D&D - Ghoul Island, Acts 1-4 (5e) (lvl 1-14)

G. The Chancel The statue of the goddess of
Light
An elevated pulpit dominates the northwest corner of
room. Even at a distance, you can make out gouges on AC 21 HP 99
each side of the lectern as if it’s been clasped by claws Damage Immunities. Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
quaking with fervor. from non-magical weapons, psychic, poison, radiant,
An armoire, fully four feet wide and twice as tall, is necrotic
placed against the western wall a few steps from the Damage Resistances. Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
pulpit’s base. from magical weapons; cold, fire, lightning, necrotic,
thunder
The cabinet contains a dozen robes, each adorned with Variable geometry. The statue varies in size depending on
eldritch symbols and iconography marking its wearer as Farzeen’s faith. It is currently 6 ft. tall (the smallest it can
a supplicant of Ghatanothoa. Attached to each robe is a become).
hood of fabric that is notably heavier than the rest of the Weight. 450 pounds
garment. The hoods are heavy enough and designed in If the statue is reduced to zero hit points, it is destroyed.
such a way that when pulled over the wearer’s face, that Through the divine grace of the Goddess of Light, the
person is effectively blinded. statue regains 1 hit point at the start of each round.
Describe this effect visually to the PCs, but make sure
Development. The robes are loose enough to be that it is subtle: damage slowly repairs itself, almost too
worn over heavy armor and can be donned by a PC in slow to see, but one can feel the healing energy in the
1d6 rounds. Pulling the hood up or down requires an statue.
action. PCs wearing a robe have a +2 bonus on Charisma
(Deception) checks to appear as a member of the Cult of describe its rapidly deteriorating state to the players. If the
Ghatanothoa. PCs enter wearing cultist’s robes, they go unnoticed for
1d4 rounds due to the activities in the room. The PCs have
H. Pit of Worship just enough time to formulate a plan of action before the
cultists lower the statue into the acid.
Immediately upon opening the colossal doors, the
overwhelming stench of rotting eggs carries to you on Destroy the vat. If the PCs devise a plan to destroy
waves of scorching air. In the center of the room, you the vat in such a way that it not only saves the statue but
see a pool of liquid to match the contents of the basin inflicts heavy losses upon their enemies (such as upsetting
behind you, only significantly more. the vat so it splashes the gathered cultists), reward their
Dozens of cultists occupy the room, their attention ingenuity and dramatic problem-solving. The GM should
focused on the iconic statue of the Goddess of Light portray the scene as it unfolds narratively and require few
in their midst. When you last saw it, that statue occu- dice rolls, if any. The vat has AC 13, 17 HP, immunity to
pied a place of honor and prestige high above Farzeen, acid, poison, psychic, and fire damage, and vulnerability to
but now it looks small and frail. Here, the statue’s thunder and bludgeoning.
omnipresent glow is muted and sickly, as a trio of burly
figures bring the stature closer to the partially filled Destroying the vat has a second unintended conse-
container of volcanic glass. quence: the acidic overflow rapidly weakens the floor,
The other cultists chant and sway in a fugue-like state, pillars, and infrastructure of the sub-basement. When the
waiting for their compatriots to complete their task. If acid is spilled, it follows the below series of events:
you wish to save the statue, you’ll need to act–but how?
◊◊ Round 1. “The screams of cultists fill the chambers as
If the PCs examined the basin in area D, they immediately they are exposed to the volatile acid. The destruction
recognize the liquid in the container by its smell and ap- of their feet and legs invariably leads to an even more
pearance as the acid previously encountered. Ghatanothoa rapid demise, as they fall into corrosive sludge.”
has decreed that the statue of the Goddess of Light be de-
stroyed as an offering unto it, and the PCs have stumbled ◊◊ Round 2. “Bits and pieces of organic material can still
upon that task being completed. be identified as they rapidly melt away. The shrieks of
pain dissolve, replaced with the groan and creak of
Development. PCs with a passive Perception 16 notice weakening stone. The stone floor is crumbling, as are
a small, partially obscured ledge from which the proceed- the support beams.”
ings can be observed. The ledge can be reached via the
secret passage from Area I or with a successful DC 12 »» A rea A is completely blocked off due to a cave-in, and
Strength (Athletics) check. The cultists are not aware of the pool from area B floods the southern hallway and
the ledge. the westernmost cultist quarters.

The acid has the same properties as listed in area D. ◊◊ R ound 3. The floor of the room becomes difficult terrain
Once the statue is submerged, the GM is encouraged to and debris begins to fall from above, inflicting 2d6 blud-
roll damage to the statue at the end of each round and geoning damage on all inhabitants who do not succeed
on a successful DC 12 Dexterity saving throw; success
prevents this damage. The acid has drained sufficiently
that the PCs may walk on the ground without fear of dis-
solving, though the floor feels unsettlingly soft.

Act 3.2: Symbolic Sacrifice 19

◊◊ Round 4. The sub-basement settles, the rumbling The Cultists Win (for Now)
stops, and debris ceases to fall from the ceiling.
This battle, like many before, may not turn out in the PCs’
Attack! PCs wearing robes may be able to attack with the favor if they make poor tactical decisions or are unlucky.
element of surprise. In that case, they are still sorely out- As the GM, you have several options at your disposal.
numbered and overpowered. Any spells that inflict thunder First, the destruction of the statue does not mean the
damage or area of effect spells that inflict damage near the literal end of the world, at least not yet. The statue has
vat run the risk of breaking it and releasing the acid into a role to play in this story, but it is one that can be
the room as described above. rewritten.

Trickery. Convincing the cultists that the statue The players will be your best resource on how to
should not be destroyed is extraordinarily difficult. The proceed without the statue when the time comes. In
PCs must succeed on two DC 20 Charisma-based skill grand Mythos tradition, the PCs may only be able to
checks. The first serves to convince the group that they thwart the Great Old One by paying the ultimate price.
should stop their immediate actions, and the second
persuades them of whatever alternative plans the PCs If the PCs fall to the cultists in this battle, the session
devise. ends with a fade to black as their forms are dragged
to the rootlings on the next level and mummified. See
Creatures. There are three blessed berserkers Conclusion in this chapter for what comes next.
(SPCM 404) carrying the statue. The remainder of the
congregation consists of two witches (page 43), four cult Additionally, there are 1d4 spell scrolls (containing no
fanatics, and two priests of Ghatanothoa (see page 41). spell higher than 4th level) of the GM’s choice and a
tattered copy of Book Two of the Cryptical Books of Hsan
I. Archimandrite’s Sanctum (SPCM 134).

The door opens with an audible click, swinging effort- J. Escape!
lessly on its hinges. The ubiquitous humidity you’ve
become accustomed to is absent, and a dry mustiness Stairs carved into the earthen walls spiral upward into
pervades the room. The smell of cured leather, ink, and the darkness. Other than a few cracked steps, they
something unidentifiable hangs in the air. seem generally intact.

Books, grimoires, tomes, and codices of all shapes The stairs lead to area K.
and sizes are stacked haphazardly on two large
shelves against the walls. A desk, veritably covered Scene 2 – The Basement of
in papers, lies in the middle of the room. A stool sits Ghatanothoa’s Citadel
behind it as well as a discarded plate, turned over, on
the ground. A. Entrance

The PCs have discovered the sanctum of Lunzjata, high The spiral staircase leads up to another level of the Cit-
priestess of Ghat and archimandrite of Ghatanothoa. adel. As before, torches and braziers provide adequate
lighting to compensate for the deficiencies of the
Development. There is a well-hidden secret door human cultists. The warm humidity of the level below
(DC 18 Intelligence [Investigation] check to find or DC has evaporated, to be replaced with a pervasive sense
18 Wisdom [Perception] check to notice) that leads of chilling menace.
to a partially obscured balcony in the acid pit room.
Dexterity (Stealth) checks made by PCs on the ledge The basement of the Citadel has a more polished appear-
to hide from the inhabitants of area H are made with ance than the sub-basement. The walls are constructed
advantage. with more skill, the doors of higher quality, and torches
abound. There are no cultists or ghouls on this level at
Lunzjata has saved every scrap of paper and morsel present, due to the activities below. By the time the PCs
of knowledge in her collection. The GM is encouraged get here, they will almost certainly have dealt with all of
to use this as an opportunity to shore up any gaps in the them.
players’ knowledge of the story and the events leading
up to it. There are fractured notes (in Aklo) detailing the B. Prayer Chamber
process by which one might call forth a Great Old One to
this world. The notes include partial phrases hinting at You open the door to an austere room with eldritch
the power contained within the statue of the Goddess of markings on the floor. There are no light sources in the
Light. The details are agonizingly vague, but it is clear that room, no decoration, and no furniture.
the Cabal believes the statue must be destroyed before
Ghatanothoa’s ascension can be realized.

Treasure. The collection of arcane and eldritch knowl-
edge within this room is priceless. Any of the following
skill checks, if made in this room while researching
the pages within, are made with advantage: all Intelli-
gence-based skills, Yog-Sothothery, and Medicine.

20 Act 3.2: Symbolic Sacrifice

This room and its partner area M are used for medita- Lunzjata, wishing to turn him to their cause, imprisoned
tion and ritually cleansing the minds of the adherents of the assassin within the prayer chamber as an offering to
Ghatanothoa. The door locks from the outside, and once Ghatanothoa. Lingyi’s mind broke, but not before his body.
it is closed, the locking mechanism engages automatically. With his death, Ghatanothoa has thoroughly broken his
There is no way to open from the inside without battering mind, body, and soul.
it down (DC 14 Strength). There are scores of claw marks
on the interior of the door. Creatures. Lingyi is a Mythos undead Tcho-Tcho
Okkator assassin. Lingyi may escape the chains with a
Development. The door is locked (DC 12 Dexterity successful DC 12 Strength check, but chooses not to—he
[Thieves’ tools]). When the door is closed it blocks out all prefers to rely upon his innate cunning (which remains
sounds and light from external sources. The effect is very intact), and he will entreat the PCs to aid in his escape.
disconcerting, and if the PCs spend more than 1 minute in If freed, he will aid the PCs until the moment when his
the room, they must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom save or betrayal has the most impact or his own safety is in peril,
gain 1 level of dread for the following hour. likely when they encounter the rootlings in area Q.

A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Nature) check iden- Treasure. Lingyi’s blowgun is enchanted to magically
tifies the scratches on the door as belonging to both envenom his projectiles: a victim must make a DC 13
humans and ghouls. Constitution saving throw, taking 11 (2d10) poison dam-
age on a failure, or half as much damage on a success. If
A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the
identifies the symbol as being associated with opening target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regain-
oneself up to the Great Old Ones and their ilk. ing hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.
Envenoming a projectile requires 1 charge (no action).
C – Prayer chamber The blowgun has 1d6 charges, and replenishes spent
charges daily at dusk.
This bare room is decorated with an eldritch symbol
on the floor. A humanoid figure hunches in the center D. IA! IA! Cthulhu
of the room, manacled to the floor.

Area M is a twin to the area L with one exception: a set A mountain-like shrine of Ghat is placed prominently
of manacles has been mounted into the stone floor. The in the alcove. Its top has been shorn off, and on the
manacles are used for supplicants that require additional resulting plateau stands a small figure some two hand
incentive to complete their meditative litany to the Outer spans in height and half that in width.
Gods. The aberrant icon’s proportions suggest a roughly hu-
manoid creature: it has a pair of arms, trunk-like legs,
Development. The Tcho-Tcho Lingyi (page 38) was and batlike wings. Any semblance of natural morphol-
captured generations ago by the cultists of Ghatanothoa.

Act 3.2: Symbolic Sacrifice 21

ogy ends there, however: affixed to the upper portion F. Nave
of the body is an elongated, bulbous mass of tentacles
attached to a head of sorts. The tentacles seem to A long hallway lined with pillars extends to the far
writhe with examination. reaches of the room. The floor is covered in glyphs,
symbols, and depictions of writhing figures, many
The statue of Cthulhu serves the dual purpose as an hom- of which have become familiar to you in your explo-
age to Cthulhu, the Great One progenitor of Ghatanothoa, rations of Farzeen. These are clearly the symbols of
and as a conduit for communication with the deep ones in Ghatanothoa.
the nearby undersea city, Ha-Agguan. With your first step into the hallway, an unseen force
takes hold of you. Your insides seem to catch fire, your
Development. The statue intensely radiates trans- steps hitch, and your appendages become leaden as all
mutation magic. A successful Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) traces of suppleness rapidly evaporate from them.
check learn the following:
Development. The Elder Influence’s radius of effect (see
◊◊ DC 8 – The statue represents Great Cthulhu. area Q) extends throughout all of the basement and is only
blocked when line of sight is broken. PCs who succeed
◊◊ DC 10 – Deep ones serve Cthulhu in all things. on a DC 14 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check understand
what’s happening and what it is that stands before them.
◊◊ DC 14 – Ghatanothoa is the progeny of Cthulhu. This check should be made before the PCs roll their initial
saving throw against the Influence’s Unnamable Doom.
◊◊ DC 20 – Statues such as this one typically function in
pairs, used to facilitate communication between deep Creatures. Two rootlings (SPCM 195) have been
one colonies and their landbound allies. called forth by the cultists to guard the nucleus from
interlopers. They lay in wait until the PCs show the effects
Treasure. Farzeen’s Icon of Cthulhu (page 46) of the Elder Influence before bursting forth. The rootlings
will use their mummification gaze at every opportunity, in
E. Summoning Room addition to their slam attacks.

You open the door to a chamber crackling with energy, G. Elder Influence
and the smell of ozone wafts to your nostrils. The
room is bare but for an eldritch symbol of incredibly Your mind struggles mightily to interpret what your
complex geometry, inlaid in adamantine, on the floor. eyes see, but the images shift and distort with each
Candles melted to nubs surround it, and dried brown heartbeat. Eyes—so many eyes—cover the undulating
stains mar the stone. mass. Eyes where there should not be any!
Suddenly, the eyes vanish, replaced by countless rows
This room serves as the nexus for countless summoning of mismatched teeth of all shapes and sizes: the crush-
and binding rituals by first the ghouls and later the cultists ing pallets of crabs, beaks of octopi, serrated shark’s
of Ghatanothoa. teeth. You see them all in its dripping, gaping maw.
Looking away does nothing to diminish the memory of
Development. Generations of dedicated usage have the horrific vision. The appalling aspect of Ghatanoth-
permeated the stones within this room to such a degree oa is indelibly burned into your consciousness.
that spells conjuring, summoning, or contacting beings
from another plane of existence are made as if cast using Development. The cultists have succeeded in creating a
one spell slot higher than the slot expended (to a maxi- stage 2 Elder Influence of Ghatanothoa (SPCM 192). The
mum of 9th level). wiklamite delivered by the PCs provided enough materi-
al components for the cultists to escalate the imperfect
The pervasive taint of conjuration magic affects the follow- image to perfection. The apotheosis occurred the day after
ing spells: detect magic, and identify. (Other similar spells the PCs delivered the wiklamite.
may be affected at the GM’s discretion.) Detect magic reveals
an aura of strong conjuration on all objects in the room, H. Alcove
whether they are magic or not. Identify falsely states the ob-
ject to have conjuration properties as determined by the GM. What you initially mistook for statues are actually
stiffened bodies tightly packed next to one another
A successful DC 17 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check re- and upright. There are priests of Ghat and cultists of
veals that the symbol is used to augment conjuration mag- Ghatanothoa, identifiable by their livery, mixed in with
ic and specifically targets creatures of alien intelligence. dozens of others you cannot quickly identify. A few
wear expressions of divine rapture, but most of the
If the PCs retreat to area O to avoid pursuing rootlings mummified bodies look positively horrified.
and the Elder Influence, one of the aberrations will use its
burst forth ability to emerge from the gate. The other will
use two of its three slam attacks to burst through the wall,
saving the final attack for the closest PC.

Precautions

If the PCs take precautions to mitigate the Elder
Influence’s effects, such as blindfolds or hoods, the
sensations detailed above are felt but less intensely, and
may be shaken off. For now, at least..

22 Act 3.2: Symbolic Sacrifice

Losing the Fight

The PCs are not meant to win their initial fight against
Ghatanothoa and its servitors. Great Old Ones are
immeasurably powerful and their minions ruthless;
the cultists have plotted for this very moment for
generations. All the cultists they have slain thus far
have been a means to an end: instilling in the PCs a
false sense of security to goad the PCs on until they
reached this point. For the PCs to expect to thwart
these machinations easily—and without paying a terrible
price—is hubris of the most extreme kind that flies in the
face of the power of the Great Old Ones.

They are heroes, however, and capable of acts that
their contemporaries cannot even dream of. Beaten
does not mean defeated, and from the depths of their
initial failure, the PCs will rise to the challenge. They have
learned much in their defeat, all hope is not lost, and they
have allies they are not yet aware of.

With the escalation of Ghatanothoa to a stage 2 influence,
the cultists immediately began preparations for escalation
to stage 3. The alcoves contain a portion of the number
of mummified bodies required by Ghatanothoa to achieve
that end. With the imminent mummification of the PCs,
the Great Old One will have the 50 bodies needed to begin
its transformative work.

Development. The number of bodies in the alcoves is
equal to 50 minus the number of PCs in the party. In lieu
of counting the dried-out husks one by one, a successful
DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals how many
bodies are in the alcove. A DC 20 Wisdom (Yog-Sothoth-
ery) checks reveals the trove’s importance: being in the
presence of fifty mummified sacrifices for 30 days will
allow Ghatanothoa to escalate to its greater, more terrible
next stage.

Conclusion

Your body stiffens to utter immobility, and, unable to
maintain your balance, you tumble to the ground with
the graceless rigidity of a fallen tree. Unable to move
even your eyes, you cannot see your allies. Your hear-
ing is not affected, however, and you are aware of the
battle raging briefly before going silent. In moments,
it becomes clear your faculties are to remain intact,
trapped within a useless shell, and at the mercy of your
captors.
An interminable time later a small voice infiltrates your
mind: “Your usefulness has not played out just yet,
hero.”

Experience Points

At the end of this episode, all PCs gain sufficient
experience to reach 10th level.

Act 3.2: Symbolic Sacrifice 23

People said that if no victims were offered, Ghatanothoa would ooze up to
the light of day and lumber down the basalt cliffs ... bringing doom to all it
might encounter. For no living thing could behold Ghatanothoa, or even a
perfect graven image of Ghatanothoa, however small, without suffering a
change more horrible than death itself. Sight of the god, or its image, as all
the legends of the Yuggoth-spawn agreed, meant paralysis and petrifac-
tion of a singularly shocking sort, in which the victim was turned to stone
and leather on the outside, while the brain within remained perpetually
alive—horribly fixed and prisoned through the ages, and maddeningly con-
scious of the passage of interminable epochs of helpless inaction till chance
and time might complete the decay of the petrified shell and leave it exposed
to die. Most brains, of course, would go mad long before this aeon-deferred
release could arrive.

—H. P. Lovecraft

24 Act 3.2: Symbolic Sacrifice

Act 3.3: True Sacrifice

A Cthulhu Mythos adventure for 4–5 10th-level characters

Episode Synopsis Sneak vs Fight

The PCs begin this leg of the adventure as little more than The PCs have two basic strategies to escape from the
tasty decoration in a ghoulish storeroom. Their string of Citadel. Do they wish to go out in a flurry of swords,
incredible triumphs and odds-defying victories ended in fireballs, death, and destruction? Or are they going to
the face of the Elder Influence of Ghatanothoa and its follow a subtler path and escape via the shadows? There
servitors. Summarily defeated, the PCs hear a haranguing will be opportunities for both options and neither is any
speech from Magistrate Alwiġi, which drops inadvertent better or worse than the other. There are consequences
clues regarding the Cult’s immediate plans to take back to all things, and by now the PCs have learned that
Farzeen. Trapped as they are in the dried-out husks of their lesson.
bodies, the PCs are at the mercy of Cult and in no position
to capitalize on the newfound intelligence. At least not yet. Keep in the mind that the PCs will have a 450-pound
human-sized statue in tow as well. As always, the GM
An indeterminate time after the magistrate departs, a should reward innovative, out-of-the box solutions.
change begins in the PCs’ bodies. The suppleness of their
previous forms comes back, and with blurred vision they er. The PCs also discover the remains of an unspeakably
behold their savior, Ylenia (see page 44) the zoog: a dimin- vile act committed by the hated necrophages. Shaken but
utive interloper with a decidedly tentacular proboscis. Her more determined than ever, the PCs continue their explo-
job done, she answers a few questions before disappearing rations in search of knowledge, power, and escape.
into the aether. The bewildered PCs must escape from
the Citadel under their own power, and with the statue of At the end of their exploration of the underground floor,
the Goddess of Light in tow no less. (Ylenia the zoog has the PCs find the magistrate’s office (the seat of communi-
recovered it.) cations between the Cult and its allies), a deadly pool, and
an underground river. This presents the PCs with a choice.
The PCs’ exploration of the Citadel reveals the extent of Do they allow its waters to carry them to a presumably
the deep ones’ involvement with the cultists and uncovers safer locale? Or do they forge ahead, bravely (or perhaps
an abundance of unusual and potent items of magical pow- foolishly) exiting through the front door for all to see?

Act 3.3: True Sacrifice
25

Regardless of their strategic decisions, the PCs escape From their lairs in the adjacent Dreamlands, the zoogs
to the relative safety of Farzeen, where Domniku informs of Farzeen have kept an eye on the hated ghouls and the
them of the loss of a trusted friend and mentor. Lothar activities of the Cult of Ghatanothoa. Loath to reveal them-
leads the PCs to the comforts of the Albatross while the selves to their enemies, it took the imminent threat of the
grief-stricken priest continues his tireless work to devise a Great Old One’s ascension to rile them from their warrens.
method of repelling Ghatanothoa’s awesome gaze. To that end, they have sent the emissary Ylenia (page 44)
to Domniku to broker a treaty for aid. Ylenia agreed to aid
Prologue. Magistrate Alwigi’s the PCs in their hour of dire need, by using the scrolls pro-
Taunting Monologue vided by Domniku to reverse the PCs’ petrification so they
could escape, preferably with the statue of the Goddess
The mummified PCs are taken from the site of Ghatanoth- of Light. With her magic, stealth, and diminutive stature,
oa’s perfect likeness to the storage room (area A). Read or Ylenia was able to infiltrate area A without alerting any
paraphrase the following: cultists.

Time is difficult to measure when you are in full (For more on the zoogs of the island, see page 24.)
control of your mental faculties but have no physical
sensations or stimuli. An interminable time later, the After a time, during which most would have gone ut-
door opens, steps come closer, and a familiar, cultured terly mad, you become aware of your body once more.
voice addresses you. You can feel your flesh again, like something out of a
“I should have fed you to the ghouls when I met you,” blessed dream or a hopeless nightmare.
says Magistrate Alwigi. “To be honest, I thought I
had, when you went into tunnels. But no, you had to With the ponderous opening of eyelids that feel like
survive. Like heroes.” Even in your current state the thousand-pound weights, you are able to take in your
vitriol with which he utters that last word is clear, as if surroundings. Your stiff limbs slowly regain sensation
it pains him to say it. and you can move once more. Arid air fills your lungs
“It makes no difference, and perhaps I should be for what feels like the first time in ages, making you
thanking you for bringing the mind-witch to us. My al- cough and retch.
lies under the sea are a superstitious lot, and Censa’s…
unique position sealed the deal, so to speak.” Your vision must still be affected by the mummifi-
“They say her coming has been foretold. The twsha cation. A strange creature about the size and rough
she’s been granted from Lord Cthulhu has guaranteed shape of a cat is staring at you impatiently, its face
Ghatanothoa’s escape for the depths!” covered in writhing tentacles. Finally, the rodent-like
As if lost in thought, Alwigi falls silent for several min- creature speaks to you:
utes. You almost think he is gone when he suddenly
speaks again. “Done my part. Time to go.” She takes two steps be-
“You’re fortunate, you know? With Ghatanothoa’s fore turning her bag upside down to dump out a white,
blessing and your power, you can expect to live for glowing statue. Other than its size, it is identical to the
centuries. Not that you’ll enjoy it: the ghouls will take statue of the Goddess of Light. Within seconds the air
their time with you. I’ve seen to it.” shimmers, and it enlarges to roughly six feet in height.
Steps recede, and you are against left to the recesses
of your imprisoned minds. A successful DC 8 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check reveals
that Ylenia is a zoog (SPCM 403).
Development. The PCs are able to identify what a twsha
is, and the significance of how Censa procured it, with The PCs inadvertently pay the price for Domniku’s lack
a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check, or of familiarity with the zoog culture. His treaty with Ylenia
a DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana) check (SPCM 130, 144). was to “get the statue and free the PCs from the mummi-
PCs with deep one heritage have advantage on this fication of Ghatanothoa.” He assumed, in error, that she
check. would join the party, aid in their escape, and deliver the
statue of the Goddess of Light to the leaders of Farzeen.
Scene 1. The Rescue
Ylenia’s cunning use of a scroll of enlarge/reduce and
Much like the indigenous Tcho-Tcho tribes, the zoogs of her bag of holding allowed her to obtain the statue and
Farzeen were hunted to extinction generations ago by the deposit it at the PCs’ feet. Now that she has freed the PCs
ghouls. Most folk dismiss tales of their existence on the from their predicament, she has fulfilled the terms of the
island as little more than bedtime stories, legends, and the agreement and will be on her way. The PCs have a brief
ramblings of the moon touched. And that is exactly as the time to question her: her answers are curt, terse, and she
zoogs wish it to be. quickly grows nervous at being in the Citadel in front of so
many non-zoogs. She leaves before they fully recover.

That said, if the PCs are hostile, either verbally or phys-
ically, then the zoog’s first reaction will be to escape and
leave them to their fate. Her treaty fulfilled, she is under
no further obligation.

◊◊ The Citadel. Ylenia’s knowledge is limited to the rooms
that she had to travel through to achieve her goals. She
can relate that the mummified victims from the level

26 Act 3.3: True Sacrifice

Scrolls of Protection from braziers, and other sources of light provide the equivalent
Ghatanothoa of dim light to all areas. Any exceptions are noted in the
room descriptions.
Domniku and Kristofru have crafted a scroll of protection
from Ghatanothoa (page 46) for each of the PCs using Noise. Due to the echoing halls, PCs who make exces-
the insight gleaned from Wandolfin’s Ledger. The scrolls sive noise risk drawing the attention of nearby cultists.
given to Ylenia are a work in progress and not as powerful Spells that inflict thunder damage, have a sonorous com-
as the final, refined product. These lesser scrolls are able ponent, and/or affect an area instigate a Wisdom (Percep-
to reverse the effects of Ghatanothoa’s mummification tion) check from nearby foes to determine if they inves-
abilities, whether from a spell, rootling, or Elder tigate. Base the DC for this check on the level of noise
Influence. Additionally, the target of the scroll may produced (10 for very loud effects, 14 for minor noises, 18
choose to re-roll a saving throw to avoid petrification for tiny popping sounds, etc).
once in the subsequent four hours.
A. Hero Storage
below are not there, and she does not know where they
are now. She can give the PCs an accurate description The room is cylindrical with recessed alcoves spaced
of area B. uniformly along the perimeter. Above each alcove is a
symbol you recognize as associated with Ghatanothoa.
◊◊ The statue. “Told to bring it. Brought it. Done.” Ylenia Stepping out of your alcove, you see that your com-
does not know the significance of the statue, though panions are extricating themselves from theirs.
she knows it is magical. There is a large, angular, recessed room on each side of
the exit. Your weapons and gear lie scattered haphaz-
◊◊ Can you help? “Did help. Not stiff, are you?” Ylenia ardly within, where the ghouls must have thrown them.
will not join the party under any circumstance. With
sufficient persuasion or bribery, she is willing to assist
the party with support spells.

◊◊ W hy did you help? “Treaty with Domni.” If pressed for
additional details, it becomes clear that Ylenia hates
the ghouls, and the zoogs are afraid of how the coming
of Ghatanothoa will affect them.

◊◊ What did you do? “Used scrolls Domni gave me to free
you.” Ylenia knows the scroll she used up will impart an
additional measure of protection against the effects of
Ghatanothoa’s petrification for a period of time.

◊◊ W here did you come from? Ylenia will not answer this
question. If pressed, she uses her corporeal dreamer
ability to leave.

After answering a handful of questions (the exact number
is at the GM’s discretion), she visibly begins to fall asleep,
and, with a soft snore, she disappears from the room into
the adjacent Dreamlands. If the players ask directly or at
least one character makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Insight) check, the PCs realize belatedly that Ylenia’s
voice is not the one that spoke to the PCs at the
end of Act 3.2, saying they had more to do.

Development. The PCs gain the benefit
of a short rest while mummified. They were
not petrified long enough to take a long rest.

Scene 2. The Citadel

The Citadel has the following characteristics unless
specifically stated otherwise.

Climate. The air is more humid than the level
below due to the river and the deep one habitat in the
northern sections.

Passageways. The passages, rooms, and spaces
have been cut from the existing tunnel system. The
ceilings are 7–10 feet high, and the floors are even.

Light. To accommodate the human cultists, torches,

Act 3.3: True Sacrifice
27

The ghouls dragged the mummified PCs into this room, Treasure. Each foe has 2d6 sp and a 1 in 4 chance of
here to spend eternity as preserved meat. As powerful he- possessing a semi-precious stone worth 15 gp.
roes, their flesh is highly-prized and the ghouls planned to
eat pieces of them before the impending deep one invasion. C. Southern Quarters

Development. The room is locked (DC 16 Dexterity These chambers house Ghatanothoa’s land-dwelling fol-
[Thieves’ tools]), but the locking mechanism is on the lowers. They are similar to but better appointed than the
same side as the PCs. They can easily open the door with- quarters in the level below. The doors to these rooms are
out a skill check. locked (DC 12 Dexterity [Thieves’ Tools]).

Treasure. The cultists, in their eager over-confidence, Development. Each of the rooms has a pair of locked
have not disposed of the PCs’ belongings. Mummification (DC 14 Dexterity [Thieves’ Tools]) chests that the inhabi-
made the removal of worn equipment problematic, and all tants of the room use to store their valuables. The chests
carried gear, equipment, weapons, and magic items have can be forced open with a successful DC 16 Strength
been placed in a large rectangular alcove near the door to check or smashed (AC 15, 17 HP).
be dealt with later.
Treasure. Roll or choose from the table below to deter-
The only exception is the Icon of Cthulhu, and any mine the contents of the chest.
Mythos tomes that the party had in its possession. Those
have been confiscated and taken to either the magistrate’s D20 CONTENTS
office (area K) or placed in the secret storage room (area 1 A beautiful black wooden box with no
F).
ornamentation. Within the box is an intricately-
At the GM’s discretion, other weapons, armor, and ob- etched adamantine dagger (worth 150 gp).
jects taken from defeated foes may be stored in the alcove 2 A small pocket book of poetry and limericks.
as well. Each poem is surprisingly cheerful and positive.
3 A pouch containing 2d10 platinum pieces.
B. Southern Guard Room 4 A ticket for an item, of the GM’s choice, from
Peren’s pawn shop (see Volume 1). The ticket
This simple room serves as a common room for the hu- can be traded in for the item, potentially at a
man cultists in area C, as well as guards stationed on this reduced price, provided the loan is paid off.
floor. 5 A coral torque (worth 15 gp).
6 A faulty brain cylinder (SPCM 123).
A smattering of tables dotted with dice, cards, and 7 A potion of poison.
other gaming pieces stands helter-skelter in this 8 A crumbling page from a Mythos tome of
room. The cultists and ghouls at the tables look up the GM’s choice. The page is tantalizingly
in shock and amazement as you emerge from the incomplete.
storage room. 9 A spell scroll of water breathing.
10 An ancient coin of piping (page 45). There are
The cultists and ghouls are engrossed in their downtime Aklo engravings on it.
activities and are more than a little shocked to see the PCs 11 A stone die with an indeterminant number of
emerge from the storage room. When the PCs enter the faces. With each counting, it seems to change.
room, they recover quickly from their sense of disbelief This is a die of strange geometries (page 45).
and attack the PCs. 12–16 A spare set of cultist’s robes (see Act 3.2).
17–20 The chest is empty.
Development. If the PCs emerged from area A with
their weapons drawn or have made a stealthy approach, D. Closet
they should be rewarded with advantage on their Initiative
roll. This unlocked closet contains a dozen cultist robes (see
Act 3.2).
Creatures. There are 4 ghouls (SPCM 325), 2 cults fa-
natics, and 1 priest of Ghatanothoa (page 41). They attack E – Shrine
immediately and will not parlay.
An imperfect image of Ghatanothoa is displayed promi-
nently and can be viewed from areas B and G.

Your breath hitches for the space of a heartbeat when
you take in the likeness of the icon before you. The
horrid depiction of Ghatanothoa lacks the palpable,
baleful aspect of the Elder Influence that mummified
you, but it is unmistakably dedicated to the alien intel-
ligence.
Its mass is less than the shrine below but still larger
than a human. Dozens of tentacles and mouths have
been carved into the wiklamite. Their blurred, indis-

28 Act 3.3: True Sacrifice

tinct edges make them appear mobile and threatening. level), two potions of greater healing, a potion of heroism,
Orbs of disparate shapes and sizes blanket the figure, a potion of hill giant strength, and a potion of haste.
each orb crafted to follow your movements. Designer’s Note: If the party is in dire need of a con-
sumable magic item, such as a scroll or potion, the
Just gazing upon the image sparks horrid memories, treasure in this room should be adjusted to accommo-
and you relive the trauma of your mummification. date this by using items of similar power levels to the
ones listed.
This shrine to Ghatanothoa is a frequent stop for many of
the cultists of the Citadel. It contains an imperfect image G – Northern Guard Room
of the Great Old One, which has been constructed to serve
the dual purpose of worship and as a replacement for the This simple room is used as a common room for the deep
perfect image should it be destroyed. As it is still imper- ones in area I.
fect, it has no innate abilities at this time.
The room is dominated by a single table, which cur-
Development. At the reminder of Ghatanothoa’s horror, rently hosts a quintet of deep ones in tense conversa-
the PCs must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw tion. The throaty gurgles and chirrups of their speech
or gain 1 level of dread that lasts for 1 hour. The imperfect reverberate through the chamber. One of their number
image can be destroyed with some time (see below), but seems to be proselytizing to the other four, inter-
this produces lots of noise. rupting and speaking over them when they attempt a
response.
There are two sets of secret doors, one on the eastern
wall and another on the western wall. The western door The deep ones are embroiled in a profoundly complex
leads to the magistrate’s office, area K, and the eastern conversation on the eschatological differences between
door to the storage room in area F. worship of their dread lord Cthulhu and its spawn Ghata-
nothoa.
The door on the western side can be found with a suc-
cessful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check and un- Development. If the PCs succeed on a DC 15 group
locked with a successful DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) Dexterity (Stealth) check, they are able to escape the no-
check. It is trapped, however: a successful DC 20 Wisdom tice of the creatures long enough to go to area J. Travel to
(Perception) check reveals the trap and the simple means area H and/or area I requires additional Stealth checks.
to avoid it (stand out of the way). If the trap is not avoided,
a dart strikes a creature opening the door (+11 to hit, 1d4 Creatures. There are four deep ones (SPCM 296) and
piercing); the dart is coated in 3rd stage metamorphic a deep one scion priest of Cthulhu (SPCM 299) in the
venom: strike and escape (SPCM 120). room. If they detect the PCs, they attack immediately.

Creatures. The imperfect image of Ghatanothoa has Treasure. The deep ones each have 2d6 sp and a 1 in
AC 16, 105 HP, damage resistance to cold, fire; bludgeon- 4 chance of possessing a pearl worth 15 gp. The priest has
ing, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that 15 gp and a pearl of power.
aren’t adamantine; and damage immunity to poison and
psychic. H. Northern Vault

F. Secret room Storage

The faintest depression and smudge of grease gives This room is the twin to the one you woke up in. There
away the presence of a hidden passage. Depressing a are bodies in each alcove, so many that you cannot
hidden button, you hear a barely perceptible “click” easily count them, all standing propped against one
and a section of the wall shifts forward fractionally. another.
Where your vault was sparsely occupied, this one is
Mounds of coins, paintings, and other valuables clearly filled to overflowing with the mummified remains of
taken from the folk of Farzeen litter the room. You those that have displeased Ghatanothoa. There are
also perceive three chests partially covered by the signs that the ghouls have already begun to harvest
coinage. pieces of these unfortunate souls.

Development. The door to the eastern side can be found The bodies from Act 3.2 have been brought up to the
with a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check northern vault for storage and protection. As before, the
and opened with a successful DC 16 Dexterity (Thieves’ total number of victims is equal to fifty minus the number
Tools) check, and the trap can be discovered and avoided of PCs in the party.
with a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check.
Development. Searching through the bodies, the PCs
Creatures. All three of the chests are mimics and discover the mummified husk of Pompea (page 40). Read
attack in unison if disturbed. or paraphrase the following,

Treasure. The coins in the room total 1,253 cp, 358 One body immediately stands out from the rest.
sp, 178 gp, 17 pp. The four paintings are worth 13 gp Most of the flesh has been cleanly flayed from the
each. The other valuables consist of a mishmash of silver- skull, leaving a mere suggestion of its former coun-
ware, candlesticks, and knickknacks worth a total of 72
gp. There are three scrolls of the GM’s choice (up to 2nd

Act 3.3: True Sacrifice
29

30 Saving the Victims

At this point in the adventure, there is no mechanism
by which the PCs can hope to save the victims of
Ghatanothoa’s mummification gaze. Fortunately, any
PC with the Yog-Sothothery skill knows that if the Great
Old One is defeated, its powers will no longer be able
to sustain the effect, and the victims will regain their
previous mobility. The only mitigating factor is the
ghoul’s voracious appetites.

The PCs should realize that there is a clock ticking if
they expect to save the majority of the islanders. When
the PCs consider the need for a long rest or other time-
consuming activity, the GM can remind the group of the
gruesome activities of the necrophages.

tenance. The torso, arms, and legs received consid-
erably rougher treatment. Were it not for the magical
stiffening of Ghatanothoa’s dire gaze, the mangled
and gnawed skeleton would lie in so many pieces on
the floor.

The realization that the same eldritch energies anchor-
ing the form together also ensured that the victim was
aware throughout the cannibalistic frenzy causes your
hackles to rise and a cold sweat to break on your brow.
There is a familiarity to the contours of the fleshless
face that niggles at the back of your mind.

The PCs must make a DC 12 Wisdom save or gain 1
level of dread until they complete a short rest from the
horrific realization of the excruciating treatment this
being endured at the hands of the ghouls. If they identity
Pompea, the PCs make this saving throw with disadvan-
tage.

The necrophages were unable to resist sampling
Pompea’s divinely empowered flesh and in their exuber-
ance have consumed virtually her entire body. The PCs
are able to identify her from their visions with one of the
following: a successful DC 16 Intelligence check, DC 14
Wisdom (Medicine) check, or DC 14 Wisdom (Perception)
check. She no longer has a mouth, making speak with
dead ineffective.

Treasure. If the PCs wish to undertake the gruesome
task of searching and looting the bodies of Ghatanthoa’s
ensorcelled victims, they gather 2d100 cp, 2d20 sp, and
1d10 gp over the course of an hour. They also find a flute
of the servitors (SPCM 125).

I. Deep One Quarters

These rooms resemble their southern counterparts in
almost every respect, with the notable exception that they
are intended to accommodate the deep one worshippers
of Ghatanothoa. The doors to these rooms are locked (DC
12 Dexterity [Thieves’ Tools]).

Hot, wet, and briny air greets you when the door is
opened. You’re able to catch yourself before you step
down into a pool of brackish, greenish-blue water.

Act 3.3: True Sacrifice

PCs with a passive Perception of at least 15 notice the Treasure. In the crevices at the bottom of the pool is
following: a trident of the deep (page 46). PCs exploring the waters
can find the treasure with a successful DC 18 Intelligence
Through the swirling water, you can just identify the (Investigation) check and 10 minutes of searching.
makeshift beds of whatever creatures live here.
K. The Magistrate’s office
These rooms are sunken and filled with water seeping
through the porous walls from the nearby underground The smell of ozone makes your eyes water, and your
river. head starts to ache as the dimensions of the room
seemingly shift and bend with each passing moment.
Development. A successful DC 10 Intelligence check Whomever or whatever occupied this room has
reveals by inference that the deep ones make these cham- worked magics of such potency that they’ve left an
bers their homes. A PC with deep one heritage immedi- indelible mark on reality itself.
ately recognizes that these room are being used by their Books, loose sheets of vellum, arcane symbols, and
brethren. There are orderly mounds of detritus, rocks, and other eldritch paraphernalia fill the room. An adamantine
waterlogged debris forming “beds” for three creatures in symbol, encircled by glyphs and alien characters, is in-
each room. laid into the center of the floor, filling part of the room.
Candles burnt to nubs stand at each of the cardinal
Creature. An octopus, the companion to a deep one directions.
cultist, lives in each pool. It will not attack unless pro-
voked. The doors to the magistrate’s office are both sealed with ar-
cane lock and locked with a mundane lock (DC 20 Dexterity
Treasure. In each room, the PCs can find 1d4 pearls [Thieves’ Tools]). The office is used to commune with the
worth 5 gp each. Great Old Ones and their ilk.

J. Steaming Pool

This room, unlike the others, lacks any light sources.
Reflections from the room behind play out across the
still, black waters. The taste of salt in the air suggests
that the pool contains seawater, and wisps of steam
suggest nearby volcanic activity.

The deep, steaming pool of seawater is a favorite for
the deep ones visiting the Citadel.

Development. The pool is 80 feet deep and
inhabited by an abomination pulled from a
sailor’s worst nightmare. The creature patrols
the black waters of the pool, waiting for the
unwary to slake its monstrous appetite. PCs
must succeed on a group DC 14 Dexterity
(Stealth) check to avoid detection by the
creature. If any of the PCs is injured (at less
than full HP), the group Stealth check is
made with disadvantage. If any PC enters
the water, the creature immediately attacks.

Creature. The pool is home to an apex
predator, a deep one hybrid giant shark
(see page 35). Its voracious appetite is
the reason the pool is relatively empty. It
will not attack a deep one or deep one
hybrid except in retaliation. The beast
prefers the water but will exit briefly
to attack prey before returning to
the depths.

Act 3.3: True Sacrifice
31

Development. A caster may use the inlaid symbol to M. Stairway
cast any spell with the word “contact” in its name as a
ritual. The caster does not need to have the ritual caster The door is unlocked, and the stairway within ascends one
feat and the spell need not have the ritual tag. hundred feet to an unlocked door that leads to area N.

A successful Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) skill check N. Antechamber
reveals the following:
A meager, dismal, and sickly luminescence barely
◊◊ DC 12 – The primary symbol is associated with the star pierces the perfectly formed wiklamite ceiling. The
spawn. ceiling rises to a height of 25 feet at the apex of the
dome. Featureless double doors made of obsidian
◊◊ DC 15 – T he glyphs and characters surrounding the stand directly in front of you. Four other doors, spaced
circle are associated with communicating with equidistant from one another, mark the perimeter of
Outer Beings. the circular room.

◊◊ DC 18 – The symbol would aid in the casting of any Development. Each door leads to a room dedicated to
“contact” spell, not just spells used to contact one of the primary species of the Cult of Ghatanothoa.
Ghatanothoa or Cthulhu. Exiting the antechamber through the double doors takes
the PCs to the courtyard of the Citadel as described in Act
◊◊ DC 22 – The PC understands the full benefits of the 3.1 – The Citadel (page 3).
circle (see above).
O. Human Aspect
The secret door on the eastern wall requires a successful
DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find, and it can A precisely-crafted door of m’bya represents the human
be opened with a successful DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ contingent of the Cult. Otherworldly symbols for Ghatan-
Tools) check. It is trapped, however: a successful DC othoa are intertwined with and dominate the etchings that
20 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the trap and the portray the humans of Farzeen.
simple means to avoid it (stand out of the way). If the trap
is not avoided, a dart strikes a creature opening the door Development. A single mummified body of a human
(+11 to hit, 1d4 piercing). The dart is coated in 1st stage lies in state on the floor, a victim of Ghatanothoa’s petrifi-
metamorphic venom: strike and escape (see SPCM 120). cation power.

Treasure. The Icon of Cthulhu and any Mythos tomes P. Ghoulish Aspect
that the party possessed at their time of mummification
can be found among the contents of this room. Addition- A rough-hewn door of bone represents the ghoulish con-
ally, a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check tingent of the Cult. Symbols for Ghatanothoa are super-
locates a scroll containing a Mythos formula (SPCM 89) of imposed over pictographs portraying the necrophages of
the GM’s choice (no higher than 4th level). Farzeen.

L. A river runs through it Development. A single mummified body of a ghoul lies
in state on the floor. Unlike victims of Ghatanothoa, this
A swiftly flowing river bisects this room, rushing from mummification is not the result of its gaze, but rather an
an opening at waist height on the northern wall a few intricate process the ghouls have used for millennia to
steps west of the door. The deluge disappears into an preserve the dead.
open drainage hole in the southeast corner.
Q. Deep One Aspect
The waters of the river are used by the deep ones and
other amphibious allies of the Cult to enter and leave the A smooth door of coral represents the deep one contin-
Citadel. There is nothing else remarkable about the room. gent of the Cult. There are no tool marks on the door,
suggesting it was grown rather than crafted. Symbols for
Development. PCs may attempt to escape through the Ghatanothoa and Cthulhu, equally prominent, lord over
river. Their chief concern, other than not knowing exactly the pictographs of the deep ones.
where the river leads, is the lack of reliable pockets of air.
Development. A single mummified deep one lies in
◊◊ Downstream. The journey to the deep-water oceanic state on the floor
outlet, if floating freely, takes 1 hour. PCs swimming
with the current reach the underwater exit in half that R. Outer Being Aspect
time, and PCs with a swimming speed reach safety in
approximately fifteen minutes. The exact location of the A door of a dull, unearthly metal represents the Outer Be-
river outlet is left to the GM. ings. The now-familiar symbol of Ghatanothoa dominates
the face of the door. The pictographs symbolizing humans,
◊◊ Upstream. If the PCs wish to battle upstream, it takes ghouls, and deep ones appear below, clearly in an inferior
2 hours to reach the undersea outlet. PCs with a position.
swimming speed reach the open water in one hour. The
undersea outlet is near the beach that the PCs were Development. This room is empty.
stranded on in Act 1.

32 Act 3.3: True Sacrifice

Scene 3. Back to the Leaders Conclusion
of Farzeen
In a fortuitous change of luck, the actions of a temporary
Water escape! The PCs are of sufficient power that they ally have freed the PCs from the awesome power of dread
can reasonably expect to defeat any creatures they may Ghatanothoa and its subjugating gaze. Their next step?
encounter in the open ocean with minimal risk or loss of Escape from the Citadel, ideally with the imbued statue of
resources. If timing allows, the GM is encouraged to insert the Goddess of Light in tow. Whether by force or subtlety
encounters based on the NPCs provided in this book or and subterfuge, the PCs escape and meet with the leaders
using the tables found in SPCM on page 414. of Farzeen. A baleful wind blows and carries with it the
threat of deep one invasion. The fate of Farzeen hangs in
Break out! PCs exiting the ground floor will have the the balance as the PCs recover physically, mentally, and
element of surprise, as the guards and cultists do not psychically from their first encounter with Ghatanothoa.
concern themselves with those leaving. The full details of
the Citadel, its protectors, and their tactics can be found in Experience Points
Act 3.1 – The Citadel, Scene 2.
At the end of this episode, all PCs gain sufficient
Safe… for now. Domniku, Lothar, Obed, and the other experience to reach 11th level.
leaders of Farzeen are anxiously awaiting the PCs’ return
from the bowels of the Citadel. If the PCs brought the
statue of the Goddess of Light with them, the islanders are
relieved and regain some hope for their plight; if not, then
they accept this tragic turn of events with grim resolve.

They request a full breakdown of events, in particular
any interactions the PCs had with the Cabal leading the
cultists. Obed knows the significance of the twsha (SPCM
130, 144), explaining the item if needed. If the PCs men-
tion the mauled body from area H, Domniku turns pale
and immediately interrupts them. He knows, even if the
PCs do not, who that was.

“She came to me in a Dream,” he says quietly, his
words strangled and quivering.
“And that she’s so close and just needs to hold on. The
statue of the Goddess of Light is what matters.”

Lothar steps in as Domniku gathers himself:
“The protection scrolls will be ready in the morrow.
You’ve earned a good night’s rest, my friends. I fear
you’ll need all of your strength in the days to come.
The mention of the twsha is disturbing. We do not
have long.”

The PCs are taken to the Albatross, given rooms, and
assured that Momao, Obed, and the other will guard them
as they rest.

Act 3.3: True Sacrifice
33

34 Act 3.3: True Sacrifice

Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items

Brother Ph’athgn

Deep ones are one of the few truly immortal creatures of
the sea. Barring their death by violence or mishap, they
grow, learn, and develop for eternity. Some scholars posit
that Father Dagon and Mother Hydra are, in fact, deep
ones of such antediluvian age and awesome power that
they have ascended to a semblance of deification.

Brother Ph’athgn is the oldest deep one in the nearby
undersea city of Ha-Agguan. He rarely stirs from his slum-
ber in the depths, but answers the call of his spawn.

Brother Ph’athgn is an immense and
heavily-mutated deep one. Other
deep ones immediately
recognize him for what he
is, but outsiders seldom
piece together his true origins.
The vestiges of the creature’s
extinct heritage are displayed in
horrifying scale: the musculature
of an orca, the jaws of a great white
shark, the patches of armor-like shells,
the fluidity of form of an echinoderm, and
other less identifiable limbs and organs
comprise this horrific abomination from
the depths.

Brother Ph’athgn is a sadistic being of
incomprehensible patience. He will ma-
nipulate and outmaneuver foes with his
magic, waiting until they have expend-
ed their resources before engaging
them directly.

Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items 35

Brother Ph’athgn Actions

Huge aberration (deep one), chaotic evil Multiattack. Brother Ph’athgn attacks with his bite and uses
Tail Sweep.
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one
Hit Points 178 (17d12 + 68) target. Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) piercing damage.

Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft. Tail Sweep. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
up to two creatures adjacent to each other. Hit: 11 (1d8
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA + 7) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 16
24 (+7) 18 (+4) 19 (+4) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) poison damage
on a failure or half as much on a success. Those that fail the
Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +8, Cha +7 saving throw also suffer the effects of one of the following
venoms, chosen randomly (roll a d6).
Skills Arcana +7, Insight +8, Perception +8
1-2 – Hallucinogenic Venom. The target becomes poisoned
Damage Resistances acid, fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and for 1 minute. As long as this poisoned condition lasts,
slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine confusing hallucinations prevent the target from taking bonus
actions or reactions. At the end of each of the target’s turns, it
Damage Immunities cold, poison makes a new Constitution saving throw, ending the poisoned
condition on itself on a success.
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petri-
fied, poisoned 3-4 – Paralytic Venom. The target becomes paralyzed
indefinitely. At the start of each of the target’s turns, it
Senses darkvision 90 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Percep- makes a new Constitution saving throw, ending the paralyzed
tion 18 condition on itself on a success.

Languages Aklo, Common, Deep Speech 5-6 – Necrotic Venom. The target’s speed is reduced by 15
feet (minimum 5 ft.) until the start of Brother Ph’athgn’s next
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) turn.

Amphibious. Brother Ph’athgn can breathe air and water. Lair Actions. When fighting inside its lair, Brother Ph’athgn
can invoke the ambient magic to take lair actions. On initiative
Deep Dweller. Brother Ph’athgn gains advantage on Dexterity count 20 (losing ties), Brother Ph’athghn takes a lair action to
(Stealth) checks while underwater. In addition, he can’t be cause one of the following effects:
harmed by water pressure.
• Directed Geyser. A deluge of water issues forth from
Freedom of Movement. Brother Ph’athgn ignores difficult a pool within 60 feet of Brother Ph’athgn. Up to three
terrain, and magical effects can’t reduce his speed or cause creatures adjacent to each other within 15 feet of the
him to be restrained. He can spend 5 feet of movement to pool are caught up in its unnatural tide and must succeed
escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled. on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet
away and knocked prone.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Brother Ph’athgn fails a
saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. • Drowning Bubble. A globule of water detaches from
a surrounding pool and travels up to 30 feet before
Magic Resistance. Brother Ph’athgn has advantage on saving engulfing the head of its target until the end of the
throws against spells and other magical effects. creature’s next turn. On a successful DC 15 Dexterity
saving throw, the target is able to avoid the globule. While
Innate Spellcasting. Brother Ph’athgn is an innate spellcaster. engulfed, the target cannot talk (or cast spells with verbal
His spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to components) and has a -2 penalty on attack rolls.
hit with spell attacks). He knows the following spells.
Legendary Actions. Brother Ph’athgn can take 1 legendary
At will: resistance, create or destroy water, detect magic action. The action can only be used at the end of another
creature’s turn. He regains this spent action at the start of his
4/day: command, inflict wounds, control water turn.

2/day: hold person, blight, lightning bolt • Move. Brother Ph’athgn moves up to its speed without
provoking opportunity attacks.
1/day: wall of ice, dream sending of Cthulhu (SPCM 101)

Use Magic Device. Brother Ph’athgn ignores all class
requirements when using magic items.

Void Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede Brother
Ph’athgn’s darkvision.

36 Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items

Deep One Hybrid –
Giant Shark

This gigantic beast is a cross between a deep one and
some species of deep-water shark. Its short humanoid
limbs allow only clumsy movement on land, but this crea-
ture seems at home in black water. Its gills puff out like
frills as it slips through the still water, its mouth hanging
open to reveal scores of jagged teeth. Its beady black eyes
gleam with malign intent.

Deep One Hybrid – Giant Shark

Huge beast (deep-one), chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 162 (13d12 + 78)
Speed 15 ft., swim 50 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
24 (+7) 10 (+0) 22 (+6) 9 (-1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)

Skills Athletics +10, Perception +4,
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception
14
Languages understands Common, but can’t speak
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Blood Frenzy. The shark has advantage on melee attack rolls
against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points.
Amphibious. The shark can breathe air or water.

ACTIONS

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack. +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 29 (4d10 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium
or smaller creature, it must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity check
or be swallowed. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and
restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects
outside of the shark, and takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the
start of each of the shark’s turns.
If the shark takes 20 damage or more on a single turn
from a creature inside of it, the shark must succeed on a
DC 18 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or
regurgitate the swallowed victim, which falls prone in a space
within 10 feet of the shark. If the shark dies, the swallowed
creature is no longer restrained and can escape by expending
10 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items 37

Deep One – Warrior

Far more hideous even than the typical deep ones, which
combine all the ugliest elements of fish and frog into a
sinister humanoid form, deep one warriors are hulking
brutes with gaping, jagged maws and thick, bulky hides.

Bred for Battle. Deep one warriors are as variable in
form as other denizens of the oceanic abyss. Some are
protected by crustacean carapaces while others grow thick
bony plates like the primordial fish of the ancient oceans.
One warrior might have the needle-toothed mouth of an
angler fish while another may have a shark’s jaws. These
monstrosities are reflections of all the untold terrors that
lurk in the stygian depths.

Deep One – Warrior

Medium humanoid (deep one), chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural)
Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27)
Speed 25 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)

Skills Athletics +5, Perception +5, Religion +2, Stealth +3
Damage Resistances cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Deep Speech
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Amphibious. The deep one can breathe air and water.
Deep Dweller. The deep one has advantage on Dexterity
(Stealth) checks while underwater. In addition, it can’t be
harmed by water pressure.
Use Magic Device. The deep one ignores all class
requirements on the use of magic items.

Actions

Multiattack. The deep one makes three attacks: one with its
bite and two with its claws or trident.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing
damage or 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage if used with two
hands to make a melee attack.

38 Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items

Devil’s Coach Beetle Devil’s Coach Beetle

This massive black beetle has wide-set, powerful legs and Large beast, unaligned
a long abdomen. Its stunted wings allow for only rare,
short bursts of flight, but it can move much more quickly Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
than broader, heavier-armored beetles. The devil’s coach
gets its name not only from its sinister appearance, but Hit Points 45 (6d10+12)
from the sulfurous secretions it produces from its hind-
quarters. Speed 40 ft., fly 20 ft.

Insectile Steeds. The ghouls of Farzeen use these sleek STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
and terrible giant insects as mounts. Frothing with diges- 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 1 (-5) 8 (-1) 3 (-4)
tive acid and trailing a hellish stench, the devil’s coach bee-
tles suit the ghouls’ temperament far better than horses. Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 9

Languages –

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Short Hop. The devil’s coach beetle’s undersized wings
only allow it to fly for a short distance and cannot support
hovering. When it flies, it must end its move on a solid
surface or it falls.

Stench. Any creature other than a ghoul or another devil’s
coach beetle that starts its turn within 5 feet of the beetle
must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or
be poisoned until the start of the creature’s next turn. On
a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the
stench of all devil’s coach beetles for 1 hour.

Actions

Attack. Bite: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11
(2d6+4) slashing damage plus 5 (1d10) acid damage.

Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items 39

Lingyi

The Tcho-Tcho Okkator Lingyi was captured decades
ago by the ghouls beneath Farzeen. They were unable to
extract the details of his mission from him, and now, with
his shattered mind, that information is lost.

What’s left of Lingyi is an undead creature of deceptive
malevolency intent of freeing himself from his bonds and
wreaking havoc on the living. Lingyi’s madness allows him
brief periods of lucidity when bargaining for his freedom.
He retains the cleverness and ingenuity that served him
well as a Tcho-Tcho Okkator assassin.

Lingyi’s emaciated body is covered in the decaying rem-
nants of the clothes he wore when captured long ago.
When conversing with others, his eyes hold the fearful,
unsettling intensity of the insane. Beneath the rags,
his body is covered in bony plates, some of which
extrude sharp spikes. He hides his tentacular
appendage unless actively engaged in combat.

40 Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items

Lingyi Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Lingyi deals an extra 10 (3d6)
damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack and has
Medium undead, chaotic evil advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5
feet of an ally that isn’t incapacitated and Lingyi doesn’t have
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) disadvantage on the attack roll.

Hit Points 85 (10d8 + 40) Turning Defiance. Lingyi has advantage on saving throws
against effects that turn or otherwise repel undead.
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Warped Mind. Lingyi has advantage on Wisdom saving
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA throws against spells and effects that would charm or
12 (+1) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 9 (-1) frighten him. He automatically succeeds if the spell or effect
only works on humanoids.
Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +5
Actions
Skills Acrobatics +7, Deception +5, Perception +5, Stealth
+7, Survival +5 Multiattack. Lingyi either makes two blowgun attacks or
three melee attacks: one each with his bite, claw, and
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing tentacle.
damage from nonmagical attacks that aren’t adamantine
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Damage Immunities poison Hit: 11 (2d6+4) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) poison
damage.
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Blowgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 25/100
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is
a creature, it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw,
Languages Common, thieves’ cant taking 11 (2d10) poison damage on a failure or half as much
damage on a success. If the poison damage reduces the
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1
hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while
Assassinate. During his first turn, Lingyi has advantage on poisoned in this way.
attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any
hit he scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d8+4) slashing damage.
Evasion. When Lingyi makes a Dexterity saving throw for half
damage, he instead takes no damage on a success or half Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
damage on a failure. target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) bludgeoning damage plus 5 (1d10)
acid damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until
Rejuvenation. Unless his body is completely destroyed the grapple ends, the target is restrained and Lingyi can’t use
(generally by dealing 85 additional damage to his body once his tentacle on another target. Each round the target remains
he is reduced to 0 hit points or via spells like disintegrate), grappled, they take an additional 5 (1d10) acid damage at
Lingyi inhabits or conjures a new body in 1d10 + 20 hours, the start of their turn.
regaining all his hit points and becoming active again. The
new body appears within 5 feet of his previous body.

Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items 41

Pompea – High was once quick
Priestess of Light to laugh, lend a
helping hand, and
Pompea assumed the role of high priestess of Light when answer any call for
the former leader of the order stepped down from the aid, for Pompea’s
position a generation ago. Her life as the high priestess visions have sto-
was uneventful until her dreams were invaded by dark, len her joviality,
ominous portents months ago. Unsure of the meaning be- replacing it with
hind the dreams, Pompea relinquished many of her duties thoughtful
to her trusted aide, Domniku, and began her explorations sobriety.
of the Dreamlands in earnest, searching for answers and
meaning in her visions.

Pompea’s unlined brown skin and smooth pate contrib-
ute to her seeming agelessness. Aside from a few laugh
lines, she appears virtually the same as the young woman
she was decades ago. Gone, however, is the woman who

PLoigmhptea – High Priestess of hit with spell attacks). She has the following cleric spells
prepared (all listed spells are cleric spells for Pompea):
Medium humanoid (human), neutral good
Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, guidance, light, resistance,
Armor Class 12 sacred flame, thaumaturgy

Hit Points 72 (16d8) 1st level (4 slots): bless, command, cure wounds, faerie fire,
lethargy of TsathogguaSPCM, protection from evil and good,
Speed 30 ft. sanctuary, sleep

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 2nd level (3 slots): aid, blindness/deafness, continual flame,
9 (-1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 17 (+3) dream guideSPCM, spiritual weapon, suggestion

Saving Throws Wis +8, Cha +6 3rd level (3 slots): beacon of hope, clairvoyance, daylight,
dispel magic, hypnotic pattern, major image
Skills Arcana +4, Insight +8, Perception +8, Religion +7,
Yog-Sothothery +8 4th level (3 slots): confusion, conjure dream-dwellersSPCM,
divination, guardian of faith
Damage Resistances psychic
5th level (2 slots): dream, modify memory, scrying
Damage Immunities radiant
6th level (1 slot): true seeing, wave of oblivionSPCM
Condition Immunities blinded
Actions
Senses passive Perception 18
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Languages Common one target. Hit: 2 (1d6-1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8-1)
bludgeoning damage if wielded with two hands.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Dream Visions (1/day). Pompea briefly connects a waking
Master Dreamer. Pompea can knowingly travel in her creature’s mind with their dream form, flooding their mind
sleep to the Dreamlands. She can bring only miniscule with confusing dream-memories. One enemy within 30
mundane items without value between the waking world feet must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw, becoming
and the Dreamlands. She has access to all her dream form’s stunned for one round on a failure. Creatures without a
memories, and her dream form has access to all her waking dream form and creatures whose dream forms and waking
memories. She can wake herself up at will in the Dreamlands. forms are the same are unaffected by this ability.
She can will herself to appear in the dreams of sleeping
creatures known to her within 10 miles of her physical Dawn’s Caress (1/day). Pompea presents her holy symbol,
form, and at her discretion she can cause those creatures to calls on the Goddess of Light for her healing touch, and
remember her visit when they wake. creatures of her choosing that are within a 30-foot radius
regain 6d8 hit points. Additionally, each target is allowed an
Searing Radiance. When casting sacred flame, Pompea adds immediate saving throw against any negative conditions that
her Wisdom modifier to the damage dealt on a hit. are affecting them.

Spellcasting. Pompea is a 12th-level spellcaster. Her
spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16, +9 to

42 Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items

Priest of
Ghatanothoa

This priest is clad in heavy brown robes adorned with fiery
orange eldritch symbols of Ghatanothoa. The studded
leather and sheathed sword peeking out from beneath the
robes suggest that these cultists are ready to fight for their
faith.

Underground Cultists. The hidden power behind the
Priesthood of Ghat, priests of Ghatanothoa are fanatic
cultists of the Great Old One of natural disasters and living
sacrifices. Since the dread mummifier moved from its
prison overlooking the sunken land of Mu to its new home
deep beneath Kaza, these devotees of destruction have
secretly worked to bring about Ghatanothoa’s return.

Priest of Ghatanothoa

Medium humanoid (any), any evil

Armor Class 14 (studded leather)
Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 12 (+1)

Skills Intimidation +3, Perception +7, Religion +2
Senses passive Perception 17
Languages Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Dark Devotion. The priest has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed or frightened.
Magical Adept (1/day). As a bonus action, the priest may
regain an expended spell slot.
Spellcasting. The priest is a 5th-level spell caster and Wisdom
is their spellcasting ability (spell DC 14, +6 to hit with spell
attacks). The priest knows the following spells:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (4 slots): bane, command, inflict wounds, lethargy of
Tsathoggua (SPCM 106),
2nd level (3 slots): enhance ability, hold person, silence
3rd level (2 slots): song of Hastur, spirit guardians

ACTIONS

Multiattack. The priest makes two melee attacks.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items 43

Ravager Ghoul

Pallid grey skin barely contains the bulk of this muscular,
ghoulish brute. Grown strong and powerful after subter-
ranean feasts, this ghoul has become bold and aggressive.
It advances menacingly with bared teeth and extended
claws, ready and eager to kill again.

Ravager Ghoul Grave Nose. The ghoul has advantage on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on smell to notice or recognize
Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil corpses, decaying things, meat, and undead creatures.

Armor Class 16 (breastplate) Inured to Disease. The ghoul is immune to nonmagical
diseases and has advantage on saving throws against magical
Hit Points 85 (10d8+40) diseases.

Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 30 ft. Reckless. At the start of its turn, the ravager ghoul can gain
advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its
18 (+4) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 8 (-1) 12 (+1) 7 (-2) next turn.

Skills Athletics +6, Perception +3 Scrounger. The ghoul has advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
and Intelligence (Investigation) checks to find objects in
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 rubble or undergrowth, buried, or otherwise hidden from view.

Languages Common, Ghoul ACTIONS

Challenge 3 (700 XP) Multiattack. The ravager ghoul makes two attacks: one with its
bite and one with its claws or two with its claws.
Psychic Feast. The ghoul can feed for 1 minute on the corpse
of a humanoid or monstrosity with flesh at least 24 hours Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
dead to absorb some of the lingering traces of memory and Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage.
knowledge that the creature possessed in life. This adds a +1
bonus on a skill of the ghoul’s choice that the creature was Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
proficient in. The ghoul gains only one bonus from any given Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the ravager ghoul hits
corpse. At the GM’s discretion, a particularly ancient corpse with both claw attacks, it may use a bonus action to make a
might grant a larger bonus or a bonus to more than one skill. bite attack on the target.
The ghoul can maintain three separate bonuses. If it uses this
trait when it already has the maximum number of bonuses, it
must forget one of the current bonuses in order to replace it
with one from the new corpse.

44 Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items

Witch of
Ghatanothoa

Dressed in flowing black robes covered in eldritch sym-
bols of Ghatanothoa, the cultist-witch raises her voice,
invoking dark powers beyond our veil of comprehension.
She draws a dagger across her spellbook, tracing arcane
sigils over the already indecipherable pages as the air
around her crackles with energy.

Cultist-Witch. Witches who make unspeakable pacts
with Ghatanothoa become powerful weavers of arcane
magic and rise to prominence in the Great Old One’s apoc-
alyptic Cult. Some seek power and influence, while others
merely look for security or a sense of purpose. Whatever
their initial motivations for contacting Ghatanothoa,
these witches have given themselves over fully to the
Cult and now serve as potent vessels for Ghatanothoa’s
will.

Witch of Ghatanothoa Time’s End. Whenever she deals damage with a warlock spell,
the target’s hit point maximum is reduced by the damage
Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic evil dealt until they take a short rest. If the target’s hit point
maximum reaches 0, it dies.
Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
Innate Spellcasting. The witch’s innate spellcasting ability is
Hit Points 78 (12d8+24) Charisma. She can innately cast the following spells (spell save
DC 14), requiring no material components:
Speed 30 ft. At will: alter self, grease, levitate, mage armor
1/day: circle of death
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9 (-1) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) Spellcasting. The witch is an 11th-level spellcaster. Her
spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit
Saving Throws Wis +3, Cha +6; -2 on saving throws against with spell attacks). She regains her expended spell slots when
confusion, insanity, and madness she finishes a short or long rest. She knows the following
warlock spells:
Skills Arcana +2, Deception +6, Yog-Sothothery +5 Cantrips (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast, minor illusion,
poison spray
Senses passive Perception 11 1st-5th level (3 5th-level slots): command of the bloody
tongueSPCM, cone of cold, confusion, charm person, false life,
Languages Common, fear, haste, lethargy of TsathogguaSPCM, mist of R’lyehSPCM,
moonbeam, shatter
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Actions
Alien Perspective. The witch has advantage on saving throws
against effects that would give it the charmed condition, Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach
frightened condition, insanity, confusion, madness, or any 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) piercing
effect that would cause its actions to be erratic or randomly damage.
determined.
Reactions
Otherworldly Presence. The witch adds her Charisma bonus in
addition to her Dexterity bonus on all Initiative rolls. The witch Cosmic Loophole. When the witch is hit by an attack, she
cannot be surprised. makes an opportunity attack against the attacker with a
warlock cantrip.
Dark Sacrifice. When the witch reduces a creature to 0 hit
points, she gains 5 temporary hit points.

Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items 45

Ylenia, Zoog Shadow
Protector

Ylenia is the latest zoog to assume the role of Shadow
Protector of Farzeen’s tribe of zoogs. Serving in a protec-
tive role similar to the Grove Keeper, the Shadow Protec-
tor works on the edges and in the shadows, whereas the
Grove Keeper is often the face of the tribe.

Ylenia is a master negotiator, infiltrator, and larcenist.
She has no time or interest in the niceties of non-zoog
society. Little marks her as unusual physically by zoog
standards, making her easily mistaken for another of
her species, particularly by humans and other so-called
civilized species.

Ylenia, Zoog Shadow Protector Spellcasting. Ylenia is a 7th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting
ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell
Small humanoid (zoog), chaotic neutral attacks). She has the following spells prepared.

Armor Class 15 (18 with mage armor) Cantrips (at will): mage hand, mending, poison spray

Hit Points 82 (15d6 + 30) 1st level (4 slots): alarm, create or destroy water, longstrider,
thunderwave
Speed 25 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 25 ft.
2nd level (3 slots): barkskin, find traps, pass without trace,
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA silence
8 (–1) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 8 (–1)
3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, elder sign (SPCM 102),
Saving Throws Dex +8, Int +4, Wis +4 gaseous form, nondetection

Skills Acrobatics +8, Investigation +7, Perception +9, Stealth 4th level (1 slot): freedom of movement
+11, Sleight of Hand +8, Yog-Sothothery +9
Trap Culture. Whenever Ylenia makes an ability check with
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19 artisan’s tools to create a trap or with thieves’ tools to disable
a trap, she is considered proficient with the tool. Whenever
Languages Common, Aklo, Deep Speech, Zoog Ylenia makes a saving throw against a trap, she is considered
proficient in the saving throw.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Actions
Corporeal Dreamer. As an action, Ylenia can will herself to
sleep and physically enter the Dreamlands. Multiattack. Ylenia makes three attacks

Cunning Action. Ylenia can take a bonus action on each of Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
her turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage.
Dash, Disengage, or Hide actions.
Obsidian Dagger +1. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5
Evasion. When Ylenia is subject to an effect that allows her to ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 + 6) piercing damage.
make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, she
instead takes no damage if she succeeds on the saving throw, Adamantine Darts. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range
and only half damage if she fails. 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage and 7
(2d6) poison damage.
Pouches. Ylenia has two small pouches, each of which can fit
a palm-sized object. She can use the Use an Object action to Reactions
retrieve an object from this pouch as a bonus action using her
tail or facial tentacles. Uncanny Dodge. Ylenia halves the damage that she takes from
an attack that hits her. She must be able to see the attacker.
Sneak Attack (1/turn). Ylenia deals an extra 21 (6d6) damage
when she hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage
on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally
that isn’t incapacitated and she does not have disadvantage
on the attack roll.

46 Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items

New Magic Items: if prompted to do so. All saving throws against the die’s

Coin of Piping effects are DC 15. If the result indicates a spell, that spell

Wondrous item, uncommon is cast at the lowest possible level and lasts until the end

This ancient coin is made of a dense, unknown metal of the die-tosser’s next turn unless otherwise indicated. If
and is always cool to the touch. The figure on the obverse
side is too worn to identify but is clearly not human. Its the spell or effect has an area of effect, the origin point is
reverse side displays a set of pipes. Both sides of the coin
have been crudely defaced with the eight-pointed star of where the die lands. If the spell or effect targets a specific
Azathoth, a symbol easily identified with a successful DC
12 Intelligence (Religion) or DC 8 Wisdom (Yog-Sothoth- creature or has a range of self, it targets the creature near-
ery) check.
est to the die within 5 feet of where it lands.
As an action, the coin can be flipped or tossed as a
ranged attack; treat the coin as an improvised weapon d20 faces
(range 20/40 ft.) that deals no damage. If the attack roll 1 Roll on the d12 table.
beats AC 10, the coin lands where intended; otherwise it 2 Silent. The die makes no sound as it rolls.
lands 1d10 feet away in a random direction determined by 3 Flash of Insight. The target gains advantage on its
the GM. When the coin lands, discordant and alien piping
fills the air and one of the following effects takes place. next attack roll or ability check.
Flip a coin or roll a d4 and divide the result by 2 (1 for 4 Return. The die reappears in the die-tosser’s hand.
heads, 2 for tails) to determine which side the coin lands 5 Roll on the d12 table.
on: 6 Green Glow. The die shines dim green light out to a

◊◊ Heads: A 15-foot radius around the coin is affected as 10-foot radius until moved.
if by the silence spell until the end of the coin-tosser’s 7 Lethargy of Tsathoggua. (SPCM 106).
next turn. 8 S usurrus. The die-tosser hears faint whispers until

◊◊ Tails: All creatures within a 15-foot radius must make the die is moved.
a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw; those that fail are 9 Charge. The nearest target takes 1d4 lightning
affected as if by the confusion spell until the end of the
coin-tosser’s next turn. damage (no saving throw). If there is no valid target,
the next creature to touch the die takes 1 lightning
Once tossed, the coin can’t be used this way again until the damage.
next dawn. 10 Roll on the d12 table.
11 I ntrusion. An illusory Servant of the Outer Gods
Die of Strange Geometries (SPCM 366) appears for less than 1 second.
12 Mist of R’lyeh. The die casts the spell of the same
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement by a name (SPCM 109).
spellcaster) 13 Vanish. The die turns invisible for 1 round.
14 Darkness. Lasts for 1d4 rounds.
This appears to be a many-sided die carved from wiklam- 15 Roll on the d12 table.
ite. The eye has trouble focusing on it, but upon close 16 E cho. The sound of the die striking the ground is
inspection, it seems to shift constantly between having 20 loud and audible from as far away as 300 ft.
faces and having 12 faces, as if it were two solid objects 17 C hill of the Void. Target takes 2d8 cold damage, or
paradoxically occupying the same space. half damage with a successful Constitution saving
throw.
This object is somewhat unsettling and mildly head- 18 Nothing. Nothing happens.
ache-inducing. When a creature with an Intelligence score 19 Mind Scourge. Target takes 3d6 psychic damage, or
of 14 or less attunes to the die, they have disadvantage half damage with a successful Wisdom saving throw.
on all saving throws against dread and insanity until they 20 Roll on the d12 table.
succeed on such a save or they end their attunement to the
item. d12 faces
1 Folded Space. The die lands at the feet of the tosser.
As an action, the die can be rolled or tossed as a ranged
attack; treat the die as an improvised weapon (range Re-roll on the d20 table to determine the effect. If
20/40 ft.) that deals no damage. If the attack roll beats AC the result is the same on the second roll, the die is
10, the die lands where intended; otherwise it lands 1d10 destroyed and all creatures within 10 feet take 4d10
feet away in a random direction determined by the GM. psychic damage (no save).
The die must land on a solid, horizontal surface to have 2 Eyeblank. Target must succeed on a Wisdom saving
an effect; landing in an unstable material such as mud, a throw or be blinded for 1 round.
pool of liquid, or loose sand may prevent it from having an 3 Eldritch Invigoration. Target heals 2d4 hit points and
effect, per the GM’s discretion. To determine the effect, roll gains the Poisoned condition for 1 round.
on the following d20 table, rolling again on the d12 table 4 Color Change. The die becomes bright purple until
the next time this result is rolled.
5 S arnath Sigil. The die casts the spell of the same
name (SPCM 112), which lasts for 1d6+1 rounds or
until die is moved.
6 Yellow Sign. The die inscribes a 6-inch-wide Yellow
Sign (SPCM 116) where it lands. The sign is only
visible to the insane and worshippers of Hastur.
7 Transposition. The die-tosser is teleported to

Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items 47

the die’s position. The target creature (if any) is water, is 40/120. Additionally, you can breathe water as
teleported to the die-tosser’s previous location. though it were air and gain a swimming speed of 30 feet.
8 E thereal Web. Target must succeed on a Strength
saving throw or be restrained for 1 round.
9 E xtinguish. All nonmagical flames smaller than a
campfire within 100 feet are snuffed out.
10 Haste. Target is affected by the haste spell until the
end of the die-tosser’s next turn.
11 Terror. Target must succeed on a Wisdom saving
throw or take a Dash action to move away from the
die and the die-tosser by the safest available route
on its next turn, dropping any held items.
12 Elder Sign. The die projects an Elder Sign (SPCM
102) 5 feet across, centered on itself. The Sign
remains as long as the die remains untouched.

Once the die has been rolled a number of times equal to

the user’s spellcasting ability modifier, it cannot be rolled

again until the next dawn.

Icon of Cthulhu

Wondrous item, very rare

This stone statuette, two handspans in height and one in
width, depicts the dread lord Cthulhu, a hideous being
with batlike wings and a bulbous and tentacled head. This
icon is paired with another and messages can be sent
between the two.

A creature touching the icon of Cthulhu can send a
message to its paired icon, wherever it is. This functions
as the spell sending, except the recipient is the next crea-
ture to touch the receiving icon. When the icon receives a
message, it glows dimly until it is touched, at which point
it delivers the message per the spell. If two creatures are
touching both icons at the same time, they can instead
communicate directly; they can even faintly see each other
if their eyes are closed.

Anyone spending an hour in direct contact with the icon
casts call of Cthulhu (SPCM 95), whether they intend to or
not. The icon can only function in this way once per week.

Scrolls of Protection from Ghatanothoa

Scroll, very rare

Using an action to read the scrolls causes an invisible
barrier to envelop you or a target creature you touch. For
12 hours, this barrier protects you from Ghatanothoa’s
mummification effects, including effects from rootlings,
Ghatanothoa’s Elder Influence, the spell gaze of Ghatan-
othoa, and other petrification effects related to Ghatanoth-
oa’s power at the GM’s discretion.

For the duration of the scroll’s effect, if you fail a saving
throw against one of the effects above you may expend a
charge and choose to succeed instead. The barrier has 2
charges; when both are expended, the effect ends.

Trident of the Deep

Weapon (trident), rare (requires attunement)

While attuned, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage
rolls made with the trident. Its range, when thrown under-

48 Appendix: NPCs and Magic Items

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50 Open Game License



Credits Graphic Design and Layout

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Printed in China.
ISBN-13: 978-1-950982-03-5

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ii

Table of Contents Out of the Fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Act 4: Ghatanothoa Awakens. . . . . . 1 Scene 5. The Penultimatum . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Adventure Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Sidebar – Running the Encounter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Sidebar – Destroying the Elder Influence. . . . . . . . . 24
Act 4.1: The Volcano Goddess. . . . .3
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Episode Synopsis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Prologue. The Cavern of Flame . . . . . . . . 4 Act 4.4: Eruption!. . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Sidebar – Dreamlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Episode Synopsis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Prologue. The Final Battle . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Scene 1. To Dream, Perchance to Know . . . 5
Scene 2. An Old Friend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Sidebar – Tick Tock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Scene 3. Gugs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Scene 4. Pompea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Scene 1. The Volcano Begins to Erupt . . 28
Scene 5. Jungle Trek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Scene 2. A Call to Action. . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Scene 6. The Cavern of Cthugha. . . . . . . . . 8 Scene 2a. Lunzjata. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Scene 2b. Getting the Statue . . . . . . . . . 30
Sidebar – Scaling the Chosen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Sidebar – We Forgot the Statue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Sidebar – The Book of Kaza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Sidebar – Dead Weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Scene 7. Freeing the Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Scene 3. Getting Out There . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Scene 4. The Isle of Ghatanothoa. . . . . . . 31
Sidebar – Kaza’s Blessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Sidebar – The Calling Pipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Act 4.2: The Deep Ones Strike. . . . 11 The Smoking Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
The Cone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Episode Synopsis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 The Vent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Sidebar – The End of the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Sidebar – Pacing and Tension. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 The Crater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Prologue. The Swelling Tide and Scene 5. The Rebirth of a God . . . . . . . . . 33
Unnatural Storm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Scene 1. Getting to the Beach. . . . . . . . . . 12 Ghatanothoa Spawned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Sidebar – Time Keeping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Scene 2. The Shoggoth! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Appendix: NPCs and
Items of Interest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Sidebar – Banishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Sidebar – Running the Shoggoth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Censa, Deep One Hybrid Menticidist . . . . 35
Chosen of Cthugha. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Scene 3. Censa! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Deep One Hybrid – Hammerhead. . . . . . . . 38
Scene 4. The Lighthouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Deep One Hybrid – Barracuda. . . . . . . . . . 39
Deep One – Warrior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
A. Dockside. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Cthugha Corrupted Earth Elemental. . . . 41
Sidebar – One Last Trick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Giant Hermit Crab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
B. The Vestibule. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Giant Eel of R’lyeh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
C. The First Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Lothar Wenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
D. The Second Floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Lunzjata – Hunting-Horror-Bound
E. The Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Eremite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
F. The Lightning Rod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Momao. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Nukki. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Scene 5. The Remnants of the Invasion . . . 18 Obed Velt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Pompea – High Priestess of Light . . . . . . . 51
The Book of Kaza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Priest of Ghatanothoa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
New Magic Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Rod of Esoterica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Act 4.3: Ghatanothoa Subverted. . 19 Scrolls of Protection from Ghatanothoa. . . . . . . . . . 53
Stone of Nodens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Episode Synopsis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Scene 1. Joys of an Academic . . . . . . . . . . . 19 iii

Sidebar – Offerings to Kaza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Interlude. The End Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Scene 2. Decoys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Scene 3. Sneaky, Sneaky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Interlude. Time for Action. . . . . . . . . . . 22
Scene 4. Kaza’s Tear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Fast and Fancy Footwork. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Sidebar – How Much Does a PC Weigh?. . . . . . . . . . 23

iv

Act 4: Ghatanothoa Awakens

A Cthulhu Mythos adventure for 4 to 5 characters of 11th–14th level

Adventure Synopsis push toward victory. Ground-shaking tremors infect the is-
land, and wave after wave of the Great Old One’s followers
A good night’s rest has eluded the PCs since they first set attack. The cultists lead the PCs to Kaza, a series of newly
foot on idyllic Farzeen. With a soft bed finally underneath formed tunnels, and finally to Magistrate Alwiġi and the
them, the PCs drift to slumber. A lost ally pulls them into Elder Influence. In the end, the PCs defeat Alwiġi and his
the Dreamlands as they sleep. Twin priests, Nasht and pawns and save the city and island.
Kaman-Thah, meet the adventures prior to their sojourn
down the Seven Hundred Steps. After a few words of But all may not be as it seems. After a night of celebrat-
advice, they leave to answer Pompea’s call. The cham- ing with the inhabitants of the island, unspeakably horrific
pions quickly learn the dangers they will face and soon visions disturb the dreams of the PCs and others on the
meet Censa’s lost feline familiar, who is much more than island. Ghatanothoa’s high priestess has transformed into
she appears. Nukki leads the PCs to her new mistress’s a symbiotic entity of immense power. The vision breaks
sanctuary. the minds of many, and those lucky enough to retain their
wits see a new isle has spawned off the coast, which con-
The high priestess of Light tells a tale of the true history tains the horrors of Ghatanothoa’s last remaining minions.
of Farzeen, Kaza, and the cultists. She weaves a story Upon exploring this hellscape, the PCs find the Great Old
of conflict, subterfuge, and manipulation. Pompea tells One itself has nearly completed its laborious journey to
them of an old religious text, long thought lost. In order to the surface. In the final battle of Farzeen against Ghatan-
defeat Ghatanothoa, the PCs must return the book to the othoa, they harness Kaza. Will the release of her long-re-
waking world and employ its knowledge. strained fury be enough to burn the taint of the Great Old
One from the land?
Kaza, the primal god of volcanic fury, drew the atten-
tion of another Great Old One, fiery Cthugha. Sensing a
kindred power, the chosen of Cthugha claimed the Book
of Kaza as their own, and the PCs must defeat them to
regain control of the ancient tome.

Searing grimoire in hand, the PCs awaken to the
sounds of battle as the nearby deep ones leave their sub-
merged city to invade Farzeen. At first, the islanders com-
port themselves well and repel the raiders. Then the sky
breaks, and an unnatural tempest spurs the deep ones to
frenzy. While the islanders have their hands full with the
renewed assault of the aquatic invaders, the PCs notice a
swell moving at preternatural speed toward the beaches.

The PCs make difficult decisions on their journey to
the beach—ones that have repercussions for both their
own lives and those of the islanders. The monstrous
form of a shoggoth swims hastily toward Farzeen, and
the PCs are the only ones with even a chance of stop-
ping the creature. The battle is fierce and the abomina-
tion’s power nearly overwhelming, but they manage to
stop the beast, albeit at great personal cost.

The storm’s power abates briefly, and through a
break, the adventurers spy a figure in the throes of ec-
static summoning on the harbor’s lighthouse. Realizing
that preventing the summoning is more effective than
battling its result, the PCs investigate only to find their
former captain, Censa, perched at the top of the light-
house calling forth any horror that can hear her cries to
the Void. The PCs dispatch her, ending the storm.

In the calm after the battle, the PCs find Domniku and
deliver the Book of Kaza. Its knowledge not only provides
clues and hints on defeating Ghatanothoa’s cultists but
also transforms the priest’s faith. The cultists use the calm
after the storm to gather their forces for one final, mad

Ghatanothoa Awakens 1

2

Act 4.1: The Volcano Goddess

A Cthulhu Mythos adventure for four to five 11th-level characters

Episode Synopsis as well as the true origin of the Goddess of Light. The
Goddess cannot stop dread Ghatanothoa, but perhaps
Pompea’s inner strength pulls the PCs into the weird, Kaza, the personification of the island’s primordial
wonderful, and deadly world of the Dreamlands. When volcanic power and wrath, can. Despite the priesthood of
her physical form was mummified and mostly eaten, she Light’s efforts to eradicate all traces of their progenitor,
retreated to the last place left to her, and she has called to a copy of the Book of Kaza remains in the Dreamlands.
the PCs with knowledge vital to the fight against Ghatan- Does it contain the powerful eldritch formulae needed to
othoa. The priests Nasht and Kaman-Thah meet the PCs unleash to dormant god’s fury?
upon their arrival. They answer the PCs’ questions and
present them with gifts to replace the gear that was unable Setting forth to recover the book, the PCs find them-
to make the journey. Prepared for whatever challenges selves in a desolate, inhospitable wasteland of fire and
may come, the PCs descend the Seven Hundred Steps to fury. They arrive at a gaping sinkhole, a veritable maw
the Dreamlands proper. leading into the depths of hell. The descent is treacherous,
the environment deadly, and the enemies ferocious. The
No journey is without risk. A flight of nightmarish crea- PCs recover the Book of Kaza and promptly awaken to the
tures emerges from the enveloping void to attack the PCs. sounds of battle.
Ultimately, the PCs reach the bottom of the steps, which
then disappear, leaving no trace. At the base, an acquain- While the PCs were resting, the deep ones launched
tance greets them, proving to be much more than they had their assault. The islanders, battle-hardened and forged
first thought, and she leads them to Pompea’s sanctuary. in conflict, surprised the aquatic invaders, routing the first
There are, of course, dangers and challenges along the assault with relative ease. Amidst the cheers and exulta-
way for the wary party to overcome. The alien predators of tions, the sea swells. It overtakes the incoming waves and
the Dreamlands constantly test their resolve, cunning, and will reach the beaches soon. The folk of Farzeen have not
martial prowess. noticed the unnatural event, nor do they see the lone figure
at the top of the lighthouse directing it.
At long last, the PCs come face to face with the high
priestess of Light, Pompea, and learn of her predicament,

The Volcano Goddess 3

Prologue. The Cavern of Dreamlands
Flame
This adventure takes place almost entirely within
Act 4 begins with the PCs taking a well-deserved long rest the Dreamlands (SPCM 81-83). Prior to running the
at the Albatross. Lothar, Obed, Domniku, and the other adventure, familiarize yourself with that section of SPCM.
leaders of Farzeen assure them they will continue to study Any items the PCs obtain in the Dreamlands remain
in search of more effective protection from Ghatanothoa’s there, unless stated otherwise. In this adventure, the only
dire gaze. Lothar, in particular, reminds the PCs they are item that is able to leave the Dreamlands is the Book of
the island’s last, best hope, and without adequate rest to Kaza.
regain their strength, they have little chance for success.
When the PCs begin their rest, read or paraphrase the In this final arc of Ghoul Island, the PCs must
following: overcome overwhelming odds and make heroic
sacrifices, starting with their foray into the Dreamlands.
Despite your best attempts at staving off sleep, you By design, some of the encounters in this section may
inevitably succumb to its embrace. No sooner have turn deadly for the PCs. Death in the Dreamlands is not
you closed your weary eyes than you awaken to a pair something to be scoffed at (SPCM 83), but it is also not
of shaking baritone voices calling for you by name, and the end.
asking that you step forward.
or deny passage to the Dreamlands. We judge all passers-
Looking around, you see a vast cavern splayed out, by.” Further attempts to learn more about the priests prove
illuminated by an unseen, all-encompassing light. In fruitless and the priests answer them with variations on
its center stand two exceedingly tall figures with their the statement above.
backs to a pillar of purple-green flames. Despite the
conflagration behind them, you see no trace of their What is this place? “This is the Cavern of Flame and
shadows preceding them. In fact, there are no shadows you, my friends, are in the Dreamlands.”
anywhere.
The Dreamlands? “Beautiful and hideous. A sanctuary
The wizened men are bearded, clothed in religious and a trap. The Dreamlands are full of contradictions and
vestments, and easily eight feet tall. The miter-like dichotomies. The Dreamlands connect all minds but you
headdresses they wear exaggerate their height, and are experiencing them in a way few minds every do. You will
were it not for their glorious beards, you could not tell find a guide after descending the Seven Hundred Steps.”
them apart from one another.
When the PCs have asked their questions of the priests,
The man with a coarse steel-gray beard speaks first. “I read or paraphrase the following,
am Nasht,” he says, then gestures to his counterpart,
whose fine, snow-white beard flutters from unseen “We have brought you here at the request of the
breezes. “And this is Kaman-Thah. We’ve been expect- Dreamer Pompea. She has need of you. You must
ing you.” descend the Seven Hundred Steps, and in doing so
you will reach the Dreamlands.” Nasht gestures to a
Kaman-Thah and Nasht are the guardians of the Dream- flight of stairs, that you swear was just a section of
lands and it is their eternal duty to determine if a visitor is cavern wall a moment ago. The steps descend into the
worthy for entry into them. While in their cavern, they are darkness.
virtually omnipotent and omniscient. Many visitors to the
Dreamlands consider the priests to be gods in their own With your first step, Kaman-Thah interrupts you. “You
right. They answer questions put forth to them honestly, may want to prepare yourselves before leaving,” he
with no efforts to obfuscate their intent. says with a slight grin. At first, you are unsure of what
he means, but then, a wave of disorientation washes
A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check over you and the reassuring weight of your familiar
reveals that the PCs are in the Dreamlands, and PCs who packs vanish, as if it had never existed. Your equipment
succeed by 5 or more realize who the priests are and their did not come with you on this journey, it seems.
role in the Dreamlands. PCs with the Dreamer feat have
advantage on this check. Kaman Thah winks at you. “Fear not, my friends, for the
Dreamlands provides.”
Why were you expecting us? The priests know all
Dreamers that come to their realm, and they took a The adventurers’ gear has not come to the Dreamlands
personal interest in Pompea (page 51), owing to her great with them, and now they have an opportunity to rectify
power. When her physical form was eaten by the voracious that alarming deficit. When the PCs open the door, they
ghouls, she retreated to the Dreamlands, and shortly after- find a room that contains a bundle of items for each
ward enlisted the aid of Kaman-Thah and Nasht. She had character, as if the Priests knew exactly what each hero
one request: to bring the PCs to the Dreamlands and allow would need on this quest. In addition, there are two jars of
them passage so that they may at last meet face to face. restorative ointment sitting on a table to the side.

Who are you? “Nasht and Kaman-Thah, Priests of the This should feel a little like a windfall for the players,
Cavern of Flame. It is our place in the universe to approve though they should also be just a bit concerned about why
they’re being equipped so generously. Suggested items by
archetype are listed below, but please adjust as needed for
your particular group:

4 The Volcano Goddess

◊◊ Frontline. Adamantine heavy armor, shield +1, frost
brand or flame tongue weapon of player’s choice, belt of
dwarvenkind, oil of sharpness.

◊◊ F ace. Hat of disguise, light armor +2 of resistance (play-
er’s choice), luckstone, ranged weapon of choice with a
quiver of 20 arrows +1,

◊◊ Support. Staff of healing, any armor +1, chime of
opening, headband of intellect

◊◊ Glass Cannon. Oathbow or lightning gun (SPCM 126),
cloak of elvenkind and boots of elvenkind, bracers of
archery

◊◊ Caster. Ring of spell storing (contains up to 3 spells of
GMs choice), luckstone, staff of swarming insects

GMs Note: In all cases, any mundane weapons or
armor the hero normally uses are present. Additionally,
all items that require attunement do so immediate-
ly without the need for additional time. Feel free to
adjust the caches to match your player’s characters
and their preferences. Don’t worry about giving them a
little extra; they can’t take it with them anyway.

Scene 1. To Dream, Perchance creatures’ preferred tactic is to knock the PCs from the
to Know steps and let the 250-foot fall, which inflicts 70 (20d6)
bludgeoning damage, do some of the work for them.
Armed, equipped, and outfitted, the PCs are ready to Should this occur, a nightgaunt will detach from the rest
take on the denizens of this weird and hostile land. Time and follow its prey to ground to immediately finish off the
and distance are fluid in the Dreamlands, particularly on broken and battered PC.
this portion of the journey. This encounter occurs when
thematically and dramatically appropriate, generally after Scene 2. An Old Friend
around 30 minutes to one hour of in-game time.
The journey down the remaining steps is uneventful. At
The staircase defies all logic and natural laws as it the bottom, a forgotten friend greets the PCs. Read or
hangs in the vast blackness of the Void. There are no paraphrase the following:
buttresses to support it, no ropes to hold it, nor any
wall to serve as an anchor. Nothing. Simply steps upon With shaking legs and frayed nerves, you reach the
steps that lead down into the inky depths. bottom of the gods-forsaken stairway and exit into a
The echo of each footfall is swallowed by the nothing- jungle much like the one surrounding Farzeen. With
ness, and without landmarks to track your progress, your first steps onto the ground, the staircase dis-
time becomes meaningless. solves behind you and the landscape forms more fully.
A lavender sky with pale red clouds and intermittent
A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notices the follow- black stars “shines” down on you. Twin suns, nearly
ing; twice the size you’re accustomed to, provide light. The
jungle is both familiar and alien.
The soft susurrus of air reaches out from the Void. A soprano voice comes from a tangled mass of ferns a
You’re unable to determine the exact direction. It few yards away. “Come along, no dawdling and gaping.
sounds as if it is coming simultaneously from above, There’s precious little time to waste. Mistress Pompea
below, and from each side. is fading quickly.”

The stairs are 12 feet wide and 9 inches tall. This encoun-
ter occurs when the PCs are approximately halfway down
the flight of 700 steps.

Development. Fighting on the steps represents a
unique set of challenges for the PCs. Creatures appear
from all directions simultaneously and utilize fly-by tactics
to great effect.

Creatures. A murder of five nightgaunts (SPCM 350)
have encircled the PCs in preparation for an attack. The

The Volcano Goddess 5

In short order, Nukki saunters from her hiding spot, Pompea. “A new friend, and I am here to take you to
sits back on her haunches, and addresses you directly, her.” Nukki has seen Pompea’s condition deteriorate daily,
“We’re in for a long and tedious journey if you stop and with the recent destruction of her physical form, that
with jaws on the ground every time you see something degradation has accelerated alarmingly.
you don’t understand.”
The Dreamlands. “My home, for now at least. A land
The feline locks eyes with you, and you see the faint- that knows how to treat cats.” Nukki prefers existence in
est, echo of a smirk in the cast of her jaws. “Out with the Dreamlands to the waking world and says as much. If
the questions now, or does a cat have your tongue?” she survives the coming days, she will retire to Ulthar.

Nukki (page 49) allows the PCs a few minutes to get their Development. Once the PCs have exhausted their
bearings, examine their surroundings, and ask a few ques- stream of questions for Nukki, she leads them to Pompea.
tions before she insists they begin the trek to Pompea. She The jungle pathway leads the PCs past abandoned ruins,
is a bit nervous about having to lead such a large, loud, and vine covered cliffs, and into the territory of a Leng spider.
inexperienced group through the Dreamlands.
The monstrosity has cleverly hidden a boulder-capped
PCs who examine the plants/surroundings learn the pit along the pathway (SPCM 341). The trap is set with a
following with a Wisdom (Nature) check (at the GM’s dis- pouch of gems, laid out in the open and spilling forth its
cretion, they may use Yog-Sothothery in place of Nature): contents. If Nukki is leading the group, she is too light to
trigger the trap. Nukki, noticing the pouch and the inher-
◊◊ DC 12 – These seem to be jungle plants native to ent dangers of such a temptation, has chosen to ignore
Farzeen; they are harmless—bitter, but edible. You also it. She says nothing to the PCs, preferring to watch their
see insects and small animals reminiscent of Farzeen’s reactions to assess not only their strength of arms but
environs. their common sense as well.

◊◊ D C 18 – The plants are very similar to what you saw in Creature. An old Leng spider (SPCM 343) has set the
Farzeen, but there are enough differences to make you trap and moves in promptly to engage the PCs. Nukki’s
unsure. The coloring and oddly placed vestigial limbs of first action will be to secure her own safety, and only
the animals are like nothing you’ve seen before. afterwards will she consider assisting the PCs in the fight
(also consider the relationship the PCs built with her in
The nearby plants and creatures are not edible and any Act 1.1).
PC eating them must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
throw or be poisoned for the next 1d6 minutes. At the end Scene 3. Gugs
of each minute, the target may repeat the save, ending the
effect on a success. The crisp, clear chime of a hand bell breaks through
the drone of the jungle. You cannot ascertain the origin
Questions for Nukki: The cat answers a few ques- of the sound due to the jungle’s density.
tions if the PCs ask.
The PCs are presented with a choice, to investigate the
Supplies? Can I Eat the Plants/Animals? “Of course sound or to ignore it. Nukki refuses to make the decision
you can. Should you? Only one way to find out.” Nukki for them, but allows them a few minutes to delve into the
knows the flora and fauna are poisonous to the PCs, but forests. If they investigate, read or paraphrase the following;
she will not stop them from learning first-hand. She is a
firm believer in learning via experience and would not rob After a time navigating the dense undergrowth, the
the PCs of that hard-won knowledge. sound leads you to a cavern. Two slavering monstrosi-
ties crowd the cave mouth, their bifurcated heads glis-
Where Have You Been? “Watching from the safety tening with razor-sharp fangs. The brutes wave massive
of dreams. My former mistress answered the call and arms, each split at the elbow to form a pair of lower
shattered our bond. I came here to recover my senses and arms that end in viciously formed four-fingered claws.
found Pompea.” Nukki is remarkably well-informed of the They bear down on a zoog that is feverishly scrambling
goings on in Farzeen and the cultists of Ghatanothoa. She for cover from their advance.
is able to provide any details on the ongoing plot that the
GM wishes to share. Development. The PCs hear the audible component of
an alarm spell that has been triggered. A PC who knows
You Talk?!? “More eloquently and effectively than you, the spell recognizes it immediately, or a successful DC 12
it would seem.” Nukki bores of this line of questioning very Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals the source.
quickly.
A successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check detects
Censa. “She answered the Call of Blood and Water. the presence of the stalking gugs. If the creatures are not
Once we landed in Farzeen, she was lost to me.” Nukki detected or the PCs dawdle for two rounds, the sounds
sensed the change in Censa after her encounter with the of an inhuman roar shakes them to their very core as the
deep ones (Act 1.1) and vanished into the jungle shortly gugs attack.
thereafter to keep a wary eye on the proceedings from a
safer vantage. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check
identifies the creatures as gugs. If the PC exceeds the DC
“My mistress is no longer. You’d do well to remember
that when you see her. Lord Cthulhu has proffered his
blessing upon her, and who she was is gone.” Nukki can
confirm that Pompea has a twsha and can explain its
powers.

6 The Volcano Goddess

by at least 5, they also know that silence is ineffective at
preventing their unique form of spellcasting, and that the
creature has no innate resistances, immunities, or vulner-
abilities.

Creatures. A pair of gugs (SPCM 332) has emerged
from their underground lair and cornered a zoog grove
keeper (SPCM 403). The zoog’s foresight in casting alarm
is the only reason it was not consumed prior to waking.

The zoog is concerned with its own safety and no one
else’s. It will escape as soon as the opportunity presents
itself, using its own magic to accomplish that goal.

Scene 4. Pompea

Nukki leads the PCs to the base of a volcanic mountain
that resembles Kaza where, at long last, the PCs meet the
high priestess of the Goddess of Light, Pompea. Read or
paraphrase the following:

The jungle path gradually grows rockier, the dirt re-
placed by gravel as sporadic ferns and hardier shrubber-
ies supplant the lush growth. You stumble out from the
canopy beneath the pale purple skies, exposed to the
twin suns of this strange land. Despite the time your
journey has taken, the celestial bodies have not moved
perceptibly from their heavenly stations.

Nukki increases her pace just enough to separate her-
self from the group and enters a shallow cave.

The cat leads you deeper into the cave to Pompea,
who lies sleeping on a pallet of furs. A soft glow suf-
fuses her, and in the darkness of the grotto, web-like
cracks and fissures shine brightly as if she were an
antique porcelain figure lit from within.

PCs that examined Pompea’s corporeal form in the Citadel
piece together that the web of cracks that lines her form
corresponds to the savage cuts and rending attacks that
caused her death in the Waking World.

Nukki walks over to the sleeping figure, a purr filling
the cavern, and gingerly nuzzles the Dreamer to wake
her gently.

Pompea rouses, drowsy from sleep, her eyes slowly
fluttering open. She regards you quizzically at first,
then comprehension dawns on her face.

“You’ve come at last. I’m sure you have questions and
I’ll do my best to answer them.”

Questions for Pompea. The priestess answers whatever
questions the PCs ask to the best of her ability.

Ghatanothoa. “Ghatanothoa’s exile beneath Mu ended
generations ago, with almost no one the wiser. The foul
intelligence’s influence migrated to Farzeen and its follow-
ers failed in their first bid to raise the Great Old One, due
to the aid of Kaza. Should the cult succeed, Ghatanothoa’s
ascension will mark the end of Farzeen.”

The Ghouls. Pompea learned first-hand that the
ghouls’ alliance with Ghatanothoa is predicated on a vast
store of mummified bodies. Each victim is doomed to a

The Volcano Goddess 7

life as veritable human jerky, and worse yet, the Great Old Attempts at identifying creatures and plants using the Na-
One’s gaze prolongs the target’s life unnaturally, guaran-
teeing the victim’s madness and eternal suffering. ture skill should include the possibility of a false result (such

The Goddess of Light. Pompea reveals truth that the as if they fail the check by 5 or more). As mentioned in scene
Goddess of Light is a mask of Farzeen’s progenitor god,
Kaza. The elemental intelligence’s worship evolved, as all 2, Yog-Sothothery can be substituted for Nature at the GM’s
religions do, and in this evolution it cast off the fiery and
chaotic force of nature aspect to broaden its appeal. To discretion.
accommodate her worshippers, Kaza became the Goddess
of Light, letting her true nature lie dormant. While traveling to the Cavern of Cthugha, the GM

The Statue of the Goddess. “The statue has been should roll or choose an encounter from the table below
the center of the Goddess of Light’s worship for genera-
tions, and as a symbol of our faith, its divine properties as pacing and time allows.
protect it, and us, from threats. Ghatanothoa is the great-
est threat we have faced, and it’s time for the goddess d12 Encounter
to protect us once more. We must awaken her ancient, 1 A moon-vassal of Nyarlathotep (SPCM 349)
primeval aspect and unleash its volcanic might upon the
Great Old One!” steps from a dimension door in front of the PCs,
immediately proselytizing about the advantages
Kaza. “Before there was Farzeen, there was Kaza. The of worshipping the Crawling Chaos. The PCs
priests of Light did their job well in erasing all traces of can attempt to talk their way out of a fight with
her worship. Fortunately, their reach did not extend to this Charisma (Persuasion), but the moon-vassal has
place, and a codex of Kaza’s liturgical rites remains. I am little patience for a hesitant audience.
certain that the book is the key to awakening the God- 2 A group of eight vooniths (SPCM 391) lies in wait
dess!” under the PCs’ feet. They pounce when the time is
right.
The Book of Kaza. “I have an artifact that will lead 3 A squad of six armed and armored gnorri hunters
you to it. I don’t know how far away it is; distance can be (SPCM 330) are searching for adventure and are
confusing in the Dreamlands. Get the book to Domniku; just a bit bored. They could be talked into aiding
he can use it to invoke the Old Powers.” Pompea knows the PCs if the price is right.
nothing else of the book, only that it will guide the PCs 4 The PCs hear the sounds of a brief and violent
in defeating Ghatanothoa. Pompea’s impressions of the confrontation just off the path. Upon investigating
book have all included the presence of overwhelming heat. they find an Ulthar Champion (SPCM 290) standing
She assumes, partially correctly, that this is due to Kaza’s over a freshly killed zoog. The cat has begun to
volcanic nature. devour the zoog when the PCs encounter it.
5 The land turns abruptly swampy and a fog rises
Your Body. When Pompea’s body is mentioned, the soft from the ground. A pair of ghosts of Ib (SPCM 176)
glow suffusing her form dims, as if the reminder is enough materialize, one in front and one behind the PCs,
to speed her toward her inevitable end. Pompea has no liv- and attack.
ing body, and as such, she is relegated to the Dreamlands 6 A trio of Leng folk thieves and a Leng necromancer
for the remainder of her existence. She has used her own (SPCM 339) are scouring the jungles in search
personal power to bring the PCs here, and though she will of a gug to harvest, preferably one that has been
not admit it, it’s clear she will not survive much longer. recently killed. They are not immediately hostile
when encountered, being more concerned with
There is no magic, medicine, or intervention the PCs their mission than the activities of Dreamers.
can call upon to save her, but in her sacrifice, she hopes 7 The PCs come to a clearing, and in it is a girl with
the PCs live up to their reputations and save Farzeen once hair of blues, greens, and purples. She is sitting,
and for all by unleashing Kaza’s wrath upon Ghatanothoa legs akimbo, and drawing in a book that rests in
to protect the world. her lap. She pays the PCs no mind, lost in thought
and concentrating on her sketchpad. If engaged
Development. Pompea gives the PCs a dowsing rod, in conversation she introduces herself as Harper.
instructions on its use, and offers to heal any of the injured She is friendly, curious of their adventures, and
as best she can with her available spells. The PCs may tells tales so fantastic of her home that seem made
take a short rest in the cavern, but Pompea presses them up to shock. Harper is a powerful Dreamer, more
to action if they try to take a long rest. so than Pompea, and after a few moments grows
bored with the PCs, waves goodbye, and fades
Scene 6. Jungle Trek away, her skin growing translucent to show muscle,
then her skeleton, before she disappears entirely.
Nukki stays behind to care for her friend. Having so recent- 8 – 12 No encounter
ly lost Censa, she will do everything in her power to keep
Pompea alive and comfortable for as long as possible. Scene 7. The Cavern of
Cthugha
While trekking through the jungle, the PCs encounter
alien sights, sounds, and smells common to the Dream- The rod leads you on a meandering path through
lands. The flora and fauna are just similar enough to be jungles, swamps, hills, and finally to a desolate salt
disorienting to the PCs and to invite deadly assumptions.

8 The Volcano Goddess

flat. Despite your footwear, the incredible heat of the
ground scorches your soles with each step. Your feet
are swollen and cracking as you limp into the smoking,
stinking sinkhole.

The area surrounding the sinkhole is a charred to surprise. They
wasteland. The ground is a hardened, flat mass of are unnervingly silent
cracked, dried out plates of mud encrusted with throughout the battle, and once roused,
crystalized minerals. they will pursue the PCs throughout the sinkhole, only
stopping if the PCs escape. When the PCs have the book,
Shimmering air rises from the cavity, the guardians will doggedly pursue them until they or the
attesting to the intense tempera- PCs are destroyed.
tures within. The hole seem-
ingly exhales, washing the Creatures. A trio of chosen of Cthugha (page 37) guard
party in its fetid, burning the book of Kaza from outsiders.
breath. There are no
living creatures in the Treasure. The Book of Kaza is hidden within the fire
vicinity. pit. Finding it is not the challenge; obtaining it is (see
Scene 8 for details).
Development. Entering the
sinkhole requires the PCs to de-
scend 100 feet to its floor. The walls
of the sinkhole are searingly hot and featureless, making
climbing down challenging for even the most experienced
(DC 20 Strength [Athletics]).

The bottom of the sinkhole is a circular room with a sin-
gle tunnel leading downward. When the PCs have descend-
ed to this depth, they have, in essence, walked into an enor-
mous oven. At the end of every round, all characters take
1 (1d3) fire damage from the ambient heat. Creatures with
resistance or immunity to fire damage ignore this effect.

Unlike the tunnels beneath Farzeen, this one is not a
lava tube. Instead, it has been carved from the depths by
the unknowable power of Cthugha. The walls are glass-
like in their smoothness, covered in black soot, and if the
ash is removed, the PCs discover eldritch symbols and
glyphs etched in their surface. They are unable to deter-
mine what could have created such a cavern. After travel-
ing 60 feet, the tunnel opens to an amphitheater.

Three carved obsidian figures stand at attention around Scene 8. Freeing the Book
a raging pit of unearthly flames. They stare implacably
with eyes of glowing blues, their motionless arms You have defeated the chosen and have come to a new
gripping massive shields. The fiery fingers of a raging dilemma: how to acquire their prize. The Book of Kaza
inferno grasp greedily for the ceiling dozens of feet lies within a pit of unspeakably intense eldritch flame.
above as if trying to escape. Whatever energies sustain the fires have not dimin-
Despite your attempts at stealth, the guardians know ished with the death of its guardians.
you are present. They turn to you in unison and attack!

Development. Kaza’s initial victory over Ghatanothoa The Book of Kaza
drew the attention of another Great Old One, Cthugha.
The fiery intelligence sent its chosen to capture and guard The book is bound in soot-encrusted obsidian and bears
the last remaining copy of the Book of Kaza for its own no marks of any ind. The pages within, of which there
inscrutable purposes. They fight to the death to defend the are 18, are made of an unidentifiable, thinly-hammered
book. metal. When opened, the left page is illuminated with
crude etchings and the right side bears the matching
The blessing of Cthugha renders the guardians immune description.

Scaling the Chosen The Book of Kaza is a collection of the rites, rituals,
and ceremonies that the ancient people of Farzeen used
Removing the chosen’s lair actions reduces their lethality in their worship of the fickle goddess Kaza. The book is
significantly. But remember that death isn’t permanent in impervious to fire and flames of all kinds, is warm to the
the Dreamlands, and the PCs will get a long rest soon. touch, and is written entirely in Aklo.

The Volcano Goddess 9

Cthugha conjured the flames and they are difficult to Kaza’s Blessing
dispel or avoid. The GM should reward the players for After their adventures in the Dreamlands, while on
creative solutions and out-of-the-box thinking. PCs tackling the island of Farzeen, the PCs gain resistance to fire
the puzzle head on should expect some challenges. damage. Additionally, any fire damage they inflict with
melee, ranged, or spell attacks deals an additional 1d6 fire
Dispel Magic. The magic sustaining the flames is the damage.
equivalent of a 9th-level spell. Should the PCs dispel the
magic, the effect is only temporary, lasting 1d4 + 1 rounds. to be anything but supernatural. And lording over the
The caster knows intuitively that the godflames are only destructive tableau is a figure standing at the top of a
temporarily suppressed but does not know exactly how lighthouse on the rocky island in the bay, gesticulating
long they will be suppressed. When the flames re-emerge, as if directing the threat.
they do so violently and at the beginning of the round. If
the PCs dispel the flames, the chains cool until the flames Experience Points
reappear.
At the end of this episode, all PCs gain sufficient
Just Grab It. When the cultists of Cthugha initially experience to reach 12th level.
secured the book in the pit, they did so with an elaborate
system of chains and locks. The entrapments are ensor-
celled to withstand any temperature and are superheated
from their exposure to the flames.

The PCs can free the book from its bonds with a
successful DC 20 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. Any
creature touching the chains takes 14 (4d6) fire damage
from the intense heat. Additionally, attempts to unlock
it suffer disadvantage due to the painful exposure to the
superheated metal, unless the creature is immune to fire
damage. The book itself weighs 15 pounds and the chains
weigh 15 pounds for a total of 30 pounds.

Douse It. Excessive amounts of water can temporarily
douse the flames and disperse the heat of the chains; they
remain cool until the flames return. The 30 gallons of wa-
ter created by create food and water are enough to douse
the flames and cool the metal for 1d2 rounds.

Conclusion

With the book in the hand, the PCs awaken with a start.
The magic sustaining them in the Dreamlands dissipates
as Pompea’s lifeforce abates. Before waking fully, they
hear her final words, “The blessing of Kaza be upon you.”

The PCs are given the benefit of a long rest despite hav-
ing only rested a few hours; additionally, they have been
given the boon of Kaza’s blessing (see Sidebar). The PCs
must get the book to Domniku with all due haste.

Adrenaline rushes through you, your heart races, and
you snap fully awake as you register the sounds of
battle outside the Albatross. Securing the still warm
Book of Kaza, which has appeared among you, you
leap from your beds to see that the townsfolk are again
embroiled in a fight for their lives, this time from an
invading force of deep ones.

Momao and Lothar lead the folk of Farzeen in a battle.
The islanders, refreshed after their victory over the
cultists, use their newfound martial prowess to devas-
tating effect. The deep ones flounder and flail, caught
off-guard by the ferocious townsfolk. Their lines break,
and they fall back to the sea. The folk of Farzeen raise
their weapons as they taunt the piscine cowards.

And that’s when you see it: a swell in the ocean mov-
ing swiftly toward Farzeen. It seems much too quick

10 The Volcano Goddess

Act 4.2: The Deep Ones Strike

A Cthulhu Mythos adventure for four to five 12th-level characters

Episode Synopsis Through a break in the storm, they see a figure atop the
nearby lighthouse. Its wild gesticulations are both familiar
The PCs’ sojourn to the Dreamlands proved as illuminat- and utterly alien. As the PCs investigate the eldritch ritu-
ing as it was challenging. Their final test was a battle with alist, the haunted pipings of an unseen creature pierce the
the Chosen of Cthugha. In defeating that alien intelli- fury of the storm. Once again, the adventurers join battle
gence’s fiery creations, they obtained the Book of Kaza: the against forces they scarcely understand.
archaic, liturgical tome Pompea believes to contain the key
to awaking Kaza and harnessing her volcanic fury. Book The PCs must decide who to aid and who to leave to
in hand, the PCs awaken to an apocalyptic storm, and an their fate: will the greater good be served best by rushing
invading deep one army! to the beach, ignoring their allies’ pleas for aid? Will the
repercussions of their (in)actions haunt them?
From the Albatross, they see a town in the midst of a
raging battle. The folk of Farzeen comport themselves Regardless of their tactical choices, the PCs soon face
well, catching the deep ones off-guard and repelling the their greatest challenge yet: a shoggoth! The immense
invaders with minimal casualties—at least, initially. Just as protoplasmic mass of sickly green luminescence oozes
the tide of the battle turns, an unnatural squall sweeps to- from the waves. The monstrosity wriggles and writhes, its
ward the town from the sea, and, inspired by the ill-omen, pseudopods extending and contracting before retreating
the deep ones renew their attacks with savage vigor. into the creature’s hulking body at dizzying speed. Its ap-
pendages—an amalgam of mismatched eyes and mouths—
Ever vigilant, the PCs spy an oddity in the nearby reach out for prey and propel the abomination at unholy
waters. In the open sea, past the lighthouse, a submerged speed. Worse still is the vomitous smell, which assails
creature is closing in on Farzeen. The entity is of such the PCs’ olfactory senses: an excruciatingly intense odor
great mass and unnatural speed that it overtakes wave that makes the PCs’ eyes water and their gorge rise. They
after crashing wave and will soon reach the island. Time overcome the foul anathema with a combination of guile,
is of the essence if the PCs hope to greet this unknown strength, and more than a little luck.
threat at the shoreline before it unleashes its unknowable
power on the islanders. Mind, body, and spirit strained to breaking, the PCs
arrive at the lighthouse to confront their traitorous former

The Deep Ones Strike 11

captain. Censa draws deeply from Great Cthulhu’s gifts Pacing and Tension
and destroys her most prized possession. Yet the PCs
prevail, and with their victory, the unnatural storm abates, Act 4.2 is a mad rush of frenzied activity. The players
bathing Farzeen in cleansing sunlight. The PCs deliver the should feel off-balance, as if they can just barely get one
Book of Kaza to Domniku and begin preparations to take foot in front of the other while running headfirst downhill.
the fight directly to the vile Great Old One, Ghatanothoa. Each encounter flows directly into the next and the action
should be non-stop. If the PCs are not fighting an enemy,
Prologue. The Swelling Tide they are racing toward one to engage it. If there is nothing
And Unnatural Storm in their immediate vicinity, the PCs should be on edge,
waiting for the next disaster to surface. The session may
The skies were clear before your sojourn to the take several hours, depending on the players’ choices, but
Dreamlands. You see dark, menacing clouds swirling the in-game time will be significantly less.
overhead under the winds of an impending squall. It’s
clear that a supernatural force is at work. The invaders Players should have limited time to make decisions
revel in the coming storm, reversing their course and in this adventure. When it’s time to make a choice, they
turning back toward Farzeen, They surge forth with the should not have liberty to endlessly deliberate and debate
first heavy drops of rain. the merits and drawbacks of their course of action. They
are in the middle of an epic battle of good versus the
An unnatural oceanic swell moves inexorably toward implacable, unknowable evil of the Great Old Ones! They
Farzeen, approaching from the general direction of the are heroes! People of action! Now is the time for deeds
lighthouse. The distance and the intervening storm of valor and bravery!
make determining the size and speed of whatever is
hidden beneath the waves difficult. Two things are An hourglass or other visible timer will serve you
certain: it is big and it is fast. well in maintaining tension in this adventure. Ask your
question, turn the timer over, and observe their problem-
There is no way for the PCs to accurately identify the solving. The party should have a minute, two at most,
creature due to the combination of distance, impaired to decide their actions. If they are not able to reach a
visibility, and its submersion beneath the waves. The PCs decision in that timeframe, they miss their opportunity,
may make an Intelligence (Nature) check to gather more and events unfold as if they chose not to intervene.
information about the unknown threat.
requiring a DC 15 Dexterity save; on a failed save, the
◊◊ DC 15 – The disturbance under the water is similar in PC takes 16 (3d10) lightning damage, or half damage
size and speed to what one might expect from a giant on a successful one. PCs not in combat have a 1 in 10
shark. chance of being targeted.

◊◊ DC 22 – The lack of visible caudal and dorsal fins ◊◊ Scene 3. Gale force winds buffet the island. PCs mov-
suggests that the beast is not a shark, and the swell is ing at full speed or taking the Dash action must make
not as streamlined as one might expect from a natural, a DC 13 Strength save or have their speed halved until
aquatic predator. the end of the round. If the save fails by 4 or more, the
PC falls prone.
The players may be able to piece together what the crea-
ture probably is but they cannot confirm it at this time. ◊◊ Scene 4. The sound and fury of the storm is such that
all Wisdom (Perception) checks, including those within
Development. The storm gains strength steadily and the lighthouse, are made at disadvantage. Additionally,
implacably, and the PCs realize it is unnaturally tied to the the clouds obstruct the sun fully, plunging the island
nascent deep one invasion. It’s reminiscent of the tempest into darkness.
that stranded them on Farzeen, and with that realization,
they understand that it is every bit as much a part of the ◊◊ The Fight with Censa. The frequency of random
attack on the islanders as the invading monstrosities. lightning attacks increases to 1 in 4 for characters at
During each scene, the storm gathers strength, putting the top of the lighthouse.
the islanders and characters in greater danger. The storm
escalates as outlined below at the beginning of each scene. Scene 1. Getting to the Beach

◊◊ Prologue. Rains and heavy cloud cover blot out the On their way to the beach, the PCs face a series of choices
sun. All areas beyond 60 feet are lightly obscured. that affect not only their own circumstances but those of
the islanders of Farzeen. How will they prioritize an imme-
◊◊ Scene 1. The rains turn torrential, and lightning arcs diate threat to their allies against an unknown horror from
sporadically from the heavens. If a PC attempts a the depths?
ranged attack on a target that is at least 60 feet away,
that target has the equivalent of half cover. The GM should roll or choose 3 encounters from the ta-
ble below. After determining the encounter, the PCs must
◊◊ Scene 2. The lightning strikes increase in frequency. choose to intervene and delay their progress to the beach,
At the end of each round of combat, there is a 1 in or to let events unfold without their assistance. If they
6 chance that a random PC is targeted by lightning, ignore each of these three encounters and keep heading to

12 The Deep Ones Strike

the beach, they arrive in time to meet the shoggoth on the Time Keeping

beach or even launch the Folly to intercept the creature. The invasion waits for no one. The PCs are faced with
hard choices as they must abandon their allies to focus
D10 Encounter on tasks that only they can complete. The timeline for
1 A giant hybrid hermit crab (page 42) is encircled by the course of events assumes the PCs progress to the
next foe as quickly as possible and without stopping
six islanders (commoners). They have cornered the for anything else, even aiding their comrades. The GM
creature, but one of them has come too close and should keep a cumulative tally of rounds spent in combat,
is now within its reach. investigations, or other actions that are not directly
2 A trio of guards square off with a deep one (SPCM related to movement. The time taken in other activities
296). The guards bleed from scores of small will change subsequent encounters.
wounds; the deep one bellows a croaking battle cry
and lunges toward them. Note that the timelines listed below do not include
3 A deep one bishop (SPCM 297) has distanced itself travel time. The shoggoth does not arrive on the mainland
from the skirmishes and is aiding its brethren from three rounds (18 seconds) after the PCs awaken, but it
afar with supportive spells. will arrive 18 seconds after they arrive at the beach. If
4 A moan drifts up from beneath a pile of vanquished they dawdle or spend their time in indecision, it might
deep ones. If examined, the PCs find a sergeant arrive before they get there.
of the Watch (veteran) trapped under them. He is
barely conscious and has a single hit point. There are a number of ways the GM might track rounds
5 A scream pierces the air and is abruptly cut off with of combat. A simple tally (in full view of the players) is
a wet gurgle. A deep one hybrid hammerhead (page highly effective and will have players wondering what’s
38) thrashes in the water, mauling what remains of going on. Another option is using a die to count the
a fallen islander. rounds upwards.
6 Two deep one hybrid barracudas (page 39) lope
toward the town. No one else has noticed them yet. Some key events to keep in mind:
7 Momao’s cry of rage overwhelms all sounds of Before Combat. The PCs see the invasion and the
combat, and the field of battle falls silent for a battle, as well as the approaching shoggoth.
heartbeat. In that moment of stillness, she uses her Round 3 (or as the PCs arrive at the beach). The
blade to run through a deep one warrior. No sooner shoggoth arrives on the beach.
has its corpse hit the ground than she engages Round 8. Unless it has been stopped, the shoggoth
another of its ilk. reaches the gates of Farzeen.
8 A giant eel of R’lyeh (page 43) slithers its way
toward a group of five islanders (commoners). If the PCs spend at least 8 rounds engaged with the en-
The quaking islanders hold their ground, intent on counters(s) above, the shoggoth will have reached the gates
defending their home. of Farzeen to meet them. Read or paraphrase the following:
9 – 10 No encounter
The alien abomination has progressed into Farzeen and
If they spend at least 3 rounds engaged with one or more is locked in battle with the guards, Obed, and Momao.
The creature wraps around a quavering guard, its ten-
of these encounters, they are too late to launch the Folly, tacles melting his armor and flesh underneath, killing
the man gruesomely. Momao’s efforts to save her ally
the shoggoth arrives at the beach, and the creature begins are largely ineffective, opening her to counterattack,
and just as another of the creature’s tentacles extends
oozing toward Farzeen; track its progress for each addi- unnaturally to grasp her, Obed pushes Momao aside to
intercept its crushing embrace. His screams of agony
tional round spent. Read or paraphrase the following: echo torturously in your ears.

The ocean swell crests the beach, overtaking the Scene 2. The Shoggoth!
incoming tide. The waters recede, revealing a horrific
creature from a madman’s nightmares. The undulat- Censa is one of the elite who possesses a twsha, a bless-
ing mass of mismatched eyes, gaping mouths, and ing of Lord Cthulhu, and has used its power to call forth
squamous tentacles surges from the sea, enveloping a beast from the depths. The shoggoth is just one of the
everything in its path. allies she has brought to the fray.

A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check Development. When exactly the PCs face the shoggoth
depends on how quickly they reached the beach. None of
identifies the creature as a true shoggoth (SPCM 371). If the folk of Farzeen are powerful enough to do much more
than slow it down as it engulfs them.
the PCs succeed on this check, they must make a DC 16

Wisdom save or gain 3 levels of dread that last until they

defeat the creature.

Designer’s Note. This dread save is due to the combi-
nation of understanding what the creature is AND that
the PCs’ actions have placed Farzeen and their allies
in even greater danger than they thought. If the PCs
greet the creature at the beach, slowing its invasion of
Farzeen by placing themselves in its path, they are suf-
ficiently inspired to automatically succeed on this save.

The Deep Ones Strike 13

Banishment Running the Shoggoth

Shoggoths, as creatures created by the Elder Things An encounter with the shoggoth can result in a TPK,
to be their beasts of burden, are native to this plane of and the GM should approach the fight with that
existence. As such, banishment will remove them from consideration in mind. This battle is intended to be
the fray temporarily, but not permanently. A successful dramatic, evocative, and exciting but not necessarily
DC 20 Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) check reveals this. the end of the adventure path. The PCs must still face
Ghatanothoa!
While the creature is banished, it will continue to Scaling Down.
regenerate and will be at full hit points when it returns
to renew its attack on Farzeen. If the PCs defeat Censa • G ive the PCs advantage on dread saving throws to
before the shoggoth, its mindless rampage continues reflect their determination to defeat the deep one
directionless until they destroy it, a task that none of the invaders.
islanders can hope to accomplish.
• D ecrease the shoggoth’s hit points by 10 per round
Battle at Sea! before the PCs arrive, to take into account the
actions of Obed, Momao, and the Watch. (Though it
If the PCs reach the beach without delay, they find Obed will consume them before they defeat it, so the PCs
(page 50) waiting for them on the beach with a partially re- cannot simply wait for them to kill the creature.)
paired Hazel’s Folly in the shallows. The ship is seaworthy,
and other than the jagged bowsprit on its prow, is ready • Allow Hazel’s Folly to automatically hit–(the
for its next voyage. The PCs have enough time to board shoggoth’s not trying to get out of the way)–and if
the ship and intercept the seafaring creature before it gets the players describe the attack exceptionally well,
to the shore. If the players do not realize this is an option, have that attack be a critical hit.
Obed, with a mad gleam in his eyes, suggests this course
of action to them. • Disregard the effects of the weather on combat.
Scaling Up.
Obed’s magics and sailing skill serve you well as the
Folly leaves the shallows and rapidly approaches the • T he shoggoth uses its Tekeli-li and engulf abilities
unnatural swell of the approaching creature. A ma- every round on all available targets.
ny-eyed pseudopod sprouts from the waves in front
of the Folly, then another, and another, and soon a • Obed, Momao, and the watch have been engulfed by
misshapen, gelatinous body emerges. Amorphous the shoggoth and it has its full hit points.
appendages covered with countless eyes, mouths, and
other unspeakable organs propel the blasphemous • The shoggoth has legendary resistance 3/day.
horror toward you at ungodly speeds!
the water. Obed, Momao (page 48), and two members of
◊◊ Fight from the boat. Obed maneuvers the boat directly the Watch (veterans) are on the beach too.
into the path of the swell, and when he does, the
creature rises from the depths to attack. It begins its Intercept in Farzeen.
first turn of combat 60 feet away. The boat’s forward
progress carries it 30 feet per round, and Obed can Read or paraphrase the appropriate read aloud text
slow it by up to 15 feet per round. For the Folly’s stat from the previous scene.
block see Act 1.
If the PCs cannot get to the beach within 8 cumulative
◊◊ Ram It! If the PCs decide to ram the creature with the rounds of combat, they must engage the shoggoth at the
sharp bowsprit and Obed is piloting the ship, he can intersection of the beach and town. The creature has
apply his proficiency bonus to the attack. The boat, devoured both members of the Watch. Obed is gravely
moving at full speed and propelled by Obed’s druidic injured (quarter hit points and only has 1st-level spell slots
powers, has an effective strength of 24 (+7 to hit) and available), and a bloodied Momao (with half her hit points)
inflicts 29 (4d10 + 7) piercing damage. Further, this is in melee with the shoggoth.
attack overcomes the creature’s innate resistances
and has advantage due to the creature’s disinterest in Creature. A shoggoth (SPCM 371) has answered its
avoiding the ship. master’s call and is traveling beneath the waves to deci-
mate the inhabitants of Farzeen. The shoggoth’s directive
Beachfront Attack! is simple—destroy as many islanders as possible—and it
will pursue its targets until their demise.

During or shortly after the battle with the shoggoth, the
PCwith the highest passive Perception sees a figure, Cen-
sa, gesticulating wildly atop the nearby lighthouse.

Read or paraphrase the appropriate read aloud text Scene 3. Censa!
from the previous scene.
Through the tempestuous storm, you make out a
If the PCs reach the beach in no more than 3 cumulative figure on the highest level of the lighthouse. It gesticu-
rounds of combat, they meet the shoggoth as it rises from

14 The Deep Ones Strike