can change into to be
ready for the beach! There is going to be a sandcastle
building contest past the far docks in half an hour! The
idea is for your party to indulge in their resort adventures -
continuing to get to know the other adventuring group and
building up relationships through roleplaying and some skill-
check-based games before things turn to chaos! The party is
technically free to do as they wish at this point, but Marius will
try to rope them in with his itinerary and promise of great fun!
87
Fun in the Sun
The Sandcastle Contest
The first of the Fun in the Sun activities is a sandcastle
building contest on the beach.
As you make your way to the beach, you see the other
adventuring party already enjoying themselves. Brick has piled
up a small mountain of sand and is using a handaxe to carve
details into it, seeming quite pleased with his progress so far.
Lena is burying Nelly in the sand and just her head is showing.
Jorlen is out in the shallows, staring intensely down at the
water as if searching for something. You see their Relaxation
Specialist smiling, clipboard in hand, as she watches them go
about their activities.
As you approach the beach, Marius cups his hands around
his mouth and announces in a volume far louder than
necessary, “the sandcastle contest is about to begin! Can I get
everyone who would like to participate over to the beach at
this time! The winner gets bragging rights and a souvenir mug
to commemorate your time on the island!”
Brick of course is going to compete as he has been honing
his expert skills. Lena and Nelly decide to get in on the fun
as well! Jorlen sits this one out and continues to comb the
beach, searching for treasures that might be hidden beneath
the waves. He is convinced that exotic goods could have been
lost by other wealthy individuals that stayed at this resort and
he seeks to find them (and does manage to find an emerald
necklace while the competition is underway).
Marius announces that for the tournament, participants
will have 30 minutes to create their most beautiful
structure from sand! They call it a sandcastle competition,
but it can technically be whatever they’d like to make, so
really a sand sculpture competition! He and Lulana will be
the judges for the contest.
How to Compete
For the competition, ask each of your players if they would like
to participate (which hopefully they will want to!) Each of them
will need to describe to you what they would like to make out
of sand in as much detail as possible. Ask them to paint a
word picture for you and even encourage them to draw out a
sketch of their design. Players that go above and beyond will
have advantage on their sandcastle checks!
The participants are graded on three categories - Creativity,
Craftsmanship, and Charisma! First have the players make a
check to see their Creativity. This is an Intelligence, Wisdom,
or Charisma check depending on what they are making. If it
is something highly technical - Intelligence. Something that is
highly artistic and from the heart - Wisdom. If it is something
flashy and over-the-top - Charisma. Use your best judgment
or even let the players choose which they think is appropriate
for their design. Players who did a great job with their
descriptions going into the mini-game get advantage on these
checks!
88
The second roll is for Craftsmanship. This can be either a
Strength or Dexterity check, but be sure they justify which
of these skills they wish to use and have it reflected in their
design! Consider even allowing players to use Sleight of Hand
or some of their Tool proficiencies if they can be justified
for the design! Once again, players who really go above and
beyond with their roleplaying and engagement get advantage
on these rolls.
The final check is for Charisma! Once time is up, Marius
and Lulana walk around to each of the creations and will
ask the players to describe their beautiful works of art. The
players will have already rolled their other checks by now, so
they can even use the results to feed into their performance.
For example, a party member can embrace the fact that
their Craftsmanship roll was terrible and shift their pitch
as an interpretive or abstract piece of art. Like the others, if
the players are particularly engaged and dramatic in their
descriptions, give them advantage on this roll which will be
made using their Charisma (Performance) bonus.
When all is said and done, each participant should have
made 3 total rolls and have a final score calculated.
Choosing a Winner!
The members of the rival adventuring party have their own
creations. Nelly has attempted to make a self-portrait and
unfortunately it has not turned out particularly well as most
of her face has fallen off! Brick decided to go with a classic
sandcastle and has created a beautiful garrison with a moat
around it. It is filled with many technical details carved with
his handaxe. Lena decided to go with a mermaid and it has
turned out nicely as well! Her skill in bladework has allowed
her to carve fine details for her creation.
Their total scores are as follows:
Nelly - 20
Brick - 30
Lena - 35
These are pretty respectable scores but if your party was
on top of their roleplaying, hopefully they will be able to take
them down! If not, it only furthers the rivalry!
After Lulana and Marius have discussed and compared
notes on their clipboards for some time, they are ready to
announce a winner! They ask for everyone to give a round of
applause and the victor is presented with a fine glass mug
with an island painted on the side. It reads “Nakumana Island,
Where I Nakuwanna Be!”
With the sandcastle tournament over, Marius makes a
new announcement. Make sure to read this with plenty
of excitement and as over the top as you can - remember,
Relaxation Specialist!
Marius cups his hands around his mouth and shouts once
again. “Alright, that concludes the sandcastle competition,
but I know you all are dying for some beach volleyball! Spend
some time relaxing and meet us about a hundred yards down
the beach in an hour and be ready to play! Winning team gets
bragging rights and each member will receive a Nakumana
Island Resort t-shirt!”
Give the party an opportunity to hang out, explore, or chat
with the other adventuring party some more at this point or
simply skip ahead to the volleyball tournament.
Beach Volleyball
When tournament time arrives, the party will need to make
their way down the beach where the play area is located.
You see a large net spanning just over 30 feet. There is a
play area marked off by black sand to create a large rectangle
around the net. Marius and Lulana have changed their outfits
and are now sporting black and white striped shirts and each
have a whistle hanging around their necks. Both of course
still have their trusty clipboards at the ready. Lulana cups her
hands and shouts “Alright, if I could get my group to follow
me over to this side. Marius’s group, you go on that side.”
The party will then play some beach volleyball. If the party
contains more than 4 characters, they will need to sit out
participants to even the teams. Once the teams are selected,
the competition is ready to get underway! It plays out in a few
simple skill checks.
Each person participating will need to make two rolls - one
using their Strength (Athletics) and one using their Dexterity
(Acrobatics).
Before you make these rolls though, ask your players how
their sportsmanship is.
• I f they are trash-talking the other team, have them roll a
Charisma (Intimidation) check and have a member of the
opposite team make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed
save, that opponent has disadvantage on the first of their two
skill checks!
•T
 he party can also choose to instead encourage their own
teammates! Success on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
check grants a team member of their choice advantage on
either their athletics or acrobatics check!
Jorlen and Lena trash talk, so two random members will
need to succeed on saving throws against their remarks or
be forced to make their next roll with disadvantage.
Getting Creative!
Your party may try to bring some additional advantages to the
volleyball tournament - perhaps through the use of cantrips
or some of their other features. Let them argue their case and
where appropriate feel free to grant them advantage or give
the enemy disadvantage! Try to favor the party in these as best
you can as we want to reward creativity! Spiking the ball just
as it crosses the net with a mage hand is one fun example.
The Rolling
• First are the rolls for trash talking.
• Jorlen makes his roll with a +2 bonus
• Lena makes her roll with a +3 bonus
• The party makes their sportsmanship rolls
• Performance rolls
• Each party member will make both a Strength (Athletics)
and a Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks
•R
 emember disadvantage if they were susceptible to
trash talk!
• Each member of the other adventuring party makes their
own rolls
• Lena with a +0 bonus for Athletics and a +9 bonus for
Acrobatics
• Brick with a +7 bonus for Athletics and a +4 bonus for
Acrobatics
• Jorlen with a +2 bonus for Athletics and a -1 bonus for
Acrobatics
• Nelly with a -2 bonus for Athletics and a +3 bonus for
Acrobatics
Once all of the rolling is complete, add up the totals for each
of the teams! The team with the highest total among all of
their rolls is victorious! Give details of the game, highlighting
the highs and lows among the rolls for the fumbles and
the exceptional plays that led each of the teams to victory
or defeat! The more you can visualize the tournament for
your players, the better! Have the two parties chat for a bit
afterwards and bond over these moments!
As promised, the winning team receives Nakumana Island
Resort t-shirts and gains inspiration if they do not already have
it.
Snorkeling
Once the party has settled down from beach volleyball, Marius
and Lulana ask the two groups to hang out while they grab the
equipment for the next activity. They return just a few minutes
later.
You see Marius and Lulana approaching, both in swim attire
and carrying a large chest between them, appearing to strain
a bit with the weight of its contents! They sit the chest down
near the water’s edge and beckon you to join them. “Get over
here, resort-goers! It is time for some snorkeling!” Marius
opens up the chest and reveals sets of masks and rubber
tubing. He grabs one of these and places it over his head,
adjusting straps on the sides until it sits firmly on his face. He
looks ridiculous, but he is sporting a large grin. “Lulana will
get you set up with your gear. I am going to scout the area to
see if I can find any interesting aquatic life nearby!” Marius
sprints off into the water and dives into the oncoming waves.
89
He paddles out over the water as Lulana starts handing masks
out to the members of the party. The party has enough time
to all get their masks on and start getting them fitted when
they hear Marius scream in agony out in the water!
Lulana panics and goes after her resort companion. The
party can follow after as Marius continues to howl in agony.
They can see him thrashing in the distance, trying desperately
to swim back to shore - and he appears to be making progress.
The party can swim out to help Marius, but as they
approach he will wave his arms and yell at them to turn
around and get on shore!
As Marius makes his way out of the water, you see his body
is coated in red welts and lashes. They cover him from head
to toe and as if he has been struck by hundreds of tiny whips!
Marius’s body is quivering from the pain as he continues to
groan and suck in deep breaths between his teeth. He finally
regains some composure: “I got out there, dove down, and
there was a pack of jellyfish like nothing I’ve ever seen! I
swear they just appeared! I’m afraid there isn’t going to be any
snorkeling today… and I am going to need to get over to the
infirmary before I pass out.”
Lulana turns to the party and announces that she will be
taking over as Relaxation Specialist for both of the groups
while Marius recovers! This isn’t the first time they have been
stung by jellyfish, though this is the worst she has seen. She
suggests a trip up to the hot springs to get their minds and
bodies back in vacation mode!
The Hot Springs
Lulana gives the party an opportunity to swing by their rooms
again to gather any supplies they may need, then leads them
off on an adventure out into the jungle. The area is beautiful
with birds and other beasts singing their songs and bellowing
their mating calls. The flora is vibrant and full of life, but
there is a nice clear path carved out through the dense plants
leading up to the mountain.
The journey takes about forty-five minutes in total, the way
decorated with beautiful flora and colorful fauna! You see
parrots, iguanas, and a massive collection of poisonous,
multicolored frogs along the way. Plants with leaves as large
as a human stretch across the path and have to be pushed
aside as you go.
You arrive at the luxurious Nakumana Hot Springs, still
close to the base of the mountain. You can see the steam
cascading off the pools of water which are connected by
gently flowing streams. Some of the pools are boiling and
there are signs posted warning resort-goers to avoid these
particular areas. Off in the distance is a section of exposed
lava, though this area is blocked off by thick iron chains.
Lulana turns to you with a large smile, “Well, enjoy! This is
perhaps the best part of the whole island!”
90
The party can gather up in their pools of water. They are
almost scalding hot and take a little while to settle in, but it
is relaxing on sore muscles. The party can have more chats
with the other adventuring party who bring up how crazy that
jellyfish attack was and how they hope that Marius is going to
be ok!
Heating Up!
After roughly twenty minutes at the hot spring, some of the
pools of water start to heat up to painful levels! Select half
the characters (rounded down) to be impacted as they feel
the water starting to hurt a bit. Have them make a DC 13
Constitution saving throw, taking 1d6 fire damage on a
failed save.
Once the party members scramble out of the quickly
increasing heat of the pools, have them each make a DC
10 Wisdom (Perception) check. Those who succeed hear
the sounds of giggling coming from a little way up the hot
springs. If they approach, they will find a magma mephit and
two steam mephits. They are diving down into the waters
and seem to be reveling in the chaos. If the party approaches,
the mephits will start yelling at them in their Ignan language,
saying that humans have had control of this island for too long
and it is time for the elementals to take it back!
They will give a few fist shakes and rude gestures, but at
the moment these mephits will not inflict further harm to the
characters. The party can attack them and the mephits will
use their turns to flee - the magma mephit actually diving in
the pool of lava nearby - while the steam mephits soar further
up the mountain.
Lulana will apologize to the party, ensuring them that they
will be compensated for this inconvenience and that they
each go home with a complimentary bottle of wine! For now
though, she thinks it is time they head back to the resort as
the sun will be setting shortly and the final activity for the day
is a dinner out on the docks by candlelight!
The adventure back is just as pleasant as the trip up, but far
easier as it is downhill! As you emerge from the jungle, you
spot an excited Marius waving to you. He has a multitude
of bandages on his body and you can spot the sheen of an
ointment that coats nearly every inch of him. Still, he has the
welcoming smile that only a Nakumana Relaxation Specialist
can muster. A set of tables and chairs are set up on the dock
with candles and wine glasses sitting atop each. The sun is
just starting to set in the distance and the cool breeze that
rolls in from the ocean feels incredible.
Dinner on the Docks
Marius greets the party and lets them know that he looks far
worse than he feels. They have an ointment specifically for
jellyfish stings so he will be good as new come morning! For
now, dinner is waiting for them on the docks as well as the
bottomless drinks that come with their all-inclusive package at
Nakumana!
The party takes their seats as candles are lit. Lulana and
Marius present amazing meals to each of them which consist
of large portions of sea bass caught just this morning with
fruits hand picked from the island and vegetables grown in the
local gardens. Everything is fresh and seasoned to perfection
and comes with a delicious sweet wine that they make at the
resort as well.
Jorlen is loudly talking about their adventures back on the
mainland and how he started a foundation to help orphans
in one of the larger cities. Lena, after having multiple drinks,
grabs her flute and starts playing a wonderful melody. Nelly
begins to dance to the music and invites you to join her as
she does so, waving enthusiastically as Lena keeps her eyes
closed and serenades. Brick sits in the back and continues
to down glasses of wine, but seems to be holding his liquor
quite well. It doesn’t take long before all of the bottles that
were brought down for dinner are emptied out, but Lulana
volunteers to go grab a few more from the bar at the resort.
Ask the party if they want to dance with Nelly as Lena
continues to play her song. The sun has completely set by
now, but torches line the docks and the pathway back to the
resort. It creates this amazing moment as the moon shines
down on the ocean and these two adventuring groups come
together to share a moment. Have the party make Charisma
(Performance) checks if they do want to dance with Nelly.
Use these scores to bring life to the dance and this final
moment of peace on the docks, because things are about to
go to hell.
Revenge of the Elements
A blood-curdling scream rings out across the island and Lena
immediately cuts off her music. It’s Lulana. She shrieks for
help but the words are cut off sharply and the night goes
quiet except for the crashing of waves against the shore and
humming rhythm of the insects. Marius shouts in a panic and
goes sprinting off of the docks and back towards the resort.
Ask the party if they would like to follow Marius. As a group
of adventurers, we expect them to say yes! The members
of the other adventuring party go running after him either
way so this should drive them to action.
They find Marius about halfway between the resort and the
docks, kneeling down in the sand and holding a broken wine
bottle in his hand. There is blood splattered across the beach
but no sign of Lulana, though the sand has been churned
and scattered in this area. If the party takes some time to
search, they will uncover a few of his fingers lying in the sand
and some strands of black hair, but that is all they manage to
recover.
Marius goes into utter panic. “We have to get back to the
resort! Oh gods, I should have listened to my instincts!” He
starts grabbing torches from the path, handing them out to
the party and instructing them to stick together as they will be
safer that way. As he leads the party the few hundred yards
back to the resort, he tells the party about the Nakumana
Curse (The details of which are shown below! Make sure
you read this over prior to running the adventure so
you can summarize the details to the party as a terrified
Marius!)
Marius is crying as he tells the story, devastated over the
loss of Lulana.
The Nakumana Curse
Nakumana is not an island paradise by chance. Until a few
years ago, it was a haven for elemental creatures. This was
their land and they roamed them freely and proudly. With the
active volcano, the surging ocean waves, and the dense jungles
- it made a perfect melting pot for these creatures.
When the owner of the resort - Noel Osseb - found the
place, he saw the beauty and knew he could make a fortune
by turning it into a resort. He spent thousands of gold hiring
mercenary parties to come out and clear the island of its
elemental inhabitants. It took six months, but in the end, all of
them were destroyed or driven from the island.
Some of the adventurers had major guilt over the situation
and even though they signed a contract to not let slip what
really went down, some of them told the story and it spread
through the rumor mill. Osseb has done everything he can to
stifle these rumors but all of the employees have heard. The
scariest and least verified part of the rumor is what happened
at the end though. As the mercenaries were clearing out some
of the caverns around the volcano, the spirit of the island
itself appeared and fought them. And she lost. With her dying
breath she told them that while defeated, she would return to
reclaim her home.
Osseb has spent a lot of time and money trying to discredit
this part of the rumor specifically, but that only reinforces the
fact that it must be true! When Marius heard the stories, he
almost quit, but the money is great and he gets to live in what
is essentially a paradise so he convinced himself it was worth
the risk.
The Storm Rages
By the time the party makes it back to the resort, a storm
has started to roll in. It was calm and clear minutes ago, but
now rain is pouring in sheets and the massive waves crash
against the beach. Marius runs into the resort screaming
for other members of the staff, but it appears the place has
been abandoned. Marius tells the party to go and grab
their things from their rooms and to meet him back here
as quickly as possible. They are adventurers, so working
together they should be able to find a way out of this.
Hopefully The Pickled Pineapple is still at the docks so
they can get aboard and make for the mainland!
Give the party some time to put on their equipment as
the storm continues to surge outside! The waves rolling off
the ocean grow large and larger and thunder booms in the
distance. The entire building shakes from the force of the
winds that batter the resort.
91
Wreckage of the Pickled Pineapple
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.
(If you can find an ocean storm soundtrack, it can really
increase the ambience of the adventure!)
When the party comes out, they find the other adventuring
party and Marius waiting. The winds are fortunately being
blocked by the lodgings of the resort, but they look as if they
could burst apart any moment. Marius calls for the party
to follow him to the docks and to stay close! He went and
checked the employee’s quarters but they were all emptied
out. He called out but he doesn’t know where they went. There
aren't even footprints in the sand! He gives out a few sets of
lanterns whose light is protected from the fury of the storm
to illuminate their way.
92
Wreckage of the Pickled Pineapple
As the party nears the docks, it becomes immediately obvious
that their hopes for escape have been dashed. The Pickled
Pineapple is nothing but debris scattered across the beach
and floating in the ocean. Most of the dock has been destroyed
along with it. The party spots a light down by the waters
edge. It looks like one of the lanterns that Marius handed
out. “We have to see if there are survivors!” he shouts and
beckons the party forward.

You see a flash of movement as lightning cuts across the
sky and Lena gives out a cry of pain. You look over and see
a jellyfish wrapped around her arm but she quickly pulls out
a dagger and stabs it, throwing it to the ground. Lightning
flashes again and you spot what must have done this - a
creature that appears to be a mass of coral reef shambling out
of the ocean. It raises a gnarled purple hand, holding another
jellyfish, and prepares to throw! “There’s more coming from
our right!” Jorlen shouts and points to the other side of the
docks. “You take those ones. We’ve got the ones over here!”
Roll for initiative.
The stat blocks for these creatures can be found at the
end of the module and the map for this encounter is found
on the previous page.
APL XP Enemies
5 2x Coral Elemental (End of Module)
6 2x Coral Elemental
1x Coral Elemental, Lesser (End of Module)
7 3x Coral Elemental
8 3x Coral Elemental
3x Coral Elemental, Lesser
The other adventuring party handles their own set of
elementals separate from the party and combat ends for the
groups at approximately the same time!
Gemstone Power
The elemental creatures that defend the island each have
a gemstone heart. The party can see this light glowing,
but it is well protected by the creature’s bodies. Still, with
some precision hits or the right spells, the party can rip this
gemstones out of the elemental’s forms which causes them
to immediately return to mundane coral. Have the extraction
of one of these hearts only be possible while the elemental
is below half of its maximum hit points. All of the elemental
creatures on the island share these same elemental hearts.
When the creatures are defeated, these gemstones go dull
and fall from the form of the elemental. You can choose to
have these simply be worth 50 gold pieces each or with some
extra efforts by the party have them able to be converted into
elemental gemstone magic items.
After the creatures are dispatched, Marius will find one
of the other crew members out in the water still alive! It is a
gnome named Karrek, one of the crew members that works
on the Pickled Pineapple. He is a middle-aged gnome with
graying hair and the scars and weariness of someone who
has spent decades aboard ships. Karrek tells the party that he
heard screams coming from the resort - saw one of the cooks
run out and get sucked down into a vortex of sand! He started
to get the boat ready for departure but something smashed
into it from below and he was knocked unconscious. He is
lucky to be alive!
He has a broken leg, but if someone succeeds on a DC
15 Wisdom (Medicine) check, they can make a splint from
the remnants of the ship and provide a bit of respite. He is
unable to walk, but Brick will offer to carry him and Karrek
begrudgingly accepts the offer as he can’t stay here.
Additional Island History
Karrek is one of the veteran members of the island’s staff
and will confirm the rumors of the elementals being driven
from the island. He was present when one of the mercenaries
showed up and confessed his guilt about what they did.
Apparently he was part of a group that found a set of magical
stones in a cave up near the top of the volcano. Rumor has it
that Osseb bought the stones off of those mercenaries for a
hefty sum. It was shortly after that exchange that the rest of
the elementals left the island.
Marius starts to calm down and finally proposes a plan for
how they can get out of here alive! "Osseb has his own lodge
and one hell of a ship on the other side of the island. This
storm is strong, but I bet his ship will have held up and when
it calms we can get the hell out of here! Only problem is it’s
about a two hour walk along the beach, but I think if we all
work together we just might have a shot! What do you say?”
Osseb is on the island at the moment, but Marius will tell
the party his ship takes a crew to sail. Osseb is smart enough
to know that is he tries to take off without help, he will end up
stranded and just die out at sea anyway, especially with this
storm! Osseb doesn't allow any of the other "help" on his area
of the island, so he will be desperate!
Assuming he is still alive that is.
Traversing the Beach
The party makes their way down the beach and the storm
begins to calm slightly. The rain stops but the water continues
to roll in from the ocean in colossal waves. Fortunately,
the moon breaks free of the clouds and provides enough
illumination that the lanterns aren’t even necessary.
Nelly offers to lead the way as she is nimble and light on her
feet and thinks it unlikely that anything could get the jump on
them. The party makes it only a few hundred yards down the
beach before they encounter trouble.
Sandcastle Elemental Attack!
Nelly stealthily moves forward along the beach, her light
crossbow drawn and loaded. You are moving past the spot
where you constructed your sandcastles, which against all
odds are still standing! Nelly moves past them, but as you
start to draw near, one of them begins to shift and twist, rising
up off the beach! You see a mouth and concave holes for eyes
form as the sand twists and reshapes. Next, a clawed hand
made of sand breaks free and reaches out in your direction
as teeth begin to form in its maw. You hear Nelly scream in
terror from up ahead as the sand spirals beneath her and she
is pulled down!
Roll for initiative!
93
Sandcastle Beach
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94
Multiple sandcastle elementals erupt from the sand and attack
the party! Similar to the last battle, the other adventuring party
handles their own foes while the player characters have their
hands full with another set of elementals. Karrek continues
to cling to Brick’s back and shouts in terror as the elementals
attack. For higher APL groups, they are also assaulted by a
kelp elemental that surges in from the ocean! The stat blocks
for these unique creatures can be found at the end of the
module and the map for this encounter can be found on
the previous page. Check the page after the map for more
details on this encounter!
APL XP Enemies
5 2x Sandcastle Elemental (End of Module)
6 3x Sandcastle Elemental
7 1x Kelp Elemental (End of Module)
1x Sandcastle Elemental
8 1x Kelp Elemental
2x Sandcastle Elemental
The critical element of this fight is Nelly. She is actively
being pulled down into the sand, trashing and trying
to break free but without aid she will be pulled under
and killed! Her own party tries to get to her, but the
sand beneath their feet has turned soft and it is all but
impossible for them to move so Lena cries out for someone
to please help Nelly!
The party will need to find a way to help Nelly. They can
throw her a rope, run over and grab her, or use magic to
protect her. Regardless of the tactic, they must act within
the first three rounds of combat or she will be lost forever!
If a character moves within 5 feet of Nelly, they will need to
succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or they will be
pulled into the vortex of sand as well and could share the
same fate as Nelly! A character that falls into the vortex is
grappled (escape DC 13) and restrained. If someone throws
them a rope or something to hold onto, they will stop sinking,
otherwise, their head will be below the sand after 3 rounds
and they will start to suffocate.
(Hopefully the party managed to save Nelly, otherwise her
adventuring party is devastated. They dig through the sand but
no part of her can be found. Lena and Jorlen sob and Brick
goes catatonic. For the rest of the adventure, he cannot fight.)
If the party succeeds in saving Nelly, her companions will
be incredibly thankful for saving Nelly’s life and Lena will
rummage through her bags. She will pull out a +1 weapon and
offer it up to the party as a reward for what they have done.
(Choose a weapon that will be immediately usable by a
member of the party.)
The party may try to take a (probably needed) short rest
at this point, but Marius will tell them there is an employee
station less than a mile up the beach that has food and
other supplies. If they can make it there, they may be safe
from the elementals while they regain their composure.
A Moment of Respite
The party makes their way down the beach for another ten
minutes and things seem calm after the sandcastle elemental
attack.
“We’re almost there,” says Marius as he looks at a flag jutting
out of the sand up ahead. “There is a cave hidden off the edge
of the forest. Accessible from the beach but high enough that
it doesn’t flood.” He points off to the lush trees as a figure
comes breaking through the foliage. It is one of his fellow
relaxation specialists! “Mira! You’re alive!” Marius cries out in
delight as he rushes over to hug her.
Mira introduces herself as one of the other relaxation
specialists. She was out at the cave for her day off when
everything turned to hell! She is a short half-elf, standing at
only a hair over five feet tall. She has long curly brown hair
that is currently frazzled and tangled beyond belief. She has a
few scrapes and bruises and her clothing is partially shredded,
but she appears alright. Just like the other relaxation
specialists, she has a winning smile and is quite charismatic.
Mira leads the party into the cavern where there is food,
a few beds, and other amenities. The party is able to take
a short rest while they wait in the cavern, hoping that
perhaps things will calm down - that perhaps if they can
just make it until daylight they will be ok!
Our heroes are not so lucky, however. The rain completely
stops and the ocean turns calm and tranquil once again. The
full moon gleams overhead and provides enough light that
even those without darkvision have no trouble seeing even out
to a great distance.
It brings a false sense of security.
Marius fills Mira in on the plan to go over to Osseb’s ship
since the Pickled Pineapple has capsized. Mira is visibly
upset by the news and the loss of her friends. She takes some
time curled up on one of the large woven chairs sobbing. The
party can offer to console her and if they do give the people
involved inspiration. In the end, Mira comes around and asks
to go with the party. There is safety in numbers and she would
rather be out there with them come morning than in this cave
alone.
After approximately an hour in the cave, Kijeau - the
volcano of Nakumana Island - erupts!
An ear-splitting boom erupts through the cave, shaking you to
your core as if you were hit by a powerful thunder spell. All of
you are deafened temporarily as your ability to hear is replaced
with nothing but a high pitched ring. Dust blooms through
the cave as large chunks of stone fall from the ceiling and
crash to the floor. The ground quakes beneath your feet, but
only for a moment. The explosion is gone as soon as it came,
but that ringing persists as your mind screeches from the
impact. As the dust begins to clear and your hearing returns,
you see that Jorlen is trapped beneath a sizable boulder
and is crying out in agony! Moments later, giant chunks of
smouldering stone begin raining down into the ocean causing
plumes of steam to cascade into the sky. The volcano Kijeau
has erupted!
95
freeiNg jorleN
Jorlen’s right leg has been crushed beneath a boulder. There
is blood splattered across the cave and it is a gruesome sight
to behold. He wails in pain, trying to push the boulder off
but unable to get it to budge as it weighs upwards of three
hundred pounds! His breathing is ragged as shock sets in. He
will live, but the boulder needs to be removed.
The party will need to band together to get the boulder off
of Jorlen. They can use brute strength to roll it off, tie a rope
around the boulder so more people can pull, or use some of
the large tree branches in the cavern as levers to lift it off of
him. Let your party get creative in how they free Jorlen, but be
sure to let them succeed as long as their plan is reasonable,
even without a check depending on how good the plan is!
Once the boulder is off, Jorlen will use his magic to try to
treat the wound, but it is beyond his capabilities as the leg is
mangled. He manages to stabilize himself, but he won't be
able to use the leg for some time. Jorlen's friends wish to stay
with him and ensure he is ok and they can protect Mira and
Karrek if something approaches. They have supplies that will
last them and they are fairly far from the volcano so hopefully
they will remain safe from any lava flows. Trying to take Jorlen
now would be too dangerous! Their best option to save Jorlen
long-term is to get the boat where they can load him up and
get him out of this place!
Marius will inform the party that the volcano is closer
to the side of the island with Osseb’s boat and if they don’t
get moving soon there may not be anything left by the time
they arrive!
the islaNd spirit
You continue down the beach, the lava growing closer as it
continues to illuminate the mountain. Large swaths of the
forest burn as ash rains down all around you. “We’re almost
there! Right around this bend!” cries Marius, gasping for
breath, sweat dripping from his body and his face stained
from the ash in the air. You round the bend and you see a
stunning house just off the edge of the beach and nestled
amongst the trees. A deck goes around the entire exterior of
the building and its walls are interrupted by frequent windows
ten feet in height that allow sunshine to flood in during the
day.
But this is not the only thing to catch your attention. A
few dozen feet from the house is a woman hovering slightly
off the ground and pulsing with a neon green glow. Looking
closer, she is humanoid in shape but her form is sharp and
angular as if she were a carving rather than flesh and blood.
She is surrounded by orbiting rings of palm leaves, coconuts,
seashells, and smooth stones. She turns to look upon you, her
eyes growing an even more vibrant green.

oN the ruN
The party must leave the cavern and make their way for the
far side of the island as quickly as possible! Pillars of smoke
tower into the sky as the top of the volcano is illuminated by
the superhot lava that is now surging down in rivers. The lava
has a long way to go and there are many obstacles in the way,
so Marius is sure they will be able to make it to Osseb’s ship
if they don’t encounter any additional roadblocks.

It takes about fifteen minutes of the party running

down the beach to reach the location of Osseb’s
island getaway. Have each member of the party
make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a
failed save, they gain 1 level of exhaustion as a
result of this brutal sprint down the sandy beach!
The party can potentially get around this check by
using magics or a mount to close the distance.

96
“You’ve desecrated our beautiful island! Our home!
You destroyed our kind and then took the island’s
resources for your own! Why do you fleshlings have such
arrogance?” says the spirit, her voice echoing as she speaks
and accompanied by the sound of crashing waves. At this
moment, the party notices the bloodied body of Osseb lying
in the sand near the dock that leads out to his boat (which
is fortunately still intact!)
This is the Island Spirit and she seeks revenge for the
slaughter of her people and the theft of their Elemental
Stones! She has already slain Osseb but her thirst for
vengeance extends to all humanoids who tread on their
sacred sands! She will approach the party, the orbiting items
continuing to follow her, but does expect the party to answer
her question!
Battle or Bargaining
This is the true branching point of this adventure as the
path from here on out depends on how the party reacts to
the Island Spirit. They can choose to talk to her and aid her
in her goals or they can fight and destroy her. Both options
can lead to a successful completion of the adventure. Use
the sections below based on what your party decides to do.
The Island Spirit is vengeful, but she will not immediately
attack. Her primary goal is to rid the island of the fleshlings
and to get back their sacred relics - a set of Elemental Stones
that were stolen by those that first cleared these lands. If the
party does not engage with her properly, she will absolutely
attack them and try to kill them, but if the party is kind and
offer to help her retrieve her treasures, she will hesitantly
accept. The Elemental Stones are hidden in a safe within
Osseb’s house, but the place has magical protections that
prevents elementals from entering the property so she is sadly
in need of some fleshlings. Fortunately the lava was enough
to cause Osseb to flee, so she has already exacted her revenge
upon him. If the party helps the Island Spirit, go to” Helping
the Island Spirit” below.
If the party meets her with aggression, she will lash out
and attack, using all of the tools in her arsenal as well as
additional companions to try and defeat the party. This is a
dangerous and potentially lethal fight. Be sure the party is
aware of this creature’s menacing power when they approach.
If the party chooses hostility, go to “Fighting the Island Spirit”
below.
Helping the Island Spirit
If the party chooses to help the Island Spirit, she will let
them know that Nakumana belongs to her people and that
fleshlings cannot continue to live here. That being said, she
will not punish the party for the sins of others if they can help
her retrieve what rightfully belongs to the elementals of this
island - The Elemental Stones.
As mentioned above, these Elemental Stones are inside
Osseb’s home which is protected by magics that prevent
elemental creatures from passing through its doors. Even
the Island Spirit herself cannot find a way to breach these
protections, but the party should have no problem. She cannot
stop the flow of the lava, but if the party can retrieve the stones
she will ensure that they can leave this island in peace along
with their companions.
She tells the party the following to help them in their search:
“I can feel the stones calling out to me in desperation. They
know I am close and want to be returned to me. They are
up high in the building - on its second floor. There are four
in total and you will know them when you see them as their
magics are quite beautiful.”
Retrieving the Elemental Stones
The party is on a bit of a time crunch as the lava is flowing
ever closer. They will have fifteen minutes to go into the house
and find the Elemental Stones.
The doors to the house are left unlocked as Osseb seemed
to be in a hurry when he left. It is a place of luxury and every
item within is expensive and valuable. The party can even help
themselves to these goods if they’d like. The following items of
value are scattered across the bottom floor:
• Silverware - 10 gold
• Gold-Plated Goblet Set - 15 gold
• Jade Parrot Statue - 50 gold
• Obsidian Volcano with Embedded Rubies - 150 gold
As the party makes their way up to the second floor via the
stairwell, read the following:
The second floor contains a single large room that serves as
both master bedroom and office from the look of the decor.
There is a king-sized bed with fine red blankets thrown half
onto the floor. A desk made of local island wood is pushed
against the largest window in the room with gold, silver, and
copper coins in perfect piles resting atop it. There is also
a dresser, a bookshelf, and a chest at the foot of the bed.
Windows line most of this room, but there is one wall that
contains a massive ornate painting of Nakumana Island from
a distance.
The stones are in a safe that is embedded in the wall behind
the painting of Nakumana Island, but the rest of the room
does contain a few other interesting items for the party to
discover:
• In the chest at the foot of the bed there is a set of fine linens
worth 10 gold
• The clothing in the dresser is worth 20 gold
• Resting on the bookshelf is a decorative sword worth 75 gold
On the desk are three piles of coins that are set in perfect
stacks - gold on the left, silver in the center, and copper on the
right. There is a note taped to the desk just in front of these
piles that says “DO NOT TOUCH” in bold letters. If a party
member tries to take the coins, they will find that they are
glued together and cannot be separated without some effort.
There is 21 gold, 35 silver, and 10 copper in total. This is
the key to opening the safe embedded in the wall.
If the party searches the room, have them roll an
Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a result of 15 or
higher, they find the safe hidden behind the painting.
Otherwise, the players will have to explicitly ask to search
behind the painting in order to find the safe.
97
Opening the Safe
When the party pulls back the painting and reveals the safe,
read the following:
You sit the painting down and reveal a safe embedded in the
wall. It seems to be high-end with fine steel that is at least an
inch thick. On the front of the safe is a combination lock with
three two-digit number options available. All three of these
are currently set to “00” but with a quick inspection, you see
that they can go from double-zero up to ninety-nine.
One thing does jump out to you as out of place. It appears
that someone has put a small bit of paint above each of the
two-digit numbers that was not originally part of the safe’s
design. Above the first number is a yellow dot of paint, above
the second is a white dot of paint, and above the third is a
brown dot of paint.
The answer to this safe is in the coins that are on the desk.
The dots above the numbers are to help the party tie the coins
to the individual slots on the safe. They will need to count
the coins in each of the piles and input them into the safe’s
combination to open it - giving a final combination of 21-35-10
to open it up.
Inside of the safe are the following contents:
•T
 he title for Osseb’s ship - Treasure Seeker
•2
 3 platinum pieces, and 180 gold pieces
•A
 ship in a bottle
•F
 our Elemental Stones
The Elemental Stones are all geodes that have been cut
open to reveal shining crystals within. One of them is ocean
blue and pulses with light as waves crash against the shore.
Another is the color of lava and casts out great heat. This
geode is too hot to pick up without the aid of a pair of gloves!
The remaining two are purple and green. These stones
contain powerful magics and if your party manages to take
them for themselves by defeating the Island Spirit, you can
either use them as Elemental Gems or as magic items of your
own creation!
The ship in a bottle can simply be a keepsake of Osseb or
you can use it as a plot hook into another adventure! One
idea is that when the small ship in a bottle is aboard Treasure
Seeker (Osseb’s ship), it will point in the direction of the
nearest area of great wealth! Of course, with great wealth
often comes great danger!
Returning the Stones
As the party leaves Osseb’s house, make sure the lava is
nearly upon them! The forest is ablaze and ash falls around
them in thick sheets, causing the once beautiful area to have
transformed into a hellish, grayscale landscape.
98
The Island Spirit is waiting for the party as they exit and is
thrilled to have these ancient relics returned to her. She takes
them from the party and immediately throws them into the
air where they begin to orbit around her body, shining even
brighter than before. It is clear that these increase her power
tremendously! She thanks the party for their aid in setting
things right and tells them that she will give them forty-eight
hours to gather the rest of their possessions and leave this
place.
Go to “Leaving Nakumana Island.”
Fighting the Island Spirit
The Island Spirit is short-tempered and if the party aggresses
her at all she will try to destroy them. At the start of combat,
she summons a lava ooze and potentially a fire elemental to
aid her in combat! As mentioned above, this is intended to
be an incredibly dangerous encounter and is rated deadly for
each APL. The party is going up against a powerful elemental
and will be fighting for their lives!
Roll for initiative!
The strength of the Island Spirit and her minions scales
with the party’s APL. Consult the table below to determine the
enemies in this combat. The stat blocks for the Island Spirit
can be found at the end of the module and the Osseb’s Cove
map for this encounter is on the next page.
APL XP Enemies
5-6 1x Island Spirit (End of Module)
1x Lava Ooze
7-8 1x Island Spirit
1x Lava Ooze (End of Module)
1x Fire Elemental (MM Pg. 125)
During the combat, the party can try to plead for
forgiveness and strike a deal with the Island Spirit.
Depending on what they say, the Island Spirit may halt
her attack and demand that the party help her to retrieve
the Elemental Stones that were stolen and they just may
make it out with their lives! If this is the case, the party can
continue with Aiding the Island Spirit.
When the Island Spirit is defeated, she gives out a final
cry, “You fleshlings… so content to destroy everything
you touch! To strip all of this world’s natural beauty! I
curse thee!” and then she erupts in a shower of green light.
Moments later, the sky opens up and a torrential downpour
falls upon the island as if the sky itself is weeping over the
loss.
The party can still go and loot Osseb’s house and potentially
even take the Elemental Stones for themselves.
Osseb’s Cove
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

99
Leaving Nakumana Island Experience
With the Island Spirit appeased or defeated, it is time to leave The Experience listed below represents a blend of monster
Nakumana Island. The party can board Treasure Seeker and encounters, non-combat encounters, and some bonus
fortunately Marius knows how to command them to get the experience for finishing the quest. Feel free to adjust these
ship moving! He takes the helm and heads the ship over to the values if you see fit.
cavern where the rest of the group was left behind for rescue.
They can anchor the ship and use a rowboat to go to shore APL XP Per Player
where they work together to get the other adventuring party 5 4,500
onboard along with Karrek and Mira. Fortunately the lava has 6 7,000
diverted from this area, though it is pouring into the ocean
in a spot just a few hundred feet away! Marius tells Mira and 7 9,000
Karrek how amazing the party was and all about the Island 8 11,000
Spirit… and also that they are probably going to need to find
new employment.
Finally, Marius takes the ship over to the resort itself where Loot
you manage to uncover a few more survivors amongst the The loot and rewards the party earns for this adventure
debris. They spend a few hours gathering supplies for the are the same across APL and are also dependent upon the
journey and tending to the wounded. The volcano is still choices your party makes during the adventure. Below are all
pouring out lava during this time but has fortunately missed of the items your party can possibly earn over the course of
the resort with its flow! the adventure!
• Fine Linens - 10 gold
The Treasure Seeker departs from the docks of Nakumana
• Fine Silverware - 10 gold
Island one final time. Ash continues to rain down on the area
and smoke plumes out of Kijeau, turning the sky black. The • Gold-Plated Goblet Set - 15 gold
sun is just beginning to crest over the horizon, shedding light • Upscale Clothing - 20 gold
upon this dismal day and cutting through some of the ashen • Jade Parrot Statue - 50 gold
gloom. Jorlen is asleep, his leg splinted and bandaged, with • Decorative Sword - 75 gold
Nelly passed out next to him. Marius looks as if he has aged • Obsidian Volcano with Embedded Rubies - 150 gold
a few years, his hair turned grey from the falling ash and half • Title to The Treasure Seeker Ship
of his bandages hanging loose. You’ve certainly had more • Ship in a Bottle (Potentially magical)
relaxing vacations, but certainly not one quite so exciting. • Four Elemental Stones (If the party did not return them to
the Island Spirit)
• 23 platinum pieces
• 180 gold pieces

100
Stat Blocks - Monsters
Coral Elemental, Lesser Kelp Elemental, Lesser
Small elemental, unaligned Small elemental, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor) Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4) Hit Points 38 (7d6 + 14)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 7 (–2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 6 (–2)

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Abrasive Form. A creature that touches the coral elemental
takes 2 (1d4) slashing damage. When the elemental is struck
by a critical hit, shards of sharp coral fly from the elemental’s
body and deal 2 (1d4) slashing damage to each creature
within 5 feet.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from ordinary coral.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its claws.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Jellyfish. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/90 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage and the
target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or
take an additional 4 (1d8) poison damage. A creature that fails
this saving throw by 5 or more is poisoned until the end of its
next turn.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from a patch of ordinary kelp.
Rapid Regrowth. The elemental regains 5 hit points at the start
of its turn. This trait only functions if the elemental is touching
water and is not at 0 hit points.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes three attacks with its kelp
whip.
Kelp Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Entangle. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is
Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this
grapple ends, the target is restrained and the elemental can’t
constrict another target. If the target is submerged and can’t
breathe underwater, it starts to drown.

101
 Sandcastle Elemental Coral Elemental
Medium elemental, unaligned Medium elemental, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor) Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18) Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 5 (–3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 7 (–2)

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from an ordinary sandcastle.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two melee attacks.
Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage and the creature must
succeed on a DC 8 Dexterity saving throw or become blinded
until the end of its next turn.
Sand Burst. The elemental causes sand to erupt violently
around a creature on the ground within 60 feet. That creature
must make DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (4d4)
slashing damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving
throw by 5 or more is also blinded until the end of its next
turn.
Quicksand (Recharge 6). The elemental chooses a creature
within 60 feet and causes the ground beneath its feet to
transform into a swirling vortex of quicksand. That creature
must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be
swiftly enveloped by the sand, sinking down and becoming
grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is
restrained and suffocating.
Abrasive Form. A creature that touches the coral elemental
takes 5 (1d10) slashing damage. When the elemental is struck
by a critical hit, shards of sharp coral fly from the elemental’s
body and deal 5 (1d10) slashing damage to each creature
within 5 feet.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from ordinary coral.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its claws or
throws two jellyfish.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
Jellyfish. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/90 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage and the
target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or
take an additional 4 (1d8) poison damage. A creature that fails
this saving throw by 5 or more is paralyzed until the end of its
next turn.
Coral Caltrops (Recharge 6). The coral elemental scatters
sharpened bits of coral in a 15-foot radius around itself. This
area is considered difficult terrain for non-elemental creatures
and a creature that moves through one of these spaces takes
3 (1d6) piercing damage for every 5 feet moved. A creature
that takes the attack action while standing on a coral-occupied
space takes this piercing damage again as the coral crunches
underfoot.

102
Kelp Elemental Lava Ooze
Medium elemental, unaligned Large ooze, unaligned

Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) Armor Class 8

Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24) Hit Points 101 (15d10 + 30)
Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft. Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 6 (–2) 16 (+3) 6 (–2) 14 (+2) 1 (–5) 6 (–2) 1 (–5)

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from a patch of ordinary kelp.
Rapid Regrowth. The elemental regains 10 hit points at the
start of its turn. This trait only functions if the elemental is
touching water and is not at 0 hit points.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes three attacks with its kelp
whip.
Kelp Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft.,
one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Entangle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target
is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 13) and pulled
5 feet towards the kelp elemental. Until this grapple ends,
the target is restrained and the elemental can’t entangle
another target. If the target is submerged and can’t breathe
underwater, it starts to drown.
Damage Resistances acid, fire
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, prone
Senses passive Perception 8
Languages –
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Amorphous. The ooze can move through a space as narrow as
1 inch wide without squeezing.
Crawling Immolation. A creature that touches the pudding
or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5
(1d10) fire damage. As the ooze moves, it creates a trail of
burning sludge in its wake. This area continues to burn for 1
minute and any creature that enters a burning space for the
first time on a turn or ends its turn there takes 5 (1d10) fire
damage. Additionally, any flammable object that isn’t being
worn or carried in these spaces are ignited.
False Appearance. While the ooze remains motionless, it is
indistinguishable from a pool of lava.
A ctions
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 11 (2d10)
fire damage. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it
ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the
target takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of its
turns.
R eactions
Heat Surge. The damage dealt to attackers by the ooze’s
crawling immolation is increased to 11 (2d10) until the end
of the turn.

103
 Island Spirit A ctions
Medium elemental, chaotic good
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) bonus damage
Armor Class 18 (Nature’s Barrier) of either cold, fire, or lighting (the spirit’s choice).
Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) Nature’s Barrage. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
50/150 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage plus
5 (2d4) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) slashing damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) Lava Surge (Recharge 5-6). The spirit conjures up small orbs
of lava and launches them in a 5-foot wide, 100-foot long line.
Saving Throws Dex +7, Cha +5 Each creature in that line must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, throw, taking 45 (10d8) fire damage on a failed saving throw,
Piercing, and Slashing Damage from Nonmagical Attacks or half as much damage on a successful one.
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
R eactions
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious Slicing Winds. After being hit by a ranged attack, the spirit lets
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14 loose a barrage of slicing winds at the attacker as long as they
Languages Common, Primordial are within 150 feet and the spirit can see them. That creature
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 14
Proficiency Bonus +3 (4d6) slashing damage.

Nature’s Barrier. The island spirit is surrounded by orbiting
rings of palm leaves, coconuts, stones, shells, and other island
debris. As a result, the spirit has an AC of 18. Additionally, any
creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the spirit or moves
within 5 feet of the spirit for the first time on a turn takes 7
(2d6) bludgeoning damage.
L egendary A ctions
The spirit can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a
time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The spirit
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Claws. The spirit makes an attack with its claws.
Barrage. The spirit makes an attack with its nature’s barrage.
Rejuvenation (2 Actions). The spirit regains 17 (3d8 + 4) hit
points.

104
 The Stacked Deck
A One-Shot Adventure for Levels 5-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adventure Synopsis
A devilishly handsome man at the tavern asks if he can pull up
a chair to the table, offering to buy the party a round of drinks
if they can keep him company on this otherwise dull morning.
Little does the party know, this man is an efreeti in disguise
looking to have a bit of fun with some mortals via a game of
chance. That is if the characters wish to leave it up to luck to
decide their fate.
Welcome to the most ambitious adventure I have written
to date! The Stacked Deck is a module that can fit into nearly
any campaign world - all you need is a city similar to Kalisway
Bay! The party will be presented with a tantalizing offer by
this fiery red-haired gentleman that simply calls himself Kal.
He presents the party with a simple deck of cards and asks
them if they would like to make their stay in the city more
interesting! If they choose to participate in his game, great
rewards could await them! The only question is do they want
to choose their fate or let Lady Luck make the decision for
them?
The party will have the opportunity to go through a deck
of cards, each value of a card representing a challenge that
grows progressively more difficult the higher the value
of the card! That also means a higher reward! Each suit
represents an additional restriction that is placed on the task,
so challenges that may otherwise seem trivial are given an
interesting twist! The party will have twenty-four hours to
complete the tasks they flip from the top of the deck. If they
succeed in completing all of their tasks, the rewards are theirs
to claim. Should they fail, Kal will simply reverse time to this
same morning and the party will have no recollection of ever
meeting him. He is an efreeti after all.
How many tasks will the party attempt to conquer in their
twenty-four-hour window of time? How will they tackle these
mysterious challenges when the clock starts ticking? And
perhaps most importantly, do they accept the efreeti’s offer to
stack the deck?
Disclaimers
This adventure has many open-ended solutions to the
challenges that are presented due to the nature of the
restrictions put in place by the cards. This module will detail
multiple ways that your players may solve the tasks, but
through the use of magic and cleverness, things can branch
from the identified paths. As a result, I would recommend
this adventure only for experienced DMs who are comfortable
with the idea of improvisation.
Due to the nature of this adventure, I would highly
recommend splitting up the choosing of the cards and
your first full session. There are many different options the
party could draw, and you want to have time to prepate for
those specific tasks. This module has all you need, but it is
not something you will want to do on the fly.
Average Party Level (APL)
This adventure uses Average Party Level (APL) to scale the
difficulty of encounters. Average Party Level is calculated as
follows:
• Find the average levels of all of your party members (round
up if you want to make things more challenging or down if
you want them to be easier!)
• For example, a party of four level 5 characters has an
APL of 5. A party of two level 6 characters and two level 7
characters has an APL of 6.5, but you can choose to round
this to 6 or 7 depending on the challenge you are seeking
for the adventure!
• For each character in the group above 4, add one to your
calculated APL. For each character fewer than 4, subtract 1
from the APL.
• For example, a party of six level 4 characters has an
average level of 4, but since there are six total characters,
we add 2 to our APL for a total APL value of 6.
Expected Length: 6-20 Hours
The expected length of this adventure is 6-20 hours. This
one is a bit more challenging because it truly is ultimately
up to your players how many challenges they wish to take
on! Play it safe and they could be done even faster than the
expected length, but some of the higher tier challenges are
almost entire adventures themselves. As a result, I would
not recommend this as a “one-shot” unless you place some
additional limitations such as “You may only draw 4 cards
from the deck”, but it can still easily be used as a "one-off"
self-contained adventure with a fixed set of characters over
multiple sessions.
Descriptive Text
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud
for the players when their characters first arrive at a location
or under a specific circumstance that will be noted.
105
The Stacked Deck Key Events Reminder
This page can serve as a quick reference to reminder of
major events, NPC names, locations, and any other relevant
information that you may need during the adventure! If you
are running this at the table, I would suggest printing this
out and having it at the ready to get yourself back on track no
matter what happens!
Major Events
•K  al’s Introduction
• Stacking the Deck
• Completing the Tasks
Potential Tasks
•2  - Obtain Six Stormberry Muffins from the Kalisway Bay
Bakery
•3  - Reunite Isadora with her Lost Poodle - Glimmer
•4  - Obtain a Bottle of Whale Marrow Whiskey from the Blood
Brine Tavern
•5  - Discover the Secret Ingredient of the Capricious Cocktail
at The Djinn’s Lamp Tavern
•6  - Catch a Giant Sailfin Tuna
•7  - Get Accepted into the Phoenix Gang
•8  - Gain Access to the VIP Area of The Black Sheep
Gambling Lounge
•9  - Obtain an Icebloom Lily from the Royal Gardens Before
the Moonlight Ball Ends
•1  0 - Find the Tome of Secrets Within the Kalisway Library
• J ack - Deal With the Creature that Lurks in the Sewers
•Q  ueen - Have a Dance with Princess Zalia
•K  ing - Retrieve Prince Lorwick’s Stolen Crown
•A  ce - End the Threat that the Dragon Rorithrax Poses on
Kalisway Bay
Important NPCs
• Kal - The disguised efreeti that invites the party to draw from
the deck
• Fajili - Bullywug shopkeeper of Fajili's Natural Remedies
• The Royal Family
• King Tylas Kalisway - Blood heir of the Kalisway lineage
• Queen Lyrra Kalisway - Queen of Kalisway Bay for 28
years
• Princess Zalia - Rebellious eldest daughter of the royal
family - Age: 26
• Prince Lorwick - Passionate eldest son of the royal family
- Age: 23
• Princess Virina - Prim and proper youngest daughter of
the royal family - Age: 20
• Prince Liam - Love-struck youngest son of the Royal
Family - Age: 19
• 2 - Patrice - Head Baker at the Kalisway Bay Bakery
• 3 - Isadora - Young woman who lost her pet poodle
• 4 - Clyde - Bartender of the Blood Brine Tavern
• 5 - Misty - Bartender at The Djinn's Lamp Tavern
• 6 - Niilen - Fresh captain of The Storm's Glory ship
• 7 - Talos - Phoenix Gang recruiter
• 8 - Kathrenna - Customer Relations Manager at The Black
Sheep Gambling Lounge
• 9 - Prince Liam - Love-struck youngest son of the Royal
Family
• 10 - Tamia - Librarian at the Kalisway Library
• Jack - Grayson - Head of Kalisway Bay Public Works
• Queen - Zalia - Eldest daughter and rebel of the Royal
Family
• King - Jameela - Captian of the Pearl of the Bay ship
• Ace - N/A

Card Complications Notable Locations

•S
 pade - Must use at least one artisan's tool, musical
instrument, and/or gaming set to complete the objective. • Kalisway Bay City
•C
 lubs - Must complete this objective without combat. • Dragonclaw Tavern
•D
 iamonds - Must complete the objective without spending • Kalisway Bay Docks
any gold, gemstones, or other forms of currency. • Kalisway Bay Bakery
•H
 earts - Must complete the objective with every party • Blood Brine Tavern
member playing an impactful role in its completion. • The Djinn's Lamp Tavern
• The Black Sheep Gambling Lounge
• The Kalisway Library
• The Kalisway Bay Sewers
• Kalisway Bay Royal Palace
• The Kalisway Peninsula
• Rorithrax’s Lair
• Terrormaw Island

106
Adventure Introduction (Optional)
This is suggested if you are running a one-shot separate from
an overarching campaign and want to kick things off swiftly.
If you are embedding this adventure in an existing campaign,
there may be better ways to throw the party into the action.
Your party sits at a large table in the Dragonclaw Tavern
with an indulgent breakfast spread before you and enjoying
the charming music of bards. Adventuring is hard work and
sometimes it is nice to have a day to just sit back, relax, and
enjoy good friends, good food, and even better drink. The
Dragonclaw Tavern is near the center of Kalisway Bay, so even
early in the morning it is packed with folks from every walk of
life. In such an establishment, you can never be sure who may
step through the door next!
On this particular morning, you witness a young human
with pale skin and fiery red hair walk step inside. He holds
himself with confidence and wears an outfit that labels him
as incredibly well off, perhaps even royalty. He has an ornate
sword at his side, but it strikes you as odd that someone who
appears so wealthy would not come with an escort. The young
man scans the room, drinking in the diverse and excited
crowd, before settling on your table! He makes his way over,
grabbing a nearby chair and spinning it around so he can sit
on it backwards before propositioning you, “Mind if I join
you? I was hoping to make some new acquaintances today!
I know it is early, but a round of drinks on me! What do you
say?”
Welcome to Kalisway Bay!
This adventure is designed in such a way that it could be
transformed to work in a city that you have created for
your own campaign, but if you want to run this as a self-
contained adventure or introduce the city of Kalisway Bay
to your world, some of the major details of the city are in
the following section.
Overview
Kalisway Bay is a massive merchant-focused city built along a
cliff overlooking the Nalu Ocean. Its location was chosen due
to the defensive nature of the hundred-foot tall white stone
cliffs that provide protection from attacks by sea, while also
providing a prime location for trading via ship. The remaining
sides of the city are surrounded by stone walls that span for
miles as the Kalisway Bay holds fifty-thousand citizens within
its borders. Being a major port hub, Kalisway Bay is a melting
pot of races and folks from all walks of life.
Kalisway Bay was founded three-hundred and seventy-two
years ago by Lucien Kalisway and a member of the Kalisway
bloodline has ruled over the city ever since. It started as a
refuge for people trying to escape religious persecution,
establishing their own town to practice their beliefs in peace.
Over time, Kalisway Bay has become a place renowned for
its acceptance of folks carrying all different beliefs and has
churches to many, many gods within its walls. That being said,
gods who would ask their followers to perform harmful deeds
are discouraged within Kalisway Bay.
The city is kept clean by a sewage system that has been
in place for hundreds of years and the royal family prides
themselves on this fact. The bits of the town near the cliffside
are a blend of businesses and homes. Moving further outward,
there are distinct areas for both residential and commercial
purposes. Many of the buildings along the cliff's edge have
been around for generations and have kept much of their
rustic charm, while others seek to excite and thrill guests by
extending their stores out over the cliffs to provide a beautiful
view of the ocean and a steep drop to get the heart pounding.
The docks below are accessible via a few sets of well-
guarded stone stairs that can be blocked off in times of war,
but the primary mode of transportation down below is via
one of the many lifts - some to transport citizens and others
exclusively for the merchants and their wares. The docks can
hold hundreds of ships at a time and the area down below has
become a market of its own with a bazaar and many fish stalls
where restaurant owners can buy the freshest catch of the day
for their menus.
Beyond the docks are the Kalisway Isles which are mostly
left undisturbed as they are too vulnerable to tropical storms
for permanent residences. These are primarily used by pirates
and thieves up to no good who aren't quite as worried by
having their makeshift shelters swept away by a hurricane.
The Kalisway Bay Peninsula is below the cliff's edge and
extends far out into the reach of the ocean, providing a
welcome wind barrier for the docks and its ships. At the end
of this peninsula resides a young red dragon named Rorithrax,
but fortunately for the people of the Kalisway Bay, an
unspoken understanding that provides relative peace has been
established between the city and the dragon. Many citizens
want to have Rorithrax vanquished, but others fear that if
the young red dragon is defeated then a dragon with grander
ambitions may move into his lair.
The Royal Family
The current rulers of the city are King Tylas and Queen Lyrra
Kalisway. They have two daughters, Princesses Zalia and
Virina, as well as two sons, Princes Liam and Lorwick. The
royal family is generally well-liked by the people of the city,
though there are of course always some who want to do away
with the crown and impose other forms of government. The
royal family resides within a magnificent palace that is known
for its Royal Garden which is open to the public for most of
the year. Attached to this palace are the Royal Gardens which
are open to the public and contain beautiful pathways and
picnic areas for all of the citizens of the city to enjoy under the
protection of the royal guard.
107
Stacking the Deck
Meet Kal
Kaliseth is a bored efreeti that travels around the world, using
his powerful magics to keep himself entertained by toying with
lesser beings. Sometimes this is through a board game that
brings chaos and destruction with the roll of the dice, other
times this is through a simple card game that can offer boons
and banes, but tonight it is through a deck of playing cards
and a list of tasks.
As mentioned above, Kal is dressed in extravagant clothing
with vibrant blues and purples. He has fiery red hair and a
mouth filled with beautiful white teeth with canines that are
suspiciously sharp. He speaks with confidence and uses his
winning smile and charm to win over those he encounters.
Kal’s Proposal
Kal introduces himself and states that he is looking for friends
and entertainment tonight and thinks the members of the
party are just the people to help him with that need. He pulls
out a deck of cards and sits it at the center of the table and
says the following:
“The game is simple. I have a deck of cards here. You
shuffle the deck and flip cards from the top. Each face value
correlates to a task I would like for you to complete. Nothing
of malice I assure you. In fact, these tasks will gain you wealth
and prestige within the city! Each suit adds a complication to
the task - an extra something for you to do or to not do! You’ll
have twenty-four hours to complete all of the tasks revealed.
Should you succeed, I grant you wealth corresponding to the
difficulty of the challenges you faced. If you fail, well, I roll
back the clock to this evening and you forget we ever met,
should you wish it. You quite literally have everything to gain
and nothing to lose.”
Hold on a Second
The party will certainly be suspicious of this newcomer and
his proposal. They have never met this man, so why should
they believe anything he says? Well, Kal is a man of his word
and should the party question his capabilities he will perform
a magnificent feat for them such as stopping time every
other person in the tavern, walking over to another table, and
downing a drink while its owner is frozen in place. He may
reach out a hand with a flourish and make platinum pieces
begin to appear and even offen some of them to the party to
prove they are real.
Kal will reveal to the party that he is merely a visitor to
this plane and that he likes to spend his time here making
things interesting. He doesn’t like to use the term “God”, but
he finds people that show potential and puts them to the task.
Sometimes they fail and other times they succeed, but it is
always a joy to observe from a distance. He ensures the party
that there is no ill will in his offer and that he is willing to
swear as such, which is binding for his kind.
108
Do whatever needs to be done for Kal to convince that
party to accept his offer. They really do have nothing to lose
if something does go awry. This is the adventure, so we
want to get them hooked!
Final Rules
Kal has presented the baseline for the game, but in his initial
pitch he did not list out all of the rules, though he is willing to
share them with the party.
• The party must reveal at least three unique tasks from the
deck to play. Anything less than that is boring.
• The higher the face value of the card, the more difficult the
challenge, but the grander the reward.
• If the party reveals that same face value with different suits,
the task will have multiple complications, but will also give a
larger payout!
• The party will be stripped of their wealth once the game
begins. They will each be given 5 gold to work with, but they
will need to earn any other gold required for their tasks.
Advantages
He will also tell them about two advantages they can use.
• A one-time, one-hour reset to use at their leisure in the next
twenty-four hours. This is a just-in-case button for if things
go wrong, but they only get it once! Simply say “Kal, we need
a reset!” and it shall be done. Use it wisely for one is all they
shall receive.
• The second is the opportunity to stack the deck. They can
take ten minutes to look over the deck and determine what
level of challenges they would like to face, though Kal will
give them no information about what the tasks are or how
the suits impact them. The mystery is part of the fun.
The party can always simply shuffle the deck and draw if
they wish Lady Luck to be their mistress. Kal is willing to
share the details of the rewards and hopes it will encourage
them to press their luck harder in hopes of attaining greater
wealth! This can be in the form of stacking the deck in more
challenging ways or by flipping more cards randomly off the
top.
Drawing Cards
The party must draw at least three tasks from the deck if
they wish to play. This means they will need to draw three
distinct card values which may take more than three cards.
For example, if the first three cards are a Seven of Hearts,
Seven of Diamonds, and a Four of Spades, the party will need
to draw an additional card as they have only revealed two
unique tasks.
Once the party has drawn three unique tasks, they can
continue drawing cards for as long as they’d like. The more
cards they draw, the faster they will need to work to achieve
their goals and the more resources they will need to expend!
Once the party has decided to stop, Kal makes them one
final offer. Draw two more cards from the top of the deck
and he will give them an additional 1,000 gold should they
complete everything successfully.
Let the Tasks Begin!
Once the party has finalized their tasks, Kal will announce the
following:
“Excellent! Excellent! Well, your time starts now! Once you
are done or once your time is up, I will find you. I am sure you
are wanting to know your tasks then, yes? Well, grab a quill
and write this down because I’m not going to repeat it!”
Give your players each of their tasks as well as the suit
modifiers that go along with them! Each of the sections on
the next page outline how things are made more difficult for
each individual suit, so while there is a lot to keep track of,
hopefully this breakdown will make things a bit easier for you.
Trying to prepare for every possibility is incredibly difficult,
so once again I recommend working with the party to
select the cards and then having some prep time before
kicking off the adventure! With 52 cards in a deck, there are
countless possibilities!
If your party drew a 3, make sure to jump to that Task first
as it will start immediately upon them leaving the tavern!
Rules of the Deck
Card Values
•2  - Obtain Six Stormberry Muffins from the Kalisway Bay
Bakery
•3  - Reunite Isadora with her Lost Poodle - Glimmer
•4  - Obtain a bottle of Whale Marrow Whiskey from the Blood
Brine Tavern
•5  - Discover the Secret Ingredient of the Capricious Cocktail
at The Djinn’s Lamp Tavern
•6  - Catch a Giant Sailfin Tuna
•7  - Get Accepted into the Phoenix Gang
•8  - Gain Access to the VIP Area of The Black Sheep
Gambling Lounge
•9  - Obtain an Icebloom Lily from the Royal Gardens Before
the Moonlight Ball Ends
•1  0 - Find the Tome of Secrets Within the Kalisway Library
• J ack - Deal With the Creature that Lurks in the Sewers
•Q  ueen - Have a Dance with Princess Zalia
•K  ing - Retrieve Prince Lorwick’s Stolen Crown
•A  ce - End the Threat that the Dragon Rorithrax Poses on
Kalisway Bay
Card Suits
• Spades - Must use at least one artisan's tool, musical
instrument, and/or gaming set to complete the objective.
• Clubs - Must complete this objective without combat.
• Diamonds - Must complete the objective without spending
any gold, gemstones, or other forms of currency.
• Hearts - Must complete the objective with every party
member playing an impactful role.
For a bit of clarity in case there is confusion. Artisan's Tools
refer to any of the toolsets in which a character can have
proficiency such as mason's tools, glassblower's tools, but
would also include a forgery kit or a disguise kit. It does NOT
include mundane items such as a spade or a hammer. The
objective is to force the players to think creatively to highlight
their character's specialities.
The Diamonds restriction is one that requires good faith.
The spirit of it is to prevent the party from doing things such
as bribing a guard and to force them to make clever exchanges
of services or gambling for things they need. They can still
make creative trades if they'd like, but simply trading an onyx
statue worth 50 gold pieces for the potion they need would
break the rules!
Hearts is one open to a bit of interpretation. We want
to highlight every member of the party and make sure
they contibute to the solution so no one can just sit on the
sidelines! As long as the party makes a good faith effort, give
them a success. If they put together a plan, make sure to let
them know if their contributions qualify in your opinion!
Task Rewards
• 2-10 - Face Value x 25 gold
• Jack - 500 gold
• Queen - 750 gold
• King - 1,000 gold
• Ace - 1,500 gold
• Two suits - 1.5x Gold Multiplier
• Three suits - 2x Gold Multiplier
• Four suits - 3x Gold Multiplier
109
Task-Card-Value: 2
Obtain Six Stormberry Muffins
from the Kalisway Bay Bakery
Objective Overview
The Kalisway Bay Bakery is the finest in all of Kalisway Bay.
People come from far and wide to partake in their baked
goods and there is often a line out the door just to place an
order! Obtaining a half dozen muffins may seem simple on
the surface, but on this particular day, the bakery has sold out
by the time the party arrives (no matter what time that may
be)! Stormberry bushes only grow near the ocean and the
stormberries themselves are only produced after a powerful
rainstorm, so they are quite difficult to collect. This causes
them to only come in small batches and be sold at a premium -
2 gold for a half dozen muffins!
Key NPC - Patrice (Patty) Surry
The head chef at the bakery is a human woman by the name
of Patrice Surry. She is a large, boisterous woman who
commands the kitchen with authority. She has short brown
hair, a charming smile, and is often seen in her lucky apron
that has been permanently decorated with cloth patches and
flour from years of use in the kitchen. She wears earrings
that dangle low and have the appearance of vanilla cupcakes.
Outside of the kitchen, she is kind and wonderful with the
customers. Her name is Patrice, but everyone calls her Patty.
Potential Solutions
Once the party has been told by the bakery clerk that they are
out of stormberry muffins, they will need to seek out how they
can get more! The clerk, a half-elf man named Tai, will tell the
party that their stock was unfortunately cleaned out bright and
early for a birthday party. He unfortunately cannot disclose the
name of this customer to the party! At this point, Tai will call
for Chef Patty to come out to see if she can help.
A plump human woman makes her way out of the kitchen,
screaming at the staff in the back to make damn sure they
don’t burn the cakes or she will have their heads. She
immediately turns to you, her brown apron adorned with
colorful patches and covered in flour. She gives a winning smile
as her golden cupcake earrings swing wildly. She approaches
and introduces herself as Patty, owner and head chef of The
Kalisway Bay Bakery, and asks what she can do for you.
Patty is willing to make more muffins, but unfortunately
she is all out of stormberries! They are hard to come by as
stormberry bushes grow out by the ocean and only grow
berries after a rainstorm. Any of them nearby will have been
harvested… but there are bushes that grow along the cliffs!
Rarely do people harvest those bushes because it just isn’t
worth the effort as the cliffs are a hundred feet high and to fall
would mean death!
110
She also has a friend who specializes in potions and herbal
remedies - her name is Fajili. She is actually a bullywug, but
has done quite well for herself in the city. Patty knows she
uses stormberries in some of her poultices so that could be a
good starting point as well! Be warned though, she does not
follow the normal customs of the city and does not accept coin
as payment - only items she finds interesting or sometimes
favors.
If asked about the birthday party, Patty will tell them that it
is for a bunch of rich brats who probably won’t even appreciate
how special those muffins are anyways. It makes her a bit
upset to sell them to such a group, but money is money and
they paid extra. If the party tries to get the name out of
Patty, success on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check
will get her to spill the last name - Thelborn. This is a name
of renown in the city and just about any citizen would be able
to point them in the direction of their manor.
This makes the potential paths:
• Harvest some additional stormberries from the cliffs outside
of town
• Get more berries from the Fajili’s Natural Remedies shop
• Find the Thelborn manor and obtain a half dozen muffins
from the party.
Cliffside Harvesting
This is straightforward as long as the party has some climbing
equipment. It takes twenty minutes to get to the location
where the berries are found. Climbing down the cliff's edge
is daunting, however! The cliff is a hundred feet tall and the
berries grow roughly sixty feet above the level of the beach.
The party must choose if they want to climb down from
the cliffs above, or if they wish to climb up from the beach
down below. If they wish to climb up from below, they will
unfortunately need to go back to the great lifts and get a ride
down first.
If the party is not careful in their climbing, such as simply
having a party member climb down a rope that is dangling off
the cliff’s edge, have them make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics)
check, falling on a failed saving throw and taking potentially
major fall damage!
No matter the method, the person who climbs will need
to succeed on a DC 5 Constitution saving throw or gain 1
level of exhaustion. As long as they use a reasonable method,
they obtain enough berries to make the muffins! They can take
these back to Patty and she is happy to bake up half a dozen
for the party as long as she can use the extra berries to make
some more batches for the public.
Fajili’s Natural Remedies
Fajili’s Natural Remedies is not too far from The Kalisway
Bay Bakery - a three minute stroll down the street in a simple
wooden building. There is a sign above the door that reads
“Fajili’s Natural Remedies” in messy handwriting and then in
smaller text below that: “You sick? I make you better!” There is
a powerful smell of lavender coming out of the shop as well.
The party enters this eclectic little shop to a blend of city life
and swamplife. There are potted plants absolutely everywhere,
many with leaves so large that they obstruct some of the
walking paths.
As you move through the door, a set of bells jingle and
moments later Fajili appears. She is a short, navy blue
bullywug whose tattered clothing is decorated with colorful
flora. Atop her head is a wreath of beautiful white flowers that
have been delicately woven together. She has massive eyes
and large bean-shaped pupils. While the flowers are clean, the
rest of her body is coated in mud and dirt, though she doesn’t
seem to mind. She wears multiple belts and sashes, each
of which holds no fewer than 4 small pouches and some of
which look to be filled to the point of bursting.
“Welcome to Fajili shop! How you sick? I help!”
Her common is not the best, so while the words may not
always be the correct choice, her intentions are always clear.
Fajili is in a constant state of wonder with the party and
everything they tell her or show her. When they ask about the
stormberries, she will let them know that she has some in the
back, but she needs them for potions! She cannot simply give
them away, but she also does not care for human coin - it is too
impersonal and goes against her people’s customs. Instead,
she will insist on a trade for her stormberries!
Use your judgment to determine if what the party offers
Fajili is sufficient, but not just any little thing will do it. She
does not care for weapons, for they are the tools of making
pain and she is in the business of healing! She loves plants
and critters and will even accept a good story or a unique song
as payment for her stormberries!
In the end, there is an exchange of goods and a delighted
Fajili disappears to the back room and comes back with a jar
full of black stormberries. They can bring these back to Patty
and she is happy to bake up a dozen for the party!
The Thelborn Party
This option is only viable if the party goes to the Thelborn
Manor within the first few hours of their day, otherwise, the
party has already ended. And while the party might swipe
the stormberry muffins from the party, they are still from
The Kalisway Bay Bakery so it still is sufficient for the task.
The Thelborns are one of the wealthiest families in all of
Kalisway Bay, so wealthy in fact that they don’t even recognize
half of the people that show up to their parties. Their estate
is a fifteen-minute walk from the bakery and while still
technically within city limits, it is on the outskirts. The entire
estate is surrounded by an eight-foot tall wrought iron fence
and is obscured by tall hedges, but the top of the three-story
building can still easily be seen from the street. From the
outside, it is difficult to appreciate its full immensity, but the
house contains sixteen bedrooms within!
Blue balloons are tied at the entryway in small clusters
along with ribbons and decorative blown glass. A man in a fine
suit is standing at the gates along with a distracted guard in
chainmail who is lazily wielding a pike.
Should the party approach, the finely dressed man will ask
the party how they know the birthday boy, Corbin, but he does
not actually verify their story or identities and will let them
right in without so much as a deception check.
You step into the yard and see no fewer than a hundred
attendees at the party. People are scattered all through the
lawn playing games and enjoying drinks that are being passed
around by servants in fine attire. There is a large catering table
and upon it are over hundreds of stormberry muffins in plastic
containers next to the birthday cake. A servant stands vigilant
near the table and you see an eager child reach out for a
muffin, only to be scolded and shooed away! You overhear the
servant say that the muffins and cake are for after gifts! You
note a stack of fifty or so bags and boxes on an adjacent table,
many wrapped in decorative paper.
Hopefully the idea that this could take a while is enough to
kick the party into high gear!
Muffin Snatching Methods
The party can utilize a few methods to get the muffins from
here. The primary method is simply distracting the servant
that is watching over the snack table. The person doing the
distracting can make a DC 13 check of a type appropriate to
the method of distraction. The person stealing the muffins will
need to make a DC 13 Dexterity (Stealth) or Dexterity (Sleight
of Hand) check, doing so with advantage if the distraction was
successful. If the attempt is a failure, the servant will ask a
guard to escort that person out of the party and they will need
to find another method!
Another strategy is to simply bribe the servant. A sum of
3 gold or more and he will look aside without another word
said. Between 1 and 2 gold and he will require success on a
DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Less than 1 gold and he
simply scoffs at the party.
There are other methods the party could use, but this is not
meant to be particularly difficult so go easy on them! When
they succeed, they should have enough muffins to complete
their objective!
Compliacations Considerations
As this is the easiest of the tasks, this one does not pose much
of a challenge to the party and as such the suits do not add
much of a challenge. Ther are no combats by defaults so the
Clubs restriction is essentially a freebie. Diamonds prevents
them from even trying to buy the muffins from the shop and
will prevent them from bribing the servant at the party, but
they will still be able to trade with Fajili as she does not use
currency! The Spades complication requires some creative
thinking such as using an instrument as a distraction at the
party or as the payment to Fajili for their berries, or perhaps
they utilize a disguise kit to look more regal when entering
the party! Some methods of obtaining their goal may be off
the table entirely as a result of these complications, but that is
part of the challenge!
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Task-Card-Value: 3
Reunite Isadora with her Lost
Poodle - Glimmer
Objective Overview
If the party has this task, Isadora is standing just outside the
tavern as the party leaves. She is shouting out for her dog
Glimmer and walking around asking anyone and everyone if
they have seen a white poodle? Her precious pup fled after
spotting a rabbit and is in deep trouble! It is up to the party to
save her.
You see a panicked young woman running from stranger
to stranger on the street, pleading with them and asking if
they’ve seen a large white poodle run by? Tears are streaming
down her cheeks as a couple shakes their heads no and
continue on their way. She turns to look at you, her large
brown eyes desperate. She runs up, yellow sundress swishing
and the spider lily flower woven into her long black hair nearly
falling out. Out of breath, she asks the same questions she
asked the others “Have you seen a large white poodle run by?
My dog Glimmer ran off after a rabbit and I can't find her!”
She is in a total panic trying to find her lost companion.
Glimmer is a standard poodle with white fur and wearing a
bright blue collar that makes her quite distinct. Her hair is
styled in a continental cut, making her even more striking as it
is rare to find such a finely groomed animal in this city.
While Isadora was shopping for some fresh produce in
the town square, a rabbit got loose from its cage at a nearby
vendor and took off. Glimmer’s hunting instincts kicked in and
she chased the rabbit down the street and through the crowd.
Isadora last saw her turning on to this street, still pursuing the
rabbit. She has been asking nearby people if they have seen a
poodle or a rabbit run by, but so far no luck! Isadora is worried
sick!
Key NPC - Isadora
Isadora is a human woman in her mid-twenties. She has long
black hair, large brown eyes, and almond-colored skin. She
wears a colorful yellow sundress with a flowery design. This
is accented by an additional spider lily that she wears in her
hair. She is quite beautiful, even in her distress over her lost
poodle. Isadora is incredibly kind and helpful, wearing her
emotions on her sleeve and always placing the needs of others
before her own. She is nervous to ask the party for help, but
she is willing to go outside of her comfort zone to bring her
Glimmer home safely!
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Extracting Information
The party can help fan out through the area and ask locals if
they have seen a poodle with a bright blue collar.
The party will quickly encounter a grimy fellow who tells
them that maybe he has seen such an animal, but his memory
is a bit fuzzy. Gold always seems to clear that issue up though!
If the party pays him or convinces him to tell them through
other means (intimidation, persuasion, or otherwise with a
DC of 13) he will tell the party that the Glimmer ran down a
nearby alleyway chasing the rabbit and points it out to them.
He says that he heard some other commotion from that way
and warns them to be careful as sometimes local gangs hang
out in those alleys!
Alternatives
The party might also be able to cast a spell such as locate
object to track down the blue collar that Glimmer wears. This
too will lead the party down the side alleyway.
The Fallen Cart
You head down the alley and around the corner.
Blocking a majority of the path forward is a cart that has
toppled over! Fresh vegetables are scattered all across
the ground along with overturned crates and large
burlap sacks. The horse that was pulling the cart is still
standing nearby, tail twitching nervously back and forth.
Your eyes then catch movement - down near some of
the fallen vegetables is a woman who has been pinned
beneath the cart! She looks over to you with wide eyes
and extends a hand out to you, in pain but seemingly
unable to speak!
This woman - Irena - was walking her cart of goods down the
alley when Glimmer and the rabbit went charging past. She
attempted to calm her horse but was unsuccessful in doing so
and ended up pinned beneath the cart after the horse bucked
violently.
The party can technically make their way past the cart to get
to Glimmer, but Isadora will insist they help the poor woman
(and we expect the party will want to do so regardless).
Success on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check will lift the cart
high enough for Irena to squeeze out from beneath it. A result
of 20 or higher and they manage to flip the cart upright once
again. Remember to give advantage if multiple characters
attempt to lift the cart.
If the party is unable to lift the cart, there are guards back
on the main road who will come to help should the party ask.
There are also some wooden poles in the alleyway that can
serve as a way to provide leverage and allow the party another
shot at lifting the cart off of Irena.
When Irena is safe, she will thank the party for saving her
life. She can also tell them that Glimmer was the cause of the
accident and went running further down the alleyway. Isadora
feels terrible about this, but Irena tells her not to worry and to
go find her baby!
Alleyway Map So our primary paths are:
• Fight the rats
• Lure the rats
• Frighten the rats

With this objective, there may be a few other options as well,

but these are the three this module will cover.

Fight the Rats

There are 10 Giant Rats (MM Pg. 327) in total. This is
intended to be a trivial fight so it does not scale APL.
Roll for Initiative.
When half of the rats have been defeated, roll at d20 on
initiative count 20 of each round. On a result of 10 or less, the
rats flee in terror. A party member can also try to intimidate
the rats once half of their numbers are depleted, succeeding
on a result of 10 or higher on a Charisma (Intimidation) or
Strength (Intimidation) check.
With the rats slain or frightened away, Isadora runs over to
hug Glimmer and thanks the party for their help. She offers
them a total of 2 gold pieces as reward for their help.

Lure the Rats

If the party has any meat or other alluring treats, the rats can
be enticed to choose another target quite easily. Even a party
member that is playing dead can draw the rats, as a meal that
isn’t barking and snarling is much preferable. The rats will
take chase after their target and forget about Glimmer, but this
makes another challenge for the party!
The rats can also be lured through music. Playing and
instrument seems to enchant the rats and they will follow after
the person playing it with curiousity.
The party can run down the alleyway, but when they come
Saving Glimmer across Irena and her horse, the rats stop. They are frightened
It isn’t long before the party hears barking.
of this larger beast and scatter for the gutters and into the
cracks between buildings, leaving the path safe for Glimmer
Isadora cries out for Glimmer and takes off in a sprint,
and Isadora.
charging around the next corner and then stopping and letting
With the rats scattered, Isadora can retrieve Glimmer and
out a powerful scream - “Rats!”
thanks the party for their help. She offers them a total of 2
gold pieces as reward for their help.
Glimmer has been cornered by a pack of giant rats that are
hissing and snarling viciously. Glimmer is holding her ground
and barking to intimidate, but she is already bleeding badly
Frighten the Rats
Before the rats are engaged in combat, they are more
where one of the rats bit her and the pack does not seem to
susceptible to being frightened off. As mentioned above, loud
have any intention of backing down.
noises, a display of flame, or another creative solution may
The alleyway is 15 feet wide and 40 feet deep, ending with
be enough to get the rats to scatter without any additional
a brick wall that is the backside of another structure. Besides
confrontation! The person or persons performing the method
the creatures, the alley contains a large stack of wood, a few
of intimidation will need to each make a DC 15 check (the
crates with their lids removed and chewed on, and a grate in
type of check depending on the method being used). If at least
the floor that has water pooled around it. The smell of rotted
half of the creatures (rounded down) succeed their checks, the
food is strong in the air and it seems these crates hold rotted
rats flee!
produce that the rats have been feasting on.
With the rats scattered, Isadora can retrieve Glimmer and
The party will need to act fast to save Glimmer! Leaping
thanks the party for their help. She offers them a total of 2
to combat is the most sure-fire way to do so, but that is not
gold pieces as reward for their help.
always an option depending on the complications! Another
option is to lure the rats away from Glimmer, grabbing their
attention and leading them away. The party can also scare
them off with some sort of loud noise or perhaps setting
aflame the crates or wood in the alleyway.

113
Complications Considerations
The Clubs restriction matters a bit more for this task, as the
first instinct of those that find Glimmer trapped by the rats
will be to attack! They are ferocious and quick to strike, but
as long as the party does not engage, they will be successful.
The man on the streets at the beginning of the adventure is
expecting a bribe, so they will need to find another way to
deal with him should they want to succeed on the Diamonds
restriction - fortunately he can be intimidated into giving up
his information. The Spades is one of the more challenging
complications for this particular tasks due to its rather
straightforward nature. The party can use instruments to
lure the rats and they can use a gaming set to potentially beat
the man on the street to obtain information about Glimmer's
whereabouts. There are multiple events the party stumbles
across for this task, so hopefully if they are keeping focus it
will be easy for them to meet the requirements of the Hearts
restriction.
Task-Card-Value: 4
Obtain a Bottle of Whale
Marrow Whiskey from the Blood
Brine Tavern
Objective Overview
The Blood Brine Tavern is occupied by the roughest sailors
and dockworkers of the harbor (or at least that is the
reputation they try to uphold)! Unfortunately for the party, the
only patrons that can purchase Whale Marrow Whiskey at
the Blood Brine Tavern are those who have earned the title of
Rapscallion. The party will need to face a set of challenges put
forth by these sailors to prove their merit and earn the right to
that precious beverage!
The Blood Brine Tavern is located down at the docks.
The smell of ocean air permeates the tavern as it always has
its windows open, even if it means letting in the rain. The
tavern is a split level building and has a large area dedicated
to outdoor seating with some being out over the water. The
people here pride themselves on being the toughest bunch
around, able to handle the worst jobs without complaint, but
you may still catch them giving some spare bread to the fish
that swarm the outdoor seating areas.
Key NPC - Clyde
The bartender at the Blood Brine tavern is a one-armed
half-elf man named Clyde. He is a thinner man with pale
skin, shoulder-length black hair, and a large scar on his right
cheek. He wears a sailor’s garb with the sleeve of his right
arm tied off at the shoulder. He has a gruff demeanor and is
rude to the party until they have proven their merit. The tavern
is known for its exclusivity, so until the patrons here know
that newcomers are worth having around they are treated
as unwanted. Anyone who can't stand up to such treatment
shouldn't be hanging out at the Blood Brine Tavern!
114
Potential Solutions
The pathway to success is fairly narrow for this particular
challenge. When the party talks to Clyde and ask for some
Whale Marrow Whiskey, he will laugh them off, thinking
they are joking before realizing they are clueless. “Oh, you
must be new ‘round here. The Whale Marrow Whiskey
is reserved for the celebration of those who have proven
themselves to the other patrons of the Blood Brine Tavern.
Ye' need to earn yourself the title of Rapscallion!”
When the party asks how they become Rapscallions,
Clyde will smile and simply say, “Well, you will need to
impress… them!” and gesture to the patrons of the tavern.
“Ask around and some of them are certain to want to test
you out and see what you are made of. Different patrons
are impressed by different skills, so keep that in mind!”
The patrons (except for Clyde) go by nicknames while they
are within the walls of the Blood Brine Tavern. The party will
need to track down some of these tavern goers and impress
them so that they can ascend to the rank of Rapscallion! The
party must succeed in impressing three of the patrons to do
so! You can find details of the different challenges they can
take on in the section below.
Choosing a Nickname
All of the patrons within the Blood Brine Tavern go by a
nickname that they choose for themselves and often reflects
their specialty. The same will be expected of the party and
when tavern-goers ask them their names, if the party does
not present their own nicknames they will be met with
laughter. The first patron they engage will tell them that a
good nickname is incredibly important if they hope to become
Rapscallions and gives them a moment to come up with
something reasonable before giving them their challenge.
Encourage every member of the party to come up with a
fun nickname to use for the remainder of this adventure!
Arm Wrestling with “The Anchor”
The Anchor is a half-orc man with a face still dirty from the
grease of the boat docks. He has a large anchor tattooed on
his sizable right bicep and he loves to make its chain dance as
he flexes. He will challenge the party to arm wrestling.
In order to win this contest, the party will need to succeed
on a best of three contest of Strength checks. The Anchor
makes these rolls with a +3 bonus. If a party member
fails, The Anchor will laugh them away and ask if anyone
else would like a try? If The Anchor arm wrestles at least
three people, he rolls with disadvantage for any additional
challengers as he starts to get winded. If the party runs out of
members and still haven’t won, The Anchor gives a loud snort
and sends them packing.
If they take him down, he will give out a hearty laugh and
exclaim that he might need to pull a few more shifts because
he isn’t used to being taken down. He will also let them know
that they have The Anchor’s support!
Musical Prowess with “The Siren”
The Siren is an elvish woman with incredibly long blonde
hair that hangs to the bottom of her back. She is much cleaner
than most of the folks in the establishment but still has some
of the signature tells of a life of hard labor - plentiful bruises,
rough hands, and impressive muscles. During her shifts at the
shipyard, she keeps the crew in rhythm through song. She is
also quite skilled on the piano, so her challenge to the party is
one of musical prowess.
In order to win this contest, the party will need to best
The Siren in a display of song or musical capability with an
instrument or their voice! The other patrons at the bar will
judge the winner which will take place with a best two out
of three Charisma (Performance) checks. The Siren makes
these checks with a +3 bonus. If the party member describes
in-depth their song or if the party helps out, give the person
taking on the challenge advantage on their rolls against
The Siren. This is the key to victory!
If the challenger fails to beat The Siren, she is willing to go
against one more person in the singing of a sea shanty. This is
once again a Charisma (Performance) check with a best two
out of three to determine the winner. The entire tavern joins
in on the song and once it is over a winner is decided. If they
fail once again, The Siren will deem them unworthy and turn
them away. If they succeed, she will inform them that they
have the support of The Siren.
Drinking Contest with “The Cask”
The Cask is a middle-aged human man with copper-colored
skin and a thick black mustache. He is just over six feet tall
and weighs over three hundred and fifty pounds with a set of
massive muscles and a sizable beer gut to go with it. He wears
a khaki tunic with a brown belt and a blue bandanna that
covers a bald head. In front of him on the table is a large stein
of beer that is regularly topped off.
In order to win The Cask's support, the party will need to
best him in a drinking contest. He is willing to take on the
entire party at once with certainty that not a single one of
them will be able to stand up to his iron stomach. He will ask
each member of the party to chip in a silver to help cover the
cost of the contest. Then he will move over to the bar and
order a round for everyone. It isn’t about how fast they drink,
it is about how long they can last! Everyone is presented with
a beer and drinks them one at a time, making a Constitution
saving throw after each. This DC starts out at 6 and goes up
by 2 for each drink until there is only one person remaining!
The Cask does not start making these checks until the DC is
at 12 and makes these checks with a +3 bonus.
If the party fails to beat The Cask, he will give out a mighty
belch and a laugh, stating that he knew they never stood a
chance. He does waiver as he gloats, but the party will find
him passed out at the bar minutes afterwards. If the party
succeeds, The Cask slumps over on the bar. Clyde notices
immediately and dumps a full glass of ice water over his head.
The Cask will jolt upright, then turn to the party and give them
congratulations. He tells the party that they have The Cask's
support before making his way to the bathroom to relieve
himself.
Darts with “The Harpoon”
The Harpoon is a sharp-faced halfling woman with hair dyed
a bright blue pulled into a tight bun that is held in place by
a set of crossed darts. She has bright blue eyes and tan skin
that has seen many an hour in the sun. There are distinct tan
lines around her arms and around her eyes as she wears a set
of goggles during her work on the docks. She wears a loose-
fitting outfit that allows for freedom of movement. The party
will find her with her chair tilted back and tossing a dart up
into the air and catching it repeatedly.
In order to win this contest, the party will need to best The
Harpoon in a game of darts. She will explain to them their
special set of rules in the tavern for such initiations - it is not
about getting a score of 301, but about being the first to hit the
bullseye three times. When it comes to fishing with a harpoon,
precision is key! She will allow each member of the party to
play against her. Each time a character throws a dart, they
make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. On a result of 18
or higher, they manage to strike the bullseye! The Harpoon
makes these rolls with a +4 bonus.
If none of the party can take down The Harpoon, she gives
out a loud laugh and tells them that they wouldn’t last a
single day on the docks and so they won’t last a single night
in the tavern! Should they win, she will nod impressed as
she retrieves her darts. She lets the party know that while
she does attribute this loss to beginner’s luck, they have The
Harpoon's support.
Spot The Coin with “The Albatross”
The Albatross is a tiefling man with maroon-colored skin.
He wears a feathered cavalier hat and a sleek red outfit that
seems far too high-scale for the establishment. He sports a
pair of black cowboy boots that are pristine in condition. His
eyes are as dark as charcoal and when he smiles he flashes a
set of bright white teeth with viciously sharpened canines. He
has a rather handsome face but casts a sense of unease with
his gaze. He rolls a silver coin across the back of his knuckles,
dancing it along with impressive skill.
In order to win this contest, the party will need to guess
correctly in The Albatross's game of skill and quick wits. He
holds up his silver coin and grabs three cups from the bar and
brings them over to the party. He flips the cups upside down
and slides the coin under the center one, lifting the cup high
to show it is actually there and being untouched. He will then
ask for a single person to come play and asks that no one else
interfere. He will then do a lightning-fast rearranging of the
cups, even using his tail to help shift things around, which is
what catches most people off guard! Once or twice the coin
goes sliding across the table to be swiftly covered by another
cup! After a fifteen-second flourish, he stops and asks which
cup the coin is under or if it is under none of them! The person
guessing will need to make a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception)
check to guess correctly!
Each member of the party will be able to try their hand
at the game with the DC for success reducing by 1 for each
person who makes an attempt as they start to recognize
patterns in his movement that makes it easier to spot the
correct cup.
115
If the party makes it through all of their members without
success, The Albatross will give a large, devilish smile as he
dances the coin across his knuckles. He informs the party
that without eyes sharp enough to spot the coin, they will be
relieved of their wallets within hours of their first night here.
If a party member guesses correctly, The Albatross will be
genuinely impressed by their keen eyes and even offers the
two-headed silver coin as a souvenir for wherever the road
takes them. He lets them know that they have The Albatross's
support!
Land a Knockout Blow on
“The Brawler”
The Brawler is a hulking goliath man with a clean-shaven
head and skin the color of ash. He is bare-chested and
tattooed upon his flesh and stomach are various sea creatures.
The art is done with extreme detail and vibrant colors. His
body is bruised and covered with scars from years of combat
before moving down to the docks. The Brawler is in the back
corner of the tavern where he has set up a punching bag and
performs a series of rapid strikes between each drink from his
tall glass of ale.
In order to gain The Brawler's approval, someone much
go toe to toe with The Brawler in a boxing match. Each
competitor will wear a pair of boxing gloves and the first to get
the other to tap out is the winner of the bout. The participants
will each make an initiative roll to see who gets the first
punch, The Brawler making his with a +1 bonus. Afterward,
they will take turns trading blows (just one punch per round
even for characters with multiattack), making unarmed attack
rolls against one another. The Brawler has an AC of 14 and
makes his attack rolls with a +5 bonus to hit.
Each time a character hits, roll a d4 + (Str or Dex) Mod and
add this to the total damage dealt. The Brawler deals (d4 + 3)
with each hit. The first character to receive damage equal to
or greater than their Constitution score is knocked out. The
Brawler has a Constitution score of 16.
The Brawler is willing to fight up to three members of the
party back to back. In fights after the first, his Constitution
waivers from the previous fight and the party will only have to
reach a total of 14 for the second round and 12 for the third
and final round.
If no one in the party can take down The Brawler, he will
give out a laugh as he turns and punches his punching bag so
hard is falls off the chain that hold it to the ceiling, proclaiming
that none can take down The Brawler! If the party manage
to land the knockout blow, The Brawler will be impressed by
their skills and gladly offer his support to the party with the
request that they come back for a rematch when he is fresh.
116
Obtaining the Bottle
Once the party has earned the favor of three of the patrons
of the tavern, they can go back to Clyde behind the bar and
request that they be added to the ranks of Rapscallions at the
establishments. The NPCs that the party impressed will vouch
for them without any additional complications. He will pour a
shot for anyone who still has the stomach for it (for they may
have had to go up against The Cask). He will then disappear to
the back of the establishment for a few minutes (leaving one of
the other patrons in charge while he is gone) before returning
with a bottle of the rare Whale Marrow Whiskey which he
hands over to the party as congratulations for a job well done.
He will also inform the party that as Rapscallions of the
Blood Brine Tavern, they have formed a bond with the other
patrons of the establishment. If the party is in need of help,
they can always turn here. If the cause is worthy, then the
patrons will be willing to lend a hand for one of their own.
The party can use this relationship for other tasks as
they continue to check off their list! There are some explicit
mentions of how the members of the Blood Brine Tavern can
offer their support, but if the party comes up with a good idea,
make sure to reward them with a payoff! Just remember that
when they are dealing with anyone from the Tavern they are to
use their nicknames, otherwise their companions will pretend
they are speaking about strangers.
Complications Considerations
The Clubs restriction for this task will simply prevent the
party from taking on The Brawler. It may be a boxing match,
but the magics of the cards still consider this to be combat!
(Make this clear to the players if they ask as the intent is not
to trick them). The Spades complication can be achieved
by going up against The Siren and using their prowess with
musical instruments or perhaps by creatively using a Dice Set
proficiency to gain some insights into The Albatross and his
tricks! The Diamonds only really has an impact when going
up against The Cask, as he asks the party to chip in to pay for
drinks. They will need to find a way to circumvent this request,
perhaps through a bet or even by insulting The Cask's wealth.
The Hearts will mean everyone will need to step up and
participate in these challenges, not just a single person with
many proficiencies.
Task-Card-Value: 5
Discover the Secret Ingredient
of the Capricious Cocktail at
The Djinn’s Lamp Tavern
Objective Overview
The Djinn’s Lamp is an upscale tavern on the outskirts of the
city overlooking the bay. It is constructed along the cliff edge
with a balcony that hangs over a hundred-foot drop which
provides wonderful views and gives a thrill to those who sit
outside. Portions of the deck are made of thick glass panels
so guests can look straight down to the sandy beaches and
rocks below. An expansive net catches any that might get too
hammered and take a jump, though someone is always on
duty to watch out for jumpers since it is still a hassle to get
them freed of the netting.
The tavern is famous for its genie-inspired drinks - the Dao's
Drop, Efreeti's Cinnamon Whiskey, the Djinn’s Hurricane,
and the Marid’s Mug. Still, its most famous drink is called the
Capricious Cocktail! It glows with a vibrant teal light and costs
2 gold for just a single glass. It causes seemingly random
effects for those who drink it. Some have hallucinations or
experience hours of pure bliss, while others vomit or just pass
out. It is not known to be deadly, but half the fun of the drink is
to down it and laugh at how it affects different people!
The owner of the tavern is a former adventurer that sought
retirement after a life of treasure hunting and saving towns.
He is a high elf warlock by the name of Terivan, but he is
rarely ever seen in the tavern itself. He mostly stays hidden
away in his personal suite that is built just under the tavern
along the cliffs of Kalisway Bay.
The party must investigate what ingredient it is that causes
these chaotic effects… and they will probably not like what
they find!
Key NPC - Misty
Misty is the head bartender at the Djinn’s Lamp and has
worked there for half a decade. She is a female water genasi
in her mid-thirties with light-blue hair that tumbles down
to the center of her back that resembles a crashing ocean
wave in its color - starting a deep blue and brightening until
it is white near the tips. Her eyes are a striking deep purple
reminiscent of an amethyst gemstone. She just barely crosses
the threshold to five feet tall, but she often wears heels to
boost that up a few inches. She is flirtatious and does an
excellent job of keeping customers around with her suggestive
comments. She is also a sorcerer and uses prestidigitation
to give some additional flourish to her bartending skills. For
large groups, she will put on elaborate displays through the
shaping of water which always draw in some hefty tips.
Potential Solutions
There are many ways for the party to track down the secret
ingredient of the Capricious Cocktail despite it being a
carefully guarded secret. The drink has only been available
for a few months and during that time the popularity of The
Djinn’s Lamp has exploded with the tavern selling out of their
supply every night. The tavern does not open until 4 PM, so
the party may have to take on this challenge a bit later as they
won’t be able to gather much in the way of information until
then.
Once the tavern is open and the party heads inside, you can
provide the following description:
You head through the front doors of the Djinn’s Lamp, a
hulking half-orc bouncer standing out front and another
human man in Djinn’s Lamp apparel keeping overwatch of
the balcony to make sure no one is at risk of falling over the
edge. The decor is all themed around the various types of
genies - dao, efreeti, marid, and djinn. You see one door going
to the kitchen area of the tavern and another just off the bar
that reads “Employees Only”. There are roughly twenty tables
inside the tavern and another dozen out on the deck. There
is also a bar with twelve stools in front of it and a petite,
beautiful water genasi woman preparing a drink for a patron
behind it. She looks over to you, gives a charming smile, then
waves you over.
Misty greets the party as they enter and asks them if they have
been in before and if they would like to try one of their famous
Capricious Cocktails - 2 gold each, but they will send you on
the ride of your life! The party can try to extract information
from Misty but she does not know much nor would she betray
her boss even if she did know. The one thing she will disclose
is that it is Terivan's own design and that he brews it himself,
but he has some powerful magics and an almost disturbing
amount of wealth at his disposal so who is to say how he does
it?
The party can order some to try themselves (assuming that
the Diamonds Complication is not active).
An Alchemist’s Aid
One straightforward path to gathering information is to get
one of the drinks and take it to an alchemist for evaluation.
Depending on the challenges the party has undertaken, they
may have already met one of the town’s alchemists - Fajili
the bullywug owner of Fajili’s Natural Remedies. She will
be curious about the contents of the drink, but will not look
over them without an exchange. She does not believe in the
exchanging of coins for services, so the party will need to
offer her something interesting for her to examine the drink’s
contents. (If you need more information on Fajili, check out
Task 2!)
She will inspect the Capricious Cocktail in her lab and
determines that there is the presence of magic in the drink -
with chaos as its origin. She is then confused as she realizes
that there is a secondary ingredient - goblin blood. Fajili is a
bit frightened of this discovery and asks the party to find the
truth as she is friends with many goblins!
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The Glowing Dagger
Another clue for the party can be found by simply hanging
around in the tavern. Many people are drinking the Capricious
Cocktails with mixed results. Someone is vomiting over the
edge of the balcony and onto the beach below while another
patron is over in the corner moaning in delight, head rolling
and eyes closed.
If they choose to stay and observe, eventually read to them
the following:
You see a dwarven patron stumbling through the tavern with
a confounded look on his face. He walks over to various
members of the tavern and inspects them, which seems to be
frightening some folks. He pulls out a dagger that is glowing
a dull green and explains that it only glows when goblins are
near, so there must be someone here in disguise, for he sees
no goblins! The half-orc bouncer spots the dwarf brandishing
his dagger, marches over to him, grabs him by the shoulders,
and escorts him out of The Djinn's Lamp.
The party can follow after the dwarf to learn more about his
questioning. His name is Horrik and he is an adventurer
himself, just passing through on his way back to his
homelands, but the dagger has never led him astray in the
past. It detects goblins so there had to have been one in that
room, but he didn't see any so he thought the goblin must be
in disguise! In his drunkenness, he needed to know the truth!
This is another clue for the party that a goblin is involved
somehow.
Bouncer’s Insights
If the party talks to the bouncers of the tavern, they have some
information as well. Ramirez is the name of the guard who
stands on the balcony and keeps an eye out for jumpers. He
doesn’t know anything about the drink, but he does have some
gossip about the owner of the tavern - Terivan. He will need to
be bribed or convinced to give up this information, so the party
will have to find some way to make it worth his while. This
will need to be a sum of at least 1 gold. A wager on a game of
chance can also be enough to entice him to speak.
Once the party gives Ramirez sufficient payment, he tells
them that a few times he has seen the owner walk out of
the cliffs below, over to the ocean, and wash off his hands.
It was a long way down, but he would swear on his mother’s
life that he was washing blood off of his hands! He has been
wary of Terivan ever since! Ramirez knows there must be a
secret second entrance to his apartment from down on the
beach, but he went down to investigate once and was never
able to find anything!
When the party is ready to access Terivan’s apartment,
this is one of their possible points of entry. They can go
down to the beach and with success on a DC 18 Intelligence
(Investigation) check, they will find a button hidden amongst
the rocks. When pressed, this opens up a secret door and a
stairwell that leads up multiple stories to Terivan’s home. The
passage eventually leads to a stone door that when opened
reveals Terivan's living room!
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Twisted Homebrewing
The party should be able to piece together through
investigation and interviews that something highly suspicious
is going on with Terivan and his brewing methods. Depending
on who they talked to, they may suspect it involves a goblin
and they would be correct. The party will need to use one
of the methods below to gain access to Terivan's home and
track down the secret ingredient at its source since Terivan
is immune to any sort of mind-reading magics thanks to his
ring. They can gain access to Terivan's home through a few
different methods:
• The hidden pathway down along the beach which they can
learn of from the bouncer Ramirez.
• Lifting the Terivan's Key when he heads up to the tavern to
drop off more Capricious Cocktails.
• Picking the lock to Terivan's Apartment.
Terivan’s Key
The party will see Terivan come out every hour or so if they
hang around the tavern. Make sure to have this happen
fairly early in their time at the Djinn’s Lamp. He comes out
of the door marked “Employees Only” with a fresh crate of the
Capricious Cocktail mixture. As soon as he enters the bar, he
removes his necklace which has a key strung on it and uses
that key to lock the door behind him. He remains for five or
ten minutes, dropping the drink offs and giving a few waves
and chatting with patrons, then heads back through the door,
using that same key to unlock it as he goes.
If the party asks Misty or one of the bouncers what is
beyond that door, they will tell them it leads to Terivan's
apartment below the Tavern. They assume he has a brewery
down there because that is where he makes many of the
drinks for The Djinn's Lamp, but he has never so much as
asked any of them to go down and help carry up the drinks
despite them offering multiple times.
If the party tries to ask Terivan for a tour or about what
is down below, he will simply tell them that it is his living
quarters and his personal distillery. He does not allow any
others to go down there for it is where he brews his drinks
and should his competition learn of his secret ingredients,
they would steal his business. He maintains a calm
demeanor during all of this, but have anyone nearby make
a Wisdom (Insight) check. On a result of 20 or higher,
they realize he is nervous about all of the questioning and
constantly flicks his eyes to the door.
Terivan also wears a Ring of Mind Shielding at all times.
It is a leftover from his days as an adventurer and ensures
that his secrets stay safe in his mind.
The lock of the Employees Only door can be picked with
a success on a DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check.
This requires a distraction because if Misty or one of the
bouncers spots them, they will be ejected from the tavern!
Another method would be to snag the key from the owner.
It is simply a bit of string that holds the key so it can be cut
quite easily, but this will require success on a DC 15 Dexterity
(Sleight of Hand) check. Terivan will go into a panic when he
realizes his key is gone, so they will need to move fast!
The party can also smash their way in! It is a wooden door
so success on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check will do the
job, but of course, this draws the attention of the entire bar!
Terivan's Apartment
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.
The brewery is in a secret room off of the living room which
requires them to twist a hidden component on one of the
many light fixtures around the room. The party can discover
the hidden door in a few different ways:
• I f the party sneaks into the apartment without Terivan's
knowledge, they can wait for him to go into the room or to
leave it as he delivers Capricious Cocktails every hour.
•S  uccess on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) or
Perception (Investigation) check will allow them to see some
slight inconsistencies in the stone that suggest a secret
room.
•S  omeone with proficiency with Carpenter's or Mason's Tools
can make a DC 15 skill check, realizing that with the house's
construction and the tavern above, the most likely location
for a hidden room is off the living room.
If the party discovers the location of the hidden door
by any means, have them make a DC 15 Intelligence
(Investigation) or Perception (Investigation) check to find
the secret mechanism for entry. If someone in the group
explicitly checks the lanterns for a mechanism, allow them to
find it with no check required.
Once the party has discovered the hidden mechanism, they
can make their way into the brewery. They will be in for a
surprise when they do so, for when anyone passes through
the threshold of the secret door, it triggers an alarm that
silently alerts Terivan! The party will have two minutes
before Terivan arrives, as he must retreat without raising too
much suspicion.
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Horrendous Secrets Uncovered
When the party manages to find the mechanism to access the
hidden brewery, read the following:
You pass through the hidden doorway and see an intricate
brewery before you as the air is thick with the scent of
alcohol and yeast. The room is filled with barrels, crates, and
a large central table a full twelve feet in length. The brewing
equipment is all set up on this table and appears intricate and
delicate with every inch of space utilized. Lanterns hung along
the walls provide illumination without the risk of starting a
fire. This lantern light reveals a small cage in the far corner of
the room with a goblin bound inside. The creature looks over
at you with desperation-filled eyes, its hands shackled and a
gag in its mouth.
The door to the goblin’s cage is locked, but the key is hanging
on the wall nearby. As soon as the goblin sees the party, he will
look at them with pleading eyes and gesture to the key, holding
up his shackles. Once the party has managed to free him or
remove his gag, he will speak to them in broken common,
thanking them for their help.
His name is Flirk and he is a member of one of the
goblin tribes just outside of the city. Terivan and some other
mercenaries were hired to wipe out the goblin village and
when Flirk blasted Terivan with a firebolt, he decided to
capture Flirk rather than kill him. Terivan brought Flirk back
in secret and has had him locked in this cage ever since. It
has been almost four months, but for a while now Terivan
has been harvesting his blood and using a strange distilling
process to put it into a drink! Since Flirk has wild magic
blood, it causes chaotic effects in the humanoids that drink
it. He has been bled every day for weeks and weeks! Terivan
claims he has no need for guilt as Flirk's people aren't worthy
of moral considerations. They had been kidnapping and
slaughtering travelers regularly on the roads leading out of
Kalisway Bay. By the time Terivan stepped in to help, over two
dozen citizens had been killed.
Flirk will agree to go with the party to an ordinary prison.
His people indeed killed many and he doesn’t expect them to
let him go free… but somewhere where he won’t be tortured is
much preferred.
With this knowledge, the party technically has met the
requirements of the quest, but they are going to need to
deal with Terivan because unless they noticed his alarm
spell and managed to dispel it, he will be on his way down!
Facing Terivan!
Once the party has had a few minutes to explore and release
Flirk, Terivan arrives. The party may have taken measures
to ensure that Terivan has trouble reaching them and he
may burn some of his spells getting to them! Depending on
the number of precautions they took, it may even be quite
challenging for him to reach the party. Unfortunately for the
party, there is only one way in or out of the hidden brewery so
even if they managed to block the entryway, Terivan will simply
wait them out!
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Under most circumstances, Terivan will attack the party
immediately! Use the Terivan stat block at the end of the
module for this combat. The party does have the opportunity
to get out of the situation without combat, however. Terivan
is strong but can recognize the fact that he is outnumbered
by the party and that a battle with many against one usually
does not go well for the individual. This gives the party
opportunities to intimidate or persuade Terivan to step aside.
They may simply threaten that they have the numbers and will
kill him or they may simply offer to take Flirk and not speak
of his special ingredient to anyone else. Use a DC you feel is
appropriate depending on the argument made by the party in
a range of 10-20.
If talking Terivan down was unsuccessful, the party can
always flee through his home and out into the tavern where
Terivan will be unwilling to continue the fight as it is out in
front of the public! This will still satisfy the needs of a Clubs
complication as long as the party does not deal any damage to
Terivan.
The Problem of Flirk
Flirk is the secret ingredient to the Capricious Cocktail and
will tell the party as much, but it still leaves the party in the
position of what to do with him. They make take pity on the
goblin since he has been effectively tortured for months, but
he did assist in the killing of multiple people from Kalisway
Bay which he will not hide. Flirk accepts his fate of being
bested in combat and captured by those he has wronged, so
it is fine going to the Kalisway Bay Prison but would certainly
not complain if offered to go free. The party can even get Flirk
on the path to turning over a new leaf in the city, as goblin-kind
are accepted within its walls.
These are all just bonuses on top of the task itself to offer up
some additional roleplaying opportunities, but the problem of
Flirk will hopefully spark interesting discussions!
Complications Considerations
The details of a Clubs complication are listed in the Facing
Terivan section above - mostly through the use of persuasion
to talk their way out of a fight with the retired wizard. The
Diamonds complication means the party can't buy a drink via
traditional means, nor are they going to be able to bribe the
bouncers for information. The Spades complication can be
achieved by gathering information from folks at the tavern and
even identifying the hidden door down in Terivan's apartment.
Alchemist's or Brewer's Supplies could also be used to gather
some information about the Capricious Cocktail - perhaps that
there are remnants of blood in the drink.
Task-Card-Value: 6
Catch a Giant Sailfin Tuna
Objective Overview
If the party asks around the docks and the markets about
where they can catch a Giant Sailfin Tuna, they will be told
that such fish are quite rare and can only be found in the
deepest waters of Kalisway Bay! They better have a ship if
they are hoping to catch one for themselves. The party will
need to find a boat that is available to be chartered for fishing
expeditions, which typically cost 3 gold per day out on the
water. With the Moonlight Ball, most ships are busy with trade
and travel, so only the Storm's Glory is available.
By talking to the sailors, the party will discover just how
difficult it is to catch a Giant Sailfin Tuna! They only lurk in
the deepest of water and are impossible to catch without
Shimmering Moonfish used as bait. Once a moonfish has
been captured, its shine only lasts for a few hours so you have
to catch them fresh! Niilen, captain of the Storm's Glory, is
willing to take the party out on this expedition, but they will
need to come back at night when the moonfish emerge and
their glow will draw in the tuna.
Key NPC - Niilen
Niilen is a human male in his mid-twenties and is the captain
of the Storm’s Glory ship down at the docks. He runs the ship
with his father, but his old man is looking to retire soon and so
Niilen is taking over operations. He has skin the color of clay
and straight shoulder-length black hair that he keeps tied in
a ponytail. His eyes are a striking amber color and his face is
decorated with small scars; though there is one particularly
large scar on his right cheek from a fish that got off the hook
and gave him a nice slash to the face. His body is muscled
from years of working on the docks and aboard the Storm’s
Glory with his father.
Niilen is young and still nervous about taking over as
captain which causes him to overcompensate. He feels the
need to show off whenever possible. This makes him a bit
pompous, but when things get dangerous he calms to deadly
seriousness. He does his best to play the role of salesman
when the crew arrives, proving to his father that he can bring
in paying customers!
Booking a Ride
This adventure starts a bit more linear than some of the
others, as it is necessary for the party to charter a ship to take
them out to the deep waters. It is also necessary for them to
wait until nightfall to complete this task, so it may even be the
last one that they complete. They will still need to perform
some of the legwork of booking a ship before it gets too late in
the day though.
After they hear more about the Giant Sailfin Tuna and
are directed to the docks, they will spot Niilen standing
out amongst the crowds of fishmongers holding up a large
sign advertising “Fishing Expeditions Aboard The Storm’s
Glory!” He will be shouting out to the crowd about once-
in-a-lifetime experiences out at sea aboard a ship that has
been in this cove for decades!
When the party meet Niilen, he will inform them that the
Giant Sailfin Tuna is possibly the most difficult catch of
Kalisway Bay. He tells them this because the trip may end in
disappointment and there are no refunds. He informs them
that the cost can stay fixed at the advertised 3 gold, but it will
be a night fishing expedition for the Giant Sailfin Tuna feast
exclusively on a special kind of fish that only come near the
surface at night - Moonfish. They will need to sail out to the
outcroppings of the bay and land some moonfish if they are
going to have any hope of landing a tuna!
Unfortunately, the secret of catching moonfish is also
well guarded. There are some other sailors in the area that
specialize in the harvesting of these moonfish, so Niilen tells
the party that it might be a good idea to talk to some of them
before heading out as they will probably know some special
techniques. Niilen has fished for them before but it seemed
next to impossible. Using their trade secrets, some of these
crews haul back hundreds each night! He points the party
in the direction of these crews. They would never share the
secret with Niilen, but maybe the party could butter them up.
He tells the party to meet him back here at sundown and they
will head out into the bay!
Gathering Info
The Moonfish are elusive and the secrets to catching them
are a well-kept secret. The crews that Niilen pointed out,
fortunately, know all there is to know about moonfish! The
leader of these individuals is a hulking minotaur with fishing
hooks adorning his horns. He wears multiple belts across his
body and there is a hammer that must weigh a solid twelve
pounds hanging off of his hip. This is Garith, captain of the
Night’s Splendor ship dedicated to catching moonfish.
Garith is a loud, boisterous fisherman. Since his work takes
place at night, he spends a good part of his day selling fish at
the markets, drinking, and dealing cards at the local taverns.
If the party asks about moonfish, he will give a loud laugh and
exclaim, “Oh, am I just to give out my secrets of the trade to
new competition. I think not!”
The party can convince Garith to relinquish his information
in a few different ways. There are more than these, but this
will just name a few possibilities!
• When the party meets with Garith, he is already buzzed. If
they put enough drinks in him, he will be ready to spill out all
of his secrets in the form of wondrous tales.
• The party can convince Garith that they are not competition
and are simply on a mission to catch a Giant Sailfin Tuna.
Garith admires the goal and with success on a DC 15
Charisma (Persuasion) check, he will tell them what he
knows as long as they are willing to swear this to secrecy! He
will make a big deal about this secrecy, even asking them to
swear upon their weapons before the gods themselves!
• Garith is a man that lives for the thrill. They can make a
wager with Garith and play a round of cards, dragonchess,
or the like to get him to give up the information, but the party
will of course need to tempt him with something of their own
in exchange!
121
Garith and his crew know just about all there is to know
about the moonfish. The best place to catch them is the rocky
outcroppings along the edges of the bay, which most folks
know. There is a rare variety of moonfish called Shimmering
Moonfish that are bioluminescent. This is what the Giant
Sailfin Tuna really love to eat. Regular moonfish just don’t
do the trick, but these special moonfish are rare and elusive!
The secret to catching the shimmering moonfish is to attract
them with focused light sources and with music. Garith isn’t
sure why, but the moonfish swarm to music even if it is bad!
It still needs to be music of some variety, not just random
sounds, but the fish aren't picky! If they happen to have any
stormberries, pouring the juice into the water is another way
to bring the moonfish surging to the surface! Just keep their
eyes peeled for one that shines and snag it with a net!
He will also inform the party that the glow of a Shimmering
Moonfish only lasts about four hours. Whenever they are
caught, whatever natural mechanism their body uses to
create that light shuts down and the glow will continuously
fade from that moment until the fish is as dull as all of the
others. Because of this, the party will need to catch their own
moonfish and can’t rely on someone else to get one for them.
His final bit of advice is to come prepared. Kalisway Bay is
a beautiful place but the sea at night can be dangerous. There
is a reason he keeps Skullcracker (his hammer) on his side at
all times! Creatures of the depths don’t care much for having
their lands disturbed, so stay alert! "The sahuagin out there
think they own the place. You might be able to strike a deal
with them if you are lucky, but you also might need to scare
them back to the depths!"
Friends of the Blood Brine Tavern
If the party completed Task 4 and are considered Rapscallions
at the Blood Brine tavern, they can return to that location and
call upon their contacts there for help rather than dealing with
Garith! The Siren knows that moonfish are attracted to music
and has gone along with fishing crews to sing and lure them
in. If the party are not Rapscallions, then no one at the tavern
will help them.
Catching a Shimmering Moonfish
When sundown is upon them, the party can meet up with
Niilen who has the ship ready to sail! Normally his father
would tag along, but it is too late for his old bones so he is
trusting his son to run this one solo! Niilen will take the party
out to the rocky outcroppings where the moonfish normally
feed, the moon full and shining brightly overhead!
Moonfish can be caught via net if lured out or via a fishing
rod. The difficulty of catching a moonfish and a shimmering
moonfish specifically varies depending on the techniques
the party uses to attract them. The party will almost always
eventually be able to catch one, but it takes longer which
means less time for other challenges.
122
Consult the section below to determine the difficulty of
catching a Shimmering Moonfish. This is a Dexterity (Sleight
of Hand) check with a DC of 25.
• Utilizing a focused light source lowers the DC by 5.
• Pouring stormberry juice in the water lowers the DC by 5.
• Playing music for the fish lowers the DC depending on
the result of a Charisma (Performance) check or a check
utilizing a specific musical instrument.
• A result of 20+ lowers the DC by 10.
• A result between 11 and 20 lowers the DC by 7.
• A result of 10 or lower lowers the C by 5.
Due to the equipment and size constraints, only two people
can attempt to make this Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check
at a time, so the party will need to choose the characters
with the best chance of success. Each attempt at catching a
Shimmering Moonfish takes 20 minutes so the failures can
add up quickly!
Alternative Options
There are other options for catching a Shimmering Moonfish,
such as using a speak with animals spell to deceive the fish
or even using some lightning magic to stun all of the fish and
have them float to the surface temporarily. The fishing method
is just the primary path, but by no means is it the only one!
Sahuagin Demands
Once the party manages to catch a Shimmering Moonfish,
their work is not yet done! They still need to catch the tuna
and they will also need to get past the sahuagin that are
demanding payment for the taking of their food source! Read
the following when the ship is picking up anchor to leave the
moonfish area:
A green, slimy face emerges from the waters of the ocean and
stares up at your boat with an expression of anger. Large fins
extend from either side of its head and it wears the remnants
of a helmet that is horribly rusted and held together by leather
straps to form a makeshift headpiece. It coughs a few times,
spitting up water, then speaks in a rasping voice, “You no
take sahuagin food. Throw back!” Surprisingly, it is speaking
common!
The sahuagin feast on the moonfish and don’t take kindly to
those that would take their food supply. It will demand that
they give back half of their catch, as well as any Shimmering
Moonfish, or they will be slain by the sahuagin!
Now the party likely just has a single Shimmering Moonfish
with them and they are not going to want to give it up, so
they will need to strike a deal or they will need to fight the
sahuagin! If they choose to fight, use the table on the following
page to determine the enemies. The sahuagin retreat when
half of their total numbers have been defeated!
Aboard the Storm's Glory Map The types and amount of creatures scales depending on the
party’s APL.

APL Enemies
5 2x Sahuagin Priestess (MM Pg. 264)
4x Sahuagin (MM Pg. 263)
6 2x Sahuagin Priestess 4x Sahuagin
7 1x Sahuagin Baron (MM Pg. 264)
4x Sahuagin
8 1x Sahuagin Baron
1x Sahuagin Priestess
4x Sahuagin

If the party wishes to avoid conflict, the sahuagin can be

reasoned with to some extent. They are still fascinated by
human relics, so giving up a piece of armor or a weapon will
be sufficient tribute. They can also offer to bring the sahuagin
other fish - such as a Giant Sailfin Tuna - and offer it as a
tribute to them. If this is their route, the sahuagin will let them
go but will be following them from the depths to make sure
they hold up on their end of the bargain!
With the sahuagin dealt with, the party can make their way
to the deeper ocean and start their efforts to catch a Giant
Sailfin Tuna!

Catching a Giant Sailfin Tuna

Niilen is stressed after the conflict with the sahuagin,
especially if it resulted in combat, but he will fulfill his
requirements for the job nonetheless. He takes the party out
to the center of Kalisway Bay where the water is deepest. The
moon is still shining down brightly and their Shimmering
Moonfish remains vibrant. For this catch, Niilen offers to them
the fishing rod at the back of the ship. It is attached to the side
of the boat and has a fishing line that is nearly as thick as steel
wire. The Giant Sailfin Tuna can reach lengths of 15 feet and
can weigh over 2,000 pounds, so it is justified. That is just for
the largest of them, but one must come prepared.
The party can set their hook with the Shimmering Moonfish
and cast out. They wait for a full 10 minutes and then…

The fishing rod lets out a loud groan as it goes from having
a slight curve to bending down sharply. It whips hard to the
right and the line starts to unspool from the sheer strength
of the fish on the other end! Niilen rushes to the edge of the
boat and looks down into the depths before exclaiming with a
bit of fear, “Gods help us, it’s a big one!”

A member of the party will need to grab the reel and start to
drag in the tuna. If that character's strength score is less than
10, they simply cannot handle the strength of the tuna and
someone else will need to step in! It takes an additional ten
minutes of harsh battle with the tuna thrashing and fighting
while slowly being reeled in. It is a delicate balance between
fighting and letting the fish swim to keep the pole from
snapping, but Niilen guides them along the way!

123
You can play the scene out with fun descriptions - the fish
ripping from side to side and the entire ship leaning harshly
to the side. You can even throw in a Dexterity saving throw
Task-Card-Value: 7
to have someone fall overboard! The character that reeled Get Accepted into the Phoenix
in the tuna must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving
throw or gain a level once the battle with the tuna is done!
Gang
(This can be avoided by having multiple people step in to do
battle with the tuna. Objective Overview
When the fish is exhausted and near the surface, Niilen
For this challenge, the party will need to get accepted into
operates the arm of a crane device attached to the back of the
the Phoenix Gang, one of two rival gangs that lurk behind
ship which drops a thick net down into the water. One of the
the shadows in the city of Kalisway Bay! The other guild is
party will need to jump in the water and wrap the tuna in
the Strix Gang. These two were formed decades ago when
the net at which point Niilen can reel it up out of the water
two sons of a local crime boss couldn’t agree on how to run
revealing a fish six feet in length and weighing over five
the Eagle Claw Gang and decided to split into their own
hundred pounds!
organizations.
With this done, the party has successfully captured
Fortunately for the people of the town, most of the rivalry
a Giant Sailfin Tuna and their objective is complete!
between these two gangs does not involve crime or violence
They may still have some loose ends to clean up with the
for folks outside of the organizations. While the Eagle Claw
sahuagin, but they can always betray the aquatic creatures
Gang had its hands in every underground casino, black
and deal with the consequences!
market deal, and embezzlement scheme in the city, the
Phoenix and Strix Gangs spend so much time trying to
Complications Considerations prove their superiority to the other that very little crime is
committed.
The Clubs complication means that the party must find a The party will first need to find their way to a Phoenix Gang
way to deal with the sahuagin when they attack. If the party hideout and from there they can work on gaining admittance
is struggling for ideas, have the sahuagin whisper about the by knocking the Strix Gang down a notch through one method
party's equipment and how bright and shiny it is! The Spades or another!
complication has multiple opportunities in this adventure - the
most obvious to attract the moonfish but gaming sets can also
be used to get Garith to give up his secrets and Navigator's Key NPC - Talos
Tools could be introduced to help the party while out at sea!
Talos is a member of the Phoenix Gang and will serve as the
The Diamonds complication means that the party will need
party’s primary contact once they have made their way to the
to find alternate ways to pay Niilen for a ride on his ship. This
hideout. He dresses in all black clothing with red, orange, and
could be through agreeing to put in a good word for Niilen
yellow accents. They are subtle enough to be stylish but still
with his father who is clearly concerned about the future of his
show his affiliations. He is a human man in his early twenties
business. They can also argue that if they share with him the
and his real name is Thomas, but he strictly goes by Talos
secret of catching Shimmering Moonfish that will be worth his
when at the hideout. He has short black hair, pale skin, and
time on its own! This adventure has many unique components
freckles on his face that make him appear even younger than
so there are plenty of opportunities for everyone to shine with
he is. He tries to compensate for this with a beard, but it does
the Hearts complication.
not grow in fully so he doesn’t quite pull off the look. Talos
is your standard guy trying to seem much cooler than he is
to anyone he meets. That is why he joined a gang in the first
place! So keep that in mind as you roleplay him!

Potential Solutions
The party’s first step is finding out more information about
the Phoenix Gang. They will need to ask some of the people
in town, but the attitude of most folks is that both the Phoenix
Gang and the Strix Gangs are both jokes. They spend most
of their time promoting their own gang or defaming the other
without actually accomplishing anything. Have them ask a few
people who fill them in on the background of the gangs - that
it has essentially become a sibling rivalry - before they meet up
with someone who knows where the hideout is located. This
kindly individual will inform them that their hideout is in the
warehouse behind Varrick’s Blacksmithing and Armory on the
eastern side of town.

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It doesn’t take long for the party to make their way over to the Talos will ask the party which options they think they will
hideout, at which point you can read the following: go for and can provide them with the supplies they need
to succeed. If they are hoping to vandalize, he will provide
You see a large warehouse with a phoenix painted on its them with the paints needed to cover their strix emblem
primary set of double doors that are fifteen feet high. As you with a phoenix. If they want to brawl with some of the gang
approach, you realize this wall has been painted and repainted members, he will have some clubs they can use to give them
dozens of times. The paint is almost a full inch thick and a nice beating without killing them. If they want to convert
you can spot a few streaks of darker paint along the edges. members, he will offer up a couple of brochures covering the
Standing near one of the smaller entry doors is a young man benefits of being in the Phoenix Gang with one of the key
dressed in a black outfit with accents of red, yellow, and persuading factors being how much cooler a phoenix is than a
orange. He has pale skin covered in freckles, short black hair,
strix. He will offer a set of loaded dice to cheat the Strix out of
and an accompanying beard that has not fully grown in. You
their gold.
catch him looking down at his biceps. He flexes and gives a
nod before glancing up at you and giving a stern look. No matter their choice, he has some outfits they can
borrow that should make them appear to be members of
the Strix gang to anyone at a distance. They can use these
This is Talos, the party’s key NPC for this adventure, and however they see fit for achieving their goals.
he will fill them in on the details of the Phoenix Gang! He
is a member but also a recruiter! One thing to make sure
to mention is that being a Phoenix Gang member earns
Cheating the System
A spell such as charm person can be used on Talos to
steep discounts on their counterfeiting operation and that
make him swing around to your side, in which case he will
business has been busy with the Moonlight Ball. This is one
require the party to only complete two of the objectives
of the few areas of crime that is still performed by the gang
rather than three. The suggestion spell can be particularly
and it is quite lucrative!
effective here, allowing the party to skip all of the tasks
below and immediately gain membership! Some of the card
Talos will let the party know that it isn’t as easy as just saying
complications will prevent this from being an option though!
you want to join. You have to prove yourself worthy of the
Phoenix Gang! The party will need to complete three of the
five possible objectives listed below to be accepted: Vandalizing the Hideout
Vandalizing the hideout can be trickier than it may seem on
•V
 andalize one of the Strix hideouts with some Pheonix Gang
the surface, for just like the Phoenix Gang hideout, the Strix
graffiti without getting spotted. He will gesture to the double
Gang hideout has guards on duty at all times. They are eager
doors and mention that it has been painted over by the Strix
to snap up new recruits so they will have someone posted on
Gang twenty-two times now and the Phoenix Gang needs to
the door. It will take time to paint the mural and the difficulty
catch up!
of this is determined by the skill check of the person doing
•B
 eat up some of the Strix Gang members in a brawl. They
the painting! Have the person who is painting the mural
aren’t looking to kill anyone, just to send a message, so the
make a Dexterity (Painter’s Supplies) check. The DC for
party will need to keep that in mind when they go into the
the check to distract the guard will be equal to 25 minus the
fight. Make sure they know who is superior but let them walk
result of the Painter's Supplies, with a minimum value of 5
away to tell the tale!
for the DC. This means that when the party tries to distract
•C
 onvert two members of the Strix Gang over to the Phoenix
the Strix guard at the door, whatever the method they choose
Gang. They always need more members and to make the
- distraction, deception, etc… - the DC for that check will be
numbers of the Strix Gang dwindle at the same time is just
equal to that DC you calculated above [25 - Painter's Supplies
an extra plus!
check result].
•U
 se a set of loaded dice to successfully swindle the Strix
It is also possible to just knock out the guard or even use a
gang out of 50 gold pieces without having them catch on!
spell such as sleep and bind him before he can call for help.
•S
 teal the Strix statue from their hideout and bring it
A spell such as suggestion is another way to complete this
back here! This is the most difficult of the challenges to
portion of the mission with ease. His stats depend on the APL
complete so if they manage to pull this one off they will land
of the group, but you can consult the table in the Strix Gang
themselves a nice 250 gold reward to go with it!
Members section below to determine what stat block is used
Talos will inform the party that the Strix Gang has a few for ordinary members.
different hideouts scattered through the city just as the
Phoenix Gang does. If they see anyone with clothing accented
with silver, black, and blue, then they are probably a member
of the Strix gang. The easiest hideout to hit is just a few
blocks over near Cassandra’s Shield Emporium. It is in an old
derelict tavern. There will be a strix painted on the wall facing
the alley so it should be pretty obvious when they find the
place! Depending on the time of day, there shouldn’t ever be
more than six people present unless they are having a meeting
or event.

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Laying the Beat Down
If the party hangs around the hideout for long enough, they
will eventually find members of the Strix Gang arriving or
leaving. Groups of 2-5 arrive every fifteen minutes or so. For
every fifteen minutes, roll a 1d4 + 1 to determine the size of
the group that is arriving. If the party manages to catch them
going down one of the nearby back alleys, there will be no
authorities to interfere and the party can even get the jump on
the gang members! Consult the Strix Gang Members section
below to determine what stat blocks to use for these gang
members. You can use the Kalisway Bay Alleyways map
for this fight (Found in Task 3 and in the map pack for this
module).
Remember that this should not be a fight to the death,
just one to rough up some members of the Strix Gang and
prove that the Phoenix Gang is superior! If the party kills any
member of the Strix Gang, their application to the Phoenix
Gang will be denied!
Gang Conversion
Another route that is free of combat is to convert some of the
Strix Gang members. As mentioned in the section above,
Strix Gang members are coming and going pretty frequently
through the area so the party can chat with them and try to
turn them over to the side of the Phoenix Gang. For each
member of the guild that the party tries to convert, make a roll
to determine their loyalty to the Strix Gang. This will be a d20
+ 5. This sets DC for any check to convert one of these gang
members. Some don’t hold much loyalty while others are quite
firm in their desire to stay with the Strix Gang.
The party must make the argument convincing. You are
the DM and will have to be the judge of how well they do.
You can also provide advantage on this roll if the party takes
additional actions such as taking the gang members to a
nearby tavern for some drinks or doing an excellent job talking
up the Phoenix Gang. Make sure to ham this up as much
as possible with the members of the Strix Gang taking the
brochure, carefully browsing the contents, and asking follow-
up questions such as "How cool are the outfits?" and "Do they
provide complimentary snacks at the hideout?"
Gambling is another way they can get members of the Strix
Gang to convert! While the gangs aren’t as heavily involved
in underground casinos and sketchy loans, most of them still
love to roll some dice and play some cards so the party can
use that to their advantage.
Loaded Dice
Most members of the Strix Gang are ready to roll some dice.
Rigging games of chance is one of the things that the Eagle
Claw Gang was best known for, but nowadays the members
of the gangs are the victim of gambling far more than they are
profiteers. The dice that Talos gave to the party allows them
to roll with advantage in dice games which should allow them
to win most of the time. The delicate part of this mission is
to know how far they can press their luck before cashing out,
when to lose on purpose, and how to sweet-talk their marks!
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The rules below will guide you through gambling with the
Strix Gang members. Keep these rules secret to the party
though! They will simply need to play things smart if they want
to pull off the con!
• When the party finds members of the Strix gang to do
some gambling, roll a d6 for each member of their group.
This represents their starting Suspicion level as some are
naturally more paranoid about a street game of dice than
others.
• If ever their Suspicion level reaches 20, the Strix Gang
member will accuse the party of cheating and demand their
gold back.
• Each time a member of the party wins, the Suspicion level
of each gang member increases by an amount equal to the
number of consecutive wins for the party - so if the party goes
on a huge streak, this will start to spike quickly!
• If the party tries to distract the Strix Gang members through
smooth talk or friendly banter, they can make a DC 15
Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Deception) check. On a
success, Suspicion of the gang members decreases by 5, but
on a failure, this increases by 3! On a natural 1, Suspicion
instead increases by 10!
• The normal buy-in for a dice game is 1 gold, but the party can
offer to increase the bet to a maximum of 10 gold, but only
someone with a suspicion level of 10 or lower will accept
this offer. While making high-risk bets (5 gold or higher)
their suspicion increases twice as fast! Let the party know
about the base gambling amounts for the area and the
maximum people are willing to stake.
• No individual member of the gang can lose more than 20
gold to the party, as they are tapped out afterward!
The party will need to play things smart if they hope to
make it out with the gold, but if they do they will be permitted
to keep their winnings.
Stealing the Strix
This is the most challenging of the options and so it comes
with a nice 250 gold reward! They must steal the Strix statue
that rests in the center of the Strix Gang’s hideout. Their
hideout is in a derelict tavern building with its main entryway
constantly watched by a guard. The interior will have between
4 and 9 (1d6 + 3) members at any given time, so there is never
a moment where there won’t be someone present to spot the
party.
The disguises the party was given will give them the
appearance of Strix Gang members, but when they ask to
go inside, the guard will ask for a password which the party
will not know without getting it from another member of
the Strix Gang. If they try to get inside and don’t know the
password, the guard tells them to get lost and that he has
their faces committed to memory so they best stay away. He of
course is not on guard at all times, so if this happens they may
just need to wait until a few hours have passed to return.
Any of the Strix Gang members know the password which
changes daily. On the day of this challenge, it is “Tidehollow”.
They can use any method of their choosing to get this
password. They can also use magic to bribery to get past the
guard at the door with a minimum of 3 gold required for him
to turn a blind eye.
Strix Gang Hideout Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

Most of the main floor windows are boarded up, but they can
climb up through a window on the second floor if they have
the equipment. This will get them inside, but if people just
start walking down the stairs, the gang members already
within will immediately grow suspicious and ask the party
what they are doing since their faces are not familiar.
One of the potential methods of gaining entry is to pretend
they are interested in joining the Strix gang and want to take a
look around the hideout to see what kind of perks it has before
they make a choice. If they tell the guard that they are trying
to choose between the two gangs, he will become even more
committed to winning them over and even take them inside
for a drink! While inside, the party can make a distraction and
someone will be able to swipe the statue.
The skill checks involved with retrieving the Strix can be
pretty wide-ranging, so use your best judgment depending on
the methods the party uses!
Strix Gang Members
The stat blocks used for Strix gang members adjusts
depending on the party’s APL. Consult the table below when
making checks for the gang members and if the party ends up
in combat with the Strix Gang!
APL Enemies
5-6 Half Thugs (MM Pg. 350) and
half Scouts (MM Pg. 349)
7-8 Half Berserkers (MM Pg. 344) and
half Thugs
Complications Considerations
The Clubs complication prevents the party from taking on
the task of beating down members of the Strix Gang and also
means they will need to be careful with all of their missions
as the members of the gang are quick to turn violent! The
Diamonds complication means no gambling and no bribing
for these tasks which removes the dice as an option and might
make sneaking into the base more difficult. The Spades
complication has a plethora of opportunities with painter's
supplies and many opportunities for gaming sets.

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Task-Card-Value: 8
Gain access to the VIP area
of The Black Sheep Gambling
Lounge
Objective Overview
For this task, the party will need to gain VIP access to the
highest-end casino in all of Kalisway Bay - The Black Sheep
Gambling Lounge. While this may seem simple on the surface,
the establishment has many restrictions that add layers of
complexity that are compounded by the complications. The
party may need to complete other missions or employ some
creative thinking before they can even try to take on this task!
As soon as the party enters the casino, they will learn just
how difficult it is to obtain a membership. They will likely need
to take on a special job on behalf of the casino to gain access
as the raw coin required to buy a membership is difficult to
come by on such short notice.
Key NPC - Kathrenna
Kathrenna is the VIP Customer Relations Manager at The
Black Sheep Gambling Lounge. She is a tall, beautiful elvish
woman who carries herself with confidence and prides herself
on her ability to read people at a glance. She is responsible for
all new VIP tokens issued at the lounge and works to ensure
that only those worthy can become recipients. Kathrenna is
cunning and intelligent, so she is unlikely to fall for any of the
party's schemes. Her job is to make sure that the Black Sheep
Lounge maintains a certain exclusivity to ensure everyone
with money will want to be a member. While her appearance
catches the eye of most who walk in the door, she keeps things
strictly professional while at the Lounge and will cast aside
the remarks of any who might try to make a pass at her.
Gaining Access to The Black Sheep
Gambling Lounge
Dress Code
The Black Sheep Gambling Lounge is a high-end
establishment in Kalisway Bay. They won’t even let you in
the front doors unless you are dressed the part - so the first
challenge for the party for this particular task is to find a nice
set of clothes (which some may already have). They also do
not allow weapons, armor, or magical components of any
variety through the doors. The guards at the front will ask that
the party members hand over their items to be stored in safety
deposit boxes until they are ready to leave the premises. This
is to ensure the safety of their patrons who may be carrying
large quantities of wealth on their person. So before the party
can get in the door, they will need to find a clothes shop in the
city (of which there are plenty) and get some outfits suitable
for a high-rollers club.
128
For members of the party that do not have the formal attire
required to enter the Black Sheep Gambling Lounge, the
location that comes most highly recommended is Farrah’s
Fashion Emporium where they will be able to pick up an
outfit for between 1 and 5 gold depending on how extravagant
they go with the outfit. Farrah is the tiefling owner of the store
and has dedicated her entire life to finding the perfect look for
each customer that walks through the door. She will of course
try to convince the party to continue adding on accessories or
scale up their selection. If it were up to Farrah, each person
would walk out the door with a 15 gold outfit, so they will
have to stand first if they don't want to drain all of their funds!
Ask the players what sort of outfit their character would want
to wear and build a description of the clothing Farrah brings
them around that information.
Minimum Buy-In
The second challenge is the minimum purchase of chips to
enter the casino. Each visitor is required to buy 10 gold worth
of chips at the door, which are given to them in the form of 5
gold chips and 50 silver chips. The casino is willing to loan the
party some money if they are willing to pay it back with 10%
interest and leave collateral.
There is also a dwarven loan shark by the name of Varkett
who hangs around the building waiting for those who may
have been turned away at the door. He is willing to give the
party the money they need to get inside with an interest rate of
25%! Varkett will also ask for collateral to cover the cost of the
loan, however.
Once the chips have been purchased, the party can finally
make their way inside where they find gambling tables of
all varieties with blackjack and roulette wheels being the
dominant method of gambling. Towards the back is a large
suite of tables that are marked off for tournament poker play.
Since today is the Moonlight Ball, the Black Sheep Lounge
remains relatively unpopulated. Once the ball has ended,
however, the place is filled to capacity with wealthy individuals
already looking their best and ready to lose some money.
VIP Access
It doesn’t take the party long to find the VIP Lounge which is
located near the back of the establishment and is of course
for their VIP members only. The area is locked and the only
way to gain access is with a special VIP Black Chip that must
be shown and authenticated by attendants behind a glass-
enclosed counter near the door. These attendants also have
descriptions that go with each of the names on their VIP
member lists, so even if the party pickpockets someone and
uses their name, they will not have access unless they also
disguise their appearance!
There is always one attendant in the VIP counter area.
If one leaves, the other will stay behind. Even in the case of
a brawl out on the floor, the attendants know they are safe
behind the counter and remain in place knowing that the
bouncers will take care of things.
When the party requests access to the VIP area, one of the
attendants behind the counter will step away for a moment to
call their manager, Kathrenna.
A beautiful elvish woman in an elegant black dress steps
through the door of the VIP area and walks over to you. While
she is naturally quite tall, she also wears a pair of three-inch
heels that cause her to tower at just shy of seven feet. She
carries herself with grace and wears the smile of someone
who is used to dealing with arrogant, wealthy clientele. Her
skin is a light purple color and her shoulder-length hair is
dyed dark red. Her natural beauty is highlighted by expertly
applied makeup with a focus on her green eyes. She walks up
to you and extends a hand in greeting. “I am Kathrenna, VIP
Customer Relations Manager at The Black Sheep Gambling
Lounge. I hear you are interested in a membership?”
Kathrenna is confident, strong, and even intimidating. When
the party asks about membership, she gives a smile and
explains that their normal policy is that if you have to ask you
probably can’t afford it… but the requirement is to buy 300
gold in chips from the casino. Per person. This is meant to
be an impossible task in the time frame so the party should
seek an alternative method!
Kathrenna will give the party a look up and down. She is
good at reading people as her entire life is spent dealing with
the elite. She sees hundreds of people come through here
each day and prides herself on her ability to assess people
with just a glance and thinks she can do the same with the
party. She suspects they are not all comfortable in the clothes
that they wear and there are likely a few weapons sitting in
safety deposit boxes out front. She knows the party is a group
of adventurers and this opens up a unique opportunity if they
are interested.
Kathrenna’s Offer
The standard way for the party to gain access to The Black
Sheep Gambling Lounge is to complete Kathrenna’s request.
She will tell the party about a man who took out a loan from
the casino and disappeared. It turns out the gemstones he
left as collateral were fake and he owes casino wealth to the
tune of 500 gold pieces. Now ordinarily this would not be a
difficult situation, but Kathrenna sent a collection squad to
his last known address and they ended up beaten and bloody
out in the street. Turns out the guy is some sort of spellcaster
and has some dangerous friends - fiendish in nature. No
one else has been willing to take up the job since… which is
bad business for the casino. People must know that it is not
optional to pay back debts owed. If the party can retrieve the
gold, she is willing to give them each a VIP Black Chip as a
reward. Since she is feeling generous, she also has some
spare invitations to the Royal Moonlight Ball that she will
offer up to them as well which may come in handy for some
of their other tasks!
Details of the Job
Xel is the name of the man who swindled the casino and
he lives at 424 Humble Drive. He is a warlock and has
summoned some fiends into this world (the type of fiend being
determined by the party’s APL. Check the table further in this
section for details.) Xel is dangerous and desperate, but there
are multiple ways to deal with Xel and get back the money the
casino needs - some methods violent and some peaceful.
When the party arrives at 424 Humble Drive (which is a
ten-minute walk from the casino) they will find a fully fenced-
in two-story home in one of the upper-scale neighborhoods in
the city. The curtains of the home are all drawn and the house
has an almost abandoned look to it with many items sitting
out in the yard and the flowers withering. The house seems
to scream danger despite being within an otherwise pleasant
neighborhood. Children run through the streets without a care
in the world, but this house looms.
Xel’s Motivations
Xel is a novice warlock and only recently turned to the ways
of crime out of desperation. He is one of only a handful of
survivors of an attack by Rorithrax, the dragon that slumbers
in a cave at the end of the Kalisway Peninsula. The red dragon
went on a rampage after some foolish thrillseekers visited
his cavern and attempted to steal treasures from his hoard.
Rorithrax incinerated the intruders and destroyed a fleet of
trade ships as a warning of the consequences of such actions.
Xel and his companions were on board one of those trade
ships and now he seeks revenge for his fallen comrades. He
has made a pact with an archdevil to accumulate the power he
needs to defeat the dragon!
Despite having had a life of relative luxury serving aboard
the trade ships, once his employer's ship sank, Xel was out
of work. Combine that with the cost of the components he
has needed for some of the spells he'd been practicing and
Xel found himself falling on hard times. Most of the money
he received from the casino has already been converted to
gemstones and some of them used to summon fiends to this
world that now serve Xel. He is attempting to amass an army
to march against Rorithrax! These motivations are how
the party can break through to Xel without the need for
violence.
Despite all of the blinds being drawn and the disturbing
appearance of the house, if the party knocks on the door, Xel
will answer.
A younger half-elf man with long blond hair and bright blue
eyes opens the door and looks out at you nervously. As the
doors cracks open, you feel an intense wave of heat rush out
and surmise that the interior of the house must be at least a
hundred degrees! The man is visibly dripping with sweat that
has soaked into the edges of his clothes. He is blocking most
of the view into the home, but you can hear the scraping of
claws on wood and the occasional chitter of low, guttural
voices coming from inside.
129
Xel's House Map

When the party asks Xel about the money, he will tell them The stat blocks for Xel and for the fiends that ais him are
that it has been spent to go towards a greater cause and that based on the party’s APL. The Stat Block for Xel can be
he won’t be paying it back. He informs the party they can go found at the end of the module!
tell the greedy wealth hoarders at the gambling lounge that
APL Enemies
they are no better than the dragon out in the bay! If the party
asks why he needed the money, he will tell them the truth - 5 1x Xel (CR 3) (End of Module)
that his friends were killed by the dragon and he is seeking 2x Dretch (MM Pg. 57)
vengeance for what happened to them… which the party may 4x Manes (MM Pg. 60)
find admirable. 6 1x Xel (CR 3)
4x Dretch
Dealing with Xel 6x Manes
7 1x Xel (CR 5) (End of Module)
The party has multiple options to engage Xel, some violent
and some peaceful. These options may even prove valuable
2x Dretch
down the road if the party has taken on the Ace task from the 4x Manes
deck! 8 1x Xel (CR 5)
2x Quasit (MM Pg. 63)
Fighting Xel 4x Manes
Battle is one option (unless of course you have the Clubs
complication!). Xel is a moderately powerful warlock on his With Xel and his demons defeated, the party will be free
own, but what makes him truly dangerous are the fiends he to search Xel’s home for the wealth that he owes to the
has called to his aid. They all reside within the house and casino. They will find 75 gold scattered across the floor of
as soon as the party makes a hostile move towards Xel, the a disheveled bedroom. In one of the back rooms on the first
fiends will spring into action to protect him for that is their floor are a demonic altar and a jewelry box that contains 400
bound duty! gold worth of precious gemstones in the form of sapphires,
emeralds, rubies, diamonds, and jets on a nearby table.
Xel also wears a ring of fire resistance that the party can
take.

130
Robbing Xel The Pact
Xel demands a pact be made as he is not simply going to trust
This is a bit trickier with all of the demons that roam the
a set of total strangers to have his back - especially ones that
house, but it is still possible to simply rob Xel of the wealth
came to his home in hopes of retrieving money for a gambling
that is owed to the casino. In his bedroom up on the second
lounge! He will ask that the party move to the room with the
floor is 75 gold scattered across the area. The room is an
altar and will require each of them to slice their palms and
absolute mess and it will take a full 5 minutes to find all of the
drip blood upon the stone as they swear an oath to help him in
gold pieces.
the slaying of Rorithrax, the dragon of Kalisway Bay.
The other significant set of wealth is on the main floor
With the party’s help sworn, Xel will want to move to take
in one of the back rooms. This is Xel’s altar, upon which he
down the dragon this very night! If the party refuses to fulfill
makes his sacrifices of precious gemstones to bring fiends
their part of the deal, an Erinyes will appear to force the
into this world to serve him and his needs. There is a total of
party to uphold their word or be slain! The use of remove
400 gold worth of gemstones in a small jewelry box next to the
curse on the people who are a part of this pact will remove
altar. The windows to this particular room are boarded up -
this obligation but only a skilled spellcaster will know this.
which will give a hint to its significance if the party scopes out
With the pact sworn and the party bound to help Xel, he
the house from the outside as the boards are easily spottable.
will give them the jewelry box as it is no longer needed for his
Spells such as invisibility or an ability such as a druid’s
plans with the party’s help!
shapeshifting are typically required to get into this room
undetected, as there are fiends scattered all through the living
room. The party could also create a massive distraction to pull Complications Considerations
both Xel and his fiends away from the living room. There are
some other strategies that the party may be able to utilize as The Clubs complication means that the party cannot simply
well, but there are the major ones! fight Xel to retrieve the wealth he has stolen, nor can they fight
the fiends that Xel has in his service to prove their might. The
party will need to come up with alternative solutions to talk
Convincing Xel down Xel and get him to pay back his debt. The Diamonds
complication makes this one particularly challenging as the
Xel is not an evil person despite some of his recent actions.
party needs clothes and they need to buy poker chips to get
He lost his job and most of his closest friends, so his life has
in the door. They can offer favors or items as collateral to
been consumed by vengeance. If the party tells Xel that they
get through most of these challenges, but they will need to
will help him to slay the dragon of Kalisway Bay, that will be
be clever! With the Spades complication, the party may be
enough for him to relinquish his stash of gemstones over to
able to earn friends at the casino itself or perhaps the use of
them. This isn’t the full amount that is owed, but if the party
a disguise kit to make themselves seem wealthier than they
does bring the jewelry box bath to Kathrenna she will be
actually are.
satisfied.
It is not as easy as the party just saying they are going
to help, however. Xel will want some sort of proof of their
capabilities and will want assurance that they will join him
when the time comes. He will want a demonstration of power
as well as a magical pact binding the party to their obligation
before he will hand over the jewelry box.
The easiest way for the party to prove their strength is to do
battle against some of the fiends, but this battle will not be to
the death as Xel has worked hard to call them to the material
plane. The party can use other methods though, perhaps
requiring success on a DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check
to prove to Xel that they are skilled enough for the work that
lies ahead or by burning a spell slot in a demonstration of
power.

131
Task-Card-Value: 9
Obtain an Icebloom Lily from
the Royal Gardens Before the
Moonlight Ball Ends
Objective Overview
Icebloom Lilies are an incredibly rare type of flower that
grows in environments that are constantly cold. They only
bloom when there is fresh snow on the ground, but when
they do it is truly a sight to behold as the nearly translucent
ice-colored petals refract rainbows across the landscape.
Fortunately for the party, this task already sets them on the
right path by telling them that one of these flowers can be
found within the Royal Gardens, but this does not make their
task much easier. This adventure also has a time constraint.
The party will need to take on this challenge before the
Moonlight Ball ends at midnight or it is considered a failure!
The Royal Gardens are typically open to the public, but
since tonight is the Moonlight Ball, access to the castle is
extremely limited. The guards are on high alert, marching
along the twelve-foot high castle walls and keeping their eyes
peeled for anyone who might be trying to crash the party. The
group will need to find a way within the castle walls, make
their way to the Royal Gardens, and gain access to the Snow
Dome where the Icebloom Lilies are located. What seems like
an easy task on the surface is actually so much more.
In addition to these complications, Prince Liam is dealing
with a crisis of love and the place where he goes to clear his
head is the very same place the party needs to go on this
evening. They will encounter the young prince and will need to
help him with his dilemma if they are to get their hands on an
Icebloom Lily without bringing down all of the guards of the
castle down upon their heads.
Key NPC - Prince Liam
Prince Liam is the youngest child of the royal family of
Kalisway Bay, with his sister Virina being born just one year
prior. He is nineteen years old and the pressure of being a
part of the royal family is taking its toll, as is the reality that he
may never be as impressive or important as his older brother,
Lorwick. He tries to emulate his older brother however
possible but often feels like he just takes a back seat as the
younger of the two. To make matters worse, he is in love with
his best friend, Myrdin, but hasn't the courage to tell him how
he feels out of fear of rejection.
Like all members of the Kalisway Bay royal family, Liam has
fair skin and bright curly red hair, though he keeps it trimmed
short. His eyes are a bright green and his cheeks are covered
in freckles. He stands at five and a half feet tall, nearly half
a foot shorter than his elder brother. Liam has always been
deeply embarrassed by their height discrepancy and has been
the butt of many jokes over the years as a result. That said,
Liam has a muscular frame that the slender Lorwick could
never hope to attain.
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The Way In
As mentioned earlier, the first challenge the party will
encounter is actually getting to the royal gardens! There
are many ways to do so, but I will cover some of the main
strategies. Through the use of spells or creativity, your party
may come up with far different methods than the ones listed
here, but that will not impact the unfolding of the adventure.
If the party hopes to enter the Ball itself, they will need an
invitation, so depending on the party’s objectives this could
have multiple uses! One important thing to note about this
task is that it is intended to be nearly impossible during
the day. It is bright and sunny and the Royal Gardens are
off-limits to the public today and crawling with guards, so
without the use of extensive magic, they will be doomed
from the start. The Moonlight Ball starts at nightfall and
ends at midnight, so they will have a few hours to complete
this task.
Through the Front Gates
The Annual Kalisway Bay Royal Moonlight Ball is tonight!
Unfortunately for the party, they don’t let just anyone in
through the front gates to the castle grounds. There are three
things that someone needs to be permitted into the Ball:
• An invitation to the event
• Formal attire
• A gift for the royal family
This is the method that has the most benefits, as some of
the other high-tier tasks require access to the castle ground as
well. It also means if they are caught wandering through the
gardens, rather than being locked away, they will simply be
told to make their way inside for the Ball as the gardens are
closed off this evening.
For members of the party that do not have the formal attire
required to enter the Ball, there are a few places around town
but the one that comes most highly recommended is Farrah’s
Fashion Emporium where they will be able to pick up an
outfit between 1 and 5 gold depending on how extravagant
they go with the outfit. Be sure to let the party members
describe their outfits in all of their glory!
A gift can be anything. It simply needs to be in a box that is
nicely decorated and has a label on it. Almost all of the stores
around town offer packing for items in gift boxes in hopes
that someone will choose to bring one of their products to the
Ball. Before the guards allow the party into the event, they will
open the gifts and check to see they are not bringing anything
malicious or dangerous, as someone once tried to poison the
king via one of these gifts! The party will see others getting
this treatment and know they need to bring some sort of
actual gift if they hope to obtain entry.
Gaining an invitation is key to this strategy working and
details on how the party can get an invitation are covered
in the Obtaining an Invitation section below!
Over the Walls
The most direct way into the Royal Gardens (besides through
the front door) is by simply going over the walls. It is not
difficult to scale the wall with the assistance of a grappling
hook or even a ladder as the wall is only twelve feet high. The
issue is with the guards that are constantly on patrol atop the
wall and are watching out for troublemakers. It is the night of
the Ball so the guard patrol counts are doubled. At night, there
are lanterns lit every fifteen feet along the exterior and interior
of the wall as well as up along the top of the wall.
The most obvious way to make an “over the walls” plan
work is through distraction. Through the use of magic,
explosives, or simply some well-timed screams, they will
be able to pull the attention of the guards away and make a
quick ascension over the wall and to the other side. This may
still involve some Strength (Athletics) checks depending on
their method of ascension. If the party attempts this in the
daytime, they will still be in trouble because the guards
within the castle grounds themselves will still be present
and will spot people climbing up atop the wall.
By wearing formal attire, the party can buy themselves a bit
of leeway as they will have the appearance that they belong,
but if they are caught wandering through off-limits portions of
the castle, they will be asked for their invitations. If they are
unable to produce them, the guards will attempt to take them
into custody!
Under the Streets
Another way to get access to the castle is from below.
Unfortunately, this is much easier said than done. You can
check out the Task Jack - Deal With the Creature that Lurks
in the Sewers section of this module and you can see all of
the complications that party will run into along the way! That
being said, if they have already managed to already complete
that task, then they will have an easy way into the castle which
no one will be expecting since the area has been so dangerous
and is locked up!
Obtaining an Invitation
This item is the trickiest of those required to gain access!
These invitations were sent out to those of esteem in the city,
often with additional invitations for them to give out as they
see fit. There are also a few services in town that offer up
counterfeits of the invitations at a premium!
Earning an Invitation
If the party has Task 8 - Gain access to the VIP area of The
Black Sheep Gambling Lounge, they already have a method
of earning an invitation through Kathrenna, the Key NPC for
that adventure! She will offer them an invitation in addition
to the Black VIP Coin that is needed to enter the casino as a
reward for their help. If the party asks around town, there will
be some gossip that mentions that Kathrenna is sitting on a
bunch of invitations and they can perform the requirements of
the task to get the invitations.
If the party has completed Task King - Retrieve Prince
Lorwick’s Lost Crown, this will also provide them with
invitations to the event!
Obtaining Counterfeits
The Phoenix Gang in town offers up counterfeit invitations to
the event. For those who are not a member of the gang, these
invitations cost 10 gold a piece. For those who are members of
the gang, that cost is knocked all the way down to 2 gold each.
Depending on the other tasks the party has completed, they
may already be members of the Phoenix Gang and be able to
grab their counterfeits at a steep discount!
Buying Your Way In
If the party asks around, they will find out that Lady
Drameska in town has a few invitations that she is willing
to sell at the cost of 15 gold a piece. She sees this as a way
to size up who is willing to put their money where their
mouth is, as 15 gold pieces is no small sum of money. Anyone
dedicated enough to drop that kind of wealth on an invitation
may be someone she wants to keep an eye on going forward.
Lady Drameska is an elderly brass dragonborn woman who
owns Drameska’s Butchery in town, though it is her grandson
who oversees the day-to-day operations. She built an empire
with that business and they provide meat to over half of the
restaurants in town.
Stealing an Invitation
The least stand-up way of obtaining one, even below
counterfeit, is to steal them from others. The invitations are
not made out to a particular person, so whoever is holding
the invitation is the one who owns it as far as the guards at
the front of the castle are concerned. The party can find some
unsuspecting folks making their way to the Ball (which are
easy to spot thanks to their attire) and lift the invitations off of
them with a bit of distraction and success on some Dexterity
(Sleight of Hand) checks. Roll a d10 + 10 to determine the DC
of each Sleight of Hand check as some are more observant
than others!
The Royal Gardens
Once the party has made their way inside, it is time to go
check out the Royal Gardens.
You see before you an expansive garden that fills over twelve
acres with beautiful flora. It contains towering trees, some
of which must be hundreds of years old as well as nearly
countless patches of flowers. Two man-made streams twist
through the area which also features a water wheel, many
small waterfalls, and dozens of small wooden bridges that
take guests of the gardens over the streams. Picnic tables are
scattered through the area along with a handful of gazebos
and a few maintenance sheds that have vines growing along
their exteriors to camouflage their appearance. Though the
garden is closed tonight, the lanterns that light its walkways
are blazing. The most alluring feature is at the center of the
garden, a massive glass dome fifty feet high and twice as
wide! It emits a dazzling blue light and you can make out a
sign on the front that reads “The Snow Dome”. You also see
the moving torches of guards patrolling the area, chatting and
laughing as they make their way down the beautiful paths.
133
The party’s target is The Snow Dome at the center of the
Royal Gardens. The Icebloom Lilies can only survive in the
cold and the Snow Dome is the grandest attraction of the
gardens, a magically enchanted area that stays at a constant
thirty degrees Fahrenheit and in which snow is constantly
cycling.
The party will need to find a way to make it past the guards
to get to the Snow Dome. It is night when the Ball takes
place, which gives them an edge; as do the numerous bushes
and trees in the gardens. It is a calm evening, but the sound
of music from inside provides the party with at least some
obfuscation for the sounds of their armor and footsteps. The
party will need to describe their method of making it past the
guards. They will need to succeed on two to three DC 15
Dexterity (Stealth) checks to make it to the Snow Dome
without being spotted. Use your best judgment as the DM
to determine how clever their strategy is and whether or
not they should get advantage on some of these rolls as
well!
If they are caught, the guards will demand to see their
invitations. If the party has invitations, the guards will ask
for them to please head back to the party as the gardens are
closed tonight. If they don’t have invitations, the guards will
go on alert and either escort them off the property to take
them to the local prison depending on how the party reacts! It
is also possible for someone to smooth talk their way out
of getting caught, perhaps making up a story of how they
wanted to see the Snow Dome so badly… or a bribe of at
least 3 gold pieces to make them look the other way.
It is also possible that the party gets into conflict with the
guards! If they do, use the stat block of a Knight (MM Pg. 347)
to represent them in combat.
The Snow Dome
Unfortunately for the party, when they arrive at the Snow
Dome they will find a sign hanging on the front that reads
“Closed” and the solid wooden doors that normally lead
inside are locked. Success on a DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves’
Tools) check can pick this lock. Alternatively, the party
will need to head to one of the maintenance sheds that are
scattered through the area, making an additional Dexterity
(Stealth) check as they do so. Within each of these sheds is
a rack of keys on the wall and one of them is the key to the
Snow Dome. Fortunately this key is obvious for it appears to
be made of ice!
An Unexpected Guest
If the party did not manage to pick the lock on the door or find
the keys swiftly, their plans will be interrupted. (Only read the
descriptions below if the party did not manage to get inside
the Snow Done within a few minutes.)
You hear a guard shout from back towards the castle, “Prince
Liam, wait!” The voice of who you presume to be Prince Liam
responds - “I just need a moment to clear my mind! Just make
sure I am left in peace or my father will hear of this!” The
voice sounds angry and frustrated, but also as if the prince
may be on the verge of tears. His footsteps are approaching
The Snow Dome rapidly!
134
The party will have only seconds, so they will need to hide lest
they be spotted by the Prince who will call the guards!
Prince Liam storms up the path and towards The Snow Dome
in a swift stride. His outfit is white and blue - the official
colors of the Kalisaway Bay Moonlight Ball - and he looks quite
handsome in his suit. His cheeks are still damp from tears, but
at the moment the prince seems to be simply focused on his
task at hand as he pulls out a brilliant white key and uses it to
open the door to The Snow Dome. Before stepping inside, he
turns and addresses the guards one final time. “I apologize
for my behavior… I just… I just need some time to myself.
Please.” You hear the guards murmur and start to walk away
from the area.
If the party was already within the dome, they will hear
commotion from outside and the sound of the door
opening, giving them only a few seconds to find places to
hide before Liam enters!
This poses a problem for the party, as the flower they need
to harvest is within The Snow Dome. Fortune would have
it that when Prince Liam is upset, his favorite place to go is
a bench just a few paces from the Icebloom Lillies. These
Icebloom Lillies are also protected by a magical case as
they are so delicate and valuable that they cannot be left
open to the public.
The cold air helps Liam calm his mind. If Liam manages
to spot the party before they have introduced themselves,
he will assume they are here to kidnap him and will draw
his shortsword and press on his ring which alerts the guard
that he is in danger! If they introduce themselves, he will
be cautious but not outright panic. The party will need to
befriend and help Liam, for it is only through his assistance
can they hope to gain access to the Icebloom Lillies.
A Heart Broken Prince
Liam sits on the bench in the Snow Dome frustrated, asking
himself questions aloud - “Why didn’t I just tell him?” and
“Does he love her?”. Prince Liam is here because his best
friend, Myrdin is attending the Moonlight Ball with Liam's
sister, Virina. Liam is in love with Myrdin and was hoping to
finally work up the courage to tell him on this very night, but
then Virina walked in looking so beautiful and he couldn’t
stand to see them together.
Now Liam is left thinking he missed his chance at love. He
is nineteen now and it is only a matter of time before he is
to be engaged to someone to open up a better trade deal or
to calm hostilities in some far-off land he doesn’t even care
about. Being with Myrdin was his chance at being happy, but
he could never find the words to tell him and now it is too late!
Virina is beautiful and charming and there’s no way Myrdin
would choose him over her. At least, that is what Liam is
telling himself.
The party will need to befriend Liam who starts off quite
frightened of the party just showing up since the area is
supposed to be closed, but if the party says the right things,
they will start to win him over. Liam just needs the right words
of encouragement. Once the party cheer Liam up, he will
inquire more about what they are doing here. Liam will be
excited about the prospect of their quest and wants to help…
but not without a price. He can retrieve the key that grants
access to the Lillies and also not rat them out to the guards,
but he needs a favor in return!
This is meant to be an opportunity for the party to get
into character and dive into the roleplay. Be sure to hand
out some inspiration if the party says the right things to
bring Liam around and give him the courage to go after
Myrdin.
The party can also just skip this next portion if they want to
just smash the glass case, steal an icebloom lily, and flee… but
where is the fun in that?
A Request for his Beloved
After the party encourages Liam to not give up on love, he will
regain some of his hope and composure. He explains what he
wants from them in exchange for the key to the Icebloom Lily
display.
He and Myrdin first met when they were at the archery
range and it has been an activity they have bonded over
ever since. It seems appropriate that on this evening of the
Moonlight Ball and its extravagant gifts he gives one to Myrdin
when he confesses his love and he thinks a bow would be
perfect. Unfortunately, Liam has obligations at the event and
won't be able to step away. Liam won't say anything about
the party sneaking around and will even ensure they can
get an audience with the king.
He tells the party that a Blessed Elderwood Bow from the
Archery Guild in town would be the perfect gift! It is open late
tonight as the city is always alive on the night of the Moonlight
Ball and many establishments hold special events to try to lure
the attendees after activities at the castle have come to a close.
Liam will write the party a writ of intention, stating that
his family will pay for the cost of the bow and to entrust it
to the party. It will be made official by his signature and is
written on fine paper only available to the royal family that
Liam happens to keep on his person at all times. Liam gives
the party directions to the Archery Guild, which is only a short
distance away from the castle, and tells the party that he will
escort them to the gate and instruct the guards to send for
him upon their return.
The party makes their way out of The Snow Dome, through
the Royal Gardens, and to the front gates. Some guards will
spot the party with the prince they will panic at first, but
a confident Prince Liam will inform them that the group
is helping with a royal task of utmost import and that they
should be given admittance to the gardens for the evening.
The Archery Guild
When the party arrives at the Archery Guild a mere five-
minute walk from the castle, the sounds of laughter and music
can be heard from within as well as the steady twang of bows
being fired. The guild is on the edge of a large walled-off field
filled with targets in all shapes and sizes to test the merits of
those who practice the way of archery. When the party arrives,
they can provide their writ for the purchase of a Blessed
Elderwood Bow. The guard at the door looks over the writ and
calls over another to take a look and confirm its authenticity,
before inviting the party inside.
The guard leads you into a large drinking hall whose walls are
decorated with all matter of ranged weaponry. The displays are
amazing with different styles, types of wood, and ammunition
being celebrated along with taxidermied beasts that were slain
with each weapon. You see deer, elks, and even an owlbear
among the trophies mounted on the wall! The hall itself has
about forty people in attendance with a set of double doors
that leads out to an archery range where another two dozen
people are firing their weapons at targets in the distance.
The guard turns to you and sighs. “I have good news and
bad news. We did confirm this is a legitimate writ of intent
to purchase from the young prince, but unfortunately we will
not have any more Blessed Elderwood Bows available for a
fortnight. They are hard to come by you see. However… if you
take a look around the room you may notice that a number
of the patrons here have such bows. They are the best money
can buy and these are the elite archers of the city. You might
be able to convince one of them to part with their bow if they
know it will be going to the royal family.”
The party will need to speak to these bow owners and
convince one of them to part with their weapon so it can be
given as a gift to Myrdin. Different methods will work for each,
as they each have their own challenge to present to the party
before they are willing to part with such a fine weapon! See
the section below for details for each of the bow owners.
135
Obtaining a Blessed Elderwood Bow
The guard will point to one gentleman inside and two outside
as owners of these bows:
A Bow from Salogell
Salogell is the name of the bow owner that sits in the drinking
hall along with some halfling companions. He is an incredibly
handsome high elf and prides himself on being the quickest
draw in the entire guild. If the party wants his bow, we will
want to challenge them to a quick draw competition at the
archery range out back. Fortunately for the party, Salogell
is quite tipsy by the time they find him, so his shots are not
at their normal levels of accuracy! If the party accepts his
challenge, Salogell will knock back another stein of ale, grab
his bow, and tell the party to meet him out back!
Salogell will lead the party over to a special portion of the
range with mechanical devices along its 150-foot length.
These will pop out targets to hit at random intervals and this
is how Salogell intends to test the party. He and a competitor
will use different colored feathered arrows and fire shots at
targets as they pop out. The first to hit the target gets a point
and the first to 5 points is the winner. If the party wins, he
will give them the bow to bestow upon his royal Prince Liam.
Should the party lose, the next round of drinks is on them!
(Roughly 2 gold for that purchase).
The competition is simple. Salogell has a +10 to hit with
his ranged weapon attacks, but due to his drunkenness, he
will be making all of his attack rolls with disadvantage! Roll a
d10 + 10 and that will be the AC of the target they are firing at
as each pops up. A higher AC represents a smaller target or
one that is further away. Both the party member and Salogell
will make their attack rolls at the target and whoever gets the
highest value that is equal to or greater than the target's AC
gets the point! This may take multiple attack rolls for a single
target if both party member and Salogell miss!
Repeat this process until someone reaches 5 points and the
competition is over!
A Bow from Norgara
Norgara is a middle-aged human man with a rugged beard
and the garb of a ranger. He sits out at the range watching
some of the others fire their weapons, while simply
strumming on a lute himself. He wears a bright smile and
many look to Norgara as a mentor, as he has been out slaying
monsters for decades now and still lives to tell the tales.
This is the key to getting Norgara's bow as well. He will ask
the party what they can offer to him in exchange for the gift
of his bow. Receiving the money to purchase another is great
and all, but he will be without his weapon for a fortnight if he
accepts. That has to come with compensation. He does not
want to compete with the party but instead wants a memory
to take with him - a story or a song. He will ask them how this
bow is to be used? Is the Prince to use it to slay great beasts?
Norgara is a huge softy and if the party mentions it is
meant to be a token of love for another, he will immediately
hand over the bow, telling them that for true love he will
gladly go without his weapon.
The party will have to be creative in what they offer
Norgara, but by far the easiest way is to tell him of the prince's
intentions.
136
A Bow from Louisa
Louisa is an elderly human woman who can also be found out
by the archery range, but like Norgara she is also not firing
weapons. They will find her with a knife in hand trimming
down a piece of wood that is already taking on the shape of
a bow. She is willing to give up her precious bow, but she
wants to be sure the party has an appreciation for what it
takes to make something like this and why it will be a fortnight
before another is available. Before she is willing to hand over
the weapon to the party, she asks that one of them make
something for her with their own two hands.
Louisa is a fletcher and has been making ranged weaponry
for four decades, so she wants to find someone that knows
the value of diligent craftsmanship. The party can choose
to make something for her right then and there, perhaps
a painting or a small wooden carving, but they can also
present to her something that they have already crafted
and that will be acceptable to her as well. Perhaps someone
is a blacksmith who forged their weapon or made their leather
armor with leatherworker's tools. Any of these would be
more than enough to please Louisa and she will gladly hand
over her bow just for seeing the item and hearing about its
creation.
Back to Liam
With the bow obtained from one of the members of the
Archery Guild, the party can make their way back to the gates
of the Moonlight Ball where the guards will send for the
prince. Liam arrives after a few minutes and will accept the
bow with tremendous gratitude. He hands them a small bag
that contains 10 platinum pieces as thanks for their help.
The bag also contains a small silver key that can unlock
the Icebloom Lily display in The Snow Dome. Liam tells
the guards to let the party into the Royal Gardens for a quick
errand, gives the party one final thanks, then turns to deliver
the bow to his love.
If the party helps the prince with this task, the next day
they will see the prince walking hand in hand with another
young man, both with huge smiles on their faces.
Complications Considerations
The Diamonds complication primarily interferes with some
of the methods of obtaining an invitation, such as buying
one or getting a forgery made. It also makes the competition
with Salogell a bit more challenging as it involves buying a
round of drinks if the party loses! The Clubs complication is
a bit easier for this as there are no forced combats, but if the
party is caught by the guards and doesn't handle the situation
carefully, they could end up in a combat scenario so they will
need to approach with caution. The Spades complication has
an explicit opportunity with Louisa in obtaining a Blessed
Elderwood Bow. Even if the party presents an item that they
crafted in the past, this will work for the purposes of the
complication. Be sure the players are aware of this!
Task-Card-Value: 10
Find the Tome of Secrets Within
the Kalisway Library
Objective Overview
The Kalisway Library is a structure nearly as old as the town
itself. It is massive and impressive, with a scale that is only
rivaled by the castle of the royal family itself. From the earliest
days of Kalisway Bay, knowledge was viewed as something
that had to be preserved at all costs! It is the largest library
in over a thousand miles and remains one of the key draws of
the city, bringing in historians and wizards from all across the
land. There are dozens if not hundreds of people in the library
no matter the time of day, as it is always open and protected
by many guards to preserve the treasures within. During the
day, there are carts of vendors for both food and drink out
front and people sit beneath trees and at picnic tables reading
books and munching on the local cuisine.
For this task, the party must find the Tome of Secrets
hidden deep within the Kalisway Library! Finding the Tome of
Secrets is something that many attempt, but few succeed in
accomplishing as it tests wits, knowledge, and even strength!
Most see this simply as a tourist attraction to draw people
into the library, but any of the employees will assure visitors
that the tome is quite real, even though most of them have not
been able to find its location themselves! There are puzzles a
plenty and the party will need to uncover this mystery layer by
layer if they want to be among the elite few who have had the
privilege of opening the Tome of Secrets!
Key NPC - Tamia, the Librarian
Tamia is a gnomish woman who has been working in the
library for hundreds of years now! She loves books more
than anything in this world and it is not rare for her to read
hundreds of books each year. She carries with her a journal of
each one she has written as well as a short description so she
can recommend the perfect book to anyone who comes into
the library.
Tamia wears a large set of glasses on her face and keeps her
hair dyed a vibrant blue color with threads of grey intertwined.
She always wears decorative earrings that are themed around
books - a quill, a small ink vial, a tiny tome, etc... She is also
one of the few who has managed to find the Tome of Secrets
in the library and will point the party in the direction of the
first clue that they will need to follow.
She also is willing to give the party hints should they need
them… for a minor fee of 10 gold pieces per clue.
The Kalisway Library
To kick off this adventure, the party will need to make their
way to the Kalisway Library. As mentioned above, it is one of
the oldest and most impressive buildings in the entire city and
its doors never close so they can start this task at any time of
day!
As the party approaches the library, read the following text:
You see the towering library before you, standing at over
seventy-five feet tall and made entirely of carved stone and
marble. Flying buttresses extend from the edge of the library
to the ground with intricate carvings that create a unique
walking path lined with shining jade stones. Gargoyles and
grotesques keep watch along the rooftops of the library,
patiently waiting to guide water down at the next rainfall.
Massive windows, some over a dozen feet in height, are
spaced throughout the library's walls allowing ample natural
light to flood inside. You see guards stationed at the front of
the library wearing insignias of the royal family and carrying
ceremonial blades. The courtyard in front of the library is filled
with hundreds of individuals, many of them laying under trees
and reading books in small groups or sitting at picnic tables
enjoying a snack from one of the numerous vendors that
line the square. The library is awe-inspiring and its beauty is
matched only by the royal palace.
The party can make their way into the library, but not before
being stopped at the front entrance by one of the guards in
royal garb. While weapons are allowed within the library,
it is a requirement that anyone who moves into the library
have their weapons tied with a peace knot to prevent them
from being drawn. Guards will be positioned along the
inside of the library as well to ensure these knots remain
tied! When the party steps inside, they will be met with the
beauty of the four-story library that contains tens of thousands
of books on its hundreds of shelves.
Shortly after the party enters the library, Tamia will
make her way over to the party with an excited smile.
You are greeted by an elderly gnome woman with blue and
grey hair tied back in a simple ponytail. She has a large pair
of glasses on her face and a set of earrings that look to be
tiny writing quills attached to a silver chain. She wears a
formal garb that bears the insignia of the Kalisway Bay royal
family as well as a large patch with a book upon it to indicate
she is a member of the library's staff. Just above this patch
is a nametag that reads “Tamia”. She looks up at you with
excitement and says, “Ohh, adventurers. You are always
interested in the best books. Fortunately, I know where all of
them are! How may I help you?”
When the party asks her about the Tome of Secrets, Tamia
will get a delighted smile on her face and ask if they are
looking to become part of the prestigious few who manage to
scrawl their names within that text most rare! She will ask the
party if they have the cunning that is required for the mysteries
they will need to unfurl and if they have the strength to fight
whatever foes may seek to hinder their progress? Trying to
find the Tome may seem simple on the surface, but it is not
for the faint of heart! The challenge may be exciting… but the
danger is real, so you must be aware before embarking!
137
When the party agrees, Tamia will hand them a slip of paper
which contains their first of many puzzles for this task. She
will then inform the party that if they need any extra help,
she can be persuaded to give clues. She says this with a
devious smile on her face and a wink.
Puzzle 1 - The Bookend Cipher
This puzzle works much better if you can write the notes
down on a physical piece of paper and distribute it to the
party. Make multiple if you can so everyone can look upon
the clues and try to solve the riddle!
Puzzle 2 - Untitled
As the party reaches the bottom of the stairs, read to them the
following text:
Enchanted torches shine and light up a small room with
nothing in it except for the four torches on the walls and a
table at its center with seven books arranged in a circle. On
the table in the center of the books is a piece of paper that
reads: “It seems I have made an error with the titles of these
books. Perhaps you can help me sort them out?”

The party can unfold the slip of paper which has the following
written on one side:
Besides lowly thespians, normal therapy needs strict aim for
reliable wellness.
|2+3|3|3+4+1|2+2+0+1+4|
“I always love the start of a good book…”
On the other side of the slip of paper, the following is written:
Grasp heartbreak with endurance. Bypass sword, dirk, and
mithral kris. Runaway, weep, endure. Observe one's truth.
|2+3|2+1|4+4|1+0+2+2+3|1+2+5+0+1|5|
“…But I'm really a sucker for the endings!"
This follows the pattern of the Bookend Cipher puzzle
which can also be found in the Puzzles section of this book
for more details, but the simple explanation of the cipher
is that for the first portion, the players will need to take the
number of letters indicated in the second row from each word
in the text of the first line written in bold. For the flip side of
the paper, they will need to do the same except they will start
their count from the back of the word instead of the front.
As the party looks at the books, they will find that they each
have quite detailed cover art, but unfortunately each of them
has their titles written in the exact same golden font, making
it impossible to distinguish the books based simply on design.
On the titles of these books, some words are underlined and
have a faint shine to them. These are the words that can be
swapped on the book covers and are indicated in bold. These
are marked in brackets in the descriptions below. Be sure
to note these brackets as some of them do capture multiple
words!
Whenever the players tap on one of these bolded sections,
it starts to shine brightly and when they tap on a second
bolded section the two will swap places with a brilliant flash
of light. When the players have managed to unscramble all of
the titles, a door will slide open in the wall and allow them to
proceed!
It is highly suggested to have at least the names of the
books written out for your players to physically interact
with at the table. Having the keywords able to be moved
around and rearranged physically by your party members
will help them even further as they try to crack the mystery
of these books! You can see the Untitled puzzle in the
Puzzles section of this book for additional details!

Quick Example
For the front side of the slip of paper, the first part of the
cipher key shows |2 + 3| so you will take the first 2 letters
of the first word in the sentence above and then the first 3
letters of the second word. The text in the bolded sentence
is Besides lowly so we will end up with a decoded word of
Be-low by taking the first 2 letters of Besides and the first 3
letters of lowly.

A Secret Passage
If the players manage to decode the cipher, they will end up
with the following message:

“Below the Northern Stairwell

Speak the Password Kalisway Preserves Truth.”
The party will need to make their way to the northern
stairwell. To get below the stairwell, they have to wind through
a small labyrinth of bookshelves that clearly don't see much
love, but they will eventually find a symbol on the wall directly
beneath the stairwell that depicts a message scroll. After the
party speaks the password, the wall slides open and reveals a
narrow stairwell leading down.

138
Scrambled Book Names and Descriptions
Title
The [Drums] of [Cavern Delving]
Varen’s Guide to [Magical Incantations]
The [Sword] of [Dragons]
Advanced [Exotic] [Cooking]
The Big Book of [Beasts]
Goredawn Ramslay’s Tome of [Combat]
[War] Flora and Savage [Mysteries]
Description
An ancient leather-bound book depicting a massive white dragon and a hoard
of treasures behind it.
A small, portable book with the image of a human man descending into a
deep pit with rope and pitons.
A well-worn book with the image of an orc smashing a mallet down on a
leather drum and an army charging in the background.
A high-quality book depicting two duelists facing off in an arena, one with a
greatsword and the other with twin shortswords.
A thick book with runes etched into the cover and the image of a wide-eyed
gnome holding a glowing orb in his hands.
A small white book depicting a half-orc man with a smug look on his face
wearing a chef’s hat and crossing a ladle and spoon across his chest in an X.
A small brown book with the image of a panther stalking through a patch of
tall grass on one side and a large mass of thorned flowers on the other.

Unscrambled Names
Title
The [Mysteries] of [Dragons]
Varen’s Guide to [Cavern Delving]
The [Drums] of [War]
Advanced [Sword] [Combat]
The Big Book of [Magical Incantations]
Goredawn Ramslay’s Tome of [Cooking]
[Exotic] Flora and Savage [Beasts]
Description
An ancient leather-bound book depicting a massive white dragon and a hoard
of treasures behind it.
A small, portable book with the image of a human man descending into a
deep pit with rope and pitons.
A well-worn book with the image of an orc smashing a mallet down on a
leather drum and an army charging in the background.
A high-quality book depicting two duelists facing off in an arena, one with a
greatsword and the other with twin shortswords.
A thick book with runes etched into the cover and the image of a wide-eyed
gnome holding a glowing orb in his hands.
A small white book depicting a half-orc man with a smug look on his face
wearing a chef’s hat and crossing a ladle and spoon across his chest in an X.
A small brown book with the image of a panther stalking through a patch of
tall grass on one side and a large mass of thorned flowers on the other.

When the party has managed to put all of the titles of the book in their proper order, the paper at the center of the table jumps into the
air for a moment, crumbles into a ball, and then unfurls itself again with a new message upon it.
"You have done well but your task is not done. Next, you will need to go to the place where there is murder, betrayal, and
jealousy abound! Only when no others are looking will the path reveal itself for your next challenge."

Finding the Next Puzzle
For this next portion, the party will need to head to the section of the library with the mystery novels. If they need help finding it, Tamia
can show them the way and if they don't understand the clue, they can pay her 10 gold fee to get a hint for where they need to go next.
The section of the library with mysteries is up on the second floor. No matter the time the party performs this task, there will always
be at least one person browsing the books, but even more if they are doing it in the middle of the day. The party will need to find a way
to get other patrons of the library away from this area. This can be done through distraction, asking people politely, or even through
threatening words if needed!
When the party has managed to clear out all of the other people from this section of the library, one of the books will slide out of its
place and start to glow. Whenever a member of the party touches this book, they are teleported to an extradimensional space where
their next puzzle awaits!

139
Puzzle 3 - Oronym
The party is teleported through the book in the mysteries
section of the library to a new location where their next puzzle
awaits. After the party has gone through the portal, read them
the following:
You find yourselves in a room that is much larger than the last
you were in, roughly forty feet on each side. Along the walls
are towering bookshelves that extend all the way to the ceiling
a full twelve feet overhead. They cover the entire room except
for the stone wall directly opposite where you teleported
into the room. There must be thousands of books on those
shelves in all different shapes and sizes. At the center of the
room is what appears to be the wheel from a ship but it is
laid horizontal and connected to the floor. It stands three
feet off the ground - a good height for anyone who might
wish to turn it. The only other decorations are two tables -
one on each side of the room. One has candles, bottles of
ink, quills, parchment, a large ornate hourglass, and anything
else that might be needed to write a book. The other has a
few weapons upon it including a variety of axes but also has
scattered silverware, cups, and dishes.
The party can step in and explore the room for a bit. The
books in this room are old and valuable - many of them
containing high-level wizard spells and histories of the world
that are unknown to the public at large!
As soon as anyone asks something along the lines of
"where are we supposed to go now?" or "is this it?" read
them the text below.
The ornate hourglass on the target rumbles and flips as the
sand within turns a bright teal color. Text of that same color
begins to appear on the wall opposite where you entered and
says the following:
“Messages hide within the words we write.
Secrets lingering within plain sight.
Think not too hard, get another to help.
The answer is clear if you hear it yourself.
Time is key so move quickly, stay alert
For the books come to life and I assure you they hurt.”
Moments later, the message disappears and is replaced with a
new one, but it seems fragmented!
At this point you will want to hand each of your players
a slip of paper with each of the following messages upon
them. Each character can only see on the wall what is
written on their sheet of paper, so ask that they do not show
the actual paper. (If you have a larger or smaller group, you
can extend these messages or split them up further.)
140
The Messages
Axe? Sell her eight! The wheel too, ay!
Speed? That’s great! Use fork handles.
Witch must be ablaze and place ten.
A trying gull with one as the sinner!
Solving This Puzzle
This puzzle requires the players to communicate the
messages that they each have to the group, figure out their
true meaning, put them in the right order, and then perform
the actions required of them! If you read the message quickly
and in order, it says the following: "Accelerate the wheel to a
speed that's great. Use four candles which must be ablaze
and placed in a triangle with one as the center."
The party will need to snag four candles off the table, light
them, and arrange them into the noted shape while another
member of the party spins the wheel at the center of the room.
When they do this successfully, the hourglass will flip back
to its original position and the far wall will transform into a
portal.
Attacking Books!
When this puzzle begins, start a timer for 1 minute and
when that timer expires, books begin to fly off the shelves
and smack into players. These books can be destroyed with
weapons or fire which will cause them to fall to the ground but
does not damage the books themselves as they are enchanted.
This will count as combat for the purposes of the Clubs
complication, however. These books each have 10 hit points,
15 AC, a fly speed of 30 ft., and have a single bash attack with
a +4 attack bonus and deals 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage
on hit. These books will only knock unconscious, not kill any
players. If everyone falls unconscious, they will wake back up
in the library and the portal will no longer open for them!
After the first minute passes, 4 books fly off to attack the
party and 4 additional books fly off the shelf every 3 rounds
of combat. During the rounds of combat, be sure to limit
your player's conversations! Allow them only to speak
1-2 sentences each and if they want to speak again to the
group, they will need to wait!
Finding the Final Puzzle
When the party goes through the portal above, they will find
themselves in a small closet at the back of the library that can
only be opened from the inside. Mounted on the wall is a small
golden plaque with the following text:
"You're getting closer now so don't give up. It may seem
frightening to know the last challenge is ahead of you, but
that is the very emotion you will need to seek out to access
it. Once again, make sure no curious eyes are watching and
the path will make itself visible."
This requires the party to go to the section of the library
with horror/thriller novels. The clue tells them the emotion
they need to continue is frightened, so that is how they can
figure this out. Once again, Tamia can give them help if they
are stuck, but eventually, they will find the horror section of
the library and see that it is not empty.
One of the library patrons in the horror section is a twelve-
year-old elvish boy who wants to finish his book before
going home. He is on the last chapter so he refuses to leave!
His name is Jayven and his parents don't let him read these
kinds of books at home so he has to sneak them at the library
and he has just one chapter to go! The party will need to find
a way to bribe him or scare him off to get access to the final
puzzle! He is but a child, so it is not difficult to intimidate
him, but other methods such as challenging him to a game or
offering up something interesting will work as well!
When Jayven agrees to leave, one of the books will slide out
and start to glow. When the party grabs hold of this book, they
are teleported deep beneath the library to an area that is only
accessible via this portal.
A Real Page Turner
The party finds themselves in a corridor far underground. The
passage is lit by enchanted torches, but the temperature is
frigid and the walls are lined with dust as this passageway is
not often utilized.
You are teleported into a small corridor with a solid wall of
stone behind you. You see a door up ahead shining with
magical runes. In an alcove next to the door is a single book
with a collection of notepads and pens alongside it. There is
a note next to the writing tools that reads, “You are going to
need these, but please be considerate and take just one!” The
book itself is a rather thick tome bound in red dragon leather.
The title of the book is “A Real Page Turner” with the subtitle
“In Need of a Key? Look Inside Me!”
As expected, the door to the next room is locked and it
requires the key bound in the book to open it. This is the "A
Real Page Turner" Puzzle that is included in this book and
it is a doozy. To save pages, I have opted to only include this
puzzle in the Puzzles section and not repeat it within this
adventure as it is many pages in length. Please look to the
Puzzles section of the book for how to tackle this puzzle which
has become one of my all-time favorites!
The Tome of Secrets
When the party is done with A Real Page Turner, they retrieve
the key and are able to open the door leading to the next room.
As you push open the door, you find yourselves in a rather
small but luxurious chamber. There are a few comfortable-
looking sofas along the walls of the room but the item of note
is the large book on an ornate pedestal at the far side. There
is a quill and bottle of ink resting on a platform next to this
pedestal and you can clearly make out the title of the book -
“The Kalisway Bay Tome of Secrets”.
When the party opens the books, they find a congratulatory
message for making it this far as many others have failed
along the way! It tells that this book is meant to be a log of the
secrets of the city - of information that is to never be lost even
if it were to fall to corruption or if the library were to burn.
Each person with the wit to find their way here can access its
contents, but only after they have made their own contribution
to the book's secrets and knowledge! Once an entry is made,
simply ask the book what you seek and if it is information that
is held, it shall be yours! To limit the abuse of this knowledge
should the wrong hands gain access, only one question can be
asked from an individual each week.
When the players flip open the book, they will find that
every page appears blank. They will need to make an entry to
the book and sign their names. This entry is to be something
interesting or valuable about the city, its secrets, or its people.
Once the entry is made, the party members can ask their
questions. If the book contains the knowledge, it will flip to
one of its interior pages and show them the entry that has
been made. If the knowledge is not contained in the book, it
will flip to the last page and they will find a message that says
"This knowledge is not yet known". This still counts as their
one question for the week so they will need to come back if
they want to ask another!
The book is fixed to the pedestal by powerful magic that
can only be broken via a wish or something of similar power.
If someone should try to remove the book from its place, they
will feel psychic energy start to press upon their mind as a
warning. Should they persist with their attempt, they will take
13 (2d12) psychic damage.
Complications Considerations
The Diamonds complication prevents the party from bribing
Tamia into giving them clues for their puzzle. They will have
to come up with alternative ways to extract help from her if
they need it. It also prevents them from simply bribing people
to leave the areas of the library they need to access. The
Clubs complication means they cannot fight back against
the enchanted books that attack them in the Oronym puzzle
so they may take some extra points of damage if they don't
act fast! The Spades complication can be met through the
creation of distractions to lure guests of the library away from
the sections of the library the party needs to access in private!
141
Task-Card-Value: Jack
Deal With the Creature that
Lurks in the Sewers
Objective Overview
The sewers of Kalisway Bay have recently become home
to an incredibly deadly creature and as a result, it is all
but impossible to get access to them. All of the previous
entryways in the basements of various buildings around the
town have been blocked off with metal bars or with metal
doors that are kept locked. Unfortunately for the party, this
is their destination; for lurking down below is an abnormally
large and abnormally aggressive alligator snapping turtle.
Unbeknownst to even the person responsible, the cause of
this giant hyper-aggressive turtle is none other than Fajili, the
bullywug alchemist in town who has a habit of pouring failed
potions down the drain and into the sewers!
The party will need to make their way down to the sewers
to confront this creature. She has a clutch of eggs that she
will do anything to protect, which is the primary cause of this
heightened aggression. Depending on the actions of the party,
this can end with a dead turtle or with the turtle going free
into the bay with her children.
If the party asks the townsfolk about the sewers, they will
be met with different stories about what lurks down there, but
all of them are frightening in their own right. Some hope that
it will just die after enough time, but rumors say the king sent
in a squad of soldiers to deal with it and they never came back!
Eventually, the party will be told that if they want to know
more, they can talk to Grayson over at Kalisway Public Works.
Key NPC - Marcus Grayson
Marcus Grayson - who everyone simply calls Grayson - is the
head of public works in Kalisway Bay and has been for over
a decade now. He is a middle-aged black man with a bald
head and neatly trimmed beard. While much of the work he
is involved in is quite messy, he prides himself on keeping a
clean appearance and you will be hard-pressed to find him
not wearing business attire. He also tries to live a healthy life,
running three miles each morning before the sun has even
fully risen. He is well respected around town and people are
pleased with his work, but this issue with the sewers has been
the greatest challenge of his career by a long shot!
While he is a jovial person outside of the office, when it
comes to matters of public works he maintains a serious
attitude. He does not want to undermine the severity of the
problem they are dealing with or the people who have lost
their lives trying to slay the creature that still lurks below.
Some bodies were never recovered and this weighs heavy on
Grayson’s heart. He will do whatever it takes to put the minds
of their loved ones at ease and to allow his workers back into
the sewers before more serious consequences arise.
142
Meeting with Grayson
When the party arrives at Kalisway Public Works, they will
find an old but nicely maintained facility. Various townsfolk
are waiting in queues to make requests to have their street
repaired or to get a permit for new construction. If the party
approaches one of the administrative assistants and asks
about Grayson, they will be told that he has quite a busy
schedule. The party will need to state the nature of their visit
before an appointment can be made. If the party mentions
they want to help with the creature in the sewers, that will be
enough to get something set up immediately.
You are led up three flights of stone stairs through the ancient
public works building and to a corner office at the end of the
hall. The woman who escorted you up gives a knock on the
door and is challenged by a man with a deep voice on the
urgency of the visit. Once she mentions that it is a group
that wants to help with the sewer problem, the door opens
and a tall black human man in a fine suit is standing in the
door frame. His head is bald and his facial hair is meticulously
maintained, but the bags beneath his eyes and the strong
smell of coffee coming from the office suggest that he has
not been getting much sleep. He introduces himself as
Marcus Grayson, head of public works, and invites you into his
office.
Grayson is in charge of much of the city’s public systems - the
streets, the sewers, the docks, etc… but the sewers have been
a lost cause for a while now. There have been back-ups and
blockages stacking up, but it is just too dangerous to send
repair crews down there. Those who've survived have reported
a horrifying creature, large in stature and covered in scales.
It crawled on all fours with massive jaws. Some say it looked
like a dragon had taken up nest down there! In reality this is
the mutated alligator snapping turtle.
Looking at the party, Grayson assumes they are here to try
to slay the creature and claim the reward that comes with it.
The city is offering up 500 gold to anyone that can take down
that beast or at least get it to relocate elsewhere! Shove it out
into the ocean for all he cares! He will tell them not to take
this beast lightly. The king sent half a dozen of his own guards
down there to kill the monstrosity and none of them came
back… They sent a search team to try to find them or their
bodies and only one of that crew managed to return. That is
how they have the details they do have about this creature.
After the last encounter, Grayson thought it best to lock the
whole place down because rumors had started to spread and
it was only a matter of time before a group of foolish teenagers
wandered down there and got themselves killed.
If the party agrees to help out, Grayson will move over to a key
rack on the wall and offer up one to them that opens up the
gates to the sewers. He will tell them that if they follow the
main stairs down to the basement and go to the door at the
end of the hall, they can get directly to the main channel. He
wishes them the best of luck and tells them that if it comes
down to killing that thing or fleeing and saving their own lives,
they best make their way back to the nearest gate. He doesn’t
want anyone else dying over this thing.
Grayson opens a chest and a wonderful fragrance fills the air.
It smells of pine and vanilla. He pulls multiple strips of thick
cloth from the chest and distributes them amongst your
group. The fabric has scented stones laced through it to repel
the smell down below. He advises you to keep them on at all
times.
Into the Sewers
The sewer system of Kalisway Bay is quite large and has been
in place for multiple decades, a feature that makes it one of
the finest cities in the land. The tunnels are round and twelve
feet in diameter. There are thin walkways on either side of the
tunnels with the sewage flowing through the center. Lanterns
hang unlit along the walls down here and it is pitch black
when the party enters. The smell is also quite potent, nearly
unbearable. If a character removes the facemask that was
given to them by Grayson, they will need to succeed on a
DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until
they put it back on or leave the sewers.
There are no clues initially, so the party will need to wander
around for a bit. While they are traversing these tunnels they
find the following:
•T
 he mangled remains of one of the guards that were sent
down to slay the creature. The skeleton is still wearing its
Kalisway Royal Guard helmet, though the metal has begun
to rust. It has a pouch containing 5 gold if the party loots
the body. This body also contains a logbook from the
expedition with its final note reading "She is a mother!
She has eggs! We managed to take one but she hunts us
as if she knows our every move!" There are remnants of an
eggshell colored a vibrant yellow as if it were painted.
•M
 ultiple maps on the wall show where they are currently
located beneath the city. At one point they even pass beneath
the castle itself and see a sign for a stairwell that leads up
to the castle grounds. This stairwell is protected by a locked
steel door, but it can be opened with success on a DC 20
Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check.
•T
 he skeletal remains of a giant rat, four feet in length!
Nearby are the tattered remnants of a red robe and a gnarled
walking cane.
This first discovery by the party is the primary way for them
to uncover a method of completing this objective without
harming the turtle. She has eggs and so she is protecting her
territory with desperation. She also has a primal connection
with these eggs that allows her to track them no matter where
they go and the party can use this to lure her!
It takes fifteen minutes of travel before they hear the first
indication that they are not alone down here. This occurs
when they are in a part of the sewers near the town square.
There is a deep rumbling that comes from down the tunnels,
but it is nearly impossible to tell which direction it is coming
from as it echoes so loudly. Have the party make a group
Wisdom (Perception) check with DC 15. If at least half of the
party succeeds (rounded up), they will be able to successfully
identify which direction the creature is coming from and
choose how they want to approach this situation.
After the party has chosen one of the four actions below,
have them make a group DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation)
check. If half of the party (rounded down) succeeds on this
saving throw, they will find a passage that is more heavily
worn than the others and has large pieces of plantlife
pulled into the area to form a nest. It is within here they
will find the eggs. They can only make this check once they
have engaged the turtle at least once! Then they can repeat
this check after each additional encounter with the turtle!
Each time the party repeats this check, the DC is reduced
by 3 as they have explored more areas of the sewers!
Befriending the Turtle
This is perhaps the most difficult of the options and requires
the use of a spell such as speak with animals, but it is possible.
The turtle tries to attack the party ruthlessly when they arrive
as she is protecting her eggs, but if the party manages to find
a place of safety such as behind some of the iron bars they will
be able to talk to her. She is still considered a beast for the
purposes of the spell.
They will find that she called this place home but then
started to grow and didn’t understand why. She now has four
eggs that she is trying to protect but people keep coming down
into the sewers to attack her and even destroyed one of her
babies. The party will need to provide her with some sort of
assurance that they can keep her safe and will have to succeed
on a DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Deception)
check to convince her. On a failure, she will not trust them
and continue to attack unless they can provide some other
evidence of their intentions, at which point they can attempt to
make the check again.
On a success, she will allow the party to travel through
the sewers and potentially even lead them to her nest if they
made a promise such as taking her eggs somewhere safe from
attacks by humans. If the party can convince the turtle to trust
them, they can lead her and her eggs to safety without the
need for any more death.
We want all parties to be able to succeed in a peaceful
resolution even without a party member that has access
to speak with beasts or similar magics. If the party asks
around town, they will be able to procure a potion that
allows them to speak with beasts for 1 hour from Fajili's
alchemy shop! People in town will be able to point them in
the right direction if they inquire about such a potion.
Continue to the section called Freeing the Turtle if the
party takes this path!
143
Kalisway Bay Sewers Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

Slaying the Turtle

This is the most straightforward method but it is also
dangerous. There is not much room to maneuver in the APL Enemies
tunnels and this turtle is quite fast. Its bite deals massive 5 The turtle's multiattack is now one bite and one
damage and its high AC makes it quite the foe to take down. claw and it has 125 hit points.
Though with superior action economy and with the aid of
6 The turtle's multiattack is now one bite and one
some spellcasters, the party should be able to get the job done
claw and it has 150 hit points.
even if they may not come out unscathed.
All of the APLs use the stat block of a Mutated Snapping 7 The turtle has 150 hit points.
Turtle which can be found at the end of the module, but 8 No changes.
there are slight adjustments made depending on the
party's strength. Should they defeat the turtle, it is mission
accomplished!
144
Evading the Turtle
The turtle is fast! Trying to outpace her down in the sewers
is nearly impossible, for every moment of hesitation by the
party trying to decide which way to go allows her to close the
distance to them! To effectively evade the turtle, they will need
to move through some of the side gates that are barred off to
keep people from entering the sewers. They will have to travel
along the surface and find a different path down which will
allow them to get some distance before she starts charging
after them again!
Each time the party enters through a different
entryway, allow them to make another group Intelligence
(Investigation) check to try and find the tunnel where the
turtle has made her nest.
Each time the party fails, they will wander the sewers until
the turtle starts to get close. If you want to make it exciting,
have them make some Dexterity saving throws or even a
Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to get the key into a lock in
time while the turtle is charging them down. On a failed save,
the turtle will take a bite out of one of the party members, but
on a success, they will get the door closed just in time which
can make for some dramatic moments!
Trapping the Turtle
Once the party has seen what they are dealing with, it is also
possible to get the turtle stuck. The use of certain magic spells
can be particularly effective as the sewers are already small
enough that the turtle has trouble fitting through the space
effectively. They could use anchors from down at the docks
and powerful chains to snag the turtle as she tries to charge
through and hold her in place. Spells such as stone shape,
plant growth, and wall of stone can buy the party invaluable
time to search for her nest and find her eggs which will give a
peaceful alternative. They may also simply use these methods
to slay the turtle.
A creative group should be able to think of a few methods
that would work to keep her contained, even if it is only short-
term, but do keep in mind that the turtle is incredibly strong
and will be desperate to break free if she suspects her eggs
are at risk! Breaking free of her confinement in a moment of
adrenaline-filled desperation as the party arrives at her nest
can lead to some exciting moments!
The Nest
If the party reaches the nest, there are many interesting things
to take note of:
You notice a strange smell in the air even through your face
masks. It has some sweet notes and others more acrid, but
is far different than the foul smell of the rest of the sewer.
There are bright streaks of color dripping down the wall and
onto the floor as well as a set of four large turtle eggs that
are resting in a nest of kelp near the far wall. This dripping
liquid seems to be affecting the eggs as they are painted with
vibrant colors - one teal, one red, one orange, and the last one
purple. There are also a few skeletal remains down in the area.
You can see a twin set of katanas resting in a pile of muck not
too fair from the entryway, one still clutched in a gauntleted
hand.
Have the party make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check.
On a success they will notice the origin of these strange colors
is a grate that empties down into this part of the sewer and as
they approach they will hear the sound of a female bullywug
lightly singing to herself echoing down into the area. The party
may know this to be Fajili! She dumps her potion remnants
down the drain and they have caused the strange mutations in
the turtles.
Freeing the Turtle
By looking at the maps down in the sewers, the party will
see that if they continue following the tunnels, the path will
take them to an outlet near the ocean.
If the party has found a way to communicate with the turtle,
she will tell them that she has tried every path to leave but
her size does not allow her to escape. The path to the ocean
is covered by thick steel bars that she was unable to break
through despite her great strength!
If the party cannot speak to the turtle, they can still get her
to follow them by taking her eggs. As mentioned above, she
knows where her eggs are at all times so if they take them out
to the ocean, she will follow. The party will still need to deal
with the problem of the steel grate though!
Opening the Path
If the party follows the tunnels to where the sewer tunnels
empty out to the surface, they will find the path blocked by
interwoven bars of steel. This was implemented to keep
vandals and children from wandering into the tunnels and has
no way to be opened. There is a thick steel door near the grate
that will allow the party to get to the outside, but the turtle is
too large to fit.
The party will need to come up with a way to open these
bars up or break a hole in the stone large enough for the turtle
to fit through. Once the stone has started to crumble, she will
be able to finish the job. Grayson will be more than happy
to repair the tunnels if it means the sewers will be safe to
traverse again!
The party can talk to Grayson and his team about the
situation and they will be willing to bring in the tools
necessary to cut through the bars. It was already one of their
next steps to try to get the creature out of the sewers, but they
were afraid that if the creature escaped it might make its way
into the bay and start attacking people!
Grayson is willing to help however possible and still
offers up the 500 gold as long as the turtle is gone!
Complications Considerations
The Clubs means the party will need to free the turtle rather
than kill her. They can still cast spells that might restrain the
turtle such as a wall of stone or stone shape, but damaging
spells will cause a failure. The Diamonds complication will
prevent the party from purchasing any additional tools to trap
or lure the turtle down in the sewers, which can make some
of the methods for a peaceful resolution more difficult. The
Spades complication may require some creative thinking as
the turtle is the primary creature the party is dealing with
in this adventure. Some music or the use of a craft of one of
the artisan's tools may help the party in luring the turtle or
keeping her distracted, however!
145

Task-Card-Value: Queen
Have a Dance with Princess Zalia
Objective Overview
Princess Zalia is the oldest child of the royal family at the age
of twenty-six. While in public, she appears perfectly prim and
proper, but when no one is looking she loves to go out and
mingle with the ordinary folks in town. And this is what makes
a task that seems simple on the surface require quite a bit
more work from the party! For this adventure, the party will
need to gain access to the Moonlight Ball which is covered in
Task 9: Obtain an Icebloom Lily from the Royal Gardens.
The party will need to infiltrate the main area of the Ball,
where the rich and prosperous of Kalisway Bay mingle and
make business deals while gorging themselves on food that
costs as much as a dockworker’s monthly wages. They will
soon find out that Princess Zalia is not at the Ball, much to the
anger of King Tylas. He makes an announcement early in the
evening that she is not feeling well, but many of the people at
the event know of Princess Zalia’a rebellious ways and suspect
she has snuck off somewhere else!
The party will need to track down the princess, win her
over, and get that dance!
Key NPC - Princess Zalia Tylas
Zalia is the eldest child of the Tylas royal family. She is twenty-
six years old and is still waiting for an appropriate suitor to
one day take her side as king or fellow queen of Kalisway Bay.
The process has her exhausted as staying prim and proper
at every gathering has taken its toll. A rebellious spirit has
arisen in the princess and she does not intend to let it go! As a
result, she tries to conceal her identity when she goes out and
does her best to avoid people for fear of being recognized and
treated differently.
Zalia is a human woman and has the classic curly red hair
that accompanies all of the Tylas children, though she keeps
hers in an intricate set of braids that can be easily pulled up
and concealed under a wig for when she needs to go running
off! She is quite beautiful with her dazzling green eyes and
also serves as a setter of trends in the city with outfits that she
designs herself.
The Royal Moonlight Ball
To enter the Royal Moonlight Ball, which is where the party
will assume the princess is located until told otherwise,
requires an invitation, formal attire, and a gift for the royal
family. The methods behind all of this are covered in Task 9:
Obtain an Icebloom Lily from the Royal Gardens above so
they will not be covered again here.
146
Before the party can make their way into the Great Hall of the
castle where the Ball is underway, they will be asked to hand
over any and all items that could be considered a threat to
the royal family. This includes any magical spell components
and the party will receive a quick pat-down from the guards
at the door for assurance. A party member that attempts
to conceal a weapon must make a skill check depending
on their methodology. The inspecting guard will make
a Wisdom (Perception) check with a +4 bonus and if his
total exceeds that of the party member, he finds their
contraband and will escort them out of the area!
Once the party has all of the requirements for entry and
have made it past the inspection checkpoint, you can read
them the following:
You make your way into the Great Hall of the Kalisway Bay
Castle. Lovely music serenades you as you step through the
grand entryway decorated with hundreds of white and blue
flowers. The air smells of freshly cooked food and the perfume
of the hundreds of attendees that have already arrived and
are congregating at scattered cocktail tables. Servants sweep
dexterously through the crowd offering up fine food samples
as well as beverages, but you also see fully stocked bars at two
opposite ends of the room. Everyone is dressed in elegant
and regal garb, looking their absolute best. A spattering of
people occupy the dance floor at the center of the room, but
their numbers are quite few. Across the way, you can see the
table set for King Tylas, Queen Lyrra, and their children, but
currently, there is but a single princess sitting with them.
The party can spend some time exploring the Ball and hear
items through the rumor mill:
• They say Princess Zalia has run off somewhere! Sounds
right, I hear a back alley bar is more her style! The king
needs to get her under control!
• Are they ever going to get the sewers fixed? My restroom has
been inoperable for two weeks and it is absurd!
• They still haven’t managed to track down Prince Lorwick’s
crown! It has been missing for a month now and I don’t think
they are ever going to find it! Someone out there made a
pretty penny!
They can find out that the princess isn’t present just by
talking to some of the guests at the Ball. If they gain an
audience with the king and queen, which requires standing in
line for roughly thirty minutes, they will be told that she is not
feeling well and couldn’t attend but King Tylas will be visibly
distressed when he says it. The princess that sits with them
at the table is the younger sister - Virina.
Gathering Information
Princess Zalia is at an exclusive nightclub in town down by
the docks called The Shipwreck. There are only a select few
at the Ball who will know where she is, one of which is Prince
Lorwick who is at the dance with a beautiful half-elf woman
with lavender-colored hair. Another is one of her closest
friends - Melina - a stunning aasimar woman with skin the
color of a golden topaz who has the eye of every suitor at the
dance and is upset at Zalia for leaving her behind. Everyone
is interested in the gossip about where the princess is, so it
isn’t difficult to find people who are willing to speculate. Some
younger folks at the Ball are talking about bailing and going
to a place with some real excitement and one of their group
will have a flier for The Shipwreck. Let all of these be viable
options for your party to uncover!
This section is meant to be some unstructured detective
work from the party with no specific path they need to
follow. They will need to ask the right questions of the right
people to uncover the information to continue this task.
Remember that the party-goers are mostly rich individuals
who treat every interaction as if it were a game with the
possibility of upping their own standing in the city. They
love gossip and are willing to exchange information for
rumors or scandals.
You want your players to be able to find out that Zalia is
likely at The Shipwreck without growing frustrated, but this
is a Queen tier objective so they will need to be willing to
persuade and maybe even bribe to get the information they
want.
Use your best judgment as a DM to determine when the
party has done enough detective work and let slip the name
of the club - The Shipwreck. It is located at the docks in
a secret room at the back of a bait shop called The Tide’s
Call.
Entering The Shipwreck
When the party arrives at The Tide’s Call down at the docks
of the city, they will find that the lights of the store are all off
and the Closed sign is out, but if they circle around to the
side of the building they will find an elvish man standing
in the dark next to a door. This is one of the bouncers that
determines who is permitted entry to the club and simply calls
himself Quip. He is covered in tattoos and piercings with hair
that is dyed dark green. He is a scrawny sort, but he notably
has a component pouch at his waist that indicates he is a
spellcaster!
If the party asks about going into The Shipwreck, he will
stop them and tell them to hold out their hands. He will
whisper a quick incantation and after a flash of green light tell
them that they are unfortunately not on the guest list and will
have to find another place to do their drinking… unless they
are interested in earning membership.
Earning Membership
Entering this exclusive nightclub is no simple task. It is a
place where VIPs hang out and to make their way through
the door, the party will need to bring an item of value that can
either be displayed or drank within the club. Quip will offer
the party an option - “There is a ship in the bay called The
Dubloon that holds dozens of crates of Kalisway Vineyards
Wine. It certainly would make for some happy guests if
we could get our hands on one of those crates. They make
the best stuff around but it comes at a premium and most
of it is exported to other cities for a huge mark-up. It’s in
the far slip of the dock right out in front of the store. They
pay bottom-of-the-barrel wages to people that work in
their vineyards only to ship it off for insane profits so they
deserve to be knocked down a peg!”
The party can also offer up other items that the club might
be interested in which could be valid to gain entry, but in this
section, I will be covering the methods of retrieving the wine
from The Dubloon. Methods such as using suggestion and
charm person can come into play here to make Quip much
more amenable to the party’s suggestion for entry, but this
does use some of the party’s resources for the day! Quip has
a +3 bonus to his Wisdom saving throws if this comes up and
has advantage against any charm effects as he is an elf!
The Dubloon
If the party opts for the route of theft, read the following:
You turn and gaze upon the Kalisay Bay Harbor at night.
Dozens of ships gently rock back and forth as the chilly night
air blows through, some of them fishing vessels but a majority
of them built for trade to other cities. Lanterns hang all along
the docks, spaced roughly every thirty feet. Boxes and crates
are scattered across the walkways providing some areas of
shadow and obstacles that the constantly patrolling city guard
is forced to avoid. You can see eight pairs of guards strolling
along the docks in chainmail armor, most of them engaged in
casual conversation as they walk.
The Dubloon is at the end of the nearest dock, but it is still
quite a ways out! The dock itself is over three hundred feet in
length and The Dubloon is in the last slip before the bay opens
up to the ocean. City guards are on constant patrol through
the docks and anyone who is caught walking around at night
will be called into question, especially if they look suspicious.
If the party is confronted by a guard, they won’t be imprisoned,
but they will be asked to leave and come back when the docks
are open during daylight hours. The party will need to either
disguise themselves as dockworkers and convince the
guards they should be allowed past or find a method to
sneak to the ship! The most direct way would be to go in the
water and swim beneath the docks, but the party can also try
to use the shadows to sneak past the guards as they patrol
with success on a pair of DC 17 Dexterity (Stealth) checks. If
the party is caught trying to sneak, the guards will be a little
more forceful in their demands that the party be on their way!
147
But the party’s work isn’t done once they reach The Fighting
Dubloon! It is a ship fine enough that it has its own set of The final option is to take out the guards and then steal the
guards and on this particular night there are three aboard wine. The guards themselves are pretty weak and have the
the ship. Below are some of the primary ways to deal with stat blocks of ordinary guards (MM Pg. 347) and there are
these guards! only three of them in total. The party will be able to dispatch
them with ease, but they aren’t deserving of death so hopefully
Sneaking they aren’t going to want to outright kill the poor souls. A
Sneaking aboard the ship is always an option. The guards spell such as sleep can make quick work of them and give the
are mostly there for deterrence, so while they can use a blade party time to act. The party can knock them unconscious with
they are not always the most observant especially in the some carefully placed strikes, but it still poses a risk as the
late hours of the night. The guards all reside on the deck of guards will cry out if they come under attack and lure other
the ship. If someone simply tries to sneak aboard, it will guards from the city to investigate! Same as the section above,
require success on a DC 20 Dexterity (Stealth) check as the combat is noisy and there are many more guards on the docks
ship does have lights and the guards are competent. If they that will come running to the sounds of clashing blades.
create some sort of distraction to pull the guard’s attention, Sneaking into advantageous positions and getting the drop
this check is made with advantage but it is still difficult! on the guards can lead to a quick knockout!
Once on board, the party will need to get below deck to go You can use the Aboard the Ship map that is provided for
and find the wine. The door is fortunately unlocked and the some of the other tasks in this module if your party chooses to
ship’s hold is filled with crates of individual bottles of wine take this route.
as well as large casks of wine. Now unfortunately for the
party member doing the sneaking, these crates and casks are
Aboard the Ship Map
quite hefty! The crates weigh fifty pounds which makes them
possible to carry by most, but perhaps not with the grace
that is required to get them safely past the guards. The wine
bottles are in cases that are lined heavily with straw, so it is
quite difficult to break them and most of the sound they would
normally create is stifled.
Dropping the crate off the edge of the ship isn't a viable
strategy, as the case will splash into the water and draw a
great deal of attention. It will also sink! Some of the primary
options would be to lower the crate down to someone else via
a rope or to sneak past the guards a second time. This is even
more difficult than the first time around because the party
member will have a giant case of wine in their hands, so there
will need to be a distraction made if they hope to get off the
ship without being spotted!

Bribing
The guards on the ship are just doing their job and as with
most guards they are willing to turn a blind eye to anyone
willing to offer enough coin to offset the damage to their
reputation. For a case of Kalisway Vineyards Wine, this would
be something to the tune of 75 gold pieces. This is quite a
substantial sum, but the wine is valuable and the guards are
risking a great deal by letting one of them go missing! It will
likely come out of their pay so this covers that fee as well as a
bit left over for their own needs.
A party member with a silver tongue can talk them down
with success on a Charisma (Persuasion) check. A result of 14
or lower and they are unwilling to budge. A result of 15-19 and
they knock the price down to 60 gold. A result of 20+ and they
are willing to let the wine go for 50 gold pieces.

Intimidation
They guards care more about their lives than they do about
a case of wine, so a display of force or power by the party
may cause them to just throw down their arms! Have a party
member make a Charisma (Intimidation) check with DC
14, giving advantage if they put on a convincing show of
strength! This is dangerous though, for the guards along the
docks will come running if there is too much commotion!

148
Into the Shipwreck
Once the party has secured the wine they will still need to
make their way back to Quip, which can still be a challenge
with all of the guards hanging around. Once again, remember
this is a Queen-tier adventure so each of these challenges
requires clever problem-solving! Once they do return to Quip,
he will be satisfied and asks each party member to give him
their hands one at a time. He casts a quick spell that leaves
a bright green mark on the back of their hands for a few
seconds before fading away. He will tell the party that if they
show the mark to the people inside, they will be allowed to go
right in.
They head through the door and into a small hallway filled
with a deep purple light. There is another door eight feet in
front of them and music vibrates through the area. Written on
the door in white glowing letters is “The Shipwreck”. To the
right is a woman dressed entirely in black with parts of her
body glowing from luminescent paint. She is standing behind
a pane of glass with a wire mesh cut into the bottom. She asks
the party to raise their hands and they will see that on the
back of them is a small glowing ship. The woman behind the
glass gives a nod and the door at the end of the hall springs
open and reveals the club beyond.
You are blasted by a vibrant onslaught of music and lights. The
music is upbeat and you can feel each hit of the drum pulsing
through your body. The area beyond is filled with people,
many covered in the same luminescent paint as the woman in
the hall. They are crowded onto a dance floor bathed in blue
lights from dozens of lanterns scattered through the space.
On the far side of the room is a bar stocked with hundreds
upon hundreds of bottles of alcohol of all varieties. Along the
left and right walls are embedded aquariums filled with exotic
fish of the sea. The club is decorated in a theme reflective of
its namesake with kelp and chains hanging down from the
ceiling. There are even a few club patrons swinging from large
anchors that dangle from the rafters above!
The club is meant to be a place to cut loose, have fun, and
enjoy life. As the party moves through the space, they will
be invited to dance, people will come up to them and try
to paint them with some of the paint that glows under the
special lights of the club, and they will be flirted with by drunk
patrons! Feel free to embellish this area with more life and
give your players the opportunity to cut loose a bit and have
fun with their characters!
As the party enters the club, have them make a DC
15 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a success, they will
realize that one of the shirtless and heavily painted people
swinging from one of the hanging anchors in the club is
none other than Kal! He will greet the party and ask them
how their tasks are going if they confront them, but he will not
give them any assistance!
Finding Zalia
Princess Zalia is in disguise, but it is not the greatest of
disguises and there are those in the club who know her
true identity. The bartender, a handsome young tiefling man
named Eijano is one of them. He sees himself as one of her
protectors and wants to make sure she is free to live life and
have a good time, so he will not reveal any information about
her unless that party can convince him that they are there with
good intentions… or if they can produce a bribe large enough
for him to betray that trust… which is about 50 gold pieces.
Even tactics like calling out the name Zalia and seeing who
reacts can be a strategy that works. The party may need to get
creative to get her to reveal herself, but that is the challenge!
Zalia is out on the dance floor wearing a black skirt and a
blue and white shirt and a blond wig that covers her ordinarily
fiery red hair. She has paint on her arms and legs so she glows
vibrantly as she dances out amongst the crowds.
Earning a Dance
When the party finally gets the opportunity to confront Zalia,
they will find she is not willing to dance with just anyone. She
likes to cut loose, but she is still a princess and has standards.
Someone that tries to simply cut in will be scoffed at and told
to leave her alone. Anyone who wants to buy her a drink can
wait until she needs a break! She refuses the party’s advances
until they can prove themselves as a competent dance partner!
So the party will need to prove their worth to her! The
most straightforward way is simply to go out and dance with
enough skill to catch the eyes of the princess. This requires
success on a DC 17 Charisma (Performance) check. The party
can try to help each other out to get advantage on this roll.
Singing will also capture her attention enough for her to at
least talk to a member of the party, but they will need to cut in
on the band to do so. An acrobatic display swinging on some
of the anchors is sure to turn some heads as well!
There are plenty of other methods for impressing the
princess, but let your party come up with how they want to get
the job done! When they finally manage to succeed, Zalia will
shoot them a smile, invite them over to dance, and the task
will be considered a success. They can befriend Zalia through
this meeting and one member of the party may even be able
to earn a kiss from the princess, but that is as far as she is
willing to go on this particular evening. Still, having her as an
ally can prove useful for other tasks!
Complications Considerations
The Clubs complication removes the ability for the party
to attack the guards of The Dubloon ship and also prevents
them from fighting if they need to obtain an invitation to the
Ball. The Diamonds complication will stop the party from
making bribes which is a common way to gain information
or gain access during this adventure, forcing the party to take
alternative paths. The Spades complication will once again
require some creative thinking on the party's behalf, perhaps
using it as they gain the trust of party-goers at the Ball, to
distract down on the docks, or perhaps even to impress the
princess.
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Task-Card-Value: King
Retrieve Prince Lorwick’s
Stolen Crown
Objective Overview
Everyone in the city of Kalisway Bay has heard about Prince
Lorwick’s crown being stolen. It happened during a party at
the castle last month when the young prince had a bit too
much to drink and invited a woman back to his room for the
evening. When he awoke the next morning, the mysterious
woman was gone as well as his crown! All that remained was
a single shark tooth resting on the pillow - the calling card of
the pirate group that call themselves The Hammerheads.
Unfortunately, when the king and his armies went to raid
Terrormaw Island - the place that The Hammerheads called
home - they found that the island had been abandoned. There
was not a single pirate left and it had been completely cleared
out of treasure. The assumption has been that the group
took this incredible treasure and fled to a far away city where
they could more easily elude the law. And this was indeed
their plan, but they didn’t manage to get their ship more than
a few hundred yards from the island before it was sunk by
Terrormaw.
Until quite recently, everyone in the city of Kalisway Bay
assumed that the pirates were gone and that the crown would
never be retrieved, but after a scavenging trip to Terrormaw
Island uncovered bodies and wealth washed along the
shore, there are a few individuals who think the treasure
might be closer than they think! Jameela is the captain of the
scavenging crew that led the expedition to Terrormaw Island
and the party will need to team up with her and find a way to
retrieve the crown while avoiding the dragon shark that still
watches over its hoard of treasures.
Key NPC - Jameela
Despite being in a profession that many frown upon, Jameela
has managed to maintain the respect of all of the crews in
Kalisway Bay. She is widely regarded by the sailors of the
town as one of the best there is - and she needs to be, seeing
as she leads crews out to where other ships sink due to
treacherous waters and rocky outcroppings. She and her crew
scavenge the leftovers from these ships and bring them back
to shore where they will sell them in the market or return
them to the owner of the ship for a nice hefty reward.
Jameela is a tall human woman with tawny skin and long
black hair. She is almost always seen wearing a set of massive
hoop earrings, a blue headscarf, and a matching blue sash
around her waist that all make up her signature look. She
wears leather boots and trousers with half a dozen pouches
attached to her belt as well as a formidable scimitar scabbard.
Her work is rough and even with skin decorated with scars,
she remains one of the most beautiful women in the city.
This is contrasted by her having one of the foulest mouths.
Everyone at the docks is aware when Jameela is mad and
knows to steer clear.
She is a strong leader and expects a great deal from her
crew. The work they engage in is dangerous and if she cannot
trust them, it could quite literally mean their deaths.
150
As mentioned previously, Jameela has a foul mouth and a
temper that is legendary in Kalisway Bay. She is skilled with
a scimitar and fights with the dexterity and agility of a fencer.
She prides herself on being a strong judge of character right
out of the gates and as long as you have her trust and respect,
she will risk her life for you. She is also well aware of her
reputation as one of the most desired women in the city and
will use this to manipulate others wherever she can.
Information Gathering
The party’s first job will be to uncover more information about
what happened with Prince Lorwick’s crown. If the party
asks some of the citizens, they will hear the information given
above - that the crown was stolen and it is assumed to be in a
far away city. They will tell the party that the king has scouts
in all of the major ports, but no one has reported that a ship
matching the one used by The Hammerheads ever docked!
After asking a few folks, they will finally be told that
some of the scavenging crews down at the docks have
been picking apart the remnants of the Hammerheads'
old hideout, so if anyone is going to know more it will be
them. Of course, the individual who has this information will
want something in return - ideally a gold piece but if the party
can’t spend gold they will need to find another way to convince
them to give up the gossip!
Jameela’s Junkers
The party will have to make their way down to the docks
where they can ask around about scavengers. This will
eventually lead them over to a small cluster of ships on the far
side of the docks that is endearingly referred to as Scavenger's
Bay by many of the locals. As the party enters the area,
Jameela will approach them and give them a quick up and
down examination before asking if they are interested in work
before they even introduce themselves.
Jameela will not explicitly mention the crown, but she will
mention a job that her crew wants to take on that requires a
bit of extra muscle! She will ask the party if they are interested
and tells them she is willing to provide them a cut of 25%
of the total reward with 75% going to her crew as they are
providing the knowledge and the ship. The party can haggle
their way up to 30% of the treasure, but that is as high as
Jameela is willing to go. This is all before the party even knows
what they are after or its worth! If the party asks questions
about the crown, Jameela will simply urge them to take the job
and tells them they can talk more aboard The Pearl.
The Pearl of the Bay
Once the party is bought in, Jameela will ask them to step
aboard her ship - The Pearl of the Bay. It is a medium-sized
ship with a crew of Jameela and eight other members. Her
second in command is a half-orc man named Virk. He is an
unrivaled swimmer and serves as some of the muscle for the
crew, wielding a twin set of handaxes when he steps into the
fray. He is fun-loving and will play pranks on the party given
the opportunity such as dropping a rock off the edge of the
ship and claiming that a crew member has gone overboard.
The ship is not one meant for extended stays, but it does have
a nice area below deck with a few tables and a hold that can
be filled with scavenged treasures. Jameela is protective of
her ship and will snap at anyone who shows it disrespect.
Someone who insults the ship’s appearance will be forced into
the water and only once they have plunged into the ocean and
apologized to The Pearl with a kiss will they be allowed back
on board.
The Plan
Jameela takes the party below deck and pours each of them
a shot of rum. After a quick toast to The Pearl of the Bay, she
accepts them as temporary members of the crew and moves
on to her plan! She tells them that she thinks she has found
Prince Lorwick’s crown. The crew went to look through
Terrormaw Island where The Hammerheads once called
home and they found a corpse and some minor treasures
washed ashore. She thinks the Hammerheads stole the
crown, went to make a run for it, and had their ship sunk by
the very creature that gave Terrormaw Island its namesake - a
dragon shark. Terrormaw has not been seen around these
parts since an encounter with Rorithrax a few decades ago,
but maybe a treasure as valuable as a prince’s crown was too
much for him to resist!
She is hoping to find where their ship went down and
retrieve the crown along with any other wealth that may have
been left behind. There is a 3,000 gold reward for the return
of the crown, so not a bad payday. The problem is that if the
ship really was sunk by Terrormaw, he is going to be guarding
his treasure. They will need to find a way to distract him,
find the crown, and then make it back to shore before the
monstrosity can sink their ship as well! Fortunately, Jameela
has a plan but she needs the party’s help to grab a few of the
last things they will need as she works out the final details and
preps the ship. She isn’t willing to divulge details of the plan
and asks that the party trust her!
Collecting Resources - Underwater
Breathing Berries
One thing they will need is the ability to breathe underwater.
Ordinarily, for these sorts of jobs, they have plenty of time
to set up pulleys and chains to haul things out of the water.
With Terrormaw lurking, they need to go as fast as possible
so being able to breathe underwater will be a huge boon. She
suggests the party go talk to the bullywug alchemist in town
- Fajili - and see what she has in stock. Jameela will warn the
party that she doesn’t deal in coin, so they will need to bring
something to trade.
The party may already be familiar with Fajili from some of
their earlier adventures! Even if it is late when they start this
adventure, Fajili sleeps in her shop and can be woken up with
a few knocks on the door. For more general information
on Fajili, see the Fajili’s Natural Remedies section of Task
2: Obtain Six Stormberry Muffins from the Kalisway Bay
Bakery.
Fajili has a dozen Underwater Breathing Berries available in
her shop, but she will be expecting something quite nice in
return as they aren’t easy to make! The party will need to offer
her items worth the equivalent of 100 gold or things that may
be particularly enticing to a bullywug such as shiny objects or
rare ingredients that could be used in other potions!
Collecting Resources - Giant Sailfin
Tuna
The second thing they will need to get is a giant sailfin tuna
that Jameela hopes will be able to serve as a tasty snack and
distraction for Terrormaw. Jameela will tell them to go to the
east side of the docks where the fishmongers reside and they
should be able to find one for sale. (The party may already
have a task to catch one of these fish!)
On the eastern docks is the fish market and there are
indeed a few crews that are offering up giant sailfin tuna for
a price of 15 gold pieces each. However, these are delicacies
that they typically only sell to local restaurants at that price…
for outsiders the price is going to be raised to 25 gold pieces!
The party can simply pay this price or find a way to barter
for the sailfin tuna. If they are Rapscallions at the Blood
Brine Tavern (which is required for Task 4: Obtain a Bottle
of Whale Marrow Whiskey from the Blood Brine Taven),
the fishermen will treat the party with more respect and
even as friends and offer them the lower price point for the
tuna. Make sure to have one of the fishermen recognize
them from the bar if this is the case. They will also accept
a bottle of the whiskey as payment for the tuna, so this is an
opportunity for the party to offer them something that is not
coin.
Once the party has managed to strike a deal, the fishermen
will deliver the massive tuna over to The Pearl of the Bay.
Ready to Sail
With the supplies Jameela requested at the ready, it is time to
set sail and track down that lost treasure! She will make sure
the party has everything they need, knowing that this will be a
dangerous endeavor, and then they will take to the ocean!
Once they are out on the water, Jameela fills the party in on
her plan.
Jameela pulls out a large vial filled with a deep crimson-
colored liquid and gives it a shake. It is thick and viscous.
Jameela gives a large smile as she walks over to the sailfin
tuna and pulls out a knife. “This is a vial of dragon’s blood.
Ordinarily pretty damned expensive to get! Fortunately, we
found this vial during one of our salvaging expeditions and I
thought I would keep it around.” She swiftly and cleanly slices
the tuna open along the belly. Then she pops the stopper off
the vial, pours blood onto the fingertips of her gloves, and
rubs the thick crimson liquid on the inside of the hulking
fish. “They say the only thing Terrormaw fears is Rorithrax.
He disappeared for decades after their last tussle. The hope
is that if he smells red dragon blood in the water, he will take
off! And if he decides to do the opposite and attack, then
we’ve got a meal here that will hopefully distract him long
enough for us to give the hell out of dodge!”
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Jameela continues coating the inside of the tuna with blood
as the Pearl of the Bay approaches Terrormaw Island.
Jameela’s second preparation was to add some iron plating
to the bottom of the ship, making it much harder to sink
and hopefully giving them the edge they need just in case
Terrormaw does decide to head their way.
Jameela asks everyone on the crew to eat their water-
breathing berries as they will be coming up on the
shipwreck shortly. Some of the other crew members help to
drop the tuna over the edge of the ship and into the water and
Jameela immediately steers the ship in a wide arc around it as
the gap to Terrormaw Island grows smaller.
Terrormaw
Terrormaw is the name of the dragon shark that resides in the
waters around Terrormaw Island. He is an intelligent creature
and used to maintain a hoard of treasure in a cave beneath
the island, but after an encounter with Rorithrax many years
ago, Terrormaw has been careful with his treasures to ensure
his wealth does not grow large enough to catch the eye of the
dragon yet again. This is fortunate news for the party, for now
rather than taking his treasures back to his cavern, Terrormaw
allows the treasures to remain along the bottom of the sea
around his island.
Terrormaw is an intelligent creature, but the instincts of the
shark are a powerful force and once Terrormaw has a taste
for blood is nearly impossible to get him to turn away from his
prey. The adventure below outlines a path for the encounter
with Terrormaw but he is smart enough that it is technically
possible for the party to speak with the hulking shark and even
potentially strike a deal. Terrormaw understands but can't
speak, so this is difficult, but I want to be sure to highlight that
the players have a multitude of options available to them.
A dragon shark is more similar in appearance to a shark
than a dragon, with a long, slender tail that can be used with
deadly effect in the depths of the ocean. They also have a set
of thick scales that provide better natural armor than the flesh
of an ordinary shark. Their fins are far larger than those of an
ordinary shark and are more flexible to allow for unparalleled
maneuvering in the water. The final feature of the dragon
shark is its ability to spew boiling hot water great distances
both underwater and at targets just out of the water.
152
Dragon Shark
Huge dragon, neutral
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 161 (14d12 + 70)
Speed 0 ft., swim 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 8 (–1)
Skills Perception +6
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Understands common and draconic but
can’t speak
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Blood Frenzy. The shark has advantage on melee attack rolls
against any creature that doesn’t have all of its hit points.
Additionally, the shark can detect the exact location of a
bleeding creature in the water up to a mile away.
Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If the shark fails a saving throw,
it can choose to succeed instead.
Treasure Sense. The shark can sense any valuable items within
1,000 feet. A valuable item depends on the maturity of the
dragon shark, but it is typically items worth greater than 500
gold pieces.
Water Breathing. The shark can breathe only underwater.
A ctions
Multiattack. The shark makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage and if the target is
a creature it begins to bleed. A bleeding creature loses 2 (1d4)
hit points at the beginning of each of its turns until a creature
uses an action to apply bandages to the wound or until the
creature is affected by magical healing.
If a creature is already bleeding when hit by this attack, the
damage increases by an additional 2 (1d4) each turn, but it
still only takes a single action to end the bleeding.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Scalding Breath (Recharge 5-6). The shark exhales a breathe
of scalding hot water in a 60-foot line. Each creature in that
area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking
35 (10d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one. Being underwater doesn’t grant
resistance against this damage.
Diving for Treasure
As the ship nears the island, Jameela commands everyone
to keep their eyes open for any signs of shipwreck! Have the
party make a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
success, they manage to spot the shipwreck debris out in the
ocean - the top of the crow’s nest still visible below the water’s
surface. If no one in the party succeeds, one of the crew
members spots the ship, but this will give them less time to
get in and find the crown!
You see the top of the crow’s nest well beneath the surface of
the water. The ship itself looks to be about fifty feet down and
it is split in half with the back of the ship twisted onto its side.
Just as the first of the crew is about to jump into the water,
you hear a thunderous splash from behind you. Jameela gives
out a quick gasp and you see water and blood erupting into
the air back where you dropped off the sailfin tuna. It seems
that Terrormaw has decided to attack.
Remember that the berries only give the ability to breathe
underwater and not any additional abilities to fight or
maneuver underwater. Characters that wear heavy armor
will need to remove it, or they will be unable to help out!
Jameela shouts for the crew to jump in and make haste! If
Terrormaw approaches, she will sound the horn which they
will be able to hear from down below! If they hear the horn,
don’t try to fight him. Just get to the boat! The crew along
with the party dive into the water. Unfortunately, the party
has no idea where the crown is located! As they swim down
into the depths, disrupting the sea creatures that have
made their home in this shipwreck, have them each make
an Intelligence (Investigation) check. Whoever rolled the
highest out of the party is the one that manages to find the
crown! If the highest roll is below 15, they unfortunately
find the crown too slowly! If the party did not succeed in
spotting the ship with the Perception check above, the DC
for success is increased to 18!
The crown is a beautiful silver design laced with sapphires
and diamonds and intricate designs that keep the gemstones
safely secured. It glitters and shines with even the smallest
amount of light and casts off rainbows of colors.
Consult the following sections depending on whether or not
the party managed to find the crown in time!
Success
If the party manages to find the crown in time, they can
snag it and make it back to The Pearl. The horn sounds just
as they reach the edge of the ship! Jameela is shouting at
them to “hurry the hell up!” as they climb aboard. She goes
around and helps pull people back onto the ship. She will
point out in the distance a large fin jutting from the water and
moving their way quickly! The crew manages to get aboard as
Terrormaw closes in and Jameela shouts at everyone to brace
for impact as Terrormaw slams into the ship.
Everyone needs to make a DC 5 Dexterity saving throw
as Terrormaw collides with The Pearl! On a failed saving
throw, that character is rocked so hard by Terrormaw’s strike
that they fall out of the ship and into the water (unless they
had taken special precautions to prevent from being knocked
overboard). They land fifteen feet from the ship’s edge.
If someone hits the water, roll for initiative as Terrormaw
will immediately move to strike! Note, this does not count as
combat for the purposes of the Clubs complication unless
the party actively strikes at Terrormaw!
Once everyone is back on board, Jameela will open up the
sails and make their way back to the harbor! Go to the Battle
on the Seas section.
Failure
As soon as the party member finds the crown and admires
its glory, the horn begins to sound above indicating that
Terrormaw is on his way! Light pierces down through the
ocean in this area so they can see a massive form in the
distance closing in fast. Roll for initiative! Note: this will not
count as combat for the purposes of the Clubs complication
unless the party actively attacks Terrormaw! Even give leeway
for debilitating spells as this is still just the party trying to
avoid combat in this scenario. Use the Shipwreck map on the
following page for this battle.
The party will need to make their way back to The Pearl
of the Sea which is fifty feet from the ocean floor. Most
characters will be between five and fifteen feet off the ocean
floor depending on where they were searching within the ship.
Have each player roll a d20 to determine their depths:
• 1-5 - 45 feet from The Pearl
• 6-15 - 40 feet from The Pearl
• 16-19 - 35 feet from The Pearl
• 20 - 30 feet from The Pearl
There are also members of Jameela’s crew down in the
water with the party that are at risk of being attacked.
Whenever Terrormaw gets its turn, roll a d20 to determine
who he will attack. On a 1-10, Terrormaw will attack the
party. On an 11-20, he will attack a member of Jameela’s
crew. Jameela’s crew members all have an AC of 13 and if
Terrormaw manages to hit them they will die in one bite no
matter the damage rolled! If the party takes special action
to try to draw Terrormaw's attention to themselves and
not the crew, be sure to have the shark attack them instead
and give inspiration! We want their heroic actions to be
rewarded.
The party will need to get back to the ship as fast as they
can, but it is difficult with such a deadly creature attacking
them in the waters! Once everyone is back on The Pearl of the
Bay (at least those that managed to survive), Jameela will open
up the sails and start making the trip back to the harbor as
fast as possible. Go to the Battle on the Seas section.
Fighting Back
The party has the option of trying to fight back against
Terrormaw and even take down the deadly dragon shark! If
they do, you will need to pivot a bit from the next steps as the
party simply makes their way safely back to the harbor. They
will also receive an extra 1,000 gold for dealing with that
monstrous creature once and for all!
As soon as the party has the crown safely back on the
ship, they are free to fight back against Terrormaw even if
they have the Clubs complication as the task is considered
completed. Everything else is just survival! Make sure to
tell your party this if they have reservations going into the
battle!
153
Shipwreck Map
Battle on the Seas
Assuming the party did not kill Terrormaw, their struggle is
not over yet! Even with the ship reinforced, it will not survive a
persistent assault from a dragon shark! Jameela will shout for
the crew to grab the deterrents!
This next section is a sort of mini-game with the party
making skill checks and performing actions to survive the
encounter with Terrormaw! Read over the rules and make
sure you are comfortable with them before starting!
154
Defeating Terrormaw
Terrormaw chases The Pearl of the Bay in a desperate effort
to recover the treasure that was stolen. The party will be
able to use deterrents that are available on the ship to drive
Terrormaw back to the sea and away from the ship.
Terrormaw starts with a Drive score of 100 to chase after
the party. This value is decreased each time he is hit with a
deterrent. The ship also starts with an Integrity score of 100
that goes down each time Terrormaw slams into it or takes
a bite. If Terrormaw has his Drive reduced to 0 before the
ship’s Integrity is reduced to 0, then the party is successful
and Terrormaw is driven back to his island! If the opposite
happens… The Pearl of the Bay capsizes and the party will
have to fight for their lives!
Some effects increase Terrormaw’s Drive, but this score is
capped out at 100!
This encounter is balanced around a 4 player party.
If you have fewer than 4 players in your game, reduce
Terrormaw’s Drive by 25 for each player fewer than 4. If
you have more than 4 players, increase his Drive by 25 for
each extra player.
Actions
There are a few different methods available to the party to try
to keep Terrormaw off the ship so they can make their way
back to the harbor in one piece! Ordinary weapons are largely
ineffective in this situation as the party will be striking at a
submerged target, making it all but impossible to piece his
thick-scaled flesh! The party can also choose to help keep the
ship afloat if things aren’t looking good!
•R  anged Weaponry - The party can choose to fire an ordinary
ranged weapon at Terrormaw, but all attacks are made at
disadvantage thanks to the water they need to attempt to
shoot through. Terrormaw’s AC is 17.
• On a hit, Terrormaw’s Drive is reduced by 5.
• Repair the Ship - The character grabs a plank, nails, and
hammer or perhaps a bailing bucket and works to make sure
the ship does not sink too quickly! The character doing the
repairs rolls a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Sleight of
Hand) check. A character with proficiency in Carpenter’s or
Mason’s Tools makes this roll with advantage and will count
towards the Spades complication.
• On a result of 1-10, the ship’s Integrity is increased by 5.
• On a result of 11-19, the ship’s Integrity is increased by
10.
• On a result of 20+, the ship’s Integrity is increased by 15.
• Depth Charges [16] - Small sealed barrels with a wick on
one end that can be lit. The ship has sixteen of these in total.
After being lit, the charge is thrown into the water and it will
detonate after five seconds, unleashing a bright flash and a
concussive blast. Each time a player uses a depth charge,
they must make either a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check,
a Wisdom (Insight) check, or a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Any of these skills can give the party what they need to
successfully throw the depth charge!
• On a result of 5 or less, Terrormaw’s Drive increases by 5
as he is enraged further.
• On a result of 6-10, Terrormaw’s Drive remains neutral as
the depth charge is ineffective.
• On a result of 11-20, Terrormaw’s Drive is reduced by 10.
• On a result of 21+, Terrormaw’s Drive is reduced by 20
as it is a direct hit! Terrormaw’s next attack is made with
disadvantage!
• Harpoon Launcher [8] - There is a mounted arbalest at
the back of the ship that can fire harpoons. The ship has
eight harpoons in total on deck. Someone attacking with
the arbalest can do so by making an attack roll using their
Dexterity or Wisdom modifier, but they will only be able to
add their proficiency if they are trained with a crossbow.
• On a result of 4 or less, Terrormaw’s Drive increases by 5
as he is enraged further.
• On a result of 5-9, Terrormaw’s Drive remains neutral as
the harpoon hits but does not pierce!
• On a result of 10-14, Terrormaw’s Drive is reduced by 10.
• On a result of 15+, Terromaw’s Drive is reduced by 20 as
the harpoon strikes a direct hit. Terrormaw’s next attack is
made with a -2 penalty!
• Drift Net [2] - The ship has two large drift nets that can be
dropped on Terrormaw to entangle him and hinder his ability
to swim. It takes two party members to effectively utilize this
deterrent. When the party chooses to use the drift net, each
party member helping will need to make a Dexterity (Sleight
of Hand) or a Strength (Athletics) check. Add the results
together and consult the table to determine its effect.
• On a result of 10 or less, Terrormaw’s Drive increases by
10 as he is enraged further.
• On a result of 11-20, Terrormaw’s Drive remains neutral
as the net misses.
• On a result of 21-35, Terrormaw’s Drive is reduced by 20
as the net is wrapped around him.
• On a result of 36+, Terrormaw’s Drive is reduced by 40 as
the net snags him entirely. He also loses his next attack!
The Action Cycle
Roll for initiative just as you would with a normal combat, but
for this encounter, the party will need to decide which of the
deterrents they will be using against Terrormaw! They will
need to coordinate the utilization of the Drift Net and only
a single person can fire the Harpoon Launcher each round.
The others can use their actions to drop Depth Charges, fire
ranged weaponry, or repair the ship and ensure it is in good
working order!
On Terrormaw’s turn, he makes an attack against the ship
with a +10 to attack. The Pearl of the Bay has an AC of 18
thanks to its new reinforcements. On a hit, Terrormaw deals
22 (3d10 + 6) damage to the ship’s Integrity! Critical hits can
still be applied to the ship with these attacks.
Continue through this cycle until Terrormaw is forced to
retreat or the ship sinks and proceed to the section below
that aligns with the result!
155
Capsized!
If the ship’s Integrity is reduced to 0 before Terrowmaw’s
Drive is reduced to 0, he sinks The Pearl of the Bay! Jameela
is devastated but orders everyone to abandon ship and fight
for their lives! Before she hops into the water, she pulls out
a scroll that launches a large blast of red light into the air
that explodes, hovering there for quite some time before
dissipating. This is a distress beacon and Kalisway Bay will
send help to retrieve the party shortly!
Unfortunately, the party will have no choice but engage
Terrormaw directly! Fortunately for the party, even if they have
the Clubs complication, they will have already retrieved the
crown at this point so they are ok to fight!
If the party survived, after 15 minutes a ship will arrive
and pull them all aboard and take them back to the harbor.
Fortunately, the party should still have Lorwick’s missing
crown and so their efforts will not have been for nothing! And
if they managed to kill Terrormaw, an additional reward is
waiting for them! Jameela will ask for the party to allow her to
claim all of the additional reward so she can purchase a new
ship, but it is up to the party if they agree to the request.
Terrormaw’s Retreat
If Terromaw’s Drive is reduced to 0 before the ship’s Integrity,
the mighty dragon shark retreats beneath the water and
makes his way back to Terrormaw Island, accepting his defeat
in this conflict. Jameela will be thrilled as they survived and
retrieved the crown! She will head below deck and pull out
a bottle of Whale Marrow Whiskey, pouring a glass for each
person who helped in the efforts and mourning if they lost any
crew members along the way.
The crew makes it back to shore and Jameela asks for
the crown, offering up the party their cut of the reward. She
will then invite the party to go with her to speak with the
King when they return the crown. It is sure to earn them a
reputation in the city, so it is up to the party what they wish
to do, but being in good standing with the King can help with
some of their other tasks!
The king will ask the names of those responsible for the
return of his son’s crown. He addresses each member of
the crew and allows the party to introduce themselves. This
will give them some advantages going into other tasks. For
example, if this happened before the Royal Moonlight Ball,
the party will receive a set of invitations to get into the
event! He will present Jameela with the prize promised for
the return of the crown - 3,000 gold in the form of platinum,
gold, and gemstones. If the king is informed that Terrormaw
has also been defeated by the party, he will offer up an
additional 1,000 gold pieces!
Prince Lorwick will be thrilled to have his crown back and
thank the group for their efforts in retrieving it. The king will
give him a hard time about being more careful who he invites
back to his bed-chamber, and then send the group on their
way for he has many other important matters to attend to! The
party will have their armaments returned and Jameela will tell
them that if they are ever looking for work on the high seas,
they are more than welcome to come join her crew again!
Complications Considerations
The Clubs means the party will be unable to fight against
Terrormaw until they have successfully retrieved the
crown. This could make the claiming of the crown more
difficult if they were unable to discover the crown quickly.
The Diamonds complication will prevent the party from
purchasing a giant sailfin tuna. This will force them to come
up with some sort of alternative method to barter with the
fishmongers down on the docks. The Spades complication
can come into play with the repairing of the ship, providing
something of interest to the bullywug Fajili, or potentially
when trying to get their hands on that giant sailfin tuna!

Meeting with King Tylas

If the party wants to go with Jameela to meet the king, they
may. If the party finished this quest during the hours of the
Royal Moonlight Ball, Jameela will suggest they wait until the
following morning to meet with King Tylas and asks the party
to meet her back at the docks shortly after sunrise.
Otherwise, Jameela will pack the crown away in a fine case,
gather the crew and party, and head to the castle! Jameela
handles the talking on the way in, showing the guards at the
gate that she has in fact recovered the prince’s lost crown
and a runner will take off to fetch King Tylas for an audience.
The group will be asked to remove any weapons or magical
components that they are carrying on their person to be
returned when they are no longer in the company of the king.
Afterward, the group will be led into the grand hall where
King Tylas himself will appear with his son, Prince Lorwick.

156
Task-Card-Value: Ace
End the Threat that the Dragon
Rorithrax Poses on Kalisway Bay
Objective Overview
Rorithrax is a young red dragon that lurks in a cave at the
very end of the Kalisway Peninsula. Rorithrax seems content
simply resting atop his current hoard of wealth, but there
is always the looming threat of him razing the city for its
treasures, especially as he and Kalisway Bay continue to grow!
This is a constant fear for the people of the city, for even if
the town's guard could slay the dragon, the damage would be
devastating. One benefit is that he keeps other dragons from
the areas and any creatures that threaten the city face his
wrath so there is mutual respect… at least for now.
This objective is left intentionally open to interpretation,
as the threat of Rorithrax can be ended by violence or by
diplomacy! As of now, the city lives in constant fear, but if an
arrangement could be made with Rorithrax, that would not
be the case. This is the highest tier challenge and so there are
many ways to achieve victory, but they all require quite a bit of
work! This adventure requires the same amount of effort as
some of the entire other adventures in this book, so keep that
in mind as you kick things off!
No matter which path the party takes, it is likely that they
are going to need a boat, so we will start with those details
and then describe the individual situations for Violence and
Diplomacy. See the sections labeled Violence and Diplomacy
below depending on what your party wants to do!
Finding a Ship
Rorithrax’s cavern is at the end of the Kalisway Peninsula.
The pathway there by land is treacherous and would take
hours to traverse on foot due to the jagged rocks and sheer
drops. The much more feasible option is to go by boat as a
ship can drop anchor off-shore and it is a short trip by rowboat
to reach the beach and ascend to Rorithrax's cavern. The party
can gather all of this information by asking some of the locals,
but they will also be told that only the craziest of ship captains
will risk going anywhere near Rorithrax’s lair… but there are
bound to be a few of them for the right price!
A Quick Route
If the party completed the King level task: Retrieve Prince
Lorwick’s Stolen Crown already, they will have built the
trust of Jameela who will be willing to take the party out to
Rorithrax’s lair if they tell her what they are intending to
do. She has always seen Rorithrax as a threat and dealing
with him is directly aligned with her interests. If this is the
case, the party can have a quick conversation with Jameela
and you can jump to the Violence or Diplomacy sections
below.
The Alternative Route - Trell
If the party did not have the task to help Jameela, they will
need to find another captain to sail them out that way. Asking
around the docks they will find a ship captain that goes by
Trell is their best bet. He is an older human man who used
to be a mercenary and is willing to take on just about any
job for the right price. He has lived a long and happy life, so
even the dangers of a mission such as this do not particularly
bother him! He always remains aloof and just goes with the
flow of whatever is thrown his way, never showing any signs of
cracking even under the most extreme pressure. He is in his
early sixties with long white hair and deeply tanned skin that
has seen many, many years out in the sun. He has a crew of
other young up-and-comers that see him as a sort of deity with
how calm he remains under any circumstance and it helps to
keep them inspired.
The party can find Trell and his crew on the west side of
the harbor. He is who all of the other sailors will direct them
towards when they ask about going to Rorithrax’s lair. His ship
is called The Retirement Plan. Trell will greet them with his
ordinary aloofness which can be almost jarring because when
they ask about going to the lair, he will just shrug and agree
to the job. He will tell them that the standard fee for a job
such as this given the risks involved is 50 gold. If the party
has the gold and are capable of spending money, they can get
through this pretty quickly, otherwise, they will need to do
Trell a favor!
A Favor for Trell
If the party does not have enough gold for the trip or can't
spend gold, Trell will sigh and ask them if they would like to
earn their fare in another way?
• If the party takes on this mission before nightfall - Trell
will tell them that he has lived a long and fruitful life, but he
has never attended a royal ball… but he would like to do so.
If they can get him a ticket to the event, he will consider the
fee covered. For information on how the party can obtain a
ticket to the Royal Moonlight Ball you can reference Task
9: Obtain an Icebloom Lily from the Royal Gardens.
• If the party takes on this mission after nightfall or the
following morning - Trell will tell them about another
ship crew in the harbor that loves to give him a hard time.
They think because he is old he is incompetent despite him
proving that is not the case time and time again. He wouldn’t
mind seeing them embarrassed and hopes the party might be
able to help him out. The ship is The Man o’ War and is just
a few slips down from his own. He doesn’t want the party to
hurt them, but figure out a way to knock them down a notch!
He is sure his crew will have some ideas if they don’t have
any of their own ideas.
Pranking the Man o’ War Crew
Trell is looking to humiliate the Man o’ War crew! The party
can come up with their own plan for this section and that is
totally fine! Use your judgment as a DM to make this section
play out as fun as possible. This isn’t meant to be particularly
challenging, so just allowing the players to flex some creative
muscles is our goal!
157
If the party is not sure of what to do, they can get suggestions
from the crew of The Retirement Plan.
• J ellyfish Swarm - One of the crew members suggests getting
a barrel of jellyfish from one of the vendors down the way,
dumping them off the docks, and finding a way to make the
Man o’ War crew jump in the water so they get stung!
•H  ooked On You - Another crew member suggests getting
a whole load of treble hooks (they even have a bunch that
they would be willing to give to the party) and scattering
those across their living quarters. Maybe a few hiding in the
bottoms of their boots as well. You might end up with a few
punctured feet, but nothing too lethal!
•T  he Long Payoff - A final crew member suggests buying
a few Saltfin Cod from one of the fishmongers and hiding
them throughout The Man o’ War. Place some under the
floorboards or a mattress! Saltfin Cod are known for the oil
they secrete that smells like death so in just a few days they
will be waking from their sleep gagging!
The party can choose whichever of these plans sounds most
fun or a prank of their own! There are many ways this can
unfold so I won’t go into full depth on all of the possibilities,
but below is some useful information about The Man o’
War that will help these plans play out:
•T
 he crew of The Man o’ War has 12 people, but at night no
one is on the ship. During the day, many of them are out and
about and it is not rare for there to only be a single member
of the crew hanging around.
•T
 he Man o’ War is a standard trade ship with three levels -
the deck, the crew’s quarters / common area, and the hold
where they keep all of their goods.
Once the party has executed their plan and reported back to
Trell, he will thank the party for their work and tell them that
the ship can be ready to sail in less than half an hour!
Violence
Slaying Rorithrax is absolutely a valid strategy and should
be possible for almost all APLs even though Rorithrax is a
CR 10 creature. For lower CR parties, this is still intended
to be extremely dangerous and only be possible if they take
advantage of many of the allies and advantages they can gain
along the way! This is the Ace tier difficulty which comes with
the greatest payoff, so this is not meant to be easy!
Trell will of course ask the party what they are up to and
if they say that they wish to slay the dragon, he will refuse
to sail them out unless they have made some preparations!
They can't simply attack a dragon without a plan or
backup. Fortunately, depending on the other tasks the party
has performed in the city, they will have made plenty of friends
along the way! Some of the folks they can recruit and the
advantages they can gain are listed in the next sections. Once
the party has completed at least three pieces of preparation,
Trell will take them. He will also take them with no prep for
an extra 150 gold pieces, but he is resistant.
If the party is going with Jameela, she will have the same
requirements before sailing out!
158
Once the party is done recruiting help, jump to the Slaying of
Rorithrax section below.
Fajili’s Oil of Fire Resistance
Fajili with her vast supply of potions and supplies is here to
help once again! (For more information on Fajili you can see
Task 2: Obtain Six Stormberry Muffins from the Kalisway
Bay Bakery.) One of the items she has in her shop is an Oil of
Fire Resistance. She has only enough for half of the party
(rounded down) so they will need to choose wisely who gets
them!
As usual, Fajili does not deal in money, but she will agree
to give the party the oils if they promise to bring her a dozen
dragon teeth and four pounds of its scales! She only offers up
this deal if the party has interacted with her in at least one of
the other tasks! She does not trust the party to hold up to their
word if this is her first encounter with them, but she can still
be persuaded with success on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
check. Otherwise, they will need to provide her with some
valuable items for trade, though she will be a bit more lenient
since she knows it is to help slay the dragon.
Ambitious Sailors of the Blood Brine
Tavern!
If the party completed Task 4: Obtain a Bottle of Whale
Marrow Whiskey from the Blood Brine Tavern, they will
be familiar with the tough and gruff sailors and dockworkers
that frequent the Blood Brine Tavern. Many of the sailors are
itching to get some revenge on Rorithrax. Almost everyone
knows someone who has been killed by one of his raids on
trade ships over the past few decades. All of these were the
result of people trying to steal from Rorithrax’s lair, but this
justification does not forgive the slaying of hundreds in the
eyes of the sailors. If the party goes to the Blood Brine
Tavern and looks for recruits, four of the patrons are
willing to join them in the fight! These recruits will of course
only join the party if they managed to successfully reach the
rank of Rapscallion! These NPCs use the Thug stat block
(MM Pg. 350).
Xel and his Fiendish Allies
If the party completed Task 8: Gain Access to the VIP Area
of The Black Sheep Gambling Lounge, they will have had a
run-in with Xel, the new warlock that has turned to a fiendish
patron in hopes of getting vengeance against Rorithrax. He is
eager to get to work and the party may have even committed
to him that they will slay the dragon for him to pay his debts
to the Black Sheep Gambling Lounge. Depending on how the
party's interactions with Xel went down, they will be able to
get both Xel and his fiendish allies to help in the battle with
Rorithrax!
Xel's stat block can be found at the end of the module and
he also has 2 Quasit (MM Pg. 63) that he brings along.
Phoenix Gang Recruits
If the party completed Task 7: Get Accepted into the Phoenix
Gang, they will know a few ambitious youngsters who are
willing to help out. Some have their own vendettas against
Rorithrax due to lost loved ones while others are simply
looking to get a share of the treasure that awaits. If the party
turns to the Phoenix Gang for recruits, they will get three
volunteers. These NPCs use the Guard stat block (MM pg.
347).
The Dragonbane Scroll
If the party completed Task 10: Find the Tome of Secrets
Within the Kalisway Library, they will have found the
location of the Tome of Secrets and the abundance of
knowledge that it holds. If the party asks the book how they
might slay Rorithrax, the book will give them knowledge of
the location of a hidden scroll within the library. It was left by
a powerful wizard who was planning on making an attempt
against the dragon herself.
This scroll can transform any weapon into a Dragonbane
Weapon, granting it 2d6 additional damage when used against
dragon creatures. This transformation will only persist for an
hour, but that should be all of the time they need for the battle!
Assistance From The Royal Guard
If the party completed Task 9: Obtain an Icebloom Lily
from the Royal Gardens, Task Queen: Have a Dance with
Princess Zalia, or Task King: Retrieve Prince Lorwick’s
Stolen Crown, they will have a contact within the royal
family of Kalisway Bay! Now the King himself is against
going after Rorithrax, for if the effort is a failure it could
mean the destruction of their entire city and they exist in
relative harmony with Rorithrax. He is also concerned that if
Rorithrax is gone, an even bigger dragon might come in and
take his place!
That being said, all of the children are on board with the
slaying of Rorithrax if the party is involved. Regardless of the
sibling asked, they will offer up some of their royal guards to
help in the attack, but they will only be able to spare a total
of two for fear that King Tylas would notice that something is
amiss otherwise. These guards use the stat block of a Knight
(MM Pg. 347).
Assistance From Grayson
If the party completed Task Jack: Deal With the Creature
that Lurks in the Sewers, they will have Grayson as a favored
contact. Grayson is not in a hurry to lose more people after
already suffering losses to the turtle, but he does think this is
for the best for the city and will offer up two of his top people.
These guards use the stat block of a Knight (MM Pg. 347).
The Slaying of Rorithrax
Once the party has assembled all of the help they can muster,
it is time to make their way to Rorithrax’s lair out on the end of
Kalisway Bay!
The ship drops anchor seventy-five feet from the shoreline
and you climb aboard a rowboat that is lowered to the water’s
edge. You start to make your way over to the beach with
your allies. Near the tip of the peninsula is a massive cave,
its entryway dark and ominous. You know Rorithrax looms
within, but for now, the area is almost eerily silent. No seagulls
fly overhead here and even the ocean seems to calm before
crashing against the shore. The path leading up to the cavern
is steep and rocky, but manageable. A thin stream of water
pours out of the cave, cascades over the rocks, and eventually
finds its way to the ocean.
The party (and whatever help they have managed to gather)
will need to make their way up the pathway to the mouth of
the cavern. The cave itself is not particularly large (see the
map on the next page) and it is dark beyond the entrance.
Rorithrax is currently sleeping within the cavern and will
continue to do so unless the party makes an excessive amount
of noise. Too much sound even from outside of the cavern can
alert Rorithrax and cause him to emerge from his lair to attack
before the party is ready! As mentioned above, Rorithrax is
a Young Red Dragon (MM Pg. 98) and will do everything in
his power to survive, sparing the lives of no party members
once they engage him in combat! He will use the skies to his
advantage if he was awoken before the party reached the cave,
but if he is engaged from within his lair he will place himself
between the party and his treasure, fighting recklessly!
Lair Actions
If the party fights Rorithrax within his lair, he will gain the
benefits of lair actions during the battle.
On initiative 20 (losing initiative ties), Rorithrax takes a lair
action to cause one of the following effects. He can't use the
same effect two rounds in a row:
• Flame erupts from a point on the ground that Rorithrax
can see within 120 feet, creating a 10-foot-high, 5-foot-wide
geyser. Each creature in the geyser's area must make a DC
13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) fire damage on a
failed save, or have as much damage on a successful one.
• Steam floods from a crack in the ground, filling a 10-foot
radius sphere with thick clouds of vapor. This area is
considered heavily obscured and creatures that end their
turn in this steam take 4 (1d8) fire damage. This cloud lasts
until initiative count 20 on the next round.
• The stones of the cave floor crumble and crack in a 10-foot
radius area. Each creature in this area must succeed on a
DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. This area also
becomes difficult terrain.
159
Rorithrax's Lair Map
Below is a map of Rorithrax's Lair. You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the
DM's Guild.

Claiming Rorithrax’s Treasure

If the party manages to take down Rorithrax, his hoard is
theirs to collect (and split with those that helped them along
the way).
It contains the following:
• 12,433 gold
• 6,449 silver
• 15,387 copper
• 4,200 gold worth of rubies, emeralds, and sapphires
• A +1 longsword
• A set of +1 chain mail

160
Diplomacy
If the party does not wish to slay Rorithrax but instead broker
peace with the dragon, this is an option as well. To do so, the
party will first need to talk to Rorithrax. The party should have
already secured a vessel via Trell or Jameela in the section
above so they can head out to Rorithrax’s lair!
Ocean Front Map
Below is an Ocean Front map to use in the battle against
these ocean creatures. You can find a full-sized downloadable
version of this map with the contents of this product on the
DM's Guild.

The ship drops anchor seventy-five feet from the shoreline

and you climb aboard a rowboat that is lowered to the water’s
edge so you can make your way over to the beach. Near the
tip of the peninsula is a massive cave, its entryway dark and
ominous. You know Rorithrax looms within, but for now, the
area is almost eerily silent. No seagulls fly overhead here and
even the ocean seems to calm before crashing against the
shore. The path leading up to the cavern is steep and rocky,
but manageable. A thin stream of water pours out of the cave,
cascades over the rocks, and eventually finds its way to the
ocean.

Rorithrax is asleep in his lair, but if the party calls out and
makes their presence known rather than trying to sneak in,
he will respond to their calls with curiosity; he will still have
a threatening tone of course. Rorithrax is still a young dragon
and has an even greater level of arrogance than a typical red
dragon, but he is smart enough not to push his luck too far.
He knows that any sort of attack on the city will result in his
death. He is a powerful dragon, but he is not immortal!
Rorithrax will tell the party to stay out of the cavern until
they have proven their worth and that they can be trusted! The
first will be the Test of Worth. Rorithrax will ask the party if
they would like to have their merit challenged with their minds
or with their might? Either option is valid, but Rorithrax will
give no additional details until the party has chosen.
Test of Worth - Might
Rorithrax requests that the party prove their strength by
defeating a set of powerful foes! He lets out a roar and
summons forth a set of creatures of the ocean that worship
Rorithrax.
The type and number of creatures that he summons forth
varies based on the party’s APL, but they are all considered
Deadly level encounters. This is the Ace tier after all!
The stat blocks for all of these creatures can be found at the
end of this module or in this book's bestiary.
APL Enemies
5 2x Coral Elemental
2x Merfolk Aquamancer
6 2x Kelp Elemental
2x Merfolk Aquamancer
7 2x Kelp Elemental
1x Coral Elemental
2x Merfolk Aquamancer
8 2x Kelp Elemental
2x Coral Elemental
2x Merfolk Aquamancer
Once the party has defeated these foes, Rorithrax will
acknowledge their strength and move on to the next test. He
will need the party to earn his trust. See the Test of Trust
section below!
Test of Worth - Mind
To test the mental strength and wits of the party, Rorithrax will
ask the party a series of riddles that they will need to answer
correctly for him to consider them worthy!
You know many of me, but not by my looks.
And you can't walk away once you're caught by my hooks.
When I’m at my best, I engage you quickly.
When I’m at my worst, you're apt to forget me.
Some devote their lives to collecting my kind.
And share us with others once we’ve been refined.
The last thing heard as a child goes to rest.
A terrifying dragon or a knight on a quest.
What am I?
A Story
Deep beneath the waves we rest and we wait.
First purpose defeated but our spoils still great.
An unforeseen storm or a poor navigator.
Just one mistake and our numbers grow greater.
Many call us home, but for some we are graves.
A resting place for those on each side of the waves.
What are we?
Shipwrecks

161
First comes the hurt with the color of rose.
Second goes deeper and the pain greatly grows.
Third is the worst, blackened and charred.
Leaving your body eternally marred.
What am I?
Burns
Once the party has successfully completed all of these riddles,
Rorithrax will acknowledge their intelligence and is ready to
move on to the next test! See the Test of Reverence section
below!
Test of Reverence
Once the party has completed their Test of Worth by
displaying the strength of their might or their mind,
Rorithrax's draconic arrogance will start to shine through.
He invites the party to step into his lair, assuring them that no
harm will come to them if they do not act against him.
You step into the lair of Rorithrax deep within the cave along
the peninsula. The stream of water continues all the way up
the gently sloping path, but as the room starts to open up
there is a light shining up ahead. As you walk into the open
chamber, you see a large pool of lava off to the side of the
room and a cliff along the back of the 80-foot wide chamber.
Atop this cliff is a huge assortment of pillows, gemstones,
weapons, and other objects of value. You imagine its total
worth to be tens of thousands of gold! Rorithrax rests upon
the throne of pillows and looks down at you from on high
with arrogant eyes.
Rorithrax will tell the party that if they truly wish to negotiate
peace, then it is only right to pay a tribute of reverence. They
would only be willing to make such a deal if they recognize his
unparalleled might! For the party's second test, he wishes for
them to bestow upon him a gift worthy of a dragon. This gift
can be a work of art such as a song or poem, a great gemstone
to contribute to his hoard, or perhaps even an offering to
meticulously clean his scales.
This test is intended to be quite open-ended and may be
difficult for some parties as the dragon is asking them to
treat him as a greater being, which some may naturally resist.
Allow your party to come up with a gift to present to Rorithrax
to sate his need for worship. As mentioned above, this could
be a poem that a member of the party wishes to write about
Rorithrax's strength and beauty. This could be a weapon that
they forged by hand and is of the highest quality. Perhaps they
reach out to some of the folks that they have helped and find
an item of great value. (Princess Zalia would be willing to
give up one of her necklaces, Prince Lorwick would offer up
one of his rings, and Price Liam can provide a royal brooch
depending on which of the royal children they have aided!)
Use your best judgment to determine if the gift is to
Rorithrax's standards and don't be afraid to have the dragon
scoff at them and send them out to find a greater tribute if
their try to go low effort with the task! Remember, this is an
Ace tier challenge so they need to work hard!
162
Test of Trust
With the Tests of Worth and Reverence out of the way, the
party will need to earn Rorithrax’s trust before he is willing
to engage them in any sort of negotiation. He would like
the party to bring him the crown of King Tylas. Doing so
would prove that the king is serious about making peace
between Rorithrax and the city of Kalisway Bay. Rorithrax
gives his word that should they strike a successful deal, the
crown will be returned to the king, but if this is some sort of
trick, he will keep it as part of his hoard! If the party does not
return within the next twelve hours with the crown, he will be
forced to assume that this entire encounter has been part of
an elaborate scheme to steal his hoard and he will have his
revenge!
Getting A Meeting With The King
Now, this is no easy feat for the party! They will need to meet
with King Tylas and convince him that a deal with Rorithrax is
in the city’s best interest. They will also need to convince him
to give up his crown to a group of random adventurers to bring
to the lair of a dragon - and this is even more challenging!
Before they can do either of these things, they will need to
find a way to meet with the king! There are a few days to do
so!
• Speaking with the King at the Royal Moonlight Ball.
• Speaking with the King after retrieving Prince Lorwick’s
missing crown.
• Requesting an audience with the King
If the party takes on this challenge before the Royal
Moonlight Ball, they will have an opportunity at the event for
an audience with the king by waiting in line. To get into the
event, they will need to have earned themselves an invitation.
Details for how to earn an invitation and get access to the ball
are outlined in Task 9: Obtain an Icebloom Lily from the
Royal Gardens and more specific details about the ball can be
found in the Task Queen: Have a Dance with Princess Zalia
section. With that content, you should be able to guide your
party through gaining an invitation to the ball and meeting
with the king! Your players may have already done all of this
depending on the other tasks.
If the party has not completed Task King: Retrieve Prince
Lorwick’s Stolen Crown they will have an opportunity with
its completion to speak to the king. If they have completed that
task, they will also already be in the king’s good graces and
he will be far more willing to listen to their request since they
have built a reputation as allies of the city.
The final option is to simply head to the castle and request
a meeting with the king. If the party has not completed any
of the other major tasks that would draw the attention of the
royal family (Task Jack: Deal With the Creature that Lurks
in the Sewers being the major one not yet mentioned),
they will be dismissed fairly quickly since the king’s time is
so valuable he cannot simply meet with each person that
shows up and requests an audience. The party will need to
succeed on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma
(Deception) check (depending on their methods) to
convince the guards to arrange the meeting with the king.
They will have to tell the guards that they have started
negotiations with Rorithrax and that he is going to attack the
city if they cannot meet with the king or something similar in
nature! Consider providing advantage on the check depending
on how well the party does selling the urgency of the situation!
If the party fails this check, they will have no choice but to
do another task to earn themselves some more reputation
around the town and be worthy of an audience with the
king if they have already missed the Moonlight Ball.
Once the party has found a method that works to get an
audience with the king, continue to the next section.
Convincing the King
Now the second step the party will need to do is to convince
King Tylas that it is a good idea to try to broker a peace with
Rorithrax. King Tylas is of course worried about Rorithrax’s
proximity to the city, but in the past he has operated under
a mutual respect of leaving each other alone. He knows
Rorithrax is young and that as he grows older, his desire for
wealth might grow and that might lead to attacks on ships
and the city itself, but he has been trying to find a way to deal
with this problem without losing too many lives. A threatened
dragon is incredibly dangerous and if Rorithrax is not killed
and merely enraged it could mean the death of thousands!
The idea that Rorithrax is willing to make a peaceful
agreement with the city is something that certainly piques
King Tylas’s curiosity, but he is unsure if he will be able to
trust a red dragon to keep its word.
This is such a critical moment that we will rely primarily
on the party’s arguments to the King and not a die roll.
He is open to the idea, and if the party manages to sell a
vision of a potentially lasting peace, Tylas will decide that
it is worth the risk! However, he is not willing to just send his
crown along with the party, even if they are trusted individuals
of the town. King Tylas will assign his king's guard - Val’Kjosa
- to go with them to meet with Rorithrax and instructs them to
take one of the royal ships for the next trip out.
Negotiations
The party will get aboard one of the royal ships in the harbor
and head back out to Rorithrax’s lair with a crew of capable
sailors and Val’Kjosa (or Val for short). It is just Val who
chooses to accompany the party when they arrive, leaving
the other soldiers on the ship. He doesn’t want to frighten
Rorithrax into thinking this is some sort of attack by bringing
an entire squad of soldiers.
Val represents the city as he listens to these demands and
informs Rorithrax that the royal family can uphold these
requests contingent on the understanding that if any other
dragon attempts to settle within 100 miles of Kalisway Bay,
Rorithrax is to drive them away. If the city completes this
agreement with him, it will then be his city to defend or the
rewards end.
The small but still imposing dragon reflects for a moment on
these demands before turning to face your group. He speaks
with a voice that makes the entire cavern rumble. “I will agree
to these terms only under the condition that the ones that
initially proposed this arrangement agree to help me best
any dragons that may pose a threat greater than myself. I am
still young and seek to grow ancient. I am not too arrogant
to accept help when help is needed. As payment for this
addendum, they may claim a treasure from my hoard.”
The party will have to decide if they are ok with this condition.
If there is another dragon spotted in the region, they will be
called upon by the city of Kalisway Bay and Rorithrax himself
to dispatch the threat! It is a large commitment, but it is
the one they will need to agree to in order for the deal to be
completed successfully!
A Reward for Your Efforts
Once the deal is completed, Rorithrax will hold up his end of
the bargain and offer to the party one of the following:
• A +2 weapon of their choosing
• A set of +1 armor of their choosing
• A bag of diamonds, rubies, and sapphires worth 5,000 gold
pieces.
Complications Considerations
The Clubs means the party will have to negotiate peace with
Rorithrax rather than slay the dragon. It also means that even
down the route of diplomacy, they will have to opt to prove
themselves via Wisdom rather than Might. The Diamonds
complication may upset some of the methods that the party
has to gain aid against the dragon and will make obtaining a
ride from Trell more difficult - forcing them to do a favor for
the elderly sailor! The Spades complication can be used to
make a tribute for Rorithrax in the form of a song, poem, or
even a well-crafted item.

They head back into the lair where Rorithrax is waiting,

alert and ready to strike if anything seems amiss. Val
introduces himself as the head of the king’s guard and
presents the royal crown to Rorithrax as a token of their
faith that negotiations for peace can begin. Rorithrax will
inspect the crown to ensure its authenticity, before making his
demands:
•5
 ,000 gold in coins or treasures delivered to his shores
monthly
•A
 ll that tread into his cavern uninvited forfeit their life
without any threat of repercussions from the city
•T
 he city renames the Kalisway Peninsula to Rorithrax’s
Peninsula

163
A Job Well Done Stat Blocks
When the party manages to complete their last task, Kal will
present himself to them and be delighted. He will inform them
that he was watching the entire time and give highlights are
Mutated Snapping Turtle
Large monstrosity, unaligned
various moments of their adventure that he found particularly
entertaining and choices they took that surprised him. Recall
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
actions the party took to get around the complications of
Hit Points 171 (18d10 + 72)
the suits and those times the party came up with those truly Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
unique solutions! At the end of the day, Kal feels it was money
well spent for such an incredible display of ingenuity!
Kal will conjure a scroll out of the air as well as a quill and STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
jar of ink. He then manifests a set of glasses that he puts on 22 (+6) 8 (–1) 19 (+4) 2 (–4) 13 (+1) 3 (–4)
his face before starting to write - going over each of their tasks
Saving Throws Con +8, Str +10
and the individual complications as he calculates their total
Skills Perception +5
reward for their efforts! See the section below as a reminder
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
of exactly how much gold the party makes should they
Languages –
successfully complete all of their tasks! Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Rewards
•2  -10 - Number x 25 gold Amphibious. The turtle can breathe air and water.
• J ack - 500 gold
•Q  ueen - 750 gold Charging Chomp. If the turtle takes the dash action on its turn
•K  ing - 1,000 gold and moves at least 40 feet directly towards a target, it can
make a bite attack as a bonus action. This attack is made with
•A  ce - 1,500 gold
advantage and deals an additional 19 (3d12) piercing damage
•T  wo suits - 50% extra gold
on hit.
•T  hree suits - 100% extra gold
•F  our suits - 200% extra gold A ctions
Multiattack. The turtle makes three attacks: one with its bite
Experience and Loot and two with its claws.

Experience and Loot for this adventure are far different than
some of the other adventures as it largely depends on how
many cards the party draws and the decisions they make
down the multiple branching paths of each of these tasks.
For experience, I would recommend giving your players
at least one full level as long as they met the minimum
requirements of the adventure but if they went above and
beyond consider awarding them with 2 levels or at least strong
progress towards the next as this adventure can sprawl for
many sessions!
If they never had to use their one-hour rewind to set things
back, Kal will be impressed. He will reach in his pocket
and pull out a small golden hourglass on a silver chain and
offer it to the party. He explains that this item has the same
power that he was ready to bestow upon the party. If they hold
the hourglass and say "Kal, send us back", they will travel back
in time exactly one hour, but the hourglass will vanish.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage.
R eactions
Spiked Retreat. When the turtle would be hit by a melee
weapon attack, it can quickly pull its head and limbs into its
shell. The turtle’s AC increases by 4 until the start of its next
turn as it remains hidden away. If this ability caused the attack
to miss and the attacking creature is within 5 feet, the attacker
takes 6 (1d12) piercing damage from the vicious spikes on
the turtle’s shell.
The first attack the turtle makes on its next turn is made with
disadvantage as it emerges from its shell.

164
Xel (CR 3 Variant) Xel (CR 5 Variant)
Medium human, chaotic good Medium human, chaotic good

Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor) Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18) Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +6 Saving Throws Wis +6, Cha +8
Skills Arcana +4, History +4, Perception +5, Religion +4 Skills Arcana +5, History +5, Perception +6, Religion +5
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15 Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Elvish, Infernal Languages Common, Elvish, Infernal
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +3

Dark One’s Blessing. When Xel reduces a hostile creature to 0
hit points, he gains 9 temporary hit points.
Deep Knowledge. Xel can read all writing.
Spellcasting. Xel is a 6th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell
attacks). Xel regains its expended spellslots when he finishes
a short or long rest. He has the following warlock spells
prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast (2x 1d10 + 3),
mage armor, mage hand
1st-3rd level (2 3rd-level slots): blindness/deafness, burning
hands, command, scorching ray, stinking cloud
A ctions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
damage.
Dark One’s Blessing. When Xel reduces a hostile creature to 0
hit points, he gains 16 temporary hit points.
Deep Knowledge. Xel can read all writing.
Spellcasting. Xel is a 9th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell
attacks). Xel regains its expended spellslots when he finishes
a short or long rest. He has the following warlock spells
prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast (2x 1d10 + 4),
mage armor, mage hand
1st-3rd level (2 5th-level slots): blindness/deafness, burning
hands, command, fireball, fire shield, hallow, scorching ray,
stinking cloud, flame strike
A ctions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach
5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
damage.

165
Dungeons
Nerzugal's Dungeon Master Toolkit 4 contains only two dungeons. Initial outlines for the book had five in total, but after completing
the adventures I felt that the book would be too large with the inclusion of my other ideas, so those dungeons are being saved for
future products! The dungeons I did include are each heavily themed and are filled with challenges and encounters that I designed
to be non-linear in nature. In fact, many of the combat encounters can be avoided entirely if your group thinks outside of the box.
I wanted to reward creative thinking with these dungeons and have them each combine a strong mix of combat and non-combat
elements to challenge the ability of not only the characters but also the players who control them at the table! These dungeons are
strictly focused on presenting a neatly packaged set of problems for your party to solve and have very little in terms of roleplaying.

Overviews
The Rule of Law Dungeon
Levels: 1-8
Expected Duration: 4-6 Hours
Tags: One-Shot, Very Puzzle-Heavy
This dungeon was inspired heavily by the video game Baba
is You, giving the party a Book of Law that contains rules
that modify each room of the dungeon. As the party steps
into each new area, they will find a set of rules that create
a unique challenge for them to overcome. By exploring
their surroundings, the party will unlock ways to modify
the contents of the book. This will be able to do things such
as make an item's weight increase tenfold, reverse gravity
for an entire room, or give sentience to inanimate objects!
Most of the rooms have multiple solutions using different
combinations of rules to find a unique solution to the problem
at hand. The Book of Law is with the group for the entirety
of the dungeon, so while it does have combat challenges for
them to overcome, I still consider this to be a true Puzzle
Dungeon.
That being said, I intended to make this dungeon accessible
to everyone, not just those who enjoy puzzles and riddles.
The challenges they face within the Book of Law dungeon
can all be brute-forced with enough time so the party will not
be left scratching their heads as they are unable to solve a
tricky riddle! In my playtesting, players who enjoy out-of-the-
box thinking and approaching battle as tacticians have loved
the Book of Laws and the twist that it applies to a traditional
dungeon. These elements especially shine when players can
physically or digitally interact with the rules, collaborating to
find effective combinations and celebrating together when it
all comes together.
This has quickly become one of my favorite dungeons of all
time and I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
The House of Unspeakable Horrors
Levels: 5-8
Expected Duration: 2-4 Hours
Tags: One-Shot, Horror
The House of Unspeakable Horrors is a haunted house that
is targeted at experienced adventuring groups. You can utilize
the adventure either as the party testing out the haunted
house for the first time or simply going through it to see what
all of the excitement is about! It is intended to be frightening
and designed in such a way that the characters are uncertain
of whether or not the horrors within are real. Rest assured,
the danger is quite real, for it wouldn’t be an attraction worthy
of adventurers if there was no danger!
The party will be forced to split up and face their own
individual challenges in both combat and problem-solving.
They will need to climb through the disgusting blood pipes
and choose if they want to crawl through the path of thorns
or navigate through the swarm of deadly mushrooms. Will
the party take advantage of the vampire-slaying equipment
scattered around the room with the coffin, or will they try their
hand at the piano and have a dance party with the vampires
instead? This adventure is meant to be frightening but also a
bit silly at times, so don’t take it too seriously despite its name!
At the end of the dungeon, the party will find themselves in
the gift shop where they can walk away from the experience
with a souvenir mug or a pin to brandish proudly on their
backpack!

166
 Rule of Law Dungeon
A Dungeon for Levels 1-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dungeon Overview Expected Length: 4-6 Hours
The Rule of Law dungeon is one that is intended to open up a
world of possibilities for your players. It could be described as
an entire puzzle dungeon with some rooms containing fixed
solutions and others containing a multitude of solutions for
your party to uncover. Most of the puzzles are fairly simple,
but sometimes the fun is in experimenting to find the perfect
combination. They have enough structure that those who
might get frustrated at riddles or similar puzzles will still be
able to enjoy this dungeon!
The dungeon centers around a Book of Law that the party
obtains as they enter. This book allows the party to swap rules
about the dungeon itself, including the properties of items
and even the pull of gravity! In each room, the party will need
to find new words to modify their surroundings and build the
right combination to allow them to continue on to the next
encounter! Statues come to life, swords become keys, the air
becomes poisonous, and even the boss starts out invulnerable
until the rules have been changed in their favor!
Put your party’s problem-solving skills to the test in The
Rule of Law Dungeon!
Average Party Level (APL)
This dungeon uses Average Party Level (APL) to scale the
difficulty of encounters. Average Party Level is calculated as
follows:
•F  ind the average levels of all of your party members (round
up if you want to make things more challenging or down if
you want them to be easier!)
• For example, a party of four level 5 characters has an
APL of 5. A part of two level 6 characters and two level 7
characters has an APL of 6.5, but you can choose to round
this to 6 or 7 depending on the challenge you are seeking
for the adventure!
• For each character in the group above 4, add one to your
calculated APL. For each character fewer than 4, subtract 1
from the APL.
• For example, a party of six level 4 characters has an
average level of 4, but since there are six total characters,
we add 2 to our APL for a total APL value of 6.
Any calculation using APL is rounded down to a minimum
of 1!
The expected length of this dungeon is 4-6 hours. Of course,
these are simply expectations and what you experience may
change based on player choices and pacing. There are four
combat encounters in this adventure, but the way the party
approaches them and the duration of the fights can vary
dramatically depending on how they use the Book of Law!
Descriptive Text
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud
for the players when their characters first arrive at a location
or under a specific circumstance that will be noted.
Dungeon Hooks (Optional)
You may have a great way to add this dungeon into your own
campaign world, but if you are in need of inspiration you could
consider using one of the hooks below to draw your players to
the dungeon and give it an impactful role in your campaign!
The Rule of Law Dungeon is one that is intended to be
ancient and difficult to find, crafted by a society that values
rules and laws above all else. At the end of the dungeon is
an opportunity to place a powerful relic that could be key to
a major plot point in your game. Perhaps this is a dungeon
crafted by an ancient order of paladins to keep safe a sword
capable of killing a long dormant evil. It could be a band of
scholars who kept a powerful spellbook tucked away with
an incantation needed to open a portal to another world!
Maybe a group of devout clerics hid away a chalice capable of
transforming water into the cure for a disease long thought
eradicated!
As always, these are merely potential ideas and hooks
for you to consider, but the dungeon’s contents are yours to
modify however you see fit!
167
Rule of Law Dungeon Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

168
The Entryway
The dungeon is located at the base of a mountain far from
any cities. The dungeon is protected by the challenges within
but also by its obscure location that is highly unlikely to be
found by anyone who is not looking for it! The party should
have a map or directions to lead them out into the wilds and
eventually to the mountain that contains the dungeon itself.
Description
You spot a worked stone corridor that leads to a massive set
of twin doors carved into the face of the mountain. These
doors are twelve feet in height and there are no discernable
mechanisms to open the way forward. Expertly chiseled at
the center of these doors is a perfectly balanced scale that
extends to the center of each individual door, but all of the
details are difficult to see as the door is cast in deep shadows.
The players can examine this door, but any investigations
reveal that there are in fact no devices that open a way
forward - no handles, no levers, no switches! Use of the Detect
Magic spell reveals that there is abjuration at work here and
that the trigger for this magic is light.
Whenever a player holds up a light in the corridor, either
magical or mundane in nature, read the following text:
Teal lights begin to shimmer along the door as bright nodes
appear along the carving of the scale. Each of these nodes is
at a bend in the image or at an otherwise crucial location. It
takes a few moments for the nodes to become vibrant, then
light bleeds in between them as if it were water filling an
empty creek bed. When the display stops moving again, you
recognize a constellation of the night's sky shown over of the
scale.
You can utilize an Intelligence (History) check here to allow
your players to gather additional information.
•O
 n a result of 10 or higher, they will successfully recognize
this as a constellation that is visible all year round in this part
of the world.
• A result of 15 or higher and they know that in order for
the constellation to be visible from the door, it would need
to be between in the early morning, about an hour before
sunrise.
The party will need to camp out and wait for the
constellation to show itself in the night sky. When the stars
are visible from the doorway, there is a loud grinding sound
as the door opens. It will only remain open for roughly fifteen
minutes, leaving the characters trapped in the dungeon until
the next morning once they have entered!
[1] The Book of Law
Description
As you walk through the threshold of the doors, you step
into a twenty-five foot long hallway. Teal blue flames burn in
torches mounted in sconces along the wall. On the far side of
the hall is a pedestal propping up a rather thick tome. On the
stone behind this book is an intricate iron door. Surprisingly,
the air in the hall is sweet, as if scented by incense, though
you can see no burners in the area.
As the players approach the pedestal, if any of your players
have a passive Perception score of 14 or higher, they realize
that the door on the far side of the room isn’t real, simply a
beautiful and well-preserved painting of a door. The players
can also make an active DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check
to glean this same information as they approach, but they
need to be relatively close.
The Book
Resting on the pedestal is a book that is bound shut and
simply has a few dots on the cover. The characters will
recognize these as the stars that made up the constellation
on the front entrance, but it is only the nodes and not the
connecting lines as it appeared out front. When they approach
this Book of Law, they will spot a quill, a small vial of black
ink, and a single scrap of paper with the word “Open”
decoratively written upon it in blue ink. To open this book, the
players will need to complete the constellation with the quill
and ink that came with it.
It takes all of the ink in the vial to complete the constellation
- far more than would be normally expected to draw such an
image, but the ink seems to leap out of the quill and absorb
into the book as each stroke is made. Once the players have
used the quill and ink to complete the constellation of the
scale, read the following:
The book pops open to reveal “The Corridor” written in black
at the top of the page in large, blocked text. Below this is a
bullet point that simply says “The Door is Painted.” The word
“Door” is written in red ink, the word “Painted” is written in
blue ink, and the rest of the words are in black ink. On the
center-right of the page is the ink depiction of a padlock.
Rules Introduction
The players will note that the blue ink of the word “Painted”
matches the ink of the scrap of paper that they found with
the book. Whenever someone holds the scrap of paper over
the page, it begins to shake and tremble. If they press the
scrap down over the top of “Painted”, the words swap! “Open”
transfers to the page and “Painted” leaps onto the scrap!
When the players next look up, the once painted door is now
an open door framel that leads them to a new room.
169
The Laws
This book dictates the entire dungeon. Be sure to read
and understand the text below as it is critical for smooth
progression! Your players will have to figure these rules out
themselves, but that is just part of the fun!
•L  aws only exist for the room written at the top of each
page, so a law on “The Corridor” page does not affect “The
Gallery” page. Laws are always true and no other type of
magic or influence can change these properties.
•E  ach page is locked to the current room. A small padlock
symbol on the pages indicates to the party that they cannot
be turned.
•W  henever players move from one room to the next, the book
automatically flips the next page and any scraps leftover are
magically teleported between the pages of the book. If the
party travels back to a previous room, they regain the scraps
for that room while within.
• For example, the players had access to the Nouns [Door]
and [Key] and the Verbs (Heavy) and (Sharp). As soon as
they move to the next room, they lose those Nouns and
Verbs! They can only use what is available in the new
room. Even if they try to hide these scraps of paper away
in an extra-dimensional space, they find their way to the
book!
• Each page of the book states the laws that are active in a
particular room. The party will obtain scraps of paper that
can be pressed against the pages of the book to swap words
out. The word on the scrap of paper and within the book
will magically swap. This can be done any number of times,
however.
• [Nouns] are written in red and will be identified by [Square
Brackets]
• (Adjectives) are written in blue and will be identified by
(Parentheses)
• Text that cannot be modified is written in black
• Scraps of paper contain either [Nouns] or (Adjectives) that
can be pressed against the pages of the book to swap out the
words.
• [Nouns] can only swap with [Nouns] and (Adjectives)
can only swap with (Adjectives).• 
• There are Tools that the party will obtain throughout the
dungeon that can provide some additional capabilities as
well. These Tools are The Swap, which exchanges two words
that are adjacent, the And modifier which allows the party
to tack on additional words to the end of a law, and Negation
Tokens that will transform an Adjective into its antonym.
• This book is indestructible and is resistant to any attempts
to dispel its magic, though it can be identified to give insights
to a nexus of power that is specific to this dungeon alone
contained in its pages.
I highly recommend having the rules for each room
written out on actual scraps of paper for your players
to interact with as they move around the dungeon! This
should amp up the excitement and ensure that the players
always know the options that are available to them! One
thing to remember is that the order of the rules is critical
so make sure they do not get mixed up!
170
For example, The first room has the rules "The Steel is
(Indestructible)" and "The Hammer is (Weak)" with an
additional scrap to be found with the word (Strong). You can
have “The Steel is” and “The Hammer is” written out as these
are fixed phrases that cannot be changed. You can then have
individual pieces of paper with the words (Indestructible),
(Weak), and (Strong) for the players to use as they solve this
puzzle.
[2] The Lobby
Description
You look into a room that is twenty-five feet wide and fifteen
feet deep. On the far wall is a section of steel ten-foot-wide
and stretches from floor to ceiling. Along the walls are
sconces filled with torches blazing with blue light that makes
the entire room seem as if it were underwater. On the right
side of the room is a glass display case with a small hammer
hanging in a slot on its side. The book automatically flips
to the next page and you see a set of rules written upon it
labeled “The Lobby”.
The Lobby Rules
• The Steel is (Indestructible)
• The Hammer is (Weak)
Adjectives
• (Indestructible)
• (Strong)
• (Weak)
The Lobby Solution
This room has very little to offer and is meant to be a
straightforward challenge for the players to introduce them
to the concepts of The Book of Law. Within the glass display
on the right side of the room is an additional scrap of paper
that reads (Strong) in blue ink since it is an Adjective.
The players will need to smash the glass, which they can’t
do with the hammer since it is currently (Weak)! Any other
blunt object or weapon will do, however!
To get out of this room, the players will need to break down
the steel wall. They do this by swapping the contents of the
Book of Law until the laws read as follows:
• The Steel is (Weak)
• The Hammer is (Strong)
With these rules in place, the players can use the hammer
that was attached to the display case to smash through the
steel wall with ease. It crushes inward and reveals a door that
leads to The Library. The players will likely bring the hammer
with them, but once they leave The Lobby, the Law that makes
the hammer strong no longer has effect. This is how they will
learn that the rules do not persist beyond the bounds of the
rooms for which they are written.
It is also possible that if the Steel is (Weak), the players
could use other means to smash through it, but it is far more
difficult than using the (Strong) Hammer!
[3] The Library
Description
Beyond the smashed steel is a room filled with bookshelves
that extend from floor to ceiling. It is quite large, with the
ceiling fifteen feet overhead and multiple twenty-foot-long
shelves breaking up the room. There are candles burning all
throughout the area that fill the air with a pleasant aroma
when combined with the smell of the books themselves.
From this doorway, you can see a desk at the center of the
room with a small display case sitting upon it. Looking down
at the Book of Law, you see the page turns to reveal the rules
for The Library.
The Library Rules
•T
 he [Books] are (Alive)
•T
 he [Statues] are Heavy and Indestructible
Available Modifiers
Nouns
• [Books]
• [Statues]
Adjectives
• (Alive)
• (Tiny)
New Tools
•T
 he Swap
Library Challenges
As soon as a character enters the library, they come under
attack by books that hurl themselves at the party. These are
indended to be more of an annoyance than a threat. This isn't
meant to be a combat encounter, but every so often while the
party is in the room, have a member of the party make a DC (8
+ APL/2) Dexterity saving throw, taking (APL/2) bludgeoning
damage on a failed save. Reminder that APL calculations
always round down to a minimum of 1! The party will
continue to be attacked by books until they are able to get to
the center of the room, smash through the display case, and
use the Book of Law to swap out the rules.
The door leading out of the library is off to the right, but
is currently blocked by the pair of knight statues. Extending
above the exit is a large scale, the arms of which hang down
on each side of the door. One of these sides is empty and the
other holds a huge metal block that weighs well over a ton.
This weight is attached to the scale so it cannot be forcibly
removed. The only way through is to balance the scale which
causes the door to open!
This room also introduces a new mechanic - The Swap.
This is a tiny metal object that glows teal. It is in the shape of
a double-ended arrow and is roughly an inch in length. It just
so happens to be the exact same size as the spacing between
each line in the Book of Law. When this trinket is pressed
on the space between two words that can be modified, they
will immediately swap places if they are both Nouns or both
Adjectives.
This can be performed an infinite number of times and the
party will have this tool with them for the rest of the dungeon.
Library Solution
The intended solution for the library is to ward off the books
while the players make their way to the display case at the
center of the room. They can smash the glass to gain access
to the (Tiny) adjective and the Swap mechanism for the Book
of Law. They can then exchange (Alive) for (Tiny) and combat
will end. The books across the room all become one-tenth of
their ordinary size and weight. This still leaves the door out of
the room obstructed though!
In order to proceed, they will need to use their new swap
token! The intended method is to swap the [Statues] and
[Books] nouns so that the book reads:
• The [Statues] are (Tiny)
• The [Books] are Heavy and Indestructible
Since the party doesn't have any Noun scraps, the Swap is
the only way to change those particular rules!
Having the statues become tiny will allow the party to
move them out of the way! Afterwards, even if the rules are
swapped, the statues are no longer blocking the corridor.
The players can use these rules to transport tiny, lightweight
books over to the scale. Once enough books are piled up,
an additional swap can happen - once again creating heavy
books. It will require a total of 50 books on the scale for
this to happen, which is no problem at all with the simple
transportation of tiny books! When the scale is balanced, the
door swings open!
Possibilities
The players might choose to swap the rules in such a way that
the Statues become alive. This will cause the statues to attack,
but also is an alternative way to get them out of the hallway.
This is inadvisable since the statues are much stronger than
books! Consult the table below to determine the stat block to
use for the armor should it become animated!
Living Statue Stat Blocks
APL Stat Block
1-4 Animated Armor
5-8 Helmed Horror
A (Heavy) object weighs ten times its ordinary weight, so while
books are still quite the burden to carry (roughly 20 pounds),
it is not an impossibility. The statues on the other hand are
normally 400 pounds so when (Heavy) they will be 4,000
pounds! This is still technically possible for some groups, but
incredibly difficult so it should be obvious to the players that
the Book of Law is their correct path.
The players can still technically get to the scale with the
statues in place, but it is a huge pain and makes trying to get
items onto the scale a real hassle so it is expected the party
will find a way to move them!
171
[4] The Reflecting Pool
Description
You look through the door out of the library, but
unfortunately, the room before you is cast in magical
darkness! You can hear gentle water flowing as if from a small
stream or a fountain. There is also a light acrid smell in the
air. Beyond these few sensory items, the area beyond is left a
mystery, but you do look down and see the Book of Law has
flipped to a page titled The Reflecting Pools.
Consult the map for more details on the layout of this room
and the location of the treasure chests. This room steps up
the complexity from the last room quite a bit, so the party will
really have their work cut out for them!
The Reflecting Pools Rules
•T  he Oozes Regenerate and are Fast
•T  he Oozes are weak to [Lightning]
•T  he Room is (Dark)
• [ Water] is (Poisonous)
• [ Fire] is (Invisible)
•T  he Exit is Locked until the Oozes are Dead
Available Scraps
Nouns
• [Fire]
• [Lightning]
• [Water]
• [Light]
Adjectives
• (Dark)
• (Poisonous)
• (Invisible)
• (Bright)
Reflecting Pools Challenges
There are three oozes lurking in this room, down in the water.
They crawl out and attack the party as they move by. The party
knows about these oozes from the book, so they will have
the advantage, but the room starts out cast in total darkness.
Any form of light in this room only extends for 10 feet, so the
characters will only be able to see things that are immediately
in front of them! This applies the same way to those with
darkvision due to the magical nature of the darkness!
Placed throughout the room are a series of chests. Two
of these chests are filled with a jelly-like substance and have
a scrap of paper at their center. One of these is along the
outskirts of the room, while the other is down in the water!
This jelly is not deadly, but requires a full turn to dig through
and retrieve the scrap, so someone digging will risk attacks by
the oozes.
The other chests in the room are merely distractions and
contain small scraps of paper that read “Bad luck. Perhaps try
another chest!” and “Not this one. Maybe in the water?”
172
The party can defeat the oozes, but they regenerate hit points
each round depending on the party’s APL. This regeneration
is ended if they have been impacted by the thing they are
weak to since their last turn. The ooozes also make all of
their attacks with disadvantage while in this weakened state.
Reflecting Pools Solution
The pool on the far side of the room from the entrance
contains the chest that holds the scrap with the noun [Light].
The chest to the southwest of the bridge contains the scraps
with the adjective (Bright). By changing the rules in the Book
to the following:
• The Oozes are weak to [Light]
• The Room is (Bright)
The party will be able to see and the oozes will have their
healing suppressed constantly! This will allow them to be
easily dispatched and open the way forward.
Reflecting Pools Possibilities
• If the Oozes are weak to Lightning or Fire, they do not
regenerate on their turn if they have been dealt damage by
that element since their last turn.
• If the Oozes are weak to Water, they do not regenerate as
long as they are in water or have been splashed with water
since their last turn.
• If the Oozes are weak to Light, they do not regenerate as
long as the Room is Bright.
• If the Room is Poisonous, each character in the room takes
1d6 poison damage at the start of each turn.
• If the Room is Invisible, then all of the walls become invisible
and the stone and dirt behind becomes visible. This makes
walking through the room very awkward.
• If the Room is Bright, then the room lights up and creatures
have perfect visibility
• If the Water is Poisonous, it deals 1d6 poison damage to any
creature that is in the water at the start of each turn or when
a creature enters the water for the first time on its turn. This
includes Oozes and can be used to kill them!
• If the Water is Bright, it glows and gives off enough light to
illuminate the entire room.
• Dark and Invisible simply change the appearance of the
water. If it's dark, it looks like tar. If invisible, well, it is
invisible.
As mentioned at the start, there is a multitude of
possibilities for this room, so while the best solution is to
make the oozes weak to light and make the room bright, that
is not the only correct solution. Make sure to reward your
players if they come up with an interesting or creative strategy
that differs from the one listed above.
The Oozes [6] The Gallery
The types of oozes the party faces and their rate of
regeneration is modified based on the party’s APL. Consult
Description
the table below for more information on this challenge! Some
of the oozes shown below are custom stat blocks. Those ooze You step into a short hallway that opens up to a larger room
stat blocks can be found at the end of the module! filled with all sorts of novelties and peculiarities. Pedestals,
pillars, and other displays are arranged in a 3x3 pattern.
APL Enemies Regeneration Most are covered in glass cases with a small gold lock, but
1 3x Gray Ooze (MM Pg. 243) 2 / round at the center of the room, resting atop a particularly ornate
display, is a tiny, gem-adorned sword that is not protected.
* Reduce acid damage to 1d6.
The protected items include a model ship, intricate wood
2 3x Gray Ooze 3 / round carvings, stone tablets, a small metal token with a plus sign on
3 3x Lesser Black Pudding (End of 5 / round it, and even a few pieces of jewelry that strangely appear to be
Module) dangling up towards the ceiling! The Book of Law turns to a
page labeled The Gallery.
4 3x Lesser Black Pudding 10 / round
5-6 3x Ochre Jelly (MM Pg. 243) 10 / round
7-8 3x Mesmeric Sludge (End of 10 / round The Gallery Rules
Module) • Gravity is Reversed
• The Displays and Wheel are Locked and Indestructible
• The [Floor] is (Sticky)
[5] The Room of Respite • The [Ceiling] is Painful
• The Sword is (Small)
Description
You step into a room with a thick teal carpet across the floor
Available Modifiers
and a few couches and chairs neatly placed along the walls. Nouns
The space is only about 20 feet by 20 feet, but it is cozy. The • [Floor]
aroma of fresh fruit and cooked meat strikes you and you see • [Ceiling]
a table decorated with a meal that would serve a dozen people • [Ship]
with ease. In one corner is a table with a set of playing cards
resting atop it. Just to the right is a metal door and appears to Adjectives
be the only exit. • (Sticky)
• (Small)
• (a Key)
The Room of Respite Rules
•T
 his Room is Peaceful Gallery Challenges
•T
 his Room is Safe As the party makes their way down the short hallway to the
•T
 he Peace and Safety are Temporary Gallery, they will notice themselves becoming lighter and then
eventually being pulled up towards the ceiling! The ceiling in
No Challenges Here the hallway is only about ten feet high so if they fall upwards it
does not cause fall damage.
This room is merely an area where the party can take a short As soon as the players get into the room, make sure
rest, though the phrasing of the rules are intended to make the to note each of the following details to the group! The
players weary. They can partake in the meal presented and it doorway leading out of this room is touching the ceiling
is delicious. They can even play a round of cards while they which is 30 feet up! Next to the door is a metal wheel
catch their breath! (this can be cranked to open a portcullis that is currently
After 90 minutes, the room begins to flood with poisonous blocking access to the door). Next to the wheel is a small
gas and spiders crawl out from beneath the furniture. The recess in the shape of a ship.
party will need to get out of the room as quickly as possible In order to get out of this room, the party must open
or start to take poison damage every turn and be attacked by the portcullis that blocks the door. This is made far more
these small, venomous spiders! challenging by the fact that gravity is reversed so the party will
If this occurs, each party member is attacked by a spider need to tread carefully as they move through the area.
each round. The spider makes an attack with a bonus to hit The party will need to place the model ship in the slot next
equal to 2 + (APL / 2) and on hit deals 1d4 * (APL / 2) poison to the door, transform it into a key, and then turn the wheel in
damage. Each round the party is in the room, they also take order to open the portcullis and get through the door!
poison damage equal to their APL, so the damage adds up
quickly!

173
Gallery Solution
Once the players have moved out into the room itself, there
is a lot to see. Have your players make a DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) check. On a success, they notice that there is
a small wooden box attached to the ceiling near its center
(Gravity is pulling them towards the ceiling at the moment, so
they technically fall up to the ceiling). In this box are two new
scraps of paper for the party to utilize in this room.
• ( a Key)
• [Ship]
The first thing the party will need to do is retrieve the new
scraps from the box along the ceiling. It is easy to get down
to the ceiling (remember, gravity is reversed), but every round
a character spends on the ceiling inflicts [APL] damage as
the ceiling is painful by default! This can be addressed by
simply using the Swap mechanic to make the Floor Painful
and the Ceiling Sticky, or the players can tie a rope to one
of the displays and climb down to the box. Make sure to still
challenge your players to get down to the box safely either way,
since the ceiling is 30 feet down!
They can maneuver through the room using the sticky
floor tiles, but movement is tricky and they must succeed on
a DC 13 Strength saving throw each time they travel their
movement speed. A fail on this check causes the player to
start to stumble and they must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving
throw to reposition their feet in time or they go tumbling up
to the ceiling which is 30 feet above, but if it is (Painful) it
causes an extra 1d6 damage, so a character will take 14 (4d6)
damage! Even getting to the “floor” is a challenge, as they
must find a way to leap up to it from the hallway!
The box opens easily once someone has reached it. With
the new scraps in their possession, the party can make some
more progress. The next step is to transform the Sword into
a Key so it can be used to open the other display cases. The
sword is the only display item that is not protected by
indestructible glass.
Two of these items are critical for the party’s progression:
•T  he ship is needed to be used as a key to get out of the room
•U  nder one of the displays, the party will find an additional
modifier token. This one is in the shape of a plus sign and it
can be pressed to the page to allow an additional modifier of
the same type to be applied at the end of a line. For example:
•T  he [Ship] is (Small) and (a Key) which is critical to
escaping this chamber!
• If the line of text does not end in a [Noun] or (Adjective),
the token cannot be applied to the page.
• The token can be removed at any time. Doing so causes
the item after the modifier to fall out of the book in scrap
form.
• They will be able to take this with them for the
remainder of the dungeon.
• The other containers hold items of value such as gemstones,
jewelry, and carved art pieces.
• The total value of these items is equal to 200 x APL gold.
Retrieval is challenging as the players must navigate the
floor with reversed gravity to do so!
174
The party will need to retrieve both the ship and the And
modifier to escape this room by doing the following:
• Switch [Floor] for [Ship] in "The [Floor] is (Sticky)" rule
• Switch (Sticky) for (Small) in that same rule
• Use the And modifier to add “And (a Key)” to the end of the
first rule
• This should give you The [Ship] is (Small) and (a Key)
which allows the ship to be placed in the slot next to the exit
and open the path forward!
• By default, the model ship does not fit into the slot next to
the wheel, so they will need to apply the (Small) modifier
for the ship to work as the key
Now the party simply needs to crank the wheel to open
the portcullis, but the final challenge is that this wheel is
incredibly difficult to turn! It takes leverage, so someone just
hanging from the ceiling will be incapable of turning it. They
will need to use The [Ceiling] is (Sticky) as a rule so someone
can safely stand on it and turn the wheel without being
harmed! With all of these things in place, the door can be
opened and the party can continue their journey.
Possibilities
• It is possible that the Floor or Ceiling can become Small in
this room. When this happens, the edges of the walls of the
room pull inward and become curved, significantly reducing
the size of the floor or ceiling but keeping most of the space
in the room!
• It is also possible for the Floor or Ceiling to become a Key
in this room. When this happens, if the party touches the
Floor or Ceiling with one of the display cases (which can be
removed with some force) they will pop open.
• Any object that becomes painful deals [APL] damage per
round to any creature that is touching it. This applies to
Floor, Ceiling, Sword, and Ship.
The Garden
Description
The door opens and you are struck by the lovely scent of
flowers and are greeted by the pleasant sound of water
flowing through a fountain at the center of the room. Resting
on top of the fountain is a small display case holding a scrap
of paper. Along the edges of the area are flowerbeds. You can
see a watering can sitting on one of these flowerbeds to your
left, nestled amongst the brilliant red lilies! There are also
hedges that have been carved into the shapes of animals in
the area and are intricately detailed. Massive thorns erupt from
the ground all through the area and as you look closely you
can actually see them wiggling ever so slightly through the
ground as if they were snakes rather than plants. An especially
large cluster of these thorns blocks the door leading out of
the room! Three beautiful trees are planted in this area and
you can spot a small scrap of paper nailed to a high branch
of the tree on the far side. The Book of Law flips to a page
labeled The Garden.
The Garden Rules The Hedges
•T
 he Hedges are (Aggressive) The types of animals represented by the hedges and their stat
•T
 he Thorns are Aggressive and Regrow Rapidly blocks varies depending on the party’s APL. Each of these
•T
 he Flowers are (Able to Speak) creatures have an added vulnerability to fire and slashing
•T
 he [Watering Cans] are (Sentient) damage and resistance to bludgeoning damage.
•T
 he Door is Locked while the Thorns Protect
APL Enemies
1 1x Wolf (MM Pg. 341)
Available Scraps 1x Mastiff (MM Pg. 332)
Nouns 1x Camel (MM Pg. 320)
• [Flowers] 1x Goat (MM Pg. 330)
• [ Watering Cans] 2 2x Wolf
• [ Water Sources] 2x Elk (MM Pg. 322)
Adjectives 3 1x Ape (MM Pg. 317)
• (Aggressive) 1x Black Bear (MM Pg. 318)
• ( Able to Speak) 2x Wolf
• (Sentient) 4 2x Dire Wolf (MM Pg. 321)
• (Passive) 1x Ape 1x Black Bear
• (Toxic)
5-6 2x Saber-Toothed Tiger (MM Pg. 336)
2x Dire Wolf
Garden Challenges 7-8 1x Giant Scorpion (MM Pg. 327)
As the party enters the garden, the hedge animals come 2x Saber-Toothed Tiger
to life and start attacking. They can be destroyed or can x Giant Boar (MM Pg. 323)
be neutralized by retrieving the scrap from the tree on the
opposite side of the room which holds the adjective (Passive).
The thorns and hedges will block efforts to retrieve it,
however. The box on top of the fountain contains a scrap with
The Treasure Chamber
the word [Water Sources] written upon it. The beautiful grass and aromas of the garden fade as you
The final scrap contains the word (Toxic) and it is buried in open the doors and see a room with copper, silver, and gold
one of the flower boxes. The party can learn this information scattered all throughout its space. Near each corner of the
only by making the Flowers sentient and talking to them. They room sits an ornate treasure chest. Thick stone pillars break
will say that someone came through here, dug up some of up the rather large room, but there is little to see beyond the
their kind, and buried a piece of paper in the dirt! treasures. The Book of Law flips open to a new page as has
been the standard for the rest of the dungeon. The top of
the page reads The Treasure Chamber but where the laws are
The Garden Solution typically defined there is simply a massive question mark.
•T  he party can utilize the (Passive) scrap to make the
[Hedges] no longer attack As soon as the party tries to interact with any of the treasure
•T  he party needs to make the [Flowers] (Able to Speak) and in the room, the Treasure Guardian awakens and the Book of
(Sentient) in order to learn about the (Toxic) scrap hidden in Law flashes with the rules below! The treasure guardian is a
one of the garden beds large humanoid creature that is given form from a collection
• They will need to utilize the And modifier from the of stone and coins from the room. These all rapidly fly across
previous room to accomplish this. They will also need to the room and crash together with a bright flash to form the
have found the (Passive) adjective in order to have a spare treasure guardian!
scrap to utilize.
• The party will then need to make a law for "The [Water
Sources] are (Toxic)". After which, they can use the watering The Treasure Chamber Rules
cans to take water from the fountain and douse thorns in • The Guardian is (Immortal)
toxic water which prevents them from regrowing. • The Guardian is (Fast)
• The Guardian is (Strong)
• The Guardian Reflects [Spells]
• The Chests are Alive!

175
Available Scraps The Treasure Guardian / Chests
Nouns The stat blocks of the Treasure Guardian and the Treasure
• [Spells] Chests scales based on the party’s APL.
• [Nothing]
Treasure
Adjectives APL Treasure Guardian Chests
• (Immortal) 1 CR 1 Treasure Guardian with 0 5 hit
• (Fast) Legendary Actions. points.
• (Strong)
2 CR 1 Treasure Guardian with 1 5 hit
Legendary Action and 25 hit points. points.
Negation Trinket 3 CR 1 Treasure Guardian with 1 10 hit
During the fight, the guardian’s minions (the treasure chests)
will drop negation tokens. These are small round trinkets
Legendary Action and 50 hit points. points.
that are approximately the size of a gold coin with a red ‘X’ 4 CR 4 Treasure Guardian with 1 10 hit
on them. When this is pressed against an Adjective in the Legendary Action. points.
book, that Adjective is negated permanently. So for this fight, 5-6 CR 4 Treasure Guardian with 2 15 hit
Immortal becomes Mortal, Fast becomes Slow, and Strong Legendary Actions and 110 hit points.
becomes Weak! These are the key to winning the battle! points.
7-8 CR 4 Treasure Guardian with 3 20 hit
Treasure Chamber Challenges Legendary Actions and 150 hit points.
Once the Guardian awakens, it will immediately start points. Wave of Gold deals 8d8
attacking the party as the door slams shut. As the guardian damage and its DC is increased to 15.
rises, the chests around the edges of the room awaken as well!
They begin hopping around and avoiding the party as best When the treasure guardian is reduced to 0 hit points, it
they can! They have a movement speed of 15 feet and an AC explodes into a mass of coins that launch across the room and
of 13. Their health scales with APL and is shown in the chart fill the air with a cacophony of coins clattering against stone.
below. The first chest destroyed contains a scrap of paper Shortly after, the stone at the center of the Treasure Chamber
with the word [Nothing] on it. The next three each contain a begins to grind, tumbling away to allow room for a pedestal
negation trinket. to rise up from below. Resting atop this pedestal is one final
treasure chest for the party to open. Within this chest, you can
The laws of the book have the following effects on the boss: place whatever critical item your party came here to find that
•T
 he Guardian is (Immortal) - The Guardian cannot be has been hidden away for so long! This item is whatever you
damaged. need to fulfill the overarching story of your campaign!
•T
 he Guardian is (Fast) - The Guardian’s speed is doubled. Along with this chest, the party can loot the copper, silver,
•T
 he Guardian is (Slow) - The Guardian’s speed is halved. and gold that exploded across the room with total amounts
•T
 he Guardian is (Strong) - The Guardian’s Strong feature is scaling based on APL. See the Loot section below to see the
activated (explained in the stat block). amount of wealth the party receives within this chamber.
•T
 he Guardian is (Weak) - The Guardian’s Strong feature is
deactivated (explained in the stat block).
•T
 he Guardian Reflects [Spells] - Spells that target only the
Guardian are reflected back at the caster using the same
attack bonus to hit.

176
Experience and Loot
The Experience listed below represents a blend of monster encounters, non-combat encounters, and some bonus experience for
finishing the quest. Feel free to adjust these values if you see fit. The reward your party receives for completion of this adventure
is based upon the party’s APL. The room contains a huge quantity of coins since so many are requires to construct the Treasure
Guardian which can make it difficult to transfer everything out of the dungeon so your party may face one final challenge here!

APL XP Per Player Reward

1 300 110 Gold, 800 Silver, 1,000 Copper
2 900 150 Gold, 1,200 Silver, 1,000 Copper
3 2,000 300 Gold, 1,000 Silver, 1,000 Copper
4 3,200 500 Gold, 1,200 Silver, 1,500 Copper
5 4,500 1,000 Gold, 2,500 Silver, 1,000 Copper
6 7,000 1,500 Gold, 2,500 Silver, 1,000 Copper
7 9,000 2,000 Gold, 3,000 Silver, 1,200 Copper
8 11,000 3,000 Gold, 3,000 Silver, 1,500 Copper

Stat Blocks
Lesser Black Pudding The pudding can eat through 1-inch-thick, nonmagical wood
or metal in 1 round.
Medium ooze, unaligned
Spider Climb. The pudding can climb difficult surfaces,
Armor Class 7 including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4) an ability check.
Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft.
A ctions
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) acid
14 (+2) 4 (–3) 12 (+1) 1 (–5) 6 (–2) 1 (–5)
damage. In addition, nonmagical armor worn by the target
is party dissolved and takes a permanent and cumulative -1
Damage Resistances Acid, Cold, Lightning, Slashing
penalty to the AC that it offers. The armor is destroyed if the
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened,
penalty reduces its AC to 10.
Exhaustion, Frightened, Prone
Senses Passive Perception 8
Languages –
R eactions
Challenge 1 (200 XP) Split. If a pudding has not split and is subjected to lightning
or slashing damage, it splits into two new puddings if it has at
least 10 hit points. Each new pudding has hit points equal to
Amorphous. The pudding can move through a space as narrow half the original pudding’s, rounded down. New puddings are
as 1 inch wide without squeezing. size Small.
Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the pudding or hits it
with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 2 (1d4) acid
damage. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal or wood that
hits the pudding corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon
takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to damage rolls.
If its penalty drops to -5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical
ammunition made of metal or wood that hits the pudding is
destroyed after dealing damage.

177
 Mesmeric Sludge Spider Climb. The sludge can climb difficult surfaces, including
upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability
Large ooze, unaligned
check.
Armor Class 7
Hit Points 50 (8d10 + 16)
A ctions
Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft. Multiattack. The sludge uses its mesmeric shimmer if
available, then makes a pseudopod attack.
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6)
14 (+2) 4 (–3) 15 (+2) 1 (–5) 6 (–2) 14 (+2)
acid damage. This attack is made with advantage against
creatures it has charmed.
Damage Resistances Acid, Psychic
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Mesmeric Shimmer (Recharge 5-6). The sludge shimmers
Exhaustion, Frightened, Prone with a beautiful display of rapidly shifting lights. Each creature
Senses Passive Perception 8 within 30 feet of the sludge that can see it must succeed
Languages – on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by
Challenge 3 (700 XP) the sludge for 1 minute. A creature charmed with way uses
its action to move directly towards the sludge. A charmed
creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its
Amorphous. The sludge can move through a space as narrow
turns, ending the effect on a success.
as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Treasure Guardian A ctions

Large construct, unaligned
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 15 (2d10 + 4) Coin Barrage. The guardian blasts forth a barrage of copper,
Speed 30 ft. silver, and gold in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in this area
must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 5
(2d4) bludgeoning damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 3 (–4) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) Wave of Gold (Recharge 5-6). The guardian breaks its form
apart and surges forward thirty feet as a churning mass of
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing stone and coins. Each creature in this area must make a
from Nonmagical Attacks DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) bludgeoning
Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage on
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, a successful save. Movement from this ability can provoke
Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned attacks of opportunity, but they are made with disadvantage.
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
Passive Perception 10
L egendary A ctions
Languages – The guardian can take legendary actions depending on the
Challenge 1 (200 XP) party’s APL, choosing from the options below. Only one
legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of
another creature’s turn. The guardian regains spent legendary
Amorphous. The guardian can move through a space as narrow actions at the start of its turn.
as 6 inches wide without squeezing.
Smash. The guardian makes a slam attack.
Magic Resistance. The guardian has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.

178
Treasure Guardian A ctions
Large construct, unaligned
Multiattack. The guardian makes two attacks with its slam.
Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor) Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30) Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Speed 30 ft. Coin Barrage. The guardian blasts forth a barrage of copper,
silver, and gold in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in this area
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take
19 (+4) 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 3 (–4) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) 15 (6d4) bludgeoning damage.
Wave of Gold (Recharge 5-6). The guardian breaks its form
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing apart and surges forward thirty feet as a churning mass of
from Nonmagical Attacks stone and coins. Each creature in this area must make a DC
Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) bludgeoning
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage on
Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned a successful save. Movement from this ability can provoke
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), attacks of opportunity, but they are made with disadvantage.
Passive Perception 10
Languages – L egendary A ctions
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) The guardian can take legendary actions depending on the
party’s APL, choosing from the options below. Only one
Amorphous. The guardian can move through a space as narrow legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of
as 6 inches wide without squeezing. another creature’s turn. The guardian regains spent legendary
actions at the start of its turn.
Magic Resistance. The guardian has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects. Smash. The guardian makes a slam attack.
Rock Toss. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft.,
one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

179
 House of Unspeakable Horrors
A Dungeon for Levels 5-8
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dungeon Overview Descriptive Text
The House of Unspeakable Horrors is a hand-crafted
challenge for adventurers to experience! It is effectively
a haunted house, so some of the encounters are silly and
over the top. It even finishes off with a souvenir shop where
the party can pick up some House of Unspeakable Horrors
merchandise. So while the name may make this seem as if
this is going to be a nightmarish experience, it isn't going to be
keeping your players up at night! It was designed to be used in
tandem with the Festival of Revelry adventure, but the House
of Unspeakable Horrors is something you can drop into a
festival in any world! One side of the House is for ordinary
folks with jump scares, fake blood, and actors that will chase
people around. The side crafted for adventurers has real
traps, monsters, and danger to face and get their adrenaline
pumping!
Do your players have the courage to crawl through the blood
pipes? Will they unravel the true weakness of the vampires
within the lair by playing the piano and causing them to start
dancing uncontrollably? Perhaps someone will plummet
to their death right at the end of the adventure! Only those
with true courage can make it to the end of the House of
Unspeakable Horrors, but perhaps your players are up to the
task!
Average Party Level (APL)
This dungeon uses Average Party Level (APL) to scale the
difficulty of encounters. Average Party Level is calculated as
follows:
•F  ind the average levels of all of your party members (round
up if you want to make things more challenging or down if
you want them to be easier!)
• For example, a party of four level 5 characters has an
APL of 5. A part of two level 6 characters and two level 7
characters has an APL of 6.5, but you can choose to round
this to 6 or 7 depending on the challenge you are seeking
for the adventure!
• For each character in the group above 4, add one to your
calculated APL. For each character fewer than 4, subtract 1
from the APL.
• For example, a party of six level 4 characters has an
average level of 4, but since there are six total characters,
we add 2 to our APL for a total APL value of 6.
Expected Length: 2-4 Hours
The expected length of this dungeon is 2-4 hours. Of course,
these are simply expectations and what you experience may
change based on player choices and pacing. It is a fairly
combat-light and linear dungeon, so you shouldn’t expect to go
beyond that unless combat really absorbs some time.
180
Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read aloud
for the players when their characters first arrive at a location
or under a specific circumstance that will be noted.
Dungeon Hooks (Optional)
You may have a great way to add this dungeon into your own
campaign world, but if you are in need of inspiration you could
consider using one of the hooks below to draw your players to
the dungeon or have it be more impactful to your campaign!
(This is a lightweight version of what is utilized in the Festival
of Revelry adventure).
One of the latest attractions in town is the House of
Unspeakable Horrors! It was initially intended to be
something fun to draw in tourists - give them a scare in
exchange for some coin - but one of the designers was
thinking about how to draw in high-paying clientelle. As it
turns out, adventurers are some of the wealthiest folks in the
land and so an attraction that draws them in can yield huge
profits! And so a version of the House of Unspeakable Horrors
was conceived that is not filled with actors and fake blood, but
actual monsters and traps that can maim or even kill! It may
seem a ridiculous idea, but thrillseekers will pay to put their
lives on the line.
While it is unlikely that one will die within these walls, pain
and injury are definitely on the table. Before it is ready to be
opened, however, they need some adventurers to test it out!
This is where the party comes in. The party is offered a small
sum of cash, some intel, or maybe just a favor in exchange for
their help being the first group to try out the dangerous side of
the House and provide feedback!
One thing to note is that the designer requests the party
not to be too destructive with their work! The creatures
are meant to be destroyed as the majority are conjured
creatures or the work of other powerful magics… but don’t
go smashing down walls or doors as there will always be a
way to continue without doing so. It might help get to the
exit faster, but it doesn’t really test the experience!
House of Unspeakable Horrors Map
You can find a full-sized downloadable version of this map with the contents of this product on the DM's Guild.

181
[1] The Opening Hall
Description
You step into the House of Unspeakable Horrors and are
bathed in blood-red light being cast out by lanterns along
the wall with ruby-colored lenses. The air smells foul and old,
despite the fact that the structure is relatively new. There are
artificial cracks and stress marks on the floor that make it
seem as if it has been around for decades. The hall before you
curves off to the left and then to the right in a zig-zag pattern
and you can make out a large bear trap resting in the middle
of the floor. As the doors close behind you and the silence of
the House sets in, it is quite easy to forget that this is all part
of a designed experience!
The opening hall is here to set the atmosphere. There are
large spiderwebs scattered through the area that have actual
giant spiders resting within them! One of the spider webs has
a stuffed bear at its center and there is a pile of small bones
resting beneath it. Use descriptors to make the party feel
these spiders may attack at any moment, though for the time
being they simply rest in wait in their webs.
After the first few turns, there is a web that covers the
entirety of the path forward. It is impossible to proceed
without going through the web. There is also another bear
trap at the base of this web that is mostly obscured by the
webbing! As the party approaches the web, have the two
people closest to it make a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception)
check. On a success, they notice the trap even through
the dense webbing. On a failure, it goes unnoticed and
the first person through will step on it, triggering the trap
and taking 2d6 piercing damage! The party will need to cut
through the web and as they do so the spiders in the other
webs stare at the party and twitch restlessly in their nests, but
ultimately do not attack.
Around the next corner is another spider. In the spider's
web, partially entombed within its silk, is a shining silver key.
Even though it is partially obscured, the key’s shine in this
dim place makes it immediately noticeable. The door leading
out of the hall is just up ahead, but it is locked and required
the key to proceed. Someone in the party will need to make a
DC 18 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to try to snag it. On
a failed saving throw, the spider will bite their hand, dealing
4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) poison damage!
Success or fail, they get the key, it is just on a failure they are
also bit by the spider! (Note: a spell such as an ordinary mage
hand does not work here as the webbing is too strong, other
stronger spells may work!)
When they retrieve the key and have opened the door, you
are ready for the next section.
182
[2] The Skeletal Chambers
Description
You glance into a room with three doors on the opposite
side. Each one has a number painted upon it in a large picture
frame. Strewn about the area are skeletal remains, some of
which are chained to the walls by shackles. One of these
skeletons is twitching and creates an unsettling clattering as
its bones smack against the stone floor. At the center of the
room is a campfire that is burning brightly and fills the air with
the scent of charred meat as you can see a mysterious chunk
burnt to a crisp inside the flames.
The numbers on the doors total to the size of your party
and are as evenly distributed as possible. So for a party
of 4, you will have doors labeled 1, 1, 2. For a party of 5, it
would be 1, 2, 2. And so on. These numbers represent how
many people can pass through a door before it permanently
locks. This is a magical mechanism and is impossible for the
party to avoid without some powerful magics of their own,
but once again the owners have asked the party not to break
anything. It is critical for the characters to go through each of
these doors as only with a key from each of the passageways
can they proceed!
Whenever someone goes up to a door and tries to turn
the handle or listen against it, the entire area around
the door spins and leaves them on the other side! Each
door has a different creature lurking beyond and slightly
differing decorations. The creatures within the corridors
immediately attack when someone enters! All of the halls
are ten feet wide and twenty-five feet long - so there is not a
huge amount of room for maneuvering. They are also lit by
only a single torch burning on the wall.
The left-most passageway contains a large cluster of red
spider egg in the corner to the left of the door at the opposite
end of the hall. The center passageway has a small dragon’s
head mounted on the door on the far wall. The right-most
passageway has a nest containing a bright green egg halfway
across the hall.
Consult the chart on the following page to determine
what kind of creatures await on the other side of the door
depending on your party’s APL as well as the number of
players that are in the corridor. (Remember, it will be limited
to 1 or 2 characters per passageway!).
 # of
APL Players Left-Most Passageway Central Passageway Right-Most Passageway
5 1 4x Giant Wolf Spider 1x Swarm of Poisonous Snakes 2x Gray Ooze
5 2 1x Giant Spider 1x Swarm of Poisonous Snakes 1x Gelatinous Cube
4x Giant Wolf Spider 1x Giant Poisonous Snake
6 1 2x Giant Spider 1x Swarm of Poisonous Snakes 2x Gray Ooze
6 2 3x Giant Spider 1x Swarm of Poisonous Snakes 1x Ochre Jelly
2x Giant Poisonous Snake 1x Gray Ooze
7 1 1x Phase Spider 1x Blue Dragon Wyrmling 1x Giant Scorpion
7 2 1x Phase Spider 1x Red Dragon Wyrmling 1x Chuul
1x Giant Spider
8 1 1x Phase Spider 1x Blue Dragon Wyrmling 1x Giant Scorpion
8 2 1x Phase Spider 1x Red Dragon Wyrmling 1x Chuul
2x Giant Spider 1x Giant Poisonous Snake 1x Gray Ooze

After the Battle Reunited (and it feels so good)

Once all of the monsters are defeated, the party will find that
they are still trapped in their corridors. The doors each have
a large padlock to give clear indication that a key is required.
They will need to engage with their unique decorations to
find the keys needed for them to escape! The rooms are
intentionally kept limited in decoration to direct players to
where the keys are hidden.
Left-Most Passageway
The characters in this passageway must tear open the spider
egg sacs near the door to find the key. This releases hundreds
of baby spiders into the area. To make matters worse, as the
egg sacs are ripped open, the torches on the wall have their
flames snuffed out. The spiders do not bite or cause damage,
but this is meant to invoke fear as an entire swarm of spiders
crawl over the character's body as they dig through the sticky
goop of the eggs to find the key and open the door.
Once everyone has retrieved their keys and made their way
into the next short hallway, they will be presented with one
final door that requires all three of the keys to open!
[3] The Blood Pipes
Description
The door swings open to reveal a room bathed in red light.
It is ten feet wide and thirty feet long, but a path opens up
to the left on the far side. You can hear the sound of flowing
liquid and can see little splashes of red popping around the
corner. It appears to be blood, but the red light of the hall
makes it difficult to be certain. There is also a chest pressed
against the wall on the far side of the hall. Resting against
the front of this chest is a thin piece of wood with the words
“Free Prizes!” written upon it in black ink.

Central Passageway
The key in this central corridor is within the mouth of the
dragon’s head that is mounted on the door. The key is at the
back of its throat, but as someone reaches their hand deeper
inside the dragon’s mouth, the mouth begins to close. It will
never bite down enough to actually harm them, but it should
invoke the fear that their hand may be bitten off! The teeth will
just scrape against their flesh as they grasp the key, but that is
as far as it goes.
If the characters try to use anything but their own hands,
the dragon's mouth will snap shut as soon as the item gets
close!
Right-Most Passageway
The egg in the center of the passageway must be broken
open as it contains the key. It is unfortunately filled with acid.
When the egg is cracked, the acid splashes on the floor and
will spread across the area. The acid is viscous and does not
spread far, so it is always a dangerous ordeal to snag the key!
The characters can use tools and spells to move the acid away,
but if you feel their methods are insufficient they will take 1d4
acid damage when they go to retrieve the key.
The chest is not trapped or locked. When opened up, the
party will find a bundle of 1,000 tickets! (If you are using this
as part of an adventure that is not during a festival, have this
contain 100 silver pieces instead!) Half of these tickets/coins
are actually tiny mimics and will be triggered to attack later in
the dungeon!
Around the corner are the blood pipes themselves. A blood-
like substance fills the bottom few inches of the pipes and
pours out of each end into drains in the floor. The pipe is just
over fifteen feet long and is only about three feet wide, so most
will have to crawl through the tunnel to continue onward.
The tunnels are cast in complete darkness so the party will
need to provide their own light or make the crawl blindly.
(The substance is not actually blood, but it is an incredibly
convincing fake!) If the characters try to determine if
it is actually blood, have them make a DC 15 Wisdom
(Medicine) check. On a success, they are able to determine
with certainty it is fake… otherwise they are not so sure.

183
Once the party gets through the first tunnel, they will come to
a cramped hallway whose entire floor is coated in blood. The
drains are hard at work, but there is a constant three to four
inches of liquid on the floor regardless. There is also a corpse
resting in the middle of the path. (This is also fake, but once
again it is quite a convincing creation!)
At the other end of this short hallway is yet another blood
pipe, but this one is five feet longer than the first. At the far
end of this pipe the characters can see more of the deep
red light illuminating the area beyond as well as a powerful
stream of water blasting across the pathway. The party will
need to crawl once again, but as they get to the far end,
the pipe tilts slightly upward, resulting in the blood-like
substance being even deeper than normal. By the time they
are at the exit, the “blood” is nearly eight inches deep and
they are still forced to crawl through it.
Fortunately, when they make it to the other side there is a
gargoyle head mounted on the wall that is spraying out a high-
pressure blast of water that they can use to clean themselves
off. Once water is applied, the blood-like substance washes off
surprisingly well. It doesn’t even leave their clothes stained!
Bathroom Break
Description
The path beyond the pipe splits in two directions. The paths
are rather narrow - only wide enough to accommodate a single
person at a time. Both are cast in red light from the lanterns
mounted on the wall and continue for roughly twenty-five feet
before coming to a wooden door. The doors are positioned
in such a way that it seems like they might be leading to the
same room, but both are currently closed. On the path that
branched off from the right of the blood pipes, there is one
more anomaly. In an alcove across from the door is a large
wooden chest. It has its own wooden sign posted on the front
of it that reads “Out of Order. Do Not Open!”
If the party chooses to ignore the chest and simply
continue to the next zone, you can skip ahead to the Deadly
Plantlife section up next.
If their curiosity gets the best of them, they can look inside
the chest. When opened, the stone around the chest to slides
apart to reveal a stairwell leading down into darkness! The
stairwell is fifteen feet long and at the bottom there is a
hallway that splits in opposite directions.
Opening the door to these rooms reveals that they are in
fact latrines to be used by those going through the House of
Unspeakable Horrors. One of them has water pooled on the
floor and is producing an odor most foul! It seems it is indeed
out of order.
184
Out of Ordor, Into Odor
As the characters move back to the stairwell to leave, the
entryway that was revealed by the chest closes!
The stone slides back into place with a grinding thump and
you begin to hear wet sucking sounds coming from the
restroom that was out of order. The odor from the room
grows more potent as a brown ooze squeezes beneath the
door and make its way towards you!
The party can make their way up the stairs where they
will find a handle with a label above it that reads “Open”.
Unfortunately, the handle is jammed and does not budge as
they try to push and pull on it!
The ooze will continue to slowly slink closer to them as
the smell evolves from unpleasant to downright putrid!
Have the characters who are trapped with it each make a
DC 10 Constitution saving throw, vomiting on a failed save!
Once the creature reaches the bottom of the stairs, the
handle will suddenly start to work again and the entryway
will open up! If the party does not continue to try the
handle, the way out will open up again as soon as they try to
engage the ooze in combat! This is not meant to be a combat
encounter so the creature will fall to a puddle and slink away
as soon as any violent act is performed against it.
[4] Deadly Plantlife
Description
The two doors each have their own challenges beyond, but
they both lead to the same room so the party can choose
either path or even split up. Descriptions of what is beyond the
respective doors are found just below.
The door next to the “Out of Order” chest:
You open your door and find a narrow hallway filled with
vicious thorns. Down near the floor, you can see a thin
passageway that leads through the brambles, though it might
be quite painful as stray thorns are scattered across the floor.
You can just make out a room beyond the thorns as there is a
lantern mounted on the wall shedding light into the tunnel.
The door closest to the Blood Pipe gargoyle fountain:
You are met with the smell of mold as soon as you open the
door and see that the hallway is filled with huge mushrooms!
They have a white stalk and black caps with white polka dots
decorating them. These mushrooms grow out of the floor,
walls, and ceiling and are up to two feet tall! The path forward
is not obscured and you can see that it open up to a room
beyond… but it will be quite a challenge to make it through
without disturbing the mushrooms.
A character that goes through the tunnel of thorns must make
a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d4 piercing damage
on a failed saving throw as they are impaled by some of the
spikes despite their best efforts. A character that attempts
to navigate through the mushrooms much make a DC 13
Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d4 poison damage on a failed
save as the mushrooms let loose poisonous spores.
It is possible to use magic and clever strategies to avoid
these saving throws. A character might hold their breath
through the mushrooms which will give them a chance to
make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw before they take
poison damage. They might be wearing full plate mail armor
that stops the thorns from being able to pierce through!
Perhaps they even burn the thorns away! All of these are valid,
creative options that will work. Simply have your players make
the checks you feel are appropriate for their method with a
standard DC of 13-15.
Alluring Roses
Past the thorns and the mushrooms are an absolutely
beautiful set of black roses in a small flower bed along the
wall. They give off an intoxicating aroma. Each creature that
comes within 10 feet of the roses must succeed on a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or become so overwhelmed with a
desire to smell the roses that they are compelled to approach
and do so! When a character sniffs one of these roses, the bulb
explodes in a violent spray of thick black goo that covers their
face. Attempting to wipe off this substance seems to just make
it worse as it spreads and stains flesh.
This doesn’t do any damage, but it might bring the spirits of
the party down as they try to clean themselves.
The thorns and mushroom pathways both converge to this
one room. Opposite the roses is a single door with a black rug
leading up to it.
[5] Thrilling Vampires
Description
You push open the door and step into a rather large room -
stretching roughly forty feet in each direction. At the center
of the room are three coffins, one of which is more ornate
and elevated on a stone platform. Just next to the entryway is
a masterfully crafted organ with pipes of gold. On the left side
of the room from the entrance is a workbench that contains
a few tools including some tongs, a hammer, and a saw. A
bit further down that same side of the room is a door - the
only other one in this room. On the right side of the room is
a large hutch that is currently closed. And finally, on the far
side of the room, you can see a large, square hole in the floor,
but from your current location it is impossible to tell what is
down below.
An Inconvenient Resting Place
Within the coffins at the center of the room are vampires.
They will emerge from their resting places as soon as
someone attempts to open the door on the far side of the
room or whenever someone tampers with the coffins. They
will burst free from their resting places and the vampire
that emerges from the central coffin will cry out, “I see the
night’s entertainment has arrived! Bwahahaha!” This will
immediately trigger combat and you will need to roll for
initiative!
Resting at the bottom of the coffin of the main vampire is
a key that will allow the party to leave the room. Until they
find this key, they will remain trapped in here!
The strength of these vampires varies based on the party’s
APL. They are conjured vampires, but they can still put up
quite a fight! Some use stat blocks that are not vampires, but
play them accordingly in combat!
APL Enemies
5 1x Vampire Spawn (MM Pg. 298)
2x Spy (MM Pg. 349)
6 1x Vampire Spawn
2x Yuan-Ti Pureblood (MM Pg. 310)
7 1x Vampire Spawn
2x Yuan-Ti Pureblood
8 1x Vampire Spawn
2x Cult Fanatic (MM Pg. 345)
Scattered around the room are all sorts of items that are
detrimental to vampires! The pit at the far side of the room
is filled with wooden spikes. A vampire pushed down in the
pit might fall on one of these, or someone can carefully jump
down and retrieve one which can be impaled into a vampire
using the hammer from the workbench. This will kill the
vampire instantly no matter their remaining hit points.
In the hutch on the right side of the room are a few bulbs of
garlic. Vampires are considered to be poisoned as long as they
have any garlic within 5 feet of them.
Finally, if someone begins to play the organ, it will cause
the vampires to dance! This does require success on a DC 10
Charisma (Performance) check, but as long as the music isn’t
completely terrible, the vampires will simply dance to the beat
and will not fight. They will even take on a jovial attitude and
invite the members of the party to dance with them!
The Mimics Attack!
If your party looted the tickets/coins from the chest earlier in
the dungeon, about half of what they took comes to life during
this encounter!
• If they found tickets, they will attempt to strangle the
character that is holding them. That character must succeed
on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or become restrained!
• If they found coins, they will launch themselves at random
party members. Make three attack rolls with a +5 bonus to
hit. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 + 1 bludgeoning damage.
185
The tickets persist until a character succeeds on a saving
throw against them, at which point they are ripped in half and
fall still. The coins continue to attack until they land a single
successful attack, after which point they fall still.
[6] The Hall of Traps
Description
You open the door to leave the room of vampires and
immediately see that the floor just in front of you drops
off into another spike-filled pit! Beyond the pit are two
spinning blades positioned in the middle of the passageway,
threatening to slice in twain any who stumbles into them.
These blades oscillate up and down in a slow pattern, making
avoiding the blades all the more difficult. Near the second set
of blades, there is a body lying on the stone with a pool of
blood around it.
The Trap Gauntlet
This entire next area is simply a set of traps that the party
must overcome! The obstacles and their DCs are as follows:
•S
 pike Pit - DC 5 Athletics check to jump over the pit. The
first person so jump will realize that there is a spell over this
area to increase gravity, so while ordinarily this is a simple
jump, it requires a check!
•S
 pinning Blades - DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take
1d10 slashing damage and be forced to repeat the saving
throw and try again. There are three of these traps in total!
•F
 ire Breath Statue - Past the blades is a large demon-
head mounted on the wall that emits a large cone of fire
on a regular interval. The party must get their timing right
and maneuver past or get scorched! This requires success
on a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check or Intelligence
(Investigation) check. A creature with a movement speed of
50 or higher automatically succeeds.
Beyond the blast of flame is a final chest up against the wall.
Within this is a reward for the party offered up by the owners
of the House of Unspeakable Horrors. I recommend a useful
magic item for the party such as a handy haversack, a flying
carpet, or a portable hole. This will come with a small thank
you note for the party, but mentions that their adventures
within the House are not yet over!
This treasure chest is optional and you can remove it or
even have it be a mimic for one last burst of "fun" before the
end of the adventure.
186
[7] The Bridge of Despair
Description
Before you is a rickety-looking wooden bridge supported
by thick ropes anchored to the wall. The gaps between the
boards are wide and the wood seems to be partially rotted.
It hangs over a pit of complete magical darkness. The bridge
twists and connects to a small stone platform with a lantern at
its center, before winding around the corner and out of your
sight.
The final obstacle the party encounters in the House of
Unspeakable Horrors is a set of wobbly wooden bridges that
are suspended over a black void. It is impossible to tell how
far down the pit goes as there is a shroud of magical darkness
covering it! Characters must succeed first on a DC 5 Dexterity
saving throw, then a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, and finally
a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw as they cross the bridge.
These checks represent the bridge swaying and even some of
the boards splintering away when stepped on!
• Anyone who fails one of these saving throws plunges
down into the darkness (unless the party has used rope or
something similar to keep the party together.)
At the far side of the bridges is one last door with a sign on
the front that reads “Gift Shop”.
In the Pit
Someone who slips off the bridge falls roughly 30 feet and
lands in a soft, fluffy pile of cloth. There is an employee down
at the bottom that will ask them if they had a good time and
help them out of the pile before gesturing to a door near the
other side of the room. He tells them that beyond the door is a
stairwell that will take them up to the gift shop where the rest
of their group should be waiting for them (assuming they don't
fall as well)! He asks them to clear the area as fast as possible
and to keep their voice down to keep the thrill going for the
rest of the party!
Since it is filled with fluff, if the players drop an item down
into the void, they will never hear it hit the ground. Since
it is enchanted with magical darkness, even an item that is
glowing will quickly disappear, leaving the truth of down below
a mystery!
Try to keep this secret from the rest of the group. If
someone does fall, I highly recommend pulling that
player aside into the next room to tell them about what
lies below and ask them to maintain their composure
and not respond if the party cries out to them. This can
create some fun excitement in the party as they may try
to go to desperate measures to rescue their "fallen" party
members. If the party climbs down into the pit, they will
experience 10 feet of solid magical darkness before they break
through and see the soft landing pad below.
[8] the gift shop experieNCe
The Experience listed below represents a blend of monster
desCriptioN encounters, non-combat encounters, and some bonus
experience for finishing the quest. Feel free to adjust these
You open the door to the gift shop and see shelves packed values if you see fit.
full of merchandise behind a counter. Mugs, shirts, and pins
that all read “I Survived the House of Unspeakable Horrors!” APL XP Per Player
Some have an image of the entryway sign while others show 5 3,500
some of the traps and terrors you faced within! One pair of
shirts displayed up front read “I crawled through the thorns!” 6 6,000
and “I evaded the mushrooms!”. There is also a sitting area 7 8,000
and even a bar where you can order drinks! Standing behind
8 10,000
the counter is a young human woman wearing a House of
Unspeakable Horrors t-shirt and waving excitedly.
loot
The woman behind the bar - Katrina - does offer the party up a The rewards for this dungeon are more varied since it is not
free drink as a thanks from the owners of a job well done and a traditional slog through a cave with monsters. The reward
she also gives them each a pin that they can attach to their is all dependant on what you want to give to the players in
outfits that displays the bloodied text “HoTH”! exchange for testing out the House of Unspeakable Horrors.

This is mostly a bit of fun for the party! They can be reunited
with their party members that plummeted into the pits below
as they step into the gift shop from a door across the way. The
party can purchase souvenirs from the shop if they want to
take something with them, but their job of testing the House
out has been accomplished and they can go and collect their
reward!

gift shop items

Your party may one to take a parting gift with them from the
gift shop before they leave. Below are some of the items that
they can find! Each of the items come at a cost of 1-5 silver
pieces.
• Shirts, mugs, and pins all with "I Survived the House of
Unspeakable Horrors" on it
• Other phrases such as "I Fell in the Bottomless Pit!", "I
Danced with the Vampires", and "I Went Through the
House of Unspeakable Horrors and all I got were these
Lousy Scars!"
• Spider, vampire, and demon plushies
• Creepy button-eyed dolls
• A wind-up coffin that pops out a vampire
• Web-in-a-can spray - The button on top can be pressed to
spray forth fake spider webs!
• A jar of the fake blood from the Blood Pipes

187
Puzzles
Bookend Cipher
Tags
Cipher, Challenging
Setup
The concept for this cipher is simple, but may be quite
challenging for some to peel back the layers of the riddles
and the clues. I would recommend only using this one for
groups who really enjoy puzzle challenges as you don't want
to frustrate your players, though dropping a few hints can set
them on the right path. The cipher builds a message using
the first and last letters of words from a sentence. This is
explained to the party in three parts:
•T
 he first portion is a sentence that probably does not make
sense but should not be completely outlandish in nature. It
should seem cryptic - as if it could hold some secret meaning
or a riddle - but really it is just the base for our cipher!
•T
 he second section is a set of numbers and bars to separate
them. Each digit represents the number of letters to be taken
from either the front or back of the word in the first sentence.
For example: | 2 + 1 + 3 | means the players will need to
take the first 2 letters of the first word, the first letter of the
second word, and the first 3 letters of the third word. You
combine those and you get one full word towards the final
answer!
•T
 he final part is the clue to let the party know if they are
counting from the front of the word or from the back. You can
see examples of this in the sample clue below!
Example Message to be Decoded
“Below the Northern Stairwell Speak the Password Kalisway
Preserves Truth”
Example Clue - From the Front
As mentioned above, this cipher comes in multiple parts.
The first is the cryptic sentence that we give to the party.
This contains the letters needed to decode the message. The
second part is the numbers and bars that will tell the party
how many letters they will need to take with each word and
how to combine them. The final part is a riddle-type clue to let
the players know that they will need to take letters from the
front of each word.
I recommend taking all three of the next sections and giving
them to the party together in three lines so they will see the
association between them more clearly. If the players get
stuck, a clue that might put them on the right path could be
to tell them to count the number of words and see how that
compares to the other clues. This could help them discover
that the count of numbers in the second line matches the
count of words in the first line.
188
Cryptic Sentence
"Besides lowly thespians, normal therapy needs strict aim for
reliable wellness."
Cipher Clue
|2+3|3|3+4+1|2+2+0+1+4|
Cipher Riddle
"I always love the start of a good book…"
Decoded Message
| Be + low | the | nor + ther + n | st + ai + r + well |
Below the northern stairwell
Example Clue - From the Back
This works exactly the same as the first clue above, but we
will now count the last letters of each word rather than the
first letters. This is communicated to the party via the Cipher
Riddle, the same as the example clue above.
Cryptic Sentence
"Grasp heartbreak with endurance. Bypass sword, dirk, and
mithral kris. Runaway, weep, endure. Observe one's truth."
Cipher Clue
|2+3|2+1|4+4|1+0+2+2+3|1+2+5+0+1|5|
Cipher Riddle
"… But I'm really a sucker for the endings!"
Decoded Message
| Sp + eak | th + e | pass + word | k + al + is + way | p + re +
serve + s | truth |
Speak the password kalisway preserves truth
Putting it All Together
With the two separate messages decoded, the party can put
them together and get a final message to help them continue
on their journey.
The example cipher used is one that is specific to one of the
adventures in this book, but you can create your own ciphers
following this same pattern. It can be quite challenging to
come up with sentences that meet the criteria of the puzzle,
but that may be exactly the kind of challenge you are looking
for as a Dungeon Master purchasing this book! I recommend
keeping the messages fairly short - even shorter than my
example if you can - as increasing length adds drastically more
complexity.
By the Light of the Stars
Tags
Door Puzzle, Cryptic
Setup
This puzzle is set up to reveal a hidden entryway for a
dungeon, temple, or other similar structure that is found out
in the mountains, though it can be easily adapted to be used
in any environment where the entryway has line of sight to
the sky. They must break down the clues to determine that
the door only opens when a certain constellation can be seen
in the sky from the entryway, which limits it to only opening
during a certain period of night and sometimes only during
specific parts of the year!
You spot a worked stone corridor feet in length that leads
to a massive set of twin doors carved into the face of the
mountain. These doors are twelve feet in height and there are
no discernable mechanisms to open the way forward. There
are smooth, rounded recessed carved throughout the stone of
the doorway, but the full details are difficult to see as the door
is cast in deep shadows.
The players can examine this door, but any investigations
reveal that there are in fact no devices that open a way
forward - no handles, no levers, no switches! Use of the Detect
Magic spell reveals that there is abjuration at work here and
that the trigger for this magic is light.
Solution
Whenever a player holds up a light in the corridor, either
magical or non-magical in nature, read the following text:
Teal lights begin to shimmer along the door. First the recesses
fill and become bright nodes, then lines of dimmer light
flows in between them as if it were water filling in an empty
creek bed. When this display is finished, you recognize a
constellation of the night’s sky on the door with each recess
carved into the door representing a star.
You can utilize an Intelligence (History) check here to allow
your players to gather additional information.
•O
 n a result of 10 or higher, they will successfully recognize
this as a constellation that is visible all year round in this part
of the world. (Unless you wish it to be more limited in access
for your game!)
•A
 result of 15 or higher and they know that in order for the
constellation to be visible from the door, it would need to be
between in the early morning, about an hour before sunrise.
When the stars are visible from the doorway, there is a loud
grinding sound as the door opens. It will only remain open for
roughly fifteen minutes, leaving the characters trapped inside
until the next morning once they have entered!
Untitled
Tags
Logic, Riddle
Setup
The party finds a set of books in a library, archive, or similar
setting protected by creatures trying to keep the knowledge
from unworthy minds! On a table in the room, the party finds
a set of seven books arranged in a circle. In the center, there
is a single piece of paper that reads: "It seems I have made an
error with the titles of these books. Perhaps you can help me
sort them out?"
As the party looks at the books, they will find that they each
have quite detailed cover art, but unfortunately, each of them
has their titles written in the exact same golden font, making
it impossible to distinguish the books based simply on design.
On the titles of these books, some words are underlined and
have a faint shine to them. These are the words that can be
swapped on the book covers and are indicated in bold. These
are marked in brackets in the descriptions below. Be sure to
note these brackets carefully as some of them encompass
multiple words!
Whenever the players tap on one of these bolded sections,
it starts to shine brightly. When they tap on a second bolded
section, the two will swap places with a brilliant flash of
light. When the players have managed to unscramble all of
the titles, a door will slide open in the wall and allow them to
proceed!
It is highly suggested to have at least the names of the
books written out for your players to physically interact
with at the table. Having the keywords able to be moved
around and rearranged physically by your party members
will help them even further as they try to crack the mystery
of these books!
The book titles and descriptions can be found on the next
page!
189
Scrambled Book Names and Descriptions
Title
The [Drums] of [Cavern Delving]
Varen’s Guide to [Magical Incantations]
The [Sword] of [Dragons]
Advanced [Exotic] [Cooking]
The Big Book of [Beasts]
Goredawn Ramslay’s Tome of [Combat]
[War] Flora and Savage [Mysteries]
Unscrambled Names
Title
The [Mysteries] of [Dragons]
Varen’s Guide to [Cavern Delving]
The [Drums] of [War]
Advanced [Sword] [Combat]
The Big Book of [Magical Incantations]
Goredawn Ramslay’s Tome of [Cooking]
[Exotic] Flora and Savage [Beasts]
When the party has managed to put all of the titles of the book in their proper order, the books glow and the doorway / chest this
puzzle was guarding opens and allows the party to continue on their way.
190
Description
An ancient leather-bound book depicting a massive white dragon and a hoard
of treasures behind it.
A small, portable book with the image of a human man descending into a
deep pit with rope and pitons.
A well-worn book with the image of an orc smashing a mallet down on a
leather drum and an army charging in the background.
A high-quality book depicting two duelists facing off in an arena, one with a
greatsword and the other with twin shortswords.
A thick book with runes etched into the cover and the image of a wide-eyed
gnome holding a glowing orb in his hands.
A small white book depicting a half-orc man with a smug look on his face
wearing a chef’s hat and crossing a ladle and spoon across his chest in an X.
A small brown book with the image of a panther stalking through a patch of
tall grass on one side and a large mass of thorned flowers on the other.
Description
An ancient leather-bound book depicting a massive white dragon and a hoard
of treasures behind it.
A small, portable book with the image of a human man descending into a
deep pit with rope and pitons.
A well-worn book with the image of an orc smashing a mallet down on a
leather drum and an army charging in the background.
A high-quality book depicting two duelists facing off in an arena, one with a
greatsword and the other with twin shortswords.
A thick book with runes etched into the cover and the image of a wide-eyed
gnome holding a glowing orb in his hands.
A small white book depicting a half-orc man with a smug look on his face
wearing a chef’s hat and crossing a ladle and spoon across his chest in an X.
A small brown book with the image of a panther stalking through a patch of
tall grass on one side and a large mass of thorned flowers on the other.
Oceanic Mural Elemental Runestones
Tags Tags
Door Puzzle, Cryptic, Riddle Elements, Symbols

Setup
This is a puzzle to be used to seal a doorway in any sort of
water-themed environment. Use it if you wish to add an extra
layer of challenge to your aquatic dungeon or temple!
There is a large stone door before you. It is ten feet in
diameter and painted upon it is a mural of sea creatures of all
varieties that are vibrant and beautifully captured in paint. You
see crabs, jellyfish, clownfish, sharks, whales, octopuses, and
more - just about every type of sea creature you can imagine!
The only portion of the door that is not painted with these
creatures is the very center which is adorned with a smooth
heart-shaped sapphire three inches across. The sapphire
pulses with a deep blue light roughly every two seconds,
flaring up and fading as if it were a heartbeat.
When a party member touches the mural, the painted
creatures near their hand glow and come to life! The fish
start to swim in place and the entire mural around that area
awakens. If someone drags their fingers across the painting,
the creature they are touching will move along with it, the
entire mural adjusting and flowing to accommodate.
If someone presses their ear to the door, they hear the
deep tones pulsing through it. They are slow, melodic, and
comforting. Someone who listens at the door can make a DC
15 Intelligence (Nature) check, realizing that it is a whale’s
song they are hearing on a success!
Solution
In order to open this door, the party will need to drag the
whale from the mural over the sapphire heart.
There are multiple clues that will allow the party to uncover
this solution:
•T
 he sapphire pulses with a slow regularity, roughly the same
rate as a whale’s heartbeat.
•S
 omeone who listens at the door can hear a whale’s song on
the other side of the door.
 nd the largest clue - As they move fish across the mural,
•A
they will slowly uncover teal lines, eventually revealing
hidden words! By dragging fish across the scene, the
following message becomes visible: “Our songs can be
heard across the expanse of the ocean and bring hope to
the hearts of any who care to listen.”
When the whale has been put in place, the door spirals
open as eight shards of stone curl into the walls and reveal a
large room beyond.
Setup
In this puzzle, your party will be attempting to assemble
a tableau that contains a set of elemental runestones that
correlate to powerful natural phenomena. As your party
explores their current dungeon or fortress, they will recover
12 total elemental runestones - 3 for each element of fire,
water, earth, and air.
In their journeys, they will also uncover a broken piece of the
tableau that depicts (in this order):
• A tornado with pouring rain
• An erupting geothermal geyser
• An erupting volcano
• The planet which the party currently inhabits
The party will eventually reach a door in the dungeon that
contains a 4x4 diagram with slots to hold the runestones
they have collected along their way. It already contains 4
runestones that are locked in place and cannot be moved. The
edge of the tableau is broken and the party will need to attach
the broken pieces they found to make it whole once again, at
which point the pieces will fuse together.
The final result is 4 rows that each correspond to a
particular natural disaster. Each row starts with 1 runestone
in place that cannot be moved. The final setup is as follows:
• Row 1 - Contains a single Air Runestone and links to the
Tornado
• Row 2 - Contains a single Earth Runestone and links to the
Geyser
• Row 3 - Contains a single Fire Runestone and links to the
Volcano
• Row 4 - Contains a single Water Runestone and links to the
Planet
The party will need to use the runestones they have collected
to finish filling out the tableau which open a pathway forward.
Solution
The Elemental Runestones can go in each row in any order.
The important part of this puzzle is that the correct elements
are represented for each row. All of the runestones must be
used, so the party will need to figure out what the final mix
looks like, which can be accomplished through trial and error
as needed. The puzzle may not be immediately obvious, but
part of this puzzle is meant to spark some fun in debates
about which runestones should go where!
The solution to this puzzle is as follows:

AIR AIR AIR WATER Tornado

EARTH FIRE WATER WATER Geyser
EARTH EARTH FIRE FIRE Volcano
EARTH AIR WATER FIRE Planet

191
Oronym Cascading Shapes
Tags Tags
Cooperative, Riddle Logic, Math

Setup
Your players come across a message written in a dungeon or
similar location that they need to access that is hidden away
and kept secret! The party will encounter the following text
written out on a door or a chest.
Messages hide within the words we write.
Secrets lingering within plain sight.
Think not too hard, get another to help.
The answer is clear if you hear it yourself.
If you want to make the puzzle a bit easier, you can also add
the following lines to the end of the prompt:
It is a riddle, though it may seem a poem.
And saying it faster might just show them.
The party will find a scroll or a slip of paper that has the
clue to the rest of this puzzle. This puzzle is called Oronym
because that is exactly what this is - a sequence of words that
sound like something else when spoken aloud. What is written
below is an example of one such oronym. Make sure to write
out the contents of the oronym and do not read it out loud
to the players, simply give them a piece of paper or a private
message with the contents. They need to be the ones to read
the message out loud and realize the truth of this riddle.
Setup
The party is presented with a wall of shapes that they must
press in the correct sequence to open a door. The door has
six rows of shapes each with a rule to the right of them that
must be fulfilled. The shapes are arranged in three columns,
creating a 3x6 grid with 18 total shapes that can be used to
fulfill the requirements of the rules. This is strictly a math
puzzle with some trial and error involved but an explicit
answer to be found.
Above this grid of shapes, the party will see the following
text to tell them the general rules of this puzzle:
You must connect a path from the top to the bottom of the
wall of shapes.
• Your connection must always take you to the next row
• Your connection must always be within 1 column of the
previous row
• Your connection must follow the rule shown for each row
Choose any shape
Must have no more than 2
edges greater or fewer than
previous row

Must have no more than 1

Example Oronym edge greater or fewer than
previous row
Axe? Sell her eight! Sum of edges of this row
The wheel too, ay! and previous must be less
Speed? That’s great!
than 10
Use fork handles.
Witch must be ablaze and place ten. Sum of edges of this row
A trying gull with one as the sinner! and previous must be 10 or
greater

Translation The total sum of edges for

your path must equal 30
Accelerate the wheel to a speed that's great. Use four candles
which must be ablaze and placed in a triangle with one as the
center. Solution
Try reading the example quickly and see if you can hear the
sentence! It is not all perfect, but we want there to be some
level of decoding that the party will need to do once they figure
it out!

Make Your Own!

Oronyms can be a fun way to build a riddle, but they can be
tricky to make! See if you can make one work for your party!

192
Polyhedral Cipher
Tags
Cipher, Challenging
Setup
This is a cipher most suited for a dungeon. Your players will
find four stone pedestals. Atop each of these pedestals is
a carved stone recess with a polyhedral die sitting inside,
each with a different number of sides. The party will need to
take these dice and roll them into the stone alcoves on the
pedestals, at which point they will sink into the stone and
become permanently fixed to that location with their value
facing up.
The four pedestals contain a d20, d12, d8, and d4. Make
sure you record the result of each roll as the players make
them, as you will need to use them to encode a password of
your choosing. This password can be anything you’d like but
for best results should be between 8 and 12 characters in
length.
Each of the dice have their own rules to follow that will
allow you to encode the password and the players to decode
it. The rules that are used to decipher the password are as
follows:
And their explanations:
Example
I decide that I want to use the password DRAGONBORN for
my dungeon. My players move through the area and find the
four pedestals and end up with the following results for their
dice:
• d20 = 13
• d12 = 5
• d8 = 7
• d4 = 1
I now plug this into my cipher rules, making some slight
adjustments since I have 10 total characters in my password. I
want to keep things simple, so for this example I am just going
to apply the rules to the letters in order, so we end up with the
following:
Now I must encode my password. I do this while my party
is moving through other parts of the dungeon when I have a
moment to do the calculations, but the process gives me the
following:
• Our d20 result is 13. The distance between 13 and 10 is
3, so 3 is the value we end up with for the first part of our
process. Now I look and see [1 2 3] for the next part of the
code which means I am modifying the first, second, and
third letters of my password DRAGONBORN. The clue has
an up arrow, so that is the direction the players will need to
apply when they are solving the cipher, but I need to do the
opposite, so I subtract 3 from each of these letters in the
password, giving me AOX for the first 3 letters.
• Our d12 result was a 5, but 5 divided by 2 is 2.5 so we round
that down to 2. Now normally this is subtracted from the
first 3 letters of the password, but once again I will need to
reverse that since I am trying to generate the encoded word
to give to the party, so I add 2 instead. This gives me a result
of IQP for my second set of 3 letters.
• Our d8 result was 7. I am modifying the seventh and eighth
letter in my password and my cipher tells me that if the value
of my d8 is greater than 4, add. If it is less than 4, subtract.
7 is greater than 4 so the players will be adding to the result,
which means I need to subtract to generate their ciphered
word. This gives me UH for my next 2 letters.
• Our d4 result was 1 so we simply add 1 to that value for our
cipher to get 2. Using the rest of the clues, I know the players
will need to add this value to the ninth and tenth letters in
the ciphered word twice, so I need to do the opposite, so I
will be subtracting 4 from each of the letters. This gives me
NJ for the last 2 letters.
Our final ciphered password is AOXIQPUHNJ. We will
show that to the party along with the cipher clues above
and if they are clever they will be able to solve this back to
DRAGONBORN!
193
The Perfect Round
Tags
Combat Simulation, Strategy, Logic, Power Gamer
Setup
This puzzle presents the party with three combat scenarios
that grow progressively more complex and challenging.
The suggested utilization for this type of puzzle would be a
military general that wants to test the party's merit in strategic
planning and understanding the battlefield, but it could be any
NPC that simply wishes to test the party's wits.
The goal for each scenario is to defeat ALL enemies in a
single round of combat. The party's composition as well as
the enemy's are listed out at the start of each scenario.
Rules for the Simulator
 haracters can only take the actions that are stated, even if
•C
a character would ordinarily have additional abilities at the
given level.
•E
 ach set of dice rolls for its average, rounding up in the case
of an odd number of dice. (For example, 1d8 is calculated as
5, but 2d8 is calculated as 9. A d20 gives the value 11).
•W
 henever a creature would roll with Advantage or
Disadvantage, its base d20 roll is adjusted by 5. So 16 for
Advantage and 6 for Disadvantage.
•Y
 our characters can take their turns in any order you choose
and are all at optimal distances from their enemies for their
attacks.
•Y
 ou have Modifier Points for each scenario. These can be
used to increase the result of an attack roll, to increase the
result of a damage roll, or to reduce the result of a saving
throw by an enemy at a 1-to-1 ratio.
•C
 ritical hits use the standard rules of doubling the damage
dice, which will still use the average roll for each die.
Increasing the result of a roll up to a 20 through Modifier
Points grants a critical hit!
Scenario 1
The Party
•L
 evel 3 Barbarian whose Greataxe hits for 12 (1d12 + 5)
slashing with a +5 bonus to hit.
•L
 evel 3 Bard whose Shortbow hits for 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
with a +4 bonus to hit and can cast Hold Person with a DC
of 13.
The Enemies
•A
 Gnoll Noble with 20 hit points and AC 15. Its Wisdom
saving throw is +2.
Modifier Points
You have 3 Modifier Points for this combat.
194
Solution
• The Bard goes first and casts Hold Person on the Gnoll. It
gets a 13 for its Wisdom saving throw (11 + 2) so 1 Modifier
Point is used to make it fail and become paralyzed.
• The Barbarian attacks with its greataxe and hits. Since the
creature is paralyzed by Hold Person, this is a critical hit.
• This critical hit deals 2d12 + 5 damage. 13 + 5 gives us a
total of 18 damage.
• We use our final 2 Modifier Points to increase this damage to
20 and kill the Gnoll.
Scenario 2
The Party
• Level 5 Fighter with 2 attacks per turn. They have a
Longsword that hits for 8 (1d8 + 3) with a +6 bonus to hit.
The Fighter has one use of Action Surge and can replace
any of its longsword attacks with a shove to knock a creature
prone (+6 to Athletics check).
• Level 5 Wizard with the following spells available for use
- Haste, Sleep (9d8 for 41 total hit points), and Slow. The
Wizard’s spell save DC is 14.
• Level 5 Rogue whose longbow hits for 9 (1d8 + 4) with a +7
bonus to hit. Sneak attack deals an additional 3d6 damage.
The Rogue can successfully hide as a bonus action.
The Enemies
• 1x Orog with 45 hit points and AC 18. Its Wisdom saving
throw is +0 and it has a +4 bonus to Athletics checks.
• 2x Orc with 15 hit points and AC 13. Their Wisdom saving
throws are +0 and they have a +3 bonus to Athletics checks.
Modifier Points
You have 7 Modifier Points for this combat.
Solutiion
• After hiding, the Rogue performs a longbow attack against
the Orog. Hiding gives the attack advantage, bringing it up
to a natural 16 for the dice roll. We use 4 modifier points to
boost this to a natural 20. The longbow with sneak attack
deals 2d8 + 4 + 6d6 damage. 9 + 4 + 21 gives us a total of 34
damage to the Orog.
• The Wizard casts the sleep spell, using 11 hit points to put
the Orog to sleep and 30 more to put both orcs to sleep.
• The Fighter can now attack the sleeping enemies. A critical
hit from the fighter's longsword deals 2d8 + 3 damage for a
total of 12. This is enough to kill the Orog with one attack.
The fighter then attacks one of the Orcs twice, dealing 12
damage on the first hit and 8 on the second. Finally, the
remaining Orc receives a critical hit for 12 damage and we
can use the remaining 3 Modifier Points to increase the
damage to 15 and finish it off!
Scenario 3
The Party
•L
 evel 5 Monk with 2 unarmed strikes and two additional
flurry of blows attacks that deal 7 (1d6 + 3) damage with a
+6 bonus to hit. One of these attacks can be a stunning strike
with a DC of 15.
•L
 evel 5 Sorcerer with the following spells available for use -
Lightning Bolt (Any 3 enemies for 8d6), Slow, Tidal Wave (all
enemies for 4d8 and assume that allies can avoid the Tidal
Wave). These spells have a save DC of 14.
•L
 eve 5 Paladin with 2 battleaxe attacks that hits for 10 (1d8
+ 5) with a +6 bonus to hit. The paladin can use a divine
smite with one of these attacks for an additional 4d8 radiant
damage.
•L
 evel 5 Cleric with the following spells available for use
- Blindness/Deafness (2 targets), Inflict Wounds (5d10),
Guiding Bolt (6d6). Spells are made with a +7 bonus to hit
and have a DC of 15.
The Enemies
•3
 x Bugbear with 24 hit points and AC 16. Their Wisdom
saving throws are +0, Dexterity saving throws are +2, and
Constitution saving throws are +1.
•1
 x Bugbear Chief with 69 hit points and AC 19. Their
Wisdom saving throws are +1, Dexterity saving throws are
+2, and Constitution saving throws are +2.
•1
 x Bugbear Tyrant with 81 hit points and AC 20. Its Wisdom
saving throw is +2, Dexterity saving throw is +3, and
Constitution saving throw is +4.
Modifier Points
You have 10 Modifier Points for this combat.
Solution
•T  he Sorcerer kicks off combat with a Tidal Wave that deals
18 damage to all of the enemies and will knock them all
prone except for the Bugbear Tyrant who only takes 9 and
does not fall prone.
•T  he Monk moves next, first hitting the Bugbear Tyrant with
a Stunning Strike attack, using 1 Modifier Point to make it
into a failed save. This deals 7 damage and stuns the tyrant.
The monk then deals 7 additional damage to the remaining 3
Bugbears, finishing them off.
• The Cleric casts Inflict Wounds on the Bugbear Tyrant. Being
stunned gives a +5 to the base roll, so 4 additional Modifier
points make it into a critical hit. This deals 10d10 damage to
the tyrant for a total of 55!
•T  he Paladin attacks the prone Bugbear Chief with its
Battleaxe and uses its divine smite and 4 Modifier Points to
land a critical hit, dealing 2d8 + 5 + 8d8 damage for a total of
50, finishing it off with the use of the final Modifier Point to
add one damage. Finally, the Paladin uses its last attack on
the Bugbear Tyrant, dealing the final 10 damage needed for
the kill.
This combat is deep enough that there may be another way
to attain victory through the clever use of attacks and spells.
Simply check the validity of the party's solution to make sure
it works!
A Real Page Turner
Setup
The party is presented with a book that is titled “A Real Page
Turner” with the subtitle “If you are in need of a key, just
look inside me!” which can only be opened to the front page.
Hidden in the pages of this book is a key the party needs to
open a door, but attempts to open any part of the book other
than the front page will simply leave the characters frustrated
and disappointed. As the party progresses through the book,
the text will ask them to recall details of previous pages and
use them to continue the story!
Read to your players what is shown on the page, but as
soon as they “turn” to the next one, they will never be able to
hear the descriptions of any previous pages ever again. It is
expected your players will need to take notes, as some of the
clues hidden on the pages are subtle! No matter how the party
does in their notetaking, they will always be able to get to the
key. However, if the party exceeds their twenty minute time
limit or makes wrong choices within the book, they will have
pain inflicted upon them when they retrieve said key.
On this first page of the book is the following text:
The Intro
This book is quite special as you’ve already gleaned,
but one page at a time is all that you’ll need.
Take special note, for its only onward I go
but facts of before shall you need to know.
Twenty minutes should be enough I surmise,
So don’t dawdle now, at least if you’re wise.
You shall have my key, that much is true,
But the pain it inflicts… well, that’s up to you.
As soon as you finish reading this page, start the twenty-
minute timer and make the party aware of it. Leave it out
in the open where they can see it constantly ticking closer
to zero. The players are uncertain how long the story is,
so this timer will put pressure on them to go fast and not
simply allow them to write down every page word for word!
If you have a player with the Keen Mind trait, it could certainly
be argued that they would be able to recall any details of the
book word for word. You can choose to abide by this and turn
back to previous sections to reread them… but let the timer
keep ticking away during this time!
195
As you turn each page, first read to the party what is written
in the descriptions below, then give them time to ask for
clarifying details and answer any questions they may have.
Page 1
The following text is written in thick black ink along the
page’s center:
“Our story begins with a man lost in the wood.
What is the way? He can’t remember! He should!
And what are those eyes out near the trees?
Some rabbits, or squirrels, or possums - oh please!”
This page also contains an illustration of a man walking down
a path with three sets of red eyes watching him from the
shadows between the trees. The images are all silhouettes
and of minimal detail, but it is clear the man is distressed
and confused. There is a numeric 1 at both the bottom left
and bottom right corners of the page, the one on the left is
written in red, and the one on the right in green.
Ask the party if they would like you to reread any of the
information or if they want to go to the next page. Be
sure to remind them that the clock is ticking! Try to not
embellish the story beyond the exact text written above, as
the details are key to some of the later challenges in this
puzzle.
Page 2
This page has a small 2 in the bottom left corner and contains
the following text in thick black ink along its center:
“He picked up the pace, but the creatures persisted.
And now a fork in the road! His mind is so twisted!
Was it left or it right, the man couldn’t say!
Perhaps more observant eyes can tell him the way!”
This is accompanied by an illustration on the page of a
post with wooden arrow-shaped signs pointing in opposite
directions. The sign pointing left reads “The Path Less
Traveled”. The sign to the right reads “The Path More
Trodden”. Off down the path less traveled, there are large
feathers scattered on the stone as well as the skeletal remains
of a beast. The path to the right shows a storm looming in
the distance and lightning flashing. The man stands in front of
the sign scratching his head while the three sets of eyes still
watch from the forest.
Next to the page number is a tiny drawing inked onto the
page. It shows a lightning bolt hitting a tree and has an arrow
pointing to the left beneath it.
196
The party must actually speak to the book and tell it which
way the man should go. The clue for this is with the red and
green lettering on Page 1. The one on the left was written
in red and the one on the right was written in green, which
indicates the positive and negative paths. They should tell the
book that the man should go right!
A Mistake Was Made
If the players choose the wrong path, read them the following:
You see the text start to warp and change. It now reads:
“The man went to the left for the way seemed clear,
But with each step the wolves they grew near.
As he crested the hill, he was met with a fright,
The beasts were upon him, perhaps back to the right!”
Take a note that the players made a mistake for it will have
repercussions at the end!
Page 3
This page has a small 3 in the bottom right corner and
contains the following text in thin blue ink in the top right:
This page has a small 3 in the bottom right corner and
contains the following text in thin blue ink in the top right:
“The man went to the right and perhaps it was luck,
But the path seemed familiar, as did that tree and that duck!
Yes, this pond he remembered, so calm and so still
But his head was still fuzzy, had he taken a pill?
But the wolves he had lost, so fortunate he,
A moment of respite near the old oak tree.”
The blue ink of the text bleeds down into a pond filled with
ducks and a large oak tree near the water's edge. The man
stands on the edge of the water appearing tranquil before its
beauty, but there are small question marks sketched above
his head. Down in the bottom left corner of the page is a set
of two cubes with question marks on each of the faces. There
is an extra bit of text next to these that reads: “Are you lucky
too? Roll and find out!”
Interaction
As the party examines the page, they will notice that the cubes
in the corner are textured. If someone touches them, they will
notice that it is in fact raised off the page ever so slightly…
and if they give it a try, they can even pluck them right out of
the book upon which they become ordinary six-sided dice but
still look to be made of paper. If someone attempts to roll the
dice, they will immediately make their way back to the page.
Have one of your players roll two six-sided dice! The result
will display on the dice on the page and the text will change
depending on how well they rolled - “Aw, that’s a sad one”,
“Mediocre, but acceptable”, or “Wow, you ARE feeling lucky!”
Page 5
This page has a small 5 in the bottom center and contains the
following text in thick black ink in the center of the page:
This page has a small 5 in the bottom center and contains the
following text in thick black ink in the center of the page:
“But nothing can last and so the man soon departed,
Moving slowly away from where it all started.
Soon the clouds rumbled deeply up over his head,
As the man became filled with a feeling of dread.
Black and menacing they floated his way
Just what he needed on this terrible day.
But there off the path, if he can only be brave,
A refuge of stone! Does he enter the cave?”
Depicted on the page are the man staring at a cave just off
the walkway and a storm in the distance. In front of the cave
are some scattered feathers on the stone. The page itself
comes to life with rain streaming down and lighting striking at
regular intervals in the same spot over and over. As one flash
of lightning illuminates the contents of the page, you see a
symbol on the back of the man’s shirt that has been invisible
until now. It is just a silhouette, but you saw a large horn
shape with a multitude of small round symbols near the wide
end of the horn and scattered in front of it.
The party must choose if the man goes into the cave or if he
pushes onward and weathers the storm! The clue for this was
on page 2, with the path to the left showing feathers by the
stone and a skeleton. These caves are not safe as there is an
owlbear that lurks within protecting its cubs.
A Mistake Was Made
If the players chose to have the man enter the cave, read the
following:
You see the text start to warp and change. It now reads:
“The storm was too strong, the man would not last
So he made for the cave and he made his way fast!
But shelter in this cave was no simple affair,
For within the maw was a hulking owlbear!
The man turned away, the creature’s roar rumbling,
And tripped down the hill, sent sprawling and tumbling!
Into the storm, for it has no sharp beak,
He had not been eaten, but the road was still bleak.”
Take a note that the players made a mistake for it will have
repercussions at the end!
Page 8
This page has a small 8 in the bottom center and contains the
following text in thick black ink in the top left and top right
corners of the page:
“So into the storm went the man soaking wet,
with each flash of lightning bringing regret.
The trees began falling and their leaves set ablaze,
So he quickened his pace, his mind still a daze.
With a deafening roar, the lightning stuck near!
His visioned turned white with a ring in his ears.
And as he recovered, there was no time to delay,
For a massive tree was falling his way!”
Below this text there is a question written in red. It reads,
“Which way should he roll to avoid the tree. I already showed
you if you happened to see.” Up the center of the page is a
tree being hit by a bolt of lightning with a huge crack along its
base and flames licking out of its leaves. The man is depicted
at the bottom of the page, staring up at the tree in shock.
The party must tell the man which way to dodge to avoid
the falling tree. On page 2 there was a drawing of a tree, a
lightning bolt, and an arrow pointing left. This is the clue they
will need to know he needs to dodge to the left.
The Correct Choice
If the party chose correctly, read the following:
Below the main passage, ink begins to form and adds a few
new lines to the story:
“The man moved quickly as the reader thought fast,
A moment longer and he’d have a tree on his… body.
He dusted himself off and with renewed determination,
trudged into the muck, the rain, and ruination.”
A Mistake Was Made
If the players chose the wrong direction for the man to roll,
read the following:
The red text below the main passage on the page swirls and
forms new lines for the story:
“And so the man dodged, but his instincts were wrong!
An attentive reader would have known left all along!
So down came the tree and broke the man’s arm,
But fear not, for he cannot feel harm.
I must warn you that this mistake will hurt badly,
Be more diligent or this will end sadly.”
197
Page 13
This page contains the following text in thick black ink along
the center of the page:
“The man’s will was strong, but the storm it was stronger,
And after an hour he could take it no longer.
He found a nice tree and curled up at its base,
Then grabbed a large rock - just in case.
The man closed his eyes with no hope for rest,
But soon sleep found him, who would have guessed!?
When his eyes reopened, the storm was no longer,
His body was sore, and his mind was no stronger.
But daylight shined and filled the man with such hope,
If he could endure this much, then he could certainly cope.”
The art on the page shifts from a powerful storm along the
left side to a shining day on the right. On the left, the man
is curled up at the base of the tree with a bundle of leaves
beneath his head. On the right, he is shielding his eyes from
the sun as he stares at the road ahead of him. What the man
fails to see is a sign that he passed on the road during the
storm that reads: “Danger Ahead! The Beast Fears Not Blade
Nor Arrow!”
There is another note on this page. At the bottom center is a
set of square brackets and written in red ink next to them is
the message - “I’m much like the man, my memory it wanes!
Which number should go at the bottom of this page?”
If the party has been paying attention to the page numbers,
they should be able to determine that it is following a
Fibonacci sequence and that the next page number is 13!
A Mistake Was Made
If the players got the page number wrong, read the following:
The text near the bottom of the page swirls and reforms into a
new message:
“Such a simple pattern and still you can't see.
Retrieving this key may be painful indeed!”
198
Page 21
This page contains a 21 at the bottom and the following text
in thick black ink along the top-right corner of the page:
“The sun was so bright and the birds they did sing,
The man’s face found a smile and he walked with a spring.
Home had to be near for his mind it was screaming,
Something important, but he knew not the meaning.
But then came dread, another fork in the path!
Both leading to kingdoms with flags at full mast.
Reader oh reader, can you help this poor man?
Which way should he go? What is the plan?”
The illustration on the page shows the man at another
crossroads with two kingdoms out in the distance. The one on
the left displays a shield with the image of an owlbear painted
at its center and a pair of crossed swords and crossed feathers
behind it. The flag on the right displays a luxurious cornucopia
with harvest vegetables pouring out across it.
The party must tell the man which way to go, and their clue
was back on page 5. When the lightning flashed, it showed a
symbol on the man’s back in the shape of a horn with other
small round symbols in front of it. This is the silhouette of a
cornucopia and this should guide the party down the path to
the right!
A Mistake Was Made
If the players got the page number wrong, read the following:
The man on the page begins down the path to the left and
you see him disappear over the horizon. The text on the page
shifts and swirls to show the following:
“Oh, dear. How foolish you are.
Down that path, the man won’t get far!
There’s a great river and the bridge it is out,
So for now he walks but will soon turn about.
Just more pain you’ll need to endure.
Remember at the start, I asked if you’re sure?”
And as the words finish forming, you see the man walking
back up the path, slightly bent and exhausted from his travels.
Page 34
This page is different than the ones before, for it is blank
except for the image of the man at its center. A moment
passes and you see words start to form across the top:
“Well, here we are at the end, but the man’s journey's not done.
There is still one last challenge he must overcome.
The beast of the forest. Can you feel the tension?
For the man’s sake, I hope you were paying attention.”
You see a wolf-like form begin to appear on the page, but its
details are minimal. The text on the page is replaced with a
new inquiry.
“The beast had eyes, I swear I counted them thrice.
Let’s just use the result of your roll of the dice!
What was that again?”
The party will need to relay to the book the result of the dice
they rolled way back on page 3!
A Mistake Was Made
If the party got the number of eyes incorrect, read the
following before going to the next section.
The creature’s eyes shift and settle on the true amount from
your die roll, but these eyes shine vibrantly. Red ink bleeds out
of them and forms the following text next to the beast.
“Well, that’s disappointing, I must admit I am stunned,
Did you think I asked you to do that for fun?
At least I won’t have to deal with you for much longer,
But the price you must pay only grows stronger.”
Page 34 (Cont.) - And Now A
Weapon!
The creature’s details fill in and now it is the man who begins
to change as text appears next to his image on the page.
“Now I’m not unfair, we must give him a chance.
But what kind of weapon? A sword? Perhaps a lance?
I will let you decide, whatever you want!
It’s his life on the line, I'd choose a weapon that’s ----”
The last word on the page is smeared out with ink and next to
it is a little smiley face.
The party must tell the book what kind of weapon the man
uses against the beast! The sign from page 13 said that the
creature fears not blade nor arrow, which deal piercing and
slashing damage. There is also an additional hint in the text
of the question as “blunt” rhymes with “want”. The party
simply needs to give the man a weapon that deals bludgeoning
damage! It can be any weapon they can think of, as long as it
deals bludgeoning damage they get it right.
A Mistake Was Made
If the party chose a weapon that does not deal bludgeoning
damage, then they have not chosen correctly. Read the
following to the party:
You see the man grasp the weapon you identified, but he
shakes his head and tosses it aside. The weapon hits the
ground and explodes in a burst of ink that shifts into words.
“Such a weapon is useless against this foe,
If you had read the sign, then you would know.
The man needs a weapon that can crush and can slam,
And so a warhammer is what he shall hold in his hands.”
The ink bleeds back over to the man’s hand and you see a
large warhammer form.
Page 34 (Cont.) - To Battle!
The page floods with color as the man holds his weapon with
confidence. The monstrous creature towers over him and the
book comes to life as the man charges!
“The man closed the gap with his weapon at the ready,
His heart was pounding, but his grip remained steady.
Then deja vu struck, for he had done this before,
This creature, this weapon, at his kingdom’s door.
It was this monster that had fractured his mind,
With a bite that sends you sprawling through time!
And when you return, confused - feeling doomed,
Your fate was simply to be killed and consumed.
But the man would not bend, would not fold, would not break,
Even as this beast made the very ground quake.
Using all of his strength, the man goes for the head,
And with a sickening crunch leaves the monstrosity dead.
He looks down on his kill and lets out a sigh.
But what is that sticking out of its eye?
It’s shining and glimmering, oh what could it be?
The man reaches down, and he pulls out a key.”
And as the scene and the poem finishes playing out, the page
of the book turns all on its own and reveals a shining golden
key embedded in the center of its pages, ready for you to take.
199
Taking the Key
Your party has done it! They have completed the book! Now
check your notes for the number of mistakes they made along
the way because they are about to come into play. When a
member of the party retrieves the key from the book, they roll
a die for each mistake they made. The type of die depends on
your group's Average Party Level. Consult the table below to
see which type of die they should roll.

APL Reward
1-2 d4
3-5 d6
6-10 d8
11-15 d10
16-20 d12

Take the total result of the dice and that is how much
damage the party must choose to distribute amongst their
characters in order to retrieve the key. The players get to
choose how this damage is distributed, but it can not be used
to deal damage that would take a character to below 0 hit
points (It can still reduce someone to 0, just not beyond that).

They ran out of time! If the group ran out of time, this is
considered a number of failures equal to the count of player
characters in the group! More players means more people to
take notes, so they receive a more severe punishment if they
did not finish in time!

200
Nerzugal’s Extended Bestiary 4
Creatures
Nerzugal’s Extended Bestiary 4 (270) Winter Hag
(202) Abyssal Jellyfish (272) Winter Holiday Creatures
(204) Aquatic Elementals (272) Animated Gingerbread Cookie
(204) Coral Elemental (273) Gift Box Mimic
(205) Kelp Elemental (274) Animated Sled
(206) Sandcastle Elemental (274) Living Snowman
(208) Cult of Fortunes (275) Gingerbread Cookie Swarm
(209) The Dealer (276) Living Ice Sculpture
(209) The High Roller (277) NPCs
(210) The One-Armed Bandit (278) Earth Splitter
(210) The Coinslinger (278) Stormbringer
(211) Lady Luck (279) Toad Caller
(212) Dragon Shark (279) Light Weaver
(214) Electric Eels (280) Resourceful Hunter
(215) Elemental Infused Beasts (280) Battlerage Brute
(215) Poison Beasts (281) Flamecaller
(217) Radiant Beasts (281) Spirit Weaver
(219) Necrotic Beasts (282) Spirit Replicant
(221) Fire Beasts (283) Bat Summoner
(224) Lightning Beasts (284) Enchanted Archer
(225) Ice Beasts (284) Lava Shaper
(228) Gemstone Elementals (285) Glacial Sorcerer
(229) Amethyst Elementals (286) Monk of the Perfected Strike
(231) Aquamarine Elementals (287) Chained Gladiator
(233) Peridot Elementals (288) Demon Hound Master
(235) Rose Quartz Elementals (289) Speaker of the Arcanum
(237) Tourmaline Elementals (290) Monk of the Lightning Fist
- (240) Island Spirit (291) The Technologist
(242) Merfolk
(243) Merfolk Vanguard Appendices
(243) Merfolk Snarer (292) Appendix A: Monsters By CR
(244) Merfolk Aquamancer (294) Appendix B: Monsters By Creature Type
(244) Merfolk Ichthyologist
(245) Grand Merfolk Ichthyologist
(246) Musical Mercenaries
(246) Stagehand
(247) Brass Bruiser
(247) Destructive Drummer
(248) Seductive Saxophonist
(249) Verbose Vocalist
(249) Vexing Violinist
(250) Galvanizing Gauntlet
(251) Mutant Broodmother
(254) Mutated Snapping Turtle
(255) Plaguebearers
(255) Plague Rat Swarm
(256) Plague Locust Swarm
(257) Festering Dead
(258) Contagion Sludge
(258) Ratcaller
(259) Plague Locust Host
(260) Blight Bringer
(261) It That Defiles
(263) Titans
(265) Colossal Ape
(266) Elder Roc
(267) Feyqueen Moth
(269) World-Splitter Worm
201
Abyssal Jellyfish
Deep Sea Predators. While the abyssal jellyfish shares a lack Abyssal Jellyfish
of intelligence that is common with its jellyfish kin, this deep- Large beast, unaligned
dwelling variant has developed vicious scythe-like claws and
a paralytic poison powerful enough to affect a fish weighing Armor Class 12
several hundred pounds. These mutations make the abyssal Hit Points 78 (12d10 + 12)
jellyfish into a predator that few creatures can best. These Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.
jellyfish lurk exclusively in areas where no light shines. Their
actions are driven by shifts in the temperature of the water STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
around them and vibrations caused by swift motions. When 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 1 (–5) 8 (–1) 2 (–4)
such an anomaly is detected, the jellyfish will lash out with
ruthless efficiency and kill whatever it detects as a threat. Damage Resistances Lightning, Poison
When the jellyfish has dispatched a threat, it will eat its Condition Immunities Poisoned, Prone
prey whole, pulling the creature into its body to be dissolved. Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 9
This process can take weeks as the jellyfish's body eats Languages –
through flesh and eventually bones. As a result, occasionally Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
when a jellyfish is encountered, skeletons of fish or even an Proficiency Bonus +2
unfortunate merfolk within the translucent flesh of the jellyfish
may be seen. Deep-Dweller’s Reflexes. The jellyfish can’t be surprised.
Potent Venom. The venom of the abyssal jellyfish is
Paralytic Venom. If a creature is hit by the jellyfish’s tentacles
some of the most potent that can be found in nature. It is twice in the same round, it must succeed on a DC 13
also incredibly valuable due to how difficult it is to obtain. Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed for 1
The jellyfish only lurk in the deepest depths of the ocean, so minute. A creature paralyzed this way can repeat this saving
hunting for them requires a tremendous amount of effort. The throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a
poison is typically only obtained when the corpse of one of success. A creature that becomes paralyzed while underwater
these jellyfish happens to wash ashore, which occurs rarely immediately begins to drown if it can’t breathe underwater.
since the jellyfish live in such deep waters and rarely perish. Poisonous Defenses. A creature that hits the jellyfish with a
Finding an abyssal jellyfish corpse can be a windfall of wealth, melee attack while within 5 feet of the jellyfish takes 4 (1d8)
for if the poison is extracted before decay has set in, it can be poison damage.
worth thousands of gold.
Water Breathing. The jellyfish can breathe only underwater.
Everlasting. The jellyfish have a unique anatomy that
prevents the complications that come with aging for most A ctions
creatures. The jellyfish will live until they are killed or
Multiattack. The jellyfish makes one attack with its scythe claw
starve and continue to grow the entire time. Jellyfish that
and two attacks with its tentacles.
have survived for hundreds of years can be over fifteen feet
across, but it is rare for jellyfish to live to this age because Scythe Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
they struggle to find enough food to sustain themselves with one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage.
their reaction-based hunting practices. Few have witnessed Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft.,
a jellyfish of this size and lived to tell the tale and many still one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8)
believe these findings are simply myths and fabrications. poison damage and the target can’t take reactions until the
end of its next turn.

202
aByssal jellyfish

203
Aquatic Elementals
Aquatic elementals are a cousin to the water elemental Coral Elemental
with an affinity for the sea, taking on the form of items Medium elemental, unaligned
and lifeforms commonly found in the water. Two of the
most common types of these elementals are coral and Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
kelp elementals with the sandcastle elemental being a far Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
rarer occurrence. These creatures are formed when water Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
elementals travel to the material plane and come across a
lifeform of the seas that piques their interest. If the water STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
elemental is strong enough, it can siphon off some of its 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 7 (–2)
essence and condense it into a shining gemstone heart. This
heart is embedded within the lifeform that caught the water Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
elemental's attention. The heart bonds with it, creating a damage from Nonmagical Attacks
new body and an entirely independent elemental force. If Damage Immunities Poison
the gemstone heart is removed, the form of the elemental Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
becomes mundane once again, The gemstone can even be Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
used in rituals to call forth other water elementals! Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Sometimes an elemental will be destroyed by natural forces Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
and its gemstone heart will break free and wash ashore. When
Proficiency Bonus +2
this happens, the heart may bond with the sand itself which
gives birth to a sandcastle elemental.
Masters of Disguise. When these elementals are first given Abrasive Form. A creature that touches the coral elemental
life, their forms are quite rudimentary and their hearts are takes 5 (1d10) slashing damage. When the elemental is struck
exposed. They remain vulnerable for a few weeks as the body by a critical hit, shards of sharp coral fly from the elemental’s
they have inhabited grows around the heart and begins to body and deal 5 (1d10) slashing damage to each creature
take a more humanoid form. That being said, a kelp elemental within 5 feet.
is indistinguishable from an ordinary patch of kelp when False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
standing motionless along the ocean floor, but it is capable is indistinguishable from ordinary coral.
of walking on land just as well as it can underwater. A coral
elemental bends its body to resemble the natural shape of A ctions
coral when it rests, so unless part of its gemstone heart is Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its claws or
exposed or the elemental is upset, they are rarely noticed! throws two jellyfish.
Assembling Elementals. These elementals tend to Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
naturally find one another and travel in small packs - typically Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
between two and five in total. This allows them to form a more
convincing disguise when they need to rest if there is no other Jellyfish. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/90 ft.,
kelp or coral around! It also allows them to stay safe against one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage and the
target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or
powerful foes, as they each contain a smaller fraction of power
take an additional 4 (1d8) poison damage. A creature that fails
than a full water elemental.
this saving throw by 5 or more is paralyzed until the end of its
Curious Creatures. In all cases, these elementals are
next turn.
curious. This is a result of the spark that inspired their birth
from the original water elemental. They prefer to be where Coral Caltrops (Recharge 6). The coral elemental scatters
other creatures roam and congregate. They enjoy watching sharpened bits of coral in a 15-foot radius around itself. This
and being admired by others from a distance. Their disguised area is considered difficult terrain for non-elemental creatures
form allows them to take in the world around them without and a creature that moves through one of these spaces takes
3 (1d6) piercing damage for every 5 feet moved. A creature
others being aware of their presence, giving them a raw,
that takes the attack action while standing on a coral-occupied
unfiltered view of how creatures treat one another.
space takes this piercing damage again as the coral crunches
underfoot.

204
Coral Elemental, Lesser Kelp Elemental
Small elemental, unaligned Medium elemental, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor) Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4) Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 7 (–2) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 6 (–2)

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Abrasive Form. A creature that touches the coral elemental
takes 2 (1d4) slashing damage. When the elemental is struck
by a critical hit, shards of sharp coral fly from the elemental’s
body and deal 2 (1d4) slashing damage to each creature
within 5 feet.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from ordinary coral.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its claws.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Jellyfish. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/90 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage and the
target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or
take an additional 4 (1d8) poison damage. A creature that fails
this saving throw by 5 or more is poisoned until the end of its
next turn.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from a patch of ordinary kelp.
Rapid Regrowth. The elemental regains 10 hit points at the
start of its turn. This trait only functions if the elemental is
touching water and is not at 0 hit points.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes three attacks with its kelp
whip.
Kelp Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft.,
one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Entangle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the
target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 13) and
pulled 5 feet towards the kelp elemental. Until this grapple
ends, the target is restrained and the elemental can’t entangle
another target. If the target is submerged and can’t breathe
underwater, it starts to drown.

205
 Kelp Elemental, Lesser Sandcastle Elemental
Small elemental, unaligned Medium elemental, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor) Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 38 (7d6 + 14) Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)
Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft. Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 6 (–2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 5 (–3) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages Understands Aquan but does not speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from a patch of ordinary kelp.
Rapid Regrowth. The elemental regains 5 hit points at the start
of its turn. This trait only functions if the elemental is touching
water and is not at 0 hit points.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from an ordinary sandcastle.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes two melee attacks.

A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes three attacks with its kelp
whip.
Kelp Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.
Entangle. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the target
is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this
grapple ends, the target is restrained and the elemental can’t
constrict another target. If the target is submerged and can’t
breathe underwater, it starts to drown.
Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage and the creature must
succeed on a DC 8 Dexterity saving throw or become blinded
until the end of its next turn.
Sand Burst. The elemental causes sand to erupt violently
around a creature on the ground within 60 feet. That creature
must make DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (4d4)
slashing damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving
throw by 5 or more is also blinded until the end of its next
turn.
Quicksand (Recharge 6). The elemental chooses a creature
within 60 feet and causes the ground beneath its feet to
transform into a swirling vortex of quicksand. That creature
must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be
swiftly enveloped by the sand, sinking down and becoming
grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is
restrained and suffocating.

206
saNdCastle elemeNtal

207
Cult of fortuNes
The Cult of Fortunes is an organization led by a matriarch
who calls herself Lady Luck. She was the first to be reached
out to by a trickster god with promises of great wealth, power,
and luck. All she needed to do was encourage others to
engage in practices that pleased the god - primarily gambling
and swindling. And so an idea was born for the Cult of
Fortunes - her ultimate scheme to exploit people at every
level of society! Lady Luck used her charm and promises of
wealth to rapidly grow her following. The people of the cult
are blessed with supernatural luck from the trickster god;
this much was not a deceit. In turn, this luck allows them to
be even more successful when gambling or taking chances,
causing a vicious cycle of dangerous behaviors.
Each member of the Cult is tattooed with the 4 suits of a
deck of cards as part of their initiation process. These provide
a connection to the trickster god and also serve as a way to
identify other members of the organization. These tattoos can
be placed anywhere, so some have all four concealed while
others will display them with pride.
Pyramid Scheme. This is the true masterpiece of Lady
Luck's plan. Each member of the Cult gains reverence with
the trickster god whenever someone they’ve recruited to
the Cult gains favor through gambling or cheating. This has
caused the Cult to grow like wildfire in certain parts of the
world as each member is desperately trying to recruit others
so that they can become even luckier still. Of course, Lady
Luck at the top of the pyramid is the ultimate beneficiary and
her luck has swelled to such heights that she never loses a
game of chance, even with a weighted dice.
Chasing the Thrill. The excitement of gambling is
addicting, but one of the unexpected side effects with the
growth of the Cult is that as folks became more and more
likely to win, the games of chance became less exciting. The
people playing these games could rapidly attain wealth, but
just knowing that the odds are stacked in their favor removes
some of the thrill of choosing the correct number on the
roulette wheel or hitting a 21 in blackjack. As a result, many
cultists have turned to a life of crime as a way to gain that
same thrill that gambling once provided them.
A Myriad of Skills. Members of the cult tend to focus on
a particular game or skill when they join. Their blessings
from the trickster god even provide magical capabilities with
these instruments of chance, such as the dealer with their
status-inflicting cards or the coinslinger who can bestow bad
luck upon foes with the calling of heads or tails! Each variety
provides a different strength and together they can make a
formidable set of opponents for an up-and-coming band of
do-gooders!
Widespread Influence. You can make the Cult a prominent
fixture in your world by having some of their members present
as taverns all across the plane. They will invite others to
gamble and win more often than is typical which may raise
suspicion, but even the most careful inspection of dice or
letting someone else deal the cards will reveal that there
is no cheating happening - they are merely lucky! If one of
these cultists sees potential, they will be quick to recruit even
those of an adventuring party! The party may eventually start
to notice the recurring set of card suit tattoos on folks as
they travel, giving them insights that there is a much larger
organization at play!

208
the dealer the high roller
Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil

Armor Class 13 (Leather Armor) Armor Class 14 (Studded Leather)

Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2)

Skills Perception +2, Performance +4, Sleight of Hand +4 Skills Perception +3, Performance +4, Sleight of Hand +4
Senses Passive Perception 12 Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages Any three languages Languages Any three languages
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

A ctions
Lucky Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. A 7 rolled for an
attack with this weapon is considered a natural 20.
Pick a Card. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage. Then roll a d4 to
determine extra effects for the attack based on the suit:
• [1] Diamond - This razor-edged card deals an extra 4 (1d8)
slashing damage.
• [2] Heart - The target must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom
saving throw or become charmed for 1 minute. A charmed
creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of
its turns, ending the effect on a success.
• [3] Spade - The target must succeed on a DC 10 Strength
saving throw or drop one item that it is holding. This attack
also deals an extra 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage.
• [4] Club - The target must succeed on a DC 8 Constitution
saving throw or become incapacitated until the end of its
next turn.
Lucky (1/Day). The high roller can choose to reroll an attack
roll or saving throw.
A ctions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
damage.
Roll the Dice. The high roller chooses a target within 30 feet
and tosses two enchanted six-sided dice at them. Roll 2d6,
calculate the total, and consult the table below to determine
the effects of this attack.
• [2] - The dice explode as they leave the high roller’s hands,
dealing 5 (2d4) fire damage to the high roller.
• [3-5] - The dice land at the feet of the target and give off a
burst of poisonous gas. Each creature within 5 feet of the
target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw
or take 6 (1d12) poison damage and become poisoned until
the end of its next turn.
• [6-8] - The dice pick up speed as they fly towards the target.
The target must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw
or take 9 (2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
• [9-11] - The dice explode as they reach the target. Each
creature within 5 feet of the target must make a DC 12
Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) fire damage on a
failed saving throw, or half as much damage on a successful
one.
• [12] - The dice split into a barrage of smaller four-sided dice
as they approach the target. The target must succeed on a
DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 12 (4d4 + 2) piercing
damage.

209
 The One-Armed Bandit The Coinslinger
Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil

Armor Class 16 (Chain Mail) Armor Class 16 (Scale Mail)

Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 8 (–1) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3)

Skills Athletics +5, Perception +3, Performance +5 Skills Perception +2, Performance +5, Sleight of Hand +7
Senses Passive Perception 13 Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Any three languages Languages Any three languages
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Lucky (1/Day). The bandit can choose to reroll an attack roll or Lucky (1/Day). The coinslinger can choose to reroll an attack
saving throw. roll or saving throw.

A ctions
Multiattack. The bandit makes two attacks with its mallet.
Mallet. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (3d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If any two of the
damage dice show the same result, the bandit can choose one
of the following:
• The bandit gains 5 temporary hit points.
• The bandit gains advantage on their next attack roll.
• The bandit can move up to 15 feet without provoking
attacks of opportunity.
If three or more of the damage dice show the same result, the
bandit gains all three benefits.
R eactions
Rigged System. The bandit causes a creature it can see within
60 feet to reroll the damage dice of a weapon attack and take
the lower result of the two.
A ctions
Multiattack. The coinslinger makes two attacks with its rapier
or with its coin shot.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Coin Shot. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. When the
coinslinger launches the coin, they command their target to
call heads or tails. Flip a coin. If the target’s call was wrong,
this attack deals an extra 7 (3d4) damage and the target must
succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or fall under the
effects of the bane spell for the next minute.
Barrage of Coins (Recharge 5-6). The coinslinger makes 3
attacks with its coin shot against a single target.

210
lady luCk
Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

10 (+0) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+2) 15 (+2) 19 (+4)

Skills Perception +5, Performance +10, Persuasion +7,

Sleight of Hand +9
Senses Passive Perception 15
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

Lucky (3/Day). Lady luck can choose to reroll an attack roll or

saving throw. Additionally, if lady luck rolls a 7 on any d20, it is
considered a natural 20.
Serendipitous. Lady luck cannot be critically hit and cannot be
forced to make a roll with disadvantage. In addition, all attacks
against lady luck are made with disadvantage.

A ctions
Multiattack. Lady luck can make two attacks with her dagger or
three with her playing cards.
Lucky Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. This weapon’s
attacks are always rolled with advantage.
Playing Card. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 20/60
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Rifle (Recharge 2-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range
80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage plus
10 (3d6) fire damage.
Charming Smile (3/Day). Lady luck flashes a stunning,
magically-enhanced smile. Each creature that can see her
within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving
throw or become charmed by her for the next hour or until
she harms them. Creatures that are fighting lady luck make
this roll with advantage. While charmed in this way, creatures
regard lady luck as a friendly acquaintance.

R eActions
Misfortune. When a creature within 60 feet of lady luck makes
an attack roll, an ability check, or a damage roll, she may roll a
d6, subtracting the number rolled from the creature’s result.
She must choose to use this feature before the die she wishes
to modify has been rolled.

211
Dragon Shark
Dragon sharks are rare and powerful creatures that dwell in
the ocean. While they may not be as large or as powerful as
their ancient cousins the dragon turtles, the dragon shark can
still strike down foes and even ships with its powerful jaws,
slender dragon-like tail, and scalding breath weapon!
The dragon shark’s scales range from a slate grey to a
shimmering teal and provide even more protection than
the tough skin of an ordinary shark. Their tails can grow
up to fifteen feet long and the toughened cartilage of their
fins is sharp enough to cut through the wood of a ship with
ease. Their fins are longer than those of a traditional shark,
allowing for swift manuevering in the water.
Unfathomable Greed. The dragon sharks collect treasures
primarily from naturally occurring shipwrecks, but if ever
there is a vessel that contains a tremendous amount of wealth,
the dragon shark will not hesitate to put it on the bottom of
the ocean. These fearsome kin of dragons have an innate
ability to sense treasure, so even an innocuous ship is not safe
from their wrath.
They will form a lair in an underwater cave or within a
shipwreck far, far beneath the surface of the water. They will
guard this area with ferocity, preventing any other creatures
that may be seen as a threat from coming near, even to the
point of paranoia. Ship navigation charts will have huge
swaths marked off as unpassable area if it is known a dragon
shark's lair is near.
Treasure Hunters. In some occasions, the dragon sharks
can be hired for their treasure-seeking capabilities. It was
discovered that much like a bloodhound tracking a target from
a scrap of cloth, the dragon shark can track down a massive
cache of treasure with but a single coin from its contents!
Pirates are most often the ones who employ these sharks,
sharing in the spoils in a mutual relationship and on rare
occasions even forming a partnership. Not many folks are
going to come hunting for pirates who have made their base of
operations on an island protected by a dragon shark!
212
Dragon Shark
Huge dragon, neutral
Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 161 (14d12 + 70)
Speed 0 ft., swim 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 8 (–1)
Skills Perception +6
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages Understands common and draconic but
can’t speak
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Blood Frenzy. The shark has advantage on melee attack rolls
against any creature that doesn’t have all of its hit points.
Additionally, the shark can detect the exact location of a
bleeding creature in the water up to a mile away.
Treasure Sense. The shark can sense any valuable items within
1 mile. A valuable item depends on the maturity of the dragon
shark, but it is typically items worth greater than 500 gold
pieces.
Water Breathing. The shark can breathe only underwater.
A ctions
Multiattack. The shark makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage and if the target is
a creature it begins to bleed. A bleeding creature loses 2 (1d4)
hit points at the beginning of each of its turns until a creature
uses an action to apply bandages to the wound or until the
creature is affected by magical healing.
If a creature is already bleeding when hit by this attack, the
damage increases by an additional 2 (1d4) each turn, but still
only requires a single action to end the bleeding.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Scalding Breath (Recharge 5-6). The shark exhales a breath
of scalding hot water in a 60-foot line. Each creature in that
area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking
35 (10d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one. Being underwater doesn’t grant
resistance against this damage.
dragoN shark

213
Electric Eels
These more potent incarnations of the traditional electric
eel have adapted to their environment in two distinct ways -
through size and through numbers. These varieties of electric
eels tend only to dwell in the deepest depths of the oceans,
where these kinds of manifestations and behaviors are critical
to survival.
The eels that swarm feed off the natural electricity that each
eel generates, creating a group that is greater than the sum
of its parts! By coordinating their assault and each pressing
their body against a target simultaneously, they can cause a
creature to become temporarily paralyzed. This gives the eel
swarm a chance to escape predators or to devour prey.
The second manifestation is the giant electric eel. This
adaptation occurs when there are not enough other eels to
form a swarm, forcing them to grow large in order to survive.
A large eel is not as effective in the swarm which needs to
be fast and fluid, but it is capable of standing up to all but
the most powerful creatures of the deep off the back of its
individual strength. These giant eels do not need to compete
for food and are not restricted by the needs of others. When
full-grown, these eels can exceed nine feet in length.

Electric Eel Swarm Electric Flesh. A creature that hits the swarm with a melee
attack while within 5 feet of the swarm takes 3 (1d6) lightning
Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned
damage.
Armor Class 13 Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and
Hit Points 27 (6d8) vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft. enough for a Tiny eel. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain
temporary hit points.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Water Breathing. The swarm can breathe only underwater.
10 (+0) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)
A ctions
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing; Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature
Lightning in the swarm’s space. Hit: 10 (4d4) piercing damage, or
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Grappled, 5 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points
Paralyzed, Petrified, Prone, Restrained, Stunned or fewer.
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
Jolt. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature
Languages –
in the swarm’s space. Hit: 5 (2d4) lightning damage, or
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
2 (1d4) lightning damage if the swarm has half of its hit
Proficiency Bonus +2
points or fewer, and the target must succeed on a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or become stunned until the end of
its next turn.

Giant Electric Eel Electric Flesh. A creature that hits the eel with a melee attack
while within 5 feet of it takes 4 (1d8) lightning damage.
Large beast, unaligned
Water Breathing. The eel can breathe only underwater.
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 45 (6d10 + 12) A ctions
Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) lightning
damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)
R eactions
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4 Jolting Retreat. After being hit by an attack, the eel charges
Damage Resistances Lightning its body with electricity and zips away to a location within
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Passive Perception 10 20 feet. Attacks of opportunity made against the eel when it
Languages – uses this ability are made with disadvantage and damage from
Challenge 2 (450 XP) its electric flesh triggered by those attacks is increased by 4
Proficiency Bonus +2 (1d8).

214
Elemental Infused Beasts
This is the second incarnation of Elemental Infused Beasts! Noxious Skunk
These are meant to provide a fun new set of creatures for you Tiny beast, unaligned
to put in your world with many that can be used as pets or
for a druid to transform into for a bit of extra fun with their Armor Class 12
shapeshifting! Hit Points 10 (4d4)
Elemental creatures come in all shapes and sizes, but their Speed 30 ft.
origins remain a mystery! Some theorize it is due to creatures
living along elemental leylines and absorbing that energy over STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
hundreds of generations until it fundamentally changed them 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 3 (–5) 10 (+0) 2 (–4)
into another creature all together. Others think they are the
result of a mad scientist’s work from centuries ago and when Condition Immunities Poisoned
the creatures were released into the world they bred with Senses Passive Perception 10
others of their kind and propagated. Perhaps they are the Languages –
result of a mischievous entity bringing over beasts from the Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
various elemental planes. No matter the cause, these unique Proficiency Bonus +2
creatures have powerful abilities that make them far more
formidable than their non-elemental counterparts - though Keen Smell. The skunk has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
only the most powerful of them can match the strength of a checks that rely on smell.
pure elemental entity.
Vile Fumes. The skunk is surrounded by a constant cloud of
Elemental Metamorphosis. Each of these creatures have noxious fumes. Any creature that starts its turn within 10
two potential stages of life. They are born as mundane and feet of the skunk or enters its space for the first time on a
most will go about their entire lives without ever having an turn must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or
event to trigger them transforming to an elemental beast. become poisoned for 1 minute. A creature poisoned this way
There are a few different ways to trigger this transformation. that is no longer within the skunk’s vile fumes can repeat this
One is to have a creature exposed to a powerful natural saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect
disaster such as a blizzard, a lightning storm, or even on a success.
a volcanic eruption. The other is simply a near-death
experience. If the creature has enough of the elemental A ctions
energies stored in their bodies, they will manifest these new Multiattack. The skunk makes an attack with its bite and with
capabilities and have their appearance dramatically altered. its claws.
This is often enough to save the creature from dying, and Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
should it live on it will do so forevermore as an elemental Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
beast.
Pack Creatures. No matter the ordinary behavior of the Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
non-elemental version of the creature, the elemental-infused Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.
beasts always stick together. It is incredibly rare to encounter Noxious Spray (Recharge 4-6). The skunk lets loose a noxious
a group of fewer than four of them, making them even blast in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in this area must
more dangerous to stumble upon. Unprepared adventurers succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4)
or travelers may find themselves facing down a pack of poison damage.
eight decaying hyenas or four rimetusk walruses! They are
relentlessly loyal to one another and will gladly fight to the
death to save a pack member in danger. These creatures even
share a magical bond to one another. In cases where someone
manages to capture a single elemental beast and take it away
from its pack - the rest of its family has always found a way to
track them down no matter the distance traveled.

215
 putrid giaNt toad A ctions
Large beast, unaligned
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) poison
Armor Class 12 damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this
Hit Points 45 (6d10 + 12) grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the toad can’t bite
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft. another target.
Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (1d10)
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 2 (–4) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) poison damage, and the target is adhered to the toad’s tongue.
While adhered, the target takes 5 (1d10) poison damage at
Condition Immunities Poisoned the start of each of its turns and can’t move away from the
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 toad.
Languages –
Challenge 2 (450 XP) A creature can attack the tongue. It has an AC of 10 and if
Proficiency Bonus +2 it takes more than 5 damage from a single attack, the toad
retracts its tongue immediately.
Amphibious. The toad can breathe air and water. Poisonous Froth. If the toad has a creature grappled within 5
feet, the toad fills its mouth with disgusting poisonous saliva
Putrid Pustules. The toad’s body is covered in disgusting
that bubbles up and erupts onto the creature’s body. That
pustules that are set to burst. Whenever a creature hits the
creature must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking
toad with an attack, one of these pustules erupts and each
16 (3d10) poison damage on a failed saving throw, or half
creature within 5 feet of the toad must succeed on a DC 13
as much damage on a successful one. If a creature fails this
Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) poison damage.
saving throw by 5 or more, it is also poisoned until the end of
Standing Leap. The toad’s long jump is up to 20 feet and its its next turn.
high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.

216
Poison-Barb Porcupine Astral Butterfly
Medium beast, unaligned Tiny beast, unaligned

Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) Armor Class 14 (18 with Starry Form)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Hit Points 5 (2d4)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 5 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 2 (–4) 12 (+1) 2 (–4) 2 (–4) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 12 (+1)

Condition Immunities Poisoned Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages –
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Poisoned Barbs. The porcupine’s body is covered in sharp
quills that are hollowed and each filled with a small bit
of poison that the porcupine’s body naturally produces.
Whenever a creature hits the porcupine with a melee attack
while within 5 feet, some of the porcupine’s quills erupt out.
The attacker must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw
or take 2 (1d4) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) poison damage.
A ctions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
Poisoned Quill Spray. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must
make DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (3d4) piercing
and 7 (3d4) poison damage on a failed saving throw, or half as
much damage on a successful one.
Scatter Quills (Recharge 5-6). The porcupine shakes its body
violently, causing hundreds of quills to shake loose and scatter
across the ground in a 15-foot radius circle centered on the
porcupine. Whenever another creature moves through this
area, it takes 2 (1d4) piercing damage and 2 (1d4) poison
damage for every 5 feet traveled. After the porcupine uses this
ability, it can immediately make a bite attack against a creature
in range.
Languages –
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Starry Form. While it is dark, the butterfly’s form becomes
translucent and glowing orbs of light surround the butterfly
connected by thin strips of light. This gives the butterfly the
appearance of a tiny constellation floating through the sky and
makes its size seem exaggerated, providing it with a +4 bonus
to its AC.
A ctions
Astral Burst. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 60 ft.,
one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) force damage. If it is night when
the butterfly uses this ability, it is guaranteed to hit unless the
target uses the shield spell.
Astral Lumination (3/Day). The butterfly rapidly zips through
the air and leaves behind up to 5 motes of light along its path.
Each of these motes produces bright light in a 5-foot radius
sphere and dim light for an additional 10 feet. These motes
are connected by thin strips of light that shed dim light in a
5-foot radius. These motes of light persist for 1 hour or until
the butterfly uses this ability again.

217
 Cosmic Jellyfish Dazzling Peacock
Small beast, unaligned Small beast, unaligned

Armor Class 12 Armor Class 13

Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3) Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 0 ft., swim 30 ft., teleport 60 ft. Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
7 (–2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 1 (–5) 7 (–2) 4 (–3) 6 (–2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 2 (–4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 8 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages – Languages –
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Bioluminescent. The jellyfish can produce its own light,
creating bright purple light in a 10-foot radius and dim light
for an additional 10 feet. The jellyfish can choose to activate
or deactivate this feature at will.
Stellar Blink. The jellyfish has the ability to teleport short
distances. It spins its body rapidly, creating the illusory image
of a small galaxy in the water, then disappears in a brilliant
flash of light. It reappears at a point it can see within 60
feet. The jellyfish always deactivates its bioluminescence
immediately after teleporting to conceal its location. Any
creature within 5 feet of the jellyfish when it uses this ability
must succeed on a DC 5 Constitution saving throw or become
blinded until the end of its next turn.
Water Breathing. The jellyfish can breathe only underwater.
A ctions
Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) poison damage and the target must succeed
on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become paralyzed
until the end of its next turn.
Dancing Lights. The jellyfish uses the dancing lights cantrip.
Enchanting Plumage. When a creature within 30 feet performs
an action that would harm the peacock, it must first make a
DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed saving throw, that
creature is so overwhelmed by the peacock’s dazzling feathers
that it makes the attack with disadvantage. A creature that
fails this saving throw by 5 or more forfeits the rest of its turn
as it is overwhelmed with guilt at the thought of harming the
peacock.
Luminous Feathers. The peacock can cause its feathers to
glow. This light is vibrant and beautiful, creating bright light in
a 30-foot radius sphere and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
The peacock can choose to activate or deactivate this feature
at will.
A ctions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
Flash of Brilliance. The peacock rapidly flutters its feathers and
causes the area before it to shimmer with dazzling energy.
Each creature in a 15-foot cone in front of the peacock much
succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4)
radiant damage.
Enchanting Display (Recharge 5-6). The peacock performs an
elaborate display with its feathers, causing them to gleam and
shine like the night’s sky. Target creature within 15 feet of the
peacock that can see this display must succeed on a DC 12
Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by the peacock for
the next hour. A creature charmed in this way refuses to harm
the peacock and will attempt to stop any other creature from
harming the peacock through violence if necessary.

218
NeCrotiC possum A ctions
Tiny beast, unaligned
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) necrotic
Armor Class 11 damage.
Hit Points 4 (1d4 + 2)
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Vicious Hiss. The possum’s eyes bulge in their sockets, the
hairs stand up on its back, and it lets out a frightful hiss. Each
creature within 10 feet of the possum must succeed on a
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened by the
4 (–3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 2 (–4) 12 (+1) 1 (–5) possum for 1 minute.
Skills Perception +3 R eActions
Damage Resistances Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned Play Dead (1/Day). The possum’s incredible endurance can
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13 allow it to survive even the most deadly of attacks. If an attack
Languages – would reduce the possum to 0 hit points, it is instead reduced
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) to 1 hit point and the possum plays dead, unleashing a cloud
Proficiency Bonus +2 of noxious fumes as it rolls over. For the next minute, any
creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the possum or
enters that area for the first time on its turn must succeed
on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 2 (1d4) poison
damage.

219
 Vile Vulture Decaying Hyena
Small beast, unaligned Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 Armor Class 12

Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3) Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (–1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 2 (–4) 12 (+1) 1 (–5) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 2 (–4) 12 (+1) 4 (–3)

Skills Perception +3 Damage Resistances Necrotic, Poison

Damage Resistances Necrotic, Poison Condition Immunities Poisoned
Condition Immunities Poisoned Senses Perception +3
Senses Passive Perception 13 Languages –
Languages – Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +2
Pack Tactics. The hyena has advantage on attack rolls against a
Corpse Sense. The vulture knows the location of any creature creature if at least one of the hyena’s allies is within 5 feet of
of size Small or larger that died in the last 24 hours within 1 the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
mile. Unyielding (1/Day). The first time the hyena is reduced to 0
Keen Sight. The vulture has advantage on Wisdom hit points, it drops to 1 hit point instead unless the damage
(Perception) checks that rely on sight was from a critical hit.

A ctions
Multiattack. The vulture makes two attacks: one with its beak
and one with its talons.
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.
Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage.
R eactions
Putrid Bile (Recharge 5-6). After the vulture is dealt damage
by a creature within 5 feet, it can attempt to vomit putrid
stomach acid on its attacker. That creature must succeed on a
DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (2d4) acid damage.
A ctions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic
damage and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution
saving throw or become afflicted by one of the following
diseases for the next minute. The disease is chosen at random:
• Enfeebling Affliction - The target’s Strength score is reduced
by 3.
• Impairing Infestation - The target’s movement speed is
halved.
• Necrotic Infection - The target takes an additional 2 necrotic
damage from all melee attacks.
B onus A ction
Scavenge. The hyena bites a chunk out of a corpse within 5
feet that has not been scavenged. The hyena gains 4 (1d4 + 2)
temporary hit points.

220
Fire Fox Giant Inferno Beetle
Tiny beast, unaligned Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 5 (2d4) Hit Points 34 (4d10 + 12)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 5 ft. Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
4 (–3) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 5 (–3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 1 (–5) 12 (+1) 4 (–3)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5 Skills Athletics +6

Damage Resistances Fire Damage Resistances Fire
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13 Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages – Languages –
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Illumination. The fox sheds bright light in a 5-foot radius
and dim light for an additional 5 feet. The fox can choose to
activate or deactivate this feature at will.
A ctions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 1 piercing plus 2 (1d4) fire damage.
Flame Duplicate (1/Day). The fox creates a duplicate of itself
in an unoccupied space within 5 feet that is made of pure
flame. This duplicate persists for 1 hour or until the fox dies
and acts at the same time as the fox. This flame duplicate
cannot be damaged and deals 2 fire damage with its bite
attack rather than the normal damage.
If this duplicate is exposed to at least 1 gallon of water, it
immediately disperses as it turns to steam.
B onus A ctions
Flame Step. The fox disappears in a small burst of flame and
appears in an unoccupied space up to 15 feet away. Using this
ability consumes movement speed equal to twice the distance
traveled.
Illumination. The beetle sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius
and dim light for an additional 20 feet.
Molten Burrowing. The beetle digs rapidly through the ground
by superheating the area around its body, making the dirt
and stone easier to shift. Its tunnels remain molten hot for
5 minutes and any creature that attempts to move through
one of the beetle’s tunnels during this time will take 1d8 fire
damage at the end of each of its turns.
A ctions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.
R eactions
Overheat (1/Day). This ability can only be used while the
beetle is equal to or below half of its maximum hit points
(17). The glowing glands on the beetle’s back erupt into
brilliant flames. For the next minute or until the beetle dies, it
gains the following traits:
• The beetle’s AC is reduced to 13 and its movement speed is
halved.
• The beetle sheds bright light and dim light for an additional
20 feet.
• Creatures that end their turns within 10 feet of the beetle
take 3 (1d6) fire damage.
• Creatures that hit the beetle with a melee attack while within
10 feet of the beetle take 3 (1d6) fire damage.

221
 Molten Scale Cobra Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 20 ft., one
creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 4) piercing plus 17 (5d6) fire
Huge beast, unaligned
damage, and if the target is a creature it must make a DC 14
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the cobra’s venom
Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
begins to take hold and causes the target’s blood to heat up.
Hit Points 85 (9d12 + 27)
Until the creature takes a long rest or has the poison magically
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
removed, they suffer from the following effects:
• The creature’s movement speed is halved.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 2 (–4) 12 (+1) 4 (–3) • If the creature casts a spell or takes the attack action, it takes
2 (1d4) fire damage as the blood in their veins burns.
Skills Athletics +6 • The creature has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception)
Damage Immunities Fire checks and Constitution saving throws as they starts to
Damage Vulnerabilities Cold hallucinate from extreme fever.
Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages – R eactions
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Encase in Glass. If the cobra feels it is going to die, it will
Proficiency Bonus +3 make a final desperate attempt to protect itself from attackers
by superheating the sand around its body and turning it into
Molten Scales. The cobra has scales that are superheated, molten glass. The cobra pulls the heat from the glass into its
allowing it to burrow through solid stone by melting the rock scales, causing the glass to harden and the cobra to become
itself as it travels. Additionally, creatures that attack the cobra protected by a thick translucent barrier. The cobra can remain
with a melee weapon attack take 4 (1d8) fire damage and their in this glass shell for up to 24 hours before perishing, but can
weapons become superheated. A creature that hits the cobra choose to end this effect at any time by superheating the glass
with a weapon that is already superheated must succeed on once again.
a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or drop the weapon as a The glass is incredibly difficult to crack but can be done with
result of the extreme heat. If they pick the weapon up before the use of thunder spells or bludgeoning weapons. A total
the start of their next turn, they take 5 (1d10) fire damage. of 100 damage needs to be dealt to the barrier before it will
Snapping Strikes. The cobra can rapidly lunge forward to snap break. If the cobra feels its shell will not endure, it can choose
at creatures at great distances without provoking attacks of to melt the glass once again and will fight with a final act of
opportunity. (This is represented by the increased reach of the desperation.
cobra’s bite attack below.) This ability only works if the cobra is fighting in a desert
A ctions environment and is on the ground.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one

target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6)
fire damage and the creature is grappled (escape DC 15) if it
is size Large or smaller. Until this grapple ends, the target is
restrained, and the cobra cannot constrict another creature. A
creature that ends its turn constricted by the cobra takes 10
(3d6) fire damage from the extreme heat of the cobra’s scales.

222
molteN sCale CoBra

223
 Static Wool Sheep Giant Electric Catfish
Small beast, unaligned Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (Static Wool) Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 9 (2d6 + 2) Hit Points 37 (5d10 + 10)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+2) 2 (–4) 10 (+0) 6 (–2) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 1 (–5) 10 (+0) 3 (–4)

Damage Resistances Lightning Damage Resistances Lightning

Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages –
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Static Wool. The sheep’s wool generates a powerful field
of static electricity that serves as both a deterrent and a
protective barrier. As a result, the sheep’s AC is 13 and any
creature that touches the sheep with bare flesh takes 1 point
of lightning damage. This static electricity field also causes
the sheep’s kick attack to deal extra damage (included in the
attack).
Condition Immunities Paralyzed, Prone, Stunned
Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages –
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Charged Flesh. Whenever a creature within 10 feet of the
catfish hits it with a melee weapon attack, that creature must
succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become
stunned until the end of its next turn.
Water Breathing. The catfish can breathe only underwater.

A ctions
Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 2 (1d4) lightning
damage.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
Rapid Shedding (1/Week). The sheep aggressively shakes its
body, causing loose static-charged wool to scatter in a 10-foot
radius area. Any creature that starts its turn in this area or
enters it for the first time on a turn takes 1 lightning damage
and can’t take reactions until its next turn. In addition, a
creature that moves within this area takes 1 lightning damage
for every 5 feet it travels. This wool remains charged for 1
minute, after which time it becomes ordinary sheep’s wool.
A ctions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Whiskers. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4)
lightning damage.
Discharge (1/Day). The catfish unleashes a burst of electricity
into the water. Any creature in the water within 15 feet of the
catfish must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking
10 (4d4) lightning damage on a failed saving throwing, or half
as much damage on a successful one.

224
Lightning Rod Ibex Sure-Footed. The ibex has advantage on Strength and Dexterity
saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone.
Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

A ctions
Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30) Multiattack. The ibex makes two attacks: one with its kick and
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. one with its ram or lightning ram if available.
Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage and the target is
19 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 4 (–3) 12 (+1) 7 (–2) pushed 10 feet in a straight line. If the target is a creature, it
must also succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be
Skills Perception +4 knocked prone. If a creature collides with a solid structure
Damage Resistances Lightning before moving the full 10 feet, it takes an additional 7 (2d6)
Senses Passive Perception 14 bludgeoning damage but is not knocked prone.
Languages – Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage and if the target is a
Proficiency Bonus +3 creature it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or
be knocked prone.
Living Lightning Rod. The ibex’s horns serve as lightning rods Lightning Ram (1 Charge). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,
and naturally draw lightning strikes to them. These horns reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage
can store the energy of a lightning bolt for up to a month, plus 7 (2d6) lightning damage and the creature must succeed
providing the ibex with 5 charges of energy that can be used on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become stunned
for powerful attacks to ward off threats. Once these charges until the end of its next turn.
are expended, the ibex must be struck by another bolt of
lightning to regain all 5 of its charges. If the ibex is hit with a Spark Blast (2 Charges). The ibex unleashes a blast of lightning
spell that deals lightning damage, it regains 2 of these charges. from each of its horns, sending bolts of energy at two targets
within 90 feet. Each of these creatures must succeed on a DC
15 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 (6d6) lightning damage.

Flurry Stoat Flurry Charge. If the stoat uses its snow motion feature to
move at least 15 feet directly towards a target before attacking
Tiny beast, unaligned
it with its bite, it gets advantage on the attack and the attack
deals an additional 2 (1d4) cold damage if it hits (included in
Armor Class 13
the attack).
Hit Points 3 (1d4 + 1)
Speed 30 ft. Snow Motion. When the stoat is in snow at least 3 inches
deep, it can cause its body to merge with the snow as it
moves. The stoat drifts through the snow without disturbing it
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA and is undetectable without magical means for tracking. While
3 (–4) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 3 (–4) 14 (+2) 5 (–3) moving in this way, the stoat is immune to damage from
nonmagical weapons and has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth)
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5 checks. The stoat can move in this way for up to 1 hour per
Damage Resistances Cold day.
Senses Passive Perception 14
Languages – A ctions
Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Proficiency Bonus +2
Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 1 cold damage. If the stoat used
its flurry charge, this attack deals an additional 2 (1d4) cold
damage.

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 rimefrost reiNdeer
Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor) or 16 (with its Rime Shield)
Hit Points 34 (4d10 + 12)
Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON
19 (+4) 12 (+1) 17 (+3)
Saving Throws text
Skills Perception +3
Damage Resistances Cold
Damage Immunities text
Damage Vulnerabilities text
Condition Immunities text
Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages –
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
226
Chilling Presence. The reindeer’s body is coated in a layer of
ice and it is surrounded by a cloud of thick mist and frigid air.
Creatures within a 10-foot radius area of the reindeer have
trouble breathing due to this chilling air. A creature that starts
its turn in this area or enters it for the first time on a turn
must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or it has
disadvantage on its first attack roll, skill check, or saving throw
made this turn. A creature that does not need to breathe or is
INT WIS CHA holding a source of heat is immune to this effect.
3 (–4) 12 (+1) 8 (–1) Rime Shield. The reindeer’s body is coated in a thick layer of
ice that serves as protection from predators and provides it
with an AC of 16.
A ctions
Antlers. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) cold
damage.
Spray of Icicles (1/Day). The reindeer violently shakes its body
and causes the icicles that form on its fur and antlers to erupt
outward. Each creature within 15 feet of the reindeer must
make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5 (2d4) piercing
damage and 5 (2d4) cold damage on a failed saving throw, or
half as much damage on a successful one. After the reindeer
uses this ability, it loses the benefits of its rime shield for 24
hours.
Chilltusk Walrus A ctions
Huge beast, unaligned
Multiattack. The walrus makes two attacks: one with its body
flop and one with its tusks.
Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 94 (9d12 + 36) Body Flop. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft., slide 40 ft. target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage and the target
must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed
10 feet.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 8 (–1) 18 (+4) 4 (–3) 10 (+0) 4 (–3) Tusks. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) cold
Damage Resistances Cold; Bludgeoning and Slashing from damage and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution
Nonmagical Attacks saving throw or begin to freeze and become restrained. The
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 restrained target must repeat this saving throw at the end
Languages – of its next turn. On a success, the effect ends on the target.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) On a failure, the target is frozen for 1 hour or until exposed
Proficiency Bonus +3 to intense heat for 1 minute. A frozen creature is considered
stunned and has resistance to all damage except for fire.
Hold Breath. The walrus can hold its breath for 30 minutes. Freezing Tremor (1/Day). The walrus lifts its massive body and
slaps it down on the ground. A concussive wave of icy energy
Icy Movement. When the walrus is traveling on land, it coats
erupts from the walrus, causing the ground in a 60-foot radius
the ground it crosses in a layer of ice. Other creatures that
area to become coated in 4 inches of ice. Each other creature
attempt to cross the ice must do so at half speed or will
in this area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking
they need to succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or
18 (4d8) cold damage and becoming grappled as their feet are
fall prone. When the walrus moves on ice, it can choose to
frozen in ice on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage
slide which provides it with a movement speed of 40 feet.
and not grappled on a successful one. A creature grappled this
Creatures that are pushed while standing on this ice move 3
way can be freed by exposing the ice to intense heat or by
times their normal distance. This ice persists until it melts.
using an action to make a DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check,
Thick Blubber. The walrus’s thick layer of fat and skin provides breaking free on a success.
it with resistance to bludgeoning and slashing damage from
A creature that is trapped in the ice and fails the Strength
mundane weapons.
saving throw of the walrus’s body flop is broken free of the ice
but takes an additional 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage from the
attack.

227
gemstoNe elemeNtals
Gemstone elementals are a special variant of earth elementals that have become so obsessed with gemstones that they've
incrorperated them into their very essence. Each variety of gemstone has its own unique characteristics that provide boons to the
elemental. Amethyst elementals can fracture off sections of their own body to create new, smaller elementals that can operate
independently. Aquamarine elementals can absorb spells into their gemstones and fire them back at the very creatures that cast them.
Peridot elementals can bind themselves to enemies with their gemstones, causing attackers to harm themselves as they attempt to
destroy the elemental. Rose quartz elementals absorb energy from damage dealt to them and unleash it back at their foes! Tourmaline
elementals flash with brilliant light when they are struck, blinding their attackers and allowing the elemental to unleash brutal
counterattacks.
Under Pressure. These elementals start out as shardlings, born of stone and a single large gemstone buried deep within the
crust of the plane. As time goes on, the gemstone becomes shaped and splits across the body of the elemental. After many months,
the shardling begins to travel through the stone in search of other gemstones to grow its form. With each new gemstone acquired, it
grows in both size and strength until it reaches a fully-sized gemstone elemental standing roughly ten feet tall. Once the elementals
reach this size and maturity, they may choose to become part of a greater entity, or they may choose to burrow deep underground and
split off a fragment of their essence to grow additional gemstone elementals.
Many as One. The most remarkable characteristic of these gemstone elementals is their ability to merge together to form a more
powerful elemental being - a single creature that is the combination of the body and mind of each of the elementals that came together
to form it. This is how the pristine elementals are formed. These bonds can be formed out of desperation, such as when an attacker
threatens the caverns that the gemstone elementals call home, but it can also happen when elementals form strong bonds and simply
wish to exist together as one. These elementals can choose to end this fusion at any time, reverting to their individual forms, but many
will spend the rest of their lives bonded once they have become pristine.
These bonds are typically formed through gemstone elementals of the same type, but there are instances where gemstones of
differing types come together as one. These create brand new varieties of gemstone elementals with capabilities that are a mesh of
those that come together and form it. It is rumored that elementals of all varieties could merge to create an ultimate creature with the
strength to level cities, but nothing has yet driven them to resort to such drastic measures.

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Pristine Amethyst Elemental Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical.
Huge elemental, unaligned A ctions
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor) Multiattack. The elemental makes three attacks with its
Hit Points 163 (14d12 + 72) gemstone spear or two with its shatter spray.
Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft. Gemstone Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit,
reach 15 ft. or range 60/180 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA piercing damage.
20 (+5) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) Gemstone Torrent. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must
succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 15 (6d4)
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing piercing damage.
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison Gemstone Landslide (Recharge 5-6). The amethyst elemental
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, breaks its body down into its components and surges forward
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious in a 20-foot wide, 60-foot long line. Each non-elemental
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., creature in this area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving
Passive Perception 12 throw, taking 22 (5d8) bludgeoning damage plus 22 (5d8)
Languages Common, Terran piercing damage and becoming knocked prone on a failed
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP) saving throw, or half as much damage and not knocked prone
Proficiency Bonus +5 on a success one.
A creature that fails this saving throw by 5 or more is dragged
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical, up to 30 feet down the elemental’s path and takes an
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental additional 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage.
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through.
R eactions
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless,
it is indistinguishable from a large cluster of rocks and Fracture (3/Day). When the elemental is subjected to non-
gemstones. psychic damage, it breaks off a chunk of itself to form a new
elemental which acts immediately after the pristine elemental
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the elemental fails a saving in the initiative order. This elemental uses the stat block of
throw, it can choose to succeed instead. an Amethyst Elemental but is size Medium, has 40 hit points,
Magic Resistance. The elemental has advantage on saving and the only action it can use is Slam. This fractured elemental
throws against spells and other magical effects. persists indefinitely, but the pristine amethyst elemental can
spend 10 minutes to merge the fractured elemental back into
its body.

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 Amethyst Elemental Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical.
Large elemental, unaligned A ctions
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36) its rock fragments.
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range
17 (+3) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft.,
Passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Terran
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical,
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones.
Detonate Fractured Elemental. The elemental can choose to
detonate a fractured elemental it can see within 60 feet. Each
creature within 10 feet of the fractured elemental must make
a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) piercing
damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage on a
successful one.
R eactions
Fracture (2/Day). When the elemental is subjected to non-
psychic damage, it breaks off a chunk of itself to form a
new elemental which acts immediately after the amethyst
elemental in the initiative order. This elemental uses the stat
block of an Amethyst Elemental Shardling but it has 25 hit
points and the only action it can use is Slam. This fractured
elemental persists indefinitely, but the amethyst elemental can
spend 10 minutes to merge the fractured elemental back into
its body.

Amethyst Elemental False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it

is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones.
Shardling A ctions
Small elemental, unaligned
Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor) its rock fragments.
Hit Points 39 (6d6 + 18)
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Speed 39 (6d6 + 18)
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 7 (–2) 10 (+0) 8 (–1)

Saving Throws text

R eactions
Skills text Fracture (2/Day). When the elemental is subjected to non-
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing psychic damage, it breaks off a chunk of itself to form a
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks new elemental which acts immediately after the amethyst
Damage Immunities Poison elemental shardling in the initiative order. This elemental uses
Damage Vulnerabilities text the stat block of an Amethyst Elemental Shardling but it is
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Tiny, has 5 hit points, and the only action it can use is Slam.
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious This fractured elemental persists indefinitely, but the amethyst
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., elemental shardling can spend 10 minutes to merge the
Passive Perception 10 fractured elemental back into its body.
Languages Common, Terran
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

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Pristine Aquamarine Elemental Spell Absorption. Whenever a spell of 8th level or lower
targets only the elemental, the caster of the spell must
Huge elemental, unaligned
succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or their spell is
absorbed into the aquamarine gemstones of the elemental’s
Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor)
body. The spell’s effects do not trigger but the spell slot is
Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80)
still expended. The elemental can store two spells at a time
Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft.
and while a spell is stored, the gemstones on its body glow
vibrantly, producing bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA light for an additional 20 feet.
22 (+6) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) The elemental can use its action to cast a spell it has absorbed
into its aquamarines. The spell uses the slot level, spell
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing save DC, and spell attack bonus of the original caster, but is
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks otherwise treated as if the elemental cast the spell.
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, A ctions
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Multiattack. The elemental uses its null magic gemstone ability
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft.,
if able, then makes three attacks with its gemstone blade or
Passive Perception 12
gemstone mortar.
Languages Common, Terran
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP) Gemstone Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach
Proficiency Bonus +5 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage. If
the elemental has at least one spell stored, it can choose to
expend one of them to deal an additional 27 (5d10) force
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical,
damage with this attack.
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. Gemstone Mortar. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning
it is indistinguishable from a large cluster of rocks and damage.
gemstones. Null Magic Gemstone (Recharge 6). The elemental fires an
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the elemental fails a saving aquamarine at an unoccupied space within 60 feet. This
throw, it can choose to succeed instead. creates a 30-foot diameter sphere of antimagic, as in the
antimagic field spell. This area is considered difficult terrain for
Magic Resistance. The elemental has advantage on saving all non-elemental creatures.
throws against spells and other magical effects.
This area persists for 1 hour or until the aquamarine is
Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical.
destroyed. The aquamarine has 18 AC and 40 hit points.

R eactions
Gemstone Barrier. The elemental produces a shield of magical
energy to ward off an attack, adding 5 to its AC against
one melee or ranged attack that would hit it. To do so, the
elemental must be able to see the attacker.

231
 Aquamarine Elemental Spell Absorption. Whenever a spell of 6th level or lower
targets only the elemental, the caster of the spell must
Large elemental, unaligned
succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or their spell is
absorbed into the aquamarine gemstones of the elemental’s
Armor Class 19 (Natural Armor)
body. The spell’s effects do not trigger but the spell slot is still
Hit Points 119 (14d10 + 42)
expended. The elemental can store only one spell at a time
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
and while a spell is stored, the gemstones on its body glow
vibrantly, producing bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA light for an additional 10 feet.
18 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) The elemental can use its action to cast a spell it has absorbed
into its aquamarines. The spell uses the slot level, spell
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing save DC, and spell attack bonus of the original caster, but is
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks otherwise treated as if the elemental cast the spell.
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, A ctions
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft.,
its rock fragments.
Passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Terran Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical,
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental Spellstone Volley (Recharge 6). The elemental unleashes
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. a volley of aquamarine gemstones in a 30-foot cone. Each
creature in this area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it throw, taking 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed
is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones. saving throw, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical. Additionally, any creature that fails this saving throw that is
concentrating on a spell makes its concentration check with
disadvantage.

Aquamarine Elemental Spell Absorption. Whenever a spell of 3rd level or lower

targets only the elemental, the caster of the spell must
Shardling succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or their spell is
absorbed into the aquamarine gemstones of the elemental’s
Small elemental, unaligned
body. The spell’s effects do not trigger but the spell slot is still
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) expended. The elemental can store only one spell at a time
Hit Points 39 (6d6 + 18) and while a spell is stored, the gemstones on its body glow
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft. vibrantly, producing bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim
light for an additional 10 feet.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA The elemental can use its action to cast a spell it has absorbed
17 (+3) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 7 (–2) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) into its aquamarines. The spell uses the slot level, spell
save DC, and spell attack bonus of the original caster, but is
otherwise treated as if the elemental cast the spell.
Saving Throws text
Skills text
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
A ctions
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
Damage Immunities Poison its rock fragments.
Damage Vulnerabilities text Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Tremorsense 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
Languages Common, Terran 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it

is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones.

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Pristine Peridot Elemental A ctions
Huge elemental, unaligned
Multiattack. The elemental can use its soul tear if able, then
makes three attacks with its gemstone axe or two with its
Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor) psychic assault.
Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft. Gemstone Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage plus 5 (1d10)
psychic damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
21 (+5) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) Psychic Assault. Target creature within 120 feet must succeed
on a DC 18 Intelligence saving throw or take 22 (5d8) psychic
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage. This can’t target the same creature twice in the same
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks turn.
Damage Immunities Poison Binding Gem. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, 150/600 ft., one creature. Hit: 27 (5d8 + 5) piercing damage,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Consitution saving
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., throw or a peridot gemstone becomes embedded in its flesh.
Passive Perception 12 A creature can use an action to make a DC 15 Strength check,
Languages Common, Terran removing the gemstone on a success.
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +5 While a creature is embedded with a peridot gemstone, it is
bound to the elemental and shares in its pain. Each time the
elemental takes damage, any bound creatures takes 10 (3d6)
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical, psychic damage as well.
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. The elemental can be bound to a maximum of two creatures
at a time.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless,
it is indistinguishable from a large cluster of rocks and Soul Tear (Recharge 6). Each creature that is currently bound
gemstones. to the elemental must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma saving
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the elemental fails a saving throw or be banished away to a harmless demiplane for
throw, it can choose to succeed instead. 1 minute. While there, the creatures are incapacitated. A
creature that has been banished can repeat this saving throw
Magic Resistance. The elemental has advantage on saving at the end of each of its turns, fighting back to its original
throws against spells and other magical effects. plane on a success.
Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical.
R eactions
Mental Spiral. The elemental pulses a wave of psychic energy
from its gemstones towards a creature that is about to attack
it. The elemental can only use this ability against targets it can
see within 120 feet. That creature must succeed on a DC 18
Wisdom saving throw or it changes its attack to a creature
of the elemental’s choice within range. If there are no other
available targets, the attack simply fails.

233
 Peridot Elemental A ctions
Large elemental, unaligned
Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
its rock fragments.
Armor Class 19 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 119 (14d10 + 42) Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.
17 (+3) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1)
Binding Gem. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 50/150
ft., one creature. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing target must succeed on a DC 15 Consitution saving throw or a
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks peridot gemstone becomes embedded in its flesh. A creature
Damage Immunities Poison can use an action to make a DC 13 Strength check, removing
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, the gemstone on a success.
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., While a creature is embedded with a peridot gemstone, it is
Passive Perception 10 bound to the elemental and shares in its pain. Each time the
Languages Common, Terran elemental takes damage, any bound creatures takes 7 (2d6)
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) psychic damage as well.
Proficiency Bonus +3
The elemental can be bound to a maximum of two creatures
at a time.
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical,
Siphon Soul (Recharge 6). The elemental attempts to draw
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental
in the life force of the creatures to which it is bound. Each
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through.
creature bound to the elemental must succeed on a DC 15
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it Constitution saving throw or take 18 (4d8) piercing damage.
is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones. The elemental gains temporary hit points equal to half the
Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical. total damage dealt with this ability.

Peridot Elemental Shardling A ctions

Small elemental, unaligned
Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
its rock fragments.
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 39 (6d6 + 18) Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
15 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 7 (–2) 10 (+0) 8 (–1)
Binding Gem. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/90
ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage, and the
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing target must succeed on a DC 13 Consitution saving throw or a
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks peridot gemstone becomes embedded in its flesh. A creature
Damage Immunities Poison can use an action to make a DC 11 Strength check, removing
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, the gemstone on a success.
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., While a creature is embedded with a peridot gemstone, it is
Passive Perception 10 bound to the elemental and shares in its pain. Each time the
Languages Common, Terran elemental takes damage, the bound creature takes 3 (1d6)
Challenge 2 (450 XP) psychic damage as well.
Proficiency Bonus +2
The elemental can only be bound to one creature at a time.

False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it

is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones.

234
Pristine Rose Quartz Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the elemental fails a saving
throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Elemental Magic Resistance. The elemental has advantage on saving
Huge elemental, unaligned throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical.
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 207 (18d12 + 90)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft.
A ctions
Multiattack. The elemental makes three attacks with its
gemstone maul or gemstone mortar.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) Gemstone Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10
ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing Gemstone Mortar. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning
Damage Immunities Poison damage plus 4 (1d8) fire damage.
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious Rain of Fury (Recharge 5-6). The elemental blasts rose quartz
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., gemstones into the air and causes them to rain down across
Passive Perception 12 the battlefield. The elemental can expend up to 10 points
Languages Common, Terran of its bonus damage as it uses this ability. For each point of
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP) bonus damage that is expended with this ability, it creates a
Proficiency Bonus +5 10-foot cube of explosive energy. Each of these cubes must
have at least one face adjacent to the face of another cube and
must be within 150 feet of the elemental. Each creature that
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical, is within one of these cubes must make a DC 18 Dexterity
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) fire damage on a failed saving
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. throw, or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire
Energy Absorption. Whenever the elemental is dealt damage, damages objects in the area and ignites flammable objects
it retains some of the energy of that attack in its gemstones, that aren’t being worn or carried.
increasing the damage it deals with its attacks. Each time
the elemental takes damage, it deals an additional 2 damage R eactions
with its gemstone maul and gemstone mortar attacks up to a Furious Retaliation. The elemental makes an attack with its
maximum of 10 bonus damage. The elemental’s rose quartz gemstone blade against a creature that hit it with an attack
gemstones grow more brightly as this damage bonus grows, this turn. If that creature has dealt 25 or more damage to the
emitting bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an elemental this turn, this attack is made with advantage.
additional 20 feet when at 10 bonus damage.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless,
it is indistinguishable from a large cluster of rocks and
gemstones.

235
 Rose Quartz Elemental Each time the elemental takes damage, it deals an additional
1 damage with its slam and rock fragment attacks up to a
Large elemental, unaligned
maximum of 10 bonus damage. The elemental’s rose quartz
gemstones grow more brightly as this damage bonus grows,
Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
emitting bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an
Hit Points 133 (14d10 + 56)
additional 20 feet when at 10 bonus damage.
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
If the elemental does not take damage for a full round, it loses
half of its energy absorption bonus damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 8 (–1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones.
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical.
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison A ctions
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious its rock fragments.
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft.,
Passive Perception 11 Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Languages Common, Terran Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range
Proficiency Bonus +3
30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical, R eactions

unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through.
Energy Absorption. Whenever the elemental is dealt damage,
it retains some of the energy of that attack in its gemstones,
increasing the damage it deals with its attacks.
Rose Quartz Shield. The elemental can expend 3 of its current
energy absorption bonus damage to gain resistance to the
next source of damage it receives.

Rose Quartz Elemental Each time the elemental takes damage, it deals an additional
1 damage with its slam and rock fragment attacks up to a
Shardling maximum of 5 bonus damage. The elemental’s rose quartz
gemstones grow more brightly as this damage bonus grows,
Small elemental, unaligned
emitting bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor) additional 10 feet when at 5 bonus damage.
Hit Points 52 (8d6 + 24) If the elemental does not take damage for a full round, this
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft. damage bonus resets back to 0 and its gemstones go dull
once again.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
15 (+2) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 7 (–2) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones.

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing A ctions

Damage from Nonmagical Attacks Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
Damage Immunities Poison its rock fragments.
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Passive Perception 10 Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
Languages Common, Terran 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Energy Absorption. Whenever the elemental is dealt damage,

it retains some of the energy of that attack in its gemstones,
increasing the damage it deals with its attacks.

236
Pristine Tourmaline Radiance. Whenever the elemental is dealt damage, the
tourmaline gemstones on its body flash with brilliant light.
Elemental When this occurs, each non-elemental creature within 10
feet of the elemental must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution
Huge elemental, unaligned
saving throw or become blinded until the end of its next turn.
Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor) A creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw. If the
Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80) creature does so, it can’t see the elemental until the start of its
Speed 40 ft., burrow 40 ft. next turn.
If the elemental is struck by a critical hit, the light flashes even
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA brighter than normal and affects each creature within 30 feet
22 (+6) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) instead.

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing A ctions

Damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft.,
Passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Terran
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +5
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical,
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through.
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless,
it is indistinguishable from a large cluster of rocks and
gemstones.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the elemental fails a saving
throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The elemental has advantage on saving
throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical.
Multiattack. The elemental makes three attacks with its
gemstone blade or two with its tourmaline cannon.
Gemstone Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach
10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d10 + 6) slashing damage plus 5
(1d10) radiant damage.
Tourmaline Cannon. Ranged Spell Attack: +11 to hit, range
150 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (5d10) radiant damage.
Nova of Brilliance (Recharge 5-6). The elemental erupts with
a nova of energy. Each non-elemental creature within 30 feet
must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 45
(10d8) radiant damage on a failed saving throw and becoming
blinded for 1 minute on a failed saving throw, or half as much
damage and not blinded on a successful one. A creature
blinded this way can repeat the saving throw at the end of
each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
R eactions
Tourmaline Flare. As a distant foe attempts to attack the
elemental, it flares a precise beam of blinding light towards
that creature. The attacker must be between 30 and 150 feet
from the elemental. That creature must succeed on a DC 18
Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) radiant damage and
become blinded until the end of its turn.

237
 Tourmaline Elemental Radiance. Whenever the elemental is dealt damage, the
tourmaline gemstones on its body flash with brilliant light.
Large elemental, unaligned
When this occurs, each non-elemental creature within 10
feet of the elemental must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
Armor Class 19 (Natural Armor)
saving throw or become blinded until the end of its next turn.
Hit Points 119 (14d10 + 42)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. A creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw. If the
creature does so, it can’t see the elemental until the start of its
next turn.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) If the elemental is struck by a critical hit, the light flashes even
brighter than normal and affects each creature within 20 feet
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing instead.
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
A ctions
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious its rock fragments. It can replace one of these attacks to use
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 60 ft., its tourmaline pylon ability if it is available.
Passive Perception 11
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Languages Common, Terran
Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) radiant
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
damage.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus
Earth Glide. The elemental can burrow through nonmagical,
4 (1d8) radiant damage.
unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the elemental
doesn’t disturb the material it moves through. Tourmaline Pylon (Recharge 6). The elemental fires a large
False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it tourmaline gemstone at an unoccupied space within 60
is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones. feet. This gemstone is Tiny, has AC 15, and 15 hit points. On
initiative count 20 (losing ties), the pylon fires a bolt of radiant
Magic Weapons. The elemental’s weapon attacks are magical. energy at a creature within 30 feet. This attack is made with a
+5 bonus to hit and deals 7 (1d8 + 3) radiant damage.
This pylon remains for 1 minute, until it or the tourmaline
elemental dies, or until the elemental dismisses it as an action.

238
tourmaliNe elemeNtal False Appearance. While the elemental remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from a cluster of rocks and gemstones.
shardliNg Radiance. Whenever the elemental is dealt damage, the
Small elemental, unaligned tourmaline gemstones on its body flash with brilliant light.
When this occurs, each non-elemental creature within 10
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) feet of the elemental must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution
Hit Points 39 (6d6 + 18) saving throw or become blinded until the end of its next turn.
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.
A creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw. If the
creature does so, it can’t see the elemental until the start of its
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA next turn.
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 7 (–2) 12 (+1) 8 (–1)
If the elemental is struck by a critical hit, the light flashes even
brighter than normal and affects each creature within 20 feet
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing instead.
Damage from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison A ctions
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious Multiattack. The elemental makes two attacks with its slam or
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.,Tremorsense 60 ft., its rock fragments.
Passive Perception 11 Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Languages Common, Terran Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Rock Fragments. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range
30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.

239
Island Spirit
The island spirit serves as the elemental defender of a particular island, the combined will of all of the elemental spirits and creatures
that reside in the area manifesting as a guardian. These spirits have the characteristics of the island itself as well as its inhabitants.
The spirit of a harsh and desolate volcanic island will have a form of obsidian and lava. The spirit of a tropical island filled with trees
and wildlife may have a form with the bark-like flesh adorned with flowers, leaves, and shells. Despite being formed by the combined
will of elemental creatures, these island spirits are almost always humanoid in form and size.
Elemental Ambassadors. The island spirit watches over their home, ensuring that its natural beauty is maintained and that any
greedy creatures that may seek to take the land for themselves are struck down. The spirit is intelligent enough to know that creatures
who arrive on the island may not be aware of the importance of maintaining harmony for the beings that live there, so their tactics
typically start with peaceful suggestions that they make their way back to their own homes. If these requests go unheeded, the island
spirit will turn to violent means to make disrespectful or aggressive visitors flee to the oceans or perish.
Commanders of the Elements. To ward off these invaders, the island spirit taps powers far greater than themselves. While they are
capable of defending themselves through magical attacks and powerful barriers formed from the components of the island itself, they
will often turn to make nature itself do their work. The island spirit can commune with all of the creatures of the island at once and be
lent their strength to cause massive waves to crash against the shore with destructive force, to bring hurricane-force winds crashing
into ships, or when the situation demands it, even cause a volcano to erupt and rain molten death down upon their enemies.
Eternal Guardian. The island spirit is entwined with the core of the island it protects. Even if the island spirit is defeated in battle,
it is only a matter of time before the spirit is reborn and returns to defend its home. It feeds off the energy of the land and the further it
is transformed from its original beauty, the faster the reincarnation of the spirit will occur to strike down its invaders!

Island Spirit A ctions

Medium elemental, chaotic good
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) bonus damage
Armor Class 18 (Nature’s Barrier) of either cold, fire, or lighting (the spirit’s choice).
Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) Nature’s Barrage. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
50/150 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage plus
5 (2d4) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) slashing damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) Lava Surge (Recharge 5-6). The spirit conjures up small orbs
of lava and launches them in a 5-foot wide, 100-foot long line.
Saving Throws Dex +7, Cha +5 Each creature in that line must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving
Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, throw, taking 45 (10d8) fire damage on a failed saving throw,
Piercing, and Slashing Damage from Nonmagical Attacks or half as much damage on a successful one.
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Exhaustion, Grappled, Paralyzed, R eactions
Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Unconscious Slicing Winds. After being hit by a ranged attack, the spirit lets
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14 loose a barrage of slicing winds at the attacker as long as they
Languages Common, Primordial are within 150 feet and the spirit can see them. That creature
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 14
Proficiency Bonus +3 (4d6) slashing damage.

Nature’s Barrier. The island spirit is surrounded by orbiting L egendary A ctions

rings of palm leaves, coconuts, stones, shells, and other island
debris. As a result, the spirit has an AC of 18. Additionally, any
creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the spirit or moves
within 5 feet of the spirit for the first time on a turn takes 7
(2d6) bludgeoning damage.
The spirit can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a
time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The spirit
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Claws. The spirit makes an attack with its claws.
Barrage. The spirit makes an attack with its nature’s barrage.
Rejuvenation (2 Actions). The spirit regains 17 (3d8 + 4) hit
points.

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islaNd spirit

241
merfolk
This section expands upon the merfolk found in the Monster Manual. For more information about merfolk lore, you can consult the
Monster Manual on page 218. The merfolk below are intended to give you more options for these deep-dwellers with variants that will
allow you to use a larger array of merfolk for your low to mid-level parties.
The merfolk vanguard serves as the backbone of the merfolk armies, fighting with a trident, armor crafted from thickly layered kelp,
and a shield made from the shell of a giant clam. They use their superior swim speed to charge opponents from a distance and carry
their moment through to potent engaging strikes! The merfolk snarer serves as the tacticians in a merfolk army, using weighting nets
to ensnare threats and then using their own tridents to stab at their targets. Some snarers will even use potent jellyfish venom on their
tridents and on their net to poison enemies.
The aquamancer is a potent spellcaster, focusing primarily on spells that provide utility such as hold person, invisibility, and misty
step. That being said, they can still unleash devastation in the form of a tidal wave which can knock away and disorient foes when
used underwater to cause a powerful riptide.
The final merfolk variants are both ichthyologists who exert control over creatures of the depths. The standard ichthyologist can call
forth an ethereal swordfish to strike at foes as well as call upon reef sharks and quippers to come to their aid. These merfolk come
with an army, but are not particularly strong themselves, allowing a clever party the opportunity to focus them down before they can
call in help. The grand ichthyologist can all upon hunter sharks, conjure whirlpools to trap their enemies, and use a harpoon launcher
to strike at foes from a distance even when fired underwater!

242
Merfolk Vanguard Merfolk Snarer
Medium humanoid (merfolk), neutral Medium humanoid (merfolk), neutral

Armor Class 16 (Kelp Armor, Shield) Armor Class 15 (Kelp Armor)

Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4) Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft. Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1)

Skills Acrobatics +4, Athletics +5, Perception +2 Skills Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses Passive Perception 12 Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages Aquan, Common Languages Aquan, Common
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water.
Charging Strike. If the merfolk moves at least 20 feet directly
towards a target, it has advantage on the first melee weapon
attack it makes this turn with its trident. If that attack hits, the
target takes an additional 4 (1d8) piercing damage.
Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water.
A ctions
Multiattack. The merfolk throws its weighted net if able, then
make two melee weapon attacks.

A ctions Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5

Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing
damage, or 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage if used with two
hands to make a melee attack.
Shield Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage and the target
must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or
receive a d4 penalty to the next attack roll it makes before the
end of its next turn.
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
damage, or 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage if used with two
hands to make a melee attack.
Weighted Net. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 10
ft., one creature size Medium or smaller. Hit: The creature
must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or become
restrained as the net entangles it. A creature can use its action
to make a DC 12 Strength check, freeing itself or another
creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 5 slashing
damage to the net (AC 10) also frees the creature without
harming it, ending the effect and destroying the net.
If this attack misses, the merfolk can immediately use its
bonus action and spend 15 feet of movement to recover the
net, otherwise it will rapidly sink.

Variant: Jellyfish Poison

Some merfolk will coat their nets and tridents in the
venom of jellyfish before utilizing them in combat. This
causes a terrible burning for creatures that come in
contact with their armaments. A merfolk snarer using
jellyfish poison is considered CR 2 (450 XP) and gains
the following feature:
Poisonous Weaponry. The merfolk's trident attack
deals an additional 4 (1d8) poison damage on hit
and a creature entangled in its net takes 4 (1d8)
poison damage at the start of each of its turns.

243
 Merfolk Aquamancer Merfolk Ichthyologist
Medium humanoid (merfolk), neutral Medium humanoid (merfolk), neutral

Armor Class 12 (15 with Mage Armor) Armor Class 15 (Kelp Armor, Shield)
Hit Points 27 (6d8) Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft. Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)

Skills Arcana +2, Perception +2
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Aquan, Common
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water.
Spellcasting. The merfolk is a 5th-level spellcaster that uses
Charisma as its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13; +5 to
hit with spell attacks). The merfolk knows the following spells
from the sorcerer’s spell list:
Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, frostbite, shape water
1st Level (4 slots): charm person, mage armor, witch bolt
2nd Level (3 slots): hold person, invisibility, misty step
3rd Level (2 slots): tidal wave, tongues
A ctions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
damage.
Skills Animal Handling +5, Nature +4, Perception +5,
Survival +5
Senses Passive Perception 15
Languages Aquan, Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water.
A ctions
Harpoon. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing
damage.
Swordfish Strike. The merfolk calls forth an ethereal swordfish
and launches it at a target within 60 feet at high speeds. That
creature must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or
take 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Command Fish. The merfolk forgoes its own attack to
command one of its summoned aquatic beasts to use its
reaction to make an attack against a creature within its reach.
Summon Reef Shark (1/Day). The merfolk summons a reef
shark (MM pg. 336) in an unoccupied space within 60 feet.
The shark acts as an ally to the merfolk and remains for 1
minute, until it or its summoner dies, or until the merfolk
dismisses it as an action.
Summon Swarm of Quippers (1/Day). The merfolk summons
a Swarm of Quippers (MM pg. 338) in an unoccupied space
within 60 feet. The quippers act as an ally to the merfolk and
remain for 1 minute, until they or their summoner dies, or
until the merfolk dismisses them as an action.

244
Grand Merfolk A ctions
Ichthyologist Multiattack. The merfolk can use its command fish ability, then
make an attack with its shark strike.
Medium humanoid (merfolk), neutral
Shark Strike. The merfolk calls forth an ethereal hammerhead
Armor Class 16 (Minnow Shield) and launches it at a target within 60 feet at high speeds. That
Hit Points 79 (14d8 + 16) creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft. or take 22 (4d8 + 4) piercing damage as the shark tears into
them.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Command Fish. The merfolk forgoes its own attack to
10 (+0) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) command one of its summoned aquatic beasts to use their
reaction to make an attack against a creature within its reach.
Skills Animal Handling +7, Nature +5, Perception +7,
Survival +7 Conjure Whirlpool. The merfolk causes the water in a 10-foot
Senses Passive Perception 17 radius area within 90 feet to begin to spiral rapidly, forming
Languages Aquan, Common a whirlpool. Each creature in this area must succeed on a DC
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled into this whirlpool. A
Proficiency Bonus +3 creature in the whirlpool is considered grappled (escape DC
14). While grappled, the creature is restrained and takes 14
(4d6) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns.
Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water.
Summon Hunter Sharks (1/Day). The merfolk summons a pair
Minnow Shield. The merfolk is protected by a barrier of of hunter sharks (MM pg. 330) at two unoccupied spaces
minnows that follow it as it moves. This provides the merfolk within 60 feet. These sharks act as allies to the merfolk and
with an AC of 16. Additionally, this shield provides the merfolk remain for 1 minute, until they or their summoner dies, or
with resistance to the first source of damage against it. This until the merfolk dismisses them as an action.
damage-absorbing trait is renewed at the start of each of the
merfolk’s turn as more minnows swarm to reform the barrier.

245
Musical Mercenaries
Musical mercenaries are a collective of swords for hire, Stagehand
or rather instruments for hire! There are multiple styles of Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil
mercenaries, each with their own type of instrument and
methods to control the battlefield through musical means. The Armor Class 12 (Leather Armor)
mercenaries prefer to work as a group, hyping each other up Hit Points 6 (1d8 + 2)
when they go into battle and inspiring each other to be their Speed 30 ft.
best! They are willing to do whatever job pays the bills, even
if it means working for criminals, so it is not unheard of for STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
a group of unsuspecting adventurers to stumble upon a full 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 12 (+1)
band ready to rock.
Meet the Band. The lowly stagehands are mercenaries in Skills Athletics +3, Performance +3
training, forced to use a club until they have earned the right Senses Passive Perception 10
to use another instrument in battle. Still, they contribute to Languages Any three languages
the battlefield simply by cheering on the rest of the band and Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
making their attacks more potent! Proficiency Bonus +2
The brass bruiser is skilled in a variety of brass instruments
and can play a horn with such gusto that it creates a Fanatical. If the stagehand is within 15 feet of a musical
thunderous force that ripples across the battlefield and can mercenary of a higher CR, the stagehand deals 1 extra damage
even knock foes to the ground. And if push comes to shove, with its club attacks as they seek to impress their band mates
they can start beating foes down with their instrument itself. (included in the attack).
The destructive drummer keeps rhythm for the group, using See Sharp. The stagehand has advantage on Dexterity saving
powerful strikes against their instrument to generate tremors throws.
in the ground. Creatures around the drummer can feel the
force of each hit rippling through their body. If an enemy A ctions
closes the gap, the drummer is not above beating them to Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
the ground with some swift and well-placed blows from their Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage or 5 (1d6 + 2) if a
drumsticks. higher CR musical mercenary is within 15 feet.
The seductive saxophonist plays the exact role you would
Cheer On. The stagehand gives a rallying cheer to another
expect, using both their dashing good looks and alluring
musical mercenary within 60 feet, giving that ally advantage
melodies to enchant creatures around them. Their music is
on its next attack roll, skill check, or saving throw made before
so enthralling that the saxophonist can even make a charmed the end of its next turn.
creature attack its own allies. If the charms are not working,
they can always generate discordant notes to throw off an
enemy’s rhythm and cause their attacks to miss!
The verbose vocalist needs no additional instrument, as
their voice carries all of the force required, though most of the
vocalist will use spells to amplify the sound of their abilities.
They use a combination of spells to disorient foes or wear
down their ability to fight effectively. But what is a singer
without being able to dance? Each vocalist is also an expert
with the blade and will attack with flourishing rapier strikes
even as their songs echo over the battlefield.
The vexing violinist uses their instrument far from its
intended purpose, creating directed notes that are so offensive
and discordant that it can cause psychic damage to those
unfortunate enough to overhear. These horrendous notes can
cause opponents to slip up on their attacks and even prevent
them from taking reactions as their minds are too distracted
to respond in time.
Last, but certainly not least, is the gavlanizing guitarist!
This unofficial leader of the band plays their guitar with such
intensity that electricity sparks from their fingertips and from
the instrument itself. The razor edges of the guitar serve
as a potent weapon infused with the lingering charge from
their shredding. The guitarist always needs to be the star
though, allowing them to change the target of other spells to
themselves to ensure they stay in the spotlight.

246
Brass Bruiser Destructive Drummer
Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil

Armor Class 16 (Chain Mail) Armor Class 13 (Leather Armor)

Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4) Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 8 (–1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2)

Skills Performance +6 Skills Acrobatics +4, Performance +4

Damage Resistances Thunder Damage Resistances Thunder
Senses Passive Perception 10 Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages Any three languages Languages Any three languages
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Band Mates. If the bruiser has at least one other musical
mercenary within 15 feet, the DC of its horn blast is increased
to 12 (included in the attack).
Spellcasting. The bruiser is a 1st-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit
with spell attacks). It has the following bard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, vicious mockery
A ctions
Improvised Weapon. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
Horn Blast (Recharge 4-6). The bruiser lets out a thunderous
blast from its instrument. Each creature in a 15-foot cone
must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 5
(1d10) thunder damage on a failed saving throw. A creature
that fails this saving throw by 5 or more is knocked prone by
the force of the blast. This DC is increased to 12 if at least one
other musical mercenary is within 15 feet.
Be Flat (1/Day). As a last-ditch move of desperation, the
bruiser swings its instrument with all of its might. Make an
improvised weapon attack. On hit, this attack does 7 (2d4
+ 2) bludgeoning damage but the bruiser’s horn blast attack
can’t be used again until the bruiser spends an hour repairing
its instrument.
Ba Dum Tss. If the drummer hits a creature with at least 3
drum stick attacks in a single turn, that creature must succeed
on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or make its next attack
roll before the end of its next turn with disadvantage.
Band Mates. If the drummer has at least one other musical
mercenary within 15 feet, it makes its first attack roll each
turn with advantage.
Spellcasting. The drummer is a 1st-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit
with spell attacks). It has the following bard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): mage hand, true strike, vicious mockery
1st level (2 slots): earth tremor, thunderwave
A ctions
Multiattack. The drummer makes four attacks with its drum
sticks.
Drum Stick. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 2 bludgeoning damage.
Tremor Strike. The drummer strikes its drum with authority
and causes the ground beneath a creature within 30 feet to
quake. That creature must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity
saving throw or take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage plus 3
(1d6) thunder damage and be knocked prone.

247
 seduCtive saxophoNist
Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil

Armor Class 14 (Studded Leather)

Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

12 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 15 (+2)

Skills Performance +6, Sleight of Hand +4

Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Band Mates. If the saxophonist has at least one other musical

mercenary within 15 feet, it makes its first attack roll each
turn with advantage.
Enchanting Melodies. A creature that starts its turn within 30
feet of the saxophonist or enters that area for the first time
on a turn must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or
become charmed by the saxophonist for the next minute. A
creature charmed this way can repeat this saving throw at the
end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success and
becoming immune to the saxophonist’s enchanting melodies
for 24 hours.
This ability does not work while the saxophonist is deafened
or restrained.
Spellcasting. The saxophonist is a 2nd-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit
with spell attacks). It has the following bard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, vicious mockery
1st level (3 slots): charm person, hold person, sleep

A ctions
Multiattack. The saxophonist makes two melee attacks.
Bladed Saxophone. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Command. The saxophonist commands a creature charmed
by it to move up to its speed and attack a target of the
saxophonist’s choosing. This fails if the target can’t hear the
saxophonist.

R eActions
Distracting Notes. The saxophonist plays charming notes to
distract an attacker. The attacking creature must succeed on
a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or roll a d4 and subtract the
result from its attack roll.

248
Verbose Vocalist Vexing Violinist
Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil Medium humanoid (any race),typically lawful evil

Armor Class 11 (14 with Mage Armor) Armor Class 15 (Studded Leather)
Hit Points 27 (5d8 + 5) Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)

Skills Acrobatics +3, Performance +7, Persuasion +5 Skills Performance +7, Sleight of Hand +7
Senses Passive Perception 10 Senses Passive Perception 11
Languages Any three languages Languages Any three languages
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Band Mates. If the vocalist has at least one other musical
mercenary within 15 feet, its spell save DC is increased to 14.
Spellcasting. The vocalist is a 2nd-level spellcaster. Its
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit
with spell attacks). It has the following bard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, minor illusion, vicious
mockery
1st level (3 slots): dissonant whispers, mage armor, tasha’s
hideous laughter
A ctions
Multiattack. The vocalist uses vicious mockery, then makes
two attacks with its rapier.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage.
High Note (Recharge 5-6). The vocalist unleashes a magically
enhanced high note that rings through the room with such
intensity and beauty that creatures are overwhelmed. Each
creature in a 15-foot cone must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or take 10 (4d4) psychic damage. A creature that
fails this saving throw by 5 or more spends its entire next turn
immobilized and weeping tears of joy.
Band Mates. If the violinist has at least one other musical
mercenary within 15 feet, the DC of its vexing violin is
increased to 14.
A ctions
Multiattack. The violinist uses its vexing violin twice.
Vexing Violin. The violinist plays its instrument to create
discordant notes that can harm those around them. When
the violinist uses this ability, target creature within 60 feet
that can hear the violinist must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw or suffer from one of the following effects (of
the violinist’s choosing):
• The target takes 8 (1d10 + 3) psychic damage.
• The target takes 7 (1d8 + 3) psychic damage and can’t take
reactions until the end of its next turn.
• The target takes 5 (1d4 + 3) psychic damage and subtracts a
d6 from the result of its next attack roll before the end of its
next turn.
Dischordant Display (Recharge 5-6). The violinist uses its
vexing violin against each creature of its choosing within 30
feet.

249
 Galvanizing Guitarist
Medium humanoid (any race), typically lawful evil

Armor Class 15 (Chain Shirt)

Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 17 (+3)

Skills Athletics +4, Acrobatics +5, Performance +7,

Sleight of Hand +5
Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Band Mates. If the guitarist has at least one other musical

mercenary within 15 feet, it makes its first attack roll each
turn with advantage.

A ctions
Multiattack. The guitarist uses its inspiring riff if able, then
makes two attacks with its electric axe or razor pick.
Electric Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) lightning
damage.
Razor Pick. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft.,
one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Inspiring Riff (Recharge 6). The guitarist plays a quick riff on
its guitar and inspires its allies in battle. Up to four creatures
of the guitarist’s choice gain 7 (1d8 + 3) temporary hit points
and make their next attack roll within the next minute with
advantage.

R eactions
Center of Attention. If a creature within 30 feet of the guitarist
is about to become the target of a spell, the guitarist can
cause the caster of that spell to make a DC 13 Wisdom saving
throw. On a failed saving throw, that spell’s target is changed
to the guitarist if possible.

250
Mutant Broodmother
The mutant broodmother is the result of the mix of science and magic gone wrong, similar to a chimera or other such monstrosities.
The difference between other experiments and the mutant broodmother is primarily in the scale of the threat, for the broodmother
has the capability to level cities and devastate ecosystems if left unchecked.
The broodmother is an amalgamation made primarily of dragon, frog, and octopus components. It was intended for the
broodmother to grow no larger than a dog, but when the spellcasters left and returned the next day, the broodmother had tripled in
size and had broken out of her enclosure. The spellcasters attempted to subdue the broodmother but did not use the force necessary
as they did not wish to compromise their experiment - a decision that cost them their lives. So with her newfound freedom, the
broodmother feasted upon the very creatures that created her, but her hunger remained insatiable.
Prolific. The broodmother creates her own spawn without needing contribution from any other creature. These children are
perfect copies of the original and are born from large eggs that she carries upon her back. These children are capable of this same
reproduction after two months of growth and it is because of this ability to reproduce endlessly that makes the broodmother so
dangerous. If left unchecked, even a single spawn can grow and create a brand new swarm that will spread and devastate - feasting on
every creature they encounter and destroying plant life with their acidic flesh.
Vicious Hunters. The broodmother is not particularly intelligent, but her natural instincts are derived from those of a dragon, so
her ability to track and hunt prey is second to none. The broodmother can cross both land and sea with ease, tracking prey from up
to miles away. The acid produced by the broodmother’s flesh and saliva is so potent it can melt through stone, meaning even castles
and other such fortresses are not enough to stop these beasts when their mind is set to hunt. Some who have taken the broodmother's
children and sought to raise them as weapons have learned this lesson the hard way.

Mutant Broodling Nimble. The broodling’s swift movements allow it to avoid

dangerous effects. If the spawn is subjected to an effect that
Tiny aberration, unaligned
allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half
damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the
Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)
saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Hit Points 10 (4d4)
Speed 25 ft. Spider Climb. The broodling crawls along on a set of tentacles
that sprout from its body. It can climb difficult surfaces,
including upside down and on ceilings, without needing to
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA make an ability check.
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 4 (–3) 10 (+0) 1 (–5)
A ctions
Senses Passive Perception 10
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Languages –
Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature,
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
it must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed
Proficiency Bonus +2
save, the broodling wraps its tentacles around the creature’s
head, attaching itself to the creature’s face. While a broodling
Amphibious. The broodling can breathe both air and water. is attached to a creature’s face, that creature is blinded if it
Long Jump. The broodling can leap up to 20 feet without a uses its eyes to see. A creature can remove the broodling by
running start. using its action to make a DC 12 Strength saving throw. If the
spawn is already attached to a creature, it makes this attack
with advantage and it deals an additional 7 (2d6) acid damage
on hit.

251
 Mutant Broodmother
Huge monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 297 (24d12 + 154)
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON
24 (+7) 10 (+0) 24 (+7)
Saving Throws Str +13, Con +14, Wis +8
Skills Perception +8
Damage Resistances Acid, Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned
Senses Passive Perception 18
Languages –
Challenge 20 (25,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +6
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 20 ft., one
target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) slashing damage.
Acid Lob. Ranged Weapon attack: +13 to hit, range 80/240
ft. one target. Hit: 28 (8d6) acid damage. This leaves behind
a slimy pool of acid at the target location. Any creature that
starts its turn in this acid or enters that space for the first time
on its turn takes 10 (3d6) acid damage.
INT WIS CHA Secrete Acid (Recharge 5-6). The broodmother stomps the
6 (–2) 14 (+2) 8 (–1) ground and acidic slime flows from small pockets covering
her body. Each creature on the ground within 15 feet of the
broodmother must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving
throw, taking 42 (12d6) acid damage on a failed saving throw,
or half as much damage on a successful one.
If a creature damaged by this ability is wearing or carrying
metal armor or a metal shield, those objects take a permanent
and cumulative –2 penalty to the AC it offers. Armor reduced
to an AC of 10 or a shield that drops to a +0 bonus is
destroyed.

Acid Flesh. Whenever a creature hits the broodmother with
a melee attack while within 5 feet of it, that creature takes 5
(1d10) acid damage. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal
that hits the broodmother corrodes. After dealing damage,
the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty
to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is
destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal that hits
the broodmother is destroyed after dealing damage.
Amphibious. The broodmother can breathe both air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the broodmother fails a
saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
A ctions
Multiattack. The broodmother makes three attacks: one with
her bite, one with her claws, and one with her tentacles.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 21 (4d6 + 7) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) acid
damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) slashing damage.
L egendary A ctions
The broodmother can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from
the options below. Only one legendary action can be used
at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The
broodmother regains spent legendary actions at the start of
her turns.
Claws. The broodmother attacks with her claws.
Predatory Repositioning. The broodmother leaps up to 20 feet
attempting to put herself in a more advantageous position.
Attacks of opportunity provoked by this movement are made
at disadvantage.
Acid Lob (Costs 2 Actions). The broodmother uses her acid
lob.
M ythic F orm
When the broodmother falls below 120 health, she goes
into a panic. The large bulbous pods on her back burst and
release broodlings that fall to the ground around her. There are
8 of these in total and they are added to the initiative order
immediately.
The broodmother immediately regains use of her Secrete acid
ability, gains 50 temporary hit points, and regains 1 use of her
legendary resistance.

252
mutaNt Broodmother

253
Mutated Snapping Turtle
The mutated snapping turtle is the result of an alligator Mutated Snapping Turtle
snapping turtle in the wrong place at the wrong time. When a Large monstrosity, unaligned
bullywug alchemist began pouring her potions down the drain
rather than through the proper disposal protocols within the Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
city, these chemicals made their way to the turtle, modifying Hit Points 171 (18d10 + 72)
its form permanently and creating the mutated snapping Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
turtle. The turtle grew to eight feet in length, the growth
seemingly only stopped by the limitations of the sewers within STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
which the turtle is confined. The turtle’s size is so large that it 22 (+6) 8 (–1) 19 (+4) 2 (–4) 13 (+1) 3 (–4)
seems that it is doomed to lurk in the sewers until such time
that it perishes, for the typical paths for escape are no longer Saving Throws Con +8, Str +10
an option. Skills Perception +5
Fiercely Territorial. Due to the turtle’s increased need for Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
food with its increased size, the turtle has become deeply Languages –
protective of its home in the sewers. Any other creature that Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
enters this domain could be there to take what precious little Proficiency Bonus +4
sustenance keeps the turtle alive. The turtle has keen senses
and knows when a creature is within the sewers when they Amphibious. The turtle can breathe air and water.
are 300 feet away simply from the sounds of footfalls and
Charging Chomp. If the turtle takes the dash action on its turn
breathing that carry through the tunnels. and moves at least 40 feet directly towards a target, it can
Hunt For Freedom. The turtle protects its sewers, but its make a bite attack as a bonus action. This attack is made with
deepest desire is the freedom of the open air once again. For advantage and deals an additional 19 (3d12) piercing damage
the sake of using this creature in-game, a character that uses on hit.
the speak with beasts spell will be able to communicate with
the turtle and glean these desires. The turtle still counts as A ctions
a monstrosity for all other purposes, so it can’t be the choice Multiattack. The turtle makes three attacks: one with its bite
of shapeshift for a druid, but we still want players to be able and two with its claws.
to communicate with the turtle if possible as it leads to much
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
more interesting stories to uncover and alternatives to simply
target. Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6) piercing damage.
killing the turtle if a town wishes for it to be disposed of.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage.

R eactions
Spiked Retreat. When the turtle would be hit by a melee
weapon attack, it can quickly pull its head and limbs into its
shell. The turtle’s AC increases by 4 until the start of its next
turn as it remains hidden away. If this ability caused the attack
to miss and the attacking creature is within 5 feet, the attacker
takes 6 (1d12) piercing damage from the vicious spikes on
the turtle’s shell.
The first attack the turtle makes on its next tur

254
Plaguebearers
Pleaguebearers are a collection of creatures and monsters Plague Rat Swarm
that have dedicated themselves to bringing widespread Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned
destruction to the plane. It is a threat that starts small with
rumors spreading through the towns of entire cities lost to Armor Class 10
blight or disease. Rumors manifest into truths and warnings Hit Points 10 (4d4)
about which cities to avoid, for they are now considered Speed 30 ft.
defiled. These truths lead to the burning of entire cities and
the corpses within in an attempt to keep the plague contained STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
before it can spread any further, but these efforts are all in 8 (–1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 2 (–4) 10 (+0) 1 (–5)
vain without destroying the source.
Horror From Beyond This World. The mastermind behind Damage Immunities Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing
these efforts is a despicable creature from another plane that Damage Vulnerabilities Area of Effect Spells
is only known as It That Defiles. It is a wretched, evil creature Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Grappled,
with hate that cascades from its body in the form of noxious Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
fumes. With every movement, it emits toxins containing Senses Darkvision 30 ft., Passive Perception 10
its deadly plague into the air. This disease can infect both Languages –
the living and the dead, with the ability to raise the recently Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
deceased from their graves and turn them against their own
people. Since It That Defiles is from another plane, the plague
it unleashes is unlike anything ordinary healers have had to Keen Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom
encounter and so treatment is all but impossible. (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Betrayers of the Living. Some who are cowards or who Plagued. The rats of the swarm carry a deadly plague. Any
seek power make bargains with It That Defiles. These creature bitten by a rat of the swarm has a chance to contract
individuals are given immunity to the plague and also given this plague (included in the attack). Additionally, for each hour
strength to spread it to other parts of the world with promises a creature is within 15 feet of the corpses of the rat swarm,
of even greater rewards should they succeed in their missions. it must succeed on a DC 7 Constitution saving throw or
These individuals, called Blight Bringers, infiltrate cities and contract the plague.
will release plague rats, plague locusts, or even travel to the (The effects of the plague vary depending on its utilization in
local graveyard to cause the dead to rise. A Blight Bringer that your campaign setting.)
goes unchecked for a single night can mean the destruction of
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and
an entire city.
vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
Contagion to End the World. You can choose to have this
enough for a Tiny rat. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain
plague manifest however you would like in your own world - temporary hit points.
its symptoms, its rate of death, and even how it is transmitted
- but it is intended to be a large-scale threat to the plane. A ctions
Think about how the people of your world would react to the Festering Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 0 ft.,
spreading of this plague and what name they would give to it one creature within the swarm’s space. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1)
based on its symptoms. piercing damage, or 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage if the swarm
A sample plague could be one that is transmitted through has half of its hit points or fewer. If the target is a creature,
the air if It That Defiles is nearby, but otherwise is only it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or
transmitted by bite. If infected via bite, black tendrils appear contract the plague.
beneath the skin and slowly spread through the body. This is
accompanied by fatigue, a horrible cough, and eventually vivid
hallucinations. Once the plague takes full hold, between seven
and ten days after first encounter, the creature’s flesh will have
become completely webbed with blackened tendrils, its eyes
will have begun to bleed, and these individuals serve the will
of It That Defiles as the host of their hivemind. The people of
the world refer to it as The Creeping Death due to the slow
growth of the black tendrils across the bodies of the infected.
Cure for the disease can be found by defeating It That
Defiles and using components of its flesh to derive a remedy,
or perhaps by seeking out a magical artifact that can push
back against the disease as the party tracks down and slays
this creature most foul!

255
 plague loCust swarm
Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 15 (6d4)
Speed 5 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

3 (–4) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 8 (–1) 1 (–5)

Damage Immunities Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing

Damage Vulnerabilities Area of Effect Spells
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Grappled,
Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Stunned
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Passive Perception 9
Languages –
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Miasma. The locusts generate a miasma as they move. This

creates a horrid smell strong enough to make those with
weaker stomachs gag or even vomit. Whenever a creature
comes within 5 feet of the swarm for the first time, it must
make a Constitution saving throw. On a result of 5 of lower,
the creature spends its next turn gagging and vomiting. On
a result of 6-10, the creature is poisoned until the end of its
next turn. On a result of 11 or higher, the creature can act
normally.
Plagued. The locusts of the swarm carry a deadly plague.
Any creature bitten by a locust of the swarm has a chance to
contract this plague (included in the attack). Additionally, the
locusts will infest any plant life that they feast upon, causing
crops to wilt and die within days.
(The effects of the plague vary depending on its utilization in
your campaign setting.)
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and
vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
enough for a Tiny locust. The swarm can’t regain hit points or
gain temporary hit points.

A ctions
Festering Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 0 ft.,
one creature within the swarm’s space. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2)
piercing damage, or 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage if the swarm
has half of its hit points or fewer. If the target is a creature,
it must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or
contract the plague.

256
Festering Dead Variant: Infested Dead
Medium undead, neutral evil Sometimes the festering dead become home to a
swarm of plague locusts that burrow into the soft
Armor Class 9 flesh of the zombie. This results in a zombie that is
Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10) orbited by a constant stream of locusts and provides
Speed 20 ft. its attacks with some additional potency. These are
called Infested Dead.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA An infested dead has the following additional traits:
12 (+1) 8 (–1) 14 (+2) 5 (–3) 6 (–2) 1 (–5) • The CR of the zombie is increased to 2 (450 XP).
Damage Immunities Poison • The radius of the zombie’s Cloud of Pestilence is
Damage Vulnerabilities Radiant increased to 10 feet.
Condition Immunities Poisoned • The zombie’s bite attack deals an additional 5 (2d4)
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 8 poison damage on hit.
Languages – • When the zombie is defeated, a Plague Locust
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Swarm emerges from its corpse and will attack any
Proficiency Bonus +2
nearby creatures.

Cloud of Pestilence. The zombie is surrounded by a cloud of

filth and disease. Any creature that comes within 5 feet of the
zombie must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw
or contract the plague. Additionally, a creature that ends its
turn within 5 feet of the zombie takes 2 (1d4) poison damage.
The damage of this effect is doubled if the zombie was
reduced to 0 hit points this turn. (This triggers even if undead
fortitude prevents the zombie from dying).
(The effects of the plague vary depending on its utilization in
your campaign setting.)
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit
points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of
5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from
a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point
instead.

A ctions
Multiattack. The zombie makes two attacks: one with its bite
and one with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage, and if the target was a
creature it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving
throw or contract the plague.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage.

257
 Contagion Sludge Ratcaller
Medium ooze, unaligned Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic evil

Armor Class 7 Armor Class 13 (Leather)

Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14) Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 5 (–3) 15 (+2) 1 (–5) 7 (–2) 1 (–5) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning; Poison Saving Throws Int +2, Wis +5

Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Skills Animal Handling +5, Intimidation +3, Nature +2
Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned, Prone Condition Immunities Poisoned
Senses Passive Perception 8 Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages – Languages Any three languages
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

Amorphous. The sludge can move through a space as narrow

as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Spider Climb. The sludge can climb difficult surfaces,
including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make
an ability check.
Trail of Infection. Any living thing the sludges crawls over in its
movement contracts the plague.
(The effects of the plague vary depending on its utilization in
your campaign setting.)
A ctions
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6)
poison damage or 10 (3d6) poison damage if the target has
the plague. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC
10 Constitution saving throw or contract the plague.
Globule of Filth. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 60 ft.,
one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) poison damage and the creature
becomes coated in noxious sludge. If the target is a creature,
it must also succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or
contract the plague. A creature coated in sludge must succeed
on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of
its turns or become poisoned for that turn. A creature can use
an action to clean off this sludge.
R eactions
A ctions
Multiattack. The ratcaller uses its command rats ability, then
makes an attack with its dagger or crossbow.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
damage plus 3 (1d6) poison damage, or 7 (2d6) poison
damage if the target has the plague.
Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 100/400
ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6)
poison damage, or 7 (2d6) poison damage if the target has
the plague.
Command Rats. The ratcaller issues a command to one of
its summoned rat swarms, allowing for one of the following
actions:
• Hunt Down - The swarm can use its reaction to immediately
move up to 30 feet and make an attack.
• Devour - The swarm can make an attack against a creature
within range with advantage
• Detonate - The ratcaller causes some of the rats within the
swarm to violently explode, spraying the area with viscera
and gore. Each creature within 5 feet of the swarm must
make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6)
poison damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
damage on a successful one. The swarm loses 5 hit points.

Noxious Feedback (2/Day). After a creature hits the ooze with
a melee attack while within 5 feet of it, the ooze can unleash
a cloud of noxious fumes. Each creature within 5 feet of the
ooze must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or
take 7 (2d6) poison damage.
B onus A ctions
Summon Plague Rat Swarm (3/Day). The ratcaller summons
a plague rat swarm (Pg 255) in an unoccupied space within
60 feet. The swarm acts as an ally to the ratcaller and remains
for 1 hour, until it or its summoner dies, or until the ratcaller
dismisses it as an action.

258
plague loCust host Swarm Dominance. Locusts that make their home within the
locust host fall under the influence of its mind. It becomes
Large aberration, chaotic evil
an overlord for the locusts and they will obey any desire of
the locust host without wavering from their mission. Under
Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
ordinary circumstances, the locust host will have two of its
Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30)
swarms deployed and flying through the nearby area at all
Speed 30 ft., burrow 15 ft.
times.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA A ctions

19 (+4) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 2 (–4) Multiattack. The locust host makes two attacks: one with its
bite and one with its claws.
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Senses Passive Perception 11 Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) poison
Languages – damage.
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
Proficiency Bonus +2 target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
Call Plague Locust Swarm (5 Swarms). The locust host calls
Burrowing Defenses. The locust swarm can use an action to upon a plague locust swarm (Pg 256) that resides within its
dig itself into the ground, leaving only its back exposed. This body. While this swarm survives, it obeys the desires of the
is the portion of the locust host’s body that holds its swarms host and will sacrifice its life to protect its home.
and allows them to come and go freely. While the locust host
is burrowed this way, its AC is increased to 20 but it cannot Up to 5 swarms can live within the locust host at a time. The
attack and its movement speed is 0. chemicals within the locust host’s body attract the swarms of
locusts and it will regain one swarm each day if there is any
Locust Scouts. The locusts under the command of the locust space free in its body.
host stay vigilant even when the locust host sleeps and can
communicate danger back to the host telepathically. As a
result, the locust host can’t be surprised.

259
 Blight Bringer A ctions
Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic evil
Multiattack. The blight bringer uses its cadaver spiders ability
if able, then makes two attacks with its poisoned dagger or
Armor Class 13 blowpipe.
Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42)
Speed 30 ft. Poisoned Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to
hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3)
piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 8 (–1) Blowpipe. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 25/100
ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison
Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +7 damage and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
Skills Arcana +5, Medicine +5, Nature +5, Perception +7 saving throw or become poisoned until the end of its next
Senses Passive Perception 17 turn. A creature poisoned this way contracts the plague.
Languages Any three languages (The effects of the plague vary depending on its utilization in
Challenge 7 (2,700 XP) your campaign setting.)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Cadaver Spiders (Recharge 4-6). The blight bringer tosses a jar
of vicious spiders at a creature it can see within 30 feet. Make
Cloud of Pestilence. The blight bringer is surrounded by a an attack roll against that creature with a +6 bonus to hit. On
cloud of vile insects. Any organic creature that ends its turn a hit, the jar shatters and the target is coated in spiders. That
within 10 feet of the blight bringer must succeed on a DC 15 creature immediately takes 5 (2d4) piercing damage and 5
Constitution saving throw or take 6 (1d12) poison damage (2d4) poison damage and this damage repeats at the start
and become poisoned until the end of its next turn. of each of that creature’s turns. A creature uses its action to
make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, clearing off the spiders
on a success.
While coated in spiders, the creature has disadvantage on
saving throws against poisons.

260
It That Defiles Pandemic (Recharge 5-6). It That Defiles unleashes a
supercharged dose of its deadly contagion into the air. Each
Huge aberration, chaotic evil
creature within 120 feet of It That Defiles must make a DC 17
Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, a creature
Armor Class 17 (Natural Armor)
takes 26 (4d12) poison damage and randomly gains one of
Hit Points 189 (18d12 + 72)
the following detriments that it is not currently affected by. A
Speed 40 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
creature affected by any of these detriments can make a DC
17 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ending the effect on a success. A creature can be affected
22 (+6) 12 (+1) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 6 –2) by multiple detriments and makes the saving throw for each
effect separately.
Saving Throws Con +8, Str +10, Wis +
• Nausea - The creature is poisoned.
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
from Nonmagical Attacks • Lethargy - The creature’s movement speed is halved and it
Damage Immunities Poison cannot take bonus actions or reactions.
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned, • Nacrolepsy - The creature falls asleep. This effect can be
Prone ended prematurely if another creature uses its action to
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 14 shake them awake.
Languages Deep Speech, Telepathy (same plane) • Migraine - The creature cannot concentrate on spells and
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) takes 6 (1d12) psychic damage at the end of each of its
Proficiency Bonus +4 turns.
• Fatigue - If the creature fails the Constitution saving throw
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If It That Defiles fails a saving to remove this detriment, it gains 1 level of exhaustion to a
throw, it can choose to succeed instead. maximum of 4.
Living Plague. It That Defiles produces a plague within its body • Frailty - The creature receives critical hits on a result of 16-
that spreads to infect everything within 120 feet. Any living 20 on a dice roll.
entity that is not immune to this plague immediately contracts A creature that succeeds on the saving throw takes half
it upon entering this area. Plantlife that is in this area dies over damage and does not gain an additional detriment.
1 minute and new plants cannot grow for 1 year unless the
land is consecrated. Dominate Infected (3/Day). It That Defiles extends its
influence and attempts to gain control over a creature that is
(The effects of the plague vary depending on its utilization in infected by its plague. That creature must succeed on a DC 17
your campaign setting.) Wisdom saving throw or become magically charmed by It That
Magic Resistance. It That Defiles has advantage on saving Defiles until It That Defiles dies, the creature is on a different
throws against spells and other magical effects. plane of existence, or the creature is cured of the plague. The
charmed target is under It That Defiles’ control and can’t take
A ctions reactions.
Multiattack. It That Defiles makes two attacks with its plague Whenever the charmed creature takes damage, it can repeat
blade or with its contagion burst. the saving throw. On a success, the effect ends.
Plague Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 16 (3d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) L egendary A ctions
poison damage. It That Defiles can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action option can be used
Contagion Burst. Target creature within 120 feet of It That
at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It That
Defiles must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or
Defiles regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
take 26 (4d12) poison damage.
Infect. Target creature within 120 feet must succeed on a
DC 17 Constitution saving throw or gain one of the
detriments from It That Defiles’ Pandemic ability.
Command Infected. It That Defiles commands a creature that
it has charmed to use its reaction to cast a spell up to 4th
level or perform up to 2 weapon atta
Smash (Costs 2 Actions). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit,
reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (3d12 + 6) bludgeoning
damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.

261
it that defiles

262
Titans
Titans are powerful creatures intended to challenge even the
most powerful of adventuring parties. As you might expect,
each of these creatures are gargantuan in size, towering over
the battlefield and using a wide range of abilities capable of
bringing about widespread destruction. Each of them could be
used as guardians of a powerful artifact or perhaps a creature
that the party wishes to conscript to their side for a coming
battle. None of these creatures are intended to be inherently
evil on the surface, rather they are living forces of nature, so
keep that in mind as you utilize them in your campaign setting.
You can use the descriptions below as a jumping-off point
for their histories or use your own ideas that fit within your
campaign setting.
Colossal Ape
The colossal ape stands at over eighty feet tall and weighs
nearly eighty tons, making even the hulking giant ape seem
small in comparison. Combine this with the unparalleled
strength of the ape and four arms that are each capable of
wielding hulking weapons, this titan of the jungle fears not
even the most ferocious of dragons.
It is said this ape was created as a result of a failed
experiment by a mad wizard trying to enhance the power of
a giant ape, but its true origin remains a mystery to all. What
is known is that the colossal ape is much smarter than a
traditional ape and lives far, far longer - potentially thousands
of years.
King of the Jungle. The ape fears nothing and backs down
from no challenger. He is king of the jungle and intends to
hold that title until death. In fact, the colossal ape seems to
seek out potential threats and destroy them. This may be
dragon, demon, or giant - the ape defeats them all and has the
scars to prove it. Even strong adventurers that wander into the
ape’s jungle may be seen as a threat as the ape seems to have
a way to detect the true strength of a foe no matter their size.
Protector of the Subservient. The ape destroys those
who would challenge him and protects those that show their
respect. There are many tribes that live in the forest and
provide regular tributes of food to the ape. In exchange, the
ape serves as their guardian, destroying anything that may
threaten their homes. They build shrines and temples to the
ape, worshipping and singing its praises through elaborate
ceremonies. These offerings of food and worship please the
ape, but the thing it relishes above all others is when they
bring him challengers. Life is mundane without the prospect
of a fight and a creature to best in battle.
The ape has learned to communicate with the people it
protects via sign language and will use it to tell the villagers of
its wishes. These wishes rarely go unheeded, for to invoke the
wrath of the colossal ape means the slaughter of hundreds in
an instant. Life with the great ape comes with the benefits of
protection, but at the end of the day, the ape’s drive for battle
and short temper always remain a threat even to those who
see him as a god.
Elder Roc
Elder rocs are the ancestors of all modern-day roc creatures,
alive since the time when the rocs were free from dominance
by giants. A standard roc is already a hulking horror of a
creature, but the elder roc is superior in both its size and
strength with a wingspan that can reach 300 feet. They have
been alive for so many centuries and carry such power that
they have become infused with the very essence of wind itself,
allowing the roc to conjure tornados and to launch enchanted
feathers to hunt down its foes. These rocs live high up in the
mountains, where the air is too thin and the temperatures too
cold for most other creatures to survive. Travelers will come
from far and wide for a chance to see this titanic bird resting
atop the mountains.
Champion of the Skies. The elder roc does not tolerate
any other large creature in the skies within 50 miles of its
home. This includes dragons, wyverns, cloud giants, and
even unfortunate adventurers who may be soaring through
the skies on their way to a far-off city. The roc will issue
a challenge from its mountaintop nest when a potential
challenger enters its domain. This screech creates a
shockwave strong enough to knock creatures down over a
dozen miles away and will trigger avalanches and rockslides.
If this warning cry is not sufficient, the roc will not hesitate to
meet these invaders in combat.
Living Disaster. When the elder roc flies, its wings produce
so much force that it causes trees and stones in its wake to be
ripped out of the ground and tossed through the air. These air
currents are strong enough to lift humanoids and hurl them
hundreds of feet. Structures that are unfortunate enough to
be in the path of the elder roc are reduced to rubble. People
who live near the elder roc’s resting ground are always under
threat of the ancient beast flying low over their village and
ravaging their homes even when it is not expressing malice
towards them.
Being of Worship. As a result of this destruction, people
who live near the elder roc will often worship it as a god. It
can protect their lands from dragons and other threats from
the sky - threats that will have the roc flying high overhead so
it does not destroy their homes. To keep the elder roc happy in
its nest for as long as possible, nearby villagers and townsfolk
will offer up huge meals as tribute for the elder roc at the base
of the mountain, ensuring that it never needs to stray far for a
meal and cause inadvertent destruction to the lands.
263
Feyqueen Moth
The feyqueen moth is a creature of divine beauty and power
that resides within the feywilds and watches over its forests
with a protective eye. Any invaders that seek to damage the
lands that she safeguards will be met with a blast of radiant
energy, a galeforce gust of wind, or simply an antenna that can
cause both blindness and paralysis.
The moth is immense in size with wings that span over two
hundred and fifty feet when fully spread. With each flap of her
powerful wings, she coats the land beneath her with powder
that has minor curative properties, mending flesh and burns
of any it touches. She can flap her wings more powerfully to
unleash a torrent of this powder or to release another variety
that can put creatures to sleep - an especially effective tactic
when she is fighting alongside fey creatures who are immune
to magical sleep.
Breathtaking Beauty. The moth’s wings are always a
mixture of black, white, violet, teal, blue, and pink, but as she
moves across the sky these colors dance and shift as if they
had a mind of their own within the expanse of their massive
canvas. The shifting of these patterns is affected by the moth’s
current mood, with slow calming movements like waves
crashing against a shore when she is calm and rapid, sporadic
movements when she is excited or nervous. When the moth
goes to battle, the colors on her wings will converge so that as
she flies overhead, enemies below will see a giant skull with
glowing violet eyes.
Cycles of Resurrection. When the feyqueen moth perishes
in combat or due to old age, it is not the end of the moth’s
life. The plant life of the feywilds will grow rapidly to cover
the remains of her body. Creatures of the wilds are naturally
drawn to her location to keep her body safe. Hundreds of
animals that may normally feast upon one another find peace
as sentinels watching over their queen as her body goes
through its cycle of rebirth. Her body turns to dust and seeps
into the ground. Then from the center of her former body, a
large pod will begin to grow. This pod, which presents the
same mystical colors of the moth’s wings, continues to grow
until it is eight feet tall. Then, with a brilliant flash of light,
the feyqueen moth is reborn. This entire process takes only a
week. When the moth emerges, she is at only a fraction of her
full strength, but this strength and her full size will return to
her within the next year.
Protector of the Wilds. The feyqueen moth is fiercely
protective of her lands and the creatures that live there. The
sentient creatures of these lands worship her as a fragment
of the gods sent to keep them safe, an immortal being born
to serve as their guardian in the lands which rightfully belong
to the beings of the feywilds. All fey creatures look up at the
moth with reverence rather than fear and know to flee to
her side when threats beyond their scope make themselves
known. The feyqueen moth will gladly fight to the death to
protect the creatures of her lands and will provide guidance to
others who seek to do good with insights into the location of
powerful magical relics as old as the forests themselves that
can be used to stop evil forces from this plane or others.
264
World-Splitter Worm
The world-splitter worm has a body fifteen feet wide and
two-hundred feet in length, so while its name may be a bit of
an exaggeration, the citizens of the clan that named it such do
not feel this is dramatized. Even when the worm is burrowing
miles underground, it shifts so much stone and dirt that
decorations fall off the walls and animals go into a panic. As
it nears the surface, homes begin to crumble and the ground
quakes with such intensity that even trees become uprooted.
The worm uses innate magics to shift the earth in front of it,
allowing it to burrow at breakneck speeds and leaving behind
perfectly round tunnels.
A Peaceful Titan. The worm has immense strength, but
remains indifferent to conflicts that occur on the surface,
though many nations have attempted to conscript the worm
into their forces. Unless a creature directly challenges the
worm or finds itself within the worm’s tunnels at the wrong
time, the worm does not threaten attack. That being said, the
worm is protective of certain rare crystals and minerals that
dwell in the deeps - crystals and minerals that could be used
for powerful rituals that may need to be tracked down by a
brave group of adventurers!
Tunnels Into the Depths. When the worm emerges every
so often to feast, it will erupt from the ground and leave
behind a massive hole leading down into its vast network
of tunnels. The worm’s body is fifteen feet wide and so the
tunnels it leaves behind are just as massive. Due to the
magical nature of the worm’s burrowing, these tunnels remain
perfectly stable for decades. The challenge in traversing these
tunnels is that they can twist every which way, sometimes
going straight down or up for hundreds of feet, making them
less than ideal for standard travel. Follow these tunnels long
enough and one may even find themself plunging into the
caverns of the underdark or into thin pockets that separate
this plane from those of the elementals.
Building to Disaster. Even with the pristine tunnels that
are left behind by the worms, some scholars worry that these
massive pockets of open space are going to leave the area
vulnerable to other natural disasters. Should an earthquake
strike a region that has experienced heavy burrowing by the
worm, all of those subterranean tunnels could collapse and
cause huge areas up above to drop down dozens of feet which
could kill hundreds if not thousands within a populated city.
As a result, some advocate for the slaying of the worm, though
they are uncertain of a method to do so as it appears to be
indestructible.
Colossal Ape
Gargantuan monstrosity, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 22 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 624 (32d20 + 288)
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
30 (+10) 12 (+1) 28 (+9) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)
Saving Throws Str +18, Con +17, Wis +10
Skills Athletics +18, Perception + 10
Condition Immunities Frightened, Grappled
Senses Passive Perception 20
Languages Common (can use sign language but can’t speak)
Challenge 25 (75,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +8
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the ape fails a saving throw, it
can choose to succeed instead.
Siege Monster. The colossal ape deals double damage to
objects and structures.
Superiority. The colossal ape will not back down from any
foe that threatens its strength, even in the face of death. As a
result, it has immunity to the frightened condition.
A ctions
Multiattack. The ape makes two attacks in any combination
with its stone hammer, fists, kick, and hurl.
Stone Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 25 ft.,
one target. Hit: 36 (4d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage and the
creature must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw
or become dazed until the end of its next turn. A creature
dazed this way has its speed halved and makes its attack rolls
and saving throws at disadvantage.
Fists. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
target. Hit: 32 (4d10 + 10) bludgeoning damage and
the target is grappled (escape DC 20) by the ape. Until
this grapple ends, the target is restrained. If the ape has a
creature already grappled and uses this attack, that creature
immediately takes this damage as they are crushed. The ape
can have a maximum of 3 creatures grappled at a time.
Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
target. Hit: 29 (3d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage and the
target is thrown 40 feet back and 20 feet up. The creature
takes an additional 7 (2d6) damage upon hitting the ground
and must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall
prone.
Hurl. The ape tosses a creature that it is currently grappling
at a point up to 150 feet away, including straight up. If the
creature collides with a surface, it takes 3 (1d6) damage for
every 10 feet it traveled plus an additional 15 bludgeoning
damage.
Boulder. Ranged Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, range 150/600
ft., one target. Hit: 55 (7d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
The area within 10 feet around the boulder’s landing spot
becomes difficult terrain as the ground itself is warped.
Batter up. The ape tosses up a creature it is currently grappling
in its fists and swings with its stone hammer. On a hit, the
target takes 36 (4d12 + 10) bludgeoning damage and the
creature is launched into the distance. It flies 100 + (3d10
x 10) feet, taking 1d6 damage for every 10 feet it flies to a
maximum of 70 (20d6). The creature always lands prone. If
the ape misses with this attack, the creature it was holding
falls to the ground, taking 10 (3d6) damage.
Battle Roar (1/Day). The ape lets out a roar of battle that
rings with horrifying ferocity. Each creature within 500 feet
must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or become
frightened of the ape for 1 hour. A creature frightened this way
can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns.
Additionally, each creature within 100 feet of the ape must
make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 66 (12d10)
thunder damage and becoming deafened for 1 minute on a
failed saving throw, or half as much damage and not deafened
on a successful one.
L egendary A ctions
The ape can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a
time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The ape
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Smash. The ape makes an attack with its fists or its kick.
Leap. The ape leaps to an unoccupied location within 50
feet. Attacks provoked by this movement are made with
disadvantage. Whenever the ape lands, each creature within
15 feet must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or
be knocked prone.
Treefall (2 Actions). The ape kicks down a nearby tree. It falls
in a 60-foot long, 5-foot wide line. Each creature in this area
must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 33
(6d10) bludgeoning damage and become pinned beneath
the tree. A creature pinned this way is considered grappled
(escape DC 20) and is restrained while the grapple persists.
265
 Elder Roc Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
target. Hit: 36 (4d12 + 10) slashing damage, and the target
Gargantuan monstrosity, neutral
is grappled (escape DC 22) if it is a Large or smaller creature.
Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. If the roc has
Armor Class 21 (Natural Armor)
a creature already grappled and uses this attack, that creature
Hit Points 518 (28d20 + 224)
immediately takes 36 (4d12 + 10) piercing damage. The roc
Speed 30 ft., fly 160 ft.
can only have two creatures in its talons at a time.
Enchanted Featherstorm (Recharge 5-6). The roc flaps its
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
wings and releases massive magical feathers that seek out
30 (+10) 10 (+0) 26 (+8) 6 (–2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
up to three creatures within 120 feet, slashing at them and
then enveloping them. Those creatures must make a DC
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +16, Wis +9, Cha +8
22 Dexterity save, taking 33 (6d10) slashing damage and
Skills Perception +9
becoming restrained until the end of their next turn on a
Condition Immunities Grappled
failed save, or half as much damage and not restrained on a
Senses Passive Perception 19
successful one.
Languages –
Challenge 25 (75,000 XP) Create Tornado (1/Day). The roc gives a powerful flap of
Proficiency Bonus +8 its wings that conjures up a 15-foot-radius, 100-foot-high
tornado at a point within 120 feet. This tornado travels along
a straight line, moving 30 feet a turn, for 1 minute. The area
Keen Sight. The roc has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
within the tornado is heavily obscured. The tornado sucks up
checks that rely on sight.
any Medium or smaller objects that aren’t secured to anything
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the roc fails a saving throw, it and that aren’t worn or carried by anyone.
can choose to succeed instead.
A creature must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw the first
Storm Winds. Whenever the roc flies, it creates whirlwinds in time on a turn that it enters the tornado or that the tornado
its wake. A creature within 30 feet of the roc when it flies past enters its space, including when the tornado first appears.
must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be thrown A creature takes 42 (12d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed
30 feet in a random direction, landing prone and taking 10 save, or half as much damage on a successful one. In addition,
(3d6) bludgeoning damage. A creature that is flying does a Medium or smaller creature that fails the save must succeed
not take this damage, but is moved twice the distance. Any on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or become restrained within
mounted creatures must succeed on this saving throw or be the tornado until it disperses. When a creature starts its turn
thrown from their mount if possible. restrained within the tornado, the creature is pulled 10 feet
higher inside of it, unless a creature is at the top.
A ctions
A restrained creature moves with the tornado and falls when
Multiattack. The roc makes two attacks: one with its beak and
the spell ends, unless a creature has some means to stay
one with its talons.
aloft. A restrained creature can use an action to make a DC 22
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one Strength or Dexterity check. If successful, the creature is no
target. Hit: 37 (6d8 + 10) piercing damage. If the target longer restrained by the tornado and is hurled 3d6 x 10 feet
is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC away from it in a random direction.
20 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the roc. A
swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover L egendary A ctions
against attacks and other effects outside the roc, and takes 21 The roc can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
(6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the roc’s turns. options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a
If the roc takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The roc
creature inside it, it must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all Talons. The roc makes an attack with its talons
swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet
of the roc. If the roc dies, a swallowed creature is no longer Sonic Screech (Costs 2 Actions). The roc unleashes a powerful
restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 screech in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in this area must
feet of movement, exiting prone. make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 33 (6d10)
thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one. A creature that fails this saving throw by 5 or
more is deafened until the end of its next turn.
Direct Tornado (Costs 2 Actions). The roc moves its tornado
up to 30 feet in a direction of its choosing.

266
Feyqueen Moth
Gargantuan monstrosity, neutral good
Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 462 (28d20 + 168)
Speed 30ft., fly 160 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 16 (+3) 22 (+6) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 29 (+9)
Saving Throws Dex +11, Int +10, Wis +13, Cha +17
Skills Nature +10, Perception +13, Performance +17
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing
from Nonmagical Attacks
Condition Immunities Charmed, Grappled, Paralyzed,
Poisoned, Prone
Senses Truesight 60 ft., Passive Perception 23
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 25 (75,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +8
Bioluminescence. The moth can choose to produce brilliant
light of teal, pink, purple, and blue from her wings. This
creates bright light in a 60-foot radius area and dim light for
an additional 120 feet. Creatures that are within the moth’s
bioluminescence have advantage on saving throws against
being charmed and magic can’t put them to sleep.
Fey Rebirth. If the moth is killed within the feywilds and
her body is not destroyed, the land itself will restore her to
health. This process takes 1 week, at which point she will be
resurrected with half of her maximum hit points.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the moth fails a saving throw,
she can choose to succeed instead.
Magical Resistance. The moth has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The moth’s weapon attacks are magical.
Speak with Beasts and Plants. The moth can communicate
with beasts and plants as if they shared a language.
A ctions
Multiattack. The moth makes two attacks: one with her
antennae and one with her luminous burst.
Antennae. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 23 (4d8 + 5) psychic damage and the target
must succeed on a DC 22 Intelligence saving throw or
become paralyzed and blinded for one minute as its mind
is overwhelmed by the moth’s mental assault. A creature
paralyzed and blinded this way can repeat this saving throw at
the end of each of its turns, ending the effects on a success.
Luminous Burst. Ranged Spell Attack: +17 to hit, range 150 ft.,
one target. Hit: 45 (8d8) radiant damage and the target must
succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or become
blinded until the end of its next turn.
Storming Gust (Recharge 5-6). The moth flaps her wings
with magically enhanced force, causing a galeforce wind in
a 20-foot wide, 300-foot long line. Each creature in this line
must make a DC 22 Strength saving throw, taking 56 (16d6)
bludgeoning damage and being thrown 150 feet in the
direction of the gust on a failed saving throw, or half as much
damage and only pushed half the distance on a successful one.
Success or failure, the creature lands prone. If this movement
causes a creature to strike a solid object, it takes an additional
1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it moved before
hitting the object.
Any other object weighing less than 100 pounds is caught
in the force of this gust and launched between 100 and 300
feet, causing the entire area to become difficult terrain as it is
littered with debris.
Healing Powder (1/Day). During this turn, when the moth
moves she unleashes a shower of luminous green powder
from her wings that showers down on all creatures below her.
Any creature that is directly below the moth as she moves
restores 45 (10d8) hit points. If this restores a creature to
full health, the excess healing is converted into temporary hit
points.
Sleep Powder (3/Day). During this turn, when the moth
moves she unleashes a shower of luminous purple powder
from her wings that showers down on all creatures below
her and causes them to fall into a magical slumber. This can
affect up to 250 hit points worth of creatures. Starting with
the creature with the lowest current hit points, each creature
affected by this spell falls unconscious for 1 minute or until
it takes damage or another creature uses its action to shake
them awake. Subtract each creature’s hit points from the
total before moving to the creature with the next lowest hit
points. A creature’s hit points must be equal to or less than
the remaining total for that creature to be affected. Undead
and creatures immune to being charmed aren’t affected by
this ability.
L egendary A ctions
The moth can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a
time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The moth
regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
Antennae. The moth makes an attack with her antennae.
Healing Pulse. The moth bestows 20 temporary hit points on
another creature within 120 feet.
Poison Scales (Costs 2 Actions). The moth causes her entire
body to shimmer with magical energy as she prepares to
unleash poison into the air. The next time a creature hits
the moth with an attack, this poison is unleashed. Each
creature within 15 feet of the moth must succeed on a DC 22
Constitution saving throw or take 36 (8d8) poison damage.
A creature that fails this saving throw by 5 or more is also
poisoned until the end of its next turn. Until this effect is
triggered, the moth can’t use this legendary action again.
267
feymoth queeN

268
World-Splitter Worm Roll. The worm rolls its entire body in one direction. Each
creature within 20 feet of the worm on the side that it chose
Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned
to roll must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 44
(8d10) bludgeoning damage on a failed saving throw, or half
Armor Class 23 (Natural Armor)
as much damage on a successful one. Any creatures that were
Hit Points 518 (28d20 + 224)
standing on the worm are thrown from its body and land in an
Speed 60 ft., burrow 60 ft.
adjacent unoccupied space, taking 10 (3d6) damage from the
fall.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Targeted Quake. The worm slams the ground and causes a
26 (+8) 10 (+0) 26 (+8) 7 (–2) 14 (+2) 8 (–1)
powerful surge of stone to erupt at a point within 120 feet.
Each creature within 15 feet of that point must succeed on a
Saving Throws Str +16, Con +16, Wis +10
DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) bludgeoning
Condition Immunities Grappled, Paralyzed, Poisoned,
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
Prone, Stunned
successful one. This area becomes difficult terrain.
Senses Blindsight 30 ft., Tremorsense 120 ft.,
Passive Perception 12 Mass Quake (Recharge 5-6). The worm slams into the ground
Languages – and causes the ground in a 50-foot area around it to crumble,
Challenge 25 (75,000 XP) split, and quake. Each creature in this area must succeed on a
Proficiency Bonus +8 DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (18d6) bludgeoning
damage on a failed saving throw or half as much damage on a
successful one. Fissures tear through the area. Each creature
Earth Tremors. The worm creates earth tremors as it moves
that rolled a 10 or lower on this Dexterity saving throw falls
overland or underground. Any creature that comes within 30
into one of these fissures, taking an additional 10 (3d6)
feet of the moving worm for the first time on a turn must
bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone as they collapse
succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6)
into the rift 30 feet deep.
bludgeoning damage and fall prone.
Entomb in Stone (1/Day). The worm uses its ability to shape
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the worm fails a saving throw,
stone to create a prison. The worm can cast the wall of stone
it can choose to succeed instead.
spell except it creates twenty 10-foot-by-10-foot panels
Siege Monster. The worm deals double damage to objects and that are 12 inches thick. This stone immediately becomes
structures. permanent and can’t be dispelled by magical means. The spell
Tunneler. The worm can burrow through solid rock, leaving a save DC for this spell is 20.
15-foot diameter tunnel in its wake. This ability can be counterspelled and is considered a 9th-level
A ctions spell for that purpose.

Multiattack. The worm makes two slam attacks. L egendary A ctions

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 15 ft., one The worm can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
target. Hit: 29 (6d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and the creature options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a
must succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or be pushed time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The worm
15 feet and knocked prone. regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and the target is
pushed 30 feet.
Dislodge Stone. The worm strikes the ground to unleash
debris from the ceiling. Target creature within 120 feet must
succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (5d6)
bludgeoning damage. This ability can only be used if the worm
and its target are underground.
Tail Whip. The worm makes an attack with its tail.
Tremors. The worm moves or burrows up to half its speed.
This movement triggers its earth tremors ability.

269
wiNter hag
The winter hag is a variant that expands upon the hags found in the Monster Manual. For more information about hag lore, you can
consult the Monster Manual on page 176. You can use the winter hag as a challenge for when your party is traveling through the icy
wastes. She will haunt the players as they journey through her lands, watching them from a distance and using her innate abilities to
cause vicious winds to slice right through their protective clothing in an attempt to drive them to retreat or to freeze to death. A keen
set of eyes may notice a shadow following after them in the distance or a silhouette on the edge of the snowstorm. They may even hear
her cackle echoing on the wind after one of her plans has succeeded in foiling the party’s plans.
This hag was designed to be a stand-alone enemy for a group to face, so she comes with legendary actions and the ability to
summon additional creatures to her aid. Consider her as a tool to spice up your adventure and introduce non-combat challenges to
your party, allowing them to slowly discover the truth of their misfortune before a final face-off with the powerful winter hag!

270
Winter Hag Bind in Ice. Target creature within 90 feet of the hag that is
not flying must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw. On a
Medium fey, chaotic neutral
failed save, that creature takes 7 (2d6) cold damage and it is
bound in place with thick ice. A creature bound in ice has its
Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
movement speed reduced to 0. A creature can use its action
Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36)
to attempt to break this ice, freeing the trapped creature
Speed 30 ft.
with success on a DC 12 Strength check. This effect also
ends if the ice comes in contact with fire of any kind. (This is
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA considered a cantrip spell for the purposes of counterspell).
14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
Conjure Ice Mephits (1/Day). The hag conjured forth 2 ice
mephits (MM Pg. 215) in unoccupied spaces within 15 feet
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
that are added to the combat. These mephits remain for 1
Languages –
hour, until the hag dies, or until the hag ends this effect as an
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
action. (This is considered a 3rd level spell for the purposes of
Proficiency Bonus +2
counterspell).

Cold-Hearted. The hag’s heart is filled with such sadness
and malice that it manifests as a chill that follows the hag
everywhere she goes. The area within 15 feet of the hag falls
under the following effects:
• The temperature is lowered by 10 degrees.
• The area is filled by a light dusting of snow and ice
fragments, lightly obscuring objects within.
• Every three rounds another creature spends in this area, it
must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or gain
1 level of Exhaustion. A creature can feel this chill creeping
into its bodies before this effect triggers.
A ctions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage.
B onus A ctions
Sleet Step (2/Day). The hag is briefly surrounded by a mix of
sleet and snow, then teleports to an unoccupied space she can
see within 30 feet. (This is considered a 2nd level spell for the
purposes of counterspell).
L egendary A ctions
The hag can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the
options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a
time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The hag
regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Snowblind. Target creature within 60 feet has a powerful burst
of snow erupt into its eyes. That creature makes a DC 12
Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, that creature must roll a
d4 and subtract it from the result of its next attack roll made
before the end of its next turn.
Lash Out (Costs 2 Actions). The hag attacks with her claws or
uses her bind in ice ability.

271
Winter Holiday Creatures
The following creatures were all designed to be used with a Animated Gingerbread Cookie
winter holiday-themed adventure in mind. You can find such Tiny construct, unaligned
an adventure in Nerzugal’s Dungeon Master Toolkit 4 with
The Hag Who Stole Snowfall! But if you are looking for some Armor Class 12
fun creatures to add to your holiday one-shot or just for that Hit Points 2 (1d4)
session within your ongoing campaign, then look no further. Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft.
Festive and Fun. All of the creatures are intended to be
taken a bit less seriously than the other monsters in this book. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
An animated gingerbread cookie jumping off of the table and 1 (–5) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 5 (–3) 10 (+0)
attacking a member of the party with a toothpick is going to
be a silly moment, so be sure to embrace that. Those same Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
cookies have the ability to spider climb, so your party may spot Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened,
a shadow out of the corner of their eyes - something moving Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone
among the beams of the ceiling - only to have a tiny cookie Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
leap down onto their head and erupt in a blast of molten icing! Passive Perception 7
Hidden in Plain Sight. Almost all of the holiday creatures Languages –
are masquerading as ordinary objects, so the fact that Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
they are alive remains a mystery until the right conditions
are met. When you use these creatures, think of fun ways
you can utilize this fact. If you are using a digital tabletop False Object. If the cookie is motionless at the start of
environment, consider having them as objects that can move combat, it has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover, if a
but seem like part of the background and subtly adjust their creature hasn’t observed the cookie move or act, that creature
positions. Perhaps a gift box mimic growls when it is shaken. must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to
A gingerbread cookie might issue a small squeak as its arm discern that the cookie is animate.
is bitten. Feed your players these small clues and have fun as Fresh From the Oven. The cookie is filled with frosting that
they uncover the truth of the situation and begin to question if maintains its heat until the cookie is destroyed. Whenever
that menorah on the shelf is going to spring to life! the cookie is reduced to 0 hit points, this frosting explodes
violently outward, dealing 1 fire damage to each non-cookie
creature within 5 feet.
Spider Climb. The cookie can climb difficult surfaces using
its frosting for adhesive, including upside down on ceilings,
without needing to make an ability check.

A ctions
Toothpick Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 2 piercing damage.

R eactions
Feign Innocence (1/Day). If a creature that can see the cookie
would hit it with an attack, the cookie can pretend to be
frightened and innocent. The attacking creature must succeed
on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or subtract 3 from its attack
roll total, potentially causing it to miss! A creature can only be
affected by this ability once per day, even if it is being used by
a different animated cookie.

272
gift Box mimiC
Tiny monstrosity (shapechanger), unaligned

Armor Class 11
Hit Points 14 (4d4 + 4)
Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

4 (–3) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 12 (+1)

Skills Stealth +3
Damage Immunities Acid
Condition Immunities Prone
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages –
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

False Appearance (Object Form Only). While the mimic

remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary
wrapped gift box.
Shake-Adverse. If someone shakes the mimic while it is in its
gift box form, it will let out a growl. Any creature within 5 feet
of the mimic when it makes this sound can make a DC 10
Wisdom (Perception) check to realize that the sound came
from the box.
Spider Climb. The mimic can climb difficult surfaces, including
upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability
check.

A ctions
Multiattack. The mimic makes one attack with its ribbon lash
and one with its bite.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage.
Ribbon Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage. The mimic can
then make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success,
it pulls itself to the target without expending additional
movement and has advantage on the next bite attack it makes
this turn against that target.
Shape-Shift. The mimic polymorphs into an object or back
into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same
in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t
transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

273
 Animated Sled Living Snowman
Medium Construct (shapechanger), unaligned Medium elemental, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor) Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 10 (3d6) Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
Speed 40 ft. (slide) Speed 15 ft., 30 ft. burrow (only through snow)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 4 (–3) 5 (–3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)

Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic Skills Stealth +2

Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Damage Immunities Cold, Poison
Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Prone Damage Vulnerabilities Fire
Senses Blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Condition Immunities Poisoned
Passive Perception 7 Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages – Languages Aquan, Auran
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

False Object. If the sled is motionless at the start of combat,
it has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover, if a creature
hasn’t observed the sled move or act, that creature must
succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to discern
that the sled is animate.
Ramming Speed. If the sled moves at least 30 feet before
striking a creature with its ram attack, the attack deals an
additional 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage.
Slideby. The sled doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it
slides out of an enemy’s reach.
False Appearance. While the snowman remains motionless, it
is indistinguishable from an ordinary nonliving snowman.
Snowy Decent. The snowman can become one with the
snow and move swiftly through its surroundings. When the
snowman is moving in this way, it has resistance to damage
from nonmagical attacks.
A ctions
Multiattack. The snowman makes two attacks with its
snowball.

A ctions Shovel. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one

Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature
that is standing on the ground. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning
damage and the creature must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving
throw if it is standing. On a failed saving throw, the sled can
choose one of the following options:
• Knock Aside - The target is knocked prone into an adjacent,
unoccupied space.
target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) cold
damage.
Snowball. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 60 ft., one
creature. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) cold damage.
Snow Shaping. The snowman selects an area of snow it can
see within 30 feet that fits within a 5-foot cube. The snowman
can manipulate it in one of the following ways:

• Knock Aboard - The target falls prone atop the sled and
moves with the sled until it uses 5 feet of movement to
climb off. This option can only be used if the creature is size
Medium or smaller.
• This snow can be transformed into any simple shape of the
snowman’s desire including a low wall, a pit, or even an igloo.
• If a creature is standing in the snow, the snow envelops that
creature. The creature in the space must succeed on a DC 11
Dexterity saving throw or become grappled until a creature
spends an action to dig them out.
• The top layer of the snow turns to ice. If a non-snowman
creature moves through such a space, it is considered
difficult terrain and that creature must succeed on a DC 11
Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. If the temperature can’t
sustain this ice, it will revert to snow after 1 hour.

274
Gingerbread Cookie Swarm Spider Climb. The cookie swarm can climb difficult surfaces
using its frosting for adhesive, including upside down on
Medium swarm of Tiny constructs, unaligned
ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Armor Class 12 Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and
Hit Points 25 (8d4) vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large
Speed 15 ft., climb 15 ft. enough to accommodate an individual cookie. The swarm
can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA A ctions
6 (–2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 1 (–5) 5 (–3) 10 (+0)
Toothpick Daggers. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
0 ft., one creature within the swarm’s space. Hit: 10 (4d4)
Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
piercing damage, or 5 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has
Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened,
half of its hit points or fewer.
Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Paralyzed, Petrified,
Poisoned, Prone, Restrained, Stunned Combusting Cookie. The swarm offers up one of its own
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), as sacrifice, infusing the cookie with some of its collective
Passive Perception 7 frosting before launching it at a creature within 20 feet. This
Languages – cookie detonates on impact, spraying the creature with molten
Challenge 1 (200 XP) frosting. That creature must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving
Proficiency Bonus +2 throw, taking 7 (3d4) fire damage on a failed saving throw, or
half as much damage on a successful one.
False Object. If the cookie swarm is motionless at the start The cookie swarm loses 2 (1d4) hit points when it uses this
of combat, it has advantage on its initiative roll. Moreover, ability.
if a creature hasn’t observed the cookie swarm move or act,
that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) Spray of Toothpicks (1/Day). The cookies within the swarm
check to discern that the cookies are animated. launch toothpicks in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in this area
must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5 (2d4)
Fresh From the Oven. The cookies within the swarm are filled piercing damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
with frosting that maintains its heat and erupts violently as the damage on a successful one.
cookies are destroyed. Whenever the cookie swarm is dealt
damage, scorching frosting erupts onto each creature within 5
feet. Each non-cookie creature in this area takes 1 fire damage.

275
 Living Ice Sculpture Frozen Regeneration. The ice sculpture can use ice and snow
around it to repair damage to its form. At the start of each
Medium elemental, unaligned
of the sculpture’s turns, if it is standing within 10 feet of ice
or snow, it regains 4 (1d8) hit points. This effect is disabled
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
when the sculpture reaches 0 hit points or if it has taken fire
Hit Points 37 (5d8 + 15)
damage since its last turn.
Speed 30 ft.
Icy Weapons. When the sculpture hits with its ice sword, it
deals an extra 3 (1d6) cold damage (included in the attack).
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 8 (–1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) A ctions
Ice Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Skills Stealth +2
target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold
Damage Resistances Piercing and Slashing from
damage.
nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities Cold, Poison Ice Shard. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 90 ft., one
Damage Vulnerabilities Bludgeoning, Fire creature. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) cold
Condition Immunities Poisoned damage.
Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages Aquan, Auran Frozen Nova (1/Day). The sculpture slams the ground and
Challenge 2 (450 XP) causes a pulse of icy energy to cascade around it. Each
Proficiency Bonus +2 creature within 10 feet of the sculpture must make a DC
12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) cold damage and
having its movement speed reduced to 0 on its next turn on a
False Appearance. While the sculpture remains motionless, it failed saving throw, or half as much damage and its movement
is indistinguishable from an ordinary nonliving ice sculpture. is halved on its next turn on a successful one.

276
NpCs
This section contains stat blocks for non-player characters
to add to your game world. These can be used for a guide that
your players hire to escort them to a temple in the woods, for
a town guard that you want to make a bit more interesting
than the default stat block, or to show the party that not
every person they pick a fight with in a tavern is defenseless.
Perhaps the foe they are up against is a tyrannical king and
he has assassins and guards within his organization that the
party will need to take down. You may want something a bit
more exciting than a standard knight stat block for such an
encounter.
These stat blocks pull inspiration from existing classes and
types of weapon-users and spell-weavers that your party may
be playing. Each will have their own specialty and unique,
flavorful abilities that are represented by their name. For
example, a glacial sorceress has a full spectrum of abilities
dedicated to slowing and hindering foes while still pelting
them with the power of an ice storm! The chained gladiator
uses their weapons at a range, pulling foes across the
battlefield and even exposing weaknesses in their armor while
bringing the hurt with potent counterattacks.
Power in Numbers. One of the best uses for these stat
blocks is for when your party needs to face off against another
group of adventurers. Perhaps multiple parties have been
hired to find a valuable relic, but only the party that brings it
back get paid. Maybe another band of adventurers turned to a
life of crime and now the local guard has put a bounty on their
heads. One of your group's enemies may have hired another
band of adventurers to hunt the party down. There is also the
possibility for a nonlethal battle in an arena - a featured event
during a city's seasonal celebration.
Not Your Typical Foe. These aren’t simply a band of goblins
that your party finds in the forest that attack with savageness
and know little in the way of tactics. These are intelligent
creatures that are just as adverse to death as your own
players. They will research your player’s abilities, spy on them
from the shadows, use their magics to gain an upper hand,
and maybe even have a few magical items in their possession.
They will play dirty - laying traps or trying to plan an ambush.
Use the full suite of their abilities to enhance each other in
combat - the group being greater than the sum of its parts.
Counter Magic. Many of these NPCs unleash abilities
that are akin to spells and your party may get frustrated if
they can’t use a counterspell or similar magic to stop these
attacks. If your players wish to counter these abilities, you can
consider any ability that does not have a recharge as a cantrip.
Abilities that have a recharge can be considered to have a spell
level of half of the creature’s CR (rounded up). This is not a
perfect system in all cases, but will likely make your abjuration
wizards quite happy!

Whatever you needs, hopefully your players will find these

characters interesting to battle against and recognize that they
are not the only heroes out in the world.

277
 Earth Splitter Stormbringer
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class 16 (Chain Mail) Armor Class 13

Hit Points 57 (6d12 + 18) Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 8 (–1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Str +5, Con + Saving Throws Cha +5, Con +4
Skills Athletics +5, Nature +2, Survival +3 Skills Arcana +3, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +5
Senses Passive Perception 11 Senses Passive Perception 11
Languages Any three languages Languages Any three languages
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2 Proficiency Bonus +2

A ctions Storm Shield. The stormbringer is protected by a barrier of

Multiattack. The earth splitter makes two melee attacks.
Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the earth splitter
hits the same target with both attacks in a single round, that
creature must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw
or become stunned until the end of its next turn.
Boulder Launch. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60
ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d12 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Rupturing Strike. The earth splitter brings its maul down with
such force that the ground in a 15-foot cone cracks open
and bursts with concussive force. Each creature in this area
must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16 (3d10)
bludgeoning damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving
throw by 5 or more is also knocked prone. The area affected
by the strike is considered difficult terrain until the debris is
cleared.
crackling energy. Any creature that hits the stormbringer
with an attack while within 15 feet must succeed on a DC
13 Dexterity saving throw or take 4 (1d8) lightning damage.
A creature grappling the stormbringer takes this damage
automatically at the start of each of its turns.
A ctions
Enchanted Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3)
piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
Forked Lightning. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range
60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) lightning damage and the
stormbringer can target a creature within 30 feet of the initial
target that has not been struck by forked lightning this round.
The stormbringer makes an additional attack roll against that
creature, dealing 7 (3d6) lightning damage on hit.
Living Lightning (Recharge 5-6). The stormbringer unleashes a
wave of dancing bolts of electricity across the ground in a 30-
foot cone. Each creature in that area is struck by 3 (1d4 + 1)
jolts of lightning. Each creature must make a DC 13 Dexterity
saving throw for each jolt that strikes them, taking 1d8
lightning damage for each failure and half as much damage on
a success.
A creature that fails its saving throw against 3 or more jolts of
electricity is paralyzed until the end of its next turn.

278
Toad Caller Light Weaver
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class 14 (Toad Leather) Armor Class 15 (Studded Leather)

Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14) Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (–1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+2)

Saving Throws Int +3, Wis +5
Skills Animal Handling +5, Insight +5, Perception +5
Senses Passive Perception 15
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
A ctions
Multiattack. The toad caller makes two attacks with its
exploding toad.
Exploding Toad. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range
20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage
and each creature within 5 feet of the target must succeed on
a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 6 (1d12) poison
damage as the toad explodes with poisonous fumes.
Toad Storm (Recharge 5-6). The toad caller unleashes a rain
of toads in a 10-foot wide, 30-foot high pillar at a location it
can see within 120 feet. Each creature in that area must make
a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (3d4) bludgeoning
damage and 7 (3d4) poison damage on a failed saving throw,
or half as much damage on a successful one. Each creature
that failed the saving throw must succeed on an additional
DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1
minute. A creature poisoned this way can repeat this saving
throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a
success.
Summon Giant Toad (1/Day). The toad caller summons a giant
toad (MM pg. 329) in an unoccupied space within 60 feet.
The toad acts as an ally to the toad caller and remains for 1
minute, until it or its summoner dies, or until the toad caller
dismisses it as an action.
Saving Throws Str +3, Dex +5
Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +5, Perception +4
Damage Resistances text
Damage Immunities text
Damage Vulnerabilities text
Condition Immunities text
Senses blindsight 30 ft., Passive Perception 14
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
A ctions
Multiattack. The light weaver uses its blinding palm or surge of
light if able, then makes two melee attacks.
Radiant Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (2d4)
radiant damage.
Blinding Palm (Recharge 3-4). The light weaver extends its
palm and creates a flash of brilliant light. Each creature within
15 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw
or become blinded for one minute. A creature blinded this way
may repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
ending the effect on a successful save.
Surge of Light (Recharge 5-6). The light weaver punches
forward with incredible force and conjures a 30-foot long,
5-foot wide area with searing light. Each creature in this line
must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 18
(4d8) radiant damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
damage on a successful one.

279
 Resourceful Hunter
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 15 (Studded Leather)
Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Str +3, Dex +5
Skills Nature +2, Perception +4, Survival +4
Senses Passive Perception 14
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
A ctions
Multiattack. The hunter makes two attacks with its shortsword
or two attacks with its crossbow (one of which may be one of
the hunter’s special abilities that utilize the crossbow).
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 100/400
ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
Binding Shot (Recharge 5-6). The hunter replaces its ordinary
crossbow bolt with a special piece of ammunition that
explodes into entangling wire on contact with a target. Make a
crossbow attack. On a hit, the attack deals normal damage and
the target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or
become grappled (escape DC 13).
Precision Shot (3/Day). The hunter makes an attack with its
crossbow at a specific part of its target’s body. This attack
deals an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage on hit. Additionally,
the hunter chooses this area as it makes the attack and on hit
the shot adds a special detriment depending on the section of
the body chosen:
• Head - Concentration checks made as a result of this damage
are made with disadvantage.
• Arm - The target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving
throw or drop whatever they are holding.
• Leg - The target has its movement speed reduced to 10 feet
until the end of its next turn.
R eactions
Evasive Shot. Immediately after being hit by an attack, the
hunter can perform a swift roll to reposition themselves into
an unoccupied space within 10 feet. This movement does not
provoke attacks of opportunity. After moving, the hunter may
make a single attack with its crossbow.
280
Battlerage Brute
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Armor Class 17 (Chain Shirt, Shield)
Hit Points 68 (8d8 + 32)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 8 (–1) 14 (+2) 9 (–1)
Saving Throws Str +7, Con +7
Skills Athletics +7, Insight +5, Intimidation +2
Senses Passive Perception 12
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Lust for Battle. The brute can dash as a bonus action if there
is an enemy within 120 feet of it. Additionally, when the
brute takes the dash action on its turn, it has resistance to all
damage dealt by attacks of opportunity.
Unstoppable Charge. If the brute moves at least 30 feet in a
straight line towards a creature, it gains advantage on the first
attack against that creature. On a hit, the attack deals 9 (2d8)
bonus bludgeoning damage and that creature must succeed
on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
A ctions
Multiattack. The brute makes three attacks with its
warhammer.
Warhammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage or 9 (1d10 + 4)
bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
Battle Roar (1/Day). The brute lets loose a powerful battlecry
that echoes throughout the area. Each creature friendly to the
brute within 120 feet that can hear the battlecry becomes
inspired to battle, granting them 5 temporary hit points and
+2 bonus damage to melee attacks made for the next minute.
After letting loose this battlecry, the brute can make one
attack with its warhammer as a bonus action.
Flamecaller Spirit Weaver
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class 11 (16 with Obsidian Armor) Armor Class 13

Hit Points 59 (7d8 + 28) Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Cha +7, Con +7 Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +6
Skills Athletics +5, Deception +7, Performance +7, Skills Perception +6, Religion +4, Sleight of Hand +6
Religion +4 Senses Passive Perception 16
Senses Passive Perception 10 Languages Any three languages
Languages Any three languages Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +3

Obsidian Armor. The flamecaller protects its body with

floating chunk of obsidian, giving it an AC of 16.
A ctions
Multiattack. The flamecaller summons a dragon mortar if able,
then attacks with its quarterstaff or flame blades.
Enchanted Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage
plus 10 (3d6) fire damage.
Flame Blades. The flamecaller unleashes blades of superheated
energy in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in this area must
succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6)
fire damage.
Dragon Mortar (Recharge 4-6). The flamecaller causes a
dragon head of flame to erupt from a surface it can see within
60 feet. This dragon head can bite a target within 5 feet with
a +5 bonus to hit, dealing 8 (1d8 + 4) fire damage on hit, or
it can cast firebolt with a +5 bonus to hit, dealing 5 (1d10)
fire damage on hit. The dragon head attacks immediately after
being summoned and again during each of the flamecaller’s
turns. The dragon head persists for 5 turns or until the
flamecaller dies before fading.
A ctions
Multiattack. The spirit weaver makes two attacks with its
phantasmal fist or two with its ethereal barrage.
Phantasmal Fist. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8)
force damage. The force damage from this attack ignores
temporary hit points.
Spirit Burst. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 90 ft.,
one target. Hit: 13 (3d8) force damage and if the target is
concentrating on a spell, it rolls its concentration check with
disadvantage.
Ethereal Barrage (Recharge 5-6). The spirit weaver unleashes
wave after wave of spiritual energy against targets it can see.
Up to four creatures of the spirit weaver’s choice within 60
feet must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, taking 27
(6d8) force damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this saving
throw by 5 or more is also incapacitated until the end of its
next turn.
R eactions
Essence of the Wraith. Whenever the spirit weaver would be
hit by an attack, it can phase partially into the ethereal plane.
Halve the damage of the incoming attack. As a part of this
reaction, the spirit weaver can move up to 15 feet without
provoking attacks of opportunity.

281
 spirit repliCaNt spirit CloNe
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Medium elemental, same alignment as its creator

Armor Class 17 (Spirit Aura) Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24) Hit Points 49 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 40 ft. Speed 40 ft., hover 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +4 Senses Passive Perception 12

Skills Acrobatics +7, Arcana +4, Medicine +6, Languages Understands the languages of its creator
Sleight of Hand +7 but can’t speak
Senses Passive Perception 13 Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Languages Any three languages Proficiency Bonus +2
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
A ctions
Spirit Aura. The spirit replicant’s AC equals 10 + Dexterity Multiattack. The clone makes two attacks with its spirit strike.
Modifier + Wisdom Modifier. Spirit Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Spirit Link. If the replicant has a spirit clone active, half of any target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6)
damage it takes is dealt to its clone instead. radiant damage.

A ctions
Multiattack. The replicant summons its spirit clone if able,
then makes two melee attacks.
Bo Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Tandem Strike (Recharge 5-6). The clone makes a spirit strike
attack. If the clone’s creator is within 5 feet of that target,
its creator may use its reaction to make an attack against the
same target with its quarterstaff. If both the clone and its
creator hit the target with their attacks, the target takes an
additional 13 (3d8) radiant damage.

Dragon Kick (Recharge 5-6) Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,

reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage
plus 14 (4d6) fire damage. If the replicant has a spirit clone
active, the clone may use its reaction to make a spirit strike
against the same target with advantage if within range.
Summon Spirit Clone (1/Day). The replicant concentrates
its spiritual energy to create a spirit clone of itself in an
unoccupied space within 5 feet. This clone acts immediately
after the replicant and shares the same motivations and
intentions as the original. The spirit clone remains for 10
minutes, until it or the original dies, or until the replicant
dismisses it as an action.

282
Bat summoNer A ctions
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Multiattack. The summoner uses any three of its bat attacks or
abilities.
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 105 (14d8 + 42) Blazing Bat. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 60 ft., one
Speed 30 ft. target. Hit: 14 (4d6) fire damage.
Plague Bat (Recharge 1-3). Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (6d6) poison damage and the
10 (+0) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 8 (–1) target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or
become poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +7 Blood Bat (Recharge 4-5). Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit,
Skills Arcana +5, Medicine +5, Nature +5, Perception +7 range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) piercing damage
Senses Passive Perception 17 and the summoner gains temporary hit points equal to the
Languages Any three languages damage dealt.
Challenge 7 (2,700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3 Erupting Bat (Recharge 6). The summoner conjures a colossal
bat and sends it flying towards a point within 60 feet where it
promptly explodes in a blast of flame. Each creature within 10
Temporary Manifestations. The bats that are conjured by the feet of the point of detonation must make a DC 15 Dexterity
summoner are fleeting in this world. While they have the saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire damage on a failed saving
appearance and physical form of a bat, they vanish after a throw, or half as much damage on a successful one.
single attack and their energy is returned to the summoner to
fuel future conjurations. R eActions
Swift Retreat. The summoner conjures a group of bats that
pick the summoner up and move it to an unoccupied space
within 20 feet in any direction. Opportunity attacks triggered
as a result of this movement are made with disadvantage.

283
 Enchanted Archer Lava Shaper
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class 16 (Studded Leather) Armor Class 17 (Half Plate)

Hit Points 104 (16d8 + 32) Hit Points 119 (14d8 + 56)
Speed 40 ft. Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 19 (+4) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 19 (+4) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 13 (+1)

Saving Throws Str +4, Dex +7 Saving Throws Str +7, Con +7
Skills Athletics +4, Acrobatics +7, Perception +6, Skills Athletics +7, Acrobatics +5, Intimidation +4,
Sleight of Hand +7 Perception +6
Senses Passive Perception 16 Senses Passive Perception 16
Languages Any three languages Languages Any three languages
Challenge 7 (2,700 XP) Challenge 7 (2,700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3 Proficiency Bonus +3

Enchanted Arrows. As the archer knocks its arrows, it can Superheated Weapons. The lava shaper channels lava to
choose fire, lighting, or cold and deal 1d8 extra damage of instantly create superheated weaponry that it can use in
that type to the target on hit (included in the attack). combat with a preference for thrown hammers. These
weapons deal bonus fire damage on hit (included in the
A ctions attacks) as they return to their molten state on impact.
Multiattack. The archer makes three attacks with its dagger or
three attacks with its longbow. A ctions
Multiattack. The lava shaper makes two attacks with its molten
Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
throwing hammers.
target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) poison
damage. Molten Throwing Hammer. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:
+7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 150/600
+ 4) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) fire damage.
ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8)
of either fire, lightning, or cold damage. Lava Chains. The lava shaper hurls a set of molten hot chains
at a creature within 30 feet. That target must succeed on a
Arcane Arrow Volley (Recharge 5-6). The archer knocks three
DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be wrapped in the chains,
enchanted arrows simultaneously and fires them straight into
becoming grappled (escape DC 15). While grappled, the
the air. Each arrow hits a creature of the archer’s choice within
creature is restrained and takes 17 (5d6) fire damage at the
150 feet, dealing the damage of a longbow attack plus an
start of each of its turns. The chains cool after 3 rounds or
additional 3 (1d4 + 1) force damage. These arrows will seek
when exposed to water and no longer deal fire damage.
out targets even behind total cover as long as it is possible for
an arrow to reach them. The arrows all strike simultaneously Molten Fury (Recharge 5-6). The lava shaper forms a set of
and can be directed to hit one creature or several. twin handaxes and unleashes a flurry of rapid attacks against a
creature within 5 feet. The lava shaper makes 4 attacks against
Teleportation Arrow (2/Day). The archer knocks an arrow
that creature with a +7 bonus to hit, dealing 7 (1d6 + 4)
enchanted with conjuration magics and fires it at a point
slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage for each hit. If the
within 150 feet. If the arrow targets terrain, the archer is
lava shaper hits with at least two of these attacks, the target
immediately teleported to the arrow’s location. If it targets a
is set ablaze. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire,
creature, the arrow deals normal damage and the target must
the target takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the start of each of
succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or swap locations
its turns.
with the archer. After using this ability, the archer can make an
additional longbow attack as a bonus action.

284
glaCial sorCerer
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment

Armor Class 12 (15 with Glacial Armor)

Hit Points 119 (14d8 + 56)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

10 (+0) 14 (+2) 19 (+4) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 19 (+4)

Saving Throws Cha +7, Con +7

Skills Arcana +5, Intimidation +7, Nature +5, Survival +4
Senses Passive Perception 11
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

Glacial Armor. The sorcerer is protected by a barrier of

swirling ice and snow. The area within 20 feet of the sorcerer
is considered difficult terrain for other creatures, ranged
attacks against the sorcerer are made at disadvantage, and the
sorcerer’s AC is 15.

A ctions
Multiattack. The sorcerer makes two attacks with its dagger or
with its chill burst.
Enchanted Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2)
piercing damage plus 10 (4d4) cold damage.
Chill Burst. The sorcerer creates a 10-foot wide, 30-foot high
pillar of icy cold air at a point it can see within 60 feet. Each
creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
saving throw or take 18 (4d8) cold damage and have its speed
reduced by 15 feet until the end of its next turn.
Ice Nova (Recharge 4-5). A wave of ice and frigid cold radiates
out from the sorcerer. Each creature of the sorcerer’s choice
within 30 feet must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw,
taking 27 (6d8) cold damage on a failed saving throw, or half
as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this
saving throw by 5 or more has its speed reduced to 0 until the
end of its next turn.
Blizzard (Recharge 6). The sorcerer conjures a 20-foot radius
storm cloud at a point it can see within 120 feet. This cloud
persists for 1 minute and the sorcerer can use its bonus action
on each turn to move this cloud up to 30 feet and cause ice
and snow to barrage the area 60 feet beneath it. This area is
heavily obscured and each creature in it has its speed halved.
When the storm barrages the area with ice and snow, each
creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw, taking 18 (4d8) cold damage on a failed saving throw,
or half as much damage on a successful one.

285
 Monk of the Perfected A ctions
Strike Multiattack. The monk makes four melee attacks (this includes
its debilitating and resonating strike abilities).
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Armor Class 18 (Unarmored Defense) one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
Speed 50 ft. Debilitating Strike (Recharges after scoring a critical hit or
reducing a creature to 0 hit points). The monk makes an
unarmed strike. On hit, the target must succeed on a DC 16
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Constitution saving throw or it makes all of its attack rolls and
12 (+1) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) saving throws with disadvantage until the end of its next turn.

Saving Throws Str +4, Dex +8
Skills Athletics +4, Acrobatics +8, Perception +6
Senses Passive Perception 16
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Unarmored Defense. The monk’s AC equals 10 + Dexterity
Modifier + Wisdom Modifier.
Perfected Strikes. Whenever the monk lands an attack, if it
was not a critical hit, the result required for the monk to score
a critical hit is decreased by one. For example, if the monk
fails to critically hit on its first attack, its second attack will
score a critical hit on a result of 19-20 and the third attack
on a result of 18-20. The monk’s critical threshold resets to
20 after it scores a critical hit. Additionally, when the monk
lands a critical hit, it deals an additional 18 (4d8) bludgeoning
damage (in addition to the ordinary critical hit damage).
Resonating Strike (Recharges after scoring a critical hit or
reducing a creature to 0 hit points). The monk makes an
unarmed attack. On hit, the creature must succeed on a DC
16 Constitution saving throw or become affected by negative
effects during its next three turns as the strike continues to
resonate through its body. These effects are cumulative.
• First turn - The target’s movement speed is halved and it
can’t take reactions.
• Second turn - The target can’t take actions or bonus actions.
• Third turn - At the start of the target’s turn, it takes 36 (8d8)
bludgeoning damage and the other effects end immediately.
R eactions
Deflect. The monk attempts to deflect an incoming melee
weapon attack. Reduce the damage of the attack by 1d10
+ 5. If this reduces the attack damage to 0, the target must
also succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or become
disarmed.

286
ChaiNed gladiator Chained Mace. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit,
reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5)
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
bludgeoning damage.
Armor Class 17 (Half Plate) Spear of Sundering (Recharge 3-4). The gladiator can replace
Hit Points 128 (14d8 + 56) one of its chained spear attacks with this deadly maneuver.
Speed 30 ft. The gladiator makes a thrown attack with its chained spear
with advantage. On hit, the spear deals ordinary damage plus
an additional 18 (4d8) piercing damage. This attack exploits
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
a weakness in the target’s defenses, causing attacks against it
20 (+5) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2)
to be considered critical hits on a result of 17-20 for the next
minute.
Saving Throws Str +9, Con +9
Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +6, Perception +6 Rip and Drag (Recharge 5-6). The gladiator can replace one
Senses Passive Perception 16 of its chained mace attacks with this deadly maneuver. The
Languages Any three languages gladiator makes a thrown attack with its chained mace with
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) advantage. This attack deals normal damage and the gladiator’s
Proficiency Bonus +4 mace wraps around the target’s legs. The target must succeed
on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and
dragged up to 15 feet in a straight line towards the gladiator.
Weapon Master. The gladiator’s attacks score a critical hit on a
Creatures of size Huge or larger automatically pass this saving
result of 19-20. The gladiator wields a spear and mace that are
throw.
attached via a long chain, allowing it to make thrown attacks
with its weapons and return them to hand immediately.
Additionally, the gladiator can’t be disarmed against its will.
R eActions
Spiraling Counter. The gladiator prepares itself for a melee
A ctions weapon attack made within 10 feet that it can see. The
gladiator takes half damage from the attack and may perform
Multiattack. The gladiator makes three attacks in any
an attack with its chained spear or chained mace against that
combination with its chained spear and chained mace.
creature immediately afterward. On a hit, the attack deals
Chained Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, bonus damage equal to the amount resisted by the gladiator.
reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5)
piercing damage.

287
 Demon Hound Master Demon Hound
Medium humanoid (any race), any evil alignment Medium fiend, lawful evil

Armor Class 16 (Breastplate) Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48) Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
Speed 30 ft. Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 4 (–3) 14 (+2) 4 (–3)

Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +8 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12
Skills Animal Handling +8, Nature +4, Perception +8, Languages Understands Infernal and Ignan, but cannot speak
Survival +8 Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Senses Passive Perception 18 Proficiency Bonus +2
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The hound has advantage on Wisdom
Proficiency Bonus +4
(Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Death Burst. When the demon hound is reduced to 0 hit
A ctions points, it explodes in a blast of flame. Each creature within
Multiattack. The hound master can use its conjure demon 10 feet must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7
hound ability if able, then makes two attacks with its (2d6) fire damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much
longsword or one with its bouncing flame. damage on a successful one.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one A ctions

target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) fire Bite. Melee Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5
damage. (1d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) fire damage.
Bouncing Flame. The hound master hurls a ball of conjured
flame at a target within 30 feet. That target must succeed on a
DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (4d10) fire damage.
The flame then bounces to another target creature within 20
feet who must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw
or take 14 (4d6) fire damage. The flame then bounces a final
time to another target within 10 feet who must succeed on a
DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (4d4) fire damage.
This attack cannot target the same creature more than once.
Conjure Demon Hound (4/Day). The hound master conjures
forth a demon hound in an unoccupied space within 60
feet. The demon hound remains for 1 minute, until it or
its summoner dies, or until the hound master dismisses it
as an action. The demon hound obeys the hound master’s
commands and will act as an ally to the hound master if no
commands can be given.
The hound master can have no more than two hounds alive at
a time.

R eactions
Detonate Hound. Immediately after one of the hound master’s
demon hounds is dealt damage, the hound master may
command it to detonate, killing the hound. The death burst
created as a result of this command has its DC increased to
15 and its fire damage increased to 21 (6d6).

288
Speaker of the Arcanum A ctions
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Multiattack. If the speaker is in its Arcanum Form, it can attack
three times with its arcane claw.
Armor Class 12 (18 in Arcanum Form)
Hit Points 136 (16d6 + 80) Missile Wand (Humanoid Form Only). The speaker casts a
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. in arcanum form fifth-level magic missile spell from its wand (7 total missiles).
Arcane Claw. Melee Spell Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) force damage.
12 (+1) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 20 (+5)
Beam of the Arcanum (Recharge 4-5). The speaker throws its
hands together and unleashes a 5-foot wide, 60-foot line of
Saving Throws Cha +9, Con +9 arcane energy. Each creature in this area must make a DC 17
Skills Arcana +7, Deception +9, Intimidation +9, Dexterity saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) force damage on a
Perception +6 failed saving throw, or half as much damage on a successful
Senses Passive Perception 16 one.
Languages Any three languages
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Each creature not hit by the beam, but within 20 feet of it, is
Proficiency Bonus +4 struck by a 1st level magic missile spell.
Arcane Flash (Recharge 6) (Arcanum Form Only). The speaker
Arcanum Form. The speaker can use its action to transform expends all of the energy of its Arcanum form to unleash
into its Arcanum Form or back into its humanoid form as a a brilliant flash of energy in a 15-foot sphere around itself,
bonus action. Its statistics while in each form are the same, reverting to its humanoid form as it does so. Each creature in
but different abilities are utilized in each form and the this area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking
speaker’s AC is 18 while in its Arcanum Form. Any equipment 27 (6d8) radiant damage and becoming blinded for 1 minute
it is wearing or carrying is merged into this new form. The on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage and not
speaker reverts to its true form if it dies. blinded on a successful one. A creature blinded this way can
repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turn, ending
Magic Resistance. The speaker has advantage on saving throws
the effect on a success.
against spells and other magical effects.

289
 Monk of the Lightning Fist A ctions
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
Multiattack. The monk makes three melee attacks or two
attacks with its jolt strike.
Armor Class 18 (Static Barrier)
Hit Points 143 (22d8 + 44) Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5
Speed 50 ft. ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus
7 (2d6) lightning damage. If the monk scores a critical hit
with this attack, the target must also succeed on a DC 17
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Constitution saving throw or become stunned until the end of
14 (+2) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) its next turn.
Saving Throws Str +6, Dex +9 Jolt Strike. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range 60 ft., one
Skills Acrobatics +9, Arcana +5, Athletics +6 target. Hit: 24 (7d6) lightning damage.
Senses Passive Perception 13 Thunder Punch (Recharge 5-6) The monk makes an unarmed
Languages Any three languages strike. On hit, the target must make a DC 17 Constitution
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target takes an
Proficiency Bonus +4 additional 18 (4d8) thunder damage, is deafened for one
minute, and is pushed 15 feet in a straight line if it is of size
Lightning Mastery. The monk channels lightning through its Large or smaller. On a successful save, the target takes half as
fists, causing unarmed strikes to deal an additional 7 (2d6) much thunder damage and is not pushed or deafened.
lightning damage (included in the attack). Crash of Lightning (1/Day). The monk channels its energy
Static Barrier. The monk produces an invisible barrier of and unleashes a punch with the force of a lightning strike at
static electricity around its body, causing its AC to equal 10 + a creature within 5 feet. The target is struck by the monk’s
Dexterity Modifier + Wisdom Modifier. Additionally, a creature fist as well as a hundred additional fists of lightning that flare
that hits the monk with a melee attack cannot take reactions into existence and strike alongside it. The monk makes an
until the end of its next turn as a result of jolting electricity unarmed strike attack against the target. If that attack hits, it
that surges through it. deals an additional 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage. Hit or miss,
the target must also make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw
as the lightning fists crash down, taking 36 (8d8) lightning
damage on a failed saving throw, or half as much damage on a
successful one.

B onus A ctions
Jolt Step. The monk expends up to 30 feet of movement to
teleport half that distance.

290
the teChNologist Pyropowder Bomb. The technologist tosses a small canister
packed with pyropowder at a point within 30 feet. Each
Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
creature within 10 feet of that point must succeed on a DC 16
Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) fire damage.
Armor Class 18 (Enchanted Studded Leather)
Hit Points 143 (22d8 + 44) Deploy Bear Trap (3/Day). The technologist tosses out a bear
Speed 40 ft. trap enchanted with an invisibility spell at an unoccupied
space within 15 feet. Whenever a creature enters this space, it
must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be caught
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
by the trap, taking 18 (4d8) piercing damage and grappling
14 (+2) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 8 (–1)
the target (escape DC 16). Once the trap triggers, it becomes
visible.
Saving Throws Str +6, Int +8
Skills Acrobatics +9, Arcana +8, History +8, Perception +6 Deploy Sentry (1/Day) The technologist tosses a magically
Senses Passive Perception 16 enchanted mounted crossbow into an unoccupied space
Languages Any three languages within 15 feet. This crossbow has an AC of 15 and 30 hit
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) points and persists until it is destroyed or the technologist
Proficiency Bonus +4 uses an action to reclaim it. It makes its attacks with a +8
bonus to hit with a range of 100/400. On hit, it deals 9 (1d10
+ 4) piercing damage.
A ctions The technologist can command the sentry to fire at a specific
Multiattack. The technologist deploys a bear trap or sentry target. If no target is given, the crossbow will fire at a random
if able. It then throws a pyropowder bomb and makes two target.
attacks with its spark stick or two with its mechanized hand
crossbow. R eActions
Spark Stick. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Command Sentry. Whenever a creature hits the technologist
target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) with an attack, the technologist can command its sentry to
lightning damage. immediately perform an attack against that target.
Mechanized Hand Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to
hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing
damage.

291
Appendices
Appendix A: Monsters By CR
CR 1/8 CR 1
Astral Butterfly 217 Coral Elemental, Lesser 205
Necrotic Possum 219 The High Roller 209
Fire Fox 221 Electric Eel Swarm 214
Static Wool Sheep 224 Decaying Hyena 220
Flurry Stoat 225 Merfolk Snarer 243
Stagehand 246 Seductive Saxophonist 248
Animated Gingerbread Cookie 272 Mutant Broodling 251
Festering Dead 257
CR 1/4 Gingerbread Cookie Swarm 275
Demon Hound 288
Noxious Skunk 215
Cosmic Jellyfish 218
CR 2
Brass Bruiser 247
Plague Rat Swarm 255 Kelp Elemental, Lesser 206
Gift Box Mimic 273 Sandcastle Elemental 206
Animated Sled 274 The One-Armed Bandit 210
Giant Electric Eel 214
CR 1/2 Putrid Giant Toad 216
Giant Inferno Beetle 221
The Dealer 209
Giant Electric Catfish 224
Dazzling Peacock 218
Rimefrost Reindeer 226
Vile Vulture 220
Amethyst Elemental Shardling 230
Merfolk Vanguard 243
Aquamarine Elemental Shardling 232
Destructive Drummer 247
Peridot Elemental Shardling 234
Plague Locust Swarm 256
Rose Quartz Elemental Shardling 236
Living Snowman 274
Tourmaline Elemental Shardling 239
Merfolk Aquamancer 244
Verbose Vocalist 249
Vexing Violinist 249
Contagion Sludge 258
Living Ice Sculpture 276

292
CR 3 CR 8
Coral Elemental 204 Amethyst Elemental 230
The Coinslinger 210 Aquamarine Elemental 232
Poison-Barb Porcupine 217 Peridot Elemental 234
Merfolk Ichthyologist 244 Rose Quartz Elemental 236
Galvanizing Guitarist 250 Tourmaline Elemental 238
Ratcaller 258 Island Spirit 240
Earth Splitter 278 Glacial Sorcerer 285
Stormbringer 278 Monk of the Perfected Strike 286
Toad Caller 279
CR 9
CR 4
Chained Gladiator 287
Abyssal Jellyfish 202 Demon Hound Master 288
Kelp Elemental 205 Speaker of the Arcanum 289
Plague Locust Host 259
Winter Hag 270 CR 10
Light Weaver 279
Dragon Shark 212
Resourceful Hunter 280
Mutated Snapping Turtle 254
Monk of the Lightning Fist 290
CR 5
The Technologist 291
Lady Luck 211
Molten Scale Cobra 222 CR 12
Lightning Rod Ibex 225
It That Defiles 261
Chilltusk Walrus 227
Battlerage Brute 280
Flamecaller 281
CR 14
Spirit Weaver 281 Pristine Amethyst Elemental 229
Pristine Aquamarine Elemental 231
CR 6 Pristine Peridot Elemental 233
Pristine Rose Quartz Elemental 235
Grand Merfolk Ichthyologist 245
Pristine Tourmaline Elemental 237
Spirit Replicant 282

CR 7 CR 20
Mutant Broodmother 251
Blight Bringer 260
Bat Summoner 283
Enchanted Archer 284
CR 25
Lava Shaper 284 Colossal Ape 265
Elder Roc 266
Feyqueen Moth 267
World-Splitter Worm 269

293
Appendix B: Monsters By Creature Type
Aberration Construct
Plague Locust Host CR 4 259 Animated Gingerbread Cookie CR 1/8 272
It That Defiles CR 12 261 Animated Sled CR 1/2 274
Gingerbread Cookie Swarm CR 1 275
Beast
Elemental
Astral Butterfly CR 1/8 217
Necrotic Possum CR 1/8 219 Living Snowman CR 1/2 274
Fire Fox CR 1/8 221 Coral Elemental, Lesser CR 1 205
Static Wool Sheep CR 1/8 224 Kelp Elemental, Lesser CR 2 206
Flurry Stoat CR 1/8 225 Sandcastle Elemental CR 2 206
Noxious Skunk CR 1/4 215 Amethyst Elemental Shardling CR 2 230
Cosmic Jellyfish CR 1/4 218 Aquamarine Elemental Shardling CR 2 232
Plague Rat Swarm CR 1/4 255 Peridot Elemental Shardling CR 2 234
Dazzling Peacock CR 1/2 218 Rose Quartz Elemental Shardling CR 2 236
Vile Vulture CR 1/2 220 Tourmaline Elemental Shardling CR 2 239
Plague Locust Swarm CR 1/2 256 Living Ice Sculpture CR 2 276
Electric Eel Swarm CR 1 214 Coral Elemental CR 3 204
Decaying Hyena CR 1 220 Kelp Elemental CR 4 205
Giant Electric Eel CR 2 214 Amethyst Elemental CR 8 230
Putrid Giant Toad CR 2 216 Aquamarine Elemental CR 8 232
Giant Inferno Beetle CR 2 221 Peridot Elemental CR 8 234
Giant Electric Catfish CR 2 224 Rose Quartz Elemental CR 8 236
Rimefrost Reindeer CR 2 226 Tourmaline Elemental CR 8 238
Poison-Barb Porcupine CR 3 217 Island Spirit CR 8 240
Abyssal Jellyfish CR 4 202 Pristine Amethyst Elemental CR 14 229
Molten Scale Cobra CR 5 222 Pristine Aquamarine Elemental CR 14 231
Lightning Rod Ibex CR 5 225 Pristine Peridot Elemental CR 14 233
Chilltusk Walrus CR 5 227 Pristine Rose Quartz Elemental CR 14 235
Pristine Tourmaline Elemental CR 14 237

Fey
Winter Hag CR 4 270

Fiend
Demon Hound CR 1 288

294
Humanoid Monstrosity
Stagehand CR 1/8 246 Gift Box Mimic CR 1/4 273
Brass Bruiser CR 1/4 247 Mutated Snapping Turtle CR 10 254
The Dealer CR 1/2 209 Mutant Broodmother CR 20 251
Merfolk Vanguard CR 1/2 243 Colossal Ape CR 25 265
Destructive Drummer CR 1/2 247 Elder Roc CR 25 266
The High Roller CR 1 209 Feyqueen Moth CR 25 267
Merfolk Snarer CR 1 243 Worm-Splitter Worm CR 25 269
Seductive Saxophonist CR 1 248
The One-Armed Bandit CR 2 210 Ooze
Merfolk Aquamancer CR 2 244
Contagion Sludge CR2 258
Verbose Vocalist CR 2 249
Vexing Violinist CR 2 249
The Coinslinger CR 3 210
Undead
Merfolk Ichthyologist CR 3 244 Festering Dead CR 1 257
Galvanizing Guitarist CR 3 250
Ratcaller CR 3 258
Earth Splitter CR 3 278
Stormbringer CR 3 278
Toad Caller CR 3 279
Light Weaver CR 4 279
Resourceful Hunter CR 4 280
Lady Luck CR 5 211
Battlerage Brute CR 5 280
Flamecaller CR 5 281
Spirit Weaver CR 5 281
Grand Merfolk Ichthyologist CR 6 245
Spirit Replicant CR 6 282
Blight Bringer CR 7 260
Bat Summoner CR 7 283
Enchanted Archer CR 7 284
Lava Shaper CR 7 284
Glacial Sorcerer CR 8 285
Monk of the Perfected Strike CR 8 286
Chained Gladiator CR 9 287
Demon Hound Master CR 9 288
Speaker of the Arcanum CR 9 289
Monk of the Lightning Fist CR 10 290
The Technologist CR 10 291

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