D&D - Goatlands Omnibus (5e) (lvl 1-5)

them and still move stealthily, but the presence of a slaves are kept prisoner, watched over by a death dog.
ranger could change that. If the PCs do manage to use Finally, Sacco himself, with his giant vulture mount, a pair
Stealth, a total of 6 or better keeps them hidden from the of goblin slaves, and his green hag nurse, dwell in the
goatfolk scouts who are patrolling the flanks of the center of the camp.
retreating force. Along the route of travel, the goatfolk
leave behind signs of their victory: emptied coffers taken Watching the Camp: The logical first move for the PCs
from Caldwell homes, drained wineskins, small pieces of is to observe the camp for a while. Because the camp is
loot which fell off the pile, and eventually worn out elevated, observation from a distance will only allow the
prisoners who died before reaching the camp. These PCs to gather information on the camp’s outskirts —
latter might “only” be dying or temporarily stable at 0 hp, anything that isn't close to the edge of the plateau is
allowing PCs to revive them. hidden from view. Nevertheless, the PCs will be able to
count the tents which surround the camp and get an idea
Lord Ironvow arrives in Caldwell two hours after the of approximately how many mercenaries are up there.
Scapegoats have left, Milo the Magistrate in tow. He They will see four guards (a mix of scouts and raiders) at
leads the Knights of Fearfield, 50 of the Hounds, and 200 each entrance, the presence of two-headed death dogs,
peasant levy. (The remainder of his troops remain behind and the occasional minotaur or ogre (unless they killed
to guard Kennelkeep.) The levy is quickly assigned to Five-Fingered Gorram in the raid on Caldwell). The
manual labor, helping to clear the ruins of the village and floating recorder, Rocky, is regularly visible as it makes
bury the dead. Ironvow himself takes over the inn as a its ceaseless rounds around the camp, and the PCs
command center and dispatches the Knights and his might find such a stone construct to be both peculiar and
Hounds on wide patrols to determine if there are any worrisome. (The Scapegoats largely ignore it.) Notably,
goatfolk remaining in the region. In the face of the the wooden pen used to contain Smotey, the Elf-Eaters’s
devastation, and the emotional responses of the pet owlbear, is close enough to the northern entrance
peasants under his command, Cald is calm and that it can be seen from a distance. But the larger corral
reserved. One would almost think he knew this raid was where the Gory Goats are trying to tame a captured
coming, and that he was prepared to sacrifice the people saltwyrm is too far away from the edge of the camp and
of Caldwell for a larger goal. Milo is more visibly upset, cannot be seen from below.
but he does not challenge Ironvow.
Climbing the Cliff: PCs might try to get a better look
With the raid on Caldwell complete, the Fearfield War inside the camp by climbing the plateau. This is not
enters its second stage, when the conflict between the actually especially hard, but it is slow if the PCs want to
PCs and Sacco’s Scapegoats escalates and climaxes. If also be stealthy. The cliff is 25 feet high, climbing costs
they fought at Caldwell or followed the Scapegoats and double movement, and characters who want to be
attacked the mercenaries on the road, the PCs should stealthy must move at half speed; all of this means it will
have enough XP to advance to 4th level. But if they take two rounds for a stealthy character to climb the
avoided interacting with any of the noble houses and slope. Climbing the slope is a Strength (Athletics) check
missed the raid on Caldwell, they will still be 3rd level as with DC 10, and avoiding notice by goatfolk within the
Part Two begins. camp is a Dexterity (Stealth) check with DC 10. From the
edge of the camp, a PC will be able to see much more,
Part Two: Against the Goatfolk such as Sacco’s tent, the corral for the saltwyrm, the
various slave pens belonging to each warband, and the
Scene One: The Scapegoat Camp death dogs that guard them. The biggest danger for a PC
scouting the camp in this way is Rocky, who has
It’s likely the PCs will investigate, and perhaps even Darkvision and a passive Perception of 14. Unless
attempt to infiltrate or raid, the Scapegoat camp (see something has attracted his attention, he circles the camp
page 52). The Scapegoats have made their temporary about every two minutes.
home atop a small plateau about halfway between
Whitehall and the salt mine. There are three easy Getting Inside: It’s not impossible for the PCs to get
ascents to this plateau: a wide and easy slope to the inside the camp, especially if they have access to
north, a steep and straight path to the southwest, and a invisibility. Goatfolk do not have darkvision and the
windy path to the southeast. Each of these paths is Scapegoats rely on torches and bonfires to keep the
guarded. Atop the plateau, the warbands have made camp lit at night. A canny rogue can reconnoiter the
their camps, six soldiers to a tent, plus additional tents for
the lagash, monsters, and shamans. Each of the
warbands has a small slave pen where three to five

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camp, moving from cover to cover. As a rule, the only guards. If he discovers the locks have been picked, he
guards actively watching for intruders are the four at each will first suspect a rival warband has sabotaged the Elf-
entrance to the camp. Otherwise, the Scapegoats are Eaters and go to Sacco to tell him what has happened.
unsuspecting and busy with other matters. The real Sacco, however, suspects an intruder in the camp and
dangers here are the sub commanders and monsters — places the camp on alert. From this point forward, six
the lagash, Rocky, Gorshak, and Greenhorn — all of goatfolk patrol the inside of the camp in three pairs, one
whom are more likely to be paying attention than ordinary raider and one scout in each pair.
mercenaries, and most dangerous of all, the death dogs
who guard the slave pens. Rocky is a roving menace; the PCs might use the distraction caused by Smotey’s
other leaders can be avoided if the PCs don't get too escape to further investigate the camp or cause
close to their tents, or otherwise attract attention. But the additional sabotage. If the PCs later encounter Smotey in
death dogs have darkvision out to 120 feet (enough to the wild, he will be friendly to the characters that freed
see about halfway across the plateau), a passive him, indifferent to any of their companions, and hostile to
Perception of 15, and advantage on Wisdom (Perception) anyone causing them harm.
checks thanks to their two heads. Invisibility may be the
only safe way to avoid the death dogs; otherwise, it’s only The saltwyrm is a more challenging objective for any
a matter of time before a PC rolls less than 15 on a would-be saboteur; he is kept farther in the camp in a
Dexterity (Stealth) check and draws attention. large wooden corral adjacent to a slave pen (and so
under almost constant observation by a death dog). A
Sabotage: If the PCs want to cause chaos in the camp, muzzle has been placed around its jaws and iron chains
either as a distraction or for its own sake, there are a few have been looped around four of its twelve legs. Each
obvious approaches. They might try to free or liberate chain is attached to the corral itself with an iron lock (DC
some of the slaves, they might let the saltwyrm out of its 20 to pick). The creature has been kept in a state of
corral, or they might free Smotey the owlbear. partial starvation in order to make him more docile; the
Gory Goats dream of taming him and making him the
Smotey is perhaps the easiest object of sabotage. He symbol of their warband. When found, the saltwyrm, who
is kept close to the northern entrance to the camp in a calls itself Sathras, is lying prone in his corral, suffering
small wooden pen; another tent lies between him and the from two levels of exhaustion (it has disadvantage on
slave pens, meaning that any PC will be out of sight of ability checks and moves at half speed). Sathras is
the death dogs. Smotey’s pen is not enough to contain intelligent, though not very; he begins hostile to anyone
him, however; he is also restrained by an iron collar and he perceives, but becomes indifferent if spoken to in
three metal chains, each of which leads to a metal post Draconic, which is a sure sign that the intruder is not one
driven deep into the ground. Smotey is in constant misery of the goatfolk. He cannot speak until his muzzle is
after a year of mistreatment; a Wisdom (Animal Handling) loosened; this is not difficult to do, but it involves putting
check with DC 10 will determine he has been beaten, your hands right next to the saltwyrm’s very large jaws,
starved, and driven into combat. Owlbears are which a PC may find worrisome.
monstrosities, not beasts, and most animal magic (such
as animal friendship or speak with animals) will not work Sathras wants to get free and he wants revenge on the
on Smotey; he is just too fierce and wild. Picking the lock Gory Goats. These two desires war in priority within his
around his collar or on the iron posts to which he is mind. Presuming he is indifferent to a PC, convincing him
chained is a DC 20 Dexterity check; characters proficient to do one or the other is a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion)
with thieves’ tools have advantage. Note that there are check; getting him to do anything else is DC 20. Raise or
three iron posts and only one collar lock, but getting to lower these DCs if he is hostile or friendly. A PC may try
that collar will be quite a challenge considering it is to solve Sathras’s starvation problem; bringing him the
around the neck of an angry owlbear! corpse of one Medium or larger creature will temporarily
restore him to full strength, and he will be able to pull his
If Smotey can be freed, he immediately runs for it, chains hard enough to break the corral into pieces and
leaping over the walls of the pen and heading down the get free. If a creature can be lured into the corral after
slope that leads north out of the camp. The guards will Sathras’s muzzle has been removed, he can eat it alive.
pursue him for a round and then pause as they reach the If prompted to rampage, he will attack the tents where the
edge of the light given off by the camp’s torches. A few Gory Goats are sleeping, causing chaos to erupt in the
rounds later, they return to their posts, cursing their luck. camp. By the time the Scapegoats kill Sathras, he will
The lagash who leads the Elf-Eaters will emerge from his have slain half a dozen of their number. This will take a
tent, investigate Smotey’s escape, and question the couple of minutes, which is time the PCs may use to
further investigate or sabotage the camp. If a PC

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persuades Sathras to flee, he quickly clambers past the know about the Scapegoats, though each group of slaves
goatfolk tents and goes down the side of the plateau; any knows the most about the warband they serve. None of
PC that helped to free him can ride on his back. Once the slaves know what Sacco’s strategy for the war might
away from the camp, however, he gives his thanks and be.
then makes for the Great River with no intention of ever
seeing this land again. If Sathras is freed when he is still There are some slaves who do not want to flee; each
exhausted, he can still be persuaded to attack, but his of the three goatfolk shamans is assisted by an adept
rampage lasts only about a minute as he is swiftly slain. and a cultist who do their bidding. There are also two
He can, however, still escape, though he takes some goblins who willfully serve Sacco and care for his giant
arrows before he reaches the safety of darkness. vulture. The other prisoners can tell the PCs about these
willing slaves, and they discourage the PCs from
Unless the PCs leave behind some sign of their interfering with them, instead urging immediate escape.
involvement with the saltwyrm, the rest of the camp
presumes it was the result of incompetence on the part of It’s unlikely a slave rescue can go unnoticed; if nothing
the Gory Goats. (Note that being spotted by a death dog else, the PCs will have to get them past the guards who
does not necessarily blow a PCs cover, since the dogs stand at each exit. (Slaves won’t climb down the plateau
are beasts that can’t talk, but the shamans can cast walls, but they will climb or lower themselves down a
speak with animals…) Much jesting is had at the Goats’ rope.) The Scapegoats will not pursue the PCs beyond
expense, and the camp goes back to normal. If the PCs the light given off by the camp, but a retaliatory raid the
did leave sign of their presence, or were spotted, six next day is not out of the question, especially if Sacco
guards are placed on duty at all times, patrolling the can spot some likely targets through aerial
camp in pairs. reconnaissance.

Finally, the PCs may attempt to free some of the Attacking a Patrol: The Scapegoats do patrol the area
Scapegoats slaves. Each of the slave pens is marked on around their camp, and the PCs will need to either hide
the map and occupied by 3-5 humans, elves, or dwarves from these patrols or defeat them in battle.
in various states of domination, ill health, and cruel
treatment. Each pen is usually guarded by a death dog; A Scapegoat patrol consists of three goatfolk raiders
one of its heads sleeps while the other head keeps and three goatfolk scouts. If slaves have escaped or the
watch. The goatfolk use their slaves as cheap soldiers, camp has been put on alert, the patrol is accompanied by
manual labor, entertainment, and to perform domestic a death dog and led by a lagash. If a patrol has already
chores. Half are guards or tribal warriors, but they have failed to return, add Gorshak, Greenhorn, or Five-
no weapons or armor in their pens, being given Fingered Gorram to the patrol. Patrols are looking for
equipment just before they are driven into battle. The trespassers, and attempt Wisdom (Survival) checks to
other half are noncombatants. A very few slaves find tracks left by any PC. PCs might use this against the
(typically one in each pen) is from a more unusual race, goatfolk by luring them into an ambush.
such as dragonborn, tiefling, halfling, gnome, or kobold.
Scene Two: Seeking Allies
Quietly getting rid of a death dog is no small challenge.
But, it can be done — perhaps while the rest of the camp After investigating the Scapegoat camp, the PCs may
is seeing to Smotey or the saltwyrm. The slaves have a seek allies who will help them deal with the mercenaries.
leather collar around their necks, and when they're not This scene primarily addresses new sources of aid; the
working, they are leashed to one of the pen’s fence player characters may already have potential allies
posts. Slaves die regularly in the Scapegoat camp, and gathered from among the various noble houses. In
there may be some replacements here from Caldwell particular, if they have gone up in character level since
who are in relatively better shape compared to their Part One, the “side quests” offered by Lord Gont and
fellows. Oxblood Chuul become more tempting. Capturing a
water elemental for House Chuul will be fairly
The slaves will respond eagerly to any hope of straightforward and will get the PCs some useful magical
freedom and will do as they are told, so long as those items, while raiding the haunted ruins of Castle Gont
instructions do not involve certain death. If given goes from being a deathtrap to very, very dangerous.
weapons and escorted by one or more PCs, they will However, if the PCs can bring back Pan’s holy relics and
assist the PCs with the Help action, but will not go into rituals for Lord Gont, he will do almost anything they ask
battle on their own. If confronted by armed Scapegoats of him, including lead an attack on the Scapegoat camp
without a PC to take the lead, they surrender. Slaves can with all the forces of his House or simply back up a PC
tell the PCs pretty much anything they might want to attack using his own iron horn of Valhalla. One thing he

53

will not do, however, is allow anyone to handle the horn One important factor in any effort to recruit help from
other than himself. Caldwell is the presence of Milo the Magistrate. While
Cald Ironvow has remained in his keep far from the front
Caldwell lines, and he has little sympathy for the people of his
home, Milo has spent the last few years among the
Caldwell is the obvious place to recruit aid; the village people of Caldwell and he has grown attached to the
has just sustained a serious attack and the people are place. Since the war began, Milo has been kept at
reeling from the impact. But most of the fighting men and Kennelkeep where he can be safe and out of Ironvow’s
women of Caldwell have already been pressed into way, but he follows Ironvow to Caldwell in the wake of the
service by Lord Ironvow; by the broadest possible raid and sees the devastation.
definition, there might be as many as 50 combat-worthy
individuals in the village, but this includes teenage boys, If the PCs publicly try to help the village, Milo
old men, and almost no one with any training. It’s hard to recognizes them as potential allies and tries to arrange a
say what use the people of Caldwell might be, but you meeting. He might ask to stay in Caldwell, but Ironvow is
can never predict player characters. PCs can recruit from unlikely to permit this; the village is just too vulnerable. If
among the people of Caldwell using several strategies, the PCs come to Kennelkeep, he can speak with them
the most likely of which are persuasion, deception, or there. If they stay in Caldwell, he’ll even take the risk of
fear. departing the keep and riding to Caldwell just to speak
with them. This is easier than it sounds, since the guards
A straight-forward plea to the villagers is a Charisma at Kennelkeep obey him, but when Ironvow finds out, he’ll
(Persuasion) check of DC 20. Tricking the villagers into immediately send a party of knights to bring Milo back, by
fighting the goatfolk, for example by insisting the force if necessary.
mercenaries aren’t as deadly as they appear, or that
Ironvow will send in his own troops alongside the PCs, is Milo is a city-dweller and a law student. He’s learned
Charisma (Deception) with a DC of 20. And threatening how to wield a sword, but he’s really an intellectual.
the villagers or otherwise trying to bully them into helping Despite this, he’s eager to resolve this war as quickly as
is Charisma (Intimidate) with DC 20. Ideally the PCs will possible in a way that sees the fewest civilian casualties.
gather the survivors from the village together and appeal The people of Caldwell have come to know him and like
to them all at once. him; if the PCs ask him to speak to the villagers on their
behalf, he gives them advantage on interaction rolls as if
Failure at Deception turns the village hostile and can they were working for Ironvow. Milo also makes a good
only be retried with disadvantage. Failure of Intimidate leader for the villagers; he will intelligently interpret any
turns the village hostile and ends all recruiting attempts. commands given by the PCs, and volunteers from the
A failed Persuasion attempt can be retried with village will obey him to the best of their ability. Milo knows
disadvantage and does not change the attitude of the that disobeying Ironvow probably means he’ll lose his
villagers. Remember that if multiple PCs are involved in status as heir to the barony, but he’s not so wild about
an appeal, you can have the best PC roll with advantage. answering to a magic sword anyway.
This represents the coordinated effort of the party.
If the player characters successfully negotiate an
If the PCs helped defend the village from the alliance with Milo, give each character 50 XP. 
Scapegoat raid, or rescued prisoners taken from
Caldwell, the villagers begin friendly, and all the DCs The Whitebeards
listed are reduced by 10. If the PCs did not appear at any
time during the raid and didn’t help repair the village in The other population center where help might be found is
the aftermath, the villagers begin hostile and DCs rise by Whitehall Town. Of course, the town is in Salter, and
10. If the PCs are working directly for Lord Ironvow or anyone who helps stop the goatfolk will be guilty of
House Chuul, they roll with advantage, and if they’re treason. Moreover, most of the people of Whitehall have
working for House Korser, Garcy Salter, or Lord Gont, little motivation to fight the mercenaries. While the
they roll with disadvantage. Scapegoats are raiding farmers in every land, regardless
of border, they’ve never attacked the town. The townsfolk
Success earns the PCs a small group of volunteers have heard of the violence of the goatfolk, but they have
who are willing to fight for their homes, although it seems no personal experience with it, and it's easy to think the
like certain death... Begin with five guards, and add stories are just stories.
another 3 commoners for every point by which the roll
was successful. So if, for example, the PCs needed a 10 But there is one notable exception to all this: the
and rolled an 18, 29 villagers would agree to help (5 Whitebeards. Whitehall Town’s resident thieves’ guild has
guards and 24 commoners). recently come into conflict with the baroness, and their

54

leader Willam Whitebeard might be willing to thwart things aren’t working out, he’ll betray the PCs to the
Garcy if the end result was good for him and his gang. Salters and use the whole affair as a way to patch things
The first challenge is just getting an audience with up with Garcy.
Willam. Finding a member of the gang is easy; they dye
their beards white! A DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check If the player characters bargain with Willam to arrange
will spot one. Persuading a gang member to deliver a a takeover of the Barony and they manage to bring this
message to Willam is a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion or plan to fruition (Willam does not betray them), give each
Intimidation) check. Willam will only meet in a place of his
choosing where he is surrounded by allies; for Willam, PC 50 XP. 
that means a seedy tavern called the Bearded Lily. The
entire place is owned and operated by the Whitebeards; Scene Three: Caravan Assault
literally everyone in it either works directly for the gang or
aspires to. The mine in Salter periodically sends a load of salt to
Whitehall, where it can be sold to merchants who then
Willam is a dwarf bandit chief. The Bearded Lily is distribute it up and down the river. These salt deliveries
filled with bandits, five for every PC. Most are, or are are the backbone of Garcy’s treasury and, during the war,
posing as, customers, but others work the bar, cook, or she is especially vulnerable. If her salt deliveries were
serve tables. Willam is taciturn and doesn’t like small talk. interrupted, she might not have enough gold to pay the
He thinks slowly and asks direct questions. He begins Scapegoats. An angry mercenary unit could abandon the
indifferent to the PCs, unless they try to intimidate him or war, or they might even turn on their former employer.
don’t treat him with the respect he thinks he is due as the Accordingly, when the salt mine is ready for a delivery,
leader of a successful thieves’ guild; in this case, his Garcy orders Sacco to see to its safe arrival in Whitehall.
attitude changes to hostile. Her motivation is twofold; of course she wants the
money. But, in addition, if anything does happen and the
There’s two levels of support Willam might be able to salt doesn’t arrive and the Scapegoats don’t get paid, the
give to any effort to get rid of the Scapegoats, and each fault will lie with the mercenaries themselves.
has a different price. First, the PCs might just want some
help — maybe a few sneaky thieves to infiltrate the The caravan is made up of five wagons. Each wagon
Scapegoat camp or cause a distraction that lures out an is pulled by two mules and, with its animals, is roughly 10
enemy. Willam can agree to something like this, if he ft. wide and 20 ft. long. There’s 20 ft. between each mule
believes neither he nor the Whitebeards will get caught. team and the next wagon. All together, the caravan is
In other words, the Whitebeard involvement has to be about 200 ft. long. Each wagon carries 4,000 lbs. of salt,
completely secret, and Garcy can’t find out about it. If and the caravan’s total value is 1,000 gp.
Willam can be convinced the PCs can do this, he’s willing
to make a deal. He’ll expect to be well paid: 5gp per day Depending on the choices your players have made
for each member of the gang hired. That money is in and their luck in battle, the PCs may have killed a fair
advance, paid to Willam himself, so if Whitebeards die on number of the Scapegoats already. The scene as written
the mission, the PCs still pay. He’s willing to sell the presumes that about twenty goatfolk have been killed.
services of up to ten members of his gang in this way, Sacco sends half of his remaining forces — the Cloven
and this includes some specialist thieves. Hooves and Pan’s Chosen, led by his chief lieutenant
Gorshak — to escort the salt wagons. Here’s a complete
If the PCs can’t ensure the involvement of the list of the caravan guards, and their location in the
Whitebeards will remain a secret, then the conversation caravan.
changes, because now we’re talking about the future of
Salter itself. Willam would gladly take over the barony if • Vanguard: Leading the caravan is Greenhorn the
he could, but he doesn’t know how to make that happen.
Even if Garcy died, her husband Wyat would never share minotaur, a goatfolk shaman, one lagash, a death
power with a crime boss. But Willam might be persuaded dog, and a goatfolk raider.
that, were both Garcy and Wyat dead, he could rule • Each Wagon: One goatfolk raider drives each wagon.
Salter in all but name using Tybalt as a proxy. The boy Two goatfolk scouts walk alongside each wagon, one
would be weak, naive, and easily intimidated. If the PCs on the right and one on the left. The raiders have orders
promise to get rid of both Garcy and Wyat Salter, and if to stay with their wagons unless the entire caravan is to
Willam believes them, he’ll commit the Whitebeards to be abandoned. The scouts have been told to stay near
open action, and he can muster about a hundred their wagons and attack any enemies with their bows.
criminals (mostly bandits). But, at the first sign that • Reserve: Three goatfolk raiders and a cultist walk in
the middle of the caravan, between wagons 2 and 3.
Their orders are to reinforce the front or rear if they see
trouble.

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• Rear Guard: Gorshak is pulling up the rear with a Intelligence (History) checks to find weaknesses in their
lagash, an acolyte, a death dog, and a goatfolk raider. own plan, weaknesses you can point out in time for them
to be addressed. This is a good opportunity for player
Learning about the Caravan: Before the PCs can characters to come up with creative applications of spells
interfere with the caravan, they have to know about it. or magic items. For example: the PCs might slow down
They could learn this in many ways: from sympathetic reinforcements by using spells that control the
villagers in Salter who see salt wagons moving across environment (fog cloud, darkness, entangle, grease, gust
the country all the time; an ally in Whitehall, like Willam of wind, spike growth, web) or crowd-controlling charms
Whitebeard or Tybalt; vassals of Garcy Salter who are (enthrall, calm emotions). Silence conceals the sound of
secretly working with the PCs (Lord Gont or Danika a battle from guards further up the wagon train. An
Korser); or even Milo the Magistrate. Garcy’s orders are illusion like silent image (or phantasmal force cast on a
for Sacco’s mercenaries to move out the next morning commander) can lure guards away from the wagons.
and bring the salt in to the castle by nightfall. Paladins and other characters who prefer to fight while
mounted have a chance to use that ability here.
Once they know about the caravan, the PCs ought to
act quickly. If the Scapegoats set out from their camp the The Scapegoats are mercenaries who fight for money.
following morning, they will arrive at the mine before They have no desire to be killed. If all the leaders in a
noon. The wagons will be waiting for them, prepared by particular battle can be slain, the surviving goatfolk will
mummies and their mortal masters. Then, five more flee to wherever the surviving leaders might be. (For
hours of travel back across Salter will bring the wagons example, if the PCs attack the rear of the caravan and kill
to Whitehall Town. Gorshak and the lagash, the survivors will flee to the front
of the caravan, seeking Greenhorn, the shaman, and the
Preparations and Expectations: The caravan is very surviving lagash.) If their leaders can all be slain, all the
well guarded by a force which is overwhelming opposition surviving goatfolk are likely to flee for the nearest
to a typical group of 4th level player characters. If the stronghold. Gorshak, Greenhorn, the shaman, and both
PCs want to interfere with the caravan, they may want a lagash would have to die for the remaining guards to flee,
good plan, reasonable expectations, and help. and this is not as easy as it sounds because these
leaders are divided between the front and rear of the
The previous scene discusses recruiting help. A mob caravan. But if the PCs can kill these five individuals, it
of villagers with spears or a dozen Whitebeards may not might be enough.
seem like much, but even commoners could distract the
front or rear guard and lure them away long enough for Finally, never underestimate the advantage your PCs
the PCs to fight those who remain. Thieves aren’t much have when they are fully rested and expect to have only
for a stand-up fight, but if the PCs can keep the one major encounter in a day. Characters will use all of
Scapegoats distracted, the Whitebeards could sabotage their most powerful abilities immediately and in
the wagons or simply set them aflame. If the PCs have combination, a tactic sometimes referred to as an “alpha
overt military aid from Lord Gont or another commander strike.” If they are careful to focus their attacks and not
in the region, they might simply ride down on the caravan spread all that damage out among 20 goatfolk, they could
and try to break it with numbers. kill quite a few enemies in just a couple of rounds.

While it may be impossible for a group of 4th level PCs An Ambush Site: The PCs may have traveled the path
to kill five times their number, it’s not impossible to attack between Whitehall and the mine already, but even if they
the caravan, kill as many Scapegoats as possible, and haven’t, they probably have a chance to do so now. A
withdraw. The goatfolk are limited in number and every Wisdom (Survival) check of DC 15 can identify some
one of them the PCs slay weakens Sacco and Garcy potential sites from which to attack the caravan.
Salter. From this point of view, the goal is not actually to
seize the salt shipment. After all, it’s 20,000 pounds of First, the PCs could attack in the Gontmounds, before
salt. What are the PCs going to do with it? The goal is to the caravan has reached the barren steppe. The path
kill as many goatfolk as possible while they are pinned from the mine winds back and forth through vales
down by the caravan, cannot abandon it, and might be overlooked by barren hills. At one spot, the trail narrows
lured into a trap. to only about 20 ft wide, flanked by slopes steep enough
to qualify as difficult terrain. The hills are about 60 ft high
Reward creative thinking and forethought on the part and peak about 60 ft from the trail. From such a position,
of the PCs. Give them time to plan a strategy and don't archers and spellcasters could safely attack at range
put unreasonable obstacles in the way of that strategy. while fighters and barbarians strike at the front, middle, or
Allow them to use divination spells like augury and

56

rear of the caravan. The only special threat here is that disable the wheel or axle; otherwise, the damage can be
the salt mine, with its trained guard of about a hundred repaired in one minute. Disabling one wheel reduces the
men, assisted by mummies, will be less than half an hour wagon’s speed by half. Disabling two wheels or one axle
away. The PCs will not have time to linger; they will need immobilizes the wagon.
to strike and retreat. If all the leaders are slain (Gorshak,
Greenhorn, the shaman, and the two lagash), the Scene Four: The Hanging Tree
surviving goatfolk will abandon the wagons and flee back
to the mine, where they will be protected by the About a century ago, the prosperous city of Hightide,
Saltwatch. located on the Great River just south of the Clacking
Coast, was overwhelmed by the Beast Plagues and fell
Alternatively, the PCs might choose to attack when the into anarchy. Monster hunters converged on the city,
caravan is as far as possible from reinforcement. This renamed Moontide by its many refugees, and
would be a location between the mine and the Scapegoat exterminated the lycanthropes that had gathered there.
camp, not far from Bronwyn’s home (see Scene One: If But in the process, the hunters discovered that Baron
by Land). Bronwyn and her family are still holed up in the Anton Marcher, lord of the city, was actually a master
farm, and the PCs might choose to hide there. From this vampire.
position they could swiftly emerge and strike the caravan,
but with a few hours preparation they might just dig pits Baron Marcher fled, his enemies in hot pursuit. His
to both block the trail and provide hiding spaces for destination was a fey crossing — a portal to the Feywild
themselves. Once the caravan stops and goatfolk are — which he knew lay on the edge of a forest fifteen miles
assigned to fill the ditches blocking the way, the PCs to the northeast. The hunters caught up to him just as he
could spring from cover and attack. Alternately, they reached the crossing; he was staked and buried under
might attack the wagons themselves as the caravan is the portal. Energized by the weird magic flowing over
rolling over their hidey-holes. While it is difficult to get from Faerie, the stake in Anton Marcher’s heart took root
good cover and an ambush position in the middle of a and grew into a fantastic, horrifying tree with the fey
plain, the caravan will be hours away from help. crossing hidden within its own mighty trunk. The tree
Depending on how much damage the PCs can do the became a new landmark, and when Ironvow took over
wagons themselves, they might actually be able to this land, he made it into an instrument of his justice. The
attack, retreat for a short rest, and come back before tree became a place where convicted criminals were
Sacco leads the rest of the Scapegoats down on them. If hung from their neck until dead. It became the Hanging
the caravan is damaged or significantly slowed, they Tree.
might stop at the Scapegoat camp instead of trying to
reach Whitehall by dusk. With additional reinforcements, The Hanging Tree is a sentient, evil, plant with magical
the caravan would be safe. If attacked on the steppe, and powers inherited from its vampiric origin. It controls the
all the leaders are killed (Gorshak, Greenhorn, the fey crossing, opening and closing its trunk only when it
shaman and the two lagash), the surviving goatfolk will wishes. Most people fear the Tree and go nowhere near
flee to Sacco’s camp, abandoning the wagons. it; neither Ironvow nor its wielder know anything about the
portal or that the tree is intelligent and evil. Indeed, the
Damaging or Sabotaging the Wagons: A wagon has Hanging Tree is not on a well-traveled path. There’s no
AC 15 and is roughly 10’ by 10’. Instead of giving the reason for PCs to go near it, unless they are simply
wagon a single hit point total, treat each 5’ square of the exploring. But several individuals in the region know of
wagon as a separate Large object with 27 hp. If PCs can the Tree and might tell the PCs about it.
reduce a 5’ square to 0 hp, that part of the wagon breaks
to pieces, the wagon can no longer move, and salt spills • Lord Gont knows the legend of the Hanging Tree and
out 5’ in every direction. Area covered with spilled salt is
difficult terrain. has seen it from afar, but never investigated it closely. A
book in his library speaks of a portal to the Feywild
Alternately, a PC might try to simply disable the located there, and describes some of the magical rituals
wagon, perhaps by sabotaging an axle from beneath the which might be performed there, summoning creatures
wagon, or a wheel from a position next to the wagon. from Faerie into the world. If the PCs win Gont’s
This is similar to the way a rogue might disable a trap: a friendship, he might tell them the story and express his
DC 15 Dexterity check requiring one action; proficiency own curiosity about the tree, suggesting they should visit
with thieves’ tools grants advantage on the roll. If the PC it, return to him, and tell what they saw there. He has no
succeeds by 5 or more, he can choose to permanently desire to see the Tree destroyed. See page 43 for
suggestions on interaction with Lord Gont.
• Milo the Magistrate knows Ironvow sentences

57

criminals to death upon the Hanging Tree. He hates the Languages understands Common but cannot speak
place, but is occasionally forced to accompany Ironvow Challenge 4 (1,100 xp)
there for executions. He knows nothing about the Feywild
portal or that the Hanging Tree is awake. If he learns of False Appearance. While the Hanging Tree remains
the Tree’s true nature, he will want it destroyed. PCs are motionless, it is indistinguishable from a dead tree.
most likely to meet Milo in the wake of the Scapegoat
attack on Caldwell that ends Part One. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Hanging Tree fails
• Tunis Daughter-of-the-Moon visits the Tree whenever a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
she is in this region. She knows all about the Tree and its
undead guardians, as well as the Feywild portal. She will Actions
not cooperate with any attempt to destroy the Tree, but Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one
might give information to the PCs if they agree not to target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) bludgeoning damage.
destroy the Tree. Tunis is not a resident of this region,
but she has a reason to visit occasionally and appears on Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
the encounter table. See the description of Salter on one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage and a
page 65 for more information on Tunis. Large or smaller target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until
• Suzana the Mourner knows about the Hanging Tree, this grapple ends, the target is restrained.
but not the Feywild portal, and she wants to end its
curse. If she uses her magic to bring a PC back from Frightful Presence. Each creature of the Hanging Tree’s
death at the cost of a favor, she might demand the PCs choice that is within 60 feet of the Tree and aware of it
destroy the Hanging Tree. Suzana is lurking off the edge must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or
become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat
of the map to the northeast. See "Where is the nearest the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending
the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving
raise dead spell?" on page 40. throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is
immune to the Hanging Tree’s Frightful Presence for the
Player characters might have already investigated the next 24 hours.
Tree by this point in the story. With its undead guardians,
legendary actions, and the ability to summon packs of Children of the Night (1/Day). The Hanging Tree
fierce jackals to defend it, the Tree might be too magically calls 2d4 swarms of ravens, beetles, or
dangerous for 3rd level characters. But the Tree centipedes, 2d8 stirges, or 3d6 Medium jackals (use the
becomes especially relevant to the Fearfield War in Part game stats for wolves). The called creatures arrive in 1d4
Two, because Mother Mayhem, the green hag who rounds, acting as allies of the Hanging Tree. The Tree
attends Sacco, knows of the fey crossing and intends to can communicate with the called creatures telepathically,
use it to summon aid. If she is successful, the and they obey its commands. The beasts remain for 1
Scapegoats will gain powerful reinforcements at a critical hour, until the Hanging Tree is killed, or until the Tree
time. If the PCs can destroy the Tree or simply interrupt dismisses them as a bonus action. The Hanging Tree can
Mayhem’s plans, they can ensure the Scapegoats will only use this power at night.
remain weakened long enough for a climactic attack on
the their mercenary camp.

The Hanging Tree Legendary Actions
The Hanging Tree can take 3 legendary actions,
Large plant, neutral evil choosing from the options below. Only one legendary
Armor Class 13 (natural armor) action option can be used at a time and only at the end of
Hit Points 66 (7d12+21) another creature’s turn. The Hanging Tree regains spent
Speed 0 ft. legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Str 19 (+4) Dex 8 (-1) Con 16 (+3)
Int 12 (+1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 15 (+2) • Slam. The Hanging Tree makes one slam attack.
Saving Throws: Con +5, Wis +4, Cha +4 • Constrict. The Hanging Tree makes one constrict
Skills Perception +4 attack.
Damage Vulnerabilities Fire • Zombie Attack. The Hanging Tree allows one of the
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, necrotic, piercing; zombies hanging from its limbs to take the attack action.
slashing from nonmagical weapons
Senses darkvision 60’, passive Perception 14

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The Hanging Tree’s Lair • Druid: Wears hide armor and carries a shield (AC 12).
• Fighter: Wears chain mail (AC 16) and wields a
Once, this was the edge of an old forest, and two roads greatsword for 9 (2d6+2) slashing damage.
intersected here. At this natural crossroads, a fey • Paladin: Wears chain mail and carries a shield (AC 18),
crossing formed that gave access to the Feywild. Lord and wields a longsword for 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage.
Marcher was on this road when he was caught by his • Ranger: Wears scale mail (AC 12).
enemies, and he was buried in the crossroads. His • Bard, Rogue, and Warlock: These zombies all wear
hunters did not know the fey crossing was here, or they studded leather armor (AC 10).
would probably not have buried him directly under it. • Monk, Sorcerer, and Wizard: No unusual weapons or
Over the last century, the flagstones of the crossroads armor.
have been broken up by the massive root mound of the
Hanging Tree, and vines now obscure the crossroads, The Hanging Tree’s zombies are suspended from its
but a discerning traveler can still find signs of the ancient branches by ropes which the Tree lowers to the ground
road. The forest has died, and all the land around the so that the zombies can attack. The zombies can only
Hanging Tree is blighted and withered. move 15 feet from the Tree, but they ignore the difficult
terrain of the root mound. Until they begin moving, the
Regional Effects zombies look like ordinary corpses, hanging by their neck
• There is a noticeable increase in the populations of from the Tree’s branches.
stirges, ravens, beetles, centipedes, and jackals in the
area. The jackals, in particular, are especially large and PCs may try to take advantage of the ropes connecting
aggressive. each zombie to the Tree, tricking them into tying each
• Other plants within 500 ft of the Hanging Tree have other up or just getting in the way of each other. Zombies
withered, and their stems and branches have become tricked in this way have disadvantage on attack rolls and
twisted and thorny. Dexterity saving throws; attacks against them have
• Shadows cast within 500 ft of the Hanging Tree seem advantage. A zombie will not think to cut the rope that
abnormally gaunt and sometimes move as though connects it to the Tree, but the Tree can command them
swaying in the wind. to do so. This can only be performed by a zombie with an
• The air within 500 ft of the Hanging Tree is thick, hot, edged weapon (the barbarian, fighter, or paladin) and
and oppressive. The characters sometimes hear a voice counts as interacting with an object; it can be done once
speaking too softly to be clearly heard, seeming to come for free on a zombie’s move or attack action, but cutting
from somewhere under the ground. an additional rope requires an action.

If the Hanging Tree is destroyed, these effects end after The Fey Crossing: Once, it was easy to access the fey
2d6 days. crossing here. All you had to do was arrive at the
crossroads and dance backwards in a circle
The trunk of the Hanging Tree is Large, filling a 10 ft x counterclockwise, instantly appearing in the
10 ft space. It rests in the center of a mound of roots corresponding place in the Feywild. But when the
which extends 10 ft away from it in every direction, Hanging Tree grew around the portal, it seized control.
forming a square roughly 30 ft on a side. The root mound Now the crossing can only be opened by the Tree.
is difficult terrain. The Hanging Tree’s branches can
attack anyone on, or adjacent to, the root mound. To provide access to the fey portal, the Hanging Tree
can open a massive knot on its trunk, splitting its body
The Hanging Tree has twelve corpses hanging from its down the middle and creating a passage large enough for
long, strong, branches: one for every traditional PC class. a Medium creature to squeeze through. Moving through
These corpses are now zombies. Zombies with the the portal counts as difficult terrain. Creatures larger than
same class as your PCs are also the same race; in other Medium cannot pass through the fey crossing. If the
words, if your PC group includes a half-orc barbarian, the Hanging Tree is killed, the fey crossing closes. There is
barbarian zombie is also a half-orc. Some of the zombies no known way to open it; once your PCs are high enough
have better armor or weapons than ordinary zombies. level to begin adventuring in the Feywild, you can give
Here’s a complete list of the zombies on the Hanging them a way to open the crossing again, perhaps with a
Tree: clue provided by an old book.

• Barbarian: Wields a greataxe for 8 (1d12+2) slashing The crossing opens into a realm controlled by raven
witches, beautiful maidens who are part of the Unseelie
damage. Court. The witches live in a fearsome castle where they
• Cleric: Wears scale mail and carries a shield (AC 14).
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are served by many slaves, one of whom they consume rage, there’s not much she can do about it. She’s likely to
every night. It is these witches whom Mother Mayhem kill Bronwyn out of sheer spite, but might bring her back
seeks to summon to Sacco’s aid. to camp to torture as a consolation prize. If she’s not
carrying Bronwyn, she might attack a farm or ranching
Mother Mayhem’s Plan: By this point in the story, family as she makes her frustrated way home, especially
Mayhem has seen her beloved Sacco suffer a series of if the family has an infant child which she can eat. This
humiliating and surprising defeats. It’s possible the creates another opportunity for the PCs to detect and
Scapegoats are down to only about two dozen goatfolk, intercept her before she reaches safety at the Scapegoat
and most of their leaders and monsters may be slain. But camp.
Mother Mayhem is nothing if not devoted to her baby
boy, and she knows how to save the Scapegoats and win But if the Tree has not been destroyed, Mother
the war: she’s going to summon allies through the fey Mayhem will begin negotiating with it. The Tree
crossing hidden within the Hanging Tree. understands Common, but cannot speak, and the hag
remains invisible until she has secured its (temporary)
While Mayhem knows Sacco would gladly fly her to the aid. Mayhem will only know her bargaining is successful if
Hanging Tree on the back of his giant vulture if she the Tree opens its trunk and allows Mayhem access to
asked, she also knows this mission is quite perilous. If the fey crossing. Unless interrupted, Mother Mayhem will
the PCs are watching the Tree, or able to reach it while convince the Hanging Tree to open its trunk at midnight,
she is performing her ritual, they will stop at nothing to kill and she will begin performing a ten-minute ritual to call
Sacco. She cannot risk this. Therefore, she resolves to faerie creatures across the portal. When she begins
travel to the Tree alone. Along the way, she will gather casting this ritual, her invisibility ends. If PCs are staking
payment for the allies she intends to summon. out the Tree, this is a good time to attack.

This is not as hard as it sounds, thanks to the green But if Mother Mayhem is able to complete her
hag’s Invisible Passage trait. Mother Mayhem can be summons, she is answered, as she knew she would be,
heard and, in theory, smelt by creatures with keen by a coterie of raven witches, female shapechangers
enough noses, but she cannot be tracked and can who serve the Unseelie Court. The witches appear as
remain invisible as long as she concentrates and doesn’t beautiful women with hair black as a raven’s wings, skin
attack or cast another spell. This suggests ways in which white as snow, and lips as red as blood. They are natural
her mission might be detected: scouts along the spellcasters and can adopt the shape of a raven or a
Fearfield/Salter border may hear something moving harpy-like creature with wings instead of arms and the
through the night, or Ironvow’s celebrated hounds may legs of a giant bird. One at a time, a dozen of the witches
pick up her scent, barking and whining to draw attention climb through the Hanging Tree’s trunk. Once all twelve
to an invisible intruder. are present, they have a brief exchange with Mother
Mayhem, during which she lays out her need for aid and
It is 12 miles over land from the Scapegoat camp to they bargain for payment: the heart of a maid, delivered
the Hanging Tree, and if Mother Mayhem sets out at to each raven witch. Bronwyn serves as a down
dusk, she can reach it about an hour before midnight. But payment—a token of good faith.
she has an important mission along the way: she must
secure a young woman prisoner. Naturally, she chooses If the PCs have not arrived at the Tree by this point,
Bronwyn (see page 37). Unless the PCs are present, or things look very grim for Bronwyn, who is likely to
Bronwyn has been evacuated from her home, Mayhem become dinner for a dozen faerie shapechangers. Once
kills Dorn, incapacitates Bronwyn, and leaves with her they’ve had their meal, the raven witches pick up Mother
over one shoulder. She can carry the young woman and Mayhem and fly her to Sacco’s camp, where they
remain invisible, leaving no physical trace of her temporarily join Sacco’s forces. They expect their
passage. payment in full, and Mother Mayhem will have to arrange
that, but she’s got a little time and with the power of the
If the PCs are not already at the house, Bola witches added to Sacco’s remaining troops, he can
immediately saddles a horse and rides to wherever she continue his war against Fearfield.
thinks they might be, certain they are the only people
who can save her mother. Depending on where the PCs How The PCs Can Stop This: The PCs may already
are camping, they might get this warning in time to have made Mayhem’s plan impossible, if they have
intercept Mother Mayhem at the Hanging Tree. previously found and destroyed the Hanging Tree. That
won’t necessarily save Bronwyn, however. If the hag
When Mayhem reaches the Tree with an unconscious reaches the Tree only to find it destroyed, Bronwyn is
Bronwyn, she may discover the PCs have already
destroyed it. While this is certain to drive her mad with

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likely to pay the price. something of a financial emergency. She doesn’t have
If the PCs know about the Hanging Tree and haven’t the money to pay the mercenaries but, on the other hand,
she can plausibly blame them for failure. Many of the
destroyed it, they might be watching it somehow. Milo goatfolk may be dead, slain by the PCs in the attack on
could arrange for Ironvow’s Hounds to keep an eye on Caldwell, the retreat from the village, in the salt caravan,
the place, particularly if there’s a chance some of Sacco’s or just ambushed while patrolling near the camp. If the
troops will show up there. And while it might take a bit PCs were able to destroy the Hanging Tree or otherwise
more effort, even local farmers and ranchers might be prevent Mother Mayhem from calling reinforcements,
willing to monitor the Tree, especially since they’re Sacco’s position is especially dire; he may have only a
already wary of it. At their current level, it’s unlikely the couple of dozen warriors left. That’s no small force, to be
PCs have any way to remotely observe the Tree, such as sure, but it’s not enough to win a war. Sacco’s only option
with scrying or a crystal ball, but it’s possible they might right now is to hole up in a defensive position and wait for
use an animal companion, familiar, or other ally to keep the PCs to attack.
watch. The trick here is that once an ally observes
suspicious behavior at the Tree (such as Mayhem’s And the PCs may not be alone. They may have
disembodied voice talking to the tree), they still have to secured additional allies, either commoners from
get word to the PCs. This might be achieved with a Caldwell, the criminal Whitebeard guild, or even a pledge
familiar or a spell like animal messenger. of aid from the mysterious Lord Gont (and his iron horn of
Valhalla). They may have a plan of their own to end the
Bronwyn’s abduction will not go completely unnoticed. war, perhaps with the unspoken and covert backing of
Bola is only a girl, but she can ride her horse at a fast Danika Korser. They’re 4th level and may have improved
pace to Caldwell or wherever she thinks the PCs might their gear or armed themselves with a few minor magical
be. Use the region map to determine when Bola reaches items. If they can prepare and muster all their resources,
the PCs and how long it will take them to reach the Tree they have the power to break the morale of the
(presuming they know its existence). If they can’t get Scapegoats. This is an important realization: the PCs
there fast enough, they may arrive only in time to see the don’t have to kill every single goatfolk soldier; they only
raven witches carrying Mayhem through the air, north, have to break their will to fight by killing or capturing the
back to the Scapegoat camp. But again, if the Tree has leaders, especially Sacco himself.
already been destroyed, they might be able to follow
Mayhem back overland and catch her before she Ironvow is not blind to the success the PCs have had.
reaches the camp. If the PCs are reluctant to move on the Scapegoats
themselves, Ironvow will do it for them, perhaps forcing
Mayhem has to travel several miles through Fearfield them into action. Ironvow will not move on the
land while carrying a young woman over her shoulder. Scapegoats unless he believes he has the advantage. If
While she leaves no trail, the hounds of Fearfield are the goatfolk have not suffered significant casualties,
famous for their sense of smell. If the PCs have, or can Ironvow will not attack. But if he believes he can win,
acquire, one or more such animals, they can plausibly even at the cost of many losses, he will give the order to
follow the hag all the way to the Tree or back north to her attack.
camp.
The night before Ironvow’s attack, word spreads
Finally, this being a fantasy game, never rule out the through Kennelkeep and to Ironvow’s chief lieutenants
possibility of a prophetic dream or other divine (Milo, Lord Chuul) that battle will come in the morning.
intervention. Clerics, paladins, and worshippers of Ironvow’s plan is relatively simple, and all of it is intended
Amalthea (Bronwyn’s patroness), Mourn, Sholay, or to happen in one day. The PCs may learn of the plan
Wyrd are especially likely to get a hint in this fashion, from Milo or Oxblood Chuul, but if they have been
perhaps a vision of the Tree and an urgent sense of collecting bounty on dead goatfolk, Ironvow is willing to
foreboding among the sound of wings beating. A inform them himself, summoning them to Kennelkeep
divination such as augury could further help the PCs and offering them a chance to participate in the battle. He
decide if they should treat such a dream seriously. does not reveal his plan to them, instead insisting they
follow orders.
Scene Five: The Battle of Goat Hill
The next morning, the Fearfield War builds to a climax.
Eventually, the PCs will have to attack the Scapegoat At dawn (6 am) Ironvow sets out from Kennelkeep with
camp. The precise situation is difficult to generalize, the Knights of Fearfield and 50 of his Hounds (though
because so much depends on the actions of your PCs their dogs are left behind). Over the next hour, Ironvow
and their success or failure. But if they managed to gathers the peasant levy. By 7am, Lord Ironvow begins
disrupt the salt caravan, Baroness Salter is furious and in
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the march north towards the Scapegoat camp with his peasant levy are killed and the Scapegoats have yet to
combined army of 470 men and women. At 9:30, he take a casualty, though the raiders guarding the
crosses the border into Salter. He arrives at “Goat Hill,” entrances to the camps are wounded.
• Round 22: The Hounds reach archery range (150 ft.)
his name for the Scapegoat camp, at 11am and begins  and attack the raiders guarding the camp entrances with
their bows. They have disadvantage and the raiders have
dispersing his forces. By noon, Ironvow’s forces are in partial cover. Nonetheless, by the following round the
position and the Battle of Goat Hill begins. raiders are all dead. Ironvow leads his 20 mounted
knights towards the southwest entrance.
A Pyrrhic Victory: The PCs may not act before Ironvow • Round 24: The shaman’s entangle wears off and, with
does, or they may choose to join Ironvow’s forces in the the raiders dead, peasants swarm into the goatfolk camp
assault. The narrative here is just one possible version of through the northern entrance... straight into Sacco who
how the battle might play out. It represents a “best case has been waiting for them. He rages and attacks, killing 3
scenario” for Ironvow, and presumes the Scapegoats peasants every round. The shaman casts flaming sphere
have been worn down to 12 raiders, 12 scouts, 1 lagash, at the southeast entrance, effectively blocking it from
1 shaman, 1 adept, 1 cultist, 1 death dog, Rocky, Sacco, peasants who will not move past the fire. The lagash
and his giant vulture. drops his bow, draws his two scimitars, and resolves to
hold the southeast entrance as long as he can. The
Ironvow’s forces — 400 peasant levy, 50 scouts, and acolyte casts sanctuary on himself and takes a position
20 mounted knights — arrive at mid-day. Ironvow divides next to the lagash. Outside the camp, the Hounds no
the levy into three groups, two each of 100 and one of longer have a clear shot at anyone inside the camp; they
200. The larger force is sent around to the north side of move towards the base of the hill.
the hill, while the other two units are directed towards the • Rounds 25-27: The remaining defenders are all but
southwest and southeast entrances to the Scapegoat surrounded by peasants, who nevertheless sustain more
camp. Each unit positions itself 300 yards away from the casualties every round. The lagash is healed by the
hill and signals they’re ready with a trumpet blast. acolyte, and Sacco is healed by the shaman, whose
thunderwave is too frightening for the peasants to risk.
Once each of the three levy units is in position, The Hounds climb the cliff, arriving on the edge of the
Ironvow signals the attack with a trumpet blast of his camp. By the end of turn 27, 166 peasants have been
own. The levies begin dashing towards the hill; this slain.
signals the start of the battle. • Round 28: Sacco mounts his giant vulture and flies
away. The peasant levy finally kill off the 12 goatfolk
• Round 5: The levy is within long range for the lagash, scouts just as the Hounds attack with their bows, killing
who begins attacking with his bow. He kills a peasant on every remaining defender except for Rocky, who flies
round 7, the first casualty in the battle. away.
• Round 9: The levy is now within long range for the 12 • Round 29: Ironvow arrives with the 20 knights of
goatfolk scouts, who begin attacking with their Fearfield, but the battle is over. The defenders, about 30
crossbows. With disadvantage, they kill 3 peasants every in number, are all dead save for Sacco and Rocky.
round. Approximately 200 peasants were killed in the attack.
• Round 14: The levy is now inside effective range for None of the Hounds or knights were lost. Ironvow is
the goatfolk crossbows. The goatfolk shaman casts satisfied.
entangle in the middle of the north entrance to the camp,
effectively blocking most of it from the levy and allowing 4 As mentioned, this represents something of a best case 
goatfolk raiders to defend it. The lagash casts hunter’s scenario for Ironvow. If the defenders are more numerous 
mark. Ironvow, seeing the levy effectively engaged with or certain key members are still present, it could play out 
the defenders, orders his 50 Hounds to move up to
effective archery range, targeting the raiders defending very differently. 
the entrances. By the end of this round, 23 members of
the peasant levy have been killed. • If the PCs are present: Ideally, either the PCs are
• Round 15: As the levy move through difficult terrain,
goatfolk raiders throw their hand axes and take partial present in the battle, or they attack the camp themselves
cover behind the camp palisade. Rocky begins using his and make the battle unnecessary. Regardless, it is
petrifying gaze and eye beams on the attacking important that player decisions have an impact on the
peasants. narrative. If the PCs are in the battle, they are in a
• Round 16: Melee is finally joined as the peasant levy
reaches the raiders. By round 21, 98 members of the

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position to troubleshoot problems, come to the rescue of Making It More Complicated
beleaguered NPCs, and act as a rapid response force.
Ironvow is lawful and will stick to its battle plan, freeing You may decide it doesn’t make sense for the other
the PCs to do as they wish. Sacco himself may escape armies in the region to stay put and not get involved
the battle possibly fleeing to the ruin of Thumehall to plot when Kennelkeep marches on Goat Hill. The scale of
his revenge in another adventure, or he may stand his this battle has been kept small so that your PCs can
ground fighting until the very end. That decision is for the have more influence upon it. But if your characters
GM to make. have interacted with the other NPCs of the region,
• If the Large champions are present: Smotey the they may be able to exert influence over events even
owlbear, Greenhorn the minotaur, and Five-Fingered when they’re not actually present. For example, here
Gorram can guard the entrances to the camp, but they do are some potential events that could escalate the
not significantly change the flow of the battle. An conflict.
additional 6-9 peasants are killed by each of these Amphibious Assault: In this scenario, Ironvow is
champions before the Hounds close to archery range and worried that the Dames of the Spur and the Swords of
kill them. The goatfolk raiders last an additional round. If Salter will interfere in the battle. Even if they arrive too
all three of these champions are present, they manage to late to save the Scapegoats, they could attack
kill enough peasants to break the morale of the levy and Ironvow’s forces when they’re tired and wounded.
cause the surviving 200 peasants to rout, but this occurs That could be catastrophic. So Ironvow orders
just as the knights arrive to mop up. Other than more Oxblood Chuul to make a feint against House Korser.
deaths among the levy, there’s no significant change to Chuul, with his marines, crossbowmen, and sailors,
the outcome of the battle. land at the base of the Spur. The sailors set up basic
• If Gorshak or Sathras are present: The presence of fortifications and hold the ships while the
either of these two individuals can have a large impact on crossbowmen, marines, and Oxblood himself march
the battle. If not liberated from the camp by the time up the Spur. They get about halfway before they’re
Ironvow attacks, Sathras has been persuaded to fight met by the garrison of the Spur and Danika’s knights.
with the Scapegoats (for now), and has been fed to But Oxblood does not attack; he sets up prepared
restore his strength. As the levy close up the slope in defenses and waits.
round 15, he attacks with his breath weapon. The levy, Sending: Once Garcy Salter learns that troops are on
who believe they are fighting a dragon, flee. Ironvow is the move, she can use sending to communicate with
forced to lead the knights in an attack on the north Lord Gont and Danika Korser, coordinating a
entrance; as the knights close, Sathras moves to each of response. She might order Lord Gont to lead his
the other entrances and uses his breath weapon again. scouts and garrison troops against Kennelkeep; they
By the time the knights and Hounds arrive, the levy has could reach Ironvow’s stronghold before nightfall,
been entirely routed. Gorshak, who knows fear, has a possibly cutting off Ironvow’s retreat. At the same
similar effect on the levy, as he concentrates on the spell time, she could send her husband Wyat with the
and directs the area of effect over waves of peasants. In Swords of Salter to help Danika Korser. If Chuul has
either case, by round 22 the hill is a mass of goatfolk, tried the amphibious assault, the Swords will quickly
knights, and Hounds in melee. The Scapegoats are still defeat the sailors and capture their ships. Chuul’s
all killed (save Sacco and Rocky, who can fly away), but marines and crossbowmen will be caught between the
Ironvow’s strategy fails, and the Hounds and knights take Swords on one side and Korser’s garrison and knights
significant casualties, each losing about half their on the other.
number. The Fate of Lord Chuul: Chuul’s fate may depend on
• If the Raven Witches are present: This is a worst- if the PCs have helped him energize his ring of water
case scenario for Ironvow. It takes only a few raven elemental command. If they have, he can use ice
witches to block entrance to the camp with sleet storms storm to surprise the Swords of Salter long enough to
while the remainder use fog cloud to surround the hill. reach his ships, and wall of ice to rally his forces and
The levy is slowed down so much that, after half their escape the trap. Without such magic, he is forced to
number are killed, the rest flee. With fog blocking their surrender. Wyat, who is neutral, and Danika, who is
line of sight, the Hounds have to climb the cliff before good, accept this surrender and Oxblood is locked in
they can attack, and when they and the Knights of the Spurrock. (Danika does this because she rightly
Fearfield are finally able to engage in melee, slow allows
them to make only one attack every round instead of two. Continued on next page

63

With all of these advantages, the Scapegoats are able to Making It More Complicated (Continued)
hold off Ironvow’s forces long enough to force a retreat.
Ironvow’s forces are decimated and withdraw, so Sacco suspects Garcy Salter would just have Oxblood
considers his mercenary contract completed. He and the killed.)
survivors march to Whitehall to collect their fee from The Battle of Kennelkeep: If Gont’s troops set out for
Baroness Salter, who is surprised by the outcome, but Kennelkeep, they can reach it at dusk, just as
happy to pay Sacco to make him go away. The forces Ironvow’s surviving forces arrive. The outcome of this
remaining under her command — including Lord Gont’s battle is up to you to determine; Ironvow’s men will be
scouts and Dame Korser’s knights — can handle it from weary and will have suffered casualties on the Hill.
here. The peasant levy will probably refuse to fight again.
But Gont has only 200 men, half of whom are
The Aftermath: Sacco is seen flying south. Ironvow does inexperienced garrison soldiers who have never been
not give chase, though the PCs might follow. The in a fight. If Lord Gont has not used his iron horn of
Scapegoat camp is filled with goatfolk corpses. Almost Valhalla for the day, almost twenty berserkers may tip
two hundred dead commoners surround the hill on three the balance. If Gont and Ironvow duel, Gont is the
sides. Reluctantly, Ironvow abandons the corpses on the superior fighter, but Ironvow could win by
field of battle (Cald wants to stay and burn the bodies, decapitation.
but the sword cares nothing for human corpses). His
forces are vulnerable out here, so close to Whitehall, and which made the family astonishingly rich. But as the
he fears an attack on Kennelkeep by Lord Gont. After kingdom shriveled, the Capricorn Throne tired of paying
gathering up any personal belongings, he orders his Salter’s price and sought out rival merchants. The house
forces to march home. Jackals and crows arrive to begin entered a long period of decline, made worse when the
eating the dead as the army withdraws. They arrive back extensive aqueduct system of Panalane deteriorated,
in Kennelkeep by dusk. leaving Salter dry and barren.

With the destruction of the Scapegoats, the PCs may Twenty years ago, a knight who took shelter at a
consider their job to be done. Give each PC an additional monastery within Salter’s borders found there a magic
reward of 150 XP if they help destroy the Scapegoat sword. The blade was sentient and called itself Ironvow;
camp. But all the tensions in this region remain: Ironvow promising the traveler great power and wealth, it
still feels he must humiliate and impoverish Salter to convinced him to take Ironvow up. The two formed a
deter further aggression, Danika still wants a shot at partnership, and together led a revolt against the Baron
Ironvow, and Garcy still wants Fearfield back. The war is Salter and his young wife. Several bloody battles were
not over, and the PCs might be able to tip the balance fought in southern Salter. Ultimately, almost half of
one way or the other. Salter’s territory fell under Ironvow’s control, and this
became the new land of Fearfield.
But that will take time, and meanwhile Sacco has fled
to Thumehall. If the PCs want to enact justice upon him Garcy Salter, the baroness, was appalled and
for the depredations of the Scapegoats, they’ll have to go disgusted at her husband’s weakness and his inability to
into the ruined monastery and find him. But that is an bring Ironvow to heel. She poisoned him one night, not
adventure for another day. bothering to conceal her deed. Such an act brought
scandal down upon the family line, but this is how things
The Lands and their Rulers  are done in the Threadbarrens today; you either play or
get played. Garcy already had an infant heir from her late
House Salter husband, and she continues to rule Salter today.

The Salter family lineage goes back to the most ancient The baroness is the unquestioned leader of her family.
of historical records. This land, abutting the Great River She is assisted by her second husband, Wyat Salter (a
and blessed with rare salt deposits, was home to many male human N knight), the third son of a distant barony.
commoners, miners, and merchants, and although the She has two children: Tybalt (a male human N noble),
toil in the mine was hard, the people were prosperous. age 17 and the heir, son of her first husband, and
Eventually, an ancient queen took a man of the mine for Garcette, age 8, whom she dotes upon.
her husband, and together they claimed the name of
Salter. Salter is served by two lesser houses whose lords are
bound by oath to provide military assistance to Salter
When the kings of Panalane began to expand across
the continent, the Salters had a vital strategic role. They
were the sole provider of salt to the royal army and navy,

64

when called upon. Lord Gont rules the Gontmounds to of the gang is Willam Whitebeard; Willam is a male dwarf
the west of Salter, a land of hills, ruins, and haunted bandit captain in his mid-80s who, like the rest of the
forests. Dame Danika Korser controls the Spur, a vital gang, stains his beard white with salt. Garcy’s
spit of land which links Salter to the Great River. relationship with the Whitebeards is strained. She wants
them to help in her war against Fearfield, but Willam
The Barony of Salter refuses, insisting that he is already paying her the carrion
every month, and that’s all he’s obligated to do. She’s
While Garcy Salter is owed obedience by two smaller hinted that she might turn her military might against the
houses which rest on her east and west flanks, Salter gang next, but Willam is betting that’s all talk. For now,
proper is a strip of land roughly 25 miles long and ten the two avoid each other and communicate only through
miles wide, leading from southwest to northeast. Salter intermediaries. Both know that, were they to be in the
once included all the land currently known as Fearfield same room, things might get ugly, and neither wants to
and the Clacking Coast, but Ironvow took those lands say or do something they’ll later regret.
and gave the Coast to Lord Chuul.
Once a month, Whitehall opens its gates for a market
What remains is a dry land, like most of the which takes place within the castle bailey. It’s not an
Threadbarrens, with scrubby steppe to the east and especially festive affair, and the Whitebeards collect a toll
bleak hills to the west. It is in these hills that the ancient on everyone going through the gate, but it’s the biggest
salt mine, the source of Salter’s name, wealth, and market in the region, and every merchant tries to be
lineage, can still be found. Whitehall, the home of the there.
Salter family, is located in the east about ten miles from
the Great River. It is surrounded by Whitehall Town, the Whitehall Town is protected by a garrison of a hundred
largest population center in the area, home to about men and women. The Town Watch, as they are known,
1,600 people. Recently, Sacco’s Scapegoats have set up are poorly trained and all the commanders are on the
a camp in the middle of the barony, about five miles from take from the Whitebeards. Some of the watchmen are
the border with Fearfield. From here, they scout, patrol, good people who believe in justice and their duty; they
and stage raids across the border. find it very hard to endure the town’s endemic corruption,
but there aren’t a lot of jobs in Whitehall Town, and the
Whitehall is a true castle, albeit a small one, built atop steady (if meager) pay of the watch is a powerful lure.
a hill overlooking the surrounding town. A stone wall with
three towers and a gatehouse encloses a spacious Those who don’t live in town dwell in scattered family
bailey, with a circular stone keep in one corner. The keep homesteads where they herd goats, grow crops of
is three stories high, large enough to have a commanding stunted corn, and scratch out a meager life. These
view of the surrounding steppes. Garcy’s personal guard homes are more clustered in the eastern third of Salter
of a hundred veteran infantry, the Swords of Salter, are (which is closer to the Great River and so a bit more
housed in the castle along with the entire royal family. green) and the scrub-covered slopes of the Gontmounds.
Garcy likes to patronize entertainers of various stripes Those families unfortunate enough to live in the middle of
that might pass through the area, always offering them the Barony have largely fled since the arrival of the
lavish accommodations in the castle. Because this offer Scapegoats, who aren’t particular about borders when it
is well known, actors, musicians, and storytellers don't comes time to raid. Several ranches and cabins were
come to Salter unless they’re willing to accept the looted and burned by the mercenaries, and the poor
baroness’s hospitality. innocents who dwelt there were killed or driven out.

Officially, Whitehall Town has a mayor, Dalt The mines of Salter are located in the eastern
Cooperson, but in fact he is a puppet of the Whitebeards, Gontmounds. Salt mines are infamously difficult places to
who really run things. Every business, and many work because of the constant dehydration and the threat
personal residences, pay the Whitebeards protection of inhaled salt dust. Even thousands of years ago,
money every month. This is one of the reasons the town when the mine was first opened, workers had a
hasn’t grown much over the last decade, despite the lifespan measured in months. But the people of Salter
difficulty of scraping out a living on the barren steppes. were different back then, and practiced many customs
Most of the Whitebeards are lawful evil dwarves (bandits that now seem strange; among these customs was a
and thugs); however, a human, halfling, gnome, or other tradition of preserving the corpses of dead miners,
individual of enough ruthlessness — and capable of mummifying them using some of the salt from the mine.
growing a beard — can get into the gang. Aspiring Over generations, the Gontmounds became littered with
members have to prove their worth over time, however, graves in which the salted dead had been buried.
before being offered a chance to join. The current leader
As the Kingdom of Panalane grew, the lords of Salter

65

sought out more humane means of continuing the salt Mine Mummies
trade. They turned to animated objects, golems, and
other constructs that could work unsupervised or, if Use stats for a mummy, but replace Dreadful Glare
necessary, monitored by only a few individuals equipped with Dessicating Breath, which inflicts the same effect
with magical control devices. This was an expensive as ray of enfeeblement. Creatures killed by the mine
system to construct and arrange, but times were good mummy’s mummy rot are reduced to salt rather than
then and Salter had the money. But as the kingdom dust. The mummies are digging new chambers deep
slowly collapsed, these construct miners began to underground; no one knows about these chambers
malfunction and fail. By the time Garcy assassinated her yet, let alone why the mummies are digging them. The
husband and became the sole ruler of Salter, the mine control amulets are entirely unmagical. The mummies
was producing only a small fraction of its past income. have just been conditioned to obey anyone wearing
Garcy didn’t have the resources to rebuild the miner one.
constructs, so she went looking for alternatives.
to haunt it. A generation later, Lord Gont’s second son
Her vassal, Lord Gont, provided one. Gont knew men attempted to seize power by killing his father and
with unnatural fields of study, including necromancy. brother; a furious room-to-room battle resulted in the
Through these contacts, Garcy was able to find a woman castle catching fire, and it was ultimately left a smoking
who could create an entire workforce out of the ruin.
mummified remains of the mine’s original workers. This
necromancer, Tunis Daughter-of-the-Moon, worked for Only a daughter survived, but she slowly led the House
about a year, living near the mine and leading back from the brink of destruction and had the castle
expeditions to recover salted mummies from the rebuilt greater than before. By the time of the kingdom’s
surrounding hills. Once re-animated, the mummies golden age, Gont scouts and rangers were a vital part of
retained enough memory of their former lives that they the army of Panalane. In a famous battle that gave
could, once again, work the salt mines. But they still Panalane a beachhead on the eastern shore of the Great
needed to be supervised, and so Tunis created a small River, the first banner raised on the far shore was the
number of amulets, and trained the mummies to obey the bone-white fist of House Gont. The king gave Lord Gont
wearers. After collecting a handsome payment, Tunis the first choice of the plunder, and this is how House
went on her way, though as per her contract, she returns Gont acquired its most famous heirloom, an iron horn of
once a year or so to perform a few days of maintenance Valhalla. Due to the martial requirements of this
on the salt mummy miners. wondrous item, martial training is required of every
member of the Gont family.
There are hundreds of mummies working in the mines
of Salter, supervised by about a dozen master miners Centuries passed, and Gont remained firm as the
and their apprentices. The mine is extraordinarily deep kingdom declined. The Lords Gont remained faithful to
now, and runs in many directions. It is a subterranean Salter, having learned the lesson of betrayal. When
labyrinth so vast that it’s doubtful any mortal mining crew Ironvow led a rebellion, Gont rejected his offers of
could continue to work it. But the mummies never alliance and contributed soldiers to Salter’s defense,
complain; they only dig deeper, deeper, and deeper. repelling an attack aimed at the salt mines. But this left
Because the mines are the heart of Salter’s economy, Castle Gont vulnerable; it was sacked by Ironvow’s
Garcy has also stationed a garrison of a hundred well- troops and once again destroyed. This time, House Gont
trained men here, a unit which calls itself the Saltwatch. was not wealthy enough to rebuild. The Threadbarrens,
The members of the Saltwatch are used to the presence like the rest of the kingdom, had fallen into decline and
of the mummies and even use a few of them as labor Gont was in decline with it. Lord Gont was forced to settle
around their garrison camp. for a large hall on the outskirts of the old castle ruins; this
became the new home of his family.
House Gont
Now, the aged Lord Miles Gont rules alone, without
As the land of Salter grew, it naturally came into conflict wife or child. His heir is his younger brother Merrik Gont,
with its neighbors. A knight in service to one of these who commands a tower on the border with Fearfield.
rivals betrayed his lord and sided with Salter, bringing Merrik, at least, has children, thus ensuring the family will
with him all his loyal soldiers and a strong border castle. go on.
The resulting war was swift and one-sided, and when it
was over, the knight was made the first Lord Gont. But
House Gont was built on betrayal, and betrayal continued

66

The Gontmounds made her the first Dame Korser, and charged her with
keeping the Spur safe.
The Gontmounds are a hilly region on the west end of the
barony of Salter. They are eighteen miles long and A tradition of female knighthood arose on the Spur,
roughly ten miles wide, with the southern stretches cultivated by House Korser. Not all the women who rode
boasting some light woods, unusual in the for the House were born on this land; many came from
Threadbarrens. Castle Gont, once a large and impressive elsewhere in Salter or even the Gontmounds, seeking
citadel expanded over generations, stands in ruins atop glory, service, and their own destinies. The Dames of the
three hills; the new Gont Hall stands a few miles Spur fought in the forefront of Panalane’s wars east,
northeast with Miles’s secret chapel to the Great God earning accolade after accolade. The House drew royal
enclosed within the compound’s outer walls. Lord Gont favor, with one of the Korser daughters marrying into the
keeps a hundred guards at his Hall, to deter attack by royal line. A statue of Dame Korser was raised in the
brigands or his neighbor Ironvow, but they are nervous capital. But the golden age ended, and the Beast Plagues
and fearful, considering their master’s nightly proclivities were cruel to the House, claiming the lives of mother and
and the growing visibility of undead in the hills. daughter.

Ten miles southeast of Castle Gont is the Tower of The ultimate humiliation came only a generation ago,
Bone, originally a hunting lodge for the Gont family. Now in the Ironvow Rebellion. Ironvow’s mounted knights were
the Tower and its surrounding outbuildings are home to the pride of his army and his ultimate striking force. It was
Sir Merrik Gont (lawful neutral human male veteran), only natural for Baron Salter to ask Dame Korser to
Lord Gont’s brother and heir to the land, as well as his counter those knights, a challenge she gladly accepted.
wife Garland Gont, his two sons Mikel and Mathias (both But in the battle, Korser was slain by Ironvow itself, her
scouts), and their own wives, grown children, and a head cut from her neck by the sentient sword.
minimal servant staff. In other words, virtually the entirety Disheartened and demoralized, the Dames of the Spur
of the extended family dwells here in rather cramped broke and fled. Ironvow won the day, the Baron was
conditions, but they’d rather do that than try to live in defeated and soon dead, murdered by his own wife.
Gont Hall with Miles. The Tower is wide and tall, riddled
with arrow slits and topped with crenellations, making it Dame Danika Korser is the daughter of the woman
difficult for any assault. It is connected to Castle Gont who died that day, and she is determined to live up to her
and Gont Hall by an old path that winds through the hills. oaths of fealty. Yes, Garcy Salter is a murderer, but
The Tower of Bone also serves as the headquarters for Danika’s mother failed Salter in its moment of need;
the Gont Men, a unit of one hundred veteran scouts led Danika feels she has no right to judge her lady. She
by Mathias Gont. The Gont Men regularly range over the serves willingly, and is eager for a chance to redeem her
border into Fearfield but avoid confrontation unless they family honor, preferably in battle against Ironvow.
are on their own territory. Nevertheless, their skill and
cunning are all the deterrent House Gont needs to keep Danika is unmarried, and has been courted by many of
Ironvow from making a move against the Tower of Bone. the eligible lords of the Threadbarrens. The heir to her
house is her aunt Corrine (a LN female human noble),
The lands between Gont Hall and the Tower are very who administers much of the land’s finances and day to
thinly populated. Simple cabins nestled in the vales are day operations.
home to taciturn hillfolk, while further south it’s been
possible for more families to eke out humble lives as The Spur
woodsmen. The increasing threat of undead, which the
few remaining inhabitants don’t really understand and For centuries, House Korser has been caretaker of the
rightly fear, has led families to abandon their old homes Spur, a twist of land which projects out into the Great
and build new ones on the hilltops, where they have a River, forcing the river to bend around it. The Spur
better view of the surrounding country. creates a natural harbor which, in times past, has been
the primary trading hub for the Barony of Salter. But since
House Korser the Ironvow Rebellion, the Clacking Coast has been held
by Lord Chuul and the Spur is now a hostile border.
About the time the Kingdom of Panalane was crossing
the Great River, a peasant revolt threw out the lord of the The Spur itself stretches about ten miles, curling in a
Spur and put a woman in his place. The Baron Salter clockwise direction from the mainland. It is a dry beach of
could have forced her out, but decided instead to yield to sand and dirt, ending in a square stone keep: the
the wishes of the peasants. He knighted the young Spurrock. This is the ancestral home of House Korser,
woman, who was an accomplished rider and warrior, and it is here that the Dames of the Spur, twenty female
knights, are housed, along with a hundred trained
soldiers. The Spur rises as it twists into the river, and the

67

Spurrock has a commanding view of Crab Keep and the famous for teaching earth elemental magic along with
Clacking Coast, the Great River north and south, and unarmed fighting techniques) and began to attract those
Vanora to the east. who were unhappy with Baron Salter’s rule. In the
Threadbarrens, discontent was easy to find. Ironvow had
Korser land is not limited solely to the Spur, however. a wealth of military tactics and strategy at its command,
There is a wedge of sparse grassland about five miles and instructed Gavin how to recruit and train a force of
deep and nine miles across which is also within Danika’s disciplined soldiers and swift-riding cavalry. Ironvow’s
territory. While humble, this is among the most fertile land troops were well led and cannily directed; they feinted
remaining under Salter’s influence. It is dotted with small towards the salt mines to lure Gont’s forces east, then
homesteads, goat ranches, and corn fields. struck Castle Gont while the garrison was away, making
off with wagons of plunder and loot. And, under Ironvow’s
House Ironvow direction, they sacked Thumehall, even pulling down
some of its walls and burning much of the rest.
Ironvow is a new house, one which seized its own title by
rebellion against House Salter. The story is famous in Gavin promised law and order and a return to
these lands, and can be told to any traveler who passes prosperity. His military victories were persuasive, and
through (though not without some embellishment). Sir while Ironvow fed Gavin eloquent speeches that pleased
Gavin Goldleaf was a knight down on his luck. He had the nobility, the knight himself had a common touch that
suffered ignominious defeat in three tournaments in a won over the hearts of the peasants. Eventually Baron
row, and had lost all his best horses, armor, and Salter committed himself to a climactic battle, and though
weapons as a result. In desperation, he hit the mercenary he himself escaped, many of his knights and soldiers
circuit, looking to sell his sword in the Threadbarrens, but were killed, including Dame Korser. Ironvow had won,
none would have him. Unable to pay for even a room at and the negotiations for a peace were hardly dry before
an inn, he sought shelter at Thumehall, a monastery Garcy Salter murdered her husband and took over what
devoted to the ancient god of the earth. was left of the barony.

But while there, he somehow insulted the monks who Now known as Lord Ironvow, Gavin became a lesser
maintained the hall. (No one seems to know exactly what baron, powerful enough to have vassals of his own, but
Goldleaf did, so this is usually where the storyteller starts he was not a member of the Great Council. He gave the
making things up.) He found himself on the run inside the land on his eastern border to his most powerful ally, Sir
labyrinthine passages of the monastery, ran into a dead Oxblood Chuul, and ruled more-or-less wisely for about
end, and barricaded himself in. But the old storage room fifteen years. He was famous for his love of hounds and
in which he found himself proved to be the end of his bad hunting, and he began an extensive kennel operation that
luck (or, some say, just the beginning) because in a chest persists to this day. But he never married or named an
there he found an old sword: Ironvow. heir, a fact which more than anything else made it clear
that Gavin was the lesser partner in the land’s peculiar
Ironvow was forged in the east by enemies of the arrangement. Five years ago Gavin collapsed during a
Kingdom of Panalane, and was used against the tournament and was dead in minutes. Ironvow, working
Capricorn host as the king slowly expanded across the through the highest court officials, declared that it would
continent. But the original bearer of the sword was killed choose the heir to the barony and a search was begun.
by a famous knight of House Korser, his body looted, and Ironvow was placed in the hands of virtually every adult
the sword claimed as a prize. When House Korser went male in the land, until eventually it chose Cald, a middle-
through a brief period of religious fanaticism, much of the aged blacksmith, as its new bearer.
family’s wealth was donated to religious institutions, and
Ironvow ended up in a Thumehall coffer. There it had Cald Ironvow never expected to be a baron, but now
rested for over two centuries. that he is, he has settled into the role and finds his
working relationship with Ironvow to be a calm and
The sword was able to communicate with Gavin steady one. They agree on a great many things, such as
Goldleaf, and quickly made him an offer: take the sword the importance of law over sentimentality. Cald is a
from the monastery, by force if necessary, and the sword practical man with no family who appreciates a good
would lead the knight to greatness. Gavin, desperate for sword and who has the strength of body to swing it; this
a change of fortune, agreed. And thus the Ironvow describes why Ironvow chose him.
Rebellion was born.
Fearfield
Ironvow and Gavin Goldleaf became a team, though
everyone takes it for granted that the sword had its way Fearfield got its name in the Ironvow Rebellion, when it
more often than not. They fought their way out of
Thumehall (no small feat considering the monastery was

68

was the site of constant skirmishing between Ironvow Fearfield Hounds
and Salter troops. The crowning moment was the sack of
Thumehall, which genuinely shocked Baron Salter, Fearfield’s most well-known exports are the lean
forcing him to realize he had underestimated what his greyhounds trained at Kennelkeep. Use stats for the
enemies were capable of. jackal, but replace Pack Tactics with the following
trait:
The barony is triangular in shape, roughly 18 miles on Well Trained: A Fearfield Hound is trained to assist
a side. The land is mostly arid scrub, dry steppe with its master. A master who is within 30 feet of his
patches of grass but little greenery. The north border Hound, and whose Hound can see or hear its master,
abuts Salter, and it is here where most of the recent can use a bonus action to command the Hound to use
conflict has taken place. The ruins of Thumehall are in its own action to Help with Perception, Survival, and
the west and the village of Caldwell — renamed after the melee combat rolls. Only a character proficient in
selection of Cald as heir to the barony — is in the north. Animal Handling can serve as a master to a Fearfield
The only real fortification in Fearfield is Kennelkeep, a Hound, the Hound can have only one master at a
large stone hall in the middle of the territory that serves time, and it takes one week of downtime for a Hound
as a home for Ironvow, the center of a prodigious dog- to be acclimated to a new master. A Fearfield Hound
breeding operation, and a base for the baron’s troop of can also be used as an animal companion to a ranger,
20 cavalry, the Knights of Fearfield. The eastern border is or a wizard’s familiar; in these cases, the ranger or
protected by Lord Chuul, Cald Ironvow’s strongest and wizard become the Hound’s master, even if the
most loyal servant. The ruins of an old city lie to the master does not have proficiency in Animal Handling.
south, along the Great River, and the lands near it are A Fearfield Hound costs 50gp.
haunted; no one goes there, and it serves as a functional
southern border. Caldwell for preparation and sale, using salt bought from
Salter through merchant intermediaries. The people of
Thumehall was a very old monastery and one of the Caldwell are very aware of their precarious position so
centers for worship of Thume before it was destroyed in close to Salter, but this is their home and they’re reluctant
the rebellion. Hundreds of monks lived here at any one to move. They trust Ironvow to defend the village, but this
time, though they were very reclusive and let few trust is misplaced. Ironvow has recently summoned Milo
outsiders know much of their dealings. Over the last to Kennelkeep, where he remains safe for the duration of
century or so, the monastery came to earn the the war. Many of Caldwell’s inhabitants have been
resentment of the common folk of Salter, who saw the drafted into the army, and are now camped around
monks as living in comfort and luxury while the rest of the Kennelkeep engaged in “basic training.” A trail leads
people starved or fought for scraps. The secretive ways south to Kennelkeep and then east to the coast.
of Thume and the monks themselves did nothing to help
matters, and Ironvow found it easy to raise arms against Kennelkeep is the home of House Ironvow. It is a new
the place. Thumehall was surrounded for months, slowly construction, financed by the loot from Thumehall and
starving the monks within, and by the time the sword boasting many accoutrements stolen from Castle Gont to
commanded an assault, there were few within able to put the west. It is a low, rambling hall of stone with tile roofs,
up a fight. When the monastery gave up its treasures, the arrow slits on the upper floors, and limited entrances. The
looters found all they had hoped for and more, and this compound is surrounded by an eight foot stone wall, and
wealth served Ironvow well in the raising of forces and clearly designed to fight off an assault. Gavin Ironvow
the persecution of the rebellion. The ruins of Thumehall founded his kennels here, and expanded them many
still stand, exposing catacombs that riddle the earth times over before his sudden death. Ironvow, in turn,
beneath the monastery, tunnels dug in service to the found a use for all these dogs, which are now sold up and
Deep God. Occasionally a band of looters dares to down the Great River and incorporated into Fearfield’s
explore the site, looking for anything of value; few return, military. The dogs of Fearfield are a hunting breed,
and those that do relate stories of the ghosts and modest in size but fast, long and lean, with excellent
monsters that haunt the ruins. noses and something of a nervous disposition. They are
happiest when they are tracking something, and they
Caldwell is a village of about 300 in the north corner of respond very well to training, coming to know their
the barony, only two hours from Whitehall Town. The handlers’ every desire without even being commanded.
village is organized around a central well and includes a Cald lives in Kennelkeep with a small court, but he has
small temple to the gods, an inn (the Happy Hound), and
the residence of Milo the Magistrate, heir to the barony. 69
Fish and shellfish from the Clacking Coast are brought to

based a hundred trained scouts, called simply the where she can, and this is one she doesn’t think she can
Hounds, in barracks outside the compound. Each scout win.
has his own dog, chosen from the best the kennels can
produce, and from here they range all over the barony Lady Rebeka (formerly Beky) Chuul is in her early
and the Clacking Coast. The Knights of Fearfield have thirties and has a pleasant figure and lovely face. With
also been summoned, pitching their tents around her bright red hair and green eyes, it’s easy to see how
Kennelkeep. And, finally, a huge training camp has been she attracted Oxblood’s attention. Rebeka tried to learn
constructed, surrounding the hall in every direction. Here, aristocratic ways upon her marriage, but after a few years
four hundred commoners armed with spears and leather of fruitless rejection by other Threadbarons, she gave up
armor are being trained for war. This gives Ironvow the and just accepted the fact that you can take the farmgirl
advantage in numbers, but no one expects a peasant off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the
levy to be good for much once violence actually starts. farmgirl. Her oldest child, Rachel, is an avid sailor at age
Cald and Ironvow are in agreement, however: the 14. The heir to House Chuul is her son Danyel, age 12.
peasant levy will serve very well as a distraction force.
Once they see an opening, they intend to send the levy The Clacking Coast
out onto the open ground and lure Garcy into an attack
upon it. It doesn’t even matter if the levy has finished its This twenty-five mile stretch along the Great River is
training, because they’re not expected to win. Wherever called the Clacking Coast because of the shellfish and
Salter’s troops come from in response — be it Whitehall, crabs which can be found all along its length. This is the
the Tower of Bone, or the Spur — Ironvow’s Hounds and financial bedrock of the region, and almost everyone who
his fast-riding Knights can raid that fortification, perhaps lives here is either part of the Chuul household or
even catching Garcy herself or one of her important involved in the fishing trade.
vassals. With one of these individuals as a bargaining
chip, Ironvow can begin to dictate peace terms. The loss The land here is flat, covered with thin grasses that are
of hundreds of peasants is a fair price to pay if it means barely good enough for the grazing of goats. Homes line
victory in war. the River, and most of those homes boast a boat or two,
tied to a post or just dragged up onto the shore. Crab
The population of Fearfield is low, though not as thin traps crowd the water, and the families that dwell here
as the Gontmounds. The land is home to goat ranches, have long-standing rules about whose trap goes where.
bean yards, and corn fields, with many families finding When there are disputes, no one bothers to go to Lord
work in either the seafood industry or the baron’s Chuul about them, since he obviously could not care less.
kennels, where they gather food for the animals, care for Milo the Magistrate, heir to House Ironvow, is
them, train them, and eventually sell them to merchants occasionally summoned, and he’s been spending a lot of
who ply the River. time recently trying to get all these fishing rights written
down.
House Chuul
The only large settlement or fortification along the
The only vassal of Fearfield, House Chuul was founded coast is Clawton, a stone hall which is the home of House
after the Ironvow Rebellion. Sir Oxblood Chuul, whose Chuul. Oxblood Chuul hosts regular feasts here, and if
last name comes from a legendary battle with a most of the food is caught in the Great River by his own
particularly large and vicious example of Chuul-kind subjects, he’s easy to please and seldom complains.
named Copperclaw, led the successful sack of Castle Clawton is modest for a hall, and it is really just a single
Gont. For this, and for his loyalty and bravery during the enormous chamber for feasts and some private
campaign, he was given the greatest of all rewards: chambers on an upper story for the lord and his family. A
elevation to banneret and a grant of land that will pass to stone wall surrounds the hall, and the storage chambers
his heirs. underneath include a tiny dock with an escape tunnel to
the River, allowing the family to escape any siege.
In the twenty years since his elevation, Lord Chuul has Clawton is protected by a garrison of a hundred soldiers.
enjoyed life. He married a young and beautiful woman of
common birth, who remains incredibly grateful to But the pride of Chuul’s military is its fleet of five
Oxblood for her escape from a life of drudgery, and has
had four children by her. He’s also had three other longships that patrol the river for miles in both directions.
children that he knows of; Oxblood Chuul is a man of
great appetite. Lady Chuul is not so happy about these Each ship carries sixty men, consisting of a mix of sailors,
bastard children, but she’s decided to fight her battles
marines, and archers. But although they’re capable
70
boatmen, the truth is that they’ve never seen combat, and

the marines and archers are very much untested. In the

current war, the only rational target for these ships is an

assault on the Spur, which has had the effect of keeping already led an assault on the Spurrock is because that
House Korser pinned down in Spurrock instead of riding
to attack Fearfield proper. In that sense, Lord Chuul is would be so damn predictable and therefore, in his mind,
doing his job. In fact, the only reason Oxblood hasn’t
doomed to failure. 

Military Forces Table

Name Location # AC HP Attacks CR Notes

Salter

Saltwatch Mines 100 15 40 +3 battleaxe (1d8+2) 1/2 Trained Garrison

or +3 handaxe Athletics +4, Intimidation +2

(1d6+2; thrown)

Swords of Whitehall 100 16 50 +5 longsword (1d8+2) 1 Trained Personal Guard
Salter Athletics +4, Intimidation +3

Townwatch Whitehall 100 14 30 +3 spear (1d6+1) or  1/4 Green Garrison
Town +3 crossbow (1d8) Athletics +3
Gont
Gont Hall 100 15 20 +3 morningstar (1d8) 1/4 Green Infantry
Soldiers Athletics +2

Scouts Tower of 100 14 50 Two attacks with: +5 1 Veteran Scouts
Bone longbow (1d8+2) or Perception +3, Stealth +4,
+5 shortsword Survival +3
(1d6+2)

Korser Spurrock 20 18 50 +5 lance (1d12+5) or 2 Veteran Cavalry 
two attacks with +5 Animal Handling +3, Athletics 
Dames of longsword (1d8+2) +4, Intimidation +3; 
the Spur disadvantage on Dexterity 
(Stealth) checks; warhorses, 
Garrison Spurrock 100 16 30 +3 longsword 1/2 speed 60’
(1d8+2) or +3
longbow (1d8) Trained Garrison
Athletics +4, Intimidation +2, 
disadvantage on Dexterity 
(Stealth) checks

Ironvow Kennelkeep 100 14 50 Two attacks with: +5 1 Veteran Scouts; Perception +3,
longbow (1d8+2) or Stealth +4, Survival +3,
Hounds +5 shortsword Dogs grant advantage on
(1d6+2) Wisdom (Perception) and
Wisdom (Survival) checks

Table continues on following page

71

Military Forces Table (Continued)

Name Location # AC HP Attacks CR Notes

Ironvow

Knights Kennelkeep 20 17 60 +5 lance (1d12+5) or 1 Veteran Cavalry; Animal
of two attacks with +5 Handling +2, Athletics +4,
Fearfield longsword (1d8+2) Intimidation +3, disadvantage
on Dexterity (Stealth) checks;
Pleasant Kennelkeep 400 13 10 +3 spear (1d6) 1/8 warhorses, speed 60’
Levy Clawton 100 12 10
Green Levy
Chuul Athletics +2, disadvantage on
Dexterity (Stealth) checks
Sailors
+3 handaxe (1d6+1) 1/8 Green Sailors
Athletics +3

Marines Clawton 100 13 20 +3 battleaxe (1d8+1) 1/4 Trained Sailors
Athletics +3, Perception +2

Crossbowmen Clawton 100 13 20 +3 crossbow (1d8+2) 1/4 Green Archers
or +3 shortsword Perception +3
(1d6+2)

Garrison Clawton 100 13 10 +3 battleaxe (1d8+2) 1/2 Trained Garrison
or Athletics +4, Intimidation +2,
+3 handaxe (1d6+2) disadvantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks

Sacco’s Scapegoats, • Mother Mayhem, a green hag who acts as Sacco’s
advisor and nurse.
Goatfolk Mercenaries • Rocky, a recorder (see page 82). Rocky accompanies
the Scapegoats as a witness to their exploits.
There is always a war somewhere in the Threadbarrens, • Three goatfolk shamans. Sacco does not command the
and that means there's always money to be made for a druids so much as tolerate their presence. They do as
good mercenary. Sacco’s Scapegoats are a mercenary they wish.
band primarily made up of goatfolk. Sacco, their leader, • Pan’s Chosen, a warband led by Gorshak, a warlock.
has not always enjoyed success in his martial exploits, • The Cloven Hooves, a warband led by Greenhorn the
but even when he loses, he ensures there is enough minotaur.
plunder and slaves to content his warriors. • The Elf-Eaters, a warband that keeps an owlbear,
Smotey, as a mascot.
The Scapegoats are organized into warbands. Each • The Bashers, a warband that includes an ogre, Five-
warband is a dozen goatfolk raiders or scouts led by a Fingered Gorram.
lagash — a goatfolk ranger with a vulture companion.
Each warband also keeps one or two death dogs; the • The Gory Goats, a warband trying to tame a recently-
two-headed animals guard the camp and are good for
scaring civilians. captured saltwyrm (see page 83). The Goats are seen as

The roster of the Scapegoats includes: the weakest of the warbands and its members are

• Sacco, his giant vulture mount, and two goblin slaves constantly harassed by the others.
who tend it. • Twenty slaves of mixed races.

72

The game statistics for Sacco, Gorshak, the lagash, • Recently, a warband captured a saltwyrm. They're
goatfolk raiders, goatfolk scouts, recorder and saltwyrm trying to tame it so that, like Smotey, it can be used in
can all be found on the pages that follow. The other battle (or even ridden). So far the creature remains
named creatures are standard examples of their type. unbroken. It is tied up and confined to a pen in the
Scapegoat camp.
Slaves of the Scapegoats • Finally, Sacco keeps a giant vulture as a mount. It is
tended by a pair of goblin slaves.
Sacco’s goatfolk keep about twenty slaves, selected from
weak races the mercenaries can easily dominate. Many Death Dogs of the Desert
are human, elf, or dwarf guards, tribal warriors, or
commoners. A few, out of desperation or madness, Sacco’s Scapegoats keep death dogs for sentry duty, to
have fallen into the goatfolk worship of the Dead God. track victims, and for occasional assistance on raids.
They are cultists or acolytes. But the Scapegoats Although death dogs carry a virulent and deadly disease,
frequently have goblin, kobold, or troglodyte slaves, goatfolk are naturally resistant to disease, and with
and have even enslaved the occasional (and very caution they can keep the creatures in relative safety. But
unlucky) bullywug, dragonborn, drow, gnome, half-elf, a death dog can never be truly tamed, and every once in
half-orc, or tiefling. a while a goatfolk falls victim to one of the ferocious
animals. Other goatfolk typically find this hilarious.
Monsters Among the Goatfolk
Appendix A: Goatfolk
Over the years, the Scapegoats have captured a few
monsters that they now use as weapons directed against The goatfolk are a race of humanoids with goat-like traits,
enemies. A few intelligent creatures have even managed including snouts, curling horns, and hooves. Covered
to join the Scapegoats without being made slaves. with hair and famous for their braying laughs and war-
calls, their bestial nature is thinly disguised. Goatfolk are
• Mother Mayhem is a green hag who saved Sacco’s life stubborn, selfish, and prone to reckless behavior. They
on a job in the Crocmire years ago. Now she is like a follow their instincts, and their instincts are usually telling
foster parent, giving advice and nursing him back to them to eat whatever is handy. For all these reasons,
health when he is injured. The shamans resent Mayhem goatfolk are seldom welcome in civilized society. Most
for the influence she has over Sacco. goatfolk live in remote or hidden villages, but many still
• Five Fingered Gorram is an ogre stumbled upon by a travel in nomadic tribes, taking what they want from
Scapegoat warband two years ago. Now he travels with whatever farms and villages they come upon. Born out of
the band, which allows him to think he is their leader. In chaos, the goatfolk are also known for their many strange
truth, they send him into every combat first, and have mutations: an individual goatfolk may have tentacles
placed wagers on how many times they can do this instead of arms, poisonous blood, or even two heads! Not
before he is slain. every goatfolk has such a mutation, but many do.
• Greenhorn is a minotaur who was already a member of
the Scapegoats before he performed forbidden rituals in Insatiable Appetites
the Greenwood and was turned into a monster. Now he
rules his warband and is a rival to Gorshak the warlock. Everyone knows the goatfolk will eat anything, and their
• Smotey is an owlbear captured by the Scapegoats and hunger is never-ending. But their desire to consume, and
now used as a heavy weapon. The creature has an iron to slake their desires, is driven as much by instinct as
collar around its neck and, through the use of iron chains, bodily needs. A goatfolk always feels like he’s hungry,
the goatfolk are able to bring it along on raids and loose it even after he’s just eaten. This hunger can take many
upon their enemies. Smotey is abused and mistreated by forms: for wealth, for knowledge, or sexual lust. Goatfolk
its warband and hates them; if it could, it would run away. are rare, and it’s even more rare for a goatfolk to live in a
• Rocky is a recorder which floated out of Thumehold town or city, but those who do are able to pass in civilized
and discovered the Scapegoats on one of their raids; society by displacing their hunger in a way that is more
now it observes them but does not necessarily fight on socially acceptable. A goatfolk soldier may hunger for
their side. It only attacks if it is itself attacked, or if the violence, a merchant will hunger for good deals, and a
Scapegoat camp is invaded. Rocky tells Sacco that he is magistrate may hunger for the most attractive and
observing the goatfolk so their exploits will be famous talented servants to administer his organization. But what
forever, but over the last year he's also amassed quite a unites the goatfolk is that their hunger is never sated. The
treasure hoard. soldier may survive his latest brawl, but will soon pick
another; no matter how good a deal the merchant gets,

73

he is never satisfied with it; the magistrate ignores his stubbornly pursue their own desires. They can be loyal to
excellent servants once they are acquired and looks their friends or selfish, but altruism is rare. Most are
always to the next conquest. chaotic neutral or chaotic evil.

Children of the Goat God Size: Goatfolk are typically slightly smaller than
humans, usually between 5 and 5 1/2 feet tall. Their
Goatfolk revere Pan over other deities. According to their physical builds are very diverse, however. Some are tall
own legends, Pan was exploring the forests of the and strong, some corpulent, and others short and wiry.
Feywild when he discovered an ancient, primal deity of Your size is Medium.
fertility hidden deep in the forest’s core. Initially, she
ignored him, but he danced around her and played his Climbers and Jumpers: You are proficient in the
pipes until, eventually, she condescended to allow him to Athletics skill.
approach her. Their coupling was glorious and horrifying
in equal measure, and the goatfolk were the result. The Wild: You are proficient in the Nature skill.
fertility goddess who bore them cared nothing for the Tainted Blood: You have advantage on saving throws
goatfolk, however, and either ignored or consumed them against poison and disease, and resistance to poison
in equal measure until the fortunate fled and escaped into damage.
the Feywild. They bred in great numbers, and were Surefooted: You have advantage when you make a
eventually noticed by their father, who welcomed his Strength (Athletics) roll to shove a target, or when you roll
children and indulged their hunger and their lust. The Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) to resist a
goatfolk, in turn, tried to mimic Pan’s wisdom, and they shove when someone tries to shove you.
carried his name to every corner of the world. Other Iron Stomach: Goatfolk can eat almost anything and
races have abandoned Pan since he vanished, but the can survive for long periods without water. Although you
goatfolk do not doubt his existence or his return. Their still need to eat a pound of food a day, your definition of
devotion is born of desperation; if Pan is not there to “food” includes almost anything organic, including raw or
shepherd the goatfolk, who else would protect them? rotten meat, decomposing plant matter, or even offal.
They are hated and reviled by most civilized species, and When you go long periods without drinking enough water,
their own mother tried to eat them. Without Pan, the you have advantage on the Constitution saving throw.
goatfolk have nothing. Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Sylvan
Goatfolk Names and Common.

Goatfolk take names that they think sound like animal Appendix B: Magic Items
noises or natural effects, like thunder, earth tremors, the
wind, or the rain. Many take a sobriquet, a descriptive Ironvow
word or phrase that distinguishes them from other
goatfolk with a similar name; if the goatfolk has a unique Ironvow is a sentient vorpal sword of lawful neutral
physical mutation, this sobriquet usually relates it. alignment with Int 13 (+1), Wis 10 (+0), and Cha 15 (+2).
Ironvow can see and hear within 60 feet, and can
Goatfolk Names: Barca, Boosha, Braya, Chitter, communicate telepathically, but only with a creature
Gorwyr, Kaw, Mua, Oot, Rumbula, Snort, Sussa, Whewu touching its hilt or pommel; it cannot communicate simply
by being worn. Ironvow can read and understand
Goatfolk Sobriquets: Bright-eyes, the Canny, the Common, and has a special purpose: to defeat chaos in
Demon, the Fat, Ironclaw, the Lean, the Leaper, Long- any form. It is a longsword.
tongue, No-thumbs, the Rotten, the Spitter, the Stink, the
Strong, the Swift, Troll-kin, the Vile. When the kingdom of Panalane expanded east across
the continent, it came into conflict with the empires and
Goatfolk Traits realms that already existed there. This was centuries
ago, before Panalane had even attained the height of its
Your goatfolk character has certain characteristics in glory and power. Ironvow was forged in one of these
common with all other goatfolk. eastern empires, specifically as a weapon to slow down
or even defeat the oncoming Kingdom of Panalane.
Ability Score Increase: Your Constitution score
increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice It failed, and the champion who bore it was killed by a
increases by 1. hero of House Korser. She claimed the sword as a prize,
and turned it against Panalane’s enemies. The sword
Age: Goatfolk mature by the age of 12 and live to became an heirloom of her House and was passed from
around 60. mother to daughter until a few centuries ago. At that time,

Alignment: Goatfolk are born out of chaos and

74

House Korser had entered an especially religious phase, Ironvow is not designed to be given as a reward to a PC
and the head of the House decided they should donate in this adventure. Instead, Ironvow is an antagonist.
most of their wealth to the gods. Ironvow, along with Ironvow hates the Kingdom of Panalane and is glad to
many other treasures great and small, was given to the see that it has collapsed. He keeps this private from Cald,
monastery of Thumehall, devoted to the Deep God of the however, since the blacksmith is still something of a
earth. patriot. While Ironvow dreams of being famous across the
world, it is a thing of great patience and is content to
The monks of Thume soon realized what they had slowly build up Fearfield and its own power base. Once it
been given, and they saw Ironvow as a threat. While they controls the mines of Salter, it will be able to hire
agreed with its lawful goals, they did not agree with its mercenaries of its own and conquer its neighboring
penchant for dominating the will of anyone who picked it lands. After that, who knows?
up. After a day of intense fighting, in which Ironvow tried
to flee the monastery, only to find that the monks were Appendix C: Encounter Tables
not proficient with longswords, the sword was finally put
in a chest, locked up, and placed in a dark corner of the Standard Encounter Table
labyrinthine building.
Use this table for most of the region, excepting only the
There it remained for over two hundred years as the Gontmounds and the Clacking Coast. If the PCs are
kingdom declined, until finally Gavin Goldleaf took refuge traveling off a trail or path, roll 1d10+1d6. If they are on a
in the monastery, fled into a storage chamber, and found trail or path, roll 1d10+10. Check for an encounter every
it. Now, twenty years later, Ironvow is ruler of Fearfield four hours of travel or once during the night; an encounter
and has a comfortable partnership with a former occurs on a roll of 18-20 on a d20. Entries marked with a
blacksmith. * are singular personalities; any further encounters with
that creature are with the same creature.
Player characters of 5th level do not typically have
access to magic items as powerful as a vorpal sword;

# Encounter

2 * Blue dragon wyrmling.
3 * Jackalwere sorcerer 6.
4 * A pseudodragon.
5 A pack of 2-8 death dogs who escaped the Scapegoat camp and now run wild.
6 4-9 dust mephits.
7 A family group of 1-8 centaurs.
8 A lone ankheg.
9 A wandering cockatrice.
10 A pack of jackals. They do not attack, but follow the PCs for 1d6 hours, hoping to pick off a straggler.
11 2-8 goatfolk scouts looking for targets to raid.

A farmstead with 1-6 commoners and children. They raise goats and chickens and farm corn, beans,

12 pumpkin, tomatoes, and dates. If your PCs have not yet encountered Bronwyn (see page 37), use her

farm.

13 4-8 goatfolk raiders on patrol.
14 A flock of 5-20 stirges.
15 A flock of 2-12 giant vultures followed by a larger flock of ordinary vultures.

Table continues on following page

75

# Encounter

16 A group of local soldiers scouting: 2-8 scouts or 2-4 mounted knights. Consult the Military Forces
Table (page 71).

17 A family trying to leave the region. Their wagon is broken or their horse dead, and they now struggle
to carry their possessions towards the nearest border.

18 A troop of local soldiers on patrol: 10-20 peasant levy, 4-8 garrison soldiers, 2-8 scouts, or 2-4
mounted knights. Consult the Military Forces Table (page 71).

19 1-4 merchants and twice as many guards as escorts, bound for Whitehall Town, Caldwell, or
Clawton.

20 * Tunis Daughter-of-the-Moon, on her way to the salt mine for her annual mummy maintenance.
She is a 12th-level necromancer accompanied by eight skeletons who obey her every whim.

The Gontmounds the specifics of the encounter. Entries marked with * are
singular personalities; any further encounters with that
Use this encounter table when characters are traveling in creature are with the same creature.
the hills. Check every 2 hours of travel or twice during the
night. If an encounter occurs (18-20 on d20), roll 1d20 for

d20 Encounter

1 2d4 ghouls led by a ghast.

2 1d6 ghouls.

3 2d8 skeletons.

4 2d4 zombies.

5 A cluster of ancient graves marked by strange pictographs. There’s a 50% chance the graves have
already been dug open.

6 2d4 stirges.

7 1d3 swarms of bats.

8 1 poisonous snake.

9 1 worg.

10 1d3+1 harpies.

11 * A starving lion.

12 1d6 bandits.

13 1 brown bear.

14 1d6+5 hyenas.

15 1d4 elk.

16 2d8 goats.

17 An empty cave littered with bones.

18 2d4 of the Gont Men on patrol. See the Military Forces Table (page 71

Table continues)o. n following page

76

d20 Encounter

19 * Merrick, Mikel, and/or Matthias Gont, accompanied by scouts, out hunting.
20 * Lord Gont, wandering in the hills seeking omens of Pan’s survival.

The Clacking Coast once during the night. If an encounter occurs (18-20 on a
d20), roll 1d20 on the table below.
Use this encounter table when characters are traveling

along the Great River. Roll every four hours of travel, or

d20 Encounter

1 * A water elemental.
2 * A copper colored chuul, the spawn of Copperclaw.
3 1d6+4 giant crabs.
4 2d4 giant toads.
5 1d6+2 sahuagin.
6 1d4 merrow.
7 2d6+3 bandits.
8 1d6+2 giant lizards.
9 1d3 poisonous snakes.
10 2d6 fishers (commoners) arguing over territory.
11 2d8 crabs.
12 1d10 merfolk.
13 A few dozen baby turtles struggling to make their way to the River.
14 2d6 washerwomen (commoners), singing.
15 A merchant from Vanora with 2d4 guards and 1d6 commoners, stranded after their boat sank.
16 A lone hermit sitting on the beach near a simple hut he has built out of driftwood.
17 1d4 children making sandcastles.
18 One of Lord Chuul’s warships, on patrol.
19 * Suzana the Mourner, attended by 1d3 acolytes and 1d6 commoners seeking her aid.
20 * Lord Oxblood Chuul and an attractive female commoner, meeting in a secret tryst.

77

Appendix D: Monsters Senses passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Sylvan
Goatfolk Raider Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Medium humanoid (goatfolk), chaotic evil Creature of Chaos. Roll once on the Chaotic Feature
Armor Class 15 (hide, shield) Table (page 78).
Hit Points 22 (4d8+4)
Tainted Blood. Goatfolk have advantage on saving
Speed 30 ft. throws against poison and disease.

Str 14 (+2) Dex 12 (+1) Con 13 (+1) Surefooted. Goatfolk have advantage when they make a
Int 10 (+0) Wis 6 (-2) Cha 8 (-1) Strength (Athletics) roll to shove a target, or when they
Damage Resistances poison roll Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) to resist
Skills Athletics +4, Intimidation +1 a shove.
Senses passive Perception 8
Languages Common, Sylvan Iron Stomach. Goatfolk can eat almost anything and can
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) survive for long periods without water. Although they still
need to eat a pound of food a day, their definition of
Creature of Chaos. Roll once on the Chaotic Feature “food” includes almost anything organic, including raw or
Table (page 78). rotten meat, decomposing plant matter, or even offal.
When they go long periods without drinking enough
Tainted Blood. Goatfolk have advantage on saving water, they have advantage on the Constitution saving
throws against poison and disease. throw.

Surefooted. Goatfolk have advantage when they make a Actions
Strength (Athletics) roll to shove a target, or when they Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
roll Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) to resist range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10+2) piercing
a shove. damage.

Iron Stomach. Goatfolk can eat almost anything and can Handaxe. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
survive for long periods without water. Although they still reach 5 ft. or throw 20 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2)
need to eat a pound of food a day, their definition of slashing damage.
“food” includes almost anything organic, including raw or
rotten meat, decomposing plant matter, or even offal. Lagash
When they go long periods without drinking enough
water, they have advantage on the Constitution saving Medium humanoid (goatfolk), chaotic evil
throw. Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
Hit Points 26 (5d8+4)
Actions Speed 30 ft.
Battle Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., Str 10 (+0) Dex 15 (+2) Con 13 (+1)
one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) slashing damage. Int 10 (+0) Wis 15 (+2) Cha 12 (+1)
Damage Resistances poison
Handaxe. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, Saving Throws Str +2, Dex +4
reach 5 ft. or throw 20 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) Skills Animal Handling +3, Nature +4, Perception +4,
slashing damage. Stealth +4, Survival +6
Senses passive Perception 14
Goatfolk Scout Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Medium humanoid (goatfolk), chaotic evil
Armor Class 14 (hide) Spellcasting. A lagash has spellcasting as a 3rd level
Hit Points 22 (4d8+4) ranger. It uses Wisdom as its spellcasting ability. It knows
Speed 30 ft. three 1st level spells and has three 1st level spell slots. A
Str 10 (+0) Dex 14 (+2) Con 12 (+1) typical lagash knows the spells ensnaring strike,

Int 10 (+0) Wis 11 (+0) Cha 8 (-1)

Damage Resistances poison
Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4, Survival +2

78

Goatfolk Chaotic Features

Goatfolk are the spawn of chaotic forces and universally revere Pan, the dead god of chaos. While not every goatfolk
has a chaotic feature, most do. Roll on the table below or invent a new feature of your choice. If a Chaotic Feature
forces a target to make a saving throw, the DC for the saving throw is 8 + the goatfolk’s proficiency bonus + its
Constitution modifier.

d20 Chaotic Feature Effect

1 Huge Arms +2 Strength
2 Long Tail
3 Elongated Head +2 Dexterity
4 Huge Ears
5 Devilishly Handsome +2 Intelligence
6 Hideously Long Tongue
+2 Wisdom
7 Stench
+2 Charisma
8 Tentacles for Arms
The goatfolk has natural venom. It can deliver this venom with a bite or by
simply licking its weapons and then attacking in melee combat. A bite uses the
goatfolk’s normal attack bonus but does no damage. Whether bitten or struck
with an envenomed weapon, a target must succeed in a Constitition save or
take 3d6 poison damage, half damage on a successful save.

Any creature not resistant or immune to poison that starts its turn within 5 feet
of the goatfolk must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned
until the start of the creature’s next turn. On a successful save, the creature is
immune to the stench of all goatfolk for 1 hour.

10' reach.

9 Green Skin Regenerates 5 hp at the start of its turn. If it takes fire or acid damage, this
trait does not function at the start of its next turn. The goatfolk dies only if it
starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.

10 Spits Acid 5' by 30' line. Dexterity save. 2d6 damage on a failed save, 1/2 damage on a
11 Breathes Fire successful save. Recharge 5-6.
15' cone. Dexterity save. 2d6 damage on a failed save, 1/2 damage on a
12 Scaly Hide successful save. Recharge 5-6.
13 Long Legs
Add the goatfolk’s Con modifier to its AC as natural armor.

+10' speed.

14 Smoking Hair When slain, the goatfolk explodes, inflicting 4d6 fire damage in a 10’ radius.
Creatures in the affected area can attempt a Dexterity save, taking half
damage on a successful save.

15 Hooked Nails Climbing speed 20'.

16 Small Bat Wings Long jump: The goatfolk can jump 3x its Strength score in feet if it moves on
the ground at least 10’ prior to jumping, or half as far from a standing start.
High jump: The goatfolk may jump 9’ + 3x its Strength modifier if it moves on
the ground 10’ prior to jumping, or half this height with a standing start.

Table continues on following page

79

d20 Chaotic Feature Effect

17 Glittering Eyes The goatfolk can polymorph into a human or elf of the same gender. Its
statistics are the same in each form. If the goatfolk dies, it reverts to its true
18 Huge form.

19 Fly-infested Size Large. The goatfolk probably wields a weapon appropriate for its new
20 Roll twice, ignoring size, and its reach increases to 10’. Its statistics do not change, but it gains
advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
results of 20.
The goatfolk carries a disease to which it is itself immune. If you use sewer rot,
the goatfolk’s weapons are filthy enough to transmit the disease to anyone it
strikes in combat.

goodberry, and hunter’s mark. The save DC for its spells range, it learns this information for each group.
is 12 and its attack bonus with spells is +4.
Tainted Blood. Goatfolk have advantage on saving
Favored Enemy. The lagash has a +2 bonus to damage throws against poison and disease.
rolls with weapon attacks against humanoids. It also has 
advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track  Surefooted. Goatfolk have advantage when they make a
humanoids, as well as Intelligence checks to recall  Strength (Athletics) roll to shove a target, or when they
information about them. roll Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) to resist
a shove.
Natural Explorer. A lagash ignores difficult terrain. It has
advantage on initiative rolls. On the first turn during Iron Stomach. Goatfolk can eat almost anything and can
combat, it has advantage on attack rolls against survive for long periods without water. Although they still
creatures that have not yet acted. When traveling through need to eat a pound of food a day, their definition of
the wilderness for an hour or more, difficult terrain does “food” includes almost anything organic, including raw or
not slow travel of the lagash’s group, its group cannot rotten meat, decomposing plant matter, or even offal.
become lost except by magical means, and the lagash When they go long periods without drinking enough
remains alert for danger even when engaged in another water, they have advantage on the Constitution saving
activity while traveling. When traveling alone, it can move throw.
stealthily at a normal pace. When it forages, it finds twice
as much food as it normally would. And while tracking Actions
other creatures, the lagash learns their exact number, The lagash attacks once with its longbow, or once with its
their sizes, and how long ago they passed through the scimitar and off-hand scimitar.
area.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range
Primeval Awareness. The lagash can communicate 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage.
simple ideas to a beast as an action, and can read its This does not include bonus damage from Favored
basic mood and intent. He learns its emotional state, Enemy (+2) or spells such as hunter’s mark.
whether it is affected by magic of any sort, its short-term
needs, and actions it can take to persuade it not to Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
attack. It cannot use this ability against a creature it has one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) slashing damage. This does not
attacked within the past 10 minutes. Additionally, the include bonus damage from Favored Enemy (+2) or
lagash can attune its senses to determine if any spells such as hunter’s mark.
humanoids lurk nearby. By spending 1 uninterrupted
minute in concentration, it can sense whether any Off-Hand Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
humanoids are present within 5 miles. The lagash knows reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) slashing damage. This
what kind of humanoids they are, their numbers, and does not include bonus damage from Favored Enemy or
their general direction and distance (in miles) from the spells such as hunter’s mark.
lagash. If there are multiple groups of humanoids within

80

The Lagash are goatfolk who practice ancient rites Lagash Vultures
associated with the Dead God Pan. They benefit from a
mystical connection to nature and use this to form a Lagash breed vultures for size and strength and select
magical bond to a cruel vulture that becomes their only the fiercest and most cruel to be their animal
constant companion. A lagash trains to hunt other companions. The birds are further empowered by the
humanoids such as elves, dwarves, and humans, and is  supernatural bond with their goatfolk masters. When
an expert in moving quickly and silently through the  constructing encounters, count the lagash’s vulture as
wilderness. They are feared combatants, and often lead  a separate enemy with its own Challenge Rating, not
other goatfolk on raids against civilized villages and  as part of the lagash’s CR.
towns.  Small beast, chaotic evil
AC 14; hp 7; spd 10 ft. (fly 60 ft.); Perception +4,
Goatfolk Shaman
Survival +4; Challenge 1/4 (25 XP)
Medium humanoid (goatfolk), chaotic evil
Armor Class 10 (15 with barkskin) Str 6 (-2), Dex 14 (+2), Con 10 (+0), Int 3 (-4), Wis 14
Hit Points 32 (5d8+10) (+2), Cha 5 (-3)
Speed 30 ft. Favored Enemy. The vulture has all the benefits of
Str 9 (-1) Dex 11 (+0) Con 15 (+2) the lagash’s favored enemy trait.
Int 11 (+0) Wis 15 (+2) Cha 11 (+0) Companion Bond. The vulture has a +2 bonus to all
Damage Resistances poison saving throws.
Skills Medicine +4, Nature +3, Perception +4, Survival Pack Tactics. The vulture has advantage on an
+4 attack roll against a creature if at least one of the
Senses passive Perception 12 vulture’s allies are within 5 of the creature and the ally
Languages Common, Druidic, Sylvan isn’t incapacitated.
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5’, one
target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) piercing damage. The vulture’s
Spellcasting. The shaman is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its Favored Enemy trait adds +2 damage to humanoids.
spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit
with spell attacks). It has the following druid spells Actions
prepared: Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit (+4 with
shillelagh), reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6-1) crushing
Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, produce flame, shillelagh damage. 6 (1d8+2) with shillelagh.
1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, entangle, faerie fire,
thunderwave Goatfolk shamans revere Pan, the Dead God, and their
2nd level (3 slots): barkskin, flaming sphere, heat metal control over nature is combined with madness. They
carry staves topped with goat skulls, and use their
Tainted Blood. Goatfolk have advantage on saving powers to terrify and bully lesser creatures.
throws against poison and disease.
Raven Witch
Surefooted. Goatfolk have advantage when they make a
Strength (Athletics) roll to shove a target, or when they Medium fey (shapechanger), neutral evil
roll Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) to resist Armor Class 15 (chain shirt)
a shove. Hit Points 32 (5d8+10)
Speed 30 ft, fly 60 ft. (Hybrid or Raven Form Only)
Iron Stomach. Goatfolk can eat almost anything and can Str 12 (+1) Dex 14 (+2) Con 17 (+3)
survive for long periods without water. Although they still Int 15 (+2) Wis 15 (+2) Cha 17 (+3)
need to eat a pound of food a day, their definition of Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing and
“food” includes almost anything organic, including raw or slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t silvered
rotten meat, decomposing plant matter, or even offal. Skills Arcana +4, Deception +5, Persuasion +5
When they go long periods without drinking enough Senses passive Perception
water, they have advantage on the Constitution saving Languages Common, Sylvan
throw. Challenge 2 (450 XP)

81

Shapechanger. The raven witch can use its action to Recorder
polymorph into a raven-humanoid hybrid, into a raven, or
back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, Small construct, lawful neutral
are the same in each form. Equipment it is wearing is Armor Class 15
transformed, but anything it is carrying in its hands is Hit Points 55 (10d6+20)
moved to its claws instead. It reverts to its true form if it Speed fly 60 ft.
dies. Str 7 (-2) Dex 10 (+0) Con 15 (+2)
Int 13 (+1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 10 (+0)
Spellcasting (Raven Witch or Hybrid Form Only). The Damage Vulnerabilities Thunder
raven witch is a 5th level spellcaster. Her spellcasting Damage Immunities poison
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified,
attacks). The raven witch does not need non-costly poisoned, unconscious
material components to cast her spells. She knows the Skills Arcana +3, Insight +4, History +3, Investigate +3,
following spells: Nature +3, Perception +4, Religion +3
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Cantrips (at-will): blade ward, chill touch, dancing lights, Languages Common, Dwarvish, Primordial
friends, ray of frost Challenge 3 (700 XP)
1st level (4 slots): witch bolt, sleep
2nd level (3 slots): fog cloud, gust of wind Stone Camouflage. The recorder can close its single
3rd level (2 slots): sleet storm, slow eye and look like an ordinary rock. It has advantage on
Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in rocky terrain.
Actions
Multiattack (Hybrid Form Only). The raven witch makes Magic Resistance. The recorder has advantage on
two claw attacks. saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Claws (Hybrid or Raven Form Only). Melee Weapon Perfect Memory. The recorder has advantage on all
Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) Intelligence checks to remember lore.
slashing damage.
Actions
Raven witches are malicious and seductive faeries Multiattack. The recorder attacks once with petrifying
whose natural form is that of a young and beautiful gaze and once with its eyebeam.
woman with hair black as a raven, skin white as snow,
and lips red as blood. They can transform into ravens or Petrifying Gaze. The recorder targets one creature
into a hybrid form similar to a harpy, with wings instead of within 30 feet. The creature must make a DC 13
arms and massive talons instead of legs. Raven witches Constitution saving throw or be turned to stone for one
consider harpies to be savage cousins, a primitive and minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end
debased subspecies of their own kind. of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a
success.
Creatures of winter and wind, raven witches are
haughty and vain. They take mortals of all kinds as Eyebeam. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 30/60 ft.,
slaves; those who are ugly and malformed are allowed to one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) force damage.
live, for the witches find their misfortune amusing and
harmless, but attractive prisoners are eventually Read Thoughts. The recorder magically reads the
butchered and their hearts eaten. Knights on adventure surface thoughts of one creature within 60 feet of it. The
are the favorite prey of raven witches, who enjoy effect can penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of wood or dirt, 2
seducing and manipulating their hapless mortal victims feet of stone, 2 inches of metal, or a thin sheet of lead
into performing favors and going to battle on their behalf. blocks it. While the target is within range, the recorder
But raven witches avoid elves, who are more familiar with can continue reading its thoughts, as long as the
the tricks of raven witches and resistant to their recorder’s concentration isn’t broken (as if concentrating
enchantments. on a spell). While reading the target’s mind, the recorder
has advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma
82 (Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion) checks against
the target.

Recorders are magical devices created by Thume and threatens to blind them. The cone is 20 ft on each side.
his followers to preserve history. Once, they were Each creature in the area must make a DC 14 Dexterity
ubiquitous on the continent, accompanying leaders into save or be restrained and a DC 14 Constitution saving
battle, watching princes and kings as they gave out throw or be blinded. At the end of a creature’s turn, it can
justice in their courts, and serving as witness to the repeat each of these saving throws, ending each
fantastic exploits of heroic adventurers. But as Thume’s condition on a successful save.
worship fell into mystery and darkness, recorders slowly
broke down, were lost in combat, or were simply recalled The saltwyrm is a lesser cousin of the behir: a long,
from their missions. Now, finding a recorder in the wild is sinuous, multi-legged flightless drake native to habitats
rare, and most of those that still exist have long outlasted with a large amount of naturally-occurring salt: saltwater
their original assignment and wander the world seeking coasts, marshes, salt lakes and salt flats. While behirs
interesting things to record. Sometimes a recorder can be have a blue coloration that suggests their origin as a
persuaded to accompany a charismatic individual, in the counter to blue dragons, saltwyrms are yellowish in color
hope of seeing something worth recording. with small, almost iridescent scales that glint in the dark.

A recorder is small, only a few feet high, and is shaped Saltwyrms are excellent swimmers as well as climbers,
like a column of stone. It has a single large square eye but still prefer dark caverns for their lair. Unlike the behir,
that glows with golden light and, when it speaks, it always which swallows its prey whole, the salwyrm preserves the
refers to itself in the third person. Recorders have a habit meat it catches, and its larder is usually well-stocked with
of narrating what they are seeing so that future scholars everything from salted fish and eel to salted pork, salted
will better understand the recorded events; because they beef, and salted elf. While they do not have the
can read the thoughts of those around them, they will instinctual rivalry with dragons that behir have, they know
even narrate these thoughts out loud. dragons are superior to them in strength, and try to avoid
them.
Saltwyrm, Adolescent
The saltwyrms described here are still immature. When
Large monstrosity, neutral evil they grow to their full size, they rival their behir cousins.
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 120 (16d10+32) Nonplayer Characters
Speed 50 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 40 ft.
Str 17 (+3) Dex 16 (+3) Con 15 (+2) The characters in this section are described
Int 7 (-2) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 10 (+0) alphabetically by their last (or only) name.
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances poison Lord Oxblood Chuul
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 “What did I do with the monster once I’d killed
Languages Draconic it? Why, the only thing to do. I ate it!
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) HAHAHAHA!”

Actions Male human barbarian 6, chaotic neutral
Multiattack. The saltwyrm makes two attacks: one with Armor Class 14 (no armor)
its bite and one to constrict. Hit Points 57
Speed 40 ft.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Str 18 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Con 15 (+2)
target. Hit: 14 (2d10+3) piercing damage. Int 11 (+0) Wis 9 (-1) Cha 13 (+1)
Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing, when
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., raging
one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) Saving Throws Strength +7, Constitution +5
bludgeoning damage plus 8 (1d10+3) slashing damage. Skills Athletics +7, Intimidation +4, Persuasion +4,
The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if the saltwyrm Stealth +5
isn’t already constricting a creature, and the target is Senses passive Perception 9
restrained until this grapple ends. Languages Common, Aquan
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Breath Weapon (Recharge 5-6). The saltwyrm exhales
a cone of salt which coats creatures in the area and Danger Sense. Oxblood has advantage on Dexterity
saving throws against effects that he can see, such as

83

traps and spells. To gain this benefit, he can’t be blinded, Actions
deafened, or incapacitated. Multiattack. Oxblood makes two attacks with his
greataxe or throwing axes.
Rage. On his turn, Oxblood can enter a rage as a bonus
action. While raging, he gains the following benefits: Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
• He has advantage on Strength checks and Strength one target. Hit: 10 (1d12+4) slashing damage or, if he is
saving throws. in a rage, 12 (1d12+6) slashing damage instead.
• When he makes a melee weapon attack using Strength,
he has a +2 bonus to damage. Throwing Axe. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range
• He has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and 20/60, one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) slashing damage.
slashing damage.
• He can’t be charmed or frightened. If he is charmed or Oxblood Chuul is three hundred fifty pounds if he weighs
frightened when he enters the rage, the effect is an ounce, and if you don’t notice his enormous biceps,
suspended for the duration of the rage. you’d be forgiven to think he looks like a giant pear. But
Oxblood’s rage lasts 1 minute. It ends early if he is beneath that vast bulk is a warrior born, and as Lord
knocked unconscious or if his turn ends and he hasn’t Chuul will tell you, being a warrior requires a lot of
attacked a hostile creature since his last turn or taken upkeep.
damage since then. He can also end his rage on his turn
as a bonus action. Once Oxblood has entered a rage Oxblood hails from a family in the Gontmounds, where
three times, he must finish a long rest before he can rage he learned the ways of beasts and how to survive in the
again. wild. He explored the haunted forest all the way to the
Great River, and was working his way north when he
Frenzy. When Oxblood enters a rage, he can choose to stumbled upon the lair of Copperclaw, an enormous
frenzy. If he does, for the duration of the rage he can chuul that had terrorized the area for decades. He killed it
make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on single-handedly, and his legend was born.
each of his turns after this one. When his rage ends, he
suffers one level of exhaustion. Chuul are famous for hoarding the ancient treasures of
the aboleth, but Oxblood kept only the greatest item from
Reckless Attack. When Oxblood makes his first attack the Chuul’s hoard, a ring of water elemental command.
on his turn, he can choose to fight recklessly. If he does, He wears it now as the symbol of his House, but he has
he has advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using never fought a water elemental while wearing it, so most
Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against him of its powers are not available to him. He does know
have advantage until his next turn. about these powers, however, and would jump at a
chance to face a water elemental in combat. He spent the
Ring of Elemental Command. Oxblood wears a ring of rest of the hoard with astonishing profligacy.
water elemental command. Unless the PCs have secured
him a water elemental, the ring allows him to stand and When rebellion broke out, Oxblood could not believe
walk on liquid surfaces as if they were solid ground and his luck. Suddenly life was interesting. He signed up with
to speak and understand Aquan. He can use 2 of the Ironvow, not much caring whether it was the man or the
ring’s 5 charges to cast dominate monster on a water sword who was in charge. He didn’t really see the need
elemental. However, if the PCs have found him a water to torch Thumehall, but whatever; he wasn’t the one
elemental and he has defeated it, the ring also allows giving the orders. He led the charge in every battle he
Oxblood to breathe underwater, have a swimming speed could reach, and had killed a dozen Salter soldiers by the
of 40 ft., and cast the following spells: create or destroy time Ironvow tapped him to lead the attack on Castle
water (1 charge), control water (3 charges), ice storm (2 Gont. He knew that territory well; he’d grown up there!
charges), or wall of ice (3 charges). The ring regains With a troop of scouts under his command, he reached
1d4+1 charges per day, and the DC for its spells is 17. If the castle, waited patiently for Gont’s men to leave to
the ring has been empowered in this way, raise reinforce the Salter mines, then squeaked through a
Oxblood’s Challenge to 6 (2,300 XP). culvert into the castle sewer. From there, they had a
clean (or not so clean) route into the castle, and by dawn
84 it was burning. It was a triumph, and just another day in
the life of Oxblood Chuul.

Since becoming a lord, Oxblood has eaten, drunk, and
wenched his way through life. There hasn't been much
opportunity for violence, but fighting is a habit Oxblood’s

unlikely to forget. He has risen to the occasion in the Great Weapon Fighting. When Lord Gont rolls a 1 or a 2
current war, marshaling his troops against Dame Korser, on a damage die for an attack he makes with a melee
whom he sees as his primary rival. Of course, it would be weapon that he is wielding with two hands, he can reroll
a shame to decapitate someone so beautiful… but that’s the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must
life for you. It’s full of injustice. have the two-handed or versatile property for Lord Gont
to gain this benefit.
Oxblood Chuul takes life a day at a time, doesn’t much
care about details, and he hasn’t met anyone yet who Actions
could keep him from doing whatever he wanted to do. If Multiattack. Lord Gont makes two attacks with his
he ever does, it’ll be an eye-opening experience for greatsword.
everyone involved.
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Lord Miles Gont one target. Hit: 9 (2d6+2) slashing damage. Note that
“How I choose to live my life is no concern of Lord Gont’s Great Weapon Fighting means that he can
yours.” re-roll a 1 or a 2 on either of his damage dice. If he hits,
he can also choose to use Divine Smite.
Male human paladin 6, neutral evil
Armor Class 18 (plate) Horn of Valhalla. Lord Gont carries an iron horn of
Hit Points 50 Valhalla, the symbol of his house. He can blow it as an
Speed 30 ft. action, summoning 5d4+5 berserkers within 60 feet.
Str 15 (+2) Dex 9 (-1) Con 15 (+2) They are friendly to him and his companions and follow
Int 13 (+1) Wis 11 (+0) Cha 17 (+3) his commands. They return to Ysgard after 1 hour or
Immunities disease when they drop to 0 hit points. Once Lord Gont blows the
Saving Throws Wisdom +3, Charisma +6; Aura of horn, he cannot do so again for 7 days.
Protection 10’
Skills Deception +6, Insight +3, Intimidation +6, Religion Lay on Hands. Lord Gont’s touch can heal wounds. He
+4 has a pool of healing power that replenishes whenever
Senses passive Perception 10 he takes a long rest. With that pool, he can restore 30 hp.
Languages Common, Sylvan As an action, he can touch a creature and draw power
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) from the pool to restore hit points, up to the maximum
amount remaining in his pool. Alternatively, he can
Spellcasting. Lord Gont casts spells as a 6th level expend 5 hit points from the pool to cure the target of one
paladin. His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save disease or neutralize one poison affecting it. He can cure
DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). Lord Gont knows the multiple diseases and neutralize multiple poisons with a
following spells: single use of Lay on Hands, expending hit points
separately for each one.
1st level (4 slots): compelled duel, hellish rebuke, inflict
wounds, protection from evil and good, wrathful smite Divine Sense. Until the end of Lord Gont’s next turn, he
2nd level (2 slots): crown of madness, darkness, find knows the location of any celestial, fiend, or undead
steed, magic weapon, zone of truth within 60 feet of him that is not behind total cover. He
knows the type of any being he senses, but not its
Aura of Protection. Whenever Lord Gont, or a friendly identity. Within the same radius, he also detects any
creature within 10 feet, must make a saving throw, that place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated,
creature gains a +3 bonus to the saving throw. Lord Gont as with the hallow spell. Lord Gont can use Divine Sense
must be conscious to grant this bonus. 4 times, regaining all expended uses after a long rest.

Divine Smite. When Lord Gont hits a creature with a Channel Divinity. Lord Gont uses either Control Undead
melee weapon attack, he can expend one of his spell or Dreadful Aspect. He can channel divinity once, and
slots to deal radiant damage to the target, in addition to regains this ability after a short or long rest.
the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st • Control Undead. Lord Gont targets one undead
level spell slot, or 3d8 for a 2nd level spell slot. The creature he can see within 30 feet. The target must make
damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the
fiend.
85

target must obey Lord Gont’s commands for the next 24 Damage Resistances poison
hours, or until Gont uses Control Undead again. An Skills Arcana +2, Athletics +2, Intimidation +5,
undead with a Challenge Rating of 7+ is immune to this Perception +2, Survival +2
effect. Senses passive Perception 12
• Dreadful Aspect. Each creature of Lord Gont’s choice Languages Common, Sylvan
within 30 feet and which can see him must make a DC 14 Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is
frightened of Lord Gont for 1 minute. If a creature Spellcasting. Gorshak is a 9th level spellcaster. He uses
frightened by this effect ends its turn more than 30 feet Charisma for his spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13, +5
away from Lord Gont, it can attempt another saving throw on attack rolls with spells). Gorshak regains his spell slots
to end the effect on it. after a short or long rest.

Sir Miles Gont is a banneret, a landed knight sworn to Cantrips (at-will): eldritch blast, mage hand, speak with
Garcy Salter. And he obeys this oath, though he has animals, speak with dead, true strike
broken many other customs of human decency and Spells known: banishment, blight, contact other plane,
propriety. For most of this life, Miles was a fair man of counterspell, dimension door, fear, hold monster, hunger
justice, if cold and remote even to his family. But with the of Hadar, invisibility, vampiric touch
second destruction of Castle Gont, and the impending
ruin of his House, he fell into despair. There seemed to Gorshak has two 5th level spell slots which he recovers
be only one truth to the universe: that all good things die. with a short rest.
And, if that was true, then only a dead god was worthy of
worship. Miles Gont became a secret devotee of the Repelling Blast. When Gorshak hits with eldritch blast,
Great God Pan. he can push his target 10 feet directly away from him.

Leaving the ruins of Castle Gont behind, Miles found a Tainted Blood. Goatfolk have advantage on saving
new great hall and had a chapel to the dead god built throws against poison and disease.
behind it. There, he performed religious rites of his own
devising, since there were no priests to tell him how Pan Surefooted. Goatfolk have advantage when they make a
might be worshipped, now that he was dead. He wrote Strength (Athletics) roll to shove a target, or when they
litanies of entropy and chaos, hymns to the end of all roll Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) to resist
things. He believes the eye of Pan is on him, and undead a shove.
creatures — ghouls mostly — have begun to creep into
his land. He still rules, and he is still served by a steward Iron Stomach. Goatfolk can eat almost anything and can
and other courtiers who attempt to implement his will in survive for long periods without water. Although they still
the Gontmounds, but many of the tasks of rulership he need to eat a pound of food a day, their definition of
has simply abandoned. There is no law anymore in the “food” includes almost anything organic, including raw or
land of Gont. rotten meat, decomposing plant matter, or even offal.
When they go long periods without drinking enough
Now in his seventies, Miles Gont is tall and thin, clean- water, they have advantage on the Constitution saving
shaven, but bearing a thick head of white hair. He is grim throw.
and severe, with gray eyes and a surprising vitality for a
man of his age. Lord Gont still wields the iron horn that is Actions
his birthright. It is his family’s most precious treasure. He, Multiattack. Gorshak attacks twice with his pact rapier or
and any member of his family, would die before allowing twice with eldritch blast.
it to fall into the hands of a rival.
Pact Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Gorshak one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage.

Medium humanoid (goatfolk) warlock 9, chaotic evil Eldritch Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit. Hit: 8
Armor Class 15 (studded leather) (1d10+3) force damage and the target is pushed
Hit Points 67 (9d8+27) backwards 10 feet.
Speed 30 ft.
Str 10 (+0) Dex 16 (+3) Con 16 (+3)
Int 10 (+0) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Wisdom +2, Charisma +5

86

Baron Cald Ironvow Actions
“I take no pleasure in destroying Garcy Salter, Multiattack. Cald makes two attacks with Ironvow.
but destroy her I shall.”
Ironvow. Ironvow is a vorpal sword. Melee Weapon
Male human fighter 5, lawful neutral Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft. (But see Lunging Attack), one
Armor Class 21 (plate armor, shield) target. Hit: 10 (1d8+6) slashing damage. Ironvow ignores
Hit Points 42 (5d10+10) resistance to slashing damage. When Cald rolls a 20 on
Speed 30 ft. the attack roll, he cuts off the target’s head (if it has one).
Str 16 (+3) Dex 10 (+0) Con 12 (+1) The creature dies if it cannot survive without its lost head.
Int 13 (+1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 12 (+1) A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to
Saving Throws Strength +6, Constitution +5 slashing damage, doesn’t have or need a head, has
Skills Athletics +6, Animal Handling +5, History +4, legendary actions, or if the DM decides the creature is
Intimidation +4 too big for its head to be cut off by this weapon. Such a
Proficiencies Cartographer’s tools, smith’s tools creature instead takes 6d8 slashing damage from the hit.
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common The new Baron Ironvow is 40 years old, short and stocky,
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) but physically powerful, with a close-cut brown beard and
gray eyes. The last five years have been a whirlwind
Action Surge. Cald can choose to take a second action education for him, as his sword refuses to be carried by
on his turn. Once he does this, he cannot use Action an uneducated peasant. Those who knew him before
Surge again until he has completed a short or long rest. hardly recognize him now, as his demeanor and
vocabulary have almost entirely changed — at least
Defense Style. When Cald is wearing armor, he has a when anyone else is around. It is only when he puts
+1 bonus to AC. This bonus has been included in his Ironvow down and is alone in his chambers that the old
listed AC. smith returns.

Second Wind. Cald can use a bonus action to recover Cald and his partner agree on most matters, though
1d10+5 hp. Once he does this, he cannot use Second they still debate because Ironvow tends to a long view
Wind again until he has completed a short or long rest. while Cald is more likely to be influenced by events as
they transpire around him. Their conversations are
Combat Superiority. Cald knows three maneuvers entirely silent and can only take place when Cald is
fueled by superiority dice: Feinting Attack, Lunging touching Ironvow by the hilt; because Cald does not want
Attack, and Riposte. He has four superiority dice and people to know when he is, or is not, talking to his sword,
they are d8s. His superiority dice are expended when he he walks and sits with his hand on the hilt whenever he is
uses them, and he regains all his superiority dice when in public.
he completes a short or long rest.
In recognition of its own failure to plan for a
Feinting Attack. Cald can expend one superiority die succession, Ironvow has already moved to find another
and use a bonus action on his turn to feint, choosing one heir in case something happens to Cald. Milo (male
creature within 5 feet as his target. He has advantage on human LN noble), the young man who was chosen,
his next attack roll against that creature. If the attack hits, returned only recently from being sent to school in
he adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll. Osterlin, where he studied the law. He never imagined he
would be the heir to the barony, and is now acting as
Lunging Attack. When Cald makes a melee weapon governor of the village of Caldwell, as practice for his
attack on his turn, he can expend one superiority die to eventual succession.
increase his reach for that attack by 5 feet. If he hits, he
adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage total. Cald and Ironvow are in agreement about the current
situation; they are certain that Garcy Salter cannot merely
Riposte. When a creature misses Cald with a melee be defeated. She will return, again and again, as long as
attack, he can use a reaction and expend one superiority she is able. The only way to end the threat from Salter is
die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. to kill the baroness or, alternatively, to make Salter itself
If he hits, he adds the superiority die to the attack’s incapable of waging war. Thus, Cald speaks only of
damage roll. absolute victory against Salter and of the death of Garcy
herself. But, privately, he would be willing to settle for a
victory that seized the source of Salter’s wealth: the mine.

87

If Fearfield controlled the salt mine, they would no longer Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
have anything to fear from an impoverished Salter. The one target. Hit: 10 (1d8+6) slashing damage.
money from the mine would also allow extensive
development of Fearfield’s military fortifications, which is Javelin. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 30/120,
a high priority for Ironvow the sword. one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) piercing damage.

It was Ironvow’s idea to raise a peasant levy from the Danika Korser is 25, with short, pale blonde hair and vivid
families of Fearfield. Cald knew it would be unpopular, green eyes. Of modest height, she has developed a
but there is little room in his heart these days for warrior’s build and carries herself like the soldier she is.
compassion, or for exceptions to the rule. By his An unlikely vassal and banneret of Garcy Salter, she
command, every household in the land is obligated to takes her vows, and her mother’s failure, seriously.
send one person to fight in the army. This has resulted in Danika was only a child when Dame Dana Korser died in
a very motley assortment of soldiers, from old widows to battle to Ironvow, and she remains deeply conflicted over
single parents who have been forced to abandon their how to feel about her mother. On the one hand, Dana
children at home. Neither Cald nor Ironvow have much was loving, brave, and beautiful. On the other, she was a
sympathy for these unfortunates; they’re fighting for the failure, falling to a sentient sword and its flesh puppet.
future of Fearfield, and history will prove them justified. More than anything else in the world, Danika wants a
rematch against Ironvow, as a chance to avenge her
Dame Danika Korser mother’s death and reclaim her family honor. Only then,
“Some people in this world care about honor.” she has told herself, can she begin to consider what to do
about Garcy Salter, a murderer and keeper of outlaws
Female human fighter 5, lawful good who hires wild mercenaries to fight her wars for her. All of
Armor Class 20 (plate and shield) this repulses Danika, but she’s convinced herself that she
Hit Points 42 (5d10+10) can do nothing about it until her family honor is restored.
Speed 30 ft.
Str 18 (+4) Dex 9 (-1) Con 14 (+2) Sacco
Int 11 (+0) Wis 13 (+1) Cha 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Strength +7, Constitution +5 Medium humanoid (goatfolk) barbarian 5, chaotic evil
Skills Animal Handling +4, Athletics +7, Insight +4, Armor Class 14
Persuasion +5 Hit Points 72 (11d8+33)
Senses passive Perception 11 Speed 40 ft.
Languages Common, Elvish Str 18 (+4) Dex 13 (+1) Con 12 (+1)
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Int 10 (+0) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 12 (+1)
Saving Throws Strength +7, Constitution +6
Action Surge. Danika can choose to take an additional Damage Resistances poison
action on her turn. Once she does, she cannot use Action Skills Animal Handling +2, Athletics +7, Intimidation +4,
Surge again until she completes a short or long rest. Nature +3, Survival +4
Senses passive Perception 9
Dueling Style. When Danika wields a melee weapon in Languages Common, Sylvan
one hand and no other weapons, she gains a +2 to Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
damage rolls with that weapon. This is included in her
longsword attacks below. Rage. Sacco can rage three times a day. Each rage lasts
one minute, but ends prematurely if he is unconscious, or if
Improved Critical. Danika scores a critical hit with he does not attack or take damage for one round. While
weapon attacks on a roll of 19 or 20. raging, Sacco has a +2 bonus to damage with attacks
based on Strength, advantage on Strength checks and
Second Wind. On her turn, Danika can use a bonus Strength saving throws, resistance to bludgeoning, piercing,
action to regain 1d10+5 hit points. Once she does so, and slashing damage, and he can make an additional attack
she must finish a short or long rest before she can use with Gram once per turn as a bonus action.
Second Wind again.
Reckless. When Sacco makes his first attack of his turn,
Actions he can choose to attack recklessly. If he does, he has
Multiattack. Danika makes two attacks with her advantage on melee attacks for one round, but all attacks
longsword or javelins.

88

against him also have advantage for one round. He never Languages Common, Dwarvish
uses this tactic when he is outnumbered, reserving it for Challenge 3 (700 XP)
one-on-one duels.
Spellcasting. Garcy Salter has spellcasting as a 7th
Danger Sense. Sacco has advantage on Dex saves level bard. She uses Charisma as her spellcasting ability.
against effects he can see.
Cantrips (at will): blade ward, message, vicious mockery
Tainted Blood. Goatfolk have advantage on saving Spells Known (spell save 15):
throws against poison and disease. 1st level (4 slots): comprehend languages, cure wounds
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, invisibility, see
Surefooted. Goatfolk have advantage when they make invisibility
a Strength (Athletics) roll to shove a target, or when 3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance, fireball, nondetection,
they roll Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) to revivify, sending
resist a shove. 4th level (1 slot): dimension door, freedom of movement

Iron Stomach. Goatfolk can eat almost anything and can Bardic Inspiration. As a bonus action, Garcy Salter can
survive for long periods without water. Although they still grant a d8 Bardic Inspiration die to a creature other than
need to eat a pound of food a day, their definition of “food” herself within 60’ that can hear her. Once within the next
includes almost anything organic, including raw or rotten 10 minutes, the creature can roll this die and add the
meat, decomposing plant matter, or even offal. When they result to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it
go long periods without drinking enough water, they have attempts. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20
advantage on the Constitution saving throw. before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die. Once
the die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one
Actions Bardic Inspiration die at a time. Garcy can use this ability
Multiattack. Sacco makes two attacks with Gram. four times, regaining all expended uses when she takes a
long rest.
Gram (greataxe +1). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12+5) slashing damage, Cutting Words. Garcy can use her wit to distract,
13 (1d12+7) with rage. confuse, and otherwise sap the confidence and
competence of others. When a creature that she can see
Sacco calls his +1 greataxe Gram, after his grandmother. within 60 feet of her makes an attack roll, ability check, or
The axe is bronze and shaped to look like a bronze damage roll, she can use her reaction and one use of
dragon. Its upraised wings form the blade, and the Bardic Inspiration to roll a d8 and subtract the number
dragon’s tail is the handle. It was made by Wudan, an Azer rolled from the creature’s total. The creature is immune if
smith who inscribed his name on the pommel in dwarvish it can’t hear Garcy or if it’s immune to being charmed.
runes. Anyone who bears Gram can, as an action, make
their voice audible to everyone within 300 feet. Jack-of-all-Trades. Garcy adds +1 to any ability checks
that does not already include her proficiency bonus.
Baroness Garcy Salter (Garcy’s listed skills all include her proficiency bonus.)
“Cald is weak; I see an opportunity and I'm
taking it.” Song of Rest. Garcy can use oration to help revitalize
wounded allies during a short rest. If she or any friendly
Female human bard 7, neutral evil creatures who can hear her performance regain hit points
Armor Class 13 (studded leather armor) at the end of a short rest, each of those creatures regains
Hit Points 35 (7d8) an extra 1d6 hit points
Speed 30 ft.
Str 9 (-1) Dex 13 (+1) Con 11 (+0) Actions
Int 15 (+2) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 18 (+4) Garcy Salter can attack once with her dagger or use
Saving Throws Dexterity +4, Charisma +7 countercharm.
Skills Deception +10, History +5, Insight +8, Intimidation
+7, Perception +5, Performance +7, Persuasion +7, Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Stealth +4 target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage.
Senses passive Perception 15
89

Countercharm. Garcy can use words of power to disrupt sides; she chose one of the criminal gangs, the
mind-influencing effects. As an action, she begins a Whitebeards, and gave it the sanction of her rule. With
performance that lasts until the end of her next turn. the financial and military backing of House Salter, the
During that time, she and any friendly creatures within 30 Whitebeards swiftly took over the town, and they remain
feet have advantage on saving throws against being Garcy’s agents and spies to this day. She receives a 5%
frightened or charmed. The creature must be able to hear cut from all criminal proceeds earned by the gang, a
Garcy to gain this benefit. The performance ends early if payment everyone refers to as “carrion.”
Garcy is incapacitated or silenced or if she voluntarily
ends it (no action required). Handling the banditry within her lands was a harder
problem to solve; almost a decade ago she chose a
Garcy Salter is 37 years old and gorgeous, with straight, young man from another barony for a second husband.
shoulder-length black hair, blue eyes, and an amiable Wyat was handy with a blade and well-liked by his men;
demeanor. One of Panalane’s greater barons, she has a she tasked him with bringing some measure of order to
seat on the Great Council, the assembly of lords that can the land. She’s not very satisfied with his progress, but
be called only by the King or Queen. The Great Council, he’s really good in bed and she’s forced to admit she’s
however, has not been summoned since Princess come to rather like him.
Adamanthea inherited.
Salter troops have skirmished with Fearfield’s men
Garcy was the teenage daughter of a rich merchant ever since the revolt, but Garcy has intensified the
when she caught the baron’s eye. Deeply flattered and pressure since the first Lord Ironvow died and the sword
impressed by the baron’s rank and position, she chose a new partner. Cald Ironvow was the village
remained more or less happily married to him for three blacksmith before he became the new baron, and Garcy
years, and she was lavished with gifts and honors when is eager to kill him, melt the sword down, and retake her
she provided him with a male heir. But she was deeply ancestral lands. To this end, she has emptied her
ashamed by her husband’s failure to suppress the treasury to hire a troop of goatfolk mercenaries who,
Ironvow Rebellion, and it was her own shame that along with their attendant monsters and slaves, should be
prompted her to kill him. She was tortured by the thought enough to tip the balance of power in the region.
that the commoners of her realm were laughing at her, However, she personally detests the goatfolk, and will not
mocking her marriage bed. She would rather be hated have them in Whitehall Town.
and condemned a killer than endure that humiliation.
Her orders to the mercenaries are simple: destroy
That is not how she talks about the incident now, of Fearfield by any means. She has refused to send her
course. She describes the former baron as weak, a own military forces into the field, keeping them stationed
foolish ruler who very nearly lost the entire barony to a at the salt mine and Whitehall Town to deter any counter-
talking sword. She did what she did for the good of Salter attack by Fearfield. However, she is ready to ride with her
and its people. Most believe this story, but no one who personal guard, which her husband commands, should
hears Garcy tell it would be fooled for a minute into Cald Ironvow make himself vulnerable to attack or
thinking she has even an ounce of regret. ambush. She knows the goatfolk have been ravaging the
countryside killing, raping, and looting, and she doesn’t
After the loss of Fearfield and the death of her first much care. She can blame all that on Ironvow once she’s
husband, outlawry exploded in Salter. Veterans of the won the war.
war turned to banditry and criminal gangs began fighting
for supremacy in Whitehall Town, the largest population
center in the region. Garcy solved this problem by taking

90

Mutiny at Blooming Port

Introduction captain has been enough to keep the peace, but tensions
are mounting. Without strong leadership, the crew of Her
As they travel the northernmost reaches of Panalane, the Royal Highness is a powder keg just waiting for a spark.
adventurers encounter the Tovarē. These hunter-
gatherers, previously bound to the Great River, present a To the south, the Great River is congested with dozens
royal charter allowing them to resettle Blooming Port, a of junks, small riverboats that have served as homes to a
abandoned settlement nearby, and they beg the PCs for group of the Tovarē, a nomadic river-people. But these
assistance. Tovarē are dismantling their homes, because the
princess of Panalane recently granted them the right to
The crossing ahead is hazardous, but the heroes’ true settle the Blooming Port. Their leader—a blind,
mettle is tested when they discover the settlement is dragonborn gladiator, Brynjar the Albino—has taken a
occupied. Anchored in the Market Square is Her Royal scouting expedition north, but has run afoul of Brudder
Highness, a two-masted schooner with a fractious crew Mudd, a tobihaze cleric, at a fishing lodge called
flying a pirate flag. Meanwhile, the pirate-hunting Crabber’s Crick.
necromancer Commodore Amrit Ruggiero sees a chance
to capitalize upon the schism among the pirates and This is when the PCs find the Tovarē and are asked to
claim their corpses. Now, the fate of Blooming Port rests secure Blooming Port, where the crew of Her Royal
in the hands of the PCs. Highness and their necromancer rival lie waiting.

Set on the banks of the Great River Ēa, Mutiny at Act One, Scene One:
Blooming Port is a 3rd-level adventure of exploration,
combat, and social interaction intended to be played in 1- Mudd at Crabbers’ Crick
2 sessions.
To begin the adventure, as the party enters the Crescent
Adventure Background Vale along the Riverside Crossing, read or paraphrase
the following:
A hundred years ago, the Beast Plague came to the
Crescent Vale, and homes and families were torn apart Mud is everywhere. Spring has come to the Goatlands
when individuals were cursed with lycanthropy. and the Great River Ēa runs over, drowning the flood-
Overnight, society was irrevocably transformed: power meadows of the Crescent Vale. This far north, the road is
dynamics shifted, racial tensions escalated, external neither well-traveled nor well-maintained. Grass
trade ceased, and even the geography itself mutated. All encroaches on all sides, and old ruts, small pits, and
of this led to the abandonment of Blooming Port. Until muddy puddles mar the cobblestones, making wagon
recently, the Vale’s sole inhabited area was Santiago’s travel a challenge.
Landing. Perched upon the northeastern headlands
overlooking the banks of the Great River, this commune A sudden clamor of voices from nearby can be heard,
of 151 fishermen has a low tolerance for anyone not quite coming from an abandoned fishing lodge. A group of
human. tobihaze, amphibious fish-people, are harassing a small
band of riverfolk. The leader of the tobihaze, who sits
Enter: Her Royal Highness. Navigating the Great astride a giant crab and wears a gleaming steel breastplate,
River, this damaged, two-masted schooner docked in croaks with laughter as his two underlings drown one of
Blooming Port’s market square. There, Captain Bazelon the riverfolk—an albino dragonborn—in the mud.
and her all-female crew of pirates started on much-
needed repairs. A calamitous run-in with Commodore Three tribal warriors and Brynjar the Blind, a
Ruggiero, her former love, had cost her nearly a third of dragonborn gladiator, are under attack by Brudder
her ship and crew—including her cabin girl, Skyler Larkin. Mudd, two tobihaze (see page 109), and three giant
The captain has taken to drowning herself in drink each crabs. The tobihaze are using their pectoral fins to drown
night, placating her restive crew with false promises that the dragonborn. Brynjar will drop to 0 HP after three
they will soon be underway again. rounds, unless the PCs can draw the attention of the
tobihaze. The tribal warriors are already in melee with
In her absence, her crew has become divided. Some two of the giant crabs.
yearn for vengeance against Bazelon, but others seek
reconciliation. Until now, their mutual admiration for their The muddy crossing is difficult terrain, and the PCs
begin 60 feet from Brynjar. Until the PCs involve

91

themselves in the fight, the tribal warriors will continue Mudd is separated from either air or water for one hour,
fighting two of the crabs; at the end of every round, roll he starts to suffocate.
1d10. On a 9 or higher, the tribal warriors succeed in
subduing one of the giant crabs; on a 2 or lower, a tribal Crab Command. Brudder Mudd can communicate with
warrior is cleaved in half and dies. On any other result, crabs that can see him, using the vibrant luminescence of
they continue fighting. If a PC comes to their aid, the his skin.
tribal warriors aid them, granting up to two PCs
advantage on attack rolls. Leaping Skip. Brudder Mudd can use his movement to
leap three times in quick succession. Each leap is up to
Brudder Mudd begins mounted upon the third crab. He 10 feet long and 5 feet high. He can move through
is a tobihaze leader with delusions of divinity. As the PCs enemies, but cannot end his movement in a space
draw near, he casts thaumaturgy twice to make the occupied by an enemy. When he uses leaping skip,
ground tremble and his voice boom as he shouts, Brudder Mudd can use his action to tackle (see below).
“Sinnahs all! You be baptized in me namesake, or me
name ain’t Mudd!” The shaking earth and loud noises Spellcasting. Brudder Mudd is a 2nd-level cleric. His
frighten Mudd’s mount, and Mudd must succeed at a DC spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit
15 Animal Handling check (his modifier is +3) or be with spell attacks). He has the following cleric spells
thrown from the crab, fall into the mud, and take 1d6 prepared:
damage.

Brudder Mudo Cantrips (at-will): guidance, sacred waters (use sacred
flame, but the damage is bludgeoning instead of radiant),
Medium monstrosity (tobihaze), chaotic evil thaumaturgy
Armor Class 15 (+1 breastplate) 1st level (3 slots): bane, command, create or destroy
Hit Points 50 (9d8+9) water
Speed 15 ft., swim 15 ft., burrow (in mud) 10 ft.; leaping
skip Actions
Str 14 (+2) Dex 10 (+0) Con 14 (+2) Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Int 11 (+0) Wis 16 (+3) Cha 11 (+0) target. Hit: 16 (3d8+2) piercing damage.
Skills Acrobatics +2, History +2, Perception +5, Religion
+2 Hydrodynamic Tongue. Large sacs in Brudder Mudd’s
Vulnerability fire mouth allow him to carry an enormous amount of water,
Senses passive Perception 15; all-around sight which he can magically fashion into a retractable frog-like
Languages Common, Tobihaze tongue to capture prey. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
Challenge 2 (450 XP) reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d8+2) bludgeoning
damage. If the target is a creature of medium or smaller
Equipment Mudd wears the breastplate of the Duck size, it is restrained (escape DC 14). Until this condition
Knight (see page 19), and keeps a vial of muddy water ends, the target is entirely enveloped in water and at risk
on his person as a holy symbol. In an argyle sock he of drowning. While restraining a creature with his
uses as a belt pouch, he keeps 6 cp, 1 sp, an assortment hydrodynamic tongue, Mudd cannot speak. Brudder
of rotten eggs, and a grasshopper tart (a rare delicacy Mudd can recharge hydrodynamic tongue only by
among the tobihaze). spending an entire turn filling his mouth sacs with water.

All-Around Sight. Brudder Mudd’s large, bulging eyes Tackle. When Brudder Mudd moves with leaping skip, he
are mobile, retractable, and can move independently of can use his action to tackle up to three enemies whose
one another. While out of the water, he has advantage on spaces he moves through. The creatures must succeed
all Wisdom (Perception) checks requiring sight. at a DC 13 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (target’s
Underwater, he makes these checks without advantage choice) or be knocked prone and take 6 (1d8+2)
or disadvantage. bludgeoning damage.

Conditionally Amphibious. Brudder Mudd can breathe Aftermath
water and air. While underwater, he breathes through
gills. On land, he breathes air through his bioluminescent Once he is rescued, the blind dragonborn introduces
skin, which must be kept moist at all times. If Brudder himself as Brynjar the Blind, dux of the tovarē, a nomadic

92

clan of Ēasons. With him are Penance, a tiefling with Brynjar the Blind
shorn horns; Burrows, a halfling with a wandering eye;
and Laughing Sphinx, a stoic half-elf. (Some of these The Tovarē are led by Brynjar, a neutral good, albino,
tribal warriors may have died in the battle, or need dragonborn gladiator. Although blind, he has not
healing). always been so.

Brynjar (or one of the other survivors, if Brynjar In Portago’s colosseum, the Ziggurat of Upside-
perished) tells the PCs that the Great River is dying (see Down Smiles, gladiator slaves battle demonic hordes
Appendix A), and he has acquired a royal charter to to the raucous cheers of the masses. As a rare
resettle the abandoned Blooming Port. What’s more, survivor and victor in that arena, Brynjar the Albino
there are over a thousand refugees counting on his won the adulation of the crowd and his freedom. But
success downriver; even now they’re dismantling their the lord of the city, petty and vindictive to his core,
boats and preparing to migrate to their new home. In struck Brynjar blind, leaving him to wander lost.
unfamiliar territory and outnumbered, Brynjar beseeches
the PCs to scout ahead and secure the port. In exchange Brynjar had no clear direction in his life until he
for their services, Brynjar is happy to grant them salvage reached the Great River Ēa and met the Tovarē. By
rights on whatever goods they find in the settlement. completing the Open Arms Rite, he quickly earned
their respect and a place among them, and Brynjar
The tovarē can present their royal charter, which has spent the last six decades living among his Ēason
states: kin. When his mentor, Ruk, died, the Tovarē chose
Brynjar as their new leader (his bond). Today, Brynjar
“I, Princess Adamanthea, hereby grant titles of ownership is quiet and reserved, valuing diplomacy over combat,
of Blooming Port unto my royal subjects, the Tovarē (est. though he does not fear a fight if one seeks him out
population—1,220), with all the rights and privileges (his traits). He wishes to resettle his people at
thereto. May Sholay be kind during their travels.” Blooming Port, far from the Deadwaters of Panalane
in the south (his ideal).
If all the tovarē perished in the battle, the PCs can at
least find the charter and get some idea of what is going Act One, Scene Two:
on. They might learn more from the tovarē to the south,
or explore the port on their own. The Breezeway Arch

XP. Rescuing Brynjar and the other tovarē earns the PCs After traveling for three miles, the adventurers come
925 XP. Award an additional 50 XP for every NPC the across the headwaters of the Backwater Waltz, a violent
whitewater that cleaves through the Vale. Bridging the
PCs save.  river is the Breezeway Arch, a solid stone bridge that
rises 20 feet at its highest point and, thanks to dwarven
Traversing the Crescent Vale earth-sculpting spells, requires no columns or other
supports. Unfortunately, the spells have not entirely held,
The PCs will need to travel 3 miles to the Breezeway and there is a 10-foot gap at the center of the bridge. A
Arch, where they can cross the river (Act 1, scene 2). jumble of stone blocks wait in the water beneath the gap.
Three miles further is a roadside shrine (another
encounter, Act 1, Scene 3). Blooming Port is 3 miles The PCs must somehow cross the rapids. The two
further on. Thus, the total journey is 9 miles. The terrain most obvious choices are to leap the gap or swim the
is not particularly difficult, thanks to roadside drains river.
invented and installed by gnomes long ago. Let the PCs
determine their rate of travel, and note the effects of a Leaping the Gap
fast or slow pace on perception and stealth. The PCs
may choose to rest before moving on to the port. Roll for A PC who backs up and runs at least 10 feet before
a random encounter every hour, using the table on the leaping can jump 1 foot for every point of Strength the
following page. A roll of 18-20 on a d20 indicates an character has. However, some stone blocks on either
encounter takes place. Some of these encounters are side of the gap are only feebly bound to the rest of the
especially good opportunities for roleplaying, when the bridge by the structure’s fading magic. If anyone lands on
PCs might earn inspiration. them with force, they tilt, groan, and tumble into the water
below. A DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check can
identify the stable stones on the nearer side, while a DC

93

Random Encounter Table: The Crescent Vale
2d4 Result

The PCs encounter a family of owlbears (2 adults, 3 cublets). The cublets are non-combatants with 4

2 hp each and worth no XP, but one cublet has a curious streak that can get her and passersby in
trouble, and one of her brothers panics easily. The owlbears are scattered, grazing for berries, when

the party encounters them.

The PCs encounter a band of well-armed, LN human pilgrims: a black-robed, staff-bearing priestess

of Mourn (Mara, a priest), an acolyte (Jann), a knight (Sir Kayne), and his squire (Bruce, a guard).

The band is wary of other armed parties, suspecting bandits or highwaymen. The PCs’ might befriend

3 this group by finding common cause against actual bandits or expressing authentic interest in the

goddess Mourn. Having just come from Santiago’s Landing, the pilgrims have seen Vanoran

mercenaries, the Broken-Lance Irregulars, crossing Dragon Turtle Bridge into Panalane. After

sharing news, the travelers continue on their way.

The party travels near two violently aggressive awakened trees, animated long ago by the Four

4 Sisters and still on the lookout for troublemakers. If disturbed, the trees attack, but if left alone, they

sleep fitfully.

Two old women (the Shore Sisters, Maintina and Augie) shuffle along the road, apparently
unconcerned about their safety. They make sport of mocking the PCs in increasingly offensive and

5 vulgar terms. If passed without violence, they may turn and follow the PCs. If attacked (or if offended

by a PC with a sharp tongue) they drop their human guises, revealing that they are sea hags, and
use their death glares.

6 The party spies a herd of deer (2d4+1 in number). The same herd is being stalked by either 1d2 dire
wolves or 1d4+1 bandits (equal chance of either).

The party encounters Noralla, a NG human scholar-adventurer. (Use the acolyte stat block, but give

her Perception and Stealth, a shortbow, studded leather armor, a journal, and a set of panpipes.) A

wandering pauper from Faunton, Noralla travels the distant reaches of the Goatlands, seeking lost

lore. She is fascinated by tales of the Crescent Vale’s better days under the Four Sisters. If the party

7 fails to notice her (a DC 10 Wisdom [Perception] check), she observes from a distance. If the party
attacks, she defends herself and tries to flee. If the party speaks to her, she is withdrawn and

cautious. A failed bard, Noralla appreciates music and magic used artistically. (She is proficient with

panpipes and sings or hums to herself, but will be mesmerized by a truly skilled performer.) A party

that impresses or befriends her may ask her for advice or a simple favor, but she will not accompany

or guide them the rest of their way.

8 The party spies Brighton Tower in the distance, perhaps a mile off their path (see page 107).

12 Intelligence (Investigation) check can identify safe they do so with advantage if the advice is based on a
landing spots on the other side. (The GM may give good roll, and with disadvantage if the advice is based on
dwarves and other characters with stoneworking a bad roll.
expertise advantage on these checks.) On a check that
fails by 5 or more, the PC is convinced one of the If a PC leaps the gap after making successful
unstable stones is the safest. If a PC attempts to tell Intelligence checks, no Strength check is necessary for the
others which stones they thinks are safe, the recipients of jump as long as the character’s Strength is 10 or higher. If
that insight must still roll Intelligence checks. However, the PC’s Strength is lower than 10, the GM may allow a
DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check to make the leap.

94

Bridge Jump Table

Roll Result

One of the near-side stones gives way. A DC 20 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check enables the PC to spin
around and catch the edge. Alternatively, a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check enables the PC to get

1 enough distance to catch the edge on the other side—but then that stone also gives way. A second

DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check enables the PC to switch handholds to a
safer part of the edge before the block tumbles into the river.

One of the near­side stones gives way. A DC 20 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check enables the PC to spin 

2 around and catch the edge. Alternatively, a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check enables the PC to get 

enough distance to catch the edge on the other side, which holds steady.

The PC leaps without hazard from the near side but lands on an unsteady stone. A DC 15 Dexterity

3 (Acrobatics) check enables the PC to tumble forward onto more stable ground before the wobbly

block falls into the river.

The PC clears the gap safely without needing a Strength check as long as the character’s Strength is

4 10 or higher. If the PC’s Strength is lower than 10, the GM may allow a DC 12 Strength (Athletics)

check to make the leap.

If a PC attempts the leap without checking for safe to float 3 lbs for every point of the check. For example: A
spots or after failing an Intelligence check, roll 1d4 and result of 14 collects enough material to float 42 lbs. (Note
consult the Bridge Jump table below. Anyone falling into that time spent building rafts does not count toward the
the river takes 2d6 damage and finds themself in the time for exhaustion checks.)
middle of the river’s depths (see The Depths, below).
At any point in the river, if the depth of the water is
Swimming the River equal to or greater than the character’s height minus one
foot, the character must attempt a DC 10 Strength
Those who attempt to swim the river face three hazards: (Athletics) check to swim. If the character is encumbered
the mudbanks, the depths, and the rapids; each is or heavily encumbered, the character may have to make
detailed separately below. As the PCs navigate these such checks at disadvantage.
obstacles, GMs should keep careful track of in-game
time. For every hour the PCs spend swimming, fording, Mudbanks: The first hazard is a 15-foot ribbon of muddy
or otherwise exerting themselves to cross the water, they ground beneath the water near the party’s starting point.
must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or gain Anyone stepping into the mud sinks. The depth of the
one level of exhaustion. mud is 1d4 feet plus 1 foot for every 5 feet the PC moves
away from shore. A Strength check is required to move 5
A character with good wilderness skills can chart a
path across the river and bypass some of the dangers. A feet; up to three checks may be required to cross the
PC may attempt to chart such a path by rolling Wisdom
(Survival). On a result of 15-19, the character routes the mud. The DC of the check is based on the character’s
party past the mudbanks by having them crawl along a total weight (body plus gear):
fallen tree downstream of the bridge. On a result of 20 or
higher, the character finds a better path: upstream of the Below 50 lbs: No check needed
bridge, hidden by heavy brush, is an area of gentler 51-75 lbs: DC 5
current that can take the party along firmer ground, 76-125 lbs: DC 10
avoiding the mudbanks and improving the odds of safely 126-150 lbs: DC 12
crossing the depths. 151-175 lbs: DC 15
176-200 lbs: DC 17
PCs might try to improve their chances by taking off 201-225 lbs: DC 20
their armor and heavy equipment and making rafts to 226-250 lbs: DC 22
carry their gear. Each PC can roll one Wisdom (Survival) More than 250 lbs: DC 25
check each hour, gathering enough reeds and branches
95

Anyone failing a Strength check by more than 5 is movement speed must succeed at a DC 15 Dexterity
pushed over by the current and spends the next turn (Acrobatics) check or be swept off their feet, travel 100
under water. To recover, the character must make a new feet downstream, and take 1d4 bludgeoning damage
check at disadvantage. A character in such a position is from the rocks. The PC must attempt another check each
in danger of drowning. (See the rules on suffocating.) turn to regain their feet, or be swept another 100 feet and
take another 1d4 damage. Characters who try to cross
Once the PCs get past the mudbank, they enter the the river at a quarter of their movement speed can make
deep part of the river. these rolls with advantage, and someone who tries to use
the dash action rolls with disadvantage.
The Depths: The river through this area has a depth of
2d4+5 feet at any given point, and the force of the water XP. Crossing the Breezeway Arch earns the group 375 XP.
varies with recent rains. Anyone attempting to swim
across will be swept downriver some distance, depending Act One, Scene Three:
on how well they swim. Each PC swimming across the
depths must roll a Strength (Athletics) check with the A Roadside Shrine
results detailed on the Depth Crossing Table below. Use
the first result if the party is led by someone who Three miles beyond the bridge stands a simple roadside
succeeded at the DC 20 Wisdom (Survival) check to shrine. If the party includes a particularly devoted
chart a path across the river; otherwise, use the second character (such as a cleric, druid, or paladin), consider
result. making the shrine dedicated to that character’s patron
deity. Otherwise, the shrine is dedicated to Sholay, god of
Anyone carried 500 or fewer feet arrives at a sandbar money, travel and foresight. Erected by immigrants
that can be used to reach the other side of the river, centuries ago the shrine includes an intricate woodcarving
bypassing the rapids (the third and final obstacle). Note of the god on a knee-high stone wall. Locals believed this
that characters swept 4 miles downriver brings a shrine would protect travelers and the working poor alike,
swimmer to the mouth of Ole Nag’s Mangrove, an inland as long as a sacrifice of five coppers was paid.
swamp where there are no rapids, but other dangers lurk.
The shrine has been desecrated since its construction.
If PCs think of a clever way to rescue a party member The stone wall has been smashed to pieces, and the
who would otherwise have traveled several miles, woodcarving has been used as the occasional
assume the victim traveled 600 feet plus 100 additional backscratcher for a slumbering troll who has made this
feet for each turn that it took to make the rescue. area his home. His presence has taken a toll on the
surrounding flora and fauna: Trees are splintered and
Rapids. Characters forced to cross the rapids discover toppled, birds shun the area, and the air has a pungent,
that the river is shallow, but the rocks are slippery and saccharine odor.
treacherous. The rapids are difficult terrain 30 feet across
and 1d6+1 feet deep in any given spot. The rapids end at When the adventurers approach this area, the first thing
a steep, overhanging embankment lush with bushes and they see—well before the shrine itself—is the old, weather-
vines. A PC attempting to move through the rapids at half stained, and partially scattered skeleton of a small
humanoid. (A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation)

Depth Crossing Table

Strength If Wisdom (Survival) check was If not ...
(Athletics) successful
check

5 Current carries PC 600 feet Current carries PC 1d4 miles
10 Current carries PC 500 feet Current carries PC 1d4 miles
15 Current carries PC 400 feet Current carries PC 500 feet
20 Current carries PC 300 feet Current carries PC 400 feet
25 Current carries PC 200 feet Current carries PC 300 feet
30 Current carries PC 100 feet Current carries PC 200 feet

96

check turns up the skeleton’s crushed skull. A successful As the party enters Blooming Port, read or paraphrase the
DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check identifies the skeleton as following:
that of a halfling child.) Searching the immediate area also
reveals some rusted woodcutting tools. A dilapidated curtain wall surrounds a hedge garden,
perhaps once well-manicured but now wild with
Not far to the north, along the road, is the shrine where springtime blossoms and neglect. The garden is
the troll lives. Depending on the time of day, the troll may be terraced with graduated steps sloping downward
sleeping (dawn until dusk) or scratching his back (dusk until toward a partially flooded settlement. This must be the
dawn) with the woodcarving. The troll wears nothing but a Blooming Port.
pair of boots of speed. Any good view of the troll reveals
that he suffers from a virulent fungal infection along his Looming in the distance, anchored in the market
back. The largest of these fungal sacks has recently burst square, is a schooner with a flag that depicts a heart
open, releasing luminescent spores that give this area a surmounted by a crown.
pungent, saccharine odor. If the adventurers encounter the
troll at night, they find that both the troll and his woodcarving And on the lowest step of the terrace, near the
give off a splotchy green light, granting the effect of faerie water’s edge, are 15 well-armed (and slightly inebriated)
fire on the troll. pirates seated at three trestle tables arranged in a U-
shape. Their revelries suddenly stop, and they turn en
If the troll is awake, or the PCs fail to approach with masse to stare at the new arrivals, expectantly.
stealth, he attacks using the woodcarving as a great club.
The carving has been badly contaminated by its use as a The Pirate Crew
backscratcher. A PC who is struck by the carving must
succeed at a DC 11 Constitution save or become infected. All the pirates are listed by name and faction, and
Festering sores begin appearing the next day. Left assigned personality traits, game statistics, and
untreated, they burst open and glow in the dark after three alignment, in the following section.
days. PCs with open sores may have disadvantage on
some Charisma-based skill checks. Those who glow in the Fhadove the Shamedheart
dark may have trouble hiding. Finally, the unbearable itch of
the sores makes focusing on sleep, prayer, meditation, and Boisterous, booming, friendly; unsettled by internal
study very difficult—to succeed at any of these requires one
Constitution check (DC 11) per hour. The disease may be conflict with the rest of her “family”.
cured with magic (such as lesser restoration), or three
successful Medicine checks (DC 11), each on successive She Follows: The captain (first) or Marlena (second).
days. She Wants: Reconciliation with the crown.
Personality: I’ve started a new life and I’m determined to
The troll can use a bonus action at any time to click his make it work (Neutral).
heels together and activate his boots of speed. If he does
so, his speed is doubled and attacks of opportunity against Statistics: A half-giant, use the ogre stat block, but her
him have disadvantage.
alignment is neutral.
The PCs may choose to rebuild the shrine. Doing so
requires two hours of work and provides no immediate Marlena
effect, but consider granting the PCs inspiration.
Cool but civil.
XP. Besting the troll in combat earns the group 1,800 XP. She Follows: Only the captain.
She Wants: Reconciliation with the crown.
Act Two, Scene One: Personality: A crew can only survive by sticking together
(Neutral).
Drunk Women Tell Tall Tales
Statistics: Use the ice mephit stat block for the
Three miles beyond the roadside shrine lies Blooming Port. elemental helmswoman, but she appears human,
When the PCs reach it, award each of them 75 XP for a
Minor Milestone. They enter through the Thortone Chaste perhaps fey. Marlena carries coatl’s sight, a magic item
Gate, which leads to a garden called the Queen’s Floral (see page 19).
Bed. There, the crew of Her Royal Highness are
entertaining themselves with a drinking competition. 8 Green Sashes

A cautious lot, seekers of calmer waters ahead.
They Follow: Fhadove or Marlena.
They Want: Marlena’s affection.
Personality: There must be more to life than privateering
(Neutral).

Statistics: 8 bandits.

97

Uthal the Thrice-Damned Captain Bazelon is not here. Marlena, in a green sash,
sits on the right and Uthal the Thrice-Damned, in a
Sharp-witted, grinning; gnaws on own arm before battles, purple sash, sits on the left. Between them is an empty
leaving visible scars. chair.
She Follows: Only the captain.
She Wants: Vengeance against Ruggiero. PCs who wish to take stock of the pirates and the 
Personality: If you come seeking trouble, I’m happy to scene can roll Wisdom (Perception) checks.
dish it out (Chaotic Neutral).
• 9–Lower: Overcome with a sudden bout of hunger, the
Statistics: Purports to be part-sea giant, use the
PC grows restless. Whatever the pirates are feasting on,
berserker stat block, add swim speed 20 feet. Uthal it sure smells good.
carries the Quacken Donner, a magic item, see page 20.
• DC 10: The PC notices the decorative sashes dividing
Grilka Kilrain
the crew into two factions.
Glowering, quiet, easily offended.
She Follows: The captain (first) or Uthal (second). • DC 15: The PC realizes that the seeming camaraderie
She Wants: Vengeance against Ruggiero.
Personality: Our best days were the ones under a black among the pirates is a front, concealing tension among
sail, but the captain saved my sister—and for that, I will the crew. Although the greens have superior numbers,
follow her as long as she leads (Neutral). the purples look better equipped to handle themselves in
a fight.
Statistics: The dwarven boatswain is a bandit.
• DC 20: One of the pirates (Marlena) has an almost-fey
3 Purple Sashes appearance, and gives off a cool icy mist. She appears
distracted, looking around as if seeking someone not
A rough & tumble crowd, ready to throw down. present.
They Follow: Grilka or Uthal.
They Want: To avoid Uthal’s wrath. •DC 25: The PC notices that a dwarven pirate (Grilka
Personality: Respects strength above all else (Neutral).
Kilrain), is paying a lot of attention to the PC with the
Statistics: 3 thugs. lowest Charisma score, eying the character and licking
her jagged teeth.
Thiel
If the PCs attack outright, all rivalries among the pirates
Aloof, preferring back corners and sidelines; always last are forgotten; they swiftly unite to defend themselves and
to speak. murder the party. Considering their superior numbers, the
She Follows: Only the captain. pirates are likely to be victorious. Kindhearted GMs might
She Wants: Thinks both factions are foolish. If the choose to spare the PCs, who wake up in chains onboard
captain doesn’t step up, plans to take as much treasure Her Royal Highness. Go to Act Two, Scene Three. If the
as she can and leave town. PCs flee after initiating combat, the pirates attempt to
Personality: You only owe people who pay; the captain hunt them down; if the PCs run west to Apple Hillock,
used to pay, but seems to have lost her touch (Neutral north to the Stillwater Cistern, or east to the Edgewater
Evil). Packing District, go to Act Two, Scene Two.

Statistics: A thug. But if the PCs attempt to engage the pirates in
conversation, the pirates greet them with open arms
All the pirates are listed by name and faction, and (especially men) offering each a tankard and a seat at
assigned personality traits, game statistics, and either one of the end tables. As the PCs take their seats,
alignment, in the table on the following pages. The PCs Grilka Kilrain invites the PC with the lowest Charisma
do not need to fight all these pirates at once, or even at score to sit beside her, forcing her underlings to make
all; indeed, they begin by inviting the PCs to join them at room. If refused, she begins to make a scene but is
their festivities. Use whichever pirates strike your fancy, quieted with a terse look from Uthal.
and let the players select which ones to engage with and
which to ignore. Finally, a distracted Marlena suggests a drinking
game, Last Deckhand Standing. The idea is met with
The pirates are seated at three tables. On the right rapturous applause.
side are 8 bandits and Fhadove the Shamed-Hearted;
they all wear green sashes. On the left side are 3 thugs
and Grilka Kilrain; they all wear purple sashes. The
center table is for the captain and her two lieutenants, but

98

Last Deckhand Standing Round 4 (DC 17)

Last Deckhand Standing is a mini-game of power Event: Roll 1d6
drinking. • 1-2: An inebriated bandit draws a knife on a PC of your
choice.
This game lasts 5 rounds; each round is 30 minutes of • 3-4: An inebriated thug draws a knife on a PC of your
drinking. Every round, every participating PC attempts a choice.
Constitution Check. On a failure, the PC earns 1 Drunk • 5-6: An inebriated bandit and thug draw knives at one
Point. These points stack and are tallied against the PC another, both are reprimanded by their respective
at the end of the contest. leaders. Fhadove lectures the bandit about the
importance of family. Uthal draws a musket (the Quaken
PCs who agree to participate are competing against Donner, see page 110) on the thug and orders her to
Fhadove and Grilka, who each roll for their respective have a seat or else.
factions, the greens and the purples.
Round 5 (DC 21)
• Fhadove has a +3 bonus on the Constitution checks;
without her, the rest of the greens have only a +1 bonus. Event: Uthal challenges Fhadove to a duel.
• Grilka has a +2 total bonus, but she rolls with
advantage thanks to Dwarven Resilience; without her, When the drinking contest ends, for whatever reason,
the rest of the purples keep a +2 bonus but no longer roll apply the effects of Drunk Points to each PC and to any
with advantage. NPCs still conscious. Drunk Points do not apply until the
end of the contest; ignore their effects as long as
Each round, roll for both Fhadove and Grilka. If either everyone is still drinking.
fails the Constitution check, one of the NPCs in their
faction passes out unconscious, and that faction gains 1 Drunk Points Total
Drunk Point. Between rounds, PCs may choose to
roleplay with any of the crew, or simply begin combat and 1: Meh. Your character remains stone-cold sober.
end the contest. Scripted events occur in rounds 1, 3, 2: Ooh! Your character is overcome with euphoria. (You
and 5 of the contest, while random events occur in gain Inspiration).
rounds 2 and 4. 3: Hah! Your character can no longer exercise good

Round 1 (DC 9)  judgement. (You have advantage on all d20 rolls that

Event: All the pirates breakout in three cheers for place you in direct risk).
Captain Bazelon.
• Afterward, Marlena offers, “May the wind ever be on her 4: Ugh! Your character regrets all their life choices. (You
back.”
• Not to be outdone, Uthal slams down her tankard and have disadvantage on all d20 rolls).
shouts, “And may she yet cut the throat of that 5: Zzz… Your character immediately passes out until
blackhearted knave, Ruggiero!”
• There’s a pause, then someone shouts, “For Skyler morning. (Unconscious).
Larkin!” to raucous cheers.
If the game has not been interrupted previously, it comes
Round 2 (DC 11) to a sudden halt at the end of round 5, when Fhadove
and Uthal begin to fight each other. Pirates who are still
Event: Roll 1d6 conscious pull their faction leader away, but if all of the
• 1-2: A tipsy bandit makes a pass at a PC of your other pirates are already unconscious (or have left the
choice. game for other reasons), Fhadove and Uthal pummel
• 3-4: A tipsy thug makes a pass at a PC of your choice. each other mindlessly until both are unconscious.
• 5-6: A tipsy bandit and thug make a pass at one
another, and both leave for parts unknown. XP. Give the PCs XP for every pirate that falls
unconscious from drinking, as if the pirate was defeated
Round 3 (DC 13) in combat.

Event: Quietly, a cabin girl approaches Marlena. The pair Act Two, Scenes Two, Three, and Four:
exchange urgent whispers, after which the cabin girl runs off. Optional Encounters
Marlena, claiming to be tired, leaves. She takes a gondola
north from the Queen’s Flower Bed (to Encounter 5B). The drinking contest lasts for hours; this gives the PCs
the opportunity to explore more of Blooming Port.
Consider how much time remains in the gaming session.
If you are running out of time, you can proceed directly to

99