The Howling Storm orcs continue to control the slopes of Mount Jesaret between 5,000 and 10,000 feet of elevation. In patrols of ten orc scouts (see appendix B), they’ve established several dozen observation posts that overlook the trail leading up the mountain, ranging from simple dirt embankments and piles of boulders to brush-pile blinds to solid two-story watchtowers of stone and timber. From these posts, they watch for trespassers, tail them if possible, and occasionally engage in aggressive reconnaissance—especially after trespassers have set off one of their noisy traps. When a creature steps on one of these traps, it makes a loud rattling sound along with an attack roll at +8, dealing 2d10 piercing damage and grappling the target on a hit; breaking free requires a DC 15 Strength check. The orcs know there’s no reason for merchants or pilgrims, for instance, to be ascending the mountain, so in the event of a parley, most cover stories won’t fool them. If climbers rest overnight at any of the most promising campsite locations (marked on the map at 6,000, 8,000, and 10,000 feet), an orc patrol will be sure to spy them and assault them during the night. Zviad’s tower is surrounded by a 40-foot-high battlemented curtain wall with watchtowers spaced every 120 feet. Although a trail leads to an area of flat, open ground in front of the wall, there’s no gate. On the rare occasions that Zviad’s goliath guards come and go, they use a postern on the upper side of the wall. Zviad and his lieutenants (the spymaster Grimaldo plus an illusionist, an evoker, and a necromancer who all reside at the fortified tower, along with Merilistra, an arcanaloth hired to collect magical components and items for Zviad) use a teleportation circle both for travel and to receive supplies. The outer, aboveground portion of Zviad’s lair is a controlled area that includes the day and night guard barracks (A); a smithy (B); the residences of Zviad’s lieutenants (C); and the teleportation circle, the treasury, and rooms where the lich meets with his agents and minions (D). The doors to these buildings have arcane locks that open for Zviad, his lieutenants, and (in the case of the barracks) the guards. In addition, the door to the treasury has a symbol of Pain inscribed upon it, triggered when anyone unauthorized touches it. Sixteen goliath guards are on duty at any given time during the day, commanded by a goliath captain (see appendix B for stat blocks), with sixteen more guards back
at the barracks, available to be called up if needed; at night, the wall and bailey are guarded by eight wights. The rest of Zviad’s lair is a restricted area, accessible only through a barbicanlike gate that leads into the mountain. A windowless tower rises above the mountain within the walls; it has no aboveground entrance. Beneath the mountain, at the end of the barbican’s neck, is a wide-open chamber, 160 feet long and 30 feet wide, with a 30-foot-high vaulted ceiling, which must be crossed to enter Zviad’s crypt. Eight braziers fill the air with toxic fumes: When a creature enters the chamber for the first time or starts its turn in the fumes, it takes 6d10 poison damage on a failed DC 15 Constitution saving throw or half as much damage on a successful one. A strong wind disperses the fumes until initiative count 20 of the next round, but unless a brazier is extinguished, it keeps producing more, in 5-foot-radius increments round by round. The area within the fumes is lightly obscured. OceanofPDF.com
OceanofPDF.com
On each side of the chamber is another battlemented wall, beneath which are barred cages. The battlements are lined with twelve wights, six on each side; the cages are packed with zombies, forty-eight on each side. Hovering above the door at the far end of the chamber is Naax-Razaralk, a death tyrant that Zviad dominated, then placed under a 9th-level geas, compelling it to come with him and guard the door to the restricted portion of his lair. (Defying the geas wouldn’t cause Naax-Razaralk anything worse than a bad headache, but Zviad has promised the death tyrant a part in his future conquests, and because the death tyrant is charmed indefinitely, it finds the promise persuasive.) All of these guardians are immune to the poison fumes. No one gets through this chamber except Zviad. If anyone enters without an escort from the lich, the death tyrant attacks with its eye rays, and the wights start shooting; moreover, as soon as anyone reaches the midpoint of the chamber, the wights pull levers that open the cages below them, and the zombies start pouring out. Naax-Razaralk’s Negative Energy Cone projects over an elliptical area, hitting the floor 10 feet in front of the death tyrant, the side walls 15 feet in front of it, and the far wall up to 10 feet above the floor. The undead aberration never leaves its post, 10 feet above the exit door. The guardians of this chamber can’t see invisible creatures, but Zviad has hung hooded lanterns above the battlements 30 feet, 80 feet, and 130 feet inside the door, brightly illuminating the whole chamber—and the middle pair of lanterns are lanterns of revealing, so anyone who tries to ghost their way past Naax-Razaralk gets made 60 to 70 feet in. When the intruders are in disarray, the wights throw ropes over the battlements and slide down to the floor below to engage in melee. The guardians fight until they’re destroyed; they never retreat. If trespassers survive their encounter with the chamber’s guardians, they find not only that the door to Zviad’s crypt is locked (with a very hard-to-pick lock) and sealed with an arcane lock but that it’s also inscribed with a glyph of warding containing a 5th-level fireball spell. Sometimes the classics are the best. (All the spells protecting Zviad’s lair have saving throw DCs of 23.) OceanofPDF.com
OceanofPDF.com
The door leads into the windowless tower that stands above the mountain. The tower is round, with stone stairs ascending around its interior wall. It’s 25 feet in diameter, the ceiling is 100 feet high, and there’s a sphere of annihilation hovering in the center of the tower, 60 feet above the floor. The entire tower is a complicated trap. At the center of the tower’s floor is a glyph of warding containing reverse gravity. At the center of its ceiling is a glyph of warding containing black tentacles. Fifteen feet from the top of the stairs is a proximity-triggered glyph of warding on the wall (E), containing a 5th-level thunderwave. The payoff for making it to the top of the stairs in one piece is… an empty room. Nothing up there at all. Zviad is tickled by the knowledge that intruders will waste incalculable time scrutinizing every corner of this room for invisible objects and creatures, secret doors, mechanisms, anything that might give this room some purpose or meaning. It has none, other than to mess with them. Once upon a time, before he completed the ritual by which he became a lich, this was Zviad’s bedchamber. Now that he no longer sleeps, it amuses him to leave the room completely vacant. While every visual cue in the tower points upward, Zviad’s crypt is downstairs —behind a secret door at the base of the tower that’s very hard to find, enhanced by an arcane lock that allows only the lich to pass, and hidden behind a permanent major image that disguises it as just another part of the wall. Every part of Zviad’s lair beneath the floor of the tower is protected by a permanent private sanctum spell that prevents divination magic and teleportation, although it allows planar travel, and by a guards and wards spell that seals and hides every door. Zviad spends most of his time in the underground portion of his lair, accompanied by his bodyguard, Atzaparrak, a bound glabrezu. Atzaparrak (not its true name) is no dumb brute, though. It acts as a troubleshooter for Zviad, interceding when it looks like combat is about to ensue and attempting to talk would-be attackers into accepting a payoff to walk away. The glabrezu is a skilled negotiator and will (at least ostensibly) make earnest efforts to satisfy the intruders’ interests, provided that they pledge not to harm or interfere with Zviad any further.
OceanofPDF.com
OceanofPDF.com
Atzaparrak is patient and disciplined, but it doesn’t like being bound any more than any other demon does, and if attackers make it a better offer—one that includes dispelling the planar binding spell upon it—the glabrezu will take their side against Zviad. Zviad knows it, and if that’s where negotiations seem to be heading, he’ll bamf away to someplace safer. The first basement level of Zviad’s lair comprises his potion lab, conjuring chamber, necromancy workshop, and component repository. Three bodaks (see Volo’s) dwell in this last room, under permanent geasa not to leave. The second basement level includes the lich’s research library and scrying room. The scrying font isn’t protected, but it’s solid silver and weighs 200 pounds. The library, on the other hand, is tricked out with all sorts of unpleasantry. The door to the library is inscribed with two glyphs of warding, both triggered when anyone but Zviad touches the door. One of the glyphs contains the spell hold monster; the other contains maddening darkness (see Xanathar’s, chapter 3). Inside, the library is haunted by three allips (see Mordenkainen’s), the lingering spirits of votaries that Zviad used up and threw away. One block of basic enchantment textbooks for absolute beginners—of interest to no one who’s raiding a lich’s library for advanced arcane secrets—are all stuck together by their covers. When slid out from the library shelves, they reveal a panel with a hard-to-pick warded lock, enhanced by an arcane lock spell that inflicts excruciating pain upon the hand of anyone who tries to open it without authorization. Behind this panel is a recess where Zviad keeps his research notes and spellbooks. The notes are written in illusory script, rolled up, and kept in pigeonholes. If either the spellbooks or the papers in the recess are touched by any creature other than Zviad—or by a mage hand spell—a glyph of warding is triggered, releasing the sickening radiance spell stored within. The third basement, the stairs down to which are behind another very hardto-find secret door, contains the vault where Zviad keeps the Tome of Atrocity. The platinum-gold alloy case in which it’s stored is inscribed with no fewer than six magical booby traps. For rival wizards, there are glyphs of warding that release blindness and flesh to stone (Zviad’s sky-high spell save DC gives the latter spell a halfway reasonable chance of success) whenever the case is touched by a spellcaster. For extraplanar intruders, there are glyphs of magic circle (reversed, to
keep celestials, fey, and fiends trapped within) and banishment, triggered whenever any aberration, celestial, fey, or fiend enters the room. And for holierthan-thou wannabe heroes, there’s a glyph containing disintegrate, triggered whenever a holy symbol is brought within 3 feet. Finally, if anyone but Zviad opens the case, they and all their companions are treated to a symbol of Fear. But what about the lich’s soulward? Pssh. Zviad Uk’vdavi would never be such a fool as to leave it where anyone else could even find it. The moment his life ended and his undeath began, Zviad cast sequester on his soulward, making it invisible and untargetable by divination spells. Then he cast arcanist’s magic aura to make it appear nonmagical to detect magic. Finally, he cast instant summons so that he could recall it to his hand at will. With those basic tasks out of the way, he set about fabricating a forked brass rod tuned precisely to a highly specific vibrational frequency. When it was complete, he cast demiplane, creating a secret, private dimension far out along the w-axis from Mount Jesaret, with a hylic resonance matching that of the rod. The following day, he used that rod to plane shift to his new demiplane and cast demiplane again from there to create yet another demiplane, in which, finally, he deposited his soulward. III To distinguish the demiplanes clearly, the first, transitional demiplane has walls of conventional dressed stone, while the second demiplane, where his soulward is stored, has walls of black onyx. Neither is lit. In case of emergency— that is, involuntary discorporation—Zviad has left a “go bag” in the onyx demiplane. This large satchel, which is stashed inside a lead-lined chest that also has sequester cast upon it, holds a backup spellbook containing his most-oftenprepared spells, plus teleport and magnificent mansion; a forked rod tuned to the material plane, for use with plane shift; a little velvet pouch containing the material components of magnificent mansion; a nonmagical crystal ball; a nofrills wand; a potion of greater healing; paper, ink, and quills; 300 gp and 30 pp; and an extra set of evil-overlord clothing, along with a deep-hooded traveling cloak. He’s also left braziers burning in all four corners of both demiplanes, consuming all the oxygen in them so that anyone who has to breathe begins suffocating immediately upon arrival in either.
I. Around the summer solstice, the sun never sets at this latitude; around the winter solstice, it never rises. In between, for simplicity’s sake, assume either 8, 12, or 16 hours of daylight, unless you have an almanac handy. II. Yes, this fact means that from here on out, the lich plot is going to take over your campaign. Isn’t it just like a lich to make the story all about him? III. Credit for these extravagantly devious measures goes to fellow DM Ian Wickles (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/7t1xa7/the_actual_best_way_to_hide_a_phylactery). OceanofPDF.com
APPENDIX A: MAGIC ITEMS The following items are designed for use in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons. They can, of course, be adapted to other game systems as well. ARCANE IMAGING SCANNER Wondrous item, rare This latticework arch made of lightweight metal, 8 feet tall, 5 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, requires bright light to function. It may be placed in sunlight (either direct or diffused), or a bright light source may be mounted in a sconce on each side. When this light shines through the quartz crystals held within the lattice, a faintly glowing aura is projected around any visible creature or object beneath the arch that bears magic. The color of the aura indicates the school of magic, if any; magic unassociated with any school glows white. The scanner reveals objects hidden beneath clothing, leather, or most other materials, but an object enveloped in lead, gold, platinum, adamantine, or 1 inch of any other common metal does not exhibit any aura. School of Magic Aura Color Abjuration Blue Conjuration Yellow Divination Green Enchantment Magenta Evocation Red Illusion Violet Necromancy Smoky gray Transmutation Orange ARGRABAN’S SPECULAR GATEWAY Wondrous item, very rare This full-length, silver-framed mirror doubles as a portal into and out of a network of unearthly roads. As an action, a creature can speak the command
word and open the portal until the beginning of its next turn. While the portal is open, any Large or smaller creature may enter or exit through the gateway. Each gateway has its own unique command word that must be spoken to open it. When an invisible creature passes through an open gateway, it creates a momentary visual phenomenon that reveals its passage, although it doesn’t become fully visible. A creature moving between gateways crosses normal space twenty-one times as quickly as it moves normally and sees a warped, blurry vision of the world in which physical landmarks are visible but neither creatures nor details can be discerned. BEACON OF ATTRACTION Wondrous item, legendary Each beacon of attraction works against a specific kind of intelligent creature. Its enchantment causes creatures of this kind to feel an intense urge to approach the beacon while within 60 feet of it or able to see it, as if affected by an antipathy/sympathy spell. Wisdom saving throws against the magic of the beacon are made against DC 18. CIRCLET OF MAGIC SUPPRESSION Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) This circlet is made of wrought iron, with an unevenly shaped piece of weatherworn limestone set into it like a jewel. It has 3 charges. While wearing it, you can use an action and expend 1 charge to cast antimagic field from it. The circlet regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. LACQUER OF DISSIMULATION Wondrous item, uncommon This clear, viscous coating, when applied to an object, makes the object give off an apparent aura of evocation or necromantic magic (your choice at time of purchase, or DM’s choice at time of discovery) to spells that allow a creature to see magical auras around creatures or objects, such as detect magic. The lacquer takes 1 minute to apply and must dry for 24 hours before giving off the false aura.
One bottle of lacquer of dissimulation contains enough to fully coat a Tiny object. It takes twice as much lacquer of dissimulation to coat a larger object as it takes to coat an object one size category smaller. Where an item is coated incompletely, the true, original aura will show through. LENS OF OVERWATCH Wondrous item, rare This faceted lens, 12 inches across, is usually mounted on a gimbal at eye level in a location with a panoramic view. The lens makes invisible and ethereal creatures and objects visible to anyone who looks through it. Few are made except for royalty and major nobility who post guards on their castle walls. LENSES OF DISCOVERY Wondrous item, uncommon These wire-framed eyeglasses with faceted lenses contain 3 charges. When you speak the command word and expend 1 charge, looking through the lenses allows you to see invisible and ethereal creatures and objects for 1 hour. They regain 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. NORTON’S PHANTOM SENTRY Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) This 2-inch-wide round disc of quartz, often mounted on a leather bracer for the sake of convenience, is etched with an image of a mastiff surrounded by twelve arcane glyphs. It contains 3 charges. You can use an action to run your finger around the glyphs three times and expend 1 charge to cast faithful hound from it (attack bonus +7). It regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn. PERNILLA’S PRIVATE LIBRARY Wondrous item, rare This object appears as a hardwood bookshelf, 13 inches deep, 30 inches long, and 87 inches high, with six shelves, two of which can hold books up to 9 inches tall, two up to 12 inches tall, and two up to 19 inches tall. It has two command words, each one requiring you to use an action to speak it.
When the first command word is spoken, the bookshelf folds down into the shape of a book, 6 inches wide, 9 inches long, and 2 inches thick, with a strap that snaps into a buckle with a key lock. The key can be removed. In book form, the library weighs 1 ½ pounds regardless of the weight of its contents, which are held in an extradimensional space. When the second command word is spoken while the key is inserted into the lock and turned, the library unfolds to full size, with its contents arranged on the shelves exactly as they were when it was folded down. However, if any creature turns the key in the lock without speaking the command word or rolls 20 or higher on an ability check to pick the lock, the covers spring open, spewing out a stream of books. The creature must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d4 bludgeoning damage on a failure, half damage on a success. The covers, spines, and pages of the ejected books are blank; the bookshelf’s contents remain in the extradimensional space until the book is closed and locked again and unfolded properly. The ejected books crumble to dust after 1 minute. Folding the bookshelf after placing a bag of holding, handy haversack, portable hole, or similar item on one of its shelves, or placing the folded bookshelf inside any of these items, instantly destroys both items and opens a gate to the Astral Plane (see descriptions of these items for further details). PIPE OF SMOKE SIGNALS Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement) A creature smoking this carved wooden pipe can spend an action to cast skywrite (see Elemental Evil Player’s Companion). The pipe translates the user’s message into Auran, making it hard to distinguish from ordinary clouds to anyone who doesn’t know the language. QUILL OF AUTHENTICATION Wondrous item, uncommon A creature using this quill pen can write only true statements. If a creature attempts to write a false statement, or to sign a name other than its own, it must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, it writes a true version of
the false statement or signs its own name. On a success, the creature is aware of the enchantment and can refrain from writing anything at all. REGENMACHER’S RAINSTICK Rod, common This rod has 3 charges. While you hold it, you can use an action to cast create or destroy water from it (Create Water, rain option only). The rod regains 1 expended charge daily at dawn. If the rod is reduced to 0 charges, roll a d20. On a 1, the rod falls to dust. RING OF IMPOSTURE Ring, uncommon (requires attunement) When you attune to this ring, choose a creature type. While you are wearing the ring, spells and other magical effects that detect creature types treat you as if you were a creature of the chosen type. TALISMAN OF INVIOLABILITY Wondrous item, varies (requires attunement) This piece of jewelry makes the wearer immune to enchantment magic, mindreading, and scrying up to a certain spell level. Talisman of… Rarity Highest Spell Level Protected Against Inviolability Uncommon 1st Greater inviolability Rare 3rd Superior inviolability Very rare 6th Supreme inviolability Legendary 8th TALISMAN OF REPULSION Wondrous item, legendary Each talisman of repulsion works against a specific kind of intelligent creature. Its enchantment causes creatures of this kind to feel an intense urge to leave the area and avoid the talisman, as if affected by an antipathy/sympathy spell.
Wisdom saving throws against the magic of the talisman are made against DC 18. TRESPASSER’S BANE Wondrous item, uncommon This shimmering ribbon, ⅛ inch wide, comes in a 240-foot spool. When you apply it to the perimeter of a door, window, or other aperture and speak the activating magic word, you designate which creatures won’t set it off and determine whether its alarm will be mental (heard only in your mind) or audible. From that moment until you deactivate it, you gain the benefits of the alarm spell. Once deactivated, it becomes inert. This item is popular among minor nobles and merchants. OceanofPDF.com
APPENDIX B: STAT BLOCKS GARRISON OFFICERS SERGEANT Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield) Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4) Speed 30 ft. Str 14 (+2), Dex 12 (+1), Con 14 (+2), Int 11 (+0), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 12 (+1) Skills Intimidation +2, Perception +3 Senses passive Perception 13 Challenge ¼ (50 XP) ACTIONS Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. LIEUTENANT Armor Class 17 (breastplate, shield) Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12) Speed 30 ft. Str 14 (+2), Dex 12 (+1), Con 14 (+2), Int 12 (+1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 13 (+1) Skills Insight +3, Perception +3 Senses passive Perception 13 Challenge 1 (200 XP) Superior Maneuver (2/Short or Long Rest). The lieutenant can use the Commander’s Strike, Precision Attack, or Rally maneuvers, as described in the Player’s Handbook (chapter 3, “Fighter”). Their superiority die is a d8.
ACTIONS Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage. CAPTAIN Armor Class 17 (breastplate, shield) Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) Speed 30 ft. Str 15 (+2), Dex 12 (+1), Con 15 (+2), Int 13 (+1), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 14 (+2) Skills Insight +4, Intimidation +5, Perception +4 Senses passive Perception 14 Challenge 3 (700 XP) Superior Maneuver (2/Short or Long Rest). The captain can use the Commander’s Strike, Precision Attack, or Rally maneuvers, as described in the Player’s Handbook (chapter 3, “Fighter”). Their superiority die is a d8. ACTIONS Multiattack. The captain makes two melee weapon attacks. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage. COMMANDANT Armor Class 18 (chain mail, shield) Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45) Speed 30 ft. Str 16 (+3), Dex 12 (+1), Con 16 (+3), Int 14 (+2), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 15 (+2) Skills Insight +6, Intimidation +6, Perception +6 Senses passive Perception 16 Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Battalion Command. The commandant can command up to 25,000 XP of allied subordinates.
Superior Maneuver (2/Short or Long Rest). The commandant can use the Commander’s Strike, Precision Attack, or Rally maneuvers, as described in the Player’s Handbook (chapter 3, “Fighter”). Their superiority die is a d8. ACTIONS Multiattack. The commandant makes three melee weapon attacks. Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage. GENERAL Armor Class 18 (plate armor) Hit Points 212 (25d8 + 100) Speed 30 ft. Str 16 (+3), Dex 12 (+1), Con 18 (+4), Int 16 (+3), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 18 (+4) Skills History +10, Insight +10, Intimidation +11, Perception +10 Senses passive Perception 20 Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) Indomitable (3/day). The general can reroll a saving throw they fail. They must use the new roll. Legion Command. The general can command up to 150,000 XP of allied subordinates. Superior Maneuver (2/Short or Long Rest). The general can use the Commander’s Strike, Precision Attack, or Rally maneuvers, as described in the Player’s Handbook (chapter 3, “Fighter”). Their superiority die is a d10. ACTIONS Multiattack. The general makes three melee weapon attacks. Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Invincible Formation (Recharge 6). All creatures under the general’s command gain 2 temporary points of Armor Class until any creature that has received this bonus moves. LEGENDARY ACTIONS The general can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The general regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Provoke. The general targets an enemy they can see within 300 feet of them. If the target can see and hear any creature under the general’s command, the target must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, if the target attacks any creature under the general’s command before the end of the target’s next turn, any other creature under the general’s command gains advantage on one attack roll against the target before the end of its next turn. Shift Forces. The general targets up to 250 XP of allies they can see within 300 feet of them. If the targets can see and hear the general, they can immediately move up to their speed. Forceful Attack (Costs 3 Actions). The general targets up to 250 XP of allies they can see within 300 feet of them and rolls 1d10. If the targets can see and hear the general, they can immediately move up to their speed and make one attack, adding the number on the die to their damage rolls. A target of one or more hits must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, that target is pushed up to 15 feet, and its attackers may use any movement they have remaining to move in the same direction. Precision Attack (Costs 3 Actions). The general targets up to 250 XP of allies they can see within 300 feet of them and rolls 1d10. If the targets can see and hear the general, they can immediately make one attack, adding the number on the die to their attack rolls. SPIES
PLANT Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 12 (unarmored) Hit Points 27 (6d8) Speed 30 ft. Str 10 (+0), Dex 14 (+2), Con 10 (+0), Int 15 (+2), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 16 (+3) Skills Deception +7, Insight +4, Investigation +4, Perception +6, Persuasion +7, Sleight of Hand +4, Stealth +4 Senses passive Perception 21 Languages any two languages Challenge ½ (100 XP) Ear for Deceit. Whenever the plant makes a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine whether a creature is lying, treat a roll of 7 or lower on the d20 as an 8. Keen Memory. The plant can accurately recall anything they have seen or heard within the past week. Watchful Eye. The plant has a +5 bonus to their passive Wisdom (Perception) score. ACTIONS Multiattack. The plant makes two melee attacks. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. BONUS ACTIONS Cunning Action. On each of their turns, the plant can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. As PCs increase in level, scale up the plant’s abilities using the sidekick rules in Tasha’s, chapter 4. Treat the plant as an Expert, Spellcaster, or Warrior depending on what kind of person they’re pretending to be, but give an Expert
plant only three additional skill proficiencies, rather than five, at level 1. Their skill set is potent enough already. SNOOP Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 10 (unarmored) Hit Points 9 (2d8) Speed 30 ft. Str 10 (+0), Dex 10 (+0), Con 10 (+0), Int 14 (+2), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0) Skills Deception +4, Insight +4, Perception +4, Sleight of Hand +2, Stealth +4 Senses passive Perception 19 Languages any language Challenge ⅛ (25 XP) Keen Memory. The snoop can accurately recall anything they have seen or heard within the past week. Watchful Eye. The snoop has a +5 bonus to their passive Wisdom (Perception) score. ACTIONS Improvised Weapon. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. THIEVES ’ DEN GUTTERSNIPE Small humanoid (various), neutral Armor Class 13 (unarmored) Hit Points 3 (1d6) Speed 25 ft. Str 8 (-1), Dex 14 (+2), Con 10 (+0), Int 10 (+0), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 12 (+1) Skills Acrobatics +4, Deception +3, Sleight of Hand +4
Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common Challenge ⅛ (25 xp) Innocent. The guttersnipe has advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks made against adults. Slippery. The guttersnipe has advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks made to escape a grapple. ACTIONS Knife. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. BONUS ACTIONS Agile. On each of their turns, the guttersnipe can use a bonus action to take the Disengage action. PROWLER Medium humanoid (various), neutral evil Armor Class 14 (leather armor) Hit Points 27 (6d8) Speed 30 ft. Str 10 (+0), Dex 16 (+3), Con 10 (+0), Int 12 (+1), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0) Skills Acrobatics +5, Deception +2, Investigation +3, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +5 Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Thieves’ Cant Challenge 2 (450 XP) Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The prowler deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when they hit a target with a weapon attack and have advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 ft. of an ally of the prowler that isn’t incapacitated and the prowler doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
ACTIONS Multiattack. The prowler makes two attacks with their dagger. Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. BONUS ACTIONS Cunning Action. On each of their turns, the prowler can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. FROKI Medium humanoid (dwarf), neutral evil Armor Class 15 (brigandine) Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12) Speed 25 ft. Str 11 (+0), Dex 16 (+3), Con 14 (+2), Int 11 (+0), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 12 (+1) Skills Deception +3, Investigation +2, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +5, Thieves’ Tools +7 Damage Resistance poison Senses passive Perception 10 Languages Common, Thieves’ Cant Challenge 3 (700 XP) Dwarven Resilience. Froki has advantage on saving throws against poison. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Froki deals an extra 10 (3d6) 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 of Froki that isn’t incapacitated and Froki doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. ACTIONS
Multiattack. Froki makes three attacks with her baselard. Baselard. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage. BONUS ACTIONS Cunning Action. On each of her turns, Froki can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. REACTIONS Uncanny Dodge. Froki halves the damage that she takes from an attack that hits her. She must be able to see the attacker. GRATIEN QUERRE Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil Same as Froki except: Speed 30 ft. Skills Athletics +2, Deception +2, Leatherworker’s Tools +5, Persuasion +3, Smith’s Tools +5, Stealth +5 No resistance to poison damage or Dwarven Resilience. RINALD SUPRIM Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil Same as Froki except: Speed 30 ft. Skills Deception +3, Investigation +4, Persuasion +5, Stealth +5 No resistance to poison damage or Dwarven Resilience. KRUNO SKRIVEN Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil Armor Class 16 (brigandine)
Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) Speed 30 ft. Str 11 (+0), Dex 18 (+4), Con 14 (+2), Int 11 (+0), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 12 (+1) Skills Acrobatics +7, Athletics +3, Intimidation +7, Perception +3, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7 Senses passive Perception 13 Languages Common, Thieves’ Cant Challenge 5 (1,800 xp) Evasion. If Kruno is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, Kruno instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails. Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Kruno deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when he 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 of Kruno that isn’t incapacitated and Kruno doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. ACTIONS Multiattack. Kruno makes three attacks with his baselard. Baselard. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. BONUS ACTIONS Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Kruno can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. REACTIONS Uncanny Dodge. Kruno halves the damage that he takes from an attack that hits him. He must be able to see the attacker.
DROW COMPOUND DROW ACOLYTE The drow acolyte is an acolyte with the following changes: She has Armor Class 11 (unarmored). She has Dexterity 12 (+1) and Charisma 12 (+1). She has Perception +4 and Stealth +2. She has 120 feet of darkvision and passive Perception 14. She has Fey Ancestry, Innate Spellcasting as described in the drow stat block, and Sunlight Sensitivity. She has the following cleric spells prepared: poison spray, resistance, thaumaturgy; bane, cure wounds, ray of sickness. She wields a dagger (+3 to hit, 1d4 + 1 piercing damage) instead of a club. DROW DIAGON The drow diagon is a priest with the following changes: She has Armor Class 14 (chain shirt). She has Dexterity 12 (+1) and Charisma 14 (+2). She has Perception +7 and Stealth +2. She has 120 feet of darkvision and passive Perception 17. She has Fey Ancestry, Innate Spellcasting as described in the drow stat block, and Sunlight Sensitivity. She has the following cleric spells prepared: poison spray, resistance, thaumaturgy; cure wounds, guiding bolt, ray of sickness; lesser restoration, web; conjure animals (2 giant spiders), dispel magic. She wields a shortsword (+3 to hit, 1d6 + 1 piercing damage) instead of a mace. DROW HOUSE LIEUTENANT The drow house lieutenant is a drow elite warrior with the following changes: He wears a breastplate and carries a shield (his Armor Class is the same). He has 117 hp (18d8 + 36).
He has Intelligence 12 (+1) and Charisma 13 (+1). He has Stealth +7. His Challenge Rating is 7 (2,900 XP). He has the drow house captain’s Battle Command bonus action. His shortsword attack deals an additional 1d6 poison damage on a hit. ABOLETH GROTTO TRANSFORMED ADVENTURER Medium humanoid (any race), lawful evil Each of the transformed adventurers below has speed, languages, and racial traits appropriate to their race, along with the following additional traits: Enthralled. The transformed adventurer is charmed by Úuchben, can communicate telepathically with the aboleth over any distance, and can’t take reactions. Whenever the transformed adventurer takes damage, they must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the transformed adventurer loses this trait. This trait is also lost if Úuchben dies or is transported to another plane. The aboleth can reimpose this trait with a successful use of its Enslave action. Foul Transformation. The transformed adventurer’s skin is translucent and slimy, they can’t regain hit points unless they’re underwater, and when they’re outside a body of water, they take 6 (1d12) acid damage every 10 minutes that moisture isn’t applied to their skin. TRANSFORMED BARBARIAN Armor Class 13 (unarmored) Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8) Str 16 (+3), Dex 12 (+1), Con 14 (+2), Int 12 (+1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 12 (+1) Saving Throws Str +5, Con +4 Senses passive Perception 11 Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Class Features. The transformed barbarian has the Danger Sense, Frenzy, Reckless Attack, Rage, and Unarmored Defense class features, as described in the Player’s Handbook. ACTIONS Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d12 + 3) slashing damage. Handaxe. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. TRANSFORMED BARD Armor Class 13 (leather) Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) Str 12 (+1), Dex 14 (+2), Con 12 (+1), Int 12 (+1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 16 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +4, Cha +5 Skills Acrobatics +6, Deception +5, History +3, Persuasion +5, Performance +7, all other skills add +1 Senses passive Perception 11 Challenge 1 (200 XP) Class Features. The transformed bard has the Bardic Inspiration and Cutting Words class features, as described in the Player’s Handbook. The transformed bard can’t use Cutting Words while Enthralled. Spellcasting. The transformed bard is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The transformed bard has the following bard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): vicious mockery 1st level (4 slots): charm person, detect magic, faerie fire, healing word, thunderwave 2nd level (2 slots): blindness/deafness
ACTIONS Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage. TRANSFORMED FIGHTER Armor Class 18 (chain mail, shield) Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6) Str 16 (+3), Dex 12 (+1), Con 14 (+2), Int 12 (+1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 12 (+1) Saving Throws Str +5, Cha +4 Skills Athletics +5, Intimidation +3 Senses passive Perception 11 Challenge 1 (200 XP) Class Features. The transformed fighter has the Action Surge, Improved Critical, and Second Wind class features, as described in the Player’s Handbook. ACTIONS Battleaxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage if used with two hands. Handaxe. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage. TRANSFORMED RANGER Armor Class 14 (leather) Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) Str 12 (+1), Dex 16 (+3), Con 12 (+1), Int 12 (+1), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 12 (+1) Saving Throws Str +3, Dex +5 Skills Stealth +5, Perception +4 Senses passive Perception 14 Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Class Features. The transformed ranger has the Hunter’s Prey (Colossus Slayer) class feature, as described in the Player’s Handbook. Spellcasting. The transformed ranger is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Wisdom (save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The transformed ranger has the following ranger spells prepared: 1st level (3 slots): detect magic, fog cloud, hunter’s mark ACTIONS Multiattack. The transformed ranger makes two Shortsword attacks. Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. TRANSFORMED ROGUE Armor Class 14 (leather) Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) Str 12 (+1), Dex 16 (+3), Con 12 (+1), Int 14 (+2), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 12 (+1) Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +4 Skills Acrobatics +7, Deception +3, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +7 Senses passive Perception 11 Challenge 2 (450 XP) Class Features. The transformed rogue has the Cunning Action, Fast Hands, Second-Story Work, and Sneak Attack (2d6) class features, as described in the Player’s Handbook. ACTIONS Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage. Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
TRANSFORMED SORCERER Armor Class 14 (unarmored) Hit Points 15 (2d8 + 6) Str 12 (+1), Dex 12 (+1), Con 14 (+2), Int 12 (+1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 16 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +4, Cha +5 Skills Arcana +3, Deception +5 Senses passive Perception 11 Challenge 3 (700 XP) Class Features. The transformed sorcerer has the Draconic Resilience, Font of Magic, and Metamagic (Empowered Spell, Quickened Spell) class features, as described in the Player’s Handbook. Spellcasting. The transformed sorcerer is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The transformed sorcerer has the following sorcerer spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): light, prestidigitation, ray of frost, shocking grasp 1st level (4 slots): expeditious retreat, magic missile 2nd level (2 slots): alter self, misty step ACTIONS Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage. Natural Weapons (Alter Self). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. ESOTERIC SOCIETY MEETINGHOUSE ORBIS TERTIUS SOCIETY MEMBER
Medium humanoid (any race), neutral Armor Class 12 (unarmored, 15 with mage armor) Hit Points 72 (16d8) Speed 30 ft. Str 9 (-1), Dex 14 (+2), Con 11 (+0), Int 20 (+5), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 16 (+3) Saving Throws Int +8, Wis +5 Skills Arcana +7, History +7 Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Celestial, Deep Speech, Infernal, Primordial Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) School of Magic. Choose one of the following options: Conjurer. The Orbis Tertius Society member has the Benign Transposition trait, as described in the conjurer stat block in Volo’s. Diviner. The Orbis Tertius Society member has the Portent trait, as described in the diviner stat block in Volo’s. Transmuter. The Orbis Tertius Society member has the Transmuter’s Stone trait, as described in the transmuter stat block in Volo’s. Spellcasting. The Orbis Tertius Society member is a 14th-level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). They have the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips (at will): message, mind sliver (T), minor illusion, prestidigitation, true strike 1st level (4 slots): expeditious retreat (trans.), mage armor (already cast), magic missile, shield 2nd level (3 slots): hold person, misty step (conj.), scorching ray (psychic damage, subtract one ray) 3rd level (3 slots): blink (trans.), counterspell, slow (trans.) 4th level (3 slots): arcane eye, banishment, dimension door (conj.) 5th level (2 slots): far step (conj.), geas, modify memory, telekinesis (trans.) 6th level (1 slot): mass suggestion
7th level (1 slot): etherealness (trans.) ACTIONS Multiattack. The Orbis Tertius Society member makes a spell attack and uses Shape Reality. Warp. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. Shape Reality. The Orbis Tertius Society member creates one of the following effects, which lasts until the start of their next turn: Space stretches between the member and another creature they can see, increasing the distance between them by up to 60 feet. Space contracts around a creature that the member can see, narrowing the distance between walls on either side and requiring the creature to squeeze through the space. The ground or floor in a 30-foot radius around a creature that the member can see ripples and heaves, becoming difficult terrain. If a creature that the member can see is holding a nonmagical weapon, that weapon is stowed, and a different item in their possession appears in their hand(s). If a creature that the member can see is wearing armor, that armor becomes fine clothing. If the creature is wearing clothing but no armor, that clothing becomes ring mail. Sound is amplified in a 30-foot radius around the member, imposing disadvantage on Stealth checks and saving throws against being deafened. A creature affected by this action can make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw at the start of its turn, ending the effect on a successful save. The Orbis Tertius Society member can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row. ORBIS TERTIUS SOCIETY SKILLED HIRELING
Medium humanoid (any race), lawful neutral Armor Class 11 (unarmored) Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4) Speed 30 ft. Str 11 (+0), Dex 12 (+1), Con 11 (+0), Int 14 (+2), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 14 (+2) Skills Insight +4, Perception +4 Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common Challenge ½ (100 XP) Competent. Choose one of the following options: Cook. Has Constitution 12 (+1) and proficiency with cook’s utensils. Hall Porter. Has Strength 14 (+2), Constitution 12 (+1), 26 hit points, and proficiency in Athletics (+4) and Intimidation (+4). Housekeeper. Has expertise in Perception (+6). Librarian. Has proficiency in Arcana (+4) and with calligrapher’s supplies. Steward. Has Charisma 16 (+3) and can take the Motivate action. ACTIONS Throw. Ranged Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage. Use a Magic Item. The Orbis Tertius Society skilled hireling uses a magic item in their possession. Motivate (Steward only). One other Orbis Tertius Society skilled hireling within 30 feet who can see or hear the steward receives 3 temporary hit points. GRANDMOTHER HAG DWELLING BABA OBMOROZHENYA
Baba Obmorozhenya is a legendary bheur hag (see Volo’s), with the following differences: She has 150 (20d8 + 60) hp. She has Strength 14 (+2), Dexterity 18 (+4), Constitution 16 (+3), Intelligence 13 (+1), Wisdom 14 (+2), and Charisma 18 (+4). She receives a +7 bonus to Wisdom saving throws. She receives +9 to Dexterity (Stealth) checks, +6 to Intelligence (Nature) checks, and +7 to Wisdom (Perception and Survival) checks. She has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks. She has 120 feet of darkvision. Her challenge rating is 15 (13,000 XP). She has the following additional traits: Cold Absorption. Whenever she is subjected to cold damage, she takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the cold damage dealt. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If she fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead. Magic Resistance. She has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. She Who Rides the Wind. Strong wind does not force her to land at the end of her turn or fall. Her spell save DC is 17, and she has +9 to hit with spell attacks. She can innately cast the following additional spells, requiring no material components: At will: animate dead, clairvoyance, locate object, tongues 3/day each: arcane eye, awaken, bestow curse (as a 5th-level spell), freezing sphere*, glyph of warding (as a 5th-level spell), locate creature 1/day each: circle of death* (deals cold damage), eyebite, power word kill, symbol, true seeing She has +7 to hit with her Slam attack, which deals 11 (2d8 + 2) damage.
Her Maddening Feast save DC is 17. She can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below: Boreal Step. Enveloped in a gust of wind, she moves up to her speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Each creature she passes within 5 feet of takes 4 (1d8) cold damage. Frostbite. One creature within 60 feet that she can see must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 14 (4d6) cold damage, and it has disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. Panoply of Ice (Costs 2 Actions). A protective layer of ice forms around her, giving her 20 temporary hit points. If any creature hits her with a weapon or spell attack while she has these hit points, each creature within 5 feet of her takes 9 (2d8) cold damage. Within 120 feet of her house, she can take either of the generic grandmother hag lair actions described in Volo’s, chapter 1, “Hags: Dark Sisterhood,” as well as the lair action specific to bheur hags. The regional effects of her lair include a profusion of small animals, along with other charmed and aggressive beasts native to the area; undead creatures bursting from blocks of ice; and sudden blizzards, as described in “Hags: Dark Sisterhood.” If you’re using the bheur hag stat block from Monsters of the Multiverse, her Horrific Feast save DC is 17, and spells marked with asterisks above require her to be holding or riding her graystaff. MAMMOTH SKELETON Use the mammoth stat block, with the following changes: Its creature type is undead. It has Armor Class 11 (natural armor) and 93 (11d12 + 22) hp. It has Constitution 15 (+2), Wisdom 8 (-1), and Charisma 5 (-3).
It’s vulnerable to bludgeoning damage, immune to poison damage, and immune to exhaustion and the poisoned condition. It has 60 feet of darkvision and passive Perception 9. Its challenge rating is 5 (1,800 XP). FEY COURT FEY GUARD Medium fey, chaotic neutral Armor Class 15 (chain shirt) Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2) Speed 30 ft. Str 13 (+1), Dex 14 (+2), Con 12 (+1), Int 10 (+0), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 11 (+0) Skills Stealth +4 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages Common, Sylvan Challenge ½ (100 XP) Defensive Glamour. When the fey guard is viewed from more than 20 feet away, the air blurs, warps, and shimmers around them, imposing disadvantage on attack rolls against the fey guard unless an opponent can target them without using sight, as with blindsight, or can see through illusions, as with truesight. When viewed from more than 120 feet away, the fey guard is invisible. Fey Nature. The fey guard has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put them to sleep. ACTIONS Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) slashing damage. Bow of Shadows. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 12
Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is unable to see anything farther than 5 feet away until the start of the fey guard’s next turn. GREENGRASP Greengrasp is a dire troll (see Mordenkainen’s), with the following differences: His creature type is fey. His alignment is chaotic neutral. He has Intelligence 10 (+0) and Charisma 15 (+3). He has proficiency in Intimidation (+8) and Persuasion (+8). He speaks Common, Giant, and Sylvan. His challenge rating is 15 (13,000 XP). He has the following additional traits: Fey Rebirth. If he dies in Clutch, he revives with all his hit points 1d4 days later in a safe location in that domain. Grasp of History. He can spend an action to place his hand upon a creature or object and learn everything that has ever happened to it. To use this trait on an unwilling creature, he must hit it with an unarmed strike, which deals no damage. Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If he fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Greengrasp doesn’t have legendary or lair actions. GIANT ANT Medium beast, unaligned Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 13 (3d8) Speed 30 ft., burrowing 10 ft., climbing 30 ft. Str 16 (+3), Dex 10 (+0), Con 11 (+0), Int 1 (-5), Wis 10 (+0), Cha 1 (-5) Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10 Languages— Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Hive Mind. When at least two giant ants are engaged in the same task or attacking the same target, they have advantage on their ability checks or attack rolls without having to take the Help action. It’s Not a Problem, Ants Are Strong. The giant ant can carry up to 480 pounds and push, drag, or lift up to 960 pounds. While pushing, dragging, or lifting more than 480 pounds, its speed drops to 5 feet. Keen Smell. The giant ant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Pheromone Communication. The giant ant can communicate simple ideas, emotions, and images to other giant ants within 60 feet of it in a manner akin to telepathy and can read scent messages left by other giant ants up to 1 hour earlier. It can’t use this trait while its sense of smell is overwhelmed, such as by thick wood smoke or astinking cloud spell. ACTIONS Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage. LIVING LOCK Tiny construct, unaligned Armor Class 19 (natural armor) Hit Points 20 (8d4) Speed 0 ft. Str 4 (-3), Dex 18 (+4), Con 10 (+0), Int 3 (-4), Wis 3 (-4), Cha 1 (-5) Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this distance), passive Perception 6 Languages— Challenge 2 (450 XP) An Actual Lock. The living lock is a lock that’s hard to pick (DC 20). While the living lock is not incapacitated, any creature trying to pick the lock has disadvantage on Dexterity (thieves’ tools) checks to do so, and the living lock has
advantage on Bite attacks against it. Even if the lock is willing to be picked (for example, if it’s charmed), ability checks to pick it are still made with disadvantage, because the lock is ticklish. ACTIONS Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target touching it. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage. XORN HUNTER Medium fey (any race), lawful neutral Armor Class 15 (chain shirt) Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18) Speed 40 ft. Str 18 (+4), Dex 16 (+3), Con 16 (+3), Int 12 (+1), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 10 (+0) Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7, Survival +4 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16 Languages Common Challenge 2 (450 XP) En Passant. When the xorn hunter makes a melee attack against a creature, it doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether it hits or not. Fey Nature. The xorn hunter has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put them to sleep. ACTIONS Multiattack. The xorn hunter makes two Adamantine Glaive attacks. Adamantine Glaive. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage. All hits against objects are critical hits. BONUS ACTIONS
Fey Step (1/Short or Long Rest). As a bonus action, the xorn hunter can cast misty step. GENIE’SPALACE LESSER DJINNI The lesser djinni is a djinni, with the following differences: Its challenge rating is 10 (5,900 XP). It can’t cast conjure elemental, creation, or plane shift. It lacks the Create Whirlwind action. MILĀḤ Milāḥ is a djinni, with the following differences: Her Intelligence is 18 (+4), and her Charisma is 23 (+6). Her Dexterity saving throw modifier is +7, her Wisdom save mod is +8, and her Charisma save mod is +11. She speaks Common and Auran. Her challenge rating is 14 (11,500 XP). Her spell save DC is 19, she has +11 to hit with spell attacks, and she can innately cast the following additional spells, requiring no material components: At will: disguise self (duration 8 hours, can appear as Medium humanoid) 1/day: true seeing, power word stun Her Scimitar attack is +12 to hit and deals 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) lightning or thunder damage (her choice) on a hit. In addition, she can make one attack with it as a bonus action on each of her turns, with the same attack bonus and damage. She has the following additional trait: Wish Bestowal (1/Year). Milāḥ can grant one wish to a creature within 60 feet of her that isn’t a genie. The creature must state what effect it desires. Milāḥ then casts wish to bring about the effect, in literal
accordance with the creature’s choice of words. Milāḥ can grant up to three wishes to a creature during its lifetime, after which she can’t grant another wish to that creature. Milāḥ doesn’t have legendary or lair actions. SHĀ‘IR Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment Armor Class 12 (unarmored, 15 with mage armor) Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13) Speed 30 ft. Str 10 (+0), Dex 14 (+2), Con 12 (+1), Int 18 (+4), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 18 (+4) Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +4, Cha +6 Skills Arcana +6, Deception +6, History +6, Medicine +4, Performance +6, Persuasion +6 Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common plus three other languages Challenge 4 (1,100 XP) Innate Spellcasting. The shā‘ir’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). They can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: eldritch blast (2 beams, 1d10 + 6 thunder damage per hit), mage armor, message, minor illusion, vicious mockery (2d4) 3/day each: detect evil and good, dissonant whispers, healing word, heroism, misty step, protection from evil and good 1/day each: calm emotions, dispel magic, phantasmal force ACTIONS Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage plus 2 thunder damage. Captivating Words (1/day). The shā‘ir chooses a point within 30 feet. Every humanoid of the shā‘ir’s choice that they can see within 15 feet of that point
must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. If a target fails, they’re charmed by the shā‘ir until the shā‘ir or their allies do anything harmful to them. At the end of each of their turns, the target can repeat the saving throw. On a success, the effect ends. BONUS ACTIONS Disquieting Words (3/day). As a bonus action, the shā‘ir can choose one creature they can see within 60 feet of them and roll 1d8. The creature must subtract the number rolled from the next saving throw it makes before the start of the shā‘ir’s next turn. BLUE DRAGON LAIR DRAGON GUARD Medium humanoid (any race), lawful neutral Armor Class 18 (scale mail coat with breastplate, shield; 16 when wielding light crossbow) Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8) Speed 30 ft. Str 14 (+2), Dex 14 (+2), Con 14 (+2), Int 12 (+1), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 11 (+0) Skills Insight +2, Perception +2 Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common Challenge ½ (100 XP) Accustomed to Awesomeness. The Dragon Guard has advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Crossbow Specialist. The Dragon Guard ignores the loading property of light crossbows. ACTIONS
Multiattack. The Dragon Guard makes either two melee weapon attacks or two ranged weapon attacks. Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage. Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. LICH’S CRYPT GOLIATH GUARD Medium humanoid (goliath), lawful neutral Armor Class 14 (hide armor) Hit Points 30 (4d8 + 12) Speed 30 ft. Str 16 (+3), Dex 14 (+2), Con 16 (+3), Int 10 (+0), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 10 (+0) Skills Athletics +5, Perception +4, Survival +4 Senses passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Giant Challenge 1 (200 XP) Mountain Born. The goliath is acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 10,000 feet. Powerful Build. The goliath counts as one size larger when determining their carrying capacity and the weight they can push, drag, or lift. ACTIONS Multiattack. The goliath guard attacks twice with their spear. Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, or 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage when used with two hands.