Candlekeep Mysteries
Candlekeep Mysteries
Candlekeep Mysteries
CREDITS
Project Lead: Chri stopher Perkins D&D TABLETOP TEAM
Art Director: Kate Irwin
Writing: Graem e Barber, Bill Benham, Kelly Lynne D'Angelo, Executive Producer: Ray Winninger
Alison Hu ang, Mark Hulmes , Jennifer Kretchmer, Daniel Kwan , Principal Designers: Jerem y Crawford , Christopher Perkins
Adam Lee, Ari Levitch, Chris Lindsay, Sarah Madsen, Design Manager: Steve Scott
Christophe r Perkins , Michael Polkinghorn , Taymoor Rehman, Design Department: Dan Dillon, Adam Lee, Ari Levitch,
H annah Rose , Derek Ruiz, Kienna Shaw, Brandes Stoddard, Ben Petrisor, F. Wesley Schneider, James Wyatt
Amy Vorpahl , Toni Winslow-Brill Art Team Manager: Richard Whitters
Rules Development: Jerem y Crawford , Dan Dillon , Ben Petrisor, Art Department: Trystan Falcone, Kate Irwin, Emi Kuioka ,
Taymoor Rehman Shawn Wood, Trish Yochum
Editing: Michele Carter, Scott Fitzge rald Gray, Kim Mohan , Senior Producer: Dan Tovar
Christo pher Perkins , Hann ah Rose Producers: Bill Benham , Robert Hawkey, Lea Hel eotis
Lead Graphic Designer: Trish Yochum Director of Product Management: Liz Schuh
Graphic Designer: Trystan Falcone Product Managers: Natalie Egan , Chri s Lind say, Hilary Ross
Cover Illustrators: Clint Cearley, Si men Meyer
Interior Illustrators: Mark Behm , Zoltan Boros, Filip Burburan , MARKETING
Chris toph er Burdett, Sidharth Chaturvedi , Nikki Dawes , Wayne
Director of Global Brand Marketing: Brian Perry
England , Caroline Gariba , Sam Keiser, Julian Kok , Katerina Ladon , Global Brand Manager: Shelly Mazzanoble
Andrew Mar, Irina Nordsol , Robin Olausson, Claudio Pozas , April
Senior Marketing Communications Manager: Greg Tito
Prime, Domenico Sellaro, Ernanda Souza , Brian Valeza, Tyler
Community Manager: Brandy Camel
Wa lpole, Zuzanna Wuzyk, Kie ran Yanner
Cartographers: Tim Hartin , Dyson Logos , Sean Macdonald,
Special thanks to our hundreds of playtesters!
Mike Schley
Project Engineer: Cynda Callaway
Imaging Technician: Kevin Yee
Prepress Specialist: Jefferson Dunl ap
UK
CE
Disclaimer: This book has been compiled by the Avowed ofCandlekeep, in accordance
620 C9 27800000l EN
with the wishes of the late Alaundo the Seer, whose prophecies foreshadow all even ts of
IS BN: 978 -0 -7869-6722-3 conseq uence in the Forgotten Realms. Alaundo warned that anyone who un ra vels all the
First Pri nting: March 2021 CA mysteries of this tome will be hunted down by the Time Dragons of Chronepsis, tossed
into the gaping maw of Dendar the Night Serpent , and cast into the Vortex of Ineffable
Damnation. Ha ha. What a sense of humor, that Alaundo!
9876 5 4 321
DUN GEONS & DRAGONS , D&D, Wizards of the Coast, the dragon ampersand , Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Gu ide , all other Wizard s of the Coast product
names , an d the ir respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA an d other countries. All characte rs and their distincti ve likenesses are property of Wizards of the
Coas t. T he m ater ials described in this statement are protected under the copy right laws of the Unite d States of America and around the world under international intellectual prop-
erty trea ti es. An y reproduction or unauthorized use of the materia ls containe d herein or artwork contained herein is prohibi ted without the express written permiss ion of Wizards of
the Coast.
Printed in the USA. ©2020 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Rento n, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by: Hasbro SA, Rue Emile- Boec hat 31, 2800 Delemont, CH.
Reo resented bv: Hasbro. DP. En tree 2,40. 11 01 EE Amste rdam . N L. H asbro lJ K Ltd .. PO Box 43 Newoort. NP19 4YH . U K.
CONTENTS
New creature stat blocks are marked with an asterisk.
A Book of Books ......................................... 4 The Price of Beauty ................................. 75 Finding Quill ............................................ 156
Using the Adventures ................................. 4 Beginning the Adventure ......................... 75 Arrant Quill* ............................................. 156
Candlekeep .................................................. 6 Temple of the Restful Lily........................ 76 The Party ................................................... 157
Entering Cand lekeep .................................. 6 Naiad* ........................................................... 84 Aftermath .................................................. 158
Defenses and Decorum .............................. 7 Conclusion ................................................... 90 The Book oflnner Alchemy ................ 159
The Avowed ................................................... 8 Book of Cylinders .................................... 91 Finding the Book ..................................... 159
Sages and Master Sages............................ 8 Beginning the Adventure ......................... 91 Order of the Immortal Lotus ................ 161
Sage* ........................................................... 9 Northward Ho! ........................................... 92 Into the Cloakwood ................................. 162
Master Sage* ......................... .................... 9 Helping the Grippli .................................... 93 Temple of the Immortal Lotus .............. 163
Candlekeep Locations .............................. 10 Aftermath .................................................... 98 Steel Cra ne* .............................................. 164
Miirym* .......................................... .............. 16 Grippli* ......................................................... 99 Immortal Lotus Adept* ...... .................... 165
TheJoyof Sarah ofYellowcrest Manor ............... 100 Jade Tigress*············································· 166
Extradimensional Spaces ................. 17 Beginning the Adventure ....................... 100 Bak Mei* .................................................... 168
Finding the Book ....................................... 17 Grieving Ghost ......................................... 102 Aftermath .................................................. 169
Opening the Portal... ................................. 18 Secrets in Waterdeep ............................. 103 The Canopic Being ................................ 170
Fistandia's Mansion .................................. 18 Greenfast ................................................... 106 Beginning the Adventure ....................... 170
Swarm of Animated Books* ................... 19 Temple of the Burnt Tongue Cult... ...... 108 Player Handout: Xemru's Note ............. 171
Broom of Animated Attack* .................... 20 Conclusion ................................................. 113 Mission to Tashluta ................................. 172
Animated Chained Library* .................... 24 Lore of Lurue ......... .................................. 114 Valin's Tomb .............................................. 174
Conclusion ................................................... 25 Finding the Book ..................................... 114 Canopic Golem* ....................................... 179
Mazfroth's Mighty Digressions ........... 26 Lore Comes to Life .................................. 115 Conclusion ................................................. 182
Finding the Book ....................................... 26 Into the Wood ............................. .............. 116 The Scrivener's Tale ............................. 184
What's Going On?...................................... 27 Peril at the Pool ....................................... 122 Beginning the Adventure ....................... 184
Gingwatzim* ............................................... 27 Conclusion ................................................. 123 The Scrivener's Mark ............................. 185
Monstrous Books ...................................... 28 Corrupted Avatar of Lurue* .................. 123 A Myste rious Dream ............................... 186
Journey to Baldur's Gate .......................... 29 Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion ............. 124 A Troubled Journ ey ................................. 187
The Wide ..................................................... 29 Beginning the Adventure ....................... 124 Baldur's Gate ............................................ 188
Blackgate ....................................... .............. 31 Earthquake! .............................................. 125 Haven of the Red Quill.. ......................... 190
Amberdune Hideout ................................. 31 The Barn Door ......................................... 126 Conclusion ................................................. 196
Conclusion ................................................... 34 Under the Barn Door. ........................ .... . 130 Nintra Siotta, Princess of
Book of the Raven .................................... 35 Conclusion ................................................. 134 the Shadow Glass ................................ 196
Finding the Book ....................................... 35 New Monsters........................................... 135 Nintra Siotta• ..................................... ....... 197
Map of Mystery ........................................... 37 Skitterwidget* ....................................... 136 Alkazaar's Appendix ............................ 198
Chalet Brantifax ......................................... 37 Kiddywidget* ......................................... 136 Adventure Overview ............................... 198
Shadow Crossing ...................................... 46 Zikran's Zephyrean Tome ................... 137 Finding the Books ................................... 198
Wereraven* .................................................. 4 7 Finding the Book ..................................... 137 Adventure Background .......................... 199
A Deep and Creeping Darkness .......... 48 Gazre-Azam's Predicament .................. 137 Arriving in Anauroch ............................. 200
Finding the Book ...................................... .48 Zikran's Laboratory ................................ 138 Travel in Anauroch .................................. 202
Maerin ............... .................................... ....... 49 The Cloud Peaks ..................................... 140 Arrival at Haruun ............. ....................... 203
Vermeillon ................................................... 51 Cloud Giant Keep .................................... 143 Travel to the Necropolis ......................... 205
Fate of Vermeillon ..................................... 59 Conclusion ................................................. 146 Necropolis of Azumar ............................ 206
Meenlock* .................... ................................ 60 Cloud Giant Ghost* ................................. 146 Storm Giant Skeleton* .......................... 208
What Happens Next? .............................. 211
Shemshime's Bedtime Rhyme ............ 61 The Curious Tale of Chwinga• ................................................... 212
Adventure Overview .... ............................. 61 Wisteria Vale ........................................ 147
Player Handout: Finding the Book ..................................... 147 Xanthoria .................................................. 213
Shemshime's Rhyme ............... ............. 62 The Cure .................................................... 148 Beginning the Adventure ....................... 213
Finding the Book ....................................... 62 Adventure Summary ............................. . 148 The Lykortha Expanse ........................... 215
Cellar Inhabitants ...................................... 63 Into th e Demiplane .................................. 148 Xanthoria's Defeat ................................... 222
Events ........................................................... 65 Wisteria Vale ............................................. 149 Lichen Lich* ······· ············ ···························223
Shemshime• ................................................ 69 Constructed Commoner* ....................... 149 Contributor Bios .................................... 224
The Firefly Cellar ...................................... 70 Exploring the Manor. .............................. 152
ANDLEKEEP MYSTERIES IS AN ANTHOLOGY RUNNING THE ADVENTURES
of adventures written by members of
To run these adventures, you need the fifth edition
the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS community.
core rulebooks (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Mas-
Each adventure begins with a book that
ter's Guide, and Monster Manual).
the characters find in Candlekeep, an enormous
library located on the Sword Coast in the Forgotten
Realms setting. Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be
If you're not running a Forgotten Realms cam- read aloud or paraphrased for the players when their
paign, you can adapt the adventures in this book for characters first arrive at a location or under a specific
other settings, substituting any large library similar
circumstance, as described in the text.
to Candlekeep. Examples from other published
D&D settings include the following:
The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most
• On the world of Exandria, the Soltryce Academy
of the creatures encountered in these adventures.
in Rexxentrum (a large city on the continent of
When a creature's name appears in bold type, that's
Wildemount) or the Cobalt Reserve in Westruun
a visual cue pointing you to its stat block as a way
(a small city on the continent of Tal'dorei)
of saying, "Hey, DM, get this creature's stat block
• On the world of Eberron, the Library of Korran-
ready. You'll need it." If a stat block is new, the ad-
berg in the nation of Zilargo, the University of
venture's text tells you where to find it.
Wynarn's library in the nation of Aundair, or Mor-
Spells and equipment mentioned in the adven-
grave University's library in the city of Sharn
tures are described in the Player's Handbook. Magic
• On the world of Oerth, the Great Library in the
items are described in the Dungeon Master's Guide
Free City of Greyhawk
unless an adventure's text directs you elsewhere.
USING THE ADVENTURES BE A SENSITIVE DUNGEON MASTER
The Candlekeep Mysteries table summarizes the Before running an adventure with a new group of
adventures in this anthology. Each adventure is de- players, have a candid out-of-game conversation
signed for four to six characters of a particular level, with them about hard and soft limits on what topics
but you can adjust it for larger or smaller groups can be broached in-game. Your players might have
as well as for characters of higher or lower level by phobias and triggers you aren't aware of. Any topic
swapping one monster or trap for another, changing or theme that makes a player feel unsafe should be
the number of foes in an encounter, and adjusting avoided. If a topic or theme makes one or more play-
DCs to make important tasks easier or harder for ers nervous but they give you consent to include it
the characters to accomplish. in-game, incorporate it with care. Be ready to move
Each adventure in this anthology embraces one of away from such topics and themes quickly if a prob-
the following narrative conceits: lem crops up. It's okay for characters to feel stressed
and anxious, but your players should be relaxed and
• The characters discover a book in the library that
having fun .
contains a mystery. Getting to the bottom of this
mystery requires embarking on an adventure.
TENDAYS AND DALERECKONINC
• The characters come to Candlekeep on a quest for
In the Forgotten Realms setting, a week is ten days
information, perhaps to solve a crisis elsewhere long and is referred to as a tenday. There are three ten-
in the world. During their research, they uncover days in a month and twelve months in a year. For more
a book and the mystery it contains, which leads to information on the calendar of the Forgotten Realms,
adventure. see "The Calendar of Harptos" sidebar in the Dungeon
Master's Guide.
These short adventures work best with players Dalereckoning (DR) is the most common reckoning
who like mysteries and discovering their secrets. of years in the Realms. The adventures in Candlekeep
That said, each adventure contains opportunities for Mysteries are presumed to take place in 1492 DR, but
exploration, roleplaying, and combat, to appeal to the exact date is not important.
players of all persuasions.
A BOOK O F BOOKS
(ANDLEKEEP MYSTERIES
Adventure Level Description
The Joy of Extradimensional Spaces A book leads characters on a quest to find a missing sage.
Mazfroth's Mighty Digressions 2 A monstrous revelation sheds light on a book merchant's scam.
Book of the Raven 3 A treasure map tucked inside a book beckons adventurers to a remote hill-
top chalet occupied by a secret society that shuns visitors.
A Deep and Creeping Darkness 4 A book describing a mining disaster prompts adventurers to search for a
missing town .
Shemshime's Bedtime Rhyme 4 A catchy and contagious rhyme traces back to a sinister clockwork book.
The Price of Beauty s A book about beauty shows the way to a secluded temple where beauty is
only skin deep.
Book of Cylinders 6 Engraved cylinders contained within a book tell a gripping and portentious
tale when rolled across wet clay.
Sarah of Ye/lowcrest Manor 7 A haunted book points a ghostly finger at the perpetrators of an unsolved
mass killing in Waterdeep.
Lore of Lu rue 8 Adventurers become immersed in a storybook conflict involving Lu rue the
Unicorn Queen and Malar the Beast Lord.
Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion 9 A stolen book leads adventurers to a tower in Candlekeep that is more
than what it seems.
Zikran's Zephyrean Tome 10 A djinni trapped in a book offers a wish spell to adventurers who find a way
to release him.
The Curious Tale of Wisteria Vale 11 A book holds the key to unlocking a bard's prison.
The Book of Inner Alchemy 12 A search for the missing pages of a book puts adventurers in conflict with
the monks of the Immortal Lotus.
The Canopic Being 13 A book brings several puzzling organ transplants to light.
The Scrivener's Tale 14 A tome leaves its magical mark on the adventurers, dooming them unless
they can find a way to remove it.
Alkazaar's Appendix 15 A book chronicles an unsolved mystery about a wandering stone golem in
the desert.
Xanthoria 16 A fell grimoire helps adventurers end a fungal plague.
A BOOK OF BOOKS
(
ANDLEKEEP
_______..,.,. ---- ,.
...
WRITTEN BY CHRIS LlNDSAY
~ EDITED BY MICHELE CARTER AND HANNAH ROSE
u /
TANDING ATOP A ROCKY CRAG OVERLOOKING
the Sea of Swords, the massive citadel of
___./' Candlekeep has endured the elements for
centuries and defied the degradations of
time. Visible for miles around , Candlekeep has an
eye-catching silhouette: a high wall interspersed
with towers. This wall encloses a large space from
which more towers rise . Those who behold the edi-
fice say it looks like nothing so much as a cake deco-
rated with an overabundance of candles.
The entrance to Candlekeep is a double gate that
stands at the end of the Way of the Lion, the only
road that provides access to and from the outside
world. The route follows a lonely path across the
peninsula where Candlekeep stands.
BooK OF THE AvowED
Those who gain entry discover a cloistered com-
munity of scholars milling around inside Candle-
keep's walls, a place of enlightened conversation The enormous double gates of Candlekeep are
and friendly debate. No better place in the Realms three times the height of a human and wrought of
exists for those who have a love for or a need of black metal magically warded to foil attempts to
knowledge and who want to pursue such interests damage them. Both doors are emblazoned with the
alongside fellow seekers. sigil of Candlekeep. One of the two gates stands
Candlekeep has the largest repository of written open far enough to admit visitors during the day,
lore in Faerun, including the collected prophecies and the other is kept shut.
of an ancient sage named Alaundo the Seer. Those Bedecked in purple vestments, five Avowed
compiled divinations make up a tiny fraction of the priests of Deneir (god of writing) oversee the front
accumulated knowledge and secrets contained in gates, examining and discussing written works
the library's vast collection. presented by hopefuls trying to gain entrance. If a
Not all knowledge preserved in Candlekeep is of question arises, the Avowed send a runner to con-
historical importance. The library holds thousands sult with a sage in the library. The runner eventually
upon thousands of lost recipes, old songs, collec- returns bearing a missive of acceptance or denial.
tions of folklore, and journals written by folks whose Visiting scholars experienced in this procedure
time has long since passed. The abundance of these often bring a selection of possible donations to
ancillary works makes finding notable tomes an ex- ensure admittance. Despite the stringent entrance
ercise in patience and perseverance. Fortunately, a requirements, the Avowed do accept rare editions
legion of scholars and sages called the Avowed look of tomes already in the collection, journals of those
after the library and remain vigilant in the care and who recount unique or insightful experiences, or the
cataloging of all the knowledge it holds. odd work that has been annotated by a prominent
scholar outside the library. Once granted admission,
ENTERING CANDLEKEEP visitors quickly discover that it's wise to assemble a
The required entrance fee for admission into Can- "wish list" of works that members of the senior staff
dlekeep is a work of writing not already collected are interested in collecting, potentially reducing the
therein. Those who show up at the gates without guesswork of readmission on future visits.
such a gift are kindly but firmly turned away. Those admitted to Candlekeep, referred to as
seekers, can request the assistance of an Avowed
CAN DLE K E EP -
adjutant who acts as a guide and research assis- WARDS
tant for the duration of their visit. This guide has
Numerous magical defenses protect the library.
access to all the resources of the library, with the
The most innocuous include wards to protect
exception of the vaults that contain the rarest and
the library's books from mold, weevils, and other
most dangerous works. Seekers can appeal to
threats. Other protections are more dramatic, as
higher-ranking Avowed for permission to peruse
discussed below.
these off-limits works.
Magic Restriction. Wards prevent anyone from
SECURING A GUIDE entering Candlekeep by any route other than
through the front gates. Any attempt to magically
If the adventurers require a guide, roll a d8 and
bypass these gates fails. These wards do not prevent
consult the Avowed Adjutants table to determine
creatures from using magic to exit Candlekeep.
the adjutant who is assigned to them, or choose one
Anyone who tries to fly over the wall into Candle-
that you like.
keep is stopped short. Magical flight is dispelled,
and the subject floats slowly to the ground fifty
AVOWED ADJUTANTS
feet outside the gates. An intangible ward forces
d8 Description creatures that can fly naturally to either land or cir-
Fembris Larlancer, an 18-year-old human scribe cumnavigate Candlekeep altogether. Ordinary birds
with a bright smile, a can-do attitude, and an ob- are unaffected by this ward, and a clever wizard or
noxious need to impress others other individual can bypass the ward by assuming
2 Sprig Summerfoot, a 23-year-old halfling scribe the form of a Tiny bird. The Avowed don't discuss
with ink-stained fingers, a small bag of cookies in
this flaw with outsiders, but anyone who can see the
gulls flying over Candlekeep can easily reach the
one pocket, and a good memory for recipes
conclusion that certain creatures are exempt from
3 Parmak, a 25-year-old human scribe who is con-
this magical restriction.
stantly reading a book and occasionally walks into Fire Suppression. Flames larger than a candle
things are suppressed within the keep. (The fireplace in
4 Garlyth Graystock, a 39-year-old dwarf scribe who the Hearth, Candlekeep's tavern, is an exception.)
cuts off others in mid-sentence and always seems Thus, any spell that creates fire is wasted if it is cast
to know what they want or need before they do within the keep.
Theft Protection. Every book, scroll, and other
5 Nax Olossis, a 22-year-old dragon born scribe
work considered part of Candlekeep's collection is
(brass dragon ancestry) who loves conversation
magically protected against theft. Any such work
6 Orrin Glass, a 67-year-old human scribe who is that is removed from the keep disappears and im-
deaf in one ear, forgetful, and easily exasperated mediately returns to its proper place in the library.
7 Vooshadi Moonriver, a stoic 87-year-old moon elf This ward also has a flaw that the Avowed don't
scribe who is difficult to anger and doesn't mince discuss with outsiders. If pages from a book or parts
words of a scroll are torn away, these fragments can be
8 Irony, a 15-year-old tiefling scribe who follows
removed from Candlekeep as long as the bulk of the
work remains in the library. Similarly, if a work is
the rules, never lies or steals, and aspires to be
split into pieces and entirely removed from Candle-
Keeper of Tomes one day
keep, only the largest piece disappears and returns
to its proper place in the library.
DEFENSES AND DECORUM Shielding Mythal. From any location in Candle-
keep, the Keeper of Tomes (see "The Avowed" later
Candlekeep is fortified by a fifty-foot-tall, fifteen-
in this section) can activate a mythal- an excep-
foot-thick, iron-reinforced stone wall with a double
tional, unbreakable magical effect- that envelops all
gate facing east. Although most of the Avowed are
of Candlekeep in a protective shield through which
humble scholars, a number of potent spellcasters
nothing but air and sound can pass.
fill critical posts. If trouble occurs, the Gatewarden
(an archmage) and up to four mages arrive to inves- ORDERS OF ACCORDANCE
tigate immediately. If they can't bring the situation
under control in short order, up to four additional All who enter Candlekeep must agree to the Orders
archmages arrive to lend assistance. of Accordance, rules set forth by the senior staff to
prevent misconduct. Violating one or more of these
orders results in banishment from Candlekeep, and
the banished are seldom allowed to return. The
rules are simple:
No fighting. All arguments must follow the rules of
THE AVOWED
cordial debate and discussion. Violent altercations
are not tolerated. Roughly three hundred Avowed live in Candle-
No stealing. This rule applies to all objects in the keep. The majority of them are low-level assistants,
keep, not just the library's works. newcomers to the order, or scribes who handle the
No copying. Visitors are permitted to take notes everyday work in the keep (use the commoner stat
while studying the library's works, but anyone block to represent them).
who wants to make a full copy of a work must pay High-ranking members of the Avowed include the
to have the manuscript created by scribes at the individuals described below.
House of the Binder.
KEEPER OF TOMES
No damaging, marking, or otherwise modifying
the works. This rule doesn't apply to privately The Keeper is the highest-ranking member of the
owned books, scrolls, and other documents that Avowed and the governor of Candlekeep, who se-
aren't part of Candlekeep's collection. lects scholars to fill vacant leadership positions. The
Keeper's word is law, and each Keeper's edicts are
SAGES AND MASTER SAGES recorded for the edification of future Keepers.
A Keeper of Tomes chooses their own replace-
Candlekeep's resident lore experts are master sages
ment. If a Keeper dies or departs before making
and sages who dedicate themselves to scholarship
that choice, the council of Great Readers votes to de-
above all. Stat blocks for the master sage and the
termine who among them is elevated to the position.
sage appear on the facing page.
Tie votes are broken by the First Reader.
In 1492 DR, the Keeper of Tomes is the human
NPC GENDER AND ALIGNMENT
archmageJanussi, a devoted follower ofDeneir.
If no gender or alignment is specified for a nonplayer
character in Candlekeep, you can choose that N PC's READERS
gender identity and alignment.
The Keeper of Tomes appoints individuals to fill key
roles, as described in the sections that follow.
-
MASTER SAGE
Medium humanoid (any race)
Shocking Grasp (Cantrip). Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit (with ad- STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
vantage if the target is wearing armor made of metal) , reach 5 8 (-1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 11 (+0)
ft ., one creature. Hit: 13 (3d8) lightning damage, and the target
can 't take reactions until the start of its next turn . Skills Arcana +8 , History +8, Insight +4, Investigation +8,
Fireball (3rd-Level Spell; 3/Day). The sage creates a fiery explo- Medicine +6, Nature +8, Religion +8
Senses passive Perception 12
sion centered on a point it can see within 150 feet of it. Each
Languages Common plus any four languages
creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire dam-
age on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful
one. The fire spreads around corners and ignites flammable
ACTIONS
objects in the area that aren 't being worn or carried .
Shocking Grasp (Cantrip). Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit (with ad -
Spellcasting. The sage casts one of the following spells , using vantage if the target is wearing armor made of metal) , reach 5
Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (save DC 14, +6 to hit ft., one creature . Hit: 9 (2d8) lightning damage, and the target
with spell attacks): can 't take reactions until the start of its next turn .
At will : light, mage hand, mending, prestidigitation
Spellcasting. The sage casts one of the following spells, using
3/day each : comprehend languages, detect magic, dispel magic,
Intelligence as the spellcasting ability (save DC 14, +6 to hit
identify, levitate, locate object, Tenser's floating disk, un-
with spell attacks):
seen servant
1/day each: banishment, contact other plane, Drawmij's in- At will: light, mage hand, mending
stant summons, legend lore, locate creature, planar binding, 3/day each : comprehend languages , detect magic, identify
polymorph, protection from evil and good, scrying, sending, 1/day each : dispel magic, levitate, locate object, see invisibility,
true seeing sending, tongues, unseen servant
REACTIONS REACTIONS
Shield (1st-Level Spell; 3/Day). When the sage is hit by an attack Shield (1st-Level Spell; 3/Day). When the sage is hit by an attack
or targeted by a magic missile spell, it calls forth an invisible or targeted by a magic missile spell , it calls forth an invisible
< barrier of magical force that protects it. Until the start of its barrier of magical force that protects it. Until the start of its
next turn , the sage has a +5 bonus to AC, including against the next turn , the sage has a +5 bonus to AC , including aga inst the
z triggering attack, and it takes no damage from magic missile. triggering attack, and it takes no damage from magic missile.
CANDLEKEEP
FIRST READER In 1492 DR, the Chanter is a middle-aged shield
The First Reader constantly expands Candlekeep's dwarf priest of Milil (god of poetry and song) named
literary resources and base of knowledge. Acquiring Benedora Stoneforge.
unique tomes and scrolls falls under the First Read-
er's purview. GATEWARDEN
In 1492 DR, the First Reader is Bookwyrm, a The Gatewarden maintains security at the front
dragonborn master sage (see the stat block earlier gates, through which all visitors must enter.
in this section) of green dragon ancestry. Book- In 1492 DR, the Gatewarden is Kalan Strong-
wyrm's real name is Skoda Valanaster. branch, a human archmage.
GREAT READERS
CANDLEKEEP LOCATIONS
Candlekeep maintains a council of eight Great
From the fabled Emerald Door to the deepest cata-
Readers, senior Avowed who oversee day-to-day
combs, Candlekeep contains wonders for those with
operations. These erudite scholars and gifted
spellcasters are chosen from the ranks of Master the patience to find them.
Readers. Each is acknowledged as Candlekeep's COURT OF AIR
foremost expert on a particular area of study. Many
of them use the master sage stat block presented This wide courtyard has nary a tree nor a well clut-
earlier in this section. tering its cobblestone expanse.
In 1492 DR, the Great Readers are: HOUSE OF REST
• A'lai Aivenmore, a human master sage and wor- This three-story bunkhouse in the Court of Air
shiper of Oghma (god of knowledge). Primary provides seekers with a place to rest and store their
expertise: divinity (the gods and the nature of gear. The rustic accommodations include both pri-
the divine). vate rooms and common rooms. In addition to com-
• Alkrist, a dragonborn master sage of bronze fortable lodgings, the House of Rest offers guests
dragon ancestry. Primary expertise: politics, mili- peace and quiet. Noisy patrons are directed to the
tary strategy, and significant battles of Toril. Hearth if they want to continue their revels.
• Daral Yashenti, a human master sage and poet. The House of Rest can hold up to fifty guests com-
Primary expertise: music, poetry, and literature. fortably. If more space is needed, extradimensional
• Fheminor Scrivenbark, a lightfoot halfling master spaces are created using Mordenkainen's magnif-
sage. Primary expertise: history, folklore, and the icent mansion spells, the doorways to which are
cultures of Toril (past and present). located at the ends of the upstairs hallways. Beneath
• Kazryn Nyantani, a human master sage. Primary the House of Rest is an extension of the library
expertise: the natural world and celestial known as the Firefly Cellar (see "Shemshime's Bed-
navigation. time Rhyme" later in this book for details).
• Sylvira Savikas, a tiefling archmage. Primary
expertise: the Great Wheel of the planes. THE HEARTH
• Teles Ahvoste, a human archmage. Primary From outside, the Hearth appears to be a modest
expertise: magic items, curses, and the Weave. tavern of sturdy construction, with warm light ema-
• V'ziir-Ag, a githzerai master sage. Primary exper- nating from a pair of small windows on either side
tise: all things unnatural (including aberrations, of the front door. Upon entering the establishment,
undead, and the Far Realm). visitors quickly realize that it's three times more
spacious on the inside.
MASTER READERS The Hearth gained its larger dimensions courtesy
Master Readers (sages and master sages; see of extradimensional magic created by worshipers of
the stat blocks earlier in this section) oversee the Good (god of craft). An intricate clockwork device
scribes and teach the adjutants. These learned is suspended in a two-foot-diameter, faintly glowing
Avowed possess tremendous institutional crystal orb embedded in the ceiling over the bar.
knowledge. The Avowed call this device a geometric amplifier.
It is the source of the magic required to maintain
CHANTER
the integrity of the enlarged space.
A chosen group of Avowed maintains a constant rec- The bar seats up to twenty customers, and patrons
itation of the prophecies of Alaundo the Seer. The can also be seated comfortably at round tables with
Endless Chant, as it is called, travels throughout the stout wooden chairs or at rectangular tables with
keep day and night. It's led by either the Chanter or benches. A dozen soft, cushy armchairs encircle the
a hand-picked subordinate. fireplace in the center of the room.
CANDLEKEEP
··..::-:-;----:-:.
::::::.-.
... ,.,,.....- •. . .:::- .. . --. ......... -- ---
......::.,,·
. · . \
'·
-~ ,
. _.·
.r, .
,,-;::- ,./1/ :ft-,,
I , ,,-
. . . ;;//.)['. /
!( ;::=·, . /,
. /
;. . ~
. -----
-
.
.-:,)
.
-~ --~-- _.,.-
~:-:( .
i•,ir,,.
. ._ --t? ----- •,.;;,,
_,?---
~- .-;( r··
·;77.
j
~- ~~~~=~
-= ~~~
J .
:)r·\ ..,
. ./ J fl ,/?-·
, I ,
:/4
-..
_r//.
.
_: _
/.
, . /
.·. :,. .r-:r:-:-.: I
,,~p':,5- . ~ '-'.c!C~'.':'-7 :c: :::~"';';,·'j>
_j:~ . 1/
<.• ,
contain heated pools for respite while engaging in
LITTLE ONE
casual conversation or debates with others. Side
One of Candlekeep's guests stands out from the rest
of the crowd: a chaotic good ogre wearing a headband
chambers hold hot saunas and massage parlors.
of intellect. He's most often found sitting by himself in
HOUSE O F T HE BINDER
a corner of the Hearth's taproom , reading a book.
A few years ago, the ogre was like many others of his A seeker can request a copy of any book or scroll in
kind-brutish and cruel. He met a halfling adventurer the library, and the work of creating copies is per-
wearing the shiny gold headband and killed the puny formed by scribes in the House of the Binder. The
runt for it. When the ogre attuned to it, the headband entire text must be replicated, since the Avowed in-
grew in size, enabling him to wear it. With an improved sist on maintaining the scholarly intent and integrity
ability to reason and ponder, the ogre felt compelled to of the original author.
appreciate the error of his ways and seek out a better
Nonmagical Tomes. The copying and binding
life. He adopted the name Little One, to honor the
halfling whose life he cut short. of a typical book in Candlekeep's library generally
Shunned by polite society, Little One came to Can- costs 100 gp or so (double for a translated version),
dlekeep hoping to learn as much as he could. He's a though large books incur an additional charge. The
quiet but popular fixture in the keep, and the Avowed manufacture of a facsimile takes weeks or even
are always saying hello to him and recommending new months for large tomes, so those who desire such
books for him to read. He is currently reading Storm a work must commission it in writing, provide pay-
King's Thunder, by Scriers Ph ink. This book follows the
ment in advance, and then return to the front gates
exploits of a band of adventurers searching for a storm
giant king named Hekaton, whose sudden disappear- to pick up the book or pay an additional price to
ance caused great upheaval up and down the Sword have it delivered.
Coast some years ago. SpeJ/books. A copy of a spellbook costs 50 gp
You can use Little One to introduce your player char- per level of spells contained within it. For example,
acters to rare books such as the ones described in this a spellbook that contains two 3rd-level spells, four
adventure anthology. Little One doesn 't mind sharing 2nd-level spells, and six 1st-level spells (20 spell lev-
whatever book he is currently enjoying.
els total) costs 1,000 gp to copy over to a new book.
Works of the Avowed. Each year, Candlekeep
The Hearth's patrons are a mix of fresh-faced releases a small book stamped with the sigil of the
adjutants, stodgy scholars, and eclectic guests. library and credited to "The Avowed of Candle-
Demiplanar Chambers. Several doors line the keep." These limited editions contain short essays,
walls of the Hearth. Although visible from inside excerpts, and other writings relevant to a particular
the taproom, they do not appear to exist when the theme or subject, such as gardening, gemstones,
structure is viewed from the outside. Each of these longevity, or transformative curses. They are sold at
portals leads to a 30-foot-square demiplane that the keep and by Candlekeep representatives in large
houses either a private meeting chamber or a shrine cities for between 50 gp and 100 gp per book; spec-
dedicated to Deneir (god of writing), Gond (god of ulators often acquire multiple copies in anticipation
craft), or Milil (god of poetry and song). Anyone can of a high resale value.
freely enter one of the shrines, but access to a pri-
vate chamber requires a key from the barkeep and a PILLARS OF PEDAGOGY
payment of 5 gp. Seekers engage in quiet study and research within
Meeting Chambers. Each of the meeting cham- this austere cluster of closely huddled, flat-topped
bers is humbly appointed with a large round table towers of varying heights. Each tower contains
and chairs, plus a pair of sideboards containing private rooms, available by reservation only, that
dishes and cutlery. The menu and beverage list are feature permanent silence spells, allowing their oc-
posted on one wall in case those inside want to or- cupants to read without disturbance.
der food and drink during their gathering. Most research conducted by seekers happens in
Shrines. Each of the shrines is outfitted with a these towers. Seekers at the Pillars must rely on
simple wooden altar, tables and benches for study their Avowed guides to retrieve or return specific
and reflection, and suitable wall hangings. These works from the Great Library to assist with their
adornments vary from deity to deity, but generally research. Most seekers never pass through the
include beautiful tapestries telling key stories of the Emerald Door into the library proper.
relevant deity or framed, illuminated scriptures dis- TEMPLE OF OGHMA
cussing and illustrating the god's key tenets.
This modest stone temple is dedicated to the god
BATH AND STEAM HOUSE of knowledge. Its bronze bell announces the begin-
Avowed and seekers alike use this building as ning of services. Four large stone gargoyles perch
a place to relax. Spacious rooms in the building on the cornices and gaze down protectively; these
CANDLEKEEP -
seemingly inert statues are stone golems charged SMITHY AND STABLES
with defending the temple. If called to service, they A gold dwarf veteran named Khe'ril Hammerbind
glide gently to the ground using a programmed ef- oversees the smithy, which adjoins the stables.
fect similar to a feather fall spell. Khe'ril and his apprentices produce shoes for
The caretaker of the temple in 1492 DR is a hu- horses and other mounts here. The heat from the
man priest of Shou descent named Lorekeeper forge provides warmth when winter comes calling.
Kei Tigersteel. Though not officially an Avowed, The stables accommodate a wide range of mounts.
the Lorekeeper enjoys the privilege of entering the Most of the stalls are designed for horses and po-
library unaccompanied. nies, but specialized stalls offer secure lodging and
care for hippogriffs, griffons, and wyverns as well.
ERUDITE OUTFITTERS & CLOTHIERS
Seekers and members of the Avowed can buy new EMERALD DOOR
robes or have their well-worn clothes mended at this The Emerald Door-the main point of access to the
modest exchange. Inner Ward-stands at the western end of the Court
In 1492 DR, the exchange is managed by Feld- of Air. It is fifteen feet tall and made of a translucent
mar Bisset III, a human acolyte of Gond, an expert dark green stone that glows with an inner light. An
tailor, and a sericulture hobbyist. He and his fam- arcane Jock spell seals the door, which is further
ily fashioned a place among the Avowed, crafting warded against all damage. Here, a Keeper of the
robes and other garments upon request. Feldmar Emerald Door (a mage) stands at all times towel-
teaches a compulsory class on simple stitching to come newly arrived seekers. The Keeper uses run-
adjutants in an effort to reduce the amount of basic ners to help seekers secure lodgings at the House of
patchwork he and his family do to keep the Avowed Rest and places to study in the Pillars of Pedagogy.
neatly clothed. Keepers of the Emerald Door politely dispel any
Next to the workshop is an atrium where Feldmar mistaken notions seekers might have about passing
indulges his hobby of raising silkworms and har- through the Emerald Door and exploring the Great
vesting their cocoons to weave small amounts of the Library beyond. The Inner Ward is off limits to
precious cloth.
seekers without special dispensation, which must stockier buildings, all joined together in the shadow
come from the Keeper of Tomes, the First Reader, of a high-walled citadel called Exaltation.
or one of the eight Great Readers. When permis-
sion to enter the Inner Ward is granted by such an GREAT LIBRARY
individual, it's customary for the beneficiary of this The Avowed transported the towers of the Great
consent to receive a signed and sealed letter of ad- Library piecemeal from other locations and
mittance. The wax seal must be intact and unbroken painstakingly reassembled them, creating a sky-
when the letter is presented to the Keeper of the line of bristling spires in a panoply of architectural
Emerald Door. The Keeper determines the letter's styles. Among the stone structures are a few towers
authenticity by opening and reading it. If the letter made of stranger materials, such as infernal iron
passes muster, the Keeper returns it, opens the and the bones of a long-dead colossal red dragon.
Emerald Door, and allows the letter's owner to enter Non-Avowed rarely enter the Great Library, but
the Inner Ward. Unless a shorter or longer duration senior staff members occasionally bestow letters of
is specified in the letter, permission to occupy the admittance upon individuals of remarkable talent
Inner Ward lasts for a tenday, during which time the and impeccable reputation (including adventurers).
letter's recipient can come and go as they please. These visitors may peruse the contents within, with
A Keeper can spot a forged letter of admittance an Avowed adjutant (a commoner) serving as their
with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested guide. Visitors are required to stay with their guide,
by the forger's Dexterity (Deception) check. Anyone since those unfamiliar with the library might be-
caught presenting a forged letter is denied access to come lost in its labyrinthine halls and extradimen-
the Inner Ward indefinitely. sional spaces.
A seeker who is denied entry to the Inner Ward The oldest of the library's buildings are soar-
can still enjoy the bulk of Candlekeep's collected ing stone affairs with floors crafted from lustrous
works. The seeker need only ask an Avowed adju- dark wood and floor-to-ceiling shelves. Ceiling
tant to fetch the desired works and deliver them to heights vary, ranging from as low as ten feet to
the seeker's preferred place of study in Candlekeep as high as one hundred feet in the tallest towers.
(usually a chamber in the Pillars of Pedagogy). Not The Avowed use floating disks, each one large
all books in the collection can be checked out in this enough to hold three Medium creatures, to reach
manner, however; the rarest and most dangerous the highest shelves. Continual flame spells light the
tomes can be accessed only by creatures who are well-traveled areas, and the Avowed employ drift-
granted passage through the Emerald Door. globes when visiting remote sections. An intricate
If a request is made for a work that has been arrangement of mounted mirrors lights the upper
checked out by another Candlekeep resident, it reaches of the tallest chambers, reflecting sunlight
could be days or weeks before that work becomes by day or a continual flame spell on cloudy days or
available. at nights.
Modr ons. Candlekeep is a haven for thirteen
INNER WARD rogue modrons (monodrones) that escaped from
The poster map included with this book shows the Mechanus. The Avowed struck a deal with the crea-
Inner Ward, which contains the Great Library- a tures, and they've been part of the library staff ever
veritable forest of stone towers clumped around since. Working alongside the Avowed, the modrons
catalog and shelve books, though each of them can
manage only one book at a time.
fXTRADIMENSIONAL SPACES
Cand lekeep has invisible doorways to dozens of EXALTATION
permanent extradimensional spaces , some as small
The bastion of Exaltation is the tallest and most
as a room at an inn and othe rs as large as t he space
created by a demiplane or Mordenkainen's magnificent
heavily defended structure in Candlekeep. From
mansion spell . The Avowed try to keep track of all the the citadel's stone battlements, one can see over the
extradimens ional spaces in Candlekeep, but a few for- walls of Candlekeep in every direction.
gotten doorways lurk in the library, the ir locations or The Avowed live in Exaltation, and visitors are
access requirements lost. Valuable books , scrolls , and not welcome here unless they've made an extraor-
other items might be trapped inside these extradimen - dinary donation or performed a special favor for
sional spaces .
the Avowed, in which case they're allowed a room
When an extradimens iona l space is rediscovered ,
it must be thoroughly explo red , the resources within
and given strict instructions not to wander the halls
cataloged , and the space tested for its stability. Whe n without their assigned guides.
an extradimensio nal space is no longer needed o r de- The halls of Exaltation connect to its classrooms,
s ired , the archmages of Candle keep d ispel it. kitchens, bakeries, dining halls, shrines, workshops,
offices, study halls, scriptoriums, and dormitories.
Bells rung at dawn mark the beginning of every- as a set of immense spectral jaws whose essence
one's daily routine, and bells rung at highsun and roils with the promise of breath weapons and spells
sundown signal the serving of lunch and dinner. of destruction.
These bells also denote the changing of the guard at Adventurers who explore the passages beneath
the eastern gatehouse and the Emerald Door. Candlekeep might encounter Miirym, who's more
interested in news of present-day FaerG.n than in
BENEATH CANDLEKEEP fighting. Indeed, Miirym is an engaging conversa-
Secret staircases abound in Candlekeep, leading tionalist if one has the inclination to chat with her.
down to dusty vaults and catacombs that hold the Miirym doesn't have a treasure hoard. Instead,
oldest books. The flooded caves at sea level are she protects the books and scrolls kept in her
haunted by all manner of strange creatures. subterranean domain. The Sentinel Wyrm can be
summoned by the Keeper of Tomes and called upon
MIIRYM THE SENTINEL WYRM to defend Candlekeep from invaders who would
Well over 1,500 years ago, the silver dragon Miirym plunder or destroy it. In her role as Candlekeep's
broke into Candlekeep, intent on adding its riches defender, Miirym can move anywhere within the
to her hoard. She devoured scholars and destroyed library fortress, passing through walls and other
a score of irreplaceable books before she was con- solid barriers. She can't enter extradimensional
fronted by an archmage and bound into service to spaces, since they are not on the same plane of exis-
protect Candlekeep as penance for her misdeeds. tence as Candlekeep. Miirym's stat block appears at
The wizard passed away before Miirym's sentence the end of this section.
had been served, and other spellcasters were unable
to break the enchantment that bound her. ECHOES OF ALAUNDO
Time passed and so did Miirym, whose corpse Shortly after Alaundo the Seer began speaking
has long since crumbled into dust. Unfortunately his prophecies, a wise novitiate devised a way to
for Miirym, the enchantment remains in effect on magically record his spoken words into prismatic
her spirit. The spectral dragon-what's left of her- gemstones now stored in a vault beneath Candle-
dwells in the catacombs and caves under the library. keep. Only the First Reader and the Keeper of
Those who have visited the depths describe Miirym Tomes have the ability to coax audible recordings
CA NDLEK E EP
MIIRYM ACTIONS
Large undead Bite. Me lee Weapon Attack: +l Oto hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
Hit: 34 (9d6 + 3) force damage.
Armor Class l 0
Hit Points 262 (25dl0 + 125) Breath Weapon (Recharge 5-6). Miirym uses one of the follow-
Speed 0 ft. , fly 60 ft. (hover) ing breath weapons:
Cold Breath. Miirym exhales an icy blast in a 90-foot cone. Each
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA creature in that area must make a DC 21 Constitution saving
17 (+3) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 23 (+6) throw, taking 67 (l Sd8) cold damage on a failed save, or half
as much damage on a successful one.
Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +12, Int +11, Wis +9, Cha +13 Necrotic Breath. Miirym exhales a bolt of necrotic energy in a
Skills Arcana +11, History +11, Perception +16, Stealth +14 120-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line
Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 82 (lSdl0)
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on
Condition Immunities charmed , exhaustion, frightened , a successful one.
grappled , paralyzed , poisoned, prone, restrained Paralyzing Breath. Miirym exhales paralyzing gas in a 90-foot
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft ., passive Perception cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21
26; see also "X-Ray Vision" below Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minu te. A
Languages Common, Draconic creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
Challenge 22 (41 ,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +7 turns , ending the effect on itself on a success.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of Miirym's choice that is
Bound to Candlekeep. Miirym can 't leave Candlekeep and is within 120 feet of her and aware of her must succeed on a DC
immune to any effect that would place her in a location outside 21 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for l minute. A
it, including an extradimensional space. If she dies, Miirym creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
regains her form and all her hit points after ldl0 days, reap- turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's
pearing in the location where she died or in the nearest unoc- saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature
cupied space. is immune to Miirym 's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Regeneration. Miirym regains 40 hit points at the start of her Spellcasting. Miirym casts one of the following spells , using
turn . If Miirym takes damage from a magic weapon or a spell, Charisma as the spellcasting ability (save DC 21) and requiring
this trait doesn 't function at the start of Miirym 's next turn . no material components:
Miirym dies only if she starts her turn with 0 hit points and
At will: dancing lights, mage hand
doesn't regenerate.
3/day each: detect magic, detect thoughts, dispel magic, lo-
Incorporeal Movement. Miirym can move through other crea - cate creature
tures and objects as if they were difficult terrain . She takes 5 1/day each: dispel evil and good, wall offorce
(ldl0) force damage if she ends her turn inside an object .
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Miirym fails a saving throw,
she can choose to succeed instead . Miirym can take 3 legendary actions , choosing from the op-
tions below. Only one legendary action option can be used at
X-Ray Vision. Miirym can see through solid matter out to a a time and only at the end of another creature's turn . Miirym
range of 60 feet . To her, opaque creatures , objects , and obsta- regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
cles within that distance appear transparent and don 't prevent
light from passing through them . This vision can penetrate 5 Bite. Miirym makes a bite attack.
feet of stone, 3 inches of common metal , and up to 10 feet of Teleport (Costs 2 Actions). Miirym magically teleports up to
wood or dirt. Thicker substances block this vision , as does a 120 feet to an unoccupied space she can see.
thin sheet of lead .
from these magic gemstones. Each one holds a to contact the spirits of long-dead sages that are
prophecy spoken by Alaundo himself in an anti- willing to share their insights and knowledge.
quated version of Common that is incomprehensible High-ranking members of the Avowed make use of
without the aid of magic. These gemstones came to this chamber, but few seekers know of it.
be called the echoes of Alaundo. Any creature that has an Intelligence of 8 or
Alaundo's prophecies are easily misinterpreted, higher that spends 1 hour meditating in the cham-
which is why First Readers and Keepers of Tomes ber gains the ability to cast the contact other plane
rarely consult or take advantage of the echoes. spell once, allowing the creature to commune with
a spirit. The spell doesn't need to be cast right away,
CHAMBER OF LOST LORE
nor does it need to be cast in the chamber. If the
Deep beneath Candlekeep, past Miirym and the spell is not cast within 24 hours, however, it is lost.
echoes, is a rough-hewn chamber lit by contin-
ual flame spells. Here, one can gain the power
-
Ix-_ ___ ) -~•NA
; ;T
~RE ;~;LE~;HARACTERS
~XTRADIMENSIONAL SPA(~-~
- WRITTEN BY MICHAEL POLKINGHORN ~
EDITED BY HANNAH ROSE
HE]OY OF EXTRADIMENSIONAL SPACES WAS that Fistandia requested this room each time she
donated to Candlekeep with the rest of the visited the keep. They also turned up mysterious
library of the mage Fistandia, following reports that she rarely left the room for weeks at
her untimely disappearance. In her will, a time. Rumors said that she was not even seen to
Fistandia bequeathed her collection to Candlekeep eat or sleep during her visits. She would, however,
in appreciation for the many years she spent in its go missing for hours at a time. Matreous concluded
hallowed halls. This book is a treatise on extradi- that she must have gone through the gateway during
mensional spaces similar to those created by the those absences. By searching through the books
Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion spell. This Fistandia donated to the library, he found the com-
information alone would make it worthy of note, but mand word to open the portal and stepped inside.
Fistandia's additions in the margins are even more
interesting. In arcane shorthand, she details how FINDING THE BOOK
she created a permanent Mordenkainen's magnifi- The characters have come to Candlekeep seeking
cent mansion spell and records the command word aid for a stricken town, which could be the home of
to open the mansion's doorway. one or more of them. The settlement has withered
Many researchers perused this book over the this year. Crops have failed, the livestock stands in
years it spent in Candlekeep, but knowledge of the the fields like stick figures, and the rain has dwin-
command word was useless without the location of dled. A local mage determined that a curse had
the gateway to the mansion-until a chance discov- been levied on the land and recommended that the
ery by the sage Matreous, an expert in the applica- town seek aid from a sage named Matreous. After
tion and removal of curses. Upon arriving at Candle- some inquiries, the mage found that Matreous was
keep to further his expertise, Matreous cast detect studying in Candlekeep and sent the characters
magic, as was his habit. The spell revealed a gate- to find him.
way in the very study room he had been assigned! Alternatively, the characters could discover The
Forgetting about his earlier purpose, Matreous Joy of Extradimensional Spaces while researching
asked for any knowledge of who might have created one of the following topics:
such a gateway. Research by the Avowed revealed
• Creating permanent versions of existing spells
• Demiplanes, pocket dimensions, and other spaces
that exist outside the Material Plane
Tied to The joy of Extradimensional Spaces are
two mysteries. The first is the whereabouts of the
missing sage Matreous. The characters can resolve
this question by opening the portal to the mansion.
The larger mystery, however, is how to escape once
they are trapped inside.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
The joy of Extradimensional Spaces is a heavy
tome. Its thick covers are made of ornately tooled
leather decorated with gold filigree. Of particular
interest is the illustration on the cover: the bust of
an imposing spellcaster. A character who succeeds
on a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana or History) check
recognizes the legendary mage Mordenkainen.
OPENING THE PORTAL ENCOUNTER LOCATIONS
When the characters are shown into the private Fistandia's mansion is eerily quiet. Rooms with
study room assigned to Matreous, they find it unoc- windows to the outside are lit by the indigo miasma
cupied. Only the sage's personal effects and a hand- swirling outside the mansion, which colors every-
ful of books remain. The joy of Extradimensional thing in the room with its tint. In the larger rooms it
Spaces is open to the pages with Fistandia's hand- tones down the warm light of the oil lamps.
written notes. A character who succeeds on a DC 13 The following locations are keyed to the map of
Intelligence (Arcana) check is able to decipher the Fistandia's mansion.
shorthand and find the command word, "scepter,"
that opens the doorway. Otherwise, the Avowed are
Ml. FOYER AND HALLWAY
happy to help examine Fistandia's notes. The characters emerge from the portal in the grand
Once the command word is spoken, shimmering, foyer of the mansion. On this side, the portal looks
translucent doors appear in the middle of the room. like a double door.
The doors begin to slowly fade, and it's apparent
that they'll disappear entirely in a matter of minutes. The ceiling arches to fifteen feet overhead, and long
When the characters enter the portal, they appear hallways stretch out on either side of the foyer. Stand-
in area Ml. ing in the middle of this area is a middle-aged man
wearing gray robes .
FISTANDIAS MANSION
Fistandia's mansion was created using a Morden-
kainen's magnificent mansion spell and made per- Matreous, a neutral human sage (see page 9 for
manent by Fistandia's own enchantments. It's lux- his stat block), is startled when the characters ap-
urious, but not ostentatious. The structure is open, pear. After his initial surprise, he introduces himself
airy, and constructed of stone blocks. The floors are to the characters and expresses his delight that they
hardwood, and the bedroom, study, trophy room, have opened the portal to the mansion. He has been
and dining room have carpets that cover most of the trying different command words for the last half
floor space in those rooms. The mansion has brass hour to get the portal to reopen.
or bronze fixtures and doors of ironbound oak. The Matreous takes on a thoughtful expression and
furniture is all of deep brown wood, and most of the pauses for an instant, tapping his chin in thought.
rooms are illuminated by oil lamps. The mansion must be a treasure trove of informa-
Outside, a swirling indigo miasma hovers 20 feet tion, and there's no telling what wonders it holds! As
from the building on all sides. A creature that enters an example, he shows the characters an intricately
the miasma feels increasingly uneasy during the carved figurine of an imp that he has found and is
first minute of exposure. If it remains in the mi- taking back to Candlekeep for study (see the "Imp
asma, it gains 1 level of exhaustion for every minute Figurine" sidebar).
it spends there. Matreous explains that he would dearly like to
continue to explore the mansion's mysteries himself,
PUZZLE BOOKS but he could be much more useful back in Candle-
Opening the portal from inside the mansion re- keep. Thanks to the research he conducted to find
quires another command word, which Fistandia hid the mansion, he has the skills to keep the portal
in the form of a puzzle. She created seven books, open from the other side. If the characters take this
each with a single gilded letter on its spine. When chance to explain their errand to him, he is willing
placed next to each other in the proper order, they to accompany them back to their village in exchange
spell the command word, "liberty." The books bear for their time and efforts exploring the mansion.
not only the lettered spines but also the same image If the characters agree to explore the mansion,
of Mordenkainen that graces the cover of The joy of Matreous steps through the double door leading
Extradimensional Spaces. back to the study room. When he does, the charac-
ters hear Matreous shriek as the doors slam shut,
IMP FIGURINE
locking them inside the mansion. (Matreous lets
The imp figurine in Matreous's possession (see area
out the shriek as the imp figurine in his possession
Ml) appears to be a very detailed carving of an imp reveals its true nature. The characters can't help
made from onyx . It's not a statue, however, but a real Matreous until they find a way to reopen the portal.)
imp that Fistandia summoned and transformed into Exits. The foyer gives way to a long hallway
a statuette. Removing the figurine from the mansion that runs the length of the extradimensional
breaks the enchantment and releases the imp. mansion, with several doors on the wall opposite
the entrance.
M2. PATIO
A semicircular patio paved with gray flagstones is
nestled against the building, lit by the swirling in-
digo miasma that surrounds the mansion.
M3. LIBRARY
room, a broom hovers in the air, sweeping the floor Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and
vice versa , and the swarm can move through any opening large
by itself! enough for a l-foot-tall , 8-inch-wide, 2-inch-thick object. The
swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
This room was where Fistandia practiced her ACTIONS
martial and magical skills (at the expense of the
Book Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach Oft., one tar-
fine floors). The mannequin has numerous cuts get in the swarm's space. Hit: 6 (2d4 + l) bludgeoning damage,
and chips. The weapons in the rack are mundane or 3 (ld4 + l) bludgeoning damage if the swarm has half its hit
but finely made. There are four daggers, four quar- points or fewer.
terstaffs, and twenty darts in a bandolier hanging
UPPER lEvEL
Down TO M17·M19
lowER LEVEL
L FISTANDIA'S MANSION
~ !.. 1 square = 5 feet
-~~
The homunculi have had only the cats and the faerie • The faerie dragons in the arboretum (area M9)
dragons in area M9 to cook for or clean up after for are mischievous but harmless. Try to stay out of
ages, so they practically trip over themselves in their their way.
eagerness to provide any service to the characters.
Cats. In one corner of the kitchen, several small
They pester the characters for tasks to do and insist
ceramic bowls painted with stylized cats are
on serving them fresh bread and soup.
filled with water and kitchen scraps. Any cats the
The duties of the homunculi are confined mostly
characters have encountered in the mansion are
to the kitchen and the adjoining dining room (area
found again here, along with an additional cat the
M8). They don't know much about what happens in
characters haven't yet seen. The cats are eating
the rest of the mansion, but they can answer direct
from the food bowls and occasionally batting at one
questions with the following information:
a nother to get the choicer morsels.
• Cumin was created by Fistandia, while Coriander
says that a mage named Freyot created it. M7. PA NTRY
• Their masters went away a long time ago. The shelves in this pantry are stocked with sacks
• They have been warned by their masters not to of flo ur, vegetables, preserved meats, and other
touch any books that have single letters on their staples-all the dry goods needed to sustain a
spines. (The homunculi don't know the signifi- household.
cance of these lettered books.) 1 1
• Fistandia used to go into the planetarium (area FISTANDIA S AND FREYOT S HOMUNCULI
Ml2) and disappear for a long time afterward. A cha racte r who s ucceeds o n a DC l 5 Intelligence (A r-
ca na) check knows t wo vi ta l facts about t he homu nculi
• Something keeps building piles of books in the
in area MG . The first is that a maste r can have on ly one
library. (The homunculi are unaware of the swarm homunculus at a time. The second is that a homuncu-
of animated books in area M3.) lus dies when its master d ies . This fact suggests t hat
• The imp that Fistandia summoned hasn't been Fistandia and Freyot are still alive. Characters m ight
seen in some time. encou nter one or both mages in a futu re adve nt u re.
Ml6. BALCONY
are firmly affixed to the shelves by enchanted chains
and can't be freed without being destroyed.
The door from the bedroom leads to a wrought iron
Treasure. If the characters defeat the animated
chained library, one of its books breaks free with a balcony lined with slate flagstones . The greenery and
length of chain still attached and functions as a +1 colorful flowers of the arboretum are visible below.
flail. The book is entitled Martial Attack Techniques.
Puzzle Book. The book on the reading desk is the
The oppressive miasma seems to press in even
puzzle book with the letter L on its spine.
closer above the mansion here than at ground level.
Ml 4. TROPHY ROOM
Ml7. ALCHEMICAL LABORATORY
.. MAZFROJH'S •
~IGHTY DIGRESSIONS .
WRITTEN BY ALISON HUANG EDITE D BY HANNAH RO SE
DEVELOPED BY HANNAH ROSE & CHRISTOPHER PE R KINS
Mazfroth's Mighty Digressions is seven inches wide • All magic depends on the Weave, an interface be-
and nine inches tall. The brown leather cover is tween casters and raw magic that is governed by
worn from time and use. The name of the book and Mystra, god of magic. Arcane spellcasters access
its author, Mazfroth Gethur, are elegantly written in the Weave directly, while divine spellcasters are
cursive with black ink on the first page. The care put granted access to it by their deities and ideals.
into the front page, however, does not apply to the Damage to the Weave can cause unimaginable de-
rest of the book's contents. Mazfroth's handwriting struction, as evidenced by the Spellplague in 1385
is messy and hasty, as if they couldn't write down DR, the Year of Blue Fire.
their thoughts fast enough. Furthermore, the book's • Some scholars believe that Malar, god of the hunt,
151 pages don't all match, indicating that the author is responsible for lycanthropy. Mazfroth disagrees
kept adding more pages. The book's stitching is with this theory on the basis that not all lycan-
haphazard, and looks like it could come undone at thropes are evil as Malar is. Werebears are an ex-
any moment. ample of lycanthropes that are usually good.
• The Abyss is ruled by demon lords-Baphomet,
ESSAYS AND RAMBLINGS Demogorgon, Graz'zt,Juiblex, Orcus, Yeenoghu,
Zuggtmoy, and many others. Mazfroth ties the
Mazfroth's Mighty Digressions contains a collection
origins of several monsters to these demon lords
of eclectic essays, though not much is revealed or
(sayingjuiblex created all oozes, for example).
known about the author. Mazfroth's essays often go
on long tangents. Although the topics in the book After a character who reads Mazfroth's Mighty
are many and varied, it is clear that divinity, the Digressions finds an essay pertaining to their
denizens of the multiverse, and the nature of magic interests, but before they can finish reading the pas-
were subjects of particular interest to Mazfroth. sage, the book attacks them.
-
decadence; a nightly curfew means that those who
• JOURNEY TO BALDUR'S GATE don't live there must leave at nightfall each day un-
From Candlekeep, it takes five days of travel along less they have a special token.
the Coast Way to reach Baldur's Gate. Bandits and Almost anything can be found in the Wide. Ven-
thugs lurk along this road, waiting to ambush any- dors can operate here without official licenses and
one carrying rare books or other valuables. taxation, as long as their wares are legal. Even so,
the Wide is not immune to corruption: hefty bribes
LYCANTHROPE LOOTER
and reputations determine where every vendor is
On the fourth night of their journey, the party is situated in the marketplace.
attacked by the wererat Mushika and three giant
rats. Mushika bears nasty scars from his time in THE WATCH
the thieves' guilds of Baldur's Gate, and has since Ten veterans of the Watch, a military organization
turned to easier prey along the Coast Way. While that protects the citizens of the Upper City, patrol
the giant rats attack, Mushika stands back in hybrid the Wide. Though their job consists mostly of watch-
form and uses his hand crossbow. He tries to flee if ing out for pickpockets and thieves, they also break
he's reduced to half his hit points or fewer or if all up disagreements and come to the defense of mer-
three giant rats are defeated. chants being harassed by customers.
-
KORVALA
Korvala is a 32-year-oldjackalwere. A tall and im- ,
posing figure , she has been the leader of the pack
since Nidalia died. She has an authoritative air that
instills confidence in her allies and fear in her ene-
mies. Though normally calm and composed, Kor-
vala becomes angry and combative when recalling
the struggles she and her pack have experienced,
including Nidalia's death. Though she is a capable
leader in her own right, the burden of taking over
from Nidalia is a heavy one.
While she was alive, Nidalia taught Korvala the
ritual to create gingwatzims. The other members
of the pack know of the ritual but are never pres-
ent when Korvala performs it. Nidalia's geas spell
forced Korvala to keep the ritual a secret, and al-
though she's no longer under the spell's effect, Kor-
vala refuses to divulge information about the ritual.
Personality Trait. "When I have a goal in mind, I
will do everything to be sure it gets completed."
Ideal. "My pack should be able to live in peace."
Bond. "Nidalia, I owe everything to you. I will
bring you back, mark my words."
Flaw. "If I can't benefit from it, I'm not interested."
BLACKGATE KORVALA
f AMBERDUHE HIDEOUT
TO 46
i The hideout's front entrance opens into this room.
.. ,. ' .
.DOWN
r.;
~ ... d ct: Q · ~ Coo
homely common room. A couple of mugs and plates
sit on a small circular table in the center of the space.
GROUHD FLOOR
A5
t A tattered and faded rug decorates the wooden floor.
0 ~ijA4 Q
a
The jackalweres like to relax and chat with each
A3 other in this room, particularly during and after
meals together. The faded rug is actually a rug of
'
smothering friendly to the jackalweres, which de-
. Al
I A2 Cf.
.
0
fends them if they command it to. If no jackalweres
are present in this area, the rug attacks intruders.
~ It stops fighting if one of the jackalweres com-
b
' -
I 0
Q
;; mands it to.
Development. Noise from fighting the rug of
smothering causes Marliza, ajackalwere in hybrid
form, to run into the room from area A2, scimitar
at the ready. This jackalwere is willing to command
the rug to stop if the characters explain themselves.
A2. KITCHEN
I
This vault is accessible from area A4. NIDALIA
The true leader of the Amberdune Pack, Nidal ia is
I
a lamia who delights in hoarding books rather than
A na rrow, descending passage ends in a ci rcu lar in corruption and torture. Though she is kind to her
chambe r conta ining t wo pad locked wooden t runks. servants , th is doesn 't necessarily mean she's altruistic
or generous. Ultimately, she cares only about herself
and her pack. If she's treated with respect and loyalty,
Korvala has the keys to the padlocks. A character Nidalia won 't betray her allies .
using thieves' tools can use an action to try to pick
a lock, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity RESTITUTION
check. A character can also use an action to try to Even if the motives of the Amberdune Pack are re-
smash a padlock with a blunt weapon, doing so with vealed, the party might not excuse the jackalweres
a successful DC 17 Strength check. The trunks are for their actions. If characters insist on bringing the
lined with lead to ensure that the locate object spell real books back to Candlekeep without offering a
cannot be used to find their contents: compromise, the jackalweres put up a fight, though
Trunk 1 contains Nidalia's desiccated heart, they'll surrender rather than fight to the death. Los-
wrapped in a black silk cloth and resting atop a ing the books is a great setback to the jackalweres,
bed of 450 gp (saved up for Nidalia's resurrection). but they can't revive Nidalia if they're all dead.
Trunk 2 contains six books: Mazfroth 's Mighty Di- If the jackalweres are slain in this battle, and the
gressions, Fallen Tethyamar, The Dark Hunger, characters don't know where to find the vault, see
Castanamir's Guide to Gingwatzims (describing "Bloodbath" for assistance.
what gingwatzims are but not how to create them),
NEGOTIATIONS
Wanderings of a Humble Aasimar (a treatise on
The characters can reach a peaceful agreement
the Outer Planes), and Daughters of Graz'zt (about
with Korvala and the Amberdune Pack through civil
the origin of lamias).
conversation. For example, the party could help
RESOLVING THE MYSTERY the jackalweres come up with another way to raise
money, offer assistance with their goa l to resurrect
The characters' interactions with the Amber- Nidala, or pay a fair price for the real books. (Kor-
dune Pack affect the resolution of this section, vala expects at least 250 gp for each book, but she'll
but they can discover what happened to the real settle for less if the characters are tough negotia-
books and find the original versions regard less of tors.) If they agree on a deal, the jackalweres let the
their approach. characters take the real books back to Cand lekeep.
BLOODBATH
It's possible to kill or defeat the Amberdune Pack CONCLUSION
without ever hearing their side of the story. With no If characters return to Candlekeep with the books,
one to stop them, characters in this situation can the Avowed reward them with a helm of compre-
search the Amberdune hideout for the real books hending languages. Valor and Yalerion are grateful
and any treasure they can find. for the party's efforts to solve the mystery. Both
If the party has difficulty finding the hidden vault seekers could be useful allies in the future .
in area A6 , any of the characters can make a DC Characters who successfully negotiated with the
10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a success, Amberdune Pack gain the support of Korvala and
they arrive at one of the realizations from the fol- the other jackalweres, as long as the characters
lowing list. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, they hold up their end of the bargain. Furthermore, if
come up with all three: the party is able to assist the pack in reviving Nida-
lia, such as by helping the jackalweres amass the
• There are keys on Korvala's person. This means
money they need, they'll also have a lamia as an ally.
that there must be locks somewhere.
Characters who fought, but didn't kill , any mem-
• The hideout is square. If there are any secret
bers of the Amberdune Pack have a potential enemy
nooks between the walls, they would be very shal-
once the jackalweres finish licking their wounds. If
low. It is unlikely anything would be kept there.
the Amberdune Pack becomes a recurring adver-
• Two gingwatzims defend Korvala's office. Were
sary, consider having Korvala learn other rituals
they guarding something else as well?
or spells better suited to fighting the characters to
Characters who choose this violent path might reflect this grudge.
never uncover the pack's motives, but they can find
the real Mazfroth 's Mighty Digressions and see the
book safely back to Candlekeep, if they so desire.
HE BOOK OF THE RAVEN ARRIVED AT CAN- If the book is left open and unattended , its pages
dlekeep, fittingly enough, by way of a flutter and rustle as though stirred by a silent wind.
raven in 1282 DR, the Year of the Many
Mists. The raven bore the book in its tal- TALE OF VISTANI KINDNESS
ons, set it on the ground within Candlekeep's walls , The Book of the Raven is the firsthand account
and pecked at its covers until an Avowed acolyte, (written in Common) of an anonymous author who,
witnessing this act of defilement, scared it away. after falling off her horse and breaking her leg, was
The marred book quickly found its way into Candle- rescued and befriended by Vistani travelers who
keep's archives, where it garnered little attention graciously nursed her back to health. The author
until a visitor named Anil Zasperdes rediscovered it and her horse traveled with the Vistani for three
sixty years later and hid a treasure map inside it. months, during which the author spent most of her
The treasure map is a prop around which you can time laid up in a Vistani covered wagon , where she
create your own adventure, if you choose not to run took to writing this book to pass the time. Although
the adventure described here. a dozen Vistani are colorfully described in the tome,
only two are mentioned by name: Drasha, a teen-
FINDING THE BOOK aged girl who applied bandages and poultices to the
Characters in Candlekeep might uncover this book author's wounded leg, and Darzin, a one-armed boy
and the treasure map hidden inside it while re- with a terrible fear of wolves who sang beautiful
searching one of the following topics: songs to help the author take her mind off the pain.
The book provides a detailed account of the
• The Vistani and other planar travelers Vistani way of life, with emphasis on their food and
• Possible routes into and out of the Shadowfell music. Their overland journey is also discussed ,
Alternatively, the book can be delivered to the albeit from the viewpoint of one who spent most
characters by a r aven. Avoiding contact with strang- of it inside a covered wagon. The author describes
ers, it leaves the book in a place where the charac- rough roads, days of travel through impenetrable
ters are likely to find it. This raven contains the rest- mist and thick forest, crackling fires on cold nights,
less soul of a dead girl named Heluthe, who wants
to frighten away the squatters in Chalet Brantifax,
her former home. The raven can't speak or make
its intentions clear, but it hopes the map in the book
will lead characters to the chalet, which is described
later in the adventure.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
This thin book bears no title inside or out, though
the keepers of Candlekeep cataloged it as the
Book of the Raven based on how it was received.
Its covers are cracked, unvarnished thin sheets
of black oak covered with bird scratches and little
indentations made by pecking beaks. Bound with
black wire between these covers are thirty-three
pages that have yellowed with age and wrinkled
0
from moisture. Each page bears tiny, blotchy brown
script written in an unsteady hand by an unidenti-
fied author.
--
Wytebway
-- .
lwarl . ,,...._
~----
.
'tbe Jitanb I
a Jitorn \
)i.
~~z ~~~
- '---...::.
' .·'
.. .,
'~
· ~t~ .
\\
~.).
---·
...
') n ---
·er l . ,_
.-. W) :·
- ·:.....
-- ,
---:- -----=-~-~-
\·
.
breetre
~- '
.. --~,....... . - itt
-~- - .
-~- - :" ~"' ··-
------ - ,,-
•
. ,...~ -
-
I
t
I - ~-
~ ~- -....
r,. ... , .. _ -
.
------- /'
-1··- -
d~ -
-v
_..:,-?- •
r ,,.,,,"
...
.... ·-
,· \J ••· ,. •
.···-
•
____,---- - --
I~ ..r-:-----·
--~
'---~ .
-~ - -
- -----· -----
,,,
~--
-~-- ~i-~ -~ "'-.A,.....,,,
. ·. .
.
- -----=
. - --··=· 1--~--y-~~
n re,
(
',
:\. ·, } .0:-ottow tbe trait
~ \ 'to tbe Jilanb anb Jitorn,
/' ~ .?\ ~ \ past 'tbrutree Jili11,
-r~;_~(jtf 1
' I' i ,.a /. ~:•;b;::;,::~ark.
1 -_..:.·- ;.,.:", ,-;. •·
-.,,. -- · --- . . i':,eorcb of
tb • A.ct, 'Wyrm
(._ J'n tbe foggy moors
I: 'West of tbcrc,
'.- <° >.,:.,. .
·• .. - .
)"~
'tbe trea•uree your•.
-
wolves howling in the dead of night, and ravens anyone interested in its subject matter might also be
pecking at the roof of the wagon in the wee hours of interested in following the map to its destination: a
the morning. ruined chalet nestled in remote highlands.
Late in the book, the author writes of being able to
hobble about on crutches. She describes the cheery WYTCHWAY
mood of her benefactors as the Vistani caravan trav- To use the map, the characters must first locate
eled a winding mountain road to the gates of a tall, Wytchway, a hamlet that serves as a starting point.
dark castle. The book ends with a description of the Its location is left deliberately vague so that you can
castle's dreadful countenance. The writing abruptly place it anywhere you like. The characters can find
stops on the third-to-last page, suggesting that the it by consulting sages or old maps in Candlekeep.
book was snatched from the author in midsentence. Monster attacks forced the residents of Wytchway
The last two pages are blank. to abandon the hamlet years ago. All that remains is
a broken-down wagon surrounded by rotted fences
VISTANI LORE and dilapidated, fog-shrouded farmsteads overrun
Characters who read the Book of the Raven learn with wild pigs.
the following information about the Vistani:
FOLLOWING THE MAP
• The Vistani are planar travelers often encountered
in the Shadowfell, and they seem to be immune The character's destination is Chalet Brantifax,
to the despair that besets all other visitors to that which you can replace with some other tantalizing
plane. They travel in horse-drawn, barrel-shaped adventure location of your own creation. Little re-
wagons and have no permanent home. mains of the trail that once led to the chalet, which
• The Vistani display their wealth openly as a sign is depicted in the bottom left corner of the map, but
of prosperity, sharing their good fortune with the other landmarks are still present: rock forma-
friends and strangers alike. Vistani resolve dis- tions called the Hand and the Horn, a tall outcrop-
agreements through contests that end with recon- ping of rock with three pine trees growing atop it, a
ciliatory singing, dancing, and storytelling. river, a bridge, and a hill scorched by dragon fire.
• Vistani families can be big or small, but each Flesh out the journey to the chalet as you see fit,
family is a gerontocracy, with the oldest mem- adding one or more combat encounters appropriate
ber ruling the roost. This elder has most of the for the characters' level if the players are spoiling for
responsibility for enforcing traditions, settling a fight. The characters' journey ends with a slog up
disputes, setting the course for the group's travels, a lonely hill, atop which is perched the chalet.
and preserving the Vistani way of life.
• The Vistani have the power- some say gift-to CHALET BRANTIFAX
travel through the mists that lead to forlorn realms This stone chalet was built for a wealthy noble
within the Shadowfell known as the Domains of named Baron Brantifax on a site chosen for its se-
Dread, where creatures born in darkness dwell. clusion and scenic beauty. In the years following the
This "gift" was thrust upon them by mysterious baron's death, the house fell prey to neglect, allow-
entities called the Dark Powers, as a boon for ing the Scarlet Sash to lay claim to it without dis-
their kindness toward strangers. pute. The wereravens chose the place because of its
• The Vistani believe that ravens carry lost souls remoteness and its proximity to a shadow crossing,
within them. Hence, killing a raven is considered which they monitor for evil activity. See the "Shad-
bad luck in Vistani culture. owfell" section in the Dungeon Master's Guide for
more information on shadow crossings.
MAP OF MYSTERY
RAVEN KIND
The mystery surrounding the Book of the Raven has
to do with the map Anil Zasperdes slipped between During daylight hours, skittish ravens perch atop
its pages. It's clear that the map was never part the chalet and alight on the tombstones in its grave-
of the book to begin with. You can photocopy and yard. They nervously stare and squawk at visitors
distribute the accompanying handout among your but pose no threat to the characters; when night
players when their characters find the map. falls, the ravens fly off, and an eerie silence settles
Zasperdes was a wereraven who had a gift for over the house until sunrise, when they return.
hiding things. He was also the founder of the Scar- As the characters will discover, these birds are
let Sash, a group of wereravens known for stealing actually wereravens (see the end of the adventure
magic items from evil individuals and hiding evil for their stat block). Wereravens live and travel in
items from the world at large. He chose the Book groups called kindnesses, and this particular kind-
of the Raven as a hiding place for the map because ness is called the Scarlet Sash.
ENCOUNTER LOCATIONS
This room served as living quarters for the baron's
Chalet Brantifax stands atop a high hill overlooking cook and the chalet's groundskeeper. The ward-
fog-shrouded scrubland. It has brick walls, sturdy robes are empty, and anything of value in the room
wooden doors with rusty iron hinges and fittings, was removed long ago.
oak floors between levels, and clay roof tiles. The
wereravens come and go through holes in the roof C3. HAUNTED WELL
of the attic (areas C16 and Cl 7). The chalet's doors
are unlocked, although the outer door (see area C4) The only feature of this damp, cold, circular room is a
can be barred from within. Most of the windows
four-foot-diameter well in the middle of the floor. Next
are encrusted with dirt and have drapes or wooden
shutters in poor condition. to this shaft sits a wooden bucket fastened to a coiled
The elements have gained a foothold inside the length of rope.
chalet, causing plaster to peel, wood to rot, metal fix- The bottom of the shaft is veiled in darkness . From
tures to rust, and floors to bow and creak. Whatever its depths, a whispering voice says, "Brorn! Where are
grandeur the chalet possessed in its heyday is gone, you, boy?"
replaced by the sight and stench of mold and decay.
The following locations are keyed to the map of
Chalet Brantifax. After the death of Brom, his beloved mastiff, Baron
Brantifax was beset by spells of sleepwalking,
Cl. STORAGE CELLAR during which he would wander about the chalet
To reach this cellar, the characters must descend a looking for his lost hound. The servants mistook
flight of stone steps from area C4. his sleepwalking for temporary madness brought
on by insomnia, and they assumed he was awake at
This cold, damp, oddly shaped cellar has an eight- the time. He was sleepwalking when he fell down
the well, and he drowned before the servants could
foot-high wooden ceiling and a flagstone floor. The
get him out. The haunting whispers of his restless
walls are made of rough, mortared bricks. Thick cob- spirit terrified the staff, who fled the chalet shortly
webs cover crates, barrels, and old furniture stacked thereafter. The baron's spirit is too weak to manifest
against the north wall. To the south are a pair of physically or cause any harm.
closed wooden doors. The door farthest from you The rough brick walls of the well shaft can be
swings open on rusty hinges, and beyond it you see a climbed with a successful DC 11 Strength (Athlet-
smaller, almost sepulchral chamber.
ics) check. The shaft descends 60 feet to a flooded
cistern 10 feet deep and 10 feet in diameter.
THIRD FLOOR
CHALET BRANTIFAX
1 square = 5 feet
Treasure. Any character who spends at least 15 Two harmless moths fly out of the cloak if the
minutes searching the bottom of the we11's cistern garment is disturbed. One of the cloak's pockets
finds a holy symbol of Sune (god of love and beauty) contains a rusty iron key that unlocks the padlock
on a gold chain. The item is worth 25 gp and dou- in area C16.
bles as a cameo. It contains a tiny portrait of the
baron's wife, whom the characters might recognize C5 . DEN
This circu lar chamber at the base of the tower con- A seven-foot-tall wrought iron fence encloses a small
ta ins a large oak dining table surrounded by six high- graveyard south of the chalet. Set into the north side
backed chairs carved with images of stags. Suspended of the enclosure is a gate with the name BRANTIFAX
above the table is a gaudy chandel ier t ied off with wo rked into an arch above it. In the yard are four
ropes. Puddles of water on the flagstone floor are the graves , each marked with an engraved headstone.
result of moisture seeping in through three narrow,
broken windows evenly spaced around the tower wall. T he elements have eroded the lettering on the head-
A fireplace set into the wall is blackened by soot. stones, so characters must be within 5 feet of one
to read its weather-worn inscription. From north to
south, the headstone engravings (in Common) read
A search of the room yields nothing of value. Mem-
as follows:
bers of the Scarlet Sash don't use this room very
often, so there a re no signs of traffic or other recent BARON BRANTIFAX
disturbances. Husband , Father, Hunter
C7. KITCHEN "Let No Man Stand Above Another"
kitchen , forever trapped in the wood of its tables , the Hound of Brantijax
soot in its hearth, and the grime in its pots, many Faithful to the End
of which hang from hooks about the room . Almost
everything you would expect to see in a kitchen of HELUTHE
this size can be found here, including dish-filled cup- Our Pride and joy
boards , cleaning supplies, and cooking utensils . Mice Lost Too Soon
scurry across the floor, trying their best to avoid you .
SYLPHENE
Beloved Daughter
It's clear that the kitchen still sees use. Members of
the Scarlet Sash store rations and spices in some May She Find Peace at Last
of the pots a nd cauld rons, to keep them away from
the mice, and a few dirty dishes are stacked near a The characters can use the shovel in area C4 to
washbasin, waiting to be cleaned. dig up the graves if they so desire. Buried six feet
under each headstone is a rotting wooden coffin
CB. PARLOR containing the moldy bones of its occupant, or some-
thing more terrifying. The baron's two daughters,
Sylphene a nd Heluthe, perished at the ages of six
The centerpiece of th is parlor is a gold-inlaid low ta-
and nine, respectively, and for different reasons (see
ble, around which a handful of overstuffed chai rs and
area C12 for details).
sofas are neatly arranged . Other furniture includes a A hag stole Heluthe's corpse a few years ago and
cab inet full of glass decanters and wine goblets , and a replaced it with a scarecrow and two crawling
six-foot-tal l gilded harp standing in the northwest cor- claws that try to murder anyone who releases them.
ner. A sta ircase in the northeast corner ascends to the If exhumed, Syphene's skeleton shows signs of hid-
second floor, and seve ral dusty sheets lie in a smal l eous deformities. Brorn, the baron's mastiff, died of
old age shortly before the death of its master. Char-
heap nearby.
acters who stand on Baron Brantifax's grave feel a
harmless chill run through them.
r
move more than 30 feet from the shadow cross-
ing, twelve ghouls hiding in open graves converge
HARRN MAUSOLEUM on the characters in four groups of three, each
group approaching from a different cardinal direc-
tion. They hunger for flesh.
A wight named Drovath Harm inhabits the mau-
soleum atop which the gargoyles perch. Drovath
emerges from his crypt to join the ghouls in battle.
On his right hand, Drovath wears a ring ofjump-
ing that he uses to leap onto the rooftops of the
mausoleums, from where he can pick off enemies
with his longbow.
Drovath and the ghouls can move freely about the
necropolis day or night due to the persistent gloom
of the Shadowfell , but a curse prevents them from
leaving the place. Characters who defeat these crea-
tures are free to continue their exploration of the
Shadowfell , having survived their first brush with
death in this ghastly realm.
HARRN MAUSOLEUM
Beyond the mausoleum's unlocked gate lies a cen-
tral chamber strewn with the skulls and bones of
three warhorses that were entombed here with their
~ 1 square= 5 feet
riders. Two of the mausoleum's three sarcophagi
are closed and contain inanimate human bones.
-~~ The third is open, its lid lying broken on the floor
behind it. This sarcophagus, which once held the
corpse of Drovath Harrn , now appears to be empty.
SHADOW CROSSING Treasure. A hidden compartment in the base of
Sylphene, the baron's deformed daughter, was a tor- the open sarcophagus can be found with a success-
tured soul. After she was interred, her grave became ful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check; it contains
a shadow crossing- a gateway to the Shadowfell. Drovath's saddle of the cavalier, which he used when
To use this gate, the characters must first open he was alive. If the saddle is taken from the mau-
Sylphene's grave and remove the coffin (see area soleum by anyone other than Drovath, the skeletal
C9). In the darkest hours of the night, fog leaches remains of the horses animate and rise as three
into the open grave and fills it. Any creature that warhorse skeletons to slay the thief.
lies down in the fog-filled grave at night is instantly
transported to a similar dug-up grave in the Shad- BACK TO THE MATERIAL PLANE
owfell. There's nothing on the Shadowfell side of Characters can use the shadow crossing to return to
the crossing as grand as Chalet Brantifax, but the Chalet Brantifax's graveyard, but only in the gloomy
topography is similar, with a matching burial site hours of the morning. Given the chance, however,
situated in the middle of a large necropolis full of members of the Scarlet Sash take the time to fill in
open graves, tilted headstones worn bare of inscrip- Sylphene's grave, holding no hope of the characters'
tions, and plundered mausoleums. The necropolis, return. In a darkly humorous turn of events, charac-
which is roughly circular and 300 feet in diameter, ters who use the shadow crossing to try to get back
is home to a host of creatures that attack the charac- to Chalet Brantifax might find themselves buried
ters in waves: under six feet of earth! A character can use an ac-
• Two gargoyles roost atop a stone mausoleum tion to try to crawl out of the grave, doing so with a
located 30 feet north of the shadow crossing. successful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check.
The gargoyles have an unobstructed view of the Wereravens who are friendly toward the charac-
entire necropolis and keep a close eye on the ters are eager to hear about their experience in the
shadow crossing. Shadowfell and can also provide a hook that leads
the characters to their next adventure, depending on
what direction you want the campaign to go next.
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 31 (7d8)
Speed 30 ft. in humanoid form; 10 ft. , fly 50 ft . in raven form;
30 ft., fly 50 ft . in hybrid form
LUKAS GROSVENOR
LURKING DANGER
A nest of meenlocks lives in the mine outside the vil-
lage. Though most of the creatures returned to the
Feywild once the village was empty, six meenlocks
(see the end of the adventure for their stat block)
remained to prey on lost travelers. When the charac-
ters arrive in the village, these meenlocks become
aware of their presence and stalk them from a dis-
tance, staying hidden in the shadows.
The meenlocks ofVermeillon include three that
spawned after the disaster in the mine, two that
were once villagers, and one that was a travel-
ing merchant who thought he'd found a shortcut
through the peaks. The three original meenlocks
stay within the nest, while the other three venture
into the village to torment the characters, either
individually or as a group. You can change the num-
ber of meenlocks in in the village, depending on the
number of characters and their abilities.
As the party makes its way through the village,
the meenlocks try to remain unseen as they begin
to psychically haunt the characters, causing halluci-
nations. Pick one character to target, or spread the
hallucinations between multiple party members. A
few suggestions:
• Characters see movement out of the corner of
their eyes, but when they turn to look, noth-
ing is there.
• A voice whispers indistinct words in their ears.
• A terrified shriek splits the air.
• Shadows follow the characters, stretching out ab-
THE ROAD TO VERMEILLON normally across the floor to reach for them.
Vermeillon lies nestled in the snowy mountain • Characters who view themselves in a reflection
peaks north of Maerin, three days' ride by horse. momentarily see the face of a lost loved one or a
The road from Maerin technically still exists, hated enemy instead of their own.
though it has fallen into disrepair and lacks guards • The hair on their arms and neck stands up, and
or patrols. Place whatever obstacles or threats the space between their shoulder blades itches.
you feel necessary to engage the characters: they They can't shake the feeling of being watched.
might face rampaging wildlife, marauding bandits,
NIGHTMARES
and weather and terrain challenges on the road to
If the characters sleep in the village, the meenlocks
Vermeillon.
inflict nightmares on them. The characters dream of
being trapped in the suffocating darkness beneath
VERMEILLON piles of rock and rubble, unable to scream or move.
When the characters enter Vermeillon, read the fol- After finishing a long rest, each character must
lowing boxed text to the players: make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed
save, the character gains 1 level of exhaustion.
The village is eerily quiet. Plants and wildlife have
PLACES OF INTEREST
overtaken the crumbling houses. Leafless vines climb
rotting walls, birds and other small creatures nest in Most of Vermeillon's buildings contain nothing but
decaying furniture and whatever belongings were
the exposed rafters, and gnarled trees protrude from
left behind when the inhabitants fled, but a few loca-
the fallen roofs of a few buildings. The overcast sky
tions hold treasure or hints to the village's demise.
adds an air of oppression to the scene, seeming to The following locations are keyed to the map of
envelop the village. Vermeillon.
vs
oc=t c:::, L : c::1cc::i c::1
Vl. THE WAND AND HAMMER (50 gp), two matching shortswords with platinum
Tormun and Blenyss's shop displays a sign featuring filigree on the hilt and pommel in a similar serpent
a wand crossed with a blacksmith's hammer. The motif (25 gp each), and a stack of ten iron bars, each
sign hangs crookedly from one hook and falls as the weighing 10 pounds (1 gp each).
characters enter through the front door. A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation)
check reveals a thin platinum ring of swimming in
the dust under a workbench, where it fell and was
A thick layer of dust covers the interior of this build-
forgotten.
ing. A forge sits dormant in the far corner, a black-
smith's anvil and an empty quenching trough beside V2. STONEMASON'S WORKSHOP
it. On the opposite side of the room are two work- The front door of the stonemason's home and work-
benches with stools.
shop gapes open, with the remains of the door lying
several feet away and covered in long brown grass.
The roof has caved in, and remnants of rotting fur-
Tormun and Blenyss left with the second wave of vil- niture are visible through the open doorway. Blank
lagers. With their livelihood drying up before their headstones stand in front of the house, and one be-
eyes and the hidden danger lurking in the village, side the doorway is engraved with the words "Tiris
the couple made the regretful decision to abandon Frosthair, Stonemason. Inquire at Back."
their shop, buying space on one of the last merchant At the back of the house, a covered work area
carts out. They took what they could fit on their holds more blank headstones and slabs of granite
backs, and they left their other possessions behind and marble. Rusted carving tools hang from the
and hid their valuables in order to return and claim wall. A hammer and chisel lie on the ground beside
them later, which they never did. a half-finished headstone that reads:
Treasure. A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Inves-
ADALYN GREEN
tigation) check reveals a false panel in the corner
of the floor. The false floor hides a steel shield with Mayyoua/w
platinum filigree in the shape of winding serpents
V3. MAYOR'S HOUSE collapse. The cairns were intended to be temporary,
but with so many stones needing to be carved at the
same time, the stonemason was unable to complete
This grand, two-story brick house has fallen prey to
all the work before she was taken by the meenlocks.
time and the elements like the rest of the village, but Characters who look for Lorna Grosvenor's grave
it remains in better shape than the smaller houses. can find it in the section at the back, a few head-
Heavy wooden double doors are flanked by dark stones away from the cairns. Her stone stands a bit
windows, and chimneys anchor the building at each tilted but stable, and reads:
corner, their masonry crumbling. In front of the house LORNA GROSVENOR
looms a wide, leafless tree. Its gnarled branches reach Beloved of Lukas. Forever, My Heart.
toward the clouds like twisted fingers, and its rough
bark is pockmarked with large knots and beetle holes. If the characters place flowers on the grave as
requested by Lukas, they hear a soft, contented sigh
on the wind.
This house belonged to Mayor Lei Duvezin and her
family. When the villagers continued to disappear, V6. MERCHANT 'S CART
and the others fled, Mayor Duvezin sent her wife,
Tifra, and their two small children to Maerin to wait
until it was safe. Tifra fell ill not long after their ar- The road heading northwest out of the village is soon
rival in Maerin and passed away three weeks later. overcome by overgrowth and disuse. Not too far past
The children remained there for a time before being the graveyard, a cart stands abandoned in the middle
sent off to the care of distant relatives. Mayor Du- of the road, covered with a heavy tarp.
vezin was determined to find the source of the disap-
pearances, stop them, and rescue anyone she could.
As it happened, she was the last villager taken by The cart belonged to a traveling merchant who was
the meenlocks. taken by the meenlocks a little less than a year ago.
If the characters decide to explore the house, see Upon closer inspection, the party finds the re-
"Mayor Duvezin's House" later in the adventure for mains of a horse in the tall grass, still tethered
more information about this location. to the front of the cart. Under the tarp are boxes,
barrels, and trunks. Many of these containers are
V4.TREE broken and empty; the few that remain carry salted
A bare tree stands on the lawn in front of the may- dried meats (still edible but not tasty), three bolts of
or's mansion. On the west side of the tree is a hol- common fabric (10 gp each), and two small casks of
low knot, about 5 feet above the ground, filled with wine (25 gp each). A successful Wisdom (Survival)
dead leaves and empty nut shells. or Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the fol-
Treasure. Within the hollow rests a delicate neck- lowing information:
lace: a thumb-sized platinum oval pendant threaded DC 15 Wisdom (Survival): The growth around the
on a thin chain (20 gp), inscribed with "For Lorna, wheels and the decay of the horse's carcass sug-
Forever" in a careful script. A character who spoke gests that the cart has lain here for roughly a year.
with Lukas Grosvenor and knows the necklace is
hidden in the tree can locate it with minimal search- RUNNINC THE MEENLOCKS
ing. Someone unaware of the necklace must suc-
The meenlocks haunting Vermeillon avoid bright light.
ceed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check They prefer to stay in their nest until nightfall, though
to discover it. they sometimes hunt on overcast days.
The meenlocks avoid combat with a well-armed
V5. GRAVEYARD group of foes. If the characters don't split up on their
own, the meenlocks try to divide the party using their
ability to create hallucinations. Their aim is to isolate
A crooked, wrought iron archway stands at the en-
and paralyze one character, then drag that character
trance to the graveyard, which is overgrown like the back to their nest to be tortured and transformed into
rest of the village. Headstones sit at odd angles, a meenlock. If given the opportunity, meenlocks psy-
chically torment their prey for hours or days, breaking
some toppled completely. Small cairns, rather than in-
down their mental and emotional state to make the
scribed headstones, mark the graves toward the back. eventual transformation easier.
Be devious and tricksy with these foes-they're in-
telligent creatures, not mindless monsters driven by
Characters who take time to read the inscriptions bloodlust. Hide them from the characters for as long
notice that the headstones near the cairns bear the as possible to heighten the mystery and suspense.
same death date, which is also the date of the mine
H5. PARLOR
This room is bare except for the furniture and a
faded oil painting that depicts Mayor Lei Duvezin,
The parlor is empty except for four wingback chairs
a dark-skinned woman dressed in a cream-colored
situated along the left-hand wall and a desk in the
frock coat with a pale green cravat at her throat.
Her dark hair is pulled up in an intricate twist, and right-hand corner beside the window. A fireplace dom -
she wears delicate platinum and diamond earrings. inates the southeast corner.
Her hands are folded in her lap. One finger bears a
heavy platinum signet ring, inscribed with a snow-
Once a waiting area for villagers hoping to see the
drop blossom.
mayor, this room holds little of interest. The chairs
H4. DINING ROOM are infested with rodents; mouse holes and drop-
pings are obvious with a simple glance. The desk
on the front wall was available for public use and
This room holds a rectangular table with eight chairs. did not hold any personal papers. A few crumbling
A sideboard sits against the far wall, with dusty ce- sheets of blank parchment, a quill, and a dried-up
ramic serving dishes and bowls atop it. A fireplace is inkwell remain here.
in the far corner.
H6. UPSTAIRS LANDING
This room was used mainly for dinner parties and An open landing waits at the top of the stairs. Four
family meals. A search reveals ceramic plates,
closed doors lie before you, and a large entryway
bowls, and teacups with saucers in the sideboard
cabinets, as well as flatware and serving utensils in gapes from across the hall to the south.
The doors to the bedrooms are shut but unlocked. Since the village's business was conducted on the
In the middle of the south wall is a open doorway to first floor of the mansion, the mayor and her wife
the library (area H9). spent their personal time in this room. The shelves
hold books of all sorts, from tomes on history and
H7. DAUGHTER'S BEDROOM
treatises on business to thin volumes of folktales
and grand, sweeping novels. An entire section on
This dim room holds nothing but a bed , partially arcane theory includes books about the other planes
coated in debris from the collapsed chimney. Cold air of existence. If you so desire, the library can include
books relevant to other plots in your campaign.
gusts in through the gaps.
Several open books lie on the table, with notes
scribbled on bits of paper stuck between their
This room belonged to the mayor's daughter, Nia. It pages. The topics include the effects of physical and
contains nothing of interest. emotional trauma, nightmares, and mysterious dis-
appearances. Seemingly out of place in comparison
H8. MASTER BEDROOM to the other topics, a book about the Feywild and its
sundry creatures holds a single note, written in a
A double bed sits beneath the windows along the far shaky hand. It reads: Could this be the answer?
wall. A fireplace occupies one corner, and a window The note marks a page with an entry on meen-
locks, which includes the following information:
looks out onto the front yard.
• Meenlocks are corrupted fey creatures that spon-
taneously manifest in response to fear in places
This room belonged to Mayor Duvezin and her wife, where the border with the Feywild is thin.
Tifra. A search of the room yields a pile of crumpled, • Meenlocks create more of their kind by transform-
half-written letters on the fireplace mantelpiece, ing humanoids through a process of psychic tor-
beseeching other nearby settlements for aid; among ment that takes hours or days.
them is a completed letter addressed to the mayor • Meenlocks live in subterranean nests.
of Maerin. This letter is stuffed in an envelope and • Meenlocks are sensitive to bright light and can
sealed shut with a bright red wax seal embossed sense shadows and darkness.
with an ornate snowdrop blossom; sticks of sealing
wax in various colors as well as quills, ink, and pa- By the time Mayor Duvezin discovered this book,
per; and the journal of Mayor Lei Duvezin. she was already being harried by the meenlocks.
The journal chronicles the disaster at the mine They took her shortly afterward.
and the village's anguish at so many victims. The
I
HlO. GUEST BEDROOM
mayor recounts the rescue efforts in the following
days, and how they had to stop the search due to
fears of more cave-ins if they attempted to remove
any more of the rubble, even with miners still miss-
ing. She writes of villagers going missing in the
night, of her helplessness, and of stubbornly staying
on, determined to find the missing villagers while
I Empty except for a bed and a fireplace , this room is
cold and has an air of loneliness about it.
X= Dynami
trigger
PLATINUM MINE The main tunnel heads into the mountain, ending
at a pile of rubble left over from the cave-in. Sec-
A gaping hole in the mountainside northeast of the
ondary hallways branch off to the left and the right.
village marks the entrance to the platinum mine.
The meenlocks, having watched the characters in
Several carts sit outside the cavern. One is filled
the village, escalate their psychic torment when the
with rock and dirt pulled from the mine, the others
characters enter the mine.
piled with large beams of wood-new supports that
Each character who enters the mine must succeed
were never installed after the collapse.
on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvan-
If the characters explore during the day, the first
tage on Intelligence and Wisdom checks from being
30 feet inside the mine are dimly lit, and anything
distracted by whispers, shifting movement, and
beyond 30 feet is in darkness. Cart wheels have
other hallucinations while inside the mine.
carved shallow ruts in the dirt floor leading to the
back of the mine, where the cave-in was never fully M2 . SOUTHERN WING
excavated. Smaller tunnels branch off from the
main shaft. The entrance to the meenlock tunnel
This tunnel ends at a small chamber that holds worn
opens near the site of the accident.
The following locations are keyed to the map of picks, rusty shovels, and two hand carts filled with
the platinum mine. debris and rags.
I
This tunnel winds back toward the entrance, and the
south wall of the chamber at the end has odd divots
and alcoves within the rock at various heights. Thick, velvety black moss covers every surface of
this eight-foot-high chamber. Set into the far wall is a
deep alcove.
This tunnel ends abruptly. The miners intended to
keep digging here, but it was abandoned after the
collapse occurred. Whenever a creature that isn't a meenlock enters
the alcove or starts its turn there, tentacles of black
M4. CAVE- IN moss sprout from the alcove's walls, forcing the
As the characters approach the rubble of the cave-in, creature to succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving
they see large rocks in the pathway that they can throw to avoid being grappled by them (escape
easily move past. The tunnel gets tighter and tighter DC 14). The tentacles are an otherwise harmless
until they come to the main body of the cave-in. magical effect and can't be harmed, though a dispel
magic spell causes them to disappear.
Mounds of broken rock block the tunnel, piled from Development. A character who wanders into this
ceiling to floor. The other parts of the cave-in were cave alone and is grappled by the mossy tentacles
might have to deal with one or more meenlocks that
passable after the collapse, but this seems an impene-
creep into the room, hoping to take advantage of the
trable wall of earth.
character's unfortunate predicament.
The opening of this tunnel is nearly circular. Black dampness of the tunnels is pronounced in here. Mois-
moss covers the walls, floor, and ceiling of the tunnel ture leaches through the moss ceiling above, forming
as far as you can see. Within this tunnel are several fat droplets that fall into pools of dark water around
branches, all of them covered in the same black moss. the chamber. A sharp scent of minerals fills the air and
mixes with the earthy smell of the moss. The sound
of dripping doesn't echo, but is immediately dulled by
The notable aspect of this tunnel is the uniform
the moss-carpeted surfaces .
layer of black moss over everything. Characters
who scrape the moss away from the rock see that
the walls are smooth, not rough-carved by pick and The pools here vary in depth: the smaller ones are a
shovel like the rest of the mine. Because the meen- few inches deep, and the larger pools measure 2 feet
lock tunnels spontaneously manifested rather than at their deepest. In the subterranean darkness, the
being dug out, there are no scratch marks or signs pools look black. Light sources reflect off the water
of excavation on the walls, floor, or ceiling here. The as if it were a dark mirror, and the characters are
moss muffles all sound, causing a lack of echoes unable to see below the surface.
and creating a sense of claustrophobia. This is another ideal ambush location for the
A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana or meenlocks or, if you want to shake things up a bit,
Nature) check reveals that the tunnels were not for a black pudding or other ooze to lurk on the sur-
created by hand, claw, or tool, but rather by magic or face of one of the pools like an oil slick.
M9 . TRANSFO RMATION CHAMBER
PASSAGE INTO THE FEYWILD
Meenlocks manifest where the Feywi ld's influence
New scents greet you here: the musty funk of decay- is strong. A shallow lake on the mountainside above
ing fabric and old furs, and the smell of rot lingering the meenlock lair (directly above area M8) is fed by a
stream that becomes a river when summer melts the
in the stagnant air. Thick pillars of moss-covered
snow. When the full moon hangs in the night sky, the
stone support the twenty-foot-high ceiling, and waist- lake becomes a fey crossing. Anyone who completely
high stone slabs dot the cavern. submerges in the icy waters during this time surfaces
in the Feywild .
The meenlocks bring their victims here to be tor- takes 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage, falls prone,
mented and transformed. The stone slabs are coated and is restrained by the rubble and unable to stand
with blood and filth- the result of mortals being laid up; on a successful save, the creature takes half
out for days of torture. Any party members taken as much damage and isn't trapped in the rubble
by the meenlocks are here, paralyzed on one of the or knocked prone. A creature can use its action to
slabs if they haven't already been transformed (see attempt to free itself or another creature trapped
the "Telepathic Torment" sidebar at the end of the under the rubble within its reach, doing so with a
adventure). Any remaining meenlocks attack when successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Meen-
the party reaches the center of this room. locks that flee return the next night to see what
Dynamite Trap. The miners-turned-meenlocks they've caught in their trap.
used remnants of their knowledge to rig explosives Old Remains. The remnants of other victims lie
on the four pillars in this room. Attached to each on the south side of the room, decades of belong-
pillar is a stick of dynamite with a long fuse lead- ings shed by transformed meenlocks and left to
ing to a plunger trigger. Any character who has a rot. Heaped piles of bones, clothing, boots, rusted
passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 18 or higher blades, and splintered bows and arrows rest within
spots a candle-like object attached to each pillar, the recessed portions of the walls.
partially hidden beneath the moss. A character who Treasure. Most of the items in the refuse piles
closely examines a pillar spots the dynamite stick are worthless after rotting in the damp and dark
and the fuse leading from it with a successful DC for years. A thorough search reveals 50 gp, an ivory
14 Wisdom (Perception) check. A character can cut drinking horn with platinum filigree (120 gp), and a
a fuse as an action (no ability check required). If a set of goggles of night.
dynamite stick takes damage from any source, it ex-
plodes (as described below). FATE OF VERME ILLON
The meenlocks trigger the explosives as a last
If the party clears out the nest of meenlocks and
resort. If a meenlock starts its turn with 10 hit
informs the citizens of Maerin, settlers restore
points or fewer, it moves to the nearest trigger, uses
the village of Vermeillon and the mine eventually
its action to set off the explosion, and then uses its
begins production again. The new villagers treat
Shadow Teleport bonus action to escape. The pillar
the characters as local heroes. As news travels,
is destroyed in the explosion. The last meenlock
Tormun and Blenyss eventually hear of the village's
detonates any remaining pillars before it flees. Any
resurrection and return to restart their shop, unable
creature within 5 feet of an exploding dynamite
to pass up the opportunity of being so close to a
stick must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw,
platinum mine.
taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed
If the meenlocks survive, travelers continue to
save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
go missing if they attempt to take the road through
If all four pillars are destroyed , the cavern's ceiling
Vermeillon. The number of meenlocks in the nest
partially collapses. Each creature in the cavern
grows to eventually threaten the town of Maerin.
when the collapse occurs must make a DC 15 Dex-
terity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature
MEENLOCK
Meenlocks are cruel fey that invoke terror and seek
to destroy all that is good, innocent, and beautiful.
They primarily live in fo rests, although they adapt
well to urban and subte rranean settings.
Fear Incarnate. Meenlocks a re spawned by fear.
Whenever fear overwhelms a creature in the Fey-
wild, or in a ny other location where the Feywild's
influence is strong, one or more meenlocks might
spontaneously arise in the shadows or darkness
nearby. If more tha n one meenlock is born, a lair
also magically forms. The earth creaks and moa ns
as na rrow, twisting tunnels open up within it. One
of these newly formed passageways serves as the
lair's only entrance a nd exit. Ins ide the warren,
black mos s covers every surface, muffling sound. A
large central chamber serves as the meenlocks' den,
where they torment captives.
Dark Dwellers. A meenlock shuns bright light.
It can supernaturally sense areas of darkness and
shadow in its vicinity and thus is able to teleport
from one darkened space to another-enabling
it to s neak up on its prey and run away when
outmatched.
Telepathic Tormentors. Meenlocks have no form
of communication other than telepathy. They can
Armor Class 15 (natural armor) use it to project unsettling hallucinations into the
Hit Points 31 (7d6 + 7)
minds of their prey. These hallucinations take the
Speed 30 ft .
form of terrible whispers or fleeting movements just
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA at the edges of one's peripheral vision.
6 (- 2) 15 (+2) 12 (+l) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (- 1) During the day, meenlocks confine themselves to
their da rk warrens . At night, they crawl out of their
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6, Survival +2
tunnels to torment sleeping prey (see the "Tele-
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
pathic Torment" s idebar).
Languages telepathy 120 ft .
Challenge Rating 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 TELEPATHIC TORMENT
Up to four meenlocks can telepathically torment one
Fear Aura. Any beast or humanoid that starts its turn within 10 incapacitated creature, filling its mind with disturbing
feet of the meenlock must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving sounds and dreadful imagery. Participating meenlocks
throw or be frightened until the start of the creature's next turn. can't use their telepathy for any other purpose during
this time , though they can move about and take ac-
Light Sensitivity. While in bright light, the meenlock has dis- tions and reactions as normal. This torment has no
advantage on attack rolls , as well as on Wisdom (Perception) effect on a creature that is immune to the fr ightened
checks that re ly on sight. condition . If the creature is susceptible and rema ins
incapacitated for l hour, the creature must make a
ACTIONS Wisdom saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) psychic damage
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target. on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success-
Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage, and if the target is a creature, ful one. The save DC is equal to 10 + the number of
it must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be meenlocks participating in the torment, considering
paralyzed for l minute. The target can repeat the saving throw only those that remain within sight of the victim for the
at the end of each of its turns , ending the effect on itself on entire hour and aren't incapacitated during it. The pro-
a success . cess can be repeated . A humanoid that drops to O hit
points as a result of this damage instantly transforms
BONUS ACTIONS into a meenlock at full health and under the DM 's con-
Shadow Teleport (Recharge 5-6). The meenlock teleports to an tro l. Only a wish spell or divine intervention can restore
unoccupied space within 30 feet of it, provided that both the a transformed creature to its former state.
space it 's teleporting from and its destination are in dim light
or darkness. The destination need not be within line of sight.
SHEMSHIME'S
EDTIME RHYME...•
-------------------
WRITTEN BY ARI LEVITCH ~
~
DEVELOPED & EDITED BY MICHELE CARTER
HEMSHIME'S BEDTIME RHYME HAS BEEN curse. The adventure is built around a sequence of
gathering dust on its shelf in Candlekeep events that unfold when the characters are quaran-
for over six hundred years. The children's tined in Candlekeep's Firefly Cellar with a handful
book arrived at the library in unceremoni- of the library's attendants, in an attempt to keep
ous fashion, though the same could not be said of Shemshime's curse from spreading throughout the
its courier. Yowen Pilt, a procurer of rare books who entire library. The events describe Shemshime's
did business with Candlekeep, was utterly insane growing supernatural influence and how people
when he arrived with his latest bundle. The records deal with the mounting pressure of confinement un-
of the episode are sparse, but they report that he der dangerous circumstances.
was placed in isolation for weeks after a "singing The characters must identify the curse's source.
madness" began to spread among the library's Their search eventually leads them to Crinkle, the
Avowed. The records contain no further mention of Firefly Cellar's kenku caretaker, who has the book.
the book dealer. The Avowed cataloged and shelved Shemshime's Bedtime Rhyme contains the malev-
his final delivery, which included Shemshime's Bed- olent spirit called Shemshime, and the book holds
time Rhyme. the secret of how to stop it.
Below is an outline of the events in the order that
ADVENTURE OVERVIEW they occur:
The adventure takes place in the Firefly Cellar, a Event 1: Quarantined. The characters and NPCs
windowless basement beneath the House of Rest, are sealed in the Firefly Cellar to keep their conta-
so named because its only light comes from lamps gious curse contained.
lit by swarms of fireflies. Event 2: Ebder's Outburst. One of the Avowed is
After spending the night here, all the characters overwhelmed by the curse, and his manic hum-
wake up in the morning with the same tune in their ming causes creepy things to happen.
heads, and each one hums it under their breath. Event 3: Singing Skull. The cursed remains of the
They soon discover that the tune has "spread" to book dealer who brought Shemshime's Bedtime
the Firefly Cellar's other occupants, and the Avowed Rhyme to Candlekeep are discovered when the
institute a quarantine to contain what is actually a skull begins to sing the rhyme about where it was
hidden centuries ago.
Event 4: Escape Attempt. A visiting scholar named
K'Tulah succumbs to the mounting tension and
tries to break out of the cellar, threatening to
spread the curse throughout Candlekeep.
Event 5: Puppets. Shemshime's magic takes con-
trol of characters trapped in the library, causing
them to violently turn on each other.
Event 6: Shemshime. The characters find the book
and must discover how to stop the curse while
confronting Shemshime.
You dictate the pace at which the events unfold.
If you want to draw out the tension of confinement,
introduce a new event only after the characters
think they have a handle on the current situation.
5HEMSHIME'S
Alternatively, you could bombard them with one
BEDTIME RHYME event after the other so they can't catch their breath.
PLAYER HANDOUT: FINDING THE BOOK
Discovering the book's whereabouts is part of the
SHEMSHIME's RHYME adventure's mystery. A kenku named Crinkle, one of
the Avowed and the caretaker of the Firefly Cellar,
became enamored with the book and hid it in her
quarters. Though the book is not present at the start
See a mother scything wheat of the adventure, the characters must deal with the
fou l magic emanating from it.
f()rg()tte11 husband sleeping near
BOOK DESCRIPTION
With ()Be swing she t()()fc his feet
This children's book is a mechanical curiosity of
With a11()ther to()fc his ear gnomish design, with a cover made of wood and
copper. The front cover bears a faded, hand-painted
rendering of a round millstone. The book is square,
Does the shad()W hare aname'! eighteen inches along each edge of the cover. A
silver music box set into the book's spine is heavily
SHEMSHIME dented at one end.
Causes grief; ar()ids the blame The book has no pages in the typical sense, but
it opens to reveal a pop-up cutaway illustration of a
SHEMSHIME quaint watermill made of painted panels of wood,
tin, canvas, and leather. It's a clockwork device
designed to animate four separate scenes whi le a
See a d()g that ff B()Ws h()W t() heel music box built into the book's spine plays a metallic
tune that implants a rhyme in the minds of those
Nerer heeds plea nor C()mmand who hear it (see the accompanying handout). The
M()ther gare it atasty meal mechanized scenes feature cutout figurines of mem-
bers of a family dying in a series of grisly ways as a
0()g ch()se instead t() eat her hand shadowy figure looks on. The images are as follows:
• A mother chops off the feet and ear of her husband
D()es the shad()W hare aname'! with a scythe.
• The family dog bites off the mother's hand.
SHEMSHIME • The son drowns in a river while washing clothes.
• The final scene- which doesn't play out unti l the
Causes grief; ar()ids the blame music box is repaired- shows the daughter defeat-
SHEMSHIME ing the shadow by crushing it under a millstone.
BACKGROUND
See a S()II d()i11g his ch()re Centuries ago, a family living in a remote water mill
endured a string of unfortunate events. A malevolent
Washing cl()thes f()r f()lfc in town spirit called Shemshime attached itself to the family
Fell int() the river's mar and caused the "accidents." The daughter finally de-
stroyed Shemshime by crushing it under a millstone
Sanfc to the b()tt()m and drowned that had been blessed by a traveling halfling cleric
of Chauntea (god of agriculture).
The story became a local legend, a cautionary
D()es the shad()W hare aname'! tale meant to warn people to keep their attention on
their chores. When a traveling gnome bard heard
SHEMSHIM[ the tale, he was so intrigued that he set the story
Causes grief; ar()ids the blame down in the book, Shemshime's Bedtime Rhyme. By
doing so, he inadvertently created a conduit through
SH[MSHIM[ which Shemshime could return.
Yowen Pilt procured the book from an adventurer
who discovered it among the debris of a shipwreck.
He brought the mechanical book to Candlekeep,
where it has been ever since.
A KENKU 'S CURIOSITY CELLAR INHABITANTS
The kenku Avowed, Crinkle, loves to collect all
A handful of people reside in the Firefly Cellar while
kinds of curios and baubles. Shemshime's Bedtime
the task of restoring its collection is under way.
Rhyme, with its intricate mechanical workings and
charming music box, was too tempting to resist. VARNYR
After years as the Firefly Cellar's caretaker, she Chaotic good sun elf scribe (age 685)
discovered the book when it was selected to have its
Varnyr is a senior scribe who has spent centuries at
spine repaired as part of a restoration project involv-
Candlekeep. She loves the books, which she cares
ing this part of Candlekeep.
for as though they were her grandchildren. She has
Before the adventurers arrive at the Firefly Cellar
little ambition to rise in the ranks of the Avowed ,
at the beginning of the adventure, Crinkle brought
perfectly content as a senior scribe. She is hard-
the book to her room (area FU) and opened it. The
working and expects others to be as well.
music box started to play, and she became the sub-
Varnyr was an adjutant when Shemshime's curse
ject of Shemshime's curse.
first came to Candlekeep, though she is unaware
The rhyme is presented in the accompanying
that the book was the cause of the madness.
handout. Until the music box is repaired, it always
Varnyr is a noble with the following changes:
skips back to the beginning of the song before play-
ing the last stanza. That means the last stanza of • Varnyr speaks Common and Elvish, and she has
Shemshime's rhyme doesn't get implanted in the darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. She has ad-
minds of those who hear the song until the music vantage on saving throws against being charmed,
box is fixed and the tune plays in its entirety. The and magic can't put her to sleep.
missing stanza is as follows: • Instead of a rapier, Varnyr wields a cane and can
use an action to make two melee weapon attacks
See a daughter grinding grain with it: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (ld4)
Wish the spirit's time was through bludgeoning damage.
Trap set for the shadow bane
Personality Trait. "I have a warm, calming de-
Her millstone killed it true meanor, even when circumstances call for concern."
Ideal. "Everything has its place, and everyone has
SHEMSHIME's CuRsE their role."
Bond. "Candlekeep is the beacon of civilization in
Those who hear the melody of the rhyme find it to
an otherwise bleak and backward world."
be irresistibly catchy, and they hum it over and over
Flaw. "When something irritates me, I try to ig-
again. Such individuals have become cursed.
nore it, but I usually end up snapping at someone."
The rhyme acts as a summoning ritual intended
to restore Shemshime. When enough people join EBDER SMALLSTONE
in the singing of the rhyme, or enough time passes Lawful good human scribe (age 33)
while people are singing it, the ritual will be com-
Ebder is a pessimist who sees every setback as a
pleted. As that occasion approaches, Shemshime's
disaster and every victory as dumb luck. He is a wid-
power grows. Anyone who hears the cursed tune is
ower, and his daughter, Gailby, provides him respite
in turn cursed to hum or sing it. They are then capa-
from his anxious outlook.
ble of transmitting it further.
Ebder looks older than his actual age, with few
RES I STING THE RHYME traces of black in his otherwise gray hair and a
The characters can will themselves not to sing the harried expression on his face. His clothes and his
rhyme , but doing this requires concentration as fingers are stained with ink.
though casting a spell (see "Concentration" in the Ebder is a commoner who speaks Common and
Player's Handbook). has a set of calligrapher's supplies.
A silence spell or similar magic negates the rhyme Personality Trait. "I'm an anxious person. I worry
in the affected area. about what Senior Scribe Varnyr thinks about me
A remove curse spell or similar magic ends the and my work."
curse on a creature, though it remains suscepti- Ideal. "The measure of a person is the quality of
ble to being cursed again. If cast on the book, the their work."
magic suppresses the curse on all creatures for Bond. "As much as I care about my duties as an
10 minutes. Avowed, my daughter is my world."
Flaw. "I'm highly suspicious of other peo-
ple's motives."
CRINKLE
Chaotic neutral kenku custodian (age 55)
The aged kenku has lived in the Firefly Cellar for
the past twenty-two years as its custodian and
caretaker of its fireflies. She has lost many of her
feathers, and those that remain are frayed and
disheveled. She carries a long staff with a hook on
the end, which she uses to change the firefly lamps
that hang from the ceiling.
Crinkle has little patience for others, and she
regards Senior Scribe Varnyr's restoration efforts
GAILBY SMALLSTONE as an invasion. Gailby Smallstone has softened the
Lawful good human child (age 8) kenku's dour disposition with her appreciation of
interesting objects.
Gailby is an energetic kid who lives with her father, Crinkle is a kenku who has a ring of the ram that
Ebder Smallstone, in the Firefly Cellar. She loves to has all its charges.
draw and insists on sharing her drawings with her Personality Trait. "I'm a grump who prefers to be
father before bedtime. left alone."
She wears a yellow hooded cape that hides her Ideal. ''I'm drawn to beautiful and interesting
short curly black hair and is missing one of her works of art."
front teeth. Bond. "I cherish the stash of trinkets and trea-
Personality Trait. ''I'm curious about everything." sures I've accumulated."
Ideal. "I'll never be bored as long as I have my Flaw. "I rub my hands together constantly, as
imagination." though washing them."
Bond. "I love discovering things on my own, espe-
cially things that are off limits."
Flaw. "I'll say anything to avoid getting in trouble."
STARTING THE ADVENTURE
The adventure takes place in the Firefly Cellar
K 'TuLAH beneath the House of Rest. Characters might find
Neutral good tabaxi scholar (age 30) themselves drawn to this location for one of two
K'Tulah is a gregarious tabaxi, a catlike humanoid. reasons. Perhaps the House of Rest has had an in-
She arrived at Candlekeep six days ago and re- flux of guests, and the characters are forced to stay
ceived permission to use the library to conduct her in the only available rooms, which happen to be in
research on regional forms of folk magic. the Firefly Cellar. Alternatively, the idea of taking
lodging in an actual part of the library, close to a
I
as follows: scious effort (see "Resisting the Rhyme").
After a few minutes, Ebder begins humming the
I "Keep your voices down, please. I just put my daugh- melody as well, though he is unaware of it at first.
Moments later, the hatch in the ceiling of the upper
ter to bed."
floor (area Fl) slams shut, followed by the sound
of several mechanical locks engaging. Varnyr, the
Ebder gives his name if asked. If the characters senior-ranking Avowed in the place, has locked the
present him the pile of books, he pinches the bridge hatch, sealing herself, the characters, Ebder, Gailby,
of his nose with a sigh and explains that the books K'Tulah, and Crinkle inside the Firefly Cellar.
are not for him but for the other guest, K'Tulah, As she descends the spiral staircase to area F2,
who's staying in one of the rooms below. He gives she hums the cursed tune in a soft voice. With ef-
the characters directions to her room (area Fl3) and fort , Varnyr suppresses her humming and shares
asks them to deliver the books. the following information:
If they agree, K'Tulah is grateful for the delivery
and starts a conversation about her scholarly work.
"When I first arrived at Candlekeep, the Avowed
After an hour, Varnyr finds the characters and
were concerned about a 'singing madness.' A book
apologetically says that she's exhausted from the
day's work and they will talk in the morning. She merchant had been afflicted with it and was put in
offers areas F8 and Fl2 as rooms for the characters isolation after several Avowed began singing the song
to stay the night. Behind her is Crinkle with a tray as well." She pauses and frowns. "I don't know what
of food for them. With that, Varnyr bids them good happened to him or the others. That was six hundred
night and leaves the characters alone. years ago.''
The characters can look around the library, talk
She gathers her composure and adds, "I've alerted
with Ebder for a few more hours, or go to their
the Avowed and sealed the exit to stop whatever this
rooms. Ebder isn't much of a conversationalist,
but he warms up if anyone asks about his daugh- is from spreading."
ter, Gailby.
K'Tulah is vocal about her discomfort with being 1
5HEMSHIME S INFLUENCE
confined down here. Ebder regards the quarantine d6 Phenomenon
as a minor annoyance and complains that all the
For the next 10 minutes, all the fireflies in the
commotion interferes with his work. Crinkle and
Gailby are not present. lamps flicker out at irregular intervals, leaving the
Varnyr refuses to speculate about the "madness," library in darkness for several seconds at a time.
since she's not a spellcaster and doesn't want to 2 Random books fly off the shelves . Each creature
guess at the cause without evidence. "But perhaps in areas Fl, F2, or Fl4 must succeed on a DC 13
you can find an answer in all this," she says, waving Dexterity saving throw or take 2 (ld4) bludgeon-
at the disheveled room. ing damage from collisions with the flying books.
The characters can explore the Firefly Cellar and
3 The library becomes much colder. This drop in
talk with the residents. As they do, emphasize the
temperature lasts until the end of the adventure.
concentration needed to resist humming the melody.
When you think it's appropriate, introduce event 2. 4 Three shadows appear in the same area as the
characters. The shadows attack the characters but
TALKING TO THE RESIDENTS disappear at the end of their third turn in combat
Each of the Firefly Cellar's residents offers their if they have not been destroyed by then.
own information and perspective.
5 Shemshime's foul magic manifests as a random
Crinkle. The steward of the Firefly Cellar is in the
character's worst nightmare. That character must
kitchen (area F7) preparing breakfast. She whistles
make a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw. On a
the melody absentmindedly. If approached by the
characters, she is dismissive and grows irritated if failed save, the character takes 9 (2d8) psychic
they pester her. damage and is frightened of the manifestation,
Ebder. He remains in the stacks, seated at the believing it to be real. The manifested nightmare
table. If questioned by the characters, he says he has lasts for up to l minute, follows the character
been working in the scriptorium (area F3). Nothing around, and can't be harmed. The character must
has been out of the ordinary, unless you count the repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
kenku, who keeps shuffling through that room on turns, ending the illusion on a success or taking 9
the way to and from her supply closet. (2d8) psychic damage on a failed save.
Gailby. She's in her room (area F9). If the charac-
6 Choose three creatures in the Firefly Cellar. Each
ters approach her, she's more interested in showing
one must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving
off her toys than in fielding questions. If she's asked
about her drawings, she gets scared that she's in throw, or it takes 7 (l d8 + 3) psychic damage and
trouble and becomes quiet. makes a melee weapon attack against one crea-
K'Tulah. After an hour in the stacks, the tabaxi ture of your choice as a reaction.
can be found in her room (area F13). She's having
trouble concentrating on her work and is visibly check, but each attempt to bypass the spell takes 1
anxious. If approached by the characters, she tells minute. Alternatively, a character can force open the
them she came here to study, not to get sealed away hatch with a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics)
in a tomb. check. A knock spell or similar magic suppresses
Varnyr. The senior scribe remains in the stacks the batch's arcane lock spell for 10 minutes.
for an hour before retiring to her room (area F14).
She has already shared everything she knows about EVENT 2: EBDER's OUTBURST
the curse affecting them. If asked about what she's Ebder is seated at the table in area F2 when this
been doing lately, she explains that she has been di-
event occurs.
viding her time between fixing up the balcony level
and working in the bindery repairing books. She is
able to suppress the urge to hum the melody without A shrill sound tears through the Firefly Cellar, over-
any outward signs of duress. powering all other noise. Though it rapidly rises to an
uncanny pitch, you recognize Ebder's voice.
EXIT HATCH
The hatch has been targeted by an arcane Jock spell,
which can be dispelled by using the key in Varnyr's Anyone in area F2 sees that Ebder's eyes are bulg-
possession. The hatch has AC 21, 60 hit points, and ing in terror. As he hums the rhyme's melody, the
immunity to poison and psychic damage. A char- rest of his body is paralyzed. He's cold to the touch.
acter with thieves' tools can bypass the spell and He continues to sing the rhyme over and over for
unlock the hatch with a successful DC 25 Dexterity five minutes. During this time, Gailby runs into
The tune continues to tug at each of your minds, The air around you feels thick. It presses in on you
willing you to intone its sequence of notes. The notes from all sides, prickling your nerves. Your muscles
take on the shapes of words you're certain you've twitch, as though something is yanking on them with
never heard before but are somehow familiar to you invisible strings.
as lyrics.
I
You become aware that the song is not only in your
way, the creature is under Shemshime's control and
head. Somewhere nearby, a deep and melodic voice is is compelled to sing Shemshime's rhyme repeatedly
singing the words. while trying to cause physical harm to others.
Creatures whose actions and movements are
being controlled by Shemshime remain aware of
The skull continues to sing unless it's destroyed or
what's going on around them, but they are power-
Shemshime is trapped in Shemshime's Bedtime
less to stop themselves from causing harm in accor-
Rhyme. The skull is a Tiny object with AC 15, 4 hit
dance with Shemshime's wishes.
points, and immunity to poison damage.
Shemshime's control over a creature is broken
EVENT 4: ESCAPE ATTEMPT by the break enchantment effect of a dispel evil and
good spell (magic that is probably beyond the char-
K'Tulah reaches the end of her patience with being acters' ability to cast) or by reducing the creature
confined, and she tries to break the quarantine. This to O hit points. A charmed creature can repeat the
event can begin in any area. saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
When you're ready to begin this event, read the the effect on itself on a success. If a creature suc-
following boxed text aloud: ceeds on the saving throw or the effect ends on it,
Shemshime can't take control of that creature again
for 24 hours.
CONFRONTATION
Singing the final stanza draws Shemshime (see the
accompanying stat block) into the room.
Once Shemshime is trapped again, Varnyr or shelves, giving the area a sweet fragrance. Alcoves
whoever has the key unlocks the hatch in area Fl. are spaced at regular intervals around the perimeter
Varnyr or Ebder immediately takes the book to lock of the room. Four of them contain polished bronze
it away in one of Candlekeep's secure vaults. statues of bespectacled scholars, and three hold
Reward. The Avowed give the characters a bag of overstuffed chairs. In the center of the room, a brass
holding as a reward for defeating Shemshime.
railing surrounds an overlook that gives a view of the
lower level of the stacks.
TROUBLESHOOTING
The adventure assumes that the quarantine remains Hanging from the ceiling, above the opening in the
intact. But there's a reasonable chance the characters floor, is an enormous stone sculpture of an open book
in your game will want to leave the confines of the that looks as though the cover is flapping to keep it
Firefly Cellar or even help K'Tulah escape. It's up to
aloft. A spiral staircase to the east leads down, as
you whether to allow this and to consider how Candle-
keep responds. well as up to the trapdoor exit set into the ceiling. The
If the characters get bogged down in researching the occasional errant firefly flits about.
books on the shelves, roll on the Shemshime's Influ-
ence table to maintain a sense of peril.
Varnyr's restoration project began in this room, and
it's tidier and more welcoming than the chamber
below. She has brought in rugs and flowers and pol-
ished the statues. Three of the statues were in such
a poor state that she replaced them with comfort-
able reading chairs.
FIREFLY CELLAR
1square= 5 feet
l
TOPFlooR
alcony railing
overlooking F2
□o
mrof2
-- &
UP TO EXIT
Book lift
®
Column
MIDDLE FlooR
~Uprof1
F.6
BorroM FLOOR
Leather bits, wood shavings, and paper scraps litter An oven occupies one corner; instead of being
the floor near a large workbench . Tools and con- heated by open flames, it has a coil of iron en-
traptions are organized neatly around a handful of chanted with the heat metal spell, which activates
when a toggle switch on the side of the oven is
books in different states of disrepair. Stools surround
flipped. A well-stocked pantry rests in another cor-
the bench, one of which has a leather apron draped
ner. Pots and pans hang from wall hooks above a
over it. metal sink.
The southeast door leads to a hallway that con-
Books in need of repair are brought to the bindery. nects to areas F8 through F14.
Varnyr loves this task, and it's her work on display F8. AVOWED QUARTERS
on the bench. The tools are used for bookbinding,
leatherworking, woodcarving, and painting.
A ledger rests on one of the stools. It's open to Two beds , positioned on opposite walls, flank a wash-
a list of four book titles, each one with a "repairs basin in an otherwise bare room. Both beds are made,
needed" entry beside it. The titles and their associ- but the blanket on one of them is a bit rumpled .
ated repairs are as follows:
Festivals and Festivities ofAncient Cormyr: re- In the past, this room would have housed two
place cover Avowed, but it's scarcely used nowadays. If the char-
Living a Dream: Three Years Among Stone Giants: acters stay in the cellar overnight, this is one of their
replace cover rooms. Otherwise, the room is unoccupied.
Shemshime's Bedtime Rhyme: repair spine
Halfling Superstitions: rebind F9. GAILBY'S ROOM
The door to this room is open.
A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom
(Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check no-
tices that the books on the workbench are three of A child sleeps here. Toys are scattered on an unmade
the books on the list. Shemshime's Bedtime Rhyme bed, and piles of clothes obscure all but a few bare
is missing. patches of the floorboards . Above a writing desk in the
F6. THE WORM TUNNEL corner dangles a dragon marionette made from brass
This passage is accessible by the west stairs and wood, with wings of canvas dyed red. A round
in area F2. firefly lamp hangs in the opposite corner.
It's cold here. A low, barrel-vaulted ceiling crowds the Gailby has been drawing creepy pictures that depict
already narrow passage. Light from a firefly lamp that scenes from Shemshime's Bedtime Rhyme. They're
hangs on a hook in the wall is inadequate to illuminate done in loud colored paint and in a style typical of
the entire space. a child, making them all the more unsettling. One
of the images shows a man whose feet have been
severed. Blood pours from his ankles and from
the severed feet next to him. Another shows a boy
SH E M SH I ME'S BEDTIME R H Y ME -
AN ADVENTURE FOR 5TH-LEVEL CHARACTERS
··•---------
-
The hags use their powers of illusion to pose as Ideal. "Any brute can frighten someone. To truly
three elf sisters named Morganna, Azirssa, and make someone fearful is a high art."
Greensong. They are typically found in the bath- Bond. "I will do anything to gain the upper hand
house by day and in their tower lair at night. Each over the other members of my coven and make them
hag carries a master key that opens all the doors in serve me."
the bathhouse and the tower. Flaw. "I find powerful, intimidating figures ir-
resistible."
DREAD MORGAN
In her true form, the neutral evil Dread Morgan VILE SAZHA
appears as a thin, pale creature whose long, matted Without her disguise, the chaotic evil Vile Sazha
black hair is festooned with ornaments made from appears as a hunched figure with one muscular and
bones and teeth. Her mouth curves up unnaturally one withered arm. She has catlike eyes, and rust-
high at the corners, and her bloodred lips are cov- red hair covers her head, back, and arms. Her sharp
ered in blisters and boils. fangs cause her to slur when she speaks, and she
In her disguised form, the hag appears as Mor- hisses and screeches when threatened.
ganna, a slender moon elf with smooth black hair In her disguised form, she appears as Azirssa,
and sparkling sapphire eyes. She speaks in a husky, an athletic sun elf with copper hair who wears an
alluring voice and focuses on the business of run- ornate breastplate with a red fur mantle. She has a
ning the bathhouse. confident and jovial voice, and she promotes physi-
Dread Morgan knows the ritual needed to bind cal strength and good health.
a creature's desire to a cursed painting, which is Vile Sazha knows how to create a suitable can-
recorded on a tiny scroll hidden in a bone ornament vas for the hags' cursed paintings. This secret is
in her hair. tattooed on her withered arm in Infernal, and it de-
Personality Trait. "I have made subtle insults into scribes a macabre process of stretching elven flesh
an art form." over a frame made from blood-soaked wood.
Personality Trait. "I despise the weak, and I love COV EN MINIONS
to inflict physical pain and violence when I can get The hags of the Fetid Gaze employ a number of min-
away with it." ions to maintain the appearance that the bathhouse
Ideal. "Strength is the only thing worth is running normally. Twice a day, the hags use their
respecting." coven spells (see the "Coven Spells" sidebar) to cast
Bond. "Dwarves burned down my home and seeming on their minions, disguising them suitably
killed my daughter long ago, and I will hate all their for their roles.
kind forever." The following creatures serve the hags:
Flaw. "I am terrified of fire."
• Saeth, a cambion, was recruited by Dread Mor-
AUNTIE GREENBONES gan in exchange for a gift of unusual components
The eldest member of the Fetid Gaze, the lawful and secret rituals that he intends to put toward
evil Auntie Greenbones often defers to the other two his own evil and ambitious plans one day. Sa-
hags on decision-making. In her true form, she is eth specifically wants to learn the secrets of the
shriveled and worn, her dark green skin covered in cursed paintings, and he is happy to betray his
bark and fungus. Insects crawl across her and hide employers to obtain them. He carries a master key
in the thick braid of white hair that curls around that opens all the locks in the bathhouse and the
her shoulders like a serpent. Anyone who stares tower except the door to the tower studio (area
into her milky-white, seemingly blind eyes sees a TlS). He also carries the coven's hag eye, which is
reflection of their own face made decrepit and with- disguised as a cat's-eye pin on his jacket. For more
ered by age. information on the hag eye, see the "Hags" section
The hag's disguise is that of Greensong, a cheer- in the Monster Manual.
ful, rosy-cheeked wood elf who feigns blindness. • Morty, a hell hound, belongs to Auntie Green-
She wears a delicate white veil across her eyes bones and is her loyal pet. The fiend never leaves
and speaks in a singsong voice, giggling often. She her side and fights to the death to defend her. Vile
keeps her guard dog, Morty, with her at all times. Sazha hates Morty almost as much as she hates
This disguised hell hound appears as a mastiff with dwarves, and would love to see him dead.
bloodshot eyes. • Six scarecrows were created by the hags to re-
Auntie Greenbones knows how to infuse demon place the acolytes of Sune who ran the bathhouse
ichor into the paints needed to create the cursed with Sylvarie, and whom the hags murdered when
paintings that drive the coven's evil bargains. This they took over. The scarecrows are disguised as
recipe is inscribed on the inside of Morty's collar. attractive humanoids. They don't speak in their
Personality Trait. "Sometimes I sing to myself roles as bathhouse staff, but they nod and smile if
when I am distracted. It is an old song of the fey, spoken to.
about a daughter betrayed by her father and given to • Two gargoyles act as the guardians for the coven's
the unseelie in a bargain." lair in the tower beyond the bathhouse, disguised
Ideal. "Patience is the key to survival. She who as statues of other kinds.
laughs last laughs longest."
ROLEPLAYING THE HAGS
Bond. "My beloved dog, Morty, is my world. Were
The hags use Sylvarie's tower as their personal
anyone to harm him, I would hunt that person
lair, but they spend their days in the bathhouse,
across all the planes if need be."
Flaw. "Those who have pure hearts literally make maintaining their disguises. There, they meet with
visitors and seek out potential new clients to manip-
me vomit. I mean, I can't help but heave my bowels
in their presence." ulate. At night, they retreat to the tower and torment
their current victims before resting.
COVEN SPELLS
If any guests become suspicious of the hags or
their minions, the hags try to use suggestion or
Each member of the Fetid Gaze has access to coven
spells, as described in the "Hag Covens" sidebar in the dominate person to isolate those characters so they
Monster Manual. The green hags use the following list can be captured or killed discreetly.
of spells for their Shared Spellcasting trait, replacing Once the hags become aware that the adventur-
the suggested spells : ers aren't at the temple for its services, they try to
distract them by beseeching the characters for aid,
1st level (4 slots): charm person, witch bolt in exchange for one of their special rituals. The hags
2nd level (3 slots): alter self, suggestion
first try to recruit the characters to destroy Cyrena,
3rd level (3 slots) : dispel magic, glyph of warding, slow
4th level (3 slots): blight, polymorph the naiad who is bound to the baths (area TS), claim-
5th level (2 slots): dominate person, seeming ing that a "capricious elemental spirit" has been
6th level (1 slot): Otto's irresistible dance attacking guests and trying to claim the bathhouse
as its home. If the characters appear particularly
--
COVEN VICTIMS GUESTS OF THE TEMPLE
In addition to the missing Falthrax, several The Temple of the Restful Lily is known among the
other victims of the hags' curse are presently at more elite folk of the Sword Coast, and any number
the temple: of those folk might be visiting when the characters
Sylvarie Silversong (a neutral good moon elf) arrive. You can roll for or choose entries from the
founded the Temple of the Restful Lily after being Temple Guests table, or use those guests as inspira-
drawn to the hot spring by the visions of Sune. tion for your own NPCs.
Her deep-seated insecurity over serving the god of
beauty was her downfall. Hoping to develop more TEMPLE GUESTS
confidence in her role as a priest of Sune, she was d8 Guest(s)
drawn into a bargain with the hags that saw her A drow poses as )arlaxle Baenre, the leader of a
transformed into a medusa and trapped in the famous mercenary band called Bregan D'aerthe,
temple's former shrine for ten years. See area T12
in the hope of obtaining discounted treatments.
for more information.
The impostor's disguise is easily detected by any-
Gorba Daardenrian (a lawful neutral dragonborn of
one who has met the real Jarlaxle.
gold dragon ancestry) was a mighty warrior who
sought even greater strength through her bargain 2 A veteran of the Flaming Fist, a ruthless merce-
with the hags. When she realized the true nature nary company based in the city of Baidu r's Gate,
of the bargain shortly before the curse struck, the has come to the temple to recover from a leg
dragonborn returned to the temple to challenge injury. The treatments and physical therapy are
the coven, but she became a withered husk of her helping, but the mercenary is bored and looking
former self as she arrived (use the commoner stat for excitement.
block for her current state). Now trapped here, she
3 A pair of halfling scouts from the coastal city of
is especially fearful of Vile Sazha, who torments
Neverwinter used the profits from a recent shady
her relentlessly.
job to treat themselves to a luxurious stay at the
Glitter (a chaotic good male tiefling) is a member
of the WaterdeepJewelers Guild, as well as an temple, but they are paranoid about other guests
informant for one of the Masked Lords of the city. recognizing them.
He came to the temple wanting to be a few inches 4 A merchant and her wife (both commoners) have
taller, thinking the extra height would prove ad- come to the bathhouse to celebrate their anniver-
vantageous when conducting business transac- sary, but it is clear that the two are having rela-
tions, but he renounced the hags' bargain when tionship issues. One of them wants to go home,
his new, taller form didn't suit him. The hags' while the other does not.
curse transformed him into a kobold (though he
5 A young knight who belongs to an order called
uses the spy stat block). In his new form, Glitter
the Purple Dragons has traveled all the way to the
now bitterly serves the hags, speaking eloquently
and addressing guests kindly. If the characters temple from Cormyr, seeking Sune's advice on
agree to help him undo the hags' curse, Glitter how best to impress their betrothed.
assures them they will gain a powerful ally in Wa- 6 A dwarf noble from Citadel Ad bar, a dwarven
terdeep, as well as receive 500 gp in gems as soon city-stronghold far to the north, recently suffered
as he can return to the city. a magical malady causing them to lose all their
Falthrax Loderr (a neutral good shield dwarf hair. Wearing a wig and fake beard, they have
commoner) became fearful of growing old af- come to the temple hoping to find a cure for the
ter a lifetime of dedication to Candlekeep. After condition before the truth is found out.
coming through the portal and being drawn in
7 A rock gnome inventor (use the noble stat block)
by the splendor and magic of the bathhouse, he
bargained with the hags to restore his youth. But from the city of Silverymoon has come to the
when second thoughts caused him to renounce bathhouse to sell the owners a collection of clean-
the bargain, the hags' curse aged him well into ing gadgets .
his venerable years, and he is now wracked with 8 A lawful neutral assassin targeting evil nobles has
constant pain. Having no idea how to return to come to the bathhouse to hide out from the au-
Candlekeep and his old life, he has accepted his thorities, after recently botching an assignment in
fate with quiet resignation, and he weeps quietly to Waterdeep or some other city of your choice.
himself when anyone speaks to him.
TEMPLE OF THE RESTFUL LILY
I,
,, , ... '
.,,,
';,. ,, SHRINE ,, toWER ,. 0
ll, .
,,
\,•
~ •
\/1 ,v/ '\•
,
'
,
I
. -. .~:~--
!
\/I
0 .
.,,,
,,
,,
.
'
\i • •• II
~ "
. •: "
J~-
,.
-· · T4 ...
-·
~
1· .
-.
. ..
-~
" . -~; .,, C3
CJ..,.~·· D
\,.. ,,
"'""••Sleet J
~11J.
ARRIVING AT THE TEMPLE Walls and Floors. The bathhouse and the tower
are luxuriously appointed, with walls and floors of
The Temple of the Restful Lily is built around a
polished stone. The stonework in the abandoned
fey-enchanted hot spring in a large open grove in the
shrine is crumbling and caked with grime.
High Forest. The woodland trail accessed through
Doors. Inside the bathhouse and the tower, wooden
the portal created by The Price of Beauty leads to
doors are carved with images of water lilies.
the temple from the east after a journey of a quar-
Doors in the bathhouse are normally unlocked,
ter mile. A longer trail leads west from the temple,
but they can be locked by anyone who has a mas-
winds northward, and ends at the edge of the forest
ter key. Doors in the tower are normally locked.
south of Silverymoon. Both trails converge on the
Unless otherwise noted, a locked door can be
south side of the bathhouse building and the double
opened with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check
doors leading into area Tl.
using thieves' tools, broken in with a successful
If the characters put off entering the bathhouse
DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, or attacked. A
building to first wander the grounds, the cambion
door has AC 15, 18 hit points, and immunity to
Saeth (see "Coven Minions" earlier in the adventure)
poison and psychic damage.
leaves area Tl to intercept them. He encourages the
Windows. Within the bathhouse and the tower,
characters to return with him to the bathhouse, de-
finely made windows display abstract designs
scribing the abandoned shrine as a dangerous place
in stained glass. A window can be broken
to be avoided, and saying that the tower is a private
through with a successful DC 12 Strength (Ath-
residence that cannot be entered. He does not force
letics) check or attacked; each one has AC 13,
the issue, however.
3 hit points, and immunity to poison and psy-
Saeth calls for reinforcements if he is attacked
chic damage.
or if anyone tries to forcibly enter the abandoned
Light. All areas of the bathhouse and the tower are
shrine or the tower. If the characters are intent on
filled with bright light during the day and evening,
starting this part of the adventure with combat, you
either from sunlight or lanterns. After midnight,
might lead off with a challenging fight against the
these areas are dark unless characters are using
hags and all their servants, then have the charac-
a light source. The ground floor of the shrine (area
ters put the pieces of the mystery together in the
Tl1) is unlit, while its basement is lit by a magic
aftermath.
pool (see area T12 for details).
TEMPLE FEATURES
TEMPLE LOCATIONS
The following features are common to all areas of
The following locations are keyed to the maps of the
the bathhouse, the tower, and the shrine unless oth-
Temple of the Restful Lily.
erwise noted.
Tl. LOBBY
RELAXINCi AT THE RESTFUL LILY
The Temple of the Restful Lily offers many services and
treatments that characters in search of rest and respite The double doors open to the sound of a bell. Beyond
can make use of. This feature of the place can allow the the doors is a large lobby, the air heavy with the scent
characters to socialize with the NPCs in residence-or of fresh lilies. A desk stands at the center of the room,
can provide opportunities for the coven's minions to
attack them while their guard is down . Health services holding neatly piled papers and fresh-cut lilies in a
at the temple include the following: vase. A dark-haired man in fine clothes stands up
• Entry to the bathhouse costs 5 gp per person and in- from behind the desk as he sees you .
cludes the use of the enchanted baths, a comfortable "Welcome, friends, to the Restful Lily. Freshen your-
robe, and a private changing room with a lockable
selves in our luxurious bathhouse. Or perhaps you'd
trunk to store weapons and equipment.
• Lodging for visitors who want to stay overnight at enjoy a massage? Haircut? A shave or pedicure? Oh!
the temple is available at a cost of 4 gp per person. Road-tired feet simply cry out for comfort! Whatever
Meals cost 5 sp, and the lounge offers a wide range your pleasure, I am here to serve."
of beverages .
• Characters can enjoy a haircut, a shave, or a waxing
for 2 gp, 1 gp, or 10 gp, respectively. The lobby is staffed by the disguised cambion Saeth
• Massages can be booked for 20 gp and last
(see "Coven Minions" earlier in the adventure). He
for an hour.
• A manicure and pedicure costs 2 sp. The pedicure greets the characters warmly and is happy to ex-
might incur an additional fee depending on the plain the treatments and services on offer (as noted
cleanliness of the customer's feet. in the "Relaxing at the Restful Lily" sidebar). If the
characters ask about the missing Falthrax, Saeth
TEMPLE OF THE
RESTFUL LILY
1 square = 5 feet
Tl3- Tl8. TOWER that she can barely hold her broom. When she sees
the characters, she desperately tries to make them
leave so she doesn't get into trouble. In the time she
A finely crafted stone tower rises among the trees not
has spent at the temple, she has learned what hap-
far from the bathhouse. A statue of a sharp-featured pened to Sylvarie and knows the layout of the tower,
winged elf crouches above the front door, whose but she will not share that information unless her
bright red surface is decorated with golden swirls. fear of the characters can be overcome with role-
playing, a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion)
check, or suitable magic.
The door is locked. The elf statue over the door is
Both the doors in this area are locked, and Gorba
a gargoyle servant of the hags, wrapped in illusion
does not have the keys to them .
magic (see "Coven Minions" earlier in the adven-
ture). It watches the door but makes no move unless Tl4. SAETH 's RooM
the characters go inside, whereupon it flies off to Saeth carries the key that opens the locked door to
report to one of the hags. this room.
Tl3 . TOWER FOYER
Th is luxurious room has a large bed covered with rich
silk sheets. A wardrobe and a dresser with a mirror
This foyer has a central spiral staircase leading up.
stand against the walls.
The staircase is flanked by two closed doors , each one
set in the middle of a stone wall. A thin, weak-looking
dragonborn is feebly trying to sweep the floor here The dresser has clothes scattered across it but
with a well-worn broom. holds nothing of value.
Treasure. Characters who search the wardrobe
find a suit of scale mail armor customized for a
The cursed dragonborn, Gorba Daardenrian (see wearer with a tail, and a pair of shortswords or-
"Coven Victims" earlier in the adventure), is so weak nately scribed with Infernal glyphs (50 gp each).
CONCLUSION
Once the threat of the hags and their servants is
dealt with, the characters have a chance to rectify
the dark deeds done at the temple.
Destroying the four portraits in area Tl 7 frees
Gorba Daardenrian, Glitter, Falthrax Loderr, and
Sylvarie Silversong from the hags' curse. (See "De-
stroying the Paintings" earlier in the adventure for
more information.) Gorba and Glitter are eternally
grateful to the characters and might become lifelong
allies of the party, at your discretion.
-~OK OF ~YLINDER~.
WRITTEN BY GRAEME BARBER
DEVELOPED & EDITED BY KIM MOHAN
IFTEEN YEARS AGO, THE BOOK OF CYLJN- Pelk tells the characters that this news came by way
ders fell into the hands of the archivists of Mitor Jans, a ship captain who makes a living
and librarians of Candlekeep as part of transporting crab meat to Candlekeep. Pelk also
a collection of works recovered from a reveals that Jans, eager for shipments to resume,
ruined keep in Tethyr, far to the south. It describes has volunteered to take adventurers by sea to a
a conflict between a settlement of grippli (froglike trading post where they can meet with the grippli
humanoids distantly related to bullywugs) and an in- leader-in-exile, if they decide to undertake the quest
vading force of yuan-ti. The explorers who found the to help the frogfolk.
Book of Cylinders and bore it safely to Candlekeep Pelk informs the characters that the Avowed are
claimed it wasn't a historical account, but a warning willing to pay 500 gp to each character once the
of dire events yet to unfold . threat to the grippli village is neutralized.
•
BOOK OF CYLI ND ERS
The second cylinder's story begins with serpent
creatures lurking ominously outside the grippli
village. Then the serpentfolk rush forth , captur-
ing or killing any of the frogfolk who try to stand
against them. As the village falls into disarray, the
giant crabs escape from their cages and head back
into the sea.
The third cylinder depicts, and briefly tells about,
the aftermath of the serpentfolk's assault. The vil-
lage is vacant, most of its buildings flattened . Still
standing is the grippli's temple to their deity, which
has been taken over by the snake creatures.
Unbeknownst to the characters at this time, the
ancient story told on the cylinders is unfolding now.
Evil yuan-ti are tormenting the grippli, and their
goal is nothing less than the obliteration of all who
stand in their way.
LEARNING MORE
After the characters have deciphered the story told
on the cylinders, they can learn more about the
context of the situation by talking to Pelk or other
members of the Avowed. The following information
can be learned:
• Before communications with the grippli tapered
off, people who returned to Candlekeep from a trip
to the grippli trading post reported that a small
WooDEN CYLINDERS
band of yuan-ti had taken up residence at an old
temple site where the grippli village used to be
located. These serpentfolk, unlike others of their
made of supple leather reinforced with thicker strips kind, are friendly toward the grippli, and the frog-
of hide. Opening the cover reveals three intricately folk are helping them excavate the location.
carved, hollow wooden cylinders and a linen bag of One of the last people from Candlekeep to depart
dry clay artfully decorated with a drop of water. from the grippli trading post reports that the place
The outside of each cylinder is covered with writ- has been overrun by frogfolk fleeing their village,
ing and simple images, apparently telling a story in which was invaded by a second group of yuan-ti.
three parts. If the characters can't figure out what These monsters are vicious and cruel, the exact
the cylinders have to say, Pelk or another staff mem- opposite of the earlier visitors.
ber at Candlekeep can give them instructions.
The first step is to remove some of the clay from
its bag and mix it with water to form a thick paste,
NORTHWARD Ho!
It should be apparent to the characters, from what-
then spread the wet clay in a thin layer on a flat
ever information they have gleaned, that the grip-
surface. Rolling one of the cylinders across this sur-
pli trading post is the first stop on their mission.
face presses the writing into the clay and makes it
The trading post is on the coast, due west of the
readable. After repeating the process for each of the
Cloakwood and roughly 90 miles north-northwest
cylinders, the characters have the full story and can
of Candlekeep by sea. They can get there either by
use that knowledge to determine what they do next.
accepting Mitor ]ans's offer of transportation , or by
The impressions in the clay are mostly characters
a longer overland route that takes them east, north,
in the Dwarvish script, combined with simple pic-
and then westward through the forest.
tographs that tell a tale about the frogfolk and the
serpentfolk. SEA VOYAGE
The first cylinder shows and explains how the
grippli became skilled at harvesting giant crabs, If the characters need further persuasion, Mi tor
which are loaded onto seagoing vessels and taken Jans tells them that he and his ship, the Dog Ear,
away while the frogfolk celebrate their newly have made the trip from Candlekeep to the trading
earned wealth. post and back again more times than he can count.
He and his crew know exactly where to sail to avoid
-
undersea hazards and stay on the most efficient Mitor Jans and his ship remain at the dock while
route. If the characters are suspicious of Mitor's mo- the characters go ashore. He suggests that they seek
tives, a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Insight) check is an audience with the grippli's leader, Pond Mother,
all it takes to verify the truth of his claims. to learn firsthand about what has happened. (Fortu-
In fact, this is the faster of the two routes. The trip nately for the characters, she's not hard to find.)
takes a day and a half (36 hours), with no encoun-
ters en route. TRADING POST
MITOR]ANS
Neutral good half-ore As the coastal mist clears, you get your first good look
Mitor (use the bandit captain stat block, if neces- at the grippli trading post. Ramshackle shelters are
sary) joined Candlekeep as a young acolyte but soon clustered around a large permanent building. The low
found he was more suited to a life on the sea. His rumble of many voices softly croaking can be heard as
greatest source of pride is the book he has written your ship pulls up to the dock, where grippli bearing
about fish anatomy, which includes a detailed exam- weapons are waiting to meet its passengers.
ination of sahuagin biology. He is willing to trans-
port the party, but neither he nor his crew will join
in a fight. The central structure of the trading post is a for-
tified stone and mud-brick edifice, decorated with
OVERLAND VOYAGE the preserved carapaces and claws of giant crabs,
If the characters decline the sea voyage, they can where commerce is normally conducted. The
consult a map at Candlekeep that shows the safest ground around it, usually clear of construction,
and fastest overland route, starting with the Way now houses a host of makeshift dwellings, and
of the Lion, the road that leads inland (east) from business has slowed to a standstill. The place looks
Candlekeep. That road intersects with the Coast and feels more like a refugee encampment than a
Way, which runs north along the eastern edge of the trading post.
Cloakwood. About 50 miles north along the Coast The primitive shelters are the new homes of
Way is a trail that runs west into the forest and grippli who escaped when the evil yuan-ti came
eventually leads to the outskirts of the grippli vil- through the village in their search for the earlier
lage. This route, well over 100 miles in total, takes group of serpentfolk. All these individuals are
at least seven days to traverse by foot, and at the noncombatants, with no particular knowledge to be
end of it the characters will be entering the village gained by communicating with them.
before they visit the trading post. Both of those facts POND MOTHER SPEAKS
might have a marked effect on how the adventure
The village's leader, who holds the title of Pond
continues (at your discretion). In addition, you might
Mother, is an aged grippli warrior (see the end of
pit the characters against some random encounters
the adventure for her stat block). She evacuated the
along the way, to hint at the error of their ways in
village when most of the other residents did and has
turning down the sea voyage.
set up quarters inside the large building. Assuming
the characters are cooperative, the grippli guards
HELPING THE GRIPPLI take the visitors directly to her. If the party seems
The grippli of the Cloakwood are distrustful of trustworthy, she speaks to them. She prefers Pri-
strangers but forced by circumstances to consider mordial (it's easier on grippli vocal cords) to address
outside help. The warriors of the village and its outsiders, but she can speak Common if there are
leader, Pond Mother, are doing all they can to pro- no Primordial speakers in the group.
tect the grippli who have taken refuge at the trading She informs the party that a small band of yuan-ti
post, and they cannot mount a counterattack against arrived in the area over a month ago, claiming to
the evil yuan-ti, who have already killed several grip- be followers of a benevolent deity they called the
pli for trying to stand up to them. Scaled Mother. They were friendly, the opposite
Assuming the characters traveled by ship to reach of other yuan-ti that the grippli had encountered
the trading post, the grippli guarding the dock watch and fought with. These yuan-ti expressed interest
them carefully but don't speak right away. Grippli in excavating and restoring the previous site of the
have difficulty voicing the language of humans, so grippli village, a mile from its present location. Pond
they speak in Primordial. (Mitor Jans has some flu- Mother saw no reason to refuse them, since their
ency in Primordial and offers to be an intermediary motives were seemingly innocent. But then, two
if needed.) As long as the characters are nonhostile, tendays afterward, another group of yuan-ti came on
the grippli will allow them to disembark. the scene. These yuan-ti attacked the village, killed
any frogfolk who tried to resist, and captured the RUNNING THE CRAB MAZE
grippli who weren't able to escape. No craft larger than a rowboat can navigate the crab
She asks the characters for help, telling them that maze because the water is too shallow and already
the yuan-ti have been eating their eggs and torment- occupied by angry giant crabs. The characters are
ing the few grippli who remain in the village. Noth- dropped off outside the maze at a point of your
ing has been heard from the friendly yuan-ti since choosing. The water is only 4 or 5 feet deep through-
the larger force of evil ones descended on the vil- out this area, but wading to shore is impossible
lage. Pond Mother fears that either they have been since the crabs are everywhere. The characters'
disposed of, or they have been imprisoned in the old goal is to get to the breakwater that separates the
temple that lies north of the village. In any event, maze from the village while avoiding the crabs as
saving the eggs, or as many of them as possible, is much as they can.
the grippli's main concern. As the characters move, they must make a suc-
If the characters demand payment, Pond Mother cessful DC 20 Dexterity (Stealth) group check every
can offer the modest contents of the trading post's 100 feet to avoid attracting giant crabs. If any group
coffers (200 gp) for clearing out the village and safe- check fails, ld4 + 2 giant crabs claw their way out
guarding the eggs. She points out that the charac- of their cages and attack the characters.
ters are also entitled to keep any items of value that The processing platforms, located wherever two
don't belong to the villagers. walkways join or intersect, are safe havens. The
The trading post is about 5 miles south of the grip- platforms are high enough above the water that the
pli village, which is most easily reached by sea. (An crabs won't attack creatures atop one.
overland trip along the marshy coastline is a fool's
route, fraught with obstacles and perils.) Mitor Jans PASSING THE BREAKWATER
will transport the characters as far as he can, then After negotiating the maze, the characters come
drop them off just outside the crab maze that bor- upon a low wall that the grippli have constructed to
ders the community before turning back south. keep sea creatures away from the village and to pro-
tect the lagoon on the other side from rough water
CRAB MAZE when a storm is raging. This breakwater is made
of intertwined branches reinforced by tough vines.
Hinged on the sides and split in the middle, it can be
Columns of stone with platforms built around them , opened to allow the passage of small boats. In the
connected by rickety-looking gangways that touch closed position, as it is now, the breakwater is not
the sea or disappear beneath the frothing waves, are designed to prevent entry to the village by anyone
arrayed before you. In the distance you can see the who can simply climb up and over it.
marshy shore. Dark shapes move under the surface, If the characters avoided any contact with the
giant crabs, or if they have handled those threats
and flashes of red carapace draw the eye. This is not a
with a minimum of commotion, they can easily
safe place.
move over and beyond the breakwater without alert-
ing the yuan-ti in the village. By taking the shortest
Getting to the village is the characters' first chal- path to shore, the characters can make landfall just
lenge. Between the characters and the village is a north of the docks.
network of cages where the grippli have kept, cap- Several yuan-ti are roaming through the village
tured, and bred giant crabs for centuries. when the characters arrive, but the serpentfolk are
The crab maze is a collection of low-to-the-water not particularly vigilant. The characters can earn
walkways, ranging in height from just above the the yuan-ti's attention by making an undue amount
water to being submerged by up to 2 feet. Each main of noise during their approach or giving themselves
walkway is wide enough for two Medium creatures away with a display of flashy magic. If they do so, a
to walk side by side, while the smaller branching squad of five yuan-ti purebloods ambushes them
ones are wide enough for only a single person. Inter- soon after they get out of the water.
spersed through this web of rickety wood and net- The yuan-ti, overconfident to a fault, are likely
ting are processing platforms built around the stone to fight to the death without trying to summon
columns, each large enough to hold four creatures. reinforcements. To give the characters a stiffer
Under the water, in open-topped cages made of net- challenge, you can have a patrol of ld4 + 2 yuan-ti
ting, lurk a great number of giant crabs that haven't purebloods arrive on the scene, attracted by the
been fed recently. As the characters start to make sounds of combat, before the original squad has
their way to shore, the water begins to froth as the been vanquished.
giant crabs become excited.
-
VILLAGE DOCKS
Unlike the materials used for the crab maze,
the docks are sturdy planks of wood tightly fas-
The grippli village is set near the sea in a brackish tened together and treated to make the structure
marsh. Rising from the muck are circular, domed waterproof.
mud-brick buildings that the grippli use for homes Only a couple of small boats remain tied up at
and storage facilities. The carapaces and claws of these piers, the others having been used by the grip-
pli who retreated to the trading post.
giant crabs feature heavily in the architecture.
The yuan-ti have no interest in the small boats
that are moored here-meaning that if they re-
If the characters get to shore without causing a main undamaged, the characters could use them
conflict with the yuan-ti, they can move freely (if for transport when they decide to leave this
carefully) around the village. (The evil serpentfolk place behind.
are here for a particular purpose, and as a rule
POND MOTHER'S HOME
they have no quarrel with anyone who doesn't
directly threaten their plan or try to impede what The religious center of the village, this enormous
they're doing.) building made of wood and mud bricks has been
The ground throughout this area is damp and soft turned into a prison where the evil yuan-ti are hold-
at best. Staying dry is difficult to impossible. ing some of the followers of the Scaled Mother. The
The dozen or so grippli warriors (see the end of hemispherical building, 20 feet high and 50 feet
the adventure for their stat block) remaining in the in diameter, is by far the largest structure in the
village are there only to do the yuan-ti's bidding; community.
they all show signs of abuse from their treatment. The ground level contains a pool of water in the
Some are in a state of mourning, after being forced center, directly beneath an opening in the roof of
to watch the yuan-ti consume their eggs. the same size. The marshy ground around the pool
serves as an assembly area for group ceremonies.
BOOK OF CYLINDERS
mes and s torage
..·
•
-"""-
...
.!t •~ •"
.
..
.
·:
•, ,-..
''
BOOK OF CYLINDERS
T2 . UPPER COURT SERPE N T SCALE ARMOR
Armor (scale mail), uncommon
The upper court of the temple has been completely This suit of magic armor is made from shimmering
cleared of debris. Six pillars support the ten-foot-high scales. While wearing it, you can apply your full
Dexterity modifier (instead of a maximum of +2)
ceiling, and the northern half of the enclosed area is
when determining your Armor Class. In addition,
bathed in bright light, making it easy for you to see the this armor does not impose disadvantage on your
horrific scene playing out in the far end of the room. Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
BOOK OF CYLINDERS -
GRATEFUL GRIPPLI
Having done what they came to do, the characters
are free to take their leave of the grippli anytime;
once regular traffic resumes between the trading
post and Candlekeep, the heroes have no trou-
ble finding a ship that will carry them back to
the library.
In the meantime, if the characters prevented one
or more eggs in the brood pools from being killed,
the returning grippli are so ecstatic that Pond
Mother offers to perform a ceremony for the party's
benefit, called the ritual of friend marking. If they
agree, they are brought to the pool in the center of
Pond Mother's home at midnight. The grippli, croak-
ing sonorously, surround the characters while they
stand in the warm water and Pond Mother pours the
contents of a jar into the pool. The liquid swirls, and
motes of light begin rising up around the characters.
Any party members who have second thoughts at
this point can avoid the effect by succeeding on a
DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. Party members who
don't resist, or who fail their saves, fall into a trance
until dawn- when they come to their senses, com-
pletely rested and healed. All party members who GRIPPLI WARRIOR
completed the ritual can speak and understand the Small humanoid (grippfi)
Grippli language from now on.
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)
GRIPPLI Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
BOOK OF CYLINDERS
AN ADVENTURE FOR 7TH-LEVEL CHARACTERS
··•-----
SARAH OF
~ELLOWCRESI MANOR~
... "
WRITTEN BY DEREK RUIZ
~
DEVELOPED & EDITED BY SCOTT FITZGERALD GRAY
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Sarah of Yellowcrest Manor is a leather-bound book
with brass corner fittings and an intricately carved
brass clasp that holds the book shut. Embossing on
the cover depicts the same symbol seen on Sarah's
uniform- a lemon tree with the rising sun behind it.
A character who has the noble background, who has
an extensive knowledge of Waterdeep, or who suc- eyes (see "Lord Viallis's Tome" later in the adven-
ceeds on a DC 14 Intelligence (History) check recog- ture for more information).
nizes this as the seal of the Yellowcrest family. Sarah also attempted to sketch what she remem-
The book's title appears handwritten on the first bered of the rune-marked circle. Any character who
page, and it is clear that all of its pages were once has proficiency in the Arcana skill and succeeds on
blank. Only a handful of pages at the end of the a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes the
book remain so. The rest are filled with handwrit- circle as part of a ritual casting of the contact other
ing that starts out crude but slowly becomes more plane spell, and can intuit that the runes Sarah has
elegant, hinting that it was produced by a person hastily copied are tied to an entity from the Outer
learning to write, who then practiced their writing Planes. Characters who do not recognize the circle
by keeping a diary. can seek assistance from one of the Avowed to de-
termine this information.
A HUMBLE LIFE
The pages of Sarah of Yellowcrest Manor are a mix- YELLOWCREST LORE
ture of exercises, drawings, and reminiscences. The A thorough reading of the diary reveals the broad
earliest pages bear nothing but repetitions of the details of the lives of Sarah and the Yellowcrest
name "Sarah." Lists of household chores, pending family. Alternatively, if the characters call Sarah
activities, shopping lists, and names take up a full back (see below) and are able to communicate with
third of the book. her, you can allow the poor servant's spirit to reveal
Where the diary begins, the book becomes a some of this information:
firsthand account (written in Common) of the life
of Sarah, who describes herself as a servant in the • Yellowcrest Manor stands on Delzorin Street in
Waterdeep manor of Lord Viallis Yellowcrest and Waterdeep's North Ward.
Lady Maria Yellowcrest. The diary entries are not • Lord Viallis and Lady Maria had two sons, Malik
on consecutive pages, and most are undated. In ad- and Janus, and one daughter, Tianna.
dition to writing about her daily obligations and life • The family owned several tanneries and shoemak-
in the manor, Sarah also wrote about Lady Maria, ing shops in Waterdeep, but most of its wealth was
who came from a poor family and empathized with inherited on Maria's side.
Sarah's own lack of education. Lady Maria's genuine • Lord Viallis's closest business associate was
affection for Sarah led her to teach the young ser- an elf named Faerl, who visited Lord Viallis
vant to write, and to give her the leather-bound book twice a tenday.
that became the diary. • Sarah had a romantic relationship with a young
squire named Vecken, who lived close to the
A GLIMPSE OF DARKNESS manor on Immar Street.
The last entries of the diary, dated just over five
The details of the murders at Yellowcrest Manor
years earlier, change in tone as Sarah worries about
can be learned from a few hours' research into re-
the strange conduct of Lord Yellowcrest, and his
cent Waterdeep history, or by consulting any scholar
habit of spending too much time with ancient books
at the library who has an interest in that history or
in his study. The final diary entry reads:
the noble families of Waterdeep. The public details
of the dark event are well known:
I stole close to Lord Viall is today, and saw that he had
• Lord Yellowcrest was away from Waterdeep on
chalked a circle marked with strange runes across the
business, then returned to find his wife, his sons
floor of his study. A puddle spread within the circle and daughter, and the manor's four servants bru-
and appeared to me as bubbling blood. Lord Viallis tally murdered. Shocked into a deep depression by
stood next to it motionless, one of his vile books the tragedy, Lord Yellowcrest left Waterdeep to be
in hand, and muttered something I could not hear. alone with his grief.
I slipped away quickly, though I fear he might have • Rumors seemingly spread by members of the City
Guard after investigating the murders hinted at
heard me this time. I have never been so scared, but I
some sort of cult activity, but details of the killings
must tell Lady Maria what I have seen. I must!
were never revealed. No suspects were ever identi-
fied or charged.
In her diary, Sarah tried to draw the image of the • The Yellowcrest family had a good reputation,
cover of an old tome Lord Viallis was reading. The with no hint of personal or public impropriety. No
sketch shows a monstrous creature with a bulbous one ever accused the grieving Lord Yellowcrest of
head, long arms, tentacles for legs, and multifaceted having any connection to the murders.
WHAT SARAH KNOWS
A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Wisdom (In-
sight) check or who is able to calm the ghost with
appropriate roleplaying can glean some information
from Sarah's mournful moaning:
• Lord Viallis Yellowcrest was responsible for the
murders of his wife, his children, Sarah, and three
other servants, all of whom were killed as part
of a dark ritual. (The trauma Sarah suffered has
occluded her memories of the details of the ritual
and of her own death.)
• The book that Sarah observed Viallis reading was
the source of the ritual, and a work of evil.
• The souls of Lady Maria, Malik, Janus, and Tianna
have not moved on since their deaths. All four are
trapped in the mortal realm until their physical
remains can be buried in hallowed ground.
• The remains of those victims are missing. Sarah
doesn't know what happened to them, but she
is certain that Lord Viallis has something to
do with it.
Sarah's anguished state of mind means that she
can share no information other than what is noted
above. Though she has all the abilities of a ghost,
Sarah has no wish to harm anyone. You might allow
her to use her Possession action to speak what she
knows through one of the characters if needed.
SIR VECKEN •
Vecken (a lawful good human knight) is a burly fig-
ure, heavily scarred but with a pleasant disposition. course of their conversation with him, Vecken can
He turned to adventuring to help him move past the reveal the following information:
death of his beloved Sarah, and he becomes notice- • After the murders, the remains of Sarah and the
ably distraught when speaking of her. other three servants were interred in the public
Personality Trait. "We all have a moral obligation cemetery, Waterdeep's City of the Dead. The re-
to protect the weak and the innocent, and I will do mains of Lady Maria and her children were not.
so at any cost." • Vecken remembers talk of Lord Viallis wanting
Ideal. "Good will prevail as long as the strong his wife and children to be interred near his new
stand against evil." home, so that he need never return to Waterdeep
Bond. "My frail father needs my care. It is good to visit them.
that I gave up my adventuring life."
Flaw. "When anger and grief take hold of me, Vecken doesn't know that Lord Viallis has relo-
there is little I can do to control myself." cated to Greenfast. If the characters share this in-
formation with him, he grows thoughtful, then says
DARK MEMORIES that he has heard from former compatriots of recent
Vecken is at home when the characters call, and he trouble along the roads in that area. South of Water-
is initially pleased to see them. He assumes they are deep, travelers are being robbed of valuable relics
adventurers he must have met and forgotten about and jewelry, and more than a few have disappeared,
during his earlier days. When the characters make their bodies never found.
the reason for their visit known, he grows visibly
grim but invites them into his home for tea. In the VECKEN 'S RETRIBUTION
living room, Vecken's old helmet with its shattered If the characters ask Vecken to join their investi-
horn hangs above the fireplace hearth. gation, the warrior demurs, telling them he would
Vecken is sympathetic to the characters' objectives rather let the past fade. In truth, he won't join the
because he still feels the pain of Sarah's death five characters because their unexpected news has
years ago. Any talk of the characters having spoken inspired thoughts of vengeance that he wants to
to Sarah's ghost reduces him to tears. Through the undertake on his own. As soon as the characters
leave him, Vecken dons his armor and weapons
-
· f : ~ ~ ·.P ZJ . f Ku : ~-
9 ° w~;E-RDE~P // ~\ . \g ~
}~ \
~·
\.'I_°\ 'I
,-:,.>.. ,t//t ::
(lll " _.
~
l ,,,
. _. .. _
<t ~<:-;/!Iii. I//\\ >._ \ '• /;, ,. ·- .
• ½ \\
,, •• ·
..., \I,
. .....- ....
,,.
-.
~- GREfriF ; . .
-~~ .
. ~ ~11 .
use, and the place holds nothing of importance or the area. When Viallis needs new sacrifices, the
value. (Lord Viallis has moved all his important be- cultists snatch victims along the Trade Way at night.
longings out of the village and into the cult's temple.) (If at least one day passes between the characters
meeting Vecken and arriving in Greenfast, the cult-
G4. FAERL'S H OUSE ists' most recent expedition ended with the capture
The residence of Viallis's overseer is a comfortable of the vengeful warrior. See area B11.)
cottage whose main room doubles as an office. The The cultists pay close attention to Faerl's house
place is filled with business records and correspon- (area G4) and to any strangers in the village. If the
dence, all of which concern Lord Viallis's business characters ask them any questions about Viallis, the
and none of which appear suspicious or out of cultists respond by attacking. If they see the previ-
the ordinary. ously agreed-upon signal of a window being opened
If the characters came to Greenfast without meet- in Faerl's house, they go there immediately, ready
ing Faerl in Waterdeep, you can have them find the for trouble.
overseer at home if you see fit. Use the details in the Use the guidelines in the "Street Fight" section
"Yellowcrest Businesses" section and the informa- earlier to run the encounter if the cultists and the
tion on Faerl there to shape the conversation. If the characters face off. Unlike the mercenaries in
characters threaten him or ask questions that indi- Waterdeep, these villains know a great deal of in-
cate they know more about the cult than Faerl likes, formation that they share if they are defeated and
the overseer makes a point of opening a window "to threatened:
get some air." This is a signal to the cultists at the
barn (area GS) to come running. • Lord Viallis is the leader of what he calls the
Burnt Tongue Cult, and he has made Greenfast
G5. BARN the center of the cult's activities.
Two cult fanatics and two veterans-neutral evil • Viallis worships a dark entity called Gaernoo,
humans loyal to Viallis-work here by day. They whose power he channels by sacrificing prisoners.
keep an eye out for trouble and keep their ears open This otherworldly patron provides Lord Viallis
for word of nondescript travelers passing through with aberrant creatures to command.
• Lord Viallis took over an old ruin outside the vil- TEMPLE FEATURES
lage, wanting to turn it into an estate. The work
The tower and its basement levels are of ancient
at the site is a ruse for opening up and rebuilding
construction, their original purpose long forgotten
a series of subterranean chambers, which now
by the area's residents.
constitute the cult's temple. With the temple com-
Ceilings throughout the temple are 10 feet high
pleted, Lord Viallis has ordered the cult's activi-
and flat. All areas of the upper level of the temple
ties to be stepped up.
are illuminated by braziers, lamps, or magical light.
The cultists know nothing of the whereabouts of All areas of the lower level are dark except for the
the remains of Lady Maria and her children. Lord the south cell in area Bll and the training room
Viallis never speaks of his life before the cult. (area Bl2).
o E - l E - -1°
E - -v E - Jl
0 0
87
0 0
B4. OFFICE
Lord Viallis studies magic in this room, which is off The lack of a door along the stairs to the chapel
limits to his cultists. The papers are covered with (area B7) means that characters going into this area
formulas and schematics, recognizable as related to or area BS might attract the attention of the cultists
arcane magic by anyone who has proficiency in the in the chapel-or might be already in view from the
Arcana skill. foot of the stairs if Viallis has been warned of the
The book Retribution of the Ancients sits on the characters' approach (see area B3 above).
table. In addition to describing various dark rituals,
this tome serves as Lord Viallis's spellbook and
Books and trinkets are spread across a wooden desk
contains the following spells: cone of cold, contact
other plane, counterspell, darkness, detect magic, set in this alcove chamber, which is lit by a burning
fear, fireball, greater invisibility, fly, ice storm, mage brazier.
armor, magic missile, misty step, polymorph, ray of
sickness, shield, and suggestion.
The trinkets are worthless, mysterious-looking
Pitfall Trap. The glowing spheres on the shelf
objects. The books appear to be registries of pur-
are two cracked driftglobes that can no longer float
chases, as well as lists of items and people. These
or give off their daylight effect. Removing either
documents, created by Faerl, have nothing to do
orb from the shelf triggers a trap. A character who
with the cult's activities but look important at a
searches the area for traps and succeeds on a DC
glance. Lord Viallis leaves them here to test secu-
16 Wisdom (Perception) check notes a slight de-
rity; if any of them go missing, Viallis knows his
pression in the floor in front of the shelf that warns
temple has been infiltrated by a spy or a thief. A
of the trap. Triggering the trap causes any creature
character who spends at least 10 minutes examin-
standing next to the shelf to fall 20 feet, landing
ing the books can ascertain their lack of importance
prone in the north cell of area Bll and taking 7
with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check.
(2d6) bludgeoning damage. Though the trap's trig-
ger is magical, the floor must be lifted and set into B5.SYMBOLWORKSHOP
place again for the trap to be reset. Before the trap
is reset, a character can climb back up into this area
from area Bll with a successful DC 20 Strength A bronze oil lamp burns on one of two tables in this
(Athletics) check. area, both of which hold woodcarving tools and
Secret Door. A character who searches the south strange wooden objects.
wall for secret doors finds one with a successful
DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Once found,
Cultists work here to craft the wooden symbols that
the door can be slid sideways to reveal a short pas-
mark membership in the cult-a distended tongue
sage with an identical secret door at the far end. No
with a torn root. Fifty newly carved symbols are
check is needed to find the second secret door, as
spread across both tables, hinting at the scope of
both doors are obvious to anyone in the short hall-
Viallis's expansion plans.
way that separates areas B2 and BS.
Secret Door. The north wall contains a secret
Treasure. Inside the desk drawer are two golden
door similar to the one in area B2.
medallions worth 125 gp each. A wooden box on the
table contains a chime of opening. BG.STUDY
This area is set within the larger space of area B7.
B3 . DUNGEON ACCESS
Its door is unlocked.
-
Treasure. The bookcase holds a collection of de-
based literature, dark mythology, studies of aberrant
magic, and mad treatises on elder gods. Lord Viallis
has been building this collection for years for the
benefit of his followers. The collection can be sold
to a discerning purchaser for 300 gp. Alternatively,
if brought to Candlekeep and donated, it might earn
the characters favors and benefits as you see fit.
B7. D A R K CHAPEL
If Lord Viallis has been alerted to the characters'
presence, three cult fanatics are at the bottom of
the north stairs watching for anyone approaching
from area B4. These cultists hide along the walls as
the characters descend the stairs, attacking as soon
as they enter the chapel.
I
B7 to stairs leading down.
These two cells-one to the north and one to the
south-are closed off by locked iron-bar doors. Lord
OF !!!RUE
WRITTEN BY KELLY LYNNE D'ANGELO
~J·
DEVELOPED & EDITED BY KIM MOHAN
-
As the story opens, the weather in the demiplane
LORE COMES TO LIFE is brisk but not frigid, and the winter solstice is im-
A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check con- minent. When the characters follow the course of
firms that the book is enchanted. As soon as a char- the story, they arrive at the site of the adventure's cli-
acter opens it, a few sentences in Common appear max just before midnight on the day of the solstice.
on the first page, as if someone is writing it, word by The characters are active participants in the story,
word. As this text unfurls, read: and its events are real to them: they can defeat ene-
mies and be defeated by them. But a player charac-
"Our story starts during the time leading up to the ter who drops to O hit points while on the demiplane
winter solstice on the final night of Uktar in the year is immediately teleported out of the demiplane and
374 DR. A nearly full moon rises behind wispy clouds,
back into Candlekeep where the book is located.
A teleported character reappears with 1 hit point
as a star-speckled sky darkens against a fading hori-
and loses any items they had collected on the jour-
zon. It seems silent and still, here in the heart of the ney so far. Explain to the player of the character that
forest . But to anyone who knows the forest well, that they can rejoin the party by going through the gate
silence can be misleading. again after finishing a long rest. In the meantime,
"When you are ready to proceed, turn the page." the other party members will have moved along in
the story. Because time passes differently on the
demiplane from how it flows on the Material Plane,
When the reader turns the page, the book glows the returning character appears back with the party
briefly, as a delayed-action gate spell is activated. in the encounter area that follows the one the char-
Any creature within 10 feet of the book is pulled acter previously experienced.
into the portal and transported to a demiplane along The gate remains active until the characters' con-
with any equipment it is wearing or carrying (see tribution to the story has come to an end (one way
the "Other Planes" section in the Dungeon Mas- or the other), whereupon the characters are ejected
ter's Guide for more information on demiplanes). If from the demiplane and deposited around the book
other player characters are not in the vicinity when back in Candlekeep. No one other than the charac-
the gate is activated, they are free to move to and ters can use the gate, or even perceive it, while the
through the passage to join their comrades. mission is under way.
After the characters open and "enter" the book,
their literal path through the demiplane is dictated SATYRS IN DISTRESS
by the story that Ecamane Truesilver penned long
Once the characters have entered the book, read:
ago. The characters begin a short distance south
of where a meadow meets the edge of a forest. If
anyone tries to move away from the forest, they are You're on the fringe of a meadow that borders a for-
halted by an impassable barrier of force that disal- est. Tall trees of several varieties stretch before you as
lows any other route. far as the eye can see. Behind you is a range of formi-
The story takes the characters generally north- dable mountain peaks. As the remnant of the setting
ward through several noteworthy locations, each
sun dips below the horizon, a rising full moon illumi-
one equivalent to a major section in the book. No
nates the darkening sky.
map is necessary for the adventurers to get from
one place to the next; if they try to deviate from the
direction the story takes them, the same barrier of When one or more characters move to within 20
force prevents them from making any progress. feet of the forest's edge, three satyrs come into view.
When this happens, read:
THE BooK' s DEMIPLANE
Anyone who opens Lore of Lurue and begins to read
Three bipedal creatures that combine the features of
it, and those who accompany the reader, become
men and goats laugh drunkenly as they stumble from
subject to the book's unique enchantment, which
was placed upon it by Ecamane Truesilver shortly the woods. They sway back and forth while greeting
before his death in 712 DR. you enthusiastically in Sylvan.
The geography of the demi plane to which the book
permits access bears some resemblance to the area
If none of the characters speaks Sylvan, one satyr
of Faen}n near where Silverymoon is located today,
laughs and greets the party in Elvish. A character
particularly the High Forest and the River Rauvin,
can confirm the truth of what he says with a suc-
but the book's story dates back to the days before
cessful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check:
the future site of the city was settled.
- LORE OF LURUE
d20 Encounter
"I'm Tragos ... and this is Artelio and Funagi," he says.
"We were out for a bit of a revel when a swarm of 14-16 Three human berserkers pass nearby while on a
wild-eyed ravens attacked us . We're in no fit state to hunt, pursuing a family of deer. If the characters
make their presence known, the berserkers attack
fight. Could you perchance help us get home?''
them instead.
17-20 Four injured wolves come upon the party but
The satyrs want to get back to Polvarth Plateau,
keep their distance. Each has ld8 hit points
where they can party safely. They aren't sure how
remaining. If approached, they instinctively
far they've strayed, only that the plateau lies to the
snarl but then quickly whimper in pain . Their
north and is a journey of a few hours by hoof. The
satyrs pass the time by singing, drinking wine from blood-matted fur is evidence of a recent attack
wineskins, and sharing ribald stories. on the wolves (they were wounded by hunters but
During the trip, the characters have an opportu- escaped). If a character makes a successful DC
nity to converse with the satyrs. If this happens, the 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check, the wolves
characters learn the following information: become calm and allow the characters to treat
their wounds. If they are given aid, the wolves trail
• Often over the past tenday, several cracks of thun-
der have sounded, even when there appears to be behind the party and assist in fights if needed .
no storm brewing. At night, in places where the
canopy of trees thins to provide a clear enough
view, occasional bolts of red lightning can be seen
INTO THE Woon
in the distance. After being guided by the satyrs through several
• Strange tribesfolk, foreign to the area, have been miles of the forest, the characters ascend a gentle
wandering the forest, killing any animal they see slope as they come upon a break in the foliage.
on sight. From this elevated vantage, they behold an impres-
• There's a community of pixies and sprites near sive sight: a circular clearing beneath and around
the Polvarth Plateau called Dewlight. Tragor is the canopy of a gigantic maple tree. This is Polvarth
friends with a jovial sprite there, Wheeldoli, who Plateau, a hidden sanctuary for fey creatures.
might know more about recent happenings.
POLVARTH PLATEAU
RANDOM ENCOUNTERS As the characters approach the clearing and the
The journey with the satyrs should take at least 2 tree at the center of it, read:
hours and as long as 6 hours, at your discretion.
After every hour of travel, roll a d20 and consult
Before you stands a maple tree of impossibly large
the Demiplane Encounters table to determine if the
characters have an encounter at that point. If you get size in the center of an open area nearly one hundred
a previous result (other than "no encounter") a sec- feet in diameter. Shafts of light cut through the leafy
ond time, that might be an appropriate spot to end canopy overhead and reflect off thin streams of water
the trip and proceed with the story. that trickle along and between the tree's gnarled,
thick roots.
DEMIPLANE ENCOUNTERS
As you approach the trunk of the tree, the satyrs
d20 Encounter
gambol ahead of you, elated to be back in their safe
1-5 No encounter.
haven. Suddenly, the tree seems to come awake. It
6-7 Three swarms of ravens fly overhead. A successful gives off a guttural noise-and then it speaks!
DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) group check allows the
"Pardon my rudeness for being asleep!" it says.
party to pass them by without being noticed . If
"It's been a long time since I've seen travelers like you
the group check fails, the swarms attack.
in these parts."
8-9 Two hungry wereboars barge out of the under-
brush and attack the party.
The tree is a treant. The satyrs call it call Feynor.
l 0-13 A nearby tree bleeds gold sap. A successful DC 16
Feynor embraces the satyrs and welcomes them
Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check
home. The satyrs, who keep their wine reserves hid-
reveals that the sap has healing properties. (The
den nearby, quickly scamper off to get drunk and be
satyrs know about these properties.) Anyone who merry, leaving the characters alone with the treant.
consumes the sap regains 2d4 + 2 hit points . The Feynor apologizes for the satyrs' behavior ('Tm
tree has enough sap for four doses. sure they're grateful to you, but they're so happy to
-
be home they forgot their manners") and then asks DEWLIGHT
why the characters are traveling through the forest.
A narrow path leads north from Polvarth Plateau,
If they respond truthfully, Feynor treats them as al-
wending its way between densely packed trees. Less
lies and offers to add to their knowledge.
than an hour after setting out, the characters reach
The treant takes a moment to communicate with
their next stop:
the wildlife throughout the region. He reports his
findings in a sonorous voice: "The Pool of Eternal
Spring is being sullied, tainted by blood lust." He Moss-covered trees and overgrown brush suddenly
begs the characters to continue on their journey, thin out, giving way to a small glen not more than a
which is taking them toward the pool, and do what- hundred feet across. This area is peppered with col-
ever necessary to make the pool pure and clean orful mushrooms growing virtually on top of one an-
again. The treant urges the characters to resume
other, some of the clusters more than three feet high.
their travels and suggests that they stop along the
way at the community of Dewlight to speak with a A warm glow emanates from tiny lanterns that hang
sprite named Wheeldoli, who might have more news from each mushroom. Jutting up from the caps of the
for them. Feynor gestures with one of his branches mushrooms, chimneys made of petrified bark let out
toward a narrow path leading north into the woods. wisps of acorn-scented smoke. These mushrooms
appear to be homes-dozens of them-scattered
TREASURE
Before the characters leave, Feynor uproots a around the clearing.
corked wooden vial buried in the dirt and offers it
to them. The vial contains a potion ofgiant strength Moments before the characters emerged from the
(hill), and the treant says as much. The potion forest , the pixies and sprites that live in Dewlight
vanishes when the characters leave the demiplane detected their approach, turned invisible for safety's
if it is not consumed before then. sake, and fled into their homes for good measure.
The lone exception is Wheeldoli, an elderly sprite
whose curiosity outweighs his sense of caution. Af- 10-foot square of webbing has AC 10, 15 hit points,
ter a moment, he steps out from behind the stem of vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to blud-
a mushroom and introduces himself: geoning, poison, and psychic damage.
Four cowardly ettercaps are lurking nearby, wait-
ing for their webs to snag some prey. At the sound of
"Greetings, big folk . I, Wheeldoli, welcome you to ]
intruders, they scurry into the underbrush and hide,
] Dewlight and suggest you be on your way." staying 30 feet away from the webbed path, loosely
spread out. The ettercaps are ambush hunters and
Wheeldoli is prepared to turn invisible and make run from a prolonged fight.
himself scarce at the first sign of aggressiveness,
but if the characters start by mentioning that they
HAG'S HOVEL
have spoken with Feynor, or if they talk to him The characters' path takes them into a densely for-
about the book they discovered, the sprite becomes ested area. By following a break in the trees that
friendly and contributes some additional details sends them north and west, they come upon a sign
about their situation. that this area is inhabited:
As a scholar among his kind, Wheeldoli knows
about some of the gods revered by the big folk, Gnarled bushes and dead or d iseased trees surround
and he shares his supposition about the nighttime
a run-down wooden shack. A wisp of smoke rises
thunderclaps and lightning strikes in the distance.
"Signs of a battle brewing," he says. A group of from a rotted-out hole in the roof that is lined with
vicious predators have been stalking through the fungus . South of the shack is a low stone wall that
forest of late, and Wheeldoli fears they are disciples forms the perimeter of a large hole, while east of the
of Malar the Beast Lord (see the "Cult of Malar" building is a larger wooden structure covered with
section later in the adventure). The disturbances to creeping vines .
the north , he says, seem to be coming from the vi-
As you come a bit closer, the sound of voices sud-
cinity of the Pool of Eternal Spring, a hallowed site
denly emerges from the shack. One occupant cackles
associated with a lesser deity known as Lurue the
Unicorn. The sprite says he would not be surprised wickedly, and two other voices emit muffled whimpers
to find that Malar's minions are behind that turn of and groans .
events as well.
In conclusion, Wheeldoli injects some urgency
The following locations are keyed to the map of the
into the situation. "Whatever's happening at the
hag's hovel.
pool is likely to reach its peak on the winter solstice,
which is at most a day or two from now." Hl. DRY WELL
When the characters have learned all they can The characters might correctly assume that this
from Wheeldoli, the sprite directs them to a narrow place is what it looks like: the site of a well (which
gravel path that skirts the community and then con- is now abandoned). If they approach to within 5 feet
tinues northward through the underbrush. of the stone wall, they can peer over the 2-foot-high
"Hurry along now," he says. "Danger along the wall into the hole, which is dark, but they don't get
way might impede your travel, so there's no time an idea of how deep the hole is or what's in it.
to waste!" If a character comes up to the stone wall and
looks down inside the hole, this activity attracts the
WEBBED PATH
attention of a grick alpha that uses the place as a
The pebbled path leading out of Dewlight soon lair. The water source at the bottom of the 30-foot-
turns into dirt, and the area on either side of it is deep hole has long since dried up, making it an ideal
sparsely covered with underbrush. After the char- place for the grick to lurk when it's not out hunting.
acters walk for a few more minutes , they discover The grick's Stone Camouflage trait prevents the
that the road ahead is covered in large patches of characters from realizing its presence- unless they
spiderwebs. The webbed path, 20 feet wide and shine a light source down into the hole or have some
60 feet long, is difficult terrain. A creature that en- other way of seeing the bottom of the pit. If they
ters the area for the first time on a turn or starts don't see the grick at the same time it sees them,
its turn there must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity the monster lurches out of the well to confront its
saving throw or become restrained by the webs. prey. A character who can see into the hole and has
A restrained creature can use its action to try to a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 14 or higher
escape, doing so with a successful DC 12 Strength notices the grick before it attacks; any other charac-
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Each ters start the encounter surprised.
LORE OF LURUE -
·t~V W
f HAG'S HOVEL
+
I-
t -+-
. t
+ L
t- -+-
t--
H2. HAG SHACK teach the interlopers a lesson, but if the characters
This run-down shack is the occasional home of a don't dispose of her promptly, she does not hesitate
night hag named Lanedrie Staggersoul. When she to cut her losses and uses a plane shift spell to leave
spends time on the Material Plane, she enjoys im- their company.
prisoning and terrorizing denizens of the forest. Her The two dryads are named Trekaila and Argentia.
two "house guests" at the moment are among the If the characters free them from their bonds, the
prisoners she has taken most recently. dryads are appropriately grateful. If the characters
The only way into the shack is through the door on ask how they got here, they sheepishly explain that
the east side. When a character first peers into the the hag caught the two of them and a third dryad
room, read: named Hanah unawares while they were paying
little attention to their surroundings. Trekaila and
Argentia are quick to disclose that Hanah was taken
The inside of the shack is in a terrible state of disre-
away by the hag several hours ago, and they fear
pair. The only contents of note are a ramshackle bed, that the worst might have happened to her. The dry-
a scratched-up table, a warped wooden shelf with ads tell the characters about seeing the hag return
several containers on it, and a fireplace with wooden from someplace that lies to the east of the shack and
spoons and ladles hanging from hooks above it. To urge them to investigate.
your left, two figures are bound and gagged on the Treasure. All of Lanedrie's prized possessions
are sitting on the shelf. A character who makes a
floor while a blue-skinned hag looms over them. The
successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana or Investi-
captives appear to be dryads.
gation) check identifies two useful items: a potion
of clairvoyance and a potion of healing (greater).
The night hag is focused on tormenting her captives As figments of the demiplane, these potions vanish
and can be taken by surprise if the characters suc- when the characters leave if they're not consumed
ceed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) group check. before then.
Lanedrie begins by using her claws and spells to
-
H3. HAG'S MENAGERIE RIVER'S EDGE
Tucked in a clearing is a ramshackle structure 15
feet wide and three times as long. If the characters
rescued Trekaila and Argentia in area R2 before At last, it seems as though you have reached the
coming here, the dryads follow closely behind the northern edge of the forest . The trees are fewer and
characters, eager to find their missing dryad com- farther between , and a short distance ahead you can
panion, Ranah. A door on the west end of the build- see the edge of a body of water. As you come closer,
ing opens easily, revealing the following:
you see it's a wide river running perpendicular to
your path . Off to the east, the river runs between two
The moment the door is opened, you are met with swaths of dense forest. To the west is a well-worn trail
a cacophony of wild sounds. Clawing and gnashing that leads through the underbrush and seems to fol-
at the cages that confine them, animals of all sorts low the watercourse. On the ground in front of you are
screech and holler in every which way, some growling the remains of campfires, suggesting that others have
with pent-up aggression, others wincing in pain. used this area as a place to rest.
Eighteen cages, most of them occupied, line the
walls of this grotesque menagerie.
This stop is what it seems: an opportunity for the
party to rest before their next confrontation. The
The door to each cage is barred on the outside and characters can finish a long rest (if they choose to
features a small window through which the charac- do so) without incident. The river water is good to
ters can see what's inside. Seven of the cages are drink, and if the characters have the means, they
empty (though their doors are still barred). Ten of can fish for their supper.
them hold single specimens of various animals-a When the characters are ready to move on, they
baboon, a hyena, a boar, an ape, a vulture, a blood quickly discover that the story is compelling them
hawk, an eagle, a giant rat, a hawk, and an owl. All to follow the trail heading west. (Turning back is not
of them are weakened from minor wounds and in- an option.)
sufficient nourishment, but they are still able to fend
for themselves. If the door is opened on an occupied CULT OF MALAR
cage, the animal inside immediately bolts (or flies) In the prologue of Lore of Lurue- not a part of the
for freedom, doing what it must to foil any attempts story that the characters witness or experience-
to keep it from escaping. Ecamane Truesilver describes the underlying truth
The door of the last cage, in the far southeast cor- of the situation and identifies the entity responsible
ner of the building, has no window. The characters for the upheaval of the demiplane.
I
need to open the door to see what's inside: The evil creatures waiting to confront the charac-
ters at the end of their journey are the bloodthirsty
ICurled up on the floor is a dryad. Her arms and legs minions of Malar, god of the hunt, also known as the
are bound, and she appears to be unconscious.
Beast Lord. Malar's goal is to assume dominance
over the forest- particularly the area around the
Pool of Eternal Spring-and his agents have been
This unconscious dryad is Ranah. If Trekaila and hard at work brutally killing animals of all sorts
Argentia are present, they try to rush to Ranah's in tribute to their god, then casting the carcasses
side and minister to her. Ranah has been reduced into the pool.
to O hit points from the hag's rough treatment, but As the adventurers will discover, this cult of Ma-
she is stable. If the characters don't administer Jar (otherwise nameless) includes several crazed
healing of their own, one of the other dryads casts berserkers as well as worgs and werewolves. When
a goodberry spell and force-feeds the berries to Ra- the characters arrive on the scene, the cultists' dep-
nah. If she regains even 1 hit point, Ranah becomes redations have corrupted the water of the pool, set-
conscious. ting the stage for Malar's final act in his campaign
After she gets her bearings, Ranah says she's able of terror.
to travel. She wants nothing more than to leave this Malar believes that there is no better way to
place. Trekaila and Argentia, of course, are in com- demonstrate his dominance than by using his cult
plete agreement. The dryads part company with the members to help bring forth a corrupted version of
characters, heading back toward Polvarth Plateau the avatar of Lurue the Unicorn to serve the Beast
after wishing the adventurers success in whatever Lord's ends in his newly claimed domain. It is this
they are trying to do. effort that the characters must foil if they are to see
their role in the story of Lore of Lurue end happily.
~ ffl
-
n
•
t---t---<>---i---+- ..
t-
...--t
.
+--
u... ~
~~~-
CULT OF MALAR CAMPSITE
Six huts circle the perimeter of a clearing. In the
No matter when the characters set out after their
rest, the passage of time on the demiplane speeds center of the open area, a large bonfire burns. Tar-
up or slows down to ensure that night has fallen by gets made of bones and stuffed animals, as well
the time they reach the next encounter location: as dummies made of hides and furs, complete the
encampment.
Following the river course enabled you to make good A group of vicious-looking warriors are gathered
progress for a while by skirting the forest. Now, as the around the fire. They clink together their bone mugs
sun dips below the horizon, the river makes a sharp and rip into raw animal flesh with their teeth. Fresh
turn to the north away from the trees. From the oppo- blood drips from their mouths and hands. It seems
site direction comes a rumble of thunder and a flash like a celebration of some sort. Occasionally, between
of red lightning, vivid against the darkening sky. the warriors' cruel laughs, you can hear a cry of "To
the Beast Lord!"
LORE OF LURUE -
waiting f9r Malar's plan to come to fruition so that
she might demonstrate to him the utter futility of his
desire to hold sway over the forest.)
Divine magic pours from Lurue's horn and turns
the tainted pool back into silvery, glistening pure
water. The Pool of Eternal Spring is restored to its
former nature. A short distance away along the bank
of the pool is a narrow, spring-fed outlet stream that
leads north toward the river. The purifying effect
continues to flow into and along the stream, remov-
ing all traces of corruption that might have escaped
in the current. Her work finished, Lurue lifts her
head, regards the characters once more, and pre-
pares to take her leave.
CONCLUSION
Regardless of the outcome of the characters' efforts,
the book's final scene ends the same:
demiplane is a moonstone and opal ring. A success- Multiattack. The avatar makes two attacks: one with its hooves
ful DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals this to and one with its horn .
be a ring of shooting stars. In addition, each charac- Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.
ter is the recipient of a supernatural gift from Lurue: Hit: 32 (8d6 + 4) necrotic damage.
a charm of animal conjuring (see "Charms" in the Horn. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit , reach 5 ft., one target .
Dungeon Master's Guide). Hit: 32 (8d6 + 4) necrotic damage. If the target is a humanoid ,
it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be trans-
formed into a wolf under the avatar's control. This transfor-
mation lasts for l hour, or until the target drops to 0 hit points
or dies . The target's game statistics are replaced by the wolf's
statistics , but it retains its hit points. The target is limited in
the actions it can perform by the nature of its wolf form , and it
can't speak, cast spells, or take any other action that requires
hands or speech. The target's gear melds into the new form ,
and it can 't activate, use, wield, or otherwise benefit from any
of its equipment.
~~ _.-
KANDLEKEEP
'IDEKONSTRUKTION A
··•---•··-
.ef "S
W R ITTEN BY AMY VORPAHL
DEVELOPED BY CHRISTOPHER PERKINS ·· ; EDITE D BY SCOTT FITZGERALD GRAY
KANDLEKEEP DEKONSTRUKTION
I
had it in his possession. If asked, the acolytes ex- to the characters, an earthquake rattles Candlekeep.
plain that the book came from the restricted vaults
I
and is not to be viewed by outsiders.
An earthquake causes all of Candlekeep to shudder!
BARN DOOR INQUIRIES And then it stops as quickly as it began.
If the characters ask about the Barn Door, any -
friendly member of the Avowed can share what little
A range of emotions from calm assertiveness to out-
information they know:
right panic spreads through the Avowed and visitors
• The Barn Door is one of many towers in Candle- alike as folk gather in the Court of Air. No one can
keep's Inner Ward. Like everything else in the recall the last time an earthquake shook the library.
Inner Ward, it's off limits to most visitors. Characters who talk to witnesses and compare
• The tower has been condemned for years, though their own recollections of the quake can try to
the reason has become obscure. No effort has ascertain its nature. With a successful DC 14 In-
been made to tear it down or repair it. telligence (Arcana or Nature) check, a character is
• There have been a few recent reports of strange confident that the earthquake wasn't magically cre-
noises coming from the tower, but nothing to war- ated. As such, it must have been caused by a natural
rant great concern. phenomenon.
SPEAKING WITH THE DEAD WHAT'S HAPPENING?
Characters who can cast the speak with dead spell
Decades of neglect have made the Barn Door inop-
or similar magic might be able to question Buron's
erable as a vehicle. But now Stonky has repaired
corpse. If asked the right questions , the dead dr arf
that damage with the help of his cult, made up of
can furnish the following information:
members of Candlekeep's custodial staff, as well as
• Buron, a custodial engineer, was a member of a several homemade constructs called skitterwidgets
secret Candlekeep cult called the Livestock. In the (described at the end of the adventure). As soon as
cult, the dwarf was known as Rooster Muffin. he learned about the theft of Kandlekeep Dekon-
• The leader of the Livestock is a gnome visionary struktion, Stonky test-fired the ship's rockets, which
and Avowed zealot named Stonky J. Noptopper. triggered the earthquake.
He aims to keep Candlekeep's most valuable Following the test, Stonky set the Barn Door on
tomes from falling into the hands of the unworthy an automatic countdown to launch. The characters
(anyone who is not an Avowed). have 1 hour (starting from when the earthquake
• After reading Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion, Stonky ends) to deactivate the countdown timer or disable
realized that one of Candlekeep's towers- the the rocket before it blasts off and launches Stonky's
Barn Door- is actually a flying vehicle powered by cult (and its modest collection of books) into space.
arcane devices called rockets.
• With the help of several constructs, Stonky has INVESTIGATING THE UAKE
spent months secretly repairing the Barn Door Among the folk gathered in the Court of Air is Book-
with the goal of launching it into space. The wyrm the dragonborn, who was having a drink in
gnome plans to take a choice selection of the the Hearth when the earthquake struck. Bookwyrm
library's books with him. is the First Reader of Candlekeep (see the "Candle-
• Once he realized that Stonky was insane, Buron keep" section earlier in this book) and has the au-
stole Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion, hoping to delay thority to grant access to the library's Inner Ward.
the launch of the tower long enough for someone If the characters make the case that the Barn
to thwart Stonky's mad scheme. Door should be investigated at once, Bookwyrm
listens to what they have to say, then puts them in
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
charge of the investigation, escorts them through
Characters who offer to investigate the Barn the Emerald Door, and gives them directions to the
Door are initially denied access, since visitors to tower. Along the way, the First Reader explains that
Candlekeep are not permitted to enter the Inner the Barn Door was condemned years ago when
Ward. Then a sudden new development changes sages concluded it was no longer safe for occupancy.
everything. Bookwyrm knows nothing about the Barn Door's
--
true nature, having never read Kandlekeep Dekon- Stonky has assigned aliases to the members of
struktion or entered the tower. He does, however, the Livestock. Each alias is a combination of a farm
know the command word to bypass the arcane lock animal and a farm export, as shown in the Livestock
spell on the tower's front door ("jeopardy"), which Cult Members table. All these cultists are chaotic
he shares with the party. neutral and wear custodial uniforms.
If asked about Stonky Noptopper, the First Reader
knows that the rock gnome oversees the custodial THE BARN DOOR
staff assigned to clean and maintain the towers of When the characters arrive at the Barn Door, read
the Inner Ward. Bookwyrm believes that Stonky or paraphrase the following:
would never do anything to endanger Candlekeep.
HEADING TO THE BARN DOOR The Barn Door is a three-story stone tower topped
It takes 5 minutes to walk from the Emerald Door with a roof of metal shingles painted red. The only
to the Barn Door. As the characters begin to inves- entrance appears to be a ground-level iron door with a
tigate the condemned tower, Bookwyrm meets with
wooden sign bolted to it that reads in Common, "Dan-
the Keeper of Tomes and the Great Readers to dis-
ger! No Trespassing!"
cuss next steps. None of them can act soon enough
to stop the Barn Door's launch. From this point for-
ward, the characters are on their own. There's nothing outwardly peculiar about the
tower. It has a retractable roof on its topmost level
STONKY's CuLT
(see area B4), but this feature can be noted only
The Livestock is the name of Stonky's secret cult of
from above, not from the ground. The Barn Door's
custodial engineers, chosen as a play on the Barn
rockets can't be seen because they're hidden
Door tower's name. All the cult's members came
underground. Characters who examine the ground
to Candlekeep hoping to be accepted as acolytes,
around the tower find several metal shingles that
but the leaders of the Avowed never gave them the
came loose during the test firing.
opportunity. The custodians recruited by Stonky are
united in their bitter belief that they have been over- BARN DOOR FEATURES
looked and underappreciated.
The tower has the following features.
Stonky has persuaded his followers that the
way to ascend in the hierarchy is to reveal that the Ceilings. Ceilings throughout are 10 feet high and
higher-ups are not as capable of protecting the lore have murals painted on them depicting human-
of Candlekeep as they should be. He dreams of de- oids with the heads of farm animals.
livering a solution for its protection that no Avowed Cleanliness. The interior is cleaned daily by the
has yet considered: sending the most important cultists and is free of dirt, dust, and cobwebs.
books in the library into space. Doors and Windows. Doors are made of iron and
The cultists look to Stonky for validation and the fitted with iron fittings and handles. The tower's
promise of ultimate knowledge. Having finally found windows, which are made of a transparent metal
purpose in the triviality of their roles, the cultists called glassteel, can't be opened or smashed by
take up positions in the tower when the countdown any mundane means.
to launch begins. Light. All areas of the tower are lit by lanterns hold-
ing wax candles.
LIVESTOCK CULT MEMBERS
Alias Real Name Notes
Alpaca Macadamia Nuts Marci Plumpitter Human cultist; speaks Common
Chicken Peach Baff Boltlock Rock gnome cultist with darkvision 60 ft .; speaks Common and Gnomish
Cow Cotton Patch Varnast Half-elf cultist with darkvision 60 ft.; speaks Common and Elvish
Donkey Biscuit Merla One-Tusk Half-ore cultist with darkvision 60 ft.; speaks Common and Ore
Duck Bean Trap Thunderhew Shield dwarf cultist with darkvision 60 ft.; speaks Common and Dwarvish
Goat Beet Stekk Half-ore cultist with darkvision 60 ft.; speaks Common and Ore
Horse Egg Glynn Yamanachi Half-elf cultist with darkvision 60 ft.; speaks Common and Elvish
Pig Wheat Neff Cunningfoot Lightfoot halfling cult fanatic; speaks Common and Halfling
Ram Sugar Norty Brass dragonborn cult fanatic; speaks Common and Draconic
Sheep Sweet Corn Yohn Blofrond Human cult fanatic; speaks Common
KANDLEKEEP DEKONSTRUKTION -
THE BARN DOOR
1 square = 5 feet
Down TO B2
BARN DOOR LO CAT ION S Chicken Peach (the rock gnome), and Cow Cotton
(the half-elf)- to guard the remaining books. The
The following locations are keyed to the map of the
three of them attack intruders at once and gladly
Barn Door.
throw away their lives for Stonky's cause. Each
Bl. L IBRA RY wields their heavy broom as a weapon, using the
The tower's front door is sealed with an arcane Jock statistics for the cultist's scimitar attack but dealing
spell, the password for which is "jeopardy." Stonky bludgeoning damage.
and his cultists know the password. The door can After the fight, or as the characters get a better
also be opened with a knock spell or similar magic, look at the room during the fight, add the following:
or broken down with a successful DC 30 Strength
(Athletics) check. Against the far wall, a wooden staircase covered with
green carpeting leads up. In front of the staircase
The tower's ground floor smells of old books and has rests a golden credenza with images of farm animals
walls lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases. Wood- carved into it. A high-backed chair with burgundy
framed doors set with small, diamond-shaped panes cushions sits behind the credenza.
of glass keep the books secure on the shelves, each
section of which has a rolling ladder anchored to a Books. Members of the Livestock have been
ceiling rail. snatching books from other parts of Candlekeep
Three custodians are working here, sweeping the and storing them in this room for eventual transport
floors: a human, a gnome, and a half-elf. into outer space. Although the cultists believe this
collection to be priceless, most of the books are
plodding dissertations of questionable value. The
After Kandlekeep Dekonstruktion was stolen from books are arranged in alphabetical order by title. A
this room, Stonky ordered three of his most fanati- gap on one shelf shows where Kandlekeep Dekon-
cal cultists- Alpaca Macadamia Nuts (the human), struktion was stored before Buron took it.
KANDLEKEEP DEKONSTRUKTION
Credenza and Chair. These furnishings were • Stonky is planning to launch the Barn Door and
installed in the tower when it was built. They are all its books into space. The countdown has be-
unremarkable, albeit finely made. gun. (The cultists don't know precisely when the
Secret Door. A secret door is built into a short launch is set to occur.)
stretch of bookcase. A character who searches the Stonky and three senior members of the Livestock
bookcase finds the secret door with a successful (Pig Wheat, Ram Sugar, and Sheep Sweet Corn)
DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. Once the door are in the underlevel, making final preparations
is found , closer examination identifies a false book before launch.
that, when pulled, causes the door to swing open. • A secret door hidden in a library bookcase (see
A narrow staircase beyond the secret door leads area Bl) conceals the only route to the tower's
down to area Ul. A small wooden pedal at the top of underlevel.
the stairs opens the door from the inside. , The Barn Door will be launched into space by ar-
Stonky and Friends. Five minutes before the cane devices called rockets, which are attached to
launch, any members of the Livestock in the under- the bottom of the tower.
level who haven't been defeated make their way
to this chamber by way of the secret door. That B3 . STONKY's STUDY
includes Stonky Noptopper (a rock gnome master This smaller tower is attached to the main tower's
sage; see page 9 for his stat block) and three second level. The door to this area is sealed with an
cult fanatics (Pig Wheat, Ram Sugar, and Sheep arcane lock spell that only Stonky can bypass. The
Sweet Corn). Eager to get to their assigned spots in door can be opened with a knock spell or similar
area B4 prior to the launch, Stonky and the cult fa- magic, or broken down with a successful DC 30
natics avoid combat with any characters still explor- Strength (Athletics) check.
ing the tower. As he runs upstairs, Stonky shouts,
"To the stars, my animals! To the stars!" This circular chamber appears to be a private study
with a large bay window. A fireplace along one wall is
B2. MAIN ROOM
The larger part of the tower's second floor contains unlit and faced by two burgundy armchairs, one small
two staircases, which descend to area Bl and as- and one large.
cend to area B4. Tall bookcases are built into the wall opposite the
fireplace, their contents protected behind wood-and-
The scents of salted meat and dried fruit fill this area. glass doors. A rolling ladder attached to a ceiling rail
Bookcases built into the stone walls and fronted by allows access to the highest shelves.
wood-and-glass doors are stuffed full of rations. Huge An oak table is bolted to the floor, flanked by two
windows seal off a pair of alcoves set into the tower high chairs designed for shorter people and two
walls, and an inward-curving wall between the stair- chairs built for human-sized folk. Lying on the table is
cases has an iron door at its center. a small piece of paper.
The ceiling is braced by four wooden pillars, be-
tween which are set four pairs of stocky wooden The paper is Stonky's task list, which reads as fol-
chairs facing inward. Each chair is bolted to the floor lows in Gnomish:
and fitted with two lengths of rope. Four of the chairs
have people in custodial uniforms tied to them-two Seven Steps to Success:
half-ores, a half-elf, and a dwarf. Test I ockets!
Sepa1ate Ba111 D001 fto111 fou11datio11!
Four Livestock cultists have tied themselves into Set co1 iect coo1di11ates!
the chairs in preparation for blastoff, with the Set cou11tdow11 ti111ei fo1 60 11,i1,utes!
ropes acting as seat belts. All four are unarmed, re- Evacuate underlevel!
strained, and unable to free themselves. They go by Tie self to command chair!
the names Donkey Biscuit (the first half-ore), Duck
Blast off!
Bean (the dwarf), Goat Beet (the second half-ore),
and Horse Egg (the half-elf).
Despite their helplessness, the cultists are un- Books. One or more of the other books described
cooperative. They refuse to talk about why they're in this adventure anthology might be found here at
here, divulge Stonky's whereabouts, or shed light on your discretion, having been purloined by Stonky.
his intentions. Only if magic is used to coerce them The remaining books are mostly dull treatises with
do they reveal what they know: titles that tickled the gnome's fancy. The books are
--
arranged-by color rather than some more useful sys-
tem, but characters who make a quick survey of the The top level of the Barn Door is an observatory with
shelves discover three tomes that warrant further three wide, windowed alcoves. The chamber houses a
examination: large telescope mounted on a revolving dais. A small
Heroes ' Feast: A Cookbook. This richly illustrated chair is bolted to the dais under the telescope, with an
book of recipes was written by a trio of culinary iron lever jutting up from the floor next to it, topped
enthusiasts named Wyk Nenmael, Nojen Eptros, by a perfectly round ruby. A small wooden steering
and Imrit Welachwe. Any creature that spends wheel attached to the chair is adorned with glowing
a short rest poring over the book's recipes gains numerals at its copper-plated center.
a supernatural charm called the charm of the Three larger chairs along one wall have likewise
heroes' feast. This charm allows you to cast the
been bolted to the floor, all facing the telescope. Two
heroes' feast spell as an action, no components
required. Once used, this charm goes away. See lengths of rope are fastened to each chair, including
"Supernatural Gifts" in the Dungeon Master's the one on the dais.
Guide for more information on how charms work. Chains and wheels attached to the tower's conical
The book teleports to a secret vault in Candlekeep metal roof suggest that the strong, tightly fitting pan-
after bestowing its charm on a creature. els can be retracted, enabling the telescope's user to
Stonky Noptopper's Spells o' Plenty. Stonky's fat lit- peer into the starry heavens on clear nights.
tle spellbook contains the following wizard spells:
alarm, animate objects, arcane Jock, banishment,
chain lightning, clairvoyance, detect magic, dispel This observatory doubles as the control room for
magic, fabricate , fireball, flesh to stone, fly, globe the rocket ship. Stonky's chair is the small one on
of invulnerability, glyph of warding, grease, knock, the dais. The other three chairs are reserved for his
legend lore, levitate, locate creature, locate object, cult fanatics, Pig Wheat, Ram Sugar, and Sheep
mage armor, planar binding, polymorph, pro- Sweet Corn.
grammed illusion, protection from evil and good, If anyone other than Stonky tampers with the
scrying, see invisibility, sending, shield, telekine- telescope or the steering wheel, three lightning
sis, and true seeing. golems are conjured to appear next to the dais and
Trobriand's Machinations, Vol. X. This hefty tome, attack anyone who isn't Stonky or a member of the
written by the mad wizard Trobriand of Under- Livestock. These golems resemble humans made
mountain, describes the processes by which he of crackling lightning. They use the flesh golem
creates animated metal constructs. The book is stat block but deal lightning damage instead of
filled with the wizard's ravings and drawings of bludgeoning damage with their slam attacks, and
his contraptions. Characters who compare those they lack the Aversion to Fire trait. The golems can't
drawings with Stonky's skitterwidgets can tell leave the observatory.
where the gnome got the inspiration for his me- Lever. Stonky has placed a glyph of warding spell
chanical creations. on the red ruby atop the lever. Any character who
inspects the lever and succeeds on a DC 16 Intel-
Navigation Notes. A slip of paper tucked into
ligence (Investigation) check spots the tiny, nearly
Stonky's spellbook is covered with the notes he
invisible glyph. If any creature other than Stonky
made while studying the possible settings for the
moves the lever, the glyph activates to fill the room
steering wheel in the observatory (see area B4). A
with magical lightning. Each creature in the room
character who examines the notes and succeeds on
must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw,
a DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check discerns that
taking 36 (8d8) lightning damage on a failed save,
Stonky has identified 626 through 666 as an import-
or half as much damage on a successful one. The
ant range of numbers, but he doesn't yet understand
glyph disappears once the spell is triggered, render-
what those numbers refer to.
ing the lever safe to use.
B4. OBSERVATORY The lever can be moved to fit into one of three
An iron door at the top of the staircase from area B2 slots, which are labeled Coop, Shed, and Stable,
leads into the observatory on the third level of the all in Common. The lever is currently in the notch
tower. The door is closed but not locked. labeled Stable. When the countdown timer in area
Read or paraphrase the following boxed text when U7 reaches zero, the rocket reacts according to the
the characters arrive here for the first time: lever's position:
Coop. The launch is aborted when the countdown
timer reaches zero. The engines under the tower
shut down and remain inoperable for 24 hours.
Shed. The countdown is paused and the Barn The staircase's inner wall eventually gives way to
Door's launch is delayed for as long as the lever an iron bannister, affording an unobstructed view of
remains in this position. area U2 as the characters complete their descent.
Stable. The Barn Door blasts off when the count- Wall of Stone. When the countdown timer
down timer reaches zero. reaches zero, a wall of stone magically appears on
the stairs at the point marked on the map, as if cre-
Steering Wheel. This wheel sets the rocket's
ated by the spell of the same name. The wall seals
trajectory. Its glowing numerals currently read 646;
off the underlevel as the tower soars into the sky.
this number scrolls up if the wheel is turned clock-
wise and down if the wheel is turned counterclock- U2. ROCKET BOOSTERS
wise. Any setting from 626 to 666 is sufficient to A four-section rocket engine is attached to the un-
launch the Barn Door into space. derside of the tower above this area and protrudes
down through the ceiling. The embers falling from
UNDER THE BARN DOOR the rocket fill the area with bright orange light.
Stonky and his cult fanatics are in the process of
evacuating the chambers beneath the tower, having At the bottom of the stairs, a thirty-foot-diameter
set the Barn Door on a programmed countdown to
room opens up directly underneath the Barn Door
launch. But their evacuation has been delayed by an
tower. Four ten-foot-long metal cylinders protrude
unforeseen complication: Stonky can't find his ring
of telekinesis and doesn't know where he left it. It's from the twenty-foot-high ceiling, glowing with
a race against time to find the ring before the four intense heat and shedding bright embers that rain
of them must go up to the Barn Door's observatory, down on the floor. Four mechanical constructs resem-
secure themselves to the chairs there, and blast into bling wolf-sized, dog-headed cockroaches march in a
space along with the rest of their cult and their col- circle around the perimeter of the cylinders.
lection of "priceless" books.
Before running this part of the adventure, de-
termine how much time has elapsed since the The constructs are four skitterwidgets (see the end
earthquake. That tells you how much time the char- of the adventure for their stat block). They have or-
acters have left before the 60-minute countdown ders to attack anyone approaching the double doors
timer reaches zero. What happens then depends who is not a Livestock member. They break off their
on the position of the lever in the observatory (area attack if the characters take one or more kiddywid-
B4). See that area and the "Conclusion" section gets as hostages (see "Kiddywidget Nests" below).
for details. The skitterwidgets won't do anything that might
harm their young.
UNDERLEVEL FEATURES If the characters are eager to fight the skitterwid-
The Barn Door's underlevel is hewn from solid rock gets, run that combat now. Otherwise, describe the
and has the following features. rest of the room:
Ceilings. Ceilings are 20 feet high and flat.
Debris. The floor in all areas was once littered with The floor of the room is covered in scorch marks
scraps of metal, most of which have been swept that grow darker and more intense closer to the cen-
out of the way and piled near the walls. ter. Two sections of wall have crumbled, one on the
Doors. Doors are made of thick iron and fitted with staircase and one opposite it, where stone cornices,
iron fittings and handles.
molding, and carved panels have collapsed to rub-
Light. The underlevel is lit by oil-burning lanterns
ble. Near the foot of the stairs, an iron double door
that hang from iron hooks embedded in the walls.
stands closed.
UNDERLEVEL LOCATIONS
The following locations are keyed to the map of the Cylinders. The four metal cylinders jutting from
underlevel. the ceiling are rocket engines attached to the base
of the Barn Door. There is 10 feet of clearance be-
Ul. DESCENDING STAIRCASE
tween the floor and the cylinders, which put out a
This hidden staircase can be reached by way of the lot of heat. Any creature that moves into the area
secret door in area Bl. beneath the cylinders for the first time on a turn or
starts its turn there takes 14 (4d6) fire damage.
KANDLEKEEP DEKONSTRUKTION -
] Double Door. If Stonky has not yet evacuated
the underlevel, the iron double door to area U3 is
f UNDER THE BARH DOOR
·(8i~ '
UPTO
WALL OFS
COLLAPSED W
(Un DER THE STAI
U4
DD
□□
l
~ ...
1 square= 5 feet
-~~
locked. The complex lock can be opened with a suc- Stonky has reprogrammed the illusion magic that
cessful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, protects this hallway, which functions similarly to a
but any such check takes 1 minute. A character can programmed illusion spell. The magic triggers when
also use an action to try to force the doors, doing so any creature except a member of the Livestock en-
with a successful DC 22 Strength (Athletics) check. ters through the double door, creating the illusion of
Kiddywidget Nests. The fallen sections of wall a giant silverfish at the east end of the hall, beyond
collapsed when the Barn Door's rockets were test- the range of most characters' darkvision. As one or
fired, exposing cavities behind the walls. Characters more characters enter the hall, the monster scuttles
who investigate find one kiddywidget (see the end toward them threateningly:
of the adventure for its stat block) in each cavity.
These offspring of the skitterwidgets chirp loudly if
Out of the darkness comes a giant, wingless arthro-
disturbed by anyone other than their parents.
pod ten feet tall and th irty feet long. The creature's
Stonky and his cultists are unaware of the kiddy-
widgets, and they would be surprised to learn that head has two long feelers and multifaceted eyes,
skitterwidgets can procreate. Stonky would be even and its carapace gleams with a silvery sheen. Its
more surprised to find that he can't control kiddy- tapered body swishes from side to side as it crawls
widgets by using his ring of telekinesis. (See area toward you!
US for more information about Stonky's ring.)
U3. UNLIT HALLWAY Have the players roll initiative for their characters.
The illusory monster acts on initiative count 15
and does nothing except approach the characters,
Beyond the double door is a dark, twenty-foot-wide
moving at a speed of 30 feet on each of its turns and
hallway with three iron doors leading off it: two on the
making no attacks. This illusion is intended to scare
right side of the hall and one on the left. away intruders, though characters might be tricked
into attacking it or wasting spells on it.
A character can use an action to examine the crea- Treasure. Hidden amid the acid-pitted wreckage
ture, discerning its illusory nature with a successful at the bottom of the well is an undamaged ring of
DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Physical telekinesis that Stonky accidentally dropped while
interaction with the giant silverfish also betrays its working here.
true nature, since it has no substance and objects Stonky's ring doubles as the control ring for the
pass right through it. If the illusion is not dispelled seven skitterwidgets he has created (the four in area
(DC 16), it disappears after 5 minutes. The magic U2 and the three in area U6). Without the ring, he
then resets, triggering again the next time one or can't command them to do anything other than what
more intruders enter the hall. they're programmed to do: attack intruders on sight.
Any character who attunes to the ring gains control
U4. FORGE of Stonky's creations, though the skitterwidgets
ignore commands spoken more than 30 feet away
A stone forge stands at the back of this dark room , from them. The ring cannot control the kiddywid-
which conta ins four stone tables apparently meant to gets in area U2, even if they become skitterwidgets.
A character needs to spend a short rest attuning
serve as workstations. Smith's tools are spread across
to the ring, and a short rest is at least 1 hour long.
the tables, protective aprons and helmets hang from
This means that unless the countdown is delayed or
hooks on the walls , and pieces of sheet metal and aborted, the Barn Door will launch before the char-
weapons are stacked up in the corners of the room . acter attunes to the ring.
U6. WORKSHOP
The components of the Barn Door's rocket engines
were built here, and Stonky made use of this room
when he and his cultists repaired the rockets. Eight lanterns hang from the ceiling of this spacious
Treasure. A quick search of the room yields workshop, filling the area with light and shadow. Mar-
four sets of smith's tools. Characters who spend 5 ble molding and columns embellish the stone walls,
minutes exploring the room find a 4-inch-tall me- while the far wall is made of riveted iron plates with an
chanical owlbear figurine (750 gp) tucked in the iron door set in the middle of it. A copper sign bolted
pocket of a leather apron. The key used for winding
to the door reads "Control Room" in Common.
the figurine sticks out of the owlbear's back. Using
The room contains five stone tables that hold un-
an action to wind the figurine causes it to walk in a
straight line at a speed of 5 feet for 10 minutes. At finished mechanical constructs, all in various stages
the end of every minute of operation, the owlbear of completion . Components and parts are scattered
changes from walking on all fours to walking on its across the tables and the floor. Skittering around in
hind legs. It turns 180 degrees whenever it hits a the debris are three creatures that look like oversized,
barrier, reversing its course. dog-headed cockroaches made of articulated metal.
U 5. STONKY'S MISSING RING
If Stonky's three cult fanatics have not yet been
A five-foot-diameter well enclosed by a two-foot-high encountered (see area Bl), add the following to this
area's description:
stone rim stands in the center of this room. An iron
lever juts up from the floor next to the well, resting in
a position that points it toward the door. In addition to the metal constructs, three figures in
custodial uniforms-a halfling, a dragonborn , and a
human-are crawling around on the floor as though
The well is 30 feet deep and contains a 10-foot-deep
searching for something.
pool of corrosive acid that Stonky uses to dispose
of malfunctioning skitterwidgets. Any creature that
enters the pool of acid for the first time on a turn or The insectoid creatures are three skitterwidgets
that starts its turn there takes 21 (6d6) acid damage. (see the end of the adventure for their stat block).
Pulling the lever so that it angles away from the They are programmed to attack intruders on sight.
door causes valves to open at the bottom of the well, A character attuned to Stonky's ring (see area US)
draining it in 1 minute. Returning the lever to its can issue commands to these skitterwidgets, which
previous position seals the valves but doesn't refill follow those commands to the best of their ability.
the well. Once the well is emptied, it's easy to see The figures crawling on the floor are three Live-
the corroded remains of a dead skitterwidget at the stock cult fanatics who go by the names Pig Wheat
bottom of it. (the halfling), Ram Sugar (the dragonborn), and
-
Sheep Sweet Corn (the human). As a dragonborn, precious books out of the hands of all who are un-
Ram Sugar has resistance to fire damage and the worthy of such knowledge. (Stonky makes it clear
following additional action option: he considers the characters part of that group.)
Breath Weapon (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). Ram The gnome can't take credit for building the
Sugar exhales fire in a 30-foot-long line that is 5 feet wide. Any rocket ship, but he takes great pride in having made
creature in the line must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, it operational once more. "Once the countdown
taking 7 (2d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much timer reaches zero, WHOOSH!" He also divulges
damage on a successful one. that the only way to abort the launch once the count-
The cult fanatics are trying to help Stonky find down has begun is to shift the lever in the tower
his ring of telekinesis, which he has lost. They fight observatory (area B4), and that he has placed a spell
alongside the skitterwidgets as soon as the char- on the lever to keep others from tampering with it.
acters enter this area, and they gladly throw away Console. The blinking red button indicates that
their lives "for Stonky!" the Barn Door is on a countdown to launch. If the
Treasure. A thorough search of the room requires timer on the console reaches zero, the tower blasts
10 minutes and yields four metal gizmos worth 250 off. Pushing the button has no effect while the
gp each. These gizmos serve no function on their countdown is in progress. If the characters delay the
own, but their value can be used toward the cost launch by using the lever in area B4, the countdown
of constructing an iron golem or a similar metal timer pauses. If the launch is aborted, the timer re-
construct. sets and the red button stops blinking.
The wireframe windows mounted above the
U7. STONKY'S COMMAND CENTER console are magic projection screens that act as
The door to this room is sealed by an arcane lock security cameras, showing the interior of the tower
spell that members of the Livestock cart bypass. The (areas Bl, B2, B3, and B4, respectively). Stonky has
door can be opened with a knock spell or similar been too busy searching for his ring to pay any at-
magic, or broken down with a successful DC 30 tention to them. Casting a dispel magic spell on the
Strength (Athletics) check. console causes these projected images to vanish, as
does destroying the console.
This chamber contains an iron safe roughly five feet
The console is a Large object with AC 19, 27 hit
points, and immunity to poison and psychic dam-
on a side and a low metal console with a slanted top.
age. Destroying the console doesn't stop a launch
The safe's thick door stands open on its iron hinges.
in progress.
The console, which is securely bolted to the floor, has Safe. The iron safe is empty. It sports a combi-
a countdown timer and a blinking red button built into nation lock with a dial that displays tiny images of
it. Suspended above the console are four wireframe farm animals in place of numerals-bull, cat, cow,
windows, each displaying a projected image. dog, donkey, falcon, goat, hen, horse, llama, ox,
pig, pigeon, rabbit, rooster, sheep, and turtle. Only
Stonky knows the safe's combination: pig, goat,
Unless the characters have already encountered llama, hen, rooster. The safe's door locks automat-
him (see area Bl), Stonky is here. The intrepid ically when it closes and can't be opened from the
gnome master sage (see page 9 for his stat
block) is currently crawling underneath the con- STONKY NOPTOPPER
sole, looking for his ring of telekinesis. (The ring is Stonky J. Noptopper (" the J is for genius!") is chaotic
in area US, but it hasn't yet occurred to Stonky to neutral and proud to a fault. He is particularly brag-
search there.) gadocious once the countdown to launch has begun ,
If anyone knocks on the door, the distracted but once his adrenaline is pumping, he is bound to
Stonky opens it, expecting to see his cultists on panic and let his true colors show. Stonky's main goal
is to protect the books he has collected. In his warped
the other side. As soon as he sees the characters
mind , a few deaths are a small price to pay for success .
instead, he attacks them in a panic. See the "Stonky Personality Trait. "I don't like most people, which is
Noptopper" sidebar for additional guidance on how why I relish the thought of spending the rest of my life
to portray him. in the cold darkness of space, surrounded by books
Stonky carries an iron key that unlocks the double and skitterwidgets."
door between areas U2 and U3. See "Treasure" be- Ideal. "Knowledge is power, and most people are
low for his other possessions. undeserving of it. Not me, though. I am knowledge
incarnate! "
Stonky's Plots. If he's captured and interrogated,
Bond. "Won't someone please think of the books?!"
Stonky is delighted to share his master plan with Flaw. "I am burdened with the curse of being right all
his captors. That plan entails launching the Barn the time."
Door into space, thereby keeping Candlekeep's most
KANDLEKEEP DEKONSTRUKTION
inside except by a knock spell or similar magic. A
CONCLUSION
character outside the safe can spend 1 minute try-
ing to find the combination with a successful DC 25 Depending on what actions the characters took to
Dexterity (Perception) check. Thieves' tools are of affect the impending launch, this adventure can end
no benefit in opening the combination lock, since its in a few different ways.
mechanisms are inaccessible; what's needed here is
BLASTOFF!
a delicate touch and a keen ear.
See the "Variant: Skills with Different Abilities" The characters can use the lever in area B4 to abort
section in the Player's Handbook for guidance on or delay the launch. If they fail to do that, you must
how one makes a Dexterity (Perception) check. determine when the launch occurs based on your
Treasure. In addition to the key in his possession, estimation of how much time has elapsed since
Stonky carries a wand he uses as a spellcasting the earthquake. If the characters take a short rest
focus, a brass locket with a broken chain (5 gp), and or otherwise waste time, the Barn Door launches
a scrap of paper. The locket contains a painted por- at the end of the 60-minute countdown. When that
trait of Stonky on one side and a sketch of a rocket happens, the entire tower flies into the sky, soaring
ship with little hearts surrounding it on the other. along its preset trajectory. It leaves behind a cloud of
Scribbled in Gnomish on the scrap of paper are the smoke large enough to engulf the entire Inner Ward
following word pairs: of Candlekeep (treat the area as heavily obscured
for 1 minute). Any creature in area Ul or area U2
Coop- Abort takes 132 (24d10) fire damage from the rocket en-
Shed-Delay gines as the tower lifts off.
Stable-Blastoff! Any creatures clinging to the outside of the tower
when it launches are shaken off, while those inside
These words provide clues to how the lever in area are borne upward at phenomenal speed. Creatures
B4 works. Stonky wrote them down as a reminder in the tower that are not tied down when it launches
to himself. are thrown about, taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning
-
damage and falling prone at the start of each of their
NEW MONSTERS
turns until they find some way to secure themselves.
If the Barn Door's trajectory is altered enough to This section provides stat blocks for the two new
prevent it from reaching outer space, it crashes and creatures encountered in the adventure: the skitter-
explodes in a remote location of your choosing, deal- widget and its offspring, the kiddywidget. The stat
ing 88 (16d10) bludgeoning damage plus 56 (16d6) blocks appear after the creatures' descriptions.
fire damage to each creature aboard. If it reaches
SKITTERWIDGET
space, the tower begins to orbit the planet, as magi-
cal wards kick in to provide occupants with artificial A skitterwidget is made of metal and bears a pass-
gravity and a continuous supply of air and heat. ing resemblance to a giant dog-headed cockroach.
If the characters were inside the Barn Door for No two skitterwidgets look exactly alike, but all are
the launch and have come along for the ride, you surprisingly cute.
can decide what measures might allow them to re- Language of Squeals. Skitterwidgets speak their
turn to the world, from reprogramming the tower's own simple language, which is composed of high-
controls and the rocket engines, to having a spell pitched, vowel-heavy squeals.
scroll of teleportation circle found amid Stonky's Control Ring. A skitterwidget that was created
books. If Stonky and his cultists take off alone, the is bound to a magic control ring and must obey the
tower's supply of rations keeps them fed for a year, commands of whoever is attuned to that ring. It un-
after which they turn to cannibalism. derstands the ring wearer's commands as though
they were spoken in the skitterwidget's language.
LAUNCH DELAYED OR ABORTED Up to seven created skitterwidgets can be linked to
If the characters use the lever in area B4 to delay the same control ring.
or shut down the launch, they can continue explor- Protective Parents. Skitterwidgets have the abil-
ing the tower and its underlevel without fear of the ity to mate and breed, producing kiddywidgets that
Barn Door launching into space. They can also let are even cuter than their parents. A skitterwidget
the Avowed deal with Stonky and his cultists. The strives to protect nearby kiddywidgets, whether it
Avowed aren't likely to punish Stonky severely for gave birth to them or not. If it receives a command
his transgressions, since there are technically no from its master that would endanger the life of one
laws against launching rocket ships in Candlekeep. or more kiddywidgets in its care, a skitterwidget
But the gnome and his minions are forbidden from can make a DC 5 Charisma saving throw, ignoring
entering the Barn Door thereafter, and the structure the command and all other commands from its mas-
is placed under the protection of a guards and wards ter for 1 minute on a success.
spell to discourage further exploration of the place.
KIDDYWIDGET
SKITTERWIDGET PROBLEM A skitterwidget that gives birth to a kiddywidget
If any of Stonky's skitterwidgets or their kiddywid- can't procreate for 3d6 days afterward. Still, given
get offspring were left to their own devices after that skitterwidgets are constructs with no natural
the characters' excursion into the Barn Door, those life span, there is no telling how many kiddywidgets
constructs might become a problem for Candlekeep. a pair of skitterwidgets can produce.
Any pair of skitterwidgets- including any left unde- Growth Cycle. It takes 3d6 hours for an impreg-
stroyed in area U6, which survive even if the Barn nated skitterwidget to give birth to one kiddywidget.
Door launches into space- can mate and give birth A newborn kiddywidget magically grows into a full-
to kiddywidgets. Those tiny constructs soon grow sized skitterwidget in 10 days.
to be as big as their parents, and they can make Autonomous. Unlike skitterwidgets that are cre-
kiddywidgets of their own in turn. If the construct ated rather than born, kiddywidgets aren't beholden
population isn't culled, Candlekeep might one day to the wearer of a control ring, even after they grow
be overrun by the creatures. to become skitterwidgets.
Stonky's ring allows a character to control his
original seven skitterwidgets (the four in area U2
and the three in area U6). No others, including
the offspring of the original skitterwidgets, can be
controlled using the ring. The Avowed permit skit-
terwidgets under the characters' control to remain
in Candlekeep, but not in the Inner Ward. Stray
skitterwidgets are eventually hunted down and
destroyed.
SKITTERWIDGET
Medium construct
KANDLEKEEP DEKONSTRUKTION
-
/ .. •
AN ADVENTURE FOR l0TH-LEVEL CHARACTERS
··• • - - - -
ZIKRAN'S
---- -
...ZEPHYREAN TOME
---------------------
WRITTEN BY TAYMOOR REHMAN
DEVELOPED & EDITED BY CHRISTOPHER PERKINS
-
·fl:.~ ~~·
~( ( "'~
r~ J
ZIKRAN'S LABORATORY
1 square = 5 feet
~
LS
\
/ Ll'-'
e
(j n
L/) ,rn
L4
(q 0
/ffrt>-'"
.
-~l
1/1,
~~-
'J )~
When the ghosts are defeated, the half-elves' spir- The claw marks were made by Ashgarlyth and are
its can be laid to rest by removing the corpses from similar to the ones in area Ll.
the cave and burying them side by side in the earth. Characters must swim to cross the room, which
Treasure. After the ghosts have been dealt with, a acts as a reservoir to prevent the incoming tide from
search of the corpses yields two potions of healing flooding the rest of the cave system.
in addition to 37 gp. Leather armor worn by the
corpses is not salvageable, nor are the half-elves' L4. ZIKRAN'S QUARTERS
weapons (two shortswords and two shortbows).
Secret Tunnel. A character who spends at least 1 This chamber appears to have been dug out of the
minute searching the chamber for secret doors finds surrounding stone. The floor is slick with moisture but
one with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception)
not flooded. This place was once a bedroom. Stains
check. Behind this secret door is a dry, dark tunnel
on the floor mark where once stood a bed, a desk, a
above the water line. Another secret door at the
opposite end of the tunnel can be found without a table, and chairs. The splintered remains of this furni-
check; it pulls open to reveal area LS beyond. ture have been pushed into a corner. A large wooden
door to the north is ajar.
L3. TIDAL CHAMBER
Mounted on the wall next to the door, seemingly
The floor here is 6 feet lower than in area L2.
left untouched, is a shelf of books and scrolls. It has
been filled with colorful covers and attractive shades
This cave is filled with water to a depth of ten feet,
of parchment.
and its ceiling is another ten feet above the water's
surface. A large opening to the east leads to another
chamber. A lip along the bottom edge of this opening
Bookshelf. Characters who examine the contents
of the bookshelf find that there's no rhyme or reason
prevents water from proceeding any farther, and large
to the organization of the books and scrolls. The
claw marks are visible along this lip. books are ship logs with daily entries; the scrolls
-
Rules for extreme cold, strong wind, and high alti- attack, it can instead damage the character's cloth-
tude can be found in the Dungeon Master's Guide. ing, rendering it ineffective as cold weather gear
until the clothing is mended. A character with weav-
THE CLIMB er's tools can mend the clothing while taking a short
The climb into the mountains of the Cloud Peaks rest. A mending spell also repairs the damage.
is incredibly taxing and dangerous. To reach the Shortly after nightfall or whenever the party de-
location marked on the map in Zikran's abandoned cides to take a long rest, the characters are attacked
laboratory, the characters must climb for 3 days. by an abominable yeti, after which they are left
This time frame assumes everything goes well. The alone for the remainder of their rest.
journey is divided into three legs.
DAY3
DAYl The final leg of the journey takes place under the ef-
The first leg of the journey is straightforward and fects of extreme cold, strong wind, and high altitude
takes the characters from the base of the mountain as the party nears the ruins of the cloud giant keep.
to the edge of the mountain's snow line. Few crea- The day includes another encounter with ld4 + 3
tures will confront a party that looks well prepared. winged kobolds, plus any that were left alive after
yesterday's encounter.
DAY2 Toward evening, the characters come to a 40-foot-
The second day of travel is hampered by extreme high, slanted cliff face that they must climb to reach
cold and high elevation. Above the snow line, nat- their destination unless they use magic to complete
ural predators are eager to make the party their the ascent. Each character must make a DC 14
prey. A group of ld4 + 3 winged kobolds harry the Strength (Athletics) check to climb the cliff face. On
party at one point. These kobolds have resistance to a failed check, the character still makes it to the top
:,
cold damage. Whenever one of these kobolds would but gains 1 level of exhaustion, or 2 levels of exhaus-
deal 5 or more damage to a character with a single tion if the check fails by 5 or more.
-
~,J·
SECOND FLOOR
(LOU~~]~-~"~-~: KEEP i
STAIRS TO STAIRS TO
\~ SECON .:: MENT
RSTfLOOR
..s-'
,,J
,.,._.,.,../
J Edge of
second floor
(areas south of
this dotted line
are open to the sky)
C2
Elemental
crystal
~
Elemental
cannon
-
In the courtyard, there are pieces of rubble large
CLOUD GIANTS' KEEP enough that characters can hide behind them.
The ruins of a cloud giant keep sit in a frozen, nat- If they keep watch, the characters can take a
urally formed cleft in the mountain near its peak. short or long rest here without being disturbed.
Sheltered by the high walls of the cleft, the ruins are If the characters use Zikran's Zephyrean Tome to
not subject to strong wind. Rules for extreme cold consult with Gazre-Azam, the djinni encourages the
apply, however. party to press on, eager to be freed.
What was once a truly impressive structure, six
or more floors in height, is now frozen rubble . Only C2. ENTRANCE HALL
the first floor of the castle, part of the second floor, Part of this room is open to the sky, as shown
and the basement are traversable. The surrounding on the map.
rubble is scattered in a way that suggests a tornado
might have been responsible.
The ghosts of two cloud giants wander this hall, the
KEEP FEATURES floor of which is made of frost-covered white and
green tile. A worn carpet leads from the entrance to
Everything about the keep is sized for cloud giants,
who average 24 feet tall. Doorways are 25 feet staircases going up and down. Two doors to the west
high, and the doors set into them are made of thick, lead to other rooms. Three giant-sized display cases
bleached wood that has begun to rot. Ceilings, along the east wall hold faded documents.
where they exist, are typically 30 feet high; much of
the second floor is open to the sky.
The bricks and tiles that make up the intact por- The two cloud giant ghosts seem to have no regard
tions of the keep emit soft light from their interior for the party. They are indifferent toward intruders
sides. This effect causes all interior spaces to be but turn hostile if attacked or if any of the display
brightly lit. cases in this room are destroyed or looted.
The three display cases are 15 feet tall, made
CLOUD GIANT GHOSTS of bleached wood, and enclosed by panes of
The keep is haunted by the ghosts of cloud giants frost-covered glass. In them are twelve artistically
who perished long ago (see the end of the adventure displayed scrolls that contain the clan's history-
for the cloud giant ghost stat block). These ghosts four scrolls per case. The scrolls are in Dwarvish,
are indifferent toward the characters until some the written language of giants. A character who
action on the characters' part causes the ghosts to can speak Dwarvish or Giant realizes that these
turn hostile. What actions cause the ghosts to turn writings tell the history of the cloud giants who once
hostile vary from one encounter to the next. Char- occupied this keep.
acters who are cautious can avoid combat with the They were an isolated clan, content to live in
ghosts by not doing anything to anger them. peace away from the squabbles of other giants and
mortals. Their propensity for using magic to alter
ENCOUNTER LOCATIONS the weather caught the attention of one of the Wind
The following encounters are keyed to the map of Dukes of Aaqa on the Elemental Plane of Air. This
the ruined cloud giant keep. benevolent entity gave them access to powerful
elemental magic in exchange for their fealty. After
Cl. FRONT YARD learning and harnessing this new magic, the giants
became a force for good in the region for many
years, until their patron was overthrown in a coup.
The mountainside splits, leaving a natural cleft in
Enemies of the deposed Wind Duke wiped out the
the rock. Descending into this cleft, you come to an
giant clan, and their keep fell to ruin as the last rem-
icy courtyard strewn with rubble. Hardy blue shrubs nants of the clan fought against their eradicators.
rise from the frozen ground . Lodged at the far end of Stairs. The stairs leading up to the second floor
the cleft is a keep sized for giants . Only the first floor and down to the basement are sized for cloud gi-
and part of the second floor remain intact, the higher ants. Creatures smaller than Huge treat the stairs
floors having collapsed long ago. The rubble left from as difficult terrain.
this collapse surrounds what 's left of the keep.
Treasure. The twelve scrolls that chronicle the
clan's history are worth 250 gp each to a historian
A twenty-five-foot-tall double door made of
or to the Avowed of Candlekeep. Each scroll is a
bleached wood with bronze fittings provides the only sheet of parchment measuring 3 feet wide and 6
entrance at ground level. feet long.
This room is missing its ceiling. Stone racks along the This kitchen contains a large stove, cupboards and
walls hold giant-sized morningstars, shields, warham• cabinets for storage, and a fireplace. Two ceramic
mers, and helmets, all with icicles hanging from them. jugs sit on a twelve-foot-high table in the middle of
The room also contains a padlocked wooden chest the room. One of the jugs is blue, the other orange.
in one corner and an enormous, wheel-shaped whet- Standing next to this table is a cloud giant ghost going
stone in another corner, frozen in position. Standing through the motions of preparing food, but without
by the wheel is a cloud giant ghost staring blankly into actual food or utensils-the act is just a mime.
the sky.
-
Once the characters have defeated these crea-
tures, they can enter the basement.
CONCLUSION
Once freed, Gazre-Azam offers to cast a wish spell
on the characters' behalf. Unless he was treated
terribly by the characters, he is unlikely to twist the
wording of the party's wish. If he wasn't brought
along, he teleports to the party now that he has free
access to all his abilities.
If the party brought the djinni along and treated
him well, he suggests an alternative to the wish
spell: Gazre-Azam can imbue Zikran's Zephyrean
Tome with the properties of a censer of controlling
air elementals, except it summons only Gazre-Azam.
Altering the book in this way deprives Gazre-Azam
of the ability to cast a wish spell for one year. The
characters must weigh their decision against any
promise they made to return Zikran's Zephyrean
Tome to Candlekeep.
magic weapon , this trait doesn 't function at the start of the
CLOUD GIANT GHOST
Huge undead ghost 's next turn. The ghost dies only if it starts its turn with 0
hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 104 (l6dl2) ACTIONS
Speed 0 ft. , fly 40 ft. (hover) Multiattack. The ghost makes two melee attacks.
Spectral Weapon. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit , reach 10 ft. ,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
27 (+8) 11 (+l) 10 (+0) 12 (+l) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) force damage .
Etherealness. The ghost enters the Ethereal Plane from the
Saving Throws Wis +7, Cha +7 Material Plane, or vice versa. It is visible on the Material Plane
Skills Perception +7 while it is in the Border Ethereal , and vice versa, yet it can't af-
Damage Resistances cold fect or be affected by anything on the other plane.
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, Spellcasting. The ghost casts one of the following spells , using
grappled , paralyzed , petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained Charisma as the spe\lcasting ability and requiring no material
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17 components:
Languages Common , Giant At will:fog cloud
Challenge Rating 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 3/day: telekinesis
1/day: control weather
Ethereal Sight. The ghost can see 120 feet into the Ethereal Wind Howl (Recharge 6). The ghost emits a dreadful howl that
Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa . summons a cold, biting wind. This wind engulfs up to three
Incorporeal Movement. The ghost can move through other creatures of the ghost's choice that it can see within 60 feet
creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 of it. Each target is pulled up to 20 feet toward the ghost and
(ldl0) force damage ifit ends its turn inside an object. must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 16 (3dl0)
cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
Regeneration. The ghost regains 10 hit points at the start of successful one.
its turn . If the ghost takes radiant damage or damage from a
-
AN ADVENTURE FOR llTH-LEVEL CHARACTERS
·••------
THE CURIOUS
'[ALE
... OF WISTERIA \fM.E.. ~
---------------------------- ~
WRITTEN BY KIENNA SHAW ~
DEVELOPED & EDITED BY CHRISTOPHER PERKINS & HANNAH ROSE
I
inated. The Harpers devise a solution to prevent twice. This line reads:
Vargan from hurting anyone while they develop a
cure: banishing him to a demiplane.
The play ends with a short monologue by the
Harper wizard who befriended Vargan years ago,
saying that though Vargan's ultimate fate is still
unknown, the day will come when light will ban-
IWe lift up our light to reveal what is hidden and ban-
ish the darkness forever.
-
interpretation of an aphorism would be just the kind
of thing a Harper playwright would enjoy. Shining a
source of light directly on the page reveals a phrase
written in invisible ink: "Harpers at Twilight."
When that phrase is uttered , the book shakes and
flies into the air, pages flipping of their own accord
and separating from the binding, then rearranging
themselves to form a portal. Anyone who steps
through the opening is transported to Wisteria Vale. •
After all the characters pass through the portal, the
pages rearrange themselves back into the form of
the book, and the portal closes.
WISTERIA VALE
Wisteria Vale is a demiplane created by the Harp-
•
ers for one purpose: to imprison Arrant Quill while
they devise a cure for his corruption. Everything in
Wisteria Vale is bright and colorful, tailored to keep
Quill comfortable and entertained. The weather is
always mild and temperate, with just enough rainy
days to nurture crops. Wisteria blossoms are always
in full bloom amid the verdant greenery. The air is
filled with the soothing sounds of nature, from bird-
song to the chirping of crickets to gentle breezes
ruffling the leaves. Time passes differently here:
each day in Wisteria Vale equates to three days on
the Material Plane.
Because of the nature and purpose of the demi-
plane, any spells used to try to escape Wisteria Vale
fail. The only way to leave the demiplane is to termi-
nate it by curing or killing Quill. ••
CONSTRUCTED COMMONERS
To populate the demiplane without endangering any
innocents, the Harpers created constructs out of CONSTRUCTED COMMONER
Medium construct
wooden mannequins to act as villagers (see the ac-
companying stat block). Magic makes them look like Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
flesh-and-blood people, and the constructs conduct Hit Points 6 (ld8 + 2)
themselves as convincingly real humanoids who Speed 25 ft.
are simply living their lives in Wisteria Vale. Detect
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
magic spells do not reveal their true nature, as each 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
construct is shielded by a spell that makes it seem
nonmagical. Damage Immunities poison
Though these constructed villagers can physi- Condition Immunities exhaustion , poisoned
cally interact with the environment around them Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common
and hold lengthy conversations, a few clues to their Challenge O (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
true nature exist. A character who observes one or
more of the commoners closely and succeeds on a
Unusual Nature. The commoner doesn 't requi re air, food ,
DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a faint
drin k, or sleep, and it gains no benefit from finishing a short
clicking sound whenever a villager touches a hard or long rest . When it drops to 0 hit points , it becomes a life -
surface. The villagers are also cold to the touch, less object.
which can be ascertained only through physical
contact. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wis- ACTIONS
dom (Insight) check notices that if the villagers are Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit , reach 5 ft ., one target.
asked about anything outside Wisteria Vale or their Hit: 2 (ld4) bludgeoning damage.
individual talents, they quickly change subjects to
--
In further conversation, the villagers describe the They are a married couple. The tavern is the heart
arrival of a terrifying creature that appears to be a of the village, a place where people gather to talk
giant floating orb with a central eye and sharp teeth, and share meals. Even though the villagers don't
with many smaller eyes on stalks. Though the villag- need to eat or drink because they are constructs,
ers were frightened by the creature, Quill assured they do so when Quill is around. In the evenings
them that he would keep it under control. He urged when Quill visits the village, Ulrich always insists
them to treat the creature as an honored guest while that Quill perform for an enraptured audience that
it was in Wisteria Vale. never seems to get bored of his stories and songs.
Daphne tells the characters that Quill hasn't vis-
LOCATIONS IN WISTERIA VALE ited in the past two weeks , which is unusual for him.
In an attempt to make the demiplane as comfort- She theorizes that his absence is due to the arrival
ing and familiar as possible for Quill, the Harpers of the many-eyed creature, and while the villagers
designed it to resemble his hometown, down to the trust Quill, they are still concerned about him.
buildings, the villagers, and the name. The locals
find Wisteria Vale to be normal and don't question
W4. SILKS AND SOLES
any of the oddities of the demi plane. Although they Silks and Soles is owned by Josephus Lovett (male
know that there are places outside Wisteria Vale, human) and Henrietta Storm (nonbinary tiefling),
they have no interest in leaving home. both constructed commoners.Josephus is the
The following locations are keyed to the map of tailor and the village gossip, gathering and sharing
Wisteria Vale. information as he measures his neighbors and sews
their clothes. If given the opportunity, he talks about
Wl. VYRIDIAN FOREST his favorite topic: Quill and his secretive past. Henri-
The Vyridian Forest encircles the village. It is an an- etta is a cobbler by trade and also a social butterfly,
cient forest with well-worn trails, old-growth trees, helping to organize community events and create
and a supply of wild game such as deer, boar, and decorations from spare cloth and leather.
rabbits. The villagers supplement their crops with Josephus or Henrietta shares information on
occasional hunts in the forest , especially for feasts Quill, his arrival in Wisteria Vale, the appearance
on holidays and for village gatherings. of the creature two weeks ago, and the party in the
While in the forest, the characters might encoun- manor taking place that evening, to which all the
ter Ki'lara, a half-elf hunter and a constructed com- villagers have been invited. Like their neighbors,
moner who knows how to navigate the woods and Josephus and Henrietta have reservations about
where the best hunting spots are. She warns the Quill's strange houseguest.
characters about wandering too far into the woods, Without any need for a check, the characters can
since the ancient forest can often be disorienting. convince Josephus or Henrietta to let them tag along
If they walk far enough into the woods in one di- as their "plus ones" to the party.
rection, they end up on the other side of the forest
approaching Wisteria Vale, as if they had walked in
W5. MARKETPLACE
a giant loop. Characters who succeed on a DC 13 This small marketplace is where the farmers along
Intelligence (Arcana) check recognize that this is the edge of the village sell their wares. Once in a
part of the demiplane's magical design to keep Quill while, the demiplane generates a traveling merchant
inside the village. who passes through Wisteria Vale to sell food, fab-
ric, and other goods from "outside" the village, to
W2. FARMS further enhance the illusion that Wisteria Vale is a
A group of family-owned farms dot the western edge real village. Three traveling merchants visit regu-
of the village. These farms have a variety of crops larly. Each of these constructed commoners never
and livestock, from produce and grains to cattle and stays longer than a day, and one appears only once
sheep to medicinal plants. every few weeks to break up the monotony of the
These farms exist for Quill's benefit alone, though village's everyday events.
they provide enough food to sustain an entire village
indefinitely. The farmers surreptitiously get rid of
W6. MANOR
almost all of what they produce. The manor on the northern edge of Wisteria Vale
stands out as the biggest and most ornate building
W3. BLOSSOM'S REST in the village, two stories tall and made of white
Blossom's Rest is the tavern in the center of the vil- stone that gleams when the light catches it.
lage owned by Ulrich (male hill dwarf) and Daphne
(female wood elf), both constructed commoners.
-
.~~
M
~.
$
f~~~~~~~~~,
y ,..._
~E MAHOR
Balcony
M3
M2
M1
M7
111111111 Ill"· 11111111111 .. ,-
'
M6. BALLROOM
Two suits of animated armor stand guard at the Large wooden doors open to reveal a cozy library lit by
double door, outside the ballroom. Prior to Quill's warm candlelight. Two walls of shelves stretch to the
party, these doors are locked. As an action, a char- ceiling, with a rolling ladder to help reach the higher
acter can try to unlock the doors using thieves' books. In the center of the room is an armchair and a
tools, doing so with a successful DC 15 Dexterity desk. Books are piled haphazardly on the desk, many
check, or force open the doors with a successful DC
of them left open next to a bottle of ink and a quill. An
15 Strength (Athletics) check. Trying to open the
door without the proper key causes the suits of ani- imposing stone statue stands in the corner next to the
mated armor to attack. door, silently watching.
BANQUET
FOREST PAINTING'S CHAMBER
This painting's extradimensional space contains a
d6 Door's Destination
15-foot-long banquet table covered with prepared
1-2 Banquet (behind the painting in area M3) dishes that look and smell delectable. Each dish
3-4 Quill's prison (behind the painting in area M6) has a magical property that functions only when the
5-6 Roe (behind the painting in area M9) food is consumed in this room. The dishes and their
properties are as follows:
BANQUET PAINTING'S CHAMBER Candied Yams. Any creature that eats from the
plate of candied yams is targeted by a faerie fire
d6 Door's Destination
spell (save DC 15) that affects only it and lasts for
1-2 Forest (behind the painting in area Ml) 1 hour or until dispelled.
3-4 Quill 's prison (behind the painting in area M6) Cheese-Stuffed Peppers. Any creature with 75 hit
5-6 Roe (behind the painting in area M9) points or fewer that eats a whole cheese-stuffed
pepper must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution
saving throw or instantly drop to O hit points and
QUILL'S PRISON CHAMBER
explode, leaving behind a mess plus whatever it
d6 Door's Destination was carrying and wearing.
1-2 Forest (behind the painting in area Ml) Jerk Frog Legs. Any creature that eats from the
3-4 Banquet (behind the painting in area M3) plate of jerk frog legs gains the benefit of ajump
spell that lasts for 1 hour or until dispelled.
5-6 Roe (behind the painting in area M9)
Salted Cockatrice Eggs. Any creature that eats a
whole salted cockatrice egg gains immunity to the
Roe PAINTING'S CHAMBER petrified condition for 1 hour.
d6 Door's Destination Stirge Burgers. Any creature that eats a whole
stirge burger gains 10 temporary hit points.
1-2 Forest (behind the painting in area Ml)
Veggie Kabobs. Any creature that eats from the
3-4 Banquet (behind the painting in area M3) plate of veggie kabobs must make a DC 15 Consti-
5-6 Quill's prison (behind the painting in area M6) tution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) poison dam-
age on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one.
HE BOOK OF INNER ALCHEMYlS ONE OF THE one day it captured the attention of a monk deter-
oldest books in Candlekeep. The precise mined to bend the natural order of life to his will.
date of its curation has been lost to time,
but its origin can be attributed to three FINDING THE BOOK
masters of the Open Hand, the Ren Brothers- Characters in the Great Library of Candlekeep
Rendi (pronounced REN-dee), Renjie (REN-jee-eh), might encounter The Book of Inner Alchemy while
and Renmei (REN-may). The Way of the Open Hand researching one of the following topics:
is a monastic tradition centered on the defensive
and healing uses of ki and martial arts combat. The • The nature of ki and its uses in hand-to-hand
masters recorded their life's work in this book, de- combat and healing
scribing how they turned the traditional Open Hand • Legends pertaining to immortality
martial arts techniques into tools for achieving ever- • Monastic traditions, especially the Way of
lasting life. the Open Hand
Rumors of an ancient tome containing martial , The crafting of magic weapons
arts techniques associated with immortality circu-
BOOK DESCRIPTION
lated among the martial orders. The three masters
knew that many would seek out this power, and that At first glance, this book of moderate thickness
circulating this knowledge would bring chaos to appears to be one of the many insignificant tomes
the world. Torn between the need to preserve their that fill the shelves of the Great Library. Upon closer
secret techniques and the guilt from making use of inspection, this volume reveals itself to be of excep-
such powerful martial lore, the three masters chose tional quality. Except for minor damage to the cor-
to conceal the knowledge they discovered among ners, its olive-green covers are in perfect condition.
the vast collection in Candlekeep. Sewn into the binding with silk threads are sacred
The Book of Inner Alchemy remained unnoticed texts and medical illustrations. Text is recorded on
for centuries, its secrets hidden in plain sight, until paper pages, and illustrations are drawn on silk
sheets. The paper pages appear to have aged, but
the silk illustrations have stood the test of time, ap-
pearing as they did when the original artist first laid
a brush upon the pages.
Composed in the language of the lands to the east
of Faerfin, the text of The Book of Inner Alchemy is
•
. written in columns that are read from top to bottom,
right to left. The comprehend languages spell can
be used to understand the text. Alternatively, many
of the Avowed can translate the text for a small fee
(no more than 100 gp). The Avowed will not make
copies of the book because it contains dangerous
knowledge.
• Though commonly thought of by those outside the ransacked . Countless literary treasures are strewn
monastic orders as mystical energy, ki has strong across the floor. The covered bodies of two Avowed
ties to elemental air, for breath is what connects acolytes still rest on the floor.
one's soul to one's essence (body).
• Ki is a vital force present in all living things. Medi-
cal techniques and training can be used to control For the return of the stolen pages, the Keeper of
the flow of ki. Tomes is offering 8,000 gp or the equivalent in tran-
• All living beings are made up of two "lives," phys- scribed magical knowledge from the Candlekeep
ical and spiritual. When these aspects are in har- archives.
mony, great power can be attained.
SCENE OF THE CRIME
MISSING PAGES The following clues point the characters in the
direction of the Cloakwood, an ancient forest
Several pages have been sliced from the binding of located near the Coast Way that leads north to the
The Book of Inner Alchemy. They were recently sto- city of Baldur's Gate:
len on behalf of a radical monk named Bak Mei, an
apostate practitioner of the Open Hand who seeks • A character who succeeds on a DC 14 Wisdom
physical and spiritual perfection-the keys to true (Medicine) check can tell that the Avowed acolytes
longevity and immortality. The life he has chosen to slain during the attack were killed using martial
live, however, has rendered his primordial trifecta arts. Their bruises and broken bones are evidence
of powerful unarmed strikes.
LL STELE FOREST
-
"Very few people would dare to come here," says a
L2D.STORAGE
Adjacent to the kitchen is a modest storage space
voice from above. Perched twenty feet above you is
that holds food , kitchen supplies, and spare robes.
a man balanced with his legs braced between two of
Treasure. A thorough search of this room yields a
the larger stone columns. He has a slim, athletic build silk bag containing ten SO gp gemstones.
and stares at you with piercing green eyes. Around
him are four younger individuals who are similarly bal-
L2E. DINING HALL
A long table made from a tree trunk cut lengthwise
anced on other stone slabs.
dominates this room, surrounded by stools made
With the grace of a bird, he floats down from his
from small tree stumps. Monks take their meals in
perch, silently landing on the ground as he draws a shifts. Bak Mei usually keeps to himself, rarely eat-
nine-sectioned chain whip from around his waist. ing among his students.
"You've got courage. I'll give you that. But before
L2F. GARDEN
you get a chance to fight Bak Mei, you'll have to deal
Next to the living quarters is a well, north of which
with me-Steel Crane!"
is a small garden where the order grows its vegeta-
bles. Next to the garden is a chicken coop. As with
As Steel Crane presses his attack, the monks use all temple duties, the monks take turns maintaining
the steles for cover and leap between them to en- the garden and feeding the chickens.
gage the characters in close-quarters combat. Four Immortal Lotus monks (see the accom-
Red Key. Steel Crane carries a red wooden key panying stat block) are tending the garden and
that unlocks the door to ,3/ea L3. drawing fresh water from the well. If the monks are
aware that the characters are nearby, they're stand-
L2. LIVING DARTERS ing guard and ready to fight. These foes use their
Members of the order live in a modest single-story gardening implements as weapons (use the monk's
building built on raised posts. Its shingled roof pro- Unarmed Strike attack option but change the dam-
vides protection from the elements, and its sliding age type to piercing or slashing, as appropriate). If
exterior wall panels can be opened and closed to two of the monks are defeated, the remaining ones
meet the needs of the order. The walls of the living flee to the training grounds (area L4) to seek rein-
quarters are made of paper on wood frames, offer- forcements.
ing little privacy. The dwelling is within view of the
Jagged Sanctum (area LS), but far enough away to IMMORTAL LOTUS MONK
provide Bak Mei with solitude he requires. Medium humanoid
]ADE TIGRESS Force Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit , reach 5 ft., one
Medium humanoid (human) target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) force damage , and if the target is a
creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw
~
~ Armor Class 15 (Unarmored Defense) or be stunned until the of Jade Tigress's next turn.
Hit Points 71 (lld8 + 21) Poisoned Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit , range 20/60
Speed 40 ft. ft. , one target. Hit : 4 (ld4 + 2) piercing damage plus 7 (3d4)
poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Con-
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA stitution saving throw or gain l level of exhaustion .
18 (+4) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 11 (+0)
Heal Self (Recharges after a Long Rest). Jade Tigress regains
Saving Throws Str +7, Con +5 2d8 + 2 hit points , and all levels of exhaustion end on her.
Skills Athletics +7, Insight +6, Intimidation +3, Perception +6
Damage Resistances poison BONUS ACTIONS
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened Nimble Escape. Jade Tigress takes the Disengage or
Senses passive Perception 16 Hide action .
Languages Common
Challenge 8 (3 ,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 REACTIONS
Deflect Missile . In response to being hit by a ranged weapon
Unarmored Defense. While Jade Tigress is wearing no armor attack, Jade Tigress deflects the missile. The damage she takes
and wielding no shield, her AC includes her Wisdom modifier. from the attack is reduced by ldl0 + 9. If the damage is re-
duced to 0, Jade Tigress catches the missile if it's small enough
ACTIONS to hold in one hand and Jade Tigress has a hand free .
Multiattack. Jade Tigress makes three attacks.
Multiattack. Bak Mei attacks three times: twice with Thunder Crane Dance. Bak Mei moves up to 20 feet . This movement
Strike and once with his staff of striking. does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Thunder Strike (Costs 2 Actions). Bak Mei uses Thunder Strike.
Thunder Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one
target. Hit: 15 (2dl0 + 4) thunder damage, and if the target
N THIS ADVENTURE, THE PLAYER CHARACTERS A'lai describes the book as a treatise on dark rituals
THE CANOPIC
- BEING
BOOK -DESCRIPTION PLAYER HANDOUT:
The Canopic Being has a cover and spine made of
thin crystal sheets, with gems that represent eyes
XEMRu's NOTE
embedded in them. Every so often, the eyes move,
shifting their gaze between different locations. The
book's pages are edged in a protective crystalline
finish and filled with a hurried, nearly illegible
scrawl. Xemru Thaal's note (see the accompanying
player handout) still accompanies the book and
is tucked in an envelope that bears the seal of the
House of the All-Seeing Orb, a temple of Savras in
WJt,. wt /,,,,. 11,,"j f•Nr1te,, ,,,.& 1k
Tashluta, the capital city of Tashalar. ,,,,,le 11( 1k 111-Seeij Ori,, 1k. f~'-
The book describes rituals relating to the creation
of a mummy lord. One is a unique and horrific pro- V,/4:,. S,r,.61.tt, J,,1 ,,. ilifl~ wlttt i,L
cess by which a mummy lord's organs, normally
stored in sacred canopic jars during mummification, •!J.''- ~,I. fl, ij •J J,,,.,,, I.. J,vt J,u,.
can be magically preserved and transplanted into
living humanoids. The transplant recipients come jt"/ul.t,I 6 1k ~I, ,1,,,.,,, ovl u.tipit1tl..
under the control of the mummy lord, either as liv-
ing supplicants or mindless golems through which !5J Jiv~ v,liJi ' ftUt .( .,jt/( ovl
the mummy lord can see and speak. The book also rut.iv~ , piut ,,( Jer iii rUMr1t, I ~,.
hints of a ritual that can free a servant after the
mummy lord is destroyed. Jt/p ./k µ/,t ,,( ./k WIit/,/ N1t{.l,1 6 jJt
The last page of the book appears to be a list of
those who have undergone this rite to become a A6 {.ru.,et1t.
mummy lord's servants-but it also includes the
names of the missing Candlekeep sage and of the fl, ,"j •J J,,,.,,, I.. pr.l.td 1k ,,,,,le iii
characters.
' " j(/41,U(tJ, tltjNriJ,J ll,d ,,,.& ,1,,,.,,/"j
NAMED BY AN ORACLE
Before arriving at Candlekeep, The Canopic Being ovl ruipit1t4 •'J v,"ji,L Jer. I J,vt ,.,,
was stolen from the person who has most recently
made use of it. Valin Sarnaster is an honored ora-
1ttul •f 1k ri,lt 11( ru/4,i,.d;,,,., {.r f
cle of Savras, based in the House of the All-Seeing J,tltevt iii 1k n"j;,,,. ov! per{u1.,,,,. ,,(
Orb in Tashalar. In accordance with visions she
experienced years before, the oracle has embraced V-tlili S,r,.61.tr.
undeath by becoming a mummy lord, using the rit-
uals described in the book. The list of names in the
back of the book is written by many hands, since it
f.r t/4,i,LJ'j j(fe, f 11/Pr 11,,"j ru11r,I ,,(
includes creatures bonded to other mummy lords 1k pr.u,/Nrv., ptr{.r.u! ,,,. 1k ,1,,,.,,tj
before the tome came to Valin. The names Valin has
added at the end are those of the oracle's current ovl ruipit1t4, wA11jt ~ ovl ,,~,,.j ut
and intended victims, as seen in her visions:
1t11w b11N1t,I I.. 1k ,,,,,le. M'J jJt jttVt
• Alessia Baseer, Valin Sarnaster's longtime atten-
dant (and the unwitting custodian of Valin's heart) ./k 1/1-Su..t'j {.r U1t<11.riv., I.. ~•t.
Xemru Thaal, the high priest who sent the book to
Candlekeep (now a golem serving Valin)
Zeren Zoradius, a human mage (who now serves
Valin as a golem) f14 U(ltjfUtltt~j,
Okuzor, a tiefling gladiator (and another of Valin's
golem servants)
ft•rN Tl,u.l, /(!J.J fN°v.,I. •f S,vr6
Mayastan Sadaar, the dragonborn sage /(,,Njt ,,( 1k 111-Stu'j Ori,, 16J/«I.(
Each of the characters, using whatever names
they are best known by •
f
The sections that follow have more information on
Valin Sarnaster's servants.
Valin's tomb exists on its own demiplane. The site ORGAN RECIPIENTS
was once a temple and was long abandoned until
Recipient (Location) Transplanted Organ(s)
the oracle's magic rediscovered it. It is filled with
the signs and symbols of Savras, but whether it was Alessia Baseer (area Tl ) Hea rt
built as a temple to the god or whether it was con- Okuzor (area TS) Eyes
structed by Savras when he was still a mortal, not Xemru Thaal (area T6) Nerves
even Valin has been able to determine. Zeren Zoradius (area T6) Kidneys
T he former temple is built entirely of clear, spar-
Mayastan Sadaa r (area T7) Pancreas (destroyed)
kling crystal. Though the complex has its own grav-
ity and is not fully transparent, moving through it
can sometimes create the unsettling sense of float- TOMB FEATURES
ing in space. Valin's tomb has the following features:
VALIN'S VICTIMS Walls and Floors. The crystal from which the tem-
If a creature dies after one of its vital organs is re- ple was constructed glows with a bright light that
placed by Valin 's organs, it can be returned to life by a fills all areas, even as it a llows the characters faint
wish spell or in one of the ways described below. glimpses of what lies beyond it. The magic of the
Rite of Reclamation. A ritual known as the rite of rec- walls obscures certain feat ures, however, so that
lamation involves claiming some of the dust ofValin 's secret passages and rooms can't be seen from
body after she has been reduced to O hit points. The outside them. The crystal that makes up the tomb
ritual describes a process for mixing the dust with wax
can't be damaged by any means available to the
to create a magic candle, then floating the lit candle
in a vessel of holy water. If a creature imbued with one characters.
ofValin 's organs spends an entire long rest within S Ceilings. Hallways and smaller chambers in the
feet of the candle, the candle is consumed, Valin's tomb are 15 feet high with flat ceilings. The ceil-
organ is destroyed , and the creature's missing organ is ings in larger chambers are 20 to 30 feet high.
restored . The rite of reclamation is known to Valin and Doors. All doors in the tomb are made of crystal,
detailed on a scroll found in area TS . The characters and most of them are unlocked. A character can
might also be able to learn the ritual through research
use a n action to try to open a locked door, either
or a side quest.
Replacing What's Lost. A more direct restoration by using thieves' tools and succeeding on a DC 20
can be undertaken if the creature imbued with one Dexterity check, or by forcing open the door with
ofValin's organs has been killed and the characters a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check. A
have access to the creature's original organ. Removing door has AC 15, 60 hit points, and immunity to
Valin's organ from the creature's body reveals it to be poison and psychic damage.
shriveled, glassy, and pulsing with unnatural life. If the Eyes of Savras. The walls of the tomb are adorned
creature's original organ is replaced within l hour of
w ith decorative eyes that serve as magical sen-
its death at the same time Valin's organ is destroyed,
the creature returns to life immediately as if targeted sors, following the movements of visitors who
by a resurrection spell. A character who removes one of explore the site. Valin Sarnaster controls the eyes,
Valin's organs from a dead host creature and succeeds which have truesight out to a range of 120 feet and
on a DC 17 Wisdom (Medicine) check intuits how this allow her to surveil the characters from anywhere
process works. in the tomb. She must maintain concentration (as
-
if concentrating on a spell) to do so. The eyes are Alessia's Aid. Alessia does not wander the temple
free-floating in area T9 and are prevented from except as directed by Valin, who sends orders to the
functioning in area T3. attendant through her canopic golems. She tells the
Extradimensional Interference. The tomb is characters that they have free run of the temple, and
warded against teleportation, and creatures inside that they will find Valin when fate determines it. She
it can't travel using teleportation or by extradimen- does warn them against the dangers they might face
sional or interplanar means. in certain areas, including the mirrors of fortune
(area T3), the testing chamber (area T4), and the
TOMB LOCATIONS phasing passage (area T7). She also knows why the
The following locations are keyed to the map of the sword hilt has been hidden in the dais in area T4,
tomb of Valin Sarnaster. but does not share that information until Valin's true
nature is revealed to her.
Tl. PORTAL With suitable roleplaying or a successful DC 15
The portal beneath the House of the All-Seeing Orb Charisma (Persuasion) check, Alessia agrees to
brings the characters to this location. The portal escort the characters through area T3, but then re-
is not affected by the wards against teleportation turns to her quarters (area T2).
magic that fill the tomb. Alessia keeps the key to her quarters and
the key to the portal door on a leather thong
Stepping through the portal brings you into the center around her neck.
of a square room, its walls, floor, and ceiling made of T2 . A LE SSIA's QUA RTERS
glowing crystal set with images of unblinking eyes. A The door to this room is locked, and Alessia car-
crystal door stands closed, but you can just make out ries the key.
the long corridor beyond it, and a lone, yellow-robed
priest of Savras waiting for you. This room is furnished with a simple cot, a smal l
footlocker, a round table and chair, and a wooden
As the characters move around in the room, the cupboard with one door ajar. Small figurines of cats
eyes in the walls turn to follow them. set along the top of the cupboard are the room's only
The guard is Alessia Baseer, a lawful good human decoration . A folding screen obscures the far corner of
priest of Savras (see the "Alessia Baseer" sidebar). the room.
A premonition of someone arriving through the por-
tal brought her here to await the characters. When
she sees them, she assumes they have been sum- Alessia's collection of cat figurines include sculp-
moned by or have important business with Valin, tures made of glass, ceramic, and wood. She has
and she freely answers any questions put to her. collected them since childhood, though they are
Power ofDisbelief. Alessia scoffs in response to a
suggestion that Valin might be involved in improper ALESSIA BASEER
activities or evil plots, and insists that the charac- Alessia's curly brown hair is tied into a long braid. She
ters will know better once they speak with her. If is dressed in the s imple yellow robes, belted sash , and
leather sandals of the priesthood of Savras, and bears
the idea that Valin might be a mummy lord is men-
the customary th ird -eye tattoo on her forehead .
tioned, Alessia confirms that she sees the oracle Naive curiosity paired with a lack of conversational
regularly and that Valin appears quite normal. (This practice makes Alessia honest to a fault . She remains
is a product of the mummy lord's diadem, which unaware ofValin 's evil nature-and of the fact that she
functions as a hat of disguise.) is the living canopic vessel for Valin 's heart. Alessia's
Having escorted all the recent visitors to the tem- own heart was removed three years ago as part of
ple, Alessia is under the impression that they are the unique ritual described in The Canopic Being. The
magic of the ritual allows her to remember being in-
communing with Valin in the observatory of fate
volved in a ceremony that bound her to Valin's service,
(area T9). She explains that time passes differently but she recalls no details of the transfer. The ritual like-
in the observatory, making it not unusual that those wise leaves no physical signs behind .
visitors have apparently been gone from the world Personality Trait. " I serve my masters in faith will-
for months. (This is a lie told to her by Valin.) She ingly, and I let fate and faith command me."
thus does not understand that the canopic golems Ideal. "I yearn to see the best of all possible futures ,
have been created from Valin's visitors. She has not so that I can help those futures come to pass."
Bond. "I faithfully serve Valin Sarnaster, the living
been through area T7 in a few days, and so likewise
embodiment of the divine will and power ofSavras."
does not know Mayastan Sadaar's fate. Flaw. "I never question orders ."
SIDE VIEW OF TS AND T9
(looKING FROM THE EAST)
SIDE VIEW OF T6
(LOOKING FROM THE SOUTH)
T9
Doorway
TS
HALL PASSES
Pit
Sarcophagus
Ledge
Canopic jars
~_"j ~ in alcoves
:~: Y1
under ledge
- - T6 Ledge
TI
T2 T3
~. TOMB Of !~!~o~lRNASTER
-~~
The crystal floor, walls, and ceiling of this room are The wide corridor you are following leads into a huge
obscured by hanging mirrors whose brightness inten - square chamber whose only feature is a large crystal-
sifies as they catch your reflection. line dais at its center.
This chamber was once used by the priests of the This area was once used by priests and acolytes to
temple for meditation, and its magic is still intact. sharpen their mental acuity against harmful psychic
Two-sided mirrors set along the outside walls of this energy. Valin has turned it into a formidable hiding
area reflect everything inside and outside it, causing place for a powerful weapon.
the area to appear empty from the outside. From the As soon as any character enters this area, they feel
inside, the mirrors block the eyes of Savras, prevent- a sudden pulse of psychic energy radiating from the
ing Valin from looking within. dais, which can't be sensed from the corridors be-
The magic mirrors that cover this area and hang yond. The effect of this numbing energy causes any
as freestanding walls inside it show a super-realistic creature in the room to suffer visible tremors and
reflection of everything in the room, including the have its speed halved.
other mirrors-quickly creating a confusing cascade A creature that has a passive Wisdom (Percep-
of images. Any creature that enters the area and can tion) score of 18 or higher, or that succeeds on a DC
see normally is overwhelmed by multiple visions of 18 Wisdom (Perception) check made to observe the
itself. Each creature that passes through this area dais, spots an ornate sword hilt embedded within it
must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or (see "Treasure" below). The hilt can be noted auto-
accidentally make contact with a mirror. A creature matically by anyone within 5 feet of the dais.
that makes contact with a mirror for the first time Genie Guardians. Obtaining the hilt requires
on a turn or starts its turn in contact with one takes smashing through the dais, which has AC 18, 50
22 (4d10) psychic damage. hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic
A creature that passes through the area without damage. If the dais is attacked or touched by any
taking damage earns a gift of supernatural insight creature, two dao wearing bejeweled necklaces are
that lasts until it finishes a long rest. While it has conjured above it and immediately attack any crea-
this gift, the creature can roll a d8 and add the num- tures in the room.
ber rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving On their first turn in combat, the genies target
throw it makes. The creature can wait until after intruders with their phantasmal killer spells, main-
it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the number, taining concentration on these spells for as long as
but it must decide before the DM says whether the possible while attacking with their mauls on later
roll succeeds or fails. A creature can't gain this gift turns. When a dao dies, its body disintegrates into
again until it finishes a long rest. crystalline powder. A slain dao leaves behind its
Creatures that have blindsight or truesight can maul and its necklace (see "Treasure" below).
move through the area normally, as can Alessia. If
Large construct
The crystalline figures guarding the pit are two
canopic golems (see the accompanying stat block) Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
who were once the high priest Xemru Thaal and Hit Points 252 (24dl0 + 120)
the mage Zeren Zoradius. Zeren came to Valin hop- Speed 30 ft.
ing to become a master of divination. Instead, she
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
showed him a very different future. 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 7 (-2) 11 (+0) l (-5)
The golems attack intruders at once, while Valin
speaks through them to challenge the characters. Saving Throws Int +3, Wis +5, Cha +0
She arrogantly proclaims that no one will ever Damage Immunities poison
break through her sarcophagus to face her, hoping Condition Immunities blinded , charmed, deafened , exhaustion,
frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
to entice the characters to approach the magically Senses darkvision 120 ft. , passive Perception 10
warded sarcophagus at the bottom of the pit. Languages-
Canopic Gallery. The gallery below the main Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5
platform houses eight canopic jars, four on either
side of the room. It can be reached by descending Limited Spell Immunity. The golem automatically succeeds on
the steep ramps, dropping a rope down from above, saving throws against spells of 7th level or lower, and the attac k
or any other way the characters might devise. Each rolls of such spells always miss it.
canopic jar is ceramic and approximately 2 feet tall. Unusual Nature. The golem doesn 't require air, food ,
Five hold organs from the servants currently under drink, or sleep.
Valin's control, and each jar is carved with a symbol
that represents the forme r owner, as summarized in ACTIONS
the CanopicJars table. Multiattack. The golem makes two attacks .
Slam. Me/ee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one tar-
CANOPIC JARS get. Hit: 27 (4dl0 + 5) force damage.
Symbol Organs and Former Owners Crystal Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 120 ft. ,
Cat Heart from Alessia Baseer one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) force damage.
Sword Left eye from Okuzor REACTIONS
Crystal ball Brain stem from Xemru Thaal Spell Deflection. In response to a spell attack missing the go-
Wand Kidneys from Zeren Zoradius lem , it causes that spell to hit another creature within 120 feet
of it that it can see.
Book Pancreas (shriveled) from Mayastan Sadaar
--
The other three jars are empty. At your discretion, The fallen figure is Mayastan Sadaar, the scholar
you can have the empty jars scribed with symbols who came to the temple to confront Valin, and who
representing three of the characters, as if Valin has became another unwilling recipient of the mummy
prepared those vessels for sacrifices to come. The lord's rituals. Though she remembered nothing of
jars can be easily shattered, but the organs inside the ritual, Mayastan's recollection of her mission
(with the exception of Mayastan Sadaar's) can't be and what she had read in The Canopic Being al-
destroyed as long as the matching organ from Valin lowed her to successfully guess what had happened
remains in its host. to her. She thus chose to end her life by carving out
See "Treasure" below for more information on Valin's pancreas from where it had been placed in
Okuzor's canopic jar. her and destroying it, rather than submit to the ora-
Sarcophagus. Whenever the characters are in a cle's dark will.
position to see down into the pit, read: Turning the body over reveals the horrible ab-
dominal wound that killed Mayastan. Any character
who has proficiency in the Medicine skill, or who
At the bottom of the pit is a dais resembling an enor-
succeeds on a DC 20 Wisdom (Medicine) check,
mous eye peering up. A ten-foot-long black onyx sar-
recognizes that the shape of the rock resembles a
cophagus forms the pupil of the eye. pancreas, which shows signs of being hacked nearly
in half before it petrified. A character who has
Valin placed her sarcophagus at the bottom of the proficiency in the Medicine skill and examines the
pit not for security, but as a deadly trap. The sar- wound notes that the body's pancreas is missing.
cophagus is presently empty. Valin returns to it only If the characters need information on how to
if she is slain and re-forms, and uses the dimension permanently slay a mummy lord, any search of
door spell to leave it afterward. Mayastan's body reveals a sheaf of papers in an
The sarcophagus radiates auras of abjuration inside pocket. These are pages copied from a tome
and evocation magic to a detect magic spell. Its first of lore regarding mummy lords, and they note the
ward triggers when any creature that is not a con- fact that a mummy lord's heart must be destroyed to
struct or an undead moves within 20 feet of it, filling keep the mummy lord from re-forming.
the area of the well to a height of 30 feet above the T8. ANTECHAMBER
floor with a noxious gray fog equivalent to the effect
Both doors to this area are locked, and each can be
of a stinking cloud spell. The vapors vanish after 1
opened with the key charm from area T2.
minute, and this ward resets after 1 hour.
The sarcophagus's lid weighs 550 pounds. When
opened, the sarcophagus vents a blast of stale air The walls of this room converge in a high peak over-
and triggers its second magical warding. Each head. Through the wall opposite the door, the room
creature within 5 feet of the sarcophagus that is beyond can be vaguely seen-a vast, cubic chamber
not a construct or an undead must make a DC 17 filled with shimmering points of light.
Charisma saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) necrotic
damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on
a successful one. This ward resets when the lid of Any character who has a passive Wisdom (Percep-
the sarcophagus is closed again. tion) score of 18 or higher, or who succeeds on a DC
Treasure. Okuzor's canopic jar also contains 18 Wisdom (Perception) check to scan the interior
eyes of minute seeing and an eye patch set with a of the chamber beyond this one, notices a strange
sapphire-and-moonstone eye (2,500 gp). Okuzor lost motion within.
her right eye in an early gladiatorial bout, and she
used both of these items while she was alive. The points of light in the chamber beyond are shifting
T7. MEDITATION ROOM slowly, like dust motes stirred by a gentle breeze. At
the center of the haze of light, a flash of yellow marks
the presence of a figure clad in the robes of the faith-
The ceiling of this room is supported by four crystal
ful ofSavras . The figure circles slowly at the apex of
columns with eye-shaped capstones. A dozen thick
the room , motes of light swirling behind it.
cushions are scattered around the room, in the center
of which a dragonborn lies in a pool of dried blood
on the floor. A dagger and an oblong rock broken into The door into area T9 opens automatically when-
two pieces lie near the body's outstretched arms. ever any creature moves within 10 feet of it.
--
VALIN SARNASTER
The validity of Valin's threat is up to you and the
needs of your campaign.
Val in Sarnaster has been thorough ly corrupted by
visions of a future in which she sees herself as the Treasure. Valin's diadem remains behind when
immortal heir of Savras's realm . The Canopic Being she turns to dust. It functions as a hat of disguise. A
came into her possession years ago, and an obsession search of the dust that was Valin's body also turns
with the dark rituals therein set the oracle on her pres- up a large adamantine key (SO gp) that opens the
ent course. door to area TlO.
Val in has become a powerfu l undead as the first step
on her path to godhood, and is now a mummy lord TlO. TREASURE R O OM
with these changes: The door to this room is locked and can be opened
• She has the clairvoyance, dimension door, and scrying with the key in Valin's possession (see area T9).
spells prepared instead of animate dead, guardian of A glyph of warding cast on the door triggers if the
faith, and insect plague. door is opened any other way. A character who
• While her heart remains in Alessia 's body, Valin's
searches the door for traps spots the tiny glyph
Rejuvenation trait causes he r to re -form inside the
sarcophagus in area T6. with a successful DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation)
• Valin can use her lair actions in any area of the tomb. check. When triggered, the glyph erupts with magi-
cal energy in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on it.
Personality Trait. " I have seen the future . Therefore,
nothing surprises me." The sphere spreads around corners. Each creature
Ideal. "To know all things is the goal of the most in the area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving
powerful o racles . And I will be the most powerful ora- throw, taking (31) 7d8 thunder damage on a failed
cle of all." save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Bond. "This temple was made for me. It has come to
me. It is part of me."
Flaw. "Each future that all ows a chance for my failure A large p ile of clear, crystalline gems fills one co rn er of
to occ ur must be tracked , must be focused on, and th is room , gleam ing in the li ght given off by t he walls .
must be destroyed ."
Hovering in the middle of the room are three objects:
a si x-foot-long staff made of transparent crystal , a
Fate's Boon. All creatures in the room experience
shiny steel helm embossed with lid less eyes , and a
glimpses of the immediate future flashing through
their minds. At the start of the second round, each tiny blue rhomboid about the si ze of a piece of candy.
creature in the room can use a bonus action to fo cus
on the future, granting advantage on its next attack Treasure. Though most of the crystals piled in
roll, ability check, or saving throw. (The characters the corner are of no value, a 10-minute search of the
are aware of the effect and the benefit it imparts. De- pile yields ten fine gemstones worth 500 gp each.
scribe the boon to the players so that their charac- One of these crystals radiates an aura of trans-
ters are aware of it and can use it.) Once a creature mutation magic under the scrutiny of a detect magic
uses this boon, it can't do so again until it finishes a spell. If this crystal is crushed (destroying it), its
long rest. powdered remains magically coalesce into a ring of
Endgames. If Valin is reduced to O hit points but spell storing that holds the spells bless and revivify.
he r heart has not been destroyed, she snarls out a T he objects hovering in the middle of the room
I
threat before turning to dust: cease to float as soon as they are grasped. T he blue
rhomboid is an Joun stone (awareness). The crystal
I" I still have le ssons yet to teach you . But you will
lea rn .. ."
I I
T6) after that time. See the "Conclusion" section for The shell of this large, spherical chamber be gins to
more information.
shimmer with color, form ing patterns and images.
If the characters destroy Valin's heart before de-
I
feating her, she says the following before dying:
Creatures that enter this area feel their feet begin to
I
lift gently off the floor. As in area T9, a zero-gravity
"Fate defies m e . So be it . But though you d efeat me, I
effect gra nts any creatu re a flying speed equal to its
promise you wi ll not survive the future I have seen .. ."
walking speed while in this chamber. Because there
is no combat in this area, characters do not need to
worry about acclimating to the unusual gravity.
HE SCRIVENER'S Cf ALE
·••------------------------ ···~
WRITTEN BY BRANDES STODDARD .., .)
TALE OF REVENGE
The Scrivener's Tale tells the story of a selfish and
amoral archfey called the Princess of the Shadow
Glass, who is locked in a blood feud with the Queen
of Air and Darkness, the ruler of the Gloaming
Court in the Feywild. The queen is described as an
intelligent, gleaming black crystal that hovers above
a throne of twisted, petrified wood. The princess is
cast in the role of the protagonist, yet she views ev-
eryone else as a pawn in her struggle. The tale ends
with a monologue promising bloody reprisals upon
everyone the princess believes has wronged her.
Exiled to the mortal realm, the Princess of the
Shadow Glass finds a home in the land of humans,
elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. They show
her true friendship, gifting her with treasures,
lands, and titles. In the end, her companions (in-
cluding the book's narrator, known only as "the
T HE S CR I VENER'S T/\L E
scrivener") convince the princess to reclaim her
rightful place as a high noble of the fey.
The details of The Scrivener's Tale indicate that The mark can't be removed from any character
the Princess of the Shadow Glass began as a fey except by a wish spell or by destroying the Princess
of indeterminate type, most likely an eladrin, and of the Shadow Glass, either of which ends the mark
ultimately became an archfey possessing power- on all the characters. If a character dies and returns
ful magical abilities relating to shadow, glass, and to life, the scrivener's mark remains in place.
illusion. The scrivener of the title is an elf named
Zyrian, who wrote the book nine hundred years ago. SCRIVENER'S MARK EFFECTS
The content of the book suggests that the scrivener Level Benefit and Drawback
was compelled to write the tale, which contains effu- Benefit: You can speak, read, and write Sylvan,
sive praise for the princess. and magic can't put you to sleep. Drawback: You
no longer cast a reflection or a shadow.
THE SCRIVENER'S MARK
2 Benefit: You can cast the message cantrip at will,
Machi! Rillyn ordered The Scrivener's Tale hidden
no components required . Drawback: Magic po-
away by the scholars of Candlekeep because he un-
tions no longer affect you.
derstood the potency of its magic, having borne the
scrivener's mark until he paid to have a wish spell 3 Benefit: Choose one of the following spells: blur,
cast to end its effect on him. invisibility, mirror image, phantasmal force, or
When a character reads even a small part of The silence. You can cast the chosen spell once (save
Scrivener's Tale for the first time, all the characters DC l 5), no components required, and you regain
feel the magic of the book wash over them. After the ability to cast this spell after you finish a long
finishing a short or long rest, each character dis- rest. Drawback: You can't attune or be attuned to
covers that 20 percent of their skin is covered in magic items.
writing that matches portions of The Scrivener's
4 Benefit: You cease to age naturally, and magical
Tale. The text starts at the character's fingertips
aging no longer affects you . Drawback: You be-
and winds around one arm to the shoulder, chest,
come as brittle as glass. You gain vulnerability to
and back. The lettering in the Elvish script is tiny
but precise and legible. Each character also gains bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and
the level 1 benefit and drawback of the mark, as effects that grant you resistance or immunity to
noted in the Scrivener's Mark Effects table. Any such damage are suppressed.
character marked in this way must make a DC 20 5 Drawback: If the Princess of the Shadow Glass
Charisma saving throw every third dawn thereafter. has not been released from her prison by the time
On a failed save, the level of that character's mark your mark reaches this level, you transform into
increases by 1. Each additional level of the mark a statue made of solid, smoky gray glass. You are
covers another 20 percent of the character's skin petrified while in this state. Any magic that ends
with writing until 80 percent of the character's body
the petrified condition restores your true form
is covered; the character also gains a new benefit
until the next dawn, when you revert to a glass
(up to level 4) and a new drawback, in addition to
statue.
retaining the ones from lower levels. A character
can choose to fail the saving throw, and a character
instantly becomes aware of any new benefits and ASSESSING THE MARK
drawbacks. Whether making use of their own experience and
This progression means that the adventure might knowledge or seeking information from the sages
end after 12 days as a character succumbs to the of Candlekeep, the characters can assess the magic
highest level of the mark's effect, assuming that
that has afflicted them to learn the following:
character fails every saving throw.
You can adjust the progression of the mark as you • Any character who has proficiency in the Arcana
see fit. If you want to run lengthy side adventures skill and inspects the writing confirms that spells
while the characters travel overland to Baldur's such as dispel magic, greater restoration, and re-
Gate, you might lower the DC of the Charisma sav- move curse aren't powerful enough to remove it.
ing throw or call for the save at longer intervals. • With a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana)
Conversely, if the characters have access to enough check, a character determines that the affliction
magic that they're likely to finish the adventure is progressive but double-edged, granting benefits
quickly, the effects of the mark might increase as well as negative effects. (The characters would
by one level every day at dawn with no saving be correct to assume that the drawbacks outweigh
throw allowed. the benefits, but there's no way to know until the
benefits and drawbacks are bestowed.)
IN UIRIES IN CANDLEKEEP In response to any discussion of the mark that has
appeared on the characters, Ramilir suggests that
Knowing that The Scrivener's Tale came to them
they speak with one of the Great Readers of Can-
from Ramilir, the characters are likely to question
dlekeep: Teles Ahvoste, a scholar who specializes
him about the book's origins. Horrified at having
in curses. The acolyte arranges that meeting, then
mistakenly given the characters the tome, the aco-
escorts the characters to Teles a few hours later.
lyte does what he can to make amends.
Ramilir (a human commoner) is a hardworking, GREAT RE A DER TELES AH VOSTE
earnest man in his mid-forties. He takes great pride Teles Ahvoste (a human archmage) is Candlekeep's
in his work-and is mortified by his mistake. He foremost expert on the subject of curses. Born
explains how The Scrivener's Tale came to Candle- and raised in the magocracy of Halruaa, Teles has
keep under the condition that no one ever open it, always been comfortable around magic but also
and that it has been shelved with other dangerous understands its inherent dangers.
volumes for ten years. While collecting books for If the characters are still seeking any of the in-
several scholars at the same time, Ramilir guesses formation in the "Assessing the Mark" section,
that he must have accidentally taken The Scriv- Ahvoste can provide it. Teles can also reveal that
ener's Tale instead of a book intended for another The Scrivener's Tale was brought to Candlekeep by
scholar, then placed the unrecogn ized tome in with Machi) Rillyn, an adventurer from a noble family
the characters' books. A successful DC 10 Wisdom in Baldur's Gate. Teles doesn't know what became
(Insight) check confirms that the acolyte's mistake of Rillyn, but if the characters don't automatically
was an honest one. think about traveling to Baldur's Gate to question
the noble, Teles suggests they do so.
SEEKING HIGHER KNOWLEDGE At your discretion, Teles might offer to stay in
As they t ry to learn more about the affl iction that has touch with the characters once they leave Candle-
befallen them , the characters might use mag ic such as keep, providing support and answering their ques-
commune, divination, or legend lore spells . The Princess tions by way of sending spells.
of the Shadow Glass has the ability to misdirect such
Personality Trait. "I crave new experiences, per-
inquiries.
The Scrivener's Tale. Questions asked about the spectives, and ways of connecting ideas."
book with commune or divination spells yield only the Ideal. "The gods have hidden the great
information given earlier in the adventure. The legend truths throughout the world and tasked us with
lore spell returns only the following response: "The finding them."
shackle that is the key, the prison bu ilt by a prisoner." Bond. "Halruaa will always be my home."
That cryptic clue refe rs to the manner in which the Flaw. "It's not that I want to tell stories out of or-
book binds the Princess of the Shadow Glass , even as
der. It's just important sometimes to circle back and
it allows her to magically mark the book's readers and
others near and dear to them.
explain things properly."
Princess of the Shadow Glass. Commune and divi-
nation spells reveal nothing about the Princess of the A MYSTERIOUS DREAM
Shadow Glass , who has magically hidden her history
After gaining the level 1 benefit and drawback of
under other names. If the characters learn the names
" Nintra Siotta" or "Lady of Dread Omens " later in the
the scrivener's mark, the characters experience a
adventure and use those names in their inquiries , such dream that comes to them during a time of rest, rev-
magic returns the hoped-for results . erie, or quiet reflection. Even characters who don't
The legend lore spell returns an especially cryptic sleep have the dream. If the characters don't rest at
result for the princess: "Glass omens, dread crowns , the same time, you might decide that only the first
three princesses , shadow lady, deathless is the seeker." character who rests has the dream.
The response alludes to each of Nintra Siotta's known Read the following boxed text only to the players
titles-Princess of the Shadow Glass, Lady of Dread
Omens , and Seeker of the Three Crowns .
whose characters experience the dream (preferably
Haven of the Red Quill. When the characters learn out of earshot of those players whose characters
the name of the ancient library beneath the fallen city didn't have the dream). If all the characters have the
of Delimbiyran, commune and divination return no dream, read the boxed text to everyone:
information regarding the site, because it is warded
against divination magic as a side effect of the scriv-
ener's binding ritual. Legend lore returns the following:
"Where once was a dream of kinship and valor, dispa -
rate kin under three crowns , wisdom was preserved in
deep places . In that depth was a great deed done , the
qu ill named , and the scrivener showed his cunn ing."
-
VOICE OF THE PRINCESS of Baldur's Gate, known as patriars, generally keep
to the Upper City, which is built on high ground.
When the characters became imbued with the scriv-
The Lower City, closer to the river, holds the middle
ener's mark, the magic of The Scrivener's Tale tied
classes and is the site of much of Baldur's Gate's
them to the Princess of the Shadow Glass. After
long-simmering class conflict. The city's poorest
the first assault by agents of the Queen of Air and
folk live in the Outer City, a series of squalid neigh-
Darkness, the princess communicates telepathically
borhoods located outside the city walls.
with a character of your choice. See the end of the
adventure for her stat block and guidance on how to RILLYN HOUSE
portray her.
After arriving in Baldur's Gate, the characters can
The princess, who does not reveal her true name
make general inquiries about the retired adven-
claims to be the only one who can destroy the '
turer and patriar Machil Rillyn. They learn that
Queen of Air and Darkness and free the Gloaming
Rillyn House, his noble estate, is in the Upper City.
Court from that tyrannical ruler. It's clear that the
Their inquiries also inform the characters that
speaker's hatred of the queen runs deep, as she's
Machil died ten years ago (not long after gifting The
unable to keep her scorn out of her voice.
Scrivener's Tale to Candlekeep), having built up a
The princess insists that the characters free her,
fortune as an adventurer but squandering most of it
in exchange for which she will end "the scrivener's
before his death. His family is now led by his niece,
curse" placed upon them. The characters can't tell
Yvandre, who has only recently begun to regain her
whether she's lying or not, since she's nothing more
family's former standing.
than a voice in their heads. She claims she's being
The characters' status as seasoned adventurers
held in the ruins where Machi! Rillyn found The
means they have no difficulty entering the Upper
Scrivener's Tale and tells the characters (truthfully)
City, finding Rillyn House, and arranging an audi-
that she doesn't know where those ruins are. (She
ence with Yvandre Rillyn. Taresson the butler (a hu-
knows that the ghost of the scrivener, whose name
man commoner) meets them at the gate and takes
was Zyrian, still lingers where the book was found.
their message to Yvandre. If he can see the writing
She wants the characters to destroy Zyrian's ghost
on their skin resulting from the scrivener's mark
so that she can free herself from The Scrivener's
Taresson recognizes the mark from having seen 'it
Tale, but she doesn't share that information yet.)
on Machil Rillyn and promptly brings the characters
If the characters require further enticement, the
to see Yvandre.
princess offers to immediately bestow upon each
of them the following supernatural charm (see the YVANDRE RILLYN
Dungeon Master's Guide for more information on The driving force behind the Rillyn family's revival,
supernatural charms), which she can do even while Yvandre (a human veteran) is an iron-willed and
imprisoned. accomplished swordfighter as well as a rising polit-
CHARM OF THE SHADOW GLASS
ical figure in Baldur's Gate. Her manner is brusque
but professional. She is happy to deal with anyone
This charm allows you to cast the shatter spell (save
who appears likely to further her family's goals, but
DC 16) as an action, no components required. The
she can be ruthless toward those who cross her. A
next time you finish a short or long rest after cast-
former member of the Flaming Fist, she has many
ing the spell, you gain temporary hit points equal to
friends in that mercenary company who would be
double your proficiency bonus. Once it is used three
only too happy to make trouble for the characters on
times, this charm goes away.
her behalf.
If Yvandre is attacked, ld4 guards arrive at the
BALDUR's GATE end of each of her turns until twenty have appeared.
The city of Baldur's Gate lies some 150 miles Personality Trait. "Complicated problems are de-
north of Candlekeep. Overlooking the River Chion- feated in the same manner as overwhelming forces:
thar, it is one of the dominant trading hubs on the divide and conquer."
Sword Coast and home to much wealth, greed, and Ideal. "The Rillyn clan must put aside its past
corruption. scandals and return to our values of honorable
A number of separate agencies keep a semblance behavior and hard work."
of order in Baldur's Gate. The most widely known Bond. "My family comes first, in every word
among them is the Flaming Fist, a mercenary and action."
company that deals out violence freely to keep the Flaw. "I can't hide my scorn for laziness, or the
middle and lower classes in line. The wealthy elite arrogance of other patriars."
The walls of this chamber show cracks and other Decaying desks , chairs , and lecterns fill this chamber.
signs of stress from the weight of fifty feet of earth Three smooth, one-foot-diameter crystal hemispheres
and stone above, but have so far remained standing. protrude from the ceiling, evenly spaced along the
The floor is covered in a thick layer of rot and debris, center of the room from east to west.
within which can be seen scraps of leather, the husks A concave wall on the far side of the room has a
of countless dead insects, and bits of rusted metal. steel-banded stone door in the middle of it. Three
A doorway in the far wall has collapsed and is fully sharp-edged glyphs are cut into the surface of
blocked by a pile of rubble. the door.
Though this area appears dangerous at first glance, Scholars and guests of the library once worked and
a dwarf or any character who has a background taught in this area. The furniture here is of similar
or a proficiency related to stonework can tell that construction to that seen in area H3, surviving for
it's stable. centuries in the relatively dry environment of the
Ten years earlier, Machi! and his companions haven but eventually succumbing to rot.
collapsed the archway in the north wall as they left, The room is dark when the characters enter. Any
leaving it blocked. A Small character can squeeze creature in the room that speaks the command
through gaps in the rock with a successful DC 20 word "candesca" causes the three crystal hemi-
Dexterity check, but unless the characters pass the spheres in the ceiling to glow, filling the room with
barrier by magical means, it needs to be cleared. bright light. The hemipsheres go dark again as soon
For each hour of work, one character can make a as there are no longer any creatures in the room.
DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check or Intelligence Warded Door. The door in the center of the
check using mason's tools. On a failed check, a concave wall opens by sliding into the wall, but it's
character triggers a short rockfall and takes 7 (2d6) sealed by powerful magic. The door is airtight and
bludgeoning damage. After three successful checks, imbued with a dimensional lock that prevents char-
the archway is cleared. acters from teleporting through it. It is impervious
to damage, and its magic cannot be dispelled or dis-
H3. CENTRAL CHAMBER missed by anything short of a wish spell. Opening
the door requires fitting the three key runes carried
Though a layer of debris and dead insects coats the by the haven's stone golems (see below) into the
floor of this area, its contents remain largely intact. three indentations on the door. Any character who
has proficiency in the Arcana skill recognizes that
Four trestle tables, a side table set with what looks
the indentations have the shape of arcane glyphs.
like cups, and two dozen chairs stand covered in dust.
Any inspection of the indentations suggests that
each is meant to have an object of the same shape
Clearing the dust from the furniture shows that pressed into it.
all the pieces are constructed of heavily lacquered The first time a character tries to damage the
wood. Half are afflicted with dry rot, but the other sealed door or open it with an ability check or
pieces are in good condition. The side table holds magic, or if a character touches any of the indenta-
a tea urn and two dozen teacups, all coated in a tions, the ghostly figure of an elf steps through the
vermilion glaze. door. (If the characters try to break through the door
Three other 10-foot-wide open archways lead by dealing damage to it with a spell, go to "Opening
out of this area, which was once a meeting and the Door" below. The fight that immediately en-
dining hall. The archway to the west has the word sues will have the characters taking on the haven's
"CANDESCA" inscribed above it (see area H4). guardians without knowing what's going on, but the
Treasure. The tea service is fragile but can be ghost of Zyrian the scrivener can fill them in during
sold for 150 gp if it is safely transported out of the battle.)
the ruins. The spectral elf initially ignores the characters
and wanders around the room, nodding and moving
his mouth as if speaking to unseen people. If the
characters interact with the ghost, or after a few
minutes of this one-sided silent conversation, it fi.
nally takes notice of them.
HAVEN OF THE RED QUILL 1 square = 5 feet
G = Stone golem location
M = Mummy location
Zyrian the Scrivener. The ghostly figure is Zyrian haven't sussed out. He then relates how, shortly be-
the scrivener, the archmage who created the Haven fore the fall of Phalorm, the Princess of the Shadow
of the Red Quill to preserve the lore of Phalorm. Glass attempted to subvert and destroy that king-
Zyrian (use the ghost stat block) doesn't attack the dom and was bound into The Scrivener's Tale by a
characters unless attacked first. He disappears if powerful ritual created by Zyrian. The ghost can't
reduced to O hit points, but the magic that binds him open the sealed door into the great library (area H8),
to this place causes him to re-form at full health but Zyrian can explain how the characters can do so
after 1 minute with no knowledge of any previous (see below) and how they can end the threat posed
interaction with the characters. Zyrian can be per- by Nintra Siotta (as described in area H8).
manently destroyed by reducing his ghost to O hit Throughout any of the characters' interactions
points after the haven's guardian creatures have with Zyrian, the Princess of the Shadow Glass is
been dispatched and the door sealing off area H8 a continual presence in their minds, moving tele-
has been opened. (See "Opening the Door" and pathically from character to character to frantically
"Guardian Battle" below for more information.) If warn them that the ghost is lying, and that it and its
this is done, Zyrian screams as he passes on from guardian creatures must be destroyed.
the world. Opening the Door. Generations of the haven's
If the characters attack Zyrian at once, he fights scholars bound themselves to defend the site beyond
back and begins to speak, saying, "You shall not death. Three stone golems and a number of undead
free her! I will protect the free peoples of the world scholars (now mummies) protect the site, held in
against the Princess of the Shadow Glass until the magical stasis until a threat is detected. The mas-
end of time! " If the characters show Zyrian the writ- ters of the haven once knew the rituals that would
ing of the scrivener's mark on them, the ghost im- summon the keys held by the golems, allowing easy
mediately understands what has happened to them passage through the door to the great library. With
and becomes kindly and coherent. those masters long gone, the characters must now
Zyrian can fill in any details of the story of the defeat the combined forces of the library's guard-
Princess of the Shadow Glass that the characters ians to claim the keys.
-
needs an additional edge, she can use an action to FAVOR OF THE GLOAMING COUR-T
force a character to make a DC 20 Charisma saving
Ending the threat of the Princess of the Shadow
throw. On a failed save, the character's mark be-
Glass brings the characters to the attention of the
comes one of the next higher level.
Queen of Air and Darkness- whether they want that
Nintra's End. When Nintra is reduced to O hit
attention or not. Though the queen does not deign
points, she falls to the ground, unconscious. To
to consider herself in the debt of mortals, she might
complete the process, a character with one or more
bestow favors on them if asked, or she could be-
levels of the scrivener's mark must extinguish the
come a powerful but unpredictable ally or patron.
candles, whereupon Nintra turns to ash, as does
The Scrivener's Tale in Candlekeep. The panes of A LITTLE LIGHT READING
shadow glass lose their magic when Nintra is de-
stroyed and shatter harmlessly, and the scrivener's The wealth of knowledge in the great library of the
mark fades from all the characters. Haven of the Red Quill represents an amazing find
If the ritual is not completed, Nintra regains all for the scholars of Candlekeep. If the characters
her hit points and expended spells in 1 hour. During offer up some or all of the collection for donation ,
that time, she is immune to damage. If she returns they earn the favor of the First Reader and all the
to life, Nintra summons six more shadow glass Avowed, and might develop close, permanent ties to
warriors and sets them on the characters, then the library-fortress.
tries to flee.
DRAGON MATTERS
Treasure. Any character who succeeds on a DC
18 Wisdom (Perception) check while searching If the characters harmed or killed Hastarglyrr the
through or collecting shards of shadow glass, or copper dragon, other good-aligned dragons might
who checks the shards with a detect magic spell, track them down and try to settle accounts.
notes an aura of abjuration magic around one small If the characters allowed Caustilancer the black
piece of shadow glass. That shard functions as an dragon to escape into the wild, it returns to its old
Joun stone (awareness). lair in the Lizard Marsh, not far from the town of
The books in the library amount to nearly ten Daggerford. If the characters spend time in Dagger-
thousand volumes and cover a host of subjects in- ford before setting out on their next adventure, they
cluding arcana, history, and nature. If the characters might encounter the black dragon once more as it
want to sell the collection, you can decide what it swoops over the town's walls, settles on a rooftop,
might be worth, but the characters should earn at and demands tribute from the townsfolk.
least 50,000 gp for the lot (see also "A Little Light
Reading" below). Such a reward might take the NINTRA SIOTTA, PRINCESS
form of one or two very rare magic items, a small
keep, a large parcel of land, or a seaworthy galley
OF THE SHADOW GLASS
with a full crew. Nintra Siotta, a chaotic evil archfey who was exiled
from the Gloaming Court by the Queen of Air and
CONCLUSION Darkness long ago, is known in Faerfin by three
titles: Princess of the Shadow Glass, Lady of Dread
After Nintra is defeated and the characters are freed
Omens, and Seeker of the Three Crowns. She ap-
from the threat of the scrivener's mark, the adven-
pears as a 9-foot-tall humanoid made of smoky gray
ture might wrap up in several different ways.
glass, wrapped in a cloak-like darkness that appears
ZYRIAN'S LEGACY to devour the light.
Nintra's eyes burn with green fire, and she speaks
Nintra's demise frees Zyrian from his pledge to in a high, musical voice. Deception comes naturally
guard against her return, but his ghost lingers in the to her, but imprisonment in The Scrivener's Tale
world long enough to thank the characters before has made her impatient and prone to telepathic out-
fading away. bursts that betray her cruel nature.
The characters might decide to seal the site away Personality Trait. "I have no patience for those
or take it over as a home base or stronghold. If the who are less than me- and all are less than me."
latter occurs, news of a group of powerful adventur- Ideal. "After I destroy the Queen of Air and Dark-
ers setting up shop in the ruins of Delimbiyran trav- ness for her weakness and insolence, I will take my
els quickly. Other groups might become interested rightful place at the head of the Gloaming Court."
in restoring the greatness of the fallen city or Bond. "I have many supporters in the Gloaming
searching for other dungeon complexes buried Court who worship the ground I walk on. They de-
under the ruins- and might inadvertently stumble serve a sovereign who is worthy of their love."
upon dangerous secrets and magic. Flaw. "Why should I worry about the schemes of
others? No one is my equal in cunning."
-
LAIR ACTIONS
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Nin-
tra can take a lair action to cause one of the fol-
lowing effects; she can't use the same effect two
rounds in a row:
, Nintra targets one pane of shadow glass in her
lair, causing it to explode into shards. Each crea-
ture within 20 feet of the exploding pane must
make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 13
(3d8) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as
much damage on a successful one. The shards
fade away to vapor and the pane is restored to nor-
mal at the next initiative count 20.
, Nintra targets one pane of shadow glass in her
lair, briefly transforming it into a swirling vor-
tex. One creature of her choice within 20 feet
of the pane must succeed on a DC 20 Strength
saving throw or be drawn into the vortex, taking
11 (2d10) necrotic damage. The creature is then
teleported to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of
another pane of shadow glass in Nintra's lair (de-
termined randomly).
c;1LKAZAAR'S
..
APPENDIX
···~
-----------------------
WRITTEN BY ADAM LEE
DEVELOPED BY MICHELE CARTER & CHRISTOPHER PERKINS
EDITED BY MICHELE CARTER
ADVENTURE OVERVIEW
This adventure begins when the characters read
the story of the lost golem in Alkazaar's Appendix
FINDING THE BOOKS
and discover the magic picture in the book. The Alkazaar was an adventurer of great renown . Tales
picture-portal can teleport the adventurers to the proliferate about his daring and incredible discov-
golem. The book was found by members of a tribe eries across Faerun. Knowing that the definitive
of nomadic people called the Bedine, who live in collection of Alkazaar's adventures rests within the
the desert of Anauroch. The Bedine are discussing walls of Candlekeep is reason enough for an adven-
what to do with the golem and how they can profit turer to seek out this legendary book and claim a
from it. The golem appears inactive, but the party cozy corner to read about the escapades of Alkazaar
can figure out how to activate the golem from the and his dungeon-delving companions. Alkazaar's
book. By talking with the Bedine, the adventurers Thrilling Tales is a hefty tome, but its smaller com-
learn about a ruined cave complex known as the panion- Alkazaar's Appendix-contains the intrigu-
Hall of Rainbows that could contain clues to the go- ing story of Alkazaar's one unfinished quest.
le m's origin. But the Bedine also warn that the cave The Avowed in Candlekeep could bring Alkazaar's
complex is in the territory of a deadly purple worm. Appendix to the characters' attention and approach
The adventurers travel to the Hall of Rainbows. the characters (especially if the party has visited
After defeating the worm, they discover clues that Candlekeep before) in hopes that they can complete
lead to the ruined city of Azumar. They must navi- Alkazaar's unfinished quest and perhaps procure
gate the ruins and find the vault where the golem's for the library the fabled Nether Scroll that Alkazaar
master, Prince Hamukai, now rests. believed the golem once guarded.
In the final showdown, the party must defeat a Alternatively, an ogre named Little One (see the
dracolich named Zikzokrishka and then command "Little One" sidebar in the "Candlekeep" section
the golem to open the vault and complete its mis- earlier in this book) might approach the characters
sion- to deliver the prince's body to Elysium. while they're relaxing in the Hearth and give them
the books, thinking they might be intrigued by the
tale of the lost golem.
-
BOOK DESCRIPTIONS • On the final page of the story, cryptic symbols sur-
round an illustration of the golem. If deciphered,
Alkazaar's Thrilling Tales is a weathered and
this code reveals the magic words to activate the
cracked leather-bound tome eight inches by ten picture portal.
inches by two inches thick. Embossed gold letters
proclaim the title on its lavishly decorated cover. Its THE PICTURE PORTAL
beautifully rendered interior abounds with images
The symbols bordering the illustration of the golem
of Alkazaar's handsome, mustachioed face under
unlock magic that turns the picture into a portal ,
his wide-brimmed hat. Alkazaar is often shown with
teleporting any adventurer willing to touch the por-
the wind whipping at his flowing shirt but having
tal to where the golem waits, thanks to the tracer
no effect on his tight pantaloons and shiny boots.
inscribed on it.
He's depicted looking marvelous in fantastical
Deciphering the code requires 1 hour of study. Af-
realms alongside his rugged and ready adventuring
ter that, a character knows the magic words needed
companions.
to activate the portal.
Alkazaar's Appendix is barely half an inch thick
When an adventurer activates the portal, it stays
but otherwise has the dimensions of its companion.
active for 1 minute and then reverts back to an ordi-
When it is opened, a few grains of sand fall from
nary picture. Anyone who touches the activated por-
between its crisp, dry pages. It contains the story
tal appears instantly in an unoccupied space within
of the lost golem as well as detailed drawings of
50 feet of the golem (see "Arriving in Anauroch"
a stone golem with a brilliant blue sapphire for a
later in the adventure).
heart. One of these illustrations doubles as a portal
to Anauroch (see "The Picture Portal" below).
ADVENTURE BACKGROUND
THE LosT GoLEM Long ago, the wizards of Netheril created a mag-
Adventurers who read the story of the lost golem in nificent stone golem to guard one of the Nether
Alkazaar's Appendix learn the following facts about Scrolls- a collection of dangerous scrolls that
the one quest Alkazaar couldn't complete: described the creation of magic and the nature of
the Weave. The wizards gave the golem a sapphire
• Alkazaar was searching for a Nether Scroll. This heart and magically bound a sliver from the gem to
was to be his last adventure before retiring. the right palm of its master, Hamukai. They charged
• In the Anauroch desert, he came across a wander- the young wizard-prince of the ancient nation of
ing stone golem. Alkazaar believed this golem was Anauria with guarding the priceless scroll. The
the legendary Sapphire Sentinel, rumored to have sapphires allowed both Hamukai and the golem
been created by Netherese wizards to protect one (whether together or separate) to unlock a magically
of the fabled Nether Scrolls under the control of sealed vault that held the Nether Scroll.
Prince Hamukai . The blue dragon Zikzokrishka discovered the
• The golem recognized its master's name, Ha- scroll's location, and she arrived at the vault ready
mukai, when Alkazaar mentioned it. From to destroy any and all in her path. In the ensuing
that point on the golem followed him, obeying battle, the golem gravely wounded Zikzokrishka,
his commands. but she blasted the golem with eldritch magic that
• The golem communicated through sign language. damaged its memory and hurled it to a far corner
It seemed lost and sad. of Faen1n. Thinking his golem destroyed, Hamukai
• Alkazaar met Bedine nomads who said they knew put a shield around the vault containing the scroll
of a place that held clues about the golem, but it that could be opened only by the sapphire's power.
was in purple worm territory. He followed the Be- Too weak to continue the fight , Zikzokrishka limped
dine guides until a sandstorm obscured the route. away to heal her wounds. But as she left, she in-
The camels ran off, and, after losing his guides canted a powerful Netherese curse: when the prince
and his transportation, Alkazaar called an end to died, the shield would disappear and the scroll
the expedition . would be hers for the taking.
• Before he left the desert, Alkazaar inscribed a Knowing that Zikzokrishka's curse had sealed his
magical tracer on the golem in the hope that he fate, Hamukai made a decision. Against the wishes
could find it again. of his subjects, who dearly loved him , the prince
• He begs the reader to go to Anauroch and find the ordered his wizards to perform a ritual that would
lost golem, which might lead to the discovery of a keep him on the brink of death for millennia. His
Nether Scroll. magically sustained life force would maintain the
shield that would seal him in the vault and protect
the Nether Scroll. Since opening the vault required
-
either the sapphire shard in his right palm or the THE BEDINE
golem's sapphire heart (which he assumed was de-
The Bedine are a group of disparate nomadic tribes
stroyed along with the golem), Hamukai felt sure of
the scroll's safety. that interact with one another in the desert of Anau-
roch. Bedine tribes differ in how friendly or hostile
Zikzokrishka returned with an army, intent on
they are to outsiders. But all Bedine obey a code
ripping the sapphire from the prince's head. She
of hospitality and honor, and they provide shelter,
scattered the populace and reduced the prince's
food (goat cheese and dates), and drink (strong tea
city of Azumar to ruin. To her dismay, she found
or water) to anyone who visits the desert unless the
the prince's tomb to be impregnable. Howling with
visitors prove unworthy of such kindness.
rage, Zikzokrishka knew that the spell that kept the
Bedine guides know how to survive in the desert.
prince alive would thwart her curse for thousands
Stories about the magical destruction wrought by
of years, far beyond her draconic life span. In her
the Netherese on Anauroch make them wary of
thirst for power, she sought and achieved transfor-
wizards and abhor magic, believing that it brings
mation into a dracolich, willing to wait an eternity
destruction and ruin.
to outlast the spell that held Hamukai near death,
Bedine are dark-haired and olive-skinned, with
knowing his life force would one day dissipate and
brown eyes. They wear a loose-fitting, linen robe
the vault would become openable.
called an aba, covered by a dark cloak called a
As she held her vigil, the desert wasteland of
jellaba. They carry daggers and scimitars as weap-
Anauroch consumed the city. Believing the golem
ons, and some use eagles and falcons to catch prey
and its sapphire to be destroyed, Zikzokrishka now
such as small antelope and hares.
lies coiled around the vault's entrance, waiting with
The Bedine speak Common.
the patience of undeath for the death of the prince,
surrounded by her undead minions and jealously PESH
guarding her promise of godhood. 16-year-old human nomad
Pesh has the naive charm of a young human adult
ARRIVING IN ANAUROCH but is also wise to the unforgiving ways of Anau-
Created by fearsome magic, the ancient desert of roch. He warms up to kind adventurers quickly (es-
Anauroch hides ruined cities under its sands. The pecially if they offer gifts).
most famous include the lost cities of Netheril, an Personality Trait. "I want to learn about
empire of wizards doomed by their lust for mag- everything."
ical power. Ideal. "Life is an adventure."
When the characters come through the portal, Bond. "My grandfather is my best friend."
read the following: Flaw. "Sometimes I put curiosity before caution."
SHAMIR
The desert sun blinds your eyes, and you feel the heat
64-year-old human nomad
trying to pull every bit of moisture from your body.
The bone-dry air makes each breath burn hot and
Shamir is Pesh's grandfather. He's cautious and
pragmatic, with a kind and honorable heart. As an
taste of the baked earth.
elder of a Bedine tribe, he is wary of magic users
Below you, about fifty feet away, a camel watches and not above scolding them, citing the folly of the
two desert nomads unearth a hulking stone golem Netherese and how their arrogance destroyed a
half-buried in the sand. Intent on their investigation of once lush and verdant land.
the golem, they don't notice your arrival. Shamir is cautious and superstitious, but he's also
intelligent and curious. The blue circle painted on
the golem's chest and the symbols on its body make
The two desert nomads (use the bandit stat block) him think it's the same golem he heard about as a
and a camel they call Old Stink (for good reason) boy. His grandmother used to tell a strange story
hail from a Bedine tribe. They are discussing what about a foreigner named Alkazaar and a lost golem
to do with the golem. Their curiosity about its poten- with a sapphire heart that once guarded a powerful
tial value conflicts with their fear of disturbing items treasure. He believes this to be the same golem. His
of Netherese origin. The golem sits motionless, its grandmother tried to guide Alkazaar to the caves
eyes glowing dimly. of Haruun, but a sandstorm created by a wild djinni
The Bedine nomads are wary of the characters drove them back. A cavern inside Haruun called the
until they assess the party's intentions. A successful Hall of Rainbows holds colorful paintings, some of
DC 12 Charisma check quickly allays their fears. which depict a golem.
ALKAZAAR' S APPENDIX
Attempting to pry out the sapphire in its chest
TRAVEL IN ANAUROCH
activates the golem, and it does not take kindly to
thieves. If provoked further, it fights to the death. Due to its magical history, Anauroch is more than
a barren wasteland and a hostile desert climate to
WHAT PESH AND SHAMIR THINK those who wander within its borders. Anauroch
Pesh and Shamir are both suspicious and im- holds lost cities, savage monsters, and more than its
pressed when the golem wakes. Pesh, in particular, share of otherworldly phenomena.
thinks the golem is the coolest thing since sliced Traveling across the desert by day is not recom-
goat cheese and wants to learn all about it. Shamir mended. Use the extreme heat rules in the Dungeon
thinks the golem is valuable and will lead to a big Master's Guide for daytime travel in Anauroch.
treasure. Both are keen to go on a treasure hunt and Traveling in the cool of the night is the best way
offer to guide the adventurers to Haruun. Shamir to journey across the desert, but explorers should
reminds the characters that the area is purple worm beware of nocturnal creatures hunting for prey.
territory. The Bedine travel mostly by night, along the an-
cient roads and paths that crisscross Anauroch.
ROLEPLAYING THE GOLEM Some of these paths are invisible on the ground,
The golem expresses itself through a variety of ex- and the Bedine navigate by using the stars at night.
pressions and postures, much like Frankenstein's Groups of Bedine might be traders carrying goods,
monster. Characters can infer the golem's intent scouts looking for food, or bandits hoping to raid
through its gestures and body language. The golem merchant caravans that try to shortcut their way
rubs its head when it's confused, becomes animated across the desert rather than circumnavigate it.
when it's excited, and slumps its shoulders when it The Bedine nomads can act as guides for lost
loses hope. characters, offer clues for stuck players, and provide
The golem also employs a unique sign language food and water for adventurers in desperate need.
created by its master, Hamukai. Any character who
spends 1 hour observing the golem as it uses this DESERT ENCOUNTERS
sign language can, with a successful DC 20 Wis- If the players are restless or spoiling for a fight, use
dom (Insight) check, learn enough of the language the following encounters. Pesh and Shamir avoid
to communicate with the golem on a basic level. combat and try their best to stay out of harm's way.
A character who fails the check can repeat it after
spending another hour watching the golem commu- WANDERING MONSTERS
nicate in this fashion. , The characters encounter three cyclopes who
The golem's memories are damaged and it wants are bickering at each other while looking for food.
to return to its master, Prince Hamukai. It has They have Bedine prisoners tied up in their lair- a
vague impressions of its past. The golem can be as cavernous crack inside a granite escarpment that
communicative or as noncommunicative as you like. juts out from the sands.
, Two rakshasas masquerading as Bedine nomads
KEEPING THE GOLEM ALIVE
named Imura and Sikkat offer to guide the party
For story purposes, the golem or its sapphire must to a magic oasis. The rakshasas attack the charac-
reach area V3 for the vault to be opened. On seeing ters as soon as they let down their guard.
the golem restored, Zikzokrishka can't contain her
glee. She tries to destroy the golem so she can use STONE ANDROSPHINX
the sapphire to open the vault and steal the Nether The characters find a sandstone sphinx crouched
ScroJJ. If the dracolich is defeated, the golem goes to atop a granite pedestal. Bleached humanoid bones
be reunited with its master and complete its mission lie half-buried in the sand around the pedestal.
to deliver Hamukai's body and the Nether ScroJJ Any character who touches the sphinx telepathi-
to Elysium. cally receives the following riddle:
Over the course of the journey, the golem might
face mortal peril. If it drops to O hit points, the go-
Forked like a serpent's tongue,
lem stabilizes and topples over but isn't destroyed.
It doesn't make death saving throws, and it can be I spark the thunder's peal;
revived and repaired using healing magic. If if has With every stroke, the storm is wrung
0 hit points after being struck by a disintegrate spell Of darkness by my zeal.
or similar magic, the golem is obliterated, but the What am I?
sapphire is left behind.
ARRIVAL AT HARUUN
Haruun was a series of natural caves set into a cliff
face that comprised one wall in a twisting maze of
canyons. Those who fled the destruction of Azumar
thousands of years ago used this area as a refuge.
Over time, they carved and painted the interiors
with the story of their prince, the golem, the battle,
and the vault containing the Nether Scroll.
~
Within the last five centuries, all the caverns ex-
cept one have been reduced to rubble as the area 1 square = 5 feet
fell under the sway of a purple worm. Only a small -~~
section of the old cavern complex now remains- the
Hall of Rainbows.
When the characters arrive, read the following: HI. CAVE ENTRANCE
As the characters approach the entrance, a horrid
The landscape around you bears the scars of a purple stench hits their nostrils. Any Bedine with the party
worm's habitation, a complex of caves that collapsed grip their weapons and remark grimly, "Worm dung.
as the worm created its rubble-filled tunnels. You Move carefully."
As they enter the cave, the characters see that
see a crack in the face of a cliff that looks like an
the walls are sculpted and chiseled, empty sconces
entrance to an undamaged cave. Around it, a few dot the walls, and chunks of stucco- once brightly
fifteen-foot-diameter, rubble-filled holes provide clear painted with scenes and writing- lie crumbled on
evidence of a purple worm's passage. Vultures circle the floor. Long, viscid, rubbery tubes of glistening
overhead, as if anticipating scraps. purple worm dung lie strewn about, giving off their
acrid odor.
ALKAZAAR'S APPENDIX
---- -
The dragon's name translates as Zikzokrishka. The OPTIONAL ENCOUNTER
inscription reads: "Here the Sapphire Sentinel is .
If the characters are struggling or you worry about
destroyed in the terrible battle against the dragon
their ability to defeat the dracolich at the end of the
Zikzokrishka, who curses Hamukai."
adventure, this encounter adds a "here comes the
MURALE cavalry" possibility to bail them out if they face se-
rious trouble. You can also use this encounter as a
purely feel-good moment.
This mural shows the young man being entombed in As the characters make the trek from Haruun to
a sarcophagus along with a golden cylinder inscribed the necropolis, you can place this encounter in their
with symbols. Three wizards with unique hats cast path. The journey to Azumar takes a few days. A Be-
a spell on the young man, whose eyes are closed. dine guide fills each night around the campfire with
Mourners crowd all around. Small labels identify the horrifying stories about the accursed city.
figures, and there's a larger inscription below. OGRUHL THE DRAGON TORTOISE
If you use this encounter, read the following:
The labels translate as Prince Hamukai of Azumar
and the three wizards Abzin, Kaalin, and Sharisa. You crest a dune and see a rocky escarpment in the
The inscription reads: "Here Hamukai enters the distance with small cave entrances all over its surface.
eternal sleep to avert the dragon's curse and is
Dozens of tiny humanoid creatures dash back into the
sealed in slumber with the Nether Scroll."
caves, sensing your presence.
MURALF
-
If freed, Ogruhl expresses its immense gratitude To keep the characters on their toes, you can use
and eagerly wants to reclaim its ancestral territory. one of the following encounters.
The bravest chwingas come out to bestow a charm
on each of the characters. HANDS OF THE DEAD
A 20-foot-square area underneath the characters
NECROPOLIS OF AZUMAR erupts with hundreds of skeletal arms that try to
drag them down into the sands.
A consortium of wizards secretly used Azumar, a Each character must succeed on a DC 17 Dex-
small Netherese city, to house one of the Nether terity saving throw or be caught in the iron grip
Scrolls under a mastaba that they built near the city of ld4 + 1 skeletal arms that are anchored to the
center. The city fell into ruin thousands of years ago sands. Each arm has AC 13 and 10 hit points. They
and is now surrounded by sand dunes that partially
try to drag a captured character underground (use
bury its outer walls and buildings. No structures the quicksand rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide).
on the surface aside from the mastaba remain com- Not until all the arms holding a character are de-
pletely intact. stroyed can that character pull itself out of the sand
This place feels like a graveyard, where battle and or be pulled out by others.
the sands of time destroyed a city and its popula-
tion. It's eerily silent except for the hissing of the CONSORTIUM OF THREE
sandstorm in the distance. Despite the silence, the The party encounters three flameskulls floating
characters can't shake the feeling that they're being around the ruins, each wearing an odd, tattered
watched (even though the city is clearly abandoned). hat. With a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investi-
As the characters enter the necropolis, read the gation) check, a character recalls the hats worn by
following boxed text: the wizards on the murals in the Hall of Rainbows.
(One or more players might remember this even if
You see before you a city that has long fallen to ruin. their characters don't.) The flameskulls are startled
upon seeing the adventurers and begin chattering
Scoured husks of once-magnificent stone buildings
to one another, wondering what to do about these
jut out of the desert like rotted teeth. Emerging from
strange visitors.
under the smothering sands, the remnants of ancient These are the remains of the Consortium of
streets wind their way around crumbled walls and Three, the Netherese wizards who were loyal to
through the rubble of collapsed buildings. Ahead, you Prince Hamukai. After establishing the refuge at
see and hear a sandstorm in the middle of the ruined Haruun, they honed their magic and vowed to return
city that swirls in place like the dome of an immense, to Azumar to defeat Zikzokrishka. When they did,
they discovered to their horror that Zikzokrishka
seething cathedral.
had transformed into a dracolich, becoming even
more powerful. They were defeated, transformed
The golem points to the sandstorm and seems puz- into flameskulls by the dracolich, and commanded
zled about what to do next. to guard her necropolis for eternity. Though their
minds are warped by their current state, if the char-
EXPLORING THE NECROPOLIS acters try to befriend the flameskulls- invoking
As the characters explore the necropolis, describe their names and appealing to their loyalty to the
the scene to keep them on edge- the desolation, the prince- the flameskulls offer to help. A character
scent of scorched sand, and the hiss of the sand- must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion)
storm that increases in volume as they draw near. check to sway the flameskulls. Charisma (Deception
With the exception of the mastaba (see area Vl), or Intimidation) checks do not work on them.
the necropolis consists of a series of ruined stone If the characters antagonize the flameskulls or fail
walls jutting out of the sand and patches of paved to communicate with them, the flameskulls either
streets revealed by the howling winds. The swirling attack or flee to alert Helmdar, the storm giant
sandstorm at its center can be seen and heard from skeleton in area Vl.
anywhere in the necropolis.
The necropolis also contains buried treasures. A MAGIC SANDSTORM
character who searches for an hour and succeeds A dome of swirling, scouring sand covers the mas-
on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds taba (Hamukai's tomb) at the heart of the necropo-
some hidden treasure determined by rolling on the lis. Zikzokrishka created this disturbance to keep
Treasure Hoard: Challenge 5- 10 table in the Dun- everyone else out until she gains the Nether Scroll.
geon Master's Guide. Up to four such hoards can be When the adventurers arrive at the outer edge of
found before the city is picked clean . the sandstorm, read:
ALKAZAAR'S APPENDIX -
:
__ ~ -- . . . ·
100 ft.
·. - .
50
·. 0~00 250 500
fee• I
-- .. - .
,;.. . •
MASTABA
UNDERGROUND LEVEL
Upto
V2
0 0 0 0
ALKAZAAR'S APPENDIX
You see a dome-shaped sandstorm, four hundred feet
VI. MASTABA
wide, before you. Flashes of purple lightning course This mastaba is a 20-foot-high mesa built from SO-
to 80-ton megaliths in the form of a step pyramid
through the roiling storm, and the sound of the sand
with a mausoleum on top of it. A ruined stone wall
is nearly deafening. Scoured bones litter the ground
surrounds the mastaba, which is the only structure
beneath it, and the stone of the nearby ruins has been still standing in the area.
gouged by its ceaseless winds. Inside the wall, sand lies in deep drifts over the
stone floor. Three giant scorpions and four wights
hide under the sand at each end of the mastaba, in
The dome of swirling sand is 80 feet thick. The
the locations indicated on the map, ready to attack
properties of the sandstorm are as follows:
anyone who climbs the nearest steps. The wights
• Any creature that enters the sandstorm for the chant a word in Netherese ("Meat!") in a rasping
first time on a turn or starts its turn in the storm chorus as they advance. If fighting breaks out at
takes 55 (lOdlO) slashing damage. either end of the mastaba, a storm giant skeleton
• Creatures in the sandstorm are blinded. (see the accompanying stat block) lying dormant on
The golem's dispel magic creates a 20-foot-wide, top of the mausoleum awakens and attacks.
20-foot-high tunnel through the sandstorm that lasts The storm giant, Helmdar, was sent to destroy two
for 1 minute. frost giant criminals who stole a horn of blasting
Those who make it through the sandstorm from a storm giant king. Helmdar completed his
emerge to see the ruined wall and the mastaba that mission but was killed by Zikzokrishka and turned
houses the vault. The following locations are keyed into an undead thrall to guard her lair.
to the map of the mastaba. TREASURE
The horn of blasting hangs across the giant's back
STORM GIANT SKELETON and is sized for a storm giant. However, it magically
Huge undead resizes to fit in the hands of whoever holds it.
-
V3. DRACOLICH'S ANTECHAMBER the line must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving
throw or take 10 (3d6) lightning damage.
If She's Winning. All Zikzokrishka cares about is
At the bottom of the stairs, you see a thirty-foot-wide
getting her claws on the Nether Scroll. During her
by sixty-foot-long hall lit with blue crystals that are encounter with the characters, she bargains with
set into the walls and pillars in the room. At the far them or issues threats to make them use the golem's
end, a dais stands before a limestone door inscribed sapphire heart to open the door to the vault.
with symbols and glyphs that glow dimly. Framing the If the fight goes poorly for the characters and they
door, the crystallized bones of a dragon are embed- helped Ogruhl earlier, the dragon tortoise might
come to their aid, tearing through the mastaba with
ded in the wall, its wings outstretched.
its claws to aid its saviors.
If She's Losing. If Zikzokrishka is reduced to 50
Zikzokrishka, an adult blue dracolich, guards hit points or fewer, she tries to escape. If she can't
the doorway to the vault. She lies flush against the escape, she begs and offers extravagant lies about
wall and ceiling over the far door so that she looks fabled Netherese power-eternal life, wealth beyond
like a decoration. A character who looks closely, imagining, mastery of magic-to postpone her de-
underneath the crystalline deposits on the skeleton, mise or give her time to escape. If all else fails, she
can see that one of the dragon's eyes has been de- fights to the death, cursing the characters and tell-
stroyed (hearkening back to the murals in the Hall ing them she will hunt them down. If the characters
of Rainbows). don't find and destroy her phylactery, the dracolich
makes good on her threat (see "Zikzokrishka's Phy-
PLAYING THE DRAGON lactery" at the end of the adventure).
Seeing the golem that she thought was destroyed
fills Zikzokrishka with glee, because its sapphire TREASURE HOARDS
is the key to opening the vault. Her long vigil is at Zikzokrishka has divided her treasure into two sep-
an end. She orders the characters to use the golem arate hoards (marked "a" and "b" on the map) and
to open the door. She can also try to bargain with carefully buried them under the flagstones of the
them, offering treasure from her hoard (see below) floor. A successful DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation)
or power once she obtains the Nether Scroll. or Wisdom (Perception) check discovers the troves,
Lair Actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initia- or the party can find them by spending at least 30
tive ties) whenever she is in area V3, Zikzokrishka minutes searching the antechamber.
can take a lair action to cause one of the follow-
ing effects. She can't use the same effect two Treasure Hoard A
rounds in a row: 4,450 gp
370 pp
• Part of the ceiling collapses above one creature
Spell scroll of wish
that the dracolich can see. The creature must suc-
Wand of polymorph
ceed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 21
(6d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone Treasure Hoard B
and buried under rubble. A buried creature is
1,240 ep
restrained and unable to stand up. A creature can
Staff of withering
use an action to try to pull itself or another crea-
ture out of the rubble, doing so with a successful +2 longbow
DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. A petrified chwinga (see the end of the adventure for its stat
• A cloud of sand swirls in a 20-foot-radius sphere block) that reverts to flesh when touched and uses its
centered on a point the dracolich can see within Magical Gift action to reward its liberator
60 feet of it. The cloud spreads around corners.
SEALED DOOR
Each creature in the cloud must succeed on a DC
Netherese magic seals the double door that blocks
15 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1
passage to area V4. The only way to get past the
minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at
door is through the use of the golem's sapphire. The
the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on
dispel magic property of this gem alone unlocks and
itself on a success.
breaks the spell. There is no other way, magical or
• The dracolich chooses two points that it can see,
not, to reach areas V4 and VS.
each of which must be on a solid surface, and cre-
The character who bonded with the golem can
ates a 5-foot-wide line of lightning between them.
command it to use its sapphire to break the seal and
The two points must be within 60 feet of the dra-
colich and 60 feet of each other. Each creature in open the door.
ALKAZAAR'S APPENDIX
If the golem is instructed to open the door, read
A glyph appears on the golem and illuminates, and at
the following boxed text aloud to describe this event:
the same time the scene on the west wall of the room
slowly comes to life. The carved river begins to flow,
The golem's chest opens to reveal its sapphire heart.
and the flowering plants by the river take on color
Blue light bursts from the gem and hits the double
and start to wave in a gentle breeze. The stone frame
door. The symbols on the doors glow with blue fire,
looks like a portal to this beautiful place.
accompanied by a perceptible shudder and a crackle
of magical energy. With a groan and the grinding
of stone on stone, the doors open for the first time The stone golem looks at the party member who is
in ages.
bonded with it as if awaiting its next command.
The sarcophagus is 5 feet tall and covered in
Netherese incantations that have kept the prince in
suspended animation inside it for millennia. If the
V4. HALL OF RECORDS sarcophagus is opened, the spell keeping the prince
The walls along this hallway of descending stair- alive fails. Within a matter of seconds, his body
cases contain a record of the deeds the prince ac- turns to dust.
complished in his life. The plaster and the paintings The portal is a one-way door to the plane of Ely-
are perfectly intact. Scenes include images of him sium. The symbols etched around the frame form
tending to the welfare of his people and the matters the following inscription in Draconic: "May Hamu-
of the city, reading books, falling in love, and culti- kai find his way to Elysium and eternal rest for his
vating his garden. sacrifice."
About halfway down the staircase, the paintings
TREASURE
turn to depicting the entombment of the prince, the
spell cast by the wizards of Netheril, the sealing Inside the sarcophagus are the following treasures:
of the prince in the sarcophagus with the Nether • The Nether Scroll of Azumar (see the item's
Scroll, the return of Zikzokrishka, and the destruc- description below) inside a 24-inch-long, 5-inch
tion of Azumar. As the golem views these murals, diameter cylinder made of wood and encased in
sand begins to trickle from its eyes. a sheet of gold (500 gp); the scroll is a thin sheet
Closer to area VS, the paintings depict more of hammered copper etched with Draconic writing
recent events: the characters' journey from Candle- • Gold funerary items wrapped into the prince's
keep, their first contact with the golem, their adven- shroud (2,500 gp)
tures across Anauroch , their exploration of Haroun, • A platinum death mask (5,000 gp)
and their encounter with Zikzokrishka. The final • The sapphire shard from the prince's right
painting is of the characters standing before the palm (250 gp)
prince's tomb. It shows them in exactly the positions • The prince's memoirs, which explain the story and
they're all holding, rendered in perfect detail. the dangers of the Nether Scroll of Azumar
ZIKZOKRISHKA'S PHYLACTERY
Zikzokrishka hid her phylactery deep within the
Scimitar Spires, a mountain range to the east of
the necropolis of Azumar. If the characters defeat
her, Zikzokrishka uses her phylactery to remateri-
alize, having long ago prepared a dragon's corpse
to house her spirit upon its return to the phylactery.
She relentlessly seeks them out, using all her evil
ingenuity to recover the Nether Scroll ofAzumar.
Zikzokrishka harbors a personal vendetta against
the characters, who remain targets of her wrath
even if they don't have the Nether Scroll.
CHWINGA
Tiny elemental Chwingas are tiny elemental spirits that exist all
over Faerun. These gentle creatures tend to nature
Armor Class 15 as humble custodians. Chwingas live inside plants,
Hit Points 5 (2d4) rocks, and springs far from civilization. Painfully
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
shy, they prefer to move about unseen.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Though no two chwingas look exactly alike, they
l (-5) 20 (+5) 10 (+O) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) all resemble 6-inch-tall animated dolls with strange
masks, spindly limbs, and wild hair. Chwingas
Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +7, Stealth +7 brighten a natural setting as they adorn their bur-
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 17
rows with colorful rocks and plants.
Languages-
Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Humanoid Fascination. Chwingas shun other
creatures, but they find the trappings of civilization
fascinating. They puzzle over creatures that wear ar-
Evasion. When the chwinga is subjected to an effect that allows
it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage , it mor, carry weapons, use tools, and cook food. When
instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and a chwinga encounters one or more humanoids, its
only half damage if it fails. curiosity compels it to shadow those creatures for a
Unusual Nature. The chwinga doesn't require air, food, or
short time and observe them. If it takes a liking to
drink. When it dies, it turns into a handful of flower petals, a a particular humanoid, a chwinga uses its cantrips
cloud of pollen , a stone statuette resembling its former self, to aid it, or bestows a magical gift before departing.
a tiny sphere of smooth stone, or a puddle of fresh water The features that attract a chwinga to a particular
(your choice). humanoid vary. A chwinga might like the way a
humanoid walks or the way it combs its hair, or be
ACTIONS
smitten by a humanoid's ability to play music or to
Magical Gift (1/Day). The chwinga targets a humanoid it can eat copious amounts of food.
see within 5 feet of it. The target gains a supernatural charm
of the DM's choice. See the Dungeon Master's Guide for more
Chwingas that live in the desert can bestow the
information on supernatural charms. following additional supernatural charms:
Natural Shelter. The chwinga magically takes shelter inside. Charm of the Mirage. This charm allows you to cast the halluci-
a rock , a living plant, or a natural source of fresh water in its natory terrain spell (save DC 15) as an action . Once used, this
space. The chwinga can't be targeted by any attack, spell, or charm vanishes from you .
other effect while inside this shelter, and the shelter doesn't im- Charm of the Water Bearer. This charm allows you to create up
pair the chwinga's blindsight. The chwinga can use its action to to l gallon of fresh water, which fills one or more empty con-
emerge from its shelter. If its shelter is destroyed, the chwinga tainers in your possession. You can do this up to thrice per day
is forced out and appears in the shelter's former space, but is for 10 days, after which this charm vanishes from you.
otherwise unharmed.
Spellcasting. The chwinga casts one of the following spells,
requiring no material or verbal components:
At will: druidcraft, guidance, pass without trace, resistance <
z
AN ADVENTURE FOR 16TH-LEVEL CHARACTERS
··•-------
~ANTHORIA__
WRITTEN BY TONI WINSLOW-BRILL
DEVELOPED BY BILL BENHAM & CHRISTOPHER PERKINS
EDITED BY KIM MOHAN
• --
After a failed save, a creature experiences the first Quiet and unassuming, Zelyth concentrates on
symptoms- body aches, nausea, slurred speech, and training new acolytes and tending to those in need,
uncontrollable drooling- ld4 hours later and gains but she's aware of the fungal plague spreading
1 level of exhaustion. Every 24 hours thereafter, like wildfire up and down the Sword Coast. She
the creature automatically gains another level of has been expecting someone to show up looking
exhaustion. Any creature killed by the saprophytic for the book.
plague transforms into a lifeless magenta ooze. Zelyth allows the characters to peruse the book
A creature infected by the saprophytic plague for and assures them it's safe to do so. (The lichen cov-
at least 24 hours behaves like a zombie and seems ering the book poses no danger.) She also shares
barely aware of its surroundings, as fungal growths the following information with the characters:
sprout from its head, body, and limbs. It feels an
• Xanthoria was a druid of Silvanus (god of wild
overriding urge to be around groups of uninfected
nature) whose forest home was threatened by un-
creatures so that it can spread the contagion. This is
dead. By researching fungi and lichen, Xanthoria
the time when infected humanoids begin speaking
hoped to create a weapon that could protect her
the word "Xanthoria" over and over, with no under-
forest against undead invaders.
standing of what the word means. This behavior is
• At some point, Xanthoria's research became more
the result of a mycelial network of spores that forms
geared toward creating a ward against death it-
a tenuous connection between Xanthoria and hu-
self, then finally toward achieving lichdom.
manoids that become infected by the plague.
• According to the book, Xanthoria never discov-
Foodstuffs that are exposed to the plague's spores
ered the source of the undead incursion that
decay or go sour within 2d12 hours, leaving behind
prompted her initial research.
a lurid magenta mass of oozing fungi. Eating in-
fected food requires a saving throw as above. Zelyth doesn't know what caused Xanthoria's slide
Any magic that cures a disease can rid a creature into madness. If questioned about the saprophytic
of the saprophytic plague. Casting purify food and plague, Zelyth muses that the book's information
drink destroys the infection in foodstuffs. could be helpful in preventing further outbreaks.
Zelyth allows the characters to spend as much
FINDING THE BOOK time with the book as they need. When they're done
Upon arriving in Candlekeep, the characters can with it, Zelyth returns the book to its vault.
use an Avowed guide to help them track down the
BOOK DESCRIPTION
book titled Xanthoria. This quest brings them to the
attention of Zelyth Lightleaf, one of Candlekeep's The book's browned pages have become swollen
sages and the foremost expert on Xanthoria-both and wrinkled due to age and exposure to moisture.
the book and its mysterious author: Crumbling yellow lichen obscures the title on the
front cover, rendering it illegible. Harmless spores
puff into the air when the book is opened. Standing
Your guide does not return. Instead, you are greeted
eight and a half inches tall and five inches wide, it
by a robed wood elf with brown hair and a plain face. has been cataloged as Xanthoria, titled after the
In her hands, she holds a book so encrusted with author who is identified inside the work.
lichen that its covers can barely be closed around its
wrinkled pages. "I believe you're looking for this," she
JOINING OF Two WORLDS
Written in Common, Xanthoria begins with a set of
says with a warm, bright smile. "My name is Zelyth
scientific essays about symbiotic relationships in na-
Lightleaf. I'm Candlekeep's foremost expert on this ture before deteriorating into confusing ramblings
book and its author." on the merits and similarities of life and death. It
describes the author's numerous experiments both
A few months ago, Zelyth Lightleaf (neutral good natural and unnatural. One of the more thorough
wood elf sage; see the "Candlekeep" section at studies details the life cycle of a worm-like parasite
the front of the book for her stat block) joined the that infiltrates different species of wasps, taking
Avowed, using the book as her entrance gift into the over their motor functions, while essentially wear-
library. She found it in an abandoned satchel near a ing their still-living bodies as a disguise so the para-
secluded cave system called the Lykortha Expanse, sites can infect other wasps.
which is known among druids for its rare fungal Ultimately, Xanthoria found a way to link her soul
growths. Zelyth assumed the book had been lost to the life force of another creature and thereby
and took possession of it. unnaturally prolong her own life, by transforming
the other creature into a phylactery.
XANTHORIA -
Characters who peruse Xanthoria learn the fol- GENERAL FEATURES
lowing additional information:
The areas that make up the Lykortha Expanse
• Xanthoria was fearful of a surge in undead in- have several common physical features, summa-
vading the forest near her home in the Lykortha rized here:
Expanse, a cave complex. She was seeking a way
Light. The complex is dimly lit by bioluminescent
to stop their spread and preserve what she viewed
fungi growing in patches on the walls.
as the natural order of things.
Fungus. The ceilings, walls, and floors are coated
• Most of the book discusses healthy symbiotic rela-
in fungal growth.
tionships in nature.
Passages. The caves and tunnels are made of un-
• The author spent time researching undead in the
worked stone. Ceilings throughout are 20 feet
hope of gaining insight into their actions and as-
high unless otherwise noted.
certaining where they could be coming from.
• As the author sinks into madness, the writing MADNESS OF ZUGGTMOY
turns into almost incomprehensible fragments, Certain effects within the Lykortha Expanse can
many alluding to her desire to combine natural life afflict characters with a type of madness brought
and the undead. on by the influence of Zuggtmoy. A greater resto-
• The end of the book records several failed at- ration spell or more powerful magic rids a char-
tempts by Xanthoria to extend her life through a acter of this madness, which otherwise lasts until
process similar to becoming a lich. There are vari- cured. The madness gives the character a new flaw
ous drawings of dissected animals and humanoids that suppresses any contradictory character trait.
alongside musings on the viability of experiment- Roll on the Madness of Zuggtmoy table to deter-
ing on fey creatures. mine the flaw .
• The sketches and margin notes get progressively
darker the farther one reads. The terms "Mycorji? MADNESS OF ZUGGTMOY
Shedaklah?" and "Lady of Lichen" appear several dl00 Flaw (lasts until cured)
times each. Furthermore, the number 222 ap-
01-20 "I see visions in the world around me that others
pears frequently throughout the latter half of the
do not."
book devoid of explanation.
21-40 "I periodically slip into a catatonic state, staring
Characters can locate the forest containing the
off into the distance for long stretches."
Lykortha Expanse on a map. If one or more charac-
ters try to draw some conclusion about the outbreak 41-60 "I see an altered version of reality, with my mind
based on the forest's location, a successful DC 20 convincing itself that things are true even in the
Wisdom (Insight) check allows them to safely con- face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary."
clude that the plague likely originated there. 61-80 "My mind is slipping away, and my intelligence
Zelyth doesn't know the meaning of the words seems to wax and wane."
"Mycorji" or "Shedaklah," nor does she know the
81-00 "I am constantly scratching at unseen fungal
significance of the number 222. If the characters
infections."
have experience fighting demons or knowledge per-
taining to the Abyss, you can allow them to make
an Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a check total of ENCOUNTER LOCATIONS
20 of higher, a character recalls that the Abyss's The following locations are keyed to the map of the
222nd layer is known as Shedaklah and sometimes Lykortha Expanse.
is called Mycorji. On a total of 25 or higher, the
character also knows that this layer is home to two Ll. ENTRANCE
demon lords: Juiblex, the Demon Prince of Oozes,
and Zuggtmoy, the Demon Queen of Fungi.
Ahead, a darkened cave mouth beckons from beneath
the forest canopy. Growths of green, brown, and gray
THE LYKORTHA EXPANSE
lichen cover the cave mouth , and a small stream flows
Characters can use the notes in Xanthoria to locate
deeper into the yawning darkness.
the Lykortha Expanse and the forest surrounding
it. This natural cave complex was created by eons of
erosion and hosts a wide array of lichen, molds, and The character who has the highest passive Wisdom
fungi-an ideal location for Xanthoria's research. (Perception) score hears faint crying coming from
Though she worked to make it suitable for habita- a small stand of stones. Investigating the cries re-
tion, it has fallen into an unhealthy state and reflects veals a tiny winged figure, head in hands. This is
the druid's deepening insanity.
momentary feeling of intense longing and hunger.
This event occurs only once.
Thunderwing was Xanthoria's friend until the
druid's mind became twisted by the influence of
Zuggtmoy, causing Xanthoria to conduct grisly
experiments on living creatures. Thunderwing
is one of Xanthoria's more recent subjects. The
sprite looks alive, yet she is subject to effects that
turn undead.
Thunderwing can't be harmed unless she chooses
to be. This is true for as long as she functions as a
living phylactery for Xanthoria. Weapons and harm-
ful effects pass through her as though she were a
mere projection.
Thunderwing accompanies the characters as they
explore the Lykortha Expanse, providing additional
information she "remembers" if they need clues.
The sprite can't remember if Xanthoria is home or
not, but she doesn't recall seeing the druid outside
the cave complex recently. Since Xanthoria moves
freely throughout the Lykortha Expanse, she could
be anywhere, according to Thunderwing.
Personality Trait. "I'm very emotional."
Ideal. "Living things should be free and wild, not
caught up in the trappings of civilization."
Bond. "I will always try to help a friend."
Flaw. "I'm such a scatterbrain. I forget important
pieces of information until something reminds me."
THUNOERWING
L2. ALCHEMIST 'S ALCOVE
XAN THORI A -
flP
ct
LYKORTHA C)
c:,
L3 °
EXPANSE
1 s quare = 10 feet
-
The figure in the vision is Zuggtmoy, with her fungal L7. KITCHEN
palace in the background. Anyone who experiences An unlocked wooden door seals off this cave. The
the vision becomes afflicted with the madness of door is covered with what is obviously a patch of
Zuggtmoy (see "Madness of Zuggtmoy" earlier in yellow mold (see the Dungeon Master's Guide). Any
the adventure). intruder who opens or otherwise disturbs the door
The vision is fleeting, and characters who experi- causes the mold to release its spores.
ence it find themselves back inside the faerie ring
when it concludes.
The stonework in this cavern suggests this area was
L6. FLOODED CAVERN once a kitchen. Pots and pans lie piled on the floor in
one corner, as if someone had started to gather them.
A huge pool of stagnant water fills this cave. Blooms Kitchen utensils are scattered about the floor, most of
of glowing green algae drift on the surface while tiny, them bent and misshapen. Open bags of spices rest
white bioluminescent fish flit around in the water. on shelves, and rat droppings are evident on every
surface.
XANTHORIA
LIO. CHARNEL PIT
The scent of decomposing vegetation is overpower-
ing in this area. Creatures of all shapes and sizes are
The stench of death is thick in this yawning cavern.
partially entombed in fungal growths resembling a
The floor slopes toward a hole rimmed with corpses
horrifying botanical garden. Ancient mushrooms as
and oozing fungi. Amputated pieces from a variety of
large as trees loom overhead, and puddles of stinking
creatures hang from the walls and ceiling in this hid-
goo dot the floor.
eous space.
The worm smashes a horde of thrashing, ani- fungi and tree-sized mushrooms, as well as more pud-
mated body parts loose from the walls. Treat the dles of ooze.
floor of the cave as difficult terrain for Medium Under one of the giant mushrooms, a robed figure
and smaller creatures until the worm's next turn. works furiously on a vivisected deer splayed across
2 The worm vomits a gout of rotten flesh in a 30- a moss-covered table. Ten feet away, a young boy
foot cone. Each creature in the cone must make a bounces excitedly in an iron cage, swinging it to get a
DC 16 Constitution saving throw. A creature takes better view of what the robed figure is working on . He
55 (l0dl0) poison damage and is poisoned for l is not afraid but seems curious, and he is clean and
hour on a failed save, or takes half as much dam- seems well fed. He addresses the robed figure, calling
age and is not poisoned on a success . her Xanthoria and asking her to show him what she's
3 The worm thrashes about in rage. Each Large or doing in an attempt to alleviate his boredom .
smaller creature in the cave must succeed on a
DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be moved 20 feet
Xanthoria, a lichen Heh (see her stat block at the
closer to the pit's edge. If this movement forces a end of the adventure), senses the characters and
creature into the pit, it takes 35 (l 0d6) bludgeon- shoots them a crooked smile. As she does so, the
ing damage from the 100-foot fall. boy's form abruptly stiffens and his body withers
4 No additional effect. into a dry husk. Stealing the life force of the boy en-
ables her to cast antilife shell immediately and with-
Treasure. Lodged in the purple worm's gullet out visibly doing so. She continues to concentrate on
is an emerald the size of a halfling's head (worth the spell as she resumes her grisly work.
25,000 gp). Once the worm is dead, a search of its Xanthoria was a half-elf druid of Silvanus, and a
gullet yields the enormous gemstone. small symbol of Silvanus hangs around her neck.
Lll. XANTHORIA'S GROV E OF HORRORS
Unfortunately for her, she fell into madness and her
An unlocked wooden door seals off this cave. The research became twisted due to the machinations
door is covered with what is obviously a patch of of Zuggtmoy. She began to perform terrible exper-
brown mold (see the Dungeon Master's Guide). Any iments on living creatures to try to find ways to
intruder who opens or otherwise disturbs the door bridge the gap between life and death. Eventually,
she turned her experiments on herself, causing her
causes the mold to release its spores.
to transform into an unholy lichen lich.
Xanthoria is quite lonely and willing to talk to the
group that has entered her grove, though she cannot
be persuaded to discontinue her experiments. She
XAN~ (22~
has been aware of the characters' presence since Convincing Thunderwing to give up her life
they first entered the ruins of Lykortha and has should be handled through roleplaying rather than
been eagerly awaiting their arrival. ability checks, although you can require the charac-
Xanthoria should be well prepared for the adven- ters to succeed on a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
turers by the time they arrive at her warped druid group check if the scene proves difficult to roleplay.
grove and laboratory. She has called a nalfeshnee If Thunderwing is convinced to sacrifice herself, she
named Danjak to her service. Danjak is an emissary lets out a deep sigh before flying about and kissing
of Zuggtmoy, and the demon's form is crusted and each character on the forehead- even the ones she
interwoven with a riotous blend of molds, lichen, doesn't like. Finally, she approaches the character
and fungi. He lurks at the back of the cave, awaiting with whom she has made the strongest connection,
Xanthoria's command before stepping out of the lies down in their open hands, and shivers slightly
shadows. Additionally, nearby lurks the rotting husk before expiring. Thunderwing can't be brought back
of an infected treant ready to defend its master. The to life by any means.
treant can't use its Animate Trees action here, since If the adventurers fail to convince Thunderwing
there are no other trees in the vicinity. In addition to to give up her life, she turns invisible and leaves
the treant, four invisible will-o'-wisps flit about the the cave complex, taking refuge in the surrounding
grove, ready to use Consume Life on adventurers forest. Xanthoria re-forms ldlO days later, appear-
who fall in battle. ing next to Thunderwing. The rejuvenated lichen
Environmental Factors. Xanthoria's grove and lich then relocates to another lair to resume her re-
the tunnel leading to it from area L9 are warded search as the plague continues to ravage Faen1n.
against magical travel by creatures other than Xan- If the characters return to Candlekeep, they find
thoria. Such creatures can't teleport into or out of Zelyth eager to hear the tale of their harrowing ex-
this area or use planar travel to enter or leave it. perience. If the characters inform Zelyth that Xan-
Effects that allow teleportation or planar travel do thoria has been destroyed, Zelyth thanks them for
function if the starting point and the destination are putting an end to Xanthoria's madness and granting
both within this area. her the final rest that she deserves.
Lost Memento. Showing Xanthoria the book
from area L7 awakens long-dormant memories of
her previous life and causes her to take no actions,
legendary actions, or lair actions until the end of her
next turn. The book affects Xanthoria in this way
only once.
XANTHORIAS DEFEAT
Once Xanthoria is defeated, the characters find the
last few pages of her notes among her possessions.
They detail her growing obsession with undead
and her success at turning Thunderwing into her
phylactery.
Armed with the information about Xanthoria's
phylactery, the characters must convince Thun-
derwing to give up her life to destroy the lichen
lich once and for all. Here are some of the
ways in which the characters might con-
vince Thunderwing to sacrifice herself for
the greater good:
• Promising to raise her friend, Bunny
Blossom the faerie dragon, from
the dead.
• Promising to complete Xanthoria's origi-
nal mission to rid the surrounding forest
ofundead.
• Destroying Xanthoria's notes so that
the process of creating a lichen lich can
never be duplicated by anyone else.
XANTHORIA -
The destruction of Xanthoria and her phylactery its next turn. The cloud lasts for 1 minute or until
halts the spread of the saprophytic plague. Crea- it is dispersed by a strong wind.
tures infected by the plague continue to suffer its • The lich commands the might of its diseased
effects but no longer utter the word "Xanthoria" as grove, creating a shambling mound. The sham-
they lose their mycelial connection to the lichen lich. bling mound appears in an unoccupied space
Moreover, their spores are no longer contagious. within 30 feet of the lich, acts on its own initiative
count, and obeys the lich's commands. The sham-
LICHEN LICH bling mound dies after 1 hour or when the lich
Lichen liches are the undead remnants of power- uses this lair action again.
ful druids. • Rotten roots and vines magically erupt in a 20-
A lichen lich looks like a skeleton covered with foot radius centered on a point on the ground that
fungi and bark-like lichen. A lichen lich has vines the lich can see within 120 feet of it. the lich is
writhing within its chest cavity. These vines exude un?ffected by the roots and vines. For all other
viscid and poisonous black fluid. creatures, the area becomes difficult terrain, and
each creature in the area must succeed on a DC
LAIR ACTIONS 19 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the
roots. As an action, a creature can try to free itself
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the
or another creature within its reach, doing so with
lichen lich can take a lair action to cause one of the
a successful DC 19 Strength (Athletics) check.
following effects:
The roots and vines wilt away when the lich uses
• Poisonous spores fill a 10-foot cube that the lich this lair action again or when the lich dies.
can see within 120 feet of it. Any creature that en-
ters the cloud for the first time on a turn or starts
its turn there must succeed on a DC 19 Constitu-
tion saving throw or be poisoned until the end of
LICHEN LICH Wither. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range 60 ft., one target.
Medium undead Hit: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage.
Fire Storm (7th-Level Spell; 1/Day). The lich fills up to ten 10-
Armor Class 20 (natural armor) foot cubes with fire. Every cube must be within 150 feet of the
Hit Points 225 (30d8 + 90) lich and occupy a space the lich can see, and each cube must
Speed 30 ft.
have at least one face adjacent to the face of another cube.
Each creature in the area must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
throw, taking 38 (7d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as
11 (+0) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 16 (+3)
much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites flammable
objects in the area that aren 't being worn or carried. If the lich
Saving Throws Con +9, Int +8, Wis +11, Cha +9
Skills Medicine +11, Nature +14, Perception +11, Survival +11
chooses, plant life in the area is unaffected by the spell.
Damage Resistances cold, necrotic Spellcasting. The lich casts one of the following spells using
Damage Immunities poison Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (save DC 19):
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened,
paralyzed, poisoned, stunned At will : druidcraft
Senses truesight 120 ft ., passive Perception 21
3/day each: detect magic.fog cloud, pass without trace
Languages Common , Druidic, Sylvan 1/day each : antilife shell, dispel magic, speak with plants, trans-
Challenge 18 (20,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +6 port via plants
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Resistance (3/Day) . If the lich fails a saving throw, it The lich can take 3 legendary actions , choosing from the op-
can choose to succeed instead. tions below. Only one legendary action option can be used at
Rejuvenation. If it has a phylactery, a destroyed lich gains a a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The lich
new body in ldl0 days, regaining all its hit points and becom- regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn .
ing active again . The new body appears within 5 feet of the Attack . The lich makes an attack.
phylactery. Poison Prick (Costs 2 Actions). The lich targets one poisoned
creature it can see within 30 feet ofit. The target must
ACTIONS succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or fall uncon-
Multiattack. The lich makes four attacks . scious until the poisoned condition ends on it.
Sap Life (Costs 2 Actions). The lich targets one creature it can
Poisonous Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit , reach 10 ft., see within 30 feet ofit. The target must succeed on a DC 19
•
one creature. Hit: 17 (5d6) po ison damage , and the target must Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) necrotic damage.
succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned The lich regains a number of hit points equal to the amount
for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of damage that the creature takes .
of each of its turns , ending the effect on itself on a success .
XANTHORIA
'-'
B10s
...GoNTRIBUTOR
::.:;:.,,<;-·-~
~\
..
GRAEME BARBER has worked as a scientific and commercial diver, CHRIS LINDSAY worked in Wizards customer service for seven years
deployed multiple times overseas with the Canadian Armed Forces, before joining the D&D team where, among other things, he leads
and done wet site archaeology. He's currently living a quieter life the D&D Adventurers League as its head Dungeon Master and
in the interior of British Columbia, where he enjoys diving, writing, chief storyteller. Chris lives in the Seattle area with his family and
and being a dad. three black cats.
BILL BENHAM is a producer and sometime writer for the D&D team, SARAH MADSEN has been an author since she wrote her first
having lived all over the world during his 20-year career in the U.S. vampire story in sixth grade and can often be found dabbing in the
Army. When he's not working on D&D, Bill enjoys overeating and background of her sons' video chats. Her simple pleasures include
watching movies with his loyal hound, a sassy French Bulldog gin cocktails, expensive lattes, and romanceable NPCs. She lives in
named Kizzy. the Atlanta area with her sons, her husband, and their dog, Brynjolf.
MICHELE CARTER began her career as an editor for TSR in 1992. KIM MOHAii is a renowned author, editor, and game designer who
She's been working on D&D projects ever since and still considers worked for TSR, Inc., and Wizards of the Coast for over 25 years. He
it the best job in the world. She lives in Maryland with her husband, was a longtime editor of Dragon magazine and the managing editor
Bill Slavicsek, and an increasingly vocal elder cat named Mouse. for the D&D game's third edition. He lives in the Seattle area with
his wife, Pamela, and their dog, Charmander.
KELLY LYIIIIE D'AIIGELO has done her fair share of storytelling,
including being the Dungeon Master for Girls Guts Glory. She has CHRISTOPHER PERKINS is a world-famous Dungeon Master who has
also written for comedy television shows, animated shows , and contributed to more than five hundred D&D products and worked
stage musicals . She currently resides in Burbank, CA, with a bucket on every edition of the game. He is one of the architects of fifth
full of hope, a mind full of dreams, and a room full of mounted edition and has been a Wizards of the Coast employee since 1997.
dragon heads. He lives in Seattle, WA, with a hell hound named Milo.
SCOTT FITZGERALD GRAY is a writer of fantasy and speculative MICHAEL POLKIIIGHORII started his professional life as a geologist.
fiction, a fiction editor, a story editor, and an editor and designer He now works in the wine industry and can often be found walking
of role playing games-all of which means he finally has the job the vineyards of Sonoma County with his family and four house
he really wanted when he was sixteen. He shares his life in the tabaxis.
Canadian hinterland with a schoolteacher, two itinerant daughters,
and a number of animal companions. TAYMOOR REHMAN works with the creative teams behind D&D
and Magic: The Gathering. He misses the snow of New York, loves
ALISON HUAIIG began creating adventures in late 2018 and nonalcoholic beverages, and wants you to be happy. This isn't the
contributed to the Uncaged anthology. She won two silver ENnie last you've seen of him.
Awards in 2020 and helps train new adventure writers as part of the
RPG Writer Workshop. She lives in Melbourne, Australia. HAIIIIAH ROSE is an editor, writer, erstwhile software developer,
and perpetual nerd. When not playing games, she enjoys cooking,
MARK HULMES is the Dungeon Master for a variety of live-streamed traveling, and reading (though usually not all at once) . She lives in
D&D shows and runs a TTRPG- and LARP-focused YouTube Seattle with her partner, James, and two feline familiars.
channel. Mark has just begun his writing and game design career
but has created lots of homebrew content, from adventures to DEREK RUIZ began his career in the tabletop roleplaying game
paladin oaths. business writing adventures and illustrating maps of wondrous
places for the award-winning Elven Tower Cartography blog. Derek
JEIIIIIFER KRETCHMER is a writer, performer, consultant, and enjoys reading and playing new RPG systems for fun. He lives in
producer for television and tabletop gaming. Jen, who has Ehlers- Mexico with his wife and two cats.
Danlos syndrome, is also an advocate for disabled accessibility,
inclusion, and representation in media and storytelling. She lives in KIEIIIIA SHAW is a wearer of many hats in the TTRPG industry,
Los Angeles, CA. working as a designer, streamer, and community creator from her
base in Canada . She is the cocurator of the TTRPG Safety Toolkit
DANIEL KWAII is a Toronto-based podcaster, game designer, and and has design credits in a variety of indie publications alongside
cultural consultant. He is the cohost and producer of the award- her self-published works.
winning Asians Represent! pod cast and has published games
such as Denizens of Mountains a{_ Seas and Ross Rifles. Daniel also BRANDES STODDARD designed crafting systems in the video game
cofounded Level Up Gaming, an organization that helps adults who - industry. From there, he resorted to designing and running LARPs,
have autism and other disabilities. then degenerated into freelance writing. He lives in Atlanta, GA,
with his wife, Rabbit, their two sons, and two cats.
ADAM LEE has been a world builder, story guy, character creator,
adventure writer, and narrative designer for Wizards of the Coast AMY VORPAHL is a comedy actor and writer, having worked on
for over 10 years. He likes all forms of cake and enjoys the silent several movies, commercials, and TV shows such as The Newsroom,
wilderness, which constantly calls to him. The Mindy Project, and Li~e from the 8th Dimension. She's all over
the internet as a digital media host, writer, and Dungeon Master.
ARI LEVITCH toils as a writer for D&D, which he will continue to do
without complaint until the terms of the curse have been fulfilled. TOIII WIIISLOW·BRILL is a supermom by day and a half-dragon
His adventure is dedicated to his dad, Elliott, to whom libraries by night, prowling the frosty reaches of Superior, WI. When not
were hallowed ground. moonlighting as the Director of Research for a mergers and
acquisitions firm, she works for Bald man Games as a project lead
writer, and editor.
CANDLEKEEP
.I
I-'
25
0 5o 100 400
feet !