(Escape Plan Games) Tavern Tales Vol. 1

150 Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge

Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge 151 Arvad Quillforge (He/Him) Written by: Bailey Sullivan Adventure Level: 5-6 | Players: 3-6 Content Warnings: Murder, Home Invasion The party finds a downtrodden dwarf, a poet named Arvad, suffering from what appears to be a severe case of writer’s block. Arvad informs them that his beloved muse never arrived at the inn where she’d promised to meet him. He urgently needs to find her, as she’s the main source of his inspiration and there’s an important performance scheduled the following week. However, the muse is not quite what she seems, and the clock is ticking, as the party gets lost in an adventure trying to recover the muse in time for the performance. Background To the average passerby, Arvad appears egotistical, but in truth he’s desperately trying to hide the fact that he owes his success to a ghostwriter. He set out from home vowing to become the greatest poet that ever lived, but after being laughed out of several fine establishments and down to his last copper, he decided to team up with the ghost of the high elf Eddawyn Therafyl (She/Her), who, being incorporeal, could not perform her own poems. Arvad became more successful than he initially anticipated, and now he doesn’t know how to drop the lie. He has told no one the truth, and refers to Eddawyn as his muse. Dwarf • Poet Dramatic and seemingly egotistical, though easily flustered. Hides his insecurities behind swagger and bravado. He is wearing fine silks, has a long braided beard, and a feathered cap. Tavern Behavior Arvad can be found settled into a corner booth, with several empty glasses on his table and a pile of scrunched up balls of paper. He’s extremely agitated and fidgety; he’s clearly having trouble concentrating. If asked, the bar staff or any of the regulars will tell players that Arvad has spent the last week anxiously pacing around the tavern, drinking heavily, and boasting loudly about how great his next epic saga will be. Flip, in particular, is somewhat skeptical about Arvad’s claims, but Arvad continues to purchase some of the finest meads and wines that the tavern has to offer- and tips well, too- so they has no complaints to make about the eccentric dwarf. Hook The players are brought into the adventure when Arvad begs one of the party members to give him feedback on a section of his saga.

152 Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge Arvad goes on to explain that he has been invited to perform the first section of his saga (currently untitled) at The Royal Astera theater at sundown in a week from now. If the performance goes well, it could very likely help him find a wealthy patron. He’s heard that the wealthy Sienna Scaldris (she/her) might be interested in his work, and he’d very much like to impress her. He asks that the party go to Eddawyn’s home in the woods to check on her, as he doesn’t want to leave the inn in case she sends him a message in the meantime, but he promises the party the entirety of the profits -500 gp- from the performance, if they manage to find her in time. Preserving his reputation and finding his muse are more important to him than the money. He draws a rough map for them to Eddawyn’s home, about half a day’s walk away, and asks them to leave the next morning at the latest. A Walk in the Woods The walk to Eddawyn’s home is about half a day’s walk away through the woods. The map that Arvad has drawn, although rough, is clear enough. The party must travel an eastward path, then follow along a nearby river, and finally use natural landmarks, including an odd rock formation and an unusual circle of trees, to guide them toward their goal. As the party walks, the GM may roll as many times as they’d like on the following table for potential travel incidents that the party may encounter. d4 Potential Travel Incidents 1 The party finds an overturned cart, with a human skeleton and a shipment of honey from The Neverbee Honey Company. 2 The party gets lost. Roll 1d8 to determine how many hours they are delayed. 3 The party finds a set of clothing, laid meticulously on the rocks near the river, but no one is in sight. In the pockets of the pants is a letter (“Pa's Letter” ) and a recipe for “Magic Tater Soup”. See Appendix A: Handouts. 4 A bridge has collapsed over a 20 foot-deep ravine, forcing the party to cross over a slippery fallen log instead. Adventurers crossing the log must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failed check, they take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and must climb out of the ravine. If the party met no delays in their travels, they will arrive at the spot that Arvad had marked on the map six hours after they set out. If the party was delayed, they may take the opportunity to set up camp before continuing on in the morning. The Poet & The Muse The Poet A sea of grubby adventurers in hoods and leathers, with dried blood speckling their boots and greasy fingers ripping into roasted meats, fills the tavern. Above it all, a delicate silver plume, tucked into a hat atop the head of a 75-yearold dwarven bard, Arvad Quillforge, quivers in the corner. Brocaded purple silks drape over his stout frame, gemstones glitter in the braids of his long auburn beard, and a quill is gripped tightly in his surprisingly delicate, well manicured hand. He sighs, forlornly, over a piece of blank parchment. Arvad begins to write, but it’s not long before he shakes his head and scrunches up the paper, adding it to the pile of rejects. This happens several more times, and Arvad’s expression begins to shift from despair to red-faced rage. His knuckles whiten around his quill, as he violently stabs out words onto the page. Then, Arvad’s fury reaches a crescendo when, in a sudden moment of a passion, he cries out and sweeps an avalanche of papers onto the ground. “Terrible! It’s all terrible!” he cries, before breaking down into sobs. Flustered after having lost his cool, Arvad leaps out of his chair and hastily collects the papers whilst wiping away tears. “Don’t look at those! Avert thine eyes!” he snaps at anyone nearby, before reining in his emotions and settling into an air of calm and polite smiles. “I apologize for my distasteful outburst…it’s just that, usually, my writing comes so naturally to me… excuse me, would you mind giving me feedback on this stanza?” Something about the party caught Arvad’s eye, and he approaches to beg them to critique his poetry, or at least help him with his problem. If the party offers to listen, he clears his throat and uncrumples a ball of paper. “Listen, ye, to my tale cautionary about a dish most cursed and deeply foul. A soup of-” Arvad lets out a groan and re-crumples the paper. “Gods be damned, it’s already stupid! Listen, you have to understand, I’m usually so much better at this.” “I’m certain that you recognize me. I am the widely renowned poet, Arvad Quillforge. Alas, my beloved muse, my dear Eddawyn, has not replied to my letters in quite some time. It’s rather unlike her, and I am deeply concerned about her well-being. As you can see, my writing is not coming as easily to me as I would have liked. My inspiration has been smothered by worries…”

Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge 153 The chest at the foot of the bed is locked. The lock can be picked by making a successful DC 15 Dexterity check with thieves’ tools, or using a key found in the nightstand. Inside of the chest is the skeleton of an elf and a bloodstained green dress. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that, although the books bear the names of many different authors, the bindings of many of the books are emblazoned with a tiny rose insignia. One of these books is entitled The Feast of the Wendigo by Arvad Quillforge. Between the books scampers a little mouse, Reginald (he/him). GM’s note: The insignia is Eddawyn’s calling card for books that she had ghostwritten. The Feast of the Wendigo was written by Eddawyn and inspired by rumors she’d heard of the Wendigo in the woods. After the party has taken a moment to explore, the ghost of the high elf Eddawyn Therafyl reveals herself. A female high-elf lifts herself through the floorboards and appears at the table. Her dark hair floats in a curly halo around her, and she’s dressed in a simple shawl. The moment that she appears, Reginald darts out from the bookshelf and dives into her lap, curling up comfortably. Eddawyn glares at the party. The mouse does too. “Who are you, and why are you in my house?” Eddawyn has very little patience for rude and entitled guests, but she holds out hope that the party might be able to help her. Depending on the party’s response, the GM might have the party roll a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check (or higher, if the party is particularly floundering) to gain her trust. If the party fails, she will attempt to kick the party out of her house unless they can explain their presence. If the party explains that Arvad sent them, Eddawyn rolls her eyes. “I’m not his muse, like he tells everyone. I’m his ghostwriter. And while I hate to keep Arvad waiting, an urgent matter has come up that has taken the entirety of my attention. I have no choice but to attend to this matter before I can help him with his saga. Although, if you assist me in this, I might be able to return to helping Arvad sooner.” A stone cottage tucked between the gnarled trunks of old oak trees. From a distance it appears quaint, even downright cozy, but further investigation reveals it to have been long abandoned. What used to be a garden is a tangle of weeds and wildflowers, and several of the windows have been shattered into threatening shards of jagged glass. Vines of deep red roses twist up the walls of the cottage, climbing through the open windows and poking through holes in the thatched roof, nearly covering it in some places. An overturned wheelbarrow and some rusty gardening supplies are strewn about, as if whoever once cared for the house left abruptly. The door of the cottage is made of cracked and rotting wood, and is barely hanging onto its rusting hinges. If the party attempts to open the door, they will find it unlocked. The Muse As the ghost of Eddawyn Therafyl (She/Her) hears the party approaching, she shifts to the Ethereal Plane, sinks beneath the floorboards, and tries to figure out why they have come. The interior of the cottage consists of a single room, lit by pools of sunlight shining through the thorny, vine-tangled holes in the roof. A bed, nightstand, chest, and wardrobe stand in one corner, and a black kettle, overhanging a cold fireplace full of ashes, stands on the opposite wall. Near the bed, the wood is stained a dark hue. A small cupboard contains some plates and cutlery, but there’s not a crumb to be found in the house. It appears as though its inhabitant has survived off the consumption of knowledge alone, because the walls of the entire cottage are covered with heavily laden bookshelves. Near the door is a small table piled with papers, vials of ink, and several blank books waiting to be filled. One open vial drips ink down its side. Beside it rests a piece of parchment with a quill lying on top of it. The ink on the parchment is still wet, and reads, “Dear Ar-” before cutting off. Tiny rodent footprints in the ink dash across the page and lead off the table, wandering towards the bookshelf before disappearing completely. If the party chooses to investigate the dark hued stain, a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that the stain is blood that’s been scrubbed off the floor.

154 Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge Eddawyn explains to the party that she was murdered several years ago. A halfling thief, wearing a cloak and a scarf over her face, broke into her house to steal her most prized possession: a book that she had been working on for the entirety of a decade, entitled Sword’s Edge: Lesser Known Histories, Mysteries, and Witcheries of Melterra. The thief was startled to see Eddawyn home, and more surprised when Eddawyn took the opportunity to cast burning hands at the intruder. Unfortunately, the thief was too quick, dodged out of the way of the spell, and slipped a dagger through Eddawyn’s rib cage. The next thing that Eddawyn knew, she was hovering over her own body, lying in a pool of blood, and her book was missing. Her ghost has been bound to the interior of the house ever since. Eddawyn thought that discovering her murderer and recovering her work would be impossible, until the thief reappeared three weeks ago at Eddawyn’s home. Eddawyn shifted to the Ethereal Plane and hid, watching and trying to gain more information on the thief. The thief burst through the door [specified earlier] and set to rifling through the bookshelves in search of something. She looked panicked, flinging Eddawyn’s prized books to the floor in a boorish manner that made Eddawyn shudder. It was too much for the elf to bear, so she brought her ghostly powers to bear on the thief (horrifying visage), frightening the thief off. Eddawyn’s familiar, a little brown mouse, followed the thief out of the cottage and through the woods, before the thief jumped into the water of a large pond and vanished beneath the surface. Eddawyn implores the party to help her. She promises that, if they help her to recover her book, make it known to the world, and seek vengeance on her killer, she can get back to helping Arvad with his poem. Not only that, but they can rake in the profits from the sales of the book in her absence if they want, and her soul can perhaps finally be at peace. If the party agrees to help Eddawyn, she allows her familiar, Reginald, to lead the party to where he had last seen the thief. 154

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Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge 157 The following chart should be used to determine how many merrow are in the water. Party Size # of Merrow 3 1 4 2 5 3 6 4 A sunken rowboat sits at the bottom of the pond. Adventurers can locate the rowboat with a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Near the rowboat is the deteriorated skull of an adult human with a knife wedged into it, and a small locked chest that can be unlocked with a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools. The chest contains a scroll in a sealed container and the Burden Bearer's Dagger (see Appendix B: Magic Items). On the hilt of the dagger is a sigil of a cracked skull with plants growing out of it. The scroll is a letter dated 75 years ago (see "Margery's letter" in Appendix A: Handouts). Adventurers who succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check recognize the name of the Scholars of the Awakened Mind, power-hungry necromancers, notorious for the chaos and bloodshed that they caused. The group was eventually eradicated by dedicated adventurers and growing hostilities within the group itself. They were last seen about 50 years ago. Once the party discovers the wooden hatch, they find that it opens easily when pulled, dropping a ladder into the water. The ladder allows the party to climb into a tunnel carved into the rock. Old Ghosts Reginald leads the party through the woods to a curtain of willow trees. Pulling back the vines reveals a large, slightly murky pond, covered in lily pads, leading into a stone grotto. Over the pond, two will-o-wisps flicker. The sound of croaking toads reverberates throughout the area. The pond has a diameter of 100 feet, and extends into a grotto with 20 foot high stone walls. At the northern end of the grotto, 10 feet from the wall, there are two rocks that are 5 feet wide. The westernmost rock is protruding 1 foot out of the water and the easternmost stone protrudes 3 feet out of the water. Reginald waits expectantly at the edge of the pond, pacing around while the party investigates. The hatch to the thief’s den is at the far end of the grotto, on the northern side of the easternmost rock. The hatch is painted grey to match the rock, but can be spotted by those in the rear of the grotto with a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check. Reginald can also help bring the party members to the general area of the hatch if he is brought along. GM’s note: The thief uses Slippers of Spider Climbing to access the hatch, sneaking along the ceiling of the grotto and dropping down on top of the rock that contains the hatch. From the southern bank of the pond, a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that there’s something causing unusual waves in the water. Rolling 12 or higher reveals that the disturbance is caused by merrow. 157

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Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge 159 This is the den of Leta Silverfoot (she/her), the halfling rogue. It was once the gathering place of a band group of necromancers called the Scholars of the Awakened Mind. Leta Silverfoot Leta Silverfoot is a well-regarded thief in the area. She is heavily tattooed, heavily scarred, and wears a sort of dashing half-smile. She takes every opportunity to make a joke, even if it’s not quite appropriate. It can’t quite be said that she has swagger, as she’s much too heavy-handed for that, but there’s something about her that is charming. She’s honest, for a thief, and has an air of sincerity about her. Additionally, she is almost tragically optimistic and will do anything for those she considers to be a friend. The Slide The hatch opens, revealing a rocky slide, slick with mud. The tunnel is a bit short for any creatures medium or larger, necessitating that they lie down in order to make it down the tunnel. Additionally, there is also a rope that follows the length of the tunnel. The tunnel twists and turns a few times, but for the adventurers who chose to slide down, the ride is surprisingly smooth. Those who don’t use the rope for guidance going down the slide must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, or crash into a wall or their comrades on the way down. The Foyer Torches flicker around a circular stone room, about 30 feet in diameter. The room is barren other than a horribly cluttered desk, upon which is a ledger, scattered pieces of grease-stained paper, and a half-eaten roasted chicken sitting directly on the desk. Additionally, there is a dark green wooden door, which appears to be wedged closed by a chandelier that has fallen from the ceiling, scattering halfburned candles across the floor. The rusty chain that held up the chandelier has given way. From behind the door, a light knocking can be heard. If ignored, the knocking gets louder and louder, until it’s banging. If the door is opened, a goblin bursts forth and begins to run in circles around the room. This is Edgar (he/him). Edgar has been entrusted with the key to the rest of the den, and it’s his job to record the names of everyone who enters, and get permission from Leta if they’re not on the list. Edgar keeps the key around his neck and protects it dearly. Leta pays Edgar well for his work and he’s content with his job, although he’s not above bribery, and can be persuaded to allow the party through without violence. If the party does not immediately subdue Edgar, he calms down after a moment and looks the party over, glowering at them. Despite being somewhat rough around the edges, Edgar is extremely excitable and frankly a bit lonely, being an outsider to his own community. If the party is aggressive towards him, he will try to de-escalate the situation, but he will fight as a last resort. He is particularly responsive to entreaties of friendship, as he’s been quite lonely, and has been down here for a while. “You shall not pass without my permission!” In one of Edgar’s pockets is a note (see "Edgar’s Reminder" in Appendix A: Handouts). If the party befriends him, Edgar wants to help the party, but he does not want to fail at his guard duties. Therefore, he dramatically fakes dropping the note from his pocket, directing the party’s attention to it. If the party asks what it’s about, he pretends not to know what they’re talking about. Edgar mutters that he’d gotten stuck inside of the tunnel behind him, as he calmly walks to the ledger and asks the party members their names, checking them against a list on the cluttered desk. He shakes his head sadly in response to any names that the party gives him, and tells them that they have to come back after making an appointment. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that there are no names written in the ledger at all. 2 1 The Den

160 Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge The chest is a mimic, a remnant of the mages who used to live here, that Leta likes to keep around. The mimic will attack anyone attempting to tamper with or open the chest. The door to the west leads to her bedroom. Having heard the party members approaching, Leta Silverfoot (see Appendix C: Stat Blocks) is hiding in a hidden panel in the wall of the main room (4), and can be found with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check, opposed by Leta’s stealth. Leta watches them to see what they might be after, and will eventually attempt to make a sneak attack, to hold one of the party members hostage for information. If Leta is killed or incapacitated, the party finds the Sword’s Edge manuscript, with a circled section detailing the above information, along with Leta’s notes (see "Sword’s Edge" in Appendix A: Handouts). Leta also has the slippers of spider climbing. If Leta is questioned by the party, or figures out that they have come on the behalf of Eddawyn, she explains that she’d been hired to steal Eddawyn’s book, Sword’s Edge, by an unnamed contact. She didn’t intend on killing Eddawyn, but her source had told her that she wouldn’t be home, and she was thrown off by Eddawyn’s presence. Leta is ashamed to admit that she got scared, and it’s been haunting her ever since. After reading the book herself, Leta discovered that her unnamed client who had commissioned her to steal the book likely had dangerous motives, on a larger scale than she’d initially suspected. Among other things, the book suggested that the nobleman, Lord Cornelius McGregor (he/him) of Astera, might have been using a Rod of Rulership, as it dove into local history, and noted the strange behavior among almost everyone who surrounded him. Leta returned to Eddawyn’s home the second time to see if she could find more evidence to support Eddawyn’s findings, swallowing her guilt in returning to the home, but she didn’t find anything before she was scared away. The door Edgar was trapped behind swings open to reveal a small entranceway leading to a dark, dank catacomb, where hundreds, if not thousands, of humanoid bones line the walls of the 10 foot-wide, 150 foot-long hallway. The door locks behind the party upon closing. Many of the bones have different numbers and letters painted on them in red. There is a black stone pedestal in the entryway, containing a note and a large basin. Inscribed on the stone is an image of a cracked skull with flowers growing out of it, similar to the one on the hilt of the dagger that the party may have found earlier. The only light in the room comes from two torches near the edge of the pedestal. To solve Edgar’s riddle, the party members must remove the bones with the letters to spell “SNAKE,” and place them in the basin. If the party members touch the incorrect bones, a skeleton pulls itself together from the bones at the other end of the wall. With every mistake made, the number of skeletons generated doubles, maxing out at 16 skeletons. In addition, any sound louder than quiet speech made after passing the entryway will be considered a mistake, and triggers the formation of more skeletons. When the party makes it to the end of the hall, they find a stone door (AC 17, HP 27). If they solved the riddle, they hear a click as the door is unlocked. If they did not solve the riddle, the door remains magically locked, although the magic can be dispelled or the door can be broken. The skeletons return to their homes in the wall as soon as the party crosses into the next room. Leta’s Living Room This is a relatively ordinary dwelling, despite it being underground. The home contains a bookshelf and chest, a small kitchen and a seating area. 3 4 The Catacombs

Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge 161 5 This simple bedroom shows signs of recent use. The soft glow of the oil lamp on the north wall seems to have recently been filled, and the blankets on the bed have been thrown aside haphazardly. A small half filled glass of water sits on the overturned crate, a makeshift nightstand. A dresser stands against the South wall of the room. Development Adventurers with a passive Perception of 10 or higher hear footsteps approaching. After a moment, a scout and two thugs appear at the door. The scout and thugs work for Lord Cornelius McGregor and have tracked the party’s footsteps from Eddawyn’s cottage to the den, after camping out near the cottage in an attempt to gain more information. They’re ruthless, and have come here for the book and to silence anyone who might know anything about its contents. If Leta has been treated reasonably by the party, she will help the party to fight the attackers, otherwise she will do her best to protect her own life and the stolen book, Sword’s Edge. After the scout and the thugs have been taken care of, if Leta’s still alive she will offer to assist the party, hoping to make reparations for her past deeds. She has the key to the door leading to the catacomb they came in, and they’re free to go with the book in tow. In the scout’s pocket is an intercepted letter from Arvad, addressed to Eddawyn (see "Arvad’s Letter" in Appendix A: Handouts). A Patron’s Dues Eddawyn’s Cottage When the party returns to Eddawyn, she’s thrilled to see they’re carrying her book. If Leta has joined the party, Eddawyn is initially upset to see her there, but can be persuaded to accept Leta’s presence. Eddawyn agrees to begin working on the excerpt from the Saga, although she makes a request of the party. She needs them to report back to Arvad to inform him that she’ll have the work ready for him in time for the performance, but that it will be delivered to the Royal Astera Theater, as she won’t have time to get it to A Trip Away Inn. More importantly, she also would like either the party or Arvad to announce the book at The Royal Astera Theater, after Arvad concludes his performance. She thanks the party sincerely, tells them that, because of them, her soul will soon be at peace, and entrusts the book back to them. Back to A Trip Away When the party returns to A Trip Away Inn, they find Arvad in almost the exact same spot that they’d left him in, except much more drunk. He’s slurring his words and is covered in ink. When the party reports back Eddawyn’s promise to work on the saga, he cries happy tears and hugs the party members gratefully. If the party brings it up, Arvad may admit to the party that he knew that Eddawyn was a ghost, but he didn’t want to scare them off the journey. He does his best to keep the party quiet about the fact that he has a ghostwriter. If asked, Arvad will have heard of Lord Cornelius McGregor. In fact, if Sienna Scaldris (his would-be patron) won’t have him, Arvad hoped to court Lord Cornelius as a patron, hearing that he was wealthy and a fan of the theater. If asked, several other people at the tavern recognize the lord’s name, but no one seems to know much about him. At this point, the party has the opportunity to enjoy some time at the tavern. The performance is scheduled to occur in the next 3 days, so they have some time for some r&r before leaving in the morning, if they travel by horse. Arvad asks the party if they would like to join him in his carriage to Astera for the performance. If they take him up on it, they’re treated to a cushy ride, although they’ll have to stomach Arvad’s boasting for the entirety of the trip. Leta’s Bedroom

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Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge 163 “Excellent performance. Charming, truly. These scoundrels have come here to disturb the order of Astera. That little book that they’re peddling is nothing but lies, dangerous lies. They have colluded with those conspiring to have me murdered. Martin, release my pet(s). Kill the lot of them and burn that book. This show is just getting good.” A hatch opens in the ceiling, and either two or three red dragon wyrmlings fly out, depending on party size. As the wyrmlings descend, most of the patrons run away, apart from several of Lord Cornelius’ guards, who charge the party. The following chart should be used to determine how many enemies the party will face: Party Size # of Wyrmlings # of Guards 3 2 2 4 2 7 5 3 2 6 3 7 Tactics: During the fight, Arvad stands his ground, attempting to dodge attackers, but not fighting himself. He attempts to inspire the party through his poetry, using Bardic Inspiration on his turn in combat. Lord Cornelius McGregor cowers and attempts to use the Rod of Rulership on the party members if the situation allows, but will run away after he realizes that the party can put up a fight. The Royal Astera Theater is a large, lush hall that only the wealthiest patrons attend. There are intricate carvings of fey creatures in the wood paneling, and the stage is framed by luxurious red velvet curtains. If the party asks around, they discover that Lord Cornelius McGregor (uses the noble stat block) has a private box seat, overlooking the stage. Lord Cornelius’ hair is slicked back, he has a pointed beard, and he’s dressed in red silks. He’s surrounded by servants and has the Rod of Rulership in his possession. When Arvad arrives, he finds a package waiting for him containing his saga. However, his face falls upon opening it. The segment entitled “A Centaur’s Dream,” has been water damaged. It can be found in Appendix A: Handouts. He begs the party to help him fix the segment, claiming that the epic won’t make sense without it. The party may each write a line or two, or they can make a DC 14 Charisma (Performance) check. Anyone who writes their own line gets an automatic success. The party earns 800 gp, deducting 50 gp for each failure, and deducting an additional 100 gp if less than half of the party succeeded. Keep note of this number for the party’s potential earnings at the end of the night. Just as the party finishes writing, the lights flicker. It’s time for Arvad to go on. The audience is highly responsive, depending on the success of the party’s writing efforts. A bad segment can ruin the mood of a performance. After Arvad finishes presenting the saga, the party may present Eddawyn’s book as they see fit. However, as they walk out to do so, Lord Cornelius McGregor stands and calls out to the audience. The Royal Astera Theater

With a shaky voice, Arvad says that he has a confession to make. He tells the city that he’s been working with a ghostwriter, Eddawyn Therafyl, and that she truly deserves the credit for all of his work. He’s embarrassed, but also appears relieved. He says that he’ll have to take some writing lessons, and he publicly thanks his new friends for all of their help. Sienna thanks Arvad for his honesty and tells him that, if he ever performs again, in an honest fashion, she’d be happy to give him another chance. He helped make their town a safer place, after all. Rewards Despite Arvad’s confession, he still was paid by the Royal Astera Theater, and gives the party their earnings in the amount determined by their earlier skill check. On Lord Cornelius McGregor, the party may find the rod of rulership and an emerald ring (valued at 1000 gp). They’re lauded as heroes in Astera, and they’re offered free drink and a place to stay for the night. Author’s Acknowledgments This one’s for Joey, my muse, who is definitely not a ghost. Author Bio Bailey is a Chicago-area nerd with a penchant for dumplings and an undying love for the cat that is in charge of her household. When she’s not writing or playing tabletop games with friends, she can be found singing and playing her ukulele, reading, or wandering around the small scraps of nature that Chicago has to offer. Conclusion After the fight, the party sits in the blood-soaked theater. Arvad looks around, pale faced, and mutters, “well, I’m glad that I went with a red velvet vest. Can’t see the blood!” Seeing that the commotion has died down, the curious audience filters back into the theater. The town receives the party warmly for bringing down the dragon(s), but are shocked at Lord Cornelius for having brought violence into their theater in the first place. If the party explains that he’d been using a Rod of Rulership on them, the townsfolk thank them most graciously for their intervention, cheer for the great poet, whom they believe has slain a dragon, and cheer for his friends. If the party chooses to, they have another chance to show off Eddawyn’s book. At this point, Sienna Scaldris approaches Arvad, saying that she’s very interested in his work, and that she loved the entirety of his performance. She intends to offer to sponsor him, but Arvad stops her. 164

Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge 165 Appendix A: Handouts Pa’s Letter Dear Timmy, Yer Ma told me that you were gettin’ yerself into all sorts of trouble these days and that you’ve been ‘specially prone to bad luck. First it was hemorrhoids, and then it was the ladies, and then it was the incident at the well that I dare not repeat. Jus’ all kindsa bad luck that you’ve been havin’. So I took it upon mineself to get to readin’ about how one might go about curin’ bad luck, but they don’t really sell those kinds of books to the general public, or at least not if you don’t have much coin to spare. So I did my best sneakin’ and creepin’ and I tried to slither through a window of a wizard but accidentally flopped like a fish, so I woke the wizard and just had to grab one of the first books I saw before gettin’ fireballed out of the abode. But yer lucky yer Pa is so smart, ‘cause even though the book wasn’t exactly what I was lookin’ for, I used what I learned in the book and mine own smarts to come up with this recipe, just for you. I worked real hard on it, and I know that if you jus’ tried it, things might turn around for you real soon. Don’t taste too bad, neither. In the meantime, you take care, son. Stay away from criminals and lawmen and you’ll be jus’ fine. Love ya kid, Pa Margery’s Letter To the Esteemed Rowenna Danforth, We have received the invitation from the Scholars of the Awakened Mind with great honor. When my daughter saw the dagger on her windowsill with your note, she wept; not for fear, but out of relief. It has been a poor year for crops in our village, and the customary donation would be a great boon to our people. Therefore, my daughter would like to humbly accept your gracious invitation. I send this message with her to deliver to you, after I’ve left her at the entrance that you’ve directed us to. I will advise you that, at times, she lets her fear overcome her, and her emotions get confused. If she gives you any pushback, I promise you that it’s not her true emotions speaking. She has told me many times before that, in her heart, she wants to be the sacrifice, and if she says otherwise, rest assured that she doesn’t mean it. Once again, I must thank you. Dutifully yours, Margery Thanfeldt Magic Tater Soup Ingredients: • 5 taters, peeled and chopped up into little baby tater cubes. • Chopped up root vegetables. Anything you want that you can find whilst riflin’ through gardens will do. After much experimentin’ I find that I’m partial to 1 onion, 3 carrots (peeled), and 1 or 2 stalks of celery. • Salt. Pepper. Whatever else you have that makes things taste good. • 1/3rd cup butter. • ⅓ cup flour. • about 30 ounces of broth of a chicken, made from the bones of a chicken slaughtered under a full moon. • 2 ½ cups fresh cows’ milk. Preferably still warm from the cow to keep the magic nice an’ potent. • ½ cup heavy cream. • 2 hairs of a fey creature (I find this is more edible when chopped extremely finely. I don’t wanna be coughin’ up hairballs.) Steps: 1. Whilst walkin’ in a circle ‘round yer pot and chanting the words, “Magic Tater Soup,” put the taters, vegetables, broth and seasonings into said pot. 2. Whilst still chanting, bring everythin’ to a boil, and leave it cookin’ til the taters are mushy. It’ll take about twenty minutes. But don’t stop chantin’ yet, ‘cause while the taters are boilin’ there’s other stuff to do. 3. Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour. Whip it around with whatever whisking utensil you may have. A coupla twigs oughta do. 4. Add the milk to the pan and stir as it thickens a bit. 5. Once the taters are cooked, mix everything together in the pot, including the heavy cream. 6. Stop chanting. Close your eyes. Slowly stir in the fey hairs, thinking of things that warm your heart. 7. Open your eyes and eat the entire pot within one day. Leave not a drop in the pot. Consuming magic tater soup causes a creature to be transformed into a frog with the lucky feat using the effects of a True Polymorph spell. The effects last for 12 hours or until the magic is somehow dispelled.

166 Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge Edgar’s Reminder Dear Edgar, Thank you so much for your help as my receptionist and guard. You’ve always been an excellent employee, and I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been having trouble remembering the password. The incident with the skeletons was unfortunate, and for that I apologize. While it wouldn’t do to spell out the password in case of prying eyes, I wrote you a little hint below to help jog your memory. Sincerely, L.S. I built my home on corrupted grounds left abandoned for the ages. The walls you see are a bit spellbound, bones of necromancer mages. Among the bones is a secret word that I have hidden just for you. The door through the hall will set you freeif you’ve the answer, you’ll get through. Below’s the riddle, and do your best, For there’s a chance that you may die. Think carefully, for I do suggest you let sleeping skeletons lie. “I have no shoes, but several feet. A mouth but remain most quiet. I have a fork but no spoon to eat my favorite items from my diet. What Am I?” Sword’s Edge An Excerpt from Sword’s Edge: Lesser Known Histories, Mysteries, and Witcheries of Melterra: “... Another notable example is that of Lord Cornelius McGregor. While he’s always been a man of charm and influence in Astera as the lord of a sizeable estate, a particular pattern of events has lead me to believe that he has been unlawfully manipulating citizens for his own personal gain. I find it highly likely that he has been abusing a magical item, most likely a rod of rulership. Many people in Astera have suffered for it, as he seems to be manipulating even government heads, and it appears that much brutality has occurred because of him.” Beneath it, in Leta’s handwriting is scrawled: Employer/McGregor Connection?? Need more info. on McGregor/ how to stop Arvad’s Letter To my Dearest Eddawyn, I hope that you are doing well. It concerns me greatly that you have not provided me with the manuscript on time, as it’s rather unlike you. This is a very big performance coming up at The Royal Astera Theatre and I believe that we might have a patron if we do well! I understand that you may be busy, truly, but I think that you want this as much as I do. Please send word to A Trip Away Inn as soon as you can. Sincerely, Arvad Quillforge A Centaur’s Dream Through fields of ____ and ______ of ________ Night has come to _____ Oh, taste the _______ ___________________ gods and beasts and _____, all have ___________ ________________, _______________ The blood! The blood! Rivers of blood, all________ And then I wake, a ladder set before me eternally bound to this dungeon hell for a centaur’s greatest weakness is a ladder. Appendix A: Handouts (continued)

Chapter 3 | The Tales Arvad Quillforge 167 Appendix C: Stat Blocks Appendix B: Magic Items Appendix C: Stat Blocks (continued) Arvad Quillforge Medium humanoid (dwarf), neutral good Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) | Initiative: +2 | Prof. Bonus: +2 armor class hit points speed 12 (robes) 22 (4d6 + 8) 25 ft. str dex con int wis cha 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 8 (-1) 15 (+2) Saving Throws Dex +4, Cha +4 Skills Acrobatics +4, Performance +4 Damage Resistances poison (dwarven resilience) Senses Darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 9 Languages Common, Dwarvish Song of Rest. If Arvad or any friendly creatures who can hear his performance regain hit points at the end of a short rest by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points. Actions Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft, or range 20/60 ft., Hit: 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage. Bonus Actions Bardic Inspiration. (2/day) A creature (other than Arvad) within 60 ft. that can hear Arvad gains an inspiration die (1d6). For 10 minutes, the creature can add it to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome. Leta Silverfoot Small humanoid (halfling), neutral neutral Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) | Initiative: +3 | Prof. Bonus: +2 armor class hit points speed 14 (leather armor) 65 (10d10 + 10) 25 ft. str dex con int wis cha 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 8 (-1) 13 (+1) 11 (0) Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +1 Skills Acrobatics +5, Stealth +5, Sleight of Hand +5 Condition Resistances advantage on saving throws vs. being frightened Senses Darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11 Languages Common Sneak Attack (1/round). Leta can deal an extra 4d6 damage to one creature she hits with an attack with a finesse or ranged weapon if she has advantage on the attack roll. Leta doesn’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 ft. of it, or if that enemy is incapacitated and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll. Evasion. When Leta is subjected to an effect that allows her to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, she instead takes no damage if she succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if she fails. Actions Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage. Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 150/600 ft., Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage. Bonus Actions Cunning Action. Leta can take a bonus action on each of her turns to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action. Reactions Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker that Leta can see hits her with an attack, she can use her reaction to halve the attack’s damage against her. Burden Bearer’s Dagger Weapon (dagger), rare The dagger is a magic item, initially intended to be used for live sacrifices by a necromancer cult, the Scholars of the Awakened Mind. Anyone who is injured by this dagger must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw, or be charmed for one round, feeling a deep sense of calm and a lack of willingness to fight back. On a successful save, the dagger will not affect the target again.

168 Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon

Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon 169 Kyra Truemoon (She/Her) Written by: Lynne M. Meyer Adventure Level: 6-7 | Players: 3-5 Content Warnings: Emotional Abuse, Paranormal Activity Deep in the forest, a castle has been overtaken by evil. The resident dowager, bitterly jealous of her daughter, has slowly poisoned the mind of her son-in-law, turning his heart cold as stone. Life in the castle became miserable for all who lived there, including a young diviner and the steward, who watched, heartbroken, as the warm, good-hearted daughter was subjected to scorn and indifference. The trio fell in love. When the dowager died they planned their escape, but the mother’s jealousy and bitterness proved more powerful than the grave. Now, two of the three are trapped inside, imprisoned by a terrifying spirit and the man corrupted by its influence. The diviner begs the adventurers to save her loves before it’s too late, and to put the spirit to rest. Background Nestled in the forests to the west of the tavern stands Castle Ardelean. Five years ago, Lord Ardelean died, leaving behind Lady Amara Ardelean, and their daughter, Ileana. Resenting her husband’s death, and unwilling to see her daughter subsequently leave her through marriage, Lady Ardelean arranged for Ileana to marry one of her late husband’s knights, Sir Blake, a man of good standing but little fortune. All too grateful to his new mother-in-law, Sir Blake readily agreed to make Castle Ardelean the couple’s home. The marriage was happy enough at first, with Ileana and Sir Blake finding friendship and physical pleasure in each other. However, Lady Ardelean resented her daughter’s deepening contentment, her heart more consumed by envy and hatred with the passage of each day. But there was more. For generations, the worthy descendants of House Ardelean have been blessed with magical gifts, fueled by a pact made between Andrei Ardelean and a clan of grateful sprites. Consumed by jealousy, Lady Ardelean strove to suppress Ileana’s awakening and freedom, making her son-in-law an accomplice by corrupting his once-pure heart. Even after Human • Diviner in service to House Ardelean. Kind and generous, always ready to help others in need. Radiates a quiet self-confidence. Adept at keeping secrets. An attractive woman in her late 20s. Long black hair and gray eyes. Of a soft, moderate build, standing a little over five-and-a-half feet tall. Lady Ardelean’s death, Sir Blake remains cold and callous towards his former beloved. Kyra watched helplessly as Ileana was subjected to scorn, indifference, and cruelty by her mother and husband, and her own heart broke. So, too, did the good heart of the castle steward, Sir Cefin. The three of them fell in love. When the Dowager Ardelean died, it looked as though the time was right for them at last. Sir Cefin confronted Sir Blake, but Dowager Ardelean’s spirit came to Sir Blake’s aid; even in death refusing her daughter happiness. In the fray, Ileana disappeared from her chambers; Sir Cefin was subdued and thrown in the castle dungeon, where still he lies, injured. Kyra knows he’s alive but weakening. Ileana is alive, but she’s not sure where. Not all of her sending spells seem to make it through to her, and scrying reveals nothing. Thanks to Kyra’s powers of divination, she knows which band of heroes she’s waiting to see arrive at the tavern. She believes they are the ones called to defeat the evil plaguing Castle Ardelean. Tavern Behavior Clad in fine robes in shades of blue, black, and silver, Kyra sips a drink, her black hair draped over her shoulders. She appears tired and concerned, but her gray eyes watch everything keenly. Her presence in the tavern is hard to miss, even though she sits quietly in one corner. She’s chosen a table large enough for many, despite being alone. When patrons other than the party ask to borrow one of the chairs, she politely declines, saying she’s awaiting friends.

170 Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon In the Shadow of the Cursed If the adventurers approach her, Kyra seems unsurprised to see them. It is the first time she visibly relaxes, as if something she has been awaiting has come to pass. “Greetings, friends. I’m so glad you’ve arrived. There’s no time to waste. Sit, and I will tell you all you need to know.” If they don’t approach her, Kyra taps the small red ball on her table, and hands her server a note. A few moments later, one of the Two Timing Twins brings the note to the party, along with a round of drinks. Written in gracious hand, the note reads: “Greetings, friends. I’m so glad you’ve arrived. There’s no time to waste. Come and I will tell you all you need to know.” Dramatis Personae Dowager Amara Ardelean (CE female human ghost, she/ her): late wife of Lord Codrin Ardelean, and mother to Ileana. Once the epitome of elegance, but always somewhat aloof even at her best. After her husband’s death, her loneliness, jealousy, and bitterness made her cruel. Sir Blake Barrett (CE male human veteran, he/him): knight, formerly in service to Lord Codrin Ardelean, now married to Lady Ileana. In his early thirties he’s tall, lean but strong, with short black hair a thin mustache, and a trimmed beard that frames his narrow jawline. His piercing blue eyes bespeak the coldness of his soul. With the death of the Dowager Ardelean, he and Ileana are the new lord and lady of Castle Ardelean. Sir Cefin Connolly (NG male human knight, he/him): steward of Castle Ardelean. Of approximate age to Sir Blake, he’s tall, strong, and solidly built, and wears his long, auburn hair pulled into a neat ponytail. His beard and mustache are slightly more pronounced than Sir Blake’s. While undeniably a gentleman in appearance and demeanor, those who look upon him know, without a doubt, that he is more than capable in a fight. His blue eyes miss little. In love with Ileana Barrett and Kyra Truemoon. Lady Ileana Ardelean Barrett (NG female human sprite sorcerer, she/her - see included stat block): daughter of the late Lord and Lady Ardelean, and unhappy wife to Sir Blake. Through Kyra, she recently learned of the magical legacy she carries as a scion of House Ardelean. In her midtwenties, she’s slightly shorter than average in height, with an athletic, medium build, curious green eyes, and platinum blonde hair in a bob cut, that hints at the free spirit she tries desperately to retain, in spite of her circumstances. In love with Kyra Truemoon and Cefin Connolly. The party learns of a haunted castle in a forest, and people in need of rescue from it. The adventurers soon discover that getting to Castle Ardelean won’t be as easy as they think. The Diviner’s Plea From her bag, she pulls a round object, wrapped in soft cloth, and a metal stand which she places on the table. As you watch, she unwraps the bundle to reveal a crystal ball, which she rests gently on the stand. She looks at you in earnest. “My name is Kyra Truemoon. Until a few days ago, I was in the employ of the lord and lady of Castle Ardelean, located in the forest to the west. It was once a beautiful place, home to an ancient and good family. But now it is in the grip of evil, and I need your help.” A tear begins to form in her eye. She stiffens her resolve, and continues, motioning to the crystal ball before her. “I’m a diviner. The late Dowager Ardelean hired me because I have the ability to see what others cannot. My curse is that, although I can see, I do not have the power to save the ones I love.” In addition to the information provided in the Adventure Background, Kyra conveys the following: • Castle Ardelean is approximately two days away by foot. Getting there requires going deep into the forest. • Ileana is descended from a long line of sorcerers on her father’s side, but only discovered this recently, when she began showing signs of magical ability. Kyra found timeworn journals in the castle library, which told the story of how the first Ardelean, by defeating a green hag in the forest, earned the unending respect of a clan of sprites who also made the forest their home. For his aid, they granted a boon to him, as well as to all in his line to come who were of good and pure heart. Kyra brought this information to Ileana. • Kyra also found reference to a powerful staff, passed down through the Ardelean line, and discovered where Dowager Ardelean had hidden it. However, before she could bring it to Ileana, Kyra had to make her escape. She placed the staff in a chest in her own chambers, guarded by an arcane lock. Only a rightful scion of House Ardelean can open it. Kyra offers each member of the party virtually all she has - 200 gp each, in coin and gems, as well as her services as a diviner once in the future, at a time of their choosing - to rescue Lady Ileana and Sir Cefin, and put the spirit of Dowager Ardelean to rest. If the party accepts, she tells them where to find the dungeon, as well as Lady Ileana’s chambers. She advises them to find Ileana first, because she can help. Hook

Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon 171 Travel through the forested lands surrounding Castle Ardelean begins smoothly. However, as the party draws closer to its destination, hidden dangers are revealed. A day into your travel, you’re deep into the thick, verdant forest. The trip has gone smoothly, and the heady scent of evergreens and earth both invigorates and soothes your spirits. But now, as you continue forward, you begin to notice more knobby roots underfoot. The breeze shifts, and from somewhere - you’re not sure where - comes the smell of rotting wood; fallen branches decaying in a still pond nearby. Night is falling soon. GM’s note: The wendigo from Muninn/Vincent Rews’ tale can also be found in these woods. Whether running this adventure before or after that one, the creepiness of this setting can be added to by hinting at the presence of these other beings and their activities. Once night falls, and the party has either made camp or - if they choose to press on through the night - paused for a break: The forest, so welcoming by day, seems less so now. You’re grateful for the warmth and light of your fire (if the party has elected to light one), though somehow the flickering of the flames makes the night more ominous, as you think of your task ahead. An owl’s cry carries on the wind, as it weaves through the trees. On a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check, the characters hear the snapping of a twig and the flutter of wings unseen. Suddenly, five stirges burst from the trees and move to attack the party. Tactics: On a successful attack, each stirge latches onto its target and uses its Blood Drain ability. On a missed attack, it flies up and attempts to stay out of the reach of its target until the stirge’s next turn, when it tries to attack again. The swarm continues to attack until all of them have been defeated. When the last stirge falls: From among the trees, you hear the distant sound of voices. Small lights pierce the darkness. On a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check, characters hear the voices but cannot discern what is being said; on a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, they hear what sounds like a small party of travelers in distress. If the characters call out to the source of the voices, they get no response. Characters who succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check realize that this is a trap. On a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) or (Religion) check, characters discern they are about to encounter will o’ wisps unless they take steps to avoid them. Four will o’ wisps have targeted the party, attempting to lure them away from the clearing and into the thick of the trees. Tactics: If one or more of the characters gets within range to potentially identify the will o’ wisps as mere balls of light, or if the characters refuse to go investigate the mysterious sounds and light seeming to come from amongst the trees, choosing instead to remain by the campfire, the will o’ wisps use their Invisibility ability before attacking. Development Emerging from the forest, the party finally sees Castle Ardelean. Into the Woods

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Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon 173 The Court of the Forsaken Bride Castle Ardelean is every bit the place of beauty that Kyra described, but looks can be deceiving. Boundary Stones Castle Ardelean towers above the tree line, its elaborate stonework a striking contrast to the greenery surrounding it. At once delicate and intimidating, its pointed arches, large windows, and ornate, fantastical sculptures give this place an otherworldly feel. A river flows below the long, narrow stone bridge which leads to the only entrance. No guards appear to be on watch; no staff can be seen on the grounds. An unnatural quiet seems to have descended on this place. The bridge is 65 feet long and 10 feet wide. As soon as the characters move within 60 feet of the castle, Dowager Ardelean’s ghost sees them but does not attack until they attempt to enter the building. Instead she alerts her allies, three gargoyles, who perch 30 feet above on the castle exterior’s front wall. Tactics: The gargoyles, delighted by new prey, study the characters as the party moves closer to the castle. They first target any spellcasters or good-aligned party members. Whether the characters defeat the gargoyles and continue on toward the gate, or try to evade the gargoyles and enter the castle by another means, as soon as one or more of the characters touch the castle walls, they are confronted by Dowager Ardelean’s ghost. Dowager Ardelean uses the ghost stat block. She moves through the door or wall to appear in front of the character. She uses her Horrifying Visage action on each of the characters to attempt to scare them away, then disappears again into the castle. Unseen Servants A castle that’s been home to generations of spellcasters might have a few alarm systems, especially if an angry ghost has anything to say about it. The Ghost of Dowager Ardelean At the core of her evil is an unresolved loneliness, an anger at being abandoned by her husband when he died. She was alone and miserable, and her daughter's happiness and prospects for a wonderful future were too much to bear. Characters with high Charisma or Wisdom may take an empathetic approach toward this ghost. Getting through to her is difficult - if she’s present with the characters, she’s sure to be attacking unless actively prevented from doing so by a spell or other means - but it is possible. On a DC 25 Charisma (Persuasion) check, characters might, for example, help her resolve her anger, or convince her to move on to the afterlife and reunite with her husband. If that fails, on a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) or (Religion) check a character realizes that there is still one more option: An exorcism. GM’s note: exorcisms can be attempted by characters with at least one level in Cleric, Warlock, Paladin or Druid. Allow other classes at your discretion, if you feel that a character has a reasonable basis from which to draw experience dealing with the spiritual realm. Exorcisms are complicated. Setting up for the ritual requires an hour of in-game time and three successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) or (Religion) checks; these need not be successive. If three failures occur prior to three successes, the setup is flawed and will not work. The process must begin anew, costing an additional hour of in-game time. Once the ritual components are ready, the character conducting the exorcism must bind the Dowager Ardelean’s spirit. Doing so requires three successful DC 15 Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration on the ritual; they need not be successive. If three failures occur prior to three successes, the spirit is not bound. GM’s note: in between binding attempts, roll for the Dowager Ardelean. On Initiative 20 she attempts to possess the exorcist. Give this battle between the ghost and the exorcist more drama and excitement for the other characters by adding in elements that affect other aspects of the scene. For example: • Furniture might turn over or fly across the room • Holy symbols catch fire • Windows shatter • Curtains or tapestries billow in a sudden wind Have other characters assist with the exorcist’s concentration by countering these effects (putting out fires, for example). If the exorcism fails, this part of the party’s quest task goes unresolved until Kyra can find a way to try again.

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Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon 175 1 Colorful banners and tapestries adorn the walls of the grand hall, candles in tall stands and ornate sconces provide illumination, and richly detailed rugs soften the stone floor beneath your feet - and yet each of you feels a chill. Ardelean history is on proud display here. Centuriesold suits of armor line both sides of the hall, for visitors to admire. A pair of swords belonging to the first Lord Ardelean are mounted high on the center of the wall to your right, along with an ornate plaque detailing his many accomplishments. On the opposite wall is a large portrait of the late Lord Codrin Ardelean. Underneath it, you see what appears to be a makeshift altar covered in lit votive candles. Dowager Ardelean’s portrait is to the left. To the right, where once a third portrait might have hung, you see only an empty space. Making your way into the castle, you’re surprised to see no guards around. In fact, the entire building seems understaffed and quiet. The sickly scent of perfume suddenly fills the air. From a staircase at the end of the grand hall, you hear the echoing of footsteps followed by a bit of tense conversation, too faint to make out clearly. The grand hall is 40 feet long by 30 feet wide. Within it there are six suits of animated armor: four on the wall to the west, and two flanking a pair of (loosely) mounted flying swords. A rug of smothering is in the center of the floor. From the grand hall, characters can choose to look for Lady Ileana, which means going up the staircase where they heard the footsteps, or head below to free Sir Cefin. As soon as the party takes a step in either direction, the unseen Dowager Ardelean directs the creatures to attack. After the animated objects are defeated the Dowager Ardelean remains hidden and follows the party. GM’s note: The animated armor, rug of smothering, and flying swords are used here to suggest Dowager Ardelean’s angry defense of the castle. A ghost’s Possession ability wouldn’t normally allow it to possess non-humanoid creatures, but for the sake of flavor, have fun making the characters feel as though they are under attack by a haunted house. When in actuality it is Dowager Ardelean throwing objects and trying to frighten the characters. Development If they remember Kyra’s advice, the party should try to find Lady Ileana first. If they choose otherwise, adjust the order of the next section accordingly. The Grand Hall Rise of the Scion Banished Hearts The race is on for the party to find and free Lady Ileana and Sir Cefin, and somehow to put the Dowager Ardelean to rest, before Sir Blake can stop it from happening. Lady Ileana and Sir Blake haven’t shared a bedchamber in two years; though they remain on the same floor, Sir Blake made sure to move her to a room as far from his as possible. The last that Kyra or Sir Cefin saw of Lady Ileana, she had been hurled into her bedchamber by Sir Blake and locked inside. Upstairs Hallways With Kyra’s directions the room is easy to find; getting to it is another matter. The spiral corner staircase opens into two long, narrow hallways. The two bedchambers are on opposing corners from one another. Turning south leads to Lady Ileana’s (6); turning north leads to Sir Blake’s (3). (2A) From the top of the staircase, characters making a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check notice that just outside of Lady Ileana’s bedchamber (6), a fragile glass orb is precariously perched on a pedestal; on a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check, characters realize that strong enough vibrations can cause the orb to fall and shatter. Casting detect magic reveals that the orb is emanating a conjuration aura. Combat, running, or other activities cause the orb to fall. Shattering the orb triggers the web spell. Countermeasures: casting dispel magic is the easiest way to disarm the trap, but a spell or other effect to protect the orb from shattering, such as feather fall, also works. Likewise, a successful DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check allows a character to remove the orb without breaking it. (2B) Once past the trap (2A), characters come upon the locked door. Picking the lock requires a successful DC 15 Dexterity check using thieves' tools, it is strangely easier than the characters expect. Sir Blake’s Bedroom On a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check, the characters hear Sir Blake moving around near his bedchamber. They must move quietly and quickly before he, or Dowager Ardelean, interrupt their attempts. 2 3

176 Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon The Dowager Ardelean’s former bedchamber is to the west of Sir Blake’s, away from Lady Ileana’s. Characters who explore her chamber and succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check gain advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks to understand how to put her spirit to rest. The door to her room is worn, damaged from repeated slamming. The interior shows evidence of a woman in mourning: A once-fine dress, seemingly untouched but out of fashion, hangs on display; on the writing desk is a locket, opened to reveal a small portrait of a young couple on their wedding day. The woman in the portrait wears a dress identical to the one hanging along the wall. Also on the desk is a journal, in which the Dowager Ardelean chronicled her increasing loneliness and resentment. Smashed on the floor is the missing portrait of Lady Ileana and Sir Blake. Dowager Ardelean’s Room Kyra’s Bedroom This small, well kept bedroom belonged to Kyra Truemoon. A large wooden treasure chest at the foot of the bed. The arcane lock clasp glows with a gentle blue light. The chest is under the effects of an arcane lock spell and will only open for Kyra Truemoon or Lady Ileana. The chest contains The Ancestral Staff of House Ardelean. 4 5 176

Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon 177 Entering the room, you see no sign of Lady Ileana. It’s definitely her bedchamber - most of her things are still visible in it - but the room seems unoccupied. Casting detect magic on the room reveals a major source of magic is present, and it’s coming from the four-foot-tall mirror along the far wall. This is a mirror of life trapping. When characters are in the room, make note of who looks in the direction of - and especially directly at - the mirror. If Sir Blake arrives and activates it, characters looking in the mirror risk being trapped in it. If players are at a loss as to what to do, a successful DC 15 Intelligence check provides a moment of insight, based on Kyra’s clues: Lady Ileana is probably still alive, was last seen entering this room but not leaving it, and can sometimes be reached via sending but not scrying. She may be trapped on another plane! They can try calling Lady Ileana’s name and see if she responds. If they do this within 5 feet of the mirror, Lady Ileana appears as an image on the mirror’s surface; she and the characters can then communicate normally. Lady Ileana explains that she heard her husband speak a strange word, and the next thing she knew she was trapped in this space. Other staff who tried to come to her aid were trapped with her. There are twelve cells in the mirror; Ileana and the staff trapped with her fill ten of them. While they remain in the mirror, there is enough room to trap up to two members of the party. If the mirror traps a creature while all of the cells are occupied, the mirror frees one trapped creature at random to accommodate the new prisoner. Sir Blake knows this, and despite the risk of freeing Ileana attempts to save himself by trapping as many of the characters as he can. If Sir Blake traps more than two members of the party, roll a d10 to see who is freed from the mirror: 1. Laundry maid (commoner) 2 - 4. Chamber maid (commoner) 5. Lady-in-waiting (noble) 6. Butler (noble) 7. Page (commoner) 8. Watchman (guard) 9. Watchman (guard) 10. Lady Ileana Lady Illeana’s Bedroom Characters succeeding on a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check recognize the mirror for what it is, and realize that freeing Ileana and the others from the mirror requires either speaking the correct command word or shattering it; on a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check, a character also knows the command word to release those trapped inside: “salvo”. Upon inspection of the mirror, a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the word 'salvo' written in elaborate script, disguised as part of the decorative border on the mirror’s edge. Sir Blake remains close enough to be in danger of discovering the party; the characters must move quickly and quietly. On a successful group stealth check versus Sir Blake’s DC 12 passive Perception, they remain undetected for 10 minutes, at which point Sir Blake comes within range. If the characters take too long in Ileana’s room, or if they shatter the mirror of life trapping to free Ileana, Sir Blake (veteran) discovers them and attacks. Tactics: Stealthy and cunning, Sir Blake’s first action is to activate the mirror by saying its command word, “Naeledra!” [neel-ed-ra] - the Ardelean surname backwards - to try and trap as many members of the party as possible, before they can do him damage. His love for his wife long ago replaced by scorn, Sir Blake fights to the death to keep the position and prestige this marriage grants him; if Ileana is found alive, and the truth about him is revealed, he knows he’ll lose everything. The ring of mind shielding he wears, invisibly, has allowed his corrupted heart and thoughts to escape detection. However, faced with witnesses who are not beholden to him, he has become desperate. The Dowager Ardelean’s ghost assists him in his fight as long as she can, or until he drops. If she is above 0 hit points when Sir Blake falls dead or unconscious, she flees to another part of the castle. GM’s note: if the characters free Lady Ileana at any time during this encounter, they should remember to tell her about the staff hidden in Kyra’s room. Lady Ileana is the only one who can open the arcane lock easily and retrieve the weapon. If they forget, have Lady Ileana tell the party that Kyra (by way of sending) informed her that she left something for her, and dash down the hall to get it. If the fight is going badly for the characters, Lady Ileana can then return and assist. 6

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Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon 179 (8A) The door to Sir Cefin’s cell (10) is locked (DC 20) and trapped with a Motion Sensing Trap. When the eye sees movement within its periphery range 5 feet on either side of the 1 foot eye), 12 poison arrows fire from the openings in the wall. On a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check characters see next to the door, an enchanted eyeball watching the hallway in front of Sir Cefin’s Cell; on either side of it appear to be stone slabs of a similar height. On a DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check, characters also see a series of small openings in the wall, and near the entrance to the room a mechanism of some kind. Effect: +5 to hit against one target, 10 (2d10) piercing damage and 10 (2d10) poison damage. Countermeasures: casting detect magic reveals an aura of divination magic on the eye. A successful dispel magic (DC 14) cast on the eye disables the trap. Plugging the arrow holes with cloth or other material prevents them from firing. Disengaging the mechanism without a key requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools; doing so causes the stone slabs to close over the eye. Empty Cells Each of these cells shows sign of use at some point, but are now unoccupied. Sir Cefin’s Cell Sir Cefin is here, injured, weakened, and wearing manacles requiring a successful DC 20 Dexterity check with thieves' tools to unlock, but still alert enough to be surprised to see anyone other than a guard enter. He stands, and tries to take a closer look at you. “Wait!” he calls out. “Don’t move. Look.” He motions. “To your right.” Rites of Passage If Dowager Ardelean has not somehow already been destroyed or forced to permanently flee, her spirit is still in the castle and must be dealt with. In the lowest level of Castle Ardelean, Sir Cefin lies injured in a holding cell. Following Kyra’s instructions, you quickly find your way through the winding stairways and hallways to the dungeon below the castle. Sir Cefin, you’re sure, is behind one of these locked doors (10). There are torches on either side, and a small crystal above the keyhole. Dungeon Keeper’s Office The stone stairway leading to the dungeon opens to a small office and processing area with a long wooden desk at the base. The room seems to have been unused for many years and has fallen into disrepair. A locked door (7A) to the South opens into the dungeon’s cell block. (7A) This is a Teleportation Trap. Any creature that touches the door must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be teleported into the same dungeon and cell as Sir Cefin (10). Casting detect magic reveals that the door is emanating an aura of conjuration magic from its surface. Casting dispel magic (DC 10) destroys the trap. Picking the lock of this door is relatively easy with a successful DC 15 (Thieves’ Tools) check, and for a good reason. Dungeon Hallway The door opens, and you see before you a dimly lit hallway full of holding cells. Knight Terrors 7 8 9 10

180 Chapter 3 | The Tales Kyra Truemoon Conclusion If Ileana is free and Blake is alive, castle guards, seeing that Ileana is alive and hearing her testimony, take Blake into custody. While putting manacles on him, the ring of mind shielding is discovered. If Ileana is free and Amara is put to rest or exorcised, the happy trio reunite at the now-peaceful Castle Ardelean, ready to make new lives together. If Amara is still not at peace, she continues to haunt the castle. Ileana, if freed, re-establishes herself in a new location until Amara is gone, making a new and happy life with her loves. If Ileana has not been freed but Blake is dead, and Amara is put to rest or exorcised, Kyra returns to Castle Ardelean and eventually discovers the key to freeing Ileana from the mirror. The three lovers then live happily in Castle Ardelean. If Ileana has not been freed, Blake is alive, Amara continues to haunt the castle, but Cefin has been rescued, Cefin and Kyra try again to mount a rescue of their love. Rewards Monsters XP Stirge (5) 25 each Will o’ Wisp (4) 450 each Ghost (1) 1,100 Gargoyle (4) 450 each Flying Sword (2) 50 each Animated Armor (6) 200 each Rug of Smothering (1) 450 Freeing Ileana from the mirror of life trapping 2,000 Veteran 700 Freeing Sir Cefin 2,000 Exorcism of Dowager Ardelean’s Ghost 3,000 • ring of mind shielding • 200 gp (per character) in assorted gems and coin Truemoon Boon If the party successfully rescues both Lady Ileana and Sir Cefin, Kyra grants each character in the party this boon, granting each of them one use of her services as a diviner, at a time of their choosing. Kyra Truemoon Medium humanoid (human), lawful good Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) | Initiative: +1 | Prof. Bonus: +3 armor class hit points speed 11 (robes) 36 (8d8) 30 ft. str dex con int wis cha 10 (0) 12 (+1) 10 (0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +5 Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Investigation +6, Religion +6 Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Elvish Proficiency Bonus +3 Potent Cantrips. Kyra Truemoon can add her spellcasting ability modifier to the damage she deals with any cantrip. Spellcasting | Save DC: 14 | Attack Bonus: +6 Kyra Truemoon is a 7th-level Intelligence based spellcaster. Action Spells Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, mage hand, minor illusion 1st level (1/day each): burning hands, sleep 2nd level (1/day each): detect thoughts, invisibility 3rd level (1/day each): clairvoyance, sending 4th level (1/day): divination Reaction Spells 1st level (2/day): shield Actions Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage, or 5 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands. If any members of the party aged as a consequence of the Dowager Ardelean’s Horrifying Visage ability, Lady Ileana uses her pendant of restoration to reverse the effect on as many characters as time and circumstances allow. This intricately detailed antique gold pendant looks like a dragonfly, and is enameled in bright colors. The two large eyes of the dragonfly look like gemstones, but upon magical inspection are revealed to be beads of favor, as would be found on a necklace of prayer beads. Sprite Sorcerer Restoration Appendix A: Stat Blocks

Author’s Notes & Acknowledgments There’s a part of me in both Ileana and Kyra. I’m no stranger to emotional abuse at the hands of those who were supposed to love and care for me, and I know well what it’s like to desperately want to come to the aid of those I love who are being subjected to such cruelty. And though it hurts to admit it, sometimes - like the Dowager Ardelean - I’ve been trapped in a prison built of my own pain and hurt and lashed out at others unjustly. As easy as it would be to say that Dowager Ardelean is evil, to do so would be inaccurate. Her actions by the end of her life, and in the afterlife, may be described as such, but her story is a reminder of the dangers that come with pain unaddressed. Sir Blake is a cautionary example of love forfeited in the name of fear and greed. The romance of Lady Ileana, Kyra, and Sir Cefin exemplifies the best that love, in whatever form it may take, can inspire in us. My deep gratitude to blogger Rocinante, of the blog THE LAST DAY DAWNED, for providing incredibly helpful rules for haunting, possession, and exorcism. Ileana Ardelean Barret, sprite sorcerer Medium humanoid (human), neutral good Challenge 2 (450 XP) | Initiative: 0 | Prof. Bonus: +2 armor class hit points speed 10 65 (10d10 + 10) 30 ft. str dex con int wis cha 10 (0) 10 (0) 13 (+1) 10 (0) 14 (+2) 11 (0) Saving Throws Con +3, Cha +2 Skills Insight +4, Nature +2 Senses passive Perception 12 Languages Common, Sylvan Spellcasting | Save DC: 12 | Attack Bonus: +4 Ileana is a 1st-level Wisdom based spellcaster. Sprite sorcerers share much in common with druids, though they do not have access to the Druidic language. As a sprite sorcerer, Ileana has the following spells prepared: Action Spells Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, message, poison spray, true strike 1st level (1/day each): detect evil and good, detect poison and disease, sleep Bonus Action Spells Cantrips (at will): shillelagh Actions Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage, 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage if wielded with two hands, or 6 (1d8 +2) bludgeoning damage with shillelagh. Ancestral Weapon. Ileana’s quarterstaff is the Ancestral Staff of House Ardelean. Ancestral Staff of House Ardelean Staff, rare (requires attunement by a Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard) This staff has 10 charges and regains 1d6 + 4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1 or a 2 the staff crumbles to dust. Spells. While holding the staff, you can use an action to expend some of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: giant insect (4 charges) insect plague (5 charges), or conjure swarm (5 charges) Insect Cloud. While holding the staff, you can use an action and expend 1 charge to cause a swarm of harmless flying insects to spread out in a 30 foot radius from you. The insects remain for 10 minutes, making the area heavily obscured for creatures other than you. The swarm moves with you, remaining centered on you. A wind of at least 10 miles per hour disperses the swarm and ends the effect. 181 Author Bio Bisexual interfaith and diversity educator and activist Lynne M. Meyer holds a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, and a Master of Jewish Studies from Spertus Institute. An advocate for inclusivity in gaming, Lynne brings her professional background to her work as a game designer. She is best known as a writer and editor for the acclaimed Uncaged anthology, a collection of myth-andfolklore-themed adventures written for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. Lynne is a chronic illness warrior, devotee of Hekate, and lover of cats and good coffee. Connect with Lynne on Twitter at @Lynne_M_Meyer Appendix B: Magic Items

182 182 The Tales Sir Daywin Chapter 3 | The Tales Sir Daywin

Chapter 3 | The Tales The Tales Sir Sir Daywin Daywin 183 183 Human • Spear of Yult • Aboleth Devotee Gruff, unforgiving, and cunning. A predator who feels betrayed. An ageing warrior at 65 years old. Daywin is thick set, has grey hair, a beard, only one eye, and stands about six feet tall. Over the years the secret faded into history, preserved only by a carefully selected line of wardens, who would keep an extra special watch over their charges. Never very popular, the Spears of Yult remained a small cohort only ever sixteen Spears and a warden in the Paleroot Woods, not too far from A Trip Away. Three months ago they all disappeared, and word spread that something dreadful had befallen the hold. Three months ago, Sir Daywin Dontas was chosen by the ageing Warden Erwyn to succeed him. Erwyn took him into his confidence about the true origins of the order and the entrance to the prison below. The warden chose poorly, however, and Sir Daywin’s pride and zealotry became overwhelmed by rage and betrayal. Descending into the tomb that night, he discovered evidence of the long-ago battle: magic-scorched walls, the preserved corpse of the gigantic aboleth, and what appeared to be a crystal ball on a plinth. When he touched it, however, a voice spoke to himthe voice of the aboleth. Eons old and centuries imprisoned, it exploited the rigidity of Sir Daywin’s resolve. Over many visits the aboleth persuaded him of the irresistible, inevitable power of its kind, and the insult to the Spears that their ignorance represented. At some point, Daywin brought another Spear, a volatile young half-orc named Bharol, into his confidence and the aboleth’s tutelage. Finally, in one night of slaughter he and Bharol cut down the rest of the Spears, most in their sleep. They arranged their bodies down in the chamber in poses of mock supplication, and have since lured adventurers to the hold, killing them and adding them to the “congregation.” Bharol grew up an angry half-orc urchin boy, constantly getting into trouble for brawling in the streets of his hometown. It was there that the previous warden, Erwyn, discovered him on a conscription mission, and convinced him of his potential as a Spear. It took many years, but Bharol learned to calm his mind and harden his body, turning himself into a keen weapon and fanatical monk of Yult. Upon his introduction to the orb, the aboleth fanned the flames of his dormant rage against those who had tied his life to a fiction. Together, Bharol and Daywin murdered the Spears, and have spent the months since gathering 'congregants'. Like Daywin, he feels betrayed by the order, in particular because of the work and faith it took to overcome his nature. Like Daywin he is not charmed, but a willing acolyte of the emptiness between stars. Sir Daywin Dontas (He/Him) Written by: Ollo Clark Adventure Level: 6-7 | Players: 3-5 Content Warnings: Kidnapping, Drowning, Enslavement Sir Daywin Dontas, the last of the warrior-priests known as the Spears of Yult, is seeking fighters of worth to help him purge his old home of the great evil that befell it. The gruff old paladin is harsh but fair, and those who pass his test are promised dignity, respect, and the chance to acquire a reward befitting those who restore the honor of Yult. Unbeknownst to the players, however, Sir Daywin’s faith has been thoroughly shattered by an incomprehensible lie he uncovered, deep beneath the hold of his order. He returned to the surface, brutally slaying every devotee of Yult along the way. He staggered bloodily into the daylight, his fervor corrupted and his faith thrown to the void. He has stalked the lands since, playing the holy warrior, the shame of his fall buried beneath feelings of betrayal. He lures the strong and the good back to the hold to honor his new master. Background Hundreds of years ago, an unknown group battled a large and ancient aboleth that had found its way through from some other plane of existence. Discovering their might and magic were not enough to permanently kill the entity, they found a way to sever its mind from its body, trapping its essence in a crystal orb and encasing its body in a diamond cocoon, like a fly in amber. They walled off the chamber, entombing the aboleth’s trapped body and mind, in the hopes that it would be forgotten. To further this end, they created a fictitious order of warriors, the Spears of Yult, and built them a hold above the aboleth’s jail, recruiting the most zealous and discipline-hungry knights they could find as unwitting guard-dogs. Meanwhile, the aboleth floated in darkness and silence, the orb entrapping its essence mere feet from its useless body. For hundreds of years it plotted, fueled by rage, determined to take vengeance.

184 184 The Tales Sir Daywin Chapter 3 | The Tales Sir Daywin Sir Daywin’s honest appearance and Yult-learned dedication present a convincing image of the fervent holy warrior. He does not intend to stay long when the players meet him, and only occasionally passes through the tavern when he has to, finding the patrons distasteful. He is an intelligent, accomplished old fighter, whose training has fostered the soul of a zealot. Sir Daywin’s vengeance is entirely rational to him and he is a calm, measured predator. To any insight checks, he seems balanced and confident, bordering on aloof. Importantly, he is not a slave of the aboleth, but rather a proud, damaged warrior reduced to an angry nihilist by what he sees as the wasting of his life. He does not appreciate jokes or sarcasm at his expense, or at the expense of the Spears, but will respect any principled stand, almost regardless of the stand’s motivation. He is curt and to the point, and if he displays a sense of humour it is a grim one. He has no time for grey areas or tricksters, and any impish or chaotic PCs may well butt heads with him. While Daywin is alive, he will become extremely hostile if anyone tries to wield a Yult spear, claiming it an insult to the memory of his brothers and sisters. Hook Daywin is on the lookout for worthy supplicants to add to the aboleth’s morbid congregation. If the adventurers are visibly capable (touting magic items, large of stature, etc.), or if they make any impressive displays of martial ability, he will initiate contact. If approached, he is gruff and slightly aloof. Whether he or the characters first show interest, he will not take them into his confidence without a display of strength: a duel with him. Alternatively, if the characters are in possession of the Grim Howl patch from Ogrel's adventure, he will recognize it. He will tell them that they were clearly fated to help him, as several creatures wearing that patch are now at the hold. In this case, he will not require a duel. Are Ye Worthy? As you approach the door to the tavern, someone else exits…backwards and through the air, accompanied by a cry from inside of, “Not bloody worthy!” A young half-elf picks himself up and hurries off down the road, wiping blood from his nose. “I wouldn’t want to help the bastard anyway, mean old prick!” If persuaded to talk more, he will say that there’s a rough old type in the bar looking for warriors. “Careful though, he’s quicker than he looks.” Inside, all eyes are turned to an aging human male, clad in plate armor, sitting back down at his corner table and taking a swig from his large tankard. An old but lethallooking ranseur (hilted spear) is propped in the corner but close at hand. Finishing his drink, he calmly surveys the room and motions to the bar staff for a refill. The Trip Away staff have only seen him once or twice before, but asking around, there’s a chance someone recognizes the spear-head symbol on his battered armor. If the half-elf is stopped, this is Lars (he/him), a clean-squiretype in leather armor. His pride has been hurt, and he’ll say that he’s fine. First Contact Sir Daywin will be highly dismissive of the group, particularly if they claim no knowledge of the Spears. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (History or Religion) check will grant some background, or the patrons of the inn may be able to give the party some or all of the following information: The Spears of Yult were created as a severe, ascetic order of warriors: a mix of fighters, monks, and paladins. Yult, the demi-god they venerate, was a wandering, unrelenting force for order in the world before his godhood: a tall thin human man from farming stock, who wielded a pitchfork to confront injustice wherever he found it. The Spears were taught that he was not a god of pity or gentleness, and therefore did not dole out holy magic or visitation. Justice should be meted out without the need for a celestial reward. The cleric-less Spears, therefore, served him blindly, their lack of connection with their god raised to a point of pride. The heraldry of the Spears is a golden ranseur head, similar to a fleur-de-lis, on a light grey background. If the party can get Sir Daywin talking, he gives some or all of the following information: • The Spears brought order to chaos and light to dark places. • The Spears’ approach was hard and unyielding, making gentler communities nervous. • Yult taught that evil doesn’t hold back, so the Spears shouldn’t either. Tavern Behavior

Chapter 3 | The Tales The Tales Sir Sir Daywin Daywin 185 185 • They were dismissive of divine magic, seeing it as inferior to personal will and physical prowess. • A few months ago, Daywin was named warden of the order and set out on a conscription mission. • After a couple of weeks, he returned to find the Spears dead and the hold overrun with scavengers. The Duel If the players decide they want to help Daywin, they must first prove their worthiness. He will challenge the heartiest warrior in the party to a duel outside. It will take a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince him of the party’s worthiness without a duel. If his cup is investigated, or if Flip is asked, Daywin is drinking water. Daywin is looking for those worthy enough to help him take back the hold, but is generally unimpressed by the denizens of A Trip Away Inn. Sir Daywin downs his mug, stands up, and barges past you out of the inn. Once outside, he uses the butt of his spear to trace a roughly 20 foot diameter circle in the dirt. “You leave the circle, you forfeit. Don’t hold back. I won’t.” Sir Daywin is on the prowl and has done this before. This early on, it takes a successful DC 25 Wisdom (Insight) check to realize that anything is amiss. Despite his bold words he will hold back in the fight, in order not to show his whole hand. He does genuinely wish for worthy supplicants, though. If he wins the fight, he pronounces the character unworthy, suggesting they find him again when they’re stronger. Tactics: Daywin will not use magic, will not dodge, and will surrender when he reaches two-thirds health, pretending he is much more hurt than he is. He will also pay close attention during the fight (and in any other combats alongside the party) to better spot any weaknesses he can exploit when the time is right. He will target healers first, and later tell Bharol to attack the most powerful spellcaster. Other occupants of the tavern will absolutely want to watch this, creating a circle of onlookers. Development If they win the duel or otherwise convince him, Sir Daywin acts begrudgingly impressed and says he’ll lead the party to the hold. Clearing the Hold The hold is now populated with any scavengers, treasure hunters, or dark-dwelling creatures that have found their way down into the caverns and have touched the aboleth orb, allowing the aboleth to take control. All the gnolls present are wearing the insignia of the Grim Howl Pack: a howling wolf's head, set against a black moon. GMs should feel free to add any common local monsters. The Journey Sir Daywin will ride his warhorse, Hammer, on the journey and does not allow another passenger; “If you’re tired, you should have brought your own horse.” If they ask him about himself, he grudgingly shares some or all of the following information: • He was born into a noble family in Wyndarbor, but always envied the common life • His father and brother were fat layabouts and the subject of local ridicule • When he was fifteen, a pair of Spears came through town, and he realized his destiny • At the hold, he swore the Iron Oath to Yult • He’s been cracking villainous skulls ever since, some fifty years now After a while, Sir Daywin suddenly turns his horse off the road. What at first appears to be a random path through gaps between trees, eventually turns out to be a barely perceptible track, weaving vaguely west. He doesn’t look back once, and you all have to jog to keep up, squeezing through trunks, scratched by thorns and branches. After journeying for a while, along the side of the road is the dead body of an Ettin. You suddenly hear the buzzing of flies, followed closely by the stench of putrefaction. Face down in the grass is the decomposing body of a huge humanoid creature, naked apart from a few furs and strings of bones. Scavengers and rot have taken most of the flesh from the flanks and legs, exposing oversized bones beneath. Looking closer, you see the backs of two heads atop the shoulders, a mass of bloodied hair running down its back. The haft of a familiar Yult spear protrudes from underneath it. Rolling the creature over, you see that it has a death grip on a now-headless humanoid body, in a similar state of decay. The body wears rotting grey robes, with a symbol matching that on Daywin’s tabard. A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Healing) check will reveal the Ettin has been dead for two to three months.

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Chapter 3 | The Tales The Tales Sir Sir Daywin Daywin 187 187 Sir Daywin claims no knowledge of this, expressing outrage that a brother Spear should come to such an end, and gratefully accept the spear to return it to the hold. GM's Note: later on, during The Tomb, he will throw this spear to Bharol and say “turns out we missed one”, as Bharol snaps the spear across his knee, adding it to the pile.) After an hour or two, the path snakes between two small chalk cliffs, suddenly opening out to reveal the hold. The Hold Steps The building before you is tall, narrow, and near white, built from large, well-chiseled stone blocks, each at least 3 feet in diameter. A single pair of narrow doors- a good 18 feet high and meeting like a sword-point at the top- barely wide enough for a two people, are set into the monolithic front wall. A circular glass window with a simple spoke pattern, about 10 feet in diameter, is set above the doors. A series of steps as wide as the building itself lead up to the entrance. The rest of the building is unadorned. Towards the back you make out further annexes and out-buildings, with one narrow tower in the northeast corner. As you approach, four small figures, halfway up the steps, turn and gibber in alarm. Dropping the sacks they were carrying, the goblins take off into the woods, as Sir Daywin bellows: “Bloody vermin! You’re not fit to dirty those steps!” He turns to you: “Start clearing the hold- I’ll be back when I’m done with these cockroaches!” With that, he digs his heels into Hammer and charges after them into the forest. There are two ways into the hold: through the front door, or around the back through the kitchen (7). Development Once the dining hall (6) or the main hall (2) has been cleared and the rooms are empty, Sir Daywin will quietly return to the hold and sit in either the warden’s chair in the dining hall, or on the ground at the foot of the Yult statue with his back to it in the main hall, waiting for the adventurers to pass or fail the test. If the players can take him unawares by succeeding on a DC 18 Dexterity (Stealth) check, they will find him with three goblin heads, his posture hunched and strange, muttering to himself under his breath. If they approach him, he immediately straightens, and expresses impatience with how long they’re taking. The ceilings are over 40 feet high, sloping up into gloomy vaulting composed of unadorned dark wood. The eastern wall is lined with weapon racks, with straw dummies stacked in the corner to right of the door. There is a balcony along the western side, containing bookshelves along its expanse. A cage-clad ladder leads up to this balcony at its southernmost point. There are tall narrow windows on the eastern and western walls allowing the sun to stream through. There do not seem to be any tables or chairs, but the floor has islands of stone blocks of various heights, presumably for training purposes. The northern end is dominated by a 20 foot-high statue of Yult. The statue is of a gaunt man, robed, poised with a pitchfork upraised to skewer those standing before him. A thin face, with a long beard and a visage equal parts noble and disdainful, peers downwards. The plinth is simple stone, with the single word 'Persist' is carved into it. As you enter, several figures, outlined in the motes of dust that gleam in the sunlight, all turn their heads at the sound of the creaking doors, and immediately, as one, ready themselves for combat. Two gnolls, their fur standing on end, bare their teeth; a male centaur rears up in rage, and a female bandit captain calls up to a bandit crossbowman in the library, who takes aim along his weapon. The enemies throughout the hold will fight seamlessly as a team, even if they wouldn’t out in the world normally. The Library Up on this 5 foot wide mezzanine sits the library of the Spears. There are two small reading tables at either end with stools, pots of ink, and quills. The books are kept in mesh cages set into stone shelves, and look to be of all kinds of ages and conditions. Most of the books are books on martial prowess: weapon arts; fencing treatises; manuals on guerrilla tactics; as well as histories of common foes- hobgoblins, orcs, fey folk- and their common strengths and weaknesses. The Main Hall 1 2 3

188 188 The Tales Sir Daywin Chapter 3 | The Tales Sir Daywin (3A) There is one book, written in Common, detailing the history of the Spears of Yult. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check also will reveal a spell book embossed with the Spear Symbol, containing the spells daylight, glyph of warding, and stone skin. The majority of the cages open creakily, except for one shelf at the far northern end that is locked. The lock is an intricate bronze-looking creation: large, heavy and ancient. The hinges on the cable-wire door are invisible from the outside, making prying the door open impossible. (3B) This lock can be unlocked with the warden’s key which is being carried by Sir Daywin, although he will not give it up willingly. He will also not allow the lock to be picked in his presence, telling the adventurers to be more respectful. A successful DC 18 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools will unlock the casement. In it are dozens and dozens of plainwrapped, calfskin books. There is also one diamond wall (see Appendix A: Magic Items) spell scroll, held in a decaying leather cuff, that looks so ancient and fragile it might fall apart at any moment. Written on the cuff in Elvish are the words “I pray we chose wisely”. Player must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity check to safely handle the document. Failure means the scroll crumbles to dust, becoming illegible. As you flick through the calf-skin journals, each page is covered in single-line entries, each dated once a week, going back centuries. Initially the writing is in a form of high Elvish, elegant, ornate and archaic. After a while, the writing passes into Common, changing hand every few books. The entries never vary, repeating the same, simple phrase: “No deterioration”. The Corridors The two northern doors of the main hall lead into the hold’s central corridor. There are two doors to the north; one leads into the dining hall (6), the other into the kitchen (7). At the far western end of the corridor is the dormitory (5); at the far eastern end is the door to the warden’s quarters. 188 This room is long, low, and pitch black. When the players create light or if a character has darkvision: When the light comes up you see ten meagre beds along the walls, each with a wooden trunk at its foot. There are empty spear racks halfway down each wall. There are no windows, but sconces for torches are set into the walls. A grick clings to the wall above the doorway, with a second grick at the far northern end of the room. Both will attempt to stay hidden until the best opportunity for an ambush. If the party moves into the room, the grick thrall above the doorway will try to position itself behind them. A passive Perception of 16 or higher will detect the movement. A bandit stands in the middle of the room, his back to the adventurers, but turns to face them if they make noise. Any investigation of the beds will discover bloodstains in seven of the ten. Two trunks are completely empty. The rest each contain a wooden bowl, a wooden cup, a simple but efficient knife, simple underclothes, and cloaks. Three of the chests contain pieces of armour, similar to Daywin's. Dining Hall This room is clearly a dining hall, with the taste of old soot hanging in the air. By the light of one high window on the western wall you see a long, heavy oaken table. Each bench down the sides is one long oak trunk, with the sides roughly squared. The chair at the head of the table is the only ornate furniture so far in the entire building: a high-backed chair, the top of which has been skillfully carved into three Yult spear heads. There is a large, empty stone fireplace on the north side of the room. There are pools of dried blood across the floor, one of the benches, and across the table. On the table is a ewer of Yult (see Appendix A: Magic Items). Three figures detach themselves from the shadows. A gnoll, clad in tattered rags, a human bandit, and looming over them both, a bugbear. Not a single one speaks a word as they all raise their weapons. Dormitory 5 6 4

Chapter 3 | The Tales The Tales Sir Sir Daywin Daywin 189 189 A successful DC 10 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools will unlock the chest. Inside are two journals. The oldest of the two journals from the chest is crudely wrapped in animal hide, while the more recent is bound in calfskin and matches those in the library, half full of entries stating, “No deterioration”. Inside the older volume, the Elvish writing describes how, many centuries ago, members of a local community suddenly turned on their friends and families, drowning several of them in the nearby river. Similar events would dog the village for months, until the seers of the village became aware of a presence deep beneath them. Searching, they discovered an aboleth’s lair, and commenced a battle that would last for days, costing many lives. Eventually, they were able to draw the aid of a powerful mage who constructed a weapon for them, severing the immortal aboleth’s presence in this world. The cavern was drained, blocked off from their waterways, and a keep built above the entrance, populated with the finest warriors they could muster. As time went on, though, time and time again individuals felt the pull of their curiosity, falling under the thrall of the aboleth and having to be cut down. The elders were horrified to learn the aboleth was not as powerless as they had hoped. It was decided, therefore, that the truest guards would be totally oblivious of their role. Thus the Spears of Yult were devised as an unquestioning, uncompromising order. Their existence would serve to keep all from uncovering what lurked below. The Gardens Emerging behind the hold, you find what appears to be an abandoned vegetable garden. Neat rectangles of raked earth are overgrown, as unharvested vegetables begin to spread, wither, or die. To the north you can see a modest potting shed made of rough planks, and standing between you and it is a female centaur, her long auburn hair flowing around her, as she turns a dreamy expression to you, and begins to stamp at the ground. The centaur attacks, without pause for talk or compromise. If investigated, the shed contains basics gardening supplies. Through this door is a simple but large kitchen. Stone ovens flank a huge cooking pot hanging over a long-dead fire. Shelves hold seventeen sets of simple clay plates, bowls and mugs. A door at the back of the room swings on its hinges in the breeze. The Warden’s Quarters At the eastern end of the corridor is a simple wooden door with the now-familiar spear of Yult carved into it. Through the door is a narrow spiral staircase, leading up to another, identical, door. At the base of the stairs is a smaller version of the statue of Yult, which serves as the secret entrance to the tomb. A successful DC 25 Intelligence (Investigation) check will discover a button in the 'i' of the word 'Persist', which causes the statue to swing back, revealing a staircase down to the tomb area. If the characters discover this before the hold is cleared, Sir Daywin will appear behind them, congratulate them, and lead the way down. Move directly to The Tomb. A successful DC 20 Dexterity check using thieves’ tools or the warden’s key will unlock the door. There is a dried pool of dark blood halfway up the stairs, trailing back under the door. If Sir Daywin is present, he refuses to open the door, stating that it is his own private quarters as the warden, and if the door is locked, it stands to reason that no one has made it inside. A successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check will convince him to begrudgingly open the door, but he demands the party touch nothing. Inside, this room is spartan, containing only a single bed roll, a single empty spear rack, and a bookcase. The books include weapons manuals, guerrilla tactics, books on local politics, and a history of Yult. There is a dried pool of blood on the floor. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal a secret hatch in the ceiling, and a metal-capped ladder that slides down. Up the ladders is a small oubliette, with room only for a locked chest, a stool, and a table with a burned-down candle on it. The Kitchen 7 9 8

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Chapter 3 | The Tales The Tales Sir Sir Daywin Daywin 191 191 The Tomb A staircase of much older, cruder craftsmanship than the rest of the hold descends unevenly, taking several left and right turns along the way. You can hear Sir Daywin’s hurried footsteps getting further away from you, until they abruptly stop echoing. Continuing down the staircase for what seems like several minutes, you suddenly emerge into a cavernous chamber, lit by four iron braziers spaced around the room. This space is a shock after the order and familiarity of the world above. The cave walls, which should be local granite, are a shiny jet black, appearing as if they once flowed and hardened, like volcanic glass. The cavern is about 120 feet across, and your eye is immediately drawn to a colossal, twisted corpse, roughly sixteen feet high, suspended in a transparent, glasslike substance melded to the cave wall. On closer inspection the substance is pure, flawless diamond. The skin of the desiccated creature is tight across the skeleton, revealing in detail an uncomfortable mix of bone and cartilage. Each of the many limbs appears to be a type of specialized tail or tentacle with fins, hooks, and suckers visible in odd places. The head and torso are gargantuan, the gaping, circular mouth revealing row upon row of snaggled teeth. Three empty eye sockets are visible, one on top of the other, above the mouth. In front of the body is a short plinth, that looks like it has been pulled up out of the rock itself. Floating gently above it is a black sphere, about six inches in diameter. There is a dirty bedroll and some basic supplies in one corner of the cavern, where Bharol has been camped. In a double-semi-circle in front of the plinth, around twenty-five to thirty figures kneel, unmoving in postures of supplication. A successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal they are all dead, with a few wearing hastily or partially donned armour, marked with the symbol of the Spears. A successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals that each unarmoured victim was stabbed though the chest with a ranseur, while the others display various combat wounds. All of the Spears are here, as well as what are clearly the remains of other adventuring parties that Daywin and Bharol lured here. Scattered around them are the broken and twisted remains of Yult ranseurs, completely unusable. The kneeling figure in the middle of the front row is actually Bharol, and he will stand up as the party enters the chamber. At this point, Daywin speaks: [To Bharol] “Bharol, my brother, we have further supplicants who have proven themselves worthy.” [To the party] “Easy now, boys and girls- I know it’s a shock, but don’t resist now. We can make it quick. Believe me, you have shown yourselves worthy of a speedy unshackling. You should be relieved; this is nothing to what is coming. We’ve been lied to. All of us. All of you. The gods are nothing. Yult is nothing. This reality is a candle, and They are the wind. The only sane thing to do now is bow down.” “And this?” He gestures to the body and the orb. “The indecency! The arrogance! One might as well try and hold back the tide with a piece of sacking. Now, will you be wise, or will you be cowards?” The Final Battle If the players refuse to submit then Daywin and Bharol will attack. The aboleth doesn’t join the fight directly but can still use it’s Enslave ability action and will take lair actions. Since Daywin and Bharol are not slaves, it may be possible for a charismatic character to persuade one of them of the error of their ways with three successive DC 25 Charisma (Persuasion) checks. If this is accomplished, the persuaded enemy will experience a tidal wave of horror and grief and immediately try to put a knife through their own eye, killing themselves instantly unless stopped. Throughout the battle, Daywin will occasionally try to make them submit with some or all of the following information: Development When the hold is cleared and the players find Sir Daywin, he will smile broadly: "Fine work, my acolytes, fine work. You deserve this place. Come then, and look upon your reward." Sir Daywin will then move with eerie speed to the statue at the base of the warden's stairs, activate the trapdoor, and descend quickly into the darkness below, telling them to follow.

192 192 The Tales Sir Daywin Chapter 3 | The Tales Sir Daywin • “The gods would have us think we are but flies to them, but compared to what is outside- what is coming- it is the gods that are the flies!” • “There’s only shadow coming, and They wear the darkness like a cloak. The sooner we give ourselves to Them, the sooner it can all be over.” • “Persist? There is no persisting against what is out there, what will come for all of this.” At half health: “Why are you still resisting? Don’t you see? Those stairsthey weren’t dug downwards, they were built upwards. The hold, all of it, began with this. There is no Yult. We weren’t warriors, we were guard dogs, fools that they handed spears to and told we mattered. Every single warden has known, and none of them breathed a word. The Spears of Yult are no more noble than the idiot mastiff you chain up to keep foxes away from the chicken coop. Fifty years they took from me! Fifty years I could have been doing good, instead of being used to feebly deny the inevitable. Submit! Submit to the ageless!” Tactics: If possible, Daywin and Bharol will force members of the party to make contact with the orb, at which point the aboleth can attempt its Enslave action. If the body of the aboleth is somehow accessed (through the use of a disintegrate spell or a +2 magical weapon): The body of the aboleth has dried out, losing its mucous layer and the ability to render slaves water-breathers. However, if a creature becomes charmed after touching the orb, and it has access to a volume of water (or for example, the create or destroy water spell), the aboleth orders the charmed individual to apply water to its body, allowing the mucous layer to reform. If given the chance, the aboleth will direct a creature to create as much water as possible, flooding the cavern so it can spread its mucous cloud. Its plan is to have this water in place, before pushing its slaves to free it from the orb by destroying it. If a member of the party does make contact, the voice of the aboleth resounds in their head in their native language: “Another little one. How lucky you are. Most of your kind live their brief lives and never hear the voices from before the stars. Make the most of the honor We bestow upon you: etch your place in history by destroying this glittering prison- this blasphemous insult- and We will grant you powers and knowledge from before the gods first drew breath.” The orb can only be destroyed by a disintegrate spell or a +2 magic weapon. If the character does not or cannot destroy the orb: “Foolish worm. Your race touches the world so lightly, how could We expect any more of you. Take us to one with a shred of power, that We may not be disappointed again. In the meantime, demonstrate your penance…” At this point, the Player Character must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom save, or make one weapon attack against themselves. If the orb is destroyed: “Clever little mayfly. Perhaps We may return for you. For now, know this…” At this point, the PC has a sudden flash of memory about something valuable of the GM’s choosing. Suggestions include: • The location of a buried treasure. • Secret information about an NPC already known to the party (secret identity, scheme etc.) • Information about a religious institution or deity of interest to the party. • A spell that a wizard might be able to use. • Valuable history about a known location or entity. If the orb is destroyed, the aboleth returns to the Plane of Water to grow a new body. If this happens during the fight, Sir Daywin loses his will and ceases fighting, but Bharol fights unless convinced to stop with Charisma (Persuasion) checks, as above.

Chapter 3 | The Tales The Tales Sir Sir Daywin Daywin 193 193 Conclusion As long as the orb remains intact, Daywin and Bharol will fight to the death. Once they are defeated, the party can decide to leave the orb where it is, or bring it with them for some other purpose. The hold is a very capable base, and no one else will claim ownership. If the aboleth has managed to charm a player character, the first thing it will do is invite them to destroy the orb with a disintegrate spell or a +2 magic weapon. If that is not possible, the aboleth will set the player on a mission to find someone who can, promising to aid them along the way. Diamond Wall Spell Scroll 9th Level Transmutation. (Wizards, Druids, Bards) Casting time: 1 action Components: V, S, M (1 Diamond worth 10,000 Gold) Duration: (Concentration) 1 Minute You pull at the very fabric of the air around you, converting a 40 foot cubed area into solid diamond. Any objects in that space becomes encased. A creature caught within the 40 ft. cube must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly encased in diamond. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to begin encased and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming fully encased on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The diamond prison remains even after the spell has ended. The diamond encasing can be destroyed, however a shatter spell is too weak to affect it; a disintegrate spell, or a +2 magical weapon or higher is needed to do any damage to it. Each 5 foot by 5 foot cube has an AC of 26 and 25 hit points before it shatters into irregular shards of now worthless diamond. Yult Spear Weapon (ranseur), very rare The eponymous spears of Yult, are balanced, deadly weapons, with a cross-guard below the long blade, wielded with deadly force by the order. Melee weapon, simple, finesse, reach 5 ft.: You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. The spear does 1d8 piercing damage and has the ‘versatile (1d10)’ property. The spear’s cross guard allows for parrying: the wielder can use their reaction to gain a +2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the wielder must be able to see the attacker. The Aboleth’s Tactics & Lair Actions During the fight, the aboleth will use it’s Enslave ability action and the following lair actions: Glimpse of Inevitability. The aboleth attempts to project an insanity-inducing image into its enemies’ minds. All party members must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a fail, they find themselves floating in the darkness of space, the distant starlight revealing thousands upon thousands of aboleths, all floating, waiting. When the image fades, the character is paralyzed. They can repeat the saving throw at the beginning of each of their turns. Summon Thrall. If any thralls remain alive in the hold, the aboleth will summon them to aid in the fight. Drowning Sensation. All party members must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a fail, the cavern appears to be flooded with water suddenly. The PC will drop the weapon they are holding and attempt to swim to the surface, using all of their movement to reach and try to climb the nearest wall. They are considered frightened, and can repeat the saving throw at the beginning of each of their turns. Appendix A: Magic Items

194 194 The Tales Sir Daywin Chapter 3 | The Tales Sir Daywin Ewer of Yult Wondrous item, unique The ewer of Yult is an unadorned pewter jug. On the underside is engraved in common, “If you’ d have it cleaner, earn it.” Each day the ewer can create four gallons of dirty, bitter-tasting gutter water. Any creature drinking the untreated water must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution save or become sick for 1d4 days. While sick, the creature will not be able to take a long rest. The water produced is not magical, and can be cleaned by boiling or with the appropriate spells. Aboleth Orb Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement) The orb that contains the mind of this ancient aboleth is about 6 inches in diameter, its sides cut into strange, irregular facets, so black as to almost give off no reflection. No matter what heat is applied to it, it is constantly cold to the touch, and seems to weigh a good 20lb when held, although when stowed, it seems no heavier than 3lb. While attuned to the orb, you can use an action to try and connect with the aboleth contained within. You must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, or become charmed by the aboleth. All the rules of the aboleth’s Enslave ability then apply. Eons’ Knowledge: Aboleths’ knowledge is genetically shared, meaning each aboleth has access to millennia of memories and learning. While attuned to the orb, you can use an action to grant any Intelligence (Arcana, History, Nature, Religion) checks a +15 bonus. Destroying the Orb: Normal physical or magical damage will do no damage to the orb, but a disintegrate spell or a stike from a +2 magical weapon will turn it to dust. The essence of the aboleth will be returned to its plane of origin, free to enter a new body, and perhaps seek revenge. Appendix A: Magic Items (continued) Appendix B: Stat Blocks Bharol Medium humanoid (half-orc), lawful neutral Challenge 8 (3,900) | Initiative: +3 | Prof. Bonus: +3 armor class hit points speed 16 (Unarmored Defense) 65 (10d8 + 20) 40 ft. str dex con int wis cha 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 6 (-2) Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +6 Skills Acrobatics +6, Perception +6 Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Common, Orcish Actions Multiattack. Bharol attacks twice with his Yult spear, or once with his Yult spear and once with unarmed strike. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) magical bludgeoning damage. Yult Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage. Bonus Actions Flurry of Blows. (2/day) Immediately after Bharol takes the Attack action on his turn, he can make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. Stunning Strike. (1/day) When Bharol hits another creature with a melee weapon attack, he can attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of their next turn. Patient Defense. (1/day) Bharol can take the Dodge action as a bonus action on his turn. Step of the Wind. (1/day) Bharol can take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on his turn, and his jump distance is doubled for the turn. Author Acknowledgments I'd like to dedicate this story to Guy, for not letting me not play Dnd. Author Bio Ollo Clark is a writer, actor, and DM from London. He studied English literature at Oxford University, and is now learning about sunlight in Los Angeles. He has two cats and one wife. 194

Chapter 3 | The Tales The Tales Sir Sir Daywin Daywin 195 195 Sir Daywin Dontas Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) | Initiative: +2 | Prof. Bonus: +3 armor class hit points speed 18 (plate armor) 82 (9d10 + 25) 30 ft. str dex con int wis cha 18 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (0) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) Saving Throws Str +6, Con +6 Skills Athletics +6, Deception +10, Religion +3, Perception +5 Senses passive Perception 15 Languages Common, Dwarven, Orcish Zealous Devotion. Sir Daywin has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. Spellcasting | Save DC: 14 | Attack Bonus: +6 Sir Daywin is a 6th-level Charisma based spellcaster. Action Spells 1st level (1/day each): command, detect magic, detect poison and disease 2nd level (1/day): aid Bonus Action Spells 1st level (1/day): shield of faith 2nd level (2/day): branding smite Actions Multiattack. Sir Daywin attacks twice with his Yult spear, or once with his Yult spear and once with his dagger. Yult Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage. Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage. Sacred Weapon. (1/day) Sir Daywin can imbue one weapon that he is holding with positive energy. For 1 minute, he adds his Charisma modifier (+3) to attack rolls made with that weapon. The weapon also emits bright light in a 20 ft. radius and dim light 20 ft. beyond that. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration. Reactions Parry. Sir Daywin can use his reaction to gain a +2 to his AC for one melee attack that would hit him. To do so, he must be able to see the attacker. Equipment Warden’s door key, Yult spear, purse of money (36 gp), Yult-embossed plate armour. 195

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Chapter 3 | The Tales Ogrel Grim Howl 197 Ogrel Grim Howl (He/Him) Written by: Dave Coulson Adventure Level: 7 | Players: 3-6 Content Warnings: Bullying, Violence, Implied Cannibalism Ogrel is a cursed gnoll. He was once a member of a savage gnoll warband, the Grim Howl Pack, but they picked on the wrong decrepit wagon in the mountains one fateful night. The wagon belonged to a powerful warlock who destroyed most of the gnolls. The warlock left Ogrel alive, but cursed him: until the gnoll found “strength in forgiveness,” he would be transformed into the image of weakness held in the gnoll’s mind. Ogrel needs help. The characters are drawn to the cursed gnoll when an altercation forces Ogrel to pick up a weapon, transforming him into a scrawny human teenager. Alternatively, they may need information Ogrel possesses to complete an unrelated task. In his raiding days, the gnoll traveled a great deal and saw a lot of things, but in his current state he has little to offer. The cursed gnoll explains his situation in a pitiful, whining tone. He’s given up on any chance of finding “strength in forgiveness,” whatever that means, so the characters are going to need to prod him a bit to get him talking. The keys to lifting the curse are found in the gnoll’s three glory trophies; grisly mementos from battles fought in the past. He must make amends for each of them in order to lift the curse. The three trophies include a drow’s severed hand, the talon of a mighty eagle, and the beard from a dwarven berserker. Each one requires a short journey. The drow’s hand must be returned to its body and then buried, which requires negotiating with undead drow in a cavern complex; the eagle talon must be sanctified by a druid of the mountains who watches over the area; and the beard must be given over to the dwarven berserker’s only remaining family, his sister, an adventurer captured by a clan of brutal ogres. Does Ogrel find “strength in forgiveness” and lift the curse with the help of the characters? Gnoll • Former Raider Proud, nervous, anxious, pitiful, and prone to anger. Ogrel has gray-green fur, long limbs, a savage countenance, keeps three grisly “war trophies” on his belt, and carries no weapon.

198 Chapter 3 | The Tales Ogrel Grim Howl Ogrel has been coming regularly to A Trip Away Inn over the past few weeks, and Flip has taken pity upon the wretched gnoll. Ogrel has done a few odd jobs for Estabôn, mainly taking out the trash, and in exchange he’s earned food enough to keep him from starving. Still, the work is degrading, and Ogrel resents doing it, but his pride refuses to let him take charity. He spends his days and nights in the back of the tavern, near the bathhouse, too afraid of triggering his curse in the common areas. It suits Flip as well, who knows the presence of a gnoll may upset some patrons. Ogrel tends to do his work at night, hauling garbage out with a heavy cloak draped over his bestial, lanky frame. When he’s not sulking around the trash, he’s sitting by himself behind the bathhouse, nervously holding a mug of cheap ale, while staring out from the shadowed cowl of his cloak. Hook The characters find themselves in A Trip Away Inn, perhaps enjoying a rest after a long day’s travel or already on the lookout for adventure. The inn’s taproom sees a wide variety of travelers, due to its location along a popular crossroad, and adventurers pass through regularly. Flip keeps an eye out for trouble, and they have a bad feeling tonight about the gnoll out back. Conveniently, a patron recently found a strange patch on the road to an old monastery (The Yult Hold from Sir Daywin's adventure), dropping it off with the gnome for identification. In response to this bad feeling, Flip calls the characters over to the bar. They toss them a roughly constructed badge, depicting a howling wolf’s head set against a black moon. The badge represents the Grim Howl Pack, and Flip thinks it has something to do with Ogrel, the gnoll out back. They ask the characters to take it over to Ogrel to see what he knows about it, and to see if they can help the gnoll. Flip doesn’t know the details of Ogrel’s curse, but they recognize him as someone in need of help. When the characters arrive, Ogrel is just returning from taking out the trash, a chore he performs for Estabôn in exchange for meager scraps and drink. A drunken band from the Black Wake, a local mercenary company, have just relieved themselves and are deciding to have some “fun” with the lanky gnoll. Background Tavern Behavior Until recently, Ogrel was a proud member of the Grim Howl Pack, a gang of gnolls renowned for their savagery and butchery. They raided, pillaged, and stole at their leisure, though they were careful to avoid large or obviously dangerous foes. The Grim Howl Pack were bullies of the worst sort, who only fought when they clearly had superior odds, and retreated in the face of strong opposition. About a month ago, the Grim Howl Pack came upon the wagon of a traveler in the mountains being pulled by a pair of old, decrepit horses. The wagon was ancient, but there was the smell of riches about the whole thing. The gnolls jumped the wagon, killed the horses, and burst inside to confront the occupant, only to learn that the owner was an aged warlock with his full magical faculties intact. The warlock blasted the gnolls, destroying most of the Grim Howl Pack in an instant, and scattering the rest. Ogrel turned to flee but the warlock’s magic stopped him. As punishment for his atrocities, the warlock called upon his patron to curse the gnoll. If he ever held a weapon or unsheathed his claws, he would transform into the image of weakness in the gnoll’s mind: a gangly human teenager, weak and awkward. The only way to break the curse was to learn “strength in forgiveness.” Ogrel needed to atone for the three grisly trophies he carried, though this detail is currently lost on the gnoll. Ogrel fled the warlock’s wagon. For several weeks he tried to hunt and kill, but each time he used a weapon, or his fearsome claws the transformation took hold. He could not understand what he needed to accomplish: he had true strength in his arms, in his gnoll form! Despondent and near starving, he eventually came upon A Trip Away Inn where Flip took pity on him. His warband raided farms and villages in the surrounding area under the cover of night, when they would encounter the least amount of resistance, and they targeted travelers in the more desolate stretches within a week’s journey of the crossroads. Ogrel knew of Flip and the inn by reputation, and the gnoll’s leader met up with contacts at A Trip Away Inn on occasion over the years. After his fellow gnolls were defeated and the curse befell him, Ogrel felt he had nowhere else to turn. He survived for a few weeks, scavenging where he could, as the question of how to lift the curse afflicting him gnawed at his soul. He has no idea what to do to learn “strength in forgiveness”, and his faltering attempts at striking up conversation with others in the taproom have been met with confused stares.

Chapter 3 | The Tales Ogrel Grim Howl 199 Gnoll’s Lament Night has fallen and, during the quiet of the outside evening, Ogrel returns to his spot behind the tavern after hauling out the garbage. He stinks of both rubbish and destitution, drawing the attention of some thugs from the Black Wake, a band of local mercenaries. Drunk and overconfident, they confront the gnoll, pushing him down. In a flash of instinct, Ogrel bears his claws, triggering the curse, transforming him into a scrawny human teenager. The mercenaries laugh, and the characters have a chance to intervene to help save face for the cursed gnoll. Afterwards, Ogrel tells his story to the party. He swallows his pride and begs for help. With a little bit of knowledge and investigation, the characters can pick out the likely path to the gnoll’s redemption. The raucous sounds of A Trip Away Inn’s taproom are muffled and subdued out behind the building. Stacks of crates, empty barrels, and the bathhouse sit in quiet solitude here; a quiet suddenly shattered by a burst of harsh, drunken laughter. From behind the bathhouse, a lanky, cloaked figure staggers and collapses on the ground, where he has evidently been tripped by a band of young brawlers coming into view. Their faces are red with alcohol and cruelty, and the leader pulls the hood back from the fallen figure to reveal a gnoll beneath. “What’s the matter, dog?” the cruel man slurs, loudly, “cat got your tongue?” The gnoll’s face twist into a snarl and, before the party can take any action, he stands up with surprising speed and spreads his hands in a menacing gesture, his claws extending. In that moment the curse takes over, and the gnoll is wracked with pain as his body contorts, twists, and pops, transforming him into a scrawny human teenager, with pockmarked skin and a mop of shaggy gray-green hair. The man is Nails Jarter, a rising star in the Black Wake. He and his fellows have had too much to drink, and they’ve settled on petty cruelty for entertainment. At this point, Nails and his fellow mercenaries (5 thugs) stare in shock, before bursting out into laughter. In his teenage form, Ogrel looks around the area frantically before finding the party. His eyes are pleading, as Nails pushes the teenager down to the ground. The characters can intervene at this point by whatever means they have at their disposal. The situation can be calmed without violence if the characters succeed on a group DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check; any character attempting to placate Nails through flattery gains advantage on the check. The thugs are all bark and no bite so, if presented with a well-armed party of adventurers threatening violence, they back down immediately, muttering under their breath about having all the fun taken out of the night. Curse of Forgiveness Once Nails and his fellows are dealt with, Ogrel slinks over to the pary in his teenage form. He mutters a thank you as the curse subsides, transforming him back into a gnoll. Ogrel is desperate for a solution, and he hopes the characters have the means to help him. If shown the badge from Flip, Ogrel immediately recognizes it as belonging to the Grim Howl Pack, and he shows his own in response. He wasn’t the only one to survive the warlock’s attack but he is still surprised to see it showing up now. If they show any interest in hearing his story or figuring out how to help, Ogrel reveals the following information: • He was part of the Grim Howl Pack, a band of gnoll raiders, until he and his fellow gnolls attacked a ramshackle wagon in the mountains. The wagon belonged to a powerful warlock, who killed most of the other gnolls but spared Ogrel, putting him under a terrible curse. • Anytime Ogrel picks up a weapon or unsheathes his claws, he transforms into a scrawny human, weak and frail. He doesn’t have the strength to hold a weapon in that form, and shortly after he drops the weapon he transforms back into a gnoll. • The warlock said that the only way to break the curse was to find “strength in forgiveness.” Ogrel has no idea what that means. While they talk, the characters notice Ogrel absentmindedly playing with one of the grisly trophies attached to his belt (a severed drow hand, an eagle talon, or a dwarven beard braid). If asked about them, Ogrel proudly declares that the three items are his most prized possessions, trophies from great battles where he claimed victory over his opponent. His pride over the items is unabashed. Anyone proficient in Arcana or Religion makes the connection between the trophies and the wording of the curse, specifically around the “strength in forgiveness” caveat. Ogrel doesn’t want to believe it if confronted, but his desire to remove the curse is stronger. If no characters are proficient with these skills, Flip or another inn patron can be consulted to help make the connection between the curse and the trophies.