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

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 51

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 52 but his heart is tied to Alaestra. He spends his days off exploring the local wilds for hidden treasure and lost tombs. If he hears about the characters conducting any local adventures, then he begs to be included, hoping for a chance to perform a brave deed that might impress Alaestra. If the characters humor these ambitions, then he gladly shares his stash of five potions of greater healing with them. D5. The Triboar Travelers Triboar Travelers provide personnel and protection to caravans traveling as far north as Mirabar or as far south as Waterdeep. All of this is organized by Urlam Stockspool (N male human spy), a dapperly dressed businessman who is also a high-ranking member of the Zhentarim. If any of the characters belong to the Black Network, then Urlam promises to “take care of them.” This special treatment involves spreading the word that the characters are under his protection. Citizens of Triboar will now treat the characters with fearful deference, providing them a 10 percent discount on any goods or service. D6. Northshield House The Northshield House is a clean, quiet inn run by Urgala Meltimer (LG female human veteran) and her wife Arsala (NG female human mage). Both are retired adventurers. Urgala has a short fuse and is quick to anger, whereas Arsala is prone to long contemplations. Arsala enjoys chatting with fellow spell-casters and, assuming these chats go well, she is willing to allow them to copy spells from her spellbook. Arsala’s spellbook contains the spells listed in the mage entry of the Monster Manual. Arsala charges 75 gp per spell level, although she supplies the inks and components needed for the transcription. D7. Boar’s Rest Waist-high weeds surround this abandoned stone mansion. Boar’s Rest was once the home of an arrogant wizard, Hyuth Kolstaag. Shortly after Vecna’s conquest, Hyuth challenged the authority of a passing lich. The wizard and his gargoyle bodyguards were promptly disintegrated. Over time, six ettercaps have settled into the mansion and now hide within its lightless halls. Much of Hyuth’s wealth has been lost over the years, but characters brave enough to explore the mansion can find six gems (worth 500 gp each), bracers of defense, and a +1 wand of the war mage. D8. Foehammer’s Forge This weapon and armor shop is run by Ghelryn Foehammer (LG male dwarf veteran) a renowned blacksmith who was bestowed the honorary title of Royal Armorer many years ago by the former king and queen of Citadel Felbarr. Ghelryn is entering his twilight years and lacks the stamina of his youth. Because of this, he is less prolific in his smithing although his craftsmanship remains undiminished. If a character is carrying Zespara’s perfect blade, then Zespara asks them to let her spend a full day talking with Ghelryn. After this lengthy conversation, Zespara tries to convince the character to spend any remaining downtime apprenticing with Ghelryn. D9. Apothecary The apothecary is run by Blackfish Sprought (CG male gnome druid), a dirt-covered gnome who loves to spend most of his time in the garden. Assuming that the characters can convince him that they are not agents of Vecna, Blackfish is willing to cast any druid spell of 4th level or lower for 25 gp per spell level. Blackfish has long harbored suspicions that something sinister is going on in Gwaeron’s Slumber (area D10) and encourages the characters to investigate. If the characters find and defeat the oni who haunts the forest, then Blackfish offers them 250 gp worth of free spells as well as a periapt of wound closure. D10. Gwaeron’s Slumber Gwaeron’s Slumber is a mystical forest west of the city that is trapped in a perpetual autumn. Reputed to be the home of Gwaeron Windstrom, god of tracking, rangers and druids from across the Realms make pilgrimages to this forest in hopes of receiving his blessing. The alleged deaths of the gods have only increased the allure of this locale. Occasionally a visiting supplicant disappears, allegedly enlisted by Gwaeron to join his eternal hunt amidst the wilds of the Beastlands. The truth is less divine. An oni named Sukabenjā dwells in a hillside cave near the western edge of the forest. It dupes unsuspecting rangers by appearing before them as Gwaeron Windstrom. Once their guard is down, the oni then kills and eats them. The oni is a wary hunter and will only approach characters who appear to be alone. It is quick to flee if confronted in the forest, but fights to the death if encountered in its cave. Developments If the characters spend more than a day in Triboar, then they are approached by Janele Karnveller. Janele tells the characters that the mountain giants are “bleeding them dry” with their demands for tribute. She mentions that a mountain giant band should be arriving “any day now” to take their bimonthly tribute and that she believes that the time has come for the town to finally stand up to them. Janele urges the

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 53 characters to kill the giants, promising a 1,000 gp reward if they do so. She is willing to supply three of her personal guards (veterans) to assist the characters. The rest of the city, including the Lord Protector, Daratha Shendrel, discourage the characters from doing this, although they do not actively stand in their way. Daratha indicates that the mountain giants will doubtlessly retaliate and that the town does not have the resources to fend off this inevitable retribution. She pleads with the characters to persuade Janele to stand her ground. Zephyrus echoes Daratha’s sentiments, refusing to participate in any aggressions against the mountain giants. Two days later, the mountain giant (see appendix B) Glumglum arrives with two ogres, four bugbears, and ten goblins, as well as two empty wagons. Glumglum demands “all the horsies,” as well as “twenty-teen casks of ale.” If the characters do not intervene, then the creatures camp out in the market square for the day, drinking ale and demanding food. By the end of the day, the goblins pass out, the ogres and bugbears have 3 levels of exhaustion, and Glumglum has 1 level of exhaustion. The goblins are placed into one of the wagons and the creatures begin their journey back to Grudd Haug. Janele plans to attack the giants with or without the characters’ aid. If the characters refuse to help her, Janele waits until the creatures are drunk and then rallies enough support from the townsfolk to overpower and slay the goblinoids and ogre. The only way to deter Janele from attacking the giants is to convince Daratha to double the compensation paid for Janele’s lost horses. The town already pays Janele a sizable sum, so Daratha is reluctant to increase it. Convincing Daratha to do so requires a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Regardless of how it happens, if the giants are slain, then the city celebrates. If the characters helped, then they are celebrated as heroes. However, two months later a small army of ogres, bugbears, and goblins led by twenty mountain giants returns to the city, destroying more than quarter of it before departing with a dozen wagons loaded down with plunder. Glumglum descends upon Triboar

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 54 Temple of Elemental Unity Area E The Temple of Elemental Unity is in the Dessarin Hills, roughly 20 miles southeast of Triboar. The temple has been constructed entirely with elemental magic. The cultists raised a hemisphere of raw, jagged stone straight from the earth. They then hardened the stone with flames before sculpting and shaping it into the shape of a temple with blasts of air and geysers of water. The resulting temple is a large, savage-looking building obviously not built to satisfy any sense of civilized aesthetics. Water-hewn steps lead into the western side of the temple. The interior of the hemispherical building is spacious and houses four portals to the elemental planes. A doorway of flame burns along the southern wall and a doorway of raw earth, scarcely distinguishable from its neighboring stone, is set into the northern wall. In the center of the temple is a pool of water, and a shaft is carved into the ceiling above it. When the characters arrive, the temple is occupied by two cult fanatics and a fusion elemental (appendix B). The cultists are friendly to the characters, encouraging them to give worship to the Elemental Eye. However, the cultists attack any characters who appear to be sabotaging the portals. For more details on the Cult of the Elemental Eye, including how characters might join their faction, see Doomed Forgotten Realms: Sword Coast Gazetteer. Three hours after the characters arrive at the temple, a patrol of four cult fanatics, two water elementals, and a pack of five hell hounds arrives at the temple. If they notice any dead bodies or sabotaged portals, they immediately attack the characters. Portal of Air The ceiling’s shaft is 10 feet in diameter and filled with fierce, howling winds. It impossibly extends hundreds of feet, despite the temple being only 50 feet tall. The sheer walls of the shaft, coupled with clutching gusts of air, makes climbing by normal means impossible. If the blue sapphire is carried 90 feet into the shaft, then the gemstone begins to glow brightly, signaling that it has absorbed the energy of the portal. The winds diminish in their intensity. If a character continues another 90 feet into the shaft, then they are transported to the Elemental Plane of Air. The newly empowered, brightly glowing gemstone functions as an elemental gem (blue sapphire). Portal of Earth The dirt and stone within the earth portal extends for hundreds of feet. A character can move through the portal if they have burrowing speed. If the yellow diamond is carried 30 feet beneath the surface, then the diamond begins to glow brightly, signaling that it has absorbed the energy of the portal. If a character burrows another 30 feet into the earth, then they are transported to the Elemental Plane of Earth. Alternatively, if a character casts meld into stone and enters the portal, then the yellow diamond also glows brightly, absorbing the energy of the portal. If the character remains melded within the stone of the portal for more than one minute, then they are transported to the Elemental Plane of Earth. The newly empowered, brightly glowing gemstone functions as an elemental gem (yellow diamond). Portal of Fire The fire portal opens into a long, flame-filled tunnel. Whenever a character enters or begins their turn within this tunnel they take 21 (6d6) fire damage. If the red corundum from Baba Harpell is carried 90 feet into the tunnel, then the gemstone begins to glow brightly, signaling that it has absorbed the energy of the portal. The flames begin to subside, now dealing only 7 (2d6) damage. If a character continues another 90 feet into the portal, then they are transported to the Elemental Plane of Fire. The newly empowered, brightly glowing gemstone functions as an elemental gem (red corundum). Fiery Craftsmanship. If the characters are carrying Zespara’s perfect blade when this gem is transformed into an elemental gem, then Zespara urges them to take the gem to a blacksmith. Zespara hopes to use the blacksmith to break the gem and use the summoned fire elemental to improve the craftsmanship of the perfect blade. If the characters complete this task, then Zespara’s perfect blade gains the properties of a flame tongue. Portal of Water The water-filled well descends indefinitely. Although the surface of the water is placid, the water itself is filled with grasping currents that seem to pull the characters ever deeper. Swimming upwards against these currents counts as difficult terrain. If the emerald is carried 900 feet into the well (the distance that a character with a base walking speed of 30 feet can swim in 3 minutes), then the gemstone glows brightly, signaling that it has absorbed the energy of the portal. The currents subside, and characters can now freely swim upwards. If a character continues another 900 feet into the well, then they are transported to the Elemental Plane of Water. The newly empowered, brightly glowing gemstone functions as an elemental gem (emerald).

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 55 Helm’s Hold Area F Helm’s Hold is a fortified monastery roughly 20 miles southeast of Evernight. Within the monastery’s walls are dozens of abandoned buildings, as well as a central district known as the Heartward. The most dominant building in Helm’s Hold is the Cathedral of Helm, a towering and inspiring edifice of pale gray stone that is visible from miles away. A few noteworthy locations include: F1. Main Gate To all appearances, Helm’s Hold now looks to be abandoned. The gates of the monastery have been broken from their hinges and now rest amidst the weed-choked cobblestone streets. Signs of animal life are in abundance, but other than empty building after empty building, no evidence of human life is present. Helm’s Hold appears to be little more than a ghost town.

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 56 Lord Tyranax F2. Flames of the Infernal When Vecna’s legions besieged Helm’s Hold, one of the lich generals demolished the northeastern wall with a gout of apocalyptic flame that temporarily opened a portal to the Nine Hells. Devils of all kinds streamed forth, rapidly overwhelming the monastery’s weary defenders. This wall of roasting fire burns to this day, a sobering reminder of Helm Hold’s fall. The portal itself is now closed but the crackling flames still occasionally cast strange, devilish shadows. Any creature that passes through the flames takes 4d6 fire damage. If that creature is carrying one of Baba Harpell’s inert gemstones, then the gemstone burns briefly with a bright, green flame. The newly empowered gemstone functions as an infernal gem (appendix D). The wall of flames only holds enough infernal energy to empower one gemstone. F3. Cathedral of Helm This great edifice of towering stone is one of the few fully intact buildings within Helm’s Deep. The cathedral now serves as a garrison for the igneous knight (see appendix B) Lord Tyranax, and the four wights that currently serve as his protégés. Most of the cathedral’s treasures have been plundered, although a watchful helm (appendix D) rolled under the pews many years ago and has since been gathering dust. Any character who worships Helm finds themselves inexplicably drawn to the watchful helm if they approach within 100 feet of the cathedral. F4. The Heartward The Heartward is surrounded by dirty, desolate shop fronts. Decrepit gallows, upon which roost hundreds of ravens, sit ominously in the center of the square. Other than the ravens’ guttural croaks, the only sound to be heard is the creaking of rusty chains from a sign blowing in the wind. The faded sign reads, “Ol’ Dirty Dwarf.” In the center of the square is a bulky, armored coach made from infernal iron. The vehicle has iron jaws mounted on its front and is covered in spikes. The vehicle is known as the Redeemer and belongs to Lord Maximus, who is currently being held captive inside the Old Dirty Dwarf. For more details on the Redeemer see appendix E. Anyone who actively searches the Redeemer and makes a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check finds a hidden cargo bin. The bin can be easily opened when the vehicle is powered. Powering the vehicle requires a soul coin (see appendix E). Otherwise, opening the bin requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Within the bin can be found the jacinth shroudstone of the Ancients (see appendix D) and a strange adamantine sphere (see the sidebar). In addition to the shroudstone and sphere, the Redeemer carries a month’s worth of water and rations, and enough spare parts for three repairs. The Adamantine Sphere The adamantine sphere is smooth and featureless. Any character who makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check can hear liquid faintly sloshing around inside. Nothing short of a disintegrate spell can break the sphere open. The sphere contains a magically preserved, troutsized goldfish called Sylgar, the wayward pet of Xanathar, former beholder crime lord of Waterdeep. For more on Xanathar, see appendix B.

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 57 F5. The Old Dirty Dwarf There are three entrances to the Old Dirty Dwarf, one in the front and two in the back. The interior is clean and smells faintly of aromatic incense. Tables and chairs that could seat close to a hundred patrons make the place seem even emptier than it truly is. Three Bloods of Vecna (thugs) and a Tooth of Vecna (appendix A) are seated at a bar drinking ale (their positions are indicated by B and T on the map, respectively). A Finger of Vecna (spy) is interrogating a scarred, bleeding human in tattered clothes (F and M on the map, respectively). The injured human is Lord Maximus (LG male human knight) and he is manacled to a large table. A wight (W on the map)stands guard near the front entrance. These Vecnans are part of a large force that occupied Helm’s Hold two days ago. They know that Maximus has one of the shroudstones of the Ancients and are torturing him to learn its location. Thus far, Maximus has resisted their tortures. The Vecnans attack any intruders, shouting for reinforcements in the process. If not silenced, there is a 20 percent chance each round that 1d4 thugs join the fray. Maximus is currently at 20 hit points. His manacles can be opened by a character who makes a successful DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. If freed during combat, Maximus aids the characters to the best of his ability. The key to the manacles is carried by the Tooth of Vecna, as well as three cones of incense (worth 20 gp each) used by the mage to mask the unpleasant odor of the wight. When combat has ended Maximus goes behind the bar to retrieve his greatsword, heavy crossbow, a suit of devil bone armor (same statistics as plate armor), and a sack that contains six soul coins and four flasks of demon’s ichor (see appendix E for details). He then urges the characters to board the Redeemer. After briefly instructing the characters on how to use any relevant action stations (see appendix E), Maximus uses a soul coin and a flask of demon ichor to start the vehicle. He then races for the entrance to Helm’s Hold (F1).

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 58 The Chase It is one thousand feet from the Old Dirty Dwarf to the main gate. The Redeemer normally has a speed of 50 feet. However, since Maximus poured a flask of demon ichor into the vehicle’s furnace, its speed increases to 80 feet. Maximus uses his bonus action each round to give the Redeemer the Dash action. Consequently, the Redeemer moves 160 feet each round, reaching the main gate in 6 rounds. Round 1. While driving toward the main gate, Maximus yells at the characters to keep their heads down and shoot anything that moves. Round 2. Two Fingers of Vecna (spies), each mounted atop a scuttling giant severed hand (see appendix B) and armed with a shatterskull (see appendix D), emerge from an abandoned building and chase the Redeemer. The hands use the Dash action to keep pace with the characters, while the Fingers throw their skulls on round 3 and then attack with their hand crossbows on any remaining rounds. Round 3. Any character with a passive Perception of 15 or higher notices ten spies hiding atop the roof of a nearby building that the Redeemer will drive past on round 4. Round 4. Ten spies unleash a volley of crossbow bolts upon whichever characters appear to be most vulnerable and wounded. Round 5. Three wights behind a hastily erected wall attempt to barricade the road. The Redeemer smashes through the wall easily, using its Crushing Wheels property upon the wights. Maximus yells for any characters manning the Chomper or Wrecking Ball stations to also attack the wights. Round 6. At the end of round 6, read or paraphrase the following: As you near the main gate, the earth begins to rumble ominously. The ground undulates, spewing forth waves of broken cobblestone. Suddenly, a massive sinkhole opens up between the Redeemer and the main gate. Maximus curses loudly, jerking a lever while slamming his foot into a pedal. There is the smell of burning rubber as the Redeemer lurches, almost falling over, as it skids to a sudden halt. Just then a rotting leviathan heaves itself from the sinkhole, blocking the gate. This massive worm-like creature has mottled purple flesh the color of bruised skin, and its gaping tooth-lined maw looks large enough to swallow the Redeemer whole. The creature is Gigantus, a zombie purple worm. Use the purple worm stat block with the following changes: J The zombie purple worm 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. Gigantus fights to the death, directing its attacks against the Redeemer. The purple worm must be killed before the Redeemer can pass through the main gate. Once the worm is slain, the Redeemer plows through the beast’s corpse, bits of rotting flesh spitting out through pipes on both sides of the vehicle. If it appears that they are about to be overwhelmed, Maximus pulls the Redeemer into reverse and heads for area F2, dramatically crashing through the wall of flame before escaping Helm’s Hold. Beyond Helm’s Hold Once the Redeemer is safely a few miles from Helm’s Hold, Maximus slows the vehicle down to introduce himself. He is a Hellrider, one of an elite order of knights dedicated to protecting the Realms from Zariel’s infernal incursions (see Doomed Forgotten Realms: Sword Coast Gazetteer for additional details regarding Zariel). Months ago, Maximus was tasked with delivering the jacinth shroudstone of the Ancients to a mysterious contact in Thornhold. Maximus only knows that the shroudstone was retrieved from the ninth layer of Hell, costing the lives of hundreds of Hellriders in the process, and that destroying it will hurt Vecna. Maximus knows that the contact lives hidden beneath Thornhold, but does not know the identity of the contact. He only knows that he is supposed to ask the contact to destroy the shroudstone, offering the adamantine sphere as payment. Along the way to Thornhold, Maximus learned of the recovery of the ruby shroudstone and bunkered within Helm’s Hold to await its delivery. While waiting he was ambushed and captured by Vecnans. Maximus is unwaveringly lawful good. He sees the world in starkly opposed black and white. To Maximus, compromise is the slippery slope to moral damnation. He is a loner by nature, but his military training has taught him to appreciate the tactical necessity of allies.

Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales Chapter 6 Intermediary Locales 59 Leilon Area G Leilon is a small town near the High Road, nestled between mountains to the east and coastal mudflats to the west. South of Leilon is the Mere of Dead Men, a trackless swamp created almost a thousand years ago by the lich Iniarv. The town is currently under the control of the Cult of the Dragon. This particular cell serves the ancient black dragon twins, Voaraghamanthar and Waervaerendor. Few know of the existence of both dragons as they pretend to be a single dragon, Voaraghamanthar. Both of the dragons are currently away, doing the bidding of Tiamat, and have left their offspring, Weslum and Wulzour (young black dragons), to watch over Leilon. Over the last twenty years, Voaraghamanthar and Waervaerendor have grown fearful of death, searching for ways to ensure their immortality. To these ends they are searching the Mere of Dead Men for the Twinned Crown of Uthtower, which they believe will boost their powers by increasing their kindred connection. The dragon twins have also been experimenting with an abandoned yuan-ti cloning laboratory, found within a derelict manor in the Mere of Dead Men. In fact, their alleged offspring, Weslum and Wulzour, are immature clones of the twins that they are preparing to serve as vessels for potential reincarnation. Fifty Cult of the Dragon members (forty-five cultists, four cult fanatics, and one mage) are housed throughout Leilon. They are served by one hundred kobolds who are scattered about the town and mud flats. Weslum and Wulzour lair in a murky pond half a mile west of Leilon. Their treasure, scattered throughout the silt of their lair, consists of 5,000 gp, one hundred obsidian gemstones (worth 10 gp each), twenty onyx gemstones (50 gp each), ten jet gemstones (100 gp each), a black sapphire (5,000 gp), three gold-plated statues (2,000 gp each), a large stained glass window (500 gp), a custom-crafted set of Cormyrian silverware (200 gp), a suit of elven chain, a dagger of venom, boots of striding and springing, gloves of thievery, a sentinel shield, and a wand of fireballs. Unless the characters enter Leilon by stealth, they are confronted by two cult fanatics, ten cultists, and twenty kobolds. The cult leaders politely insist that the characters pay a 50 gp tithe to the “draconic lords of Leilon.” A successful DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check reduces this fee to 25 gp. If Maximus is with the characters, then he loudly announces that the Hellriders never accommodate terrorist demands. He then insists that the characters aid him in ridding Leilon of this “draconic plague.” If negotiations seem as if they are about to turn violent, then the kobolds scramble through the city, yipping to one another in Draconic. Word of possible violence reaches Weslum and Wulzour within 5 minutes. The dragons angrily arrive 2 minutes later, demanding compensation of no less than 500 gp for their troubles. If the characters refuse to pay, then the dragons attack mercilessly, retreating to their lair only if one of them is reduced to 45 or fewer hit points. Alternatively, if the characters pay their tithe and maintain peaceful relations, they might befriend the Cult of the Dragon, although doing so makes Maximus unhappy. For more details on the Cult of the Dragon, including the benefits of faction membership, see Doomed Forgotten Realms: Sword Coast Gazetteer. As the characters complete their journey to Thornhold, advance them to 7th level.

Chapter 7 Thornhold 60 n the years since Vecna’s conquest, Thornhold has traded hands multiple times before falling into eventual disuse and abandonment. The exiled Xanathar, at the time living in the Underdark, eventually created a hidden lair beneath the fortress. Years later, a large pool of grotesque slime, lingering remnants from the slain demon lord Juiblex, bubbled up from the keep’s courtyard. A tribe of bullywugs from the Chapter 7 Thornhold After a long journey, the characters finally arrive at Thornhold. They must then battle through slime-worshipping bullywugs and navigate a deadly, trap-riddled dungeon. Doing so, they discover Xanathar, the beholder that was formerly a crime-lord of Waterdeep. After reuniting Xanathar with its beloved goldfish, the characters are offered an opportunity to ally with the grateful beholder. nearby Mere of Dead Men discovered this pool of slime and began to worship it as a god. The bullywugs are vicious creatures, despised by all factions, as they indiscriminately capture and sacrifice any who pass near Thornhold. Currently trapped in a delusional spiral of paranoia, Xanathar is oblivious to their recent settlement of Thornhold. The interior of Thornhold’s courtyard is too muddy for the Redeemer, so it must be entered on foot. Maximus insists on bringing the shroudstone of the Ancients and adamantine sphere with him. He reminds the characters that his contact resides in a hidden lair beneath Thornhold. Maximus does not know much about the lair, only that it can be accessed from jail cells that are, in turn, accessed through the keep’s throne room. Maximus also reminds the characters that the contact can supposedly help them figure out how to destroy the shroudstones. Influence of Juiblex The influence of the Demon Lord of Ooze manifests in several ways in Thornhold. Blessing of Juiblex. For the next 24 hours you are filled with a terrible hunger. For every four hours you go without eating, you gain one level of exhaustion. You also have resistance to acid damage for the duration of this blessing. Holy Ichor of Juiblex. This sticky, adhesive ichor corrodes flesh. As an action, you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged attack against a creature or object, treating the flask as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 acid damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check; on a success, it can scrape off the acid. The ichor’s acidic properties expire after five days. Bullywug Traits Bullywugs have the following traits: Amphibious. The bullywug can breathe air and water. Speak with Frogs and Toads. The bullywug can communicate simple concepts to frogs and toads when it speaks in Bullywug. Swamp Camouflage. The bullywug has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in swampy terrain. Standing Leap. The bullywug’s long jump is up to 20 feet and its high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start.

Chapter 7 Thornhold Chapter 7 Thornhold 61 The Ruins of Thornhold Area H H1. Muddy Courtyard This courtyard is a messy quagmire of grass and mud that counts as difficult terrain. Sacrificial pillars have been erected throughout the courtyard and decayed corpses of victims hang from them. At any given time, ten bullywugs and five giant frogs are within the courtyard, either on patrol or worshipping at the edge of a 30-foot pool of seething, putrid olive-colored slime. Each bullywug carries a ceramic flask filled with the holy ichor of Juiblex. The pool of slime is blood from Juiblex that has seeped up from the Underdark. It oozes across the courtyard at an imperceptibly slow speed, its tracks swallowed up by the ever-hungry muck. Any creature that enters or begins their turn within the pool of slime takes 27 (5d10) acid damage. Any character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check discerns the pool’s abyssal nature and its connection to Juiblex. Any character who makes a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check discerns a dark, palpable hunger emanating from the pool. If a character throws or shoves a living creature into the pool of slime and the pool subsequently reduces that creature to 0 hit points, then the character receives the blessing of Juiblex. If a bullywug detects a character it lets out a loud croak of alarm, alerting its allies. All of the bullywugs and giant frogs from the courtyard, as well as those from the bullywug dens (area H3), rush to the characters’ location. If the characters actively engage in battle, then the bullywugs use their Speak with Frogs and Toads trait to rouse the giant frogs from area 2, inciting a giant frog stampede. The giant frog stampede occupies a 25-foot square and moves 60 feet a round. The giant frog stampede can enter the square of another creature; if it does so, then that creature must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage. Bullywugs and giant frogs automatically succeed on this saving throw, as does any character grappling one of them. Once the stampede has run past the characters, it then disperses, the giant frogs fleeing to hide amidst the muck of the courtyard. H2. Frog Stables The consistency of the ground within these stables fluctuates between runny mud and viscous water, depending upon the whims of the weather. There is a 20 percent chance that any 5-foot square within the stables is functionally equivalent to quicksand (see chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). Living within the stables are twenty-five trained giant frogs. H3. Bullywug Dens These dilapidated buildings, in the process of being reclaimed by the wilderness, would no longer be considered inhabitable by any civilized standards. The sagging roofs are riddled with holes; the floorboards have rotted away, and small, twisted marsh plants bloom within the buildings. The bullywugs enjoy resting within them, however, as they provide a small amount of shelter from the midday sun. At any given time, five bullywugs squat within each building. H4. Gaollia Stables The interior of these chambers has long since rotted away. Each is currently occupied by two gaollia (see appendix B). Near each gaollia is an empty feeding trough and a leather harness. Any character who makes a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Nature) check recalls that gaollia are used by the various swamp races for the transport of treasure and prisoners. The character also knows that frightening or harming a gaollia reflexively triggers an influx of acid into the gaollia’s stomach, destroying any cargo therein. If a gaollia is fed the bullywug brew from area H5D, then they vomit forth the contents of their stomachs. Similarly, any character who makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check can coax a gaollia into vomiting. H4a. Western Goallia Stable The first gaollia holds 1,000 sp, and seven fist-sized orbs of polished petrified wood (worth 100 gp each) within its stomach. The second gaollia holds a staff of the python and a waterproof bladder that holds a packet of dust of dryness within its stomach. H4b. Eastern Goallia Stable Any character who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) hears what sounds like muffled cries for help from inside one of the gaollia. Emerson (NG male elf commoner), a kidnapped villager from Leilon, is trapped within this gaollia. If freed, Emerson complains that he has been a prisoner of the bullywugs for more than a month. For much of this time he was trapped within one of the jail cells (area H6B) but after he discovered a secret door within his cell the bullywugs moved him into the gaollia. The door was locked, so Emerson never discovered what lay beyond it.

Chapter 7 Thornhold 62

Chapter 7 Thornhold Chapter 7 Thornhold 63 H5. Thornhold Keep Like its surrounding environs, Thornhold Keep is overgrown with muck and lichen. Its stone walls are crumbling as they are pried apart by burrowing vines. Large globs of slime drip onto floors that are slick with moss, and the interior is insufferably humid. The front doors to the keep are always open; all other doors are closed but unlocked. A large hole in the keep’s southern wall leads to area H5B from the outside. The following is a brief summary of its interior: H5a. Foyer Three slime-touched bullywugs (see appendix B) crouch in the corners of this room, standing guard. H5b. Dining Room A black pudding lurks on the ceiling of this room. It attempts to devour any creature that enters, including bullywugs and giant frogs. H5c. Pantry Two slime-touched bullywugs are in this room, weaving tapestries and baskets from muddy reeds. H5d. Kitchen This room is the bullywug equivalent of a kitchen. A cauldron of inedible stew congeals in the corner of the room. Three barrels and twenty ceramic flasks are filled with bullywug brew, a fermented mix of abyssal slime, rotted flesh, and damp lichen. Any character who smells the brew must make a successful DC 10 Constitution saving throw or spend their action vomiting. Any character who consumes the brew must make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become afflicted with the poisoned condition until they next finish a short or long rest. H5e. Barracks Five slime-touched bullywugs sleep within the room’s foot-deep mud. They can be spotted with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. H5f. Bar This muddy, overgrown room once served as a bar. It is currently unoccupied, but in the corner of the room is an intact keg of dwarven ale worth 100 gp. H5g. Great Hall This is the throne room of the Grand Googleglumpglump of the Thunderous Croaks and Unrivaled Ribbits, the Breaker of Frogs and Slayer of Lizards. He has the same statistics as a veteran with the following changes: J The Grand Googleglumpglump has a swim speed of 40 feet. J He has the Amphibious, Speak with Frogs and Toads, Swamp Camouflage, and Standing Leap traits (see the Bullywug Traits sidebar). J Instead of a longsword, shortsword, and heavy crossbow, he wields a trident of fish command (+5 to hit). His trident deals 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. In battle, the Grand Googleglumpglump rides Big Belly, a monstrous frog that has the same statistics as a giant frog with the following changes: J Big Belly is Large. J It has 30 (4d10 + 8) hit points. J It has a Strength of 16 (+3) and a Constitution of 14 (+2). J Its Bite action has a +5 to hit and deals 6 (1d6 +3) piercing damage. If the target is grappled, then it has escape DC 13. J Its Swallow action can be used against a Medium or smaller target. Also residing in this room is the bullywug shaman, Pharblex Spattergoo. He has the same statistics as a mage with the following changes: J Pharblex has a swim speed of 40 feet. J He has the Amphibious, Speak with Frogs and Toads, Swamp Camouflage, and Standing Leap traits (see the Bullywug Traits sidebar). J He has immunity to acid damage. J He has immunity to the restrained condition, if the condition is applied by an ooze. J He can breathe ooze. J If he casts a spell that inflicts damage, then the spell inflicts acid damage instead of its usual damage. In battle, Pharblex uses his immunity to acid damage to fight from inside a gelatinous cube that follows Pharblex’s commands. While inside the gelatinous cube, Pharblex has three-quarters cover. The doors to areas H5H and H5I are hidden behind a tangle of vines. The door to area H5H is poorly concealed and easily found by anyone who searches the chamber. The door to area H5I can be detected by a character who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. H5h. Western Staircase This stone chamber remains untouched by the swamp that has otherwise overtaken the keep. A spiral staircase descends to area H6. H5i. Eastern Staircase The vine-covered door leading to area 5G is visible from this chamber. A spiral staircase leads to the upper levels of the keep. These levels have long since been looted and are avoided by the bullywugs, who prefer living on the keep’s ground level. As such, they remain unmapped.

Chapter 7 Thornhold 64 Xanathar’s Lair Area H (COntinued) Xanathar hides beneath the vine-strewn ruins of Thornhold. Since its exile from Waterdeep, its paranoia has become so inflamed that it can longer effectively function. Unable to trust any sentient creature, Xanathar lives in complete isolation. Once there was no secret, no matter how small, that escaped its notice. Now, the beholder is so wrapped up in trying to hide from imaginary opponents that it remains oblivious to the world around it. Xanathar currently hides in the heart of a trap-filled catacomb that it never leaves. Because its greatest fear is being discovered by Vecna, the traps of its lair are specially designed to deal with undead intruders. H6. Basement These plain chambers of finished stone are coated in a thin layer of slime. The ochre slime is revolting but harmless. H6a. Dungeon The area contains six empty, unlocked jail cells. The keys to the cells are discarded on the floor of the room. A secret door hidden in one of the cells can be discovered by any character who searches for it. The secret door is locked, but can be opened by one of the discarded keys, or forced open with a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check. Alternatively, the lock can be picked by a character who makes a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. H6b. Workshop This area was used by Pharblex to craft ceramic vials. Within is a set of potter’s tools, two casks of bullywug brew, and three ceramic flasks filled with the holy ichor of Juiblex. H7. Trial of the Zealot This is a rocky, cavernous room with no apparent exits. A large eye, more than a foot in diameter, is carved into the western wall. Ten smaller eyes are arranged in a circle around the larger eye. The words, “WHO IS THE ONE-EYED LORD OF SECRETS?” are carved into the northern wall in Common. Any character who makes a successful DC 10 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognizes the pattern of eyes as that of a beholder. Two secret doors are here, one in the center of the floor and the other in the eastern wall. Both doors are well-hidden and can only be found by a character who makes a successful DC 25 Wisdom (Perception) check. These doors are also locked and trapped. If a character attempts to pick the lock on either door or to force them open, the fifth small eye shoots a ray of necrotic energy at them. The ray has a +8 attack bonus to hit. Any character who is hit by the ray must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The locks can be picked by a character who makes a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. The doors can also be forced open with a successful DC 20 Strength check. If the word, “Vecna” is spoken aloud, then the door in the floor unlocks and opens, revealing a staircase that leads to area H8. If the words “Xanathar” or “beholder” are spoken aloud, then the eastern door unlocks and opens. After the eastern door opens, a disembodied mouth filled with brutally sharp teeth shrilly announces, “The Master awaits you in the next room, but please do not disturb his meditations,” before fading into nothingness. H8. Antir’s Tomb This small tomb is empty except for a plain stone sarcophagus that rests upon the floor. Written atop the lid of the sarcophagus is the following: HEREIN LIES ANTIR, THE GREAT DEATH, FATHER OF THE SEVEN ABORTIONS, AND LOYAL SERVANT TO THE MAIMED LORD VECNA A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (History) check remembers that Antir was a powerful lich who served Vecna during his conquest of the Sword Coast. However, the character also knows that Antir has no notable connection to Thornhold. Xanathar created this fake tomb as a red herring for any tomb robbers, particularly those loyal to Vecna. Xanathar’s hope was that it might be able to placate such robbers with a token amount of treasure, making it less likely that they would persist in their explorations. The lid to the sarcophagus is heavy but opens with effort. Inside is a gaunt, skeletal corpse with withered flesh stretched tight across its bones. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals it to be a normal corpse and not a lich. An aquamarine (worth 1,000 gp) rests within the socket of the corpse’s left eye. Clutched in its left hand is a wand of magic missiles. The wand is cursed so that if used against a beholder, it explodes, dealing 35 (10d6) force damage to all creatures within 5 feet of it.

Chapter 7 Thornhold Chapter 7 Thornhold 65 H9. Meditation Chamber This large, spacious cavern is filled with patches of mushrooms, some of which grow as high as a human is tall. Twenty feet from the room’s entrance is a luminescent circle of lichen. A spherical creature with numerous stalks protruding from it floats within the circle. The creature looks to be facing the floor, as if sleeping or in meditation. The spherical creature is likely to be mistaken for a beholder, but a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that it is a gas spore. This gas spore has been modified by Xanathar so that its Death Burst has a radius of 40 feet. Any creature within range of the death burst must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The mushrooms in this cavern are edible fungi known as trillimac. A small pool in the northeast corner of the room contains fresh, drinkable water. Near the pool, a 10-foot diameter shaft pierces the ceiling. The shaft winds upwards for 80 feet before ending in a stone wall that is 5 feet beneath area H17. Halfway up the shaft is a cobweb of gossamer strings that can be detected by a character who makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. If a character enters their space, the strings break, dropping a large

Chapter 7 Thornhold 66 Trillimac A trillimac is a mushroom that grows to a height of four to five feet, and has a broad gray-green cap and a light gray stalk. The cap’s leathery surface can be cut and cleaned for use in making maps, hats, and scrolls (its surface takes dyes and inks well). The stalk makes a palatable food akin to bread if it is cleaned, soaked in water for an hour, then dried. Each trillimac stalk provides 1d6 + 4 pounds of food. boulder suspended at the top of the shaft. As soon as this happens the character hears a rumbling sound from above. If the character immediately retreats from the shaft, then they successfully escape the falling boulder; otherwise, it crashes into the character. Any character hit by the boulder must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. No doors connect this room to area H19 and the wall separating these rooms can only be breached by disintegration or similar magic. A successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check determines that the wall is not part of the natural cavern. The following words, written in Common, are etched into the stone floor near the tunnel to the southeast: IF YOU ARE A VAMPIRE, THEN YOU ARE NOT INVITED ANY FURTHER H10. Trapped Hallway Halfway down this hallway is a tripwire. A character in the lead who is searching for traps spots the tripwire with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. Once spotted, it can easily be avoided or disarmed. If the wire is tripped, then a volley of twelve stakes shoots from hidden holes in the northern wall. The volley has a +8 attack bonus and deals 16 (3d10) piercing damage on a hit. If investigated, the wooden stakes smell strongly of garlic. H11. Chamber of Falling Statues There is a pressure plate at each place marked with an X on the map. Xanathar has disintegrated a hole in the ceiling above each plate. A petrified humanoid (two humans, an elf, and a dwarf) is suspended within each hole and hidden behind an illusion. If a character steps on the pressure plate, then the petrified humanoid is released, falling onto the character. The character must then make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The petrified humanoids shatter upon hitting the floor. The pressure plates can be detected by making a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. A character who makes a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools can disable it, but a roll of 5 or lower triggers the trap. A successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the secret door in the northern wall. It opens if pushed with sufficient force, leading to area H15. H12. Pits Two pits are in this hallway, each of which is marked with an X on the map. The westernmost pit is a simple pit trap, covered by a large cloth and camouflaged with dirt and debris. The pit is 30 feet deep, 5 feet across, and spans the width of the hallway. It can be spotted by a character who makes a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check. Anyone stepping on the cloth falls through and pulls the cloth down into the pit, taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage. The easternmost pit is adjacent to the other pit. It is covered by a hidden trapdoor that requires a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check to spot. This pit is 40 feet deep, 5 feet across, and spans the width of the hallway. When a character steps on the trapdoor, it swings open, causing the character to spill into the pit, taking 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage. The trapdoor closes after a character falls through it. Once detected, an iron spike or similar object can be wedged between the trapdoor and surrounding floor in such a way to prevent it from opening. The trapdoor can also be magically held shut using the arcane lock spell or similar magic. H13. Vampire Kill Chamber The walls of this room are filled with carvings of hundreds upon hundreds of eyes. Five seconds after the first character enters the room, stone walls slam down from the ceiling at the places denoted by dotted lines on the map. Running water begins to gush from hundreds of the eyes. Bright illumination, equivalent to sunlight, shines from the remaining eyes. The stone walls have AC 15 and 150 hit points. Reducing a wall to 0 hit points destroys it, allowing exit from the room. The water level rises 3 inches per round for a total of 10 rounds. At this point the eyes stop gushing water and the hundreds of glowing eyes turn dark. The water level drains from the chamber over the course of 3 rounds, after which the stone walls rise back into place, allowing exit from the chamber.

Chapter 7 Thornhold Chapter 7 Thornhold 67 H14. Lich Kill Chamber This cavernous room is furnished with a rickety desk and a moldy bed. Between them, a suit of empty plate armor stands at attention. The floor is covered by a thick, tattered green carpet. The carpet is non-magical but is enchanted with Nystul’s magic aura so that it radiates transmutation magic. The desk is covered in yellowed papers that look to be at least five years old. The papers are old cargo manifests mixed with detailed maps of Waterdeep’s sewers. Other than dust and mold, there is nothing of note within the bed. The suit of armor is a helmed horror that attacks if disturbed. The helmed horror is immune to the disintegrate, finger of death, and power word kill spells. If a character walks around the rug, then they step upon a hidden pressure plate, which can be detected only by making a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. It can be disabled by a character who makes a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools, but if the roll is 5 or lower, the trap is triggered. When the plate is stepped on or triggered, the stone wall leading into area H12 slams shut. The entire room, from the door leading to area H15 to the stone wall, is affected as per the silence spell. The helmed horror then moves to attack, focusing its attacks on any obvious spell-casters. After 10 minutes, the silence effect dissipates, and the stone wall rises back into place. The secret door leading to area H14 can be located with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. The door leading to area H15 is made of sturdy wood and is locked. The lock can be picked by making a successful DC 20 Dexterity check made using thieves’ tools, but if a character fails this check, then a needle shoots from the lock, pricking their finger. The character takes 1 piercing damage, 11 (2d10) poison damage, and must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. A character who examines the lock before attempting to pick it can deduce the trap’s presence on a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check; a subsequent successful DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools disarms the trap, removing the needle from the lock. The door can be forced open by making a successful DC 15 Strength check. However, four pikes are wedged against the back of the door so that the character forcing the door open takes 22 (4d10) piercing damage in the process. H15. Fungal Fool’s Gold A mound of golden coins appears to fill this room. A character who makes a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that the coloration of the coins seems off. The trove is a pile of 200,000 copper coins, coated in yellow mold (see chapter 5 in the Dungeon Master’s Guide). The pile is large enough that it is impossible to cross the room without disturbing the coins. If disturbed, the yellow mold ejects a cloud of spores that fills a 10-foot cube. Any creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) poison damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the creature takes 5 (1d10) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. Sunlight, or any amount of fire damage, instantly destroys the yellow mold. If a character with the blessing of Juiblex destroys the mold, then they gain permanent resistance to acid damage. The secret doors leading to areas H11 and H14 are obvious from this room. H16. Lair of Xanathar the Lesser This chamber is a mess of torn carpets and wooden debris. A spherical creature with a great bulging eye, a wide, toothy maw, and four waving eyestalks floats in the center of the room. This creature is a spectator who greets any characters that it can see, introducing itself, with a stifled giggle, as Xanathar. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals the true nature of the spectator. Despite any evidence to the contrary, the spectator repeatedly insists that it is Xanathar, although it giggles any time that it makes this claim. It says that it must “give great thought” to any questions posed to it, asking the characters to return in one month for an appropriate answer. If shown the adamantine sphere, it feigns excitement and asks for the characters to leave it behind. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Insight) check is sufficient to determine that the spectator is bluffing and knows nothing about the sphere. The spectator will defend itself if attacked but is otherwise friendly. The staircase to the west leads to area H17 and is hidden behind an illusory wall where the dotted line is. The illusion can be detected with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The spectator attacks any character who tries to enter the staircase. Settled amidst the room’s debris is a dusty, glass fishbowl. Characters who have been carrying the adamantine sphere note that it is exactly the same size as the fishbowl.

Chapter 7 Thornhold 68 H17. Palace of Xanathar This regal chamber would appear more at home in a royal castle than a cave. Its floor is covered in delicate tiles that crack underfoot. Because of the floor’s fragile nature, it is considered difficult terrain. The northern wall is lined with multiple bookcases and a large table dominates the center of the room. Luminous violet particles float throughout the chamber. A 15-foot long fish tank, filled with murky water, a small coral reef, and a tiny shipwreck, rests against the eastern wall. Floating next to the gargantuan fish tank is a shallow, 6-foot-diameter bowl made from crystal lattice that glows with multicolored light. Hundreds of rare books are arranged upon the shelves, with values ranging from 10 to 100 gp. A 10-foot diameter passage is hidden behind one of the bookshelves. This winding passage descends for more than three hundred feet before exiting into the Underdark. The table is covered with detailed maps of Waterdeep. It also has a ledger that contains incriminating information on more than one hundred Waterdhavian nobles. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Nature) check reveals that the violet particles are Underdark spores. Xanathar has infused the spores with faerzress (see chapter 2) to prevent scrying and teleportation. Long ago, the fish tank housed Xanathar’s pet fish, Sylgar. It is currently empty. The crystal bowl is a device called a dream nullifier. This bowl-shaped bed magically awakens Xanathar anytime it begins to dream about other beholders. Studying the bed and making a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals a small rune etched into its bottom. A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check will realize that this rune has corrupted the nullifier’s original enchantments; instead of calming the sleep of its inhabitant, the bed now induces nightmares intended to heighten Xanathar’s paranoia. This rune was secretly placed upon the nullifier years ago by traitors within Xanathar’s organization. The shafts leading to areas H9 and H19 are blocked by 5 feet of stone. The paranoid Xanathar guarding Sylgar

Chapter 7 Thornhold Chapter 7 Thornhold 69 H18. Xanathar’s Extraordinary Vault The walls and ceiling of this vault are covered in panels of colored lead, patterned with marble-like striations. The room itself is filled with the remaining wealth of the exiled eye tyrant. Five large chests line the western wall. Next to them is a mixed pile of gold and platinum coins, and sparkling gemstones. In another corner of the room is a large stone cart. Finally, along the northern wall are three lifelike stone statues (of a dwarf, a drow, and a kuo-toa), and an ornate, but empty, fishbowl. The characters find Xanathar (see appendix B) in this room, too distracted by paranoid visions of the future to notice the characters intruding upon its present-day doorstep. If the characters reveal themselves, then Xanathar demands to know why they are in its sanctum. Xanathar can manage only a minute or two of conversation before its extreme paranoia takes over. It then concludes that the characters are trying to distract it and attacks them. Reunion. Presenting the adamantine sphere to Xanathar defuses any hostility or paranoia. Xanathar immediately uses its telekinetic ray to move the sphere over to the fishbowl. It then uses its disintegration ray to poke a hole in the sphere before gingerly pouring a startled goldfish from the sphere into the fishbowl. Perceptive characters note what might be a single tear welling up in Xanathar’s main eye. Advance the characters to 8th level for successfully reuniting Xanathar with his beloved pet. An Unlikely Ally. With Sylgar returned, Xanathar’s paranoia subsides, allowing it to function, yet again, as an eye tyrant. It cautiously thanks the characters and then spends the next three hours interrogating them, in excruciating detail, about their journey. Xanathar vows revenge upon Vecna. It also vows to reclaim Waterdeep, asking the characters if they will agree to serve as its highest-ranking henchmen. If the characters agree, then Xanathar gives them half of its treasure pile and a tentacle rod. Xanathar also encourages the characters to take the wand and gemstone from area H8 as payment for their services. If Maximus is with the party, then the knight attempts to refuse such payment on their behalf, treating Xanathar with thinly veiled hostility. Loot. The pile of treasure consists of 1,000 gp, 100 pp, and a hundred gemstones worth 100 gp each. Each of the five treasure chests is locked. They can be broken open by a character who makes a successful DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check; alternatively, their locks can be picked by making a successful DC 25 Dexterity check made using thieves’ tools. Xanathar locks and unlocks the chests using telekinesis. The five treasure chests contain: J Chest 1. An assortment of exotic spices in airtight containers worth 1,000 gp. J Chest 2. Dozens of stuffed Xanathar dolls and onyx trophies carved to look like a smiling beholder being caressed by hands. J Chest 3. Books, scrolls, and memos containing all of the relevant news up to and including Vecna’s invasion of the Forgotten Realms. J Chest 4. A pile of broken rubble and eight jars of depetrification salve (appendix B). J Chest 5. 3,000 gp, an aquamarine (worth 1,000 gp), a tentacle rod, a ring of free action, and a ring of three of wishes with one wish remaining. The aquamarine is magically connected to the aquamarine from area H8. Four times per day, a creature can use an action to cast scrying upon any creature that is carrying the aquamarine from area H8. If circumstances allow it, Xanathar uses this aquamarine to obsessively spy on the characters. The Stone Gallery The statues are petrified humanoids. Ott Steeltoes. The first statue is Ott Steeltoes (CE male dwarf cultist). Ott used to tend to Sylgar. In his spare time, he worshipped Zuggtmoy, the demon queen of fungi, and cultivated mushrooms, spores, and molds. He wears a skullcap to which fake beholder eyestalks have been stitched. Nar’l Xibrindas. The second statue is Nar’l Xibrindas (drow mage). Nar’l was an advisor to Xanathar but also, unbeknownst to Xanathar, secretly worked as a double agent for Bregan D’aerthe. Sloopidoop. The third statue is Sloopidoop (kuotoa archpriest). Sloopidoop was a member of the Society of Brilliance, a sect of highly intelligent monsters that have banded together to solve all of the Underdark’s problems. Sloopidoop has an alignment of neutral, an Intelligence of 18, and is fluent in Abyssal, Common, Deep Speech, Draconic, Dwarvish, Elvish, and Undercommon. H19. Escape Room The air is extremely stale in this rocky, barren chamber. This artificial cave exists as a way for allowing Xanathar to either flee its lair or flank those in the midst of infiltrating it. A winding 10-foot diameter shaft ends abruptly in a 5-foot thick wall. Beyond this wall lies area H17. Similarly, a short tunnel to the southeast ends in another 5-foot thick wall. Beyond this wall lies area H9.

Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World 70 hould the characters agree to ally themselves with Xanathar, it wastes no time getting to work. It retrieves a jar of depetrification salve and depetrifies Ott and Nar’l. Xanathar orders Ott to immediately clean the fish tank and begin tending to Sylgar. Xanathar then orders Nar’l to begin the task of rebuilding their intelligence network. Finally, Xanathar spends the next three days poring over old documents and spy reports. It ignores the characters other than to occasionally ask them to fetch a book, demanding their patience while it “figures out what that wily skeleton is up to.” If the characters have not discovered the glyph inscribed into Xanathar’s dream nullifier, then Xanathar notices the glyph the next time it goes to bed, carefully erasing the rune with its disintegration ray. Other Allies If Maximus is with the party, then the knight grows increasingly anxious. His moral code chafes at working with a creature such as Xanathar. His sense of duty prompts Maximus to leave to return to the southern Sword Coast and reunite with his fellow Hellriders. Maximus is not much for sentiment and is just as likely to mysteriously vanish in the middle of the night as he is to give a formal farewell, leaving the shroudstones of the Ancients behind and trusting in the characters to see to their destruction. The players likely encountered Zephyrus while passing through Triboar (see chapter 6). If they did not, then Xanathar encourages the players to wait a tenday until Nar’l gets back. When Nar’l returns, he informs the characters that a storm giant is rumored to be living in Triboar. Either way, visiting Triboar becomes the next natural step for the characters. Chapter 8 Xanathar’s Guide to Saving the World After allying with the characters, Xanathar re-establishes its spy network in hopes of determining how to destroy the shroudstones. While doing so, it also determines the location of the third and final gemstone. The third gemstone is held with 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 Grudd Haug, the capital of the mountain giants, and steal a magical conch shell. “Henchmen, come close. This Vecna thing’s gimmick is that everyone has a secret that can bring about their downfall, but that’s nothing new. Here in Faerûn, we call it blackmail, and I’ve been doing it my whole life. So, now it’s time to use his secrets against him. As you might have figured out, all this dead god mumbo jumbo is just a crock of aurochs manure. The gods are just fine and likely mad as a battlerager. Vecna has these three magic doohickeys that prevent the gods from interfering. If we can destroy these relics, then we can bring back the gods. “The last doohickey is in an abandoned undersea fortress called the Maelstrom, guarded by something called the Krakolich. Even better, there is a special throne in this fortress that should be able to destroy the doohickeys. But we’re going to need some intel before we go in. The Maelstrom used to be run by a storm giant cartel. We should start by trying to find a storm giant and figuring out what to do next... Err, rather, I mean you should start by trying to find a storm giant and figuring out what to do next. Now hop to it, henchpeople!” The Plan After three days of exhaustive research the beholder’s peerless intellect finally unravels the puzzle. Xanathar addresses the characters: A Growing Empire For the remainder of the adventure, the characters will likely repeatedly return to the lair. As they do so, they witness Xanathar’s new empire slowly reform. Incremental improvements in Xanathar’s lair include: J A deep gnome in clownish garb, who Xanathar refers to as Flutterfoot the Second, dances and cartwheels throughout the lair. J Xanathar converts area H16 into a makeshift kitchen. A sprite gourmand that Xanathar calls Poppenfield runs the kitchen with his quaggoth sous-chef. They are eternally complaining about the lack of proper spices, especially fey-pepper. J Xanathar has an increasing number of bodyguards every time the characters return to its lair. First there is a tribe of thirty troglodytes. Next, there is a pair of sullen driders. Finally, Xanathar adopts a pet behir that it has named Lludd. J Xanathar converts area H9 into an arena referred to as “Pit Two.” Anyone who wins a match in the arena receives a stuffed Xanathar doll with a pocket in its mouth that holds a 100 gp gemstone, and an onyx trophy carved to look like a smiling beholder being caressed by hands (worth 25 gp).

Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World 71 Breaking Good Some characters might be uncomfortable working for a creature such as Xanathar. Doing so is not essential for the story to continue; however, you will need to find a new NPC to serve in Xanathar’s stead. One of the Harpells from Longsaddle could easily serve as such an advisor. J A traveling merchant named Igor sets up shop in area H6B. Though he looks human, his fingers have three joints and he is, in truth, a mercane. He sells anything from the Adventuring Gear table in the Player’s Handbook as well as anything from the Magic Item Tables A, B, and C in the Dungeon Master’s Guide. He keeps all his valuables in a pocket dimension and can’t be coerced or forced into handing them over, even if it costs him his life. See the table below for an overview of Igor’s prices. Item Rarity Consumable Cost Item Cost Common 50 gp 100 gp Uncommon 250 gp 500 gp Rare 2,500 gp 5,000 gp Very rare 25,000 gp 50,000 gp Legendary 100,000 gp 200,000+ gp His familiar, a wide-eyed, mute imp named Yix usually sits on his shoulders, but will gladly crawl onto a character if they begin petting it. Igor also has two guards; Kraampesh and Gratrix, who are both under a geas spell and forced to protect Igor, while never revealing their predicament. Kraampesh (LN male dragonborn blackguard, see appendix B), who has accepted his fate, has a staunch demeanor, is clad in black plate, and has red scales. Gratrix (LN female halfling assassin), who despises the situation she is in, is also dressed in black; she doesn't respond well to queries. Xanathar’s Paranoia Although its paranoia has been substantially quelled, Xanathar is still a beholder, and as such, is still extremely paranoid by most standards. Interactions with it may, at times, feel comical but they should also be tinged with an air of menace. Xanathar is a powerful creature who can disintegrate, enslave, paralyze, or petrify a character in the literal blink of an eye. Examples of challenging interactions might include: J When the characters return to the beholder’s lair, Xanathar accuses them of being doppelganger servants of Vecna. Xanathar asks the characters questions about the first time they met Xanathar. After this interrogation, Xanathar proclaims that the characters answered its questions “too perfectly.” This paranoia can be defused with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the characters fail their check, then Xanathar prepares to disintegrate them before Ott quickly intercedes on their behalf. J At some point in their interactions Xanathar squints at the characters suspiciously, accusing them of being constructs. It demands that the characters provide a “convincing display of emotion” to prove that they are not automatons. This paranoia can be assuaged with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If the characters fail their check, then Xanathar insists on using its enervation ray on one of them so that it can verify that they “wither properly.” J Upon their return, the characters discover that they are locked out of Xanathar’s lair. Xanathar demands that they give “the password” before it will allow them in. The correct answer to this demand is that there is no password. In the event that the characters answer incorrectly, Xanathar makes them wait for 24 hours before letting them into the lair just to test that “it’s really them.” J If the characters ask Xanathar an esoteric question, then it depetrifies a terrified Sloopidoop. Xanather demands that the kuo-toa answer the characters’ question, then immediately afterwards repetrifies Sloopidoop. A character who makes a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check can convince Xanathar to permanently unpetrify the kuo-toa. If given the opportunity, Sloopidoop prefers to return to the Underdark. However, he can be convinced to accompany the characters if they make a successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check. J Over the course of their interactions, Xanathar repeatedly makes statements such as, “According to one of my sources…” It is later revealed that this source is a kidnapped merchant that Xanathar is holding hostage at an undisclosed location. A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check persuades Xanathar to release the merchant. Igor in his true form with his imp familiar Yix

Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World 72 Triboar Revisited Area D At this point, the characters are experienced overland travelers and can likely avoid or intimidate any threats. As such, their journey to Triboar should be uneventful. Depending upon their actions, as well as how long it has been since they passed through Triboar, the characters may find that the town has been ransacked. Either way, Zephyrus remains in the farmlands, helping the townsfolk of Triboar to the best of his abilities. Even if the characters’ actions led to the ransacking of the town, Zephyrus is receptive to their approach, understanding that although their deeds were short-sighted they were likely well-intentioned. Zephyrus is surprised if the characters mention the Maelstrom. He is initially resistant to any plans to invade the abandoned fortress but gradually warms to the idea as discussions develop. Zephyrus can supply the characters with all of the storm giant information provided in the Ordning section of appendix A. He mournfully reiterates the fact that no one knows the whereabouts of Princess Serissa although, with the death of her father, she is now the rightful ruler of the storm giants. Zephyrus agrees that the Wyrmskull Throne might be powerful enough to destroy the shroudstones of the Ancients, but informs the characters that the throne can only be used by someone wielding the Ruling Scepter. Zephyrus shares a rumor that Serissa secreted the Ruling Scepter in an extradimensional vault called Stronmaus’s Locker. He claims that this locker can be accessed by any living creature that is accompanied by a storm giant, but because of its location in the Elemental Plane of Water, getting there is going to be difficult. Zephyrus also informs the characters that, at one time, each of the giant lords had an enchanted conch of teleportation (appendix D) that, when blown, would transport them to the Maelstrom. Zephyrus indicates, however, that he does not know if any giant lords still possess their conchs. Zephyrus has no knowledge regarding the Krakolich. Any character who makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check notices a look of sorrow pass over Zephyrus’s face when he first mentions Serissa. For insight on this, refer to his entry in chapter 6. If the characters previously visited the Temple of Elemental Unity (see area E in chapter 6), then they might consider returning there to access Stronmaus’s Locker. If not, then Zephyrus suggests it as a possible option. Zephyrus insists on accompanying the characters to the Temple of Elemental Unity and also asks to come with them to the Maelstrom, when the time comes. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check confirms Zephyrus’s information regarding Stronmaus’s Locker, although it also reveals that the locker should not be accessible to just any storm giant, but only storm giant nobility. If confronted with this information, Zephyrus seems briefly taken aback before mumbling that he is a distant third cousin to the former king. Temple of Elemental Unity Revisited Area E When the characters visit the Temple of Elemental Unity they find it occupied by a cult leader (mage) and two cult fanatics who are conducting a service for twenty commoners from nearby Triboar. Although the cult leader is unlikely to connect the characters to any previous actions they may have committed within the Temple, she is initially reluctant to help them. If, however, they are explicit that their actions are intended to stymie Vecna, then she becomes more receptive. The Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye currently views Vecna as an enemy and is eager to see his downfall. If the characters make a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check or promise to donate half of any treasure recovered from the Locker to the temple, the cult leader agrees to help. Additionally, the cult leader is willing to cast water breathing upon the characters for 50 gp. If the characters are more secretive about their motives, then they will need to find other ways to convince her to help. The cult leader waits until her congregants depart before performing the necessary ritual. She calls upon the blessing of Ol-hydra and the waters of the well churn in response. She then reaches into the well and sculpts the water into a conical shape before freezing it into an icicle. She hands this enchanted icicle to the nearest character and tells them that if they break the icicle, all creatures who went through the portal (even dead ones) will be returned to the Temple of Elemental Unity. It takes an action to break the icicle. If the characters now dive into the portal, they are transported to Stronmaus’s Locker. Stronmaus’s Locker Stronmaus’s Locker is an isolated chamber carved within the interior of an immense iceberg. The chamber is a hundred-foot cube and is filled with frigid water. It has no entrances or exits and can only be accessed through magic. Silhouettes of strange creatures, some of behemothic proportions, can be

Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World 73 seen frozen deep within the iceberg. A massive 20- foot clam rests upon the floor of the chamber. Three hungry ice wyrms (appendix B) swim throughout the Locker. The characters appear in the center of the chamber. The ice wyrms attack immediately, instinctively using their Icy Blast ability to split up the characters. They fight to the death. As an action, a character can pry open the massive clam with a successful DC 21 Strength (Athletics) check. Using a crowbar, a sword, or similar tool grants advantage on the check. Opening the clam triggers a glyph of warding spell that targets whoever opened the clam with a dispel magic spell. The clam also contains a water weird, which attacks whoever opens the clam, fighting to the death. Finally, the interior of the clam contains 1,000 small pearls (worth 5 gp each), three grapefruit-sized pink pearls (500 gp each), one grapefruit-sized black pearl (5,000 gp), one grapefruit-sized violet pearl of power, one clear grapefruit-sized crystal ball, and the Ruling Scepter (see the Wyrmskull Throne entry in appendix D). Zephyrus strongly discourages the characters from taking anything other than the scepter, insisting that the treasure belongs to the storm giants. If the characters ignore Zephyrus’s wishes, he continues to cooperate with them, but his good opinion of them is greatly diminished. Underwater Combat When making a melee weapon attack, a creature that doesn’t have a swimming speed (either natural or granted by magic) has disadvantage on the attack roll unless the weapon is a dagger, javelin, shortsword, spear, or trident. A ranged weapon automatically misses a target beyond the weapon’s normal range. Even against a target within normal range, the attack roll has disadvantage unless the weapon is a crossbow, a net, or a weapon that is thrown like a javelin (including a spear, trident, or dart). Creatures and objects that are fully immersed in water have resistance to fire damage. Ice Wyrms are relentless deep sea predators

Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World 74 In Search of the Conch With the Ruling Scepter secure, all that remains is to gain access to a conch of teleportation. If the characters do not think of it themselves, Zephyrus suggests that they return to Xanathar and ask him to use his spies to find the location of one of the conch shells. Zephyrus prefers to wait in Triboar while they do so, although he beseeches the characters to retrieve him before activating the conch shell. If asked, Xanathar offers to “contact its sources” to determine the most easily accessible conch. Three tendays later, Xanathar’s spies learn that a conch of teleportation is still possessed by the mountain giant shaman of Grudd Haug, Grolan, who keeps a it on display in his mud and wattle palace. Xanathar gifts the characters a small token in the shape of a stuffed Xanathar. A character can use an action to hold the token aloft while shouting, “Xanathar save me!” to teleport to area H7 of Xanathar’s Lair along with up to eight willing creatures that they can see within 60 feet. Xanathar tells the characters to use the token to escape the Maelstrom once their work is completed and warns them that they should not use it frivolously, as it can only be used once. Strategies After gifting them the token, Xanathar asks the characters to discuss their strategy for securing the conch. A few strategies that the characters might use while attempting to retrieve the conch include the following: Brute Force. Xanathar strongly advises against a frontal assault, indicating that they would stand little chance against a small army of mountain giants. Diplomacy. Grolan is fiercely loyal to Chief Guh and refuses to part with the conch except by her say-so. Guh cares little for the conch shell but sees no reason not to eat any characters who attempt to barter for it. She will consider parting with her conch in exchange for exotic foods. If the characters suggest this, then Xanathar grudgingly offers up his rare spice collection to “sweeten the offer.” Subterfuge. The characters might consider sneaking into Grudd Haug and stealing the conch shell. Xanathar favors this ploy, going so far as to offer a scroll of glamour (appendix D) to help with the subterfuge. Xanathar suggests that the characters adopt the appearance of mountain giants. If the party has more than four characters (or NPCs) then Xanathar gleefully suggests that the excess characters adopt the appearance of sheep, although any variety of livestock or goblinoid would prove equally effective. Grudd Haug Area I Grudd Haug means “river mound” in Giant and aptly describes the mountain giants’ old steading. However, in recent years the giants were forced from their home by the Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye and resettled in the Sword Mountains. For intellectual convenience, the mountain giants continue to refer to their settlement as Grudd Haug, despite the geological incongruence. The Village of Grudd Haug The newly settled Grudd Haug is a large, sprawling village built within a valley of the Sword Mountains. Everything about the village is giant-sized. The massive houses are built from timber, wattle, and dried mud. Although relatively crude, their architecture, which is well beyond the capabilities of the dim-witted mountain giants, is the product of hobgoblin engineers. Multiple pens hold aurochs, horses, pigs, rothé, and sheep. Near the back of the valley a massive cave has been carved into the side of a mountain. Within this cave lairs the titanic Chief Guh (appendix B). Near the entrance of the cave is the palace of Grolan, her loyal shaman. Inhabitants A total of sixty mountain giants live throughout Grudd Haug, although usually only fifty are within the village at any given time. The village is also populated by up to thirty bugbears, eighty goblins, twenty hobgoblins, and twenty-five ogres, although many times this number live in nearby lairs scattered throughout the Sword Mountains. Grudd Haug serves as the unofficial capital for these goblinoid tribes, and consequently the village’s marketplace is always bustling. Risk of Detection It has been years since Grudd Haug has experienced any sort of credible physical threat. As such, no formal guards are present and the citizens are generally preoccupied. Nonetheless, any non-goblinoid character who does not take pains to conceal themselves stands out glaringly. The mountain giants attempt to kill any obvious intruders, gleefully picking through their corpses afterwards. The giants and their goblinoid allies are loud combatants, attracting reinforcements every round. Offering food to the giants stays their hand, allowing for a brief interaction. At this point, if the characters make a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) or DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check, then they can convince the giants to take them to see Chief Guh. For more details on such a meeting see the diplomacy option above.

Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World 75 Being Disguised If the characters attempt any type of reasonable disguise, they are likely to be successful. The mountain giants are inattentive and unimaginative. That someone might sneak into their village is an idea beyond their ken. The characters may give themselves away through their language or actions, although even in these cases, the giants accuse them of “acting funny” rather than suspecting duplicity. If the giants think that any of the characters are acting funny, then they forcibly drag them to area I4. Other goblinoids, particularly the hobgoblins, are more likely to notice subtler signs such as human-sized footprints in the mud by seemingly giant-sized characters. If this happens, roll a d100. On a roll of 01–50, the goblinoids will attack the characters; on a roll of 51–00, they will try to blackmail them. While disguised, the characters might come across the following encounters: J The characters stumble across three mountain giants in the middle of a rock-throwing contest. If the characters are pretending to be giants, then they are invited to join the competition. A character requires a Strength score of 20 or higher to attempt throwing one of these boulder-sized rocks. If such a character attempts to throw a rock, then have them make a Strength (Athletics) check. If their result is a 10 or less, then the character proves unable to throw the rock, arousing suspicion. Alternatively, a character can avoid getting involved in the contest if they make a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. J The characters come across two mountain giants and three ogres having a mid-meal feast. The creatures insist that the characters join them. The feast consists of partially cooked auroch meat and pig innards mixed with rothé dung. Eating a quantity of food that would satisfy a giant requires a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw. If a character fails the saving throw, then they regurgitate the food, arousing suspicion. Regardless of whether the character makes their saving throw, they are inflicted with the poisoned condition for one hour. Alternatively, a character can excuse themselves from the feast with a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. J A nilbog (see appendix B) that has been recently plaguing Grudd Haug, attaches itself to the characters, tormenting them for an hour before growing bored and wandering off. Any character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check knows that treating a nilbog with anything less than complete courtesy is considered forbidden in goblinoid culture. Because of this, any character who is not deferential to the nilbog arouses suspicion. I1. Beast Pens These pens hold aurochs, horses, pigs, rothé, and sheep. The horses come from Triboar and bear the brand of the Happy Horse Ranch. The rothé were recently imported from the mountains near Mirabar. Pigs proliferate in abundance. At the DM’s discretion, some of the pigs might be other creatures under the effect of Grolan’s polymorph spell (see area I4). The aurochs are revered by the mountain giants for their size and strength. Because of this, they are kept in their own pen, separated from the “pigs and sheep of the world.” However, this reverence only goes so far. The aurochs are still consumed by the mountain giants, but only during ceremonial occasions. I2. Giant’s Lair The various mud and wattle structures scattered throughout the valley primarily serve as homes for the village’s residents. The buildings, as well as everything within them, are giant-sized. Their interior walls are stained with food and the floors are covered in gnawed bones and spilled food in various stages of decomposition. Every building has at least one table, although the giants typically do not use chairs when sitting at these tables. Tentacles and Teeth. There is a 50 percent chance that a pet otyugh resides in any given building, living off discarded scraps. Loot. There is also a 20 percent chance that a building contains 1d4 magic items. Roll on Magic Item Table B in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to determine such items. A list of mundane items that might also be found within these lairs can be located within the introduction of Storm King’s Thunder. I3. Bartertown This section of Grudd Haug is dedicated to the bartering of goods. Stalls, booths, and wagons carry a bewildering display of goods, most of which is edible in nature (at least to a mountain giant). The merchants who run Bartertown tend to be goblins or hobgoblins. Unless the characters are in some sort of disguise, they will not be able to conduct any sort of trade. The merchants of Bartertown are shrewd, observant, and immoral. If the characters are not careful, they might get discovered, potentially leading to blackmail or confrontation. Any characters posing as mountain giants who do not show an inordinate amount of interest in food attract immediate suspicion.

Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World 76 Some possible encounters in Bartertown might include: J A goblin selling warm turnip pies. J An ogre selling delicious halfling kabobs. J A goblin spice merchant selling a variety of spices, including fey-pepper. J A hobgoblin weapon master who sells newly forged, high quality weapons and armor for half the cost listed in the PHB. The hobgoblin also sells freshly picked, high quality tree trunk clubs and aerodynamically optimized boulders referred to as “fly highs.” J The Dread Lasher, a famed goblin hunter, specializes in selling domesticated animals but is not above dabbling in the trade of sentient slaves. The Dread Lasher is currently selling three velociraptors, a trained giant rat, and a gnome (named Kelbis Billowgrace). He also is selling a large crate shared by an awakened bunny, an awakened hamster, and an awakened monkey. The trio was captured a tenday ago by goblin hunters and have, thus far, been able to hide their sentience. Having been separated from their owners, they have banded together to search for a mythical civilization of awakened animals rumored to exist somewhere in the Sword Mountains. J An insect slaver who is about to retire and willing to sell his cudgel, Bugsmasher (see appendix D). J A pair of mated bugbears who spend most of their day sleeping in an elf-hide hammock. Their wares include the non-magical severed head of a minstrel that allegedly sings sweet lullabies at night, and the non-magical head of a commoner wearing a floppy wizard’s cap that can allegedly teach magic to anyone who proves themselves worthy. J A goblin huckster who calls out to passing giants, “Tired of your favorite pet accidentally dying while being safely carried about in your sack of stones? This is an all-too-common problem. But no longer, thanks to our new revolutionary line of pet rocks!” The goblin sells a stupefying collection of painted pet rocks ranging in sizes from pebbles to boulders. Sample pets include a cuddly, boulder-sized dragon, an adorable, obsidian owlbear, and a pouch full of marble-sized kobolds. Awakened Beasts The awaken spell grants sentience to beasts or plants. An awakened beast has an Intelligence score of 10 (+0) and learns a language the caster knows. The awakened beasts presented in this chapter speak Common. I4. Shaman’s Place This mud and wattle structure is three times the size of the village’s other structures and visible from much of the village. Grolan spends most of his time making sure that the entrance is guarded by two mountain giants whenever he leaves. The interior of the palace is devoid of furnishings and is filled with half-devoured food. Grolan prefers solitude and does his best to chase away any disguised characters. If the characters are revealed as intruders, Grolan immediately attacks while calling for help. Due of the thick walls, it takes three rounds of calling for help before his pleas are heard by 1d4 passing mountain giants who join combat. Every subsequent round there is a 50 percent chance that another 1d4 mountain giants join the fray. Grolan uses the statistics of a mountain giant with the following changes: J Grolan wears a headband of intellect which rests awkwardly upon his head. J Grolan can cast the true polymorph spell (save DC 15) but can only transform the target into a fattened pig (boar). When cast in this manner, the spell doesn't require concentration and lasts until dispelled. Once cast, Grolan can’t cast the spell again until he finishes a short or long rest. The eastern wall of the palace is covered with mounted trophies signifying Chief Guh’s “Sacred Conquests.” Such trophies include: J A broken wagon wheel from Guh’s first throne. J A charred stone fragment from a boulder Guh used to kill a red dragon. J A +2 warhammer. This crudely forged warhammer was crafted by an orcish shaman and bears the symbol of Gruumsh. Anytime it scores a hit against a dwarf, the hammer shouts, “Here’s a kiss for you, runt!” in Orc. J The conch shell of teleportation. However, the hook from which the shell hangs is trapped. Whenever the conch is disturbed, a nearby shelf lined with porcelain urns falls from the wall, clattering loudly to the ground. This alerts Grolan who angrily attacks the “thieves,” regardless of whether they are disguised. The trap can be detected with a DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The trap can be disarmed with a successful DC 12 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. Alternatively, the conch can be removed from its hook without triggering the trap by a character who makes a successful DC 12 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World Chapter 8 Xanathar s Guide to Saving the World 77 I5. Chief Guh’ s Divine Feasting Hall Hundreds of smaller caves, connected by miles of twisting tunnels, honeycomb the interior of this massive cavern. The cavern itself holds a long feasting table and sturdy benches that could easily accommodate up to forty giants. Smaller tables, sized for goblinoids, are scattered along the walls of the cave. In the back of the cavern is Chief Guh. At any given time, at least ten goblins and five mountain giants tend to their chief. Because of her immense bulk Chief Guh finds it difficult to talk, communicating through brief grunts that are then faithfully interpreted by her attendants. If the characters present themselves to her as giants or goblinoids, then Chief Guh ignores them. If the characters are undisguised then they draw her attention, although she is still inclined to call upon Grolan to turn them into pigs so that she can eat them. For details on negotiating with Chief Guh see the negotiation section above. Concluding Grudd Haug While attempting to attune to the shell, the characters will discover that it only attunes to giants. As such, they will need the aid of Zephyrus (or some other giant). Once they have secured such aid, they can activate the conch. Before doing so, Zephyrus reiterates the storm giant information from the Ordning section of appendix A. He also informs the characters about the abilities of the Wyrmskull Throne (see appendix D). Advance the characters to 9th level after they have recovered the conch shell of teleportation. Activating the conch teleports Zephyrus and the characters to area J1 of the Maelstrom. For more details regarding the Maelstrom, see chapter 9. Chief Guh enjoying a “small” snack

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 78 eep beneath the Trackless Sea lies the Maelstrom. This onceproud fortress was home to the world’s most powerful storm giant kings. The castle was carved, centuries ago, into a reef formation that surrounds a large sinkhole. It was abandoned more than ten years ago after the storm giant royal family was torn apart by the machinations of the blue dragon Iymrith. Shortly after, the castle was chosen by Vecna as a locale for one of the three blasphemous relics that the archlich used to cut off the Realms from the divine influence of the gods (see the shroudstones of the Ancients in appendix D). The Krakolich, a magic-using aboleth gifted with undeath, was chosen as the guardian of the relic. Although the Krakolich is not, per se, the most powerful of Vecna’s lieutenants, it is one of the most loyal, and is uniquely adapted to the Maelstrom’s unusual environment. The Krakolich has laired within the undersea fortress ever since, patiently guarding the shroudstone for its master. The Maelstrom Area J Since the storm giants have abandoned their stronghold, the powerful enchantments that once fortified it have deteriorated. Hallways and stairwells have collapsed. The rooms and passages that remain experience tide-like fluctuations, alternating between being filled with air and filled with water. When the characters arrive, the fortress is at low tide, with the sea water drained from much of the fortress. The stronghold slowly fills with water over the next 72 hours until it reaches high tide, at which point all chambers and tunnels become completely submerged. After the passage of another three days the Maelstrom returns to low tide, continuing the endless cycle. J1. Portal Chamber Anyone who teleports into the Maelstrom appears upon a glowing glyph carved into the floor of this giant-sized room. Despite the low tide, there is still evidence of the room’s recent submersion. Dying fish Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich The characters must battle through the Maelstrom to defeat an undead aboleth known as the Krakolich. After doing so, they have an opportunity to turn the tables on Vecna by destroying the archlich’s unholy artifacts. flop weakly amidst the bones of their kin. Water drips from an algae-coated ceiling. Rotting, tumorous barnacles that ooze bioluminescent pus line the walls. A rubble-filled staircase fills the northwest corner of the room. The staircase is impassable by conventional means but leads to area J14. In the center of the room is a 40-foot-deep pool with a 30-foot-high passage at its bottom. This passage leads to area J3. A narrow hall to the south leads to a circular chamber with a shallow pool of stagnant water at its center. Two chuuls are scavenging the chamber for fish when the characters arrive. The chuuls attack immediately. Any character with a passive Insight of 15 or higher discerns that the chuuls are fixated on any magical possessions displayed by the characters. If the chuuls are given an item that radiates magic, they grab the item, flee back to their chambers (area J2), and hide the item amidst their nest of debris. The chuuls then remain in their chamber, fiercely protecting their treasure. The Krakolich (see appendix B) has placed a permanent alarm spell upon the glowing glyph, alerting itself to the arrival of the characters. Upon hearing the alarm, the Krakolich hastens to area J18. Once there, it uses one of its regional effects to project its image into the portal chamber. Assume that this happens after the characters have dealt with the chuuls. Read or paraphrase the following: A grotesque aberration slowly materializes before you. The aberration looks like a monstrous eel with withered flesh stretched tight along its bones. Three eye sockets, burning with pinpricks of dark malevolence, are aligned vertically above the beast’s maw. A massive tail swishes back and forth, like a rotted metronome. Three long, snakelike tentacles probe the air before it. The monstrosity shimmers translucently, hinting that it might be an image or illusion. The beast defiles your mind with its telepathic intrusions, “What fools trespass upon the holy ground of the Krakolich? Are you supplicants seeking a greater power? Or heretics in search of oblivion?” A character who makes a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check discerns that the Krakolich is an aboleth. Summarize for the characters the information provided in the aboleth section of the Monster Manual. If the check succeeds by 5 or more, then reveal that the withered skin and glowing eyes are more typical of a lich than of an aboleth.

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 79 The Krakolich waits for the characters to respond telepathically. If they do so, then the Krakolich uses its Invasive Telepathy trait to learn more about the characters. If Zephyrus is traveling with the characters then, at some point, he yells defiantly, “You do not rule here, abomination! The Maelstrom belongs to Queen Serissa, rightful heir to King Hekaton, and ruler of the storm giants!” At this point, the Krakolich probes the mind of Zephyrus, learning the rain giant’s true identity. After Zephyrus’s outburst the Krakolich chuckles darkly. Its image fades as it speaks telepathically, “You are not fit for anything more than chum for my servitors.” At these final words, the remaining three chuuls from area J2 rush to area J1. The first chuul arrives one minute after the Krakolich’s disappearance. The second chuul arrives one round after the first. Finally, the third chuul arrives one round after the second. Playing the Krakolich. Over the years the Krakolich has used its arcane mastery to permanently attune itself to the meditation cave (area J18), although it must still be within the cave to use its powers. The Krakolich uses the clairvoyance property of the cave to monitor the party’s travels. As the party progresses through the Maelstrom, the Krakolich continues to project its image, taunting the characters. The Krakolich will also attempt to subtly use its Enslave trait. Before progressing further, have each player roll a d20 three times and record the results. Consult each of the player’s character sheets and record their bonus to Wisdom saving throws. Secretly use these rolls as their saving throws whenever the Krakolich attempts to enslave a character, or whenever an enslaved character takes damage. The Krakolich will only make two attempts to enslave the characters, reserving its third attempt for the final confrontation. J2. Chuul Nests These rooms are filled with broken crates, bed frames, and dressers arranged into a large, mucus-stained nest. The air reeks of dead fish. Strange perversions of sea life, such as undead starfish and sea slugs that glow with dark, necrotic energy, cling to the walls of the rooms. A chuul makes its lair in the nest of each room, attacking any characters that disturb it. If the characters search a nest, then there is a 50 percent chance that they find a magic item. Roll on Magic Item Table G in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for the first item they find and on Table F for any subsequent items.

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 80 J3. Sink Holes This is a massive 100-foot-deep, 140-foot-wide sinkhole in the ocean floor. Swimming through it subjects the characters to incredible water pressure. This crushing pressure inflicts 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage every minute to any character who is not adapted or built to withstand such an environment. Rain giants and aquatic creatures are immune to this effect. There is a 50-foot-diameter drain in the middle of the sinkhole. At one time this drain generated a permanent whirlpool above the Maelstrom. However, its magic has faded with the departure of the storm giants. The shaft beneath the drain is polluted with vile mucus but otherwise uninteresting. A zombie whale (see the Zombie Whales sidebar) swims listlessly through the sinkhole. The whale ignores the characters, attacking only in self-defense. J4. Undersea Larder Rotted, slimy strands of kelp grow from the floor of this undersea cave. Hundreds of corpses are tied to the kelp so that they do not float away. These bloated, gelatinous corpses are in various stages of decay. The corpses are primarily merfolk and sea elves, although some humans and an elf can also be found. Mixed amongst the corpses are four zombies. The water is foul and for every minute a creature spends in the cave, it must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. If a character fails their saving throw, then they are inflicted with the poisoned condition for one hour. The Krakolich projects its image once the characters discover its larder, speaking to them telepathically: Just as your dry realms are in ruin and despair, so too have the kingdoms of the sea fallen into hopelessness and subjugation. If you came here looking for hope, there is none to be found. The merfolk, the sea elves, the locathah, the sahuagin, all have fallen to their aboleth overlords. Even in death, there is no rest from their eternal subjugation. At these final words, the image of the Krakolich fades. The zombies tear themselves free from their kelp tethers and attack the characters. J5. Empty Chamber Slime drips from the ceiling, pooling about the floor. Two-headed eels flop amidst the slime. Otherwise the chamber is empty. A collapsed staircase fills the northwest corner of the room. The staircase is impassable by conventional means but leads to area J13. As the characters emerge from the water pool the Krakolich projects another image of itself, speaking to the characters telepathically. Assuming that it was able to read the thoughts of one of the characters (or perhaps Zephyrus), the Krakolich presumably knows about Xanathar’s involvement in their crusade. It uses the following words to try and stir doubt amongst the characters before fading away again: You are fools to trust Xanathar. It has betrayed you, but that should come as no surprise. Its paranoia will not abide the continued survival of those who know its secrets. The token that it gave you to return to its lair is fraudulent, and will not work once invoked, leaving you stranded within the pews of my rotting church. Swear fealty to me now, supplicants, before my mercy turns to wrath. The token from Xanathar is not fraudulent. This can be discerned by an identify spell or similar magic. If invoked, the token returns the characters to the lair of an angry beholder. Once used, the original token is consumed, and it takes 2d4 days for Xanathar to begrudgingly craft another one. Keep track of the passage of time to determine the tide once the characters return. Upon their return the characters find five new chuuls awaiting them in area J2. J6. Skum Garden This large cave is filled with beautiful growths of coral. The coral formations are exquisite and the colors are vibrant and unearthly, like something straight from the Feywild. The garden’s natural beauty takes the breath away. A skum (see appendix B) is here tending to the coral formations. If it notices the characters, then it attacks them. The coral is extremely sharp to the touch. Any creature who is pushed or knocked into the coral takes 9 (2d8) slashing damage. The color and vibrancy of the coral is an illusion. If a piece of coral is removed from a larger formation then the color bleeds out of it until it is bleached white, like a broken bone. Zombie Whales A zombie whale has the statistics of a killer whale with the following changes: •The zombie whale is undead. •The zombie whale has immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition. • The zombie whale has the Undead Fortitude trait. If damage reduces the whale 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 whale drops to 1 hit point instead.

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 81 J7. Whales’ Graveyard This featureless room is similar to areas J1 and J5. Its pool of water once connected to the Maelstrom’s sinkhole, but the connecting tunnel has long since collapsed. Trapped within the pool of water are two zombie whales (see the Zombie Whales sidebar). An intact spiral staircase leads up to area J10. If any character steps within 5 feet of the pool, a zombie whale leaps from the water, bellyflopping onto the character. The area of effect for the belly flop is a 15-foot square. Any character within the area of effect must make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 27 (5d12) bludgeoning damage. The zombie whale remains out of the water, gnashing its teeth at any character it can reach. If a character steps within 5 feet of the pool a second time, then the second whale performs a similar bellyflop. If not destroyed, the zombie whales eventually manage to slither their way back into their pool, leaving a trail of scraped, rotting flesh in their wake. J8. Chamber of Haunted Memories A sparring dummy is the sole occupant of this large chamber. Chests in the back of the room hold giant-sized safety pads and sparring sticks. If Zephyrus is with the characters, then any character with a passive Insight of 13 or higher notices a sad, haunted look upon his face. This look persists throughout his time in the Maelstrom. If asked to share his feelings he replies, “I can imagine the Princess training in this room. Probably with Uthor, who was the captain of the guard but, more importantly, her uncle. How fierce she must have been! A fledgling storm! What a great ruler she would have been...” Zephyrus’s words trail off as he pulls inwards. He brushes off any inquiries, insisting that their time is better spent finding and killing the Krakolich. J9. Mummies’ Tomb This chamber is entirely submerged in foul, viscous water. Strands of kelp grow from the floor and ceiling. Hidden within the decaying fronds are two rain giant mummies (see the Rain Giant Mummy sidebar), wrapped in strips of algae. The mummies are sensitive to the water currents, so that any creature that swims through the chamber must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid waking the mummies. If Zephyrus is with the party, he is enraged to see the giants in their current condition, refusing to leave until the giants are “put to rest.” Scattered in the back of the tomb are 2d4 − 2 magic items and 2d4 × 100 pp. Roll on Magic Item Table B in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide for any magic items. Rain Giant Mummies A rain giant mummy has the statistics of a rain giant with the following changes: • A rain giant mummy is undead. • It is lawful evil. • It is vulnerable to fire damage. • It has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks. • It is immune to necrotic and poison damage. • It is immune to the charmed, exhausted, frightened, paralyzed, and poisoned conditions. • It can take the Rotting Fist and Dreadful Glare actions. Rotting Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (4d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with mummy rot. The cursed target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 10 (3d6) for every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body turns to dust. The curse lasts until removed by the remove curse spell or other magic. Dreadful Glare. The rain giant mummy targets one crea- ture it can see within 60 feet of it. If the target can see the rain giant mummy, it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or become frightened until the end of the mummy’s next turn. If the target fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed for the same duration. A target that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the Dreadful Glare of all mummies for the next 24 hours. A Rain Giant Mummy Taking a leisurely stroll

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 82 J10. Armory This chamber is in complete and total ruin. Large chunks of the ceiling have fallen, creating patchworks of rubble that must be walked around. Strange, feral-eyed vermin hide amidst the rubble, tracking the characters with their unblinking stares. From the profusion of weapons and armor scattered about the floor, it appears that this was once an armory. However, the majority of the armaments have long since decayed into uselessness. If Zephryus is with the party, he digs purposefully through the rubble until he finds a golden, giant-sized +1 scale mail (worth 10,000 gp and weighing 1,000 pounds). Read or paraphrase the following: “I had this forged for my brother on his two hundredth birthday. Such bygone, carefree days. I had hoped one day to bestow it upon my niece, as she took the throne…” The rain giant’s eyes brim briefly with tears before he banishes his emotions with steely fortitude. “We must put an end to this monstrosity’s desecrations.” Zephyrus dons the armor. “It is time for us to end this war.” As before, Zephyrus does his best to wave off any inquiries, promising to tell the characters everything once they have completed the task at hand. J11. Temple of the Krakolich This room is dominated by a pile of rubble that has been arranged into the crude figure of the Krakolich. The rubble appears to be the wreckage of some other statue that was shattered and then refashioned into the aboleth’s likeness. The slime-streaked walls look as if they were once covered with carvings of storm giants performing various acts of heroism. Scratched atop these carvings are a newer set of crude carvings, showing hundreds of humanoids and sea creatures worshipping an aboleth. Ten skum kneel before the statue of the Krakolich. They undulate up and down, as if in fervent worship, seemingly oblivious to the characters’ activities. These skum are illusions, as described in the phantasmal force spell. A character can use their action to examine the skum by making a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If the check succeeds, the character realizes the illusionary nature of the skum and they disappear.

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 83 When the characters enter the chamber the Krakolich projects its image, speaking to them telepathically: I existed before the gods. And have outlived them all. Am I not then, greater than a god? Am I not, then, worthy of your worship? Submit and you shall be rewarded! At this point the Krakolich promises the characters whatever they value most. If the characters are AAOs, then it promises them a return to the previous life that was taken from them. At the end of this speech the Krakolich uses its Enslave action on whichever character has the lowest Wisdom score and is least likely to take damage. If the character fails their saving throw (made earlier) then secretly inform them, at the earliest opportunity, that they have been enslaved by the aboleth. They can no longer take reactions in combat, should avoid taking any damage, but should otherwise act normally until instructed otherwise. After the Krakolich uses its Enslave action, it fades once again. Hidden Path. Any character who makes a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check notices that there seems to be a shaft concealed beneath the pile of stones. It requires a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to move the statue’s rubble. Doing so reveals a shaft that leads to area J12. Zephyrus knows about the shaft but does not share this knowledge with the characters. If the characters find the shaft, then Zephyrus discourages them from entering it, indicating that it leads to the sacred tomb of the fallen Queen Neri, and that she should be left to rest in peace. Loot. An open clam shell in the southwest corner of the room contains 400 pp, 700 pearls worth 5 gp each, and a blood-red coral figurine of a kraken worth 1,000 gp. J12. Lair of the Mummy Queen The coral walls of this room have eroded, covering the floor in a sandy layer of fine, white dust. Lined up along the walls of the room are twelve upright stone sarcophagi. The sarcophagi are sized for giants and covered in the same white dust as the floor. In the center of the room is an open thirteenth sarcophagus. Standing before it is the mummified body of King Hekaton’s late wife, Queen Neri. Her withered body is wrapped in strips of black kelp. Queen Neri has the statistics of a mummy lord with the following changes: J Queen Neri is Huge. J Queen Neri is chaotic good. If the characters arrive alone, then Queen Neri, under compulsion from the Krakolich, attacks them. However, if they are accompanied by Zephyrus, read or paraphrase the following: The queen lunges toward you as her hateful demeanor is suddenly broken by the shock of recognition. She stops in her tracks and greets Zephyrus with a hollow, raspy voice, “It is good to see you again, my brother. Far have we fallen, punished for our pride. I cannot aid you, as the foul Krakolich holds my heart within an urn, binding my power. If you claim my heart as your own, however, and call forth to me, then I shall help you cleanse the filth from our once-noble halls. You must flee now, though. The Krakolich bids me to kill you, and I can only resist his command for so long.” Zephyrus weeps a tear, bowing in allegiance, “I swear, my queen, I shall atone for failing to protect Serissa. We shall bring vengeance upon this Krakolich.” If the characters remain in the room for more than three rounds Queen Neri screams in pain and then attacks. Loot. Inside the queen’s sarcophagus is a purple coral circlet set with small black pearls (worth 7,500 gp), a coral-and-pearl necklace (worth 2,500 gp), and a set of pearl bracelets that are functionally equivalent to a necklace of prayer beads. Queen Neri attacks any characters who attempt to take this treasure. Such characters are also cursed, incurring disadvantage on all saving throws, until targeted by a remove curse spell or other magic. If Queen Neri is destroyed, then this curse ends immediately. The Twelve Sarcophagi. The remaining twelve sarcophagi hold the inanimate remains of former storm giant kings.

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 84 J13. Coral Maze This labyrinth of breathtaking, multi-colored coral is entirely submerged in clear, fresh water. The coral is extremely sharp to the touch, inflicting 9 (2d8) slashing damage to any creature who is pushed or knocked into it. Just as in area J6, the color and vibrancy of the coral is an illusion. If a piece of coral is removed from a larger formation then the color bleeds out of it until it is bleached white, like a broken bone. Three algae blights (appendix B) lurk within the northeastern section of the maze, attacking any characters who pass by them. Sultan of the Maze. The labyrinth is the current home of Sultan Risfuzoz, Grand Lord of the Bejeweled Depths. Sultan Risfusoz is a marid who has recently been enslaved by the Krakolich. The marid is sensitive to water currents, so that any creature that swims through the maze must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid his notice. The marid immediately attacks any intruders that he notices, using his Water Jet action to knock characters into the coral whenever possible. Every time that the Sultan takes damage, he can repeat his DC 14 Wisdom saving throw to resist the Krakolich’s compulsions. On a success, his enslavement ends. Sultan Risfusoz is enraged about his enslavement but also fears being beguiled yet again. As such, if his enslavement ends, he is inclined to make peace with the characters and flee the Maelstrom. A character who makes a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check and offers a gift valued at 1,000 gp or greater convinces the Sultan to help the characters defeat the Krakolich. This check is made with advantage if the persuasion attempt is accompanied by excessive flattery. Loot. Hidden amidst the coral formations is a collapsed staircase that leads to area J5. Also hidden along the western end of the maze are three bookcases of petrified wood. The bookcases hold barnacle-encrusted rocks carved with Dethek runes (the Dwarvish script). For the most part these stones are historical in nature, however one of the rocks is inscribed with the following wizard spells: antimagic field, conjure elemental, fabricate, legend lore, and stone shape. A second rock functions as a tome of clear thought. Both stones are 4 feet in diameter and weigh 600 pounds. If Zephyrus accompanies the party, then he offers to carry the stones for any interested characters. J14. Teeth of the Maelstrom This large room is split into two levels; a 15-foot high raised ledge hugs the walls to the north and east, and gently sloping ramps lead up to it. A massive crab with colored nodules and a coating of beautiful coral stands upon the ledge. This crab is a living musical instrument that makes music similar to that of a pipe organ. A female sea elf (acolyte) wearing a shimmering gown made from the skin of a giant jellyfish stands behind the crab with a pair of whalebone mallets. Behind the sea elf, a large crystal window looks out upon the dark ocean. A broad tunnel leads south, cutting beneath the bleachers in area J15. A 70-foot wide, 20-foot deep pool is in the center of the room. Standing before the pool are the Teeth of the Maelstrom (appendix B). They are the enforcers of the Krakolich’s will, consisting of a drowned assassin referred to as the Forgotten, a sahuagin priestess called She Who Feeds, and a merrow barbarian named Whalebane. The leader of the Teeth, She Who Feeds, confronts the characters as they enter the room, demanding that they surrender their weapons and swear fealty to the Krakolich. Any response less than total subservience elicits an attack. Tactics. She Who Feeds instinctively attacks whichever character is most wounded. Whalebane uses his harpoon to reel in the least armored character within range. The Forgotten tries to avoid melee combat, using its hand crossbows whenever possible. Throughout the battle, the sea elf acolyte frantically strikes the crab with her hammers, playing a war hymn that inspires the Teeth. This music allows the acolyte to grant a d8 Bardic Inspiration die (see “Bard” in chapter 3 of the Player's Handbook) to each member of the Teeth on each of her turns. Although the sea elf is enslaved by the Krakolich, the Teeth are voluntarily loyal. The Teeth do everything in their power to avoid damaging a character who is secretly enslaved. The Krakolich orders any enslaved characters to fight the Teeth to the best of their ability. A Final Warning. At the end of battle the Krakolich projects its image one last time, speaking telepathically: It is not too late. Ask for forgiveness and it shall be granted. You shall become my new champions, gifted with whatever you wish and ruling by my side. Continue this obstinance and you shall find naught but eternal torture and regret. The Krakolich tries to secretly enslave another character before disappearing. It then uses the teleport power of the meditation cave to return to area J15. There, the Krakolich awaits the characters.

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 85 J15. Throne of the Krakolich This throne room resembles a vast amphitheater. Broken bleachers overlook a slime-coated chamber with a pool of seawater near its center. Seated amidst the bleachers are fifty enslaved merfolk and sea elves (see appendix B), their eyes fixed on the center of the room with glassy-eyed adoration. The pool of seawater is hundreds of feet deep, eventually connecting with the ocean. In the southwestern corner of the chamber is an enormous throne carved from a solid chunk of obsidian. It has four blue dragon skulls affixed to its base, and floats 1 foot above the floor. Characters who succeed on a DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) or Intelligence (History) check recognize this object as the Wyrmskull Throne. Zephyrus immediately recognizes the throne and is aware of its powers. The Krakolich. The Krakolich squats before the throne, leering at the characters with its three hungry eyes as they enter. Next to the Krakolich is a powerfully built female storm giant seated upon a second throne of coral. Between the thrones is an ornate, coral altar. Atop the altar rests a ceramic urn and an egg-sized fire opal. Serissa. The female storm giant is Princess Serissa (rain giant). If Zephyrus is with the characters, then he gasps, “Queen Serissa! Your majesty!” when he first sees her. Serissa replies, in turn, “Uthor, my dear and beloved uncle, I have returned to redeem our people. Come, my loyal protector, and rule by my side.” A Giant Mess. At this point, the Krakolich uses its final charge of its Enslave action, targeting Imperator Uthor. Given the circumstances, Uthor automatically fails his saving throw. If the players have not already realized it, allow their characters to make a DC 10 Investigation (Intelligence) check to discern that Zephyrus is Queen Serissa’s Uncle Uthor. Atop the Altar Atop the altar rests a ceramic urn and an egg-sized fire opal. Urn. The ceramic urn holds the desiccated heart of Queen Neri. Although resting on the altar, the heart is still attuned to the Krakolich. While attuned to the heart, the Krakolich has advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead. If another creature gains possession of the heart, then it breaks the heart’s attunement to the Krakolich. If a character possesses the heart and calls forth to Queen Neri, then she arrives within 3 rounds to aid the character. Fire Opal. The fire opal is one of the shroudstones of the Ancients. For more details see appendix D. Battle! The Krakolich then attacks ruthlessly, ordering any enslaved characters to assist. Princess Serissa is irredeemably enslaved and can only be freed from her enchantment through the defeat of the Krakolich. Imperator Uthor can roll a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw against his enslavement each time he receives damage. If he succeeds on his saving throw, then he directs his attacks against the Krakolich. However, if any character harms Serissa, then Uthor turns his fury upon them. Tactics. The Krakolich likely knows which character is attuned to the Ruling Scepter and does everything in its power to prevent that character from reaching the Wyrmskull Throne. Otherwise, the Krakolich battles to the best of its abilities. Anytime that the Krakolich takes damage, it uses its Psychic Drain legendary action upon an enslaved merfolk. If the character attuned to the Ruling Scepter takes a seat upon the Wyrmskull Throne, then they immediately know the throne’s powers. Should the characters defeat the Krakolich, refer to the Concluding the Adventure section. The Krakolich waits patiently in its lair

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 86 J16. Royal Treasury Rusted anchors litter the floor of this chamber. Dozens of dead giant sea anemones rot amidst the anchors, their wretched putrefaction attracting the attention of bloated sea slugs. Toward the back of the room are two barrels, three crates, and two chests. The two barrels are full of pungent vinegar and weigh 2,500 pounds each. Loot. The chests and crates contain 1,000 pp, a platinum necklace adorned with shark’s teeth (worth 1,500 gp), an arrow-catching shield, a belt of giant strength (frost), a javelin of lightning, mariner’s armor (half plate), and a staff of healing. J17. Council Room A large mussel-shell table dominates the middle of this room. Two giant-sized bookshelves are filled with nautical maps that chart the seas of Toril. A rubble-filled staircase fills the southern end of the room. The impassable stairs once led to a section of the castle that is now in ruins. Otherwise, this room is unoccupied and appears to be in disuse. J18. Meditation Cave This is a naturally formed cave that existed even before the storm giants turned this large reef structure into their ancestral stronghold. Now, it is a desecrated focal point of the Krakolich’s polluted influence. Black ichor oozes from the walls, as if the coral itself is bleeding. The floor is soft and spongy, like wet, rotting flesh. The corpses of undead bioluminescent sea creatures crawl blindly throughout the chamber. The area radiates overlapping auras of conjuration, divination, evocation, and necromancy magic when scrutinized with a detect magic spell. Attuning to the Cave. A creature can become attuned to the properties of this cave by spending a short rest meditating within it. While meditating, the creature can’t engage in any strenuous activity. If the short rest is interrupted, the attunement fails. Otherwise, at the end of the short rest, the creature becomes aware of the cave’s magical properties and can use them as described here. Using the Cave's Magic. Only one creature can be attuned to the cave at a time. A creature’s attunement to the cave ends as soon as it leaves the cave. A creature that is attuned to the cave can use an action to cast one of the following spells, requiring no material components: animate dead, clairvoyance, identify, sending, or teleport. Through years of meditation, the Krakolich can maintain attunement even if it leaves the cave, although it must still be in the cave to use its effects. Should the Krakolich leave the Maelstrom, then its attunement would end. Concluding the Adventure As the Krakolich is defeated, it telepathically curses: You will not be rid of me so easily. I shall plague your nightmares for years to come. Advance the characters to 10th level. The Rain Giants. If Princess Serissa and Uthor both survive the encounter, then they clasp each other tightly, sobbing with joy at their delayed reunion. After this brief but emotional scene, Serissa informs the party that she had returned to the Maelstrom years ago with hopes of restoring it to its former greatness. Upon her return she was ambushed and enslaved by the Krakolich. With the Krakolich slain, Queen Serissa and Imperator Uthor turn to the sad task of destroying the desiccated heart of Queen Neri and putting her soul to rest. Afterwards, they begin to plot out how they can rally the remaining storm giants to begin reclaiming the aquatic kingdoms from the forces of evil. If the characters agree to aid with these tasks, then this could easily form the basis of a second campaign. Destroying the Shroudstones. Regardless, there remains the task of destroying the shroudstones. This is most easily accomplished with the help of the Wyrmskull Throne. If the characters do not have the Ruling Scepter but Serissa lives, then she retrieves it from Stronmaus’s Locker. If Serissa did not survive, then the characters must retrieve the Scepter themselves or find another way to destroy the relics. With the relics destroyed, their dark energy is released with a blinding flash. Any paladins, clerics, or other characters who draw their power from the gods are infused with an exhilarating inrush of divine energy. Following this are three possible endings.

Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich Chapter 9 Lair of the Krakolich 87 Ending One: Aftermath The destruction of the shroudstones is all that is necessary to restore the gods’ access to the Realms. In their anger, the gods act against Vecna, ultimately striking down the archlich. Such actions may be direct or indirect. Regardless, the stain of Vecna is not easily removed and even with the Whispered One’s defeat, evil still holds a tight grasp upon the land. Now, more than ever, the Realms need their champions. Will your players answer the call? For inspiration on continuing this campaign see Doomed Forgotten Realms: Sword Coast Gazetteer by Matthew Whitby. Ending Two: When, Not Where In the hardcover adventure, Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frost Maiden, the following information is revealed regarding the mysterious, black obelisks that are scattered throughout the Realms: “...these magical obelisks [were] crafted by a secret society of spellcasters called the Weavers. These obelisks could alter reality on a grand scale, sending a region or an entire world back to an earlier time. . . An evil wizard named Vecna stole one such obelisk and used it to erase the obelisk’s creators from existence. Vecna also stole the knowledge needed to create new ones.” The characters find one such obelisk stashed away within the royal armory of the Maelstrom (area J16). The obelisk is 60 feet long and made of black stone. Its surface is covered in arcane runes. With the gods’ ability to commune with mortals restored, the gods bestow upon the characters the ability to read these runes, activating the obelisk. Doing so allows the characters to travel back in time and restore the Realms to their former glory. As a reward the gods allow the characters to live on in the past. If the characters were AAOs, then they are now trueborn, granted the life that they imagined during their incubation process. If you wish to continue this campaign, then the characters could spend their time thwarting Vecna’s early schemes, dedicating their lives to making sure that the dystopian future they lived through never comes to pass. Ending Three: A Doomed Road The destruction of the relics weakened the wall between gods and mortals but did not breach it completely. The characters have effectively declared war upon Vecna, their actions finally drawing the notice of the Maimed Lord. To continue the battle against Vecna refer to Fall Of Vecna, the next installment in the Doomed Forgotten Realms adventure path. During this final installment characters will: J Gather allies from across the realms including the drow mercenary Jarlaxle and the mad mage Halaster. J Hijack the Vonindod, the fire giants’ Titan of Death. J Delve into the Demiplanes of Dread to gather Vecnan relics. J Fight and slay a zombie tarrasque. J Lead their army against the gathered forces of Vecna. Bregan D’aerthe versus Zhentarim! Halaster Blackcloak versus the demilich Acererak! Your players versus the incalculable power of Vecna...with the very fate of Toril hanging in the balance! Who will win? Delve deeper into dystopia with Doomed Forgotten Realms: Fall Of Vecna to find out!

Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One 88 Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One Artificially Accelerated Organisms As a god of death, Vecna continues to naturally draw sustenance from the death of sentient humanoids. However, he is drained in equal measure whenever humanoid life is naturally conceived. Such is the cosmic balance. Vecna, never one to accept such arbitrary limitations, immediately set his mind to rebalancing life and death. Vecna studied Ravenloft extensively while imprisoned there. From these studies he learned an old Vistani secret—the existence of Barovia, a domain where many of the inhabitants were living, soulless shells. Upon successfully conquering Faerûn, Vecna immediately turned his immeasurable intellect toward replicating this bland facsimile of life. It took years, but eventually even life itself yielded its secrets to Vecna. In the Hosttower of the Arcane, Vecnan disciples opened rifts to Ravenloft. They perfected a condensation process that transmuted the endless Mists of Ravenloft into liquid form. This liquid was then infused with primal energy siphoned from the Positive Material plane. Birthing vats, reverse-engineered from Netherese technology, were filled with this liquid. These birthing vats were powered by the Orderer, a mechanical device from Mechanus capable of altering reality. Gnome bioengineers perfected a process where a lump of dead flesh could be placed into these vats, precisely stimulated with electricity, and then grown into a fully developed sentient being. These beings are known as Artificially Accelerated Organisms, or AAOs. The entire process is governed by a near infinite number of variables, each fine-tuned by the bioengineers. The eventual death of these AAOs have proven sufficient to nourish Vecna, although not to the same degree as the death of naturally conceived life. However, since these AAOs are created without the divine spark of conception, their existence does not drain his power. Now that their creation has been perfected, Vecna has set up hundreds of birthing vats in the undercity of Mirabar. Most AAOs are human. They typically begin life between the ages of 16 and 20, with a false memory of a fully lived life. Males and females are manufactured in equal proportions. Early batches of AAOs were crafted to look identical but more recent batches have varied body types, skin tones, personal features, intellect, and personality. AAOs always have an identifying mark on the inside of their left wrist. Despite varying in other qualities, most AAOs tend to be naturally compliant. Although they can be quite smart, they often lack imagination and are predisposed to depression. AAOs have souls, at least in the sense that they can be brought back from the dead with raise dead or similar magic. Whether they have souls in a deeper philosophical or theological sense is left to the DM’s discretion. In secret experimental laboratories deep beneath Mirabar, more unusual AAOs are created. Some of these AAOs are created to be personal servants or bodyguards for high-ranking Vecnan clergy. Others are created simply for the sake of experimentation. In these subterranean workshops, everything from aasimars to tieflings can be manufactured. AAOs produced in these workshops have special identifying marks, indicative of their position, that serve as badges of authority. It is recommended that the characters play through the adventure path as AAOs. These adventures present an alternate version of Faerûn, referred to as the Doomed Forgotten Realms. Having the characters “newly born” into this world should help maximize its explorational impact. You can either inform your players about this unique twist immediately or let them discover it unexpectedly once the adventure begins. Playing AAOs should provide a fun and novel role-playing experience. However, it might run contrary to the expectations of some players, particularly if they played the first installment of this adventure path with standard character types. DMs are encouraged to work with such players to help meet their expectations. The experimental laboratories should be able to create any combination of race and class that is acceptable to the DM. The fact that their life was created from a lump of dead flesh allows for the characters to still have a connection to this world, perhaps as a reincarnated version of whomever the flesh came from. Such characters can still have families, homesteads, and buried secrets that can be easily embedded within the larger adventure path.

Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One 89 Dawn of a New Age Vecna has made considerable strides toward remaking the world in his own image. After finalizing his conquest, he abandoned the Dale Reckoning dating system and changed the year to 1 VR (Vecnan Reckoning): The Year of the Whispered One. This campaign takes place in the year 5 VR. The names of Bigby, Drawmij, Mordenkainen, Nystul, Otiluke, Otto, Rary, and Tenser are spoken of with revilement by the Vecnan establishment. Vecna has claimed that they are arcane plagiarists who stole their signature spells from Vecna. Because of this, such spells have been renamed and practicing wizards now learn Vecna’s floating disk, rather than Tenser’s floating disk. Dwarfholds of the North The first portion of this adventure takes place primarily in Mirabar, and references former dwarven strongholds. Because of this, a brief overview of the dwarves’ fate in the Doomed Forgotten Realms is provided below: Vecna saved the dwarves for last. The deep rift between the dwarves of the north and the remainder of the Sword Coast was hardly a secret. What was a secret, however, was the true depth of this rift—something which none of the races were honest enough to admit, even to themselves. Before his invasion, Vecna installed agents in key positions within the dwarven governments. These agents, over the years, further inflamed these bitter prejudices. Vecna rotted the dwarven empire from the inside out, softening it up for his inevitable conquest. So, when Vecna came for the humans, the dwarves withheld their aid. And when Vecna came for the elves, still they withheld their aid. Tragically, when Vecna finally came for the dwarves, there were none left to save them. Citadel Adbar fell first. Its conquest was a historical embodiment of Vecna’s key principle, “Everything, even the most impregnable fortress, has a secret that can bring about its demise.” In this case, the secret involved King Harnoth, the ruler of Citadel Adbar. Unbeknownst to the general populace, Harnoth was slain during the War of the Silver Marches. To prevent political turmoil, the Citadel’s elders hired a doppelganger to replace the king. This doppelganger became the mouthpiece of the elders, allowing them to secretly rule the Citadel from the shadows. But Vecna knows all secrets. He arranged for his agents to expose this ruse, bringing about the civil unrest the elders had hoped to avoid. And so, Citadel Adbar, the dwarven stronghold that for eighteen centuries had stood firm against every threat from every foe, was brought low by a secret. Once Adbar fell, the others soon followed. One after another, Citadel Felbarr, Sundabar, Mithral Hall, Gauntlgrym, and, of course, Mirabar, fell to Vecna’s militaristic machinations. Many of the dwarves died. They had bled much for their ancestral homelands and they loathed the thought of fleeing. However, it soon became evident, even in the face of such stubborn valor, that fighting Vecna was a lost cause. The legendary king Bruenor Battlehammer rallied together the remaining dwarves. One third of his armies, he declared, would march west to Ironmaster in search of allies. The non-combatants, largely children and elders, but also scholars and craftsmen, marched with Bruenor and another third of his army. Their pilgrimage cut straight through the Underdark in hopes of finding sanctuary in the hidden deep gnome city of Blingdenstone. The remaining third of his army, bolstered by the infamous Gutbuster Brigade, stayed behind to harry their enemies and protect their fleeing kin. Nowadays, the north is a much different place. Years ago, Gruumsh-Baur, an upstart orc shaman loyal to Vecna, killed King Logru and took control of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows. The Many-Arrow orcs did most of the fighting against the dwarves and, for it, Vecna gave them much of the dwarves’ kingdom to claim as their own. Although they still call Dark Arrow Keep their capital, the orcs also hold garrisons at Citadel Adbar, Citadel Felbarr, and Sundabar. An army of fire giants, led by the imperious Duke Zalto, currently occupies Gauntlgrym and Ironslag. There, they use an imprisoned fire primordial to reforge ancient weapons for use in their bitter war against Tiamat. The great shadow dragon Shimmergloom yet again calls Mithral Hall his home. The Cult of the Dragon has populated nearby Settlestone. From there, they tend to the needs of the temperamental dracolisk.

Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One 90 Life in Mirabar Mirabar, like much of the Sword Coast, is now firmly under Vecna’s rule. It was originally given to the orcish Kingdom of Many-Arrows, but years later, the extensive undercity of Mirabar was converted into Vecnan birthing labs. This increased Mirabar’s importance to Vecna and led to the establishment of his own agents and clergy. The orcs, resentful of this new oversight, have given over the rule of Mirabar to the Kreeth goblin tribe. The goblins rule nominally, serving as expendable muscle for Vecna. An abundance of mineral wealth, combined with an isolated economy and harsh living conditions, has greatly devalued traditional currency. Gold coins flow more freely than food. And gemstones are found in greater abundance than serviceable firewood. This scarcity of essential resources has led to a barter-based economy. A shopkeeper is more inclined to trade for planking that he can use to replace his rotted shelves than he is for traditional currency. So, too, a blacksmith for a bucket of nails that can be melted into iron. Most valuable of all are secrets, of any kind, which can be traded for food at the Ministry of Secrets (area A10). The city bolsters a current population of roughly eight thousand. About half of this population is composed of the original inhabitants of Mirabar. These inhabitants are almost entirely human, since the dwarves of Mirabar marched east during Vecna’s conquest to reinforce their kin. The other half of the city’s residents are AAOs. The occupying Kreeth goblins number between three and four hundred. They live in and around the Hall of Sparkling Stones, Mirabar’s former seat of government. Nearly two hundred gnome bioengineers, devoted to the worship of Gelf Darkhearth, quarter within the undercity. Another three hundred Vecnan clergy reside in and around the Ministry of Secrets. Volo’s Guide to the North described Mirabar as, “...a city of grim folk, hard work, long hours, hard drinking, and exhausted slumber.” After years of Vecnan occupation, this description still holds, along with some newer principles and sentiments. These include: Death Worship Mirabarrans tend to have a stoic acceptance of the ever-present reality of death. This is characterized by the Vecnan principle, “Life only through Death.” This statement is literal truth in the case of the AAOs, who are always grown in pairs. At the end of the maturation process one of the pair always dies, stillborn, so that the other might live. Because of this, “Life only through Death” is a common greeting amongst AAOs. This principle is also an accepted truth at a more symbolic level. Even those born naturally (referred to by Mirabarrans as trueborns), recognize that most food, the literal fuel of life, comes only through the death of some plant or animal. In recent years, death has been glorified as the ultimate service one might give to Vecna and many of the city’s inhabitants look forward to their eventual demise. This glorification is explicitly evident on the first of each month. At this time a lottery, referred to as the Culling, is held to randomly select one hundred AAOs for celebratory execution. The flesh from these executions is often used for the incubation of new AAOs. Forbidden Love Romantic love is expressly forbidden, upon penalty of torture and death. Vecnan philosophy posits that love is a fiction, fabricated to facilitate procreation. It is now heralded as one of the many societal scourges such as famine, pestilence, and warfare, that Vecna has successfully eradicated. Creations of art that romanticize love are sought out and destroyed, leaving only those that illuminate the great pain inflicted by (often unrequited) love. Thus far, Vecna has been unable to completely suppress his AAOs’ natural drive toward love. However, these urges are substantially dampened relative to trueborns. An Economy of Secrets Goblins patrol the streets of Mirabar, bullying AAOs and trueborn alike. They think of themselves as the city’s guards and the Vecnan clergy humor this delusion. The actual reality, however, is that Mirabar is self-policed. Critical resources are scarce within Mirabar. The priests of Vecna grow edible fungus within the undercity. They also hunt for game in the nearby wilderness. They hoard this food, sharing it only with the citizens in exchange for “secrets.” Such secrets are inevitably about one’s neighbors, which has effectively created a society in which the residents are constantly spying upon one another. It is through this process that the priests of Vecna proactively quash any burgeoning rebellions. Treasonous action is further suppressed by the Eyes of Vecna, twenty will-o’-wisps, that ceaselessly fly throughout the city. It is said that Vecna watches directly through these eyes. Although the truth is far more prosaic, the will-o’-wisps are effective spies and even more effective deterrents. They report directly to the Vecnan clergy whenever they observe anything suspicious. In return, the wisps are allowed to feast during the monthly Culling.

Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One 91 The Harpells Vecna knew that a family of archmages was nothing to take lightly. In the early days of his conquest, Vecna sent a small army of liches to the Ivy Mansion, demanding that the Harpells surrender and swear fealty to Vecna. The Harpells refused and what followed was an arcane battle the likes of which the Realms has rarely witnessed. Although the Harpells managed to evacuate the village’s inhabitants, Longsaddle itself was utterly destroyed. After a few days of battle, the tireless undead liches triumphed over the exhausted Harpells. The Ivy Mansion’s defenses were finally breached, and the structure was demolished, killing the Harpells, who were trapped inside. Or so the world thought. In truth, the Harpells were saved by the quick thinking of the eccentric Siegfried Harpell. Siegried was an arcane cosmologist who specialized in the study of the heavens, particularly the moon. He was able to use an enchanted telescope to secretly transport his family to a safehouse on the moon. The Harpells have lived there ever since, rebuilding their Ivy Mansion and plotting their revenge. The Harpells are now secretly scouring Toril for the lost Nether Scrolls. They hope to find these scrolls, primarily to prevent them from falling into Vecna’s hands. However, the Harpells also plan to study the scrolls so that they might increase their own power. Then they might be able to liberate the Sword Coast from Vecna’s iron grasp. Other Deities Soon after Vecna’s conquest, he proclaimed that he had single-handedly slain all the deities of the Forgotten Realms pantheon. Worship of these false, dead gods was immediately criminalized. Churches were torn down. Holy scriptures were burned. This is a lie. Vecna brought with him seven magical items from his home world, which, carefully arranged across the Realms, have cast a mystical web of energy over all of Toril, cutting off all other gods from their followers. Inconsistencies have been explained away. It is common knowledge that Auril, The Frostmaiden, lives in the arctic north under her blanket of eternal winter. Vecnan orthodoxy claims that she is a powerful elemental spirit, rather than an actual deity. The Whispered One’s bioengineers worship Gelf Darkhearth, the brother and divine antithesis of the primary god of gnomes, Garl Glittergold. The Vecnan stance is that Gelf is an infernal patron, similar to those of warlocks, and not an actual god. Finally, although there have been recent instances of clerics and paladins demonstrating divine power, it is claimed that they are merely tapping into their dead gods’ fading, vestigial energies.

Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One 92 The Ordning The final portion of this adventure deals with the giants of the Sword Coast. In particular, the characters will have cause to infiltrate the hill giants’ steadfast, Grudd Haug, and assault the Maelstrom, the abandoned undersea fortress of the storm giants. A brief overview of the giants’ fate in the Doomed Forgotten Realms is provided below: The Realms were already in great turmoil when Annam, the All-Father, broke the ordning, the divinely ordained hierarchy amongst the giants (as described in Storm King’s Thunder). Because of this, the heroes of the Realms were unable to save King Hekaton, Lord of the Storm Giants, and restore the sundered hierarchy. Now, years later, the ordning remains in flux. The current standings amongst the giants are (from least to greatest): Stone Giants The stone giants were the only giants to take a stand against the incursions of Vecna. Shortly after Vecna conquered Waterdeep, a stone giant thane awakened a slumbering tarrasque, directing it toward the City of Splendors. Vecna easily slew the creature, severing its left hand and gouging out its left eye before raising it as a zombie. Vecna then ordered his forces to track down and eradicate every last stone giant. Although a few stone giants still remain, they do so in hidden seclusion, secreted within the remote corners of the Underdark. Rain Giants (formerly Storm Giants) Iymrith, an ancient blue dragon, secretly took the form of a giant and infiltrated the royal courts of the storm giants well before the ordning was broken. Because of this, Iymirth was perfectly positioned to take full advantage of the chaos that ensued after Annam’s fateful decree. The blue dragon arranged for the murder of the storm giant queen Neri, as well as the abduction of King Hekaton. She positioned herself as a surrogate parent to the three princesses, Mirran, Nym, and Serissa, using her influence to turn them against one another. The eventual result was a brief and bloody civil war. During this turmoil, Iymrith’s duplicity was revealed. Serissa was forced to kill her two sisters and flee the Maelstrom, the underwater citadel from which her family had ruled. Knowing that Imyrith coveted the Wyrmskull Throne, a relic of great power, Serissa took with her the Ruling Scepter necessary for controlling the throne. Shortly afterwards, King Hekaton was slain by his abductors, precipitating the storm giants’ fall in Annam’s divine hierarchy. The Maelstrom was abandoned and the storm giants, weakened in stature, scattered throughout the Realms. Iymrith has returned to her lair in the Anauroch Desert. Serissa’s whereabouts remain unknown. To signify their diminished power the storm giants are occasionally referred to as rain giants, although they detest this relabeling. Cloud Giants Many of the cloud giants have rallied under the banner of Countess Sansuri. Some roam the far north in their cloud fortresses, searching fallen Ostoria for relics of their ancient past. Others have elevated themselves beyond the clouds, where the sky touches the stars, to await the downfall of Faerûn. Annam has grown impatient with their isolationist lifestyle and has demoted the cloud giants accordingly. Mountain Giants (formerly Hill Giants) The hill giants are encamped within their relocated capital, Grudd Haug. They demand a constant flow of tribute from Triboar, Goldenfields, and the many settlements in between. This tribute is primarily in the form of food, which is then fed to their monstrously large chieftain, Chief Guh. Guh has spent the last ten years famishing the Realms while gorging herself. She is now of immense size and easily the largest giant in the world. As a reward, the hill giants have been elevated substantially within the ordning and are now known as mountain giants. Frost Giants Jarl Storvald and his frost giants still seek Artus Cimber, bearer of the Ring of Winter. They are now entrenched within the frozen north, allied with the Frost Maiden Auril so that she might help them find the Ring of Winter and bring about the Age of Everlasting Ice. The giants are currently spread throughout the abandoned Ten-Towns, warring with the duergar and their chardalyn dragon, as well as with the White Wyrm, Arveiaturace. Fire Giants With the return of Tiamat, the ancient conflict between giants and dragons has reignited. Duke Zalto and his fire giants have shown the greatest initiative in this renewed battle against dragonkind, earning them the respect of Annam. The fire giants currently occupy the former dwarven stronghold of Gauntlgrym as well as the great dungeon-forge, Ironslag. They have successfully reignited the adamantine forge of Ironslag and used it to reforge Vonindod, the Titan of Death. Equipped with Vonindod, the fire giants are now singularly focused on hunting and killing the dragons of the Realms.

Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One Appendix A Secrets of the Whispered One 93 Vecna's Endgame Vecna picked Waterdeep as his center of power for many reasons. Chief amongst them was that Waterdeep is blanketed by a permanent, undispellable magical effect called Ahgairon’s dragonward. Because of this enchantment, dragons and all other creatures of the dragon type are physically unable to enter the city or its sewers. Vecna spends most of his time sequestered in the Tower of Ahghairon, leaving the day-to-day governance of Waterdeep to his Zhentarim allies. Vecna is focused on two primary goals—furthering his arcane mastery and transcending godhood. To attain both these goals, Vecna seeks the Nether Scrolls, a set of fifty golden scrolls that form the foundation of modern magical theory on Faerûn. The information revealed by a study of these scrolls is reputedly commensurate with the reader’s wizardly abilities. As the first god to read these scrolls, Vecna hopes to discover spells powerful enough to destroy and rebuild the cosmos. Even without these scrolls, Vecna’s power grows daily. This growth is fueled by an ever-increasing proportion of Realmsfolk turning toward his worship. Vecna gains further power from the death of any humanoid, although he is weakened by the conception of life. However, by creating artificial life (see below) Vecna has destroyed the delicate balance between life and death, ensuring his continued empowerment. It is only a matter of time until Vecna achieves divine supremacy. Once he does, he will turn his attention to the heavens, for he is a jealous god who will brook no equal. He longs for the complete and total destruction of the Realms’s pantheon. Then, once he reigns as the sole deity of Toril, he will turn his attention to the conquest of the multiverse.

Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 94 Appendix B Monsters and NPCs Battlerager Medium Humanoid (Dwarf Barbarian), Any Alignment Armor Class 16 (spiked armor) Hit Points 90 (12d8 + 36) Speed 35 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 9 (−1) Senses passive Perception 10 Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Battlerager Armor. When the battlerager uses an Attack action to grapple a creature, the target takes 3 piercing damage if the grapple check succeeds. Reckless. At the start of its turn, the battlerager can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn. Actions Multiattack. The battlerager makes two Greataxe attacks. Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage. Bonus Actions Armor Spikes. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage. Battlerager Charge. The battlerager takes the Dash action. Battlerager Known as Kuldjargh (literally “axe idiot”) in Dwarvish, battleragers are dwarf followers of the gods of war and take the Path of the Battlerager. They specialize in wearing bulky, spiked armor and throwing themselves into combat, striking with their body itself and giving themselves over to the fury of battle. Artificer Medium Humanoid (Any Race Artificer), Any Alignment Armor Class 15 (chain shirt, shield), 20 with shield Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4) Speed 35 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 12 (+1) Skills Arcana +4, Investigation +4 Senses passive Perception 10 Languages any three languages Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Dampening Field. The artificer has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Actions Multiattack. The artificer makes two Arc Projector attacks. It can replace one attack with either a Shocking Grasp attack or a use of Spellcasting. Arc Projector. Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 90/300 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (2d6) lightning damage. Shocking Grasp. Melee Spell Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d8) lightning damage, and the target can't take reactions until the start of its next turn. Spellcasting. The artificer casts one of the following spells, using Intelligence as its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). At will: alarm, identify, mage hand, mending 1/day each: grease, jump, sanctuary Reactions Shield (Recharge 4–6). When the artificer is hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell, the artificer creates an invisible barrier of magical force until the start of its next turn. For the duration, the artificer gains a +5 bonus to AC, including against the triggering attack, and it takes no damage from magic missile. Artificer Masters of invention, artificers use ingenuity and magic to unlock extraordinary capabilities in objects. Some artificers specialize in modifying armor so that it functions almost like a second skin. The armor is enhanced to increase the artificer’s speed, and unleash potent attacks.

Appendix B Monsters and NPCs Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 95 Bard Medium Humanoid (Any Race Bard), Any Alignment Armor Class 15 (chain shirt) Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3 Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +5, Performance +6 Senses passive Perception 15 Languages any two languages Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Actions Multiattack. The bard makes two Shortsword or Shortbow attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Cacophony (Recharge 4–6). Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from the bard must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 9 (2d8) thunder damage and is pushed up to 10 feet away from the bard. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed. Spellcasting. The bard casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 12). At will: dancing lights, mage hand, prestidigitation 1/day each: charm person, invisibility, sleep Bonus Actions Taunt (2/Day). The bard targets one creature within 30 feet of it. If the target can hear the bard, the target must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws until the start of the bard’s next turn. Bard VOLO’S GUIDE TO MONSTERS Bards are gifted poets, storytellers, and entertainers who travel far and wide, but are commonly found in taverns or in the company of jolly bands of adventurers, rough-and-tumble mercenaries, and wealthy patrons. In this adventure, the Weevil serves as a wealthy patron for Orchestra, the bard. Blackguard VOLO’S GUIDE TO MONSTERS Blackguards are paladins who broke their sacred oaths and now indulge their own dark ambitions. They consort with fiends and undead, and they reject all goodly things from their former lives. Blackguard Medium Humanoid (Any Race Paladin), Any Alignment Armor Class 18 (plate) Hit Points 153 (18d8 + 72) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +5 Skills Athletics +7, Deception +5, Intimidation +5 Senses passive Perception 12 Languages any one language (usually Common) Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Actions Multiattack. The blackguard makes three attacks with its Glaive or its Shortbow. Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage. Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Dreadful Aspect (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The blackguard exudes magical menace. Each enemy within 30 feet of the blackguard must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. If a frightened target ends its turn more than 30 feet away from the blackguard, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Spellcasting. The blackguard casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13). At will: command, find steed 1/day each: dispel magic, protection from evil and good Bonus Actions Smite (Concentration). The blackguard chooses one of the smite options below. The first time the blackguard hits a creature, the option activates. Blinding Smite (Recharge 5–6). The blackguard’s weapon flares with a bright light, and the attack deals an extra 13 (3d8) radiant damage to the target. Additionally, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A blinded target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. Branding Smite (Recharge 5–6). The blackguard’s weapon gleams with astral radiance. The attack deals an extra 2d6 radiant damage to the target, which becomes visible if it is invisible, and the target sheds dim light in a 5-foot radius and can’t become invisible for 1 minute. Thunderous Smite. The blackguard’s weapon rings with thunder that is audible within 300 feet. The attack deals an extra 2d6 thunder damage and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from the blackguard and knocked prone.

Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 96 Algae Blight Medium Undead, Typically Neutral Evil Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27) Speed 10 ft., swim 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 7 (−2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4 Damage Resistances bludgeoning, fire, piercing Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Aquan, Common Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Seaweed Shape. The blight can use its action to reshape its body into the form of a humanoid or beast that is Small, Medium, or Large. Its statistics are otherwise unchanged. The disguise is convincing, unless the blight is in bright light or the viewer is within 30 feet of it, in which case the seams between the seaweed strands are visible. The kelpie returns to its true form if it takes a bonus action to do so or if it dies. False Appearance. While the blight remains motionless in its true form, it is indistinguishable from normal seaweed. Unusual Nature. The blight doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. Actions Multiattack. The blight makes two Slam attacks, each of which it can be replaced with one use of Necrotic Constriction. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 12). Necrotic Constriction. One creature grappled by the blight must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Blight, Algae An algae blight is a dead kelpie that was reanimated through necromantic magic. It resembles a pile of wet seaweed. It is able to shape its body into various forms, often assuming the aspect of hideous creatures such as chuuls or skum to provoke terror in their prey. Slime-Touched Bullywug Medium Humanoid (Bullywug), Typically Neutral Evil Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 9 (−1) 12 (+1) 9 (−1) Skills Stealth +4 Damage Immunities acid Senses passive Perception 18 Languages Abyssal, Bullywug Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Amorphous. The bullywug can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. Amphibious. The bullywug can breathe air and water. Corrosive Form. A creature that touches the bullywug or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 4 (1d8) acid damage. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal or wood that hits the bullywug corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to −5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal or wood that hits the bullywug is destroyed after dealing damage. Speak with Frogs, Toads, and Slime. The bullywug can communicate simple concepts to frogs and toads when it speaks in Bullywug. It can communicate simple concepts to oozes when it speaks in Abyssal. Swamp Camouflage. The bullywug has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in swampy terrain. Actions Multiattack. The bullywug makes two Corrosive Touch attacks. Corrosive Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d8 + 2) acid damage. Gelatinous Geyser (Recharge 5−6). The bullywug shoots a geyser of acidic slime in a line that is 30 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Reactions Split. When a bullywug that is Small or larger is subjected to lightning or slashing damage, it splits into two new bullywugs if it has at least 10 hit points. Each new bullywug has hit points equal to half the original bullywug’s, rounded down. New bullywugs are one size smaller than the original bullywug. Bullywug, Slime-Touched These bullywugs have given their life and soul to the worship of Juiblex, the demon lord of slime and ooze. Their moist skin glistens with a putrescent layer of corrosive slime. Although they still appear humanoid, their innards are an amorphous mass of ever-shifting ooze.

Appendix B Monsters and NPCs Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 97 Catoblepas Large Monstrosity, Unaligned Armor Class 14 (natural armor) Hit Points 84 (8d10 + 40) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 12 (+1) 21 (+5) 3 (−4) 14 (+2) 8 (−1) Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages — Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Keen Smell. The catoblepas has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Stench. Any creature other than a catoblepas that starts its turn within 10 feet of the catoblepas must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the creature’s next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the stench of any catoblepas for 1 hour. Actions Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (5d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the start of the catoblepas’s next turn. Death Ray (Recharge 5–6). The catoblepas targets a creature that it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 36 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target instead takes 64 necrotic damage. The target dies if reduced to 0 hit points by this ray. Catoblepas VOLO’S GUIDE TO MONSTERS The catoblepas is as loathsome as the vile swamplands in which it lives. Like such wastelands, this conglomeration of bloated buffalo, dinosaur, warthog, and hippopotamus parts has few redeeming qualities. A catoblepas’s stink, like that of death mixed with swamp gas and skunk musk, gives it away as being much more ghastly than its appearance suggests. Chief Guh Gargantuan Giant, Chaotic Evil Armor Class 9 (natural armor) Hit Points 390 (20d20 + 180) Speed 0 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 29 (+9) 1 (−5) 29 (+9) 5 (−3) 14 (+2) 6 (−2) Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Condition Immunities poisoned Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Giant, Goblin Challenge 13 (10,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5 Gluttonous Casting. When Chief Guh casts create food and water, she creates twice the usual amount of food and ale instead of water. Actions Multiattack. Chief Guh makes two Slam attacks. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (6d6 + 9) bludgeoning damage. Gluttonous Wrath (3/Day). Guh targets a point she can see within 60 feet of her. Each within 10 feet of that point must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 14 (4d6) acid damage and 14 (4d6) poison damage, and gains no nourishment from nonmagical drink or food for 24 hours. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and suffers no other detrimental effects. Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 35 (4d12 + 9) bludgeoning damage. Spellcasting. Guh casts one of the following spells, using Charisma as her spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15). 3/day each: bless, create food and water, polymorph 1/day: heroes’ feast Chief Guh Guh, the gluttonous mountain giant chief, has raised a large settlement along the outskirts of the Sword Mountains. She rules the mountain giants with an iron fist, claiming the majority of the males within her tribe as her husbands. Gorging herself over the years, she is the first to have attained gargantuan stature. This feat has not gone unnoticed by Annam, who has granted her divine abilities. Still, Guh continues to glut herself, hoping that she might eventually eat her way into godhood.

Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 98 Colbornia Medium Undead, Unaligned Armor Class 14 Hit Points 110 (20d8 + 20) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Hunger for Life. If a creature Colbornia can see within 60 feet regains hit points, then that creature gains only half as many hit points (rounded up) and Colbornia gains the remaining half (rounded down). Magic Resistance. Colbornia has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Unusual Nature. Colbornia doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. Actions Multiattack. Colbornia makes two Slam attacks. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) slashing damage. Ray of Famine. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become famished. Famished creatures deal half damage with weapon attacks that use Strength. They also take an additional 7 (2d6) necrotic damage at the end of their next turn and every turn thereafter. Spending an action to eat any amount of food removes the famished effect. Bonus Actions Sprout Blight (Recharge 5–6). Colbornia sprouts blights in an unoccupied space she can see within 60 feet of her, growing four twig blights or one needle blight. These blights take time to fully form, coming to life to take their turns at the end of Colbornia’s next turn and each of her subsequent turns. Any character adjacent to a sprouting square can spend an action to uproot the blights, killing them before they form. Colbornia The archdryad Colbornia was the high priestess of Chauntea’s garden, many years ago. 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. She is now a terrible sight to behold, her once beautiful features marred by rot and corruption and her warm laughter replaced by screams of anguished pain that now echo through Mirabar on cold, lonely nights. Chwinga Tiny Elemental, Any Alignment Armor Class 15 Hit Points 5 (2d4) Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 1 (−5) 20 (+5) 10 (+0) 13 (+2) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +7, Stealth +7 Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 17 Languages — Challenge 0 (10 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Evasion. When the chwinga is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. Unusual Nature. The chwinga doesn’t require air, food, or drink. When it dies, it turns into a handful of flower petals, a cloud of pollen, a stone statuette resembling its former self, a tiny sphere of smooth stone, or a puddle of fresh water (your choice). Actions Magical Gift (1/Day). The chwinga targets a humanoid it can see within 5 feet of it. The target gains a supernatural charm of the DM’s choice. See the Dungeon Master’s Guide for information on supernatural charms. Natural Shelter. The chwinga magically takes shelter inside a rock, a living plant, or a natural source of fresh water in its space. The chwinga can’t be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect while inside this shelter, and the shelter doesn’t impair the chwinga’s blindsight. The chwinga can use its ac- tion to emerge from a shelter. If its shelter is destroyed, the chwinga is forced out and appears in the shelter’s space, but is otherwise unharmed. Spellcasting. The chwinga casts one of the following spells, requiring no material or verbal components: At will: druidcraft, guidance, pass without trace, resistance Chwinga TOMB OF ANNIHILATION A chwinga is a tiny elemental spirit that lives in plants, rocks, and rivers far from civilization. Painfully shy, chwingas prefer to move about unseen. Though no two chwingas look exactly alike, they resemble 6-inch-tall animated dolls with strange masks, spindly limbs, and wild hair. Their appearance is sometimes foreshadowed by cold breezes or snowflakes. They don’t have names and cannot speak.

Appendix B Monsters and NPCs Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 99 Desiccated Shambler Medium Plant, Unaligned Armor Class 11 Hit Points 52 (7d8 + 21) Speed 20 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 6 (−2) 11 (+0) 7 (−2) Damage Vulnerabilities fire Damage Resistances psychic; bludgeoning, and piercing from nonmagical attacks Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10 Languages — Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Root Sense. While in its garden and in contact with the ground, the desiccated shambler knows the exact location of any other creature that is also in the desiccated shambler’s garden and is touching the ground. Actions Multiattack. The desiccated shambler makes two ThornClaw attacks. Thorn-Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) slashing damage. Transplant. As an action, the desiccated shambler can target any creature within 30 feet, making vines and branches erupt from the earth beneath them. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be moved, even through otherwise impassable foliage, to a location within 15 feet of the desiccated shambler. Desiccated Shambler These creatures are grown by necromantic druids in barren, blighted soil. They are nourished by blood and sprout only under a new moon. Made from a hideous tangle of blood-tinged brambles, the desiccated shamblers approximate the shape of a stocky, lumbering humanoid. Unified Elemental (Earth and Air) Large Elemental, Unaligned Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 126 (12d10 + 60) Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (hover) STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 6 (−2) 10 (+0) 6 (−2) Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages Auran, Terran Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Siege Monster. The elemental deals double damage to ob- jects and structures. Unusual Nature. The elemental doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep. Actions Multiattack. The elemental makes two Slam attacks. Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. Rockstorm (Recharge 4−6). Each creature within 5 feet of the elemental must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failure, a target takes 18 (3d8 +5) bludgeoning damage and is flung up to 20 feet away from the elemental. If the saving throw is successful, the target takes half the blud- geoning damage and isn’t flung away or knocked prone. Elemental, Unified In recent years, the Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye has learned the secret of fusing disparate elementals into a more powerful, hybrid form. Rather than each element diluting the other—for example, water and earth merging into mud—each element retains its primordial purity. Most of these unified elementals combine two elements, although rumors abound of hybrid monstrosities formed from three or even all four of the elements.

Appendix B Monsters and NPCs 100 Fessler Huge Beast, Unaligned Armor Class 12 Hit Points 123 (19d12) Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 27 (+8) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 3 (−4) 12 (+1) 7 (−2) Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5 Senses passive Perception 14 Languages — Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3 Keen Smell. Fessler has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Pounce. If Fessler moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, Fessler can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action. Running Leap. With a 10-foot running start, Fessler can long jump up to 25 feet. Actions Multiattack. Fessler makes two melee attacks, but can use his Bite only once. Bat. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage. Any creature hit by this attack must make a DC 19 Strength saving throw. On a failure the creature is pushed up to 30 feet away from Fessler and knocked prone. Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) piercing damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) slashing damage. Fessler To most adventurers an ordinary house cat is hardly cause for alarm. To a small critter, however, that same cat is a nightmare made of furry flesh, a cruel sadistic beast that can materialize unexpectedly from the shadows to steal life and eat it whole. Below are the statistics for a cat, relative to a group of mouse-sized adventurers. Gaollia Large Beast, Unaligned Armor Class 16 (natural armor) Hit Points 42 (5d10 + 15) Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 7 (−2) 16 (+3) 2 (−4) 7 (−2) 5 (−3) Senses passive Perception 8 Languages — Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Amphibious. The gaollia can breathe air and water. Defensive Digestion. Whenever the gaollia feels threatened, its stomach contracts and releases acid. Any creature swallowed by the gaollia takes 3 (1d6) acid damage and 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of the gaollia’s turns. This reflexive condition subsides 5 rounds after the threat is alleviated. Stable. Whenever an effect would knock the gaollia prone, it can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to avoid being knocked prone. A prone gaollia is upside down. To stand up, it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity check on its turn and then use all its movement for that turn. Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. Swallow. The gaollia makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target that is already restrained. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, and it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the gaollia. The gaollia can have only one swallowed target at a time. If the gaollia dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone. Gaollia These immense, swamp-dwelling tortoises are often domesticated by bullywug beastmasters. Gaollias have a slow-acting metabolism and mild stomach acidity. Because of this, the bullywugs use them as ghastly prisons or storage for prized treasures. Gaollias also have a highly developed gag reflex. This means that any ingested creatures or items can be easily extracted by forcing the gaollia to regurgitate.