D&D - Doomed Forgotten Realms 2 - Rise Vecna v2 (5e)

“Nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer; nothing is more difficult than to understand him.”

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other original material in this work is copyright 2021 by Quill & Cauldron and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. The artwork contained herein may not be used for any other works without the owner’s express written permission. Doomed Forgotten Realms Lead Scott McClintock Lead Developer Scott McClintock Concept Scott McClintock Writing Scott McClintock Marc Altfuldisch Editing Kathleen Harrington Developer Marc Altfuldisch Producer Scott McClintock Marc Altfuldisch ON THE COVER Vecna stands victorious, his cosmic malevolence leaving Toril in ruins as he prepares to conquer all of reality CREDITS Beta Readers Mark Lindner Spencer Hibnick Cartography Buck Wev Chauntea's Graveyard Escape from the Goblet Gorna's Insanitarium House of the Bright Blade The Maelstrom Thornhold Tomb of Dem'ghot'nec Xanathar's Lair Xantharl's Keep Christian Zeuch Sword Coast Daniel F. Walthall Triboar James Wright Helm's Hold Mirabar Interior Artwork Dean Spencer Baba Harpell Colbornia Dem’ghot’nec Glumglum Racine Ramur Veteran of the Twenty Zepara's Perfect Blade Harley Dela Cruz Corrupted Tree Zombies Jimmy Nijs Chief Guh Igor and Yip Lord Tyranax Pile of Bones Rain Giant Mummy The Krakolich Xanathar and Sylgar Raluca Marinescu Vecna Project Manager Scott McClintock Layout, Graphic Design, and Product Engineering Marc Altfuldisch Art Direction Marc Altfuldisch Cover Illustrator Raluca Marinescu (Vecna) Marc Altfuldisch (Backdrop) Creative Consultants Eric Tkachuk James Wright JVC Parry Mike Sell Playtesters Balkohm Caebrek Damarius Sunstalker Drizlav Fakalyn Sylvaranth hank you for purchasing the second volume of the Doomed Forgotten Realms adventure path. Your players are about to step into a version of the Forgotten Realms where evil rules and Vecna reigns supreme. Some of the details regarding Vecna’s ascension are included within the adventure, and more will be included within future titles. However, much has intentionally been left vague. We encourage you, the DM, to personalize your own campaign by adding these additional details. What does a version of the Forgotten Realms, where evil ultimately triumphs, look like to you? What throwbacks and easter eggs would have the greatest impact on your players? Only you know for certain. Although we have tried to be as detailed as possible we encourage you to go off the rails. And when you do so please share with us your own villainous twists so that we can then share them with others. — Scott McClintock Foreword

Contents Foreword 4 Introduction 6 Doomed Forgotten Realms ................................................. 7 A History of Doom ................................................................ 7 Dramatis Personae ................................................................ 7 Adventure Summary ..............................................................8 Adventure Flowchart ......................................................... 10 Chapter 1 Mirabar 11 The City of Mirabar ..............................................................12 Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves 26 The Great Underground Highway.................................... 27 Tomb of Dem’ghot’nec .........................................................31 Chapter 3 Return to Mirabar 33 Back at the Goblet ............................................................... 33 The Amber Hulk .................................................................... 34 Chapter 4 From Xantharl to Xanathar 35 Evernight .............................................................................. 35 Luskan .................................................................................... 35 Neverwinter Wood .............................................................. 35 Port Llast.............................................................................. 35 Travel Encounters ............................................................... 36 Chapter 5 Xantharl’s Keep 37 Gorna’s Insanitarium .......................................................... 39 A Maddening Conclusion .................................................. 46 Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 47 Ruins of Longsaddle ........................................................... 47 Triboar ...................................................................................50 Temple of Elemental Unity ................................................. 54 Helm’s Hold .......................................................................... 55 Leilon .....................................................................................59 Chapter 7 Thornhold 60 The Ruins of Thornhold .................................................... 61 Xanathar’s Lair ....................................................................64 Chapter 8 Xanathar’s Guide to Saving the World 70 Triboar Revisited .................................................................. 72 Temple of Elemental Unity Revisited................................ 72 Stronmaus’s Locker ............................................................. 72 In Search of the Conch ......................................................74 Grudd Haug ...........................................................................74 Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 78 The Maelstrom ..................................................................... 78 Concluding the Adventure ...............................................86 Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One 88 Artificially Accelerated Organisms .......................................88 Dawn of a New Age ..............................................................89 Dwarfholds of the North ......................................................89 Life in Mirabar .......................................................................90 Other Deities ......................................................................... 91 The Harpells .......................................................................... 91 The Ordning ..........................................................................92 Vecna's Endgame .................................................................. 93 Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 94 Artificer ..................................................................................94 Battlerager .............................................................................94 Bard .......................................................................................95 Blackguard .............................................................................95 Blight, Algae ..........................................................................96 Bullywug, Slime-Touched .....................................................96 Catoblepas ............................................................................ 97 Chief Guh .............................................................................. 97 Chwinga .................................................................................98 Colbornia ...............................................................................98 Desiccated Shambler ............................................................99 Elemental, Unified ................................................................99 Fessler .................................................................................100 Gaollia .................................................................................100 Giant, Mountain ...................................................................101 Giant, Rain ............................................................................101 Giant Severed Hand ............................................................ 102 Hydroloth ............................................................................ 102 Ice Wyrm ..............................................................................103 Igneous Knight .....................................................................103 Iron Cobra ........................................................................... 104 Kamadan ............................................................................. 104 Krakolich .............................................................................. 105 Living Spells ........................................................................ 106 Nilbog .................................................................................. 108 Purple Wormling ................................................................. 108 Sea Elf .................................................................................. 109 Skum.................................................................................... 109 Teeth of the Maelstrom .......................................................110 Tooth of Vecna .....................................................................112 Tyrannosaurus Zombie ........................................................112 Weevil ...................................................................................113 Xanathar ...............................................................................113 Appendix C Handouts 114 Appendix D Magic Items 117 Appendix E Infernal War Machines 121

Introduction 6 ord Vecna has been known by many names—The Maimed Lord, The Whispered One, The Maker of All That is Secret. He was a great wizard, perhaps the greatest of all time, tutored by the serpentine embodiment of magic itself. He was a supreme archlich of inestimable power, rumored to have stolen the secret of undeath from the demon lord Orcus. He was an emperor, worshiped as a god. Then, through force of will, he became a god. He was betrayed and slain by his closest lieutenant. He was imprisoned in the distant domains of Ravenloft. None of this stopped him. Nothing can stop Vecna. Vecna is more than power. He is knowledge incarnate. He hoards secrets like Tiamat hoards treasure. Vecna’s core belief is that for every person, for every city, for every world, there exists a secret so powerful that it can bring about their downfall. He gathers such secrets to further his divine ascendency. As part of his quest for greater godhood, Vecna besieged the planar hub of the multiverse. Although his plans were ultimately thwarted, he nonetheless managed to plunder the hub’s many secrets. One of these secrets was the existence of worlds beyond that of his birth. Of all these worlds, Vecna was most fascinated by the magic-rich realms of Toril. He was particularly obsessed by the eldritch ingenuity of fallen Netheril. Vecna set his eye to conquest. With the patience and restraint of an expert strategist, Vecna spent generations preparing Toril for his arrival. In the planar hub, Vecna learned of the existence of portals that allowed travel between worlds and communicated this information to his most devoted followers. They, in turn, slowly infiltrated every corner of the Sword Coast from Candlekeep to Silverymoon. Year after year, Vecna’s cultists gathered and obscured knowledge, subverted governments, and patiently corrupted the good-hearted champions of Faerûn, all in the name of their Maimed Lord. At the same time, the archlich Acererak, one of Vecna’s oldest and most loyal servants, traveled to the jungles of Chult to build a hidden, deathtrap dungeon. In the heart of this dungeon, he secreted Introduction a device called the Soulmonger, designed to devour the soul of any humanoid that dies anywhere on Toril. Few knew that the Soulmonger’s purpose was to feed a gestating atropal, the ghastly, unfinished creation of a long-forgotten evil god. Fewer still knew that this atropal was to serve as a corporeal vessel for the godly essence of Vecna. It was agents of Vecna who corrupted the translation of Sammaster’s holy prophecies. This, in turn, inspired the Cult of the Dragon’s Red Wyrmspeaker, Severin, to summon forth Tiamat from her lair upon the Nine Hells. The Thayan illusionist and secret Vecnan disciple, Rath Modar, worked with Severin to bring this mad plan to fruition. And so the Soulmonger fed. To one such as Vecna, even the grandest plan is but the seed of an even grander plan. As part of Tiamat’s summoning, a great treasure trove, one fit for the Queen of Dragons, was gathered in tribute. Vecnan agents, posing as cultists of the dragon, stole relics of incredible power, including some of Netherese origin, in service of their lord. Four such artifacts were later found in the Dessarin Valley by cultists of Elemental Evil. This cult went on to raze and destroy much of the Valley. And so the Soulmonger fed. Soon thereafter, Vecna tricked Gromph Baenre, the archmage of Menzoberranzan, into summoning the many demon lords of the Abyss into the Underdark. Madness and decimation on a catastrophic scale soon followed. And so the Soulmonger fed. The breaking and reshuffling of Annam’s Ordning. Elturel and Baldur’s Gate’s descent into Avernus. Auril’s self-imposed exile and the subsequent eternal winter. In one way or another Vecna, the cosmic mastermind, had his hand in it all. And Finally the Soulmonger was full. Vecna was reborn. He gathered to his banner all that was evil. Not just his cultists, but orcs from Dark Arrow Keep, yuan-ti from Najara, giants from all across the Sword Coast, and liches from Warlock’s Crypt, all fought at his bidding. The Realms, devastated by repeated calamity, fell quickly. In less than a year’s time, Vecna ensconced himself within Waterdeep, declaring himself the Lord of Toril. Evil has ruled the lands ever since.

Introduction Introduction 7 Doomed Forgotten Realms Welcome to a dark chapter in the history of the Forgotten Realms. A chapter in which your players are destined to play a starring role. Through their actions, the Realms will find salvation. Or doom. The Doomed Forgotten Realms imagines a world where all the various catastrophes threatened in a Wizards of the Coast hardcover adventure have come to pass. It is an acknowledgment that for every successfully completed campaign, likely a dozen more have fizzled out or failed. This adventure serves as a tribute to these failed campaigns. As described in Rise of Tiamat, “Nations and kingdoms shatter, civilization collapses into bloody war, and chaos reigns supreme... Such dark times need not mean the end of your campaign, however... The new goal is to bring peace to the world once more.” In the Doomed Forgotten Realms, the never-ending parade of apocalypses that have wracked the Sword Coast are not an improbable coincidence. They have, instead, been purposefully masterminded or exploited by the archlich Vecna so that he might conquer the Forgotten Realms. For those not familiar with Vecna, he is an iconic villain that has haunted Dungeons & Dragons since its earliest days. His relevant background has been briefly summarized, but for those interested in a deeper exploration of Vecna’s history, it can be easily found online. Rise Of Vecna is the second volume of the Doomed Forgotten Realms adventure path. Although the experience will be optimized if your players have completed the ACADEMY OF ADVENTURE, it is not required. The Rise Of Vecna is an epic, self-contained story for three to five characters that will take your players from 3rd to 10th level. A History of Doom Faerûn has changed dramatically in the years since Vecna’s conquest. Tiamat holds court over the dragons of the Realms from atop her Soaring Citadel. Zariel wages war over the cratered ruin that was once Baldur’s Gate. The drow elf Jarlaxle, one of the last hopes for a dying realm, rules over the sailing city of Qu’madosfan Delmah. And the Frostmaiden Auril’s arctic grasp expands ever outwards. For a more detailed exploration of this brave new world see our supplemental product the Doomed Forgotten Realms: Sword Coast Gazetteer. Dramatis Personae The main members of the adventure’s cast of characters are found in the Dramatis Personae table below, listed in alphabetical order for easy reference. Dramatis Personae Major NPC Description Main Description Baba Harpell Oldest living matron of the Harpell family Chapter 6, area C2 Brigadier General Bawling Stibber Member of the fallen Gutbuster Brigade Chapter 2, Tomb of Dem’Ghot’Nec The Clockwork King Dwarven artificer who mourns his fallen kin Chapter 1, area A5 Colbornia Undead dryad who believes she is the ghost of Chauntea Chapter 1, area A9 Dem’ghot’nec Infernal presence haunting the Underdark Chapter 2, The Great Underground Highway Gorna Green slaad infesting Xantharl’s Keep Chapter 5, area B1 Guh Mountain giant chief based in Grudd Haug Chapter 8, area I5 Iron Viper Zhentil commander sent to investigate Xantharl’s Keep Chapter 5, Current Events Krakolich Undead aboleth lairing within the Maelstrom Chapter 9, area J1 Maximus Paladin delivering mysterious cargo to Thornhold Chapter 6, area F5 Racine Ramur Secret leader of the Mirabarran resistance Chapter 1, area A3 Serissa Missing queen of the rain giants Chapter 9, area J15 Worvil “The Weevil” Forkbeard Megalomaniac leader of Xantharl’s Keep Chapter 5, area B17 Xanathar Paranoid beholder crime lord hiding beneath Thornhold Appendix B Zephyrus Pseudonym for Uthor, uncle to Queen Serissa Chapter 6, area D3

Introduction 8 Adventure Summary The adventure begins in Mirabar (location A on the Doomed Sword Coast map), where the characters discover they are artificial lifeforms living in a dark version of the Sword Coast that is ruled by the archlich Vecna. In chapter 1, the characters learn more about this grim dystopia while exploring Mirabar and joining the local resistance. After proving themselves by eradicating a gang of mephits, the characters are told about a missing dwarven courier who was supposed to deliver a magical gemstone (known as a shroudstone of the Ancients; see appendix D) to the Mirabarran resistance. They learn that there are two other such gemstones and that destroying them will greatly reduce Vecna’s powers. To track down the courier, the characters need a clockwork key that can only be obtained from an artificer known as the Clockwork King. Before parting with his key, however, the Clockwork King sends the characters to Chauntea’s Graveyard to fetch him a gear. During chapter 2, the characters use the clockwork key to gain entrance to the Greater Mines of Mirabar. They then search the mines for the missing dwarven courier. This search quickly turns into a nightmarish trek along a dark, zombie-filled subterranean highway. Going days without sleep or sustenance, the characters must vanquish Dem’ghot’nec, an ancient devil that can wear the flesh of zombies. Then, within a lost tomb, the characters revive the courier and retrieve the missing gemstone. In chapter 3, when the characters return to Mirabar to deliver the gemstone to their employer, Racine, they find that the resistance has been compromised. After battling a doppelganger assassin, the characters must fight their way out of the city. Based on their final instructions from Racine, they must deliver the gemstone to the rain giant, Zephyrus, in Triboar. In chapters 4, 5, and 6 the characters begin a sweeping, overland journey that will take them up and down the Sword Coast. Along the way they have ample opportunities to see how Vecna’s conquest has transformed the Realms. At first they travel from Mirabar to Triboar (location D). Along the way, they potentially visit Xantharl’s Keep (location B) and Longsaddle (location C). Once in Triboar, the characters meet the rain giant Zephyrus. Unbeknownst to them, Zephyrus is really Uthor, former storm giant royalty, who has adopted a new, simpler life after the fall of his kin. Zephyrus informs the characters that a second shroudstone of the Ancients is currently held by the Hellrider, Lord Maximus, who is hiding out in Helm’s Hold (location F). In Helm’s Hold the characters discover that Maximus has been captured by Vecnan forces. After rescuing the Hellrider, the characters board his infernal vehicle and use it to escape a heated pursuit. With two gemstones in their possession, the characters accompany Maximus to Thornhold (location H). At Thornhold, Maximus hopes to meet a mysterious contact who might know how to destroy the magical shroudstones of the Ancients. After passing through Leilon (location G), the characters eventually arrive at Thornhold. Chapter 7 sees the characters fighting through savage, slime-worshipping bullywugs and navigating trap-filled catacombs to find their mysterious contact. They realize that the contact is none other than the beholder Xanathar, former crime lord of Waterdeep. In chapter 8, Xanathar re-establishes its spy network in hopes of determining how to destroy the shroudstones of the Ancients. While doing so, it also determines the location of the third and final gemstone. The third gemstone is held within the Maelstrom, the abandoned undersea fortress of the fallen storm giants. Also within the Maelstrom is an ancient relic known as the Wyrmskull Throne that can be used to destroy the gems. To activate the throne, the characters must reunite with Zephyrus and travel to the Elemental Plane of Water to obtain a ruling scepter. To then transport themselves to the Maelstrom, the characters must visit the hill giant steading Grudd Haug (location I) and steal a magical conch shell. The adventure concludes with chapter 9. In this chapter the characters, aided by Zephyrus, must battle their way through the Maelstrom to eventually face the Krakolich, an undead aboleth who now rules the Maelstrom. Upon defeating the Krakolich the characters use the Wyrmskull Throne to destroy the three shroudstones of the Ancients, precipitating the downfall of the archlich Vecna.

Introduction Introduction 9

Introduction 10 Adventure Flowchart Chapter 1: Mirabar for characters of 3rd level The characters join the local resistance. Along the way they rid the town of a gang of mephits and confront an undead dryad who believes she is the ghost of Chauntea. Chapter 2: In Search of the Dwarves for characters of 3rd–4th level In search of a missing courier, the characters begin a harrowing journey into the Mines of Mirabar where they face off against a devil, securing a gemstone that might bring about the downfall of Vecna. Chapter 3: Return to Mirabar for characters of 4th level Returning to Mirabar, the characters find that the resistance has been compromised. They flee Mirabar. Although their immediate destination is Triboar, this starts off an epic journey that will ultimately end in Thornhold. Chapter 4: From Xantharl to Xanathar for characters of 5th–6th level This chapter lays the groundwork for the characters’ overland journey, describing potential side treks and random encounters. Chapter 5: Xantharl's Keep for characters of 5th level The characters can earn some extra coin by helping the Zhentarim put an end to an unexpected madness that has fallen upon Xantharl’s Keep. To do so they must journey through the demented psyche of the keep’s commander. Chapter 7: Thornhold for characters of 7th level After reaching Thornhold, the characters must tend to a tribe of slime-worshipping bullywugs and navigate trap-filled catacombs to recruit the aid of the reclusive beholder, Xanathar. Chapter 6: Intermediary Locales for characters of 5th–6th level The characters pass through Longsaddle, Triboar, Helm’s Hold, and Leilon before reaching Thornhold. Along the way the must rescue Lord Maximus, a knight who carries a second magical gemstone. Chapter 8: Xanathar's Guide to Saving the World for characters of 8th level Xanathar determines the third and final gemstone is located in an undersea fortress known as the Maelstrom. To get there the characters must secure a scepter from the Elemental Plane of Water and a conch from the mountain giant town, Grudd Haug. Chapter 9: Lair of the Krakolich for characters of 9th level Aided by the rain giant Zephyrus, the characters assault the Maelstrom. After defeating an undead aboleth known as the Krakolich, they use the Wyrmskull Throne to destroy Vecna’s three magic gemstones.

Introduction Chapter 1 11 Chapter 1 Mirabar This chapter provides extensive details regarding the city of Mirabar. Such details are intended to help set the campaign’s grim, dystopian tone. Following clues, the characters meet Racine Ramur, the leader of a local Mirabarran resistance. While performing tasks for Racine, the characters have an opportunity to explore the city. These tasks include eradicating a gang of mephits and procuring a collection of gears from a god-haunted garden. By the end of the chapter, the characters are tasked with heading to the Greater Mines of Mirabar in hopes of of finding a missing dwarven courier who was supposed to deliver a magical gemstone (known as a Shroudstone of the Ancients) to Racine. The characters learn that there are two other such gemstones and that destroying them will greatly reduce Vecna’s powers. ics. Any treasure that was accumulated during that adventure is found within their dressing room locker. Regardless of whether the characters have played the previous adventure, one of them immediately notices an unusual lump in their pouch. Looking closer, they discover a strange wooden coin that they do not remember possessing. On one side of the coin is a goblet and on the other side is a carved gemstone. The characters also notice their own identifying mark on the wrist of their left hand. This could be something impersonal, like a number, or a tattoo that embodies their personality. If the characters have played the Academy of Adventure, then the mark might reflect the name of their adventuring group. Finally, any character who plays a cleric or paladin notices that they feel coldly estranged from their deity. They cannot cast spells, Channel Divinity, Lay on Hands, or Divine Smite. These restrictions are to help set the tone and should be resolved before any combat encounters. Characters will have an opportunity to restore their abilities when they visit area A4. Should they overlook this opportunity, be sure to provide another one as soon as possible. The Sign of the Forgehammer is a large compound used by newly manufactured AAOs. The boarding house is immediately visible to the characters, and its entrance is easily found by following Fibblestib’s directions. For more details on the Sign of the Forgehammer see area A1. egin by reading the Accelerated Artificial Organisms from appendix A. Then read or paraphrase the text below. It is written with the intent of thrusting your characters immediately into the adventure. For groups that enjoy role-playing, consider drawing out the experience and allowing a greater degree of interaction. Also, consider having the gnome bioengineer refer to the characters by their names, rather than numbers, if you think that they might find the depersonalization off-putting. If the characters have played the ACADEMY OF ADVENTURE, then they recognize the corpses that were floating in the vats as their fellow students, the IconSomehow, you know the bodies floating within those vats are dead and that it was only through their deaths that you were brought to life. The other gnomes, walking through the laboratory, echo in unison, “Life only through Death.” The gnome ushers you from the laboratory into a smaller dressing chamber. He points toward a footlocker, filled with your possessions, and continues talking as you dress. “You are in Mirabar. The year is 5 VR. You are fortunate to be born into such an auspicious era.” The gnome leads you out of the dressing room to a spiral staircase that goes up and up and up. He unlocks and then opens a large, iron door. A blast of freezing wind tears into the stairwell as you are unceremoniously shoved into the glaring daylight. You find yourself on a cobbled street of cold, grey stone surrounded by slate-roofed buildings. “Report to the Sign of the Forgehammer for quartering. You can find it down the street and to the right. They should be able to answer any of your questions there.” The gnome then slams shut the iron door, locking it behind him. All is warm. And secure. You are floating in the liquid ether. You have awakened from a previous life and find yourself, curiously, in another. There is a sound. A door opening? And then your old world is turned upside down as you fall into a cold, harshly lit new one. It takes time for your eyes to adjust, but you seem to be in a vast, underground chamber. Your friends are nearby, shivering, naked, and equally confused. The white-tiled chamber is full of indistinct shapes and reeks of disinfectant. There is a disorienting cacophony of beeps. Eventually you realize that these beeps are coming from hundreds of upright vats. The vats appear to be made of glass, filled with bubbling liquid, and have various humanoids floating within them. Gnomes dressed in black walk through the laboratory, squinting into the vats and scribbling notes onto parchment. Some of them wear pendants bearing the symbol of a broken anvil. “AAO numbers 1154, 1155, 1156, and 1157, welcome to life. I am Bioengineer Fibblestib.” One of the gnomes is talking to you, gesturing for you to stand up. The gnome continues, “Life only through Death,” and then gestures to some nearby vats. The fluid of the vats is tinged red with blood.

Chapter 1 12 The City of Mirabar Area A Mirabar was once the greatest mining center of the northern Sword Coast, although most of its mines are now in disuse. The land around the city is still surrounded by slag heaps, broken rock, and abandoned quarries. Mirabar was built atop a knoll along the northern bank of the Mirar river, and its interior is enclosed within thick, protective walls. Within these walls are row upon row of frowning buildings lining ever-narrowing cobblestone streets. For more on life in Mirabar, see appendix A. A1. Sign of the Forgehammer This compound is used to temporarily house newly crafted AAOs. Mirabar currently has more homes than inhabitants, so resettlement is typically a foregone conclusion. These new homes are bestowed by the Ministry of Secrets whenever the AAOs confess the last of any secrets that they may be harboring. The compound is run by a genial AAO named Robear (LN male human commoner). Robear walks with a stoop and requires a cane to stand. Although he looks to be near a hundred years of age, he was, in truth, born just last year. Robear welcomes the char-

Chapter 1 Chapter 1 13 acters and shows them to their quarters. The rooms are tiny and dirty, filled almost entirely by a pallet that is presumably meant to serve as a bed. Robear can provide the characters with any relevant information from the introduction section. For detailed questions regarding Vecna, Robear refers the characters to the Temple of Truth (area A2). If the characters show Robear their wooden token, he responds with immediate suspicion, questioning how the characters received the token. At the end of this interrogation, he reveals that it is a drinking token from the Goblet and Gems (area A3). He can provide basic information regarding the establishment, as well as directions for getting there. If the characters do not show their token to Robear, then once they are alone they receive a mysterious telepathic message urging them to deliver their token to Racine at the Goblet and Gems. A2. Vecna’s Temple of Truth This temple was once a grungy, dust-covered warehouse that stored manure. Now, years later, it has been converted into a mockery of a temple. This “temple” consists of a small library filled primarily with the latest edition of Volo’s Guide to Vecna. Visible from the library is a large scriptorium where hundreds of floppy-hatted Volos work at mass-producing their latest guide. Near the entrance to the library is a shaft referred to as the Pit of Falsehoods. The temple is tended by four clergy (cult fanatics) referred to as Memories of Vecna. The Pit of Falsehoods connects to a sealed section of the Mirabarran undercity. Any book predating the Age of Vecna—and hence filled with falsehoods and heresies—is required to be thrown into the pit. Bookworms, some of gargantuan proportion, prowl through these lightless tunnels (use the statistics for swarm of insects (centipedes), purple wyrmlings (appendix B), and purple worms) consuming the discarded tomes. The tunnels are also haunted by ghosts, rumored to be created by the release of psychic energy accompanying the destruction of powerful texts such as sacred scriptures and other arcane writings. Volo’s Guide to Vecna is full of propaganda and dubious facts. It talks, in superlative allegory more than factual history, about Vecna’s liberation of the Sword Coast from the tyranny of its many oppressors such as the Lord’s Alliance and Emerald Enclave. The guide then praises Vecna for protecting the small folk of the Reams from the dragons, giants, demons, and devils that still run rampant because of the previous factions’ ineptitudes. The guide also contains a passage regarding Vecna’s early years (see handout C1 in appendix C). A3. The Goblet and Gems Before Vecna, this festhall was, according to Volo’s Guide to the North, “the only exciting and impressive-looking tavern in Mirabar.” Nowadays, this holds even more true. The tavern’s sign is a shining goblet that seems to glow even during the day. The mood inside is generally festive, bordering on rowdy during the evening hours. The Goblet and Gems is a popular establishment because of its ample supply of cheap alcohol and live entertainment, as well as the fact that it is avoided by goblin patrols. It has a stage for live music, a gambling hall in its basement, and plenty of side booths and back rooms for private meetings. Secret tunnels connect many of these locations. The drinks are strong, but expertly crafted, so that they go down smooth. They are served by gregarious male and female AAOs referred to as “the Gems.” These AAOs provide an attentive ear and sympathetic shoulder to the townsfolk of Mirabar, even going so far as to reserve time in the side booths or back rooms for deeper conversations. What is not readily known, is that most of the Gems are spies for the Vecnan clergy and report back to them regularly. The owner and bartender of the tavern is Racine Ramur (LG female half-elf veteran). Although she feigns allegiance to Vecna, readily facilitating the Gems’ subterfuge, she is the leader of the local Mirabarran resistance, the Silent Axes. She is a young woman who wears plain, wine-stained clothing that contrasts sharply with the flashier fashions worn by the Gems. Her only touch of style is a gem-studded hair comb of telepathy (functionally equivalent to a helm of telepathy). She appears wrapped up in her own world, not responding to conversation or trailing off in mid-sentence. This pensive demeanor is a cover for the fact she is often concentrating on other telepathic talks. Wrong Side of the Law At some point during the adventure the characters might engage in suspicious activities. In this case, two Fingers of Vecna (spies) station themselves at the Sign of the Forgehammer, covertly observing the characters. A third Finger of Vecna attempts to secretly shadow the characters. This surveillance can be discerned by any character with a passive Perception of 14 or higher. The Fingers can be circumvented or eluded with a successful DC 12 group Dexterity (Stealth) check. Similarly, at some point during the adventure the characters might be chased by goblin guards or Blood of Vecna (bandits). Possible ways the characters can escape their pursuers include trying to outrun them by making a successful Strength (Athletics) check, or trying to evade them by making a successful Dexterity (Stealth) check. Any such check is DC 12. In the event of a failed check, the pursuers catch up to the characters and engage in melee attacks.

Chapter 1 14 If the characters ask any of the Gems about their wooden coin, they politely refer the characters to Racine. If the characters ask Racine about their coin, she informs them that it entitles its bearer to a VIP experience. Shortly thereafter a slight AAO, dressed in layers of stunning blue silk robes, glides up to the characters and invites them into a backroom for conversation. If the characters accept his invitation, then he takes them into a richly furnished backroom decorated in vivid shades of blue. He introduces himself as Lapis (LN male human commoner), extending his left hand for a handshake. If the characters shake his hand they can’t help but notice his identifying mark, a sparkling blue gemstone. After formalities conclude, Lapis begins to politely inquire about the characters, asking them to “open their minds to intimate conversation.” At this point, Racine tries, repeatedly if necessary, to use her hair comb to make telepathic conversation with whichever character asked about the coin. Read or paraphrase the following: “Please forgive my secrecy. One can’t be too careful these days. My name is Racine, owner of the Goblet and head of the local resistance known as the Silent Axes. By now, you have likely learned much of your nature. However, what you probably don’t know is that your technician, Fibblestib, also works for the resistance. At our request, he sabotaged your incubation to give you a greater degree of freedom and autonomy than most AAOs possess. You are our only hope.” Racine continues the conversation with the characters, answering any questions that they might have. As a trueborn who has lived her whole life in Mirabar, she can vouch first-hand as to the darkness and suffering that Vecna has brought to the city. Examples of information she might provide include: J With the exception of Lapis, all the Gems are Vecnan spies and should not be trusted. J The Eyes of Vecna are not actual manifestations of Vecna but, rather, undead creatures known as will-o’-wisps that serve as spies for the local clergy. J Much of the former wealth of Mirabar is scattered throughout the Hall of Sparkling Stones. The place is full of goblins and impervious to direct assault. However, the goblins are lazy and inattentive, and it is occasionally possible, albeit dangerous, to sneak in and steal from them. J The town’s central garden once supplied enough food to feed the entire city. Now it is a cursed, blighted place known as Chauntea’s Graveyard. It is called this because, years ago, the earth goddess Chauntea rose up from the garden to protect Mirabar. After a titanic struggle, she was slain by Vecna. Ever since, the garden has been a haunted, forsaken place. Racine also has the following two requests for the characters: Malicious Mephits. Racine’s first request is for the characters to exterminate a gang of mephits that has taken up residence in an abandoned weapon shop known as the House of the Bright Blade. She can share the background information provided in area A6. Racine emphasizes the fact that the mephits will continue to respawn until the forge’s fire is permanently extinguished. She is unsure how to extinguish the fire, suggesting that the characters visit the Clockwork King for help (see area A5). Delving for Dwarves. After the successful eradication of the mephits, Racine makes a second request. Read or paraphrase the following: “Over the years, we have determined that Vecna draws power from three gemstones. Our agents have been trying to steal these gemstones in hopes of bringing about the lich’s downfall. We determined that one of them was sequestered deep within the Underdark and allied with the dwarven resistance to secure it. Recently we received word that they succeeded. However, their envoy was supposed to deliver it to us twelve days ago and has yet to do so. We fear the worst and want you to track him down and secure the stone.” Information within the resistance is highly compartmentalized. Because of this Racine does not know the name of the contact, only that he is a male dwarf. She does know that he was traveling along an abandoned underground highway that connects Mithral Hall to Mirabar’s mines. Racine can supply directions to the mines’ entrance but warns that the doors to the mines are likely locked. To circumvent this, she recommends the characters visit the Clockwork King, who is rumored to have a skeleton key that might open the doors. Racine offers four 100 gp gemstones for completion of the first task and eight 100 gp gemstones for completion of the second. Any checks to persuade Racine to increase the reward are made at disadvantage, due to the difficulties of negotiating telepathically. If any obvious clerics or paladins are in the group, then Racine consoles them for the loss of their deity. She, like most in Mirabar, falsely believes that Vecna has slain the Realms’s entire pantheon. However, she still suggests that they visit one of the city’s few temples, area A4, to try and find some peace with their god’s passing.

Chapter 1 Chapter 1 15 Racine Ramur A4. Church of Tymora This church is a small, stone building surrounded by a dozen abandoned shops. The church, as well as the surrounding buildings, is filled with trash and debris. The only outward sign of its former function is the small carving of a face-up coin on the lintel of the entryway. A crude skull has been carved over the coin, partially obscuring it. The Church of Tymora was once popular with Mirabarran merchants seeking Tymora’s blessing before undertaking a risky venture. However, since the alleged death of Tymora, it has fallen into disuse and is now shunned as a cursed site that brings bad luck to visitors. Any pious character who takes the time to pray to their god receives a faint response. The details of this response are left to the DM and should be tailored to your character and their deity. The response should, at the least, indicate to the character that the gods still live. This divine revelation is sufficient to restore any missing abilities. Characters who take time to search the debris find an overturned altar and battered offering bowl. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check is sufficient to know that it was common practice to toss a coin into the bowl before undertaking a risky venture. If the coin landed face-up, then it indicated Tymora’s blessing. Any coin tossed into the bowl by a character lands face-up. The first character to do this receives the benefit of the Lucky feat, although their luck points can only be spent while in Mirabar. Further blessings might be bestowed, at the DM’s discretion, if the temple is cleared of debris. Unless special precautions are taken, however, this draws the attention of a patrol of 1d4 + 1 goblins mounted atop their wolves or possibly a will-o’-wisp (25 percent chance). Breaking Bad The characters might decide to sell out Racine and her resistance. This need not end the adventure. Brien, a Finger of Vecna, becomes the characters’ new contact. Brien encourages the characters to investigate the dwarven mines and to then report back to him. Afterward, Brien uses the characters to arrest Racine. While torturing Racine, Brien learns that Zephyrus might know about the whereabouts of a second shroudstone. After learning this, he sends the characters to investigate further.

Chapter 1 16 A5. Lair of the Clockwork King The Clockwork King presides over a neighborhood of abandoned houses. These houses, themselves filled with a bewildering hoard of garbage, are connected via a teetering maze of junk and debris. A trapdoor in one of these houses leads into a section of the undercity, further filled with useless bric-a-brac. The maze and houses are ceaselessly patrolled by four iron cobras (see appendix B). The Clockwork King (LN male dwarf artificer, see appendix B) is one of the few dwarves remaining in Mirabar. He keeps his beard shaved in remembrance of his missing kin. He talks at a slow, deliberately measured pace, often using his fingers to seemingly count his words while speaking. He is guarded by two javelin-wielding monodrones whom he refers to as Null and Prime. Since the Clockwork King does not speak Modron, he knows little of his bodyguards. They showed up on his doorstep a year ago, seemingly attracted to his junkyard, and have been with him ever since. The modrons are escaped test subjects from Luskan’s Hosttower of the Arcane. If the characters manage to communicate with them, they remember little of their former lives, talking only of a “bad tower” and “mean wizards.” If this information is communicated to the Clockwork King, then he infers that they likely came from Luskan. The Clockwork King was originally a successful artificer who crafted clockwork items for the wealthier families of Mirabar. Because of his success, he was able to buy more and more houses to hold all of the accumulated junk that he could not bring himself to part with. This hoarder’s mentality has served him well in the Age of Vecna, and he has made significant wealth selling normally worthless items from his junkyard kingdom. He now sees himself as more of a merchant than a crafter. He prefers to sell his wares for coin or gemstones but can occasionally be persuaded to trade for unusual items, even if these items are ultimately useless. If the characters express interest in trade, then he takes them into one of his homes, which he refers to as the Clockwork Bazaar. This bazaar includes a wide variety of mundane items as well as the following unique items: J A small, handheld device called the clockwork quantifier (worth 100 gp). If a character uses an action to wave the quantifier before a group of items, the quantifier announces, in a loud dwarven voice, the exact number of items in the group. The quantifier has ten remaining charges. J A mechanical crab called a clockwork familiar (worth 200 gp). If a character places a drop of blood into a receptacle within the crab, then the crab bonds with the character as per the find familiar spell. The crab can use an action to transform, with a rumbling of gears, into a seahorse. Similarly, it can use an action to transform from a sea horse into a crab. If reduced to 0 hit points, the clockwork familiar is permanently destroyed. J A small, toy coffin (worth 10 gp). Any character who succeeds at a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check can hear what sounds like dozens of tiny fists pounding to get out of the coffin. The coffin is locked. Although too delicate to be forced open without destroying it, the lock can be picked by a character who makes a successful DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Once opened, dozens of miniature mechanical crawling claws scuttle forth. Inside the coffin is a charred silver wedding ring with a small blood diamond in it. The ring is worth 100 gp. Engraved on the bottom of the coffin are the words, “Is no fun, is no Blinsky!” If asked, the Clockwork King indicates that he thinks the coffin came from Luskan. J A mind-sharpened armor (chain shirt) (worth 250 gp) (see appendix B). This infused armor can send a jolt to the wearer to refocus their mind. The armor has 4 charges. When the wearer fails a Constitution saving throw to maintain concentration on a spell, the wearer can use its reaction to expend 1 of the armor’s charges to succeed instead. The armor regains 1d4 expended charges daily at dawn. J A clockwork amulet (see appendix B) (worth 150 gp). When a character makes an attack roll while wearing the amulet, they can forgo rolling the d20 to get a 10 on the die. Once used, this property can’t be used again until the next dawn. J A musician’s clockwork companion (worth 250 gp). This bundle of gears and string still needs to be completed by the Clockwork King. Given 1d4 days, he can turn it into a clockwork instrument functionally equivalent to an instrument of the bards. It can be turned into either a lute, bandore, or cittern, depending on the purchasing character’s preference. Once this configuration has been completed it is irreversible. J The following potions brewed from a clockwork alchemist’s set that looks similar to a modern-day coffee maker: three viscous potions of healing (worth 50 gp each), one viscous potion of greater healing (worth 100 gp), two viscous potions of resistance (fire) (worth 100 gp each), and a

Chapter 1 Chapter 1 17 viscous potion of vitality (200 gp). Viscous potions are thick and syrupy, taking longer than normal to consume. If imbibed during combat, then their effect does not occur until the character’s turn on the following round. J A clockwork key (see below for pricing). This large, multi-pronged key can be used to open the gates to the Greater Mines of Mirabar. More generally, it works as a set of thieves’ tools that gives +2 to any check made while using them. J A dimensional nullifier (see below for pricing). The nullifier is an indestructible, translucent box that appears to contain a model replica of the multiverse within it. Atop the box is a big, red button. Above the button, written in Dwarvish runes, are the words, “DO NOT PUSH.” Pushing the button immediately closes any dimensional portals within 5 feet of it. All creatures, objects, or magical effects within 5 feet of it are subject to a dispel magic effect that has +6 to any required checks. Upon activation, the box turns darkly opaque and the button no longer functions. On the 1st day of the next month, the box regains its translucence and the button functions yet again. If the characters inquire about the forge from the House of the Bright Blade, the Clockwork King gets visibly excited. He offers the one-time use of his dimensional nullifier if the characters promise to first use the forge’s flames to straighten an adamantine axle rod for him. If the character agree to this, then he supplies them with the necessary tools, including a leather apron and gloves, as well as instructions on how to perform the straightening. The Clockwork King also loans them the dimensional nullifier. The clockwork key is one of the Clockwork King’s earliest devices. Because of this, it has sentimental value and the Clockwork King is unwilling to sell it for coin. He is willing to trade for it, but only if the characters have already done something, such as straightening his axle rod, to gain his favor. In this case, he is willing to trade his clockwork key for an intact set of gears, a critical component for one of his current inventions. He tells any interested characters that a large well in the town’s central garden used to be powered by gears. If asked, he informs the characters that these gardens are now little more than weeds, rumored to be haunted by ghosts. Finally, he can provide the characters with directions to the Boulevard of Religious Freedom (area A7) and tell them how to access the gardens from there. If the characters return with a set of gears, then the Clockwork King honors his request, begrudgingly trading his clockwork key for them. A6. The House of the Bright Blade Before the Vecnan occupation, The House of the Bright Blade was widely regarded as the preeminent establishment for customized daggers and swords. Its proprietor and blacksmith, Zespara Alather, was one of the finest blacksmiths of the Sword Coast. Now, this abandoned shop serves as the sweltering lair of a gang of abusive mephits. The mephits picked this particular location for their lair because of its ever-burning forge. This forge, connected to the Elemental Plane of Fire, was a major contributor to Zespara’s success as a smithy. The mephits are crude and abusive. The Vecnan clergy tolerate the mephits’ existence because they serve as unwitting guardians to the shop’s small fissure into the Elemental Planes. However, the mephits are despised by goblins, trueborns, and AAOs. As such, these groups turn a blind eye to any actions the characters take against the mephits. The mephit gang is sizable, comprising seven magma mephits, twelve smoke mephits, and twelve steam mephits. The mephits detest the cold of night and so only leave their lair during the daytime hours. When they do so, they prowl the streets in groups of three (one mephit of each type) with the sole purpose of sadistically terrorizing townsfolk. Six such groups are typically active between the hours of noon and midafternoon. The number of patrols diminishes the closer it gets to either dusk or dawn. If a mephit patrol encounters meaningful resistance, then further patrols increase to include one magma mephit, two smoke mephits, and two steam mephits. Should these larger patrols encounter continued resistance, then the gang remains holed up within the smithy for a few days before resuming their patrols. Any mephit that is slain respawns 24 hours later in area A6c. Their lair includes the following rooms: A6a. Abandoned Storefront The floor of this storefront is coated in ash. The air is filled with soot and smoke. The interior has been gutted, exposing scorched walls. Some counters, a few weapon racks, and a row of empty crates are structurally intact but everything else has been reduced to charred kindling. A stone hallway, from which can be seen the glow of flame, leads to the smithy (area A6c). The mephits prefer the warmth of area A6c, so primarily congregate there. Three mephits (one of each type) are typically in this room during the day and six mephits (two of each type) during the evening. These mephits are inattentive, despite being on guard duty, giving them a passive Perception of 7.

Chapter 1 Mirabar 18 If attacked, the mephits call for help and reinforcements from area A6c arrive two rounds later. The mephits speak Common but are nonetheless difficult to reason with. They attempt to ridicule, frighten, torture, and then kill any intruders. This process quickly attracts the attention of the mephits in area A6c. A few dozen swords and daggers are scattered throughout the ash that covers the floor. Despite prolonged exposure to magma, smoke, and steam, parts of these weapons still gleam and hold their relative shape, making their expert craftsmanship evident. If any character enters the shop and makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, then they notice a large trapdoor in the hallway. A light sheen of ice can be seen repeatedly forming and then melting, creating a puddle of lukewarm water around the trapdoor. The trapdoor is locked but may be picked by a character who makes a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Alternatively, it can be forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength check. Opening the trapdoor immediately releases a blast of frigid air that fills the hallway and shop. Until the trapdoor is closed, any fire damage taken in either location inflicts half damage (rounded down). Below the trapdoor is a ladder leading to area A6d. A6b. Office This spacious office is filled with the wreckage of broken furniture. The room is generally avoided by the mephits, who prefer the suffocating heat of area A6c.

Chapter 1 Mirabar Chapter 1 Mirabar 19 Zespara's Perfect Blade Characters who search through the debris find eight black iron spindle-shaped trade bars with squared ends weighing about two pounds each. These trade bars are worth 10 gp within Mirabar, and 5 gp elsewhere. A6c. Smithy This gutted chamber is little more than heaps of ash and fire-blackened stone walls. Along the northern wall is a forge. The fire raging within the forge is unnaturally hot. Near the forge are a couple of warped anvils and a useless wheelbarrow. Any character who stands within 10 feet of the forge takes 3 (1d6) fire damage per round. The fire, due to its connection to the Elemental Plane of Fire, burns ceaselessly. So long as it burns, any slain mephit reforms within its flames 24 hours later. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check is required for a character to determine that the fire can be permanently doused if it takes 15 or more points of cold damage within a single round. It can also be extinguished by the dimensional nullifier. Once the fire is extinguished, the temperature within the entire shop and smithy drops noticeably. Buried within the piles of ash are hammers, tongs, and other smithing implements, as well as more blades. All of these items are warped beyond use, with the exception of Zespara’s perfect blade (see appendix D). Zespara’s perfect blade is also covered in soot and superficially charred, requiring a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to find it and another to determine that it is still serviceable. If the characters successfully defeat the mephits, then Zespara’s perfect blade, impressed by their heroism, introduces herself to them telepathically. A6d. Temple of the Frost Maiden The ladder descends 30 feet before ending in a large, frozen chamber. The walls, floor and ceiling are all made of ice. They have been gouged in hundreds of places by what looks to have been shovels or ice picks. A glowing six-pointed snowflake has been emblazoned along the entirety of the room’s northern wall. Two iron doors lead out of the room. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Religion) check is required for a character to determine that the snowflake is the symbol of Auril, goddess of winter. This room is a long-abandoned temple of Auril from centuries past. Ancient rumors persisted across the years of a hidden treasure and so the temple routinely attracted worshippers of the Frost Maiden, much to the annoyance of the shop owner above. The gouges represent their unsuccessful search for this treasure. The iron doors are locked and also sealed with an arcane lock spell. A sheet of ice covers both doors and fills the lock mechanisms, making them impossible to open by mundane means. Should the characters manage to open them, they lead to the abandoned Mirabarran undercity. If the forge from area A6c is lit, then the room is intensely cold but does not inflict any damage to the characters. The ice on the ceiling shimmers and droplets of water drip from it, turning into long, spindly icicles before reaching the floor. Any character who makes a successful DC 12 Intelligance (Investigation) check notices the faint outline of illegible words within the ceiling’s ever-melting ice. If the forge has been extinguished, roll initiative when the characters enter the temple. The room is painfully cold, inflicting 2 (1d4) cold damage on every initiative count 20 to every creature inside it that isn’t protected by cold weather clothing or resistant to cold damage. The ceiling’s shimmering ice solidifies, revealing an inscription that reads, “Speak my name to court my blessing, though death you may find in its stead.” Any character who speaks the name Auril must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the character freezes from the inside out, taking 14 (4d6) cold damage. On a successful save, the character gains the minor blessing of the Frostmaiden, which Auril can rescind at any time while she is alive. This blessing also ends if Auril dies. It otherwise adheres to the rules for blessings as described in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Minor Blessing of the Frost Maiden Your eyes become icy blue. You gain resistance to cold damage. In addition, you can cast the gust of wind spell (save DC 12) once without expending a spell slot, using Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability (choose when you gain this blessing). You regain the ability to cast this spell in this manner on the first day of each month.

Chapter 1 Mirabar 20 A7. Boulevard of Religious Freedom This broad avenue is a broken, weed-strewn corpse of its former self, littered with wolf dung and coated in chalky rock dust. Piles of rubble line the sides of the street, behind which is an impenetrable tangle of thorns. Following the boulevard leads to the Hall of Sparkling Stones, a sad, dust-covered fortress. Upon inspection, it is easy to discern that the piles of rubble were once finely crafted statues. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Religion) check is required to determine that they were statues of gods and that nearly every major deity was represented. A dusty plaque is affixed to the road near each broken statue. The plaque reads, “THERE IS NO [GOD NAME]. ONLY VECNA.” The gods named upon the plaques range from Azuth to Waukeen. Any character who inspects the tangle of thorns and makes a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a small path leading into the briars. This path can be discovered without such a check if the character has already been informed of its existence. The hidden pathway leads to area A9. A8. Hall of Sparkling Stones The Hall of Sparkling Stones is built upon a large knoll. The fortress was built to look like a giant guard in full plate and helm, with a shield held before its face. Thousands of rusted greataxes have been hammered into the front of the building. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (History) check is required to determine that the greataxes belonged to the Axes of Mirabar, shield dwarf veterans who once served as part of the city’s elite guard. The Hall of Sparkling Stones was once the seat of the Mirabarran government. Now, it serves as the barracks for the goblin clan Kreeth and their bald, nearsighted chieftain, Mayor Maroo. The Hall was once an architectural marvel of the world, with stained glass windows, black marble tables, and inlaid traceries of gold, silver, and platinum. Now, it is the world’s prettiest dung heap. Mayor Maroo is an avid cat lover and, consequently, the Hall of Sparkling Stones is full of hundreds of stray cats that he has adopted over the years. Most of these cats are harmless but a feral few have banded together into hunting packs. Maroo is guarded by a trained kamadan (see appendix B). Maroo also passionately hates all dogs. He refuses to allow his goblins to stable their wolves in the Hall of Sparkling Stones, making them, instead, quarter their steeds in the city’s stables. Hall Heist. The Hall of Sparkling Stones is a large building filled with ogres, goblins, hobgoblins, and cats. Such a force should be unassailable, given the characters’ levels at this point. However, the Hall of Sparkling Stones is also filled with vast piles of discarded treasure; gemstones, in particular, are present in abundance. Because of this, the Hall of Sparkling Stones makes for an excellent heist location for stealth-minded characters If the characters wish to attempt a heist, determine how your players wish to approach the situation, as laid out below. Heist Recon. If the characters wish to reconnoiter the Hall, they must move around the area unseen. Have them make a group Stealth check. At a distance, they are hard to discover, making the starting DC 5. However, for every 2 hours the characters remain, they must attempt another group Stealth check. The DC increases by 1 with each attempt. Consult the Heist Recon table to determine what information they gather along the way. What is learned may go a long way when planning the actual heist. Heist Recon Hours Intel Gathered >2 There are windows from the 2nd story and upwards, and a cellar entrance with a portcullis. 2–4 The cellar entrance is always guarded by a lone ogre. 5–6 A duergar arrives, an axe lying flat across his outstretched hands. He talks with a group of hobgoblin guards, is let in, and comes back out 20 minutes later with a small, bald goblin. The duergar hammers the axe into the side of the building, and is then given a small pouch by the goblin (containing 50 gp). The duergar bows respectfully and walks away as the goblin reenters the Hall. 7–8 The goblins sometimes bicker and argue among themselves. The hobgoblins are disciplined, with no obvious weaknesses to exploit. Ogres sometimes fall asleep on the job. There is likely an entrance on the roof, as a goblin appears from there during guard rotations. 9–16 Three goblins arrive, each carrying a sack that seems to be moving. As they reach the entrance, words are exchanged and one of the goblins pulls a cat from one of the sacks, only to put it back into the sack. They are let into the Hall, exiting again half an hour later, this time carrying a small chest (which contains 300 gp as a reward for bringing new cats to Mayor Maroo). 17–24 Guard rotations happen every 8 hours. 25+ The number of guards is doubled at night. Tools. In preparation of the heist, the characters might wish to spend some time searching Mirabar for various tools to assist them. Finding an item from the Heist Tools table below takes 4 hours of work and requires a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Any tool acquired grants its bonus only when used in conjunction with the corresponding infiltration method as shown in the Infiltration Modified column.

Chapter 1 Mirabar Chapter 1 Mirabar 21 Heist Tools Tool Entry or Scheme Bonus A 100-foot rope and a grappling hook Point of Entry: roof or window +10 Athletics A dwarven axe Scheme: contributors +5 Deception per axe A cat Scheme: cat sellers +5 Deception per cat Goblin and hobgoblin disguises Scheme: contributors or cat sellers +5 Deception Shovels, pickaxes, and a cart Point of Entry: dig a tunnel +10 Athletics Point of Entry and Timing. To proceed with the heist, the characters must decide their point of entry and when to carry out the heist. Use the Heist Point of Entry and Heist Timing tables below to determine any modifiers they amass for the heist itself. Some options might require a group check to successfully pull off. The characters might get a bonus to a check if they previously acquired appropriate tools. Failing a check doubles any negative modifiers gained from that option or removes any positive modifiers gained from that option. Heist Point of Entry Point of Entry Check Required Heist Bonus Side entry — +0 Cellar — +1 2nd-story window DC 5 Athletics +2 3rd-story window DC 10 Athletics +3 4th-story window DC 15 Athletics +4 Front gate DC 20 Deception +6 Roof DC 20 Athletics +8 Dig a tunnel DC 15 Athletics each day for three consecutive days +10 Heist Timing Time Check Required Heist Bonus Nighttime — +0 Daytime — +3 Guard rotation DC 15 Stealth +5 Guard rotation with awareness of the roof guard DC 10 Stealth +5 Scheme. Finally, if the characters approach the Hall via the front gate, the side doors, or the cellar when there isn’t a guard rotation, they may wish to employ a scheme. Use the Heist Scheme table below to determine any modifiers they amass for the heist itself. Heist Scheme Scheme Check Required Heist Bonus Contributors. The characters bring a dwarven axe as an offering. DC 10 Deception. Automatic success with dwarven axe. +5 Cat Sellers. The characters bring one or more cats for Mayor Maroo. DC 15 Deception. Automatic success with one or more cats. +10 Silver Tongues. The characters attempt to talk their way inside. DC 20 Deception +0 The Heist. As it is finally time for the heist, ask the characters to make a DC 10 group Stealth check if they sneaked inside or a DC 10 group Deception check if they were allowed inside. If they fail, they can attempt the other check at DC 15. On a second failure, that, they must abandon the heist. On a success, they navigate the Hall and succeed with the heist. Heist Success. To determine what treasure they find, let the characters roll a d100 on the Hall Heist table below, then add together all the heist bonuses they have amassed and add the bonuses to the roll. Hall Heist Roll Treasure Magic Items 0–10 2d6 × 10 gp - 11–19 2d6 × 10 gp Roll 1d6 times on Magic Item Table A 20–29 4d6 × 10 gp Roll 1d6 times on Magic Item Table A 30–39 2d6 × 25 gp Roll 1d6 times on Magic Item Table A 40–49 4d6 × 25 gp Roll 1d6 times on Magic Item Table A 50–59 2d6 × 50 gp Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table B 60–69 4d6 × 50 gp Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table B 70–79 2d6 × 75 gp Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table C 80–89 4d6 × 75 gp Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table C 90–99 2d6 × 100 gp Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table D 100–109 4d6 × 100 gp Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table D 110–119 2d6 × 100 gp Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table F 120+ 2d6 × 250 gp Roll once on Magic Item Table G Escape. To successfully escape, it is assumed that the characters exit in the same manner as they entered. To do so, they must make a DC 10 group Stealth check if they sneaked in or a DC 10 group Deception check if they were allowed inside. If they fail, they can attempt the other check at DC 15. On

Chapter 1 Mirabar 22 a second failure, they must abandon their plan and flee, which causes them to lose either the gold or the magic items they acquired (their choice) and results in the same consequences as a failed heist. If you wish, however, you can instead have them move through the various steps again in reverse order. Failed Heist. If the heist fails, the characters must run for their lives. Each character gains two levels of exhaustion and loses half their hit points. They finally lose their pursuers in the woods outside Mirabar. If another heist is attempted later, the heavily increased security imposes disadvantage on all associated group checks. Further Developments. See the Heist Developments table below for additional events that might occur under certain conditions. Heist Developments Event Cats! If the characters successfully masqueraded as cat sellers and brought one or more new cats, Mayor Maroo greets them warmly and rewards them with a small chest containing 100 gp per cat. Furthermore, the characters have advantage on any future ability checks made to interact with Mayor Maroo. Dark Contribution. If the characters successfully masqueraded as loyalists bringing one or more axes, Mayor Maroo follows them out and rewards them with a pouch containing 50 gp per axe. Tunnelers. If the characters tunneled into the Hall, they stumble upon the larder and can each find 2d4 rations and a waterskin. Through the Looking Glass. If the characters climbed onto the roof, they find a spyglass. A9. Chauntea’s Graveyard This was once a walled garden, sacred to Chauntea, the goddess of agriculture. Years ago, it grew enough produce to feed the entirety of Mirabar. Now, the walls are nothing more than piles of rubble and the once-lush garden is a barren, briar-strewn field devoid of any signs of animal life. This area refers to a small portion of the larger field referred to by the locals as Chauntea’s Graveyard. According to local legends, Chauntea rose from her garden to defend Mirabar from Vecnan invaders. In response, Vecna joined the battle. The fight between Chauntea and Vecna raged day and night but in the end, Vecna prevailed. It is said that Chauntea’s deranged ghost now haunts these fields, poisoning the lands with her bitter tears. These legends are false. The centerpiece of the garden was a huge apple tree that grew apples as large as pigs. The archdryad Colbornia, the high priestess of Chauntea’s garden, lived within this tree. When Mirabar was conquered, Colbornia was slain by the archliches leading Vecna’s armies. They then raised her as an undead abomination and inflicted upon her a madness, causing her to believe that she was the ghost of Chauntea. Her lair is a maze of briars. A9a. Briar Maze The walls of the maze are 10 feet tall and are too flimsy to be scaled effectively. A 5-foot square of briars has AC 11, 25 hit points, and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and psychic damage. When a creature comes into direct contact with the thorns for the first time on a turn, the creature must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (1d10) slashing damage from the briars’ bladelike thorns. The ground of the maze is blighted. It is semipermeable to water, seeming to grudgingly absorb it over time. However, the dirt soaks up even the slightest drop of blood with parched desperation. Anytime a beast or humanoid takes 5 or more piercing or slashing damage, their spilled blood soaks into the soil. One round later, 1d4 twig blights sprout in an adjacent square. Two desiccated shamblers (see appendix B), live Colbornia is now an eerie shadow of her former self

Chapter 1 Mirabar Chapter 1 Mirabar 23 within the maze. Their location is marked by an S on the map. Because of their Root Sense ability, they immediately notice the arrival of any characters and move to intercept them. One shambler moves to attack the characters directly, while the other moves into an adjoining corridor with hopes of using its Transplant ability on whichever character is taking up the rear. The two locations marked with an X on the map have large, brittle-looking hives nested within the briars. Disturbing the hives agitates an undead swarm of malevolent bee-like creatures. Use the statistics for insect swarm (wasps) with the following changes: J They are undead rather than beast. J They have damage immunity to poison. J They have condition immunity to exhaustion and poison. These rare bee-like creatures do not produce a bee’s typical honey. Instead, they produce a resin-like substance similar to amber that is prized by jewelers for its hardness and rarity. Inside each hive is a large chunk of this amber-like substance worth 100 gp.

Chapter 1 Mirabar 24 A9b. Chauntea’s Grave This large clearing is free of briars, but still strewn with tangles of clutching weeds. It is dominated by a large, blighted tree with sagging, leafless branches. Behind the tree is a covered well. During the first round after the characters enter, a gust of wind blows through the clearing, stirring up tiny whirlwinds of dead leaves and dust. One round later, Colbornia (see appendix B) emerges from her tree. Read or paraphrase the following: The branches of the corrupted tree move with malicious intent as if spurred by some dark, unfathomable will. This movement is followed by a terrible creaking sound like a muffled moan, as a large, bleeding hole rends the trunk of the rotted tree. A dryad-like creature steps through the hole, her beauty rivaled only by her wretchedness. Surrounded by swirling dead leaves, eyes blazing in necrotic fury, she is a terrible sight to behold. Her raspy voice is equally terrible as she demands, “Who dares disturb the eternal rest of Chauntea, she who was slain by the might of Vecna? Leave me now to my slumber or feel my wrath!”

Chapter 1 Mirabar Chapter 1 Mirabar 25 Have the characters roll initiative. Colbornia is obviously mad and difficult to reason with. She rambles repeatedly about her death at the hands of Vecna, growing increasingly angry every round. Unless this anger is mitigated, she attacks three rounds after leaving her tree. A character can appeal to her delusions with a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Religion) check. If successful, Colbornia calms down and grants the characters safe passage into her clearing. However, on any given round there is a 20 percent chance that her madness returns, and she immediately attacks the “treacherous” characters. Any character who makes a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Nature) check discerns that Colbornia is not a slain god, but rather an undead dryad. If confronted with this truth, Colbornia spends a round in catatonic retreat before sobbing in realization. She quietly begs for the characters to put her out of her misery. The characters then have three rounds before her madness returns and she attacks them. Once her madness returns, Colbornia rejects any further mention of her not being Chauntea as utter lies. Beside the tree is a small, overgrown altar bearing the symbol of Chauntea. Next to the altar is a burlap sack that is actually a bag of beans. The tree has AC 15, 250 hit points, and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and psychic damage. If reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed. Destroying the tree brings peace to Colbornia’s haunted soul, effectively defeating her. If Colbornia dies, she withers away into a pile of dead leaves. If her tree is also destroyed, a tiny stalk bearing an acorn grows from Colbornia’s remains. Any character who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Nature) check discerns that the acorn appears pure and unblemished by the surrounding corruption. If the characters plant the acorn in undefiled earth, a new tree begins to grow. The tree reaches maturity after a month’s time, and Colbornia's progeny, the dryad Myamolle, now dwells within it. The covered well has a lowered bucket connected by chains to a series of gears. These are the gears desired by the Clockwork King. The gears are activated by a lever. The entire contraption is rusted from years of disuse but is nonetheless still functional. Characters may use an action to pull the lever which then raises the bucket. Raising the bucket takes two rounds. The gears can be successfully dismantled with two actions, although doing so renders the lever inoperable. The well’s bucket is a thermal bucket (see appendix D); it can easily be removed from its chains by using an action. A10. Ministry of Secrets The Ministry of Secrets is a plain, granite mansion filled with a garish display of riches. The lobby is paneled with exotic wood imported all the way from distant Chult. Priceless silk tapestries from Calimshan, illustrating Vecna’s many victories, hang upon the walls. Scenes further glorifying the great god Vecna are painted along the vaulted ceiling. Couches and divans plush enough to accommodate royalty are often occupied by plain, dust-covered city folk anxious to trade the secrets of their day-to-day lives for some bread and the hope, however unlikely, of a more lavish reward. Vecna’s forces are quartered within similar nearby mansions. In total, there are three hundred official clergy members. The church of Vecna is extremely lawful and has a well-defined hierarchy. A congregation is referred to as an Organ of Vecna. Each Organ is led by a Thought of Vecna. The Thought is typically a powerful lich who has proven their devotion to Vecna. Serving directly underneath the Thought are the Memories of Vecna, lesser priests who enforce the worship of Vecna while handling most of the city’s daily governance. The Teeth of Vecna are specialist wizards, feared for their magical bite. Although their raw power frequently rivals, and sometimes exceeds, that of the Memories, they are often lower in the hierarchy. Below the Memories and Teeth are the Fingers of Vecna. The Fingers are thieves and rogues, responsible for gathering secrets. Last in the hierarchy are the Blood of Vecna, zealous thugs who are willing to lay down their lives when needed. Mirabar’s Thought of Vecna is a lich named The Sakabarus. The Sakabarus takes little interest in the affairs of Mirabar and is usually immersed in arcane experiments involving AAOs. He delegates his authority to Memories of Vecna as well as to a squad of enslaved yugoloths comprising an arcanaloth, four mezzoloths, and a hydroloth (see appendix B). Any character who attempts to trade a secret of genuine value will be rewarded with gold and gemstones up to 500 gp in value. However, they will also draw the attention of the Fingers of Vecna, who will attempt to spy on the characters for the remainder of the adventure.

Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves 26 he entrance to the Greater Mines of Mirabar is roughly fifty miles northwest of Mirabar. Depending upon the characters’ speed of travel, it takes two to three days to reach the mines’ entrance. The journey winds through a desolate stretch of abandoned lesser mines and empty quarries, before reaching the imposing 15-foot tall doors of the greater mines. At the DM’s discretion the journey might go uneventfully or can include any of the following encounters: J The Tooth that Bites. While traveling along the road, the characters are accosted by Hamun Kost, a Tooth of Vecna (appendix B). The sallow-skinned mage, who is accompanied by two thugs and a half-elf zombie, interrogates the characters about their presence here. Hamun’s suspicions can be allayed with a successful DC 13 Charisma (Deception) check; otherwise, he attacks the characters. The wizard carries a leather bag containing 40 gp, one pearl (worth 100 gp), a potion of healing, and a scroll of darkness. The zombie wears a torn tabard bearing the insignia of a gauntlet clasping a sword and carries the yellowed deed to an apple orchard in the distant town of Phandalin. J Cold “War.” A snowstorm strikes suddenly. While making their way through the storm, any character with a passive Perception of 13 or higher notices small tracks leading off the road. The tracks can be followed by making a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) check. If followed, the characters find a trio of small 6-inch-tall creatures that resemble animated dolls with spindly limbs and wild hair. These elemental creatures, known as chwingas (see appendix B), are in the midst of a playful snowball fight. If the characters play with them, then afterwards the chwingas bestow the characters with a charm of animal conjuring (see Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves In this chapter the characters gain entrance to the Greater Mines of Mirabar in hopes of discovering the lost dwarven courier. Instead, they find a vast subterranean highway infested by hordes of the walking dead. Worse still, the characters are stalked by Dem’ghot’nec, an ancient, imprisoned devil on the cusp of breaking free from its bonds. After vanquishing the devil, the characters find the missing courier and retrieve the magical shroudstone. Finding a tunnel back to the surface world, they can leave and deliver the gem to Racine. “Supernatural Gifts” in the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Otherwise, the skittish creatures scatter into the storm, quickly disappearing from sight. J Unholy Unearthing. While exploring a quarry, the characters come across four cultists and a cult fanatic excavating the bones of an ancient red dragon. The cultists each wear an ornate holy symbol of five colored, conjoined circles (worth 25 gp). Any character who makes a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Religion) check notes that this is one of the many commonly used symbols for Tiamat. J Prospective Prospecting. While exploring one of the lesser mines, the characters discover a set of mining tools. A character using these tools for 8 hours can attempt a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If successful, they unearth a cluster of gemstones worth a total of 250 gp. J A Web of Possibilities. The road cuts through a spider-haunted quarry that is filled with curtains of dirty webs. Dozens of giant spiders live within. The quarry can be circumvented easily but takes six hours to do so. Safely traversing the quarry requires a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Survival) or Dexterity (Stealth) group check. If the characters fail, then they are bitten by the giant spiders and chased from the webs; they are afflicted by the poisoned condition for the next 48 hours. If the characters succeed, then, while safely bypassing the spiders, they discover the desiccated remains of a fellow traveler. Searching the remains uncovers a set of alchemist’s tools as well as a stoppered vial that contains three dried spiders that radiate transmutation magic. If a creature consumes one of these spiders, then that creature gains the benefit of the spider climb spell but must also make a successful DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be affected by the poisoned condition for one hour. J Furry Feline Friend. The characters come across a hungry kamadan kitten (use the statistics for a cat) that got lost after escaping from the Hall of Sparkling Stones. The kitten has orange fur with black spots and six strange bulges along its back. If the characters feed it, then the kitten follows them to the best of its abilities. If the characters still have the kitten after 100 days, it matures into a kamadan juvenile (use the statistics of a panther), a leopard-like creature with

Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves 27 Hordes of zombies occupy the Great Underground Highway six tiny serpents sprouting from its back. It grows into a true kamadan (appendix B) one year later. Upon reaching the Greater Mines, the characters note that the massive doors are coated in everbright and shine as brightly as the day they were forged. They bear the insignia of Mirabar: a double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring, flat base. Casting detect magic on the doors reveals an aura of abjuration magic emanating from them. The doors’ sturdy construction and expertly crafted locks defy any attempts to force them open. However, magic such as the knock spell, or the clockwork key smoothly opens the locks. Once the doors have been successfully opened, allow the characters to advance to 4th level. Beyond the doors is a broad corridor, 15 feet wide and 15 feet high, leading north into the darkness. The corridor is made of perfectly fitted stone excavated from nearby Mirabarran quarries. It extends four miles north before intersecting with the Great Underground Highway. Many smaller abandoned mines branch off from this initial corridor. Dwarvish guide runes are etched into the stone walls. These runes can be read by anyone who speaks Dwarvish, and serve as directions to the Great Underground Highway. Thirty minutes after their opening, the entrance doors slam shut with an echoing thud. This effect is due to a defensive enchantment placed years ago during the Vecnan invasion. The clockwork key does not work if used from the interior of the mines, although it still reopens the doors if used from the exterior. As before, the doors again close thirty minutes after their opening. The Great Underground Highway The Great Underground Highway is vast and spacious, at least by dwarven standards, being 30 feet high and 30 feet wide. Although ancient, its craftsmanship equals or exceeds any present-day architectural feats. It extends roughly 300 miles to the east, before eventually reaching Mithral Hall. Dwarvish runes are carved into the walls, marking the miles. Upon reaching the Highway, the characters are greeted by a horrific sight. Zombies, in various stages of decay, wander this road by the thousands. They move in lethargic silence, broken only by the faint shuffling of their dead feet. The zombies are primarily dwarven in origin, although other subterranean races such as drow elves, kuo-toa, and svirfneblin are also represented. A small number of these zombies have a second hideous head growing, like a dead tumor, from the side of their neck. Every 100 feet, a ghostly skull floats in the middle of the highway. These grimacing apparitions cast a spectral blue radiance that dimly illuminates the highway. These skulls are necrotic beacons, creations of Vecna that can each attract any undead creature having an Intelligence of 3 or less, within a half-mile radius. Hundreds of such beacons together, however, can attract undead creatures from leagues away. The beacons also have the following properties: J They are manifestations of pure magic. As such, they can only be destroyed by dispel magic or similar effects. They are a 7th-level spell effect. J They preserve the flesh of any undead creature within 50 feet. J They putrefy any food or consumable liquid that remains within 100 feet of a skull for more than 6 hours. Any character who consumes such food or drink must make a successful DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 24 hours. The DC of this save increases by 1 for each additional 2 hours the food is exposed to the beacon. J They sedate any undead creatures within 100 feet of them that have an Intelligence of 3 or lower. Such creatures do not attack, except in defense of themselves or another zombie within 10 feet of them. Loud noises or aggressive actions may also snap them out of their necrotic torpor, at the DM’s discretion. These zombies were created by the demon lord, Demogorgon. Years ago, the demon lords of the Abyss were summoned into the Underdark (see Out of the Abyss for additional details) by Gromph

Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves 28 Baenre, the archmage of Menzoberranzan. This event culminated in a brutal battle between Demogorgon and Orcus. Demogorgon prevailed, claiming the Prince of Demons’s wand as his prize. Because of this wand, many of the unfortunate casualties of Demogorgon’s continued rampage through the Underdark have been reanimated as zombies. Due to the reality-warping presence of Demogorgon, some of these zombies have grown a second head. Vecna is not one to overlook an opportunity. Once he became aware of the legions of zombies shambling through the Underdark, The Whispered One set up these beacons along the Great Underground Highway. One reason for this was to have a secondary army on stand-by, should the need arise. The other reason was to clog the dwarven highways with undead, rendering them unusable. In addition to this army of zombies, the Great Underground Highway is also the territory of a vile fiend known as Dem’ghot’nec, He Who Wears the Flesh of the Dead. Dem’ghot’nec is an ancient devil that terrorized the Delzoun dwarves thousands of years ago. His reign of terror was long-lived and led to much suffering, but the dwarves managed eventually to destroy his corporeal form and imprison his infernal essence in a magical gemstone that was entombed deep within the earth. Although the tomb was protected by wards, these wards weakened over the centuries. Because of this weakening, a zombie umber hulk burrowed through the tomb on its way to a necrotic beacon. Dem’ghot’nec was then able to possess the umber hulk. While possessing the umber hulk, Dem’ghot’nec tunneled his way into the Great Underground Highway, where he found a wealth of additional, rotting hosts. Although able to move as a spirit, Dem’ghot’nec must corrupt the wards of his tomb before regaining his corporeal form and full power. The wards are empowered by symbols of Dumathoin, the dwarven god of buried secrets, engraved into the floor of the fiend’s tomb. Spilling the blood of the living upon these symbols further weakens the wards. As such, Dem’ghot’nec has spent the last year using his zombie puppets to corral living creatures into his tomb, where he then slays them. The characters draw the attention of Dem’ghot’nec soon after they enter the highway. The devil’s goal is to use the zombies to drive the characters toward his tomb. Dem’ghot’nec needs for the characters to reach the tomb alive; however, he wants them to be as weak as possible when they get there. Dem’ghot’nec is a disembodied presence that flies through the air. He is invisible, although any zombie that he possesses gives off a faint red glow that can be discerned by a character making a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. As a disembodied presence, he cannot inflict or receive damage. Every 24 hours, Dem’ghot’nec can possess any number of zombies whose total hit points do not exceed 2,200 hit points. While possessing a zombie, he is in full control of its actions. The Long March It is seventy-five miles to Dem’ghot’nec’s tomb. Occasional piles of rubble, coupled with the thousands of zombies through which the characters must successfully navigate, reduces a normal travel pace to ten miles for an eight-hour day. However, characters will likely travel for the entirety of each day (see below). In this case, the characters can travel twenty-five miles per day, meaning that they will reach Dem’ghot’nec’s tomb in three days. Dem’ghot’nec plans to drive the characters to his tomb while simultaneously pushing them to their breaking point. Before beginning this painful slog through darkness and despair, review the rules for exhaustion (see appendix A in the Player's Handbook). This encounter should be a ghastly experience that threatens the characters’ sanity as much as it threatens their lives. Periodically, the characters will be called upon to make a saving throw to resist some madness-inducing effect. If they fail the saving throw then they gain one level of madness. A character afflicted with one level of madness receives a shortterm madness (Dungeon Master’s Guide, chapter 8). The second time they gain a level of madness, they become afflicted with long-term madness. The third time they gain a level of madness, they become afflicted with an indefinite madness. The fourth time they gain a level of madness, the cycle starts over again and they become afflicted with short-term madness. In addition to those specified in the adventure, consider requiring additional saving throws as circumstances dictate. Along this march, Dem’ghot’nec will do everything in his power to prevent characters from receiving the benefit of a long rest, sending waves of zombies after them every 30 minutes should they attempt to rest. Finally, always keep in mind that Dem’ghot’nec’s ultimate goal is for all of the characters to successfully reach his tomb. Because of this, he may intentionally lessen the challenge of some of the following encounters: Day One Shortly after the characters enter the highway, Dem’ghot’nec possesses fifty zombies from the Mirabarran mines and funnels them into the highway,

Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves 29 attempting to push the characters east, toward Mithral Hall. These zombies pursue the characters throughout the day at a slow but implacable pace. Halfway through the first day, the characters come across a cave-in. A makeshift tunnel has been excavated through the rubble, but the tunnel is only 15 feet wide and is packed with docile zombies. The tunnel extends a full mile in length, gradually tapering to 5 feet of width before widening again to 15 feet. At the end of the tunnel, the characters have successfully escaped the cave-in and the highway resumes as normal. The zombies within the tunnel remain docile so long as the characters take suitable precautions. However, pushing their way through throngs of rotted corpses, while massive stones creak and groan precariously above them, should be a harrowing, claustrophobic experience. As such, each character must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or suffer one level of madness. At the end of the first day, each character must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. Adjust the difficulty (or necessity) of this check, depending upon to what extent the characters were able to access food, water, and rest. Day Two A third of the way through the second day, the characters encounter another cave-in. This time, a 10-foot wide tunnel has been burrowed through the wall of the highway, circumventing the rubble. This excavated tunnel, which winds through a quarter mile of earth before returning to the highway, is remarkably clear of any of the usual zombies. However, two zombie hook horrors, one of which has two heads, make their homes here. Dem’ghot’nec possesses these hook horrors as soon as the characters enter the tunnel. The hook horrors then ominously drag their hooks along the wall of the tunnel as they shuffle toward the characters. Use the statistics for hook horrors with the following changes: J The zombie hook horrors are undead. J They have immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition. J They have the Undead Fortitude trait. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. Halfway through the day, the characters come across a shallow river that cuts across the highway. Because the river’s water is constantly moving, the putrefaction caused by the necrotic beacon has no effect and it is safe to drink. On the far side of the river are four piercers, hanging above a cluster of stalagmites. Toward the end of the second day, the characters come across a stretch of the highway engulfed in persistent magical darkness. This darkness functions as per the darkness spell, however, it cannot be dispelled by any magic short of a wish. The darkness stretches for half a mile. The ever-present zombies still shamble through this stretch of the highway, making it likely that characters will blindly bump into the zombies unless they significantly slow their movement. Throughout the darkness, the characters hear a horrific sound that is a cross between incoherent gibbering and the chittering of a thousand spiders. The sound seems to come from the darkness itself. While traveling through this darkness, the characters must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or suffer one level of madness. At the end of the second day, each character must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. Adjust the difficulty (or necessity) of this check, depending upon to what extent the characters were able to access food, water, and rest. Zombie hook horrors roam in one of the tunnels

Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves 30 Day Three This last stretch of highway is suffused with faerzress. Faerzress is an unusual magical energy that pervades much of the Underdark; it featured prominently in Out of the Abyss. Due to the influence of the demon lords that have been released into the Underdark, faerzress now acts as a catalyst, spreading the demon lords’ madness. Demon-tainted faerzress has the following properties: J Areas suffused with faerzress are always filled with dim light. J A creature in an area suffused with faerzress has advantage on saving throws against any divination spell. J Any creature attempting to teleport into, within, or out of a faerzress-suffused area must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 1d10 force damage and the teleportation attempt fails. J When a spell is cast in a faerzress-suffused area, the caster rolls a d20. On a roll of 1, the spell has an additional effect, determined by rolling on the Wild Magic Surge table (Player’s Handbook, chapter 3). J Any character who spends more than eight hours in a faerzress-suffused area must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or suffer one level of madness. Six hours into this day, the characters come to a large chasm that cuts across the highway. The chasm is 30 feet across and 100 feet deep. A broken rope bridge hangs loosely from the western side of the chasm. The walls of the chasm are honeycombed with hundreds of small caves. Twenty-four zombie harpies and a two-headed stone giant zombie lair quietly within these caves. When the first character either crosses, or has climbed halfway down, the ravine, Dem’ghot’nec possesses four of the harpies and attacks the most vulnerable character. He possesses additional harpies and the giant only as needed to chase the characters from the ravine and back onto the highway. Use the statistics for harpies and stone giants with the following changes: J The zombie harpies and stone giant zombie are undead. J They have immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition. J They have the Undead Fortitude trait. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. J The zombie harpies no longer have their Luring Song action. Eight hours into the day, the demon-tainted faerzress begins to wear on the characters’ minds. Each character must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or suffer one level of madness. On top of this, each character must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. Adjust the difficulty (or necessity) of this check, depending upon to what extent the characters were able to access food, water, and rest. Near the end of the day, the characters come across a burrowed tunnel that branches off from the highway. A character who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom Perception) check, or has a passive Perception of 10 or higher, notices the circulation of cold, fresh air from the tunnel. The tunnel winds upwards 100 feet before a zombie umber hulk, possessed by Dem’ghot’nec, burrows up from below, flanking the characters. Use the statistics for umber hulks with the following changes: J The zombie umber hulk is undead. J It has immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition. J It has the Undead Fortitude trait. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead. J It no longer has the Confusing Gaze trait. After another 100 feet the tunnel opens into the tomb of Dem’ghot’nec. Dem'ghot'nec posseses a zombie umber hulk

Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves 31 Tomb of Dem’ghot’nec The tunnel opens into a large tomb. Dozens of statues of dwarven warriors line the walls of the room. The floor is engraved with concentric circles of Dwarvish script. Within these circles is the symbol of Dumathoin, a mountain silhouette atop a gemstone. This gemstone sparkles with an infernal red radiance. A dozen corpses are sprawled about the room in various stages of decay. Some are little more than skeletons and one, a dwarf in spiked armor, almost looks as if he might still be alive. A second, roughhewn tunnel, on the far wall, exits the tomb. The Devil Emerges. One round after the characters enter the tomb, the gemstone flashes a bright crimson and Dem’ghot’nec manifests. Use the statistics of a bearded devil with the following changes: J Dem’ghot’nec has an Armor Class of 18 (plate). J Dem’ghot’nec does not have the Multiattack and Beard actions, and has the Hellish Maul attack in place of its Glaive attack. Hellish Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage. J Dem’ghot’nec’s challenge rating is 4 (1,100 XP). Although Dem’ghot’nec ranked highly amidst hell’s hierarchy, this is the best form he can take, given the wards that still imprison him within the gemstone. In his corporeal form he laughs, “Worry not, fleshlings. Soon your suffering shall come to an end, and with your blood shall come my freedom!” At these words Dem’ghot’nec attacks. DMs should give some thought to fine-tuning this encounter. As written, it assumes that the characters have not had an opportunity to engage in a long rest since entering the mines. As such, they are likely struggling with diminished resources and exhaustion. If the characters were able to complete a long rest, particularly right before this encounter, then consider having Dem’ghot’nec manifest as a barbed devil. At the start of each of Dem’ghot’nec’s turns, the magical gemstone flashes brightly, briefly filling the characters’ minds with visions of hellish flames and infernal torture. Each character must succeed at a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or suffer one level of madness. This radiance can be negated with a darkness spell, or even something more mundane such as covering the gemstone with a cloak. The gemstone has AC 18 and 50 hit points. The Devil’s Due. Destroying the gemstone sends Dem’ghot’nec’s infernal essence back to the Nine Hells, forcing the bearded devil to burst into flames amidst horrific screams of pain. Similarly, if the bearded devil is slain, then the gemstone shatters, returning Dem’ghot’nec to the Hells. What Remains. Most of the bodies are the corpses of poorly equipped barbarians who were driven into the tomb from above. However, one of the bodies belongs to Brigadier General Bawling Stibber (CN male dwarf battlerager, see appendix B), of the famed Gutbuster Brigade. Although vanquished a tenday ago by Dem’ghot’nec, Bawling still clings to life with fierce dwarven tenacity and can be revived with either magical healing or a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check. Upon revival, Bawling curses loudly, thanks the characters, and then asks if they have any proper ale to help fix him up the rest of the way. If the characters are in poor condition, then Bawling volunteers to return to the Highway to forage for food. Six hours later, he returns with a dripping net full of waterorbs. These waterorbs are a bulbous, edible fungus that can be squeezed like a sponge to yield drinkable water. Bawling currently carries the ruby shroudstone of the Ancients (see appendix D). He is the sole survivor of a larger group that was tasked with delivering the shroudstone to Racine. Bawling knows little about the gemstone, only that it has traded hands many times on its way to him and that his superiors believe it holds the key to defeating Vecna. Dem'ghot'nec in his devilish form

Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves 32 Bawling can provide the characters with details regarding the fate of the dwarves (See “Dwarfholds of the North” in appendix A as well as the information on demon lords contained in the Great Underground Highway section). Bawling was part of the dwarven army that was left behind by Bruenor Battlehammer. Now, years later, this army numbers less than a hundred. Bawling encourages the characters to return to Mirabar to deliver the stone to Racine. Bawling wishes to return to the Underdark so that he can reunite with the Gutbuster Brigade, although he can be talked into joining the characters with a successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Treasure. The Dwarvish runes tell the story of the Delzoun dwarves and how they imprisoned Dem’ghot’nec within this tomb. Reading the runes reveals the information on Dem’ghot’nec contained in the Great Underground Highway section. The room’s statues symbolize dwarven heroes who played a critical role, thousands of years ago, in stopping the fiend. A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check determines that one of the statues is an upright sarcophagus. It is locked but may be picked by a character making a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Alternatively, it can be forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength check. Within the sarcophagus is a belt of dwarvenkind and a mithral scepter worth 250 gp. Bawling has grown deeply pragmatic over the years and does not object to the plundering of these treasures.

Chapter 2 In Search of the Dwarves Chapter 3 Return to Mirabar 33 he dwarven tomb’s exit tunnel slopes upwards for half a mile before emerging onto a snow-covered mountain. From their vantage point the characters can see Mirabar to the southeast. The return trip takes between two to three uneventful days, during which food and water can be easily foraged. By the time the characters return to Mirabar, the events of the Great Underground Highway begin to feel like nothing more than a bad nightmare. Back at the Goblet When the characters return to the Goblet, they find no sign of Racine. Instead, a towering, 8-foot tall AAO called Ruby (LN female human commoner), tends the bar. Shortly after the characters enter, Lapis invites them into his backroom. He talks directly with the characters, assuring them that Racine is fine and just away on business. Lapis also assures the characters that it is safe to talk openly. He pours each character a cup of warm, spiced wine as he asks about their adventures. If Racine promised the characters any rewards, then Lapis delivers these rewards during their discussions. Any character who succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that the gemstone marking on Lapis’ wrist is oriented differently than before. In truth, Racine has been compromised. Racine managed to successfully flee after her tavern was raided, however Lapis was captured and executed. The Lapis that the characters now talk with is a doppelganger who works for the Ministry of Secrets. The doppelganger attempts to poison the characters with assassin’s blood (see Dungeon Master’s Guide, chapter 8) while waiting for Vecnan reinforcements to surround the tavern. Chapter 3 Return to Mirabar This short chapter concludes the characters’ time in Mirabar, wrapping up the adventure’s first story arc. Upon returning from the mines, the characters discover that Racine and her resistance have been compromised. After battling a doppelganger assassin, the characters must fight their way out of the city. Based on their final instructions from Racine, they must deliver the gemstone to the rain giant, Zephyrus, in Triboar. The Trap Revealed Immediately after the characters either drink the wine or confront the doppelganger, they collectively hear the desperate voice of Racine screaming in their heads, GET OUT! IT’S A TRAP! We’ve been discovered. There is a secret tunnel under the table. Go to the Amber Hulk, near the River Gate. Deliver the gemstone to the rain giant, Zephyrus, in Triboar. Go now— her voice is cut off with a telepathic scream of pain. TERRANOXYIA! I almost forgot! TERRANOXYIA! Racine screams again and then goes silent. Battle! At this point, the doppelganger yells, “We’ll tear your secrets from you, even in death!” and attacks the characters. The doppelganger directs its attacks toward any character who appears to be poisoned. It fights to the death, reverting to its natural form once slain. A Way Out. Any character who searches under the table finds the unlocked trapdoor. Underneath is a ladder and a long, cramped tunnel that ends in another ladder. This second ladder leads up to the loose cobblestone of a dust-covered road. Awaiting the characters in the streets above is a band of Vecnan cultists. Ten Bloods of Vecna (bandits) patrol the immediate street and do their best to kill or apprehend the characters. Two abandoned homes immediately north of the characters and two abandoned homes immediately to the south are fortified with barricaded doors that require a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to break open. They also have shuttered windows that provide three-quarters cover. A Memory of Vecna (cult fanatic) and a Finger of Vecna (spy) are within each of the northern buildings. A Tooth of Vecna (see appendix B) and a Finger of Vecna (spy) are in the southwest building. The southeast building is unoccupied and unlocked, providing a potential refuge for the characters. Upon seeing the characters, the Fingers and Tooth immediately reinforce the Bloods with ranged attacks, while the Memories provide auxiliary support as needed. Fight or Flight. Fleeing characters can escape down either end of the street or through an alleyway that cuts between the two northern buildings. Because of their entrenched position, the Memories, Fingers, and Tooth cannot pursue fleeing characters, although the Bloods of Vecna will chase them doggedly. Loud noises, such as a thunderwave, draw additional attention from wolf-mounted goblins, will-

Chapter 3 Return to Mirabar 34 o’-wisps, or additional Bloods of Vecna. Characters who are particularly destructive eventually draw the attention of the arcanaloth from area A10. If the characters played the ACADEMY OF ADVENTURE, consider having them intercepted, at some point, by the Demodragons, who are now agents of Vecna. The Amber Hulk After defeating or escaping the Vecnan police and evading possible pursuit, the characters should eventually find their way to the Amber Hulk. Its warped, faded sign shows a smiling umber hulk holding a sack brimming with yellow gemstones. The shop’s doors and windows are barricaded but can be forced open with a successful DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. A character who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check notices a strange shape within a nearby shrub; investigation reveals a crowbar. Using the crowbar allows entry to the building without requiring Strength checks. The Amber Hulk once sold mining supplies, but is now a barren, rat-infested building holding little more than two barrels. Investigating the barrels reveals that one is full of fresh water while the other is filled with travel rations. Between the barrels is a sack that contains two potions of greater healing, a spell scroll of lesser restoration, and a map of the Sword Coast (see handout C2 in appendix C). In the back of the building, a small crack leads through the city’s wall and exits amidst a tangle of thorny vines. The Amber Hulk is guarded by an earth elemental, bound here years ago by a powerful wizard allied with the resistance. As soon as the characters enter the building, the elemental aggressively rises through the floor. Its words sound like the grinding of stone as it inquires in Primordial, “WHAT IS THE SAFE PHRASE? WHAT IS THE SAFE PHRASE?” If the characters respond with “Terranoxyia,” then the elemental stands down and allows the characters to do as they will. If the characters do not respond appropriately, then the elemental fights to the death. For dramatic effect, consider having another Vecnan squad assault the building during this final moment. Once the elemental is properly dealt with, the characters can safely escape Mirabar through the crack. Advance the characters to 5th level after breaking out of Mirabar. The road from Mirabar to Triboar now awaits.

Chapter 3 Return to Mirabar Chapter 4 From Xantharl to Xanathar 35 djacent locations that the characters might explore include Evernight, Luskan, the Neverwinter Wood, and Port Llast. Evernight According to the Neverwinter Campaign Setting, “Legend has it that every major feature of the mortal world—every mountain, every ocean, every forest, every river, and every city—has a dark, twisted reflection in the Shadowfell. There, shade is darker, edges are murkier, and everything that makes a place wholesome and natural is warped into a dark and twisted version of itself.” The shrouded city of Evernight is the dismal reflection of Neverwinter, the so-called Jewel of the North. Some years after Vecna’s conquest, the cities of Neverwinter and Evernight traded places. Now, the citizens of Neverwinter sleep under the sunless skies of the Shadowfell, and the maddened necromancers and shambling dead of Evernight have been unleashed upon Faerûn. Although an interesting locale, Evernight does not play a direct role within this adventure. As such, it is up to the DM as to why Evernight has swapped places with its planar doppelganger. Perhaps the manifestation of Evernight is a sign of the Sword Coast’s ongoing hopelessness and a harbinger of the Shadowfell’s impending encroachment upon the Realms. Maybe the switch was orchestrated by Orcus to provide a beachhead on Faerûn. Or it might be that Vecna used his godly powers to drag Evernight from the Shadowfell, providing staging grounds for an eventual assault upon the Plane of Shadow. For a more detailed adaptation of Evernight and the Shadowfell see Ulraunt’s Guide to the Planes: The Shadowfell. Chapter 4 From Xantharl to Xanathar Given the map they found in Mirabar, the most likely path for the characters is south, along the Long Road. Traveling this road, they will pass through Xantharl’s Keep and Longsaddle before eventually reaching Triboar. From Triboar, the characters will most likely head west, following the Triboar Trail, before taking the High Road north to Helm’s Hold. At Helm’s Hold, they will discover information that sends them south, through Leilon, and ultimately to Thornhold. The details of each of these major locations are provided in chapters 5 through 7. Luskan Before Vecna’s invasion, Luskan was described as “...a dirty dive with filthy streets, squat buildings, ramshackle docks, creaky old longships, and crass pirates thinly disguised as sea traders.” Some things never change. The city is still ruled by five High Captains whose lawlessness has been quelled by Vecna. Those loyal to Jarlaxle Baenre have been driven from the city. The Hosttower of the Arcane is currently run by former apprentices of Halaster Blackcloak—Arcturia, Muiral the Misshapen, and Trobriand, the Metal Mage—who are now loyal to Vecna. Permanent portals to Ravenloft exist within the Hosttower. The energy from these portals is used to help manufacture artificial organisms. Occasionally, dark, terrible things escape through the portals. As such, the foggy streets of Luskan are now home to vampires, werewolves, and other horrors. Neverwinter Wood The forest east of Evernight seems to have a loathsome quality about it, or at least an air of uneasiness. The Neverwinter Wood holds countless ruins and more than a few crumbling castles. For this reason, the archlich Acererak often visits this brooding forest. In particular, he is slowly and carefully exploring the ruins of Xinlenal, the Fallen City. He is also attempting to tap into the latent energy still contained within Szass Tam’s Dread Ring. Although the characters might be tempted to cut through the Neverwinter Wood, such a shortcut would likely prove fatal. The woods are occupied by blights, corrupted treants, ghosts, liches, and wraiths, all of which are drawn to living flesh like moths to flame. Any character who carries Colbornia’s acorn experiences intense unease when near the Neverwinter Wood. This unease intensifies should the character venture into the forest. Port Llast This small, coastal town has been abandoned for years and its harbor is strewn with long-plundered shipwrecks. However, this location is still the only accessible port between Luskan and Evernight. On moonless nights, Jarlaxle Baenre and the Bregan D’aerthe often sneak into Port Llast, smuggling

Chapter 4 From Xantharl to Xanathar 36 goods to and from the mainland. For more details on the Bregan D’aerthe see Doomed Forgotten Realms: Sword Coast Gazetteer. Travel Encounters This lengthy journey can be seeded with random encounters as desired. See the Dungeon Master’s Guide for descriptions of random encounters as well as lists of monsters by environment. You can also populate the roads with fellow travelers (commoners) that can be used to deliver relevant background information about impending locales. Use the Encounter Locations table for a quick overview of the encounters presented here. Use them as needed to ensure the characters are 7th level upon reaching Thornhold Keep. Encounter Locations Encounter Location Awakened Arcana In Longsaddle and on the road from there to Triboar Croaking Blues Between Mirabar and Longsaddle Don’t Hate the Player Anywhere on the road Midnight Menace Nighttime between Triboar, Helm’s Hold, and Leilon Scorn of the Swamps Between Leilon and Thornhold Through a Glass Darkly Anywhere where two or more roads meet Awakened Arcana The road from Longsaddle to Triboar is typically safe. Living spells such as living Bigby’s hand, living blade of disaster, and living demiplane (see appendix B) sometimes prowl south of Longsaddle, but they generally stay within the boundaries of the city. This road also borders the hunting grounds of a tyrannosaurus zombie (see appendix B) carelessly transplanted here by Acererak. Croaking Blues The road between Mirabar and Longsaddle is lightly traveled and also generally safe. However, the recent activity at Xantharl’s Keep has attracted the attention of a blue slaad. If any of the characters bear the Blessing of Ssendam (see chapter 5), then the slaad is friendly. Otherwise, it attacks the most vulnerable spellcaster, hoping to infect them with chaos phage. If successful, the slaad then attempts to flee. Don’t Hate the Player The characters might stumble upon Oliviér Fight (LE male goblin), an unarmed, blue-haired goblin dressed in regular clothing. His clan, of which he is now the only survivor, used to mock him for his pacifist ways, nicknaming him “Fight.” Though not worth much in combat, he’s looking for friends and loves to play cards. He is a master at Three Dragon Ante but he prefers to play his own game “Arcana the Conclave.” When he wins a game, he shouts “Infinite c-c-combo!” or “HA! I WIN!” Midnight Menace The road from Triboar to Helm’s Hold skirts the edges of the Neverwinter Wood. It is quiet during the day, but at night the dark creatures of the forest venture forth in search of sustenance. Possible nighttime encounters include ghosts, shadows, and wraiths. Scorn of the Swamps The road from Leilon to Thornhold follows the edge of the Mere of Dead Men. Encounters might include shambling mounds or a raiding party from the Scaly Death lizardman tribe. Such a raiding party consists of ten lizardfolk led by a lizard queen mounted upon a catoblepas (see appendix B). Through a Glass Darkly A destitute man in tattered robes stands seemingly waiting for the characters. He wears a mirror shard on a leather necklace around his neck. If prompted, the man introduces himself as Alter Odim, a simple merchant of mirrors. His voice is soft and smooth, and his demeanor is inviting and warm. Underneath his robes, he has multiple handheld mirrors, either with wooden handles (worth 5 gp), steel handles (worth 10 gp), alabaster handles (worth 15 gp), gilded handles (worth 20 gp), or ivory handles (worth 50 gp). The first character who buys a mirror with a wooden, steel, alabaster, or gilded handle from Alter, receives an enchanted mirror. It has one charge for every 5 gp it is worth. If a character attunes to the mirror, they can speak its command word as an action to cast the mirror image spell on itself without expending a spell slot. Once the last charge is used, the mirror loses its magic and becomes a mundane mirror. The first character who buys a mirror with an ivory handle from Alter, receives a looking glass (see appendix D). Alter Odim is in truth a mysterious entity from the Far Realm, unbound by the regular rules of reality. He refuses to disclose any information of worth and repels queries with “I don’t know anything, I’m just a humble mirror merchant.” If attacked, he simply evaporates into a dark mist and disappears. Otherwise, he disappears once the characters leave.

Chapter 4 From Xantharl to Xanathar Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 37 antharl’s Keep is a fortified village that stands along the western side of the Long Road. Heavy crossbows are mounted along its protective walls. Within these walls are dozens of steep-roofed buildings. The village and keep are occupied by a Zhentarim garrison led by Worvil “the Weevil” Forkbeard (NE male dwarf bandit captain). The Zhent forces provide military protection to nearby Mirabar. They also charge a hefty “protection tax” to any merchants passing through the keep. These taxes are delivered monthly to Zhentil Keep. The Weevil, however, has spent the last few years skimming off the top and keeping some of the taxes for himself. Current Events In the years since the demons infested the Underdark, earthquakes have become commonplace throughout the Realms. Occasionally, these earthquakes open rifts into the Underdark, from which seeps demon-tainted faerzress. Three months ago, one of these earthquakes struck Xantharl’s Keep, opening a large rift in the basement of the main keep. Since then, faerzress has been leaking steadily throughout the entire manor. The Weevil was delighted by this turn of events, particularly since faerzress interferes with scrying and teleportation. Emboldened by this added layer of secrecy, the Weevil began to withhold even more taxes from his Zhentarim superiors. The madness from the tainted faerzress developed slowly, almost imperceptibly, aggravating pre-existing quirks among the Weevil and his servants. This slow spread was unexpectedly accelerated two tendays ago by the arrival of a green slaad loyal to Ssendam, the slaad Lord of Insanity. The slaad’s chaotic energy interacted with the faerzress, plunging the manor into chaos overnight. The slaad now presides over this house of madness, pretending to be a traveling priest who goes by the name of Gorna. Chapter 5 Xantharl’s Keep Xantharl’s Keep is an optional stopping point along the characters’ journey to Triboar. While there, the characters are recruited by the Zhentarim to investigate a slaad-infested manor house. The inhabitants of the manor have been afflicted with various madnesses by a visiting green slaad. After interacting with these inhabitants, the characters journey through their own psyches before finally doing battle with the lord of the manor, Worvil “the Weevil” Forkbeard. More recently, a squad from Zhentil Keep was dispatched to investigate the increasingly strange communication that has been arriving from Xantharl’s Keep. This squad, led by the Iron Viper (LE male human gladiator with expertise in the Insight skill [+7]), arrived here a day before the characters. The squad consists of three veterans and thirty thugs. They were dismayed when they witnessed the chaos that has descended upon the village and are currently camped outside the keep, fearful that the garrison’s communal madness might prove contagious. Arriving at the Keep Upon arriving at Xantharl’s Keep, the characters are intercepted by soldiers loyal to the Iron Viper. After a brief interrogation, the characters are escorted to a decrepit tower, in which the Viper paces restlessly. He sizes them up, asking a few questions about their capabilities before making the following proposal: “Xantharl’s Keep has fallen prey to a collective madness that may or may not be contagious. We could send for oil and burn the place down, but that seems like a terrible waste of an otherwise perfectly good infrastructure. To avoid collateral damage, we would prefer to find a way to cure the madness. We think that we have tracked its source to the keep’s commander, Worvil Forkbeard, also known as the Weevil. If you are willing to go into the keep and successfully determine and eradicate the source of this madness, then I am prepared to pay each of you 250 gold. You are authorized to do whatever you deem necessary, although be aware that anything found in the manor is the lawful property of Zhentil Keep and shall remain that way.” The village itself is largely quiet. The villagers suffer from exaggerated quirks tinged with paranoia. Because of this paranoia, they tend to remain in their homes and avoid the characters. As such, a short, uneventful journey through the village takes the party into the keep’s manor. Madness and Loss of Agency This chapter deals with madness, altered reality, and loss of agency. Before running this chapter, you should discuss these topics with your players. In the event that the topics are inappropriate for your table you can still run the keep as a monster’s lair or skip the keep without affecting the adventure’s overall plot. Finally, it should be noted that these “madnesses” are included to provide opportunities for unusual social encounters. You and your players can engage with these encounters in whatever manner is most appropriate for your table. Our recommendation is to portray them as temporarily magnified idiosyncrasies. They are in no way meant to simplify or trivialize the complex issues surrounding mental health.

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 38

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 39 Gorna’s Insanitarium Area B The lord’s manor is filled with faerzress. The properties of this unusual radiation are described in chapter 2. Warped by the chaotic energy of the slaad, the ever-present radiance manifests in strange ways. These include: J Faint, disembodied shrieks and cackles. J Sparkling purple clouds that drift about, boiling, seething, cackling, and chortling. J Passing streams of violet energy that wave to the characters with friendly candor. J Columns of light, fluffy radiance that swoop down and surround the characters. J A snickering luminescence that whispers crazy, implausible rumors that stretch the mind and strain the imagination. Mad Writings. The interior of the manor is covered in layers of graffiti. Most is gibberish, illegible, or has a level of profundity beyond the characters’ comprehension. Rare, intelligible snippets include: J ALL HAIL GORNA THE MAD! J Not much time left, so. wake. Up. NOW J Look over your shoulder before you start! J DOOM. DOOM TAKES US ALL. The Occupants. Most of the manor’s occupants suffer from some type of madness that have been psychically implanted into their minds by Gorna (see area B1), where they now incubate like an egg. Most of these NPCs can have their madness resolved in a manner detailed in their description. Their insanity can also be cured by a lesser restoration or a calm emotions spell. Either way, once they have overcome their affliction, their incubating madness is expunged from their brain in the form of a hollow green gemstone worth 100 gp. B1. Waiting Room When the characters enter the manor, read or paraphrase the following: You walk into the manor’s entry room. The air sparkles with pulsing, purple radiance. The walls are covered in layer upon layer of graffiti. A priest in gray robes stands on the far side of the room, flanked by two armed guards. The priest wears a bronze mask bearing the leering face of a demon. The priest greets you, as you enter, “Welcome to my lovely insanitarium. I am Gorna, high priest of Ssendam, god of liberation. Why don’t you tell me your names and a little bit about whatever sanity ails you?” Gorna is a polymorphed green slaad, protected by two of the Weevil’s personal guards (veterans). He is friendly, although occasionally incoherent. Gorna encourages the characters to explore the manor, hoping that they, too, will fall victim to the madness, warning that the only rule of his insanitarium is that there is to be no violence of any kind. If asked about himself, or his god Ssendam, Gorna replies: “Servants of Ssendam seek to share their lord’s blessings, liberating all from the stale straitjackets of sanity. We intentionally subject ourselves to every neurosis, psychosis, obsession, depression, mania, phobia, philia, addiction, and insanity possible. This insanity concentrates in our minds, dense and toxic, until digested by the psyche. Seeds of madness are created during this laborious, birthing process of the soul.” Gorna flashes what looks to be a sparkling red gemstone before continuing, “Using wild magics inexplicable to prudes such as yourselves, we embed these seeds inside the souls of our petitioners and then, POW! Power and freedom like you’ve never imagined!” The sparkling gemstone is a red slaad egg. Gorna refuses to show it again, telling the characters that they are not yet ready for such a deep and spiritual communion. Once they finish their pilgrimage of insanity, he promises, he will gift them with Ssendam’s blessing. The first step of such a pilgrimage, according to Gorna, is to visit the true lord of the manor, Weevil, who is in the keep’s basement. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals that Ssendam is the slaad Lord of Insanity. If confronted with this information, Gorna indignantly replies, “Well, that is certainly one side of the story.” A statue of a portly, middle-aged human leans against the room’s northern wall, obscured by Gorna and his guards. It appears to have been dragged indoors from elsewhere in the village. The statue’s plaque has been removed and in its place the name “SSENDAM” has been scrawled in green paint. B2. Serpent's Aviary Here are two long rows of shelves, holding dozens of mesh cages, and a chest of drawers. Ten of these cages hold flying snakes, used by the Zhentarim to deliver messages. The remaining mesh cages hold mice, rats, and hamsters. One of the cages is empty and seemingly broken. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the cage was broken from the inside. The drawers hold a quill, some paper, and a jar of rare ink (worth 100 gp). The paper is cut into small strips, most of which are blank, but a few are covered in gibberish such as, “Skittle up, SKAT!” and “Did gyre and gimble in the wabe?” The hallway to the north has a staircase that leads to area B8 on the second floor.

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 40 B3. Barracks This is a plain, sparsely furnished room with just a couch, a table, and a footlocker. A naked human runs through the room roaring, “FRawwr! Crrrckle! Burn! Burn! I’m a terrible fire come to consume! You can’t stop me! Swords can’t stop fire! Magic can’t contain fire! You’ve got nothing to stop me!” The naked man is a manor guard (CN human veteran). His clothes and weapons are in the footlocker, along with a set of gambling dice and a book of jokes. His name was once Bazim, but he now insists that he is a nameless fire. Bazim follows the characters around the manor, taunting and harassing them. If splashed with water, Bazim exclaims, “Oh, no! Water beats fire! I’m beaten! I’m sputtering!” He spits over and over as he sputters, before retreating to a corner of the room to sulk. As he does so, a small green gemstone falls to the ground. B4. Dining Room This is a large dining room with an antique table and crystal chandelier. A man in servant’s clothing sits at the table, reading a book. The man is O’kuel (NE male human commoner), and he is one of the Weevil’s live-in servants. If O’kuel notices the characters entering the room, then he looks up briefly and says, “Olleh,” before returning to his reading. O’kuel is reading a dry history book entitled We Few. A close inspection reveals that the book is upside down, as if he is reading the words backward. After years of swindling and deceit, O’kuel has come to regret his lifetime of lies. He now speaks backward, in an attempt to undo these “bad words.” O’kuel pretends not to understand any words that are spoken to him, unless they are spoken backward, responding with, “Tahw egaugnal era uoy gnikaeps?” He points to his book, exclaiming, “Repap! Repap!” If any characters bring him paper, along with something to write with, he can communicate by writing backward. Either by mouth or by quill, O’kuel tells the following story, “Evi dias stol fo dab sgniht taht evah thguorb em dab amrak. Gnikaeps sdrawkcab si eht ylno yaw ot ekat kcab eseht sdrow dna meeder ym amrak. Ro gnihsaw ym htuom tuo htiw paos. Tub I evah on paos!”

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 41 If the characters give O’kuel some soap, he then asks for “Retaw,” before thoroughly rinsing his mouth out. He spits the soapy water onto the floor and exclaims, “Thanks! Much better!” before returning to his book. At this point, a green gemstone clatters to the ground beside him. Making Sense of O’kuel Mad Speech Translation Olleh Hello Tahw egaugnal era uoy gnikaeps? What language are you speaking? Repap! Paper! Evi dias stol fo dab sgniht taht evah thguorb em dab amrak. Gnikaeps sdrawkcab si eht ylno yaw ot ekat kcab eseht sdrow dna meeder ym amrak. Ro gnihsaw ym htuom tuo htiw paos. Tub I evah on paos! I’ve said lots of bad things that have brought me bad karma. Speaking backward is the only way to take back these words and redeem my karma. Or washing my mouth out with soap. But I have no soap! Retaw Water B5. Kitchen This kitchen is in disarray, as if recently ransacked. A middle-aged man cautiously peeks forth from what appears to be a makeshift fort of pots, pans, and other kitchen utensils. If he notices the characters, he pleads, “You’re no-t-t-ttt ca-cr-aaazy are you?” The man is Lum (NG male human commoner), one of the Weevil’s household servants. If the characters indicate that they are crazy, then Lum squeals and hides in his fort. If the characters indicate that they are not crazy, then read or paraphrase the following: The man wipes his brow in relief. “Thank goodness! I thought that I was the only one. This whole house is turned upside down! I think that I’ve managed to build a machine that will make everyone sane again.” The man gestures to his teetering fort of spice racks and cutlery. “It just needs three of those crazy gems to power it. Then we pull this lever right here,” he gestures to a corncob wedged into a cheese grater, “and WHAM! World saved, no questions asked!” If asked how he built the machine, Lum responds that he has always been smart, but didn’t remember exactly how smart until recently. He refuses to allow the characters to enter his fort, frantically warning them that they might accidentally trigger its self-destruct system. The door to the north is behind Lum’s fort. It is sealed with an arcane lock. The lock can be picked by a successful DC 25 Dexterity check made using thieves’ tools. It can also be forced open with a successful DC 25 Strength check. If the word “Ssendam” is spoken within 5 feet of the door, it suppresses the lock for 1 minute. If the characters give any three gemstones to Lum, then he shouts aloud, “Take that, Ssendam!” before pulling his corncob lever. The door to the north opens with a faint click. B6. Storage Room This chamber is used for the storage of food and drink. Crates of potatoes, sacks of flour, and casks of ale are just a sampling of what is held in this well-stocked pantry. Any character who spends time searching through the goods discovers a small chest stocked with two potions of healing and two spell scrolls of create food and water. The faerzress is noticeably thicker in this room, seeming to bubble up from the staircase that leads down into darkness (see area B12). B7. Servant’s Quarters Two beds, a few chests, and an armoire are the only furnishings of this room. An elderly man in sweeping black robes stands near a pile of cleaning supplies. He is directing a spectral, floating hand encased in a rubber glove. The hand looks to be picking up tiny particles of dust from one of the beds and depositing them into an unused chamber pot. The elderly man is Cledge (LN male human mage), an advisor to Lord Weevil. Cledge is recovering from a bad cold and now blames his sickness on the manor’s dirt and dust. Unable to bear touching the dirt with his own hands, he has spent days using mage hand to meticulously clean the manor one particle of dirt at a time. He has not slept for days. He would like to sleep on the bed that he is currently cleaning, but (in his mind) it gathers dust faster than he can remove it. If Cledge notices the characters enter the room, then he looks at them with horror, demanding that they stay back so that their impurity does not undo his three days of deep cleaning. A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that Cledge is sleep-deprived. A successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or DC 15 Charisma (Deception) check convinces Cledge that the bed is clean enough for him to sleep in. He can also be convinced through the successful use of illusion magic or forced to sleep with magic such as the sleep spell. As soon as he falls asleep, one way or another, a small green gemstone materializes near his head. The cleaning supplies consist of brooms, mops, buckets of water, and a dozen blocks of soap.

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 42 B8. Second Floor Hallway This large hallway leads to the guest room (area B9) and study (area B10). Its walls are lined with watercolor paintings of forests. There is also a large, lifesized portrait of an impossibly proportioned dwarf wearing regal clothing and a king’s crown. The portrait is labeled, “Worvil Forkbeard, Lord of Xantharl’s Keep.” A small table in the hallway is occasionally utilized by the manor’s guardsmen but is currently unused. Other than a few empty crates and barrels lining the hall, there is little to see here. The door to the study is secured by an arcane lock spell. The lock can be picked by a successful DC 25 Dexterity check made using thieves’ tools. Alternatively, the door can also be forced open with a successful DC 25 Strength check. The phrase “Worvil Forkbeard” spoken within 5 feet of the door suppresses the lock for 1 minute. Finally, the door can be unlocked by the key carried by the Weevil (see area B17). B9. Guest Room This finely appointed bedroom is decorated in various shades of blue. Sitting on one of the beds is a glum-looking minstrel, half-heartedly plucking at the strings of her lyre. Next to her, a paranoid songbird eyes the room with avian suspicion. The minstrel’s name is Orchestra (CG female half-elf bard, see appendix B). If she notices the characters, then she looks up and says, “Oh, hey there,” before returning to her moping. Orchestra is in a deep funk, burdened by the hopelessness of the world around her. Her songbird, Birdie, is experiencing a bout of paranoia. Birdie refuses to sing, because he knows THEY are listening and refuses to eat because he knows THEY have poisoned his food. Birdie’s refusal to eat or sing is just deepening Orchestra’s sadness. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check convinces Birdie to eat his food and sing. This check is made with advantage if supplemented with

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 43 speak with animals or similar magic. Seeing Birdie eat and sing brightens Orchestra’s mood, dispelling her miserable mood. Alternatively, Orchestra can be cheered up with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check. This check is made with advantage if characters use the book of jokes from area B3. Either way, once Orchestra’s mood is brightened, a small green gemstone manifests itself upon the bed next to her. B10. Study This lavishly decorated study smells heavily of pipe weed. The Weevil uses it to entertain visiting guests or, in the absence of such visitors, his favorite guardsmen. The desk is covered with maps of the surrounding area as well as scores of tiny black ledgers. The walls are decorated with stuffed animal heads. Behind the room’s desk, mounted prominently, is a longbow of exquisite craftsmanship. The ledgers atop the desk keep track of incoming and outgoing taxes. A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check while examining the ledgers can determine that the Weevil has been manipulating the accounting in his books and withholding coin from his Zhentarim superiors. Most of the maps are uninteresting but one has the entirety of the Sword Coast circled in red ink and labeled, “MINE!!” The desk’s drawers contain a sack of pipe weed and a beautiful collection of hand-carved pipes, worth 50 gp in total. They also contain a crystal decanter of Delzoun brandy worth 250 gp. The mounted longbow, Xantharl’s bow (see appendix D), once belonged to the ranger who founded the keep. B11. Master Bedroom This spacious master bedroom looks as if it has been unused for a few days, judging by the stale pastries and decanter of cold kaeth near the unkempt bed. A writing table holds black ledgers, similar to those from the study, as well as a piece of paper where the words “WEEVIL = GOD!!!” are scrawled over and over again. A closet in the north of the room holds a suit of chainmail armor, a shortbow with 20 arrows, and two +1 hand axes. B12. Staircase to Madness The staircase leads down into deepening darkness. If the characters follow it, they descend for what feels like 10 minutes, the way growing darker and darker until it seems as if they are walking through the cosmos. Faerzress twinkles around them like deranged constellations. After an eternity, the staircase ends. Read or paraphrase the following: At the foot of the staircase is a quivering threshold, extending indefinitely in all directions, sharply delineating your own madness from what lies before you. You know with obsessive, unrelenting certainty that beyond this threshold lie fates worse than death. To move beyond it risks drowning in a tidal pool of your own madness. Any character who steps through the threshold finds themselves in area B13. DMs are encouraged to engage in theater of the mind for areas B12 through B18. As such, no maps are provided. When the characters step through the threshold, they are entering an area of psychic energy that is more thought than reality. Consequently, the laws of nature work differently. As an action, a character can make an Intelligence check to mentally move an object that they can see within 30 feet of them. The DC depends on the object’s size: DC 5 for Tiny, DC 10 for Small, DC 15 for Medium, DC 20 for Large, and DC 25 for Huge or larger. On a successful check, the character moves the object up to 5 feet plus 1 foot for every point by which they surpassed the DC. A character can also use an action to make an Intelligence check to alter a nonmagical object that isn’t being worn or carried. The same rules for distance apply, and the DC is based on the object’s size: DC 10 for Tiny, DC 15 for Small, DC 20 for Medium, and DC 25 for Large or larger. On a success, the character changes the object into another nonliving form of the same size, such as turning a boulder into a ball of fire. Any transformed object returns to its original form when removed from the manor. B13. Narcolepsy Yawn periodically as you read or paraphrase the following: You find yourself in an infinite field of poppies. The grass looks so comfortable and you find it rather hard to keep your eyes open. The flowers are bright red, like the color of a silk pillowcase. At the end of the field, you see a glowing portal. You do not give it too much attention because it would take far too much energy to get there. The portal is exactly 100 feet away from the characters’ starting point. The field of flowers counts as difficult terrain for any characters who try to move through it. The flowers sway hypnotically, as if dancing to some unfelt breeze, and they yawn and stretch periodically. Have the characters roll initiative and play out each combat round until either they have all fallen asleep or one of them reaches the glowing portal. Each round, on initiative count 20, the characters

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 44 are targeted by a sleep spell that affects up to 9d8 hit points worth of creatures. If a character falls asleep, then they are instantly transported to area B13A. If a character reaches the portal and touches it, then all characters, including any characters in area B13A, are transported to area B14. B13a. Deadly Dreams Read or paraphrase the following to any character who falls asleep in area B13: The wind against your face gradually eases you awake. You are falling! You are falling through a stone shaft that is 30 feet in diameter. You are near the wall of the shaft, but it is polished smooth and provides no handholds with which to slow your plummet. A thousand feet beneath you is a stone ledge that you are about to crash into! To make matters worse, a fiendish gargoyle is swooping after you! Continue using the initiative count established in area B13. A new gargoyle swoops down from the darkness every time a new character is transported into this dream realm. Despite falling, characters can still fight and cast spells. The characters are falling 500 feet per round. They can avoid the ledge beneath them by pushing off a nearby wall, however a new ledge will then appear 1,000 feet beneath their new position. This process continues indefinitely. If a character crashes into a ledge, then they are jolted awake, finding themselves in area B14. Alternatively, if all gargoyles are slain, then the characters suddenly crash into the floor of the shaft, jolting themselves awake in area B14. B14. Paranoia Wait until all characters have arrived before frantically reading or paraphrasing the following: You find yourself in a densely-furnished library. What’s that!? Who’s that!? The subtle play of air currents around you are the unmistakable movements of an approaching invisible stalker! You then notice the discoloration from a nearby table! It’s not real furniture! It’s a mimic! Even your shadows are beginning to look awfully suspicious. . . You realize with terror that you’ve been led into a trap! Betrayed, by someone close to you! You better get them before they get you. . . Pass a note to a random player saying that they have just realized that another, randomly selected character, is a doppelganger. Then have the characters roll initiative. If a character searches for an invisible stalker, then they find one. The invisible stalker promptly attacks that character. If a character searches for a mimic, then they find one. The mimic promptly attacks that character. If a character investigates their shadow too closely, then it too, attacks. Starting on the second round, on initiative count 20, have every character make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. Do not tell them why they are rolling. If a character makes their saving throw, then pass them a note revealing that any hostile creatures they see are just illusions conjured up by their own inflamed paranoia. This character can no longer see, or interact with, any of the creatures in the room. The character can, however, try to convince another character that the creatures are not real, giving that character advantage on their next Wisdom saving throw. Once all the characters have made their saving throws, a great, soothing darkness settles over them. Proceed to area B15. B15. Inkblot Read or paraphrase the following: The darkness recedes. You can now see that it is just a stain of ink. But the ink stain looks like the most beautiful butterfly in the entire world and you can’t help but wonder if you’re looking into some kind of mirror of the soul. No, wait, it’s a fire! No, a cactus! A spirit guide and the shape of the universe! It is the bloodstain left by the death of Love. It is that one thing you don’t want to remember... Show the players the Rorschach inkblot (see handout C3 in appendix C). Ask them what their characters see, then ad lib appropriately. Alternatively, two shadow demons materialize from the darkness and attack the characters. Once the battle is finished, a soothing darkness settles over the characters yet again.

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 45 B16. Sanitarium Read or paraphrase the following: A priest in pure white robes looks down upon you with benevolent pity. You realize, with a sense of relief, that he is here to cure you. He has a look of great concern as he reads from a crisp, freshly written scroll, “Patient shows considerable signs of confusion and dementia. Tells stories of dead gods, conquered cities, and artificial life forms. Diagnosis: a traumatic childhood event that induced feelings of inadequacy and insignificance.” The priest is a red slaad. He responds to any statements or questions from the characters with a distracted, “Mmm hmm, mm hmmm,” while scribbling in his notes. He approaches each character, one at a time, asking the following questions: J “Tell me, in this world of yours, do you identify as the hero or the antihero?” J “Do you relate more to your mother or to your father?” J “Would you prefer to talk to me about your future or your past?” J “Do you see yourself as a hero or as an antihero?” No matter what a character says, the priest simply nods his head, “As expected. This is a classic manifestation of symptoms. I know just what to do.” The priest then lifts the character onto a gurney and wheels them out of the padded room and into a small operating room, slamming an iron door shut behind him. The priest pulls out a syringe with a frighteningly long needle before assuring the character that, “You might feel a small, painful pinch, but it is for your own good.” He then injects the needle into their skull, inflicting 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. The character must then make a successful DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be infected with a minuscule slaad egg. The priest then wheels the character back into the padded room and repeats the process with the other characters. Once each character has been “cured,” the room goes dark and they are transported to area B17. A character can escape their straitjacket with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check or a DC 20 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. Alternatively, a character can disbelieve their straitjacket with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If any character escapes, then the slaad tries to convince them to willingly enter the operating room to receive their treatment. If the slaad is attacked, in any way, then it reverts to its true form and fights to the death. Upon its death, the room goes dark and the characters are transported to area B17 B17. Grandiosity Read or paraphrase the following: You tower over the world. Mountains are but weeds to your greatness. Clouds drift about your waist. An entire ocean, off to your right, looks like nothing more than an infant’s bathtub. A metropolis, huge by conventional standards, is naught but an ant hill, full of tiny, imperceptible creatures toiling pointlessly. An ancient forest provides plush carpeting for your weary feet and a passing hurricane offers a comforting breeze. It is good to be a god. But unexpectedly you hear a roar of outrage. The Weevil! And he towers over you, just as you tower over the rest of reality. You realize that he is the true god here. He is to you what a storm is to clouds. And all that fury has been turned toward your pretension. His voice is loud enough to sunder entire worlds. He declares, “I AM WEEVIL! I AM GOD!” as he attacks. Consider using a map of the Sword Coast (see handout C2 in appendix C), or some other large-scale continent as a battle map while fighting the Weevil (see appendix B). Allow the characters to double their hit points, proficiency bonuses, damage, and healing as well as pick two temporary feats. When the Weevil is slain, he falls backward, crushing half of Cormyr under his godly bulk. The ground shakes as if from an earthquake, and tidal waves wash over much of the Sword Coast. The characters begin to shrink. Soon they are only the size of the mountains. Sooner still, they are normal-sized, standing over the corpse of a dirty dwarf dressed in his pajamas. An iridescent red gemstone the size of a cherry (worth 1,000 gp) sparkles in a pool of the dwarf’s blood. Proceed to area B18. B18. Basement With the Weevil slain, the madness haunting the manor dissipates. The keep’s basement can now be seen as it truly is: a cold, unfinished chamber roughly 40 feet by 60 feet, containing three tables and a dozen coffers. Half of the floor has fallen into a large crevice, from which faerzress gushes like steam from a geyser and fills the basement with a near-blinding luminescence. There is a smaller crack in the eastern wall. Slaad Eggs A humanoid host can carry only one slaad egg to term at a time. Over three months, the egg moves to the brain, gestates, and forms a slaad tadpole. In the 24-hour period before giving birth, the host starts to feel unwell, its speed is halved, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. At birth, the tadpole chews its way through the brain and out of the host’s skull in 1 round, killing the host in the process.

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep 46 The Weevil stored the majority of his wealth in the basement, where it could be best protected by the faerzress. There is 10,000 gp in total, distributed throughout the coffers. Anyone who searches the Weevil’s body finds a small key attached to a chain necklace. This key opens the door to area B10. The floor’s crevice leads thousands of feet down before connecting to the Underdark. The crack in the wall looks fresh and was only just opened by the earthquake that accompanied the Weevil’s death. Inside is a small, hidden tomb where the original lord of the manor, Xantharl, was buried decades ago. His skeletal corpse is laid across a marble bier. Although his clothes have rotted away, the boots of elvenkind and cloak of elvenkind that he wears are still in pristine condition. A Maddening Conclusion Shortly after the battle, Gorna descends the steps and greets the characters. He reverts to his true form as a green slaad while doing so. Gorna tells the characters they have proven their worth by embracing and then conquering their inner demons. Gorna offers to grant Ssendam’s blessing upon one character, although he needs the Weevil’s gemstone to do so. If a character agrees, then Gorna painlessly implants the gemstone into the character’s forehead, while crying out for Ssendam’s blessing. The character now has blessing of Ssendam. Blessing of Ssendam Ssendam’s blessing grants you the following benefits: • Once every tenday, you can change either a personality trait, ideal, bond, or flaw in yourself. • You gain resistance to psychic damage. • Slaadi don’t attack you unless you attack them or their allies first. Regardless of whether or not the characters accept their blessing, Gorna scuttles down the crevice afterwards, returning to the Underdark to further spread his mad lord’s blessings. When the characters exit the manor, they find the Iron Viper waiting for them. He interrogates the characters mercilessly, using his Insight proficiency to detect any lies. The Iron Viper insists that the 10,000 gp found in the basement belongs to the Zhentarim, however he graciously allows the characters to keep any other items that they have found. As long as the characters agree to these terms, the Iron Viper provides any promised rewards. If the characters performed exceptionally well, then the Iron Viper invites them to join the Black Network faction (see Doomed Forgotten Realms: Sword Coast Gazetteer for additional details). With the Weevil’s defeat and Gorna’s retreat, life in Xantharl’s Keep slowly returns to normal. The Iron Viper appoints one of his men to run the keep until the Zhentarim can appoint a permanent replacement. The characters advance to 6th level. Slaadi are behind the madness that infested Xantharl's Keep

Chapter 5 Xantharl s Keep Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 47 fter possibly stopping in Xantharl’s Keep, the characters continue south. Along the way they have an opportunity to stop in Longsaddle where they might ally themselves with Baba Harpell, the elderly matron of the Harpell family. After Longsaddle they arrive in Triboar and meet the rain giant Zephyrus. Unbeknownst to them, Zephyrus is really Uthor, former storm giant royalty, who has adopted a new, simpler life after the fall of his kin. Zephyrus informs the characters that a second shroudstone is currently held by the Hellrider, Lord Maximus, who is hiding out in Helm’s Hold. In Helm’s Hold the characters discover that Maximus has been captured by Vecnan forces. After rescuing the Hellrider, the characters board his infernal vehicle and use it to escape a heated pursuit. Maximus reveals that he is not only carrying one of the shroudstones, but also a mysterious adamantine sphere. He has been directed by his superiors to bring the shroudstone to an unnamed contact headquartered beneath Thornhold. The adamantine sphere is to be used to pay the contact to destroy the gem. Unknown to Maximus, the contact is the beholder Xanathar, former crime lord of Waterdeep, and the adamantine sphere contains the magically preserved goldfish Sylgar, Xanathar’s lost pet. With two gemstones in their possession, the characters accompany Maximus to meet his contact. After passing through Leilon, the characters eventually arrive at Thornhold. Ruins of Longsaddle Area C Longsaddle was once a sleepy village that straddled the Long Road. It was also home to the Harpells, a family of powerful human wizards. Now, it is a charred ruin that serves as a warning to those who Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales This chapter introduces several important NPCs at various locations the characters reach throughout their journey. Baba Harpell, a helpful mage, can be found in Longsaddle; Zephyrus, a mighty rain giant, is in Triboar, and Maximus, a Hellrider driving an infernal war machine, can be encountered in Helm’s Hold. Together, these encounters plant seeds that help advance the story. would defy Vecna. Even the Ivy Mansion, world-famous home of the Harpells, is now nothing more than a rubble-filled crater (for more information on the Harpells, see “The Harpells” in appendix A). The ruins of Longsaddle are now rumored to be cursed and are shunned by most travelers. The vast amount of eldritch power expended during the Battle of Longsaddle permanently warped the fabric of reality, weakening the very walls of the multiverse. Because of this, magic behaves strangely within the boundaries of the city, sometimes as if manifesting a life of its own. This erratic behavior is most prominent near the ruins of the Ivy Mansion. These unusual effects include: J All creatures have disadvantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. J Any spell cast by a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard has a 10 percent chance being cast twice, or if near the Ivy Mansion, a 20 percent chance. J Whenever a sorcerer, warlock or wizard rolls damage for a spell, they can reroll up to four damage dice. They must use these new rolls. J Whenever a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard casts a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, they can double the range of the spell. J Whenever a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard casts a spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, they can double its duration. Longsaddle is little more than a field of charred kindling and a lone building that looks as if it could collapse at any moment (see area C1). Thousands of bones, the remnants of Vecnan hordes, rattle about like tumbleweeds. Closer inspection of the village reveals more unusual sites, including the gelatinous remains of a smithy or the slowly rotting flesh of a general store that had been turned into zombie and then slain. Living spells such as living Bigby’s hand, living blade of disaster, and living demiplane (see appendix B) hide in the ruined village’s nooks and crannies, attacking only if disturbed. Five nothics lair within the rubble of the Ivy Mansion. Their collective treasure is secreted within a sprawling collection of tunnels that they have burrowed within the manor’s ruins. This treasure includes: a ring of protection, a horn of blasting, a spellbook containing all the spells from the mage entry in the Monster Manual, and an antique brooch with the initials B.H. (worth 100 gp).

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 48 C1. The Gambling Golem The Gambling Golem was once a friendly festhall where gambling was popular. Now, it is an empty, desolate place with little to indicate its former function other than a couple of dusty kegs and some marbles scattered about the floor. Mouseholes riddle the baseboards, signs that vermin have made this place their home. The former tavern is also home to Fessler, a gray alley cat who yowls viciously at any characters who enter the building. Both kegs have working spigots. One is labeled, “Ivy Port,” and the other is labeled, “Ivy Lager.” Both brews have an enjoyable, if somewhat stale taste. Any character who drinks even a sip of the ivy port undergoes an unsettling transformation. They experience the sensation of a sudden freefall, followed by mild whiplash as the freefall jarringly comes to an end. The character is now in an impossibly large castle, surrounded by furniture that seems as if it was fitted for titans, and dust bunnies the size of tumbleweeds. They soon realize that they have been reduced to the size of a mouse. Taking a sip of the ivy lager reverses this effect, although it does nothing of note if the character is not currently under the effects of the port. Once a character has been reduced, any normal-sized allies who make a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notice Fessler (see appendix B) licking his lips before ducking behind a barrel. To any character whose size has been reduced, the cat now appears huge. Fessler will attempt to wait until the entire party has reduced itself before pouncing upon them. He can be shooed from the building and then locked out by any normal-sized characters who take the time to do so. If Fessler manages to remain in the building, then he attempts to play with the characters by batting them about the floor before finally eating them one after another. Fessler is not accustomed to prey that can fight back and if he takes more than 15 hit points of damage from a single attack, he retreats. Once a character has been reduced in size, they immediately notice strange, flickering lights from one of the mouseholes. If they enter the mousehole then proceed to area C2. C2. Chamber of Cauldrons A low ceiling makes this chamber feel terribly cramped, despite there being no visible walls. Cauldrons of all shapes, sizes, makes, and materials are everywhere. Some of these cauldrons bubble and hiss, and others emit haunting, spectral fog. One particularly large cauldron, made from what looks to be a petrified turtle shell, repeats prophetic warnings in some forgotten tongue that are occasionally punctuated by screams that sound like those of a dying horse. An old crone in a tattered burlap cloak whistles to herself as she moves from cauldron to cauldron, stirring and tasting as she goes. The Matron. The crone is Baba Harpell (CN female human archmage), the oldest living matron of the Harpell family. She has spent the last few years hiding within the mouseholes of the Gambling Golem, coordinating the search efforts of her family. She is spry, particularly for someone who claims to be one million years young. When speaking to the characters she refers to herself in the third person and refers to her bubbling cauldrons as her plots. Read or paraphrase the following as an introduction: The crone cackles when she sees you. When she speaks, her words have a lilting quality to them, as much song as conversation. “Little mousy Baba Harpell hides in her dark old hidey-hole, she does. Hides from the so-called King of Death, Vecna, and his lichy lapdogs. Don’t think to look for Baba Harpell amidst the mice, so they will never find her. And so sweet Baba Harpell brews her plots with tender loving care, she does.” The crone dips a withered finger into a cauldron full of writhing tentacles before licking it clean with a long, forked tongue. “A few more years for this one, but it can still use some intrigue.” The crone deftly dumps a jar of what looks like partially congealed blood into the cauldron before continuing, “Baba Harpell brews hundreds of plots, she does. Some take days, they do. And some take centuries, they do.” She gestures to one nearby cauldron, “This one here is almost done, it is. It just needs a few more ingredients and some time to simmer.” Baba Harpell willingly shares the recent history of the Harpell family, including the new location of the Ivy Mansion. If asked about what ingredients are needed for her cauldron she replies, “The final ingredients are you, but in a good way.” She then says that she needs the characters to complete a quest for her. An Elementary Plot. Baba Harpell says that her latest plot requires a generous heaping of raw, elemental energy. The closest source of elemental energy is a temple erected in the distant Dessarin Hills by cultists of Elemental Evil. This temple has portals to each of the four elemental planes. Baba Harpell produces four dull-looking stones: a blue sapphire, a yellow diamond, a red corundum, and an emerald. She asks the characters to carry each of the stones into its respective portal, “far enough but not too far.” The gems will then absorb the energy of the portals. Most of this energy will be directed to Baba Harpell’s infernal hearth, but some of it will remain in the gemstone, to be later utilized by the characters. Baba Harpell indicates that she only needs energy from one of the portals, although “more is always better.”

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 49 If the characters agree to help her, Baba Harpell supplies them with a blood-stained wishbone with bits of rotted flesh and dried feathers clinging to it. When held in both handsthe enchanted wishbone always tugs its wielder in the direction of the elemental temple. Baba Harpell finally mentions that her extradimensional larder can always use more of the following: J Powderpuff blossoms that grow on the distant planet of Anadia J Cube roots from the clockwork forests of Mechanus J Nimergan liquor, a favored drink of the duergar J Demon’s ichor J Oblivion moss J Drider venom J A beholder’s tear J Chimera vomit J Powdered unicorn hoof J Rothé dung J Catoblepas milk J Assassin vine berries Rewards. Reward the characters appropriately for returning with these ingredients. Baba Harpell prefers to brew potions as rewards, although she makes it known that she is also willing to allow “useful” characters to use her cauldron of rebirth (see appendix D) to cast raise dead upon a slain companion. If the characters give Baba Harpell the antique brooch from the wreckage of the Ivy Mansion, then she squeals in unexpected delight. She says that the brooch was a sentimental gift from her 100th husband, a sweet death slaad who she still misses dearly. She offers to brew the characters three common potions, two uncommon potions, and one rare potion of their choice. If any character is a wizard, then she offers them the following item from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, depending upon their specialty: J Abjuration: protective verses J Conjuration: atlas of endless horizons J Divination: astromancy archive J Enchantment: heart weaver’s primer J Evocation: fulminating treatise J Illusion: duplicitous manuscript J Necromancy: libram of souls and flesh J Transmutation: alchemical compendium If you do not have access to Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, you can have Baba Harpell gift the wizard with a +2 arcane grimoire (from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything but also included in appendix D). If the characters ask about returning to their normal size, then Baba Harpell tells them to “drink up some of that foul lager, you do.” If they do not have access to the lager, then Baba Harpell gestures to a charred barrel filled with simmering goo. Fingers, toes, and what looks like rosemary is mixed within the goo. She warns the characters to leave the mousehole before drinking either the lager or the goo. Should any character ignore this advice, then Baba Harpell uses a reaction to instantly transport them to the ruins of the Ivy Mansion, just before they grow to normal size. The miniturized Baba Harpell tends to her cauldrons

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 50 Triboar Area D The large town of Triboar stands at the intersection of the Long Road and Evermoor Way. Its flat, fertile ground makes it ideal for farming and ranching. Because of this, Triboar is a sprawling, decentralized town. Through a diplomatic combination of strength and appeasement, Triboar has managed to retain its independence from the various factions governing the Realms. If anything, Triboar has grown in prosperity since Vecna’s conquest. Triboar provides an ideal place for the characters to rest, spend coin, and engage in other non-adventurous pursuits. If the characters ask anyone about Zephyrus, then they are referred to area D3. As a large town, Triboar provides access to most basic goods and services. A few noteworthy locations include: D1. Market Square and Tower This trampled, open space is used as a market by local and visiting merchants. In the center of the square is the Tower of the Lord Protector, a simple keep that looks to be on the verge of collapse. The tower serves as a home for the Lord Protector of Triboar, Daratha Shendrel (LG female human veteran). Daratha is a former Harper and her expert leadership has enabled Triboar to survive these otherwise apocalyptic times. She has at her beck and call a score of mounted veterans (riding warhorses), referred to as the Twenty, who do their best to keep the peace. D2. Happy Horse Ranch Happy Horse Ranch is a horse farm run by Janele Karnveller (NG female human commoner). Over the years, the Karnvellers have bought out most of their competition. However, despite this nominal growth, the family fortune continues to decline. The mountain giant chieftain, Chief Guh, demands an ever-increasing tribute of horses from Triboar on a bimonthly basis. The Karnvellers bear the brunt of this tribute and although they are compensated by the city, they still harbor considerable resentment. A large part of this resentment stems from the fact that Janele’s three sons were killed by the mountain giants, years ago, in a show of strength. D3. Eastern Farmlands The eastern farmlands provide more than enough produce to feed the citizens of Triboar. This surplus is largely due to the magical assistance of a rain giant (see appendix B) who goes by the name of Zephyrus. Unbeknownst to any of the townsfolk, Zephyrus is Imperator Uthor, brother to King Hekaton, former monarch of the storm giants. With the passing of Queen Neri and King Hekaton, Uthor took it upon himself to watch over their three daughters. With the subsequent death of two of them, and the disappearance of Serissa, Uthor blames himself. He seeks to atone for his failures, as well as for the legendary arrogance of the storm giants, by working as a humble, pacifistic farmer. For more details on the storm giants, or rain giants as they are now called, see “The Ordning” in appendix A. Zephyrus is sympathetic to those resisting Vecna’s occupation, although not a formal member of any resistance. If presented with a shroudstone of the Ancients, he reacts with amazement, asking the characters about how they attained it. Zephyrus has another of the shroudstones and can share the information contained in appendix D. More specifically, he knows that the gods still live and that the shroudstones are preventing them from taking action against Vecna. Zephyrus informs the characters that he was supposed to arrange for the delivery of his shroudstone to a knight known as Lord Maximus, before asking the characters to do this for him. Zephyrus knows that Lord Maximus is waiting in Helm’s Hold, at an abandoned tavern known as the Old Dirty Dwarf. D4. The Lion’s Share The Lion’s Share is the largest provision shop in Triboar. It is owned and run by Alaestra Ulgar (NG female human commoner) and Narth Tezrin (CG male human spy). Narth has a brazen, adventurous soul The Twenty of Triboar are hardened warriors