The Voidfarer's Guide to the Verse Apespace_compressed

Legal & Credits DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Spelljammer, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. The illuminhaughti logo and all other original material in this work is copyright 2022 by Keen Hudson, Narcissa Nightshade & the Illuminhaughti, and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. On the Cover A spelljammer’s view from above Gromm, facing Kong the Howling Sun, centermost celestial body of Apespace and living god of the Grommam. Cover artwork an edit Pablo Carlos Budassi’s Map of the Observable Universe (CC-BY-SA-4.0 International) and La Planète des Singes de Pierre Boulle (colouredl; CCBY-SA-4.0). Strap in Voidfarers… Things are about to get a little weird! Welcome to the Voidfarer’s Guide to Apespace, where simian humanoids dominate the planet Gromm and the sun is the physical embodiment of their mighty god! Prepare for a crash landing on a planet of full of apes! What is this book? Why is this book? Well, its a guide to Apespace, dear friend. Didn’t you want to know where Grommam came from, about their Demigods and about the ape overgod Kong? But even deeper… We wanted to give you a quick and dirty, wild and wacky sci-fantasy converstion guide, this time allowing you to dig into Candlekeep Mysteries… in space! Arrive in Sunthrone, wait for its namesake to set, and step into a Film Noir that’s not monkeying around! Candlekeep Mysteries is an anthology of adventures written by members of the Dungeons & Dragons community. We’ll be tackling a conversion of a low-level official Mystery and making it suited for a run on the planet Gromm! DALL·E 2 monkey astronaut Icygyrosi 2 Intro | The Voidfarer’s Guide to Apespace

Table Of Contents 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 18 19 20 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 24 24 24 24 25 25 25 26 28 39 41 42 43 43 43 44 44 Peoples of Apespace Grommam Grommish Grommam Names Ecology and Diet Dress and Armament Habitat and Society Gods and Religion Youthful Spelljammers Grommam Player Characters Alaghi The Alaghi Language Alaghi Names Ecology and Diet Dress and Armament Gods and Religion Sedentary Alaghi Alaghi Player Characters Bonob Bonobbish Bonob Names Ecology and Diet Dress and Armament Void Travelers Bonob Player Characters Hadozee Starfaring Sensei Cultural Ambassadors Yazir Shipyards Dress and Armament Gods and Religion Hadozee Player Characters Papio Ecology and Diet Dress and Armament Papio Player Characters Skunk-Ape Skunk-Ape Names Ecology and Diet Dress and Armament Skunk-Ape Player Characters Vanara The Vanara Language Vanara Names Habitat and Society Gods and Religion Dress and Armament Born to Adventure Vanara Player Characters The Cosmology of Apespace The Appeal of Apespace Kong, the Howling Sun Homino Ira Gromm Brutus Mortuus The Grommam Protectorate Skunk-Ape Territory Papio Dominion The Rakshasan Caliphate The Vanaran Principality Bonob Commonwealth Alaghi Territory Life in Sunthrone A City of Hydroelectric Energy Simian Steampunk Fashion The Arts Carriages The Hadozee District Sunscouts Exploring La Boheme Notable Resident: Xià Luòkè the Hadozee Vocational School Harbor District The Spelljamming Docks Seven Fields Lightshade Sun King’s Rest Sunthrone Citadel Candlekeep Conversions Reimagining Narrative Conceits Demigod’s Dreams Let’s Talk About Fey Converting Candlekeep Mysteries the 36 Dramatic Situations The Seven Basic Plots The Rakshasan Caliphate Introducing Gromm’s Villains Rakshasa in D&D Gromm’s Tyrants The Caliphate’s Military Methods to Conquest 3 Intro | The Voidfarer’s Guide to Apespace

Peoples of Apespace Grommam Grommams are gorilla-like humanoids with heavy upper-body musculature, and are the largest simian demographic in Apespace. Their legs are short, their feet are roughly soled and their toes have athe ability to grasp objects. Grommams have short, rough, copper-red fur all over their bodies except on their faces, the palms of their hands, and the soles of their feet. Dominant males hair silvers with age. Their skin is a rich chocolate brown or grey, and they stand about five feet tall with arm spans up to nine feet wide. Males weigh 350-500 lbs., while females weigh half as much. Grommish Grommams use a gestural and finger-sign language. Body postures, facial expressions, and a variety of vocal hoots, screams, grunts, and calls add to the basic language, called “grommish” by other races. Grommam Names Grommam names don’t translate well from their native tongue, and their clan names are always given in Grommish.. For simplicity, Grommam have their “Common Names, ” allowing other folk to identify them without the subtlies of Grommish. Male Names: Ajax, Grodd, Kongo, Terk, Winston Female Names: Coco, Jade, Jane, Kala, Trudy, Zari Unisex Names: Fargo, Jazz, Luca, Mojo, Winter, Zapp Ecology and Diet Grommams are nonstrict entovegans, eating almost any sort of fruits, vegetables, nuts, roots, bamboo shoots, a large amount of insects for protien, and sometimes supplimented by small game animals on special occasions. They have no trouble eating the food of any human or demihuman race, but their diet is one that achieves a symbiotic harmony with their natural habitat. As grommam culture evolved and hunter gatherers became sedentary farmers, insect collection was revolutionized as farming. The peacefully deafening drone of millions of grasshoppers on insect farms is a common feature of gromman settlements. Dress and Armament Grommams prefer to wear loose, brightly colored clothing, particularly short-sleeved kimonos, with flower patterns a ubiquitous decoration. They are fond of belts, arm straps, and leg straps, to which they attach weapons and tools that are tied down. Grommams prefer to use weapons when attacking, though some enjoy wrestling and similar martial arts. Chainmail is favored for its light weight and flexibility. Shields can be used, but most gromman take advantage of their species’ ambidexterity and use a weapon in either hand. When attacking at range, they reach for the heavy crossbow. Habitat and Society Grommams are a close-knit and very reilgious people. They classically make their home in temperate and tropical forests, but they enjoy the same sorts of climates as humans. They are expert climbers and some build treehouses, but most grommams are ground dwellers. A grommam family usually consists of one adult male, 1d4+1 adult females, and ld4 children per mother. The alpha female, called a Mother Director, is in charge of all household affairs such as finances, purchases, and dealings with other grommam families. The other mothers care for the homestead and children. The male performs heavy labor either for the family or for a local guild or business. Several dozen related families form a clan, the basic social unit, and 2d4 clans form a house, which is led by a demigod. In most clans, only the Mother Director is allowed to vote on political issues, informed by the mothers of a family, giving grommam women near complete political power. Unmarried males form the backbone of the military and labor forces, and more than a few become adventurers and wind up on Spelljamming ships to forge their own paths. Grommam; Monstrous Compendium 7 TSR Inc. in 1990 4 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

Gods and Religion Grommams are highly religious and organized, and most are lawful good. Like other races, grommams have gods — but their gods (of demigod level) openly live among the grommams themselves as their rulers and spiritual advisors. The statistics and abilties of their demigods varies widely among individuals. The species (along with the other simian species of the planet) worships the ape overgod Kong, who’s majesty and power can be seen in the daytime sky through his avatar, the Howling Sun. Faith is simple when the god of the apes is always looking down on you. Grommam Citizens & Demigods To represent most citizens, you’ll use the following stat blocks: Male grommam use Veteran stats Female grommam use Priest stats To represent most Grommam Demigods, you’ll use one of the following stat blocks: Male demigods use Warlord stats (MPMM p257) Female demigods use Archdruid stats (MPMM p48) Gender neutral grommam and grommam demigod’s statblocks are based on the path they follow or advise (choosing from Spiritual or Warrior). Apply these racial modifiers to all grommam npcs: Long-Limbed Ambidextrous Powerful Build The Spiritual Path or Warrior’s Path, as appropriate Youthful Spelljammers The grommam are not a major spelljamming power, nor are they imperialistic or seek to expand their holdingsthey live amongst their gods and what better life could there be? Still, unmarried males often strike out for adventure and to see the galaxy. Grommam spelljammer ships (usually purchased from humans) are altered to appear powerful and dramatic, with bright colors and wild designs painted on them. Because grommam are so adept at climbing, they make heavy use of ropes, riggings, and swing bars- allowing them a command of a deck that belies their slow walking speed. Their ship’s ballista are usually refitted as large harpoon guns, allowing grommam warriors to slide across cables to board an enemy ships. Still, the grommam are not an agressive spacefaring species, and closing the gap in a boarding action is generally a defensive move- gommam pirates are few and far between. A grommam captain might even be a demigod, chasing Kong’s whims across wildspace. Grommam Player Characters Ability Scores Increases Strength score increases by 2. Speed: Your base walking speed is 25ft. Your base climb speed is 40ft. Size. Grommams tend to be around five feet tall with nine foot armspans and usually weigh between 350-500 pounds. Your size is Medium. Age. Grommams reach adulthood at around age 16, and on average live to be about 110 years old. Alignment. Grommam tend toward lawful good. Long-Limbed. When you make a melee attack on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal. Ambidextrous. You have no off-hand. Add your proficiency bonus to damage rolls made with either hand. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Grommish. Cultural Gender Roles. Grommam culture is defined by gender roles, though these roles are not explicit, and intersex or gender neutral Grommam regularly choose either path. Spiritual Path As a grommam on a spiritual path, you have chosen to devote your time to learning about magic and the gods. Although generally females, there are spiritual grommams of any gender. Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2. Grommams Lore. You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Religion, History, Arcana, Medicine, Insight. Demigod’s Blessing. You know one cantrip of your choice from the cleric spell list. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it. Warriors Path As a grommam on the warrior’s path, you have chosen to devote your time to growing strong and nimble. Although usually males, there are warrior grommams of any gender. Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2. Warrior’s Training. You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Intimidation, Sleight of Hand. Weapon Training. You gain proficiency with armor and in two martial weapons of your choice. 5 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

Alaghi Alaghi are the peaceful distant cousins of yetis. They are incredibly stealthy, able to move in almost complete silence and blend into their surroundings. They stand 6- 7 feet tall, weighing 300-330lbs. They are barrelchested, with short, near unnoticeable necks, and wide, flat heads with sloping brows. Their shoulders are broad, and their arms are long and powerful. Their legs are short but thick, and their appendages- especially their feet- are notably large. An alaghi’s entire body is covered with thick hair, usually blond, reddish brown, or charcoal gray, and they often have bright green eyes. The Alaghi Language Alaghi speak an offshoot of Yeti, which is comprised of hisses, hoots and grunting. Alaghi Names One of the few Alaghi names known around the Realms is Kurdin, a hermit and chess master. Names are not given based on gender, but defining features or deeds. Ecology and Diet Alaghi live across the planet’s forests and mountains in semi-nomadic tribes. They cultivate a respect for and live in a way that minimizes any damage to nature. Their nomadic lifestyle follows the seasonal migration patterns of the animals they hunt, as well as the growing season of wild plants they forage. Alaghi tend to be shy and peaceful and kill only for food. Rarely, an alaghi might become a hermit, usually around middle-age. As hermits, they lived a life of contemplative solitude, often becoming strict vegetarians and philosophers. These Hermit alaghi live harmoniously with nature and use the stats of an archdruid, and were capable of communicating with animals as if they shared a language. Dress and Armament Covered in thick hair, the Alaghi usually forego clothing in favor of wearing belts, pouches and slingbags. Each member of a tribe will own a bonetoothed comb, which they use to care for each other’s hair in daily grooming rituals. When it comes to armor, great warriors might wear the hide, bone or chitin of beasts they have slain, though metal armors aren’t seen as the Alaghi don’t maintain metalworking facilities. Their spears and axes are chipped stone, and each carries a sacred stone axe in worship of Alaggoth. Gods and Religion The chief alaghi god, Alaggoth is neutral aligned. His titles include The Great Furred One and The Shaggy Lord. His realm is known as Alaggoth’s Forest on the Concordant Domain of the Outlands, and it is here that Alaghi go when they pass on to the next realm. Alaggoth is the patron deity of the alaghi, and to a lesser extent the quaggoth, the yeti, and other furred humanoids. Long ago, these closely related races worshiped a larger pantheon, of which Alaggoth was the head. One branch moved to the forests and became alaghi, another branch moved underground and became quaggoth, and the final branch moved to the tundra and mountains and became yeti. In the past few millennia, as the quaggoth and yeti civilizations collapsed and those races reverted to barbarism, the pantheon slowly deteriorated; the various lesser, and now forgotten, members saw their power fade and eventually disappear altogether. Now they all have died and passed on to the Astral Plane with the sole exception of Alaggoth. Once an intermediate power himself, his power too has dwindled, and now he even barely maintains his status as a lesser god. He is bolstered mainly by the worship of his alaghi followers. The Great Furred One is mainly a nature deity, greatly concerned with the Balance and the alaghi’s place in it. He encourages his followers to live alongside the natural world and to defend the home forests against those who would despoil it. Alaghi are superstitious and fear anything that appears dark and unatural, especially undead creatures. The Alaghi of Apespace also give praise to Kong, the Howling Sun, as he watches over the planet. 6 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

Sedentary Alaghi Rarely, a tribe of alaghi might decide to permanently settle in a bountiful area, where they build simple huts or live within large caves. These sedentary alaghi eventually become quite different from their nomadic counterparts. They grow more aggressive and greedy, lose respect for nature and even attack and eat other sentient beings. Few sedentary alaghi tribes exist in Apespace, though they are not unheard of. Alaghi Player Characters Ability Scores Increases Strength score increases by 2 and Dexterity score increases by 1. Speed: Your base walk and climb speed is 35 feet. Size. Alaghi tend to be around six to seven feet tall, and usually weigh between 300-350 pounds. Your size is Medium. Age. Alaghi reach adulthood at around age 20, and on average live to be about 75-80 years old. Alignment. Alaghi tend toward neutral. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Long-Limbed. When you make a melee attack on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal. Darkvision. Accustomed to twilit forests, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Unseen Nomad. You gain proficiency with the Nature and Stealth skills. Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Languages. You are fluent in Alaghi (Yeti language). Alaghi Medium monstrous humanoid, usually neutral Armor Class 11 (natural armor) Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18) Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) Skills Perception +3, Stealth +6, Nature +3 Damage Immunities cold Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Languages Alaghi Challenge 4 (1100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2 Powerful Build. Counts as one size larger when determining carrying capacity and the weight it can push, drag, or lift or creatures it can grapple. Keen Smell. The Alaghi has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell. Stealthy Hunter. The Alaghi has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in natural terrain. Mask of the Wild. The Alaghi can attempt to hide even when only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Actions Multiattack. The Alaghi makes two spear attacks. Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft. or range 20/60ft, one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage. Brutal Stone Axe. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. Throw Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 40/120ft, one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage. Pie Grande LeCire 7 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

Bonob This species quite resembles a hadozee in that is it a chimp-like humanoid in space. The Bonob lack a hadozee’s patagium, and are still shorter than a human and far more heavily muscled than either of their simian cousins. Scientific studies have concluded that the Bonob and Humans share 99% of their DNA. Bonobbish Bonob use a body and finger-based sign language punctuated by a variety of hoots, screams, grunts, and calls that add to the basic sign language. It shares enough with Grommish to allow basic ideas to be communicated between members of these species. Bonob usually speak Common as well, and are gifted readers and writers, having invented the typewriter to aid in penning works of science and literature. Bonob Names Bonob’s given names are simple, while their sacred family names are only uttered in Bonobbish. Gender queer Bonobs typically choose their own names. Male Names: Caesar, George, Joe, Louie, Spike Female Names: Betsy, Bubbles, Ella, Lucy, Lulu Ecology and Diet Bonob are omnivorous frugivores, enjoying fruits, roots, nuts, leaves, plants, flowers, insects, eggs, meat and more. Eaten on special occasions, meat makes up less than 2% of their diet. Evolving to spend much of their time in dense tropical forest canopy in search of food, the species have become excellent climbers. Dress and Armament Bonob, like humans, display a great diversity of dress. The ancient Bonob spent their days naked, using sackcloth bags to gather fruit from the treetops. The modern Bonob will adopt the popular dress of where they live, though the species still favors utalitarian clothing over the needlessly posh. Off-world Bonob, usually explorers and scientists, seem to favor the Voidsuit as the perfect marriage between utility and fashion. Keeping abreast of the latest technological advances, Bonob favor laser pistols while exploring space- a far cry from the stone spears carried by their ancestors in Apespace. As adaptable and intelligent as mankind, Bonob may be found utilizing many types of tools and weapons to help them solve their problems. Void Travelers The Bonob have a proud tradition as scientific trailblazers on the bleeding edge of discovery. They lay more claim than any natives in Apespace to being a voidfaring species, developing their own Rocket Ships to explore the solar system. Bonob captains take great pride in their ships and crew, returning to the homeworld with new discoveries and being hailed as heroes. Despite the species focus on science, they are still religious, and captains often attribute their success to Kong, overgod of the apes. The Bonob are called to the defense of Gromm to solve complex agricultural or scientific problems, and can often be found as doctors and advisors within the simian democracy. Bonob Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and any other ability score increases by +1. Age. Bonob reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century. Alignment. Like humans, a Bonob may be any alignment. Size. Bonob vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking and climbing speed is 30ft. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Dexterous Feet. As a bonus action, you can use your feet to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object. Standing Leap. Your long jump is up to 15 feet and your high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start. Canines. You are proficient with your natural Bite attack, which deals 1d4+Str piercing damage. Languages. You know Bonob and Common. Space Chimp (Original Ink) by Chema Vicente 9 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

Admiral Diana Glidesright The Admiral works a dual position with Gromm’s defensive fleet and the spelljamming schools in Sunthrone, training and identifying the world’s prime candidates for leadership positions. She is an archmage of no small talent, and crews that train under her guidance are among the best astral sailors one can find. She is somehow over 200 years old, and distinguished herself in command of the apes’ young fleet in the First Tiger Wars when Rakshasan spelljammers supplied the human tribes with Drakkar that strafed the skies across the supercontinent. Her living ship Longbranches is named for its treant, who also serves as Glidesright’s dependable First Mate. She carries a +2 revolver and a ring of protection on either foot.

Hadozee Natives of Yazir, the Hadozee are semi-recent arrivals to Apespace, arriving with the first large influx of spelljammers and staying to enjoy simian democracy under the Howling Sun. The Hadozee of Gromm are retired spacefarers raising new generations of voidsailors, and maintain an expansive trade school in the capital city Sunthrone. Starfaring Sensei The Hadozee adults of Apespace are famous for two things: shipbuilding and teaching. Hadozee children are raised communally. As young adults, they form into groups of 20 to 30 persons, who train together until ready to join the crew of a vessel. Hadozee only took mates after they were too old to sail. While they have opened their trade schools for the benefit of Hadozee young, the instructors also work with the simian democracy to offer spelljammer training to young Grommam and others who wish to ply the stars alongside their children. Where the Bonob teach the democracy’s children mathematics and science, the Hadozee open up new worlds with specialized vocational training to help (especially unmarried grommam males) find purpose and fortune outside of Apespace. Cultural Ambassadors New adult hadozee arrive whenever they decide that they’ve reached retirement age and desire to have children and teach them the ways of the astral adventurer. When these individuals arrive on Gromm, they do so invariably arriving with interesting new treasures, fashions and gadgets gathered on their travels across the multiverse. Exciting new items flare in popularity, and a single Hadozee arrival can be the launch of a popular new fad amongst the citizens of Sunthrone and beyond, new technologies and fashions ebbing out into the greater culture after adoption in the capitol. In this way, these aged hadozee act as cultural ambassadors from beyond the stars, inspiring new generations of adventurers from the greater population. Yazir Shipyards In part of their training to become better voidsailors than their teachers, young Hadozee work with their classes under the instruction of the elders and alongside work crews to help construct popular spelljamming vessels. The planet’s most popular design is the Living Ship, which are created with the aid of Grommam and Alaghi druids. While comparatively few in number compared to major spelljamming ports, the Yazir Shipyards in the capitol has none the less provided the simian democracy of Gromm a small fleet of ships. The democracy now boasts 20 Living Ships that protect it from alien threats, and this has cemented the Hadozee as a cornerstone of planetary defense. Dress and Armament Like the stories of the old sailors who wear and wield them, the arms and dress of adult Hadozee differ wildy based on lived experience. Adults carry and proudly display trophies of their time in the astral sea- a laser pistol here, a magic sword there, maybe even a pepperbox- always interested in telling the story behind how it came into their possession or great deeds they’ve accomplished with said trophy in hand. The Hadozee young wear current fashions popular in the capitol, often emulating their favorite teacher’s style and mannerisms in their adolescence. Gods and Religion The Hadozee first came to Apespace for adventure, but many stayed to live under the gaze of the Overgod of the Apes. In fact, Apespace has become almost as popular as their homeworld Yazir as a retirement destination, and worship of the overgod Kong has spread far beyond the borders of Apespace with Hadozee sailors. Hadozee Player Characters PC options for Hadozee can be found on page 13 of the Astral Adventurers Guide. Player characters who wish to run a Hadozee can find their information there. 11 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

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Papio This species of humanoids resemble Baboons. They are the most aggressive humanoid species on the planet, though most of it is bluster and chest puffing- Papio are somewhat timid when found alone, and gather courage from running together in packs. All Papio have long, dog-like muzzles, heavy, powerful jaws with sharp canine teeth, close-set eyes, thick fur except on their muzzles, short tails, and rough spots on their protruding buttocks, called ischial callosities. These calluses are nerveless, hairless pads of skin that provide for the sitting comfort of the Papio. Ecology and Diet Papio are opportunistic eaters. They regularly eat fruits, grasses, seeds, pods, flowers, bark and roots, but also have a taste for meat and eat birds, fish, shellfish, rodents and even monkeys and larger mammals, such as antelopes and sheep. When feeding, its every Papio for itself – they do not share food and a dominant Papio will help itself to food from a less dominant one. If a member of another species offers food to a Papio, they are essentially telling the Papio that they rank lower than them and are submitting to their power. A Papio troop has a complex and fascinating hierarchy, where males are dominant but their ranking is tenuous and changes often, while females inherit their social status from their mothers. A troop on average ranges from 20 to 150 individuals. Dress and Armament A militaristic species, both male and female Papio favor modern military fashions in everyday life. Males of fighting age wear flashy Zouave uniforms consisting of a distinctive jacket, vest, sash, baggy trousers, and fez. Females prefer robes in toned down colors to draw attention to the males of a Troupe if danger, though often accent their dress with a brightly colored sash like the males of the troupe wear. For most of their history, the species fought with spear and shield, though with the arrival of spelljamming Rakshasa in Apespace, the Papio troupes began to be armed with muskets. Papio Troop leaders began making deals with the fiendish tigers for arms, straining the balance of power on Gromm. Gods and Religion The Papio view their species as expressions of Kong’s Righteous Anger, worshipping the sun god in battle. Their proximity to the human barbarians’ (and now Rakshasas’) terrority has lent them a long history of glorious combat. Papio Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1. Age. Papio reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century. Alignment. Born into a warrior’s heirarchy, Papio tend toward lawful neutral, though their anger and rage can push them towards evil. Size. Papio stand between 5 to 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking and climbing speed is 30ft. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Howler. You gain proficiency in Intimidation. Reckless. At the start of your turn, you can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until the start of your next turn. Dexterous Feet. As a bonus action, you can use your feet to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object. Pack Tactics. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. Canines. You are proficient with your natural Bite attack, which deals 1d4+Str piercing damage. Languages. You know Papio and Common. 13 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

1 4 P A R T 1 | P e o p l e s o f A p e s p a c e

Skunk-Ape The most reclusive of all the simian races in Apespace, the Skunk-Ape are the hidden guardians of nature and can produce a powerfully irritating musk. The SkunkApe is a lesser-known cousin of the Alaghi, and by extension the Yeti. The Skunk ape is commonly described as a bipedal ape-like humanoid approximately 6-8 feet tall, and covered in mottled reddish-brown to black fur. Mature males and females both develop white beards and a noxious musk that wards of predators. Skunk-Ape Names Skunk-apes keep their true, sacred names in the Yeti language a secret, only spoken around their tribe. They go by their childhood pet names or honorifics when dealing with members of other races: Fouke, Myakka, Momo, the Holopaw might be names for any Skunk-ape, as their naming conventions follow no gendered basis. Ecology and Diet Although they can be found (if one looks hard enough) in many different ecosystems across Gromm, they are primarily located in warm everglades and swampy woods. This aids in their distinction from Alaghi as they possess a different home range, with Alaghi roaming high forests and mountains. The largest concentration of Skunk-Apes is found on Honey Island, where they gather in numbers unseen anywhere else across the face of the planet. The Skunk-Ape is an opportunistic carnivore, perfectly content to hunt giant goats, though it isn’t above stealing a meal from a crocodile when it is feeling lazy. The species are mostly hunter-gatherers and do little in the way of farming, but do keep chickens for eggs and meat with omelettes being a favored meal. Dress and Armament Skunk-Ape live a druidic lifestyle in harmony with nature, and their swampy natural habitat makes wearing clothing more trouble than its worth. Instead, Skunk-Ape carry water-tight baskets woven from plant material and coated with peat and lined with their own fur, which they wear as backpacks. These baskets usually hold food and stone tools, but infants are placed inside while moving across hostile territory for safety. They fashion spears, knives and arrowheads by chipping obsidian to a razor’s edge, and great warriors and chiefs among them fashion hide armor and shields from the skulls and hides of giant crocodiles. Gods and Religion Like all simian races in Apespace, the Skunk-Ape worship Kong, the Howling Sun. Skunk-Ape Player Characters Ability Scores Increases Strength score increases by 2 and Wisdom score increases by 1. Speed: Your base walk and climb speed is 35 feet. Size. Skunk-Ape tend to be around 6 to 8 feet tall, and usually weigh between 270-370 pounds. Regardless of your position, your size is Medium. Age. Skunk-Ape reach adulthood at around age 20, and on average live to be about 150 years old. Alignment. Skunk-Ape tend toward neutral. Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Long-Limbed. When you make a melee attack on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal. Darkvision. Accustomed to twilit swamps and starry nights, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Stealthy. You are proficient in the Stealth skill. Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena. Musk. Any creature other than a skunk-ape that starts its turn within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw (DC 10 + your Constitution modifier) or be poisoned until the start of the creature’s next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the musk of all skunk-apes for 1 hour. Languages. You are fluent in Yeti. 15 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

Vanara Vanaras are a species of monkey-like humanoids, ever brave and inquisitive. They are curious in the extreme, frequently badgering people with questions about any given topic. Sometimes these are very personal questions, ignoring social mores that other humanoid races seem to hold dear. The Vanara can get into trouble with intrustive investigation, often handling other folks’ items up to examine them or trying doors and opening cabinents to see whats inside. The species also tends to be bluntly honest, letting others know exactly what their feelings are on a topic, no matter how inappropriate the response. Many bards fear a review from a vanara for this reason. At the same time, they are incredibly loyal, quite brave when the situation requires it, and generally kind. Vanaras are slightly shorter than humans, standing 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 feet tall and typically weighing 40 to 140 pounds. Their bodies are covered with light fur, ranging from white through light blue to brown and black. Their faces are distinctly monkeylike, with protruding muzzles, furred cheeks, and wide, lipless mouths. They have long, semi-prehensile tails, long fingers and toes, and large ears, but their arms, legs, and torsos are proportioned like those of humans. They show little for rules with no purpose they can understand, or codes of discipline or bureaucracy, and hate tyranny and oppression. Their only concession to social order is their acceptance of caste systems. The Vanara Language Humans complain that Vanaran sounds like nothing but screeches and chattering, but it is a complex and subtle language akin to Grommish, punctuated by howls and informed by expressive body language and hand signals. Vanara Names Avanara receives a name within a week after birth, as soon as the parents observe some sign or portent that suggests an appropriate name for the child. Male Names: Amanu, Angada, Kesari, Mainda, Macchanu, Nila, Rava, Rudra, Taar, Vali, Vindu Female Names: Aadhya, Aki, Kiri, Ghuna, Lakshmi, Ravana, Rumā, Sitha, Tani, Tara, Uma, Vina. Habitat and Society Vanaras dwell in lush forests and high mountains, building villages among the trees and lighting their settlements with strings of paper lanterns. They gather in loose clans, but do not keep track of kinship at all, so “clan” is a very loose term for their associations. The Grommam call vanara clans “parties”, and leadership positions seem to fall to the most charismatic regardless of that individual’s actual leadership abilities. Gods and Religion Vanara revere the great spirits of nature, giving daily prayers and songs of exhaultation to Kong, the Howling Sun. Like the grommam, they have had their own demigod walk among them- Sun Wukong- as documented in their religous text, The Journey West. Dress and Armament Vanara classicaly favor comfortable robes, their young attracted to the current fashions of other cultures. They tend not to wear heavy armor as it would restrict their climbing ability, and have a cultural affinity towards monk’s weapons, slings and unarmed strikes, tracing back to the days their demigod walked among them. Vanaran monks tend to follow the Way of the Drunken Master, and often become wandering heroes. Born to Adventure The arrival of a human or a member of another species in a vanara community usually sparks a rash of vanara adventurers. The young vanaras- curious about the foreign society from which the visitor came- venture forth to learn about the wider world. Sought after crewmen, the Vanara are able riggers and marksmen. Vanara Player Characters Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Strength score increases by 1. Age. Vanara reach adulthood around 18 and generally live about 75 years. Alignment. While often mischevous with a Chaotic bent, Vanara tend towards Good. Size. You are Medium or Small. You choose the size when you select this race. Speed. Your base walking and climbing speed is 35 feet. Brave. You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened. Natural Acrobat. You are proficient in Acrobatics. Vanara Nimbleness. You can move through the space of any creature that is of your size or larger. Dexterous Feet. As a bonus action, you can use your feet to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object. Prehensile Tail. You have a powerful prehensile tail that act as fifth limb and aids you in acrobatics. You are able to use an item held in your tail as a bonus action. You may also stow and retrieve items from your bag with your tail as a bonus action. Languages. You know Vanara sign language and one other local language. 16 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

17 PART 1 | Peoples of Apespace

The Cosmology of Apespace 18 PART 2 | The Cosmology of Apespace

Apespace Celestial Body Type Distance to Outer Edge of System Kong, the Howling Sun Sun (and the physical Avatar of the ape overgod Kong on the material plane) 900 million miles (9 days’ travel) Homino Spherical earth body with two moons (Gibbum & Rectus) 800 million miles (8 day’s travel) Ira (aka Kong’s Rage) Spherical earth body with one moon (Habilis) 700 million miles (7 day’s travel) Gromm Spherical earth body with one moon (Simia) 600 million miles (6 day’s travel) Brutus Gas giant with five moons (Naledi, Erectus, Kadabba, and Ramidus I & II, which share tandem orbits) 400 million miles (4 days’ travel) Mortuus Spherical earth body with two moons (Playtops and Aethio) 250 million miles (2.5 days’ travel) The Appeal of Apespace Characters who use a Wildspace orrery will be shown the Howling Sun with five planets locked in orbit around it. The system also has eighteen moons— three orbiting the first planet, Homino; a single moon orbiting the next two planets, Ira and Gromm; five orbiting the fourth planet, a gas giant called Brutus; two orbiting the fifth planet, a deadworld called Mortuus, and six planetoids or moonlets ranging the outskirts of the system. Kong, the Howling Sun The overgod of the apes’ physical manifestation within the material plane, the Howling Sun brings both life and destruction to Apespace. The first two planets within its orbit have been destroyed by its heat and intensity, Homino succumbing to its power immediately upon the manifestation of the god, and Ira said to have drawn the god’s rage as evidenced by the solar storms that ravage and burn the bright side of the planet. Just beyond these two Deadworlds, the lush paradise of Gromm awaits travelers from the stars. Its people are ardent worshippers of a visible god hung in the sky, and His rays provide them warmth and plant life in abundance. Homino The surface of Homino is a cracked volcanic landscape, and constant thunderstorms swarm its thick atmosphere, which boils under the heat of the Howling Sun. Beyond inhospitable to life, Homino hosts a Deadly air quality atmosphere, making merging your spelljammer’s air pocket with the planet’s a suicidal action. As no creatures have ever visited Homino and survived, little is known about it. Ira Legend holds that Ira was once a rich, unspoilt paradise and the sister planet to Gromm, until its Drow invaders spurned the Howling Sun by magically forcing the planet into a synchronous rotation in an attempt to create a pocket of everlasting night where they would be comfortable. It is said the descendants of these Drow still live on Ira, though few care to visit to find out. When the world stopped revolving, it began burning, the lush landscapes disappearing in fires that still burn to this day. The dark side of the planet fell to a crueler death: choked from the sun, plantlife withered and died, fouling the air and stripping locals of any food sources that the Howling Sun had yet to burn. The people of Gromm hold Ira as a cautionary tale in living against nature, and it is also known as Kong’s Rage, telling of the god’s destructive capabilities. Gromm Lush and full of life, Gromm’s peoples tend to live in harmony with nature and are mostly peaceful. A sizeable planet dotted with freshwater lakes, rainforests, mountains, savannah and forested biomes, its single supercontinent is host to a great diversity of flora and fauna. Large humanoid populations thrive here in peaceful coexistance- the Grommam, Hadozee, Bonob, Papio and Vanara- banded together with the nomadic Alaghi and reclusive Skunk-Apes- form the Simian Democracy. These cultures have built large cities together, like the capitol Sunthrone, the world’s major spelljamming port. Brutus The only gas giant in this solar system, Brutus is comprised mostly of nitrogen gas and is lightly less than one-thousandth the mass of the Howling Sun. Its habitable moons are refuges for space pirates, and communication in the area is difficult due to the planet’s powerful magnetosphere. Mortuus The furthest planet from the Howling Sun, Mortuus is a deadworld rich in mineral resources though contains no water and has a Deadly air quality. The planet is home to Earth Elementals who do not take kindly to visitors. 19 PART 2 | The Cosmology of Apespace

20 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

2 1 P A R T 3 | C a n d l e k e e p C o n v e r s i o n s

The Grommam Protectorate The hilly and mountainous forests within the Protectorate are the choice habitat of the Grommam. The area contains two sacred forests- the Forest of Beasts to the west and the Forest of Peace to the eastwhere young Grommam pursue their chosen paths, Warrior or Spirit. Capitol: Sunthrone In the north of the Grommam Protectorate, the planetary capitol and spelljamming center of Sunthrone is home to representatives of each of the simian races that make up the simian democracy. It is most likely here that a spelljamming ship will land, and astral sailors will marvel at the stonework- buildings cut from the rock and grown over with plantlife, underscoring the world’s harmony with nature. Sunthrone is home to many Grommam Demigods, and it is here that the other races send their representatives to affect government policy. The city is also home to the world’s largest Hadozee population and their Spelljamming trade school, and is the center of the waves of Hadozee migrants that periodically leave the city to settle across the continent. The Grommam military provides security, and off-world trade is at its height in this port. Skunk-Ape Territory These wetlands are the home of the reclusive SkunkApe tribes. The swamps are filled with Giant Crocodiles, Poisonous Snakes, Snapping Turtles and other foul beasts that make living here a dangerous game for those without the survival skills and natural stealth of a Skunk-Ape. Predators in these swamps know the telltale smell of these powerful primates, giving the apes a wide berth. The other races of the world recognize this territory as the Skunk-Ape tribes, and like the swamp predators leave the apes alone to their primitive lifestyles. Papio Dominion The Papio Troops claim this land as their ancestral domain. They live in clay buildings, with Troops (and males within a troop) constantly jockeying for position and fighting for status. Their culture is akin to the orcs of less civilized worlds, their aggressive tendencies tempered by their place among the simian democracy. The Papio make yearly trips to the hotsprings to the south of Mount Kong Rex. The Rakshasan Caliphate Once the seat of a human empire that dominated life on Gromm, the Caliphate is home to a number of powerful Rakshasa and defended by their armies of human Berserkers who worship them as gods. Before the arrival of the Rakshasa, the remaining humans had retreated here after losing the Great Human War and licked their wounds. When the devil tigers arrived, it was an answer to their prayers to lift them from defeat and give them the glory of domination over the world’s humanoids once more. The first Rakshasan warlords on Gromm were defeated a hundred years ago in the First Tiger Wars, and have since struck a tenuous truce with the simian democracy. Secretly, the Rakshasa have been smuggling weapons to the planet- muskets and cannon. They have also spent years undermining and hypnotizing Papio leaders, eager to count the baboonmen as allies in their next attempt at domination. The balance of power threatens to shift as the Caliphate supplies hundreds of Papio Troops with firearms and lavishes promises of wealth and power into the ears of Papio alphas. The Vanaran Principality While members of the simian democracy, Vanarans love the pomp and circumstance of a having a king, and the greatest warrior among them is chosen to wear the Crown of the Monkey King and represent the race in democratic chambers every 5 years at the martial arts competition in Mevels, along the border with the Bonob Commonwealth. Vanara cities are built high among the trees, and a great number of Hadozee live among them. Alaghi Territory The peaceful Alaghi tribes use this area as their hunting grounds. The area is dotted with Alaghi hermits, who sometimes leave to experience new areas and find peace. The territory is noted for Auroch, Reindeer and Sabertoothed Tigers, and Alaghi tribes might lend travelers a hand if accosted by local predators. Like the centaur of other realms and their Skunk-Ape cousins to the southwest, the Alaghi take offense to desecration of their lands, and often hunt down rogue human barbarian raiding parties striking out from the Caliphate to strike at the Vanaran Principality. Bonob Commonwealth Scientifically advanced compared to the rest of Gromm, the Bonob pursue knowledge and innovation on the supercontinent’s east coast. From the tip of Cape Knievel, the intrepid bonob scientists launch their latest rockets into space. Whereas Sunthrone is the dedicated spellhamming port, Cape Knievel is the hub of scientific vessels approaching or departing Gromm. To the south of the Commonwealth, lies the Monolith, a mysterious black slab that can be discovered throughout the Solar System in various sizes, but all of them maintaining a 1:4:9 dimensional ratio. Bonob research teams have been studying it for years, believing it was left here by an advanced alien race long ago and may even be a roadmap through creation. 22 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

Midjourney AI 23 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

Life in Sunthrone Between spelljamming imports and Bonob ingenuity, Sunthrone has become a city to rival the technological wonders of even the cities of Eberron. Built upon the Grommam’s ancient capitol, exquisite stonework and hanging plants combine with electrical lines and steam power to produce a city that speaks its dreams of the future while maintaining its connections thousands of years in the past. In this city, Grommam demigods rub shoulders with voidfaring adventurers and new arrivals are met with intense interest- the curiosity of locals turning each jammer’s docking into an event to behold. Vanara children hang rooftops and loading cranes are a common sight, welcoming the day’s new travelers. One thing that the citizens of Sunthrone care for most is fashion! Having spent milennia in the same cultural garb, introductions of articles like the Bowler Hat have made intense splashes, and whats fab in the city this season becomes the fad across the supercontinent come the next. Along with fashion, void travelers have brought something more to Sunthrone: the spirit of La Bohème. A new age of art and expression is alive on Gromm, and it all starts here! Things of note on Sunthrone’s streets: At night, areas of the city are lit by electric lights of Bonob design, powered by steam generators Coattailed suits and tall stovetop hats are all the rage- last year it was ruffled collars and rapiers! Coaches manned by dapper apes draped in the latest fashions will wisk you anywhere you’d like to go The city has a decent spelljamming population; about 5% of folks here at any given time are offworlders here to trade or hire a crew Grommam Warriors (veterans) patrol as law enforcement; if you spot a Grommam Demigod, it will be hard to miss their 12 veteran bodyguards Popular exports are tea, spices, rare minerals and able crewmen; popular imports seem to center around textiles, weapons, exotic food and literature “Please Do Not Toss Waste” signs written in Common and Vanaran; streets are increibly clean Young simian artists draw attention to themselvescaricature artists, bards and inventors- all eager to share their talents with the city The Temple of Kong’s gilded spire rises far above the city’s low skyline, a beacon for visiting Jammers 24 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

A City of Hydroelectric Energy One of the cities newest (and some would say greatest) wonders is derived from Bonob and Gnomish engineers: the marvel of electric light. Along the Moreriada River, turbines and watermills convert the energy of flowing and falling water into useful forms of electric power. This energy is fed into the city’s powergrid, furnishing its electric streetlamps with power 24 hours a day. Across La Boheme, merchants and artisans have put the power of the river and its waterfalls to work following the engineers’ example- watermills providing energy for tasks including milling flour in gristmills, grinding wood into pulp for papermaking, hammering wrought iron, running circular saws to cut timber for shipmaking, parts machining, ore crushing and pounding fibres for use in the manufacture of cloth. 25 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

Grommam priestesses hold services in the temple of kong Adventurers looking for healing can find it at the hands of the clergy in Sunthrone Citadel. 26 PART 2 | The Cosmology of Apespace

Simian Steampunk The city of Sunthrone is like no other on Gromm, a marriage of tradition and advancement. Even the technologically advanced cities to the east in the Bonob Commonwealth can’t compare, as Sunthrone operates so perfectly in harmony with nature. Fashion Sunthrones citizenry, especially its vanarans, are caught in the fickle throes of fab fashions. The most outward evidence of this is the clothing citizens wear. Moneyed women’s fashions include hoop skirts, bonnets, polonaise, and tightly laced corset over a bodice or chemisette, pairing them with a skirt adorned with numerous embroideries and trims; over layers of petticoats. Less well to do women exhibit similar dress styles; however, the decorations are not as extravagant. The layering of these garments make them very heavy. Corsets are also stiff and restrict movement. Although the clothes are not comfortable, the type of fabrics and the numerous layers are worn as a symbol of wealth. Topping off their outfit, women wear enormous widebrimmed hats covered with elaborate creations of silk flowers, ribbons, and above all, exotic plumes; hats sometimes include entire exotic birds that have been stuffed! Men’s fashions include tight-fitting, calf length frock coats and a waistcoat or vests, tall hats, and shirts made of linen or cotton with low collars worn with wide cravats or neck ties, trousers with fly fronts, and breeches used for formal functions and when horseback riding. Men wear top hats, with wide brims in sunny weather. Some vanara even wear shoes, restricting their feet for the sake of looking good. The Arts Painting, literature, music, dance, oration- the young of Sunthrone- especially those of La Boheme, love art and emotional artistic expression. Discontent to be seen as a galactic backwater, the youth of the city push with all their might and talent to lift Sunthrone to new artistic purviews and create lasting achievements to be remembered by their peers. The youth call it their “the Revolution of the Boheme, ” a revolution aimed at creating a lasting culture of knowledge, art and love.

Father and son on a walk. 28 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

Carriages Similar to Waterdeep in the Forgotten Realms, a convenient way to travel Sunthrone is by hire-carriage. The drivers know the city like the back of their hand, from old town and Sunthrone Citadel to the spelljamming ports, Sun King’s Rest to the Hadozee District. They are all too happy to share with newcomers the history of the city or lend a helping hand with directions. Carriages are pulled by Draft Horse. Carriages are available almost any time day or night, ferrying young simians home after late nights at the tavern watching performing Bards from foreign lands and flirting with sweethearts. The Hadozee District This residential neighborhood is home to a large population of Hadozee, both those teaching at the vocational academy and the young training there. Following the initial Hadozee migrations from the city, one will find similar districts in towns across the supercontinent, though Sunthrone maintains the largest permanent population of these humanoids. ` Sunscouts The Grommam military defending the city is aided by a corps of small-sized Vanara soldiers who ride dogs (Mastiff). These miniature policemen are equipped with a saber (scimitar), bolas, a sounding horn and adorable little military uniforms. They travel in packs of 1d4+2, sniffing out trouble around the spelljamming docks before it can spill out into the peaceful city proper. The Sunscouts are under general orders not to engage with criminals, but to instead use their sounding horns to call Grommam Warriors to the area to deal with the threat. In addition to aiding the Grommam in the city’s defense, sunscouts act as messengers, running communicaes between military and religious leaders. A Sunscout uses Scout stats (MM p349) with these changes: Its size is small. It carries a scimitar and a sounding horn, allowing it to cast Alarm as a bonus action. It has advantage on saving throws against being frightened. It is proficient in Acrobatics (+4) It can move through the space of any creature that is of its size or larger. As a bonus action, it can use its feet to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object. It has a prehensile tail that acts as fifth limb and aids in acrobatics. It is able to use an item held in its tail as a bonus action. It may also stow and retrieve items from its bag with its tail as a bonus action. 29 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

Exploring La Boheme Notable Resident: Xià Luòkè Xià Luòkè is a vanara detective who lives at 222A Bakers Street in La Boheme neighborhood, famous for his wit and solving serveral seemingly impossible cases to much fanfare in the local press. Though he is truly a brilliant detective, Xià Luòkè is an absolutely grating companion and overbearing friend, only able to find a true friend in his ineffable Bonob assistant Doctor Jedd Wattsen. If there are Mysteries to solve in Sunthrone, Xià Luòkè is on the case! Xià Luòkè uses Diviner Wizard stats with these changes: Advantage on saving throws vs being frightened. Proficiency in Acrobatics(+4) and Perception(+7). Expertise in Investigation (+10) and Insight (+7). He can move through the space of any creature of his size or larger. As a bonus action, he can use its feet to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object. He has a prehensile tail that acts as fifth limb and aids in acrobatics. He is able to use an item held in his tail as a bonus action. He may also stow and retrieve items from his bag with his tail as a bonus action. He plays a violin, but does not have proficiency. He is addicted to Blue Lotus Flower. Xià Luòkè’s right hand man, Doctor Jedd Wattsen, uses Gladiator stats with these changes: He has expertise in Medicine(+6) and Perception(+7) He carries his old +2 Service Revolver from his days as a frontline medic in the army (+7 to hit, range 40/120ft, 2d8+4 piercing damage on a hit). Wattsen counts as one size larger when determining his carrying capacity and the weight he can push, drag, or lift. As a bonus action, he can use his feet to manipulate an object, open or close a door or container, or pick up or set down a Tiny object. Wattsen’s long jump is up to 15 feet and his high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start. He has a natural bite attack (+7 to hit, reach 5ft, deals 1d4+4 piercing damage on a hit. As Xià Luòkè’s friend and doctor, he carries antidote to counteract the effects of Blue Lotus overdose. the Hadozee Vocational School Built in La Boheme to serve Hadozee youth but expanded to offer training to all species under the simian democracy, the Vocational Spelljamming school in Sunthrone turns Sunthrone’s youth into some of the finest voidsailors in the galaxy. The school works hand in hand with Yazir Shipyards to produce graduates who not only can sail a ship across the stars, but know how to repair these vessels and conduct routine maintenence to ensure the vessel has a long life in service. Graduates gain proficiency in (Vehicles: Spelljamming Ships) and (Carpenters Tools). Graduates also gain: Sea Legs. While on a ship, the graduate has advantage on ability checks and saving throws to resist being knocked prone. Decamp’s Experts 30 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

Harbor District The harbor was once a seaport, though with the influx of Spelljamming ships to Gromm, air power has taken a lead over sea power. While the city maintains a small fishing fleet, its defensive fleet is now composed of Living Ships built here at the Yazir Shipyards. The Workhouse An institution where those unable to support themselves financially are offered accommodation and employment, the workhouse opened in the last 50 years due to the increase in population not lining up with the availability of paying jobs. Young vanara, usually orphans, make up the bulk of the workhouse’s manpower. The Hadozee who runs the workhouse is named Mr. Switch, and had his patagium clipped by Neogi slavers before he was rescued, and is a hard man because of it. Unable to taste the air with his fellow hadozee, Mr Switch takes his pain out on the orphans. He uses LE Bandit Captain stats. The Ratcatchers Guild Much of the city’s food storage is within warehouses in the Harbor District. To protect these food stores, Sunthrone maintains a professional Ratcatcher’s Guild. The members of the guild come from all over, some sticking to conventional ratcatching methods of dogs and spears, while others employ adhesive and mechanical traps of Bonob or Gnomish design. Its dirty work, but the Ratcatchers Guild keeps the city healthy and its peoples’ bellies full. The Spelljamming Docks The center of off-world trade on Gromm, the jammer docks are one of the crown jewels of the city. It is here Yazir Shipyards launches its ships, and the first place 98% of incoming spelljamers touch down to do business. The docks are always a bustle of activity, offering hope to unmarried male grommam and young hadozee who have nothing real waiting for them on this planet moving into adulthood. Very few ships are available for sale here at any given time, most often available Yazir builds or old ships for sale by human or elven merchants. The restrictions of being a young jammer port are tempered by the simian democracy’s drive to see the stars: any ship thats spaceworthy is a ship worth buying, slapping a new coat of bright paint on, and taking out into the black for a promise of an exciting new tomorrow. Credit: Wellcome Library, London.CCBYSA40 Credit: Wellcome Library, London.CCBYSA40 31 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

The Boys on Shoreleave Papio regiments on leave often travel to spend their month off in La Boheme, taking in the the sights and attractions- but mostly the drink. Bar room brawls with low level adventurers are not uncommon… 32 PART 2 | The Cosmology of Apespace

Seven Fields This area north of town is a training ground for grommam warriors. Only military personnel are allowed to enter the area, which is regularly patrolled by Sunscouts. Lightshade This neighborhood is home to many of the grommam demigods about town. They live in modest stone palaces amongst their flocks, guiding their people through both bounty and uncertain times. In addition to the demigods, a large number of unmarried female grommam live here- priestesses in service of the Temple of Kong within the Sunthrone Citadel. Lightshade is home to Jean-Baptiste, an off-world vanara painter who is regularly commissioned to create portraits of the wealthy and well to do. Sun King’s Rest The most populous area of the city, Sun King’s Rest boasts multiracial demographics and large mutlifamily residential estates home to entire clans of grommam. While La Boheme is the cultural center of the city, Sun King’s Rest holds true to tradition and the old ways. No walls between the people and nature, no fences keeping wild animals at bay, but a tumble of stone homes open to the wilds. The main city street runs through this neighborhood and to the Sunthrone Citadel. Baths and Steam Houses Simians love to relax with friends in these establishments. Spacious rooms contain heated pools for respite while engaging in casual conversation. Sunthrone Citadel With its tall gilded spire, visible for miles from the ground, the citadel is an ancient grommam house of worship dedicated to Kong. Inside, painted walls depict murals telling the story of the great god of the apes from his birth and youth, through his battles against the Lizard King and other Kaiju threatening his domain, and to his ascention to godhood. The enormous double gates of Sunthrone Citadel are three times the height of a human and wrought of gold magically warded to foil attempts to damage them. Both doors are emblazoned with the face of Kong, bisected upon either door and wearing a crown. One of the two gates stands open far enough to admit visitors and pilgrims during the day, and the other is kept shut. Wards Numerous magical defenses protect the citadel: Magic Restriction. Wards prevent anyone but a grommam demigod from entering the citadel by any route other than through the front gates. Any attempt to magically bypass these gates fails. These wards do not prevent creatures from using magic to exit the citadel. Anyone who tries to fly over the keep’s walls into the citadel is stopped short. Magical flight is dispelled, and the subject floats slowly to the ground fifty feet outside the gates. An intangible ward forces creatures that can fly naturally to either land or circumnavigate the citadel altogether. Ordinary birds are unaffected by this ward, and a clever wizard or other individual can bypass the ward by assuming the form of a Tiny bird. The priestesses don’t discuss this flaw with outsiders, but anyone who can see the gulls flying over the citadel can easily reach the conclusion that certain creatures are exempt from this magical restriction. Fire Suppression. Flames larger than a candle are suppressed within the citadel. Thus, any spell that creates fire is wasted if it is cast within the citadel. Theft Protection. Every book and artifact within the temple is magically protected against theft. Any such item that is removed from the citadel disappears and immediately returns to its proper place in the citadel when it crosses the property line. Meditative Space. Creature’s strong emotions are supressed as if by Calm Emotions at DC20 while inside. Military Stronghold 600 Grommam Warriors under command of 6 male demigods defend the Citadel, and from it the rest of the city. At any given time 2d20+20 Sunscouts patrol the grounds and surrounding area, ever vigilant. Clergy The Temple of Kong within the citadel is maintained by 300 grommam clerics under direction of 6 female demigods, the priestesses leading the city’s worship services and providing magical healing to sick and wounded residents and warriors. 33 PART 2 | The World of Gromm

Candlekeep Conversions One of the joys of being a Dungeon Master is vicious, unapologetic adaptation. One source that begs to be converted is Candlekeep Mysteries, an anthology of adventures written by members of the Dungeons & Dragons community. Each adventure begins with a book that the characters find in Candlekeep, an enormous library located on the Sword Coast in the Forgotten Realms setting. Using the books as plot hooks, Candlekeep offers episodic adventures for characters of any level. When a DM is not running a Forgotten Realms campaign, they are invited to adapt the adventures in Candlekeep Mysteries for other settings, substituting any large library similar to Candlekeep as the setting to dole out new adventures. On Gromm, this location falls to the guarded library at the Sunthrone Citadel. So how do we do this? Your greatest weapon as a DM is your imagination. You can dissect any Candlekeep Mysteries adventure and use pieces of it rather than the whole thing, filling in the rest with material that runs cohesively with your world and campaign. As the authors of the mysteries state: “Nothing in these adventures is too sacred to tamper with and repurpose to serve your own needs. ” So lets get repurposing! Over the next pages, we’ll take one adventure outlined in Candlekeep Mysteries and turn it into a uniquely scifantasy romp: Book 4: A Deep and Creeping Darkness. (CM p48) Oh yeah, that’s a good one. Let’s get cracking. Reimagining Narrative Conceits Candlekeep Mysteries assume that the player characters discover a book in Candlekeep’s library that contains a mystery (and getting to the bottom of this mystery requires embarking on an adventure) or that the characters come to Candlekeep on a quest for information and during their research they uncover a book and the mystery it contains (which then leads to the adventure). Most of the locations described in Candlekeep can be used as stand-alone adventure sites. With a little effort and a few name changes, you can easily transplant them into other campaign worlds, including of course, a scifi or scifantasy setting. Demigod’s Dreams Instead of receiving their quests through books, our heroes will get their missions through phrophetic dreams. Grommam demigods are intrinsically connected to the overgod of the apes, their very existence a channeling of a mere fragment of Kong’s true power. Through this divine connection, the demigods receive portents of past and future in (sometimes confusing or cryptic) dreams, which are recounted to the temple’s scribes and held as prophecy. This simple change to the basic Candlekeep Mysteries narrative conceit completely changes the feel of these adventures for players. Instead of mysteries held within books, your players are being directly chosen by the demigods to solve a problem. 35 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

Let’s Talk About Fey One might consider faeries- the denizens of the Feywildto be a set of hard-fantasy creatures that won’t fit well into science fiction stories. This is flat out wrong. The Fey are extradimensional aliens, and always were, a trope referred to as “Alien Fair Folk.” There are two common variants of this trope. The first one is the “paleocontact theory” which implies that various legendary creatures (gods, demons, angels, fairies, etc.) are actually extraterrestrials who visited or arrived on our world many centuries ago. The other variant is the “interdimensional hypothesis” proposed by ufologist John Keel and astrophysicist Jacques Vallee; according to it, the fairytale creatures (who are actually Ultraterrestrials, and possibly of electromagnetic origin) are nowadays posing as aliens in order to trick humans or disguise their motives. While it is true the Fey don’t come to your planet on a spaceship or possess laser technology, those elements aren’t what truly define a fey creature as an “alien.” They are, by all accounts, extradimensional beings with inscruitable, inhuman motives and abilities far beyond mortal comprehension. Let’s take a look at some pop culture examples of this phenomenon: HP Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer in Darkness” features an extra-dimensional alien race who are said to have inspired creature legends in the parts of the world where they have visited (including the legends of the yeti or mi-go in the Himalayas). In David Lynch’s Twin Peaks (and spoiler warning, but to be fair Twin Peaks has been out longer than this author has been alive): extradimensional aliens gain access to Earth via the Red Room to extract Garmonbozia (a physical embodiment of Pain and Sorrow) from humans. Garmonbozia was a substance that resembled, or indeed was, creamed corn, and was a source of sustenance for certain “spirits”. The red room, also known as “the waiting room,” was an anomalous extradimensional space connected to Glastonbury Grove in Twin Peaks’ Ghostwood National Forest. First discovered as early as the 1800s, the red room was believed by many to be the Black Lodge of local Native American legend. Many spirits appeared to “live” in the red room. BOB, MIKE and the Arm are not the typical extra-terrestrial alien invaders, but they are prime examples of extra-dimensional alien creatures. Like the Fey, the alien “spirits” of the Red Room live not on another planet, but within another reality mirror to our own. Also like many Fey, these extradimensional, inhumand and somewhat unknowable beings feed off the emotions of humanoid creatures to sustain themselves. One disturbing phenomenon encountered in the room was the doppelganger, a malevolent duplicate of a person or spirit distinguished in the series by its fogged white eyes. Doctor Who tackles this trope quite often, and plenty of mythical creatures in the series are revealed to actually be aliens: Vampires, yeti, the Loch Ness Monster, the Egyptian gods, etc. Funnily enough, Faeries in Doctor Who are natives of Earth, having lived alonside humans since the dawn of man, touched on in the series’ spinoff Torchwood. As Jack explains, when the Earth was young, the veil between the Invisible and the Visible was thinner, allowing fairies to cross the dimensional divide and wreak havoc in the human world. According to Jack, Fairies were once human children taken from various times stretching millennia into the past and whisked away to what amounts to a geolocked version of the Feywild where they underwent a transformation process that turned them into fey so they could continue the cycle. Star Trek: The Original Series claims that the Greek gods were actually space travelers, while Star Trek: The Animated Series claims that the Central American god Kukulkan was actually an alien resembling a giant snake with wings. In Terry Pratchet’s Discworld, this trope is taken to an exciting extreme. In Lords and Ladies, Elves are extra-dimensional beings, and include several aspects of UFO mythology, such as crop circles heralding their presence, and their un-glamoured appearance resembling the description of The Greys. Changeling stories are invariably alien in nature. In the Image comic book Witch Doctor, which blends the horror and medical drama genres, Dr. Morrow is assisted by Eric Gast, a paramedic who is new to the world of the supernatural, and “Penny Dreadful”, a college student who is infected and controlled by a strange and horrible spirit. An early adventure sees this crew take on a Mockingbird fey that has replaced a human couple’s baby with a changeling. The insectoid depiction of the Mockingbird belies its extradimensional origin. While the Feywild might be connected to a world like our own, it is its own distinct reality, where the rules of science are bent and the fantastic becomes mundane. If you woke up kidnapped by the fey, taken to their lush and verdant reality on their strange whims, your waking moments bathed in heavily diffused Rivendell lighting, could you truly say you were still on earth? Of course not! The Feywild is an utterly alien setting. So why use Fey in a scifi campaign? Fey as aliens allow for a certain subtlety that an invasion of flying saucers firing death rays simply cannot achieve. Using portals from their reality to ours instead of ships, the Fey are stealthy and hard to track foe. They have no saucer with a Bolognium reactor core or other strange technology allowing scientific tracking, yet their natural abilities and inhuman drives make them as dangerous as a martian with a laser rifle. 36 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

The Trickster The Trickster by Chris Butler; Cover for Passport to Magonia by Jacques Vallée 37 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

Conversion Time! Candlekeep Mysteries Book 4: A Deep and Creeping Darkness is an Adventure for 4th-level Characters with original Story by Sarah Madsen and developed & Edited by Michele Carter. Setting the Stakes In the city of Sunthrone, Grommam Demigod Chéckina woke from a terrible dream, which she relayed to the temple’s scribes who immediately put the tale under theological speculation. The prophetic dream chronicles the death of a mountain village called Desmarest by slow, unknown means. Following a terrible accident in the platinum mine, survivors and other villagers began disappearing. Eventually Desmarest’s population all vanished or fled, leaving the village abandoned. They never discovered the cause, but Chéckina’s dream says whatever evil rests there still stirs… Baiting the Hook Characters are contacted directly by the Temple of Kong, their names and faces having appeared to Chéckina in the role of hero in the dark story that played out during her slumber. No actual “book” will be necessary to locate as in a normal candlekeep mystery, though the Temple of Kong is happy to share the demigod’s written portent with the players should they wish to look deeper for clues. A Tale of Tragedy and Terror “A Deep and Creeping Darkness” tells the tale of a mountain village whose residents went missing over the course of several months. The demigod’s dream is presented as a series of recalled vignettes allegedly seen through the eyes of “those who were there and those who will be there”: survivors, traveling merchants, residents of nearby settlements, and apparently even the player characters themselves. Desmarest, on the western slopes of Mount KongRex, was established after settlers discovered a platinum vein in the mountainside very valuable to spelljamming traders. The town did a booming business in both the raw ore and the refined metal for around a decade. Due to the rough terrain and the harshness of the climate, the village never grew large, and its people were hardy and self-sufficient. The town intermittently hosted a succession of traveling merchants who came to the village for a week or two, sold and traded their wares, then left again. The nearest civilized settlement was three days’ ride on horseback down the mountainside. The inhabitants named in Chéckina’s dream include Mayor Baya Gront, a kind and talented Bonob smith named Spanner, and his wife, Gert. Seventy years ago, an explosion rocked the platinum mine, partially collapsing the tunnels and trapping workers under tons of rubble. Many miners were underground that day, and upon realizing their friends were still trapped, sixty brave souls rushed back into the mine. They pulled a young bonob from under rubble, one rescue worker carting him back to the entrance of the mine- but as they reached it, another explosion cut off their escape route and trapped the fifty-nine remaining apes inside. The miners who survived the collapse were trapped for days or weeks before they were rescued— though few were, as most perished in the deep, alone and terrified. Sixteen apes eventually came out alive. Eleven bodies were never found. This tale of bravery and loss shocked the town, and a toast still given at the Howling Hangar (and inscribed on a plaque above the bar over two crossed pickaxes) tells of the heroism displayed that dark day: In the wake of the catastrophe, another horror plagued the village as people began to disappear, starting with the mine collapse survivors— not all at once, however. One or two would vanish in a single night, then a tenday might pass before the next disappearance. These unexplained disappearances terrified the remaining miners. After all the survivors either disappeared or fled, other villagers began to vanish. The villagers tried to protect themselves by sleeping with weapons and taking shifts on watch, but nothing changed. Traveling in groups didn’t help, since a companion might vanish while even briefly out of sight. With no one willing to keep the mine open and the disappearances leading to fears that Desmarest might be cursed, merchants and other travelers stopped visiting the village. The end of the patchwork story claims that the village is still there, though whether anyone inhabits it is a mystery. Chéckina believes it would be worth hiring adventurers- specifically those she noted in her dream stumbling through darkness- to see if anything remains of the village— particularly the platinum ore. The scribes provide a sketch with a rough map of the village’s location, with directions from the closest mountain town, called Serin Springs. The Truths Behind the Prophecy In response to the swell of terror from the chaos and aftermath of the accident, a nest of meenlocks spontaneously manifested within the bedrock of the mountain. Their strange, twisting lair affixed itself to the tunnels of the mine like a leech. The creatures spent days psychically tormenting the trapped miners before taking them to their lair for further torture and, eventually, transformation. After all the trapped miners were captured or died— or were rescued— the meenlocks turned their attention to the village. 38 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

The lingering fear and trauma of the surviving miners called like a beacon to the meenlocks, who exploited the impaired mental states of the villagers and influenced their dreams to sow more terror. Slowly but surely, with ruthless patience and efficiency, the meenlocks tormented and kidnapped the remaining miners, and then started in on their friends and family. Most of the populace eventually fled. Those who remained behind were taken, one by one, and transformed into meenlocks. Serin Springs The characters can use the hand-drawn map provided by the clerics to determine their starting point. The town of Serin Springs is the most likely stopover before attempting the trip into the mountains. Insert Serin Springs on the west side of the mountain chain in the middle of the Gromm map. Nestled at the foot of a mountain range, the town is the last bastion of civilization before the inhospitable climate of the peaks that only the Alaghi fearlessly tread. Not large enough to be called a city, Serin Springs is nonetheless bustling. Shops, taverns, and other establishments abound, as well as an open-air market at the center of town where vendors of all sorts hawk their wares. Serin is a midway point between the greater territories- acting as a minor trade hub for the southern Vanaran Principality, northern Papio Dominion, and eastern Grommam Protectorate. Most of the citizens of Serin Springs have scant knowledge of the village hidden in the mountains above them. Two former residents of Desmarest can share their experiences: Luca, the owner of the Howling Hangar tavern and inn, and Daisy, a flower vendor in the market. A Stake in the Mine For a long-term campaign, you have the option of reopening the mine once the party clears out the nest of meenlocks. Plenty of platinum lies in the ground near Desmarest, and adventurers who make it accessible could be rewarded with a share of the mine’s profits once production starts up again. Desmarest as a potential home base or means of additional income could be an irresistible temptation for forward-thinking groups. Either Luca or Daisy in Serin Springs mentions this possibility in passing, if needed, though neither claims any knowledge of where to find the rightful owners. The Howling Hangar A mid-range tavern and inn, the Howling Hangar features a dining area that seats forty people comfortably, small bedrooms that have surprisingly soft mattresses, and one tub that can be rented for baths by the hour. The menu of tavern fare is simple but satisfying; the establishment is best known for a flavorful, piping-hot stew featuring dried insects, nuts and apples. A large bowl of the stew costs 3 cp, while a small cup of it costs 1 cp. Luca Neutral good grommam tavernkeeper (veteran) (age 95) Luca is patient, though he suffers no fools. He has a charming smile for anyone who gives him a kind word or a good tip. His hunched shoulders have only a hint of the strength they once had, his hands are callused from years of work, and his fur is streaked with stunning silvers. Luca lived in Desmarest and worked there as a miner. His young wife, Lola, died in the disaster. He left after her death but before the disappearances started. If the characters announce that they’re heading to Desmarest, he asks them to place flowers on his wife’s grave for him, and to find her old necklace in a hollow of the tree in the center of the village and return it to him. Luca can give them a rough map of the village, though he notes a lot can change in seventy years. Personality Trait. “Ever since me wife died, my life has been a dreary march toward death. I look forward to death when it finally comes. ” Ideal. “Hard work won’t erase my losses, but it goes a long way toward easing them. ” Bond. “I’ve poured decades of hard work into the Howling Hangar. It’s all I have. ” Flaw. “I become surly and irritable when confronted with things beyond my control. ” House Band The Howling Hangar features four vanaran Bards, who play dance tunes and standards throughout the evening. 39 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

4 0 P A R T 3 | C a n d l e k e e p C o n v e r s i o n s

The Central Market Serin Springs has a lovely open-air market in the center of town. Semi-permanent tables and tents throughout the circular area allow space for carts and wagons brought in by traveling merchants. Serin Springs sits at the junction of three main roads (one north to Vanara territory, one west to Grommam territory, and one south to Papio territory. The market surrounds the intersection, making it a welcome stop for travelers of all types. Jewelers, clothiers, bakers, farmers, and occasionally enchanters and alchemists, frequent the central market. Daisy Lawful good Bonob florist (sage) (age 78) Daisy has dark fur streaked through with white, and cloudy blue eyes. She runs a flower stall in the market. Friendly and a bit wistful, Daisy chats with anyone who stops at her stall, as happy to hear the recent news as to make a sale. Daisy was a child when her family left Desmarest, so her knowledge of the forgotten village is clouded by time and the hazy memories of the very young. She remembers the disaster at the mine, bits of conversation overheard from adults talking in hushed whispers, and the gossip of the other children. Daisy’s family fled the village when Daisy’s mother began to experience nightmares. Personality Trait. “Gossip nourishes me like a spring rain, but I hate to hear or pass on bad news. ” Ideal. “People are like flowers: Some grow best when left alone, others must be carefully cultivated—and some need to be pruned back, lest they overtake the garden. ” Bond. “I am my own person, and I fiercely cherish my independence. I don’t want to owe anyone anything. ” Flaw. “I love to talk, which means I don’t always listen to what’s really being said. ” The Road to Desmarest Desmarest lies nestled in the snowy mountain peaks north of Serin Springs, three days’ ride by horse. The road from Serin Springs technically still exists, though it has fallen into disrepair and lacks guards or patrols. Place whatever obstacles or threats you feel necessary to engage the characters: they might face rampaging wildlife, marauding bandits, and weather and terrain challenges on the road to Desmarest. Desmarest When the characters enter Desmarest, read the following boxed text to the players: Lurking Danger A nest of meenlocks lives in the mine outside the village. Though most of the creatures returned to the Feywild once the village was empty, six meenlocks (see the end of the adventure for their stat block) remained to prey on lost travelers. When the characters arrive in the village, these meenlocks become aware of their presence and stalk them from a distance, staying hidden in the shadows. The meenlocks of Desmarest include three that spawned after the disaster in the mine, two that were once villagers, and one that was a traveling merchant who thought he’d found a shortcut through the peaks. The three original meenlocks stay within the nest, while the other three venture into the village to torment the characters, either individually or as a group. You can change the number of meenlocks in the village, depending on the number of characters and their abilities. 41 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

As the party makes its way through the village, the meenlocks try to remain unseen as they begin to psychically haunt the characters, causing hallucinations. Pick one character to target, or spread the hallucinations between multiple party members. A few suggestions: Characters see movement out of the corner of their eyes, but when they turn to look, nothing is there. A voice whispers indistinct words in their ears. A terrified shriek splits the air. Shadows follow the characters, stretching out abnormally across the floor to reach for them. Characters who view themselves in a reflection momentarily see the face of a lost loved one or a hated enemy instead of their own. The hair on their arms and neck stands up, and the space between their shoulder blades itches. They can’t shake the feeling of being watched. Running the Meenlocks The meenlocks haunting Desmarest avoid bright light. They prefer to stay in their nest until nightfall, though they sometimes hunt on overcast days. The meenlocks avoid combat with a well-armed group of foes. If the characters don’t split up on their own, the meenlocks try to divide the party using their ability to create hallucinations. Their aim is to isolate and paralyze one character, then drag that character back to their nest to be tortured and transformed into a meenlock. If given the opportunity, meenlocks psychically torment their prey for hours or days, breaking down their mental and emotional state to make the eventual transformation easier. Be devious and tricksy with these foes—they’re intelligent creatures, not mindless monsters driven by bloodlust. Hide them from the characters for as long as possible to heighten the mystery and suspense. Nightmares If the characters sleep in the village, the meenlocks inflict nightmares on them. The characters dream of being trapped in the suffocating darkness beneath piles of rock and rubble, unable to scream or move. After finishing a long rest, each character must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the character gains 1 level of exhaustion. Places of Interest Most of Desmarest’s buildings contain nothing but decaying furniture and whatever belongings were left behind when the inhabitants fled, but a few locations hold treasure or hints to the village’s demise. The following locations are keyed to the map of Desmarest (use map 5.1 Vermeillon from Candlekeep Mysteries as the Desmarest map.) V1. The Wrench and Hammer Spanner and Gert’s shop displays a sign featuring a wrench crossed with a blacksmith’s hammer. The sign hangs crookedly from one hook and falls as the characters enter through the front door. Spanner and Gert left with the second wave of villagers. With their livelihood drying up before their eyes and the hidden danger lurking in the village, the couple made the regretful decision to abandon their shop, buying space on one of the last merchant carts out. They took what they could fit on their backs, and they left their other possessions behind and hid their valuables in order to return and claim them later, which they never did. Treasure. A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a false panel in the corner of the floor. The false floor hides a steel shield with platinum filigree in the shape of winding serpents (50 gp), two matching shortswords with platinum filigree on the hilt and pommel in a similar serpent motif (25 gp each), and a stack of ten iron bars, each weighing 10 pounds (1 gp each). A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a thin platinum ring of swimming in the dust under a workbench, where it fell and was forgotten. V2. Stonemason’s Workshop The front door of the stonemason’s home and workshop gapes open, with the remains of the door lying several feet away and covered in long brown grass. The roof has caved in, and remnants of rotting furniture are visible through the open doorway. Blank headstones stand in front of the house, and one beside the doorway is engraved with the words “Boris Silverhair, Stonemason. Inquire at Back.” At the back of the house, a covered work area holds more blank headstones and slabs of granite and marble. Rusted carving tools hang from the wall. A hammer and chisel lie on the ground beside a half-finished headstone that reads: 42 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

V3. Mayor’s House This grand, two-story stone house has fallen prey to time and the elements like the rest of the village, but it remains in better shape than the smaller houses. Heavy wooden double doors are flanked by dark windows, and chimneys anchor the building at each corner, their masonry crumbling. In front of the house looms a wide, leafless tree. Its gnarled branches reach toward the clouds like twisted fingers, and its rough bark is pockmarked with large knots and beetle holes. This house belonged to Mayor Baya Gront, female alpha to a Troop of Papio. When the villagers continued to disappear, and the others fled, Mayor Gront sent her troop with her two small children to Serin Springs to wait until it was safe. Her husband Rett fell ill not long after their arrival in Serin Springs and passed away three weeks later. The children remained there for a time before being sent off to the care of distant relatives in the Papio Dominion. Mayor Gront was determined to find the source of the disappearances, stop them, and rescue anyone she could. As it happened, she was the last villager taken by the meenlocks. If the characters decide to explore the house, see “Mayor Gront ‘s House” later in the adventure for more information about this location. V4. Tree A bare tree stands on the lawn in front of the mayor’s mansion. On the west side of the tree is a hollow knot, about 5 feet above the ground, filled with dead leaves and empty nut shells. Treasure. Within the hollow rests a delicate necklace: a thumb-sized platinum oval pendant threaded on a thin chain (20 gp), inscribed with “For Lola, Forever” in a careful script. A character who spoke with Luca and knows the necklace is hidden in the tree can locate it with minimal searching. Someone unaware of the necklace must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discover it. V5. Graveyard A crooked, wrought iron archway stands at the entrance to the graveyard, which is overgrown like the rest of the village. Headstones sit at odd angles, some toppled completely. Small cairns, rather than inscribed headstones, mark the graves toward the back. Characters who take time to read the inscriptions notice that the headstones near the cairns bear the same death date, which is also the date of the mine collapse. The cairns were intended to be temporary, but with so many stones needing to be carved at the same time, the stonemason was unable to complete all the work before she was taken by the meenlocks. Characters who look for Lola’s grave can find it in the section at the back, a few headstones away from the cairns. Her stone stands a bit tilted but stable, and reads: If the characters place flowers on the grave as requested by Luca, they hear a soft, contented sigh on the wind. V6. Merchant’s Cart The road heading northwest out of the village is soon overcome by overgrowth and disuse. Not too far past the graveyard, a cart stands abandoned in the middle of the road, covered with a heavy tarp. The cart belonged to a traveling merchant who was taken by the meenlocks a little less than a year ago. Upon closer inspection, the party finds the remains of a horse in the tall grass, still tethered to the front of the cart. Under the tarp are boxes, barrels, and trunks. Many of these containers are broken and empty; the few that remain carry salted dried meats (still edible but not tasty), three bolts of common fabric (10 gp each), and two small casks of wine (25 gp each). A successful Wisdom (Survival) or Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals the following information: DC 15 Wisdom (Survival): The growth around the wheels and the decay of the horse’s carcass suggests that the cart has lain here for roughly a year. DC 18 Wisdom (Survival): The scratches and tooth marks on the broken and empty containers lead one to conclude they were damaged by animals. DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation): The driver’s seat lifts up to reveal a compartment. Inside this compartment is a pouch containing 15 gp and a ledger listing sales in settlements around the area. Tragic Transformation Mayor Baya Gront was taken in the night and transformed into a meenlock. The meenlock that was once Mayor Gront now lurks around the mayor’s mansion, drawn there by lingering memories, and it takes any opportunity to attack characters in the house. The meenlock shed its clothing and other trappings of its former life once the transformation was complete, but it still wears the mayor’s ring of office: an ornate platinum signet ring embossed with a snowdrop blossom (75 gp). The characters can recover the ring upon the meenlock’s death or notice it during combat with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check. The ring offers a hint to the fate of the mayor, and also serves as a potential plot hook if the characters decide to track down the mayor’s children to return the item and give them closure on their mother’s fate. 43 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

Mayor Gront ‘s House The furniture and belongings in the house remain in their customary places, the beds made and the desks arranged neatly under a thick layer of dust. The house served as both the home of the mayor and the center of government. Meals were prepared in the village and brought to the manor, and the servants slept in nearby cottages. The house hides clues to the death of the village, for characters who take the time to look. If any characters are left behind in a room on their own, or if the party splits up to search the house, that’s an ideal time for a meenlock encounter. The following locations are keyed to Map 5.2 of Candlekeep Mysteries. H1. Entryway Dust covers everything in this wide hallway. Moth-eaten cloaks hang from hooks on the left-hand wall. To the left and the right, hallways branch off into the gloom. Ahead, a stairway leads up to the second floor, and a door stands beneath the stairs, seemingly leading to the back yard. Dim light filters in through the dust-covered windows, the only light within the house. The cloaks are too decayed to be of any use. H2. Assembly Room Chairs are arranged in staggered rows with their backs to the door, facing a podium in the southeast corner. A sideboard sits on the left side of the room, and a bookcase stands to the right of the doorway, filled with tomes and knickknacks. A cold brick fireplace occupies the southwest corner. The mayor addressed the village’s council here. The sideboard, once used to provide drinks and other refreshments during the meetings, is bare. The shelves in it hold glass tumblers, wine glasses, and small china plates, all covered with dust and rodent droppings. Treasure. The bookshelf holds old and worn books, a small framed watercolor painting of a mountain range (2 gp), and a chunk of raw platinum ore from the mine (25 gp). On the wall, a splendid portrait of the Mayors family seems indifferent to the ravages of time (worth 200gp): H3. Meeting Room A round table with four chairs stands in the center of this room. Windows look out into the back yard. The fireplace in the corner is filled with broken masonry. A framed portrait hangs on the right-hand wall. This room is bare except for the furniture and a faded oil painting that depicts Mayor Baya Gront, a Papio woman dressed in a cream-colored frock coat with a pale green cravat at her throat. Her dark hair is pulled up in an intricate twist, and she wears delicate platinum and diamond earrings. Her hands are folded in her lap. One finger bears a heavy platinum signet ring, inscribed with a snowdrop blossom. H4. Dining Room This room holds a rectangular table with eight chairs. A sideboard sits against the far wall, with dusty ceramic serving dishes and bowls atop it. A fireplace is in the far corner. This room was used mainly for dinner parties and family meals. A search reveals ceramic plates, bowls, and teacups with saucers in the sideboard cabinets, as well as flatware and serving utensils in the drawers. The ceramics are well made but simple; the flatware is made of a silver-plated steel alloy. H5. Parlor The parlor is empty except for four wingback chairs situated along the left-hand wall and a desk in the righthand corner beside the window. A fireplace dominates the southeast corner. Once a waiting area for villagers hoping to see the mayor, this room holds little of interest. The chairs are infested with rodents; mouse holes and droppings are obvious with a simple glance. The desk on the front wall was available for public use and did not hold any personal papers. A few crumbling sheets of blank parchment, a quill, and a dried-up inkwell remain here. H6. Upstairs Landing An open landing waits at the top of the stairs. Four closed doors lie before you, and a large entryway gapes from across the hall to the south. The doors to the bedrooms are shut but unlocked. In the middle of the south wall is a open doorway to the library (area H9). H7. Daughter’s Bedroom This dim room holds nothing but a bed, partially coated in debris from the collapsed chimney. Cold air gusts in through the gaps. This room belonged to the mayor’s daughter, Granna. It contains nothing of interest. 44 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

H8. Master Bedroom A double bed sits beneath the windows along the far wall. A fireplace occupies one corner, and a window looks out onto the front yard. This room belonged to Mayor Gront and her husband, Rett. A search of the room yields a pile of crumpled, half-written letters on the fireplace mantelpiece, beseeching other nearby settlements for aid; among them is a completed letter addressed to the mayor of Serin Springs. This letter is stuffed in an envelope and sealed shut with a bright red wax seal embossed with an ornate snowdrop blossom; sticks of sealing wax in various colors as well as quills, ink, and paper; and the journal of Mayor Baya Gront. The journal chronicles the disaster at the mine and the village’s anguish at so many victims. The mayor recounts the rescue efforts in the following days, and how they had to stop the search due to fears of more cave-ins if they attempted to remove any more of the rubble, even with miners still missing. She writes of villagers going missing in the night, of her helplessness, and of stubbornly staying on, determined to find the missing villagers while Rett and their two children, Buck and Granna, evacuated to Serin Springs. The last few pages speak of the mayor’s nightmares, of her creeping fear and waking in the night, soaked in sweat, with lingering screams echoing in her ears. H9. Library Shelves filled with books line the walls of this library, and four wingback chairs sit around a low table in the center of the room. The wide bank of windows in the south wall affords a panoramic view of the dilapidated houses beyond the twisting branches of the tree in the front yard. Since the village’s business was conducted on the first floor of the mansion, the mayor and her wife spent their personal time in this room. The shelves hold books of all sorts, from tomes on history and treatises on business to thin volumes of folktales and grand, sweeping novels. An entire section on arcane theory includes books about the other planes of existence. If you so desire, the library can include books relevant to other plots in your campaign. Several open books lie on the table, with notes scribbled on bits of paper stuck between their pages. The topics include the effects of physical and emotional trauma, nightmares, and mysterious disappearances. Seemingly out of place in comparison to the other topics, a book about the Feywild and its sundry creatures holds a single note, written in a shaky hand. It reads: Could this be the answer? The note marks a page with an entry on meenlocks, which includes the following information: Meenlocks are corrupted fey creatures that spontaneously manifest in response to fear in places where the border with the Feywild is thin. Meenlocks create more of their kind by transforming humanoids through a process of psychic torment that takes hours or days. Meenlocks live in subterranean nests. Meenlocks are sensitive to bright light and can sense shadows and darkness. By the time Mayor Gront discovered this book, she was already being harried by the meenlocks. They took her shortly afterward. H10. Guest Bedroom Empty except for a bed and a fireplace, this room is cold and has an air of loneliness about it. Intended as a guest bedroom, this chamber rarely saw much use, though it does have a lovely painting of the mayor’s children (worth 100gp): H11. Son’s Bedroom This bedroom has a tall chest of drawers made of dark wood in the corner across from the door. Farther into the room, a small desk sits between two windows, with a large bed to the left of it. The sheets and blankets on the bed are rumpled. One moth-eaten pillow lies on the floor beside it, the other on the mattress where it belongs. Under the bed is a small stuffed toy bugbear, full of holes and with its stuffing removed by the resident rodents. It belonged to the mayor’s son, Buck. 45 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

Platinum Mine A gaping hole in the mountainside northeast of the village marks the entrance to the platinum mine. Several carts sit outside the cavern. One is filled with rock and dirt pulled from the mine, the others piled with large beams of wood—new supports that were never installed after the collapse. If the characters explore during the day, the first 30 feet inside the mine are dimly lit, and anything beyond 30 feet is in darkness. Cart wheels have carved shallow ruts in the dirt floor leading to the back of the mine, where the cave-in was never fully excavated. Smaller tunnels branch off from the main shaft. The entrance to the meenlock tunnel opens near the site of the accident. The following locations are keyed to the map of the platinum mine (Map 5.3 of Candlekeep Mysteries). Mine Features Electronic devices experience strange malfunctions in and around the area of the mine, caused by the area’s connection to the Feywild. Electronics are fuzzy and slow outside the mine, and do not work at all inside it. Characters will have to solve this mystery with the detectives oldest tools: their senses! M1. Main Tunnel The mine is dark and damp, and you hear the sound of dripping water echoing from deep within. The light fades faster than it should as you move deeper, until you’re wrapped in oppressive gloom and shadow. The main tunnel heads into the mountain, ending at a pile of rubble left over from the cave-in. Secondary hallways branch off to the left and the right. The meenlocks, having watched the characters in the village, escalate their psychic torment when the characters enter the mine. Each character who enters the mine must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on Intelligence and Wisdom checks from being distracted by whispers, shifting movement, and other hallucinations while inside the mine. M2. Southern Wing This tunnel ends at a small chamber that holds worn picks, rusty shovels, and two hand carts filled with debris and rags. The tools were left behind by the workers in the wake of the disaster. Characters who look up see scores of bats hanging from the 20-foot-high ceiling. If bright light is shone at them or if someone makes a noise louder than a whisper, the bats coalesce into three hostile swarms of bats. These swarms were drawn to the mine and corrupted by the meenlocks’ unwholesome presence and attack all creatures except the meenlocks. M3. Northern Wing This tunnel winds back toward the entrance, and the south wall of the chamber at the end has odd divots and alcoves within the rock at various heights. This tunnel ends abruptly. The miners intended to keep digging here, but it was abandoned after the collapse occurred. M4. Cave-In As the characters approach the rubble of the cave-in, they see large rocks in the pathway that they can easily move past. The tunnel gets tighter and tighter until they come to the main body of the cave-in. Traveling farther down the tunnel is impossible here. A character who attempts to move any of the rocks must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage as the rubble shifts, falling on them or sliding out from beneath their feet, sending them tumbling. M5. Entrance to Meenlock Lair The opening of this tunnel is nearly circular. Black moss covers the walls, floor, and ceiling of the tunnel as far as you can see. Within this tunnel are several branches, all of them covered in the same black moss. The notable aspect of this tunnel is the uniform layer of black moss over everything. Characters who scrape the moss away from the rock see that the walls are smooth, not rough-carved by pick and shovel like the rest of the mine. Because the meenlock tunnels spontaneously manifested rather than being dug out, there are no scratch marks or signs of excavation on the walls, floor, or ceiling here. The moss muffles all sound, causing a lack of echoes and creating a sense of claustrophobia. A successful DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana or Nature) check reveals that the tunnels were not created by hand, claw, or tool, but rather by magic or another strange effect; if the check succeeds by 4 or more, the character pieces together the clues, if they haven’t done so already, and realizes that meenlocks created the mosscovered tunnels. 46 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

M6. Chamber of Weeping Thick, velvety black moss covers every surface of this eight-foot-high chamber. Set into the far wall is a deep alcove. Whenever a creature that isn’t a meenlock enters the alcove or starts its turn there, tentacles of black moss sprout from the alcove’s walls, forcing the creature to succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw to avoid being grappled by them (escape DC 14). The tentacles are an otherwise harmless magical effect and can’t be harmed, though a dispel magic spell causes them to disappear. Development. A character who wanders into this cave alone and is grappled by the mossy tentacles might have to deal with one or more meenlocks that creep into the room, hoping to take advantage of the character’s unfortunate predicament. M7. Mossy Maze The meenlocks like to pick off interlopers in this mosscovered maze of tunnels, luring them into dead-end caves using hallucinations (such as the sound of someone calling for help). M8. Pools This dead-end cavern opens wide, and the lingering dampness of the tunnels is pronounced in here. Moisture leaches through the moss ceiling above, forming fat droplets that fall into pools of dark water around the chamber. A sharp scent of minerals fills the air and mixes with the earthy smell of the moss. The sound of dripping doesn’t echo, but is immediately dulled by the moss-carpeted surfaces. The pools here vary in depth: the smaller ones are a few inches deep, and the larger pools measure 2 feet at their deepest. In the subterranean darkness, the pools look black. Light sources reflect off the water as if it were a dark mirror, and the characters are unable to see below the surface. This is another ideal ambush location for the meenlocks or, if you want to shake things up a bit, for a black pudding or other ooze to lurk on the surface of one of the pools like an oil slick. M9. Transformation Chamber New scents greet you here: the musty funk of decaying fabric and old furs, and the smell of rot lingering in the stagnant air. Thick pillars of moss-covered stone support the twenty-foot-high ceiling, and waist-high stone slabs dot the cavern. The meenlocks bring their victims here to be tormented and transformed. The stone slabs are coated with blood and filth—the result of mortals being laid out for days of torture. Any party members taken by the meenlocks are here, paralyzed on one of the slabs if they haven’t already been transformed (see the “Telepathic Torment” sidebar at the end of the adventure). Any remaining meenlocks attack when the party reaches the center of this room. Dynamite Trap. The miners-turned-meenlocks used remnants of their knowledge to rig explosives on the four pillars in this room. Attached to each pillar is a stick of dynamite with a long fuse leading to a plunger trigger. Any character who has a passive Wisdom (Perception) score of 18 or higher spots a candle-like object attached to each pillar, partially hidden beneath the moss. A character who closely examines a pillar spots the dynamite stick and the fuse leading from it with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. A character can cut a fuse as an action (no ability check required). If a dynamite stick takes damage from any source, it explodes (as described below). The meenlocks trigger the explosives as a last resort. If a meenlock starts its turn with 10 hit points or fewer, it moves to the nearest trigger, uses its action to set off the explosion, and then uses its Shadow Teleport bonus action to escape. The pillar is destroyed in the explosion. The last meenlock detonates any remaining pillars before it flees. Any creature within 5 feet of an exploding dynamite stick must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If all four pillars are destroyed, the cavern’s ceiling partially collapses. Each creature in the cavern when the collapse occurs must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage, falls prone, and is restrained by the rubble and unable to stand up; on a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t trapped in the rubble or knocked prone. A creature can use its action to attempt to free itself or another creature trapped under the rubble within its reach, doing so with a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. Meenlocks that flee return the next night to see what they’ve caught in their trap. Old Remains. The remnants of other victims lie on the south side of the room, decades of belongings shed by transformed meenlocks and left to rot. Heaped piles of bones, clothing, boots, rusted blades, and splintered bows and arrows rest within the recessed portions of the walls. Treasure. Most of the items in the refuse piles are worthless after rotting in the damp and dark for years. A thorough search reveals 50 gp, an ivory drinking horn with platinum filigree (120 gp), and a set of goggles of night. 47 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

Passage into the Feywild Meenlocks manifest where the Feywild’s influence is strong. A shallow lake on the mountainside above the meenlock lair (directly above area M8) is fed by a stream that becomes a river when summer melts the snow. When the full moon hangs in the night sky, the lake becomes a feywild crossing. Anyone who completely submerges in the icy waters during this time surfaces in the Feywild. Fate of Desmarest If the party clears out the nest of meenlocks and informs the citizens of Serin Springs, settlers restore the village of Desmarest and the mine eventually begins production again. The new villagers treat the characters as local heroes. As news travels, Spanner and Gert eventually hear of the village’s resurrection and return to restart their shop, unable to pass up the opportunity of being so close to a platinum mine. If the meenlocks survive, travelers continue to go missing if they attempt to take the road through Desmarest. The number of meenlocks in the nest grows to eventually threaten the town of Serin Springs. Meenlock Meenlocks are cruel fey that invoke terror and seek to destroy all that is good, innocent, and beautiful. They primarily live in forests, although they adapt well to urban and subterranean settings. Fear Incarnate. Meenlocks are spawned by fear. Whenever fear overwhelms a creature in the Feywild, or in any other location where the Feywild’s influence is strong, one or more meenlocks might spontaneously arise in the shadows or darkness nearby. If more than one meenlock is born, a lair also magically forms. The earth creaks and moans as narrow, twisting tunnels open up within it. One of these newly formed passageways serves as the lair’s only entrance and exit. Inside the warren, black moss covers every surface, muffling sound. A large central chamber serves as the meenlocks’ den, where they torment captives. Dark Dwellers. A meenlock shuns bright light. It can supernaturally sense areas of darkness and shadow in its vicinity and thus is able to teleport from one darkened space to another—enabling it to sneak up on its prey and run away when outmatched. Telepathic Tormentors. Meenlocks have no form of communication other than telepathy. They can use it to project unsettling hallucinations into the minds of their prey. These hallucinations take the form of terrible whispers or fleeting movements just at the edges of one’s peripheral vision. During the day, meenlocks confine themselves to their dark warrens. At night, they crawl out of their tunnels to torment sleeping prey (see the “Telepathic Torment” sidebar). Meenlock Small fey, neutral evil Source: MPMM pg 178 and VGM pg 170 Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 31 (7d6 + 7) Speed 30ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6, Survival +2 Condition Immunities frightened Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14 Languages telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 2 (450 XP) Fear Aura. Any Beast or Humanoid that starts its turn within 10 feet of the meenlock must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of the creature’s next turn. Light Sensitivity. While in bright light, the meenlock has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight Pack Tactics. These guys work together like peanut butter and jelly. Actions Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Bonus Actions Shadow Teleport (Recharge 5–6). The meenlock teleports to an unoccupied space within 30 feet of it, provided that both the space it’s teleporting from and its destination are in dim light or darkness. The destination need not be within line of sight.

A vanara takes to drink to avoid the pain of telepathic torment in the weeks before the town was abandoned; this creature is now one of the twisted meenlock. Telepathic Torment Up to four meenlocks can telepathically torment one incapacitated creature, filling its mind with disturbing sounds and dreadful imagery. Participating meenlocks can’t use their telepathy for any other purpose during this time, though they can move about and take actions and reactions as normal. This torment has no effect on a creature that is immune to the frightened condition. If the creature is susceptible and remains incapacitated for 1 hour, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The save DC is equal to 10 + the number of meenlocks participating in the torment, considering only those that remain within sight of the victim for the entire hour and aren’t incapacitated during it. The process can be repeated. A humanoid that drops to 0 hit points as a result of this damage instantly transforms into a meenlock at full health and under the DM’s control. Only a wish spell or divine intervention can restore a transformed creature to its former state. - Conversion Conclusion - It doesn’t take much to convert a Candlekeep Mystery to fit your setting and playstyle. Here are some final thoughts and tips on converting stories to fit a scifantasy feel: Species replacement. As you’ll note, the humans and elves in the original A Deep and Creeping Darkness have been modified to fit our setting- now representatives of the simian races of the plane. Often, this is one of the biggest steps towards making a story fit within your campaign, depending on setting. Introduction or Restriction of Technology. With scientific tools at hand, solving mysteries gets a bit easier. To even the score against players, a DM can introduce similar technologies to the villains of the story, or in our case utilize the Meenlock’s extradimensional existence and the nearby feywild portal to interfere with player’s tech. While technology does not always need to be balanced, forcing a player to rely on their wits instead of their gadgets is an opportunity for better roleplay. You’ll see pop culture examples of Restriction with each new regeneration of the Doctor in Doctor Who: the new Doctor often faces challenges without their classic tools, from the Sonic Screwdriver to the TARDIS itself. Often, the best explaination here is the most vague: the monster’s energy signature confounds or renders technology useless, forcing players to face it without wondrous computational aid. Expanding Monsters. Sometimes, a simple Ogre just isnt enough. As DMs and Players, we often treat the Monster as an Other- something we can’t understand so don’t try, or can understand but don’t respect- and our inclination is to hack and slash until the problem has stopped breathing fire. But this behavior can be quite reductive. The Monsters didn’t get where they are by being stupid. We fear the unknown for a reason- an Ogre with a maxim gun is suddenly a smarter and more terrible threat than one with a club, and should be played as such. Granting Monsters use of technology and proficiency in useful skills is a surefire way to turn convention on its head and challenge your players. Using Tropes. Tropes exist for a reason. Human beings are creative, but honestly only to a point. Our intelligence is based on pattern recognition, and patterns leads us to invention and the refinment of ideas. The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations is a descriptive list first proposed by Georges Polti in 1895 to categorize every dramatic situation that might occur in a story or performance. As you look through them, you’ll be hard pressed to find a storyline that Polti missed. If you’ve yet to read it, Joseph Campbell’s work The Hero with a Thousand Faces touches more deeply on this topic and is an amazing look into human mythos. 49 PART 3 | Candlekeep Conversions

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