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 OBEL
SHATTERED
THE
PHANDELVER AND BELOW
 CREDITS
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ProjectEngineer:Cynda
Callaway LostMineofPhandelver.
2014. &

ON THECOVER ONTHEALT-CoveR
Goblinswithpsionic
powersstealapiece
ofa mysterious A roilingarrayofsinisterelementssurroundsthetitular
obeliskfromthesleepy
townofPhandalin
inthis obeliskthat’satthecenterofthedoomthreatening
breathtaking
coverbyAntonio
JoséManzanedo. Phandalin inthisspectacularcoverbyDZO.
620D2434000001 EN . Disclaimer:Thefanaticsof Ilvaashcan neitherconfirm nor deny whether they plot to incorpo
ISBN: 978-0-7869-6901-2 ratethisbook's
owners
intoa mighty
newillithidempire.Anytransformations
incurred.upto
andincludingface tentacles,arestrictlycoincidental.
2023
First Printing: September

987654321 C TelluswhatyouthinkaboutPhandelver
andBelow:The
Shattered
Obelisk.
Takeoursurveyhere!

DUNGEONS & DRACONS, D&D,Wizards of theCoast,thedragonampersand,ForgottenRealms,Player'sHandbook,MonsterManual, Dungeon Master's Guide, all other Wizards of
the Coast product names,theirrespective
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Gamearetrademarksof Wizardsof the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and

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of theCoast
LLC,POBox707,
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by:HasbroSA,RueEmile-Boéchat
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fais. Contenu: 1 FABRIQUE EN USA ports ae
Jeu en ang

ve ee
CONTENTS
5
WelcometoPhandalin................cere RaiderCamp..... Mlithinoch Locations... .esecseeeeeee 148
Threats from Below CragmawCasile.. 160
Far RealinyRultesscscccsececessscsccesscsecesssssevee
tasessesoseenes
Aout TRIS:BOOK.occcccscossscsctecocercss 58 Far Realm Exposure........
General Features.....ccsscorrssrssersseressescees
AdventureSumMary ........cccesssssereeessseeeeee5 CragmawCastle Locations .....00 58 Far Realm Rifts Features......
Lost Mine of Phandelver..............ssss00000 63 Feeder Trenches Locations...
S “WIAs NOK sscsccessspscscscastisersssenssuspeastonseese
0 Bi Wikis Cilia Ci
The Obelisk csaasesaaesocescsaneasasonveasnnsasiDgOFST8709 i ccsncaiesoues65 Spawn Hollow Locations.........000+163
Running the Adventure...........s006 Running This Chapter... 65 164
Labyrinth of Eyes Locations..............
Using the Maps enosesccrsccvscssconsecse
peepee Wave Echo Caveccecsecessees 65 What's NOXte 167
iccsscccsesscccscsvesesnesscecnscccsseas

NondeadlyResolutions Wandering MOnsteP.....cccccscececeseeesenee 65 Ch 8: Beyond a Lightless Star............169

The Forgotten Realms. Wave Echo Cave Features ....ceceecen 65 Running This Chapte.........sscccsssseseeeee 169
CharacterCreation... pes 66
CaveLocationsvessssesssesssecssecsnsesnessneesseeses In the Far Realm..............
Backgrounds
Character 10
-wveernenene Next?
: Whai’s 75
.«naasiaamsamimeoasenie Doom Comes to Phandalin...
10
AdventureHooks............ccssscssssssssecssesesees 7 Creeping Transformations.
Far RealmInfluence 11 Ch5: Pathsof Peril
.........ccsscsesseseeneeeens aia “77 The Briny MaZe.........ccccsessscssssssseseeeeeess
170
Transformation of Phandalin............. 11 Running This CAPIEEs 77 170
Briny Maze Feature..............csssseeee
Character Transformation... 12 The Goblins Story. aan Briny 171
Maze Locations..........::ssceceseeee
Townmaster’sPLight.......cesccseseereneeeenreree 78
The EMndless 184
VOI vesssscscroscesscssteorcecvsssenesss
Ch 1:A Dangerous Journey................ CrimesandChao .....sscssesseeseseeeeneeneees 79
Running ThisChapter..... Scholarly Aidssssssssssssscessceeeeesnsessen 80 Endless Void Features.
TheRoad toPhandalin.... 15 Stolen Shards.essscscessesssssseneenssnsessse 81 Traveling the Nodules..
81 Crystal Dome.............
Goblit AmDUSH.sssssssessertneenernnrneen Barthen’s Well.......csscsssesseseseeeeneeeees
What theCragmaws Know.........00 Miner's 83
Exchange«.ssssssssssssssssssssssscseeee DEY ISI eases eecesccestecressteseer
cep
Goblin Trail Shrine
sceeeolatcetnuneneresuacsedescecussateesseaes: 84
Of LUCK cecscccescsseseecesessssessscescsseseees Mire:of DoubtSescecceccescssssssccstesocecssesssere
Cragmaw Hideout sssscsscsscscscssessescsrccssesseess Sleeping Giant ..ccssusssecsssssseesssssessesnee 85 The NEmatodewssscsesccescscscssscosesccsceacssss

General Features ...sssesssseen Zorzula's 88 Occluding:Miasmiasixcscjcssscssscscsccssessseess

ReSteasorcsssssssssrsseessssesssssssensesee
88 Toppled Statue...........
CragmawCastleLocations... a FeaturesofZorzula’sRESt.......sesseee
Zorzula’s
Whats: N@Xt?..<-ccsccscocosssecssecssostcsessesentesenseess Rest Locations..... ..90 Wailing Battlefield....
..98 Ilvaash’sAnima.............
Ch 2: Trouble in Phandialin................... 27 Indigo Sanctum .......
Running This Chapter................0... Sanctum Showdown 99 Ilvaash’s Refraction.............
.....cccssesceseseeeneeeee
Wrapping Upiissecneccccns 2s
Welcometo Phandalin............... 101
What's NeXt?.....ccscscssssersecsesscsssessessseseses
Return to:Phandalin....c.cccc.-csccscccessssee
St eon Ch6:The
~-28 Obelisk...103
Shattered WhatIf They Fail? oe eseeeeeeee
198
URL
BograHEN DEAD
ATRUR Truths
Sinister
pepe:28The 103 Epilogue...
Finding Cragmaw Castle ..........00 28 The Rittal cccccccsssescossseee 103
Netherese Obelisks......
28
Strange Goblins sscscccssccsssecsssesssscecssosneses 104
The Map sessoscscsssssnssessssesssees
Important NPCs 28 Kidnapped
aqaeesoseetassnbeussbbansansuaseseso Townspeople.. Appendix A: Bestiary.
....104

TownDescription. 29 104 Aberrant Zealot.............

ObeliskFragment..essssssssssssssssssseeeen a
104 Ashenwigits
escssssssssssssssseseee sscocc-cscsresstesssccsseses
ese
29 RunningThis Chapter
StonehillInngadtereornannrasrssdcrcagthnauasszcageesan
105 Féral -Ashenwight.cccsicciccccsscsssssesicssczass
Barthen’sProvisions....-ssessseseenseen29 Return to:Phandalini sissscccccecssesstsszacces.
Edermath Orchard sven 30 Phandalin 106 Psionic Ashenwight................s:.sccceeeee
MissionS.scsssssssssssssssenee
31 Talhundereth
Lionshield Coster.......cccccccescseeeeseeeseeeeeeee Encephalons2.0.0...cesssesesesessseseseseseseeeeses
Phandalin Miner’s Exchange... Cult of the Obelisk Encephalon Cluster......
ae Farinsocsssssssveseceocceses Temple Features..........- . Encephalon Gemmule....
Talhundereth Locations... 110 Fiendish Auget...........c000 we
Blea of Luck..
33 Crypt of the Talhund
EPiNg Giant......c.cccccscssesessccscssesececesoess 117 Biles MEI corevocssceteccevscsnsscertvensesesssncseots
Townmaster’sHall........cccccsssesesesseeesenees
33 Crypt Features
Tresendar Manor... 34 Crypt of the Talhund Locations........119 Mind Flayersiscssicn:-
22cccoccoocee
Redbrand Ruffians...... oO Gibbet Crossing Mind Flayer Clairvoyant.
eae Hideout... sO Gibbet Crossing Features Mind Flayer Prophet -.<.cccsiscsscccscceszsases
36 Gibbet Crossing Locations.sssssss:129 Mutates
enera Featuressensacreasenatiseusneometesassceae?
37 What's Next?
Redbrand Hideout Locations.............. 137 Cloaker Mutate
45
conciseness4,0 hans ‘
Whiat’sNOx? ssssssccscccrsscstscsvesscassssseces eee ire ree
: AMIR
OBLY cvssccscsssssesseisasescsanes
Otyugh Mutateosx
47 Running This Chapter...
Ch 3: The Spider's Web.............:.s0000 scsccsccscsescessssstes-ccsceenc
47 Huda GuarPhandaliii:
The Story So ai ccccastecetscentesntactsscscscsuswscses OCUIOLD sicciccascscesssecs
Running DHISiCHAPUER 47 InfectedTownspeople.ssssssansssrsensoes
csicsssessscesesecessscesseess
47 Journey throughthe Deepsree
Wilderness Encounters.... Pesetecteastsesnoes 141
Conyberry and Agatha’sLair... 48 lronquill’s Trail Goblin Psi Commander
49
Dealing with the Banshee............0000 TaAnelPeatures i Redbrand Ruffian
49 Journey Locations.
Old OW]Wellieesccssescccescscsccsesscscastesosssssnevsess Appendix B: Magic Items
ofThundertree
Ruins esssssssesssnsnssne
50Tithimocth
....-ssseenenrrnen 147
Story Tracker
5 The Mind Flayer Fanatics........
General FeaturesPesernctcsetsase.teeaseresentetess
52 iets
Ruins Locations .....sssseseeeeeeeseeseeeseees 147
57
sccracicccssttestesssetsovseses
Wyvern iors ccssrncsssa

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| lRODUC
TOPHANDALIN a
WELCOME
Af
ESTLED ONTHE NORTHERNSWORDCOAST,
between Neverwinter Wood and the Sword
Mountains, is the town of Phandalin. Cen-
turies ago, Phandalin was a thriving settle-
ment with deep ties to its neighboring communities.
But then bandits overran the town, and Phandalin
lay abandonedfor centuries.
Only in the past few years havesettlers built a new
village on the ruins of the old. These townsfolk hope
to grow Phandalin through hard work, camaraderie,
and the shared purpose of building a lasting home.
Threatening their efforts and their survival are ban-
dits, brigands, and monsters.
THREATS FROM BELOW
Unbeknowst to any townsfolk, three mind flayer
fanatics lurk deep underneath the town and plot a
chilling course.
The fanatics worship Ilvaash, a godlet in the Far
Realm, who is determined to reestablish a mind
flayerempire on the Material Plane. Ilvaash wants
this empire to stretch across Toril’s surface, starting
with Phandalin as its capital. (For more information
about Ilvaash, see chapter 8.)
The mind flayer fanatics havediscovered pieces of
a shatteredobelisk of great magical power, left over
from the mysterious Nethereseempire that once
occupied part of this region. After retrieving the
remaining fragments,the fanatics plan to infuse the
reconstructed obelisk with Ilvaash’sunholy energy
and turn Phandalin’s population into mind flayers
loyal to their evil godlet.
This plot is a complex affair, but the mind flayers
beneath Phandalin have many allies. As petty ban-
dits vie for control of Phandalin, the fanatics’ allies
quietly search for pieces of the shattered obelisk.
How successful those allies are—and whether Phan-
dalin’s heroes can stop the will of an evil godlet—is
exactly what you're about to find out!
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is
a DUNGEONS & DRAGONSadventureoptimized for
four to six characters. The player characters are the
heroesof thestory.This bookdescribesthevillains
and monsters the heroes must overcome and the
ee Se
LION
locations they must explore to bring the adventure
to a successful conclusion.
This adventure presents Phandalin, the surround-
ing region, and the Underdark below, as a campaign
setting in which you can base adventures of your
own. All pertinent details about the setting are cov-
ered in this book, with room to add new locations
and villains of your own design.
ADVENTURE SUMMARY
This adventure is split into two halves:
A Lost Mine. Chapters 1—4reimagine the beloved
adventureLost Mine of Phandelver, originally
published in 2014 with the D&D Starter Set. The
heroes begin chapter 1 at 1st level and end chapter
4 at 5th level.
The Obelisk. Chapters 5—8chronicle the mind
flayer fanatics’ plot against the townspeople of
Phandalin. The heroes begin chapter 5 at 5th level
and end chapter 8 at 12th level.
Lost MINE OF PHANDELVER
When this adventure dawns, the characters embark
on a simple mission to Phandalin, whether it’s help-
ing a dwarf patron or following another prompt (see
the “Adventure Hooks” section).
The mind flayer fanatics’ activities beneath Phan-
dalin are invisible for most of this book’s first four
chapters. If your players don’t wish to delve into
themes of unseen horror, evil fanatics, or malevolent
elder entities, you can easily end the adventure at
the conclusion of chapter 4. If you do, replace the
psionic goblins in chapters 1—4with goblins from
the Monster Manual, and end the adventureonce
the characters defeat Nezznar. (The “What's Next?”
section at the end of chapter 4 provides more infor-
mation if you’re using this option.) There’s no need
for the heroes to return to Phandalin and thus kick
off the eventsof chapter 5 and beyond.
A summary of each of the first four chap-
ters follows.
CHAPTER 1 SUMMARY
The adventurers are on the road to the town of
Phandalin when they stumble into a goblin am-
bush.Theydiscoverthatthegoblins(whobelongto
the Cragmaw band) have captured the characters’
INTRODUCTION | WELCOME TO PHANDALIN 5
 . “
if
« .
GOBLINSPLAGUE
THe CRAGMAW
PPC moe Celi ran Cr Ce \
ie
es)
s
j

friend—adwarf namedGundren Rockseeker—and Phandalin can lead themto spyon a mysterious

his escort,a humanwarrior namedSildar Hallwin-
ter.The charactersmustdealwith theambushers
andthenfollowtheir trail to thegoblins’hideout.
There,theycan rescueSildar and learn from him
thatGundrenand his brotherspreviouslydiscov-
ereda famouslost mine.Sildar knows only that
Gundrenand his map of the mine havebeentaken
somewherecalled CragmawCastle.
CHAPTER2 SUMMARY
After arrivingin Phandalin, the charactersfind it
terrorizedby the Redbrands,a gangof miscreants
ledbya mysteriousfigurecalled Glasstaff.The
Redbrandstry to run the charactersout of town,so
thecharactersreturnthe favorand storm the Red-
brands’lair. In a hiddenstrongholdbeneathan old
manor,theyfind thatIarno “Glasstaff”Albrek, the
leaderof the Redbrands,is taking his orders from
someonecalled theSpider—andthatthe Spider
wantsthe adventurersout of thepicture.
CHAPTER3 SUMMARY
The heroesundertakeseveralshort explorations
in the regionaround Phandalin as theysearch
for moreinformationabouttheSpider and the
lost mine.The cluesthecharactersdiscoveredin
wizard at the ruins of Old Owl Well, to seek the
adviceof a dangerous banshee,to oust a bandof
marauderslurking at Wyvern Tor, and to investigate
the ruins of the town of Thundertree.
Several of these leadspoint to Cragmaw Castle—
the strongholdof King Grol, leaderof the Cragmaw
goblins. Here the charactersdiscover thatthe
Spider is a drow mastermindnamed Nezznar and
that the Cragmaw goblins work for him. More im-
portantly,theyrecover Gundren Rockseeker’smap
to the lost mine. Alternatively,theylearn the mine’s
location from one of the other leadstheyunearthed
in the previouschapter.
CHAPTER 4 SUMMARY
Following the map or the directions to the lost mine
brings the charactersto WaveEcho Cave.That
lost undergroundcomplexis overrunwith undead
and strangemonsters.The Spider and his loyal
followers are exploring the mines and searching
for the legendary Forge of Spells. The heroes have
the opportunityto avengeGundren Rockseekerand
providefor the prosperityand securityof Phandalin
by clearing the rich mine of threats,including mon-
sters and the Spider'stroublemaking.

6 INTRODUCTION | WELCOME TO PHANDALIN

,
4 ~
. ——
 Talhundereth. The third lies in Gibbet Crossing, an
THE OBELISK
abandoned Underdark crossroads.
If your players wish to continue the story past chap- Soon, the characters discover that a mind flayer
ter 4, they'll find a tale of ancient magic, a malevo- named Qunbraxel is coordinating the fanatics’ obe-
lentgodlet,and fanaticsobsessedwith transforming lisk retrieval efforts. The characters confront Qun-
innocentsintomindflayersfaithfulto Ilvaash.After braxel in Gibbet Crossing. The remaining kidnap
they wrap up chapters 1—4,the characters discover victims, however,are still unaccounted for.
thatpsionicgoblinshavecommittedcrimesof van-
dalism in Phandalin. Investigating the crime scenes CHAPTER 7 SUMMARY
revealsthatthegoblinsaresearchingfor pieces Once the heroes defeat Qunbraxel, they learn that
of thetitularshatteredobelisk.Chasingdownthe its fanatic overlords are based in an Underdark
goblins reveals their connection to a sobering plot locationcalled Illithinoch.Oncea strongholdfor
againstPhandalin. the long-fallen mind flayer nation, IIlithinoch is
The characters learn that mind flayers who serve a massive complex the mind flayer fanatics have
Ilvaash are behind this plot. These mind flayer fa- turned into a shrine to Ilvaash. The characters must
natics are renegadeswho hope to reconstruct and travel to Illithinoch and face its dangers to stop the
harnessthepowerof theobelisk.Usingtheobelisk ceremorphosis ritual. They come across rifts to the
to focus wicked Far Realm power, the mind flayer Far Realm that hint at the power the fanatics are
fanatics plan to enact a ritual to transform Phand- harnessing. Meanwhile, corruption falls over Phan-
alin’s townspeople into mind flayers. The characters dalin like a shadow. The characters find the fanatics’
must follow the mind flayers into their Underdark ritual space, only to discover that the mind flayers
stronghold and then into the Far Realm if they hope have fled into the Far Realm to complete the ritual’s
to save Phandalin from certain doom! final stages.
Summaries of the final four chapters follow.
CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY After opening a gatewayto the Far Realm, the he-
When the heroes return to Phandalin, they find that roes follow the mind flayer fanatics to the Briny
more goblins have been wreaking havoc. These vil- Maze, the terrifying home of Ilvaash. Thwarted but
lains, the Sawplee goblins, have kidnapped towns- not defeated,the Ilvaash fanatics seek to harness
folk and destroyed key landmarks. It’s up to the
characters to investigate.Once they collect enough
clues, a visiting dwarven sage named Gwyn Ore-
song can help them track these goblins to their base
THe Mysterious
of operations: an old duergar mining outpost called
NeTHERESE OBELISK AT THE
Zorzula’s Rest inside a mountain near Phandalin. Heart OF THIS STORY
There, the Sawplee goblins work at the behest of
their leader,a psionic goblin who calls himself Rux-
ithid the Chosen.
To keep the town safe, the characters must travel
to Zorzula’s Rest, defeat Ruxithid, and rescue the
kidnap victims. Once they do, the heroes discover
that Ruxithid was in psychic communication with
a much more powerful force that seeks to destroy
Phandalin. The force, three Far Realm—influenced
mind flayer fanatics, instructed the goblins to re-
trieve obelisk pieces. The characters rescue some
of Phandalin’s kidnap victims, but it’s clear that
others—as well as more obelisk pieces—await them
elsewherein theUnderdark.

CHAPTER 6 SUMMARY
Armed with knowledge from Ruxithid’s lair, the he-
roes race against forces allied with the mind flayer
fanatics to retrieve three shattered obelisk pieces.
One piece lies in Talhundereth, an ancient dwar-
ven temple that fell to mind flayers centuries ago.
The second lies in the Crypt of the Talhund, below
powerdirectlyfromthis unholycreature,whois
a descendant of Ilsensine, a mind flayer god. The
charactersmustnavigatethefleshyrealm’slaby-
rinth to reach the mind flayers and interrupt their
ritual. The difficulty of doing so depends on how
many pieces of the obelisk the fanatics have re-
trieved. Regardless, once the fanatics are defeated,
a refractionof thegodlet(detailedfurtherin thead-
venture)surfaces to challenge the characters.
RUNNING THE ADVENTURE
To run this adventure,you need the fifth edition core
rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's
Guide, and Monster Manua!).
Textthatappearsin a boxlikethisis meantto be
readaloudorparaphrased whentheir
fortheplayers
orunderspecific
atalocation
firstarrive
characters
asdescribedin thetext.
circumstances,
The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most
of the creatures encounteredin this adventure.The
remaining stat blocks can be found in appendix
A, as indicated in the text,or in the encounters in
which they appear.
When a creature’sname appears in bold type,
that’sa visual clue pointing you to its stat block as
a way of saying, “Hey, DM, you better get this crea-
ture’s stat block ready.You're going to need it.”
Spells and equipmentmentionedin the adventure
are described in the Player’s Handbook. Magic
items are described in the Dungeon Master's Guide
unless the adventure’stextdirects you to an item’s
description in appendix B.
USING THE MAPS
This book contains a number of interior maps and a
fold-out,double-sidedposter map. These elements
are further described below.
INTERIOR MAPS
Maps that appear in this book are for the DM’s eyes
only. As the characters explore locations on a given
map, you can redraw portions of the map on graph
paper,a wet-erasemat, or other surface to help your
players visualize locations that might have unusual
shapes or features.Your hand-drawn maps need
not be faithful to the originals, and you can alter a
map’s features as you see fit. Nor do your maps need
to be painstakingly rendered.You can omit details
that are not readily visible (such as secret doors and
other hidden features)until the characters are able
to detectand interactwith them.
POSTERMAP
The double-sidedpostermapis meantto beshared
with the players.
One side of the poster map shows the
Phandalin region, including prominent locations in
the Underdark where the characters will travel. If
the players don’t recognize these names yet, that’s
good! Once they learn in the game where they're
headed, they'll realize they'veheard of the location
and can head in the right direction at will.
The reverse side of the poster map has
player-friendly maps of the town of Phandalin as
well as recurring encounter locations.
NONDEADLY RESOLUTIONS
This adventure is full of encounters in which the
characters may wish to fight their foes. However,
noncombat or another nondeadly resolution is an
equally valid way to resolve many enemy encoun-
ters. The characters might knock out enemies, in-
timidate them into running away,bribe them for in-
formation, or otherwise find creative ways to resolve
conflicts. Use your discretion, and if the characters
are looking for ways to resolve encounters without
violence, roll with it if the story allows.
USING THE STORY TRACKER
This adventureusesa StoryTracker,a copyof
which is included at the back of the book. The Story
Tracker is a note-keeping tool to help you and the
players remember important information about the
characters and their accomplishments.
THE FORGOTTEN REALMS
The world of the Forgotten Realms is one of high
fantasy,populated by elves, dwarves, halflings, hu-
mans, and other folk. The Realms are full of valiant
knights embarking upon ancestral quests, shifty
rogues prowling urban streets, clerics wielding
maces and spells in the service of their gods, and
wizards plundering the ruins of the fallen Netherese
empire. Heroes are scarce, and dangers—be they a
dragon’s breath or a lich’s spell—are plentiful.
This adventure takes place in a region called the
Sword Coast, where daring souls delve into the
wreckage of fallen strongholds and explore ruins of
long-lost civilizations. Underground, the history and
dangers are just as rich. The Underdark here teems
with monsters and the remains of mighty civiliza-
tions, as well as unknown horrors.
The accompanying map shows the Sword Coast
regionsurroundingPhandalin.Severallocationsof
interest are marked, including Underdark locations
key to this adventure’splot. Other parts of the map
remain unlabeled, and the adventures that charac-
ters find there are yours to design!
INTRODUCTION | WELCOME TO PHANDALIN 9
pt
CHARACTER CREATION ADVENTURE HOOKS
Beforestartingthis adventure,considerspending Players can inventtheir own reasons for visiting
yourfirstgamesession helpingyour playerscreate Phandalin,or theycanusethefollowingadventure
characters.Werethecharactersborn and raisedin hooks.Thecharacter hookstiedtobackgrounds
theSwordCoastregion,or dotheyhailfromdistant alsoprovidecharacters
withmotivationsfor visiting
lands?How longhavethecharactersknown each Phandalin.
other?What mightbring themto Phandalin? It’srecommendedatleastonecharacteruse the
“MeetMein Phandalin”adventure hookbelowso
CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS thatthepartyhas
a tietothedwarfGundrenRock-
ThePlayer'sHandbook containscharacterback- seeker,whoplaysa prominentrolein chapters1—4:
If
groundsthatarewellsuitedforthisadventure. MeetMe in Phandalin.You'rein thecityof Nev-
yourplayersarehavingtrouble outtheir
fleshing erwinterwhenyourdwarfpatronandfriend,
characters’backgroundswith detailsaboutthe Gundren Rockseeker,hires you to escort a wagon
from
SwordCoastregion,sharethesuggestions to Phandalin. Gundrenhas goneahead with a
HooksTiedtoBackgrounds
theCharacter table warrior,SildarHallwinter,toattendto businessin
with them. thetownwhileyoufollowwiththesupplies.You
will bepaid10gpeachbytheownerof Barthen’s

CHARACTER
HOOKSTIEDTO BACKGROUNDS Hermit You'vespent
a lotof timeinthewildsout-
Character
Background sideNeverwinter,butyou'vealwayskepta
Acolyte The frontiertownof Phandalinis resilient, homeinthecity.You’vedecidedto move
butorganizedreligious
resources
are somewhere rural,andPhandalinseemslike
scarce.
Yourtemplein Neverwintersent theperfectplace.
youto Phandalintoprayandoffercommu- Noble Yourfamilyisbasedin Neverwinterbut
nionwithlike-minded
faithful. ownsproperty theSwordCoast
throughout
Charlatan—_—-
You'veplanned
yourlatestget-rich-quick region.
Yourecentlyinherited
a cottagein
scheme.Thetownspeopleof Phandalin Phandalin
andmustinspecttheplacebe-
haveneverheard
ofwhat you'reselling,and foreyoudecidetokeeporsellit.
youhopetoestablish
a customer base. Outlander Youspentyouryouthwitha guardian who
Criminal You'rewantedforcrimesinNeverwinter, livedasimplelifeinthewildsoutsidePhan-
andperhaps you'reexiledfromthecity. dalin,butlateryoumovedtothecity.Now
Phandalin isa smallbastionofcivilization anadult,you've toreturnto the
decided
whereyoucanlielowandnoonewillbethe areawhereyoufeelmostathome.
wiser. Sage In theacademichallsof Neverwinter,you
Entertainer You'vespenttimein Neverwinter andlove studiedtheregion’s alliance
historical
performing foraudiences, butyouneed between P a
handalin nditsneighbors.The
newexperiences fromwhichtodrawinspi- fateofthelostmineof Phandelver hasal-
rationforyourart.Travelingto Phandalin waysfascinatedyou,soyou'retraveling to
will providenewmaterialfor yourwork,and Phandalintodiscoverwhether anylocals
holespromise
itswatering eagercrowds. knowrumorsaboutitsfate.
FolkHero Youmayhavehumbleorigins,butyou Sailor You'vesailedshipsalongtheSwordCoast,
madeyournameasa herointhewilds buta brushwithdeathmadeyourethink
Youneednewadven-
outsideNeverwinter. yourprofession.You'reheaded to
tures,soyou'vesetoffforthefrontierof Phandalintodecidewhat'snext.
Phandalin. Soldier Youarea member of theNeverwinter
Guild You learneda usefultradein Neverwinter, Guard,andyousuffered a terribleinjuryin
Artisan butthecityis hometotoomanyartisans thelineofduty.Youhealed,butyou'renot
withthatskill. Now,you’reheadingto Phan- readytoreturntoworkyet.Untilyouare,
dalin,whereyouhopetostarta lucrative you'retakingeasyjobsprotecting merchant
business. wagons headed to Phandalin.

INTRODUCTION | WELCOME TO PHANDALIN

 Provisionsin Phandalinwhenyoudeliverthe GUNOREN ROCKSEEKER
wagonsafelytothat tradingpost.
Friend of the Harpers. You'vespentmuchof your
life in awe of the Harpers, a secretive organiza-
tiondedicatedto promotinggoodandpreserving
history.You'vealwayswantedto join, butyou've
struggledtogainthe group’sattention.You're
headed to Phandalin, where you hope your good
deedswill gaintheHarpers’notice.
Gauntlet Trainee. You have pledged yourself to the
Orderof theGauntlet,a devoutandvigilantgroup
thatseeksto protectothersfrom evildoers.Before
youbecome afull-fledged member,you'vedecided
to meet your hero, a retired adventurer named Da-
ran Edermath, who was part of the order and has
thwartedmanylocalthreats.Daran livesin
Phandalin in a cottage beside an apple orchard.
You plan to visit him and drink in his wisdom be-
forejoining theorderyourself.

STARTING THE ADVENTURE

When this adventure begins, the characters are in
Neverwinter.Considertellingthecharactersthat
they'll all join the same wagon headed to Phandalin,
whetherit’sbecausethey’reworkingfor thedwarf
Gundren Rockseeker (see the “Meet Me in Phan-
dalin” adventure hook above)or they have another
reason to go to the frontier town. No matter the
characters’ motivation,allow them tojoin the wagon
without additional cost, narrating how each charac-
ter secured passage as needed.If you establish why
the characters are traveling togetherbefore you kick
off the adventure,your later game sessions will go
more smoothly.
The illustrations in these chapters depict this bur-
FAR REALM INFLUENCE geoning transformation. Use the following descrip-
tions when the characters are in town to add further
In this adventure, Far Realm—devoted fanatics seek
sinister flavor to the adventure. Each description’s
to transform Phandalin’s residents into mind flayers
effects are cumulative with the previous chap-
devotedto the evil godlet Ilvaash.
Even before the fanatics attemptto finish their ters’ effects:
ritual in chapter 8, their influence over the town Chapter 5. The sky over Phandalin is perpetually
infuses the place with the energy of the Far Realm. gray,and its buildings seem more drab than nor-
The townspeople begin to change in troubling ways. mal. The townspeople appear tired and wan.
Phandalin’s buildings and the surrounding envi- Chapter 6. Nearly imperceptible, scaly fungi grow
ronmentalsoexperiencea witheringthatgivesthe between the cracks in Phandalin’s buildings
entire town an air of decay. and cobblestones. The townspeople begin to
seem unwell.
‘TRANSFORMATION OF PHANDALIN Chapter 7. Invasive, fleshy weeds grow like tenta-
Each time the characters return to Phandalin cles along Phandalin’s buildings and streets. The
during the later parts of this adventure,they find townspeople develop strange symptoms.
the town and townspeople further affectedby the Chapter 8. Phandalin’s sky becomesa bright, sickly
Far Realm. The transformations become noticeable green color. The fleshy weeds grow thicker and
in chapter5 andworsenuntilthecharacters’con- longer,wrapping around buildings and beams like
frontation with the fanatics in the Far Realm during stalks. The townspeople sprout tentaclesand be-
chapter 8. come irrationally angry and violent.

INTRODUCTION | WELCOME TO PHANDALIN

 a
/ CORRUPTION
PLAGUES PHANDALIN
af
CDG e OTVTi Cia aTete

CHARACTER TRANSFORMATION at thebeginningof eachsubsequentchapter (stage

If the fanaticsare successful,the charactersmight
transforminto mind flayers(seetheend of chapter
8).Characters
fromoutsidetheregionmightnot
be affectedby the Far Realm ritual, althoughthese
detailsare up toyou. Even if the charactersdon't
turn intomind flayers,theyexperienceincreasing
changeas the fanatics’plot progresses.
The following optionalrules allow you to track the
effectsof Far Realm influenceon characters.
STAGESOF CHARACTER TRANSFORMATION
As theinfluenceof the Far Realm on a character
increases,theybegin to change.There are four
Stagesof transformation,eachwith increasinglyex-
tremeeffects.
Advancement. Charactersbeginat stage1 at the
start of chapter5. They advanceto thenext stage
<a“.
a.
PLAYERCONSENT Is REQUIRED
Beforeyouusethecharacter
tr ansformation
rules
presentedin this section,checkwitheachplayerto de-
termine
if theyareopentotheircharacterexperiencing
physically
transformative
effects.
A player
willnotmiss
gamebenefitsif theychoosenottousetheserulesfor
theircharacter.
2 in chapter6, stage3 in chapter7,and stage 4 in
chapter8).
Changes. To determinehow a characterchanges
as their transformationstageincreases,consult the
TransformationEffectstable.The exampleslisted
undertransformationsare only suggestions;you can
createothertransformationsof a similar scope.
By tailoring a transformation to a character, you
can increaseplayers’engagementwith the story.
Whereverpossible,try to makea giventransforma-
tion uniqueto a particular character.Given the sig-
nificanceofsomeofthesechanges,it’sbetterfor the
playerto giveyou suggestionsregardinga change
than vice versa. The effects of changes can happen
as oftenand wheneveryou wish. This is intendedto
be fun, notto makeplayersuncomfortable.
As a characteradvancesto higher stagesof trans-
formation,theeffectsfrom the lower stagesbecome
morepronounced.For example,whispers become
more insistent,or the tentaclebecomeslarger or an-
otheronesprouts.
NPC Reactions. NPCs and creaturesare likely to
noticethecharacters’strangebehavior,the changes
to thecharacters’bodies,or any reality-warping

I2 INTRODUCTION | WELCOME TO PHANDALIN

—
effectswhenthecharactersare nearby.At your
Voidenergybeginto seepinto thecharacter's
discretion,theattitudesof creaturesmightchange
when they notice these mutations, depending on soulin oneofthe followingways,determinedby
rollinga d6:(1)Aberrationsviewthecharacteras
the nature of the change, the personality and back-
groundof thecreature,and the circumstances oftheir own;(2)itemstiedtotheFarRealm
one
of the
discovery. hum,glow,or vibratewhenthecharacteris
Game Effects. At your discretion, these transfor- nearby;(3)thecharacterdevelopsan unwanted
mationsmighthavein-gameeffects. craving,suchas for rawmeat,spoiledfood,
For instance, the voices that whisper to a charac- hair,orfingernails;
insects, oc-
(4)thecharacter
termightprovidea usefulclue.Or a charactermight casionallylooksdownto discoverwritingor draw-
hear a telepathic conversation between creatures ingsin theirhandwritingor style,butthatthey
who speak with their minds. A character might gain arecertaintheydidn’tcreate;(5)thecharacter
advantageon a Charisma check to persuade an Ab- sometimesinadvertently communicates telepath-
erration that sees the character’s transformations. icallyinsteadof howtheynormallycommunicate;
The possibilitiesareendless. (6)thecharactersometimesleavesblack,sludgy
handprintson thingstheytouch.
TRANSFORMATION
EFFECTS
connectionto theFarRealmhas
Thecharacter's
Stage Change
grownto theextentthattheynowwarpreality
1 The FarRealmreachesoutto thecharacterin one
within30feetof themin one
of the following
of thefollowingways,determinedbyrollinga d6:
ways,determinedbyrollinga d6: (1)creaturesno
(1)thecharacterawakensfromnightmares to an
longercastshadows;(2)portableobjectsnot be-
audible,
disturbing themandthose
voiceurging
ingwornor carriedchangeposition;(3)mirrors
aroundthemto goto a particularplaceor per-
don’tshowreflections;(4)animalsarespooked;
forma particularact;(2)thecharacterandthose
(5)perishablefood spoils;(6)thetemperature
aroundthemhearwhispersof bizarreconspir-
increasesor decreases.
acies or nonsense; (3) the character recognizes
disturbingwordsnowandthenin languages they
otherwisedon’tunderstand;(4)thecharacter
noticesstrangepatternsin everydayitemsand
events;(5)thecharacterdiscoversunfamiliar
objectsin familiarplaces;(6)thecharacteroc-
casionallyhearsanunfamiliarvoicecomefrom
theirthroatwhentheytryto speak.
2 Thepower of theFarRealmbeginsto alterthe
character’s of the followingunpre-
bodyin one
dictableways,determinedbyrollinga d4:(1)a
bodyparttemporarilymovesor turns360de-
grees; (2) the charactergrows one or more eyes
or mouthsthatarenotundertheircontrol;(3)the
characternoticesthatstrangeboneprotrusions
occasionally
rippleundertheirskin;(4)thechar-
picksup
actersproutsa tentaclethatoccasionally
Tinyobjects.

Far REALM FORCESINFLUENCE

THE GOBLINS WHOARE SEEKING
OBELISK FRAGMENTS a @

INTRODUCTION | WELCOME TO PHANDALIN I3

 To\Cragmaw
CY
eZ
careerinthecityof Nev-
youradventuring
Youbegan
hired
Rockseeker — Hideout f4o
Gundren
Adwarfnamed
erwinter.
totherough-
ofprovisions
youtobringawagonload J GOBLIN: | we?
settlement
and-tumble
travelsouthofthecity.Gundren
ofdays’
acouple
ofPhandalin,
excited
wasclearly
AMBUSH HE LS
andmorethan abouthisreasons
alittle secretive
onlythatheandhisbrothers
forthetrip,saying had
found“something big,”andthathe'dpayyoutengold
safelytoBarth-
hissupplies
pieceseachforescorting
Hethen
atradingpostin Phandalin.
en'sProvisions,
setoutaheadof youonhorse,alongwithawarrior
escortnamedSildarHallwinter,claiming to
heneeded
n a Pte
arriveearlyto“takecareof business.”
a ° Mie c Ri oa =_
You've
spent
thelastfewdaysfollowing
theHigh TPs Ae[ Sede otee Pschans|
cots:
RoadsouthfromNeverwinter,andyou've justrecently eshte Tage mna

veered
eastalongtheTriboarTrail.You’vehadno : ae Rei
troublesofar,butyouknowthisterritory
canbedan-
gerous.
Bandits
andoutlaws
have
beenknown
tolurk
alongthisroad. To!Rhandalin

DRIVING THE WAGON

Any charactercan drivea wagon,and no skill is nec-
essary.Two oxenpull thewagon.If no one is hold-
ing thereins,theoxenstopwheretheyare.
The wagonis packedfull of an assortmentof min-
ing suppliesand food.This includesa dozensacks
of flour;severalcasksof saltedpork; two kegsof
strongale;shovels,picks,and crowbars(abouta
dozeneach);and fivelanternswith a small barrel of
oil (aboutfiftyflasksin volume).The totalvalueof
thecargois 100gp.
~
»@ 1Square=5Feet ats)
Map 1.1;GOBLIN AmBusH
usingthe“MeetMe in Phandalin”adventurehook,
anycharacterwhoapproachesthesceneidentifies
thehorsesas belongingto Gundren Rockseeker
andSildar Hallwinter.It’sup to the playersto de-
cidewhethertobring thehorseswith them.When
thecharactersinspectthescenecloser,read the
following:

GOBLIN AMBUSH
Thehorses’saddlebags
havebeenlooted.Anempty
Severalhoursafterthe charactersturn ontoTriboar
leather
mapcaseliesnearby.
Trail (shownon the mapin the introduction),they
reachtheareashownon map 1.1.
Readtheboxedtextbelowto start the encounter: Four goblins are hidingin thewoods,two on either
sideof theroad.Theywait until someone
approachesthehorsesand thenattack.
You'vebeenontheTriboarTrailforabouthalfa day
The goblinsfightto thedeathuntil one goblin re-
a sideroadleadingsouthtoward
andarenearing
mainsalive;thatgoblinthenfleesand headsfor the
Asyoucomearounda bend,youstumble
Phandalin. goblintrail (seebelow).
uponthesceneofa recentbattle.Thewoodspress
and DEVELOPMENT
closetothetrailhere,witha steepembankment
In theunlikelyeventthatthe goblinstriumph,they
densethicketsoneitherside.Twohorseswanderthe
leave the characters unconscious, loot them and
effects.
personal
road,sniffingatransacked

The siteis litteredwith arrows,torn scrapsof fabric,

and oddsand endsdiscardedfromGundren’sbags
whenthe goblinswere lookingfor the map.If you're

16 CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY

 thewagon,thenheadtotheCragmawhideout.The
characterscan continueto Phandalin,buynewgear
at Barthen’sProvisions,returnto theambushsite,
andfindthegoblins’trail,shouldtheywish.
The charactersmightcaptureoneor moregoblins
byknockingthemunconscious
insteadof killing
them.A charactercan use anyweaponthatdeals
bludgeoningdamage(includingan unarmedstrike)
to knock a goblinunconscious,succeedingif theat-
tackdealsenoughdamagetodrop thegoblinto0 hit
points.The goblinregainsconsciousnessaftera few
minutesand can be convincedto shareinformation
(see“WhattheCragmawsKnow”).Thegoblincan
also be persuadedto leadthepartyto theCragmaw
hideoutand to guidethepartyaroundthetraps
alongtheway(see“GoblinTrail” below).
The charactersmightnotfind the goblintrail, or
theycoulddecideto continueto Phandalin. In that
case,skip tochapter2. Elmina Barthen(theowner
of Barthen’sProvisions)seeksout thecharacters
and informs themthatGundren Rockseekernever
arrived.She recountsthegoblin troublesand sug-
geststhecharactersreturnto theambushsite to in-
vestigatefurther(aftertheyrest).Barthenalso tells
the partythatLinene Graywind of the Lionshield
Coster(see“Town Description”in chapter2) can
providemore informationon thegoblinattacks.
WHAT THE CRAGMAWS KNOW
Cragmawgoblins thecharacterscapturecan be per-
suadedto divulgethe followinginformation:
Bugbear Leader. Their leaderis a bugbearnamed
Klarg. Klarg reportsto King Grol, leaderof the
Cragmawband,who dwells in CragmawCastle.
(The goblinscan providebasicdirectionsto Crag-
maw Castle.It’s abouttwentymiles northeast,in
NeverwinterWood.)
Capturing Gundren. Klarg receiveda messen-
ger goblinfrom King Grol a few daysago.The
messengertold him thatsomeonenamed“the
Spider” was payingthe Cragmawsto capture
Gundren Rockseekerand send him and anything
he was carrying to King Grol. Klarg followedKing
Grol’s orders. Gundren was ambushedand taken
with his personaleffects—includinga map—to
King Grol.
Sildar’s Location. Gundren’shuman companionis
being held in the “eatingcave”(areaH6). About
fifteengoblins currentlydwell in this hideout.
Strange Goblins. Recently,strangegoblins have
sometimesjoined the Cragmawsin their road-
side ambushes,thoughnot today.These strange
goblins haveelongatedskulls, and glowinggreen
energy surrounds their weaponswhen theyattack.
= 18 CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY
TheCragmaw don’tknowwhothesenew
goblins
comersare;thenewgoblinssimplycackleand
leaveaftereachattack.The Cragmawsare afraid
ofthesestrangegoblinsandthink the characters
to the psionic
shouldbe,too.(Thisis a reference
goblins that factormore prominently in later
chapters.)
GOBLIN TRAIL
After thecharactersdefeatthe goblins, any inspec-
tionof thearearevealsthatthe creatures have been
for sometime.
usingthisplacetostageambushes
On thenorthsideof the road,characters can eas-
ilyfinda trailbehindthethicketsthatleadsnorth-
west.A characterwho succeedson a DC 10Wisdom
thatabouta dozengob-
(Survival)checkrecognizes
lins havecomeandgonealong the trail; the charac-
bodiesbeing
teralsoseessignsoftwohuman-sized
hauledfromtheambushsite.
The driverscaneasilysteerthewagon off the road
and tie off theoxenbeforethe characterspursue
thegoblins.
The trail leadsfivemiles northwestand ends at
theCragmawhideout(seebelow).Ask the players
to determinethecharacters’marchingorder as they
followthetrail. The orderis importantbecause
thegoblinshavesettwo trapsalongthe trail to
thwartpursuers.
SNARE
About 10minutesafterheadingdown the trail, char-
acterson thepathencountera hiddensnare. If the
charactersaresearchingfor traps,the characterin
theleadmustsucceedon a DC 15Wisdom (Percep-
tion)checkto noticethesnare.If the characterfails
thecheck,thesnaretriggers.The charactermust
succeedon a DC 10Dexteritysavingthrow or be
flippedupsidedownandsuspended10feetabove
theground.The characterhas the restrainedcondi-
tionuntil 1 pointof slashingdamageis dealt to the
snare’s cord. A character who isn’t lowered carefully
takes3 (1d6)bludgeoningdamagefrom the fall.
Pit TRAP
After another10minutestravelingdown the trail,
thecharactersencountera pit trapthe goblins have
camouflaged.The pit is 6 feetwide, 10feetdeep,
and triggerswhena creaturemovesacross it.
The characterin theleadmustsucceedon a DC
15Wisdom(Perception)checkto spotthe hidden
pit. If thecharacterfails thecheck,theymust suc-
ceedon a DC 10Dexteritysavingthrow or fall in the
pit,taking3 (1d6)bludgeoningdamage.The pit’s
walls aren'tsteep,so no abilitycheckis required to
scramblefromthepit.
 433 at

>
oo.

r
ie
>
HIDEOUT
a
PFOA
Cre

Map 1.2:CRaGMAw Hioeout

CRAGMAW HIDEOUT LIGHT

Areas H1 and H2 are outside. The rest of the cave
The Cragmaw goblins have established a hideout
complex is dark unless stated otherwise. The boxed
from which they can easily harass and plunder
text for those locations assumes that the characters
traffic moving along the Triboar Trail or the path to
have darkvision or a light source, such as a torch, a
Phandalin. Their band is so named because mem-
lantern, or a /ight spell.
bers sharpen their teeth tojagged points to make
them look fiercer. STALAGMITES
The leader of the Cragmaws is a bugbear named These upthrust spires of rock can provide cover.
Klarg, who has orders from King Grol to plunder
any poorly defendedcaravans or travelers that SOUND
come this way.A few days ago, a messenger from The sound of water in the cave muffles noises to any
Cragmaw Castle brought new instructions: waylay creatures that aren't listening carefully. Creatures
the dwarf Gundren Rockseeker and anyone travel- can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to
ing with him. hear activity in nearby chambers.
The trail from the ambush site leads to the en-
trance of the Cragmaw hideout (area H1).
STREAM
The stream that flows through the complex is only
GENERAL FEATURES 2 feet deep and slow moving, allowing creatures to
easilywadethroughit.
The Cragmawcaveslopessteeplyupward.The
entranceis atthefootof a good-sizedhill, andthe RUBBLE
cavesandpassagesare insidethehill itself. Areas of crumbling rock and gravel are
difficultterrain.
CEILINGS
Most of the caves and passages have steeply sloping
chambersris-
ceilingsthatcreatestalactite-covered
ing 20 to 30 feet above the floor.

CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY 19

 CRAGMAW HIDEOUT LOCATIONS
Thefollowing arekeyedtomap1.2.
locations
H1: CAVEMOUTH
trailendsatacaveinahillsidefivemiles
Thegoblins’
fromthesceneoftheambush. A shallow streamflows
fromthecavemouth, whichisscreened bydense
A narrow,
thickets.
briar drypathleadsintothecave
ontherightsideofthestream.
The streamis 2 feetdeep.It’scold and slow,and not
difficulttowadeacross.Thethicketin areaH2 is
impenetrable fromthewestsideofthestream.
Development. The goblinsin area H2 are sup-
posedtobewatchingthis area,but theyaren'tpay-
ingattention.
However,
if thecharacters
make
a lot
of noisehere—forexample,loudlyarguingabout
whatto do next,settingup camp,cuttingdown
brush,andso on—thegoblins in areaH2 notice
andattackthemthroughthethicket,which provides
three-quarterscover.
H2: GOBLINGUARDPost
When thecharacterscross to theeastsideof the
stream,theycanseearoundthescreening
thickets
toareaH2. This is a goblinguardpost,thoughthe
goblinshereareboredandinattentive.
Ontheeastsideofthestream thatflowsfromthe
cave mouth,asmallareainthebriarthickets
hasbeen
hollowedouttoformalookout post.Wooden planks
flatten
thebriars
andprovideroomforguards tolie
hidden andwatchthearea—including several
goblins
lurking
thererightnow!
Two goblins and onegoblin boss are stationed
here.If thegoblinsnoticeintruders in areaH1, they
openfirewith their bows,shootingthroughthe
thicketsandprobablycatchingthecharactersby
surprise.If thegoblinsdon’tnoticethecharactersin
areaH1, theyspot thecharacterssplashingacross
thestream,and neitherside is surprised.
Characters
movingcarefullyorscoutingahead
mightbe ableto surprise the goblinlookouts.Have
eachcharacterwho movesaheadmakea Dexterity
(Stealth)check.The lowestcheckis the DC for the
goblins’Wisdom (Perception)checksto avoidbeing
surprised.
Thickets. The thicketsaroundtheclearingare
difficultterrain, but theyaren’tdangerous—just
annoying.They providethree-quarterscoverto crea-
turesattackingthroughthem.
: 20 CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY
: ee
Development. When the goblin boss is defeated,
anyremaininggoblinsattempttofleeto area H3
and releasethe wolvesthere.
Treasure.The goblinbosshasa beltpouch con-
taining16sp.
H3: KENNEL
thecavemouth,
Justinside stonesteps
afewuneven
ascendtoa small,dankchamberontheeastside of
Thecavenarrows
thepassage. toasteepfissureatthe
farendandisfilledwiththestenchofanimals.Three
chainedwolvessnarlandrattletheirchainsasyou
approachthecavemouth. Eachwolf'schainleadsto
anironroddriven intothebaseofastalagmite.
TheCragmaws keepa kennelof foul-tempered
wolvesthey'retrainingforbattle.
Three wolves are chainedto a single post. They
can'treachtargetsstandingonthesteps,butall
threewolvesattackanycreaturethat moves into the
room(see“Development”below).Goblins in nearby
cavesnormallyignorethe sounds of growling
wolves,butif thecharactersfightthe wolves, 1d4
goblins cometo investigatein 2 rounds.
A characterwho tries to calm the animals can
makea DC 15Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.
On a successfulcheck,thewolvesallow all the char-
actersto movethroughoutthe room. If the wolves
are givenfood,the DC lowers to 10.
Fissure. A narrow openingin the east wall leads
to a naturalchimneythatclimbs 30 feetto area
H8. At thebaseof the fissure is rubbish that’sbeen
discardedthroughtheopeningabove.A character
attemptingto ascendor descendthe chimney shaft
mustmakea DC 10Strength(Athletics)check. On a
successfulcheck,thecharactermovesat half speed
up or downtheshaft,as desired.On a check result
of 6-9, thecharacterstruggleswith the climb and
takes 10minutesto ascendor descendthe shaft. On
a resultof 5 or less,thecharactergetsa short way
up or downtheshaftbeforefalling, taking 3 (1d6)
bludgeoningdamagebeforelanding at the base of
theshaftwith thepronecondition.
Development. A goblinin this area can use an
actionto releaseonewolf from its chain.
If thewolvesare goadedbyenemiesbeyondtheir
reach,theyare driveninto a frenzy.Each round that
anycharacterremainsin sight,the wolvesmake a
singleDC 15Strengthcheck.On the first success,
theyloosentheiron rods securing their chains to
the floor,and theDC drops to 10.On a second suc-
cess,theyyankthe rods loose,bendingthe rods so
theirchainsarefreed.Theythenattackanyintrud-
ers theycanperceive.
H4: STEEPPASSAGE the disusedpassagemust makea DC 10 Dexterity
From this pointon,characterswithoutdarkvision saving throw. Onafailed save, the creature takes 7
will needa lightsourceto seetheirsurroundings. (2d6)bludgeoningdamagefrom falling debrisand
falls with thepronecondition.On a successfulsave,
the creature takes half as much damage only.
Themainpassage fromthecavemouthclimbssteeply
upward,thestream plunging downits
andsplashing H5: OVERPASS
westside.Intheshadows, leadswest
asidepassage
acrosstheothersideofthestream. Thestream beyond
continues setof uneven
another
eastward.
stepsahead,bending burblesin
A waterfall
Charactersusinga lightsourceor darkvisioncan alargercavern aheadofyou.
somewhere
spot the rope bridge at area H5:
The goblinshaveseta bridgeguardwherea high
Intheshadows oftheceilingtothenorth,youcanjust tunnel passes through the larger cavern below. One
makeoutthedimshape of a ropebridgecrossingover goblin standswatchhereand is well concealed,
thepassageahead ofyou.Another passage20feet requiringa successfulDC 15Wisdom (Perception)
checktospotit. Like othergoblinsin the hideout,
abovethefloorappearstointersectthisone.
this guardis inattentive.If no charactersare using
light sources, any character can creep by without
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception) beingnoticedwith a successfulDC 12Dexterity
scoreof 12or higherandwhocanseethe bridgein
area H5 also notices a goblin guarding the bridge.
noticesthecharacters
The goblinautomatically
if theycarry anylightsourceor don’tusestealthas
they approach the bridge. The goblin doesn’t attack,
butinsteadattemptstosneakawaytotheeastto in-
form their companions in area H7 to release a flood
(see“Flood!”below).Any characterswhocansee
the goblin and have a passive Wisdom (Perception) THE CRAGMAWSKEEP
WOLVESTHROUGHOUT
scoreof 12or highernoticethegoblin’smovements.
THEIR STRONGHOLD.
Western Passage. This passage is choked with
rubble and blocked by steep slopes. Moving up the
slope requires 5 feet of extra movement.Although
this passageoffersa waytoavoidthegoblinin
area H5 or escapea flood, it’s more dangerous
than it looks. A giant poisonous snake is coiled
on the fragile ledge between the two escarpments.
It strikes at any creature that disturbs it, which
includes characters scrambling up the slope. A
climbingcharacterwith a passiveWisdom(Per-
ception) score of 13 or higher avoids being
on attack
surprised.The snakehasadvantage
rolls against any character who fights while
on the slope. A fight against the snake alerts
the goblin on the bridge.
The ledgeon whichthesnakeis coiledis
unstable.Vigorousmotioncan loosenthe
whole mass and send it tumbling to the east.
Whenever a character on the ledge tries to
move or make a melee attack in this space,
thatcharactermustfirstsucceedon a DC
10Dexterity(Acrobatics)checkor triggera
collapse. The triggering character, the snake,
and any other creature in the eastern half of

CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY

21
(Stealth)check.Ona failedcheck,theguardsig-
nalsthegoblinsin areaH7toreleasea flood(see Sitoar
“Flood!”below),thenusesa bowto shootat the HALLWINTER

characters.
Rope Bridge. This bridgespansthe passage20
feetabovethestream.It's possibleto climb thecav-
ern walls fromthelowerpassageto thebridge.The
walls are roughbutslick, requiringa successfulDC
15Strength(Athletics)checktoclimb.
The ropebridgehasAC 5 and 10hit points,and
it hasvulnerabilityto fire and slashingdamage.If
thebridgeis reducedto 0 hit points,it collapses.
Creatureson thecollapsingbridgemust makea DC
10Dexterity savingthrowtodartacrossthebridge
safely.Ona failedsave,a creaturefalls,takes2d6
bludgeoningdamage,and has the pronecondition.
Flood! The largepoolsin area H7 havecol-
lapsiblewallsthatcanbeyankedoutofplaceto
releasea surgeof waterdown the main passage
of thelair. If thegoblinsin area H7 are warned
abouttheapproachingcharacters,theystart
knockingawaythewall supportsof one pool in
the nextround. In the followinground on the
goblins’initiativecount,watersurgesfromarea
H7 to area H1.
When theflood happens,read or paraphrasethe
following:
SILDAR HALLWINTER
Medium
Humanoid
(Human),
NeutralGood
bee
Thepassage
fillswitha mightyroarasa hugesurgeof
ArmorClass16(chain
mail)
rushing
water
poursfromabove! HitPoints27(5d8+5)
Speed30ft.
be=
The floodthreatensall creaturesin the tunnel.(The STR DEX CON INT wis CHA
goblinon the bridgeis out of danger,as are any 13(+1) 10
(+0) 12(+1)10
(+0) 11(+0)10(+0)
oe
characterswho successfullyclimbed thecavern
walls.)Any creaturewithin 10feetof thedisused SavingThrowsStr+3,Con+3
SkillsPerception
+2
passageat area H4 or the stepsleadingto area H3
SensespassivePerception
12
mustmakea DC 10Dexteritysavingthrow to avoid LanguagesCommon
beingsweptaway.A creaturethatfails the Dexterity Challenge
1(200XP) Bonus+2
Proficiency
savingthrow mustmakea DC 15Strengthsaving bess

throw to holdon. A creaturethatfails theStrength ACTIONS

savingthrow is washedinto area H1, takes7 (2d6)
Multiattack.
Sildarmakes
twoLongsword
attacks.
bludgeoningdamage,and has thepronecondition.
Longsword.Melee
Weapon Attack:
+3tohit,reach5ft.,onetar-
The goblinsin area H7 can releasea secondflood
get.Hit:5(1d8+1)slashing
damage,or6 (1d10
+1)slashing
byopeningthesecondpool, but theydon’tdo this damage
if usedwithtwohands.
unlessthe goblin on the bridgetells themto.The
HeavyCrossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack:+2to hit,range
goblinon the bridgewaits to seeif thefirst floodgot
100/400ft.,onetarget.Hit: 5 (1d10)piercingdamage.
rid of all the intruders beforecalling for thesecond
flood to be released. REACTIONS
Parry.Whenanattacker Sildarcanseewouldhithimwitha
H6: GOBLIN DEN
meleeattack,hecanrolla d6andaddthenumberrolledto
The Cragmawraidersstationedin thehideoutuse hisAC againstthetriggering
attack,providedhe’swieldinga
this area as acommon roomand barracks.Any meleeweapon.

CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY

character who attempts to approach quietly must
makea successfulDC 14Dexterity(Stealth)check
or be spottedbythegoblinsin thelowerportion
of the cave.
Thislargecaveisdividedinhalfbyaten-foot-high
escarpment.A steep,naturalstaircaseleadsfromthe
lowerportiontotheupperledge.Theairishazywith
thesmokeofacooking fire,andpungentfromthe
smellofpoorlycuredhidesandunwashed goblins.
Fivegoblins andtwogoblin bossesinhabitthis
den.The southernhalf of thecaveis 10feethigher
thanthenorthernend.
Sildar Hallwinter is beingheldprisonerin this
chamber.He is boundon thesouthernledgeof the
cavern.The goblinshavebeenbeatingandtorment-
ing him, so he is weak and has1hit point.
One of the goblin bosses, Yeemik, is
second-in-command of the hideout. If he thinks the
characters are winning the battle,he grabs Sildar
and drags him to the edge of the upper level. “Truce,
or this human dies!” he shouts. The other goblin
boss, Errk, shouts along supportively.
YeemikwantstooustKlarg andbecomethenew
leader. If the adventurers agree to parley,Yeemik
triestoconvincethemto kill Klarg in areaH8,
promising to release Sildar when they bring back
Klarg’s head. Sildar groggily warns the characters
that they shouldn’t trust the goblin, and he’s right.
If the characters take the deal, Yeemik tries to force
them to pay a rich ransom for Sildar after they com-
plete their part of the bargain.
If the characters refuse to parley,Yeemik shoves
Sildar over the edge and continues fighting. Sildar
takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage,dropping him
to 0 hit pointsif hehasn’treceivedanyhealing.A
character can help Sildar with a successful DC 10
Wisdom (Medicine) check, a healer’s kit, or magi-
cal healing.
Roleplaying Sildar. Sildar is a kindhearted hu-
man man of nearly fifty years who holds a place of
honorin thefamousgriffoncavalryof Waterdeep.
He is an agentof theLords’Alliance,a groupof
allied politicalpowersalongtheSwordCoastcon-
cerned with mutual security and prosperity. The
order ensures the safety of the cities and other set-
tlements of Faer(in by proactivelyhandling violent
threats, and order members work to bring honor
and gloryto theirleadersandtheirhomeland.
Sildar metGundrenRockseekerin Neverwinter
and agreedtoaccompanyhim to Phandalin.Sildar
wants to investigate the disappearance of Iarno
ae Mt
Albrek,a humanwizard and fellowmemberof the
Lords’ Alliance,who disappearedshortlyafter
arriving in Phandalin. Sildar hopes to learn what
happened to Jarno, assist Gundren in reopening the
old mine,andhelprestorePhandalin toa centerof
wealthandprosperity.
Sildar provides the characters with the following
usefulinformation:
A Missing Wizard. Iarno Albrek, a human wizard,
was Sildar’s contact in Phandalin. The wizard
traveled to the town several months ago to try
to establish order there. After the Lords’ Alli-
ancedidn’thearfrom Jarno, Sildar decidedto
investigate.
Wave Echo Cave. The three Rockseeker brothers
(Gundren, Tharden, and Nundro) recently located
an entranceto thelong-lostWaveEcho Cave,site
of theminesof thePhandelverPact.(Share thein-
formation in the first two paragraphs of this chap-
terwith theplayersat this time.The characters
won't know yet, but Tharden is dead and Nundro
is a prisonerin themine.)
The Mysterious Spider. Klarg, thebugbearwho
leadsthis goblinband,hadorderstowaylayGun-
dren.Sildar heardfromthegoblinsthat“theSpi-
der” sent word that the dwarf was to be brought
to him. Sildar doesn’tknowwho or whatthe
Spider is.
Finding Cragmaw Castle. Gundrenhada map
showing the secret location of Wave Echo Cave,
but the goblins took it when they captured him.
Sildar believesKlarg sentthemapandthedwarf
to the leader of the Cragmaws at a place called
CragmawCastle.Sildar doesn’tknowwhere
that might be but suggests someone in Phand-
alin mightknow.(It doesn’toccurto Sildar im-
mediately,buta capturedgoblinmightalso be
persuaded to divulge the castle’s location. See
“What the Cragmaws Know” section earlier in
this chapter.)
Strange Goblin. A strangegoblinwith an elongated
head was with the Cragmaw band that waylaid Sil-
dar.The goblingaveSildar a badfeeling,butthe
Cragmaws didn’t seem to know the creature. The
goblin whispered “you're not what Ruxithid wants”
to Sildar beforeleavingtheCragmawambush
group. (This is a reference to the psionic goblins
that factor more prominently into later chapters.)
Sildar tells the characters that he intends to con-
tinue to Phandalin, since it’s the nearest settlement.
He offers to pay the party 50 gp to escort him. Al-
thoughhe has no moneyon him, Sildar can secure
a loan to pay the characters within a day of arriving
in Phandalin. He hopes they’ll first put a stop to the
goblin raids by clearing out the caves.
CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY 23
ef
 Development. If he is rescuedand healed,Sil-
dar remainswith the partybutis anxiousto reach
Phandalinas quickly as possible.He doesn’thave
anyweaponsor armor,but hecan takea shortsword
froma defeatedgoblin or use a weaponloanedto
him bya character.Sildar’s gearwas takentoCrag-
mawCastle.
Treasure. One goblinboss, Errk, wearsa belt
pouch 21cp.Theotherboss,Yeemik,
containing
carries a pouchcontainingthreeagatesworth 10gp
eachandapotionof healing.
H7: TWIN POOLSCAVE
If thegoblinshavedrainedeitherpool to floodthe
passage,adjustthe followingboxedtextaccordingly:
Thiscavern
ishalf-filled
withtwolarge
poolsofwater.
A narrow
waterfall
highintheeasternwallfeeds
thepool,whichdrainsoutthewesternendofthe
chamber
toformthestreamthatflowsfromthecave
mouthbelow.Lowfieldstone
wallsserveasdams
holdingthewaterin.A wideexitstandstothesouth,
whiletwosmallerpassages
leadwest.Thesoundof
thewaterfallechoesthroughthecavern,makingit
difficulttohear.
Three goblins and two wolves guard this cave.If
thegoblinswerewarnedaboutthecharacters,the
goblinshereareonguard.As soonasa fightbreaks
out here,one of thegoblinsfleesto area H8 towarn
Klarg.Creaturesin areaH8 can’thearfightingin
this areadueto a noisywaterfall,nor can creatures
in this area hear fightingin area H8.
Rock Dams. The goblinsbuilt thesesimpledams
to controlthe flowof waterthroughthe heartof the
complex.Ifa goblin from anotherarea called for the
goblinshereto releasea flood,one or both pools are
mostlyemptyand thestreamflows unimpeded.
H8: KLARG’sS CAVE
The leaderof theCragmawgoblins insists on keep-
ing thebulk of the raiders’stolengoodsin his den,
which containsplunderfrom about30 daysof raid-
ing and ambushingcaravans.
arepiledinthe
Sacksandcratesoflootedprovisions
southendofthislargecave.Tothewest,thefloor
slopestowarda narrowopeningthatdescends into
A largeropeningleadsnorthdown
darkness. a set
offalling water
ofnaturalstonesteps,andtheroar
echoesfrom beyond.In the middleof thecavern,the
coalsofa largefiresmolder.
~ 24 CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY
~*~
Klarg thebugbear shares this cavewith two gob-
lins (his“honorguards”)andhis mangypetwolf,
Thebugbear
Ripper. of
isfilledwithdelusions
grandeurandviewshimselfasa mightyking just
beginninghiscareerofconquest.He refersto him
self in the third person:“Who dares defy Klarg?”
and“Klargwill builda thronefromyour bones!”
Thegoblinsunderhiscommandresenthis inces-
santbullying.
Fire Pit. Thehotcoalsin thecentralfire pit deal
1pointoffiredamagetoanycreaturethatenters
thearea,or 3 (1d6)firedamagetoanycreature
thatfallstherewiththepronecondition.A creature
can takethelistedamountof damageonly once
per round.
NaturalChimney.A nichein thewesternwall
formsthetopofa shaftthatdescends30 feettoarea
H3. See thatareafor informationon climbing the
naturalchimney.
Supplies. The piles of sacks and crates provide
half coverto anycreaturefightingor hiding behind
them.Most are markedwith the image of a blue
lion—thesymbolof the Lionshield Coster, a mer-
chantcompanywith a warehouseand trading post
in Phandalin.Linene Graywind at the Lionshield
Coster in Phandalin seeksthesesacks and crates in
the nextchapter.
Hiddenamongthesuppliesis an unlocked trea-
sure chestbelongingto Klarg (see“Treasure”be-
low).Any characterwho searchesthe supplies finds
thechest.
Development. |f Klarg was warned that the hide-
out is under attack, he and his allies hide behind sta-
lagmitesor pilesof supplies,hopingto ambush the
characterswhentheyenterthe cave.Any character
with a passiveWisdom (Perception)score of 14or
higherisn’tsurprised.
If Klarg and his allies were not warned aboutpos-
sibleattackers,thecharacterscan surprise them by
climbingthechimneyfrom area H3.
The goblinsand thewolf fightto the death.If all
Klarg’s allies are killed, the bugbear attempts to
climbdownthechimneyto area H3 and flee the
complex.However,he mustsucceedon a DC 10
Dexteritycheckto wrigglethroughthe narrow
openingtoareaH3. Onafailed check,he has the
restrainedcondition.He can use an action to make
check;a successfulcheck
anotherDC 10Dexterity
endstherestrainedconditionon him.
Treasure. The capturedstoresare bulky,and the
will needa wagontotransportthem.If
characters
theyreturnthesuppliesto the Lionshield Coster in
Phandalin(seechapter2),theyearna rewardof 50
gp and thefriendshipof Linene and her company.
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In addition to the stolen provisions, Klarg has a Escort Sildar. If the characters rescued Sildar Hall-
treasure chest that contains 1,700cp, 150 sp, two winter, the wounded warrior would appreciate an
potionsof healing, and a jade statuetteof a frog with escort to Phandalin.
tiny golden orbs for eyes worth 40 gp. The frog stat- Seek NPCs. Other adventure hooks or background
uette can fit in a pocket or pouch. connections might prompt the characters to seek
out specific NPCs in the town.
WHAT'S NEXT?
It’s also possible that players might decide to do
Bis = are of the Sra ere place Py Phan- something different, such as striking out in search
Soe 3 eenaecty eee ave Dicaty OLTea: of Cragmaw Castle.If that’s the case, skip to
sons to visit the town: chapter 3.

Deliver Supplies. If the characters began with the

“MeetMe in Phandalin”adventurehook,theycan
be paidby Barthen’sProvisionsfor deliveringthe
wagonload of supplies.

CHAPTER 1 | A DANGEROUS JOURNEY

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APTER 2

TROUBLE
IN PHANDALIN
omgran HE FRONTIERTOWNOF PHANDALINIS BUILT
WELCOME TO PHANDALIN
: on the ruins of a much older settlement.
When the characters first arrive in Phandalin, read
Hundredsof years ago, old Phandalin was a
the following:
thriving town whose people were firmly al-
lied with the dwarves and gnomes of the Phandelver
Pact. However,the same bandits who sacked the The ruttedtrackemergesfroma woodedhillside,and
mines at Wave Echo Cave attackedthe settlement, youcatchyourfirstglimpseof Phandalin.Thetown
and Phandalin was abandonedfor centuries. consistsof fortyor fiftysimplelog buildings,some
In the last three or four years, hardy folk from the
builton old fieldstonefoundations.Moreold ruins—
cities of Neverwinter and Waterdeephave begun set-
crumblingstonewallscoveredin ivyandbriars—sur-
tling atop the ruins of Phandalin. A bustling frontier
town has developedon the site of the old settlement. roundthenewerhousesandshops,showinghowthis
It’s home now to farmers, woodcutters, fur traders, musthavebeena muchlargertownin centuriespast.
and prospectors drawn by stories of gold and plati- Mostof thenewerbuildingsareseton thesidesof the
num in the foothills of the Sword Mountains. Unfor- carttrack,whichwidensintoa muddymainstreetas
tunately,more than a few ruffians and bandits have it climbstowarda ruinedmanorhouseon a hillsideat
settledhere as well, taking advantageof the fact that
theeastsideof town.
the area has no local authority to chase them off. A
As youapproach,youseechildrenplayingon the
gang known as the Redbrands has been hounding
Phandalin, extorting and bullying everyonein town. towngreen,andtownsfolktendingto choresor run-
The gang is led by a mysteriousfigure known to the ningerrandsattheshopsin town.Manypeoplelook
townsfolk only as “Glasstaff.” up andsmileasyouapproach,butall returnto their
businessasyougo by.
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER
In this chapter,the characters meet important
The characters can visit various locations in
townspeoplewho becometheir quest givers and
Phandalin and talk to the townsfolk.
friends throughout the adventure.By the time the
When he hired the characters, Gundren Rock-
mind flayer fanatics’ plot against Phandalin be-
seeker provided an overview of the town and its lo-
comes clear in later chapters,the characters’ attach-
cations to them. If the characters are using different
ment to one or more NPCs in town should encour-
adventure hooks, other people have told the char-
age them to save it. For now, consider portraying the
acters about the town. Either way, the characters
townsfolk as friendly and curious about the adven-
should have a rudimentary understanding of
turers to encourage these ties.
Phandalin’s layout.
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT At this point, show the players map 2.1. The char-
acters arrive at Phandalin in the evening, so they
The characters should be 2nd level when the
have time to visit a few places before they must seek
chapter begins. The characters gain a level when
lodging for the night.
they finish exploring the Redbrand hideout under
Some locales the characters could visit include the
Tresendar Manor.
following:
Barthen’sProvisions. If thecharactershavethe
wagonload of supplies from the “Meet Me in Phan-
dalin”adventurehook,they'remeanttodeliverit
to this shop.
Lionshield Coster.If thecharactersretrievedthe
stolengoodsfrom theCragmawhideout,they
mightwantto returnthemto therightful owner.

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN 27

 Sea
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Mape2.1: PHANDALIN

Stonehill Inn. If the charactershaveSildar Hall-

winterwiththem,theknightsuggests
heading
for this inn to find lodgings.If thecharactersare
otherwise looking for a placeto eatand sleep,they
discoverthat the Stonehill Inn appearsto be the
bestavailableoption.
ENCOUNTERS IN
PHANDALIN
If the playersaren’tsure whattheir characters
should do, encouragethem to beginat theStonehill
Inn. The NPCs can direct thecharacterstoward
various adventureopportunitiesand importantru-
mors thatcan be found in otherpartsof thetown.
REDBRAND RUFFIANS APPEAR
You can decidewhen the charactersrun intothe
Redbrands,the criminal gangthatruns Phandalin.
After the charactershavevisitedseverallocationsin
town and talked to the townsfolk,theymightdecide
to confront the Redbrands.When theydo,run the
“RedbrandRuffians”encounter.Alternatively,if the
charactersare reluctantto seekout theruffians,the
Redbrandscan comelooking for themat a timeof
your choosing.
FINDING CRAGMAW CASTLE
The charactersmight want to seek out Cragmaw
Castle to rescueGundren Rockseeker.Most of the
townsfolkare preoccupiedwith the Redbrands,
however,and no one in town knows the exactlo-
cationof CragmawCastle;however,Qelline Alder-
leafand Sildar Hallwinter can offer suggestions
on how the partymight find someonewho knows
thelocation.
STRANGE GOBLINS
The charactersmightbe intrigued aboutthe strange
goblinswith elongatedskulls who wield green en-
ergy.Although the townspeopleare focusedon their
troubleswith the Redbrands,somedisclose odd
run-ins with the strangegoblins.Descriptions of
theserun-ins appearin latersections.
IMPORTANT NPCs
The Phandalin NPCs tablesummarizes the most
importantNPCs in Phandalin and their relevanceto
the adventure. Unless otherwise noted, these NPCs
are humanand use thecommoner stat block.

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN

PHANDALIN NPCs to become established. Toblen doesn't like the Red-
Name RelevantInformation brands at all, though he tries not to make trouble
for fearthattheymightretaliateagainsthis wife
Qelline Helpfulhalflingfarmerwhoseson,Carp,
and children.
wayintotheRedbrands’
a secret
Alderleaf knows
hideout RUMORS
Elmina tothe
postandowesmoney
Ownsatrading Spendingalittle time in the common room and
Barthen characters chattingup thetownspeoplecan providethechar-
Daran of theOrder
Drowmember ofthe Gauntlet acters with several good leads to explore in and
Edermathwhohasaquestfortheparty aroundtown.NPCs presentin theStonehill Inn and
therumors theypasson includethefollowing:
Sister EIf clericof TymoraandHarperagentwho
Garaele hasa questfortheparty Elsa, a dwarf bartender:“DaranEdermath,the
Linene Runsatrading for
postandoffersareward orchard keeper, is a former adventurer.”(See
Graywind retrieving
hersupplies the“EdermathOrchard”sectionfor moreinfor-
mation.) Elsa also brags about her sister, Gwyn,
Sildar ofthe Lords’Alliancewhohastwo
Member
who is a scholarin thecityof Neverwinter.Gwyn
Hallwinter questsfor theparty
arrivesin townshortlyafterthecharactersand
Toblen Localinnkeeper becomesa majorNPC in laterchapters.
Stonehill Freda, a gnomeweaver:“The Redbrandshassle
Halia of theZhentarimwhohasa quest
Member every business in town, except for the Phandalin
Thornton_ fortheparty Miner’s Exchange.They don’twanttroublewith
Harbin Townmaster
of Phandalinwhohasa quest Halia Thornton, who runs it.” (See the “Phandalin
Wester fortheparty Miner’s Exchange”sectionfor moreinformation.)
Lanar, a humanminer:“Maraudershavebeenat-
tackingtradecaravanson theeastendof Triboar
‘TOWN DESCRIPTION Trail. The townmaster is looking for someone to
Phandalin is small, so the characters can visit mul- run themoff.I think goblinsareworkingwith the
tiplelocationsandNPCs throughout
a day.If the marauders,too!”(See the“Townmaster’sHall”
players choose to split up their characters, they can sectionfor moreinformation.)
cover more ground, but splitting the party makes Narth, a humanfarmer:“SisterGaraele,who
the “Redbrand Ruffians” encounter potentially more oversees the Shrine of Luck, recently left town
dangerous. for a fewdays,thenreturnedwounded.”(Seethe
The following sections detail specific locations in “Shrine of Luck” sectionfor moreinformation.)
town, as shown on map 2.1. Pip, Toblen’sson:“Carp said he founda secret
tunnelin thewoods,butthe Redbrandsalmost
STONEHILL INN
caughthim!He also sawweird goblinshanging
around!” (Carp is Qelline Alderleaf’s son. See the
In thecenterof town,oppositethetowngreen,stands “AlderleafFarm” sectionfor moreinformation.)
Toblen, the human innkeeper: “Thel Dendrar, a
a large,newlybuiltroadhouse
offieldstone
andrough-
local woodcarver, stood up to the Redbrands a
hewntimbers. Thecommon roomisfilledwithlocals
tenday ago when they came by his shop and bul-
nursingmugsofaleorcider,allofthemeyeing you lied his wife. The ruffiansprovokeda fightand
withcuriosity. murdered Thel. Several townsfolk saw it happen.
The Redbrandsgrabbedhis body,and nowhis
wife, daughter, and son have gone missing.” (The
The StonehillInn hasfiveof its six roomsfree(Sil-
dar Hallwinteroccupiesthesixthroom).Shouldthe Redbrandstookthefamilyto theirsecrethideout;
characters need more space or want to stay else- seethe “Redbrands’Hideout”section.)
where,theycancampoutsidetown,or theycanper- In addition,anyNPC attheinn cantellthecharac-
suadea farmersuchas DaranEdermathor Qelline ters that the Redbrands frequent the Sleeping Giant
Alderleaf to let them sleep in a hayloft. tap house at the east end of town.
The inn’sproprietoris a friendlyyounghuman
mannamedToblenStonehill.Toblenis a nativeof BARTHEN’S PROVISIONS
thetownof Triboar totheeast.He cameto Phan- Barthen’sProvisionsis thebiggesttradingpost
dalin to prospect,butsoonrealizedthathe knew in Phandalin. It stocksmostordinarygoodsand
a lot more about running an inn than he did about supplies, including backpacks, bedrolls, rope, and
mining.The newtownoffereda goodopportunity rations. The place is open from sunup to sundown.

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN 29

 Barthen’'sdoesn’t stock weapons or armor, but char-
acterscan purchaseotheradventuringgearhere,
exceptforitemsthatcostmorethan25gp.Charac-
terswho ask for weaponsor armoraredirectedto
theLionshieldCoster(seebelow).
The proprietoris Elmina Barthen,a younghuman
womanwith a kindlymanner.She employsa cou-
pleofclerks,AnderandThistle,whohelploadand
unloadwagons,andwhowaiton customerswhen
Elmina isn’taround.
DELIVERY
If thecharactersbeganplaywith the“MeetMe in
Phandalin”adventurehook,theirordersareto
deliverthewagonof suppliesto Barthen’s.Elmina
paystheagreedamount(10gp to eachcharacter)
and takespossessionof thewagonandits supplies.
If the characterstell herof GundrenRockseeker’s
capture,Elmina encouragesthepartyto rescuethe
dwarf. She considersGundrena friendandwas
excitedbyhis talk of discoveringthelostmineof
thePhandelver
Pactin thenearbyhills.If theparty
hasn'talreadylearneddetailsof theminefromSil-
dar Hallwinter,a characterwho succeedson a DC
10Intelligence(History)checkcan relatetheinfor-
mationfrom the first two paragraphsof chapter1.
Elmina also mentionsthattwo moreRockseeker
brothers,Nundro and Tharden,are campedsome-
where outsidetown.Elmina hasn'tseenthemina
tendayand expectsthebrothersto return“anyday
now” to resupply.What Elmina doesn’tknowis that
Tharden is deadand Nundrois a prisonerin the
mine. (See chapter4 for moreinformation.)
or harmothers.Thoughhe’sno lonp
tosubjugate
activein theorder,he keepsan eye on happening
aroundPhandalin. He's happyto trade news with,
fellowadventurers,especially those who appear i
holdto thesevirtues.
DARAN’SSUSPICIONS
Daran is concernedaboutthe Redbrands, and he
wouldlike to seea groupof heroes teach the ruffi
ansa lesson.He tells thecharacters that it’s time
someonetooka standagainsttheir leader, whom
theoutlawsreferto as “Glasstaff.”He knows the
Redbrandshangaroundthe Sleeping Giant tap
house,buthe can also tell the characters that the
Redbrands’safehouselies under Tresendar Manor,
theruin attheeastedgeof town. (See the “Tresen-
dar Manor”sectionfor moreinformation.)
OLD OwL TROUBLE
Daran has heardstoriesfrom prospectors in the
hills northeastof Phandalin that someone is dig-
gingin theruins known as Old Owl Well. More dis-
turbingly,severalprospectorshavereported being
chasedfrom theareaby foul undead.He asks the
LiINENE GRaYWIND

ELMINA’SNEWS
If the charactersask Elmina for newsof thetown,
the shopkeeperreluctantlyadmitsthatthe Red-
brands are making it hard on everyone,shaking
down local businessesand floutingthetownmas-
ter’sauthority.She knows thattheRedbrandsfre-
quentthe Sleeping Giant taphouse.

EDERMATH ORCHARD
Daran Edermath is a retireddrow adventurer.He
lives in a tidy little cottagebesidean appleorchard
that grew wild long ago,and he is workingtoclear
out the underbrush and cultivatethe orchardagain.
Daran is well over five hundred years old, and he
hasworkedasa marshalandheraldformanyyears
in the lands of the Dragon Coast,far tothe south.
re-
Upon retiring,he returnedtotheNeverwinter
gion, his original home.
Daran is a memberof the Order of theGauntlet,
a group of faithful seekersof justice who protect
others from the depredationsof evildoers.The or-
der is always vigilant, readyto smiteevil, enforce
justice, and enact retributionagainstanywho try

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN

30
 LIONSHIELDCOSTER
A woodensignshapedlike a shieldand painted
with a blue lion hangs above the door of this trading
post. The building is owned by the Lionshields, a
merchantcompanybasedin thecityof Yartar,overa
hundred miles to the east. They ship finished goods
to Phandalin and other small settlements through-
out the region, but this outpost has been hit hard by
banditry. The most recent Lionshield caravan due
in Phandalin never arrived. (It was attacked and its
cargo captured by the Cragmaw goblins.)
The owner of the Phandalin post is a human
woman named Linene Graywind. She knows that
bandits have raided Lionshield caravans, but she
doesn’t know who is responsible.
In a back room, Linene keeps a supply of armor
and weapons, all of which are for sale. Linene wor-
ries about Phandalin’s safety, however, and won't
sell weaponsto anyoneshe thinks mightbe a threat
to the town.

RECOVEREDGOODS
If the characters return the stolen goods recovered
in areaH8 of the Cragmawhideout(or if theyleft
thegoodsbutrevealwheretheycan be found),
Linene offers a reward of 50 gp and promises to
ORDER OF THE
GaunTcLertPIN
help the adventurers any way she can. She warns
the characters that the Redbrands are trouble and
advises them to avoid the Sleeping Giant tap house.

PHANDALIN MINER’S EXCHANGE

characters to head to the ruins, a couple of days’
The Miner’s Exchange is a trading post where local
marchnortheastof Phandalin,andfindoutwho's
miners have their valuable finds weighed, measured,
there and what they’redoing. Daran knows the
and paid out. In the absence of any local authority,
ruins are an old watchtower of an ancient magical
the exchange also serves as an unofficial records
empire known as Netheril, and he worries that dan-
office, registering claims to various streams and ex-
gerousmagicmightbedormantthere.If thecharac-
cavationsaroundthearea.The exchangeis a great
ters can ensure that no threat to the town is brewing
place to meet people who spenda lot of time in the
at Old Owl Well, Daran is willing to give them his
countrysidesurrounding Phandalin. There isn’tany
boots of striding and springing. The magical boots
real goldrush in Phandalin, butenoughwealth is
came in handy when Daran adventured, but he no
hidden in the nearby streams and valleys to support
longer needs them. If the party pursues this quest,
a good number of independent prospectors.
see “Old Owl Well” in chapter 3.
>
The guild masteris a quick-wittedand ruthless
a.
human woman named Halia Thornton. In her at-
JOINING THE ORDEROF THE GAUNTLET
tempts to establish the Miner’s Exchange as the
If thepartydealswiththeRedbrandsandinvesti-
gatestheOldOwlWell,DaranEdermath closestthingthe townhas to a governingauthority,
privately
approachescertainmembers
of thegroupandurges sheactsas morethana simplemerchant.She is
themtojointheOrderoftheGauntlet.
Hespeaks
with also an agentof the Zhentarim,a powerfulorganiza-
thosewhoexemplifythevirtuesof theorder,such tion thatseeksto exertsecretcontroloverthe North
as honor,vigilance,andrighteouszeal.If a character throughwealth and influence.Halia is working to
agrees,Daranawardstheindividualthetitleof “Che- slowly bring Phandalin under her control, and she
vall”andhandsthema pinthatrepresents
theorder. can become a valuable patron to the characters if
This rankandfactionwon'taffectthisadventure,
but
they don’t cross her.
it’ssignificant
forplayers
whoparticipate
inOrganized
Playevents.

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN 31 |

 Further,in chapter4, Halia smuggles Nezznar (\\¢
Spider out of townand into the Zhentarim’s custody,
allowing thevillain to escapejustice.

ALDERLEAFFARM -
Qelline Alderleaf is a wise and pragmatic halfling
farmerwho seemsto know everything that goes on
in town.She is a kind host and is willing to let th«
characters
stayin herhayloftif theydon’twantto
stayat the Stonehill Inn.

Carp’s STORY
Qelline’sson,Carp, is a spirited and precocious
halflinglad enchantedby the idea of being an adven-
turer.Hewasplayingin thewoodsnear Tresendar
Manor when he founda secrettunnel in a thicket.
A coupleof “bigscary bandits”came out of the
tunnelwhenhewas thereand met with a pair of
Redbrands.They didn’tsee him, but it was close.
Carp thinks thebanditshavea secret lair under the
old manorhouse.He also saw some strange goblins
with “glowinghands”duck into the tunnel. Carp can
ZHENTARIM PIN takethecharactersto the tunnel if asked, or he can
givethemdirectionsto the location.The cave leads
to area R8 in the Redbrands’hideout.

FINDINGCRAGMAWCASTLE
HALIA’SJOB OFFER
Qelline is a longtimefriend ofa druid named Rei-
If thecharactersask aboutthe Redbrands,Halia de-
doth.If Qelline realizes the charactersare looking
scribes how the ruffians loiteraround the Sleeping
for specificsitesin thearea,such as Cragmaw
Giant tap houseand havea baseunder Tresendar
Castle,she suggeststhe charactersvisit Reidoth
Manor, on the eastedgeof town.She thenoffers the
and ask for her help,“sincethere’snot an inch of
characters100 gp to capturethe Redbrands’leader,
the land thedruid doesn’tknow.”Qelline tells the
whom the outlawscall “Glasstaff,”and bring her any
charactersReidothrecentlyset out for the ruins of a
correspondencefoundin his quarters.
town called Thundertree, just west of the Neverwin-
The charactersare wise to be cautiouswhen deal-
terWood.The ruins are aboutfifty miles northwest
ing with Halia. She doesn’treveal thatshe wants to
of Phandalin,and Qelline providesdirections so
takeoverthe Redbrandsherself.A successfulDC
thecharacterscan easilyfind the place.If the party
15Wisdom(Insight)checkindicatesHaliahasulte-
pursuesthis quest,see“Ruins of Thundertree” in
rior motivesfor removingthe Redbrands’leader.
chapter3.

JOININGTHE ZHENTARIM SHRINE OF LUCK

Ifthepartydispatches theRedbrands’
leader,Halia Phandalin’sonly temple,this small shrine is made
Thorntonconverses withthecharacters
todetermine if
anyarecandidates of stonestakenfrom the nearbyruins. It is dedi-
formembershipintheZhentarim.
Sheis lookingforpeoplefocusedonwealth,power, catedtoTymora,thegodof luckandgoodfortune.
andinfluence. If anycharacters
meetherapproval, The shrine is in thecare ofa scholarly acolyte
sheprivatelyurgesthemtojointheZhentarim. Even namedSisterGaraele,a zealousyoungelf whode-
ifthepartywipesouttheentireRedbrand gang,Halia spairs of everridding Phandalin of the Redbrands
theofferinanefforttogainpowerful
maystillextend and otherevil influences.Sister Garaele is a mem-
friends(andspies)withintheparty.Ifa character ber of the Harpers, a scatterednetwork of adven-
thetitleof “Fang”
agrees,Haliagivestheindividual
turers and spieswho advocateequality and covertly
theZhentarim.
themapinthatrepresents
andhands
butit
Thistitleandfactionwon'taffectthisadventure, opposethe abuseof power.The Harpers gather
whoparticipate
forplayers
is significant inOrganized informationthroughoutFaerdinto thwart tyrants
Playevents. and despots.They aid the weak, the poor,and the
~= - oppressed.Sister Garaeleregularly reports to her
superiorson eventsin and around Phandalin.

: 32 CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN

 toAgatha mightbe ableto tradethe comb for an
answer.She offersthe mission to thecharactersand
will givethemthreepotionsof healingas payment
for their efforts.If the party pursuesthis quest,see
“Conyberryand Agatha’sLair” in chapter3.

SLEEPINGGIANT
This run-downtaphouseis a dirty,dangerouswa-
tering hole at the end of Phandalin’s main street. It
is frequented by Redbrands and operated by a surly
orc namedGreska. If thecharacterschoose to visit
theplace,see the “RedbrandRuffians”encounter.

TOWNMASTER’S HALL
Phandalin has no functioninggovernment,but the
villageelectsa “townmaster”eachyear.The town-
master serves as a judge in minor disputes and
keepsimportantrecords.The current townmaster
is a human banker named Harbin Wester, a cheerful
and well-liked,but timid leader.Completelyintim-
idatedby the Redbrands,Harbin initially claims

Harrers PIN

SISTER GARAELE’S BARGAIN

Recently,Garaele’ssuperiorsaskedher to under-
takea delicatemission.Theywantedto persuade
a dangerousbansheenamedAgathato answera
questionabouta spellbook.Garaeleunderestimated
Agatha’swrathwhensheattemptedto approach
thebanshee.
Before she fled for her life, Garaele noted that the
bansheespokewistfullyaboutthebeautifulbaubles
she owned in life. Garaele needs an intermediary
to bringAgathaa suitablegift—ajeweledsilver
comb—andpersuadethebansheeto tell whatshe
knowsaboutthelocationof a spellbookbelonging
to a legendarymagenamedBowgentle.Sister Ga-
raelebelievesthata characterwho paysobeisance
<a .

JOINING THE HARPERS

IfthepartyhelpsSisterGaraele
andlearnsfrom
Agathathefateof Bowgentle’s
spellbook,
Garaele
privately
approaches certainmembersof thegroup
andurgesthemtojointheHarpers. Shespeakswith
thosewhoexemplify thevirtuesofthenetworkand
Possessa desiretoenactpositive
change bygathering
intelligence.If a characteragrees,Garaeleawardsthe
individual
thetitleof“Watcher”
andhandsthema pin
torepresenttheHarpers.
Thisrankandfactionwon't
affectthis adventure,butit is significantfor players
who participatein OrganizedPlayevents.
~“ |

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN 33

el ee ek ee
 thatthey're“justa mercenaryguild,andnotall that
muchtrouble,really.”
The townmaster’s hallhasa smallbutserviceable
jailwithtwocells.Harbineventually
admits
tothe
charactersthattheRedbrandsshouldbecaptured
so theycanstandtrialandpotentially
besentto
Neverwinter forimprisonment.

DANGEROUS TRAIL
Harbinpostsofficialnoticesona boardbeside
thedoorof thetownmaster’s hall.He’slookingfor
someonetoheadeastontheTriboarTrail,where
maraudershaveattacked severalcaravansnear
WyvernTor.The mostrecentvictimsreportedthat
at leastone strangegoblin accompaniedthema-
rauders,whoconsistofatleastanogreandsome
bugbears.Harbinis offeringa 100gpcontractto
anygroupthatcandrivethemarauders andany
goblin companionsaway.If the party pursues this
quest,see“WyvernTor”in chapter3.

FINDING CRAGMAW CASTLE

After recoveringat the Stonehill Inn, Sildar Hall-
winter establisheshimself at the townmaster’shall.
As an agentof theLords’Alliance,hisgoalis tosee
Phandalin thrive and becomeprosperous.There-
fore, he wants to find the lost mine of Wave Echo
Loros’ ALLIANCE PIN
Cave and help the Rockseekerbrothersput it back
into production.
Sildar also encouragesthe charactersto keepup
the pressure on the Cragmaw goblins.He offersthe
a higherauthority.Regardless of Iarno’s fate,Sildar
partya 500gp rewardif theycanlocateCragmaw rewardsthe partywith 200 gp for eliminating the
Castle and defeator drive off the band’sleader. Redbrandthreat.
Sildar suggeststhe party mightfind the castleby
searching the lands around theTriboar Trail for TTRESENDARMANOR
moreraidingparties(seetherandomencounters
in More a castlethan a house,Tresendar Manor
chapter3).
standsat theeastedgeof town on a low hillside
FINDING IARNO ALBREK amid woods and thickets.The ancientmanor has
Sildar learns that Iarno Albrek, a fellowmemberof long beenabandoned,but its cellars havebeen con-
vertedintoa Redbrandstronghold.If the characters
the Lords’ Alliance, disappearedwhile exploringthe
investigatethis place,theyfind the entranceto the
area around Tresendar Manor abouttwo months
Redbrandhideout(describedbelow).
ago,shortlyafterarrivingin Phandalin.Sildarasks
.
thecharacterstoinvestigate
ia.
themanorandthe
surrounding area to find and bring backIarno—or JOININGTHELorbs’ ALLIANCE
what's left of him if he is dead.Sildar describes Ifthepartyeliminates thethreatfromCragmaw Cas-
tleoruncoverslarno’streachery, SildarHallwinter
Iarno as “a short, dark-beardedhumanwizard in his
privately
approaches certainmembers ofthegroup
thirties.” tourgethemtojointheLords’Alliance.Hespeaks
In reality,larno createdthe Redbrands,installed withthosewhoexemplify a commitment to protecting
himself as their leader,and took the pseudonym folk.Ifa character
vulnerable agrees,SildarHallwinter
“Glasstaff”to conceal his true identity.(The Red- awardstheindividual thetitleof “Cloak”andhands
brands call him that becausehe carries a glass thema pinto represent theLords’Alliance. This
rankandfactionwon'taffectthis adventure,but it is
staff.)Once he learns the truth about Iarno, Sildar significant
forplayers
whoparticipate
inOrganized
expresses a desire to have Jarno captured and Playevents.
transportedto Neverwinterto face thejudgmentof

34 CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN

i cmeenaannyoe
 +
= re

MYfa or Jf Be i s

¥ A GROUPOF CRIMINALS WHO WEARSCARLE

4

CLOAKSHAS BEEN CAUSINGTROUBLE IN

PHANDALIN FOR A WHILE NOW,
7
=

al
7*
”

REDBRAND RUFFIANS The SleepingGiantis a ramshackletaproomatthe

Within a day or so of the adventurers’arrival in eastendof town.Severaldisheveled,surlyhumans
Phandalin, a confrontation with the Redbrands lingeron thecoveredporch,perchedon emptyale
becomes inevitable.This can happen in several dif-
barrels
orleaning against
thewall.Theyallwear
ferent ways:
grimyscarletcloaks.Theirstaresarefixedonyouas
Confront the Redbrands. After speaking with a few youapproach.
NPCs in town, the characters decide to confront
One
of the ruffians
spitsontheground.“Well,
the Redbrands at the Sleeping Giant.
Investigate Tresendar Manor. The characters well,”hesays.“Here’sa wholepack
of little puppies.
decide to investigateTresendar Manor. Skip Whatdo youwanthere,puppies?Comedownhereto
the encounter below and go straight to “Red- barkat us?”
brands’ Hideout.”
us
Redbrand Confrontation. If the characters show
If the Redbrands confront the characters in the
no signs of going after the Redbrands, a gang of
street, read:
the ruffians seeks them out and picks a fight in the
town streets. Run this encounter as the characters
are leaving one of the locations in the town. As you head into the street, you find several armed,

If the characters confront the Redbrands at the surlyhumans

waiting
foryou.Theirscarletcloaksare
Sleeping Giant, read: grimy,andtheyplacetheirhandson theirweaponsas
theywatchyou.
One
ofthe ruffians
spitsontheground.“You've
beenaskingtoo manyquestions,”hesnarls.“Time
to moveon, strangers.Giveusyourstuffandbeon
yourway.”

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN

se Bg S a a e-* “et ree

wi
iene oad
Continuethebaitingaslongasyoulike.The Red-
brandsattackin a round or two if thecharacters
don't.Neitherside is surprised becauseit’s obvious
a fightis brewing.
Four Redbrand ruffians (seeappendixA) fight
thecharacters.
The ruffiansarenotoverlybrave.If
threeof the Redbrandsare defeated,the remaining
ruffianfleestoward TresendarManor.
DEVELOPMENT
Redbrandswho are captured,persuaded,or
charmedbythecharacters
canimpartusefulinfor-
mation(see“WhattheRedbrandsKnow”below).
The characterscan easilyconvinceTownmaster
HarbinWestertokeepan eyeonanyprisonersthey
captureforatleasta fewdays.
If thecharacters
kill theruffians,thetownmaster
expresseshisfearof retaliation.
REDBRANDS’ HIDEOUT
TheRedbrands' basein Phandalinis a dungeon
complexunderTresendarManor.Beforethemanor
wasruined,itscellarsservedassafestoragefor
foodand waterin the eventthatthe estatewas at-
tacked,while an adjoiningcrypt provideda resting
placefor thedeceasedmembersof the Tresendar
family.The Redbrandsexpandedthe cellars to suit
theirown purposes,adding holdingcells, work-
shops,and barracks.
If thecharactersbegin their searchat Tresendar
Manor,theyenterthe hideoutin area R1. If theyin-
steadfollowCarp Alderleaf to the secrettunnel the
lad found,theyenterthe hideoutvia area R8.
GENERAL FEATURES
The hideoutconsistsof well-builtchamberswith
flagstonefloors and walls of dressedstoneblocks.
Thewesternendof thecomplexis lowerthanthe
easternend,with stairs leadingdown as the charac-
tersexplore.
al.
ARETHEPLayers Lost?
Afterthe“Redbrand Ruffians”
encounter,theplayers
shouldrealizeit’stimetodealwiththerestofthe
theRed-
If theyaren’tclearthatinvestigating
gang.
brands’hideoutshouldbetheirnextmove,haveone
of theNPCsthey've metintownaskthecharacters to
Tresendar
investigate Manor.However, iftheplayers
choosetoavoidconflictwiththeRedbrands because
theywanttofollowotherleadsinthearea,it’sokay
tomoveontochapter3 andlettheruffianswait.The
nexttimethecharacters returnto Phandalin,makeit
clearthattheRedbrands arecausingevenmoretrou-
bleandthattheyneedto bedealtwith.Some ofthe
mayalsobringthefighttothecharacters.
Redbrands
= st
CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN
CEILINGS
Passagesandchambersare 10feethigh unless «\\,
erwiseindicated.
Doors
All doors are madeof wood with iron handles,
hinges,and built-inlocks. Doors are unlocked un
less the textstatesotherwise. Glasstaff (area R12)
and Nosk (areaR9) eachcarry an iron key that locks
andunlockseverydoorin thecomplex.
A lockeddoor can be pickedwith thieves’ tools
and a successfulDC 15Dexteritycheck. A door
can also be brokendown with a successful DC 20
Strength(Athletics)check.
SECRETDoors
Secretdoors are madeof stoneand blend into the
surroundingwalls. If an area contains one or more
secretdoors,a charactersearching the walls in
thatareafinds its secretdoors with a successful
DC 10Wisdom (Perception)check. Each search re-
quires 1 minute.
Secretdoorsswing openon hidden iron hinges
and are notlocked.
LIGHTS
Most areasare brightlylit byoil lamps in wall
sconces,which are refilledeveryfew hours
as needed.
WHAT THE REDBRANDS KNOW
charmor successfullyquestionany
If thecharacters
of theRedbrands,theycan learn the location of the
main entranceto their hideout(areaR1) as well as
thefollowinginformation:
Glasstaff. The leaderof the Redbrands is a human
wizard known as Glasstaff,so named because
his magicstaffis madeof glass.(Only the Spider
trueidentityaslarnoAlbrek.)
knowsGlasstaff’s
Glasstaff’schambersare in thewestern end of the
i
stronghold(seeareaR12).
The Spider. A mysteriousfigurecalled the Spider
hired theRedbrandsto frightenoff adventurers
and intimidatethelocals,for reasons unknown.
(The Spiderwantsto keeppotentialcompetition
awayfromthe Phandelvermine.)The Spider sent
bugbearsto reinforcethe Redbrandsand provide
extramuscle(seeareaR9).
Complex Guardian. The lower part of the com-
plexis guardedbya hideous“eyemonster”
(seeareaR8).
Prisoners. The Redbrandshavea handful of cap-
tivesin a holdingarea“nearthe old crypts,”which
are guardedbyskeletons(seearea R4 for details).
 . eye: Ss Ss 4h

+ : + J 1 ' 5 R7 4 a R6 e iE Ws Locked] "he oe

— |
;
Supplies
»=,
Ril { vil) Ss £ wd , Rack whshe
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: ° r . le fs |e Be S| SecretDoor;
. 7 Fs 7 ||Sarcophagus
a er *5iies
pene “ R4) i
1) {RIO 4 ; 4B
Us ae | age
es “Ts R3
te RE | *

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Cs RZ} 2)
ire ‘ t- ae + co

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~rRS io yt « i A wath

ie “ch i
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v : Ve.
Gi to forest

Map 2.2: REoBRAND Hideout

REDBRAND HIDEOUT LOCATIONS thoroughlysearchthemis a noisyactivitythatat-

tractstheattentionof the Redbrandsin areaR2.
The following locations are keyed to map 2.2.
Cistern. This rectangular reservoir is clean and
Rl]: CELLAR filled with cold,fresh water.It is 10feetdeepwith a
The deserted manor grounds have plenty of tracks rim 2 feet higher than the surrounding floor (so that
leading to a stone staircase just off the empty ruin of the bottom of the cistern is 8 feet below the floor).
a large kitchen. At the bottom of the stairs stands an Drainpipesfrom theroof of the manorfill thecis-
unlocked door with a cellar beyond. tern with water.
When thecharactersopenthedoor,readthe A waterproof satchel hangs from a submerged
following: ropeattachedto thesouthwall of thecistern,about
2 feetbelowwater’ssurface.The satchelcan’tbe
seenfromabovethewater,buta charactercan
Thedooropensonto a five-foot-wide
landingthat probe the cistern with a pole or jump in to find
isfifteenfeetabove
a largecellar,
withstonesteps it. The satchel contains some valuable items (see
descending tothefloorintwoshortflights.Another “Treasure” below).
doorstandsbeneath thestairstothenorth.A large Development. The bandits in area R2 notice if the
stonecisternoccupies thewestern partoftheroom, charactersmake a lot of noisehere.They burstinto
theroom,gainingsurprise if thecharactersdon't
whosewallsarelinedwithkegsandbarrels.
know they’recoming.
If thebanditsfightin this areaandtwo are de-
The Redbrandswanttokeeptheirbaseof opera- feated,thelast banditmightrevealthesecretdoor
tions hidden, so other than the barrels filled with byfleeingin thatdirection.
freshprovisions,nothingin this cellargivesaway Treasure. The waterproofsatchelhiddenin the
theirpresence. cistern contains a potion of healing, a potion of in-
The barrels contain salted pork and beef, flour, visibility,50 gp,anda cleansetof ordinarytravel
sugar, apples, and ale. Moving barrels around to clothing.This is Glasstaff’semergencykit.

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN 37

 R2: BARRACK
Mostof theRedbrands’humanmembers havelodg-
ingsin boardinghousesandbunkroomsin Phan-
dalin.Thisbarrack
isagoodplacetolielowafter
theyshakedownlocal minersandfur traders.
Thissmallstoreroomhasbeenconverted
intoliving
quarters.
Twodouble bunks
standagainst
thewall
nearthedoor,whilemorebarrels
andcratesfillthe
southern
halfof thechamber.
Threehumans lookup
asyouopenthedoor.
Threehumanbandits,all members oftheRed-
brands,arerestingin thisroom.If theyhearnoise
in area R1 (includingloud voicesor barrelsbeing
rolled around),theypreparethemselvesfor afight
and try to surprise intruders.
The barrels herecontain similar provisionsto
those in area R1.
Treasure.All threeRedbrands wearbeltpouches
holdingtreasure.The firstholds16spand7 gp;the
second holds 12sp and 5 gp;and the third holds 20
cp, 11ep, and two garnetsworth 10gp each.Addi-
tionally,threedirtyscarletcloaksthataretheRed-
brands’uniformhangfromthebunks.
R3: TRAPPED HALL
This area was part of Tresendar Manor’soriginal
cellars.The Redbrandsdugoutthedirt beneaththe
stone floor, creatinga hiddenpit trap.
Thickdustcovers
theflagstones
ofthis somber
hall-
way.Thewallsaredecorated
withfauxcolumnsevery
tenfeet,andthedoubledooratthewestendofthe
hallissheathedincopper
plate,nowgreenwithage.A
reliefcarving
ofamournfulangeladorns
thedoor.
Trap. The pittrapin themiddleof thehallwayis
hiddenunder afalse floorconsistingof loosestone
timbers.Thetilesandtim-
tileslaidatopbreakaway
berscollapseunder100or morepoundsofweight.
A charactersearchingthehallfortrapscanspot
the coveredpit with a successful DC 15Wisdom
(Perception) check. A successfulcheckalso reveals
narrowledgeson thenorthandsouthsidesof the
pit. A creature attemptingto skirt the pit using one
of theseledgesmustsucceedona DC 10Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check.
A creature that triggersthe trapor fails the Dex-
teritychecktoskirt theedgeof thepitmustmake
a DC 15Dexteritysavingthrowtocatchtheedge.
Onafailed save,thecreaturefalls20feettothedirt
floor of the pit, taking 2d6 bludgeoningdamageand
landing with the prone condition.
a
CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN
a neat
CRYPTS
R4; TRESENDAR
Theeldersof thelong-goneTresendar family we,
laidtorestin this mausoleum.
standwithinthisdeso.
Threelargestonesarcophagi
inrustymailarepropped
latecrypt,andsixskeletons
againstthewallsas if guardingtheplace.False
columnsalongthewallsarecarvedintheimageof
Thedoubledoorinthesoutheast
oaktrees.
spreading
copperplate.
issheathed
corner intarnished
Thesixskeletonsareanimatedandunderordersto
attackanycreaturethatcomeswithin 10feetof the
doorleadingtoareaR5 or thedoor leadingtoarea
R6.Theydon’tattacka creaturewearingthe scarlet
cloak of the Redbrandsor that speaks the password
“Illefarn”(thenameof an ancientelvennationthat
once spreadacross much of the Sword Coast).
The stonelid of each sarcophagus is carved to
depictthe person entombedwithin: two human men
and one humanwoman, all dressed like nobles. If
opened,the tombscontain mostly moldering bones
and scrapsof clothing,but see “Treasure” below.
Development. Fighting in this room alerts the
Redbrandsin area R5 that trouble is on the way.
Treasure. A jeweled gold braceletworth 140 gp
lies amid the bones in the sarcophagus containing
the femalehuman remains.
R5: HOLDINGCELLS
For months,the Redbrandshavebeen capturing
travelersin the area and holding them until theycan
be ransomed.
Thislongroomis partitionedintothreeareas,with
ironbarswallingoffthenorthandsouth.Filthystraw
doorsof
ofthosecells,thehinged
linesthefloors
whicharesecured a
bychains A pairof
ndpadlocks.
humanwomenareheld in the cell to the south, while
a humanboyisconfinedto thenorth.
Three Redbrand ruffians (seeappendixA) stand
guard here,thoughtheyspend most of their time
tauntingthe haplessprisoners (see“Captives”
below).If theyhear fightingin area R4, theytake
positionsagainstthe wall near the door, then try to
surprise intruders.The captivesare too intimidated
to shoutwarnings or call for help.
Cell Doors. The cell doors featuresimple locks
requiring thieves’tools and a successful DC 10
Dexteritycheckto pick. The doors can also be
wrenchedopen by bruteforce with a successful DC
22 Strength (Athletics)check.
 Development. If two ruffiansare defeated,the
third tries to fleeand warn the restof thecomplex.
He might revealthe secretdoor leadingintoareaR7
in his effortto escape.
Captives. The three humancommoners impris-
onedhereare Mirna Dendrar and her teenagechil-
dren, thirteen-year-oldNars and eighteen-year-old
Nilsa. A coupledaysago,the Redbrandsmurdered
Mirna’s husband,Thel. (His corpsecan befoundin
area R8.) The gangwas thengoingto kill his family,
but Mirna promisedthatwealthyrelativesin Never-
winterwould paya substantialsum for herand her
children’ssafereturn.The Redbrandshavekeptthe
Dendrarsherewhile theydevelopa ransomplan.
The Dendrarsare gratefulto thecharactersfor
rescuingthem,buttheycan’tprovidemuchinforma-
tion aboutthe hideout.All theyknow is thattheboss
is a wizard (thoughtheyhaven'tmethim anddon't
know his name), and that he has “tall, furry mon-
sterswith big ears”(bugbears)working for him.
Mirna’s Heirloom. Thoughshe has nothing
immediatelyto offeras a reward,Mirna tellsthe
characters that she might know where a valuable
heirloomis hidden.When shewas a younggirl, she
and her familyfledfromthetownof Thundertree
after undead overran the place. Her family had an
fk iAF A, eseS ay 2
THE LONG-ABANDONED CRYPTS OF TRESENDAR
MANOR NOW HOLD SOME DEADLY SURPRISES.
herband alchemyshop, insidewhich is an emerald
necklacein a case hiddenbeneatha section of stor-
ageshelves.She neverdared return to retrieveit.
The shopwas in the southeastpart of Thundertree.
(If thecharactersdecideto explorethe ruins of
Thundertree,see chapter3.)
R6: ARMORY
The door to this room is locked from the outside.
Across from the locked door is a secret door that
leads to area R7.
Racksofweapons linethewallsof thischamber,
spears,swords,crossbows,
including andbolts.A
dozendirtyredcloakshangfromhooksbythedoor.
The Redbrandshaveambitiousplans to expand
their numbersin the nearfuture,so they’vebeen
stockpilingarms and armor.
Treasure. The weaponracks hold twelvespears,
six shortswords,four longswords,six light cross-
bows, and eight quivers holding twenty crossbow
boltseach.Three of theweaponsare especially
well made:a shortswordwhose pommeland guard
are set with semiprecious stones, and two matched ee
crossbowswhose woodworkis inlaid with silver,If
sold, theseweaponsfetchtwice theirnormal value.

R7: STOREROOM
ANDWoRKAREA
In this chamber,the Redbrandstake stockof their
stolenwares, eithershippingthemout through
thecaverntothesouthor packaging
themfor
storagein thestronghold.

Thisareaisthenorthendofalargenatural
cavern,
butithasbeenfinishedwithdressed
stoneblock
wallsandaflagstone
floor.Several
barrels
arestored
against
thewallshere,alongwithemptycrates,
straw
forpacking,
hammers,prybars,andnails.
Thecaverncontinues
forsomedistancetothe
south.
Youcanmake
outseveral
passages
thatopen
offthelargercavern,
andwhatlookslikea deeppitor
crevasseinthefloor.

This room containstwo secretdoors, one leadingto

area R6 and the otherto area R12.
Treasure. Most of the provisionsand goodshere
aren'tterribly valuable.Forty beaverpelts worth 2
SSARNAK
gp eachare an exception.They were lootedfrom a
caravanon the Triboar Trail a fewdaysago.

R8: CREVASSECAVE
The characterslikely arrive hereby oneof three
routes:the tunnel from area R1; thestoreroomat
area R7; or the rough-hewnpassageto thesouth,
which continuesoff the map for aboutone hundred
feetand emergesfrom a cavein thewoods southof
Tresendar Manor. The southernpassageis an ex-
cellentway to smugglepeopleor goodsin and out of
Phandalin. If the charactersspoketo Carp Alderleaf
(seethe “AlderleafFarm” section),he will leadthem
to the tunnel entrancebut won't follow theminside.
A coldbreezesoftlysighsin thislargenaturalcavern,
flesh.Acrevasse
thefaintscentofdecaying
carrying
withslopedwallsdividesthecavernandis flankedby
tworoughstonecolumnsthatsupportthetwenty-
foot-highceiling.Two arched,wooden bridgesspan
the chasm.
A subterraneanmonsterthathungersfor flesh—a
nothic namedSsarnak—guards this cave.Luredby
fromthecrevasse,
a faintmagicaleffectemanating
whenGlasstaff
thecreaturewasoccupyingthearea
with the mon-
movedin. Glasstaff struck a bargain
the sone
ster, convincing it to help guard
occasional gift of fres
change for treasure and the
meat.Ssarnak is untrustworthybut loyal enough,
for themoment.
Ssarnak normallylurks near the west ends of the
two bridges.If it noticesintruders entering the cave,
it hidesbehindoneof the largestonecolumns and
watchesthem,attemptingto use its Weird Insight to
discerntheintruders’secrets.
Ssarnak communicatesvia telepathy.If detected,
it prefersto negotiateand will betraythe Redbrands
for theright incentive,suchas the promise of food.
The nothicknows everythingthe Redbrands know
(seethe“Whatthe RedbrandsKnow” section).
Bridges. Thesebridgesare madeof wooden
planksandhaveno rails. The southernbridge is
riggedtocollapsewhena creatureweighing more
than 50 poundsmovesacrossit. A characternext to
thebridgecan spottheriggedconstructionwith a
successfulDC 10Wisdom (Perception)check. Any
creature,includingSsarnak, can dislodgeone end
of eitherbridge,droppingit into the crevasse,as an
action.A creaturethatfalls into the crevassetakes 7
(2d6)bludgeoningdamage,has the prone condition,
and lands in a jumble of rubble that counts as diffi-
in
cult terrain.

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN

or
ee
lr
 THe CRAGMAWGOBLINS ARE A THREAT
THROUGHOUT
Dead Goblins. Underneath the southern bridge
are corpses of two psionic goblins (see appendix
A). These goblins have elongatedskulls and are
dressed in filthy, haphazard rags. An examination of
the bodies reveals that a pair of vicious claws killed
the goblins.
While they were looking to sow mayhem in the
hideout, the goblins fell to the nothic before they
couldgetanyfarther.It’sclearthatthesegoblinsare
different than the ones the characters encountered
in chapter 1.The characters will learn more about
these goblins in later chapters.
Crevasse.This steep-sidedfissureis 5 to 10feet
wide and 20 feet deep. Its rough walls are easily
climbedwithouta check.
The bottom of the crevasse feels unnaturally cold.
When viewed with a detectmagic spell, the area em-
anates a faint necromantic aura. The magic causes
all organicmatterin thecrevassetoageanddecom-
pose at half the normal rate.
Heaped at the bottom is the skeleton of Thel
Dendrar, the woodcarver of Phandalin who was
murderedbytheRedbrands.Ssarnak haspicked
the bones clean, but the body is wearing a carved
wooden pendant shaped like a unicorn’s head.
THE PHANDALIN REGION
Mirna Dendrar in area R5 of the Redbrand hideout
can identify the pendant and body as her husband's.
Treasure. The nothic keeps its hoard in a battered
wooden chest hidden in a cubbyhole at the bottom of
the crevasse, under the northern bridge. The chest
can’t be seen from the edge of the crevasse but is
obviousto anycharacterwho descendsinto the
fissure. The chest contains 160 sp, 120 gp, five mal-
achite gems worth 12 gp each, a potion of healing, a
potion of climbing, and a potion of growth.
The chest also holds a +] longsword in a dusty
silver-chased scabbard. The sword is inscribed
with the name “Talon,” and its hilt is worked in the
shape of a bird of prey with outspread wings. It once
belongedto a greatknightnamedAldith Tresendar,
known as the Black Hawk. A character who suc-
ceeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check recog-
nizes the sword and recalls this lore.
Sir Aldith died fightingoff thebanditsthatat-
tacked through the hidden caverns below his manor.
Talon was lost here until Ssarnak found it.
R9: GUARD BARRACK
A character who listens at this door and succeeds
on DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check hears several
CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE
if
IN PHANDALIN
 gruffvoicesissuingcommandsin theGoblin He doesn'trememberthe location of Cragmaw Cas
tongue.Evenif thecharacterdoesn’tspeakGoblin, tle,butheknowsit’sup north(in the forest).
it’sclearthecommandsarecruel. Treasure. Nosk carries a belt pouch containing
13sp and somesemipreciousstones worth 50 gp.
He also has an iron keythat locks and unlocks all
Thisbarrack
contains
fourroughly
builtwooden
thedoors in the Redbrands’hideout.
bunks,withheaped
blankets
anddirtydishesscat-
teredabout.A strongsmellofunwashed
bodiesand R10: COMMONROOM
rotten
meatfillstheair.Fourtall,furryhumanoids
are This room is theheadquartersand meeting room
lounging
inthemess, barking orders atagoblin.
Your for the Redbrands.When thereis no official busi-
nessto discuss,it doublesas a common room where
suddenappearance
causesthegoblintofaint.
guardscanrelaxwhile offduty.
thestronghold
A characterwho listensat the door and succeeds
Four bugbears andonegoblin are present.The on a DC 10Wisdom (Perception)check hears the
goblin,Droop,is at thebugbears’mercy.He faintsat Rattling
villainsplayinga gameof knucklebones.
thesightof theparty,butanothercreaturecan use soundsare followedby shoutsand groans, and then
an actiontowake him. Otherwise,Droop has the a gabbleof voicesas wagersare paid. If the charac-
unconsciousconditionfor 1d10minutes. ters burstinto theroom,theysurprise its occupants.
The bugbearswork for the Spider andweresent
hereto helpGlasstaffkeepthe Redbrandsand
thecitizensof Phandalin in line.The leaderof the
group is namedNosk.
The bugbearsare theonly onesin the Redbrands’ IlaRNO
hideoutwho know the locationof WaveEcho “GLASSTAFF”
Cave.Theywon'twillinglydivulgethisin- ALBREK
formation,since theyfear theSpider more
thantheyfearthecharacters,
thougha
charmperson spell mightcoax theinforma-
tion from one of them.
The bugbearsalso know the location
ofCragmawCastle,butagain,theywon't
sharethisinformationwillingly.
The bugbearsavoidthe human membersof the
Redbrands.If the charactersare wearing scarlet
cloaks, the bugbearsassumetheyserveGlasstaff.
Clever charactersmight evenpersuadethe bug-
bears to helpdeal with “traitors”or “impostors”
elsewherein the dungeon.
Roleplaying Droop. The goblin, Droop, is nota
threatto the party.He is a memberof the Scrap-
tops,a goblin clan known for its scavengingand
tinkering.Droopwanderedintothehideoutlooking
for parts for a wagon he’srepairing back home.
The Cragmaws are demandinghe join their band,
but the terrified Droop just wants to go home.
When combat breaks out, Droop hides and avoids
the fight.
Droopknowsthegenerallayoutof theRedbrands’
hideout,as well as the location of its secret doors
andtraps.If asked,herevealsas muchas he
can remember.
Droopasksthe
aredispatched,
If thebugbears
party to protect him while he escapes the hideout.

IN PHANDALIN

a
CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE

_—
 Books andNotes. Glasstaffis a wizard of mid-
Several around
worntablesandchairsarescattered dling skill, and he is trying to master the art of
thislargeroom.Woodenbenches aredrawnagainst brewing potions and concocting useful alchemical
wallsdecoratedwithbrown-and-red and
draperies, mixtures.The booksand notesscatteredaround
severalalekegsareproppedupandtapped. theroomare basictextson alchemy.Any character
humanwarriorswearingscarlet proficient in Arcana or alchemist’s supplies can tell
Fourtough-looking
theapparatusis setup to brewa potionof invisibil-
cloaksaregatheredaroundoneofthetables.A stack
ity—buttheprocesshas beenunsuccessfulso far.
ofcoinsandtrinketsisheapeduponthetabletop Among the books is a tome written in Dwarvish.
them.
between The journal of an adventurernamedUrmon,it de-
scribesthehistoryof thelost mineof Phandelver
and theForgeof Spells.(Sharetheinformationin
Two Redbrand ruffians (seeappendixA) andtwo
thefirst and secondparagraphof thebeginningof
humanbandits, all membersof theRedbrands,are
chapter1 if youhaven'talreadydoneso.)
playingknuckleboneswhenthecharactersenter.
The gameisn’tfar fromturningacrimonious.The eS
Po ce
dice are loaded, and the bandit to which they belong IARNO “GLASSTAFF” ALBREK
is winning big. All four are intoxicated. Humanoid
Medium LawfulEvil
Wizard),
(Human,
The Redbrandsrecognizecharacterswearing
of defense)
ArmorClass12(16withmagearmorandstaff
scarlet cloaks as impostors. However, fast-talking 22(5d8)
HitPoints
offas newre-
charactersmightpassthemselves Speed30ft.
cruits, especially if they offer tojoin the game.
Treasure. The wealth in the room is all on the STR DEX CON INT wis CHA
table, having been bet in the game.(Knocking over 9(-1) 14(+2)11(40) 17(+3)12(+1)11(+0)
the table or mixing up all the enemies’ loot is a great
SavingThrowsInt+5,Wis+3
way to distract them for a short time.)The total SkillsArcana+5,History+5
amountsto 75cp,55sp,22ep,15gp,anda gold SensespassivePerception 11
earring set with a tiny ruby worth 30 gp. LanguagesCommon, Draconic, Dwarvish,Elvish
1 (200XP)
Challenge Bonus+2
Proficiency
R11:WIZARD’sWORKSHOP
Faint bubbling and dripping sounds can be heard SpecialEquipment.Glasstaffwieldsa staffofdefense
(see
through either door of this room with a successful appendix B).Withthestaff in hand,hecanuseanactionto
DC 15Wisdom(Perception)check. castthemagearmorspellandusehisreactiontocastthe
shieldspell.

This roomappearsto beawizard’sworkshop.

A large ACTIONS
worktableis setupwithalembics,retorts,distillation Multiattack.GlasstaffmakestwoShockingBurstattacks.
coils,andotheralchemicaldevices,allof themstew- ShockingBurst.MeleeorRanged SpellAttack:+5to hit,
ingandbubbling
away.
Bookshelves
arecrowded
with reach
5 ft. or range120ft.,onetarget.Hit:6 (1d6+3)light-
ningdamage.
sheaves
ofparchment
andstrange-looking
tomes.
Spellcasting.
Glasstaffcastsoneofthe followingspells,requir- bartx;
ingnomaterial components andusingIntelligenceasthespell-2g}£2"
Though Glasstaff is in his quarters (area R12), he castingability(spellsaveDC 13): at
hasn't left his experiments untended.His evil famil- Atwill:light,magehand
iar,a quasit namedZeond,lurkshereandwatches 1/dayeach:charmperson,holdperson,
magicmissile
over its master’s work.
Zeond is invisible when the party enters and
Bonus ACTION
doesn’t attack immediately.Rather, it watches the Teleport
(2/Day).Glasstaffmagically
teleports,
alongwithany
equipmenthe is wearingor carrying,up to 30 feetto an unoc- i .
party closely and waits until the characters are em-
cupiedspacehecansee. *
broiled in a battle before attacking.After it attacks,
Zeond turns invisible again and skulks about, look-
ing for a chancetoinflictharmupona weakened
character. The quasit doesn’twant to find itself the
target of multiple enemies.
If Zeond follows the party to other locations within
the hideout, assume that it can do so without being
detectedas longas it remainsinvisible.

CHAPTER 2 | TROUBLE IN PHANDALIN

 In addition,Urmonrecordsthata magicmace
namedLightbringer wascommissioned bypriestsof
Lathander, thegodofdawn,fromthemageswork-
ingwiththegnomesanddwarvesofthePhandelver
Pact.ThemacewaslostwhenWaveEchoCaveand
its minevanishedfrom history.(Charactersmight
findthemacein chapter4.)
Development.BecauseZeondandGlasstaff
sharea telepathic
bond,Glasstaff(inareaR12)
knows thecharactersare comingand has timeto
forthem.
prepare
Treasure. Most of the materialsin this room have
novalue,butthreebottlesholdrarereagents:
mer-
cury,dragonbile,and powderednightshade.These
are worth 25 gp eachto an apothecaryor alchemist.
R12:GLASSTAFF’S
QUARTERS
If the charactersapproachthis room throughthe
secretpassagefromareaR7,theycansurprisethe
leaderoftheRedbrands, Iarno “Glasstaff”Albrek.
Otherwise,hisquasitfamiliarwarnshimofany
whoapproachthroughareaR11,andGlasstaffflees
beforethecharactersarrive.Whenthecharacters
reachthisroom,readthefollowing:
Thewallsofthisbedchamber arecoveredwithdrapes
ofscarlet
cloth.Thefurnishingsinclude
a smallwrit-
ingdeskwithmatching chair,
a comfortable-looking
bed,andawooden
chestatthefootofthebed.
If Glasstaff is surprised, add:
Sittingatthedeskisashort,dark-bearded human
maninrobes,studying atome.Hewears a princely
mantle ofermine,andhisboots,gloves,
androbes
aretrimmed inthesamefur.A dusky glassstaffleans
against hischair,
withineasyreach.
Etched intothe
staff'slengtharestylized
feathers.
If the quasit in area R11 warns Glasstaffthattrou-
bleis approaching,
hegrabsthescrollsfromhis
chest(see“Treasure”below)andfleesviaa secret
door in the northeastcorner of the room. In his
haste,Glasstaff leavesbehind a letterfrom the
Spider (see“Development”below)and neglectsto
properlyclose the secretdoor. Charactersgain ad-
vantageon ability checks madeto find the slightly
ajar secretdoor.
If he managesto escape,Glasstaff fleesto area R1
(viaareasR7 andR8)andgrabsthesatchelhidden
in thecisternif it is still there.If thenothicis still
alive in area R8, Glasstaff instructs it to waylayany
pursuers.If thecharacterscatchupto Glasstaff,and
44 CHAPTER
2|TROUBLE
INPHANDALIN
> eh
he has the satchel,he quaffs the potionof inv/s; bility
andfleesthehideout.
If heis reducedto8 or fewerhit points and |),
noavenues ofescape,Glasstaffsurrenders. He
valueshis life more than anything, and he remains
a modelprisoner in the hopes that the Spider wil!
somehowlearnof his predicamentand “arrange{or
hisfreedom.”
RoleplayingGlasstaff.A formermemberof thy
Lords’ Alliance, Glasstaff seized an opportunity in
Phandalintolinehisownpockets.Originally tasked
withsettingupa constabulary,
he insteadassem-
bleda groupofoutlawsandlocal ruffians to secure
hisownpositionin town.
Glasstaffknewof theSpiderthroughhis contacts
in the Lords’ Alliance and brokered a meeting. The
Spiderpromisedtosharethesecretsand wealthof
theForgeofSpellswithGlasstaffin exchangefor
his helpand his loyalty.
Glasstaffputsonairsof gentilityand courteous
manners,addressinghis bandits and ruffians as
“mygoodfellows,”and referring to sordid acts such
as kidnappingor arson as “that unpleasant little
business”or “thoseunfortunateevents.”He may
referto thecharactersas his “honored guests,” and
expressesregretthathe cannot provide suitable en- ne
fortheoccasionof theirvisit.Beneath
tertainment
his genteeldemeanor,however,Glasstaff is just as
violentand arrogantas any of the Redbrands.
whilein captivity,Glasstaffre-
If heis questioned
all of whichis true:
latesthefollowinginformation,
Drow Villain. The Spider is a drow.
Fearsome Brigands. The Spider sent four bug-
bearsto helpGlasstaffkeepthe population of
Phandalinundercontrol, but the Redbrands have
so far managedwithoutthem.
Known Route. The bugbearsknow the way to Wave
Echo Cave.(Glasstaffdoes not know the route.)
Magical Forge. The Spider is searching Wave Echo
Cavefor theForgeof Spells, a magical forge that
was usedbydwarvesand gnomesin bygonedays
to fashionpowerfulmagicitems.
Unknown Betrayal. No other membersof the
Lords’Alliance know of Glasstaff’sbetrayal.
Development.Variouspapersand notes are
stackedneatlyon thedesk,mostlyconsisting of
Glasstaff’swrittenordersto apothecariesand alche-
mistsin nearbysettlementsfor more materials for
his workshop.However,thecharactersalso find a
letterrolledupandsealedwitha waxsymbolin the
shapeof a spider.
oe Sb ce
sty
om Ee
Lord Albrek, WHAT’S NEXT?
Myspiesin Neverwinter are
tellmethatstrangers If Glasstaffis takeninto custody,Sildar Hallwinter
Theycouldbeworking for arrangesto havethe wizard incarceratedin the
duetoarrivein Phandalin.
townmaster’shall until he can be safelytransported
them
Capture
thedwarves. if you
if you can,killthem
backto Neverwinter.At somepoint, Glasstaff stands
must,butdon’tallowthemto upsetourplans.See trial for his crimes. If your playersare interested,
thatanydwarvenmapsintheirpossessionaredeliv- consider running a short roleplayingscenein which
eredtomewithhaste. their charactersgive testimonyabout Glasstaff’s
I’m countingon you,larno.Don't disappointme. actionsand whatthe partyfound in the Redbrands’
hideout.Or you can skip thetrial, as its detailsare
immaterialto this adventure.Once Glasstaffis
Treasure.At thefootof thebedis a sturdy,un- foundguilty,Sildar takeshim to Neverwinter,where
lockedwoodenchestholdingthebest pickingsof heserveshis lengthyprison sentence.The Spider
the Redbrands’loot overthelast fewmonths.It con- is too preoccupiedto meddlein the wizard’sfate,so
tains 180sp, 130gp,and a silk pouchwith fivecar- Glasstaffcan forgoany hope of a rescue.
neliansworth 10gp eachand two peridotsworth 15 At this point,it shouldbe clear to thecharacters
gpeach.It alsocontainstwoscrollsthatGlasstaff thattheymustfind WaveEcho Cavein the wilds out-
broughtwith him from Neverwinter:a spellscroll of side Phandalin.
holdperson anda spellscroll of fireball.
Glasstaffalso wieldsa staffof defense(see
appendixB).

THE CHARACTERSHAVEA LONGJOURNEY AHEAD

THROUGH THE PHANDALIN WILOS.

a
HEBANSHEE
AGATHA
BROOKS
NO

_
WREATS IN HER H
ea

ae
Ps
 ae

CHAPTER 3

| WEB
THESPIDER’S
HAVEDEALTWITH
NCETHECHARACTERS RUNNING THIS CHAPTER
- Jarno “Glasstaff” Albrek, they'll likely
This chapter takes place in the wilds surrounding
want to find Wave Echo Cave and confront
Phandalin,a regionknown as theTriboar Trail. The
theSpider.So far,thecharactershaven't
area is composed of foothills and rolling, sparsely
learned the cave'slocation, but they have several
wooded plains that extend between the Sword
leads that point to the wilderness outside Phand-
Mountains to the south and Neverwinter Wood to
alin.The charactersmayalsocompleteanyquests
thenorth.The areagainsits namefroman old trail
they received from townspeople in Phandalin.
that runs from the distant town of Triboar to the
The characters can’t learn much more in town,
east, winding westward about one hundred miles
andwith theRedbrandsdefeated,Phandalinisn’tin
through the abandoned village of Conyberry, then
immediate danger. The heroes must enter the for-
running north of Phandalin on its way to the High
ests and hills surrounding the town to uncover the
Road along the coast.
larger plots they'recaught in.
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT
THE STORY SO FAR The characters should be 3rd level when the chap-
Depending on which townspeople the characters ter begins. The characters gain a level when they
met in Phandalin and which quests they completed confront King Grol and learn the location of the lost
or clues they gathered,they might know some or all mine of Phandelver.
the following information:
UsING THE OVERLAND MAP
The Banshee. Sister Garaele wants the characters
to find the banshee Agatha and ask her about In this chapter, the characters travel from one point
Bowgentle’s spellbook (see “Conyberry and Ag- of interest to another. As shown on the regional map
atha’s Lair”). in this book’s introduction, some of these areas are
Old Owl Well. Daran Edermath wants the charac- forty to fifty miles apart, requiring several days of
ters to discover who is exploring the ruins at Old marching overland to reach the next adventure site.
Owl Well (see“OldOwl Well”).
Thundertree. Qelline Alderleaf suggestedthe TRAVEL TIME
characters go to the ruined town of Thundertree Assume the party travels twenty-four miles per day
and consult with the druid Reidoth (see “Ruins of overa periodof tenhours.The charactersmustrest
Thundertree”). for eight hours per day,with the remaining six hours
Wyvern Tor. Townmaster Harbin Wester wants available for making and breaking camp, preparing
the characters to head east on the Triboar Trail meals, and foraging or hunting.
ee
Ie
4:Q and chase away raiders near Wyvern Tor (see
WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS
“Wyvern Tor”).
CragmawCastle.Sildar Hallwinterwantsthechar- The wilds of theTriboar Trail arenotespecially
acters to stop the Cragmaw goblins’ attacks and safe.As theheroestravelthroughoutthis area,they
search for Gundren Rockseeker, and he encour- mightstumbleacrosshungryanimals,greedyban-
ages them to explore Cragmaw Castle (see “Crag- dits, or vicious monsters.
maw Castle”). Checkfor randomwildernessencountersonce
during the day and once at night by rolling a d20.
The characters can rest and purchase supplies in
an encountertakesplace.Rolla
On aroll of 17—20,
Phandalin as their funds allow. When they’redone,
d12 and consult the Triboar Trails Random Encoun-
so their
ask theplayersto picka leadto investigate
terstableto determinewhatthepartymeets.
characters can head to the appropriate destination.

CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB 47

 pues
A
r.

Tre TRiBOAR TRAIL IS FULLOF OANGERS,

INCLUDINGHUNGRYOWLBEARS

TRIBOAR TRAIL RANDOM ENCOUNTERS BUGBEARSCOUTS

DayRoll NightRoll Result These two bugbears are partof the band based at
1-2 1-3 1d4+2 stirges WyvernTor.As theyroam,theylook for travelers
— 4 1d4+1 ghouls to ambush.
3-4 — 1ogre
5-6 5 Cragmawgoblinband(seebelow)
CONYBERRY AND
7-8 6 Hobgoblinsquad(seebelow) AGATHA’S LAIR
9-10 7-8 Bugbearscouts(seebelow) The townof Conyberryhas been abandoned for
yearsand lies in ruins. The Triboar Trail runs
1 9-10 1d4+2 wolves
throughtheabandoned
town,providingan easy
12 11-12 1 owlbear landmarkfor locatingthe lair of the banshee Ag-
atha.Fromtheruinsof Conyberry,an old trail leads
CRAGMAWGOBLIN BAND northwestinto NeverwinterWood. Agatha’s lair is a
This bandof Cragmawmaraudersconsistsof 2d4 fewmilesoutsidetown.
goblins led bya goblin boss.Theyknowtheloca- 2
tionof CragmawCastleandcan providedirections Theforestgrowsdarkandstillasthetrailwindsdeep-
if they are captured and threatened.The boss has a erintothetrees.Heavyvinesandthicklayersof moss
pouch containing 1d10cp and 1d10sp. drapethebranches,andtheair is noticeably
colder
HOBGOBLIN SQUAD thanitwasintheruined
village.
Afterrounding
a bend
This squadof 1d4+3 hobgoblinsseekstheadven- inthetrail,youcomeupona domedsheltermade
turers, hoping to collect a bounty set by the Spider. fromthewarped, bowingbranches
of nearbytrees.A
One of the hobgoblins carries a crudely drawn lowdoorway
leadsinside.
sketch of one party member,with “25 gold pieces
for this one”anda symbolof a spiderscrawled
beneath it.

48 CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB

>.
This 10-foot-by-10-footshelter is the lair of Agatha
the banshee. If the characters exercise caution and
remember what they'vecome here for, they won't
haveto fighther.As such,no mapis provided.Ifa
fight breaks out, any forest map with a small struc-
ture will do.
When the characters enter the shelter,read the
following:
Ahomeofsortsisshelteredwithinthedomeof
It issparsely
wovenbranches. withchests,
furnished
shelves,a table,anda chaiselongue,all of it old and
ofelvencraft.
Agathasensesthecharacters’intrusionand appears
shortly after they enter her home:
Theairgrowscold,anda powerful feelingofdread
i
flickers
gripsyou.A palelight taking
ntheair,rapidly
theformofafemaleelf,herhairandrobeswaving
wind.A hateful
ina spectral expressiontwistsher
features.
Agatha snarls:
Whatdoyouwanthere?Doyounot
“Foolishmortals.
knowitisdeathtoseekmeout?”
If the characters are rude, disrespectful, or threat-
ening, Agatha tries to frighten them away using her
HorrifyingVisageability.If thatisn’tenoughtodeter
them, she attacks.
DEALING WITH THE BANSHEE
If the characters are respectful and polite, they can
persuade Agatha to help them with a successful DC
15Charisma(Persuasion)check.
The player who takes the lead in speaking with
the banshee makes the check. If that player role-
plays the encounter well, allow them to make the
check with advantage.If any character has Sister
Garaele’s silver comb and presents it to Agatha as
a gift, the check is automatically successful. If the
checkfails,Agathaattacksthecharacters;if it suc-
ceeds, she smiles with cold amusement and enter-
tains their questions:
“Verywell.| knowthatyouseekmanythings.Askme
One question, and| will give you an answer.”
If the charactersask aboutBowgentle’sspellbook,
Agathatellsthemthatshe tradedthe book to a nec-
romancernamedTsernoth from thecity of Iriaebor
morethana hundredyearsago.She doesn’tknow
what becameof thebook afterward.Her answer is
truthful,and it’sall the informationSister Garaele
needsfor theHarpers to resumetheir search.
The charactersmightinsteadchooseto ask Ag-
athaaboutsomethingelse—forexample,the loca-
tionof CragmawCastle,thelocationof WaveEcho
Cave, the identity of the Spider, or Hamun Kost’s
question about Old Owl Well (see that section, be-
low).Agathais well informedand a capablediviner,
so she can answer almost any single question per-
tainingtothe adventurethatthe playersthink to
have their characters ask. However, the banshee
warns the characters that she will answer only one
question,so theyshouldchooseit carefully.
SISTER GARAELE’S QUEST
Learning what Agatha knows about the missing
spellbook completes a quest given to the party by
SisterGaraelein Phandalin.The charactersshould
report to Sister Garaele to receive their payment of
threepotions of healing.
OLD OwL WELL
Built thousands of years ago by a long-vanished
empire, Old Owl Well is now a ruined watchtower,
along with an adjoining building, that consistsof lit-
tle more than a few crumbling walls and the broken
stump of the tower. In the tower’s courtyard stands
an old well that still delivers clean, fresh water.
Old Owl Well lies eighteenmiles southeastof Co-
nyberry, in the hills south of the Triboar Trail. The
site is relatively easy to find, and any NPC in Phand-
alin can provide directions to the ruins.
Recently, prospectors in the area have noted that
someonehas setup a campsiteat Old Owl Well, and
that undead guardians have been posted to keep
intruders out. The ruins are currently occupied by
a wizard who is exploring the site in the hope of
gleaning arcane lore left by its builders.
If the characters approach Old Owl Well, read the
following aloud:
Asyoucresta lowridge,youspythecrumbling ruins
ofanoldwatchtower andmoundsofrubbleenclosing
acourtyard
amidtheruggedhills.A colorfultentsits
inthemiddle
of thecourtyard,butnooneis insight.
Old Owl Well is shownon map3.1.The charac-
ters can enter the site from any direction, either
CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB
 we
?
we
OLD
OWL
WELL
1Square
«8Feet#
Map3.1:OLo Own Weir
followingold footpathsor scrambling up the slope
and findinga gapin the surrounding walls of rubble.
Twelvezombies lurk inside the crumbledshell of
theold watchtowerand can'tbe seen from outside.
However,anycharacterwho succeedson a DC 15
Wisdom (Perception)checksmells a deathlyodor
waftingfrom the tower'sdirection.
When charactersapproachthe tower or the
tent,the zombiesshamblefrom the tower.If a
battlebreaksout, Hamun Kost, a human mage,
emergesfrom his tentand asks, “What is the mean-
ingofthis?”
Hamun is a Red Wizard—a spellcasterfrom a land
called Thay,far to the east.His is a red-robedfigure
with a shavedscalp and a tattooon his forehead.
A characterwho succeedson a DC 10 Intelligence
(Arcana)check recognizes Hamun’s tattooas a
necromanticsymbol.A successful DC 15 Intelli-
gence(History) checkverifies the wizard’s garb as
belongingto Thay, a land of necromancers where
wizards patterntheir flesh with tattoos.The tattoo
on the head representsa wizard’s school of magic
specialty,Hamun’sbeing necromancy.
If any characterattemptsto talk to Hamun, even
bycallingouta greetingor answeringhis questions
during combat,he temporarilycalls off his zombies.
The Red Wizard is not particularly aggressive,and
“——_
CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB
heis willingtostrikea dealthatadvanceshis inte
estsatthesametimeit helpsthecharacters.
Hamunstaystight-lipped aboutthereasonfor |)/
presencein theregion.He is, however,willing to
providethe informationtheparty needs in exchany.
for a favor.If thecharactersgiveHamun some in
dicationofwhattheymightwant(forexample,the
locationof CragmawCastleor Wave Echo Cave), hi
sharesone or both requests:
» He wantsthemaraudersatWyvern Tor to leave;
they'vescoutedouthis campand seem inclined to
cause trouble.
» HewantstoaskAgathathebansheethenameof
thewizard who built thetowerat Old Owl Well.
Hamun won'trisk thebanshee’sanger,but the
characterscouldask thequestionfor him. (Agatha
knows thename:Dresina.)
‘TREASURE
Hamun’stentcontainsa comfortabletraveling suite:
a cot,a chair,a writing desk,supplies,and a chest of
clothes.In thechestis a leatherbagcontaining 35
sp, 20 ep,20 gp,and5 pp;fivesmall agatesworth
10 gp each; a potion of healing and a spell scroll
ofdarknessin a bonetube;anda Tinyjeweledbox
worth 25 gp.
The jeweledboxcontainsthe Red Wizard’s most
interestingdiscoveryso far:a ring of protection
from ancientNetheril.The ring is madefrom a
singlepieceof mysticalgreenglass that’sstronger
than steel.It hastheaddedpropertyof making the
wearerless likelyto drop or lose anything held in
thehandthering is on.The wearerreceivesa +4
bonusto savingthrowsor checksmadeto avoid
droppingor beingdisarmedof anyitem held in
thathand.
DARAN EDERMATH’S QUEST
Learning abouttheRed Wizard's presenceat Old
Owl Well completesa questgivento the party by Da-
ran Edermath in Phandalin, The characters should
meet with Daran in Phandalin to receive their re-
ward of bootsof stridingand springing.
RUINS OF THUNDERTREE
Near theplacewherethe NeverwinterRiver
emergesfromNeverwinterWood standsthe aban-
donedvillageof Thundertree.It was once a prosper-
ous community,wealthyfrom thework of its wood-
cuttersand trappers.Thirty years ago,the eruption
of Mount Hotenowtothenorth devastatedThunder-
tree.In thewakeof thenaturaldisaster,a plague
of strangezombiessweptoverthe area,killing or
driving offthosewho survivedtheeruption.
Though mostof thezombieshavelong since
crumbledtodust,strangemagicpermeatingthe
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~ RUINSOF THUNDERTREE Tee 2 i Z

Map 3.2: RUINS OF THUNOERTREE

intonewand
areahas mutatedthelocalvegetation Reidoth placed the sign to discourage treasure seek-
dangerous forms. Few people dare to venture into ers from stirring up the monsters in the area.
the ruined village now, and those who do so seldom
stay long—with two notable exceptions. The druid GENERAL FEATURES
Reidoth (see area U4) visits Thundertree from time Many of Thundertree’s buildings have crumbled in
totime,keepinga waryeyeon its dangers.Some the years since the town was abandoned, and nature
cultists also arrived recently (see area U13) to treat threatens to swallow what remains.
with a dragon that claims Thundertree as its do-
main (see area U7). BUILDINGS
As the party approaches the ruined settlement, A building in Thundertree is either ruined or intact,
read the following: as shownon map3.2.
Ruined buildings are empty shells with stone
walls 5 to 8 feethigh.Their roofsare gone,leaving
Gradually,thetrailbecomesanold,overgrown lane
piles of debrisinsidethewalls. The debrisis diffi-
windingbetween dilapidated choked
buildings with cult terrain.
vinesandbrush.Inthemiddle of thesettlementrises Intactbuildingsare rundown,ramshacklestone
a steephill,uponwhichstandsastonetowerwitha cottagesthatare otherwisestill standing.Their
partially
collapsed roofandanadjoining
cottage.A wooden doors are stuck and require a successful
dirtroadhugsthebase ofthe hillandwendsitsway DC 10Strengthcheckto forceopen.The windows
of anyintactbuildingare 2 feetwide andcovered
betweenold stonehouses,manyof whichareroofless
bywoodenshutterscontaining6-inch-widearrow
ruins.Otherbuildings appear
intact.Thewholeplace
slits.Creatureson onesideof an arrow slit gain
iseerilysilent. three-quarterscoveragainstattacksfrom theother
A woodensignis nailedtoa postnearby.
It side.Dustyfurnishings,suchas simplewooden
reads:“Danger! Plantmonsters
andzombies! Turn chairs and tables,remainin mostintactbuildings.
backnow!”

CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB

 \

TREES AND BRUSH

ASHZOMBIES E
Trees average30 to 40 feettall andprovidecover.
Thesezombieswerecreatedbythemagicaldevasta re
Brush consistsof sprawlingbushesthatcountas (‘%
tionwhenMountHotenoweruptedthirtyyearsago
difficultterrain. Whentheydie,they
statblock.
Theyusethezombie m
ofash thatlastsfor5 minutesbutdoes
leaveacloud "
RUINSLOGATIONS notobscurevision. ry
= ka :
The followinglocationsare keyedto map3.2.
passiveWisdom (Perception)score of 13 or highe;
Ul: WESTERNMOSTCOTTAGE
spotthe blightsfrom up to 10feetaway.Alterna
tively,a character
within10feetof thedoorwaycan
Cowering
intheshadow
of an oldtreeisacrumbled, lookforsignsofdangerandmakea DC 13Wisdom
weed-choked
stonecottage
withnoroof. (Perception) check,spottingtheblightson a suc-
cessfulcheck.
The blightsremainperfectlystill. They don’t at-
Two twig blights hideamongtheweedsthatflank tackon their own (exceptin self-defense)but quickly
thecottage’sopendoorway.Characterswho havea cometo theaid of thetwig blights in area U2 if com-
bateruptsthere.

U2: BLIGHTED COTTAGES

Theseruined,side-by-side
cottageslookasthough
theymighthavebeenthehomesof prosperous
shopkeepers
orwell-offfarmersintheirtime.All that
remains
arecollapsedwallsandpilesof debris.Sever-
alyoungtreeshavegrownwithintheruins.

The overgrowthconcealsa deadlythreat:two twig

blights lurking in thefoliage.Characters who have
a passiveWisdom(Perception)score of 13or higher
spot the blights from up to 10 feet away. Alterna-
tively,a character within 10 feet of the doorway can
look for signsof dangerand make a DC 13Wisdom
(Perception)check,spottingthe blights on a suc-
cessfulcheck.
These plantmonstersare hungry and fight until
destroyed.One roundaftertheseblights attack, the
twig blights in areaU1 join the fray.
Treasure. A merchantwho once lived here hid a
chestundertheflagstonefloor.A thorough search of
theinteriorof theeasterncottageand a successful
DC 10Intelligence(Investigation)check reveals
theold chestamongtheroots of a tree growing in
thehouse.The chestcontains 1,400cp, 160sp,
and90 gp.

U3: THE BROWN HorsE

This was formerlytheBrown Horse, a taproom re-
nownedfor its excellentale.

A weathered
signboard
bythedoorofthis largebuild-
ingshowsthefadedimageofa workhorseholdinga
flagon
ofale. Thebuilding is sagginganddilapidated,
butit is moreintactthantheruinsacrosstheroad.

Reiootn tHE Dauio

52 CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB

wwe
en
 U4: Druip’s WATCH POsT

thanthedi-
Thissmallhouseis inbettercondition
structures
lapidated Thedoors
nearby. arereinforced
withheavyironbands,andthickshuttersprotectthe
windows.

This is where Reidoth makes camp when she visits

Thundertree. Reidoth is an elderly human woman
with long, white hair who doesn’t use two words
when one word will do. Though she doesn’t receive
manyvisitors,sheis reasonablyhospitable.
Reidoth is adept at staying away from the ash zom-
bies that overrun the village, as well as avoiding the
area’s mutated plants. She knows that dangerous
spiders lurk in the ruins at the base of the hill, and
she suspects that miscreants have a hideout on the
eastern side of town—she’s seen “people in black
masks and cloaks” (the cultists) skulking around.
However, she is most concerned that a young green
dragonhas movedintothe tower(areaU7) sincethe
last time she was here. She warns the characters of
all these threats and suggests that they leave Thun-
dertree before they're killed.
EmMERALO
PIN
ENncLaAve
Development.If thecharactersask aboutCrag-
maw Castle, Reidoth hesitates to provide directions.
She is a memberof the EmeraldEnclave,a wide-
spread group of wilderness survivalists who pre-
serve the natural order while rooting out unnatural
Six ash zombies (see the “Ash Zombies” sidebar) threats. The enclave works to restore and preserve
lurk in the shadows in this building, slumped thenaturalorderby keepingtheelementalforces
against the walls or under the bar. When living of the world in check, preventing civilization and
creatures enter, the zombies groan and stir, slowly thewildernessfrom destroyingoneanother,and
climbing to their feet. They pursue any characters helping others survive the perils of the wilds. As
they see, attacking until destroyed. such, Reidoth doesn’t want to rile the goblins with-
The eastern half of the building was the old com- out good cause. If any of the characters appear to
mon room, while the western portion held the kitch- respect her position and beliefs, the druid tells them
ensandthebrewer'svats.Hugewoodentunsstand whereto find thegoblinstronghold.Otherwise,
to the west, and a faint smell of yeast still permeates Reidothoffersa bargain:if thecharacterschaseoff
the air. The ale is long gone. Venomfangthedragonin areaU7,she’llprovide
directions.
JOINING THE EMERALDENCLAVE If the characters attack her for any reason, Rei-
IfthepartyhelpsReidoth
bychasing
offVenomfang, doth transforms into a gray squirrel and scurries
thedruidprivately
approaches
certain
members
of the fromthecottagethrougha crackin thewall. She
groupandurgesthemtojoin theEmeraldEnclave.
hides in the woods until the characters leave. Her
Shespeaks withthosewhoexemplify theidealofpro-
tecting
thenaturalorder.Ifacharacter
agrees,Reidoth watch post contains nothing of value.
givestheindividual
thetitleof“Springwarden.”
This
rankandfactionwon'taffectthisadventure,
U5: BLIGHTED FARMHOUSE
butit is
significant
forplayers
whoparticipate
inOrganized
Playevents. Thisruinlooksasif it mightoncehavebeen
a farm-
house.It is now
half swallowedbyadensethicket,
withtreesgrowing throughitsfoundations.
Thelane
continuessoutha shortdistancepastthe ruin before
endinginanovergrown
field.

CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB

 The thicketeastof this ruin is crawlingwith
twelvetwigblightsandtwoneedleblights.Any
disturbancein the ruined farmhouse(for example,
charactersrooting aroundin therubble)draws the
blights’ire.
Eachroundfor 3 rounds,twoofthetwigblights
headfor thesouthdoorwaywhile two morehead
forthenorthdoorway.
Theneedleblightsfollow
on round 3, eachone movingtowarda different
doorway.Theblightsarefearlessandattackuntil
destroyed.
U6: RUINED STORE
At anintersection
nearthemiddleofthevillage,
a
narrowlanewindsupthesteephillsidetothenorth.
Directly
tothesouthisaruined
building
thatmight've
beena storeorworkshop. Websstretchacrossthe
lane,fromthebuildingtothetreesonthenorthside
oftheroad.
This former generalstore isn'ta completeruin yet;
portions of its tile roof remainintact.
Two giant spiders lurk in the building,hiding
behind the walls. Thin, trailing lines from the
webs in the lane outsideallow the spidersto sense
when likely preymovesthrough thewebs,atwhich
point theynimblyscuttle overthewall and attack.
Allow characterswho alert the spidersto makea
DC 17Wisdom (Perception)checkto avoidbeing
surprised.
Webs. The webs are difficultterrain,and a crea-
turetryingtomovethroughthemmustsucceedon
a DC 8 Strength (Athletics)checkor havethe re-
strained condition as the webssnare it.A restrained
creature can take an actioneachroundto makea
DC 8 Strength check to breakfree,or it can try to
cut its way free by using a light weaponthatdeals
slashing damage.The webs haveAC 10and have10
hit points and vulnerabilityto fire damage.
ofthe
Goingaroundthewebsis difficultbecause
thickets on the north side of the road.Going around
the building to the south leadsto thetwig blights
in area U5.
Treasure. The corpse of an unfortunateadven-
turer lies cocooned in spidersilk in thewesternhalf
of thebuilding.The bodyis shriveledanddry,butit
appears to havebeen a maleelf. The corpsewears
+1leather armor and a shortswordin thescabbard
at its hip. A careful searchalso yieldsa potionof
healing in a belt pouch,alongwith 23 gp and 35 sp.
3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB
a. CHAPTER
U7: OLD TOWER
Atthetopofthe hillstandsa roundtowerwith a cot ]
goodcondition,
Botharein relatively
tageattached. |
although roofisgone.A doorleads
half ofthetower's
intothecottage,andseveral windowsare
arrow-slit
visibleinthetower.Younoticeaneeriequietin the
acridsmellin theair.
areaand a strange,
oftwogiantspiderssprawlnearthe
Thecorpses
dragged
apparently
edgeofthepathway, there.Their
bloated
bodies
arepuckeredandblisteredandappear
tohavebeenmauledbyalargeanimal.
This towerwas formerlythe home of a human wiz-
ard,who was killed fightingthe ash zombies that
overranThundertreethirty years ago.
A young green dragon named Venomfang re-
centlyclaimedthetower,having passed over Thun-
dertreewhile searchingNeverwinter Wood for a
suitablelair. The giantspider corpses in the clear-
ing are theformerresidentsof the tower, killed by
thedragonafterVenomfangtore through the roof.
Since then,thedragonhas been laying low.
Tower.The dragonlives in the tower—a single
largeroomwith theremains of a 40-foot-high
ceiling.A 5-foot-widestaircasecircles the inte-
rior, rising to the now-openedrooftop that allows
thedragoneasyaccessto its new home. Heavy j
woodenbeamsand stair supports crisscross the
towerinterior.
Venomfangdoesn’twant to giveup such a prom-
ising lair, butif thecharactersreducethe dragon to
one-quarterof its hit points,Venomfangclimbs to
thetopof the towerand flies off.
Cottage.The cottagecontainsdusty furniture
drapedin webbing,but nothingof value. If the char-
actersmake a lot of noise in the cottage,the dragon
hearsthemand preparesfor a fight.
Treasure. A broken,old woodenchest on the
towerfloor holdsthelast of the deadwizard’s trea-
sure:2,100cp, 130gp,four silver gobletsset with
moonstonesworth 60 gp each,a spell scroll of misty
step,and a spell scroll of lightningbolt. Venomfang
spendshourseachdaygreedilyadmiring the loot.
The dragonhas barelynoticedthe most interest-
ing itemin its hoard.Lying beneaththe coins is a
rustyold battleaxeof dwarvenmanufacture. Runes
spellout“Hew”in Dwarvishon theaxeheadand
therust is misleading.Hew is a +] battleaxethat
dealsmaximumdamagewhen the wielder attacks a
Plant creatureor an objectmadeof wood. The axe’s
creatorusedit for protectionin the forest while he
cut firewood.
A FORMIDABLE GREEN ORAGONNAMED
Te TL eel aL Pa
U8: OLD SMITHY
Basedonitswidechimney of fire-
andtherottedpiles
building
woodjumbledoutsidethewalls,thissagging
a smithyinitsday.
wasprobably
Four ash zombies (seethe“AshZombies”sidebar)
are slumpedon thefloor.When thecharactersenter,
themonstersclimbto theirfeetand lurchforward
toattack.Once thezombiesseethecharacters,they
pursue the characters relentlessly.
A varietyof old tools—tongs,bellows,hammers,
anda pair of iron anvils—arescatteredaroundthe
interior of this building.
Treasure. A batteredold cabinetis half buriedbe-
neaththepartiallycollapsedroof.It containsa large
leathersatchelfilledwith strange,diamond-shaped
platesof a brown-goldcolor.Each is abouthalf the
size of a human hand, light in weight, and as tough
as iron. The platesare brassdragonscales,which
can be sold to an armoreror anotherinterested
buyerfor 75 gp total.
ee
U9: HERBALIST’S SHOP
Thisruinedshopisclutteredwithsaggingstorage
shelvesandbrokenfurniture.Shardsof glassand
piecesof glintintheweeds
pottery andrubblenextto
rottedbooksandcasks.
This was an herband alchemyshopbelongingto the
familyof Mirna Dendrar,nowa residentin Phand-
alin (seearea R5 in the “RedbrandHideout Loca-
tions”sectionin chapter2).
All the reagentsand concoctionshere havelong
since spoiled, and the books are unreadable masses
of rot. However,a small woodencase is hiddenin a
compartmentbeneaththe storageshelves.A char-
actersearchingthroughthe wreckagecan find the
casewith a successfulDC 10Wisdom (Perception)
check.The checksucceedsautomaticallyif Mirna
sentthe partyto find the heirloom.
Treasure. The case is worthless but contains
a goldnecklacewith a fine emeraldpendant
worth 200 gp.
CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB 55
 U1l: OLD GARRISON

On theeastsideof town,thelaneopensto forma Thebarrack

appears to haveweathered theyearsbet-
smallsquare.Severalruinedbuildingssurroundthe terthanmostbuildingsintown.Its rooftopfeatures
square,buta larger,intactstructure
tothenorthlooks a simplebattlement,and arrow-slitwindows indicate
like a barrack.One lane leadssouth, anotherheads thatitservedasa smallkeepintimesof emergency.
southwestaroundthehillin themiddleof thetown,
anda thirdwaymeanders north.In themiddleofthe Five ash zombies (seethe “Ash Zombies” sidebar)
square,leaningslightly,is a badlyweathered
wooden lurk in this building. Former members of the garri-
statue
ofa warrior
clutching
aspearandshield. son,theystill wear the remnants of rusted mail and
soldiers’surcoats.These scraps of armor don’t im-
provetheirArmor Class. The zombies animate and
The leaning statueis 10feettall, including thebase.
attack if any living creaturedisturbs their rest.
It depicts an old hero of NeverwinternamedPalien,
The interiorof the building still contains fur-
who supposedlydefeatedseveralmonstersin Never-
nishings,and the main room has a ladder leading
winter Wood when Thundertree was first founded.
througha trapdoorto the roof. The main chamber
A character who studiesthe statuerecognizesthe
containstwo doublebunks, while the chamber to
depiction with a successful DC 15 Intelligence(His-
thesouthhas threedoublebunks, providing quar-
tory)check.
ters for tensoldiersaltogether.To the northwest of
the main area are a kitchenand pantry,which now
contain piles of rotten sacks and barrels that once
heldsaltedmeat.Verminhavelongsincedevoured
all the foodstuffs.

CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB

U12: WEAVER’S COTTAGE

of wreckage
Heaps ofthis ruin.In
littertheinterior
one cornerstandsa brokenloom.

Four twig blights lurk in thethicketsouthof this

ruin, while two needle blights hide in the trees on
theeastsideof thelane.A characterwithin 10feet
of one or moreblightscan makea DC 13Wisdom
(Perception) check, detecting the creatures’ pres-
enceon a successfulcheck.Otherwise,theblights
attackif a charactercomeswithin 5 feetof them.
Development.Any loudnoisesherealertthecult-
ists in area U13,who cautiouslyinvestigate.

U13: DRAGON CULTISTS’ COTTAGE

A widespread group called the Cult of the Dragon
seeksto forgeallianceswith powerfuldragonsof
the Sword Coast.Towardthatend,four cultists
recently tracked the green dragon known as Ven-
omfang to Thundertree (see area U7). The cultists
are waiting for the right moment to approach the
dragon; they’ve been spying on the dragon from afar, ~
'
trying to gauge Venomfang’s demeanor and needs.
When the characters approach this area, read the
=5Feet
©** 4Square
following aloud:
Map 3.3: Wyvern Tor

of thissmall,
yard
Debrisis strewnaboutthemeager
dilapidatedfarmhouse.
The doors to this cottageare barredfromtheinside,
requiring a successfulDC 20 Strengthcheckto
force open. The shutters are also barred from inside
and can be forced open with a successful DC 15
Strength check.
Six humancultists hidein thehouse.Four stand
guard at a time (two in each room) on eight-hour
shifts, while the others rest in the larger chamber.
The cultistswear blackcloakscuttoresemble
dragonwings and blackleathermaskswith stylized
dragon horns. In addition to Common, the cultists
speak Draconic.
The interior of thehouseis dustyandstrungwith
cobwebs.The onlyfurnishingsare a smallstove,
a table, two chairs, and a bunk (which the cult-
ists share).
Development. The cultistsaren’tinterestedin
fightinganyoneand prefertobeleftalone.The
leaderis an ambitiousyoungmannamedFavric,
who hopesto rise throughtheranksquicklyby
earning the allegianceof thegreendragonin area
U7. His fellowcultistsdon’tshareFavric’sambition
and fleeif he’scapturedor killed.
If the characterstalk to thecultists,Favricex-
plains that they’ve come to treat with the green
dragon (whose name he doesn’t know). If the charac-
ters express a similar desire, Favric suggests an alli-
ance.He actuallyplansto offerthecharactersto the
dragonas part of his tribute,andif a fightensues,
thecultistssidewith thedragonagainstthe partyin
the hope of earning its trust.
Treasure. In addition to what he carries, Favric
has a small coffercontainingtributefor the green
dragon:six lustrousamethystsworth 50 gp each.
He also carries a potion of flyingin a stopperedvial
aroundhis neck.
WYVERN [TOR
This cragis a prominentlandmarkin the rugged
hills northeastof the Sword Mountains,and it
is easilyvisiblefrom twentymiles away.People
travelingalongtheTriboar Trail in thevicinityof
Conyberrycatchglimpsesof WyvernTor to the
southas theygo.The tor was formerlythehomeof
a largeand dangerousnestof wyverns,buta band
of boldadventurersdealtwith the monstersyears
ago.Though thewyvernsneverreturned,other
creatures lair here from time to time—including a
bandof raidersthatset up campa coupleof months
ago. Led by an orc named Brughor Axe-Biter, these
raidersnoticedthe Triboar Trail’s increasein traffic
and havebeenambushingtravelersand stealing

CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB 57

 their wares. Recently,strangegoblinswith elon-
gatedskullshaveoccasionally
CRAGMAW CASTLE
joinedtheraiders
in theirattacks,althoughthegoblinsneverstick TheCragmawgoblinsincludeseveralmaraud{);
around long enoughfor theraidersto learn much bandsscatteredthroughout the Triboar Trail «)\:\
about them. theNeverwinter Woodregion.However,one lead.
recognizedbyall othersas supre1i,
is grudgingly
RAIDER CAMP KingGrolof Cragmaw Castle.
WyvernTorisa sizablehill,withmilesof rugged CragmawCastleisn’ta goblinconstruction,no;
is thatthe structure’soriginal name. It was built|)
terrainonitsflanksandslopes.Searchingforthe
a talentedwizard of old Phalorm, an ancient reali
hiddenraider camptakestime.The characterlead-
ing the partycan attemptone DC 15Wisdom(Per- thatoncecontrolledmuch of the North. It original|y
ception)checkor DC 10Wisdom(Survival)check had sevenoverlappingtowers; however, its upper by
perhourtofindthecamp, levelshavelong since collapsed to heaps of crum- me
made
bythecharacter
leadingthe way. blingmasonry.
Onlythegroundfloor remainssound ’
The camp is depictedon map3.3.When thechar- enoughtobehabitable. '
actersfindthecamp,readthefollowing:
GENERAL FEATURES
The centurieshaven'tbeen kind to Cragmaw Castle.
Thefaintsmellofsmoke hangsintheairasyou TheCragmawgoblinsshoredup theweakestareas
ascend a rugged
ridgeonthelowerslopesofthehill. beneathits falling towerswith crude timbers, but
Fiftyyardsaway,
acavemouth opens upatthebot- it’sonlya matterof timebeforethestructurecol-
tomofaravine. Hunkereddownbyaboulder twenty lapsescompletely.
yards outside
thecave,
evidently
keepingwatch,
isa Doors
singlebugbear.
Interiordoors are madeof wood reinforced with
iron bands.They haveneither locks nor keyholes. It
If the charactersquietlytakeout thelone bugbear, takesa successfulDC 15Strength check to break
theyhavea chanceto surprise theraidersin the down a door thatis barricaded.
cave.If the sentryspotsthe characterssneakingup,
CEILINGS
or if anattackfailstotakethesentryout,thesentry
Ceilings are 15feethigh unless noted otherwise.
shouts a warning and retreatsbackto thecave,join-
ingtherestof themarauders
there. FLooRS
The maraudersin thecaveincludeBrughor Axe- Crackedandunevenflagstones
conceal
a dirt floor
Biter,anorc with 18hitpoints;fourbugbears;and underneath.
an ogrenamedGog.Gogfightsuntilslain,whilethe
restfleeif Brughoris killed. LIGHT
If the charactersexaminethe cavewalls, theyfind A small amountof natural light filters through the
a strange,scrawleddrawing on the northwestwall. arrow slits aroundthe castle.During the day,this
The drawingcrudelydepictsa lankygoblinwitha providesdim light in most areas.At night, all areas
crystaljutting from its skull. The characterscan of thecastleare dark.
tellthisisn’ta Cragmawgoblin,buttheycan’tlearn
WALLS
anythingmorejustyet.Psionicgoblinswhowereoff
The castle’sthickestwalls are 5 feetthick, with 3
task in their search for obelisk fragmentsmadethis
feetof mortaredfill sandwichedbetween 1-foot-thick
todepicttheirleader,Ruxithid,
drawing.It attempts
courses of hard stone blocks. Interior walls are
who is describedmore in chapter5.
1-foot-thickworkedstone.
Treasure. Brughor’s band plunderedseveral
Arrow slits in thecastlewalls are positioned 10
homesteads farthernorthon theirwaytoWyvern
feetabovethegroundand 4 feetabovethe inte-
Tor.An unlockedtreasurechestin thecaveholds rior floors.A creatureon one side of an arrow slit
180sp,15ep,andthreevialsof perfumeworth gains three-quarters cover against attacks from the
5 gp each.
otherside.
QUEST
HARBINWESTER’S CRAGMAW CASTLE LOCATIONS
atWyvernTorcompletes
Defeatingthemarauders
a quest givento the partyby TownmasterHarbin The followinglocationsarekeyedto map3.4.
Wester in Phandalin, and deliverson a promise
to Hamun Kost at Old Owl Well. The characters
can report to Harbin Westerto receivetheir 100
gp reward.

. 58 CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB

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= CRAGMAW co
"Mia eg

Mae 3.4: Cracmaw Caste

Cl: CASTLE ENTRANCE to alert theircomradesin areasC4 and C6 thatthe

castle is under attack.

The castlehassevencrumblingtowers
of different siz- C2: TRAPPED HALL
es and heights,buttheupperstoriesareall in varying
statesofcollapse.
A shortflightofstepsascends
toa Doorsstandclosedtothenorthandsouth,witha
terracein frontof the mainentryway.Pastthewreck- crumblingmoundof rubblepartiallyobscuringthe
ageofa pairofsundered
doorsliesashadowed
hall. southern
hall.Totheeast,abroad
corridor
endsin
Roundtowersloomovertheentranceway,
witharrow twomoredoorsleadingsouthandeast.Thecorridor
slitsfacingtheterrace. isclutteredwithdustyrubbleandfallenplasterfroma
partialcollapse
ofthe ceiling.
The main gatesbetweenareasCl andC2 are made
of bronze-covered wood, but they are corroded and
If thegoblinsentriesin areaC3 raised the alarm,
collapsed.No monstersdwellhere,butthegoblin
thenthegoblinsand hobgoblinsin areasC4 and
sentries in area C3 are supposed to be keeping
C6 run throughthenorth and southdoors at the
watch.They glanceonlyoccasionallythroughthe
same time. They attack from both directions, trying
arrow slits, however, so characters who move qui-
to overwhelmthe adventurersand drivethemfrom
etlymightbe ableto creeppastthem.Haveeach
the castle.
character make a Dexterity (Stealth) check. The low-
Trap. The dusty plaster and rubble before the
est checkis the DC for thegoblins’Wisdomchecks
door leadingto areaC8 conceala coppertripwire
to noticethe party.
connectedto linchpinshidden in the ruined ceiling.
.
Development. If the goblins spot the characters Spotti ee ;
(or if the charactersapproachopenly),thegoblins eee . wah eo sis k
z shootarrows throughthearrow slits. However,they isdom (Perception)check.
: Oncespotted,thetripwire is easilyavoidedand dis-
can’tfire directlyat enemieswho hohhavereached
h or iy
armed(noabilitycheck required).y
gonepastthe brokengate.The goblinsalso shout

CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB 59

 Anycreaturethatwalksoveror throughtherub- C5: STOREROOM
blewithout avoidingthe tripwiretriggersa cave-in
of woodenbeams and heavystones.(The areaof the
collapseis markedon map3.4.)Any creaturein the Oldcasksandsacksof rottinggrainfill this storage
areawhen the trap triggersmustsucceedon a DC pileofgear.
area,alongwithajumbled
10Dexteritysavingthrow or take2d10bludgeon- 9»

ing damagefrom the falling rubble(half as much

Caravansraidedby the Cragmaws along the High,
damageona successfulsave).
Thenoiseofthe Road and the Triboar Trail supply provisions for
collapseputsthe creaturesin areasC3, C7, C8, and
the castle.
C9 on alert.
EmboldeningBrandy.While mostof thecasks
C3: ARCHER Post are full of saltedmeat,one small cask is filled with
an exceptionaldwarvenbrandy,which the goblins
didn’tnoticebecauseit was mixed in with junk. The
Thissmallroomis litteredwithdebris.Thearrow cask containstheequivalentof twenty glasses. A
slitoppositethedooroffersafinefieldoffireover characterwho imbibesa glass of brandy receives |
theterrace
before
thecastle
gates.
Twogoblins
with temporary
hitpoint,buta characterwho drinks two
shortbows
standnearthearrowslit. glassesor morewithin 1 hour has the poisoned con-
dition for 1 hour.
Sildar’s Gear. The equipmentpiled among the
CragmawCastle’smaindefenses
areitssecretloca- suppliesincludesa bloodysuit of chain mail, a
tion and theappearanceof havingbeenabandoned. shortswordin a leatherscabbard,a heavy crossbow,
In addition,King Grol postssentriesto driveoff in- and an unsheathedlongswordwith the emblem of
truders who gettooclose. Neverwinterworkedinto its hilt. The chain mail and
Each of thesetwo rooms is occupiedby two weaponsbelongto Sildar Hallwinter. None of these
goblin bosses armedwith shortbows.Replacethe itemsis magical,but Sildar is grateful if at least his
goblins’normaljavelin attackwith the followingat- longswordis returnedto him.
tackoption:
Shortbow.
Ranged
Weapon
Attack:
+4tohit,range
80ft./320
C6: HOBGOBLIN
QUARTERS
ft.,onetarget.Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercingdamage.

The goblins fire eachround at targetsoutside.When Fourplainstrawpalletsandbedrollsarelinedup on

characters
entertheroom,thegoblinsswitchtoat- thefloorofthisbarrack.
Brackets
onthewallshold
tacking in melee. weapons:
spears,swords,morningstars,
andmore.
The northwallshowssigns of damage,but the floor is
C4: RUINEDQUARTERS
swept
clean
ofrubble.
Sitting
onthebedrolls
arefour
bored,red-skinned
Humanoids.
Thesouthwest
towerofthecastle
islittlemorethana
heapofrubble.
Several
raggedbedrolls arescattered
Four hobgoblins are quarteredin this room. Be-
across
theremaining
floorspace,
andthreeofthe
causetheirgoblinneighborsare always getting into
bedrollshavegoblinssleepinginthem.A small,twist-
fights,theydon’tpayattentionto noise in areas C2
ingpassageleadseastthroughtheruins. or C3. However,they'requick to defendtheir tower
if anyintrudersappear,or to respond to an alarm
Threegoblinsbunkhere.Thoughtherubbleap- raisedbythegoblinsentries.
The Cragmawsare a mixedgroup of goblinoids,
pearsdangerous,the toweris stableand the eastern
with a handfulof bugbearslording over larger num-
passageis safe.
Development.Any loud noiseshereattractthe at-
bersofmiserable
goblinsanda fewhobgoblins.The
hobgoblinsplan todisposeof the bugbears and take
tentionofthegoblinsin areaC7.Onegoblinis sent
oversomeday,butfor now,the bugbears are too
throughthe twisting passageto investigatethe dis-
stronga threat.
turbance.If he doesn’treturnin a round or two,or
Treasure. Mountedto thewalls are five spears,
if he spotstroubleand soundsthealarm, the other
four longswords,three morningstars, two
goblinsin areaC7 investigate.
greatswords,anda quarterstaff.None of the weap-
ons is magical, but the quarterstaffis engraved with
stylizedfeathers.The quarterstaffis surprisingly
light (1 lb.)and is worth 10gp for the craftsman-
ship alone.

CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB

mr fh Ae mee
ae head ae , Pe a
, atelili at GecreSe RS Ye
THE GOBLINS WHO INHABIT CRAGMAW
CASTLE OFTEN HOLD RAUCOUS, MESSY
DINNER PARTIES.

C7: BANQUET HALL

Thewestern
portion
ofthis largehallendsinawall
of rubble,butthe remainderis still intact.This was
oncethecastle’s
banquethall,withasoaringceiling
twenty-five
feethigh.Twolargewoodentableswith
plainbenchesstandin the middleof theroom,anda
brassbrazierfullofglowing coalsistuckedintoone
corner.Dirtydishes,half-fullstewpots,
moldyheels
ofbread,andgnawed bonescoverthetables.Several
goblins
s cuttleaboutwhileatough-looking goblin
barksorders.
This hall holdssix goblins andonegoblin boss—a
cantankerousfellownamedYegg.Yeggis thepri-
marycook for theCragmaws,and heberateshis as-
sistantsas theygo aboutthework of puttingfoodon
the Cragmaws'’ table. If Yegg is killed, any goblins
leftalivefleeto theeastor west,avoidingthe north
door becauseof thetrapin areaC2.
C8: DarRKHALL
This areahas no exteriorlight.The boxedtext
assumes that the characters have darkvision or a
light source.
Thishigh,narrowhalllooksas beenpart
if it might’ve
ofa chapelor shrineatonetime.Angelicfiguresare
sculptedalongthe room’supperreaches,overlook-
ingthefloor.Tothenorth,heavycurtainsblocka
matching pairof archways.
Between thearchwaysis a
crackedbutornately carvedstonebrazier.
This chamber is home to a grick, the special pet of
thegoblinboss Lhupo in area C9. The grick likes
to climb up to ledgeshiddenin the shadowsof the
statuaryin the higher reachesof the room. It qui-
etlyobservesintrudersthatenterthe area before
dropping down to strike. Characters in the hall must
succeedon a DC 14Wisdom (Perception)checkor
be surprised.
The grick knows thatgoblinsare not to be eaten
unless Lhupo saysso. The rest of the Cragmawsare
terrifiedof thegrick and hurry throughthis room,
preferably in twos or threes.
A characterwho examinesthe chapel’sdecor
can makea DC 10Intelligence(Religion) check
to identifythedeitiesthat were oncereveredhere:
Oghma(godof knowledge),Mystra (godof magic),
Lathander(godof dawn),and Tymora(godof luck).

CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB 61

i
 Development.|f combateruptshere,thecrea- down the door,whether successful or not, aler(:
tures in areaC9 cannotbesurprised. creaturesin areasC7, C8, C9, C12, and C13.
Treasure.Thestonebraziercontainsa mound Arrow Slits. Any character who pauses and |is
of coal, underwhich is burieda goldstatuette
of an tensnearthearrowslitshearsnoisefrom are, (7
elf worth 100gp,wrappedin crimsoncloth.A gob- theoccasionalclatter of crockery and angry goblins
lin hidthefigurinehere,hopinghisfellowgoblins arguing thedishesneedcleaning.The
overwhether
wouldn'tsteal it. goblinsaren'tkeepingwatchfrom these arrow slits.
A detectmagicspell revealsthatthe statuetteis butif thecharactersmakea gooddeal of noise,the
imbuedwith divinationmagic.A non-evilcreature goblinswill comeandlook.If theysee intrudersoy
grasping thestatuecan ask it a questionandreceive side,thegoblinsshoutan alarm.
a telepathic
response,
asthoughthecreaturehad
cast augury.Once a creaturehasaskedits question Cll: RUINED TOWER
and receiveda response,it can neveractivatethe
statuetteagain. Thistowerhasalmost
completely
collapsed,
although
C9: GOBLIN SHRINE thegroundfloorstillhasa littleopenspace.Rotting
The Cragmawshavebeenusing this placeas a cratesandancientbarrelsshowthatprovisionswere
shrinetoa made-up
godtheycalltheJaggedTooth. oncestoredhere.
A heavy
curtain
obscures
acrumbling
areatothe
Thischamber occupies thenortherntowerofthe south,andanintactdoorleadseast.To the north,
castle.A stonealtarstandsinthemiddleoftheroom, ashortpassage
through
therubbleendsbeforea
coveredwithbloodstained blackcloth.Goldritual screen
ofcanvas.
implements—achalice
andacenser—are
carefully
arranged
atopthealtar.
Twoarchways
tothesouthare Dusty canvashides the northern entrance to this
covered
withheavycurtains. area,blendingin with the surrounding stonework
and rubble.A characterwho succeeds on a DC 15
Wisdom (Perception)check spots a footpath leading
This shrine is hometo a goblin boss namedLhupo,
to the hiddenentrance.If the characters actively
whostylesherselfasa priest,andher“acolytes,”
searchthe outsideof the castle for a hidden en-
a pair of goblins. They all wear robesovertheir
trance,theycan make a DC 10Wisdom (Perception)
armor,butnoneof thempossessdivinepowers.If
checkto spot the hidden entrance. Otherwise, this
the goblins heard the charactersfightingthe grick
areacontainsnothing of interest or value.
in areaC8, theyhidebehindthealtarandattempt
to
surprise the characters;otherwise,all threegoblins C12:GUARDQUARTERS
are kneeling beforethe altar,praying.
A bloodstained cloth coversthe stonealtar,the
FourarmoredHumanoidsstandarounda stonebra-
sides of which are engravedwith imagesof the
same gods reflectedin thedecorfoundin areaC8. ofthis small
zierfullofcoalsthatglowsinthemiddle
Treasure. The chaliceand censerare art objects Fourstrawpalletslinetheeastwall.Thewall
barrack.
worth 180 gp and 150gp, respectively.Lhupo de- to the south hascollapsed,but a boarded-up door in
cided the itemswere of suitablequalityfor her un- A doorinbettercondi- |
isstillstanding.
thatdirection
named rituals. west,whileacurtain
tionleads hangsinanarchway to
C10: POSTERN GATE thenorth.

Onthesouthsideoftheoldcastle,
anovergrown
path Four hobgoblins stand guard in this room. They
keepwatchfrom the arrow slit, so any characters
thatclimbsintothewall.A large
leadsto a passage
creepingaround outsidethe east side of the castle
fromdirectoutside
irondoorstandshere,sheltered
are likely to be spottedand attacked.The hobgob-
Arrowslitstenfeetabove
attack. overlook
theground linsaresmart,tough,andloyalto King Grol. At the
thepath. startofcombat,onehobgoblinrunstowarn the
king in area C14,then returns 2 rounds later to re-*
join the fray.
The iron door is locked.It can beopenedwith
This areawas oncea parlor for the castle’s orig-
thieves’tools and a successfulDC 15Dexterity
inal occupants,thoughits rotted furnishings were
check or forcedopenwith a successfulDC 25
brokenup by theCragmaws and used for firewood.
tobreak
Strength(Athletics)check.Anyattempt

62 CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB

a =e
C13: HAUNTED TOWER
The door to this room is boarded up from the north
side. It takesa few roundsto removetheboards,
whichthecharacters
shouldtakeasawarningthat
dangerlies beyond.
The arrow slits hereare shuttered,leavingthe
room dark. The boxedtextassumesthatthecharac-
ters havedarkvisionor a lightsource.
Theupperfloorsofthistowerhavecollapsed tocreate
a hollowsilothirtyfeethigh.Theupperreaches of
theroomarelostin shadows. It'sclearthatthisarea
hasn'tbeenusedfor sometime.Dust,rubble,and
and
brokenglasscoverthefloor,andoldworktables
halfoftheroom.
clutterthesouthern
bookshelves
The Cragmawsbelievethis toweris haunted,but
they'rewrong.The areais thelair of a grell, a hid-
eousflyingmonster.It canworm its waythrough
thewreckageof theupperfloorstoleavethe castle
when it wantsto hunt,butbetweenexcursions,it
lurks in theshadowsof thehollowtower.When
thegrell noticesintrudersin thelowerportion
of its tower,it silentlydropsfromtheshadows
and attacks.
This roomwas oncea libraryandworkshop,but
nothingof its originalcontentsremainsintact.
Treasure. The grell’snestin theupperpartof the
towercontainsa batteredwoodenchestthemonster
foundin thewreckageof theroombelow.The chest
can’tbe seenfromthefloor,andit takesa success-
ful DC 15Strength(Athletics)checkto climbup to
the ledgeuponwhich it rests.The chestis unlocked
and contains90 ep, 120gp,a potionof healing,a
spell scroll of silence, and a spell scroll of revivify.
Cl4: KING’s QUARTERS
Any characterwho listensatthedoorhearstwo
voicesin a heateddiscussion—aloud,growling
voicedemandingpaymentfor something,anda
silky-smoothreply.
Thischamber hasbeensetupas a livingspace,
with
thickfursservingascarpets,
oldtrophies hangingon
thewalls,anda brazierofcoalsburningbrightly.
A lain. Upon returning to Phandalin, Gundren offers
largebedstandstothenorth,anda roundtablewith
severalchairsstandstothesouthnearthedoor.Near
thetable,on thefloor,is an unconsciousdwarfwho
looksbadlybeaten. Loomingoverthedwarfarethree
menacing figures:
a mighty
bugbear,asnarling
wolfof
greatsize,andanelfwomanwithwhitehair,grayskin,
andgrayrobes.
King Grol is a fierceold bugbear. He rules the Crag-
maws throughpure intimidation.His fur is streaked
with gray,his shouldersare stooped,and he wears a
setof jeweledsilver teethover his own rotting fangs.
He’sagile and strong,demandingand vindictive,
and no Cragmaw dares to cross him.
Grol is attendedbyhis petdire wolf, namedSnarl,
and a specialguest:a doppelganger disguised as
a drow woman.The unconsciousGundren Rock-
seekerlies nearby(see“UnconsciousDwarf”). The
doppelganger, Vyerith,is a messengerfrom the
Spider, come to transport Gundren Rockseeker and
themapto WaveEcho Cave.Grol wantsto sell the
mapinsteadof surrenderingit, and he and Vyerith
are negotiatinga price.Vyerith first wantsto ques-
tion Gundrento determineif anyoneelse knows the
locationof the mine.Then the doppelgangerintends
to betraythe Spider bykilling Gundren and destroy-
ing the map.
If thevillains havebeenwarnedthatan attack
is imminent,Vyerith hides behindthe door to the
northeast, leaving it open a crack in the hope of at-
tackingintruders from the rear.Grol holds Gundren
hostage,readyto kill thedwarf if the characters
don’tbackoff.
Arrow Slits. The arrow slits are 15feetabove
the groundoutside,and the creaturesherearen't
keepingwatch.They're unlikelyto noticeintruders
movingaround theexteriorof the castle.
Northwest Room. This partially collapsedcham-
berwas oncea comfortablebathroom.It still con-
tainsa largetile tub,unusedby the castle’scurrent
occupants.
Unconscious Dwarf. Near the southwestcorner
of theroom is Gundren Rockseeker,a dwarf
commoner. He is unconsciousbut stableat 0
hit points.
WHAT'S NEXT?
If Gundren Rockseekersurvivestheordealat Crag-
mawCastle,he offersthecharactershis thanks and
asks thattheyescorthim to Phandalin and then
venturetoWaveEcho Caveto learn the fateof his
brothers,Nundro and Tharden.Gundren knows
thatsomeonecalledthe Spider orchestratedhis
captureand hopesthatthecharactersstopthevil-
thecharacters25 gp eachfor their assistanceand
promisesthepartya 10percentshareof the mine’s
wealthoncehis operationis functioning.
Whetherthecharacterssoughtthe information
fromAgathaor Reidoth,negotiatedwith Hamun
Kost, or recoveredGundren and his mapfrom Crag-
mawCastle,theynow know the locationof Wave
Echo Cave.They can now ventureto the old dwar-
vendelveand discoverwho the Spider is and why
he’sso interestedin the Lost Mine of Phandelver.
CHAPTER 3 | THE SPIDER’S WEB
A
63
 ’Y

i
MeO tart eee Fig, en
Tet teeid ms,
MINEINWaveEcno Cave,
tHeyWAD
NOIDEASUCH
rs .
LCL EVIL
Te ee eR See) at «s
eT paar
 CHAPTER 4

CAVE
ECHO
WAVE 5
e
WAVE
IFTEENMILESEASTOFPHANDALIN,
Echo Cave lies in the deep vales of the Sword
WAVE ECHO CAVE
Once a thriving mine bustling with activity, Wave
Mountains. The rich mine of the Phandelver
Echo Cave is now a dangerous place overrun
Pactwaslostfivehundredyearsagoduring
with monsters.
bandit attacks that devastatedthis area.
Whether the characters follow Gundren’s map or
In the centuries since, countless prospectors and
receive directions to Wave Echo Cave from another
adventurers have searched for the lost mine, but
source, their initial approach leads them to a narrow
none succeeded until the three Rockseeker brothers
tunnel whose entrance is hidden within the Sword
found the entrance a month ago. Unfortunately,the
Mountain foothills (area W1).
dwarvesdidn’trealizetheywerebeingfollowedby
spiesworkingfor NezznartheSpider,andtheRock- WANDERING MONSTERS
seekers inadvertentlyled the villain to their prize.
If the characters spend a long time in an area, you
The Spider and his followers captured the two
brothers who were guarding their find, then ar- can check for wandering monsters by rolling a d20.
ambush.After On a roll of 17-20, an encounter takes place. Con-
rangedforGundrenRockseeker’s
versely,if the players seem restless, you can decide
learning of the adventurers’ involvementwith Gun-
that an encounter occurs.
dren, or of their exploits in and around Phandalin,
the Spider issued orders for the characters to be Roll a d12 and consult the Wandering Monsters
dealt with. He then began exploring the depths of table to determine what threat the party meets.
Wave Echo Cave.
WANDERING MONSTERS
The drow is searching for the Forge of Spells,
where the human mages of old Phandalin en- d12 + Monsters
chanted dwarven weapons and gnome gadgets. 1-3 2d4stirges
However,the Spider’s exploration has been hin- 4-5 1d4ghouls
dered by the dangerous monsters that lurk in Wave 6 = 1d4gricks
Echo Cave.
7-8 1d4bugbears
The adventurers now have the chance to aid
9 1d6skeletons
Gundren, find his brothers, and end the nefarious
schemes of the Spider. Additionally, the abundance 10 1d6zombies
of powerful magic rumored to be hidden in the 11-12 1ochrejelly
mines is a rich prize.
WAVE ECHO CAVE FEATURES
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER The mine is cold, damp, and drafty. A noticeable
This chapter kicks off once the characters venture
breeze blows from area W1 toward area W16.
into Wave Echo Cave, shown on map 4.1.The char-
Features of Wave Echo Cave are described below.
acters need not face significant dangers on their way
to the cave. If you'd like to make thejourney more CEILINGS
interesting, consider rolling on the Triboar Trail Tunnels are 10 feet high unless noted otherwise.
Random Encounters table in chapter 3. Reroll a re- Roomshave20-foot-highceilings,while natural
sultof “Cragmawgoblinband”sincethecharacters cavernshave30-foot-highceilingsdottedwith
dealtwith thegoblinsin thatchapter. stalactites.

CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT Doors

The characters should be 4th level when the chapter Unless noted otherwise, all doors are 6 feet tall,
begins.The charactersgaina levelwhentheydefeat 4 feet wide, and made of 6-inch-thick cut slabs of
Nezznarthe Spider. stonefittedwith iron handlesand hinges.

CHAPTER 4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE 65

 he,

reg ayy %

BooMING WAVES
GoblinBody.Slumpedatthebottomof the )),
of a strangegoblinwith an elongate
is thebody
Therhythmic
thunder
ofpounding
waves
echoes
throughout
themine—loud
enoughtomakethestone skull and greenstreakson its skin. Any inspecticy)
underfoot
vibrate.
Thewaves
comeabouttwominutes of thebody,which is dressedin filthy rags, reve.
apart,
growing
louder
toward
thenortheast. thatit is nota Cragmawgoblin.The characters « .\;) a
.
WaveEchoCaveis nowherenearanocean,buta learnanythingfurthernow,butthis is the body«|
water-filled
caverndeepinthemineconnects toan a psionicgoblin.This goblinwaspartof a smal!
underground hotspring.Thespringboilsovercontinu- scoutinggroupthatstumbledacrossthe mine.
ously,producing
asurgethatslamsintoanarrow fun- Finding thecavedevoidof obelisk shards, the res) of
nelandsoundslikebreaking surf.Describe
thissound
toplayersonoccasion;itshouldpiquetheircuriosity thegoblinsleftthearea,leavingtheir companion’s
andlurethemtowarditssource—and consequently corpsebehind.
drawthemdeeper intothemine. Treasure. Thardenwears a cloak of protection,
= - whichtheSpideroverlooked
in his hasteto explore
WALLS therestofWaveEchoCave.
The walls are hewnstoneandare 3 feetthick.In
W2: MINE TUNNELS
a fewareas(W14,W15,W19,andW20),theyare
dressedwith well-fittedstoneblocks.
Thisareaconsists
of numerous
intersecting
passages.
FLOORS Theceilings
hereareonlysixfeethigh,andseveral
of
All floors are smooth, natural stone.
thepassages
endinpartially
excavated
rockfaces.
LIGHT
None.The boxedtextassumesthecharactershave This mazeof passagesis an old section of Wave
lightsourcesor darkvision. Echo Cave'’soriginal mine site.
STALAGMITES Lurking in onedeadend is an ochre jelly. (You
candecidethejelly’sexactlocation.)When the ae
Found in manyof the naturalcaverns,theserock
partyentersthis sectionof the mine, thejelly begins
spirescan providecover.
stalkingthegroup,instinctivelywaiting for an op-
CAVE LOCATIONS portunitytoattacka lonetarget.
Low Ceiling. Becauseof the low ceiling in this ;
The followinglocationsare keyedto map4.1.
area,Mediumand largercreatureshave disadvan-
W1: CAVE ENTRANCE tageon meleeweaponattackrolls exceptwhen
fightingwith lightweapons.

Theentrance
tunnel
leadsintoalarge
natural
cavern W3: OLD ENTRANCE
supported
bya pillarof rock.Inthewesternpartof
thecave,behindthe pillar,arethreebedrollsanda Fourtunnelsintersect cavern.
atthisthirty-foot-high
heap
ofordinary
supplies:
sacks
offlour,bagsofsalt, Thewallsarecarvedwithsimple dwarf
reliefsshowing a
casksof saltedmeat,lanterns,
flasksof lampoil,pick- andgnomeminersatwork.Nearlytwodozenskele-
axes,shovels,andothergear.Amidthesupplies,
you across
tonsinrustedscrapsofarmorarescattered
seethebodyof adwarf,deadforatleastaweek. thecavernfloor.Somearedwarfskeletons,while
sectionofthecavernhascol-
Thenortheastern tobetheremains
appear
others individuals.
oflarger
twenty-foot-deep
lapsed,formingaten-foot-wide, Halfadozen standinniches
unlitbrasslanterns
large,
oneofthree
hempropeistiedaround
pit.A sturdy around
oronledges thecavern.
intothepit.
inthecavernanddangles
stalagmites
The tunnelthat runs southwas the original en-
Thedead
campsite.
ThiswastheRockseekers’ tranceto WaveEcho Cave,but it was buried by
dwarf is Tharden, Gundren’'sbrother,who was thedestructionthatwrackedthe mines centuries
killedbytheSpider.Gundren’s otherbrother,Nun- ago.A pitchedbattlewas foughthere when bandits
dro,is theSpider'sprisonerin areaW20. stormedthemines.Thedeadstill lie wheretheyfell.
usefulbut Six stirges cling totheceiling. The monsters find
The dwarves’suppliesarepotentially
scantliving preyin themines and are ravenous.
notparticularlyvaluable.
Sincethecharactersareprobably lookingattheskel-
OpenPit. A tunnelatthebottomof thepit
etonsonthefloor,thestirgesarelikelyto getthedrop
leadsnorthwesttowardareaW2andeastto-
onthem.Anycharacter whoisn’twatchingtheceiling
ward areaW3.

: 66 CHAPTER4 | WAVEECHOCAVE
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» Mare4.1: Wave Ecno Cave

CHAPTER 4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE 67

 OCHRE JELLIES ARE ALWays VICIOUS, BUT
ESPECIALLY $0
WHEN TRAPPED IN A DEAD ENO IN Wave Ecno
Cave.

must succeedon a DC 14Wisdom (Perception)check

The centuries-oldpaper in the cubbyholes disinte-
toavoidbeingsurprised.Characters
whoaren'tsur- gratesif touched,but a character who reads
prised hear the stirgesdescendingto attack. Dwarvish can see faint markings on a few scraps,
The lanterns and the carvings of miners at work recordingweigh-insand disbursements.
weremeantto welcomenewcomers. Treasure. Behind the counter sits a locked iron
W4: OLD GUARDROOM strongbox,requiring thieves’tools and a successful
DC 20 Dexteritycheck to open. This pay chest con-
tains 600 cp, 180sp, 90 ep, and 60 gp.
Splinteredstonebenchesandheaps ofrubblefroma
partially
collapsed
W6: SOUTHQUARTERS
ceiling
fillthisroom.Amidruined
This was a miners’barrack, where the skilled delv-
Stonebunksandtoppled weapon racksareeight ers working in WaveEcho Cave rested between
corpses,including
therottingremains of twoogres. shifts. Any character who listens at the partially
opendoor hears faint crunching and splintering
In theroundafteranylivingcreatureentersthis soundswith a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Percep-
chamber,thedeadcreaturesclambertotheirfeetto tion)check.
attack.The twoogrezombiesandsix dwarfzom-
biesfightuntil destroyed. Oldstonebunksinorderlyrowslinethewallsof
thischamber,
anda corrodedironbrazierfull of
W5: ASSAYERS’ OFFICE
coldcoals
s tands nearthemiddleoftheroom.The
bonesofa half-dozen dwarvesandlargerbanditslie
Thischamberwasonceanofficeor storeroom.
A
strewnabout,stillcladinscrapsofarmor.Threegray,
largestonecounterbisectsthe room, set with three
hunchedfiguressquatamongtheremains,pawingat
dustybalance
scalesmade
ofiron. Cubbyholes
carved
thescraps
andgnawing
onthebones.
paper
withcrumbling
intothenorthwallarestuffed
Several
Scraps. long-dead sprawlacross
corpses
Three ghouls from the pack in area W9 are here,
thefloor.
cracking and gnawingon the bones in the vain hope

68 CHAPTER 4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE

ae / te” i ee i de oo
that some morsel of marrow remains. Eayer for a
freshmeal,theghoulsattackimmediately,
W7: RUINED STOREROOM
Theeasternwallofthischamber hascollapsed
into
a massofrubble.Tothenorth,a doorstandsajar,
leading
toagood-sized storeroom.Dustykegsand
tunsaretuckedneatlyagainstthewalls,allof them
splitopenfromage.
It’s not terribly comfortable, but the storeroom
makes a secure resting place for the party. No mon-
sters come this way. Moreover, the storeroom door
is in goodshapeandcaneasilybe blockedor barred
from the inside.
The contentsof thebarrelsandtunshavelong
evaporated.
W8: FUNGI CAVERN
Densecarpetsof weirdfungicoverlargesectionsof
Thegrowthincludes
thefloorinthiscavern. puffballs
afootacross,weirdshelffungusgrowing onsta-
lagmites,andlargestalksandcapsagoodfivefeet
tall.Someofthepuffballsglowwithaneeriegreen
phosphorescence.
Twoviolet fungi lurk here,onein themiddleof the
central fungi patch and one in the northern patch.
They are hard to notice with all the other fungi
around them. Each character can attempta DC 15
Intelligence (Nature) check to spot the violet fungi
beforemovingwithin theirreach.Characterscan
safely avoid the fungi by staying close to the south-
ern and eastern walls.
The green-glowing fungi are harmless, but they
allow creatures to see the entire cavern without the
aid of darkvision or a light source.
This cave has hindered the Spider's explorations.
Nezznar suspects that the mine’s magic workshops
are nearby,buthe’sreluctanttorisk facingthedan-
gerousmonstershere.
W9: GREAT CAVERN
Steepescarpments dividethislargecavernintothree
sections:
highledgesateitherendandalowersection
inthemiddle.Carvedstonestairsclimbtotheledges.
Twolargetablesstandinthemiddlesection, along
A smaller
a pairofold braziers.
with tablestandson
Theskeletal
ledge.
theeastern of
ofdozens
remains
ofthe fighting
deadwarriorsattesttothefierceness
thattookplacelongago.
The skeletal remains are inanimate. However, five
ghouls lurk in the shadowson thewestern ledge.
Any character with a passive Wisdom (Perception)
score of 12 or more notices the ghouls. The ghouls
noticeany lightor noiseelsewherein the caveand
quickly bound down to attack. They are hungry and
fightuntildestroyed.
The escarpments are 10 feet high and require
a successful DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to
climb. A creature that falls or is knocked from the
topofa ledgetakes3 (1d6)bludgeoningdamage
and lands with the prone condition.
W10: DARK POOL
A stillpoolfillsmuch Thewateris
of thiscavern.
dark,revealing littleofwhat might The
liewithin.
shoreofthepoolconsistsofathinlayerof broken
shellsfromstrange, palemussels.A fishyodorhangs
intheair.
A passage leadssouthfromthisarea,anda setof
stepsclimbstotheeast.A sluggishstreamflowsfrom
thecavetothenortheast.
Small fish swim along the edge of the water, but the
pool is also inhabitedbya larger creature:a giant
constrictor snake. If the characterspass through
this area, the snake slithers from the water and at-
tacksthecharacterat the backof the party.
Pool. The pool is 20 feetdeepin the middle.
The stream to the northeast is 3 feet deep, and the
ceilingof thepassageis 2 to 3 feetabovethewater.
Characters can easily wade through the stream
to areaW18.
A character who explores the pool finds an old
skeletonlying on the bottom,10feetfrom the shore
andunder 10feetof water.These are the remains
of a humanwizard from old Phandalin who died de-
fendingthemines againstbandit attackers.Several
arrows remainlodgedin the skeleton’sribcage.
Treasure. The skeletonof thewizard wears three
jeweledgold rings (150gp each)and clutchesa
wand of magic missiles in its bony fingers.
W11:NORTHQUARTERS
The eastern door is barricaded from inside the room
and requiresa successfulDC 20 Strength(Athlet-
ics) check to force open. A character who listens at
eitherdoor and succeedson a DC 10Wisdom
(Perception) check hears gruff voices speaking Gob-
lin andtalking abouthow hungrytheyare.
CHAPTER 4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE 69 |
 Thedrychannelis wherethe
gold,andplatinum.
Oldstonebunks linethewallsofthesequarters, dwarvesdivertedthestreamfrom area W158(0
whicharelitandheatedbyaglowing ironbrazier
in here.The waterwhee!oper.
powerthewaterwheel
themiddle
oftheroom,
Sixbugbears,
including
one atedthe bellows that fed the furnace in the south
whoislarger
thantheothers,
lounge
intheroom, eastcornerof theroom.
grumbling
abouttheirhunger. The channel'sbottom is 5 feet below floor level,
andnoabilitycheckis requiredto scramble in or
outofit.Charactersin thechannelcan follow it
If thepartyentersfromthewest,add: fromthisroomtothenorth or to the east, though
theceilingis only5 feethigh after the channel exits
Acrosstheroomisanother
door,thisoneblocked
by thisroom.
a barricade
madefromtheremains
ofawooden
table. Likethefungicavernat areaW8, this chamber
posesa serious obstaclethat prevents the Spider
fromreachinghis objective:the Forge of Spells
Six bugbearsresidein thischamber.
Theyareloyal (areaW15).Nezznaris still formulatinga plan toget
minions of Nezznar.This roommarks thefrontline pasttheUndeadguardiansin this area.
in the Spider's assaulton WaveEcho Cave,and the
bugbearsare hereto preventghouls,zombies,or W13: STARRY CAVERN
otherUndeadfromtroublingtheirleaderin hislair
(areaW19).
Glittering
mineralsintheceilingofthislargecavern
Like areaW6,thiswasformerlya barrackformin-
ers. The bugbearsremovedthecorpsestheyfound
catchanylightandreflect
itbacktocreatetheimpres-
here and built the barricade. sionofastarrynightsky.Dozensofskeletons—many
Treasure.Thelargestbugbear
carriesa pouch crushed underfallendebris—are scattered
across
containing 15cp, 13ep,two agatesworth 10gp thefloor.
each,anda potionof healing. Thecaveislarge enoughtocontaintwofreestand-
W12: SMELTER CAVERN ingstructures.
Eachofthesestoneroomsis propor-
tionedforhuman use,asopposed tothedwarf-sized
doorways andfurnishingselsewhere inthemines.
A blastfurnaceandamechanical bellowspowered Bothstructureshavebatteredand blackened masonry
byawaterwheel dominate
thislargechamber.The walls,
theirdouble doorscracked
andscorched.
furnace iscoldanddark,butheaps ofcoalarepiled Thecavern isdivided
byanescarpment, intowhich
nearby,alongwithcartsfullofunrefined
ore.The aflightofstairshasbeencut.Passages
leadfromthis
waterwheel sitsinaten-foot-wide
channelcutintothe areatothenorth,south,andwest.
flooroftheroom,butthechannel isdry.Passagesexit
tothewest,south,andeast.Theempty channel exits
The structuraldamageand the skeletal remains in
tothenorthandeast.
this areaare evidenceof the destructive spell battle
Morethana dozenwithered
corpsesliescattered foughtherecenturiesagowhen the bandits and
theroom—individuals
around remnants
stillwearing theirmercenarywizards stormed the mines.
in
of armor.Floatingabovethemis askullengulfed The damagedrooms are described in areas W14
greenflame. andW15. The skeletonsare inanimate and pose no
danger.The mineralsin the ceiling are pretty, but
theyare neithermagicnor valuable.
Eightof thefallendwarfwarriorsarezombies. Any characterproficientin the Arcana skill can
Theyrise andshuffletowardanylivingcreatures sensea subtleaura of magic in this cavern. (A detec!
that enter the room, but theydon’tpursuecreatures magicspellrevealsthe same.)The aura becomes
outside this area for morethan 1 round.In addition, strongeras oneapproachesthe northernmost room
a far more intelligent Undeadcreatureguardsthis (areaW15).
area: a flameskull. This creaturewas a servantof
the dwarves’ human wizard allies, and it continues
W14:WIZARDS’QUARTERS
intrud- The doubledoor leadinginto this area is cracked,
to act on ancient instructions to preventany
area. the iron hinges partially melted. Wrenching or
ers from passing through this
the smashingopenthe door requires a successful DC
This impressive chamberwas the heart of
Here,the 15Strength(Athletics)check.
WaveEcho Caveminingoperation.
dwarvesmeltedoreto refineingotsof puresilver,

4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE

CHAPTER
a eo i, ee

MorRMESKTHE WRAITH
Dust,ash,wallsblackenedbyfire,andheapsofdebris
beneaththesaggingceilingshowthatthisroomwas
damaged a destructive
by blast.Thefurnishings—
beds—arecharredor
tables,chairs,bookshelves,
A scorched
splintered. ironcheststandsnearthefoot
ofoneofthebeds.Theadjacent closetonthesouth
wallisfullof rubble.
This room contains the restless spirit of the last wiz-
ard to die here, Mormesk the wraith. Mormesk was
a powerfulmageuntil hemethis endin thespell
battleat theclimaxof thebanditattack.Centuriesof
angerhavepoisonedhis soul,transforminghim into
a hate-filled apparition.
MormeskleadstheUndeadthathauntWaveEcho
Cave.The wraith spendshis timeherebecausethe
treasurehe hadamassedin life lies in thescorched
chest.No longercorporeal,hecannottouchor pos-
sess thewealthheenjoyedin life.
This room servedas a guesthouseforvisiting
wizards workingin theForgeof Spells(areaW15),
mostof whomwerehumansfromnearbycities.The
furnishingsare all sizedfor humans.
Treasure. The scorchedchestis unlockedand
contains1,100cp, 160sp, 100ep,fivemalachites
eachworth 10gp, and a wooden pipe adorned with
platinumfiligreeworth 150gp.
W15: FoRGE OF SPELLS
The wizards who allied with the dwarves and
gnomesof the PhandelverPact channeledthe latent
magic of these caverns to enchant well-made dwar-
venarms andgnomegadgets.The northernmost
door is scorchedand cracked,its iron hinges par-
tially melted;forcingit open requiresa successful
DC 15Strength(Athletics)check.The doubledoor
is just as damagedbutstandsslightlyajar.
Thislargeworkshop wasbadlydamaged bythe
ancientspellbattlethatlaid tothe
waste mine.
Worktablestakinguptwocornersoftheroomare
scorched,andthe plasterhas burnedoff the masonry
walls.Inthemiddleoftheroom,a stonepedestal
holdsa smallbrazierinwhichaneeriegreenflame
dancesandcrackles.Thebrazierandits pedestal
appear tohavebeenuntouched bytheforcesthat
destroyed thisarea.
Behindthebrazierofgreenflamesfloatsa spherical
creaturemeasuring roughly Four
fourfeetin diameter.
eyestalksprotrudefromitscentralmass,twooneach
side.Inthecenter fthebodyis a largeeyethatstares
o
atyou.It greetsyouina raspyvoiceyouhearonlyin
yourhead.
The sphericalmonsterthatguardsthis room is
a spectatorthatspeaks Common.One of the hu-
manwizards who workedin the Forge of Spells
summonedthecreatureto guardthe magicitems
created and stored here. The spectator was slated
to servefor 101years.When the minewas sacked,
thebanditsdisturbedthe delicatemagicin the area,
erodingthespectator’sgrip on reality.It believes
the mine is still in use, ignoring all evidence to
the contrary.
The wraith (areaW14)wantsto eliminatethe
spectator,butso far,thecreaturehas easilyhandled
theassaultsof Mormesk’szombiesand ghoulswhile
seeingnothingstrangeaboutUndeadroamingthe
mine. With a successful DC 15 Charisma (Decep-
tion) check, a character can convince the spectator
thatoneor morepartymembersare wizards or
dwarveswho work for theownersof WaveEcho
Cave,sentto terminatethespectator’semployment
(therebyreleasingit from its obligations).If the
deceptionsucceeds,the spectatordisappearsand
returnsto its homedimension.
If thepartyattemptsto removeanythingfrom this
area, the spectator attacks.
Brazier of Green Flame. A successfulDC 15
Intelligence (Arcana) check identifies the brazier as
CHAPTER 4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE aa
Ao Gs :
 CE SAN eM eas Ct Te eyae
WITHIN THE FORGE OF SPELLs.
we
the source of the magic that suffusesthe surround-
ing caverns. This magic has wanedovertheyears
and can no longer be harnessedto permanently
enchant magic items. However,any nonmagical
weapon or suit of armor bathedin the greenflame
for at least 1 minute becomesa +/ weaponor a suit
of +1armor, respectively,for 1d12hours.
Removing the brazier from the Forge of Spells
douses the green flame and foreverdeprivesthe bra-
zierof its magical power.
Northern Room. This small room was a sepa-
rate workspace where items being preparedfor
enchantment were polished, painted,lacquered,and
otherwise finished. Like the main workshop, it is
heavily damaged.
Treasure. On the worktable in the southeast
corner of the room are the items the spectatorwas
chargedto protect:a +]maceanda +1breastplate.
These magic items have some additional properties
that are described below:
was
Mace. This weapon,knownas Lightbringer,
dawn.
made for a cleric of Lathander, the god of
The headof the maceis shapedlike a sunburst
and is made of solid brass. The mace
glows as
commands.
bright as a torch when its wielder
1d6radi-
While glowing,themacedealsan extra
ant damageto Undeadcreatures.
72 CHAPTER 4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE
——
as
_
Breastplate. This breastplatehas a gold dragon
motif workedinto its design. Created for a human
hero of old Neverwinter named Tergon, it grants
its weareradvantageon saving throws against the
breathweaponsof Dragons.
W16: BOOMING CAVERN
a largecavernthathous-
A narrowledgeoverlooks
esasurging,seething of water.The rhythmic
body
boomingheardthroughout theminesis louderhere.
afreshsurgeofwaterfunnelsinto
intervals,
Atregular
thischamberandslamsagainstthewalljust below
thatthiscavemightbe
theledge.Theechosuggests
onearmofa muchlargercaverntothenortheast.
The soundof poundingsurf that gives Wave
Echo Caveits namecan be traced to this
water-filledcavern.
The ledgethathugs the south wall is 15 feet above
waterlevel.However,when water surges into the
caveevery2 minutes,it raises the water level by 10
feet.After 1 minute,thewater level returns to its
normal depth of 20 feet.
This floodedcaveis hometo a giant octopus that
is attractedtoanylight abovethe surface of the
water. If a character lingers with a lantern, torch,or
otherlightsource,theoctopusrisestothesurface
and attacks.Its tentaclesarelongenoughtoreach
targets standing on the ledge, but creatures more
than 5 feet from the edge are safe. The giant octo-
pus pulls any creature it grapples into the water.
A characterwho startstheirturnin thewater
mustsucceedon a DC 10Strengthsavingthrow
to remain afloat. On a failed save, the character is
pulledunderwater.
Northeast Cavern. The largercaverntothenorth-
east is an underground lake several hundred yards
acrossthatoffersaccesstoseveralotherpassages
and cave systems. The miners of the Phandelver
Pact madepreliminaryexplorationsof thoseareas,
butrecordsof theirexcursionsarelonglost.The hot
springthatproducestheregularsurgeof waterlies
somewhere beyond. Characters who enter the water
here discover it is warmer than would be expected
for a subterranean lake.
W17: OLD STREAMBED
Thispassagewayis barely
fourfeethighandisob-
structedbyrounded boulders
andpebbles. Itlooks
asthoughit mighthavebeenastreambed, thoughno
waterflowsherenow.
The streamflowingfromareaW10toareaW18
used to continue through this low passage,eventu-
ally emptying into area W16.
The dwarves diverted the stream into the channel
leading to area W12 to drive the waterwheel in the
smelter. The earthquakes that rocked Wave Echo
Caveduringthefinalspellbattleof thebanditinva-
sion collapsedthefloorin areaW18,divertingthe
stream once again. The old streambed remains a
usablepassagethatcircumventstheUndeadin area
W12,thoughtheSpiderhasnotyetdiscoveredthis.
W18: COLLAPSED CAVERN
A wideriftfillstheeastern
half ofthiscavern.
A dressedinblackleather armorandrobes.Thedrow
streampoursfromthewestwallbefore tumbling
intotheriftandflowingtothenorth.Secured toiron
stakesalongonthewestern edgeoftheriftareseveral
ropesleading tothechasmfloor.A drowsupervisor
barksordersattwobugbears siftingthrough
rubble
whiletwootherbugbears standguard.
Nezznar’slackeysoccupythis cavern.The Spider's
divinationssuggestthatsomevaluabletreasure
is hidden at the bottom of the rift that was created
when this area was destroyed.
Two of thefour bugbears in this areaclear rock
on the rift floor while the other two stand guard
in the western half of the cavern, watching for any
Undeadincursions.A doppelganger namedVhalak
supervisestheoperationin theguise of a drow. If
a fight breaks out in the main cavern, the two bug-
bears in the rift climb the ropes to join the fray.
Rift. The rift is 20 feetdeep.
Development. |f three or more bugbears are
killed, the doppelganger tries to retreat to area W19
to warn the Spider that trouble is coming.
Treasure. Nezznar's divinations are accurate.
of the rift
Buried in theshallow rubbleat thebottom
is thecrushedskeletonof a dwarfwearinggauntlets
of ogre power. The remains can be found with a
successfulDC 20 Wisdom(Perception)check.Each
charactersearchingcan attemptonecheckper hour.
Characterswho searchfor morethanone hour
might alert the creatures nearby of their presence,
at your discretion.
W19: TEMPLE OF DUMATHOIN
Nezznar uses this room as his headquarters while
heexploresthe minesand searchesfor the Forge
of Spells.
Sixcracked andsplinteredmarblepillarslinethewalls
statueofa dwarfseated
ofthis hall.A nine-foot-tall
onathrone, a mightystonewarhammer acrosshis
gleam
lap,occupies thenorthend.Largeemeralds
inhiseyes.
Dustanddebrishavebeenswepttooneside of the
floor.Halfa dozenbedrollsandpacksareneatly ar-
rangedarounda rough-built firepitbeforethestatue.
A woodentablestandsonthewestsideoftheroom
between twopillars.
If the room’s occupants aren’t aware of the charac-
tersas theyenter,addthefollowing:
Twobugbears standbythetable,flanking adrow
clutchesa blackstaffwithacarvedspideratthetop
andfrownswhenheseesyou.“Itseemsthat| must
dealwithyoumyself. A pityit mustendthisway.”
Nezznar the Spider is accompaniedbytwo bug-
bears who defendtheir leaderto thedeath.If the
doppelganger from area W18 retreated to this area,
it assumes the guise of Nundro Rockseeker so that
Nezznarcan use thedwarf as leverageto forcethe
party’s surrender (although the Spider won't actu-
ally harm thedoppelganger).See “RoleplayingNez-
znar”for moreinformationon the Spider.
CHAPTER 4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE 73
es a3 :
es er cree t ih =
A SHOWOOWNWITH NEZZNAR THE
SPIOER IS INEVITABLE.

NEZZNAR THE SPIDER

Medium
Humanoid
(Elf,Wizard),
NeutralEvil

If they'reexpectingtrouble,thebugbearshide ArmorClass11(14withmagearmor)
behindpillars,and Nezznarcastsinvisibilityon HitPoints
27(6d8)
Speed30ft.
himselfandstandsnearthetable.Makea Dexterity
(Stealth) check for the bugbears;the lowestroll is STR DEX CON INT wis CHA
the DC of the Wisdom (Perception)checkthe char- 9(-1) 13(+1)10(+0)16
(+3) 14(+2) 13
(+1)
acters must make to avoidbeing surprised.
Statue. The statue in the room depictsDu- SavingThrows Int +5,Wis +4
Skills Arcana+5,Perception+4, Stealth +3
mathoin, the dwarven god of mining. Any character Sensesdarkvision
120ft.,passivePerception14
proficient in the Religion skill recognizesthe depic- LanguagesCommon,Elvish,Undercommon
tion. The statue is beautifullycarved, and its emer- 2 (450XP)
Challenge ProficiencyBonus +2
ald eyes appear to be worth 5,000 gp each.
A character can climb the statueand pry loosea Nezznarhas
SpecialEquipment. staff (see
a fullychargedspider
appendixB).
gem with a DC 10 Strength check.If eithergemis
removed,the character must succeedon a DC 12 Nezznarhasadvantage
FeyAncestry. on savingthrowsto avoic
orendthecharmedconditionon himself,andmagiccan’t put
Dexterity saving throw or the six pillars thatline the
himto sleep.
walls crumble, triggering a ceiling collapse.Every
on attackrolls
Nezznarhasdisadvantage
SunlightSensitivity.
creature in the room must make a DC 15Dexterity
whileheor histargetis in sunlight.
saving throw. A creature takes 11(2d10)bludgeon-
ing damage from falling rubble ona failed save,or ACTIONS
half as much ona successful one. Any creaturestill Multiattack. Nezznar makestwo Poison Blast attacks.
in the room 1 round later is buried and killed as the PoisonBlast.MeleeorRanged SpellAttack:+5to hit, reach5 ft.
chamber fills with stone,at which point the area be- or range120ft.,onecreature.
Hit:9 (2d8)poisondamage.
comes impassible.
Spellcasting.Nezznarcasts oneof the following spells, using
Table. The tableis strewnwith notesandmaps ability(spellsaveDC 13unless
asthespellcasting
Intelligence
showingNezznar’seffortsat exploringthemineso otherwisenoted):
far. There is also a sack of treasure amid the papers lights,magehand,spiderclimb(fromspider
Atwill:dancing
(see“Treasure”below). F staff),web(from
spider
staff;
saveDC15)
Roleplaying Nezznar. Even though he inten Ss 1/dayeach:darkness,faeriefire, invisibility,mage armor, magic
being
to kill the characters, Nezznar can't resist
suggestion
missile,
cc

curious aboutthem.Giventhechance,he quizzes

CHAPTER 4 | WAVE ECHO CAVE

the characters at length regarding their identities,
allegiances,interests,and goals,filing it all in his
memoryin thehopethatsomedayhewill finda use
for what he learns.
Nezznaradmitsto beingtheSpider,andto using
the Cragmaw goblins and the Redbrands to ensure
thatWaveEcho Caveremainshis secret.He'llsay
or do anythingto putthecharactersoffguard,in-
cludingpromisingto surrenderor proposingcoop-
eration against the monsters impeding his progress
towardreachingthe Forgeof Spells.However,he
betrays the characters as soon as he can.
Development. The creatures in area W18 can
hearsoundsof combatin this room.If theyhaven't
alreadybeendealtwith,theyarriveafter3 rounds
andact immediatelyafterthebugbearsin theinitia-
tive count.
If thecharacterscaptureNezznaranddeliverhim
to thetownmaster’shall in Phandalin,heis locked
up until Sildar Hallwinteror anotherrepresentative
of theLords’ Alliance canescorthim toNeverwin-
ter to face interrogation. The organization in Never-
winteris curiousto learneverythingNezznarknows
aboutWaveEcho Cave.Unlessthecharacterspost
guardsoutsideNezznar’scell,Halia Thornton(see
chapter2) breakshim outof jail, smuggleshim out
of Phandalin, and delivers him into the custody of
the leaders of the Zhentarim. What happens to Nez-
znar at that point is up to you.
Treasure. Nezznar carries a potion of healing
and a spiderstaff (see appendix B). In addition, he
carries an iron key with a head shaped like an anvil.
This key unlocks the door to area W20.
Nezznar’s exploration of Wave Echo Cave has
yielded some treasure, which he keeps in a black
leather sack on the wooden table. The sack contains
190 ep, 130 gp, 15 pp, nine small gemstones (10 gp
each),anda dwarvenale mugmadeof hammered
electrum(80 gp).
W20: PRIESTS’QUARTERS
The door to this room is locked, requiring thieves’
tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check to
open. Nezznar (area W19) carries the key.
Unless the characters are being stealthy,any
activity at the door attracts the attention of Nez-
znar and his allies in area W19, prompting the
Spider to sendhis bugbearsto investigate.
ofthis
of redandgoldadornthewalls
Dustydraperies
room,whichalsocontainsa bedandbrazier.A badly
disheveleddwarflies boundandunconsciouson the
cold stonefloor.
Thefigurelyingontheflooris Nundro,a dwarf
commoner and the last of the three Rockseeker
brothers.Nezznarkepthim alive becausehe
thoughtthedwarfmight know moreabout the mine
thanhe admitted.The Spider has interrogatedNun-
dro everydayeversincecapturinghim.
Development. Nundrois gratefulif the heroes
rescue him, and he offers to tag along for the dura-
tionof theirstayin WaveEcho Cave.Nundro doesn't
knowany moreaboutthelayoutof thecavethan the
charactersalreadydo.
If the characters deal with Nezznar and the bug-
bears, this area serves as a Safe place to rest before
continuingtheir explorationsof themine.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Gundren and Nundro Rockseeker take over ad-
ministration of the new mine. For the adventurers’
service to their family, they gladly award the party
a 10percentshareof themine’sprofits.It’sup to
you how much gold you give the players and how
often. Consider giving the characters a sum of 255
gp (10d10+200)atthe beginningof eachchapterto
represent this award.
The heroes have now defeated the Spider and
undonehis plots,clearedPhandalin of the ruffians
who threatened its people, and reclaimed the lost
mineof WaveEcho Cave.If you aren’tplayingsub-
sequent chapters of this adventure, no new plots
need surface.
If you are playing subsequent chapters, the char-
acters likely want to escort Nundro home to Phand-
alin. They may also wish to follow up on disturbing
evidence that strange goblins who aren’t Cragmaws
are threateningthearea.No matterthecharacters’
reasons, once they return to Phandalin, they'll find
thatthesegoblinshavebeguncommittingcrimesin
the town that hint at even more dangers to come.
 ha
_ GRoup org RETURNTo P
HANDALIN, A DIFFERENT
ERR LT ete
al THE To
biti to) 1a
ee
 = w*
Cy
o€PERIL
PATHS
a A HENTHECHARACTERS
RETURNTO
he _. Phandalin after their adventuresin
Wave Echo Cave, they find the town in
upheaval.Thievery, vandalism,and vio-
lence plague Phandalin—all perpetratedby a band
of goblins, some displaying strange psionic powers.
These goblins have been pursuing their goal in the
background of previous chapters(see“The Goblins’
Story” below),and their efforts havenow become
the adventure’smain story.
Distressed and unsure how to help the victims,
let alone find and stop the criminals, townmaster
Harbin Wester asks the characters to investigate
a
these crime scenes, find the culprits, and put a stop
to the incidents. This task eventuallyleads the char-
acters to the goblins’ base far underground in an old
duergar mining post called Zorzula’s Rest, where a
goblin leader who calls himself Ruxithid the Chosen
receivesorders from powerful overlords.
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER
This chapter can be divided into two parts: the
investigationsaround Phandalin and the hunt
for Ruxithid.
The goblins left four distinct crime scenes that the
characters can investigatein any order. Each crime
scene has at least one witness and one potential
combatencounter. From these crime scenes, the
characters should gatherenough clues to point them
toward Ruxithid, the goblins’ leader,without whom
the goblins’ crimes would cease.
Pursuing Ruxithid takes the characters into Zor-
zula’s Rest. This section is a traditional dungeon
crawl, filled with strange secrets to uncover and
dangerous enemies to fight.
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT
The characters should be 5th levelwhen this chap-
ter begins. In this chapter,characters can advance
y
42-3
to 7th level and no further. Advancementis handled
BOL
4
NE
SOS
as follows:
+The charactersgaina levelwhentheydiscoverthe
location of Zorzula’s Rest and determine that they
must confront Ruxithid the Chosen and the Saw-
plee goblins there.
APTER
- The characters gain a level when they defeat Rux-
ithid and learn ofa larger, more sinister plan.
aa
THE GOBLINS’ STORY
The goblins at the heart of this chapter's adventure
are part of an enclave whose ancestors have inhab-
ited an abandoned duergar mining outpost called
Zorzula’s Rest for generations. Centuries ago, the
outpost was conquered by mind flayers, and the
goblins there were exposed to the illithids’ strange
powers, leading a subset of the goblins to develop
unusual psionic powers. The mind flayers eventually
left, but the goblins remained, sequestered from the
restof theworld until recentlywhenthemind flayer
fanatics called on them. Some of these goblins’ de-
scendants possess psionic powers, as evidenced by
the goblin psi commanders and goblin psi brawlers
(seeappendix A for descriptions of both) that make
up their ranks. Collectively, the goblins call them-
selves the Sawplees: a simplification of the word for
“goblin”in theillithids’dialectof DeepSpeech.
In recent weeks, the Sawplee goblins’ leader
found a mysterious gemstone. Unknown to Ruxithid
the Chosen, a new groupof mind flayer fanatics that
draw power from the Far Realm planted it for him to
find. The gemstone lets Ruxithid telepathically com-
municate with the mind flayers, who he believes are
gods. The mind flayers demand that Ruxithid’s gob-
lins find peculiar, black stone shards that came from
an ancient obelisk once erected in the wilds outside
of Phandalin. The obelisk originated in the ancient
Netherese empire and is said to have transformative
capabilities, although the goblins know very little
about its properties or history. The goblins know
only that their “gods” traced some of the obelisk’s
shards to Phandalin, covet the shards for some
greater purpose, and demand the Sawplees’ help.
While communing with their Far Realm patron,
the mind flayers learned that four obelisk shards
have been hidden around Phandalin for ages. (More
about the mind flayers’ story can be found in sub-
sequentchapters.)It is the hunt for the shards that
serves as the impetus for the goblins’ crime spree.
However, many of the goblins are taking the oppor-
tunitytowreakhavocacrosstownsimplyfor the
fun of it.
CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL a,
 TERRIFIED AND ANGRY, THE TOWNSPEOPLE DEMAND THAT TOWNMASTER
lar STD th 4- the) tee dle) Be
de) STOP THE RECENT CRIMES.

TTOWNMASTER’S
PLIGHT pan
over,and
i sts gt etegee
ealling
someof my friendsare missin’!”
When the characters return to Phandalin following . An annoyedelf pene a baker'sapron says,
the confrontation in Wave Echo Cave,read the fol- “If I seeone moreof those gremlins come near
lowingaloud: myshop,I'mhittingthemwitharolling pin.|
can'ttakeit!”
of anagitated
Therumbling crowd yourjourney
greets human
- A frazzled thetoddlerin
womansoothes
onlyamoment
backintotown.Ittakes tolocatethe nae It ni = vee ea ae just
sourceofthis cacophony: of townmaster
thehome Se eee ee,
; - A humanman holds up a sketchof an orc woman
HarbinWester. hasgathered,
of townsfolk
A gaggle andyells,“Mywife'sbeenmissingfor days!Do
someshoutingfor Harbinto comeoutsideandothers something,you coward!Stop this!”
A fewDol cuasinthecrowd
hisleadership.
decrying ithe Flaxtinteticnieedie
ahumacleranieat
displayminorinjuries,andall seemanxiousand harried townmasteryanks open the door and
frustrated. hurriedlypulls thecharactersinside. Harbin is
frazzled,with flushedcheeksand dark bags heavy
. : beneathhis eyes.
The crowd's displeasure stems from the crimes Harbin tells thecharactersthe following:
happeningaround town.Characterswhohavea pas-
siveWisdom (Perception)scoreof 13or highercan '
from
pickout thefollowingsnippetsof conversation “Iunderstand butdotheyexpect
angry,
thatt hey're
the crowd: metotakecareof everything?| can’ttakeon a gaggle
sl ; f no-goodruffiansbymyself.| can’tstopanyone
. ‘ omplains, “I thoughttheRed $
A ae who'sdetermined andsteal- |
buildings
frombreaking
brands were bad, but at least they never smashed
” Absurd!
ingthings.
. 7 ad |
thebar.Who does that?

78 CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL

Harbinexplainsthatwhilethecharacters
havebeen
away,a seriesof crimeshasplaguedthetown,From
eyewitness accounts, the culprits are likely goblins.
The crimes have caused unrest among the towns-
folk, who demand that Harbin take action to protect
Phandalin. Harbin, however, is neither an investiga-
tor nor a constable,andheis overwhelmed bythe
populace’svitriol.
Harbin asks thecharactersto investigate
thefour
crime scenes,helpthevictimsas muchas possi-
ble, and find a way to stop the culprits for good. He
claims thathe’salreadytriedhimselfbutthathe
couldn't keep up with the multitude of incidents.
However,a successfulDC 12Wisdom(Insight)
checkrevealsthatHarbinwantsthecharacters
to investigatebecausehe’stoofrightenedtodo
it himself.
For thejob, Harbin offersthecharacters50 gp
eachup frontandpromisestopaythemanother
150gp eachuponcompletingtheirinvestigation.
If a characterusesHarbin’sfearas leverageand
succeedson a DC 11Charisma(Intimidationor
Persuasion) check, Harbin doubles the monetary
reward:100gp eachup front,and300gpeachupon
the investigation’s completion.
CRIMES AND CHAOS
Harbin describes the crime scenes once the char-
acters accept his quest. The following places can be
found on map 2.1 in chapter 2:
Barthen’s Well, behind Barthen’s Provisions, where
the goblins smashed the well winch before fleeing
underground.
The Miner’s Exchange, where the goblins stole one
of the building’s cornerstones, causing the build-
ing to tilt.
The Shrine of Luck, whichthegoblinsdestroyed
and desecrated, trapping people inside.
The Sleeping Giant, wheregoblinsran-
sacked the bar.
The crime scenesare furtherdetailedin the“Stolen
Shards” section.The characterscaninvestigate
eachof thesescenesin anyorder.
MISCHIEF IN PROGRESS
While the characters are investigatingaround Phan-
dalin, they may encounter a group of Sawplee gob-
lins committingmischief.Wheneverthecharacters
finish investigatingoneof thecrimesceneslisted
above,roll a d20 andconsulttheGoblinMischief
tableto seewhatoccurs.
GOBLIN MISCHIEF
d20_ Mischief
1 Agoblin psicommander(seeappendixA) is light-
Farm,and
ingsmallfiresaroundtheAlderleaf
thesefiresthreatento setthecropsablaze.
2 anolderhumanwoman
Fourgoblinssurround
andattemptto stealherpurse.Thewoman(use
thecommonerstatblock)aggressively
fightsthe
goblins.
3. Threegoblinsstoleagoatandareattemptingto
runawaywithit.Thegoat,however,refuses
to
move.
4 Apair of goblinpsi brawlers(seeappendixA) are
hidinginthetreesoftheEdermath
Orchard.
The
goblinsareusingtheirtelepathyto masquerade
asghostsandscareoffotherssotheycansteal
applesuninterrupted.
5_ Fivegoblinsflingrefuseat passers-byfromthe
Inn.
alleybehindStonehill
6 Threegoblinssplashpaintacrossthesideof Har-
binWester’shome
7. Shinglesfromtheroofof theSleepingGiantare
flyingtowardagroupoffiveconfused miners(all
commoners). Unbeknownst tothem,a cackling
goblinpsicommander (seeappendixA) onthe
tavernroofisthesourceofthemischief.
8 Onegoblinpsibrawler andtwogoblinsare
camped attheentrance to
toTriboarTrail,waiting
ambush travelers.
unsuspecting
9 Twogoblinsreleasedtwodrafthorsesthatare
nowrunningrampant acrosstown.
10 Twogoblinpsi brawlers(seeappendixA) have
poorlydisguisedthemselvesas childrenandare
a bakerforsweetsneartheStonehill
pestering
Inn.
11-20 Nomischief occurs.
WHAT THE GOBLINS KNOW
If anyof thegoblins—whetherfromthefourcrime
scene investigations or from the random mischief
occurring around town—are captured, bribed, or
charmedby thecharacters,thegoblinsmayimpart
somehelpfulinformationto theparty.A successful
DC 13Charisma(Intimidationor Persuasion)check
promptsa goblinto discloseoneof thefollowing
pieces of information:
Duergar Outpost. The goblinsare stationedin an
old duergarminingoutpostsomewherenearhere,
but underground.
Goblin Leader. They are working for a goblin
namedRuxithidtheChosen.Ruxithidhas a “big
CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL 79
 brain,”bestowedupon him bywhat the goblins
be- UNCOVERINGTHE CLUES
lieveto be mightygods.
investigationproceeds,they fing
As thecharacters’
Running Amok. Someofthegoblinshavebeen
cluesaboutthegoblins’goals,baseof operations,
sowingchaosin townbecause
it'stheirfirsttime andleader.The possiblecluesare as follows:
awayfromtheirunderground
homeandthey're
enjoyingtheirfreedom. Duergar Site. The goblins are coming from a place
Stealing Shards. The goblins havebeentasked that’sduergarin origin. (This clue can be found
with stealingshardsofan ancientobelisk.They eitherbyexaminingtheaxefound at the Shrine
believethisobeliskhasthepowertodestroy ofLuckor bysuccessfullyinterrogatinga cap
Phandalin. tured goblin.)
Fragmentsof a Location. The charactershavea
SCHOLARLY AID fragmentof the goblin outpost’s name, Zorzula’s
Duringtheirinvestigation,
thecharacters Rest.(Thiscluecanbefoundeither by talking
meet
GwynOresong,a dwarfscholarvisitingPhandalin withAnderat Barthen’sWell or by examiningthe
who can helppiece togetherthe goblins’grandplan. graffitiin theSleepingGiant.)
After the charactersinvestigateat leastone crime Goblins’Purpose.The goblinsare specifically
scene,reador paraphrase
thefollowing: huntingshards of dark stone that display strange
properties.(This clue can be found either by suc-
cessfullyinterrogatinga captured goblin, or by
A cheery
voicecallsouttoyou,andyouseeadwarven talking to Wheel-of-Fortune or Halia about the
woman cladinbluerobes waving
toyourgroup. Her cornerstoneof the Miner’s Exchange or the stones
forearmsaremarked withnumeroustattoos
ofsigils missing from the Sleeping Giant's bar. Discussing
drawninwhiteink.Slungacrossherbackisaleather
satchel
brimmingwithbooks,scrolls,
andother
implements.

Gwyn is new to town and is slightlylost. She

requeststhe party’shelp in directingher to the
Stonehill Inn.

GWYN ORESONG
Gwyn is a neutral good,dwarf acolytewho hails
from the city of Neverwinter.She'svisiting Phand-
alin for a few monthsto spendtimewith her sister
Elsa, who works as a bartenderat the Stonehill Inn,
and to do field researchin the surrounding area.
Gwyn has heard aboutthevariouscrimes from
her sister and recognizesthe charactersas the
group taskedwith puttingan end to the crimes.
Though she admits she can’thelpfightvandals,
Gwyn offers to assist the party.She asks the charac-
ters to bring any clues to her so she can helpthem
investigatethe crimes.
Gwyn knows a wealth of informationaboutthe
history of the wilds around Phandalin, and she
specializes in knowledge aboutempiresof thepast.
Dwarven history is the focusof her scholarship,but
she’s also fascinatedwith goblin history and culture.
Gwyn
This knowledge will helpthe characterslater.
freely shares her knowledgewith the characters
when they need it (thoughshe has a propensityto
them deter-
ramble), and she is a great ally to help
the town.
mine why the goblins are attacking

Gwyn ORESONG

80 CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL we.

4
ae, ty «sai ae inal
As Bai pert
i ce
 yay ons
4 bpdery . on
+ ree the
ly 4

Ander’s prior experiences with the well watercan

also lead to this clue.)
Leader’s Name. The goblinsareoperatingunder
the command ofa goblin named Ruxithid. (This
cluecan be foundeitherby eavesdropping
ELLU ; + - }
on the fo gpygtiad:
it a
> ig
goblincampnear the Miner’sExchangeor bysuc-
i.
cessfully interrogating a kidnapped goblin.)
9Ke ’m ’5
The charactersmightpiecetogethertheseclues e
themselvesand figureout thattheymustconfront
e |- 7A ne
Ruxithid in Zorzula’sRest to stoptheSawpleegob-
7. SAips cl §
lins’ crimes.Or, if thecharactersfindall fourclues, Ha ( yy +|Well’Above
Gwyn easily traces the goblins’ origins to the aban- ' wv. - it

ye. b? ‘ . Saree" ;

doned duergar mining outpost known as Zorzula’s .

ryte. ”
‘}4 , \8 ;
oes
is
Oe

. os (a ae
Rest. Nervous about what the goblins intend to do
with the stolenshards,Gwyn urgesthecharacters +e f '

to headto Zorzula’sRestwith hasteandstopthe : 0 Ah oe

goblins’plans,whatevertheyare. uI . om. oe

§, Oe fe. AAS
If thecharactersfind fewerthanfourcluesand ;
Mh tA etl fat:
ask for Gwyn’shelp,Gwyn agrees,buthernotesare ART
hee
| eee
.
*
in disarray. A character can make a DC 15 Intelli- he esp SP

gence(History)checkto helpGwynorganizeher 4
a2
4 ye
=p '
research.On a successfulcheck,Gwyn locatesher
re f
noteson Zorzula’sRest.Gwyn thensuggeststhat
the outpost might be a good place to search next.
Ona failedcheck,Gwyn can’tfindtherelevantre- a)
tee
ee 7
search.The charactersmustuncovermorecluesto =5 Feet ° A eeees cy

find Zorzula’s Rest. If they are stuck and return to

Gwyn for help, she can then tell them the location. Mae 5.1:Wett Cavern

When thecharactersare ready,theycanfollow

a grumpyotyughthatwas feastingon refusebe-
Gwyn’s directions and set out for Zorzula’s Rest.
neath the town.
The layout of outpost is detailed later in this chapter
(seethe “Zorzula’sRest”section). CRIME SCENE
When the characters investigate this crime scene,
STOLEN SHARDS read the following:
The goblins have committed the following crimes
to retrieve the obelisk shards. All these eventshap- wellbehindBarthen’s Provi-
Themodestred-brick
pened in the last few days. You can tailor the spe-
andcrumbling.
sionsisdilapidated Thewell’swalls
cific timeline to your campaign's needs, but each of
these crimes should have happened recentlywhile aretoppledover.Chunksof brickandstonelitter
the characters were away from town. thenearby roofis splintered
grass,andthewell’s
andcavedin.Thewell’swinchandpulleyhavebeen
BARTHEN’S WELL smashed topieces.
The well thegoblinsvandalizedis locatedbehind
Barthen’s Provisions. Years ago, the well was built
A characterwho inspectsthewell can makea DC
using materialscavengedfromthenearbyarea—
15Intelligence(Investigation)check.On a success-
includingan obeliskshard,whichwasusedas the
ful check,thecharacterrealizesthatwhile mostof
drum for thewell’swinch.
the mechanism could be reassembled from the re-
Recently,goblinscameduringthenighttoretrieve
mainingpieces,thewinch’sdrum is missing.
the obelisk shard, destroying the well in the pro-
Characters who have a passive Wisdom (Percep-
cess.But their raid was interruptedbyAnder,one
tion)scoreof 15or higheralso heara low,gurgling
of Barthen’sclerks.The goblinsfledwith theshard,
growlcomingfromthewell. A characterwho suc-
jumping intothewell andcavingin a tunnelso they
couldn’tbe followedto Zorzula’sRest.This escape, ceedson a DC 17Intelligence(Nature)checkcon-
cludesthatthis growl is mostlikelycomingfrom an
however,not onlydammedthe undergroundriver
irritated creature.
thatprovidedthewell with its waterbutalsoawoke

CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL 81

 The Clue.Thegoblins’commentabout retreating
to “theRest” is a clue that could help the characters
orGwynOresongdeterminethe name of the gob
lins’outpost.
Helping Ander. Andermentionsthat Barthen
hopesthe partywill restore the well’s water source,
butAnder seemsunenthused by the idea. If a char
on a DC 13Charisma (Persuasion)
actersucceeds
check,Ander revealsthat every time he’s drawn
waterfrom thewell, he’salso had vivid nightmares,
Ander believesthe well is cursed with bad luck and
is happyit’sout of service.
Unbeknownstto Ander, the water’s ill effects were
causedby the shard in the winch. These effects no
longerplaguethewell now that the shard is gone.

ENCOUNTER:WELL CAVERN
Should thecharacterswish to pursue the goblins
or investigatethe source of the well’s blockage, a
charactercan use rope to climb down into the well
with a successfulDC 10 Strength (Athletics) check.
If thecharactersdon’thave rope, Ander lends them
somefrom the store’sstock. On a successful check,
a characterclimbs the 20 feet into the cavern below
thewell (map5.1).On a failed check, a character
falls,takes7 (2d6)bludgeoningdamage,and has
GOBLINS DESTROYEDBartHeEN’sWELL thepronecondition.
WHENTHEY STOLEAN OBELISKSHARD When a character enters the cavern below the
FROM THE WINCH.
well, reador paraphrasethe following:

The smellof dampearth,tinged with acrid rot, fills

TALKING TO ANDER
Ander is a wide-eyed, fast-talking, teenagehalfling
commoner who works as one of Barthen’sclerks.
He was taking stock of the store when the goblins
destroyed the well. Ander is waiting at Barthen’s
Provisions to talk with the characterswhen theyar-
rive.He revealsthefollowinginformation:
Base of Operations. When Ander chased themoff,
he heardoneof thevandalsshout,“Hurry!Backto
the Rest!”The vandalsthenjumpedintothewell
to flee underground.
Description. Ander describes the vandals as
“strangefolk, bit biggerthanme,with longflat
ears,big heads,and handsthatglowedwith
strangemagic.”
Dry Well. Since the attack, the well has beendry.
Ander suspectsthe vandalsdammedthewell’s
water source during their escape.
at sundown.
Strange Behavior. The vandals arrived
stores
Strangely,theydidn’tgo afteranyof the
stock: instead, they immediately
began destroy-
ing the well.
yournose.Whatlooksliketheremainsof an under-
groundriversnakesthroughthiscavern,thougha pile
ofdarkrocksblocksitsheadstream.In thefar corner
of thatscent:a pileof carrionand sew-
isthesource
agebeingdragged a fleshy,three-legged
by creature.
An otyughlurksin thecavern,feastingon a pile of
trash it has gathered from the town above. A falling
attractstheotyugh’satten-
immediately
character
tion;otherwise,a charactermust succeed on a DC
11Dexterity(Stealth)check to avoid the otyugh’s n«
tice.The otyughis hostile to any creature it sees.
Cave-In. It takes 1 hour for a character to dig out
thetunnel.If morecharactershelp, the time it takes
to dig outthetunnel decreasesby 10 minutes per
character,to a minimum of 10 minutes total.
The clearednorthern tunnel leads eastward to
a mountainousoutcroppingnear Zorzula’s Rest,
thoughthemining outpostitself isn’t visible from
the exitof thetunnel.At your discretion, the char-
acterscould enterZorzula’s Rest from this point,
additionalcrime
thoughtheyshouldinvestigate
scenes first.

82 CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL

MINER’S EXCHANGE TALKING TO HALIA
During initial constructionof the Miner'sExchange, Oncethe Miner’s Exchangehas beenrepaired,
theminersof Phandalinembedded a sparkling Halia tellsthecharacterswhat occurred. She gives
shardof obsidianintothebuilding'sceremonial themthe followingpiecesof information:
cor-
nerstone. Unbeknownst to them, this shard is part Lone Witness. One evening, a group of goblins
of the obelisk the Sawpleegoblinsseek.A fewdays attackedtheMiner’s Exchange.Halia was the
ago, goblins used crude mining supplies stolen from onlyoneat thetradingpostat thetime, as the
the Miner’s Exchangeto hack theshardfromthe rest of the guild members were drinking at the
cornerstone,damagingthe building'sintegrity.Now, SleepingGiant.
the Miner’s Exchange leans precariously, and mem- Stolen Stone. Halia foughtoff thegoblins to the
bers of the guild are desperateto repairit. best of her ability, but she couldn't stop them from
takinga pieceof thebuilding’scornerstone.
CRIME SCENE Swapping Blows. Halia was injuredin the scuffle,
When thecharactersinvestigatethis crimescene, so shecouldn’tpursuethe goblinsfarther.She
read the following: knowsshe hurt a fewof thegoblins badly,so they
couldn't have gotten far.
Youhearthesnapping ofwoodbeamsandgrinding StrangeMagic. During the fight,Halia swearsone
quickly
of stoneasyouneartheMiner'sExchange, of thegoblinspushedher with somekind of magi-
cal,invisibleforce.
slants
shouts.Thestructure
followedbypanicked
asminers
precariously clamberaroundthebuilding’s Following the Goblins. Halia has no ideawhy
toonesideisGuildMaster
Standing
foundation. thegoblinswereinterestedin thebuilding’scorner-
stone; she knows only that a strange “lucky stone”
Halia,her expressiontenseas shebarksorders.
embeddedintoit is now missing.
If askedwherethegoblins fled,Halia pointsthe
Guild Master Halia Thornton leads the building characterstowardthe woodssouthof Phandalin.
repair efforts.If a characterattemptsto talk with
Halia, the guild mastersaysterselythatshe'll
be happyto talk aftershe’scertainthebuilding
won'tcollapse.
Repairing the Building. Any of thecharacters
can help repair the Miner’s Exchange. A character
can helphold up thebuilding’sbulk, passmaterials
to the skilled masons repairing the structure, or use
the materials to repair the damage. Each character
helping must make a single DC 12 Strength check
or DC 12 Dexterity check, whichever is appropriate.
A characterwho attemptseithercheckwho also has
proficiency in a relevant set of artisan’s tools (such
as mason’s tools) has advantage on their check.
As longas thecharactersmakeat leasttwo suc-
cessfulchecks,theyhelpfinish therepairs.If they
don’t,Halia grows frustrated.She chidesthechar-
actersfor gettingin theway.Halia tellsthemnot
to botherher againuntil theminersare finished
repairing the building.
Alternatively,thecharacterscan chooseto help
with the repair effortsin unconventionalways,using
whatevermagicor toolsare at theirdisposal.Feel
free to adjudicate these unconventional repair ef-
fortsas you see fit.

# " = i

co %
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CORNERSTONE WEAKENED =

THE FOUNDATIONOF THE Miner's ExcHANGeE.

F
SAAMI Ne
Neopet
 ENCOUNTER: GOBLIN CAMP Interrogatingthe Goblins.lf any of the goblins
The goblinsthat attackedthe Miner'sExchangeare arecapturedor charmed,the characters can take
campingin a clearingaboutan hour'swalk from thegoblins to Phandalin for questioning. Sec the
Phandalin.Theuninjuredgoblinsreturned
toZor- “What the Goblins Know” section under “Town
zula’sRest with theshardin tow,while theothers master’sPlight” for the different pieces of infor
stayedat thecampto patchthemselvesup. mationthecharacterscan glean from the goblins.
The makeshiftcamp,shownon map5.2,consists Whathappenstocapturedgoblins is up to you and
of a fewtentsand a small fire.The campis situated theplayers.If the characters ask, Harbin Wester
in thecenterofa smallclearing.
As thecharacters holdsthegoblinsin thejail cells at the
reluctantly
approach thecamp,theyoverhear oneofthegoblins Townmaster’sHall until the characters can uncover
complaining abouttheirleaderin Common: what’sgoingon.

“Hopetheothers
made
itback,
elseRuxithid’s
gonna
haveourheads!”
Currently,threegoblinpsi brawlers(seeappendix
A) remainatthecamp.A character canavoidthe
goblins’noticebysucceeding ona DC 16Dexterity
(Stealth)check.Otherwise,thehostilegoblinsde-
tectany creaturethatenterstheircamp.If oneof the
goblinsis killed,theotherstrytosurrender.
The Clue. Eavesdroppingon the campedgoblins
revealsthat thegoblin leader’snameis Ruxithid.
This is a clue thatcan helpthe charactersor Gwyn
Oresong discoverthe truth.
SHRINE OF LucK
Built from materialscavenged from the surround.
ingwilds,theShrineof Luck consists of a strange
assemblage of rocksandstones.Unbeknownst
to the townspeople,one such stone in the shrine
originatedfromtheobelisk.This small, obsidian
shardwas a centerpiecein the shrine’s archway for
yearsuntil a band of goblins came in the wee hours
ofthemorningandpluckedit from its perch. This
causedtheentire arch to collapse atop the shrine,
damaging
it.
CRIME SCENE
When the charactersinvestigatethis crime scene,
readthefollowing:

Once
astriking cairnof colorfulrocksand offeringsto
Tymora, thisshrinenowlooksprecarious.You seetwo
figuresattemptingto movesome
of the shrine’slarger
rocks:
theelf SisterGaraele
anda humangirlno more
thantenyearsold.

Sa ey a4 The younggirl working alongside Sister Garaele is

a TamaraStonehill,thedaughterof innkeeperToblen
Stonehill.Earlyonemorning,Tamaravisitedthe
Shrine of Luck to praywith her mother, Trilena.
Nie al However,as theywere walking up, part of the
shrine collapsed,and three‘small creatures—the
i . “,
goblins—hurriedawayfrom the rubble carrying a
. 9 : h
stone.Tamara and Trilena have since been helping
PRA 9Saf. Sister Garaelerebuild the shrine; Tamara is sorting
“ay
i ole 4 throughsmallerchunks of rubble to find still-usabl«
is : 4 4 ap pieces,whileTrilenais retrievingfood and water at
ree i f ne
theStonehill Inn.
PRP? wae eed
es] Sister Garaele. Sister Garaele returned to Phan-
i “* 7 +he dalin from a Harper mission a few hours after the
. rg ao epee € es
shrine was vandalized.As such, she knows little
+ -
aboutwhatoccurred.If asked for information, she
refers the charactersto Trilena and Tamara.
Regardless,
Garaeleis visiblyupsetthat the shrine
__1Square=5
Fi hasbeendesecrated.
Shegladlyacceptsany offers
Map 5.2:Gos.in Camp
of help to rebuildand rededicatethe shrine. A char-
actercan try to helpby making a DC 15 Wisdom

84 CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL

2
iS 8i es a Se
 Tamaraknows the followingpiecesof
information:
c al ; ih
‘ “ae Dhatt 4h “hl leh i r 4 RegularWorship.TrilenaandTamaravisitedthe
pal HAs) 7, wale F shrine atdawnto maketheir weeklyoffering to
ii % M am, fy. Nel ]
Tymora,only toseetheshrine suddenlycavein.
* ! -
nN és Small Shadows. Both Trilena and Tamara saw
c :
¥ SS
vo.
es
Ce
i
threesquatshadowshurry awayfrom the shrine
PAN ea ne ite : ex fe, Seale
afterit fell.Tamaraswears she also hearda
/ : . ar, as 7 dupe gaggle of shrill voices just before it fell, though
: ef SiStera a Nerd ° 40 pe
pat
Sophy ee shedidn’tunderstandthe languagethevoices
Ppa caraele:s
a 0 Peee Se werespeaking.
g Bac
x ‘ — feo,/
. ; = ‘ aes "yy ,. i i Stolen Centerpiece. Basedon how the stonesfell,
i sig SS es é
BS Tamarafiguresthat someonemusthavetakenthe
a are nn 0"
. 3| Sere f centerpieceof theshrine’srock archwaywithout
sTSOeRe
co) SE,
YF
replacingit. She remarksthatthe stonewas a very
fe 5 pretty,shimmeryblackcolor.
Being worshipersof Tymora,bothTrilena and Ta-
maracan explaintheshrine’ssignificanceand tradi-
tions to thecharactersif theyaren'tyet aware.
oe ft? ;
mats eee
bay|e bess gee
Shrinelofes
SUCK:
GIANT
SLEEPING
With theRedbrands’operationcurtailed bythe
. a c "4 © g characters, the Sleeping Giant is no longer a meet-
Ee ing placefor criminals. Most townsfolkare still
bP ate
i ' ies a ~
wary of theplace,thougha few havestartedcoming
«1Square=5Feet §==~‘ to the tavern for cheaper drinks.
Mae 5.3: PHANDALIN ALLEYS

(Survival),Wisdom (Religion),or Dexterity(Acrobat-

ics)check.On a failedcheck,theshrinecrumbles
more, and the character takes 2 (1d4)bludgeoning
damage from falling rocks.
After three successful checks, the shrine
is repaired.
Investigating the Scene. Map 5.3 shows the
shrine and thesurroundingarea.Characters
searching the shrine for clues find a broken mining
pick among the rubble; small, hastily made foot-
prints leading down a nearby alley; and the glint of
an axe embedded in the wall of one of the nearby
buildings.
The Clue. A character who examines the axe and
succeeds on a DC 17 Intelligence (History) check
recognizes the runes etched into the axe as duergar
in origin. Gwyn Oresongrecognizestherunes’ori-
gin immediately,and theaxeis a cluethatcanhelp
her leadthecharactersto Zorzula’sRest.

TALKING TO TAMARA
Tamara, a precocious ten-year-old,is focused on
rebuilding the shrine. A character can convince her
to answerquestionswhile she’sworkingbysucceed-
ing on a DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Once
the shrine has been repaired, Tamara answers the
characters’questionsfreely.

GOBLINS DAMAGEDTHE SHRINE OF LUCK WHEN THEY REMOVEDTHE

SHARD FROM THE PINNACLE OF THE ARCH.
OBELISK
 ™" —_' y

2Me \

rp hs Mies Gristagrufflygreetsthecharacters.The dwart

(, ROOFTOP
STASH makesit clear thatshe despises Harbin and his
attempts
togovernthetown,but she wants the crim.
herbarbroughttojustice.She
inalswhodestroyed
givesthecharactersfree rein to poke around the
: +10)Feet tavernasnecessary.
The only otherindividual in the Sleeping Giant is
thebartender,a nervoustiefling named Whee!-of-
Fortune,who is a new arrival in Phandalin.
H Melons InvestigatingtheBar. The bar is in splinters,
+10Feet| andthetavern’s lockboxhasbeenbroken open and
COT ae looted.Characterswhoinvestigatethe bar spot
crudelycarvedpiecesof graffitiunder the counter.
oda hel DORs LT: ; The Clue.Thelegiblepartsof the graffiti read,
“Zorzws here.”This is intendedto say,“Zorzula
washere,”andthegoblinsleftthegraffiti in refer-
enceto Zorzula’sRest. The graffiti is a clue that can
Sleeping\Giant +1O)Feet helpthecharacters
or GwynOresong pinpoint the
goblins’lair.
Fr ea i ) “Ge. InvestigatingtheKitchen. The Sleeping Giant's
; elk} ‘ne kitchenareasufferedless damage than the bar, but
manyof thebarrelsand crates of foodstuffs have
A beenransacked.A characterwho succeeds on a
; DC 15Wisdom(Perception)
checkwhile scanning
+10)Feet x Mh
thekitchennotices a trail of stray copper and silver
Fe Qh
pieceson theground.These coins, stolen from the
tavern’slockbox,spilled from the goblins’ bag as
Map 5.4: RooFrop Stasw Grista chasedthemaway.
There is a totalof 5 sp and 7 cp. Following the
BeyonditsconnectiontotheRedbrands, the trail of coinsleadsto the tavern’sfireplace, through
SleepingGiantis knownfor itscollectionof cu- whichthegoblinsfled.Checking out the roof trig-
rios, amassedfrom travelersvisiting Phandalin. gersthe“Encounter:Rooftop Stash” section.
Onesuchcuriowas embedded
in thebaritself:a
near-sphericalpiece of glittering obsidian. Local TALKING TO WHEEL-OF-FORTUNE
mythsays it is a piece of the petrifiedgiant that Wheel-of-Fortunetries their best to help the charac-
gavethe tavernits name. In reality,this is an obe- tersandoffersthecharactersfree drinks. If a char
lisk shard. acteracceptsa drink from Wheel-of-Fortune, read
Duringthenight,a bandof goblinsbrokeinto or paraphrasethefollowing:
the Sleeping Giant, smashed the bar to extractthe
obeliskshard,andransackedthekitchen.Thebar's grabsa clean
Inasmoothmotion,Wheel-of-Fortune
owner,a dwarf named Grista, chased the goblins mugandfillsittothebrim.Before
handing
ittoyou,
away,but not before the tavern sustained signifi- totapthemugagainstthecounter,
thetieflingmoves
cant damage. andblushsheepishly.
onlytostopmid-motion
CRIMESCENE
When the characters investigatethis crime scene, explainsthatthere used to be a
Wheel-of-Fortune
read the following: large shard of black stone embedded in the counter,
butit’sbeenmissingeversince the raid occurred.
Giantisquiet,savefor The stonesupposedlybroughtgood luck, and every
ofthe Sleeping
Thetaproom
time they served a drink, Wheel-of-Fortune would
thunkoftankard
theoccasional table.Thebar
against
tap the mug against the stone.
itself is in shambles, the wooden stiles smashed to A characterwhosucceedson a DC 12 Wisdom
splinters aa
andthetopsplitinhalf.Nevertheless, (Insight)checkintuitsthatWheel-of-Fortune is
purple worksbehind
tiefling thebroken dil-
counter,
watchful
igentlycleaningmugsandplatesunderthe
Grista.
eyeofthesurlydwarfowner,

CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL

tt. (Dy
hiding something. When pressed, Wheel-of- GOBLINS SMASHEDTHE BARAT
Fortuneexplainsthateverydrink theypoured THE SLEEPING GIANT AND STOLE
AN OBELISKSHARD.
ended up being slightly “off” in some way: the ale
often caused a headache, and the mead shimmered
with an oil-slick iridescence. Wheel-of-Fortune
doesn’t know how this keeps happening and is
embarrassedbytheirineptitude,believingthey're
cursed. (Unbeknownst to them, close proximity
to the obelisk shard in the counter caused the
ill effects.)
Wheel-of-Fortune wasn’t present when the goblins
raided the tavern. If asked about the raiders, the tief-
ling directsthecharactersto speakwithGrista.

TALKING TO GRISTA
Grista grudgingly shares the following information:
Awakened Rudely. Grista awoke to the sound of
woodbeingshattered.Whenshefinallyclimbed
downstairs, she saw a group of five small
creatures destroying the bar and ransacking
the kitchen.
Churlish Children. Grista initiallymistookthecrea-
tures for misbehaving children due to their stat-
ure, but then she noticed their long, flat ears and
sharpened teeth. They also all carried weapons.
Damaged Bar. Much to Grista’s surprise, the crea-
tures didn’t steal much food; instead, they focused
on destroying the bar.
Fled When Chased. She chased the creatures from
the bar with a broom. When she did, several of the
creatures fled through the fireplace and climbed
up the chimney.
Grista didn’t recognize the creatures as goblins. If
asked about the black stone once embeddedin the
counter, Grista claims it has no special properties. The goblin holding the sword and the sack is a gob-
lin psi commander, and the other two goblins are
ENCOUNTER: ROOFTOPSTASH goblin psi brawlers (see appendix A for both stat
When the goblins fled, they accidentally dropped blocks). All three goblins attack once spotted.
the bag of stolen coins on the roof. Now, three of the During the ensuing combat, the goblins do their
goblins have returned to retrieve the bag. Use map best to stay on the roof of the two-story tavern, using
5.4 for this encounter. the high ground to their advantage.
If a character follows the trail of coins to the roof, Once one of the goblins has been defeated,the re-
or when the characters decide to finish their investi- maining goblins flee, ditching the bag of coins.
gationat theSleepingGiant,reador paraphrasethe Treasure. The bag contains most of the tavern’s
following: weekly profit: 10 gp, 14 sp, and 17 cp. If the charac-
ters retrieve the bag from the goblins and return it
to Grista, she is grateful. She offers the characters
A shrillshriekechoesfromtheroofoftheSleeping
free meals for a week for their help, though the food
Giant.Youseethreegoblinfiguresstandingatopthe
isn’t the greatest.
building,musclestensedin surprise.Greenenergy
crackles The
aroundthefistsoftwoofthegoblins.
thirdwieldsa bladeofthesameenergyandheftsa
largeclothsackover hershoulder.

CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL 87

ZORZULA’SREST terrainbeginsto change.
themountainous
Slowly,
Zorzula’s
Restis anancientduergarminingout- gravel
Gray andshrubbery
toash-black,
darkens
postlocatedin oneof theSword Mountainseast ofthe briskcoldof
Instead
dryandsparse.
becomes
ofPhandalin.Themeaning ofitsnamehasbeen
peaks,theairstartsto warm.
mostmountain
losttotime,thoughsomehistorybooksmentiona
atall cliff face,in which is set
ofyou rises
Ahead
powerful duergar
leadernamedZorzula,whocom-
manded miningoperations
throughouttheSword apair doors:
obsidian
of forbidding to
theentrance
Mountains. However,duergar
controloftheoutpost Zorzula's
Rest.
ceasedcenturiesagowhenZorzula’sRestwas over-
takenbymindflayers.
Zorzula'sRest,depictedon map 5.5, is housed
Afterconqueringtheoutpost,the illithids reigned
withinthemassivemountain.There are three po-
overtheareafor decades,evenatonepointhousing
tentialpointsofentryintoZorzula’sRest: the front
anelderbrainwithintheoutpost’sunderground
doors(areaZ1),the hot spring vent (area Z6), or the
sanctum.Eventually,
themindflayercolonyalso
abandoned pantrytunnel(areaZ9).A charactercan discover
theoutpostwhentheirunderground
empirefell,butechoesoftheirpresence thespringventandpantrytunnelby scouting the
still
clingthere. areaandsucceeding ona DC 16Wisdom (Percep-
Zorzula’s tion)check.The charactersalso might know about
Restisstill thehomeofanenclave
of
secretive thepantrytunnelentryfrom their investigations in
goblinswhocallthemselves theSawplees.
Thesegoblinshaveinhabitedtheoutpostfor genera- Phandalin.
tions,with someof their numberdisplayingpsionic
FEATURES OF ZORZULA’S REST
abilitiesthattraceto theaberrantinfluenceof the
mindflayerswho also oncelivedthere.Only re- Zorzula’sResthas thefollowing
centlyhavethegoblinsventuredbeyondthe outpost noteworthyfeatures.
andransackednearbyareas.
SULFURIC LAVA
This effortis helmedbya goblinnamedRuxithid
The outpostis builtatopa sulfuric lava spring. The
theChosen,who receivesorders telepathicallyusing
and fills the air
sulfurcolorsthelavabluish-purple
a specialcrystalfrom his “mightygods”—actually
with toxicfumes.A creaturethat breathes in the
thegroupof mind flayersat theheartof this adven-
area'sfumesmustsucceedon a DC 10 Constitution
ture.(Seethe “IndigoSanctum”sectionfor more.)
savingthrowor gainthepoisonedcondition for
Ruxithidincorrectlybelievesthesespecificmind
1 hour.Creatureswith resistanceor immunity to
flayersare thesourceof someof thegoblins’psionic
poison damage automatically succeed on this sav
abilities,and he believesthatthese“gods”will re-
ingthrow.A creaturewho succeedson this saving
wardhim handsomelyfor his obedience.
throw is immune to the effects of the area's toxic
In additionto retrievingthe Nethereseobelisk
fumes for 24 hours. All creatures that reside in Zor-
shards,Ruxithid and his goblinsare also tasked
zula’s Rest are immune to the fumes.
with acquiringofferingsfor their godsin theformof
townspeoplefrom Phandalin. Some of thesekidnap WALLS AND FLOORS
victimsare in deeperparts of theUnderdark(see The wallsandfloorsof theoutpostare made of gray
laterchapters),thougha few are heldwithin the igneousstone.The miningtunnels carve through
depthsof the outpost. packedearthandrockysediment.

APPROACHING THE OUTPOST CEILINGS

Oncethecharacterslearn the locationof Zorzula’s
RestfromGwynOresong,thejourneytotheoutpost
is easy.Zorzula’sRest is a day’stravelfrom Phand-
alin. When the charactersnear theoutpost,reador
paraphrasethe following:
Unless otherwise stated, room ceilings are 15 feet
highandvaulted,andtunnelceilings are 10 feet
highandflat.
LIGHTING
Geometricgroovesarecarvedinto the outpost’s
ceilingandwalls.The groovesallow lava to flow
through and illuminate the outpost’s interior with
dim bluelight.The miningtunnels are dark unless
otherwisenoted.

CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL

 as

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Map 5.5: Zorzu.a’s Rest

 ZORZULA’SRESTLOGATIONS Z3:MessHALL
The following locationsare keyedto map5.5.
Blue-tintedlavaflowsthroughgeometriccarvingsthat
Z1: ENTRANCE
runalongthewalls’topedges,bathingtheroomin
stonetablesstretchthe
eerielight.Threerectangular
double
stone
Thetowering of
youisfree
doorbefore along
of theroom
length setsofstone
withseveral
Twoarrow
ornamentation. slits,oneoneachsideof benches. ofgoblinssitatthesetables,shov-
A handful
thedoorandeachabout
10feetabove theground, elinggritty
whiteporridge
intotheirmouths.
guard
theentrance. Ononesideoftheroom,
awindow
provides
aview
kitchen.
oftheoutpost
The entrydoor is unlockedbutclosedandis too
heavyto pushopenexceptwith 1 minuteof effort,
At anytime,2d4goblinseatin the mess hall, along
thougha Knock spellor similar magicopensit with
with1d6goblinpsi brawlers and 1d4goblin psi
ease.Pulling a leverin areaZ2 causesthedoorsto
commanders (seeappendix A for both stat blocks).
swing inward,stonegrindingagainststone.
If theynoticean intruder in the mess hall, the gob-
Arrow Slits. Two goblin psi commanders(see
linspanicandattack.The goblinsattemptto over-
appendixA) are positionedat theentrance’sarrow
whelmanyintruderwith sheer numbers, aiming to
slits.Thearrowslitsare10feetabovetheground
subdueinsteadof kill. If all characters are reduced
and can be reachedfrom insideZorzula'sRestvia
to 0 hit points,theywake up as prisoners inside
the spiral staircasesin areaZ2. The parapetshown
the Indigo Sanctum’sleft wing (See the “Sanctum
on map 5.5 in areaZ2 connectsthetwoarrow
Showdown”section)alongside Phandalin’s kid-
slits,whichgrantall ofthecreatures
ontheledge
napvictims.Characterswho enter the mess hal]
three-quarterscoveragainstattacksmadefromout-
disguisedas goblins can make a DC 15 Charisma
side the outpost.
(Deception)check,passing through unnoticed on a
The goblins are cautiousof outsidersbutgullible,
successfulcheck.
andtheyresentRuxithidforputtingthemonguard
A charactercan attemptto keep the goblins from
duty.A charactercan convincethegoblinsto open
attackingbymaking a DC 13 Charisma (Intimida-
the door with either a successfulDC 15Charisma
tionor Persuasion)check. On a successful check,
(Deceptionor Persuasion)checkor a bribeworth at
thegoblinsceasefighting but remain wary of the
least 25 gp. If the charactersthreatenviolence,the
party.The goblinsthen attemptto broker a deal
goblinsattack.Threeroundslater,reinforcements with thecharacters,allowing the party to traverse
from area Z3 arrive.
theoutpostif theytake care of the monsters haunt-
72: VESTIBULE forge(areaZ7).
ingtheoutpost’s

Z4: BUNKS
Dimbluelightbathes humid
theoutpost’s as
interior Thedoortothebunksis unlockedand ajar.
risealongthisarea’s
spiralstaircases walls.
northern
Distantly,
youhearthefaintsoundofchatter and Snoringfillsthisroom.Numerousmessybunkbeds
utensils ondishes.
clattering linethewalls, A darkopening
crumpled.
theirsheets
inthewestwallreveals anemptyshaftframedwitha
a thinspiral
On eithersideof thedoorstands truss.
metal |
‘
staircase,whichascendstooneof thearrowslits
guarding the entrance,as describedin areaZ1.The At anygiventime, 1d6goblin psi brawlers (see
parapetthat runs underneaththe arrow slits in- appendixA) sleepin the bunks. Characters who
cludesa leverthatopensthedoubledoor.The lever ciieritic raninieesticeeeton a DGAT Dextexly
is directlyabovethedoors. checktoavoidwakingthegoblins.
(Stealth)
If awoken,thegoblins in the bunks flee and call
for help.However,a character who succeeds on a
DC 16Charisma(Intimidation or Persuasion) check
can convincethegoblins to be quiet and not men-
tion the party’spresenceto others—on the condition
thatthe charactershelp the goblins by defeating the
5 7 monstersin theforge(area Z7).
x a
fs

9 Oo CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL

De Le ai ccieaa - ea i
 TM A a

MiLT LN ahl Adelielal

CHT LTT
WRT A ho mTSZARE HOSTILE
WHODISTURB
ANY
10 —
THEM.
re

If asked about Ruxithid, the goblins statethat Once repaired, the lift continuously moves be-
he’s probably in the blue room communing with the tweenthebunksand theminingtunnels,with a
mighty gods that gave him and the other psionic stopateachlocation.
1-minute oar
goblins their powers. This refers to the Indigo
Sanctum, which is across the bridge (area Z19).The Z5: LATRINES
goblinsaren’tawareof anymoredetailsregarding
Ruxithid’sgrandplan. Thereekofwastewaftsfromtheselatrines.
The
Mine Shaft. The gapin thewestwall opensintoa wallsherearelinedwithlongwoodenbencheswith
shaftthatdescends30 feet.This shaftoncehelda
equidistantholes,whichemptyintoa largetrench.
magical lift that the duergar miners used as trans-
port into the mining tunnels, but the lift has since Inthecenter
of theroomisa longtroughfilledwith
fallen into disrepair. murkywater.
A character who inspects the lift and succeeds on
a DC 10Intelligence(Investigation)
checkuncovers The wastefromthelatrineshas stagnatedhere.
thelift’s brokenmechanismsaswellas its former
Secret Door. Characterswho havea passive
powersource:a dull andcrackedshardof irides-
Wisdom(Perception)scoreof 13or highernoticea
centcrystalthatoccasionallysparkswith magical
slightdepressionin thelatrine’snorthwestcorner.
energy. Any character proficient in the Arcana
Pushing on this depression reveals the entrance
skill can tell that the crystal can be recharged by
intotheoutpost’shiddenhotspring (areaZ6).
touchingit and expendinga spellslotof 1stlevelor
higher. The mechanisms in turn can be repaired
with a successfulDC 16Intelligence(Arcana)
check;if thecharacterhas proficiencywith tinker’s
tools,this checkis madewith advantage.

CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL gl

SSS ae
 Z6: HoT SPRING
A large,
natural
poolbrimming withturquoise
water
burblesatthecenter
ofthischamber.Steam coils
offthewater's
surface,
risingtoaventinthecave
ceiling.
Thewateritselfsparkles
withaninviting,
glow.
tranquil
The hot spring has magicalrestorativeproperties
thatwereusedbytheancientduergarwhoinhabited
theoutpost.Theentrancewassealedawaybythe
mindflayers(whodespisedthehotspring),butthe
goblinshavesinceunearthedit,thoughtheentrance
is still hiddenin area Z5.
The hot spring is 15feetdeep.For every10min-
utesa creaturespendssubmergedin the hotspring,
thatcreature regains3 (1d6)hit points.
Vent.Located40feetabovethehotspring’ssur-
faceis a ventin the mountainside,which allows the
steamto escape.Characterscan use this ventas an
alternateexit from or entranceto Zorzula’sRest.
A successfulDC 18Strength(Athletics)
checkis
neededto climb towardand intothevent.
Z7: OVERLOOK FORGE
The Sawplee goblins havebarricadedtheentrance
totheforgebecausethey'reafraidofthemonsters
lurking there.Characters who havea passiveWis-
dom (Perception)score of 12or higherhear a low
moaning sound and shufflingfootstepsright out-
side the door.
A charactermust succeedon a DC 12Strength
(Athletics)check to removethe barricade.
BucketConveyor.The bucketshanging from the
forge’sceilingarepartof a conveyorsystembuilt
oretotheforgefromtheminingtunnels
totransfer
below.The conveyorsystem is currently broken.
A characterwho inspects the area and succeeds
ona DC 10Intelligence(Investigation) check un-
coverstheconveyorsystem’sbroken mechanisms
aswellasitsdullpowercrystal.This crystal is the
samekindastheonein areaZ4, and it and the bro-
kenmechanisms canberepairedin the same ways.
Anycharacterproficientin theArcana skill can tel]
thata crystalcan be rechargedby touching it and
a spellslotof 1stlevelor higher.
expending
Once recharged,the bucketscontinuously move
between
theforgeandtheminingtunnels’storage
chamber(areaZ18).A character attempting to climb
up and ride themovingbucketsmust succeed on a
DC 15Dexterity
(Acrobatics)
checkor fall 20 feet
to forge’sfloor,taking 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage.
The forgehasa tall stepladderused to access the
buckets’contents.
Treasure. Numerousweapons and armor pieces
are scatteredaboutthe forge.A character who suc-
ceedson a DC 13Intelligence(Investigation) check
findsoneofthefollowingitems.If thechecksuc-
ceedsby 3 or more,the characterfinds two items,
instead of one. You can choose which item a char-
acter finds:
« A longsworddecoratedwith shimmering filigree,
worth 200 gp
+A bronzebreastplatestuddedwith quartz,
worth 500 gp
+A gold-tippedjavelin of lightning
+Aset of delicatesilverbracersof archery

Z8: KITCHEN
Floor-to-ceiling
glasswindows
overlookachurning
lavasea.Threelarge,
blackened
anvils
standinarow,
driedmeatandherbsdangle
Stripsofunidentifiable
andarmorlitter
andunfinishedpiecesofweaponry
A squatironstove
fromtheceilingofthiskitchen.
theroom.Above, conveyor
astationary ofbuckets
totheside,itsinsides
stands withstill-smol-
glowing
castsominousshadows theforgefloor.
across
deringcoals.Burlapsacksfilledwithgrainandvegeta-
iswhatappears
ateachoftheanvils
Standing tobe
blesarescattered aboutthefloor.
anashenhuskofagray-skinned Allthree
dwarf. pan-
echoesfromaroundthecorner,and
A faintsnuffling
Asthey
in eeriesynchronization.
tomimemetalwork its facehungrily
burrowing
youseeahulkingbadger
you,theybrandish
turntoward ofblack
sharpchunks looksatyou,snorts
intoasackoffood.Thebadger
rock.With gasping,angrycries,thefiguressurge andreturnsto its meal.
friendliness,
withhappy
forward.

A windowin thewesthall allows the mess hall to be

The three figures are feral ashenwights (seeap-
pendix A), undead spirits who perishedin the mind
and
flayers’ takeover.The ashenwightsare hostile
attack immediately.
viewedfromthekitchen,and vice versa.The giant
badgersnufflingthroughthe kitchenis the goblin
enclave’sunofficialpet.A dirty rope holds a crude
nametagaroundthe giantbadger’sneck; the name
tagsays“Bessie”in Goblin.

Pe:
oT ee. ¢
3 if
CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL

as eRe oe ks ‘aia 8 ait

 the
through oftheceramic jar with
jars—asmooth,onyx-black
Bessieburrowedintotheoutpost
pantryone dayand has beentheenclave's “bestgirl” geometricengravingsinlaid with bluegemstones—
eversince.She'sfriendlytoall andlovesbellyrubs. displayedin thebookcase.
Murmuring Jar.The murmuring jar is actuallya
TANTRY canopicjar ee thesoul ofa neutralduergar
Ls
namedHjoldakHollowhelm,thelast mining captain
of theoutpostgiveswaytoa floorofcool,
Thestone of Zorzula’sRest.Hjoldak’ssoul was imprisoned
packed and
earth.Barrelsandcratescrowdthespace, in thejar bythemindflayers whentheyovertook
tunnel
isthickintheair.A small
thesmellofmildew trappedin thejar
hehasremained
theoutpost;
eversince.
ofthe pantry.
hasbeendug throughtheback Hjoldak can see normally while trapped in the jar
andcanstill speak,thoughhis voicecomesout no
Most of the foodin hereis staleand half-eaten. louderthan a whisper.Upon seeingthe characters
Treasure. A character who searches the pantry enter the room, he attempts to grab their attention
andsucceeds ona DC 15Intelligence(Investigation) (hehasbeenattempting togetRuxithid’s attention
checkfindstwopotionsofgreaterh andone
ealing foryears now,t I
onoavail). f thechara ctersstopto
(seeappendix
of psionicfortitude
potion A)sitting listentohim,he desperately hisplight
explains and
behinddustybottlesof sourwine. asksthecharactersto freehim. He also claimsto
Tunnel. \n the back of the pantry is the tunnel know the goblins’ plan and offers to aid the charac-
Bessie the badger dug. This tunnel leads outside the ters. However, a character who succeeds on a DC 13
entrance.
outpostandcanbeusedasanalternate Wisdom(Insight)checkintuitsthatwhilehisofferof
A Mediumcreaturecancrawlthroughthetunnel helpis earnest,Hjoldakknowslessthan heclaims.
without squeezing. The jar is sealed with an intricate puzzle lock, re-
quiringthe bodyandlidofthe jar to bemovedat the
can
exactrightplaceandangletoopen.A character
Z10: CAPTAIN’S SUITE
Once reserved for the captain of the mining expedi-
tion, this private bedroom now serves as Ruxithid’s
personal quarters. The door to the suite is locked,
but a character can use thieves’tools to try to pick
the lock, doing so with a successful a DC 15 Dexter-
ity check. Alternatively, a character can force open
the door with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athlet-
ics) check. Ruxithid, found in the Indigo Sanctum
later in this chapter, has a key.The goblin leader
doesn’tallow anyothersaccesstothisroom. HuoLoaK

Thesepersonalquarterscontaina large,plush,
four-posterbedcoveredin silksheets.Stoneshelves
bearingbooksandornamental jarslinethe
ceramic
dust-covered
wallsalongside embroidered
banners
with Dwarven runes. In one corner stands an elegant
mahoganydesk,on topof which is a mapandseveral
crumplednotes.

The map on the desk is a copy of the map

found in Ruxithid’s war room (seethe “Sanc-
tumShowdown"section),butit’smissing
thelocationlabels.While inspectingthe
room, characters who have a passiveWis-
dom (Perception) score of 15 or higher also
noticea faintmurmuringcomingfromone

CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF

(ee ee, Saat, oe athe ges).8 be ’

open the lock bysucceedingon a DC 15Intelligence throw.Ona failedsave,thecreature takes damape
(Investigation)
check.Characters
canalsoattempt thatvariesdependingon thelast rune the crea
to break thejar openbymakinga DC 20 Strength turetapped:
(Athletics)check,smashingthejar on a success.
Death.13(3d8)necroticdamage
Oncefreed,Hjoldak’ssoulmanifests
asa peaceful Light.13(3d8)radiantdamage
psionic ashenwight (seeappendixA).
Storm.13(3d8)lightningdamage
Hjoldak’s Help, Hjoldakknows theoutpost'slay-
Wind. 13(3d8)forcedamage
out, includingthehiddenrooms.If freed,hehappily
servesasa guideforthecharacters.
Hjoldakalso Once the correct sequencehas been tapped, the se-
knowshowtofixtheelevator,bucketconveyor,
and cretdoor in the wall opens, revealing area Z1 1.
mine carts in thecomplex.
If askedaboutRuxithidandthegoblins,Hjoldak Z1l: VAULT
admitsthathedoesn'tknowmuchabouttheirplans.
He explainsthat Ruxithid'sstaysin this roomhave Thestaleairinthisvaultindicates
it hasn’tbeen
becomeincreasinginfrequent.WheneverRuxithid
openedinmany years.
Insideisadust-covered assort-
comes,the goblinalwaysseemsdistracted,poring
mentofcoins,gemstones, andcloth.
overscraps of paperand thenleavingin a manic
rush.Hjoldaksurmisesthatthegoblinleadermust
be planningor working somewheredeeperwithin Treasure. The vaultcontains a multitude of ancient
the outpost. duergarcoins—56pp, 350 gp, 189 sp, and 304 cp—
Treasure. The room has two hiddenstashesof as well as four piecesof jade worth 100 gp each and
treasure:a smaller compartmentin thebed frame, onelargeperidotstoneworth 500 gp. Additionally,
and a largervault.Hjoldak knowsthe locationof foldedneatlyagainstthe wall are three richly woven
both stashesas well as how to openthem. butdustyduergartapestriesworth 75 gp each and a
The bed frame’scompartmentwas usedto store velvetbrocadeworth 145gp.
weaponsand othermeansof defensein caseof an
emergency.A charactermustsucceedon a DC 20 Z12: MINING TUNNELS ENTRANCE
Intelligence(Investigation)checkto find theout-
lineof thebedframe’scompartment.
Pushingthe Thissmallchamber
ofdirtandstoneholdsthe
compartment'’spanelopens it; insideis a daggerof
entrances
tothreetunnels,
leadingnortheast,east,
venomand an emeraldelementalgem.
Secret Door. Any characterwho examines andsoutheast,
respectively.
A shaftleadstothe
the north wall and succeedson a DC 16Wisdom upperlevel.
(Perception) checknoticesa small sectionof wall
engravedwith four Dwarvish runes.The runes Themineshaftis 30feetlongandascendsto the
are (from left to right)“storm,”“death,”“light,”and outpost’s
bunks(areaZ4).If thecharactersfixedthe
“wind.”These runes are the keyto openingthe elevator
in thebunks,theycanuse it to reachthe
room’shidden vault(areaZ11). outpostlevel.
The runes must be tappedin thecorrectorder to
open the vault.The correct order is the sameas the Z13: MINE CART MAINTENANCE CHAMBE!
runes’orderon thewall,fromlefttoright:storm,
death,light, and wind. If a creaturetapstherunes A rickety
setoftracks
runsthelengthofthischamber. |
in the wrong order,the vault’strap triggers,and
Halfadozenrustyminecartssit unusedon these |
the creature must makea DC 15Dexteritysaving
tracks,wheelsbentandcobwebsblanketingthe
TUNNELS
GALore! trolleys.
Theground
islittered
withancientrefuse,
location
Map5.5andthecorresponding descriptions andopencratesfilledwithdust-covered
tools linethe ;
themain
detail of
areas theminingt However,
unnels. cavern
walls.Propped
against
thesecratesarethree
severalsmaller,splintertunnelsbranchoff theseareas. skeletons,theirskullsshatteredand caved in.
Thesetunnelswereonceusedintheancientduergar’s
miningoperations, butnowlayabandoned.
Thecontentsof thesesplintertunnelsis unimport- The bonesare theremains of three duergar, ghastly
anttothebulk of theadventure. Ifthecharacterswant
remnants of the illithids’ invasion long ago. A char-
to exploretheseareas,feelfreetofilltheseadditional
treasureormonsters youseefit. acterwho studiesthe bodies and succeeds on a
tunnelswithwhatever
DC 16Intelligence(Arcana)or Wisdom (Medicine)

THE GRICKS IN THE CRYSTAL CAVERN LOOK
EERILY LIKE THEIR SURROUNDINGS
check realizes that the crushed skulls are indicative
of mind flayers’brain extractions.
Mine Carts. The mine carts are in disrepair and
roll squeakilyalongthetrack.Eachminecartis
meantto be self-propelled.A characterwhoexam-
ines the mine carts and succeeds on a DC 10 Intelli-
gence(Investigation)checkuncoversthecarts’main
propulsion mechanism: dull pieces of the same
iridescentcrystalmaterialusedtopowertheeleva-
tor in area Z4 and the bucket conveyor in area Z7.
Any characterproficientin theArcanaskill cantell
thata crystalcan be rechargedbytouchingit and
expendinga spell slotof 1stlevelor higher.
Once the carts havebeenrecharged,a character
can pull a trackswitchandtransferthefixedmine
carts ontothe main track.The maintrackrunsin a
circle, passingthroughthestoragechamber(area
Z18),the strip mine(areaZ15),andthecrystalcav-
ern (areaZ14).
Treasure. The goblinshavealreadylootedthe
coin pouches of the skeletons. However, a character
who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investiga-
tion) check can recover a cobweb-covered pair of
bracersof celerity(seeappendixB) from one of
the duergar.
Z14: CRYSTAL CAVERN
Thetunnelopenstoatwenty-foot-high, cylindrical
chamber.Thecavern looksliketheinsideofa geode,
thewallsencrustedwithcrystalsthatsparkandglow.
A minecarttrackspiralsaroundthecavernbefore
plungingdeeperintothemountain.
Three gricks hide among the rocks and crystals,
waiting to ambush potential prey.
The first time the characters enter this cavern,
everycharactermustmakea DC 16Wisdom(Per-
ception)check.On a failedcheck,a characteris sur-
prised by the gricks as the creatures attack.
Crystals. The iridescentcrystalspiresthatcover
thecavernsparkwith magicalenergy.The crystals
can be harvested to power various machinery in the
outpost, such as the lift in area Z4, the bucket con-
veyor in area Z7, and the mine carts in area Z13.
Characters can attempt to mine the crystal spires
thatlinethewalls. Each crystalspire has AC 15,25
hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic dam-
age.When a character deals damage to a spire, the
charactermustsucceedon a DC 16Dexteritysaving
throwor take5 (2d4)forcedamage,as thecrystals’
magical energy lashes back at the character.
Oncea spirehasbeenreducedto 0 hit points,it
shatters into 1d6 salvageable shards. Each shard
can be used as a spellcasting focus, and these
shards can be used to replace the drained shards of
the elevator,bucket conveyor,and mine carts in lieu
of rechargingthemwith spellslots.The shardsare
worth 15 gp each to a spellcaster.
Mine Carts. The minecart trackruns through
the crystal cavern, entering from the cliff mine (area
Z15)beforespiralingdownwardthroughthecavern.
When the mine carts enter the cavern, they slow but
don’t stop completely,which allows materials to be
loadedsafely.
Z15: CLIFF STRIP MINE
Threelevelsofwooden scaffolding
linethisthirty-
foot-tall
cliffofdarkstone.Onthebottommost scaf-
foldingaresixfiguresdiggingattherockface.Along
thelengthofthe cliffrunsanelevated setof rickety
minecarttracks.
CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL 95
?
Ilsensine.
asn or
offering
remove
to
curse.
come
upper ‘
gp on
anyone
psionic enwights
scaffolding.
(see
psionic They appendix
at by wentconvince ashenwights occupy
ope
trev
c
a se
unn
oav wage
flooded
withneel
s
a
rnl are ashenwig
up Ruxithid A)
worth Fixated
hostile
Dripping
partially
was
stalactites
ob
a stewater.
cure the
succeeding aware wall,
the Three
tinuing
tfe
o
re
a
tw
o
hn
fae
mains
dste Mine direct(Pe
by
che
o
g
coins
or
frefe
m
rsuasion)
ck
ring
s toward feral
on
(area least a roc k
pr
the
at
material.
rock
search
in
of
lawing
e cious
otyughs
Th
flayers’
attack,
survived
tco
mhin
en-d Carts. ashenwights
through
the
mine
numerous
tim
ccan
A haracter
e mimic
(Stealt
Dex
noti
must
suc
D
on
12
a Cot c
Characters
mutate’s
tw
avoid
ish
ho
eerity
ehd) ings
and
seen
have
Ruxithid
an
e
his
pass
ns.
d
tourage
otyugh
ch
iIf
tnotices
an
mutate
ts
nhtrud
eck. ethe
oryugh
sewage your the50 gy,
ago, run to psionic
lumbering scent cartscharacters the mining
on lapping The The
themine
Z19). total. to the
way who and
skin, acrid
mass feral three
sewage. along The of
A). tier sanctum divulge
psionic
scaffolding. DC attacks they
Long the their the
of
creature
15 ashenwights
surround-
gob
itsellin
f an senses. of them. cliff's
The atop Charisma be-
hungrily. bombards crossing
ashenwights
ago tracks where didlowest
Ilsensine.)
despises
who
the
duergar
convenient in
accidentally
otyughs
otyugh the The ash-
black
of
several life,
(is
see pendix
chitin
energy dispose
to pale aB)
captured
appendix
mutate dripping
a den, serve and
The
translucent
outpost’s defaced
enclave’s co
destroy
tsfro
prisoners; o
hhrine
tmpulsion
is
emsbrought 7 feasting
lo
corpse
while
athewed
blin, sw
gli
meta|
notice
the
opalescent
firttl
nt
af
sa
Charisma
D
a
make
20
throw.
On
aC
ving
iled des
they
emphatically
s
t
inh s
a
e
ri
itst
ne,
royed ch
otyy
magi
the
e
ite
ca
b
fro
ra
eTh
gsily
tr
n
mofin
eved
c (reel
pick
gu
aroun
iwar
this
Jis
an
tu
shigher
mi
t; ndous
sexa
tor
ch
mh
oue
u
rine,
aches
st
mine
ractesr asa leadership
enclav
Af
Ruxithid
tassume
ohe
fter e,d
miners it. mar that
during to Z16:
CESSPIT otyugh
ring by
it
718: STORAGE CHAMBER
Stacks
of cratesfillthischamber.
Someare
half-covered
bydustytarpsthatbarely
hidetheore
within,whileothersarenailedshut.Thecreakofmet-
alechoesfroma conveyor ofbuckets thatrunsfrom
thefloorofthecaverntoa holeneartheceiling.
A set
of minecarttrackspassthroughthenorthwestendof
thecavern.
A massive,
conicalirondrill,itsinsidesroaring
alightwithblazingredfire,charges
towardyouwitha
screech.
piercing
The iron drill is a fiendish auger(seeappendixA),a
remnantof the ancientduergarminingoperation.It
attacksthe characterswho enterthechamber.
Treasure. In total,thevariousopencratesaround
the chamberhold 30 poundsof unrefinediron ore.
Characterscan takethis ore to thesmithin Phan-
dalin, who can refinetheore intoseveniron ingots
worth 25 gp each.
Additionally,threesmaller,sealedcratesaresit-
uatedaround thechamber.Each cratecanbepried
openwith a successfulDC 12Strength(Athletics)
check.These cratescontainthefollowing:
- Atranslucent, light-bluecrystalshardveinedwith
indigo light (gemof brightness)
- Four largechunksof bluequartz,worth
30 gp each
- A fist-sizedamethystworth 250gp
Bucket Conveyor. |f thecharactersrepairedthe
bucketconveyorsystemin theforge(areaZ7),they
can use thebucketsto movebetweenthemining
level and the outpost level. A character attempting to
ride the buckets must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity
(Acrobatics)checkor fall 10feettochamberfloor,
taking 3 (1d6)bludgeoningdamage.
Mine Carts. The minecart trackruns through
the storagechamber.The minecartsautomatically
slow—butdo notstopcompletely—when theyenter
the chamber, allowing materials to be loaded safely.
Z19: SANCTUM CROSSING
Thethickheatofthechurning over
washes
lavabelow
Atthefarendis anobsidianpyra-
thestonebridge.
mid.Itsfacesbearreliefcarvingsof ancientdwarves
andtendingtotheirinjured.Its
celebrating,
feasting,
arecarvedwithintricate
vertices geometricpatterns
doubledoorstands
inlaidwithsilver.A recessed
beforethepyramid. Thedoor’sfacesareadorned
withrunesandcircularchannels glowingfaintlywith
energy.
green
The bridgeand ledgebeforethe sanctum’sentrance
are both20 feetabovethe lava.
Sanctum Door. The door to the sanctumelevator
is sealed.The circular engravingson thedoor form
a magicallock thatcan be openedonly with psionic
energy.A characterwho studiesthedoor and
succeedson a DC 15Intelligence(Arcana)check
discernsthe natureof thedoor’slock; if a character
can readDwarvish, thecharactermakesthis check
with advantagesincethedoor’s magicalrunes are
of dwarvenorigin.
The lock is a Small magicalobjectthat has AC 12,
30 hit points,and immunityto all damageexcept
psychicdamage.As damageis dealtto the lock, the
engraving’sglowinggreenenergysteadilybecomes
brighter.When thelock is reducedto 0 hit points,
the door to the sanctum slides open. The lock and
doorsremainopen for 10minutes,after which they
seal again.
If thecharacterscan’tdeal psychicdamageto
thelock,theycan attemptto convincea goblin
psi brawleror goblinpsi commanderto do so by
succeedingon a DC 12Charisma (Intimidationor
Persuasion)check(ortheycan bribe or charm the
goblins).Theycan also openthe lock with a success-
ful DC 18Dexteritycheckusing thieves’tools.
The lock anddoorscan be easilyopenedfrom the
inside.The doorsleadto a 15-foot-diameter circular
stoneplatformthatautomaticallymovesbetween
thesanctumcrossingand thesanctumitself.The
platformascendsand descendscontinuously,with a
1-minutestopateachlocation.It takesthe platform
30 secondsto travelthe 30-footverticaldrop be-
tweenthecrossingand thesanctuminterior.
CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL 97

Lift
Zorzula’s
Map 5.6: INDIGO SANCTUM
INDIGO SANCTUM
During thedaysof theduergarminingoperation,
the Indigo Sanctum of Zorzula’sRest servedas
a sacred hall. Hidden deepwithin the recessesof
themountain,theIndigoSanctumwasa placeof
rest, rejuvenation,and safetyfor duergarand their
allies alike.
However,when the mind flayersconqueredthe
mining outpost, theypervertedthe sanctumfor their
own malevolentdesigns.What was oncea blessed
hall became the home for the colony’selderbrain.
Long after the mind flayersleft the mining outpost,
the psionic remnants of their presencestill cling to
thesanctumlike a disease.
Recently,SawpleeleaderRuxithidenteredthis
sanctum. When he did, he cameto theattention
of a group of Far Realm—worshipingmind flayers,
who were studyingtheregionin searchofa capital
for their new mind flayerempire.Once theysettled
upon Phandalin as their target—andthe shattered
Netherese obelisk as the conduit for their scheme—
the groupenchanteda crystaltoserveasa tele-
pathic link betweenthemselves Ruxithid.
and
then
An underling of the mind flayerfanatics
Once
left the crystalfor thegoblinleadertofind.
CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL
ee
Ruxithid embeddedthe crystal into his brain, {\\-
goblinleaderheardthe mind flayer fanatics’ psychic
voices
inhismindandbelieved
hewascommu
ning
with gods.They instructed Ruxithid to find the Jost
piecesof theshatteredNetherese obelisk, instiva,
ing the Sawplees’crimes in Phandalin.
Now,Ruxithid meditatesin his sanctum, com
muningwith his mightypsychic overlords as ly
plansthe nextstepsof his mission.
ENTERING THE SANCTUM
When the charactersenter the sanctum, read or
paraphrasethe following:
Thedoorsofthe liftopentoreveal
a massive sanctum
builtofobsidian
stone.Twowaterfalls
of lavacascade
downeithersideofthesanctum’sentrance,casting
eerielightonthevaultedceiling.At theoppositeend
ofthesanctum
loomsa toweringstatueof a dwarven
woman.Cracksracealongherarms,andhalfher
faceissmashed,
butthefaintimage
of a kindlysmile
remains.
The sanctumis madeof polished obsidian stone,
with vaultedceilings that are 20 feet high. The int:
rior of thesanctumis depictedon map 5.6.
Ruxithid the Chosen stands on the mezzanine
behindthestatue.When the characters confront
Ruxithid,readthe following:
Thisgoblinoidfigureis tallerandbroaderthanthe
—
othergoblinsyou'veencountered, anda gnarled
crystalhassplithisskullopento revealhis brain.He
turns,eyesandveinsglowinganotherworldlygreen,
andbeckons toyou.
RUXITHIDTHE CHOSEN
The goblinstandingon the sanctum mezzanine is
Ruxithid the Chosen (seethe accompanying stat
block).Ruxithid’spsionic abilities afford him a mea
sureof rudimentaryclairvoyance around the out-
post,andthusthegoblinleaderis alreadyawareof
thecharacters’presencebefore they arrive.
Ruxithid speaksin an unnaturally calm, sing-song
voice.At first, he attemptsto be cordial to the char-
acters.Unawarethathis “mightygods”are actually
mind flayers,Ruxithid explains that he is a divine
harbingerand thathis quest for these shards is
intendedto bring abouta metamorphosis of the Ma-
terial Plane. However,any character who succeeds
ona DC 16Wisdom (Insight) check notices the
| emma
 peculiarway Ruxithid’seyesroll backintohis head
as he speaks: a telling sign that the goblin is having
a second conversation within his mind, and that the
words he speaksaren'tentirelyhis own.

SANCTUM SHOWDOWN
If the characters show no signof joining Ruxithid,
or if anyof themthreatenviolence,Ruxithidbe-
comeshostile. Reador paraphrasethefollowing:

GreenlightpulsesfromRuxithid’s chestandraces
tothemassive dwarven statue.Likea parasite,the
shattered
lightburrowsintothestatue’s face,seeping
throughitscracks.Thestatuelurches f orward,still
ittokillyou.
commands
smiling,whileRuxithid

The statue is a shield guardian under Ruxithid’s

controland fightsalongsideits master.The shield
guardian stores a phantasmal killer spell from its
original duergar creator and Ruxithid can command
the Construct to cast it. If this fight seems too easy
for the party, add two goblin psi brawlers (seeap-
pendix A), who rush from Zorzula’s Rest tojoin the
combatin 3 rounds.
During the fight, Ruxithid uses his psionic flight
to hover above the fray, darting in to make attacks
while commanding the shield guardian (and the
two other goblins, if they’realso present)to take the
bruntof thedamage.Ruxithidfightsto thedeath, RuxitHIiO THE CHOSEN

but when he is reduced to 0 hit points, the shield

guardian becomes inanimate and the other goblins,
if present, surrender.

RUXITHIDTHE CHOSEN MentalFortitude.

against
thecharmed andfrightened
onsavingthrows
hasadvantage
Ruxithid
conditions.
MediumAberration(Goblinoid),NeutralEvil

ArmorClass15(chainshirt)
ACTIONS
HitPoints
88(16d8
+16) Multiattack.
Ruxithid
makestwoPsi-Charged
Scimitarattacks.
Speed30ft.,fly30ft. (hover) Psi-ChargedScimitar.MeleeWeaponAttack:+7to hit,reach5
ft.,onetarget.Hit:11(2d6+4)slashingdamageplus7 (2d6)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA psychicdamage.
14(+2) 19(44) 12(41) 18(+4) -15(+2)12
(+1)
Bonus ACTIONS
SavingThrows Int +7,Wis +5
SkillsInsight+5,Perception
+5,Stealth
+10 BrainTendrils
(Recharge
5-6).Ruxithid
unleashes
a flurryof
DamageResistances psychic crystallinepsychictendrilsfrom his brain,targetingone crea-
Sensesdarkvision60ft.,passivePerception
15 turethathecanseewithin30feetof himself.
Thetargetmust
Languages Common,Goblin,telepathy60ft. succeedona DC15Dexteritysavingthrowortake9 (2d8)psy-
Challenge 5 (1,800XP) Proficiency
Bonus+3 chicdamage andhavethestunnedconditionuntilthestartof
Ruxithid’s
nextturn.
Legendary
Resistance
(2/Day).WhenRuxithid
failsasaving CombatCommand.Ruxithidcommandsone alliedcreature
throw, he can choose to succeedinstead. hecan seewithin60 feetof himselfto strike.The creaturecan
immediately
useitsreactionto makeonemeleeweaponattack
against
atargetwithinitsreach.
ae eee eee El_—————— eee

CHAPTER5 | PATHSOF PERIL 99

~ps e TA we
—— ae aes
 A DISTURBING TRUTH REVEALED
If Ruxithidis slain,readthefollowing:

Ruxithid
fallstotheground,andhiscrystalline
brain
splitsasunder.
Thesanctum
fillswithacacophony,
likethousands
ofvoicescryingatonce.Threevoices
emerge, speaking
indiscordantunison.

The voices hiss:

“Soyouhave
succeeded.
Good.
Thefourshards
shall
arriveheresoon.Nowthreeremain tobefound.You
knowyourtask,littleone.Collecttheshardsfrom
Talhundereth,theCryptof theTalhund,andGibbet
Crossing,andbringthemtous.Youshallbereborn
greaterthanyoucanimagine,
andPhandalinshall
becomeours.”
|
The mind flayerfanaticspsionicallychargedthe
crystal and used it to telepathicallycommunicate
with Ruxithidas wellasstoreimportantmessages
for him.Afterthemessage playsaloud,thecrystal
losesits lightandbecomes mundane.
The messagethatplaysforthecharacters upon
Ruxithid’s demiseis themind flayers’lastcommand
to him: find and deliverthethreeotherobelisk
shards hiddenwithin Talhundereth,theCryptof
can recallonly a few things about their time as
the Talhund, and GibbetCrossing(moreinfor-
prisoners:
mation abouttheselocationscan be foundin the
next chapter). Stone Pillar. The goblins were fixated on reass«
Any characterwho hearsthemessagecan makea blingsomekind of stonepillar.
DC 13 Intelligence(Religion)check.On a success- Victims Elsewhere. More victims were here at «
ful check, the characterrealizesthatthemessage’s point. However, those victims were taken som
tone as well as the meansof communicationare un- whereelseby thegoblins for a “special purpos:
like any known divine tradition—thisis someother War Room. Ruxithid used the east wing of the s
kind of powerful entityor groupof entities,posing tum as his war room.

as gods to accomplishtheir malignends.
Key. Ruxithid carries a keyto his personalquar-
ters (area Z10 in Zorzula’s Rest).
Hostage Room. The goblinsusedthewestwing
of the sanctum to hold theirkidnapvictims.Most
of the victims were transportedelsewheretoserve
as “offerings for the gods”(or foodfor themind
flay-
ers), but some victims were deemed unfit andleft to
starve within the sanctum’s depths.
There are three hostageshere,andall usethe
Grint, a
commoner stat block. They are Dareth
human farmer who is Townmaster
Harbin Wester’s
secondcousin;PaulinaPrevine,a
humanstable-
hand who occasionally works at
the Stonehill Inn;
apothecary,
Rollins,a gnome
andTumblewick
and the
They are sickly and barelyconscious,
they
goblinsdidn’texplainmuchtothem.Thus,
War Room. The eastwing of the sanctum ser
as Ruxithid’swar room,where he arranges the \
ous expeditions to retrieve the obelisk shards.
A characterwho investigatesthis room finds a
crudelydrawn mapof the region on the central
table,with messyarrows and scrawled labels rea
ing “GibbetCrossing,”“Crypt of the Talhund,” at)
“Talhundereth.” (See the Goblins’ Map handout !!
chapter6 for a representationof this map.)
Acharacterwho succeedson a DC 15 Intelli
gence(Investigation)checkalso discovers a roug!
sketchofa brokenobelisk madeof dark stone. Fo!
of thebrokenchunks in the drawing are crossed
out,while threeare circled. This is a sketch of th
Nethereseobelisk,with the four crossed-out pieces
correspondingto theshards found in Phandalin a!

> CHAPTER 5 | PATHS OF PERIL

ie ~ dL.de. tiie eee
the three circled pieces corresponding to the three WuHat’s NEXT?
pieces left to find. Ruxithid’s overlords described
AfterdefeatingRuxithidand learningthat thereare
the obelisk to him and used powers drawn from
larger, more sinister forces at play, the characters
the Far Realm to roughly locate the obelisk’s scat
shouldrealizePhandalinis in danger.They'll likely
tered pieces.
wish to return to Phandalin to rest and plan their
The Sawplee Goblins. AlthoughRuxithidwas
next moves. If the players need a nudge in this di-
their leader, the Sawplee goblins aren't particularly
rection, remind them that the kidnap victims in the
loyal to him. Ruxithid ruled throughfearandput
sanctum need food and medical attention as soon as
the goblins into harm’swayfor his own selfishquest
possible. The survivors may not be strong enough
for power.
to make thejourney to Phandalin themselves, re-
Without their wicked leader to push them, the
quiringthecharacterstoescortthemto town. Upon
goblins are peacefuland curious,if mischievous.
their return to Phandalin, Harbin pays the char-
It’s up to the charactershow theywantto handle
acters the agreed upon amount and thanks them
the Sawplee goblins. The townspeople of Phandalin
deeply for their assistance.
dislike the goblins, but the characters can broker an
Regardless of the characters’ choices during this
easypeaceif theywish for hostilitiesbetweenthe
partof theadventure,thegoblinshavealreadyde-
Sawplees and the townspeople to end.
livered four obelisk shards from Phandalin to the
mind flayers. The adventure now becomes a race
against the clock to find the remaining three shards.

THE NEXT STEP OF THE CHARACTERS’JOURNEY WILL TAKE

THEM DEEP.INTO THE CAVERNSUNDERNEATHPHANDALIN.

pa ie A
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HEROES UNDERGROUND
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THANTHEYMIGHTIMAGINE, >et
———
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THE
SHATTERED
OBELISK
>
IAPTER 6

RUXITHID,
HAVEDEFEATED
quem?HE CHARACTERS andresearch,themind
Aftermuchcommuning
the Sawplee goblin leader who collected flayer fanatics determined that the Netherese obe- |
fragments of a Nethereseobelisk. However, lisk can power their ritual. Long ago,this obelisk
Ruxithid
an unsettlingtruthhasemerged: wasbrokenintofragments thatarenowscattered
actedat thebehestof muchmorepowerfuloverlords aroundtheregion.The mindflayerfanaticsneed
who wanttheobeliskpiecestoimposesometerrible andrebuildtheobelisk
tocollectthesefragments
fate upon the town. as completelyas possibleso the ancient objectcan
ve The charactersdiscoveredRuxithid’smap,which powertheirritual. — |
Pi shows the locations of the remaining obelisk pieces. o |
(This map is shown on this page;you should feel
free to distribute it to your playersas a handout.)
Further,sometownspeoplearestill missingand THeSawPLee Map
GOBLINS’
could be captives at one of these locations.To save “
-—_—= ai

OE
TT
ate Phandalin and its missing inhabitants,the char-
acters must collect the remaining obelisk shards
before the overlords do. Along the way,the heroes
learn more about the shadowy threatlooming over
Phandalin.

THE SINISTER TRUTH

ae
1 Oe, oOne-
The Sawplee goblins indirectly servedthree mind Se Me ee
flayers that draw power from a malevolentFar . TAL
ORME
Realm godlet named IIvaash. Using their godletas
a warped sort of elder brain, thesemind flayersare
even more alien than others of their kind. (For more
se xo

ray
information, see chapter 7.) a
Mind flayer activity in the area around Phandalin _ s

isn’t new; centuries ago, as evidencedin Zorzula’s

. v2
r. am
Rest,mind flayerssweptthroughtheUnderdark
‘

beneath and around Phandalin, consumingor de-

stroying all in their path. That illithid empireeven-
tually fell, but the mind flayerthreat neverentirely
subsided. Now, mind flayers pose more of a threatto
Phandalin than ever before.

THE RITUAL
The mind flayers seek to enact a dreadful ritual that
will transform the entire populationof Phandalin
oe
ge
ole intomind flayers.
As if that brutal process weren't terrifying enough,
the ritual would work from a significant distance—
even from the Far Realm itself, as described in
chapter8—andwould affectindividualsona large
; scale. However, the fanatics learned from Ilvaash © ©2023 Wizards LLC. Permission is granted to photocopy

fromafar
that transformingbeingsintomindflayers
map for personal use

a
ke g requiresa powerful sourceof magic.

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 103

 THE MAP Missinc NPCs
Name RelevantInformation
The characterslearnedin chapter5 aboutfour
obeliskshardsaroundPhandalinthattheSawplee ThawniaBrowne Human florist; wife of Shansa
goblinsgathered.
Themindflayerfanatics
possess AidaCamber Human miner; sister of Cathlett:
theseshardsnow,butthefanaticsneedasmany Camber
obelisk fragmentsas possibletoensuretheirritual
CathletteCamber Human miner; sister of Aida Cam.
will succeed.
ofOskarNinebough
ber;fiancée
The Sawplees’maprevealsthelocationsof three
otherfragments:
anabandoned NalpinaGoldstoneDwarf;travelinginventor
dwarven
temple
called Talhundereth,thecryptbeneathit,anda MildraMerkel Orcfarmerwhosehusbandsearches
subterranean
tradingnexuscalledGibbetCrossing. for her in Phandalin
These locationsare in theStarmetalHills, several OskarNineboughHuman
sawyer;
fiancé
of Cathlette
daysnortheast
of Phandalin. Camber
In the previouschapter,a loyalgrimlockservantof
Shansa Elf farmer;wifeof ThawniaBrowne
Qunbraxel(anally of themindflayerfanaticsthat’s
HovnarTartesh Human clerk; brother of Menvin
describedlaterin this adventure)traveledto Zorzu-
Tartesh
la's Rest to retrievetheshardsbeforetheadventur-
ers arrived to confrontthegoblins. MenvinTartesh Human clerk; brother of Hovnar
In this chapter,thecharactersmightpreventthe Tartesh
mindflayersfromacquiringtheotherthreefrag- Unmiel Elf laborerwhose fiancé searchesfor
ments.The fanaticscan proceedwith thefragments him in Phandalin
theyhave,butthemoreobeliskpiecesthemindflay- Wramble Gnomewainwrightwhosecapybara
ers acquire,the moredifficultit will be to stoptheir mount,Violet, is also missing
ritual. The charactersmustraceagainsttheclockto
keep the mind flayersand theirlackeysfrom recov- OBELISK FRAGMENTS
eringmoreoftheshattered
obelisk.
In eachof this chapter'sthree dungeons, the cha:
KIDNAPPED TOWNSPEOPLE acterscan find an obelisk fragment. Each of thes:
fragmentsis largerthan the shards in Phandalin
If stopping thethreatagainstPhandalinisn’t
weighing50 poundsand measuring more than
enough motivationfor thecharacters,concernabout
a footsquare.The fragmentsare supernaturally
the still-missing townspeopleshouldpromptthem
hardenedand can’tbe damagedby any means th:
to follow the previouschapter’sclues.The charac-
charactershave.
ters rescuedsomekidnappedtownspeoplein chap-
ter 5, but thereare elevenpeoplestill missing,and
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER
the locations on thegoblins’mapare theonlyleads
about where thesevictimsmightbe.The characters This chapterbeginswith a few opportunities for h
buttheywill
won'tfindthesevictimsin thischapter, roics in town,but threeseparatedungeons are th«
focus:theabandonedtempleof Talhundereth, the
find them laterin theadventure.
hauntedCrypt of the Talhund, and the subterrane:
In addition to the individualsbelow,othertowns-
GibbetCrossing,all described later in this chapte!
people might still be missing,atyourdiscretion.
Thelocationsofeachdungeonare crudelymarke
Consider identifyingadditionalstill-missingtowns-
arefamiliar on themapthatthe charactersfound at the end of
peopleas individualsthecharacters
thepreviouschapter.Gwyn Oresong tells the char
with. Gwyn, Grista, Sister Garaele,Ander,and Halia
actersmore aboutthese locations in the “Return \
haven'tbeenkidnapped,butanyoneelsethe char-
Phandalin”section.The characters can’t enter the
acters might havecomeacrossin Phandalinmight
cryptwithoutpassingthrough Talhundereth, but
be victims.
theymightapproachGibbet Crossing before or afte:
MISSING INDIVIDUALS theyexplorethetempleand crypt.
The following peopleare still missing.These NPCs
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT
use the commoner statblock.You shouldfeelfree
to add more Phandalin townspeoplepeoplethe list The charactersshould be 7th level when this chap-
of thosewhoaremissing. terbegins.In this chapter,the characters can ad-
vance to 9th level and no further. Advancement is
handledas follows:

6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

104 CHAPTER

_ he
 <<
A YOUNG BOY NAMED Pip FOLLOWED SOME STRANGE MONSTERS DEEP

INTO THE HILLS, AND THE CHARACTERS MUST BRING HIM SAFELY HOME.

a
ahead - <<
a ae ——— ~~

The characters gain a levelafter facingthe frag-
ment guardian in either Talhunderethor Gib-
bet Crossing.
- The characters gain a levelonce theyovercome
the guardians of all three obelisk fragmentsin
this chapter.
RETURN TO PHANDALIN
they
Beforethecharacterstraveltoanydungeons,
should return to Phandalin from Zorzula’sRest. If
they don’t immediately seek her out, thedwarven
sage Gwyn Oresong invites the characterstojoin
her at the Stonehill Inn.
Gwyn arranges for food and drinks. Over the
meal, she asks the charactersabouttheir recent
exploits and where they might go next.The Sawplee
goblins’mapsurprisesher.Sheaskstolookatit
andthensaysthefollowing:
“Theseold nameshavesadstories.Talhundmeans
‘hidden gifts.’ It relatesto priests of Dumathoin,the
of secrets, mining,andgemstones.
dwarvengod
wasagreat
“Talhundereth templetoDumathoin,
werelaidtorestinthe
priests
andmanyimportant
postulate
Cryptof theTalhundbeneathit.Academics
bya greatseal
thatthe crypt’sentrancewasprotected
priestswould
or doorwayandthatonlyDumathoin’s
know the secret to unlock it.”
Examining the map further, Gwyn points at Gibbet
Crossing and continues:
“GibbetCrossingis nearthetemple,butit’smuch
deeperunderground.
It wasa tradinghubthatgrew
wherewidetunnelsmet.Theysaythatdeepgnomes,
drow,andduergaronceworkedtogetherthere.
“They'reallgonenow.Historytellsus thatmind
flayerssurgedthroughtheUnderdarkcenturiesago
likeaterribletide,consumingor oppressingeveryone
theycameacross.GibbetCrossingfell.Talhundereth
fell.Legendssaythatthemindflayersevenbreached
theCryptof theTalhund.
“Themindflayerssoonabandoned thesesites,
andallthreelocationshavesincefallento ruin.Only
monstersandghostsremain.Sometimes,followersof
Dumathoin
attempt
toreclaim
forgotten
treasures
or
purifythedespoiledsites.Nonehavereturned.”
Gwyn believesthat answers about the goblins’
mysteriousoverlords must exist in these dangerous
places.She urges caution and suggests that Talhun-
derethmight bea better place to start than Gibbet
Crossing, if only because she knows more about
Talhundereth.Gibbet Crossing is more distant, and
its dangers are unknown. Ultimately, the characters
can choose their course of action.

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 105

—a
a
 PHANDALIN MISSIONS
Beforetheyleave,the charactershavemoreoppor-
tunitiesto helpthe peopleof Phandalin—aswell as
to gaina baseof operationsandlearn moreabout
thethreatagainstthe town—byundertakingthefol-
lowing quests.
QUEsT: P1P’sADVENTURE
This side mission can providethe characterswith
a baseof operationsfor therest of this chapterand
can easily start at the endof the characters’meeting
with Gwyn Oresong at Stonehill Inn.
The Stonehills’ten-year-old
son,Pip, hasn'tre-
turned from playingin thefieldssoutheastof town.
Toblenor TrilenaStonehillasksthecharacters to
searchthefieldandbringPip home.
Pip’s Curiosity. Pip spotteda trioof encephalon
gemmules(seeappendixA) bouncingthroughthe
hills eastof thefields.Hedidn’tknowwhatthey
wereandfollowedthem.Hethoughttheyweredan-
gerous,andhehopedtohelpPhandalinbylearning
more aboutthem. Pip wantsto be a herojust like
the characters,whom he idolizes.
After Pip followedthe gemmulesfor a while, the
creatures droppedfrom sight.They fell throughthe
topofa dwarvenruinandcouldn'tescape.
This put Pip in a quandary.He neededto tell
someoneabout the monsters,but he knewhe might
ote
is =
ee
ee
Sesge
Map 6.1: MARTHUNGRIM’S Home
6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK
106 CHAPTER
getin troubleforleavingtown.Worse, the monsters
mightescape,andnoonewould know where (hey'q
gone.
Hewatches
theholefrombehinda boulde;
while he decideswhat to do next.
If thecharactersdon't seek Pip, the boy comes
homewell afterdark and tells his parents about his
The Stonehillsask the party to investi-
adventure.
gatethe ruin their son described.
Finding Pip. The most direct way to find Pip
is to followhis tracks in the field. This requires a
characterto succeedon a DC 14Wisdom (Survival)
check.Alternatively,the characters might remember
from their investigationsin previous chapters that
Pip is goodfriendswith the halfling Carp Alderleaf.
(TrilenaStonehillmightevenrecommendtalking to
Carp.)Carpisn'tallowedtoventurefar from Alder-
leaf Farm, buthe points to where he saw Pip go into
thehills.
It's easyto follow Pip’s trail because he’s following
a trio of creaturesthat bounce on small, spindly feet.
Characterswho follow the trail for two miles find
Pip hunkeredbehind a boulder. With obvious ad-
mirationfor thecharacters,Pip explains his whole
adventure.
Marthungrim’s Home. Pip tells the characters
theruin was the homeof a dwarf named Marthun
grim who died long ago,before Pip’s parents wer:
born.The stairs descendinginto this dwarven
homecollapsed,so the gemmules can’t escape. The
ruin’sfloor is 20 feetdown, and its ceilings are 9
feethigh.Use map6.1 when the characters ventur:
intoMarthungrim’shome.The dotted line on the
maprepresentsthe hole in the ceiling, through
which thecharacterscan lower themselves into th:
sunkenhome.
Three encephalon gemmules (see appendix
A) lingeramidthe rubble of the collapsed stairs.
If attackedfromabove,they retreat into the sur-
roundingrooms.
Marthungrim’sJournal. In thesouthernroom0!
theruin, thecharactersfind a dwarf skeleton lying
besidea shrinetoDumathoin.A journal lies nearb)
anditcontainsthefollowinginformation:
- Marthungrim
wasa paladinof Dumathoinwho
excavatedthis home more than 60 years ago.
DumathointaskedMarthungrim with returning
spiritsto restwhena cryptfor thegod’sfaithful
was corrupted.
Marthungrim
learned
thatthecryptliesbeneath
a templecalledTalhundereth,
butthe temple
teemedwith dangerousmonsters. The crypt is
protected bya lockwitha puzzlethat Dumathoin’s
faithfulcouldsolveeasierthanothers.(The puz-
zle'sanswerisn’tincludedin thejournal.)
« Marthungrim planned to destroy the rest-
lessghoststhathauntthecryptso theycould
rest in peace.
eiaanY

Daisy tHE Cow
MSP
Sige a
‘a
! + Badly wounded by a creature he describedas
“roiling heapsof tentacles,”
Marthungrimre-
turned here. His last entry describes his wounds
getting worse.
If the characters share thejournal’s information
with Gwyn, she recalls heroic tales about Mar-
thungrim the Valiant. With the gemmulesdefeated,
Marthungrim’s former home might be a goodbase
of operations for those who would carry on his leg-
acyof doinggood.It couldbea goodplacetostore
obelisk fragmentsas well.
Reward. If the characters bring Pip home,the
Stonehills offerthecharactersfreeroomsandboard
at their inn for as longas they'rein thearea.The
charactersmightgaina greaterrewardforcom-
pleting Marthungrim’s mission, as describedin the
“Crypt of the Talhund” section later in this chapter.
QuEstT: THE Opp Cow
The peopleof Phandalinaren'ttheonlyonessuffer-
ing from the Far Realm’s creeping influence.Daisy,
a cow thatescapedfromOld Narth’sfarmjustnorth
of Phandalin, ate some clover thatwas growing
wherethepsionicgoblinsstoppedto restwith a
pieceof theobelisk.The cloverinfectedDaisy with a
disturbingmalady.
While thecharactersare in Phandalin, several
townspeople describe a strange, greenish glow em-
anatingfrom EdermathOrchard.If the characters
askGwyn aboutit, she expressesconcernthat the
same strange power the Sawplee goblins wielded
mightbeat worksomehowhere.In fact,Daisy is the
sourceof theglow.Tentaclesoccasionallyslither
fromDaisy'sbody,flail about,and retreatinto her
skin without leaving a mark.
Daisy’s Consumption. Beforethe characterscan
headtotheorchardto investigate,thecow totters
clumsilyintotheTown Green.As soonasa char-
acterapproacheswithin 5 feetof her,Daisy vomits
forthfour psychicgray oozes.The oozesuse Mind
Blast as often as they can and fight until destroyed.
AfterDaisyvomits,theglowaroundherandherten-
tacles permanently disappear.
Quest: MISSINGMINERS
Halia Thornton at the Miner’s Exchange needs to
findsomemissingminers.She first approachesany
character she recruited into the Zhentarim, but she
needs thejob done regardless.
Halia’sJob. Determinedto finda siteas lucrative
as Wave Echo Cave, four miners recently scouted
the Sword Mountains about 15 miles southwest
of Phandalin. One of the miners, a human named
VernoTharbun,returnedwith talesofa “walking
shrub with strange powers” that lured old Wallin
Kreeve into a cave.The other miners—Wallin’s
daughter,Elise, and a quiet dwarf named Karthim
Humblepick—followed him, but Verno rushed to
town instead. Halia points at a map where this en-
counter occurred. She says Verno insists the shrub
has probablykilled the other miners by now, but
Halia wants to know for sure.
TheMiners’ Fate. A shambling mound con-
sumed a careless psionic goblin and gained some
of the goblin’spowers. The shambling mound stum-
bled upon the miners in the mountains and thought
they'dbe an easy meal. The shambling mound cast
charm person to lure Wallin into its clutches, but it
was surprised when the other miners ushered Wal-
lin into a chamber that’stoo narrow for the sham-
bling mound to enter.The miners are now trapped
by the relentless plant monster.
Trapped in the Cave. Halia suspects that Verno’s
tale occurred at Hardyhammer Mine, an early site
whose owner died with no heirs to claim the mine.
Hardyhammer Mine isn’t difficult for the characters
to find based on Halia’s directions.
Use map 6.2 for Hardyhammer Mine.
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 107
 G2
—— £ he
et Ming
X
{ARDYHAMMER
INE =.
P
ee i : ;
a he Sea n
” * = Ny %

er - > hd + sin 4 ~ TB

i.ee Pere
17
so eSPA
: a "
w Me}. | $s See wo ah -
eset Ses)
an ‘ .
estar ks te
ij sg

a oi
cS - ‘ on st
2 “} ‘¥ Jn “ine . Q ;
j

; HM
* Tew

oer i
t. "
hes
2
be a ;
i. ” ‘ 'o ve “324 et > x ;

Wye.
Bix ui 1Square=5Feet
ia «./°°":
a ee or 5 , si
=.286),
Map 6.2: HaroyHAmmMER
MINE

ThecaveHaliaindicated
islocated
alonganisolated TALH UNDERETH
stretch
ofthemountain,
obscured
byfallenrubble
and Talhunderethis a subterraneantemple to Du-
toughbushes. mathoin,thedwarvengod of buried secrets. Mill:
nia ago,Talhunderethwas a vibrant and populou
templevisitedby manyworshipers of Dumathoin
The shamblingmoundlurksjustwithintheeastern Talhunderethwas built abovethe sacred Crypt o!
cave,unable to attackthe miners in thewestern theTalhund,wherethe most ardent priests of Du
chamber.The shamblingmoundhas thefollowing mathoinwereentombed.
additional action option: Talhunderethwas as busyas the Crypt of the T:
Spellcasting
(Psionics).
Theshamblingmoundcastsone
ofthe hundwaspeaceful:miners, merchants,and pries'
following
spells,requiring
nospellcomponents
andusingIn- alike cametoTalhunderethseeking wisdom, po-
telligenceasthespellcasting
ability(spellsaveDC 8): liticalalliances,secretmartial training, and hints
At will:minorillusion atwhereto findwealth.Eventually,however,the
1/day:charmperson(already
cast) passagesto Talhunderethgrew dangerous and th«
templesawfewervisitors.
Rescuing the Miners. When the charactersres-
A few centuries ago, Talhundereth was abandon:
cue the miners, Karthim thanks the charactersand
byall buta fewvigilantdefenders.Mind flayers too:
saystheminerswereluckytheydidn’tstumbleinto
advantage of Talhundereth’sdepletedstate to atta‘
one of the older dwarvenruins around here.“Places
during this invasion, a collapse rocked the temple
Karthimsays.
like thatarereallyunlucky,”
andcryptalike.Both the mind flayerinvaders and
Karthim isn’ta follower of Dumathoin,but he’s gaveupTalhunderethas lost,
guardians
thetemple
heard of great treasuresin Talhundereth’svault thoughthemindflayers’psychic stain remained.
andthesacredcryptbeneaththetemple.Hecan Since thatattack,various bandits and monsters
pinpoint the locationon a map,which corresponds havesquattedin theabandonedtemple. Sometime
to the location the charactersdiscoveredin the pre- afterthemindflayers’reign, aspiring lore-seekers
vious chapter. broughtonepieceof the shatteredobelisk into Tal-
Treasure. The miners weren'tidle in their captiv- hundereth’schapeland anotherinto its crypt, hop-
ity.While trying to excavatean escaperoutein the ing thatstudyingthepiecesin close proximity migh!
back of the cave,theydiscovereda lucrativevein revealmoreabouttheobelisk’sprevious powers.
of silver. If the charactersdispatchthe shambling That groupwastwistedby the psychic magic reso-
mound, the miners offera shareof their stakeas lostall interest
Thelore-seekers
inthecrypt.
nating
to250gpeachmonth
thanks.Thisshareamounts in scholarshipandabandonedthe fragments.
for the next year, payableatthe Phandalin Min-
er’s Exchange.

6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

8 CHAPTER

OTete. IS oo a
 jtee
x
te
att Ee P * on
eli wt
yh dt
“Agr 5
“Y
mais
4 VIG

TALHUNDERET
.

7
‘ ;

Map 6.3: TaLHUNDERETH

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 109

 CULT OF THE OBELISK TALHUNDERETH LOCATIONS
The mostrecentfactiontoenterTalhunderethis a Thefollowinglocationsare keyedto map 6.3.
gangthatcallsitselftheCultof theObelisk.These
cultistswere drawnto thebrokenobelisk,respond- Tl: TEMPLE ENTRANCE
ing toa psychiccall toservea greaterforce.Once
Humanoids—such as humans,dwarves,and elves— Thewidecavernendsatanenormousstone double
thecultistsembracedthepower of the Far Realm
door.Eachsidebears theimageofa toweringmoun-
andtransformedintoHumanoidmutates(seeap-
pendixA).They believetheobeliskprovidesthema
tainwithacarved gemstoneatitsheart.A longrol!
conduittoan entityfromtheFar Realm. of clothpropsonesideofthedoubledooropen.A
A malevolent
Aberration
calledanencephalon fissureinthewallopenstoatunnelleadingwest.
cluster(seeappendixA) neverleavestheobelisk’s
side.Theencephalon
clusteroccasionally
gouts Theclothproppingopenoneside of the doubledoor
bizarreoffspringcalled gemmules,which thecult
containsthe witheredcorpse of a human smuggler.
membersviewas progenyof thealien intelligence
theyworship(andwhich theytreat like viciouspets).
The tunnelleadingfromthecrevasseto the west
The cultistscaptureany unsuspectingindividuals
is 5 feethigh,with occasionalcarvedstepsand
smoothedrock edges.The passage leads to area
theyfindin Talhundereth andfeedthemtotheen-
G11 in Gibbet Crossing.
cephalon clusterassacrificestotheirstrangegod—
if thegemmules don’teatthecaptivesfirst. T2: DEEPENING HALL
TheCultof theObeliskis ledbyOntharyxHen-
lifel.Ontharyxabandoned hisfamilytofollowthe
malignwhispersthatledhimtotheobelisk. Elaborate
carvings
ofmountain
landscapes
and
Ontharyx’s sonshavecomewitha fewretainers treasure
pileslinethewallsof thisbroadstaircaseas
toseewhethertheycantalksomesenseintotheir itdescends
deeperunderground.
Severallandingson
father.These drow are in Talhundereth’sread- thestaircase
holdstatues,andsomebeardoorways.
ingroom(areaT14)andmightparlaywiththe Thestairsendabruptly
atawalloftumbledboulders
characters. fromsomelong-agocollapse.
TEMPLE FEATURES
The featuresdescribedbeloware commonthrough- Two galeb duhr, Fremine and Frowode, lurk nea:
out Talhundereth. the collapse,disguisedas boulders. They are guards
for the medusain area T3. If anyoneapproaches 1 ie
DWARVENCONSTRUCTION door to area T3, one of them stands and commancs
The temple’sstoneremains strongdespitemillennia theintrudersto leavewhile the other prepares to
of neglect.Surviving furnishings, such as tables fightif necessary.
and beds,are also madeof stone.Wall carvings of If a fightbreaksoutwiththegalebduhr,theocc
mountainpeaks and multifacetedgemstonespre- pantsof areaT3 cometo investigateafter 3 rounds.
astheseimagesaresacredto Dumathoin.
dominate, Theoccupants afterthe
ofT3 actimmediately
galebduhr.
DARKNESS
The temple’ssconceshaven'theld torchesin ages. T3: LESSER CHAPEL
The current denizens of Talhunderethrelyon dark-
vision to see.Area descriptionsassume the char- of
withimages
Thewallsofthisroomarecarved
actershavea light source or someother methodof dwarven in piousreflection.Three
minerskneeling
seeingin the dark. statuesofhumanskneelintheroom'scorners.An
Doors theroom'seastwallis studdedwith
altaragainst
Doors throughoutthe templeare madeof 2-inch- sockets,asthoughforgemstones. A doorto thesouth
thickslabsof stonewithsimplehandlesa fewfeet leadsfurtherintothetemple.Studyingthesockets
from the floor.They openand closeeasily on an- isa pensive
carefully womanwithsnakesfor hair.A
cient hinges. Doors are unlockedunless otherwise nextto hertakesnoteswitha
creature
short,rock-like
specified. stonestylusonastoneslab.
CEILINGS
thetempleare12feethighun-
Ceilingsthroughout
less the text states otherwise.

6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

IIo CHAPTER

. a> a ik: hon

Any
allman ny ’ ON
a teeyt th
Thischapel,intended
forTalhundereth’s
visitors,
was plunderedof its gemstones
longago.It'snow
thelair of a medusanamedHonnaandhercom.
panions. Only one companion, a galeb duhr named
Cameren,is with hernow(theothersareinarea
T2). Honna lovesart,andshescourstheworldfor
themostexquisitecreaturesshecantransform into
statues.She likes thecarvingshereandhasbeen
gradually capturing bandits and explorersto force
themintokneelingposesbeforepetrifyingthem;the
statues are three of her victims. Honna’sgalebduhr
idolize her and eagerly serve as her bodyguards,
thoughshedoesn’tcaremuchabouttheirfatesand
hasn’tbotheredtolearn theirnames.
Honna is likely to react to intruders with violence,
butif thecharacterstrytotalkwithher,shespins
a lie aboutthesanctityof thedwarvenspiritshere.
She asks the characters to kneel in reflectionas
shown in the carvings, then tries to petrify them.

T4: PRIESTQUARTERS

Mostofthissmallroomcollapsed longago,forming
anarrow passage t
through heearthintothearea
beyond.A stonebeddraped withfursistheonly
heretohavesurvived
furnishing thecollapse.

HONNA
A lesser priest charged with tendingthechapelre-
sided here long ago; it’s now where Honna sleeps.
The collapse formed a narrow passagebetween
this area and the vault (area T8). Small or smaller don’tattackanyonewho clearly surrenders and
creatures can traverse the passagenormally.Me- leavesthe room, though they'll attack if the char-
dium or larger creatures can traversethe passage acterswho surrender return. The suits don’t leave
after spending 8 hours clearing bouldersaway(i- this room.
theronepersonclearingbouldersfor8 hours,four
people clearing boulders for 2 hours, or any equiva- QUARTERS
T6: TRAININGMASTER’S
lent combination).

T5: SPARRING CHAMBER This bedroomcontainsa stone desk, a stone bed, and
a metaldisplayholdinga single,batteredgreataxe.

chamber’s
Oldweaponracksarealongthissparring
westandnorthwestwalls,whilethreestandshold Over theyears,manytraining masters lived here.
inthe
variouspiecesofarmortothenorth.Gouges A training masteroversawall the sparring in the
adjacentroom.
wallsindicatethatthis roomoncesawmuchuse.A
Treasure. The greataxeon display isn’t magical,
smalldoor leadseast. but it has an immovablerod as its shaft. The button
to control the rod is within easy reach of anyoneus-
Peoplewho usedthis chamberdidn'tonlysparwith ing the greataxeas a weapon.
eachother;theyalso testedtheirprowessagainst T7: ARMORY
threesuitsof magicallyanimatedplatearmorsized
for dwarves. These constructs still standreadyto
Oneis ahelmedhorror;theother
fightintruders. Otherthan shields
a fewbroken crossbow
andwarped
two are animated armors. When a character shelvesandhooks,nothingremains
boltson battered
spends more than a few moments in this room,the inthisroom.
helmedhorror utters,“squadtacticsroutine”in
Dwarvish and all three suits of armor attack.They

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK Ill

 Six dust mephits lair herewith a wight who follows
themaroundandaids theirmaliciousantics.The
creaturesare hidingwhenthecharactersenterthis
room,and theyambushthecharactersunlessoneor
morecharacters
succeed
ona DC 14Wisdom(Per-
ception)check.
When thereare no intruders,themephitsfixateon
whatliesbehindthelockeddoortothevault(area
T8) and makeineffectiveattemptstobreachit.They
can’tunlock thedoor,andtheirclumsyeffortshave
chokedthe vault’slocks with dust.
This armorywas lootedlongago,butcasualloot-
ers wereunabletobreachtheheavylockeddoor to
thevaultatthebackofthearmory.
T8: VAULT
The door fromthe armory(areaT7) is securedwith
a complexlock. If thecharactersexamineit, read
thefollowing:
Thisancientvaultdoorhasthreelocks,eachhoused
withina carvingofa mountain.
All three locks mustbe openedbeforethevaultdoor
will open.One of thelocks is alreadyunlocked.
Each of theother twocan beopenedwith a suc-
cessful DC 18Dexteritycheckusing thieves’tools,
althoughany inspectionof thelocks determines
they'recaked with dust.If thedustisn’tcleared
from the locks, Dexteritycheckstoopenthemhave
disadvantage.
The charactersmightalso enterthis room
through the collapsefromareaT4. Openingthe
locked door from theinsideis straightforward.
When thecharacterspeerintothevault,readthe
following:
Glitteringheapsofcoins,statuettes,
andweapons
throughout thisroomarecovered inathinlayer
of dust.
Treasure. The hoardhereconsistsof 510pp,
1,250gp, twelvesmall gemsof variouskindsworth
100 gp each,a platinumholysymbolof Dumathoin
worth 150 gp, threegoldenstatuettesof dwarfwar-
riors worth 400 gp each,apotion of invulnerability,
and eyesof minuteseeing.
T9: RESIDENTIAL ROOM
Manydoorsleadintothisroom,whichhasfourstone
chairsfacingeachotherinthemiddleofit. Onechair
is coveredwithfreshblood.
6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK
II2 CHAPTER
y
WN
This room servedas a lounge. Several bone ire
scatteredaroundthe bloody chair. A characioy who
ona DC 10Wisdom(Animal Hand!ing)
succeeds
checkidentifiesthemas goat bones and surijises
thebloodon thechair is also from a goat. The goat
recently
wandered
froman undergroundtraveling
caravan.When it stumbled into Talhunderet}), 4
memberof the Cult of the Obelisk sacrificed it in un
fettereddevotionto the obelisk.
If thecharactersmake a lot of noise here, Falfark
(seeareaT10) peeksfrom the adjacent room to
investigate.
T10: PRIVATE ROOMS
Thereare sevenof these rooms, all furnished sim-
ilarly.When thecharactersenter the northwest
room,readthe following:
Thisroomcontainsnothingmorethana stone bed,
desk,
andstool.A robed
figuresitsatthedesk.
Nearby,
a pyramid-shaped
nuggetbouncesidlyon
spindlylegs.
The northwestroom is currently inhabited by a !!u-
manoid mutatenamedFalfark and an encepha'on
gemmule(seeappendixA for both stat blocks) t)\at
Falfarktreatsas a guardian. Falfark is a membe: of
theCult of theObelisk.
Falfarkpreferssurprise or treachery when he
outnumbered, buthe’stoo erratic to be duplici-
tous.He frequentlypreachesabout the stone tha
“speaksthetruth of the Far Realm” and “disgor:
itsyoungtofeed.”He speaks like a deluded prop!
andencouragesthecharactersto feed the small
among them tohis gemmule.If the characters re~ ist
or threatenthem,Falfark and the gemmule attac!
in a fury.
If thecharactersdon’tdo anything about the ge:
mulewithin a weekof encountering Falfark, the
gemmuletransformsinto an adult encephalon clu
terthatconsumesFalfark as its first meal.
Tll: COMMON ROOM
Thelongstonetablehereis brokenin two pieces.
Several
metal
chests
arestacked
against
awall.The
largest
openingleadingfromthisroomis chokedwith
rubbleandtheskeletal
remainsof dwarvesand mind
flayers.
Long ago,invadingmind flayersand temple de-
fendersfoughtfiercelyin this room. Psychic echoes
of thebattlehavedrawnan intellect snare (see
A).
appendix
 BROTHERS AND THEIR ASSOCIATES
Two
TALHUNDERETH AND ARE TRYING TO
INFILTRATEO
THEIR FATHER FROM AN Evil pt
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The intellect snare lurks in an alcove behind the
stack of metal chests. It amplifies the psychic echoes
in this room to show a sceneof a wailing mind flayer
atop the table, struck so hard by an armored dwarf’s
hammer that the stone table cracked. The image of
the dwarf retreats toward the stacked chests with a
triumphantcry, beckoningtheviewertofollow.As
soon as a creature gets within the range of the in-
tellect snare’s Cacophony of Minds, it slithers forth
and attacks.It follows foeswho retreatandfights
until slain.
Treasure. Most of the metalchestscontainnoth-
ing but dust or battered dishes, but one holds an
alchemyjug beneatha fewmugs.
T12: KITCHEN
Thislargekitchencontains asinkof
s tonecounters,
clearwater,andanovencontaining e mbers.
orange
A rackof k
dullmetal itchenimplementshangsfrom
theceiling.
This kitchen has a few enchantments that remain
active.The sink replenishesitself with fresh water
every hour using create or destroy water, first elim-
inatingwaterandthenconjuringcleanwaterto
replace it. The oven maintains a constant tempera-
turesuitablefor cooking.Thesefurnishingsare too
heavyto be moved.
The only people who have used this kitchen re-
cently are the drow explorers camped in the reading
room (area T14).
Treasure. One drow explorer left a backpack here.
It contains 100 feet of silk rope, three daggers, a
blank book, a calligrapher’s kit, and a silver medal-
liondisplayinga lizard’sheadwith a quill behindit.
The medallion is worth 15 gp.
T13: PANTRY
The goods once stored on the shelves in this old
pantry are long decayed,leaving nothing other than
a fewemptycasksandboxes.
Secret Door. A character who searches the pan-
try shelvesand succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Per-
ception)check finds a secret door to the librarian’s
room (area T15). Pushing on the door causes it to
swing outward.

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 113

 T14: READING ROOM
Fourlarge
stone
chairs
withwidearmrests
arepushed
tooneside
of thisroom,making
roomforthreebed-
rolls,wherethreedrowsittensely.
The dwarvesof Talhunderethwereprotectiveof
theirlibraryand unwillingtoshare its lorewith
mostvisitors.Typically,knowledgeseekerswould
speakwith thetemple’slibrarianand wait here
whilethelibrarianretrievedbooksfor them.
Threeneutraldrow temporarilylive here.Their
namesare ErdanVosselth,Thiala Sharne,and
VelliosKeethe,andtheyhaveproudlyworkedfor
theHenlifelfamilyas guardsand laborerstheir
wholelives.The drow are quick to fight Aberrations
thatintrudein theircamp,buttheycautiously
greet
othercreatures(includingthe characters)in the
hopeofavoiding
violenceandmaybeevenmak-
ingallies.
Talking with the Drow. Unless the characters
speakElvishor Undercommon, thedrowcall their
leadersin areaT15to translate.
Whetherthey
talkor fight,their leadersarrive quicklyto see
what’sgoingon.
The drow sharethe followingpoints:
Arrival. The drow camefrom the Underdarkonly
recently,throughtheentrance(areaT1).
Brothers. Nythalynand YanthdelHenlifel (seearea
T15) leadthis group.The brothershavecome to
try to convincetheir father,Ontharyx,to return
home.Their fathersaid he receiveda psychiccall,
andtheyworry he hasjoined a dangerouscult
(theydon’tknow thatOntharyxleadsthecult).
Common Enemy. A psychiccreaturelairs in the
commonroom (areaT11).The drow suspectthat
theimagethereis somesort of dangerouslure
and avoidthatroom.
libraryis filledwithbooks.
Library.Theadjacent
Yanthdelcan readthelanguagesthebooksare
written in, but theotherdrow can't.
Strange Pets. The drow want to forcetheirwayinto
thechambersbeyond,buttheyknowthatthecult-
ists are too strong, especially with their weird pets
gemmules).
(theencephalon
T15: LIBRARIAN’S ROOM
Thisroomhasawidebedsurroundedbytallbook-
sortthroughscat-
Twodrowpensively
shelves.
teredpapers.
roe
114 CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK
NythalynandYanthdelHenlifel,both neutral drow
elitewarriors,restandplan in this bedroom. | lic
drowbrothersspeakCommonin addition to | \vish
and Undercommon;Yanthdel also speaks Dwa: vish.
The mostsignificantitem among their scatterc «|
notesis a scrapofroughclothwith a map of areas
T1,T2, andT9 throughT17,includingthe secret
door to this room.
Talking with the Brothers. Whether here or in
theadjacent
readingroom,Nythalynand Yanthdel
are likely to speakto the characters. They add the
followingpointsto what their allies already said:
Finding Father. The brothers hope to spot their
fatherin thenextchamber(areaT17) so theycan
talk to him, buthe hasn'tyet been seen there. He
remainsdeeperin the temple.
HelpNeeded.NythalynandYanthdelask the char-
actersto captureOntharyx. They’re reluctant to
accompanythecharacters(or to send their retain-
ers with thecharacters)unless the characters are
particularlypersuasive,as they think the cultists
are toopowerful.
Hold Fast. The brothersacknowledge that their
fatherisn’tlikelyto comewillingly, so they hop:
thatthepartycan subduehim and bring him
backhere.They don’tcare what happens to any
othercultists.
RedemptionNeeded.The brothers are certain t!icy
can convince their father of the error of his way>.,
despiteOntharyx’sdecision tojoin the cult.
Worth the Effort. If thecharactersask for a re-
ward,Yanthdelrevealshis magical periapt (see
“Treasure”below)and agreesto exchange it fo:
his father.
SecretDoor. A characterwho searches the roo
andsucceedson a DC 12Wisdom (Perception)
checkfindsa secretdoor to the pantry (area T13).
Thecharacters if theyhaveal
findit automatically
readyexaminedthedrow brothers’map. Pulling «
hiddenlevercausesthesecretdoor to swing open
Treasure. Yanthdelhas a periapt of health, whic!
hegivestothe charactersas a reward if they retur!
his father.He also givesit to characters who return
with news that his father has been killed, so long
asYanthdelbelievesthatthe characters tried to ap
proachOntharyxpeacefully.
T16: LIBRARY
o
Shelvescoverthestonewallsofthisroomfromfloor
Sagging
toceiling. booksthathavebeenreducedto
littlemorethanscrapsanddustfilltheshelves,al-
thoughafewbooksboundin metalhavesurvivedthe
longyearsofabandonment.
te Sy
 A MEMBER OF THE CULT OF THE OBELISK
NAMED MALINIA DEFACESA STATUE.
rts
at
The drow explorers perused the surviving books
in this library but found nothing of use. Most of the
survivingbooksdescribeDumathoin’s faith,gem
cuttingsecrets,or forgottenmines.Thebooksare
writtenin Dwarvish.
The Granite Ledger. Oneof thebooksthatthe
drow haven'tyettouchedhasmetalpagesanda
covermadeof thin platesof granite.This book
is The GraniteLedger,a compendium ofTalhun-
dereth’s secrets. An ancient protectiveward remains
on the book; when the book is touched,two earth
elementals rise from the floor and attemptto smash
anyonein theroomwho isn'topenlywearingDu-
mathoin’sholysymbol.
The ledgerlists thoseburiedin theCryptof the
Talhund.It also providesinstructionsin Dwarvish
for how to openthecrypt'sentrancein areaT20.
T17: DEFACED STATUE
Analcoveattheendof a majestic yetrubble-choked
hallcontainsanenormous statueofa dwarfscholar
chips
atopa highplinth.A figure head,
atthestatue's
shapingthe visageintoa wailing,inhumanface.Four
withlegslounge
nuggets
pyramid-shaped the
around
statue’sbase.A doubledoorleadsto theeast.
This room, once at the end of the Deepening Hall
(areaT2),is 30feethigh.
The Cult of the Obelisk labors to transform this
statueof Dumathoin into the likeness of the enceph-
alon cluster that guards the obelisk fragment they
revere.The plinthis 15feethigh,andthestatue
atopit is another 10feet tall.
A Humanoid mutate named Malinia is defacing
thestatue.Maliniais perchedon thestatue’swide
shoulders,20feetabovethefloor.Four encephalon
gemmules (seeappendixA for both stat blocks)
occasionallygnawonchipsof stonethatfall from
Malinia’swork.The cultistis quicktosendthegem-
mulesintobattle,supportingthemfromherhigh
perch with Nightmare Blast attacks.
T18: CLEANSING CHAMBER
Standing inacircleinthemiddleofthis roomarefour
hooded figuresprayinginlow,indiscernible
voices.
Thenorthandsouthwalls of thisroombearfour
stonebasins beneath metalspigots.Thenorthwest
spigotisbroken andchoked withfungus,anditdrips
murkywaterintothebasin.Theotherbasinsaredry.
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 115
ee i ie Ge eee
 Worshipers
ofDumathoin
approaching
theworship Thedial servesasa lockto theentranceof thx
hall (areaT21)cleansedthemselvesin thesebasins. Cryptof theTalhund.Fourteencarvings cross the
Thisroomis nowthedomainoffourHumanoid dial, which has a fixedarrow pointing downward
mutates(seeappendixA) whoare membersof the atits top.The indentationin the dial’s middle is a
Cult of theObelisk.Oneof themis Ontharyx,thefa- magicalkeyholethatrequires the insertion of a fac-
therof thebrothersin areaT15. He has thestatsof etedgemstone.
a Humanoid
mutate,
buthealsohasDeception
+4. Dumathoin Knows. Any character who wor
The otherthreemutatesare namedChals, Harralie, shipsDumathoin
realizeshowto open the lock,
andPaulam. as describedbelow.The Granite Ledger in area
The cultistsare happytoseepeopletheycan kill T16 includesinstructions in Dwarvish for open-
andfeedtothemonster in theworshiphalltothe ing the lock.
south(areaT21).They'veseenthedrowexplorers UnlockingtheCrypt.The dial’scarvings depict
lurkingaboutandareeagertofight.Theyutter a facetedgemstonein various stages of completion,
phraseslike“Foodfortheobeliskis foodforthe rangingfroma handfulof marksto a completed,
brain!”and“Yoursoulswill twistin theFarRealm!” emerald-cutstone.As with a combination lock, the
If thecharactersexpressa desireto talk with On- dial mustbe rotatedin the correct order. The cor-
tharyx,hemakes a bigshowofcallingoffhiscult- rectcombinationbeginswith the least finished gem-
istsandlisteningtowhatthecharacters havetosay. stonecarvingandproceedsin order,endingwith
Heofferstotalk,butnotif it meansleavingsightof the mostfinishedcarving.
theothercultists.This eagernessto talk is a ruse; After thecharactersrotatethe dial to the correct
Ontharyxhasnointention
ofleavingTalhundereth combination, a gem must be placed in the center
justbecause
hissonsare“tooignoranttoseethat socketto openthe lock. Any of the gems in the vault
theobeliskis a keyholeto impossibletruths of the (areaT8) suffices.
Far Realm.”If Ontharyxcan use a pretenseof diplo- A characterwho succeedson a DC 13 Intelligence
macytosplitupthecharacters,
getoneor bothof (Arcanaor Investigation)check realizes how to open
his sonsalone,or anysimilar advantage,he attacks. thelock.Once the lock is open, the characters can
Any characterwho succeedson a DC 14Wisdom openthedoor to the Crypt of the Talhund.
(Insight)checkpredictshis impendingtreachery. An Incorrect Solution. If the characters insert a
The Spigots. Only the fungus-chokedspigotre- gemafterthey'vedialed the wrong combination, 4
mainsoperational.The fast-growingfungusis edi- rumblingsoundrolls through the room. Creature:
ble,andthewaterpassingthroughit is surprisingly in theroom mustmakea DC 14Constitution saviiig
nutritious.The cultistssubsiston both,thoughthe throw,taking 22 (4d10)thunder damage onafaile«!
fungusis taintedwith Far Realm energyand con- save,or half as muchdamageon a successful on¢
tributesto thecultists’mutations. This protectivemeasuretriggers only once. Aft«
it’striggered,the characterscan try additional sol.
T19: PROCESSIONHALL tions until thelock opens.Once the characters ha\«
spent1 hour trying to openthe lock, they acciden
thispillared
within
Columns hallbear
procession tallydial thecorrect combinationand realize they
needto insert a geminto the indentation.
holdingminingpicks.
of piousdwarves
images
An Alternate Solution. The mind flayers who
attackedTalhunderethlong.agofound a different
Theseimageswereoncebrilliantly painted,butonly solutionto thepuzzle.The center indentation can
thepaintaroundtheeyesocketsand claspedhands withpsychicmagic,regardlessof th:
beoverloaded
of thedwarvesremains,leavingan impressionof positioningof thedials. Dealing at least 20 psychic
sicknessandsuspicion. shattersandopens the
damagetotheindentation
lock.Characterswho succeedon a DC 14 Intelli-
T20: CrypT ENTRANCE gence(Arcana)checkrealize this solution. At your
discretion,Ontharyxor other Humanoid mutates
anelaborate mightsuggestthis solutionif interrogated.
Thewestendofthislongroombears
ofa mountain
carving Onthe
filledwithgemstones.
The
in simplercarvings.
westwallis adialcovered
hasafaceted
dial’scenter likeasocket
indentation,
“Onlya com-
fora gem.Abovethedialis a phrase:
pletegiftopensthecryptbeyond.”

re

6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

CHAPTER
4+ » Rak | pa pane i
T21]1:WORSHIP HALL
Thishallhasseveral
pillars
carved
withimages
of mountains.
Some of the pillarsarebrokenand
blackened,
asthoughfromanintense fire.Carved
into
thewestwallisa statueofa dwarven kingstoically
gripping
awarhammer.
Analtaratthestatue's
feet
is smashedintorubble,aroundwhichhopsabrain-
shapedmassofgelatinous of
eggs.A blackfragment
green
stonewithglowing therubble.
sitsamid
details
This largeworship hall was thesiteof a fiercebattle
betweenthe mind flayersandthetempledefenders.
The statuedepictingoneaspectof Dumathoinasa
kingly dwarf survivedtheintensefight,butthealtar
beforethe statuedid not.
Obelisk Fragment. The rubblethatusedtobe
thealtar stoneis now therestingplaceof a Neth-
ereseobelisk fragment.See the“ObeliskFrag-
ments”sectionat thebeginningof thischapterfor
more information about its properties.
The obelisk’smagicalenergiesenhancethelin-
geringpsychicechoesfromthemindflayers.These
echoesattractedbothan encephaloncluster(see
appendix A) and members of the Cult of the Obe-
lisk. The encephalonclusteris hereall thetimeat
thewest end of the room;it doesn’tneedtoleave
becausethecultistsfeedit victimstheykidnap.The
cultists rarelyenterthis roomexceptforthesefeed-
ings, as they consider the chamber a sacred space.
If the Characters Fail. The charactersmight
reachthis room but be forcedto retreat.In this
case,the mind flayerfanaticshavetimetosend
minions to recover the obelisk fragment. Unless the
characters return quickly, these villains acquire the
fragmentand deliverit to thefanaticsin IIlithinoch
(seelaterin this adventure).Recordif this happens,
as it altershow thecharactersconfrontthemind
flayerfanaticsin chapter8.
CRYPT OF THE TALHUND
ConstructedbeneathTalhundereth,theCryptof the
Talhund was wherepriestsof Dumathoin(knownas
the Talhund) were laid to rest.The mindflayerswho
attackedTalhunderethlongagoalsoplunderedthe
crypt,and the psychicstaintheylefton thissacred
place persists to this day.
CRYPT FEATURES
Once the characters solve the puzzle in Talhun-
dereth’scrypt entrance(areaT20),theycanen-
ter this structure when they wish. The following
features are common throughout the Crypt of
the Talhund.
DWARVENMADE
The cryptis soliddwarvenconstruction.Its stonere-
mainsstrongdespitemillenniaof neglect.Carvings
of dwarfpriestsareprevalent,as are carvingsof
mountainpeaksandmultifacetedgemstones.Subtle
enchantments cause the carvings of gemstones to
glitterlikegenuinegems. |
DARKNESS
The cryptisn’tilluminated,and its denizensrelyon
darkvision to see. Area descriptions assume that
thecharactershavea lightsourceor someother
methodof seeingin thedark.
Doors
Doorsthroughoutthetempleare madeof 2-inch-
thick slabs of stone with simple handles a few feet
fromthefloor.Theyopenandcloseeasilyon ancient
hinges.Doorsandsecretdoorsare unlockedunless
otherwisespecified.
CEILINGS
Ceilingsthroughoutthecryptare 12feethigh.
UNNAMED
Althoughmanydeadare buriedhere,nothingindi-
cates the names of the deceased. The temple’sfol-
lowersbelievedthatDumathoingivestheTalhund
new, secret names in death, so their mortal names |
aren't memorialized.
CryPT HAUNTINGS
The cryptsretaintheechoesof themindflayers’
invasion, and these echoes make the spirits within
thecryptuneasy.Wherethetextreferencesa crypt
haunting,roll a d6 andconsulttheCrypt Hauntings
table to determine the nature of the ghostly image or
effectencounteredthere(orchooseonethatseems
A hauntingcan’tleavethelocationwhere
evocative).
it’s encountered and doesn't physically interact with
thecharactersin anyway.
In eachlocationwith a haunting,there’sa wayto
putthehaunttorest(usuallybyrestoringtheloca-
tion’ssolemnityor removingevidenceof mindflayer
activity);
thesemethods
arelistedin therelevant
areas. Putting the haunt to rest means the haunting
nolongeroccursthere.Any characterwhoworships
Dumathoin knows how to put the haunts to rest.
Otherwise,characterswho succeedon a DC 12Wis-
dom(Perception)checkknow.
If the characters take a long rest in the crypt, you
canhavea randomcrypthauntingappearatthatlo-
cationanytimeduringtheirrest.Thesespontaneous
hauntings can’t be put to rest, but they don’t need to
bequelledtopurifythecrypt.Oncethe cryptis puri-
fied no haunts ever occur there.
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 117 n
Se an a “toe
 These hauntingsaredisturbing,andthefifth and dé Haunting

sixth optians9n oe fabiobelowinvalyebodyhorror. 5 of onecharacter(determin:

Aghostlyimage
Checkyourplayers’comfortlevelbeforeinclud-
liesonthefloor,theirskullcrackedo;
domly)
ing thesehauntingsin yourgame;youcan roll a
The imagedoes not!
andtheirbrainremoved.
d4 instead.
buttwitchanddrool.
Crypt HAUNTINGS 6 Theghostlyimageofa dwarfzombielurches|
d6 Haunting awall,putsa rottedfingerto its lips, then uss
1 Eachcharacterfeelsa creepingsensationalong its other handto peel back its ribcage and rev.
theirscalp,asof probingtentaclesseekinga weak a gemhiddenin its chest cavity.The zombie th:
spotintheirskull. intothewall.This imagerepeatseve;
disappears
2 of an elderlydwarfin priestly
Theghostlyimage few minutes,but the ghostly zombie comes fron
wanders
vestments inshock,
asthough
around different of thewalleachtime.
section
grippinga battleaxe
stainedwithpurpleichor,
3 Each
character
gains
a nagging
suspicion
thatmind PURIFYING THE CRYPT
flayers
arecurrently
invading
somesacredorsecret Purifying the Crypt of the Talhund requires quelling
placeimportant
tothatcharacter,
suchas
a child- all the crypt hauntings and defeating the ghosts
hoodhome. Whenthishappens,
a sighlike grinding stone
4
echoesthrough the crypt, and each room momen
Eachcharacterhearslow mutteringin Dwarvish
tarily flickers with light. No more crypt hauntings
thatrepeats,
“Thebraineatershavecome!Saveus!
appearin any locations, and no spontaneous haunt
Ifyoucannotsaveus,avenge
us!”
ingsoccur.

THE PROCESSION
HALLLEADINGTO THE CRYPT OF THE
are eT
ae) RED STATUES OF OWARVES.
i

at
 Pp
THE
OF
~CRYPT
~
<;TALHUND

3 ak
: See
~1Square=5 Feet

Map 6.4: Cryer oF THE TALHUNO

Haunting Locations. Spontaneous hauntings Pl: LOWER LANDING

are in the crypt’s ghostly hall (area P2), honored
approach (area P6), reliquary (area P7), valiantap-
thewallshere,
standagainst
Fourstonesarcophagi
proach (area P11), and haunted hall (area P16).
Dumathoin’s Blessing. When the characters twoagainstthenorthernwallandtwoagainstthe
purify the crypt, any character that helpedput a southernwall.A statueofa dwarfwarriorstands
haunt to rest or defeated one of the crypt’sghosts between The statuesand
eachpairof sarcophagi.
gains the blessing of Dumathoin. Dumathoin can areallbadlycracked,as if theywouldfall
sarcophagi
rescind this blessing at any time, at your discretion, apartwitha touch.
such as if the character proves to be an enemyof
dwarvenkind. The blessing otherwise adheresto
the rules for blessingspresentedin theDungeon Each sarcophagus holds a dwarf crypt guardian
Master's Guide: whose spirit was corrupted by the mind flayers’
magic.When a sarcophagus is disturbed or a living
Blessingof Dumathoin.Youreyesbecome topick
keenenough
had
Ifyoualready creatureattemptsto leavethrough the doorway to
outhiddensecrets.Yougaindarkvision.
darkvision, you can see in color in thedark.In addition,you thewest, all four crypt guardians burst out to fight
can use an action to gain truesightfor 1 minute.Onceyougain The cryptguardiansusethereve-
untildestroyed.
truesightin thisway,youcan’tdosoagainuntilyoufinisha nant stat block with the following changes:
longrest.
+They speak Dwarvish only.
CRYPT OF THE TALHUND LOCATIONS +They havesworn vengeanceagainst all living tres-
passers in the crypt.
The following locationsare keyedtomap6.4. +They don’trejuvenateif the characters have put
the crypt’s haunts to rest (see the “Purifying the
Crypt” section).

i ¢ ‘i “ee
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 119

te & iia ON i a eS Pe Sh Ge
 THE RUINSOF THECarverOF THETALHUND
NOWSERVEASLAIRSFORMANYMONSTERS,
eae eeOPC ryt ht Te

The stonein this roomwas badlyweakenedin P3: CORPSE PREPARATION ROOMS

the mind flayerassault.The statuesfall to piecesif These rooms all look similar, and each can be dé
disturbed,creatingdifficult terrain across the south- scribed as follows:
ernhalf or northern half of the room,dependingon
which statueis broken.The four sarcophagialso
A stoneslabinthemiddle
of this roombearsa few
collapseif disturbed,thougheachcreatesdifficult
terrain only in its square. metaltoolscoveredin dust.A deepbasinis nearthe
tending
slab.Wallcarvingsshowdwarvesreverently
P2: GHOSTLY HALL tothedead.

Thesoundofsplashingwater
echoesfromthe Specially trained attendantsprepared deceased |
westend
ofthis longhallway.
Thenorthwallhas hund in theseconnectedrooms:
threedoors,andthesouth
wallbears
anelaborate
East Room. Attendants here washed the bodies a!
carving
of a procession
ofdwarf
priestscarrying stitched up any wounds. The basin is empty excep!
wrappedbodies. for a few pumice stones.
Center Room. Attendants here placed a sanctified
gemstonewithin the corpse’s chest. The basin
There is a crypt hauntingin this somberhall (see
oncehelddozensof sacredgemstones,butthe
“Crypt Hauntings” in the “Crypt Features” section).
mind flayerstook the gems when they vanquished
Returningthehalltosilencebydefeating
or driving
this place’sdefenders.The basin is now empty.
offthecreaturesin thewateryroomattheendofthe
West Room. Attendants here dressed and armored
hall (areaP5) putsthehauntto rest.
the preparedcorpses. The basin holds several
jumbled pieces of armor; see “Treasure” below.

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK


Secret Door. Characters who search thecentes
room and succeed on a DC 16Wisdom (Perception)
check discover a secret door hidden within the
carving of a dwarf attendant placing her handin the
chest ofa deceased priest. Pressing the attendant's
hand causes the door to swing open into area P4,
Treasure. The armor pieces in the westernroom
contain all the parts for a serviceablesuit of plate
armor. As this armor is funerary armor for theTal-
hund, Dumathoin’s faithful are reluctantto attackits
wearer. Undead dwarves in the Crypt of the Talhund
have disadvantage on attack rolls against anyone
wearing this armor.
P4: HIDDEN SANCTUM ACCESS ROOMS
This small,emptyroombearsa heavystonedoor
oppositeits entrance.
The stone doors to access the rotating sanctum
(area P14) pull open. If the sanctum hasn’tbeenro-
tated into position (see areas P9 and P13), the doors
are blocked by solid stone. Otherwise, theyopen
into area P14.
P5: WATERY CHAMBER
Most of this roomhascollapsedintoa floodedpit.
Thedarkwaterripplesandsplashesstrangely,
as
thoughsomethinglurksdeepwithinit.
The collapse that occurred here long ago disturbed
an underground wellspring, flooding the whole area.
A hydra namedGrandlejawdozesin thewater,
keeping one or two heads alert for danger.The
source of the splashing is a high-strung water weird
named Kellikilli. After realizing Kellikilli is inedible,
Grandlejaw grudgingly decided to toleratethe water
weird. The water weird’s constant, freneticmotion
keeps the water bubbly,which the hydra enjoys.Kel-
likilli likes fighting alongside a creature as toughas
Grandlejaw.
If thecharactersapproachthisroomcautiously,
theyseeGrandlejawand Kellikilli interacting:
Grandlejawgrumpilynipsatthewaterweirdfor
jostling a sleeping head, and Kellikilli respondswith
a high-pitched giggle and squirts water into one of
Grandlejaw’s faces.
The water weird is too distracted to noticeany-
one who doesn’t disturb the water,but the hydrais
hungryand attacksanythingthatlooksedible.If a
fight breaks out, the water weird stays in the pool
but grabs creatures and drags them into the pool
if it can. If the water weird is badly injured or if the
hydrais slain, thewaterweirdflees.
a |
|
P6: HONORED APPROACH
Thishallhasastonedooratthenorthend.Anoth-
erdoortotheeastisaskewonitshinges,brushing
anelongated,
against skullonthefloor.
crumbling
BothdoorsbearDwarvishwriting.
The stonedoor to the north has the words “the
honoreddead”carved into it in Dwarvish. The
askew door to the east bears the words “relics of the
dead,”also in Dwarvish. Any character who exam-
ines the skull next to the crooked door recognizes
it as that of a mind flayer.The skull crumbles if
roughly handled.
There is a crypt haunting here (see“Crypt Haunt-
ings” in the “Crypt Features” section).Fixing the
door and removing the mind flayer skull puts the
haunt to rest. Repairing the door requires several
minutesof work with a relevantset of tools, such as
miner'stoolsor mason’stools,as wellas proficiency
with those tools.
P7: RELIQUARY
Thisroom'sflooris coveredwithbrokenpedestals,
shatteredglass, and dust. A headlessskeleton rests
againstthesmasheddisplays.Thenorthwallhas
collapsed,openingintoa largerroombeyond.
This room was the site ofa fierce fight between the
mind flayerinvaders and the clay golem in the next
room. The clay golem ultimately drove off the mind
flayers,but not before the mind flayers stole most of
the dwarven relics kept here.
The headless skeletonis a mind flayer’s,and any
characterwho examines it notes this and the fact
that the skeletonmatchesthe skull in area P6.
There is a crypt haunting here (see “Crypt
Hauntings” in the “Crypt Features” section).De-
stroying the headless mind flayer skeleton puts the
haunt to rest.
Treasure.A metalcasecontainingeightbeadsof
force remains amid the rubble.
P8: HONORED DEAD
Thisroomhasa hallwayto thenorthwithtworows
of standingsarcophagi.
Eachsarcophagus
lid bears
a carvingofa resting priest. A 10-foot-tall,armored
figure
withdwarf-like
features
patrols
theroom.
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK
2 ie Soe a
re —- Te

The figureis a clay golemmaintainsits vigil here.

It is 10feettall andshapedtoresemblean armored
dwarf.Evenhundredsofyearsafterit repelledthe
mind flayer attack, the golem remains vigilant. It
pursuesfoeswho fleeintoareasP6 andP7, but
not further.
Each sarcophaguscontainsthebrittlebonesof a
dwarf.As themindflayersneverbypassedtheclay
golemguardianandthesesarcophagi arefarthest
thattaintsthecrypt
fromtheobeliskfragment
with its magic,theseare theonlyTalhundto re-
main at rest.
Treasure. Each of thefourteendwarfcorpseshas
a gemworth 100gp in its ribcage.Any character
whostealsa gemcannotbenefit fromtheBlessing
of Dumathoin described in the“PurifyingtheCrypt”
sectionearlierin thischapter.

P9: HISTORIAN’S TOMB

Thewallsofthisroomarecarved withimagesofopen
Thepages
books. writ-
ofeacharefilledwithcramped
withtheimageof
iscarved
ing.A simplesarcophagus
anoldermaledwarfholdingaquillandabook.
Totheeast,a metalleverbuiltintothewallstands
A frailgnome,hisshoulders
inthe“up”position. bent
thelever.
withage,ponders
.

This is thevaultof a greatdwarfhistorianand

RiviBiODEL
priest,Thorgran Ironquill,who devotedhis life to
assemblinga written historyof Dumathoin’sworks.
He oftheHiddenGem-
Thorgran’smasterwork,
buthispupilscop-
stone,ismorefablethanhistory, pastthatroom’s andwas
inhabitants
treacherous
ied the entiretextonto thewalls of thehistorian’s delightedto find the work here on the walls.
when
place
resting hedied.
believed
they Rivibiddel
OldRapidly.
Growing physi
wasamuch
(0
callyyoungergnomewhen he entered the crypt
The sarcophagusis empty.Thorgranfakedhis
the
journey;
deathtogoon onelastimportant pursueoneof thefewknowncopiesof He of th:
characterscan discoverthe historian’struefatein Hidden Gemstone.Worried that he’drun out of
chapter7. foodandwaterbeforerecordingall thetext,Ris
Lever.The metalleverin the“up”positioncanbe ibiddelscoutedthepassageto thenorth andran
atthe
onlyif theleverinareaP13ismoved
moved ghosts.TheirHorrifying
afoulofapairofrestless
same time. Moving bothleverssimultaneouslyro- Visageability agedthe unfortunate gnome’sbody,
tatesthe hidden sanctum,as describedin areaP14. and he’snow hoveringon death’sdoor. Weakened
Adventurous Gnome. An elderlysvirfneblin andscared, Rivibiddel retreatedhere.
namedRivibiddelhasspentmanydaysin thecrypt. HalfwayThere.He hascopiedtheentiretyof He
Because of his advancedage,his walking speedis of theHidden Gemstone,but the last half of his
ran
Rivibiddel
15feet,andhe can’ttakereactions. copyis in a shakyhanddueto his condition.He
outof
running he
keepshisworkandwritingtoolsin a satchel
outoffooddaysagoandisquickly
aidhim,hesharesthefol-
water.If thecharacters alwayswears.
lowinginformation: Ironquill. Rivibiddelknowsthatthework'sauthor
con- is namedThorgran Ironquill. Rivibiddel shares
Ardent Convert. Rivibiddelis a historiananda everythingaboutThorgran listed in the beginning
vertto thereligionof Dumathoin. of this section.
Underdark
Getting In. Rivibiddel accesseda secret Relic. RivibiddellearnedfromThorgran’stextthat
swam
passageleadingtothepoolin areaP5. He an enormous,exquisiteemerald lies somewhere

I22 CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

PT TESntheSO RD i eS
 in the Crypt of the Talhund.He wantsto recovera containsa singledwarfskeleton
—
Thesarcophagus
chip of this emeraldas a sacredrelicandreturnit (see the accompanying stat block). This was the
to other worshipers of Dumathoinbeforehedies, influentialpriestwho first receivedDumathoin’s
Return. Rivibiddel knowshe can'tsurvivethedif. visionfor Talhunderethand who oversawits initial
ficult swim to leavethe wayhe came.He needs construction.As fourteenTalhund assistedher,the
some other routeand wouldbe happytostayin number fourteen became important throughout Tal-
Phandalin for the timebeingif showntheway. hunderethandthe crypt.
Even though Rivibiddelhas beenin areasP5 If the characters have put the crypt’s haunts to rest
through P11 only,he sharesinformationaboutthe (seethe “Purifyingthe Crypt” section),the skeleton
Crypt of the Talhund fromhis ownscoutingand remainsat restwhenthe charactersenter.Other-
from He of the Hidden Gemstone: wise,the skeletonpushesopen the sarcophaguslid
toattackwhenanyoneenters.If a characterspends
Blessed Site. Talhunderethwasonce a significant an action,invokesthenameof Dumathoin,and suc-
holy site for followersof Dumathoin.Generations ceedson a DC 14Intelligence(Religion)check,the
of their priests,called theTalhund,wereburied skeleton stops attacking, though it attacks the char-
in the Crypt of theTalhundbeneaththetemple. actersagainif theyreentertheroom.
The crypt was onceoneof Dumathoin’s mostsa- Treasure. The dwarfskeletonhas a gemstone
cred places. worth 100gp in its ribcage.The sarcophaguscon-
Crypt Invasion. Many generations ago,mindflayers tainsthefounder'sring of theorator(seeappen-
took over a significantportionof theUnderdark, dix B),whichfell off her fingerwhenshe became
including Talhundereth.Theymusthaveinvaded a skeleton.
the crypt because there are so many restless Un-
dead and haunts.Rivibiddeladds,sadly,thatthe Pll: VALIANT APPROACH
sanctityof thecryptwasbrokenlongago.
Dangers. There is a hydraandsomesortof elemen- of
Thisroom’seastwallis barestone.Carvings
tal in the pool to the south, a dangerousgolem
dwarves giants,orcs,andotherenemies
battling
to the northwest,andsomedwarfskeletonsand
ghosts to the north. Rivibiddel believesthe entire adorntheotherwalls.A statueof a dwarfwarrior,axe
crypt is filled with deadlydangers. standsinthemiddleoftheroom.
raised,
Emerald. The massive emerald Rivibiddel seeks is
likely hiddenin an innersanctum,asbefitsDu-
mathoin’s lore. Secret doors are common in Du- DWARF SKELETON
mathoin’sholyplaces.Rivibiddelhasn'tdiscovered Medium
Undead,
LawfulEvil
any in the crypt yet.
Lever. The lever here in this crypt probablyhas AC 13(chainshirt)
something to do with revealing the crypt’shid- Hit Points 26 (4d8+8)
Speed25ft.
den sanctum, but Rivibiddel can't getthe leverto
move. He’s done enough tinkering to realize that STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
the leveris tied tosomevastclockworkmecha- 16
(+3) 10(+0)15(+2)6(-2) 8(-1) 5(-3)
nism that must cause entire rooms in the crypt
to shift. The lever is locked in place becauseit’s Damage Vulnerabilities
bludgeoning
connected to another lever somewhereelse in the Damage Immunitiespoison
Condition
Immunitiesexhaustion,poisoned
crypt. He’sconvincedthatbothleversmustbe Sensesdarkvision
60ft.,passivePerception
9
pulled at the sametime.(If thecharacters
want Languagesunderstands Dwarvishbutcan’tspeak
Rivibiddel to help with pulling levers,he’shonored Challenge
1/2(100XP) Proficiency
Bonus+2
to do so, but the crypt guardians mayattackhim,
as described in area P15.) Sure-Footed. Theskeleton
hasadvantage onStrength andDex-
teritysavingthrowsmadeagainsteffectsthatmakeit havethe
P10: FOUNDER’S TOMB pronecondition.

ACTIONS
Images of thetemple adornthewalls
of Talhundereth Battleaxe.MeleeWeaponAttack:+5to hit, reach5 ft., one tar-
inthisroombears
of thiscrypt.A sarcophagus the get.Hit:7 (1d8+3)slashingdamage,
or8 (1d10+3)slashing
alargering. damage if usedwithtwohands.
carvedimageof adwarfwoman wearing

FiNOING THE OBELISK SHARD HIDDEN IN THE Cryer oF THE
TALHUND
REQUIRES OPENING A TRICKY DEVICE TO ACCESSA HIDDEN ROOM.
There is a crypt hauntinghere (see“Crypt Haunt-
ings” in the “Crypt Features”section)that manifests
immediately.
Four dwarf skeletons (seeareaP10) lumberfrom
area P12 as soon as anyoneentersthis room.Two
more dwarf skeletonscome from areaP12 atthe
start of each subsequentround until all fourteen
dwarf skeletonshaveenteredthe fray.Any skeletons
already ina fight pursue fleeingfoes.The skeletons
fight until destroyed.
If a characterspendsan action,invokesthename
of Dumathoin, and succeeds on a DC 14 Intelligence
(Religion) check, one skeletonstopsattacking.The
characterscan temporarilystopall theskeletons,
thoughall such skeletonsattackthe characters
againif theyreentertheroom.
Defeatingall fourteenskeletonsor temporarily
stoppingthem as described aboveputsthis area's
haunt to rest.
Words carvedabovethe doorway leadingtoarea
P12 read“thevaliantdead”in Dwarvish.
thisroomand
SlidingWall.Thewallbetween
area P15 is movable.When the leversin areasP9
andP13arepulledatthesametime,thewalllifts
124 CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK
ek
aia
intotheceiling,turning areas P11 and P15 int
onebig room.
Treasure. Eachof the fourteen dwarf skeleto
hasa gemstoneworth 100 gp in its ribcage. Any
characterwho stealsa gem can’t benefit from th
Blessingof Dumathoindescribed in the “Purify
theCrypt”sectionearlier in this chapter.
Pl]1A:NARROW CORRIDOR
This longhallwayconnectsareas P5 and P11.
Secret Door. Characterswho search the corri
dor’seastwall and who succeed on a DC 16 Wis
dom (Perception) check discover a secret door. S!
ing a wall carving of a mountain peak causes the
door to swing open to area P4.
P12: VALIANT DEAD
This roomhasfourteenstone slabs, each with an
indentationwherea dwarfwarrior would rest. The
wallsarecarvedwithimages
ofvaliant dwarfwar-
priestssmitingenemies
withglowingaxesand blasts
ofradiantfire.
The door to this area is slightlyajar.The fourteen
dwarves laid to rest on theseslabsanimatedas
skeletons,
whichthecharacters
facedalready
in area P11.
P13: GENERAL'S TOMB
Threeslabswithindentations
forbodieslieinthis
room, the centralslab moreornatethattheothertwo.
Armorscrapsandbrittlebonesrestatopeachslab.
leadingotherdwarves
Carvingsshowa femaledwarf
in battle.
To the east,a metalleverbuiltintothewallstands
inthe“up”position.
Brelta Gemblade—thedwarf generalwhowasin-
strumental in securing peace in the region—was
laid to rest here,alongwith herloyalaides,Murnig
and Nelja.
The generaland both of heraideshavereturned
from the deadas ghosts. If thecharactershaveput
thecrypt’shauntsto rest (seethe“Purifyingthe
Crypt” section),the ghostsdon’tmanifestwhenthe
charactersenterthe room.Otherwise,theghosts
attack when the characters enter. If a character
spends an action, invokes the name of Dumathoin,
and succeedson a DC 14Intelligence(Religion)
check, the ghosts stop attacking.
The Lever. The eastwall’smetallevercanbe
movedonly if the leverin areaP9 is movedatthe
sametime. Moving both leverssimultaneously ro-
tatesthe hiddensanctum,as describedin areaP14.
Treasure. Among the bones and armor scraps
on each slab is a gemstoneworth 100gp.The gen-
eral’sslab also containshermindguardcrown(see
appendix B).
P14: ROTATING SANCTUM
Thisroundroomhasthreealcoves withexits,each
supportedbystonepillarsandlintelstoresemblea
mine.Theroom’scentercontains a daiswithapedes-
tal that holds an enormous,multifaceted
emeraldthat
glowswithwarm,greenlight.
Three wraiths manifestand attackas soonas any
other creature entersthe room.Theycan'tleavethe
room and fight until destroyed.
Rotating the Sanctum. This hiddenroomis set
atop a massive gear. When the characters first ar-
with
rivein theCryptof theTalhund,it’snotaligned
any of the sanctum accessrooms(areaP4).When
the levers in areas P9 and P13 arebothpulledat
the same time, the gears grind and the room ro- |
tates clockwise. Rotating the room aligns its three
withtheaccessroomsandpullsaside
entrances |
the wall betweenareas P11 and P15, turning those |
areas into one big room.
The Sanctum’sGemstone. The mind flayers |
found this sacred room and discovered that the |
gemstonewas notan emerald.The
10-foot-diameter
green-huedcrystal was a dependable receptacle for
their psionic echoes, so they imbued it with splinters
of theirmalignantintellects.This desecrationis a
major reason the crypt remains haunted.
The Talhundblessedthegemstoneso thatit can’t
be shattered,but it can be chipped. The svirfneblin
Rivibiddelin areaP9 wantsa chipof thegemstone
attheheartof thesanctum.He doesn’tcarethatit’s
not a genuine emerald, as its importance to him is
religiousinsteadof monetary.
P15: BLESSED DEAD
Thisroomcontains fourteen eachone
alcoves,
containingasarcophagus.Thelidofeachiscarvedto
depicta piousdwarfpriest.A dimradianceemanates
fromeachcarving.Slumped intheroom'scenterare
sixarmored skeletons.
The virtuoussoulsof thepriestsinterredhere
weren'taffectedbythemind flayers’corruption,but
thesix cryptguardiansassignedtowatchoverthe
deadwere.When a characterentersthis area,the
slumped skeletons rise as six revenants with the
followingchanges:
+They speak Dwarvish only.
+Theyhaveswornvengeanceagainstall living tres-
passersin thecrypt.
« Theydon’trejuvenateif thecharactershaveput
thecrypt’shauntsto rest(seethe“Purifying the
Crypt”section).
These guardians can't leave the area until the
charactersrotatethesanctumand thewall between
areasP11 andP15 pulls aside.The cryptguardians
maketheirwayintothecrypt’swesternhalf to fight
intrudersthere.If thecharacterssplit up to pull the
levers in areas P9 and P13, the revenants split up to
attackbothlocations.
If thecharactershaveputthecrypt’shauntsto
rest(seethe“PurifyingtheCrypt”section),the
guardians’bodiesdon'trise.Otherwise,thereve-
nants attack the characters on sight.
If a character spends an action, invokes the name
of Dumathoin,andsucceedson a DC 14Intelligence
(Religion)check,onerevenantstopsattackingand
returnstoits rest.The characterscan temporarily
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 125
nn 2 wm owe © .»~ si y
 southerndoorwayis carved with “the digging dead"
in Dwarvish.
Secret Door. The secret door in this hallw, Its

slightlyaskewin its frame, making it easier ( iS

coverthan otherhidden sanctum entrances. ( 1 iTac

terswhosearchthe hall and who succeed on ; |)¢
12Wisdom (Perception)check discover the secret
door.Pressing thecarving of a gemstone on the wal|
causesthedoor to swing open.

P17: ARCHITECT’S TOMB

Architectural
designs
arecarvedintothewallsofthis
—
of the
thechambersandpassages
room,showing
crypt.A statueofa gloweringdwarfstandsprotective-
lyoverasarcophagus
witha crackedlid.
o

Thestatueis anoldshieldguardian bound to the

crypt’sarchitect,who was buried here with sev
eralsheavesof his best architectural plans. The
corruptedenergiesunleashed by the mind flayers
boundthedesignsto the corpse of the dwarf, cr
atinga mummywrapped in architectural plans. |
thecharactershaveput the crypt’s haunts to rest
(seethe“Purifying the Crypt” section), the muminy
A WIZARDHID AN OBELISK FRAGMENT doesn'tanimateand the statue doesn’t move. Other
IN A MINING CART IN THE Crypt oF
wise,themummypushesoff the lid to the sarco|
bao ed
agus and rises to slay intruders, while the shield
guardianprotectsit. The mummy has complete
knowledgeof thecrypt, and might, for example,
movethroughthe rotatingsanctum (area P14) t«
stopall therevenantsfromattacking,thoughthe interceptcharacterswho flee.
revenantsattackthe charactersagain if thecharac- If a characterspendsan action, invokes the na!
tersreenterthe room. of Dumathoin,and succeedson a DC 14 Intelli-
Sliding Wall. The wall betweenthis roomand gence(Religion)check,the shield guardian and |
areaP11 is movable.When the leversin areasP9 mummystopattacking.The creatures attack the
and P13 are bothpulledat thesametime,the wall charactersagainif theyreenter the room.
lifts up intotheceiling,turning areasP11 and P15 CryptMap. The wall carvings show a complet:
intoonebig room. mapof thecrypt,including the secret doors, sec!
areas,and the rotatingsanctum. Anyone review
P16: HAUNTED HALL ing this mapautomaticallyfinds any secret door 1!
thecrypt.
Treasure. The mummyhas a gemstone worth
Liningthishallway
aregrandcarvings
of moun-
500 gp hiddenin its torso.
tainpeaks
above
smaller
carvings
ofmultifaceted
gemstones. P18: OBELISK CHAMBER

There is a crypthauntinghere(see“CryptHaunt- Thisroomis linedwithsevencarvingsof dwarfmin-

ings” in the“CryptFeatures”section)thatmanifests ershardatwork.A miningcartagainstthe northwall
whena creaturestepswithin5 feetof thedoor holdsa largechunkof blackstoneabouta foot long.
to the architect'stomb(areaP17). Defeatingthe
mummyin thatroomquells thehaunt.
The sevencarvingsare no mere decorations; each
The doorwayat the northendof this hall is carved
coversa burial nichein which a miner-turned-priest
with the words “theblesseddead”in Dwarvish.The

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

<9 a egy
Ssfoe al * a Oe rma
 was put to rest.These miner-priestswereamong
the most revered of the Talhund, as theyhadlived
theexperienceof Dumathoin’steachingsbefore
hearingthe call tojoin theclergy.
Obelisk Fragment. A wizardcastpasswallto
bypass most of the crypt, which allowed themto
placetheobeliskfragment
hereintheminingcart
for safekeeping.The wizard neverreturnedtoclaim
it. The obelisk fragmenthasbeenhereforyears,
amplifyingthepsychicechoesresonatingwithin
thecrypt.See the“ObeliskFragments” sectionat
thebeginningof this chapterformoreinformation
about the fragment’s properties.
When the obeliskfragmentis touched,thedwarf
spirits within thewalls emergetodefendit,unless
thecharactershaveputthecrypt’shauntstorest
(seethe “Purifying theCrypt”section).In thatcase,
thespirits don’temergefromthecarving.
Initially, four specters emergefrom the carvings.
At the beginning of each round, anotherspecter
emerges from another carving until the fragmentis
removed from the room or until all sevenspecters
are summoned into the fight.
The specters attack the characterson sight. If a
character spends an action, invokes the nameof
Dumathoin,and succeedson a DC 14Intelligence
(Religion) check, one specter stops attacking.The
characters can temporarily stop all the specters
from attacking,thoughthespectersattackthechar-
acters again if they reenter the room.
If the Characters Fail. If thecharacters
are
defeated by the specters, the mind flayerfanatics
send minions into the crypt to recoverthe obelisk
fragment.Recordif thefanaticsgetthefragment,
as
it alters how the characters confront the mind flayer
fanatics in chapter 8.
Development. Once the charactershaveexplored
Talhunderethand theCryptof theTalhund,they
shouldheadto GibbetCrossingif theyhaven't
done
so already.
ee
a
eee
ee
GIBBET CROSSING
Gibbet Crossing is a forlorn place.It was oncea
crossroadsof the Underdarkwheredrow,duergar,
and svirfneblin communities lived in uneasypeace.
The duergar had a lucrative business making col-
lapsible cages (their well-crafted hangingcages
gave the crossroads its name),and the duergar
cameto relyon mithralthatthesvirfneblinsup-
plied.The drow providedtheduergarwithsecurity
in exchangefor inclusionin svirfneblintradecon-
tracts, while the drow simultaneouslynegotiated
fair prices for duergargoods.Tensionsbetween
the three groups were always present.When mind
flayers attacked the area long ago,the groupsdidn’t
—_—
andwereindividually
oneanother
fightalongside
annihilated,
Onlymonsterslivein thecrossroadsregiontoday.
Humanoidsrarelytravelthroughthearea,as cave-
ins andfloodinghavemadeit inconvenientas a
thoroughfare.
A group of thieveswho recently obtained an obe-
lisk fragmentcametoplunderan abandonedvault
in GibbetCrossing.The obelisk’smagicactivateda
nearbyforgottenmagic item, trapping the thieves.
They died with their treasures.
Recently,the mind flayer fanatics sent one of their
mostpowerfulagents,a mindflayerwarlocknamed
Qunbraxel, to secure the obelisk fragments. Qun-
braxel knows that one of the fragments is hidden
in GibbetCrossing,andthemindflayer
somewhere
has grimlock minions searching for it.
Reaching Gibbet Crossing is normally a daunting
affair,as Underdark dangers deter most travelers.
Qunbraxel has killed or driven away the dangerous
creaturesthatnormallylurk in theareaso thegrim-
lockscancomeandgowithease.The dangersof
GibbetCrossingitselfhaveprovenhardertouproot,
but Qunbraxel has an idea where the obelisk frag-
ment is located,so the mind flayer hasn’t neededto
clear the old crossroads.
When the characters travel to Gibbet Crossing, it’s
up to you whether they face any random Underdark
monstersor threats. Narrating the dauntingjourney
to this subterraneanarea could bejust as effective
asrunningrandomencounters.
GIBBET CROSSING FEATURES
Gibbet Crossing consists of three areas separated
by wide, natural tunnels smoothed for easier travel.
The duergarworkshop is to the west, the svirfneblin
enclaveis to the northeast,and the drow trading
halls are to the southeast.
ILLUMINATION
Continual flame spells still illuminate the natural
tunnels after manyyears, but the chambers are unlit
and the current denizens rely on darkvision to see.
Descriptions of unlit areas assume that the char-
actershavea light source or some other methodof
seeingin the dark.
Doors
Doors throughoutGibbet Crossing are madeof
2-inch-thickslabs of stone.Any door opening into
a natural tunnel has grooves to place a reinforcing
bar,but the bars are nowhere to be found, exceptin
the passageto Talhundereth (area G11).
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK
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Map 6.5: Gisset CROSSING

128 CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

 CEILINGS
Ceilings in the svirfneblinenclave(areasG1] to
G14)are 9 feethigh. Ceilings in therestof Gibbet
Crossing are 10feethigh,unlessthetextstates
otherwise.
GIBBET CROSSINGLOCATIONS
a The following locationsare keyedto map6.5.
Gl: SURFACE ENTRANCE
A fewlumps
of old slagandtumbledstoneareallthat
remaininthislargeroom.Wordsarecarvedintoa
doubledoorthatleadssouth.Doorsalsoexittothe
eastand west;the oneto thewestbearsa large“X”in
dark red. ~
The tunnel from thesurfacewindsdownthrough
the earth for more than a mile. The deepestpoint is
a cave-in that collapsed the back wall of this room.
The words on thedoor leadingsouthtothework-
shop repeat“toil”in Dwarvish.
Previous explorers have taken everythingof value
from this room. The painted red mark is intended
to indicate a safe exit door, although the characters
might interpretit differently.
G2: STOREROOM
Shelvesand racksin this storeroomholdironbarsof
variouslengths.
The heavy bars were raw materials for the duergar
workshop, left here once the duergar started relying
on mithral from their svirfneblinneighbors.The
bars are badlyrustedandvalueless.If a dwarfchar-
acteror a characterproficientin theHistoryskill
inspectsthe bars, theyidentifymarkingsindicating
they are of duergar make. A character proficient
in History also realizes the duergar clan that once
by
used thesemarks is longgone,overwhelmed
mind flayersmanygenerationsago.
G3: CAGE WORKSHOP
Stampsandlatheslinethewallsof thislargework-
a darkforge,strik-
shop.Foureeriefigurestoilbefore
ing metalthat isn’tthere.Severalstonetablesbear
oldtoolsandmetalrodsadorned A cage
withspikes.
spikes.
cornerbearsinward-pointing
inthesoutheast
Fourferal ashenwights(seeappendixA) are bound
totheworkshopin whichtheyworkedwhile alive.
Theyattacktrespassersand fightuntil destroyed.
This workshopwasusedto createmetalcagesof
various sizes, all adorned with wicked spikes point-
ing inward and outward, or both. Cunning hinges
andreinforcedpinsmakethesecageseasyto fold
fortransportwhenempty.The duergarran a mod-
eratelysuccessfulbusinessselling thesemacabre
cages,buttheirbusinessreachednewheightswhen
theystarted incorporating lightweight mithral into
theirfoldingcages.
Treasure. The fully assembled cage in the cor-
neris a finishedexample.It can be foldedflatwith
1minuteof work.It weighs50 pounds,Although
muchof thecageis madeof iron, it has reinforcing
barsandhingesmadeof mithral.The cagedoesn't
havea lock; customers paid extra for locks manufac-
turedelsewhere.The cageis worth 200 gp.
G4: LIVING QUARTERS
Severalshort,ironbedframesarejumbled in
together
thisroom.Nothingremains ofanybedding. Anopen-
ingtothesouthleadstoanalcove c onlytwo
ontaining
longtablesandasplintered chair.
Tothewest,a doorbearing a paintedred“X”opens
toalonghallway thatleadsdeeperintothecrossing.
Ashes and burn marks on the floor indicate past
campfires. Remains of wooden chairs in the al-
cove to the south appear to have been broken up
for firewood.
The longhallwayto thewestincludesdoorsto
the showroom (area G5) and the depleted mine
(area G9).
Treasure. A shredded backpack contains a set of
cartographer’stools, six pints of oil, an illustrated
bookaboutropers,an emeraldworth 250gp,anda
lanternofrevealing.
G5: SHOWROOM
Thisroomisempty,butcrumbling wallcarvings
show
aduergarunfolding
a spikedcagestepbystep.
The duergarwouldshowoffcollapsiblecagestopro-
spectivepurchasers in this room. The chain devil in
the adjacentprison (area G6) comes here to investi-
gateany sounds of intruders.
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK
ce is,
 <p,*

G6: PRISON A grickalpharecentlymovedinto this area aii is

coiledaroundoneof theeasternstalactites,whereit
caneasilyslitherdownthe nearbywall to snag prey,
Twospikedcagesarejammedwithold bonesandbits
Acharacterwho succeedson a DC 15 Wisdom ( Per.
flesh.
ofdecaying in
withredskinwrapped
Awoman checknoticesthegrick,which attacks when
ception)
loosechainssitsonthefloor. noticed.The first time it is injured, the grick emits a
loudsquealthatdraws the gricks lairing in the mine
(areaG9)toitsaid.Qunbraxel’sgrimlocks know to
boundachaindeviltothisroom
Duergardiabolists
avoidthegrick when theycome this way on errands.
longago.She dimlyremembershernameis Vak-
Althoughthedayswhenthis intersectionwas a
ketar.When themindflayersroutedtheduergar,
bustlingmarketare gone,it resonates with faint psy-
theyblasted
Vakketar’s
mindandleftherfordead.
chic echoesof tradersand travelers conducting busi-
Thechaindevilsurvived,
however,asdidthemagic
ness.Characterswho enter this area hear momen-
thatbindsherhere.Shecanleavethisareaforonly
1minuteata timebeforethebindingmagiccom- taryauditoryhallucinations
of this ancientbusiness.
pelsher to return. G9: DEPLETED MINE
Vakketarusedtodemonstrate theefficacy
ofthe
cagesforcustomers,usuallyoncapturedthieves
orduergar whoworkedtooslowly.Shemighttalk Roughwallsindicate
thatminingwasonceperformed
brieflywiththecharacters,
butonlyasapretense here. mucusjamthecrevasses.
Clotsofrepulsive A
to determinetheirnumbersandweaknesses.She narrowdooriswedged intothebackofthemine.
can'tcomprehendthepassageof timeexceptwith
concentration.
extraordinary
An ageless
andsadisticjailer,Vakketarlikesto Six gricks lair hereamid the nests they’ve made
catchintrudersandshovethemintothespiked fromtheirown mucus.The characters might have
cages.She hascapturedmanycurious travel- alreadyencounteredthem if the grick alpha in the
ers overtheyearsandtries tocapturethechar- adjacentintersectionsquealed for aid.
acters,too. The duergarinitially tried to mine metal for the'r
Treasure. Bothcagesare like theonesin area cageworkshophere,but they soon learned the sy rf-
neblinprovidedbetter product. The door at the rear
G3, excepttheyaresizedfor Largecreatures.Once
of theminewas installed later as an escape rout
emptiedof bonesandgore,eachcan be foldedflat
thatletmanyduergar flee the mind flayers during
with 2 minutesof work andweighs500 pounds.Nei-
theattack.
thercagehasa lock becauseVakketarwouldwrap
her animatedchainsaroundthecagedoorsto keep G10: COLLAPSED TUNNEL
themclosed.Each cageis worth 400 gp.

G7: STAIRS TO FLOODED PASSAGE Thewidetunnel aroundthisbend.

endssuddenly
chunks
Large ofstonesuggest collapse.
a long-ago
cutstairsthat
is inlaidwithroughly
Thiswidepassage
descend
intomurky
floodwaters. Two ropers lurk amid the stones here. They enjoy
ambushingtravelers,but there haven'tbeen man)
travelersrecently.The ropers don’t know that gricks
A subterraneanwaterwayfloodedthis passage
havebeenpoachingtheir potential prey. They're
severaldecadesago,and it’snowcompletelysub-
hungryand desperatefor victims.
merged.Part of thetunnelhas collapsed,creating
Theropersknowaboutthestrangeeffectin the
(areaG16).
chamber
anopeningtothenegotiation adjacentreceivingroom (areaG12). Once one roper
G8: INTERSECTION theotheroneretreatsjust insidethe
is defeated,
doorwayof the receivingroom to gain the protection
thatroom provides.
Stalactites ofthis30-foot-high,
hangfromtheceiling The long-agocollapsecaused desperate times
and
Theflooris slickwithmoisture,
cavern.
vaulted for thesvirfneblinenclave.The tunnel once led to
level
it'scarved Passages
andeven. inseveral
extend severalothersvirfneblin communities from which
thecarv-
anda stonedoubledoorbearing
directions, these svirfneblin acquired mithral, but the collapse
provedtoo extensivefor eventhe skilled tunnelers
ingofa spikedcageissetintoonewall.
to safely excavate.The isolated svirfneblin began

130 CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

_
 The fissure at the north end of this room leads to
area T1 in Talhundereth (see map 6.3). The svirf-
neblinworkedhardtolimit this accessto Talhun-
derethandkeptwatchhere.Theyweren'texpecting
a mindflayerattackfrom Talhunderethand were
quickly dispatched.

G12: RECEIVING ROOM

Adoubledoorinthenorthwestcornerofthis room
hasbeenknockedoffitshingesandliesonthefloor.
asthoughseenunderwater.
Theroomisblurry,

This room’s blurry appearance is the result ofa per-

manentmagicaleffectfrom whenthemind flayers
burst into this room and slaughtered the svirfneblin.
The gnomescastblur asa last-ditcheffort,andtheir
magic soaked into the room, making everything
within it harder to see. Attacks against creatures or
objectsin theroomhavedisadvantage unlessthe
attackerdoesn’trelyon sight,as with blindsight,or
canseethroughillusions,as with truesight.

G13: PRIVATE ROOMS

ROPERS LURKAMID THE Halfa dozenroughchambers alonganL-shaped

RUINED MINE TUNNELS,
passage remain con-
mostlyintact.Eachchamber
tainsa pairofshortstonebedsandanemptymetal
footlocker.

to rely on traders from Talhundereth to get mithral, The svirfneblin stationed at this outpost shared
eventhoughthis cut deeplyintotheirprofits. rooms. Anyone stepping into one of these rooms
Treasure. Each roper has consumed four ame- has a momentary flash of dread, as though being
thysts, each worth 30 gp. The xorn in area G14 is awoken by a warning of an ambush occurring
desperate to recover these amethysts.
nearby.This is a psychic remnant from the mind
Gll: TALHUNDERETH PASSAGE flayerattack.
Breaking into this roomfromareaG10is difficult, G14: TOPPLED TOWER
as the door is barred.A charactercanremovethe
bar from the othersidebysucceedingona DC 15
Dexteritycheckusing thieves’tools,or bysucceed- Theeastsideofthisroombearsastrange,angled
ing on a DC 21 Strength(Athletics)checktoshove structure,
asthoughasquattowertippedsideways
thedoor hard enoughto breakthebar.Qunbraxel andfellthroughthewall.Muddyknobsprotrude
and
rightlybelievesa passagetoTalhunderethis behind retract
fromitsirregular
surface
inaslow,hypnotic
thedoor,so the mind flayersentgrimlockstoin- motion.Nearthe structure,two rockycreaturesand
vestigate. The door bears marks from Qunbraxel’s
athree-legged,
three-armed,
egg-shaped
monster
grimlocks. The ropers fromareaG10atethegrim-
locks beforetheycouldgetthroughthedoor. withawidemawonitsheadchatter
inagrunting
language.

An irregular
tunnelleadsfrom
afissure tothenorthto
a reinforced
doortothesouth. A xorn named Zoklork lairs here with two earth
elementals.Theyare discussingthetower
in Terran.

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 131

“RCI, eS
x»,dildecetenice te. ee
 a —~. t Ye

Toppled Tower. The strangetoweris a variantof If thecharactersshrink the mudslick towe,

Daern’sinstantfortresscalledamudslick tower(see whetherwithpetrifiedgravelor its command\ ord
appendixB).Svirfneblin scoutsliberated
themud- thepathopensbetweenthekilling hall (area (23).
slick towerfromenemiesdeeperin theUnderdark andthevaultto the east (area G25). If the char acters
and hid it in this enclaveuntiltheycoulddecide haven'tyetdealtwith Qunbraxel, the mind flay.;
whattodo with it.Theyneverfiguredouthowto andassociatedgrimlocks relocate from the guard
it.
activate room(areaG24)tothevault.
The erraticmagicof thenearbyNethereseobelisk Treasure. |n additionto the mudslick tower. (his
fragmentcausedthemudslick towertogrowand roomcontainsa strongboxwith 1,300gp insic:
tipthroughthenaturalstonebetweenthegnome
enclaveandthedrow treasurevault.Wedgedin the G15: DUERGAR DELEGATE ROOM
earth this way,thetoweris immunetoall damage.
Withoutthecommand
word,theonlywaytoshrink Along,lowtableinthisroombearsbitsof metal.
it againis tosprinklea handfulof gravelfroma pet- Stairsdescend
tothesouth,beneathan archwaybear-
rified creatureuponit.
TalkingwithZoklork.Zoklorkhasspenta lotof \pedeep,
lagged
carvings:
timearoundsvirfneblinandspeaksGnomishand
Undercommonas well as Terran.If thecharacters Drow andduergarliving in this area didn't trust
parleywiththeelementals
orZoklork,thexorncan eachotherbutrealizedthebenefitsof working to-
share thefollowinginformation: getherto obtaingreaterprofits from their wares.
Amethysts. Zoklorkcameherea fewyearsago This is theroom where duergar prepared for negoti-
with their “rockmate”—akin
toa xornsibling—in ations with drow.The metal pieces on the table are
searchof deliciousamethyststhesvirfneblinleft hingesfrom theduergarfolding cages, which they'd
behind.The earthelementalswerealreadyhere; intendedto show off.
like Zoklork, theyfindtheever-shiftingmudof the
toppledtowerstrangelyfascinating.
Greedy Mate. Zoklork’srockmatefoundandate
all the amethysts,eventhoughZoklorkwas clear Tower
Muos.ick
aboutwantinga share.
Gutted. The rockmatelumberedfromtheenclave
and into a roperambush.The roperskilled and
ateZoklork’srockmate,includingtheamethystsin
the rockmate’sgut.
Revenge.Zoklork is angryattheropersandreally
wants thoseamethystsback.
Tower. If thecharactersgiveZoklorkthe amethysts,
or if thecharacterskilled theropersbut didn’tre-
coverthe amethysts,thexorn considersit a great
favorand sharesa secretabouttheoddtower:it’s
a rare magicitemfromthePlane of Earth that
seemsto havebeenaccidentallyactivated(Zok-
lork doesn’tknow aboutthe obeliskfragment).
The mudslick tower'scommandwordcan be used
to shrink it; the commandwordis “petrification”
in Terran.
Withdrawn. Zoklork isn’twilling toscoutfor
the charactersbecausedangerouscreatures
lurk nearby.
mud-
If the charactersdon’tlearn howto shrink the
its com-
slick tower from Zoklork, theycan learn
the
mand word with an identifyspellor by perusing
notes in the drow shrine (areaG20).

OBELISK
132 CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED
5 . Mak a ew” 4. ‘nttieee
 The carving abovethearchwayreads“trustno
one”in Dwarvish.
G16: NEGOTIATING CHAMBER
This room is floodedwith two feetof darkwater.The
remains
crumbled table
ofan oldstone just
emerge
abovethe waterline.Fourenormous,crab-likemon-
stersskulkaroundtheroom.
The water makesthis roomdifficultterrainfor
creatureswithouta swimmingspeed.Fourchuuls
lurk here,alert for preyenteringfromanydirection.
They know aboutthesecretdoorin thesouthwall
(seebelow),but theyalso knowthata dangerous
creatureis beyondit.Theydon’tpassthroughthe
secretdoor unless theycanchasefoesthatway.
SecretDoor. Drow priestsoftenspiedonthene-
gotiationsfrom behindthis secretdoor.A character
who searchesthe roomandsucceedsona DC 15
Wisdom (Perception) check finds the door, which
opensby shifting a slidingpanel.Behindthedooris
a staircase that ascends to area G20. Opening the
secret door causes water to submergethe bottom2
feetof thestairway.
G17: DROW DELEGATION ROOM
metal
Twofeetofwaterpoolsinthisroom.Rusted
and
chairframesjutfromthewater, is
script
delicate
carvedabovethedoorway leading
east.
chairs,but
The metalframesusedtobecomfortable
everything other than the frames has rottedaway.
The carved script reads “distrust all strangers”
in Elvish.
G18: Drow PASSAGE
intoapassageway
Naturalstonestairsdescend flood-
edwithdarkwater. Theupperhalfofadoorprotrudes
abovethewateronthewestsideofthepassage.
This wide passageleadstoterritoryin theUn-
derdarkonceclaimedbydrow.Twodrowtrading
houseskeptoutpostson eachsideofthepassage
(areasG19 and G21).
The lowestpointof this passageis floodedwith
dark water about 2 feet deep.
G19:AZFADIELRECEIVINGROOM
‘he door leadingfrom thewidetunnelbearsa
symbolof a coin with spiderlegsandthename
“Azfadiel”in Elvish.A characterwho is proficientin
theHistoryskill, or whois a drow,remembersthat
HouseAzfadielwasa drowtradinghousethatwas
bymindflayersgenerationsago.
exterminated
Thiswideroomhasseveral oftough silk
chairsmade
thewestwallstandsa
Against
overmetalframes.
metalcabinet withsymbols
adorned ofcoinscrawling
onspiderlegs.
Whenthemindflayersattacked,thedrow denizens
movedthelarge,emptymetalcabinetin frontof the
doortotheshrine(areaG20)tohide it. This ruse
worked;themindflayersneverenteredtheshrineor
foundtheyochloldemonboundto protectit.
Movingthemetalcabinetoutof thewayis neces-
sary to open the shrine door, although the yochlol
from area G20 can seep under the door and the cab-
inet in mist form.
Everythinghereis muchcleanerand bettermain-
tained than other areas of Gibbet Crossing.
G20: AZFADIEL SHRINE
Coinson spiderlegscreepalongwebbingthatcovers
theceiling a
ofthisroom.A tablestandsagainst
stairway tothenorth.Against
descending thesouth
wall,a marblealtarhasa noticeableindentation.Near
thealtarisamonocular withabodythat
creature
resembles yellow
melted wax.
The yochlol Zuluthl was summoned by the priests
of House Azfadiel, and it has remained here ever
since. The demon knows that the Azfadiel drow here
werekilleda longtimeago,butthefightwasover
too quickly for the yochlol tojoin. Although Zuluthl
doesn’tneed to remain here, the yochlol considers
itself on an extendedbreak from the chaotic machi-
nations of the Demonweb Pits. It enjoys the solitude
and reactsviolently to intruders.
Command Word. The table contains several slate
tabletsfilled with notes in Undercommon. Review-
ing them revealsthat the writer was eavesdropping
onconversationsbetweenduergaranddrow.Apart
fromdulltradeinformationaboutsharingresources
to getmore moneyfrom traveling customers, the
duergarwere seeking a command word to activate
a magicalstonetower.The drowclaimedignorance.
The notesindicatethatthedrowalreadyresearched
the commandword and were separately negotiating
withthenearbysvirfneblinaboutsharingit with
them.The drow hoped to be paid twice for the same
commandword.Characterswhospendatleast10
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK
 ’
ye

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minutes readingthe notesfind a drawingofa tower

with the Terran word for “petrification”writtenun- Stepsleadfroma doubledoorinto a roomflood-
der it. The charactersshouldbe ableto determine ed with severalinchesof water. Lifelike but heavily
that this is themudslicktower’scommandword damaged statuesarepushedagainstthewallsofthe
once they'veexaminedthetowerin areaG14. room.A fewsoddennestsmadeof rubbishsit atop
Treasure. The spiderscreepingthroughtheweb- theoldtables,givingtherooma dreadfulreek.Milling
bing are mundanecoins enchantedbytheyochlol. nearthenestsaretwosquat,lizard-likecreatureswit!
If removedfrom this room,theyrevertto ordinary
coins. There are 80 gp in totalhere.In addition, eightlegseachandfivegray-skinned
Humanoids.
on top of the altar is a spell scroll of freedom
of movement. Five grimlocks live here, keeping watch on the
doors and resting from their interminable excava
G21: RECEIVING Room tionsin thehalltothenorth.Theykeeptwobasi-
Thedoubledoorleading
fromthewidetunnel
hasa lisksaspets.Thegrimlockscan’tbepetrifiedbyth
stylized symbolofa daggerthrustinto a metalingot Peciligke:
and thename“Triestoroth” in Elvish.A character Thedoorleadingwestis cool to thetouch,dueto
proficientin theHistoryskill remembers thatHouse thebrownmoldgrowingon theotherside of it.
Triestoroth was a wealthydrow tradinghouseexter- Statues. The six statues pushed into the corners
minatedbymindflayersgenerations ago.Manypeo- aretwodwarves,a drow,twoquaggoths,anda
plebelievethatHouseTriestoroth
h adundiscovered basiliskthatsawitsown reflection.Each is ex-
treasures
hiddeninwell-defended
vaults. traordinarilliyfelikeandcaughtin anexpression
of

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK

pe
ae oe a|
surprise or fear. Other than the basilisk, thesearc
petrified Underdark travelerswho ran afoulof Qun QUNBRAXEL
braxeland themindflayer’sminions.Thegrimlocks LawfulEvil
(MindFlayer,Warlock),
MediumAberration
disfigured each statue enough to preventthevictims
ArmorClass12(15withmagearmor)
from being restored to life.
Hit Points112(15d8+45)
The characters can acquire a handfulof gravel Speed30ft.
from the smashed statues to shrink themuds/ick
tower if they've learned to do so. STR DEX CON INT wis CHA
11(40) 14(+2)«17(43) «19.
(+4)«15(+2) 19(+4)
G22: MOLDY ROOM
SavingThrowsInt +8,Wis +6,Cha+8
+8,Insight+6,Perception
SkillsArcana +6
+6,Stealth
This once-opulentdiningroomis floodedwithmore Senses darkvision 120ft., passive Perception 16
Languages ft.
DeepSpeech,Undercommon,telepathy120
thana foot of darkwater.Metalrodsthatonceheld ProficiencyBonus+4
9
Challenge (5,000XP)
tapestriesnowsupportsheets ofmold. Sixchairssur-
round crusthasformed
a largetable.A moldybrown Qunbraxelhasadvantage
MagicResistance. on savingthrows
e
spellsandothermagical
against ffects.
on thewaterin onecorner.
ACTIONS
A 10-foot-widepatch of mold to thesouthis brown Multiattack.Qunbraxelmakestwo EldritchBolt attacks,or one
mold (see the Dungeon Hazards sectionof the EldritchBoltattackandoneTentacleattack.
Dungeon Master’s Guide) and has chilled thewater Tentacle.MeleeWeaponAttack:+8to hit, reach5 ft., onecrea-
enough to create a thin crust of ice. +4)psychic
ture.Hit:15(2410 If thetargetis Medium
damage.
or smaller,it hasthegrappledcondition(escapeDC 16)and
G23: KILLING HALL ona DC16Intelligence
mustsucceed throworhavethe |
saving
condition
stunned ends.
untilthegrapple

hall.
ofthis twisting Eldritch SpellAttack:+8tohit,range120ft.,one
Bolt.Ranged
Narrowslitslinethewestside
+4)forcedamage.
Hit:20(3d10
target.
5 ft., one
ExtractBrain.MeleeWeaponAttack:+8to hit, reach
The arrow slits provide three-quarterscoverto crea- Humanoidwiththestunned whoisgrappled
condition byQun-
tures in area G24. braxel. damage.
piercing
Hit:55(10d10) reduces
If thisdamage
Qunbraxel and the grimlock minions haveoc- thetargetto 0 hit points,Qunbraxelkills it byextractingand
cupied the adjacent guard room for thepastfew itsbrain.
devouring
weeks. The grimlocks are likely to hearor smell 5-6).Qunbraxel
MindBlast(Recharge magicallyemitspsychic
intruders in the hall through the arrow slits.The ina60-footcone.Eachcreature
energy inthatareamustsuc-
grimlocks don’t have ranged weapons, but Qun- savingthrowortake26(5d8+4)
ceedona DC16Intelligence
psychicdamageandhavethestunnedconditionfor 1 minute.
braxel might attack through the narrow openings.
A stunned canrepeat
creature thesavingthrowattheendof
Blocked Hall. The top of themudslicktower
eachofitsturns,endingtheeffecton
itself ona success.
blocks the end of this hall exceptfor gapsonlya
few inches wide between the battlementsalongthe Spellcasting
(Psionics).
Qunbraxel
castsoneofthefollowing
spells,requiringno spellcomponentsandusingCharismaas
toppled tower’s roof. It churns with muddyknobs
thespellcasting
ability(spellsaveDC16):
that emerge and collapse into the tower,just like the
Atwill:detect
magic,
detect
thoughts,
levitate,
magearmor(self
tower’s base in area G14. Two grimlocks diligently
only),magehand(thehandis invisible),prestidigitation
work to batter their way through the tower.They've 2/dayeach:confusion,
sending,
telekinesis
made no progress, as any lapse in theirwork allows 1/dayeach:dominate
monster,
planeshift
(self only)
They
thetowerto magicallyrepairthedamage.
don’t stop their work unless enemiesgetclose.
haveal-
If the Tower Is Gone. If thecharacters
ready shrunk the mudslick towerand openedthe
way to the vault, the grimlocks hereand all the
denizensof areaG24 haverelocated tothevault
(areaG25).There,Qunbraxel s tudiestheobelisk
fragmentto determinehowtobesthelpthemind
flayerfanatics.

CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 135

'
sae
c
ailcaein _ A
WE CHARACTERS MUST JOURNEY DEEP INTO THE

NOERDOARKTO FINO ILLITHINOCH, ALL MANNEROF G24: GUARD ROOM

ORRORS AWAITIN THOSETUNNELS.

Theeastwallof thisroombearsseveralarrowslit
wallcontains
Thesouth anenormous mapdrawn
withnumerous
charcoal, arrowsandannotations
throne
stone thewestwall.
sitsagainst

Qunbraxel(seetheaccompanyingstat block)is an
mindflayerwarlock.Qunbraxelis either
arrogant
seatedon the stone throne or reviewing the intricate
mapdrawnon thewall. Qunbraxel is always at
tendedbyfourloyalgrimlocks. They swap this duty
withothergrimlocksnearby,although Qunbraxe|
canhardlybe botheredto tell one grimlock minion
fromanother.
Qunbraxelusesthegrimlocks as front-line com-
batants.While Qunbraxelfights, the mind flayer
beratesthe characters with dire warn-
telepathically
ingsandpredictionssuch as the following:
- “Theritualwill devastatePhandalin! You bear
witnesstotherise ofa new illithid empire on
thesurface!”
- “Thereis powerin the Far Realm for those daring
enoughtoseizeit.And I dare!”
- “Thechosenonesare preparing the ritual whi
younatterabout!”
“Theobeliskfragmentswill bolster the ritual,
andI willjoin thechosenones when my minio
deliverthefragments!”If the characters tell the
mindflayerthatthey’vealreadysecured one or
moreobeliskfragments,Qunbraxel responds, “ \o
matter!I shalladdthosethat I can recover to t!
goblins’fragments,and my place among the ch
senonesis assured!”
+“Thoseyoucare aboutin Phandalin will be tra:
formedintoillithids—if theysurvive at all!
- As themindflayeris defeated,Qunbraxel boast
“Theritualcan’tbe stopped.The chosen ones
knowall aboutyou.The Far Realm will twist you:
bodyandshatteryour sanity!”
TheIlvaashFanatics’Mission. The mind flaye:
fanaticsmanipulatedtheinsufferablyarrogant
Qunbraxel with vague promises to bring Qunbraxe!
intotheirinnercircle.Cut off from any elder brain
Qunbraxelconsidersworthy,the mind flayer hopes
tojoin theIlvaashfanaticsand receive power and
insightfromthe Far Realm.
The mindflayerfanaticshad little intent on wel-
coming Qunbraxel into their fold, but they’ve been
happyto exploitthesycophant’sefforts. They
told
Qunbraxelto relocateto Gibbet Crossing
because
itwasnearPhandalin.
TheyhopedQunbraxel
would acquire the fragments, but Qunbraxel was
more interested in establishing a court of grimlocks
and turning GibbetCrossingintoa lair,Oncethe
Sawpleegoblinssucceeded atfindingtheobelisk
shardsin Phandalin,thefanatics
commanded Qun-
braxelto hurry with collectingtherestoftheobelisk
fragments.
Qunbraxelguessedthatthenearbyfragment was
somehow connected to the toppled towerthat’s
blocking the wayto theold drowvault.Qunbraxel
orderedthe grimlocksto bashthroughit,deter-
mined to eventuallyovercomethetower'sregenera-
tive protections. Qunbraxel isn’t aware of themud-
slick tower’s nature, or even that it’s a magic item
wedged into the stone.
Qunbraxel is less certain about the locationsof
the otherfragments.The mindflayerknowsthe
Sawplee goblins acquired the smaller fragments
scatteredthroughoutPhandalin.Qunbraxelbe-
lieves a fragment in Talhundereth is guardedby an
encephalon cluster, as the mind flayerhas caught
psychic glimpses of the creature. Qunbraxel knows
another is in the crypt beneathTalhunderethbut
doesn’t yet know where in the crypt to find it.
The Map. The map drawn on the wall shows the
obelisk reassembled with all sevenparts.Three
stylized mind flayers surround it, sequesteredin an
underground stronghold deep beneathPhandalin
that is labeled “Illithinoch.”
Wavy lines emanate up from these mind flayersto
a sketch of Phandalin, miles aboveIIlithinoch. Tiny
Humanoid figures in the town that are touchedby
the wavy lines appear to be transforming into mind
flayers. Several mathematical formulas calculate
the percentage of people who will transforminto
mind flayers. Variables in this equationproduce
different outcomes, from as few as three in tento as
Many as seven in ten people transforminginto mind
flayers. The ritual painfully kills anyonewho doesn't
transform. If the characters haven'talreadyfigured
it out,share theinformationin the“TheSinister
Truth” and “The Ritual” sections at the beginningof
the chapter.
G25: Drow VAULT
Jeweledknives,stacksof coins,andothertreasures
restonshelves
liningthewalls
ofthis vault.
A large
chunkof blackstonerestsonthefloornearajumble
of bones.
If Qunbraxel tothis
andthegrimlocksrelocated
vault,thegrimlocksare happilypickingtheir teeth
withboneswhileQunbraxelexaminesthe obe-
lisk fragment.
The bonesaretheremainsof threedrow thieves.
Theydiscoveredtheobeliskfragmenton theirway
to plunder this vault.The magic churning in the obe- |
lisk fragmentprovedtobetheirdoom,however,as
thenearbymudslicktower,blockingthe
it activated
vault’sonlyexit.Unableto batterthroughthestone
tower,the thievesstarved to death amid the trea-
sures theysought.
Obelisk Fragment.The obeliskfragmentrests
nearthepile of bones.See the“ObeliskFragments”
section at the beginning of this chapter for more in-
formation about the fragment’s properties.
Treasure.Eachdrowthiefhada setof thieves’
toolsthatis still intact.The shelvesherecontain
5,900gp, 14,050sp,ajeweleddaggerworth 200gp,
elevenjacinthsworth 90 gpeach,a wandof magic
detection,and a Heward’s handy haversack.
If the CharactersFail. If thecharactersare
routedfrom this room before acquiring the obelisk
fragment,Qunbraxel or other servants of the fanat-
ics immediatelyremove the obelisk fragment. Re-
cord if this happens,as it alters how the characters
confront the mind flayer fanatics in chapter 8.
WHAT'S NEXT?
In the best case scenario, the characters recover all
three obelisk fragments and put the dangers in the
Starmetal Hills to rest.
Yet there are still leads for the characters to pur-
sue.The characters haven'tfound any more missing
townspeople.Perhaps more concerning, they’ve
learned about the mind flayer fanatics lurking
deeperunderground ina place called Illithinoch,
and the characters now know how to get there.
In any case, the characters’ next step is to return
to Phandalin to rest and learn what they can about
the mind flayerfanatics.
CHAPTER 6 | THE SHATTERED OBELISK 137
 oy
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ee
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 Ri€t$IN REALITY
K A f HILEHUNTINGOBELISKFRAGMENTS
IN
v | [7 the previous chapter,thecharacters
learned of the fanatics’headquarters:
a mind flayerenclavecalled Illithinoch
deep in the Underdark below Phandalin. In this
chapter, the characters learn more aboutthefanat-
ics and rescue the kidnap victims from Phandalin.
However, doing so—as well as stoppingtheritual
that threatens to turn Phandalin’s townspeopleinto
mind flayers—will be far more harrowingthanthe
characters realize.
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER
The characters start this chapterknowingthata trio
of mind flayers are preparing a ritual to transform
surface-dwelling Humanoids into mind flayers.
The ritual will certainly affectPhandalin,and it
might wash over other small populationpocketsin
the region. The exact parametersof theritual are
up to you.
If you decide that the charactersare tooeasily
vanquishing this adventure’schallenges,youcould
decide that the fanatics’ ritual is nearlycomplete,
urging the characters to press aheadwithoutresting
and resupplying. If this adventure’sthreatshave
significantly challenged the characters,youcould
tell them they have a comfortableamountof time
before the fanatics can finish their ritual,and thehe-
roes can rest and resupply as needed.Either option
is viable.
The characters’ best option is to return to Phan-
witha
dalin and sharewhatthey'vediscovered
knowledgeable ally, such as Gwyn Oresongor
Rivibiddel.
Shortly after returning to Phandalin, thechar-
acters discover a passage beneaththetown that
leads into the Underdark and to IIlithinoch. They
setoff throughtheUnderdarktoreachthedeterio-
ratingmind flayerstrongholdof Illithinoch,facing
threatsalongthe way.In Illithinoch,thecharacters
learnthatthe mindflayerfanaticsalreadyescaped
througha gatewayintotheFar Realm.Topursue
them, the characters must explorethree Far Realm
' rifts scattered around Illithinoch and collectkeysto
open the gateway.
CHARACTERADVANCEMENT. *
The charactersshould be 9th levelwhen the chapter 7
begins.The charactersgain a levelafter opening the
gatewayto the Far Realm.
SHADOWOVERPHANDALIN
The mind flayerfanatics haven'tbegun their ritual
in earnest,but ripplesof Far Realm energyhave
infectedsome residentsof Phandalin. Those who
spentsignificanttime around the obelisk shards ab-
sorbedsome latentNetheresemagicand are suffer-
ing strangemaladies.Three of these people—Sister
Garaele,Ander, and Halia Thornton—havebecome
angry,violent,and verymuch not themselves.A
fourth,the tiefling Wheel-of-Fortune,is on the verge
ofa similar transformation.
INFECTED TOWNSPEOPLE
Shortly afterthecharactersreturn to Phandalin,
theycome across a noisycrowd gatheredat the
recentlyrepaired Shrine of Luck. You can use the
Phandalin Alleys map (seemap 5.3 in chapter5) for
this encounter.
ThreefiguresscuffleonthegroundbeforetheShrine
theacolyteof theshrine,fends
of Luck.SisterGaraele,
offguildmasterHaliaThornton,whiletheyoungclerk
of them.
fromthegeneralstore,Ander,clawsatboth
In this state,Sister Garaele, Halia, and Ander all
use theberserker statblock, but replacetheir
Greataxeactionwith the following:
5 ft., one
PsychicSlam.MeleeWeaponAttack:+5to hit,reach
target.Hit: 6 (1d6+3) damage
bludgeoning plus3 (1d6)psy-
chicdamage.
The townspeoplein the crowd quickly back away,
leavingthecharactersto handle the situation.The
townspeoplebegthe charactersto subduethe un-
violentvillagers,hopingthethree
characteristically
will cometo their senses.
THE FOURTHINFECTION
Once the fightends, the townspeoplerestrain any
survivingmembersof the trio so they can’tdo more
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY 139

Evit ENERGY FROM THE ILvAASH
FANATICS’ACTIVITIES 15CORRUPTING
PHANDALIN AND ITS TOWNSPEOPLE,
harm.The townspeoplepromiseto keepthe in-
fectedvillagerssafe until somecure can be found.
(Theydon’tknow thatthe only cure is defeatingthe
mindflayerfanatics.)
Oncethechaosfrom the infectedtownspeoplehas
dieddown, Gwyn Oresong rushes up with Grista,
ownerof theSleeping Giant,with an importantlead:
“Sister
Garaele,
Halia,andAnderareclearly
unwell.
| don'tthinkthisis random—all
threespenttimein
closeproximity
tothoseobeliskshards.SisterGaraele
wasnearhershrine,Anderoftenfetchedwaterfrom
thegeneralstore'swell,andHaliaspentalldayin
thatbuilding.
“Andyouknowtherewasafourthstonein Grista’s
bar.Wheel-of-Fortune
workedrightnextto itevery
day.CouldyoucomewithustotheSleeping Giant
andmake
surethetiefling
isalright?”
When thecharactersarrive at theSleeping Giant,
the inside is dark. Wheel-of-Fortunestandsbehind
the bar.Their purple skin gleamswith a thin sheen
of mucus,and their skull and limbs have elon; d.
In thedim light,it’seasy to mistake them for «
mindflayer.
Wheel-of-Fortuneis suffering no other effect
Theyare herein the dark because any light briv|ite
thancandlelightcauses them pain. The tiefling oan
sharethe following news, assuming the charact«rs
don’treactwith violence:
Aberrant Mind and Body. Something that feels like
a magicalpresenceis affecting Wheel-of-Fortune.
Theycanfeelit intrudingon their thoughtsas well
as changingtheir body.
Goblins Again. Several days ago, Wheel-of-Fortune
foundgoblins in the cellar of the Sleeping Giant.
Wheel-of-Fortunealso discovered a small sink
holein the cellar that wasn’t there before.
Missing Townsfolk. Many goblins fled through the
sinkhole. Several townspeople went that
direction,too.
Terrifying Presence. Wheel-of-Fortune can sense
an exceptionallypowerful mind far beneath the
town.Its presencescares Wheel-of-Fortune mort
thananythingthe tiefling has ever known.
Visible Power. Wheel-of-Fortune perceives what
theydescribeas psychic energy.The tiefling see:
this energyas faint, bright-greentrails that peop!
and animals leavebehind as they move, and the
energygivesWheel-of-Fortune premonitions. At
your discretion, throughoutthis conversation,
Wheel-of-Fortunemight make observations abou
the characters such as, “I can sense you are
greatertroubleto others than you realize,” or “yo
havea curiously doomedaroma about you.”
Tiefling’s Fate. After hearing about the state of
the otherswho spenttime near obelisk fragments,
Wheel-of-Fortuneasks to stay in a room somewher:
in town.They don’twant to hurt anyone, and they
desperatelywant the charactersto do whatever
is necessaryto keepmore transformations from
happening.
Ilithinoch Connection.Gwynsuspectsthatthe
sinkhole under the Sleeping Giant connects to Un-
derdarkpassages.She posits that the magical force
thatWheel-of-Fortunesenses might be an elder
brain, the psychichub of everymind flayer strong-
hold.(Gwyn doesn’tknow that the mind flayer fanat-
ics are connectedto Ilvaash, nor that the fanatics
communewith the godletinstead of an elder brain.)
Gwyn believesthat Illithinoch must be the name
of this strongholdunderneathPhandalin, given that
she’sheardof this namein connection to the ancient
mind flayerempire.If the characters haven't figured
it out,Gwyn tells themthat theymust venture into
thesinkholeto find Illithinoch, rescue the missing
townspeople,and stopthe ritual.

a
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

A ick: Ane
ios «
 JOURNEY THROUGH ADDITIONAL CLUES

THE DEEP Ifthecharacters

theymight
don’ttalkwithWheel-of-Fortune,
needhelpfinding
thesinkhole
beneath
The sinkholebeneaththeSleepingGiantdropsinto the SleepingGiantand determiningtheyneedto ven-
mucholder passages.Goblintracksandshuffling, ture into it. Herearesome waysto keepthe charac-
terson track:
humanfootprintsarevisibleforthefirstseveralhun-
dredfeet.After that,the tracksare hardertofollow, Captured
Goblins.Whenthegoblinsfledwiththekid-
but the main passage is obvious,as it leadssteadily napvictims,
somepsionic
goblins
wereleftbehind.
intothe Underdark. They'relurkingabout,unsurewhattheyshouldbe
doing. Presentthecharacterswith an easyencounter
IRONQUILL’STRAIL withsomepsionicgoblins(seeappendix
A).If cap-
turedandquestioned,
thegoblins
boast
about“the
The characters aren't the first well-intentionedex- peoplestolenawayrightbeneath
whereyousoak
plorersto takethis route.Centuriesago,thedwarf yournosesinale!”
historian Thorgran Ironquill receiveda warning GoblinSighting.
Onherlastvisittotown,areclusive
from his patron god, Dumathoin, thata mind flayer farmersawsmallpeoplesneaking intotheSleeping
uprising was close at hand. Thorgran setasidehis Giant'scellar
several
daysago.Thefarmer doesn’t
work and faked his death for the freedomto inves- havea highopinionof Gristaandassumed
theskulk-
tigate without interference from hangers-onand erswerethedwarf’s
unsavoryacquaintances.
Having
well-meaning assistants (it is in Thorgran’stomb
justheard
about
goblinattacks,
thefarmer
iseager
tosharewhatshesaw.
that the characters met Rivibiddel in chapter6).
Rivibiddel.
Thesvirfneblin
suspectsthatUnderdark
Thorgran made detailed notesas he ventured
tunnelscanbeaccessed fromsomewhere in
toward Illithinoch, but he neverreachedthe mind Phandalin,likelyfrom a basementor cellar.If the
flayer stronghold. Thorgran’s corpse is now a pup- characters
alreadyledRivibiddel
totheUnderdark,
pet for a mutated cloaker, as the characterswill dis- hemightreturnthroughthetunnels(andintothe
cover later in this chapter. Sleeping cellar)
Giant's about
hisrescuers
toinform
thepassages.
TUNNEL FEATURES 7" -

Map 7.1 shows several locationsalong thewayto encounter.If the party is using a light source,crea-
Illithinoch. The following featuresare commonin tu res that encounterthem almost certainly know
these areas. arecomingandsetupanambushor
thecharacters
ot herwise preparefor the fight.
NATURAL TUNNELS
The chambers and the tunnel are all rough,nat- TUNNEL ENCOUNTERS
ural stone. d20 Encounter
Dim LIGHT 1-2 1d4grellshuntforfood.
Patches of pale, phosphorescentfungusilluminate 3 1d6gibbering
mouthers
lieinwaitforprey.
the tunnel and chambers with dim light. 4 thein-
inhabitsa quaggoth;
Anintellectdevourer
tellectdevourerseeksanotherhost.
CEILINGS
5 Alost andangryfomorianwandersthe
The tunnel varies between 10and 15feethigh.
Chambersare 20 feethighunlessotherwise Underdark.
indicated. 6 1d4+1hookhorrorsclimbonthetunnelceiling.
7 1d6quaggoths ledbya quaggoth
thonotare
TRAVERSING THE TUNNEL searchingfora missingtribememberwho'sbeen
The winding tunnelbetweenPhandalinandIIlithi- actingstrangely.
directions
nochis 12mileslong,curvingin different 8 —_1d6 arelookingfora
anda barlgura
troglodytes
as it descends 2 miles beneaththe town.The tunnel fight.
has a gentle but continuous slope.The entirejour- Apatchof 2d4shriekers blocksthewayahead;
9
ney takes about 14 hours if the characterswalk at iftheyshriek,roll1d8onthistableto seewhat
normal speed.
cometoinvestigate.
creatures
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 10-20 No encounter.
After each hour the charactersspend in thetun-
nel, roll 1d20 and consult the Tunnel Encounters
tableto determinewhetherthepartyhasa random

CE
e
a
eee
e,

CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

i a cn hee onles
 Behir Lair

TUNNELS
OFTHEDEEP wt
1Square=5 Feet
To Phandalin

Ya Grell Caves
%. Sve,
, .

ky

Pets. >
Tolllithinoch -
wer Ry

O 1/4 1/2 ae
Mile

Map 7.1:TUNNELS OF THE Deep

JOURNEYLOCATIONS J2: TUNNEL CHASM

The tunnelleadsthroughseveraldangerousareas.
Use map7.1for thisjourney.
The distancefrom Phandalin to thegrell caves
(areasJ1 through J4) is 2 miles.The distancefrom
thegrellcavestothebehir lair (areasJ5to J7) is 3
miles.The distancefrom thebehir lair to the fleshy
pit(areasJ8 toJ10) is 5 miles.The distancefrom the
fleshypit to Illithinoch is 2 miles.
Jl: BLoopy INTERSECTION
A narrowsidepassage
intersects
themaintunnel,
sloping
downward
tothesouth.
A trailofbloodleads
intothesidepassage.
The sidepassageleadsto thelair of somegrells.
The grells ambushedthe rear of the goblinpartyes-
corting the kidnapvictims,killing four goblinsand
pulling threetownspeoplefrom thelargergroup.
The side passagesplits afterseveralfeet.One
branchleadssteeplyupwardwhile theother
abruptlyendsat a chasm (area J2).
Thispassage dropsintoa chasmfifteenfeetwideand
thirtyfeetdeep.Faintsoundsof sobbingechofrom
thechasm’ssouthside.
The chasmwalls are sheer and require a success
ful DC 12Strength (Athletics)check to climb; on :
failedcheck,theclimber falls. The sobbing is fron
thetownspeoplein areaJ4.
Historian’sJournal. Thorgran Ironquill, the
dwarfhistorian thecharacters learned about in
thepreviouschapter,
droppedhis journal while ex
ploringthischasmcenturiesago.His journal was
well-madeand bears a silver bookplate. Some of thic
pageshavedecayed,but a few are still legible.
A characterwho has a passive Wisdom (Percep
tion)scoreof 14or greaterwho crosses the top of
thechasmnoticessilverglitteringat thechasm’s
bottom.Anyonewho descendsinto the chasm auto-
maticallyspotsthe silver bookplate.
The ornatebookplatebears the name “Thorgran
Ironquill, Historian.”Only the first few pages of
thejournal remain.They include rumors of rising

. 142 CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

mind flayer activity beneath the Sword Mountains.
The journal's authorplansto spyona mindflayes
stronghold called Illithinoch deep underground,
The authorhopesthis informationwill allowhimto
warn nearby dwarven enclaves,including thetemple
at Talhundereth.
Treasure. On its own, the bookplateis worth 450
consider
gp.BothGwynOresongandRivibiddel
thejournal a remarkablefind,asit indicatesThor-
gran survived the creation of his tombto makethis
excursion. Either of these scholars can arrangea
payment of 900 gp for the bookplateand attached
pages,giventimetocontactdistantpatrons.
J3: GRELL LAIR
andstalagmites.
This tall chambercontainsstalactites
Manyof themarebroken,litteringthefloorwith
sharpstones.
Four grells lurk amid the stalactites,resting and
keeping watch in pairs. The broken stalagmites
make the room difficult terrain, which doesn’t
aT
hinder thegrells. Eager to defendtheir lair, the
grells fightto thedeath.
J4: LARDER
Theairin thiscavernhasa mineraltang.In thesouth-
eastcorner,a poolof darkwaterliesbehinda lowwall
of stalagmites.
commonersfromPhandalinare
Threedespondent
trappedhere:a sawyer namedOskar Ninebough,
and two sisters, Cathletteand Aida Camber, who
are miners.Oskar and Cathletteare engagedto
be married.
The Townspeople’s Story. The townspeople
bypsionicgoblinsandherded
werekidnapped
throughan underground tunnel with severalother
victimsand more goblins. They were at the rear of
the group becauseOskar has an old leg injury that
slows him down, a delaythat plainly frustratedthe
goblins in the rear guard. The other townspeople
and goblins had goneahead.
According to the miners, flying tentacle-monsters
suddenlyattacked,killing severalgoblins. (These
are the grells in areaJ3.) The monstersgrabbed the
goblin corpses as well as Oskar, Cathlette,and Aida,
whisking them into this small cavecomplex. The
monstersatethe goblins and depositedthe three hu-
manshere.All threetownsfolkbelieve—correctly—
that the flying monstersare saving them to eat them
laterbecausethe monstershave gorgedthemselves
on thegoblins.
The trio has been here for a couple of days but
can'tleave:one passagefrom this room ends at a
deepchasmand the other leads to the flying mon-
sters’lair. They'vebeen trying to weavetheir cloth-
ing into a rope to traversethe chasm, but without
muchsuccess.
The townspeoplewould prefer to be escorted back
to Phandalin, but theycan make the trip themselves
if the charactersexpress urgencyin rescuing the
otherkidnapped townspeople.
The waterin the pool has an unpleasant,metallic
tastebut isn’tharmful.
J5: BLASTEDINTERSECTION
Thestonein thisareais badlyscouredandscorched.
Thesmellof ozonehangsin theair.A widepassage
leadstotheeast.
A widepassage
leadssoutheasttoareaJ6. Nearthe
ceiling,a naturalopening only a few feetin diameter
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY 143
 ET OME re Tet ech
SY Nes
& eben a

toareaJ7. Thegrellslairingin area

leadsnortheast vanquishingthecharacterswho bestedthe be'
tocomeandgowithoutdisturb-
J7 usethispassage Thegrellsthenfloatouttoslaythe characters
ing thebehirin areaJ6; thepassageis toosmall for Historian’s Pack. Long before the behir or |
thebehirtonavigate. grellscametothiscave,ThorgranIronquillus: it
If thecharactersare particularlynoisy,the behir as a baseof operationsto spy on mind flayers (1 \\
F fromareaJ6 toinvestigate.
slithers Hewrotehis noteson
elingtoandfromIIlithinoch.
theeastwall,thoughtimeand moisturehave1\ostly
J6: BEHIRDEN them.However,Thorgran placedhis |arge
destroyed
travelingpackagainstthe wall, covering (and pro
Anenormous nestofcrushed
rocks,
reptile
scales, tecting)someofhis notes.Anyoneinvestigating(he
occupies
bones
andlightning-scoured in
adepression packnotonlyfindsthetreasurewithin but also sees
thiscavern’s
northwest
wall.Resting
inthenestis a thatthe cavewall behind it bears writing.
monster.
serpentine
massive, The writing containsa handful of partial phrases:
+“Illithinoch stronghold7 miles downward.”
+“Bewareof the elderbrain’s attention.”
A lazybehirrestsin itsnest,sometimes
sleeping - “Significantmind flayergeneral is Oshundo,
forweeksata time.Affectedby its longproximityto
wearshigh-collared
scarletrobe.”
Illithinoch’s
elderbrain,thebehirhasvulnerability - “Mind flayerspreparing to move against Gibbet
topsychicdamage.
Crossing?”
The behiris hungrybutcautious.If the charac-
« “I stoleone of their mind crystals—are
tersdon'tattack,thebehir asks themin Draconic
theremore?Maybeuseful to the priests at
todrivethegricksoutofthe adjoining cave.Ifa Talhundereth.”
fightbreaksout,thebehirtriestomaneuver
intoa ;
position
tocatchasmanyofthecharacters
withits Treasure.
Thorgran’s
packcontainsonlyleather
Lightning Breath as possible. scraps and a careful mind crystal (see appendix 8).
If reducedto fewerthan 50 hit points,the behir
J8: BURBLINGINTERSECTION
attempts
toflee,abandoning
theareaforgood.
Treasure. The behir’snestincludessevengold
worth100gpeach,1,520gpin scattered
feathers fungus
Phosphorescent growingthroughoutthisside
coins,andajar containing
4 dosesofKeogh- tunnel
ripples
withiridescent
colors,andthewalls
ointment.
tom's glisten ofmucus.
sheen
withathin,moist
J7: SCAVENGERS’Nook stairsleaddowntoalargegrotto.Wordless
Natural
burblingechoesfromit.

Thiswidecave
isbarely
fivefeettall.Lurking
here
thatlooklikefloating
monsters
arethree with
brains Thesoundoriginatesfromthegibberingmouthers
in the nextcavern,although creatures in the tunnc!
thenorthwallliesamoldy
Against
beaks. backpack.
are too far awayto be confused by the babble.

: GROTTO
Two grells lair herewith their leader,a grell psy- J9: GIBBERING
chic (seetheaccompanyingstatblock)named
Vundru.Vundru usedto lurk muchcloser to IIlithi- Thefloorofthissunkencavernis filledwith a repul-
noch,wherehe becameinfusedwith minor psychic sivepoolof mudandgore.Gobsof fleshbearingeyes
oftheFarRealmand
Hehasnoknowledge
abilities. andteeth inthemud.
float of theroom
Thefaredge
oa ae to learn more; he’s interested only in moe containsanotherexitwith a naturalstaircase ascend-
ing safely. M
whichthey
theirbehirneighbor,
Thegrellsrespect thepool.
ingfrom
referto as a “Great Eater.”The grells don’tinvolve
themselvesin a fightbetweenthe charactersand Six gibbering mouthers lurk in the pit, all but indis-
thebehir. If the characterswin, the grells confer tinguishablefromthe flesh gobbets.
themselves
among debating
forafewminutes, thegibbering
encounter
Ifthecharacters
whetherthose who kill a Great Eater are themselves mouthersand thenretreatfrom this room with-
GreatEaters.Unlessthecharacters this
interrupt gibbering
themall,thesurviving
outdefeating
debatebyentering aftera
thislair,Vundrudecides combine
mouthers intoasinglefleshmeld(see
fewminutesthathecanbecomea GreatEaterby A)thatarisesfromthe muckthe next time
appendix
the characters pass through.

' 144 CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

ahie tteractillign et
ai em
out ‘Apin
Jl0: HOOKED STONES

inthisroomareall
andstalactites
Thestalagmites
bentas thoughmadeof clay,fillingtheroomwith
thickhooksfromthefloorandceiling.Anenormous
monsterwithfleshywingspatrolsthisroom.A short
toothymaw.
skeletondanglesfromthecreature's

The hook-shaped stalactites and the stalagmitesare

as hard and resilientas otherrock formations.
A cloaker mutate (see appendix A) lives in this
room, leaving only to hunt. This cloaker mutate
“adopted”a withereddwarfcorpseit discovered
here many years ago—that of Thorgran Ironquill.
It now manipulates the dead historian like a maca-
bre puppet.
The cloaker mutate’s mind has becomemuddled
with Thorgran’s residual psychic echoes.Each
round at the start of its turn, the cloaker mutate
must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. It has
advantage on this saving throw if it can hearany
burbling from the gibbering mouthers in areaJ9, as
it finds the noise soothing.
Ve
: = = }

GRELL PSYCHIC
Medium Aberration, Chaotic Evil

ArmorClass12(15withmagearmor)
Hit Points66(12d8+12)
Speed10ft.,fly30ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT Wis CHA

«11
17(+3) 14(42)«13(41)—«12(#1), (+2)
(40)_—s14
Skills Perception+4,Stealth+6
DamageImmunities
lightning
Condition Immunities blinded,prone
Sensesblindsight60ft. (blindbeyond
thisradius),
passivePerception14
LanguagesDeepSpeech,Grell
4 (1,100XP)
Challenge Bonus+2
Proficiency

ACTIONS
and
attack
Multiattack.ThegrellpsychicmakesoneTentacle
oneBeakattack.
Beak.MeleeWeapon Attack:+5tohit,reach5ft.,onetarget.
Hit:10(3d4+3) piercingdamage.
othertargets.
against
attacks
Tentacle Whenthegrellmoves,
Tentacle.MeleeWeaponAttack:+5to hit, reach10ft.,one anyMedium moveswithit.
targetit is grappling
orsmaller
must
andthetarget
target.Hit:8 (1d10+3)piercingdamage,
(Psionics).Thegrellpsychiccastsoneofthe fol-
Spellcasting
succeedon a DC 11Constitutionsavingthrowor havethepoi-
andusingCha-
nospellcomponents
lowingspells,requiring
it
sonedconditionfor 1minute.Whilethetargetispoisoned,
thesav- rismaasthespellcastingability(spellsaveDC 12):
alsohastheparalyzed Thetargetcanrepeat
condition.
of its turns,endingtheeffecton
ing throw at the end of each magearmor,magehand(thehandis
At will:detectthoughts,
itself on a success.The targetalso hasthegrappledcondition invisible)
thegrellcan’tmake
thetarget, 1/dayeach:confusion,fear
(escapeDC 16).Whilegrappling
— — =e Se

CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY 145

 —
—
oa
_—

4 -¥
\ soe ;
i rw
P WiROHN
u Pay 17 i
eA ' \ 2

es a \ \
age { Drea )
‘ N

Evi. Far REALM ENERGYHAS TRANSFORMEOMEBIS

eID Roel ae Mole) aa

me, ante) Fee .

<r Ore oad — ;
., d % % — Se ye

Successful Save. On a successfulsavingthrow, realwhenI venturedtoo close to IIlithinoch. Yet |

the cloaker shows no effects.It attacksintruders
while ranting telepathicallyin Commonaboutthe
following topics:
- “The Far Realm givesgreatpowerto thosewho
accept it. Look how gracefulI am!”
“A great empirewill rise onceagainunderthe
unstoppable mind flayers,who havethepowerof
the Far Realm at theircommand.I canfeeltheir
strength growing!”
“Magical stonesfrom thesurfacewill empower
the rise ofa new mind flayerempire!”
“Brains feedthe brain pool.Whatare thosehu-
man prisoners for, I wonder?”The cloakerthen
cackles wildly.
“Ilvaash arises!”The cloakermutatedoesn’tactu-
ally know who IIvaashis.
Failed Save. Onafailed savingthrow,thecloaker
mutate’sidentityis overcomebyThorgran’spsychic
echoes until the end of its turn.The creaturedoesn't
move, attack,or respondtoanythingthecharacters
say. It instead uttersoneof thefollowingstatements
using the corpse’smouth:
toomanyeagerscribes
- “I fakedmydeathbecause
would follow me into danger.But mydeathwas
amstill here,and I don’tknow why.”
“The mind flayersintend to ravage the whole |
derdark!I don’twish ill on people in Gibbet Cross-
ing,thoughwe havelittle in common. | still ha.
timeto warn them!”
“The one in the scarlet robe, Oshundo, is gath:
ing forcesto assaultTalhundereth. I must war!
theprieststhatthe mind flayers are coming!”
ILLITHINOCH
Illithinochwas originally a stronghold of the mind
flayer empire that rose to prominence across the
Underdarkand fell into obscurity centuries ago. | he
strongholdlanguishedin disrepair when all but a
fewweakenedmind flayersabandoned it. The mind
flayersthatremainedcontinued their service to
Illithinoch’selderbrain, but the elder brain becam«
obsessedwith recoveringtheir lost grandeur, and
manymind flayerstransformed themselves into tot
mented monsters called nothics. The few mind flay
ers ableto maintaintheir wits and their focus have
lackedtheabilitytoseizethemightof the old mind
flayerempire—untilrecently.

CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

(io eli
MIND FLAYER FANATICS
The three most ruthless, domineering, and cunning
mind flayersin Illithinoch spenttheirearlylives
scheming against one another. A few decadesago,
they each realized the potential in working together
and swiftly dominated Illithinoch’s other mind flay
ers. Once theybecamemastersof thestronghold,
thesethreemind flayersengagedin increasingly
bizarre and esotericritualswith theweakened
elder brain.
The three mind flayerseventuallyhearda strange
psychiccall from a Far RealmgodletcalledIlvaash,
the Dissonant Psyche.Singing a sirensongmade
up of profane and alien whispers, Ilvaash invitedthe
threemind flayerstojoin thegodlet’spsyche—much
like mind flayersnormallyjoin a hivemind—and
leavebehindanyrelianceon Illithinoch’sdiseased
elder brain. Ilvaash also promised the three mind
flayersvastpower,butonlyif theywouldcarryII-
vaash’sworship intotheirworld.The mindflayer
fanatics agreed, embracing their new Far Realm
godletand in turn adoptingnewpersonalitiesthat
set them apart from their ilk.
The fanatics’plan hingeson thetransformation
ritual, as it promises to provide the beginnings of
anew mind flayer empire on the surface—onethat
will spreadIlvaash’sinfluenceandcrushanycrea-
tures who would resist.
THE FANATICS
The threefanaticsare Chishinix,Hashutu,and
Voalsh(seechapter8 for theirstatblocks).Each
considersthemselfthe group’sleaderandIIvaash’s
secret favorite. Although most mind flayersreject
thenotionof havingindividualpersonalities,
the
fanatics have embraced their own unique qualities,
each hoping to become Ilvaash’smost beloved.
Chishinix. Chishinix is a powerfulpsychicand
sees flashes of future events.In return for this
power, Ilvaash created a severed headthat looks
just like Chishinix’s.The mindflayer’spsychicpow-
ers are tiedto this severedhead,whichChishinix
must keep by her side. The severedhead,in turn,
readsChishinix’s thoughts,ensuringshestays
loyal to Ilvaash, and demands frequenttreats.The
severed head constantly leaks a greasypurple ichor
that stains Chishinix’s clothing.
Hashutu. Hashutu was paranoid that enemies
waitedaround everycornerandprayedtoIlvaash
for morepower.The Far Realmgodletanswered,
offering to trade Hashutu’s hands for tentaclesthat
could warn him of incoming attacks. Hashutugladly
tookthe gift,and nowhis armsendin writhingten-
taclesthatalert Hashutuof anymovement or other
threatthat mightlurk nearby.
3 sila i ee
Sr
Voalsh.\1 « desperatebidtoreclaimtheirauton-
omy,theothermindflayersof Illithinochambushed
Voalsh. kight beforethe momentof her death,
Ilvaash grantedher wings, which unfurled from
her back like enormous, writhing tentacles.Voalsh
vanquished
herfoesfromabovein shortorder.Ever
since, she regularly takes to the air to investigate
herparanoidsuspicionsthatherenemiesmight
attackatanytime.Voalshhasfashioneda magical,
floatingdisk thatshe often uses to hover abovethe
eyelevelofanyoneelse,unfurlingherwingstoem-
phasizeherintimidatingandotherworldlynature.
PURSUINGTHE FANATICS
The fanaticsaren'tpresentwhenthecharactersar-
rive.Theyrecentlyretreatedthrougha gatewayinto
the Far Realm, taking the Nethereseobelisk pieces
andPhandalinprisonerswiththem.The gateway
closed behind them,but the characters can open the
gatewayagain by exploring three Far Realm rifts
around Illithinoch. (The rifts are in areas X4, X5,
andX10,andtheyarefurtherdescribedin the“Far
Realm Rifts” section later in this chapter.).The char-
acterscatch up to the fanatics in chapter8.
ILLITHINOCH FEATURES
The featuresdescribed below are common through-
out Ilithinoch.
CEILINGS
Ceilings throughout Illithinoch are 14feet high.
Doors
Illithinoch’s heavystone doors lack handles or
latches.When a creature looks directly at a door
for more than a few seconds, it swings open and
assails the creature opening it with a jarring mental
pulse that sounds to the creature like the clashing
of cymbals.This pulse deals no damage,but all
creaturesotherthanmindflayersfindit unpleasant.
No one else within Ilithinoch can hear this mental
pulse exceptfor the infectedelder brain in area X15,
which uses it to keep track of movementthrough the
stronghold.An open door swings shut after 1 min-
uteunlesssomethingis in thedoorway,in which
caseit swingsshutoncethedoorwayis clear.
INCAPACITATED CHARACTERS
The infectedelder brain at Illithinoch’s center
(areaX15) remains aware of the characters moving
throughout thestrongholdduetoitsCreatureSense
ability.If a characterhastheincapacitated
condition
in Illithinoch, the infectedelder brain establishes a
Psychic Link with the character and determines the
character'sintentions.
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY
.
 ILLUMINATION
Illithinochwas originally lightless, but pir 0
eeriegreenlight from the Far Realm now (
thestronghold,casting it in dim light.

QUALITH
Roomsin Illithinoch the mind flayer fanatic
claimedas their own (areas X3, X7, X8, and 1)
are inscribedwith messages in Qualith, a fors) of
tactilewriting. Mind flayers use their tentacle« «
readQualith, which is composed in four-line s\an
zas indecipherableto other creatures. A creature
thattouchesa Qualith inscription, however, can
receivefragmentaryinsight into the multilayered
thoughtscontainedin it.
A non-illithidwho wants to understand aQualith
inscriptionin Illithinoch can make a DC 18 Inte!
ligencecheck to interpret the inscription. A failed
attemptresultsin a crushing headache and requires
thecreatureto succeedon a DC 13 Wisdom sa\ ing
throw.The creature takes 17(5d6) psychic damage
ona failedsave,or half as much damage ona su
cessfulone.A comprehendlanguages spell provides
understanding of the inscription roughly equivalent
towhata mind flayerwould get from it.

- a ILLITHINOCH LOCATIONS |
boa. SO + etl Thefollowinglocationsarekeyedto map7.2.
ARE SLIMY AND FOREBODING.

X1: GATES

Lee The psychiclink remains until the creature
a shakes it off,as describedin the infectedelder
ES brain’sstatblock,or until the linked creatureleaves
Illithinoch (includingby passing through the Far
Realmrifts).
SMOOTH SHAPES
Mind flayersprefer the aestheticsof sweepinglines
to sharp angles,and they'vehad generationsto mold
Illithinoch to their preferences.Most corners are
rounded,eventhosebetweenfloorsandwallsand
betweenwallsandceilings.This makesthestrong-
holdfeelunsettlinglyorganicto mostcreatures.
Thelongtunnelendsatanimmensedoubledoor.An
eeriegreenlightemanates
fromtheseam.
The door is normally sealed with a complicated
lockingmechanism,but the fanatics have left it
unlockedtolettheirminionsbring theNetheres:
obeliskfragmentsto them. It opens as described in
the “Illithinoch Features”section.
Once the charactersopenthis door and trigger its
jarring mentalpulse, the infected elder brain in arca
X15 takes noticeof their arrival.

SIGILS OF ILVAASH
Ilvaash
The fanaticshavecarvedsymbolssacredto
I
on thewalls and doorsthroughout Ilithinoch.
blood-
These are most often knots of tentacles,
lines reminiscent oFjaws.
soaked brains, and jagged
vieweda
These symbolsall moveslightlywhen ,
writhe, eee =
more than a moment:tentacles
ceasesif 1
the
and jaws gnash. This movement
fected elder brain is destroyed.

148 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

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CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

eA
¢

Se 4
One
 Ee NE BO Ys

X2: RECEPTION HALL X3: HASHUTU’S ROOM

The door to this room bears a series of : raised
: dots.This is a messagein Qualith, the nm ayers’
ofthis longroom
statueattheeastend
Anenormous
tactilelanguagethat most creatures mus! rtto
depictsa massivemindflayerwithits armsout-
magictodecipher.It reads, “Chambers o| hutu,
holding
stretched, a brainineachhand.Thestatueis
mostrefinedand chosen, who is blessed writh
made ofgreenishstone,although
of one largepiece ing gifts for hands.”
thebrainsarecoveredwithgreenmucusthatdrips
fromthestatue'shandsintoa puddleon thefloor.
Thischamber containsa largetub crustedwith blue
decorate
designs
Flowing against
thewalls.Lounging
stains,a deskandshelvesholdingan assortmentof
thesouthwallaretwo mindflayers,theirfacetenta-
bottles,andan enormous walk-in closet containing
clesperiodicallygesticulating.
dozens
of long,elegantrobes.
4
Twomind flayersnamedShalghastand Ulthundul
Hashutuis the most self-indulgent of the mind flayer
guardthisroomwhileengaging
in telepathic
con- fanatics.He keepsdozens of bottles of perfumes,
versation,buttheyaren’texpectingan attack.The
elegantrobesof exquisitemake, and a tub for baths
fanatics
havetoldthemindflayerstoexpectsurface in scentedunguents.The blue stains in the sleeping
cultists,suchas theaberrantzealotswho reside tubstill smell faintly of wildflowers. Most items here
elsewherein Illithinoch,or minionsdeliveringobe- havebeenuntouchedfor many days, however, as
lisk fragments.Both mind flayersare imperiousand Hashutu’swork is evenmore important to him than
demanding.Shalghastdoesthecommunicating, his self-pampering.
while Ulthundulcastsdetectthoughtsto try to un- Treasure. The shelf contains five especially rare
coveranytrickery. bottlesof perfumeworth 500 gp each and a subtle
Shalghastasks the characterswhetherthey've mind crystal(seeappendix B).
come“toworship Ilvaash,who bleedsfromtheFar
Realm,”or whethertheyare bringingmore“obelisk X4: LABORATORY
piecesfor the masters.”The mind flayersdon’tknow
how manypiecesof theobeliskexist. Shelvesandbenches containa mess
of jars, powders,
The mind flayersdirectcharacterswho expressin-
beakers,andotherlaboratory equipment.A five-foot
terestin worship to theadjacentfeedingroom(area
wideriftofgreen-and-silver
energyroilson thesouth
X11).The mind flayersdon’tprolongthe discussion,
and theytreatquestionswith suspicion. wall,showinga largecavernbeyond.Two labtables
The mind flayersfightif theydetecttrickery,if standbeforetherift.
the charactersstart pokingaround wherethey A tall goblinstandsin the middle of this room,
shouldn't,or if it’sotherwiseclear thecharactersar- shoutinginGoblinatthreeshortercompanions.
en'therefor an expectedreason.Worried aboutthe
punishmentsthe fanaticswill inflict uponthemfor
A goblin psi commander bullies three goblin psi
letting invadersinto Illithinoch, the two mind flayers
brawlers (see appendix A for both) in this room.
fightto thedeath.
The fanaticsremovedanything important to them
Dripping Statue. The infectedelder brain’sprox-
from this laboratoryand allow psionic goblins to
imity magicallycreatesthe mucus that drips from
rest here,mostlyto haveexpendable minions pres
the statue.The mucus is bland but nutritious,and entin casethegrells beyondthe rift get too curious.
oddlymentallyfortifying;if themindflayershere The goblinserroneouslybelieve the mind flay-
are on good terms with the characters,they might
braindrip- ers haveleftsomethingof value here, so they've
invite the characters to partake in the
beenransackingthis room since they arrived. The
whoingests
Anycharacter
pings. gains
theliquid
resistancetopsychicdamagefor 10minutes.The
braindrippingslosetheirpotencyafter1 hour.

aS
J
a
APSE
nae
me

| RIFTS IN REALITY
150 CHAPTER 7 “a eu
os
celle »
a Rs GG) het cat SARE Oe

Two MENACING SLAAD!IGUARDILLITHINOCH’S ORRERY.
goblins tried to block the rift with two lab tables,
notrealizing thatgrells fromtheFeederTrenches
(see the “Rift in Reality” section below)could simply
float over the obstruction.
The small chamberto thenorthis a supplycloset.
It containssome spoiledreagentson highshelves.
It also holds a scatteringof emptybottlesthatonce
held spoiled reagents, but which the goblins drank
in a recentgame
of drink-or-dare.
Rift in Reality.The riftleadsintotheFarRealm
to a location called the Feeder Trenches. The
FeederTrenches are describedin the“FarRealm
Rifts” sectionat theendof thischapter.
X5: COSMOLOGIUM
its
of thisroom,
fillsthecenter
ironorrery
A massive
numerous armsspinningslowlyastheyholdupsuns,
planets,andcomets.Thechamber’swestwallchurns
riftaboutfivefeetacross
witha green-and-silver
showinga corridorintersectionbeyond. Desiccated
includingmutated
Creatures, tadpoles,lieonthefloor
nearthe rift, wheretwo hideous,frog-likebipeds—
Oneredandoneblue—stand.
rr
A red slaad and a blue slaad have been on guard
herefornearlya week.The slaadicamethroughthe
rift froma Far Realmsitetheycall SpawnHollow.
Thedenizensof IIlithinochdon’thavemuchinterest
in thisroomandthusleavethe slaadialone.The
slaadimistakethisindifferencefor cowardiceand
havecometothink thatnoonedarestocontesttheir
claim.Theytrytobullyanyintrudersintoleaving
thisroomandattackif notmetwith immediate
compliance.
The mindflayersof longagodidn’tlimit their
conqueststotheUnderdark.Theyalso planned
subsequent invasionsof otherworlds.This orrery
showsan unfamiliarsolar systemthemind flayers
of Illithinochplannedtoconquer.The stronghold
fellintoobscurityandinfightingbeforethe illithids
could prepare their invasion, but the massive orrery
still functions.The slaadihaven'tfiguredouthow
tobreakit, butthey'vecarvedgougesintotheiron
spheres with their claws.
Dead Tadpoles.Far Realmenergysustainsthe
slaaditadpolesin SpawnHollow withoutthe usual
needfor Humanoidhosts.The first fewtadpolesthe
slaadibroughtintothis roomquicklyshriveledand
died.A characterwhoexaminesthecorpsesand
succeedsona DC 10Intelligence(Investigation)
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY
.
“4
'
ry Aye

comeslaadi.
be-
willeventually
checkrealizesthetadpoles
ive

3.
‘ +, —_—

Abeholderfloatsin a room with stain:

calslabs(areaX10),addressinga mind
irgi-
vyer
Rift in Reality. The rift leadstoa Far Realm
floatingdisk.The mine ‘\ayer
onarust-colored
locationcalledSpawnHollow.SpawnHollow is de-
raisesits handsandthe beholdershudc''s, its
scribedin the“Far RealmRifts”sectionattheend
— of thischapter. eyestalks Thebeholdertelepat cally
writhing.
squeals,“I will serve!| will serve!”(This scene
X6: PsycHic LIBRARY shows
thecreation
ofGolcuustheoculorb,which
lairsin areaL7.)
shelves
Rounded ofcrys-
dozens
inthisroomdisplay 4 — Amindflayerwearinga scarletrobewith a high
ofcolors.
talsina variety collardirectsa battlein a long,descendinghall
linedwithdwarvenstatues(areaT2 of Talhun-
derethinchapter6). Mind flayersfightfiercely
This roomis a repositoryof knowledgethatthe
mind flayers consider worthy of preserving. Most
againstdwarves.
crystalsarehundredsofyearsold,datingfrom 5 Threemindflayerssort througha bin of gems
thetimeof themindflayers’dominationof the neara stonetable.One selectsthe gemthatcon-
Underdark. tainsthismemory.
(Thisscenetakesplaceinarea
Whengrasped,a crystalreplaysa short psychic C3intheCryptoftheTalhundin chapter6.)
scenein its reflectiveinterior.A crystaltakes 10 6-19 Choosea randomareain GibbetCrossingand
seconds to impart its psychic images. Once a crys- describea shortscenewhere1d4mindflayers
tal imparts its psychic scene, it must recharge ona
captureand consume oneof the area’s former
shelffor24hoursbeforeit candosoagain.
denizens(drow,duergar,or deep gnomes).
A characterwho examinesthe crystalsand suc-
20 Thiscrystalisn’ta repositoryof memories,but
ceedsona DC 13Intelligence
(Investigation)
check
notesthatthreecrystalsare muchnewerthan the a heightenedmindcrystal;see“Treasure”below.
othersandoneisn’ta repository
crystalatall (see Rerollthis resultif the characters have already
“Treasure”below). foundthiscrystal.
If thecharactersgraba randomcrystal,roll 1d20
on theCrystal Imagestableto determinethe image
Treasure. The characters might find the heig/it-
containedwithin it. The threenewercrystalsare re
enedmind crystal(seeappendix B) among the crys-
sults 1,2, and 3; if a characterexaminesthe newer
talsstoredherebychance,or theymightnotethat
crystals,use onlythoseresults.There are 40 crys- its magicaura is differentby casting a spell such as
tals in this room,thoughmanyof theoldercrystals detectmagic.
impartthesamescenes.
X7: VOALSH’S LOUNGE
CRYSTAL IMAGES The door to this room from the hall bears smal! dots
d20_ Image thatread,in Qualith, “Relax with Voalsh, she of sa-
1 Amindflayerholdingadisembodied headchants cred flight,and know only the truth.”
ge-
overa largepoolfilledwitha pink,quivering
latinousmass(thebrainpoolinareaX15).Two Thisroomcontainsfourpaddedchairsanda low
othermindflayers arenearby, buttheirfeatures stone
shelf holdingfourcrystalpitchers,a largebow,
areunclear.A strange,jaggedportalappears andseveralglasses.A palemindflayersits in oneof
behind Themind
thetrioandthendisappears. thechairswearinga black,tatteredrobe.
bythisresult,telepath-
flayerisvisiblyfrustrated
icallyintoning,“Wewilltryagain.In Ilvaash’s
The sittingcreatureis Oshundo the alhoon (see
name,wewillkeeptrying.”
the accompanying stat block). It isn’t likely to notice
2. attheends
Amindflayerwithtentacles ofits intrudersin Illithinoch until they enter its room.
armslashesahand-tentacleacrosst heface ofa Oshundois concentratingon several old Underdark
mindflayer
shriveled withasingle,staring eye, mapsand psychicallyprojecting their images into a
strange
drawingblood.Several podsline the large orange crystal in its possession. This crystal
X12).
walls(area A mentalmessage ringsout,
“Youwillobey,ortheFarRealmshallconsume
whatmindyouhaveleft,weakling.”

1 pe om
va
152 CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

os
ee Cee ell ms
 "} Tid “ier Ot he oh 2 EE
"9

storesmemorieslike thosein thepsychic |i|Tar y =

(areaX6). In this case,Oshundois fillingthe
with images rather than viewingit,
>Crystal OSHUNDO THE ALHOON
Medium Undead(Mind Flayer,Wizard), Neutral Evil
Oshundo is the fanatics’most powerfy|
andknowl
edgeable
ally
inIllithinoch,
although
Oshunlo'. ArmorClass 15(naturalarmor)
informationis predominantly
abouttheoldmind Hit Points 150(20d8+60)
flayerempire.The fanaticsmadegooduseofOshun Speed30ft.,fly15ft.(hover)
do'sancientknowledgeaboutTalhunderethandGib CHA
STR DEX CON INT wis
bet Crossing, and they hope the alhoon’s knowledge (+3)
~—*17
(+4) 17(+3)
11 (+1) 16(+3)«19
(40) 12
aboutother subterraneanlocaleswill proveuseful,
The pitchers contain stale water,and thebow| Saving
ThrowsCon+7,Int+8,Wis+7,Cha+7
holds a few wrinkled fruits. SkillsArcana+8,History+8,Insight+7,Perception+7,
Stealth+5
Talking with Oshundo.Oshundois surprised
to DamageResistancescold,lightning,necrotic
see anyoneother than an Illithinoch denizenhere. Damage
Immunities
poison
ConditionImmunitiescharmed,exhaustion,frightened,
paralyzed,poisoned
OSHUNDO THE ALHOON Sensestruesight120ft.,passive
Perception
17
bh LanguagesCommon, DeepSpeech, Undercommon,
telepathy120ft.
Challenge10(5,900XP) Bonus+4
Proficiency

Oshundohasadvantage
MagicResistance. on savingthrows
against
spellsandothermagical
effects.

ACTIONS
OshundomakestwoChillingGrasporArcane
Multiattack.
Boltattacks.
| ChillingGrasp.MeleeSpellAttack:+8to hit,reach5ft.,one
target.Hit:14(4d6)colddamage, andOshundoregains14hit
pointsif thetargetisacreature.
| ArcaneBolt.Ranged SpellAttack:+8to hit,range120ft.,one
Ps target.Hit:28(8d6)forcedamage.
Spellcasting.
Oshundocastsone of the followingspells,re-
quiringnomaterial components andusingIntelligenceasthe
spellcasting
ability(spellsaveDC16):
Atwill:dancing
lights,detectmagic,detectthoughts,disguiseself,
magehand,prestidigitation
.; 1/dayeach:dominate monster,globeof invulnerability,
invisibility,
modify memory, planeshift(selfonly),wallofforce
Thundering
Blast(Recharge
5-6).Oshundoemitsa waveof
domineering
energyin a60-footcone.Eachcreature in that
areamustsucceedona DC 16Intelligence
savingthrowor take
22(4d8+4)thunderdamage andhavethestunnedcondition
for1minute.
A stunnedcreaturecanrepeatthesavingthrow |
- attheendofeach
ofits turns,endingtheeffectonitself on
‘ a success.

) REACTIONS
NegateSpell(3/Day).Oshundotargetsonecreature it canper-
ceivewithin60feetofitself thatis castinga spell.If thespellis
3rdlevelor lower,thespellfails,butanyspellslotsor charges
aren'twasted.

de \
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY 153
oF ay “ x
SPR obey ao ae 9
Bev, Puri. * At Ss 4meld NS
ae OO Te
2: : tes
e
Oshundodefendsitself if attacked,butthe alhoon
prefersto engagein conversationlongenoughto de-
terminewhy the charactersare here(and,hopefully,
toascertainwhich characteris thesmartestand
therefore
likelytohavethetastiestbrain).
Oshundois an insufferablyarrogantconversation-
alist,butit freelysharesthe following:
BegrudgingGuest.Oshundois a guestofVoalsh,
oneof the mind flayerfanatics.The alhooncan
describeeach fanatic(as mentionedin “The Mind
FlayerFanatics”sectionearlier),butOshundo
doesn'tregardthemveryhighly.
Fanatics’Problem.The fanaticsretreatedtothe
Far Realmtocommunewiththeirnewfound
god
andperformtheirritual.Oshundoknowstheyhad
some troubleerectingtheir gateto the Far Realm
anddoesn’tknowhowtheysolvedthatproblem—
likelybybuttressing
theirgateusingsmallerrifts
to the Far Realm.
JadedElder. Oshundolivedin Illithinochatthe
heightofthemindflayerempiremanycenturies
ago,butOshundowasdrivenoutforpracticing
arcanemagic.It’s obviousthat this rejectionstill
stingsOshundo,whoreferstoIllithinoch’slong-
deadleadersas “ignorantfools” who are “closed
to the flexibilityand power of arcanemagic.”
ObeliskEnthusiast.Oshundoworkedwiththe
fanaticstoidentifywheretheNetherese
obelisk
fragmentswere likely to be found.If the charac-
ters managedto keepobelisk fragmentsfrom the
fanatics,Oshundo is amusedand tries to castde-
tectthoughtsto find out where the fragmentsare.
Unexpected Discovery. Oshundo returnedto II-
lithinocha few months ago to collect somemind
crystals.Oshundo was surprised to find Illithi-
noch’selder brain to be a sickly,paranoidshell of
its formerself.
UninterestedParty. Oshundoclaimstocarelittle
aboutthe transformation ritual becausepsychic
magicboreshim,andOshundocaresevenless
aboutthe divine entity the fanatics discovered,be-
causegodsdon’tconcernOshundo.
Oshundois nofriendof thefanatics.Thealhoon
comparesthem to the insufferably self-absorbed
Illithinoch leaders of old. If the charactersare forth-
rightwith Oshundoandif theyagreeto givethe
alhoon any mind crystals they'vefound, Oshundo
becomesa grudging ally. The alhoon doesn’tleave
thisroomin anycase,as it wantstofinishtranscrib-
ing his maps into the orangecrystal.
is
Treasure. Each of the four crystal pitchers
orange
worth25gp,buttheyare fragile.Oshundo’s
numerous
crystal is not just a storage crystal with
mindcrystal
Underdarkmaps,butan empowered
arehistorical
(seeappendixB). Oshundo’smaps
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY
A. it gp £ Bik
REE
worth4,000gp to a hist sian
antiquescollectively
or collector.
areon goodtermswith ©» itindo,
If thecharacters
thealhoonmightgivethemthemapsonce it=done
withthem,althoughOshundokeepsits cryst:\|
At the DM’s discretion,the maps might contin
hintstofurtherquestsor treasurehunts for (/\
characterstopursueafterthis adventure.
X8: VOALSH’S
QUARTERS
The door to this room from the hall bears smal! dots
thatread,in Qualith, “Chambers of Voalsh, whose
fearsome
wingsshallflyherto the Dissonant Psy-
che’sside.”
Awriting
deskstands
opposite
anemptystonetub.
Twopaddedchairsarestackedin onecorner.
Voalsh fanciesherselfas the greatest diplomat
amongthe fanatics,but her domineering nature
makesher littlemorethan a bully. The tables are
coveredwith half-finishedmissives in Undercom-
mon.These missivesare all addressed to leaders
of otherUnderdarkcommunities:kuo-toa religious
leaders,drow matriarchs,duergar leaders, and
others.They are from a writer named Voalsh. Each
letteris writtenin a familiar tone,as though to a
friend,butthey’refilled with demands for tribute,
obliqueinsults,and threatsabout domination from
an incipientmind flayerempire.The friendship in
thelettersis obviouslyfalse.
The stonetubis a sleepingpod with slime in it
thathelpedconnectthe mind flayers to the elder
brain.The connectionhasn’tdone anything in
decadesexceptimpartthe infected elder brain's
obsessionandmadnessinto those who rest here.
The infectedelderbrain can automatically establish
a PsychicLink (seeappendixA) with a creature that
if the creature doesn’t have the
lies in thegoo,even
incapacitated condition.
The chairsare stackedto the side because Voalsh
neveruseschairs, insteadpreferring to hover vigi-
lantlyon guardagainsther foes.
Treasure. The deskholds an amber inkwell
worth 280 gp.
X9: PRISONER PENS
metalbarsdividethisroominto two
Floor-to-ceiling
Adooroftwisted
cells.
large access
ironbarsprovides
toeachcell.
There aren't any prisoners here when the characters
arrive. The cell doors are each secured with a heavy
 Cage, 1S SI"
latch.A metal platewith severalsmallholescovers
the latch from the inside.Most creaturescan'treach
past the metal plateor throughtheholesto unlatch
the door from the inside,butmindflayerscanun
latchthe doors from the insidebyreachingthrough
the holes with their tentacles.Illithinoch’soriginal
builders didn’twant mind flayerslockedin their
own cells.
Prisoner Evidence. The mindflayerfanatics
kept the kidnappedtownspeopleherebutrecently
took them into the Far Realm.The penscontain
only scraps of cloth and recentscratches.Some
scratchesare in Common,impartingmessages such
as, “three monsters lead them all;” “keep hope for
Phandalin,” and “Tera,I alwayslovedyou.”It’sclear
that the human prisonershereweremoveda few
daysago at most.
X10: EXPERIMENTATION CHAMBER
Stoneslabstoppedwithskullclampslinethewalls
of thisgruesomesuite.Eachslabbearsoldstainsof
bloodandichor.A green-and-silver
riftroilsonone
wall,showingnarrowstonecorridors
beyond. A mind
flayerdissectsa creatureon oneof theslabs,aided
bytwoassistants.
Eachassistant
isahunched,
green
creature with a single, enormous eye.
The mind flayer is namedAhooshathan,andit
works here with two nothics whowereoncemind
flayers.Each nothichas a fringeof tentaclesbe-
neathits single eye,telepathyto 120feet,andthe
following action insteadof RottingGaze:
Mind Blast(Recharge
5-6).Thenothicmagically
emitspsychic
energy in a 30-foot cone. Eachcreaturein thatareamustsuc-
ceedon a DC 12Intelligence
savingthrowortake10(2d8+1)
psychic damage and havethe stunnedconditionuntiltheend
of its nextturn.
The denizens of this roomaredissectinganother
transformednothicthatVoalshkilled,morefor
somethingto do thananyinvestigative purpose.All
three are quick to attack intruders, but Ahooshathan
has a strong survival instinct.If bothnothicsare
slain, or if Ahooshathanis badlyinjuredandplainly
outmatched,the mind flayersurrenders.Ahoosha-
than offers what informationit hasin exchange for
its life. Ahooshathancan relatethefollowingpoints:
Far Realm Rifts. The rift hereis oneof threelead-
ing to differentFar Realmlocations.The fanatics
put a magic rune in eachrift tobolstera larger
gatewayto the Far Realmin theirprivateritual
chambers.(See the “Far RealmRifts”section
later in this chapter.)
a 77
HatedLieutenant.The fanaticspreviouslyreliedon
a mindflayernamedQunbraxeltoorchestratean
importantmissionclosertothesurface.Ahoosha-
than hatesQunbraxel (and Qunbraxel’s position of
favorwiththefanatics).
Ahooshathan
is morbidly
gleefulif toldthatQunbraxelis dead.
KnownRitual.Ahooshathan
knowsthemindflayer
fanaticsandtheirplanfor theritual,although
it doesn'tknowmuchmorethanthecharacters
mighthavelearnedbynow.
Prisoners’ Location.The prisoncellstothesouth
recentlycontainedalmosta dozensurfacedwell-
ers.The fanaticstookthemintotheFar Realm
forsomegreaterplanAhooshathandoesn'tknow.
Ahooshathanwasn'tallowedtotortureanysur-
face dwellers, much to its disappointment.
SpecificDenizen.Ahooshathanknowsthata crea-
turenamedGolcuuslivesin a mazeof chambers
beyondthisrift.Onlythefanaticsareallowedto
enterthemaze.
Threat Neutralized.Golcuuscameoutonlyonce,
andthefanaticsdid somethinghorridtothecrea-
ture.Ahooshathandoesn'tknowanyspecifics,but
whenGolcuuswas returnedtothelabyrinth,it
wasnolongera threattoIllithinoch.
Rift in Reality.The rift leadstoa Far Realmloca-
tioncalledtheLabyrinthof Eyes.Oncethedomain
of animperiousbeholdernamedGolcuus,themind
flayerfanaticsluredGolcuusintoa trapandmutated
thecreatureintoa miserable,subservientminion
drawnfromGolcuus’snightmares.The Labyrinthof
Eyes is described in the “Far Realm Rifts” section
at the end of this chapter.
X11: FEEDING POOL
theroom’snorthwallisringedbyalow
A poolagainst
motifsofbrainsandtwisting
repeated
wallbearing
withoneanother.Rusty
spinalcolumnsinterlocked
danglefromtheceilingnearthepool,near
manacles
wear
Bothfigures
figures.
twoHumanoid
stand
which
blackrobes,andonehastentacleswrithingfromits
neck.Thefigures indiscussion.
areengrossed
In this former feeding chamber,an aberrant zealot
(seeappendixA) named Duoro Engletor is instruct-
ing a human cult fanatic named Larnon Veddin.
Both are neutral evil Far Realm scholars who were
driven from Neverwinter when their nascent Far
Realmcultwas exposed.WhispersfromIlvaash
ledthepair here.DuorowhollyembracedIIvaash’s
malignantfaith,resultingin his physicaltransfor-
mation. He can’tspeak abovea hoarse whisper, and
blackeyescontinuallysproutandcloseacrosshis
face.Larnonhasbeenslowerto acceptthe“gifts”of
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY
; sire
aneee
 lala ibd ele tee aTiLae TYtata ye
a i 7 IN TERRIFYING EXPERIMENTS
Se e.
Mos y a
he dt eS Wik ee
~* a - > ge eed nar
a} - ee to SIRS jm ee

the Far Realm and giveup his humanity,so Duoro
is lecturing him about Ilvaash.
This pair fights anyonetheybelieveto be intrud-
ers. Duoro fightsto thedeath,butLarnon attempts
to fleeif Duoro is slain.
Ersatz Believers. Duoro is easyto fool,as he’s
eagerto believethat thecharactersare mind flayer
minions, or convertsto thevenerationof Ilvaash or
theFar Realmitself.TrickingDuororequiresa suc-
cessful DC 12 Charisma (Deception)check.
If Duoro believesthe charactersare allies, he
shares the following:
Duoro converts Larnon to Ilvaash’s worship aft
1d4hours. Larnon succumbs to the Far Realm and
becomesan aberrantzealot, just like Duoro. They
both hunt down the characters and punish them {or
their intrusion.
Pool. The pool is empty except for a thin scrim
of mold,as the infectedelder brain hasn't seen fit
to share its fluid with anyoneother than the min:
flayercultists for manyyears.
X12: SLEEPING Pops

IlvaashDetails. DuororelaysthatIlvaashwas Thewallsherearelinedwithstonepods,eachfilled

formed from cerebral matterthe mind flayergod
IlsensineleftbehinduponleavingtheFar Realm.
In Duoro’stelling,Ilsensineis somethingbetween
a foolanda coward.IIvaashis therightfulgod
of the Far Realm and all thosewho spring from
it, including mind flayersand thosewarped by
the realm.
Unappreciated Scholar. Duoro considers himself
theequalof themindflayerfanaticswhorule
Illithinoch.
If the Characters Withdraw.If thecharactersen-
counterthis pairandretreatbeforedefeatingthem,
withaphosphorescentgooandjustlargeenough for
a humanto reclinein. Six hideous, monocular crea-
tureswithspinesontheirbacksloungein pods.
Six nothics who were once mind flayers lair here.
Each has afringe of tentaclesbeneath their single
eye,telepathyto 120 feet,and the following action
insteadof Rotting Gaze:
Mind Blast(Recharge 5-6). The nothicmagicallyemits psychi
energyin a 30-footcone.Eachcreaturein thatareamustsuc-
ceedona DC 12Intelligencesavingthrowor take10 (2d8+1)

56 CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

= ay.
a

psychicdamageandhavethestunnedcondition
untiltheend
ofits nextturn.
The slime in these sleeping pods helpedconnectthe
mind flayers to the elder brain, but the connection
hasn't done anything in decades exceptimpart the
infectedelder brain’sobsessionandmadnessinto
those who rest here.The infectedelderbraincan
automatically establish a Psychic Link (seethe in
fectedelder brain’sstatblock in thischapter)with
a creature that lies in thegoo,evenif thecreature
doesn’thavethe incapacitatedcondition.
Treasure. One pod hasn'tbeenusedin a long
time and its goo has a thincrust.Just visiblebe-
neath this crust is a distantmindcrystal(seeap-
pendix B). Recoveringthecrystalfromthegoois a
simple but unpleasantaffair.
X13: LECTURE HALL
Stairs
podium.
Severalbenchessurrounda speaker’s
tothewest.
ascendto a highbalcony
When Illithinoch was part of theold mindflayer
empire,its mind flayerdenizenssharedknowledge
and plans with their minionsin thislecturehall
(theyonly rarely sharedknowledgewitheachother
here,relying insteadon theelderbraintosharenec-
essary knowledgeamongmindflayers).Itsonlyuse
recentlyhas beenas a placewherethefanaticscan
bully the stronghold’sdegenerate denizens.
X14: CHISHINIX’S ROOM
The door to this room bears small dots that read,
in Qualith, “Chambersof Chishinix,blessedwith
foresight,who was gifteda headthatknowstheDis-
sonant Psyche’swill.”
A thick wall dividesthis roomin two.Onehalf
contains an oversizedpaddedchair,andtheother
contains a desk and armoire.
Chishinix isn't here,buta mind flayerprophet(see
appendixA) namedGulguushis waitingherealong
with its homunculus.
Gulguush has beenChishinix’sardentfollower
for manyyears. Gulguush believesitselftobethe
fanatic’ssuccessor and,just as Chishinixcarries
arounda severedhead,Gulguushkeepsitsho-
munculus nearby.Unless themindflayeris aware
that intruders are activein Illithinoch,Gulguush
is sitting at the desk,composinga bookofprayers
to Ilvaash. The homunculusperchesonthebackof
Gulguush’s chair watchingfor trouble.If it believes
an attack is likely, Gulguush instead hides behind
Chishinix’s chair to ambushintruders.In either
— ty
ow , —
case,Gulguushquicklyattackstogainfurtherfavor
with the fanatics.
Gulguush’s Book. Gulguush's unfinished prayer
book,calledProstratebeforetheDissonantPsyche,
is written in Undercommonand compiles every-
thingthemindflayerknowsabouttheFar Realm
godlet.Eventhoughthefanaticshaven'tincluded
Gulguush in their communion with Ilvaash, the
cannyGulguush has piecedtogetherseveral facts
aboutthedeity’srealm.In particular,theprayer
book notesthe following:
Divine Heir. I|vaash was formed from the remains
ofthemindflayergodIIsensine,theGod-Brain.
When IIsensine left the Far Realm to establish a
divinedomainelsewhere,piecesof theGod-Brain
sloughedawayandawoketo sentience. This is
Ilvaash,theDissonantPsyche,whichGulguush
considerstobetrueheir totheFar RealmandI]I-
sensine’sdivinity.
Godlet’sLair. Ilvaashtakesphysicalformin a Far
RealmplacecalledtheEndlessVoid.The Endless
Voidliesbeneatha deeppoolof brineandcerebral
fluidattheheartof a locationcalledtheBriny
Maze.Directionsareficklein theFar Realm,
buttheEndlessVoidis located“beyonda light-
lessstar.”
ProtectiveMaze. The BrinyMazeis designedto
trapthosewhocometostealIlvaash’sknowledge
or slay the godlet’sminions. Many powerful inter-
lopershavebeendefeated in theBrinyMazeand
absorbedintoits fleshywalls.
UltimateRuler. Dangerousthingsdrift withinthe
EndlessVoid.Ilvaashdid notcreatethem,butthe
DissonantPsycheis masterof themall.
Treasure.A robein thearmoirehas two
potionsin an innerpocket.One
identical-looking
is apotionofgrowthandtheotheris apotion
of poison.
X15: ELDER BRAIN POOL
around
sigilsareinscribed
flowing
Strange, theedge
ofanenormous withbrine.In
stonepoolhalf-filled
brainis
thepool’scenter,anenormous,slime-covered
covered inpulsing Thebrainoozesoverthe
pustules.
withgrimeandmold.
pool’slip,whichiscoated
Illithinoch’sinfectedelderbrain (seetheaccom-
panyingstatblock)squatsin thefluidremainingin
this pool, occasionally running its tendrils across
themold-crustedrim anddwellingon its obsessions
withIlvaashandtheFar Realm.
The mindflayerfanaticshaveskillfully manip-
ulatedtheelderbrain,instillingparanoiaand
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY
. -
me OP “a - >»& »
 obsessionwhile withholdinggenuinepower.
These
obsessionskeepthe elderbrain from bringing
its
full telepathicmight to bear,orchestrating
defenses
within the stronghold,or respondingto
anyone
other than the fanatics.
For all its weakness,the elderbrain still
perpetu-
ally tracks creaturesin Illithinoch with its
Creature
Sense ability.It likely knows thatthe characters
are coming and which denizensthey’ve
dispatched
beforearriving. Once the characterscometo
its
privatechamber,the infectedelder brain fightsto
the death.
The elder brain formerlyfloatedin a pool
brim-
ming with vital fluids, butthe briny fluidis ata
dangerouslylow level.The elderbrain is unableto
remain entirely covered,and its perpetualdesicca-
tion contributesto its agitation.
The fanatics carvedsacredsigils to Ilvaash
aroundthepool.The carvedsymbolsslowlytwist
and move around the rim. The infectedelderbrain
can't help but idly caress the carvings,thoughthis
only stokes its fixation.
Treasure. Three magicalcrystalshavesunk to
the pool’s bottom.One is a quickenedmindcrystal
and the other two are extendedmind crystals(see
appendix B for both).
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY
X16. RITUAL CHAMBER
A shallowalcoveon this room’s north wall contains
onlybarestone.Faintlyglowingrunessurroundthe
alcove,
eachofthemSputtering andslowlyfading.A
table
of jarsandbowlsstands
against
thewestwall.
Theeastwallis flatbutcoveredin a dizzyingarrayof
lines,shapes,and formulas.
As themind flayerfanatics ramped up their plans
theyspentnearlyall their time in this ritual room
in theadjacentroom containing the infected elder
brain.When theyfinally realized how to turn the
alcovehereinto a gatewayto the Far Realm, they
didn’thesitateto use it.
Thefanaticstooknearlyeverythingof use or valu
with them.The jars and bowls on the table hold
somealchemicalreagentsand crumbled crystals,
noneof which haveany value. Several metal disks
beara carving ofa blood-soakedbrain, a symbol
sacredto Ilvaash.The back of one of these disks
has the words, “We come to you, Ilvaash!” written
in
Undercommon.
 INFECTEDELDERBRAIN
Aberration
Large LawfulEvil
(MindFlayer),

Armor Class 10
Hit Points 189 (18d10+90)
Speed5ft., swim10ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

15
(+2) 10(+0)20(+5)21(+5)19(+4)
20(45)
SavingThrowsInt+9,Wis+8,Cha+9
SkillsArcana+9,Insight+12
Sensesblindsight120ft.,passivePerception
14
Languages understands Common,DeepSpeech, and
Undercommon butcan’tspeak,telepathy
1mile
Challenge11(7,200XP) Bonus+4
Proficiency

CreatureSense.Theelderbrainisaware of creatures
within1
mileof itself thathaveanIntelligence
score
of 4orhigher.It
_ knowsthedistanceanddirectiontoeachcreature, aswellas
eachone'sIntelligence score,butcan’tsenseanythingelse
aboutit.A creatureprotected byamindblankspell,a nonde-
tectionspell, or similar magiccan'tbe perceivedin thismanner.
Magic Resistance.The elder brainhasadvantage
on saving
throwsagainstspellsandothermagical
effects.
TelepathicHub. The elder braincan useits telepathy
to initiate
and maintain telepathicconversationswithup to tencreatures
ata time.Theelderbraincanletthosecreatures
telepathically
heareachotherwhileconnected inthisway.

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The elder brain makestwo Tentacleattacks.
Tentacle.Melee WeaponAttack:+6to hit, reach30ft.,one
target.Hit: 15(3d8+2)bludgeoning damage. is
If thetarget
a Hugeor smallercreature,it hasthegrappledcondition
(es-
damage atthestart Bonus ACTIONS
capeDC 14)andtakes9 (1d8+5)psychic
ofits turnsuntilthegrapple
of each ends.Theelderbraincan withtheinca-
Link.Theelderbraintargetsonecreature
Psychic
haveupto fourtargetsgrappled ata time. pacitatedconditionthattheelder brainsenseswith its Creature
Sense apsychiclinkwiththetarget.Until
traitandestablishes
5-6).Creatures
MindBlast(Recharge choice
ofthe elderbrain’s
thelinkends,theelderbraincanperceiveeverything thetarget
within 60 feetof itself must succeedon a DC 17Intelligence
senses.Thetarget b aware
ecomes thatsomethingi s to
linked
savingthrowor take32(5d10+5)psychic
damage
andhave condition, and
itsmindonceit nolongerhastheincapacitated
the stunned condition for 1 minute.A stunnedcreaturecanre-
theelderbraincanterminatethelinkatanytime(noaction
ofits turns,
throwattheendofeach
peatthesaving the
ending
required).Thetargetcan usean actionon its turn to attempt
effectonitself on a success. DC 17Charisma
tobreak thelink,doingsowitha successful
Spellcasting (Psionics).The elderbraincastsoneof thefollow- check.Ifthetargetbreaksthelinkthisway,thetargettakes
ing spells, requiring no spell componentsandusingIntelli- 10(3d6)psychic damage. Thelinkalsoendsif thetargetand
gence
asthespellcasting
ability
(spell
save
DC17): theelderbrainaremorethan1mileapart.Theelderbraincan
formpsychic linkswithuptotencreaturesatatime.
Atwill:detectthoughts,
levitate Eee

CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

Atte:
~
 ee NO
ae
rn>
Closed Gateway.The fadingrunes show thatthe
alcove
is morethana mereindentation
in thewall.
A characterexaminingthe runeswho succeedson a
DC 12Intelligence
(Arcanaor Investigation)
check
_~ realizesthatthe alcovewas veryrecentlyan active
magicalgatewayto the Far Realm.A characterex-
aminingtheruneswhosucceeds
ona DC 13Intelli-
gence(Religion)checkrealizesthatthe runes spell
outprayers
toIlvaashthatwill openthegateway
intoIlvaash’srealm.
Planning Wall, This flatsectionof theeastwall
is wherethe fanaticsworkedon their plans.It still
holdstheir mostrecentplans to openthe gateway
totheFar Realm.When thecharactersexaminethe
wall,readthefollowing:
Thisflatsectionofwallcontains
severalcramped
sketches andeldritchformulas.
Overlapping
annota-
tionsrender
these notesinscrutable,
butthedrawing
nexttothemisclearer. Thesketch shows thisroom's
rune-ringedalcove connected
tothreelarger runes.
Oneruneissurrounded bytentacles,
another by
jaggedlumps thatlooklikewarts,andanother bya
scribblethatlookslikeamaze.
Abovethesketches arescrawled
thewords,“Gowe
threebeyonda lightless
star.”
A characterwho succeedson a DC 11Intelligence
(Arcana)checkrealizesthat the alcoveis a gateway
bolsteredbyrunesthe fanaticsplacedwithin three
nearbyrifts. These runes sendFar Realm energy
to thegateway,givingit thepower neededto open.
However,thegatewayis currentlyshut.
If thecharactershavebeeninto anyof the Far
Reamrifts (seethenextsection),theyeasily deter-
minethatbringing gnawbles(see“Gnawbles”in the
“Far Realm Rift Features”section)from the three
rifts to thegatewaywould reopenit.
Opening the Gateway.The gatewayreopens
whenmagicalresiduefrom all threerift runes is
broughtwithin 20 feetof it. This residuetakesthe
form of strange,furry budsdanglingfrom each
rift’s rune.The fanaticsdidn’tpredictthis residue,
so theydon'trealizethatotherscan followthem
throughthe rift.
The charactersmustcollectthree gnawbles,one
fromeachrift,andbringthemhere.A gnawble
broughtinto this room becomesvisiblyexcitedand
leanstowardthealcove.The actionsof thegnaw-
bles indicatetheir connectionwith thealcoveto the
characters,evenif thecharactershaven'tinterpreted
the planningwall.
Oncethecharacters bringa gnawblefromeach
riftwithin20feetoftheclosedgateway,reador
paraphrasethe following:
ae
160 CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY
ee
Thechattering straintowardthearc!) yon
creatures
thebackwall.Withasoundliketearingcanva:
archway a riftlargerthananyothers
splitsinto ‘ve
seeninIllithinoch. tur
it liegrayish-pink
Beyond cls
similartothefoldsof atitanicbrain.The round «:«a-
croonindelightandexplodeinto
turessimultaneously
messyglobsofflesh.
The gateway remainsopenfor sevendays.After that
time,it closesagain,andthecharactersmust gather
newgnawblestoreopenthegateway.
Missing Prisoners. As soonas the characters
openthe gatewayin the ritual room, they are men-
tally assaultedwith a psychic image of the fanat-
ics draggingthe remaining Phandalin prisoners
throughthe portal and into the Far Realm. While
they’rebeingdragged,the prisoners shout phrases
such as the onesin area X9. The characters can eas-
ily deducethatthe prisoners were taken through the
gatewaybeforeit closed.
FAR REALM RIFTS
Large, stable gateways into the Far Realm are diffi-
cult to createand evenmore difficult to sustain. The
mind flayerfanaticsopenedsuch a gateway in tlicir
ritualchamber(areaX16),buttheycouldn’tsustain
it. To keeptheir ritual chamber gateway stable, the
fanaticsopenedrifts to three smaller Far Realm
pockets,inscribinga bolsteringrune within eac!:
rifttoaugment theirritualgate.Together,these
runes strengthenedthe gateway,allowing the fa-
naticstopassthroughwiththeirpiecesof the Neth-
ereseobelisks,as well as their victims kidnapped
from Phandalin.
The ritual room gatewayclosed only a few hours
afterthefanaticspassedthroughit. The three Far
Realm rifts remainopen.In each rift, energy has
concentratedaroundthe rune in the form of buds
of flesh,hair,and bluntteethcalled gnawbles (see
“Gnawbles”in the “Far Realm Rift Features” sec
tion).The runes are too fadedto be effective, but the
gnawbles formed from the runes’ residue can repli-
catetheir bolsteringeffectand open the gateway.
The charactersmightexplore the rifts and pluck
the gnawbles out of curiosity, but they learn in the
ritualchamber
(areaX16)thatgatheringgnawbles
is necessary.
FAR REALM EXPOSURE
The Far Realm is toxicto most mortals. Characters
who entera Far Realm rift must succeed on a DC
12Constitutionsavingthrow or have the poisoned
conditionfor 1 hour.A character makes this save
the first timetheyentereach rift only; after that,
 TRENCHES
Pc.FEEDER a
44
+ Ey

Mae 7.3: Feeoer TRENCHES

regardless of whethertheirsavingthrowsucceeds directions based on where the players enter

or fails, their bodies acclimatetothatparticularre-
gion of the Far Realm.
FAR REALM RIFTS FEATURES
The following featuresare commonin eachofthe
three Far Realm rifts.
STRANGE STONE
The terrain of the Far Realmrifts appearstobe
moist stone. If damaged, the stone seeps a strange
gray ichor, like viscous blood. Damage to the stone
reverses over the course of an hour.
ILLUMINATION
A strange, green-and-silverilluminationsuffuses
the Far Realm rifts. It emanates from no particular
source and is sufficientto seeclearlythroughout
the rifts.
CEILINGS
Passages and chambersin theFar Realmriftsare
18 feet high.
CARDINAL DIRECTIONS
Like the rest of the Far Realm,theseriftshave
no cardinal directions. Compassrosesappearon
the map for your convenience,with thecardinal
eachrift.
Opp SENSATIONS
The Far Realmrifts impartstrangepsychichal-
lucinationson mortalminds.Theseimpulsesare
slightlydifferentin eachrift:
Perpetual Hunger.Visitorsto theFeederTrenches
are perpetually hungry, no matter how much
they'verecentlyeaten.
Shifting Skin. Visitorsto SpawnHollow feeltheir
skin slowlyshiftingovertheirmuscles.
WatchfulEyes. Visitorsto theLabyrinthof Eyes
constantlyfeelas thoughthey'rebeingwatched.
GNAWBLES
The rifts connecttodifferentpartsof theFar Realm,
but they all have one thing in common: somewhere
in eachrift,thefanatics’magicalbolsteringrune
hasfadedandbuddedintoa palm-sizedorbwith
a widemouthfilledwith bluntteeth.The bud
lookslike a fuzzyfruit andanimatesas a creature
calleda gnawbleif plucked.Gnawblesarebarely
sentientandoftengnawon anythingtheycan get
theirmouthsaround,eventhoughtheycan’tswal-
lowanything.

CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

—_—-
SC ee
 Arunegrowsa newgnawbleonedayafterits Naruvcan eathere but ar:
fromFeedkeeper
gnawble is plucked,creatingan endlesssupplyof allowedin areaF3 or F4. The grells consici
them,althoughthecharacters needonlyonefrom non-grells
tobespecialmorselsand immedi... |,
eachrift. attack
them.
| Thecharacters aren'tlikelytogetintocombatwith Thesludgehereis bitterbut nutritious,bui
t agnawblebut,if necessary,it hasthestatisticsof character
whoconsumesmorethan a mouth!
aweaselwitha speedof0 feet.It doesn’tneedto mustsucceedona DC 12Constitutionsaving| !irow
breathe,
drink,eat,orsleep. orhavethepoisoned
condition
for 10minute:
Gnawblesaresimilartopetsthatalternate be- Thecirclein theceilingis a 3-footwide aperture
tweenaggression andaffection.
A gnawblethat’s thatgrellsusetotraverseotherparts of the Fa:
pickedchewsor nuzzlesthecreaturethatholdsit Realm.Theapertureirisesopenwhen touchedby
untilit’sputdownagain. a livinggrell’stentacle.
The Far Realm lands on the
FEEDER TRENCHES LOCATIONS othersideare beyondthe scope of this adventure.

Grellsthroughout
theFar Realmcometothe F3: PRIVATE EATERY
FeederTrenchesforthestrangeanddelicious(to
them)
fluid
preparedbyagrell named
Feedkeeper Awaterfall
ofviscous
purplesludge
dribbles
from
a doing eee ne ae r anopening
highabove
thefloor.
Thesweet-smelling
grellssup. g i sludge
fillsabasinthatfeedsintoatroughthatruns
Cautiousofriskingthewrathofanunknown thelengthofthisroom. Twoenormous creatureswith
numberofgrellsdeprivedoftheirgastronomic danglingtentacles
slurpthesludgefromthetrough.
satisfaction,
themindflayerfanaticstradedsome

change
ora
wepaoe
erm
Golteancune When
he
characters
arrwgels
o are
fee
ing fromthetrough.One grell is the host of the
ihe charactersGailaccesstheheeter ieetenee FeederTrenches,FeedkeeperNaruv. Naruv speaks
fromareaX4 in Illithinoch.
: Thefollowinglocations Soneen
enragedatves yocaeea
theinterruptionof rae aoe ee meal, but
their private
arekeyedto map 7.3. nonemoreso than Naruv.
Fl: SLUDGE GROOVES Thepassageway
toareaF4 is 12feetabovethe
floorandonly 5 feethigh. Grells can navigate the
high passageeasily,butit might pose a challenge
Twogrooves
rundownthecenterofthiscavernbefore for thecharacters.
disappearinginto separatetunnels.Palepurplesludge The sludge here is bitter but nutritious, but any
flowsslowly
through
thegrooves
fromtwopassages character
whoconsumes
morethana mouthful
therift.A bitter
opposite sugar
likescorched
smell mustsucceed Constitutionsavingthrow
onaDC 12
fils thereon or havethepoisonedcondition for 10 minutes.
Treasure. A small chesttucked in the bottom o!
thebasincontainsspecial paymentsNaruv has re
Thesludgeis flavorless,
nonnutritive
runofffromthe ceivedovertheyears.Mostof theseare odd,worth-
troughs
intheadjacent
rooms.
Itsmellsterrible
but lessitemslikebrain-shaped
rocksor bottlesof
isn’tharmfultoeat.It drainsthroughtinyventsin rancidperfumes,
butthechestalsocontains
a silver
thefloor,dribblingintootherpartsoftheFarRealm. tiaraworth1,200gpanda quickenedmind crysta!
(seeappendixB).
F2: COMMONEATERY
F4: FooD SOURCE
F Threelongtroughsfilledwithburblingpurplesludge
; fillfroma poolatthebottomof a steeppassage.A Threeshallowpoolsinthisroomcontainburbling
fromtheviscousflu-
delicious,sweetsmellemanates fluid.Thecorpse floatsface-down
ofa spikycreature
id.Threeenormous,beaked withdangling
creatures ineachpool.Channels away
draining fromthepools
Adarkcircleinthe
feedfromthetroughs.
tentacles purplesludge.A ball
arefilledwithasweet-smelling,
skin.
likescarred
iswrinkled
ceiling thesizeandshape hangs
ofacoconut afaint
from
runedrawninanalcove.

When thecharactersarrive,threegrells are feeding

fromthetroughs.Grellswithoutspecialinvitation

} ~

» 162 7| RIFTSIN REALITY

CHAPTER on~ ~%
: a .
s I aEi hete eisdA _<span 3 nein

j # Z
iar OES
i oa
Map 7.4: Spawn HoLtiow
Naruv’s recent feast derives from three nothics
floating in the pools. Naruv’sstrangepreservative
methodsslowly drain thenothicstoaddtastetothe
flowing sludge.
The purple fluid is tastelessandharmless.It’s
merelya base substancewhichNaruvflavorswith
creatures dumped into thevats.The purplesludge
flowing from the vatsis her latestculinaryoffering.
Two nothics are dead,butthethirdnothic is still
alive.This nothic, a pettyandspitefulcreature
named Bashudu, is in no condition to fight.Bashudu
speaks Deep Speech as well as Undercommon
and has telepathyto 120feet.Bashuducommuni-
catesonly if its headis liftedfromthepoolor if the
creature is rolled over. Bashudu can explain how
the three mind flayerfanaticswhotookoverthe
stronghold traded it and theothernothicsto Naruv
to scribe their bolsteringrunehere.Bashuduis irate
at the betrayalbut has lost toomuchof itsvitales-
sence to Naruv’s ritual. Bashududiesa fewminutes
after meeting the characters.
If the charactersdisturb anyof thenothicsor
touch the sludge,the grellsin theFeederTrenches
immediatelynotice thechangein taste.Anygrells
remaining in area F3 comehereto investigate. The
grells in area F2 wait a fewminutesforNaruvto
explain the flavorchange.Whenshedoesn't,they
© a Bee an gl LS. ea
3),
cautiouslyexplore the feeder troughs clockwise (to
areaF1,thenF3, thenF4),lookingfordanger.
BolsteringRune. The runein thealcoveis too
fadedfor characters to determine its original shape.
The fuzzy orb hanging from the rune is palm sized
and bears a mouth with sharp teeth.If plucked, it
animatesasa gnawbleas describedin the“Gnaw-
bles”section earlier in this chapter.
SPAWNHOLLOWLOCATIONS
Many slaadi reproduce by implanting Humanoid
hostswitheggsthattransformintoslaadtadpoles.
In the weird dimension of the Far Realm, however,
biologytakes strange turns. Slaad explorers re-
a placewheretadpolescangrow
centlydiscovered
cham-
ontheirown,albeitslowly.The quasi-organic
bers of this region emerge from a whirlpool and
disappearinto a nearbyvortex. This motion is inex-
orablebut takes several weeks; it was a while before
theslaadievennoticedit.Althoughthewalls,floor,
andceilingslooklike toughskin,theyareas dense
asstoneandrotquicklyif slicedoff.
Theslaadicall thismysteriousareaSpawnHol-
lowandguardit fiercely.Theyknowabouttherift
and worry that the mind flayers of Illithinoch might
trytoexpelthem.Theydon’trealizethatthemind
CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY
au
~
i ~ ae BS eee se ae
re
flayerfanaticsplacedtheirbolsteringrunebefore Thischamberis whereChalaag,the gray : i
theslaadiarrived
anddon'tcareaboutreturning. explorerwhodiscoveredSpawn Hollow, si:
The characterscan access Spawn Hollow from ip
themigratingfleshby trackingits warts. (|
areaXSin Illithinoch.The followinglocationsare is a ganglyslaadthatspeaksCommon anic! p
‘ tomap7.4,
keyed Speechin additionto Slaad, and can cast ¢ of
wardingonceper dayin addition to its othe: Ils.
Sl: ENTRY CAVERN
Unlessthecharacterstriggeredtheg/yp/i
wardingin areaS1,Chalaagis engrossed 11)
Thewalls,floor,andceilingofthischamberaresoft workandhasdisadvantage on its initiative « k.
butrough,
likewarty
skin.Twopassages
leadfromthe Onceit’sawareof intruders,however,the sla. is
right,onetoyourrightandtheotheron thefarside quick to attack.It does its best to kill all but o
ofthechamber.
Echoes
ofsquelching character
soit canexperimentwith implanting both
andsplashing
issue
fromthepassage slaadtadpolesandwartyfleshinto the survivor to
onyourright.
replicatethis region’sstrange effect. Chalaag ex-
plains its plan in grisly detail while it fights.
Becauseof the motionof the fleshysurfaces,ev- Into the Vortex.The vortexis about4 feetacross
erythingin this room is slowly pulling awayfrom and appearsto consist of warty flesh slowly falling
areaS2 and towardarea S3. This movementis into its center.Any objector creature entering the
so
gradual
thatthecharacters
don'tnoticeit without vortexis lostwithin the Far Realm for 2d6 hours
spending
atleast1hourhere,or bysucceeding
ona beforereappearingin the whirlpool in area S2. A
DC 15Intelligence(Investigation)or Wisdom creatureor objectsubjectedto this fate doesn’t expe-
(Per-
ception)
check. riencethe passageof time until it reappears.
Both passagesare protected.The slaad overseer,
Chalaag,
casta glyphof wardingspell(saveDC 12) S4: RUNE ALCOVE
of theexplosiverunes variety in each passage.The
explosiverunes deal thunder damage.If the glyph Thisalcoveiscompletely
freeof warts.A palm-sized
activates,Chalaagcasts invisibility on itself and fuzzysphere
grows
from
a faintrunemarkedon the
investigates.
fleshywall.
S2: CRYSTAL PIT
The fleshin this alcoveis the only part of Spawn
Thefloorofthisfunnel-shaped
chamberis covered Hollow thatdoesn’tmove,as it’s caught in an eddy
withwarts. in thefleshflow.
Awhirlpoolattheroom'slowestpoint
Bolstering Rune. The rune in the alcove is too
swirls
aroundacrusted
ridgeofwartyflesh.A bipedal, fadedfor thecharactersto determine its origina!
gray-scaled,
reptiliancreature
loomsoverthepool. shape.The fuzzyorb hanging from the rune is
palmsizedand bearsa mouth with sharp teeth. |!
Twelveslaad tadpoles cavortin the pit, climbing in plucked,it animatesas a gnawble as described in
andoutof thewhirlpool. A single red slaad care- the “Gnawbles”sectionearlier in this chapter.
fullywatchesover them,giving them a whack when
LABYRINTH OF EYES LOCATIONS
theynip at eachother.The slaadi are eagerto attack
intrudersto getsome fresh meat. The Labyrinthof Eyes has been the lair of the be
The whirlpool is about 5 feetacross and 5 feet holderGolcuusfor decades.Recently, the fanatics
warped the once-proud Golcuus into a miserable
deep,with verysalty water.The whirlpool is the ori-
creaturecalledan oculorb (seeappendix A). With
gin of thewarty flesh that movesthroughoutSpawn
Golcuuslessdangerous,the fanatics secured access
Hollow and ultimatelydisappears into the fleshvor-
to themaze’sfarthestchamberand inscribed their
texin area S3.
bolsteringrune.
S3: FLESH VORTEX CHAMBER The characterscan accessthe Labyrinth of Eyes
fromareaX10 in Illithinoch. The following locations
are keyedto map7.5.
Chalklinesconnectthewartsalongthewallsof this
room.The chalkand warts becomedensertowarda
vortexneartheceilingin analcove.

164 CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

af Aa
~ i
 >LABYRINTH:
'*~
a
OFEYES.”
A
ky e

=5Feet
Square

Map 7.5: LABYRINTH OF Eves

Ll: GAZING CHAMBER Golcuus inadvertentlypeered into the Briny Pool,

Themoiststonewallsofthis roomarecoveredwith
hundreds and
twitch
of staringeyesthat Two
blink.
corridorsleadfromthisroominoppositedirections.
When anyone moves toward one of the passages
leadingfrom this room,theeyesall shifttostareat
thatcreature accusinglyfor a moment.This effect
is unnerving but harmless. An eyecloses and disap-
pears if it takesanydamage.
L2: VIEWS OF MADNESS
Tenstonerodsprotrude fromthebackwallofthis
dead-endroom.Oneendsatacupthesize ofan eye-
ball,whiletheothersallhavejaggedends.Thestone
floorbeneath a
therodsisstained pinkcolor.
sickly
Golcuus built this magical observationsystem
to glimpse other regionsof theFar Realm.The
beholderwould gazeinto teneyepieces toseeran-
dom regions of the Far Realm.Severaly earsago,
the grotesquefluid that birthed Ilvaash from Ilsen-
sine’sdiscarded cerebral fluid. The momentary
glimpse lodged a subtle psychic sliver in Golcuus's
mind.Awareof thedangermomentstoolate,Golc-
uus withdrew its gaze, smashed nearly all the view-
ing rods (everyrod exceptthe one to the Briny Pool),
and fled this room.
Yet the damage was done. Golcuus became in-
creasingly reclusiveand obsessive. The mind flayer
fanaticssensed this psychic weakness when they
soughttonegotiate with Golcuusaboutusingits lab-
yrinth.Insteadof diplomacy,theysimplyblastedthe
beholder’ssanity and transformed it into a misera-
ble,obsessiveshellof its formerself.
The Eyepiece. A detectmagic spell or similar
of divinationmagicon the
magicrevealsanaura
unbrokeneyepiece.A character who looks into the
eyepiecesees the entirety of the miles-deep Briny
Pool(seechapter8).The mind-shatteringly expan-
siveviewof thepoolthatbirthedIlvaashis danger-
ous.Thevieweris targetedbya feeblemindspell
(saveDC 18).Regardlessof theresultof this saving
throw, the viewer realizes that a tiny, dark hole at
the pool’sbottomis a powerful gate to a deeper

CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY 165

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 ;
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=5Feet
1Square Tollllithinoch FE aaa
Map 7.6: LABYRINTH OF Eves (ALTERNATE CONFIGURATION)

place in the Far Realm. The charactercan also orb to connectarea L4 to area L5. Once in area L5,
more easily navigatethe Briny Pool, as describedin thecharactersmust then return the orb to its initial
chapter8, althougha creatureaffectedwith thefee- positionto connectarea L5 to the chambers north
blemind spell must havethe spell removedfirst. of the orb. Map 7.6shows the alternate configura
A dispel magic spell (DC 18)cast on the eyepiece tion of the Labyrinth of Eyes once the characters
causes the eyepieceto becomeinactivefor 24 hours. rotateit to connectareas L4 and L5.
Breaking off the eyepiecerequires onlya firm blow, The characterscan exit by reversing the
which destroysits magic for good. procedure.

L3: THE ROLLING EYE L4: DEAD THIEF

Thecenterportionofthislabyrinth
isanenormous Thisdeadendcontainsa witheredcorpsedressed
stoneorbperforated
withcircular
tunnels. in leather
armorsodriedoutthatit’scrackedand
peelinginstrips.
The orb rotatesin the “socket”of thedungeonwhen
pushed or pulled from outside the orb (theorb can’t This corpsewas a daring githyanki thief who was
be movedby anyone inside it).The orb is veryheavy, killedbyGolcuus’sdeathray.The corpsehas been
but it movessmoothly and silentlydue to slime in herefor years.
the socket. The orb has fivelarge,circular holes Trapped Corpse. Necrotic energy has built up
on its surface. Each hole is 8 feetacross and sur- within thecorpse to dangerous levels. A successful
rounded by a reddish-purplering, like an iris around DC 15Wisdom(Perception)checkrevealsthatthe
a pupil. The holes lead to tunnels inside the orb. corpse’slimbs aren’tas withered as its head and
Traversingthe Rolling Eye. ReachingareasL6 torso.A character
whosucceedson a DC 13Intelli-
andL7 withoutleavingsomeonebehindtospinthe gence(Investigation)check recognizes the danger
orb takessomeplanning.The firststepis toreach ous buildupof necroticenergythat can be released
area L4; from there, the charactersmust spin the

166 CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY

a aioe i
Na ges, , woe
_ as Peer evra SN - 1 _ a9

bycarefully manipulatingthestripsof leatherariyos
covering the corpse’s chest. Doing so requiresa
successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)oy
Intelligence (Religion) check; on a failed check,the
trap triggers. If thecorpseis touched,
eachcreature
within 15 feetof the corpsemustmakea DC 15
Constitutionsavingthrow,taking22(5d8)necrotic
damageona failed save,or halfas muchdamage on
a successful one.A successfuldispelmagic(DC15)
cast on the corpse also causestheenergytodissi
pate,rendering thecorpsesafetotouch.
Treasure. The thief’sbeltcontainsfourexquisite
ornamentalcrystal daggers,eachworth600gp.
L5: BROKEN GLASS
glass
Thisdeadendcontainsa largeheapofbroken
thatsparklesin avariety
ofcolors.
Golcuus keptan art galleryof glasscreationshere,
but Golcuus smashedthemina rageafteritstrans-
formationinto an oculorb.
L6: RUNE CHAMBER
Theceilingofthisdead-end passageslopesdown-
ward.At itsend,theceilingisonlyfourfeethigh.An
odd,furryballthesizeandshape ofa coconut dangles
fromafaintruneontheceiling.
visible whenthe characters enter due to the area's
dividing walls.
Golcuuslostits toweringego,andthe lossdrives
it toSpontaneous actsof violence.Golcuusattacks
any creature it sees other than mind flayers, and it
fightstothedeath.To mindflayers,Golcuusis obse-
quiousandbegstoberestoredtoits formerstate.
Treasure.Someof Golcuus’sart andtoolsre-
main. Characters who search the debris in the al-
covesdiscovera setofjeweler’stools,threerubies
carvedtolooklikeeyeballsworth300 gpeach,and
a statuetteof a beholderwith emeralds at the ends
oftheeyestalksanda hugediamondfora central
is worth5,500gp.
eye.The statuette
WHAT'S NEXT? Cr)
This chapterconcludeswiththecharactersopening
thegateway totheFar Realm.They cannowpur-
suethefanatics“beyonda lightlessstar,”intothe
bizarreheartof a godlet’srealm.There,they'llface
off with the fanatics and finally have an opportunity
tostoptheritualand rescuethe townsfolkfrom
Phandalin.
The characters might want to return to Phandalin
or presson throughthegatein areaX16.In either
case, their adventures continue in chapter 8.

The fanatics put their rune here, in an out-of-the-way

passagethat Golcuus can’teasilyreach.
Bolstering Rune. The runein thealcoveis too
faded for the characters to determineits original
shape.The fuzzy orb hangingfromtheruneis palm
itan-
sized and bears a mouthwith teeth.If plucked,
imatesas a gnawbleas describedin the“Gnawbles”
section earlier in this chapter.
If the charactershaven'tyetdealtwithGolcuusin
area L7, it floats from its lair to interceptthemwhen
theypluck the gnawble.

L7: GoLcuus’s LAIR

Thislargechamberisdividedbythinstonewalls.
Smashedtables andtoolsfill threeshallowalcoves.

Golcuus, a beholder transformed into an oculorb

of
(see appendix A), is here, wallowing in themisery
its transformation. The monster is not immediately

Sees
le
0

CHAPTER 7 | RIFTS IN REALITY 167

 e2

CT at-1 as aw
RV CS RT airs TRIFLEDWITH,
be SATYOO asl baa 71 8dar TOT
oe
 HE MINDFLAYERFANATICS
HAVEFLEDFROM
i the subterranean strongholdof Illithinochto
the Far Realm. There, the fanaticscommune
directly with their wicked deity,Ilvaash,as
Hu-
theybegina sinisterritualthatwill transform
manoidsin and aroundPhandalinintomindflayers.
In the heart of Ilvaash’s hidden domain,thefanatics
usethe Nethereseobelisk’sancientmagictobring
their ritual to completion. No one but thecharacters
can stop their vile plan!
RUNNING THIS CHAPTER
The fanatics have already begun their lengthy
ritual. They believe themselvessafelyensconced
in Ilvaash’s domain, called the Briny Maze.At the
heart of the Briny Maze, Ilvaash lurks in a vast,
empty pocket of psychic quasi-realitycalledthe End-
less Void. The characters must navigatethe Briny
Maze—overcoming its dangersand negotiatingwith
potential allies—before reaching the EndlessVoid
and confronting the fanatics as well as a psychicre-
fraction of Ilvaash.
IN THE FAR REALM
Most of this adventure takes placein the Far Realm,
which is inimical to mortals. Any creatureother
than a Far Realm denizen that finishesa longrestin
the Far Realm must make a DC 15Wisdomsaving
throw. Ona failed save,the creaturegains 1 levelof
exhaustion.
CHARACTER ADVANCEMENT
The characters should be 10thlevelwhenthechap-
ter begins. Advancement is handledas follows:
« The characters gain a levelafterreachingtheen-
tranceto the EndlessVoid.
+The characters gain alevel oncetheyvanquishall
threemind flayerfanatics.
DOOM COMES TO
PHANDALIN
Although the characters are likely to headstraight
totheFarRealm
throughIllithinoch’sgateway
once they open it, they might insteadreturnto
Phandalinto rest,resupply,visit friends,or gain
moreinformation.
THROUGHTHE TUNNELS _
As thecharacterstravelbetweenIIlithinoch and
Phandalin,theycan clear out any dangerousareas
theymissedin the“Journey throughthe Deep”
sectionin chapter7. Continueto roll on the Tunnel
Encounterstablein thatchapter,as the routeis
nevertruly safe.However,since thecharactershave
alreadyfacedseveralthreats,roll every2 hours of
travelratherthaneveryhour.
TRANSFORMATIONS
CREEPING
Phandalin has changedsince the characters’last
visit.The mind flayerfanaticsof the godletIlvaash
havebeguntheir ritual, and the open rifts to the Far
Realmdirectly beneaththe town haveaccelerated
thetownsfolk’stransformation.The four residents
who begantransformingat the start of the last
chapter—SisterGaraele,Ander, Halia Thornton,
and Wheel-of-Fortune—haveundergoneextreme
changes.They're lockedin their homesto protect
themselvesand others.Regular, cautiousvisits
from theirfriends keepthesefour peopletenuously
grounded,so therehaven'tbeen any further violent
incidents.
Other residentsshow signs of transformation
as well. Some peoplehavean unsettling tendency
to babblein Deep Speech about“thecoming as-
cendance”when their minds wander.Others have
sproutedeyesin strangeplacesor experienced
otheraberrantchanges.
The town’sbuildings seemoddly askew,as though
theironce-solidconstruction were deteriorating.
This effectis due to a warping in space,so the build-
ingsaren'tactuallyat risk of collapse.
Trees,bushes,and other natural elements
throughouttown cast shadowsthat undulate,partic-
ularly in moonlight.When viewed closely,the shad-
ows appearnormal.
During this chapter,specific townspeoplethe
characters
mightconsultandlocationstheymight
visitexperiencethe following changes:
Gwyn. The changesGwyn Oresong experiences
terrifyher.A double-irised
eyehasopenedonher
CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR
 =“

ae
BOTSIC

a
aye -l7 Ye TARGETING
PHANDALINIS ALMOSTCOMPLETE,
ANDry ee
CU SS hadi ret te
a, ee

—_— <a nied “4%

neck, and she’sreluctantto be aroundanyone

other than her sisterand thecharacters.She has
little advicefor thecharactersotherthan toend
the threatas soon as possible.
Rivibiddel. The svirfneblindespairs thatthetexthe
went through so muchacquire,He of theHidden
Gemstone,contains passagesthatglorifyconfu-
sion and chaos.The passagesaren'tthere,but
Rivibiddel keepsmisreadingthetextas such.
Stonehill Inn. The Stonehills closedtheir inn, wor-
ried that guestsmight causean incidentin their
establishment.
Townspeople. Other townspeoplecan be affected
as you see fit. They should be awareof theirslow
transformationsand beseechthecharactersto
end the sourceof their aberrantchanges.
THE BRINY MAZE
Ilvaash’s domain in the Far Realm is a confusing
tangle of disturbingly organic tunnelsand cham-
bers. Those trapped within it mightneverrealize
the overall shape is reminiscentof a titanic brain.
The Briny Maze includesan accumulation of
cerebralfluidlodgedin themaze’sforebrain.The
charactersmustswim throughthefluidtoreachthe
Endless Void.
INTRUDERSIN THE MAZE
Overtheyears,manyfoesof Ilvaash have reached
the Briny Maze to strike at Ilvaash, assault the
DissonantPsyche’sminions, or steal knowledge o1
treasures.
The Briny Maze protectsIlvaash by inexorably
pulling defeatedintruders into its spongy walls.
Ilvaash’sworshipersdon’tsuffer this fate,but hun
dreds—perhapsthousands—ofcreatures have be«
absorbedby theBriny Maze since its creation. Not
evenIlvaashknows how muchof the maze is origi
nal materialand how much is the transformed bod
iesof formertrespassers.
BRINY MAZE FEATURES
The followingfeaturesare common throughout th«
Briny Maze.
SPONGYCONSTRUCTION
The structureof the Briny Maze is pinkish gray,
wrinkled, and slightlysquishy.The material is as
toughas stoneand self-healing,recovering all dam
agedealttoitaftera fewseconds.Magiccan’taffect
themaze’sconstruction.

170 CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR

UNPLEASANTLY MOIST
Everything in the Briny Maze hasa thinsheenof
moisture that smells slightly spoiled.This is leak
age from the meninges thatsurroundsthelriny
Maze’s exterior.
JLLUMINATION
The Briny Maze is suffusedwith an ceric,violet
light that emanates from no particular source. Light
is bright throughout the maze.
CEILINGS
The folds of spongy materialmeetandmerge16
theBrinyMaze.
feetabovethefloorthroughout
MINDGATES
The Briny Maze has threedoubledoors,called
mindgates.Mindgatesaremadeofthesameresil-
ient material as the rest of the Briny Mazeandcan
be opened only with a chargedeliveredfromthe
pairs of activation rods. An openmindgatecanbe
pushed shut again, althoughit closeson itsown
after 1 hour, harmlessly pushingasideanything
in the way.
Activation Rods. Certain locationsin theBriny
Maze have a pair of activationrods protrudingfrom
the area’swalls. Each of theserodscarriesa small
magical charge. (The activationrodsareshown
on map 8.1.)
Depending on how far aparttheactivationrodsin
an area are, one or more characters might need to
make a living chain betweentherods.Everyonein a
living chain must makea DC 15Constitutionsaving
throw (with disadvantageif thecreatureis wearing
armor made of metal),taking 22(4d10)lightning
damage ona failed save,or half as muchdamage
on a successful one. The linked rodsthencausethe
mindgateto open. The ActivationRodstablelists
which rods open each mindgate.
ACTIVATION Rops
Area Opens
B7 areasB13andB14
between
Rearmindgate,
B17 Central mindgate,betweenareasB14andB19
B21 Forward mindgate,betweenareasB18andB22
B22_—All threemindgates
CARDINAL DIRECTIONS
Like the rest of the Far Realm,theBrinyMazehas
no cardinal directions. A compassroseappears
on the map for your conveniencetohelpyouorient
characters as they navigatethelocation.
LOBE |} EFITS
The following benefits apply to any creature that has
an Intelligence of 3 or greater. Affected creatures
intuitivelyunderstandthebenefitsas soon as they
enter an ared:
Occipital Lobe. Areas B1-B5 enhance awareness.
Creatures here have advantageon Wisdom (Per-
ception)checks.
TemporalLobe. Areas 86 and B10enhanceaudi-
toryeffects,as describedin thoseareas.
Parietal Lobe. Areas B7-B9 and B11—B13 enhance
spatialpositioning.Creaturesherecan'thavethe
proneconditionunlesstheychooseto,
Frontal Lobe. Areas B14—B22enhancespatial
awarenessandmakecreatureseagerto help
others.Creaturesin theseareascan Helpasa
bonusaction.
The gatewayfromIIlithinoch depositsthe charac-
tersattherearmostpartof theBriny Maze,in area
B1.The followinglocationsare keyedto map8.1.
Bl: MAZE ENTRY
Wrinkled, tunnelsleadfromtheriftto the
pinkish-gray
organicpassages.
leftandrightinswooping,
Characterswho examinethearea and succeedon a
DC 15Wisdom(Perception)checkspotfaintmarks
on thegroundthat indicateseveralcreatureswere
recentlyherebutexitedto the left.More recently,
a trio of creaturesexitedto theright;theseare the
githyankiscoutsnow inhabitingarea B7.
Returning to Illithinoch. The characterscan
returnto Illithinochthroughthe gatewayfor seven
days.After that,thegatewaybecomesunstable.
A charactercanattemptto reopenthegatewayby
touchingit andsucceedingon a DC 18Intelligence
(Arcana) check. On a failed check, no creature
canattemptthis checkto reopenthe gateway
for 24 hours.
B2: PASSAGE OF DEATH
Fourduergar
corpses
arestrewnaboutthiscurved
passage.
Six duergarexplorers—twomagesand four war-
riors—cametotheBriny Maze a few monthsago.
The magesweredisciplesof Ilvaashwho plannedto
sacrificetheirwarriors to Ilvaash.Violence ensued,
and the duergar killed each other. The corpses are
inesaiii
CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR I
 . 4 s 5S ,
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HORROR AWAITS AROUND EVERY CORNER IN THE Briny wd

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_ we =

thoseof theduergarwarriors.The two magesnow thathunts in this area and lairs in area B12. Tw
lurk in area B3 as psionic ashenwights. psionic ashenwights (seeappendix A) stumbled
Characterswho investigatethecorpsesdetermine hereafter thebetrayalin the adjacent passage (arca
the duergardied fromweaponwoundsa fewmonths B2) andjoined forceswith the spiders for mutua
ago.They all havepostmortemheadwounds;theen- protection.The chamber'swebbing heavily ob-
cephalon cluster that lairs in area B12 occasionally scuresthe ashenwights.
comesby to gnawon thecorpses’brains. Unless thecharactersmovequickly through t!
Treasure. One corpsestill wearsa bloodstained area, the phase spiders alert the ashenwights, w
capeof enlargement(seeappendixB). move to attack. The phase spiders aid the ashen
wightsbypicking off characterswho hang back. !he
B3: WEBBED CHAMBER
phasespidersfightto the death, but if one ashen
wightis killed, theother fleesor surrenders.
Twoenormousspidersscuttleabout,whiletwoshad- An interrogatedashenwight fumes about IIvaash's
owyfiguresstareatthebackwall.Thiswidespaceis betrayalbutquietsalmost immediately,certain that
filledwithdiaphanous thegodletcan seeeverythingthat occurs in the
webstrands.Thewebbing is
Briny Maze. The ashenwightwon't help the chara:
thickeronthefarsideoftheroom,awayfromthetwo
ters,evenif the charactersinsist that Ilvaash is their
widepassages leadingaway. commonenemy.
Spectral Webs. The diaphanous webs are too
Two phase spiders live hereand are responsible flimsyto impedemovement,but they lightly obscure
for the flimsy webbing.The spiderscan’tusetheir most
of theroomandheavilyobscurethe 20 feetof
EtherealJaunt ability in the Briny Maze and scuttle theroom closestto the rear wall.
from known dangerslike theencephaloncluster

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR

Wort 2 “t
Asie
 FY
ttt tt

1 Square=5Feet

Map 8.1: Briny Maze

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR 173

 et Ng
heLy
B4: WALL OF Huprris
Fivehumancorpses
slumpagainst
thischamber's
wide,
rounded
wall.Theymerge
seamlessly
withthe
wrinkled,graywallsandfloor as thoughmeltedinto
them,Onlytheiruppertorsosandheadsremain
free,
andeachlifeless
faceisfrozenina scream.
As soonas any creaturedisturbs or stepscloseto
thecorpses,a flamingskull erupts fromeach corpse
head.The fiveflameskulls pursue foeswho fleeand
fightuntildestroyed.
Thesecorpsesare the remainsof wizards who
invaded
theBrinyMazea fewmonthsagoto steal
Ilvaash’ssecrets.A wanderingencephaloncluster
(seearea B12)shruggedoff the wizards’ spells. The
injuredwizards retreatedhereto rest,but the maze
entrappedthem.All fivedied while being absorbed.
B5: TUMOR GARDEN
Several
fleshylumpsinthefloorriselikestalagmites
toheights
oftwoorthree
feet.A ballofviscera
two
feetacrossis pinnedtoawide,flatwallwitha large
sword.A puddleofslimehasleakeddownthewall
andontothefloorbeneath theentrails.
The viscerahere is a deadintellectsnare(see
appendixA) thatonce lurkedin this area.(The
charactersmighthavefoughtan intellectsnarein
Talhunderethin chapter6.) The intellectsnare am-
bushedthe githyankileader,Varakkta,but Varakk-
ta’sluckystrike impaledthe intellectsnare on her
greatsword,pinningit to thewall. Varakktawas
blastedbackwardby thepsychiccombinationof the
intellectsnare’sdeathcries and the rupturedwall.
Though Varakktawas reluctantto leaveher valued
greatswordbehind,she electedfor discretionand
retreatedto rejoinher followers.
Greatsword. The greatswordis madeof a silvery
metalwith sharp serrationsandelaboratedesigns.
Anyoneexaminingthegreatswordwho succeeds
on a DC 14Intelligence(Arcanaor History)check
realizes thatit’soneof thelegendarysilverswords
of githyankimanufacture.The greatswordis lodged
into thewall butcan be pulledfreewith littleef-
fort. Doing so causestheimpaledintellectsnareto
drop to thegroundwith a splat.The holeleftbythe
greatswordclosesas theBriny Maze swiftly heals.
Varakkta is keento havehersword back,as de-
scribed in area B7.
Slime. A characterwho succeedson a DC 14
Wisdom (Perception)checkrealizes thatthegoo
8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR
174 CHAPTER
—_—-=
didn’tcomefromtheintellectsnarebut sec, rom
thewall beyondit. The first person to touch,| 00
receivesa psychicflash of the layout of the © tal
lobe(areasB1—B5)as seen from above.
B6: RIGHT TEMPORAL LOBE
Panpipes
playaneeriemelodyasyouapproach.|
inthewallnarrowintoa dimalcove.Shadowsshi!
rhythmically,
asif mimicking
a simpletune.
This temporallobeis a repository of musical myoim
ories. Here,musictakes the form of ephemera!
shapesthatechofor days.The virtuoso Shalfi
Lewin (seeareaB9) left this visual music here a
fewdaysago.The music and shifting shadows fade
aftera fewmorehours. The characters can’t phys-
icallyinteractwith the shadows, but a silence spell
or similareffectcausestheshadowsto immediately
wink out.They don’treturn, even if the silence ef-
fectends.
Danger of Making Music. The characters can
createtheirown musicalechoes here by playing
an instrumentor singing,but they risk a bad per-
formancetakingon malevolentlife. A character
who succeedson a DC 13Charisma (Performance)
checkcausesany existingshadows to wink out and
newshadowstoreplacethemand repeat the tune
for 2d4days.Ona failedcheck, the shadows solidify
andbecomemalevolent,taking the form of 1d4 +|
wraiths thatattackanyonetheycan catch. Thess
wraithsautomaticallyfail Dexterity (Stealth) checks
to hide,as theycontinuallyemit jarring music.
B7: GITHYANKI CAMP
Threebedrolls
arounda smallchestaretuckedinside
thisalcove.
Twometalrods,eachabouttwo feetlong,
protrudefromthewallattherearof thealcove.
A githyanki knight namedVarakkta lives here with
twogithyanki warriors named Kianka and Vazzi.
Varakktais usinga sparegreatsword rather than
hersilvergreatsword,so her attacks don’t count as
magical.She speaksCommon and Deep Speech in
additiontoGith.
All threegithyankiare on an extendedexpedi-
tionto huntmindflayers.A tenuoustrail of clues
broughtthemto theBriny Maze, and they charged
intothemazewithoutany real information about it.
The sitehas provenfar moredangerous than they
expected.Their entryfrom the Far Realm is now
closed,andtheydon’tknowwhy.The githyanki
makeshort,carefulexpeditionsfrom here in search
Five WIZARDS SOUGHT TO SIPHON POWER FROM THE REALM OF ILvaasn,

WHOM THEY ASSUMED WAS WEAK. THE WIZARDS WERE WRONG.

—~—S

of information that will allow themto leavewithim- ActivationRods. The tworodsin areaB7 carry an
pressivetrophies. electricchargeand,whentouchedsimultaneously,
The group suffereda setbackwhenVarakkta, open the door in area B14. (The githyanki know
exploringby herself, ran intotheintellectsnarein thatthechargedealsa painfuljolt, buttheydon’t
areaB5 and lost her silver greatsword.Thereare share this with the characters.)
few greater embarrassments in githyanki society Brain Monster. A hulking, brain-shaped crea-
than losing a prized silver greatsword,andshecan't tureroamstheareaon theothersideof the
return without it. The stayin theBrinyMazehas Briny Maze, just past some dead duergar and
madeVarakkta more paranoidandsuspiciousthan spiderwebs.
usual.She’s convinced thatotherintellectsnares MazeLayout.The githyankidescribethe layoutof
lurk in the same area (whichtheydon’t)or thatthe areasB1 throughB9.Theydon’tknow aboutthe
slime that gushed from thewall shepiercedis dan- creaturescurrentlylairing in area B3.
gerous(it’s not). Mind Flayer Fanatics.The githyankioverheard
The githyanki view thecharactersasenemies, themusicianin areaB9 mutteringabouta trio of
particularly if they’reobviouslycarryingVarakkta’s mindflayerswhorecentlytraveledthroughhere
silver greatsword. The warriors attack as Varakkta with several human prisoners.
commands.Although Varakktadoesn’tsurrenderor Musician.A strangemusicianlurks in area B9 and
flee,particularlyif she’sfightingtoregainhersilver sometimesmakes“musicthatremainsalive”in
greatsword,the warriors surrender if Varakktafalls. areaB6.(Thegithyankiknow thatthis personis
Talking to the Githyanki. If thecharacters digging a hole, but they don’t volunteer this infor-
surrender the sword and don'tpicka fight,these mationtothecharacters,as the githyankihope
githyanki share the following informationthey've theholewill ultimatelyprovidethemwith a means
learned.Alternatively,
thecharacters
mightlearn ofescape.)
warrior
a githyanki
thisinformationbyinterrogating
who surrenders after a fight:

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR “J on

 In exchangefor their information, the git};
=
~re
> wanttoknowthelocationof any mind flaye;
>
charactershaveencountered in the maze ai
= whetherthecharactersknowa way to escay)
Sl themaze.If thecharacters describe the gat«
iS
rs in area B1 that leads to a mind flayer strong},
‘Cy
Varakktadecidesto raid Illithinoch. Despit kk
# ta’ssuperficialfriendliness, she remains sus; US
i
: S\
of thecharactersand is convinced they plan |
\ \ betrayher.
| areSBS Activation Rods. This pair of rods opens |
~ KS rear mindgate(betweenareas B13 and B14), ;
_
S describedin the “Briny Maze Features” sectio
The rods are only 3 feetapart, so a single Sma
Ny
1s R

or largercreature can touch them both at the

sametime.
Treasure. The chest contains the valuables the
githyankihaveacquired in their long quest to reach
the Briny Maze. Apart from several teeth taken as
trophies,this treasure includes four emeralds worth
900 gp each,a platinum music box worth 1,500 gp
4
thatplays music inaudible to dwarves, and a box of
silver six-prongforks worth 1,800 gp in total.
a

B8: SHALFI’s GEAR

t
a
S
A filthybedrollanda smallcaskaretuckedintothe
as backcorner
ofthis alcove.

The musicianand zealot Shalfi Lewin used to sleep

hereuntil he becameobsessed with digging. H«
hasn'tbeenhere in days.
Treasure. The cask contains only weak ale, bi
goldstopperis worth 850 gp.

B9: SHALFI’Ss DIGGING SPOT

of this roomis ringedwith

A shallowpitinthecorner
flesh.A figurevigorously
likenecrotized
blackridges
digsinthepitwitha rustedspade.An enormouslum;
of teethandfleshhangsfromtheceilingabovehim.

The diggeris a disciple of Ilvaash named Shalfi

Lewin. Shalfi is chaotic evil and uses the stat block
of anaberrantzealot(seeappendixA) butalso
hasa +7bonusto Charisma(Performance)checks
Shalfi digs beneatha loyal flesh meld (see appenc'*
A) thathecalls Jitterjaws. Jitterjaws was a gift from
Ilvaashto Shalfi for his devotion. It is loyal to Shalli,
and Shalfi is immune to the creature’s aura.

GITHYANKIAREHOLEDUP IN THEBRINYMaze, a)

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COMBAT ITS 1S ae

a)
Ct at \ )a ve
 Shalfi is digginga holein thefloorwithhispusted
spade.He suspects there’sa chamberunderjeathy
this one, and he wants to “diga holeto findandkil!
the dragon.” His bizarre certaintyis, againsta!
appearances,entirely correct. The amethystdragon
Lowarnizel currently lairs in thechamberbelow
(area B17). By itself, Shalfi's diggingwouldbefutile
becauseof the maze’sregenerativecapabilities,
but every time he pries a little bit moreof thefloor
away,Jitterjawsgnawsattheholetoworkitjusta bit
larger. Given another dayor two of digging,Shalfi
will carve a hole into area B17.Shalfi andJitterjaws
are evenly matchedin a fightagainstLowarnizel,so
the winning side is likely whicheveronethecharac-
ters choose to help.
Shalfi isn’t initially hostile unlessthecharacters
interfere with his work, at which pointheattacks,
shouting “You're the dragonthatdoesn'tbelong!Get
‘em,Jitterjaws!”
Talking to Shalfi. Conversationswith Shalfitend
to be one-sided and hard tofollow. Jitterjaws looms
protectivelyabove Shalfi butdoesn’tattackunless
Shalfi is in danger.
Shalfi doesn’trememberhis past,howlonghe’s
been here, or the last time he slept.He answers
questionsabout Jitterjaws with, “Jitterjawsis as
loyal a friend as anyjumble of meatyou'llmeet.”
The only subjects upon which Shalfi talksformore
than a few momentsare the holehe’sdiggingto
“catchthat dragon when hewon'texpectit”andthe
music Shalfi likes to playon his panpipeswhenhis
arms get sore from digging.Everyfewdayshecre-
ates new music in the “spotwherethemusicwaits
for you evenwhen you'regone”(areaB6).
No conversation with Shalfi goeson for morethan
a few minutes. He protestsanyattemptstohelphim
dig or play his music with, “IgotJitterjaws,so I don't
needyou!” If the characterscontinuetoengagewith
him after he has rebuffedthemseveraltimes,Shalfi
becomes convinced the characters are “working
for the dragon to stop thedigging”and attacks.
Jitterjaws joins him in theattackandbothfightto
the death.
Treasure. Shalfi's ivorypipesareworth3,600gp.
B10: LEFT TEMPORALLOBE
Creatures in this area can magicallyunderstandall
signed or spoken communication.
A sphericalcreature
witheyestalks
hovers
attheback
ofthis alcove.
A large,
openbookrests
ona three-
foot-highlumpofsickly,
organic
material
thatrises
naturally
fromthefloor.
A spectatornamedJomlus readsfrom the book.
Jomlus is a slowand pedanticspeaker,butit’s
not ageressive unless someone attempts to
take its book.
A sagenamedKlaudelKamvenvisitedtheBriny
Mazelongago with an esoterictomecalled Truths
of theInwardFacing Mind. K\audel had dedicated
his life tounlockingthe tome’ssecretlore and be-
lieved it could be interpreted in this chamber. Alas,
themagicalnatureof this room doesn'tenhance
readingcomprehension.Undaunted,Klaudel sum-
monedJomlus to readthe tomealoud. If Jomlus
soundedoutthewords, Klaudel believedhe would
understandthem.
Whenthis,too,failed,KlaudelassumedthatJom-
lus wassimplymispronouncingthe text.He worked
withJomlus on subtleshifts in pronunciationfor
manyweeks,believinghis understandingto bejust
barelyout of reach.
Klaudeleventuallydied and was absorbedinto the
wallsof the Briny Maze.Jomlus carries on Klaudel’s
work,readingand rereadingthe textthe spectator
doesn’tunderstandand repeatingits words with a
slightlydifferentpronunciationeachtime. Klaudel’s
obsessionhas becomeJomlus’s own.
Talking withJomlus. Jomlus is initially indifferent
towardthecharacters.Jomlus hasn'teverleft this
chamberanddoesn’tknow anythingaboutthe Briny
Mazeexceptthatan encephaloncluster(seeappen-
dix A) sometimesprowls the corridors nearby.The
encephalonclusterleavesJomlus alone,which the
spectatorascribesto theencephalonclustermistak-
ingJomlus for a beholder.
If the characters are interested in helping Jomlus
with its task, the spectator believes it is close to
properlypronouncingan entire page.Jomlus needs
activelistenersto correctits speech.The words are
gratingandtickleat the backof listeners’minds.
Characterswho stayherewithJomlus for 24 hours
whilethespectatorrereadsthe pagehearJomlus hit
on thecorrectpronunciation,giving themthe follow-
ingblessing.This blessingadheresto the rules for
blessingspresentedin theDungeon Master's Guide:
Blessing
oftheSolipsisticMind.Youaccessesoterictruthsfrom
anancienttomebyfocusingdeeplyon yourownthoughts.You
cantakeanactionto focusyourinnermind.Thisfocuslastsfor
1hour.Whileyourinnermindis focused,youcan’ttakereac-
tions.Fortheduration,
whenyoumakeanIntelligence
check,
Wisdomcheck,Intelligence
savingthrow,or Wisdomsaving
throw,youcanrolla d8andaddthenumberrolledto theability
checkorsavingthrow.Youregaintheabilityto focusyourinner
mindwhenyoufinisha longrest.
Treasure.Jomlus keeps Klaudel’s belongingsin a
tidypile.They includea pair of well-madespectacles
worth 100 gp, two spell scrolls of comprehend
8uages,anda spell scroll of tongues.
lan-
§@
CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS
STAR
pees ye whe ~~ —tie

Jomlus doesn'tpart with Truthsof theInward Fac-
ing Mind willingly,but characterswho obtainit can
sell it for 2,000gp.A charactercan makea DC 16
Charisma (Persuasion)checkto convinceJomlus to
handover Klaudel'sother possessions.
Bll: HIDDENCHAMBER
The entranceto this alcoveis difficultto find.Char-
acterswho havea passiveWisdom (Perception)
scoreof 14score or higher find a slit in thewall
thatpeelsopenwhen touched,creatingan opening.
Characterswho succeedon a DC 14Intelligence(In-
vestigation)or Wisdom (Perception)checkalso find
the opening.If the charactersheardaboutinhabi-
tantsof this alcovefrom Ashripask in areaB21,they
haveadvantageon checks to find its entrance.
Bubblesfloatin theairofthischamber,
emittedby
tothewall.A narrowripin
organicnodulesattached
likeawound
thefarwallgapes a terrifying
andreveals
ofwarped
kaleidoscope terrain.
A cloisterof sevenflumphs liveshere.The flumphs
came to the Briny Maze to fightIlvaash eventhough
I 78 CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR
Ch a ataritc okt
= \
theyaren'tindividuallyvery powerful. They
friendly toward anyone who opposes IIvaas!
The flumphsare in high spirits despite 1a) in
sucha dangerousarea.They were delighted| find
theycan’thavethe prone condition here, as np
proneis particularlydangerous and humilia
for flumphs.
The flumphsare telepathicallydiscussing \ |),
todo aboutthe encephaloncluster lairing in |
adjacentchamber(area B12). One of the flu iis.
namedWise Borblish, believes the encepha\
clusteris too powerful for the flumphs to defea:
She hopessomeoneelse—perhaps the characters
mighteliminatethis problem for them.
Wall Rip. Theflumphscreatedthe rip in the wal!
to enterthe Briny Maze. It’s barely large enough for
a flumphto squeezethrough. The flumphs maintain
therip in case theyneed to escape quickly. The rip
leadsinto the Far Realm, and ever since Ilvaash
closedarea B1, it’sthe only way to reach the Far
Realm from the Briny Maze. If you choose, curious
charactersmight find locations from the previous
chapternearby.
Bubbles. The flumphs installed the organic de-
vicesthat generatethe bubbles. The bubbles pop
whentheytoucha creature, imparting a pleasant,
numbingsensation.The flumphs find the feeling
comforting.The bubblesthat pop against the rip in
thesideof the Briny Maze keep Ilvaash from realiz-
ing therip is there.
Enlisting the Flumphs. If the characters defeat
theencephaloncluster lurking in area B12 and re-
port to theflumphs,the flumphs are overjoyed that
theycan spreadout and wreak havoc on other evil
Far Realmscreaturesthroughout the Briny Maze. If
thecharacterswish, 1d4flumphs accompany each
characterwho succeedson a DC 13 Charisma (?er-
suasion)check,to a maximum of all seven flumphs.
The flumphsaren'tfanatical. They flee the charac-
tersif givenobviouslysuicidal orders or if a battle
turns againstthem.
B12: ENCEPHALON LAIR
Slimecoatsthewallsandfloorof this nook.An enor-
mousCreature
shapedlikea brainsits in a puddleof
goowhilefourfleshy
nuggets
bouncenearby.
The encephalon cluster that hunts this region of
the Briny Maze usually dozes here with four en-
cephalon gemmules (seeappendix A for both stat
blocks).The encephaloncluster occasionally leaves
this nook,while the gemmules are always here,
wallowingin their progenitor’swarm slime. They're
hostile to any characters they see.
eT ae
 , =
leavethisarea
Active Hunter. If thecharacters
and return without defeating the encephaloncluster,
the creature might be huntinganywherenearby.
The encephalon cluster doesn’t bother the spectator
in areaB10or Mublineshin areaB14(assuming
the
mindgateis opened).If thosecreaturesaren'tpres-
ent, however, the encephalon cluster might wander
evenfarther within the Briny Maze.
B13: PAST FEEDING
Shredsof fleshandbrokenbonesarescattered
aroundthis room.An enormousdoubledoormade
of thesamespongymaterialastherestofthemaze
standsfirmlyshutatoneside.Thedoorlackshandles
or hinges.
A group of human cultists who cametopayhomage
to Ilvaash didn’t escapethehungryencephalon
cluster from area B12, which killedthemwhilethey
were determining how to getthroughthedoor.The
encephaloncluster returns occasionallytognawon
the bones.
Rear Mindgate. The doubledoorcanbeopened
only by connecting the magicallychargedrodsin
areas B7 or B22. An openmindgatecanbepushed
shut again, although it closeson itsownafter1
hour, harmlessly pushingasideanythingin theway.
Bl4: PROSPECTIVE LAIR
This irregularly
shapedchamberisverylarge.
Two
setsof hugedoubledoorsleadinthesamedirection,
butthedoorslackhandlesorhinges. A scalysphere
withanenormouscentereye,waving eyestalks,
anda
toothymawfloatsvigilantly
throughthearea.
A beholder named Mublineshappointeditself
as Ilvaash’s guardian and floatsthroughoutthis
area, alert for intruders.Ilvaashwas impressedby
Mublinesh’s dedicationandpromisedthatoncethe
beholder destroyedone hundredintruders,Ilvaash
would permit Mublinesh to considerthisareaits
lair (and thus gain the benefitsof a beholderlairde-
scribed in the Monster Manual).Mublineshhasal-
ready slain 96 intruders and has started remodeling
the area by removingsomeof thewalls.It doesn't
attack mind flayersor anyoneaccompanying a mind
flayer,but the beholderconsidersanyoneelsefair
game to reach its assignedtally.
Mublineshgusheswithgratitude
asitfightsthe
characters, explaining howexcitedit is tofinally
earnIlvaash’sapprovaland
alair ofitsown.The
beholder is unwilling to die for its goal, though, so
Mublineshretreatstoarea B15to hide if reducedto
fewerthan50 hit points.
Rear and Center Mindgates. The rear mindgate
can be opened by connecting the magically charged
pair of rodsin areasB7 or B22, The othermindgate
canbeopenedonlybyconnectingthepair of rods in
areas B17 or B22.
If Mublineshseeseitherof themindgatesopen,it
waitsfor a minuteto seeif any mind flayerscome
through.If not,thebeholderpushesthedoors
closedwith its telekineticray,mumblingabouthow
Ilvaashwould'vetoldit if guestswere expected.
B15: MENTAL TENSION
Tattered hangsfromtheceilingtoconceal
canvas a
whine,
areatwentyfeetacross.A high-pitched
central
a plucked
asfrom wire,e fromwithin.
choes
Oneof Ilvaash’smind flayerfollowersconsideredit-
selfan artist.It occupiedits timecreatingelaborate
anddangerouswire sculptures.The beholderMub-
lineshfoundtheart distasteful,so he disintegrated
themindflayerartist.This areahasn’tseen much
use since.
Dissonant Whine. While the high-pitchedwhine
persists,creaturesin this room otherthan mind
flayersmakeIntelligenceand Wisdom checkswith
disadvantage.
Wire. The canvascoversthe artist’slast project:
a vastandcomplexwebof tautwires inspiredby
mathematicalequations.The wires vibrateand
whineundertheotherworldlystrain.
If anyof thewires are touched,onesnapswith a
discordantnoise.Each creaturein this room must
makea DC 18Wisdom savingthrow,taking 27
(5d10)psychicdamageand 27 (5d10)thunderdam-
ageonafailed save,or half as muchdamageon a
successfulone.
A successfulDC 16Intelligence(Investigation)or
Wisdom(Perception)checkrevealsthedangerof
touchingthewires. A characterusing thieves’tools
cancutthewire safelywith a successfulDC 16Dex-
teritycheck.On a failedcheck,the traptriggers.
B16:JUNK ROOM
Furniture
andothersuppliesarestacked
haphazardly
in thisarea.The pileincludesa spikeddivan,a table
withasinglecentralleg,andaclockwork
machine
Ar.
withthegears
fusedtogether.
Atoppled
worktable
at
thebackoftheroomisallbutobscured
bytheclutter.
59
M
CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR
 oe pT ee a.
ys)
Ilvaashthriveson frustrationanddismay.Twoof
Ilvaash’szealotsliving in area B18 collect mundane
itemswith defects.They storethe itemshere and
haveamassedan impressivecollection.The
zealots
addnewitemswhen theygo on missions for Ilvaash
outsidetheBriny Maze. They haveforgottenmostof
what'shere.Ilvaash’sother adherents,such as the
beholderMublinesh,considerthe collectionto be
nothingotherthanjunk.
Hole. Characters
whoexaminethetoppledwork-
tableseea holein the floor behindit. The table
hidestheholewell;onlycreatures
whoventuredeep
intothe roomcan see it. The holeis 6 feetacross.
A ropetiedtooneof theworktablelegsdescends
intothehole.
B17: DRAGON’s DEN
The ropeloopedaroundthe worktablein thejunk
room(areaB16)descends20 feetto this room’s
floor.The rope is tiedwith severalknots to make
climbingeasy.
Thisvaulted
chamberiscoatedwithslickmucus and
smellsofrancid
grease.Theonlyexitisaholeinthe
ceiling.
Twometal rodsjutfromthewall.
Two individualsseekingto weakenIIvaash hide in
this securechamber.Lowarnizel is a youngam-
ethystdragon(Seethe accompanyingstatblock),
andhis companionis a lawful neutralhuman mage
namedGossa. Both hatethe Far Realm and any-
thingtaintedbyit.An errantspell scroll ofplane
shift depositedthesetwo friends in the Briny Maze,
andtheyfelt luckyto find an isolatedplace beneath
an old storageroom, despitethe unpleasantsmell.
They'vebeenmaking occasionalraids into other
partsoftheBrinyMazefordays.They’vebeencare-
ful toremainhidden,and noneof the otherdenizens
knowthey’rehereexceptShalfi andJitterjaws.
If thecharactersaren’thostile and don’tappear
to beallied with Ilvaashor corruptedbythe Far
Realm,Lowarnizel and Gossa are cautiouslywel-
coming.Lowarnizel does mostof the talking and is
clearlyin charge.The two demandto know whether
anycharactersexhibitingFar Realm corruption
arealliedwith Ilvaash,and if the charactersdon't
explainthemselves,the two attack,believingthe
charactersto be duplicitousfollowersof Ilvaash.
The dragonand magestopattacking,though,if the
charactersexplainthemselves.
Talking to Lowarnizel and Gossa. Lowarnizel
and Gossa can sharethe followinginformation:
Activation Rods. The two rods here create an elec-
tric circuit thatactivatessomethingin the Briny
CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR
a 43
Oi
i pte i -
rer” _"
Lowarnizel believe
Mazewhenconnected. O
bea doorway;Gossa worries that it’s an ala
EndlessVoid.The BrinyMaze is only half o!|
domainin theFar Realm.The other |iilf is
vaash’s
called the Endless Void, and it’s said to be “\)> yond
a lightlessstar.”NeitherLowarnizel nor Goss.
knows what thatmeans,but they hope to fing out.
Few Mind Flayers. There are surprisingly few
mindflayersin theBriny Maze,althoughthei« are
plentyof otheraberrantmonsters.
Ilvaash Adherents. Two partially transformed ad
herentsof Ilvaasharejust northof thejunk room
above.They'rethe ones who occasionally pile
morejunk there.Lowarnizel and Gossa are care-
ful to not alert this pair to their presence.
Mind FlayerFanatics.Three mind flayerscame
throughthemaze recently,along with Human-
oid prisoners—somewherebetween five and a
dozen,Lowarnizel believes.They traveled farther
into themaze.
Welcome Guests. The characters are welcome to
stayhereand restwheneverthey'd like.
If thecharactersare on good terms with the pair
and ask for aid, Lowarnizel agrees as long as the
charactersagreeto remain careful and quiet and to
followLowarnizel’sauthority.The amethyst dragon
is painfullyovercautious,sometimes waiting for
daysbetweenforaysfrom this room, only to confirm
thatnearbyemptyrooms are still empty.
Shalfi’s Digging. If the aberrant zealot Shalfi in
areaB9 continueshis work, he breaks through the
chamberceilingaftera couple of days, which sur
prises Lowarnizel and Gossa.
If thecharactersalert Lowarnizel to Shalfi’s dig-
ging,thedragonseekstheir advice on whether to
ambushthezealothere in a couple of days or to
attackthezealotwhile he works. The dragon and
Gossa prefertheformercourse of action, but the
characterscan convincethe pair to accompany
themthroughtheBriny Maze to attack the zealot
while he’sdigging.
Activation Rods. These two rods open the rear
mindgate(betweenareas B14 and B19) when con
nected,as describedin the Briny Maze Features
section.The rods are 6 feetapart, so a single Smal!
or largercreaturecan touchthem both at the
sametime.
B18: THE COLLECTORS’ NOOK
Thisarea'snookcontains
a pairof simplecots and
asmallchest.
A large
double
doorissetinthewall
opposite
thenook.
(lesa Dea ey
case ines
a ee ee a r
 -LOWARNIZEL
Neutral
LargeDragon(YoungGem),

Armor Class 18 (naturalarmor)

Hit Points168(16d10+80) hie 4

swim40ft.
40ft.,fly80ft. (hover),
speed

STR DEX CON INT wis cya

21 (+5) 12 (+1) 21 (+5) ~=—-18
(+4) 15 (+2) 19(+4)

SavingThrows Dex +5,Con +9,Wis +6,Cha+8

+5
+8,Stealth
SkillsArcana+12,Perception+10,Persuasion
force,psychic
Resistances
Damage
ConditionImmunitiesfrightened, prone
Sensesblindsight30ft., darkvision120ft.,
passive Perception 20
120ft.
Common,Draconic,telepathy
_ Languages
XP)
9(5,000
Challenge +4
Bonus
Proficiency

Amphibious. Lowarnizel can breathebothairandwater.

ACTIONS
| Multiattack. Lowarnizel makesone Biteattackandtwo
Claw attacks.

Bite. Melee WeaponAttack: +9to hit, reach10ft.,onetarget.

_ Hit:16(2d10+5) piercingdamageplus4 (1d8)forcedamage.
_ Claw.MeleeWeaponAttack:+9to hit,reach5ft.,onetarget.
Hit:9 (1d8+5) slashingdamage.
5-6). Lowarnizel
SingularityBreath(Recharge ashin-
creates
LOWARNIZTEL
force,thenreleases
ingbeadofgravitational ina
theenergy
30-footcone.Eachcreatureinthatareamustmake a DC17
takes36
Strengthsavingthrow.Ona failedsave,acreature
anditsspeed
(8d8)forcedamage, of
0 untilthestart
becomes Nouashuand Groushim recentlyreturned from an
_ the dragon’s next turn. Ona successfulsave,a creaturetakes
assassinationmissionon the Material Plane. On the
half as muchdamageonly.
wayhome,theyacquireda new devicefor their col-
_ Spellcasting castsoneofthefollowing
(Psionics).Lowarnizel lectionof defectivethings in area B16: an oval wheel
_ spells,requiringno spellcomponents as
andusingIntelligence
thatrotatesirregularly.They are tinkering with it
thespellcastingability(spellsaveDC16):
beforetossingit into storagewith the rest.
fromeviland
1/dayeach:dispelmagic,haste,protection The zealotswatchfor the mindgateto open in
good,sending
casethey'reneededby Ilvaash or one of the godlet’s
Bonus ACTION favored
minions,likethemindflayerfanatics.If they
intoany
transforms
ChangeShape.Lowarnizelmagically spotanyoneunexpected,theyattack.
| creaturethat is Medium or Small,whileretaininghisgame The chestcontainssomeclothesand severalde-
endsif
statistics(otherthanhissize).Thistransformation fectivetoolslike bluntawls, a hammerwith its head
| thedragonis reducedto0 hitpointsorusesabonusaction attachedto its handleby links of chain, and rulers
| toendit. with incorrectmarkings.
ene Forward Mindgate. The doubledoor to area B22
Two aberrant zealots (seeappendixA) arein this lackshandlesor hinges.This door can be opened
room.Their namesare NouashuandGroushim. themagicallychargedrodsin
onlybyconnecting
Both haveengagedin profaneexperiments that areasB21 or B22.An open mindgatecan be pushed
havetinted their skin violetandgiven them squirm- shutagain,althoughitclosesonitsownafter1
ing facetentacles.They havethe o
statistics faber- hour,harmlesslypushingasideanythingin theway.
rantzealotswith the followingadditional action:
B19: LorREHALLS
magically
5-6).Thezealot
MindBlast(Recharge psychic
emits
energyin a 60-footcone.Eachcreatureinthatareamustsuc-
ceedon a DC s
15Intelligence throw
aving ortake22(408+4) Darkichorandthree arespread
corpses
mindflayer ‘JBAA

psychic andhavethestunned
damage for1minute.
condition aroundthisarea.Dozensof crystalssetintothewalls
sws
endof eachofits
A targetcan repeatthe savingthrowatthe gleamwithinnerlights.
turns,endingthe stunnedconditiononitself onasuccess.

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR

 g 4, 6 .

This areais a psychiclibrary, like theone in IIlithi- Talking with Ashripask. Ashripask’s pu)
noch,butwithtwodifferences.
First,thecrystal abandonedher.She tells the heroes the folloy
repositories
aresetintothewallsandcan'tbe
Exploratory Mission. Ashripask has been « ny
removed or moved.Second,theycontainonly
theBrinyMaze.Ashripaskhireda nycalot|,
mind-shatteringlore thatmortalsaren't meantto
cenarynamedNellik and some mezzoloth soo jcrs
know.Any creatureotherthana mind flayerwho
to protecther as she searches the Far Reali)
touches
a crystalandattempts
toreceiveitspsychic
forbiddenknowledge.
sceneis targetedbya feeblemindspell (saveDC 18).
Just a shorttimeago, A~ |
MissingBodyguards.
DeadMind Flayers.Thethreemindflayer
paskawoketo find Nellik and her soldiers py
corpsesherewereoncethelibrarians,butthemez-
Ashripask would like Nellik slain as an exan
zolothslairing nearbykilled them.The messlooks
to the soldiersso theyserve Ashripask more {ith
likethemindflayersallkilledoneanotherin a grue-
fully in the future.Ashripask describes Nellik
somefight,buta characterwho succeedson a DC
appearanceas thatofa muscular gargoyle.
14Intelligence(Investigation)checkrealizesthat
Rod Experimentations. Ashripask's experiment
thebodieswerestagedto look this way;mostwere
with the rods has expandedher ability to sens«
killedwith tridentsanda greataxe,but theseweap-
creaturesin the Briny Maze. (You might use this
ons are no longerpresent.
as an opportunity to share information about den-
B20: THE SCAR izensof the Briny Maze the characters haven'tyet
encountered.)

Thewallin thisalcoveis knottedlikescartissue.
The mezzolothswho fledfrom their boss,the ar-
canalothAshripask(seearea B21),cut through
a softspotin this wall to reachthe Briny Pool
(areaB22)andescaped.The substanceof thewall
hassincehealed,and it’snow too toughto cut
throughagain.
| Activation Rods. This pair of rods opens the
forward mindgate(betweenareas B18 and B22)
when connected,as described in the Briny Maze
Featuressection.The rods are 20 feet apart, so
four Small or larger creatures must make a chain to
touchthemboth.Ashripask refuses to be part of a
chainto do so.
Treasure. Ashripask’s folding desk contains a
mindblastingcap (seeappendix B).

B21:ASHRIPASK’SALCOVE B22: BRINY POOL

Twotapered metalrodsprotrudefromeithersideof of thisroomis takenupbyanenormouspoo!

Most
twentyfeetapartfromeachother.A fold-
thisalcove, roughlysixtyfeetacross.Theliquidin thepool is
withsoftfursanda portablewriting
ingcotcovered murky,butdimgreenlightwellsupfromthe depths
woman
A jackal-headed
deskaredeeperinthealcove. Twotaperedrodsjutfromthewallnearthepool.
sitsatthedesk.
This is the Briny Pool, a 6-mile-deeppit filled wit)
An arcanaloth namedAshripask lives in this al- cerebralfluid. The charactersmust swim to the
cove.She also castsmind blank on herselfeachday. bottom of thepool to reachthe entrance to the End-
Ashripaskprefersto let peopleunderestimateher, less Void.The fluid in the pool is breathable for any
so she holdsup her handsin surrender,spluttering creaturethat breathesair or water,although it is
abouthowshe meansno dangerto anyone. unpleasantlythick in the lungs. The pool is dimly !it,
and strangeglobs of unidentifiableflesh float within
Ashripask is interestedin the two metalrods on
it. Some of theseglobs are the size ofa goldfish, but
eitherside of thealcove.She knows that their pri-
othersare thesize of an adult human.
mary functionis to opena gate,but she’slearned
Activation Rods. This pair of rods opens all three
thatthey’remore deeplyconnectedto the Briny
mindgateswhen connected,as described in the
Maze. When she overloadsthe chargeby casting
"Briny Maze Features"section. The rods are only
chain lightning into a rod, she can cast detect
inches apart, so any character can reach them bot h.
thoughtsthe following round to senseintelli-
experiments Into the Pool. When the characters venture into
genceswithin the Briny Maze. These
aren't in the thepool, reador paraphrasethe following:
haveproventhat her errant guards
Briny Maze.

STAR
182 CHAPTER 8 | BEYONDA LIGHTLESS
a 4 aL oseek |eh pe ee eRe SS
 AN AGGRESSIVE PURPLE WORM SWIMS
IN THE BrRiNy Poot, A MILES-DEEP PIT
FILLED WITH CEREBRAL FLUID.

bumpsinto a large lump that careens through the

with
Strangefluidpressesinonallsides.Contact murkyliquid,or thecharactergetsdisorientedby
Cloudsof
it connects you to a vast,alienpresence. passingthrough a cloud of obscuring blood.
this
of flesh floatthroughout
bloodandstrangelumps Thewormpreferstomakehit-and-runattacks,
fluid. They don’t seemharmful,butyousensethey lunging from the darkness to swallow a creature
that
predator
of anenormous
concealthemovements and swim away.It doesn’t stay in any fight for more
than 2 rounds before swimming off.
makesthis pool its home.Youcanneitherhearnor
orits
andyoudon’tknowitsshape
seethispredator, REACHING THE ENDLESS VOID
nature,butyousensethatit ishungry. Oncethecharactersdescend6 miles,theyreachthe
BrinyPool'sbottom.Readthefollowingaloud:

A purple worm with a swimmingspeedof 50

feet lives in the pool. The worm’s tremorsense Thepool’sbottomis coveredwiththickhairsthat
allows it to detectothercreaturesin thefluidif it likegrotesque
wave ofdarkness
A pinprick
seaweed.
swims nearby. rippleswitha silverysheenlikea lightlessstar.
If the characters are quickandcareful,theycan
avoidthepurpleworm’snotice.Eachmileofde-
scent, the charactersmustmakea DC 14Strength Anycharacterwhoexaminesthepinholerealizesit
(Athletics) check or a DC 14Dexterity(Stealth) is theexitthecharactersseek.Anyonewho touches
check. A character who saw the Briny Pool through this spot is physically transferred into the Endless
Golcuus’seyepiecein chapter7 makesthesechecks Voidwithatugging of themind.
feelingin theback
with advantage. If a character fails this check,the The purple worm doesn't understand the signifi-
purple worm detectsthemandswimsneartoat- canceoftheholeanddoesn’tuseit. If creaturesit’s
tack. To play up the uncanny nature of the pool,you fightingall vanish by touching the pinhole, the pur-
can describe howafailed checkmeansa character plewormswimsaway.

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR

Bact - Ean
$n leetESNR A AN io
oeattic ne enaeeMN Ey 2 irate bo
 i Be AA
THE ENDLESS VOID
domainis a vastemptiness
Theheartof Ilvaash’s
in which titanicnodulesdrift like strangeislands,
Otherthantheseslowlytumblingislands,the
EndlessVoid lackssolid groundor consistent
orientation.
ENDLESS VOID FEATURES
The followingfeaturesare commonthroughoutthe
EndlessVoidand are immediatelyknown to any
who arrive there.
AIR
The EndlessVoidis filledwith breathableair that
hasan unpleasantodor,like scorchedmetal.
CARDINALDIRECTIONS
LiketherestoftheFar Realm,theEndlessVoidhas
nocardinaldirections.
Compassrosesappearon
themapsforyour convenience,to helpyou orient
thecharactersas theynavigateeachlocation
MOVEMENT
Creatures
in theEndlessVoidcanmovebysimply
thinkingaboutthe directiontheywish to travel.
Creaturesgaina flyingspeedequalto theirwalking
speedwhilein theEndlessVoidandcanhover.Un-
attendeditemsin thevoidsimplyfloatin place.The
enormousnodulesfloatingin the Endless Void exert
theirown gravityto 100feet.Creaturescan still fly
within this gravitybubble,butunattendeditemsfall
to thegroundas normal in thenodule.
ILLUMINATION
Swirling, coloredlight suffusesthe entiretyof the
EndlessVoid.All areas the charactersvisit in the
voidare brightlylit.
VISIBILITY
The void'sswirling colors producea hazy effect
whencreatureslook into the distance.Visibility in
theEndless Void is limited to about500 feet.
INTELLECTSNARES
Hungry intellectsnares floatthrough the Endless
Void. Characterson one of the floatingnodules,
orwhoaretravelingfromonenoduletoanother
nearbyone, don’tdraw the attentionof thesecrea-
tures.Characterswhosimplyfloatfreelyin thevoid,
or who ventureinto the Endless Void without a par-
ticular destination,encounter1d6intellect snares
(seeappendixA) eachhour.
TRAVELING THE NODULES
Ilvaash ripped these massivefloatingnodules
from various Material Plane worlds, like un-
usual trophies.
STAR
184 CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS
- a
oy i isi
x <
specmmmenmene
weAL!
——
The nodulesin theEndless Void sometii: float
withina fewhundredfeetof eachother, but y
nevertouch.Theydon'thaveconsistent ori: iuion,
andthus“up”ononenodulemight be a dil, at di-
rectionon another.
Charactersarrivingfrom the Briny Poo! « rge
froma pinholeatopa nodulecalled the Crys\.\!
Dome,whichis describedbelow.
Wheneverthe characters arrive on a nodu|
roll twice on the Endless Void Nodules table to
randomlydeterminetwoothernodules that are
near enoughfor the characters to see and reach
by flying through the void. Reroll any result that
givesthecharacters’
currentnodule.If you rol! the
sameresult twice, only that single nodule is in view
at the time.
The nodulesdrift over the course of several hours.
Each time the characters take a long rest, reroll the
noduleswithin view. If the characters are waiting
fora specificnodulethey'vealreadyvisitedbut isn't
currentlyvisible,you can assume it comes into view
after 1d6days.
ENDLEssVoID NODULES
d8 NearbyNodule
CrystalDome
EmptyBridge
Mireof Doubt
TheNematode
OccludingMiasma
ToppledStatue
Wailing
Battlefield
WHY
fk
UN
oO
—
on Anima(rerollif thecharactershaven't
Ilvaash’s
already
visitedatleastfiveothernodules)
CRYSTAL DOME
This locationis presentedon map 8.2. The charac-
ters arrive on the platform at the bottom of the map,
throughthe pinhole shown.
A nodulealmosttwohundred feetwidefloatsinthe
void.A domeofblackenedcrystalsixtyfeetacross
growth.Fromwhere
bulgesfromitstoplikeabizarre
youemerge, youseea longwalkwaymadeof the same
fromanopeningin thedome.
crystalextending
Fiveshieldguardiansshapedlike mind flayers
normallyguard the walkway,but the Ilvaash fanat-
ics haverelocatedthe shield guardians inside the
domewheretheyguardfour imprisonedPhandalin
townspeople.The shield guardians lurk just inside
thedome,and theyattackany intruders who enter
it.Theshieldguardianseachstorea magicmissile
ee mn) a
 VRAD OO Rw
- wh : a , ’
RYSTAL
DOME
.
sf1 =5Feet
Map 8.2: Crvstar Dome
spell (castat 3rd level),which theycastwhenthe
spell could affect more than one character.
Pinhole. This pinhole is thepassagetoandfrom
the Briny Pool. A creaturetouchingit is transferred
to the bottom of the Briny Pool.
Imprisoned Townspeople. The fourprisoners
from Phandalin are commoners:a nervoushuman
farmer named Thawnia Browne and her moreeasy-
goingelf wife named Shansa;a gnomewainwright
namedWramble and his capybaramountnamedVi-
olet;and a newly engagedelf laborernamedUnmiel.
The prisoners are gluedto theinteriorof thedome,
2 feetabovethe floor,with a stickymucus.As an
action, a character can try to free a prisoner within
reach,doing so with a successfulDC 12Strength
(Athletics)check.
The prisoners are desperatetoreturntoPhan-
dalin. They can recounttheirharrowingjourney
through Illithinoch, the Briny Maze,andtheBriny
Pool, and theycan share thefollowingadditional
information:
Fanatical Captors. Three mindflayersbrought
nine people to this strangeisland.Therewere
more kidnapped townspeople,butsomewerelost
along their nightmarishjourneyfromPhandalin.
Thawnia holds out hope that these others escaped
to safety, but the other three townspeoplearen'tas
He
optimistic.All four are comfortedif the characters
saytheyrescuedsome of these lost townspeople.
HorriblePurpose.Aftera seriesof psychological
testsandtorments, themindflayersleftwith the
fiveothers.Shansaworriesthatthemind flayers
will returntovisita terriblefateuponher and
theothers,
Obelisk Chunks. The mind flayerscarried broken
chunks of dark rock as their most precious items.
Wramblecountedhowmanyobeliskfragments
themindflayerscarried(fromfourtoseven,based
successesin chapter6) andcan
onthecharacters’
tell themtheexactnumber.
OtherPrisoners.Thethreemindflayersandtheir
fiveprisoners flew to an island that had a big
fallenstatueon it.
encourage
RescuetheOthers.All thetownspeople
thecharactersto locatethe island with the big
statueand rescuethe others. The haggard towns-
braveryandarewilling
peopleshowexceptional
to wait for the charactershere if necessary.
EMPTY BRIDGE
on map8.3.
This locationis presented
thirtyfeetwide,flowsaround
A riverofdarkwater,
likearing.
nodule
thisfloating con-
A flatstonebridge
ofthe islandandhasa dilapidated
nectsthetwosides
toweratoneend.Flickering through
isvisible
firelight
thetower's
upper-floor
window.
Thedangeronthisnoduleisn’tin thetower,butin
thechurningriver,whichis 30 feetdeep.An abo-
lethlurksin thewateralongwitha waterelemen-
tal minion. Trapped in the Far Realm long ago, the
abolethsequestereditself in this river to study the
strangeenvironment.Both creatures are concealed
bythedark,churningwaterandmakeattacks
againstanyonewhogetsclose,particularlycrea-
turesaffectedbythemagicalsymbolon thebridge.
Bridge.A symbolspell(saveDC 19)is inscribed
in thecenterofthebridge.Anyonewhostepson the
bridgeand fails their savehas the blinded condition
in additiontothesymbol’shopelessnesseffect.The
abolethandthewaterelementalknowthesymbolis
thereandcan'tbeaffectedbyit. ee
—
Tower.The towerwas brieflythehomeof a
plane-travelingwizardwhocametostudytheEnd-
lessVoid.Thetowerhasthreefloorsanda door ~~
onthegroundfloor.Stairs connectthelevels,and
only the topmostlevel is furnished. A continual
flamespellin thewizard’sstudyon thetopfloorstill
burns.The wizard'sheadlesscorpsesits at his desk,
whichis coveredwithgore.A successfulDC 12
CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR 185
cline = | eX ys & oC 4ire
 owen “ay NagaLair. Thejournal'sauthordescribes ;
swamp-covered noduleinhabitedby skul|
EMPTY
BRIDGE
. nagaswho lure travelersto their doom wit) sub
terfugeand trickery.The nagas didn't antic \)ate
someoneof thewriter’s perspicacity.
Occluding Miasma. What the author refers (as
theOccludingMiasma doesn't appear to be «1
islandat all, but a cohesiveball of toxic fog. ||
there’sanythingatits hiddencenter,it must be
verysmall and thus of no consequence.
ToppledStatue.Oneof thefloatingislands is a
toppledstatuethatdepictsa mind flayerwith a
humanmouth.The statue’sconstruction was ob-
viouslyflawed,likelydueto an overlargechamber
built into thestatue’sapex, making it top-heavy.
Treasure. The wizard’s amulet of proof against
detectionand locationis still on his headless corpse.
(The amuletdoesn’tblock the psychic abilities of II-
vaashand themind flayers,such as Creature Sense
anddetectthoughts.)
Eclecticsouvenirsin the study
includea snowglobecontaininga miniature street
marketworth 1,500gp, a platinum figurine of a
basiliskworth 4,000 gp, and six gold wedding rings
worth 100gp each.
1Square=5Feet
MIRE OF DouBT
Map 8.3:Emery BrioGe This locationis presentedon map 8.4.

Intelligence
(Investigation)
or Wisdom(Medicine) Thisfloating
nodule
iscovered
withtreeswithsheets
checkrevealsthat the corpse'sskull explodeda few ofmosshanging
fromthebranches.A stonepierjuts
monthsago.
fromoneendnearawindingpath.A lightfogclingsto
The desk holds ajournal splatteredwith blood
thetrees,
making
whorlsandeddiesdespitethelack
and brains.The journal outlines thewizard’s plan
to surveythe Endless Void by first listing its observ- ofwind,
ablefloatingnodules.The toneof the writing is dis-
missiveand arrogant;in multiple places,the writer TwospiritnagasnamedValsyxandCharnyz lurk in
confidently
insiststhathis magicamuletmakeshim theswampon this small island. The sucking mire
utterlyimmune to Ilvaash’s detection. off thewinding pathis difficult terrain.
The journal contains the following notes: Mezzolothsfrom the Wailing Battlefield made an
CyclicalSystem.Eachfloatingislandin thevoid exploratoryattackon this nodule a short time ago.
has its own gravityand terrain. The writer posits butthenagasrepelledthe attack. Each naga quickly
comesto theaid of the other if more intruders ar-
thattheir erratic drifting might be part of a larger
rive.If thenagasare killed, they re-form 1d6 days
cycleor system.
later,potentiallyleadingto another encounter with
EasilyAvoidableTrap. Thejournal'sauthordidn’t
thecharacters.
buildthebridgeor thetower.The bridgebearsa
magicalward, but the writer is far too cleverto be M1: STONE PIER
takenin bya meremagicaltrapandhasn'tstudied
it in detail.
Godlet's Home. Ilvaash’sisland has a huge,shallow Thecrumbling
stone
ofthispierleadstoa narrow
Eeriemist
bowlsurroundedbyossifiedtentacles. pathalmost
swallowed
bytheovergrowth oftrees.A
surrounds this nodule,and strangeshapes appear four-armed
figure
resembling
aninsectile
scarecrow
within the mist. This locationseems to unnerve standsbeneath
thenearest
tree,unmoving.
the writer, as its descriptionscontain no mocking
observations.

186 CHAPTER 8 | BEYONDA LIGHTLESS STAR

—- .
 oe
Se
’
7
»
% .*
ATA a® |
ae , p* ad)
“Whatis NEW whenit is madeold, brings TROUBLE

””MIREOF |
4

a" when first seen by its MAKERS, yet will never

COME

closer than it is NOW?”

Valsyxemphasizesthewords “new troublemakers,

comenow”tosignal Charnyz.If thecharacterswant
theriddlerepeated,Valsyxrepeatsit at an even
highervolume.Valsyxdoesn'thaveany particularly
valuableinformationto impart;the offer is a lie to
buytimeuntil Charnyzarrives.If pressed,Valsyx
triesto passoff thepresenceof mezzolothson the
noduleas a significantclue.
If thecharactersattackbeforeValsyxcan relayhis
message,heshrieks for aid.
Regardlessof howValsyxshoutshis warning,
Charnyztakes 1 roundto understandthatthere's
a problembeforecastingdimensiondoor to arrive
in theconcealingunderbrushnear Valsyx’sclear-
ing.Charnyzthenattacksfrom hiding,and Valsyx
joins her.
The nagasfightto thedeath,confidentin their
rejuvenation.
Treasure. Valsyx'sprized possessionis a sodden
bookof riddleson thetable.The book is practically
2%. =5
371SquareFeet— ae illegibledueto moisturedamage,butan intactspell
caets 5 ae ay" . 0te
scrollof coneof cold is foldedbetweenits pages.
Mae 8.4: Mire oF Dousrt

M3: CHARNYZ’S DELL

The figure is a mezzoloth corpsethatthenagashol-
lowed out and propped up with sticksandits own
trident. They hope this warningof a failedattack Branches meetabovethismoistandmossy
nearly
will keep other mezzolothsaway. dell,creatinga dismalspace.Severalcarefullysculpt-
edshrubsringthedell.
M2: VALSYX’S CLEARING

The spirit naga Charnyz is here unless the charac-

Swamptreesarchoverthislowclearing, creating
tershavealreadyencounteredher elsewhere.She
anoppressivedomeof vegetationabovethesoggy
lovesillusionsthatmimic realityand spendstime
ground.A lowstonesitslikeanaltarortableatthe copyingthemire’sblightedflora and faunawith
clearing’sfarend. carefulprecision.She knows majorimagerather
thanwaterbreathing.Charnyzis at homein the
mireandisn’tslowedby its difficultterrain.
The spirit naga Valsyx lurks here,composingab-
Charnyz’sRuse. |f approachedin her lair, Char-
struse riddles unless the charactersencountered
nyzoffersan illusion-relatedchallenge.The char-
him elsewhere. He knows confusionratherthan
blight.Valsyx is at home in the mireandisn'tslowed
actersmustchooseoneamongthemtolookaway
whileCharnyzcreatesillusory copiesof a small wa-
by its difficult terrain.
tersnakethatslithersin her dell. The chosencon-
Valsyx’s Ruse. Valsyx tries to delayintruders
tendermustthenidentifythe actualsnakefrom all
long enough to warn Charnyz of trouble.He claims
thesnakeswithouttouchingthem.Charnyz offers
to abhor violence, and he offersvaluableinformation
tosharesomevaluableinformationif thecharacter
if the characters can solvea riddle.The riddlehe
chooses correctly; otherwise, all the characters
loudly expounds has no answer;it is simplya series
mustagreetoleaveCharnyz alone.
of words that contains a hiddencode.
To readythechallenge,Charnyzcastsmajor im-
agetoproducea flockof snakeswith bright,gleam-
ingscalesthesamecolor as the real watersnake's.

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR

a ee
——
.
eT " Mtg ars rd ——

; —
Thesesnakes havenoisy,rattlingtails. The noisy
illusionalertsValsyx to trouble.
If thecharactersattackratherthanparticipate
in theillusionchallenge,
Charnyzshoutsfor
Valsyx’s aid.
Regardless ofhowCharnyzgetsValsyx’satten-
tion,Valsyxtakes 1 round to understandthatthere’s
a problembeforecastingdimensiondoortoarrive
in theconcealingunderbrushnearCharnyz’sdell.
Valsyxthenattacksfromhiding,andCharnyz
joinshim.
As in areaM2,thenagasfighttothedeath,confi-
dentin their rejuvenation.
Treasure. Nine shrubs,eachadornedwith an
opalworth1,000gp,ringthedell.

THE NEMATODE NEMATODE

ji ©
The Nematodeis uniqueamongthe floatingnod-
ules;it is an animateif lethargiccreature,akin to
a brain parasiteon a massivescale,ratherthan an
inertnodule.It is mostlyinertnowandfunctionsas
terrain.It fully rousesonly everyfew decades.

Thisnoduleistube-shaped
witha massive
caveatone
end.Several
heaps
ofrust-colored
mossspeckle
its
slimysurface.
Map 8.5: THe NEMATODE

TheNematode’s
exterioris uninteresting
exceptfor
thecavein its side. theteeththatsucceedson this saving throw can
This locationis presented
onmap8.5. decidewhetherto be outside the Nematode or inside
its closedmouth.
N1: THE MOUTH Thereis nolightin thecaveonceit shutsunless
thecharactershavelight sources with them.
When the mouthcloses, two intellect snares (sce
nodule
atoneendofthefloating
Acave an
resembles
appendixA) emergefrom the throat and attack.
akintoa smalltentbutmade
A structure
openmaw. Swallowedby the Nematodeseveral days ago, they
ofthe cave.
intheback
ofboneorpalestonestands areeagertofeed.The intellectsnaresfocustheir
attackson differentcreatures when possible.
Escaping the Mouth. The Nematode doesn't
The tentis an aperturemadeof boneas dense as
openits mouth,and the characters can’t force it
solid rock. It protectsthe Nematode’sthroat. When
openfrom here.The stonyteethand tough flesh are
a creatureapproachesthis structure,read or para-
10feetthick at thethinnest point, so excavating an
phrasethefollowing:
entranceis all but impossible.Spells such as dis-
andpasswallcancreatean artificial exit,
integrate
agaping
toreveal
Thetentwallsopenlikeaflower butthe shouldquicklyrealizethat the
characters |
At
throatthatexpelstangledknotsof moisttentacles. mostobviouswayout is the 10-foot-widethroat from
fromall
liketeethemerge
thesametime,bluntstones whichtheintellectsnaresemerged.
sidesof the caveentrance,and its openingslamsshut N2: THROAT
closing.
likeamouth
throatis anorganicpassage10
Thegreatcreature's
and
whentheteethemerge
inthecavern
Anyone feetindiameter. thrums
pulse
Adistant the
through
must makea DC 20 Dexteritysav: causethewallsto ripple.
floor,andcontractions
the mouthshuts
ing throw.A creature is pushed5 feetcloser to the
throatona failed save.A creaturecaught between

|
8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR
CHAPTER

ii ig a icc aa _agilllggaiaaali idl

Qe Js -
The contractions ripple toward the Nematode'syyjis 10open.Otherwise,the membraneis destroyed
(areaN4) butaren'tpowerfulenoughtophysically to0 hitpoints,withtheconse-
whenreduced
move the characters in that direction. described previously.
quences
N3: MEMBRANE N4; THe Gurs
Eighty feet down the throat, passagesleadtotheJeft
andright,sloping upwardandcurvingbacktoward
Thepassage
through
thecreature
dropsoffsuddenly
eachother.Wheretheymeet,a toughmembrane
intoa lakeofchurning
acid,
holds back the Nematode’s rudimentaryliquidbrain
matter.Read or paraphrasethefollowingtode
scribethe membrane: Thethroatendsata digestionpool30feetin diame-
destroyedthe
terand20feetdeep.If thecharacters
acrossan
A thick,translucentmembranestretches membraneandcausedthe Nematodeto disgorge
acid,thepoolis only10feetdeep.Muscu-
digestive
openinginonewall,holdingbackfluid.Thefluidon
lar contractionkeepsotherexits from the digestion
themembrane’sothersidepresses itoutwardlikean
poolcloseduntil theNematoderouses from its
infected making
eardrum, themembrane thickerin inertState.
someplacesandthinnerinothers. Any creaturethatentersthe digestionpool for
thefirst timeon its turn or starts its turn there
takes33 (6d10)acid damage.Increase the dam-
The Nematode’smouthremainscloseduntilthe
ageto99 (18d10)acid damageif the creature is
pressure of it brain fluid is released.Once thefluid
fullyimmersedin thepool. A creaturereducedto
is released, the Nematode opens its mouthand
0 hit pointsfrom this acid damageis completely
doesn'tclose it againfor weeks.
dissolved.
Destroying the Membrane. The membranehas
AC 10;80 hit points;andimmunitytobludgeoning,
poison,and psychicdamage.Whenthemembrane
is reduced to O hit points, it tears openwitha violent
shudder.The Nematodereactswithregurgitation.
This forces its digestive juices upwardand intoits
mouth, which opens.
When the membrane is destroyed,eachcreature
inside the Nematode must make a DC 18Constitu-
tion saving throw as the acidic digestivejuices surge
throughout the Nematode, taking 66 (12d10)acid
damage ona failed save, or half as muchdamageon
a successful one. A creature reducedto 0 hit points
fromthis acid damageis completely dissolved.
Surgical Precision. Controllingthefluid’srelease
more carefully requires the following steps:
Dangerous Reaction. A characterwho succeeds
on a DC 10Wisdom (Medicine)or Intelligence
(Nature) check realizes that destroyingthemem-
brane entirely would force the creatureto openits
mouth but would also trigger a dangerousphysical
reaction.Releasingthefluidthrougha smallhole
in the proper place causes the creaturetoopenits
mouthwithout triggeringregurgitation.
Finding the Right Spot. Locatingtheproperplace
on the membrane that is neither too thick to punc-
turenor thin enoughtotearrequiresa successful
DC 16Wisdom (Medicineor Perception) check.
Track Damage Dealt. Trackall thedamage charac-
tersdeal to the membrane,deducting
it fromthe
membrane’s
totalhitpoints.Atleast10points
of
Piercing damage applied to a proper placecauses Mar 8.6: OccLuDINGMIASMA
the membrane to relax and the Nematode’smouth

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR 189

ieee eee
 CE Se Se ae see
* is i:

#
Aroiling,roughly
spherical,
yellow-green
cloudtum-
blesthrough
thevoid. STATUE
PLED
The poisonousfogis a permanentcloudkill effect
that's200 feetin diameterand can'tbe dispersed
bywind.Thefogconcealsa smallnodulemadeof
dirt, only 25 feetacross,at its center.A smooth,flat
ribbonofmetalabout
a footlongis theonlything
on thenodule.The metalis bumpyon one side and
smoothon thebottom,resemblingan oversizedhu-
mantongue(seebelow).If a charactercastsdetect
magicwithin30feetofthetongue,
thetonguegives
off an abjurationaura.
Three invisible stalkers lurk in the fog.The mind
flayerfanaticssummoned
thestalkerstowatchover
themetaltongue.The invisiblestalkers don’thave
anyspecialwayto seethroughthe fogand simply fly
throughit in irregular patrols.They'reimmediately
awareif anyonetouchesthe tongue.
Metal Tongue.Themetaltonguebelongstothe
ToppledStatuenodule(seebelow).The tongueis
about1 footlongand half as wide. It was inside the
statue's
mouthandfunctionedasa levertoaccessa
secretroom in the statue'sbase,but the mind flayer
fanaticsbrokeoff the tongueto trap prisoners from
Phandalin in the statue.The fanaticshid the tongue
in theOccludingMiasma'sfog. Map 8.7: Torpedo Statue
Anyonewho takes the tonguebecomesthe invis-
iblestalkers’quarry.The invisiblestalkers attack significantpart of the brain, which is why it dedi
intrudersand pursue thieves,droning, “The tongue cateditselfto the nascentgodlet Ilvaash.
mustremain hidden,”in Auran while theydo. They Later,cultistserectedthis statue and built the
fightuntildestroyed. metalbaseto supportit. The only adornment on the
baseis a 4-foot-wide,humanlike grin affixed to one
TOPPLED STATUE side to representAblinash’s mutation. The base’s
grin has no facearound it,just bare metal.
This locationis presentedon map 8.7.
The cultistsconstructeda secret room in the
statue’sbase.The only way to access it was to
statue,
Thismetal feettall,hasfallenfrom
onceeighty manipulatethe tonguein the statue’smouth like
metalbase.Thestatuedepicts
itslarge,cube-shaped a lever.Doing so causedthe matching grin on the
arobedmindflayer withahumanlikegrinjustvisible baseto open.
ema- Manyyearsago, the heavystatue toppled. One foot
Afainthammering
itsfacialtentacles.
beneath
remainedaffixedto the base,distorting the meta!
fromthestatue’s
nates metalbase.
whenthestatuefell. The top of the head is lodged in
thehard,fleshymaterial of the nodule.
This statuedepictsAblinash, a mind flayerzealotof Examining the Statue. The statue’sstrangest fea-
Ilsensine who forsook its deityto swear obeisance ture is its humanlikemouth. The mouth is several
to the discarded divine meningesthatbecameII- feetacross,just like the facelessmouth adorning
vaash.Ablinash was thus IIvaash’sfirst follower. thestatue’sbase.Unlike the mouth on the base, the
Ablinash possessed an unusual mutation:its statue’smouthhangsopen,just wide enough to see
mouth was thatof a human insteadof a mind flayer. thatit bearsonly the stump of a tongue inside. A
characterwho succeedson a DC 15 Intelligence (In-
Ablinash had facial tentacleslike other mind flayers,
vestigation)checkrealizes that the broken stump of
allowing it to extract brains, but it could consume
lick- tongueconnectsto some sort of lever,but the lever
brains only by messily chewing them.It loved
Ablinash won'tmovewithout returning the missing tongue to
ing brain matter off its even,white teeth.
most its place.
believed the meninges was the tastiestand

A LIGHTLESS STAR
190 CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND

ee
 If thecharactershaveseenthelargemets) iP ue ie
lt
ee -—> a
Oren _
hiddenin the Occluding Miasma,it’sclear(, \\,,,,
thatthe tongue is the propersize andshape{«{))\)
this statue.When the charactersattempttop¢4)).,: |,
BATTLEFIELD.
- WAILING
thetongue,it snaps into place.
A Py f
Examining the Base. The statue'sbase}yas 6y)\, yay i rm"

ae r
oneadornment anda singleopening.Thewide
apis
+ Wy

?
A |

yodag
'

grin affixed to the metalon onesidedoesn'tmow

exceptby manipulating the missingtongue-lever
the statue.
in, ik
Let tad
The metal is twisted near thestatue'sfoot,creat
as a He Wi
ingan inch-widetearseveralfeetdeep.Thisspace
ensures the interior of the cubegetsair butis much
too small to pass through (except by charactersin By
gaseousor liquid form).
—“~—s

: pga >
The mind flayer fanaticsrealizedthebasewould
makean ideal prison for their mostvaluablehuman
captives.They used the leverin thestatuetoopen ap : ;
themouth, ushered their prisonersinside,then
closed the mouth. They thenbroke off theleverand
hid it in the Occluding Miasma,underguard,until W.
theycould return for it.
The hammering comesfromthecaptivesinside ane
the base signaling for help.Theyaredesperate to
getfree but lack any meansof escape.
The four townspeopleare all commonerswith
cae -
an Intelligence of 16:a pair of humanclerksnamed
Hovnar Tartesh and MenvinTartesh,a dwarf Map 88 WaiLiNn ve LEFIELO
namedNalpina Goldstonewhois a travelinginven-
tor,and an orc farmer namedMildra Merkel.They BATTLEFIELD
WAILING
haven’teaten in manydaysandare nearlyovercome
onmap8.8.
Thislocationis presented
with hunger and dread.Hovnarhastriedtorallythe
group,mostly to supporthis brotherMenvin,whois
nearly comatose with despair. of an old battlefieldcoverthetop
remnants
Crumbled
The townspeoplecan sharethefollowinginfor- nodule.
of thismassive
andsides Smokedriftsacross
mation,shouting throughthetinyopeningatopthe andabroken
thebattlefield, pyramidrisesabove
baseif necessary:
thesmoke. windmill
A blackened withslowlyturning
Awful Plan. The mind flayersintendtousethecap- keeps
blades thesmokeaway.A pervasivewailing
tives’brains to createsomethingcalleda “newel- emanatesfromthebattlefield.
der brain” when theycompletetheirritual.They're
performing this ritual on some other nodulethey
call “Ilvaash’sAnima.” The sulfurous smoke that moves across the battle-
Opening the Mouth. The mindflayersusedthe fieldneverdissipates.It lightlyobscuresthedetails
tongue inside the statue’s mouth to open thestat- of thebuildings and the denizens within them. The
ue’sbase. The mind flayersthenleft,usedthe wails of soldiers in pain can be heard everywhere
lever to close the base, and broke off the tongue, on thebattlefield,but they have no source.
trapping the townspeople inside. Crumblingbuildings,baretrees,blastcraters,
Tongue-Lever. Nalpina speakssomeDeepSpeech, andjumblesofbonesaroundspearsandswords
and she heard the mind flayerstalkabout“hiding indicatean immense battle.None of the locations
the tongue in the poisoncloud.”Nalpinasawthe otherthan the pyramid and the windmill hold any-
mind flayers use the statue'stongueasa leverto thingofvalue.
open the statue’s mouth. The mind flayersthen FleeingMezzoloths. A bandof mezzolothsfled
broke off the tongue, but Nalpina doesn'tknow their leaderin the Briny Maze and came to the
where it is. EndlessVoid.Theysettledon this nodule,as they
enjoythewails,butaren’tsurewhatto do next.A

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR 191

megh ile A ”
 m,

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_

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ed ~

ae
_

Noe
ine
rs
S ancy
ere

a
oT
a
yn

y %

THE HEROES MUST STOP THE MIND FLAYER FANATICS

FROM COMPLETING THEIR RITUAL AND TRANSFORMI
PHANDALIN INTO A NIGHTMARISH REALM. ,

nycalothnamedNellik commandsthe rebellious
fiends.Nellik insistedthatthe mezzolothskeeptheir
headsdown and notcausetroubleuntil shecan
figureout whatto do next.However,severalmezzo-
loths recentlylaunchedan unsuccessfulraid on the
Mire of Doubt againstNellik’sorders.Theyhope
she doesn’tfind out theyhad toleavea deadmezzo-
loth behind.
Two pairs of mezzoloths patrolthe battlefieldin
irregular patterns.Characterstravelingacrossthe
noduleor searchingtherubblehavea chanceof en-
counteringa patrol.Roll a d6;ona 1 or 2, thechar-
acters encounteroneof the patrollingpairs.These
mezzolothswant to impresstheir leaderand thus
fight to the death.
WI: PRISON PYRAMID
Thispyramidiscracked ononeside.Thecrackex-
tendsfromanopeningflanked bystatues
of hulk-
inginsectilecreatures
tothepyramid’s
pointsixty
feetabove.
Three mezzoloths inhabit the pyramid along with
an umber hulk theyrecentlyfreed from magical
stasis.The mezzolothsare darkening the
sand-coloredumberhulk’s hide with charcoal so it
more closely resembles their mottled black color.
Against Nellik’s wishes, these mezzoloths as-
saultedtheMire of Doubt and fled when the nagas
killed oneof their number.They know Nellik will
be furious at the loss, so they freed the umber hulk
trappedhereand are trying to disguise it as their
lostcompanion.The umber hulk is several feet
taller,twoarms fewer,and lighter in color than the
mezzoloths,butthemezzolothsare desperate. The
umberhulkis just glad to havesurvived its intermi-
nablestasis.
If thecharacters
realizewhat'sgoingon andshare
thattheykilled Nellik, the mezzoloths scatter,visi-
blyrelieved.Otherwise,the mezzoloths attack. The
umberhulk stokesconfusion with its gaze and tries
to pick off stragglers at the fringes of the fight. The
franticmezzolothsfightto the death, but the umber
hulk fleesif the mezzolothsare defeated.

192 CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR (Fi

. , SS ie,
«ee ee
er eh / j a bhom “ > ek
Se e-:” .¥
aes
a
Ne
 Other Hulks. Three otherumberhulkpri. Resignation Tendered. Unwilling to continue
these
stand lifeless in corners of thepyramid,each)wos Nellik and her mezzoloths fled
danverous forays,
ing heavy metal manacles. Their stasis failed\oiy while paskslept.They fled in a direction
ago, rendering them desiccated husks. Ashripas) wouldn't expect: into the Briny Pool.

Trapped. | hicydon'tknow how to leavethe Endless

W2: NELLIK’S WINDMILL
As the smoke doesn’t waft near this location,it’sdi
ficultforthecharacterstosneakuponit.If themez
zoloth sentry spots intruders (see below),it warns
Nellik immediately.
Thestoneandwood of this windmill as
areblackened
thoughfrom a fire.Threeofits fourwood-and-canvas
bladesstillturn,keeping thepungent smokeatbay.
Thefourthbladeliesinatumbleontheground.
Voidand hopeto learna methodof escape by ob-
serving the floating nodules from the concealment
thisislandprovides.
UneasyRetreat. Nellik wantsto know how to leave
theEndlessVoidwithoutgoing through the Briny
Maze,whereshe'ssure Ashripask awaits.
Treasure. Ne\lik carries a flayerslayer (see
appendixB).

Awary nycaloth namedNellik lairsin thewindmill.

Nellik’s adjutant,a wary mezzolothnamedFrev-
vik, wears a war horn on a strap and keepswatch
nearbyfor danger.Nellik’s greataxeis aflayerslayer
(seeappendix B), which changesherGreataxe at-
tackas follows:
Greataxe.Melee WeaponAttack:+10to hit,reach5ft.,onetar-
get.Hit: 19(2d12+6) slashingdamage; isanAb-
if thetarget
erration,it takesanadditional6 (1d12)slashingd andif
amage,
it is grapplinga creature,it mustsucceedonaDC15 Strength
savingthrowor its grappleends.
if attacked.
Nellik and Frevvik defendthemselves
If combat commences, Frevvik takesa bonusaction
to blow its war horn as soon as it can.If thereare
anymezzoloth patrolsstill aliveon theisland,one
pair arrives in 1d4 rounds. The other pair arrives
in the
1d4rounds after the first.The mezzoloths
pyramid (area W1) pretend to not hear thewar horn.
Turning Windmill. The windmillis powered
by ancient magic, not wind, and continuesto turn
unless its blades are wholly destroyed.Each blade
has AC 13, 30 hit points, and immunityto poison
and psychic damage. As long as at leasttwo blades
are turning, they keep the smoke 30 feetfrom
the building.
Talking to Nellik. Nellik welcomesa conversation
with outsiders who might be able to helpher.Given
thechance, she laysouther problem:
Former Bodyguard. Until recently,Nellikandher
unit of nine mezzoloths servedan arcanaloth
named Ashripask. Ashripaskledthegroupinto
many dangerous locations, includingseveral
lore-filled locationsin theFar Realm,likethe
Briny Maze.

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR

 a7 os
owe es ‘
ee ee

Map 8.9: ILvAasH’s ANIMA

ILVAASH’S ANIMA clairvoyants (seeappendixA) with the following

The charactersdon’tspot this noduleuntil they’ve
visitedat leastfiveothernodules.This is wherethe
mind flayerfanaticsare engagingin the ritual to
transform Phandalin into theseatof their newmind
flayerempire.
This locationis presentedon map8.9.
Archedtentacles
surround
a shallowpitfortyfeetin
diameter.
Mistclingstothelooming
stone
tentacles
andswirlsaroundinthepit.Familiarshapesappear
andrecedeinthepit’smists.Inaflash,yourealizethe
mistsmimicthetownof Phandalin inminiature.
modifications:
- Chishinix is alwaysaccompanied by a severed
head,which has the statistics of an encephalon
gemmule(seeappendixA) with a speed of 10feet.
The headlacks the Encephalon Progeny ability.
+Hashutuhas blindsightout to a range of 60 feet.
« Voalshis immuneto the prone condition and has
a flyingspeedof 30 feet.
Each fanatic’spositiondependson how many frag-
mentsof theNethereseobelisk they'verecovered
topowertheir ritual. If theyrecoveredall seven
fragments,thefanaticsarejoined by two disciples
(seeareaA3).

FANATICS’ LOCATIONS
Characterswho flythroughtheEndless Void to this
nodule find themselvessteeredtowardthearrival Obelisk
Fragments _—_Chishinix'sHashutu's Voalsh's
platform in area Al, no matterwhich part of the
Acquired Location Location Location
nodule theytry to reach.
4 Al A2 A4
All three of the mind flayerfanatics(Chishinix,
5 Al A4 A4
Hashutu, and Voalsh)are herein this sacredsite,
engagedin their ritual. They are mind flayer 6o0r7 A4 A4 A4

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR

, 194
_

—. _
 Hasnutu
Al: ANIMA ENTRY
toawideen-
Stairsdescendfroma highplatform
The
tryway,framedby slowlyundulatingtentacles.
Chains
a highceiling.
archesoverthisareaform dan-
glefromtheceilingandholdglowing,violetorbs.
Four or Five Fragments. |f themindflayersac-
quiredonly four or fiveobelisk fragments,Chishinix
sulks here,feeding treatsto her severedhead.She
recognizesthe characters’arrival as a problemand
triesto delaythem with conversationtodrawout
moreinformation. She’s interestedin discovering
whetherthe characters havebroughttheotherfrag-
mentswith them. If so, she demandsthecharacters
turn them over in exchangefor a high positionin
the“Empire of the Mind” thatthefanaticsarecre-
atingin Ilvaash’s name.She attackstoacquirethe
fragments,if necessary.Even if thecharactersdeal
peaceablywith her, Chishinix isn’tlikelytosuffer
their presence for long. She telepathicallyalertsthe
other fanatics and attacks.If reducedto fewerthan
30 hit points, she retreatsto join theothers.
A2: REFECTORY
The tentacularstonewalls of this chambercontain
threemetaltubes,eachabout a foot in diameter and
ichorthatpoolsonthefloor.
withpurple
dripping
Thefanaticsdon’tneedtorestwhileperforming
thelengthyritual, but theystill need to eat. Prior
tostartingtheritual,theypreparedfor theirneeds
byinstallingthesemetaltubes.When a tubeis
touched,it producesa fresh Humanoid brain
from an extraplanarrepository.The brain slowly
squelches
fromthetubeand,if notcaught,plops
ontothe ground.Each tube can produce a maxi-
mum of one brain per hour.
Four Fragments.|f thefanaticshaverecovered
fourobeliskfragments,Hashutuis in this room,eat-
inga brainwhileponderingthefanatics’failures.
Treasure.A shelfononewall holdsa potionof
supremehealing.
CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR 195
 ——— ER waa
A3: DISCIPLES' CHAMBER Whentheobeliskwouldtakedamage,thx est
fanaticinsteadtakesthe damage. If the cha S
Sixlong,stoneslabsprotrude retrievedone or moreobelisk fragments dur i;
fromthewalls
ofthis
chapter6, the fanatictakes twice as much day)
roomlikecrudebedsorbenches.
Ontheopposite ageastheobelisk.If thecharactersdidn'trei:
sideoftheroom,analtarbearsa three-foot-wide, anyobeliskfragments, thefanatictakesthes:\))
five-foot-tall
statueof a Humanoid
brainadornedwith amountof damagedealt to the obelisk. This |). \
diamonds, lashaffectsone fanaticeach time the obelisk ()¢s
damageno matterwhere the fanatic is located,
evenif all thefanaticsusedplane shift to leave (\\
Thisroomis intended
foreventual
habitation
by Far Realm.
morecultistsof Ilvaash.
Thefanaticsdon’tknowaboutthis backlashuntil
Seven Fragments. If thefanaticsfoundall seven
thefirst timeit occurs. Once one of them experi
obeliskfragments,theyusedsomeexcesspowerto
encesthebacklash,the fanatics might struggle with
summontwo mind flayer prophets (seeappendix
oneanotherto not be nearestto the obelisk.
A).These mind flayerswant to provetheir worth by
TheFanatics’ Defeat.If all three fanatics are
dispatchingintruderswho threatento disruptthe
killed,theobelisk collapsesinto dust and is perma-
fanatics’ritual and thusfightto thedeath.
nentlydestroyed.
Brain Altar. The altar of Ilvaashcontainsa few
stonetabletsthatdescribetheprocessof reassem-
blingtheobeliskfragments
intoa singleitemof
ILVAASH’S REFRACTION
power.A characterwho readsthesetabletsand suc- Ilvaashexpectedthedangersof the Briny Maze and
ceedson a DC 16Intelligence(Arcanaor Investiga- theEndlessVoid to overcomethe characters and
tion)checkrealizesthe reassemblycreatesa notable addtheiressencesto the godlet'srealm. Once the
weakness:damageto theobelisk createsbacklash charactersdefeatthefanaticsand return through
intothe fanaticswho are using it. (The detailsof this theBriny Pool, thegodletrealizes direct action
backlashare describedin areaA4.) mustbetaken.
Treasure. The four diamondson thebrain statue When thecharactersascendto the surface of
are worth 5,000 gp each. theBriny Pool in area B22, read or paraphrase the
following:
A4: PIT OVERLOOK
Thelargechamber holdingtheimpossiblydeeppool
Stonearchesreminiscent
oftentacles reachoverthis ofcerebralfluidisnolongerempty.An enormous,
vastspace.Standingonadaisis a blackobeliskheld floating,
ghostlybrainloomsinfrontof theroom’s
together byseamsof bright-green
energy.Thedais onlyexit,severalrazor-sharpclawsdanglingfromits
overlooks a mistypit,fromwhichshapesof Phand- underside.It pulseswithalienpoweras it telepathi-
alin’scorrupted andfadeaway.
buildingsmaterialize callyintones,“Youhavestampeded throughmyrealm |
Criesof despairechofromthepit,andyourecognize likesurgeons operatingwitha hatchet.Yourintrusion
someofthevoicesofthetownspeople of Phandalin. endsnow.”

If the mind flayerfanaticswere unableto obtainall The refractionof Ilvaash (seethe stat block on the
theobelisk fragments,the obelisk has piecesmiss- followingpage)wieldsonlya sliver of the godlet’s
ing but is still functional.At leastone of the mind power but is nevertheless a formidable foe. It fights
flayerfanatics—andperhapsall three—arehereto untildestroyed.If thecharactersare escorting
engineerPhandalin’s forced transformationas the rescued townspeople, the refraction targets the
former captiveswith its Dissonant Claw attack or
ritual continues. Fanatics confrontedherefightto
mindblastin thehope of driving the characters
thedeath.
intodespair.
Attackingthe Obelisk. The fanaticsherehave
the If thecharactershaven'tyetdefeatedthe purple
tiedtheirlife energytotheobelisktoempower
createsback- wormin theBrinyPool,itjoins the fight against
ritual. Damage to the obelisk therefore
AC 17and thecharactersatthebeginningof the third round
lashthatharmsthem.The obeliskhas of combat.
damage.The obe-
immunity to poison and psychic
and thereforedoesnt
lisk can't be directly destroyed
havehit points.

eae
ee

STAR
| py
4)
7
| an
LIGHTLESS
. 196 CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A
as a sable
ee 4
 =
———————_—_—_—SSSS—

REFRACTIONOFILVAASH
HugeAberration(Mind Flayer),LawfulEvil

ArmorClass11(naturalarmor)
Hit Points 199 (21d12+ 63)
Speed10ft., fly30ft. (hover),swim10ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

17(+3) 10(+0) 17(+3) 23(+6)20(+5)22(+6)
Wis+10
SavingThrowsInt+11,
+11
Skills Arcana +11, Insight +15, Intimidation +11,Persuasion
DamageResistances bludgeoning,piercing,andslashingfrom
nonmagical attacks
DamageImmunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities exhaustion,grappled,paralyzed,
petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
15
Sensesblindsight120ft.,passivePerception
LanguagesCommon, DeepSpeech,Undercommon,
100miles
telepathy
15(13,000XP)
Challenge Proficiency +5
Bonus

within
CreatureSense.The refractionis awareof creatures
100milesofit thathavean Intelligence of4 orhigher.
score
It knowsthedistanceanddirection t oeach aswell
creature,
else
aseach one’s Intelligencescore,but can’tsenseanything >eo
about it. A creature protectedby a mindblankspell,a nonde- ae
moe . om
inthismanner.
tectionspell,or similarmagiccan’tbeperceived
(Psionics).Therefractioncastsoneof thefollowing
IncorporealMovement. canmove
Therefraction throughother d Spellcasting
nospellcomponentsandusing Intelligenceas
‘ spells,requiring
creatures terrain.
andobjectsasif theyweredifficult 5
Ittakes
thespellcastingability(spellsaveDC 19):
if it ends its turninsideanobject.
(1d10)force damage
AtwillGH6CS08K ae shoughts z 24
failsasaving
Resistance
Legendary : refraction
(5/Day).|fthe each:
3/day
;
modify
magic,
dispel :
memory Fs 1b
throw, it can choose to succeedinstead. each:
1/day plane
feeblemind, (self only)
shift 25
’ . te3
on saving rolsnortitherefraction tet
Magic Resistance.The refractionhas advantage , 5em
effects. ete chene BONS.
ea withanyequipment
throwsagainstspellsandothermagical or carrying,upto
it iswearing 120feetto an unoccupiedplace Si SB
thatitcansee. a
ACTIONS ۤ
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Multiattack. The refractionmakestwo DissonantClawattacks.
Dissonant Claw. MeleeWeaponAttack:+11to hit,reach10ft.or Therefractioncantake3 legendaryactions,choosingfromthe
range120ft., one creature.Hit: 25 (3d12+6) psychicdamage. optionsbelow.It cantakeonlyonelegendaryactionat a time
andonlyattheendofanother creature’sturn.The refraction
If the target is a creatureconcentratingona spell,its concen-
pees oteon! regainsspentlegendary actionsatthestartofits turn.

choice
of therefraction’s Therefraction
Mindbreaker. within120feet
a creature
targets
MindBlast(Recharge 5-6).Creatures causingthetarget ‘
sav- ofitselfanddisrupts processes,
itsmental
within60 feetof it mustsucceedonaDC19Intelligence
the
andhave
damage disadvantage
tohave checks,
onallability rolls,and
attack
+6)psychic
ingthrowortake33(5d10 nextturn.
canrepeat
creature throws
saving untiltheendofthe target’s
stunnedconditionfor 1minute.A stunned makesone
Therefraction
ofits
each ending
turns, theef- Claw(Costs
Projected 2 Actions).
thesaving throwat theendof
fectonitself on a success. =e
eemeeacW Stacey SS
—— —_——Z£_===a»9)

CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR 197

ae Penge
yen ane = : Pe ee ee

WRAPPING Up
If thecharacters
defeattherefraction
of Ilvaash,the
entireBriny Maze shudders.Any denizensof the
mazestill within it realizethatthegodlethas been
dealta terribleblow,and it’sa goodtimeto leave
Ilvaash'sdomain,if theycan.They don'ttrouble
thecharactersas theyattemptto preservetheir
own lives.
Two effectsoccur at themazeentry(areaB1)once
thecharactersdefeattherefraction:
Far Realm Access. Accessto therestof theFar
Realm is enabled.A secondgatewayopensbeside
thepassageto Illithinoch in theBriny Maze(area
Bl). The secondgatewayrevealsthe kaleidoscopic
chaosof the Far Realm.Further adventuresare
up toyou,but thecharactersmightwish to press
deeperinto this strangeand terrifyingrealm (see
the “Far Realm Explorers”hook below).
Sealed Illithinoch. The gatewayto Illithinoch be-
gins to close.The gatewaygetsnoticeablysmaller
with eachpassing minute.One hour afterthere-
fraction’sdefeat,the gatewayclosesentirely,and
it doesn’tleavea scar as describedin areaB1. If
the charactersare still in the Briny Maze atthis
point,theymustfind anotherway home.A plane
shift spell would do the trick, as would anyother
plane-hoppingmagic.
RETURN TO PHANDALIN
When the characters return to Phandalin after their
victory,read or paraphrasethe following:
Thecorruptionwracking
thetownof Phandalin
is
gone.Thebuildingshavereturned
totheirusualcon-
figurations,
andthepeoplehaveshedanyevidence of
theair.
Peacefulreliefpermeates
transformations.
The early victims of the ritual, includingSister Ga-
raeleand Halia Thornton, havereturnedto their
prior selves.It's up to you and your playerswhether
the characterskeep any transformationsthey've
experienced.The charactersare hailed as thesav-
iors of Phandalin—doubly so if they'vemanagedto
return the kidnapped townspeople.
Many peoplein Phandalin want to learn the story
of the characters’victory overthe mind flayers,
but perhaps none so much as Gwyn Oresong.She
seeks to expand the sparse scholarly information
about the Far Realm with the characters’first-
hand accounts.
warmwel-
The characters foreverafter havea
hope the char-
come in town, and many townspeople
good.Whether
actersdecideto stayin Phandalinfor
STAR
198 CHAPTER 8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS
«
=",
‘ hey
7
.
your charactersretire to a well-earned life «| ure
in Phandalin or embark on further adventur
up toyou.
WHAT IF THEY FAIL?
If thecharacters
failtostopthemind flayerfa:\;
ics, or if the refractionof Ilvaash defeats ther) hey
havetheincapacitated
conditionand are trappedin
theBrinyMaze.At yourdiscretion,Gwyn Oresong
mightsend for reinforcementsfrom Neverwinter. [n
thiscase,theplayersmightcreatenewcharacters
who rush to stopthe ritual and save the previous
characters.If the new characters are successful,
considerallowing themto rescue the previous char-
actersbeforetheBrinyMaze subsumesthem.In
anycase,if the new characterssucceed, the party
can return to a savedPhandalin as outlined earlier
in this section.
EPILOGUE
If youwantto continuethe campaign in the Phand-
alin regionor the Far Realm, consider the following
storyhooks.
ATTACK OF THE NEMATODE
Some timeafterthe charactersencountered it in the
Endless Void,the massivecreature called the Nem-
atodeawakensto full sentience.It dimly remembers
thecharacterswho traipsedabout inside it and
comeslookingfor revenge.Able to fly as easily as i!
drifts through the Endless Void, the Nematode slips
throughtheplanesuntil it soars above Phandalin.
The Nematode arrives on a dark night, its darker
shadowagainstthestarlightthe only indication of
its presence.The peopleof Phandalin don’t initially
realizetheNematodeis anythingother than a cloud
passingoverhead.Intellect snares (see appendix A)
scoopedupbythe Nematodeduring its flight rain
downin thedarkness.The intellectsnares begin
huntingtownspeoplein their sleep and scatter be-
fore the alarm is raised. The characters must spend
thepredawnhourshuntingdown the predatory in-
tellectsnaresandsavingthe town.
The truescopeof thedangerdawns as the morn-
ing lightilluminatestheNematodewrithing 500 feet
abovethetownlike a malevolentcloud. The crea-
tureis far toolargeto defeatby conventional attacks
or spells,so thecharactersmustonce again explore
theNematodefromtheinside, just as they did in the
EndlessVoid.
This time,theNematode’sinterior is populated
with eel-likeyoungspawnedin its digestivejuices
(usethebehir statblock,but theyexhale acid rather
thanlightning).Beyondthe membranein the Nem-
atode's head is a massive, fluid-filled chamber that
o-7 oo
cae)
7 Ve 5 "i €

servesas the Nematode’sbrain.The charact:; You the nodules in the Endless Void

mustdamageeachof the fiveelectroreceptorsj earlics chapter of strangelo-

of
thebrainchamberwhile fightingoffa dozenclots
coagulated (a1
brainfluid(usethewaterelemental!
t\\
anda remorhazwhosefiresarestoking
block)
Nematode’srage.
FARREALMEXPLORERS
This adventureincludesa fewaccesspointsthatal
lowthecharactersto investigatemoreof thebizarre
FarRealm.The wondersandterrorsof theFar
Realmare,for the mostpart, inimicaltomortallife
and sanity.
If thecharactersdecideto exploretheFar Realm
further,theywould be well advisedtoseekoutone
oftheFar Realm’sfew safeharbors.Examples of
theseincludeChalnefaaz,a communityofmyconids
thatbudtiny,wailing faces,andtheBulwarkofSe-
crets,an abbeyof guardiannagaswhoprotectdan-
gerouslore.
asexamples
calesthe ractersmightvisit as theyexplore the
Far Realm
ILVAASH§ REVENGI
Any placeof safetyin the Far Realm soon comes
underattack,however,as Ilvaashseeks revenge
againstthecharactersfor stoppingthe fanatics’
plansanddestroyingthe DissonantPsyche’srefrac-
tion.The charactersmustcontendwith dangers
Ilvaashthrowsat them,suchas squadsof zealous
mindflayerprophets(sceappendixA) ledbymili-
tantenforcerscalledbrain breakers.Brain breakers
looklike giantbrainswith stoutlegs, and theywear
steelarmormadefrom interlockedlinks of Ilvaash's
runes(knotsof tentacles,brains,and jaggedlines
ofjaws).A brainbreakerusesthestat
reminiscent
blockof an infectedelder brain (seechapter7) with
thefollowingchanges:

IF THEHEROESSUCCESSFULLYSTOPTHE ®.
MINDFLAYER FANATICS,PEACEANDHARMONY®
RETURN TO THE SLEEPY TOWN OF PHANDALIN,
 A miata se eV YTSUNLEASHES
TE ah Lal ae
TERRIFYINGSIGHTTO BEHOLD
« A brain breakerhas an Armor Class of 14dueto
the strangering mail it wears.
« A brain breakerhas a speedof 30 feetandhasa
magical flyingspeedof 30 feet.It canhover.
- A brain breakerhas a challengeratingof 12
(8,400XP).
These squadsrangethroughoutthe Far Realm.
They targetnot only thecharactersbut alsoanyFar
Realms dwellers thathavebeenaiding thecharac-
ters. Ilvaash wants to punish thecharacters’friends
as much as the charactersthemselves.
The characterscan quell theseattacksonly
by finding and draining the Shallowsof Sudden
Thought, a miles-widedead lakesimilar totheBriny
Pool in chapter8. There, a kraken namedGha-
luzesh directs the attacksagainstthe characters.
Ghaluzesh is invulnerablewhile swimmingin the
waters of the Shallows of SuddenThought,butonce
thecharactersdraintheShallows,theycantakethe
fight to the kraken. While exploringthe Shallows,
the characters learn that Ghaluzeshkeepsthebrain
breakers focused on their tasks becausethe brain
8 | BEYOND A LIGHTLESS STAR
CHAPTER
Aw
breakersfall tofractiousinfighting without firm
leadership.
OnlybydefeatingGhaluzeshcan the characters
earna measureof peacefor themselvesand for th«
Far Realmsallies thatsupport them.
THROUGHTHE RADIANT CITADEL
If yourplayersenjoyedtheir excursion in the Far
Realm,considerrunning the short adventure
“Orchidsof theInvisibleMountain” inJourneys
ThroughtheRadiantCitadel.By the time the char-
actersdefeattherefractionof Ilvaash, they are al-
readya goodlevelto tacklethat adventure.
If yousendthecharacterson this adventure,
GwynOresongreceivesa messagefrom another
scholarthatplanardisruptionsare occurring in the
grasslandsof Atagua,a land hundred of miles from
Phandalin.Gwyn sheepishlyadmits that she has
offeredthecharacters’expertiseat investigating
extraplanarmatters.She believesthat the owner
of Atagua’sSarire sugarmill is wealthy and will re-
wardthecharactersfor their aid.
AcurF
WADE
 Ok
bh hai wt led

JETHERESE OBELISKS Out of the Abyss. Derro are attempting to assem-

blea brokenobelisk beneaththe duergar city of
The shattered obelisk is only one of severalsimilar Gracklstugh, as described in the adventure Out of
obelisks around the world. All are powerfulartifacts theAbyss.In itspresentbrokenstate,theobelisk’s
withdangerousmagicaleffects,althoughnotwo magic 1serratic.
havethesame powers.The earliestextantexamples
Otherobelisksare lost across the world and may
of these magical obelisks can rewrite realityon a
grand scale. cometo lightin futureadventures.If you want to
A mysterious group called the Weaverscreated featureobelisksof your own design in your adven-
theobelisks to undo great calamities—oftenby tures,youmightuse the powers of existing obelisks
hurling a region or entire world back in timebefore as inspiration.
thecalamityoccurred. One of theseancientWeaver
obelisks appears in Jcewind Dale: Rime of the
Frostmaiden.
No one knows anything about the Weaversbe-
causethe evil wizard Vecna stole the secretsof the
obelisks and used them to erase the knowledgeof
theWeavers from existence. The lore of howtocre-
atethe artifacts then seeped throughouttheworld.
Tre Weave RS
The most notable obelisk builders were wizards
from the now-fallen empire of Netheril.
Netherese obelisks vary in appearance.Although
always tall obelisks that narrow to a pyramidal
top,they vary in height (from a dozenfeetto many
dozen feet)and substance (from obsidian-likestone
toan unknown black metal). None of theseobelisks
were as powerful as those createdbythe Weavers,
but they could nevertheless enactgreatand terri-
ble changes, such as empowering the ritual in this
adventure.

FURTHER READING ce
Obelisks that have appeared in other DUNGEONS
&
DRAGONSadventures include the following:
Tomb of Annihilation. The lich Acererak placed
an obelisk outside his fabledTomb of theNine
Gods, as described in the adventureTomb of An-
nihilation. That obelisk holds a powerfuldemonin
Stasis and allows visitors an instantaneousescape
from Acerarak’s deathtrap dungeon.
Storm King's Thunder. As describedin theadven-
ture Storm King’s Thunder,thevillageof Night-
stone was built around an obelisk with unknown
powers. Cloud giants stole the obeliskin a raid
on the town.
Waterdeep:Dungeon of theMad Mage.The Sha-
dowduskfamilyfrom Waterdeepfoundanobelisk
deep underground and subjectedit to energiesof
the Far Realm in their strongholdin Undermoun-
tain, as described in the adventureWaterdeep:
Dungeon of the Mad Mage. The obelisk’soriginal
Purpose is unknown.
IRIal|

mr
RIre
roe
 BESTIARY
HIS APPENDIX DESCRIBES CREATURESTHAT
ij appear in the adventure,presentingthem
of
in alphabetical order.The introduction
the Monster Manual explainshowto read a
creature’sstat block.

ABERRANT ZEALOT
Aberrant zealots are cultists whohavereached out
tothe powers of the Far Realm—only forsomething
toreach back. Steeped in strangeenergy,aberrant
zealots borrow their vicious mightfromthemon-
strous entities that inhabit thatfell plane.
er
(ee =
ABERRANT ZEALOT
MediumAberration, TypicallyChaoticEvil

ArmorClass 16 (studdedleatherarmor)
Hit Points93 (17d8+17)
Speed30ft.

STR DEX CON INT wis CHA

(+4)
15(+2) 18(+4) 12(+1) 13(+1) 8(-1)_—19
SavingThrows Dex +7,Cha +7
SkillsPerception+5
Damage Resistances psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed,frightened,grappled,
restrained
15
Perception
Sensesdarkvision60 ft., truesight10ft., passive
Languages Common, Deep Speech
Challenge8 (3,900XP) Bonus+3
Proficiency

ofthe FarRealm.
AberrantForm.The zealotexudesthechaos
5feetof
Any non-Aberration creature that starts its turnwithin
thezealotmust succeedon a DC 15Wisdomsaving throwor
take7 (2d6)psychicdamage. The zealotcastsone of the following
(Psionics).
Spellcasting
Itis nocomponents
spells,requiring andusingCharismaasthe
WeirdlyPliable.The zealot,alongwithanyequipment
f canmove
Thezealot
lexible. spelicasting s
(spell
ability DC15):
ave
wearingor carrying,is unnaturally
Atwill:detectthoughts,minorillusion
through any space as narrow as | inch withoutsqueezing.
arcane
each:
1/day ofHadar
gate,hunger
ACTIONS
and Bonus ACTIONS
Multiattack. The zealot makesone PsychicRendattack
5-6).Thezealot
(Recharge
VoidWarp alongwithany
teleports,
attacks.
twoShortsword space
15 equipment orcarrying,
itiswearing toan unoccupied
PsychicRend.Meleeor RangedSpellAttack:+7tohit,reach achurning
leaving voidin
H it:14(3d6+4) dam-
psychic itcanseewithin120 ofitself,
feet
ft. or range120ft., onetarget. afterit teleports,each creature
saving thespaceit left. Immediately
age, and the target must succeedon a DC 15Wisdom
ofthe zeal- of thevoidotherthanthezealotmustmakea DC
within30feet
throwor havethe stunnedconditionuntilthestart savingthrow.Onafailed save,a creature takes18
ot’s nextturn. 15Strength
(4d8)forcedamage andis pulledtothe unoccupied s paceclos-
save,
successful t he t
creature akeshalf as ;
a ei ee oe esttothevoid.O na
Sponsor’, Meee eee Thevoidthendisappears.
only.
damage
plus
damage
ese Hit:7 (1d6+4)piercing psy
7 (208) much
= — SSeS SS
chicdamage.
APPENDIX A | BESTIARY
 ASHENWIGHTS
Whena Humanoidconsumedbycrueltyand rage
dies in an area corrupted by the Far Realm, the
creaturesometimesrises as an ashenwight.The
skin of theseUndeadhorrorsis desiccated,and
theireyesoftenglowwith otherworldlypower.

FERAL ASHENWIGHT
Feral ashenwightsretaina fragmentof thespark
theyhad in life. However,theyare devoidof memo-
ries or thoughtsbeyonda compulsivedesireto de-
stroyall living creaturestheyencounter. ae

PSIONIC ASHENWIGHT
When an ashenwightarisesneara crystalvein
PsIonic ASHENWIGHT
MediumUndead,
Typically
Neutral
infusedwith aberrantpower,or whenone lingers See

in an areaof fell magic,thereis a chancefor the ArmorClass16(naturalarmor)

ashenwighttodeveloppsionicabilities.A psionic HitPoints
78(12d8
+24)
ashenwightis markedlymoresapientthanother Speed
25ft.
I nent en
ashenwights,thoughthe resultingconsciousnessis
STR DEX CON INT wis CHA
a new creationseparatefromwho the ashenwight 19
(+4) 13(41) 15(42) «17
(43) 14.
(42) 6(-2)
was in life. oe

Some psionicashenwightsdedicatetheirexis- SavingThrows Str +7,Con +5,Int +6,Wis +5

tenceto piecingtogethertheir previouslife,while DamageResistances
necrotic,poison,psychic
others striveto enlightenotherashenwightsto this Condition Immunitiescharmed, exhaustion, frightened,
paralyzed,poisoned,unconscious
new psionic power.
Sensesdarkvision120ft.,passivePerception12
Languagesunderstands thelanguagesit knewin life butcar!
FERALASHENWIGHT speak,telepathy
Challenge
120ft.
7 (2,900XP)
MediumUndead,TypicallyNeutralEvil ProficiencyBonus+2

ArmorClass16(naturalarmor) ACTIONS
Hit Points65(10d8+20)
Multiattack.Theashenwight makestwo NecroticShardat-
Speed25ft.
——S——
tacks.It alsousesPsionicCrownif available.
STR DEX CON INT Wis CHA Necrotic
Shard.
Melee
orRanged
Weapon
Attack:+7to hit,
19 (+4) =: 13 (+1) ~—-15
(+2) 4(-3) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) reach
5 ft. or range60ft.,onetarget.Hit: 7 (1d6+4) piercing
Se ‘. damageplus9 (2d8)necroticdamage.If thetargetis a crea-
SavingThrowsStr+7,Con+5 ture,it hasdisadvantage on thenextattackroll it makesbefore
DamageResistancesnecrotic,poison theend of its nextturn.
Condition Immunities charmed,exhaustion,frightened,
PsionicCrown(Recharge 5-6). Theashenwightwreathesthe
paralyzed,poisoned,unconscious
headofa creature it canseewithin60feetof itself with a crown
Sensesdarkvision120ft.,passivePerception12
ofjagged,spectralcrystals.Thetargetmustsucceedon a DC
Languagesunderstands thelanguagesit knewin lifebut
14Wisdomsavingthrowor havethecharmedconditionfor 1
can’tspeak
minute.Whilecharmedin thisway,thetarget’sthoughtsare
Challenge5 (1,800XP) ProficiencyBonus+3
it can’ttakereactions,its speedis halved,and it takes
sluggish;
9 (2d8)psychicdamageatthestartof each of its turns.The tar-
ACTIONS getcanrepeatthesavingthrowattheendof eachof its turns,
makestwoNecrotic
Multiattack.The ashenwight endingtheeffectonitself on a success.
Shardattacks. Spellcasting
(Psionics).
Theashenwight castsoneof the fol-
NecroticShard.MeleeorRanged Weapon Attack:+7tohit, lowingspells,requiringnospellcastingcomponentsand using
5 ft. or range60ft.,onetarget.Hit:7 (1d6+4)necrotic
reach Intelligence
asthespellcasting
ability(spellsaveDC 14):
If thetargetisacreature,
damage. onthe
ithasdisadvantage Atwill:magehand(thehandis invisible)
ofits nextturn.
nextattackroll it makesbeforetheend 1day:calmemotions
SSS SSS EEE ae ee DEDICATE

204 APPENDIX A| BESTIARY

— %Bh 1P>. SA i on tinap

 SPAWNS
AN ENCEPHALON CLUSTER
ENCEPHALON GE MMULES

CLUSTER
ENCEPHALON
Unaligned
Aberration,
Large
ba
Armor armor)
Class13(natural
+17)
HitPoints110(17410
Speed20ft.
tartare CHA
CON INT wis
DEX
STR
23(+6)10(+0)13+) 5(-3) 17(+3) 7(-2)
—
reccenees
Damage psychic
Resistances
blinded
Immunities
Condition
60ft. thisradius),
(can’tseebeyond
blindsight
Senses
passivePerception13
ENCEPHALONS Languages— Bonus+4
Proficiency
XP)
Whenan illithid colonylaysits eggsdangerously 10(5,900
Challenge
to
closeto a Far Realm rift, an eggsachasa chance Iftheclusterfailsa savingthrow,
(3/Day).
clus- Resistance
Legendary
mutate into what is known as an encephalon instead.
brain-shapedmass it canchooseto succeed
ter—a ravenous, slimy, psionic, on savingthrows
gemmules. Theclusterhasadvantage
MagicResistance.
thatspawns horrors called encephalon effects.
spellsandothermagical
against
ENCEPHALON CLUSTER
ACTIONS
An encephalonclusterpaysno heedto anelder Multiattack.Theclustermakes twoSlamattacks. It canreplace
brain or its mind flayerprogenitors. This grotesque withSpawnProgeny if available.
oneof theseattacks
cav-
creatureshamblesthroughdark andforgotten Slam.Melee Weapon Attack: +10tohit,reach5ft., onetarget.
i)
As
multiply.
erns,spewing warped progenyso it can Hit:17(2d10 +6)bludgeoning damage plus10(3d6)psychic
clusters targetmustsucceed
such,many mind flayersviewencephalon damage, andif thetargetisa creature,the
left a
unchecked, singleen- t hrow orhave the pronecondition.
as insidious viruses. If onaDC18Strength saving
cephaloncluster can quickly becomea gorging men- If thisattack reducesthetargetto0 hitpoints,thetargetimme-
flayercolony. diesandis consumed bythecluster.
ace that can overrun an entire mind diately
Spawn Progeny (Recharges aftera Shortor LongRest).The
ENCEPHALON GEMMULE bulges
cluster andspews mature
1d4 eggs.Eachegglandsin
eggs ofthe
space cluster’sc hoicewithin30feetof it-
DuetotheinfluenceoftheFarRealm,the
anunoccupied
transforms intoanencephalon gemmule.
hatchintoil- self andimmediately
within an encephalonclusterno longer Thegemmules obeythecluster's c ommands andtake their
an encephalon
lithid tadpoles. Instead, when one of turnsimmediately afteri t.
ejectedfromthe
cluster’seggs reachesmaturity,it is
mass as an encephalongemmule. REACTIONS
appears as a mis- Immediately
Hunger. the
afterbeinghitbyanattack,
When spawned, a gemmule Aggressive
nugget clustermovesup to its speedtowardthe attacker.This
move-
shapen,spindly legged,pyramid-shaped an
to its own devices, mentdoesn’tprovokeopportunityattacks.If the cluster ends
of soft, fleshy matter. If left
within5 feetof the attacker,it then makesone
growsintoanencephalon
gemmule
encephalon
thismovement
begins Slamattackagainstthat attacker.
clusterin a matterof days,atwhichpointit
producingits own gemmules.
APPENDIX A | BESTIARY
 FIENDISH AUGER
A fiendishaugeris createdwhen a wicked spirit
entersan excavationdrill, causing the hulking cork-
screwboretoglow brightlywith hellfire.
Fueledbytheferventaggressionof the evil spirit
within,fiendishaugerscan rapidly churn through
solid rock.However,thosewho employ a fiendish
augermustkeepa keeneyeon the machine. With-
outcarefulinstruction,a fiendish auger indiscrimi-
natelyboresthroughcreatureand earth alike.
ee? SE
FieNoisn AuGerR
FIENDISH AUGER
SEE EE OO HugeConstruct,
Typically
NeutralEvil
>

ENCEPHALON GEMMULE
ae 7
ArmorClass15(naturalarmor)
TinyAberration,
Unaligned Hit Points85(9d12+27)
Speed40ft.,burrow30ft.
ArmorClass14 eae ~
HitPoints54(12d4
+24)
Speed40ft.
STR DEX CON INT wis CHA
——
23(+6) 10(+0)17(4+3)
6(-2) 12(+1) 5(-3)
=
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Damage
Immunities
fire,poison
1(-5) 18(+4) -14(42)5-3) 1241) 7(-2) ConditionImmunitiesblinded, charmed, exhaustion,
—
frightened,
paralyzed,
petrified,poisoned,unconscious
DamageResistances psychic Sensesblindsight60 ft. (can’tsee beyond this radius),
ConditionImmunitiesblinded passivePerception
11
Sensesblindsight30ft. (can’tseebeyondthisradius), Languages—
passivePerception11 Challenge
5 (1,800XP) ProficiencyBonus +3
Languages— [Sa
Challenge3 (700XP) Proficiency
Bonus+2 SiegeMonster.
Theaugerdealsdoubledamageto objectsand
—_*_—=E i
structures.
Encephalon Progeny. Thegemmule maturesintoanencephalon
clusterif notkilledwithin30(4d12+4)days Tunneler.
Theauger
canburrow
through
solidrockathalfits
ofits creation.
burrowspeedandleavesa 10-foot-diameter
tunnelin its wake.
MagicResistance.
Thegemmule hasadvantage onsaving
throwsagainstspellsandothermagical
effects. ACTIONS
FlamingDrill.MeleeWeapon Attack:+9to hit, reach
5 ft., one
ACTIONS
target.Hit:17(2d10+6) piercingdamageplus 7 (2d6)fire
Psychic Slam. MeleeWeaponAttack:+6to hit, reach
5 ft., one damage.If theaugermovesatleast20feetin a straightline
target.Hit: 16(3d10)psychicdamage. towardthetargetimmediately beforethehit,thetargettakes
anadditional 11(2d10)piercingdamage,and if thetargetis a
Bonus ACTIONS creature,it mustsucceedon a DC 17Strengthsavingthrowor
Leech.Thegemmuletargetsonecreature within5feet ofitself havethepronecondition.
andforcesthetargetto makea DC 14Dexterity savingthrow.
Onafailed save,thegemmule entersthetarget’sspaceandat- Bonus ACTIONS
tachesto thetarget.Whilethegemmule is attached, thetarget Burstof Heat(Recharge5-6).Theaugerreleasesan intense
takes7 (3d4)piercingdamage atthestartof each
of its turns, burstof heatina 30-foot-radius
spherecenteredon itself.This
andthegemmulecan’tuseLeechagainuntilit detaches. Itcan heatspreadsaroundcorners.Eachcreaturein this areamust
detachitselfbyspending Asanaction,
5feetofitsmovement. makea DC17Constitution savingthrow,taking13(3d8)fire
5 feetof thetargetcandetach
within
thetargetor a creature damage on
a failedsave,or halfasmuchdamageon a suc-
thegemmulebysucceeding ona DC15Strength check. cessfulone.

206 APPENDIX A | BESTIARY

Me “af a
&

FLESH MELD
Squelchingand quiveringwith insatiablehunger,
a fleshmeld is a hulking o
amalgamation fteeth,
blood,and bodyparts. Sinuousappendages of
gore,each ending in a gnashing b
mouth, ite at
preybeforeyanking thepiteous creaturesi nto
theflesh meld’score. The stenchofdeathsur-
roundsa flesh meld.
When a creature is consumed bya fleshmeld,
the creature’smind is mergedintothefleshmeld’s
consciousness. More resilient minds mayfight
against this assimilation, but inevitably,themind
succumbs to the discordant chorus of thoughtsto
kill and consume.

ACTIONS
FLESH MELD Multiattack.The fleshmeld makestwo
Bite attacks.
Typically
HugeAberration, Evil
Chaotic
Attack:+8tohit,reach30ft.,onetarget.
Weapon
Bite.Melee
Armor Class 12 Hit: 16(2d10+5) piercingdamage,and if the targetis a Large
hasthe grappledcondition (escapeDC
Hit Points 95 (10d12 + 30) or smallercreature,it
meld.
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 15)andispulledupto 15feettowardtheflesh

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Bonus ACTIONS

(+1) 5-3)
(43), 7(-2) 13
21(+5) 14(42) 17 Consume Creature.ThefleshmeldtargetsoneLargeorsmaller
within
creature Thetarget
5feet ofitself thatit’sgrappling.
SavingThrowsStr+8,Dex+5 ona DC15 Dexteritysavingthroworbeswal-
mustsucceed
ConditionImmunitiesblinded,prone
lowedbythefleshmeld.Thefleshmeldcanhaveonecreature
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (can’tseebeyondthisradius),
swallowedatatime.
passivePerception11 nolongerhasthegrappled condition.
allbutcan’tspeak A swallowedcreature
Languagesunderstands conditions,
restrained
Whileswallowed,it hastheblinded and
Challenge XP)
7(2,900 +3
Bonus
Proficiency eas
hastotalcoveragainstattacksandothereffectsoutsidethe
fleshmeld,andtakes10 (3d6)necroticdamageat the startof
Amorphous. The flesh meld can movethrougha spaceasnar- a swal-
reduces
If thisdamage
ofthe fleshmeld’sturns.
each
rowas1 inchwithoutsqueezing.
lowedcreatureto 0 hit points,the creaturedies, andthe flesh
turns,
Auraof Death. At the start of eachof thefleshmeld’s meldconsumes itsbody.
within5 feetof it must succeedon a DC 15Con- ormoreonasingle turn
each creature Ifthefleshmeldtakes30damage
stitution saving throw or take3 (1d6)necroticdamageand fromtheswallowed theflesh
creature, meldmustsucceed on
of thefleshmeld’s
havethe poisonedconditionuntilthestart Constitution throw
saving attheend ofthatturnor re-
aDC15
next turn. gurgitatethecreature,whichfallswiththeproneconditionin a
on saving
advantage space of thefleshmeld.If thefleshmelddies,the
5 feet
within
Magic Resistance. The flesh meld has byit andcanescape
effects.
spellsandothermagical swallowed creatureisnolongerrestrained
throwsagainst
fromthecorpsebyusing10 feetof movement,exitingwith the
surfaces,in-
Spider Climb. The flesh meld canclimbdifficult pronecondition.
abilitycheck.
cluding ceilings, without needingto makean
|res
rd
Yi

INTELLECT SNARE
When the strangehorrors of theFar Realm rip at
the minds of individuals,someof thosewayward
shredsof thoughtconglomerateto form an intellect
snare.An intellectsnare appearsas a writhing ball
of tentacles,echoingwith the cacophonoussounds
of everythoughtthe snare has consumed.
Intellect snares are scavengers,oftenfoundscour-
ing the aftermathof a mind flayerattackto feaston
whateverhaplesscreaturesare left behind.An in-
tellectsnare feedsby wrappinga creaturein oneof
its tentaclesand then siphoningshredsof thought,
leavinga tatteredmind in its wake.

INTELLECT SNARE startof each

of its turns,endingthe effect on itself on a suc-
SmallAberration,
Typically
NeutralEvil cess.A creaturethatsucceeds
onthesavingthrowis immune
a tothisintellect
snare’sCacophony
of Mindsfor 24hours.
ArmorClass14 MagicResistance.
Theintellectsnarehasadvantageon saving
Hit Points99 (18d6+36) throwsagainst
spellsandothermagicaleffects.
Speed
0ft., fly45ft.(hover)
a
ACTIONS
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Multiattack.
Theintellect
snaremakestwoTentacleattacks.
13(+1) 18(+4) 15(+2) 23(+6)
~—«17
(+3) ~—*11
(+0)
}
= Tentacle.MeleeWeaponAttack:+9to hit, reach 15 ft., one
SavingThrows Int +9,Wis +6,Cha +3 target.Hit:10(1d8+6)forcedamage,
and
if the targetis a Me-
}
DamageImmunitiespsychic dium or smallercreature,thetargethas the grappled condition

j
Condition
Immunities
blinded,
charmed,frightened,prone (escape
DC17).
Senses
blindsight
120ft.(can’tseebeyondthisradius),
passivePerception13 Bonus ACTIONS
Languages DeepSpeech,telepathy120ft. SiphonThoughts.Theintellect
snaretargetsonecreatureit is
Challenge8 (3,900XP) ProficiencyBonus+3 grappling.
Thetargetmustmakea DC 17Intelligencesaving ee

throw,taking21(6d6)psychic
damageon a failedsave,or
of Minds.Anycreaturethatstartsits turnwithin 30
Cacophony halfasmuchdamage ona successful
one.The intellectsnare
feet ona DC17Wisdom
snaremustsucceed
ofthe intellect thenregains
anumber
ofhit pointsequaltotheamountof
savingthrowor havetheincapacitatedconditionfor 1 minute. damage
taken.
An incapacitated canrepeat
creature t hesaving throwatthe
JABARI
WEATH

wee
208 APPENDIX A | BESTIARY
a
a , a d
 “ae 7 1» >, &@©

MIND FLAYERS
Mind flayers, also known as illithids, feastonthe
brainsof Humanoidsacrossthemultiverse.
They
are distinguished by their purple-tonedskinand
octopus-likeheads,fromwhichextendwrithing
tentacles.

MIND FLAYER CLAIRVOYANT

In pursuitof reconstructingtheirlostempire,
a
few mind flayers have turned to theirhomeplane,
theFar Realm, for answers.A mindflayerclair-
voyanthas peered into that realm’sstarlessdepths
and been subsequently rewardedwithextraordi-
nary powers.
Instead of heeding an elderbrain,a mindflayer
clairvoyant listens to the whispers andwhimsofthe
voices of the Far Realm. In additiontofeastingon
brains, a mind flayer clairvoyantcansummontenta-
cles that rip through the fabricof realityanddistort
the minds of enemies.

Brain.MeleeWeapon
Extract Attack:+9to hit,reach5ft., one
MIND FLAYER CLAIRVOYANT Humanoid
incapacitated grappled bythemindflayer.Hit: 55
MediumAberration,Typically
LawfulEvil If this damage reducesthetargetto
piercing
(10d10) damage.
by a
extracting nddevouring VA
“3
s
©
0hitpoints,themindflayerk illsit
ArmorClass15(breastplate)
itsbrain.
Hit Points 156(24d8+48)
Speed30ft., fly 60 ft. (hover) Spellcasting Themindflayercastsoneofthefol-
(Psionics).
lowing nospellcomponents
spells,requiring andusingIntelli-
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA genceasthespellcastingability(spellsaveDC 17):
11(+0) 12(+1) 15(+2) 21(+5)17
(+3)18(+4) Atwill:detectmagic,detect magehand(thehandis
thoughts,
invisible)
SavingThrows Int +9,Wis +7,Cha+8 3/dayeach:clairvoyance (asanaction),dispelmagic
Skills Arcana +9, Insight +7,Perception+7,Stealth+5 1/day:planeshift(selfonly)
Damage Resistances psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed,frightened Unleash Void(Recharge 5-6).Themindflayeropensa rift into
Sensesdarkvision120ft.,truesight 17
Perception
15ft.,passive theFarRealm, centered ona pointthemindflayercansee
120ft.
telepathy
LanguagesDeepSpeech,Undercommon, within60feetofitself, anda lashesacrosscreatures
tentacle
11(7,200XP)
Challenge +4
Bonus
Proficiency neartherift.Eachcreature otherthanmindflayerswithin30 zt
Sa
NO
rr
feetoftheriftmustmakea DC17Intelligence savingthrow,
failsasaving
LegendaryResistance(3/Day).|fthemindflayer afterwhichthetentacle disappearsandtherift closes.On a =~
>
instead.
tosucceed failed acreature
save, 18(4d8)
takes fromtherift
colddamage
itcanchoose
throw,
fromthetentacleandhasthe
damage
plus18(4d8)psychic
Magic Resistance. The mind flayerhas advantageon saving
stunnedconditionfor 1 minute.On a successfulsave, a crea-
effects.
throwsagainstspellsandothermagical only.A stunnedcreature can
halfasmuchdamage
turetakes
repeatthesaving throwattheendof o
each fits turns,ending
ACTIONS onitself onasuccess.
theeffect
attacks.
Multiattack.The mindflayermakestwoTentacle
REACTIONS
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +9to hit, reach5 ft.,onecrea-
ture.Hit: 21 (3d10+5) psychicdamage. Ifthe targetisMedium Whenhitbyanattackroll,themindflayergains
WarpReality.
or smaller,it hasthe grappledcondition(escapeDC17)and a+4bonustoitsACagainst causing
thatattackroll,potentially
must succeedon a DC 17 saving
Intelligence throworhavethe alongwithanyequipmentit
ittomiss.Thenthemindflayer,
incapacitatedconditionuntilthegrappleends. is wearingor carrying,magicallyteleports up to 60 feet to an
unoccupiedspaceit cansee.

Ce

APPENDIX A | BESTIARY 209

 MIND FLAYER PROPHET
Some mind flayersdedicatetheir livesto channeling
abstruse truths from beyondreality.This insight
gives them preternaturalsensesand allows themto
focus their innate psionic power.
TT SSeS

MIND FLAYERPROPHET
MediumAberration,
Typically
LawfulEvil

ArmorClass17(natural
armor)
HitPoints97(15d8
+30)
Speed30ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

1S(+2) 14(+2) 14(+2) 20(45)-17
(+3) 17(43)
Saving
ThrowsInt+8,Wis+6,Cha+6
SkillsArcana+8,Insight+6,Perception+6,Stealth+5
Sensesdarkvision
120ft.,passive
Perception
16
LanguagesDeepSpeech, Undercommon,telepathy
120ft.
Challenge
8 (3,900
XP) Proficiency
Bonus+3
uo

Awareness.
Themindflayerhasadvantage
oninitiative
rolls
andcan'tbesurprised
aslongasitdoesn’t
havetheincapaci-
tatedcondition.
MagicResistance.
Themindflayerhasadvantageonsaving
throwsagainstspellsandothermagical
effects.

ACTIONS
5 ft.,onecrea-
Tentacles.MeleeWeaponAttack:+8to hit,reach
ture.Hit:16(2d10+5)psychic damage.If thetargetis Medium|
condition
it hasthegrappled
or smaller, DC16)and
(escape
mustsucceed saving
ona DC16Intelligence throworhavethe
stunnedconditionuntilthegrappleends.
5 ft., one
ExtractBrain. MeleeWeaponAttack:+8to hit,reach
Humanoidgrappled bythemindflayer.Hit:55(10d10) piercing
damage.If thisdamage reduces to0 hitpoints,the
thetarget
anddevouring
mindflayerkillsit byextracting itsbrain.
MindWhip(Recharge 5-6).Themindflayer outwith
lashes
psychicenergy, targetingu ptotwo creatures itcanseewithin
E
60feetof itself. achtarget m ust succeed o na DC16 Intelli-
gencesavingthrowortake23(4d8+5)psychic damage and
havethestunned condition f or1 minute. A stunnedt argetcan
throw atthe endof ofits
each turns,e nding
repeatthesaving
theeffectonitself ona success.
Spellcasting Themindflayer
(Psionics). castsoneofthefol-
n ospell c omponents andusingIntelli-
lowingspells,requiring
genceasthespellcasting ability(spellsaveDC16):
thoughts, levitate
At Will:detectmagic,detect
monster, plane (selfonly),trueseeing
shift
1/dayeach:dominate

* a
wy) eZ
Xe: (oe.
A | BESTIARY &@
210. «APPENDIX
 MUTATES
A creature exposed to the strangeenergyof theFar Severalcommontypesof mutatesexist.The indi-
Realm risks developing mutations.Sucha creature vidualswithstatblockspresentedin this sectionare
: undergoesa metamorphosis as thepowersof the foundin theprecedingadventure,althoughother
Far Realm rewrite the fundamentals of the crea- mutatesexist. Some creatures are more prone to be-
a ture’s existence. coming Far Realm mutates,such as the cloaker and
Any creature can become a mutate and transform otyughpresentedon the following pages.
toexhibit physical characteristicsassociatedwith Mutatesoftengainpsionicabilities,growwings,
theFar Realm. Some creaturesbecomemutates becomecoveredin otherworldlyslime,or exhibit
afterprolonged exposure to Far Realmenergyor otherunsettlingtraits.Specificmutatedcreatures
magicdrawn from that strangeplane.Othersdelib- arefurtherdescribedin thesectionsthatfollow.
eratelychange themselves,seekingtoembracethe
fell powers they worship. Creaturesthatbecome
mutatesoften inexplicably changebackto theirpre-
vious forms once the Far Realm influence abates.
Forcing a transformation on creaturesinexplica-
asthemindflayer
blyfails,thoughevil forces—such
empireof old—have conductedmuchresearchon
thetopic. For centuries, mind flayershavetried
to create armies of mutates to sweep through the
Underdark. However, their efforts always proved
fruitless, and eventually the mind flayers gaveup
their schemes.

APPENDIX A | BESTIARY ail

 RTE ae
‘ t
"
. — ee
:* “ a qe

4 fu» 4

CLOAKER MUTATE
The malign energyof the Far Realm causesa
cloakerto mergewith the rottedcorpseof its last
meal,resultingin a hideouspuppeteeringAberra-
tion.The cloaker mutateshroudsits actionsina
miasmaof phantasmicduplicates.It uses thecorpse
meldedtoits underside
toabsorbdamageandto HUMANOID MUTATE
strike at prey.
When theinfluenceof the Far Realm affects Hu-
———————
manoids,theresulting creature might be a thing of
CLOAKER MUTATE nightmares.Multitudinouswebbed wings sprout
Large
Aberration,
Typically
Chaotic
Neutral
haphazardlyalongthis mutate’sbody. Its skin be-
ArmorClass14(natural
armor) comesclammyand as smoothas a salamander’s.
Hit Points143(22d10+22) Some intelligentHumanoid mutatesretain their
Speed10ft.,fly30ft. personalitiesfrom beforethey were exposed to the
Far Realm.Some, drivenby the allure of other-
oe

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

19(+4) 15(+2)12 worldlypowers,seekthis transformation to become
(41) 18(+4)-13.(41)
11:
(40)
—— malevolentprophetsand harbingers. Others find
SkillsStealth+6 magicalways to return to their previous forms.
DamageResistances necrotic,poison,psychic —————————————_
ConditionImmunities exhaustion,poisoned
Sensesdarkvision60ft.,passivePerception 11
HUMANOID MUTATE
Medium
Aberration,
AnyAlignment
Languages DeepSpeech,Undercommon, telepathy
60ft.
Challenge 10(5,900XP) Proficiency
Bonus+4 Armor Class 14
—
Hit Points65(10d8+20)
Avoidance. |fthemutateis subjected
to aneffectthatallows Speed30ft.,fly30ft.
it to makea savingthrowtotakeonlyhalfdamage,it instead Se
takesnodamage
if itsucceeds
onthesaving
throw,
andonly STR DEX CON INT wis
half damage
CHA
if it fails. 12(+1) 18(+4) 14
(42) «10.
(40) 13.
(41)
~—*15
(42)
LightSensitivity.
Whilein brightlight,themutatehasdisadvan- =a

tageonattackrolls. SkillsPerception
+3,Stealth+6
DamageResistances psychic
ACTIONS Condition
Immunities
charmed,
frightened
Sensesdarkvision120ft.,passivePerception13
Multiattack.ThemutatemakesoneCorpseSwipeattackand
LanguagesCommon,telepathy 60ft.
twoTailattacks,or it makesfourTailattacks.
Challenge
4 (1,100XP) ProficiencyBonus+2
CorpseSwipe.MeleeWeapon
Attack:+8to hit,reach
5 ft.,one
target.
Hit:20(3d10
+4)bludgeoning
damage.
If thetarget
isa SunlightSensitivity.
Whilein sunlight,themutatehasdisad-
creature,
it mustsucceedon a DC 16Constitution
savingthrow vantageonattackrolls.
or havethepoisonedconditionfor 1minute.Whilepoisonedin
thisway,a creature
can’tregainhitpoints. ACTIONS
Tail.MeleeWeapon
Attack:+8to hit,reach10ft.,onetarget. Multiattack.ThemutatemakestwoUnarmedStrikeor Night-
Hit:13(2d8+4)slashing
damage. mareBlastattacks.
UnarmedStrike.MeleeWeapon 5ft.,
Attack:+6to hit, reach
Bonus ACTIONS onetarget.Hit:7 (1d6+4) bludgeoningdamageplus 10(3d6)
PhantasmalDuplicates. Themutatemagically projectsupto psychicdamage.
makeit difficult
of itself. Theseduplicates
fourillusorycopies NightmareBlast.Ranged Weapon Attack:+6to hit, range60 ft.,
to ascertainthemutate’s truelocationandlastuntiltheend Hit: 7 (2d6)psychicdamage,andthetargetmust
onecreature.
of the mutate’snextturn. While the copies exist,attackrolls ona DC12Wisdom
succeed savingthroworhavethefright-
against withdisadvantage.
aremade
themutate nextturn.
untilthestartofthemutate’s
enedcondition
PsychicMoan(Recharge 6).Themutateletsouta moan
within60feetof the | REACTIONS
chargedwithpsychicenergy.Eachcreature
mutatethatisn’tan Aberrationmustsucceedon a DC 16Wis- Flight.Immediately
Defensive themutate
aftertakingdamage,
domsavingthrowor take17(5d6)psychicdamageandhave doesn’tprovokeopportu-
fliesupto itsspeed.Thismovement
condition
thefrightened nextturn.
untiltheendofthemutate’s nityattacks.
—SSS=) ll

212 APPENDIX A | BESTIARY

e
 OTYUGH MUTATE
Risingfrom piles of carrion andfilthexposedtoa
Realmenergy,an otyughmutategrowschitinous.
jet-blackplatingoverits limbs.The platescontrast
withthetranslucent,
sharply ap
almostghostly,
pearanceof its flesh,which providesagrotesque
re-
windowintothevirulentrefusetheotyugh
centlyconsumed.
a
OTYUGH MUTATE
Aberration,
Large Neutral
Typically

armor)
ArmorClass16(natural
HitPoints76(8d10+32)
Speed30ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

19(+4)11(40)18(+4)10(+0)15
(+2) 6(-2)
SavingThrowsStr +7,Con +7
DamageImmunitiespoison
Condition
Immunities
poisoned
Sensesdarkvision120ft., passivePerception12
LanguagesOtyugh,telepathy
120ft.
Challenge
6 (2,300XP) Proficiency
Bonus
+3

Virulent
Breath.Noxiousgasfromthemutate’sdigestion
ofprevious
mealsspewsfromitsmouth. Atthestart
ofthe
mutate’s
turn,eachcreature
within5feet
ofit mustsucceed
ona DC 15Constitutionsavingthrowor take3 (1d6)poi-
sondamage.

ACTIONS
Multiattack.The mutatemakestwo BiteorTentacleattacks.
It
_ canreplaceoneof these attackswithChitinSlam.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7to hit, reach5 ft., one target.
Hit:13(2d8+4) piercingdamage.
If thetarget
isacreature,
it
_ mustsucceedona DC15Constitution saving
throworhavethe
poisonedcondition.Every24hoursthatelapse,
thetarget
must
repeatthesavingthrow,reducingits hitpointmaximum by5
(1d10)onafailure. On a successfulsave,thetargetis nolonger
poisoned.Thetargetdies
if its hitpointmaximumisreduced
to0.Thisreductiontothetarget's hitpointmaximumlastsun-
tilitnolongerhasthepoisoned condition.
Tentacle.MeleeWeaponAttack:+7to hit,reach10ft.,one
damage,
Hit:13(2d8+4) bludgeoning
target. if thetarget
and
condition
ithasthegrappled
isa Mediumor smallercreature,
(escapeDC 15)andthe restrainedconditionuntilthisgrap-
one
thatcangrapple
pleends.Themutatehastwotentacles
targeteach.
ChitinSlam.Themutatetargetsonecreature
itisgrappling,
slamming against
thecreature Thecrea-
plating.
itschitinous
savingthrowor
_ turemustsucceedon a DC 15Constitution
_take16(3410)bludgeoning damageandhave con-
thestunned
ditionuntiltheendof themutate’s
nextturn.
 OCULORB
Manyoculorbsaredreamedintoexistence
bybe-
holders.The Far Realm’sstrangepower can per-
vadea beholder’sdreams,resulting in the birth
of
an oculorb.
Oculorbs resemblea slimy conglomerationof
eyes
in manysizes and shapes.They are dreaded
evenby
thebeholders
thatbirththem.An oculorbis a tangle
of negativeemotions—thefury, melancholy,and
ob-
session of its creator,all givengruesome,corporeal
form. Like a beholder,an oculorb can fire beamsof
energyfrom its eyes,but an oculorb’seyeslack the
more sophisticatedmagical natureof a beholder’s
eyestalks.Instead,an oculorb unleashespowerful
wavesof energychargedwith negativeemotions,
cowing its foeswith despair and ire.
— sss ee a — ’

OCULORB Dreadful Melee

Contact. Attack:
Weapon 5 ft.
+5tohit,reach
ChaoticEvil
Typically
LargeAberration, Hit: 14(3d6+4) psychicdamage,or25 (6d6+4)
onecreature.
= if thetargethasthefrightenedcondition.
psychicdamage
ArmorClass13(naturalarmor) EyeBeam.Ranged SpellAttack:+8to hit,range120ft., one
Hit Points 127(15d10+45)
creature.
Hit: 14(3d6+4) psychicdamage.
Speed
0 ft.,fly60ft. (hover)
Flood(Recharge
Antipathic awave
5-6).Theoculorbreleases
STR DEX CON INT Wis CHA of negativeemotions, choosing oneof the following options:

13(+1) 10(+0) 17(+3) 1442) 1542) 19(+4) Theoculorb

Eyes.
Weeping weeps, awaveofcrushing
releasing
Seen anet despair. within30feetoftheoculorbmust
Eachcreature
SavingThrowsInt+6,Wis+6,Cha+8 makea DC 16Constitution savingthrow.Onafailed save,
SkillsInvestigation
+6,Perception
+10 speedis reducedto0 feetuntiltheendof the
a creature's
ConditionImmunitiesblinded,prone oculorb’s nextturn, andif the creaturewas concentrating, Its
Sensestruesight60ft.,passivePerception20 concentrationis broken.
Languages DeepSpeech,telepathy120ft. WitheringGlare.Theoculorb’seyesunleashfuriousscarleten-
Challenge 9 (5,000XP) ProficiencyBonus+4 ergyin a 60-foot cone. Eachcreaturein that area mustmake
a DC 16Wisdomsavingthrow.Onafailed save,a creature
MagicResistance.Theoculorbhasadvantage
on savingthrows takes33(6d10)necroticdamageandhasthefrightened
againstspellsandothermagicaleffects. conditionfor1minute.On a successfulsave,a creature
takeshalfasmuchdamage andisn’tfrightened.A frightened
on initiativerolls
WatchfulEyes.Theoculorbhasadvantage creaturecanrepeatthesavingthrowattheendof eachof its
andcan’tbesurprised. turns,endingtheeffectonitself on a successfulsave.

ACTIONS REACTIONS
Multiattack. The oculorb makestwo Dreadful Contact attacks ObsessiveRebuke. Whentheoculorbis damagedbya creature
or four EyeBeamattacks. it canseewithin60feetofitself, it forcesthecreatureto make
a DC 16Wisdomsavingthrow.Thecreaturetakes10(3d6)
psychicdamage onafailed save,or halfas muchdamageon a
successfulone.
VALENZU
BRAN
“

214 APPENDIX A | BESTIARY

PSIONIC GOBLINS
Thespecificsof how a psionicgoblincomesto - GOBLINPsI BRAWLER
Alignment Any
(Goblinoid),
SmallAberration
exist vary. Some are born, changed by energy Li
leakingfrom the Far Realm.Otherstransform armor)
leather
Class15(studded
Armor
themselves with their psionic power or enter HitPoints +7)
31(7d6
into agreements with other Aberrations, which help 30ft.
Speed
them transform in return for their serviceas shock wis CHA
STR DEX CON INT
troops. Regardless, the result is the same:a goblin 10(+0)
(+3):15.(+2)
Q(-1) 17(43) 12(+1)—-'16
with unnatural and barely contained psychicpower. be
Psionic goblinsoftenstruggletohandlethetur- Saving ThrowsInt+5,Wis+4
bulentpsychicenergywithin theirmindsandbod- +7
SkillsStealth
ies. Those psionic goblins who learn how to safely Damage psychic
Resistances
Sensesdarkvision60ft., passivePerception12
tap into this psychic power are formidableforces 30ft.
Common,
Languages Goblin,telepathy
their
in combat.Psionic goblinsoftenaugment 2(450XP) Bonus+2
Proficiency
Challenge
martial skills with telekinesis, and stealthysquads
of psionic goblin warriors can communicatevia MentalBurst.Whenthegoblindies,itspent-upmentalenergy
making themexcellentinfiltratorsand
telepathy, inapsychic
explodes blast.Eachcreaturewithin5feetof it
ambushers. mustsucceed onaDC13Intelligence throwortake5
saving
damage.
(2d4)psychic
GOBLIN Psi BRAWLER Thegoblinhasadvantage
MentalFortitude. onsavingthrows
thatwouldmakeit havethecharmed
effects
against orfright-
Goblinpsi brawlersuse theirpsionictalentsto
enedcondition.
heightentheir physicalmight.Their strikescrackle
with psychic energy, and while angered,goblin psi ACTIONS
brawlers can unleashatelekinetic thrust strong Strikeattacks.
twoUnarmed
Thegoblinmakes
Multiattack.
enoughto knock enemiestotheground.
5ft.,
UnarmedStrike.MeleeWeaponAttack:+5to hit, reach
Hit:5(1d4+3)bludgeoning
onetarget. plus3 (1d6)
damage
GOBLIN Ps1 COMMANDER
damage.
psychic
Goblin psi commanders are among the fewpsionic
goblins who manage to fully control the power BonusACTIONS
within themselves. Awakened to the totalbreadthof or Hideaction.
ThegoblintakestheDisengage
Escape.
Nimble
wield
theirpsionic abilities,goblinpsi commanders onecreature it cansee
Shove.
Telekinetic Thegoblintargets
bladesof pure psychicenergy.Theycan throwbarri- force.Thetar-
within30feetofitselfwithathrustoftelekinetic
ers of mental force while toppling foes with a single, getmustsucceed onaDC13Strength savingthrowor havethe
mind-splittingburst. pronecondition.
eee eee

APPENDIX A | BESTIARY 215

ts ~ &
 Rede
Oe SST
Res an L

eat»
i
“ey

Lae
we

Ae
,
he

a“
wc

GOBLIN Pst COMMANDER

SmallAberration
(Goblinoid),
AnyAlignment
Bae

ArmorClass16 (studdedleatherarmor)
HitPoints
58(13d6
+13)
Speed
30ft.
neanes

STR DEX CON INT

CHA Wis
12(+1)19(+4) 13
(41) 1743) 15.
(42) 1040)
eee

SavingThrowsInt+5,Wis+4
SkillsStealth+8
DamageResistances psychic
Sensesdarkvision60ft., passivePerception
12
LanguagesCommon,Goblin,telepathy 60ft.
Challenge4 (1,100XP) Proficiency
Bonus+2

Mental Burst.Whenthegoblindies,its pent-upmental

energy
explodesin a psychicblast.Eachcreature
within5 feet
ofit
must succeedon a DC 13Intelligencesavingthrowor take10
(4d4)psychicdamage.
Mental Fortitude.Thegoblinhasadvantage
on savingthrows
against
effectsthatwouldmake
ithavethecharmed
orfright-
enedconditions.

ACTIONS
Multiattack.ThegoblinmakesthreePsychicBladeattacks.
PsychicBlade.Meleeor RangedWeapon Attack:+6to hit,reach
5 ft. or range60ft., onecreature.Hit: 11(2d6+4) psychic
damage,andthe targetmustsubtract1d4fromthenextattack
REDBRAND RUFFIAN
rollorsavingthrowitmakes
before
theend
ofthe goblin’s Redbrand ruffians are ruthless enforcers skilled at
nextturn. intimidationandviolence.They
' : work for moneyand
Spellcasting(Psionics).Thegoblincastsoneof thefollowing aveno scruples.
oil P =
spells,requiringno spellcomponentsandusingIntelligence as
the spellcastingability(spellsaveDC 13): REDBRAND RUFFIAN
MediumH id,TypiNeut
At will: magehand(thehandis invisible),minor
illusion Bee oat SPOON Ne eef
1/dayeach:charmperson,dissonant whispers, telekinesis ArmorClass11(leather
armor)
SynapticRend(Recharge
5-6).Thegoblinunleashes
a HitPoints16(3d8+3)
30-foot-radiussphereof psychicenergy,centered
ona point Speed30ft.
thegoblincanseewithin60feet
ofitself. Eachcreature
inthat [ener
area must make a DC 13 Intelligencesavingthrow. Ona failed STR DEX CON INT wis ae
save,a creaturetakes14(4d6)psychicdamageandhasthein- 14(+2) 10(+0) 12(41) 9 (-1) 9 (-1) 11(+0)
nextturn.On
of thegoblin’s
conditionuntiltheend
capacitated ——— =
a successfulsave,a creaturetakeshalfasmuchdamageonly. +2
SkillsIntimidation
SensespassivePerception
9
Languages Common
Sees ; action.
: Challenge 1/2(100xP) ProficiencyBonus+2
orHide
ThegoblintakestheDisengage
NimbleEscape.
PsionicShield.Whenthegoblinor oneof its allieseet . Rete .
conjuresa shie
it is hitbyanattackroll,the goblin a
on tated of theattacka a +3bonusto itsAC Shortsword. MeleeWeapon 5 ft., one
Attack:+4to hit, reach
causingit to miss.
againstthe triggeringattackroll,potentially target.Hit:5 (1d6+2)piercingdamage. |
a ed [t. ——

216 APPENDIX A | BESTIARY

ie . 4 oe. . 1 tinea a ata ereso

 MAGIC
ITEMS
HISAPPENDIXDESCRIBES THENEWMAG\( LUMINOUSWARPICK
itemsfoundin thisadventure. are
Theitems Weapon(War Pick), Rare (Requires Attunement)
order.
presentedin alphabetical
Thehaftofthiswarpickis inlaidwith crushed
pearlescentstonesthat imbue the weapon witha
ITEM DESCRIPTIONS
Yougaina +1bonustoattack
faintluminescence.
BRACERS OF CELERITY anddamagerollsmadewiththis war pick.
Wondrous Item, Rare (Requires Attunement) Whilewieldingthewar pick,youcanuse a bonus
actiontocastthedaylightspell,choosinga pointon
This pair of lightweight bronzebracersis lined
with soft, purple velvetand engravedwithswirl- thewar pick.Onceyouusethis bonusaction,it can’t
beusedagainuntilthenextdawn.
ingdesigns.
While you'rewearing thesebracers,all your
speedsincrease by 10feet,andyouhaveadvantage
on saving throws you maketo avoidor endthepara- Luminous War Pick
lyzedor restrained conditionon yourself.

CAPE OF ENLARGEMENT
WondrousItem, VeryRare (RequiresAttunement)
Ancient runes are stitchedin silverthreadalongthe
hemof this grayish-purplecape.
The cape has 3 charges.As a bonusactionwhile
wearing the cape,you can expend1 of itscharges
toenlargeyourself, grantingyourselfthefollow-
ing benefits:
- Your size increases by onecategory—from Me-
dium to Large, for example.If thereisn’tenough
room for your size to increasebyonecategory, you
insteadbecome the maximumpossible sizein the
spaceavailable.
- You haveadvantageon Strengthchecksand
Strength saving throws.
+When you hit with an attackroll usinga weapon
or an unarmed strike, youcanaddyourprofi-
ciencybonus to the attack’sdamage.
These benefits last for 10minutesor untilyouuse
another bonus action to dismiss them. The capere-
gains 1d3expendedchargesdailyatdawn.

FLAYER SLAYER
Weapon (Greataxe), Rare (Requires Attunement)
Carvings of decapitatedmind flayersadornthis
greataxe’smetal blade.You gaina +1bonustoat-
tackand damage rolls madewith thisgreataxe.
An Aberration hit with this greataxetakesan
extra1d12slashingdamage. is
If theAberration
currentlygrapplinga the
creature, must
Aberration
succeedon a DC 15 Strength savingthrowor re-
leaseeach creature it is grappling.

APPENDIX B | MAGIC ITEMS

 MIND CRYSTALS COME IN MANY
COLORS, WITH VARYING MAGICA

MIND CRYSTAL Quickened (Rare). You change the spell’s casting

WondrousItem, Rarity Varies timeto 1 bonusaction for this casting.
These gemstonescontain a crystallized bit of spell- Subtle (Common). You cast the spell without any
castingmagic. Differenttypesof mind crystalsexist, somaticor verbalcomponentsfor this casting.
eachwith a differentsingle-useeffect. MINDBLASTING CAP
When you cast a spell that has a castingtime
WondrousItem, VeryRare (Requires Attunement)
of 1 actionwhile holding a mind crystal,you can
modify the spell in a specificway that has an effect This soft,violetcap bears stitching in the pattern of
describedbelow.You can use only a single mind foldson a brain.
crystal to modifythespell, andyou can’tuse a mind As a bonusactionwhile wearing the cap, you can
projectpsychicenergyin a 60-foot cone. Each crea
crystalanda Metamagic
optiononthesamespell.
ture in thatarea must make a DC 15 Intelligence
Once you use a mind crystal,it becomesa nonmagi-
savingthrow.Ona failed save,a creature takes 5d5
cal gemworth 50 gp.
psychicdamageand has the stunned condition for
Careful (Uncommon). Choose up to three crea-
1 minute.On a successfulsave,the creature takes
tures affectedby thespell. The chosencreaturesau-
half as muchdamageonly.At the end of each of
tomaticallysucceedon their savingthrows against
its turns, a stunned creature can repeat the saving
the spell.
throw,endingthe stunnedcondition onitself on
Distant (Uncommon). If the spell has a rangeof
a success.
a rangeof self,the
5 feetor moreanddoesn'thave
Once this bonusaction is used, it can’t be used
spell’srangeincreasesby100feet.If thespellhasa
againuntil the nextdawn.
rangeof touch,itsrangebecomes30feet.
Empowered (Uncommon).Whenyouroll dam- MINDGUARDCROWN
age for the spell, you can reroll up to threedamage WondrousItem, VeryRare (Requires Attunement)
dice. You must use the new rolls. While you wear this adamantinecrown, you have
Extended (Uncommon).If thespellhasa dura- advantageon Intelligence,Wisdom, and Charisma
tion of 1 minute or longer,doublethe spell’sdura- savingthrows,and you haveresistance to psy-
tion, to a maximum durationof 24 hours. chic damage.
affected
Heightened(Rare). Chooseonecreature
by the spell. That creature has disadvantageon the
firstsavingthrowit makesagainstthespell.

218 APPENDIX B | MAGIC ITEMS

——a An
 8 g
MinoGuaro Crown
MUDSLICK TOWER
Wondrous Item, Very Rare
You can use an action to place this 1-inch-diameter
granite sphere on the ground and speakits com-
mand word, which is “petrification”in Terran.The
sphere rapidly grows into a stout towerthatremains
until you use an action to touch the towerandspeak
the command word again, whereuponthetower
shrinks back to a 1-inch-diametergranitesphere.
The tower must be empty to shrink in this way.The
tower bristles with muddy knobs that constantly
extrude and retract across its surface,as though
thetowerwere breathingthrougha coatingof
thick mud.
Each creature in the area where the towerap-
pears must make a DC 15 Dexteritysavingthrow,
taking10d10bludgeoningdamageona failedsave,
or half as muchdamageon a successfulone.In ei-
ther case, the creature is pushedto an unoccupied
spaceoutside but next to the tower.Objectsin the
areathataren'tbeingwornor carriedtakethisdam-
ageand are pushed automatically.
Whenever it expands, the mudslick towermerges
with any natural stone it touches, awkwardly tipping
and wedging itself to touch as muchnaturalstone
as it can.
The tower is 20 feet ona side and 30 feethigh,
with arrow slits on all sides and a battlementatopit.
Its interior is divided into two floors,with a ladder
running along one wall to connectthem.The ladder
RING oF tHE ORATOR
leadingtotheroof.Whenacti-
endsata trapdoor
thetowerhasa smalldooron thesidefacing
vated,
you.The dooropensonlyat your command, which
youcan speakas a bonus action. It is immune to
theknock spelland similar magic,such as that ofa
chimeof opening.
Althoughit looks like stone,the tower is made of
adamantine,and its magic preventscreatures from
tippingit over.The roof,the door,and thewalls
eachhave100hit points, immunity to damage from
nonmagicalweaponsexcludingsiege weapons, and
resistanceto all otherdamage.While mergedwith
naturalstone,the mudslick tower has immunity to
all damage.Only a wish spell can repair the tower
(thisuseof thespell countsas replicating a spell of
8thlevelor lower).Eachcastingof wishcausesthe
roof,thedoor,or onewallto regain50 hit points.
POTION OF PSIONIC FORTITUDE
Potion, Uncommon
Whenyoudrink this potion,you haveadvantagefor
1houron savingthrowsyou make to avoid or end
thecharmedor stunnedcondition on yourself.
This blackpotionswirls with shimmering flecks of
pink andpurple.
RING OF THE ORATOR
Ring, Uncommon (Requires Attunement)
This ring has6 charges.While you wear it, you can
expend1 of its chargesto project your voice to be
APPENDIX B | MAGIC ITEMS 219
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Recah
A MAGE THAT USES A MIND CRYSTAL TO ENHANCE ITS

SPELLS CAN BECOME FEARSOME INDEED.

heard clearly byall creatureswithin 1 mile of your-
self, regardlessof interveningnoise,for 1 minute.
Magical silence, 1 footof stone,1 inch of common
metal, a thin sheetof lead,or 3 feetof woodblocks
this projection. If you projectyour voicewhile speak-
ing a language the listeningcreaturesdon’tunder-
stand, you can makethecreaturesunderstandwhat
you're saying. You mustbe ableto seethecreatures
to make them understand.The ring regains1d6ex-
pended charges daily at dawn.
SPIDER STAFF :
Staff, Rare (Requires Attunementbya Bard, Sor-
cerer, Warlock, or Wizard)
is shapedlikea
The topof thismagicquarterstaff
spider. It deals an extra 1d6poison damageonahit
when used to make a weaponattack.
Spells. The staffhas10charges. Whileholding
it,you can expendtherequisitenumber ofcharges
to castone of thefollowingspellsfromthestaff:
spiderclimb (1 charge)or web (2 charges; spell
saveDC 15).
The staffregains 1d6+4 expended charges dail)
at dusk.If you expendthe staff’s last charge, roll
a d20. Ona1, the staff crumbles to dust and is
destroyed.
STAFF OF DEFENSE :
Staff,Rare (Requires Attunement by a Bard, Sor
cerer,Warlock,or Wizard)
This slender,hollowstaffis madeof glassyetis as
strongasoak.It weighs3 pounds.While holding
thestaff,you havea +] bonus to your Armor Class.
Spells.The staffhas 10charges.While holdingit,
youcanexpendtherequisitenumberof chargesto
castoneof thefollowingspells from the staff:mage
armor (1 charge)or shield (2 charges).
Thestaffregains1d6+4 expendedchargesdail)
at dawn. If you expendthe staff’s last charge, roll a
d20. On a 1,the staff shatters and is destroyed.

APPENDIX B | MAGIC ITEMS

 —. °

TORY TRACKER
keeptrackofthe
This sheet is intendedto helpyouoryourplayers
characters’progress throughoutthisadventure’s
story.

CHAPTER1:A DANGEROUS
JoURNEY
Notes

INPHANDALIN
2:TROUBLE
CHAPTER
Side Quest Notes

Notes S

WEB
3—4:THESPIDER’S
CHAPTERS AND CAVE
ECHO
WAVE j
Notes 2

OFPERIL
CHAPTER5:PATHS
Crime Scene Notes

isgranted
of theCoastLLC.Permission
©2023Wizards thispagefor personaluse.
tophotocopy
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CHAPTER
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7 TRANSFORMATIONS
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Permission is grantedto photocopythis pagefor personaluse. ©2023Wizards of the Coast LLC.

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STORY
TRACKER
This sheetis intendedtohelpyouoryourplayers
trackthe
characters’progressthroughoutthisadventure’s
story.

JoURNEY
1:A DANGEROUS
CHAPTER
Notes

INPHANDALIN
2:TROUBLE
CHAPTER
Side Quest Notes

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CHAPTERS3—4:THESPIDER’S CAVE
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Notes

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CHAPTER5:PATHS
Crime Scene Notes

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Permission thispage
tophotocopy use.©2023
forpersonal of theCoastLLC.
Wizards
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CHAPTER6:THESHATTERED
SideQuest Notes

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