Curse of The Userper (Compressed)

Paying the Grifter's Guild… a Visit 151 Grifter's Guild B Key 1 Entrance to the Maze 2 Drain Rat Nest 3 Sewer Ogre Hoard Room R Random Encounters (D8) 1 Nothing of Interest 2 Gemstone Trap 3 Rags and Purses 4 Sleeping Sewer Ogre 5 Metal Spikes 6 Flushed Away 7 Drain Rats 8 Tunnel Drop 1 Square = 5ft. R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R 1 R R R R R R R R 2 3

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A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 153 Azkhell’s Agoraphobia In “Azkhell’s Agoraphobia” the characters must travel through the dangerous tower of the mad mage Azkhell, in hopes of meeting with him to determine what he knows about their curse. The tower is heavily guarded against intrusion, with a myriad of traps, riddles, and puzzles the characters will have to solve and survive to reach the top of the tower where Azkhell resides. The characters must also tangle with several monsters acting as guardians in Azkhell’s tower, including an edifice mimic and a scroll golem. This quest is designed for characters of 4th or 5th level. It would be deadly for characters of 3rd level or below. How the Characters Become Involved Characters might become involved in the events surrounding the “Azkhell’s Agoraphobia” quest in a number of ways; a few options are provided here: • By following the information gathered from Vrormir’s letter or from locals in Havdhir, the characters discover that Azkhell may be able to help remove their curse. • The characters learn of Azkhell’s madness and attempt to assist him. The Problem Azkhell has been driven completely mad, and he’s holed himself up within his tower owing to a sudden onset of agoraphobia. Azkhell guards his tower with devious traps and wards intended to keep anyone from disturbing him, throwing himself into more recreational studies after the pressures of his job as the Triumvirate’s head mage (and the backlash from an experimental spell) drove him to utter insanity. If the characters wish to talk with Azkhell, they will need to survive the various protective measures he has placed around his tower and somehow cure the mad wizard… or work with him despite his insanity. Azkhell’s Tower Exterior When the characters approach Azkhell’s tower, read the following aloud: A gigantic tower rests at the end of a long courtyard, and the whole of the property is surrounded by high stone walls. An impressive and imposing iron gate provides limited entry to the courtyard; but the gate is locked shut and rusted, as though it has not been opened in a very long time. Two guards stand on either side of the gate, and you can see additional guards patrolling along the exterior of the walls. Blue, glowing runes float in the air above the wall, flowing up into a sort of dome that covers the whole of the property. You can see strange skulls flying around the tower with trails of ghostly smoke flowing behind them. The skulls chatter through the sky, circling the tower and rushing to the street around it each time a person other than a guard approaches. You can see several young children pressuring each other, drawing close to the gates before running from these chattering skulls, fleeing from the tower in terror. Azkhell formerly served as the proverbial court wizard of Havdhir, assisting the city’s merchant leaders by determining the weather patterns, scrying on enemies of the city, teleporting important diplomats, and providing a vast array of other magical services to the nobles of Havdhir. Azkhell was often hard-pressed to fulfill the dozens or hundreds of requests that would come at the same time and was fiercely devoted to his own studies and experiments, which led to a great deal of stress for the wizard. Eventually, the pressure proved too much—Azkhell suffered a psychotic break due to a combination of stress, lack of sleep, and a particularly nasty experimental spell that backfired. Seeing that the local wizard had devolved into a madman (but being unable to directly deal with the problem due to the unpredictability and immense power of the wizard), the council of Havdhir placed him under house arrest, forbidding any from entering the tower without their permission. The tower is under constant watch by guards, who wearily look behind them as strange explosions and terrifying sounds issue from the tower from time to time. Music

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a Azkhell is thrilled to have been placed under house arrest. His madness spurred him into a state of agoraphobia. He is able to magically conjure meals using the powers of his enchanted tower and has no desire at all to leave its safety. In fact, Azkhell has set up magical wards to prevent anyone from entering his grounds, ensuring that he will not be bothered and can use his precious time to focus on his studies. The entirety of Azkhell’s courtyard is protected by a permanent, spherical, magical barrier that keeps interlopers from invading his sanctum. It is not possible to fly, dig, walk, or otherwise enter Azkhell’s property without magical means. The barrier can only be disabled by muttering a particular arcane phrase (which Azkhell begrudgingly wrote on a scroll and gave to the Triumvirate in case of a “dire emergency”) or by using the antimagic field spell or similar magic. Spectral Skulls Anyone other than a guard who approaches the tower will have to deal with the spectral skulls summoned by Azkhell to scare off the “riffraff.” A creature that comes within 20 feet of the walls and is not a guard of Havdhir is set upon by a chattering skull that chases it until it is at least 100 feet away from the wall. A creature set upon by a spectral skull must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the skulls surrounding the tower for the next 24 hours. Even if the characters have earned the favor of the Triumvirate, the skulls might chase them off or force them to drag one of their frightened party members, kicking and screaming, into the courtyard. Once a creature has entered the courtyard, the skulls no longer pursue that creature. Entering Azkhell’s Tower Characters are not permitted to enter the tower until they have garnered the favor of the Triumvirate and obtained the scroll with the passphrase to disable the tower’s barrier. If the characters ask the guards for entry or attempt to enter in sight of the guards without using the passphrase, the guards recommend they talk to the Triumvirate if they want to see Azkhell. When the characters enter the courtyard, read the following aloud: The tower looms before you. The occasional rumbling or muffled explosion indicates the wizard within is conducting rather dangerous experiments. Walking down the stone path toward the tower, you note the lovely topiaries that line the walk, each shaped into a fantastic animal. As you approach the door, a large creature composed of shields steps out from an alcove near the entrance, holding up its hand in a stop-there gesture. Roleplaying the Shield Guardian Azkhell’s shield guardian has been given increased intelligence and the ability to speak by Azkhell and serves as groundskeeper and butler for its master. Azkhell’s shield guardian (1 Stat Block) is an unaligned Construct. When the characters engage with the shield guardian, read the following aloud: The creature tilts its head at you questioningly, and a voice issues from it (though it has no mouth with which to generate noise). “The master is not well. He needs to rest. Is this so pressing that you must see him?” If the characters reveal that they are here with the permission of the Triumvirate, the shield guardian allows them to enter the tower. If the characters give any other reason for entry, the shield guardian initially refuses to let them in but might be convinced if the characters continue pressing it. The Door The door to the tower is enchanted and can only be opened if the shield guardian opens it, or with a successful DC 30 Strength check, or with the use of the dispel magic spell. The door is immune to all forms of damage. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. 154

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 155

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a Azkhell’s Tower Interior 1st Floor Foyer The door to the tower swings open, revealing a long foyer with half a dozen suits of armor standing at attention. Four pillars inlaid with intricate carvings are positioned within the room. There is gold painted on the floor, and two doors lead to side chambers. At the base of the far wall, a ruby the size of a grapefruit rests on the floor. An edifice mimic (1 Stat Block) comprises the far wall of the foyer. The mimic is utilizing its False Appearance and is indistinguishable from the wall of the tower. It has set out its Alluring Angler in the form of a false ruby. Azkhell himself bred and raised the mimic during the time he spent cooped up within his tower, setting it as a preliminary (and deadly) guardian. His shield guardian is under strict orders not to tell anyone (not even the Triumvirate) about the mimic (...or most of the other activities going on inside the tower, for that matter). Characters may be able to sneak past the mimic, but due to the mimic’s tremorsense it is unlikely that they will succeed. To discern that the ruby is false, a creature can use its action to inspect it and must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If a character identifies the ruby as false, read the following aloud: This is no ruby at all but some form of flesh transformed to resemble the precious stone. An almost imperceptible tether runs from the ruby to the far wall. A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check then reveals this could be a form of mimic creature or some kind of magical trap set for any creature who approaches the ruby. Roleplaying the Edifice Mimic The mimic waits for a creature to come within the long reach of its pseudopods or to touch its Alluring Angler before attacking. Being far too slow to pursue prey, it relies on the prey getting close before striking. If the edifice mimic attacks, read the following aloud: The far wall splits open, the stone parting to reveal a gaping maw filled with rows of fangs. Multiple black eyes spring to life along the wall as reaching, fleshy tendrils covered in a dripping substance launch across the room toward you, slashing through the air with incredible speed. Right Side of the Chamber This tiny room is vacant apart from a set of stairs leading downwards. A small note is pierced by a nail affixing it to the wall and has scrawling lettering that reads: “Up is down, and down is up. Forth is back, and back is forth. Forward is back, and inside is out. Back up the stairs you go.” The stairs leading downwards are enchanted and form a limitless staircase if they are walked down in a forward-facing manner. Characters walking downstairs facing backwards will soon find themselves at the bottom of the staircase, which is a mere 30 feet down. Walking down the stairs backwards without falling requires successful checks. At the beginning of each 10 feet the creature moves, it must make a DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, a creature tumbles the rest of the way down the stairs, taking 1d3 damage for every 10 feet tumbled. If the creature rolls a critical failure or tumbles the entire distance down, it suffers a concussion as it hits the floor at the bottom of the stairs. The creature’s Intelligence score is reduced by 2 until it takes a long rest, is healed with a DC 18 Wisdom (Medicine) check, or is the target of a lesser restoration spell or similar magic. A character that walks downstairs facing forward could continue walking down them forever, and turning around to retrace one's steps simply results in going up an infinite set of stairs. The moment a creature begins walking backwards, however, the staircase reveals its true depth. 156

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 157 A dispel magic (DC 19) or antimagic field spell removes the enchantment on the stairs. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Basement You step into a chamber filled with dustcovered crates and moldering chests. Everything in the room is coated in grime and dust apart from a bright-white wand hung up on the far wall. Loot Wand of reversal (rare) (1 Item) Left Side of the Chamber This chamber has two sets of stairs, both leading farther up and into the tower. One set of stairs leads to the second-floor Riddle Room. The other set leads to the second-floor Puzzle Room. Loot There is nothing of value in this area.

158 A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 1st Floor Key R Ruby D Door E Edifice Mimic Stairs Up Stairs Down 1 Square = 5ft. D D D E R

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 159 2nd Floor Puzzle Room Entering this room, you see two doorways— each with a shimmering, transparent wall blocking the path ahead. There are three painted bricks in the wall: • Red brick, with “1, 3” on it. • Green brick, with “3, 2” on it. • Blue brick, with “2, 1” on it. When a character touches any of the bricks, read the following aloud: The brick presses into the wall with an audible click, before pushing back into its former position. The room serves as a simple puzzle. • The red brick must be pressed first, three times. • The blue brick must be pressed second, one time. • The green brick must be pressed third, two times. At the Game Master’s discretion, the bricks may provide audible cues as to if a mistake has been made: grating loudly if pressed in the wrong order or number of times, or clicking softly when appropriately pressed. The doors out of this room are blocked by magical walls of force. Nothing can pass through the walls. Any spell cast at one of these walls is reflected back at the caster, turning the caster into the target. The walls extend into the Ethereal Plane. Once the bricks are pressed in the appropriate order and number of times, the shimmering walls of force dissipate, allowing passage. The walls spring back into being 1 minute after dissipating. If the characters cannot decipher this puzzle, they can use the other set of stairs to reach the Riddle Room and try to decipher the riddle; a suggestion is provided for if they are unable to solve the riddle. One of the doors leads into the Hallway. The other leads into the Servant’s Quarters. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Servant’s Quarters Entering this room, you see a small goblin sitting on a bed and pulling a sock onto its gnarled foot. “What?! Who?... What are you doing here?! Azkhell doesn’t like visitors... and this is MY room! How RUDE!!” Eg-delp, Azkhell’s lone Humanoid servant, is preparing to do some chores around the tower. Roleplaying Eg-delp Eg-delp speaks in a raspy voice and coughs frequently. His clothes are extremely worn, and his fingers are wrapped in a multitude of bandages to help heal and protect his hands from heavy scrubbing. Eg-delp is extremely meticulous in his cleaning and neurotic about filth of any kind. If he sees even a slight stain, drop of blood, speck of dust, or similar uncleanliness; Eg-delp is compelled to clean it immediately, often scrubbing until his hands become raw and bleed. Eg-delp (1 Stat Block) is a neutral goblin. Eg-delp is under the effects of a geas spell that prevents him from revealing the secrets of the tower: solutions to puzzles, answers to riddles, and methods

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a of foiling the traps within. If Eg-delp reveals any information that would allow safe passage through the tower, the damage from the geas spell will kill him. A remove curse, greater restoration, or wish spell removes the geas on Eg-delp; but he is too loyal to his master to reveal much without a great deal of intimidation. If the geas is removed, a DC 18 Charisma (Intimidation) check convinces Eg-delp to share one piece of information regarding a single puzzle, trap, riddle, or other hazard of the tower. If questioned about the tower or asked for help in exploring it, Eg-delp reveals the following: “I can’t help you folk, sorry to say. Azkhell has me under a geas spell, ya see. If I speak a word that might help you pass through his tower, it’ll likely kill me, see. I TOLD you he doesn't want any visitors. Even I have to stay out of the way… never allowed in the same room as my dear master Azkhell anymore. The wizard likes his privacy, ya see; and the poor man must need a lot of it… scared to go outside anymore or meet anyone at all… even his most devoted servant, Eg-delp.” Eg-delp can reveal information about his master’s current location (Azkhell’s private study) and details concerning Azkhell’s behavior of late. Eg-delp is extremely protective of his life’s savings that he’s hidden in a wall. If anyone attempts to search his room, he will likely become violent. There is little of value in this room apart from Egdelp’s personal effects (which include a mop of the perfectionist). If the characters convince Eg-delp to leave the room, or the characters force him out, or if he is restrained, then the characters can discover the hidden compartment with Eg-delp’s meager riches: all that he has saved from his time working for Azkhell. There is a loose brick in the wall that can be spotted with a successful DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check or a passive Intelligence (Investigation) of 16 or higher. Behind this loose brick are Eg-delp’s savings. Loot Mop of the perfectionist (common) (1 Item) DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check or a passive Intelligence (Investigation) of 16 or higher Eg-delp’s savings (5,000 cp) Note from Eg-delp (worthless) (1 Item) Riddle Room Walking up the stairs, you find yourself in a small room, standing on an ornate rug. A shimmering, nearly transparent wall appears to be blocking the only other exit out of the room. There appear to be mad scribblings on the walls, as if someone had been trying to come up with a crazy poem of some kind. All of the scribblings have been scratched out apart from one, which is written in bright red paint: “Don’t forget, Azkhell: The password is found in a game of chess, a few across the row. The password is a place from which you will never go. The password holds maidens fair from knights far below. Speak the password once aloud, and through the door you’ll go.” The door out of this room is blocked by a magical wall of force. Nothing can pass through the wall. Any spell cast at it is reflected back at the caster, turning the caster into the target. The wall extends into the Ethereal Plane. The answer to the riddle is “tower” or a derivative thereof. If the answer is spoken aloud, the shimmering wall of force dissipates, allowing passage. The wall springs back to life 1 minute after it dissipates. At the Game Master’s discretion: If the characters cannot decipher the riddle, the rug on the floor can be flipped over, and written on the bottom of the rug is the phrase “Say the word TOWER, Azkhell, you dolt! How many times have you forgotten your own passwords?!” Loot There is nothing of value in this area. 160

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 161 Hallway You’re in a long hallway with six doors. Two doors appear to lead to the stairwell, two doors are closed, and two doors appear to have each been covered with a heavy cloth. The closed doors lead to the Closet and to the Upper Stairwell. The cloth-covered doors lead to the East Balcony and to the West Balcony. The walls of force blocking the Puzzle Room and Riddle Room do not block egress back through the portals from this side, but they do block ingress once passed through. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Closet This appears to be a broom closet. Strangely, there is a ridiculous number of brooms inside: Dozens upon dozens are piled on top of one another. They appear to all be of different makes, with beautifully stained wood and vibrantly dyed bristles. Azkhell has a great many eccentricities, one of which is collecting brooms from exotic places as keepsakes. He stores the brooms here in this small closet. Included amongst the brooms is a broom of flying, which can be discovered with a successful DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Loot 10x Fancy broom (5 gp each) 50x Common broom (1 cp each) DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check Broom of flying (uncommon) West Balcony A small mechanical bird sits on the balcony that overlooks the western side of Azkhell’s property. From here, you can see a great deal of Havdhir stretching out along the coast. As you approach, the bird flits into the air, chirping happily. Looking more closely, you can see the mechanical bird has a large gemstone held in its beak. Azkhell created this bird as a companion. While he never ventures to the balconies himself, the mechanical bird that he calls “Chirpee” often likes to fly around his properties and beyond. Chirpee frequently brings back found, shiny things for Azkhell. Roleplaying Chirpee The bird chirps and chitters happily. Each time a character attempts to reach toward it or touch it, the bird playfully hops or flies just out of reach. If one of the characters can fly or has the broom of flying from inside the Closet, the character can catch Chirpee with a successful DC 11 Dexterity check. Otherwise, a character would have to jump off the balcony (perhaps on a rope) to reach Chirpee, requiring a successful DC 14 Dexterity check to catch the mechanical bird. If a character catches Chirpee, the bird relinquishes the gemstone without complaint and sits happily on that character’s shoulder until the group reaches Azkhell, at which time Chirpee joins its master. At the Game Master’s discretion, Chirpee may instead accompany the characters indefinitely. Chirpee (1 Stat Block) is a chaotic good Construct.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a Loot Chirpee Garnet (500 gp) Hibernaculum Opening the door to this room, you are confronted with a completely dark chamber. By the shaft of light from the hallway, you can see a heavy, black curtain with weights affixed to the bottom on the other side of the room. If a character has darkvision, also read the following aloud: Hanging in the rafters of the ceiling are dozens of bats, all sleeping peacefully. 8 swarms of bats are nesting in this room, hanging from the ceiling. The bats are able to fly out of the room at night through the curtain that hangs in front of the doorway leading out to the East Balcony. The bats have moved into the room as it has been largely unused by Azkhell, and the weighted curtain he hung (initially for Chirpee to fly in and out of the second floor) provides the bats suitable ingress, egress, and protection from daylight. If the curtain to the East Balcony is opened during the daylight hours, it causes the bats to awaken, screeching and attacking all non-bat creatures in the room. If the door is still open, the bats may also spread into the Hallway to avoid the sunlight, attacking any creatures there. If the bats are roused, read the following aloud: The rafters above erupt with short, angry screeches and with the flapping of tiny wings. Looking up, you see a horde of bats sweeping around the rafters, blasting toward you. A character can attempt a DC 11 Dexterity (Stealth) check to sneak through the chamber, awakening the bats and stirring them into a frenzy on a failure. A character can slip through the curtain on the other side of the Hibernaculum without opening it with a successful DC 10 Dexterity check. On a failure during daytime, enough light comes through to rouse the bats and cause them to attack. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. East Balcony Stepping out onto the balcony, you can see across much of Havdhir. A rickety rope ladder hangs from another balcony above this one. The ladder is easily within your reach. The ladder leads to the 3rd Floor Upper East Balcony, potentially allowing characters to avoid some of the hazards associated with venturing up the Upper Stairwell and the 3rd floor. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Upper Stairwell Two sets of stairs lead up from here. You can hear strange echoes coming from above, reverberating through the tower. The two staircases are each protected by a glyph of warding spell with fireball cast as the spell glyph. If any creature other than Azkhell, Chirpee, or Eg-delp steps on a glyph; the spell is triggered, and the fireball spell is cast. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on the glyph must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A glyph can be spotted with a successful DC 19 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Each glyph requires a separate check. One of the stairways leads up to the Chamber of Song. The other leads to the Chamber of Slime. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. 162

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 163 2nd Floor Key S Secret Door D Door C Chirpee B Brooms BC Black Curtain E Eg-delp Stairs Up Stairs Down 1 Square = 5ft. B S BC E D D D D D D C

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 3rd Floor Chamber of Song Upon entering this room, you are overwhelmed by singing that seemingly comes from the walls themselves. The song is so loud that it’s nearly impossible to hear one another talk. A solid oak door stands before you with a curious flute welded to metal bars that are, in turn, welded to the door. The song is one of many voices singing different tunes, but, for a moment, it culminates into a single song: “Eg-delp, if that’s you, I told you, fool, Not to enter without bringing a bardic tool. Through the slime you were supposed to go, but now, I suppose, you’ll pay the toll!” After this the singing devolves into utter gibberish, hummings, groanings, and off-key notes that sound like the worst choir you can imagine. The oak door is enchanted and immune to all damage. Azkhell passes through this room and often uses it to practice one of his many hobbies, composing songs. If anyone sings within the room or speaks aloud, their song or phrase is instantly added to the cacophony reverberating against the walls, sung repeatedly. The only way to open the oak door is to play the flute on the doorway. Succeeding on a DC 18 Charisma (Performance) check causes the door to swing open. Failure causes the singing to burst through the chamber at an alarming volume. Each creature within the room must then make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 33 (6d10) sonic damage and is deafened for 8 hours. On a success, a creature takes half as much damage and is not deafened. If the characters lack the skill or knowledge to open the door, they can venture back down the stairs and attempt to reach the 3rd floor through the Chamber of Slime. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Chamber of Slime This entire chamber is seemingly coated in a thick, viscous, green slime. You can see a leapfrog-like path with raised stones spread a few feet apart. Each stone appears to be in the shape of a foot, sized for a halfling or other small creature. A Small creature can safely pass through this chamber by walking on the stones. A creature that is not Small must make a DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to traverse the path, falling into the slime on a failed check. A creature that falls into the slime takes 22 (4d10) acid damage and is restrained by the slime. If a creature falls into the slime, roll initiative. At the start of its turn, a creature that has fallen into the slime takes 22 (4d10) acid damage. As an action, a creature can make a DC 14 Strength check, freeing itself or another restrained creature within reach on a success. If a creature is attempting to pull another creature from the slime and rolls a 1 on the d20 for its Strength check, it is pulled into the slime. Azkhell does not use this room at all but demands that Eg-delp use it so that Azkhell does not bump into him when traversing the floors… and also because he finds the idea of the slightly neurotic goblin walking through a room filled with filthy slime a bit funny. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Room of Shifting Doors Entering this room, you can see four doors in addition to the one you just stepped through. All of the doors are now shut. The moment the last of your party members steps into the room, the door you came through slams shut and the room begins spinning; there’s a scraping sound of stone moving as the floor rotates one direction and the walls another, spinning you around and around before slowing to a halt. If a creature attempts to open one of the doors before the entire party is in the room, the other four doors cannot be opened by any means and are immune to all damage. If the whole party is unwilling to enter the room at the same time, the trap may be activated at a time of the Game 164

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 165 Master's choosing with slight amendments to the read-aloud text. Each creature in the room when it spins must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature is knocked prone and takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage. On a success, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t knocked prone. The room is magically enchanted, causing the walls and floor to spin when people other than Azkhell or one of his minions enter the room. Only one of the doors can be opened at a time. The other doors are magically enchanted to remain shut until the open door is closed, at which time any one door may be opened. A creature must succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence check to determine which of the doors it passed through. Otherwise, at the Game Master’s discretion, any door the creature chooses will randomly open to the Chamber of Slime, the Derelict Room, the Chamber of Song, the Room of Dire Fortunes, or the Stairwell of Slipperiness. Roll a d10 to determine where the opened door will lead: 1-2 Derelict Room 3-4 Chamber of Slime 5-6 Chamber of Song 7-8 Room of Dire Fortunes 9-10 Stairwell of Slipperiness Characters can also mark the doors using a variety of methods: chalk, paint, scraping away some of the wood, etc. Other than allowing for slight marring, the doors are immune to all types of damage. When a door is shut, the chamber spins again. All creatures within must repeat the DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature is knocked prone and takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage. On a success, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t knocked prone. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Derelict Room This room is characterized by a great deal of broken brick and mortar that sits in crumbling piles all around. You can feel a slight breeze through the room, almost as if wind is blowing straight through the unbroken brick wall on the opposite side of the room. The far wall currently visible in this room is a permanent illusion installed by Azkhell. A section of this wall recently collapsed, and, terrified of seeing the outside, Azkhell constructed the illusory wall so that he would not be able to see out, figuring he would repair the room later. A creature that uses its action to examine the image can determine that it is an illusion with a successful DC 19 Intelligence (Investigation) check. A creature can also discover the wall to be an illusion by physically interacting with the wall, since things can pass through it. A character can walk through the wall directly onto the Upper East Balcony. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Room of Dire Fortunes Stepping into this darkened, warm room, you can see a small table, at the center of which lies a cylindrical object under an ornate cloth. Whatever lies beneath the beautifully embroidered cloth is softly glowing. Shifting colors shine through the fabric cover even though it is luxuriously thick.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a A fortune of the pessimist cylinder rests beneath the cloth. Azkhell has used this item extensively, furthering his agoraphobia, paranoia, and madness. If one of the characters removes the cloth or otherwise sees the fortune of the pessimist cylinder, read the following aloud: A strange cylinder formed of glass rests beneath the cloth. It is glowing with a soft light, and you can see the misty figure of a man reflected inside the glass. It seems that this man is walking out of a tower, only to be crushed into the earth by a falling tree. The dust from the felled tree swirls about within the glass, and the colors shift. This time, the man emerges from a room into the open air of a balcony, only to be snatched up by a giant vulture and torn to pieces. The blood and viscera obscure the image once more and become smoky. This time, the man takes one step out of his tower and is swallowed by a sinkhole. As you continue to look into the glass, the subject matter shifts, and you begin to see images that might be you and your party. You can’t be sure who the figures are without examining the cylinder more closely. If a character touches the cylinder, the character is instantly attuned to it (as long as the character is not already attuned to three other magic items) and is shown a potential pessimistic future. There is a secret door in this room, a magically disguised door that leads out to the Upper West Balcony. The door can be spotted with a DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check or with a passive Intelligence (Investigation) of 17 or higher. If a character spots the door, read the following aloud: You see a slight shimmering along the brick of the wall—a slight glimmer in the shape of a door. By pushing the door open and stepping through, the characters find themselves on the Upper West Balcony. Loot Fortune of the pessimist cylinder (common) (1 Item) Upper East Balcony This entire balcony is covered in potted plants of many varieties. Most of the plants sprawl across the balcony, incredibly overgrown. A large topiary rests at the center of the balcony, but it has been so neglected that it now resembles little more than a clump of leaves and vines. The Upper East Balcony can be accessed by climbing up the ladder from the East Balcony or by passing through the illusory wall in the Derelict Room (see Derelict Room on page 165 for additional details on the wall). This is Azkhell’s garden, where he grows exotic plants and strange herbs for his studies. Because of his agoraphobia, he has not visited the garden in some time, and it has become completely overgrown. Several rare plants can be harvested from this neglected garden. A character can determine which plants in the garden are worth harvesting with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check. Otherwise, all the flora here appears to be mundane plants and weeds. Loot DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check Strangle vine (100 gp) (1 Item) 2x Quick creeper (50 gp each) (1 Item) 3x Blood root (25 gp each) (1 Item) 2x Eyebright flower (25 gp each) (1 Item) 166

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 167 Upper West Balcony Dozens of spyglasses are welded onto a metal gate that surrounds the balcony. The spyglasses point in all different directions: some out to sea, some toward the Fang’s Peak Mountains, but most point directly at Havdhir. The Upper West Balcony can only be accessed by spotting and moving through the secret door in the Room of Dire Fortunes. Azkhell formerly used this balcony to spy on many of the establishments and people living in Havdhir and beyond. The wizard never quite trusted anyone. Looking through the Spyglasses Pointed at Lorton Bank This spyglass is pointed directly at Lorton Bank. You can see the front entrance to the building, and the comings and goings of all who visit. The spyglass has some arcane writing on the side in an ancient dwarven dialect. The runes are Ancient Dwarvish (see the index on page 281) and can only be read if the players have a way to decipher them. (The runes were created with ancient dwarven magic, and so cannot be translated using the comprehend languages spell. Knowing Dwarvish doesn’t allow you to read Ancient Dwarvish.) The runes on the spyglass read, Reveal within “Reveal within.” When this phrase is spoken aloud in any language, the spyglass can peer through the walls of the Lorton Bank, potentially providing the characters with incredibly valuable information should they desire to… relieve the establishment of its valuables. The spyglass can also be pointed at other buildings, peering through walls with ease. Pointed at the Hall of the Triumvirate This spyglass is pointed at the Hall of the Triumvirate. Peering into it more closely, you see that everyone going in and out of the hall glows with some sort of aura, varying color from person to person. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the spyglass shows the alignment of creatures. The spyglass can reveal the alignment of various creatures all throughout Havdhir. A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Arcana) check is required to accurately decipher what color of aura is associated with what alignment. Otherwise, characters will have to deduce the alignment of creatures by pointing the spyglass at various NPCs that they have already met, using their prior knowledge to help them figure out the alignments for themselves. Pointed at Freya’s Fantastical Items This spyglass is pointed near the back of Freya’s Fantastical Items. As you look through the spyglass, a magical list of items appears, scrolling across your view. This spyglass reveals what items Freya’s shop has in stock that day. When Azkhell was still able to venture into town, he would use this spyglass to determine if there was anything worth buying. If pointed at another establishment, the spyglass reveals what valuable items lie within. Pointed at the Fang’s Peak Mountains This spyglass is pointed at the Fang’s Peak Mountains. Looking through it, you realize the light isn’t behaving the way you’d expect. If viewing at night: The mountains’ details should be obscured in blackness, but through the spyglass you can see everything as brightly as if it were day. If viewing during the day: A brief glimpse of the mountain quickly fades away into darkness. Looking through the spyglass during the day makes everything appear as though it were night. Looking through the spyglass at night makes everything appear as though it were day. Characters could use this spyglass to survey active vampire activity along the mountains or to look across Havdhir with ease, spying the nocturnal goings-on of the town. Pointed at the Sea This spyglass is pointed out at the open sea. Looking through it, you can see several creatures (resembling the one that attacked the Tavernsbane Freighter) splashing through the waves. You also spy several massive creatures slowly moving about beneath the surface, some of them

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a larger than galleys. As you look, the spyglass’s focus changes, sweeping out across the water farther and farther until it reaches land at a point that must be hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away. Azkhell used this spyglass to watch the ships, sailors, cargo, and travelers that came into port, gaining important intel about arrivals before most anyone else in Havdhir. Azkhell also watched the sea-routes of the vessels that sailed the waters around Havdhir and beyond. The spyglass is capable of peering across any expanse of water, which allowed Azkhell to track ships with ease from a far distance as long as his spyglass was angled correctly. Pointed at Havdhir (all other spyglasses) The plethora of other spyglasses are pointed at various locations around Havdhir, but these remaining spyglasses do not appear to have any magical properties. The spyglasses are welded to the balcony railing and magically enhanced, making the removal of any of the spyglasses impossible without the use of a wish spell or similar magic. At the Game Master’s discretion, a DC 30 Strength check could allow a character to remove one of the spyglasses; but the ability to peer through walls, detect valuable items inside of buildings, determine the alignment of creatures, see night as day and day as night, and peer across vast expanses of water are powers that should not be granted to an adventuring party lightly. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Stairwell of Slipperiness In this room, the set of stairs before you winds further up into the tower. You can just make out a faint glow coming from the next level of the building. These stairs are trapped with magical slipperiness similar to a grease spell. The stairs are difficult terrain. The magical slippery effect can be suppressed for 1 hour by casting dispel magic on the stairs, but the magical effect reappears at the end of this duration. The magical slipperiness can also be suppressed for 1 hour by using the mop of the perfectionist located in the Servant’s Quarters (see page 158). A creature that uses its action to make a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check or has a passive Intelligence (Investigation) of 15 or higher notes a strange sheen on the stairs. If a character spots this sheen, read the following aloud: You notice something strange on the stairs, a sort of oily or shiny substance. It looks like it might be slippery. If a creature attempts to ascend the stairs, it must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the creature tumbles to the bottom of the stairs, taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and landing prone. On a success, the creature climbs the stairs without trouble. Characters might be able to fly over the slippery steps, climb along the wall using the crevices in the brickwork as finger holds, or leap from the floor to the top of the stairs. Climbing along the wall requires a successful DC 19 Strength (Athletics) check. Leaping to the top of the stairs requires a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. 168

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 169 3rd Floor Key S Secret Door D Door C Cylinder I Illusory Wall R Rope Ladder T Topiary Stairs Up Stairs Down 1 Spyglass 1 2 Spyglass 2 3 Spyglass 3 4 Spyglass 4 5 Spyglass 5 6 Spyglass 6 1 Square = 5ft. 5 6 1 2 3 4 T R C S D D D D D

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 4th Floor Living Tales Library Bookshelves line the walls of this room. There is a ladder on a rolling track that would allow someone who climbs it to reach shelves that are nearly 20 feet high. There is no discernible door leading out of the room, and you can see that several ornate books are set around the room in a circle, each on a different reading pedestal. At the center of the chamber, glowing writing is carved into the floor: “If you wish to enter further, then Assist my friends held here within. From pages they spring like flesh and bone, Friends with me here, in my lonely home. Prove that you are a friend of mine And pay attention to how they pine. Aiding them opens a door, Otherwise, you’ll stay on this floor. If you should fail a single task, Never fear, failure will not last, Simply open up their door again, And try to aid my fantastic friends.” There are five enchanted books in the library: Ezmeralda and the Tale of the Talking Toad Rhet Tikha’s Curse The Wandering Armor Weather of the Darklands of Vlaskhell The Siege of Havdhir Opening any of the enchanted books causes some of the fantastic creatures within to magically manifest from the stories within the room. Opening more than one enchanted book at a time could result in utter chaos with the creatures from the books interacting not just with the characters but with one another. If one of the creatures manifesting from the books is killed, it can be revived by closing and opening the book again. None of the creatures manifested from the books have any memory of their experiences outside of their own stories, and all can be interacted with afresh by closing the books and reopening them. For instance, if the characters were to attack Ezmeralda from Ezmeralda and the Tale of the Talking Toad after she manifests from her book, and then they were to close the book and reopen it, when she materialized again Ezmeralda would have no memory of what had occurred. Each time the characters successfully aid one of the “friends” within the books, a small magical light materializes. Multiple lights slowly lock together to form a staircase of light and a glowing trapdoor at the top of the chamber. The lights are just that, magical lights with no physical form until all of the tasks are completed. When all of the “friends” are helped, the staircase becomes solid and the trapdoor becomes real. The books are enchanted against destruction and impervious to damage; they have AC 5, but any damage that would be dealt to a book is instead dealt to its attacker. The books cannot be moved. Examining Ezmeralda and the Tale of the Talking Toad The cover of this book depicts a young girl reading an elaborately decorated tome to a massive toad that is peering curiously over her shoulder. Opening the Book When the characters open this book, read the following aloud: A small girl, identical to the one on the cover of the book, appears within the library, reading a book of her own. A massive toad also appears, crouching behind her and looking down at what she is reading. As the two appear in the room, the girl looks around curiously. She exclaims, “What a magnificent library, Mr. Toad! I don’t think I have ever seen the like!” The toad nods and lets out a muffled sound that COULD be a word but sounds more like a strangled croak. “I do hope we can find a way to fix that, Mr. Toad,” says the girl. Ezmeralda and Mr. Toad have just materialized in the room. 170

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 171 Roleplaying Ezmeralda Ezmeralda talks in a matter-of-fact tone and seems to possess intelligence beyond her years. Ezmeralda is around 8 years old and is fond of games. She is very attached to Mr. Toad, and any harm that befalls him makes her incredibly angry. Ezmeralda (1 Stat Block) is a chaotic good human. Roleplaying Mr. Toad Mr. Toad has a rather large stone lodged in his throat which is making it impossible for him to talk. Usually, Mr. Toad speaks in a very posh and sophisticated tone. Mr. Toad (1 Stat Block) is a chaotic good Beast. Characters can read the short Ezmeralda and the Talking Toad, taking about 10 minutes to do so. The story goes into detail about their many adventures that include mostly taking picnics, fishing, and causing small amounts of mischief. One section of the book notes that Mr. Toad swallowed a large stone and was unable to speak after. A character rifling through the book quickly and succeeding on a DC 12 Intelligence check discerns the same information. Helping Mr. Toad Mr. Toad’s malady can be investigated and the stone removed by a creature spending an hour examining him and succeeding on a DC 13 Wisdom (Medicine) check. On a failure, the stone is lodged deeper, and Mr. Toad begins suffocating. If Mr. Toad is killed, the characters must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be treated as if they were under the effect of a silence spell for 10 minutes due to a curse from Ezmeralda and the Talking Toad. A creature can also remove the stone by allowing Mr. Toad to swallow the creature and then carefully dislodging the stone from within with a successful DC 6 Wisdom (Medicine) check or by forcing the stone out with a successful DC 5 Strength check. However, the creature will have to find a way out again without harming Mr. Toad. Roll initiative when a creature is swallowed by Mr. Toad. It takes damage from his Swallow attack on initiative count 20 (instead of the usual start of each of Mr. Toad’s turns). A creature trapped within Mr. Toad can make a DC 18 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to leap out of the toad's mouth. Mr. Toad can also force himself to regurgitate the creature with a successful DC 18 Constitution check. When the characters have removed the stone, read the following aloud: The toad lets out a great cough, shaking his body and gulping a few times before standing on his hind legs and offering you a deep bow. “Thank you kindly! I thought that stone would NEVER be removed, and it has been such a bother to be unable to speak! I am eternally grateful to you kind folk.” As he is finishing his sentence, both he and Ezmeralda fade away, and a soft purple glow emanates from the book. Examining Rhet Tikha’s Curse The cover of this book depicts a screaming man, his flesh being flayed from his bones as he partially opens a sarcophagus from which a horrible light emanates. Opening the Book When the characters open this book, read the following aloud: A swirling vortex of sand blasts out of the book accompanied by a wretched screaming. The sand swirls around the room, clumping together and solidifying to make an open sarcophagus. In front of it, a shuffling corpse wrapped in cloth with glowing green eyes is shambling toward a man who appears horribly wounded, much of the flesh removed from his bones. “Help! Please! HELP! PUT IT BAAACK!” screams the man. Rhet Tikha (the mummy) and Sir Ferdinand Baldwin have materialized in the room.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a When the book is opened, the entire room is covered in a sandstorm that persists until the book is closed or Sir Ferdinand thanks the characters for their help. Roll initiative. When a creature other than Rhet Tikha or Sir Ferdinand starts its turn in the sandstorm, it must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 7 (2d6) slashing damage and is blinded until the start of its next turn. On a success, the creature takes half as much damage and is not blinded. Roleplaying Rhet Tikha Rhet Tikha is animated due to having his sarcophagus opened. In life, Rhet Tikha was an evil spellcaster who was sentenced to death when evidence of his horrid practices was uncovered. As punishment for his crimes, Rhet Tikha was cursed, forcing him to walk the earth in eternal agony as a mummy if he were ever exhumed. Rhet Tikha is aware that the curse which created him also binds him to the sarcophagus and is also aware that if he is placed within it, he is trapped inside—as a conscious Undead—forever, unless someone should release him again. A creature taking its action to quickly scan the Rhet Tikha’s Curse book can, with a successful DC 16 Intelligence check, determine the general information about the curse. Hoping to avoid being trapped, Rhet Tikha moves away from the sarcophagus to the best of his ability. Unless all of the characters are dead or unconscious, Rhet Tikha focuses his attacks on the characters and ignores Sir Baldwin. Rhet Tikha (1 Stat Block) is a lawful evil Undead. Roleplaying Sir Ferdinand Baldwin Sir Ferdinand Baldwin is a fabled adventurer and an eccentric who is obsessed with uncovering ancient tombs and priceless artifacts. He speaks with a great deal of bravado and has a magnificent handlebar mustache. However, his facial hair has been slightly destroyed by the flaying effects of the cursed sarcophagus that he has opened. Ferdinand recently opened the tomb of Rhet Tikha and was foolish enough to open the mummy’s sarcophagus. Sir Baldwin is terrified of the mummy and will cower in the most out-of-the-way place he can find in the room or flee from the room completely, vanishing if he goes through the door frame (transported back into the book). If the characters shut Rhet Tikha into his sarcophagus and Sir Baldwin has vanished back into the book for any reason, Sir Baldwin reappears to congratulate them on their success. Characters might be able to convince Sir Baldwin to join the fray with a successful DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check. At the Game Master’s discretion, Sir Ferdinand might know about the curse or he might simply be trying to get Rhet Tikha back into his sarcophagus as a way of locking him away. Sir Ferdinand Baldwin (1 Stat Block) is a chaotic neutral human. 172

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 173 Helping Sir Ferdinand Baldwin Rhet Tikha is under a horrid curse that raises him from the dead again and again. Even if he is dropped to 0 hit points, he regains consciousness 1d4 rounds later with all of his hit points restored. The only way to stop Rhet Tikha is by closing him inside his sarcophagus. Characters may do this by grappling him over to it and shoving him inside; or they may knock him unconscious (most likely by reducing him to 0 hit points) and drag his body to the sarcophagus, hopefully getting him inside with the lid shut before he regains consciousness. When Rhet Tikha is closed back within his sarcophagus, read the following aloud: The mummified creature lets out a horrible scream that is cut off as the lid to the sarcophagus slams shut. The injured man lets out a great sigh of relief, saying, “Thank the gods you have done it, you have done what not even a man such as I could do and locked that cretin away!” The sand billowing about the room seems to sweep him and the sarcophagus away, vanishing into the yellow glow that emanates from the book's pages. Once Sir Ferdinand has thanked the characters, the sandstorm in the room dissipates. Examining The Wandering Armor The cover of this book depicts an entire set of armor (apparently without anyone inside) walking along a desolate landscape. A rudimentary painting of a frowning face adorns the helmet of the armor. Opening the Book When the characters open this book, read the following aloud: A great clanging sound reverberates around the room as pieces of armor suddenly appear near the ceiling, collapsing to the floor in a heap. After a moment, the pieces of armor begin to move, floating into the air and assembling into a full set of armor devoid of a wearer. A crude frown has been painted on the front of the helmet, and the helmet tilts toward you questioningly, the armor lifting its hand to scratch at its helmet, generating a soft clanking sound. The wandering armor has materialized in the room. Roleplaying the Wandering Armor The wandering armor is cursed with sentience and desperately wants to serve as actual armor. Its one desire is for a noble warrior to wear it, but every time it has sought a wearer the person has fled from it in fear or attempted to destroy it. The wandering armor cannot speak but does its best to mime its intentions. The characters can provide the wandering armor with writing materials to communicate, or make Wisdom (Insight) checks to attempt to understand what the armor is trying to say.

174 A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a The DC to determine what the wandering armor is trying to communicate varies based on the information being conveyed, but some sample DCs are provided here: DC 5 “Wear.” DC 10 “Wear me.” DC 15 “I am friendly.” DC 20 “I am a friendly set of animated armor.” DC 25 “I am a friendly set of animated armor looking for someone to wear me.” DC 30 “I am a friendly set of animated armor cursed with sentience, searching for someone to wear me. I have been searching for years and painted this frown on myself to convey my sadness.” If the wandering armor is attacked, it responds in kind but it might attempt to break off combat and mime its intentions once again. If the armor is destroyed it is not aided and no light flies to the ceiling nor does its book glow to denote a victory. The wandering armor (1 Stat Block) is a chaotic good Construct. Helping the Wandering Armor If a character dons the wandering armor, the Construct’s life’s goal is fulfilled. Putting on the wandering armor takes 10 minutes. When someone puts on the wandering armor, read the following aloud: The armor shudders with what can only be described as pure joy, the book it came from giving off a soft blue glow. You notice that while the solidity of the armor vanishes, a ghostly outline remains where it was, still worn. The spectral armor provides the AC of plate armor. The creature wearing it is considered proficient with the armor. In addition, the armor does not have a strength requirement, weighs nothing, and does not impose disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. When the creature wearing the spectral armor leaves the Living Tales Library, the spectral armor vanishes and no longer provides any benefits. Examining Weather of the Darklands of Vlaskhell The cover of this book depicts a traveler shivering in a vast, snowy landscape. Opening the Book When the characters open this book, read the following aloud: A blast of cold air rushes out of the book, and the entire room is suddenly covered in ice and snow. The temperature is absolutely freezing, and you see a man lying in the newly-formed snow curled up in a ball, shivering in the cold, with no winter gear whatsoever. John Black has materialized in the room. When the book is opened, the entire room drops in temperature to an environment of supernatural cold. This cold persists until the book is closed or John thanks the characters for their help. Roll initiative. On initiative count 20 of each round, each creature in the room that is not within 5 feet of an open flame, or resistant to cold damage, or wearing cold weather gear must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1 level of exhaustion.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 175 Roleplaying John Black John Black was a cartographer who charted much of the Darklands of Vlaskhell 500 years earlier. John wrote many books on his travels and included an entire treatise on the weather in Vlaskhell, indicating it was dark one half of the year and light the other, and characterized by extreme cold the majority of the time. A character taking its action to quickly rifle through the book can, with a successful DC 12 Intelligence check, find a section regarding John’s initial visit to the Darklands in which he almost died; the section notes he was saved from the cold by burning the many blank charts he had brought with him. John is freezing and can only shiveringly get out the words “So… cold” over and over. John Black (1 Stat Block) is a neutral elf. Helping John Black It is supernaturally cold in this room. Each action taken to warm John—such as covering him with one blanket, starting a fire, or feeding a few of his charts to the flames—counts as one point of progress toward warming him, and a total of three points will succeed. Each time the characters do something to warm him, the Weather of the Darklands of Vlaskhell book glows brighter and brighter. John has a tinderbox as well as dozens of rolled-up charts stuffed in a backpack. Once John Black has been sufficiently warmed, read the following aloud: The shivering man’s shaking subsides and he smiles up at you, standing in the snow and rubbing his chest as he lets out a quivering “Thank… you.” A moment later, the snow whips around the room, vanishing back into the book and taking the chill, and the man, along with it. The book emits a warm, golden glow. Once John has thanked the characters, the cold effects in the room end. Examining The Siege of Havdhir The cover of this book depicts a knight swinging her sword at a horde of orcs that has surrounded her. Opening the Book When the characters open this book, read the following aloud: An eruption of sound bursts into the room, dust and smoke billowing about. The sound of screaming, the stench of blood, and the unmistakable screech of battle blasts through the chamber. Shadowy figures fight amidst the billowing dust and you can see a woman clad in Havdhirian armor swinging her sword in a wide arc, holding a horde of orcs at bay. “Havdhir is lost! Fall back!” she calls, brandishing her sword in a half-hearted attempt to hold the orcs back. It is clear she is filled with despair and is soon to be overrun. The billowing dust makes the room an area that is lightly obscured, with patches that are heavily obscured. Lady Sarah Olden is combating a pack of 10 orcs.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a Roleplaying Lady Sarah Olden Sarah is a knight of Havdhir at the end of her rope: almost all of her comrades have been slain and the walls of Havdhir are nearly overrun by orcs. She fights alone against seemingly insurmountable odds. A character who succeeds on a DC 12 Intelligence (History) check recalls that this knight is known as Lady Sarah, who was horribly outnumbered, wounded, and nearly lost this particular battle for the walls of Havdhir, but is known for finding her courage and rallying the troops of the city in a counter-attack against the invading orcs, driving them back. It is said that rallying cries from her few remaining soldiers are what stirred her from her hopelessness. Lady Sarah Olden (1 Stat Block) is a lawful good elf. Helping Lady Sarah Olden A character that calls an encouraging word to Sarah with a successful DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check rouses her to battle, granting her advantage on melee attacks for 1 minute and allowing her to use her Leadership action. The characters must aid Sarah in defeating the orcs, completing this chapter of the tale in The Siege of Havdhir. If Lady Sarah dies before the orcs are defeated the characters fail in their task, and will have to open the book again to reattempt it. Once the last of the orcs are defeated, read the following aloud: The last of the orcs falls to the ground, the knight brandishing her sword high with a mighty cry of “Huzzah! Victory for Havdhir!” The dust begins to swirl about the chamber, flowing back into the book, the orcs vanishing along with it. The knight holds her sword toward you: “Hold fast to the bravery and honor of true defenders of Havdhir!” she calls, as she too vanishes, the open book glowing with a soft pink light. Each character is granted a Defender of Havdhir boon. Once in the next 24 hours a character can expend the boon when making an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending the boon grants the character advantage on that roll. If a character commits any form of evil act, the boon is lost, and if the character attempts to use the boon to commit an evil act, the boon has no effect. Completing the Challenge When all of the “friends” have been helped, read the following aloud: The lights have been materializing in the form of a staircase and a trapdoor. They glow fiercely, brightly, and are suddenly transformed into solid stone and wood. The trapdoor springs open, leading up and into a chamber beyond. The characters can now venture through the trapdoor in the ceiling and enter into the Banquet Hall. No items or characters from the books can be taken out of the room—they vanish if the attempt is made. Loot 100x Nonmagical book (10 gp each). Note that taking, storing, and transporting a huge number of books would be incredibly difficult without the use of magic. 176

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 177 4th Floor Key 1 Ezmeralda and the Tale of the Talking Toad 2 Rhet Tikha's Curse 3 The Wandering Armor 4 Weather of the Darklands of Vlaskhell 5 The Siege of Havdhir Stairs Up Stairs Down 1 Square = 5ft. 5 1 2 3 4

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 5th Floor Banquet Hall As you swing open the trapdoor and enter the chamber, torches spring to life and fill the room with a warm, comforting glow. A long table is set before you with dozens of place settings that are laid the entire length of the ornately carved table. There is no discernible door leading out of the chamber other than the trapdoor from which you entered. A massive portrait of a skinny man hangs on the wall at the far end of the room, so thin that he appears to be nothing more than a skeletal figure dressed in mage’s robes. You can see a small, empty easel, with a painter's brush and palette set beneath it, seemingly abandoned. “Oh, ho ho! What have we here? Guests, eh!? Please, PLEASE take a seat!” the voice calls from the portrait. To your astonishment, you see the painted man moving around his canvas, leaning forward in the large chair he is painted as sitting in, his emaciated hands quivering on the arms of the chair. “I do so desire to be as fortunate as you, always able to eat such grand feasts!” the man in the portrait calls. He mutters, quietly and steadily yet excitedly, under his breath. He claps his hands, and suddenly, masses of food appear in the air just below the ceiling and soon come plummeting down with a grand clatter. A few of the summoned portions miss the table, falling about the chamber, splattering on the floor. Some of the food drops directly toward you! “So sorry about that!” the odd figure calls while giggling, “I don’t know my own strength! Hee hee!” Each creature entering the Banquet Hall must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage from falling food on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The Portrait The portrait is painted in Azkhell’s likeness. Azkhell himself created it to summon forth food within the tower at his command. The portrait refers to itself as “Starvzkhell” for the most part, but will occasionally don the moniker of “Skinny Azkhell” or “Starved Azkhell.” If the characters threaten or attack Starvzkhell, roll initiative with Starvzkhell acting on initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties). On his turn, food rains down within the chamber and each creature within must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that has total cover from the ceiling (being, for instance, under the table) takes no damage. A creature with partial cover from the ceiling (being, for instance, under a large 178

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 179 shield, a chair, or a companion) takes half the damage. A dispel magic (DC 19) or antimagic field spell removes the enchantment on the portrait, effectively destroying Starvzkhell. If any of the characters eat the food that has been summoned, read the following aloud: “More, oh yes, you MUST eat more!” the skinny man in the portrait demands, clapping his hands and licking his lips, an almost predatory hunger in his eyes. Starvzkhell summons more food, and some of it does not land where it was meant to. Each creature in the Banquet Hall must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage from falling food on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that is seated at the table has disadvantage on the saving throw. A creature that has total cover from the ceiling (being, for instance, under the table) takes no damage. A creature with partial cover from the ceiling (being, for instance, under a large shield, a chair, or a companion) takes half the damage. At the Game Master’s discretion, even if the characters do not eat any of the food Starvzkhell may rain more food down, continuing to demand the characters eat it so he can eat vicariously through them. Roleplaying Starvzkhell Starvzkhell leers at anyone eating, an incredibly hungry look in his eyes. He does not remember his creation, only that “a man that looked very similar to me was here, painting… that’s the first thing I recall.” Starvzkhell constantly complains about being hungry; he desperately desires food of some kind. If the characters present him with physical food, he reaches toward them hungrily but the food cannot pass through the canvas to Starvzkhell nor Starvzkhell reach beyond the canvas. Starvzkhell (1 Stat Block) is a lawful neutral Construct. Leaving the Chamber Characters can leave the chamber in two ways: 1 They may destroy the portrait of Starvzkhell, revealing a staircase behind the portrait that leads further into the tower. 2 They may feed Starvzkhell. Starvzkhell can be fed only by painting some form of food into his portrait. Painting an edible bit of food requires picking up the paints, reaching the portrait, and then succeeding on a DC 10 Charisma (Performance) check to paint the food in. Starvzkhell immediately gobbles it up. If Starvzkhell is fed, read the following aloud: Painting the food into the portrait, you watch as the man’s hollow eyes grow wide. He shakily reaches out and grabs the food. He holds it in front of his face in disbelief for just a moment before stuffing it into his mouth. “Oh, tank ew, tank ew!” the man says between messy mouthfuls. Happy tears of wet paint roll down his pitiful face. The portrait swings aside, revealing a staircase beyond, and a magical light envelops you. The boon of Starvzkhell is bestowed on the characters, granting each of them inspiration. Loot Painter’s supplies (10 gp) Feast leftovers. Each “food rain” summoned by Starvzkhell equals 15 rations (5 sp each)

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 5th Floor Key 180 B Banquet Table E Easel T Trapdoor P Portrait of Starvzkhell S Secret Door Stairs Up B T S P E 1 Square = 5ft.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 181 6th Floor Room of Pocket Dimensions Ascending the revealed staircase, you find yourself in a room with seven mirrors set around it. The glass of each of the mirrors is an inky black, reflecting almost nothing of the room. As you enter, glowing words are scrawled in the air within the center of the room, reading: “Seven portals here there be. Within one, there is a key. You must bargain carefully, For fear the wrong one may get free. Ghost and demon here within, Gazing creature full of sin. Lizard, yew, and a man to see; A man who may not really be. Dwarven miner full of greed, Poison in a red yew seed. Key is more than a thing to hold: A key is freedom for dead young, now old.” This complex warning refers to the occupants of the pocket dimensions held within the mirrors. It also provides a clue as to the true “key” to leave the room. “Ghost and demon here within” refers to: • the ghost in the Ghostly Portal pocket dimension • Illya, the succubus in the Abyssal Portal pocket dimension “Gazing creature full of sin” refers to: • Gargoth, the basilisk in the Basilisk Portal pocket dimension “Lizard, yew, and a man to see; a man who may not really be” refers to: • the lizardfolk in the Thorny Portal pocket dimension • the awakened yew tree in the Forest Portal pocket dimension • Illuskhell (the illusory Azkhell) in the Ancient Portal pocket dimension “Dwarven miner full of greed” refers to: • the dwarf trapped in the Dwarven Portal pocket dimension “Poison in a red yew seed” refers to: • the poison of the awakened yew tree “A key is more than a thing to hold: A key is freedom for dead young, now old” refers to: • the ghostly child in the Ghostly Portal pocket dimension • who is the key to leaving the chamber Completing the unfinished business of Thomas, the ghost of the Ghostly Portal pocket dimension, is the only way to journey higher into the tower. If Thomas believes his unfinished business has been completed, he vanishes, and a magical staircase that leads up to the Giant Gelatinous Cube Room Exterior (see page 191) appears in his place. Touching or walking through any of the portals transports a creature to the pocket dimension associated with the portal. Once inside the pocket dimension, characters can see into the central room through the portal and are able to return the same way they entered. Each denizen of a pocket dimension is unable to leave the pocket dimension in which it is trapped unless the prerequisite is met for that denizen’s release. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Dwarven Portal

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a Exterior This mirror is carved in classic dwarven style. As you approach, the black face of the mirror fades for a moment, revealing a chamber beyond. Within it, you can see a dwarf chained and dressed in rags, working rough stone with a pickaxe. Interior The chamber echos with the clang of a pickaxe. A dwarf within the chamber tirelessly works the stone, singing a song to himself: “Damned wizard says, ‘Find the key. Despite your deeds, ye will be set free.’ Lorton bank: I spit on thee, And the damned Triumvirate three.” Now that you are inside of what appears to be a pocket dimension within the mirror, you see that thousands of small keys are scattered about the chamber. The dwarf hacks away at a stone that seems to have a small key handle embedded in it. With a crack, the stone falls away. The dwarf grabs the now exposed key, places it into the lock of the manacle attached to his leg, and tries the key for a moment before letting out a great sigh and tossing it aside. He picks up the pickaxe once more. Pike Stoneshoulder has been imprisoned in this pocket dimension by order of the Triumvirate as punishment for attempting to rob Lorton bank, killing several innocent people in his attempted heist. Roleplaying Pike Stoneshoulder Pike wears tattered rags as well as a belt with several keys he thinks are “promising.” One of these keys fits the cage in the Abyssal Portal pocket dimension. His chamber is filled with keys that have been magically embedded in the stone. Pike’s punishment is a lifetime of torment within the pocket dimension, with the false hope of freedom constantly dangled in front of him: The idea that if he can find the key to his manacles hidden within the pocket dimension, he may go free... but none of the keys within this pocket dimension match the lock of his manacles. If Pike is asked about his imprisonment (or at a time of the Game Master’s choosing), read the following aloud: “I’ve been trapped here for decades by those damned Triumvirate fools for slightly attempted theft! Corrupt—the lot of them! Using their pet wizard to punish me. And that damned wizard, Azkhell... he left me well enough alone in here for ages! But recently, he has been up to something… giving me hints to torment me: ‘The key lies just out of reach, beyond the glass; and…’ something or other I can’t recall. And, ‘Look into the earth beyond this one, and you just might see the key.’ Damned befuddlespeak. If you can help me get out of here, I will give you these keys on my belt, here. Not sure what they go to, but I have a good feeling about them!” In his insanity, Azkhell has placed the key to Pike’s manacles in the Thorny Portal pocket dimension for the sheer fun of peeking in on the dwarf that’s constantly digging for something that is so close but forever out of his reach. If the characters manage to free Pike, he gladly gifts them the keys on his belt. Pike Stoneshoulder (1 Stat Block) is a chaotic neutral dwarf. Loot Pike Stoneshoulder Skeleton key (common) (1 Item) Key to the cage in the Abyssal Portal (worthless) 182

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 183 Thorny Portal Exterior This mirror has a mass of thorny vines curled around it. As you approach, the mirror face fades, revealing a thick jungle within. Interior Entering this tropical chamber, you are blasted with the humid heat. A huge waterfall seems to circle the entirety of the area, forming a wall of crashing water around the clearing. “Who goes there?” a voice echoes from the dense foliage. “Restigi not like wizards! Restigi not know you.” Restigi is a lizardfolk who was captured by Azkhell during one of his forays into the jungle regions that lie far from the lands of Havdhir. Restigi was of great interest to Azkhell on account of his particular subspecies of lizardfolk’s ability to camouflage, to change coloring to be incredibly vibrant or to seamlessly blend into the verdant swaths of the jungle. Restigi has been trapped in this pocket dimension ever since his capture. A character can spot Restigi if the character’s Wisdom (Perception) check is higher than Restigi’s Dexterity (Stealth) check. Restigi makes this check with advantage. Roleplaying Restigi Restigi is suspicious of anyone who is not a lizardfolk, partly because he is from a primarily lizardfolk-dominated community, and partly because he’s been imprisoned by Azkhell, kept as a specimen for study. Restigi refers to himself in the third person, and his coloration changes depending on his emotions: growing vibrant when he is angry, happy, or experiencing other strong emotions and fading to duller tones when he is sad, bored, or otherwise reserved. Restigi is a chaotic good lizardfolk. Restigi is in possession of the key to Pike Stoneshoulder’s manacles and uses it as a toothpick. Restigi is very fond of the key, regularly using it to remove seeds from his pointy teeth. He is unwilling to part with it unless the characters agree to free him from his prison. Restigi can be freed by solving a riddle that was left by mad Azkhell, who decided to use his “specimen” as part of the traps and trials set up within his tower to make it more difficult to reach him. Restigi offers the key in his possession in exchange for his freedom, reciting the riddle Azkhell has presented to him recently. The characters could simply kill Restigi or take the key from him via theft, slipping it from his grasp with a successful DC 13 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a When Restigi talks about the riddle, read the following aloud: “The wizard said: ‘Free, the lizard wants to be. He must walk through the blood of a tree. Venture deep into the roar, Emerge upon another shore. But lo! For him to safely pass, He must not be touched By that which shines as glass.’ What is Restigi to make of this riddle, hmmm?” In order to be freed, Restigi must walk into the waterfalls surrounding the clearing, but none of the water may touch him as he does so. This can be accomplished by forming some sort of umbrella for him, by casting a spell which prevents the water from touching him, or by any other creative method that keeps the water from touching Restigi. If he moves at least 10 feet into the falls without the water touching him, he is instantly teleported to the Chamber of Pocket Dimensions, where he leaves the key with the characters before attempting to flee. At the Game Master’s discretion, Restigi may join the characters in hopes of making it out of this tower of puzzles alive. If he walks into the falls and is touched by the water, he is immediately teleported to the center of the jungle clearing. Loot Restigi Key to Pike’s manacles (worthless) Ghostly Portal Exterior This mirror is surrounded by curling tendrils of light that glow with a soft blue hue. Approaching, you can see motes of blue light floating in the mirror, and the interior of a stone crypt is visible through the glass. Interior Stepping through the mirror, you find yourself in a dark room lit only by tiny motes of blue light that swirl around a single coffin made of rotting wood that rests against the far wall. As you approach, the lights coalesce, flying toward the coffin. Suddenly, a ghostly child bursts from the coffin, looking at you with a petulant eye. “Who are you? Have you come to… help… me… get… REVENGE!?” the ghost-boy wails, his voice rising to a high-pitched scream. Thomas Damier is the ghost of a young boy who was killed when he ate a berry from a yew tree (the very tree located in the Forest Portal pocket dimension). Thomas is trapped within the chamber by a complicated spell created by Azkhell which prevents the ghost from entering the Ethereal Plane or otherwise leaving the pocket dimension. Leaving the Chamber of Pocket Dimensions Thomas’s spirit is tied to the tower. If Thomas believes his unfinished business has been completed, he vanishes, and a magical staircase that leads up to the Giant Gelatinous Cube Room Exterior (see page 191) appears in his place. 184

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 185 Roleplaying Thomas Damier’s Ghost Thomas speaks in a high-pitched voice and is prone to fits of screaming and rage. Thomas is a vengeful child who blames his death on the yew tree located in the Forest Portal pocket dimension. Thomas is aware that the tree is located within a pocket dimension inside the tower, because Azkhell has revealed this information to him in one of the wizard's visits. Thomas wants the tree destroyed, and his soul can only be at peace when he believes this has occurred. Thomas demands proof of the tree’s destruction in the form of burnt limbs or some other piece of evidence. If Thomas is destroyed, he reappears within the pocket dimension 1 minute later with all of his hit points. Thomas Damier (1 Stat Block) is a neutral evil ghost. Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Forest Portal Exterior This mirror has been crafted in an elaborate elvish style with organic shapes surrounding curved glass. As you near the mirror, you can see a tangle of trees, and a large yew tree that stands at the center of a small clearing. Interior Walking into the area, you find yourself in a grove. The trees have grown together so tightly that they form a solid wall. There is an open meadow covered in fallen leaves with a large yew tree at the center. The yew tree’s branches interlock above you, creating a dome of wood and vines. A glowing orb resembling a miniature sun hovers at the zenith of this dome. As you enter, the yew tree shakes itself, and a voice issues from it, “I am Yew, and who are you?” Yew is an awakened yew tree. The tree has no intention of leaving the area: It magically rains each day; there are few if any visitors to harass it; and it can simply rest, drink in water, and bathe in the magical light from the sun-orb. Thomas Damier, the ghost in the Ghostly Portal pocket dimension, was formed when he ate one of the berries from the yew tree, dying from the tree’s poison.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a Azkhell was summoned many years ago to deal with the ghost of a child haunting Ardhos. Azkhell managed to trap the spirit within a pocket dimension. Azkhell also placed the tree that poisoned the child within a pocket dimension for additional study. In his madness, Azkhell decided to awaken the tree for a bit of fun. The miniature sun exists by means of a permanent daylight spell altered to produce sunlight. If the spell is negated, such as by a darkness or dispel magic spell or similar magic, the yew tree becomes incredibly distraught and may behave violently toward whatever created the darkness. Roleplaying the Yew Tree The yew tree calls itself “Yew,” which can be incredibly confusing in a conversation. Yew has no recollection of its life before becoming awakened, and thus, it believes it has always lived within this pocket dimension that it considers a paradise. The tree can see outside of the pocket dimension into the other portals. It has seen and desperately desires the small animal statues in the Basilisk Portal pocket dimension, but Yew cannot fit through the doorway to obtain them. Yew will offer some of its branches as payment for a few of the statues. Characters might be able to convince Yew to offer up its berries or to even break off some of its branches or roots for them if the tree understands the situation regarding Thomas Damier and his desire for revenge. The DC for this check may vary based on the characters’ interactions with Yew; but DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion), DC 15 Charisma (Deception), or DC 17 Charisma (Intimidation) is suggested. Characters may be able to convince Thomas Damier that Yew has been killed by presenting burnt branches from the tree or other evidence of its destruction. Killing or harming Yew should present a moral dilemma for the characters. In order to advance deeper into the tower, they will need to appease Thomas; but doing so may result in harming the innocent yew tree. Loot 3x Yew berries (25 gp each) Broken yew branches (worthless) 186

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 187 Abyssal Portal Exterior This mirror is adorned with a set of stone, bat-like wings. As you approach, the face of the mirror fades, revealing a flaming landscape beyond. Within, you see a being in a cage made of crude, black metal. The being is screaming. Interior Stepping into the chamber, you are overwhelmed by the heat as flames lick at your heels. The ground itself lets up great bursts of steam and ash with each step that you take. Within the wrought-iron cage that sits on a black rock, a beautiful woman with tear tracks on her ashsmudged face screams, “Please, oh by the gods, PLEASE help me!” The pocket dimension is considered an area of supernatural heat. When the characters enter the area, roll initiative. On initiative count 20 of each round (losing initiative ties), each creature exposed to the heat must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 10 (3d6) fire damage and gains one level of exhaustion. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and does not gain the level of exhaustion. Creatures wearing medium or heavy armor or who are clad in heavy clothing have disadvantage on the saving throw. Creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage automatically succeed on the saving throw, as do creatures naturally adapted to hot climates. Illya Lillir, a succubus, has been trapped by Azkhell in this pocket dimension. The Fiend was summoned and bound by the powerful spellcaster. Illya is furious about her imprisonment and desperately wishes to kill Azkhell. Illya is only able to exit the chamber if her cage is opened or destroyed. Roleplaying Illya Lillir Illya is desperate to escape and has changed into the form of a fair maiden dressed in white garments. The cage within her chamber keeps her from exiting or entering the Ethereal Plane. If the cage is opened, Illya can leave the pocket dimension. Illya attempts to gain the trust of anyone who enters the pocket dimension, trying to get the person to free her. If she is unsuccessful, she will attempt to charm someone into freeing her, targeting whichever character she perceives to be the most valuable for achieving her aims. Once, she managed to charm Azkhell, and he divulged to her that the true “key” to escaping the room is the release of Thomas’s spirit. Illya guards this knowledge jealously. If her attempts to trick the characters into freeing her fail or if her charms

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a fail, she offers this valuable piece of knowledge as a bargaining chip. If the characters free her, she has no reason to hoard this information and might reveal it to the characters. If freed and allowed to leave, Illya will depart for one of the taverns of Havdhir, plotting her revenge for her entrapment with aims to kill Azkhell. At the Game Master’s discretion, Illya may appear later in the adventure in Havdhir, either as a threat that must be dealt with or as an ally. If her fiendish heritage is revealed, Illya will likely attempt to kill the characters when she is released. Illya Lillir (1 Stat Block) is a neutral evil succubus. Examining the Cage The cage is inscribed with glowing red runes. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals: The runes seem to indicate some form of warding spell that traps creatures within, preventing planar travel. A creature casting the detect magic spell determines that the cage is enchanted with magic from the abjuration school. There are several ways to free Illya: The cage can be opened with the key in Pike Stoneshoulder’s possession in the Dwarven Portal pocket dimension. The cage can be broken. It has AC 18; 27 hit points; immunity to fire, poison, and psychic damage; and damage resistance 5. The lock can be picked. A creature using thieves' tools can open the cage lock with a successful DC 18 Dexterity check. The door can be forced. A creature can force the cage open with a successful DC 25 Strength check. The wards can be disabled. A creature can disable the wards on the cage by succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check to recite an arcane phrase. When the magical wards are disabled, the cage falls apart. The wards can be destroyed by casting an antimagic field or wish spell. (The dispel magic spell is insufficiently powerful.) Loot There is nothing of value in this area. Ancient Portal Exterior This mirror is covered in decaying vines. Coming close to the mirror, you can see an elderly man with a long beard, who closely resembles the man in the portrait of the banquet hall, pacing in a dilapidated ruin. Interior Pressing through the mirror, you find yourself in a crumbling ruin. The room resembles a duplicate of the one you just left; but the stone is worn and cracked, and the mirrors around the chamber are mere piles of rubble. A man dressed in wizard’s robes and sporting a long beard paces the room. He resembles the man in the painting that you saw in the banquet hall, but this man is much, much older; so old that his skin is terribly wrinkled, and his robes are tattered and worn as can only be achieved by a great passing of time. As you enter, he stops pacing and stares at you quizzically before uttering, “Have you come searching for the way further in? I alone know how to pass into the chambers beyond! I, Illuskhell, can show you how!” Illuskhell is pacing this chamber. 188

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 189 Roleplaying Illuskhell Illuskhell is an illusory double of the real Azkhell that’s made to look several decades older than the real wizard is. The illusory double was created by Azkhell purely out of boredom and to test what the double could achieve with a stone of entrapment. Illuskhell (1 Stat Block) is a chaotic neutral Construct. Illuskhell attempts to trick anyone who enters his pocket dimension into touching a small gemstone held within the chamber. He may suggest, “The only way to pass through into the next chamber is by touching THIS: the key! Each of you must touch it in order to pass into the next chamber.” Physical interaction with Illuskhell reveals him to be an illusion, because things can pass through him. A creature that uses its action to examine Illuskhell can determine that he is an illusion with a successful DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, Illuskhell vanishes; and any creature trapped by the stone of entrapment is freed. Examining the Stone A creature casting the detect magic spell determines that the gemstone is magical and the schools of magic are conjuration and illusion. Consequences of Touching the Stone If a creature touches the stone, that creature becomes trapped in another pocket dimension, and an illusory double of it appears in the center area of the Room of Pocket Dimensions, just beyond the Ancient Portal. The illusory double looks, smells, and acts like a real creature. Physical interaction with the illusion reveals it to be an illusion because things can pass through it. If the illusion attacks another creature, the attack appears as though it misses, no matter how high the attack roll. The Game Master is encouraged to pass a note to the player of an illusory character, explaining the following: The character is now trapped within a different pocket dimension, having been replaced by an illusory double that shares the character’s memories but does not want under any circumstances to be found to be fake. If the illusion willingly reveals itself for what it is, it ceases to exist, and the original version dies. A creature that uses its action to examine the illusion can determine that it is an illusion with a successful DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) check, made with advantage. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the illusion vanishes and the creature trapped by the stone of entrapment can exit a portal into the center area of the Room of Pocket Dimensions. The illusory Azkhell serves as a trap for anyone who might try to advance further into the tower. It is possible that one or more of the characters may become trapped in the chamber while the rest journey further into the tower or into other pocket dimensions. At the Game Master's discretion, if all of the characters are trapped, Azkhell might take pity on them, magically releasing them from their entrapment 1d10 days after they are incarcerated. In this case, Azkhell cackles maniacally before teleporting to his private study. The magic of the stone of entrapment is tied to this area of the tower; it becomes an ordinary stone if taken through the portal, at which point any creature trapped by the stone of entrapment is freed and its illusion vanishes. Loot There is nothing of value in this area.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a Basilisk Portal Exterior Two carved snakes curl around the stone frame of the mirror. Each snake has a bit of writing carved into it that reads, “To leave, one must take the place of another; eye for an eye, flesh for stone.” Peering into the cold glass, you see a subterranean chamber filled with statues of small animals. Interior Stepping through the mirror, you find yourself in a dimly-lit, subterranean chamber. The whole of the area is littered with statues and is lit only by the soft light of bioluminescent mushrooms. Examining the Statues The statues appear to be of birds, lizards, insects, and small rodents—all creatures one could expect to find within a tower building. The statues are arranged into intricate displays, stacked on rocks or on top of one another in some form of artistic arrangement. A successful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals: Many of the statues are in actionoriented poses, running as if to escape something, with heads turned back to peer behind them. Gargoth is a unique, sentient basilisk who was created by Azkhell. He prowls this chamber, hiding behind some rocky outcroppings as the characters enter. Gargoth has total cover from creatures that are between him and the portal exit. If a creature moves to the side of the rocky outcropping or behind Gargoth, he can be spotted with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check or a passive Perception of 14 or higher. Roleplaying Gargoth Gargoth is incredibly bored. He spends his time ambushing the small creatures unfortunate enough to fly or crawl through the mirror into his domain, turning them to stone. He then spends countless hours arranging and rearranging his “collection” of creatures. Gargoth subsists largely on the mushrooms growing in this pocket dimension (and occasionally munches on his collection). Gargoth is trapped within the pocket dimension by Azkhell’s magic and can only be released if a Humanoid creature looks into his eyes and is petrified. If Gargoth petrifies a Humanoid, he then attempts to leave the pocket dimension and flee the tower, or fight for his life if necessary. A petrified Humanoid that remains in the pocket dimension for 10 days is magically polymorphed into a sentient basilisk, emerging from the stone as a monster. The transformed creature’s alignment becomes neutral evil; it retains its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores; and it retains any languages it knows. Its statistics are otherwise replaced by those of the new form. The transformed creature can leave the pocket dimension only if it petrifies a Humanoid creature or if it is freed with the wish spell. Gargoth (1 Stat Block) is a neutral evil basilisk. 190

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 191 Once the characters enter the chamber, read the following aloud: A voice echoes within the chamber, “At long last, someone has come into my prison. I beg of you, let me look upon the face of my rescuers. Be not afraid of my appearance, for I am a victim of a horrid curse.” A character can determine that the voice’s owner means them ill with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by Gargoth’s Charisma (Deception) check. Gargoth makes this check with advantage. Loot 10x Statuette of a stone animal (1 gp each) 20x Bioluminescent mushroom (1 sp each)

192 A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 6th Floor Key 1 Dwarven Portal 2 Thorny Portal 3 Ghostly Portal 4 Forest Portal 5 Abyssal Portal 6 Ancient Portal 7 Basilisk Portal Stairs Down 7 5 6 1 2 3 4 1 Square = 5ft.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 193 7th Floor Giant Gelatinous Cube Room Exterior Ascending the stairs, you come to a large iron gate with glass set between the bars, and a key in the lock. The room beyond appears to be empty, but you can see a sword and a bit of bone floating within the chamber as if suspended by some invisible magic. The door can easily be opened. The entire room is filled with a giant gelatinous cube (1 Stat Block). The stairwell beyond the Giant Gelatinous Cube Room leads up to the Library of Rare Texts. The easiest way through the chamber is by slaying the gelatinous cube from afar—launching spells or ranged attacks at it from outside the room. However, Azkhell uses a secret trapdoor to the right of the gate that allows him to bypass the cube if he wants to move up or down the tower. The secret door can be spotted with a successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check. The door opens up to a small side stairway that leads up into the Library of Rare Texts. In his madness, Azkhell has created a creature he believes will stop any foolhardy adventurer from reaching him within his home (he himself having been an adventurer once, he knows how annoying they can be). The cube can be spotted with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. If a character spots the gelatinous cube, read the following aloud: You realize this room is not filled with magic at all but with a massive gelatinous cube that fills the entirety of the room! The cube is trapped within the confines of the room and takes up the entirety of the space. Characters can attempt to swim through the gelatinous cube to reach the far steps that lead up a staircase and into the Library of Rare Texts. While swimming through the cube, the characters are exposed to the gelatinous cube’s Engulf attack. The sword suspended inside the giant gelatinous cube is a sword of the cube. A creature casting the detect magic spell determines that the sword is magical and the schools of magic are evocation and conjuration. Loot Sword of the cube (uncommon) (1 Item)

194 A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 7th Floor Key G Iron Gate, Trapdoor S Floating Sword Stairs Up 1 Square = 5ft. T S

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 195 8th Floor Library of Rare Texts Entering this chamber, you find yourselves once more in a library. The books on the shelves appear to be significantly more ancient than any you have ever seen before, and many are inlaid with gold filigree or semi-precious stones. A creature seemingly formed of rolls of paper wrapped together, all with writing upon them, sits at the center of the chamber at a large desk. It seems to be writing something on one of the scrolls that comprises its form. An incredibly ornate door can be seen at the top of a spiral staircase leading out of the room. The door is carved in intricate patterns and depicts the man you saw in the banquet hall but looking much more healthy. A missive is carved into the door, marring its face with its almost childish lettering: “Stay out if you know what is good for you. None can enter Azkhell’s private study!” Azkhell has a great number of tomes and scrolls at his disposal. His rarest and most expensive texts are held in this room, protected by a scroll golem (1 Stat Block) that serves as a living spellbook for Azkhell. Azkhell has several other backup spellbooks in reserve, which he can utilize to prepare and cast spells even if his scroll golem is destroyed. The scroll golem is the last defender of Azkhell and serves as a lieutenant, or the adventure “boss,” before reaching Azkhell. The staircase leading out of the chamber is enchanted, allowing the scroll golem to forbid or allow access via its magic. Roleplaying the Scroll Golem The scroll golem has instructions not to let anyone pass into Azkhell’s private study. Initially, Azkhell directed the golem to merely prevent those who somehow entered the tower without his permission from venturing further. However, as his paranoia intensified, his instructions changed. Azkhell now commands the golem to “blot out” anyone that enters this level beneath his private chambers located at the top of the tower. Characters may be able to sneak past the golem entirely with a group DC 20 Dexterity (Stealth) check.

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a If the characters attempt to reason with the golem, it communicates through writing, usually spelling out threats or warnings to leave before it attacks. While in the room, the golem can use a reaction to activate the magic of the staircase. Once the magic is activated, unless the golem gives its permission for a character to ascend the stairs or unless the golem is slain, any creature that reaches the top of the stairs is instantly teleported back to the bottom. If the scroll golem attacks, read the following aloud: The books and scrolls within the room rustle, letting out a strange sound like the falling of leaves as the creature lumbers toward you. Its green eyes hover over a face made entirely of paper. The creature makes no sound, but its eyes glow with a malevolence that betrays a murderous intent. The library holds many magical tomes and scrolls. A DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check or a passive Intelligence (Investigation) of 11 or higher reveals a secret compartment in one of the bookshelves holding a book filled with Ancient Dwarvish runes. The book can be read only if the players have a way to decipher the runes. (They were created with ancient dwarven magic, and so cannot be translated using the comprehend languages spell. Knowing Dwarvish doesn’t allow you to read Ancient Dwarvish.) If translated, the runes reveal the following spells: Conjure scroll golem (1 Spell) Painted self (1 Spell) Speed read (1 Spell) Water to rum (1 Spell) Loot Spell scroll (alarm) (common) Spell scroll (detect magic) (common) Spell scroll (illusory script) (common) Spell scroll (mage armor) (common) Spell scroll (glyph of warding) (uncommon) Spellbook containing the spells animate objects, charm person, and detect thoughts (450 gp) DC 11 Intelligence (Investigation) check or a passive Intelligence (Investigation) of 11 or higher Spellbook written in Ancient Dwarvish (550 gp) 196

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 197 8th Floor Key P Portal S Scroll Golem Stairs Up 1 Square = 5ft. S P

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 9th Floor Azkhell’s Private Study Exterior Ascending the final staircase, you come face to face with the gorgeous, ornate door that leads to Azkhell’s private study. The wizard’s face is carved into the wood and glares at you. The phrases “Stay out if you know what is good for you. None can enter Azkhell’s private study!” mar the beautiful craftsmanship, vandalizing it with child-like knife-writing. Certain letters of this missive are underlined for a reason: The letters spell out “knock.” Show the players the depiction of the door, and allow them to study it; or describe some of the letters having deep scratches underneath them, and wait for a player to ask for further information on the door. The door is warded by a glyph of warding spell with explosive runes as the spell glyph. If someone knocks on the door, it opens freely. If someone attacks the door or opens the door without knocking, the explosive runes activate. If the runes activate, each creature within a 10-foot cube directly in front of the door must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Interior Pressing open the door to this chamber, you behold a man seated at a large writing desk. He looks identical to the man depicted on the doorway, albeit his hair is standing out at odd angles. His crimson red robes are adorned with gold accents… and are completely filthy. He smells as if he hasn’t washed in weeks, and his long, gray-speckled beard looks like it might be housing a nest of mice or birds. He appears to be muttering to himself, finishing the last phrases of some form of incantation. As he does so, several items in the room seem to spring to life: a chair walks around, a book flaps through the air on paper wings. The man cackles to himself, “Ah, what fun! What fun! Oh, Azkhell, you’ve done it again! First Chirpee the mechanical bird, now these fine friends! So good to be able to perform my studies… undisturbed…” Azkhell has just finished casting a new spell of his own devising. The spell works like the animate objects spell except that its effects are permanent due to Azkhell tapping into the powers of his tower. Here in his private study, Azkhell works on all manner of new and unusual spells among other creations. Roleplaying Azkhell Azkhell speaks in a crooning voice that cracks from time to time, and he is prone to fits of excitement. Azkhell is completely terrified of the outside and speaks of its dangers frequently. He also suffers from extreme paranoia and an insanity that causes him to behave incredibly erratically, following his whims and drastically changing his demeanor without warning. He might cower in a corner, scream incoherently, cackle, attempt to make friends with the characters, try to summon a weather cloud that rains herring, or anything of the sort during conversation. The Game Master should lean into Azkhell’s agoraphobia, hinting that should he ever be convinced to go outside he might be cured of his madness. While Azkhell usually acts rather insane, he does have moments of clarity, especially when a topic piques his interest; he may be lucid long enough to give the characters the information they need. Alternatively, at the Game Master’s discretion, Azkhell might behave entirely erratically and give the characters no information whatsoever about the curse until his madness is cured (by using a greater restoration spell or more powerful magic to convince him to face his fears and journey outside, which cures his agoraphobia entirely) or until he is calmed by the use of a calm emotions spell, which would suppress the effects of his madness long enough for him to reveal information about the curse of the Usurper. 198

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a 199 Azkhell (1 Stat Block) is a chaotic neutral human. When Azkhell sees the characters, read the following aloud: The wizard looks at you in a state of utter shock. “Who are you? How did you get all the way up here!? I need my privacy! It’s not safe outside! And you… you are from the outside. Who knows what you might have tracked in!?” The wizard’s voice is rising in volume as he speaks, bordering on a shrill scream. It is clear that he is incredibly upset, and magic crackles between his fingertips. Azkhell is enraged and fearfully concerned that someone has entered his private sanctum. The characters have little hope of defeating Azkhell in combat and will likely have to try reasoning with the mage to get him to settle down and help them. A DC 13 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check might calm him down (the DC may vary based on character interactions). Some Game Masters may wish to have Azkhell engage in combat with the characters due to his madness; in this case, the animated objects in the room spring to his aid. It is unlikely that the characters can survive an all-out brawl with Azkhell, so if this occurs, Game Masters are encouraged to stop combat part-way through, with Azkhell suddenly having a moment of clarity and apologizing for attacking the party. At the Game Master’s discretion, if Azkhell sees the cursed mark on one of the characters’ wrists, he becomes fascinated by it. He will break off combat (if it has begun) to observe the mark. If this occurs and if a character mentions the curse to Azkhell, or at a time of the Game Master’s choosing, read the following aloud: Azkhell lets out a hushed gasp, “Ah, something truly worth time and study! You, my friend, have been cursed by a most wicked form of magic! How extraordinary!” Even if the characters have not cast the greater restoration spell on Azkhell, once he has seen the mark, he’s interested enough in what the characters have to say that he can be convinced to exit his tower with a successful DC 18 Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion) check (the DC could vary based on character interaction). It is recommended this interaction be roleplayed, and that in the event of a failure the characters be able to repeat the check as long as they continue roleplaying their attempts to convince Azkhell. Azkhell knows a great deal about the curse of the Usurper and can convey the following information to the players: History “This curse is old… in fact... do you happen to know the tale of the Usurper, the dwarven prince of old? And of the nihidium stone? And the Shjelborn clan? The keys!? …No?... Oh, where to begin… Long ago, there was a mine, one filled with a precious stone called nihidium. It is said that, unbeknownst to the dwarves, this stone had a mind of its own, a dark sentience that allied itself with the son of the king, known now only as the Usurper. This dwarf and others corrupted by this dark stone sought to take the mines of Shjekhel for themselves, but the king made a deal with the dark creature, one that bound it within the mines but cursed him and his lineage for all time. It is said that those of the Shjelborn clan, the royal clan of Shjekhel, return as Undead or as spirits to the mines after they die and that they can pass the curse on to others. Some of the clan hold out hope that the Usurper can be defeated, and thus, the curse removed… which is likely why this curse was passed to you. The last I heard, Vrormir was the last of the Shjelborn clan. If he had died without passing on this curse, the doors of Shjekhel would be reopened and the Usurper set loose upon the world. It is also said that the king split up the key to Shjekhel into three pieces and sent them out from the mines, all in the hopes that the city could never be reopened and the darkness dwelling inside never released.” Removing the Curse “My readings would suggest two things: that the curse laid upon you will likely cause you to die at a rather young age and that the only way to remove it is to kill the Usurper. But to do so, you will have to obtain the three keys of the ancient mines. I recall that one key is in the possession of the queen of the Darklands of Vlaskhell. If you wish to lift your curse, you will have to speak with Queen Vessa. If that is what you seek, you should head cont...

A z k h e l l ’ s A g o r a p h o b i a to the city gates. The road will take you to the path to the Darklands and to the Whispering Wall. Once through, there you can enter the vampire city of Mornhaven and talk with the queen. As for the other keys, I know not, but… Oh, you should take this.” Azkhell pulls a tattered scroll from one of his many shelves, “It’s a partial translation from Ancient Dwarvish. I haven’t made much sense of it myself, but if Shjekhel is your final destination, you may need to know how to read Ancient Dwarvish.” The partial translation Azkhell gives the characters can be used to decipher some of the runes of Ancient Dwarvish, but the characters will need to find more texts in order to translate more of them. The runes of this ancient dwarven dialect are exceedingly special and somewhat magical; a creature that translates them understands the writing as if it were written in a language it understands. Do not use the read-aloud text below until the characters are able to translate the dwarven text in full. The Ancient Dwarvish scroll reads as follows: This is the account of Jorhin the Unquenchable. Before the mining expedition, I packed my box with five dozen liquor jugs, just in case I got a bit thirsty. On the third day of mining I had nearly lost my wits, for I had already drunk all that I had brought. By the ninth day we were pulling nihidium stone from the earth. I never liked the stuff myself—and sober, something about the stone felt evil to me. By the thirteenth day I took my pay and returned to the tavern where I spent most of my earnings on more liquor; I’d been sober far too long. I doubt I will return to mining. I think working as a bouncer at the tavern might be a more interesting and profitable line of work. Azkhell may be able to reveal more information on the history of the curse and the Mines of Shjekhel. Refer to the History of Shjekhel section for more information. By examining the characters, Azkhell can also reveal all the effects of the curse currently afflicting them. Azkhell believes that he can unlock some of the hidden powers of the curse if he has access to more materials. In order to do so, Azkhell requires the “Cursèd Shjekhel” poem and the Recipients of the Curse of the Usurper document to further his research (these items can be found in Orphos’s Lair—see the “Stolen Scrolls” quest beginning on page 127). If the characters bring these documents to Azkhell, he can unlock one of the latent powers of their curse, granting them the Stone Casting (1 Feat) feat. If convinced to leave his tower, Azkhell asks the characters to accompany him and clambers up to the roof of the tower. Loot Gift from Azkhell Ancient Dwarvish partial translation (250 gp) (1 Item) 200 This is the account of Jorhin the Unquenchable. Before the mining expedition, I packed my box with five dozen liquor jugs, just in case I got a bit thirsty. On the third day of mining I had nearly lost my wits, for I had already drunk all that I had brought. By the ninth day we were pulling nihidium stone from the earth. I never liked the stuff myself-and sober, something about the stone felt evil to me. By the thirteenth day I took my pay and returned to the tavern where I spent most of my earnings on more liquor; I'd been sober far too long. I doubt I will return to mining. I think working as a bouncer at the tavern might be a more interesting and profitable line of work. i z q q o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oo o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o i i i o i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i o o o i i o q